Toy Story 3 - Pixar thank you again and we take a bow

Star Wars,Indiana Jones, Bourne. These are all incredible trilogies that can, will, and should stand the test of time. Yes, I am neglecting the fourth Indiana Jones. Upon the mention of the third Toy Story, I was deathly afraid. Afraid because it has some major, major shoes to fill. The original is a masterpiece that changed animation forever, and the sequel is also equally amazing. The first two Toy Story films are among the best movies of all-time and to this day entire animation studios have failed to duplicate an ounce of the magic contained in Toy Story. Could part 3 even come close to the original two? My friends, I am very happy to say, the answer is a resounding yes.

Toy Story 3 does exactly what the first two did, delivered on all cylinders, all aspects of film-making and entertainment. The humor is back, the heart is back, the delightful cast of characters is back. This time, thanks to an incredible script, there's more suspense, more drama, and many more surprises. Like any spectacular trilogy, it wraps up all loose ends. It literally is difficult to find any flaw or any slow moment in this movie, and even if there is, it will immediately be forgiven by the next major laugh or the next major revelation. The predictability factor in this movie is low, and the payoff to all the suspense is extremely high. Guys, this is the go-to movie of the summer, and makes up for any disappointment you have seen this year or last.

Just like Toy Story 2's subtle and underlying themes, Toy Story 3 revolves around the group of toys and their latest adventure, but dwells far deeper than that. On the surface, this movie is about the toys in a series of circumstances, winding up in a daycare center that isn't all it seems. At the same time, Andy is heading for college, but Woody isn't quite ready to let go of his owner and the memories that follow. The deeper aspects involve aging, growing up, and moving on. Michael Arndt, the Oscar winner that wrote Little Miss Sunshine, was behind the spectacular screenplay in this third trip in the world of toys. Then with the help of John Lasseter and Lee Unkrich (who serves as the director), we see plenty of references to Pixar, other movies, the previous Toy Story installments, and even we even see nods to the influences of the entire animation studio (Miyazaki).

The writing wasn't the only thing that was on par with the first two Toy Story movies. The voice acting cast was once again phenomenal, with popular actors, underrated talent, and great character actors filling the bill. Come on now, just read em': Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, John Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Jody Benson, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark, John Ratzenburger, Ned Beatty, Jeff Garlin, and Michael Keaton. Unlike what Dreamworks pulls off on a yearly basis, Pixar carefully chooses their voice cast in terms of pulling off the best performances, not to generate more money. Because honestly, was there even a point to Angelina Jolie voicing the tiger in Kung Fu Panda? On the other hand, very few can pull an authentic Barbie like Jody Benson (a.k.a. Ariel in the Little Mermaid). It takes reliable and authentic acting to pull at the heartstrings, and everyone definitely was on their A-game.

Lee Unkrich directed this movie with incredible pacing and just as much heart and dedication as Lasseter, who was in charge of the first two. The truth is, Pixar directs the movie together, as they share ideas and suggestions amongst each other. This fact can be traced to the similar pacing and directing styles seen in Pixar's better works like Ratatoille, Finding Nemo, and Up. They all have the similar technique of incorporating just as many tears as laughs. But unlike all the other Pixar movies (with the exception of The Incredibles), Toy Story 3 has a heave dosage of suspense and peril, which is climaxed by one of the most exciting animated sequences this side of Castle in the Sky (a Miyazaki adventure masterpiece). Other reviewers have noted this before me, but this Toy Story is quite scary in depth and in imagery at some instances, so be wary of this while watching this with the kids. With so much time invested with these toys, the drama runs a bit high.

Bottom Line: Toy Story 3 secures its place in cinema brilliance by becoming the best third installment since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the best sequel since Kill Bill Vol. 2, and the best movie we've seen this year. This movie is usually hilarious, sometimes thrilling, and sometimes downright tear-jerking. And yes, just like Up's opening 10 minutes, there is that one major sequence in which Pixar will play with your heartstrings like Eric Clapton playing tears of Heaven. If you enjoyed the first two Toy Stories, there's no need to worry about the third and hopefully final chapter in the quality-filled saga. How Pixar manages to deliver yet again is absolutely beyond me.

Walt Disney may not be one-hundred percent proud of his company if he were alive to see it now, but he would be absolutely delighted at seeing what beautiful art Pixar has delivered ever since 1995. Pixar has re-created Walt Disney 's magical methods of storytelling and movie-making, and arguably has taken it a step even further by adding depth to the characters and depth to the overall stories presented. The direction was fantastic, the writing was Oscar-worthy, and the overall production is Best Picture caliber. This is Pixar's best work since Finding Nemo, and a must see by any means necessary. Despite my cynical nature, there's no way I can grade this any less than perfect. Just no way.

Raavanan - Raavanan is the real hero

Beautiful ais, beautiful location, beautiful sound once again mani proves he is one of the best director in India no no in the World. Hats off to Mani Rathanam. Some about BH..Let's get this straight. Raavanan is not Mani Ratnam's attempt to venerate the epic villain whose name the movie is titled after. It's not also a study on complex human relationships weighed down by trust, conviction or quandary. It's a pure cinematic retreat spanning across the dense jungles of Southern and Central India with exceptional cinematography (Santosh Sivan andManikandan), by-now cult songs (A R Rahman) and interesting performances by its lead actors. And the significance of the movie appears in the same order mentioned above.

