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ganesh-jayaraman
Reviews
Good Night (2023)
Excellent film
Liked the story, moreover the screenplay... The story was well told without boring us and without getting repetitive...
Acting was excellent - Manikandan, Meetha, Ramesh Tilak, Rachael and especially the dog!!!
Loved the production design.
In one of the songs Chennai was depicted nicely!!! Excellent photography - especially the Chennai, auto scenes etc.
For me the surprise was Meetha... Her acting was excellent. Oh yeah forgot the acting is grandpa (director balaji) and grandma (forgot her name).
Songs were good.
The premise and the story setting (water distribution, water filter, IT guy and audit / accounting girl) was very refreshing.
Thankam (2023)
You will be disappointed if you are looking for a pure thriller
Summary - If you are looking for a pure play Thriller then you will be disappointed... What you end up getting is a Thriller which converts into a psychological treatise (on a middle class human who is getting weighed by all the financial issues that he faces)... AND I LOVED IT!!
Around the end of the film Vineeth says (heart touching) something to the effect of running the race for a very long time and then realizing that one has been running it in the wrong direction!! This gives a window into the feelings of a common man who is not winning in life!!
A very sublime acting from Biju Menon... Digesting as to what is happening and questioning his belief systems and whether his friend was truthful to him all along or not - EXCELLENT ACTING... But my favourite was Vineeth - that innocent smile and optimistic looks hid a lot of things that are going on inside this common man... KUDDOS ON A GREAT JOB.
I loved the Police man character (Girish Kulkarni if I am right). I loved the casting aspect too... Rather than going for a high profile actor, someone who might only "look" like a police inspector, it was an excellent idea to go for someone who is looking normal and has the ability blow hot and cold as the situation needs...
But logically/common sensically - a trip from Thrissur to Coimbatore will only take 2-3 hours (but the protoganists start after having breakfast and reach Coimbatore ONLY in the night!!) while a trip from Coimbatore all the way to Muthupettai will take more than 10 hours - not enough time for Vineeth to reach Muthupettai in the same night itself, get caught by Police and then for Biju to start from Coimbatore and reach Muthupettai before day break!!
But I understand why this episode was needed, especially the need for this episode to happen in a coastal area... But then they could have told that they were going from Trissur to Trichy first (instead of Coimbatore) and then Vineeth takes the car from Trichy to Muthupettai...
I saw quite a few negative reviews and I since I loved the film, decided to write a long review... Basically - If you are looking for a pure play Thriller then you will be disappointed... What you end up getting is a Thriller which converts into a psychological treatise. How many more 'pure' thrillers? This is good/better.
I LOVED THE FILM (PERIOD).
The Disciple (2020)
Meditative and Brooming
Before watching this film, you will need to prepare yourself - prepare yourself to watch very looong shots of nothing much and very less (or maybe zero) closeups!!
Once you are ready as per above, you will love this film.... This is fundamentally a psychological film that deals with our human minds and how it deals with failures. The main protagonist gives up his strive to achieve fame in his art and instead takes up to other related business like book publishing (and by publishing a book on hi guru, he is ever a disciple). The last scene of the film juxtaposes this with that of a beggar/singer in train who seems to be not worried about fame and is just INTO his art due to which he seems to be in better control of his art than the protagonist!!
Moral - if you need mastery then:
1) you should not be worried about fame and
2) your mind should be devoid of other distractions.
Excellent film.
Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie (2022)
Did not work for me
This webseries did not work for me - at multiple levels. Let me try to list them one by one:
1) MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR ME - while investigating the murder of the main character, they realize that their suspect had killed 'some other' girl and not the lead character!! But they just forget all about this other murder and continue their search for the killer of our main character!!
2) A suspense thriller is supposed to make you feel "Oh yeah, how did I miss it" at the end of it all!! Instead this web series made me feel "cheated"!! The last episode is a completely different story with no build up towards it in the earlier episodes!!!
3) Each trail of investigation becomes a waste of time. You might say that this "Rashomon-esque perspectives", but I see each of the track of investigation as "distraction". For example - what was the need for the debate between Suryah and Nasser during the book review meeting? It did not add any more value to the story telling.
3) What was the need for the "politician", the "media guy", the fight between both of them etc?
Sabaash Chandrabose (2022)
Simple movie could have been better
Simple movie could have been better. I liked the story line. A simple film about the TV and the havoc that it causes. The production value is good. Technical aspects are good. Acting is excellent.
What is not good? The ending could have been better... The romantic story is left unfinished. There could have been a twist involving few other characters in the film. Since they are missing, the film feels a bit incomplete. You don't get that "feel good " factor from the film.
So overall - Simple movie that could have been better. I liked the story. Malayalam films are famous for such simple stories...
Poochandi (2022)
Did not work for me
Making was excellent. No issues with the acting and props and other technical details of the film. The story was neither fulfilling nor convincing for me. It left more unanswered questions as I tried to ponder the story over!! So, it did not work for me.
Good - technical details, acting, props on the background, editing and photography.
Not so good - slow screenplay, story logic
eg -
1) how did the kalapirar reign in Tamil Nadu affect kadaram or Malaysia?
2) After so many years, who does that soul (poochandi) want to take revenge on - why does that soul want to return to Tamil Nadu ?;
3) why no punishment for Deepak for not returning the coin to the right place and instead selling it in an antique shop?
