Joker review

1.5 / 5

Labeled as Akshay Kumar’s 100th film, Joker has released amid low key marketing and promotions. Directed by Shirish Kunder and presented by UTV Motion Pictures, this movie co-stars Sonakshi Sinha. The film looks at the fascinating concept of aliens in a light-hearted way.  

The Plot

Agasthya (Akshay) is a space scientist in the US who is looking to device a system that would communicate with the aliens in outer space. Just then, he is forced to return to his village named Paglapur in India, which as the name indicates, has many eccentric characters, including Agasthya’s family. Things aren’t rosy at the village and he discovers that his village has been removed from the Indian map and now he plans to somehow bring his village back in the public eye. As expected he takes the help of his pet subject, aliens, to attract national interest on his village. What follows is buffoonery and silly antics galore, which might appeal to the kids in the audience. 

Cheers

• The movie is very bright and colorful thanks to the creative art direction and sets. It would surely attract the kids, given the flourish of colors. 
• G.V.Prakash’s ‘Sing Raja’ and Chitrangada Singh’s item number ‘Kafirana’ make a mark for their peppy tunes and colorful picturization.

Jeers

• On the downside, there are far too many songs even though the film is around 105 minutes long only. 

Comments

• Shreyas Talpade creates a riot with his alien language (gibberish) that brings about wholesome laughter on occasions. The rest of the characters in the village are also crazy in their own ways. 
• Being Akshay Kumar’s 100th movie, he hasn’t chosen his customary comedy masala but instead chosen to make a movie for the kids. He looks very youthful while his pair Sonakshi Sinha has a cute voice that belies her mature physique. That said Sonakshi is sparkling. 
• Minisha Lamba hardly impresses in a cameo while the American antagonist named Simon Goeback (interestingly named) is sufficient. 
• Though the movie is harmless time-pass and isn’t a bad watch, there is nothing special too. The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and as a result even the audience will just laugh it off after coming out of the cinema hall

FINAL WORD

Kids might enjoy this madcap alien entertainer ...

Mugamoodi review

3 / 5

The much anticipated superhero flick, Mugamoodi, hit screens today. Directed by Mysskin and starring Jiiva, has this movie lived up to the hype?

The Plot
A jobless young man (Anand aka Bruce Lee) who is a kung-fu exponent gets lured into the crime scene in the city when he playfully adorns a superhero suit to woo his lady love (Shakthi). Post this, things get out of hand for him as loses his friend, his master and he now has to save the city from this group (belonging to the Dragon kung-fu school) which is notorious for extortion and murders. Senior police officer Gaurav who is pursuing this case, finally makes a personal request to 'Mugamoodi' to restore balance and vanquish this group.

Cheers

• Stunning technical proficiency. The BGM score by K is grand to say the least. The slick camerawork by Sathya shines particularly in the night scenes which dominate the movie's screen time. A blue theme has been maintained in these night scenes. The climax is one such example of the team's technical brilliance
• The kung-fu stunts are something new for the Tamil audience and it is an authentic effort again. Jiiva has rocked these stunts and his physique and charm go a long way in making the stunts enjoyable. Early in the first half, two such sequences floor the audiences
• Jiiva's hard work is palpable. The scenes when he gets bowled over by the heroine and the scenes when he seeks help from his grandfathers are enjoyable. 
• The scenes when Jiiva is taken for a ride by his father for being a dhandachoru are hilarious. In the same way the hunchback and the two grandfathers have nice little parts. 
• Just the director's vision and the idea of having a superhero who is just a jobless youngster with a conscience, is inspiring. His handling of the climax is also elaborate and gripping. 

Jeers

• Narain's antics are sometimes laugh-worthy. Mugamoodi needed a better villain.
• Pooja Hegde looks a bit like Shruti Haasan but her screen presence is so timid
• The movie also suffers from lack of pace and energy. Save the initial part of the first half and the latter part of the second half, the movie is pretty static (lots of typical Mysskin touches add to the static feeling). 

Comments

• Nassar's character is earnest and reminds us of Gordon from TDK. In the same way, the kung-fu master and his training scenes remind us of Ip Man. Lee's grandfather played by Girish Karnad is into making automatons and stuff, and this part is derived from Hugo.
• Both the hit songs are through early in the movie itself. The Kudi Vaazhthu number is so typical of Mysskin. 

