Ivan Veera Mathiri review by NowRunning!

Usually, the rise of a common man against evil always results in violence and the immediate formation of an overnight leader. But our common man, played by Vikram Prabhu, is well read, comes from a decent middle class family, is currently job hunting and prefers to use brains over brawn when he has to handle a situation.

This common man is aware of the repercussions he might have to face for his actions and therefore always operates alone and in disguise. This is the story of an intelligent common man, someone you seldom see in society but are aware of his existence.

Ivan Veramathiri Pictures   27 Pictures

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A barbaric act in a law college provoked by a local minister makes headlines which catch the attention of our hero, Guna, who at first hardly pays any attention and instead laughs at the comments posted on the video from the incident on his friend's Facebook wall.

Guna is constantly reminded of the incident over the next few days, forcing him to do the unthinkable, and results in the inevitable. He kidnaps the local minister's brother, Eeswaran, who has come out on parole and instigates the opposition party to accuse the minister of hiding his own brother. Following the disappearance of his brother, the minister is forced to resign and is arrested.

Having succeeded in putting the minister behind bars, Guna lets go of Eeswaran who sets out to seek revenge.

We have seen several stories of the common man turning into a hero and a leader in Tamil cinema, but this film, although confining itself to commercialism, tries something different. "Ivan Vera Mathiri" literally translates into "He is Different", and the film indeed is different. Sadly however, not to a great degree. As initially pointed out, it's intelligent but also has instances that make it look dumb.

The entire episode of Guna taking Eeswaran captive is intelligently executed, is engaging and makes you almost empathise with the latter's predicament. It's another story of good versus evil that's spared the cliched treatment but somewhere towards the end it gets sabotaged by a disturbing climax, especially scenes featuring Surabhi being kicked in the face and gut.

I wish the climax wasn't handled so recklessly.

Director Sarvanan uses some key characters aptly to push our protagonist to rise to the occasion following the incident in the opening scene. But what I fail to understand is how can just another average common man turn out to be a good fighter who could pull off some extremely dangerous stunt sequences with ease.

Here, the film's stunt choreographer Raja Sekhar deserves a special mention. The stunt atop an incomplete building definitely stands out and some road chasesequences also draw equal attention. The fights draw more attention than the music and acting put together while the cinematography at some junctures is good.

I don't know if Vikram Prabhu was forced to use the same expression from start to finish but his acting didn't quite convince. It's alright if it was done deliberately but if not, then I suggest he start working on his expressions because he hardly displays any variations in his performance. Vamsi Krishna as the baddie is aggressive and acts well while debutant Surabhi can be impressive with some guidance.

Ganesh's cameo is powerful but he has more talking than action in the role of a cop. I still don't understand why cops always have to yap about being good citizens? It's so cliched and yet our filmmakers fancy that idea.

"Ivan Vera Mathiri" is a fairly different tale of a common man.

Rating:***
http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/12699/tamil/ivan-veramathiri/4499/review.htm

Drishyam Review From NowRunning!

With 'Drishyam', Jeethu Joseph emerges as a proficient film maker who skillfully blends words with visuals to craft a chillingly thrilling portrait of a man's struggle to prevent his much adored family from falling apart. Jeethu attempts a stunning mix of the real with the imaginary, and the result is an unpredictable cinematic artichoke that takes you by surprise at every turn. 

Georgekutty (Mohanlal) runs a cable TV business in a sleepy village called Rajakkad, that lies a few miles away from Thodupuzha. His dreams are minimal, and he is all content with the blissful family that he has been blessed with. His wife Rani (Meena) and his daughters Anju (Ansiba) and Anu (Esther), make fun of his tight fisted ways, and Georgekutty often willingly relents to their modest demands. When Varun (Roshan) walks in abruptly into their lives, the four of them and their togetherness are put to extreme test, in terrifying ways they have experienced never before.

Drishyam Pictures   93 Pictures

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Jeethu Joseph lets the tale stay on a steady, slow simmer, before raising the flame and letting it on to a high boil. For one, the core thought is terrific, and there is something riveting about the purposeful recreation of a life scene. Questions as to how much believable things that we see and hear around us are, arise, and all on a sudden they seem as incredible as the scenes that you watch on screen. 

