Argo review

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This movie is based on a true incident about the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. In a time of great animosity against the United States in Tehran, an Iranian mob attacks the US embassy in Iran and takes about 50 prominent diplomats as hostage. Six of them somehow escape the building and manage to sneak into the Canadian ambassador’s house. As the outside environment gets extremely hostile, these six stay indoors.

The reason for the Iranians’ bitter hatred against the US is due to USA’s support for the recently deposed Shah of Iran (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi), who was a brutal dictator.

The State Department responds to this situation and decides to do an exfil of these six. (Extraction or exfiltration). Tony Mendez, an exfil specialist and a CIA operative heads this mission to bring these six back home.

He uses the cover of a Canadian film production crew who are scouting for exotic Iranian locations for a sci-fi movie, and somehow manages to get into Iran. Tony takes the help of a makeup artist and a film producer. How he goes about rescuing these six and how they return home is told in a really gripping and thrilling manner.    

The film uses a lot of real life reference to make it more life-like. The original incident has been done full justice thanks to this authentic effort. In the end credits, we are shown pictures of the actual characters and President Jimmy Carter’s speech about this crisis is also played in the end credits.

The film is really gripping and thrilling. It falls under the political thriller genre perfectly. The witty dialogues in the movie are thanks to Alan Arkin’s inimitable style of delivery. ‘Argo fuck yourself’ is one such classic that is repeated many times in the movie.

The soundtrack adds to the tension particularly towards the end, during the airport sequence when Tony escapes with the six amid tight scrutiny and security. The shots of Iran’s busy streets and the bustling energy add to the involvement of the audience with the movie.

Oscar winning Alan Arkin is the most entertaining presence in the movie. Ben Affleck means business throughout the movie and looks brooding with his shaggy style. Director Ben Affleck snatches the cake from actor Ben Affleck. Hats off to him and George Clooney for producing this movie based on a real incident. 

FINAL WORD: It’s thrilling, gripping and engaging all the way. An uplifting experience, Argo is. 

Mayilu review

0.5 / 5

The film is basically a Partuthiveeran type story where a girl called Thogai Mayilu (Thomayilu in short) is obsessively in love with a guy named Chella Pandi. The film just meanders on and on and the only spike in the movie is when the hero is chosen as the village's priest thanks to the Godly tantrums that he throws when he is possessed.

How do these tantrums affect Mayilu and her love for the hero is the movie's crux. They have also thrown some light on the blind beliefs and superstitions about God that are prevalent in villages. The violent ending was totally uncalled for and is inserted just to make a bland movie somewhat spicy. 

Ganja Karuppu brings a half-chuckle thanks to some of his drunken antics. The rest of the village characters are so cliched and irritatingly loud. 

Shammu emotes very well and is the only minor-highlight in the movie along with Raja's music which has some above average songs. Sad to see the legend working in such movies. The characters in the movie start a word in Adyar and end the word at Avadi. That's how they drag and stretch every word in the name of Madurai Tamil. 

The hero shrieks to the maximum and shows all his teeth and cracks our eardrums when he throws the Godly tantrums. Other than that, he is a constipated presence in the movie.

This movie has the look, feel and treatment of a 1980s movie and my guess is it would have bombed big time in the 80s too. Mayilu had no business releasing now, one feels ... 

The movie on the whole is an ordeal. You might feel restless in the theater for the entire running length. My duty, had to see this one :). Audiences may happily skip this ... 

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

This one is about vengeance by the Jews against the Nazis. Nazi occupied France is the center of action and Shosanna Dreyfuss has a personal score to settle against the Nazis and Colonel Hans Landa, for an ambush four years prior to the present.

She is in Paris with a different identity and is the owner of a cinema theater which is chosen to be the venue for the premier of a new Nazi propaganda movie titled 'Nation's Pride' starring war hero Fredrick Zoller and directed by Joesph Goebbels who is a very important member of Hitler's Third Reich.

She plans to burn down her theater with all the important Nazis locked inside during the premier, thanks to the adequate inflammable nitrate film that she has at her disposal. She has a Negro helper with whom she is very close.

On the other hand, we have the eight 'Inglorious Basterds', a violent lot, led by Lieutenant Aldo 'The Apache' Raine, who is always on the lookout for Nazi scalps. This team has eccentric and extremely violent characters like Hugo Stiglitz and 'The Bear Jew' Donny Donowitz. They are a part of 'Operation Kino' which also entails placing explosives at the film premier and ambushing the Nazis. Operation Kino is a British initiative which also involves a popular German actress-agent Bridget von Hammersmark.

What happens to the above two plans which coincide at the same venue, whether they succeed and whether the Nazis are ambushed is the finale of this movie.

The film has lots of suspenseful scenes which slowly buildup to reach a violent crescendo. The introductory scene of Colonel Landa, the scene at the bar when some Germans are celebrating their colleague's new baby, the final theater burning scene are such examples of scenes which are beautifully executed in a patient manner.

Brad Pitt as Aldo Raine scores with his voice modulations, looks, gestures and accent while Christopher Waltz as the silent and mean Landa nicknamed 'The Jew Hunter' is a terror. Both these actors lift the movie considerably. Most of the Basterds make a mark thanks to their unique traits. Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent are the two beautiful faces with Melanie as Shosanna being a serene woman dying for vengeance against the Nazis. Kruger's fate is sad while Landa's passive 'deal' moves towards the end compromise the way in which his character was built-up till then.

The retro soundtrack at places makes a mark. There is also a lot of talk about German cinema and prominent directors of that time. The violence is again gloriously excess like other Tarantino movies. 'The Bear Jew' bashing Nazi heads with a baseball bat and Aldo carving the Swastika sign on the foreheads of surviving Nazis are classic examples of Tarantino's thinking.