FINAL WORD

Extra-ordinary technical proficiency and the effort put by this team make Mugamoodi worth a watch for sure. 

The Truman Show (1998)

Seahaven Island is the largest set created by mankind and there are around 5000 cameras in operation in this artificial world. Truman Burbank is the center around which the entire island revolves. He is the star of a 24*7 live TV show that provides joy, hope and inspiration to millions of viewers in over 200 countries. Right from his birth, to the time he walked for the first time to the current day, his entire life is captured live for the TV audiences by all these cameras.

All the persons he encounters on a daily basis are actors who make sure that Truman doesn’t leave the island. The entire show is controlled by a revolutionary TV personality named Christof and his dedicated team.

Truman slowly realizes that his world is stage-managed and that nothing is natural. Even his parents, his so-called wife, his best friend are all part of the script created by Christof. The twists and turns are all managed by this man and Truman just goes along with this script not knowing that each and every movement of his is captured live for a TV audience outside Seahaven and for the entire world. 

Only a lady named Sylvia wishes Truman to come out of this world and join her in Fiji. Truman’s life ambition is to go to Fiji to the real world and to unite with Sylvia with whom he shares a few magical moments before the show managers cruelly cut her role short.

This movie is creepy, haunting, stunning and revolutionary all at the same time. The music is so mesmerizing and makes us get involved with the life of Truman even more. The piano notes are magical truly.

The end when Truman struggles to leave the island and finally achieves the feat is one of those magical moments in the history of cinema. The last conversation between Christof and Truman resolves the movie so beautifully.

Jim Carrey is unbelievably versatile and shows so many myriad emotions with his playful, naughty avatar shining through the most. Both the ladies in Truman's lives at different times, are beautiful and charming. Ed Harris is commanding as Christof. 

Towards the end when we see the true nature of Seahaven as a huge man-made set, it is truly imposing, particularly the artificial sun and moon. The exit of the set is quite funny though, in the form of steps. 

Ultimately, it is totally a concept driven movie, so relevant to the current times when reality shows are such a craze. The concepts of revenue generation in the show like product placement, sale of the merchandise used in the show etc. are so ahead of times. The way Truman's wife in the show, advertises products so blatantly through placement and the scrolls that go on the TV screen when Truman is using some product are such touches of commercialization. 

One of those movies that will stand the test of time. TRUE BLUE CLASSIC! 

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi review

2.5 / 5

All love stories generally have a template – 2 strangers meet and fall for each other and then brief conflicts arise between the two before the final matchup.

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi also has the same components except that here we have two 40 plus adults falling in love. The setting is also different - all the characters belong to the Parsi community.

Farhad Pastakia is a 45 years old women’s lingerie salesman who isn’t happening in the matrimonial market due to his profession while Shirin Fugawala is still single as she has an ailing father to care of. The conflict element in their ‘love at first sight’ is provided by Farhad’s mom who just can’t forgive Shirin for a mere petty issue. How the two of them finally manage to unite in holy matrimony is the resolution to this flick.

The film manages to turn out to be an endearing rom-com thanks to the terrific acting by Boman Irani and Farah Khan as the middle aged lovers. Boman excels in comedy as well as the serious scenes towards the end and his body language in particular is typical of a middle-aged man. Farah’s voice is her greatest plus and she even shows off her excellent dancing skills in few of the songs. The other characters in the large Parsi community also make a mark like the old man who is caught in a time warp and is still mad about Indira Gandhi. Farhad’s mother and grandmother also have a sizable part so does Shirin’s aunt.

The movie has been executed in a meager budget and money hasn’t been splurged on huge sets, extra-ordinary cinematography, sizzling costumes and exotic locations. It is just a movie about an average couple and their desire to find true love.

Jeet Ganguly’s songs are good to listen to, but this movie would have been better off, without songs. Few of the songs definitely drag the movie. Therefore even with a running time of 112 minutes, the movie isn't taut.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has written this movie and the comedy portions standout. Some funny scenes are built around Farhad’s profession. The first encounter between Shirin and Farhad’s mom is another brilliant funny sequence. The romance is also likable with several cutesy moments. Bela Bhansali Sehgal has directed this movie and she has presented this movie in an engaging manner with just a few glitches.

