Captain America - Civil War

Captain America Civil War comes at a time where the superhero genre seems to be losing it's charm. Has it managed to avert the trend is a question which is answered at the end of the movie. The movie starts with the avengers going after Crossbones from winter soldier. At the end of this sequence Scarlett Witch kills him and it results in a lot of collateral damage. Enter Tony Stark who has a subdued intro while attending a student conference and the UN approaches him to set up a meeting with the avengers. During this meeting all the damage done by them is highlighted and the UN guy wants the avengers to go legit. Tony is for the contract while Rodgers is against it. 

The next characters that we are introduced to is Black Panther and Bucky. Black Panther's father dies in a bombing where Bucky is the prime suspect. Captain America tries to track his friend Buck and save him. Meanwhile Black Panther also tracks him to avenge his father's death. What follows is a thrilling setpiece involving Captain America, Bucky, Falcon,  Black Panther, a ton of people, cars and the coolest bike stunt in a long time. Bucky is captured at the end of this sequence. In between all this a new character Zemo is introduced who has his own agenda towards the avengers. Bucky escapes from the facility via another brilliant setpiece. Captain America and IronMan fallout and go about recruiting their respective teams. AntMan joins Team Cap . Tony tracks Peter Parker and his recruitment banter with Tony is where the movie is the most hilarious dialogue wise. 

The next sequence itself is the hyped up airport sequence and boy does it deliver. It is one of the most thrilling set pieces ever put to screen. You get to see Spider-Man and AntMan in their full glory (We also get to see "GI"Ant Man for the first time and Spidey 's epic clash with Captain America. Captain America and IronMan as usual rock) in this sequence. Team Cap sacrifices themselves (they end up getting captured) to ensure Captain America and Bucky escape and War Machine becomes paralyzed at the end of this epic showdown. Zemo tracks down the location of Hydra and kills the other super assasins (another sub plot) and awaits the arrival of Cap, Tony and Bucky. When they arrive Zemo plays a security tape which shows Tony 's parents getting killed (Bucky kills them). What follows is the clash of the titans (Sorry Batman vs Superman you were not that epic), Tony tries to kill Bucky and Captain America tries to save him. Yep folks, Iron Man vs Captain America. There are very few moments in cinema where you get to shed man tears, this is one such. This moment alone is worth our money. Neither of them come on top and Captain saves Buck. The movie ends with Cap apologizing to Stark (via a letter) for not telling the truth regarding his parents death and promising that he will be always be there for him in the future (yes they'll team for infity war). On the whole Civil War brings back what we love in superhero movies big time in the most epic way possible. 

Bottomline :
Biggest summer blockbuster in a long time. Learn from Marvel, DC.

THERI - THERIffic Ride for Vijay Fans

After the lukewarm Puli there was a lot of pressure on both Vijay and Atlee to deliver a successful product. Have they delivered? Well let's see. Theri begins with Vijay aka Joseph Kuruvilla who is having a very peaceful life. His entire world revolves around his daughter (played beautifully by Nainika). After a chance encounter with thugs we get to see the real side of Joseph. Enter Vijay Kumar (again Vijay) who is nothing short of a super cop who goes about doing his chops. A rape case investigation leads to Vijay trying to nab the key suspect a minister's(Mahendran with a unusual performance ) son and the end result irks the minister big time. Does Mahendra and extract his revenge on Vijay? Does Vijay escape from it? Will Joseph Kuruvilla 's past comeback to haunt him are some of the questions which get answered over the course of the movie.

Vijay has given one of his best performances switching between the multiple roles. As Joseph Kuruvilla, he is a doting father and his portrayal of Vijay Kumar is his best cop avatar till date. Mahendran as the minister makes for a unusual and compelling villain. The clash sequences between Vijay and Mahendran are a treat for the fans. The best scene in the entire movie is the interval block where Vijay searches for Mahendran 's son and their interaction following that. It is the best paisa vasool moment for fans. Atlee has handled all the mass scenes very well. The cop intro, Jithu Jilladi song, action sequence with beggars, interval block, hotel fight all are a treat for the fans. Another aspect is Vijay 's stunning screen presence combined with Atlee' s dialogues. The camera work by George C Williams complements Atlee's effort in showing Vijay as an ultra-stylish cop. Samantha and Amy Jackson have given their best in their respective roles, but their makeup and hairstyle does not work out.The support cast of "Mottai" Rajendran, Baby Nainika, Raadhika Sarath Kumar, Prabhu, Kaali Venkat give the much needed balance to the movie.   

