Category Archives: Genre

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

Suspect X Review

8 Comments

Suspect X Review – Suspect X (titled as Yôgisha X no kenshin) is a Japanese thriller released in 2008. Ishigami a Mathematical genius and a high school teacher try to save his neighbor a divorcee woman and her daughter from being convicted for a murder.

This is the movie that is been widely talked about nowadays that shares similar plot lines with Drishyam. However both movies are different but for the fact that a murder is being concealed by creating alternative evidences. But for that both these are very different movies. You could see it for yourself.

Now coming to the Suspect X movie, the movie is a very gripping tale of fight between two great scientific minds the genius mathematician and the charismatic physics professor. This is based on the popular Japanese TV series Galileo. The screenplay is very crisp and precise. Keeps the interest level flowing throughout. There are many scenes that create the thrills and the movie reaches a different level as the climax unfolds. Everything connects together. Till then the movie is both intellectual and emotional roller coaster ride. Anything more I say here would become a spoiler in the movie.

If you are a screenwriter and looking for ideas to keep the screenplay precise then this movie is a great example. Although mention of many places occurs in the screenplay, there is no visual until there is a strong requirement for the visual to move the story ahead. In the first five minutes you would get acclimatized with the main characters of the movie and from then on the director can concentrate on developing the plot.

Overall if you like detective thrillers then you would enjoy this one. This is much different from your standard detective thrillers but a strong dual of intellectual personalities.

Must Watch

Action, Drama, Fantasy, Genre, Hindi Movies, Historic, Must Watch, Other Languages, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies

Baahubali – The Beginning Review

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Baahubali – The Beginning Review – Baahubali – The Beginning is a Telugu is a historical fiction movie released in 2015. The film is the first of a two part series. Shivdu is found on the riverside and is raised by a small tribe family; he always wants to climb the big mountain near the village against the wish of his mother. He is able to do it when he grows up; this leads him to his roots from where had come from.

5 tablespoons of Mahabharat, one tablespoon of Ramayan and one tablespoon of masala ingredients from high packed action movies mixed well together. The dish that comes out of the above ingredients is what is Baahubali in a nutshell. Although it is made of the ingredients that we have tasted before, the dish is well prepared and fulfills our appetite like a grand feast. Director SS Rajamouli has dreamt big and kudos to him and his team to bring such a visual grandeur to the silver screen. The breath taking visuals, a native story, stunning fight choreography, powerful characterization all these make Baahubali a very compelling watch. The movie stays true to its promotion and what it had promised to offer; a historical fantasy story painted on an expensive canvas. Every frame has visual grandeur in it, right from the formidable falls to the large battlefield. Many of the characters and situations resemble many of the Indian mythology stories you would have heard but putting them in this combination is interesting. Prabhas, Anushka, Sathyaraj, Nassar, Ramyakrishnan, Rana Daggupati, Tamanna all of them have performed very well. Peter Hein’s stunt choreography is one of the highlights of the movie.

High Points: The narration, visual effects and characterization of Baahubali, Bhallala Deva, Kattappa and Sivagami shine in this first installment. The interval block for the movie was really powerful and is the high point in the movie for me.

Low Points: There are definitely some low points. There is very less differentiation between Shivdu and Baahubali. You don’t feel they are two different characters. There have been some sequences to please the fanfare on the opening day of the movie, which could have been avoided. The background score for such a visually stunning film was a bit let down for me.

Overall Baahubali is a visual treat, though it is a story you would have heard a million times still it is very interesting when SS Rajamouli narrates it. This one is a milestone in Indian Cinema and a Must watch for all Indian movie lovers.

Must Watch

Action, Can Skip it, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies, Thriller

Yaagavarayinum Naa Kaakka Review

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Yagavarayinum Naa Kaakka Review – Yagavarayinum Naa Kaakka is a Tamil action thriller released in 2015. Sagaa a young man from Chennai lands up in Mumbai under mysterious circumstances to take on a fearsome don. What lead him here, what happens after his encounter with the don is the story of Yagavarayinum Naa Kaakka.

