Muthu's Rambling Blog

Modhi Vilayadu - Stay Away

2009-07-28T12:05:00.009+08:00

Saran starts off from where he left his earlier outings in Vattaram and Idhaya Thirudan. By saying so, I mean that the connection between those films and Modhi Vilayadu is that of poorly conceived and even more poorly executed script. Saran’s lackluster form continues, and unfortunately there is no sign of getting back to the days when he effortlessly directed some memorable, if not great, films. If his recent slew of films is any indication of his film-making skills, then I am sure, his next talked-about venture, Asal is definitely worth a miss. And, we all know Ajith’s acumen for selecting stories. Come on now, stop laughing.

If there is anything, anything at all, that is good in the movie, after some serious thinking, I should say it is the story (by Ramakrishnan) and the editing in the first half of the movie. While the story had all the ingredients to make it an entertaining feature film, the screenplay is as stupid as it can be and has totally derailed the film. FYI, screenplay is by Saran. Though the dialogues are ordinary, hearing it through Vinay makes it extremely uncomfortable. Well, the story in a nut-shell is that of a rich guy finding himself as a victim of identity crisis and gets out of it extremely easily. While, the journey for the protagonist is extremely easy, it is the movie-watcher, who endures all the pain and suffering, until the end credits puts us out of our misery.

Another performance worth mentioning is that of the dubbing artist for the heroine (Kajal Agarwal). The voice perfectly matched Kajal’s expressions and the voice had a greater impression than the performer itself. Going by his recent performances, I thought at least Santhanam would save the s(t)inking film, but the weight is too much for him to handle and he also helps the film to s(t)ink even further. Well, everyone has to have a day off. And, the music by the Colonial Cousins played its part in pulling the movie further down. Poor placement of songs did further damage to its cause.

I just have one suggestion for Saran, movies are sometimes good and bad at other times – it is a part and parcel of the game. But, Saran please stop the unwarranted skin show in your movies. It has been a striking (not in the positive sense) feature in your previous films and continuing to do so, does not add any credibility to the skills that you possess. I am sure you are much more than that.

Doctorate for Vijay and Shankar

2007-08-23T13:26:00.000+08:00

The most shocking news I have ever heard in the recent past is the announcement from MGR University about conferring a honorary doctorate on actor Vijay and director Shankar. A classic case of an university going nuts. I have nothing against the actor or the director, but would like to know the basis on which such acts of stupidity are being carried out. This also questions the credibility of the degree conferred. If the university wanted to score some mileage, there are umpteen other ways and this for sure is not the right way to do it. The influence of cinema in the life of Tamilians can never be better explained. We may not know who made the decision, but one thing for sure, he sucks big time.

Chak De India - A Brave effort

2007-08-13T14:57:00.000+08:00

Knowing it to be a Yash Raj film, one could immediately associate a romantic melodrama, forged with some dance numbers against a backdrop of vibrant colours. Add Shah Rukh Khan to that, you just cannot think of anything else.If you went in with that idea, well you're in for a big disappointment. Fortunately,that is the only disappointment, if you want it to be.

Chake De is indeed a brave effort from the director Shimit Amin and the producer to open up an already flirted category of sports genre movies in India. To think of SRK in the lead role, wow, that would have required some courage. Kudos to him, for a wonderful performance and making us believe that he is every bit an estranged player trying to prove his patriotism in his new role.

Hockey and in particular the women's team, is often neglected in India and here comes Khan to coach the women's team to glory and thereby prove that he is not a traitor, a tag he has obtained before. The story is all about how the team makes it big in the world championship series under the guidance of Khan.

Khan looks fit, much fitter than he was before, never utters "I love You" and still makes you like him for his portrayal. Guess, the girls selected from the breadth and width of the country, are not professional actors and that is what lends beauty to the film. Komal and the Punjabi girl warrant special mention.

Canning the camera would have been difficult for a sports movie, but was handled very efficiently, especially during the final matches. The background score sets in well, nothing special though. The movie has a brisk pace, but somewhere in the middle it drags a bit, before pulling up to an energetic climax. Well, you know the story and the way it would end, but still the director and the writer helps you stay focused to the screen for most part of the movie.

I was surprised to see everyone in the movie hall cheer for every goal scored. On a positive note, the movie has given hockey much needed publicity and hope the game scores few goals with it. You can always draw comparisons between movies but I think we all can welcome this movie with both hands, for it would encourage more such attempts in this genre. Chake De! India.