Somehow all the Parsi women happen to have large boobs and their bra sizes have been freely thrown around. For instance Shirin is a 36B and she flaunts her assets happily. Her aunt is a 38D. Phew !!! The scene when Farhad explains all the different types of bra to Shirin is an awkwardly funny scene. 

To conclude, this movie would give hope to those youngsters who are still searching for their love. Love has no expiry date, that’s what they would learn.

VERDICT: This “better late than never” romance is worth a watch for its simplicity and heartening moments.

Naan review

Karthik is a young man who is just released out of juvenile correction home and he isn't accepted by his near and dear ones. As a young boy, he goes to this center in the first place due to a crime that he is driven to commit by his erring mother and uncle.

He somehow decides that assuming the identity of a student named Mohammad Salim would be his path in life. Salim dies in a bus accident and Karthik (his surviving neighbor in the bus) masquerades as the new Salim and even manages to get admission to a medical college.

He encounters modern city youngsters like Ashok, Rupa and Suresh. His false identity somehow comes to light soon and he has to commit crimes to protect his identity. Till the end, he somehow manages to convince Rupa about the fact that he is Salim and an innocent one at that.

How does he manage to evade the police and subsequent punishment? He somehow manages with a mixture of mimicking, some brain & brawn and some implausible moves as well.

On the whole, the movie turns out to be different from the 'run of the mill'

Review

• Vijay Antony retains a constipated look for almost the entire movie. He hardly has a few reactions. A better actor could have clinched this one. But kudos to the producer and composer in him. Makkayala, Thappellam and the title song make a mark. The BGM thrills at places. 
• Rupa Manjari looks mature and cute. She emotes well too. Siddharth looks daper and is authentic as the typical city dude. 
• The reason why Karthik travels along this illegal risk-ridden path hasn't been justified. The ending is also not convincing. If these two had been addressed, the movie could have been more credible. 
• Anuya looks absolutely voluptuous and well-endowed. But her part is silly and desperate to say the least.
• The movie retains tension throughout. The screenplay isn't fast deliberately I guess. 
• Has shades of the Matt Damon starrer 'The Talented Mr.Ripley'. 

VERDICT

A good attempt at presenting a thriller based on false identities.

Aachariyangal review

This movie is made by Harshavardhan, a guy who participated in Kamal Haasan's screenwriting workshop held in 2009. This is another case of getting inspired to make feature films.

Karthik is a spunky MBA graduate who always wishes to have some excitement in life. He has his set of friends and a family comprising father, a elder brother and a younger sister. Like other youngsters, he too looks to find the perfect girl for himself.

After one drinking sojourn with his friends, Karthik in an inebriated state, complains to God about his dull life and demands a lot of spice, twists and turns in his life. Surprisingly, soon he gets a call on his cell from God himself and after this call, his life turns topsy-turvy. His family life suffers, his elder brother's problems with money lenders gets transferred to him and he is now caught between two groups of gangsters. His love life also suffers while his friends are also lured into a kidnapping drama that he is forced to stage.

How he gets out of this mess and whether calm is restored in his chaotic life is the remaining part of this movie. But towards the end, when we realize that the movie is about to end after Karthik manages to get free, we get a big surprise. Watch this flick to find out what that surprise is about.

Review

• Biggest drawback with the movie is the feeling of seeing a TV serial. The team probably had only this many resources to make their film. The BGM is also strictly adequate. There are no songs, by the way. 
• The film moves at a snail's pace for majority of its running time.
• Towards the end, the film has quite a few surprises to offer and also some entertainment thanks to the goofed up kidnapping drama. The hero's friends provide majority of the film's entertainment with their realistic buffoonery. 
• Taman Kumar as Karthik is a promising find. He looks handsome and emotes well too. All the girls in the movie (character names Anu, Anjana and the hero's sister do well and look decent too. Anjana and Anu in particular are sexy and homely respectively)
• The hero's father, elder brother and his aunt, add to the mega-serial effect with their long sentimental cliches. 
• Pats to the director for trying to mix and match fantasy, suspense and thrills. The film ends with the protagonist pondering about what God has done to him, in an apt touch. 

VERDICT: Interesting concept that suffers due to the 'mega-serial' effect that prevails in most of the scenes. The surprises are loaded up for the finale. Had the preceding portions of the movie been engaging as well, this movie would have come up trumps. 