Mani's conviction of illustrating an unachievable love story between the two leads (Aishwarya Rai and Vikram) is palpable from the very start of the movie. However, the blossoming of love doesn't quite form the back bone of Raavanan so much. The movie digresses into other aspects - a man hunt, flash backs, revenge drama and so on and so forth. The man hunts lack dexterity, the revenge drama that is triggered by the death of Vikram's sister seems engineered and Prithviraj often comes across as stiff – showing unnecessary tautness in the character that is probably designed to defy emotions (may be because he is in his Khakis?).

But all that is absolved, as the movie stunningly unfolds often drenching itself in the monsoonal deluge making you feel rain-soaked. If you have any doubt about Mani's eternal love affair with rain, Raavanan stands as a remarkable testimony. It rains in the song sequences, in encounters and in emotional scenes. And at other instances, the sky is constantly downcast as if threatening to pour down. And the cinematography captures it all in delightful exuberance.

For the most part, Vikram owns the movie seizing it magnificently even from Mani's own hands. His love blooms out of astonishment at the outwardly courage displayed by Aishwarya Rai and he makes those scenes persuasive for the viewer. He infuses life into the character and shows no jaggedness, falling for a married woman thus replicating, probably the characters of Raavanan. Suhasini's profound dialogues come in handy in many places and the viewer is made to read between lines quite often.

Aishwarya Rai's semblance of the late Padmini is unmistakable, it could be her dialogues or the way she manages her composure attentively even in the hardest of terrains the character puts her through. The lady sure has attempted to reach on par with Vikram in performance in many sequences. Kudos to Mani for a dignified portrayal of his lead woman. There is a refreshing strength in Ragini's character brought out well by Aishwarya.

Prithvi plays a toughie police officer and somehow his character portrayal leaves a few questions unanswered: for instance, his love for Aishwarya Rai is weighed down by his commitment and that singular fact does not come across convincingly.

Priyamani plays the ill-fated Vennila and leaves a lump in your throat. Karthik in his second innings steals the show. Prabhu and Munna play support roles that ebb and flow with the movie.

Cinematography by Santosh Sivan is brilliant and has rendered the perfect support for Mani. His probing lens takes the audience through the thick jungles, the mighty waterfalls and the rough terrains of India. Music and art direction play equally momentous role in Raavanan as its lead actors. If not for Rahman's songs and background score, Vikram's unrequited love wouldn't have been so painful for us. The songs have already been much debated about and leave no scope for further discussion. One word though: it's not for nothing "Usure Pogude…" has achieved a cult status. You tend to try hard not to fall in love but fail with the song as Vikram heaves a sigh of relief, having seen Aishwarya Rai breathing and alive after a steep fall.

Sameer Chanda's art direction complements the ruggedness and splendid beauty of the nature in the jungles so well you refuse to believe anything is man-made.

A major drawback is the lack of 'Tamil' feel in the film and its music; it more appears for the audience north of Vindhyas in many places. What Mani loses out is the pace over the later part of the first half; he gains it back with a major twist in the climax. Although you have a few questions about the incidents leading to the finale, those are done away with - thanks to the elegiac climax. Finally raavanan is not mani's best but is still a film that will be a trendsetter for other films to come.

Verdict - 8/10

Singam (Tamil ) - In one word "Asingam"

As my title shows this movie is simply pathetic. All i can think of while writing this review the torture i was going through watching that movie. Surya needs to seriously stop working with director hari who seems to have forget the purpose and method of film making.

The plot to the story is actually quite new to tamil cinema but the way it was handled was simply horrible. So many plot holes with terrible songs and fights simply adds to the fact that this could be surya's worst movie till date.

Surya is probably the only reason the movie is getting recognised for what it is and he has great screen presence. Anushka who is there in the movie purely for the glamour quotient has done a decent job but her rule doesnt even get any better as the movie goes on.

Vivek is the best this movie can offer and he has done a fabulous job whether it comes to the dialogues or even his voice modulation. This is definitely a comeback movie for vivek. His comedy tracks along with the villagers and particularly the scene with the sardarji were a laugh riot.

The music and songs are just horrible and devi sri prasad has again copied tunes from previous flicks.

The movie is a must miss and please spread the word too unless you are talking to your enemies..

Overall - 2/10

Duel (1971) - Is it safe to drive on highways?

While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, the businessman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) from California passes a slow and old tanker truck. The psychotic truck driver feels offended and chases David along the empty highway trying to kill him.

In the 70's, in Rio de Janeiro, most of the teenagers like me watched the impressive movie of a new and promising director called Steven Spielberg. On the beach, in school, in bars, everybody in Rio commented the story of a crazy truck driver that chases a common man in his car along the lonely roads through the desert. Thirty-six years later, I have just watched "Duel" on DVD with my son and it is fantastic to see how this movie has not aged. The tense and suspenseful story consists basically of a storyline, without development of characters, one actor, two stunts, lots of action and a magnificent work of direction and edition. One amazing detail is that all the afflictive and credible situation happens on the day light, i.e., Spielberg does not need to use the usual fear of the night to create a stunning tale of horror and fear, showing his talent of genius in his worldwide debut.

This movie is a Spielberg special. An absolute thriller that will keep you for the look out. If u havent yet seen this classic do it right now..

8/10

Shutter Island - Will leave u haunted

Shutter Island. A film that will divide the film community. A film that will leave many upset, and hating it. A film that has already completely split the critics. A movie that messes with you. And no one likes to be messed with. And that is exactly where it exceeds. Think I'm contradicting myself?

