All posts by rajasaravanan

Short Films

Chi Chi Man Short Film

Chi Chi Man Short Film – Chi Chi Man is a short film on awareness on child abuse. The film is directed by Neelam Singh.

In the recent past, we have been witnessing a growing number of cases of child abuse. Is it happening newly or is it that people have openly started talking about it now. Whatever be the case it is the most heinous crime that we should stand against and enforce strict actions against it.

Does creating and enforcing law and order sufficient to curb it? Well, it is a very sensitive issue and many a time a child may not even realise that she is subjected to sexual harassment. Given our conservative society parents often hesitate to talk about it to their kids so that they understand the perils in it. Even if they wanted, parents struggle to find a way to explain it to the kids.

Director Neelam Singh has taken this to be the central plot for her short film Chi Chi man. She has outlined an effective way in which parents can teach about a good touch and a bad touch to their kids without compromising on their innocence. The narrative is very effective in conveying the message and raising the awareness.

Kudos to the team for taking the subject that attacks the most dangerous crime in our society and educates parents to help their kids stand against it. Watch the movie below and share your comments.

It is a must watch for all the parents.

Comedy, Drama, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies, Worth a Watch

Aviyal Review

Aviyal Review – Aviyal is a Tamil anthology film released in 2016. This movie is a bouquet of four Tamil short films directed by different directors.

Anthology films are a boon to the film industry for multiple reasons. It gives opportunities for new talents to work with well-established artists. It also gives opportunities for well-established artists to experiment something new with a lesser risk compared to a full-length feature film. Aviyal is one such movie. Although the plot lines are something we might have seen or heard before, the treatment is fresh. Each of the four stories engages well with the audience. And as a special treat, the last one is directed by Alphonse Putharen starring Nivin Pauly and Bobby Simha.  I couldn’t pinpoint one movie to be better than the other as all the stories were equally good.

Indian government should support such anthology films to help identify and nurture new talents. This also serves as a platform to test some new treatment and genres with the audience, which can go a long way in making the quality of films better and profitable.

High Points: Short and enjoyable tale with a good sense of humor, Good performances from some of the new-comers. The short film by Alphonse Putharen starring Nivin Pauly and Bobby Simha stands out due to the star cast and narrative style.

Low Points: The movie was promoted with Nivin Pauly and Bobby Simha so people coming in for them would be disappointed as they feature only in the last film. The length of the movies could have been maintained at 20 mins to make it more engaging.

Overall Aviyal is tasty with all vegetables cooked well to give some true flavours. It also stays true to its recipe by not including too much masala. Support good cinema and budding talents by watching this one.

Worth a Watch

Action, English Movies, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Superhero, Worth a Watch

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Review – Batman v Superman is an American superhero movie released in 2016. The movie is based on superheroes from the DC Comics. Superman’s fight with Zod results in large scale massacre that destroys Bruce Wayne’s (Batman) office and casualties in his company. Batman decides to fight Superman to keep him in check while Lex Luthor adds fuel to their fire.

First of all, I would like mention that I am neither DC nor a Marvel fan. Rather I like all superheroes from both the universe. It helps to read this review in an unbiased fashion.

It has been a long due for the DC universe to bring their superheroes together. Thanks to Nolan’s Batman trilogy that had set up the foundation for the movies. Although Zack Snyder did not impress much with the Man of Steel he has definitely justified his efforts with the edition of Dawn of Justice. This may not be the epic start for the Justice League DC fans would have expected but nevertheless, it serves as a good appetizer for the upcoming main course.

The movie has a sluggish start and you tend to wait for those brilliant moments restlessly. Just when you feel that this might turn out to be a half-baked effort the movie picks up and keeps you engaged till the end. Ben Affleck is very convincing as Batman and definitely carries on the legacy putting the sarcastic comments on him to rest. His performance is a standout. The icing on the cake for the movie is Wonder woman. Her entry is the best part of the movie. Lex Luthor’s characterization is good and his dialog delivery reminds of Sharukh Khan. Some portions of the movie even look like the old school Bollywood movies and look like a decorated extravagant Karan Arjun 🙂

High Points: The fight night between superman and batman, Wonder woman’s entry, Lex Luthor’s characterization, Hans Zimmerman’s background score.

Low Points: Sluggish screenplay in the first half, some of the dialogues are cheesy and cliched takes away the impact of the good ones

Overall Zack Snyder doesn’t disappoint this time and in fact, has created a good start to the Justice League. Hope DC is able to be successful with the upcoming movies. If you love superhero movies don’t miss this one when it is in the theaters.