The last dialog by Raine "I think this just might be my masterpiece" suits the movie and Tarantino pretty well too.

Rush movie review

1.5 / 5

The trailer of this Emraan Hashmi starrer directed by Shamin Desai looked notoriously similar to an earlier 2012 release named ‘Blood Money’. While that flick dealt with blood diamonds, ‘Rush’ is about sensationalism in the news media.

Samar Grover (Emraan Hashmi) is an ambitious investigative journalist who is always on the lookout for the truth in his news stories. Just as he loses his job in one news channel named ‘Pulse’ due to external influences, he is roped in by another channel named ‘Crime 24’ as the editor-in-chief. He gets all the pleasures in life overnight and as expected his relationship with his girlfriend, Ahana (Sagarika Ghatge), takes a beating. 

Inevitably, he also finds about the shady modus operandi of the channel which is headed by Roger Khanna (Aditya Pancholi) and run with the assistance of the glamorous Lisa Kapoor (Neha Dhupia). Samar gets into a mess soon and he is now on the run. How he manages to free himself from this quagmire is the finale of this short movie.

The film begins well and we are introduced to the street-smart and gutsy Samar. The handsome and stylish Emraan Hashmi plays it well in his typical youthful style. Few songs pop now and then without any consequence and the film races towards the interval despite being predictable all the way. Post that, the film has its moments of rush and action before the ending, which is on expected lines.

We also get a sermon about sensationalism in the media and how the public is also responsible for nurturing such journalism thanks to their craving for negative news.

Among the other performers, Neha Dhupia is hot as the seductress while the voluptuous Sagarika Ghatge is back after a hiatus as Emraan’s pair. She is sparkling and good looking in a unique way. Aditya Pancholi is majestic and suave as the rich villain who has some dubious philosophies about the news media and ways to garner TRPs.

The songs by Pritam have nothing new to offer though they sound good as always. The BGM of the movie has a heavy Hans Zimmer hangover while the camerawork gives the film a racy appeal.

Ultimately, Rush is a harmless movie that doesn’t offer anything exciting. It isn’t boring due to its short running time (less than two hours) but it isn’t impressive too thanks to the shallow script and seen-before treatment. And it is one of those rare Emraan Hashmi movies that doesn’t have steamy kissing scenes.

FINAL WORD: Rush isn’t ‘Breaking News’ as it is predictable, straightforward and has no thrills and twists. 

Aarohanam review

1.5 / 5

This film came with great hype as being one of the best offbeat movies to come out of Tamil cinema in recent times.

The film starts off with a hit and run incident where Nirmala (Viji) is knocked down by a speeding car driven by a rich businesswoman named Sandhya. We are then shown scenes of her two kids, Senthil and Selvi, frantically looking for her around the city along with her estranged husband.

Along with these searching scenes, we are also shown glimpses of Nirmala's past and near-past as a bi-polar and extremely moody woman. Her husband isn't able to tolerate her and finds solace in another woman.

The jumps in narrative are too many and we are not able to fully immerse ourselves in the search for Nirmala. What happens to her and whether she is reunited with her kids is the suspense factor which was supposed to be gripping. But, it hardly is. The non-linear nature of the movie is a drawback for sure and the lay moviegoer wouldn't appreciate such untimely jumps.

Just when we expect the film to be a really intense emotional roller-coaster ride, it loses focus big time when we come to know what actually happened to Nirmala after the car incident. The club song towards the end is another real drag.

K's music is the only plus point in the movie and the youngster's RR is soothing and haunting. The film has a very heavy Mysskin hangover in the way there are so many night shots. The mad beggar is another typical Mysskin character.

Viji's character (Nirmala) doesn't win our empathy thanks to her bi-polar acts which are overdone. She is a doting mother, a really steely woman who stands by her kids at all times but her character doesn't make a big mark.

After the opening title credits, we are led to believe that this film is an ode to motherhood but the film ends with a sermon about how bi-polar people have achieved greatness (Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon Bonaparte, Albert Einstein, Agatha Christie and even many cinema actors like Jim Carrey are listed as being bi-polar)

FINAL WORD: As the film ends, we don't feel anything and for a film that was meant to be a tribute to motherhood this indifference wasn't part of the equation.

Chakravyuh review

1.5 / 5

Director Prakash Jha is known for his issue based films that are hard-hitting and to the point. Let’s see what he has focused on in Chakravyuh, his latest starring Arjun Rampal, Abhay Deol and Esha Gupta in lead roles.

Here, Prakash Jha has thrown light on the Naxalites and their staunch communist philosophies. They are up in arms against the Indian government and rich businessmen who are out to exploit villages and the helpless inhabitants with their capitalist ideals. The policemen are caught in between as they are ordered to wipe out the Naxalites as per the whims of the politicians.

The only human relationship element of note in the movie is the one between SP Adil Khan and his close friend Kabir who infiltrates the Naxalites to help his friend gain some valuable intelligence info. What happens to Kabir as he increasingly starts believing in the Naxalites’ cause and whether the Naxalites are stopped in their tracks is the climax of the film.

The film doesn't have anything new to offer as we have already read about how capitalists exploit villages and drive villagers out of their own lands. The Naxalites’ rebellion against the government is another oft-read and oft-seen topic. In this film we also see how the villagers are caught between these two parties as they don’t know whom to trust and bank upon.

