Marykkundoru Kunjaadu - smartly packaged comedy

Director: Shafi

Music: Berny Ignatius

Cast: Dileep, Biju Menon, Bhavana

Solomon (Dileep) is a lazy and timid young man, living in a sleepy village and his dream is to become a film director. He has been nicknamed 'Kunjaadu' (lamb) by the villagers and is in love with Mary (Bhavana), the daughter of a wealthy landlord named Ittyachan (Innocent).

It's a daily routine for Solomon to get beaten up by virtually everyone around, especially from his ladylove's brothers. But life takes a different turn for Solomon with the arrival of a well built stranger (Biju Menon), who is introduced to the villagers as his long lost elder brother. All these go hunky dory for a while but soon Solomon realizes that things are going out of his hand!

Bottom Line

===========

Marykkundoru Kunjaadu - smartly packaged comedy

Marykkundoru Kunjaadu is a smartly packaged comedy, which may not be great but is indeed enjoyable. It gives little time to think about the merits of the storyline or its flaws for that matter, which is perhaps a sensible way to make a film of this genre. And it could easily turn out to be the best bet that is available at the cinemas now. Go for this one!

Tournament - Too simple to be a taut thriller

Director:Lal

Music:Deepak Dev

Cast: Praveen, Fahadh, John, Manu, Roopa Manjari

Three youngsters are getting ready to go to Bangalore to participate in the selection trials for a cricket team, from Kochi. Two more have also been selected from the group and each of the teammates has plans to eliminate others so that their place is secure in the team. Several things happen one after the other, which includes a bike accident, cancellation of their flight and so on. Meanwhile, a pretty girl also becomes part of the journey.

Bottom Line

===========

Tournament - Too simple to be a taut thriller

Of course, Tournament has its moments and the ‘replay’ format gets the viewers involved in the storyline right from the beginning itself. But then, that turns out to be the problem with the film as well, as the plot seems to be too simple to become a taut thriller.

Kandahar - has some sincere and enduring moments

Cast: Mohanlal, Amitabh Bachchan, Ganesh Venkitaraman, Ragini Dwivedi, Anoop Chandran, N. L. Balakrishnan, Pradeep Chandran, Saaju Attingal, Kannan Pattambi, Major Kishore, Captain Anil, Haneef Kumaranellur, Jaffer Idukki

Producer: Sunil C. Nair & Mohanlal

Director: Major Ravi

Music Director: Shameer Tandon

The entire first half is about the build up to the hijack with an idealistic teacher named Lokanath Sharma (Amitabh Bachchan) supporting his son Soorya (Ganesh Venkitaraman), to become a brave Army commando. There is a parallel track happening where a Muslim woman (played by KPAC Lalitha) painfully realizes that her only son has fallen into the charm of some terrorist outfits.

Both the stories move on parallel lines as Soorya trains in the Indian Military Academy at Dehradoon, while the other guy gets trained to become a ‘Jihadi terrorist’ in Afghanistan!! The story takes some time before the hijack happens, almost all on a sudden. A few terrorists get into an Air India aircraft and forces the hapless pilots to fly the plane with full of passengers on board, to Kandahar in Afghanistan. They demand the release of three dreaded terrorists in order to free those in the plane. Major Mahadevan and his team are now designated to take on the terrorists.

Bottom Line

==========

Kandahar - has some sincere and enduring moments

A note of advice for all of you who haven't watched Kandahar, it is not a conventional action film. But the film has some sincere and enduring moments, which can shake you up in a positive way. Watch it for Mohanlal and Amitabh Bachchan, both of whom are known for their acting prowess and you won't be disappointed.

Best Actor - Martin Prakkat with a real good debut

Banner: Big Screen

Cast: Mammootty, Lal, Nedumudi Venu, Suraj Venjaramoodu, lim Kumar

Direction: Martin Prakkat

Production: Naushad

The movie has the megastar Mammootty as Mohan, a U P school teacher, whose ultimate dream is to get into films. His wife Savithry and their only son believes much in Mohan’s qualifications for making it big and don’t mind him spending much of his time meeting directors and pleading for roles.

Amidst his hardships, he faces a big humiliating experience in front of his whole village and is forced to go for some real life experience, by joining a goonda gang led by Lal. The movie goes on to tell how the aspiring actor and human in him clashes all through the events, that he faces to end up an inspiring morale.

Bottom Line

===========

Best Actor - Martin Prakkat with a real good debut

Fashion photographer turned film director Martin Prakkat is off to a very good start with the new flick ‘Best Actor’. An intimate realistic experience about an ordinary man who is ready to go to any extent to realize his dreams, the movie really scores well with its fluid narratives and balancing of emotions.

