Deiva Thirumagal: Movie Review

For the first time, a loosely based remake of a Hollywood movie “I am Sam” has been made better than it’s original. I had seen “I am Sam” 5 or 6 years ago and loved it. Sean Penn’s best performance until Milk, Michelle Pfeiffer and Dakota Fanning had ably supported him in this emotional courtroom drama. The movie was remade in Hindi in 2005 titled “Main Aisa Hi Hoon” starring Ajay Devgan. The movie was average and was a complete remake unlike Deiva Thirumagal.

Director Vijay whose previous film Madrasapattinam was a super hit has nailed this one as well. Unlike “I am Sam” where the core content is based on a Custody case between the mother and father for their child, Vijay has given a new touch to this film. Vikram’s best performance till date, Yes this was a better acting performance than Sethu and Pithamagan. I won’t be surprised if he wins his second National Award for this film. The performance was so brilliant that you tend to forget that it is Vikram on screen and not his character Krishna.

Krishna (Vikram) is a mentally retarded person working in a chocolate factory near a small town Avalanchi in Ooty. His wife Bhanu gives birth to a daughter named Nila (Baby Sarah) and dies during child birth. Vikram brings Nila up until she is 5 years old. Shweta (Amala Paul of Myna fame) is the Correspondent of Nila’s school and takes a liking for her. She eventually finds out that Nila is none other than her sister Bhanu’s daughter. Shweta’s father who is a big shot in the pretext of taking care of both Krishna and Nila take them to Chennai and abandons Vikram on the road and whilst off with Nila. How Vikram manages to find Nila along with the help of lawyer Anu (Anushka) forms the rest of the story. Superb cameo performances by Y.G Mahendran as Anushka’s Father, Vikram’s four mentally deranged friends, Anushka’s lawyer friend, owner of the chocolate factory, father of Amala Paul and Nazar as the defence lawyer.

It’s Vikram all the way, blows you away with his performance, even Sean Penn would agree with me. I thought I wouldn't mention this but Baby Sarah made Dakota Fanning look like an amateur with her performance. Hats off to the Director to get so much of performance and content from such a young artist. She probably is the find of the century. It is just unbelievable that this is her first film. Anushka has forayed into a different league with her performance to follow-up her superb performance in her previous film Vaanam. Nazar eased through his role like a veteran that he is. For a subject which has such a heavy dose of emotional content, the directed peppered the movie throughout with meaningful light hearted moments with Santhanam in the lead. Santhanam as Anushka’s assistant waltz through this heavy dose film with his effortless comedy.

It’s officially time to upgrade Music Director G.V Prakash Kumar to a Tier 1 Music Director in Tamil Film Industry to join along with Yuvan Shankar Raja and Harris Jeyraj. “Vizhigalil Oru Vaanavil” crooned by G.V’s wife Saindhavi is the best of the lot, probably one of the best melody in recent years. Cinematographer Nirav Shah forays his skill meticulously in this song. The song is a visual treat, Anushka just dazzles in the visuals. Vikram has sung two songs himself and has nailed it as well. Na Muthukumar’s lyrics are just top notch stuff.

My only complaint was that the movie is a tad long and could have been shortened by 15 minutes or so to my liking, especially in the first half and maybe could have dropped off a song as well. Otherwise it is the best ever remake movie I have ever seen. Vikram, Director Vijay and Baby Sarah need a standing ovation. A soulfully rendered movie which has to be seen on big screen.

My Ratings ****

The SRT Jinx

Everyone knows it. A Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar century more or less results in India losing the match. Lately the Jinx seems to be getting stronger and stronger. In the recent World Cup, Sachin had scored two centuries, one against South Africa and one against England, the one against SA was for a losing cause and the one against Eng was almost a losing cause. How we managed to tie it from a lose-win-lose situation is a miracle. Like me, many people were hoping that Sachin would not score another ton in the World Cup so that India could lift the World Cup. And he obliged. In 2009, against Australia, Sachin scores a marvelous 175, even a high score such as this wasn't enough for the Jinx to turnaround.One would have expected these kind of Jinxes would have been negated in the shorter format of the game, The T20's.Cometh the IPL Season 4, a match against a less fancied Kochi Tuskers, Sachin carves out his first T20 hundred, you think you cannot be on a losing cause in a 20 over format, that too against a weak team at least on paper and with a superb Mumbai Indians bowling attack. Voila, the Jinx happen, the strongest team in the IPL are in the losing side against the weakest team in the IPL despite when their captain makes his debut IPL ton on his and their team's home ground.

The Jinx is getting lethal and lethal, just one way to stop it, score 99 and get retired hurt if you must or you could score a 200................................