However Theri has it's share of flaws. The love scenes featuring Samantha (who plays a doctor in the movie) hamper the pace of the movie. The over the top melodrama dilutes the movie to a  extent. Another drawback is the runtime of the second half which could have been trimmed. However there are enough Vijay moments that will satisfy both Vijay fans and Ajith fans. This is where GV scores big time with his Theri dubstep. He nails it big time in the mass scenes. 

PRO's :

1. Vijay as Vijay Kumar

2. Atlee gets the fan moments right

3. Action sequences

4. Pre Interval block and combo scenes with Mahendran

5. GV bgm, Jithu Jilladi song

CONS :

1. Love scenes with Sam (As in they hamper the screen play)

2. Over the top melodrama

3. Lengthy second half

Overall Theri is the kind of movie which will thoroughly satisfy people who love mass movies and a comfortable watch for the neutral.

Verdict :

Vijay returns big time in Theri after the disappointing Puli. Paisa Vasool for fans and a comfortable watch for the neutrals

Batman Vs Superman - Dawn of Justice (Fan Reaction)

Superhero movies are always a tough one to pull off that too when you have hyped it to the hilt on two of the greatest superheroes you've just made your task harder. Zack Snyder must have first taken a call whether he was going for a Man Of Steel sequel or Justice League movie. Here itself the movie falls flat. Ben Affleck plays a one note Batman and Bruce Wayne. You can differentiate the two characters based on the costume alone. Henry Cavill is slightly better but has nothing to do than to fly and smash things. Jesse Eisenberg is annoyingly unfunny as Lex Luthor and tries to be the next Joker. The only person who saves this wreck of a movie is Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman who kicks ass even in that short time span she appears on screen.

The people who have been complaining that the movie has no humor must have watched a different movie. The last 45 minutes are a absolute riot despite the CGI spectale. The reason why Batman and Superman do really fight will put all masala movies to shame. Even funnier was the scene where Batman doesn't kill Superman since both of their moms have a common name. The scene goes like this:

Batman stomps Superman on the neck and is about to kill him with the kryptonite spear. 
Superman: "Bruce, Lex has Martha" 
Batman yells: "Why did you tell that name"

 
There that's some funny shit right there. Mr Zack everyone loves their mom but to always use them in the plot ***cough*** Man of Steel ***cough***. However the scene that takes the real cake is when the Bat runs and hides from Doomsday. How did you even think fans would accept it? 

The entire theatre was rolling on their seats with laughter (We knew it was meant to be epic and not funny. We are civilized.) Seriously Zack people deserve a better movie for their superheroes. When even Batman Forever feels more entertaining than Dawn of Justice we've got a serious problem people. 

Bottom-line:

Thank you for one among the funniest 45 minutes we could have ever asked for. Now give us the Superhero movie which the fans deserve or move on.

Ip Man 3 - Grand Finish to a Great Franchise

It is the final movie in the Ip Man franchise and gives the best ending to the series that only few manage to achieve. The movie begins with Ip Man being approached by Bruce Lee to teach him Wing Chun. What follows is a mind blowing sequence where Ip tests Lee 's speed with cigarettes and water. The movie features 3 sub plots. First one is Mike Tyson and his gang trying to get their hands on a school regarding his business. Second is Ip' s wife suffering from cancer. The third and main plot involves a fellow practioner played by Max Zhang who defeats all the existing masters and challenges Ip. Whether Ip Man defeats all his enemies forms the rest of the plot.

 Donnie Yen as Ip Man has delivered a superb performance. Max Zhang comes a close second with his intense moves. Rest of the cast is a mere caricature. However the true hero of the movie is stunt director Woo-Ping Yuen. The major highlight of the movie is the stunt sequences. The movie consists of 4 superb action blocks. The first one is a shipping yard sequence where Donnie Yen and Max Zhang take on Tyson 's thugs. This scene pays rich homage to the Neo vs Smiths fight in the Matrix Reloaded.

The second sequence is a fight sequence in a hospital elevator where Donnie Yen takes on an assasin.The third sequence is the much hyped clash between Donnie Yen and Tyson. It features mind blowing stunt choreography which has to be seen to be believed. The last and final sequence involves sticks, switch blades, lots of fists and two people. We get to see Donnie Yen and Max Zhang take on each other in a terrific sequence which even rivals the Raid 2 climax. Only minus point would be the melodrama. Overall Ip Man 3 is a superb send off to the titular character.

