Oculus (2014) Movie Review

Director :  Mike Flangan
Csat        :  Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Roy Cochrane, Kate Sackhoff


Oculus is about a brother and sister who had a tragic event happened to them when they were kids. You don't know exactly what happened to them at first but you find out it as the movie goes on. The brother was in a mental hospital until he is 21 and he is finally released. He reunites with his sister and apparently whatever caused this tragic event is related to a mirror that they had in their house and they seem to believe that something supernatural behind this mirror that caused this tragic event to happen and they want to go back and destroy this mirror. The it jumps back and forth between the two timelines that shows what's going on in the present and shows what was going on in the past 11 years ago, what originally happened with them their parents.

It's very cool seeing the both timelines that was transitioned well most of the times. I think it focused a little too much on the past because there is one point where you find out exactly what happened but then it continues to show in details. I think they could have focused more on the present as you don't know what's going to happen next. So I think they spent a little too much time in the past, got a little too jumpy but overall it was good.

The sister thinks absolutely this mirror is the cause of what happened, this mirror is evil and it must be destroyed. The brother has been in a mental hospital for the last 10 or so years where he has been learning about psychology. Doctors has been explaining to him that there is nothing evil in the mirror and they have been giving rational explanations for everything. So that's what he is thinking. He thinks that there is a rational explanation behind all of these and you are just kind of crazy. We don't really know for a descent part of the movie whether it is an evil mirror or is she crazy or are they both crazy. At one point you absolutely come to a conclusion and you know it for sure. But for a while it was pretty interesting

I really like the character played by Karen Gillan. She was completely obsessed with proving that this mirror was evil and just the way she went about it when was setting everything and you see who serious she is about, I was like "wow". I also like the character of the mirror because I consider the mirror as a character. I feel like if I could sit down and have a conversation with this mirror, it would be awesome. I can't explain it to you without spoiling. But all these evil things the mirror was doing, I feel like it was having so much fun doing them and it would have so much fun telling you stories about them. It would be evil but also kind of fun to listen to it.

One of the most interesting things is that this is a horror movie and generally you would judge a horror movie by how scary it is. This movie is not scary. It's not scary at all really. Most of the time you don't know exactly what is going on. You don't know if this stuff is real or it it's not, if it is in the character's head or not. So there nothing really scary but there is a little bit of imagery that can be a little creepy. Even though it's not scary, it's really interesting and keeps you engaged most of the times.

Oculus is definitely an interesting horror movie but it's not really scary at all but I still really enjoyed it. I was intrigued and I was interested, I liked the mirror and the psychological aspects not knowing what was real and what wasn't. So I can definitely recommend this movie. If you want a real horror movie something that is going to scare you, this is not it. It's kind of slowish compared to other horror movies that might have more scares.

Rating     : 3.75 / 5
Verdict   : Thrilling but nothing to scare at all.

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Mosayile Kuthira Meenukal (2014) Movie Review

Director : Ajith Pillai
Cast      : Asif Ali, Sunny Wayne, Janani Iyer, Swati Reddy

What makes Mosayile Kuthira Meenukal so interesting is its fresh trajectory. Director Ajith Pillai’s debut movie starts off in a very simple way with interesting humor and peculiar characterization. But as it moves on to that Lakshadweep phase, there is a whole lot of fresh perspectives with life in them.

The story basically narrates from the view point of Alex, the 14th son of Kuriachen. After his father’s death Alex is left with a whole lot of money and property and the young aimless guy ultimately ends up in a jail for a criminal offence.  Alex who is used to luxury couldn’t accommodate himself to the jail’s atmosphere and decides to escape from there. The escape plan gets screwed in the mid-way and another prisoner Ali comes for his help (accidental). The story of Ali and how it changes Alex is what this film saying.

It has a lot of fresh life elements to make things interesting for the viewer. The 14th man Alex and his nephew who is older than him are some interesting humor elements which were not used in Malayalam cinema. The script effectively uses this privilege of our hero to a good extent in making the prison break part look flawless. The real soul of the movie lies in the second half and there is a nicely built love story in that segment. The gorgeous song composed by Prashanth Pillai enhances the warmth of the romance. The second half also opens up the intellectual and emotional side of the content without any heavy dosage of drama.

Ajith Pillai has treated the content that touches a lot of areas in an engaging manner and we can hope for many more quality projects from this man.  In comparison to the relatively intense second half the first half is slightly on the immature side – but when you look at the character of Alex, it’s a justifiable treatment. The problem I could sense was in the dialogues. The Lakshadweep Malayalam did gave the movie a fresh feel, but there are times the characters forget their slang and goes really intellectual which kind of makes the feelings a bit artificial. The whale hunting sequence wasn’t conceived in a good way. The cinematographer Abhinandan once again captures some gorgeous frames of nature’s beauty. The unconventional music and background score from Prashanth Pillai works for the movie.