18 Vayasu review

2.5 / 5

We have had many movies in Tamil where the lead protagonist has some mental ailment. Starting from Sivappu Rojakkal down to some of Dhanush’s recent movies, there have been good films that have taken some psychiatric disorder and explored the same. Now we have 18 Vayasu, yet another movie talking about a mentally challenged youngster.

Here Karthik (Johnny) is a guy who has a unique disorder wherein he starts imbibing an animal’s characteristics whenever he notices one, under stress. A haunting incident during his childhood and physical abuse from his negligent mother are the reasons for this unique behavior.

He encounters Gayathri (Gayathri) and she is like a breath of fresh air in Karthik’s life. Mutual liking slowing blossoms between the two until Karthik’s disorder catches up with him and now he is forced to run for cover from the police. We also have a team of doctors who are ready to help him.

Another eccentric elder man named Jackie also joins him on the run while Gayathri is also inevitably lured into this chase. What happens to Karthik, whether Gayathri understands him and whether he is cured? Watch 18 Vayasu to find out.

The director Panneerselvam must be patted for handling this subject in a very mature manner. He hasn’t resorted to violence, gore or skin show inspite of the scope for including such elements. The scenes when Johnny imbibes those animal instincts must have been a tight rope walk for the director and he has come out clean. The bull fight towards the end is a rocker.

Johnny is perfectly suited for such unconventional roles. In the entire movie he doesn’t remove his head-gear even once. The scenes in the first half when he slowly develops feelings for Gayathri are really well done by the young actor. The scenes with the old neighbor also make an impact. He has imbibed the characteristics of a dog, cat, bat, snake, bull and even a small insect. Must have been quite an effort!

Gayathri is a good find and she looks cute, has a good voice and emotes well too. Among the other characters, the desperate girl who tries to woo Karthik in the start is a real irritant. None of the guys would fall for such a girl, leave alone a recluse like Karthik.

Rohini is earnest as the doctor who is ever-willing to help Karthik. The guy who acts as Jackie is a revelation though he goes overboard at times in his eccentric act. His constant dialog ‘Kaadhal Vaazhga’ strikes a chord. His funny encounters with the police are also enjoyable.

The ego conflicts that a policeman experiences have been portrayed well and we actually start loathing the police officer. Credit to the characterization!

Cinematographer Shakthi has done a great job particularly in those animal instinct scenes as he has literally moved along with Johnny to capture the movements intricately.

The BGM score is another huge plus. The movie really gets a fillip thanks to this score. All the songs by Charles Bosco and Dinesh Kanagaratnam are good in their own way, though they are one too many. As a result, though the songs have been shot and choreographed well, monotony sets in.

Another minus of the movie is its length and the absence of detailing about Karthik’s disorder. The audience might also lose interest with the movie as monotony might set in, given the presence of eccentric characters who repeat their characteristics often.

On the whole, it’s a worthy attempt that has been shot well and performed capably. The director has tried to make the movie as mainstream as possible though the subject is about a psychotic disorder.

VERDICT: Good performances and fine film making make this worth a shot. 

Mirattal review

Yet another commercial masala movie where a street smart hero (Bablu) manages to make a dada's younger sister (Deepika) fall for him. The hero works with the dada (Shankar Dada) and somehow hides his love affair from the dada till the end when the latter finally realizes.

There is also a fierce enmity between Shankar and another gang which is baying for revenge. Shankar thus keeps his sister really protected and secluded. Situations turn conducive for the hero to develop his romance.  He saves his girl from the baddies and also gets the acceptance of the dada in the end. 

Comedy saves the movie from getting mundane. Mansoor Ali Khan is a riot as the wheelchair bound 'Periappa'. Pandiarajan also rocks as Bablu's father. Santhanam as Chari, Bablu's colleague, is the darling of the crowd with his typical gestures and characterization. Here too, he is taken for a ride by the lead hero. These three save the movie from sinking. 

Vinay is energetic and smart as the lead, his acting is pretty average though. Sharmila Mandre looks elegant and is acceptable as the female lead. Her costumes are very decent considering that this is a commercial movie. Prabhu is pretty funny when he hams at the top of his voice with an aggressive roar. Hie emotive skills are good as always. Ganja Karuppu is repetitive and it's pretty irritating to see him go through the motions in movie after movie. Yuvarani also has a small role as Prabhu's wife. Bablu's mother also has a likable role in the scheme of things. 

