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The Dark Knight Rises

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 01:58:00 -0700

Cast: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman
Direction: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Superhero/Action
India Release Date: 20th July 2012

The Dark Knight Rises is a breathtaking finale to Nolan's Batman series. Every bit the 'epic conclusion' one expected it to be.
The wait which seemed unbearably long is finally over. We are pleased to announce 'The film lives up to the hype'.

It's been 8 years since Harvey Dent passed away. Thanks to the Harvey Dent Act, organized crime has been brought under control and Gotham is safe. For Gotham, the services of Batman, the 'murderer' of Dent is not required anymore. They despise the caped crusader.
Unable to cope with the public hatred, personal loss - death of Rachel, Batman - Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) goes underground, becomes the shadow of his former self with loneliness his only companion. He locks himself up in his Wayne mansion, haven't stepped out for 8 long years. Bruised, battered, broken, physically and psychologically, he is no more the man he used to be.
The recluse finds it hard to 'get over' his past until the Catwoman shows up! Sassy thief Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) dares to provoke Bruce Wayne. She breaks into his mansion in order to steal his mother's pearl necklace. The scene is absolutely engaging.
TDKR however begins with another superb plane heist scene where a masked terrorist leader Bane (beefed up Tom Hardy) outsmarts the CIA. The 'big Bane' creates havoc in Gotham soon after with only one intention - total destruction. He wants to tear apart the city in every way possible. He attacks the stock market, infrastructure, and judiciary. According to Bane, to stop Gotham from dying, is to die with it. He plans a nuclear attack on Gotham too.
Batman will have to resurrect himself to save Gotham one last time. However, can he rise high enough to tackle the enemy who's stronger than him? The final battle being Wayne's medium of seeking redemption, he isn't afraid of failing. Although, his long-time valet Alfred fears, he might just 'want to' fail. Does he fail? Does the legend end?
Director Christopher Nolan delivers the finale he'd promised. Staying true to his words, the conclusion to his fantastic trilogy is made with a reason. Every character, sub-plot (the film is plot heavy with references to past Batman characters, films including (2005) 'Batman Begins' so BATMAN revision is needed), every scene has something crucial to offer. The surprise element in the climax blows you away. You will be tempted to give a standing ovation to Nolan for his brilliance. There are no loose ends in the screenplay either. Every scene adds something to the story.
TDKR is driven by emotions followed by action. There is plenty of sleek Batman action with the flying, futuristic Batmobile etc but what engages you the most are the emotional scenes. Bruce's loneliness, his urge to save Gotham one last time to liberate himself, Alfred's (Michael Caine) fear of losing his little master Bruce to death, Selina's mixed feelings for a billionaire Bruce and the bruised Batman. Bruce's friendship with his old ally commissioner Jim Gordon ( Gary Oldman).

The film works more as an emotional-action adventure. The scenes between Alfred and Bruce Wayne are heartbreaking. You will cry a million tears.

The dialogues however, are not as great as the performances or as one would expect them to be. Our favourite comes from Bane. "No one knew who I was, until I wore the mask." With almost every line being quote worthy from the previous film (2008) 'The Dark Knight', TDKR pales in comparison.

Which brings us to the iconic question, 'Is 'The Dark Knight Rises' better than (2008) 'The Dark Knight'? No, it isn't, but that does not lessen its brilliance. TDKR works superbly as a concluding film while Dark Knight worked fabulously as one of the best chapter's of Batman's life, thanks to Joker and the brilliance of Heath Ledger. It's unfair to compare the two films. You can however compare Bane with Joker and the latter wins the race unanimously.

Tom Hardy does what he is expected to do but with the mask his dialogues get difficult to comprehend. They are not audible enough. His beefy appearance, militaristic look does make an impact initially but fizzles out eventually as he gets repetitive. He lacks Joker's aura and presence. We missed you Heath Ledger.

Anne Hathaway on the contrary is surprisingly impressive. Hollywood's girl next door pulls off the wily Catwoman role with great conviction. She looks absolutely hot in her suit and gets the attitude right. Other first timers in Batman movies, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are equally impressive.

Hans Zimmer's haunting and at times menacing background score sets the mood for the epic finale perfectly. Deshi deshi bashara bashara still ringing in our ears.

Last but most importantly the film belongs to the Oscar winning actor Christian Bale. He once again shows the world what a fine actor he is. He holds the film together with his understated act. You miss him while he is not onscreen. From being bereaved to being angry with his own shortcomings, Bale delivers one of the finest performances of his career. He is the reason we want Batman to live! Bale continues to lose himself to his characters impeccably and that's noteworthy.

Get ready to clap and cry for Gotham and the BATMAN one last time. TDKR is everything you want it to be. Book your IMAX tickets in advance for this one's going to be sold out for weeks!

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I Hate Lov Storys

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Fri, 2 Aug 2013 07:09:00 -0700

^{I HATE LUV STORYS MOVIE REVIEW

Review by : Harish V

Starring: Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Sameer Dattani, Sameer Soni.Direction: Punit MalhotraMusic: Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar RavjianiProduction: UTV Motion Pictures, Dharma Productions

Well, Its Dharma Productions and the marketing campaign had been spot on. But somehow I started getting a bad feeling about the movie; I thought this movie would go in the similar cliché fashion as many other Bollywood blockbusters. A critic going inside the theatre with a preconceived

notion or expectation might have been considered a crime but for a person who sees at-least 300+ movies a year its much better to have such expectation games to feel active and fresh every single time we enter the theatre dome. Was it cliché ridden? Yes, was it a bad movie? That’s a definite no.