Verdict 

Ip Man 3 is the best action movie so far this year. Although fans would be sad with this being the last entry, they've already got replacements like John Wick 2 and Raid 3 to fill the void.

Kaadhalum Kadandhu Pogum - An extremely entertaining version of an erstwhile "Cliched" Story

Some people evolve with each and every role they perform. Vijay Sethupathy belongs to this category and is fastly moving towards the mass audience. KaKaPo follows the beautiful relationship between a thug and an unemployed graduate. Yaazhini (Madonna Sebastien) wants to work in a chennai-based IT company and so she runs away from her home in Villupuram. At first things go well and she comfortably settles down at a friend's apartment. But trouble strikes, as the company she works for is shutdown. Yaazhini is forced to move out of her friend's place and eventually finds out a place in a housing-board locality, where her neighbour is the ex-con Kathir (Vijay Sethupath). Over a period of time they become good friends and how their friendship leads to Yaazhini getting a job forms the rest of the movie's plot.

Vijay Sethupathi can be considered as the man with the Midas Touch. His movies have had successful runs in the box-office lately. This is mainly due to his appeal among all classes of audience, along with a really humorous body language. This film is no different, featuring the funniest bar and interview sequences ever. In fact the movie is the most fun one can have in the theaters in recent times. Sethupathi scores big here and his combo scenes with Madonna are a riot especially the saraku sequence. Madonna is another major asset in this movie and she gives a superb tamil debut.Credit goes to the Cinematographer Dinesh Krishnan for thinking out-of-the box and creating visual content that is very very engaging. Santhosh Narayan's quirky music adds a feisty element to the movie and keeps audiences entertained.

Although the story is ordinary Nalan makes it extraordinary with his unique screen play and narration. Much was expected from him after "Soodhu Kavvum" and it is safe to say that he has given yet another interesting movie. In the climax portion VS shows the true range of his acting and the ending justifies the title big time.

Overall KaKaPo is a laugh riot with shades of heavy emotions. 

Verdict :
Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum Avalavu sikkiram nam manadhai vittu pogathu.

Pichaikaaran – Another Unprecedented hit for Vijay Antony

Vijay Antony is taking giant steps in Kollywood. He has been around for a long time, 
scoring music and singing songs. Over the past 5 years his passion for acting has driven him to give movies such as Naan, Salim, India Pakistan etc. Pichaikaaran is his latest offering and it is a safe bet to say that the movie is a good watch.

The basic plot of the movie revolves around the rich but ailing female industrialist Bhuvaneshwari, whose son is Arul (Vijay Antony). Bhuvaneshwari’s medical conditions get serious and she slips into a coma. Arul loses hope and that’s when a spiritual guru asks him to live the next 48 days as a beggar. On his advice, Arul leaves everything back home at Coimbatore and flies to Chennai. The issues which Arul faces in Chennai over the course of the next 48 days for the rest of the story.

Firstly, it takes a great deal of commitment to portray oneself as a beggar on screen and kudos to Vijay Antony for doing that. There was however one little problem in his performance – his inability to add influence and power to “Punch Dialogues”.

Satna Titus as Magizhini gives a good debut performance. Her role is pretty much the standard “do-gooder lady” and gets enough screen time to showcase her potential. She is someone to look out for in the future. Vijay Antony himself has scored the music for the movie and the songs have some out pretty well.

Situational comedy and one-liners based on begging and beggars make the movie highly entertaining. Director Sasi has blended masala elements very well to the life of a person who sacrifices 48 days of his luxurious life to save his mother. Certain “Mass Moments” in the movie have worked out big-time for Vijay Antony, thanks to the director. On the whole Pichaikaaran is a movie worth watching this weekend.

Kanithan – Riddled with slight Miscalculations

Every hero needs a clichéd movie and Kanithan is Adharva’s version. Gowtham (Adharva) is the Senior Reporter for Sky TV, one of the many small-time Tv channels in the city. His ambition is to work for BBC. While investigating the occurrence of a few illegal activities in a pub, he meets Anu (Catherine Tresa) and falls for her. To impress her, he lies that he is a reporter for the BBC News Channel. Later on Anu finds out that he works for her father (Manobala) at Sky TV and in a fit of anger, insults Gowtham. Over a point of time, Gowtham gets the chance to interview for a post at BBC and successfully creates a good impression with the officials. Anu feels bad about insulting Gowtham and they both get together. On one of their dates, Gowtham is arrested by cops for educational loan fraud. How Gowtham proves his innocence and finds out the person behind this forms the rest of the story.

