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isaacsundaralingam
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The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)
Offers nothing new
The Strangers movies have never really had anything all that interesting or fresh to set it apart in the genre. The first movie was pointless, the second was almost the same but slightly different enough to justify calling itself a sequel, and this one is just the first movie remade beat for beat all over again, but with cheaper tropes and worse writing.
It's as pointless a movie as could be, and there's apparently going to be 2 more of these. There's nothing here to make your visit to the cinemas worth your time and money, maybe unless of course you're already fans of the series. And even then I would be surprised if you really had anything different here to make you enjoy it. Either way, for the casual moviegoer, just ignore this.
Indian (1996)
Pop patriotism with the critical reasoning abilities of a caveman
Despite the movie being as old as I am, I have never really watched Shankar's "Indian" in its entirety before today (during its 2024 re-release). Having seen clips every now and then on TV, I sort of assumed the movie to simply be about an old guy killing corrupt government officials. As shallow and stupid as a concept that might be, the actual movie is a million times stupider.
Shankar is a director who has ALWAYS had the social awareness and reasoning of a caveman. He has a very binary view of right and wrong, and any social issue he choses to address can easily be boiled down to "corruption should be eradicated by killing everyone". There isn't a single intellectual position to find in any of his movies beyond the insanely single minded brand of pop-patriotism and delusional masturbatory acts of social justice. It couldn't be any more apparent than in this Kamal Haasan starrer.
I knew going into this movie that it wasn't going to be any smarter for me to give it any credit, but I just didn't expect it to be this insufferable. Not just from a messaging perspective, but even from a movie perspective. The screenplay is a drag, the comedy is nothing to write home about, the songs (none of which I've heard before today) were surprisingly garbage, the action and fight choreography is an absolute joke and if there's anything redeeming about this movie, it's probably just the make-up work on the Senapathy character (which seems really well done for its time).
Overall, this movie just gives me all the more reason to dislike Shankar as a filmmaker and even more so as someone who thinks he somehow has anything of value to say regarding any social issue.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
Hopefully no more
That's not to say this franchise has overstayed its welcome, no. But this movie feels like it has exhausted its last bit of entertainment without coming across as unnecessary. And that's a good thing.
Out of the four Bad Boys movies so far, this was probably the one I enjoyed the most. It maybe also has to do with the fact that this was the first Bad Boys movie I've watched in the big screen, naturally making the experience more exciting and memorable, but I also feel like the movie has a lot to make it likeable - be it the rather cliché but effective script, the callbacks, the action, the excitement and most of all, the amazing chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
Overall, the movie is pretty fun and while not all jokes land, it's still decently funny and entertaining at the same time.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Very promising
The rebooted Planet of the Apes trilogy, in my opinion, is unfairly overlooked when discussing some of modern day's greatest sci-fi movies. It's such a well-made trilogy with amazing action, groundbreaking VFX, three compelling chronicles, and a hero's journey in three parts that's as powerful and emotional as one could want.
Following the end of the trilogy, and upon the announcement of a fourth installment, there was much doubt about its motivations-whether it was simply a cash grab off the back of a popular franchise or if it truly had a reason to be made. I was extremely skeptical about how well this newest Planet of the Apes movie would perform, given the big shoes it had to fill. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how thoughtfully made this newest movie was. It still wasn't as good as any of the movies from the trilogy, but it's a very promising start and it definitely makes me excited to see where the series would go from here!
Mr. & Mrs. Mahi (2024)
Pretty decent
There's nothing much to say about this movie except that it was fairly decent. There wasn't anything egregious about it, but there also wasn't anything that stood out. It's a pretty cute, pretty enjoyable light-hearted movie that doesn't offend in any big way. The only issue I had, which if not would have made the movie much better, was that you just couldn't really root for the main character. There's just so much to dislike, and while that's of course part of what the movie is really about, it also makes it difficult to want to see him succeed or change for the better. A little more redeeming qualities in the main character would have made the experience much more personal and empathetic. But it's still not too much of a deal breaker. The movie is good enough to help pass the time with some decent entertainment.
Hit List (2024)
Who came up with this garbage?
What convinced Sarath Kumar and Gautham Menon that this was ever a movie worth considering? I could call it amateur trash and leave it be, but I'm compelled to say more about a movie that wasted 2 hours of my time with sheer incompetence and stupidity. Poor in all aspects; technical and visual, the movie has ZERO redeeming qualities about it and it's just an embarrassment happening in real time. I have no idea who the lead actor is, or why he was chosen as the lead actor, but this guy's acting skills are as trash as the movie itself and it's just 125 minutes of pain and second hand embarrassment. Don't watch this, but if you do, be sure to do your part as a good citizen and bully the hell out of it.
