Coolie is a POWERHOUSE which, when it hits its peak output - in patches, packs a punch with loads of nostalgia, an ensemble starcast and above all, vintage Rajni vibes.
It is also a powerhouse that struggles and sputters to keep the spark on consistently.
Nag & Soubin make a mark. But, Loki fails to soar.
Overall, an above average outing, at best, that doesn't actually have an "Arangam Adhirattume" outcome.
SUPER (on & off) !
RATING - 3/5
This is the story of a middle class family's quest to rise up the economic ladder and realise their long cherished dream of buying a home that they can call their own.
An affective drama that unfolds at an unhurried pace radiating lived-in feelings and warmth. It is elevated by the pitch-perfect performances of the entire main cast lead by Sarath Kumar and Siddarth. They are ably supported by Devayani, Meetha Ragunath and Chaitra Achar.
Director Sri Ganesh who had made an impressive debut with 8 Thottaakkal is in fine form.
Overall, this is a simple drama done neatly without exaggerated melodrama and nowadays, that is indeed rare.
WORTH A WATCH !
RATING - 3/5
PS - Streaming on Amazon Prime.
Self referencing to past glory days is a tested trope for fan service in big star movies, especially in recent times. But, when a trope is given a too long a rope to span an entire movie, to feel like self reference Pro Max level, the end product is this (இது🤦🏽♂️).
It is, at best, GOOD, if you are a Thala fan(atic) Pro Max, which director Adhik Ravichandran clearly appears to be.
If you are not, as is the case of unlucky majority, this LOUD movie veers wildly between a BAD & UGLY mishmash of a messy drive down memory lane of Thala filmography.
Remix of past hit numbers, presence of not one, but two of evergreen divas of Tamil cinema, Thala seeming to have a ball of a time with a steady stream of super solo-mo shots - nothing seems to come to the aid here as the movie sinks beyond any scope for salvage.
BAD / UGLY - Depends on your tolerance !
(Grrrrr)RATING - 2/5
PS - Streaming on Netflix
Movies about refugees generally fall into a tired and often torturous template of heightened melodrama that magnifies the suffering of the lot - both in the homeland that they escape and the new-found homes in the alien shores where they try to fit into.
Debutant director Abhishan Jeevinth steers clear of this traditional narrative structure and presents the plight of this family with a rare and refreshing light touch that radiates a feel-good vibe in almost every frame.
He strikes a brilliant balance between effusive comedy that keeps the flow light and sharply written drama that avoids the pitfalls of being preachy or pandering to popular notions on this emotional issue.
Sasikumar and Simran along with the two debutant actors playing their sons as well as an ensemble cast of noted character artists provide a lived-in feel while composer Sean Roldan peppers the narrative with some warm heartfelt numbers that sound just apt.
A WHOLESOME ENTERTAINER !
RATING - 4/5
The unusual casting of leads - Siva Karthikeyan (SK) and Sai Pallavi - has worked exceptionally well as both provide stellar performances. SK undergoes a spectacular transformation in his muscular physicality as well as a controlled performance that is as distant from his usual casual self as snowy Kashmir is from sunny shores of Kanyakumari. Sai Pallavi is once again phenomenal as the emotional anchor to this film.
Amaran is a fine attempt as it blends the personal life comprising of an affecting love story along with a valorous life of a professional army man with exemplary leadership skills. The director deserves credit for steering clear of the usual pitfalls of loud jingoism and teary melodrama that mire most movies of this genre.
RATING - 3.5/5
A VERY GOOD WATCH !
The first part of Viduthalai that was released last year was a fascinating exploration of politics and hierarchical structures (class, caste, etc). The story unfolded from the perspective of an impressionable rookie cop Kumaresan played by Soori in a career-defining turn with Vijay Sethupathi playing a cameo as Perumal Vaathiyaar - a charismatic mentor of a ruthless revolutionary force.
The sequel sees a role reversal as it dwells on the life and times of Perumaal Vaathiyaar, his evolution from a humble school teacher, his own schooling on left ideology, labour leader and thereafter to become a revolutionary. The role of Kumaresan is relegated to a cameo and an occasional voice over, except for a few scenes.
