Chanthupottu (2005) : A Controversy

                            Chanthupottu is a Malayalam movie directed by Lal Jose and released in 2005 . It tells the story of Radhakrishn...

Dec 27, 2014

8 : 20 Malayalam Movie Review

Even with the flaws and loose ends in the screenplay, 8:20 directed by Shyaam stands out for a treatment and story that is quite unique in Malayalam. I would not say the story resembles any English films but definitely the treatment and situation is inspired from a popular Hollywood franchise. No major star presence is there and the movie has very limited characters. In spite of these, 8:20 is an average thriller that will engage you if the wafer thin suspense element is not known to you. So the crux here is that suspense part which should remain as it is till the end and if that is revealed to you by someone before watching the film, you can stay away as that would make the movie an uninteresting one.

The story is a one day incidents from the life of Shyam and Ruchi whose marriage has been decided by their parents. Shyam is interested in music, dance, drinking and roaming with his friends but her fiancee want him to clear the supplementary exams which is his last chance to qualify. The film begins from 8.20AM on a particular day and follow their life and reach a stage in the half way mark. Post intermission too, the film begins on the same way just like it all started but as said earlier, that element of suspense makes me put a full stop here on the synopsis side.

Scripting could have been a bit more crisp and those college situations and humour could have been presented in a much better way instead of following the cliched route that made it boring and at the same time irritating as well especially those non vegetarian jokes. Still i would definitely recommend this film for a one time watch and coming from a fresh pair of hands in the directorial side, the treatment do make us sit through this two hour movie.

No stars are present on the acting side. Arjun Nandakumar and Avanthika enact the roles of Shyam and Ruchi respectively and they were upto the task of presenting those characters with the right emotions. Vijayaraghavan as Ruchi's father was impressive though in terms of screen presence, the character had very limited scenes. Bijukuttan handled the comedy side and it was a repetition of some of his earlier flicks. Majority of his jokes fell flat without making any impact. Poojappura Ravi and N L Balakrishnan for whom this should be his last movie getting released are also present with brief roles.

Technically there is nothing remarkable but all areas like cinematography,
editing and music doing a fair bit of share contributing to the overall technical side in their own way. Background score could have been bit more racy but it was okay. Overall, 8:20 is an experimental theme that has not failed but end up as an average outing coming from a first time director. I go with two and a half out of five as my personal rating for the film.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Dec 25, 2014

Nagaravaaridhi Naduvil Njan Malayalam Movie Review

Social messages through the medium of cinema is a good thought and if it can succeed or result as an eye opener for the public, well and good. Nagaravaaridhi Naduvil Njan is one such movie that touch on one such menace or problem that is very much relevant in the present day life especially in Kerala. Yes, we are talking about how daily waste is disposed of creating too much of a problem to everyone. Scripted by Sreenivasan who himself plays the lead role and directed by Shibu Balan, the film tried something good for the society and the public but how it is achieved was too much to digest and far from convincing.

Venugopal after spending twenty five years in Saudi Arabia returns to his home and to make his life move forward takes up a job in a flat as its security. His daughter who is too studious as she wants to clear her entrance and pursue a career as a doctor lets him know that if she is not able to clear the exams, she will be forced to commit suicide. Venugopal does not have an option to go for a payment seat and hence decide to dispose of his five cents of land in town that is now a pile of waste being disposed by the residential people there. Film focus on how he succeed in clearing of the debris amidst stiff opposition from the colony people.

The film is a family drama and try to explore problems faced by the common man in their day to day life. Screenplay by Sreenivasan lacks that charm that was there in Chinthaavishtay
aya Shyamala or a Vadakkunokki Yanthram. Appreciating the noble intentions of conveying a good message to the public which is good but the way it is executed and how things end did not make a safe and intended landing for the movie. Bringing a political angle and a murder and also connecting the protagonist into that drama was a half baked one and did not succeed. Towards the end, the protagonist describe how he clear of his waste and also use the same for agricultural purposes where vegatables are cultivated for his own use was something which we all can take a cue from it but for that we need not watch this film, may be a good documentary on waste disposal would serve the purpose.

On screen, Sreenivasan as Venugopal was okay in that role while Sangeetha was a good choice as his better half but the script did not gave her much presence to bring out something best from the actress. Innocent, Lal, Vijayaraghavan, Manoj K Jayan and Joy Mathew are also part of the supporting actors and they were good in their respective characters. On the technical aspects, cinematography was okay and edits were also fine. Music is by Govind Menon but songs nevertheless did not have any importance in the film. Background score is by Ouseppachan and i did not find it that impressive.

Overall Sreenivasan's attempt to bring up a movie with a socially relevant plot is appreciable but at the same time, the writing demanded a much more care in how it was to be executed to make the story looks convincing for the audiences and in this aspect, Nagaravaaridhi Naduvil Njan directed by Shibu Balan doesn't succeed. I am going with two out of five as my personal rating for this movie.

Rating - 2 / 5

Dec 21, 2014

Aamayum Muyalum Malayalam Movie Review

"Form is temporary but class is permanent". These words are quite frequently used in sports and more in the game of cricket but when it comes to filmy world especially Mollywood we cannot relate these words going by the results of some of the recent movies of some established and famed directors of the 80's and 90's. Priyadarshan is one such director who lost his touch somewhere and is literally struggling to come up with something that is close to his best.

Priyan's latest work Aamayum Muyalum is one such movie that clearly shows the director has nothing left in his armour and is running out of steam with below average movies that cannot make much of an impact. It is basically the choice of selection of stories & scripts and their execution in the present day world where movie narration has come a long way from those days that is going against him. But again was expecting a bad and disappointing movie but it is not the worst from the director and is far better than many of his last few ventures.

In Aamayum Muyalum, the director is in reverse gear mode as he makes a rehash of his own Bollywood film Malaamaal Weekly unlike taking Malayalam scripts to Bollywood. Again slapstick humour that is one of his trademark genre is the backbone of Aamayum Muyalum and some of them work while others literally makes you irritated and bored. The main positives are few good performances and the visuals.

The film begins with the voice over of Mohanlal who introduce various characters in the film. Set in Gowlipadam, a village in between the border areas of Kerala and Karnataka where all the people are too innocent and are controlled by a lady head named Bhandaaramma (Sukanya). Kesu played by Nedumudi Venu is a lottery agent who realise that one the lottery he sold has won prize of five crores. He is desperate to get that ticket back and somehow finds the man whom he has sold it. But situation turns bad as the winner has more or less informed most of the folks in the village. Rest of the film is a run by the entire people of the village to get their share in the prize money.

Its the script that gets loose particularly in the post intermission session that works against the film. Having seen many of Priyadarshan's previous flicks where slapstick humour, loud comedies and dramas unfold, it is too easy to guess where the film is heading upto. Here beyond a particular point and once the movie looses the steam, things get unnecessarily stretched making Aamayum Muyalum a never ending drama.

