Balaji's Thots

Moving Out

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:55:00 +0000

As I moved slowly but surely towards the 15 Meg limit in the free Geocities account for bbreviews, I have been deliberating for a while about moving the reviews to a separate website. Yahoo! announcing that they will be closing Geocities in October forced my hand and I decided that it was time to finally make the move. And as long as I was doing that, I figured that I might as well begin to host this blog too at my own site.

www.bbthots.com is now up and running and the new address for the movie reviews website is www.bbthots.com/reviews. Further updates to both the blog and movie reviews will happen only in those places.

Neither bbreviews nor this blog started on any special days and so, wanting to start atleast the new site on a day that had some significance, I had hoped to launch the site yesterday, Aug 15 (and announce it with something suitably situational like freedom from geocities, blogger, etc.!) That was not to be and so it is being started on another unremarkable date, Aug 16. Another plan to launch bbthots.com with something big like the Kandhasamy review was also dashed by the decision to postpone the film's release to Aug 21. So it has turned to be a rather low-key launch.

Thanks for visiting and hope to see you over there...

Modhi Vilaiyaadu

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:24:00 +0000

Most of director Saran's early hits like Kaadhal Mannan and Amarkkalam were romances while his biggest hit Gemini was a masala film about a rowdy. Not having had a hit since 2004's Attagaasam, he has tried both the themes(romance in Idhaya Thirudan and a rowdy 's life in Vattaaram) he is once again trying his hand at romance with Modhi Vilaiyaadu. His experienced handling keeps the film moving but the weak and implausible plot lets him down.

Rajan Vasudev(Kalabhavan Mani), the head of OPM company, is both ruthless and unpopular as he gobbles up smaller companies and mistreats his own employees with disdain. His son Uday(Vinay) is living it up and enjoying his dad's wealth as he spends time with his housemate Madan(Yuvan) and other friends. L.R.Easwari(Kajal Agarwal), an aspiring singer in a band, inadvertently causes Uday to be in an accident and unable to pay back the damage to his car, she agrees to be his maid. Uday and Easwari develop a liking for each other but Madan too begins to fall for Easwari.

The setting for the romance between Vinay and Kajal is completely contrived and unbelievable but once it is put in motion and we look past the shaky start, it is quite interesting since it is rather unique. Their falling for each other is portrayed naturally without any big emotional leaps or sentimental showdowns and that keeps it lighthearted and cute though the tactics used(being outwardly mean to each other, inciting jealousy) are familiar. Saran's visual touches, like frequently picturizing the lead pair's imaginary scenarios or occasionally showing us the money counter, also do their part in making the proceedings appealing.

Saran's best films had characters with interesting shades of gray grapple with confusing dilemmas. The characters in Modhi Vilaiyaadu are in clear black and white. But with three of those characters on the white side, Saran appears to be setting the pieces in place for a love triangle. But the film catches us by surprise by switching tracks completely. The twist that happens here is standard-issue Saran but is brought in smoothly enough to inject some excitement into the story.

The way Vijay strikes back at Kalabhavan Mani is interesting but handled in a rather simplistic manner. The logistics of his plan are mind-boggling and the lack of believability keeps us from cheering him on wholeheartedly as his plan unfolds. Saran also elects to present Kalabhavan's Mani's predicament in a humorous fashion and so we are unable to take things seriously. Nevertheless, the way Mani gets his payback from the very people he insulted, even if presented in an amateurish fashion, is nice.

Vinay carries himself well and is casual in front of the camera but his voice and accent are terrible distractions. Kajal looks pretty and plays her character with the right attitude so that she is likeable and not irritating. Kalabhavan Mani brings in a humorous touch to his portrayal as always. While that helps in the earlier portions by adding some zing to his acerbic comments, it dilutes the effectiveness of the later portions. Yuvan doesn't make much of an impression while Santhanam is his usual wisecracking self. The songs are good enough to keep us from fast-forwarding them but lack the special something that would've made them stand out. Ottrai Vaarthaiyil... is the pick of the numbers. Hariharan and Leslie, along with Deva, show up onscreen to render the title song.

The Golden (Jubilee) Child

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:37:00 +0000

The cinema industry is a notoriously unforgiving industry. Whether one is an actor, actress, director or any one of the innumerable people involved in the movie-making process, one is only as good as one's last success. Or maybe the last few successes. We've seen people reach great heights only to crash and burn soon after and the same people who pushed them up don't hesitate to pull them down. Examples are numerous as we've seen so many stars go from being ubiquitous to vanishing into oblivion in a very short span of time.

Longevity in such an industry is achieved by only a few and so surviving for 50 years in the industry is no mean feat. And when one does so at or near the top of the field without bothering about one's image, while constantly experimenting with one's roles, taking huge risks and striving to deliver good cinema, it is truly a phenomenal achievement that deserves huge accolades.

That is why the lack of recognition of Kamalhassan completing 50 years in cinema comes as a surprise. Sure there are the mentions - accompanied by eulogies - in the popular websites and e-zines, random top 10 lists, list of achievements etc. But there are no celebratory gestures from the film industry or the Government. I haven't seen any statements from the other actors; I haven't read about any felicitation functions organized by the Nadigar Sangam; and I haven't heard about the Government doing anything special to mark the occasion.

Then again, Kamal is not someone who needs something like that since his films, from Kalathoor Kannamma to Dasavathaaram, speak for themselves. So today, on the 50th anniversary of his entry into cinema, I'll just hope there are many more years and films left in him and look forward to Unnaippol Oruvan with the same excitement with which I look forward to all his films.

Oscar Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:48:00 +0000

The theme for this week in Karthik's school is 'Hollywood'. They kicked it off yesterday with a cute photo-op where Karthik got to be a star and an Oscar winner.

Achamundu Achamundu

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:11:00 +0000

Tamil filmmakers in the US seem to think that only thrills sell. So after Meiporul, we now get another thriller Achamundu Achamundu, which is also directed by a first-time director from the US and is fully set in that country. It has a less ambitious story and its director seems more comfortable handling drama than thrills but the far better production values result in a more satisfying film overall.

