#Viswasam - Usual Ajith Siva Combo!
Ajith as Thookudurai is mass and emotional(Not the flashback's Durai). Mass intro in an awesome frame with 100's of hands together. A Not needed first 1 hr with a lot of logical loopholes, The usual mass fight scene in the pre-interval block ending with the punch dialogue sets the story for the second half. Ajith's emotional acting is good. Nayanthara also has an equal role compared to Ajith and she is pretty good too. 'Kannana Kanne' song is awesome. The fight sequence in the basement toilet is great. Even the second half does not offer anything fresh but the father-daughter combo in the final half an hour makes the film one time watchable for the festive season.
#StrictlyMyView !!
#PETTA - SIRAPPANA THARAMANA SAMBAVAM !!!
This movie by far, is the closest, one can get for a reinvention of a 90's Rajini. Something which we all were waiting for a long time. This might probably be the last one of its kind. No other person other than this 'Maha Rajni Veriiyan' #Karthick_Subburaj could have made this possible on screen. Each frame by frame he has crafted it so well. This movie shows that he has been studying #Rajni for a long time. He knows which angle and what kind of shots, mannerisms suit him. Right from the title card everything is rajinism. Thalaivar at his best no other words. I was so much into the film, admiring and lost by seeing thalaivar on screen that I even forgot that there were other major stars in the film including ( Vijay sethupathi, trisha, sasikumar etc ). The next best thing is Anirudh Ravichander, BGM was electrifying and goosebumps material. He nailed it totally . It's one of his matured works after Kaththi. Cinematography by thiru is supercool and the locations are an added advantage. Vijay sethupathi's screen space is less comparitvely but he is so apt for the role he plays. He naturally is for all the roles though. Could have used Nawazuddin Siddiqui better. Simran, Trisha and sasikumar has minimal portions and are not bad. First half is excellent(intro and pre intermission portions) while the second half is good. The negatives about the movie are the story and second half's length. This is a pakka commercial Rajni film with not so great villains!
#StrictlyMyView!!
#KAALA - Pa. Ranjith's way of celebrating the Black!
***** NO SPOILERS******
---- Beware of Lengthy review :P. Those who don't want to read the full review, go the bottom of the review for quickies. :D :D
After disappointing Kabali, Ranjith is back to earn his good name again with Kaala and he did indeed. Even though thalaivar was praised for his performance in Kabali and the movie became a blockbuster due to the hype factor and the aggressive promotions, a lot of ardent fans including me, missed the usual Rajnikanth factors in the movie. This time with Kaala he was particular to fulfil those as far as he can (at this age) and did remarkably well. The story had the same template as Kabali with locations changed and with a compelling villain. The movie started with a protest in Dharavi Mumbai leading to the introduction of our hero which was the first Gethu moment in the movie with the rivetting BGM.
Ranjith had given a lot of space to all the supporting characters in which Samuthrakani scored well throughout the movie. He was actually the comic relief and his timing one-liners were perfect. Santhosh Narayanan 's BGM was one of the major assets of the movie. Though the song 'katravai patravai' and the whistle reminded us 'Nerupuda' from Kabali, BGM in the movie for thalaivar and the villain Nana Patekar - stand out. It created a new aura. Songs were actually a headache except for the intro one and the climax song. The Sets of Dharavi were astounding, you wouldn't know that they've recreated it outside Chennai unless you came to know the fact. It was that real. The Screenplay was slow in both first half and second half and wasn't boring. First-half showcased thalaivar's gethu while the second half was more of the villain's show. #Nana_Patekar was a powerful villain for thalaivar after a very long time. You don't have to shout and scream punch dialogues to showcase your villains and he was one example for it to portray villainism with actions and being subtle at the same time.
The lady lead #EaswariRao was surprisingly great with her innocence and the love towards Rajni. Huma Qureshi too delivered a good performance. Finally, the superstar thalaivar Rajnikanth with his screen presence being eternal, shined in the silver screen with fire and ice with his powerful factors and cute elderly romances respectively. He doesn't have a much acting scope as Kabali, but still, with his experience, he could do anything. For fans, there were around 4 to 5 gethu scenes which are a cakewalk for thalaivar were electrifying. Ranjith had researched a lot about Dharavi right from the locations, the slang used, costumes, people etc and delivered it good. It would have been much better if the screenplay were little gripping and the duration had trimmed. It's a full Pa. Ranjith's show with thalaivar's factor here and there and a good watch. Watch it for Rajnikanth as an actor, not a superstar !
#Mersal - Nothing new! But a pakka entertainer for fans and family this festival!!
