Okay, I am slowly getting to understand Kerala history. I just need to watch Pathemaari and Celluloid, and I will know everything! This movie covered me for 1900 through 1946. Also, the British were really horrible, weren’t they?
Continue readingTag Archives: Kerala
Friday Malayalam: Joseph, A Story of a Life and How it Ends
Despite einthusan’s best efforts to foil me, I did in fact manage to start and finish this movie. And it only took me 5 days of trying! To be fair to einthusan, it is also the fault of my consistently weak internet. It can handle the fancy well-designed streaming sites, but einthusan puts it under a bit of a strain.
Continue readingSunday ReRun: Annmariya Kalippilannu, a Little Girl Goes After Everything She Wants However She Has To!
This is such a great movie, for once the kind of amoral no excuses whatever it takes attitude of the action hero, shows up in a tiny little girl
Continue readingMonday Malayalam: Kumbalangi Nights, The Freedom of the Outcasts
I saw it! Thanks to all of you telling me I had to! And there are some truly beautiful moments. But it’s also very Malayalam, isn’t it? Any other film industry, this would be a tragic gritty story. Malayalam industry, it’s feel good!
Read morMalayalam ReRun: City Of God, My Favorite Malayalam Film
This is a very long and detailed review, as is appropriate for such a deep and complex movie. So, prepare yourself! Strap in for a lot of detail and discussion!
Continue readingWednesday Malayalam: Aravindante Athidhikal, The Power of the Mother
A nice pleasant not terribly challenging movie. Which somehow is what I always expect from Vineeth Sreenivisan starring movies. And a very nice movie to think about and maybe watch as we all worry about Sreenivisan in the hospital.
Continue readingEnte Ummante Peru Review (SPOILERS): The Family That Chooses You is Sometimes Better Than the Family You Are Given
I am very excited to write this review because I am hoping you can help me figure out this plot! I almost have it straight, but not really.
Continue readingEnte Ummante Peru Review (No Spoilers): Tovino is a Sweet Muscular Gummy Bear
This was a random impulse. No new Hindi film was playing this week, I was planning to see the NTR film but then a big snowstorm came up so I wanted to get home earlier and this film was playing at 5:15. Anyway, so glad I saw it!
Continue readingMonday Malayalam (late): Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu, Female Vengeance Flowing Like Water
What a great movie! Made me so happy to watch a really good classic Malayalam film after so long. And my first young Manju Warrier movie! And Thilakan gets his comeuppance! It’s all good.
Monday Malayalam: Ohm Shanti Oshaana, a Hero Who Moves Back so the Heroine Can Succeed
I think this might be the first Malayalam review I ever wrote. Either first or second. So, before reposting, I did some adding and subtracting and improving.
Kayankulam Kochunni Review (SPOILERS): If the Laws Are Unjust, You Need Not Respect Them
Such a great movie! I was smiling and laughing in delight the entire time. If you will have a chance to watch it, you can read the No Spoilers review, if you already know the whole story, or won’t be able to see the film, you can read this one. It’s fun to watch not knowing what will happen next, but it’s also fun to watch knowing everything, it’s just that good.
Kayamkulam Kochunni Review (No Spoilers): A Good Old Fashioned Adventure Movie
We skipped Helicopter Eela and saw this instead, and it was such a good decision! I recommend you do the same.
Monday Malayalam: Samrajyam, What Do We Leave Behind For Our Children?
What an interesting movie! Good straight through, but the ending is chilling. The price of crime, the sins of the father, brought forward in a very strange kind of a curse.
Monday Malayalam Film School ReRun: City of God, I Watched it 11 Times in One Week and It Is Still Brilliant
This is a very long and detailed review, as is appropriate for such a deep and complex movie. So, prepare yourself! Strap in for a lot of detail and discussion!
Monday Malayalam: Ranam Review (SPOILERS), Just Barely Misses the Mark
I already did my No Spoilers review, you can read that if you have any hope of seeing the movie in theaters. But if you are stuck waiting for streaming that may never come and want to learn more about it, you can read this one.
Monday Malayalam: Ranam Review (No Spoilers), a Malayalam Take on Detroit
A special treat! I saw a Malayalam film in theaters! So there will be two Malayalam reviews today, first this No Spoilers one, and then a SPOILERS one later. Fun fun!
Monday Malayalam Film School: Angamaly Diaries, the Best Made Indian Film Since Guru Dutt
Sorry, forgot when I “assigned” this film to be watched this week that my review is SO FREAKING LONG. Oh well, great art excites me. If you want to know why this film is just breathtaking, then you should read my no spoilers review. Because the amazing part of the film isn’t in the story it is telling and what happens, it is in how the story is told. But if you want to read a little more in depth discussion about the film and every aspect of it, not just the breathtaking parts, you can read on.
Monday Malayalam: Uncle, a Movie in Which Nothing Happens, and That is What is So Revolutionary
Huh! What an odd movie. I am glad I watched it, because it was so unusual, but I am not sure I fully understand it. Hopefully those of you who have already watched it can help me.
Monday Malayalam/Tuesday Telugu: London Bridge/Love in London, A Cross Ocean Cross Languages Hit!
This is a combined Malayalam/Telugu post, because this movie was a combined Malayalam/Telugu hit (and also because I am lazy). Well, “hit”. I guess more accurately it could be called a “not flop”. But it’s still interesting! That a movie was made with Malayalam artists, dubbed into Telugu, and did well enough to be considered a “not flop”.
Monday Malayalam: Oru Visheshapetta Biriyani Kissa, The Magic of a Malayalam Village Film
An interesting movie! A heroine who I wouldn’t expect to be a heroine for many reasons, and she is supported not just by the narrative, but by actual literal angels within the film.
Kerala Floods Report/Donation
We get so much joy out of Kerala films, we really should give more back to those whose culture and society has helped create them.
Monday Malayalam (on Saturday): Koode Review (SPOILERS), People Needing People to be Make Themselves Whole
I already put up my No Spoilers review. I’m going to encourage you to read that one if you haven’t seen the film yet. Not because spoilers would ruin it, but just because this review won’t really make sense without having seen the film. It’s so much about what is implied instead of what is shown, reading the plot bare bones won’t give a feel for how it is within the film. Wait until you can see it, and then come back here.
Monday Malayalam on Saturday: Koode Review (No Spoilers), Broken People Trying to Keep Moving Forward
First movie of the weekend! It could have come out last weekend, when there was no Hindi movie I planned to see, but nooooooooooooo, it had to come out this weekend, when there are 3 other films to juggle. Oh well, at least I got to see an Anjali Menon movie in theaters.
Monday Malayalam: Molly Aunty Rocks, The Middle-Aged NRI Woman Is Here to Save Us
Interesting movie. Some of it I liked, some of it I didn’t, but most of all it had a middle aged working woman heroine going up against a young single guy antagonist! Very odd combination, very satisfying.
Monday Malayalam (on Tuesday): Mili Again! Cognitive Versus Talk Therapy
This was one of my first Malayalam movies, back when I was young and foolish and watching anything where Nivin looked cute on the poster. But now it is on Netflix, available for a whole new audience, so I thought I should circle back, being old and wise as I am now, and see if I had any new insights. (here is the old review for comparison). And also because I am still stumped by 2 questions about this film and I am hoping some of you can help me.