There is a huge star cast and supporting actors and among them Nedumudi Venu as Kesu and Innocent as Nallavan, a milkman gets the maximum screen presence. Both of them did their part as usual but Innocent at times went overboard. Jayasurya is more or less reduced to the sidelines while Piya Bajpai the heroine doesn't have much to do. Mamukoya, KPAC Lalitha, Sukanya, Ambika, Kochu Preman, Idavela Babu and Harisree Asokan are also part of the cast. Nandu's character which is pivotal to the overall storyline was an interesting one. Anoop Menon appeared in an extended cameo and was good and funny in that role of the Lottery Inspector.

Just like any Priyadarshan movie, here in Aamayum Muyalum too, the technical side is one of the highlights with good frames captured by the man who wielded the camera. Art department and costumes too contributed their share in a positive manner. At two hours and forty five minutes, the film definitely demanded some trimming from the editing team. Songs crooned by MG Sreekumar were not that bad with the visuals on the big screen.

Overall, Aamayum Muyalum is not the worst film of Priyadarshan comparing with his previous few outings but at the same time it cannot entertain the audiences completely. Some of the humour and situations did evoke laughter while others fell flat. I am going with two out of five as my personal rating for the movie and still waiting for Priyan to make a big comeback and surprise the audience before it is too late.

Rating - 2 / 5

Dec 19, 2014

Cousins Malayalam movie Review

The posters were too colourful and the same thing goes for the songs and its visualisation, big and lavish sets and last but not the least, eye candy costumes. So all in all, Cousins directed by Vaisakh tried to convey or gave a picture to the audience to be a colourful and mass entertainer trying to cash in on the festive season. But sadly, the film apart from generating a few laughs and fun here and there doesn't offer anything good and disappoints. May be for viewers looking for pure fun with a logicless and brainless story might find Cousins a one time watchable flick that doesn't offer any fresh air.
The film revolves around four cousins Sam, Jojy, Pauly and Tony played by Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith, Suraj Venjaramud and Joju George. Sam face a medical case connected with his memory where a particular phase of his past life haunt him as a result of an accident. The four cousins decide to venture into a journey to visit places that played a major part in Sam's life to get this condition cured. But things get worse and the movie narrate the incidents that lead to Sam's present situation.
Script by Sethu have tried its best to retain the fun element to make the film an entertaining one and with the four protagonists doing the humour part, there are occasional moments of comedy to tickle our funny bone. But the film looses the plot somewhere especially in the second half. Ultimately everything turns too predictable and boring. On the direction side, Vyshakh follow the same pattern and style he used for movies like Seniors and Mallu Singh.
Acting wise, Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith, Suraj and Joju did their part required in a colourful masala film. Female leads Vedika and Nisha Aggarwal were ok in their limited roles. Miya appear in a cameo while director Renji Panicker too appear in a friendly cameo. Pradeep Rawat with the dubbed voice of Shammy Thilakan was not a bad casting while P Balachandran's role was a funny one.
Gopi Sundar did the background score and it was ok for this film. Songs tuned by M Jaychandran were already on the hit charts and along with the visuals and choreography they looked fine on screen. Cinematography was decent while the cuts were ok. So Cousins turns out to be a colourful mass film but it is an old wine in an old bottle film that was a disappointing one for me. Being vacation time and a festive season, there will be takers for these genre of movies but i cannot recommend it to anyone. So the choice is yours. My personal rating is two and a quarter out of five.
Rating - 2.25 / 5

Dec 18, 2014

PK hindi movie review

Forget the results and success, each time an Aamir Khan movie releases, you can expect the unexpected and there are tons and loads of expectation on his films and the situation is all the more at its peak as the actor is reuniting with none other than another hit maker director Rajkumar Hirani. In PK, these two names synonymous with movies with quality as their trademark symbol come together for the second time in their successful career.

PK is a beautifully crafted movie that is totally a different one in terms of storyline and with solid performance from Aamir Khan to back it, the film hits the right chord among the audience. Rajkumar Hirani comes up with another film that has fun and entertainment but at the same time try to pass a strong message to the society.

Just briefing about the story which i will try my best to ensure that nothing is revealed to act as spoiler. PK ( Aamir Khan) lands up in our world in a desert in Rajasthan and gradually becomes part of our daily life. But he questions the belief and custom we follow in the name of religion, God and human Gods. The rest i am leaving it to you to watch and see for yourself on big screen. The first half concentrates on fun element while the latter half takes a small u turn and gets into a serious mode retaining the fun part.

The treatment especially towards the end has definitely shades of the Munnabhai series where the protagonist tries to prove his point to the public but in no way it is a copy or inspired versions of those films. As said, the plot is something unique in its own way that makes a connection with the viewers right from the word go. Rajkumar Hirani on the direction side has done his part and his vision and what he wanted to convey is there on screen crystal clear. His trademark style of narrating a story of victory for goodness and passing good messages to the people is visible in PK as well.

On screen, Aamir Khan is the perfect cast as PK. This character is definitely one of his best in his career and PK the movie is driven largely by the sheer screen presence of AK, the actor. He speaks in Bhojpuri language and the dialogue delivery by the actor was too good evoking laughter in us. Anushka Sharma as Jaggu supported Aamir Khan and complimented him in the film's overall perspective. Sushant Singh Rajput in a brief role as Sarfraz was impressive and the same goes for Sanjay Dutt. Boman Irani and Pareekshit Sahni who are the regulars in RKH movies is also part of the cast. Technically the film stands out with good cinematography and smooth cuts. Background score and songs were also good and jelled well with the film.

So overall, PK doesn't disappoint and offer a pleasing movie experience with good doses of spoofs, comedy and sentiments. He came and he conquer our hearts and make us think. Yes PK from Rajkumar Hirani with Aamir Khan for me is a must watch film and my personal rating is four out of five. Enjoy the fun ride and be ready for a little surprise in the end.

Rating - 4 / 5

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first two parts of The Hobbit trilogy, the third of the series was a fitting and perfect finale for me. Peter Jackson's prequels to the Lord of the Rings series was highly engaging films with good use of visual effects, grand and beautiful canvas to narrate the plot along with good and solid performances from the actors to support the above factors. Situation in The Battle of the Five Armies is not much different from the previous two movies and in terms of action, the third part scores more though some might feel the war and battles is an overdose.

The Battle of the five armies begins from where The Desolation of Smaug ended. Angry dragon spit fire in Lake Town forcing people of Lake Town to flee for their lives. Bard somehow manage to kill the dragon therby making the huge wealth in the mountain open to anyone. Thorin Oakenshield is already there in Smaug's castle staking his claim for the gold and also the precious Arkenstone but the people of Lake Town too want their share of gold for rebuilding their life. Elf's army and Azog's army also come into picture to stake their claim for the treasure. This leads to an intriguing and interesting battle on cards and Peter Jackson opens up his movie for an epic battle between all these groups.

