Alex Pandian - Exclusive Movie Review from Kerala

Direction & Screenplay: Suraj
Production: Studio Green
Cinematography: Saravanan
Starring : Karthi,Santanam,Anushka, Sanusha, Nikitha
Music : Devisree Prasad
Release by Studio Green (Tamil Nadu)

Beebah & Sayoojyam (Kerala)

Expectations

Had a mixed bag of emotions regarding this project. The Title and the first look poster gave immense hope till the fisrt teaser/trailer was released where everything came crashing down. But Studio Green was able to cover the lost ground/expectations with the Bad Boy video and other song videos and promos.

 Story

The story is of Alex Pandian (Karthi) & Anushka, who plays CM's daughter, and  a series of goons who are searching for them. Who is Alex, why are the goons searching for them, how did Alex end up at Santhanam's house etc etc forms the story.


Like any Tamil hero few films after Karthi too tried to get into the big league, and in Kollywood the shorcut is by doing mass masala entertainers. The main aim of Studio Green was to tap Karthhi's unseen mass image and make some moolah, but unfortunately it didn't work. The main culprit here is the Suraj the director, who also wrote the script.

Searching for a story in such film are considered huge crime, but in AP the most important part of any film, ie the script, is missing. The director has just followed the tried tested and already worn out formula of mass films of 90's. AP is just a of chain Humour-Action-Song sequences in a constant loop till the climax which makes the audience cringe in their seats.

Karthi as a mass hero tried his level best, but even for a fan like me it wasn't entertaining or encouraging. The half baked script and aimless direction could be blamed for this fiasco, coz even in Sakuni I liked Karthi. His Comic sense is as always terrific, action was just ok, but needs to improve dancing skills immediately (even Anushka looked super dancer in front of him.)
Anushka just repats what she has done in a dozen Telugu/Tamil movies, few scenes, 2 songs - just eye candy stuff.

The saving grace is Santhanam, but even the scenes involving him and Karthi and the '3 sisters' are over used and it feel like you are watching a comedy soap opera and not a feature film.

The first half is full of these so called gags, then comes the silly Interval twist and. In 2nd half it gets to the flash back mode and in the climax the hero beats up every single goon that remained after 1st half and flash back and lives  happily ever after.

Hope A.Raja & Venkat Prabh gives back us the Karthi that we all want to see

Verdict 2/5

Disappointing

Final Word - Alex Pandian is a Crap Masala Boretainer, a Full-On Yawn Fest !!!



PS: Still searching for a reason to watch it ? then go watch it for the humor and humor only ....

Top 10 Kollywood (Tamil) hits of 2012

Top 10 Tamil hits of 2012

Kollywood is the most closed industry & it is very difficult to get the actual Box Office gross of a Tamil movie- So with whatever details available here are the top hits from Kollywood

1. Thuppakki * - All time Blockbuster

Undoubtedly the biggest hit of the year by a huge margin and according to various reports the 3rd biggest of all time.

2. Oru kal oru kannadi - Blockbuster

3. Nanban - Super Hit

4. Sundara Pandian - Super Hit

5. Kalakalappu @ Masala Cafe *

6. Pizza * / Kathalil sothappuvathu Eppadi*

7. Naduvile Koncham Pakkathe Kaanum * / Naan E *

8. Marina

9. Kumki 

10. Aatakathi *

Among these my favorites has been marked with a '*'

Billa 2 - My Exclusive Movie Review [from Kerala]

Directed by Chakri Toleti 

Produced by Sunir Kheterpal Suresh Balaje George Pius 

Written by Era Murukan Jaffer Mohammed 

Screenplay by Chakri Toleti Sarath Mandava Jaffer Mohammed 

Story by Chakri Toleti Eric Felberg 

Starring Ajith Kumar Parvathy Omanakuttan Bruna Abdullah Vidyut Jamwal Sudhanshu Pandey 

Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja 

Cinematography R. D. Rajasekhar 

Editing by Suresh Urs Studio Wide Angle Creations IN Entertainment 

Distributed by Aascar Films (India) GK Media (USA) 

Release date(s) 13 July 2012  

Running time 129 minutes 

Country India 

Language Tamil 

Expectations

Don is one one mos the most loved gangster movies of all time [both the old version & new one]. The 2007 release Billa was the remake of Rajnikanth's Billa which itself was a remake of Don. Billa (2007) was a smash-hit, so the expectations regarding Billa 2 was sky high, plus the fact that its a PREQUEL made me all the more interested in the project. The much hyped Don 2 turned out to be a damn squib, so expecting a great movie from Chakri Toleti worthy enough of satisying my thirst for a Don sequel

Story

"Everybody has a past but a Don a History" - Billa 2 is the story of David Billa, before he becomes the dreaded ruthless underworld King. How he started from the bottom, and marched  to the top of the underworld with brawn & brain.


