Mardaani

My review: Mardaani

Pradeep Sarkar's "Mardaani" marks yet another comeback attempt for Rani Mukerji after her not so good returns in the box-office over the past few years. It is essentially a cop story that follows all template studiously with the theme of child trafficking thrown in for novelty. The theme though is topical importance and relevance the manner in which they have milked the issue for commercial purposes is despicable. The director known for his subtle portrayal has missed it this time in his endeavor to present a  commercially viable movie. 

Movie does has its moments, but they are few and far in between. The tempo also wavers and when actually the tempo needs to pick up, the director decides to go about it leisurely towards the end. As a result the movie fails to create the desired impact. The banter between the protagonist and antagonist make for riveting viewing in the middle with some witty lines.  

Movie is well served by terrific performances by its cast. Rani Mukrji spouts fire with her demeanor fitting of a tough cop. Her body language and acting is fine. It is Tahir Bhasin as the main antagonist Walt who steals the show. His casual yet spine chilling performance would sure make him get noticed by the connoisseurs of cinema. Rest of the support cast have performed well to perfection.  

Technically movie is sleek and well made while the talented yet underrated Karthik Raja gives a terrific background score which enhances the tension, the predominant mood of the movie. On the whole, "Mardaani" is a full blown commercial action pot-boiler masquerading as a movie with rich social message.

Bottomline: Brusque and blunt. 

3/5

Salim

My review: Salim

After the impressive debut with "Naan", Vijay Anthony is back with his new movie "Salim", named after the character's name he played in the former. Written and directed by debutant N.V.Nirmal Kumar, "Salim" is an action thriller, part vigilante drama and part hostage drama. When you look at it as a movie in general there is not much to complain but naturally when Vijay has set his bar high with his debut one must say his second movie doesn't live up to the expectations he has created for himself. Somehow one feels there is some lacunae in the movie, may be sluggish screenplay or loose direction or contrived proceedings. 

Movie is sluggish in its first half, pretty much nothing happening with the events proceeding at a labored pace with very few moments that evoke your interest. By the turn of second half things does get spruced up but the contrivances of the screenplay and tiring overdose of action masala moments mars the overall impact. The main brownie aspect that saves the movie is its dialogues which are razor sharp, evocative and witty as and when the situation demands. Also the director could have opted for a more subtler presentation instead of the over-the-top almost tollywoodish spicing that he ends up with. 

Vijay Anthony has improved leaps and bounds in his acting and dialogue delivery. His eyes has become more expressive but he is still stuck in his comfort zone. He need to take up roles that can help him explore more shades other than his favorite grey. Though there is virtually no big name in the support cast, the actors have done their parts well. Aksha Pardasany, though looking plump is quiet impressive with is her emotive skills. Vijay Anthony, the composer disappoints big time. There is not even a single track which is impressive. However he redeems himself with terrific background score that is more of an extension of his "Naan" theme. 

Movie is technically good, M.C. Ganesh Chandra helming the cinematography with his penchant for experiment with the lighting, especially in the second half. N.V.Nirmal Kumar shows glimpses of his potential here and there, but he needs to be more consistent to weather the competitive field Tamil cinema has become off late. 

On the whole, "Salim" is an average thriller that could have been even more impressive if only the makers have opted for sublimity over crudity. 

Bottomline: One time watch. 

3/5   

Munnariyippu

My review: Munnariyippu

The writer-director who is also the cinematographer of the movie, Venu gives an indication of things to come right at the outset. The initial 3-4 minutes of "Munnariyippu" that one gets to see on screen is a dead lizard being dragged by some 15-20 ants on a wall as the titles appear. By this long shot which is terrifically shot the director achieves two things at one stroke. First he prepares the audience for the pace at which his narration is going to be for the next two hours as well as he underlines the fact that one character in this movie is going to be dragged by some others into something he/she is "dead" against. 

Movie is one of those rare ones where you experience rather than watch things unfold on screen. As the movie is told in the point of view of Anjali Arakkal played by Aparna Gopinath the audience too travel along as she experiences her thirty days with Raghavan, convicted for life who just gets out of prison reluctantly. We experience the surprises, expectations, happiness, frustrations that she goes through in her endeavor in making him write his life story for a publishing house. Half an hour into the movie the predominant emotions that Anjali and in turn the audience we go through is that of frustration by the activities or rather the lack of it from Raghavan. The director has stuck gold in getting his pace of storytelling exactly for the right emotions to resonate in the audience. As a result the end is something that would jolt you out of your seat as it does for the movie's female protagonist. 

