Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi movie review

The much acclaimed recent super hit. Finally, got the chance to see it. The movie is a light hearted college fare that is enjoyable most of the time. It's basically about how a pair fall in love, fall apart and then fall back in place again in the end.

The way Arun and Parvathi fall in love is pretty cute particularly the episode around missing one another through sms. They start falling apart gradually due to no particular reason. As Arun himself says, he behaved like a guy and she behaved like a girl. That's what happens every time they have a lengthy discussion.

Amala Paul's hairstyle is the clincher. It adds to her cutesy value. Siddharth manages to look boyish and he can pass off as a college kid even now in his early 30s. But, Siddharth's constant PTCs get tiresome beyond a point. The same voice modulation and the same frustrated gibberish about love failure.

Thaman's songs and BG score are in sync with the mood and feel of the movie. They are youthful and peppy. The 'Thavarugal Unargirom' song in the climax is well placed.

Parvathi's parents' problems in their marriage and subsequent patch-up is a prominent subplot in the movie. Suresh as Parvathi's dad has an atrocious wig in place. But, a good show by him. His wife in the movie looks ravishing. Arun's parents are very light-hearted and always trump for their son. The small references to FB are enjoyable. Another subplot is the love between Cathy and John and how Cathy's ex-boyfriend tries to play spoilsport between them. The 2 SS Music VJs Pooja and Shyam play these parts. The hunky Shyam has a long way to go in the acting stakes

Arun's 2 friends are a riot. While one keeps getting into trouble with some nonsense, the other makes us laugh with his innocent and fidgety moves with one of the junior girls in college.

On the whole, it is definitely a new experience.

VERDICT: Love, the most common parameter in our movies continues to entertain us through another take. 

Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal movie review

On the surface it looks like a typical love story between a Chennai IT guy Ram and Charu. Ram is approached by many girls but, he refuses to budge saying he already has a girl friend in Bangalore. He goes over to Bangalore for the weekend to spend time with her. Ram and Charu start off their bonding after they work together for a software competition in Bangalore.

After some time, when the same Charu comes to the Chennai office as the boss from the USA, Ram doesn't respond to her as he has been doing, when he goes to his Bangalore home on weekends. Charu also finds his behavior very weird and formal.

We wonder if there are 2 Amala Pauls in the movie. But, she is one and the same. We find out later that there are psychological strands to this tale. Delusions, as they say. Obsessive love is also touched upon.

Ram's past chronicles a very deep bonding with his mother. These portions showing the extent to which the mother goes, to take care of her son and the Kangal Neeye song are very touching

Whether Ram and Charu unite in the end or not is told with lot of shifts in the narrative. The structure is really non-linear and even confusing at times.

Atharva really has a solid future. He looks charming, trendy and handsome. His stunts are terrific. Has very expressive eyes that show a myriad of emotions. Just needs to improve his body language and remove the Vishal effect from his persona. Amala Paul is a seductress with her eyes and calm face. Another major highlight of the movie. She is decent in emoting and her dubbing voice is apt. Anupana Kumar as the mother is A-Rate. Santhanam's comedy falls flat, sadly. Jayaprakash impresses yet again as the doctor who advises Charu about Ram.

G.V.Prakash's songs are neat and popular already. But, too many songs pop up at frequent intervals. They spoil the flow. His BGM bits are shamelessly plagiarized at places. Here he has used one famous theme from 'A Beautiful Mind'. Sad that this youngster resorts to such practices while doing the BG score.

The stunts stand out quite oddly, though they are very well done by Atharva. His obsessive love is brought out through the stunts. No compromise has been done in the production. The product is rich though over-the-top at times.

VERDICT: Interesting most of the way. But, the premise could have been handled with more focus. 

Vettai movie review

The plot is set in Tuticorin and we have 2 brothers who are diametrically opposite to each other. While the elder one Thirumurthy is a timid man who fears everything, the younger one, Gurumurthy is a fearless bloke who doesn't mind getting into a hustle now and then.

Thiru incidentally gets into the police force after his father's death and he is helped by his brother while dealing with the rogues and rowdy elements in town, in the form of Mari and Annachi. The brothers get hitched to a pair of sisters. The elder pair's is an arranged marriage while the younger pair fall in love and get married later.

