Tharai Thappattai

My review: Tharai Thappattai

Bala's movies off late have become templated to such an extent even an average joe can predict each and every scene in his movies. Only difference is the setting of the story. It can be a bonded labourers  in a tea estate or physically disabled with a begging mafia, the route the story is going to take and the fate that befalls the protagonists are a given. In "Tharai Thappattai" it is folk artists and the manner in which they endure the torture which in turn is extrapolated on to the viewers. Only this time the movie is superfluous unlike any of his included that forgettable "Avan Ivan". 

The whole conceit of "Tharai Thappattai" is redundant. Nothing happens in a flow. There is contrived situations one after another to such an extent that by the intermission point one can only hear cries of exasperation from the viewers. At point no one knows the whereabouts of the female protagonist and right in the next shot we see the male protagonist just nonchalantly walking into the place where she is housed. Similarly the climax too is straight out a below average masala potboiler of the 80s where the male protagonist can do no wrong except that to remind us that we are watching a Bala movie he can't save the heroine as she is only destined to die.

Except for the hard work put in by all the actors with the exception of the caricatured villain, this movie offers nothing either in terms of entertainment or art. It is sad to see the actors like Sasikumar, G.M.Kumar, Varalakhsmi putting in such a superlative performances which is just going to go down the drains in the end. Ilayaraja's terrific background score also can't redeem this slugfest.
Bala just seems to have concentrated on extracting superb performances from his actors while he himself just floundering in his screenplay and film making. 

On the whole, "Tharai Thappatai"‬ is the weakest of Bala's movies so far.  

Bottomline: crude, crass, tacky, hackneyed, plastic, irritating, torturous,........

2/5

Charlie

My review: Charlie

Many movies you enter fresh and come out with a headache but while watching "Charlie" I entered with severe headache but came out very fresh and elated. It is such a feel good movie that is made with some special powers to infuse positive energy in the viewers. It is not your conventional movie that can be confined into a particular genre. It defies these phoney boundaries that is part and parcel of screenplay writing. It is a thriller at one point, it becomes a romantic comedy at another, a sentimental drama at yet another and an abstract fantasy at some point too.

Having been brought up with stories where the male protagonist is the one who always drives the story forward, "Charlie" is a pleasant deviant where female lead does it. She is there right from the first frame till the last, she is one who goes in search of the almost angelic persona, a genie in the form of human named Charlie. It is an audacious role reversal of sorts that can only be carried forward by a power-packed performer like Parvathy, an inspired piece of casting that. It is her movie, where she is the protagonist, narration is in her point of view and the emotions of the movie is all her's. Dulquer Salman's is mostly an extended cameo of sorts, which warrants special appreciation for him being so selfless and generous.    

Movie though progresses sluggishly in the first half traversing many a genres and keeping the viewers guessing about the course it is going to take, second half just fills the viewers with overwhelming positive energy that at the end you just stand up and applaud in elation at the happenings. There are two specific scenes that just brings tears of joy and reflex applause from the viewers. One when Kunjappan meets his long lost love of his life, the other when the lead finally meet each other and their mischievous banter through to the surprise tiny little twist. This is the type of movie making that just engulfs and sucks in the viewers into the narrative flow that you long for that state of ecstasy to stay for ever. 

As I have mentioned earlier, "Charlie" is an out and out Parvathy movie. She has dished out yet another power-packed treat. Her emotive skills are totally in a different league altogether when compared with her unidimentional contemporaries. It is yet another impressive addition to her already terrific resume. Dulquer on the other hand has nothing much to do. In the limited scope that the movie offers he has acquainted himself credibly. Movie boasts of quiet a list of power packed performers as its support cast who all lend that extra to the movie's final impact. 

Martin Prakkat, after his impressive "ABCD", has once again proven that he is adept in handling movies of feel good themes. He  also shows  he is a maker who believes in subtle portrayal of emotions and the one who trusts the intelligence of the viewers. The two aforementioned scenes are perfect examples for this claim of mine.

On the whole,  "Charlie" a very well made feel good movie with power packed performances from its cast with Parvathy leading from the front.

Bottomline: Cinematic ecstasy 

4/5 

One-minute reviews: Premam, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, 36 Vayadinile, India Pakistan, Uttama Villain, Komban, Yennai Arindal and Nanbenda

Premam: 

Alphonse Putharen is a movie maker to watch out for. After the mighty impressive ""Neram", his second feature film, "Premam" is a instant classic. How can anyone even think of conceiving a movie on multiple love failures in such a breezy, light-hearted manner yet with moments that tug your heartstrings. Nivin Pauly can do no wrong and Sai Pallavi is an overnight heartthrob. Infinite times better than "Autugraph" and hundred times better than "Life Ishtene", both movies which are among my all time favorites. 