Garudan (2024)
An unexpected gem
I'm still baffled by how Soori was insufferable as a comedian and is yet somehow sincere and naturalistic as a lead actor. Only his second movie in the lead following Vetrimaran's underrated "Viduthalai" last year, Soori delivers an impressive showcase of range and character in this gripping tale of family, loyalty, greed and jealousy.
R. S. Durai Senthilkumar's "Garudan" might not be a very pretty entry in the list of good Tamil movies this year, but it's effective and rich in its complex study of familial relationships. Each character is very well crafted and the way in which they all interact with each other speaks volumes to the amount of care the writers had towards telling an effective story. Sure, there are times when it could be a tad predictable, but it's never too much to be distracting. There's as much action and as much layers underneath said action to make the movie as entertaining as it is emotional. Where this movie shines the most is where it draws the line, as it consistently skirts the line of excessiveness without ever crossing into it. It's aware of its own scope and does well enough to stick within it, making any slip up (which of course there are many of) forgivable.
It's not a movie I went into expecting anything, but walked out of it pretty satisfied with what I watched. It's very worth your time and I would happily recommend you check it out!
PT Sir (2024)
Moral luck and moral delusion
I've never watched any of Adhi's movies before, but always assumed him to be a bad actor. Well, with "PT Sir", I learned that I was in fact correct in my assessment, but I didn't expect the extent to which I was. This guy is not just bad in that he can't act, no, he's bad in that he tries to, thinking of himself as a better actor than he really is, and the delusion in that is just sad and painful to watch.
Now on to the movie itself... it was trash. The movie in its essence tries to raise awareness about a very real and legitimate social issue, but seeing them go about it in the most directionless, unthoughtful lip-service, rage bait kinda way makes it all the more insufferable. It's bad when watching and worse in hindsight. It starts off as one thing, and then just deviates into something else entirely, making whatever it was originally about as pointless as the rest. And as if that wasn't insulting enough, they just had to end the movie with one of the most brain dead facepalm climaxes you could come up with. It was infuriating, more so because it was done with a boisterous tone of moral superiority that just screams condescension.
Maybe watering down a social issue to be as basic and as rage baiting as possible to reach a wider audience might not be the worst idea, but it only works when you know that this is watered down for reach and not the actual issue itself... something you don't get from this movie. There was very little to enjoy and even little to learn from. Skip this.
The Garfield Movie (2024)
I wonder if even kids would find it interesting
Casting Chris Pratt as Mario was a move that got pretty much everyone scratching their heads, but seeing how well that movie worked out (commercially at least), people seemed to not care as much when he was cast as Garfield. Well, turns out that his casting is as mistaken and uninspired as the movie itself, as there just isn't anything to be entertained by here. It's a movie with a lot of cheese (excuse the pun), lazy humor, uninteresting characters and a plot that is just nonsensical. It's so bland and lackluster that I doubt if even kids would find it entertaining in any capacity. It's not a horrible movie by any standards - the animations are clean and there's at least something happening on screen, but it's just not enough to justify a full length movie. There's very little here to appreciate and I'd rather you not waste your time checking this movie out.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
You're missing out on a lot if you choose not to watch it
When last weekend's box office numbers came out, it was shocking to see how poor Furiosa's opening weekend performance was. I say 'shocking' in a more disappointing tone, because for all our complaining of mind numbing, formulaic and unoriginal trash, we seem to abandon the good ones when they do come out.
George Miller's "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" is one of the year's stronger movies and definitely one that HAS TO BE WATCHED on the big screen. It is as gorgeous as it is a visual spectacle, and it's also just 150-minutes of pure adrenaline and mayhem. 150-minutes that I couldn't get enough of, especially given how one of my biggest cinema regrets has always been not watching its predecessor "Mad Max: Fury Road" in cinemas. Untouchable as "Fury Road" might be, "Furiosa" is as close as it gets, and in cinemas, it's more than what we paid for.
I'm not going to lie, that first trailer was anything but promising. It felt cheap, it felt fake and it felt like it exists simply to make a quick buck off of the success of Fury Road. But if I can convince you of anything, let it be to ignore the trailer and give this movie a chance. Not only for its high octane action, its amazing stunt work, its gorgeous cinematography that captures the barren wasteland in ways that might seem magical, but also for it being a well made, well written, well realized movie that can keep you entertained without a doubt.