Senthil(Prasanna) and Malini(Sneha), along with their 10-year-old daughter, have just moved into a new house in New Jersey. While Senthil works at an IT firm, Malini is a housewife and has also enrolled in some computer classes to deal with her boredom. The couple hire a painter Robertson(John Shea) to paint their basement but he has an evil side that directly impacts the couple's life.

Arun paints a nice, plausible picture of the life of a Tamil couple in the US. The quick friendship from a chance encounter in a grocery store, the lament of a friend's parent at a birthday party - vignettes like this ring true and make the film realistic. And on a smaller level, the conversations between Prasanna and Sneha(about her feeling lonely) and the disagreements they have(like over their daughter sleeping in her own room) are over uniquely American issues. There is enough time spent on them, allowing them to become nicely fleshed-out characters rather than being treated as building blocks for the thriller portions.

But the problem is that it is easy to guess from the beginning - from the film's name itself or when we see the name painted in bold, bright red brushstrokes during the opening credits - that this is a thriller. So the relaxed look at the life led by Prasanna and Sneha works only until the film takes a turn into thriller territory, which happens when we learn the truth about Shea. But even after that point, the film doesn't develop the urgency and tension that are requisite for a thriller. It continues to show us the life of Prasanna and Sneha and we get glimpses of the kind of person Shea is but the intersection of the two, which is clearly what the film is moving towards, doesn't happen for a long time.

Shea's motives and acts here are more sinister than terrorizing, kidnap or even murder. So while all the violence does occur offscreen, some of the otherwise ordinary acts, like admiring a photo or playing a harmless game, do take on a different, creepy tone and get under our skin. And some of his overt acts, like the time he spends in his target's bedroom, do get downright disturbing. A wolf in sheep's clothing is always scarier than a wolf in plain sight and with his pleasant, likeable exterior and dark, perverted mind, Shea is exactly that.

The climax, when it does come, is a bit contrived since Shea changes his MO in a rather unbelievable manner. His unguarded behavior is in contrast to his quiet, unobserved acts until then and seems like something brought in to wrap things up easily. It is also too low-key to both justify the long, slow build-up and overlook the contrivance. The proceedings lack the drama associated with the final moments of a thriller but then again, for that very reason, they also seem more realistic.

Prasanna looks the part and turns in a measured, mature performance. Same goes for Sneha though its less of a surprise in her case. The two exhibit a nice, casual chemistry that helps the realism. Shea is convincing as the bad guy with a smile that changes from sincere to creepy as the movie proceeds. There are only a couple of songs and Kannil Dhaagam... is instantly appealing.

Luck

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Gaining publicity for being Kamal's daughter Shruti's debut more than anything else, Luck is another in the line of Hindi movies(like Dus, Dhoom, etc.) that try to cover up their silly plot with slick filmmaking. Sanjay Dutt plays a man who organizes an annual human betting game where winning means staying alive at the end and one's luck decides if one is a winner. He gets together people proven to be inordinately lucky and this year, its Imran Khan(who needs the money to get an illegal visa to go to the US), Shruti Hassan, Mithun Chakraborthy(an armyman who needs the money for his wife's operation), Ravi Kissen(a serial killer who is now free because the rope broke when he being hanged!), Chitrashi Rawat(a camel racer in Pakistan) and a bunch of anonymous foreigners. After the obligatory character exposition showing what led the protagonists to this game, the movie proceeds to the contests. These are the film's highpoints. There is not much suspense about who will still be living at the end but the combination of quick editing and the high-energy background score make the sequences interesting. But the movie inexplicably abandons this concept of a 'competition based on luck' and pits Imran, Mithun and Shruti against the rest of the gang in the ridiculous climax. With random gunfire, exploding trucks and people outrunning huge fireballs, it is both silly and pointless. The film then tops it off with a 'medical miracle' which probably came out of the same medical dictionary used by Kamal as reference for the cancer-curing bullet in Dasaavathaaram! Imran struggles as action hero and looks a lot less natural compared to his performance in JNYJN. Shruti looks great but has quite a long way to go to match her dad even in his first few movies.

Luck starts off in an interesting fashion but has us cursing our luck by the time it ends.

Aayirathil Oruvan Audio

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Composer's Mix... is totally groovy with both the Tamil and English lines sung well and flowing perfectly with the song's tune. The Oh Eesaa... parts are particularly exhilarating with Karthik singing them with the right amount of intensity, invoking an image of people swaying and singing the lines with a kind of religious fervor. Maalai Neram... is a simple, no-frills song with low, unobtrusive guitar riffs. Andrea's voice sounds a little too deep and lacks the silkenness the song deserves but she is able to carry off the higher pitches decently. Dhanush sounds surprisingly good in the slow but catchy Un Mela Aasadhaan.... This is the tune Yuvan composed before splitting with Selvaraghavan and then used as Adadaa Vaa... in Sarvam but the different orchestration and lyrics hide the fact well enough. The lyrics, with words like Raasa/Rosa and Paappa/Thaappa, sound a bit old-fashioned but work well with the tune. Thaai Thindra Manne... is all Vairamuthu and Vijay Yesudas. While the former's lyrics brilliantly bring out the decline of a kingdom, the latter sings it with the requisite anguish. Among the two versions of the song, The Cholan Ecstacy mixes it with some upbeat Telugu parts while the Classical version sticks to pathos throughout. Pemmaane... is another pathos number, this time about people driven out of their homeland, sung with intensity by Bombay Jayasree. Indha Paadhai... is a slow but addictive number that grows on us. The lines(like Azhuvadhum Sirippadhum Un Velai; Nadappavai Nadakkattum Avan Leelai) are simple but kinda profound and G.V.Prakash sings them in a casual, carefree way that fits the tone perfectly. The King Arrives... and The Celebration of Life... are both instrumental pieces. The former starts slow but soon gets the regal touches the title implies while the latter has some catchy bits and reminds us of Billa's theme music at one point.

