Yuvi77 Reviews

Irumugan (2016)

Vikram in full form, technically strong too. But script and logic could have been handled better !!!

[7/10 · 8 September 2016]

When a project has Chiyaan Vikram in its cast list, the perception around it takes on a different color. And director Anand Shankar's second directorial Iru Mugan is no exception either. To top it, we have two Vikrams who are vying for our attention in the aptly titled film.

A trailer is something that gives the audience a sneak peek of what to expect and also kindle the curiosity levels to make them buy the tickets and go to the theatre. Going by that, the trailer gave an inkling of how Iru Mugan is going to be.

Director Anand Shankar has attempted to give an action oriented espionage thriller with some scientific innovations thrown in. There are high flung chemical formulae mouthed by the characters with references to Hitler too. Looks like the team had done their research on it fine.

Well crafted action sequences, stylishly shot visuals, decent music and neat performances mark Iru Mugan. However, there is something amiss in the film to make you feel that it was such a well made, taut, commercial potboiler.

What can one say about Vikram? He gives his life and soul to any character that he essays and in Iru Mugan too, it is his show all the way. As the RAW officer Akilan, he brings out the ruthlessness and sharpness of an intelligence officer and as Love, he rocks it big time. He blends in the masculinity and also the effeminate nature of the character pretty well. It sure is a tightrope walking and kudos to the director for not making a mockery of such characters. But, why is this character this way? Was it just to bring in quirkiness?

Nayanthara and Nithya Menen have their roles clearly etched out to bring in the color to the proceedings. Interesting job descriptions such as ethical hacker and RAW case officer sound cool. Out of the supporting characters, Thambi Ramaiah has more screen time and the role is like any other one that he has been portraying in many of his films. It is a little unconvincing to see cop characters continuing to be projected outright silly on screen.

The beauty of Malaysia, Kashmir and other places come to the fore with RD Rajasekar's visuals. Bhuvan Srinivasan's edits appear decent. Under Harris Jayaraj's musical Halena song stays on. Although the songs are richly choreographed and shot, they are all unnecessary protractions especially when the proceedings are at a different gear. Costumes of Nayanthara are outright chic and uber cool.

In an investigative action thriller such as this, scenes must proceed at a rapid pace. But there are moments when we leave the happenings on screen and wander around. The team should have focused more on the story and screenplay, which could have resulted in a better product. The intended twists are well guessable by the current audience. There are a few logical questions which look unanswered in the story.

To sum it all, Iru Mugan has its pluses in the form of technical prowess and performances but the core story and the treatment let it down.

Verdict: Vikram in full form, technically strong too. But script and logic could have been handled better

Joker (2016)

A bold and hard hitting political satire !!!

[8/10 · 12 August 2016]

Plot

Mannar Mannan (Guru Somasundaram) is a middle-aged man who questions the loopholes of democracy and government rule. But the police officials and general people consider him as 'paithiyam'. What made Mannar feel responsible as a citizen? What made him question the government and protest against them? The film answers it beautifully, filled with emotions.

Direction and Screenplay

Director Raju Murugan has a great vision and one has to appreciate him for coming up with such a film. The dialogues are also bold and straight-forward, which conveys the intended notions at the right proportion. The love portions between Somasundaram and Ramya Pandian is cute and the emotions throughout the movie work big time. Though the film might be less on engagement factor, there are no yawn moments as there is something regularly on offer. Writing is very smart and it is great to see a bold film about politics after a very long time. The emotional second half explains what happens when poor people don't get the basic amenities due to the government's less functioning.

Cast

Guru Somasundaram, the man who impressed us with his character performances in films like Aaranya Kaandam, Jigarthanda, has played the lead role for the first time, and he has done full justice to his role. He is a thorough performer, and there can be no second thoughts about his acting. Coming from the theatre background, his performance is unmatchable. Both, Ramya Pandian and Gayathri as typical rural ladies fit into the role easily. Ramasamy and Bava Chelladurai gives their ample support to the film. Especially, Ramasamy's performance in the climax scene needs special mention. Though the cast doesn't have any big names, the acting has been immense from the entire cast.

