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.