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‘Yaathisai’ movie review: An impressive period drama made with conviction

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‘Yaathisai’ movie review: An impressive period drama made with conviction

Coincidence or not, Yaathisai, the most recent Tamil interval movie with an all-new forged, will draw comparisons with Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan – 2 because the latter is gearing up for launch only a week after the previous’s; they’re each interval dramas, with a fictional twist on historical past, on famed Tamil kingdoms. However the similarities between these two cease there, and Yaathisai, directed by Dharani Rasendran, is a movie with sufficient gravitas and distinction to face tall by itself. On one hand, it does generally lack the finesse of a Mani Ratnam movie, nevertheless it’s additionally rather more grounded, brutal, and uncooked in its type, and, in that sense, might be likened extra to an Indian model of Zack Snyder’s 300 than the rest — you learn that proper!

From the phrase go, there are fairly just a few surficial errors that Yaathisai needs you to look past, just like the distracting CGI blood, theatrical dialogue supply from just a few actors, and the simple staging of some scenes. And, though commendable for the try, it does take a couple of minutes to get used to some characters speaking in Seventh-century Tamil (including the subtitles here’s a win). However past these preliminary halts, what awaits a affected person viewer is really spectacular.

Yaathisai (Tamil)

Director: Dharani Rasendran

Solid: Shakti Mithran, Seyon, Guru Somasundaram, Subatra Robert, Rajalakshmi

Runtime: 121 minutes

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Storyline: Kodhi, a hot-blooded warrior from the Einar clan, goes on an inconceivable mission to defeat the Pandiyan king Ranadheeran to recapture the Chola fort

All through its runtime, Yaathisai takes itself very significantly and the author means enterprise proper from the way in which he begins to relate his story. An previous man from the Einar clan begins to inform the story of how 15 years prior, Kodhi (Seyon), a younger hot-blooded man from their clan, took on the mighty Pandiyan king Ranadheeran (Shakti Mithran), who defeated the huge coalition military of the Cheras and Cholas. And he tells this to the son of Ranadheeran who they’ve held captive. Notice that it’s not the story instructed to a son about his father — which is often the case — and it’s not a narrative a couple of king taking up one other. Fearing demise throughout the Nice Chera-Pandiya battle, a number of surviving Chola clans took refuge within the dense forests, helplessly dwelling as ‘searching nomads,’ as one places it. Yaathisai is the story of an underdog soldier from a lower-rung Chola clan, comprising mere a whole bunch in quantity, aspiring to defeat a Pandiyan monarch ruling from the fort of the defeated Cholas. The world of Yaathisai, because the previous man goes on to relate, then grows and grows.

Essentially the most staggeringly spectacular feat of the movie is how this beginner director and an inexperienced crew have pulled off a interval movie of this scale. Take the 2 huge motion sequences to assist this; one occurs when Kodhi first meets Ranadheeran and the second, a surprising sequence, entails the conflict between the Einar Clan and the Perumpalli Clan. Aside from the well-choreographed motion involving a whole bunch of stuntmen, they’re additionally up shut and brutal, placing us proper in the midst of the gore-fest, a lot so that you simply wince regardless of the occasional annoyance of the CGI-manufactured blood and wounds.

A nonetheless from ‘Yaathisai’
| Photograph Credit score:
Saregama Tamil/YouTube

The units, when not achieved utilizing graphics, are good, the appearing for probably the most half does the job, and there’s sufficient to carry your consideration all through — the most important being that there hasn’t been a movie like this in Tamil (some may name it an Aayirathil Oruvan on medication). However all that doesn’t essentially translate to an ideal film-watching expertise for there’s something amateurish throwing you off once in a while.

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The largest problem is the enhancing; it does get a bit uneasy to see a movie that refuses to let its frames, even when shot fairly properly, breathe a little bit. The sense of urgency within the narration might have eased down a bit. Alternatively, a sequence involving a human sacrifice (that includes Guru Somasundram in a cameo) is stretched past a degree for an impact that this movie didn’t want. The music within the movie, although very distinctly made, is usually too distracting. Although the cinematography is neatly achieved, the irregular grading is a turn-off; it seems to be extremely saturated in some locations, making the parts that look pure appear duller, and the color tones preserve altering.