Technical

Sean Roldan's music is a very big plus for the movie. His background score is emotionally moving, thereby standing as a great pillar. He has been very selective with his movies, and Joker is a wonderful addition to his career. The songs are also well in sync with the movie and gives you the right feel. Chezhian's visuals are neat and shows the beauty of Dharmapuri in the most convincing manner. The movie is crisp with a running time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. Art direction has been noteworthy, for the fact that the locations and properties used in the film can be easily associated with the film's core plot.

Producer S.R.Prabhu needs a special mention for showing the courage to invest on a refreshingly bold script like Joker.

Verdict: A bold and hard hitting political satire that might not have compromised entertainment but stands high on cast, music and writing

Thirunaal (2016)

A rural flick that could have worked better !!!

[10 August 2016]

Thirunaal marks the comeback of Jiiva - Nayanthara combination after a long gap of ten years. It is also quite a while since we saw the duo in a completely rural based flick. Thirunaal, which had several postponements due to reasons unknown, has finally seen the limelight.

Thirunaal talks about the life of 'Blade' (Jiiva) a local goon working for Naaga (Sharath Lohitashwa). He falls in love with Vidya (Nayanthara) and thereafter problems start arising from various corners for Blade. What are those problems? Is he able to face those? The film answers all these questions.

Jiiva's performance as Blade has been convincing. He fits in perfectly as a local rowdy in a rural backdrop, with his mannerisms and body language. Nayanthara is ravishingly beautiful as usual. She travels throughout the film, but doesn't have much scope to perform. Sharath Lohitashwa, gets a terrifying introduction, but as the movie progresses, he just falls flat. Joe Malloori, Karunaas, Gopinath, Muneeshkanth, and others do what is expected of them. Veteran writer and actor Jayabalan is wasted.

Right from the first shot of the film, we are indirectly told that the film is going to be action packed, but one might feel, there is too much of glamour and melodrama instead. As the movie progresses, we might witness many deja-vu moments. Not just that, the screenplay is predictable at many places. Few scenes do not have any connection with the story, and one might wonder about the need for those scenes.

There is everything you expect from a commercial film, the villain introduction, love proposal, romance song, baddie deeds of villain, glamour, love failure song, item song and a climax fight, but Thirunaal falls into the age-old template of rural action films with masala elements. Had the film come ten years ago, it might have worked a little better.

Srikanth Deva's songs and background score are decent. 'Pazhaya Soru' needs a special mention as the song has earned a lot of fans. The cinematography is average, while the edit could have been crispier.

Director Ramnath has attempted to tell a message, but the message doesn't have an impact. He can be appreciated for giving the rurality feel throughout the movie. Having a set of talented cast in hand, the director could have made a great entertainer, but what we see is a run-of-the-mill drama.

Verdict: A rural flick that could have worked better had it been handled with an engaging screenplay

Aaradhu Sinam (2016)

Aarathu Sinam is a good watch !!!

[10 August 2016]

Arivazhagan's Aarathu Sinam marks the arrival of a remake of yet another brilliant Malayalam film, Jeethu Joseph's Memories that had Prithviraj playing the lead.

Aarathu Sinam is the story of an intelligent cop, who seems to be a lost cause due to hard circumstances, but is revived to his usual best by a serial murder case.

Jeethu Joseph's story is the strongest factor of Aarathu Sinam. Considering the genre, which is widely explored in the west unlike in our industry, the movie comes as a fresh one here. Although, the killer's patterns and deep encrypted messages, paint him as a psychotic serial murderer who takes his time and enjoys his heinous works, the personal motives behind the crimes contradicts his personality. A simpler, forthright character sketch with a motive to avenge, would have worked well too. But good art needs a bit of drama, after all.

Arulnithi makes a good cop. With his face, that's best explained as impassive and stony, he pulls of the melancholic, pessimistic, ever drunk cop effectively and as a well groomed cop in the initial stage, he shows style. In a particular cemetery sequence, where he breaks down emotionally, he makes a very strong impact, despite his subtle performance.

Ishwarya Rajesh, in her brief appearance, shows grace. Aishwarya Dutta doesn't add any value to the film though. Robo Shankar has a solid role of a sloppy police officer but has dialogues that seem to force the humour, for the sake of entertainment. That goes against him, despite his honest performance. Radha Ravi has a good role too and no wonder he brings his sharp expertise to the table.