Arjun Rampal is a majestic presence in the movie and he must be among the most fit and trim police characters in Indian cinema. Esha Gupta as his wife is another policewoman who scores high in the looks department. Abhay Deol as Kabir has the best role in the movie as the undercover police informer and he delivers as always. Manoj Bajpayee as the Naxal leader has delivered better performances in the past and his role is muted. Om Puri is dignified as expected, as the senior Marxist leader. Anjali Patel as the fiery Naxal Juhi goes overboard with her vociferous outbursts.

There are a lot of encounters involving guns, bombs and other weapons. The action isn't extra-ordinary by any means though. The film didn't need any songs and the few songs that come are run-of-the-mill. Sameera Reddy’s item number is downright ordinary. The film has been shot in forests most of the way and there is some good work by the cinematographer Sachin Krishna. Salim-Sulaiman’s music is a letdown. The film also suffers due to the lack of entertainment and the slow pace. At 152 minutes, Chakravyuh is a long affair. There is also an overdose of the ‘Lal Salaam’ communist slogan.

With Prakash Jha’s name, one expected a film with more research, depth and something new and stunning. But Chakravyuh doesn’t deliver and despite the two strong male leads, the film doesn’t impress and turns out to be a long and predictable affair.

FINAL WORD: Slow and predictable movie that isn't worth the time.

The Prestige (2006)

A movie that dwells on the fascinating world of magic and one that educates the audience about the three acts in magic - pledge, turn and prestige.

It is shown through the lives of two rival magicians - Robert Angier aka 'The Great Danton' and Alfred Borden aka 'The Professor'. Each of them is obsessed about bettering the other and is always looking for the next stunning act.

'The Transported Man' of Borden becomes 'The New Transported Man' from Angier before Angier's final act 'The Real Transported Man' which is dangerous and unbelievable. The lengths to which Angier goes to get the machine which he uses for this act is truly obsessive.

The rivalry between scientists Thomas Alva Edison and Nikola Tesla is another minor plot. The world of science and engineering travels parallel to the world of magic.

As Michael Caine (ingenieur Cutter) says in the movie "obsession is a young man's game", both the rivals are truly obsessed and driven to outsmart each other. The women in Angier and Borden's life meet with unfortunate ends and Borden's ingenieur Fallon  has a major role in the movie as revealed in the twist in the end which is truly a suspension of belief.

Even if you are seeing the movie for a second or third time, when you come to know the truth behind Fallon and Borden, it is jaw dropping. As these scenes play out, you wonder what sort of a director Christopher Nolan is. It is just a simple trick but the way he presents it makes you wonder.

The repercussions of the machine which we see early in the movie through the hats and cats, is revealed again in the end in a shocking little moment before the end credits roll.

The movie is dark, grim and the look and feel of the movie also echoes the same. The music is minimal and the film is driven by the concept and the class actors in the movie such as Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall.

FINAL WORD: One of a kind movie about the fascinating world of magic. It's gripping all the way with never a slack moment.  

Student of the Year review

1.5 / 5

Karan Johar introduces three fresh faces in this movie which is set in a hi-fi high school. SRK’s Red Chillies Entertainment and Karan’s Dharma Productions present Student of the Year (SOTY).  

We are introduced to Saint Teresa high school in Dehradun which has the best facilities one can expect in a school. It’s in fact too good to be true. There is a gay dean and just a few imperfect students like a fat guy named Soto. The rest are all pitch perfect and straight out of a fashion show with chiseled abs, toned muscles and bikini bodies. The three main protagonists are Abhimanyu (Siddharth Malhotra), Shanaya (Alia Bhatt) and Rohan (Varun Dhawan) and you guessed it right, a love triangle slowly but surely develops between the trio.

There are countless scenes where the two male leads showcase their abs and the girls in the hall swoon in delight. Not to be left behind, Alia also flaunts her bikini body and it’s time for the guys to scream in ecstasy. A male exposing his toned body in a Hindi film seems to be a trend that the audiences have to accept, like it or not. Other than this, in scene after scene the leads move around in designer apparel and accessories.

The only point of note in the movie is a contest called ‘Student of the Year’ which is being run by the dean for the past 25 years.  The events that are a part of this contest are an IQ test, a treasure hunt, a disco dance contest on prom night (?) and a triathlon. In the final triathlon, a girl goes neck to neck with the guys and this is something even Olympic level athletes are incapable of. Women can’t perform at the same level on a sports field as the men. Guess, the director conveniently ignored this. And having a disco dance show to judge pairs of students is another joke.

How this contest takes along the main players in the movie on a myriad of emotions like jealousy, rivalry, inferiority complexes and hatred and whether all this bad blood is finally washed away in the end is the crux of SOTY.

The movie is pretty artificial and is covered in gloss thanks to the rich production values. The locations in Dehradun are really pleasing to the eye. The three youngsters who have made their debut with SOTY look superb and each of them has the star quality. But, they need to hone their emotive skills a lot. In this movie, they are required to look fab and they look the part for sure. Among them, the spunky Varun Dhawan is the best of the lot with Siddharth Malhotra having the potential to be a real sweetheart among girls. Alia Bhatt has a flawless complexion with nice features but she is just a work in progress. Rishi Kapoor as the gay dean is cute at times with his antics and crush towards the macho sports coach in the school. Ronit Roy as the coach and Ram Kapoor as Rohan’s rich dad are adequate in their roles. Why does the dad belittle his own son and have such a grudge against him?  

The only scenes that standout in the movie are the casual bonding and rivalry scenes between Abhimanyu and Rohan. The scene towards the climax when Soto speaks his heart out and terms the entire contest as a joke, is really impressive as he echoes the thoughts of the majority of the audience. Vishal - Shekhar’s music though peppy doesn’t have anything new to offer.