The psychological cat-and-mouse game that ensues between Georgekutty and the lady IPS officer Geetha Prabhakaran (Asha Sarath) has several moments that thriller buffs will dig into with delight. What is appreciable however is the adversary's acceptance of defeat, and the eventual respect that the two develop for each other.

The film's single most resonant image of a terrified Anu in the interrogation room, her eyes all aghast at the sheer horror that she is witness to, will remain with us for long. A few scenes later, as she rushes into Georgekutty's open arms, she asks if she had let them down. Hugging her close to his chest, Georgekutty assures the child that she never did.

There are these jolts that are delivered now and then, and in no time you realize that the movie has stealthily slipped under your skin. Ah, and then the final scene sashays in, and it's a whopper without doubt; perhaps the very best climax that I have seen this year!

'Dirshyam' could very well boast of Mohanlal's best performance in recent times, and the actor seems to be at remarkable ease playing the affable man, who would stop at nothing until he sees that his family is safe. Meena is back, and how, and she delivers a bravura performance, along with the two young girls Ansiba and Esther who are sheer bundles of talent. A very special word of appreciation is due to Kalabhavan Shajon as well, who breaks away from the conventional comic mould that we had got used to seeing him in. 

Sujith Vasudev makes sure that the visuals are indeed deceiving and the camera moves in, out and around stuffy rooms, liberally hurling revelations at us, one after the other. The musical score by Anil Johnson and Vinu Thomas have a refreshingly delightful tenor to them that deserve an applause for certain. 

'Drishyam' is a stellar spectacle that prompts an animated watch, without even as much as a blinking of an eye. I wouldn't be surprised if you eat away your nails while watching this highly unsettling and yet gripping film, that is a celebration of the power of exceptional storytelling.

Rating:***
http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/13828/malayalam/drishyam/4502/review.htm

Nadan Review From Nowrunning!

Rating:**1/2

After the much impressive 'Celluloid', it's on a rutted ride down a hilly slope that Kamal takes us on, in 'Nadan'. It's not just the ride that tires you to bits, but the sights and spectacles that pass by have a recognizable feel that brings about tedium in no time. 

Devadas (Jayaram) is an accomplished actor from the theatre, who has seen better days. He helms the theatre group called Sargavedi, and basks in a rich tradition that has been shaped by his predecessors. By the late 90's, he's on the verge ofbankruptcy, is jobless, has ruined his familial life beyond repair and is all set to go insane. 

Nadan Pictures   54 Pictures

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'Nadan' narrates the decline of an art form that has almost submissively, given way to more assertive forms ofentertainment as the mimics show and the cinematic dance. It also attempts to trace the lives of a few hapless individuals who over the years, had lost the ability to distinguish between life and theatre, with both having blended into one. 

There is a shift in focus from the professional life of the actor on to his personal life, and when Jyothi (Remya Nambeesan) walks in as the new lead actress of the troupe, Devadas rediscovers his passion for the art. In no time, he turns into an obsessive lover, that has his disgruntled wife (Sajitha Madathil), walk out with their two kids in tow.

'Nadan' does make some genuine efforts to capture the reality of life's struggles, and yet it manages to do so only peripherally. The tears are shed, and the air remains pungent with heavy sighs, and yet if we fail to identify with several of those characters on screen, it's simply because, it tries to be excessively high on mood.

Perhaps the most disappointing part of 'Nadan' is its stretched out climax, that takes melodrama on to higher levels. Almost dragging Devadas out of the murky misery that he had resigned himself to, the filmmaker adds on an almost synthetic feel that appears all out of place.

It's heartening to see Jayaram in a role that requires him to be someone more than acustomary husband that we quite often get to see him as. And he does grab this opportunity with a vengeance, and comes up with a brilliant performance. Remya Nambeesan and Sajitha Madathil establish their presence without much of an effort.

The real performer of 'Nadan' is of course KPAC Lalitha, who excels as a theater artist trying hard to make both ends meet, at the dusk of her life. There isn't perhaps another actress who could have brought out the anguish, gloom and desolation that Radhechi goes through, as convincingly as Lalitha does in the film.

'Nadan', at times even looks like a hysterical expression of distress that gets its modulation a bit too wrong. The wails of despair appear a bit too loud, which makes it a hit and miss affair that only fleetingly touches our hearts.

http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/13103/malayalam/nadan/4484/review.htm

Vishudhan Review Nowrunning!