Shot in London partly, the movie's visuals are average. Music is pretty bad save some passable songs. The action blocks are as expected, cinematic.

To sum up, it is a comedy-driven mass movie that provides some harmless entertainment. Strict one time watch, that too for the comedy. You may watch it on the comedy shows on TV too. 

R.Madhesh has given a 'K.S.Ravikumar'esque movie. 

Defiance (2008)

This is the true inspiring story of the defiance put up by the Bielski brothers (Jews) against the Germans during the latter’s occupation of Belarus. These brothers lose their family (including parents, wife and kids) to the brutal Germans.

Tuvia and Zus, the elder of the brothers, have conflicts of interest due to their varied philosophies but their cause is the same. While Tuvia wishes to congregate all the surviving Jews as a single community, Zus wishes to go all out to take revenge against the Germans.

Later, Zus goes and joins the Russians in the fight against the Germans while Tuvia along with his brother and other likeminded survivors build a strong community where women and children are protected. Younger brother Asael even meets his life partner in this camp.

In this camp, the survivors scout for food in turns, all the women are trained to fight and all the survivors’ skills are used in some productive way.

Tuvia leads them through in-fighting, a bad winter, bad health and the rampaging Germans. There is a major battle with the Germans in the end which the camp survives and in the end the surviving Jews move to another camp site where they rebuild and manage to make a living. Zus also joins his brothers in the end after helping them in the battle and the Bielski brothers are reunited.  

The movie is grim due to the subject but is very well shot. The locations are authentic and the film making is top class.

Among the actors Daniel Craig as Tuvia has good screen presence while Live Schreiber as the aggressive Zus has the best role in the film. Alexa Davalos as Lilka is the romantic interest of Tuvia in the camp and she is truly beautiful. Jamie Bell as Asael also has a spunky role.

The other characters in the camp also make a mark particularly the intellectual, the teacher, the lady who is attracted to Zus, the lady who gives birth to a child at the camp and Asael’s wife Chaya.

On the whole, it is an uplifting story of defiance but is grim and serious given the subject. One time watch for sure. 

American Reunion (2012)

13 years after passing out of high school, the five friends who were introduced in American Pie - Kevin, Jim, Stifler, Oz and Finch get back together again for their reunion. Their lives have changed in a way while their first feelings of love and boyish aspects are still intact. Each of them has some reason to complain, but they realize ultimately that their lives have changed and they just accept it.

Jim and Michelle have lost the excitement in their marriage, Oz is a celebrity but yet to settle in life with a partner, Kevin is a married man while Finch and Stifler are unhappy with their boring jobs.

Oz and Heather still have feelings for each other which they realize and accept for good. Vicky and Kevin have brief friction before accepting that their lives have moved on. Finch gets a soul mate while Stifler returns the favor to Finch by making out with the latter's mom.

Stifler's mom and Jim's dad have a crazily entertaining affair kindled. These episodes and the scenes when Jim goofs up sexually are a riot. His scenes with his father are awesome as usual with the latter's forthright responses making Jim squirm in awkwardness. Neighbor Kara whom Jim used to baby-sit is the reason for an insanely funny sequence when she gets drunk, starts stripping and literally begs Jim to have sex with her.

All the characters that were seen in the first movie in 1999 make an appearance here and there and this adds to the feel-good aspect of the movie. All the actors have aged a wee bit but they still look good. Their respective characters' USP has been retained intact.

The movie ends in a real feel-good manner with a nice party where all the guys get some company and the friends part with the promise to get back for more reunions. 

This turns out to be among the best American Pie movies with its share of sexual comedy, cute sentiment and oodles of feel-good quotient. 

Thaandavam music review

2.5 / 5

Thaandavam marks the coming together of most of the Deivathirumagal team. G.V.Prakash reaches 25 films with this flick. The music launch was held in a grand event on the 15^thof August and now onto the music review

Adhigaalai Pookkal ...

G.V.Prakash

This is a short piece nonchalantly sung by GV. Just when we expect more, the song draws to a close. The voice takes prominence in this song with the percussions being kept subtle. A heavy Ilaiyaraja touch pervades.

A poem for you ...

Lilting piano notes and a small flute bit are part of this theme which is based on the tune of Adhigaalai Pookkal. It is too short to make a great impact but is neatly done.

Anicham Poovazhagi ... 

