sriramanadvocate
Joined Sep 2014
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sriramanadvocate's rating
Raju Murugan's second venture after Cuckoo interested everyone who watched its trailer. I for one entered the theatre hoping to see a good political movie after a long time. The producer of the film must first be congratulated for backing a movie like Joker. The technical aspects of the film are noteworthy beginning with the cinematographer of the film who has captured the beauty of Dharmapuri and the village that lies therein poignantly. Special mention to the aerial shots of the village. The cinematography and lighting went a long way in maintaining the mood of the film and the performances of the pain and the angst was fully captured for the celluloid by Cheziyan. The art director has also added weight to the film wherein his work is inseparable from the real locations and the editing of the movie was crisp and maintained focus on the narrative. Another big pillar for the movie is its music by Sean Roldan. The background score was apt which gelled with the scenes well and couple of songs stood out. Some of the songs could have been slightly better where the situations were well conceived, shot as montages and edited but the emotions did not quite reach the peak with the music.
The performances of the movie stand out starting with its lead Guru Somasundaram who has made his mark firmly with this film. He has fully brought out the innocence, the pain, the helplessness, the outcry of the common man and is ably supported by Ramasamy and others. The writing of the movie needs to be applauded for being bold, political, straightforward and for touching on some burning and current issues. The dialogues are again razor sharp and sometimes even work as slaps. Screenplay of the movie is taut and takes time when required and the balance therein is struck impactfully. The various references to national and regional parties and political leaders required guts and reference to the national flag itself was so ironically well done. Certain moments, actions of characters seemed clichéd and more detailing could have been done in order to avoid certain caricatures. The second half of the movie is mostly melodramatic but given the crux of the film and the overall intended impact, the said melo-dramatic effect were used well and was justified within the narrative. At the eve of India celebrating its Independence Day, Joker raises important questions with reference to the system of governance prevailing in the Country and to the society at large as to their role in it. Joker is a timely bold important must watch film.
The performances of the movie stand out starting with its lead Guru Somasundaram who has made his mark firmly with this film. He has fully brought out the innocence, the pain, the helplessness, the outcry of the common man and is ably supported by Ramasamy and others. The writing of the movie needs to be applauded for being bold, political, straightforward and for touching on some burning and current issues. The dialogues are again razor sharp and sometimes even work as slaps. Screenplay of the movie is taut and takes time when required and the balance therein is struck impactfully. The various references to national and regional parties and political leaders required guts and reference to the national flag itself was so ironically well done. Certain moments, actions of characters seemed clichéd and more detailing could have been done in order to avoid certain caricatures. The second half of the movie is mostly melodramatic but given the crux of the film and the overall intended impact, the said melo-dramatic effect were used well and was justified within the narrative. At the eve of India celebrating its Independence Day, Joker raises important questions with reference to the system of governance prevailing in the Country and to the society at large as to their role in it. Joker is a timely bold important must watch film.
When the writer & director of the path-breaking Kaaka Muttai joins hands with Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for a crime thriller drama, the movie is bound to raise some eyebrows. Especially since the movie was officially selected in film festival circuit, the expectations doubled in a year which saw movies like Visaranai, Uriyadi and Joker release.
Technically the movie is quite brilliant led by Manikandan who is also the cinematographer of the film. The tone of the film, the mood of the scenes and the drama of the characters as they unfold are captured and brought to light in a splendid manner. Special mention to the time lapse shots, the tunnel vision shots & various close-ups including that of bird cage. Editor Anucharan is a huge plus as he maintains focus on the narrative with a neatly cut run time of 100 minutes and is instrumental in keeping the audience engrossed.
The performances of the movie do justice to the characters written. Vidarth who also produces the movie does justice to his role and is able to maintain the continuity in character which helps a huge deal in thriller screenplays. Pooja Devariya along with others including the likes of Nasser, Rahman & Guru Somasundaram ably support this film which is focused only on a handful of characters. In this crime thriller, Manikandan shares story writing credits with Anand Annamalai. The setting of the movie within the confines of a housing apartment and the characterization of the lead is inspired and seems to be a nod/tribute to the Master of Suspense Sir Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window.
Although the movie closely relates to the events of a murder and the fall out the ensuing investigation reminiscent of the trademark crime thrillers, the writing of Manikandan also puts forward a moral question/dilemma resulting in a poignant climax showcasing the originality in writing. The screenplay of the movie is handled delicately as there is enough drama to engage and suspense enough to engross. Kudos to Manikandan for not adopting the 'what next' approach instead opting for the slowly built moments leading up to the closure subtly in tune with the theme of the film.
Even though the story is narrated from the point of view of the protagonist, the victims of the movie and their plight was not addressed by the screenplay which made the narration incomplete and anti-climatic with respect to those characters and in a way affected the otherwise poetic climax. The characterisation of Nasser with whom the protagonist shares the events also felt incomplete and did not quite gel into the story as such. Certain scene constructions if thought of from a different point of view could have added more drama and suspense to the script as such. Because of these, the movie may give the 'something missing' vibe.