The pleasant surprise came in the first reel itself when the hero narrates why he hates love stories having a particular cliché. And all over the movie it has several satire's and spoof on such movies but at the end of it all by having all the cliché added in a different way the director wants to state that such reel cliché can actually happen in real life.

Jai (Imran) is the assistant director to one of the most successful romantic directors in India, Veer (Sameer Soni). But unfortunately Jai hates love stories reel or real and especially movies of Veer, but he needs to be there for he wants to become a director. The work place is filled with people who loves fantasizing and loving each and every single cliché Veer comes up with and to top it all the new art director the young and beautiful Simran (Sonam) idolizes Veer's movies. Simran wants to be in such a fairy tale life only to be turned topsy turvy by Jai. Simran who has a perfect love life with Sameer Dattani slowly falls for the care-free, independent and Casanova or in short term, imperfect Jai. But Jai Hates love stories and never ever wants to be in one. Can Jai fall in love with Simran? But this film being what it is, can it be any other way?

For most parts the movie seemed to be a parody of the cliché and that makes the movie a complete fun to watch. The movie had an under-base of comedy and it has worked well for the movie. The movie does move quite slow in the first half and doesn't quite shift gears in the second but still overall you do come out of the theatres with a smile on your face and the first timer- Punit Malhotra should be patted on the back just for that. A non-melodramatic rom-com which is sure to be lapped up by the youngsters. All the scenes of the sarcastic mother of Imran are a laugh worthy. There are loads of continuation problem though, how can Imran's Mother in Delhi be having a lunch get-together when Imran is in Mumbai taking a night flight? So much of a time difference between Delhi and Mumbai? Well, Its Bollywood for crying out aloud, anything is possible.

Imran is cute but somehow he is just not right for emotional or romantic roles. He just couldn't pull it off but as a Casanova he carries off the comic lines with exquisite timing. Sonam Kapoor is not a great actor herself, but she has improved quite a lot from her Saawariya days. Her laugh looks artificial and her dialogue delivery forced but she is pretty convincing as a dreamer and looks ravishing in modern wear. Even though their acting prowess is highly debatable Sonam and Imran Jodi clicks as they posses a powerful chemistry. A chemistry which was electrifying! Anju Mahendru as Imran's mother was brilliant, unlike any Bollywood movie's before(not that I can remember of) she is the sarcastic kinds and she kindles the love inside Imran which makes all the difference and so is the very cute and lovable Kavin Dave(The sprite guy) who makes you smile whenever he comes on screen. Sameer Soni as Veer is brilliant as the eccentric and vibrant celebrity director. The rest of the crew is just about fine.

Technically the movie looks as rich and sophisticated as any Dharma Production with an exceptional contribution behind the camera by T. Ayananka Bose. The editing looks neat with no major glitches. The soundtrack is young and vibrant and who else could have made it this trendy than the talented young duo Vishal-Shekar? Salim Sullaiman's background worked quite well with the mood of the movie. Art direction was brilliant as well. Dialogue written by Punit himself is the high-point of the movie. Costumes by Manish work wonders for the movie too.

Overall it’s the same old wine in a bottle which states the fact quite clearly that it is the old wine over and over again. The movie would have fallen flat if not for the quirky and brilliantly penned dialogues, scintillating chemistry from the lead and some amazing tunes by music wiz duo. Go for it with an open mind and come out smiling.

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Man of Steel

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Tue, 9 Jul 2013 20:54:00 -0700

The latest modern movie reboot of DC Comics’ durable Superman — “Man of Steel” — is the third if you include the marvelous 1978 film starring Christopher Reeve. This current film is likely to win plenty of box office gold, although it shares with the current “Star Trek” release an inordinate love of pixel-happy CGI urban destruction on a distractingly massive scale.

After their failed “Superman Returns” effort (2006), Warner Brothers wisely decided to start from scratch for this film and hire “Dark Knight” miracle-worker and producer Christopher Nolan and writer David Goyer to bring some dark, Frank Miller-style magic to the new script, while adding more complexity to the superhero caricatured by some cynics (probably Marvel fans) as the “Blue Boy Scout.”

As does “Superman” 1978, “Man of Steel” opens on the doomed planet Krypton. Superman’s father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe), is both a scientist-politician and something of a swashbuckler in the current film. He’s soon forced to fight not only against Krypton’s own version of Washington gridlock. He must also oppose the murderous revolutionary leader, General Zod (Michael Shannon in the current film), who was also the villain in 1980’s “Superman II,” portrayed at that time by Terence Stamp.

Henry Cavill as Superman in “Man of Steel.” (Warner Brothers promo.)

Jor-El’s successful last-ditch effort to ship his infant son off to a planet far away is the way he strikes back at both sets of bad actors even as Krypton self-destructs; which tragedy, man-made and energy-related in this film, constitutes a sneaky yet clever bit of global-warming/anti-fracking propaganda by the filmmakers.

After those obligatory opening scenes on Krypton, events move back and forth through Clark Kent’s difficult childhood, his troubled adolescence, and his seemingly aimless young adulthood. These portions of the film are a remarkably inventive tour de force, focusing as they do on perceptions, thoughts, and feelings that the Silver Age Superman would never have bothered to consider.