Worth a Watch

Comedy, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies, Worth a Watch

Jil Jung Juk Review

Jil Jung Juk Review – Jil Jung Juk is a Tamil slapstick comedy-drama released in 2016. Deivanayagam looses a lot of money as his drug trafficking business is raided by customs. He has to sell the last stock for good money to minimise the losses. He employs three people Jil (the talkative), Jung (the punctual) and Juk (the driver) to transport the drug.

If you are familiar with dystopian society and western cowboy movies then you would be able to understand this one better. Kudos to the team for breaking away from the norm and creating something new. The premise and the build up phase is very good and increases you interest to watch what is happening. The premise itself has a lot of scope for slapstick comedy. The scene in which the trio are getting to know each other from the achievements of their father has been crafted well and is a very novel way of introducing the characters.  The production value of the movie is also very good.

Somewhere from the midpoint, the movie tilts towards the side of good and drifts away from the dystopian culture. The saving grace is some of the comical sequences in the movie. The makers claim to have broken all the commercial formula but still couldn’t resist staying away from a bar song.

High Points: A new experimental venture, bringing a dystopian society for Indian cinema, comic sequences like the one in the petrol storage, first meeting Deivanayagam

Low Points: The movie may not be understood by many, the story gets lost into a slapstick genre rather than western comedy based in a dystopian society.

Overall if you are in a mood for a different kind of film that stays away from the norm then go and watch Jil Jung Juk. This movie deserves a watch for the daring effort by the team to break the stereotype.

Worth a Watch

 

Drama, Genre, Must Watch, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies

Irudhi Suttru Review

Irudhi Suttru Review – Irudhi Suttru is a Tamil sports drama released in 2015. Prabhu Selvaraj is a failed boxer owing to the dirty politics in the sports. He spots a raw talent in a girl living in the slum of Chennai and puts effort to coach her to raise to the top in the sport. Did he succeed is the plot of Irudhi Suttru.

Very rarely sports drama becomes a hit in Indian cinema. Irudhi Suttru is one movie which has proven that wrong. There has been good research done before going in for the shoots. This acts as a strong point for the movie. Kudos to director Sudha Kongara to have believed in the script and bringing it to the screen. The core strength of the movie is the script and performance of Madhavan and Rithika Singh. We get to see a different dimension of Madhavan as witnessed in Aayudha Ezhuthu. He has worked hard to transform himself into the role very well.

The visuals and tone of the movie are very pleasing. Nasser has fit into the role of a lazy coach very well. His comic timing is a treat to watch. The songs fit into the energy and the tempo of the movie very well. This yet again joins the healthy trend of movies around 2 hour time period which is off late becoming hit in Tamil Cinema.

High Points: Engaging Screenplay, performances of Madhavan and Rithika Singh, songs by Santhosh narayanan, visuals.

Low Points: The climax is bit overdramatic for the tale but I believe that is warranted for commercial success.

Overall Irudhi Suttru is a sincere attempt in movie making. It engages with you very well and breaks the stereotypes of women- oriented subject seen as not being able to produce commercial success. Kudos to the team and expect a lot more such good movies from Sudha Kongara.

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Comedy, Drama, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies, Worth a Watch

Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum Review

Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum Review – Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a Tamil comedy-drama released in 2016. The movie is an official remake of the Korean movie My Dear Desperado. Yazhini a woman struggling to find an IT job has a  weird neighbour who is a gangster. The plot of the movie revolves around the two characters and an unexpected relationship that grows in between them.

Reputation from the previous movie and its associated expectation can spoil the fun. Many directors suffer from this and they tend to recreate a similar tale that had worked in the past. However, director Nalan Kumarasamy has moved away from a dark comedy to a breezy comedy-drama.  This is definitely in contrast to his previous outing. If you were to take away the expectation and don’t compare it to Soodhu Kavvum you would appreciate the movie.

There is a good 50 minute spent in building up the lead characters and one would experience a slight sluggishness in the proceedings. However, it eventually picks up and engages with the audience. The big plus for the movie is the contrasting behaviors of the lead pair. This hero doesn’t bend down and pick up the fallen items to help the heroine, he pays the bill in the restaurant but later gets the money for the items she had eaten. Such sequences make the movie stand out from the typical run of the mill romantic drama.

Vijay Sethupathi has performed well as usual. His character does bring in the shades from Naanum Rowdydhan in few instances. Madonna Sebastian is eye candy in the movie and she sure has created an impact in her entry into Kollywood.

High Points: The characterization of the lead pairs, No unnecessary frills attached in the screenplay, The sequence where the gangster ends up for an IT job interview. Vijay Sethupathi’s performance and Madonna Sebastian’s cuteness.

Low Points: Vijay Sethupathi’s character has shades from Naanum Rowdydhaan, Slow screenplay during the build up phase.

