Avatar (Telugu) - Movie Review

Film: Avatar (Telugu)
Cast: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Lang and others
Original Music: James Horner
Cinematography by: Mauro Fiore
Editing by: John Refoua, Stephen E. Rivki
Screenplay and directed by: James Cameron
Release date: December 18, 2009
CBFC Rating: U/A

What's it about!

The fictional story takes place in 2154 on the faraway moon of Pandora where indigenous Na'vi race inhabits. A greedy Corporate company is hell bent on extracting a precious substance on Pandora and it hires a group of scientists. Jake, a paraplegic war veteran is also brought into it to infiltrate into Na'vi inhabitants. Jake, in his new avatar, meets Neytiri, a female Na�vi, and befriends her. Romance blossoms between them and he now revolts against the greedy corporate company. The story has undercurrent theme of environmentalism, good vs evil battle.

Analysis

James Cameron does it again. A cinematic visionary Cameron brings a paradigm shift in filmmaking and in science-fiction cinema. 12 years after that wonderful, Titanic, he provides 'wow' experience one more time with his latest visual splendor - Avatar. The film is released in Telugu across the state today (December 18, 2009) along with the English version. AVATAR is testament to the fact that even human beings are capable of 'creating a world of their own (even though, it is virtual) as varied and as beautiful as God did. His imaginative world - Pandora, far distant from Earth in the universe is reflection of bio-diversity with rich flora and fauna, exotic creatures, colorful flies, and dreamlike lush jungle. This very world and its inhabitants called Na'vi are the backbone of the movie.

Those wonderful Computer Generated Graphics are larger than life. Films like these compel us to watch movies only on the silver screen. We bow to you, Cameron.

The film is completely belongs to the one-man army James Cameron who wrote, edited and directed. Although it is a tad lengthy with 2 hours 45 minutes, the film never lets you down thanks to the director's great grip on narration.

Bottom-line!

Go and watch Avatar to the magical experience on silver screen. After Matrix, Avatar has the capability of changing the course of filmmaking in the coming years. Visual feast from master director James Cameron.

BREAK KE BAAD MOVIE REVIEW

BREAK KE BAAD MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring:Imran Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sharmila Tagore, NavinNischol Direction: Danish Aslam Music: Vishal-Shekhar Production: Kunal Kohli Productions Half way through the second half, a bunch of youngsters in the movie hall screamed, "Arey kum se kum ek gaana to chalao yaar timepass ke liye (Show a song atleast to pass time)". If break ke baad (after the break) is like this, break ke pehle (Before the break) is no better. Kunal Kohli, through his production house, churns out yet

another 'feel-good' rom-com with Imran Khan and Deepika in the lead allowing newcomer Danish Aslam to wield the megaphone.

If the opening credits create enough interest in us, the rest of the movie doesn't quite live up to the hype created. Abhay and Aalya are childhood friends and both of them falling in love and getting married is an unwritten script. They are two opposite characters least to say. While Abhay is the more grounded, patient, ever-resistant-to-girlfriend's stupidity, I-don’t-know-what-I-want kind of person, Aalya is the spoilt, 'urban', brattish, impulsive, devoid-of-respect, doesn’t like the mehndi ki 'gobar-jaisi' (cow-dung like) smell kind of girl. They have their differences and Deepika decides to take a break from their relationship and go to Australia to pursue her dream as an actress. The two decide they will find each other during their BREAK. And Break ke Baad?

Danish tries very hard to make Deepika and Imran bond together in the first few scenes. But the independent actors that they are, they shine on their own. We need not talk about chemistry or science here. More than the bonding, the scenes end up as nice ad slots for Kit-Kat, Volkswagen car and Zen mobile. The story can be best described in a few words and hence the movie is all about the screenplay and it is surely a challenge to drag it to the maximum.

Renuka Kunzru’s dialogues shine sporadically but most of the dialogues get submerged in the slightly underplayed sketch of the characters. The Hinglish dialogues at various instances can only be appreciated by a certain section of the audience. Moreover, at one point of time, we feel that there is an overdose of advice from Renuka (through the characters) on love and its implications. Kunal has already told in ‘Hum Tum’ that a boy and a girl can never be friends, so why again? All these lead to a dull, boring, inept and a lacklustre screenplay.