Sahasram - Scary thriller

Cast: Suresh Gopi, Sandhya, Madhu, Bala, Jagathy, Suresh Krishna, Risabava, Lakshmi Gopalaswami

Producer: Surendran Pillai

Director: Dr. Janardhanan

Music Director: M Jayachandran

Janardhanan's Sahasram has Bala playing Vaishakhan, an art director who loses his actress lover Yamuna (Sarayu) in a mishap. Recovering from the tragedy he takes up another assignment for the film Yakshiyambalam, and at the shooting set that is an old mana, starts seeing a beautiful ghost doing the rounds. When an actor gets murdered during the shoot, Sahasranamam IPS (Suresh Gopi) is brought in to probe into it. The prime suspects - Vaishakhan and budding actress Supriya (Sandhya) - plead innocence.

Bottom Line

===========

Sahasram - Scary thriller

Sahasram manages to give the feeling that things could have been better, if it was written in a more disciplined way. Perhaps that itself is some kind of an achievement, during these days when horrible films happen in Malayalam, one after the other.

Again Kasargod Kader Bhai - everything is missing

Cast: Innocent, Jagadish, Radha Varma, Ashokan, Salimkumar

Director: Thulasidas

The story is basically set in the same old fine arts school called Kaladarsana, where its head Fr. Francis Tharakkandam (Innocent) is still a strict disciplinarian. The members of the mimicry troupe decide to call some of the former artistes Unni (Jagadeesh), Jimmy (Asokan) and Manoj (Baiju), for the priest’s birthday celebrations. To cut things short, the incidents take a violent turn when the troupe members have to fight with Kasimbhai (Babu Antony), the son of the late don Kasargode Kadarbhai.

Bottom Line

===========

Again Kasargod Kader Bhai - everything is missing

Again Kasargod Kaderbhai is a real test on the nerves. Almost everything is missing in it - be it action, comedy or simple entertainment.

Swantham Bharya Zindabad - Not so revolutionary

Banner: Ifar International

Cast: Pakru, Mukesh, Sruthilakshmi, Suraj Venjarammood, Salim Kumar, Harisree Ashokan, Sreejith Ravi, Kochupreman.

Direction: Biju Vattappara

Vettoor Sivankutty (Guinness Pakru) is around 2 feet tall, but he is the all powerful local secretary of the left outfit, in a sleepy village. His brother-in-law Uthaman (Harisree Asokan) wears khadi and belongs to the rival party. Remember Sandesham? Well, the inspiration from the cult comedy is the reason why the initial sequences look okay.

In an effort of find a suitable female candidate for the elections, the party decides to get Sivankutty married to a beautiful girl, Meenakshi (Sruthilakshmi). Though she had claimed to be devoted to the left ideology, she started behaving strangely right from the day of the marriage. She was also a hardcore fan of actor Pavankumar (Mukesh), who comes for shooting at the village.

Bottom Line

===========

Swantham Bharya Zindabad - Not so revolutionary

‘Swantham Bharya Zindabad’ is a movie that fails due to the absence of a wise, consistent screenplay, though has a very interesting premise. After all, Interesting ideas don't necessarily translate into interesting films.

Oru Small Family - How pathetic a film can be!

Director:Rajasenan

Cast: Rajasenan, Kailash, Ananya

Viswanathan (Rajasenan) is an idealistic sub registrar, irked by the presence of a beverages outlet, right in front of his house. His daughter, Ammu (Ananya), falls in love with Kishore (Kailash). He belongs to a family who are into liquor trade and everyone, including Kishore and his mom, played by KPAC Lalitha are hardcore drunkards!

The romance which happens after some silly situations, the frustration of the dad who learns about Kishore’s drinking habits, the antics of the ‘liquor family’ and some drunkards who queue up before the beverages outlet are the highlights of this story.

Bottom Line

===========

Oru Small Family - How pathetic a film can be!

If you expect at least a decent entertainer from the director of such films as Melepparambil Aanveedu, Aadyathe Kanmani and Aniyan Bava Chettan Bava, just stay away from this nonsense. There may be good films and bad films, but this one simply makes a mockery out of the viewers’ intelligence.

Pathinonnil Vyazham - a bit outdated

Cast: Mukesh, Manya, C I Paul, Nedumudi Venu, Jagathy, Kalabhavan Mani, Sadiq, Shaju, Sreerekha

Producer: Pooram Films

Director: Suresh Krishna

Music Director: Jayan Pisharody

Appukkuttan (Mukesh) has a secret to tell about Chandran Pillai (C I Paul), a millionaire based in Ooty. He manages to persuade Pillai to offer him the job of his driver, while Pillai's daughter Meenakshi (Manya) is bewildered at the developments. Meenakshi waits for an opportunity to dismiss Appikkuttan from his job, but her horoscope would hear nothing of it.

The horoscope as the title itself suggests is the focal point in the film, and it is what rewrites the story along with, hold your breath, a goat. Well, Nakulan (Jagathy) the caretaker who is entrusted the job of entrusting Meenakshi's horoscope with renowned astrologer Kizhakkedam (Nedmudi) happens to stop at his lover's (Beena Antony) place midway. The horoscope left outside is eaten by a goat, and Nakulan's lady love, born on the same day as Meenakshi substitutes it with hers.