The background score of the movie is its biggest asset. The score by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja stands testament to the fact that he is one of the best film music composers and his mastery over the art is very evident wherein the places where he remains silent and where he scores are perfection. The instrumentation and the layering of the score elevate the movie manifold and convey the emotions originally conceived by the writer & director. As Manikandan mentioned in an interview, Maestro's presence is felt from the very first second of the film till the last. The title score, the police investigation sequence, the reveal sequence, the climax etcc literally are a lesson for other music directors. Only Maestro Ilaiyaraaja can compose such a perfect score which is worthy of any award.
Kuttramae Thandanai belongs to a very rare breed of films where the narration is focused and all the moments of the film are dictated by the plot. After Kaaka Muttai, Manikandan establishes himself as a solid versatile filmmaker with this crime thriller/drama. I am certainly looking forward to his next two films Aandavan Kattalai and Kadaisi Vivasaayee. This is a movie to be appreciated, supported and can be viewed multiples times just to experience the musical score
Technically the movie is quite brilliant led by Manikandan who is also the cinematographer of the film. The tone of the film, the mood of the scenes and the drama of the characters as they unfold are captured and brought to light in a splendid manner. Special mention to the time lapse shots, the tunnel vision shots & various close-ups including that of bird cage. Editor Anucharan is a huge plus as he maintains focus on the narrative with a neatly cut run time of 100 minutes and is instrumental in keeping the audience engrossed.
The performances of the movie do justice to the characters written. Vidarth who also produces the movie does justice to his role and is able to maintain the continuity in character which helps a huge deal in thriller screenplays. Pooja Devariya along with others including the likes of Nasser, Rahman & Guru Somasundaram ably support this film which is focused only on a handful of characters. In this crime thriller, Manikandan shares story writing credits with Anand Annamalai. The setting of the movie within the confines of a housing apartment and the characterization of the lead is inspired and seems to be a nod/tribute to the Master of Suspense Sir Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window.
Although the movie closely relates to the events of a murder and the fall out the ensuing investigation reminiscent of the trademark crime thrillers, the writing of Manikandan also puts forward a moral question/dilemma resulting in a poignant climax showcasing the originality in writing. The screenplay of the movie is handled delicately as there is enough drama to engage and suspense enough to engross. Kudos to Manikandan for not adopting the 'what next' approach instead opting for the slowly built moments leading up to the closure subtly in tune with the theme of the film.
Even though the story is narrated from the point of view of the protagonist, the victims of the movie and their plight was not addressed by the screenplay which made the narration incomplete and anti-climatic with respect to those characters and in a way affected the otherwise poetic climax. The characterisation of Nasser with whom the protagonist shares the events also felt incomplete and did not quite gel into the story as such. Certain scene constructions if thought of from a different point of view could have added more drama and suspense to the script as such. Because of these, the movie may give the 'something missing' vibe.
The background score of the movie is its biggest asset. The score by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja stands testament to the fact that he is one of the best film music composers and his mastery over the art is very evident wherein the places where he remains silent and where he scores are perfection. The instrumentation and the layering of the score elevate the movie manifold and convey the emotions originally conceived by the writer & director. As Manikandan mentioned in an interview, Maestro's presence is felt from the very first second of the film till the last. The title score, the police investigation sequence, the reveal sequence, the climax etcc literally are a lesson for other music directors. Only Maestro Ilaiyaraaja can compose such a perfect score which is worthy of any award.
Kuttramae Thandanai belongs to a very rare breed of films where the narration is focused and all the moments of the film are dictated by the plot. After Kaaka Muttai, Manikandan establishes himself as a solid versatile filmmaker with this crime thriller/drama. I am certainly looking forward to his next two films Aandavan Kattalai and Kadaisi Vivasaayee. This is a movie to be appreciated, supported and can be viewed multiples times just to experience the musical score
Third directorial venture of writer & director Manikandan whose Kutrame Thandanai released just a few weeks back. Both his first two directorial ventures have been highly impressive and diverse commanding ticket purchase for this movie. Technically this film flows just seamlessly from start to end beginning with retro-styled title credits. This is the first film where Manikandan does not handle cinematography and that responsibility is taken over by Shanmugasundaram whose camera seems to just follow the protagonist zooming in and out of the various situations he gets himself in and is instrumental in creating the atmosphere and a sense of place effectively .
Editor Anucharan and Manikandan have a great understanding of each other's vision, narration and they make a solid cinematic collaboration which is very evident from the stage play like scenes of the movie unfolding neatly. The music of the film by K provides necessary impetus and shows that the music director understands the quirky screenplay and narration of the writer & director which is a rarity. The music of the film seems to have been inspired by Ilaiyaraaja and to an extent, Santhosh Narayanan and the background score in a particular sequence towards the end of the film is likely based on Rabbia E Tarantella composed by Ennio Morricone famously used by Quentin Tarantino in inglorious Bastards. Kudos to K for never overdoing the score in a distracting manner and managing to provide the necessary impact.