The Paul Valthaty Effect

0/2 in 2 balls aint a good start but heck did Chennai Super Kings recover to a super score of 188/4. Thanks to local boys Vijay, Badri and a great cameo from Dhoni. No one expected Kings 11 Punjab to actually chase given the fact that the Chennai Super Kings has a international (Not a World Class) class bowling attack in Tim Southee, Albie Morkel, R Ashwin, Suraj Randiv, Scot Styris, Jakati and Raina. Well they had a chance if Gilchrist or Marsh had taken it away from them, however what we saw is the best T20 Knock when chasing. A little know Paul Valthaty smashed the CSK bowling attack to an enterprising 120 not out of just 63 balls with 19 Fours and a couple of Sixes, the next highest score of 21 indicates the dominance he had on the CSK bowlers. Well a one match knock wont get him automatically into the Indian team, if he continues his good run he may seriously knock on the door for the Indian team selection.Just hard to imagine what would have happened had Kings 11 Punjab retained Yuvraj.

The Ultimate Slow Cooked Mutton Chops

Can be tried with Goat, Sheep or Lamb

Ingredients:

1 KG Mutton Chops

8 Medium Size Red Onions

1 Medium Size Tomato

4 Medium Size Green Chillies

2 TBSP Chilli Powder

4 TBSP Coriander Powder

I TSP Turmeric Powder

1 TBSP Pepper

4 TBSP Oil

1 Cup Yogurt/Curd

1 TSP Lime Juice

Brandy or Papaya for softening the meat

Preparation:

Marinate the mutton chops with Brandy/Papaya, Yogurt/Curd, Lime Juice, Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Salt and keep aside. Marinate for at least 3 Hours, more the better.

Fry the Onions is a slow flame till golden brown, just before it becomes golden brown add green chillies and tomato. Once the raw smell goes off, add the marinated mutton chops and add water till all the meat sinks well under the mixture. Keep it on low flame and let it cook for 90 minutes to 120 minutes. This is a slow cooking method and if you want it done quickly done, boil the mutton chops in a pressure cooker before and then do the cooking which would save time.

Good Luck, very easy to cook and tastes great. You can do a gravy or dry it up if you would like it drier, either way it tastes so good.

The Dhaka Massacre

A year ago, an Australia Vs Bangladesh series would have evicted another yawn from most endearing cricket fans. With the recent Australia's slide from cricket dominance and an quarter final exit from the World Cup, one would have thought the gap between the two teams had narrowed a bit. After losing the first ODI by 60 runs, I expected another encounter of similar sorts only to be surprised by the massacre that happened. I was talking to a friend about why Australia is struggling currently, due to lack of any potential future legends with the exception of Shane Watson. A 229 against Australia is quiet an achievement for a Bangladesh team and would have expected Australia to at least take 40 overs to chase them down. Shane Watson, according to me is the most underrated Australian player ever, no one really talk great about him and tend to ignore the fact that he goddamn opens the innings in both form of the game and bowls like a bowler. Not even Sir Garfield Sobers or any of the greatest All Rounders opened regularly for their country.

What happened on 11th April 2011 at Dhaka is the biggest carnage caused by an individual in the game of cricket. Maybe if Sir Vivian Richards was playing T20 now, we could have seen something of the same range. The score of 229 was mauled almost individually by Shane Watson who flayed the Bangladeshi attack in his merciless effort of 185 Not Out of 96 Balls studded with 15 Fours & 15 Sixes. I was lucky enough to record the highlights of this match in HD :) for my viewing pleasure. The next greatest all rounder has arrived and time for the cricketing world to address it give Watto his due credit.

Endhiran: Movie Review

My longest movie review ever, but the movie demanded it.

A typical Hollywood Blockbuster Action movie would take about 200 $ million dollars to make. Endhiran, despite being the costliest Indian film ever made, the budget was approximately @ 35 $ million dollars. So you do the maths.

Let’s talk about Hype, making a regional film @ 35 $ million dollars, you need to appreciate the guts of Kalanidhi Maran. Why wouldn’t you want not to Hype it, it’s after all his money. We all know how good Sun Pictures is when it comes to marketing and they have done their job clearly well.

