Movie : Winter
Language : Malayalam
Date : 21 July, 2009.
Review
Horror is one of the classic genres that movies have been made in, since time immemorial. Dipu's directorial debut 'Winter' is a horror flick as well. Having been in the cans for over 3-4 years now, 'Winter' looks a bit back in time but the genuine problems of the movie are not to do with being delayed but with the story telling methods.
Cliche Backdrop
When 'Winter' was in the cans, a superbly impressive movie named 'Yavarum Nalam' came to the screens. It was so impressive because it tried to create horror out of a TV Serial which was so relatable to each and every one of us, yet different. 'Bhooth' also was very impressive because as Ramu said, he deliberately wanted to bring horror to the city and in a flat which is how people live nowadays.What 'Winter' does is try to go back and create a cliché horror backdrop by taking the unconvincing reason of a child's psychopathic problems to shift a family to a horror generating isolated bungalow. What follows is a cooked up setting where each motion of any object is just conspired to create horror.
Gimmicks Galore
From the loud door bell to the scary faced house keeper. You name the horror movie gimmick and its all there in 'Winter'. Gimmicks to create horror are fine to the point that if the audience feels that the director is getting along with the real story as the time passes. But the problem with 'Winter' is that the horror gimmicks do not finish and the story telling reaches no where. Interval point brings in some respite and is a good one as well. Dipu has tried his best at creating horror via sound effects (mainly) and also some weird camera angles. He succeeds to some extent in keeping the audience at tender hooks.
Performances
Jayaram is competent with a natural performance of a family man. Bhavana is irritating sometimes but by and large she is ok. The 2 kids could really have been better in terms or performances. TG Ravi does his horrifying house keeper act to the best.Manoj K Jayan is passé.
Technical Aspects
BGM has tried real hard to create the horror and many a times goes over the top. Cinematography could have been better for a horror flick.There is only 1 song which looks a bit out of place. Better editing could have been done to make the movie crisper. Direction considering that its a debut is notable but it needs thinking to understand how the same person made 'Crazy Gopalan' after this one.
Conclusion
‘Winter’ is no great cinema and could have been way better but it neither is unbearable as well. Dipu has some talent for sure and needs right direction from here on.The biggest plus for ‘Winter’ is that the audience go in with zero expectations and find themselves just about ok at the end.
VERDICT - 2.5/ 5 and an AVERAGE rating for ‘Winter’.
‘Winter’ - A somewhat better debut for Dipu than being ‘Crazy’.!!!
Movie : Ee Pattanathil Bhootham.
Language : Malayalam
Date: 09/07/09
Review
It is really difficult to write a review when you are mentally drained and exhausted. You do not know what to put in and what to write because it’s not particularly good news that you have to share. That’s exactly what the feeling I am going through now after yesterday's late night show of Mammotty's come back vehicle 'Ee Pattanathil Bhootham'.
What could have been an interesting genre and plot has been really spoiled by the graphics overkill and gimmicks which make you squirm in your seats as you pray for the movie to get over fast.
Confused Genre
Let’s not try to escape saying that EPB belongs to a kid’s movie genre and so adults would not like it. We have enjoyed so many kids’ movies, haven't we?
Be it My Dear Kuttichathan, Mr.India (when we were kids actually) or even the recent movies like Bhoothnath, adults have enjoyed such movies, if they are honest and enjoyable. The plain fact about EPB is that it tries to be a kid’s movie with cheap antics like an Elephant cricket and a hippo in the climax. Grow up; Johny, we live in the age of kids who grow up on Xbox, Playstation and iphones. These are age old gimmicks to attract kids. You should have tried new ones.
It tries to be a kids movie and also play up to the Mammotty fans throwing in a murder in between and sadly reaches no where.
Graphics Over Kill
EPB is a movie which has used as much graphics as may be all Malayalam Movies put together till now because may be our movies do not use graphics too much.
To the movie's credit 75% of these graphics look fine. The emergence of ‘bhootham’ and the way he disappears. The ‘bhootham’ in the bottle and the sea sequence (except for the shark which looks pasted) are fine. But EPB looses it in over doing the graphics and make it look gross and distasteful.
Mammotty's head looks pasted on to someone else's body in so many sequences. In the double role sequences look so distasteful that Johny should take a look at 'Jeans' which may be came almost 10 years back. EPB hasn't even been able to match that in the double role sequences. The scenes when Mammotty rides the horse up side down and all are as gross as special effects can get.
Mammotty - Our heart goes out for you
One of the finest actors this country has and will ever have, is seen 'self torturing' himself in the role of an insipid 'bhootham'. The 'bhootham' is so unimaginative and stupid that he has 2-3 pony tails in his already messed up hair do. A DCH like ‘Goti’ and designer party suits to wear. And if that is not all he speaks in a kiddish voice. The Kid like voice of Mammotty is unbearable. It makes you wish to run to the nearest exit each moment you hear it. And I could not even decipher 20% of the dialogues the 'bhootham was saying. The dubbing was really poor and trashy. The only saving grace are his graphic horns that come up once in while. That looks cute!
Watch the scenes where he acts as 'bhootham'. Many a times, he tries hard. To be comic, to be funny but everything looks like a self-torture. 'Rajamanikyam' , 'Oru Maravathoor Kanavu' were thoroughly enjoyable comic roles of Mammotty but in those he was at so much ease and the characters were raw, uneducated. It looked funny. Here he seems to be trying hard to generate comedy but he could have spared more mercy on himself and the audience.