After some good-but-not-great albums like Veyyil and Aanandha Thaandavam, G.V.Prakash gets his first really high-profile project with Selvaraghavan's Aayirathil Oruvan. He has risen to the occasion admirably, showing maturity beyond his years. Eclectic and exciting, it definitively catapults him from the level of 'promising music directors' to the league of 'music directors who have delivered on their promise'.

4 New Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:29:00 +0000

Reviews for Kulir 100 Degree, Gnaabagangal, Indhira Vizha and Vaamanan are now online @ bbreviews.

Vaamanan

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:39:00 +0000

Vaamanan gained some notoriety when its hero Jai, promoted to solo hero status after acting in multi-hero films like Chennai 600028 and Subramanyapuram, singled it out as the only one, out of the 3 or 4 he was acting in, that had a chance of becoming a hit. But the film doesn't seem deserving of such confidence on Jai's part. A thriller that tackles the familiar theme of an innocent man caught up in situations beyond his control, it does have smarts and suspense but the uneven pace and the lack of originality come in the way of it being a total success.

Anbuchezhian(Sampath), a politician, kills a competitor for the CM's post but unknown to him, the deed iscaptured on tape, which is now in the hands of an ad-film director Vinodh. When he comes to know of the tape, Anbu is desperate to get it back and goes after Vinodh and his friend Pooja(Lakshmi Rai), a model. Meanwhile Anand(Jai) arrives in Chennai with dreams of becoming an actor and stays with his friend Chandru(Santhanam), a cameraman at a news channel. Anand falls for Divya(Priya) and begins to woo her. He also becomes friends with John(Rahman), who as it turns out, breaks into people's homes for fun.

Vaamanan starts off looking a lot like the recent Muthirai as a political assasination is captured on tape and it becomes obvious that the innocent hero is somehow going to become caught up in the consequences. But unlike Muthirai, it has more on its agenda. While its main storyline is the same, it beefs it up with some additional tracks, giving us the impression that it has a lot more going on.

With Sampath's search for the tape, Jai's mentor/student relationship with Rahman, Jai's romance and the activities of the gang from Bihar, there is so much going on that it sometimes feels like the director has bitten off more than he can chew. Coincidences seem to be the director's primary weapon to move the tracks forward and so a high tolerance for suspension of disbelief is required to buy into the proceedings. The switches between the tracks are also quite abrupt and though we know that they will eventually be connected, none of the tracks earn our involvement because of this.

It is tough to believe but the movie lets its pace lag even with so many things going on. With comedy and romance taking centerstage and the storylines in the tracks not moving forward much, the film slows down considerably in the middle. It comes back to life once Jai's troubles increase. There is a nice surprise and the individual tracks finally show signs of coming together.

While some of the film's earlier plot developments had made us doubt if the director had been inspired by Enemy of the State, the climax clears our doubts as the film resorts to the same MO as the Hollywood blockbuster to allow Jai to extricate himself from the predicament he is stuck in. So, while it is a smart - even if convenient - resolution brought about by an intelligent screenplay, the fact that it is copied takes most of the shine off.

Jai looks a lot like Vijay (something that he seems determined to exploit, like at his audition for a producer) but sounds a lot like Simbhu, which makes for an odd mix. This is the first time that the spotlight is squarely on him and he understandably seems a little rough around the edges. Priya does a neat job though her character comes off looking somewhat flaky in the second half. Lakshmi Rai makes a grand entrance, walking out of the ocean in a bikini, but isn't required to do much after that. Urvasi is hilarious as Priya's naive mom and her cooking audition sequence with Santhanam is really funny. Yuvan's soundtrack has been utilized in a predictable fashion with Edho Seigiraal... taking the top spot. Too many visual flourishes damage Lucky Star... but that trend is not followed for the other numbers.

4 New Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Reviews for Maasilaamani, Manjal Veyyil, Muthirai and Nadodigal are now online @ bbreviews.

Maami-yaar?

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:58:00 +0000

The remake train is chugging along merrily and the latest news on the remake front is that Dhanush is going to star in the remake of Rajni's MaappiLLai. I think its too early to remake MaappiLLai since the original still works fine and there are no obvious aspects of it that would benefit from an update. If anything, the confrontations between the son-in-law and mother-in-law will not work as well as they did because of the lack of political overtones that the original film had because of the Rajni-JJ feud. But that aside, it is a gimmicky move with a lot of publicity potential as Rajni's maappiLLai is going to star in the remake of Rajni's MaappiLLai!

One of the fun things in such high-profile remakes is to try and see who among the current lot would fill in for the roles. With Dhanush fixed as the hero, the two other key roles would obviously be those of his wife and his mother-in-law. The heroine's role is generic enough to ensure that any of our current crop of actresses will fit the bill. None of them is ofcourse going to match Amala, who was at her prettiest and sweetest in the film. But its not going to matter whether its Trisha, Nayan, Shriya or Tamannah who falls in love with Dhanush and then moves to the sidelines, making an appearance for the duets, as Dhanush clashes with her mom. The heroine's role was actually pretty flaky as she switched sides between her hubby and her mom with alarming frequency but when has that ever stopped our actresses from taking on a heroine's role in a popular hero's movie.

That leaves the mother-in-law's character. Srividya absolutely nailed it in the original as she recognized the movie for what it was and played the role perfectly. She was just a little over-the-top for the film was first and foremost, an entertainer. At the same time, she was not so out there that the film turned into camp and was serious enough to make the confrontations between her and Rajni sparkle.

The actress for the MIL role has to be played by an actress who is from the previous generation but is still popular and will lend the project some buzz when included in it. MaxDaVinci, on Twitter, had 3 interesting suggestions in Ramya Krishnan, Vijayashanti and Kushboo. Ramya is an obvious choice but her role here will seem just a bit too much like Padaiyappa's Neelambari. Vijayashanti too has played the role of the shrew(coincidentally, also with Rajni, in Mannan) and will be perfect for that side of the character but I'm not so sure she can bring the comic touch that Srividya brought to her portrayal. That leaves Kushboo and I think she would be a good fit. She can definitely play the haughty MIL role with the right mix of sternness and light-heartedness. But my first choice for role would have to be Nadhiya. Inspite of a few questionable choices, she still has an aura of exclusivity and will bring some buzz to the film. She has shown us that she can do strict well and can easily add the dash of comedy that the role needs.