Karan Johar’s comeback to direction is just one grand showcase of beautiful people with perfect bodies. School kids and under graduate college kids might enjoy this movie which makes no demands on the audience’s intelligence.

FINAL WORD: Student of the Year is primarily the biggest fashion show of the year

Pizza movie review

3.5 / 5

Michael is a guy who works as a pizza delivery guy in 'Pitstop'. He is happy with his girlfriend Anu and both of them share a lovely 'Alaipayuthey' style relationship. They even get married after Anu gets pregnant unplanned. Anu is interested in ghosts and stuff while Michael doesn't believe in them and is even scared of them.

Michael's life turns upside down on a pizza delivery to a place called Smitha bungalow, which he learns is haunted. We are led on a real thrill ride filled with spooks and horror. The first half passes on in this house as Michael navigates around in the midst of three spirits.

Later we realize in a mighty twist what things exactly are. The twist is debatable and the director really springs a surprise, one must say. The movie becomes sort of Guy Ritchie meets Manoj Night Shyamalan. The movie ends in an open manner too upping the excitement even more.

This is one of those rare intelligent movies which has a very tight script. There is lot of scope for debate and analysis about the movie post its closure. Vijay Sethupathy arrests you in the first half with his scared reactions. The camera is high-res and the lighting is top class in the bungalow scenes. The BGM is apt and silence has been used to up the thrills. The songs are also in sync with the movie with 'Engo Odugindrai' towards the climax being a brilliant rock song. The jazz song sung by Gaana Bala comes as a ringtone in the bungalow scenes and it is really thrilling.

You may find yourself covering your face at many points in the first half as the scares are really there. The audience releases the tension by passing out some comments and shrieking. That's part of the enjoyment in such thrillers.

Remya Nambeesan shares scintillating chemistry with Vijay and the first part of the movie breezes past thanks to them. Special mention also to the thrilling opening credits akin to Paranormal Activity.

FINAL WORD: Very tight and intelligent movie with a pretty surprising twist. Almost like two different films. MUST WATCH. 

Thiruthani movie review

0.5 / 5

This is another typical Perarasu movie where the hero has a big loving family, woos a girl very easily and then considers bashing baddies to pulp as his only motive in life. A military man (he even terms it an army strategy) acts as the key in turning the hero from a self-centered man into a 'one man demolition force'. The hero has a flashback as to why he is a self-centered man. The military man's so called 'army strategy' is however pretty lame :)

Bharath must be among the saddest cases in the industry. A hero who is capable and who looks the part, is just wasting his prime years by doing such trash. Sunaina plays the dumb chick who is easily lured by the hero and she provides a feast of her navel and svelte shape in all the songs. The gym scenes serve as a good showcase of Sunaina's 'assets'. Rajkiran is dumb for most of the movie until a flashback tells us why he is so dumb and inactive in the earlier part of the movie. This must rank among the weakest roles in this powerhouse actor's resume.

Songs pop up like corn now and then and they are all pathetic to put it mild. The picturization follows the typical template. Lesser said about the BGM, the better. Perarasu handles the music department as well. He even appears in a bold cameo and one wonders how can a person be so blindly confident, bordering on stupidity.

The villains are weak and the fight scenes are so easy for the hero. Bharath's physique is solid. The movie has a lot of product placement initiatives from brands like Poorvika, Pothys and a dhoti brand. Smart filmmaker huh, Mr.Perarasu.

Ultimately people won't have much expectations from a Perarasu movie and the movie is exactly what you expect - loud, brash and bordering on trash. It provides some unintentional entertainment too. Thirupachi, Sivakasi rebooted. There are lots of references to Vijay and Ajith and one feels Bharath is capable of much better stuff than trying to please these mass heroes' fans.

FINAL WORD: Watch it only if you are really desperate to leave home

Aadhalaal Kaadhal Seiveer music review

2.5 / 5

Mella Sirithal ... CHEERS

This song will probably be another addition to the long list of hit songs sung by Yuvan. The portion when the movie’s title is rendered by Yuvan, in his trademark high pitch, is the highpoint of the number. There are a lot of quirky sound effects in this heavily auto-tuned number. Though the tune is not altogether new, it is peppy thanks to the way the song has been put together in a hip manner.

Alaipayum Nenjile

Udit Narayanan is in his trademark ‘biting Tamil’ form. His nasal style goes well for such a genre of song which is light and breezy. The lyrics border on love, lust and friendship. Nice string instruments dominate the song all through with a different percussion pattern.

Thappu Thanda

This is a melody number in the Ilaiyaraja template with more focus on the vocals. The song starts off very interestingly when we can’t decipher if it’s a male or female singing. Yuvan has garnished it at places with his modern sensibilities. Ultimately, it is an intense ‘old school’ melody song with lovely string instrumentations typical of the Rajas. This duet sung by Javed Ali and Bhavatharini will grow on you. 

Poovum Poovum

This number has a pretty unique percussion pattern comprising electronic beats and synthesized effects.  It’s an unconventional number on the whole which has been produced well. Vijay Yesudas is his typical nonchalant self.  This would probably be an intimate song between the lead pair.

FINAL WORD: AKS is an interesting Yuvan album which offers something new and has his trademarks too. These songs aren’t the type that would set the charts on fire.

Aiyyaa review

2 / 5

Aiyyaa is from the Anurag Kashyap school of filmmaking and promised something different. The basic plot is one of romance and it has been executed in a very wacky and innovative manner. The movie has been directed and written by Sachin Kundalkar and stars South Indian superstar Prithviraj opposite the ultra-talented Rani Mukherjee.

