chetan_l

IMDb member since January 2013
    Lifetime Total
    10+
    Lifetime Plot
    1+
    IMDb Member
    11 years

Reviews

The Commuter
(2018)

The plot deserves an award for absurdity
Why, Liam Neeson, why? Neeson has got stuck into the 'Taken' mould, and this film is entirely an attempt to ride on that success story. But the makers forgot that just a premise alone will not suffice. You need at least a half-decently believable plot. The most and illogical plot line in recent history of Hollywood...

The graphics in the action scenes are quite ok. Neeson does what he does best. That's just about it. If you value your time, skip it. On the other hand, if you are a die-hard Neeson fan and you have 100 minutes to kill, maybe watch it. Or, maybe not.

The Family Man
(2019)

Promising start to an exciting thriller
I have watched only the first, pilot episode and it promises to be an exciting one. Comes across as a well made, well researched, authentic web series. There is enough ground work to roll out out an action packed drama laced with realistic portrayals. There is also a lot of character build up and portents of impending volatile situations, both at the work front and domestic life of the lead protagonist. Action scenes are filmed very well. Three dialogs are very life like

Can't wait to binge watch.

I made the mistake of watching almost half of the episode in dubbed English. If you understand Hindi, please watch it in that original language.

Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom
(2012)

Over-rated; could have been better
I watched this movie after hearing a lot about it through word-of-mouth. I found the movie to be a drag... The scenes were too drawn out, dialogs were unreal, and direction was quite poor. I guess the movie could have been better served if it came in well below two hours. What should have been a comedy turned out to be an ordeal really. I do not recommend this as a fun watch

Varumayin Niram Sigappu
(1980)

A period classic that stands the test of time
This would be one of the finest works of director K Balachander. It is likely that many of us would have watched the movie at the time of its release; yet, it is worth watching this again. Anyone reading this review about the movie is likely to know the story well enough, so, I will avoid dwelling on that. Suffice to say that it is a well narrated tale of how a man's principles are severely tested by poverty and it is a question of will power over adversity - will the protagonist stand up for his beliefs against all odds?

This movie had a strong social relevance back in the 80s and you can relate to the story even today, four decades later.

Direction is top notch. Acting by Kamal, Dileep, Sridevi, Poornam, SVe, OVK Rao, as well as the support cast, is excellent. The art of linear story telling is traditional, and yet, it works wonderfully well for the movie...a couple of flashbacks give sufficient backdrop to justify the protagonist's character.

The romance between the lead pair is refreshingly different and subdued. Of course, Bharathiyar's songs and philosophy are beautifully woven into the screenplay.

For an 80s movie, the melodrama is not over the top. However, Pratap Pothen's character is slightly jarring. The film could have avoided the 'Ranga Rangaiya' song completely.

Overall, this is one timeless classic which can be watched and appreciated even today.

Vellaipookal
(2019)

Interesting climax pushes this movie from average to good
This could have been a very good film. Unfortunately, amateurish direction, poor acting (barring Vivek and the little girl) and shoddy editing especially in the initial parts drags this movie down a couple of notches. Also, while the screenplay tries to be clever and does a decent job in parts, you still can poke a lot of holes.

Cinematography works in parts - however, the over dependence on drones and excessive color grading make it look like a slick YouTube video; not a professional Cinema! A few other reviewers have rated the cinematography pretty high. Without sounding cocky, I would like to point out that cinematography is not only about capturing the beauty of the locations. Ofcourse, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest is extremely beautiful and it looks lovely on screen. However, cinematography is about being true to the emotions of the script and the vision of the director. It is about choosing when to go close-up, when to go long, when to pan, when to follow; what lens to choose, what angle to shoot...I can go on. It's here that the cinematography fails to justify the script.

All said, full marks to the creative team to come up with an out-of-the-ordinary plot and executing a decent movie around the storyline. I would recommend this as a decently good one-time watch and much better than the mindless formula based commercial hits.

Operation Alamelamma
(2017)

Nice, time-pass movie. Thoroughly enjoyable
This is a comedy-crime-mystery movie which is quite fun to watch. The lead, Rishi, carries the movie on his shoulders and it is refreshing to watch his antics. I am pretty impressed by him in the two movies i have watched, the other being Kavaludaari, where his role is an utter contrast. He is well supported by the other actors. The comic line is tightly woven into the script and does not jar the narration. The movie unfolds with present day police investigation into a kidnapping while the hero's story unravels in the flashbacks. The director has woven them together nicely in the end.

The movie does have its faults though. Don't go in expecting an investigative crime thriller. The investigation process is very inept and there are gaping holes.