As portrayed by British actor Henry Cavill, this film’s Superman is, surprise, considerably more troubled, conflicted, and brooding than his predecessors. A Kryptonian by birth but an Earthman by necessity, Cavill’s Superman/Clark Kent is troubled by the same kinds of demons that afflict Christian Bale’s Batman, right down to those key cosmic dilemmas: who really is a hero, and when and how does he have a right to intervene in the course of history?

Played first by a pair of younger actors, the younger Kent, fearing to use his powers, is mercilessly bullied by his schoolmates (another great contemporary meme), even as he himself is confused by passive, un-asked for manifestations of his secret powers, such as X-ray and heat vision. Advised strongly yet lovingly by his adoptive dad, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), he tries to keep his abilities a secret but still can’t resist saving people’s lives when nothing else seems to work. His conflict is real and palpable, and constitutes the human heart of this often too-explosive film.

In the film’s early Smallville sequences, the real surprise proves to be Kevin Costner’s wonderfully effective performance as the elder Kent. Although his appearances are brief, they are they are exceptionally effective. Costner’s Pa Kent is an idealized yet believable super-dad, whose rock-solid and genuinely All-American grasp of both good and evil and truth and falsehood prove an indelible influence on the young Kryptonian he’s adopted by chance.

From a purely artistic angle, Costner’s quiet but firm code of personal responsibility and morality permanently engraves a genuine, deeply felt humanity upon Superman’s character, imbuing him in the process with the same kind of interesting duality we’ve become accustomed to in the half-human, half-Vulcan Mr. Spock of the “Star Trek” franchise. Earlier “Superman” films glossed over this complexity for the most part. This movie meets it head on and is a better film because of it.

The film’s treatment of Superman’s duality gains an added poignancy to the also-remarkable and sympathetic performance of Diane Lane as Clark’s adoptive mother. Lane plays her as the tough but loyal farm wife Martha Kent likely would have been in reality. Lane’s performance rounds out her sometimes troubled yet loving family in a way that allows both she and her husband to support their strange, adoptive son while helping him find his way.

Altered considerably as well is “Man of Steel’s” version of Lois Lane (Amy Adams). Yes, she’s still the same slightly obnoxious, always aggressive reporter she was even in the comic book series. But in this film, she also embodies the best of the gutsy, instinctive kind of investigative journalist who seems to have curled up and died during the 2008 American election campaign. No Journo-list for her.

Sent to investigate a mysterious military “space alien” type of investigation somewhere in the Arctic, Lois instinctively sniffs out what might be a different, more compelling story—one that later turns out to be the story of Superman. Undaunted, she defies her editor, Perry White (a thoughtful Laurence Fishburne) and wears out a lot of good, old-fashioned shoe leather as she willfully fills in the blanks of the scoop she somehow knows she’s going to get.

Unfortunately, Lois inadvertently causes the triggering of a signal that tells General Zod and company—once imprisoned in the Phantom Zone on the heels of Krypton’s destruction—exactly where Jor-El’s son has landed. This launches us toward “Man of Steel’s” wild, overdone, and colossally loud conclusion.

Michael Shannon as the evil Kryptonian General Zod. (Warner Brothers promo.)

As we learn early in the film, the natural birth of Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman, Jor-El’s son, was an aberration on Krypton, a planet where all births occurred, in effect, in a gigantic test-tube style environment, clearly inspired by the early scenes of the original “Matrix” film.

Zod’s overriding warrior-enforcer mission—clearly determined by his own test-tube genetic blend—is to re-create the lost Kryptonian civilization on a compatible planet. Now he’s discovered where that is.

As a Kryptonian pod-person, we discover in Michael Shannon’s Klingon-like Zod, a fearfully implacable warrior-terrorist. Yet Shannon creates an odd sympathy with this otherwise two-dimensional character. We understand he was designed that way and simply cannot escape his destiny. This, in turn, is a rollicking premise leading to an epic superhero battle.

Yet this, to a great extent, is also where “Man of Steel” finally falters. We do get that rousing climax we all desire, the ultimate battle between good and evil during which a small town and a large city are nearly obliterated. Unfortunately, a lot of subtlety gets buried beneath the film’s quite spectacular CGI special effects, some of which seem to conjure up the ghosts of 9/11, perhaps intentionally so. But the mind-numbing destruction overstays its welcome.

Sample the trailer below:

We can attribute at least part of this explosive grand finale to the direction of Zack Snyder, some of whose previous films, like the intriguing but disappointing “Watchmen” and the more successful but still CGI-heavy “300,” have also wrapped things up with Daisy Cutters of aural and computerized Armageddon.

After all of this finally winds down, we end up feeling more drained than satisfied. That said, given last week’s opening numbers for “Man of Steel,” this may not matter. Apparently already on the books, a sequel will likely be confirmed if this week’s box office numbers hold up.

The only thing that still puzzles us is this: Why has Hollywood cast Brits in the iconic, All-American roles of Batman and Superman in these two current superhero franchises? Riddle me that one in the comment section below.

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ABCD - American Born Confused Desi

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Tue, 9 Jul 2013 08:52:00 -0700

ABCD : American Born Confused Desi directed by Martin Prakkat, after much celebrated Best Actor, brings enough fine moments in his latest flick. With a simple tale, it was those fine performances and the funny filled moments at regular intervals which helps ABCD a good watch. Our confused desi’s does bring lot’s of hilarious moments however the lack of a strong script makes ABCD fell short of being called an outstanding movie.