4.5/5

Tanu Weds Manu Returns: 

"Tanu weds Manu returns" is watchable mainly for Kangana Ranaut's superlative performance. I can't remember a dual role that is so convincingly portrayed on screen in recent times. Deepak Dobriyal keeps the audience in splits with his antics. On the whole, it is a mediocre movie made praiseworthy by terrific Kangana.

3.5/5

36 Vayadinile:

"36 Vayadinile" is a shrunk version of How Old Are you. As a result it has lost the soul of the original but for the ones who watch it for the first time it would be a decent female empowerment saga. Jyothika scores in her comeback with a restrained performance. On the whole, though it is not that moving it is entertaining nonetheless.

3.5/5

India Pakistan: 

"‪India Pakistan" has its damn hilarious moments in between large stretches of dreariness. Vijay Antony's hattrick though he has more or less the same dead pan expression throughout the movie. One time watch.

3/5

Uttama Villain:

I got a choking feeling at the end of the movie. What will Indian cinema be without Kamalhassan, the actor. Thought of it makes you depressed.‪ ‎"Uttama Villain‬" what a movie. What an actor. 

4/5

Komban:

"Komban" is an engrossing watch, keeps to hooked to the screen till the end. Judicious mix of action and family sentiments keeps everyone entertained. Karthi and RajKiran chemistry sizzles and might bring a tear or two.  

3.5/5

Yennai Arindal :

Goutham Menon is getting monotonous, hackneyed and knackered with his movies, be it action or drama or romance. Experts for few sparks from Ajithkumar and Arun Vijay now and then, "Yennai Arindal" is a big yawn. 

2.5/5

Nanbenda:  

If you do it for the first time, it is novel and enjoyable. When you repeat it for the second time, it gets a bit weary but bearable nonetheless. But when third time on the trot, it gets plain irritating and repulsive. Udayanithi, Shanthanam and Rajesh & co must realize it before it is too late. "Nanbenda" is too much to bear. 

1.5/5

100 days of love: 

"100 days of love" is a cute little romantic movie which takes its own time to meander into your mind and stays on for few days. Essentially a new age romcom, steady screenplay, cute lead pair, light mood, and excellent technical credentials make it a happy watch.  

3.5/5

Puli Teaser

Puli Teaser

When his contemporaries are stuck in the banal preposterous spilth it is refreshing to see Vijay taking up refreshing projects. .... Puli urumbuthu 8)

Interstellar to O Kadhal Kanmani - One-line reviews

Interstellar to O Kadhal Kanmani - One-line reviews

Interstellar: 

As a person with average intelligence, I can't understand what were they trying to depict in "Interstellar". At the same time surprised at many others who seems to have understood what was going on. Was it a special show for Physics buff i went to.... Found it hard to control my sleep ‪#‎Interstellar‬.

Linga:

It would have been an honorable retirement if he had retired after "Enthiran". Now it is totally embarrassing seeing him play a guy of mid 20's prancing around heroines younger than his daughters and doing stunts that are the precise reasons why people mock at him.

On the whole, "LINGAA" rombaa LONGAAA

2/5

Anegan:

Anegan is just about average. Terrific idea very simplistically told.

Tamilukku en1ai Aluthavum :

Tamilukku en1ai Aluthavum is very entertaining. Hyperlink format screenplay very neatly presented. If only they could have made it a bit shorter and crispier it would have become a sleeper hit.

Kakkisattai : 

Kakkisattai : boring wannabe star vehicle that never takes off constantly pulled down by a very convenient and lax - lazy screenplay.

Enakkul Oruvan:

Enakkul Oruvan, a half hearted and half baked remake of Lucia. When it comes to remakes and retaining the flavour, tenor and tone of the original, there is no one who comes anywhere near to Jayam Raja.

Rajathanthiram :

Rajathanthiram is a very good and engaging heist movie that deserves better promotion and bigger box office returns.

Valiyavan:

Valiyavan has one of the silliest reasons for revenge that the audience were laughing out loud when the director intended touching sentiment sequences.

O Kadhal Kanmani:

In my 1st decade mouna ragam, 2nd alaipayuthey, 3rd ‪#‎OKKanmani‬. Manirathnam redefining romance over the decades

O Kadhal Kanmani

My review: O Kadhal Kanmani

Mani Ratnam, a man not shy of courting controversy by dealing with subjects that are considered contentious in the Indian society is at it again with his latest movie, "O Kadhal Kanmani" (OKK). The movie touted as a modern day romance deals with a subject which is almost a taboo in the current India especially post May, 2014, "live-in relationship". I am quiet surprised at the lack of noise by the saffron brigade who seem to be busy protecting the relevance of yellow sacred thread that sanctifies marriage, "Thaali" in the streets of Vepery, Chennai.  