The movie starts sans Rajni’s fancy Introduction, and is light hearted right through the first half. Rajni is Dr. Vaseegaran who is a Robotic Scientist keen on creating a one man army Andro Humanoid Robo which he could give it to the Indian military for greater good. He creates Chitti the Robot who amuses everyone with his capabilities. Sana (Aishwarya) plays his love interest, two assistants for Rajni in Santhanam and Karunas who are wasted with little scope for them. Dr. Bohra (Danny Denzongapa), the guy who had refused Amjad Khan’s Sholay role is brought back to the Silver Screen after a significant hiatus. He plays the role of a Rajnis’s antagonist who wants to create destructive Robots and sell it to international terrorist arms dealer. Unlike Rajni’s previous villains like Ramya Krishnan in Padayappa and Suman in Sivaji who crave a niche for themselves after they make a movie with Rajni, there isn’t enough scope for Danny too and is completely wasted as well. The Robot character has been thought too well by Shankar and satisfies the viewers in all needs. Shankar is without any doubt the best creative director in the world when it comes to creating a song sequence and has proved it again in Endhiran. Aishwarya looks sizzling in Arima Arima and Kilimanjaro song. Just when you thought that the former Miss World would have possibly worn every single dress on this earth during her career, the dresses doled out to her in the Kilimanjaro songs are a visual treat to the viewers, shot at Machu Pichhu, an UNESCO World Heritage Site located at Peru is the first Indian film to be shot at this location. Heard that shooting rights were rejected for James Bond’s last film at Machu Pichhu, the views and camera angles are just breathtaking, you need to watch in Big screen just for this song alone. Shankar’s creative genius comes into foray when Chitti attracts all the metal objects from the bad guys and looks like a Bathrakali with all the ladies amusing themselves thinking that he is actually their God, a hilarious scene.

Shankar does a King Kong in the second half giving us an overdose of animatronics and CG. It looked like a showcase event to Hollywood producers that he can do a Hollywood Blockbuster if given 200 $ million dollars. In the run, the plot of the movie was compromised. His desperation comes out when he tries to fit in all possible famous Hollywood CG effort in the long climax action sequence ranging from Anaconda to Iron Man. However, Kudos to his meticulous effort despite a poor finish to the movie. When I was wondering why Rajni’s first half performance was subdued with no significant mentions, Bam came Rajni with the Bad Robo performance. Many a times we tend to forget how great Rajni is as an Actor, he scorches the theatre with his performance. The scene where he finds the Black sheep and shouts maaaaaaaaaaaa was phenomenal, one watch just for this sceneJ. Hope Rajni does a full blown Villain role in the near future. Aishwarya was stunning in patches and artificial in patches too, the final scene where Rajni destroys all the Robots, Aishwarya’s expression was amateur. I would still stick to my point that Aishwarya can act only in emotional scenes.

A. R Rehmans’ background score was a mini Philharmonic Orchestration and was colossus. Off late many of his songs need a lot of listens before it gets on to you and Endhiran is no exception. He nails it to the movie requirement. If you don’t like the songs yet, probably you have listened enough. Sabu Cyril art stands out and so does Rathnavelu’s cinematography.

A very impressive enjoyable first half turns cacophonous to satiate Shankar’s CG appetite with Rajni’s performance as the saving grace.

My Verdict: ***

Avatar Movie Review

When was the last time when people inside the theatre clapped after the movie was over. I have never experienced this before and that too in a US theatre, I have seen a lion’s share of movies in theater and I can strongly make this statement, the best visual experience I have seen in my life. As of Dec 24, 2009 Avatar has raked in 329.3 million USD worldwide collections and is at the 184th position of all time grosses. Only 4 movies have ever crossed the 1 Billion USD mark and I won’t be surprised if Avatar makes it as the 5th movie ever to cross the 1 Billion USD mark in worldwide collection. Beating Titanic’s record of 1.8 Billion USD may be a tough ask for Avatar but it will at least move to the second biggest grosser of all time if not first.

Making the movie in 3D was a very smart move from James Cameroon as it enhanced the visuals to an unimaginable level. The story has nothing great to write about; Pandora is a planet with a wealth of resources and has a rich deposit of Unobtainium, a small piece of it costs 20 million dollars. The local natives called the Navi inhabit Pandora and their village is sitting on top of the richest reserve of Unobtainium. The Navi’s can do literally everything, they are 10 foot tall, great hunters, have fancy beasts and dinosaur like birds to ride and fly through the sky and sleep on big beaver like nests. The hero is sent on a mission to infiltrate the Navi’s and relocate them so that the Unobtainium reserves can be unearthed. Since humans cannot survive in Pandora, they are mutated to become Navi’s similar to matrix style. The hero gets into Pandora and learns the way of the Navi’s only to have a change of heart and support the Navi’s and fight. The climax scene is a sight to behold.

The movie takes you through a series of breathtaking visuals, an entire planet has been created for our visual pleasure, James Cameron plays god here to his full innovative extent. Watch the movie purely for its visual contents; it will blow your mind away. For all future animation and CG experts, this movie would be the bible. Watch the movie in 3D, save your 3D glasses as souvenirs and show them to your grandkids and proudly say to them that these were the glasses though which you saw Avatar. As far as for James Cameron, let’s start calling him James Cameron The Great.