Well, whoever he's gonna go up against, Dhanush has some pretty big shoes to fill having selected this film. I mean, can one imagine Dhanush - or anyone else, for that matter - making this scene work?

Yosemite Hike

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Most of the times I've gone to Yosemite, its been as a tour guide with a first-time visitor. So I always did one of the two popular routes in the park - Wawona Road + Glacier Point Road or Tioga Road, which cuts across the park - to hit the must-see attractions like Bridalveil Falls, Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, etc. Its been a long-time wish to visit the roads - and attractions - less travelled in the park and on Saturday, I finally got the chance to do that as we made a day trip with the wife's cousin's family.

This weekend was a free - as in, no entrance fee - weekend at Yosemite and the usually crowded park was even more crowded. Parking lots were overflowing and parked cars lined the roadsides close to all the popular spots. Our target was the hike to Vernal Falls but after trying in vain to find a parking space in Curry Village(the closest point to the trailhead), we gave up and the frustration was so hight that we actually decided to head back home. The silver lining was that this made us stop at one of the numerous places alongside Merced River to let the kids cool down and wade in the water. Aside from being fun for the kids, the spot offered a cool view of Bridalveil Falls across the river.

The stop cooled us down a bit and we decided to try our luck once again and so headed back to Curry Village. This time we did find a spot and the day looking better already, we took the shuttle to the trailhead. A beautiful view of the river greeted us right at the start of the trail.

We got the feel of a real hike right at the beginning of the walk as we spotted a rattlesnake coiled up at the base of a tree.

The first part of the hike, which is 0.8 miles long, took us to a footbridge that gave us a view of Vernal Falls in the distance. The trail was at an incline for the most part and so quite strenuous, especially for the kids. The reward though was a pretty sight with the waterfall itself and the creek from it flowing over the rocks.

The womenfolk and the kids headed back from the bridge while Sundar and I pressed on towards the falls. The views ofcourse got progressively better as we walked the trail and were amazing as we got real close to the base of the falls.

The trail got steeper and we had to climb steps. The mist spraying from the waterfall was strong enough to form puddles and make the steps real slippery. But it was a great feeling watching the water thundering down the wall while the mist sprayed on us. The rainbow forming at the base as the water washed over the rocks was just icing on the cake. I'd earned the ire of the rest of the gang for several things that day but those moments made it all worth it :)

Satisfied, we headed back instead of going all the way to the top of the falls. From the parking lot we drove to Glacier Point to try and catch the sunset. We missed it by a few minutes but the colors in the sky were still a nice consolation.

On this trip, I sampled a small part of Yosemite that I hadn't seen before. But its only whetted my appetite to see more of its beauty...

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:07:00 +0000

In the Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a key entry. The first three books introduced us to the characters while the fourth and fifth books were more set-up as they laid the building blocks for what was coming. It was the sixth book that upped the ante and kickstarted the climax as Harry finally learned how to vanquish Voldemort and began to prepare himself for it. The film, which expertly mixes romance, drama and action(though not in equal proportions) manages to convey this key aspect and is another solid entry in the series.

Considering the length of the book, it is understandable that some segments have been excised for the movie. Still, the choice of things that have been left out is somewhat surprising. Some interesting twists have been altogether removed while other sequences have been replaced with somewhat weaker ones.

The film's trajectory remains the same as in the other films. The portions that deal with the social side of the lives of Harry, Ron and Hermione translate better to screen. The actors have grown with their roles and our familiarity with them works in the movie's favor. Ron's snarky comments and Hermione's know-it-all responses are rather muted but they do make us smile several times. Most of these smiles come from their romantic feelings and entanglements as they have trouble expressing themselves, do so rather tentatively and experience pangs of jealousy. But we also feel for them when they realize that their feelings aren't reciprocated.

The dramatic parts are weaker compared to the book but its no fault of the actors or the screenplay though. Partly because we know what's coming and partly because there's no time for what's happening to sink in, these portions don't evoke the kind of exhilarated reaction the book did. This happens whether the developments are surprising(as when Harry finds out about the Horcrux) or emotional(as the happenings at the end). The action sequences again don't have this problem and the short Quidditch trials session and the sequence in the cave are superbly picturized.

The book left us waiting breathlessly to see how it all ends. The movie allows us to relive the book and has once again made us wait in anticipation to see the end. That makes it an unqualified success.

Nadodigal

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:31:00 +0000

Sasikumar sure appears to be the golden boy of Tamil cinema right now. After literally exploding onto the scene (as director) with the raw and powerful Subramanyapuram and then producing the refreshingly fun Pasanga, he has moved to other side of the camera, taking up acting duties in Nadodigal (the film is directed by Samudhirakani, who acted in Subramanyapuram). An ode to friendship, the film walks the line between realism and melodrama but does end up on the right side of that line overall.

Karunakaran(Sasikumar), Chandran(Vijay) and Pandi(Bharani) are thick friends, each having his own ambition and dream in life. Karunakaran, a B.A. (History) graduate, is trying for a government job since that's the condition his uncle has laid out for Karuna to wed his uncle's daughter(Ananya). Chandran's dream is to run a computer institute while Pandi is trying hard to go abroad. Karuna's friend Saravanan shows up and when Karuna and his 2 friends learn of his love affair, they decide to help him.

In the opening scene, Sasikumar, who is trying to join the police force, visually sizes up the height of the potential competitor standing before him in the line. This is humorous and tells us what joke is. But he then proceeds to point out the height disadvantage explicitly with his hand to stress the fact. He repeats the same - convey the situation with his eyes and then make it obvious with his hand - once he moves back to stand behind someone shorter than him. This sequence highlights the fact that subtlety is not one of director Samudhirakani's strengths. He is a director who likes to spell things out to make sure everyone gets the point. But this actually has the opposite effect, diluting the impact. This happens several times throughout the movie and is the biggest reason for the film not having the same impact as Subramanyapuram.

