I've not been to a cinema-hall for a long time but these last 2 weekends have been a little easy on the work front so managed to catch up with all the recent "hits" and I must admit that I felt a little let-down. If I had to make a straight choice between like and dislike, I "liked" just 1 and "disliked" 4 - 20% just means I don't seem to be missing much.
Ethir Neechal
When a director zeroes on the name of the hero as the premise of his film, you know fully well that the movie has no lofty ambition. All they hope to do is provide a few laughs and pray that the audience does not feel cheated of the Rs 100 and 2.5 hrs they have just spent. Ethir Neechal just about manages this but what made me double up with laughter more than Siva Karthikeyan's character's name or even him winning the marathon against the Africans (has that ever happened anywhere in the world?) was the way Anirudh's sound track was worked into the film. It just did not fit - there is such a thing as mood and setting - and the less said about Poetu Dhanish, the better.
Thillu Mullu 2
A pale imitation when compared to the original. I will not even get into comparisons with Rajinikant but suffice to say that Shiva is passable and he is the best thing about the movie. The rest of the starcast is very weak - I personally prefer watching Prakash Raj doing his millionth typecast villain role like in Singham (Tamil, Hindi and Tulu versions) as compared to his Vasoolraja or Thillu Mullu 2 type of roles. Kovai Sarala is a shocking bit of casting which has now opened my eyes to that under-stated genius called Sowkar Janaki and Isha Talwar is not fit to be Madhavi's make-up girl. Changing the setting from football to IPL was a master stroke but the idea's potential was somehow lost in execution. YSRs music was *puke*
Theeya Velai Seyyanum Kumaru
A message to Siddharth - please stop giving/trying to give us that "I am so Paavum" look. It so resembles the "I have cancer and I am so anguished" look you so unsuccessfully tried in 180 and the two are VERY DIFFERENT EMOTIONS.... and you suck at them anyway. Sundar C returns to doing what he is best at - making extremely unfunny comedies. If there was an Oscar category for Best Facial Contortion, we can declare Hansika STR (Sorry, Hansike Motwani) the de facto winner till people FINALLY realise Kushbu could actually act and this one is not a patch on the previous version. We Tamilians are not stupid to build temples for just a pretty face. SANTHANAM - TAKE A BREAK, MAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Singam - 2
My intelligence was insulted and my ear-drums assaulted by this horrible monstrosity of a summer blockbuster. What Karthi with Siruthai + Saguni and Surya With 7 Aum Arivu + Maatraan + this sorry excuse of an entertainer have done is to erode all the currency and goodwill that I had for the Sivakumar family. Enough is enough - no more movies of this duo for the next 18 months till they learn their lessons and dish out decent fare. Having watched Singam 1 in telly a few times, when I look back now, even the original wasn't that great. Of course, I loved the movie when it was released but am beginning to suspect it was more the company with whom I saw it. sigh. How I miss those days.
PS: Since when did Surya's family entertainers have so much vulgarity and crass jokes? Double thumbs down.
Lootera
Finally a movie I wished I had spent Rs 180 (gulpp) and watched at the theatre. Sheer poetry. Golly, who thought Sonakshi Sinha could actually act? Anyway, I could never see beyond her forehead so maybe I need to go back and revisit Dabangg 2 and Rowdy Rathore... or, maybe not :-) Ranveer Singh proved to the world what I knew all along - that he could get out of his loutish, playboy image and actually rein himself in to play a soft, subtle character....and he is fast raking up a reputation for some awesome onscreen kissing :-) Yes, the O Henry ending is gimmicky and the thotha analogy literally had me in splits but this is a movie well worth spending 2 hrs of your time....and I don't want to sound orgasmic (again) but Amit Trivedi's background score and sound track are just mindblowing - the Album of the year for me so far. Highly recommended.
Coming soon: Maryan, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Pacific Rim and the masala film of the year.....wait......wait..... not Chennai Express........no........ Thalaivaaaaaaaa
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