ALSO READ: Sasikumar takes the again seat in ‘Ayothi’ and lets humanity save the day

What the poor enhancing and the distracting music actually spoils is the readability within the storytelling, particularly contemplating that after a degree, the screenplay struggles to maneuver all the burden it boasted of carrying initially. Kodhi’s quest to ascend the throne has sufficient causes however we don’t dig deep sufficient to essentially care and take a look at him as something greater than a vengeful man changed into a mad, lustful beast. Ranadheeran, in the meantime, will get to spell out who he’s, apparently, whereas consummating his marriage and explaining to his new spouse that she means little or no on this political sport performed by males. Additionally, the movie isn’t clear sufficient in its makes an attempt at exhibiting the perils confronted by ladies on this sport of males, and we’re requested to attend for the sequel to get our solutions about an intriguing subplot, that includes Rajalakshmi as Devaradiyar, which is supposed to discover that theme.

However for all these points, this can be a movie that the long run can look again on positively, as a commendable try by an all-new forged. Above all, that is coming from a younger, one-film-old director who has a robust voice and, like Kodhi, the vigour to ascend to the highest, pulling off one thing actually spectacular in Yaathisai with a variety of conviction.

Yaathisai is scheduled to launch in theatres this Friday

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Movie Reviews

Film Review: Harold and the Purple Crayon – SM Mirror

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Film Review: Harold and the Purple Crayon – SM Mirror

By Dolores Quintana

I will admit that my expectations weren’t high for Harold and the Purple Crayon, but I was pleasantly surprised by the film. It was charming and sincere, not just a kid’s movie but a film that explores disappointed dreams of adults and the role of art and imagination in life. It has a storyline that can appeal to kids and adults. It’s playful and emotional. I really loved the cast, especially Lil Rel Howery, Tanya Reynolds, Benjamin Bottani, Ravi Patel, and, especially, Jemaine Clement and Alfred Molina as the narrator. Watching Tanya Reynolds behave as a real life porcupine was adorable. The comedy in the film really came to life with the work of the supporting cast. 

The film’s synopsis says, “Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life—and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends’ creativity to save both the real world and his own. Harold and the Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children’s classic that has captivated young readers for decades.”

Zooey Deschanel and Zachary Levi pulled their weight, and Deschanel, in particular, was given more to do than she normally gets, and it showed in her work. However, Zachary Levi was not the MVP of the cast and he should have been since he has the titular role as Harold. His work can be described as workmanlike and adequate except when he starts to show more as the film progresses. Sadly, it’s not enough to save his performance fully, but it’s more than I have seen him show ever. 

It is a problem that I have had with the three leads of three recent family family films. The lead character, who by all rights should be the star of the show, isn’t and gives what can only be called a passable performance. In many of these cases, the slack was pulled up by the supporting cast, but that makes me wonder why one of them wasn’t the lead and what might have been.  

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Harold and the Purple Crayon had lots of undercurrents that posed questions in my mind, like the disappointment of artists who don’t get to fulfill themselves in their chosen crafts, the torture of working a retail job, and how people cause chaos in the world by doing whatever they want without considering the consequences of their actions, especially in movies where wonderous things happen. 

That one came to the forefront with the actions of Harold juxtaposed with the actions of Gary Natwick. Even though Harold didn’t intend to cause chaos, he frequently does. In most family films, the consequences are rarely shown. In this film, they are, and that is refreshing. 

Gary, as a villain, is awful, but you still see the sadness and disappointment that leads him to make bad choices. No one is painted as totally bad; there are levels to the characters’ motivations and actions. There’s a lot more about the characters and what makes them tick than there is in most family films. Gary’s storyline and Jemaine Clement’s performance have pathos and are really funny in a way that will keep adults entertained during the film.

I find that makes the film much more interesting and relatable. The director, Carlos Saldanha, who is a Brazilian animator who co-directed Ice Age, did an excellent job and has a light touch with the heavier concepts in the story. The writers David Guion and Michael Handelman built a strong story and characterizations. Props for setting the film in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s also nice to see a film set somewhere outside of the main population centers and the live action with the inclusion of animation works quite well. 

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a joyous celebration of art and love that is kept from being sublime only by the performance of its lead actor. The supporting cast does wonderful and amusing work that would have been better served by a stronger lead. But still, it is a thoughtful, emotional, and entertaining film with a light touch on some serious subjects that still retains childhood magic. Director Carlos Saldanha deserves praise for his good work in adapting a beloved childhood book.

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‘Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan’ movie review: Vijay Antony headlines a watered-down mishmash of Hollywood films

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‘Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan’ movie review: Vijay Antony headlines a watered-down mishmash of Hollywood films

A still from ‘Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Director Vijay Milton is back after six years, and the first few minutes of the Vijay Antony-starrer, Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan, gave the impression that it’s a worthy comeback for both the Vijays. The film starts with a pleasant surprise that it’s a sequel to Vijay Antony’s Salim (2014), which itself was a sequel to his 2012 film Naan. The quick-paced cuts connect the dots swiftly and bring a sense of familiarity to the protagonist of Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan from the get-go; but little did we know that they will also happen to be arguably the most fascinating part of the film.

