Tuesday 11 February 2014

The Wolf of Wall Street (English)

The Wolf of Wall Street

Director:
Martin Scorsese

Writer
Terence Winter (screenplay), Jordan Belfort(book)

Casts:
Leonardo DiCaprioJonah HillMargot Robbie 

Releasing date:

  • Jan 3, 2014

Ratings:
The film has an overall rating of 7.1 which points a best film

Recommedation:
Recommended film

Story:

         In The Wolf of Wall Street DiCaprio plays Belfort, a Long Island penny stockbroker who served 36 months in prison for defrauding investors in a massive 1990s securities scam that involved widespread corruption on Wall Street and in the corporate banking world, including shoe designer Steve Madden.

Review:

       By far the Best Movie of the Year, Best Actor, Best Director! The whole supporting cast is excellent as well. This movie will not disappoint it was much better than I expected and the duration of the movie is not felt at all. It definitely did not feel like a 3 hour production. Scorsese put this movie together brilliantly! You are on your toes and engaged throughout from beginning to end. Leonardo DiCaprio is at his best! He will take you through the highs and lows of the movie with an Oscar Winning Performance. I read about Jordan Belfort and it appears that Scorsese and DiCaprio made this movie as accurate as possible which I really appreciate. I commend Scorsese and DiCaprio for keeping this epic picture as authentic as possible. After all this is Hollywood.

Salala Mobiles (Malayalam)

Salala Mobiles

                          

Director:
Sharath Haridaasan

Writer:
Sharath Haridaasan

Casts:
Dulquer SalmaanNazriya NazimJacob Gregory 

Releasing date:

  • Jan 24, 2014

Ratings:
The film has an overall rating of 4.8 which points a poor film

Recommendation:
Not recommeded

Story:

         Salala Mobiles is a love story between a mobile shop owner and a girl, who is a regular coustmer at the shop. The story is all about how this guy tries to find out the whereabouts of the girl. The shop is named Salala Mobiles as his uncle works in Salala, a city in Oman. And he is the one who sets up the shop for him. Dulquar Salman and Nazriya Nazim plays the leads, where as Anto Joseph is producing the film under the banner of Ann Mega Media. Sheikh Elahi will score the music by giving importance to Sufi music. 

Review:

      Debutant director Sharath A Haridasan’s Salalah Mobiles is a mushy love story, which is amateurish and disturbingly inane. There is no point in mincing words while talking about the first major release of the year, as this one could easily find a place among the worst films to have occurred in Malayalam during recent times.
What else can you say about a movie, which narrates a story that is too simple and is a potpourri of some tasteless scenes? Adding some computer graphics and loud background scores barely makes it even remotely entertaining!
Afsal (Dulquer Salmaan) is a lazy youth, with a loving mother, played by Geetha. He opens a mobile shop in Kozhikode with the help of his uncle, an NRI working in Salalah, Oman.
The shop opens soon and the woes of the viewers begin along with. Afsal is instantly smitten by the ample charm of Shahana (Nazriya Nazim), who is studying in a nearby college. But as it happens in every stereotyped romantic tale, the hero waits unendingly to reveal his mind. Half way through the film, you stop to care if their love blossoms or not!

Saving Mr. Banks (English)

Saving Mr. Banks

        

Director:
John Lee Hancock

Writer;
Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith

Casts;

Tom HanksRuth WilsonColin FarrellPaul Giamatti



Releasing date;
Feb 7, 2014

Ratings;
The film has an overall rating of 7.4 which points a best film

Recommendation:
Recommended film

Story:

         When Walt Disney's daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins (1964), he made them a promise - one that he didn't realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney's plans for the adaptation. For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn't budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp. It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers 

Review:

      Saving Mr Banks tells the story of Walt Disney's battle to get the rights to make Mary Poppins into a movie. I wasn't expecting to like this but was completely blown away. 

It is beautifully put together, is hilarious in parts and very touching and emotional at other stages, but is not overly sappy or cheesy. 

There are some outstanding performances here. Emma Thompson plays Mrs Travers beautifully - a cantankerous and stubborn lady, yet you can't dislike her. Tom Hanks does a good job of playing Walt Disney - a tough role for anyone but he seems to suit it, so long as you can get past the terrible fake southern accent which is worse than Dick Van Dyke's attempts at an English accent in Mary Poppins. 

However the stand-out performance is, surprisingly, delivered by Colin Farrell as Mrs Travers' father. He brings amazing range and emotion to a character that is simultaneously a loving, sweet father and a man caged in by life and personal demons. 

Go see it for yourself when it comes out at the end of November. I'm looking forward to watching it again.