Overall Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a feel good drama that might be slow to begin with but eventually would reach your heart.

Worth a Watch

Comedy, Drama, English Movies, Genre, Must Watch, Rating, Reviews

The Big Short Review

The Big Short Review – The Big Short is an American comedy-drama released in 2015. The movie is based on true incidents that happened around the economic meltdown during 2008. The plot revolves around a bunch of individuals who had predicted the fall much ahead and made huge profits from the situation.

The movie relies heavily on some financial terms and concepts that may not be easily understood by common viewers. However, the makers have tried their best to make it very simple for a common man to understand. They have broken the 4th wall very effectively to help the audience understand the concepts so that they can relate to the upcoming incidents. They have popular personalities explaining the financial concepts using metaphors that can be comprehended by common man.

The movie has a star-studded cast that makes it more interesting in terms of some power packed performances. Steve Carell’s performance as Mark Baum is a stand out from others. Christian Bale, Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling help in decorating the screen well. Kudos to the director Adam Mckay in pulling this out very effectively and also making it appealing to a large crowd.

High Points: Star cast, a plot that is based out of true incidents, Breaking the 4th wall to keep the audience engaged, Screenplay that is not boring a bit

Low Points: The only low point could be this may not appeal to the audience who are not interested in the stock market.

Overall The Big Short is a must watch for all those who invest in stock market. You would be able to appreciate the movie much better. Even if you do not there is a lot that you can learn from the movie as concepts are made very simple to be understood by all. You could go without deep knowledge in the market and yet understand the movie.

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Action, English Movies, Genre, Must Watch, Rating, Reviews, Superhero

Deadpool Review

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Deadpool Review – Deadpool is a Marvel superhero movie released in 2016. Wade Wilson, a mercenary leaves his girlfriend as he realizes he has cancer. However, an experimental treatment goes bad degenerates his face and turns him into a badass superhero.

This one is the first installment of Deadpool. He is probably the first superhero with antihero instincts. Deadpool comic character is known for his foul-mouthed language, merciless killing and always seen to break the 4th wall to interact with the readers or viewers. Director Tim Miller has effectively translated all these unique characteristics of Deadpool on to the big screen.

Right from the starting scene the movie makes you laugh. When I mention the starting scene it includes the starting credits which sets you up nicely for the rest of the movie. The major portion of the movie takes a non-linear narration starting from the first attack of Deadpool in a car chasing scene and shuttles back and forth on how he got there then merging onto the flashback of what made Deadpool. This could have been very flat and typical of any superhero movie. This deviation from the norm makes Deadpool stand apart. The breaking of the 4th wall right from the beginning to the end post-credits scene has worked like a charm. It does provides a unique movie viewing experience. For instance, the scene from where he is escaping from Colossus cuffs he calls it a money shot before performing the act.

High Points: Performance of Ryan Reynolds as deadpool, the breaking of the 4th wall, the initial stunt sequence and the visualization of deadpool’s character.

Low Points: Deadpool is what you would expect of a deadpool so no low points here.

Overall get ready to welcome a badass superhero that teases the dark instincts in the viewers. This is R rated for violence and explicit language, watch it without your kids.

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Genre, Must Watch, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies, Thriller

Visaranai Review

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Visaranai Review – Visaranai is a Tamil thriller film released in 2015. Four labourers living in a park are arrested by the police in order to close the case of a theft.

Visaranai is a very realistic movie that pierces through your emotions well. Director Vetrimaran has crafted the scenes with brilliance and every scene impacts the viewer. The scenes are gripping and realistic in nature. There is no room for humor and the movie is laser focussed on a social issue. Although the movie is based on an incident that had occurred many years ago in the past it is still relevant to the present scenario.  The performances by all the actors in the movie are very good. In particular,  Attakathi Dinesh, Aadukalam Murugadoss, and Samuthrakani’s performances stand out very well.

The entire script is organized based on two investigations. One in the first half and the other one happening in the second half. Both are brutal in its own sense. The research works that has gone behind in making the movie should be appreciated. Vetrimaran has added a new visual dimension to the novel  by M. Chandrakumar which otherwise may not have been noticed.

The climax sequence is very gripping and is clearly one of the high points in the movie.

High Points: Performances of the lead actors, the story being based on a true incident, the gripping and thrilling climax, realistic treatment of the script.

Low Points: There are not many low points for the movie, but for the fact the realistic treatment may not be suitable for all audience.

Overall this investigation is brutal and very realistic. It is filled with moments that would deeply affect you. In the end, you would walk out with an immense satisfaction of watching a great movie. Kudos to Vetrimaran and team for giving a good cinema.