The film begins well and engages the viewers straightaway but somewhere in the middle portion the momentum gets lost and proceedings becomes dull but it gradually picks up the pace and the final one hour it is a highly engaging action with war & battle pictured in the most brilliant way. The romance between Fili the dwarf and Taureel has little space in this battle drawn movie.At two hours and twenty five minutes, its a lengthy drama that has its ups and downs but overall it was a pleasing and satisfying ending to the three part Hobbit series which ultimately lead us to Lord of the rings series.

On the acting side, Martin Freeman playing the character of the dwarf Bilbo Baggins this time has very little to do and even then he acted out that part well to make us like him. Thorin had a different tone to his character unlike the previous version and Richard Armitage did the character given to him with total conviction. Luke Evans as Bard was the pick of the lot among the actors doing a fine job. Rest of the characters like Wizard Gondolf played by Ian Mckellen, Lagolas portrayed by Orlando Bloom and Evageline Lilly as Taureel were also interesting ones along with a host of other actors.

Technically the film is rich with good visual effects and production values to boost the battle scenes. Cinematography was nice with not so bad cuts. Background score was also impressive in creating the mood for the different scenes. Use of 3D was just ok but couldn't make much of a difference or create a big impact.

Overall, The Battle Of The Five Armies is a must watch movie if you have seen An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug. Peter Jackson deserves credit for making this fantasy film to such an epic proportion to end the series on a high. I will go with three and a half out of five for this final hunt for the hidden treasure in Smaug's castle.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Dec 16, 2014

Lingaa Review

For fans of the superstar, there are enough punch lines and stylish mannerisms of the actor to satisfy them but still overall i would say K S Ravikumar has failed in his attempt to present and utilise Rajnikanth to the maximum unlike the way he did in blockbusters like Padayappa and Muthu. The film is highly logicless and that is on expected lines and who cares for reality, story and logic in a Rajnikanth film but the execution of this plot lacked charisma suiting the image of Thalaivar. Linga turns out to be a disappointing and below average film.

Rajnikanth plays a dual role here where in the present day, he is brought to open a Kovil near a dam and we are also taken to the late 1930's where the audiences are introduced to the character of Raja Lingeswaran who fights and work for the welfare of the people. The story is narrated with the backdrop of a dam that forms pivotal to the overall story line.

The film has some good quality scenes especially the flashback story where care has been taken to make and provide a feel of that era. Colour tones and costumes play its part in making the period look real and credit for that goes to the director as well. Story is not something new, its just a rehash with the backdrop and characters changing.

Direction i would say was good but Ravikumar could not utilize the screen presence of Rajni much. May be the expectations we have with the comparisons of the duo's previous flicks had a bearing on me arriving at this conclusion. Action scenes were poorly executed and the use of graphics were disappointing. The climax scenes and the bike scene was a total letdown.

On screen, Rajnikanth was in his elements and at the same time in the safe zone for the most part. He essayed both the characters with equal conviction and it was Lingeswaran the flash back character who scored the maximum but in terms of style it was Rajni in the present scenario that won the race. Anushka was good but Sonakshi Sinha was a let down. Telugu actor Jagapathi Babu as the antagonist promised much but with a poorly written character for him, he was unable to make his presence felt. Santhanam handled his humour as usual.

Cinematography and edits were fine but VFX failed. Rahman's background score was neatly packaged but the songs were not upto the standards already set by the maestro. A hardcore Rajni fan will find the film a watchable one but definitely Lingaa is not the film to celebrate Superstar's birthday for which it needed something big. I go with two and a half out of five for K.S.Ravikumar's
Lingaa.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Jul 20, 2014

The Fault In Our Stars Review

Innumerable love stories have come and gone during the last few decades and some of them have joined the classic films belonging to the same genre while some have faded into oblivion. The Fault In Our Stars is one movie that belongs to the former category. Though it falls short of a classic, the film definitely touch our heart as we feel connected with the lead pair and feels for the tragedy they face in their life.

The film is an adaptation based on Newyork Times best selling novel and the story revolves around teenagers Hasal and Gus who are getting treated for cancer. The two fall for each other when they meet at a cancer support group's programme. Once they meet they realise that they have things in common and they have lot to share between themselves.

As we all know, many love stories end on a high with a positive outcome but here we know its going to be a tragic ending as the two lovers are in their final stages of life battling cancer. There are some finer moments that will make you literally cry, so be ready for that if you have plans to watch the film.

On screen you have Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort portraying the characters of Hazel and Augustus Waters and both of them have done a remarkable job in presenting their respective characters bringing out the varied emotions that were required at different points of time. Rest of the supporting actors also did a balanced act to make the film a beautiful one.

This is not the regular colourful and fun filled romantic entertainer that we normally see and if you are looking for something of that sort, you are in for a disappointment.
The Fault In Our Stars is a different love story, a film with a tragic ending that would make you cry for the two lovers. I am going with three and a half out of five.

Rating : 3.5 / 5

May 23, 2014

X Men Days of Future Past Review

The latest X-men series movie titled Days of Future Past and directed by Bryan Singer is action packed and has not gone overboard on the special effect factor but the story is bit of a complex one to follow. Also with quite a number of characters appearing every now and then it is a bit difficult to follow the happenings on screen. I have been hearing from some sources that this is the best film among the X-men series which I cannot fully endorse as for me the best one till date is X-Men First class followed by X2.

In Days of future past, the present Mutants join together to go to the past and change an event that have an impact on their present existence. So we have Wolverine at the request of Professor X travel to the early part of 1970's to meet Charles and Erik. Helped by Kitty Pryde, Wolverine is transferred into that year for completing the mission.

Mystique is included in the plot as she is out there to eliminate Dr.Boliver Trask who wants to eliminate and completely destroy the mutants and wipe them out.

Bryan Singer the director has ensured that the movie is a good one watchable for all including the fans of the series. And Days of Future past is a worthy successor to all the prequels despite the complexity in the storyline.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine with his screen presence takes the film forward while the lady character Mystique adds the entertainment value in terms of action and pace. Michael Fassbender as Teutonic was also impressive among the casts. Patrick Stewart, Ian Mckellen and James McAvoy also formed part of the supporting casts.

Overall, the present sequel won't disappoint you and is definitely a notable successor to the X-men series. My rating is 3.5 / 5.

P.S - Don't leave the cinema hall once the end title credits start rolling down. Wait for it to finish and there is something to watch out for once the title credits are shown.

May 17, 2014

How Old Are You Malayalam movie Review

A women centric feel good movie watchable for everyone, that's How Old Are You, the latest flick from the combination of Roshan Andrews and Bobby Sanjay team. I should say this is one of the best female oriented movie to come out of Mollywood in recent times and one of the perfect film for the family after the hugely successful Drishyam. That's strictly my opinion which others might disagree.