What worries more is the depiction of the 'urban' lifestyle. It is a cause of concern if this is really the way our generation is shaping up as everything seems to be cool to them. Be it getting laid, breaking up in a relationship or act stupid, everything seems to cool and casual. On the other hand, if this is not the current scenario, then movies of this kind are definitely misleading.

Deepika shows her supermodel loooong legs all through the movie. Her super short micro shorts help the cause. Wearing the same style of shorts on Graduation day is hard to digest. Otherwise, her pretentious acting does not garner enough attention. Same with Imran. He mouths a lot of dialogues but the plain expression on almost all scenes is not what we expect from a talented actor like him. Sharmila Tagore has been absolutely wasted in a miniscule role. There are other funny characters like Shahana Goswami and Yudishtir who provide the occasional laughter.

Technically, there is nothing special in Andre Menezes' cinematography as this is yet another free, unguided tour of a foreign location. We are so used to it aren't we? By the way, is that Gold coast that we see in the movie? Editing is good as they have ensured that the movie just runs for 2 hours. Vishal-Shekhar's songs are the saving grace but the songs, mostly situational, have been shot with the narrative. Screenplay and direction are definitely the sore points of the movie.

Overall, barring a few moments here and there, Break ke Baad's story and screenplay disappoint and make us look at our watch more than once. Though its running time is only two hours or so, it becomes painfully irritating and a lazy watch towards the end. So much so that a person after watching the movie commented, "Mazaak mat kar yaar, maine socha ki yeh char gante ki movie hai (you must be kidding, I thought this is a 4-hour movie)"!

KAVALAN MOVIE REVIEW

KAVALAN MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Vijay, Asin, Rajkiran, Vadivelu Direction: Siddique Music: Vidyasagar Production: C. Ramesh Babu It played hide and seek on Friday when all other Pongal releases arrived and it wasn’t even sure whether it would make it to theaters on Saturday. After facing many troubles from different sides, Kavalan finally hit the theaters. Coming at a time when Vijay is at a bit of a crossroad regarding the path he has to choose further in his career, Kavalan is crucial even while not being a grand venture.

Kavalan , remake of the Malayalam film Bodyguard, brings together the successful duo of Vijay and Siddique once again, not to mention the hit Vijay-Asin combination. Coming from Siddique, the man who gave us Friends, the expectations is of a Vijay starrer that would be rather different from the ones we have been offered lately. Kavalan is an emotionally narrated love story about a righteous and innocent man who is assigned the task of being a young woman’s bodyguard. He puts full faith and confidence in anything that he does; his love story too blossoms because of these qualities. But, unwittingly, the faith that he shows is taken advantage of in a way that no one would imagine. It is not with malice or any villainy that this is done; but out of love and admiration towards such an innocent person. It is love and destiny that play hero and villain in this story of relationships. The movie also subtly tells us that it is never good to leave things untold for too long in love. Kavalan is redemption of sorts for Vijay – the actor. For the past couple of years or more, a lot of Tamil movie buffs have watched in dismay as he slipped further and further into a quagmire of senseless commercialism; sometimes not keeping up with the trend of change in the industry. But, Kavalan is a reminder to all of us, most importantly to many directors in the industry, that he can act; not just as the ‘savior hero’ or messiah of the masses, but as a person who feels love, happiness, sorrow and all other emotions. For the first time in a few years, a Vijay film is not only about its hero, but about the characters and relationships. That is about Kavalan with respect to Vijay. But, how has the film shaped up otherwise? Its a fairly engaging, relatable, simple and sweet story of love which has an unexpected twist and an emotionally charged climax. Nothing that goes remotely close to commercial formulae, has been added here; which does not mean that this is an offbeat or art-house film. It is an entertainer all right; but one which looks to engage you more through the interplay of characters rather than grandeur. Shot and narrated with simplicity, it leaves you with a warm feeling in the heart because the director makes you empathize with the characters. At no point does the consistency of characterization get abandoned in an attempt to provide a few extra laughs or thrills. Fights, a couple, look every bit reasonable and comedy handled by Vadivelu and Vijay, puts a smile on your face but fails to make you burst out with laughter. On the flipside, the length of the film might work against it. It starts and keeps moving at a consistent pace (generally considered slow on the commercial scale) and never really accelerates. The final hour in particular would have looked much crisper with a bit of trimming. Even with very well conceived emotional scenes well enacted by the cast, one does feel a bit tired. A couple of songs towards the end too could have been better placed or even avoided. This is a script which gives actors a lot of room to emote. Vijay has grabbed the chance with both hands. One wonders if it was his decision to stay away from ‘down to earth’ characters all these years, or the compulsions from a commercially driven industry. Kavalan is a throwback to the ‘Thulladha Manamum Thullum’ days of Vijay and we hope the days are here to stay. He has lived the character. Asin, in Tamil for the first time after Dasavatharam, convinces us with her portrayal. The chemistry of the lead pair has worked out well; especially the portions where Asin tries various ways to exasperate Vijay; things that ultimately result in love. Vadivelu evokes smiles and the occasional laugh. The rest of the cast including the experienced Raj Kiran and Roja add weight to the movie. Camera, editing and all technical departments have adhered strictly to the requirements of the movie. Two compositions of Vidhyasagar make you hum along. Director Siddique shows excellent command over proceedings right through the movie. Overall, Kavalan is a movie that defies all the preset notions of a Vijay starrer that have been built over the last couple of years. It is his return to the romantic hero mould and also a call to all directors of the industry to stop pre-meditating ‘over the top’ scripts for him. A relatable love story shot in a cute and simple manner, rich with emotions, but on the slow side of narration. Yes, there is nothing special, but nothing to grumble about either!

