Thor: The Dark World

Rating: 2.5/5Director Alan Taylor's Thor: The Dark World is a Marvel Comics franchise based on Norse Mythology, where Thor is the hammer-wielding protector of mankind, who uncompromisingly pursues his foes. Action-packed and visually dynamic, the film at times feels like a sci-fi war movie. But instead, it reverberates with family dynamics in mystical realms and numerous characters. Unlike its first installment, this one is on a much bigger scale and a far cry from a superhero film. The film structurally begins in the same way as the first "Thor", with a voiceover by Anthony Hopkins, who plays Odin the ruler of Asgard, and a back story. The voiceover states: "Long before the birth of light, there was darkness and Dark Elves ruled the universe with the help of aether (pronounced eether) an ancient force of eternal destruction." The back story reveals Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), the Prince of the Dark Elves is all set to destroy the Universe, but his attempt is thwarted by Thor's grandfather and the Aether is discarded onto a planet. Years later, on earth, the aether enters the bloodstream of astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and there are forces at work. Malekeith is back on the prowl. Jane gets connected with her long lost love Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) the less trustworthy brother of Thor, accompanies him to save the day. This makes the Core theme of the story. And if this sounds interesting, then the film is far from the point of deliverance. Its first half drags quite mercilessly. Then the plot gets complex and convoluted. The tale is saddled with intergalactic setting and the narration has twisted and knotted moments. If one sequence begins on Asgard the planet where Thor and his family live, the other sequence takes place on Earth and the third, in space. After a while, teleportation is commonplace and anything is possible. Overall, the characters have no graphs or novelty factor. The dialogues, without any verve and wit are full of cliches, thereby making the viewing boring and predictable. The film borders on patronizing with the same old threats of galaxy extinction and out-of-context jokes. Humour comes in the form of Jane trying to fix a long distance blind date with a prospective new boyfriend, a cameo played by Chris O'Dowd and other times by static one-liners from Kat Dennings, Jane's intern. But the most forced humour is witnessed when Stellan Skarsgard as the eccentric physicist Dr. Erik Selvig struts about nude or in his underwear to help him "think". Though the film has a star studded cast and they share a comfortable onscreen chemistry, there is nothing that holds them together. Chris Hemsworth as Thor manages to add charm and power to the role. But it is Hiddleston as Loki, who steals the show with his grey and enigmatic character. Natalie Portman as Jane Foster is convincing. The villainous Malekith is a not so potent, generic villain and Christopher Eccleston who plays Malekith adds nothing more than scowling guttural threats in a made-up language for much of the movie. Anthony Hopkins as Odin the one eyed king is ineffective as his scope in the film is limited. Technically, Alan Taylor has spared no effort to make "Thor: The Dark World" appealing. The production values are excellent. Visually, the frames with warm lighting are action-packed with computer generated images and aesthetic value. Unfortunately, there is no added value to watch this film in 3D. Verdict In reality, Thor: The Dark World seems to suffer from superhero fatigue. Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Zachary Levi, Stellan Skarsgard, Christopher Eccleston, Alice Krige, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Idris Elba, Jaimie Alexander, Richard Brake and Chris O'Dowd Director: Alan Taylor

Oldboy Movie Review

Rating: 3.0/5Director Spike Lee's Oldboy is a dramatic revenge saga of a man who is abducted and held captive for 20 years. It is a remake of the 2003 South Korean film of the same name, directed by Park Chan Wook. Story The film starts off in an obscure Chinatown area in America. The unsteady camera before zeroing in on Joseph Ducet (Josh Brolin) an unimpressive advertising executive, pans to a placard that states, 'Guns don't kill, people do'. This lays the foundation of the mystery thriller. The first few scenes establish Ducet as an absent and uncaring father and husband, a loser of an employee with bad business tactics and an alcoholic to the core. On the eve of his daughter's third birthday, drunk Ducet is unsuspectingly kidnapped by a mystery woman with a yellow umbrella and confined to a soulless room with just a television set for company. While in captivity, he realises that he has been framed for the murder of his wife. He is soon physically and mentally devastated. And just when he hits rock bottom, through a television programme, he learns that his daughter is taken good care of by some adoptive parents. So, he decides to write letters to his daughter to share his perspective. He also decides to become a better person. He works out physically and plots an escape. But before he can execute his plans, he is once again mysteriously released without any rhyme or reason. Naturally obsessed with seeking revenge, he embarks on his mission with Chucky (Michael Imperioli) an old friend and Marie (Elizabeth Olsen) a social worker with the Holy Sisters Mobile Hospital, trying to figure out who is the person behind his ordeal and why he had to endure such treatment for such a long period. As he investigates the dark underworld, he soon discovers that that's exactly what his aggressor wants him to explore. And that is what keeps you hooked to the very end. Performances Josh Brolin as Ducet is pretty much convincing on the emotional front but regarding his physicality, his ageing process and vigour is sometimes questionable. His pain, tribulations and anguish in overcoming his problems is systematically mechanical. Elizabeth Olsen as the charming and lovable social worker is pleasant, you feel for her. The villains, Sharlto Copley and Samuel Jackson, give an eccentric but effective performance. Cinematography, Editing Visually, the film, stylishly shot by cinematographer Sean Bobby, is intriguing. He has effectively used blue and red lights to create an enigmatic aura. What gives an edge to the viewing experience are the excellently executed top angle shots. Also noteworthy are the effective flashback scenes at the climax. Director Spike Lee has taken pains to make the climax more intensely melodramatic and satisfying. While the set up and climax of the film are engaging and crisp, there are parts scattered in-between that are sloppily and haphazardly packaged. This gives the film tinges of cartoonish undertones. Verdict Overall, Oldboy with a distinct unconventionality and bizarre nature, is a well attired but cold and emotionally reserved film. Worth a watch if you have not seen the original. Cast: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Max Casella, Rami Malek Director: Spike Lee

