Reviews

CID Ramachandran Retd SI does a better job showcasing the sadness of a retired cop trying to cope with his sudden plain life than the whodunit investigation. It was refreshing to see some good writing around a cop film here, which is basically about the cop starting a PI business in his retirement. The build-up is fantastic and has some novel elements, keeping you guessing at every turn. Though most of the plot involves some convenient writing, I enjoyed working on the clues with my family as we watched it. It's the final exposition that reduced the impact the film should otherwise have had. Nonetheless, a neat thriller with an ever-good Shajohn.

Underneath the quirky comedy peppered all around Bharathanatyam (a classical dance form) lies a life lesson that is summarised by the central character Bharathan as he sits torn in the chaos of his poor life decisions. I found some novelty in how Bharathanatyam presents the conflict, mostly from the perspective of those that are affected the most. While there are lot of convenient plot points here, the film redeems itself by not siding with certain characters and puts the onus on the viewers to judge. It also shows the duality of man very effectively. There's a lot to like in Bharathanatyam than there is to dislike, making this one worth a watch.

By now, I feel Giuseppe Tornatore is a master of evoking nostalgia in his film's viewers. In Malena, he uses the invisible relationship between a teenager and an older siren - who is the talk of the town for her appeal - to show us how infatuation works. But set during the 2nd World War, the plot goes beyond just voyeuristic pleasure of the teenager (and the viewers) as we witness how the world intrudes into a person's life without their knowledge or permission and wreaks havoc. This is a sad story told in a way that captures the essence of the times gone by. I wonder if this is a story of many women throughout the history of time.

I had a ball watching Strictly Ballroom and I see why it's often said that it has threads of Bollywood in it. That's because it has drama, a lot of dancing, romance, and slapstick. A perfect combination to give a film a little kick of Bollywood. Baz Luhrmann's debut film has the peculiar characteristic of filling you with raw energy. It's almost like you want to stand up and dance after every few scenes, even if you've never danced in your life. That kind of power is hard to create, especially to affect someone like me who is not a fan of musicals. This is not a musical but it uses a lot of good classical and pop music to snatch your seat from beneath you. You've been warned.

(Watched the restored version at a screening organized by the Film Heritage Foundation in Mumbai.)

I had never heard of Picnic at Hanging Rock, the film or the novel. So going in blind helped me in a way. The strangeness of the film is obvious from the first few scenes, which show young teens getting ready for something. They are all women and are studying at what looks like a strict boarding school. They're getting ready for a picnic and it's ominous. What happens next is something that can best be described as invisible horror. I have always feared human beings more than animals or ghosts, but what Picnic at Hanging Rock had in store for me frightened me more. It's amazing how Peter Weir manages to blend horror in a film that has absolutely nothing horror in it. It's splendid.

(Watched the restored version at a screening organised by Film Heritage Foundation in Mumbai.)

I watched Cinema Paradiso for the first time today, on the big screen, in the same auditorium that had its director Giuseppe Tornatore in the audience. And what can I say! It is already one of my fondest memories to have, ironically watching a movie that deals, above all, with nostalgia. It's tempting to take a side for the protagonist, who remembers his childhood camaraderie with his friend, a theatre projectionist. It's an amusing story told with enough humour and love that it's bound to make your eyes wet towards the end. I'm someone who often finds myself give in to nostalgia, so Cinema Paradiso shattered me.

(Watched at the Italian Film Festival organised by the Film Heritage Foundation in Mumbai.)

The number of Easter eggs and the strong attention to detail are enough reasons to love Stree 2 (Woman 2) if not for the good writing and execution of common horror comedy tropes. I had a ball watching Vicky and his motley crew of weirdos trying to save the village from yet another supernatural entity, which is all tied to the Maddock universe. Every time you feel that Stree 2 cannot deliver any more laughs or chills, you are wrong. It keeps on giving and makes you wanting for more. Although it gets a bit slow in the middle and overwhelming towards the end, I don't think it affected my viewing experience. A fat 8 out of 10 stars for this incredible work.

Ullozhukku (Undercurrent) is a slow-burning tale of a household distraught with flooding and disease. The people in the house are trying to navigate the hardships and getting by but something seems amiss between them. And the issues come out one by one, slowly, attracting the viewer in, getting them invested. I loved how this happens and how the two lead actors take it in their stride to carry the film. It's pure drama for drama lovers and save for the rushed last act, Ullozhukku will give you the chills. A must-watch for the whole family to see how secrets and past can come and break future relations.

There's not much to say about Laapataa Ladies (Missing Ladies) other than this: watch it to feel it. It isn't very rare for me to drop a teardrop while watching movies, so it's not a surprise that I definitely did while watching this. Between minutes towards the end. What is surprising and rare is that this comedy drama has the right mix of comedy and drama. A wholesome, rewarding experience watching this with my old folks. It does get convenient towards the end but hey let me believe in fairy tales for a while even if it means seeing progressiveness on screen. A must-watch, cool film that needs more viewing. Go for it.