Dialogues are an issue throughout the movie. The deliberation to convey certain information is evident and hence causes artificiality.

Where Arivazhagan proves to be an effective director is at getting the job perfectly done from his technical team. His visual sense is brilliant and apt to suit the stories he selects. Aravind Singh's cinematography is fast and elegant. His navigation shot of Madurai in a sequence towards the end of the movie, the long encounter sequence in a construction site in the beginning and certain establishment shots are the work of a creatively superior technician. Rajesh Kannan's editing is spectacularly slick and stylish and very pacy, contributing effectively to the thriller factor of the movie.

Thaman's background scores play a huge role and the composer has done justice to his part. His scores in the initial encounter sequence and the brilliant opening titles are arguably two of his best works till date.

Although the film has freshness and is fairly gripping, a tighter screenplay could have made it one of the best movies in the genre. There are certain repetitive flashback shots that could have been reduced. The film also has only two songs and both of them are montages. A few might feel that the first song could have been done away with, considering it interferes with the serious nature of the film and also the fact that most of the shots used in the song are repeated in the later part of the movie.

All that considered, Arivazhagan's Aarathu Sinam is definitely a progressive Tamil movie that deserves a watch for its sincere attempt at the less explored investigative crime thriller genre.

Verdict: For all those hungry crime thriller addicts, Aarathu Sinam is a good watch

Eetti (2015)

Atharvaa is sharp in this decent entertainer

[8/10 · 10 August 2016]

Sports based films are a rarity in Tamil cinema and there are just a handful of films which fall in this space. Eetti is the newest addition to this lot, but it isn't a full fledged sports flick. There is an interesting medical element added on, along with the other regular commercial cinema elements such as romance, songs, comedy, family sentiment and action with a group of gangsters.

The film has a fairly interesting screenplay by director Ravi Arasu and save the misplaced song sequences and the comedy scenes, Eetti engages the viewer with a well-knit script, which turns convenient at times with many coincidences. The medical angle is fully exploited only towards the end and gives the film some good drama and thrills. The baddies in the film indulge in the business of fake currency notes and these scenes have been handled with good detailing by the director.

Atharvaa gets a proper commercial vehicle and he uses this chance to deliver the goods convincingly as an ace athlete and a 6-pack sporting action hero. The action scenes preceding the interval block and the climax have worked out well, thanks to the action choreographer Rajasekar and also Atharvaa's agility and prowess at stunts. He may actually have the best physique in Kollywood currently! His ripped cuts, flexibility and supple frame serve him very well in the scenes when he is shown as the hurdler and also when he is bashing up the goons. He flaunts his bare upper body quite often too. And as is the norm, we have an inspirational montage song when he is undergoing training. Girls ought to ogle at this handsome, sculpted young man.

Sridivya looks very cute and graceful, and her combination scenes with Atharvaa are interesting as we have a role reversal of sorts with the heroine topping up the hero's mobile regularly, contrary to the unwritten rule of men recharging their girlfriends' mobiles. These scenes are overdone though. Atharvaa generally shares good chemistry with his lead ladies and Sridivya is no exception. Naren as the sports coach, Jayaprakash as Atharvaa's loving father, Thirumurugan as Sridivya's edgy brother, RNR Manohar as the lead villain and his long-haired sidekick are the other actors who shine in their respective parts.

GV Prakash has provided some hum-worthy numbers but they haven't been placed properly on screen. His re-recording provides the necessary fillip to the proceedings, particularly for the action moments and other serious scenes. The grand climax scenes in the stadium have been filmed well by DoP Saravanan Abhimanyu, with apt usage of graphics. As mentioned earlier, the film could have eschewed some of the songs and comedy scenes which act as fillers, and the run time of around 142 minutes could have been kept in check even further.

So, go watch Eetti, which is a decent entertainer with its fair share of merits and a few drawbacks.

Verdict: Atharvaa is sharp in this decent entertainer

Vil Ambu (2016)

A watchable movie

[6/10 · 10 August 2016]

In a multi-starrer, what if the lead artists never met each other and how would a Babel like film based on coincidence end? Vil Ambu is one such fairly engaging action-drama with a lot of connecting points. The story is spot on and if not for the songs that need to come in as a breather, the intention of the script is never lost. Powerful performances and above average production value deliver an acceptable tale of life changing events faced by two youngsters.