Interesting Pic!

2007-08-06T21:20:00.000+08:00

An iPhone kiosk running Windows XP!

Invest? or Trade?

2007-08-06T17:42:00.000+08:00

Weak global markets would have dealt a severe blow on your portfolio, thanks to the credit worries and the jobless data that helped the US markets nosedive. Let the accumulation begin. For those cup-is-half-full guys, this "could" be a right time to enter the market and for those cup-is-half-empty guys, well you're screwed! It pays to be a investor rather than a trader.

We Use Gandhi

2007-08-02T14:24:00.000+08:00

Of late, there is a lot of writing about Gandhi in the press, or at least in the cyberspace. Reason: release of the movie Gandhi My Father; And there is one more reason too, August 15, if you care to remember what it is...?

I began to think of this great leader and his relevance today. Well, he got us our freedom and he is a man great values. But, what did we learn form him and how are we using him? Well in many ways...

October 2nd is a holiday. Sad though, if it falls on a Sunday.
Adding to the growing list of '-days', UN has passed a resolution declaring October 2 to be the "International Day of Non-Violence". Problem solved. No one will ever fight again....lol.
Photographs adorn the walls of government offices, currencies, stamps etc.
Fourth grade children are burdened by an additional chapter in their books.
He is always a fresh and interesting subject to make movies on and it appeals to international audience immediately. Fame, awards and moolah follow...
Often the butt of jokes, pranks and "M"ock videos.
Our great politicians, practitioners of Gandhigiri(!), ~~bark~~ talk a lot about him. Thanks to the chapter in their fourth grade.
Helps to fill at least one page in the print media, with an article about him year after year, either on Aug 15, Oct 2 or Jan 30.
And, how pathetic am I, trying to post a blog entry using him. Phew!

Some things never change. I hope it does. Just hope...

Starbucks Up and Moving

2007-07-24T12:53:00.000+08:00

Finally, Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) is up from its prolonged slump since Oct'06. After hitting a 52-week low of $25.22 in Jul'07 and staying there for a while, it is nice to see it move north. All this is happening on the back of 2Q earnings report, plans of expansion into BRIC Countries, possible collaborations with Hershey (NYSE: HSY) and PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP). Hope it sustains the growth to keep the concerned happy. Fingers crossed though.

Kireedam - Not what it means

2007-07-23T11:44:00.000+08:00

Kireedam is yet another movie from Ajith, which showcases his inability to choose story lines and directors who could put him in better light. The screenplay is extremely sluggish making it extremely difficult for the viewers to sit through the movie. There was news doing rounds in the Internet that the movie is very realistic. Though, it is to some extent, that alone could not make it engrossing. Neither it is something like Mugavari, nor it is a complete mass entertainer. The debutant director, Vijay, has completely lost his grip over what he had intended to do.

It is the age old story of how a single incident changes the life of an otherwise quiet, sedate natured Sakthivel (Ajith), who aspires to become a sub-inspector. It is more of his father's dream that that of his. And if you cannot imagine the rest of the story, you're unpardonable. We have seen it a lot, much recently in Thamizh and Sandaikozhi, and how it differs is in the treatment. And exactly that is were it goes awry! Instead of getting into the revenge thing by playing the cat-and-mouse game, the focus is on how the father-son relationship moves. Nothing wrong with that, only it fails to impress.

If you had thought that Ajith is the hero of the film, well let me save you from some disappointment. It is Raj Kiran, donning the father's role, plays the lead character. He is the same father that we saw in Thavamai Thavamirundhu, the character, the dialogue delivery and everything. Ajith looks good, acts well and in fact has put in some good effort to improve his dancing skills. But, everything goes in vain. Trisha, as an impish next-door girls does her part well and has tried her hands at providing some comic moments and in-fact comes out successfully.

Vivek's comedy falls flat. He has totally lost his old touch. On the other hand, lollu-sabha fame, Santhanam puts up a neat show. He even takes a dig at Vivek in a particular scene. The sad part is that he only has a limited screen presence and I feel that he has not got his due, yet. Though, the re-recording is soft on your hears, the songs are very average. The music director, GV Prakash, has a long way to go. Camera is alright. Editing is by Anthony, who has proved that he can do well even in softer movies, which is not his forte.