Krrish 3 Movie Review

Superheroes have always captured the fancy of millions across the globe for ages and with the introduction of Krrish, India found its own bonafide superhero. Thanks to the Roshans, Bollywood has its first superhero franchise, that has taken one step further with the big release of Krrish 3 today, amidst the festive season of Diwali. A third in the franchise that began with 2003 movie Koi... Mil Gaya, Krrish 3 will take forward the story of the superhero Krrish, played by Hrithik Roshan. Like its prequels, Krrish 3 once again takes us into the world of masked fantasy, where the stakes are incredibly high, and this time our superhero Krrish faces the challenge of saving the world from the clutches of the villain Kaal (Vivek Oberoi). There's no doubt about the fact that Krrish 3 manages to match up to the scale of Hollywood films, but plot wise it has nothing much to offer you. Moreover, the story gets lost at times, considering the fact that there are too many unnecessary song sequences to kill it. Story After defeating the villainous Dr Siddhant Arya, and bringing his father Rohit back from the dead, Krrish continued fighting against evil and saving innocent lives. Now Krishna is living a happily married life with Priya, while Rohit is using his scientific brilliance to Benefit society. And Krrish is everyone's favorite superhero saviour. Unknown to them, a dark force is growing in another part of the world. Kaal, an evil genius, is selfishly misusing his powers to spread fear, death and destruction. And he is being assisted by an army of very dangerous beings, which he has created himself.

Jackpot Movie Review

Rating: 1.5/5You can't call this a film if you really understand what a film is. Jackpot is a shallow drama shot in a film camera with lame plot and pathetic performances. Some producers think that thriller is an easy job but it is the most difficult thing to do in films; most difficult just next to comedy. ' Jackpot is the result of Kaizad Gustad trying to cash in on the hype Sunny Leone factor created but it is too late to do it right. This non creative product bores you and makes you go for a drink break more than twice. This is termed as an erotic thriller at least for the sake of publicity and promotions but there are neither thrill nor esthetically shot erotic scenes in this film. Naseeruddin Shah really must be in some financial trouble, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen to act in this film. There is no dramatic or emotional hook in the story which is too shallow and riddled with card board characters. Story Jackpot is set in Goa and is a story of a con game played by a bunch of young fortune hunters with their target Casino Owner Boss (Nasseruddin Shah) . Equipped with a master plan, the main players Francis (Sachiin Joshi), Maya (Sunny Leone) tries to retrieve the jackpot money which is gone missing and who gets it and how forms the story. What's bad When there are enough producers without any understanding of this medium, you will be seeing such stretched-out lameness in the form of cinema. Lead actor Sachiin Joshi doesn't impress you and I think he must search for a day job because acting in cinema is not his cup of tea. In the scenes where he should be cunning, he looks clueless and of course, he looks clueless in all his scenes. Sunny Leone is not really an actress who could improve by time and more films. At least that's what her performance convinces you. Performances Naseeruddin Shah's hair is styled in a slick, wicked way and his screen presence is amazing. Apart from his performance, there is nothing much to mention about performance in this film. Yes, in one song, Sunny Leone looks good. That's all. Verdict I don't have a reason to suggest this movie for you. If you are a die hard fan of Sunny Leone, you can watch it , at home when the DVD is out. See, I warned you. Now, you can watch this movie on your own risk !  Period

David Hasselhoff Expresses His Interest In Working With Salman Khan!