The movie showed a lot of promise from the time the promotions started. The first half of the movie is fairly engaging and thrilling. The scenes flowed into each other very well and the non-linear narration was told very well. The interval block raises the expectation further. However post the interval block the screenplay was a let down and falls into the trap of commercial over action drama with some unwanted larger than life sequences making it long and uninteresting. The characterization of Mithun Chakraborthy was a let down. They could have utilized him much better. The same comment goes with some of the seasoned actors like Nasser and Pasupathy. Nikki Galrani has performed decently compared to her previous outings; still there is scope for improvement. The love portion between Nikki Galrani and Adi has been done based on Karthik and Revathy’s romance sequence in Mouna Raagam, the only difference being here the girl stalks the boy. This is definitely a very interesting treatment.

High Points – The overall plot and suspense in the movie, the engaging narration, the performance by Adi, Love angle of the lead pairs structured in resemblance to Mouna Raagam, The production quality of the movie has turned out really well.

Low Points – The second half and unwanted over the top action sequences, underutilization of the Mithunda, Nasser and Pasupathy.

Overall Yagavaraiyinum Naa Kaaka banks on a non-linear narration to convey a thriller but gets lost in thrusting in larger than life sequences. For the level of expectation I had on this one, I was disappointed.

Can Skip It

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

Netru Indru Naalai Review

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Netru Indru Naalai Review – Netru Indru Naalai is a Tamil science fiction comedy film released in 2015. Elango and his friend Pulivetti Arumugam chance upon a time traveling device sent from the future and uses it make a successful business. But things go hay wire when they alter some undesired things in the past.

A science fiction movie in Tamil is always not a viable commercial option. It takes a lot more to make it appealing to the general mass. While many of the makers are hesitant to take up one debutante director Ravikumar. R should be lauded for his efforts in making a science fiction movie in Tamil and yet making it with wide appeal. If you have seen movies like Back to the future then this concept may not be new to you, however the brilliance of the script is in adapting the time machine to Indian context.

Vishnu and Karunakaran combo strike very well. The sequences involving them are hilarious.  The makers have created some similarities to the english movies which I think is intentional. Like the design of the time machine resembles the device from the movie The Time Machine released in 1960 and the scientist Parthasarathy resembles Doc Brown from Back to the Future movie series.

The way the time traveling concept is explained to people should be appreciated as it is simple and neat. When the scientist take out all the time traveling books like theory of relativity, a brief history of time to help the lead characters understand it, they ask him to explain it in simple terms. Thats how the screenplay handles it.

High Points: The screenplay is easy on people without much complications, The comedy has worked very well, A time travel movie in Tamil is a welcome change.

Low Points: Dragging screenplay in parts, in particular when the romance angle of the lead characters are portrayed. This slows down the pace.

Overall there is lot to enjoy in this movie. Although it is not talking about any new scientific theory, the screenplay makes it an enjoyable ride between the present, past and the future.

Worth a Watch 

Animation, Comedy, Genre

Minions Review

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Minions Review – Minions is an English animated comedy movie released in 2015. This is prequel to Despicable Me series where the creatures called Minions existed since beginning of time and they always find their purpose in serving a super villain. But for years they are deprived of having a master. Three minions Kevin, Stuart and Bob set out on a journey to find their new master a new super villain.

If you love Minions there is lot you would enjoy in this movie. But if you ask if I would rate this higher than Despicable me then I would say no. My review here is going to treat this as a separate movie without comparing it to its predecessors. The plot is definitely a very interesting one. Thanks to all the Minions promos for increasing the expectation from this movie. To be honest since I have seen all the preview trailers of the minion’s movie I did not find anything new in the first half. Everything seemed to repeat itself and was another ordinary animated drama with occasional laughter.

