Cinema, Culture & More
What actually works against Afsal Abdul Latheef’s ‘Pathrosinte Padappukal’ is its quirky trailer that had scaled up the expectations regarding the film to the skies. But on screen, the film hardly lives up to the hype, and turns out to be a prolonged series of jokes and one liners – some of which work, and some of which don’t – sans a solid tale to sprinkle them in.
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‘Oruthee’ is not just a didactic tale of a victory over adversity, but rather an evocative and emotional journey of a woman who like thousands of others like her in the real world, steers steadfastly across hardships, uncertainty, emptiness and despair. It is an intricate theme that taps into a universally human condition and which even transcends across nation, gender and race.
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‘Lalitham Sundaram’ will perhaps not speak so much for the directorial skills of Madhu Warrier, or for the writing skills of Pramod Mohan. And with the script out to pasture, the brilliant cast can sadly do little to make up for all the patchiness on show.
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‘Salute’ is an unconventional shot at noir that is far from successful. This is a crime saga that is served real cold, and the procedural story line offers very little to the expectant viewer apart from loads of tedium and hints at some excitement that never arrives.
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At its start, ‘Pada’ does purport to be a story of the four men at the centre of action, but eventually widens up until it reveals itself to be an exemplary treatise on the displaced tribal populations across the world, who have fought injustice for years and continue to do so. As such, it is a much valued cinematic piece that advocates for a deeper consideration on our part and prompts us to come up with our own versions of the truth.
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‘Night Drive’ sticks to a routine format and follows a wan path that leads nowhere. With a wobbly screenplay that lacks suspense and surprise, this is a Roshan Mathew film that I’m in a hurry to forget.
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Amal Neerad’s ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ is an epic opera mounted on a gargantuan canvas that talks of bonds and betrayals and reeks of blood. With sprawling subject matter that rightly captures the ambition of its writers, ‘Bheeshma Parvam’ is a delightful ode to some of the best mobster cinematic works to have come out this side of the world.
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‘Naaradan’ succumbs to the blurred and hazy screenplay and suffers from a lack of depth in writing. Even with invigorated performances and top-notch production values, Abu’s film appears strangely superficial and severely lacks the searing impact that you crave from it.
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‘Kaaval’ might find great favor among Suresh Gopi’s fanbase, but might lack the knockout punch for the rest. I for one, at this point, would love to watch Gopi experimenting with roles that demand the unexplored actor in him, rather than attempt a re-run of flicks that we have animatedly watched him in and applauded for, years back.
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Jibu Jacob’s film had almost everything going for it, including some real terrific actors and a staunch technical team. And if it still fails to resonate with the viewers, it only has its severely predictable, mawkish story to blame.
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This is a remarkable directorial debut from Chidambaram that absolutely justifies its running time. Nurturing all kinds of delicate emotions and topping them all with some whimsical humour, ‘Janeman’ is an insightfully directed modern fable that totally wins us over with its astute writing, quaint setting, delightful narration and above all, real grounded performances.
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