** Moving to Samjosh.In **

Payanam (2011) [Tamil] – The much awaited movie from PrakashRaj’s production. His movies are generally acclaimed by the audience as good quality movies and are also considered as family entertainers. 

These type of movies should be encouraged in Tamil cinema. The movie is in par with  any Hollywood movie (of the same genre, at least in terms of quality). For Instance, the film is devoid of the usual commercial content a.k.a Masala; no duets or songs; and therefore no ‘running around the bushes’ and no ‘jumping-to-exotic-foreign-locations’ for songs.

However the movie does not bore or sag, even a bit. The whole ~140 minutes of the movie is racy and entertaining. The drama is amazingly believable / realistic, the cast is perfect and the emotions are well portrayed by the characters. Though the situation’s ought to be grim in a hijacked airplane, there are many lighter moments where the passengers provide a lot of humor and those have come out in a very natural way (Nothing looks artificial).

It is good to see Nagarjuna back in a Tamil movie after a long, long time.  Ratchagan (1997) is his previous Tamil movie. What amazes me here is.. he is still youthful, charming and energetic as we saw him in Idhayathai Thirudathey (or Geethanjali) his 1989 debutant Tamil movie!

He has played his role in this movie with great ease.. sporting stylish looks, delivers the dialogue casually and is very expressive (in looks and body language). Hope he does more Tamil films!

Kudos to PrakashRaj, RadhaMohan for giving such a nice family entertainer and that too in a low budget. In conclusion it’s a must-watch movie. And definitely worth adding to your collection, when it comes out in DVD.

-Samjosh

Is it just me or does everybody like Movies with a Masked Protagonist? I have seen a fairly good number of movies with the main characters wearing Masks, and all those movies are largely acclaimed by the critics. Some of them are legendary, classic!

The Mask (1994)

Jim Carrey’s The Mask needs no intro. The movie was so successful that there was a cartoon series made with the same title. It was a huge hit. This is a classic I can watch anytime and never get bored.

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

This action film again was much talked about. A stylish superhero with a mask over his eyes and a long black coat.. calling himself Zorro. Many south Indian films show their heroes wearing this Zorro costume for style. Although there are some moments in this movie that drags a bit, it is a very entertaining and enjoyable film.

The Legend of Zorro (2006)

Sequels are repetitions of a phenomena that was a huge success earlier. At that, sequels tend to get boring with the same dough being baked again and again. But this one is not bad for a sequel. This film is pretty much enjoyable too.

V for Vendetta (2006)

A great story of revenge by a masked character known only as ‘V’. The character never reveals his real face throughout the movie. Again very stylish. Not only Evey Hammond, but the viewers too loved this character.

The Son of the Mask (2005)

This is a highly underrated movie. I agree there is no Jim Carrey in this sequel and this can never be compared to the original movie. Still this movie has lots of funny moments. Especially the dog Otis wearing this Mask and living out its desires are very funny.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

A musical genius who has a half disfigured face and a cruel childhood, yearns for love in the form of Christine a young protégée in a French Opera house. Disguised in a mask, he terrorizes the Opera as the Phantom. This is one of the best Musical movies made.

If you think that I have missed some movie on this line, and you wish that should be part of this list, please mention it in the comments section. Again your positive comments on this post are welcome.

“We all wear Masks, metaphorically speaking..” (The Mask).

- Samjosh

Tangled – the 50th animated feature from Walt Disney® hit the theatres in India this weekend (21st Jan 2011) which is quite late for a film that was released in Nov 2010 in the USA.

This film has garnered positive reviews ever since its release with a high IMDB rating of 8.1 and has been nominated for two Golden Globes including Best Animated Feature.

The story is largely based on the German fairy tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm. Rapunzel is kidnapped by a witch Gothel as a child and is brought up in a isolated high tower. She’s been never out of the tower for 18 years. On the Eve of her 18th birthday she steps out of the tower for the first time to pursue her dreams. The rest of the story deals with the obstacles faced by Rapunzel and Flynn (her rescuer by-chance) and their adventures together. Does it have a happy ending? – As only celluloid can deliver!

“Tangled is damn cute and funny. Its awesome in 3D.”

I am not a fan of animated films, but I loved this one. This movie is very entertaining for adults, and the kids will absolutely go crazy for it!

One of the must-watch movies! Do not miss it in 3D while it is still in theatres.

–

Samjosh

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 2,700 times in 2010. That’s about 6 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 9 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 88 posts. There were 36 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 1mb. That’s about 3 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was November 21st with 38 views. The most popular post that day was HP7 (Part 1).

