Srinivas Ramamohan

I was one of the minority who didn’t really enjoy the first Kantara movie in 2022. But the acclaim for the new movie (Chapter 1) was so high that I decided to give it a chance, and I am so glad I went and watched it in a theatre. This movie is meant to be watched on the big screen. It was a huge upgrade on the previous one, helped primarily by the fact that it was made in a historical setting, giving it a lot more authenticity and also brought in a lot more layers. Rishabh is spectacular and the support cast is brilliant as well. Rishabh Shetty has taken elements of RRR and Bahubali and merged it with the original theme of bhoota kola and the Daiva legends. The result is a movie that keeps you spellbound! The Guliga sequence was mesmerising, even better than the previous movie even though we have seen it before. But that was nothing compared to the climax sequence! I left the theatre with goosebumps which stayed for a long time after the movie finished as well. An absolute triumph in filmmaking and a must watch on the big screen. Can’t wait for chapter 2!

If you have seen the previous two movies, you will love this one. It has a great mix of comedy and courtroom drama and all the actors are on top of the game. Tough to chose between Akshay and Arshad on which Jolly did better but no doubt that Sourabh Shukla, back as the judge, steals the show. He gets lot more screen time and aces it. Gajraj as the villain is menacing enough and Ram Kapur as the lawyer is a great adversary. The only issue is the last half hour which has been dragged out a bit too much, milking too much emotion from an otherwise excellent Seema biswas. Overall a great watch and a rare sequel that does as well as the previous ones.

Loved Param Sundari. Clean, fun entertainment. In an era of unnecessary violence, crass comedy and loud acting, it’s great to see a movie with simple characters, lovely music and great chemistry between the leads. The photography and locations are just wow.. surprising more movies aren’t shot in Kerala! Nothing great about the story, we have seen this enough in the past. But the treatment is fresh, the characters have a feel good factor, acting is pretty good and in general it is a movie that leaves a good feel at the end of it.

My review- When Rajnikanth and Lokesh Kanakaraj came together for Coolie, you knew what to expect- stylish action sequences, lot of violence, superstar domination and a spattering of cameos. Surprisingly there is a story too, and the first half does a pretty good job building up the story. But the second half, especially the last hour, becomes just a pointless exercise of violent fight sequences with the story and the plot sacrificed for the action. The cameo from Satyaraj is good, Nagarjuna is decent as the main villain while Upendra doesn’t have much to do other than beat up a few goons. Aamir’s cameo is completely unnecessary and over the top. The scene stealers though are Rajni and Soubin. Both bring their A game to this venture. Rachita Ram in a surprising role is a great addition. Overall a decent one time watch, but not a memorable Rajni movie. But that’s been the norm anyway in recent times.

Well intentioned but misses the mark- Admirable how Aamir Khan picks up good causes. After brilliantly and emotionally highlighting the struggles of a dyslexic child in Taare Zameen Par, he takes up the cause of mentally challenged kids in this ‘sequel’ Sitaare Zameen Par. And while there are several charming moments and definitely the heart in the right place, the movie itself lacks the emotional depth of the first movie. So it comes across as trying too hard, with a lot of overacting from Aamir and Genelia. Unnecessary sub plots and non stop preaching drags it down even more. It feels like they have tried to fit in a lesson or moral in every scene. Could have been an hour shorter with better editing. The end result is a movie that doesn’t really take off and eventually becomes burdened by too many messages.

DC has been Marvelised. They have caved in and taken away any ounce of identity that DC movies had and have made it like any Marvel movie. For true Superman fans, this felt like a huge letdown. By far the most boring and frivolous Superman movie ever. Kids loved it but anyone who has grown up on the previous Superman movies would hate this. Too much talking, over the top action that didn’t even feel serious, jokes at the wrong time, and a Superman who is not that Super most of the time. If you are a Marvel fan, you will love it. Else better stay away. And the less said about the 3D effects, the better.

Matching up to a movie like Fury Road is not an easy task, but Furiosa is a worthy prequel! While it doesn’t have the breakneck action and pace of Fury Road, it has its fair share of spectacular action sequences. But it also has a plot with some great acting and time for characters to be built up, given the 2.5 hour run time. But at no point does it feel long, thanks to the masterful handling of the story. The usual Mad Max specials are all there.. the cinematography (breathtaking visuals of the wilderness shot in Australia), the tense background score, and the outrageous characters. The acting from Chris Hemsworth and both the kid and teen Furiosa are top notch. A movie meant to be watched on the big screen, preferably IMAX

Lootcase is like a breath of fresh air, a clean wholesome comedy after a long time. Unlike the Housefull movies and other similar stuff that's passing for comedy these days, here is a movie that relies on smart writing, great comic timing from the actors and some memorable sequences to keep the laughs coming. Brilliantly etched characters, a simple yet suitably twisted plot and great acting from an ensemble cast makes this easily the best comedy after Badhai Ho. Fittingly it’s Gajraj Rao who is the scene stealer again here. The plot itself is along similar lines of Abhay Deol’s Ek Chalis ki last local, but while that was a dark comedy, this one is much lighter and more family oriented. Definitely worth many a watch during these Covid times!