180 movie review

The Plot

Ajay comes to Kasi and decided to lead a fresh life as Mano after seeing the careless attitude of a small kid towards death. He then moves to Chennai and gets a home and helps all the people around him. His policy is to live for the day and not bother about the past or future.

He helps the small newspaper boys; he helps his house owners set up a mess etc. His neighbor Vidya, a reporter falls for him due to his jovial, playful and helpful nature. She confesses his love for him but he refuses. Later, due to a freak accident, Ajay is forced to take Vidya to the US for treatment.

There he revisits his past, his love marriage with Renu, an NRI girl. He was actually a doctor and he uses his contacts to get Vidya treated in his very same hospital. What leads to his present attitude and state, is told in the flashback that moves in parallel with the present. The significance of the title is also proved in the flashback scenes. 

                                                                      

Hits

• Siddharth is perfect for the role of the cheerful NRI doctor. His costumes are awesome and he looks very handsome. He contrasts well during the emotional scenes
• The 2 heroines are very expressive and emotive in their own way. While Priya Anand is so slim and svelte with some terrific costumes, Nithya Menon is voluptuous and cute at the same time. Both act very well though; Nithya’s costumes don’t suit her huge frame. 
• The film has high production values rivaling Hollywood films. The cinematography by Balasubramaniam is a major plus. The US locales are a real treat to the eye and the final Rio de Janeiro shots are a real dream. 
• The songs by Sharreth are superb. Many hit songs and the opening song in particular "Rules Kidayadhu" shot at 1000 frames per second with awesome detailing is a huge highlight. 
• The 2 friends Julie and Sambasivam play apt foils to the lead roles.
• Some of the love scenes and dialogs are enjoyable. 

Misses

• The film drags in the second half, the emotional scenes in particular 

VERDICT

A Manirathnam style romantic movie that is worth watching for the beautiful people, beautiful locales and the beautiful songs. 

Venghai movie review

The Plot
It is set in a village Pandiapuram where Veerapandian is the most respected and feared person. Sort of don of dons. Rajalingam is elected as the Sivagangai district MLA through Veerapandian's goodwill. Selvam is his son who is sent away to Trichy to lead a calm life. Selvam respects his dad like a God.

He falls in love with Radhika, his school days flame and a demure woman. Their love has the fair share of misunderstandings and family related problems. As expected Rajalingam is corrupt and he is against Veerapandian's domineering ways which are always for the good of the village.

They both are after each other's heads. Which party wins, is the story. As expected the hero finishes off the corrupt guys in the climax almost singlehandedly after some interesting but predictable ideas, dialogues and sentiments.

There is the usual buffoon comedian who gets bashed up by all and sundry & the rural film constants like Rajkiran and Prakashraj as the village chief-ton and villain respectively. There are also some good moments typical of Hari's films like some fast fights and twists at the appropriate moments.

                                                                           
Hits

• Devi Sri Prasad has given some good songs. 3 of them are hum worthy. But his BGM is loud most of the times
• Dhanush puts up a good show as usual. A full range from him. His fighting is much more convincing now.

Misses

• Too much importance to the sickle and lots of bloodshed. A throwback to olden days.
• Tamanna is a big dud. She looks pale and sad most of the times. Her midriff exposure in the songs is a poor compensation too. 

VERDICT

Just an average Hari movie with lots of typical elements that you would find in his films.

Classic: Amadeus Director's Cut (1984)

The Plot
The movie starts off with an old Antonio Salieri confessing to a church's father, as to how he plotted the death of the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salieri is a court composer at the Austrian Emperor's court. He is a hard working musician who learnt music through sheer interest despite his father not showing any interest in music.

Mozart on the other hand is a child prodigy who is nurtured by his father from a very young age. Mozart is a very extravagant character and he enjoys life to the core with a lot of drinks and with his lover girl. Salieri just can't digest the fact that a singlemindedly devoted character like him isn't even a percentage of what Mozart is, despite Mozart being a very funny character from the outside.

Mozart moves to Vienna and to the emperor's court from Salzburg, despite his father's disinterest at this move and his marriage. Then, Salieri starts plotting Mozart's downfall by not giving him some good offers, by seeing to it that his operas don't run for long and by not allowing new students to go to him.

Mozart thus becomes increasingly reliant on drinks due to the lack of quality work and Salieri even convinces him through shady means to compose a death mass following the death of Mozart's father. This piece really takes a toll on Mozart and Salieri succeeds in his mission at getting Mozart killed. But, 32 yrs on, Salieri is full of guilt and feels miserable at all the mediocrity around at a mental hospital after he attempts suicide.

                                                                     
Hits

• The music for this movie is one for the ages. Many of Mozart's operas have been recreated brilliantly and been picturized equally astonishingly in grand theaters.Antonio Salieri's works have also been used. Goose bumps all over. 
• F. Murray Abraham as Salieri is unbelievably brilliant particularly in the old makeover. The scenes where he feels the music through his words are mesmerizing. Deserved the Oscar
• Tom Hulce as Mozart is very apt be it the funny laughs, the comic walk, the charming smile or the passionate music composing during the operas. Brilliant. 
• Elizabeth Berridge as Mozart's concerned and possessive wife is another terrific character. She is so cute, charming, and busty too :) Quite a dream woman to have as a wife. 
• The costumes are all so extravagant and colorful. The big grand hats, the outrageous wigs, the gowns etc. Mirrors the period and the setting perfectly. 

VERDICT

A complete musical feast with some passionate human drama thrown in. An eclectic mix. MUST WATCH. 