The Technical Portions
EPB once again proves that 20-20 was a master effort by Joshy becasue Sibi Udyan's script falls flat and this time Jonhy Antony is incapable to save it. As usual, a muder has been thrown in which is he order of the things in most commercial movies in Malayalam now. First half is somewhat bearable but second half is a pain. When Jimmy comes in, he spares you from the torture of bearing the Bhootham. But he is soon back in action and add to that the graphics and gimmicks over kill, you seriously would wish the movie to get over faster.
+Ves
Personally speaking the only positive that I liked from the entire movie was the song 'Maamarangale....". But want to add here that Suraj and Salim Kumar have some good one liners and a bit of a comic relief but haven't we seen umpteen Salim Kumar Buffon police roles and Suraj side kick roles?
And as said, graphics is good in many portions as well.
Whoever, conceptualized the 'bhootham' character seriously needs to think whether he knows what he is doing because Amitabh's Bhooth get up was far far bearable than this.
To cut the long story short, EPB is a pain to watch. For the kids, for the adults but for everyone with a sensible head. The only thing that it is bound to save you, is your kid's request for the visit to the Zoo because this one has an elephant and a Hippo.
Verdict : - 1.5/5 and 'A tad above Pathetic' for 'Ee Pattanathil Bhootham'.
Save it for the CD or TV. At least you and your children will be happier seeing this at home.
Movie: Bhramaram
Language : Malayalam
Show : 01/07/09
Review
Some people are punished for their entire life. It’s difficult to relate to for many, but that’s the truth. By fate, by society and by the people, some are punished for the entirety of their lives. Blessy's latest movie, 'Bhramaram' shows the journey of one such person. Brilliantly portrayed by Mohanlal, 'Shivankutty' is one character on which the movie solely depends for everything.Taking the oft repeated revenge sagas as a backdrop, Blessy uses a never before seen approach, canvas, screenplay and technique to present one of the complex characters Lal has ever portrayed.
Mohanlal - Brutally Magnificent
From catharsis to revenge, from suspense to tender display of affection, from action to being eccentric, from the brooding silence to the maverick bordering lunacy, 'Shivankutty' is one character which Mohanlal can sure be proud of. It is a much complex character than may be 'Rameshan Nayar' in Tanmatra (though it was more relatable for the majority) and Mohanlal plays it with the ease and élan few in the world of cinema would have done it. When he suddenly bursts in to the fits of anger you shudder seeing the vengeance in his eyes. When he breaks down at the end, it makes your eyes moist. The ease with which he switches between these sudden changes of emotions is brilliant to watch. If there is one reason for 'Bhramaram' being a must watch its 'Shivankutty'.
Blessy - Brutally Brave
Blessy the most promising director over the last decade pushes the envelope this time with his 'Bhramaram'. Taking the wafer thin story line in to consideration, the screen play and the direction needs to be commended handsomely. Blessy uses a canvas which has seldom been seen on the Malayalam screen. The camera has been used near to perfection. Blessy succeeds to keep the suspense alive for almost 70% of the movie. Sometimes it’s so gripping and interesting that you find yourself leaning forward, all keen eyes. The entire suspense is created by the mystery surrounding the maverick 'Shivankutty'. It’s impossible to decipher what he is going to do next or which path he will take just like the Bee (Bhramaram). ‘Bhramaram’ will haunt you for days after you have seen it.
It takes immense bravado to make such a movie without any compromises. Blessy could have added more lighter moments in the first half and also created a more relatable plane for the audience. But he doesn't compromise a wee bit. So majority may find 'Kazcha' and 'Tanmatra' more relatable and likable but not 'Bhramaram'. May be becauase it was never meant to be so.
Other +ves
Bhramaram has one of the best cinematographic efforts that Malayalam may have seen for a long long time. Its technically a very superior movie apart from a few special effect glitches.Music is very competant for the movie. It goes with the mood. People are sure to hum 'Annarakanna vaa'. 'Kuzhaloothi' is good as well.Performance of Suresh Menon as Unni is competent.
Negatives
I feel that the most prominent negative of 'Bhramaram' is that only a mere 30-40% may be able to relate to it. Kazcha and Tanmatra were ones which majority could relate to. Otherwise you should be able to just hand the reins of your mind to the director and go along the journey which he takes. Don't think of the message or the eventuality at the end.Bhramaram is not meant to be a message driven movie. Its a journey of a curious character which may not be relatable to all. If you see it from that point of view, you will love it. But how many can do so is the vital question.
Bhoomika and the kid who plays Lal's daughter could have been replaced by better people. The movie could have been crisper by 10 minutes minimum.Lalitha's oft seen hue and cry could have been avoided. It looked cliched.
Conclusion
A few years back Sanjay Leela Bansali tested the bollywood audience with a brooding, cathartic journey of a teacher and a student to redemption and named it 'BLACK'. He literally tested the bollywood audience and thank god he succeeded as there was a sizable multiplex thinking audience by that time.Blessy with 'Bhramaram' has now thrown open a similar test for the Malayalam Audience.We need to await the results.
In short, Bhramaram is a treat to watch if you can let your mind follow the journey and not look for a message. After all, the journey is more important than the destination. Isn't it?
VERDICT : - 3.75/5 and ' Brutally GOOD' tag for Blessy's Bhramaram.
Bharamaram - Brutally Haunting!