On the whole, the movie is not worth watching. The director has let Ajith down (may be the name of director has something to do with it). It is high time for Ajith to start thinking about his future moves, for he is surely loosing out his market share to others who had been churning out hits at regular intervals. Better Luck next time...

Worried Mother

2007-07-19T20:57:00.000+08:00

Permission to embed the video clip of a cute little girl using the iPhone was withdrawn by her mother. Apparently, many bloggers (me included) have embedded the video into their own sites and that has worried the mother. Rejection of unwanted mileage...

iPhone - begining of the next gen cell phone

2007-07-16T15:57:00.000+08:00

Interesting clip on YouTube. iPhone's ease of use can never be better explained. Way to go Apple!

Sivaji - Rajini all the way

2007-06-15T03:24:00.000+08:00

Finally, after a year long wait, the movie is out and it is definitely worth the wait. Sivaji is a product of an intelligent director, Shankar, who has created the movie for Rajinikanth the actor. Both enjoy a larger than life image and Sivaji is much much larger than you can possibly think. To say the movie is fantastic is only a understatement. Pure Entertainment!

This time Shankar digs at the black money that has been plaguing the society. That is the message for you, if you want it to be. But, hey who wants a message in a Rajini's flick. And Shankar too has understood it and had only underplayed the message part differing from his previous films. Right from the beginning to the end, its just one man show - RAJINI.

Looking half his age, he still has his inimitable style and screen presence that can be matched by none. Style, Romance, Comedy, Action, Emotion and Revenge - Rajini takes you through all of this like he has done it before but on a larger scale. The first half is a laugh riot. To the best of my knowledge, this is the most funniest movie of him, better than Thillu Mullu or Netri Kan. To help him here he has Vivek throughout, along with Raja and Solomon Papaiya in the first half.

Numerous hair styles, even more than that Shriya's gives you a sweet surprise. He appears in the best of costumes which has not happened in the past. Instead of a cigarette, this time it is a chewing gum and a one-rupee coin. The coin gimmick has been done via graphics but the gum-popping scene at least looks real. And the climax mottai get-up along with a little tap that he does on his head is "the best" and will be left unchallenged for a long time to come.

Shriya is beautiful. She has done her part perfectly. She dances very well and is extremely glamorous in the songs. She even has more time on the screen than other Rajini's heroines in the past. Vivek, the perfect side-kick for the boss, handles his role with ease. He keeps you tickled throughout and appears with Rajini throughout the film. Suman as Adi Seshan, is the bad guy and he plays his role very smoothly without the clichèd shouting and Tata Sumos that we have associated with villains in Tamil Movies. Apart from this, there is Manivannan, Vadivukarasi (trivial roles for both), VMC Haneefa, MS Baskar, Raghuvaran playing supporting roles.

When you hear about CPR, Money Laundering, Voice Recognition Software in the movie, you immediately identify Sujatha as the man with the pen. Not just the serious ones, even the lighter ones are good along with a couple of double meaning dialogues. AR Rahman, the maestro, has done a wonderful job with the songs and the rerecording. The background score for the stunt scene in the music shop was excellent. Talking about stunts, Peter Hein has done his best in the music shop fight. The second one in the garage was very ordinary, while the car chase and the climax was beautifully choreographed.

Thotta Tharani and KV Anand tell you through their sets and camera why they have won National Award for their previous works. The sets for the vaji vaji and sahana song - Egyptian palace, glass house - are amazing. The camera is so fluid with stunning visuals and amazing picture quality. I am not aware of the technical stuff behind it, but the picture quality is the best. Different songs have been choreographed by different people. All the songs have stunning
visuals typical of Shankar. But my personal favourite is athiradi and oru koodai sunlight. The concept for athiradi is new and very funny.

Shankar, the man behind all this deserves all the appreciation that are on its way to him. The man thinks big and executes them big on the screen. He has just showed what one can do with the Super Star. He has worked to Rajinis strength and that has done wonders for the movie. I have always thought that only KS Ravi Kumar has used Rajini so well in his movies. But, with Sivaji, Shankar shows much more. I am sure that there can be no other film/director who can show Rajini as was done in Sivaji.

On the flip side, only one negative remark I would like to make - the opening of the movie. A Big let down. For the first ten minutes I was in utter shock looking at the movie and had already started scolding Shankar. The build-up was missing and you don't introduce the superstar like this. The lack of build-up affects the balelaka song and the song does not create the kind of sensation that vantheda palkaaran or naan autokaran created. Other than this, the movie is an excellent example for a perfect entertainer.