On screen Asif Ali was the perfect choice to play this kind of aimless cool dude. Sunny Wayne surprisingly delivers a good performance in a dark character. He handled the slang very nicely. Dubbing artist really saved Janani Iyer. Swathi was also pretty good as Isa. Jijoy once again impressed me with his Sulaiman. Jojo was good in that humorous character. Small roles for Nedumudi Venu and P Balachandran.
Overall, Mosayile Kuthira Meenukal can create a beautiful solitude in your mind with its romance and coolness.

Rating    : 3.5/5
Verdict  : Explore the visual beauty

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The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Movie Review

Director : Marc Webb

Cast     : Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Sally Field, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti, 

There’s a point in last year’s Man of Steel, when Clark Kent in his pre-Superman childhood days uses his superpowers to save another kid from an accident. Much to his confusion, instead of gratitude he evokes fear in that child. “People are scared of what they don’t understand,” his foster father played by Kevin Costner explains to him.

Sometimes, undeterred by that reaction, the object of fear goes on to become Superman, Spiderman or some other enemy of evil; sometimes that reaction combined with self-doubt brings out negativity, as it did with Lizard, the bad guy from the first instalment of this film series, and Electro from The Amazing Spider-man 2.

In a nation where a debate on Section 377 is raging; where politicians in election season are trying hard to net votes by invoking fear of the “other”; where efforts are on to demonise Muslims, secular Hindus, homosexuals, hijras, feminists and anyone whose ideology, personal choices or intrinsic characteristics can be used to paint them as aliens; in such a nation at this point in our history, Electro from The Amazing Spiderman 2 is a telling and poignant villain.

He doesn’t choose to become what he becomes. He is just a brilliant scientist going unnoticed by his colleagues until one day he is bitten by a tank-full of gigantic electric eels and mutates into a human generator of electricity. He didn’t seek out the power that came to him accidentally, nor is it his fault that he doesn’t at first know how to control it. “I just wanted people to see me,” he cries out helplessly when by-standers on the streets of New York react in horror as he himself first becomes aware of his own might as a mutant. But people’s fear compels him to protect himself, and that’s when all hell breaks loose.   

This happens part-way through the film. The Amazing Spider-man 2 starts with a flashback to Peter Parker’s childhood and his parents’ murder. That being dealt with, we are back with Peter (Andrew Garfield) where we’d left him in The Amazing Spider-man: a youngster living with his Aunt May (Sally Field). Peter graduates with his girlfriend Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) and becomes a photographer whose calling card is that he has provided pictures of Spiderman to The Daily Bugle. Gwen becomes an intern at Oscorp, the company for which Peter’s dad had worked before his death. Remember Oscorp is where Lizard was born when the scientist Curt Connors injected himself with a serum containing genetically modified lizard DNA.

As Spidey continues to fight crime in New York, he’s also battling the worry that his work could some day put Gwen in danger. Meanwhile, his childhood friend Harry Osborne (Dane DeHaan), son of Oscorp founder Norman Osborne, returns to New York and urgently needs to find Spiderman for his own personal reasons. He turns to Peter for help, not knowing the truth about Spidey. It’s also around this time that Electro (Jamie Foxx) is born.

Director Marc Webb efficiently negotiates the multiple strands in the screenplay without allowing it to appear convoluted at any point. American superhero films seem fixated on a powers-being-handed-from-father-to-son narrative, but Aunt May here is no silent spectator. For that matter, Gwen is no sidekick to Spidey either. She’s a feisty equal partner who fires him for daring to take a decision on her behalf in a bid to “protect” her. It is her scientific mind that provides Peter with a solution to combat Electro’s powers. And it is she who is the centre of many of the film’s most touching scenes. Through her we even discover that our Spidey is a feminist, that he’s not one of those guys who expects his girlfriend or wife to follow him across the world wherever his career may take him while she puts her dreams on hold.

Garfield and Stone are both lovely to look at and excellent actors. Their beauty, charm, charisma and undeniable chemistry might have sustained a much thinner screenplay. Here, with the backing of strong writing, they effectively convey to us the romance, companionship, sexual sparks, heartache and heartbreak involved in their relationship. 

The two leads are backed by a supporting cast of wonderful actors though it has to be said that Oscar winner Jamie Foxx is given short shrift. We see little of him in his pre-Electro avatar, and as Electro we can barely decipher his face. Still, that’s not as bad as the embarrassingly insignificant role played by Irrfan Khan in the last film. On another front, it’s sad that superhero films rarely get the attention of awards-givers. If it weren’t for past trends, I’d have put my money on Field getting a bunch of Best Supporting Actress noms by year-end. 

The screenplay of The Amazing Spiderman 2 has considerable depth, but it’s not without its flaws. First, it skims over the reason for Electro’s animosity towards Spiderman. Since we are not drawn into their enmity, that takes away much of the edge from their confrontations. Second, some of the satellite scenes needed to have been better written and directed, such as that awkwardly handled one in Aunt May’s hospital room when the lights come back on and she acts like a boss which in fact she is not, as is evident from an earlier conversation she had with Peter. Third, Garfield and Stone are so much more interesting than Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst who played Spidey and his girlfriend in Sam Raimi’s film series, yet this film like the first Amazing Spider-man, sorely lacks that one defining moment of burning romance akin to that electrifying upside-down kiss in the rain that has immortalised Maguire and Dunst.