Shutter Island is one of the most well crafted psychological thrillers to come by since Silence Of The Lambs. And it is no coincidence both were brilliantly written novels. Shutter Island is adapted by a book written by Dennis Lehane (wrote gone baby, gone and mystic river). It is a book filled with twists and turns, that will leave the reader dizzy. And, that is what it's film counterpart does to the fullest. Martin Scorsese helms the director chair, in a movie where he is more free than any before. This is Scorsese at his most unrestrained.

Marty takes what he has learned from the great films of the past and puts it into his. The master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock's influence is everywhere you look in this film. And it is no wonder, considering Scorsese even showed one of his greatest works to the crew: Vertigo. And many of those ideas are present in Shutter Island; the cliff scenes scream Hitchcock. This is a film that creeps and crawls, and is filled with dark corners. And it is all heightened by the coming storm that looms over the island. This is classic film noir.

The story follows Teddy, a federal Marshall, and his partner Chuck (Played by DiCaprio and Ruffulo). They go to this mysterious island enveloped in fog to investigate an escape. From these opening scenes, Marty has set up a dark and creepy premise.

Almost the whole movie incorporates this story as Teddy desperately tries to find the truths he seeks. Teddy is shown as a scared man; a man of war and violence as portrayed in various flashbacks. These will go on to be increasingly important as the story progresses. We follow Teddy on his quest, through every dark corridor and perilous confrontations. Slowly, we are given pieces to the puzzle, but the audience does not even realize it. For we, like Teddy, are blind. For the moment at least. It is because of this that the thrilling conclusion will leave many blindsided. But, you see, that is where this thriller becomes something more. We as the audience are put in Teddy's shoes, and we feel all the things he feels. It is a complete assault on the senses, and it works beautifully.

This is a film you must watch carefully. That is another thing that sets this apart, it is a horror film that makes you actually think. In this day and age, I'm not surprised some found it terrible esp. after their brains have been turned to mush by these new gore filled horror films. Scorsese's ultimate goal here is to wake you up. And trust me, you probably wont like it.

This is also a film I would recommend seeing a second time. In fact, it is even better the second time. All those pieces of that puzzle you didn't catch the first time, you will the second. You see, we as the audience are first put in the shoes of Teddy. The second? Well, without giving too much away, lets just say you are put in someones else's shoes entirely during the second viewing.

Shutter Island. A film that will make you question your own sanity. A film that will leave you breathless. A film that has re-ignited the thriller genre. A film that will leave you, and the main character, searching for answers.

9 out of 10

Paiyya - Not so enjoyable journey

Once again lingusamy gives a Action movie. This time with Karthi of Aayirithil Oruvan fame . And Karthi proves once again why he is definitely the best new coming actor in tamil cinema. Some from BH Director Lingusamy traverses on an all new road show in Paiyaa in his home production Tirupathi Brothers and has acquitted himself fairly well. Although romance seems to be the axle in Paiyaa, Lingusamy has skewed away mildly from this and spiced it up with a travel (escape) event as a backdrop.

The film opens up with an ingenious manner of credits flipping on the road and dividers, lucidly indicating the genre of the film. A creative brainwave indeed! Karthi (Shiva), an engineering graduate with an attitude, is on the look out for a job. He does not seem to be much serious in seeking employment while his friends try their best to settle him. He spots Tamannah (Charu) in a bus stop and it is love at first sight. He finds her on a couple of occasions later and in fact misses an interview in her pursuit. Destiny seems to have something good waiting for him and he gets to spend themost beautiful phase of his life, giving her a ride in the car while waiting to pick the owner of the car at the railway station. Life takes an exciting turn from this point for Karthi who accepts to drop her in Mumbai and thus begins Paiyaa's journey of romance, action and emotions on a highway with a few turns, some with caution and some without.

Paiyaa zooms forward in the first half where Karthi is at driver's seat physically and metaphorically. An enjoyable performance from the young actor who appears to relish his role! For the first time in his career, he gets to cover himself with stylish costumes. He sparkles with haughty countenance, sideway glances, mischievous looks, 'know it all' attitude and an understated curiosity to know about Tamannah. He reiterates that he can essay any kind of role with aplomb. But there are still some vestiges of a villager in him which he needs to divest when necessary. Tamannah is fresh, youthful and emotes well too. Jagan has a small role in the second half. Karthi's friends are adept in their performance. Except for looking hot and handsome, the much talked about Milind Soman is wasted and any one could have performed his role.

Yuvan Shankar Raja is the major backbone of Paiyaa with lovely tracks suiting the mood of the film. Tamannah looks as fresh as the raindrops in thuli thuli mazhayai number. Suthude suthude boomi speaks of art director Rajeevan's work but he could have taken extra care especially about the stationery cloud hovering around the moon. The songs are all chartbusters and have all been picturized very aesthetically. Priya Manikandan's costumes are in sync with the nature of characters and the mood of the film. Brinda Sarathy's dialogues evoke laughter at the right places but are very few to carry the movie forward.

The second half slackens with some of the actions sequences appear contrived especially in the climax. How can someone even lift his head when beaten by a powerful metal rod? It is difficult to comprehend despite attributing it to cinematic liberties. The climax fights intend to be more for showcasing Karthi's heroism than for the story warranting it. And why is Karthi shown as someone who does not speak English despite being a city bred engineer with urban friends for company? Director Lingusamy has stuck to the genre that he has chosen for most part. He has recorded romance in a beautiful manner especially when Karthi communicates his feelings to his friends seeking advice and his dignified attitude towards Tamannah. The car chasing sequence in the open field is absolutely brilliant and so is Karthi going reverse in the opposite direction. Cinematographer Madhie needs plaudits here. Crisp editing by Anthony especially in the action sequences is a major plus point of Paiyaa and deserves a special mention.