The film revolves around Nirupama a Govt employee, her husband Rajeev and their only daughter. Nirupama has big dreams that she confines within herself to meet the demands of family life. A particular incident connected with her daughter change her life forever. This is just the basic synopsis which I am not going to elaborate further.

For Manju Warrier, can't ask for a better launchpad for her second innings as the script by Bobby Sanjay has been focused right on her with many moments to perform and on screen she looked totally comfortable facing the camera after a long span. Having due respect for all the actresses we have in currently in Mollywood, I believe no other actress in the present generation would have been able to do a convincing role like how Manju portrayed Nirupama.

Kunchacko Boban played the husband's part too well to make his presence felt though the focus was more on the female protagonist.

Direction by Roshan Andrews is perfect well aided by the script of Bobby Sanjay. On the technical front, Gopi Sundar's background score is one of the main highlight giving tunes perfectly matching the situations. Cinematography and editing to deserved a mention here that helped the film look fine on screen.

There is a long list of supporting casts and among them Muthumani, Kunjan, Kalarenjini, Sethulekshmi, Thesni Khan, Edavela Babu, Kaniha, Lalu Alex, Sudheer Karamana and Vinay Fort impressed. The girl who played Manju's daughter was fine but at times the dubbing seemed artificial. Not sure if I have missed out any names and as said earlier, its a long list of supporting casts such that chances are there to miss out one or two.

On the whole, How Old Are You won't disappoint you and I am giving a big thumbs up to Roshan and his team to come up with such a subject. So the summary here is don't ever decide the expiry date of a women's dream.
My rating is 3.75 / 5.

Mr Fraud Malayalam Movie Review

Mr Fraud, the latest B Unnikrishnan flick with Mohanlal has a mysterious and suspense packed heist plot that does not raise its level to offer anything thrilling nor exciting. We have seen many conmen movies and this is yet another conmen movie, the only difference being the Kovilakam backdrop taken to narrate the plot. The saving grace here is the screen presence of Mohanlal in an otherwise pretty ordinary and average flick.

The plot revolves around an ancient Kovilakam where the ownership of wealth or the treasure of the Kovilakam is in dispute and a group is trying to rob the huge wealth stored in the cellar of the Kovilakam.

The first half was entertaining and kept up the suspense hidden with mystery surrounding the various characters especially the one Mohanlal was enacting but the second half that was a half baked one along with the climax didn't offer anything exciting nor did it gave the film a perfect ending or rather a thrilling ride we normally expect from such films. For the fans, its a masala fare with Lalettan offering enough and some of his dialogues with reference to his previous hit films went well the audience.

On the direction side, B Unnikrishnan has adopted a normal way but going too much hi tech to tell the story reflected in the script that became a complex one to digest as it progressed.

Mohanlal without a name and with many faces with his screen presence was a treat to watch but in terms of acting, there was nothing that could test his acting range here. The various make overs were good except two; the rock star one and the appearance right at the fag end.

Among the supporting casts, it was Siddhique who impressed the most along with Miya and Saikumar. Vijay Babu as Mohanlal's accomplice was just a watcher here with nothing to do. Sreeraman, Dev Gill, Devan, Sathar and Ashvin Mathew also formed part of the acting team along with Gopi Sundar and Balabaskar appearing in a cameo.

Music was ok and among them my favourite is the Sada palaya number. Background score was not bad but at times it was too heavy while cinematography was on the positive side.

Overall, the film is an average one for me that is ok for a one time watch with the least of expectations and my rating is 2.75 / 5.

May 16, 2014

Godzilla Review

Though many of you might not join with me, creature feature films have always fascinated me. Be it the previous version of Godzilla or Spielberg's Jurrasic Park series, I am a big fan of such films though the premise, settings and backdrop of such films are one and the same at the same time they are highly predictable too.

Present Godzilla, directed by Gareth Edwards, a reboot of the 1998 movie brings back the monster back on screen. The film is action packed especially the post intermission session towards the end and is visually well made but in totality its just an above average film good for a one time watch provided you bring down the expectation level.

The story takes time to build up and show Godzilla on screen and by the time the sleeping giant makes its appearance it was in a way a bit too late. Another aspect to be noted here is that Godzilla is given least screen presence and its MUTO's (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms) that gets a better deal and that was a disappointing factor.

The story begins from the late 90's in Philippines where a strange behavioural pattern is noticed and from here the plot shift to Japan. The strange pattern and the resulting catastrophe is connected to some natural disaster but things take a different turn and soon everyone realize that there is something big they are going to face to save themselves and the city they live.

Its the visual effects that saves the film to an extent especially the dull first half that has nothing in terms of action. Godzilla's appearance spice up things but deep in my heart after watching the movie, I felt or wanted the monster to have a better deal on screen with more screen presence. But the loud roar that Godzilla makes couple of times, it was something you should feel on the big screen.

Aaron Taylor Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Waatnabe, Sally Hawkins and Elizabeth Olsen form part of the acting team along with rest of the supporting actors.

Overall, the reboot is a one time watchable flick that has been given a modern outook and with your expectation level set to the bare minimum, you should be able to enjoy the film. My rating is 3 / 5.

May 12, 2014

When Drishyam completes 100 glorious days - Box Office Update

   First of all hearty congrats to the whole crew behind this wonderful film. During this 100 glorious days of box office run, many records have been destroyed and many have been newly created. Surely, Drishyam will hit the headlines again in the coming days. Lately,  it has been known that Jeethu Joseph himself will be directing the Tamil version with Kamal Haasan in the lead. Vasu and Sripriya will be directing the movies in Kannada and Telugu respectively.

BOX OFFICE UPDATE :

           The theatrical show count has reached 24,000 in the Kerala box office alone. The worldwide number of show count is estimated to be around 30,000.



All India Box Office Collection Figure – 49 Crores

International Box Office Collection Figure – 9 Crores

A Total of  58 Crores from the Box Office!!!!!

Drishyam has redefined what a Malayalam film is capable of doing. Before the release of Drishyam, not any of the movie pundits would have agreed that a Malayalam movie will be able cross the 50 crore bar in the near future.

       

May 9, 2014

God's Own Country Malayalam Movie Review

"A rare emotional day" says the tag line of the movie God's Own Country. The film begins and ends on a voice over from Director Renjith is a thriller trying to present some goodness and evil within ourselves and is narrated at a very fast pace telling a rare incident filled day of three people ; an NRI, an advocate and a taxi driver. Whether they can reach their respective destination and whether they can succeed in their do or die battle against all odds to succeed in these situations is what God's Own Country directed by Vasudev Sunil is all about.

The film has succeeded in keeping the viewers on the edge of their seat for the most part especially the first half and credit for that goes to the scripting team.. In movies like these, there is a big chance of things going haywire but here the new writing team have done their job quite well covering loopholes along with a fast paced narrative style.