DHOBI GHAT MOVIE REVIEW

DHOBI GHAT MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Aamir Khan, Prateik Babbar, Monica Dogra, Kriti Malhotra, Mumbai Direction: Kiran Rao Music: Gustavo Santaolalla Production: Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao How many times have we heard people say "The first half was good but after interval it is boring" or vice versa. Debutant director Kiran Rao deserves a pat on the back for doing away with the break between 'halves' of a movie. Dhobi Ghat is a slick film which runs for just a little over 90 minutes sans commercial breaks in between. So there goes the first credit to the director.

The plot of Dhobi Ghat is quite simple if you look at it superficially. As was announced and advertised, it is indeed about pages of Mumbai diaries. It is about five characters: Arun (Aamir Khan), an artist and a loner, Munna (Prateik Babbar), a dhobi and a wannabe film artist, Shai (Monica Dogra), an investment banker whose passion is photography, Yasmin (Kriti Malhotra), a newlywed and a newcomer to the city of Mumbai which happens to be the fifth character of the movie. Though the plot is simple, Dhobi Ghat is a complex web of pain and the emotions twined between people and relationships. It is quite evident that Kiran Rao did not want to play safe just because it was her first movie. The proceedings are not linear as she hasn't felt the necessity to delve on a strong plot. But what has been chosen as the story evolves by itself. It requires guts and the support to direct a movie of this genre and Kiran would have found Aamir's support invaluable. We are unsure about what will transpire and the unusual characters in the movie make it more interesting. Kiran Rao must be applauded for her infusing life into a character which actually isn't a regular movie character. The way she has shown Yasmin through her video diary that leaves a strong impact on us is incredible. She also shines in places where Mumbai is shown in its true chromaticity: The scene where the maid offers tea to Munna, the subtle thought about a Bihari in Mumbai and Aamir's comment about Mumbai in the art exhibition. Dhobi Ghat is not without minuses. The English conversations between Arun and Shai, which are dubbed in Hindi, are totally out of sync. We only wish a little more effort had been put in to shoot these parts in Hindi as well. We could also feel Kiran's strict adherence to arthouse cinema. The whole movie being shot with a handheld camera gives us a feeling of watching a home video overall. Good for the film, it is not about Aamir Khan. The actor he may be, he is the right choice for Arun's character. The emotion he portrays when the video diary comes to an end is a testimony to his skills. Prateik Babbar is the perfect dhobi boy and must thank the director for this opportunity. He is simply superb as the aspiring actor, jealous one-sided lover and the disappointed Mumbaiite in the end. Kudos! Monica Dogra has done a casual yet brilliant portrayal of Shai. But the one who leaves an impression on our minds is Kriti Malhotra. As a newlywed, her exuberance in using the handy cam, her loneliness can be felt by us. And this is because of her acting skills. And the ever colorful, spirited, unadulterated, vibrant city of Mumbai does not disappoint too. Technically, the film excels in quality. Mumbai has been shown in many movies before in all possible colors. Not like this one! The crowded streets, the mosque, Mumbai rains, the athar shop and even the people are entirely new to us. Cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray... take a bow! So must Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla be appreciated. Right from the title till the end, he shows us why he is an Academy award winner. The re-recording is apt and is in sync with the tone of the movie. The still (B/W) photography of Jyotika Jain is also worth mentioning. Dhobi Ghat is not the usual run of the mill cinema and may not have the 'E' factor, but is realistic and true to its conscience. With her debut venture, Kiran Rao has put forward the question to us again: Are we ready for parallel cinema yet?