There are no mobile phones in the film, and the reasons are quite clear. Mobiles weren't that common when the film was being shot. And to make things worse, the secret that Appukkuttan threatens Pillai with takes the form of a giant VHS tape. It does seem a bit awkward then, when Appukkuutan tucks into his pullover and flashes the tape to make Pillai dance to his tunes.

Talking of tunes, Pillai has a domestic help (Sreerekha) at home who hails from Tamil Nadu. She is the kind who breaks into a voluptuous song at the middle of the night, and the driver and the gardener match steps with her on the middle of the lawn. She is mostly seen fawning over anything that smells male, and is very rarely seen in the kitchen.

Bottom Line

===========

Pathinonnil Vyazham - a bit outdated

At the moment, it doesn't look that good for 'Pathinonnil Vyazham'. The stars would have to do some real spot swapping for the film to have a dream run at the box office.

Kootukar - tragically dull

Cast: Vinu Mohan, Bhama, Shankar, Anirudh

Producer: Annamma Poulose

Director: Prasad Vaalacheril

Music Director: S P Venkatesh

In 'Kootukar', Unnikrishnan (Vinu Mohan) is just out jail, having served a sentence of twelve years, and is looking for revenge. The men who had conspired to put him behind bars are still roaming free, and he starts knocking them off, one after the other.

Antony Alex IPS (Anirudh), the City Police Commissioner is terribly upset with what's happening around as well. He meets up with the local priest (Anoop Chandran) and discusses what Unni has been up to. In a flashback that goes a decade back, we get to know how the trio had been inseparable once.

So the story is all about friendship and how time takes its toll on it. Unni has seen better days as well, and had even thought of marrying and having a family of his own. Well, anybody would, with Aswathy (Bhama) wandering around the temple in eternal prayer, and attending Law College when she isn't. she has plans of becoming a lawyer, while Unni aspires to be an IPS officer.

Antony meanwhile gets appointed to the BSF and the Brother leaves on an evangelical mission across the world. Unni gets through the prelims, and his dad (Devan) who is a taxi driver breaks into a song along with his friends to celebrate it. The song over, he gets into a fight with the Commissioner's son that lands both him and Unni at the police station. Dad gets murdered and son goes to jail where he meets Mastan (Shankar).

Mastan, in case you are wondering, is an underworld don with a golden heart. Out in the big bad world, he helps Unni seek revenge. He is the kind of gangster who shakes a leg at wedding parties and sings a song or two. And when he promises you something, he even says 'Promise' and emphasizes it further by saying 'God Promise'!

Bottom Line

===========

Kootukar - tragically dull

Kootukar is tragically dull. It suffers from too many overblown elements that are poorly written and it very rarely hits its marks.

Kanyakumari Express - headed straight for disaster

Cast: Suresh Gopi, Innocent, Babu Antony and Jagathy Sreekumar

Director: T S Suresh Babu

Music Director: Sharath

Mohan Sankar Achary (Suresh Gopi) is a daredevil DIG of Police, who is brilliant and efficient, but dumb enough to go for a meeting with the Chief Minister wearing a ‘lungi’. He tries to nab the culprits behind the kidnap of Hema (Sarayu), the daughter of a rich diamond dealer.

Bottom Line

==========

Kanyakumari Express - headed straight for disaster

This is an express bus that doesn't really have a driver on it and that is headed straight for disaster.

Best Of Luck - Needs some more luck

Banner: A & M Productions

Cast: Prabhu, Urvasi, Kailsah, Asif Ali, Archana Kavi, Rima Kallingal, Aneesh, Sruthi Menon, Jagathy Sreemkumar, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Saleem Kumar, Bijukkuttan

Direction: M A Nishad

The movie tells the story of four youngsters, Surya (Kailash), Manu (Asif Ali), Neethu (Archana Kavi) and Dia (Rima Kallingal), who are bosom friends. Neethu is Surya’s girlfriend and Diya is in love with Manu. The turn in their life arrives as a rich Naykkar from some village in Tamil Nadu, reveals in his deathbed, to his son Vinayaka Naykkar (Prabhu) that he is having another son named Suya in Kerala and that the later must take care of him. Vinayaka Naykkar plays to his father’s interest and turn a protector to Surya who is now sheltered in a big house with servants and allowed 3000 rupees for monthly expenses.

Surya who is also a musician likes to start a troupe. Manu who also gets lodged with Surya on his big house is an aspiring filmmaker and a big fan of Megastar Mammootty. One day they happened to be on a set of Mammootty film, where they meet him and gets an approval that the superstar will give them a date if Manu comes up with a suitable story. Manu now persuades Surya to lift some money for his project by pledging Naykkar’s big mansion on which they are on. As they go on with their filmi dreams landing in financial mess, Junior Nayikkar drops in for a visit. The young guys are forced to go for a multitudes of drama of mistaken identities including switching of pairs and evading the financier. Into this turmoil arrives other problems like the new domestic servant Thamara (Urvashy) who literally starts to rule the inmates of the house.