G.V.Prakash, Chinnaponnu &Velmurugan

This is a folksy celebratory number with a tune which is not new. The percussions have been kept typically rustic. This would depend on the visuals to give that extra push while the tune as such is a cheerful one.  The strings and flute that come during the first interlude have a nice ring while the nadaswaram also has a prominent presence.

Oru Paadhi Kadhavu ... 

Haricharan, Vandhana

Haricharan starts this song elegantly and he is typical while Vandhana matches up to make this a good duet. The humming bits try to infuse more feeling to the song. The string interludes before the second stanza stand out while the tune falls somewhere between Akkam Pakkam from Kreedom and Enadhuyire from Bheema. Would hit the charts soon!

Shiva Thaandavam ... 

S.P.B

This was the vociferous song sung by SPB that played along with the trailer. The lyrics talk about all the ‘thaandavams’ and we can expect this one to play along with some crucial scenes in the movie. The percussions in this song are very well done (mridangam, ganjeera etc.) while only the legendary SPB can infuse so much power and expression through his vocals.

Uyirin Uyire ... Thumbs Up

Saindhavi, Sathya Prakash

Another pleasant melody that has a Hindustani touch as well; GV has proven his prowess at Hindustani touches before. The flute makes a delightful presence in this song too like some of GV’s previous chartbusters while the tabla also goes in sync with the song’s mood. Saindhavi is delightful in this number! Though traces of ‘Pookul Pookum Tharunam’ might come to your mind, this song has its own merits too.

Will you be there ...

Alyss, Nithya Maria

This one is peppy and the tune is something like what you hear in Hindi rom-coms. The guitar is really refreshing and the vocals are anglicized probably to match Amy Jackson. Turns out to be a breezy number and it might pick up more with the visuals.

Yaaradi Mohini ...

Rahul Nambiar

The song is arranged like a club party number while the vocals are youthful. Another peppy number to round off the album. The rap bits don’t make much of a mark.

VERDICT: This being G.V.Prakash’s 25^thalbum, we expected something fresh from him. The tunes aren’t indigenous and the album though being decent to listen isn’t special like some of the young composer’s previous works like Mayakkam Enna and Aadukalam.

Marubadiyum Adhirudhulla !!!

The 3D version of Sivaji – The Boss, was presented before the media yesterday during the trailer launch. On the evidence of the trailer, we can safely say that Sivaji in 3D is going to be a bigger and grander spectacle than the 2D Sivaji which wowed the audiences in 2007.

The major highlight of Sivaji was Thotta Tharani’s extra-ordinary sets be it the palace set for ‘Vaaji’ or the glass house for ‘Sahana’. The beauty and magnificence of these sets would be doubled when seen in 3D. Thotta must be pleased by this 3D conversion even more, as the masses can get to see the entire beauty of his sets now.

The action packed Adhiradi song when we saw cars and bullets flying all over the screen, would be just that more special when seen in 3D. Expect a lot of oohs and aahs in the crowd.

Same with the gimmicks that Superstar did with the apple and the coin toss. The 3D trailer itself positioned these very well.

In the same way, K.V.Anand’s cinematography was blockbuster material and a 3D viewing would make it even more larger-than-life. The stunts in the drive-in theater and the climax fight when Motta Boss goes on a rampage flying from corner to corner are very much 3D friendly.

Given the fact that the movie’s length has been reduced to 137 minutes, some comedy scenes and dialog based scenes might have been chopped off. More importance to action and grandeur would have been the motto behind this 3D presentation.

A.R.Rahman’s musical score won’t be augmented as such by the 3D but the mass BGM score and lovely songs would be enhanced even more by the 3D visuals.

This pioneering effort helmed by AVM and Prasad labs is truly praiseworthy. So much effort has gone in thanks to so many technicians who worked in shifts to ensure this final output.

The producers are making sure that none of the Hollywood 3D extravaganzas release around their movie. In that way, a solo release would be guaranteed. When this 3D spectacle releases around September, one can expect the magic to be repeated again.

Ek Tha Tiger review

2.5 / 5

Releasing amidst humongous hype and with collection expectations of 200 crores straightaway, Salman Khan’s latest flick Ek Tha Tiger (ETT) hit more than 3300 screens in India alone. Kabir Khan directs this one.