The movie picks up in the final 20 minutes leading to an entertaining climax. I said you would need to love Minions and Despicable Me series for you to love this one. There are very subtle references of what is going to come next in the movie you might miss this is you are not a fan of this franchise. The next thing this movie has capitalized on is all superhero movies. If you have watched a lot of Superhero movies then you would associate with many of the villain characters shown here and also some of the sequences are direct spoof of a superhero action scene. If you get this you would enjoy this even more. Right from Spiderman to Godzilla you will find references to all of them. The three minions are modeled after the 3 adopted daughters of Gru in the Despicable Me series, which has worked well to continue the tradition of the franchise.

What clicked well for me is the climax of the movie, which was simply stunning and don’t miss the credit sequence which is hilarious.

High Points: Adorable Minions they proved they could take a movie on themselves in Despicable Me 2 and they in fact have done it, the climax sequence is definitely the most entertaining part of the movie, reference to many superhero movies.

Low Points: The promotion of the movie had revealed too much than it should have. The first half of the movie is a bit slow. Scarlet overkill could not match the charismatic super villain Gru.

Overall without comparing this with the previous installments, Minions deliver what they had promised to. If you love animated movies then you would enjoy this.

Watchable

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

Kaaka Muttai Review

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Kaaka Muttai Review – Kaaka Muttai is a Tamil comedy drama released in 2014. The movie had its theatrical release in 2015. The movie revolves around two young kids growing up in the slums and their biggest aim in life is to eat a pizza, but it is not as easy as they think.

Director M. Manikandan has done a wonderful job in painting the view of life through the eyes of two kids from slum who gets excited with simple things in life. Most of the movie is shot with a Camera angle at the eye line of the kids, which gives the view of the world from their eyes much more naturally. The names of the kids are not revealed in the movie and they are just addressed by their nickname “Chinna Kaaka Muttai and Periya Kaaka Muttai”. This is very effective in making them a true representation of unknown kids from slum. The other characters in the movie are also used very well in the larger screenplay and every character has a meaningful role to play in the 2 hour drama. Yet another movie that is shorter in length and works more effective than the 3 hour extravagant movies. Indian moviemakers should take some cues from this and be precise to their premise without introducing unwanted frills.

The two boys playing the lead roles in the movie has performed very well. In particular the younger one is so adorable in his acting and innocence. The movie also touches sarcastically upon some harsh realities in the society. Although subtle but still makes a very compelling impression on issues like economic differences, discrimination based on economic status, child labor and many more.

High Points: The screenplay is the major strength of the movie, Cinematography is very apt for the movie, the performances of the kids, the humor in the script is another big plus

Low Points: There is nothing really as a low point. Such movies should be promoted well to reach more audience.

Overall Kaaka Muttai would bring in smile on your face as you walk out of the movie hall and next time you see slum kids running around their chore you would definitely stop and think about the battle they are fighting. 2 National awards for this movie is well deserved.

Must Watch

English Movies, Genre, Must Watch, Rating, Reviews, SciFi

Jurassic World Review

Jurassic World Review – Jurassic World is an American science fiction adventure movie released in 2015. The movie is a sequel to the franchise of Jurassic Park. After 22 years of the incidents in the island of Jurassic Park there is a new theme park created with genetically altered dinosaurs. Things go awry when the newly created predator Indominous Rex breaks free into the wild.

The movie of dinosaurs releasing after 22 years made it very special for this movie. Many of us who have seen the first installment had nostalgic moment of going to this movie. When Jurassic Park was released it was almost considered, as a sin for not have watched the movie. Although Jurassic World did not create the peer pressure but still drew people by recreating the nostalgic memories of seeing dinosaurs on big screen.

Jurassic World has the chills and thrills that you expect from the movie. Although it can never match up with the first one due to the fact that we have already seen dinosaurs on screen, still it is successful in recreating the magic world much bigger and fancier this time. The movie’s money shot is the sequence in which the biker drives alongside running Velociraptors.

