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 readingTag Archives: Malayalam
Ente 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 readingHindi/Tamil/Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada 101 RePost: Rajinikanth Part 2, Homeless to Millionaire (in honor of the release of 2.0)
I already put up my part 1, which I am sure was not fully accurate and certainly not complete. But it is my stab at somehow pulling together what little I know into a cohesive whole, in the hopes that it starts a conversation and I can learn more from you all.
Hindi/Tamil/Kannada/Malayalam/Telugu Film 101 RePost: Rajinikanth’s Life, Part 1 Bus Conductor to Movie Star (in Honor of 2.0 Releasing)
Well, I did it! I finally finished my Rajinikanth biography! Now I just have the Savitri, Hema Malini, and Shashi Kapoor biography on my to do pile. Plus various other film books that aren’t star memoirs. Anyway, now I am ready to very tentatively try to put together some kind of narrative of Rajinikanth’s life, based on the movies I have watched (far more than I realized!), and this book, and information I gathered elsewhere
Monday Malayalam ReRun: Niram, Cute Cute 90s Love!
Oh man is this a cute cute cute cute cute movie! So happy and sweet and innocent and 90s. And clear plastic backpack-y. And it might now be my favorite Shalini rom-com, even nudging out Alaipayuthay.
Monday 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.
Silly Sunday Fanfic: A Spooky One! Horror Films for Indian Movies, Starring Tovino and Shahrukh
I know India has a somewhat thriving horror business now, and horror films are definitely not my genre (I have seen three), but it’s Halloween week, so it seemed appropriate.
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 ReRun Announcement! CITY OF GOD!!!! The Review That Prithviraj Retweeted
Another Malayalam rerun next week! And another Pellisary film. Because he is very very good, and not enough people watch him, and his films are easily available.
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.
Hindi/Tamil/Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada 101: Rajinikanth Part 2, Homeless to Millionaire
I already put up my part 1, which I am sure was not fully accurate and certainly not complete. But it is my stab at somehow pulling together what little I know into a cohesive whole, in the hopes that it starts a conversation and I can learn more from you all.
Hindi/Tamil/Kannada/Malayalam/Telugu Film 101: Rajinikanth’s Life, Part 1 Bus Conductor to Movie Star
Well, I did it! I finally finished my Rajinikanth biography! Now I just have the Savitri, Hema Malini, and Shashi Kapoor biography on my to do pile. Plus various other film books that aren’t star memoirs. Anyway, now I am ready to very tentatively try to put together some kind of narrative of Rajinikanth’s life, based on the movies I have watched (far more than I realized!), and this book, and information I gathered elsewhere
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.
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.
Monday Malayalam: Nee-Na, Complete Failure of the Bechdel Test, and Complete Failure to See the Reality of the Character They Created
I was browsing through einthusan and I saw this movie and thought “oh hey, I’ve heard about this film a lot, I should check it out”. Not a great decision! Really a very odd and strangely regressive film that is supposed to be about two women but is really just about the man torn between them.