Super Deluxe – A Director’s cut that is a wholesome cinematic experience

[SPOILERS AHEAD…] Official Trailer: First things first, this kind of movie is a first for Kollywood. Last few years we have got new crop of promising directors like Manikandan, Lenin Bharathi, Karthik Subbaraj, Mysskin, Prem Kumar, Maari Selvaraj, Vijay Kumar, Nalan K, Lokesh (and few more) who have brought in new blood to Kollywood with their interesting stories and narrative style. Thiagarajan Kumararaja (TK) has raised the bar with his

 

Musings – Jacinda Ardern, Sapiens

Listening to the news last 10+ days, I am of the opinion that we should add Jacinda Ardern to our PM choice list 😄 Jacinda Ardern’s response post Christchurch killings came as a ray of hope when the rest of the world political leadership is crumbling. What we usually hear from our political leadership, including ours, post an attack similar to this, is one of war rhetoric. We will hunt

 

Run up to Election 2019 – Answering the Wrong Question

Part 1              Part 2 Seven phase election expected to kick start April 11. Most to all will be engaged in heated discussions, whom to vote, which party, why or why not, and how to vote. Depending on who you are or who you are talking to invariably discussion comes to the critical juncture with the question, who will you choose between Modi Vs Rahul? Huh!! If it had been TN

 

Run up to election – Voiceless Majority

Part 1 Part 3 I caught your attention with the controversial title, didn’t I 🙂? Dropping the words majority or minority in any gathering is enough to get the conversation heated up. No, I am not using the word majority or minority the way you are thinking. Here the context is with respect to our election outcome. Going by popular vote share most of the time we end up with

 

Fast Cuts – Nathicharami and Thimiru Pudichavan

Thimiru Pudichavan – a good time pass pulp masala movie where the director has a good handle on the genre and surprises the audience with an interesting take in few crucial scenes. This makes the movie work unlike movies like Tirupachi, Arul, or Tirupathi. Biriyani scene, encounter between Meesai Padma and Murugavel at the 5-star hotel, interaction between Murugavel and a father at the station with crow-water-stone story, worked so

 

Short Takes – Thadam – a satisfying thriller

Official Trailer: Exiting the movie hall, you get the feel of having watched an engaging, satisfying thriller. You have nothing but appreciation for the director, Magizh Thirumeni. This is a director’s movie, and things fall in place with all others contributing to director’s vision. He does takes time to setup the premise, but post that director makes sure we play catch up with the him. Thrill of watching who-done-it thrillers

 

Run up to Election 2019 – Tamilnadu and the Twin Towers of Periyar and Ambedkar

                                    Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Part 2         Part 3 Election fever picking up with Parliament elections around the corner. Stakes are high for both BJP and Congress, the two big national parties. Last year, 2018, Assembly elections have shown a power shift at State’s level, BJP lost power in few states, Congress did do well compared to previous election but they just scraped through with few additional

 

Sarvam Taala Mayam – can beats break the barrier?

Official Trailer: Director follows the sports template, how an underdog breaks into the chosen field working against the odds with the help of a coach. Here we have an aspiring youth, Peter Johnson, from a family of mridangam makers, who wants to become a mridangam artist. Peter is not aware of the caste barriers; how Carnatic music has been dominated by Brahmins and other castes are not easily allowed in,

 

Peranbu – a poignant story beautifully narrated

[SPOILERS AHEAD…] Official trailer: In Peranbu, we follow the coming of age of Amudhavan, father of spastic daughter, how he relearns the environment and world around him as he connects with his daughter. We get a peek into few incidents of Amudhavan’s life as chapters. I have nothing but great appreciation for Director Ram, for his vision, diving deep on the issue, boldness, and sensitive handling. When is the last