Rating:**

Vysakh's 'Vishudhan' is a moralistic fable that has chosen as its protagonist a priest, thereby attempting to disguise a customary revenge tale under the garb of a controversial story. At the center of it, it is nothing more than one of those accounts where a man is forced to take upon evil single handedly, finally seeing to it that justice is served.

Father Sunny (Kunchacko Boban) is ordained as the new priest in a hamlet ruled over by Vavachan (Hareesh Peradi), and soon discovers that an old age home run by the rich man is just a cover to generate cadavers for his medical college. Sister Sophy (Mia George) offers the priest concrete evidence to support his doubts, and before they know it, the priest and the nun are accused of having an illicit relationship and are shown the door out, from the church.

Visudhan Pictures   20 Pictures

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The controversial element in 'Vishudhan' is likely to emerge out of nowhere, if and when the film is viewed as an affrontation on a religious institution and the principles and codes that it upholds. On the other hand, it could also be viewed as a tale of two individuals caught in the torrents of fate, who are forced to take decisions that transform them into two new entities. 

What is unbelievable is the transformation that Sophy undergoes in no time; and there are occasions in the film, where she almost seems ecstatic at the decision that she has taken, with her straightened hair and chic clothes. That is perhaps a bit difficult to take in, especially since she was a devoted servant of the church not so long back.

While the former half of the film is fairly entertaining and does have its share of fine moments, the latter half degenerates into a messy account of a battle for justice. For most of its part, it fails to sustain your interest, and merely skims over from one predictable situation to the next. 

As much as the music sounds soothing to the ears, it does feel a bit awkward to see this odd pair break into a song and groove routine, especially given the circumstances that they live in. And with a priest (Lal) who folds up his cassock to deliver a blow or two the unyielding, making an entry, the perfunctory story design seems all set for a decline. 

This is perhaps Kunchacko Boban's best performance till date, and his efficiently restrained, and yet evocative performance is worth a standing applause. Mia George is quite effective as the nun who is thrown out of church, while Hareesh Peradi excels in the role of the baddie.

Some films are remembered for an actor, and 'Vishudhan' does have one such performer, whose name I have not yet been able to identify. This actor appears in the role of Krishnettan in the film, and the octogenarian with his stellar performance, leaves a lump in the viewers' throats. I also have a very special word of appreciation for Sasikumar, who appears in the role of a Bishop, and who is undoubtedly one of the most serene looking bishops whom we have ever seen on screen.

If 'Vishudhan' ultimately ends up being a formulaic piece of film making, it's because it sticks to the conventional mode. In fact, it does not go anywhere where you don't expect it to, and it refrains from taking up any risks along the way. 

http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/14185/malayalam/visudhan/4480/review.htm

Philips and the Monkey Pen Review by Veeyen!

Rating:****

Filmmakers Rojin Thomas and Shanil Muhammed have come up with a bravura blend of imagination, wit and emotional resonance in their directorial debut 'Philips and the Monkey Pen'. A highly engaging social commentary with its heart right on place, it casts a charming spell over the viewer in no time.

Ryan Philip (Sanoop Santhosh) is not quite the charmer at school, and has a horrid tale to tell of having peed his shorts when confronted with a mathematical problem in the first grade. A few years have passed since then, and hes is relieved that in V B, not many of his classmates remember the vile tale. Not much has changed otherwise, and Ryan and his three best friends - Jahangir, Raman and Innocent - have had it up to their throats with the complications that crop up in their otherwise simple lives, by something called Math homework.

Philips and the Monkey Pen Pictures   24 Pictures

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I hold a very special affinity towards Ryan, since I need to admit that I see myself in his chair, slouched behind my classmate sitting before me, terrified of meeting the Math teacher's eyes. Some miseries in the world are unexplainable, and the overwhelming terror that is generated by those numerals that possess an uncanny power to multiply, divide, add and subtract with each other falls into the aforesaid category. As the teacher bellows at Ryan seeking a clarification from a multiplication table, the numbers that reach his ears assume bizarre contours all on a sudden before developing butterfly wings and flying far away. I can see what you have been through, Ryan! I really can.

There is a Decimal for every Ryan, and the nerd with the glasses who would refuse to budge from his front seat, hoping forever to catch those words of wisdom that would drop down the teacher's mouth before the rest of the class would even get a whiff of it, is someone whom we know like the back of our palms. Alert, sharp but easily disappointed, they often miss life by a decimal. 