Director Ramesh Subramaniam has narrated an emotional story that doesn't lose the direction at any point. Also the only problem in the story is its transparency, it becomes a challenge for the storyteller to retain the connect developed with the audience in the first half. The major conflict of the film gets easily exposed and there is no room for foreplay. Sri and Harish Kalyan score big time with the contrasting characters while the girls Samkruthy Shenoy, Chandini Tamilarasan and Shrusti Dange have their share of the pie. The diluted state of the villains is another drawback to the character driven screenplay.

When Sri in the role of a loafer almost teases the camera with his effortless performance, Harish as an innocent lad is bound to be noticed for his charming looks and clean features. Music composer Navin comes as a pleasant surprise with his sellable tracks, but BGM doesn't coincide with the sharp cuts.

Yogi Babu is a definite relief from the regular set of comedians. His gifted physique and natural ability to time the dialogues seem to be a trend away from the ordinary. Though there are winning moments for the story, the inadequacy with the screenplay comes as a costly mistake. When the end becomes little more than certain, needless drama and the use of typical elements makes it an already experienced watch for the audience.

Overall, the film doesn't hold on to the initially created impact. The choice of an alternative narrative style or imposing of less drama could have made Vil Ambu lot stronger and direct. Martin Joe's camera work and Ruben's cuts cater enough to the story. Thanks to Suseenthiran for picking up a talented team and making a film with not many complaints. Vil Ambu is not an unavoidable film but guarantees a burden-less watch for your time and money.

Verdict: A watchable movie with clearly aimed story that mildly hits the target!

Kabali (2016)

Kabali might not work for everyone

[1/10 · 22 July 2016]

The film that was anticipated with bated breath by millions of fans and movie buffs all around the world is finally out. The regular movie-goers would have seen Rajinikanth in different kinds of films, but what is special about Kabali is his collaboration with a two- film-old young director Ranjith which has played a big part in the curiosity levels of the audience. This combo is something new and fresh. And hence what is it going to offer to the viewer, is the standard thought in many minds.

Kabali is about an aged, reformed gangster Kabaleeswaran who had fought for the oppressed in Malaysia and returns from his jail stay after twenty-five years. What life has in store for him after this, is the turf in which Ranjith has played his shots, the scene of action being predominantly Malaysia.

The director gets into action without wasting any time starting with a small build-up scene for the lead and the very next frame he takes you to the highly anticipated hero intro scene. This happens with a lot of measured calculation, slowly building the tempo and reaching the crescendo powerfully, making Rajini fans come to their seat's end with a thumping heartbeat which becomes a collective loud one eventually. Ranjith has used Rajini's swagger to his advantage, albeit at a different pace.

There are hardly any scenes that pass which do not involve Rajinikanth in it but Ranjith has made sure that he has put all his acting resources to good effect. All the characters have been established having Rajinikanth alongside them.

Kabali shows another side of a gangster. Apart from the fancy costumes, guns and other style elements you find in gangster films, this film shows an emotional side of a gangster. His thought process, how he handles betrayal, tackles his enemies are all showcased neatly. A gangster cannot be powerful always. Likewise, Kabali's graph has a lot of ups and downs. He is strong and normal with friends and family but could be feeble when he is betrayed or when he lets emotions rule over him. Ranjith has played very well with such emotions.

It is easily Rajinikanth's show and the style samrat delivers it all with vigor. Rajini has quite a few sentimental scenes which have come out well. When it comes to Kabali, more than his mass mannerisms, it is the sentimental scenes of him that will be the talking point.

The hard work that has gone into the flashback segments in terms of physical appearance is praiseworthy. But there are times when the younger Rajinikanth looks a little out of place.

Radhika Apte as Rajini's wife Kumudavalli, is apt. The actress known for her subtle nuances holds her fort in this Rajini film too. Dhansika is effective in her action avatar. Kishore, Kalaiayarasan, John Vijay, Rhythvika, Dinesh and all the other supporting characters have managed to provide the right kind of foil for this superstar film.