Hollywood star David Haselhoff has expressed his interest in working with our Dabangg star Salman Khan! He sent a message to Salman on social networking site Twitter regarding his interest in working together. There was a time when Bollywood stars were desperate to be part of Hollywood films and would do anything to bag a small role in the film. However, those days are gone, atleast for a few! David Haselhoff, best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch sent a message to Salman Khan on twitter. He said, "@BeingSalmanKhan hey its the Hoff, knightrider/baywatch..Loved you in dabangg 2! Would love to hook up for a movie together!" Offlate, Hasselhoff has been quite actively involved in talent shows and has also participated in the eleventh season of Dancing With The Stars in 2010. Apart from that, David also judged America's Got Talent from 2006 to 2009. Now the tweet poses a lot of questions before us...is hasselhoff keen on working with Salman, and if yes, which project will they be seen together? Let's wait and watch!

Ram Leela

As delightful a proposition as "a Bollywood Romeo & Juliet" sounds at first glance, there still remains the question of execution. "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela" (or "Ram-Leela" for short), the film in question, fits neatly within what one  might expect from director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's literary adaptations—the most widely-known in the West probably being 2002's "Devdas" with Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Aishwarya Rai—a visually opulent, proudly melodramatic entertainer with some great songs and star performances.

The scene is laid in fair Gujarat, in northwest India, where two rival clans have been warring for some 500 years and find themselves, in the present day, presiding over competing criminal empires, and spend their days armed to the teeth in open conflict in the streets of their village. The heir apparent to the poorer of the two clans, Ram (Ranveer Singh), disdains the gun violence that takes up so much of their day-to-day existence, preferring to hang out with his buddies and sell porn DVDs. One fateful day Ram sees, and instantly falls in love with, his female counterpart in the rival clan, Leela (Deepika Padukone). The feeling is very much mutual, and, per "Romeo and Juliet," the lovers have to deal with the conflict between their respective families, and the repercussions of skirmishes between them.

Bhansali hews fairly close to Shakespeare in the first half of the film, peppering the dialogue with references to the play and even including some exchanges in rhymed verse. After the intermission, he makes the wise decision to depart somewhat from the basic template, at the risk of a dip in pace, but which builds a considerable amount of suspense in the lead up the climax; even if you know "Romeo and Juliet" like the back of your hand, Bhansali's shift into more of a traditional warring-clans masala story introduces no small degree of uncertainty about how it's all going to end, which is quite the achievement with a text as familiar as "R&J."

What makes the ride as enjoyable as it is, and what truly give focus to Bhansali's lush, colorful compositions, are the performances of Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone in the leads. Singh prevails over a very odd (even by masala hero standards) mustache to give a deeply affecting and rich performance as Ram, but it's Padukone, as is increasingly the case, who steals the show with pure, deliberate, ferocious star power. The striking thing about her performance as Leela is how tightly coiled and tense it seems; she's ready at a moment's notice to kiss or kill (or both), never passive, never merely a photographic subject. The physical vitality of her work in the film is almost unfair to Priyanka Chopra, who cameos in an item number. Quite the movie star in her own right, Chopra seems insubstantial compared to Padukone, who's very close—if she isn't there already—to becoming the star among stars in her generation. Her every gesture is fascinating. She forces Singh to dial up his own not inconsequential star power in the scenes they share, which leads to a situation where we get to watch two wildly attractive actors giving their absolute all and meshing terrifically from a chemistry standpoint. If that sounds like fun, it most certainly is.

There are a couple of script and pacing hiccups in "Ram-Leela," most notably a regretful backsliding into regressive, lazy use of threatened rape as a means of heightening dramatic stakes. This is all the more unfortunate because Leela's family, run by her terrifying mother (an extraordinary Supriya Pathak), is a matriarchal criminal empire where the men, however much they may preen, absolutely defer. The pacing also dips rather badly in the middle and whenever Ram and Leela are separated, since from a dramatic standpoint their tandem star power is the engine that makes the whole thing run.

Those caveats aside, visual splendor and hot-blooded melodrama mostly win out over rickety pacing and scripting. Bhansali makes strong use of visual signifiers, particularly guns, which are introduced immediately and pervade throughout, and which in spite of being wielded by literally almost everyone in the film are never treated casually. There is always great import to the way in which guns are held and used, and the effects of their use are never elided. The other main recurring reference, skewering male vanity and pride gently though unsubtly, is to peacocks, which make a number of rhetorical and physical appearances. And so "Ram-Leela" is a handsomely-crafted entertainer with both smarts and heart, featuring two knockout lead performances, great songs, and plenty of the good kind of tears.

