Dilse reviews...
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Pani: "Apt casting & neat execution proves that Joju knows his pani!!!"
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Bougainvillea: "An engaging psycho-thriller with an underwhelming climax!!!"
Whenever I hear about 'bougainvillea' the first visual that flashes through my mind is the numerous bougainvillae that we had in my school, Infant Jesus Thangassery. I still remember the day when one of its thorns pierced into my scalp when I was playing around it with my friends. These memories came back to me when I read that Amal Neerad's latest flick also had the same name. As a movie buff, I have been a fan of his film making skills ever since he burst into the industry with the stylish "Big B".
Based on Lajo Jose's "Ruthinte Lokam", the focus is on the couple, Reethu (Jyothirmayi) & her husband, Dr. Royce (Chackochan) who met with an accident eight years back. As a result of that, Reethu was diagnosed with retrograde amnesia though Royce made sure he took utmost care of her to ensure that they led a happy and contented life along with their two kids. Things take a turn when ACP David Koshy (Fahadh Faasil) turned up at their doorsteps as Reethu was the prime suspect in the disappearance of a minister's daughter. So was she actually involved & it seemed all the more trickier for both the parties involved to prove their point considering her medical condition.
As I haven't read Lajo's book, I had no clue as to what the story was about prior to watching it though I presumed it would be as close an adaptation as possible as he had worked on the script along with Amal. The film takes its sweet time in establishing the characters & their routines and that is essentially what wewitness in the first half. The mood & ambience is set & the mystery and intrigue is slowly yet steadily taken up by notches with each passing minute. However, in the process of this engaging build up, a couple of pointers is given to the audience which kind of drastically reduced (atleast for quite a few) the impact of the surprise element in the latter half. So much so, the back story segment, the menacing nature of the character failed to provide the sucker punch that was expected & in a way, some of the elements that Amal had used in the climax sequence reminded me of "Varathan".
At the same time, as expected from a Amal Neerad movie, it was technically well executed. The choice of location was apt and the technical team has done complete justice to all the aspects involved. This includes Anand Chandran's fantastic frames & Sushin Shyam's BGM and music as well as Vivek Harshan's editing. It's been more than a decade since Jyothirmayi have made an appearance on the big screen & she more than made up for that absence with a brilliant performance as Reethu. It was a character that demanded her to be emotionally frail & unpredictable and she was spot on. Chackochan did a fine job as well in a role that gave him ample scope to perform though I still felt that it could have been written a bit more better while Srinda provided able support. Veena Nandakumar was just about ok as her dialogue delivery could have been better. However, I fail to understand as to why the makers wanted Fahadh for this role except for attracting more footfalls to the theatres. It was an insignificant role that barely had anything for him to do & the same also goes to Sharafudeen, who was equally wasted.
Verdict: Coming on the back of "Kishkindha Kaandam", it also had a well constructed build-up but unlike the former it had quite an underwhelming climax. On the technical side, it was well made with fine performances from Jyothirmayi & Chackochan. In short, you can give it a try!!!
Rating: 2.75/5
Regards...Ben
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Vettaiyan: "Stuck between theme & stardom, manasilayo!!!"
Dussehra marks the victory of good over evil & to celebrate this festive season we have one of the most awaited anticipated flick of the year hitting the screens. It is none other than T Gnanavel's "Vettaiyan", which has quite an enviable star cast headlined by Big B & Rajini with Fahadh in a supporting role to name a few. I was quite curious to check out the flick primarily because I had loved Gnanavel's "Jai Bhim" & see as to how he was going to do justice to his story without being forced to celebrate their stardom. It was definitely not going to be an easy task.
The theme of the story is pretty much set in the opening sequence as Justice Satyadev (Big B)in a lecture to aspiring officers makes it vehemently clear that he abhors the idea of encounter killings & the celebration of such officers as heroes. It was essentially a reference to SP Athiyan (Rajini), encounter specialist who had recently busted a drug mafia ring in Kanyakumari with the help of his informer, 'Battery' Patrick (Fahadh) a thief/tech genius on the basis of a complaint from a school teacher, Saranya (Dushara Vijayan). As usual, Athiyan manages to get scot free much to the chagrin of Satyadev. However, things take a turn when Saranya is murdered & Athiyan is called in for the investigation.
Recently, I had come across an interview clip of director Tamizharasan who stated that that the characters in his "Lubber Pandhu" was inspired from Sachi's "Ayyappanum Koshiyum". In a way, it seemed like Gnanavel must have been inspired by Dijo Antony's "Jana Gana Mana" which dealt with a similar theme. In an industry where killings are glorified especially when the protagonist is a police officer, Gnanavel's effort to put in a moral compass to that was appreciable. It was essentially an anti-thesis to Rajini's previous release "Jailer". However, in an effort to establish his cause & still satisfy the Superstar's fans, he is invariably stuck in a place that is in between both of them. This was not the case in "Jai Bhim" where he used the star power of Suriya to push the topic he wanted to convey. But then we have to accept that pulling off something similar with the stature of Rajini is easier said than done. In the end, we are left with a movie that is neither able to convincingly establish his relevant topic nor give us genuinely goosebumps evoking mass moments.