On the technical side, Santhosh Narayanan's score is a major plus to the film with the songs not being an unwanted protraction. Maya Nadhi is melodious and brings out a matured affection. Veera Thurandhara and Neruppu Da up the mutineering mood as montages. Murali's camera captures the Superstar in his stylish best and Malaysia in its right feel. Editor Praveen has ensured that the product is at its cohesive best. Anu Vardhan's costumes for Rajini are suave and classy, especially his suits. Ramalingam's set designs and Anbariv's action sequences reveal that the team has worked in unison with the director's vision. However in the climax scene, the art department could have worked a little better.

The pace of the film is a little slow. It is not a film for people who are used to clichéd mass hero films. Ranjith is known for his pro oppressed class ideologies, and he does not fail to showcase them in his films. There are some interesting tropes in Kabali too and a few sharp dialogues.

That said, the teaser of the film gave a super massy expectation for the film but when the film's core is not that, it might give room for a little disappointment. And in a gangster film such as this, the antagonists should have been more powerful which would have made the protagonist much stronger. Sadly, despite having many villains, this did not come through.

Kabali is more of a Ranjith film than Rajini's. Some of the scenes and characterizations do remind you of the director's previous film Madras. One should say the screenplay could have been tighter. Usually, when a new director works with a big star like Rajinikanth, they tend to adjust the flow of the film for the hero's stardom but Ranjith has extracted what he wanted for his script without compromising much.

Verdict: Rajinikanth in a different dimension, but Kabali might not work for everyone. Theatres which are known to reverberate for Rajinikanth, seem a lot more silent for Kabali.

Appa (2016)

A gutsy uncompromising effort !!!

[8/10 · 3 July 2016]

Tamil cinema theatre goers have a tendency to turn a deaf ear when a film happens to be a little sententious. Under the circumstances, one should say it's a gutsy effort by Samuthirakani to have invested so much of time and money to make a message oriented film like Appa in spite of having a forehand knowledge of Tamil cinema audience's taste and preferences.

The first question that comes to commoners mind when you talk about a message oriented film is how preachy is the film? The word 'Preachy' is often thrown about for criticizing a film that has a message. Samuthirakani pinpoints a valid social awareness issue to the audience, like showcasing how today's parents impose their personal interest on their child and also telling how few private schools torment children like machines. If portraying messages like these are considered preachy, then Appa would definitely top the list.

Appa is more or less on the same lines as Sattai but this one has been made without any commercial compromises. Dhayalan and Singamperumal are the two lead characters that you find in Sattai enacted by Samuthirakani and Thambi Ramaiah. And the battle between them in Sattai was a highlight. Now Samuthirakani has brought back life to both these characters in Appa, but the difference here is they battle as parents and not as teachers. Through these two characters, Samuthirakani establishes how a father should and should not be.

Samuthirakani plays the lovable encouraging father while Thambi Ramaiah is seen as a strict parent who wants his kid to be perfect in every aspect. Appa is a film that talks about the childhood days of 5 children from different families. Apart from the social message content, Appa also talks about a tiny teenage love portion which however is not given any prominence. It could have either been avoided or established properly. All the kids have done a pretty good job. Samuthirakani's wife character is not so much in sync with the film. Her role is illustrated as an arrogant over-desirous woman, but neither her pre or post transformation phase are portrayed clearly.

While the first half talks about how to groom a kid, the second gets a little wavery as it diverts from parenthood issues to topics concerning about mistakes those private schools do. Appa definitely has some memorable moments that Samuthirakani could be proud of, but at the same time, a film that talks only about the flaws in our social system, makes it sanctimonious and hard to sit through. Even though Appa is just a 2 hour film, it feels like a much longer film.

The film does not carry any unwanted songs. It only has one song which too comes in as a montage. Ilayaraaja's music is very functional and sounds pretty similar to his recent works. Richard Nathan's camera angles are appealing.

Appa has moments of greatness but because of its opinionated presentation, at no level, it gives you a good degree of satisfaction nor makes you accept the flaws that have been pinpointed.

Verdict: A gutsy uncompromising effort from Samuthirakani which however would test your patience to sit through!

Marudhu (2016)

Family Entertainer !!!

[6/10 · 3 July 2016]

Director Muthaiah of Kutti Puli and Komban fame teams with macho Vishal for one more flick, which again is a village based subject which the director is known for.