Jurassic World Bike sequence with Velociraptors
Jurassic World Bike sequence with Velociraptors

It is said that Steven Spielberg wanted to create this scene in the new installment of the movie, which was originally in the Lost World book but he could not add it to the movie. The end output had worked very well.

Director Colin Trevorrow should applauded for recreating the magic of Jurassic Park all of us have enjoyed in the past. The imagination of a theme park has gone wild and the sequences are visually very appealing. It is also great to see Irrfan Khan having a substantial role in this compared to his role in The Amazing Spiderman.

It is really unfair to compare this with the first one then you may not enjoy it very much. Go with an open mind and get enticed with the visuals you see on screen. If you have kids take them along with you they would enjoy this a lot.

Must Watch

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

Uttama Villain Review

Uttama Villain Review – Uttama Villain is a Tamil comedy drama released in 2015. Manoranjan is a leading actor in the film industry and takes everything in his life for granted. When he learns he is suffering from brain tumor and will die soon he tries to set everything in his dysfunctional life.

Well many of you might have already seen the movie. And it did not get great reviews across from the box office. I liked whatever Uttama Villain had to offer. It is a very bold move by Kamal Hassan to act and produce such a movie. If you are expecting a commercial movie on the lines of Panchathanthiram, Sathi leelavathi and go in then you are in for a great disappointment. The movie is much different than many of the main stream cinemas you see today. If you are able to identify this difference then you would enjoy Uttama Villain. The most impressive part is the film within the film and the story narrated in it. It is very intelligent humor savored in the recipe of a fairy tale. If you set aside everything else in the movie this part alone is very much enjoyable. The performance of the artists in particular Kamal Hassan and Nasser is commendable. The movie draws a stark contrast of the actor’s real life and the reel life. The title is apt in this way, An idealistic hero and a role model for many on the silver screen (Uttaman) is in reality leading a dysfunctional life (hence Villain).  Although Kamal for the sake of the screenplay tries to explain the Villain term as “Toxophilite” (one his good at Archery, villalan), the deep meaning is very different. Kamal’s performance is very good and he does the characters with ease and a natural flair. The presence of K. Balachandar playing the role of a director is a master stroke and a fitting tribute to the Legend himself. As the movie shifts between the reel life and real life there is a strong contrast drawn at every shift. The fact that an immortal hero on screen is dragged into mortality in the real life is shown very well at every cut in the movie shoot. The movie does not carry any moral or social message but a pure drama exploring two ends of a spectrum. The art work for the sets and the make-up is a great plus for the movie. The dance sequence in the climax is made brilliantly.

Where the movie has failed to connect with the audience is the way it had been promoted and positioned. If Kamal Hassan had prepared the audience for a drama then it would have worked better. Kamal deserves applause for not falling into the trap of any stereotypical storyline. He has tried to explore the next level in cinema. Director Ramesh Aravind deserves a special mention for directing the movie so well.  Another item that would definitely catch your attention is the sound recording. It is so good and very immersive in nature. The hard work had paid off.

High Points: Kamal’s acting performance, Fairy tale storyline for the film within film, Experimental value, Sound recording and direction

Low Points:  Length of the movie is tad bit long, May not appeal to everyone, People expecting a slap stick comedy would be disappointed

Overall if you are in mood for a new wave cinema which explores different dimensions then you would love Uttama Villain. If you are looking for a commercial entertainer then this one is not for you.

Worth a Watch – only for lovers of new wave cinema

Comedy, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Romance, Tamil Movies, Wait for DVD/TV

Romeo Juliet Review

Romeo Juliet Review – Romeo Juliet is a Tamil romantic comedy released in 2015. Aishwarya misunderstands Karthick to be a wealthy man and falls in love with him. When they decide to take their relationship to next level she realizes that he is not rich and breaks up with him. Will Karthick be able to win Aishwarya back is the plot of Romeo Juliet.