On the technical side, it was average at best with Anirudh Ravichander's music being quite ok though 'Manasilayo' track is a chart buster. Except for a couple of scenes, his BGM failed to elevate most of the mass moments. Thalaiva was as always has done utmost justice to his part & does the heavy lifting even when the screenplay failed. The choice of Big B made complete sense & he provided the aura that the character demanded, however the impact that his face off with Rajini lacked the punch & that was another example of the flaw in the writing. In terms of who actually provided the cheers, then it goes to Fahadh who rocked even in the supporting role with Dushara Vijayan doing a fine job as well. As for the rest of the cast, Manju Warrier did what was possible in a rather insignificant role, Rana Daggubati was the victim of a poorly written role while the others were ok.
Verdict: Despite the shortcomings, it is still a decent movie that is worthy of one time watch. However, there is a good chance that it might falter at the box office if the fans go with the expectation of watching another "Jailer"!!!
Rating: 2.5/5
Regards...Ben
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Kondal, Bad Boyz, Nunakuzhi, Vaazha, Footage, Paalum Pazhavum: "Most of them failed to engage!!!"
Monday, September 30, 2024
Meiyazhagan, Lubber Pandhu & Devara: "More of a rewarding experience!!!"
It's been a while since I have penned about movies from other regional languages & it wasn't because I had stopped watching them, but only a few among them managed to get my attention. It has been a mixed bag be it Shankar's pathetic "Indian 2" or Pa Ranjith's "Thangalaan", that I enjoyed though it struggled at the box office. The latest list of movies that I had watched was more of the same, so which were the ones that gave me my time's worth.
Meiyazhagan: "An endearing blend of nostalgia & self discovery!!!"
There might not be many who wouldn't have watched Prem Kumar's "96" & hence when it was announced that he was back with his latest flick that was bank rolled by Jyothika & Suriya's '2D entertainment', the expectations were quite palpable. As in his directorial debut, Prem has also penned the script for this which is essentially about nostalgia & self discovery in a nut shell.
The movie unfolds in 1996 (quite a coincidence) in Thanjavur where Arul (Saran Shakthi/Aravind Swami) & his family is forced to leave their home due to property partition. It left a deep scar in him to the extent that he never went back to visit his beloved town & relatives. However, on the occasion of his cousin sister's wedding he decides to head back despite the reluctance. At the event, he meets up with an extroverted individual (Karthi) who seemed a relative that knew him really well & absolutely worshipped him, though Arul could not quite recollect him. The interaction between the two on that night was a trip down memory lane & that is essentially what this movie is about.
If one has to talk about the story as such, there isn't much to say to be honest. But Prem's command over what he wants to convey that touches upon the past and the effect that it has on one and the people around him is both organic and soulfully picturized. There are quite a few sub plots & as such it stands as separate events without any connection, to the point that it felt like an unnecessary addition of run time. However, Prem's motive of making Karthi's character mention all of this does have a purpose & it is essentially about celebration of goodness in all walks of life that has a peculiar way of coming back to the people concerned. Another major positive was Govind Vasantha's music & BGM that gelled with the mood with the stand out being the track, 'Yaaro Ivan Yaaro' rendered by Kamal Hassan while Mahendiran Jayaraju's frames were also fine.
The main USP is undoubtedly the unusual casting of Karthi & Aravind Swami, with both getting characters that were diametrically opposite to each other (along the lines of Karthi & Nagarjuna in "Thozha"). Aravind definitely had the tougher role and he was impressive with the way he expressed the various emotions that the character goes through. Karthi's was endearing as the loud bindaas innocent individual, which is something that he excels in. The rest of the cast doesnt have much to do but all the female artists did their parts well be it Sri Divya, Swathi Konde & Devadarshini.
Verdict: Yet another winner from Prem that should do well at the box office, who continues to prove that when it comes to nostalgia, there is not many that could do it as well as him!!!
Rating: 3/5
Lubber Pandhu: "Well crafted layered sports drama!!!"
Cricket is an emotion & a religion in India, and that has inspired quite a few to makes sports dramas based on it. Being a movie buff & a sports aficionado, sports dramas has always been one of my favourite genre (if not, 'the most'). Last week saw the release of Tamizharasan Pachamuthu's "Lubber Pandhu" which belonged to the same genre & that was ample reason for me to check it out. It turned out to be the right decision.