Atlee Kumar usually takes up one of the old movies, do some cosmetic changes and delivers us in a fresh glossy manner. This time he didn't take up one movie but around 10 movies and delivered as a package for family Audiences and hardcore fans. Not necessary to mention those films here, you can easily related it when you are watching the movie. A stone age story but with an important social issue for the current scenario has been portrayed in a lighter tone. It could have been a little more deep in the movie. Locations and visuals are awesome esp. Aazhaporan Tamizhan is visually stunning. So again it's an one man show here. This movie is nothing without Actor Vijay ! He steals the show with his energy, charisma , fitness and deftness. Intro, title card sequences and interval block is one among his best ever. His performance was excellent and one of the finest of his career as he has multiple roles to carry and he handles with ease.
Three lady leads, Kajal Aggarwal , Samantha Akkineni and Nithya Menen out of which Nithya's role was meatiest and she has done great in the flashback portion. Vijay and Nithya's chemistry worked out so well. A couple of scenes and songs for the rest two ladies. Sathya Raj, Vadivelu and kovai sarala have minimal portions and decent. This may not be the best performance of S J Suryah but he did justice to the role as a villain. A.R. Rahman's music shines in songs but not in BGM. Stunts were powerful and well refined. Cinematography is top notch by a debut cameraman Vishnu.
I felt the movie's duration a bit lengthy in the first half love portions and second half flashback portions. It could have been trimmed off for an even better gripping screenplay and content could have been delivered in a stronger tone. Mersal might not give a mersal experience for movie-buffs as its a mix of old wines, but for general audience its definitely a pakka family entertainer for this festival!!
Vivegam - High production value, Less engaging!!!
James bond/Mission impossible kind of film which had enough one line story which could have been compromised in screenplay as most of the Hollywood movies do. High production value right from the locations to the gadgets and properties used. Excellent BGM, cinematography and editing (not the direction: P ) . Best choice of hero and film is technically well.
Ajith's Introduction is top notch with Anirudh Ravichander's BGM followed by a ROFL max bridge stunt . Kajal Aggarwal's performance was good but had been a major speed breaker in the movie esp , in the second half. AksharaHaasan's introduction was mass and performance was ok. Stunt's were OK but the shaky camera work spoiled it more. Bike chase was good spoiled by a sentiment ( Siva's touch :D ). There were few moments in action sequences which resembled pre 2010's Actor Vijay's stunts ( Flying/sliding etc ). A very Weak confused Villian who always praises his enemy didnt help in anyway. Ajith is known for his slow motion shot walks which suit him well and that everyone knows ,well theres a lot of it in this film too. In addition to that there was slow motion dialogues thorughout the film by both hero and villain. It goes in the same pace as the one appeared in the trailer "Indha ulagame unna edhirthalum" . No modulation in any of it.
Screenplay was racy but struggled to engage the audience. Average first half , below average second half with a ROFL max climax which can be enjoyable for fans. It went like Kajal started singing, Ajith tore his shirt and fought the viilian was a 1990's formula. Ajith should be appreciated for No smoking, No drinking, no bad words scenes and his dedication to the film which can be seen in the end credits, but that alone didn't help the movie's result. !
#StrictlyMyview!!
Bairavaa - Expectation fullfilled :P ;)
#NO SPOILERS ******
Right from the movie announcement, cast, first look, teaser, trailer and songs the expectation for this flick was moderate, which was obvious and I can that the say the movie exactly matched it, except for the fact that it had a good content and few unexpected mass scenes.
Like Vedalam , this movie also had all the qualities that it should have been released around 2005 to 2010 and not in this era. Yes an agmark mass commercial masala with good scenes then and there.
Yet another One man army movie where Ilaya Thalapathy Vijay carried the whole movie right from the beginning. Movie had a strong plot but a weak execution in the second half. Director Bharathan is very good in paper work as he comes up with good / different stories ( first ATM, now bairavaa ) and he had penned the dialogues for films like Ghilli and Veeram. When it comes to executing the same on screen, he fails. But there is an improvement compared to ATM ( it has to be, right :P ?).
The first 20 or 30 mins was very dull and kinda boring, even though many claim that the cricket fight was good, I dont feel that way.The actual story started then and it was in a good pace followed by a perfect interval block (Semma Mass!!!!) with Varlam Varlam Va " Bairavaa" BGM!! . Second half continued at a considerable pace by reminding us movies like Sivakasi (film), Veeram etc loses it by the uninspiring cat and mouse game between the hero and villian when nearing towarding the pre climax sequences. Then ends up in a normal climax. The reason for losing the pace was the placement of the scenes in the second half like a good scene followed by a bad scene , then again a good scene followed by a very bad scene. This movie would have been much better if some portions were trimmed.
