Moodar Koodam (TAMIL) – Fools Gathering

Starring: Naveen, Sentrayan, Rajaj, Kuberan, Oviya and many more
Editing: Athiyappan Siva
Cinematography: Tony Chan
Music: Natarajan Sankaran
Written and Directed : Naveen

I dont know how to categorize this film under one genre. Its a film mixed of many genres. Each and every episode and pre-episodes (you should watch the film for those interesting ones) have been well sketched one. It shows how writing is very important for the modern films. This is one such film which is mostly known as Dark Comedy or Black Comedy. Hats off for the director to give us such an amazing and interesting story to have a look.

As the title suggests, Moodar Koodam is the story of a group of fools, which is made on the theory of Gautham Buddha, “It’s better well to Travel well than to arrive.” The plot revolves around four unemployed youths – Naveen, Vellaisamy, Sentrayan and Kuberan who land in the same jail for minor offense and become friends. After their release from the jail, few undesirable circumstances force them to join hands for a robbery. They decide to rob Bhaktavatsalam (Jayaprakash) , who is Vellaisamy’s uncle, and to settle down in life. A series of unexpected events that happens while they attempt to rob the rich man seems a little unbelievable, but is still hilarious.

Have you ever seen a dog and a doll having a song for them. This film gives you that. That too has a pre-story for them. Also the kids who are in this film have been cleverly shown, especially the little girl who attends Jayaprakash’s calls and tells that her mom and dad are having a bath together and irritates him by asking many things for eating and names him as Bad uncle. Director Naveen, who also played one of main leads, packs some powerful lines amidst all the humour in the film. For instance, a scene where he explains the divide between rich and poor using a simple anecdote of a mango tree deserves a loud applause. Sentrayan can be seen in many more films after his wonderful performance in the film.

Music plays a crucial part for most of the film as many of the scenes are without dialogs or with just a minimal of dialogs. Natarajan Sankaran is the one to watch in the future. Tony Chan has clearly differentiated the colour tones for different periods in the movie (Present/backstories). The camera angles are also strikingly different and the close-up shots are sometimes even bizarre. There is an animation song in the film, which serves as a backstory to one of the lead characters. It is interestingly conceived and executed convincingly.

The title Moodar Koodam (Fools Gathering) is apt for the film.  Every character with his eccentric personality traits tries his best to appear formidable, but invariably ends up looking like a fool and evokes laughter from the audience. Comedy and satire are beautifully interwoven in Moodar Koodam with excellent support from all the cast.  The only negative in the film is the number of characters and incidents incorporated into the film, creating an overdose of everything. Go for it one and only if you like black comedy type of movies or if you wish to have a change in watching a different genre of films far away from the cliched one. I like this one..!!  🙂

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We’re the Millers (ENGLISH)

A laughathon which i never saw in recent times, that too in a road trip adult comedy. All the characters along with the plot was really cool. No where you can feel its boring. We’re the millers is one such film.

David is a drug dealer and he does the same job what he had in college, selling weed, and that’s about all he does. He makes a good living and is saving up a bankroll, that is until the day he is robbed, not only of his own money but of all the money he had which he owes to his supplier. Now he’s got to pull off a dangerous job in order to cancel the debt, head to Mexico & cross back over the border with a shipment hidden away in an RV. Only problem is, he knows he’ll be searched & found out by the border guards. What he needs is to make all believe, and what is better is to travel as a family of four. So he recruits the least likely team possible; a stripper, a runaway, and an useless guy. Transforming themselves into your average every day family, the “Millers” try to pull off an almost impossible mission, pretending that they are normal.

Jason does a breezy performance as the head of the imposter Miller family. Even he is a greedy, he has to pretend to be Mr. Nice Guy. Jennifer Aniston, on the other hand, is quite subdued. She has some sporadic funny moments throughout the picture, like being caught kissing her fake son, but for the most part she is serious and down to business, letting the supporting cast handle the comedic weight. Will Poulter does a remarkable job at playing the awkward teenaged Kenny struggling with growing pains. He deftly balances the teen angst with the slapstick and is an actor to keep an eye open for in the future.

Everyone does a decent job, but the real stars are the supporting players: Ed Helms as a crime lord, and Nick Offerman with Kathryn Hahn as a ‘real’ family of do-gooders.

It’s predictable, with no logic and too long – but a handful of really big chuckles excuse most of the cop-outs. There’s a much edgier film in here somewhere, but this one will definitely do with you having a hefty laugh.

Shuddh Desi Romance (HINDI) – Pure Indianised Romance

Starring: Sushant Singh,Parineeti,Rishi Kapoor,Vani Kapoor(Debut) and many more
Editing: Namrata Rao
Cinematography: Manu Anand
Music: Sachin-Jigar
Writer: Jaideep Sahni
Direction : Maneesh Sharma

Jaipur,Rajashtan is the scene of action and as per the director’s previous film ‘Band Baaja Baarat‘ this film also deals with the shaadi’s and its fun. But this time as per the title,its pure and pure desi type of romance where he joins hands with the experienced writer-director Jaideep (Chak De India fame). Film is a desi version of an Westernised english romantic comedies where live – in relationships is not a big thing. But for a country like India these things are just now mushrooming.

