Kaduva – movie review
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. [...]
October 2022
January 2022
Kaaval – Movie Review
As someone who gets excited every time a Suresh Gopi movie releases and one who watched even Kitchamani MBA and Sound of Boot FDFS, it's possible it were my high [...]
January 2021
Katalin Varga – Movie review
Katalin Varga is an immensely watchable Romanian film, a brooding and sulky revenge tale set in the gorgeous mountains of Transylvania. But first a word about villages.
May 2020
Varane Avashyamund – Movie Review
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
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
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
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
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)
July 2011
Delhi Belly – Review
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
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".
July 2010
I Hate Luv Storys ““ Review
It tells the story of a dude who hates Karan Johar movies, but finally goes down on his knees and accepts that he loves Karan Johar movies and the magic in them. It is a hidden tribute to Clockwork Orange by Karan Johar.
June 2010
Mamta Mohandas’s Kadha Thudarunnu
"Kadha thudarunnu.." may not have the extreme intensity of Thalappavu, or the cunning intelligence and social commentary embedded in Paleri Manickam, or may be the breadth of emotions of a Kerala Cafe, but Kadha thudarunnu in the inimitable Sathyan style portrays the best within us and underlines the timeless creed that we, human beings, are essentially good.