If Chandramukhi, which had no steam in it, could run for 800 days, I guess then Sivaji has a long way to go. Its time for AVM to start filling their coffers after having emptied them for the past one year. Bravo!

Sivaji Trailer

2007-05-30T15:41:00.001+08:00

The trailer of Sivaji is out. Rajini Rocks as always. Check it out!

Mayakkannadi - Imperfect Reflections

2007-05-03T14:11:00.000+08:00

The movie for sure races to the top spot of the "Worst movies of 2007" list. And that is the shortest possible review for you about the movie.

Cheran, the director who was adept at handling bucolic themes shifts to a city-based subject. Had the final product been good, it would have cast him in good light. But the opposite has happened. This is not the first time though. He has faltered before in Desiya Geetham when he tried to change tracks. He has done it again with Mayakkannadi.

To start with, he has got the theme wrong. The message (as if we asked for it) that filters out is something like this: " Do not dream to become rich. Be happy with what you have" A difficult ask of today's younger generation. And immediately you fail to connect with the movie. The screenplay and the visuals doesn't help. Snails pace screenplay puts you to sleep. Cheran is the lead in the movie and his female counterpart is Navya Nair. Cheran's gaudy costumes and a stupid hairdo adds to your pain. And to top it all, he appears with his underwear in a particular scene. What was he thinking? A painful performance by Navya accompanied by weird dialogue delivery completely kills you. Unwarranted long pauses in the movie does not help either. The title card says that the music is by Ilayaraja. It is up to you to believe that. Songs as well as the re-recording sucks.And the best part is, the movie runs for never-ending three hours.

It is my principle not to leave the movie theatre before the movie ends, no matter how bad the movie is. In order to keep it up, I had to derive the greatest of strengths from nowhere to stay in the movie hall. If inflicting pain, anger and agony on the audience was Cheran's motto, well he has come out with flying colours. Otherwise, he has failed miserably.

I didn't even feel like writing a review after the watching the movie, but as a fellow blogger, I thought it was my prime responsibility to ask everyone to stay away from the theatres where the movie is screened.

Anbudan, a step down for Sun TV

2007-04-16T13:16:00.000+08:00

Sun TV, which has been a pioneer in providing programmes in interesting formats for its tamil viewers for a decade or so is slowly loosing its grip. At least, I think so. Thanks to the Star Network takeover of poorly managed Vijay TV. After the rebranding of Vijay TV to Star Vijay, it has come up with some interesting programmes that has cast a lasting spell on its audiences. Koffee with Anu is one example. Such is the success of the show, Sun TV has began to telecast a new show, Anbudan, with the same format. A big step down for Sun. Moreover, the show sucks. Gowthami, is no match for the chirpy and lively Anu.

Trailers and Tamil Cinema

2007-04-11T16:07:00.000+08:00

It has been a norm in Tamil Cinema that trailers are nothing but few seconds of songs and action scenes, without saying anything about the film. It neither arouses the curiosity about the film nor gives an idea about what the film is about. The sole purpose that the trailers meet is creating a sense of familiarity among the masses rather than attracting them to the theatres. One of the most stupidest trailers in the recent times is that of Satham Podathey by Vasanth. The trailer showcases few clips from the past good(?) movies of the director for its entire length. Purpose Lost. Of the recent trailers, Oram Po, Mayakkanadi and Chennai 600028 are really good at eliciting interests and filmmakers can at least take a hint or two from them.

Chappell Resigns

2007-04-05T12:37:00.000+08:00

After all the outcry from senior players, Chappell has sent in his resignation. Is that the right way to see it? May be not. It should have been a decision which was taken much before and only the timing of announcement has allowed people to make such interpretations. Is this a loss to Indian Cricket? NO. There are a number of other coaches waiting to take the role and will they be taking the team to a much better level? NO. Apart from the complexities and politics that is associated with BCCI, the players, especially the senior players, do not like someone telling them on the face that "you're not playing well enough". Attitudes don't change. As Sanjay Manjrekar, sententiously points out, "Chappell held up a mirror to Indian Cricket". That sums up the contribution of Chappell to the cricket team. Thanks dude.