Most of the movie which is structured as episodic recounting of the life of Perumaal Vaathiyaar ends up as an unending and verbose monologue of political commentary and ideological propaganda - logical and lofty. Yet, these ideas lack a strong rooting in an engaging story or relatable character arcs and consequently, sink without striking an emotional chord. None of the the events linger long enough to make an impression and as a result, even some of the decently staged action set-pieces fail to make a mark as there is little emotional pay-off.
Vijay Sethupathi is phenomenal and is supported well by the star-studded supporting cast including Soori who continues to breathe Kumaresan, an ever-dependable Manju Warrier, Gautam Menon, Rajiv Menon, Chethan, Ilavarasu, Kishore and Ken Karunaas.
Director Vetrimaaran's sequel is too dense - it delivers a semester load of political, socio-economic discourse and much more in the span of almost three hours of runtime. If only, the strands of the story and characters were explored in as much detail as the ideas that he transmits, this could have been a far superior movie in terms of engaging the audience.
However, while the first part could keep us engrossed as we followed Kumaresan's hesitant footsteps in an unfamiliar and difficult terrain (in literal as well as figurative sense), in the second part, we often miss following the narrative trail as we struggle to keep up with the more certain Perumaal Vaathiyaar who is a veteran of this treacherous terrain.
Nevertheless, this is an important movie from one of our most outspoken auteurs as he amplifies those frequently forgotten voices which are often crushed under the cacophony of the commercial narratives which serve as convenient entertainment of the masses.
A NECESSARY & GOOD WATCH !
RATING - 3/5
I revisited the movie before watching the sequel that has arrived on the silver screen this past week.
After a commercially successful outing with Asuran which also received a fair share of critical acclaim, ace director Vetrimaaran returns with the story of an underdog cop. Kumaresan (Soori), a rookie cop with a strong moral compass is thrust into the thick of things in a battle front drawn between a stubborn State and a relentless revolutionary force. The revolutionaries are keen to obstruct the proposed mining project in a densely forested area as they see it is exploitative to the people as well as nature while the State views the same as a tool for development of the area.
While the template story of development and its aftermath unfolds at the surface level, the primary narrative strand focuses on the story of Kumaresan - how he finds his feet in the rough grind between an indifferent system and a seemingly ruthless revolutionary band.
Soori who has been playing comical roles so far, submits himself completely to his first lead role. He is earnest in every frame as he grapples with each situation with his innate vulnerability. It would not be an understatement to say that this is a reincarnation for him as he lives through every facet of this challenging role. Vijay Sethupathy plays - Perumaal Vaathiyaar - a minor cameo as the mentor of the revolutionary force and is likely to gain more prominence in the sequel. Bhavani Sre, Gautam Vasudev Menon, Rajeev Menon and Chethan are apt in their supporting roles.
DoP Velraj excels in framing the verdant, albeit, very challenging terrain as is evident from the early unbroken long shot of a train accident as well as several others including one of Soori scaling a mountain with a senior colleague. Maestro's songs as well as BGM accentuate and add poignancy to the proceedings.
A SATISFYING WATCH (that could have easily been so much more) !!
RATING - 4/5
Maamannan (Vadivel) is a legislator from an oppressed community and has a difficult personal relationship with son Athiveeran (Udhayanidhi) due to a traumatic event in their past. On the professional front, he shares a fraught relationship with Rathnavel (Fahaad Fasil) who is an aspiring leader from a dominant community and also has psycopathic tendencies centred on retaining his position of power over those he sees as below him.
When a series of seemingly minor events spiral out of control unexpectedly, he is confronted with a situation that raises serious questions over his entrenched sense of authority. The entire first half is a fire cracker which culminates in an explosive interval point. The rest of the movie sees how each of these three leads try to handle the consequences and assert their voice and choice over the other side. Alas, the latter half treads a predictable path and does not manage to create an impact comparable to the first. That is all the more unfortunate given the potential of the material as well as the cast and technical crew at hand.