Thiru gains the respect of his colleagues and family due to his brother's timely 'action' interventions. The villains are baying for his blood and they eventually find out that Thiru is actually a timid guy and they bash him to pulp. Then with his younger brother's encouragement, Thiru turns a new leaf. It is like a rebirth and he goes around town wrecking havoc on the villains in his new 'action' avatar.

After a cliched climax where the brothers' wives are also dragged in, the villains are hunted and the 'vettai' is complete.

Hits

• The movie moves lightheartedly for the majority of the first half and it is enjoyable till then. Maddy and Arya bond well with their comic timing and their contrasts in character. In the second half when Arya and Amala play around with the NRI groom, it is entertaining too, thanks to the NRI guy's artificial accent and antics. 
• Amala Paul is really fresh and has a long career ahead. She carries off any costume gracefully and emotes well too. 
• Sameera goes overboard at times but is decent as the talkative and bold elder sister.
• The camera work by Nirav Shah makes the film look glossy. 
• The scene where Ajith's Mankatha intro scene comes on screen, sends the crowd into frenzy. The mini cameo by Jiiva on screen in the movie Ko is another mini-highlight. 

Misses

• The villains are cliched and are a caricature with their loud voices, stale punch dialogs, long hair, unkempt beard etc etc. For how long will this continue? 
• Whenever the movie becomes serious and action oriented, the audience mocks. Such is the formulaic treatment. The climax in particular is a major drag and is totally stale. The scene where Maddy gets up from the wheel chair seeing his brother getting hit, is hilarious and silly. Unintentionally funny scenes galore. 
• Arya and Maddy hardly look convincing in action and Maddy sucks during his dance in the opening number. 
• The BGM by Yuvan is a major letdown. 

Comments

• Average songs which have been placed just for sake to fill time. Kattipudi is the pick of the lot. 

VERDICT

The light hearted scenes make the movie watchable while there are lot of unintentionally funny scenes as well. Half baked hunt. 

Deiva Thirumagal (2011)

The Plot
A remake of the Sean Penn starrer "I am Sam". Vikram and baby Sarah reprise the 2 memorable lead roles of the mentally retarded man with the mental faculties of a 5 yr old and his 5 yr old cute daughter. If in the original, it is the Govt. that is against the father staying with his daughter, here it is the father-in-law's family that is against the father staying with his daughter.

Here also, a lawyer Anuradha takes up the case of the father Krishna, as he aims to reunite with his daughter Nila. Nila's mother dies during her birth and her sister Shweta comes to know about Nila and doesn't want to give her up. A senior lawyer Bashyam is on Shweta's side and is against Krishna's bid to get his daughter.

Krishna has his set of childish friends and he is a very good man at heart. He works at a chocolate factory and there are some comedy portions here, involving Krishna and 2 other workers. Anuradha also has her 2 sidekicks who provide some funny moments as they try to get a case desperately.

In the end, what happens to the father and his daughter and whether they reunite or not is the question.

                                                                     
Hits

• Dr.Vikram scales peaks yet again. As the naive, pure and childish Krishna he is A rate. But, heavily inspired by Sean Penn's act
• Baby Sarah is angelic and godly. Lovely emoting too. The father daughter bonding is the biggest highlight of the movie. Their pranks with their hands, their attempts at story telling etc. etc. are so touching and innocent
• G.V. Prakash is the biggest highlight of the first half as his mesmerizing BGM and songs take up the entire first half. This is his best work till date, by a mile. Maestro like. 
• Anushka looks elegant and acts well too. Amala Paul looks fresh but, a very minuscule part. 
• Santhanam looks very smart and provides some funny moments as he attempts to win the case for Krishna by manipulating the witnesses
• The childish friends of Krishna are also a take-off from "I am Sam". Good genuine fun nevertheless. 
• Other characters like Ragi and the factory owner also make a mark with their pure intentions. 
• Director Vijay's cute touches at showing Krishna's law abiding and helpful nature

Misses

• Some comedy scenes in the first half are irritating
• Vizhigalil Oru Vanavil song looks great and smashing on screen thanks to Nirav Shah, the editing and the visual effects. But, very poor placement.
• In the end, Anushka's efforts and character lose their weight. 
• Nasser appears brooding in the entire film. Quite an irritating and lengthy character portrayal. 

VERDICT

In-spite of the misses and the obvious inspiration, the movie makes a mark for its feel good nature