Meenakshi is a typical middle-class Maharashtrian lady who is pretty frustrated with her mundane life which is populated by weird characters. To break loose from the drama in her dirty house, she escapes into a fantasy filmy world in which she imagines herself to be the heroine in popular films of the 90s. Her mother wants to get her married off at the earliest to any good groom but Meenakshi desires a South Indian painter named Suriya. Meenakshi literally smells him wherever he goes as she has a heightened sense of smell. Till the end, she is not able to express her feelings to him and whether she is able to come out of her shell and reveal her feelings to Suriya forms the rest of this wafer-thin plot.

Meenakshi’s house is a real madhouse with a weird blind grandmother who is bound to the wheelchair but her mouth knows no bounds. Her father is always busy with the multitude of phones at the house and with his cigarettes while her younger brother is obsessed with his four dogs. Her mother’s only goal in life is Meenakshi’s marriage. If this is the case at home, at the library at which she works, Maina (played by Anita Date) is her colleague and she is a bucktoothed film crazy dancer who dresses in the most bizarre ways. It takes guts to play such a character for sure.

The grandmother and Maina give the film its best moments with their absolutely crazy acts. The way Maina talks is another laugh-worthy aspect though it is equally irritating too.  

Rani Mukherjee is the heart of the movie and she is expressive and lively as always. The portions when she learns Tamil to communicate with Suriya, are delightful thanks to her childish shrill voice. ‘Pakkoda’ Pandi has a cute cameo as Meenakshi’s Tamil teacher and the bridge between her and Suriya. Prithviraj as Suriya is hunky and starts mouthing some lines only towards the end. It’s a neat performance from him towards the end when we can see good chemistry between him and Rani. As said before, all of Meenakshi’s family members and her colleague have breathed life into their characters and bring a chuckle in us, now and then. There is also a character named Madhav, who likes Meenakshi and is ready to marry her and he is what they call ‘perfect husband material’ (as Maina brands him in the movie)

The movie is well made and the BGM score by Amit Trivedi lifts the movie a notch. It resembles Barfi’s soundtrack (guess both the composers were inspired by Amelie’s soundtrack). The Dreamum Wakeuppam song was a real eye sore before the movie released and the song turns out to be an irritant on screen too. It gives the feeling of watching a ‘midnight masala’ episode (that’s how the song is positioned in the movie too). There are few foot tapping songs but the sensual one towards the end is another needless interlude. Rani’s belly dance moves in this song are intricate though.

Rani Mukherjee’s costumes and dance moves for these dance numbers border on the crude and we may wonder why such an accomplished actress needs to do such numbers.

The length of the movie and the shallow plot also count among the other bloopers in the movie. One may find the movie annoying too at times thanks to the inactivity and Meenakshi’s sniffing scenes have also been overdone. Even a sniffing dog needs a break at times. But Meenakshi is relentless.

To conclude, ‘Aiyyaa’ entertains and annoys too.

FINAL WORD: Well-made and well enacted; the snail paced ‘Aiyyaa’ has its moments 

Taken (2008)

Bryan is a retired CIA agent who is forced to go to Paris after his 17 years old daughter Kim is kidnapped by a bunch of people who lure tourist girls into drugs and prostitution. Kim goes with her friend Amanda to Paris on a European tour. Bryan needs to revisit his skills as he encounters a lot of dangerous men. Our invincible hero overcomes all the odds and gets back his daughter.

The film makes a solid connect thanks to the lead hero's emotional mission to get back his daughter. We root for the old warhorse Liam Neeson all the way. He speaks some wicked punch lines with his majestic voice. Maggie Grace as Kim is a natural be it in her girly excited ways or in the final scene when she sees her dad and says "You came for me" amidst flowing tears.

FINAL WORD: A firm fan favorite for the emotional mission which has been done very crisply and in an action packed manner.

Maattrraan review

3.25 / 5

The much expected Maattrraan finally released today. On to the review straightaway!

We are introduced to the conjoined twins Vimalan and Agilan who are born with a common heart after a failed experiment by their father, who is a genetic scientist. He actually intended to give birth to a superhuman through his experiments but it doesn’t work out the way he planned.

The twins are totally opposite to each other and as they grow up, their father also becomes a big shot and has a company named Locus Lacto, which sells a milk product called Energion that brings their father to the limelight thanks to its supposed performance enhancement capabilities. This powder is meant for children.

We also have a Russian journalist named Volga who wishes to dig out this company’s secrets and she is relentless. The twins (Suriya) meanwhile befriend Anjali (Kajal) who happens to be a Russian translator and Vimalan and Anjali fall in love too. Volga’s intentions are understood by Vimalan after a point and he comes to know from her that she has a lot of evidence about the Locus Lacto Company in a pen drive. These evidences point to a lot of wrongdoing on the part of the twins’ father in his company.

Why is there such a fuss about Energion? Why is Volga so bent on exposing the Locus Lacto Company’s modus operandi? In search of all the truth, there are lives lost and the action shifts to a country which was part of the erstwhile USSR (Ukvania is what they say). And Suriya is at the center of all the action as expected. He uses adequate doses of brain and brawn to bring to light the truth.