ABCD talk about two young Malayalee guys from US, Johns (Dulquer) and Korah (Jacob Gregory), having a lavish life out there. However Johns’ dad (Lalu Alex) decided to teach them a lesson by sending them to their homeland. However soon Johns and Korah find out things are not as expected out there. Their confused state in adjusting with the culture is the core of American Born Confused Desi.

ABCD is good at bringing smile at regular interval, indeed that is the main attraction in this flick, while film also concentrates to bring little thoughts about our social life at times. While the film did not makes any statement on those issues, it rather shows the confused minds of Johns and Korah on those situations. And left to us to make an answer to those issues. The hilarious dialogues and over the top situations did make enough good moments, however the lack of a strong story line and script at times play spoil spot.

At some points ABCD did raises few eyebrows, especially the guys who born and brought up in US has some great Malayalam accent, that we won’t often find with our current youth over here. And they do have some English which makes as really doubt whether they actually from states as one of the character, Madhumitha (Aparna Gopinath) wonders in one of the scenes. Apart from that ABCD is a nice film, which has some good sense of comedy numbers. How both Johns and Khora behaves in unfamilier situations make ABCD more entertaining.

Martin Prakkat’s direction looked good, The script from director, Naveen Bhaskar and Sooraj-Neeraj provides enough hilarious moments, while the script lacks a much strong story line. I personally liked the climax, being a different one. The visuals of Jomon T John looked appealing and helped the movie looked stylish. Gopi Sunder had done his part pretty good with his music, suiting the genre of the film. Same goes for Don Max’ editing and other technical support too.

The performance of the cast was key for ABCD, once again a clever selection from Dulquer, saw him done his part convincingly and proved that he is growing as an actor with every film. Jacob Gregory and Aparna Gopinath made a strong debut. While Jacob Gregory got a great chemistry with Dulquer that was a key for ABCD.

For Aparna her immense stage experience did reflect in her acting, and can expect more from her in the coming days. Another first timer Tovino Thomas, done justice to his role as a young minister with negative shades. Lalu Alex as usual looked convincing in his role as a responsible dad. Thampy Antony, Vijaya Raghavan and Savannah also got some good performance.

Finally ABCD may not be an outstanding movie, at the same time it entertains the audience with some good performances, some thought provoking situations, and a fun filled narration through out.

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Singam 2

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Mon, 8 Jul 2013 06:12:00 -0700

Superstar Surya and director Hari's third combo film Singam was a superhit at the Box Office. Following this success, the movie was remade in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and a few Indian languages. This super-hit hat-trick jodi is back with a sequel to the film and their latest offering Singam 2 is more racy, promising and entertaining than its prequel. The director has employed double dose of every commercial element to make it a mass masala potboiler.

Singam 2 is a romantic action movie with double dose of each commercial element to appeal to all class of the audiences. Surya's electrifying performance is the main highlight in it. Hari's interesting story, racy narration and hard-hitting dialogues, Devi Sri Prasad's music and background score, Priyan's beautiful picturisation, Vivek-Santhnam's rib tickling comedy, wonderfully choreographed action, stunt and dance sequences, beautiful locales and art work are other big attractions of the film. Lengthy screenplay, routine stuff and poor characterisation of villain are some of its major drawbacks.

In the climax of Singam, Duraisingam decides to resign for his post of police officer and goes back to his village after ending big-time extortionist Mayil Vaaganam's mafia dealings. But seeing his courage and smartness, the Home Minister assigns him a new duty of unearthing the weapon smuggling. The story ofSingam 2 begins here. Set in Thoothukudi, this sequel features Duraisingam going undercover to find out the international don behind these alleged activities.

Following the Home Minister's order, Duraisingam (Surya) starts working as an NCC teacher at a school in Thoothukudi. After uncovering a dangerous criminal network, he sets up 'Operation D' to nab international drug dealer. How he traps him will form the crux of the story, which is a treat to watch on screen.

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Sound Thoma

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Mon, 8 Jul 2013 05:29:00 -0700

It's not that I had huge hopes pinned on 'Sound Thoma' or that I thought it would be some revolutionary character that would restructure the story telling format in Malayalam films. Yet, 'Sound Thoma' left with me with ample disappointment, what with the concept that is far from interesting and the narrative that very soon runs off rails.

Thoma (Dileep), is the youngest of Poulose's (Sai Kumar) three sons, and is ridiculed by all for his cleft lip and the accompanying lisp. He is in love with a lovely lass by the name of Lekshmi (Namitha Pramod), who is least impressed by his techniques to woo her. Thoma's brothers Mathew (Mukesh) and Joy (Shiju) are thrown out of the house by Poulose for marrying against his whims, and the greedy old man has his hopes pinned on Thoma to reclaim the family honor which he believes has been squashed into the mud by his elder sons.

Sound Thoma Pictures 77 Pictures

69 More Movie Stills. Click to View All

Vyshakh's 'Sound Thoma', falls into a category of films that are euphemistically called 'crowd pullers', suggesting that they have the potential to draw in the crowds, with the kind of colors and action that they showcase, but also that they run infinitely short, when it comes to the story that they choose to narrate.

Benny P Nayarambalam and the script that he pens for Thoma, tires you totally, with its predictability that gives even obviousness a bad name. I mean, things get so apparent after a point that you start wondering if there is going to be anything at all in this one hundred and fifty five minutes long exercise that would be inventive.

There are any number of Dileep films that flash across your mind, as you watch 'Sound Thoma' in action. Even more disappointing is the courting that happens; it has been a long time, and a real long one at that, since we saw CID Moosa following a girl around, and after almost a decade, things do not seem to have changed much.