Marudhu checks in right in all the boxes that such films are known to have in them as ingredients. There is a lot of sentiment in Marudhu but this time we feel it between the hero and his granny. There is love and there is action which in fact is overloaded to justify the U/A certification. And there are also pearls of wisdom from almost every character in the film. For all those proverb lovers, Marudhu offers plenty.

The template is standard. There is Vishal on one side, who is the personification of all things good which is conveyed by his crony Soori at the start, quantified by an intro number. Vishal shows off his gym toned body with a lion's face tattooed on his forearms and torso. There are bad men on the other side who swish their aruva like how normal humans swing their mosquito bat. The good and the evil cross path and we have Marudhu.

The initial scenes give us a feel that the story is going to be between the two local warring groups. And then, the film shifts to a romantic focus which after a while gets too tedious. And then we shift back to action. There is a lot of predictability about the film, which makes Muthiah lose his grip over the audience.

What is interesting in Marudhu is the characterization of its women. All the women who are shown, be it on the good side or on the other side, they are very strong and not the meek ones we come across every Friday. Kudos to Muthaiah for this!

Coming to the performance, it is an easy task for Vishal, who portrays Marudhu with all his sincerity. His action scenes show his agility and power. Sri Divya is apt as a strong village belle. RK Suresh once again proves that he is an effective villain material. As the menacing Rolex Pandian, he is perfect with his dialogue delivery and action sequences. Kulappulli Leela as Vishal's apatha could be a find of the season. But her character gets too preachy and boring after a while. Soori is his usual self and has work in the pre-interval block. Radha Ravi has a small role to play.

Technical side of Marudhu is just about ordinary. The songs are functional. Anal Arasu's action choreography is good.

To cut to the chase, Marudhu could work for audiences who like to watch a rural masala flick with a lot of action.

Verdict: One more rural flick riding high on melodrama and violence

Jackson Durai (2016)

Even a good cast finds it difficult to save this film

[3 July 2016]

Jackson Durai is another addition to the popular "Horror-comedy genre". Does it add value to this genre? Or does it comprise run-of- the- mill elements often associated with this genre? Read more to find out ..

Jackson Durai directed by Dharanidharan (of Burma fame) is about how a series of paranormal activities get entwined with the life of a policeman. How does the police officer tackle this? How does he handle this? Jackson Durai answers these queries.

One can expect that someone who directed Burma will definitely sparkle up the screen. Instead, what we get is a mediocre transition of a tiring attempt. Punctured by a lot of loopholes the movie suffers from a lazy screenplay. The story in itself is all over the place and lacks focus. Moving at a shallow note, Jackson Durai excites us at a few places but predominantly features a flat scale. At times we are left wondering " Where is the high point? Why hasn't the graph spiked up?"

Following his previous venture, Iraivi, Vivek Harshan again takes care of editing in Jackson Durai. But his editing is bare and the sequences often leak into one another. But the jump scare cuts and edits often associated with the horror genre have been executed down right to the tee. The pace often takes a backseat and although it eventually does pick up, it is bound to test the patience of many.

The cast has done a good job. The DoP, Yuvraj, has done a decent job. The BGM fills up the quiet moments and fulfills its purpose quite effectively. The costume design and the hands behind the makeup department have rolled up their socks to give a shot at making their attempts work out and have churned out fair results. But it's the art design that stands out. An impressive art design is successful when it comes to recreating the premise of a place haunted by ghosts. Similarly the art director has quite effectively handled the transitions and is able to differentiate it with relative ease.

Overall the director seems to have tried his best at giving us an entertaining feature but instead cluelessly heads in a direction which lacks a sense of purpose. He handles a texture that is not definite and weaves a rather loose structure around it.

Verdict: Even a good cast finds it difficult to save this film

Amma Kanakku (2016)

An Average Flick !!!

[7/10 · 27 June 2016]

Late Abdul Kalam stressed on the importance of thinking big and urged people to dream grand. In some ways, this thought forms the crux of Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's debut directorial Amma Kanakku.

Dreams could be varied but for widow Shanthi (Amala Paul) belonging to the lower economic strata of society, her teenage daughter is her dream. Therefore, in Amma Kanakku produced by Dhanush for his Wunderbar Films, we get to see how Shanthi goes about realizing her dream.

