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Reviews
Ee Adutha Kaalath (2012)
A definite watch for the serious moviegoer
Life is like a Rubik cube
. and thus begins this movie. Different stories of completely different people coming together at the end was a trend popularized in Amores Perros by Alejandro González Iñárritu and thus this technique of story telling has come into many different films. To say, that this technique has been abused(many a times even in Malayalam ) by many filmmakers will be a understatement. Contrary to the recent experiences , Ee Adutha Kalathu, is one movie in which this technique has been used pretty well. There are loop holes in the story,but then the way it has been written is raw, blunt, tight and gripping.This is one of the movies that can be considered as the struggle that the Malayalam film industry is doing to come out of the claws of the conventional and clichéd film making. Murali Gopi, who has penned down the script , have molded the main characters well , and takes guidance from many tried and tested scripting techniques to make sure that he doesn't loose control over the story and idea that he has to convey. A very good example is the preparation of two main characters for telling a simple lie, when stopped by the police.
The main characters played by Indrajith, Tanushree Gosh, Anoop Menon, Lena , Mythili , Nishan and Murali Gopi himself has been painstakingly created as each of their characters reveals itself step by step as the movie proceeds. The director has done a good job in keeping the scriptwriters vision intact. The control he has over the story is never let away. Being an editor most of his life, he definitely knows what to edit out and thus it never drags a bit. There are many instance handled very carefully, as the audience is expecting something and what ends up happening is different. The narcissistic character of Anoop Menon , who misses a very important conversation , which he could have easily overheard and lead the story in a totally different direction was visualized very well in the movie. The camera work is apt for the story, keeping majority of the shots tight and compact, which more or less resembles the style of storytelling and the way it has been shot. Its like seeing each of the character only through a keyhole not letting in anything that the audience shouldn't see. A really strong script , well written characters, some good acting all adds up the great movie that is Ee Adutha Kalathu. Not a family type entertainer, but a definite watch for the serious moviegoer.
Ordinary (2012)
Ordinary is just a very ordinary movie
When you write a movie as a writer director, what is it that you need to impress a producer or a director in order for the film to roll?? To tell that there is a twist in the end and the treatment is similar all other hit movies in the recent past ?? Ordinary is a movie written with that in mind I would say. My way of reviewing is most importantly based on how a movie makes you feel after watching it. All technical and other aspects are dissected only later.In that perspective , I pretty much didn't enjoy the movie. You cannot make a movie only because you got a good locale to shoot it in can you?. The movie begins ambitiously and shows us a perspective into the much adored KSRTC, which we as a viewer haven't seen much in detail. Then till the end of the first half its a more or less, a happy ride with a few songs and scenes, standing out like sore thumbs. I must admit there were some scenes which really did make me laugh out loud in the first half. The second half is more or less a whodunit mystery. But the fact that , the script writer is intentionally giving you clues to keep us guessing is little over the top. The climax is a bummer as, the only character for whom the script writer didn't give any clues about, to the audience turns out to be our culprit. Acting wise, Biju Menon with his accent is an amazing find. I would say , he sincerely carried out that role , with his slang, even very effective during the real tense moments. Kunchako Boban is just a hero who as always is the most kindhearted and loving guy of all times with nothing special to mention. Baburaj , who is having a good time with lots of offers recently due to the Salt and Pepper gig, is wasted completely here in this mediocre and ineffective role. If he continues this same checklist in role selection , I don't see him going anywhere far in the coming years. Even though there have been exceptions, the ladies lot in the Malayalam film industry are there just to pray , cry or fall in love. This is repeated here. The locale is amazing. I believe , it should have been showcased better. The camera man has done his job pretty well Gavi is a literal find and hope in the coming years it is not ruined by the inflow of tourists. The use of a body mount Doggicam in the final fight scene, even though for a few scenes did give it a different look and feel. I would give it an extra star for that effort. Overall, I would say , Ordinary is just a very ordinary movie with nothing special in it to mention. With the quality of movies that we are seeing in Malayalam film industry lately , we cannot call this movie a winner. That being said, a Friday evening or a Sunday morning with family to watch a no brainer , family entertainer, I will recommend this.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)
Catch a salmon and feel happy...