While the movie's focus is on friendship, it doesn't aim to pursue it at the expense of everything else. The fact that all 3 protagonists have a goal in life ensures that we aren't subjected to another movie where the heroes while away their time smoking, singing and dancing, with their only goal being to show how strong their friendship is. And though Sasikumar's family is familiar, with a frustrated dad and a supportive mom, other characters, like Vijay's dad or Bharani's dad, have individuality and aren't submerged under the shadows of the three heroes.

The sequence where Sasikumar and friends snatch Saravanan's lover is a bravura sequence with enough suspense and tension to make a thriller proud. More importantly, the actions of the three friends here illustrate the importance they give to friendship. Very few words are spoken during the time but the intensity with which they perform their tasks works much better than words ever could have, to show us their desire to give their friend what he wants and see him happy.

Melodrama takes over as we see the friends suffer the repercussions of their act. While the first consequences they suffer because of their act really jolt us, things get repetitive after that. There is that aforementioned need to really drive the point home, only in this case its the emotional state of the protagonists rather than a joke. But the result is the same. The initial impact wears off and the sympathy the threesome earned gets quite thin by the time their troubles end.

While the film's core point about friendship does come through, its message becomes a bit jumbled towards the end as it appears to say that friends have a say in the outcome of their selfless acts. But Samudhirakani manages to convey even this in an interesting and acceptable manner and rounds off the film on a humorous note.

Sasikumar has had enough experience in Subramanyapuram to play the devoted friend and fits the role well. He isn't very expressive but has good screen presence. Vijay is mostly serious while Bharani gets a few laughs as the guy looking for love at every chance. Ananya initially overacts terribly with expressions that would make even Jyothika inexpressive but makes an impression once things get serious. Neha looks pretty but doesn't have much to do.Sundar. C. Babu's songs sound good and Sambo Siva Sambo... is perfect in the background during the kidnapping sequence.

Yellowstone Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:15:00 +0000

Being a lover of nature, national parks have always been among my favorite travel destinations. Naturally, Yellowstone National Park, the first and the biggest national park in the US, had been atop my travel list for quite some time now. Last week, I could finally take it off the list as we made a 5-day trip to the park. Though fate conspired against us to make us spend much less time in the park than originally planned, we did get a taste of everything the park offered.

We flew into Salt Lake City and spent the next day around there. After viewing the Salt Lake for which the city is named, we went to Antelope Island, which is one of the lake's islands. It offered a good view of the lake itself but little else. A lone bison and a couple of antelopes were the only wildlife we spotted and the most interesting part of the trip was a ranch, established in 1833, that offered a peek into the lifestyle during those times. From there we drove to the Dinosaur Park in Ogden. Filled with a number of dinosaur sculptures(accompanied by sounds from speakers hidden around the park) and having a dinosaur dig area, a play area and a sand box where kids can dig for precious stones, the kids had a real blast in there.

The next day we spent in Grand Teton National Park, which is directly to the south of Yellowstone. The Teton mountain range is the main attraction here and the snow-capped, jagged peaks rising majestically beyond the vast grasslands provided a beautiful view throughout the drive. Inside the park, we took a short ferry ride across Jenny Lake and then hiked about half a mile to the very pretty Hidden Falls.

It was only the next morning that we actually entered Yellowstone Park. What's remarkable about Yellowstone is the diversity that one encounters as one drives through the park. While the vast, green meadows, the pretty lakes, the wildlife and the waterfalls are all present in many national parks, the geothermal areas add something unique to the mix here. The areas with concentrated geothermal features present an amazing sight with the wonderfully colored pools, the hot springs, the mudpots and the geysers. These usually have wooden walkways to take one around the area and offer close-up views of the pools. Apart from these, there are geysers and hotsprings scattered alongside the road at many places.

So the next two days were spent inside Yellowstone itself, driving to the most popular attractions. We visited West Thumb Geyser Basin and Black Sand Basin to see the geothermal features; we saw one eruption of the Old Faithful geyser; we walked around the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces; we took a walk across the Fishing Bridge to see Yellowstone Lake; and we saw Tower Falls and the Upper and Lower Falls. Apart from the colorful pools and barrenly beautiful landscapes in the geothermal basins, the view from the brink of Lower Falls as the water thunders down below us was truly awe-inspiring.

Some photos from the trip can be seen here.

Halftime 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:01:00 +0000

If we were to pick one word to define Tamil cinema in the 1st half of 2009, it would have to be 'variety'. That's a word we've long yearned to see applied to Tamil cinema and one that our cinema was in dire need of. A quick glance at the roster of films released so far this year illustrates that we've been lucky to get films in genres rarely tackled before. We've had a horror film(Yaavarum Nalam), children's films about children(Pasanga, Pattaalam), a sports film(VeNNilA Kabaddi Kuzhu), a psychological thriller(MeiporuL) and a character-based drama(TN-07-AL-4777). I don't think we've seen films spanning so many genres usually alien to Tamil cinema in such a short span of time for a while now. There was also the very unique Naan KadavuL but then again, Bala's movies have always been in a genre of their own!.

The more heartening aspect about the abundance of variety is that these films were not throwaway, half-hearted efforts where the directors were simply testing the waters. Films like Yaavarum Nalam, VeNNilA Kabaddi Kuzhu and Pasanga were made by directors who knew what they were getting into and were confident about their work. And it showed. And though MeiporuL and TN-07-AL-4777 were not quite in the same league, they were impressive for the fact that the directors displayed the same confidence in their subject and did not resort to compromises in the name of comedy tracks or unnecessary fights under the pretext of making the films more acceptable.

Not all films waded through such uncharted territory though and there were a few, again in different genres, that took us back atleast a couple of decades. Vikraman's Mariyaadhai was hopelessly behind the times and just felt silly while Sarathkumar's 1977, inspite of the ambitious canvas, was more amateurish than films made in the year referred to in the title. Maayaandi Kudumbathaar told an age-old story of enmity between two families while ManjaL Veyyil proved that a romance also could be old-fashioned, reminding us of the tearjerkers of the 80s with its obvious twist, cartoonish villain and sentiment-laden climax.