The casting of the movie is a major highlight and the person heading it should be applauded. This motion picture features several characters which are just bang on perfect for their respective roles. The performances led by Vijay Sethupathi who displays a deep understanding of the character and the narration is impressive. He shoulders various emotions and the amount of subtlety, restraint, and believability he brings to the protagonist is so heartening to see. Ritika Singh known for Irudhi Suttru makes her mark during the last act of the movie with an array of expressions. Yogi Babu's timing is just superb and he is really the star of the first half of the film. A big list of supporting actors essays their roles to perfection from Nasser, Singam Puli, David, Vinodhini and the character named Nesan.
The story by Anbu Chezhiyan and the screenplay by the trio of the director, editor and the story writer is the biggest strength of the movie. A subtle comedy-drama with serious undercurrents is not new to the visionary behind Kaaka Muttai. The detailing and the nuanced layers bristle with quirky dialogues touching on various themes from trying to make a living in an alien land and the spiraling nature of lies. The film also talks of touts, brokers who suck the blood of the ill-informed, divorce and lawyers and the mature handling of Srilankan Tamil angle deserves special accolades.
The nonpreachy approach and the deft handling of various themes are the high points of this screenplay. The absence of the love at first sight and head over heels romance is heartening to note. The detailing of the happenings of the family court and of a person who goes in search of a house on the low-income scale are noteworthy in this grounded and believable screenplay with interesting turns and situations. The comedy, performances, themes, dialogues, emotions have come together exceedingly well.
As such the pacing of the film is casual and justified but certain scenes could have been presented even more crisply which could have kept the audience more engrossed into the narrative and that is something that the director and editor could have worked on more. More justification and writing to the romance portions could have added more credence. The way the movie wraps up also lacks detailing and character motivations. These things could have elevated the movie even more.
This film establishes Manikandan strongly as one of the most versatile and exciting director's working in the industry. Without any of the masala cinema formulae, this subtle comedy-drama manages to entertain, engross and convey timely relevant messages effectively. Movies which doesn't insult the intelligence of the audience and writers who yearn to provide value for the ticket price should be encouraged and celebrated. Aandavan Kattali is Manikandan's hat trick triumph as a filmmaker.
Editor Anucharan and Manikandan have a great understanding of each other's vision, narration and they make a solid cinematic collaboration which is very evident from the stage play like scenes of the movie unfolding neatly. The music of the film by K provides necessary impetus and shows that the music director understands the quirky screenplay and narration of the writer & director which is a rarity. The music of the film seems to have been inspired by Ilaiyaraaja and to an extent, Santhosh Narayanan and the background score in a particular sequence towards the end of the film is likely based on Rabbia E Tarantella composed by Ennio Morricone famously used by Quentin Tarantino in inglorious Bastards. Kudos to K for never overdoing the score in a distracting manner and managing to provide the necessary impact.
The casting of the movie is a major highlight and the person heading it should be applauded. This motion picture features several characters which are just bang on perfect for their respective roles. The performances led by Vijay Sethupathi who displays a deep understanding of the character and the narration is impressive. He shoulders various emotions and the amount of subtlety, restraint, and believability he brings to the protagonist is so heartening to see. Ritika Singh known for Irudhi Suttru makes her mark during the last act of the movie with an array of expressions. Yogi Babu's timing is just superb and he is really the star of the first half of the film. A big list of supporting actors essays their roles to perfection from Nasser, Singam Puli, David, Vinodhini and the character named Nesan.
The story by Anbu Chezhiyan and the screenplay by the trio of the director, editor and the story writer is the biggest strength of the movie. A subtle comedy-drama with serious undercurrents is not new to the visionary behind Kaaka Muttai. The detailing and the nuanced layers bristle with quirky dialogues touching on various themes from trying to make a living in an alien land and the spiraling nature of lies. The film also talks of touts, brokers who suck the blood of the ill-informed, divorce and lawyers and the mature handling of Srilankan Tamil angle deserves special accolades.
The nonpreachy approach and the deft handling of various themes are the high points of this screenplay. The absence of the love at first sight and head over heels romance is heartening to note. The detailing of the happenings of the family court and of a person who goes in search of a house on the low-income scale are noteworthy in this grounded and believable screenplay with interesting turns and situations. The comedy, performances, themes, dialogues, emotions have come together exceedingly well.
As such the pacing of the film is casual and justified but certain scenes could have been presented even more crisply which could have kept the audience more engrossed into the narrative and that is something that the director and editor could have worked on more. More justification and writing to the romance portions could have added more credence. The way the movie wraps up also lacks detailing and character motivations. These things could have elevated the movie even more.
This film establishes Manikandan strongly as one of the most versatile and exciting director's working in the industry. Without any of the masala cinema formulae, this subtle comedy-drama manages to entertain, engross and convey timely relevant messages effectively. Movies which doesn't insult the intelligence of the audience and writers who yearn to provide value for the ticket price should be encouraged and celebrated. Aandavan Kattali is Manikandan's hat trick triumph as a filmmaker.