Sathish's one liner comedy helped here and there whereas Thambi Ramaiah was a great mokkai. Keerthi Suresh as usual didn't have any scope. Another notable negative point is Mr. Santhosh Narayanan for the songs and BGM. 65 to 70% of the movie had "Varlam Varlam Va " Bairavaa" BGM and I doubt whether the remaining part had any RR. Particularly there was fight scene between Vijay and Daniel Balaji with a strong sentimental BGM (WTH ?? ) . This reminds me of the BGM in Kabali fight scene where thalaivar rescues Radhika Apte where there would be absolute silence!! Also the placements of the songs in second half was bad. Papa Song visuals was good with a village temple background and good dance number.
To conclude, if you are a neutral and who doesn't have any expectation and doesn't dive deep into anything. This movie would entertain you. For others except the fans, might or might not work out.
On a box office point of view , there are certain movies which became hits even earned negative/Mixed reviews at the time of its release with various deciding factors. Examples ( Maan Karate, Maari, Vedalam , Theri etc) the first two due to the pre release buzz it created and low budgets, the latter ones mainly for the few mass scenes which had been received well mainly in B and C centres even though the content wasn't good enough. So this movie has a very high chance of joining that list!
#StrictlyMyview!!!
#Dangal : One of the best emotional sport movies to witness!
After the overwhelming positive reviews all over the media , the expectations would have been high for everyone and this movie will fulfill it definitely. Aamir Khan ( Mr. Perfectionist ) for a reason, performances, the making, the story and the difference between Sultan and Dangal will prove the same :P .. The moment I saw the start credits with the "Dangal Dangal" BGM, I got a feeling that it is going to be one of the best movies to witness. Performances, Fight sequences - Top notch! no other words to express. If you had never felt the edge of the seat experience for fight sequences, this movie will give you that for sure. Not gonna write more on the movie. Will leave it for you guys to watch the rest.
A Complete movie!
#StrictlyMyView!!
#DEARZINDAGI - A feel good movie!!
This is neither an extremely brilliant nor an extraordinary movie but it is one that gives you a good feel.. #ALIABHATT is both the beauty and the beast .. A beast in her performance!! Neva expected that she could deliver such a wonderful performance!! #SRK gentle as ever!! Mostly this movie will be loved by those yoyo gals and those who pretend to be one!! For others it's a feel good one!
#STRICTLYMYVIEW!!
#KABALI - Not for ardent fans! Might work for some neutrals!
*** NO SPOILERS ***
The most anticipated movie in India till date. All the terrific promotions, two film old fresh director and the biggest superstar combo, the crew's take on how the movie had been shaped up, all these things enlightened everyone like '" Oh boy I am gonna be in for some real show by our #THALAIVAR " So was the movie worth the expectations?
It was a No, it doesn't mean that it was an utter crap movie. But it was definitely not up to the storm that it created before release. Well nowadays, directors are more creative in their story lines as well as their promotions. For Example, Karthick Subburaj promoted his movie Jigarthanda as a musical gangster drama but the result was musical gangster movie in the first half and a totally unexpected comedy movie in the second half and the movie worked out so good as at least the first half was like what all expected. Similarly I guess director Paranjith Pa promoted his movie as an action gangster, as the teaser, nerupu da song teaser and the movie stills were like our #Superstar gonna be kicking some bad-ass guys, but the actual movie is more of an emotional gangster drama rather than an action one. Guess this is a major thing for getting mixed reviews !!
THALAIVAR : Coming to the movie, it starts up so well by the Malaysian government talking about one of the biggest don in the country followed by the MARANA MASS #Thalaivar's intro which was also one of the best intro's of thalaivar . Nerupu da BGM added so much weight. Even the following scenes of intro too were like Nerupu... Movie then slowed down and never raised up till the climax. All you can see was a totally different Rajnikanth which was the exact opposite of what we all expected. When it comes to performance he was so subtle, cool and emotional as how an emotional don would be like. Even at this age, his screen presence and charisma was magical. But he looked really old :( in some of the portions and the energy which we saw till Endhiran has been lost :( :( . Things that remained and will remain forever were his walk,voice and the king's smile :) which was a wow (Esp in intro, Q&A session scene, airport landing etc). Thalaivar is known for his dialogue deliveries and yes he nailed it but in some portions ( "KABALI DA" those teaser sequences and "KOZHI KARI" ) . There were two lengthy dialogues in the movie but I wasn't much impressed with those performance wise.
MUSIC : Santhosh Narayanan's music is a major plus for the movie and mostly in mass scenes. There were scenes which were silent instead of mass BGM. May be it was the director's note to be silent. Songs didn't spoil the movie but wasn't great.
Other Actors : Half of the Madras The Movie 's artists are in this one too. Everyone did justice to their roles. Radhika Apte didn't have much frames in the movie, but she traveled along the story right from the beginning. There was one particular scene where she proved her acting. She nailed it and it was an very emotional scene which l liked it so much. Sai Dhanshika was like a supermodel and it was her first action avatar and did a perfect job. Should give credits for Attakathi Dinesh for his unique mannerisms.