Advocate Mathen Tharaken, Manu and Mohammed are the three protagonists here. Mathen a Public Prosecutor appearing in a sensational case rocking the state has to reach the court with a clinching evidence while Mohammed is in a desperate situation needing six lakhs. Manu also is on the lookout for Seventy Five lakhs and each of the two plots barring Mathen's plot have big connection with the protagonists life.

First half is fast paced and engaging while the second half is predictable but that is ok and considering the film in totality it is not a disappointment. Also appreciable is the effort in spreading social awareness and some goodness though not in a big way.

Fahadh Fazil, Sreenivasan and Lal did total justice to their respective characters along with Nandu, Lena, Isha Talwar, Mythili, Manikuttan and Vijayakumar forming part of the supporting casts along with few others whose name I am not quite sure of.

Direction by Vasudev Sunil is on the positive side with the making style suiting today's viewers needs and the style of narration is somewhat similar to movies like Passenger and Traffic. The second half comic situations especially the one leading to the police station could have been avoided as it affected the mood of the film.

Another notable aspect is the background score and its Gopisundar behind it while cinematography and edits were fine.

Overall, it was a not a disappointing experience for me and the movie from a bunch of new bees should go well with most audiences if you love such genre. I am going with 3.5 / 5.

May 6, 2014

Mammootty - Actor Of Many Parts


     The story of Mammootty's journey through cinema is the story of a man who catapulted himself from a "face in the crowd" to the superstar's throne.
     At different stages of his glittering career of over 4 decades and working with five generations of filmmakers and actors, Mammootty has been the lover boy, the quintessential husband, village idiot, the angry young man, the average Joe railing against the establishment, the super slueth or the upright bureaucrat.
     He has also been the director's choice for period cinema (from 'Padayottam' and 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' to 'Pazhassi raja') or when great literary works were given a screen life ('Mathilugal' baed on Vaikkom muhammed Basheer and directed by Adoor gopalakrishnan or 'Vidheyan' adapted from Zacharia's novella 'Bhaskara Patellarum Ente Jeevathavum').
     Mammooty, along with Mohanlal, is among the few Malayalam superstars with a fan base in other film industries of the south, especially Kollywood.
     Having starred in lead role in over 365 films, Mammootty stands almost shoulder to shoulder to yesteryear evergreen Hero Prem Nazir. And much like Prem nazir, Mammootty has never played the anti-hero, barring a couple of films early in his career such as 'Vilkanundu Swapnangal' and 'Mela' in 1980.
     When the landmark film 'Anubhavangal palichakal' directed by KS Sethumadhavan came out in 1971 Mammootty's bit role was just that of a face in the crowd.
     Mammootty's cap is crowded with feathers-three times National Award for best Actor ('Mathilugal' and 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' in 1989, 'Vidheyan' and 'Ponthan Mada' in 1983 and 'Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar' in 1999). Add to this seven Kerela State Awards and two dozen-odd Filmfare Awards and Film Critics' Award. The Padmashri was awarded in 1988 making him the first Malayali actor to earn this honour. The celebrated actor has shared screen-space with at least five generations of actors-Prem Nazir in the 1970s, Sukumaran and Madhu in 1980s, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Mukesh and Srinivasan in 1990s and youngsters Prithviraj and Jayasurya since 2000. In Lal Jose's 'Emmanuel' he even teamed up with new age Hero Fahad Fazil, a unique experience as Fahad would say of acting alongside "his Father's (filmmaker Fazil) best and and his best friend's (Mammootty's son Dulquer Salman) father".
     It was in 1980s through the films by IV Sasi and PG Viswambharan that Mammootty established himself as a mainstream Hero through films like 'Sphodanam' and 'Trishna'. It helped that mammootty's rise coincided with a period when Malayalam cinema was benefiting from the creative screenplay of its celebrated writer MT Vasudevan Nair ('Aalkkoottathil thaniye' and 'Adiyozhukkugal').
     The first time Mammootty starred as a Police officer investigating a murder-a role he would make his own for over a decade-was in KG George's taut thriller 'Yavanika'.
     He was overwhelming choice for the lead in the cinema of this period which essentially had family drama themes wovwn around the Middle Class.
     Audiences of this time loved their Mammootty. But it was not until 'Thaniyaavarthanam' and 'New Delhi' were released in 1987 that they woke up to his true potential. If 'New Delhi' (he played an avenging journalist hounded by the establishment) bestowed Megastar status on Mammootty, in the Sibi Malayil directed 'Thaniyaavarthanam' he milked the tear glands of the viewers with a sebnsitive portrayal of a man on whom the society foists the condition of mental illness and whose deliverance from persecution comes when his own mother poisons him to death.
     In 1988, Mammootty starred in K Madhu's 'Oru CBI Diary kurippu', arguably malayalam cinema's first franchise centred on an investigative officer unearthing murder mysteries
that involve corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and police officers.
    The franchise had featured blockbusters such as 'Jagratha', 'Sethurama Iyer CBI' and 'Nerariyan CBI'. Another sequel is in the works.
     Mammootty's acting style which is shorn of set mannerisms has helped him to get into the skin of charactrs he portrays. So it is the character and not Mammootty The Superstar that you identify with in films such as 'Loud Speaker' (Mike), 'Nirakkoottu' (Ravi Varma )or 'Vidheyan' (Bhaskara Patelar).
     His deep voice also took dialogue delivery to new heights. Professionalism in his work ethic and commitment to the character are also admirable.
     One thing that struck me when I interacted with him is his uncanny ability to mimic others. Hi tech savvy nature and yen for fast cars are well established in the film circuit where they adoringly call him "Mammookka". Some of my favourite mammootty movies are 'Yavanika, 'Koodevide', 'Kanamarayath', 'Mrigaya', 'Valarthu Mrigangal', 'The King', 'Ponthan Mada', 'Chronic bachelor' and 'Oru CBI Diary kurippu'.
     Mammootty would try his hand at comedy, never considered his forte, quite successfully spouting the slang of suburban Trivandrum in the blockbuster 'Rajamanikkam' which also marked the directorial debut of Anwar Rasheed. but his best comic performance came much before in the underrated 'Kanalkaattu' (1991) directed by Sathyan Anthikkad.

May 5, 2014

Ringmaster Malayalam Movie Box Office Collection Update

RINGMASTER REVIEW
       Ringmaster is the first release of Dileep in 2014. It is the first film of Rafi after the separation from Rafi-Mecartin duo. Ringmaster is another typical comedy family entertainer.
         Ringmaster is getting a wide release of around 80 theaters all over kerala. The initial reports are in favor of the movie. Previous masala movies of Dileep has turned out to be blockbusters and superhits with negative word of mouth. Indeed that is why Dileep is known as Janapriya Nayakan. So, Ringmaster has all the potential to be a blockbuster.
First Week Box Office update : Though the families have favored Dileep's Ringmaster, '7th Day'  has outrun the movie. First week gross of the movie is estimated to be around 4.60 crores.
Second Week Box Office Collection update : Ringmaster has grossed around 7 crores in it's two week run.
Third Week Box Office Collection update : Ringmaster is back on the top of the box office chart in it's third week across 7th Day and Samsaram Arogyathinu Hanikaram. The box office collection of the movie is estimated to be around 8.80 crores.


