Reviews
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Ultimate Gorefest!
Little did I know that at the age of 8 or 9, a sneak peek through the crack of the door into the living room where my parents were watching a gruesome horror movie on a National Panasonic VCR and a Philips CTV (ahh...those were the years!), would open a Pandora's box in my mind, filled with fear, sleepless nights, a rush, excitement, and a full-on love for horror movies later on in life. So I think this initial exposure to the series as a child sparked my fascination with horror movies.
This was in Kuwait. Early 80s. I knew that Dad brought home a video cassette after work and that I wasn't supposed to watch it, as it was a horror movie. Strictly not for kids! It was called "Evil Dead." So when I was told to go to the bedroom and study, I was disappointed. But my face and ears were plastered on the closed door of the bedroom, straining hard to hear the sounds from the movie. The thrill of opening the door softly and peeking out made me do it anyway. The rest, as they say, is history. I managed to watch the whole of "Evil Dead" at some friend's place later on, along with many other horror movies. I was damn scared, and that was the rush! I watched "Evil Dead 2" and its third part, "Army of Darkness," later on. One or both of them are probably at our school hostel in Kerala, I think. My school hostel used to arrange movie screenings for the hostel kids on weekends on the premises. I just have vague memories of how and where I watched them for the first time. Later on, I got to watch all three parts multiple times.
The original Evil Dead series, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell, is indeed a classic in the horror genre.
So when Director Fede Alvarez and Sam Raimi brought out a reboot of "Evil Dead" in 2013, I was the first to rush to the cinema here in the UAE. It was a crowded Novo Cinema in Sharjah, and I tell you, it was an experience! The 2013 reboot of Evil Dead was well-received by both audiences and critics alike. It had successfully captured the dark and horrific atmosphere of the original series while adding its own unique twists. The collective experience of watching such a terrifying film in a crowded theater truly enhanced the fear and excitement. That reboot was one of the best reboots for a horror movie ever! It was marketed as the most terrifying film that you will ever experience! It was director Fede Alvarez's second movie after his much-acclaimed horror "Lights Out". The Evil Dead (2013) reboot was a banger!
10 years later, my excitement to watch the new "Evil Dead Rise" knew no bounds. Ever since they announced this movie, I have been eagerly waiting. It's been a long time! Only die-hard horror fans, especially the Evil Dead fan base, will understand this! Before going to see the movie, I anticipated another thrilling installment in the franchise. The director, Lee Cronin, was a big fan of the original Evil Dead. So the OG team of Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Bruce Campbell handing over the reigns to direct this one was a dream come true for him. It was exciting to see a new director take on the project while staying true to the legacy of the series. His previous and debut movie as a director was "A Hole in the Ground", which was a hauntingly beautiful horror movie about a mother and son building a new life in a rural town and a sinister sinkhole that's buried deep in the forest near their home. I had watched it and was impressed by it, but I didn't know much about the director back then.
"Evil Dead Rise" was everything I wanted and hoped it would be and much more. Evil Dead Rise has all the tropes that one expects from the so-called "Evil Dead" universe. So by staying true to the legacy of the franchise, Cronin gives us the ultimate gore fest, but at a new location. The change in setting to a high rise in Los Angeles instead of a cabin in the woods adds a fresh and intriguing element to the story. Bringing the story to a household environment,a condemned building, creates extreme tension and chaos in the family setup, and when it's in the closed walls of an apartment, the way Cronin has made use of the limited space gives a sense of claustrophobia!
And of course, the gore and shocks that are expected from an Evil Dead film are unleashed on screen like there is no tomorrow, along with a nod to The Shining, as there is a scene with gallons of blood in the movie! If you are a Stephen King and The Shining fan, you will know!
The movie does have a welcome nod to its predecessors with an intro scene at a cabin in the woods, but then quickly shifts to the city once the title card appears! And what a title revelation! Goosebumps just for that scene!
The movie goes to great lengths to provide a new experience for the audience, especially in the choice of weapons! Apart from using kitchen knives, vinyl records, and even a drone, the most talked-about weapon is the cheese grater! It was quite shocking and gory, but at the same time, we experienced the twisted pleasure that one desires from a good horror movie!
Australian actress Alyssa Sutherland was a delight to watch on screen. As Ellie/Mommy, who turns into a Deadite, she was initially sweet and then the most terrifying and dreaded person ever! The playfulness she brought to her killing spree made it all the more horrific! She was terrific, and as an actress, this is definitely a feather in her cap.
Lily Sullivan as Ellie's sister Beth is very good and effective in her initially vulnerable and helpless girl role before taking the reins and kicking ass. Almost like Mia from the 2013 reboot, but standing her ground in her own way.
To bring in a family atmosphere with kids into this franchise is a refreshing take, and hence we kind of root for them to escape and be safe from the Deadites!
The kids Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, and the ever-so-cute Nell Fisher have all wonderfully performed, with Morgan and Gabrielle bringing out their vulnerability and devilish deadite transformation with aplomb and Nell being the sweet innocent child that she is.
I should not forget to mention the voice cameo of Bruce Campbell, which feels like this franchise could go on to take much weirder and more mysterious routes in the future. Maybe the next one goes to the past?
Practical effects, VFX, make-up, cinematography, music, and BG are all top-notch. All these, together with a marvelous performance by the actors, quench every horror aficionado's thirst!
With "Evil Dead Rise," I can definitely say that the Evil Dead franchise is still one of the greatest of all time. Though this isn't a sequel but kind of a stand-alone movie, it's still a solid one and one of the best horror movies to come out in recent times. I can say this with confidence, as I have watched almost all the good horror movies out there to date.
Director Lee Cronin has definitely created a memorable and horrifying gorefest with "Evil Dead Rise."
The Evil Dead franchise holds a special place in my heart, and it's wonderful how it has continued to provide me with thrilling and enjoyable experiences over the years.
Enjoy watching Evil Dead Rise and the terrifying journey it takes you on! A must watch theatre experience!
Trivia:
Cronin mentioned in an interview that he reminded Sam Raimi that in Army of Darkness, Ash finds three books. So one book was used in the first Evil Dead. Another one in the 2013 reboot, and so he wanted to take the third book, utilize it as his own, and give it its own sense of personality.
The book in the first Evil Dead is called Necronomicon Ex-Mortis.
The book in the 2013 reboot movie as well as in Evil Dead Rise is known as Naturom Demonto.
Naturom Demonto (also known as "The Book of the Dead") is an ancient tome bound in flesh and inked in human blood. One volume in a series of three, this book used in Evil Dead Rise was found by the Catholic Church in the early 1920s before being locked away in a secret vault beneath a Los Angeles bank.
(Courtesy: Evil Dead fandom/Evil Dead Wiki.)
Tail End : I really loved Evil Dead Rise but without taking anything away from this one, let me confess that I still love the original 1981 movie and the 2013 Reboot movie a tad bit more, especially the 2013 Reboot (for being extremely dark/gruesome to the core & giving us one hell of a twist).
Rorschach (2022)
Intense Psycho Thriller!
RORSCHACH - Malayalam Movie
"I will hurt you for this. I don't know how yet, but give me time. A day will come when you think yourself safe and happy, and suddenly your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you'll know the debt is paid." -George R. R. Martin, A Clash of Kings
When rage consumes you at an extremely disastrous point in your life, when everything you loved and depended on is at stake or lost, when you feel you have no reason to go forward in life, revenge raises its ugly head. It is a deeply satisfying thought, but a tragedy waiting to happen and a point of no return. Unless...!
The Rorschach test, or Inkblot test, is a psychological personality test where the subjects' responses to the inkblots are evaluated. It was specially designed to look for patterns of thought disorder in schizophrenia by Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach.
Rorschah (the movie) is a psychological thriller in the Neo-noir genre. A Masterclass article on this genre says that "Neo-noir films build off classic genre tropes and update them for a new generation." This is exactly what director Nissam Basheer did for the audience of this generation, which proves why Rorschach is a global success. The whole movie is like an experiment, if you look back at it that way once the end credits start rolling. It attacks your senses in such a way that each person will perceive the movie in a different way. And that is exactly what happens in an Inkblot test! A simple story told with decent pacing goes beyond all realms of the human imagination, resulting in quite shocking revelations, jump scares, and what not! It sucks you into its whirlpool of a story pretty soon, provided you are invested and alert. If you don't, you could be swimming near the border in shark-infested waters, unsure whether the sharks or the whirlpool were a better option! Now, am I sounding conflicted?
Here, Mammootty is Luke Antony, a sombre man with a dark and mysterious past. An NRI from Dubai? With haunting and sombre English songs playing in the background, he drives into a small town in a Ford Mustang. Even that grey-colored Mustang is a character with a broody and ominous look! Mammootty is incredible. He's on fire. His recent outings like Bheeshma Parvam, Puzhu, etc. Have brought out more new faces of his that we haven't seen before. As an actor, at 71, the way he manages to always stay relevant in the industry, choosing unique scripts and giving chances to new and young directors, shows his thirst for acting that can never ever be quenched! As he himself said in an interview, it's his greed for good roles and not the money that keeps him going.
A seemingly ordinary accident that Luke gets into; Luke's missing pregnant wife and related investigation; certain questionable town folk that include an overbearing mother and her obedient sons, one of whom died and left a grieving but emotionally strong wife whose eyes convey mysteries of her own; a cop on his own personal quest into Luke's history; another person who doesn't believe a word Luke says and is out to prove his back story wrong; and many more. Such are the characters in this movie. The lines between good and bad are blurred here, and it is up to us, the audience, to figure out who is good, bad, innocent, and guilty! Luke walks into the lives of these people. Does he have an agenda? Do they all have agendas? As Luke gets to know each of the main characters in this small town, the story unravels slowly, showing us their true colors!
The movie is a trip into your psyche. Once you are in, it hooks you and won't let go until the shocking climax! And yes, that climax definitely jolted me in my seat! A certain character's transformation was astounding! Along with the psychological elements, the director plays around with a little bit of horror as well. Or did he?
By now, I believe everyone knows who the masked person is, and as Mammootty himself said, congrats to that actor for donning such a role where all you see are his two eyes! And it's his eyes that give out his identity to the audience!
Rroschach is written by Sameer Abdul, with outstanding and haunting cinematography by Nimish Ravi. It's superb writing and an excellent choice of shots. Set pieces in the classic Neo-Noir style. The music and BGM by Midhun Mukundan elevate the mood of this thriller to a whole other level. His choice of electronic music for fight scenes gave it all the more juice. Using English songs was a new and innovative thought. It sets the mood for the scenes and the movie as a whole. This is Mithun Mukundan's debut Malayalam movie and he rocked! Previously, he has primarily worked in Kannada films.
The movie is edited by Kiran Das, who has previously worked on Ishq, Joji, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, Joseph, and Ambili. His choice of editing decisions, along with the director, made way for a near perfect thriller. The movie boasts some brilliantly choreographed high-voltage action sequences by stunt choreographer Supreme Sundar. It is mesmerizing to watch Mammootty indulge completely in the action scenes. Shaji Naduvil is the art director, and the set pieces for the movie are something to marvel at. Some odd, some strange, but all adding up to the grand scheme of things.
Standout performances all around.
Mammootty is on his A-game. His eerie smile was enough to give you goosebumps. It confuses you into thinking whether he is actually the protagonist or the antagonist! Everything is an act or borderline psycho! This man never ceases to shock and surprise us!
But it is Bindu Panicker as Seetha who steals the scenes, apart from Mammootty. Both were brilliant performances as masters of misleading the audience. Bindu Panicker's cold demeanor at times will give you the chills.
Grace Antony's Sujatha is awesome. She gives a stellar performance as a widow who doesn't give up on life and stands her ground in front of her mother-in-law, Seetha, as well as Luke. Her scenes with Mammootty are simply brilliant. Grace will go a long way towards entertaining us in every way, be it comedy, drama, or extremely serious roles like this one.
Jagadish, as the police officer who smells something fishy about Luke and gets the ball rolling for his own investigation, is in a different ball game altogether. This is a new and unique Jagadish and I would love to see him in these kinds of roles more often.