Direction and Screenplay: It was definitely a very tough job for Paranjith Pa to direct such a huge superstar. He tried to succeed but succeeded in showing a character KABALI and not a hero KABALI. The story is apt for Rajni as he cannot play a young hero henceforth, but the screenplay could have been much tighter to keep the audience engaged. It was slow and lacked details in many parts. No one expected to have superhero stunts or unwanted punch dialogues but there could have been more mass scenes included. It would have been terrific for Thalaivar and that too in this getup.
This movie was definitely not mokkai as some says but definitely not for the hardcore fans who expect superstar's energy and mass but for some hardcore movie lovers and neutrals who wants to see him differently. I am a hardcore fan and movie lover , but when it comes to Thalaivar, the fan me is dominating over the movie lover me and yes I am disappointed.
EXPECTATION ALWAYS HURTS!! :( ;) :p
#StrictlyMyView!!!
#THERI - (FAN)TASTICALLY T(H)ERRIFIC !!! ;) :p
*** NO SPOILERS ***
Yes it is terrific for Thalapathy Fans!! So the next question , "How is it for the others???" To find that out , read below!! :)
Story : Very very very very olddddddddd usual story!!!! One can guess the story from its trailer itself and yes it was the same in the movie as well. Nothing more to say on it. There are several talks that this story reminds vijayakanth's Sathriyan. I dont know about it as I havent watched it. May be it is true, Atlee Kumar could have concentrated more on that!
Music : G.V.Prakash Kumar 's 50th movie, Songs were good but weren't great for his 50th movie but the BGM was pukka throughout the movie. 'Theri dub step' thrills you in places which adds up to the scene as an energy boost.
Cinematography : George C. Williams I mentioned this guy in my previous Naanum Rowdy Dhaan review that I was becoming a fan of him. From this movie, I am his fan and it was super cool to watch all these scenes through his vision.
Stunts : Thank god , there was no air stunts like one will be flying in the air, either the hero or the goons who were punched by the hero. Dilip subburayan had given powerful stunts.
Casting and performances: Like Raja Rani , this movie also had a perfect casting. Radhika and Prabhu, though they appear for minor roles, they were perfect in it. First time Motta rajendran had been roped in for an important role and he did justice with a slight flavor of his usual comedy. The Legendary Director Mahendran was the antagonist and was normal. Anyone could have done the role. The Lady leads, Samantha Ruth Prabhu looked awful with her overdose make up that sometimes would confuse you whether she actually a human or a plastic doll. Performance wise she was good and not great but the chemistry between vijay and her worked out. Amy Jackson looked awful too with her WIG MANDA lol :D . Her role was a KERALA teacher but I wonder why atlee made her to look like a KOREA teacher :P. Baby Nainika was such a cute doll and she nailed it as the dialogues were uber cool . It was a treat to watch all the scenes which she involved and the father daughter relation was perfect!
So , the man of masses and screen presence ILAYATHALAPATHY Actor Vijay at one of his finest performances . This movie would have been utter crap without this guy's awesome screen presence and charisma! Vijay's performance is matured and was a perfect fit cop with no unwanted punch dialogues. One can witness the old 90's romantic vijay in parts of the movie and the recent mass vijay in other parts.
Direction and Screenplay: Hard work never fails! , Atlee Kumar 's hard work can be seen throughout the movie. He took up a very simple story and refurbished with perfect cast and a mighty lead. The way he handled emotions and songs are perfect could have concentrated more on the second half's romantic scenes which slows down the movie a bit. Interestingly he included the latest social issues in the story. He studied vijay completely and utilized him in the best possible way . All the mass, emotional, romantic scenes were class but with a limit. There wasn't too much mass or masala or punch dialogues ( like vaaaaa daaaa deeiii!!! camera zooms in and out , top to bottom and all ) , or too much emotions or sentiments like serials or vikraman movies . It was a perfect blend of the things mentioned above and with Vijay in it, then its a runaway hit!!.
As mentioned initially, vijay fans will celebrate while for others, its perfect decent family entertainer for summer with no double meaning dialogues, no glamour in songs etc.
P.S : Some ardent fans will say its better than Kaththi , dont believe them ( adichu sonnalum nambadhinga :P :D ) !!!
2.5
#Viswasam - Usual Ajith Siva Combo! Ajith as Thookudurai is mass and emotional(Not the flashback's Durai). Mass intro in an awesome frame with 100's of hands together. A Not needed first 1 hr with a lot of logical loopholes, The usual mass fight scene in the pre-interval block ending with the punch dialogue sets the story for the second half. Ajith's emotional acting is good. Nayanthara also has an equal role compared to Ajith and she is pretty good too. 'Kannana Kanne' song is awesome. The fight sequence in the basement toilet is great. Even the second half does not offer anything fresh but the father-daughter combo in the final half an hour makes the film one time watchable for the festive season. #StrictlyMyView !!
