Movies Around You

Cast: Prithiviraj Sukumaran, Nazriya Fahadh, Parvathy Music: M. Jayachandran, Raghu Dixit Direction: Anjali Menon Anjali Menon’s Koode (Meaning With) revolves around Joshua (played by Prithiviraj Sukumaran) and his emotional journey he experiences. Anjali Menon’s ‘Bangalore Days’ and her written film ‘Ustad Hotel’ gave an emotional experience and Koode is nothing short of that experience. The bond between each character in the movie is amazingly portrayed. Malayalam cinema always uses the characters effectively. Even in Koode, Joshua’s grandmother who has two scenes will create an impact. The movie starts with Joshua, who is working at Gulf, receives a phone call from his father and we see him travelling to Kerala. The film cuts to the childhood of Joshua, where he picks up a nest that is fallen and places it carefully on the tree. Joshua is the caring person, who loves his family. This attribute is established in one scene mentioned above. In his childhood Josh...

Cast: Tovino Thomas, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Illavarasu Year: 2017 Music: Rex Vijayan Direction: Aashiq Abu It took me hours to come out this film. Mayaanadhi is a type of film that traps you into its world and leaves you enthralled. In the opening sequence we hear Maathan (Tovino Thomas) taking about his future and we see sky as the visual. The future is vast and so far away like the sky. Mayaanadhi is a romantic thriller. The romance of Maathan and Aparna (Aishwarya Lekshmi) is just amazing and used wonderfully to the crime part of the film. Tovino as Maathan not only looks good but also his acting is brilliant. His small facial expressions like getting frustrated for a phone call or while motivating Aparna over call adds value to the character. Aishwarya Lekshmi as Aparna Ravi is also brilliant on screen. I loved the scene where she slaps Maathan, walks away fast, and then gradually slows down till she stops. One of the biggest things that Malayalam cinema doe...

Cast: Soubin Shahir, Samuel Abiola Robinson Music: Rex Vijayan, Shahabaz Aman Direction: Zakariya Samuel, the star player of ‘MYC   Accode’- a local 7s football team, is from Nigeria but everyone assumes that he is from Sudan and call him Sudani/ Sudu. The film opens with football commentary over the titles followed by a football match. We come to know the popularity of Sudani and think it’s about this player’s football journey. But it’s more an emotional journey with Sudani. Majid (played by Soubin Shahir) is the manager of ‘MYC Accode’ team, who pulls of a brilliant performance in this film. I really loved his performance in two scenes. One is the interval scene where he gets angry with Sudani. Another one is the later scene when he feels sorry for that. The scene where Majid and his friend bring alcohol for Sudani and breaks the bottle. Majid goes out of the room and comes back as a casual onlooker. It is one of the most hilarious scenes in the film. ...

Cast: Fahadh Fazil, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Nimisha Sajayan Music: Bijibal           Direction: Dileesh Pothan The story building in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum is what makes the film interesting to watch.  Prasad (played by Suraj Venjaramoodu, who became my favourite after this film) walks off from a drama saying that he will catch cold siting in the cold night. The next scene, in the morning, he goes to a medical shop to buy medicines where he see Sreeja (played by Nimisha) buying a pregnancy test kit. This makes Prasad gossip about her, which in turn makes Sreeja to talk with Prasad. This story building is supported by the cinematographer. Most scenes first introduce an atmosphere and then the actual scene relating to the story. Look at the scene where Sreeja’s chain is swallowed by Prasad (played by Fahadh Fazil) in a bus and the passengers decide to take him to police station. The next scene involves a person w...

Cast:         Thomas Mathew, Roshan Mathew, Annu Antony, Vishak Nair, Siddhi Music:       Sachin Warrier Direction: Ganesh raj The movie opens up with a narration introducing the characters. Akshay ( Thomas Mathew) a silent innocent one, Gautham ( Roshan Mathew) a rock star faking himself. Kuppi ( Vaishak) a carefree jovial one, Varun ( Arun Kurian) a disciplined one. It’s not only about four guys with different characterization but a perfect casting that one believes these actors’ real life character is same as the film’s. On the lines of female actors, Devika (Annu Antony) who madly in love with Gautham, Diya ( Siddhi) who is jovial and Darsana who is alone deeply into her drawing book. The film is not about serious romance or a social message of college life or even film with twists and turns. It’s a fun filled about the industrial visit that these college students go on. The scenes where they (the lead actors) are frustrated abo...

Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Angamaly dairies opens with a energetic song visualizing the foods of the city Angamaly, from raw meat to a full cooked meal, arousing hunger. It’s better you watch it with a popcorn or any eateries. Every scene food  finds its place in the screen making it a inevitable property in the film. Also, the story revolves around money minting pork business as  Angamaly pork is famous in the surrounding places. Vincent Pepe ( played by Antony Varghese) is a proud Angamalian who inspired by Babuji, a riotous person, wants to form a team like his. The team is formed, first fight is done and they start pork business. Ravi (Sarath Kumar) and Rajan (Tito Wilson) are rogues in Angamaly, whose arrogant performance brings shiver in you. The film has a lot of characters and the director stands out in characterizing them so as to make an impact. Even a person who comes for a few minutes makes an everlasting impact. The great characterization coupled with brill...