UPDATES ON THE WAY

7th Day Malayalam Movie Box Office Collection Report

7TH DAY REVIEW
           Prithviraj starrer '7th Day' is directed by debutant Shyam Dhar. To avoid unwanted conclusions among the audience, the team behind the movie haven't released an official trailer for the movie apart from two teaser trailers.
                   Prithviraj is at his best form of his career. The movie is releasing in around 75 theaters all over Kerala and in several screens around India. The initial reports from the theaters are really encouraging and the movie is receiving positive word of mouth all over Kerala.
First Week Box Office update : 7th Day is doing wonders in the theater. The movie has outrun Janapriya Nayakan Dileep starrer Ringmaster in the Vishu race. The first week gross of the movie is estimated to be around 4.85 crores.
Second Week Box Office Collection Update : Increase in a couple of screens and 7th Day is the clear winner of this vishu. The movie is expected to be a Superhit. The movie has succeeded in collecting around  7.70 crores in it's two week run. The movie has to face tough competition as new releases on the card is Dulquer's Samsaram Arogyathinu Hanikaram which is planning a wide release.
Third Week Box Office Collection Update : 7th Day has lost it's steam whereas Ringmaster stays!!! Three week box office collection of the movie is around 8.40. There seems a huge dip in the collection and the number of theaters in the kitty.

UPDATES ON THE WAY

May 4, 2014

Gangster Malayalam Movie Box Office Collection Report

GANGSTER REVIEW

       Gangster, the biggest release of 2014 so far. The pre-release expectations and hype are sky high. When rewinding back in time, Cassanova will be the last movie which has created such a huge expectations among the viewers.
      Gangster is releasing in about 100 screens on the day one when no other releases are scheduled. The first day gross of the movie is estimated to be 1.10 crores. The total screen count has reduced to 75 from day two onwards. The movie is receiving negative feedbacks and is a huge disappointment from such a promising crew. First week gross of the movie is calculated to be around 3.80 crores. Though the movie is already safe with satellite rights, we weren't expecting anything less than a blockbuster.

TERRIBLE!!! Gangster is reported to have terminated it's box office run within three weeks of it's release.

May 1, 2014

Mosayilay Kuthira Meenukal Malayalam Movie Review

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7th Day BOX OFFICE

Malayalam films thinking differently is a welcome thing and also a happy news for movie lovers. In few words, Mosayilay Kuthira Meenukal is an adventurous film with engaging visuals that gives an eye candy experience.
Refreshing and totally different experience is provided by the film that is directed by Ajith Pillai. Its literally an experimentation that has come out very well. For me, the previous film that gave me a similar experience was Neelaakaasham Pacha Kadal Chuvanna Bhoomi, though the story and settings are totally different on a comparison. .
This is one movie where the positive side outshone the negative side. Not that MKM is a hell of a movie that is the best to have come out from Mollywood but it is the beauty with which the film has been presented that makes it all the more special.
The story belongs to Alex (Asif Ali) and Akbar Ali ( Sunny Wayne) who meet at a point and carry forward the plot from there.
Direction, scripting, original soundtrack and BGM by Prashant Pillai, fine editing and above all excellent cinematography by Abinandan Ramanujam where the scenic beauty of Lakshwadeep Island has been captured too well are the factors that puts MKM in a must watch category to experience something varied.
The first half & second half are both equally good as well as moving at a good pace. Under water sequences are one of the highlights here that were captured beautifully.
Asif Ali delivered a flawless act to make the character of Alex a lively one. Sunny Wayne has less prominence in the first half as he appear towards the halfway stage and from there on he takes over and brilliantly portray the role of Akbar Ali.
The two heroines Swati Reddi and Janani Iyer were equally impressive to the task though they have lesser screen presence than their male counterparts. Nedumudi Venu, Jojo and Jijoy supported them along with some unidentifiable actors who were also upto the mark.
To sum up, Mosayilay Kuthira Meenukal is a film that will give you a totally different feel and movie experience and if you want to be part of that, go for it. My rating is 3.5 / 5.

To Noora With Love Malayalam Movie Review

Mosayila kuthirameenukal Review

REVIEW : Follow The Cinema Company

A story / content that could have been told in ninety minutes is stretched to one hundred forty minutes and the result is a poorly executed and presented work. To Noora with Love is a pathetic attempt by director Babu Narayanan that tried its best in irritating and frustrating the viewers and the movie was successful in that mission.

The frustration of the viewers was very much visible on the very few number of viewers present along with me as I could hear the sigh of relief from them once the movie got over.

The story is quite ok but its the poorly written script along with some below average performance and dialogues that let the film down and it was sad to see Mamtha Mohandas becoming part of this venture to make a comeback of sorts.

The film begins from a hospital scene that is the centre of attraction among the media as well as the public. Then its flashback mode were Noora, a social activist (Mamtha) meets Shajahan (Krish Sathar), a sufi singer and focus on their love story, their marriage and the resulting complications.

Majority of the first half moments were over the top making us annoyed while the second half as said earlier goes endlessly with no end in sight. At best, the makers could have trimmed the film by twenty or thirty minutes instead of stretching things.

Coming to the acting side, Mamatha was ok portraying Noora while Krish Sathar as Shajahan was good in parts. Archana Kavi as usual her focus was to compete for the worst actress award. Biyon Gemini, Kaniha, Mamukoya, Nedumudi Venu, Ambika and Pisharody were also part of the supporting casts among others.

Songs by Mohan Sithara was ok and among them I liked the sufi number sung by Shankar Mahadevan. Cinematography by Alagappan was good but cannot say the same about editing.

Overall, it was a disappointing experience watching this flick and I don't recommend it to anyone. Now the rating part, its very rarely that I go with below two and the maximum I prefer in the lower range is two. So going with 2 / 5.
  
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Law Point Malayalam Movie Review

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7th Day BOX OFFICE

REVIEW : Follow The Cinema Company

Lijin Jose showed lot of promise with the making style in Friday his previous film but due to certain strikes by theatres when it was released, the film didn't do that well at the box office though it deserved a better deal. Correct me if I am wrong on the information on strike.

Lijin's latest work, Law Point did everything good till the final twenty minutes or so. The final twists (there are a few) that looked too stupid if you look too much into the logical part. If you are ready to leave logical stuff back home, then you might find the film a pretty decent one to watch.

