7AUM ARIVU

Suriya- AR Murugadoss- Harris Jeyaraj who gave us the Ghajini are back in 7 Am Arivu but failed to recreate the old magic, due to a weak plot and a worst screenplay. The story is a mix of English movie Out Break & MI2 with some Indian flavour of Antha oru nimidam and Thasavatharam. Suriya has done his work perfectly but he cannot save the whole film which has nothing interesting. The new Villain Johnny Tri Nguyen as Dong Lee is too good. Harris music is average and the songs in the movie are placed in wrong places and it makes us sick. The movie is supposed to be a thriller but director never even thought of it and never even tried for it. Graphics are good. BG is very bad. The climax is big letdown Bodhivarma who taught Kung fu for the whole world is fighting with the help of rope and flying in air. As usual Suriya is taking of his shirt in songs and fight sequesnce(Salman Khan should be blamed for this act)

Final Verdict—Disappointed movie.

Velayudham

Vijay is back to his old formula in Velayudham.Director M.Raja is working with Vijay for the first time so he didn’t take much of risk for search of story. He took the old Telugu film and modified a bit and presented with new songs and actors as Velayudham. Velayudham is similar to Thirupachi with thangachi sentiment and Vijay fighting against the unknown bad guys. Songs are good.Vijay is energetic and acted as usual. Genelia has some role to play as a reporter but Hansika is only for songs. Santham has done his job, his comedy is too good. The first half is ok with comedy and action but the second half is typical telugu film type. If they have done some editing in second half the movie will be little more crisp and racy but now it is lengthy and making us tired watching the same action sequences. But taking of shirt in the climax is little bit too much.

Final Verdict—An Extended version of Thirupachi.

Deivathirumagal

Deivathirumagal is a poetical tale of love and affection between a dad and his 5 year old daughter. Vikram is the dad and Sara is the daughter. Vikram is a mentally challenged person to the world but he is her dad. Vikram’s acting is too good in this movie. The plot is so simple when Vikrams daughter Sara is going to school where she is facing the day to day problems of todays children but in the other side her dad is mentally challenged. When a new school correspondent enters the scene she meets Sara who happens to be her sisters daughter now the story starts she takes sara with her and Vikram is fighting with them to get her back with Anushka and Santhanams help. Anushak is a lawyer and Santhanam is her assistant. Anushka looks ravishing and as a struggling lawyer who wants to bring justice to her client. Santhanam’s comedy gels along with the story line and brings in enjoyable lighter moments. Sara as Nila almost steals the show as Vikram's daughter, the bonding between the father and daughter is well brought out especially in the court scene.Nirav Shahs camera work is too good.Director Vijay is able to draw the audiences from the first scene into the life of Vikram. His matured handling of the script and his characters are just testimony to this film.Music by G.V Prakash is good. Among the songs Vizhigalil Oru Vaanavil stays in your mind. Dialogues like “Vakil kitayum doctor kittayum poi pesa koodathu, aana vakillum doctorum poi pesalam” and ‘Saamikku amma kedayaada’ ,’Nee mattum appavoda iruke naan iruka koodatha?’ are noteworthy. There are quite few scenes that tug at your heart’s strings and almost all of them happen between the dad and the daughter.On the downside the movie is very slow. This movie is in the lines of I am Sam movie.


Final Verdict-Watch it for Vikram.

Venghai

Hari directed Venghai, is a commercial entertainer with all essential ingredients. Venghai is nothing but a old wine in a new tetra pack with hardly any story or twists but it is the furious speed. Venghai is set in the Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu. Hari follows the old 70-80’s formula film pattern where all the characters are either black or white. The milieu, clichéd characters and a larger-than-life hero who says that “my family is a temple and my parents are the Gods” will reassure the dying joint family system and values. Apart from Dhanush and Tamannah the movie also has Rajkiran, Prakash Raj, Ganja Karuppu and Vijaykumar in prominent roles.The story is similar to Hari’s Ayya and has some shades of his earlier film Aaru. Tamannnaah is there only for the sentimental twist, romance and mandatory songs. Dhanush makes Venghai a gripping story of grief and heroism due to his powerful performance.Highlight of the film is Prakash Raj, his cat and mouse game with Dhanush in the second half is the highlight. Songs by Devi Sri Prasad are just about ok. The film moves at a slow pace in the first half but gains momentum in the latter half.


Final verdict—Better than Mappilai

Vaanam

Vaanam follows a multi narrative format similar to Naan Mahan Alla.Telugu director Krish comes to Tamil with his critically acclaimed Vedam as Vaanam. The characters in Vaanam are very ordinary with little bit of grey shades. In this film STR plays as cable Raju, Bharath as rock star, Anushka as the sex worker, Saranya the helpless mom of an abducted son and Prakash Raj on the lookout for his lost brother are the axles around which Vaanam revolves. The screenplay is woven around these characters and Krish builds his narration in a neat pattern by not losing steam or our attention. Nirav Shahs cinematography is too good. Music is by Yuvan Shankar Raja. Except Evandi Onna Pethan none of the other songs are good. On the downside the movie moves in a slow pace and sometimes we feel certain characters and scenes are included without any meaning or scope. The climax sequence is totally a letdown.




Final Verdict-A multi starrer drama with less substance. Watch it on your own risk.

KO

After Ayan Director KV Anand has given us one more visual treat KO. Similar to Ayan Anand has take a different plot with good characterization and a neat script. Jiiva as Photo journalist has done a good work the story revolves around him, the film is the jouerny of this photo journalist. Ajmal as young politician is too good. Karthika(yester year herione Radhas daughter) has done a good job as fellow journalist of Jiiva. Piaa too has done her part as journalist in this film. Music is the plus all the songs are good to hear and a visual treat. Photography and editing is crisp and it gives us the feeling to involve ourself in the film.Prakashraj, Kotta srinivasan has done their part to add commercial flavor to the film. The role done by Bose Venkat is the highlight of the film. The dialogues are sharp and too good. Little bit trimming in the first half should have made this film racy. 2 songs are placed in un wanted situations.