Bottom Line

===========

Best Of Luck - Needs some more luck

‘Best of luck’’ is a movie that is a poor show all the way. It don’t have much chances to turn lucky at the Box Office.

College Days - Is suspenseful

Banner: Pavithram creations

Cast: Indrajith, Sandhya, Biju Menon, Jagathy, Saikumar, Siddique, Suraj, Geetha Vijayan, P Sreekumar, Kochupreman

Direction: B N Krishnakumar

The movie opens with the sequences of first year medico Athira (Bhama) pushed to death by a notorious gang of five, lead by the son of State minister. But with the influential system and wrong testification of the college principal played by Jagathy, the wicked gang (consisting of Sandhya, Sajith Kumar, Dhanya Mary, Rain and Govind Padmasuriya) is let free and is allowed to continue with their studies.

After the titles, the movie moves on to another fresher year with the same gang continuing with their menacing activities. In arrives Rohit Menon (indrajith) from Banglore, to do house surgeoncy in the same college, who enters into tussle with the group from the day one. The baddies now plots many plans to corner him and get him evacuated from the college but each of them misfires and now they are into one big plot that is sure to kick him out. But this time, something goes haywire and Rohit is killed. The gang somehow buries him in the hostel premises, but the Commissioner Sudeep Hariharan (Biju Menon) who is after the case is more than intimidating for them to handle.

Bottom Line

===========

College Days - Is suspenseful

Debutante director G N Krishnakumar’s ‘College Days’ is a movie that impresses you with a fresh recipe of presentations. An investigative thriller in its real sense, the makers had succeeded in maintaining the suspense element, all through without letting it go of even for a moment.

The Thriller - meant for the fans of Prithviraj

Cast: Prithviraj, Siddique, Lalu Alex, Viajyaraghavan, Riyaz Khan, Sambath, P. Sreekumar, Kollam Thulasi, Biju Pappan, Subair, Vincent, Asok, Anand, Katherine, Mallika Kapoor, Uma Padmanabhan

Producer: Sabu K Cherian

Director: B Unnikrishnan

Music Director: Dharan

Prithviraj plays DCP Niranjan in B Unnikrishnan's 'The Thriller' that tells the story of a murder investigation.

Simon is the son of Joseph Palathinkal, a business magnet who is a multi millionaire. One night during the night patrol, Niranjan finds Simon Palathinkal stabbed and murdered on a highway.

Since Niranjan is the prime witness in the case, I G Thomas George assigns the DCP with the investigation charge.

B Unnikrishnan says that apart from being based on a roadside murder, there is no other connection between his film and the much discussed Muthoot Paul murder case.

The film deals with several other issues. The major theme is the clash between Niranjan and Sambath, an underworld don based in Dubai.

Bottom Line

===========

The Thriller - meant for the fans of Prithviraj

The Thriller is meant for the hardcore fans of Prithviraj. For the rest of the world, the film may be interesting in parts, at best.

Holidays - an amateurish attempt

Cast: Vinu Mohan, Ranjith Menon, Sudheesh, Muktha, Priyalal, Roopasree Asokan, Anil Murali, Karatte Raja, Nimisha, Urmila Unni, Ambika Mohan, Mini Arun, Jolly

Producer: T. Satheesh Babu

Director: Atlas Ramachandran

Music Director: Alex Paul

A group of youngsters are on a journey from Bangalore, when some unexpected things happen that change their lives forever. Alby (Vinu Mohan) is the leader of the gang and is in love with Janet (Muktha). The others in the group are Soumithran (Rajith Menon), Syam (Beyon), Sudhi (Sudheesh), Veeramani (Anoop Chandran) and Riya (Priya Lal).

They get into a scuffle with some goons who attack a fellow passenger Lekha Paul (Sruthi Lakshmi) and the baddies follow them from then on. Kalabhavan Mani plays the Police Commissioner, who is all set to marry Sudhi’s girl friend, played by Roopasri.

Bottom Line

===========

Holidays - an amateurish attempt

Holidays is a film that seriously lacks a few things, the most prominent among which would be a script that is worthy of being made into a film and more importantly some sensible direction.

Chitrakuzhal - Children's film deserves a mention

Cast: Amal Ashok, Siddharth, Meera Nair, Monu, Madhu, Vijayarashavan, Indrans, Geetha Vijayan, Vijayakumari

Producer: Dhirubhai Chauhan

Director: Majeed Gulistan

Music Director: Ashwin Johnson

Chitra Kuzhal directed by Majeed Gulistan tells the story of Virundhan, a tribal boy who is known by the name 'The Bird Catcher'.