It would be better if you were familiar with the Mad Max universe, especially "Fury Road" to which this movie is an immediate prequel, as it helps appreciate this movie for itself as well as for how well it fits into the universe, but this being your first Mad Max movie isn't a bad idea either. The premise and the concept could be a little jarring at first, but give it a chance and you'll grow to appreciate it!
Star (2024)
Riddled with mistakes
It's a shame when what could have been a promising movie ends up being a giant waste of time. Elan gives us the story of an aspiring actor and the hardships he faces trying to make a name for himself in the Tamil cinema industry in "Star" with actor Kavin in the lead role after the sleeper success of his previous outing in "Dada". And therein lies the first problem.
Actor Kavin - the anchor on which this movie is fastened, turns out to be grossly miscast, with him just not having the range required to play the role effectively. I've seen a few reviews praising Kavin for his performance here, but I just don't see it. Most of the movie was me just wondering how bad a job Kavin is doing here, and feeling that as bad as the movie might be, if it could have been salvaged by a better actor. Every time Kavin tried to be what the script might demand of a great actor, it just comes across as incredibly try-hard and cringe-worthy. Think the monologue he recites to his father which was clearly intended to be a moment of awe, which instead just ended up being an incompetent caricature of a good actor.
The movie's second biggest issue is the very plot itself. It lacks any bit of focus or direction, and just ends up being all over the place. What makes things worse is the painful melodrama infused throughout the movie without any self-awareness. It's a nothing movie where things happen for the sake of happening, and happens so in the most ridiculous way possible. Think the entire second half, with the introduction of Aditi Pohankar's character Surabi - who not only was written to be the most annoying person in the world, but was also written as if the writers themselves had no idea what to do in the second half of the movie.
And yes, characters. It's difficult to like a movie without a single likeable or relatable character. Kavin's character especially, spends the entire movie being an arrogant entitled loser with no redeemable qualities, but is somehow the one we're supposed to be cheering for? Worse so is the fact that the movie tries to justify his insufferable nature by virtue of him being the main character. It was such an incompetent movie all around.
I think the one thing the movie has going for it is the fact that it keeps us expecting something to happen throughout. And this is good enough to distract us from what a horrible movie we've been watching the whole time. It's not until you get home and start thinking back on what you actually watched, do you start to realize just how bad it is. So yea, save yourself the trouble and ignore this movie. You'll be better off.
Inga Naan Thaan Kingu (2024)
Underwhelming, even with zero expectations
It needs to be said upfront that this movie isn't and never can be as bad as some of Santhanam's previous movies - namely "Kick", which to this day is one of the worst excuses for a movie I've ever watched. But that's not to excuse whatever they tried to do here. Structured like a comedy of errors, the movie never really finds its voice and ends up being a half-baked-everything movie. The comedy is either too bland or too annoying to be effective, and the screenplay which is to their credit, consistent, just doesn't have the X-factor needed to pull off this particular concept. You're not really missing out on anything here, so just ignore this movie and go about your day!
IF (2024)
Good luck remembering anything a month from now
A movie with modest ambitions, John Krasinski's "IF" doesn't try to be anything more than yet another family friendly kids movie, and that is fine. You're not going to have a horrible time with it, but neither are you going to be impressed with anything about it. It's a movie eventually bound to be forgotten, especially due to it's nonsensical plot and an incoherent premise that falls apart with even the slightest examination. It tries its best to keep things simple and safe, but it sometimes feels like there's just a little too much unoriginal simplicity here to justify any enjoyment. But hey, if you just want to watch giant plushies walk around acting adorable, then maybe there's no harm checking this movie out!
Aranmanai 4 (2024)
Sundar C hates you, and he probably hates himself
What else justifies this amount of laziness? When was the last time Sundar C had an original thought he wanted to explore? This is the 4th movie in a series that didn't have a single good movie (which of course is mostly speculation on my part, as I have only watched the first; which was bad, watched bits of the second; which seemed horrible, and wasn't even aware of a third until I saw the fourth in theaters). There's nothing here to enjoy really, as the movie is as predictable and pathetic as you'd come to expect. Is it funny at least? Nope, not even close. Having Yogi Babu in your movie doesn't automatically make it funny, and this is something directors just seem willfully blind to. In any case, save yourself the trouble of watching it, as there's absolutely nothing to enjoy here. The most it could squeeze out of you is a couple of chuckles and that too could just be you laughing at how stupid the movie is.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Exactly as advertised
It's one of those movies where the trailer lets you in on exactly what to expect when you watch it. Following "Bullet Train" - a movie that almost everyone (besides myself) seemed to really enjoy, director David Leitch gives us the better written but just-as-fun and just-as-charismatic "The Fall Guy", a movie that puts a well deserved spotlight on stunt performers, whilst also delivering an enjoyable movie with some high adrenaline action. It has Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt with their charm maxed out, and the chemistry between the two works really well. It's a likeable and easy to follow along style-and-substance movie where the action, comedy and the overall vibe guarantees you a good time!
