Category Archives: Two-minute reviews

Watched Superman Returns in the IMAX with selected scenes on 3D. It’s an 85 foot screen with some fabulous sound system. And its probably the biggest screen a cinephile gets to watch in his lifetime. Still…Read ahead.

Kevin Spacey did disappoint. Why did he ever accepted to do the movie in first place ? That tells you I didn’t expect too much out Brandon Routh, in the first place. He has the perfect nose of a superman and he fits into the role. Atleast physically. More than helping the plotpoint of the movie, he serves as Mr.Droolover for the chicks. You could hears Wows and Aahs in the theatre.

Didn’t impress me much like Spidey 2.

How would write a two-minute review for a short film that only runs for six minutes and two seconds, to be exact ? You could. If the movie is well made. Not just because the maker is your friend. This isn’t written because I know Arun for sometime now. Arun‘s The Seance is truly a good shortfilm. Like many other shortfilms, at the first viweing, there is a chance that you might not understand the story behind this movie. Any shortstory or shortfilm should considered as a slice of life. So there can’t be a three act structure for a shorty. Even with a single act, you could bring in the formulaic movie structure. Arun does it convincingly well.

The Seance could be classified as a horror shorty. It has superb production values and it doesn’t look or feel like an amateur film. Not even for a moment. The lighting and cinematography are just about immaculate. There is enough darkness as much as the available light. The music goes with the mood of the movie and is very scary at ‘that’ single moment. The actors are spot on. BTW, there are only two actors[Tom Cappadona and Rick Pisarro] in the whole movie. Bearing few shots where one would feel that the editor could have sliced just an extra frame, the editing puts up a neat show.

The execution of the script is the highlight. Honestly, superb direction. This is probably the best of Arun till date and it will go a long way in showcasing his talent. Having a great product on-hand, it’s now with Arun and his team to take this movie to film festivals and see how it fares. For that’s the only way for an independent movie can get noticed. The Seance is already getting rave reviews in Kevin Spacey’s Triggerstreet. I think you could watch the movie online if you register there. I got a high quality version sent from Arun but that shouldn’t matter. Do mail Arun[arun[dot]filmmaker[at]gmail.com] on your views. He is all ears now.

Susi Ganesan strikes back with a simplistic thriller that proceeds as interesting as a Bhagyaraj screenplay. Once you are out of the theatre you can’t avoid the feeling that the movie was mediocre but when you are at it, just like a pulp fiction, it interestingly thrills.

Thiruttu Payaley’s screenplay has all twists of a Bhagyaraj screenplay except a family that would form a nucleus to the story. Instead it has a corrupted unemployed youth who makes blackmailing his profession. Given the latest fad for Gilliish movies, Thiruttu Payaley clearly treads clearly inthe opposite path. Wait a sec. Did I say different path ? Oh !! no. Not for the flashback piece. A classic flashback that details why the protagonist is pushed towards blackmailing. Anniyan stuff. Other than that and a couple of unnecessary songs, the film goes on pretty steadily.

And Jeevan plays his part, for the most part, very well. If only he was a little more spontaneous it would have been a big plus. I seem to have a soft corner for Sonia Agarwal and so I would say, she did her job fairly well. Vivek rocks after a long long time. This time he is against mega serials and he performs the thenali stuff. Amusing. Malavika tries to become a neelambari but her character doesn’t help her ambition too much. Neverthless good job. Abhaas is also there. Just there.

The title song thiruttu payaley based on MGR’s chinna payaley sethi kelada seem to hit the nail on its head. Vairamuthu is still alive.Susi Ganesan continues to take the alternative path just like his mentor Mani Ratnam and thats a happy thing to notice. Couple of more films and he would become an ‘established’ hand.

Was classy, slick and well executed. Intriguing [sometimes confusing] at the start, it goes on to become a fantastic message movie, something that one wouldn’t expect from the Fernando Meirelles, the director of City of God[COG].

If this were to be a blurb on a poster, it would read, John le Carré‘s Tour-de-force. A perfect thriller told as docu-drama that unfolds completely only as you move to the second half of the movie. Just like City of God, it has super slick editing, great camerawork and interesting screenplay.

With those blue eyes and a verisimilitude visage, Ralph Fiennes cakewalks through the movie. The mummy girl, Rachel actually won an Oscarfor the best supporting actress despite her so-so performance.

Will be a very surprising movie if you haven’t been seen the director’s previous flick, COG. With the COG baggage, this movie stands good but certainly not as good as COG.

Though being a silly romantic pot-boiler, Hitch was funny. Give it to Will Smith for making it an enjoyable fare and ofcourse Kevin James[who looks very much like Mr.Incredible] who managed to evoke some laughter. The screenplay couldn’t sustain the interest it generated in the first few scenes.

The end seemed to drag like a yash johar flick. And yeah, I have to say I don’t think I like Eva Mendes. Netflix it if you are bored on those action films. If only you could wait, some bollywood flick plagiarising the storyline, will be in the making.