People believe that the boy catches the birds and takes them away to cook and eat them.

Virundhan happens to chance upon the Forest Officer's son Charu who has been kidnapped by poachers. Virundhan comes to the boy's rescue and Charu's voyage with the tribal boy turns out to be a life changing experience for him.

The boys come across Amina, one of their school mates who is also on a fleeing spree since she fears the cops are coming after her.

Together the trio make a journey into the forest and on their way learn more and more about the environment and the dangers and threats that lie buried all around.

Bottom Line

===========

Chitrakuzhal - Children's film deserves a mention

Gulistan's film offers a binocular view of the world that is being ruined by man beyond repair. All its deficits not withstanding, as a children's film that comes up with a very pertinent social message, Chithrakuzhal deserves a mention.

Kariyasthan- A masala entertainer

Director:Thomson

Music:Berny-Ignatius

Cast: Dileep, Akhila, Madhu, GK Pillai

The story begins a few years back when two wealthy families - Kizhakkedathu and Puthezhathu- were living in great unity in a sleepy village called Krishnapuram. Certain issues that happened during the marriage of Rajan (Siddique) create a rift between the families and he has to flee from the place to a village in Tamil Nadu, with his wife.

After several years, Rajan’s son Krishnanunni (Dileep) comes back to Krishnapuram as a Kariyasthan, to bring the two families together once again. But he soon learns that it was never going to be an easy task. During his stay there, Krishnanunni falls in love with Sreebala (Akhila), who belongs to the Puthezhathu tharavadu where he is employed. Some confusions, comedy, fights and song n dance routines later, things come to a happy end.

Bottom Line

===========

Kariyasthan- A masala entertainer

Kariyasthan certainly follows the same old formula, but even then it is a fairly enjoyable ride. It could have been more attractive, if it was at least thirty minutes less in its length. If you don’t think too much and just want to have some funny time at the theatres, this one could be a possible option.

Four Friends - a real disappointment

Cast: Jayaram, Jayasurya, Kunchacko Boban, Meera Jasmine

Producer: Tomichan Mulakupadam

Director: Saji Surendran

Music Director: M Jayachandran

Saji Surendran's Four Friends has been clearly inspired by the emotional Hollywood tearjerker The Bucket List, and instead of two friends in the original talks of four friends who go on a final journey before they kick the bucket.

Jayaram gets to play Roy, the desi version of Jack Nicholson's Edward Cole, a multimillionaire who takes a man (Morgan Freeman) whom he befriended at a cancer care center on a world trip. Krishna Poojappura has substituted Morgan with three characters, Soorya (Kunchacko Boban), Amir (Jayasurya) and Gouri (Meera Jasmine).

The four friends plan a trip to Malaysia in Saji Surendran's film, since the Hollywood film journey that takes the pair along different countries like France, Egypt and finally India must have sounded slightly unrealistic, budget wise. What follows though, is pretty much the same and they age a battle emotions and family ties along with the much dreaded illness.

Bottom Line

===========

Four Friends - a real disappointment

Four Friends might be a real disappointment. The best thing to do would be to head to the local video store, get a DVD of The Bucket List, and watch the infinitely better done version in the quite confines of your living room.

Sadgamaya - makes no impact

Cast: Sureshgopi, Navya Nair, Jagathy, Ambika, Thilakan, P.Sree Kuamr, Balachandran Chullikaad, Sivaji Guruvayoor and Lakshmipriya

Producer: M Nandhakumar

Director: Harikumar

Music Director: M Jayachandran

Dr. Ravi Varman (Suresh Gopi) is known in his professional circles to be a wizard in what he does. The psychiatrist has a peculiar work schedule in that he takes care of a single patient at a time.

He also insists that the relationship between the doctor and the patient should end where the treatment ends. So he sees to it that his patients communicate with him only through letters after they leave his clinic.

Yamuna (Navya Nair) who has been admitted to the doctor's clinic soon leaves the hospital after the doctor confirms that she is much better. A few months later, she decides to get married and sends the doctor a wedding invitation. What she receives back is a letter from the doctor asking her to meet him urgently.

Bottom Line

===========

Sadgamaya - makes no impact

Sadgamaya might very well be an earnest attempt to make a solemn film. But the end product is cloudy, and all the angst associated with mental derangement that it hopes to take on is never eventually tackled.

Cocktail - looks pretty fine but lacks originality

Director: Arun Kumar

Producer: Milan Jaleel

Music:Alphonse

Cast: Jayasurya, Anoop, Samvrutha, Innocent

Ravi Abraham (Anoop Menon) is one of the key brains behind the success of a construction firm. He has rivals within the office and outside, jealous of his success. On the personal front, he is having a happy married life with his wife Parvathy (Samvrutha Sunil) and daughter Ammu.