Madha Yaanai Koottam

Rating:

 6/10

         

Madha Yaanai Koottam (Tamil: மதயானைக் கூட்டம்) is an upcoming Indian Tamil thriller film written and directed by Vikram Sugumaran who was a former assistant of Balu Mahendra and also a dialogue writer of the award winning Aadukalam . The film produced by G. V. Prakash Kumar features newcomer Kathir and Oviya in the lead roles. The film's soundtrack and background score were composed by N. R. Raghunanthan

Directed By :	Vikram Sugumaran
Produced By :	G. V. Prakash Kumar
Screenplay :	Vikram Sugumaran
Cast :	Kathir, Oviya
Score :	N. R. Raghunanthan

The Hobbit

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is an upcoming 2013 epic fantasy adventure film co-written, produced and directed by Peter Jackson. It is the second installment of a three-part film series based on J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel The Hobbit, beginning with An Unexpected Journey (2012) and set to conclude with There and Back Again (2014). The three films together act as prequels to Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film series. The storyline continues the events of An Unexpected Journey, in which the hobbit Bilbo Baggins travels with the wizard Gandalf and a company of thirteen dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield into the Kingdom of Erebor, taking them through Mirkwood, Esgaroth, and Dale to combat with the dragon Smaug. The film stars Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Pace, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, and Evangeline Lilly. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is scheduled to premiere on 2 December 2013 in Los Angeles, and will be released internationally from 11 December 2013. Like its predecessor, the film used a shooting and projection frame rate of 48 frames per second. The new projection rate was advertised as "High Frame Rate" to the public.

Directed By :	Peter Jackson
Produced By :	Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Fran Walsh
Screenplay :	Peter Jackson Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens Guillermo del Toro
Cast :	Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace
Score :	Howard Shore

Walking with Dinosaurs

From the hearth of BBC Earth Films, Walking The Dinosaurs is an edutainment film that educates the audience about animals, particularly the dinosaurs that wandered on the surface of the planet, about 70 million years ago, during the Creataceous period. Rating: 3.5/5This is not a documentary film. In fact, it is a charming love story bordered around the hero's journey of existence. It exposes the dinosaurs' survival instincts in a truthful and convincing manner. The film starts off with a present-day scene, where Paleontologist Zack (Karl Urban) tugs along his niece Jade (Angourie Rice) and disinterested nephew Ricky (Charlie Rowe) to the Alaskan hinterland to excavate and study a dinosaur tooth in his custody. On the outskirts of the forested land, Ricky encounters Alex (John Leguizamo), a talking crow who tells him, "Every fossil tells a story. It opens a window to the ancient past." With this, Alex morphs into an Alexornis, or a sort of prehistoric parrot and zooms into the sky teleporting the audience to the prehistoric period. Here, Alex introduces the audience to Patchi, (Justin Long) a baby Pachyrhinosaurus and his tribe. The Pachyrhinosaurus is a strange choice for heroism. This dinosaur, which looks like a rhinoceros, has a thick skin, a bulbous nose and several horns, one of them growing from a tuft of flesh that blooms on its head like a thick leaf. Patchi, who is the weakest among the litter, lacks in size but makes up with his courage. During one of his early adventurous exposures, he acquires a hole in his crown thus making him unique. He often stumbles along behind the herd, occasionally being tormented by his older alpha sibling Scowler (Skyler Stone). Apart from the Pachyrhinosaurus, there are a plethora of dinosaurs and other wildlife creatures that keep you glued to the screen. The most prominent and magnificent of the lot are the lizard hipped dinosaurs, the two and a half tonnes, fierce looking Gorgosaurus and the duck-billed Edmontonsaurus. The film shows the rugged and harsh realities of nature's survival dispositions. To make the film palpable, the plot involves family bonding, romance between Patchi and Juniper (Tiya Sircar), a Pachyrhinosaurus from another tribe, and team spirit. John Collee's screenplay is simple and uncomplicated, keeping in mind that it is targeting kids. But, unfortunately, the narration is verbose and continuous, and thus one tends to be attentive in order to ensure that you do not miss a vital link. Dialogues like, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." or "They are going to have a dinner party and you are going to be the main course," bring in the wry British humour. The images provided by director of photography, John Brooks are life-like and real. The animated, computer generated images seem so authentic that it makes you believe you are in that era. The wide-angled images capturing the migrating herds look amazingly naturalistic. The 3D effects are very effective especially in the scene where Patchi shrugs off the crab or when the omnivorous squirrel jumps to catch its prey. These scenes are out of the ordinary. The background score too is engaging. The vocals are lively and especially the last number "Live like a warrior," invigorates a sense of heroism. Directors Neil Nightingale and Barry Cook's Walking With Dinosaurs is indeed a gorgeous visual feast that would delight kids. Cast: Karl Urban, Angourie Rice, Charlie Rowe; Voiceovers: John Leguizamo, Justin Long, Tiya Sircar, Skyler Stone Directors: Neil Nightingale, Barry Cook IANS