3.0
#PETTA - SIRAPPANA THARAMANA SAMBAVAM !!! This movie by far, is the closest, one can get for a reinvention of a 90's Rajini. Something which we all were waiting for a long time. This might probably be the last one of its kind. No other person other than this 'Maha Rajni Veriiyan' #Karthick_Subburaj could have made this possible on screen. Each frame by frame he has crafted it so well. This movie shows that he has been studying #Rajni for a long time. He knows which angle and what kind of shots, mannerisms suit him. Right from the title card everything is rajinism. Thalaivar at his best no other words. I was so much into the film, admiring and lost by seeing thalaivar on screen that I even forgot that there were other major stars in the film including ( Vijay sethupathi, trisha, sasikumar etc ). The next best thing is Anirudh Ravichander, BGM was electrifying and goosebumps material. He nailed it totally . It's one of his matured works after Kaththi. Cinematography by thiru is supercool and the locations are an added advantage. Vijay sethupathi's screen space is less comparitvely but he is so apt for the role he plays. He naturally is for all the roles though. Could have used Nawazuddin Siddiqui better. Simran, Trisha and sasikumar has minimal portions and are not bad. First half is excellent(intro and pre intermission portions) while the second half is good. The negatives about the movie are the story and second half's length. This is a pakka commercial Rajni film with not so great villains! #StrictlyMyView!!
3.0
#KAALA - Pa. Ranjith's way of celebrating the Black! ***** NO SPOILERS****** ---- Beware of Lengthy review :P. Those who don't want to read the full review, go the bottom of the review for quickies. :D :D After disappointing Kabali, Ranjith is back to earn his good name again with Kaala and he did indeed. Even though thalaivar was praised for his performance in Kabali and the movie became a blockbuster due to the hype factor and the aggressive promotions, a lot of ardent fans including me, missed the usual Rajnikanth factors in the movie. This time with Kaala he was particular to fulfil those as far as he can (at this age) and did remarkably well. The story had the same template as Kabali with locations changed and with a compelling villain. The movie started with a protest in Dharavi Mumbai leading to the introduction of our hero which was the first Gethu moment in the movie with the rivetting BGM. Ranjith had given a lot of space to all the supporting characters in which Samuthrakani scored well throughout the movie. He was actually the comic relief and his timing one-liners were perfect. Santhosh Narayanan 's BGM was one of the major assets of the movie. Though the song 'katravai patravai' and the whistle reminded us 'Nerupuda' from Kabali, BGM in the movie for thalaivar and the villain Nana Patekar - stand out. It created a new aura. Songs were actually a headache except for the intro one and the climax song. The Sets of Dharavi were astounding, you wouldn't know that they've recreated it outside Chennai unless you came to know the fact. It was that real. The Screenplay was slow in both first half and second half and wasn't boring. First-half showcased thalaivar's gethu while the second half was more of the villain's show. #Nana_Patekar was a powerful villain for thalaivar after a very long time. You don't have to shout and scream punch dialogues to showcase your villains and he was one example for it to portray villainism with actions and being subtle at the same time. The lady lead #EaswariRao was surprisingly great with her innocence and the love towards Rajni. Huma Qureshi too delivered a good performance. Finally, the superstar thalaivar Rajnikanth with his screen presence being eternal, shined in the silver screen with fire and ice with his powerful factors and cute elderly romances respectively. He doesn't have a much acting scope as Kabali, but still, with his experience, he could do anything. For fans, there were around 4 to 5 gethu scenes which are a cakewalk for thalaivar were electrifying. Ranjith had researched a lot about Dharavi right from the locations, the slang used, costumes, people etc and delivered it good. It would have been much better if the screenplay were little gripping and the duration had trimmed. It's a full Pa. Ranjith's show with thalaivar's factor here and there and a good watch. Watch it for Rajnikanth as an actor, not a superstar !