Overall paiyya gives a little of everythin and is watchable once but this is not the best of karthi by far !!!

Paiyya - 6/10

Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya - Crosses the skies for us

After 1 and quarter years of anticipation and eagerness, Gautham's Vinnaithaandi Varuvayaa. Right from the cast to the technical team, the movie is purely packed star cast with proved technicians.

I was listening to the songs every day since they were released . With the Oscar award winner A.R.R handling the music, there were no doubts for everyone that the movie sure to make it big. I entered the theatre expecting a true love story with quality acting and a powerful story. I was not disappointed at all; in fact I was dumbfounded by it.

VTV is all about falling in love, the emotions, confusions and the innumerable roller-coaster sensations associated with it. Karthik (Silambarasan), a mechanical engineer, hopes to be a aspiring film director one day. It is love at first sight for this young man with his landlord's daughter Jessy (Trisha), a Malayalee Christian and a computer professional. Karthik expresses his love to her in a quite unexpected manner but she does not accept it citing practical reasons, such as age, culture and family's pride. Notwithstanding her absence even for a short while, Karthik leaves Chennai and travels to Kerala just to apologise to her. Jessie understands the depth of his love by his words and actions.

He finds Jessie and apologies for his behaviour and earns her friendship in return.. The ensuing train trip to Chennai from Allapuzha paves way for a deeper bond between the two. Jessie's brother gets to know about Karthik's love and problems emerge between them which create a conflict between the two families and Karthik's family is made to vacate the premises. This triggers the hasty arrangement of marriage for Jessy in Kerala. Needless to say, Karthik reaches there and what happens thereafter form the crux of Vinnai Thaandi Varuavaayaa. The rest of the story is all about the life of the main leads after these incidents. The love has been portrayed in the typical narrative style of Gautham.

Simbhu's performance has been impressive from the first shot of the movie to the last frame of the movie. His toned down dialogue delivery works very well for the story and especially towards the climax; he makes the audience move in tears with his acting.

Trisha stays impressive from portraying the character of a confused lady who couldn't decide on her love at many instances. No doubt that it will be a break for her too in her career.

A.R.R's music is very impressive and his background music is magical and makes the audience go into the story deeper and deeper. Especially during scenes where Karthik proposes his love and the scene where he sees Jessie for the first time. The deep experimental of new type of music have come out in a very pleasant way. No doubt that this movie will bag him numerous awards.

In Overall, Gautham have crafted a love story which revolves around these two characters. Many could think that the movie's pace is very slow, but I felt that if the pace has been quicker it may not have been as powerful or impactful as now.The high point of the movie is the reality it portrays on screen. Whether it is the family of the leads or the friends , its exactly what you see in your daily life. The climax is a shocking one yet a perfect one.The wait is certainly more than the worth and is another breakaway from traditional Tamil movies. As a film student and critique, I felt that this is a classic love story which portrays not only the happy side of it but painful one to. Its a movie for everyone but definitely one for people in love,or were in love or who want to fall in love . Gautham have chosen a cliché' story and experimented deeply in the screenplay. There is no doubt that Vinnaithaandi Varuvayaa will be remembered by everyone for long. Thanks to Gautham!!!

Verdict- A Tribute to Love

Seven Pounds (2008) - A Mediocre Movie

Will Smith is one of those few great actors who can make u laugh and cry in the same movie with his breathtaking performances. In this movie Will sticks to making us cry by his performance. I watched this movie with very less expectations as it came just after Hancock( Will's worst movie) .

The Story is of an IRS agent who sets on a journey of redemption to change the lives of 7 strangers. The screenplay of this movie is a huge drawback as it tends to get boring at many moments. The initial scenes between 'Ben' and 'Emily' are really lame and pointless. The character development of Emily (who's counting her days) was not so perfect. The performances of all characters are pretty outstanding especially Will Smith and Woody Harrelson . The plot has a very sensitive touch and emotional thing about it but the director fails to impress us at many situations.

The movie could have been much more if more thought was put into it. There are few plot holes along the way and the chemistry between the lead pair is not great.
All said and done Will Smith has given a stunning performance as Ben Thomas and shines above all in this not so great movie.

The other technical aspects were just average but the background score was pretty heart warming. This is a movie to watch for all Will Smith fans but for others u can avoid this flick !!!

Rating 6/10

The Book of Eli (2010) - Not just another post-apocalyptic thriller

Cast : Denzel Washington , Gary Oldman
Director : Albert Hughes

Plot : Eli (Denzel Washington) has been on a journey for 30 years, walking west across America after a cataclysmic war that turned the earth into a total wasteland. The world has become a lawless civilization where people must kill or be killed. The barren roads belong to gangs of cutthroats who rob and kill for water, a pair of shoes, a lighter, or just for fun. Eli is a peaceful man who only acts in self defense, and becomes a warrior with unbelievable killing skills when he is challenged. After the war and the "Big Flash", Eli was guided by a higher power to a hidden book and given the task of protecting the book and taking it to its final destination. Eli guards the book with his life, because he knows that the book is the only hope that humanity has for its future.



Upon first viewing the trailer I was immediately giddy to see a new post-apocalyptic film . Being a fan of the genre, one must get used to the repetitive "lone wanderer" theme so prominently used. I figured this film would go through the same formula, but prepared to enjoy myself.