Adharva takes on the “Mass” avatar and shows that he is growing into a bankable star. Be it action, dance or romance, Adharva has created a whole new masala aura around him in the movie. Catherine Tresa is at her usual glamorous best but being a glam doll isn’t going to help in the long run. Tarun Arora makes a strong impact as Thura Sarkar (the main antagonist in the movie). As a brainy villain, the cat&mouse chase between him and Aadharva comes out to be quite interesting. Sunder Ramu and Karunakaran get ample screen time as Aadharva’s friends and their comic timing entertains in bits.

The plot of Kanithan is quite interesting but the screenplay lets the movie down. 

Educational loan frauds and Fake certificate issues have plagued the system for a long time and Santhosh has created an engaging plot based on those issues. Audiences have to bear with all the usual masala nonsense for the first 30 minutes of the movie and from there, the movie picks pace.

The stunts and the cinematography deserve a special mention in showing Aadharva as a mass hero. This is Drums Sivamani’s first project as an independent composer and the music has come out pretty well, with the exception of the BGM being a little too dependent on electric guitars. 

Clichés take a huge toll on the flow of the movie. Tamil audiences have grown to accept scenes where the hero parties with his girlfriend while the villain is in hot pursuit of him. It is high time directors learn to accept that clichés won’t work anymore.

Apart from a few bumps, Kanithan is a breezy entertainer and it sure helps in establishing Aadharva as one of the future stars of Tamil Cinema.

Aarathu Sinam – Loss of Memories

Remakes are particularly challenging, owing to the fact that the director must keep the core elements of the original version and add his/her own content. And it gets even tougher if most of the audience have seen the original film. Luckily not many have seen “Memories” and this works to the advantage of “Aarathu Sinam”.

The film follows the life of Aravind (Arulnidhi), a top cop who finds solace in alcohol after his wife and daughter are killed by a local goon. A series of murders occur in various districts of Tamilnadu and Joint Commissioner Sengodan (Radha Ravi) believes Aravind can crack the case. Aravind is forced to take on the case and does go on to find out who is behind all the murders.

The film revolves entirely around Arulnidhi and he does excel mostly throughout the film. A thing to be noticed is that he is slightly in a hangover mode from his last movie (“DeMonte Colony) when it comes to expressing emotions. Aishwarya Rajesh and Radha Ravi do justice to their limited roles. In a first, Robo Shankar’s comedy has fallen flat in the movie. Charlie, as Robo Shankar’s faithful aide does provide some comic relief in certain frames.

If there is one reason to forget “Aarathu Sinam”, it is Gaurav Narayan. As the protagonist of the movie, he does not deliver what is expected of him. The first half of the movie is loaded with so much emotion that it makes the audience forget that the movie is supposed to be a thriller.

Watch Aarathu Sinam for its interesting plot and Arulnidhi’s decent portrayal of a man who tries to rebuild his life after losing his wife and child.

 Zoolander 2 - It is Utterly funny.. What more reason does anyone want??

 We all have had a dream (or thought) at least once in our lives that we will get to kill Beiber or see him get killed. Zoolander 2 starts off with Beiber being butchered by a biker gang. The only thing that connects his death with a series of others is that all these celebrities give Derek's blue steel look before dying. So the CIA aims to track down Hansel and Derek. However, fate plays a rough hand in both their lives and they pretty much are in the wilderness. The movie features some of the funniest flashback sequences and goes about its mission of making us laugh without much effort. They get a chance to redeem their lives when they are invited for a prestigious fashion event in Rome. Zoolander sees this as a chance to reunite with his son separated from him due to his inefficient parenting skills and a super funny reason. 

Penelope Cruz plays a CIA agent who wishes to use their help to find the mystery behind the celebrity killings. Does Zoolander reunite with his son? Do Hansel and Derek reclaim their glory? Do they catch the celebrity killer? Answers to these questions form the rest of the plot. 