3.0
#Mersal - Nothing new! But a pakka entertainer for fans and family this festival!! Atlee Kumar usually takes up one of the old movies, do some cosmetic changes and delivers us in a fresh glossy manner. This time he didn't take up one movie but around 10 movies and delivered as a package for family Audiences and hardcore fans. Not necessary to mention those films here, you can easily related it when you are watching the movie. A stone age story but with an important social issue for the current scenario has been portrayed in a lighter tone. It could have been a little more deep in the movie. Locations and visuals are awesome esp. Aazhaporan Tamizhan is visually stunning. So again it's an one man show here. This movie is nothing without Actor Vijay ! He steals the show with his energy, charisma , fitness and deftness. Intro, title card sequences and interval block is one among his best ever. His performance was excellent and one of the finest of his career as he has multiple roles to carry and he handles with ease. Three lady leads, Kajal Aggarwal , Samantha Akkineni and Nithya Menen out of which Nithya's role was meatiest and she has done great in the flashback portion. Vijay and Nithya's chemistry worked out so well. A couple of scenes and songs for the rest two ladies. Sathya Raj, Vadivelu and kovai sarala have minimal portions and decent. This may not be the best performance of S J Suryah but he did justice to the role as a villain. A.R. Rahman's music shines in songs but not in BGM. Stunts were powerful and well refined. Cinematography is top notch by a debut cameraman Vishnu. I felt the movie's duration a bit lengthy in the first half love portions and second half flashback portions. It could have been trimmed off for an even better gripping screenplay and content could have been delivered in a stronger tone. Mersal might not give a mersal experience for movie-buffs as its a mix of old wines, but for general audience its definitely a pakka family entertainer for this festival!!
2.5
Vivegam - High production value, Less engaging!!! James bond/Mission impossible kind of film which had enough one line story which could have been compromised in screenplay as most of the Hollywood movies do. High production value right from the locations to the gadgets and properties used. Excellent BGM, cinematography and editing (not the direction: P ) . Best choice of hero and film is technically well. Ajith's Introduction is top notch with Anirudh Ravichander's BGM followed by a ROFL max bridge stunt . Kajal Aggarwal's performance was good but had been a major speed breaker in the movie esp , in the second half. AksharaHaasan's introduction was mass and performance was ok. Stunt's were OK but the shaky camera work spoiled it more. Bike chase was good spoiled by a sentiment ( Siva's touch :D ). There were few moments in action sequences which resembled pre 2010's Actor Vijay's stunts ( Flying/sliding etc ). A very Weak confused Villian who always praises his enemy didnt help in anyway. Ajith is known for his slow motion shot walks which suit him well and that everyone knows ,well theres a lot of it in this film too. In addition to that there was slow motion dialogues thorughout the film by both hero and villain. It goes in the same pace as the one appeared in the trailer "Indha ulagame unna edhirthalum" . No modulation in any of it. Screenplay was racy but struggled to engage the audience. Average first half , below average second half with a ROFL max climax which can be enjoyable for fans. It went like Kajal started singing, Ajith tore his shirt and fought the viilian was a 1990's formula. Ajith should be appreciated for No smoking, No drinking, no bad words scenes and his dedication to the film which can be seen in the end credits, but that alone didn't help the movie's result. ! #StrictlyMyview!!
3.0
Good plot and great performances from all the lead n supporting casts. Worth a watch!
3.5
Superb feel good movie with blend of emotions and comedy. Nedumudi venu and fahad fasil had delivered exceptional performances.
4.0
Brilliant, gripping screenplay throughout the movie which keeps you engaged in all parts without the revealing the names of the main leads!
3.0
One of the best gripping, patriotic, untold story of Indian Navy's service. A must watch!
2.0
Bairavaa - Expectation fullfilled :P ;) #NO SPOILERS ****** Right from the movie announcement, cast, first look, teaser, trailer and songs the expectation for this flick was moderate, which was obvious and I can that the say the movie exactly matched it, except for the fact that it had a good content and few unexpected mass scenes. Like Vedalam , this movie also had all the qualities that it should have been released around 2005 to 2010 and not in this era. Yes an agmark mass commercial masala with good scenes then and there. Yet another One man army movie where Ilaya Thalapathy Vijay carried the whole movie right from the beginning. Movie had a strong plot but a weak execution in the second half. Director Bharathan is very good in paper work as he comes up with good / different stories ( first ATM, now bairavaa ) and he had penned the dialogues for films like Ghilli and Veeram. When it comes to executing the same on screen, he fails. But there is an improvement compared to ATM ( it has to be, right :P ?). The first 20 or 30 mins was very dull and kinda boring, even though many claim that the cricket fight was good, I dont feel that way.The actual story started then and it was in a good pace followed by a perfect interval block (Semma Mass!!!!) with Varlam Varlam Va " Bairavaa" BGM!! . Second half continued at a considerable pace by reminding us movies like Sivakasi (film), Veeram etc loses it by the uninspiring cat and mouse game between the hero and villian when nearing towarding the pre climax sequences. Then ends up in a normal climax. The reason for losing the pace was the placement of the scenes in the second half like a good scene followed by a bad scene , then again a good scene followed by a very bad scene. This movie would have been much better if some portions were trimmed. Sathish's one liner comedy helped here and there whereas Thambi Ramaiah was a great mokkai. Keerthi Suresh as usual didn't have any scope. Another notable negative point is Mr. Santhosh Narayanan for the songs and BGM. 65 to 70% of the movie had "Varlam Varlam Va " Bairavaa" BGM and I doubt whether the remaining part had any RR. Particularly there was fight scene between Vijay and Daniel Balaji with a strong sentimental BGM (WTH ?? ) . This reminds me of the BGM in Kabali fight scene where thalaivar rescues Radhika Apte where there would be absolute silence!! Also the placements of the songs in second half was bad. Papa Song visuals was good with a village temple background and good dance number. To conclude, if you are a neutral and who doesn't have any expectation and doesn't dive deep into anything. This movie would entertain you. For others except the fans, might or might not work out. On a box office point of view , there are certain movies which became hits even earned negative/Mixed reviews at the time of its release with various deciding factors. Examples ( Maan Karate, Maari, Vedalam , Theri etc) the first two due to the pre release buzz it created and low budgets, the latter ones mainly for the few mass scenes which had been received well mainly in B and C centres even though the content wasn't good enough. So this movie has a very high chance of joining that list! #StrictlyMyview!!!
