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Pretham 2 (2018)
Less Fun, Less Fear
Ranjith Shankar's 'Pretham 2', on being looked at from a structural point of view, is not very different from 'Pretham' (2016). That is to say, the sequel follows a narrative pattern similar to what we saw in John Don Bosco's uncanny adventures with Denny, Shibu and Priyalal in 'Pretham' (2016). We see in 'Pretham 2', a group of young people who are witty, and jealous of Mentalist Bosco's ability to do what he does. We also see the recurring tale of a troubled soul who fell prey to cyber violence, its thirst for answers and vengeance, etcetera. The elaborate final showdown of the two movies are identical, yet contextually different.
'Pretham 2' isn't as cliched as its trailer. It is not at all the typical ghost story which unfolds in the old 'mana'. In fact, it cannot be called as a horror flick since it doesn't make the average viewer horrified, although the tagline says "double the fun, double the fear". Talking about the 'fun' aspect, there isn't much, that is, if you are not into jokes made through movie references. Mangalassery Neelakantan seems okay at the beginning, but becomes more or less out of place as the plot thickens. The other characters seem alright, although they were just placed to magnify the glory of the Mentalist. Jayasurya, as always, did justice to his character, and Sarita Jayasurya's costumes have given him more of a carnivalesque bliss.
In comparison to the sequel, 'Pretham' (2016) had a more believable plot. But the technical aspects seem better in 'Pretham 2' especially the shots and certain (nearly) Dutch angles which were too good. The background tracks were of some class, but seem misplaced on many occasions.
Overall, the sequel is a one time watch even for a conventional family audience, since there is very less 'adult comedy' when compared to 'Pretham' (2016). The bottom line is, 'Pretham 2' is a decent film which has equal parts of awesomeness and mediocrities.
Odiyan (2018)
A 90s movie made in 2018
VA Shrikumar Menon's feature film debut 'Odiyan' is all about the shapeshifting larger-than-life character Odiyan Manikyan who is portrayed by Mohanlal. Being one of the most awaited releases of the year, 'Odiyan' had a great start. But due to some issues (which would be touched upon in this review) the Lal-starrer got an array of negative comments even from his fans.
The "average" spectators' main concern was regarding the director's failure at keeping his promise. He had assured that 'Odiyan' would be a mass entertainer which, however, turned out to be just a 'humble project' as Mohanlal puts it. While it is true that Menon misinformed the world about the true nature of his film, 'Odiyan' is still a well-crafted masterpiece which can boast of a unique way of storytelling (one which requires the spectator to pay keen attention throughout the run time). The overlapping timeline has been decently conceived, although, at times, it is hard to digest.
The kernel of this film, without a doubt, is Mohanlal. His two year long preparations for this role have paid off. He keeps the narrative together when it falls apart at many places. It might also seem to the (above) average spectator that Manikyan is the only round character in the film which has an abundance of one-sided characters like Ravunni - the evil villain, Prabha - the compassionate aristocrat who befriends the downtrodden, Meenakshi - the innocent village belle, Damodaran Nair (Siddique) - the know-it-all tea seller, and a group of young men who are mean for no apparent reason. They resemble the antagonistic college bullies who used to be the staple in campus films of the 90s and early 2000s. This takes us to the next point.
This film seems a lot like a late 20th century flick. I'm not only talking about the costumes and the setting, but also about the temperament and the fundamental nature of the characters (including Manikyan). While reading between the lines, the film has the "graceful" sexism and racism that one finds in 'Aaram Thamburan', 'Narasimham', 'Devasuram' and so on. However, one cannot say that there is a similar celebration of the hero's masculinity in 'Odiyan', since the character is not a 'Thamburan' but a Dalit. He is portrayed as the victim in many instances. Yet, his manhood is protected through 'odividhya' which was taught to him by his grandfather. Another striking and somewhat disturbing recognition is regarding the characterization of Ravunni whose villainy is often corelated to the colour of his skin. "The dark skinned man as the villain" is so twisted an idea. On a deconstructive level, however, this aspect acts as a sort of explanation or justification for his 'evil' deeds. That is, as a person who has been tormented since childhood about the colour of his skin, Ravunni has every right to act the way he does. The fact that even Odiyan Manikyan, the underdog, is fairer than him might have had a gargantuan effect upon this Nair's psyche.
While paying attention to the technical aspects, it would be unjust to go about without mentioning Shaji Kumar's captivating cinematography which held the movie together when everything else fell apart at times. The visual effects and (or) CGI, on the contrary, seemed cartoony at most times. It certainly did not look suitable for a big budget film like 'Odiyan'. Peter Hein's action sequences could make a decent impact on the spectator, though it lacked the spontaneity that one finds in 'Pulimurugan' especially in the final fight scene. The frequent cuts have affected the continuity of certain moves (again, this is only the case with the climax fight sequence). The background music and other sound effects especially during 'odividhya' were blissfully thunderous.
