1983 ("SACHIN SHOWS THE WAY")

February 14. 2014.

Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anoop Menon, Saiju Kurup, Joy Mathew.

Director: Abrid Shine.

READ THE REVIEW HERE

DRISHYAM ("DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE!!")

December 20, 2013.

Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Siddique, Asha Sarath, Kalabavan Shajon.

Director: Jeethu Joseph.

Sound scripting; that was the first thing different about Drishyam, a concept unheard of in India. And once you start watching the film you slowly begin realising that is only one of the few distinctions of Drishyam.

Georgekutty is a cable TV operator in the small village of Rajakkada who has a small family; his wife Rani (Meena) and two daughters. They lead a very simple life with their own little dreams and ambitions. At the most unexpected time the safety of his family is compromised because of an ugly incident. Georgekutty’s very reason for existence takes on an altogether different meaning and the way in which things take shape form the rest of the story.

Staying true to it’s caption “Visuals can be deceiving”, Drishyam will make you almost believe you are in the theatre to watch a really beautiful family story unfold at a leisurely yet a harmonious pace. Your heart goes out to the family because of the way the scenes are written and the amazingly natural acting by all the main actors. Certain moments in the film are so real as if Jeethu was looking at the private conversation in a family while writing the script.

But the grasp with which he shifts the film into one helluva gripping thriller makes you wonder where this was hiding all the time. Once that takes over the film is almost relentless filling you with intrigue and suspense till the very last scene. And when you have almost accepted that there is one little secret that will go to the grave along with Georgekutty as he says you get the trump card which will sweep you off your feet both because of the simplicity and the genius of it.

The sound scripting concept is surely gonna be a trend from now on considering the amazing clarity it brings to the mood of story. The two songs in the film are also done on a need basis with utmost relevance to the story.

The arresting screenplay makes it a serious case for film buffs to discuss whether Jeethu is a better writer than a director or vice versa. As mentioned above when the first part of the screenplay makes it’s way straight into your heart because of it’s simplicity the second part blows you away with it’s brilliance; a solid piece of writing so intricately woven together that you are wondering whether to get amazed at the simplicity of it all or be spellbound at the intellectual part of it.

What is more interesting is the fact that Drishyam cannot entirely be branded as a thriller. It is a perfect blend of family drama, humor, sentiments and thrill with a socially relevant theme; more like the elusive “perfect script”.

All the actors play their part perfectly well but Kalabhavan Shajon, Mohanlal and the daughters stay a notch above the rest (Meena too to an extent) and undoubtedly this will be one of the landmarks in their whole career.

I am giving 4 Drishyam. Do not believe what you see!!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

SILENCE ("TESTS YOUR PATIENCE")

December 7, 2013.

Cast: Mammootty, Anoop Menon.

Director: VK Prakash.

Silence came out with a tempting cast and director combo which naturally upped the expectation but this one disappoints right from the start.

Aravindan (Mammootty) a leading advocate is just about to go to the next level in his career as the Bangalore High Court Judge. He has a wonderful family and a group of friends and leads an enviable life. All of a sudden a stranger starts harassing him over the phone, starts following him more or less like a shadow for no apparent reason and when all that crosses the limit Aravindan goes to his friend Neal George IPS (Anoop Menon) for help.

Right from the beginning you feel something is missing in the film every now and then be it the dialogues, scenes or the direction. Songs keep coming just for the sake of driving home certain clichéd points. But for the only reason that it is a VK Prakash film with Mammootty and Anoop Menon in the lead you keep waiting for the story to get engaging and you keep waiting and waiting and waiting.

Apart from the shabby direction and an even shabbier screenplay trying to instil suspense and intrigue into the audience, which fall flat, nothing much really happens in the more or less innocuous first half. The second half brings the utterly silly reason behind all the craziness that is happening in Aravindan’s life and it has to be told that this is one of the most ordinary VK Prakash films; one of the most ordinary suspense thrillers rather!!

There are very very few moments in the film that are worth watching and most of the time it is more of a messy collage of different scenes rather than a smooth flowing affair; substandard editing being one of the reasons. To make matters worse there is a really annoying piece in the BGM which keeps playing at regular intervals throughout the second half irrespective of it’s relevance to the situation; something which really tests your patience more so because it tries to project the superhero image of the protagonist when a normal scene with no BGM at all would have sufficed!