Final verdict-A Visual cum Entertaining treat for the audiance.

Payanam

One more Radhamohans & Prakashraj combination film but this film travels in different genre which usually Hollywood film makers do it.This film is about a passenger flight with 100 odd passengers is hijacked by few terrorist. In the passenger list we have an actor, politician, priest, doctor, mimiciry artist etc. The screenplay is around this hijack.Director has followed Hollywood style by concentrating on the terrorist and their demands, just talking government negotiator and finally the action commando who successfully implements a risky rescue act to save the passenger. Prakashraj plays as negotiator, Nagarjuna acts as the commando. All the actors have done a good job. Music by Pravin mani is ok.In this thriller we too have humour which is enjoyable but logically when the flight is hijacked the passengers can’t be so relaxed as shown in the film. Though the plot is good and the story is straight forward the screenplay seems to be little slow in 2nd half,if the tempo is maintained this could be a enjoyable thriller.


Final Verdict—Good movie to watch it in theatre.

Thoonga Nagaram

Dhayanidhi Azhagiris Thoonganagaram is directed by Gaurav,a former assistant to K.S.Ravikumar has done an important role in the film. The film has Vimal (Kalavani fame), Bharani (Nadodigal fame), Nishanth (Renigunta fame), Anjali (Angadi Theru fame) as the other stars.Director reworked the Made in Madurai formula with usual friendship theme in little different manner, and packaged it with entertainment ingredients. The plot is good and what makes the film watchable is the twist and turns happening in the film. Though the film is set in Madurai it has less violence and laced with good romance, comedy and humor.Heroine is for songs only. The film should have been edited a bit in the second half to make it racier. Music is average. Climax is predictable.


Overall verdict—A Thoongamal Nagarum entertaining movie.

Yuddham Sei

When Mysskin and director Cheran joins hand the expectation meter is too high. Yuddham Sei is thriller and it lives to the expectation. Cheran has acted as CB-CID police officer, the plot is something different from other police officer films. The movie moves little slow during the investigation period but the grip is maintained till the end. Cheran has no heroine in this movie,no duet and has only one song in this film. There is a sense of déjà vu as you watch the suspense unfolds. Yudham Sei has linear narration and effective screen play. The best scene in the film is how Cheran armed with just a miniature file in a nail cutter takes on half a dozen goons armed with long knives.Films of this kind should make the audience to sit on their edge but somehow Mysskin missed that by dragging few scenes in the 2nd half. Cheran has done a neat job. Music is good, the cinematography of Sathya, especially the night effects are good. The film has traces of David Finchers Seven.


Overall verdict-A good slow paced thriller. Watch it in theatres for the bold attempt of Mysskin.

Siruthai

Karthi’s Siruthai directed by Siva is almost a scene by scene, dialogue by dialogue remake of Ravi Tejas Telugu film Vikramarkudu (2006).This is one of those mindless and stereotype mass entertainers we have seen in 70’s and 80’s, which will not appeal to the current generation.Karthi has done a good job his dual role is given enough difference and built ups. Tammana as heroine has done nothing except showing her skin. Santhanam is the only saviour of this film he delivers his usual one liners and makes the movie entertaining in parts. Songs by Vidayasagar is big flop.The movie is also riddled with crude dialogues.Technically there is nothing to complain or talk about.




Final Verdict-Watch Siruthai if you are a hardcore mass masala film fan.

Kavalan

Kavalan , remake of the Malayalam film Bodyguard, brings together the successful duo of Vijay and Siddique once again.Kavalan is an emotionally narrated love story about a righteous and innocent man who is assigned the task of being a young woman’s bodyguard.What makes the film tick is that Vijay with the help of director Siddique has done something different within the constraints of the formula.Kavalan is a throwback to the Thulladha Manamum Thullum days of Vijay and we hope the days are here to stay. He has lived the character.One of the main drawback of the film is the famous Asin-Vijay chemistry that has failed to work on screen. Asin is not up to the mark of Gajini or Sivakasi. Better Nayanthara should have done the same character she did it in Malayalam.Vadivelu evokes smiles and the occasional laugh in the film.Vidhyasagar has scored the music and two songs are good. Yaarathu and Step step song is good to hear.


Final Verdict-A relatable love story shot in a cute and simple manner, rich with emotions, but on the slow side of narration.There is nothing special, but nothing to grumble about either.

Aadukalam

Dhanush and Director Vetrimaran  doing their second film Aadukalam which is a gutsy and a brilliant film. In Aadukalam,Director Vetrimaaran takes us to Madurai backdrop and rooster fights to tell his story in a distinct manner.Rearing roosters and maintaining them and using them for fights are a way of life and a matter of honor and lifeline for many people.The major plus point of Aadukalam is its strength in characterization.Dhanush steals the show as the actor has lived the role of Karuppu.Jayabalan, the Tamil poet as the Pettaikaarar delivers an effective portrayal with the right kind of expressions and body language.Tapasee Pannu as the Anglo Indian girl Irene is adequate and portrays her role in a respect worthy fashion.Songs are rightly placed,Ayyayo and Yathe Yathe songs are too good.The action sequence especially in the climax is realistic and credible.This is the film that touchs both heart and mind.This film make you surrender completely to the power of the experience.

Final Verdict--Dont Miss it. One of the best film in tamil cinema. Watch it in theatres.