2011 is a year that none of us who are cricket lovers would forget & incidentally, Tamizharasan also begins his story from the same year. Anbu (Harish Kalyan), a talented all rounder is called to play for the once celebrated local team 'Jolly Friends'. However, despite the support of the captain, Karuppaiya (Kaali Venkat), Anbu was disheartened by the inferior attitude meted out to him by many of the other players primarily due to his caste & their egos due to which he leaves mid way through the innings. The opposition, "Sachin Boys" had their star player, Gethu (Attakathi Dinesh) unleash a blistering knock but the match gets interrupted when Gethu's wife, Yashoda (Swasika) intervenes & warns the villagers from involving him in further matches due to his apparent disregard in family matters because of his love for the game. Both Anbu & Gethu might have left the field on that day, but their paths were destined to cross & the impact that it has on their personal lives is what this movie is about.
This is Tamizharasan's directorial debut for which he has penned the script as well which is packaged as a sports drama and touches upon various aspects such as caste discrimination, egos, relationship dynamics & inclusivity. Success is at times denied despite the talent at their disposal because of people being consumed by petty issues and it is conveyed in a natural manner. In a way it reminded me of Jayakumar's "Blue Star" which had a more pronounced political tone but over here as well, it has touched upon some critical points with a hint of humour. As such the focus might be on the two male protagonists, but Tamizharasan has written the female characters really well & at times, I felt they were better. The technical aspect was done neatly be it Dinest Purushothaman's frames or Sean Roldan's music, all of which has complimented the story perfectly.
Both Harish & Dinesh have done utmost to their roles, but their female counterparts, Swasika & Sanjana Krishnamoorthy were equal to the task. The last time I watched Harish's performance was in "Parking" which was also about ego clashes & just in that flick, I was impressed with his performance over here as well. Equally impressive was Dinesh while Swasika & Sanjana did full justice to the meaty roles provided to them. Even the rest of the artists such as Bala Saravanan, Kaali Venkat, Devadarshini etc have done their parts aptly.
Verdict: It will also go down as one of the most appreciated sports dramas in recent times!!!
Rating: 3.25/5
Devara: "Lacked authenticity despite Jr.NTR's effort!!!"
Among the South Indian movies, if there is one industry that have their noses in front when it comes to grandeur & mass masala entertainment, then it has to be hands down the Telugu industry. One director who has aced that is Koratala Siva & hence his latest flick that saw the entry of Saif Ali Khan & Jahnvi Kapoor with Jr NTR in the lead was more than ample reason to check it out. However, I was aware of what I was getting into & the question was whether he had pushed the envelope too much.
Incidentally, this movie also unfolds in 1996 where the Govt is in talks with the law & order forces over concerns about the threats to the Cricket World Cup. The people in question where Daya & his brother, Yethi, and the efforts of the police to track down their whereabouts led them to the Red Sea villages in the Ratnagiri mountains. This is where they learn about Devara (Jr NTR), the leader to one of the four villages who was determined to curb the smuggling activities that happened in the region more than a decade back. It invariably meant that he had created numerous enemies in the region which included Bhaira (Saif), who was the chieftain to the adjacent village. So what was the connection of these villages to the main issue?
In terms of the story, the manner in which it is build up felt interesting though there were shades of other movies/series in some of the elements. But by the time, it is into the second half, it gets tiresome with the question in the end that was supposed to have made us sit up with anticipation lacking the punch that the makers would have hoped for. On the technical side, Ratnavelu's frames were top notch & Sabu Cyril's art direction was good but Anirudh's music & BGM lacked the impact that was expected. However, the VFX did not have the authenticity & at times, reminded me of the scenes happening within a swimming pool / warehouse.
It is a Jr NTR show & he has done a fine job as the protagonist be it in the action or emotional segments. However, the second role was written poorly and the same applies to Saif as well who did have the appearance and performance for it. None of the rest of the cast deserves a mention as they did not have anything significant to do.
Verdict: Apparently, it is going strong at the box office but for me, it falls well short of expectations!!!
Rating: 1.5/5
Regards...Ben
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Kishkindha Kaandam: "Slow burner that keeps getting engaging by the minute!!!"
When I first heard about the title of Dinjith Ayyathan's "Kishkindha Kaandam", it reminded me of the Ramayana series that I had watched in Doordarshan decades back. This episode of the epic marked the meeting of Rama with Hanuman and the tale of the vanar brothers (Bali & Sugriva). In the case of this flick, Dinjith has staged his story in Kallepathi where there is a significant population of monkeys who co-exist with the humans in the region. Apart from the title being interesting, the story was even more engaging as it kept me hooked onto it until the very end. So much so, it is likely to stay with you for some time even after it concludes.