Our old friend, the masala film, was still alive and kicking at the end of June though. While Villu's failure dealt an early blow to the genre, Padikkaadhavan's decent showing made up for it somewhat. But it was Ayan that really resurrected it. Serving up its masala with smarts and style, it fixed the bad name the genre had accumulated lately. Ofcourse, films like PerumAL, Thee and Rajadhi Raja were there to show why the genre earned its bad name in the first place. Newtonin Moondraam Vidhi was a familiar revenge saga but was surprisingly engaging though it was headlined by S.J.Suryah.

Romance has had a rather weak year so far and has taken a backseat to other aspects even in supposedly romantic movies. While Sarvam, which brought fate into the mix, emphasized style over substance, Guru En Aalu, a romantic comedy, gave priority to silly comedy over romance. Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puraavum tried to elevate a regular romance with realism while Aanandha Thaandavam, with its weak characterization, almost made one glad Sujatha wasn't around to see what his acclaimed novel had been turned into.

Though it were the smaller, unheralded movies that triumphed in the first half, its obviously the big-budget, star- and/or director-driven movies - Aayirathil Oruvan, Kandhasamy, Unnaippol Oruvan, Vettaikkaaran, Adhavan - that once again loom large as we look ahead to the rest of the year. But whether the movies that come out are big or small, lets hope, as always, that the second half is even better than the first...

Michael Madana Kamarajan

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:07:00 +0000

One of the most enduring themes in Tamil cinema is that of twins being separated at birth and reuniting later in life. So its no wonder that every hero, from MGR(Enga Veettu Pillai) to Surya(Vel), has appeared in atleast one movie built on that plot point. Kamalhaasan proved that all it took was one big tweak to make this oldest of plots seem brand new and fresh. And he did this not once but twice. In Aboorva Sagodharargal, he made one of the brothers a midget to deliver a very unique, comedic, revenge saga. And in Michael Madana Kamarajan, he makes the brothers quadruplets and aided by a terrific screenplay and a hilarious script, gives us one of Tamil cinema's smartest and funniest comedies.

The 90s was when Kamal was known to alternate between 'heavy' and 'light' movies as he switched between serious, dramatic efforts like Guna and Mahanadhi and light, more box-office-friendly fare like Singaravelan and Kalaignan. With its familiar, masala-ish premise, cinematic situations and comic overtones, MMKR would probably fall in the 'light' category. That said, Kamal is probably the only actor for whom a film where he plays four roles and which features such a complex and clever plot would classify as a 'light' film!

The prologue, in the form of a song that is played during the opening credits, tells us about the birth and separation of the quadruplets. Born to a rich man and a poor woman, the babies faced death as the rich man's younger brother saw them as stumbling blocks on his way to his brother's riches and ordered them killed. But the killer, whose heart melted after seeing one of the babies, adopted one and abandoned the others. Michael(Kamal), who grew up with the assassin, is now a petty criminal; Madan(Kamal), unknowingly abandoned in his father's car, is pursuing higher studies abroad; Kameswaran(Kamal), abandoned in front of a temple and adopted by a priest, is a cook; and Raju(Kamal), abandoned in front of an orphanage, is now a fireman. Once Madan returns home, a chain of events is set off that brings the four brothers together.

Movies featuring the premise of brothers separated at birth usually bring the brothers together only after they meet. Until they become aware of each other, they lead separate lives untouched by the other. But MMKR links the lives of the four brothers right from the beginning. Though they each lead their lives blissfully unaware of the existence of the other three, their paths cross several times. In the best example of this, Michael crashes the car that causes a fire that brings Raju to the scene, who then offers a moneylender the fish that is thrown on Kameswaran. But there are several shorter instances where their lives intersect. Like when the thugs following Madan end up following Kameswaran instead or the sword thrown away by Madan is used by Raju to fight off the bad guys(who are attacking him thinking that he is Madan!). All this can be seen as fate gradually bringing them closer together or simply as building blocks in a very smart screenplay.

The fun in movies like this increases once the look-alikes switch places. Laughs are evoked from both the attempts of the protagonists to adapt to their new surroundings without raising suspicion as well as the problems arising from those around them treating them in wrong ways. With four look-alikes, the fun during these portions is quadrupled in MMKR. The screenplay is constructed like a chess game in this segment as Michael, Kameswaran and Raju, all looking like Madan, move around in Madan's house. As they wrongly identify each other or are mistaken for someone else by others, we alternate between laughing at the proceedings and admiring the screenplay. Kameswaran's protestations of ignorance with Kushboo and Manorama/Rubini are hilarious, as are Nagesh's attempts to keep things quiet.

Things are complicated and chaotic as everybody congregates in Madan's house but the chaos seems to be controlled. From the time that S.N.Lakshmi begins to engage in fisticuffs, things get a little out of hand. Slapstick and physical comedy gains the upper hand and this continues all the way to the climax in the house on the cliff. It is still possible to admire the tricks employed to switch seamlessly between the roles played by Kamals but the admiration is not accompanied by laughs. The seesawing of the house goes on a bit too long as the situations feel repetitive.

Kamal always seems to bring the best out of 'Crazy' Mohan and the writer's comic genius is in full flow here. Kamal's 3 other roles have their moments(Michael saying kodukkara dheivam kooraiyai pichitu dhaan kodukkum after crashing his car through a garage's roof, Raju referring to the grain of rice with a painting as a kalai arisi) but its Kameswaran who gets the lion's share of the jokes. Every single scene with him is a laugh riot, whether he's arguing with his dad, preparing for his first night with Urvasi or trying to keep a fawning Kushboo at arm's length. The combination of the Malayali accent and the clever wordplays(the way the word meen seems ubiquitous after a fish is dropped in the sambar, the cook/kugraamam linkage, the misunderstandings of Thiruppu, etc.), make Kameswaran's sequences consistently witty and quite unforgettable.