Yes it did use the lone wanderer as a driving plot device, and yes it did bring the arbitrary twist. Yes all the survivors are short on t-shirts, but live in a wealth of leather and goggles. Yes everything in this film looks like and feels like a typical post-apocalyptia. But the substance of the story is far more powerful then I could ever have expected.

Without giving away too much, yes the film is essentially a Christian metaphor. Eli seems to be protected by some mysterious force, guided by "God" to head west. But it's what the meaning behind this admittedly bizarre plot that makes this film so great. It truly is a film about faith and believing in one's self. Using the dreary post-apocalyptic backdrop, the film is able to contrast this powerful message with the harsh landscape. Even amidst such despair, one can rise and accomplish anything. In a world slowly becoming apocalyptic itself, this message is much welcomed.

The other aspects lending to the power of The Book of Eli are its technical aspects. The cinematography is simply beautiful. Moody slo-mo shots abound with wonderfully toned colors. Everything looks dark and dead, the sun beating down endlessly on the dusty dunes. The soundtrack adds immensely to this feeling, using soft ambient chords and blasting action-scene drums when necessary. Overall The Book of Eli is an excellent film itself and an excellent spin on the post-apocalyptic genre.

Oh yeah, and Denzel Washington actually manages to pull off the part of a wizened, old bad ass.

Rating : 7.5/10

Tamil Padam - A laugh riot

When i heard that Tamil Padam - a spoof of many tamil movies was going to release i expected it to be stayed or stoned by fans. But azhagiri had the guts to produce this film and promote it as any other Tamil film. So is this like scary movie? No way Tamil padam is more a celebration to Tamil movies without hurting anyone's sentiments than a simple spoof .

The director Amudhan has done a great job with the screenplay in the fast half but has probably not focused on the second half. So lets get to the structure of this movie :

The very first scene of this movie is a trailer into what we can expect from this film. The movie starts of with a parody version of Karuthamma and joining it with Nattamai (where the original villain plays the nattamai) and ending it with the famous thalapathy scene(Sri Vidya putting the baby on the train). We then jump into when the kid is around 8 years old and we see a rogue messing with a girl and what does the kid do? Believe it or not the director is smart in using the biggest cliche in Tamil cinema where a small boy turns into an adult by riding a bicycle.

So enters Shiva the hero of the film who bashes everyone with just movement of a finger. And there we have an intro song vijay style . Then as usual we meet the first of many villains who wants to meet the hero and me meet a replica of mammoty who plays Deva from Thalapathy and scene moves into the memorable Baasha meeting scene between Rajinikanth and Raghuvaran. Again the director should be appreciated for joining Maniratnam, Thalapathy, Baasha, Kandhasamy into one scene.

The friends of Shiva are Siddharth (Mano bala),Nakul (M.S.Bhaskar) and Bharath(Venniradai Murthy) . They enact many scenes of Boys and are insanely hilarious at many moments.

The heroine introduction starts off with a mozhi jyothika parody where the heroine hits another lady for bashing her boyfriend. This then moves onto shiva finding out that the heroine likes Bharatanatyam . So in an effort to impress her shiva learns Bharatanatyam in one day and dances before her(The funniest scene of the movie - see to believe it ) in Kadhalan style. So once they come together we have a duet song ' Oh Maha Seya ' - a mockery of all tamil song lyrics which have no meaning. Truly amazing by MD Kannan to come up with this tune

How can we have a love track without the heroine's dad causing problems. He says he wants his son-in law to be rich. Hearing this Shiva sets off to earn money and he does in a single song with the time of making a cup of coffee :)

The second half has its funny moments but is irritating at times. The Kakka mockery sequence was great and also the Cinemapatti scenes were great. Apart from these the second half dissapoints. The Director has many scenes to show but didn't get them in order which makes this movie less enjoyable. The climax again is top notch with a court scene where everyone seems to be a undercover agent.

The technical aspects of the film were outstanding whether it was debutant Music Director Kannan's BGM or Nirav Shah's cinematograpy or even Santhanam's great art direction . The movie is a wholesome entertainer with majority of the scenes being insanely hilarious.

On the whole watch Tamil Padam with family and friends if u Love Tamil Cinema !!!

Rating 7.5/10

Sleepy Hollow - Tim Burton's most thrilling movie

Tim Burton - one of the most experimental director's in the world comes forward with an adaptation of one of the most thrilling novels written by Washington Irving. Tim has brought the chill to the main screen with great visuals and even better sets. The performances of all characters are stunning and Depp being the best of the lot. Christina Ricci also does her job well.

The plot on the whole is based on the legend of the headless horseman a fantasy or mystery believed by all villagers. Depp travels from new york city to Sleepy Hollow believing he can solve the murders using scientific advancements . His encounters with the horseman are greatly set and even the flashback scenes has Tim Burton's stamp all over it. The West Woods, The death tree are all a visual treat. The twists in the movie are very convincing and even give more depth to the storyline. Even the headless scenes or the head chopping scenes were so realistic that it could frighten you.

The cinematography and music are outstanding. Music shines or even gives u the chills in particular scenes.

Burton has justified the work of Irving and has proved that he is probably the only director alive to direct such a classic . Loved this film and recommend this to all.

Rating : 8/10

Jungfrukällan - A chilling revenge story

As part of my flashback thread for this week Jan 25 2010 i am going to be reviewing Jungfrukällan (The Virgin Spring) which released in 1960.