I had a ball watching Aavesham (Enthusiasm), a testosterone-filled revenge comedy drama that starts with the lives of three young men getting enrolled in a college away from home. What starts out as college ragging causing teenage angst soon snowballs into a mess that threatens their existence. It's a usual story that you have seen before but what you haven't seen ever before is the central character of Ranga (Fahadh Faasil). It's obvious that even Faasil and the rest of the cast also had a ball shooting this film, which is full of booze, excitement, and raw energy. It's amazing how he took the role and added some fresh zing to it. While there's too much flashiness in the film, Aavesham talks about identity crisis, rampant inequality, and the silliness of the underworld. Go watch it before it skips the theatres.

Premalu (Telugu for love) is a celebration of romance at its most foolish. The central story and how it matures is unrealistic and that's not the point. That is also not why you should watch this. Instead, watch it for the laughs. Watch it for the meandering screenplay that shoots bulbs of comedy at every other frame, giving you (especially if you have lived in Hyderabad) a lot to laugh at and delightfully glee at. The nostalgic effect of Premalu is even more pregnant as you identify with the sequences that make up this film. I had a ball watching this in a theatre with fellow-minded folks and I urge everyone to watch this.

Bramayugam took me by surprise and it's not the monochrome set, the Kerala folklore, or the performances that did it. Instead it was the fantastic story at its core that is scary to even think about. I don't think any movie in the past 4-5 years has done this kind of storytelling that Bramayugam has that mixes folklore with mythology. A slow-burning tale of cast politics and power takes charge as the plot in Bramayugam moves, giving you a lot of hints to ponder upon. These nuggets are foreshadowing and you're bound to be enthralled by this concoction that is simply outstanding. I can see the amount of hardwork that has gone in the making and I have to bow to them.

When nostalgia and survivalism blend together, it's hard to not pay attention. In Manjummel Boys (Boys from Manjummel), a motley crew of childhood friends get together for a quick trip to a neighbouring hill station. The camaraderie at display is effervescent but it is heightened by the brilliant writing that juxtaposes the friends' childhood days with the present. There's never a dull moment in Manjummel Boys and the viewing experience only elevates as the plot thickens and we see an extraordinary tale of the bond of friendship and courage. The technical prowess of the film, accentuated by the score, never lets you blink as you move to the edge of your seat to see what happens next. You lowkey know what happens next if you have followed the news around the real-life incident that inspired this but you are never ready for the roller-coaster experience the film delivers at the end. I was not.

Anjarakalyanam (Fifth and a Half Wedding) has one of the most iconic opening sequences-cum-credits in Malayalam cinema history, which introduces the titular event by focusing on the reactions of the members borne out of the previous four weddings when they hear about the fifth and a half wedding. I'm amazed how the makers turned a serious issue of polygamy in men into something funny and melodramatic with this film, which later takes a sudden shift to a love story led by Jagadeesh. The shift is jarring and fast-paced, yet the climax gives a decent closure to the film, giving us the iconic character of "Kozhi" Madhava Panicker. ("Kozhi" translates to cock, the bird, and is used as a euphemism in Malayalam for polygamists or skirt-chasers.)

I really wanted to love Thuramukham (The Harbor) for it has a lot of things I generally love in cinema. A hard-hitting intro set in period and monochrome, the old ways of doing things (pre-Independence and immediate post-independence India), poverty, slow-burning plot, and lifelike performances. Yet with all that heavy load, it falters somewhere around the midway as if the makers had lost strength after all that heavylifting. Thuramukham is a film in the "what could have been" category had it evolved out of its documentary-like filmmaking and given a redeeming factor to its characters. As it stands now, the climax makes it feel like all that heavy load was for nothing. I still feel there's a good film hidden inside Thuramukham, and hence is a required viewing.

Ennivar (The Following Persons) is an arresting look at the rustic nature of local political organizations in Kerala, and for that matter, anywhere else. It follows a group of men escaping a state of unrest after roughing up college students that resulted from a petty fight. What must have been a one-off incident escalates without their control as they find themselves helpless, slanting on others who do not concur with what has happened. This is a suspense film where you doubt even the air that blows on the characters' faces as everything hints at an omen. Just over 90 minutes and there's enough fodder to make you think about that rustic nature, Ennivar excels in whatever it set out to achieve. This is perhaps one of the best films I have seen in 2023.

Pappan Priyapetta Pappan (Pappan Oh Dear Pappan) was far ahead of its time, telling a story of a youth taken to heaven prematurely and thus trying to spend his actual remaining week in recently-dead bodies. It's a fantastic story (although inspired) and its treatment is palpable. Rahman is this peppy young singer and it's great to see him loosen up here, along with short arcs enacted by Nedumudi Venu, Bahadoor, and Mohanlal. The finale is tear-jerking as you would expect and more than the humour, this film is introspective in nature. What would you do if you just had a week to live? Although Pappan Priyapeeta Pappan takes a different angle than this, it's worth every minute. Go for it.