Towards the climax one starts to wonder if this was a thriller or more of a masala action film with the stupid underwater fight sequence among other things.

Silence feels like a looong journey inspite of the runtime being just two hours.

I am giving 1.5 for Silence. The theatres playing the movie are gonna be silent very soon.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

NEELAKASHAM PACHAKADAL CHUVANNA BHOOMI ("ONE FOR THE BOYS")

August 9, 2013.

Cast: Dulquar Salman, Sunny Wayne.

Direction: Samir Thahir.

A bullet ride from Kerala to Nagaland; sounds quite fascinating right! That is the theme of Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi.

Kasi (Dulquar) who is on a journey for self discovery is joined by his friend Suni (Sunny Wayne). Both of them just drift along like free birds with no destination.

They join a gang of bikers who are on their way to Puri and then move onto Bengal and Assam before they finally reach Nagaland. They meet a lot of people and go through a lot of experiences on their way all of which influence their lives in an indelible manner.

The script is top class except for the one flaw of making the flashback a bit ordinary. The reason for the protagonist trying to flee from his past is not conveyed pretty strongly. It touches upon a lot of issues ranging from politics, the meaning of life, your existence, your loved ones and much more on those lines. The writer has shown sensibility in giving the proper picture as far as the different states, that the duo cross, are concerned.

The direction is marvelous and it is a pretty gutsy film from Thahir considering the kind of theme at hand but he handles it so fabulously well making it a typical road movie that may be said to be the first of it’s genre in Malayalam Cinema.

Next comes the cinematography which is splendid but the songs and the BGM, transcendental at times, beat everything else. It would not be surprising if you find yourself in a different world even after you come out of the theatre given the kind of music that you are gifted with. And if in case you went to the theatre by bike, the ride back home would be one that you would cherish for a long long time!!

Dulquar is a treat to watch as always and Sunny Wayne for whom this is the second outing with Dulquar post Second Show plays the role of Suni to perfection. The girl from Nagaland offers something fresh and she is pretty lovely for someone who is facing the camera for the first time, if Iam not mistaken.

Themes like these are what made Malayalam films so very unique and Dulquar seems to be leading from the front as far as such innovative subjects are concerned.

I am overlooking the minor flaw and giving a 3.5 for Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi. Bullets, Dulquar, scintillating music and a lot of places to see . Go for it boys!!!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

ABCD ("ENTERTAINING IN PARTS")

June 21, 2013

Cast: Dulquar Salman, Jacob Gregory, Aparna Gopinath, Lalu Alex.

Director: Martin Prakkat.

Martin Prakkat made his first film with Mammootty and interestingly now in his second he has chosen Dulquar Salman as his hero.

Johns (Dulquar) and Kora (Jacob Gregory) are two American born mallus whose main aim in life is to have fun with their parents’ money. After an untoward incident both of them are forced to leave USA. So Isaac (Lalu Alex), Johns’ dad sends them to Kerala for a month after which Johns will fly to Melbourne for higher studies and Kora will start a business in France.

The film begins in USA showing the life that the lead characters are having there, which might have been necessary but unduly prolonged and mechanical. But after those few minutes the film starts picking up pace once the characters move to Kerala.

There are a lot of funny scenes in the first half of the film like the interactions between Johns-Kora and: “Anglo Indian”,the flat manager and Madhumita most of which keep coming at regular intervals. The sequence where Johns and Kora try getting back their money from the fake currency dealers is one you will really enjoy.

Newcomer Aparna Gopinath delivers a strong performance but her character seems to be half baked at times. Apart from a few scenes of her’s the first almost entirely belongs to the “Anglo Indian”, Johns and Kora (except for his horrible English which really dulls the comic sense that he seems to be having). Dulquar looks so comfortable and at ease with his role which is something we are very much getting used to nowadays.

The politics which is more of a sidetrack in the first half takes centrestage in the second and that leads to the downfall of all that was built up till then. When this film could easily have been a hilarious trip that the two leads go through the screenplay makes a total mess of it introducing politics and social issues, which while relevant, end up looking like being introduced just for the sake of it. This coupled with the first few minutes in USA makes the film unbearably long.