 Mammooty has once again proved that all he needs is one shot to usurp all the accolades in his favor. The power-packed performer gets his due in the last few seconds of the movie which is more than sufficient for you to get awestruck. Who else can make your spine chill with such a casual smile in the end. Aparna Gopinath is actually the one who calls the shots right through the movie which only a capable actress like her could manage. 

"Munnariyippu" is a movie that needs its audience to invest patience in ample measures for them to enjoy the experience.It is excellent that the writer, director and the cinematographer of the movie is all the same person. Venu has successfully translated the written work on screen  and has presented to us a visually appealing movie with lots of long shots that captures the emotions of the actors so tellingly yet in the most unassuming manner. Though the movie gives you a art-house feel, it is by far one of the most terrific visual movie where the dialogues take a back seat. Bijibal's background score further accentuates the movie's eerie feel.   

On the whole, "Munnariyippu"  is an experience not a movie which is a throwback to the bygone golden era of Malayalam cinema. 

Bottomline: Awestruck !!

4/5 

Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam

My review: Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam

R.Parthiban is one of the few auteurs who graces Tamil cinema. Almost all his movies are original not resembling the other in any aspect whatsoever. And yet he has his own indomitable style of presenting the story and especially the dialogues almost have his unique quirk and wit, rich with wordplay all along. Many of his movies like "Houseful" and "Kudaikul Mazhai" were way ahead of the times at which they were released. One has not seen delusions and hallucinations so imaginatively portrayed as he did in "Kudaikul Mazhai" as far as Indian cinema is concerned. When such a talented auteur comes out with his movie, cinema connoisseurs are bound to look forward to it whenever it happens. "Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam"  KTVI is his latest movie release which he has written and directed comes out with a quirky tagline " a film without a story"! 

KTVI is almost part autobiographical (can be of anyone's who aspires for original work in Tamil cinema) and part wishful. The fact that Tamil audience are warming up-to all sorts of new ideas in Tamil cinema must have emboldened the writer and director in Parthiban to have a field day with making the KTVI which shows on screen. He goes firing on  all cylinders right from the first frame until the end. There is no hesitation on his part be it the screenplay with all his non-conformity to the traditional template or his direction steering the movie in a lively light-hearted manner. As always his dialogues are terrific, almost warranting a second viewing to enjoy the missed ones. 

When so much of intelligence oozes in every frame it might get too overwhelming for a regular movie watcher. But uncompromising on his work Parthiban has manfully stuck to his strengths with the backing of  many familiar faces from the glamour world. First half is a breeze, never a dull moment, jets past you in a whiff. Second half gets a bit dragging towards the end, but the restlessness is more an offshoot of the story-line rather than the laziness of making. And the ending is brilliant, testimony to the confidence he has on the contemporary audience.  

Other than Parthiban, movie belongs solely to Thambi Ramaiah, who time and again surprises you with his enormous talent, be it comical or otherwise. Here too he is terrific in his comical avatar and just when you get used to his comical talent he sweeps you off your feet with that one scene in the hospital with his histrionic ability. Without him the movie would not have been half as entertaining as it is. Other than him among the newcomers, Vijay Ram as Suruli aka Murali impresses with his comical timing and Akhila Kishore with her acting abilities. Others are just about adequate. 

Technically movie is without any glitches while background score of Sathya is just about adequate. 4 songs composed by 4 music directors don't pass muster.

On the whole, KTVI is yet another promising movie that defies the Tamil cinema convention, be it in the storyline or the making style. It would be an utter shame if a movie with such cerebral inputs gets floored by those made by harebrained makers armored with marketing blitz.

Bottomline: An interesting novel attempt is an understatement

4/5

Anjaan

My review: Anjaan

When the top two, Vijay gives a "Jilla" and Ajith, a "Veeram", would the third in the line Suriya lag behind. He goes down all guns blazing (quiet literally at that !) with his Lingusamy directed "Anjaan". You would know that there is something seriously wrong with a film if no one laughs at the "director-intended" comedy scenes but the whole theater is in raptures during the "director-conceived" so-called "mass" scenes. Movie is so bad that even Suriya who was successful in improvising a pathetically written  "Singam 2" into somewhat palatable outing with his histrionics fails to even salvage a modicum of credibility this time.  