The Hindi version of the film Nil Battey Sannata which was out a few weeks ago had garnered good feedback. However, the Tamil version has a few issues of its own, which render this film a little less impactful than its Hindi counterpart.

To start with, Amala Paul, although delivering a nuanced portrayal, does not appear convincing enough completely. She looks too suave to pass off as a poor woman doing odd jobs for sustenance. It is also tough to believe her as the mother of a 15 year old. Yuvasri who is essaying the role of Amala's daughter Abinaya in the film delivers well, but looks to be from a middle income group rather than the one she portrays in the film. The language spoken by the duo is inconsistent in tone, sometimes refined and on some other occasions, raw. The character of Samuthirakani should have been etched properly as he appears comical, but tries to come across strict with weird jumpy feet movements on and off.

The director's objective undoubtedly is lofty and needs applause, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The significance of education and the bond between mom and daughter are nice aspects, but it could have been given a better treatment. The whole episode of Amala meeting the collector, makes one wonder about its purpose. A sort of docu drama feel persists in the film.

Revathy doing the role of a kind of a mentor is neat and the experienced artist does her bit perfectly. Ilayaraja's RR is a soothing feature in the film that fills in only at required spaces to communicate things, giving a realistic feel. Gavemic U Ary's lighting is effective in conveying the mood of the film. Vijaimurugan's set designs are apt.

Amma Kanakku would have turned into a better film for its social angle, had it been executed in a better way.

Verdict: Amma Kanakku, an average flick that has good purpose but falls short in its execution

Enakku Innoru Per Irukku (2016)

Satisfies the Teen Audience !!!

[6/10 · 21 June 2016]

Enakku Innoru Per Irukku (EIPI) is another attempt by GV Prakash (with less adult content though) where he re-establishes his motivation to stay as the demigod of "soup boys" or youngsters who do anything for the pursuit of their love. Directed by Sam Anton, EIPI does not boast of a unique tale or any revelating plot. It is a story of a young man and the journey he embarks on as he decides to become the heroines alter ego. This template tale is told against a typical North Chennai gangster cultured background.

With some mindless comedy and a dose of 'A' or double meaning jokes here and there, one understands that GV Prakash has decided not to snap out of the zone he was pushed into by his previous flick Trisha Illana Nayanthara (TIN). Some rush in the process of filmmaking comes across blatantly as continuity errors, dubbing improvisations, lip sync issues which can be spotted in every other frame which eventually challenge the aesthetics of the film.

Improvement as a performer is evident in the way GV Prakash carried his role as Johnny. Anandhi unfortunately has nothing much to offer in this tale which otherwise has an impressive cast list forming its supporting roles. Saravanan, VTV Ganesh, Nirosha, Mottai Rajendran and all others do their job just fine. Yogi Babu and Karunas at instances become a ray of hope to the engagement factor of the story.

An average work rendered by GV Prakash on the keys fails to make any impact through songs nor through the BGM. When a banner like Lyca Production is involved in the making of a film the expectation in terms of production value is set high. EIPI falls short even in that aspect. Functional work rendered behind the lens and edit table withholds excitement.

Having said all this, EIPI might become that close to reality film for a set of youngsters and eventually making it an entertaining film that might enjoy a stay in the box office.

Pisasu (2014)

Pisaasu - A Friendly Ghost !!!

[8/10 · 21 December 2014]

This movie starts with an accident like in the previous Mysskin movie "onayum aatukuttiyum". The protagonist Siddharth, tries to help save the girl met with an accident, but the girl dies soon after reaching the hospital. Siddharth can't digest the fact that a beautiful girl died in his hands. He keeps her slipper as her memory. Soon after a few days he realizes that the girl dead in his hands is still with him. Siddharth tries to find the reason why she haunts his place as she is not related to him in any way . The movie ends with a unexpected twist for those who have not watched the 2004 psychological thriller movie "The Machinist" by Brad Anderson. Just the plot is inspired from The Machinist, not a complete rip off though. All the spooky stuff is Mysskin's hard work.