The director has exposed how professional sports athletes are forced to take extra medications and shady supplements by their own country’s officials, ahead of big international sports events just to boost their medal tally. The repercussions and consequences of such drugs are also shown. He has also touched open how genetic science can be a potent weapon in the coming years (this was touched upon in 7aum Arivu too)

Cheers

• Suriya’s hard work in shooting each scene twice is palpable. That said, the VFX for all the scenes when the conjoined twins are shown, is substandard to put it mild. Expected much more authenticity in this department.
• Suriya’s antics as the extroverted and outgoing Agilan are enjoyable. His styling is trendy. His prowess at dance and stunts are visible yet again. He is adept at emoting too. Another solid show from the star.
• Harris’ songs sound great on screen thanks to the beautiful picturization. Rettai Kadhire is a delight while Theeye, Nani Koni and the two songs in the second half are decent too. The locations in Nani Koni are dreamlike and Suriya has differentiated his actions and body language for his two characters in the songs.  
• Kajal is refreshing and she rocks in the Kaal Mulaitha Poove number with her flexibility and long legs. She is more than just the eye candy and is there for most of the movie. Should prove to be a good break for this charmer. 
• The pre-interval scenes in the theme park are the best part of the movie. The fight between the conjoined twins and a group of thugs on the rides in the theme park, have been very well executed. Must have been an ordeal. Hats off. The film also makes a huge emotional connect in this portion. Catch the flick to find out.

Jeers

• As said before, the VFX for the scenes showing the conjoined twins is very ordinary.
• The film drags towards the end with elaborate stunt scenes (reminiscent of the climax fight in 7aum Arivu) and a long scene in a cave in Gujarat.
• Harris' BGM has a few recurrent themes - a loud distortion guitar portion, some loud male chorus chants and a dramatic classical humming with veena and mridangam support. This movie needed more in this department.  

Comments

• The villain’s intentions actually make you wonder if such a crude thought process can actually exist.
• Kajal is actually the voice of the movie in the 2^ndhalf as there are lot of scenes involving translations and narrations. Don’t know how the general masses would take to the second half.
• This is not a mindless movie. You ought to pay a lot of attention to what’s happening on screen. 

FINAL WORD

Commercial entertainer with a difference. Worth a watch for people who are prepared to pay attention to what’s happening on screen. It’s not mindless.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan music review

4 / 5

Movie: Jab Tak Hai Jaan (JTHJ)

Cast: Shahrukh Khan (SRK), Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma

Director: Yash Chopra

Music: A.R.Rahman

Lyrics: Gulzar

JTHJ marks the last time that the legendary Yash Chopra would be directing a film. It has a tremendous cast in the form of SRK with two beautiful heroines, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. The coming together of the Rahman, Gulzar and Yash Chopra team has sent the hype meter soaring. Have they fulfilled all expectations?

Challa … CHEERS

Rabbi Shergill

This is a beautiful soft rock song with delightful guitars, passionately rendered by famous Punjabi singer Rabbi Shergill. The visuals have already given us a glimpse of what to expect with SRK in full flow, charming people on the streets of London with his guitar. The small classical touches in the second interlude speak of A.R.Rahman’s class. The song has slight traces of Rabi’s famous song ‘Bulla Ki Jaana’ and it seems SRK learnt to strum the guitar to make it look authentic on screen.

Saans … CHEERS

Shreya Ghoshal and Mohit Chauhan

The song begins with nice string orchestration, which serves as the baseline at places, and a haunting humming portion. Shreya Ghoshal is truly delightful in this mellifluous number which has dholak and electronic percussions alternating. The flutes in the first interlude are typical of Rahman while the violins lend a grand touch to the song.

Saans Reprise

Shreya Ghoshal

This is a sadder version of the previous song and Shreya does the honors, solo here. The dholak percussions are kept low key. The beautiful violin portion in the end makes the song even more intense.

Ishq Shava

Raghav Mathur and Shilpa Rao

This is an ordinary tune with pumping beats and good guitar backing. String instruments like oud and mandolin have been used to add more value. This song has sort of a heavy Middle Eastern hangover at places, particularly the superb second interlude which is pounding.

Ishq Dance

Instrumental

This is entirely driven by a variety of percussion instruments (drums by Ranjot Barot). This will be a good practice number for aspiring dancers. The theme picks up momentum after the male chorus’ entry.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Javed Ali, Shakthisree Gopalan

Javed Ali made hearts soar with his ‘Ishaqzaade’ track and here he is back with a similar track. This is the title track with nice string orchestrations but the ‘dholak’ beats and the female vocals don’t fit in seamlessly. Full marks to Javed Ali though. The song would grow on you with repeated listening.

Jiya Re … CHEERS

Neeti Mohan, Rap: Sofia Ashraf

We are welcomed to this song by nice guitar notes (by Chandresh Kudwa) and the spunky vocals of Neeti (she has been a part of many live shows of Rahman). She is talented for sure and makes the song work with her enthusiastic voice. The rap portions integrate well with the song which works well on the whole. The impressive second interlude has fast paced strings and a nice high pitched flute. Towards the end, when the violins overdub Neeti’s voice, it sounds beautiful.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan - The Poem … CHEERS

This is the blissful poem presentation that we saw in the trailer. The theme begins with profound guitar strums and has been passionately rendered by SRK. The string instrumentations are mesmerizing and towards the end, the distortion guitar and acoustic guitar present nice contrast.

Heer … CHEERS 

Harshdeep Kaur

This is another song with dholak percussions and guitar baselines. Harshdeep Kaur renders the song with lot of feeling. She rocked the peppy yet intense ‘Katiya Karoon’ song in Rockstar but this one is totally serious. The tune of ‘Saans’ has been played in a lovely manner by the strings in the second interlude. Heer would grow on you and become a slow yet strong favorite. It is very intense when Harshdeep brings the song to a close with her humming towards the end.  

FINAL WORD: Rahman has given an album which oozes with passion and would be a treat for the romantics. It’s a nice parting gift for the legendary Yash Chopra who is directing his last film. SRK’s romantic image would get a big shot in the arm thanks to these numbers.