The countless shots that unfurl before you, thus reek of familiarity, and as they say, breed contempt. Oh no, someone murmurs as the girl finally develops a liking for the hero who saves her from a financial catastrophe. And later, we just blink and put on with the embarrassment as a bleeding, vengeful Thoma acts like he has been exorcised and beats a menacing looking cop into pulp.

The problems are too many, and what is funny is that even the problems are way too well-known. The characters speak lines that have been written eons ago, and the dumb fun that is offered courtesy the mispronunciation cannot in any manner, save face.

Playing Thomas must have been a cakewalk for Dileep, since he is one of those actors who can easily do wonders with his voice. The lisp is hence voiced to (im)perfection, and his cleft lip act is commendable indeed. Namitha Pramod seems to be headed in the right direction, and in her second film, moulds herself into the conventional heroine format with ease.

Thoma is in fact Paapi in disguise, while his dad Poulose is Paapi's Appachan, with a crystal eye. What is surprising is that this one is Dileep's home production, and I wonder how he could be convinced to do a role that he himself has essayed to perfection, a million times before. For Gawd's sake, not again, please.

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Mumbai Police

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Tue, 2 Jul 2013 06:07:00 -0700

Exploring a completely different dimension in his latest film Mumbai Police, Director Rosshan Anddrews delivers a fast-paced, thriller film after his award winning fims such as Udayananu Tharam, Notebook and others.

To flesh out the script written by Boby Sanjay, Rosshan Anddrews ropes in actors such as Prithviraj, Rahman and Jayasurya to portray three police officers: Antony Moses, Farhan and Aryan respectively.

The story begins with a phone call that Antony Moses (starring Prithviraj) makes to Farhan (starring Rahman) saying that he has solved the murder mystery of Aryan (starring Jayasurya). Just as he says this, there is an accident and Antony Moses loses his memory. From then, Farhan's attempt is to take Antony through people and places that are likely to trigger his memory so that they can solve the murder of their close friend and colleague Aryan. A series of events happen, almost hurtling us towards it.

And I am taking the liberty to hand out trophies for the following:

'Mumbai Police' - Brilliant background score by Gopi Sundar

Background score by Gopi Sundar delivers some path breaking moments. There is a fast paced run-chase scene where he majorly uses the notes of a veena alongwith other unlikely accompaniments. It is the kind of score that sends goosebumps on your skin the way it whips up the frenzied mood of the chase with a most beautiful, calming sound to your agitated nerves. Throughout this film, the background score impresses, breaks out of typical filmy molds and succeeds to grab your attention for what it is - a rarity that deserves to be acknowledged.

'Mumbai Police' - Plays up the Navy vs Police Conflict very well

In this film, the conflict between the Navy personnel and the Kochi cops is played up well. I studied in the Indian Navy's school at Naval Base in Wellingdon Island, Kochi. The conflict between the Navy personnel and the Kochi cops was always apparent. There was an unspoken agreement that if you mess with the Navy personnel or their families, cops would get hit back by the Navy personnel badly. I am not sure but there was a story that is supposedly true (but there is no evidence or report to indicate that is true) was that a girl who was from Naval Base was physically harassed by Kochi cops and the Navy personnel retaliated in a most brutal way. The buzz that many of us have heard was that the entire police station was ransacked, cops were beaten up and the specific cop was burned alive. No case was ever registered and from that incident, there has been a silent agreement between the Navy and the Cops that Navy territory cannot be interfered with at any cost even if they break the laws. As I said, all of these were Chinese whispers. No concrete evidence but the tensions were always apparent right there on the surface.

'Mumbai Police' - Prithviraj's most outstanding performance

In Malayam 'new generation' films, a kind of sexual stereotyping is taking place. While the sexual traits of protagonists may interest the readers, many new generation Malayalam films treat 'sex' as the core of their film's substance. This film underplays it in the subtlest way to deliver a shocking blow to the audience towards the end. While I can confirm that a majority of young and old Malayalis are becoming liberal, this bold attempt to break sexual stereotyping of the male protagonist is not likely to be accepted. Trophy goes to Prithviraj who has probably taken the biggest risk in his career by portraying such a role. However, for the first time ever, I felt that Prithviraj as an actor, was totally uncomfortable in the last scenes that show his sexual encounters with his partner. Given the nature of the role, it is inevitable but still unexpected from an accomplished actor such as Prithvi.

Mumbai Police: Tough to connect these dots

1. Misleading title: Mumbai Police is a title that has no significance to the actual sequence of events in this film.

2. Dialogues lacked meaty substance. There’s not a single dialogue except maybe one or two that I can think of that is memorable at the end of the film.

3. Pace of the movie is a baffling. At times the movie is too fast. Then it turns very slow. Again it catapults you back into a fast pace. None of this goes easy on the clueless viewer and does not heighten the suspense or the entertainment quotient of this thriller film.

4. Lack of balance in characterizations. For instance, the roles played by Aparna and Shweta are so woefully short and they are fine actors. It is a mistake to rope in such fine actors and not use them to their full potential. At the same time, it is appreciable supporting actors like Kunchan got ample opportunity to showcase acting talent through some emotional situations.

Among the three roles, I found Rahman’s most striking. He makes his presence felt and he portrays the role in an outstanding way despite the ridiculous dialogues that are given to him. An actor of his stature deserves better. While Jayasurya gets to play a very critical role throughout the film, somehow I, as an avid movie watcher, did not feel any connect. He was simply himself playing a role. I did not feel that he became the character that he was representing. A poor show from Jayasurya, who is an emerging fine actor with several outstanding performances in movies such as Cocktail and Beautiful.