4.0
#Dangal : One of the best emotional sport movies to witness! After the overwhelming positive reviews all over the media , the expectations would have been high for everyone and this movie will fulfill it definitely. Aamir Khan ( Mr. Perfectionist ) for a reason, performances, the making, the story and the difference between Sultan and Dangal will prove the same :P .. The moment I saw the start credits with the "Dangal Dangal" BGM, I got a feeling that it is going to be one of the best movies to witness. Performances, Fight sequences - Top notch! no other words to express. If you had never felt the edge of the seat experience for fight sequences, this movie will give you that for sure. Not gonna write more on the movie. Will leave it for you guys to watch the rest. A Complete movie! #StrictlyMyView!!
3.0
#DEARZINDAGI - A feel good movie!! This is neither an extremely brilliant nor an extraordinary movie but it is one that gives you a good feel.. #ALIABHATT is both the beauty and the beast .. A beast in her performance!! Neva expected that she could deliver such a wonderful performance!! #SRK gentle as ever!! Mostly this movie will be loved by those yoyo gals and those who pretend to be one!! For others it's a feel good one! #STRICTLYMYVIEW!!
3.0
#KuttrameThandanai - Vidarth's sensible acting, Raja's BGM, Thrilling Screenplay, Decent Twist , No Songs, proper message delivery.... Satisfying .. :) #StrictlyMyView!!!
2.5
#KABALI - Not for ardent fans! Might work for some neutrals! *** NO SPOILERS *** The most anticipated movie in India till date. All the terrific promotions, two film old fresh director and the biggest superstar combo, the crew's take on how the movie had been shaped up, all these things enlightened everyone like '" Oh boy I am gonna be in for some real show by our #THALAIVAR " So was the movie worth the expectations? It was a No, it doesn't mean that it was an utter crap movie. But it was definitely not up to the storm that it created before release. Well nowadays, directors are more creative in their story lines as well as their promotions. For Example, Karthick Subburaj promoted his movie Jigarthanda as a musical gangster drama but the result was musical gangster movie in the first half and a totally unexpected comedy movie in the second half and the movie worked out so good as at least the first half was like what all expected. Similarly I guess director Paranjith Pa promoted his movie as an action gangster, as the teaser, nerupu da song teaser and the movie stills were like our #Superstar gonna be kicking some bad-ass guys, but the actual movie is more of an emotional gangster drama rather than an action one. Guess this is a major thing for getting mixed reviews !! THALAIVAR : Coming to the movie, it starts up so well by the Malaysian government talking about one of the biggest don in the country followed by the MARANA MASS #Thalaivar's intro which was also one of the best intro's of thalaivar . Nerupu da BGM added so much weight. Even the following scenes of intro too were like Nerupu... Movie then slowed down and never raised up till the climax. All you can see was a totally different Rajnikanth which was the exact opposite of what we all expected. When it comes to performance he was so subtle, cool and emotional as how an emotional don would be like. Even at this age, his screen presence and charisma was magical. But he looked really old :( in some of the portions and the energy which we saw till Endhiran has been lost :( :( . Things that remained and will remain forever were his walk,voice and the king's smile :) which was a wow (Esp in intro, Q&A session scene, airport landing etc). Thalaivar is known for his dialogue deliveries and yes he nailed it but in some portions ( "KABALI DA" those teaser sequences and "KOZHI KARI" ) . There were two lengthy dialogues in the movie but I wasn't much impressed with those performance wise. MUSIC : Santhosh Narayanan's music is a major plus for the movie and mostly in mass scenes. There were scenes which were silent instead of mass BGM. May be it was the director's note to be silent. Songs didn't spoil the movie but wasn't great. Other Actors : Half of the Madras The Movie 's artists are in this one too. Everyone did justice to their roles. Radhika Apte didn't have much frames in the movie, but she traveled along the story right from the beginning. There was one particular scene where she proved her acting. She nailed it and it was an very emotional scene which l liked it so much. Sai Dhanshika was like a supermodel and it was her first action avatar and did a perfect job. Should give credits for Attakathi Dinesh for his unique mannerisms. Direction and Screenplay: It was definitely a very tough job for Paranjith Pa to direct such a huge superstar. He tried to succeed but succeeded in showing a character KABALI and not a hero KABALI. The story is apt for Rajni as he cannot play a young hero henceforth, but the screenplay could have been much tighter to keep the audience engaged. It was slow and lacked details in many parts. No one expected to have superhero stunts or unwanted punch dialogues but there could have been more mass scenes included. It would have been terrific for Thalaivar and that too in this getup. This movie was definitely not mokkai as some says but definitely not for the hardcore fans who expect superstar's energy and mass but for some hardcore movie lovers and neutrals who wants to see him differently. I am a hardcore fan and movie lover , but when it comes to Thalaivar, the fan me is dominating over the movie lover me and yes I am disappointed. EXPECTATION ALWAYS HURTS!! :( ;) :p #StrictlyMyView!!!
