Prisoners

Dark, Depressing and Disturbing, Oh! yes, but Delectable Cinema.

While Melancholy is a state in which Alejandero Inarritu rejoices, Denis Villeneuve is comfortable in looking deep into the disturbing reality with consummate ease.

My first introduction to Denis Villeneuve is through Incendies,a French film, made in Canada, which was nominated for the best Film in foreign film category. A masterfully crafted film with a suspense which will shock anybody. A heart wrenching film. Highly recommended for all the film lovers who have a certain patience a nd strictly for the discerning and strong hearted!!!

When you see a movie like Incendies, watching his next work, is not a matter for choice.

While the scope for this film presents it with a limited canvas, Denis goes about his task building the plot and the tension for nearly 90 minutes before cutting loose. Who are the prisoner's? 

The World has become dark, deadly and UGLY. Just cannot wait till 11th October, to see how Anurag Ji, paints the picture of how Ugly the world has become, which seems to revisit the theme of Kidnapping in Prisoners.

Oh! God, Certainly there seems to be light for cinema!!!.

Onaiyum Aatukuttiyum - ஓநாயும் ஆட்டுக்குட்டியும், Tamil Film

Roughly translates into The Wolf and the Lamb!!

After a disappointing Mugamoodi, the prodigiously talented Myskkin, sets the tone of the movie with the roar of lion, propels you to the edge of the seat, dextrously manages to weave the taut narrative with intensely brooding characters, long spaces of silence, the magical mixture of Ilayaraja's music and his trademark lament about the insensitivity around.

The narrative fluidity helps masks the flaws. A thumb rule for the fugitive on the run movies is that the fugitive manages to be just one step head of the guys who are trying to get hold of him. Neither the bad guys or the good guys here seem to have any specific plan to zero in. They just seem to be moving around in Brownian motion all round. 

I hope Mysskin revisits his own Anjathey and works towards a better climax. With so much of craft in hand, he has the necessary intelligence to do away with violence and also his fixation with knives!!!!.

The Lunchbox, the movie

Man's elusive search for happiness amidst the vicissitude(s?) of life, has been evocatively captured, sending the viewer both into introspection and raptures.

Real People, in real trouble, seemingly helpless situations, battling perceptions and baggage. My dear friend, trouble, Hope, Humour and empathy still is amply present with us. It is within striking distance for us to exercise it.

As your you get tossed around the letters, and get introduced into the reflection of our own lives, there are so many poignant moments, that need to be savoured and only mutliple viewings alone can enable that.

A rare gem of Indian Cinema.

Recommended highly for the discerning.

Moodar Koodam (Tamil Movie) , Fools Gathering

Oozes with Creativity

Moodar Koodam, heralds yet another new director, Naveen, in Tamil Cinema, who once again reiterates that good cinema needs no stars. Natarajan Shankaran, the debutant Music director is just as exciting as the director himself.

One of the greatest contributions of MGR, are his timeless "Thathuva Padalkal" (philosophical songs). The reach of those songs have been extraordinary and they have stood the test of times. That has been the power of medium.

In a mad mad mad mad world, where the herd reigns supreme, comes a young man wanting to pause and reflect on the IMportance of the journey.

The director packs the movie with zany characters and hilarious situations and drives home the message.

Using the Silent movie in black and white to narrate Jayaprakash's flashback, the cartoon song to narrate one of the fool's story and inegeniously plugging the haunting Yesudas song from Bommai in the climax, I fervently hope and pray, Naveen, these are just glimpses of Genius. As a lover of good cinema, I hope these are only a tip of the iceberg