Writing is that bad and terrible that it is hard to describe. Writing is more about trying to fill in the gaps in between few average songs and generous dose of action sequences. 15 minutes that Lingusamy criminally wastes post interval starting from the Brahmanandam's "so-called" cameo (conscientiously without any disrespect to the term "cameo") up-till the end of the bromantic speech between the two lead male protagonists interspersed with a dance medley ( serious creative drought evident here) is one of many such con-act that the makers have pulled off robbing the viewers of their precious time and money. The movie would have well gotten over in 20 minutes and still it would have been excruciatingly bad and boring. 

  When is the last time when every scene, every dialogue and even the locations (who would have not thought about the Golconda fort for a climax showdown) are guessable to ridiculous extent. The "so-called" twists and turns are not just down right silly but infantile to the extent that one can't but laugh at the silliness of it all. Right from the start to the finish not even a second that you feel that there is some sincerity, leave alone creativity. I dare challenge anyone to enlighten me at least one frame that is original.

Trying to catch up with your contemporaries is good but falling into the same stinky pit that they have recovered from is foolishness. Vijay and Ajith seem to have learnt their lessons (in spite of such dreadful Jillas and Veerams now and then) realizing that content is the king and they are just mere mortals scouting for better scripts and makers. But Suriya seems to have regressed from the days of " Kakka Kakka", " Ghajini" and "Ayan" following the freak success of his "Singam" and its sequel. He is not convincing at all as a Mumabi based gangster in this flick, may be an offshoot of poor writing and direction or his own disinterest. 

After her disastrous career so far in Tamil industry Samantha has taken recourse to skin show. Her histrionic abilities are as much as the cloth covering she gets in this movie. Vidyuth Jamwal is wasted in a hackneyed role. Each and every north Indian actor who is part of this movie has terrible lip-sync giving a feel of watching a poorly dubbed movie (even otherwise you a get a feel of watching a poor-man's Telugu masala movie). 

Usual solace in a Lingusamy movie, the songs too are poor this time. None of the songs composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja strike a chord with the audience. His background score is platitudinous. This movie don't deserve a cinematographer of the stature of Santhosh Sivan. He seems to have acknowledged that and has strictly and selectively redone what he did in "Thuppaki". 

On the whole, "Anjaan" is one of the most hackneyed movies of the year, comical for all the wrong reasons. 

Bottomline: A reviewer's dream of shredding a movie to pieces.

1/5

Sri Talkies in the "Sarabham" teaser

Sri Talkies gets acknowledged by the makers of the Tamil movie "Sarabham". Watch the below video @ 0.40 secs. 

Into the Storm

My review: Into the Storm

"Into the Storm" is yet another serving of a disaster movie which is an ode to the 1996 blockbuster hit "Twister". It has come armed with advanced computer generated visuals of the tornado and its aftermath which is just jaw-dropping. What it gained over the "Twister" in the form of its terrific making and fascinating visuals, "Into the Storm" looses it when it comes to an engrossing tale and power-packed acting. The story is as cliched as you can guess with a all sorts of cliched characters and contrived situations. And to make the matters worse, the acting is not that promising.

A hard-nosed storm chaser who risks it all, his reluctant understudy, a confronting weather analyst, a straightforward vice-principal of a local school, his sons - one an introvert and another an extrovert, couple of adrenaline junkies....yes you have them all playing their parts amidst the marauding tornados. They get themselves into dangerous of situations and invariably get themselves out of trouble as well. And it is quiet astonishing that every-time the tornados miss the lead bunch like invariable the bullets evade our action heroes. 

Except for its eye-catching visuals and awesome technical wizardry, movie fails to offer anything as much as the soft skills goes. As a result all the the hardwork that the technical team has put does down the drain due to lackluster writing and pretty ordinary performances. 

On the whole, Steven Quale's "Into the Storm" is strictly for the adrenaline junkies, who don't just bother about  the soft skills.

Bottomline: Into your nerves. 

2/5