talkies

Home/talkies

October 2022

Kaduva – movie review

By |2022-10-07T13:28:40-05:00October 7th, 2022|Movie Review, talkies|

Shaji Kailas's latest Prithviraj production - Kaduva, interestingly has an omnipresent blue glare throughout the movie, almost like a light boy's desperate attempt at stopping the movie from being made. [...]

January 2021

May 2020

Varane Avashyamund – Movie Review

By |2022-10-08T00:45:54-05:00May 7th, 2020|Movie Review, talkies|

Varane avashyamund settles the Shobana vs Urvashi question once and for all. The other win is casting movie director Johny Antony as a shrink, anything that keeps Johny Antony busy and keeps him from making movies like Thoppil Joppan and Thappana is a win. Verdict: 2.5 of 5 stars. Good one time watch.

February 2013

Special 26 – Movie Review

By |2022-10-08T01:20:21-05:00February 19th, 2013|Movie Review, talkies|

There was a time when there were two types of hindi movies, and both were horrible. Those times have changed. Nowadays it is tough to say "a very good hindi movie in a long time", when Gangs of Wasseypur, Matru ke Bijili ka Mandola, and to some (arguable) effect Barfi and Shanghai release in a year's time. "Special Chabbis" is the best hindi movie I have watched in the past month, and Neeraj Pandey almost exceeds expectations with his second movie. When his first movie, "A Wednesday" released, I remember saying "a very good hindi movie in a long time"; times have changed.

November 2012

Bond23: Skyfall – Movie Review

By |2020-05-15T21:49:52-05:00November 19th, 2012|Movie Review, talkies|

Judi Dench plays the vulnerable matriarch of Britain's external intelligence agency, and inimitable academy winner Javier Bardem plays her ex-protege, and now deeply deeply hurt nemesis, the sexual tension is palpable. In case I forgot to mention, the third character is Bond...... James Bond. And his time it is very very personal.

September 2012

The Master – Movie Review

By |2020-05-15T21:49:52-05:00September 29th, 2012|Movie Review, talkies, Video|

The master and the disciple part ways, when Dodd realizes that in Freddie, he has hit a wall, and maybe his methods will not work on Freddie who will serve no master. Dodd says "If you figure out a way to live without a master, any master, be sure to let the rest of us know, for you would be the first in the history of the world."

May 2012

Mohanlal’s Grand Master – Review

By |2020-05-15T21:49:52-05:00May 11th, 2012|Malayalam, Movie Review, talkies|

Mohanlal plays Chandrashekhar,a defeated IPS officer, who takes his personal briefcase of losses to work. He unlike Sherlock Holmes who uses cocaine, plays chess in office to keep his mind alert. Chess references abound in the movie, as a serial killer challenges Chandra to a game which combines crime and personal life. There is a trail of murdered women. Nothing is out of bounds, as Chandra accepts the challenge. Lalu Alex is the killer. (I'm kidding! he is not there in the film)

February 2012

Kerala History: Glimpses from 1956 to 2011

By |2017-12-19T23:13:20-05:00February 4th, 2012|Good Read, India, Kerala, Papa Bear, Poetry, Politics, talkies, Trivandrum, Trivia|

Because rather than big events, we have focused on big patterns. And while we disagree on a lot many things here - political, cultural, developmental, social, and personal, I hope we all agree that Kerala got it mostly right in the past 55 years. Because Kerala is the No.1 state in India, here we go, and as always we would like to hear your thoughts.

July 2011

Delhi Belly – Review

By |2020-05-15T21:49:52-05:00July 11th, 2011|India, Movie Review, talkies|

Delhi Belly has a very clever storyline by Akshat Verma to start with, but the treatment by director Abhinay Deo, and an intuitive musical score by Ram Sampath keeps the movie grounded and prevents it from going over the top. This script could have become very loud on screen, but despite the butt cracks, and incessant meditation on kitsch, Delhi Belly is a smooth ride that takes you along quite well.

April 2011

Santosh Sivan’s Urumi – Review

By |2020-05-15T21:49:53-05:00April 17th, 2011|Movie Review, talkies, Video|

Prithviraj disappoints. Then again I am back from watching Mohanlal's Chinatown, so disappointment needs to be understood as occurring when there is hope left. Mohanlal cannot disappoint me anymore. Prithvi loses control at critical junctures in the movie. This is the same actor who gave extrememly controlled performances in Vasthavam and Thalappavu, but he loses it occasionally in "Urumi".

December 2010

Best way to spend Rs.5000

By |2010-12-16T16:01:21-05:00December 4th, 2010|Announcement, India, talkies|

For 15 years, Outlook magazine has kept the right distance from India Today and Frontline. From Manoj Prabhakar's revelation of the match fixing scandal to the Niira Radia tapes, Outlook has defied the establishment cronies. In consistently publishing 33 page long articles from Arundhati Roy (who is unequivocally hated by their target middle class audience), Outlook has made sure we hear the dissident voices. I have subscribed for years now. It's worth it.

November 2010

Malayalam Cinema’s Mindspace

By |2023-01-29T13:03:25-05:00November 28th, 2010|India, Kerala, Politics, talkies, Trivandrum|

Now for the blockbusters from the past 22 years - 1988 - Chitram , 1989 - Ramjirao Speaking , 1990 - His Highness Abdulla , 1991 - Godfather , 1992 - Pappayude Swantham Appose , 1993 - Manichitrathazhu , 1994 - Commisioner , 1995 - Spadikam , 1996 - Hitler , 1997 - Aaram Thampuran , 1998 - HariKrishnans , 1999 - Friends , 2000 - Narasimham , 2001 - Raavnaprabhu , 2002 - Meesamadhavan , 2003 - Chronic Bachelor , 2004 - Sethuramaiyer CBI , 2005 - Rajamanikyam , 2006 - Classmates , 2007 - Kadha Parayumbol , 2008 - Twenty:20 , 2009 - Pazhassi Raja.

Go to Top