Cast : Max von Sydow,Birgitta Valberg
Director :Ingmar Bergman

Plot : Set in beautiful 14th century Sweden, it is the sombre, powerful fable of peasant parents whose daughter, a young virgin, is brutally raped and murdered by goat herders after her half sister has invoked a pagan curse. By a bizarre twist of fate, the murderers ask for food and shelter from the dead girl's parents, who, discovering the truth about their erstwhile lodgers, exact a chilling revenge


Based on the Swedish legend " Virgin Spring" , this movie is a haunting masterpiece. The setting of the movie is pretty exceptional. The plot is well spread out with great performances from the cast. The character of Karin played by Birgitta Pettersson is the sole of the film. The scene where she says no words after being raped by the goat herders sends the message of about 50 lines, brilliant acting.

Now moving on to the revenge part of this movie. Y do i call this a chilling revenge story ? Because of its pure portrayal of fear and anger. The peasants on hearing about the death of their daughter and knowing that the murderers are lodging in their house show the perfect emotions. This movie has no timeline and a universal emotional feeling. This is a masterpiece to savior.



I recommend this Ingmar Bergman film to all movie lovers and see this master of all revenge stories.

Rating 8.5/10

Sherlock Holmes - A great new adventure

There have been many versions of sherlock holmes before but this is definitely the best so far. Robert Downey Jr (RDJ) portrays Sherlock Holmes brilliantly and is greatly supported by Jude Law as Dr. Watson. This combination has brought life into this classic. The movie is fast paced and has some good twists. Though the overall character development is not perfect the chemistry between Jude and RDJ was awesome.

The narration is half baked and very repetitive in certain portions. The other characters also do justice to their roles and have shown great scene presence. Guy Ritchie has done a great job in the direction department has again shown that his movies have a dark comedy element to it like some of his previous flicks like Lock Stock or even Snatch.

There are a few plot holes in the script but again they are because of the poor narration and some screenplay flaws. The background score was pretty commendable.
Also certain dialogues cant be understood clearly at all due to mumbling by RDJ(really irritating at times).

The art direction needs a special mention for some great sets and the overall look. The movie is a definite entertainer and a will be a great watch. The movie's ending shows hopes for a great sequel and looking forward to that

Verdict : 7/10

Flashback : look into some of the old classics

In this section i would be reviewing old classics : good or underrated every week. This is just to keep u guys aware of some the old movies and how great the plot,screenplay or even the technical aspects were back then. I am taking up only pre 1990 movies.

Would be choosing a movie every week. If u guys have any suggestions or complaints please respond !!!

Alvin and the Chipmunks :The Squeakquel - Predictable, terribly acted and lacking in substance.

OK, so I was one of those people who actually enjoyed the first Alvin. I know it was predictable, terribly acted and lacking in substance, but I liked it nonetheless. The Squeakquel not so much. There's no effort to even mask the predictability in this one, the filmmakers just concede to the fact there are no surprises. The acting is noticeably worse, Jason Lee essentially being replaced by the far less appealing Zachary Levi is the main contributor to this problem. And worst of all the shallowness of the plot can't be redeemed by numerous hit songs getting 'munked', like achieved by its predecessor.

The major upside to the movie is still the song and dance numbers, which are turned up to eleven thanks to the arrival of The Chipettes. Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor (voiced by Applegate, Faris and Poehler respectively) provide two things: firstly, a reason for more girls to watch, secondly, and most importantly, the chance for the film to include female tunes. Its these 'cute girl' routines which provide the bulk of the enjoyment as Alvin, Simon and Theodore's music acts become tired very fast.

Of particular annoyance to me is something that has become increasingly popular in Hollywood: big names being vocally unrecognisable. It occurred in the first Alvin and then again most recently in Planet 51. Why oh why would you use well-known actors if you can't tell it's them? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having them at all? Any old person can have their voice synthesized digitally to sound like a chipmunk, is it purely so their names can be included on the poster and in the trailer? Well, it is a real shame, because if I lured in talent like Long, Poehler and Faris I would make more out of it than name-dropping.

Overall rating : 2/10

Aayirathil Oruvan - A new genre to Indian Cinema

My Review after one watch (Could change after few more viewings) :

Selvaraghavan one of the most versatile directors(7g rainbow colony, Pudupettai ) in Indian cinema has attempted a new genre and has succeeded. His imagination has no limits and has reflected on the screen very well. This movie shows the vast history of South India (something not seen before).

The backbone of this film is around the cast consisting of Karthi, Reema sen and Andrea. All of them have given great performances especially Reema sen who has grown as an actor.

The first half of the film is an adventure on tone with Indiana Jones but the obstacles and concept is purely Indian which makes this film unique.
The comedy timing of karthi is exceptional which keeps the first half fast paced with some great visuals. The pre-interval scene sets the pace for a great second half.

The second half of the movie is a little slower than the first half because the more detailed characterization. Parthiban plays the chola king to perfection and his dialogue delivery is flawless. Reema sen dominates the second half with less role for Karthi and Andrea.

The battle scenes towards the end might not be the best we have seen but are great keeping in mind the budget constraint.

The visual effects of the film are exceptional again keeping in mind the budget available.

The cinematography by ramji is one of the best i have ever seen. His visualization of the battle scenes, kingdom , seas, deserts were so close to reality.

G.V.Prakash's BGM score was good but not great which could be the only negative point i see in this movie.

Finally the director of this venture Selvaraghavan needs a pat on the back for this great attempt. It might not be as great as his career best Pudupettai but is still one of his best

Go and book your tickets as soon as possible !!!!

