Arabiyum Ottakkavum P.Madhavan Nairum - Not the ideal swan song

Cross-posting my FK review. For more comments and discussions, visit FK.

Theatre: Innovative Multiplex
Show: 19-Dec-2011, 10 PM
Status: 25-30%

An insipid effort from Priyan for a movie touted to be his last comedy film in Malayalam. AOPMN shows the skill of Priyan as a Director. Out of nothingness, he created a tolerable movie with a few laughs along the way. Some of them felt natural, while some of them felt forced. Not the kind of stuff that we expect after a long hiatus from a celebrated film maker.

Script is stitched together from a couple (or more!) Hollywood flicks and scenes from old Priyan movies. Priyan could have chosen a much better script for his return. Had the movie been directed by someone else (and the dialogues) and did not have Mohanlal and Mukesh in it, we could have safely added this to the crap list. Dialogues are quite witty at places and evokes a chuckle or two.

Mohanlal did well as Madhavan Nair. Nice expressions and voice modulation. I would say his character was underwritten and not worthy enough for someone of his caliber. His range remained un-utilised for most part. The romance sequences with Laxmi Rai where cringe-worthy. He looked the part of a near forty year old (the movie says PMN came to gulf 13 years back. I want to assume he came when he was 26/27), but the romance scenes where not fit for someone of his age. Really hope we don't get more of these dished out. The same holds true for the other M as well. Mukesh was good and had a more rounded character. The chemistry between Lal and Mukesh was really good and is a major factor in making the movie rise above itself. Bhavana was good and Lakshmi Rai was her usual dummy self. It was sad to see Mamukkoya, Innocent and co wasted away. Suraj was decent and did not do much harm.

Camera work is good at places, especially the desert sequences are a treat to the eye. Editing is a bit shoddy. I liked the remixed Good, Bad, Ugly BGM. Otherwise, the BGM is a little under par with criminal under use in many places.

All in all, the movie is a disappointing fare and strictly middling. I hope that team that gave so many wonderful films go out on a bang with a good movie backed by a good script than a whimper that is AOPMN.

TL;DR: AOPMN is an average movie that you can watch, just for a few laughs and the magical chemistry between Mohanlal and Mukesh.

Rating: Average

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - Kickass action all the way

Theatre: Prasad IMAX, Hyderabad
Show: 17-Dec-2011, 6 PM
Status: Housefull

I saw the movie in IMAX format (30 minutes shot for IMAX) and it was breathtaking. One of the most surreal moments in a movie theatre I have ever witnessed was the Burj Khalifa sequence in the movie. I felt as if I am hanging from the building and nearly had a vertigo. The movie is filled with such visceral sequences both pleasing to the eye and raises the pulse.

Story starts when IMF breaks Hunt out of a Russian prison. Hunt accepts his first mission post jail-break and all hell breaks lose. The US President invokes the Ghost Protocol, which essentially defangs Hunt and his team. Rest of the movie captures how Hunt and his team saves the world from the apocalypse while kicking ass across countries.

Tom Cruise eases back into the role of Ethan Hunt as if the last MI (I haven't bothered to watch 3, so I am talking about 2 here) was yesterday. The looks, charisma, and physique remain the same. Jeremy Renner also did well as Hunt's sidekick. I was a little disappointed that he didn't get more screen space that he truly deserves. Other actors fit into the jigsaw perfectly. Anil Kapoor had a decent cameo, but I was expecting a bit more of him.

Script is well written and tight enough for a blockbuster action movie. The pacing is excellent and the movie leaves you craving for more action. The last MI film I watched certainly didn't leave me with that feeling. Direction is top notch. The Burj Khalifa sequence is probably one of the best shots I have seen in a very long time. Couple of goofups though. The Mumbai cars had "MH" at the end of their number. In the climax scenes (supposedly in Mumbai), some of the doors have Kannada or Telugu written on them instead of Hindi. Cinematography is brilliant aided by a wonderful VFX team. You could feel and smell the outlandish action sequences. They felt that real. Sound editing was good and BGM followed the usual MI path.

Watching a no-nonsense action flick is getting rarer these days and MI gives us exactly that.

TL;DR: MI: Ghost Protocol is essentially a big screen watch. Watch and blow your minds off.

Rating: Terrific!

Beautiful - The title sums it up!

Cross-posting my FK review. Visit FK for more discussions.

Theatre: Innovative Multiplex
Show: 8 PM, 11-Dec-2011
Status: Nearly a full house.

This year has been a good year for our cinema. A handful of good flicks a class apart from the usual fare dished out by our filmmakers over the last few years. Beautiful ends the year on a really high note just like what Traffic did in the beginning of this year.

Beautiful can be summed up as a writers movie. Anoop Menon has a done a great job in the screenplay and more importantly, the dialogues. Refreshing and natural are the two words that come into my mind. The language spoken by an average, educated Malayali. The kind of conversations that I would have with a friend. The kind of jokes that we would crack in our midst. Special props for the Aishwarya Rai sequence. We used to play the same prank on our friends in a more sadistic manner. He could have done better towards the end as the flow seems to disrupt a bit. But you can take nothing away from the man. Full marks for his penmanship. Love the way he puts in Mohanlal references in his scripts (Cocktail and now this). I hope we get a movie with Lal written by Anoop Menon on a subject several notches lighter than Pakalnakshathrangal.

VKP has often given us exciting frames but not a good movie as a whole. This is definitely his best work. Rain scenes were sheer poetry.

Jayasuriya has done well as Stephen. A great performance from probably the most improved actor of this generation. Anoop Menon was good and Meghna looked delectable. Nandu provided with good laughs and other cast members did justice to their roles.

Beautiful shows that a movie shot and released in a limited a span of time at an extremely low budget can probably be one of the best in terms of aesthetics and entertainment.

Do yourself a favour and go watch the movie at the theatre. Else you miss out one of the best films this year and lose your license to lament about the lack of quality films in Malayalam.

TL;DR: Beautiful is a beautiful film with enough smiles and laughs to entertain you for several days.

Rating: Brilliant

Puss in Boots - Puss passes with a good grade

Cross-posting my FK review. Visit FK for more discussions.

Theatre: Rex, Bangalore
Show: 10:55 AM, 4-Dec-2011
Status: 10-15 people in stall

I found Puss in Boots to be the most endearing character in the Shrek universe apart from the original cast. A big factor would be Antonio Banderas and the fact that the character is cute, tabby cat. Puss in Boots looks into the life and times of the kittie outside the Shrek univerese. The origin of the Puss and his boots and of course his adventures.

The movie is shouldered by Antonio Banderas and to be frank his remarkable and earnest voicing as Puss practically saves the movie from mediocrity. He excels as the suave "swordscat". The animation is top class and follows the artwork from the Shrek universe. There are a couple of beautiful moments in the film like hitching up the beanstalk (from Jack and Jill) and the dance fight between Puss and Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek).

The story is pretty mediocre to be frank and follows the typical Hollywood animation formula. What makes the movie pleasing is the motley crew of characters like Jack and Jill, Golden Goose, and Humpty Dumpty! The script is stitched to fit the regular convention and the BGM is good.

In hindsight, I was expecting Puss in Boots to have a little more meat. Still its a pretty good watch.

TL;DR: Puss in Boots is a good timepass, especially for those who like the twisted fairy tale characters ala Shrek.

Rating: Good