 
Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander kills it. His combo scenes with Owen Wilson work big time. The movie features some of the funniest lines like "I miss not knowing things with you" and "Malalalalalala". Also the scene where they try to test the Magnum is a hoot. Another hilarious scene is the origin of Adam, Eve & Steve. The movie is idiot humor at its peak and leaves us in splits. Will Ferrell returns as Mugatu and becomes the sole scene stealer from his entry. 

Highlights

• Derek and Hansel's dumb moments 
• Hansel 's new family 
• Derek meeting his son for first time 
• Adam Eve and Steve 
• Mooo Ad Campaign 
• Mugatu 

The entire movie works as a comedy.

Minus Points

None. As long as a comedy makes us laugh it has no problems. Overall Zoolander 2 works big time and is the funniest movie in a long time. 

BottomLine

Just because Deadpool was awesome that doesn't mean that the movies that released along with it suck. Zoolander 2 like its predecessor has not been appreciated by the people upon its release but it is bound to become a cult favorite in the coming years. Ben Stiller, you rock man!!!

MIRUTHAN - Zombie (flick) that wins the heart of the audiences

Just like how director Sakthi Soundarajan, did not waste anytime in getting into the primary story of the movie, let's straight away proceed to the review and find out how Miruthan is..

What is 'MIRUTHAN' all about ? 

Miruthan is the first zombie flick in Tamil and the boy does deliver it. Jayam Ravi plays the role of a traffic policeman and Lakshmi Menon portrays a doctor. The movie starts with a bio hazard leakage from an industry due to the negligence of a worker. A stray dog consumes the toxic water and thus begins the 'zombie outbreak'. A chance encounter with the minister's thugs, results in Jayam Ravi's sister being kidnapped and in the same timeframe the outbreak reaches its peak. Whether Ravi manages to rescue his sister and find a cure for the zombie outbreak forms the plot of MIRUTHAN. 

The Execution :

Jayam Ravi breezes through the role and scores big time with his screen presence, which is much required for a movie like this. Lakshmi Menon, (fortunately :P) gives an adequate performance.

Hats-off to the make up department, the stunt department and the cinematographer S.Venkatesh who have scored full marks in making this zombie project, a reality. The fate of this movie, relied on their hands, big time. The humour content has worked well, entertaining us amidst all the gore and blood with the comic relief it provides. 

Highlights:  

Watch out for the hospital sequence, which has turned out to be the highlight of the film. It has been shot well and tends to remain in your memory for a longtime. The water tight screenplay and the runtime (1hr50mins) of the film has worked really well in favour of the film. Apart from these 2 factors, it is Jayam Ravi's screen presence which is a complete standout and he sure has nailed it big time with this film. The supporting cast, humour, brilliant horror moments, action sequences, camera work and make up are the other highlights that make Miruthan worth your time and money. The director has saved the best for the last. With such a bold climax, the director surely deserves a standing ovation. 

Drawbacks :

There are certain logical loopholes in the film which are very minor bearing the uniqueness the film has and also, over the top heroism in some sequences might not go well with some audience as well. 

Verdict :

Overall, Miruthan as a whole delivers what it sets out to achieve, a zombie movie with lots of thrill and action. Kudos to the team for coming up with a brave and unique attempt. Hats-off to Global infotainment for trusting and bankrolling such a venture..  

Bottomline : Miruthan - Jayam Ravi's glorious run at the box office continues.. 

'JIL JUNG JUK' - Undoubtedly 'JIL'

From the day the movie 'Jil Jung Juk" was announced, the movie had managed the audiences to turn their head and look out for what's next from the team and they had lived up to the expectations with the release of 'Shoot the Kuruvi' and 'Domer'u Lord'u' and so on.

And the movie is here finally and been trimmed as per audience feedback after couple of days after its release. So lets see whether the movie has lived up to the expectation that it had raised..

Jil Jung Juk is one of the better comedies to come out this year.
It belongs to one of the toughest genres to pull off, comedy of errors, but the team has nailed it with so much grace and ease. Hats off to Deeraj Vaidy for bringing in such a script and given a Guy Ritchie kinda film for the tamil audiences.

What JJJ is all about :

The movie is all about the adventures of JIL (Nan'JIL' Sivaji played by Siddharth), JUNG ('JUNG'ulingam played by Avinash) and JUK (Jaguar 'JAG'an played by Sananth) with a pink car (which was heavily publisized in the promos) which is painted with cocaine and the problems that are tagged with that car, which is supposed to be delievered to the chinese and the entire plot and its happenings are timelined in the year 2020.