A nosey Sharaffudin, with a different get-up and look, is very convincing as someone who is steadfast in exposing Luke as he feels everything about him is mysterious. He is a very good actor. Sanju Sivram, who plays Anil, is excellent as Seetha's hot-headed but obedient son. Someone who is ready to go to any length for their mother. Sometimes too far!
Nazeer gets to do a rare and memorable performance as Shashankan. He is also a man with a motive, but struggling within as he borders between good and evil.
Mani Shornur as Balan gave a natural performance and I'm glad to see him in this movie.
Directed by Nissam Basheer, this is his second movie after the successful "Kettyolaanu Ente Malakha." There too, he has some definite messages for us. In terms of plot and genre, these two films are diametrically opposed. That itself shows his immense talent and capability as a director. Congrats to Nissam. I'm looking forward to his next.
Produced by Mammootty under the banner of Mammootty Kampany, Rorschach is a must watch. Give it your attention for the first few minutes, and then you're in for the ride. An awesome theatre experience. But if you missed it in the theaters, then definitely watch it when it comes on OTT.
Such rare gems from the Malayalam film industry shouldn't be overlooked!
Ponniyin Selvan: Part One (2022)
Mani's Magnum Opus! Magical!
Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 (Tamil with English Subs)
The first of a two-part movie. Spectacular cinema from master craftsman Mani Ratnam. His "Dream Project" from the time "Nayakan" was released! A made-for IMAX spectacle. A movie MGR (M. G. Ramachandran) wanted to make in the 50s. A movie Mani Ratnam himself wanted to make in the 90s. It never materialized both times due to budget and technical constraints. To adapt Kalki's most beloved epic 5-volume Tamil novel onto the big screen isn't an easy task. The novel is a mix of history and imagination. It is about power and succession in the 10th century Chola Dynasty. Unfortunately, I haven't read the book. Yet! But I truly believe that Mani Ratnam didn't disappoint in adapting the novel. He rarely does disappoint as a Director. He is a great storyteller and here too he succeeds in tucking us into the seats and enamoring us with his style of storytelling. Right from his fifth movie "Mouna Ragam", he's been on a roll with slight misses here and there but they too were likable movies according to me. I've known haters of "Thiruda Thiruda" and I believe it wasn't a big box-office hit, but to me, that movie was a breath of fresh air in Tamil cinema. Something new from him back then. Technically brilliant, well framed, fun thriller with awesome music/songs by ARR!
To all those who plan to watch this, try to watch it in the Tamil language itself, with English subtitles if possible. I don't know if the dubbed ones will do full justice to this gem! Unless you prefer your own language! And try to read up on the basic story and who's who if possible. You can enjoy it much more with an idea of what's happening and who the characters are. And believe me, there are plenty of characters here to confuse you if you happen to look away for a second!
PS-1 is a masterclass in cinematography and directing. The cinematography by Ravi Varman was astounding. Honestly, I did not miss Mani Ratnam's favorite Cinematographer Santhosh Sivan at all. Ravi Varman killed it with his brilliant angles and shots! No surprise that people compare "PS" to the "Game of Thrones" series! Though on a lighter note, Mani Ratnam said in a recent interview with Anupama Chopra that "GOT" could have been influenced by the story of PS! I agree with the chatter that this could have been a series, taking its sweet time to tell the story. But then, how would we get the cinematic magic on a big screen? That is exactly why I feel Mani Ratnam has succeeded to a great extent in capturing every essence of the book. And the positive reviews I see from those who have read the book say the same.
The female actors/characters in this movie were terrific. I have to say they were the driving force. Yes, it's the men who are out there on the battlefield but it's these females who pull the strings......in a patriarchal era!
Aishwarya Rai as Nandhini had so much power, that you could actually feel it! One look from Nandhini was enough! Enough to melt her husband, actor R. Sarathkumar as Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, the chancellor and treasurer of the Chola kingdom along with the audience as well. And she looked so stunningly beautiful on screen. Mani Ratnam concentrated a lot on the lighting for the female stars. The same goes for Trisha as Kundhavai. Extremely beautiful, elegant, and an excellent performance that could elevate further in Part 2. Sobhita Dhulipala as Vaanathi, a Princess looked beautiful and seemed to have a funny bone. Sobhita has already proven herself to be a versatile actress with Raman Raghav 2.0, the Amazon Prime series Made In Heaven, the Malayalam movie Kurup, etc. Though she didn't have as much screen space as Aishwarya Rai and Trisha in Part 1, she might have a meatier role in Part 2.
Aishwarya Lekshmi did well as Poonguzhali, also known as Samuthirakumari, a boat woman who happened to help Arulmozhi once and also helps Karthi's character later on. She is another intriguing character who probably has some revelations in Part 2.
Jayam Ravi as Arulmozhi Varman / Ponniyin Selvan was majestic. Though I like him and his movies a lot, I did have doubts about this choice by the director. But not only did he surprise me but he was a perfect choice for the level-headed Prince who is quite soft-spoken with words but mightier with the sword.
Vikram was magnetic as Chola Prince, Aditha Karikalan. His monologue scene is superb and I loved the way it was shot. One could feel his angst and remorse for losing his childhood love. One of the best scenes in the movie. The interval block was terrific. The shock on Vikram's face at seeing something unbelievable and the sorrow in his eyes at the same time, leaves us scratching our heads as to what happened beyond that closed door!
And now to the most entertaining character of the movie. The person who takes the story forward right from the get-go. Our guide all throughout Part 1. That's Karthi as Vallavaraiyan / Vanthiyathevan, warrior prince of Vaanar Clan with no Kingdom of his own. Brave, charming, playful, a messenger for all, loved by everyone, especially women, he is the whole package. A natural performer, he went through his role like a breeze. An instant likeability factor. His scene with Nandhini(Aishwarya Rai) was on another level! The innocent flirting with Nandhini was both cute and sexy!
Jayaram was both funny and terrific as Azhwarkadiyan Nambi / Thirumalaiappan, a loyal servant and spy who works for the Prime Minister. He is also the foster brother of Nandhini and slowly develops a close friendship with Vandiyathevan (Karthi). Great choice by Mani Ratnam. In good hands, Jayaram never fails.
PS-1 is a movie with an ensemble cast. Every character has some importance in the grand story. You get to see so many actors like Babu Antony, Lal, Rahman, Prakash Raj, Sarath Kumar, Prabhu, Vikram Prabhu, Sara Arjun, Parthiban, Vinodhini Vaidyanathan, Riyaz Khan, Nizhalgal Ravi, Ashwin Kakumanu and many many more...
The movie is fast-paced and hence there isn't a dull moment. To cram a 2000+ page book into two parts of around 6 hours is a very difficult task but Mani Ratnam didn't over simplify it as "PS-1 for Dummies" nor did he go overboard. The right balance of everything was displayed. Almost 40 years as a Director and he is still a master of his craft, if not better than most contemporaries! The movie's pace also brings me to Editor Srikar Prasad. 36 years as an independent Editor and he is as sharp as ever. After his recent success with RRR, here his editing decisions can be made out in crucial scenes of the movie. Another maestro! I believe that PS-1 is an honest tribute to Kalki. Srikar Prasad in a recent interview said that the war scenes were choreographed to look different from the usual and more realistic in nature. They did not want people to find similarities. He also added that the action choreographers did shoot some larger-than-life action scenes, but it was sacrificed during editing for believability. A big thank you for that! I did not want to watch a Bahubali/RRR kind of sequence again in PS-1. I enjoyed the over-the-top action in those movies but truly wished PS-1 to have a more "Braveheart" approach. The first shot of Vikram riding a horse through dense fog reminded me of "Braveheart." One of my favorite Mel Gibson movies, with "The Patriot" being a close second. Both are historical action dramas. Dhilip Subburayan, Kaecha Kampakdee, and Shyam Kaushal were the action choreographers. A beach battle scene with the camera pulling away was kind of like a reminder of the Omaha Beach scene in "Saving Private Ryan".
The Mozart of Madras, A. R Rahman's association with Mani Ratnam has always given us melodious songs, right from his first outing with Mani, ROJA. Here too almost all the songs are beautiful. In the movie, they are shortened versions mixed with the story and I enjoyed that. This technique was perfect. As the full songs would have dampened the overall impact of the movie as well as the pacing. Well, you can enjoy the full songs on YouTube. ARR's BGM for PS-1 elevated the movie to another level.
Art Director Thotta Tharani's Set design was as real as it gets. Beautiful, raw, and on IMAX we are actually transported to those forts and locations. Eka Lakhani is the costume designer and all I can say about the costumes is Wow! They looked very real, grand and heavy. Some of the jewellery used were absolutely beautiful. The actresses said in an interview that all the jewellery used in the movie were real gold and that they had bodyguards just to protect those priceless ornaments! Vfx for most sequences while pretty good, could have been better. But it didn't deter me one bit because of a solid screenplay. NY VFXWaala backed by Ajay Devgn and Reflection Pictures Studio are behind the visual effects for PS-1.
I say, just be engrossed in the story and enjoy what unfolds on screen. The Novo Imax theatre I went to here in Dubai had a mixed crowd of South and North Indians with young and old couples, children, parents, grandparents, etc. Everyone seemed to enjoy this 2.50 hr epic. A cliffhanger climax added to the intrigue and now I can't wait for Part 2 which comes out sometime in 2023! It has already been shot, so I believe post-production work is going on. And I did read somewhere that Mani Ratnam wants to release Part-2 6 to 8 months after Part-1.
One major thing I took away from PS-1 is that everything about this 1000-year-old story is contemporary! You have people like these with such characters all around you even now! And they will be there forever!
Do not miss PS-1. It's a very good movie, I guarantee! A must watch! I would love to watch it again. On Imax or when it comes out on Amazon Prime in the future.
Thallumaala (2022)
Thallumaala - Dishum! Dishum! Dishum!
What in the world did I experience on Saturday night? Khalid Rahman's "Thallumaala" is so fresh for a Malayalam movie that I felt someone just exploded a huge packet of glitter over the whole hooting and clapping audience in the packed Grand Hyatt Vox Cinemas here in Dubai and at the same time felt that there's a whole load of Pop Rocks candy crackling like crazy in my mouth! Truly saying, Thallumaala is an over the top crazy fun ride from start to finish. It's a bumpy ride for sure. But that's fine. Suppose you are speeding over a road hump unexpectedly and suddenly find yourself in the air for a few seconds. The feeling you get, the sheer adrenaline rush it creates is probably what you feel for most of the movie's duration. A Roller coaster ride would also be a great example!
First of all, let me put it out there that this movie isn't for everyone. I'm sure the makers hope that everyone will watch and enjoy this, but I feel this is aimed at the today's Gen Alpha youth and to all of us Boomers, Millenials, Gen X, Gen Z.....who still maintain a mental youthfullness till the day we die! Count me in! Apart from the youth, people with an open mind and exposure to International movies of all kinds as well as our own Bollywood and other South & North Indian movie industries, might enjoy this innovative film making for sure. An "open mind" being the keyword here because if you accept what the west or others do with this unique genre and then look down on our own similar effort, then what's the point! But then, not every movie is for everyone.
Staying true to it's title, which means Chain of Fights/Ballad of Brawls, Thallumaala is a non stop fight fest interlaced with songs and a very thin thread of a story. Story is by Muhsin Parari and Screeeplay by Muhsin & Ashraf Hamza. Yes it's a very basic thread about finding friends through fights and settling score after score but the screenplay and the other departments makes sure that this is top notch International style film making. No time for a breather! A very risky attempt by the team due to the story line made around the fights. But it payed off as Muhsin manages to build up the pressure until all hell breaks loose.