Go to watch a clean, fun entertainer and you will not be disappointed. As a mainstream movie, this is a refreshing watch. Highly recommended for a Sunday screening with family!

D/O Parvathamma
(2019)

Avoid this like the plague
I have time and again watched movies purely based on IMDB ratings without even reading the blurb or any review. This has resulted in me uncovering several hidden gems of cinematic excellence. And then comes experiences like what you get when you watch this movie based on suspiciously bloated IMDB ratings. I strongly suspect that this movie rating has been manipulated by the makers and everyone associated with it. Oh, this is a review of the movie and not about IMDb ratings; sorry. Here you go: crappy story, lousy screenplay, pathetic direction, decent acting and background music, and chaos, presented as an amateur whodunit mixed with perverted romance and inept attempt at comedy. There - my attempt at the movie synopsis is as bad as the movie itself! Or, is it not?

Pariyerum Perumal
(2018)

A riveting piece of cinema that enthralls you throughout
This is one of the best Tamil movies in recent times, and is worth every praise that's coming its way.

I watched this movie with no idea of what it was about or what to expect. Right from the first frame, the movie looked different, and by the time the first song played out, I was rubbing my hands in anticipation of something out of the ordinary. This movie grabs you by the scruff of your neck, shakes you out of your slumber, and keeps you rooting for the protagonist throughout the run-time. Your soul cries when he is hurt. Your mind gets angry when he is angry. And then, your heart aches when he bears all the torment single handedly, before his spirit gives him enough courage to stand up and fight for what is rightfully his.

The fact that there is a very strong message of how casteism maims and kills humanity - literally and in spirit - is brought out inherently, and yet very strongly.

Pariyerum Perumal also straddles the line dividing art-house and mainstream cinema without resorting to any formulaic solutions. Direction is top notch, as is the screenplay and editing. The songs are out of the ordinary, and downright wacky at times! It adds to what is already a good movie, making it even better. Art direction and cinematography is again beautiful and brings out the drama on screen very effectively. The production team has used colors and symbolism to match the story intrinsically. The role of Karuppi, the dog, as the flesh-and-spirit companion and metaphor for the hero is commendable.

Kathir, as the protagonist, has done a stellar job and is well supported by all the other actors. Marimuthu, Lijeesh, Karate Venkatesan, Anthony Dasan, and others have all played their roles very well, and Yogi Babu adds a comic touch to the proceedings without the comedy track being any way detrimental to the story-telling.

The one possible sore point to bring out is the portrayal of the female lead as someone who is very sweet and innocent and is kept completely isolated from all the raging violence and caste oppression. However, that portrayal forms the very basis of the story-line and gels well in the story. In her own way, the heroine is true to her heart and stands up for her beliefs without fear of ostracization or retribution, albeit in innocence. Also, without giving away too much in terms of a spoiler, the Director does not paint every character from the upper caste as being inhumane.

This movie is as much about oppression as it is about optimism. Add this movie in your watch-list as a must-see.

Kavaludaari
(2019)

A hidden gem
A neat whodunit mystery retold in a very realistic way. Full marks to the director for weaving together a complex murder mystery and throwing in nice little surprises. Hemanth Rao is a name to watch out for; right up there with the best of the modern film makers.

All the actors have performed well, with Achyuth Kumar and Rishi being the stand-out performers. Technically too, taught screenplay, fine editing, background music, cinematography, etc, combine well to weave a beautiful story that unfolds in a non-linear, magical way.

Just to tell you how beautiful the movie is (without giving away anything on the mystery plotline): beside the murder mystery, you will want the protagonist to unite with the heroine, but then, in not a single frame have either of them expressed their feelings to each other, and nor have they even shook hands! It just shows how well the director stitches together the characters and their emotions in this movie.

Forget the formulaic movies and do watch this movie. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised.

Rama Rama Re
(2016)

Shut everything else off, sit back, and let the movie take you for a ride
This movie is a hidden gem. It is a very simple drama that unfolds over two days, featuring a myriad of rustic characters who grow on you. This movie made me laugh and cry at the same time. It has been conceptualised and executed beautifully.

Do yourself a favour and watch this movie without expecting too much. The initial few scenes and acting may seem amateurish, but you will very quickly put it behind you as the screenplay unravels scene by scene, and very soon, you will be rooting for not only the main protagonists, but also the fringe players. There is not much you can find flaw in the movie. The screenplay and direction is taut, acting is excellent (barring a couple), dialogues are brilliant; humorous and insightful at the same time. Music and BGM fits in beautifully, and so does the cinematography. A huge round of applause to all the new comers who have given us a movie that they loved creating so that we can love watching it!

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