All the film reviews I’ve written so far.
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Thalaivi movie review: An awkward Kangana Ranaut in a convenient Jayalalithaa biopic
Thalaivi exaggerates events for dramatic effect so much so that if we made two-three more biopics like this, we would end up giving Jayalalithaa sainthood.
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Laabam movie review: Lazy writing, flimsy storytelling fail to convey film’s purpose
Laabam is mired by tiresome public speeches, awkward fights, dance numbers and television debates, none of which add any value to the story.
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Kasada Tabara movie review: An enjoyable anthology with flawed, real characters
Chimbu Devan’s biggest success in Kasada Tabara is the people with who he populates his film. We understand his world, even feel like we belong in it.
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Boomika movie review: Aishwarya Rajesh, director Rathindran R Prasad’s eco-horror feature is a tropey affair
All said and screamed, Boomika is a tepid film, which invokes neither fear nor feeling. We’re neither left with the satisfaction of being scared to our bone, nor do we leave purposefully towards being more sustainable.
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Netrikann movie review: Thriller, starring Nayanthara, is an engaging story of underdogs but offers few surprises
The best part of Netrikann was how Nayanthara as Durga never loses her vulnerability. Every time there is a ‘mass’ moment for Nayanthara, it’s quickly followed by a grounding event for Durga.
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Thittam Irandu movie review: Vignesh Karthick aims to deliver an important social message but gets it awfully jumbled
The only thing going for Thittam Irandu is that it holds up the suspense until the final reveal. The final reveal, however, is a monstrous disappointment.
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Sarpatta Parambarai movie review: Arya, Pa Ranjith create a layered drama that captures rhythms of the sports genre
Pa Ranjith straddles his roles as a storyteller and an anthropologist with precision. This film certainly packs a punch.
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Vaazhl movie review: Arun Prabhu Purushothaman’s film lacks self-awareness, engages only with romanticised idea of nature
Vaazhl falls especially flat when it suddenly takes itself seriously in the second half
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Jagame Thanthiram movie review: Dhanush, Kartik Subbaraj gangster film is confused, self-indulgent, inconsiderate
The film cannot make up its mind between being an empathetic story about xenophobia or a mass gangsta film about a borderline psychopath.
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Paramapadham Vilayattu movie review: Trisha thriller loses plot to predictability, leaving us to a boring fare
Paramapadham Vilayattu’s plot and the politics is excruciatingly stale, making it barely watchable.
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Karnan movie review: Dhanush, Mari Selvaraj deliver an audacious film about a community’s fight for dignity
Mari Selvaraj takes a giant leap with Karnan, arguably more gut-wrenching and bold in its messaging than Pariyerum Perumal.
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Mandela movie review: Madonne Ashwin’s film is a balcony view of the darkly amusing times we live in
Against the backdrop of the upcoming assembly elections, Mandela is a film that will remind us of our priorities. It will encourage us to think about our rights as people and our power when we’re together.
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Anbirkiniyal movie review: Keerthy Pandian shines in this chilling, satisfying film featuring vignettes of urban life
Anbirkiniyal is a delightful story of a survivor, one which offers hope that with a little effort, all can be good in the world.
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Sulthan movie review: Karthi’s film suffers from confused messaging with a dash of masala
Without a strong moral core, Sulthan neither evokes empathy nor inspires respect for what the film’s protagonist stands for.
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Teddy movie review: Novel premise aside, director Shakti Soundar Rajan’s film has little going for it
For a thriller, it offers no real thrills. For a comedy, the jokes don’t land. For a fantasy film, it is unimaginative. Overall, it’s barely watchable.
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Nenjam Marappathillai movie review: Selvaraghavan’s sexual harassment film addresses everything else but
Nenjam Marappadhillai is a shallow, convenient sort of film, that can only excite those who are already entranced by the Selvaraghavan universe. For the rest of us, it is an exhausting mess.
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Chakra movie review: Vishal, Shraddha Srinath’s thriller is a predictable hodgepodge
Chakra is supposed to be the protagonist’s search for his father’s stolen Ashoka Chakra, but it ends up being the audience’s search for a single moment of cleverness or skill
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Kutty Story movie review: Vijay Sethupathi, Gautham Menon’s film is an engaging take on love, relationships
Within the constraints of an urban, middle class, heterosexual romance, Kutty Story is an interesting mix of shorts