My Verdict: Go watch this movie. It's going to shake you up, that's for sure. But look at the brighter side: you get to see some outstanding performances.

(Personal Confession: Rosshan Anddrews and I are from the same place - Palluruthy. In fact, we studied in the same school but we have never interacted at a personal level. My father told me that Rosshan Anddrews had inquired about me recently to a cousin of mine who's a friend of his. Secretly, I have to admit being flattered that such a fine film director asked for me! :)

Another tiny tidbit is this: When Rosshan Anddrews had directed his first film Udayananu Tharam, I loved that film and wrote a detailed review of it on Petals! that was going out to a select group of my friends as a newsletter. From the official site of Mohan Lal that was run by his fans, I had sent a copy to Mohan Lal and got a reply from Lalettan’s personal email id after two weeks. He wrote in saying that he had read my review, thanked me for it and told me to correspond directly via his personal mail id anytime. Whoa, that was unforgettable! Still a cynical side of me did wonder whether it was all PR generated. But then I thought - it's more important to look at the positive response than at anything else. That’s also when I decided to take Petals! more seriously and change it into a blog rather than a newsletter.)

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Hotel California

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Tue, 2 Jul 2013 05:58:00 -0700

In case you are wondering what 'Hotel California' is all about, I should tell you that the title of the film is derived from a film, the DVD of which is being smuggled to Kerala, even before it's released. The film stars erstwhile superstar Prem (Anoop Menon), whose throne is all shaken up after a series of successive flops.

Entrusted with the task is Jimmy (Jayasurya), a Cochin based thug, smuggler and pimp, whose aides mess up this job big time. Mistaking an upcoming young politician for the smuggler (Saiju Kurup in a double role), they end up 'kidnapping' him.

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The story is quite long winding in that the characters are several, and the circumstances that bind them together more than just a few. What is disheartening is that eventually it appears like a jumbled, badly shaken up string of crude skits that has become a groveling mess.

The characterization appears flimsy at several points. There is the serial actress for instance (Dhwani), who is all set to bed a millionaire (Shankar), to make a few quick bucks. There is also this rich damsel (Maria Roy) who has had enough with men, and who decides to conceive by paying a fortune for a Bollywood superstar sperm.

The best thing about the film are the few genuinely funny moments that are on offer thanks to Noby Marcose and his team. The writing too turns out to be distinctly smart, especially the bit related to terrorism and religion.

So if all that you plan to do over the weekend is to head over to a cinema hall and lie back on your seat, giggling every now and then over a gag, 'Hotel California' could work for you. But even then, in parts. I wonder how long, we would find the 'adult' jokes interesting, if they are wedged into the narrative merely to make a seemingly conservative audience shudder in their seats.

"We started off with a Cocktail," states Jimmy with a smile, right at the start of the film. "I have heard that the film is terribly vulgar," smirks another character looking at the DVD cover of 'Trivandrum Lodge'. Anoop Menon, the writer, seems to be having a ball taunting his detractors. But when it comes to the writing, 'Hotel California' is nowhere near either 'Cocktail' or 'Trivandrum Lodge'.

There are times when a tale that you intend to tell assumes monstrous proportions of its own all on a sudden. The imagination runs a bit too wild, and the tale looks back at you like a giant octopus that has much longer tentacles than you thought it would have. It beams at you knowing that you have totally lost control over it, and 'Hotel California' is one such odd creation.

Apart from the bizarre curiosity that sprouts out of watching Babu Namboothiri sporting a three-fourth, the cast of 'Hotel California' presents no big surprises. Oh yes, and there is Joju George, who has been consistently bettering himself with each film. In 'Hotel California' as the lecherous police man, he is a blast indeed. Jayasurya, Anoop Menon, Dhwani, P Balachandran - they are all there. Period.

Even with the statutory warning to leave your brains back home, 'Hotel California' is a brain masher. The impossible to ingest plot contortions make it a bland mishmash that more than often seems contrived to the core.

And yes, it still escapes me why the Hotel has been given an 'A' certificate. Perhaps the sperm vial must have done the trick.

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Aashiqui 2

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 21:05:00 -0700


Director :	Mohit Suri
Music :	Mithoon, Jeet Ganguly, Ankit Tiwari
Lyrics :	Mithoon, Irshad Kamil, Sanjay Masoom and Sandeep Nath
Starring :	Aditya Roy Kapur, Shaad Randhawa and Shraddha Kapoor

By Malayil Vivekanandan

AASHIQUI 2 is a gamble taken by the Bhatt camp and T series. In the forefront are two actors (with some good work behind them), one with proven pedigree and the other with a standard of his own.

We need to create a new bank of stars and the youth of today, however much they may idolize the bigger stars, are always on the lookout for fresh faces and newer talent they can identify with. With AASHIQUI 2, this is just what the makers have done: thrown in fresh faces and given them an opportunity to make a mark for themselves.


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Apart from Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur, it is Shaad Randhawa who leaves a deep imprint with his no-nonsense approach to his role of a manager to a fading singing sensation, who once saw better days. Icy cool and steely in his resolve to make things work for Rahul Jaykar (Aditya), Shaad adds that extra personal touch that tilts the scales against him. He is a certainly talent to look out for.