Dhoom 3: Film Review

From the beginning, the "Dhoom" films have invited comparison to the "Fast & Furious" franchise, with John Abraham's charismatic villain/antihero in the first giving way to Hrithik Roshan's even more charismatic variation in the hugely successful sequel. One feature unique to the "Dhoom" series, though, most decidedly continued in the third and latest installment, is the ostensible heroes—tough cop Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan), and his crook-turned-cop partner Ali Akbar (Uday Chopra)—being mentioned secondarily, if at all. In the first film, John Abraham was simply more interesting than they were, but over time, the series has evolved consciously into an exploration—between action sequences and songs—of the antihero as an archetype, with bigger and bigger stars cast. In "Dhoom: 2," it was Hrithik Roshan, and now, in "Dhoom: 3," no less a worthy than Aamir Khan.
Movie stars were originally called stars for the bright, glittery aspects of the heavenly bodies in question, but there's another quality that true stars, especially those of Aamir Khan's caliber possess, which is gravitational pull. "Dhoom: 3" doesn't attempt to resist this force in any way, with only the bare minimum of pretense that the "Dhoom" movies are Abhishek Bachchan/Uday Chopra buddy comedies anymore, putting the focus squarely on the story of Sahir Khan (played as a child by Siddharth Nigam and as an adult by Aamir Khan), a circus performer seeking revenge against Anderson (Andrew Bricknell), the cruel banker who ruined his father's life's work for no good reason.
Once Sahir reaches adulthood, he begins to systematically target branches of Anderson's bank, each time causing hundred dollar bills to rain from the sky, and escape using an array of skills, from sleight-of-hand to motorcycle racing. At each robbery, Sahir leaves a message in Hindi and a clown mask, which leads the Chicago police to bring in Jai and Ali so Jai can frown at things and Ali can flirt embarrassingly with the flower of Chicagoan womanhood. Jai initiates a game of cat-and-mouse with the master thief, thinking that his ego will lead him into a mistake out of pique, but Sahir effortlessly turns the tables on the police, turning them into unwitting allies.
The moment at which Jai realizes he's been had immediately precedes a game-changing (to put it mildly) twist, which shouldn't be spoiled. The second half of "Dhoom: 3" features a surprisingly adroit, if not terribly subtle, interrogation into the the morality of operating outside the law for a good cause. The movie stacks the deck a bit by having the banker be such a loathsome (and implicitly racist) bastard, but Aamir Khan and Abhishek Bachchan do a compelling job exploring the various moral and ethical colors involved in the cops-and-robbers game. Khan brings out the best in Bachchan as an actor, with his performance in "Dhoom: 3" finally shorn of the awkwardness and dullness into which his work in the first two movies all too often regressed. This, again, is a testament to the control Khan exerts over the movie: never heavy-handed, but absolute.
There isn't quite as much of Katrina Kaif as one would like in "Dhoom: 3," if one is partial to Katrina Kaif (I have to confess a complete lack of impartiality when it comes to Ms. Kaif, who is a sublime presence), with her role limited for the most part to two stunning song numbers, and something of a truncated romance subplot. There isn't a lot done with the movie's other featured female character, the Chicago policewoman with whom Jai, if the movie was concerned with its "heroes" at all, would likely have had a romantic subplot. As it stands, most of Australian actress Tabrett Bethell's screen time is spent laughing at Uday Chopra, whose antics are kept beneath the threshold where they might damage anything.
"Dhoom: 3" has—by far—the best action set pieces of the series. All the films borrow (to be generous) liberally from other movies, and "Dhoom: 3" picks some nifty sources, with everything from "The Blues Brothers" cop-car pile-ups to Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige" showing up for a salute, though the three main motorcycle set pieces are mounted with sufficient skill as to render them beyond complaints of stealing. If "Dhoom: 3" lacks anything beyond overlooking its women characters slightly, it's the feverish insanity that made "Dhoom: 2" such a delight. But these are small quibbles with what is otherwise an enormously satisfying blockbuster and a splendid continuation of the "Dhoom" franchise, which really is to an uncanny degree an exact dead ringer for a Bollywood "Fast & Furious" saga.

Biriyani Movie Review

Biriyani dished out with Karthi’s flavor sure has the dhum. The movie has its moments as it plumps up a thin storyline into something substantial. The hilarious situations and the action are its highlights. It does have its out-of-logic sequences and below the belt humour that is far from tasty. But Sugan, our hero ensures that the Biriyani dished out does not go stale. It is piping hot, with comedy and twists and turns as the plot is steadily unveiled, and the hotness of the dish ensures that the flaws are submerged more or less.

