All the film reviews I’ve written so far.
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Joshua Imai Pol Kaakha review: A GVM film that lacks punch or passion
Gautham Vasudev Menon’s latest has got love, action, mystery and tension. Yet, none of it captures our emotion or imagination, independently or as a whole. In the end, it’s as tiresome as it’s tired.
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Leo review: Vijay’s emotionally weak action overload is held up by some crafty filmmaking
Vijay’s performance in emotional scenes evokes no reactions even as Lokesh Kanagaraj provides ample electrifying action scenes.
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Modern Love Chennai Review: Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s Anthology Wins on Several Counts
Modern Love Chennai raises the bar. It stays true to its writers’ and filmmakers’ imagination of Tamil cinema and serves films that are almost non-mainstream, yet perfectly palatable.
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Rudhran Movie Review: Bore, Gore and Imaginary CPR
Raghava Lawrence gives the audience a headache with his Kanchana hangover.
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Bakasuran Review: Mohan G Makes A Regressive Lecture Masquerading As A Bad Revenge Drama
Bakasuran is a message film, no doubt. The problem is that the message is victim-blaming, regressive and patriarchal.
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Run Baby Run Review: A Passable Thriller That Unravels Oddly
With none of the characters demanding any empathy from the audience, Run Baby Run’s only leverage is the whodunnit. That can only take the film so far.
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Varisu Review: A Templated Celebration Of The “Toxic” Family
Vamshi Paidipally makes a film that Vijay is perfect for — song, dance, fight and some snide antics. Sadly, that’s precisely what makes Varisu rather superficial and, therefore, ordinary.
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Ponniyin Selvan: Part One movie review — Grand spectacle that’s more enchanting than engrossing
Part One is more of a great first-half than it is a wholesome film. And, of course, that’s how it’s meant to be.
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Naane Varuvean movie review: Uncharacteristically straightforward Selvaraghavan film
Without the signature twistiness of Selvaraghavan’s oeuvre or a powerful performance by Dhanush, Naane Varuvean is bland.
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Natchathiram Nagargiradhu movie review: Pa Ranjith’s uneven vignettes of politics of love
Pa Ranjith stages a meticulously detailed, diverse and sharp contemplation on the socio-politics of love. As a whole, the film doesn’t quite add up.
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Thiruchitrambalam movie review: Dhanush, Nithya Menen shoulder endearing story about love, loss, repentance, understanding
For a rom-com, Thiruchitrambalam has too much family in it, perhaps that’s how we love in the Tamil nation. To the film’s credit, it is handled exceptionally well.
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Viruman movie review: Intolerable drag with no redemption
To compensate for the utter lack of entertainment, Muthaiya fills the film with pointless songs and physics-defying fights — there is nothing new or engrossing in that either.
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Victims review: Pa Ranjith stands out in this otherwise mediocre anthology
Pa Ranjith’s Dhammam stands out, like a probing short story, wholesome in itself. Even as the interpretations of victimhood are somewhat fresh, the other films settle for the ordinary.
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Gulu Gulu movie review: Rathna Kumar films ode to cruelty of life with kindness
‘Gulu Gulu’ is the journey of Google (Santhanam), an orphan/refugee who can not resist helping people at even grave personal costs.
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Iravin Nizhal review: Self-indulgent and boring mess that can’t be saved by innovative set design and transitions
In its 90-minute runtime, Iravin Nizhal takes up the colossal responsibility of telling its protagonist’s story from life to death.
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Gargi movie review: Sai Pallavi shoulders extraordinary tale of people, their actions and rippling consequences
Gargi is the story of the eponymous protagonist, who fights the system to save her father from a child rape case that she believes he’s wrongly accused in.
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Rocketry movie review: R Madhavan’s directorial debut is blinded by association
Nambi Vilaivu ends up being an uninsightful, simplistic and superficial telling of the life of a complex figure. It’s not just hagiographic, it’s blinded by its association. It’s a shame that it’s not even that entertaining.
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Veetla Vishesham movie review: Urvashi delightfully carries earnest film about tough choices
The most important idea in Veetla Vishesham, is that tough choices are only as tough as you make it.