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were mobilestopic.com, twitter.com, swik.net, techpassion.wordpress.com, and americanchoppers.co.cc.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for best twitter client, best twitter clients, angadi theru review, connecting pc to internet through mobile, and robe of righteousness.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

HP7 (Part 1) November 2010

2

Best Twitter Client February 2010
2 comments

3

Connecting PC to Internet through GPRS June 2008
4 comments

4

Direct Web Remoting – A Tutorial May 2007
1 comment

5

Angadi Theru Review March 2010
2 comments

“This aint bad i believe..

Hope 2011 gives me lot of musings to blog on..

Thank you readers! Keep Visiting..

Special thanks to WordPress and their helper monkeys!

-Samjosh“

Wish you all a happy and blessed New Year 2011

May you be able to keep all your resolutions this 2011

உன்னை அதிசயங்களை காணப் பண்ணுவேன்

Samjosh

–There are NO SPOILERS in this article–

Its time for readers of Harry Potter to flock to the theatres again.. to see another HP movie.. the penultimate one from the HP movie franchise.

My friend who have not read Harry Potter exclaimed at the HP actors, “Are they still acting in these movies?, Its ten years and still…”.

However for fans of Potter it’s a little sad thing as they are coming close to the end of the series.

—

After I watched the movie today, I just felt one word and that’s – TERRIFIC!

This film exceeded my expectations in all ways.. This was less of a drama and more of a horror / thriller.

The sound effects were especially mind-blowing. You must watch the movie to experience it. Special effects were good as usual. This is the best of the series I liked since HP2.

Its good they split the last book into two parts.. That way they have followed the book closely, chapter by chapter.

In addition some fresh bits have been added to the movie (that which are not in the book) and those are very logical and perfectly synched with the screenplay.

The actors have grown up (obviously) and it irritates me when people call HP as a kid’s movie.. The plot thickens.. Potter, his friends and the magical world face a dire situation (Almost like a world war for them). Hence there is more violence in the movie and it is justified.

While the MPAA has rated the film as PG-13, India’s CBFC has given a ‘A’ rating for the intense violence portrayed in the film (There is nothing very gory but some frightening images and intense action violence). There were lots of kids (under 10) among the audience when I watched. Don’t know how they took it. So viewer discretion is advised.

And there were some viewers who had not read the books and just came to the movie. I came to know that they did not understand anything on what’s going on in the movie.

The movie started with Harry leaving the Dursleys for good and ended  where Voldemort gets the elder wand from the tomb of Dumbledore. It was a riveting watch, never boring and when the movie ended I was asking for more..

This movie is definitely worth watching more than once. I give four and a half stars out of five!

samjosh

What can I tell

about Enthiran…?

mmm…

 

Enthiran is…

excitement… entertainment…

huge… fresh… dream…

magic… organic…

experience… unforgettable…

——–

Update 9/Oct/10:

I am amazed at the number of messages (both direct and hidden) in the film…

Warning: SPOILER *****************************************************************************

* சிட்டி:  எல்லா மனுஷங்களும் இந்த ‘red chip’ மாதிரி, பகை பொறாமை-ன்னு பல கெட்ட விஷயங்களை மாட்டிக்கிட்டு அலையுறாங்க… நல்ல வேளை நான் மனிதனா பிறக்கலை.. நினைச்சன கழட்டி வெச்சுர முடியாது பாருங்க?

*சிட்டி to Dr.வசீ: நான் என்ன தப்பு செஞ்சேன்?

Dr.வசீ to சிட்டி:  உன்னை படைச்சதே தப்பு!

(கோபத்தில் சிட்டியை அழிப்பதும், பின் முட்டிப்போட்டு வேதனைப்படுவதும் உருக்கமானது)

சில நாட்கள் கழித்து சனாவிடம்: நான் சிட்டியை ஒரு machine ஆகவே நினைக்கலை…

* Audience to சிட்டி: கடவுள் இருக்காரா?

சிட்டி: என்னை படைச்சது வசீகரன் சார். அவர் தான் எனக்கு கடவுள்…  கடவுள் நிச்சயம் இருக்கார்..

* சிட்டி to Dr.வசீ :  என்னை உருவாக்கின creator நீங்க. நான் உங்களுக்கே எவ்வளவோ கஷ்டத்த கொடுத்துட்டேன்.. என்னை மன்னிச்சிருங்க!

  Dr.வசீ to சிட்டி:  தப்பு உன் மேலே மட்டும் இல்லை சிட்டி… நீ தப்பு பண்ணக் கத்துக்கிட்டதே மனுஷங்ககிட்ட இருந்துதானே?!

*சிட்டி to போஹ்ரா: இயந்திரம் மனுஷியை love பண்ணக்கூடாதுன்னு rules இருக்கு. அது இயற்கைக்கு முரனாச்சே!

போஹ்ரா to சிட்டி: இல்லை, இது இயற்க்கைக்கு புதுசு, அவ்வுளவுதான்!

சிட்டி to போஹ்ரா: சனா தான் என்னை love பண்ணலியே..?