Vadivel towers over everyone in the titular role, delivering a mature and richly layered performance that is worthy of many plaudits. He packs an impactful punch, whether in the intensely emotional moments or in sequences where he showcases restraint with a seething undercurrent of rage against injustice.
2023 seems to be a year of rebirth of popular comics. After Soori's cinematic reincarnation in Vetrimaaran's Viduthalai earlier this year, Mari Selvaraj reimagines Vadivel in his unique style.
In his third film, after Pariyerum Peumal and Karnan, director Mari Selvaraj continues to explore the conflict points between those who have traditionally been in power and those who have been oppressed under them. His movies continue to speak for those who have been deprived of the rights to raise their voice even to acknowledge the atrocities that they are subjected to on a daily basis. Fahad delivers chilling and menacing performance, especially with those powerful eyes which speak volumes. Udhayanidhi turns in a neat performance of simmering rage that is ready to explode. The fact that he manages to hold his own amidst aces like Vadivel, Fahadh and Keerthi is a testament of his evolution from the breezy roles of his OKOK days. Keerthi registers her presence in an otherwise limited role.
The movie is replete with several subtle and not-so-subtle symbolisms that has come to define his filming style, especially the liberal use of animals like dogs, horses and pigs as metaphors to convey his themes, in his usage of monochromes for certain sequences, his inter-cuts in certain others. There are also those stretches which document unspeakable cruelty - mostly, mimicking actual events in the past and present - to men and animals by those in power just to stamp their authority and to trample upon those they consider lowly and meek.
Rahman has delivered a powerful album including couple of energetic anthems, a soulful melody and a wrenching dirge to accentuate key moments in the narrative.
RATING - 3.5/5
A POWERFUL MOVIE - that could've been much much more !!
Comparisons to the epic novel by Kalki are futile as movies are by nature a lesser medium than books. Books translate the imagination of the writer into words which is, in turn, translated and plays out in the near infinite canvas of the reader's imagination which is unbound by the limits of physical media and budget that constrain performing arts like cinema, drama, etc.
Comparisons to recent blockbusters like Bahubali, RRR or KGF, while natural, would also not be fair as they were not bearing the burden of responsibility of being the cinematic adaptation of a much loved epic novel that is adored by readers despite several decades.
If that be so, what is PS-1 about..?
Director Mani Ratnam's magnum opus presents the sprawling story as an adventure doused in generous doses of palace intrigue.
Among the ensemble cast which bring to life these much loved characters, the leading ladies - Aishwarya and Trisha - stand out and dazzle the screen in every frame they are in. Karthi, Vikram, Jayaram, and Jayam Ravi are also excellent in their respective roles.
Rahman's songs and score add to the narrative like a curious accessory that enhances the attire without seeking excessive attention to itself.
So... Is it perfect and superlative....?
No..
The narrative could feel too rushed and even disjointed, especially to those who are uninitiated to the book. A trilogy might have done more justice to the story and more importantly, the many memorable characters. Hopefully, this would inspire someone worthy to make a grand webseries soon to delve deeper into the material🤞🏽.
The CGI bits are not eye-popping and are at best, decent.
The action set pieces are not as exciting or innovatively staged as one would've expected.
There are also some departures (not all of them work) from the source material which the readers may not approve of.
Nevertheless, at the end of the movie, I felt Mani is largely successful in marshalling his star studded cast and first rate technical team to the service of this book as he transports us into this adventure set a thousand years ago which remains engrossing through its entire runtime.
RATING - 3.5/5
A MUST WATCH !!
A) Well made Action movies
B) Noirish thrillers
C) Vijay Sethupathi
D) Fahad Faasil
E) Aniruddh
F) Lokesh Kanagaraj
G) Ulaga Naayagan Kamal
If you are a fan of any / all of the above, you are getting more than the BANG for your buck in VIKRAM !
Lokesh has outdone himself in almost every aspect and delivers a delectable fare.
If that is not good enough ...
He whets your appetite with vignettes of something MUCH MUCH MORE (delicious biriyani) that is still cooking …
PS - Do watch / rewatch / remember Kaithi before watching this
An alcoholic professor is forced to teach in a correctional home for young offenders. He is pitted against a dreaded criminal who maintains a strangle hold on the institution and forces the children there to commit violent crimes on his behalf.