Indian Cricket in a mess

2007-04-04T19:45:00.000+08:00

Following an exit from the World Cup 2007, sooner than expected, things have gone extremely ugly for those involved with the Indian Cricket. The notorious blame game has begun and majority of the fingers are pointing at Greg Chappell. To add fuel to an already burning issue, Tendulkar has gone public about his dissatisfaction with the coach, which is supposedly against the rules of BCCI. News of a row between the players and the coach, groupism within the team are all doing the rounds. To add to the multitude of problems that BCCI has to deal with, Subash Chandra of the Zee group has announced the possibility of creating the Indian Cricket League, which will run parallel to BCCI. Riveting Cricket indeed, though not on the field.

Thank You Sri Lanka

2007-03-22T11:58:00.000+08:00

Thumping Bangladesh by 198 runs, the Sri Lankan Cricket team has helped its Indian counterpart immensely. The heavy loss would mean that Bangladesh will not be able to catch up with the Indian Net Run Rate, irrespective of their performance against Bermuda. Now, the responsibility entirely lies on the shoulders of Team India to beat Sri Lanka and proceed to Super Eight. I hope that the Sri Lankan team would give me yet another opportunity to thank them. Fingers Crossed!

Uncertainty is the name of the game!

2007-03-21T19:47:00.000+08:00

Time and again, Cricket reminds you the kind of uncertainty it can throw on our face. None, not even a single soul would have thought of Pakistan getting knocked off at the first stage of World Cup 07, that too by loosing to Ireland. If that's not enough of a surprise/upset(depends on how you want to look at it), India lost to Bangladesh. The phrase, Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties, can never be overstated.

Finally, England wins!

2007-01-16T17:32:00.000+08:00

Finally, England wins! This is their only win in any form of the game, since 28 Oct, 2006 against the West Indies. They had to fight until the last over of the innings to reach a modest target of 206 against New Zealand. The last over should have been thrilling though. Missed it!

Mani Ratnam, the Master

2007-01-16T16:52:00.000+08:00

Mani Ratnam, the ace director, who rarely opens up to the media, talks to rediff.com about his latest offering, Guru and much more. It was an interesting conversation between him and Shobha Warrier and can be found here. Maniratnam talks about how he gets angry when people say that Mouna Ragam and Nayagan are his best movies. At least, I thought so. But, he gives a totally convincing explanation for the reason behind it. Now, that got me into thinking, "What is the best movie of him?" A tough ask, tough.

Pokiri - Not as sharp as it should have been

2007-01-14T00:18:00.001+08:00

As with every Vijay movie, you will have to hang your logical part of the brain at the popcorn stall and enter the theatre expecting pure entertainment. And the much awaited movie, Pokiri, produced by Kanakarathina Movies, deviates from what Vijay's Movie generally offer. Coming from a choreographer-turned-director, Prabhu Deva, the biggest disappointment in the film is choreography. Vijay, otherwise, a fantastic dancer in contemporary tamil cinema, chose to play it down for unknown reasons. Raju Sundaram is the choreographer.

After the initial load of graphics, where the hero is introduced amidst flying vegetables, a dumb fight scene, which almost gives you a feeling of watching a video game follows.The disappointment slaps you right after that in the form of the first introductory song, where you expected a solid dance but left with a lame one. The only solace here is a cameo by Prabhu Deva, who completely steals your attention for few seconds. The major reason for the song not being what it has to be is mishandling or should I say, misconception, by the director. He has used the song to build a background for the hero through some visuals, which takes the fizz away from the song.

The story (if it matters) goes like this, there are two groups of gangsters, one headed by Ali Bhai(Prakash Raj) and the other by Govindan(Anand Raj), trying to control the city and they are uncontrollable, mind you. Enters, a police commissioner(Napoleon) who is trying to stop it all. Meanwhile, Tamil(Vijay) is a local thug who does petty jobs for money. How the commisioner puts an end to the entire group of gangsters forms the plot. Shruti (Asin) is the female interest of Tamil, who but naturally falls for her.

There is not much of a change for Vijay. He is his usual self and a slight change in his style of dialogue delivery could be felt. Otherwise, it is the same Vijay that you have seen over the years. Asin is awesome and exactly does what is required of her - to look beautiful. Prakash Raj impresses with his usual style, but makes a complete mockery of himself/his character in the climax. Vadivelu is funny sometimes and there is always a sense of déjà vu which cannot be ignored.