Rating 8/10

Top Movies of 2009

2010 is here and we have gone past 2009 - Good year for cinema. So just started blogging today and have lot of movies in mind to review. Wanted to start of with my top movies of 2009. It covers a lot of languages . I have made a list of about 11 movies . Many of you might have seen some i haven't ,so i am open to alternatives and suggestions.



No 11 : The Blind Side




Release Date : 20 November 2009
Cast : Sandra Bullock,Tim McGraw
Director : John Lee Hancock

A true story about how a star was born in the American Football league due to a family's role and caring. Sandra Bullock's great performance is the highlight of the film . Sandra Bullock can be ready to accept the a series of awards for the best actress in this film.

Plot : The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

The emotional view of this film is very interesting and is a great watch



No 10 :Taken



Release Date : 30 January 2009
Cast : Liam Neeson,Maggie Grace,Leland Orser
Director : Pierre Morel


One of the earlier releases of 2009. This movie set the trend for 2009 with a action packed thriller. Liam Neeson plays a cop to perfection with great attitude. The storyline is very simple and is inspired from a 1994 Kamal Haasan flick "Mahanadhi". This movie is of a totally different genre than its original and has excelled in the technical department.

Plot : A former spy relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been forced into the slave trade.

Watch this movie for Liam Neeson and its great stunt sequences.



No 9 : (500) Days of Summer





Release Date : 2 September 2009 (UK)
Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt,Zooey Deschanel
Director : Marc Webb

This romantic comedy is the usual Boy meets Girl and falls in love story but is not the usual happy ending movie. So what is new about this romantic comedy? Its the narration and the realism in it. It shows how cruel women are in life sometimes and how fate and destiny plays a role in it.

Plot : An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her.

Performance by Joseph Gordon as Tom is simply heart warming and exceptional to say the least. Zooey is also great but some of her expressions are irritating at times. Marc Webb has shown great promise in his debut film .

I recommend this movie to all viewers particularly teenagers..




No 8 :Entre les murs





Release Date :24 September 2008 (France)
Cast :François Bégaudeau,Agame Malembo-Emene
Director :Laurent Cantet

Entre Les Murs (The Class) is a interesting and intelligent movie. The movie portrays life in Parsian Neighbourhood with racially mixed children. Francois delivers a great performace as the class teacher. This movie is like a mirror in today's world and is a movie to be closely watched.

Plot : Teacher and novelist François Bégaudeau plays a version of himself as he negotiates a year with his racially mixed students from a tough Parisian neighborhood.

The Class is a definite nominee for the best foreign film for the academy awards this year ...





No 7 : Up



Release Date : 29 May 2009
Cast : Voices by Edward Asner,Christopher Plummer
Director : Pete Docter


If it was Wall-e last year it is Up this year. This animation flick from Pixar and Disney is truly great. This movie is just below Toy Story as it is not as ground breaking but has a even better storyline.

Plot : By tying thousands of balloon to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn't alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

Pixar has given another great animation film and watch this with friends and family .




No 6 : Naan kadavul



Release Date : 6 February 2009 (India)
Cast : Arya ,Pooja
Director : Bala

Naan kadavul (I am God) is a Tamil movie from India and the reason it is one of the best of 2009 is for its great direction and power packed performances. With bollywood movies like 3 idiots being promoted from India a great film like naan kadavul has been overseen. All cinema fans need to watch this movie to understand the realistic world of poverty in India.

Summary : For astrological reasons, a father leaves his son Rudran (Arya) in Kasi. Years later, repenting his act he goes with his daughter in search of him. He finds him there but is shocked to learn that he has become an Aghori. Nevertheless he brings him back to Tamil Nadu. The story takes a turn here and introduces us to the world of physically and mentally challenged beggars. A world controlled by the cruel Thandavan (Rajendran). Hamsavalli (Pooja Umashankar) a blind girl is forcefully separated from her troop and made to join the beggars. Soon she becomes another victim of Thandavan's cruelty. The story spins to a fitting finale.


Director Bala is known for his realistic portrayal in all his films and naan kadavul is no different. The cinematography and stunt sequences are exceptional .

Its a personal request from me to u guys to watch this great flick .





No 5 : The Hurt Locker

Release Date :10 October 2008
Cast :Jeremy Renner,Anthony Mackie
Director :Kathryn Bigelow





Although the release date says 2008 got to watch this movie only in 2009. In a year filled with movies of visual effects , Hurt Locker stands out as a emotional and engaging thriller. The movie takes place in Iraq during war where everyone is a target and a suspect.

Plot : Iraq. Forced to play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in the chaos of war, an elite Army bomb squad unit must come together in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a deadly bomb.


Performances from everyone is great and is a definite nominee for the Oscar for best Picture. Miss this movie at your own risk !!!





No 4 : Star Trek





Release Date : 8 May 2009
Cast : Chris Pine,Zachary Quinto,Zoe Saldana
Director : J.J. Abrams

One of the most expected movies of 2009 doesn't disappoint to star trek fans all around the world. JJ Abrams has maintained the star trek fame or even made it bigger. The job of keeping up to expectations is very difficult but he has achieved it.

Plot : A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.

Chris Pine and Zachary show great on screen chemistry and have delivered power packed performances. Zoe Saldana of Avatar fame has done her limited job well. Again another movie in 2009 with great visual effects and is a strong contender for the Oscars in sound effects this year.

Watch this movie even if your not a star trek fan.