Set in the Malabar area of Kerala (Malappuram), It's about two internet celebrities, a marriage , a fight during the marriage ceremony that propels the protagonist to fame on social media, more and more fights and related incidents. The non-linear editing style by Nishadh Yusuf is brilliant. I am sure he had a lot of fun as well as crazy days/nights editing this movie! Divided into chapters, Director Khalid Rahman takes us into the past and present lives of the characters. Cinephiles will lap it up. Others might have a hard time connecting the dots! Thallumaala is deep in the pit of madness as those "Edgar Wright" movies like Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Baby Driver etc. Edgar Wright's "Last Night in Soho" was a twisted movie! It was a good watch. "Thor:Ragnarok" also popped up in my mind as there is an insane use of colour in the movie. I could also see a bit of the popular Japanese Anime and Manga style in the spectacularly created "Theatre fight", which according to me was the best of the 6 to 7 other action sequences. Action choreography which is the main highlight of Thallumaala is by Supreme Sundar. Which also brings me to the astounding cinematography by Jimshi Khalid. Brilliantly executed shots and angles for regular scenes, songs and action. Sound was a very important part of this movie. Vishnu Govind was the Sound Designer. Songs are a variety here and there are plenty of them, with music by Vishnu Vijay. They don't always land and at times are a speed breaker for the fast paced narrative but it's all part of the "Chain", uneven at times but strongly connected. Most songs are current chart toppers. Especially "Ole Melody" and "Kannil Pettole".
Hip-hop/Rap culture has slowly sprung up in many parts of Kerala and Thallumaala also uses those effectively. For those who are interested in knowing about Kerala Hip-hop artists, check out the 2021 KAPPA TV documentary, "Southside - Kerala's Rising Hip Hop Culture". It is available on Youtube.
Tovino Thomas. Now this is one brilliant actor. Never allowing himself to be typecast, every movie and role that he chooses is vastly different. Donning both villainous and hero roles with aplomb. I really wanted his superhero origin movie "Minnal Murali" to be a theatre release when it came out. Yes, it did receive accolades from all over the world due to the Netflix release, but predominantly it was a movie made for the big screen. Awaiting MM2. His last two movies didn't exactly set the box-office on fire, but "Vaashi" was quite a decent watch with both Tovino and Keerthi as lawyers giving out very good performances while "Dear Friend" was just a breeze. An easy watch but it didn't take you anywhere.
In this one, as Manavaalan Wazim, Tovino was on fire! Charming to the max, he exuded so much energy. He even took the effort to train hard to deliver very good dance performances. Weight reduction, body training are all evident when you see a youthful Wazim and then later on a mature one. He exceled in his performance as well as in action and dance.
This is another winner for Shine Tom Chacko as Reji (S. I of Police). With a wry smile yet menacing, Shine has to just show himself on screen and you are hooked, convinced and in for a ride with his character. This man has immense screen presence. Always a pleasure to see him perform. A natural!
Kalyani Priyadarshan as Fathima Beevi/Beepathu was pleasant and charming. Though there wasn't much meat in her character arc, she did her part well and I felt both Tovi and Kalyani looked good together.
Lukman Avaran was superb as Jamshi. I have never seen him in such an avatar. He really rocked in the action scenes as well. A terrific actor.
I really enjoyed Swathi Das Prabhu as Sathaar. I'm not sure if I have seen him before. As a sort of a wingman to Wazim, he was very entertaining to watch. He is a freind who is always by Wazim's side. We all have that friend.
Chemban Vinod was in a sort of cameo as Omega Babu. Johny Antony was excellent as Wazim's father. He brought the much needed grounded feel amidst the mayhem. Binu Pappu did his part well. Interesting to know that he was also the Chief Associate Director of the movie.
Director Khalid Rahman's range is incredible. From his debut feel good Romantic comedy movie "Anuraga Karikkin Vellam" to a politically charged black comedy "Unda" to a Black comedy psychological thriller "Love" to Musical Action Comedy "Thallumaala". Each movie is vastly different!
From beginning to end, this was a treat to watch. I have never watched such a movie from the Malayalam film industry, except Maybe LJP's 2015 movie "Double Barrel", which was another stylish over the top movie full of mayhem and confusion! It was a gangster parody movie.
Thallumaala is an offbeat, whacky, zany, chaotic, eccentric and extremely colourful movie! A wafer thin story line (no complaints as I don't always expect epic & intense stories) about Vloggers, Friendship, Romance, songs and very well choreographed fights. Look out for the "Movie Theatre Fight" (the best), "Wedding Fight" and the very creative and hilarious "Car Fight"! There are some sequences shot in Dubai and they look fab! And the use and reference to social media in this movie is spot on, which itself will be an attraction to today's youth and regular social media users. Costuming also needs a loud shout-out. Costume Design was by Mashar Hamsa. The Costume department must have been on a roll while deciding the costumes for this movie. Stylish is underrated here. Colours splashed everywhere, everyone looked uber cool and in sync with the environment that the movie created.
Congrats to Director Khalid Rahman and Producer Ashiq Usman. I read that as of 5 days of it's release, the movie has already collected around 15.2 Crore gross in Kerala and around 32.5 Crore gross worldwide! And also that this is Tovino's biggest hit! So I guess majority audiences have liked and understood what the Director and team were going for.
Thallumaala - Do not think too much into it. Go and have a blast. Probably a rare instance that a movie gets two extreme opinions with no middle ground! Some hate it, most love it. A love hate relationship! Isn't that what life is all about? Habibi, welcome to Ponnani! Enjoy.
Paappan (2022)
Paappan - The Return of Suresh Gopi!
A series of murders. A link to the past. Investigation by Kerala Police. Lots of twists. Intense Crime drama.
The return of Suresh Gopi as CI Abraham Mathew Mathan aka Paappan. He did make a comeback in 2020 after a 5 year hiatus with VARANE AVASHYAMUNDU. So this is his second comeback. A revelation that is Neeta Pillai. She debuted with Poomaram in 2018, alongside Kalidas Jayaram. I haven't watched that movie. But I sort of liked her in Abrid Shine's movie "Kung Fu Master". I read that she did a year of training for her action role in that movie. But I loved her in Paappan. Terrific perfomace as ASP Vincy Abraham IPS & Paappan's daughter. And always a welcome change to see a female cop leading the investigation and story. Thrilling music/bgm by Jakes Bejoy though at times it did feel too loud. Visually pleasing cinematography by Ajay David Kachappilly. And superb direction by the one and only Joshiy. He proves time and time again why he is still relevant after directing movies for 44 years! And he is one director who knows how to manage lots of actors/characters in one movie. Another Director who excels/exceled in that was I. V Sasi. This movie has a lot of characters, most of them well placed, well thought of and well acted. No wonder that a movie like "2020", that had almost all the actors from Malayalam cinema was also directed by Joshiy! Not saying that it was a perfect movie. But it was a celebration of cinema!
As it's a suspense thriller, I won't get too much into the specifics. The movie it took it's own sweet time and that bothered me. A 170 mins runtime could have been trimmed quite a bit to increase the pacing. The elaborate story and characters does need the time but it still did test my patience a few times. And I honestly felt that Suresh Gopi wasn't utilized to his maximum potential. Obviously there was nothing here to showcase his stellar acting chops but his screen presence with a new found salt & pepper look did make up for it to a extent. As an experienced ex cop, he did pull his weight around. A commanding presence on screen. Thankfully the long boring monologue contests of yesteryears wasn't used here and that was a big relief. I also wished he would have lost a little weight/hit the gym, as an extra effort by him can be seen in the action scene. Though he and Nyla Usha looked good together, the added weight did not justify his look in the flashbacks as a younger person. I say this with utmost respect to the actor. When you see how an older Mammootty tries to maintain his looks and physique, you wonder why SG cannot!
The supporting cast did their parts well, as I mentioned before. Among them Asha Sharath as Dr. Sherly and Shammi Thilakan as Iruttan Chacko stood out. Gokul Suresh Gopi did not have much to do, other than be SG's foster son Michael and sidekick but whatever was given to him, he did it well. Nyla Usha is a very good actress but she was also under utilised here. She didn't have much to do other than a few scenes of being Paappan's wife Nancy Abraham. She was excellent in the title character of Mariyam in Joshiy's last movie prior to this one, "Porinju Mariam Jose". So was Kaniha's character. Small role but did good. Another veteran actress Maala Parvathi too had a small role as Doctor Radhika Menon and she did well too. I am not mentioning about a few other actors as this is a suspense movie. And it's been only a few days since it's release.
Though Paappan overstayed it's welcome and was a bit exhausting at times, it was still an enjoyable & gripping suspense thriller. There are times when Suresh Gopi takes a back seat and it's a Neeta Pillai show all the way and then there are times when SG steps in and takes over. It's not in the league of some of the other great thrillers that came out earlier or in recent times but leave it to Joshiy to satisfy the audience one way or the other. He knows the pulse of today's audience and he still has 90s nostalgia eteched in his mind as we can see flashes of 90s movie making combined with today's sensibilites at times. No complaints here! Give it a watch. You will be invested from the get-go. Enjoy!
Jug Jugg Jeeyo (2022)
A dysfunctional family dramedy!
You don't need movies or books to teach you about life in general. Or about specifics like Love, Marriage, Family and the bonding of all these. It's a learning process, one day at a time with hands-on experience. Some succeed, some fail, most manage the ever essential balancing act, thus walking the thin line without falling off! And even if you do fall, you could try climbing back and start balancing again! It's hard but when two people are determined to be in it for life, it's fun too.
But there are movies that does show us a slice of life. Whether one chooses to watch it and then enjoy/be bored and forget it, or enjoy/take in some pointers and reflect on it.....well it depends on the person. To each, his own!
"Jugjugg Jeeyo" is one such movie. The dynamics of a love marriage after years of courtship and then being a young working couple in a foreign country.....the dynamics of being an elderly couple reaching a point where they both never actually knew or realised what the other wanted or how one felt....this movie is for every man and woman who is in some stage of a relationship, be it love, marriage, separation, divorce.etc. Two couples of different generations with their relationship issues.
It made my heart blossom with love, it made me laugh out loud, it tugged at my heart strings and brought those eye cleansing tears to the brim with maybe a drop or two flowing down my cheeks, it made me angry, it made me cheer for the song & dance, it brought out all possible human emotions in me. I just loved this movie. Drama with comedy would be a Dramedy right?
This is Director Raj Mehta's second major outing after the very successful debut movie "Good Newwz" (another unique movie for Indian audiences). With a story by Anurag Singh, backed by Dharma Productions and Viacom 18 Studios, Raj is in his element here. Set in Patiala, Punjab, we have the seasoned actors Anil Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor as parents of Varun Dhawan and Prajakta Koli (Famous Youtuber "MOSTLY SANE" in her debut role) along with the gorgeous Kiara Advani as Varun's love interest/Wife as well as Manish Paul (television presenter, anchor, model, singer, actor & comedian) & Tisca Chopra.
Just like how I mentioned in "The Gray Man" review that Chris Evans seemed to having a lot of fun with his chilling villainous role, here too it seemed like Anil Kapoor was having a ball of a time. He was terrific as father with grey shades in a dysfunctional family.
Varun is a chameleon for sure. Whether it is comedy or serious emotional scenes, he is very convincing in his performance. I have to mention his mind blowing performance in Badlapur. And he was so bad to the point of cringe in Judwa 2, but that's was his father/Director David Dhawan wanted from him for such a movie! And he made cringe look good! Kiara Advani isn't just a pretty face. In the right movie and role, she will kill it. She did it in Guilty, Kabir Singh, Lust Stories, Good Newwz, Shershah and to a great extent in Bhool Bhulaiya 2 also. And here in Jugjugg Jeeyo, she gave a stellar performance along with Varun. An argument scene between the two stands out. Performed well.
Neetu Kapoor is a gem. We knew her as the beautiful and bubbly Neetu Singh in the 70s and 80s romancing most heroes of those times. Especially with her husband/actor Rishi Kapoor who is no more. And also with Amitabh Bachchan.
Here, as Anil's wife and Varun & Prajakta's mother, she gives a strong and grounded performance. The decades of experience shows when you see Neetu and Anil performing their hearts out!
Tisca Chopra has always been a favorite of mine. I remember her from the 90s movie "Platform" with Ajay Devgn and so on. A pretty face then turned to an awesome performer later on. I recommend you guys to check out two short films of hers, "Chutney" & "Chhuri" on Youtube. They are from Royal Stag's Large Short Films. Amazing performance. You will thank me.
