Short Takes – Monsters, Virus, Kavaludaari, Uriyadi 2

Virus – From Mollywood, a highly engaging and moving film, based on incidents around Nipah virus. Similar to HBO series Chernobyl, story focuses on how doctors, nurses, Collector, health minister, rise to the occasion to control the spread of virus taking risks. While the movie progresses like a procedural investigation, the director does a brilliant job of giving us back stories of few characters, their personal struggles, that makes us

 

Fast Cuts – I am Mother, and Kumbalangi Nights

I am Mother – post apocalypse, continuation of humanity is in the hands of a robot. Movie setups the premise very nicely where we get to see a shielded shelter managed by a robot. Out of the embryos, one embryo gets picked by the robot to restart the humanity. Baby girl grows up to be an adult, named only as daughter. A robotic mother concept is used effectively to explore

 

When They See Us – Horrors of Injustice

Official Trailer: When They See Us Netflix series explores the human side of wrong conviction by justice system, suffering through jail term, not able to get a job and have a life after the release, and how the stigma continues to haunt them. Series is based on famous Central Park Five event that rocked USA in 1989. While the event happened in US, functioning of justice system, and social prejudices

 

Chernobyl – the Cost of Lies, Deception, and Suppression of Dissent

Official Trailer: What is the cost of lies is the central question Chernobyl asks in HBO miniseries (5 episodes). What sets this series apart is that it keeps the narration to human-centric, how the scientists, firemen, miners, soldiers, and physicians sacrificed their life, not all of them knew what they are getting in to, to contain the damage and saved lives. Director does show and nail how the political establishment

 

Fast Cuts – Lucifer and Intimate Strangers

Lucifer – movie starts with a promise and premise but loses steam as it progresses. Movie takes the time to introduce the characters, few characters are well etched, like Bobby, but most of the characters don’t realize their potential. Focus seems to be on style than substance. Mohanlal has a role which he could do in his sleep. Most of the movie he walks in slo-mo, we get repeated shots

 

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

 

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

 

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,