Aditya Roy Kapur is a likeable bloke. You look hard for flaws but he measures up to the expectations of the makers. He is sincere in his portrayal as a singing star that has hit the bottle and is now on the wane. It's a surprise that he never once goes over the top. The only time he seems to be floundering is when the dialogues have no weight which leaves him wondering whether he said the right thing. In the very first scene, where he is to appear before a huge crowd at a concert in Goa, he is 'chilled out'. He carries a scene meant for a seasoned actor like a pro.

CHECK OUT: Bhushan Kumar - AASHIQUI 2 delay may have irritated people

Shraddha Kapoor is a joy to watch. In just her third film, she reiterates that she is a talent to reckon with. She has the creative genes of both her parents; Shakti Kapoor and Shivangi Kolhapure. Whether struggling as a singer in a bar, or hitting the big time at a packed concert, she just rocks. Give her an emotional scene and she digs deep to leave her mark; a mild romantic track, and she is all bubbly and gooey eyed. A Kapoor to watch out for. Her feisty approach to her roles (right from TEEN PATTI) reminds me of Jodie Foster.

The story is a bit surprising. Rahul is this singer whose career-graph is on the wane. A few years ago, we are given to understand that he was a singing sensation. But why he hit the bottle with a vengeance is not explained. One would think that his love interest Aarohi (Sharaddha) would have been the reason for his alcoholic state and we would have been treated to a flashback. Surprisingly, and refreshingly, may I say, he meets Aarohi in one of his drunken stupor and she is not the reason for his state.


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Impressed with her singing, he decides to take it upon himself to give her a break and make her an even bigger star. He pursues her career and lines up all the right breaks. He is proved right by Aarohi; she does have that zing that takes her to the top on her singing abilities alone. As her career graph rises, so does Rahul's count of the number of bottles he drowns.

Will it end in a fairytale like all Bollywood romances or is there a cruel twist of fate?

On the flipside, we see Rahul drowning 'neat' shots without even once getting drunk. I mean the only indication of him being drunk is his bloodshot eyes. There is no doddering in his steps or slurring in his speech. He also has a father who has just two conversations on the phone with him during the entire movie. In one he asks his son whether he is in love, and in the other he says ''I can leave everything in New York and be there for you.''

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But sadly, he is not there for his son. So what was the idea of having a 'phone father'? The reason for his decline too is not structured which makes you wonder why this convenience in scripting.

Much has been spoken of the music, but for me, I hum none back home. If at all, I can still hear the soothing sound of Naazar ke Saamne, Jigar Ke Paas and Dheere Dheere...

AASHIQUI 2 had the potential to be a blockbuster. But the handling of a few key scenes are its downfall apart from the 'convenient scripting' I mentioned. However, at the end of the day, I believe that this is a gamble that will pay off. The youth are going to love it.

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Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 05:42:00 -0700

“Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”: mixed and matched conventions, often bungle up the most unpretentious of enterprises.

To be traditional Bollywood, or stay idiosyncratically new age; choices, choices…

The genetics of “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”, the new romantic, coming of age drama, makes it as confused as its central youth, Bunny (aka. Kabir Thapar, aka Ranbir Kapoor) – a self-centered free-spirit whose chief inspirations in life are international cities and travel guides. Bunny, although a loveable lad, is immune to the feelings of others and eight years later – post the film’s interval – his self-importance is as much in bloom as it was when we last saw him (which was, maybe, minute before the interval).

The problem then, is one of two things: either Bunny hasn’t learned anything; or the screenplay didn’t transition enough to make a difference.

Let me summarize this: Bunny, Aditi (Kalki Koechlin) and Avi (Aditiya Roy Kapur) are childhood friends who meet Naina (Deepika Padukone) – an old school acquaintance – on a getaway trip, that’s more or less a full-on product placement job from MakeMyTrip.com.

Bunny is a flirt with the desire to travel, Aditi is a semi-punk-goth with a surprising sense of astute and un-confessed love for Avi. And Avi, well, Avi’s a borderline drunk with a serious tick to gamble. Naina, meanwhile, has been a nerdy recluse, who hides behind her spectacles. The trip turns into a growing (and at times, an undistinguished) experience, and eight years later, the film turns into a mellow version of its original promised premise: A semi-Bollywood wedding (including two impromptu dance routines), egoistic clashes and edgy moments of empathy.

Basically, it’s a Karan Johar movie (the film is, by the way, produced by Mr. Johar) with a deep-seated dash of director Ayan Mukherji’s directorial staple (Mr. Mukerji also wrote the screenplay, and last directed “Wake Up Sid”, also staring Ranbir Kapoor). The oscillation between Mr. Johar’s feel and Mr. Mukherji’s straight-laced poignancy creates imbalanced entropy, making the fluxes dastardly when they happen. And the song’s don’t help; much.

An early item-number by Madhuri Dixit – “Ghagara” – shows us why Ms. Dixit is who she is (re: insert wide-eyed fanboy expression here). “Badtameez Dil” works out fine, as does “Illahi”, “Kabira”, and “Subhan Allah”. “Dilli Wali Girlfriend” is somewhere between fine and dandy, with “Balam Pichkari” being the so-so number of the filmed soundtrack (the choreography is by Remo D'Souza, Ganesh Acharya, Farah Khan, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Kumaar, and music by Pritam).