One only has to see MMKR to understand how the make-up actually robbed Kamal of the opportunity to use his talent in distinguishing between the roles in Dasaavathaaram. Make-up is probably what he relies on the least here as he employs his voice, expressions and body language to create 4 completely different characters. Kameswaran's innocence, Raju's naievete, Madan's sophistication and Michael's toughness are all conveyed in pitch-perfect fashion through a combination of the aforementioned. This is really evident during the climax as they all look alike but their actions tell us who they are. And the attention to detail, like the way Raju always adjusts his glasses showing us that he is not used to them, is amazing. Most of the others are usually reacting to Kamal but Urvasi takes the top spot, perfectly in sync with Kamal. Nagesh once again manages to evoke laughs inspite of playing a slimy, not-very-likeable character. Kushboo is sweetness personified while Rubini isn't exactly memorable.

Ilaiyaraja matches the fun with a collection of light-hearted tunes. Sundari Neeyum... is a wonderful melody and Kamal brings his accent to his singing also. Rambambam... is a fast, fun number picturized in an energetic, colorful manner. Per Vechaalum... is an average tune but is enjoyable more for the humor, cleverness and choreography. It is choreographed very nicely with the actions of the participants matching the tune and the part where Raju and Kameswaran switch places shows that the director's thinking cap was not off even during the song sequences.

Route 1 Day Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Since I first drove along Route 1 to Hearst Castle, the drive, along with the stops on the way, has become one of my favorite activities/destinations. So when the cousins' family and we were debating about where to go on Sunday, Route 1 was an easy choice (Oakland Zoo, Yosemite, San Francisco were all options but not for long). In order to keep the trip a bit relaxed, we picked three places in the northern side of Big Sur. Though all three were places we've visited before, they were just as exciting and fun as they were the first time around.

As always, the drive was dreamy with gorgeous views of the sparkling blue ocean and the waves crashing against the rocks. Naturally, there were quite a few spontaneous stops at turn-offs to drink in the view. As for the planned stops, we stopped at Point Lobos State Reserve first. Our itinerary inside the park was identical to what we did the last time. We first walked down to China Cove, a small but pretty beach surrounded by rocks and natural caves; and then we took the path that loops around Bird Rock, a rock outcropping serving as a resting place for a large number of birds(and a few seals too). After lunch, we went to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park after a quick stop at the scenic Bixby Bridge. There we walked the small trail to Big Sur River, where the kids spent some time wading in the water and playing among the rocks. From there we went to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and walked the short hike - which goes through a tunnel under Route 1 - for a view of the beautiful McWay Falls, which falls down to the beach. The original plan was to stop at a beach for the sunset but the one beach we stopped at was too windy and the sun was supposed to set only at 8.29, which was a bit too late for Sunday night. So we headed back home.

A few photos from the trip can be seen here.

Up

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:46:00 +0000

The consistency that Pixar has displayed in the quality of their movies is nothing short of amazing. Starting with Toy Story, they've raised the bar, either in the story or in the animation or sometimes, both, with each new film. Up keeps their track record intact. With fully-fleshed out characters, a simple but mature story and fantastic animation, the film is another winner from the Pixar stable.

Aside from the fact that it is a cartoon, there is very little in Up that could make us categorize it as a children's film. From its protagonist(Frederickson, a 78-year-old man) to its story(bonding between the old, lonely man and a young kid, Russell) to the emotions it explores, it is a rather mature film. There are also very few physical, slapstick jokes and no talking animals. There's no doubt that kids will be entertained by the bright colors and the interesting action sequences but calling Up a kids' film will be a disservice to Pixar's high aspirations.

The emotions evoked by the sequence that details Frederickson's life with Ellie rivals those evoked by any live-action film. As the two meet, fall in love, get married and grow old together, they become the kind of 3-dimensional characters that most movies strive to create but never succeed. And Up achieves this in the span of 15 minutes! The sequence also explains why Frederickson has become the cranky old man he is. Up creates the perfect foil for Frederickson in Russell. Exuberant and compassionate, he is really funny too. And this is important because his character is what makes Frederickson's transformation believable.

The film's middle segment almost looks like Pixar wants to make it up to the kids for ignoring them so far. With talking dogs(though these are technically dogs with electronic collars), a colorful bird, a nasty villain and a couple of high-energy action sequences, the emotional quotient during these portions is not much. But it is likely that it is this segment that will have the kids most excited.

Considering that Up is a Pixar film, the top-notch quality of the animation is a given but it is still impossible not be awed by what unfolds on screen. The multitude of expressions on the characters' faces, the bright but natural colors of the things around them, the detailed rendering of the surroundings - all these are impeccable and impressive as always. But its the smaller things, like a character's faint reflection seen in a window or the scattered rainbow formed in the mist at the base of a rainbow, which stand as testimony to the attention paid to details, that really take our breath away.

Thoranai

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:45:00 +0000

Debutant director Saba Iyappan obviously belongs to the breed of directors who think that simply throwing together elements like action, romance, sentiments and comedy is all that is required to deliver a successful masala film. He does exactly that in Thoranai, banking on those elements to make up for the wafer-thin story. Unfortunately, none of those individual elements drum up any excitement, and so his approach, which admittedly has worked before, only results in a dull, ineffective film.

In order to comfort his distraught mother(Geetha), Murugan(Vishal) sets off to Chennai to find his longlost elder brother Ganesan, who ran off after a particularly harsh punishment from his mother. It doesn't take long for Murugan to get a taste of the rowdyism in Chennai, as he is caught in the middle of the turf war between the two most powerful dadas Tamizharasu (Prakashraj) and Guru (Kishore). Meanwhile Murugan falls for Indu (Shriya) but ends up rubbing her the wrong way every time.

Thoranai is stuck with a really flimsy story and desperately tries to stretch it out to two and a half hours. This is particularly evident in the first half, before Vishal actually finds his brother. Having decided to make Vishal identify his brother only at the intermission point but unable to find ways to make the search itself interesting, the director makes him romance Shriya and goof around with Santhanam instead. But neither of the two holds our attention since the romance is listless and neither cute nor funny and Santhanam's shtick alternates between being repetitive (like his comments related to movies) and mean-spirited(like his comments about Paravai Muniyamma and others). The only thing they succeed in doing is lessening our emotional involvement in the film by making Vishal's search seem half-hearted and unconvincing.