Manish Paul is as funny as he is on stage. Natural performer with perfect comic timing. I have always loved the "Mostly Sane" videos on Youtube. So it was a natural transformation for Prajakta from Youtube to the big screen. She is another natural actress. For whatever screen time she got in her debut movie, she nailed it.
Tanishk Bagchi belted out some great music too. RANGISAARI...is a favourite. THE PUNJAABBAN SONG is a familiar one but always makes you wanna shake a leg. DUPPATTA... too was a good number. Quite an amazing soundtrack.
Great cast, story, music, dance numbers, emotion, comedy and well directed by Raj Mehta. It's about the trials and tribulations of a visibly perfect family from the outside but a dysfunctional one on the inside. Touching upon many relationship issues including divorce and even giving out solutions for the same. Basically about understanding, listening (to your partners views & perspective), balancing and forgiving. You only live once, right? Do not miss this one. If you missed it in the cinemas, you can find it on Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it definitely was mine!
The Gray Man (2022)
A thrill ride all the way!
The Gray Man
An unapologetic action entertainer. A spy action thriller that lives upto the genre! Raw and gritty! The action set prices are awesome and crazy. Leave it to the Russo Bros to thrill us all the way.
It was surprising and pleasing to see Ryan Gosling in a new avatar. Loved him in The Notebook, Drive, Crazy Stupid Love, La La Land, The First Man & more. Already a terrific actor, he did justice as the title character here. As someone who is set up, double crossed and chased all over the world, his calm demeanor and dry humour was entertaining. A reference to the Ken Doll was funny (Ryan is Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie).
Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen was having a ball with his character. As an ex-CIA mercenary gone rogue and tasked to catch Six (Ryan), he was the most feared villain ever. And so much fun to watch. Superb!
Ana D Armas, stunning Cuban/Spanish actress who exploded on Hollywood screens in Keanu Reeves movie "Knock Knock" and got our attention with her awesome cameo in the Bond movie, NO TIME TO DIE, seemed to be having fun in a sort of an extension of her Bond character, though this is a different role altogether. She's a very beautiful & talented actress. As Agent Dani Miranda, she was very comfortable in action scenes as well.
Which brings me to our own Dhanush as Avik San aka The Lone Wolf.
This isn't his first international movie. In 2018, he did the the adventure comedy , "The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir", along with "Erin Moriarty" (now famous for the hit show "The Boys" on Amazon Prime). It was based on a French novel. Dhanush was praised by both Indian and International critics for his charming performance.
Among the other cast, Billy Bob Thornton, Rege Jean Page, Jessica Henwick & Julia Butters did a great job.
In "The Gray Man", though I wished he had more screen time, the Russo Brothers didn't disappoint us by giving him a blink and miss role. In all of his 15 mins screen time out of a two hour movie, he caught everyone's attention. As a brooding and deadly assassin Avik San/Lone Wolf, he was terrific. His action scenes with Ryan Gosling & Ana D Armas was thrilling. Very well choreographed fights. When Chris's character says "My sexy Tamil Friend", you know who is coming to knock your socks off! We have seen him fight 100s in Tamil movies. So how could he not handle two people? Just kidding! He's our Ilaya Superstar. Four times National Award winner (Two as an actor and two as producer) and many other awards/accolades. Multi talented. Someone who acts, fights, dances, sings, produces and directs! 👌🏻👏🏻
Netflix has green-lit a sequel to "The Gray Man" and also a spin-off of the movie. Russo Bros had mentioned that maybe Dhanush could get his own spin-off movie. Hope that happens and also hope to see more of his character in the sequels.
I enjoyed this movie a lot. The excessive and at times over the top action (Esp the one in Russia) might be too much for those who don't enjoy this genre. For others like me who devours anything good cinema has to offer, in terms of content & technical brilliance, this is right up my alley. One can say that this movie celebrates the action genre to the fullest. Russo Brothers do not disappoint. Awaiting their next one.
Catch this one at cinemas and on Netflix.
Malayankunju (2022)
Malayankunju - A FAFA show all the way!!!
An Amazing movie from the Malayalam film industry. Sort of a first of a kind in this scale. A top-notch gripping landslide survival drama/thriller.
In Malayalam movies, we did have a survival drama movie "Malootty" in 1990 where it's about a small girl who falls into a deep borewell and then about a rescue operation that follows. It was "a never been done" genre back then. And a very good one for the time!
In 2017, there was Nayanthara's Tamil movie "Aramm" where again it's about a kid whom falls into a deep borewell and the media coverage highlighting the rescue efforts.
But Malayankunju is a path breaking movie in the same genre.
When it comes to acting, is there anything left to say about Fahad? Another stellar performance by the actor. One could say it was a FAFA show all the way. Natural! His eyes tells us everything he feels throughout the movie. Amazing actor!
The first half of the movie is an exposition. Preparing us for what's in store post interval. A class in behavioral patterns of a human being and a visual metaphor of how a prejudiced person to the core is in a way reborn as a new human being! One can say it's also about second chances in life! A Masterclass in script, story, screenplay and direction! I have to mention debutant Jaya S Kurup who was brilliant as Fahad's mother. A seasoned & natural performance! Jaffer Idukki, Rajisha, Indrans were an important part of the narrative and did well.
On the technical side, brilliantly executed landslide scenes with claustrophobic underground sequences. Artwork led by Jothish Shankar and his team was astonishingly great! Even after the makers put out a behind the scenes video on YouTube, if we are still taken aback and also drawn into the mayhem, then do I need to say more? Awesome Cinematography by Mahesh Narayanan (his first time) who has already proved himself as a superb Editor and Director. He has done the script for the movie as well.
Songs and score by the one and only A. R Rahman. His second Malayalam movie after Sangeeth Sivan's "Yodha" in 1992. Perfect choice. On the one hand, melodious and heart warming songs while on the other, heart thumping suspenseful music for the other sequences creating anticipation and excitement for the audience. Post interval his score takes us underground along with Fahad making us feel everything he feels during his desperate attempts of survival! But there are a few times where I felt a little bit of silence would actually heighten the tension and fear.
Debutante Director Sajimon Prabhakar is in fine form. He has been an Assistant Director for Malik, Mikhael, Co-Director for C U Soon as well as Associate Director for Android Kunjappan Ver 5.25 & Ente Ummante Eru. All good movies. So his foray into Direction isn't a surprise. A Director to look out for in future. I would love to watch whatever he does next!
Malayankunju is a theatrical experience for sure and though it will end up on OTT later on, the impact it created on the big screen in terms of movie magic won't be replicated on the small screen. Nevertheless it will be well received for its artistic and technical brilliance.
A must-watch movie.
Kaduva (2022)
Kaduva - 90s style Mass Masala is back!
Just like the makers said, it's an old school mass action thriller! It has all the tropes of the pot boilers we have watched in the 90s. Tried and tested. And Shaji Kailas is the perfect choice to direct this. He was an innovator back in the 90s with his range of action thrillers.
But while clapping for the mass movies in Tamil & Telugu, it's refreshing to see a competent one come out in Malayalam as well. A film set in the 1990s, made with today's style and techniques. So do not expect anything else! Just super adi idi thozhi! (Slaps, Punches & Kicks). Around 6 action sequences to be precise! 😃
So thanks to Shaji Kailas, Prithvi & Magic Frames for bringing back the popular mass entertainer genre. (This is from a fan who enjoys such movies as well. Those who don't shouldn't step in to watch this as it will disappoint you for sure!) Also let me say that this movie isn't better than the director's old hits like Commisioner, The King or Aaram Thampuran.
Prithvi 🔥🔥🔥 He was perfect as rubber planter Kaduvakkunnel Kuriachan, a flawed and imperfect hero, who in real life wouldn't be liked by anyone at all. But for a mass movie and being the title character, the justifications suffice even though it's not the strongest ones! No he's still flawed! Some cringe dialogues do bring that out! But as a hero he roars through the scenes with conviction.
Vivek Oberoi was perfect as the antagonist, DIG Joseph Chandy IPS. A towering personality. After Lucifer this is his second Malayalam movie. And he excels!
Samyuktha Menon as the hero's wife didn't have much to do except for a few lines here and there. The only meaningful one being when she criticizes Prithvi for disrespecting an old lady (Actress Seema).
Shajon was fun as the typical villainous Police Officer. Baiju and Alencier give support to Prithvi's character with some serious and fun moments.
The makers gives us what they promised and some more! With style. Actually it's quite well made in all depts! Action choreography by Kanal Kannan was top notch. Very creative! Cinematography by Abinandhan Ramanujam is excellent. Fast paced perfect cuts by editor Shameer Muhammed. Bgm by Jakes Bejoy enhances the experience! As well as well placed songs in sync with the situations.
It's an out and out egoistic revenge action thriller! An exciting watch in the cinemas for those who enjoy this sub genre.
Vikram (2022)
Once upon a time...there lived a Ghost!
So much excitement for VIKRAM. Based on a character of the same name from the 1986 movie VIKRAM who was a RAW Agent.
The basic story here goes as Amar (Fahad) and his team of Black Squads take up the case of high-profile murders (serial killings) that eventually leads them to Santhanam (Vijay Sethupathi), a drug lord and the "Ghost", realizing that everything isn't what it seems to be! It's all out guns and glory from then on!
The buzz for VIKRAM was there for a few years and then picked up momentum when the first teaser was released almost one and half years ago. The first teaser was just that. A tease! Director Lokesh Kanakaraj said in an interview before the release of VIKRAM that the teaser scenes were just shot to create a buzz among people. It had nothing to do with the actual movie though it gave us a taste of how the movie would be. The excitement peaked while watching with an audience comprising mostly of Tamilians and a some Malayalis. Hoots, Whistles, Cheers, Claps....it was a wild ride on and off screen. It was great to see that both Tamilians and Malayalis shouted out for both Malayalam and Tamil actors alike. No discrimination. Pure love for the actors. Just euphoria!
This is one of the most stylish mass action thriller movies out there now and it has incited mass hysteria among the audience as well! One of Lokesh's best. Though his "Maanagaram" will always be my favorite. Followed by "Kaithi." Kaithi was a ground breaking gangster movie, so fast paced, almost shot completely at night, on the road, out and out action with a sentimental thread of a father and daughter yearning to meet each other. Actor Karthi was awesome as Dilli. Now those who haven't watched "Kaithi", must check it out as it too has connections with this new VIKRAM. You can say Lokesh is creating his own cinematic universe, the LKCU or LCU! He has created a script that makes VIKRAM an extension of the movie "Kaithi." VIKRAM is one of those rare movies that has stayed true to its genre and trailers. You watch the trailer, you get an idea of what you will be watching and you get exactly that and more with utmost satisfaction. That is quite rare nowadays, as most trailers pump you up but the movie fizzles out! Some scenes remind you of a Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez/Martin Scorcese (Scorcese is one of Lokesh's favourite Hollywood Director) style of movie making which is not bad at all because it results in visually stunning action scenes and set pieces. The movie has some of the most gruesome and creative kills and gore for an Indian movie! With excellent cinematography by our very own Girish Gangadharan, who is also a National Film Award winner for Best Cinematography for the 2019 film "Jallikkattu", which itself is an insanely beautiful/magical world captured on camera! Visually, Jallikattu was an immersive experience! Expected nothing less from LJP, the magician! Girish Gngadharan is also famous for his 11 minute single long take for the climax of the movie "Angamaly Diaries", another LJP movie.