போஹ்ரா to சிட்டி: அவ மனசு மாறி உன்னை love பண்ண chance இருக்கு!

சிட்டி to போஹ்ரா: நீங்க என்னை pollute பண்ண பார்க்குறீங்க!

போஹ்ரா to சிட்டி: உன்னோட value உனக்கு தெரியல.. வசீ உனக்கு என்ன செஞ்சாரு? அவரு சந்தோசமா சனாவோட வாழ்க்கை நடத்துவாரு.. நீ மிலிட்டரியில் தனியா டும் டும்ன்னு சுட்டுக்கிட்டு இருப்ப!

Dr.வசீ to சிட்டி: நீ யாரோட பேசிக்கிட்டிருக்க?

சிட்டி to Dr.வசீ: (after a brief pause) யாருமில்ல, நான் என்னோட தான் பேசிக்கிட்டு இருக்கேன்!

*சனா to சிட்டி: கண்டுபிடிச்சா மூணு வருஷம் பரீட்சை எழுத முடியாது… அதான் நான் உன்னை தெரியாதுன்னு பொய் சொன்னேன்.. sorry…

சிட்டி to சனா: அது சரி… மனுஷன் தன்னை காப்பாத்திக்கிட பொய் சொல்லுவான்னு கத்துக்கிட்டேன்!

சனா to சிட்டி: (thinks) கரெக்ட் தான்!

* சிட்டி to Dr.வசீ :  அப்போ, எனக்கு ஏன் உணர்ச்சியை கொடுத்தீங்க?

Dr.வசீ to சிட்டி: உனக்கு அறிவு ஒரு பாடமாகத்தான் புகுத்தப்பட்டிருக்கு.. அதை misuse பண்றதுக்கு இல்ல!

*சிட்டி 2.0 to சனா: நீ பொய் சொல்லுறேன்னு உன் body language-ஏ சொல்லுது. எனக்கு பொய் சொல்லக் கத்துக் கொடுத்ததே நீதானே!

*சனா to சிட்டி: மனுஷங்களுக்கு தான் நினைவுகளை அழிக்கிறது கஷ்டம்… நீ machine தானே.. Easyயா ஒரு நிமிஷத்தில அழிச்சுரலாம்.. என்னை பத்திய நினைவுகளையெல்லாம் உன் memoryல இருந்து அழிச்சிரு!

*சிட்டி to சந்தானம் and கருணாஸ்: உங்களுக்குகிட்ட இருந்த ஒன்னு என்கிட்ட வந்ததாலே எவ்வுளவு பிரச்சனை பார்த்தீங்களா? (நான் feelings-ஐ சொன்னேன்)

*சிட்டி: காதல் வந்ததும் இந்த nutம் loose ஆயிருச்சு!

*லதா to சிட்டி: நான் குழந்தைக்கு உன் பேரைத்தான் வெச்சிருக்கேன்!

சிட்டி: (அம்மாவை பார்த்தபடி) அது அம்மா வெச்ச பேரு தானே!

*பள்ளிச்சிறுமி: ஏன் இந்த ரோபோவை dismantle பண்ணினாங்க?

சிட்டி: நான் சிந்திக்க ஆரம்பிச்சிட்டேன்.. அதனால!

********************************************************************* End of SPOILER

Thanks to Shankar & Sujatha for such quality messages, and to Rajini for acting it smartly!

samjosh.

Wall Street.

While the original film revolved around Wall Street and the financial market, this film seemed to be more centered on the ‘Gordon Gekko’ character rather than Wall Street itself.

Michael Douglas steals the show anyways.. Very great performance in his 60’s. More impressive was the script and dialogues. I don’t know who wrote it but there are many amazing one-liners and quotes in the movie.

I dint like the Bretton James character. Shia LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan have done a fairly good job. 

Other than Douglas there is nothing awe-inspiring about the movie. If you remember the original story was gripping from the start to the end. The originals had a lot more that the sequel did not have. We had the wonderful Marvin in the original and the young traders/stock brokers were much spirited. Here in the sequel it’s a group of oldies talking seriously and there is no humour or a jolly moment in the movie.

There is a brief moment where Charlie Sheen makes an appearance as Bud Fox and that’s one of the highlights of the movie that evoked much cheer and applause among the audience. Many remembered the famous quote – Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel… It was a Déjà Vu moment.

Coming to content, there is the usual ‘Strong Language’ stuff as it is very common in Michael Douglas starrers. In fact, in one of the very first dialogues for Douglas in this movie has the four-letter word. However they  have reduced the graphical vulgarity compared to the original, which is good.

Many of the important scenes are revealed in the trailer itself. The trailer is not a good teaser frankly I don’t want to reveal the story or plot here.. Go watch the movie and enjoy. It does not disappoint. Sequels are usually boring as the emphasize and repeat the popular moments from the original. But this one is much much better for a sequel. It was truly entertaining. (May be because the gap is huge.. 23 years!!). I loved watching it.