Mankatha (2011)
The BGM carries
You have to feel for Ajith fans during the current re-release season, because there isn't a single "Ghilli"-like re-release worthy Ajith movie. That doesn't mean that his movies aren't good, no, it's just that there isn't that vibrant flair in any of his movies needed to make a re-release more enjoyable than the usual visit to cinemas.
Venkat Prabhu's "Mankatha" is probably the closest, and of course they go with it. Works out well for me though, as I have never watched this movie before. I've seen clips here and there and was aware of the general idea, but never watched it from start to finish until now. And honestly, I must say I'm a little disappointed as the movie seemed much better when it was just clips. That's not to say the movie isn't good, because it actually was decently entertaining, but there just wasn't anything truly remarkable about it like people would have you believe.
In any case, I'm glad that I finally had a reason to watch this movie from start to finish. It isn't a bad movie at all, but it's definitely nowhere close to try and justify the gaslighting that goes on regarding this movie. Shoutout to that amazing BGM track though, that practically carries the movie more than anything else going on on screen.
Rathnam (2024)
Like being hit on the head with a trash can
Hari is one of those filmmakers who thinks that loud noises and endless fight scenes somehow make for an engaging movie. It's the same formula here honestly, with Vishal slashing his way through a nonsensical plot that's ultimately as boring as it is dumb. There's literally nothing that works here - a piss poor story, bad acting, annoying comedy, trash music and even the action just feels clumsy and loud. I also very specifically have to point out just how utterly embarrassing the villains were - whether it be their back stories or even just their characterization - it all reeks of laziness and incompetence. There's very little here to appreciate and even less to enjoy. Skip this, and skip any movie Hari makes in the future.
Romeo (2024)
This is probably what incels dream about
The man is such a 'nice' guy. He is in love with his newly-wed wife. She hates him and only marries him to escape her family situation. She doesn't know how much she's missing out by not loving him back. He loves her and is willing to do anything for her until she accepts him (because you know, he's 'nice'). She doesn't care. He indirectly starts giving her everything she wants. Will she ever come to realize that she is wrong to not have loved and accepted such a 'nice' man?
Yea, that pretty much sums up the movie. It's as if it was written for and by some pathetic, incel loser whose life philosophy boils down to how women would love them if only they knew how 'nice' they are. Sure, the movie is funny at times, but that's not even close enough to distract you from how obviously pathetic it is.
Civil War (2024)
It stays with you long after the credits
Alex Garland has announced that this would indeed be his final film as director, and man, what a great way to go out. "Civil War" is as essential an anti-war movie as it is timely. The fetishization of a modern United States civil war is one so loud online that it even reaches us all the way here in Sri Lanka; who ourselves had to survive a 3 decades long civil war not so long ago.
The word is easy to throw around in a tantrum, forgetting just how much death and destruction it entails. And as if to give them exactly what they want, Garland slaps them with the reality of that which they ask for in this harrowing exploration of human selfishness and war-hungry depravity. Taking the twisted form of a road movie, we follow along a group of journalists travelling through the now war-torn nation to reach the White House before it is taken over by the rebelling states. It's a brilliant showcase of not only the toll of war, but also the indifference and the inevitability of it.
With 4 amazing performances by Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura and the ever reliable Stephen McKinley Henderson, "Civil War" captures both a personal and a national perspective of identity and humanity. I'm glad this movie was screened here in Sri Lanka and would encourage anyone reading to go check it out before it's too late.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
I didn't care for it
Unpopular opinion, but the Ghostbusters franchise as a whole is just a waste of time. And yes, that includes the original which I still think is an unenjoyably cheap trash film. Saying all that, I still watched the new one, because I've watched four of these already so why not a fifth, and yea, it's about as pointless as I thought it would be.
It's not that the movie is bad or poorly written or unfunny, no, it's just so generic and forgettable. Nothing about this movie stands out and nothing about this movie is worth talking about. It seems unmotivated to be anything worth caring about and exists solely to milk some nostalgia money. I don't know, I dislike the franchise anyway, so why listen to me huh?