This does not mean that you are in for a waste of time considering the fact that every now and then there is something in the screenplay that will make you laugh. Add to it the refreshing background score by Gopi Sundar, who is on a roll nowadays , and the wonderful cinematography by Jomon T John; and ABCD worth your time!

I am giving a 2.5/5 for American Born Confused Desi. Watch it for timepass.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

MUMBAI POLICE ("BOLD ONE!")

May 10, 2013

Cast: Prithviraj, Jayasurya, Rahman.

Director: Roshan Andrews.

Malayalam cinema rose to greatness mainly because of the bold themes that the filmmakers and actors were ready to experiment with. Mumbai Police comes right out of that stable!

ACP Antony Moses (Prithviraj) who is investigating the murder of his friend ACP Aryan John (Jayasurya) meets with an accident when he is on the brink of solving the case and he loses his memory. Now it’s upto Commissioner Farhan (Rahman) (the third one of the trio popularly called as Mumbai Police by the media) to help Moses recover his memory and solve the case.

Coming from Bobby and Sanjay we expect something different in the screenplay and Oh boy! You get just the same it’s a brilliantly crafted screenplay that teases you every now and then with the whodunit part and keeps you guessing till the very end. After a disappointing Casanova, Roshan Andrews bounces back to show his amazing directorial skills to make Mumbai Police very appealing; slick editing and wonderful cinematography add to it.

ASI Sudhakaran mouths Kerala Police oath by heart when the other officers in Moses’ team need a copy to read it from. Scenes like that and characters like that of Rakhi IPS could have been done away with as they serve no purpose to the plot in any manner. Apart from these minor glitches a few minutes in the middle where the “Mumbai Police” camaraderie is shown might look a bit too long but it may be argued that it is required to establish the core of the plot.

Barring these very few shortcomings it’s precise articulate storytelling and those who love investigation stories are gonna have one helluva time! The way Antony Moses B (as he is called by the doctor after the accident) breaks down the case diary of Antony Moses A is written and executed flawlessly; thanks to the brilliant writing, wonderful performances and top class direction.

When Rahman and Jayasurya do their part perfectly well, Prithviraj simply excels as the mean cold blooded Antony Moses A and the conscientious ethical Antony Moses B.

Kudos; to Roshan Andrews for staying faithful to the script(not even including one song in the film), to Bobby and Sanjay for a brilliant product and finally Prithviraj for taking on such a bold role.

Iam giving a 3.5/5 for Mumbai Police. This is one of the best films that have come out recently and it’s a pretty bold one too. Go for it!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

                                 

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

AMEN ("NANDANAM VERSION 2.0?")

Cast: Fahad Fazil, Indrajith, Swathi.

Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery.

When you go in for a Lijo Jose Pellissery film you expect something different and different is exactly what you get, well, to an extent.

A good film generally catches your attention in the first ten minutes. Though that does not happen in the case of Amen, you know there is something different about the whole thing.

Solomon(Fahad) is the son of a famous clarinet player who wants to follow the footsteps of his father and play for the Church band. Soshanna(Swathi) who hails from a wealthy family is his love interest. Vincent Vattoli(Indrajith) comes as the Father of the Village Church when the whole scene changes.

Right from the beautiful title song you know that you are in for some nice numbers and Prashanth Pillai does not disappoint except for one or two songs. The songs fit very well into the wonderful screenplay by P.S Rafeeque. Most part of the first half you would be laughing your butts off mainly because of the screenplay ably supported by some nice dialogues. The single shot song sequence and the Vattoli song would delight you with their humor and creativity.

The 2^nd half is where the screenplay falters a bit dragging the film at times presenting a few clichés. It is doubtful if the final scenes involving the music competition would be enjoyed by the commoner as the tunes of the clarinet is not something very familiar to him. This truly tarnishes the excellence built up in the first half. But then with an unexpected twist in the final scene(a different version of Nandanam) the director shows why he has earned the name that he has.

