Sunday, February 28, 2010

Its an old world romance

I haven't blogged for a while and i have nearly forgotten what happened in my little world for long.

But here i am back to sharing my little world.
Lots of olden day romance movies was what i watched for some time now.

Pillow talk (Rock Hudson and Doris day)

The charming old story of ladies man falling for the strict good lady. The romance between  two people sharing a common party phone line in the days were telephone was a pleasure, a charming tale.

Tony Randall was really funny.














Lover come back (Rock Hudson and Doris day)

They really make a good pair. The same tale as above in a different advertising world circumstances. Here Hudson and Day work for different ad agencies with conflicting approaches. How Hudson cheats by making ad's for a non-existent product and  Day tries to get the contract for the product. Tony Randall as the rich boss of Hudson was hilarious, a good romantic comedy.










A Touch of Mink (Doris day and Cary Grant)

Doris Day is the recently unemployed good girl who the world wants to turn into a bad girl. Cary Grant is the no-nonsense man of the world, whose car accidentally splashes dirty water over Day. Cary drives away and Day is furious. Cary spots her entering a luncheon from his office and send his executive (Gig Young) to meet and apologize to Day on his behalf. Gig the depressed executive of Cary wants Day to scold his boss in person, but they meet and situations turn. Romance blossoms and its a good time pass. Audrey Meadows as Doris Day's friend was very enjoyable.












Come September  (Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida)

They make a dream pair and come september is a very enjoyable film with a great soundtrack.Hudson and Lollobrigida are couple who get together in September at Hudson's villa. However one September their plans go for a toss thanks to the villa manager (Walter Slezak) and the people who stay at hotel La Dolce Vista i.e the villa. Between the old pair and the young pair (Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin) its romantic fun.

It reminded me of so many movies in Hindi and Tamil i have watched before (obviously our people dont let go of a good inspiration, do they, " Love you Raja...", Anbe Vaa...)

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Tamil movies of 2009 - The ones i watched

Finally, we have bid bye to 2009. Here’s a look of the some Tamil Films I have watched in 2009. The list is not exhaustive.
Ayan:
The movie is the masala flick of the year. With action, sentiment, villainy beautiful heroine, foreign locales and action scenes stolen right under the nose of the makers of James Bond and other Hollywood action flicks. It was a easy brainless watch that made me a tad uncomfortable in certain scenes involving the herione’s brother and such. But overall the movie was good and the music average.
If there is a musician I like after Illayaraja its Harris and this is not even his good stuff, a real disappointment. The acting of Surya was good, but it seems the guy is struggling hard to follow some mass hero style, its very sad.
Tammanna is about ok, could have curbed that over the op reactions a little, she’s got the time, isn’t it.

Villu:
One word for the movie – disaster.
This movie is really fun, it was like the producer had so much money he wanted to spend, that he gave a free hand in every department except the scripting department. Starting with very bad story, gaudy and baaaaad costumes, unnecessary locales, repellent mannerisms and punch dialogues ( I seriously wanted to punch the face of the guy who thought it up) and the copy cat music; the movie was the worst of the year.

Its like this thing called ‘kootanchoru’ we used to play while children. We kids without any knowledge of cooking would get all ingredients and pots and will cook up a fare which will have everything you know, rice, lentils, vegetables, fruits spices and all and so much in it that the final product will be the most un-edible stuff. We usually never ate it (did you think we were stupid or something) but gave it as an offering to the crows with much joy. I can’t but compare the makers of this film to the kids we were.

Better luck with your brains the next time around guys…

One final word - about the music in the film. Somebody someday is going to kill Devi Sri Prasad, the guy should be a real idiot or should be blindly courageous to copy such popular music and be happy about it.

And, oh please Vijay go attend a diction class for heaven’s sake and take Nayantara to the tailors on your way, poor girl I think her wardrobe was robbed or probably burnt.

Finally you cant blame the actors the guy who sold the story and made also it, he is the real culprit -Prabu Deva.

Aadhavan:
This movie was marketed and ran mainly of Surya, a mediocre fare. I can’t understand why they put so much effort to make bad movies. Sometimes, it makes me angry for them, for I am sure the people who were involved in this film will also be really unhappy watching some of their genuine efforts going waste because of a bad story.

Padikathavan:

Really nothing much to say… Danush in his father-in-law influenced bad boy in good boy clothing works this time around too. And I better not say about Vivek’s so called comedy.


Naan Kadavul:
The movie was very disturbing. Sometimes you don’t want such harsh reality in your face, the actors were good. Especially the villain and the team of people he keeps under him. I somehow don’t think they acted. Pooja was excellent. This girl deserves the national award for this role-seriously. Arya, what he scored in his looks and mannerisms has lost it in diction and acting.

Good work Bala, but no once mores………

Vennnila Kabadi Kuzhu:

Sometime when I heard the movie name before its release I thought, comeon…why do you have to make movies on sports, its going to be bad. Chennai -28 and Chak de India were hits because they were a break from usual, so now why does someone want to make it a routine.

But I was wrong. The movie was a sincere attempt, one which showed the lives of small town kabadi players which inspite of being a sad story was actually a satisfying watch.
All actors including the team players, the patron, the girls everything was perfect. The comedy was a comedy with a lace of sadness. I liked the film.

Mayandi Kudumbathar:

A clean and neat film with so many directors (and the best actors in them). It was like reading a very good novel when I watched the film. It’s a tearjerker yes.
I especially love the acting of Manivannan, the person who acted as his handicapped nephew and Ponvannan. My respects to them.