Sugan (Karthi) is very much the Casanova for whom, life is a breeze. He tops his class copying from the best, ensures that women flock around him and in general has it all. In all his escapades, he is accompanied by his friend, Parasu (Premgi Amaran), who invariable would be at the receiving end of Sugan’s antics. Sugan’s only weakness is of course biriyani.
The movie takes a whodunit turn later, all because of a biriyani. On the way back from the inauguration of Sugan’s new business venture, he along with Parasu and business tycoon Varadarajulu (Nasser)- invited to inaugurate the business - and whom the CBI has under the radar for some shady dealings, stops to have biriyani.

There they meet the sensuous Maya (Mandy Thakar) who lures them to go to her room. A terrible hangover and a missing Varadarajulu lands them in a mess. In the meanwhile, there is the pretty media reporter Priyanka (Hansika) who is Sugan’s girlfriend and the rib-tickling sequences involving Sugan and Parasu. How they get out of the mess forms the rest of the story.

Director Venkat Prabhu has dished out quite a mean feast, which is entertaining. The climax and the anti-climax work well. The plot does take time to thicken out with a laid back first half and the thriller mode getting established in the second half. The movie is also replete with a lot many secondary characters who play brief yet important roles. Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja works well with the kind of plot. Camera is predictable and so are the action sequences. Editing is adequate.

Karthi takes the effort to get the incorrigible Sugan right. The grin and the teasing including the naughtiness are conveyed pretty well. Hansika has done the required, which isn’t much, for the role offers very little. Maya is sensuous and is adequate in the role. Premgi steals the show at times, but runs the risk of being repetitive. But his self-depreciating dialogue exactly at this point brings him back with a bang. The rest of the many cast including Nasser are effective.

Biriyani is mouth-watering to an extent, considering that it has delivered the expected masala trapping neatly. It is a one-time watch that can be enjoyed. The ingredients are all there and the master chef has worked well with whatever is available.

V K Prakash's 'Silence'

V K Prakash's 'Silence' has Mammootty playing Aravind, a vibrant lawyer who is all set to take office as a judge. The celebrations are on in full swing, when Aravind starts receiving phone calls from a stalker, who seems to know everything about him. When his family is threatened, Aravind has no other option but to track the caller down and seek out his intent.

Y V Rajesh's script has a few thrilling moments in the first half and the film has a striking interval punch that sets the ball rolling on a thriller field. However, we see the script toppling down in the latter half, with a few loose ends hanging about here and there.

'Silence', to be fair to the makers, does have its share of thrills, is slickly shot and keeps you perched on the edge of your seat - at least for the most part. Its collapse lies in the fact that the surprise comes perhaps a bit too early, and once the revelation is made, there is nothing much sturdy enough to hold the rest of the film together.

It has become almost customary these days, for every thriller film to have a psychotic character who would wreak havoc in someone's life, and 'Silence's is no exception. Psychosis seems to be the key factor here as well, and everything from a troubled childhood to a history of schizophrenia are dwelled on, but we have all seen it before.

The shock moments that are so imperative for a film as this to get its moves right, are sadly what are missing here. The buildup is quite fine, and you get all perked up and excited, and when the final disclosure does not match up to the setting, the effects are catastrophic.

It's a shame really, since the film does show signs of immense potential during its initial few moments. A golden thriller premise is what it has on offer, and hence when you watch it tumble down like a pack of cards, you are disappointed and wish that things were indeed better.

One does wonder if it's at all possible to deliver a real exciting thriller any more, with almost all the possibilities explored by film makers across the world. And yet, films continue to be made; the ones that excite us, and which make our hearts skip a beat or two.

The underwater scenes at the climax have been captured on camera remarkably well, and Mammootty does deserve an ovation for having done the action sequences on his own. Manoj Kumar's cinematography is slick, and suits the mood of the film to the 'T'.

Mammootty looks incredibly handsome with the salt 'n pepper look, and though the role does not throw any fresh challenges to him as an actor, slips into the portrayal of the troubled lawyer with remarkable ease. Basil does a neat job as well, and perhaps this should open up a vista of new opportunities before the young actor. Anoop Menon and Pallavi Purohit lend ample support in their respective roles.

I would still say this Y V Rajesh's best script till date, and with a bit more polish, he could have had a real winner in his hands. As of now, things are pretty much silent over here. So much so that you wish someone would at least let out a scream.

Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal is enjoyable!

There is an art in giving a title to a movie and Lal Jose and his team may have been inspired by one of the most endearing melodies in Malayalam ‘ Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal’ when they decided to give this lyrical title to their new movie.Indeed just as the song this typical Lal Jose offering is a peek into the life of a bridegroom,  seven days prior to his marriage. The concept is delectable and the variegated experiences and the deluge of expectations about married life  that an expectant bridegroom harbours, did have the potential to offer a novel experience for the discerning viewer to dip his or her beak into. 'Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal' has its heart in the right place and has some really hilarious and genuine moments.