Coming to the actors, Fahad Fazil is no stranger to intense characters. His Black Squad agent Amar, is sharp, dedicated and cold blooded as well. His difficulty in maintaining a love life while keeping the nature of his job a secret, seems so genuine. The one who acts with his eyes, Fahad is in every way the perfect agent to step into Kamal's shoes, if ever the story takes that route. Fahad, as always is terrific in his role. Probably a cake walk for him. Both Fahad and Kamal has those intense eyes that tell us a million stories with one look. Kamal Haasan is back after a hiatus of almost 4 years. Vishwaroopam 2 was his last outing and it didn't do too well at the box office. Kamal once again proves why he is called "Ulaga Nayagan" (Universal Hero). At 67, he reprises his Secret Agent role from the 1986 movie VIKRAM. 36 years later! Though it's not ground breaking acting (not needed here) like some of his older famous characters, the moment he enters the picture, right from the beginning of the movie with the song "Pathala Pathala", you are mesmerized. When Kamal cries in a certain scene, you feel it too. Once upon a time, there lived a Ghost! Who is the Ghost? I'm not saying anything!
Vijay Sethupathi seemed to be having a lot of fun as drug kinkpin Santhanam. A recent drug bust rattles him up and he needs to find and get it back. (This is connected to the movie, Kaithi). And that is all I will say about that! But Vijay Sethupathi was also terrific. Pretty much straight forward bad guy with certain unique nuances (a joy to watch) and a sudden jolt of power inducing drug that he pops into his system in times of need! Kalidas Jayaram had a minor role and he performed well. Surya as Rolex in a cameo role (around 5 mins) stunned everyone! He was fire on screen which resulted in the audience screming out at the top of their lungs for his mind blowing performance. Terror personified! Narain as Bejoy, also reprises his character from "Kaithi" and did his part well. Chemban Vinod Jose as Police Chief is also good. Vasanthi is a name and actress to look out for. I can't say anything else about that. 😃 Post intermission there are a few big twists and reveals that we never see coming! Never! And they are all done so well, so smooth! The 2h 26m runtime feels like a breeze! Kudos to Editor Philomin Raj. Spectacular editing as the movie is quite fast paced. Music Director Anirudh Ravichandran could be considered as a hero of the movie as well because if it wasn't for his music/bgm, VIKRAM would never be elevated to this level! What a badass backgroud score! Even when it's not about action on screen. It is already my new ringtone! The title track, incorporating the "Vikram Vikram" theme from the original 1986 movie is outstanding. As well as the melodius number "Porkanda Singham..." "Pathala Pathala" is a fun song to watch, though I am not a big fan of that one. Whenever there is a scene where Kamal has to walk towards or away from the screen, the Vikram.... Vikram...title song pops up and it's goosebumps!! Wow! Action by Anbariv , the stunt choreographer duo Anbu & Arivu is a class apart. Creative, unique and violent at times. There are certain action scenes that we have never seen before! Awesome!
Lokesh is a Kamal fanboy and this is his fanboy moment. But what differentiates him from others is that inspite of all these 3 acting powerhouses together, it is still a Lokesh Kanakaraj movie. He did not have to conform to the mega stars' image! Which is exactly why the movie, BEAST didn't work as it should have! Lokesh has set the groundwork for a new cinematic universe with more sequels in the pipeline. Next could be Kaithi-2 or a Vikram-3 or both! After watching Vikram, thinking about the possibility of Karthi, Kamal, Fahad and Surya together in one movie peaks my interest so much! There are so many stories to be told, so many angles to be thought of! Kamal already hinted at a full fledged movie with Surya and him together. Awesome! Kamal, Fahad and Vijay Sethupathi played their roles to perfection.
VIKRAM is a well designed ode to Kamal Haasan. A kick-ass, adrenaline-fuelled ode that deserves the blockbuster label it is now garnering.
Watch VIKRAM in cinemas to get the full effect of a mass action movie. But brush up on Kaithi too before that. Enjoy!
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Spellbinding Maverick!
One of the most exhilarating, pulse pounding, heart thumping experiences in cinema! It's the kind of action spectacle everyone wanted. Craved for! Tom Cruise is back to entertain us galore! He isn't retiring any time soon. To compare Tom Cruise with other actors, I can say or even sing....."They don't make make them like they used to...."(Kenny Rogers). Tom is of a different breed altogether. I have never seen as actor give his all like this for movies. His only motto is to entertain the hell out of the audience. And he does that with elan!
A sequel to the 1986 movie named "Top Gun". A sequel that upped the previous movie and how! I probably watched the old one in the same year 1986 or 1987 on VHS. I read that it received mixed reviews from critics but the audience lapped it up and was a huge commercial hit, grossing $356 million against a production budget of $15 million in 1986. Now that's wow! It's soundtrack too was very popular with "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin being the numero uno song then. As well as Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins.
In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".(Source - Wikipedia)
I revisited the old Top Gun a day before I went for Maverick. While watching Maverick, I realized what a good decision that was!
When the makers conveyed the idea of a sequel to Tom Cruise, he wanted it to have a solid story as well as real aerial stunts. No vfx! The challenge was accepted with Tom himself designing a training guideline for the actors. Tom Cruise is a certified pilot also. Their full on dedication and hardships can be felt in the aerial shots! The stunts by the highly skilled aviators! My God, do they invoke your deepest fears and excitement of flying and speed! Sheer adrenaline. Dopamine overload! WOW! WOW! JUST WOW!
About the cast, once again, Tom Cruise was outstanding in his portrayal of "Lt. Pete Mitchell" aka "Maverick". He brought back his boyish charm as well as his hell-bent on proving himself attitude even after 36 years from the incidents of the first movie. Yes, age has caught upto him just a bit (it shows a little on his face), but what a powerhouse of an actor he is! Whatever he did when he was 24, he does much more at 59! An array of emotions were at display convincing us of why he is a bonafide star. One of the biggest movie stars on the planet! John Hamm as Vice is terrific as well, in a role quite detached from his very popular character Don Draper in the television series Mad Men, yet you see the shades of a no nonsense determined man in authority. Jennifer Connelly looked fantastic! She was enticing as Penny Benjamin, an old flame mentioned in passing in the 1986 "Top Gun" by Goose (Anthony Edwards) and his wife Carole (Meg Ryan). Her character wasn't shown in the first part and back then it was more about "Kelly McGillis" as Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood, instructor of Top Gun and Maverick's love interest (She isn't mentioned at all in this movie). In this movie, the makers perfectly blended in Connelley's character and I found that both Tom and Jennifer had great chemistry with each other. A mature "been there done that" chemistry as aged adults. Perfect! To bring back Val Kilmer / LT Tom "Iceman" Kazansky was a nice touch. Again the way they included him in the story was perfect. The emotions it evoked brings me back to what I mentioned initially (about watching the first part a day before I went for this one). Which made me relate and adapt into their world the moment the beginning credits came on. A few flashback scenes from the first movie, stirs up your emotions for sure. When Rooster (Goose's son) sings "Great balls of fire" sitting at the piano, we are taken back (Maverick's flashbacks) to the scene at the same place where Goose and Maverick belts out the same song! Oh man, that one pulls you all the way in!
The young pilot trainees/graduates played by Miles Teller (Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw - Son of Goose), Glenn Powell (Lt. Jake "Hangman" Seresin), Lewis Pullman (Lt. Robert "Bob" Floyd) and Monica Barbaro (Lt. Natasha "Phoenix" Trace) performed well. 1986 Top Gun was an emotion. Top Gun : Maverick is intense and soulful.
The music/score are terrific. "Hans Zimmer" never fails to amaze and make us fall in love with his music. Kenny Loggins' 1986 hit "Danger Zone" is which was a massive hit back then, is used in the opening credits of Top Gun : Maverick, just like how it was in the old movie. Oh, that was a clever move to get the fans invested in the movie from the get-go! The moment the jets begin to take off from the decks of the aircraft carrier, the song sets in and nostalgia hits us hard! You might know that the 1986 "Top Gun" soundtrack was one of the biggest-selling movie albums of all-time. So it was natural for the makers to use it again! But the other classic song, Take my breath away" wasn't used this time. In place of "Take My Breath Away",by Berlin, Top Gun: Maverick gives us a new track from Lady Gaga,"Hold My Hand". It sounds and feels like a classic number full of love and emotion. Beautiful. The reason Director Joseph Kosinski gave was that, the "Take my breath away" song was made for Maverick and Charlie in the old Top Gun. For Maverick and Penny, he needed something new and as good as the old one.
Spectacular cinematography! Kudos to Claudio Miranda. I can't even think as to how he/they did this for real! (I did watch the making of the aerial stunts recently). Tom impresses us not only in his acting chops but in action as well. Though the action here isn't hand to hand combat, he really is flying the jets here. The F-14 Tomcat, Boeing F/A 18E/18F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Sukhoi Su-57 Felon and a fictional Hypersonic "Darkstar" Jet Based On Lockheed Martin SR-72! The "Darkstar" flying scene to be watched to be believed! And finally the North American P-51 Mustang, which is actually Tom's own personal plane used for the movie! Beautifully executed aerial stunts, taking us along for the ride when you watch it in IMAX! You actually feel like a co-pilot! That shows how immersive the experience is! Tom riding his Kawasaki Ninja H2 Carbon is just awesome! The same bike he rode in the first Top Gun. Racing the jet just like the old movie. As well as riding it with Jennifer Connelly! Iconic shots!
Top notch editing by Chris Lebenzon and Eddie Hamilton. Despite it's 2hr+ runtime, it never felt stretched at all. And I'm sure they guys had a lot of fun editing the aerial stunt scenes! I heard in interviews and read that little to no CGI was used and everything was as real as possible. Which itself is a feat in these times!
Top Gun : Maverick has action, drama, romance and humor...all in the right places and in the right manner. Beautifully shot. Well scripted and acted. People who haven't watched the original Top Gun, I say you must, as it will definitely connect emotionally with you in the sequel. And what's a Tom Cruise movie without a running scene! Yes, you a few angles of him running through a snowy forest in this one.
You all know what a crescendo is, right? It's a gradual increase in volume of a musical passage. It brings up the excitement in the music as it nears the end. This is what you feel in Top Gun : Maverick. The crescendo towards the finale! A spellbinding, nail biting extended climax that cannot be forgotten very easily and you have to see it to believe it! I did sway my body and head at times as I got so immersed in the aerial combat! Sensational!
The movie has a few expletives/profanities but no actual adult content (a sensual scene between Maverick and Penny is done tastefully without the need for nudity)
A side note : TOP GUN MAVERICK shot 800 hours of footage, as much as the three LORD OF THE RINGS movies!
And the 2h 17m we got from those 800 hours is pure gold!
Fans and cinephiles alike.... Rush to the cinemas preferably IMAX) to watch this spectacle on the biggest screen possible, before it "flies" away and "lands" on OTT. You won't regret it one bit! (But do watch/re-watch the 1986 "Top Gun" before that).
Puzhu (2022)
Puzhu - Spell binding performances!
Will this man ever cease to amaze? I don't think so! At 70, this living legend is still finding himself!
Spectacular performance from Mammootty! I hated him so much in this movie which proves how terrific he was in a never before seen avatar as a toxic parent in this quite hard hitting and disturbing slow burn!
A masala of issues have been added into the hot pot which includes toxic parenting, caste issues and more....but it is Mammootty with his spell binding performance that holds us till the end! I feel that the movie has issues on a script level, but it's a must watch for great performances by all, especially Mammootty and Vasudev Sajeesh as his son. Parvathy has done justice to her role as well as Appunni Sasi, who did a great job.
Kudos to debutante Director Ratheena and a big thanks to her for finding and showing us yet another face of Mammootty. His most chilling face ever! He is one brooding scary man here!
Hoping to see more from her and many more new female directors!
RRR (Rise Roar Revolt) (2022)
RRR - A jaw dropping patriotic fest
RRR (Hindi Version)
A SPECTACLE is something exhibited to view as unusual, notable, or entertaining
especially : an eye-catching or dramatic public display. As per the dictionary, this is the meaning of the word.
