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Browsing All Posts filed under »Cinema: Malayalam«
FC Recco – ‘Directors’ Diaries: The Road to Their First Film’
A weekly series where I recommend a film-based book, a foreign film or an Indian movie. For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Ym39kMJD0 Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
“Luca”… An artfully designed movie that’s middling but not without merit
July 1, 2019
Read the full review on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/luca-movie-review-tovino-thomas-ahaana-krishnakumar-baradwaj-rangan Spoilers ahead… Arun Bose’s Luca is a carefully (some might say “artily”) designed film, and we see this care, this art, right from the opening, which is a jumble of images. A woman rises after sleep. A man roams the streets on his bike, in the […]
“Unda”… A superbly understated Mammootty stars in a drama that’s much bigger than a “cop film”
June 22, 2019
Spoilers ahead… Read the full review on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/unda-mammootty-movie-review-baradwaj-rangan It’s 2014. Idukki. Policemen are getting ready for their first out-of-state duty. They line up in rows before a stage, from where a superior will give them instructions. He does. He also delivers what, in hindsight, will prove to be a big joke. “Use […]
“Virus”… A superbly crafted, and very human, medical thriller
June 11, 2019
Spoilers ahead… Read the full review on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/aashiq-abus-virus-is-a-superbly-crafted-and-very-human-medical-thriller-baradwaj-rangan/ Aashiq Abu follows Mayaanadhi with another winner. Virus is a medical thriller that brings to mind the all-star disaster movies from Hollywood. If the threat was fire in The Towering Inferno and a tidal wave in The Poseidon Adventure, it’s the Nipah virus here […]
Readers Write In #77: ‘Lucifer’ and ‘mass’ in Malayalam cinema
June 10, 2019
I knew I was an outsider in this group. Lucifer had let them down and a set of colleagues hadn’t recovered from the disappointment. But ever since I watched Prithviraj Sukumaran’s directorial flick, I was desperate to put this out in the open. “I liked Lucifer.” Expectedly, after this simple confession, I faced a volley of questions. “Idenda […]
‘Ishq’, starring Shane Nigam and Ann Sheetal, is NOT about moral policing…
June 3, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ishq-starring-shane-nigam-and-ann-sheetal-is-not-about-moral-policing-baradwaj-rangan/ Rather, it’s about how subtly and insidiously patriarchy manifests itself. (Warning. Major spoilers ahead.) Anuraj Manohar’s Ishq opens with lovers talking over the phone, at night. The boy is Sachi (Shane Nigam). The girl is Vasudha (Ann Sheetal). He’s ambling about his neighbourhood in Kochi. She’s […]
Readers Write In #75: Uyare soars high on its performances despite its predictability
May 15, 2019
We have had dozens of movies that showcase a love affair gone wrong from the view point of the male protagonist, some of them even blaming or insulting the girl for having changed her mind about a boyfriend (what come to mind immediately are the ‘Why this kolaveri’ song and the more tongue in cheek […]
“Athiran”… A twisty thriller filled with more red herrings than convincing storytelling
April 20, 2019
Spoilers ahead… Fahadh Faasil has been on such a quality run of late — the thought running through his mind as he evaluated scripts appears to have been “Will this movie take Malayalam cinema to the next level?” — that it’s a bit of a relief to see him in a pure genre film like […]
FC Recco: ‘Spadikam’
April 11, 2019
A weekly series where I recommend a film-based book, a foreign film or an Indian movie. For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
And we hit 100K subscribers!
April 2, 2019
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
“Lucifer”… A high-minded political actioner that’s content with low-hanging fruit
March 31, 2019
Spoilers ahead… Read the full review on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/lucifer-movie-review-baradwaj-rangan-mohanlal-prithviraj/ Prithviraj Sukumaran’s directorial debut is named Lucifer, and he’s not kidding about that title. Murali Gopy’s hugely ambitious script takes its cues from the Bible itself: Mohanlal plays Stephen Nedumpally, who is first seen in a church, and for a while, is dressed in […]
#AskBR – What explains MohanLal’s longevity?
March 26, 2019
In which I answer a few questions on an older film… or a new one. For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
On ‘June’ and the pleasures of even not-so-great Malayalam cinema
March 25, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/on-june-and-the-pleasures-of-even-not-so-great-malayalam-cinema-baradwaj-rangan-rajisha-vijayan/ The detailing seems to come less from a screenwriting manual than from someone’s life. Ahammed Khabeer’s June is about the coming-of-age journey of the protagonist (after whom the film is named), played by Rajisha Vijayan. It’s also about all the reasons I love watching mainstream Malayalam […]
Interview: Murali Gopy
March 21, 2019
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
Readers Write In #69: The Brothers Napoleon
March 3, 2019
“Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov Kumbalangi Nights is a beautifully crafted cinema. Each character in the story is well-etched. The movie takes us on an emotional roller-coaster from laughter to sadness to the joy of first love to the depth […]
Men, maleness, masculinity and family in ‘Kumbalangi Nights’
February 25, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/southern-lights-men-maleness-masculinity-and-family-in-kumbalangi-nights-baradwaj-rangan-soubin-shahir-fahadh-faasil-syam-pushkaran/ The many facets of an intricate drama from director Madhu C Narayanan and writer Syam Pushkaran. (Be warned. Spoilers ahead.) If we were still in the days of video libraries, this is how you’d find the classiest entertainers. Head to the Malayalam section. Look for films […]
She Says She Says: “Oru Adaar Love” – Does it live up to the hype?
February 18, 2019
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