When bollywood was struggling to entertain us, the regional movies made huge success this year. Especially Tamil and Malayalam movies made the audience sit up and take notice due to their original content and some twisty screenplays. Movies with parallel and multiple storylines made it big with filmmakers opting to let the audience do the thinking than spoonfeeding them.
Backing of independent filmmakers' nuanced stories by big production houses, fall in big budget releases (and the brushing aside of those with aimless hero worshipping, they even hit the rock bottom in this post), big stars opting for content over command, unknown cast and crew making it big were some of the reasons for continued success of Tamil movies in 2017.
Based on the releases we have had this year, following movies made it to our best of list, in no particular order.
Aruvi - 4.75/5
Genre: Drama
The biggest split view we have had on a movie till date. While I couldn't connect with the movie at all, Gowtham sided with majority who liked it, lived it and are worshipping it. So this is entirely his take..;)
For me, this is undoubtedly the movie of the year! In fact it is so far the best movie of this century. Do not look into any websites for a review of this movie please. Just go and watch it. I get it if you don’t like it, but then this is like thalaivar saying gettha munnadi vandu nippen da!
What is note worthy is the clarity of the debutant director. And Aditi Balan, Please don’t do any other movie, you can rest your case with this one!
Dheeran: Adhigaaram Ondru - 4.5/5
Genre: Action | Thriller
Dheeran proves what good can original content; detailing and research backed up by riveting screenplay do to a movie. It's an all out action movie spewing technical brilliance and clarity in film making! Even the much criticized romance angle actually proves as a breather amidst the breakneck speed at which the movie progresses.
Vikram Vedha - 4.5/5
Genre: Crime | Thriller
Need we say more about this one! What a screenplay! What perfection. The only movie this year in which even flaws were shown perfectly! Eagerly awaiting the director – writer duo’s next presentation.
Thupparivalan - 5/5
Genre: Crime | Mystery | Thriller
Thupparivalan is a razor sharp, edgy and brutal thriller. You will keep finding more of Mysskin's mastery, the more you dig in to this delightful cake glazed with Mysskin-ness! Probably the only director who casts music/BGM/RR also as a character for the movie. Arrol Corelli's BGM is definitely one of the biggest plus of this movie. It feels like the music was written on paper with entry and exit cues. Watch out for all the layering and sub-text! For not a single information shared with you by the film maker goes waste.
Managaram: 4/5
Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Layered screenplay, parallel-multiple story lines and unnerving thrills. These, are crafts in themselves. They excite us whenever we encounter at least one of them onscreen. Now imagine when all of them click together. It's a superb portrayal of Chennai the city we all know and don't know.
Kurangu Bommai - 4.5/5
Genre: Drama
Mystery of the contents of a bag and then the big reveal! Gut wrenching climax. For a debut director to handle such a multi layered screenplay took us by surprise. Many of us might have missed it on the big screen. This is one gem of a movie with character depth and arc. The story comes a full circle in the end.
Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu - 4.5/5
Genre: Comedy | Satire
A rural backdrop story from a Goat’s point of view. The screenplay may test your patience at times but then that is the best part of it. The tone is dusty and rusty throughout but the dialogues are strong and humourous as well. It is a simple story of how to do – what not to do!!
Aval - 4/5
Genre: Horror | Thriller
A sensational old school freak show that entertains in the smartest way possible weeding out the unnecessary and focusing on frightening you with haunting set pieces and locales, making it one of the beautifully shot horror movies.
Though it may not be as true as it claims to be, Siddharth's writing skill rises above the usual purely because it doesn't abuse the genre and Milind's direction keeps us wondering when we will get the jolt of our life
Meyaadha Maan: 4/5
Genre: Comedy | Romance
Can chest thump as Kollywood's La La Land. Meyadhaa Maan is a delightful watch mainly due to the convincing portrayal of its cast and smart, slapstick one-liners and some amazing music! The running length and pre-climax scenes do stick out as sore thumbs, but the smart turnaround in the end makes up for it. Here's a Jolly good movie which nobody can deny!!
Magalir Mattum - 4/5
Genre: Drama
Brought in the much needed fresh breeze amidst all the energy (time & money) draining humidity!!
Three old friends re-united and their journey is all the movie offers us. Watch out for some soul stirring, thought provoking and face palming one liners!!
It is truly a journey into the mindset of Women and the rest. If we all missed the sub-text in Kamal Haasan's Magalir Mattum (1994) about the existential crisis that women face, then this Magalir Mattum brings it up front and makes it stand in front of us.
Lens - 5/5
Genre: Thriller
We do not know how many knew that such a movie was made and released this year. Hard hitting content oriented, a socially pertinent movie about misuse of hidden cameras and online adult content. Nearly 90 minutes of run time but nevertheless a captivating one.
Aramm: 3/5
Genre: Drama
A relevant social movie that gets lost amidst goofy newsroom discussions. Watch it for the opening scenes, the BGM and the honest, down to earth script about the ignored section of the country.
-
The following movies caught our attention and were worthy of the money spent on them but because we couldn’t fit them, they are in our honourable mentions:
8 Thottakkal – Crime Mystery at its best
Pandigai – Action movie with a taut screenplay
Pa. Pandi – Light hearted coming of age movie!
Maragadha Naanayam – Laughter guaranteed!
Did we say some movies hit the rock bottom? Here they are, falling under "so bad, it's good".
AAA & Bhairavaa - Understood two things from watching these two mentioned!
1. Naanga yevalo vettiya irukkom (public)
2. Ungalku yevalo kozhuppu irukum (directors and actors)
No comments:
Post a Comment