Movie Review Jawan of Vellimala Malayalam

The hero is the watchman of the dam at Vellimala, a place in the high ranges of Kerala. The people of Vellimala are proud of their dam and their village. Gopikrishnan was a soldier who had to leave the army on medical grounds; he has only one good eye. Life for Gopikrishna in Vellimala is good and is made merrier in the company of Varghese, a government employee and Koshi Oommen who is in Vellimala for personal work. To add sweetness to the proceedings comes Anitha, project Officer for the Dam who is also a socially committed soul. Debutant Anoop Kannan’s Jawan of Vellimala picks up the threads from the lives of these people and connects them together to create the story with the dam and the blue hills as the backdrop.

'Jawan of Vellimala' is made under the banner of Mammootty’s own Playhouse and Mammootty is making his debut as a producer through the movie.'Venicile Vyapari' was the last film where Mammootty and writer James Albert worked together before.

Mammootty as Gopikrishnan plays his part effortlessly, easing into the role of an ex-soldier with one eye. His humour is natural and the slang is delivered perfectly. Sreenivasan as Varghese, is more restrained but equally effective and plays an equally important part in the film using the slangs with perfect timing. Asif Ali as Koshi Oommen and Mamtha Mohandas as the Project Officer give good support with impressive performance. New face Leona makes a good debut, while the rest of the cast like Babu Raj, Sunil Sukhada, Sadiq and Kottayam Naseer have done their expected job.

One of the highlights of the movie is the stupendous camera work by Satheesh Kurup who mops up the entire beauty of the mountains and splashes it on the screen. Bijibal’s music is melodious and lifts the spirits, sounding more enchanting in the fabulous background. Art by Prasanth Madhav, Edits by Manoj and Sound Design by Renganath Ravee are impressive. Anoop Kannan has announced his arrival with "Jawan of Vellimala" and he is a director to be taken seriously. More things are expected out of him in the future.

The film gathers pace most of the time but slows down at other places; however it does not affect the tempo of the movie. The script, characterization and style are nothing spectacular but on the whole, Jawan of Vellimala is a watchable if you don't dig too deep or go without much expectations . The story is simple, Mammootty’s acting is striking and all things considered, the film is a sincere effort to present a fine stuff to the viewers.

Movie Review Sivathaandavam Telugu 2012

Touted to be an unusual revenge story, "Shivathandavam" is Vikram's film all the way. The actor handles his role with precision and style. However, what could've been a slick thriller of the kind never seen before is jeopardized due to an extended running time and unwanted characters.

"Shivathandavam" is the Telugu dubbed version of Tamil film "Thaandavam", starring Vikram and Jagapati Babu, who play RAW agents. When Vikram signs up for an investigation that almost kills his best friend, little did he know he will be double crossed by people he cared for the most, and be turned into a fugitive on the run, seeking revenge.

The plot is simple and easy to predict, however Vijay gives it the touch of brilliance and makes it interestingly engrossing. You have the perfect setting for an interesting action revenge saga until you're disappointed with characters that were never needed.

Thanks to Daniel Kish, an expert in echo-location, the film takes effort to show something extremely interesting that was never seen before. But, unfortunately not enough effort has been made to make one understand how exactly someone can locate objects with echo.

Director Vijay only spends close to five minutes to explain echo-location to the audience verbally, whereas it should've ideally been demonstrated. The lack of understanding of the concept only leads to mockery of the same, which is quite disheartening. His direction has definitely improved since his last film, but one can still feel he hasn't given his best yet.

Vikram delivers a satisfying performance.

The marriage sequence in the village was heartwarming and a delight to watch. Anushka, though present for very little time, manages to give a neat performance and proves how comfortable she was in her role. Amy and Santhanam were sheer waste of time, while Lakshmi's part goes unnoticed in a role that could've been done by anyone.

GV Prakash's music adds some lighter moments to the film. London, seen through the lens of Nirav Shah, was a visual delight and it is something everyone can look forward to.

Movie Review Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu Telugu 2012 Pawan Kalyan

"Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu" is not just a perfect follow up to "Gabbar Singh" but even surpasses it in many departments.

Puri, who disappointed everybody with "Devudu Chesina Manushulu", ensures unadulterated entertainment and thought-provoking moments in his latest offering.

