Duke Fernandez

Varshangalkku Shesham, which basically means Years Later is the latest offering from the multi talented Vineeth Sreenivasan. As with all the Vineeth Sreenivasan (except one) directed films, he takes you on a roller coaster ride, and at the end of the film you come out satisfied. Varshangalkku Shesham (VS) is no different and it hits all your emotions correctly. You could mistake the first half as a standalone film... And from a different angle the first half builds it up for the 2nd. 2nd half has a bunch of new characters, and each character elevates the film with their presence. And when Nivin Pauly arrives, he becomes the Burj Khalifa which you are amazed by regardless of where you look at it from. Dhyan Sreenivasan gives a standout complete actor performance and he carries the story and film. Vineeth Sreenivasan has shown that he can bring talented people together and engage them to work collaboratively for a single purpose. Vineeth Sreenivasan has also shown it is possible to write meaningful malayalam songs which can stand the test of time, and VS has some good songs that will be hymed for a long time to come. Now on the needs to improve side. For the talent Vineeth possesses, he should work with a different crew and cast to create something new, yet equally engaging. I understand he doesn't want to make Thira kind of films, but he could take on other subjects with a light approach as his father did. For me the weak link in VS was Pranav Mohanlal. His voice doesn't change much based on time and emotions. Also his role had the least character development in the film. Of course officially he is only 2 films old. Ten years down the line, Pranav will be critical of his work in this film. If nothing, VS deserves a second viewing just for the 2nd half.

A simple love story, that is what it is. No six packs, no mansions, no free flowing money from dads... A love story of people in their early twenties, played by people in their early twenties. It is a silly, simple, fun, light hearted film without any melodrama, no Shakespearan poetry... And that's what makes it work. It's probably the best romantic movie since Thattatin Marayathu, probably even better. I would rate the film 3.75 out of 5, and will be keenly watching how the careers of Naslen and Namitha move from here.

Aadujeevitham, or Goatlife... This is what happens when a good actor gives himself to a good director. It is one of the most expensive film in Malayalam cinema, not because it is flashy or has CGI, not because it took almost five years to make it. The film talks about a person who has arrived in the Persian Gulf, and is kidnapped for unpaid labour. The protagonist doesn't know the local language, nor English or Hindi which just adds to his helplessness. Prithviraj physically commits completely to the role and the transformation is something to be seen. The film captures the desert landscape very well to show his solitary state. People talk about Revenant and Cast Away, but Goatlife is based in true story that took place less than 30 years back. Aadujeevitham is truly the magnum opus for Blessy and Prithviraj.

It is an all out Mohanlal movie without being over bearing. It is a movie for the masses, with an interesting and subtle political view. It's good to see Mohanlal embracing his beard and white hair. It actually suits him. Everyone played their role to almost perfection, however some of them could have avoided. Prithviraj wasted himself here though his action sequences were good, and for the film in enteriety. The action is beautifully shot, though it is well above realistic. The background score is done nicely and supports the movie well. Tovino Thomas continues his rising streak, and Vivek Oberoi a revelation. Every time he is on screen, you get a eerie presence. I only have one request: it would be nice to hear actor's original voice instead of a dubbed voice. And if it is being dubbed, some new voices for negative characters are much required. Rating: 3.5/5 Go and enjoy Lucifer, and see some very talented guys like Mohanlal, Prithviraj, Murali Gopy and Tovino Thomas working together.

A textbook movie on how not to make a film. Very unrealistic and cringeworthy. The film brings to life two very over the top film characters of 90s. Unfortunately the setting of the current movie i has not been updated, abs actually feels it has gone back to 80s. The main characters still feel as if they are stuck in 90s, and there is no development or maturity. Watch it if there is nothing else on TV, there is no Internet connectivity, all your friends are out of coverage, weather is absolutely bad and you have burnt all your books.

This one was made for the sake of it. The traditional Rambo movies worked because it was a different era and setting. This one falls flat and is uninspiring. The characters lack depth and acting is not convincing. In a way the film supports America's gun culture. I would have liked to see Stallone age gracefully, but I think in his head he is still Rocky Balboa from the first Rocky movie. Watch the movie only if you want to lose respect for its predecessors.

The film talks about a subject that is normally not discussed by families and nor commonly addressed in films. In India, the society and parents decide when a couple should ideally have kids. The film handles the topic in a non dramatic and realistic way. If can inspire couples to look at their priorities instead of accepting what society expects from them. I would say all roles were played well by the actors playing them. Go watch it to get a different perspective.