Peranmai:

I action filled surprise. Creating and crafting a story with local elements and not sounding stupid is really a feat and Kudos to the director S.P. Janathanan for it. Jayam Ravi as Dhuruvan is very convincing in his portrayal of the forest guard. The character was in so many ways good, the portrayal of the knowledge and simplicity, the indigenous peoples trust and their courage and skills is so good, it’s a movie which incorporates them without being preachy, though trying to be preachy.
I felt a tad uncomfortable in the beginning scenes involving the antics of the schoolgirls. By the way all the actors were excellent choices. Ponvannan as the opportunistic and racist superior of Dhurvan is one character which I remembered so well. Some of us would all have experienced such people in so many places. The stunt was worth it. They could have concentrated a bit more on the music though. The ending is the master stroke in its irony.

I really wish they would make more such movies, only with a little more refinement it would be great.

Eeram:
This thriller from the production house of Shankar was a good entertainment, with no gory scenes it managed to send down a chill. The casting of Sindu Menon, Aadhi, Nanda and Charanya is apt. The movie had a very tight screen play, good music and very apt sets. I didn't find any unnecessary scenes and the pace and detailing were good too. Arivazhagan has done a good job in his debut film.

Good films are being churned from Shankar's stable. But the one's he directs are big on money and low on content it makes me wonder why?


Nadodigal:

Everyone liked the movie, but I hated it. It’s not because it was bad or anything, its good very good. But, very hard to digest, while watching the film I was angry and spitting at the stupidity of the three friends trying to help the useless boy and girl and losing everything. The scene where the guy loses his leg under a tyre and when the guy goes deaf ………..My God I really hated the pair, and when they were fighting for useless reasons I wanted to bang their heads together. One word – Excellent Samudrakani, though a story with harebrained characters I really watched a movie. It was after such long time that I got involved with the story’s characters. I was literally talking to those people while watching the movie. "One of a kinda movie".


Pasanga:

The story of boys, the ever good talented and the bad and incorrigible and in between’s was a delight of the summer of 2009.

I went with a smirk to watch the film came back smiling of the cinema. It’s a rare movie I wouldn’t hesitate to watch with my parents and family and one I could watch again and again.

All the characters were there on screen, no one really acted, no improbable sets, no action, no kuthu dance and lovely romance between the sister of Jeeva (Sobhikannu) and uncle of Anbu (Meenakshi Sundaram). There are fights between parents and between children and it remains so. The little boy(bujima), the brother of Anbu is one cute character.

My favorite was Jeeva, the boy has talent and also he reminds me of someone I know.

Music is beautiful, the song “Mazhai indru varuma varuma …” keeps repeating in my head. Good question isn’t it. Mazhai Indru Varuma Varuma? Lovely lyrics.

Pandiraj has name of one director’s film I enjoyed watching, and hope that he will keep up to the name. All the best to you !


I haven't to watched films like 'Pokisham', 'Pazhasiraja' and others as they got mentioned as good one's too.Planning to do it this year.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Avatar - Is out of the world !!!!!!!!!!

Wow!, finally i have seen a movie that i could brag to my children about. What a movie !!! Its the perfect one to watch in cinemas and i am glad i did it. Don't ever watch it on 2D , you will hate the movie as well as yourself.

The story is simple, i guess largely created by the scriptwriters imagination of the world it would have been if somethings never happened.

The world of Pandora is a dream and graphics world and yet its so so lively. You will want someone to arrange a tour for you to the place. I was simply awed after watching this one. COMPLETE ENTERTAINMENT with a capital E!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Home from the hill.

Starring Robert Mitchcum, Eleanor Parker and others. This is one classic novel turned into a classic motion picture. One of the reason they liked movies so much in those days. It has a real good story. A classic time pass…and tearjerker. You may have little difficulty finding the movie. If so leave me a post so that i could share the information.

Welcome to the Sisterhood…….

I liked this movie ‘Sisterhood of the travelling pants’ , I watched both the first and second parts this weekend. Though I liked the first one better.

The second was a little real and hence not so fun.

I seriously began feeling bad that I don’t have such friends whom I can rely on times…

Recommend it for all those girls out there, you will like this one.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Cherishing Julie and Julia………..

There are few things in life that one cherishes, moments so etched in time that you never want to forget, but invariably you forget. This is one such moment. I have just finished watching "Julie & Julia". Somehow it never felt that I was watching a movie the whole time. I know this felling would sure pass, but this moment is definite. This may be because not only do I love cooking, but somehow I can feel some of there feelings. The movie with its beautiful cinematography and excellent acting is on par with one other movie I loved so much ‘Ratatouillue’ . Meryl Streep as Julia Child was more than excellent. I was a big fan of her, but I am bigger fan today. Amy Adams as Julie is just perfect. The casting is on dot. This is one such movie which I would love to see again and again and again, which for me is rare, very rare…. I am going to get hold of Julia’s book and try some recipes which are suited for Indian palate. Maybe you could see them sometime later in my cook blog :)

By the way it reminded me of a book with similar theme (cooking) it’s called ‘Eat Cake’ by Jeanne Ray.

Monday, November 2, 2009

James Dean weekends.

When I first watched the movie GIANT the only name I knew before was that of Elizabeth Taylor. But after watching the movie the only character I remembered was that of James Dean’s. I don’t even remember the name of the character now. But I cant seem to forget his brooding look in the film. Long after GIANT, I watched "Rebel Without a Cause". Now this man, is a movie, a cult one which truly deserves the status. Beautiful story and simply superb superb performances from all; not just Dean. But its Dean who shines and whines and steals your heart in the process. I don’t know what would have become of him if he was alive, but the movie was much more effective when we are watching after his death. Lucky fellow, never experienced old age and remains 24 forever.
I am planning to watch "East of Eden" this weekend and again watch Giant.