The hazy plastic ruler through which Ryan looks around to find a prospective girl friend who could do his Math homework yields positive results. Joan (Diya Lena) flutters into Ryan's life but is quick to reject his appeal for love. She does not however squeal and make the class photograph a mess, and slips his note beneath her before putting up her best grin for the camera. 

Joan finds it surprising that boys have brains as well, and Ryan is quick to prove his point. The first major challenge that is hurled at Ryan's face is coincidentally from Joan, and the girl does mean business, as her dad furtively suggests. Several scenes and days later, when she waves at him from the school bus with a smile that makes him blush, Ryan has emerged a new boy. 

Padmachandran (Vijay Babu), the Math teacher is no monster, as he initially seems to suggest. However, the impermanence of his job and the resultant insecurities that creep in, coupled with the persistent jabs of a hostile colleague almost transform him into an ogre that Ryan simply dreads. Eventually, as he helps Ryan come to terms with failure, the teacher who had almost given up once, looks like he has learned a lesson or two himself. 

Times have changed and so have the kids, and as someone points out they have plans of heading for the moon, as they lie in their cradles, sucking their thumbs. The retort that Philip Sr. (Joy Mathew) receives from Ryan is appalling and so is the ploy that the kids devise to bring a troublesome instructor to book. On a lighter note arrives the lean kid who sashays in on his bike to offer his service, takes a quick look around the internet and confirms that no software has yet been discovered to do homework in Math. 

The rustle of the answer sheets before they are handed over after valuation, the gulp that escapes down your throat as you wait for your name to be called out, and the final moment that draws the curtains on what seemed to be an infinite wait - they are all there. We still hold fast to those fond memories of having rushed into the class all drenched in the rain, and pulling off those shoes to topple out the water that had settled inside. How could you ever forget the watchful eyes of the class monitor that dart right towards you at that fatal moment when you utter a word, and that feeling of disappointment at yourself as he scribbles your name under the list of defaulters who had broken the vow of sacred silence. For once, it smells like the good old school that you and I have been to, and it feels good to be there again.

The glitter sparks of goodness that the monkey pen splatters over you, starts with the seven day task that it has in store for Ryan. With closed eyes and a bowed head, Ryan wishes a teacher a fine morning, making the latter wonder if the kid was pulling his leg. Here is a superb thought that finds further expression in a brilliant visual which has a teacher acknowledging a word of greeting put forth by a child who hands it over straight out of his heart. 

The monkey pen has even more splendid assignments lined up for Ryan. Without much of an effort, he manages to stick a smile around and exhorts his school mates to clean their lunch boxes and their class rooms. The principal quickly adapts himself to Ryan's dictum to share food, and is moved beyond tears when the toddlers throw him a surprise party on his birthday! And last, but without doubt not the least, Ryan indulges in a heart to heart chat with his mom. 

I would simply hate to label 'Philips and the Monkey Pen 'as a kids' film. Rather, this is a film that needs to be watched by anyone who would love to sense those tiny drops of care, integrity and warmth drip over a weary heart that has turned almost deadbeat, having churned the very last bit of innocence and virtue out of it.

There are not one, but two scene stealers in the film - Sanoop Santosh who literally lives as Ryan Philip, with every smirk and every tear of his, etched to perfection, and Gourav Menon, who with his toothless grimace, gawk and gape should undoubtedly emerge the most adorable kid whom we have seen on screen this year. Diya Lena, Akash Santhosh and Antony Elrin D'Silva put in spectacular feats as well. While Vijay Babu is highly imposing as the tutor, Jayasurya as Ryan's dad proves yet again that he's more of an actor and less of a star. Remya Nambeesan is perfectly cast as well.

There is a visual eloquence that is visible throughout the film courtesy the poetry that Neil D Cunha's camera pens down on screen. Almost every frame in it feels like a stellar set piece enriched with striking textures and colors, that dynamically comes to life as if on the wave of a magic wand, nurtured by an incredible musical score by Rahul Subrahmanian. 

The high philosophical notes that the film occasionally strikes are impeccably orchestrated. Truth, they say, is never bitter. It's just that a lie always appears a bit too sugared. And it's this disarming sincerity in what it attempts to tell, that makes 'Philips and the Monkey Pen' one of the best films of the year. 

http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/12271/malayalam/philips-and-the-monkey-pen/4457/review.htm