Archana 31 Not Out (2022)
I liked this film
Not sure why it did not work for so many reviewers... I liked this film - acting was good. The film was dragging a little bit, but I liked the storyline. Loved this film.
Especially the climax was good. I was bit surprised and feeling a bit let down initially, but thinking back, I liked this climax.
Aishwarya acting was excellent. But they did not really need these many characters (that already married cousin, the bunch of old guys, the politics among the neighbors etc.)
Not sure what was the relationship between the heroine and cricket. Also - could not understand the meaning of that championship cup falling down from the almirah...
Achcham Madam Naanam Payirppu (2022)
Bad acting meets non existent screenplay!!
Bad acting meets non existent screenplay!! Not sure whether the screenplay was even prepared before the days shoot... looks like the folks reached the set and decided what looks they want from each actor (eg - Akshara always gives that innocent girl look) and NASA a film out of it.
Too many logic mistakes - if Usha Uthup is Akshara's grandma, then how come she is going about her normal life when there is a death in her family? Why does Akshara decide to buy condom in the shop near her home? Especially when she wants to ensure that it should remain a secret? Phew...
Kayamai Kadakka (2021)
Excellent in Technical and above average in story
I really liked the gripping story. Even though I could guess the ending, there are a few scenes to question my guess and nicely answered at the end. Loved the close cut shots - cinematography and editing. Even acting was above average. Surprised to see that this is a crowd funded movie - did not feel like one even in a single scene..
Meow (2021)
A series of good scenes doesnt make a good movie
Excellent start, excellent set of scenes, keeps us 'not-bored', but when I saw the ending, I was like -
1) is that all?
2) If this is what was intended then why to have unnecessary distractions like immigration issue, financial problems for the protagonist, his college reunion, health related panic attacks etc etc?
IMHO - the scenes were interesting, but as a movie, it is just average...
Mahaan (2022)
Would have been an excellent web series
Things are being told on a very fast pace - does not give much time to digest things... it would have been better if this was a web serial of 6 episodes at least... I hope someone does it... but otherwise a good film.
Lift (2021)
Starts with a 8 and ends at 4!!!
Excellent story when it started... by the time it came to the last act I was blaming myself for having wasted my time in this film... it is bad. Maybe the Director knows how to narrate a story, but the story itself was very weak... also - this should have been a 1.5 hour film.
#Home (2021)
Must watch
Must watch - for you to doubt as to why others have rated this film so high. I am writing this review with only positive words so that it will see the light - my previous one is yet to come out. This is definitely a good movie and worth the time - but it is upto you to decide whether it should be 9/10.
Ponmagal Vandhal (2020)
Good concept but...
Good concept but am horrible execution. Not so convincing courtroom exchange; not so convincing characters. There is no suspense moment - until the very last I was hoping that someone else will be revealed as the villain but nothing of that sort happens...
But an excellent performance by Jyothika though...
Kurangu Bommai (2017)
Good start, excellent narration, excellent acting BUT...
Good start, excellent narration, excellent acting BUT... A horrible ending!!! Unnecessary deaths and unnecessary twist... to make things worse - there are quite a few blaring holes in the logic towards the end. I am very upset that a good film has been wasted... now I know why the film did not have a good run
Psycho (2020)
No effort spent on screenplay!!!
An expected storyline needs four things - A good acting, a very tight screenplay, an excellent cinematography and a terrific BGM!!! Camera work and music work are exccellent and they are the only reason for the above rating.
Acting is average and Screenplay is horrible. Sample the below:
1. It was told that the Hero will go all alone into the villain's place since if the Police accompanies him then they might end up arming the perimeter alarms... within 5 minutes of entering the place, the hero arms the perimeter alarms... If the hero can arm the perimeter alarms then the police also could have accompanied him right??
2. Why does the blind hero drive the car by himself (reason is not strong)...
3. Hero has a taser gun in his hand and is behind the villain; Villain does not have any clue as to where is the hero. Now the hero instead of stunning the villain using the taser gun, touches the villain, gets himself stabbed and then, only then uses the taser gun!!!
4. The reason for the villain to turn psycho is not clearly explained. It is as if Mysskin wanted the guy to turn into a psycho and hence he turned into a psycho!!
5. Why did the psycho get into the juvenile prison? I dont remember that reason and by the time the film ends - I dont care!!!
So - instead of putting some effort in the screenplay, the director has assumed that whatever trash he brings out will be consumed by his fans...
NO LONGER MR. MYSSKIN....
Hit (2020)
Unexpected antagonist does not make a mudder mystery!!!
Looks like the Director assumed that if they just ensure that the audience cannot guess the murderer then they have a winner!!! IMHO - Complement wrong!!!
They should have given the audience some indications about the murderer, some hint etc.
One more big let down was the background score - it was very jarring
Acting by the main actors are Ok. Not sure whether the hero's accent was intended or it is his natural accent... Could have been avoided.
The very last scene has a letter - OMG it was a very cliched letter!!!! Should have been avoided
Malgudi Days (2020)
Below average film - Dont get misled by the good rating...
I am very upset with the 20 or so reviewers who have given a 10/10 rating for THIS film...
Storyline - very very cliched; This type of story should have been filmed maybe 20 years back
Acting - below average
Makeup - horrible
and they 'tarnished' the Malgudi Days name for such a film?? Very sad.