Podaa Podi music review

3.5 / 5

Cast: STR, Varalakshmi Sarathkumar

Music: Dharan

Director: Vignesh Shivaa

Podaa Podi is STR’s dance treat for his fans along with debutante Varalakshmi Sarathkumar. The movie also promises a nice romance between the lead pair. Dharan has composed the music for this movie which is planned as a Diwali release. The music of the movie was directly launched in stores and the net.

Appan Mavanae Vaadaa … CHEERS 

STR

Lyrics: Vaalee

This is a different cheeky song that talks about the love that a dad has for his expected baby. The informal lyrics by the legendary Vaalee are sure to standout for being so colloquial but the words get immature at places. The tempo of the song is relentless at places thanks to the beats and all the native instruments. The baseline loop is very catchy and there is a lilting flute portion in the first interlude. STR’s voice has been auto-tuned well in the high pitches and the song ends very well too. Will be a favorite with the youth, all the way! 

  

Hare Rama Hare Krishna

Dharan Kumar

Lyrics: Vignesh Shivaa

This is a feel-good candy floss romance song. Very peppy and goes well with the genre of the film. Has a nice rhythm and ensures a pleasant refreshing experience. The violin portions in the first interlude add more depth to the song. This might become a favorite with the romantics and the ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ refrain might become a ringtone too.

I am a Kuthu Dancer … CHEERS

Shankar Mahadevan, STR

Lyrics: STR

This is a riotous dance number intended to position STR’s enviable dancing skills. It would send the feet tapping for sure thanks to the ‘dapankuthu' beats. The distortion guitars have a prominent presence to increase the song’s rock feel. The song shifts gears higher halfway through and we get to hear all of STR’s hit songs’ lyrics. This might probably be one of the movie’s highlight sequences particularly for STR fans. The song ends in a blaze of thumping percussions.

Podaa Podi

Benny Dayal, Andrea Jeremiah

Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar

This is the song that talks about the lead pair’s bonding and chemistry. It begins on a cute note with harmonica and has nice breezy guitars and cool trendy vocals by Benny Dayal and Andrea. This one has already caught on thanks to the trailer particularly the ‘Podaa Podi’ refrains.

Love Panlaama Vaenaama … CHEERS

STR

Lyrics: STR, Vignesh Shivaa

This number has already become a rage among the youth for the typically debate-worthy lyrics penned by STR. The song begins with ‘videogame’ish music and then the super groovy beats pickup. It is in the hip-hop genre with STR doing a fabulous job akin to Eminem. The mixing for this track lifts the track several notches higher while there are some elaborate dramatic instrumental portions. On the whole, it is a cute number and a winner all the way for STR, the singer and lyricist.  

Un Paarvaiyilae

Sindhu, Moonisha, Pradeep

Lyrics: Vignesh Shivaa

This is a rock and roll song which is cheerful. The vocals style is pretty unconventional at parts. There are funky guitars, drums, piano and brass instruments which go with the rock and roll mood of the song. The chorus parts have a choir effect. 

Maattikittenae

Naresh Iyer, Suchitra, Benny Dayal

Lyrics: Vignesh Shivaa

This song has trance effects and the vocals have been heavily auto tuned. There are lots of quirky electronic sounds as well as a peppy accordion track that visits the song at places. The Maattikittenae refrain is catchy. The song gets a bit of a party mood towards the end.

Theme of Podaa Podi … CHEERS  

Instrumental

The theme starts with a very likable and subtle guitar and piano portion. It then becomes an eclectic mix with flamenco touches replete with tapping beats and a prominent Chinese style strings and flute portion. We also have a wonderful symphony portion reminiscent of 7G and 3. Superb effort on this one!

FINAL WORD: 

The music perfectly complements the fact that it is a dance based romance flick. STR’s moves will make the dance numbers shine even more on screen while his Appan Mavanae song is one of a kind for sure. The album‘s breezy songs are also impressive. Dharan is bound to get a good break with Podaa Podi.

Thuppakki music review: FIRST ON THE NET

3 / 5

Cast: Vijay, Kajal Aggarwal

Music: Harris Jayaraj

Director: A.R.Murugadoss

Audio launched on 10th October. 

7 songs in all, including a theme. Now, onto the review. 

Kutti Puli Koottam … CHEERS

Hariharan, Tippu

Lyrics: Viveka

This is a foot-tapping number rendered by the evergreen Hariharan and the energetic Tippu. Provides ample scope for Vijay to indulge in some good dance moves and entertain his fans. The instrumentals also compliment the fact that it is a dance number. This ‘bhangra’ type song with steady ‘dholak’, ‘tabla’ beats is apparently set in the midst of an army regiment given the fact that Vijay plays a military man in the movie.  

Antarctica

Vijay Prakash, Krish, Rap – Rajeev

Lyrics: Karky

This is a typical Harris Jayaraj peppy number with good beats and sung by his regulars like Vijay Prakash and Krish. We come to know that Kajal’s name in the movie is Nisha (her real sister’s name). Karky’s lyrics are bound to interest the discerning minds. Might depend on the visuals for that extra push!   

Poi Varavaa

Karthik

Lyrics: Pa. Vijay

This track is mellow and the lyrics have patriotic traces pointing to the military. The supporting instruments like guitar and piano are also very subtle. Well sung by Karthik but this is again a familiar genre for Harris. The nice trumpets portion in the second interlude stands out in this soft number.  

Google Google … CHEERS

Vijay, Andrea, Rap – Joe, Krishna Iyer

Lyrics: Karky

This is the much hyped hip hop party track rendered by Vijay himself along with Andrea. The song will catch on with the young minded. Vijay’s voice is soft and smooth as always and his vocals live up to the pace of the song along with the stylish Andrea. The rap portions are really groovy and lift the song. The small veena and violin touches are cool too.  

