MAARI MOVIE REVIEW

An ace director, a reputable actor, chart-busting songs and an all-exciting teasers and trailer has led to a mega-proportion of expectation for this Dhanush flick. With the premiere shows being put on hold all over the world a couple of days back, fans just couldn't hold on to the hype anymore. So going in with a full-house cinema and mind-boggling hype, will Maari satisfy the fans like how VIP managed to pull off?

The only thing you can never question about Maari is how well the technical team has lifted the film throughout. Be it the camerawork or cinematography, those guys can be proud of what the film had produced. The other positive points would be Robo Shankar's comedy scenes, Anirudh's touch in the film and the performance by Dhanush throughout the film.

Now here's why Maari doesn't work. Predictable storyline, repetition of scenes, draggy screenplay, Anirudh's repeating background music, overdose of 'massy' scenes without any justifications, overlong slow-mo shots and most probably one of the worst climax scenes I've seen for this year alongside 'Kanchana 2'. Running for only 2 hours and 18 minutes, audiences were already grunting at how long the journey was going to be. Some people left the theater even before the film actually ended and that pretty much sums up what you're in for!


Conclusion: Style over substance commercial flick strictly for the hardcore fans.

BAHUBALI (The Beginning) MOVIE REVIEW

India's most expensive film yet has seen the light of release today. The doubt of not catching the film at least once in cinemas is already considered a sin thus the reason behind the review today is whether or not Bahubali could stand tall besides Hollywood films today.

The effort from the entire team can be seen clearly from the moment the title was literally pulled up to the very last scene in the film where the biggest twist awaits you. No doubts, full marks for the performances of all the actors and actresses on screen and a big applause for the make-up team and all the people behind the technical aspects of the film. I'm sure all the other review sites will have plenty to praise about the film.

To cut short, let me just bring up the negatives. Honestly I wished I was the type who didn't bother about all this minor issues in the films. For the effort and money spend on this epic drama, I wished I could score it a full mark but nothing could ever be perfect. The first half of the film brings us to a romance adventure journey which is filled with unnecessary songs, predictable romance and a mass hero with superhuman abilities blended with logic-bending stunts. Post interval, the film begins to pick up speed in screenplay and eventually gears up for 'The Lord of the Rings' phenomena blended with the style of Indian cinema, which also means logic needs a rest again. The use of CGI is extremely heavy in this film and has been above average on most scenes. A few scenes felt like drawings on walls or cheap-like animation we see on television. Although it doesn't live up to your Hollywood standards, it is definitely one of the best use of CGI in Indian cinema, bearing in mind there's still a lot of room to improve.

Nevertheless like I've mentioned, missing this film on the big screen is a huge mistake and instead of regretting in the future, stop thinking twice and go get the tickets for it now already!

Conclusion: When you're dining in a gourmet restaurant, it's best not to be extremely fussy on how your food tastes. Just sit back, relax and enjoy what you're in for!

Ratings: 7.0 out of 10

VERE VAZHI ILLE MOVIE REVIEW

Not sure for you guys, but when it comes to Malaysian films, the only time it will ever play on my television is when someone gets a DVD from shop outlets during Thaipusam or when it airs on cable TV or in our local channels. We often hear people urging us to support our local industry but will our local films ever live up to the demand of the audience or the standard of film-making the industry has today?

I'm not against Malaysia's Tamil films but sometimes we need to accept the harsh truth and reality behind it. In these past few years we've seen so much improvement from our industry. Films such as 'Appalam', 'Vennira Iravuggal' and 'Maindhan' has seen huge success and garnered positive response all over the country and not to mention CK's 'Maindhan' taking the box office by a storm last year. Do these movies really live up to our expectations and standards when we look back to it today? Partly yes and partly no. The major factor that brought 'Maindhan' success in the box office was due to the negative response of Surya's Anjaan, which somewhat released around the same time. A perfect timing of release, heavy promotion and positive word of mouth worked off for the film that right now sits as the highest grossing Malaysian Tamil film of all time and rightly deserved as well.

It was only after 'Maindhan' that I started to give a thought of watching a local film in a cinema and today we have the team who brought us 'Vetti Pasanga' and 'Vilaiyattu Pasanga' with their new venture, 'Vere Vazhi Ille'.


[ SPOILER ALERT ]

Running for only 1 hour 20 minutes, I thought I was in for a horror-comedy ride with a racy screenplay but I came out of the hall disappointed, wanting the film to end as soon as possible.

Let's get to the good parts first. Performances by Denes Kumar, Magen and Alvin Martin were highlights of the film as they brought the film up with their comedic timings and dialogue deliveries. Most of the comedy scenes had the whole theater giggle ( which only consisted of 10 of us or so ) and made me wanting more of it! Jasmin Michael although looked like she's starting to age was a wonderful sight to the eye and her chemistry with Denes on screen was a joy to watch. Not forgetting the man behind our ears, Daddy Shaq for producing background music that somewhat gave the film the pace and tension it needed. Kudos to the animation team who created the intro flashback scenes as they were neatly done. The first 30 minutes or so had me hooked on to my seat but things fell apart the moment the whole gang got together in the complex building to solve the horror-crisis they're about to face.

The scariest moment I had with the film was by looking at the poster and that's all. The so-called horror element in the film was a major letdown. Instead of making us jump, the film made us close our ears as the film gets too noisy to handle. Screenplay starts to loosen with time and the plot gets too predictable nearing the film's end setting up for a climax that barely engages. The other technical aspects of the film was above average at times. Had the director took time to handle the script a little better in the second half and cover up some loopholes in the film, it would have fared to become a decent film altogether.

With Papanasam released and Bahubali and Maari coming up ahead, the competition for Veedu Production's release will only get tough with the weeks to come. Could the good word-of-mouth give this film the success it needs? We just need to wait and see. Anyways, wishing the team a great success and hope you guys keep it coming. Give us what we want and we will do the rest!!!


Conclusion : All is not lost for 'Vere Vazhi Ille' as you will leave the hall with a smile recalling those funny moments from the film. Go for it with your friends for a jolly-good time.

Ratings: 5 out of 10

PAPANASAM MOVIE REVIEW

[ SPOILER FREE ]

It's barely two months since the release of Kamal's Uttama Villain and yet we have another chance of catching him on screen again. Away with make-ups and costumes, Kamal sir has returned by being truly himself in Papanasam.

Knowing it's a remake of a Malayalam film and the status that the original film got for itself, I went in for Papanasam with pretty high hopes and expectations. The million dollar question is, was it worth it?

Papanasam, a family-centered drama and thriller indeed has more positives to balance it's minor flaws. Scenes around the village, the slang used, small comedic scene that tickles the inner you, powerful yet consistent dialogue deliveries and the emotions played by every single character in the film deserves a praise. There's no need to review Kamal's award-winning performance. He needs to get a new shelve to keep the awards that he's about to collect for both Uttama Villain and Papanasam. Ghibran's music needs to be brought out in the light too as he knows how to grip audiences with his background music.

The only thing that pulls down this masterpiece is the length of the film. A few scenes came up as repeats and sometimes certain scenes were shown at length to showcase the situation. Yes it does build up suspense but there's always a limit as the audience would want to see the very next scene already. Just a little issue to deal with nonetheless the direction by Jeethu Joseph backed up by good camerawork and neat editing keeps audience engaged throughout the film.

Go for the film at least once to experience a quality drama thriller the Tamil cinema has not seen for some time. Without gimmicks, unwanted songs, group dances or physic defying scenes, Papanasam will definitely delight and hook you on your seats.

Conclusion: Get ready to feel a fresh breath of air on screen and grip on for the ride!