Maidaan (2024)
Effective at what it does
In the veins of movies like "Chak De! India" or even "Dangal", Amit Ravindernath Sharma's "Maidaan" recalls the golden age of Indian football as facilitated by coach and manager S. A. Rahim. Ajay Devgn brings his A-game in his measured and stoic portrayal of coach Rahim, alongside an effective cast, all of whom make this movie one worth watching.
It's a movie that has its fundamentals right, which at no point seems to be doing anything unnecessary. Sure, its 3-hour runtime might seem like a lot, but the movie covers so much ground so effectively that you'd barely notice the time. From its recollection to its messaging, "Maidaan" offers everything one could want from a sports film, but with a welcome touch of the socio-political awareness of the time. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!
Crew (2024)
Who even watches this and thinks this is good?
I don't have much to say about this except that it's such a waste of time movie. Maybe it's not as bad to native Hindi speakers, given how much in comedy can be lost in translation, but I was just bored the entire time. Lost in translation can't justify a poor script which offers nothing of substance to entertain you. It's not the worst movie ever, neither is it bad enough to make you want to walk out of the theater, but it's still boring enough to make you feel like you could be doing something more productive with your life. Sure it's ultimately harmless, but it just wasn't for me, and I quite frankly don't know who it's for.
Monkey Man (2024)
Revenge IS primal
Can we take a minute to appreciate just how much passion seems to have gone into the making of this movie? From its production woes to its post-production hell, the fact that Dev Patel's "Monkey Man" nonetheless turned out as good as this, is only a testament to how much toil, sweat, and effort went into making this movie worth watching and talking about.
If the trailers lead you to believe that this might be yet another John Wick wannabe revenge movie (which I've heard people say), you couldn't be more wrong. Sure, it borrows a lot from the medium, that which it referentially seems to be aware of, but it ultimately is its own unique movie with just so much depth setting it apart from other movies in the genre. Add a touch of Dev Patel, who as an amazing actor, brings what all other action heroes today lack - a sense of introspective depth and an ability to express the sheer range of emotions of his character in a way that's compelling and evocative, "Monkey Man" is as commanding a movie as it is entertaining.
It's not a movie without its flaws, the biggest in my opinion was the fight choreography which while more than adequate for what it tries to achieve, felt at times a little too sluggish as if to unwantedly remind us that Dev Patel isn't really a martial artist like say Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Tony Jaa, or Iko Uwais. If the trade-off was either flawless martial arts hand-to-hand combat but with none of the acting prowess Dev Patel brings to the table, or Dev Patel at his most passionate as an actor and director, I'm comfortable siding with the latter. I also noticed a majority of people having complaints about the shaky-cam employed in the film's fight choreography, pointing it out as the movie's single biggest flaw, but I personally didn't feel it intrusive to offend my experience. But I guess I can see where they're coming from.
In any case, Dev Patel's "Monkey Man" turned out to be much better than I expected. I had a blast watching it and am more than comfortable recommending it. A movie so simple, yet so rich in its storytelling vocabulary, it is one that you definitely should check out in theaters if you have the opportunity to.
The Goat Life (2024)
Humanity and survival
One just has to appreciate a movie that respects itself, and Blessy's "The Goat Life" (or Aadujeevitham) is one such movie with a lot of heart and a lot of grit. Off the back of lead actor Prithviraj, who brings out a career defining performance, and with a story so native to the human experience, the movie pulls no punches in its presentation of the human spirit; from its rotten to its most admirable.
While flawed in certain aspects, most notably the padded runtime, the sloppy VFX and so on, these are complaints nonetheless dismissible in hindsight simply due to how effectively the movie grabs your attention with it's clear 'hero's journey' screenplay written well enough for you to care. It's a well made survivor movie that deserves the success it's seeing.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
It had its moments, but there just wasn't the hype
I'll start by saying that nobody who goes to watch "Godzilla x Kong" really cares about what's going on in the movie. We're there to see monsters fight, and anything else, unless compelling, is filler to be ignored. If all you're looking for are monster fights, there's plenty of them here, and they're decent too - both the visuals and the action. Sadly everything else is so silly that it's almost self aware of its silliness. It's an undeniable step down from the first (which in itself wasn't anything too special), and while promising at first with Kong finding his place in Hollow Earth, it soon becomes a nothing story with nothing to hype it up. Overall though, you just want to see Godzilla and Kong kick some ass and there's plenty, and I mean PLENTY of it here.