Kishkindha Kaandam Review | A Superb Screenplay Powered by an On-Point Treatment

There are certain characters in movies whose reality we learn at the end of the film would leave us in a state of overwhelming numbness. The character of Appuppilla in the movie Kishkindha Kaandam, played terrifically by Vijayaraghavan, is one such character. Powered by a spectacular screenplay that utilizes each scene to convey details that… Continue reading Kishkindha Kaandam Review | A Superb Screenplay Powered by an On-Point Treatment

Adios Amigo Review | A Dragged Second Half Diminishes the Charm of This Breezy Friendship Story

In the climax of the movie  Adios Amigo, Suraj Venjaramood’s character hugs the character played by Asif Ali as a token of gratitude. The realness in the performance of Suraj was so moving that I hoped the second half of this movie written by Thankam had more juice in it to make us root for these… Continue reading Adios Amigo Review | A Dragged Second Half Diminishes the Charm of This Breezy Friendship Story

Level Cross Review | An Earnest Asif Ali Can’t Salvage This Underwhelming Psychological Thriller

When the movie Level Cross opens with that description of the film’s setting and then shows us this barren land, I personally thought this would be a metaphorical world that has something to do with the psyche of the characters. Arfaz Ayub’s debut directorial has symbolic aspirations for sure. But the writing, especially the dialogues,… Continue reading Level Cross Review | An Earnest Asif Ali Can’t Salvage This Underwhelming Psychological Thriller

Thalavan Review | A Watchable Crime Thriller That Misses Out on the Wow Factor

The feel-good space has been the safe zone of director Jis Joy, and when he tried something different in Innale Vare, the response wasn’t that warm. Thalavan, his new film, a police investigation drama, is yet another attempt to crack a zone that Jis hasn’t explored. With two strong actors carrying their respective roles with the required heft,… Continue reading Thalavan Review | A Watchable Crime Thriller That Misses Out on the Wow Factor

Otta Review | An Insufferably Bland Film About Toxic Parenting

Being a true story or based on real persons can, at times, be an excuse to cover up the inability of the filmmakers to create something emotionally connecting. Otta, the debut directorial of renowned sound designer Resul Pookutty, sadly belongs to that category of films. The movie is supposed to tell the story of two… Continue reading Otta Review | An Insufferably Bland Film About Toxic Parenting

Kasargold Review | An Inconsistent Thriller With Familiar Twists

Directed by Mridul Nair, Kasargold aspires to be quirky and gory. But the problem is the narrative doesn’t have the flow to keep you excited about the content. Even when they reveal a twist in the tale, it has that familiar feel, or maybe you saw it coming. The backdrop of gold smuggling is indeed… Continue reading Kasargold Review | An Inconsistent Thriller With Familiar Twists

2018 Review | A Structurally Generic Disaster Film With a Brilliantly Executed Second Half

When you look at the latest movie, 2018, from Jude Anthany Joseph on a script level, the placement of characters and events is pretty generic. Since it is a story that is talking about an event that happened just five years back with too much coverage on it still accessible to many, the focus of… Continue reading 2018 Review | A Structurally Generic Disaster Film With a Brilliantly Executed Second Half

Maheshum Marutiyum Review | A Heavily Underdeveloped Wannabe Motivational Drama

Sethu’s scripts have always lacked solid conflicts that would make us root for the emotions or characters in his films. Be it the movies he had written or his directorial debut Oru Kuttanadan Blog, they always had this feeling of a heavily underdeveloped idea that somehow achieved a presentable structure. His new venture, Maheshum Marutiyum,… Continue reading Maheshum Marutiyum Review | A Heavily Underdeveloped Wannabe Motivational Drama