3.5
Brilliant time travelling squences carries the film to whol new level. But 76% seriously??? its overrated from MC . 68-70% would do...
3.0
#THERI - (FAN)TASTICALLY T(H)ERRIFIC !!! ;) :p *** NO SPOILERS *** Yes it is terrific for Thalapathy Fans!! So the next question , "How is it for the others???" To find that out , read below!! :) Story : Very very very very olddddddddd usual story!!!! One can guess the story from its trailer itself and yes it was the same in the movie as well. Nothing more to say on it. There are several talks that this story reminds vijayakanth's Sathriyan. I dont know about it as I havent watched it. May be it is true, Atlee Kumar could have concentrated more on that! Music : G.V.Prakash Kumar 's 50th movie, Songs were good but weren't great for his 50th movie but the BGM was pukka throughout the movie. 'Theri dub step' thrills you in places which adds up to the scene as an energy boost. Cinematography : George C. Williams I mentioned this guy in my previous Naanum Rowdy Dhaan review that I was becoming a fan of him. From this movie, I am his fan and it was super cool to watch all these scenes through his vision. Stunts : Thank god , there was no air stunts like one will be flying in the air, either the hero or the goons who were punched by the hero. Dilip subburayan had given powerful stunts. Casting and performances: Like Raja Rani , this movie also had a perfect casting. Radhika and Prabhu, though they appear for minor roles, they were perfect in it. First time Motta rajendran had been roped in for an important role and he did justice with a slight flavor of his usual comedy. The Legendary Director Mahendran was the antagonist and was normal. Anyone could have done the role. The Lady leads, Samantha Ruth Prabhu looked awful with her overdose make up that sometimes would confuse you whether she actually a human or a plastic doll. Performance wise she was good and not great but the chemistry between vijay and her worked out. Amy Jackson looked awful too with her WIG MANDA lol :D . Her role was a KERALA teacher but I wonder why atlee made her to look like a KOREA teacher :P. Baby Nainika was such a cute doll and she nailed it as the dialogues were uber cool . It was a treat to watch all the scenes which she involved and the father daughter relation was perfect! So , the man of masses and screen presence ILAYATHALAPATHY Actor Vijay at one of his finest performances . This movie would have been utter crap without this guy's awesome screen presence and charisma! Vijay's performance is matured and was a perfect fit cop with no unwanted punch dialogues. One can witness the old 90's romantic vijay in parts of the movie and the recent mass vijay in other parts. Direction and Screenplay: Hard work never fails! , Atlee Kumar 's hard work can be seen throughout the movie. He took up a very simple story and refurbished with perfect cast and a mighty lead. The way he handled emotions and songs are perfect could have concentrated more on the second half's romantic scenes which slows down the movie a bit. Interestingly he included the latest social issues in the story. He studied vijay completely and utilized him in the best possible way . All the mass, emotional, romantic scenes were class but with a limit. There wasn't too much mass or masala or punch dialogues ( like vaaaaa daaaa deeiii!!! camera zooms in and out , top to bottom and all ) , or too much emotions or sentiments like serials or vikraman movies . It was a perfect blend of the things mentioned above and with Vijay in it, then its a runaway hit!!. As mentioned initially, vijay fans will celebrate while for others, its perfect decent family entertainer for summer with no double meaning dialogues, no glamour in songs etc. P.S : Some ardent fans will say its better than Kaththi , dont believe them ( adichu sonnalum nambadhinga :P :D ) !!!