Karthik (Vijay Antony), who had stolen Salim’s identity in Naan and became a doctor in Salim, has become a covert agency agent who lost his friends and his lady love in an ambush on a rainy day. Now, as a man who lost everything in the rain, and bogged down by survivor’s guilt, Karthik attempts to start afresh. With the help of his Chief (Sarathkumar), he reaches the shores of Andaman and finds refuge at an eatery managed by a mother-son duo. But little does our hero know that despite touching land, he is still in troubled waters when he crosses paths with a local loan shark, Daali (Dhananjay).

A man with a past wanting a fresh start away from the horrors of his past, only to be pulled back into it, is a trope that’s anything but new to Indian cinema. The idea of a double life is something even Vijay Antony himself gave a shot with Pichaikkaran,which turned out to be one of his biggest hits. Be it the drastic change in the protagonist’s life — that comes with the heft of getting accustomed to a new place, new people and new responsibilities — or the mass transformation where he reveals who he really is and what he could possibly do, Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan faulters everywhere Pichaikkaran triumphed.

Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan (Tamil)

Director: Vijay Milton

Cast: Vijay Antony, R Sarathkumar, Sathyaraj, Megha Akash, Dhananjaya, Pruthvi Ambaar

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Runtime: 133 minutes

Storyline: A man with a bloody past tries to start afresh with a new identity only for trouble to knock on his door once again

Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan feels like a hodgepodge of several action films featuring such a protagonist. The core idea seems to be cut from the same cloth as The Equalizer films while a yesteryear killer seeking vengeance for his puppy would remind you of a particular film series starring Keanu Reeves. Inspirations are justifiable when used as crutches to support an otherwise interesting tale, not when turned into stretchers expected to carry an insipid plot.

A still from ‘Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan’

A still from ‘Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Past the predictable story, it is the shoddily penned characters and scenes that water down this film. We have the damsel in distress in the form of Sowmiya (Megha Akash); a gabby Burma (Pruthvi Ambaar), who gets thrashed often making us feel that the treatment meted out to him is totally worth it; his mother (Saranya Ponvanan), who says the most unrelatable lines in an attempt to sound profound; and of course, the ever-threatening villain (Dhananjaya), whose idea of terror is serving poison flavoured coffee. Even dependable seniors like Sarathkumar and Saranya, and a cameo by Sathyaraj, fail to save the film from the shallow waters of mediocre writing.

The streaks of potential you see now and then, sadden you further. In a scene, Daali’s ego is bruised after an encounter with a dubious cop (Murali Sharma) but that sub-plot leads nowhere. The triangular love story between the three primary characters doesn’t feel organic. A bit more information on the agency headed by Captain (Sathyaraj) would have added more value to the backstory; instead, the film settles on putting him in expensive clothes, placing him in an embellished underground lair and making him say something along the lines of the actor’s iconic ‘Thagudu, thagudu’ lines.

The film’s title tells you of the poetic feel the makers have gone for, and it’s quite dramatic to place a character with an aversion towards rain on an island surrounded by water, but Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan fails to capitalise on these tropes. What we are left with is a painfully formulaic plot riddled with uninteresting characters and unsurprising happenings that are sure to rain on your parade.

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Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan is currently running in theatres

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It Ends With Us Movie Reviews: Strong First Reactions Get Shared Online

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It Ends With Us Movie Reviews: Strong First Reactions Get Shared Online

Before It Ends with Us hits theaters on Aug. 9, fans who saw the movie early hit social media to share their thoughts.

It Ends with Us is a film adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel of the same name. The romance-drama follows Lily Bloom (Lively) as she grapples with a traumatic past, and a new relationship that starts feeling more familiar than she would like.

It stars the likes of Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, and Hasan Minhaj, among many others.

Early Reviews for It Ends with Us Movie

It Ends with Us

Critics and reviewers seem to love It Ends with Us starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, as is made clear their first online reactions to the new movie.

Anna of @bookobsessedgirl on Instagram said that despite never having “high expectations” for movie adaptations of books, “this one just hits in such an amazing way.” She added that despite knowing the plot already, she “still went through all the feelings:”

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“This movie!!! I don’t ever go in with high expectations for book to movie adaptations but this one just hits in such an amazing way. I knew what was going to happen but I still went through all the feelings.”