What works in favour of JJJ/J3 :

The movie is more or less, a fantasy story set in the post apocalyptic era. The team, succeeds in bringing that feel, as it has the pressure of showcasing the happenings in a futuristic as well as in an apocalyptic manner.. Shreyaas Krishna deserves a doggie pat for his brilliant work in JJJ.. The lighting and the ingenious camera angles make this fantasy even more believable and that is one of the biggest strengths of the movie.

This is followed by the next biggest asset of the film, the humour content. And one has to say that the movie has sailed through safely to the finish line as the humour quotient has clicked well.

Apart from that, the other highlights include, the unique characterization, the dark humour, the interval block, Uganda sequence, Hara Hara Mahadevaki voice over, Radharavi's character as Rolex Rawther, and the petrol bunk sequence are the other feathers in the Jil Jung Juk's hat.

What works against it :

Being a movie lover, this movie is flawless for its different attempt, but yea, when you look from the shoes of the masses, the length of the 2nd half (even after the trimming) does play a speed-breaker in a beautiful highway drive.. Thats the only minus, which is matched with the overall movie watching experience.

Verdict : 

Overall, 'JIL JUNG JUK" is the kind of movie, you can enjoy, if you are aware of what you are getting into. Kudos to Siddarth,Etaki Entertainments (His home production banner) and Deeraj Vaidy for giving us a such a quirky and a differrent movie.

JIL JUNG JUK, undoubtedly belongs to the first category JIL... 

ANIRUDH'S AVALUKENA - Puts a smile right in your face..

Anirudh is one of the prodigies of Tamil cinema who debuted with the massive blockbuster album '3' alongside his brother-in-law 'Dhanush', shook the world with the 'Kolaveri-Song' and became famous overnight. In a couple of years he reached the 'Rockstar' status after earning films like 'Kaththi' to his credit, where he nailed the complete OST and the songs. He was noted for elevating songs to a different level and to the music lovers, his re-recordings were such a delight. He has composed music for about 12 movies and he just doesn't have a 'Bad-Album' to this day. 

Turning out to be the speed-breaker of a success-streak, was the the 'Beep-song' controversy that he landed into, after someone leaked online a song that was composed for private use by Simbhu. So after a brief hiatus, Anirudh is back with his 'Avalukena' single as a special dedication for Valentine's day... Lets see how this music video has shaped up... 

The Song : 

The song starts off , having a piano background giving high dominance to Anirudh's melodious voice and progresses with the beautiful lyrics by (Naanum Rowdy Than fame) Vignesh Sivan conveying all that a guy is ready to do for his girl irrespective of the fact whether she is there for him in return or not.

The interlude blends on a Carnatic note (very similar to the Carnatic fusion in Thangamey song :P, sorry bro,can't help it.. :D) and ofcourse blends well with the song. It helps carry on the classy feel of the song.
The next stanza starts with the vocals of Srinidhi Venkatesh, and the lyrics are phrased in such a way that they act as a response for the male version, beautiful expressing the sacrifices a girl makes, and it just works out like magic.

And when u keep wondering..." Is that it?".. the final stanza of the song comes, and the lines just blow your mind away and the variations in the tune touch broken hearts and the song brings a smile to everyone's face....

The Video : 

The song is a beautiful cluster of 4-5 love stories that are interlinked with each other (all of which happen on a Valentines day) and how a surprise planned by someone ends up travelling to someone else and how everyone's lives influences one other... shot in the most romantic and breathtaking manner...

The portions involving Anirudh's singing have been beautifully shot utilizing the classy antique interiors of LUXE Cinemas and the cinematography, the shots and the editing leaves you spellbound. Anirudh looks smart and dashing- be it in the suit or the leather Jacket, he just lives up to the title  of a 'ROCKSTAR'.

The latest sensation of Kollywood 'RAHUL Thatha' (NRD, Kaththi Fame) steals the video with his charm. The security guard ''Jack" that he plays, his dressing.. Oh Man! he's simply the show stealer and the video has been backed by decent performances by almost all the others..

Hats off to Vignesh Sivan for the beautiful lyrics and the direction. He has handled the video really well, conceptualizing the entire Valentine's day concept and offering something new. And this video simply puts a spell on you and makes you feel the enchanting magic of love and you don't know why you find yourself smiling at the end of the video....

Great Job team... !!!

DEADPOOL - Delivered what was promised.. BIG TIME..