When a righteous journalist is killed by a corrupt politician named Rana Babu, a socially responsible mechanic Ramnabu, played by Pawan Kalyan, turns to journalism, after being persuaded by Ganga, played by Tamannaah, to bring expose crimes of the politician.

However, Rambabu did not anticipate that, as a journalist, he was always expected to play by the books. Irked by the situation, he steps down as a journalist and clashes horns with Rana Babu.

How will Rambabu stop Rana at all costs from becoming the next chief minister forms the rest of the story.

Puri takes a dig at the political state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh. The scenes that unfold are mirror the current condition of people in the state.

Sensitive issues such as Telangana and riots among college students are addressed intelligently.

Of course, the style Puri chooses may appear cliched but on the whole, he does stir the mind.

The audiences will be engaged by Pawan's dynamism and Puri's powerful dialogues and his narration at breakneck speed.

The film keeps you hooked, especially during comical moments involving Brahmanandam and Ali.

Puri brilliantly uses these comedians to emphasise on the flawed, over-hyped and unethical media in this country.

One particular scene between Brahmanandam and Pawan in the newsroom is hilarious and appreciative.

Pawan performs with ease and elan and his timing for comedy is commendable.

Tamannaah is impressive in her role and proves she is one of the best actresses in the industry.

Kota Srinivasa Rao and Prakash Raj, playing father and son and villains, are maniacal and brilliant.

However, the role essayed by Prakash seems similar to the one he played in "Businessman".

Puri has once again proved his mettle as a scriptwriter and director. Although the film may partly appear superfluous, he and Pawan do manage to grab your attention.

Mani Sharma's music may not appeal to everyone, it is sure to impress Pawan fans.

Rating : 3.5 / 5

Movie Review What is America English

What is America? A great nation to some and to others an apostle of democracy, equality and liberty. Brad Pitt, in the last dialogue of "Killing Them Softly" says, "America is not a country. It's a business."

It is this notion of the US that the film, succinctly, tacitly and humorously peels up by looking at one of its 'greatest' homegrown 'business' - organized crime.

Aware that Markie (Ray Liotta), the owner of a gambling den had organized a successful robbery on his own den, a crook hires two small time cons to rob it again knowing that the blame will go to Markie. With the town's economy which depended on gambling, in ruins after this second hit, its crime lords call upon Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) to clean up the mess.

What follows is not just a simple 'clean-up' but a complete overhaul and perception management of the 'business' in town.

"Killing Them Softly" is both a thriller and a comedy. It weaves in the best elements of both to give you a film that delights at many levels despite its unconventional treatment.

Instead of focusing on physical action, the film trains its lenses on seemingly inane meetings and conversations. It is thus filled with beautifully written and spectacularly enacted dialogues that may seem pointless to the average audience, but serves to take the story, 'action' and the violence forward in subtle but menacing ways.

Viewers who enjoy a freshly brewed, deep and rich drink will savour this tiny masterpiece like they have very few modern thrillers or comedies.

Yet, the masterstroke of the film is its brilliant metaphor, its parallel running and tagging up of the American financial situation with President George W. Bush trying to fight an economic downturn and incumbent senator Barack Obama talking of 'change'.

what the film insinuates with Bush and Obama talking economics on TV is something very provocative. It's well known now that the financial collapse of the American economy beginning 2008 was an inside job (just like in the film). In a below-the-belt metaphor to American capitalism, the film suggests that the assault on the economy was Bush's doing like Markie robbing his own gambling den.

And the 'change' required to restore order in the nation, comes from an enforcer, Barack Obama whose parallel is Jackie Cogan in the film.

The only change, however, that a business or a nation as a business will permit, is the change in profit. And finally when all is done and there's nothing left to be said, it all boils down to that one world 'profit' as Jackie Cogan and America talk business and minimizing losses.

Adapted from a 1974 novel named "Cogan's Trade", by George V. Higgins, this film by auteur Andrew Dominik (of "The Assassination of Jesse James" fame) is one of the most deceptively simple film you would have seen in a long time.

No matter what people say of America, one thing no one can doubt or deny is that it is a nation of the best politically critical cinema ever made in the world. And "Killing Them Softly", because of its deceptive demeanour, would stand way up at the top of this list.