After two back to back hits in Maanagaram and Kaithi, director Lokesh Kanagaraj hits a hat trick as he delivers a major star powered action blockbuster. In Master, Lokesh strikes a sweet spot between making his own kind of film and a star vehicle for a larger than life star like Vijay.
In the process, he shatters multiple star movie myths and proves that -
- a star movie can indeed exist without a mandatory hero introduction song or forced duets in exotic locales
- it is indeed possible to write a decent story and place the star at the center of it rather than stringing a series of fanboy servicing moments and call it a BIG movie.
- the antagonist need not be a mere one-note caricature; in fact, if he can be strong(er) and could have a solid backstory, it helps the movie and elevates the hero
- comical moments can be written seamlessly into the narrative and you don't need a separate comedy track with Yogi Babu or Satish or such others
- the hero need not be a macho invincible and could be clueless or could even depend on others to save the day / damsel in distress.
- even a three hour movie could be fairly engaging and not feel too much of a drag.
Vijay seems to have mastered the art of looking fresher and younger with each passing movie. He owns the character of JD in all its swag as well as failings and he delivers in aces. Vijay Sethupathi is excellent in radiating effortless evil and menace and mixes it up with his own style of casual and comical banter.
Lokesh has managed to make his signature style mass movie - a paisa-vasool entertainer - and deserves plaudits for succeeding admirably for the most part.
MASTER BLASTER !!
RATING - 3.5/5
Each episode narrates a story that revolves around the common theme of violent sins related to honour and identity which is associated with the usual elements of caste, class and gender. There are also subtle connecting threads that run across these episodes.
Expectedly, the material is dark and except for the episode directed by Vignesh Sivan featuring dark sarcastic humour, the mood remains grim, intense and frequently, tense.
The ensemble cast featuring Anjali (looking fresh, in a dual role), Kalki, GVM, Simran, Prakash Raj, Sai Pallavi, Shantanu and Kalidas are impressive and along with the supporting cast provide neat performances.
On the flip side, the stories tend to trod a predictable path and the melodrama is often amped up. Nevertheless, the predictability does not pare down the impact significantly, thanks to the handling and the melodramatic parts too serve a similar purpose.
In all, this is an admirable beginning that augurs well for the Tamil webseries space.
WORTH A WATCH !!
RATING - 3.5/5
PS - Streaming on Netflix
An unexploded bomb from second world war washes ashore near the coast of Mahabalipuram, a historic town in Tamil Nadu. If it detonates, it could cause widespread destruction wiping out everything in a large radius. It slips through the hands of cops who seize it initially and begins a perilous journey from one scrapyard to another where it is seen as just another piece of rusting metal. Meanwhile, the cops and their masters are desperate to retrieve it as its discovery could open a can of worms that they seek to conceal.
Debutante director Athiran Athirai has cooked up a raw, genre-jumping recipe that blends elements of a tense thriller, road movie, love story, message movie on class/caste struggle garnished with a generous helping of humour. While some of the elements might feel generic and formulaic, it is to the credit of the director that and the sincerity he infuses into the project that most of the elements work to deliver the desired effect.
Athiyan has the rare skill to beautifully blend the multiple ingredients of his narrative recipe without losing focus on the fate of the bomb and those around it. He keeps the tension real and combines it effectively with regular doses of humour as well as the underlying message of all humans being the same irrespective of our apparent differences and how all of us are equally vulnerable when confronted with certain challenges. The fact that the ideology and message delivered through his characters come across as neither preachy nor phony is testimony to his skills in crafting a sincere narrative populated with characters that we could relate to.
A truck load of drugs is seized by a crack team of cops in what appears to be the biggest drug bust ever. The desperate drug gang wants the consignment back at any cost. 
It is third time lucky for us, the viewers, in case of this Vijay-Atlee combo.This is an ambitious amalgam of local myths, legends with superhero world building that works to a large extent. Kalyani is convincing in...