Like Laadam, Thoranai starts off by placing Vishal between two men who are sworn enemies. As Prakashraj and Kishore both threaten Vishal by asking him to do things that conflict with each other, the film gives him the opportunity to play both of them and makes us wonder how he is going to do it. The stakes are also raised once his brother is thrown into the mix. But the story doesn't play out as expected and that turns out to be both good and bad. While the subsequent development provides the film's lone moment of surprise, it decreases the potential in the story by essentially taking one of the key players out of the equation. So, from a three-way competition, the film turns into another generic 'ordinary man vs powerful dada' tale and we've had quite a few of those.

As Vishal goes up against Prakashraj and comes up with different plans to pull him down, the film reminds us of films like Dhool, particularly when one of the plans uses the same basic idea as one of Vikram's plans. But Vishal's plans here are lacklustre and insipid and Prakashraj ends up looking like a simpleton considering his responses to those plans. Prakashraj's plan to pin Vishal down is, on the other hand, too complicated and doomed for failure from the word 'go'. The climax banks on a string of coincidences and contrivances and is neither convincing nor exciting.

Vishal seems to be gunning for the slot of poor man's Vijay, considering how much he copies his style, especially in the lighter scenes. From his expressions to his dialog delivery(including the halting and stammering way he mouths some lines), he reminds us of the Ilaya Thalapathy a bit too much. As always, he seems most at home during the fight sequences, though they don't seem to have been choreographed as well as in his other movies so far. Shriya is stuck in a cliched role and exists solely to be romanced by Vishal since we learn little else about her. Prakashraj breezes through another bad guy role while Kishore essentially plays a less clever version of the dada from Pollaadhavan. Mani Sharma's songs have a strong Telugu hint as always. Pelican Paravaigal... is picturized energetically while Vaa Chellam... features some nice locations.

Muthirai Audio

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:39:00 +0000

Azhagaana Neeyum...'s start reminds us of the tune of the stanzas in Aan Paavam's Kaadhal Mayakkam... but the similarity ends soon enough, leaving us with a soft, pleasant duet. Naresh Iyer and Manjari Phadnis are an unusual pairing but his stressed pronunciation and her smooth voice suit the song perfectly. July Maadhathil... is like a Harris Jayaraj number - instantly likeable with a catchy tune and simple orchestration. Considering the film comes off as an urban thriller, the folksy Nenjukkulle... comes as a little surprise. The Mangalyam Thandhunaanenaa... bits add a little bit of difference but the rather short song is otherwise very ordinary. The Night is Still Young... is a youthful, groovy number that makes us instantly conjure up images of DJs and strobe lights in our minds. The stronger orchestration, heavier beats and slightly faster pace make the remix even better. Neha Bhasin sounds fabulous, whether she's singing or simply humming, in Om Shanti Om.... The song has good tempo throughout and the Om Shanti Om... refrain is smooth and catchy. Its remix doesn't sound much different though. Uyire Uyire... is a regular romantic number. Javed Ali kills Tamil a bit but then seems to sound better once Madhumita starts singing.

Yuvan has become quite prolific these days, churning out atleast one album a month. Muthirai is another in what has become his trademark these days - a good album overall with more hits than misses but without any numbers that could've elevated it to a 'must-listen' category.

2 New Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:05:00 +0000

Reviews for MeiporuL and Rajadhi Raja are now online @ bbreviews.

Ask and Ye Shall Recieve!

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:17:00 +0000

I guess someone up there read my previous post :) How else does one explain Jo's photos showing up the same day I lamented about how long its been since we've had a glimpse of her?!

Jo, still looking every inch the pretty and cute heroine we bid goodbye to after Mozhi, made an appearance after a really long time at the 2008 Vijay Univercell awards. Hubby Surya won the best actor award for Vaaranam Aayiram and Jo was on hand for that. While he dedicated the award to her and his parents, she said that she considers herself the luckiest girl in the world. This couple sure is made for each other...

Where's Jo?

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:49:00 +0000

Above are photos of Surya at two recent functions - Jayam Ravi's wedding reception and the 30th anniversary celebrations of Sri Sivakumar Educational and Charitable Trust, which was founded by his dad in 1979. He didn't take Jo along for either of those :( Just made me realize how long its been awhile since we had a glimpse of her!

Pokkisham Audio

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:20:00 +0000

Four of the songs in the album have the same basic tune but there are enough variations to make all of them quite enjoyable. The pick of the four is Azhagu Mugam... with its rhythmic, train-like beats and philosophical lyrics. Prasanna's subtle voice inflections in this would make even SPB proud. Prasanna also has solo turns in Kanavu Silasimaiyam..., which has some nice humming in the interludes and Siru Punnagai...., which has some romantic overtones. Mahati joins him for Ulagam Ninaivil Illai... and adds some spice with her heavy voice. Mozhi Illaamale..., a pathos number, is soulfully rendered by Madhu Balakrishnan, who manages to really convey heartache during the high pitch sections of the song. Ranjani sings the similarly-tuned Varum Vazhiyengume... with more melody and less intensity. Nila Nee Vaanam... is a beautiful, melodious number sung beautifully by Vijay Yesudas and Chinmayi. Anjal Petti..., sung energetically by Karthik, manages to convey a rather joyous mood with its upbeat tune and lyrics. The same also holds true for Oh Oh Oh Theerndhadhe..., though it is rather short. Aaj Monee Bole... alternates a typical Bengali-styled number and a much slower, pathos Tamil number but neither stands out.

Sabesh-Murali, who get a bad rap because of their association with Deva, completely surprise us with a melody lover's dream album for Pokkisham. The songs sound a little simple and old-fashioned but amidst the loud music and unintelligible lyrics that characterize most albums today, this soundtrack is a welcome breath of fresh air.