PATHINAARU MOVIE REVIEW

PATHINAARU MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Shiva, Madhu Shalini Direction: Sabapathy Dekshinamurthy Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja Production: A Shivashankar Director Sabapathy who gave films like VIP, Punnagai Poove is at the helm of directorial affairs in Passion Movie Makers Pathinaaru with Shiva and Madhu Shalini in the lead. The basic premise of Pathinaaru may not be anything new but its pragmatic approach to real life renders it a fresh feel.

Shiva and Madhu Shalini are like any other modern lovers who are completely smitten by each other. Madhu belongs to an affluent family whereas Siva is from a middle class background. When Madhu’s parents come to know about her love, instead of confronting and reprimanding her (as in usual films), they invite Shiva home and after a casual discussion bordering sometimes around taunt, hand over a book/diary titled ‘Pathinaaru’. The contents in the book take us into a village flashback wherein the life of a teenage couple slowly unfolds. Circumstances play spoilsport in their life and separate the lovers. At this juncture, the identity of the lovers is revealed which makes the contemporary couple rethink about their decision. The choices they make and the path they opt to travel after this form the rest of Pathinaaru. Understanding the psyche of the present generation, Sabapathy abstains from giving out advises but at the same time has put forth a very logical and practical standpoint in front of us. Steering clear from counsels against love, he gently points out the difficulties in real life and states that how just by being in love alone will not suffice to lead real life. This facet of love-life is pleasantly and sensibly delivered by the director. Screenplay is enjoyable, adhering to linearity in most parts with unexpected twists to spice up the proceedings. Although the film centers on love and romance, there are no cringe worthy scenes or dialogues with double entendres. The interactions between father and daughter are interesting with a lucid portrayal of sensitive emotions running between the two. However, it is difficult to fathom the characterization of a simple village girl in flash back who appears extremely strong enough to revolt against her parents and initiate her lover to impregnate her. These episodes are logic defying and evoke ambiguity. The film goes in to a slightly trough mode in these sequences which could have been avoided by the maker. Shiva’s casual demeanor and dialogue delivery suit his character but his sporty image does not lend him a serious note even when he is mouthing solemn dialogues. Madhushalini (Palaniappa Kalloori fame) is adequate in her role. Abhishek as Madhushalini’s father delivers an effective performance and so does his wife. Darbuga Shiva and Pondy adorn the supporting cast with Kasthuri doing a small cameo once again. In Yuvan Shankar Raja’s youthful music, Ada da en meethu and Yaar solli kaadhal make an impact. Camera and editing departments have given what is needed for the film. In all, Sabapathy’s Pathinaaru comes across as a pleasant journey through life sans any superfluous frills.

VAADA PODA NANBARGAL MOVIE REVIEW

VAADA PODA NANBARGAL MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Nanda, Sharan, Yashika Direction: Nanigai Music: Siddharth Production: P. Arumaichandran Friendship, destiny and sheer coincidence; these are the three most prominent players in Vaada Poda Nanbargal. Directed by debutante Manigai, and consisting predominantly fresh faces in lead roles, Vaada Poda Nanbargal tells the story of friendship of two young men from vastly different backgrounds. The title suggests a fun filled account of a friendship where both the boys involved are on back-slapping terms with each other.