The movie is a feel good one for the most part and moves at a snail pace for the majority of the running time till it reaches the final stage where it takes the role of simple thriller with suspense and twists happen which for me was a bit too much to digest. Still the attempt is a good one by the director who has used his craft in covering up things in a weak script.

Advocate Sathya Mohan ( Kunjacko Boban) is a leading criminal lawyer who goes to any extent to win his cases. As part of his professional work, Sathya meets Maya (Namitha Pramod) who has attempted suicide and circumstances force the two to go for a short trip where rest of the story happens.

On the trip, the first half is focused on bringing out the character in Maya while in the second half its the turn of Sathya's past which culminates with lots of twists and turns in the end. Viewers looking for pure entertainment will be a disappointed lot as the film travails through a different path in narrating the plot.

Its Neil D'Cunha's camera work that give the film a totally different feel along with apt background score from Bijipal in an otherwise dull film moving at a leisurely pace.

On screen Chackochan looked good and performed his role well nevertheless not a challenging role for him. Namitha was the better among the lead pair and for me this was her best performance till date. Joy Mathew, Nedumudi Venu, Devan, Shari, Romeo guy from Neram film (not sure of his name), P Balachandran and KPAC Lalitha formed part of the supporting actors. Suraj and Prajod who appeared initially in the movie disappeared suddenly.

Overall, it was an average film that will appeal to some. In any case, Lijin the director deserves praise for his attempt here. My rating is 2.5 / 5.

  
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The Amazing Spiderman 2 Movie Review

Spidey is back in business and as the tag line of the movie says, "His Greatest Battle Begins" from here. The sequel to the current series The Amazing Spiderman pits Peter Parker (Spiderman) against some more powerful enemies and he has to use all his fire power to conquer the evil forces. Directed by Marc Webb, The Amazing Spiderman 2 has a plot that is quite a bit heavy for Spidey fans but the performance of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone save the movie from going below the line.

Adding to the above the visual effects and action too helps the sequel in raising the bar but this sequel is not the best of the Marvel Comic superhero characters adapted to the silver screen. For the fans of the superhero, it should be enough as the film has high doses of action from Spidey. The romantic side involving Peter and Gwen too gets equal prominence keeping the emotional angle between the two and in a way that helped the film quite a lot.

The film begins showing Richard Parker and his wife leaving their son and flying in a flight to protect them from Oscorp dealings that lands them in trouble. The flight crashes and we are back to the present where Peter as Spiderman carries from where he left earlier that is fighting against evil forces and protecting the lives of the innocent.

The story takes a turn later on with Peter's childhood friend Harry Osborn coming back and the appearance of Electro, the antagonist who Spiderman has to battle it out to save Newyork city.

Andrew Garfield as Peter/ Spiderman maintain the performance expected while Emma Stone deliver a knock out punch as Gwen Stacy. Jamie Foxx and Dane Dehaan among the supporting casts were also impressive playing their respective characters with conviction.

Visual effects and background score lifted the film in the technical side. On the whole, this Spidey sequel is not the best among the lot but still for all the fans of the movie, this is a digestible and watchable flick. I am going with 3 / 5.

Apr 25, 2014

Masala Republic Malayalam Movie Review

Mosayila kuthirameenukal Review

REVIEW : Follow The Cinema Company

Director Visakh G S comes up with Masala Republic, a film that has humour in the backdrop trying to present a satire but without a convincing script and storyline the makers have failed to put forth what they have intended to convey. A wafer thin plot has been given an exaggerated treatment and in the process what is in store for the viewers is a film without completeness.

Occasional funny moments and humorous situations do come and go but in totality those never make the film appealing and interesting.

The film begins well and promise much but sadly nothing happen beyond a stage. The film is focused on Shambhu who has been assigned to head the Anti Gutka Squad (AGS) to track and catch people selling pan masala and related products as a result of the ban imposed by the State Government for these products. Shambhu begins his tasks but the situations become too monotonous after a while to loose interest of the viewers in the proceedings on screen.

The story is presented giving focus to the migration workers coming to earn a living in Kerala from the eastern part of India. Certain things like taking a spoof on the Adhar Cards through Avakash Card, Local politician becoming minister through blackmailing, the Tele channel show to promote Chinese products and a few others have been presented well but as said earlier, in totality the film does not evoke interest beyond a particular point.

On the acting side, Indrajith as Shambhu was very lively but nothing to perform here for an actor of his calibre while Aparna Nair as the TV Reporter has nothing much to do.

Vinayakan as Bengali Babu, P Balachandran as the local politician, Mamukoya, Vinay Fort, Srindha Ashab, Shine Tom Chacko are the notable supporting casts who did their part quite well. Sunny Wayne appeared as Bada Bai, a cameo role while Captain Raju's character was totally out of place.

Coming to the technical side, camera work was ok but it was shaking at many places especially in the beginning. Lip movement and visuals didn't synchronise in couple of scenes in the initial stage. Also in one of the scene where a police officer is hiding behind a big tree, the tree was moving, making it clearly visible that the tree was a car board piece. Minute things like these should have been taken care of.

Songs by Jassie Gift was ok and jelled well with the visuals. The Bengali song shown during the start and end was worth hearing a second time. Again deliberate effort was made to fit songs especially the Shambhu item song and the other song where hero dances with the heroine.

Overall, Masala Republic promised much but does not meet the standards and I am going with a generous 2 / 5.
  
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Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram Review

Mosayila kuthirameenukal Review
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REVIEW : Follow The Cinema Company

The makers of Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram have tried out their best to be different with the concept but fails in the attempt with a below average film. A feel good factor was created in the first half but the experimentation
in post intermission session fails to evoke much interest though the attempt is to be lauded.

Directed by Balaji Mohan as a bilingual with simultaneous release in Tamil, SAG had an interesting and novel plot but the script lacked the X factor to make the movie a fully engaging one, the result being a below average film that has some fine moments to entertain the viewers in parts only.

Humour is the backdrop adopted by the scenarist to narrate the story of Aravind (Dulquer), a salesman promoting Dr.Fix It, a brand of glue who aspire to become a Radio Jockey one day as he feel he can utilise his speaking skills to make it big in the industry. He meets Anjana (Nazriya), a doctor who likes to talk less, a character just the opposite of the male protagonist.

The story is set in Thenmala in Idukki district and a curious disease starts spreading in Thenmala. Rest of the plot focus more or less on this particular disease and how the political system of the State and local people of the area react to this situation. At the same time, the romantic side involving the hero and heroine is also touched upon but the prominence is more on the disease.

A totally novel concept has been wasted literally with an uninteresting narrative pattern and weak script. May be the Tamil version might work out with Tamil audiences as they are more receptive to new concepts compared to their Malayali counterparts who are a bit slow to accept too much of experimental stuffs.

Direction by Balaji Mohan is strictly on the average side. May be with a better script he would have been successful in presenting the plot in a much better way.