This film is set around RAW and ISI agents, who put their life on the line every day. Tiger is one such Indian RAW agent who has been on the service since 12 years and he is a daredevil. He doesn’t have a private life and is always ready for the next mission. On one such mission in Dublin, he experiences the feeling of love for the first time through Zoya. After this, does he still put national duty above his feelings or does love take prominence? That’s ETT in a nutshell.

The film moves along breezily in the first half thanks to the natural chemistry between Salman and Katrina. Salman is at home doing all his funny antics while Katrina is beautiful as always.

In the second half, after a brief lull, the film just races towards the finish line with some blazing action pieces. At just over two hours, Ek Tha Tiger is a crisp action packed entertainer.

There is a small suspense element about Katrina’s role and she has given a terrific show in the stunts. The film in fact is worth the while thanks to the stunt choreography. Four stunt sequences, two each in both the halves, make our time worthy of the ticket admission. The stunt sequences in Cuba and Salman’s introductory fights take the cake. That said, the presence of a stunt double for Salman is evident in most places. Katrina seems to have done everything on her own though. Commendable!

Salman Khan’s screen presence is enough for his fans to go crazy. He has given what he is known for. He still looks youthful when he comes in dashing attires. 

Ranvir Shorey and Girish Karnad are the other two actors who occupy some screen presence with the former making a mark.

Sohail Sen and Sajid-Wajid have given commercial songs which entertain the masses. Laapata, Mashallah, Banjaara and the melodious Saiyaara are typical mainstream songs that hit the right note.

Aseem Mishra’s cinematography gives the film its grand look. His work in the action scenes in particular is truly racy. Shot in exotic locations like Cuba, Dublin and Istanbul, Yash Raj Films have made ETT a big screen experience thanks to the grandeur.

To conclude, though the film goes through a lull midway through, it picks up tremendous pace thanks to the grand action scenes and ends on a real high. A typical paisa-vasool flick, it turns out to be.

People go to a Salman film to get thoroughly entertained, and he has delivered yet again thanks to the stunts. Another blockbuster in all probability.

VERDICT: An action heavy Salman entertainer. 

Attakathi review - FIRST ON THE NET

2.5 / 5

Attakathi is yet another movie about love - that oft-repeated subject in Indian cinema. There have been numerous films and there will be many more about this feeling but does Attakathi provide a different take on love or is it the same ‘run of the mill’ boy meets girl stuff?

In the outskirts of Chennai, we see a guy named Dinakaran aka Dheena. He is a tutorial student due to repeated failures in clearing English in his Class 12 exams. He has his group of friends named ‘Lovers Boys’ and you guessed it right, their only job is to go on the footboard of buses and try their luck with every other girl they see. While his friends get lucky in love, Dheena is repeatedly snubbed and after awhile he becomes totally averse to love. But, when he meets his first love, Poornima, again the flames are rekindled. Will he get lucky in love for a change this time around? Watch the flick to find out.

The transition of Dheena from a naïve tutorial student to the roguish ‘Route Thala’ of his college is cool. The getup changes are also noticeable. When he encounters his first love again, the conflicts that he goes through are also well portrayed.

The standout aspect of Attakathi is its light hearted treatment. Most of the scenes make you smile even though the story as such is minuscule. The scenes are also repetitive as there are so many episodes in the bus. That said, the karate episode in the first half stands out for its solid humor.

The hero, Dinesh, has made a good debut but he is a bit conscious given the fact that it is his debut. He seems to be a natural and is a promising find.

The parents of Dheena are a riot with their loud demeanor. All the friends are the typical filmy ones who would go to any lengths to help our hero in matters of love.

It takes awhile for us to realize who the real heroine is, as there are so many girls (Divya, Nadhiya, Amudha) in the first half but finally we realize that Poornima is the one. Nandita, as Poornima, is cute and the typical homely girl next door.

The songs by Santhosh Narayan are on the mark be it the rustic Aadi Pona, the gaana Nadukadalula, the peppy Va Routu Thala or the melodic Aasai Or Pulveli. The BGM has the accordion prominently.

The cinematography by P.K.Varma isn’t out of the ordinary as the film’s setting is earthy and realistic. The film goes at a sluggish pace at times due to the repetitive scenes and when the movie gets serious, it stands out oddly.

But just when we feel that the movie is resolving on a familiar path, we get a pleasant shock. Watch out for that.