To me, right now, a spectacle means RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt / Roudram Ranam Rudhiram). Tempted to the max with the publicity posters, teasers, trailers, interviews and what not...as well as SS Rajamouli's previous blockbusters like Chatrapathi, Vikramarkudu, Magadheera, Eega, Bahubali 1 & 2, I had boarded the hype bandwagon along with others. While sitting in the dark, in Screen 1, the biggest of the lot, in Novo Cinemas, Ibn Batuta Mall, Dubai, I awaited with a lot of anxiety to witness Rajamouli's caged beauty of a movie! But even after watching countless number of movies of all genres and many languages, I still wasn't ready for what he unleashed onto the screen! The hype was real! RRR lived upto it and more! It's a kind of Magnum Opus that could be pulled off by Rajamouli only! That too with a budget of 550 Crores!
Usually being an immensely patient man, I showed no signs of that when booking a ticket for the movie. Yes, I wanted to watch the Telugu version, for which I would have to read the English subtitles (and miss few scenes here and there!). But due to the fact that both the Telugu and Tamil versions were releasing only a day later, I booked for the Hindi version which came out on 24th here. And I have no problem in understanding Hindi. Now I didn't just blindly take that decision and I did do my homework. I found out that both "Ram Charan" and "Junior NTR" had dubbed in their own voices for the Hindi version. That convinced me that my decision to watch the Hindi version was right. All I wanted was the two heroes to belt out dialogues in their own deep strong voices. Great! Settled! Nothing else mattered as I knew that Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt would obviously dub in their own voices for this version and I already really enjoyed the songs in Hindi as well.
In RRR, Ram Charan and Jr NTR play revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, respectively. In real life, they were two tribal leaders & revolutionaries who had put up a tough resistance against the British. They lived around the same time period from 1897 to 1940 in Andhra Pradesh. Both of them were killed in different years and it is not known for sure if they did actually meet each other, though they both might have known about the other's existence and freedom struggle. Rajamouli begins the movie in chapters - the story, the fire, the water. Thus giving us the film's context and introducing it's heroes Bheem (NTR) and Ram (Ram Charan), where Ram, the angry young Officer is like Fire and Bheem, the innocent Gond tribal, is like Water. What happens when fire and water collide? Is one consumed by the other or can they co-exist? You have to watch the movie to know about that!
It's a fictional story, a patriotic saga, set in British India (Delhi) of the 1920s. The movie is epic. It has mythological connections (With Ramayana and Mahabharata), it's got superhero genre and scale of action and finally it is also about patriotism, love and brotherhood. The bromance between Ram and Bheem is so beautifully depicted that we root for both of them. We want them to win, we get heartbroken when they part ways, we desperately want them to reunite and return for the mind boggling finale war!
The first half is excellent. Every scene exuded grandeur. After the initial story is established, incredible introductions are given to both protagonists. That itself is a sight to behold. A scene around 20 mins before the interval (Interval block as they say) is where you as an audience goes... What the...! And then witness with an open mouth, the unbelievable visuals and actions on screen! Oh my God, did that scene make me jolt in my seat and sit upright! I read that this specific scene was shot in a span of 65 nights, costing 75 lakhs a day! I mean, wow...just wow!!! I don't think there has been such an interval block ever in Indian cinema. The mesmerizing second half has more drama, establishing and clearing certain questions the viewers would have and thus introducing Ajay Devgn's character as well as Alia Bhatt's. Hence the pacing changes for a bit but even that doesn't give the audience a dull moment. The 3 hours and 2 minute runtime feels like a 1 hour and 90 minutes. I never felt that the movie is being unnecessarily stretched out. Ajay had an extended cameo and he was solid in his performance. Alia as Ramaraju's fiancé Sita, did well as always but she had very less screen time and I was disappointed for that. Rajamouli did say that these two actors are playing cameos. But the way they used her in promotions, you think she would have a meatier role and extended screen time! You get to see Shriya Saran after a long time, as Ajay's wife. Again she too has very less screen time. But she did well too with what was given to her. A few others in the cast is , Thor and Punisher: War Zone star Ray Stevenson as a tyrant British military general Scott, with Alison Doody of A View to a Kill and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as his wife. Ray was pretty fierce in his character but I still felt like he did not do a good job. Alison Doody was quite over the top. Being a seasoned actress, I guess it's the lines given to her that made her ham a lot! There is also Olivia Morris who plays Jennifer who has affections for Komaran Bheem. She actually gave a pretty good performance and is pleasing to the eyes as well. The Brits are mostly shown as violent, unsympathetic and hateful people barring Olivia. Which reminded me of Rachel Shelley in Lagaan. The finale is mind boggling, to say the least. This movie is a visual treat to the max.
All said and done, I have to talk about the elephant in the room. The larger than life characterizations and super human strength the two protagonists have.
You can look at this in two ways. The traditional outlook that they are mere human beings and then question the director's choice of unbelievable and over the top action scene visualisations, protagonists getting hurt, rising up again without any effect of their previous wounds and so on...! This is nuts, funny, I can't buy this...would go the comments! But then I say you are watching the wrong movie and you do not know anything about Rajamouli's school of movie making. Now if you know about Rajamouli's filmography, you will actually applaud at his audacity to make super humans out of two very real freedom fighters, thus giving them a wider appeal and recognition amongst the ignorant movie goers and masses who probably never even knew of these two revolutionaries except maybe the history buffs and people hailing from Andhra Pradesh. I never knew or read about these two freedom fighters until now. Once you agree to this, then you are in for the roller coaster ride! Full on! The suspension of disbelief will still be there but it's not going to matter with the immense adrenaline pumping from the characters' veins to yours!
Brace Yourself for Ram & Bheem....these words in the film's trailers are actually preparing you for this power packed unstoppable spectacle, that has awesome cinematography (camera work is astounding), unbelievable crowd scenes, pretty good CGI (Scenes with the Tiger, wolf and certain other ones), great sound effects and massive, beautiful set design and some super talented actors with superlative performances. Rajamouli, once again succeeds in creating an out and out commercial movie oozing with drama, action, comedy, superb songs and dance. And this time, Patriotism as well.
The story is by Rajamouli's father K. V. Vijayendra Prasad. You might be surprised to know that K. V. Vijayendra Prasad was the writer for both Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Manikarnika as well. A well written screenplay makes for smooth viewing without any lag. Veteran Editor A. Sreekar Prasad excels in giving us a fast paced movie. Music by M. M. Keeravani is melodious and foot tapping. BGM again by him lifted the movie and it's dramatic and action sequences to another level altogether! The song 'Nacho Nacho' is sung by Vishal Mishra and Rahul Sipligunj. The song is choreographed by Prem Rakshith. This song sequence is a treat for the eyes and ears. A dance off with the Brits was just awesome and it was a showcase for the tremendous ability Ram Charan and Junior NTR has in dancing. Their agility, synchronization....outstanding! The friendship song was sweet! 90s kids will remember a popular Bollywood "M. M. Keeravani / M. M Kreem" song from a Mahesh Bhatt movie called Criminal (remake of Harrison Ford's "The Fugitive")
Tu Mile Dil Khile.... Which I think was sung by Kumar Sanu and Kerala's very own Chitra. The initial music and female vocals of that song were "inspired" from Age of Loneliness by Enigma. That's another matter altogether! It still was damn good!
VFX for the most part was very good. There are one or two scenes where you really know the CGI wasn't that great but for a fraction of what is spent in Hollywood (even with such a big budget) I'll say it's fine! They had SRK's Red Chillies Vfx as well as others behind it. Hence the superior quality! Slow motion was used well and at the right moments!
Not taking away anything from Junior NTR, but Ram Charan got the meatier role here, I feel. They both were really very good in their performances and transformations. There was a lot of blood and gore, even stylized versions of bloodshed and all. Kids would be better off watching the movie with their Parents.
Whether you are fans of Ram Charan and Junior NTR or not, do not miss this visual treat. It's a Rajamouli epic and I congratulate him for his vision and conviction in bringing this to life. No easy feat! Enjoy!
Bheeshmaparvam (2022)
Bheeshma Parvam - Michael Corleone Reloaded!
BHEESHMA PARVAM (The Book of Bheeshma)
1972, March 5, "The Godfather", based on Mario Puzo's 1969 bestseller crime novel, released in cinemas in the USA. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this story of a Mafia family in New York headed by Vito Corleone, was an instant hit! Newsweek magazine called it "the Gone with the Wind of gangster movies"! It was hailed as a classic! "Marlon Brando" who until then wasn't very successful became an overnight sensation playing Vito Corleone and even bagged a Best Actor Oscar.. "Al Pacino" became the star that he is now by portraying Vito's son, Michael Corleone. This is the 50th year of "The Godfather"and they just re-released the 5OTH Anniversary 4K version of the movie in theatres. The director Coppola said about the success of the movie - "It was the right cast with the right crew for the right audience at the right time. When that happens, when that kind of coincidental symmetry happens, you get a movie that is really a miracle in a way."
And that brings me to Amal Neerad's "BHEESHMA PARVAM". Was it a coincidence that both "Bheeshma Parvam" and the re-released "The Godfather" got released in cinemas at almost the same time?
While booking the ticket, I had this anticipation, this expectation that a cinephile would have from an "Amal Neerad" movie. The reason being that 15 years ago, Cinematographer turned Director "Amal Neerad" entered our lives with a gangster crime drama "BigB". Inspired from the Hollywood movie "Four Brothers", the movie changed the way or paved the way for future gangster films in Malayalam industry. Stylized film making, innovative camera angles, slow motion and a very very angry Mammootty as Bilal! The movie did average business back then due to the fact that the audience of those times weren't ready for this or just didn't connect with the overtly serious tone of the movie. But I loved it then. Later on "BigB" received a cult status once it was aired on Tv and came out on other mediums. People started to love the movie, it's stylish narrative and technical brilliance, slow motion scenes (for which Amal Neerad is very famous by now) as well as how Amal managed to convert a Hollywood inspired movie into an original piece by rooting it in Kerala, Fort Kochi, among its various gangs and gang wars. His other well made movies would be period thriller "Iyobinte Pusthakam" with Fahad, "Varathan" again with Fahad ( Inspired by Hollywood movie Straw Dogs), but made extremely well to Indian sensibilities.
So when Amal Neerad teams up with Mammootty again, the hype surrounding the movie is insane! Did it live up to it? Oh yes it did and some more! This is Amal's homage to "The Godfather" and inspiration from the "Mahabharata". And maybe even his mentor Ram Gopal Verma's "Sarkar" which was again inspired by "The Godfather". I can definitely say without doubt that this is one of Amal's best movies! "Bheeshma Parvam" is truly a classy mass movie.
Mammootty as Michael is terrific! We forget his age, we even forget about the actor Mammootty. On screen it's just Michael, a fearsome Don like character with a heart of gold to his loved ones and a terror like no other to his enemies! His voice modulation, slang, demeanor, swag and ferociousness in various scenes as well as the playfulness & slight romanticism while cooking and serving a "Madiyan (Lazy) Biryani" is simply outstanding. The name Michael itself seems to be a direct reference to Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Here Michael is the youngest son in a mafia like Anjooty family, who had to take over the reins and become the patriarch, after being forced to give up his love due to certain reasons. Kind of like Michael Corleone.
As I stated earlier, my anticipation and expectation turned into excitement when the opening scene unfolded. Isn't this familiar? Have I seen or felt this before? Here we witness Amal Neerad's ode to The Godfather. A woman and her daughter needs a favor from Michael. We already do get a build up to Mammootty's character and that hypes up our excitement to see him. When he is introduced, we realize the power and control this man possess over everyone. And after listening intently to them, he orders his aide to do the necessary. But here ends the similarity. Everything about this scene, the issues and what happens then on in the movie is in a class of its own. We witness a Mammootty that we all wanted to watch for a long time. Cinematography, lighting and Sushin Shyam's bgm instills dread and goosebumps at the same time.