Acting wise, Dulquer excelled in his role as Aravind the salesman but post intermission session, and especially towards the end a tired look was reflecting from his face. Nazriya though had enough screen presence, acting wise there is not a single scene that could test her.

Among the supporting actors, Maniyanpilla Raju, Arjunan and Chemban Vinod were impressive while Madhubhala who is making a comeback of sorts didn't appear that comfortable.

Cinematography was well handled with each frame having a colourful and vibrant feel while editing department could have done a bit more work in trimming the film from the current duration of 143 minutes.

On the whole, SAG with least expectations might be a one time watchable affair for some and for others it will be a disappointing one and I belong to the second category. My rating is 2 / 5.
  
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Apr 24, 2014

5 Biggest Disappointments of 2013



                    We are listing down the biggest disappointments in the year 2013 which includes the deaths of eminent personalities from Malayalam cinema industry, flops of last year, biggest let downs etc

1) Deaths of our greatest artists and technicians

               Some of the actors and actresses who passed away include our beloved Sukumari Chechi, Actor Augustine, Ottapalam Pappan, Joseph Chacko and Hakim Rawther. Veteran Filmmaker K Sukumaran died due to illness in the month of June. Our lose in the field of music include two legendary music directors V Dakshinamoorthy and Raghavan Master. The renowned Hindustani musician Sarathchandra Marathe and playback singer Usha Ravi also passed away this year. 


2) Flops from Mohanlal paired with popular directors 

      Drishyam is the only hit of Mohanlal this year, but Drishyam is one of the best movies of this year. Mohanlal had a bad run throughout this year until the release of Drishyam thus bringing him back to the race. But the flops of Mohanlal when paired with Joshiy, Priyadarshan and Siddeque was one of the biggest setbacks to the cinema lovers this year. Lokpal which saw the successful combo Mohanlal-Joshiy back again but ended up as a disaster. Ladies and gentleman was much hyped as it was a long awaited rejoining of Mohanlal and director Siddeque. Priyadarshan also gave big blow when he made a sequel to Manichithrathazhu as Geethanjali which he should have never done.


3) Multi Starrers
       Multi Starrer films are not new to the Malayalam film industry. But last year, most of the multi starrer movies including Kammath and Kammath, Red Wine and D Company disappointed all of us. Kammath and Kammath which brought Dileep and Mammootty together, though was a huge commercial success but didn't entertain as expected. Red Wine starring Mohanlal, Fahadh faasil and Asif Ali was expected to be a top notch investigative thriller. D Company which had almost all the best young talents of Malayalam industry also became a flop.

4) Flops from eminent directors and writers

      When some established directors and writers comes up with disastrous movies, it is really difficult to get on. Ranjith, whom we consider to be one of the best in the industry right now, came up with a totally lazy attempt Kadal Kadannoru Mathukutty. Another popular director VK Prakash had three flops in a row this year including Natholi Cheriya Meenalla, Thank You and Silence. VKP cannot excuse from the bad direction in case of Thank You, though the latter two were better in that terms. Anoop Menon who is known for his skillful script writing, but was surprised with the movie Hotel California. Next is Pattam Pole, it was rumored that Azhagappan was working on the script for about two and a half year but the movie had nothing new to offer. 

5) Unfortunate Hits and Flops

    Some movies like Shutter, Artist, Kunjananthante Kada are destined to fare poorly in the box office as money mayn't be the prime motive behind these movies. But there are many unfortunate hits and flops in our industry caused due to several factors. Unfortunate Hits include almost every Dileep starrer including Sringaravelan, Sound Thoma etc as they don't deserve it. Wondering what would be the situation if CID Moosa, Parakkum Thalika etc gets released now. Unfortunate Flops include 5 Sundarikal, Left Right Left. The bold contents in Left Right Left has backfired and severely affected the movie.

Must have Android Apps in your Smartphone

 From millions of apps available in the google play store these are our editor's picks eliminating similar apps coming under same category and all. You can suggest your best choices and even replacements for the following apps. Stay tuned for more posts in our TECH tab.

  • Shazam - Find the title of songs being played
  • WhatsApp - One of the most popular app in India for texting and voice sms
  • Lookout - Security & Virus Scan
  • Zomato - Zomato Restaurant Finder app gives information about restaurants from all over the places near you
  • Calorie Counter - Best calorie counter - Food Database - Diet tool
  • SoundHound - a rival to shazam. Best music finder
  • Angry Birds Seasons - The best among angry birds games based on holidays
  • Fruit Slice - Similar to the popular fruit ninja
  • Instagram - Best photo sharing app and photo editor
  • Flipboard - Best android magazine
  • Stumble Upon / Pinterest - Official android app of these amazing websites
  • IMDb / Flixster - Official android app of these amazing movie websites
  • PicShop / Photo Art / Pixlr Express / Retro Camera - Amazing photo editors
  • PocketBand Pro - Turn songs and tracks into sequence of loops, mixing synths, drums, samplers, audio recordings, analog modulators and arpeggiators
  • Mind Tools - Build different types of management, business and personal productivity skills in your spare time
  • Google Drive - store all your files in one place, so you can access them from anywhere and share them with others- a rival to dropbox
  • Kingsoft Office - User-friendly & nice UI interface with rich editing features - Support 23 kinds of files, including DOC/DOCX/TXT/XLS/XLSX/PPT/PPTX/PDF
  • Pocket - Time’s Best Android Apps of 2013 - Allows you to bookmark almost everything on web
  • SketchBook Pro - professional-grade paint and drawing application
  • RemoteDroid - Turns your phone  into a wireless trackpad and mouse
  • Evernote - mobile notepad that  synchronizes with desktop and browser software - take a photo, record a voice memo or jot down a note
  • Slacker - great personalized radio service
  • Fxcamera - creates beautiful effects for your camera  
  • World Newspapers - Get news from all around the world
  • Hacker News Reader - News about technology
  • Facebook app - one of the best innovative app
  • Lightning Launcher - A very flexible launcher in Google play
  • Tasker - does almost every task
  • I Can't Wake Up - Prevents snoozing and going back to sleep by forcing you to play a memory game, identify national capitals, type in random character strings 
  • SpeedBoost - Frees your memory
  • Wapedia: A Wikipedia reader
  • MX Player - Supports almost all video types
  • TubeMate - download videos from youtube - goto tubemate.net/
  • MP3dit - Music Tag Editor
  • Beautiful Widgets/HD Widgets - for widget for your phone
  • Cricbuzz - for instant cricket scores
  • FotMob - for instant football scores
  • Android Lost - Remotely control your Android phone
  • My Backup Pro - back up almost everything like system data, apps, music, photos, videos    
  • WordWeb - best offline dictionary
  • flatro - android icon packs
  • AppGratis - Tells which paid app is free today
  • Easy Downloader Pro - Download manager for your android