Victoria Combel of the Instagram account @bookswith_victoria assured fans of the original It Ends with Us novel that “all the quotes you are hoping for are delivered so well.” She added that she “couldn’t see anyone else playing these characters,” and that by the movie’s end, she “was a crying mess:”

“Safe to say yall are going to love this movie!!!! All the quotes you are hoping for are delivered so well and the acting is out of this world … couldn’t see anyone else playing these characters!!! As you can tell by the second photo, I was a crying mess so go check it out Aug 9th when they release the official movie”

Christine from @simply.christine.life on Instagram kept it short and simple, saying she both “cried” and “laughed” at what was “an amazing movie and wonderful book adaptation:”

“I cried. I laughed. It was such an amazing movie and wonderful book adaptation!”

Shannon of @shannonlovesbookss on Instagram said that she “cannot wait to see it again,” and that Lively was “amazing:”

“Last night was one of the most amazing experiences of my life … at Book Bonanza we were surprised with being able to watch an early screening of the book turned movie “it ends with you” by [Colleen Hoover] as well as the amazing [Blake Lively] who plays the lead. … It comes to theaters August 9th! I cannot wait to see it again”

Tiffany Porter of @tiffanypreads called It Ends with Us “INCREDIBLE,” highlighting how “certain challenging scenes” were treated “tastefully” by performers and editors especially. She finished strong, saying that she “firmly [believes] that it will change and save women’s lives:”

“This film is INCREDIBLE!!! The acting. The emotion. Certain challenging scenes performed and edited SO tastefully. It’s so powerful and I firmly believe that it will change and save women’s lives.”

PEOPLE’s Senior Books Editor Lizz Schumer spoke about being apprehensive about some of the more sensitive scenes “as someone who has experienced intimate partner violence.” By the end, though, she “was relieved at how sensitively it was handled:”

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“As someone who has experienced intimate partner violence, I was really nervous to see ‘It Ends With Us.’ I’ve read the book, of course, and talked to a lot of people about how it was handled on the page, but seeing it onscreen, especially in a crowded theater, is a completely different experience to reading it in private.

When the ‘casserole scene’ happened, it took my breath away. And I wasn’t the only one: There were audible gasps throughout the theater … But as the film went on, I was relieved at how sensitively it was handled.”

Sydney of the Instagram page @books.with.sydney said that the movie “did the book such justice:”

“I seriously am so thankful to have got to see a special early screening of [‘It Ends with Us’] … guys, they did the book such justice!! I can’t wait for everyone to see it August 9th!”

Nela of @culturomaniaczka acknowledged that even if it was flawed, and “[not] a perfect film adaptation of the book,” she is “pleased.”

She added that the parts of the novel that were most important to her “were done the best they could,” and described the “execution of the Lily and Ryle relationship thread” as “perfect:”

“From the very beginning, I didn’t have too high expectations for the movie, but I have to say that I had a very nice time watching it. Is it outstanding? No. Is it a perfect film adaptation of the book? No (everything always looks better in my head), but what I have to say is that it sticks very closely to the original work. You can see Colleen Hoover’s great care here, and really the scenes that I cared about the most were done the best they could.

I have to say quite honestly that I am pleased. With the perfect execution of the Lily and Ryle relationship thread, where, just like in the book, we don’t see the person who really is until the very end. With the inclusion of quotes from the book. With the MUSIC!!!! And also from the cast. Blake did very well with her role, but I think that Justin Baldoni did the best job here as Ryle.”

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Kayla of @kaylasversionnn on X (formerly Twitter) called It Ends with Us “absolutely incredible,” adding positively that it “truly will put you through ALL the feels:”

“just got to see a premiere of [‘It Ends with Us’] and it was absolutely incredible! truly will put you through ALL the feels in the best way possible (and i mightttt have screamed when my tears ricochet started playing)”

Author R.K. Lilley also praised how emotional the movie was, saying that despite knowing she would cry, she “cried even more than [she] thought [she] would:”

“So many tissues were used.  I knew I would cry, but I cried even more than I thought I would … It’s so fucking good, guys!”

How Will It Ends with Us Book Fans Like the Movie?

Based on the reactions from reviewers — most coming from reading-related social media pages — It Ends with Us book fans will be generally satisfied by how the movie adapts the original novel.

Many of the reactions specifically pointed out how well the book’s darker theming was handled, which is hugely important given the prevalence of traumatic experiences in the story.

There are quotes pulled directly from the book, and the novel’s storytelling structure seems to have been adapted with care.

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Ultimately, though, fans will have to see for themselves when It Ends with Us hits theaters on Friday, Aug. 9.

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