Good acting by Naga and Radharavi. Especially Radharavi's acting in second half in a scene where he calls his daughter's ghost home is exceptional. The man of this movie is Mysskin. His movie angles are unique in his own way and good story telling throughout. He will keep you interested till the end of the movie. (His negative is his speech in public. He should learn to control his tongue, so he could grow bigger with silence. If someone accuses of plagiarism, just accept it, tell them that you go inspired with this film and give credits to the original movie maker. That's it, end of the story. After watching his speed, even a movie buff would think twice to watch this movie in theater) Definitely a good movie to watch in theaters. Not a jump scare movie though. Just keep an open mind and watch this movie. Mysskin would do miracles with the storytelling.

Jessabelle (2014)

Jessabelle - Above Average Horror Flick

[5/10 · 14 December 2014]

Jessabelle is an American horror thriller film directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Ben Garant. The film begins with Sarah Snook (Predestination girl) moving in with her boy friend while she is pregnant. They met with an accident while moving and Jessie looses her boyfriend and her child. She looses her walking ability temporarily. Then with nowhere to go, she returns to here home town to her dad's place for recovery. After she settles down in her mother's room, she soon realizes that she is not alone.

The plot is weak but the atmosphere is good. There were no big scary moments in this movie. There are few jump scares and that's all. There are more logical loops in the movie, but will keep you interested till the end. Not a must watch but can watch once. This is the first movie that shows that a ghost can grow older with time (You will know it while watching the movie). Sarah Snook's performance is outstanding in predestination. I was thrilled to see her in this movie (not knowing that she starred in it). Her performance is good in this one as well. Her performance can't save the movie if the plot is weak. Overall an average flick for killing time. 5/10 - YuvI

The Expendables 3 (2014)

"The Expendables 3" - A Lame Installation!!!

[1/10 · 3 August 2014]

First of all the trailer looks good and innovative. If you enter the movie the expectation created by the trailer would live up to the first action sequence. After that you could see the quality of this movie drops and boredom throughout the movie till the end.

Mel Gibson as "Conrad Stonebanks" is a perfect choice for a Villain, but got wasted with the lame script. The script is predictable and does not have any twists or turns. None of the characters were utilized in this movie. All the action heroes are just present there like a reunion. As usual they use the weapons assigned to them with already seen stunt sequences.

A 2 hours of complete waste of time. Don't waste your time with this one. I like Jason Statham and I want him out of this franchise for good and choose sensible scripts if he likes to survive little longer as a action hero as the rest of the heroes in this movie is outdated. Not to mention, Arnold's latest movie "Sabotage" is a complete disaster.

Over and out, just what I thought after watching this one.

• Yuvi

Mappillai (2011)

Don't Waste your time with this "MOKKAI" Mapillai.

[1/10 · 10 April 2011]

After a critically acclaimed and commercially successful "AADUKALAM" ,Dhanush strikes again with this remake of yesteryear superhit "superstar's MAPILLAI".The plot of the movie is very old and there is nothing new and the screenplay is very poor.There is no lip sink in heroine Hansikha's dialogues,the music by Mani Sharma is just average,the comedy scenes are irritating , the climax scenes are worst.

The movie which is touted as an entertainer doesn't fulfill anything which it was supposed to, there a number logical errors and unwanted scenes in the movie, and also the movie on the whole is unwanted.Please do not ask for the story or plot of the movie,everything can be predicted.This is a great disappointment to all Dhanush fans,Dhanush please be careful while choosing scripts.

1* out of 10*

Death Race 2 (2010 Video)

Could have been better.......

[5/10 · 24 December 2010]

This movie is a prequel of Death Race. This movie is all about the origin of Death Race and Frankenstein. The Adrenaline content is low when compared to death race. This movie could have been made better with apt cast and performance. Danny Trejo was wasted in this movie. A convicted cop killer Frankenstein (Luke Goss) was forced to participate in the Death match within the Prison. He wins the match. Due to outbreak of the prisoners, the death match was officially discontinued. September Jones (Lauren Cohan) comes with the idea of Death race and Ving Rhames makes it worth with the reward of freedom of the prisoners. Probably another sequel will be made on this title. The original movie was quite entertaining. This sequel fails to meet the expectations of the fans. Totally a mediocre movie with some flaws in it. If you like Death race and you are dying to watch the sequel, here it is. But don't have too many expectations.