When Hollywood was having its overdose of superhero frenzy films and suffocating the overseas fans with the superhero movie spree, one hopeful light at the end of the tunnel was DEADPOOL.

Be it the teaser, the trailer or the smallest promotion, there was a mix of innovation and bad-assness guaranteed from the film...

So let's see if the movie has lived up to its expectation...

Deadpool is the kind of movie, which had generated a list of expectations and the end result is that, it turns out to be exactly what it was expected to be!

A bonkers action story, which delivers all the goods the teasers, trailers and promotions promised. The movie begins with a scene which will easily bag the title 'The action sequence of the year' (it can only be beaten by the likes of John Wick 2) and the most innovative title card after a lonnnnnnnggggggggg time...

The story is about Wade Wilson, who has the perfect life until he is diagnosed with cancer. He undergoes a scientific procedure, which leaves him scarred for life. And as expected the rest of the story revolves around payback and fixing his once happy life.
It is a rather bland origin story, which follows the usual beat of a superhero flick. But what distinguishes Deadpool from the rest is the action and the fourth wall humor.  

What works out :

Deadpool's kebab sequence, the fourth wall humor, the action sequences and the man himself,

'Ryan Reynolds' as 'Deadpool' bring all the magic to this film and give this film the 'Cult' status that it deserves.

The Spoilers :

Thanks to Marvel and DC comics, we have seen a humongous number of superhero origin flicks, and sadly Deadpool is also one among them. Now that's a small hiccup in a movie like Deadpool and in addition to it the movie feels a bit too grounded.

Verdict :

Despite the flaws, 'Deadpool' is the kind of superhero, you have a blast with. So, here's the bottom line- Deadpool is awesometacular. The fourth wall humour and the action itself warrant a sequel.

Bring on 'DEADPOOL 2' !

VISAARANAI - For Justice

Friends and family of victims of custodial brutality never know what their loved ones went through under the pretext of 'interrogation'. Visaaranai is for those people who seek to know the truth behind the death of their beloved and for the general public who just need to know that such barbaric activities are happening unchecked.

Visaaranai deals with the life of four Tamil youngsters – Paandi (Attakathi Dinesh), Murugan (Aadukalam Murugadoss), Kumar (Pradheesh Raj) and Afsal (Silambarasan) who work as labourers in Guntur. The local police are under heavy pressure to crack a high-profile theft case, in which a few Tamil-speaking people are involved. To appease their superior officers, the local police arrest the four friends, who have no house of their own and sleep in a park, and torture them in order to force a confession. Paandi (Attakathi Dinesh) remains defiant that neither he nor his friends will accept to committing the crime and when Inspector Murugavel (Samuthirakanni) comes in aid of the youngsters when they are produced in the court, all their nightmares seem to have come to an end. All four are released and they go to meet Inspector Murugavel, who in-turn asks them to kidnap a person. The incidents which follow form the main plot of the story.

The top-notch performances delivered by almost all members of the cast is one of the main plus points in Visaaranai. Attakathi Dinesh stands out from the rest of the cast and this is possibly the best he has given as an actor. It is an award-worthy performance as well. Careful career choices, combined with refinement of his acting skills, in terms of method acting, can make Dinesh one of the most sought after actors in the Tamil Film industry.

Aadukalam Murugadoss’s comic elements, though basic and of low dose, come in places where the tension is extremely high and thereby lighten the atmosphere. Samuthirakanni, an established brand in the new age Tamil film industry plays the role of Inspector Muthuvel, a cop who tries to be honest but is forced to commit heinous crimes. And he gives yet another impressive performance. Audience may never forget the sadistic Inspector Rao, played by Ajay Ghosh. The savagely violent way he hits Paandi is something which not a lot of people can forget in a short time.

Innovative camera work by S.Ramalingam adds to the success of the movie. Particularly impressive shots include the torture sequences, the swamp-chase and the encounter scenes. G.V.Prakash’s musical touch adds the element of sorrow and pain to the movie.

For the audience who still creep out on thinking about the sounds of men shouting and wailing in the movie, here is some information on the Sound Engineer of the movie, T.Udaya Kumar. Udaya Kumar had been a part of Ajith’s Vedalam and in Visaaranai he has given it all, recording audio and perfecting it in such a way that the audience are just not able to get over the sounds of men screaming in agony, guns being fired etc.