Aby Mathew(Dileep) is an ad film maker who is in search of a bride. As anyone who is married would attest to, finding a bride who ticks all the boxes of expectations is a herculean task. Fortunately for Aby he comes across someone who is in the same boat as him. An upcoming model that he introduces Ann(Parvathy Nambiar) walks into his&bbsp;life and steals his heart. His  excitement soars through the roof and in no time he throws a bachelor party to his friends seven days prior to the wedding. Things look wonderfully poised for Aby but certain events that take place after the party lands his life in a rut. He comes to know that his ex- lover Sini is living nearby from one of hisfriends Abid(Harisree Asokan).

A flashback ensues and we see the earlier days when the couple were deeply in love with each other. Due to some particular reasons they part ways and both of them move ahead forgetting the episode. The remnants of old emotion spring up in the mind of Aby fleetingly, but once again his practical mind takes over. But he yearns to meet her to invite her for his marriage.She is  married to a boxer named Tyson  Alex (Murali Gopi) and leads a peculiar married life. What transpires in their second meeting and whether Aby will surmount hurdles that spring up in his quest to consummate his marriage is what the film all about.

The movie is replete with some hilarious moments especially in the first half. It is a relief to see some genuinely funny moments from Dileep without the customary veering towards low brow and below the belt antics.The latter half when the meaty part of the plot  is laid bare,things become a bit sluggish. The proceedings assume a serious air as issues of marital harmony, discords  and fidelity are dealt with. The big prices that we pay for minor errors of judgment and life's habit of surprising you at the most inopportune moment , Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal deals with it all in a multilayered premise.
But  things get into a maze of sorts after a point,as a few twists and turns rear their head to evoke a bit of shock and awe in the audience. It doesnt entirely bear fruit but Lal Jose's ability to create something out of nothing saves the movie from being derailed. The end sequences bear the stamp of a seasoned film maker and helps the movie to iron out some of the creases which looked glaring. James Albert has not managed to produce a very good script since his  maiden venture Classmates . Here also  he just about acquits himself and excellence is sorely missing.

Dileep is in the form of his life as far as box office credentials are concerned, but it is a welcome change for him in this movie to enact a role that has some substance. He is indeed the life blood of the movie and his rib tickling comedy sustains the movie.Murali Gopy continues to amaze with another stellar act as the boxer character with a different get up. Reema Kallingal is apt and debutante Parvathy is reasonable. Vijayaraghavan,Harisree Asokhan, Suraj  Venjarumoodu, Sekhar Menon, Praveena etc are in their elements and do  make their presence felt. Pradeesh Varma's visuals struggle at times to live upto Lal Jose's fertile imagination but still emerges unscathed.Music which is the hallmark of all Lal Jose movies is a slight letdown here with Prashanth Pillai failing to recreate Amen magic.

The ability of Lal Jose to bring in the crowds is well known and in this festival season the popular star Dileep may very well be able to continue his winning streak. 'Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal' flirts with beauty on many occasions but finally ends up a tad short of being very good.

Malayalam Movie Review: 'Drishyam'

Mohanlal steals the show in Drishyam says Paresh C Palicha 

Mohanlal was endearing in roles where he played the common man. But, as his stature grew, we saw less of the kind of roles that had brought him stardom. 

As a big star, he played those ‘larger than life’ roles that had the fans clapping and whistling at the superhuman feats of their idol. 

The subtlety that was the hallmark of his earlier films became increasingly rare and the sly sense of humour gave way to a louder variety. 

In his new film Drishyam, director Jeethu Joseph focuses on the endearing persona of the actor by casting him as Georgekutty, an orphan who had dropped out of school after the fourth grade. 

He has come up in life by tilling his land. Now he is businessman running a cable TV service in a rural area. He is married to Rani (Meena) and they have two beautiful daughters. 

Georgekutty is stingy and does not like to spend money on anything beyond the basic necessities. His only interest in life apart from his family is watching films. He spends most of his time in front of the TV in his small office. 

He is so obsessed with movies that he takes every major decision in life by subconsciously taking an example from some film he has seen. 

These details are revealed in a humorous manner in the first half of the film. There’s an obvious twist just before the interval. Georgekutty’s teenaged daughter gets photographed in the bathroom at a nature camp by a hidden cell phone. 

The culprit Varun (Roshan Basheer) is the son of an inspector general of police, Geetha Prabhakar (Asha Sarath). Varun is accidentally killed by Rani and her daughter when he comes to blackmail them. It is up to Georgekutty to protect his family from the long arm of the law. 

Jeethu Joseph makes this into an ‘edge of the seat’ thriller in the second half by making Georgekutty stay two steps ahead of the investigators. 

Georgekutty prepares his family to face the torturous interrogations. He also makes sure that his family does not psychologically break up in the face of coercive police tactics. 