There have been many films in the past which have used the universal theme of friendship to reach out to audiences even without the presence of any stars. Vaada Poda Nanbargal also looks to travel along the same path. The difference here being that the two friends have not seen each other; their friendship starts from the current generation’s favourite online hobby – the chat, and grows through other modes of telecommunication like the mobile phone etc. The director must be acknowledged for being very contemporary here. But, what good is an online friendship, one might ask. How much faith and connection would such friends have in each other? This friendship too is like that to start with. But, a fortunate turn of events, thanks to technology and photo sharing, makes one of them regain something very valuable in his life which makes him greatly indebted to his friend. That is where the bind gets stronger. But, an online friendship, does have its own limitations. The very technology that made them friends in the first place also plays spoilsport; online identities which are far removed from real life; and threatens to mar the relationship, again through a thoroughly unexpected sequence of events. At the outset, the premise does look interesting – friends who have never seen each other! This kind of concept has worked before; except it was not about friends, but lovers. Here the director fails to create the same suspense or magic which goes with a very strong relationship where the people involved have not seen each other. Part of the reason for that is the sequence of events in the script. A linear pattern of narration makes the goings on very plain. Also, the director has not been able to make the audience feel the depth of the friendship which works against the movie. More importantly, the sequence of events which leads to the strengthening of the friendship looks far too serendipitous to digest easily. Likewise, the event that leads to the final face off also looks a bit trivial; a matter of stretching a minor quarrel too far. Another major drawback of the film is the failure to build effective characters sketches of any of the protagonist. Even though the film shows the daily personal lives of both the friends, the sequences look disjointed, fragmented and ultimately have very little bearing on the friendship and ultimately the plot. Most of the parts where the script wanders out of the friendship track and into the personal lives of the protagonists can be considered as pretty inconsequential portions of the film. On the whole, it is a script that lacks cohesion that has spoilt the party for Vaada Poda Nanbargal. The film does give the look and feel of one that has been brought out by a bunch of newcomers. They have tried hard, no doubt, but have failed to reach the professional level of film making. Almost all departments, camera, editing, re-recording, are a notch below what would be considered par in Kollywood at present. The fresh faces on screen too have not made a great impression, though one cannot fault the earnestness of their attempts. Music by debutante Siddharth also does not stand the movie in any great stead. Vaada Poda Nanbargal is an account of two friends which fails due to a general lack of focus in the script.

YUDHAM SEI MOVIE REVIEW

YUDHAM SEI MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Cheran, Dipa Shah Direction: Mysskin Music: Krishna Kumar @ K Production: Kalpathi S Agoram When there is a confluence of creative energies from the likes of Mysskin, Cheran and Ameer, the expectations are bound to soar up to stratospheric levels especially with Mysskin who is fresh from basking in the glory of his recent Nandalala. In this AGS production venture, Mysskin has chosen the crime and detection genre with Cheran as the protagonist steering the cast.

J K (Cheran) is the honest CB-CID officer who is distressed when his sister Charu goes missing suddenly. When he is about to resign his job on her search, his superior hands him a sensational and a high profile assignment that requires untangling a case wherein severed and neatly packed body parts are continuously found in strategic places in the city. This trail takes Cheran to various people and places, and the link to his sister, culminating in many unprecedented twists and turns on the way. What works for Yudham Sei is its linear narration and effective screen play. There are no unwanted elements in the form of comedy tracks or romantic angles. Mysskin has veered clear off the expected syntax of Tamil films of such genre. He has handled this subject with a few forensic aspects thrown in. The larger part of the film keeps the audience guessing and in suspense. He has also managed to tell his story with little known artists which requires appreciation. In the performance department, brevity seems to be the key word with Cheran who scores by delivering a subtle portrayal. Jayaprakash gives him good support, although appearing for a short while. Y Gee Mahendra, a tonsured Lakshmi Ramakrishna, Dipa Shah, Selva and Naren form part of the supporting cast and provide the necessary foil. Under newcomer Kay’s music, Kannitheevu Penna alone finds its place in the film where the much talked about ‘Yellow sari’ clad Neetu Chandra cavorts with Ameer and ‘blink and you miss’ Charu Niveditha. Mysskin tries to duck the complaint of this particular cliché of his by placing a relevant incident at the end of the ditty. Kay’s RR is sometimes perfect, delivering the right kind of mood for the film whereas in a few sequences it stands out obtrusively. Sathyan’s prying camera peeps, thrills, and gives the needed feel. A genre such as this should have a frenzied pace to keep the viewer on the edge of the seat but Mysskin misses the bus here with a languorous mode of unfolding events. This could work for an emotional drama but a certain amount of pace which is required for thrillers is a casualty in YS. Besides that, the climax scene is the antithesis of all the tone and mood that was set in the entire film with characters behaving in a dramatic and non-Mysskinish manner.