London Bridge (Malayalam)

London Bridge
Director:
  • Anil C Menon

Writer:
Jinu Abraham

Casts:
PrithvirajMukeshAndrea JeremiahLena

Releasing date:
  • Jan 31, 2014

Rating:
The film has an overall rating of 5.2 which points an average film

Recommendation:
Not recommended

Story:

         It is the story of an ambitious hardworking young entrepreneur, a kind-hearted daughter, and a successful business tycoon, whose heirdom is at stake as his only daughter values the pain and sorrow of the underprivileged in the society than her only relative in the world.
         C S Nambiar, a well-known industrialist, who has many businesses under his wings, sees his future son-in-law in Vijay, a hardworking ambitious young business man, who is also an upcoming threat to some of his business interests. Nambiar offers to accept Vijay as his successor, if Vijay succeeds in bringing back his daughter, Pavitra, from her chosen path of charity and goodwill towards the needy of the society. Irrespective of being from a different cultural and financial background, Pavitra, feels it her responsibility to be part of the great nation she resides in, England, which has forever advocated, followed, and supported rehabilitation of the less fortunate part of all societies
         
Vijay, who has struggled hard all his life to climb up the ladder of prosperity, takes up the challenge of winning the heart of art loving, compassionate Pavitra, who loves and respects the great people of England, and thereby wishes to offer her services to support the sick and hapless division of the society. Pavitra who has a strong individuality, and own views towards life, deep under her heart never wants to hurt her father, but has clear vision on what she would do with her life, and the fortune she would inherit from her father.
         
The movie revolves around different lifestyles of England, touching hearts of a number of people who represent the expat, as well as the inhabitant population of the great country, which has always welcomed various cultures to it`s heart.Vijay`s quest to winning Pavitra`s heart, fulfilling C S Nambiar`s only aim in life, and thereby succeed in writing his own destiny, would be unfolded in the movie through light, and some times not so light-hearted moments.

Review:


          London Bridge has received mixed reviews from critics, Entertainment website oneindia has said "London Bridge as a watchable romantic drama" and given a rating of 3/5 stars. Lensmenreviews website has given the movie a rating of 2/5 stars and said that "Luxury and some scenery of London and its outskirts is rich in almost all frames of London Bridge. But the very necessary thing in a romantic drama is missing here; romance." The malayalam website Muyal Media has rated 3.2/5 stars for London Bridge and mentioned that "London Bridge, a triangular love story happening in London has got a kind of freshness in its visuals but lacks the same in the narrative.

1983 (Malayalam)

1983
Director:
Abrid shine

Writer:
Abrid shine

Releasing date:

  • Jan 31, 2014

Ratings:
The film has an overall ratings of 6.3 which points a good film

Recommendation:
Recommended film

Story:

         The movie is set against the backdrop of a visually appealing village, Brahmamangalam. The story unfolds from the year of 1983, where some children of the village along with others, rejoice the world cup victory of India. Rameshan (Nivin Pauly) , the star batsman of them, Pappan (Saiju Kurup), Babukuttan (Sanju), Saji (Dinesh), Prahladan (Neeraj Madhav), Mantle Johny (Kalabhavan Prajod), Varkey, Chandru, Basheer, forming the rest of the gang. 
      They grow up holding cricket to their hearts. Gopi Aashaan (Joy Mathew), Rameshan's father, running a mechanic shop, is all against his son's love for cricket, which had spoiled his ambitions of Rameshan becoming a mechanical engineer. At school, Rameshan has his love Manjula (Nikki Galrani), who after their studies eagerly hopes for Rameshan to find a good job and to marry her. Rameshan on the contrary, can't leave his passion for cricket as he attends almost all village cricket matches even after growing up and looking after his father's workshop. Manjula gets married to another guy, and leaves abroad and Rameshan, being compelled by his parents and friends, marries Susheela (Srindaa Ashab), whom he finds to be the only person in India, who doesn't know about Sachin Tendulkar. Their happy life becomes more fruitful with the birth of Kannan, and after a few years, Rameshan gets to know his son has got his same passion for cricket. Rameshan gets his son to Vijay Menon (Anoop Menon), a cricket coach, who helps Kannan to become an efficient player, which forms the rest of the movie.


Review:

         Everyone have done full justice to their roles. Nivin Pauly, the central character of the movie is all controlled and composed portraying the character of Rameshan in his school life and later. Nikki Galrani as Manjula too scores well with her looks, but the dubbing portions seems a bit awkward. Srindaa Ashab as Susheela gives out a wonderful performance with her innocent expressions and dialect. Another notable performance is from Jacob Gregory as Sachin, who turns few sequences featuring him to a laughter riot. Anoop Menon as Vijay Menon is yet another notable performance in the movie. Other actors including Joy Mathew, Dinesh, Saiju Kurup, Neeraj Madhav, Kalabhavan Prachod, Sanju, Joju, Seema G Nair, everyone have portrayed their characters well. The child artists also need a special mention for the wonderful performances.