In response to the upcoming elections, the code of conduct mandated arms license holders to deposit their weapons at the nearest police station. However, even until the last day the pistol that belonged to the retired military officer, Appu Pilla (Vijayaraghavan) was not deposited. The authorities brought it to the attention of his son, Ajayan (Asif Ali), a forest officer who had recently tied the knot a second time to Aparna (Aparna Balamurali). It soon becomes evident that the pistol was missing & a couple of untowardly incidents in the vicinity, raised alarm bells as to whether it was in the possession of anti-social elements. In the meantime, the behaviour & attitude of her grumpy father-in-law raised concerns in Aparna & she decides to find out the reason for his alienating attitude with everyone including his own son.
This is Dinjith's second directorial venture after "Kakshi Amminippilla" which was a pretty decent movie that also had Asif & Vijayaraghavan in its cast. In his latest release, he has joined hands with Bahul Ramesh who apart from being the DoP has penned an absolutely engaging script. The manner in which Bahul slowly reveals the characters and the meaning of their actions is reminiscent of peeling of an onion. They have made sure that the audience is kept interested by restricting the use of red herrings & also without spoon feeding them with details like in the form of flash backs or elaborate dialogues. In a way, it gave me the vibe of Sanu Varghese's "Aarkkariyam" while the story as such had a soul of its own. Kudos to Dinjith for having crafted it extremely well & for his smart choices when it came to the cast & crew, both of whom have complemented his efforts.
Apart from the impressive script, Bahul's cinematography was also on point & Sooraj E.S made sure the transitions were smooth though I would rate Mujeeb Majeed's BGM a tad higher as it perfectly blended with the mood. Coming to performances, Vijayaraghavan was brilliant in his body language as it essayed the various shades of his character. Giving him perfect company was Asif who impressed in all aspects as it was a character that dealt with a great deal of emotional turmoil. Aparna's character literally represents us & she has done complete justice to their role. Jagadish as usual in recent times impresses while Ashokan & the rest have done their parts aptly.
Verdict: Undoubtedly, one of the best screenplays in recent times which is backed by excellent performances!!!
Rating: 4/5
Regards...Ben
Saturday, September 14, 2024
ARM: "A cracking half century by Tovino!!!"
It's Uthradam paachil time & as expected we have a plethora of movies hitting the screens this Onam. There are quite a few that I am definitely keen on watching with Jithin Laal's "Ajayante Randaam Moshanam" being prominent among them. The news about this flick has been in the media for the last few years & hence there were considerable expectations that surrounded its release. Mounted at a cost of almost 30C, it is Tovino Thomas's 50th movie & shot in 3D format. So how will it fare at the box office???
A couple of centuries back, a meteorite had hit Haripuram & the Edakkal King (Madhupal) had a powerful deity in the form of a lamp (Chyyoti Vilakku) forged from it & had it set in his palace. A couple of years later, the King had to request the help of Kunjikelu (Tovino), a mighty warrior to settle the unrest in his region. In return, he was rewarded with the lamp that he had asked for, so as to return it to his village that it belonged to. In the present timeline (set in the 1990s), Ajayan was an electrician who led a honest living, but had to suffer from constant harassment as he was the grandson of Maniyan, the infamous thief who had terrorized the people during his time. To make matters worse, Ajayan found himself in a situation that would essentially brand him as a thief as well. Will he able to free himself from this tangle???
In terms of what genre it belongs to, it can be said to be an amalgamation of action, drama, magical realism and folklore. The core theme of the story penned by Sujith Nambiar is the menace of caste discrimination that continues to persist to this day & the need for social justice. A classic example of that menace is the video from Lalbaugcha Raja which I presume most of you would have seen over the past day or so, where the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities took place and the evident difference in the treatment meted out to the elite and commoners was evident. Anyway coming back to the movie, . Jithin's vision & the command over his craft in building the world that Sujith had created with the non-linear narration & interweaving of the various periods was praise worthy.
On the technical side, it was pretty much top notch in most of the departments be it the cinematography, action choreography, BGM & the music. The moment I saw that Jomon T John was the DoP, I was sure that it would be spot on & as expected, his visuals were exquisite. Dhibu Ninan Thomas's BGM was good while the music blended with the narration. The action choreography by Vikram Mor & Phenix Prabhu was impressive while the VFX/CGI work was neatly done.
This is undoubtedly one of Tovino's best performances ever especially the part where he portrayed the part of Maniyan. The attention to body language, expressions & dialogue delivery was precise as it made all the three characters distinct from each other. Surabhi Lakshmi is a proven talented artist though the opportunities that she had been offered has been far & few. Kudos to the makers for casting her as she impressed in the brief role & perfectly complemented Maniyan's character. Krithi Shetty has done her parts well with Mamitha Baiju deserving praise for her dubbing. The rest of the cast include Basil, Jagadeesh, Harish Uthaman etc., all of whom have done their parts well.
Verdict: It is certainly a movie that deserves to be watched on the big screen as the production quality & Tovino's performance makes it completely worthwhile.
Rating: 3.5/5
Regards...Ben