Vennilave

Hariharan, Bombay Jayashri

Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar

The song begins with Hindi lyrics and then we get a slow paced melody. Bombay Jayashri is back to sing for her favorite composer. The sarangi and the ghatam have been used prominently along with a nice flute portion in the second interlude. Reminds you of Ragasiya Kanavugal from Bheema but the Hindi portions are impressive.    

Alaikaa Laikaa

Javed Ali, Sayonara Philip

Lyrics: Pa.Vijay 

The song has some retro style instrumentations, thumping beats and turns out to be a typically fast Vijay number. You might be reminded of ‘Thanjavoor Bommakari’ from Sura. The small flute bit after the second interlude and the electric guitar portions are the ‘piece de resistance’ of the song. The lyrics are run-of-the-mill, one feels.

Jagdish on Mission (Theme)

This theme has been intended to sound inspirational and heroic. It has been auto-tuned well. The theme shifts to becoming more action packed and faster with rocking guitars, after a point of time before ending again on a softer note. Good one on the whole with the softer part of the theme being particularly better. 

FINAL WORD:

Nice entertaining album from Harris Jayaraj, designed to please Vijay fans. 

The Raid: Redemption review

The movie is all about a SWAT team raid on the most notorious mobster (Tama) in town. He is holed up in a huge mansion where he houses a lot of criminals on rent. Two men are always by his side (Andi and Mad Dog), one his brain and the other his mean fighting machine.

Most of these cops are rookies straight out of training including the best of the lot, Rama. They are led by an inspirational sergeant (Jaka) while their commanding Lieutenant (Wahyu) is shady.

Rama’s own brother turns out to be Andi and the way Rama tries to convince Andi to come back with him is a sub-plot to the movie.

The movie has some unimaginably brutal action scenes, very high on style and impact with a pulsating soundtrack to boot. The one between Andi, Rama and Mad Dog in the climax is a clincher for its sheer ferocity and brutality. 

The scenes when Rama tries to give his injured colleague urgent medical care amid a slew of killers gunning for blood, is really gripping. Rama singlehandedly wipes them out with some stunning martial arts display. 

The mansion is such a dirty and raw place. Nicely set up. The action scenes are dangerous to say the least. The number of kicks, punches and gun shots is just impossible to keep track of. The martial arts form that is portrayed in this movie is called Pencak Silat. So stylish, fast and seamless. 

All the lead actors are terrific in stunts. Iko Uwais as Rama is a handsome action hero. The character Mad Dog turns out to be an animal literally. What a brutal man who just refuses to die in his final showdown with the brothers. 

FINAL WORD: One of the best action flicks ever. Brutal and raw stuff. 

Aadhi Bhagavan music review

3.5 / 5

Aadhi Bhagavan marks the fifth association of the Ameer – Yuvan combo and this flick has been branded as a Mafioso Love story. Jayam Ravi sports stylish beards and a rugged look in general while Neetu Chandra is his pair. The audio of this movie was launched recently in Toronto in a grand Yuvan concert.

Agadam Bagadam

Singer(s): Mohit Chauhan

Lyrics: Manoj

This is a complete Hindi number, rendered by the talented Mohit Chauhan. It has been treated like a club song with the typical sounds that one associates with such numbers. Yuvan is known for such rugged songs with Arabic shades. The trumpets and the guitar touches stand out though the tune is not-so-new. The song might grow on you and we can expect some action packed visuals.

Eisalaamey Eisalaam

Singer(s): Manasi Scott, Rahul Nambiar (Harmony)

Lyrics: Snehan

This sounds like a seducing item number and it is catchy thanks to the cheery sensual vocals of Manasi. The native violin and the flute gel with the naughty and peppy mood of the song. This number also has Arabic shades particularly in the second interlude.

Oru Thuli Vishamai … CHEERS

Singer(s): Sharib Sabri, Shreya Ghoshal

Lyrics: Snehan

The cello notes at the start up the expectations from this number. The song has healthy Hindustani and Classical shades thanks to the tabla’s presence, the ‘thanams’ and the ‘swara’ portions. But it is tough to slot this song in one genre as it crisscrosses genres beautifully. The small instrumental portion in the second interlude warrants special mention. On the whole, a sophisticated experimental attempt by Yuvan which has been very well sung by both the singers! 

Yaavum Poithaanaa … CHEERS

Singer(s): Madhushree

Lyrics: Snehan

Superb piano notes and tabla beats (reminiscent of Billa 2’s Idhayam) set the tempo for this song. A mellifluous melody it is. Nice job on this with Madhushree being typically child-like in her pronunciation. The second interlude soars with superb instrumentation and when she sings accompanied by an orchestra of strings, it is blissful.

Bhagavan Rap Song … CHEERS

Singer(s): The Prophecy, Sathyan

It starts off akin to a popular Kanye West song and the rap is catchy to say the least. This is another new attempt with the rap talking about the gangster Bhagavan’s life. The way kids have been included among the vocals makes this one sound cute as well.

Kaatriley Nadanthene

Singer(s): Udit Narayan, Shweta Pandit

Lyrics: Arivumathi

Begins in classical mode and proceeds to be an intense romance pathos song with an interesting choice in the form of Udit Narayanan. His pronunciations are yet to get that polish while Shweta Pandit doesn’t inspire too. There are elaborate strings to give that dramatic touch to the song. It ends very well though thanks to a haunting sitar portion. 

FINAL WORD: The album sounds rich and has wide-ranging songs. This turns out to be another winner for the Ameer – Yuvan duo. The racy songs gel with the gangster genre of the movie while there are ample melodies as well to back the romance portions.