Watched it with English Subs in the theatre, which is not usual. Thanks to PVR Chennai for screening with the subs.

samjosh

P.S. You must watch the original 1987 Wall Street if you haven’t, before watching this one. Otherwise you would not enjoy the movie as much.

TRIVIA : The title comes from the following moment in the original: After Bud Fox gives the first Insider information to Gekko, Gekko is happy and he calls Bud early one morning (around 4-30 am) and says ‘This is the wake-up call for you sport, money never sleeps…’ etc (When he walking on a beach watching a sunrise).

Parithi (Arya) is a young, daring and brave man living in washermanpet. (The cold stare and strong physique of Arya suits well for this character).

Amy is introduced first as a old woman in her eighties reminiscencing her past adventure and romance with a young Indian. (very similar to Titanic)!!

Through her eyes we see the flashback… We are transported to Madras in 1947… Like Rose in Titanic, Amy Wilkinson (Amy Jackson) lands up in India and on her way to the Governor’s residence,  she meets the young and strong Parithi. She is later so impressed with his bravery when he stands with chests high and unmoving before the British Commissioner of Police while all other men flees from the place.

She takes an liking for him instantly; while the Commissioner of Police loathes him and beats him up. Parithi is saved from killing by Amy’s intervention. Parithi on realizing the favour Amy did for him, wants to thank her desperately. Language comes as a great barrier for their communication. With great difficulty, he manages to convey his thanks to her.

This breaks the ice, and from then the duo start meeting each other often. Parithi starts learning English (language) for her. When he is sitting in a boat with her trying to show her the English sentences he had learnt, she stuns him by speaking Tamil! Apparently she had been learning Tamil to be able to communicate with him. Those scenes are lovely to watch!!

Later she falls in love with Parithi. Her father and her stepmother opposes this strongly and wants her to marry the British Commissioner of Police for Madras. This guy reminds me of Matt Letscher (Capt. Harrison Love character) from the Mask of Zorro. So he becomes the villain to their love and especially to Parithi ever since he opposed the Governor’s golf-course project.

The night before India gets freedom, this couple is found running for their lives! Due to the circumstances that arises then, Amy had to leave Parithi and go alone to London.

She calls it “her fate” when she is questioned on why she did not come back to India until its too late (in her eighties).  She also calls it her “unfinished business”, to meet Parithi and return the Mangalsutra that he had given her.

Did she find Parithi ? Well, at least I should leave that for you to watch it on screen.

To the review…

Amy Jackson is so cute and lovely and has done some brilliant acting too. Unlike some north-Indian actresses who have trouble speaking Tamil (lip-sync), she is able to deliver the lines very well.

She sings a song in English (like Celine Dion in The Titanic) for a moment, and in another moment she is seen singing a Tamil song beautifully! Considering this is her first movie and that too in a foreign language film, she deserves greater applause! She is definitely one of the reasons, you should watch this movie!

Arya, as I said is well chosen for the role. I cannot imagine any other Tamil actor who would have done that role better!

Late Cochin Haneefa, adds up to the humour quotient of the movie. Claiming himself to know six languages and being a Translator in service of the Governor, his antics are thoroughly enjoyable!

The cinematography and screenplay is very good. The non linear story telling (switching between old Madras and present Madras back and forth) has been done meticulously. Kudos to the director (Vijai)!

Coming to music, I had not listened to the songs previously. But one or two songs were good, though I don’t remember the lines now (In fact, I remember Vaama Duraiamma which was good in music and in picturisation). Overall, the music and background score were good. GV Prakash does not disappoint nowadays

The first half was enchanting but the pace reduced during the second half of the movie. Repeated and prolonged ‘chase’ sequences were the cause. The movie was a bit of dragging towards the end.

Another flaw in the story is that how Parithi could have established so many organisations (schools, hospitals, orphanages etc) without education and without any money in hand. Even if it is forty years, it is impossible to own such things (For a moment I thought, I was watching Sivaji the Boss )!!

But for these minor flaws, the movie was excellent and brilliant!

In 2010, I faced a movie-starvation with no good Tamil movie being released. This is the first good Tamil movie that I liked in 2010 (liked Naanayam, though I did not see that in Theatre). Would love to add this movie to my DVD collection once it is released.

So, Strongly recommended for a watch! However I heard critics say that the movie in the first half, closely followed the 2001 Hindi film, Lagaan. I haven’t watched it, so I don’t have the trouble of comparing which one was better

If you go without much expectation and the comparing-with-other-films thing, you would definitely love this movie!!

Samjosh

P.S. This movie is timely, as I would be shortly moving to Chennai, after 5 years of stay in Bangalore Madharasapattinam, Here I Come!