Politics aside, OKK is a movie that offers a glimpse of what Mani is capable of to the current generation whose understanding of the auteur stems from the half-backed movies like "Raavanan" and "Kadal". For the others it is a throwback to the days of "Alaipayuthey" and "Mouna Ragam", two movie which are milestones when one think about modern-urban romance. Movie feels fresh, unpretentious, and to the point without undue digressing, even the routine Mani Ratnam's artistically picturized duet is missing here. All we have here are few montages with the background songs that carry the story forward. 

The auteur in Mani rears his head in the form of economical use of spoken words, liberal use of montages, signature lighting with maximal use of darkness (though OKK is surely the most colourful  of Mani Ratnam movies with the liberal use of bright colours), fetish for locomotives be it trains, buses, jeeps, bikes. At the same time in spite of his usual trappings, movie looks and feels contemporary. The light-hearted manner of handling the even most trickiest of situations which the young crop of directors are becoming adept with has also rubbed onto Mani Ratnam. Here we have Bhavani, (terrific Leela Samson) wife of the lead pair's landlord who suffer from Alzheimer's coming out with her innocent retorts which leaves the audience in splits. 

Mani has kept a lively pace in the first half. Movie just breezes past you, but it does get tend to meander a little in the second half towards the end before finally picking up moment in the climatic portions. Dulquer Salman is just adorable as the protagonist Adi who like all the Mani Ratnam heroes of the past enthrall the female audience. His Tamil diction is one of the best from a non-native actor, especially from the god's own country, bereft of any accent. But the movie is wholly Nitya Menen's. Without someone like her, the character of Thara would have become undone. It is she who lights up the screen and it would be difficult for any one take one's eye out of her, in spite of terrific performances all around. Like I had mentioned earlier, Leela Samson is just terrific. Credit should also goes to the writer who has conceived this character without the usual melodrama associated with it. Prakash Raj is as usual reliable in his portrayal. 

Movie gets its strength from one of A.R.Rahman's best background score in recent years. The background score is just top notch that is of international class. Songs are chart-busters. P.C.Sriram's cinematography exudes the youthful exuberance of the overall superstructure of the movie. 

I thought Mani Ratnam has just compromised a bit in the end with his conforming climax. Why could a couple can't be in love irrespective of the distance and time without marring ? Why is that it is only  marriage that offers security for a long distance relationship ?  Nonetheless he deserves plaudits for bringing such an issue into the mainstream. 

Overall, "O Kadhal Kanmani" may not be as deep or layered as Mani Ratnam's earlier movies, but certainly it is one of the most entertaining of his. 

Bottomline: Hip and happy

3.5/5

Iyobinte Pusthakam

My review: Iyobinte Pusthakam

Amal Neerad's "Iyobinte Pusthakam" is a visual treat. With the cinematographer and director in Amal Neerad competing with one another it is a field day for the audience to devour a period drama with ample dose of action, suspense and thrills. Aided with a solid script by  Gopan Chidamabaram, Amal has trasnformed it into epic proportions by his characteristic making, both visually and cerebrally. The intelligence of the writer is evident from the seamless confluence of the story with some of the significant historical events that happened during the period between 1900 and 1976, the timeline of the film's story. 

Though movie ambles along at a leisurely pace it does so with purpose. There is hardly any digression from the plot except two unwarranted songs in the second half. The focus with which the story is told keeps your interest glued on the screen. Towards the end the gore gets a bit over done but story of jealousy, deceit, revenge and infidelity warrants it nonetheless. 

Lal is the fulcrum around whom the whole movie travels and he has lived the character of Job aka Iyob with perfection. The various shades of his character as it evolves from a slave to servant to finally becoming a master himself and his eventual decline and demise are wonderfully brought on the screen by the veteran. Fahad Fazal as Iyob's youngest son does a terrific job himself with his understated histrionics in contrast with that of his elder brothers.    

Jayasuriya is a revelation in his role of a conniving businessman with his cool visage and coldblooded smile that leaves you dumbfounded. Padmapriya sizzles in a mysterious role while Isha Sharvani has nothing much to do. Both Chemban Vinod Jose and Jinu Joseph as the two elder evil sons of Iyob are terrific in their roles. Reenu Mathew, Lena, Srijith Ravi and Vinayan along with a long support cast do their parts to perfection. Overall the performance of the actors in the movie is terrific and is one of the prime reason why the movie leaves you with a lasting impression.

Neha S Nair and Yakzan Gary Pereira's musical score and background score complements the narrative vision of the writer and director. As said earlier, Amal's cinematography is one of the biggest pluses for this movie. Movie is technically one of the best ever to have come out of Malayalam film industry. Movie is fertile  with lost of memorable shots aided amply by the lush locales of Munnar and the western ghats. 

On the whole, "Iyobinte Pusthakam" is a well made movie with a clear cut narration aggrandized by terrific making. 

Bottomline:  A visual treat with some cerebral topping. 

3.5/5