Green Street Hooligans (2005)

The Plot
Matt is kicked out of Harvard for a false drug related crime and he comes to East London to live at his sister's. He is introduced to the culture of football gangs. West Ham United is the club that he is exposed to, thanks to Pete the gang leader and Steve's brother. Steve is Matt's sister Shannon's husband. GSE is what the firm or gang is called.

Matt is particularly hated by Bower,a GSE member for being a Yank and he is also thought of as an under-cover journo when all that he did was maintain a daily journal as part of being a journalism student. But, Pete is very close to Matt and the other members also see him as one of their own.

West Ham have a bitter rivalry with Milwall and the respective gang leaders have a personal score to settle. In the ensuing gang war, there is a lot of violence and Matt goes back to Harvard in the end after being grateful to Pete for teaching him to live with true grit.

                                                                       
Hits

• Charlie Hunnam as Pete, the GSE leader looks and plays the part of a yo yo punk with conviction
• We are introduced to the world of football gang fanaticism which is quite new
• The guy who plays Bower is also good in the scenes where he repents for his back stabbing of the GSE and later when he proves his loyalty again to his leader. 

VERDICT

A decent buddy movie with a different premise on football fan gangs. Watchable. 

Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011)

The movie is about 3 friends and housemates - Vikrant, Rajat and Nishant, and their respective flings with 3 girls - Riya, Neha and Charu.

While Riya is a big time flirt, Neha is a big control freak and very possessive. Charu just uses Nishant as a tool to get her work done. For all the 3 guys, this is their first relationship.

Finally after a variety of problems, the 3 guys break lose from their girls and decide that being single is true bliss.

Guys who have had some sort of experience with girls can relate to this movie big time. Most of the scenes are realistic even though the girls act crazy because that is how girls are, most of the times. 

                                                                           
Hits

• The very casual take on love and relationships. The relationship guide is in particular very funny
• Will strike a chord big time with people who have lost in their love life
• The 3 guys are all apt for the roles. The girls are hot. 
• The easy bonding between the guys is nice to see. 
• It's a nice date movie and also a movie which guys can see over a round of drinks. 

Comments

• We wish the guys in the movie had a bit more self respect and been more aggressive while breaking up with their girls. They do whatever their girl says and become mere puppets beyond a point. Except Vikrant, the other 2 just keep their frustrations within themselves and don't show it on the girls.

VERDICT

Will appeal to the "lost in love" crowd majorly. Authentic portrayal of city girls and the way they literally enslave guys.

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The Plot
The film traces the path of Michael Corleone's life as The Godfather, how he ambitiously plans to rise in the casino business, how his wife goes away from him citing his shady life as a gangster, how he deals with the inquiry commissions and how he again deals with all his back-stabbers including his brother Fredo and other close aides.

The early days of Vito Corleone is another parallel track in the film. Right from the days when Vito comes to New York as a small kid after the murders of his father and brother to his early days of struggle as a family man cum paisan to his bonding with Clemenza, Tessio and how they deal with the local don Fanucci to how he rises as a Don and how he takes revenge on Don Cicci for the murder of his father.

The film ends with an aged Michael Corleone reminiscing about how his life had changed.

                                                                       
Hits

• The rise of Vito Corleone is easily the best part of the film. Robert De Niro is brilliant as the young and middle aged Vito. That easy gait and the pleasing face are major pluses for Robert
• Al Pacino as Michael is grim faced throughout the film and he under plays and bursts out with ease. Class act.
• Robert Duvall has another major role as Tommy Hagen. Another restrained show. 
• The casting is perfect. Michael's son looks just like young Al Pacino and Vito's son Fredo looks like Robert De Niro  
• The soundtrack is an extension of the first part's. Legendary themes by Nino Rota

Misses

• Not as gripping as the first part.
• Particularly, Michael's business dealings are picturized in too much detail and the screenplay is bogged down. 

VERDICT

Watchable for Al Pacino and Robert De Niro

Delhi Belly (2011)

The Plot
A bag of diamonds are replaced mistakenly with a bag of shit by 3 friends Tashi, Nitin and Arup. Tashi's girlfriend Sonia, an air-hostess is actually supposed to smuggle these diamonds unknowingly but, she hands it over to Tashi and the bag passes hands and finally turns into shit when it reaches the gangster that it is supposed to reach

The gangsters begin their hunt for the diamonds and they nab the 3 guys. But, a comedy of errors follow and the diamonds again land up with the 3 guys who sell it off. The gangsters kidnap Sonia and demand the diamonds back from the trio. They take the help of Menaka, Tashi's boss and one sided lover to save Sonia.

What happens to the gangsters, the diamonds and Tashi's love life is the culmination which is in true Guy Ritchie style with cops, shootouts et al. Aamir Khan makes an appearance in the end with a funny number.

                                                                           

Hits

• Absolute contempt for Indian cinema's traditions and values. Liberal use of expletives, exposure of skin and cheap jokes that make us laugh 
• 2 smoking hot ladies and they have some intense smooches and ****jobs with the lead man. The climatic smooch is in fact scorching and the kiss in the 'parda' is equally pulse-raising. 
• The lighthearted nature of the content. Perfect timepass. 
• The fat guy Nitin is perfect for the role of the guy with a troublesome tummy who farts regularly. 
• The climax is particularly the clincher. Reminds us of some cult English films. 

Misses

• The shitty jokes are overdone and are not in good taste after a certain point. 
• Imran Khan is very plastic and artificial. His looks are good, nevertheless. 
• 'Bhaag DK Bose' could have been picturized entirely. Even as a montage, the song deserved its entirety and not just the bits and pieces that has come up on screen. 

VERDICT

Justifies the hype well and the tagline even better