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Drama, Genre, Guest Post, Hindi Movies, Rating, Reviews, Worth a Watch

Guest Post: Aligarh Review

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Guest Post: Aligarh Review

Guest Post – This review is written by Ritu Verma working as part of PngFever

The movie Aligarh is all about the lonely life of a homosexual person in this society. Siras is the main character which is being played by Manoj Bajpayee. This movie would definitely question us our morals and our reactions to other’s sexual needs which wouldn’t match with your own or you would think is not right. If any film that makes you think twice before giving final responses after having watched would be a great film for sure.

The story was taken from a heart breaking and true story of Professor Ramchandra Siras who in the year 2010 was forced to leave from the Aligarh Muslim University after getting caught involving in the sexual activity with a male rickshaw puller. He was trying to have physical relationship with that male rickshaw puller.

The movie gives the strong message to the Society to changes their mind sets about the homosexual persons. This type of person should be treated with respect and they are not different from all of us. They are the part of our society as well and not different from anyone.

The movie Aligarh is like a jugalbandi between a man of nervous energy and man of stillness. Rajkummar Rao essays the journalist Deepu Sebastian role and Manoj Bajpayee plays Dr. Siras role. The movie is a completely unique step in reality cinema which uses actual places and people involved in the real incident. The film shows the psyche and personality of Siras. It also considers his inner life: his advancing age, loneliness and the humiliation and betrayal in his life.

Aligarh movie is worth watching and surely change your thinking regarding Homo Sexual person. After watching it, you would be able to think about them in a different way for sure.

 

Drama, Genre, Must Watch, Other Languages, Rating, Reviews

Sweet Red Bean Paste (An) – Review

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Sweet Red Bean Paste (An) – Review – An is a Japanese drama film released in 2015. The manager of a small street food place selling doriyaki is contacted by an elderly lady requesting for a job. Although he hesitates first but her skill in making a tastier sweet red bean paste for his doriyaki convinces him to get her onboard. What starts is a relationship that affects his life deeply.

The film addresses a social issue in Japan through the three main characters in the movie. The elderly lady Tokue, the manager of the street food joint and a school girl. All three of them are deprived of something in life and are very lonely. As the movie progresses we learn about each of them and how their lives are similar. Tokue leaves a great wisdom from the live she is leading to both the generations, in turn she also questions the baseless belief of the social issue.

Throughout the movie Director Naomi Kawase has used nature as a metaphor to go through the emotional rides. The performance of Kirin Kiki as Tokue is a very powerful one. She lights up the screen. The way the scenes are constructed has been very effective. The introduction of the characters has been conveyed very precisely in few scenes. The shop manager who does not like talkative girls, the school girl who arrives alone in the shop for lunch builds very effective portrayal of the characters.

High Points: Kirin Kiki’s performance,  The visuals and the story addressing a key social issue, The way the food is picturized makes you crave for food

Low Points: The movie tends to deviate from the main storyline a couple of times.

Overall, Director Naomi Kawase has tingled the taste buds of the audience through her Sweer Red Bean Paste. It is a dish that would leave sweetness in your mouth despite the heaviness. Its a must watch for all movie lovers.

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Drama, Genre, Must Watch, Other Languages, Rating, Reviews

Cinemawala Review

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Cinemawala Review – Cinemawala is a Bengali drama released in 2016. The movie’s plot revolves around the stress in the relationship of a father and the son, where the father wants his son run his family business and the son takes a different route.

Director Kaushik Ganguly has used the background of a father-son relationship and depicted the fading glory of single screen theaters in India. The movie has a realistic take on the current state of affairs of the single screen cinema and how elements like piracy is killing them.  In a way the father and son and their strained relationship becomes the metaphor for the struggle and identity of the single screen cinemas.

The performances of Paran Bandyopadhyay and Parambrata Chatterji is very powerful and they add a lot of life to the scenes. Sohini Sarkar has supported them very well. Parambrata Chatterji has played the character with a negative shade very well. The character of the man who looks after the theater has also been created well. The scenes are constructed very well and there is an aesthetic appeal to it.  The climax sequence of the movie is very impactful and nails the message very effectively. This one is yet another wonderful movie I got to see at Bengaluru International Film Festival.

High Points: Performances of Paran Bandyopadhyay and Parambrata Chatterji, Engaging screenplay, Climax sequence

Low Points: The only low point is the core message on the state of single screen theater loses its focus when the focus is on the father-son relationship. However, the climax sequence brings back the focus and ends convincingly.

Overall Cinemawala has a very compelling story and creates the impact it intends to. You cannot stop yourself from feeling sad for the single screen cinemas that have been closed. This one is a must watch for all film lovers.

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