Fahad, Swathi and Indrajith have given really good performances but even the other actors in the film amuse you equally well. This is one of the best roles of Swathi till date. It’s such a delight to watch her in Amen; in her scenes with Fahad and otherwise.

The stand out features of Amen apart from it’s screenplay are undoubtedly the beautiful frames, with an amazing sense of lighting(especially the indoor scenes and those in the dark), of Abinandan Ramanujam and the excellent direction of Lijo. With a better second half it would had a fair chance of getting into the top league.

Iam giving a 3 to 3.25/5 for Amen. Get ready for a visually amazing divine comedy with some beautiful romance.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

3 to 3.25                      -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4 to 4.25                      -           Great.

4.5 and above               -           Extraordinary.

                                                                    

RED WINE ("PASSABLE WINE")

Cast: Mohanlal, Fahad Fazil, Asif Ali.

Director: Salam Bapu.

Salam Bappu makes his directorial debut with Red Wine after being in the industry for almost 11 years.

Red Wine deals with a murder case that makes three people; Anoop, the Local Committee Secretary of the Communist Party in Wayanad (Fahad Fazil), Ramesan, a goonda turned sales executive(Asif Ali) and Ratheesh Vasudevan, Assistant Commissioner of Police(Mohanlal); cross each other’s paths.

The first thing I would like to tell is that Red Wine is NOT a Mohanlal movie, the central character here is Fahad and he is brilliant in his role as the young communist. The director has done a good job in showing Communism in a different light through Fahad. It would not be surprising if the young guns of the Communist Party in Kerala start idolising him. But do not go in expecting to see a fiery communist because as said already this one is different.

You would not find the plot that interesting or thrilling but the screenplay should be mentioned in particular for the commendable job. It cuts into the three lives(timelines rather) very frequently with no confusion whatsoever. Ranjan Abraham’s experienced editing amplifies the effect. The connecting point from one scene to the next is very smooth which shows the clarity of the writer and the director.

Another appreciable element in the screenplay is the chemistry between Asif Ali and his wife. Even if both of them have very limited screen space the scenes involving both of them are adorable. The girl who plays Asif’s wife is simply brilliant!! This is not to suggest it’s flawless though. It’s a tad lengthy and there is a barrage of characters , mainly to up the suspense factor, which is a letdown.

Beginner’s blues is quite evident in the direction department but that may be overlooked considering the earnest efforts.

Cinematography is ok but the colouring in several places is very substandard, BGM being no different. The final song in the film is very good to hear and rich in meaning as well.

Overall it’s an almost satisfying watch if you go in without expecting much.

Iam giving a 2.5/5 for Red Wine. You can watch it once.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

3 to 3.25                      -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4 to 4.25                      -           Great.

4.5 and above               -           Extraordinary.

                                                                    

CELLULOID ('REALITY BITES")

Cast: Prithviraj, Mamta Mohandas, Chandni, Srinivasan.

Director: Kamal.

If you want to know how the first Malayalam movie was made Kamal brings you all the information you want in Celluloid.

Prithviraj plays J.C Daniel (the father of Malayalam Cinema) and Mamta plays his wife Janet. Celluloid revolves around events leading upto the filming of the first Malayalam movie “Vigathakumaran” and it’s aftermath.

The first half of the film moves at a brisk pace showing the positive and energetic efforts put in by Daniel for his film. Before you even realise it you would be out buying popcorn in the interval. The film has limited scope for performances as the script is mainly events driven. Nonetheless everyone puts in good performances, but you would really be impressed by Chandni who plays PK Rosie. She is so natural at innocence and emoting and adorable. After the beautiful song “En undo di” you are almost in love with her.

The second half takes on a serious tone with unexpected trouble hitting Daniel and the consequences. You would not come out of the theatre with wet eyes but Kamal has made sure that you will empathise with J.C Daniel. There are a few technical flaws but you would not even notice that considering the sincere portrayal of facts by Kamal.

A special mention has to be made about the production design and the art department for the wonderful depiction of the 1920s India.

I am giving a 3.25/5 for Celluloid. Let us salute the father of Malayalam Cinema.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

3 to 3.25                      -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Great.

4 to 4.25                      -           Exceptional.

4.5 and above               -           Extraordinary.