Balyakalasakhi (Malayalam)

                  Balyakalasakhi 

Director:
  • Pramod Payyannur

Writer:
  • Vaikom Mohammed Basheer

Cast:
MammoottyIsha TalwarMeenaSeema BiswasParambrata Chatterjee

Releasing date:
  • Feb 7, 2014

Ratings:
The film has an overall rating of 5.9 which points an average film

Recommendation:
Not recommeded film

Story:

        Balyakalasakhi is a pure love story revolving around Majeed (Mammootty) and Suhra (Isha Talwar) which begins from their childhood. The movie begins with Majeed searching a job in Kolkata. He loses his money and bag on the way, but is helped by Selvi (Seema Biswas) , who introduces him to Ameen Sahib (Sasikumar). Ameen Sahib gives Majeed a job in his press. Majeed meets Shabnam (Thanusree Ghosh) , daughter of Ameen Sahib and Praful (Preim Sheikh), a rebel and a writer. Rest of the story deals with the flashback of the love story between Majeed and Suhra and how and where life takes them.
         Balyakalasakhi is a Malayalam romantic tragedy novel written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and published in 1944. Many people think it as a best work of Basheer. The story revolves around Majeed and Suhra, who are in love with each other from childhood. This movie revolves around Majeed and his love Suhra who love from their childhood. This love is transferred to their adolescence. Majeed's father can send him to a school in the distant town because he is a rich man. Suhra's father on the other hand can not do so because he is a poor man but he wants to send his daughter, who is good at studies to the school. But after her father's death, all her hopes of further studies are ruined. Majeed requests to his father to sponsor Suhra's education, but he refuses. Majeed leaves home after the refusal of his father, and spends a long time out from the home. 
On his return, he finds that his family's former affluence has finished, and that his beloved Suhra has married someone else. After knowing all this, Majeed leaves home once again, but this time with plans on his mind. He needs to find a job, to ward off poverty. For this purpose he joins as a salesman but after a bicycle accident in which he loses a leg he finds work as a dish-washer in a hotel. Despite this, he dreams of Suhra to come back home waiting for him to return. He wants to make enough money to return home and get married to the woman of his life. His mother writes him that Suhra is sick and afterwards she writes about her death. 

Review:

      The story revolves around childhood sweethearts Majeed (Mammootty) and Suhra (Isha Talwar). Born to rich parents, Majeed falls in love with his not-so-affluent neighbour Suhra. After her father's death, when Suhra struggles to make both ends meet, Majeed pleads with his father to sponsor her education. Refused, he wanders off to distant lands. Some of the other characters created by Basheer such as Ettukali Mammoonju and Ottakannan Pokker also appear in the film.
The launch of the film edition of the novel Balyakalasakhi was done by Leela Menon who handed over the book to Fabi Basheer, wife of Vaikom Muhammed Basheer.

Om shanti oshana (Malayalam)

Om shanti oshana
Director:
  • Jude Antony Joseph

Writer:
Midhun Manuel

Casts:
Nivin PaulyNazriya NazimVineeth Srinivasan

Releasing date:
  • Feb 7, 2014

Ratings:
The film has an overall rating of 7.2 which points a good film

Recommendation:
Recommended film

Story:

         Om Shanti Oshana is hardly a candyfloss romance as it throws to wind the normal rules of on-screen courtship. To put it in a nutshell, the love story features no demure, simpering heroine but a perky teenager who goes for the most unlikeliest match. “The film is woman-oriented, trying to see things through the perspective of a girl. The USP of the film is its refreshing narrative pattern,” says director Jude Antony Joseph.
The film has Nivin Pauly and Nazriya Nazim playing the leads, the duo teaming up once again after last year’s blockbuster Neram. OSO is the story of Pooja Mathews, the only child of a doctor-teacher couple.
“She chances upon a man at an amusement park and starts following him out of curiosity. And the more she knows about him, the more she falls for him,” says Jude. But the tale has a twist - her beau is no suave-and-sweet college boy, but a farmer. How love changes the tomboyish girl into a totally different person forms the crux of the story. “Nazriya has come out with an astonishing performance and I think Pooja is her best role so far,” says Midhun Manuel Thomas, who has penned the script along with Jude.
Midhun adds that the film is about a girl’s first crush and how she pursues it all through her school and college days. “Usually we see the hero stalking the heroine and his relentless attempts to woo and win her over. But in OSO we have ditched that normal format and tried the opposite,” he says. Apart from the love track, the film also has a generous splash of humour. “It’s a fun film, an entertainer to the core suited for all types of audience.”
The film has Vineeth Sreenivasan and Lal Jose playing cameos and the director says both were happy to be part of it. “I managed to rope in them because they felt the script convincing.” While Ranji Panicker plays the role of Dr Mathews, Pooja’s father, Aju Varghese appears in another key role. “But this time he is not the hero’s sidekick.” Ask him about the film’s quirky title and Jude says: “We wanted a simple-yet-striking title in sync with the mood and tempo of the film.

Reviews:
         The movie has received positive to mixed reviews so far from critics and audience. In general, Nazriya Nazim's performance as a teenage girl is much talked about. The co-screenwriter Midhun Manuel Thomas says, "Nazriya has come out with an astonishing performance and I think Pooja is her best role so far. A reviewer from OneIndia found the movie enertaining, with its share of happiness factor, one-liners and decent performances from the leading pair. While a reviewer from Keralaboxoffice was not quite impressed, he says, 'Not up to the mark, but... Nazriya was given the maximum space in the big screens and she has quite made it good offering. She possessed the innocence and charming required to make the particular character an interesting piece of object.
Many a woman would be able to relate to Nazriya's fantasy. Not every lady has the courage to go and propose to the man she loves in Indian society. This film is an out and out romantic comedy.Men love the jokes in the film. Family audience love humour and fantasy part.