To conclude, Attakathi will make a major mark among the young male populace due to the subject. It is realistic; light hearted and turns out to be quite a ride, with its share of speed bumps.

VERDICT: Attakathi’s love life is one roller-coaster indeed. 

Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom Music Review

3 / 5

Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, popularly known as NKPK, had its audio launched by Kamal Haasan. Touted to be a laugh riot, this film made by a bunch of young newcomers is noted with interest. Now onto the music review.

Excuse Me Sir ... Thumbs up
Mano
Lyrics: Karthik Netha
Mano does the honors for this fast paced song. He is exuberant and energy personified. The lyrics are light hearted and there is a nice flute bit as well. The small rap portions have a nice ring to them.

Hey Crazy Penne ... Thumbs up
Ved Shanker
Lyrics: Ved Shanker
In this romantic number, the male lead compares his lover to a whole lot of things. Has nice scope for innovative picturization. The flute has a cute presence in this song as well while the string instrumentals before the first stanza are delightful. But the voice needn’t have been synthesized so much. 

O Crazy Minnal ...Thumbs up
Andrea Jeremiah
Lyrics: Karthik Netha
This number is the female reprise to the previous song. This concept of having 2 contrasting numbers that too in the same tune is very innovative. Andrea sings the song in her trademark anglicized voice. She has let herself loose and sung with lot of feeling. The acoustic guitar adds subtle value to the song which has a jazzy mood to it.

Omelette Potta
Ved Shanker
Lyrics: Facebook Fans
This is the song that has already grabbed some attention thanks to the trailer. The general mood of the song is riotous and the percussions follow the template set for ‘kuthu’ numbers. Another notable aspect of this song is the lyrics, which have been written by the Facebook fans of NKPK.

Medulla Oblongata theme ... Thumbs up
The standout aspect of this theme is its highly imaginative title. It goes perfectly with the general mood of the film and despite being subtle; it is highly enjoyable thanks to the unique sounds and the foot-tapping percussions. You might find yourself listening to this in a loop though it is really short.

Verdict: NKPK has a playful and innovative soundtrack. It definitely stands out from the general commercial albums.

The Dictator review

Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a psychic dictator in a country called Wadiya. He despises Iran and the US and his character is something of a cross between Saddam and Osama, thanks to his beard.

He conducts his own Olympics, acts in his own movies and is sort of a funny narcissist. He also has a fascination to sleep with celebrity babes like Megan Fox. 

His idea of humor is mostly perversely sexual. His trusted advisor Tamir (Ben Kingsley) wishes to bump him off and make Wadiya a democracy so that he can milk billions by letting in other countries to exploit the oil reserves.

But Tamir’s plans go wrong and Aladeen just loses his beard while a dumb double poses to the outside world as Aladeen. This dummy is equally weird and he is manipulated by Tamir so that he can sign the democracy agreement in the UN.

Now, in the US, Aladeen is just a common man to the outside world and only his former nuclear scientist Nadal recognizes him. Aladeen works with an activist Zoey (Anna Faris) at her store. It is inevitable that these two would be a pair by the end of the movie.

Whether Aladeen gets back his identity as the supreme leader of Wadiya, whether Wadiya becomes a democracy and what happens to Tamir and the dummy are the resolution of this film.

The sexual comedy is enjoyable at places while it gets too perverted at other times. Sample these

• A woman with ‘monster melons’ goes about bashing people and other things with her big boobs
• Zoey shows her hairy armpits and Aladeen makes fun of that in the weirdest ways. In fact Zoey is taken for a ride as Aladeen mocks her to be a guy who just grew tits accidentally.
• Zoey teaches Aladeen to masturbate and he takes that as a big achievement and advertises it to the entire store.
• When Aladeen helps a woman deliver her baby he puts his hand in her asshole instead of the vagina
• Aladeen’s  dummy milks a woman’s tits like how he milks his goat
• Aladeen shits right on a woman’s head while hanging on a rope between two skyscrapers

Towards the end, when Aladeen sarcastically makes fun of democracy in the name of trumping for dictatorship, we understand Sacha Baron Cohen’s intentions clearly.

Some of the words and tongue twisters that he pronounces are incredibly funny. The way Sacha says them with a stupid face makes them even more funny. 

This movie on the whole is a crazy ride with some insane sexual comedy. Ultimately when the movie ends, you will laugh. That’s for sure.