Billa 2 is not a worthy successor to Billa. The movie is not entertaining, it drags big time & tests your patience through out. But that doesn't mean its Class, its neither Class nor Mass. Chakri Toleti is the main culprit here [also the co-writers]. The Direction took the average script into deeper depths. Editing was bad, felt as if its 3hr long [actual lenght is 129 mins]. Yuvan Shankar Raja disappointed big time, his BG & Music were one of the big plus points of 'Mankatha', here he simply failed to deliver.

God only knows why the makers opted for Parvathy Omanakuttan [may be coz she is a Malayali, as Nayans was a Mallu too]. Brunah Abdulah looked Old & 'Cold' even in those bikinis. Both had short roles, shorter clother & even shorter expressions that u need a magnifying lens to read them from their face. All villains are wasted [Poor characterization is there throughout]. Billa character lacks consistency, it swings both ways.

The movie started positively, but failed to pick up, even in the second half. Action choreography was bad. The movie has some good one liners. The climax looked ridiculous [just like Sagar Alias Jacky].

Even die hard fans of Thala will be disappointed. Don 2 looks a classic compared to this, even though it was a sequel. A Colossal disappointment considering the excessive baggage & hype it carried.

Positives

Ajith
Actor who played Hotel Owner

Camera
'Sin-City' like video for 'Unakkulle Mirugam'
Some good One-Liners

Negatives


Chakri Toleti 
Screenplay
Editing
Music & BG
Heroines
Villains gets no scope
Over Hype

Rating

2/5

Verdict 

Die hard Thala fans, watch it for him, other don't even bother watching

Box Office

Took an above average opening in Kerala & Andhra & 100% in TN & Overseas, but should fall from Monday - Totally Average or Above

Saguni - Exclusive Movie Review - 3/5

Directed by N. Shankar Dayal 

Produced by Antony Xavier 

Written by N. Shankar Dayal 

Starring: Karthi, Pranitha, Prakashraj, Santhanam, Radhika, Kotta sreenivasa rao

Music by G. V. Prakash Kumar 

Cinematography P. G. Muthiah 

Editing by A. Sreekar Prasad 

Studio Dream Warrior Pictures 

Distributed by Studio Green 

Release date(s) June 22, 2012 

Saguni's big screen return after Smash-Hit 'Siruthai' which released about 18 months ago is a satisfying entertainer as far as I am concerned.

Frankly speaking didn't have much expectation from the movie, as long delayed movies always proove to be duds. The film was in the news for all the wrong reasons - Changing the Villain and reshooting all his scenes with Prakashraj, prodcution issues, long delays, re-written script, dubbing issues etc

The film is about Karthi, with the help of his side-kick Santhanam, going to all extents to save his ancestral house, which is about to be knocked down by Railways to construct a subway. On his journey he has to lock horns with the powerful villain, also happens to be the CM of TN played by Prakashraj.

The film is a complete KArthi show - he has got amazing screen presence & did it with Elan. His good old next door boy show should go well with ladies folks and kids who just adore him and form a major part of his fans. His combination with Santhanam should bring the house down in many scenes. As Rajni & Kamal they rocked the screen and made the pretty average first half a watchable one.

the Saguni aatam only begins in the 2nd half, but its not as thrilling or exciting as one would expect, but one wont think about all the negativites until the show is over. The writer intelligently could package everything neatly in rip-roaring speed in the 2nd half  giving viewers no time to think.

Radhika made a rocking comeback via Saguni. Nasser, Kota Sreenivasa Rao cameos were good. Prakashraj was superb as always, and thank god they changed the original villain (Vettaikaran fame), coz he couldnt have done justice to the evil CM's role. Heroine was a waste, eventhough her lip sync was perfect the over action spoiled it (just like Tamanna) - anyway she has got just 5/6 scenes only (+ songs)

Like all GVP films, songs in Saguni rocked before release, but after watching them on screen one is left wondering WTH is this

The movie is similar to 'Thiruvilayadal Aarambam' 'Dhool' etc, but not as exciting or pulsating

Positives

Karthi

Santhanam

Prakashraj

Radhika, Nasar, Kota Srenivasa Rao

2nd half

Comedy

Songs [audio]

Negatives

First Half

Heroine

Songs [Choreography  & Visuals except 'pottathu pathale' ]

length

direction 

 Cameos by Anushka [Eventhough i liked her being shown as a mallu] & Andreah

 

Overall its a watchable Political entertainer & a complete Karthi show, with a rocking Santhanam [Seriously, do u need more reasons to watch a popcorn entertainer?]

3/5

Box Office: Should be a hit considering a solo & wide release [2nd biggest after Enthiran]

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