But things go terribly wrong for Ravi one fine morning, with a total stranger named Venky (Jayasurya), getting into his swanky SUV. Venky started things in a mild way but his tone changes soon and he begin to blackmail Ravi and even Parvathy, who was also there in the vehicle.

The couple withdraws money from a bank and gives it to Venky as per his instructions, which he burns and throws outside. They are made to obey several things one after the other and hours later, Ravi realizes some strange truths about life.

Bottom Line

===========

Cocktail - looks pretty fine but lacks originality

If you don’t insist on originality in a film, well, Cocktail looks pretty fine. The film has its moments and can keep you mostly engaged. Now the choice is yours.

Anwar - remarkable style and technique

Cast: Prithviraj, Mamta Mohandas, Prakash Raj, Lal, Salim Kumar

Producer: Rajesh Zacharia

Director: Amal Neerad

Music Director: Gopi Sundar

The movie presents an interesting debate before us as to what is right and what is wrong, and whether one man's right could be another man's wrong.

Prithviraj plays the lead role in the film, that of a Muslim youngster who is lured by the ideas of radicalism. Mamta Mohandas plays his female lead. Prakash Raj and Lal also do key roles.

Anwar (Prithviraj) is a hot blooded youth who falls pretty easily into the charming theories of Babu Sait (Lal), a rich man who finds it quite normal to help the terrorists, in the name of religion.

The two meet in jail and soon Anwar becomes his trusted henchman, as Babu Sait plans to conduct several terrorist attacks and bomb blasts. All along, the brilliant anti-terrorist cop Stalin Manimaran (Prakash Raj) is in pursuit of the criminals. Mamta Mohandas plays Ayesha, who is nabbed the police, after they find certain aspects that links her to a bomb blast.

Bottom Line

===========

Anwar - remarkable style and technique

Anwar has all that Amal Neerad's previous films had - remarkable style, incredible technique and an unparalleled panache in delivery. But unfortunately it also lacks what Amal's previous films did. With Anwar, the script fails Amal consecutively for the third time.

Chekavar - brainless masala-mix

Director: Sajeevan

Music: Rahul Raj

Cast: Indrajith, Kalabhavan Mani, Samvritha Sunil, Sarayu

Kasinathan (Indrajith) is a soft-spoken sub-inspector who is quite a family man. He is particularly close to his sister Gowri (Sarayu), who is studying for medicine and he is in love with his murappennu, Jyothi (Samvritha Sunil).

After certain unprecedented happenings, Kasinathan gets transferred to Kochi and comes face-to-face with a reformed don Garudan Raghavan (Kalabhavan Mani) and his brother Udumbu Rocky (Sreejith Ravi), a wretched criminal.

Rocky wants to marry Gowri and promises Raghavan that he would mend his erratic ways, if that happens. Obviously, Kasinathan is not ready for the alliance and more violence ensues from then on.

Bottom Line

===========

Chekavar - brainless masala-mix

If you are only looking forward to some brainless masala-mix at the theatres, Chekavar could be pretty okay, especially since the length of the film is only about 100 minutes. The rest of the world would lose nothing if you skip this one. The choice is all yours!

Oridathoru Postman - could have done better

Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Innocent, Sarathkumar,Meera Nandan, Archana Kavi, Kalabhavan Mani, Bijukuttan, Jaffer Idukki, Suraj Venjarammoodu, Salim Kumar.

Producer: Basheer Silsila , Shaji

Director: Shaji Aziz

Music Director: Mohan Sithara

Oridathoru Postman tells the story of Raghunandan (Kunchacko Boban). Raghu, who is a native of Chenankuzhi village is the son of Gangadharan (Innocent), the village postman. Gangadharan is a lazy man who is notorious for making serious lapses in his duty.

He is even known to have handed over money orders to people whom he likes. The problem is that it is Raghu who often bears the brunt of his father's actions.

Raghu on the other hand is a far cry from his father. He is quite hard working and does any job that comes his way. He works as a Postman at times, canvasses for mutual funds and even teaches at a PSC exam coaching class. And he is also in love with Usha (Meera Nandan), his student.

Raghu is adored by the villagers, and he plays the mediator in most of the village's major issues. In one such attempt to bring peace, he meets Yasin Mubarak (Sarath Kumar) and this meeting changes his life forever.

Bottom Line

===========

Oridathoru Postman - could have done better

Oridathoru Postman could have done infinitely better with a bit more coherence. As such, it looks confused, and keeps its fingers dipped in too many broths at once, and ultimately isn't able to savor the flavor of not even one entirely.

3 Char Sau Bees - an insult to the viewer, nothing less

Director: Govindankutty Adoor

Music: Jassie Gift

Cast: Govindankutty, Kalabhavan Mani, Dhanya Mary

Selvan (Govindankutty), Rahul (Rahul) and Zulfi (Anu) are pals living in a huge house and sleeping in the same bed. The three are classmates in an engineering college and to live in style, they become thieves! From fooling hapless strangers at the ATMs to robbing the safe from the cabin of the college-owner, they start making a fortune quite soon.