The story/plot is good for any hero and with Vijay in hand the director should have gone all guns blazing. Unfortunately, he has lost it in his screenplay. After the first hour or so, the movie completely drags. Especially in the second half, where the romantic sequences, which has not been properly conceived, helps the pace of the movie to drag even more. The plot, which has been slowly and nicely built in the first half of the movie does not reach the climax in a way it should have, not definitely through a single dialogue. I do not want to delve further into this, as I do not want to spoil the only surprise (if you hadn't found it yet) the movie has. One thing which I liked through the movie is the subtle humour throughout, even in the songs. The background music (Mani Sharma) is mediocre and nothing special to mention about the photography as well. Just the regular stuff. Nirav Shah, the cameraman has been wasted here. Prabhu Deva could have done much better than what is delivered. Guess, 2007 has only given a modest opening for Vijay.

By the way, don't forget to take the part of your brain that you hung up at the popcorn stall and fix it back in when you leave the theatre. It might take a while for it to fit back into the normal processes, but, hey! we are all used to it after having watched so many movies of this kind. Aren't We?

Hands-on experience...nah...

2007-01-11T12:14:00.000+08:00

Read this article recently at rediff.com. It increased my curiosity to know more about this guy, Syd Field, who is supposedly the godfather of screenwriting. The first thing I wanted to know was the films that he had scripted for and the answer, unfortunately is none, except for a couple of movies (White Palace and City of Joy) for which he has been a consultant. He has written around seven books on the same subject, of which Screenplay/Four Screenplays is a must for anyone who aspires to make it big in the celluloid world. The question that intrigues me is, why a guy of this stature and reputation did not script even for a single movie?

Rise from the ashes

2007-01-10T18:46:00.000+08:00

Dropped for lack of form, both, Saurav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan, proved a point or two with their dream comeback. Ganguly went on to become the top scorer of the Indian team in the test series against South Africa, with 214 runs from six innings at an average of 42.8. Khan bagged 13 wickets at 30.38 apiece. Both of them were extraordinary with their refurbished techniques, excellent attitude and a heart bigger than most of the fellow teammates. Lack of place in the national side has been a strong motivating factor and it is high time that the same treatment is extended to others who have had a dismal tour/season. Hope the axe is ready in the selector's hand and the heads already noted. It should now only be a matter of time before the axe falls on the right person.

Music Maestros

2007-01-09T19:23:00.000+08:00

Check out the music maestros, percussionist A. Sivamani and Mandolin U. Shrinivas perform for the show Koffee with Anu, which has been rocking Vijay TV of late.

From being a child prodigy, both had graduated to higher levels in their field of music and all we get to see is only a sample of their talent in this video. Something to keep you occupied for a while though. Quality Entertainment!

Rise from the ashes

2007-01-09T19:20:00.001+08:00

Failure

2007-01-09T18:17:00.001+08:00

Guess, this is how failure would make people look - drooping shoulders, eye sight penetrating the ground;

The Indian cricket team at the presentation ceremony after the
third and final test match between India and South Africa at Cape Town

A Seesaw contest; Fitting Finale!

2007-01-08T10:25:00.000+08:00

The just concluded three match test series between South Africa and India was much better than The Ashes, for the Ashes has increasingly become a one-sided contest. Though, the SA vs India contest was predicted to be on the same lines, India came up with a stunning win in the first test at Johannesburg only to loose the other two. The third test was so good that the momentum shifted from one side to the other constantly before India let the advantage slip completely. Poor batting performances helped India dig their own grave. If the veterans, Dravid and Tendulkar, could not take on a debutant spinner, Paul Harris, what can you say about the rest. South Africa deservedly won the match for the fighting spirit they exhibited. Congratulations SA!

P.S. Saurav Ganguly was the top scorer for India. Any thoughts on that?

Best Tamil Movies of 2006

2007-01-06T23:12:00.000+08:00

To me the best of 2006 was Pudhupettai and Veyyil. Guess, there will not be a consensus with regards to the former. Totally acceptable. These two are my personal best. Having loved City of God and Martin Scorsese films, I cannot leave out Pudhupettai. I don't mean to juxtapose Selvaraghavan and Marti or Pudhupettai and City of Gods. It is just my liking for movies that throw light into the shadowy world and when it is done in style, I cannot neglect but accept it. Veyyil is definitely one of the best for obvious reasons. Deftly handled screenplay, novel story line and excellent performances from the lead cast have made the movie engrossing.

