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