Udal (Body) has a lot more going on than the unabashed violence and gore that you would expect from it. Shiny (Durga Krishna) is a shady young mother of a boy living with her aged in-laws, one of whom is bedridden. She is tired of caring for her mother-in-law, further aggravated by her husband's absence. And the only relief for her in this mess is her new boyfriend, Kiran (Dhyan). Things are designed to go wrong when one night Shiny invites Kiran to her home. The opening sequences are disgusting rather than eerie, making me question my decision to watch this after a full meal. But soon after the night falls in the film, I was hooked. And so it begins. Udal is a decently made thriller that would remind one of recent Hollywood thrillers, but I for one enjoyed what director Ratheesh has concocted here. Which is an inconspicuous psychological thriller.

18+ surprised me with its humour, plot, and overall treatment. There is never a dull moment here which narrates the story of an elopement attempt by a college dropout and his college girlfriend, both with a class difference. The social milieu it is set in adds to the fun, also thanks to the relatable characters who never feel like a sore thumb. One has to realise that making comedy and enacting it are tough jobs, yet 18+ pulls them off seamlessly, never tiring its audience. And the final 30 minutes are just cherry on the top without ever taking the cringe mode. I enjoyed watching this wholeheartedly and I will watch out for whatever Arun Jose does next.

Perilloor Premier League made me want more. The 7 episodes felt like a breath of fresh air of quirky comedy that was missing in the Malayalam films released in 2023. The characters that the series carved out are why it works even though the plot points seem tried-and-tested. I laughed out loud quite a few times watching these characters, played so marvellously by the large spectrum of talented artists. I loved Sunny Wayne's performance, his character, and his theme, all of which came out like the perfect air of a skirt-chaser. Asokan, Nikhila Vimal, Vijayaraghavan, Aju Varghese, and almost everyone else put up a very natural, fun show here. Save for a few jokes that went overboard or felt overlong, the series is never dull. It's clear to me that the makers had a lot of fun filming Perilloor Premier League the same way I enjoyed watching it.

Kaathal (Love) is a courageous film and almost a milestone in Malayalam cinema because it's a film that a few of my immediate family members back in Kerala have refused to watch. Then have even abhorrently questioned Mammootty's role in it and I can only imagine the look on their faces when I tell them next time I meet them that he also produced it. And the best thing about the film is not even the central theme - that deals with a marital conflict - but the screenplay. You need to give your full attention to Kaathal to suck the nectar out of its unfolding as the plot slowly bares itself open and shows itself to reveal things that are too wonderful for a Malayalam silver screen. I was blown away by what transpired in the final 20 minutes that all my nitpicky downsides of the film vanish. A bit of a utopian stance is also why I cranked out those 3 stars. Highly recommended nonetheless.

Falimy reminded me of all the feel-good, slice-of-life films I have seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. They have a steady mix of comedy, familial emotions, and a basic plot. Falimy has all of them and it uses them to keep you glued to the screen, also thanks to the excellent cast choice and performance. Yet, it felt cinematic in a couple of sequences that were not meant to be but which left an artificial taste in my mouth. That was what made me feel less excited about Falimy as it turned into a road film. I'm a sucker for road films, but the road part in Falimy is pedestrian to say the least, pun intended. If you're not tired of those happy-go films, this is for you.

I kinda do not dig the sensationalist tone of the film, which Jeethu Joseph uses as a character in Neru to make it louder and more powerful. But I can't deny that it didn't have my full attention. After quickly introducing the plot in the first 10 minutes, Neru enters the beloved courtroom drama territory and unleashes what can only be defined as a furious tug-of-war between the powerful and wealthy who think they can influence the law and the naive and unwealthy who try to outsmart them. What works for Neru is the modern, fresh take of the utopian world that the makers depict. Though, it is the same sensationalist tone that ends as a whimper in the climax. Neru is not extraordinary but it's a fine piece of cinema to watch once and then forget.

Kennedy is a mid film because all the bits I liked about it came out as peripheral devices like dialogues that take potshots at police apathy or political ideologies. The references are superb and I loved them. I watched this at the 2023 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and people were hooting for dialogues like "Mi Marathi Mannooss" (I'm a Marathi guy), so you can imagine that what works for the film is not what's in the core. The core is where a hitman, a former cop, who works for the commissioner goes berserk because he's behind a guy for revenge. The rawness and violence that arise as a result are thrilling to watch though I felt the occasional hiphop song and the monoact performance in the middle and Sunny Leone laughing instead of speaking every time a character is aruond her felt sore. I'm not saying it's a bad film but it's not extraordinary.

There's humour in every other frame of The Book of Solutions and that's one major reason why you should check it out. Other reasons include an almost accurate portrayal of the creative process of filmmakers, good writing, and perfect pace. I say this because it's only at the final frame that I understood why the lead guy, a filmmaker, refuses to watch his own film roll for the sake of editing. And exasperated, as you will be too at the beginning because he's eccentric, are his editor, producer, aunt, and field guy. This is the type of film you need to watch twice to understand all the hidden jokes which I'm assuming there are because this is a clever film enacted near perfectly.

(Watched at the 2023 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)