Their classmate Indu (Dhanya Mary) has some clues about the antics of the gang. But all that doesn't deter the three from vying for more. But as you would have expected by now, they soon become part of a muddle.

Bottom Line

===========

3 Char Sau Bees - an insult to the viewer, nothing less

Call it the height of impudence. TV anchor turned actor, scenarist and director Govindankutty Adoor's 3 Char Sau Bees is in simple words, an insult to the viewer, nothing less.

Penn Pattanam - worth watching

Cast: Revathi, Swetha Menon, KPAC LaLitha, Vishnupriya, Lal

Director: VM Vinu

Music: MG Sreekumar

The story revolves around four women Girija (Revath), Suhara (Shwetha Menon), Raji (Vishnupriya) and Santha (KPAC Lalitha), working for a city corporation as waste collectors. They toil day and night to make both their ends meet. Each woman has a sob story to tell. Girija has been left alone after he husband's death and has two school going girls to look after. Suhara's husband Chandran is bedridden and is bravest among the four as hers is an inter-religious marriage. Shantha's son is an alcoholic and irresponsible, so she has to look after his wife and kids. Raji, who is the youngest, is in love with a youngster with a dubious past and her affair is opposed by her police constable brother-in-law.

Things start looking up when they accidentally come across a bag stuffed with money in one of the garbage cans. Along with the money comes a torrent of troubles. The film narrates how the four women battle several odds, including their own feelings of greed, to attain happiness and peace of mind.

Nedumudi Venu as the Blade Financier fills the space of a funny villain with a stammer and the absence of a typical male lead is filled by Lal as an honest police officer taking on the local MLA and Home Minister. Kailash plays the romantic interest of Raji.

Bottom Line

===========

Penn Pattanam - worth watching

All the actors, led by the fabulous four, have come up with decent performances. However, the screenplay by veteran TA Razak could have been a little crisper especially in the second half as it feels like a never ending mega serial. Vinu deserves appreciation for his bold attempt to make film without any of the so called saleable stars in Mollywood and also for taking up a non-conventional theme. All in all, Penn Pattanam is worth watching.

Click here to watch the full movie

K K Road - Struggles real hard

Cast: Babu Antony, Karthika, Saikumar, Jagathy, Vijayakumar

Director: Simon KK

Music Director: Venkatesh SP

The IPS officer has a nickname called Adiyodadi that he has earned from being a no-nonsense cop who would stop at nothing till he sees justice is meted out to the deprived. It remains more of a meager imitation of several other police roles that have been etched in our minds, and very rarely rises above the ordinary.

The police aide in this case (Mala Aravindan) cites practical reasons before he excuses himself from the case. Along comes a substitute Noushad (Shammi Thilakan) who looks more of an ally to Devdas, and together they start cracking the whip.

Bottom Line

===========

K K Road - Struggles real hard

With the very mediocre script that it has at its disposal its struggles real hard to be an arresting murder mystery, KK Road is never able to reach anywhere near its aspirations.

Vande Matharam - no fresh makeover in the film

Cast: Mammotty,Sneha, Arjun, Kalabhavan, VMC Haneefa, Sumitra, Riaz Khan

Producer: Henry

Director: T. Aravind

Music Director: Vidyasagar

Gopi Krishnan played by Mammootty, Southern zone command director of the Intelligence bureau, is assigned the task of tracing the plans of a terrorist group led by Malik who has already found his way into the country. Anwar Hussain played by Arjun, who joins Gopi on deputation from the State police. Together, they launch Operation Malik to track down the deadly terrorists and thereby save their motherland.

Sneha plays the female lead as a pilot and wife of Gopi Krishnan and there is also Sharadha Arya who plays an ornithologist who falls in love with Arjun. The film introduces a new villain - Deepak J.D. Jagadish, Jai Akash, Riyaz Khan, Vijay Kumar, Rajan P. Dev, Raj Kapoor and Mumtaj would be seen i supporting roles.

Bottom Line

===========

Vande Matharam - no fresh makeover in the film

The done to death patriotic theme receives no fresh makeover in the film. If only it had paid more attention to that feeble script instead of raking up all that clatter and clamor on screen, would it have made more sense.

Kutty Shrank - The real best gets the best

Banner: Reliance Entertainment In Malayalam

Cast: Mammootty, Padmapriya

Direction: Shaji N Karun

Music: Isaac Thomas Kottukapally

The story of ‘Kutty Shrank’ starts off with an end, with the real end of the title character; as the finding of an unidentified body of a middle aged man washed ashore. As the police keep the body in a temporary building for identification, three women who claim to have been associated with the man at some point, comes up to answer the questions of the inspectors about the deceased. Interestingly ‘Kutty Shrank’ (Mammootty), as the sailor is called by everyone, appears as one man who behaves in a strikingly different manner in each of the cases.