While Bunny is written well enough, Mr. Kapoor’s performance is an aimless affair; Mr. Kapoor, almost always great in any role, never seems to find the blatant extravagance of a cocky women charmer. Mr. Kapur, playing Avi, has his part chopped off in frames, thereby eliminating long passages of character connection with the audience. On the women front, Ms. Padukone handles Naina’s maturity with subdued panache, living her up with the right amount of sensitivity when scenes call for them. Meanwhile, Ms. Koechlin delivers a class-act, besting the entire on-screen talent of “Yeh Jawaani”, with a swipe of brilliantly performed balance of ruggedness and sagacity.

There’s a certain allure in the way Mr. Mukherji grounds people in his films; they work, but only when they’re left independent to their individuality. When they – and Mr. Mukherji’s screenplay – deviates to incorporate the cliché of the box-office formula, that’s when they really mess up. Big time.

“Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” is released by IMGC Global and UTV Motion Pictures, who Produces in association with Dharma Productions.

The film stars: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Evelyn Sharma, Farooq Sheikh, Tanvi Azmi, Dolly Ahluwalia, Poorna Jagannathan, Rana Daggubati, Madhuri Dixit.

Directed by Ayan Mukherji; Produced by Hiroo Yash Johar and Karan Johar; Music by Pritam; Lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Kumaar; Choreography by Remo D'Souza, Ganesh Acharya and Farah Khan; With Cinematography by V. Manikandan and Editing by Akiv Ali.

The film is rated U/A – there’s nothing offensive, unless you count the single-mindedness of the lead character.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 10:17:00 -0700

Description:

For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The third book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig.

As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighborhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Harry Potter has to sneak back to Hogwarts, after accidentally inflating his horrible Aunt Petunia. But once there everyone is whispering about a prizoner who has escaped from the famous wizard prizon, Azkaban. His name is Sirius Black, and as a follower of Lord Voldemort he is determined to track Harry Potter down -- even if it means laying siege to the very walls of Hogwarts!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 06:33:00 -0700

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS is more pure magic for young Potter fans who like adventure over the darker themes in the series. Flying cars, giant spiders and snakes, and faster and larger-than-life Quiddich matches keep the story moving as Harry and friends soar through their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As this episode begins, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) gets a visit at the Dursley's from an odd little house elf named Dobby, who warns him that someone is trying to harm him. After a hair-raising trip with Ron (Rupert Grint), Harry arrives at Hogwarts where there are new classes, new challenges, and a somewhat suspicious, extremely narcissistic new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher named Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh). Harry's nemesis, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), is now his opponent on the Quidditch field. Harry is the only one who can hear a strange voice echoing through the halls. And he is in the wrong place at the wrong time when some very bad and scary things happen. It seems that there is a Chamber of Secrets that has not been opened for 50 years. Somewhere in that chamber is a dangerous creature just waiting for the right person to let it out. Many people suspect that Harry is that person, and he wonders if they are right. The two adults Harry trusts most, Hagrid and Dumbledore, are removed from the school, and if someone doesn't stop the creature, Hogwarts may be closed for good. As always, it will take Hermione (Emma Watson)'s research skills, Ron's courage, and Harry's heart to save the day.

Those who are looking for a meticulous realization of a beloved book and those who come to the theater knowing only the first movie -- or even with no knowledge of Harry Potter at all -- will find this chapter a thrilling, eye-filling, and an utterly satisfying experience. There is a wealth of detail and delight to entrance viewers so much that they will leave wanting more, even after a running time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. Every frame is filled with wonder, especially Diagon Alley and the moving photos and portraits.

The child actors are growing up and they seem more comfortable in their roles here, bringing more depth and subtlety to their acting, and wildly funny as the new Hogwarts professor. And there are some magnificent cast additions, especially Jason Isaacs, coolly cruel as Lucius Malfoy, father of Harry's foe Draco.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Malayil) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 04:17:00 -0700

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is an orphan who lives with the odious Dursleys, his aunt, uncle, and cousin. On his 11th birthday, Harry receives a mysterious letter, but his uncle destroys it before he can read it. Letters keep coming, and the Dursleys panic and hide away on a remote island. But they're found by Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), a huge, bearded man with a weakness for scary-looking creatures. It turns out that the letters were coming from Hogwarts, a boarding school for young witches and wizards, and Harry is expected for the fall term, so Hagrid whisks him off to begin his new life as a wizard in training. On the train to Hogwarts, Harry meets his future best friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). When school begins, things really get exciting, with classes in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, a sport called Quidditch (a sort of flying soccer/basketball), a mysterious trap door guarded by a three-headed dog named Fluffy, and a baby dragon named Norbert. Throughout the year, Harry adjusts to his magical life and begins to come to grips with his famous status in the wizarding world and what he represents to the darker forces there. He also learns some important lessons about loyalty and courage.

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE is filled with visual splendor, valiant heroes, spectacular special effects, and irresistible characters. It's only fair to say that it's truly magical. The settings manage to be sensationally imaginative and yet at the same time so clearly believable and lived-in that you'll think you could find them yourself, if you could just get to Track 9 3/4. The adult actors are simply and completely perfect. Richard Harris turns in his all-time best performance as headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Maggie Smith (whose on-screen teaching roles extend from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Sister Act) brings just the right tone of dry asperity to Professor McGonagall, and Robbie Coltrane is a half-giant with a heart to match as Hagrid.Alan Rickman provides shivers as potions master Professor Snape, and the brief glimpse of Julie Walters (an Oscar nominee for Billy Elliott) will make you glad you'll be seeing more of her in future movies. The kids are all just fine, though mostly just called upon to look either astonished or resolute.

A terrific book and a terrific movie. Every family should enjoy them both.

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