Mohanlal is spellbinding in this film. That is too simple a statement to describe the magic he has created on screen. 

He plays a semi-literate man who is nevertheless intelligent. He is conversant in many languages, a skill that he acquired watching all those films on TV. 

He was mischievous as a teenager, and when he flirts with his wife, but is incredibly mature when dealing with dire circumstances. 

Meena as his wife Rani is a middle-class woman who aspires for a better lifestyle and social standing. She holds her own opposite Mohanlal and is one of the highlights of the film. 

Kalabhavan Shajon who usually plays the comic sidekick of the hero, has made a successful transition to a villain in this project. He plays a corrupt police constable who has some animosity against Georgekutty. 

Drishyam can be credited for bringing Mohanlal back to form and pushing director Jeethu Joseph into the big league as he has made a cracker of a thriller. 

The Gangster - The Most Awaited Malayalam Movie For 2014

Mammootty is doing the role of an underworld Don in the malayalam movie Gangster. Gangster is directed by Ashik Abu who has also done his first movie Daddy
The year 2013 is about to end and the Mollywood industry has already geared up to entertain the audience with n-number of movies and that too of all the superstars. The present year ends up with the movie Drishyam, a movie that has brought back the 'old Mohanlal'. Now, the question arises - which movie is the most awaited movie for the year 2014 to begin with? A poll was conducted by an online portal to vote for the most awaited movie for 2014. Almost 45 percent of the people have voted for the upcoming Mammootty movie The Gangster. Mohanlal-Manju Warrier's movie, which is yet to be titled, ranks second with almost 26 percent of the votes.

Manju Warrier Out From Mohanlal-Ranjith Movie!

Manju Warrier had been in news ever since she made her comeback through the Kalyan ad. The film industry was anxiously waiting for her to sign her into movies. Reports claimed that she had been signed for a Mohanlal starred movie directed by Ranjith. But, now it has been confirmed that Manju Warrier is not a part of this film! Surprised? More things are in store to surpise you more. Reports also claim that neither Manju nor Prithviraj will be a part of the Ranjith movie with Mohanlal in the lead. Also, it has been said that they have named the movie as G For Gold. Man Friday was rumoured to be the name of the film at first. But, later Ranjith came forward slamming the title and said that the movie is yet to named. He also said that he is under the script work of the movie. Now, the director has said that Manju will not be a part of the movie as the female lead will not have much importance in the movie. Ranjith said that he wanted to make Manju to essay a role which was quite challenging but, he failed to come out with such a script! He said that he do not wish to cast Manju in a simple role where she has nothing to perform much. As people are anxiuosly waiting for Manju's film, he do not want to disappoint them too!

Oru Indian Pranayakadha Review - A Watchable Flick

Rating: 3.0/5Sathyan Anthikkad's latest movie Oru Indian Pranayakadha with Fahad Fazil and Amala Paul in the lead, is all about the life of a young politician, and the transformation he undergoes when a girl enters his life. Story: Aymanam Sidharthan (Fahad Fazil) is the youth conference mandalam president of RDF party and a well known social figure. Sidharthan wants to be a MLA of the place but high commission nominates another person to the election. In despair Sidharthan takes a break from the political works and as suggested by Uthupp Vallikkadan (Innocent), the district president of the party, he joins with Irene Gardner (Amala Paul), a Canadian Malayali, who is on her mission to make a documentary about orphanages. Sidharthan's love interest is Divya (Shafna), daughter of a big gun. But their relation doesn't work out well as Sidharthan always fails to express his love due to social commitments. On his days with Irene, Sidharthan finds that there are more missions for Irene on her visit than just the documentary making. Will Irene and Sidharthan succeed in their mission? Answer lies in the rest of the storyline. Performance: Performance wise Fahad Fazil scores big time. His character of Aymanan Sidharthan proves the flexibility of this actor to perform roles with comedy touch. Amala Paul looks good in the role of Irene Gardner. Dubbing could have been better though. Innocent has given yet another convincing act through Uthupp Vallikkadan. Other actors including Lakshmi Gopalaswamuy (Thulasi), Prakash Bare (Azad), Shafna (Divya), Krishnaprabha (Sudha) have too given decent performances. Technical Aspects: Cinematography by Pradeep Nair is not a wonder, still holds that charm a movie need. Music by Vidyasagar is impressive. Three songs of the movie and BGM does create a positive note for the movie. Script by Iqbal Kuttipuram is not flawless. First half of the movie was near perfect, while the later half seemed half baked. Still, the script had its moments for the viewers. Verdict: Sathyan Anthikkad has left his cliched family melodramas and tried something new and he deserves an applause for the same.

Read more at: http://entertainment.oneindia.in/malayalam/reviews/2013/oru-indian-pranayakadha-movie-review-127779.html