Revamma (Padmapriya), a sanyasi is the first lady who identify Kutty Shrank. The Shrank was the closest aid of her father, the most powerful and cruel ruler of her region, who had even killed her mother. When Revamma went to Sri Lanka to study medicine, she was lead into Buddhist faith by a sanyasi named Prasanna and Revamma is now back to her homeland after 16 years with him, and is all set to join Buddhism. But the Moopan couldn't adjust to the developments in her only daughter and orders his accomplice Shrank to chop him into pieces and throw him into the sea.

In the second episode Penmena (Kamalini Mukherjee) arrives at the police station to identify Shrank’s body kept there. Penmena was earlier attracted to Shrank when he was actively involved with a Chavittunatakam troupe, led by Loniasan (Suresh Krishna), her brother. Later when she was selected to play the female lead in the dance drama, Shrank as the lead actor of the drama ignored her romantic advances, most of the times.

In the final episode is Kali (Meena Kumari), a mute woman, who actually steals Shrank’s heart with her selfless love and dedication. Once when Shrank was bitten by a snake, it was Kali (who was regarded with contempt and feared by all as an ill Omen), who sat by his side with her magic medicines bringing him back to life. Kali was pregnant with Shrank’s child by the time when she came to identify him. It is Nalini (Wahida), the heir of the nearby landlord who sketches the thinking of this voiceless soul.

Bottom Line

===========

Kutty Shrank - The real best gets the best

A multi layered, complex film in all counts, the movie just over two hours and fifteen minutes has plenty of genuine moments. The three stories are linked pretty well without any pretentious techniques, but with an authentic feel all over. The director is under control most of the times, with the mystery that pervading the life of Kutty Shrank as he moves on with his quest for truth and identity.

Click here to Watch the full movie

or Watch Trailer

Inganeyum Oral - a predictable tear-show

Cast: Saikumar, Praveena, Vinu Mohan, Sarayu, KPAC Lalitha, Maukoya, Indrans, Sreekumar, Raghavan, Kulappulli Leela

Producer: Sainudeen

Director: Kabeer Raothar

Music Director: Mohan Sitara

In 'Inganeyum Oral', Saikumar plays Balachandra Menon, a professor who has remained a chronic bachelor out of choice. He has painted the picture of the bride in his dream and religiously worships her.

He has nothing against women though, and nurtures the picture of an ideal partner in his mind. But always averse to the idea of getting married, his friends and well wishers want him to settle down before his retirement in the near future. His buddy Appu Pillai wants to see him settled before his retirement from the college and tries all possible tricks to convince the professor. In search of his dream girl, the professor gets disappointed and accepts his fate of solitude. Menon is about to get retired, and has almost resigned himself to his lonely life when life changes all on a sudden.

Along comes Priyamvada (Praveena) and he gets married to her. Fate unfortunately has other plans for him. Rahul (Vinu Mohan) who is Menon's nephew, stays with him and the wonderful relationship that develops between him and Priyamvada makes Menon suspicious.

Strain in family relations develop among the couple as they undergo traumatic experiences. Menon throws his wife out of his life.... A series of interesting twists and turns in the life of stubborn Menon make the movie an interesting family entertainer.

Bottom Line

===========

Inganeyum Oral - a predictable tear-show

'Inganeyum Oral' further emphasizes the lack of fresh and solid story ideas in Malayalam cinema. All it can do is to deliver in the limited way that its plot allows it to, and ultimately end up being a predictable tear-show.

24 Hours - Gripping

Banner: Aqua Movies

Cast: Kuldeep, Komal, Manoj K Jayan, Shammi Thilakan, Anil, Devan, Vinaya Prasad, Jameel Khan

Direction: Aditya Sam Abraham

Music: Rahul Raj

The story is basically that of a spoilt youngster named Jagannath Varma (Kuldeep) who engages in street racing. His family consists of elder brother Vikramaditya Varma played by Devan and a doting sister-in-law played by Vinaya Prasad. Jagan gets involved in a major racing crash on the streets of Kochi in the early minutes of the movie.

The aftermath makes headline news causing major embarrassment to his elder brother who’s a reputed industrialist. Fed up with Jagan’s spoilt ways Vikramaditya Varma disinherits Jagan from the family and throws him out of the house much against Vinaya Prasad’s protests. Down and out of his luck, Jagan takes refuge in a seedy bar. There, in a thrilling twist, and in a very interesting turn of events, Jagan gets mistakenly have murdered the brother of a mafia don played Manoj K. Jayan. And so begins a chain of events where Jagan constantly has to get out of one tight spot after another.

Bottom Line

===========

24 Hours - Gripping

While the story that 24 Hours tells is nothing new the way the film unfolds on screen is a pleasant surprise to watch. This definitely is a very different movie for the Malayalam audience.