TAS2’s special effects and action are top-notch though the music fails to stir. Overall, it is a high-adrenaline experience, zipping from one crest to the next to the next, leaving the viewer with little time to think or complain. In short, The Amazing Spiderman 2 is great fun.

Rating        :  3.5 / 5

Verdict      : A fun ride

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3 Dots

Direction  :  Sugeeth
Writer      :  Rajesh Raghavan
Starring    :  Biju Menon, Kunchacko Boban, Prathap Pothan


After the huge success of ordinary, the same team is back again expecting an extraordinary hit. The movie tells the story of three criminals, Biju Menon, Kunchacko Boban, and Prathap Pothan are planning to change their life due to the advice from a criminologist (Narein). Three of them decides to start a day care and a mobile ambulance service. What happens next is the crux of the movie.

Biju Menon rocked the show. His dialogue delivery and fun character is extremely superb. Once again Biju Menon proved that he is an inevitable talent in Malayalam cinema. Kunchacko and Prathap Pothan did a neat and descent performance. The first half of the movie is with full fun and entertainment. The second half is a bit lagging with some twists. The direction and the script of the movie is good.

In short the ordinary is team is back with a bang. It's a fun movie which you can definitely enjoy with your friends and family. Rush to the nearest theaters and grab your tickets. "Satisfaction guaranteed!!!"

Rating    :  3.5/5
Verdict   : Entertainer

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Red Wine

Direction  :  Salam Bappu
Writer      :  Mammen K Rajan
Starring    :  Mohanlal, Fahad Fazil, Asif Ali

At that the time to taste the seductive Red Wine has arrived. The movie mainly focuses on the life of Anoop (Fahad) and Ramesh (Asif) even though Mohanlal's caharcter (Rateesh Vasuden) is in the movie throughout.   A political investigation thriller set out in the backdrops of Wayanad is what Red Wine offers you.

A charismatic and classy performance of Mohanlal is seen in the movie. Even though his character is not pretty focused in the movie, his did a notable performance. Fahad Fazil is the heart of the movie. This young lad has been surprising the audience from the past 2-3 years and it's really a prestige to say that his acting skills are getting better and better after every  movie. Asif Ali did a good performance compared to his previous movies. The direction of the movie is good. The script is a also good; but lags at times.

In short Red Wine is a watchable movie for some notable performances. And moreover when a legend join hands with 2 notable young stars, there is something that you are looking for.

Rating    :  3/5
Verdict   :  Watchable

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Ith Pathiramanal

Direction  :  M.Pathmakumar
Writer      :  Babu Janardhanan
Starring    :  Unni Mukundan, Jayasurya, Ramya Nambeesan

The movie tells the story of a a private financier Johnykutty (Jayasurya), who lives with his wife Ambika (Shalu Menon), and son Eldho (Unni Mukundan). Due to some reasons Johnykutty's finance company went broken and he left the place in order to protect himself and came back after sometime. Meanwhile Ambika was raped by a police officer Chevaliar (Pradeep Rawat). Jayasurya got killed by Chevaliar and the story develops like this.

Ith Pathiramanal is a revenge story with no essence at all. The story plot of the movie itself resembles to a lot of old Malayalam movies. A mixture of revenge, violence, romance etc. made the movie a non-logic one. Unni Mukundan's performance was not up to the mark. No expressions were seen in his face. Ramya Nambeesan did a good job. Even though Jayasurya's character was not in the movie throughout, he did a notable performance. The script by Babu Janardhanan was really boring and too shabby. Pathmakumar's direction was also not very impressive.

In short Ith Pathiramanal comes under the list of Malayalam movies which questioned the patience of audience to it's peak.

Rating   :  1.5/5
Verdict :  Below Average

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Lucky Star

Direction  : Deepu Anthikkad
Writer      : Deepu Anthikkad
Starring    : Jayaram, Rachana

The movie tells the story of Ranjith (Jayaram) whose aim is to become a rich man in no time. For that he usually takes lottery. He also has another plan in his mind to become rich; becoming a film star. Meanwhile he meets junior artist Janaki (Rachana) and that relationship further ends in their marriage. What happens next forms the crux of the movie.

Lucky star is a clean family entertainer. Jayaram performed well and this film is definitely his comeback. Rachana has made a fabulous entry into big screen and she proved that she is highly talented. Mukesh also performed well. The first half of the movie is filled with fun and humor. As the movie moves towards the second half, the movies becomes a bit slow and is mainly concentrated on sentiment and family matters. The direction of the movie is good.

Lucky star is a pure family entertainer that you can enjoy with your family. The movie offers you some hilarious and fun moments. On the whole it's a watchable flick.

Rating    :  3/5
Verdict   : Watchable 

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