As per the story the marriages in the film never take place. It starts with fun and ends in bathroom. Thats one of the main character in the film. It is the journey of three restless young people who junk the society for finding love and decide to follow their heart. Raghu(Sushant), of Kai Po Che, a tourist guide in Jaipur, wants a love in his life. Gayatri (Parineeti), a part-time instructor in an English-speaking institute, has been experienced in love a few times and knows the scene. Tara (Vaani Kapoor), who’s deceived by Sushant on the day of her marriage. When their lives criss cross, their beliefs get challenged and their loves,tested. And that in all ,honesty, is the prime reason that gives this film an edge.

Sushant wows with a remarkable portrayal yet again. He brings a lot of josh with his soft and spontaneous act. Parineeti Chopra gets into the bindaas zone yet again, a role that’s not new to her. She seems to be going from strength to strength with every film. Vaani Kapoor is self-assured and doesn’t seem overwhelmed by her skilled co-stars. A well done debut from her. Rishi Kapoor is, like always, in terrific form. But for a change the female characters have more strength in the film which is clearly shown by the way they express what they feel in a separate way. Also with a cigar and a cold drink.

The obstacles in the form of caste, religion and culture are a strict no. Dating, pre-marital sex and marriage are three diverse issues, unlike earlier times, when matrimony was a beautiful culmination in a relationship. Maneesh breaks away from the conventional and paints a picture that challenges the mindset of the yester year people with a sliced comic touch.

Sachin-Jigar’s soundtrack gels with the screen play. Songs are more of a montage shots which stops you to blink your eyes. Manu captures the rustic flavor of Jaipur and the surroundings well. Top Angle shots deserves a spl mention.

On the whole, the film is for the youth which reflects their mindsets these days. Told in an entertaining format, it is sure to strike a chord with not just the youngsters, but also with those who loves the shuddh factor in the stories. Refreshingly different and Recommended!

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Varuthapadatha Vaalibar Sangam (TAMIL) – Club for Dont Care Youths

 

Starring: Sivakarthikeyan,Sri Divya,Sathyaraj,Soori and many more
Editing: Vivek Harshan
Cinematography: Balasubramaniam
Music: D.Imman
Direction : Ponram (Debut)

The growth of the hero in his real life could not have been much better than for Sivakarthikeyan. Step by step success of him proves what the real meaning of hard work is. The film got a tremendous reception all over the world due to the sheer promotional stuffs.

This is a film where the formula is clear. Comedy , comedy and more comedy. There are more and more films which is in the pipeline which has comedy as their genre. This also follows the same. Just a few additions and deletions to the story is the difference overall. But what makes interesting in VVS is its screenplay, well supported by the characters.

One cannot take a serious action film with Siva as the hero, that too when he is joined by Soori. They both have stolen the entire first half of the film and later joined by Sathyaraj in the most part of the second half from where there is nothing to look back. This film also has story,romance,action and all the elements needed but all are given in a comical manner. Heroine looks and acts good too.

Music and Dialogues adds more tempo for the film. Songs are already chartbusters, with almost all the songs have been declared as hit. Imman is back again with more and more bangs. M.Rajesh (Director of SMS,Boss and OK OK) has taken the credits for dialogues and hence is the comic touch all over the film. Given the length for such a comical film, certain scenes could have been trimmed by Vivek, the editor.

Ponram delivered what he has learnt well from his master M.Rajesh. As the trend is comedy and the hero has all the needed elements, this film could not become dud anywhere. Such is the credits the entire team should credit for themselves. 150 minutes of fun is the best thing which is given by the VVS team. Go for it..!!

Thanga Meengal (TAMIL) – Golden Fishes

 

 

Starring: Ram,Shelly,Baby Sadhana,Padmapriya and many more
Editing: Sreekar Prasad
Cinematography: Arbindu Saara
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Written and Directed : Ram

WOW..!! Thats wat one will say after seeing a director producing a film which is directed by another director, that too asking him to don the greasepaint.  After a different debut from him, Ram had to wait so many years to see his next coming on the screen.

This is a totally opposite genre of film making where the relationship between a dad and his daughter is described in a poetic way. Its upto you whether you understand it or not. If not, then you have to update yourself in understanding such a way of film making.

Story. A man who does everything watever his daughter asks him. Never says no to her. And no one can say no to such a doting daughter.Each and every movement of Baby Sadhana has acted. Ram knows how to act as its not acting but just to live as his own character of the story which he has penned.Padmapriya , even though she comes only in a few scenes, has made her part looks beautiful.Crossing mountains to get the rainmaker so that he can get the pug which his daughter wanted, none of the father’s will do wat Ram’s character does. Simply superb..!!

Arbindu Saara , man to look out for the future. His cinematography speaks the story through his lens. Yuvan can be very proud in doing music for such films in his career. Sreekar Prasad could have made the film a bit crispy with the cuts but given such a story all the scenes are very much needed.

Totally, days have come when the Tamil films can also be said equally to Iranian films. And one such example is Thanga Meengal. But I bet not all will love it. But the real film lovers will accept it with open hands. Hats off to GVM and Ram for giving such a master piece.