Amal Neerad co-wrote the film with Devadath Shaji, and together they successfully create many characters with well-established personalities and relationships. Each actor and his/her characterization is well thought of. So it's not just Mammootty who steals the show being the pillar of strength for the family and the movie. There is Shine Tom Chacko as Peter who once again delivers a superlative performance as one among the two of Michael's frustrated nephews. As a negative character, he is a a masterclass in acting! In a scene in the movie, where he is shown to be the producer of a movie, there is a subtle change in his face while watching the main male dancer during a dance sequence shoot! Those emotions aren't addressed in the movie after that but it does leave one in doubt about Shine's intentions! There is Soubin as Ajas and Sreenath Bhasi as Ami who are Michael's older dead brother's kids. Both have instances to shine but it is Soubin who steals the show, especially in the second half. His range of emotions are pure gem! Rest of the characters each have meaningful and impactful roles. It was good to see Nadia Moithu back on screen, especially in frames with Mammootty. Nisthar Sait as Mammootty's elder brother with a serious demeanor blurts out some of the most unintentionally funny lines in the movie! Jinu Joseph is superb as Father Simon, another brother to Michael who is cunning, manipulative and desperate to have a voice in the family. Lena performs well as Susan, sister to Michael. Sudev Nair as Rajan, who has an out for revenge villainous role was awesome. Calm, controlled and deadly! Maala Parvathi as Molly was a revelation in this one. Negative role with a tinge of comedy! She was superb! So was Dileesh Pothan as MP James. Venomous ! I was sad to see Nedumudi Venu & KPAC Lalitha on screen. Though their screen time was less, they too had menacing characteristics which they did with aplomb.
"I will decide when I should die," Michael says in the movie. That punchline brought out claps and cheers from the audience and it was sheer happiness to watch Mammootty in such form on screen! The beard, long hair, walk and look! A class act!
Music and BGM by the sensational Sushin Shyam escalates and elevates the scenes. Be it for Mammootty or for any scene in general. His music elevated the movie to another level altogether. Especially for the action scenes. And ofcourse the songs. Two dance numbers gives us the 80s vibe for sure. 'Parudeesa' song is so much fun to watch and listen to in the theatre. I found myself tapping my feet during the song. There are two elaborate action sequences choreographed stylishly by Supreme Sundar. Mammootty is just awesome in those scenes! Which brings me to Editor Vivek Harshan, whose slick cuts have maintained the pace even though the duration of the movie is around 2 hours and 25 minutes. You never feel the duration! The action sequences are perfectly executed with the use of Robotic Camera. Cinematographer Anend C Chandran has done exceptional work in the overall shoot of the movie and the action sequences which deserve special mention! The Sound design, Production design, the set pieces, costuming, make-up, movie posters, advertisements are all perfectly done to recreate the 1980s. To be so precise that one feels it is actually happening in that period.
Bheeshma Parvam is an ingenious concoction of The Godfather and The epic Mahabharata. It is written so well that you cannot question even a single character for being out of place. This is a movie to be watched and enjoyed only in the theatre. Mammootty's screen presence and many of the scenes combined with Sushin Shyam's background score makes the experience in a theatre mesmerizing. I read a comment from a viewer saying "Mammukka is back with a bang". That says it all. He seems to know for sure what kind of mannerisms and performance Amal needs in his movie and accordingly he transforms into the characters or let me say he becomes one with the character. Even in silence, you feel his menace!
I quote this dialogue from "The Godfather" said by Don Vito Corleone: "Revenge is a dish best served cold". And you can see how cold Michael in this movie becomes when he is forced to go back to his gangster roots to take revenge and bring havoc on those who did harm to him and his family.
I will say again that Amal Neerad has created a masterpiece of a "class meets mass" movie with Bheeshma Parvam. Perfect treatment !
Waiting for Amal's "BILAL", the sequel to "BigB" with Mammootty!
Watch it in theatres only (Until it comes on OTT platforms). It is a made for theatre movie. Here in the UAE, it's given a PG13 rating, probably for the violence and a few lines with double entendre.
Bhoothakaalam (2022)
Psychological Horror
What did I just watch? Wow! Just wow!! To get the chills of fear and feel uneasy from watching a Malayalam movie hasn't happened to me in a long time.
Bhoothakalam. A trip into the psyche of the human mind interlaced with horror elements and superlative perfomances by Revathy and Shane Nigam!
The movie taps into the deepest parts of your senses, taking you along with the characters into their home and mind and then evoking in you, all the emotions and feelings that they enact/feel! And that's too damn creepy! I mean that in a good way.
Director Rahul Sadasivan captures the disturbed minds of a Mother and Son effectively, showing their strained relationship, placing the scenes inside a home, in natural settings and making us feel like we are a part of the narrative, due to the very fact that this is probably how every Parent/Children relationship is in Kerala. The bond and love for a Mother is always there but on the surface level there is always resentment and dissatisfaction.
I had watched the Director's previous work, "Red Rain", a sci-fi story which he calls an experimental movie. It was quite ahead of it's times and being a sci-fi junkie, I liked it. It was very underrated, not getting the recognition it deserved. It had good actors like Narain, including foreign artists which was quite rare in Malayalam movies and a unique story of connecting Kerala's Red Rain phenomenon with extra terrestrial presence. The CGI was pretty decent enough too. I appreciate Rahul for showing the will to try something new back then. I guess the general Malayali audience wasnt ready to accept such genres in Malayalam movies back then, with the popular saying being.....leave these themes to Hollywood!
But times have changed and so has a movie goer's taste in cinema. People are well aware of how movies are made around the world as they are readily accessible at their finger tips with the advent of OTT platforms.
This time around Rahul manages to move and shock the audience with a superb story, script and screenplay. And to get two supremely talented stars from two different generations to perform together was the icing on the cake. I have never seen Revathy like this. As a distraught and mentally disturbed mother, she nails it! Shane gets better and better with each movie. A sequence in a metro stands out. His helplessness when he realises that his girlfriend also doesnt understand his plight was enacted brilliantly. He was able to comminicate his mental trauma with subtle facial expressions and body language. Definitely a very talented actor. The director said in an interview that he wrote the story with Revathy and Shane in mind, hoping they will eventually agree to do the movie. Saiju Kurup's mental health counsellor character is probably used to bring out the viewer's rational thought process in such situations. A good performance by him also. One main character to be metioned here is the House itself! Is it haunted? Or it is just bad mouthed about coz of it's horrific past? The neighbours contribute a lot in that aspect. Just like how it happens in real life. Such things makes us identify more with the movie.
An intriguing movie that is open to interpretation. The final 15/20 minutes of the movie is quite terrifying. Without giving any spoilers.....One would think.....Are the apparitions real? Is it something the Mother and Son manifest due to their disturbed mental state? Something that made them understand as well as stand up for each other? It could be interpreted as a Mother and Son's journey filled with trials and tribulations, towards self discovery but cloaked as a horror movie. Whatever be the case, the Director effectively makes us tensed to the core! He makes us fear the dark corners of the house, the shadows and the silence. The brillianlty used bgm makes the fear much more gripping! Kudos to Music Director Gopi Sundar for that. And hats off to Rahul for emotionally bonding us to the characters and scaring us without the usual horror tropes used in countless other movies! The title of the movie has an interesting word play to it. The word "Bhootham" alone means Ghost. And "Bhoothakalam" means one's past. Food for thought!
Definitely watch BHOOTHAKALAM. You will have questions. There will be discussions. And that's always good.
Watch it at anytime but I do suggest a late night viewing as it's the perfect time for such a movie. Enjoy!
Jagga Jasoos (2017)
Jagga Jasoos - A madcap entertainer!
Could this be the perfect Bollywood Disney movie? When I say perfect, I don't mean it's a perfect movie, but for what Disney has stood for in terms of it's Hollywood movies and theme parks, all the charm and magic it exudes on and off screen, this is as close as Bollywood has got so far. And who better to helm it than the magician of a Director, Anurag Basu! If his "Barfi" was a gem, then this is an innovative experimental gem!
Sherlock Holmes, Tintin, Hugo, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones..... All these genres of movies and stories come to mind, ( for those who are avid viewers of Hollywood movies and enjoy reading as well) when we watch this movie. Especially reminiscent of French classics like Amelie and others too. And I do not say this in a negative light. By no means is this a rip off. It is surely inspired from many of these movie genres, added with the fantastical world born in the director's brain. And what a wonderful world it is !
The fact that this is an out and out musical, with almost 30 songs, might put off some people, especially those who only like hard hitting drama and action movies. But for those who welcome anything new and innovative, this will entertain them immensely. It seems straight out of a comic book and that is a compliment to Anurag Basu. Ranbir as Jagga, a teenage detective ( like Tintin, Hardy Boys, Five Findouters etc ) proves that he is one of the best in Bollywood, with his acting skills, as an unconventional hero with a stammer. Katrina as Sruthi, goofy investigative journalist, provides ample humour and supports Ranbir perfectly. Saswata Chatterjee as Tuti-futi Bagchi was brilliant in his portrayal of Jagga's father. Such an expressive actor. Ravi Varman's cinematography made this movie what it is. He has successfully brought out a story book like feel with all the unique and beautiful frames and colour, thus painting Anurag Basu's vision beautifully in such locations as Darjeeling, Morocco etc. As it's a musical, what Pritam has done is astounding. His songs and background music are very melodious with the BG music having an international feel, which makes it all the more a Disney movie. The songs Galti se mistake & Ullu ka patta are awesome. Both in music and cinematography.
The movie has a few important messages as well, one of which was poking fun at our own attitudes, where we think that as long as nothing happens to us personally, it doesn't matter what happens around us. This sarcastic message in the form of a song was brilliant. So was an unexpected song that breaks out during a party scene. Truly a brilliant idea! A 5 second scene of revealing the villain might shock the audience ! Two negatives I felt were, the duration, which could have been shortened quite a bit and the VFX, which in a few scenes were quite mediocre. I do not know if they were in a hurry to finish this or if they didn't have the budget for it. I did read that it was made on a budget of 110 crores.
This experimental, fantasy musical adventure from Bollywood is very entertaining to the core. Family, kids and those who like to finally watch a different Hindi movie, will love it. A fun movie for everyone. Oh.....and a surprising hint for a sequel.......maybe !! I do not know if it will be a box office hit, but I enjoyed every bit of it. So...be a part of this adventure and enjoy !
Interstellar (2014)
INTERSTELLAR - Take us with you
With extreme excitement and anticipation, I went to watch Interstellar. Truly, it wasn't a movie for me. It was an experience. Never in my 40 years or say 37 years (I believe I did start watching movies from age 3), have I gone through an emotional experience while watching a "Sci-fi" film.
Now, to those of you who are from Mars (not being sarcastic, but this movie and its subject is not everyone's cup of tea), you might find it very difficult to understand what the hell is going on and hence will be very confused and bored. The reason being that most of the conversations in this movie is based on Physics. Theory of Relativity, Worm Holes, Black Holes, bending of space and time, time going slow for one and going fast for the other and it goes on.... I am no master of Physics, but always had a special interest in this area for as long as i can remember and so i used to and still do read up anything and everything about this subject. Even then a few things in the movie went over my head and I did some reading again to get it. Which is probably why the sci-fi genre appealed a great deal to me always. Which again is the reason for my addiction to the subject of UFOs and Aliens. I am one of the millions of people who truly believe that we are not alone in the universe.
If I may quote the great Author/Scientist Carl Sagan -
"The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space." This is from his book "Contact" which was made into a beautiful movie of the same name, with Jody Foster and guess who else, yes, Matthew McConaughey again. One of my favorite sci-fi books/movies of all time. People thought that last few minutes of the movie Contact, was unbelievable, when Jodie Foster went wind surfing on Vega with her dead dad! But then again, why not?
Christopher Nolan, is a novice in dark brooding cinema. As well as his passion for subjects related to Time is evident from movies like "Inception". I had watched 2001-A Space Odyssey, at an age when i never understood much of it, except for being in awe of all the space travel and technologies. But i did make it a point to watch it again and again once i was older and as almost everyone in the world stands united in their opinion of Stanley Kubrick's gem, i too felt that it was a classic. Something other directors looked onto when making a sci-fi movie. So i have read every reviewer comparing this movie to 2001. But i believe these two movies will always stand apart from the rest, for its sheer brilliance, magnitude and its core theme.