Producer turned director Lakshman has tried his hands with some tried and tested formula of romance. However the plot uniquely differentiates itself from the lead pairs being the ideal lovers to more self-centered people. When this was a welcome change in the plot, it quickly falls back into the trap of making them those ideal pair. The screenplay is very superfluous and does have a lot of flaws. What keeps the movie ticking is the music and those moments where few of the comedy sequences had worked and brings a laugh. Jayam Ravi has done a decent job in his role while Hansika’s acting chart varies like an ECG graph. The scenes are bit lengthy compared to how precise the modern day scene constructions have become.

When making romantic dramas one of the key things that the writers should pay attention to is the point of view from both male and the female characters. Many screenplay falls into the trap of skewing towards the point of view of just one character. Romeo Juliet is one such screenplay.

High Points: Uniqueness in the plot with self-centered people falling in love, music is a big positive for the movie.

Low Points: Very predictable screenplay, cheesy romantic sequences that had been done and dusted in many movies. It is high time for Tamil script writers to move away from naming their lead character in the romantic drama as “Karthik”.

Overall Romeo Juliet is an average affair that delivers only half of what it had promised to. It would entice people looking for a cheesy romantic drama. You might enjoy it watching this one when played on TV.

Wait for DVD/TV

Genre, Rating, Romance, Short Films, Worth a Watch

Haiku Nee Short Film Review

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Haiku Nee Short film Review – Haiku Nee is a Tamil short film released in 2015. Arjun and Ramya once connected with deep love have broken up few years ago. But still Arjun carries the love for Ramya in his heart and visits India from US with a hope of reuniting with Ramya again.

Thanks to Surrya for letting me watch this movie as I missed it when it was premiered.

The movie is from the team that made Unakkae Uyiranen. It is love based theme yet again and director Surrya Narayanan has a nice grip on portraying love on the screen. The visuals are very fresh, crisp and colorful. Like the previous outing they have managed with very minimal characters. As an audience you wish and hope they get together but things start going more awry and whatever you hoped for not to happen starts happening. This kind of keeps you engaged with the plot. As you see the film the brilliant visuals are sure to make a very good impact on you. In particular the love portion of the lead pairs has been taken very well and is aesthetically very appealing. The only point I was disconnected is the feedback scene between the coffee shop waiter and Arjun. Seemed bit out of place, a different context in the conversation could have helped much better.

High Points: Fresh visuals, Background score suited well for the narration, Screenplay is very crisp and bringing the entire story plot into a coffee shop is very good.

Low Points: I couldn’t stop comparing their last outing with seasoned actors versus new faces this time. They have given their best and I am sure with experience it would get better.

Overall Haiku Nee is yet another promising product from Surrya Narayanan and his team. Kudos and all the best to the team for a nice short film. I am expecting more genres to be explored by them in the future.

Watch the film here.

Comedy, Drama, Genre, Guest Post, Guest Reviews, Hindi Movies, Reviews, Romance

Tanu Weds Manu Returns – Guest Review

Tanu Weds Manu Returns – Guest  Review

This review is a guest post.

About the guest author: The author of this post is a movie lover and represents Cashkaro.com, a website that offers a way for all buyers to shop things they need at the cheapest price. All the views represented in this post are by the guest author.

Tanu weds Manu returns movie needs no introduction! And there are high chances that you have already watched this spectacular movie. It is a sequel to film ‘Tanu weds Manu’. The film shows how their wedding has fallen apart after 4 years when they can’t find any reason to love each other. Their expectations have been crushed and life seems still when a twist catches up. Here are 7 reasons as to why this movie is a super duper hit:

1) Kangana Ranaut

This one is not even a guess! The queen stepped down which made even the little flaws of this movie invisible. She gave an impeccable performance in her previous movie “Queen” which floored every viewer of that movie. She even won a national award for it. In this film, she has done double roles and has wooed everyone with her outstanding acting skills. It will be hard for you to even believe that both the pole-apart roles have been performed by a single lady. It’s still not late if you haven’t seen this movie. Book your tickets via CashKaro.com and get awesome deals using bookmyshow coupons present on it.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut
Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut

2) Brilliant star cast

Apart from Kangana Ranaut, this movie has power packed performances from R.Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, Deepak Dobriyal, Eijaz Khan and Swara Bhaskar. R.Madhavan has a big fan following in Bollywood and it will be a delight to watch him as due to his other films commitment in Tollywood, he rarely signs for Bollywood films.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut, Jimmy Shergill
Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut, Jimmy Shergill

3) Unusual Chemistry

The Jodi of Kangana Ranaut and R.Madhavan is unusual yet a charming one. Kangana Ranaut performs this vivacious character while Madhavan plays a subdued role. Opposites attract and this is what makes this pairing a hit.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan
Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan

4) Hottest ethnic trends

Ditch those long length kurtis and sport short ones. Kangana Ranaut has sported the newest traditional as well as fusion of Indian and cultural wear in this movie. And she looks like a dream in every outfit.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut
Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut

5) Attention gripping music

The sound tracks of ‘Tanu weds Manu returns’ have already climbed the chartbusters and viewed like a million times. “Ghani Bawri” is a super hit. It has been sung by Jyoti Naroon and the lyrics have been written by Raj Shekhar. Most of its songs are foot-tapping.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut
Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut

6) Endearing plot

The storyline of the movie is pretty simple and something you can relate with your everyday life if you are married. This catches the attention of audience more as they find the dialogues as well as locations similar to their life. There’s nothing hard to digest here which lends it a touch of simplicity.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan
Tanu Weds Manu Returns Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan

7) Anand L Rai

The movie has been directed by “Anand L Rai” who delivered other hits like ‘Raanjhana’ and ‘Tanu weds Manu’. Both of the movies were enjoyed by audiences and it will be an under-statement to say that same expectations are riding from this romance comedy movie.

Anand L Rai
Anand L Rai

What are you waiting for? If you still haven’t watched this movie, rush!!

Action, Comedy, Drama, Genre, Rating, Reviews, Tamil Movies, Thriller, Wait for DVD/TV

Masss or Massu engira Masilamani Review

Masss or Massu engira Masilamani Review – Masss is a Tamil supernatural thriller released in 2015. Masss alias Masilamani is a con man. While performing a con operation he and his friend meet with an accident and he starts seeing dead people from then on. He uses this to his benefit to perform more con operations.

It is an out and out Director Venkat Prabhu movie. I say this because post Saroja, Venkat Prabhu has been caught up with very stereotypical predictable, out and out masala movies that bank on the lead protagonist’s star value than any creativity in the story line. I still miss the engaging script, fresh creativity, comical timing he had created in Chennai 600028. Somewhere he has got into the mold of riding on the success of the jokes that had worked then. Excessive usage of same lines and comedy makes it just ordinary sequences. Also he would need to concentrate more on the dialogues. But for a few, most of the dialogues in the movie are very cliched. The only point in time I was very engaged with the script was during the interval block which had been executed well. Post that a lot of loop holes in the plot and continuity becomes a major distraction. A ghost is able to touch and move rods, wood but not able to touch money seems very odd. Many sequences in the movie would remind you of movies like Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Apoorva Sagodharargal. The main theme of the movie where the protagonist is able to see ghosts is very different and interesting but soon it becomes a 80’s revenge saga script spoiling all the uniqueness it tend to exhibit.

High Points – Difference in the theme for Tamil Cinema, Suriya’s presence, Interval block

Low Points – Repetitive sequences, illogical continuity, below average special effects

If you do not worry about logic and just want to pass time then Masss would not bore you. It is a movie that you could watch on TV when you don’t have anything else to do. On a lighter note, believing in ghosts might be far more realistic than believing in Venkat Prabhu’s movies 🙂

Wait for TV/DVD