No 3 : District 9



Release Date :14 August 2009
Cast :Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope
Director :Neill Blomkamp


A sci-fi movie about Aliens , what is new ?? The answer is almost everything. District 9 is a different kind of sci-fi movie with a lot of emotional and sensitive content. The detail shown in the aliens(Prawns) is great and even the CGI of the mother ship and other alien weapons was extraordinary.

Plot : An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology.

Shartlo Copley as Van de Merwe is perfect and has given a awesome performance. He brings about every emotion perfectly and does his job as a government official and a civilian almost flawlessly.

The concept is new and shows human mentality point blank . A great movie to cherish





No 2 : Avatar



Release Date : 18 December 2009
Cast :Sam Worthington,Zoe Saldana,Sigourney Weaver
Director :James Cameron


The Most expensive film ever made is turning out to be the most grossed film in history. This record breaking director is none other than James cameron overtaking his previous highest grosser Titanic. Avatar is the most visually brilliant film ever made with lot of hardwork and effort gone into executing it.

Plot : A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.


The movie lacks strong character development and a repeated storyline which is the only reason why it is not my best film in 2009. It still is a landmark in film making and James Cameron has matured as a director. The second half of the movie has the best action sequences ever seen in cinema . Watch this movie in theatres only and in 3-D to enjoy it to the fullest .

Although this movie comes towards the end of 2009 it still is the most entertaining film of this year and probably this decade.




No 1 : Inglorious Basterds




Release Date : 21 August 2009
Cast : Brad Pitt , Mélanie Laurent , Christoph Waltz
Director : Quentin Tarantino

Very rarely does a year go when the best film of the year hasn't come from Quentin Tarantino and 2009 is no different. The movie is just great cinema with a different view about the Nazi's and some great performances.

Plot : In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis.

The very first scene of the movie is the most powerful one where Christoph Waltz as Col. Landa kills a jew family staying under the floor of a farmer's ranch.
Brad Pitt along with the other "Basterds" give great performances but the best performance comes from Christoph Waltz.

This is my favorite movie of 2009 and its a definite watch



Waiting for yr opinions and inputs !!!!

Avatar - A Great Visual Treat

All movie reviews have a pattern but after watching avatar want to straight away get to the review. James Cameron's Avatar is the most entertaining and enthralling cinematic experiences of my life. It is incredible, simply put. What Cameron has done here is the most passionate film project put out since Steven Spielberg released Schindler's List. His attention to detail and his zeal for pushing the envelope is so admirable to any filmmaker or actor who will ever do another film from this point on. He has indeed set the benchmark for film making and has raised expectations for CGI in future.

Avatar is the story of Jake Sully, a paraplegic marine, who replaces his brother on a secret mission to infiltrate the Na' vi, the colony of beings that sit on the planet of Pandora, where there is a precious ore, that sells at a ridiculous amount. When Jake learns the ways of the Na' vi, his feelings and learnings will put him and the people he trusts in dangerous jeopardy.

The performances here, in the sense of reacting, becoming, and understanding what Cameron has written are astounding. Every detail for expression from the Na' vi are brilliant and refreshing. Sam Worthington, as Jake Sully, is an actor who's on his way to becoming a star. Though he has problems with his Aussie accent often enough in the film, he gets the job done. Zoe Saldana, who plays Neytiri, a Na' vi huntress, is thrilling and electrifying. Stephen Lang, as the rock hard Colonel Miles, is probably the only disappointment. His character development is awfully poor and irritating sometimes. Sigourney Weaver as the beautiful Dr. Grace, is sufficient enough to have on screen again teamed with Cameron. She lives inside her role with effortless ease, but suffers from some of the typical James Cameron cheesy lines.

Narratively the film works perfectly on the cinematic level. The first forty minutes or so require patience and hope as it is the weakest part of the film and offers some dreariness, but when the second act takes off, it's sky high with no limits for James Cameron. Avatar delivers the best action sequences put on film of all time. It is the best visual experience of my life, period.

Other than those visuals, the film pops with all the other technical aspects thrown into one. Art Direction is killer as the two worlds blend in perfectly for an acceptable time. The Film Editing is the crowning achievement of the film as it also offers the perfect blend of the two worlds, enticing the viewer and shifting us around. Mauro Fiore is the threat for a Cinematography Oscar this year. It was if the viewer sat down in a chair, put on glasses, and was literally placed on Pandora, spaceships, and floating mountains. The viewer can feel so engulfed by the imagery, you feel like you can smell the leaves from the trees. Avatar is utterly hypnotizing. James Horner's score is some of the best work done in his career. It offers a variable of devastation that moves the viewer to near tears. It goes back to his work on Titanic, where the musical instruments lifted the material immensely. The entire sound team is also locked and loaded for Oscar recognition as the feeling of animals, machines, and arrows buzzing by your head leave you imprisoned in Cameron's exquisite film. When all technical aspects of the film are top notch the few plot holes are over seen. Cameron has also shown that 3-D is way forward and has excelled it .

James Cameron has come back home ladies and gentlemen Cameron is back, bigger, badder, and mature in his crowning work of his career. Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Titanic do not even compare anymore. This is the film that can blend the fans of those two films together and lock Cameron into your heart. He's a definite spoiler for a directing bid for the Academy Awards.

Avatar is one of the best films of the year. The most exciting, thrilling, and superb work you'll feast your eyes on in any theater this century. Cinema, forever, will remember the benchmark that James Cameron placed not only for himself, but for any man, daring to change the game, the way Cameron did. Avatar is a movie experience to be remembered, and please experience in a movie theater first.

Rating : 8.5/10