Kudos to Vetrimaaran for giving a movie which is not going to fail in educating scores of people who have no idea of such cruelty happening.  Visaaranai is only his 3^rd Movie, but he is proving to be one of the best directors in our country. His ability to extract the required amount of work, which he feels is perfect, from his cast and technicians should be lauded. Creating a screenplay from a book, while retaining its core elements and also adding one's own thoughts is a tough process but Vetrimaaran has nailed it with Visaaranai. The movie is based on a book titled “Lockup”, written by “Auto” Chandran, an auto driver based in Coimbatore. “Lockup” contains Chandran’s experiences of undergoing torture at a Guntur Jail in 1983 and one of the characters in the movie is based on him. Visaaranai is a movie not to be missed and the next time you read about an “encounter-murder” in the newspapers, you will know that not all of it is entirely true, and that there might be a Paandi or a Murugesan involved, who was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

SAAHASAM - Welcome Back Prashanth

Prashanth is one of the few versatile actors in the industry who is highly talented in terms of acting, dance and stunts (trained in kickboxing & martial arts) and is underrated always. He has delivered some iconic movies which the 90's kids have grown up watching such as Thiruda-Thiruda, Jeans, Jodi, Appu, Tamizh, Majnu and Winner. They were all iconic in their own perspective and he nurtured the performer within him delivering some matured performances in Adaikalam, Tamizh and, Appu.

So "TOP STAR" - PRASHANTH (as he was fondly called back then) is back with his latest outing SAAHASAM, the remake of the Telugu blockbuster 'Julayi', starring Allu Arjun. So let's see whether this movie lives upto the expectation of both the remake and Prashanth's comeback...

So what is this all about :

When one considers the Mahabharath, the entire epic starts because Dharma gambles..Similarly, the movie begins on a night when Ravi (Prashanth) goes out to bet on the IPL after a brief argument with his father (Nassar) and ends up as bait to a bank robbery planned by Bittoo (Sonu Sood). And from that point it's a cat & mouse game between the protagonist and antagonist which forms the crux of the story.

Pros :

First and foremost the biggest highlight of the film is Prashanth. He looks dashing and gives a spirited performance. If his comeback was the only objective, then the production & the direction teams can be proud that their mission has been accomplished. Prashanth nails the action and mass scenes big time and the project is rightly backed by his father's production values, as required by the story.

The supporting cast has done a fabulous job here. Nassar, Thulasi, Leema Babu, MS Bhaskar, Kota Srinivasa Rao make the runtime of the movie pretty smooth for the viewers, while Thambi Ramaiah (reprises Rajendra Prasad's role from the original) has given yet another good performance. His comic timing with MS Bhaskar and John Vijay, is incredible.

Another strong pillar of the movie is the music by Thaman."Oh Madhu" song is the key takeaway of the album, crooned by Anirudh, followed by "Desi Girl" and "Sayaang Ku" which fits the bill for the kuthu genre. Even the re-recording has been done to go with the flow of the story.

The technical team of the movie has done a good job too. Be it Shaji Kumar's cinematography or Zashi Qmer's edits, the technical team has played a role in maintaining the pace of the movie. Thiyagarajan himself has written the screenplay and dialogues for the film and the dialogues are indeed razor sharp in a few places.

Debutant Arun Raj Varma has done a decent job, recreating this movie frame by frame.

Cons :

The female lead of the movie, Amanda, is beautiful, glamorous in songs and acts to an extent, but one can notice something significant missing in her performance. Maybe the role of 'Madhu' needed a more popular lead with star value, the original being portrayed by Ileana D'cruz. The romance sequences and songs in the 2nd half could've been trimmed down, as it tests the patience of the viewers for sure.

A slight alteration of the screenplay could have taken the film to an all new level. Julayi's original screenplay is loosely inspired from 'The Dark knight' (in the opening sequence) and from 'Italian Job' (in the climax) and that could've been avoided to give this movie a fresh look.

Verdict :

Having discussed the Pros and Cons of the movie, at the end of the day, we are very delighted to see Prashanth on screen in an ultra commercial-masala flick. He does the role with delight and it's a treat for all fans who love commercial flicks. Having got the comeback, we have a small piece of advice to give to our Top Star: 'There are umpteen no. of young directors in the industry today. Make use of them and shape your 2nd Innings with ease. Best wishes for your future projects.'

How well did u enjoy Saahasam?  Let us know in the comments section below...