The title is catchy, very catchy. By now you know it is not a conventional film. . The expectations go high.It is written by Simon Beaufoy(The Full Monty , Slumdog Millionaire to mention a few). The expectations go up again. You have to see it some how now!!
With this you sit down to watch this movie about the crazy idea of bringing in salmon fishing to an arid and dry land like Yemen.
The movie is beautiful and subtle in its own ways. By the time , the movie ends you know its not a great movie , but it did make you feel good. Those 2 hours were well spent. Thats what you expect from a a good movie isn't it. to make you feel good.
Ewan Macgregor is very effective in this role as a fishing expert with Aspergers syndrome. Many movies in the past like Forest Gump, Adam etc have shown people with Aspergers as such loving and caring characters , which makes you question that whether the movies writers wants to take out the 'dis' out of this disorder.
The writer had his visions before he sat down to write it, some as beautiful as the comparison of a salmon going upriver and the protagonist , going against the crowd to make things happen, or those nicely written tidbits about the comparison of faith and religion to fishing.
Technically speaking , the camera work showcases the beauty of the so called 'Yemen' , but as this movie being shot in Morocco , takes the originality out of it. The graphics where water is gushing out of the dam is a bit unreal. Tight and compact frames for the city scenes and wide landscape camera-work for the outdoors makes you feel as though you are very close to where its all happening may that be in an office cubicle or en route to a Scottish villa or even in the wide open deserts.
The story of how similar the two main characters are and how a crazy mans idea brings them close is the highlight of the film. I would recommend watching this movie to anyone.
The Happening (2008)
Good Old horror movie
M. Night Shyamalan has come a long way since the Sixth Sense. After I finished watching the film the "one" thing that impressed me was the way he presented it. I sincerely felt that it was the depth and reality of each scene that was impressive and not the scariness.
Now the answer for the question "why only 6 if I liked the movie? ". M Night Shyamalan is famous for showing off the Microphones used in his production, and this is what he does in this movie as well. The Mic can be clearly seen on the top of the screen in one of the scenes where Mark Wahlberg is sitting and talking in the Model House. Doesn't anybody review the final print!!. Even after all these criticisms (Even in one of the Scary movies) if he continues to do this , it will point to his inefficiency as a director.
The music is really haunting. James Newton Howard has succeeded in creating a Hitchcockian atmosphere with his music all through the movie. The cinematography by Tak Fujimoto is impressive and blends well with the directors way of storytelling. The cast easily fits into their characters but none impressed me.
Overall I liked the picture , and I would prescribe it for people who like classic and realistic horror and not the zombie or creature horror.
As a fan , I look forward to seeing more work from M Night Shyamalan which is equally brilliant as this and his previous works.
The " AVATAR " written on Jesse's school bag , is that a sign of things to come?? :)
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
A racy Entertainer
Definitely the Mission Impossible movie has grown through the ages. Be the gadgets or the special effects, this movie is so far ahead of all its predecessors.
The best part of the movie is that it combines the strength of the previous two that is an impressive story line like the first and some really cool gadgetry and action from the second.(To say the truth this one actually solves the face-mask mystery).
Unlike the second and the first this movie begins slowly and builds steadily overtime in action.I feel that the movie is written and directed very carefully and some of the sequences really does makes the viewers go WOW. The only problem is after seeing the well executed and beautifully choreographed action sequences in the middle, the viewers who are expecting an even better ending has to satisfy themselves with a kind of quiet ending.Talking about the acting, tom cruise has put in an intense performance and so has Philip Seymour Hoffman. Rest of the characters, well, just fills up the spaces. Overall i will say that this movie is definitely worth the money spent.It will make you feel so full of energy till the end and will leave a mark in your mind(especially the complexity of the gadgetry)