Matthew McConaughey was the pillar of strength in Interstellar. One of my favorite actors, his versatility is amazing. What he portrayed in Dallas Buyers Club is no small feat. And that eventually won him his First academy Award for Best Actor. Well deserved. His relationship with his daughter brings too much emotion into the movie and tugs at our heart. His need for his kids to be safe and hence not telling them that he is going to save the world, when he leaves them, knowing that maybe they will die if he is unsuccessful in his mission. Its Love that matters. A dialogue in the movie goes like this - "Love is the one thing that transcends time and space". This is spoken by Anne Hathaway's character, Amelia Brand, during an emotional conversation with Matthew's character, Cooper. Anne has a very mature role here, though she seems a bit cold at times. The Blackhole was mesmerizing ! Never seen anything like it ever! I had read that theoretically, this was the perfect Blackhole and this is how it might look actually.
I loved the movie. I know there will be lots of confusion for many people watching this just like how people were when watching Nolan's "Inception". Probably watching "Inception" a second time cleared up all my doubts. Almost! This film throws so much information at you that it's natural to be confused. The last 10 minutes have been criticized a lot but I thought that those 10 minutes clears up whatever was nagging your mind till then. Kinda like bringing it to a full circle. It is Directors like Chris Nolan and movies like "Interstellar" that makes me proudly say that "This is exactly why I love movies".
With close scrutiny, it might have its flaws, but then which great movie or director doesn't have those!
Definitely a must watch. Especially for those who love this genre combined with extreme human emotions.
Something we all badly need in this crazy world. Love for humanity!
Joji (2021)
JOJI - The Macbeth that never was
Ever since I came across William Shakespeare's Macbeth as a part of my 11th Grade English class, I was hooked. This was in the early 90s. Among all of Shakespeare's dramas, this is my most favorite. It is an excellent study of human character/behavior. I remember being very excited when our teacher announced that we would be watching a Macbeth movie as a part of our learning. It was the 1971 classic directed by the one and only Roman Polanski. And that stuck in my mind forever. As described in one article, "Macbeth dramatizes the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake."
Shakespeare's Macbeth is an ambitious but flawed character. Dileesh/Fahad's Joji is not ambitious at all but he sure is flawed. I would call Joji, the movie, as inspiration from Macbeth and not so much an adaptation. But the brilliance lies in how writer Shyam Pushkar and Director Dileesh Pothan brings out a narrative so simple yet with so much negativity and evil in it, that someone who has never heard of Macbeth or read it, will have no problem in enjoying this dark crime drama.
"There is no art to find the mind's construction in the face," says King Duncan in Macbeth. This is very true of Fahad's Joji. He comes across as an easy-going, lazy son but what's cooking in his brain is nothing short of devilish delicacies! King Duncan here would be Fahad's (Joji's) father, Kuttapan, played well and ferociously by Sunny PN. The witches' prophecies in Macbeth that lead him on a downward spiral can be compared here to a character calling out to Joji as a future millionaire. The smile on Fahad's face at that moment says it all. He's doomed from then on.
The metaphorical face mask scene where Unnimaya's character tells Fahad to wear a mask and come down is pure gold. With a subtle comment here and there her character sort of supports Fahad but not all out. One can say she represents Lady Macbeth, though here she isn't a wife, but a sister-in-law. Great performance by her. Fahad Fazil is excellent and in great form as Joji. A flawed character enacted with zero flaws. Brilliant actor. His dual behavioral pattern is something to be watched. Baburaj as his brother Jomon is the surprise package here. There was an ease in his performance that we have never witnessed before. Very natural acting. Basil Joseph as Fr. Kevin is excellent. So is Shammi Thilakan as Dr. Felix.
Cinematography by Shyju Khalid and Music by Justin Varghese added the most needed flavor. The rubber plantation in Kottayam adds to the scenic beauty as well as the dark mind of Joji. The remote feel of the area adds to the doom we are about to witness. I have to repeat that the BGM was extraordinary. Editing by Kiran Das was spot on.
A must-watch movie. A masterclass in acting, scripting, directing, editing, cinematography, and music. It's dark and it will make you uneasy. It lingered in my mind for a long time! Kept me thinking in the dark in bed at night.
Enjoy!
I end this with another line from Macbeth, "WHAT'S DONE CANNOT BE UNDONE"
No Time to Die (2021)
Farewell Daniel Craig !
NO TIME TO DIE (No Spoilers)
SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED ! A popular catchphrase used by James Bond for his Martini. Sad to say, Daniel Craig exits, leaving the audiences quite shaken and along with him exits a new found legacy of the macho Bond who actually likes to get down and dirty! 15 years of Daniel Craig as JAMES BOND. This movie has shaken and stirred my emotions! A rollercoaster ride for sure!
It was a long wait. Ever since the first trailer of "NO TIME TO DIE" dropped in Dec 2019, I was excited for it.
After the extremely long delay due to Covid, on September 30th, 2021, Daniel Craig's final outing as the iconic James Bond opens in cinemas here in UAE. I was like a child going to a candy store. The excitement in me knew no bounds as the last time a Bond movie came out was back in 2015 with "SPECTRE". Being a collector of all the Bond movies right from the first installment, Sean Connery's Dr. No to Daniel Craig's "SPECTRE" and even adding George Lazenby's (his only Bond movie) 'ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE' to the list, you can imagine why I was so hyped.
As the lights go out in the cinema hall, the MGM lion roars, the James Bond intro begins with that small white circle popping out from the right end of the screen and Monty Norman's iconic background score, tada....dhaaang...tada....dhaaang....tadatadaada....(it's playing in my mind right now), I kind of wanted to look to my sides to see if the minimal audience present that particular day and time, was as excited as me! I'm sure they were as I did hear everyone giggling or gasping and a few even clapping!
As a continuation of the end of the last movie "SPECTRE", where Blofeld (a terrific Christoph Waltz) was caught and Bond was seen driving away with Madeleine Swann (Beautiful Léa Seydoux) in his Aston Martin DB5 (so cool!), we see a Bond who seems to have left active service and is living a peaceful life of love and bliss in Jamaica, when he is visited by his old friend from the CIA, Felix Leiter (an always wonderful Jeffrey Wright, whom we first met in Casino Royale). He asks for Bond's help, thus cutting short his peace and serenity. This in turn leads Bond into the mysterious trail of a villain (a magnificent but not the best...Rami Malek) who is about to bring havoc to the world with a dangerous new technology!
While watching the movie and realizing that Daniel Craig's (my most favorite Bond of all time) run is coming to an end, I had mixed emotions. I will tell you guys why I feel Craig is the best Bond till date.
To me, before Craig's "CASINO ROYALE" came out in 2006, Sean Connery was always the numero uno James Bond ever. Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan were all good, no doubt. But Connery had a specific style, a voice to kill for and he was a damn good actor as well. And since it was he who started off with the iconic character in "DR. NO" and growing up watching his Bond movies along with Roger Moore's too, I believe almost everyone loved only Connery as Bond. Tmothy Dalton was a fine actor as well and his "LICENSE TO KILL" is very underrated to date! Pierce Brosnan was the perfect gentleman. Very elegant and polished, relying mostly on gadgets and tech with a sly look on his face that females were in awe off. In his Bond movies, he never got his hands too dirty! He was already very popular in the American Tv series, "REMINGTON STEELE" before signing up for "GOLDENEYE". But when it was announced that a new actor is gonna be James Bond after Brosnan's last one, "DIE ANOTHER DAY" (which was one of the worst of the lot), people were skeptical and even outright rude. Daniel Craig did not have the looks Connery, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan had. He was even rebuked for his blue eyes! Imagine how crazy people were!!! But boy did they all have to take back their criticisms when "CASINO ROYALE" came out. I had already watched Craig in a few movies prior to his Bond outing. The most fav being LAYER CAKE. And a few others like Invasion (remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Road to Perdition, Lara Croft : Tomb Raider, Munich etc. He was good but CASINO ROYALE proved that he was born to be JAMES BOND. The immense success of that movie catapulted him to the top. People started loving him. Even the haters had to bite down on their own words.
So what made him different from all these guys? Martin Campbell (Director of CASINO ROYALE) brought out a human approach to the character. This was never done before except maybe a bit in Lazenby's Bond movie as well as Dalton's "LICENSE TO KILL". Campbell opted for a rustic and raw Bond instead of the over the top cliched ones. Thus watching the intro of CASINO ROYALE, that extended unbelievable action and chase scene, made me instantly like and admire Craig! As I said earlier, his Bond was more realistic, rough, grounded, got down and dirty and was smooth with the ladies as well! That clicked with the audience.
The ladies in this movie are all astounding and gave good performances. Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swann is not just a pretty face and Bond's love interest. She has a back story with a troubled past and when it comes back into her life in the form of the soft spoken yet dreaded Safin (Rami Malek), Bond gets into action. She cares for Bond but she has her reasons for whatever happens. The extremely beautiful Ana de Armas as Paloma, a CIA agent stationed in Cuba, actually killed it. She was thrilling and exceedingly entertaining! Her role was kind of a cameo and I felt she deserved more screen time. She was ravishing, her action scenes showing immense combat skills, wearing a sexy dress is the talk of the town. I read somewhere that she redefines the Bond girl! She brings some humor along with Bond in those scenes. Hopefully she will be utilized much more in the next installment with a new Bond! Now about Lashana Lynch as Nomi, the new 007, yes you read it right! She is the new 007 in this movie as Bond had left the Secret Service after the events of Spectre. She is capable and the ego battle between Nomi and Bond, when he is back for a last mission, about the 00 status brings in the chuckles. This is actually perfect for the movie, making it all the more believable and entertaining. She doesn't overtake Bond in any way but lends the needed support while also having an individuality of her own always. Naomie Harris as Miss Money Penny and Ben Whishaw as Q are back and they get together with Bond like old friends do when he needs them the most. Ralph Fiennes is of course "M" and he does his job well. Though Judi Dench is missed a lot. Cristoph Waltz is back as Blofeld and he is as vicious as ever and his performance is always enjoyable. Rami Malek as the villain Safin was quite good. He is a great actor. Mr. Robot and Bohemian Rhapsody (as Freddie mercury) has shown us his capabilities. But somehow here, I felt he wasn't as vicious and cool as most Bond villains. It's not his acting, its probably the way the character has been written. Or its just me and my thoughts! To me it did not match up to Javier Bardem's Silva from SKYFALL or Cristoph Waltz's Blofeld from Spectre or even Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre from CASINO ROYALE. And I'm only talking about Craig's Bond movies here. There are so many memorable villains in the whole franchise.
DANIEL CRAIG, as JAMES BOND. What should I say? Let me put it out there again and again that he is the greatest Bond of all time. His portrayal of the character as a super spy, ruthless killing machine, but with a humane side showing love, emotions, that he too desires a peaceful life with the woman he adores is a brilliant addition to the franchise that the writers thought of to bring out in these times. We feel for his loss. His intense love for Vesper (Eva Green) from CASINO ROYALE and that he still misses her makes him to be like any other human being. But once the mission sets in, he is unstoppable.
The action sequences and it's cinematography is simply spectacular! Truly an exhilarating cinematic experience and anyone who wants to watch this must do so on a big screen only. A small screen will not do justice to this movie's breathtaking action, chase sequences and more! The bridge sequence in the initial part of the movie is really something! A bike chase sequence that follows shows some exceptional stunts. Another detailed chase sequence including Bond, Swann and lot of vehicles that ends up in a foggy forest is marvelous to say the least. People are being killed left, right and centre but the scene is really amazing! Craig is excellent in these scenes.
Music score by Hans Zimmer was beautiful and worked well for the movie. Billie Eilish's opening song was awesome. I had already liked it prior to watching the movie, but when it came on screen with the creative visuals, it was on another level! Haunting! Goosebumps!
NO TIME TO DIE was a great farewell to Craig who gave his blood, sweat and even many broken bones to this role of a lifetime. His send off movie was in the capable hands of Cary Joji Fukunaga. And what an ending! A very satisfying finale!
So it's goodbye to Daniel Craig. It was an awesome ride while it lasted.
Let me end with a quote by Craig from SKYFALL - 'WELL, I LIKE TO DO SOME THINGS THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY'.