Therefore, 'Odiyan' wasn't an utter disappointment. It can be simply regarded as a film which should have been made a decade ago. Odiyan Manikyan is comparable with Mohanlal's classic characters like Kunhikkuttan (Vanaprastham) and Balan (Thazhvaram). It is just that he wasn't given much of an opportunity to showcase his acting prowess to the fullest since 'Odiyan' could not fully contain Odiyan Manikyan.
Bicycle Thieves (2013)
A not-so-boring Suspenseful Film
It seems that the movie has been created to suit the title. The Italian classic by the same name can never be compared with this movie. I personally liked this movie as it could kill time and give a decent climax. Apart from the pointless twists, there is nothing wrong with this movie.
Asif Ali's character is over hyped, I guess. All the unwanted background scores and slow-mos made me sick. But he has played his part well; his spontaneous way of acting saves us from boredom. The film gives some good laughs. Aju Varghese- Balu Varghese combo is superb. Vijay Babu's character is annoying and sensible at the same time. He has done his job well. Aparna Gopinath and Asif Ali makes a good pair. As I mentioned earlier, the twits in the plot is totally awesome but are somewhat pointless. As I have not given a spoiler alert, I am not going deep into it.
Other details:- Alcohol? Yes Violence? Mild Profanity? No Can be watched with a typical Indian family? Yes
Dilwale (2015)
Extremely unacceptable !!
First of all, I'd like to say that I went to watch this movie on the first day itself (with a head full of expectations). I fancied the idea of seeing the prettiest jodi once again on screen. DDLJ being watched everyday by at least hundreds of Indians, the makers of Dilwale has disgraced the entire Indian Film industry by releasing this Christmas "Gift". I mean, the story (if they have one) is so ridiculous and predictable from the very beginning itself. I still don't find a reason why they can't invest a little more time and effort on the story if they can spend millions on silly car crashes and stunts. Afterall, story is more important, right?I don't think that even SRK fans would find this movie enjoyable. This clichéd piece of art has ruined my Christmas.
However there are some Pros(-for the sake of saying-) * Good visual effects, especially the Gerua song. * Bollywood's prettiest couple comes once again. * Varun Dhavan and Kriti Sanon makes a cute jodi. * Boman Irani's character (though out of place, he has given some laughter) * Songs are superb. * Some wonderfully modified cars can be seen.
100 Days of Love (2015)
Good one.
I didn't keep too much expectations(about the title) when my friend invited me for this movie. That must be the reason why I liked this pretty much. If you're a person who likes romantic movies with some lighter moments,you should really give this a try. Jenuse Mohammed has shown justice to the script; Dulquer Salman has delivered a wonderful performance, but lacks a little bit originality when he plays drunk.Nithya Menon's character doesn't have much job to do.The cinematographer has done a good job;he has maintained the freshness of the visuals throughout the playtime. The number of drunk sequences may seem disturbing for an average viewer, but when the character's point of view is considered,it can be justified. What puzzles me is the fact that, the title of the film is not mentioned or shown anywhere in the movie. Anyaway, the movie does not bore you or make you yawn; even though it doesn't have much 'New-Generation' elements.
The Maze Runner (2014)
One of the best movies set in dystopia
The Maze Runner: as the name suggests 'the Maze' is the most important part of this movie. Based on the novel of the same title, this movie gives us a lot of Hold-your-breath-moments. All the actors have delivered amazing performance.The crew has done an excellent job and hats off to the director who is immensely talented. I would've given 10 out of 10, if the movie had a more rational/logical reason behind the activities done by 'WICKED' and if the climax was a bit more detailed like the novel. Anyway,this is worth a watch. Must Watch. Suggest to your friends and family. This can also be regarded as one of the greatest movie adaptations of famous novels.
Let's Be Cops (2014)
Just for Laughs !!!!
If you're one of those people who watch movies as a part of cooling your mind after a busy day,this will do the work. But be careful not to keep anything more apart from comedy and fun, and some little heart touching scenes.
As the plot suggests it is the story of two pals who disguises themselves as cops for fun !! You should keep away your brains and laugh out loud as these Buddies surf through LA in their fake Cop Car which they bought online!! Overall,this is a good movie which does not creep your mind with Hold-Your-Breath-Moments or Twists.The casting can be regarded good and the presentation,simple yet decent.
Do watch it, if you've got time.
Happy Journey (2014)
Not Bad!!
Jayasurya has delivered a decent performance and so did some of the supporting artists.The movie lacked a better script and could have made the climax a bit more interesting.The first half was well presented but the second half was full of yawns. If you think that the movie talks about the blind adventures of the hero, you're wrong.We can see an array of different lives which is unfortunately desperate and boring.Anyway it is worth a watch without keeping too much expectations. The one and only plus point of the film is that, it makes us aware about Blind Cricketing in India. WATCH WHEN YOU HAVE EXCESS TIME AND THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DO !!