Next in the list is Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi, a historical satire, a genre that is new to tamil cinema and it was a bold and commendable attempt by both the debutant director and the producer. E was good, especially for showcasing a scoundrel as a hero and not compromising until the end; Liked Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu for its stylish making. However, the movie could have been much better, a big let down by Gowtham. And the last entrant to the list is Pattiyal. Reviews of the movie when it was released carried lines for the director like "the next Maniratnam". The movie was good but I honestly felt it was too big of an statement being made too soon. Though Chithiram Pesuthadi and Thambi made it to the top, I did not like them and did not want to include them here.

After a Hiatus!

2007-01-06T14:40:00.000+08:00

Well, it has been over a year since I posted my first blog. The reason is either I couldn't find time to write (which is a lie) or find suitable topics (which is again a lie) to go blah-blah....Whatever! But, this time I have made a serious decision to be more active. Let's see...! By the way, Welcome 2007!

Top 10 Tamil Movies of 2005

2005-12-30T22:43:00.000+08:00

It's the year end and you should have a list of best and worst of something. Here it is, personal best of Tamil Movies this year. By no means I claim this to be a perfect list. You have all rights to disagree.
1. Thavamai Thavamirunthu
You have to hand it to Cheran for creating a neat film with high production values. With stellar performances from Raj Kiran and Saranya, this movie cannot be anywhere else on this list.
2. Raam
A mystery thriller telling a simple story of mother-son bondage. But for Ameer, no one would have thought of Jeeva for the lead role. Ameer, a director to watch out for! Ramji's camera and Yuvan's music (both songs and BGM) add strength to the movie.
3. Chandramukhi
Being an ardent fan of Rajinikanth, I would have loved to place this movie at the first spot but the real movie-lover in me did not allow to do that. Box-office records, re-birth of the Super Star (am I allowed to say that?) and Jyothika in the climax are highlights. (Yenna tha irunthalum "sutta" kathai thane..!)
4. Ghajini
May be Christopher Nolan would have loved the movie for the romance. Asin was awesome. Surya as well. Second half was a let down.
5. Kasthuri Maan
I did not see the movie. Based on the reviews read and heard, I am placing it here. May be I am wrong!
6. Kana Kandein
Cameraman-turned-director K.V. Anand's directional debut. Showed it to Tamil Cinema that a villain could be educated, dressed in a suit and does not need a Tata Sumo to threaten others.Srikanth-Gopika chemistry worked out well.
7. Ullam Ketkume
Nostalgic memories of five friends, told in a simple narrative style with flash cuts clicked well. A perfect casting and good numbers from Harris Jeyaraj helped. What 12B couldn't do for director Jeeva Ullam Ketkume did.
8. Kanda Naal Muthal
Priya - female director, a rarely occurring phenomenon in Tamil Cinema. Laila was at her best. Producer Prakash Raj was a winner, both, monetarily and as a promoter of young talent.
9.Arindhum Ariyamalum
Nothing great about the film but a perfect blend of everything for a good entertainer. Yuvan proved his presence.
10. Tirupaachi/Sivakasi
Shouldn't be in the list. Though a regular potboiler, the movies set the cash registers ringing. One-man show by Vijay, the next heir to the Super Star's throne.

Worst Tamil Movies of 2005

2005-12-30T22:32:00.000+08:00

Is the term 'Worst" too harsh? May be I should have used "Bad". Whatever...There are umpteen movies that were bad. I do not intend to write about them. By "Worst Movies" I mean, those movies which gave us a finger when we expected a lot from them.
1. Anniyan
We definitely expected more from Vikram-Shankar-Sujatha combo. If not more at least not this. Shankar takes all the guilt for painting Gentleman and Indian with a different shade on the canvas. Did not work this time.
2. Mumbai Xpress
Being good only in patches, I hardly laughed thro the movie. Absence of Crazy Mohan was the biggest handicap of the movie.Digital filming made watching even more difficult. 10 bucks that i invested, I am not getting back. Hmmm...
3. Athu Oru Kana Kaalam
The genius in Balu Mahendra could not deliver. If you went inside the theatre banking on Balu Mahendra, You will have to come out thinking "Athu Oru Kana Kalam".

Now, I have mine too...

2005-12-30T17:27:00.000+08:00

Of late, I have been thinking of starting my own blog and finally here it is. At the present moment I have no idea on what I am gonna write but for sure will come up with some interesting ramblings. Born in India, you will have to like two things - cricket and movies. I'm from India and would love to talk a lot about them. I don't know how active I am gonna be...May be that's my New Year's Resolution!