Shankaranum Mohanum - This is not for everyone

Cast: Jayasuriya, Reema Kallingal, Meera Nandan, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sudheesh, Indrans, Lalu Alex, Bijukuttan, Shivaji Guruvayoor, Kochu Preman, Ambika, Roslin, Nandhu

Direction: T V Chandran


'Sankaranum Mohananum' has a very interesting premise about the undying love of a 'dead' soul towards his wife.  Jayasuriya is cast in a double role as brothers, Sankaran and Mohanakrishnan,who has more than  a ten years difference in age. Mohanakrishnan is  a fashion photographer currently living in Kochi. Though immensely successful in his profession, he had just relocated from Mumbai following his separation from his wife , Jyotsna Mathew (played by Rima Kallingal) and his only child, Ammu.

Sankaran, Mohanakrishnan's elder brother, a school teacher in Malabar in his 50's, suddenly decides to marry his colleague's young daughter Rajalekshmy , in order to help his colleague  who is hit by a stroke and is bedridden. As he sees Rajalakshmi, he immediately falls in love with her. But fate has its say as he is bitten by a snake on the very first day after his wedding. Though Sankaran dies, he  refuses to leave the world and appears before Mohanakrishnan in various pretences, pleading with him to talk to his wife and inform her that he is still around.

Mohanakrishnan is scared at first but slowly reallies the situation and tries to do all as per his brother's wishes.But as another person Sahadevan(Sudheesh) has now come up to marry the widowed Rajalekshmy, Sankaran's soul is asking Mohanankrishnan to somehow evade the marriage. The movie goes on to tell how  the 'undead' brother changes the life of  Mohanakrishnan, who is left in the tussle between the demands of the living and the dead..

Bottom Line
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ഈ സിനിമ എല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും  ഉള്ളതല്ല.

'Sankaranum Mohananum' remains a movie for TV Chandran completits-people who like to watch everyone from the master director.In the BO, the movie is sure, not to hold on for more than two weeks.

The Train - This train is not on rails

Cast: Mammootty, Jayasurya, AR. Rahman

Music: Srinivas

Based on the infamous chain bomb blasts that shook Mumbai and its railway stations killing hundreds a few years ago, the movie tells the life of few Malayalees who had the ill-fate to be in the receiving end of all agonies. In the five main tracks, told  without much competency, we have Jayasuriya as karthick, an aspiring singer who dreams of lending his voice to a track set to music by AR Rehman. On the very day of the blasts he gets an offer to attend an audition for a Rehman song and embarks on a train to Chennai. And there is one girl who is diverted to life by a unintended call from Karthick, who later loves to meet him on the same day. One child locked in the safety of a big metro flat is on the attempt to somehow bring his grandfather, now staying in an old age home, to attend his birthday. In the third track is Suhana (Sabitha jayaraj) who is trying to get the pension money from the authorities, to pay for the tickets and to send her grandfather to Holly Hajj. In the same Mumbai metro are a group of eight, all set to create humgama by planting pressure cooker bombs in seven moving trains. And there is this shrewd, upright ATS officer Kedarnatah( Played by Mammootty), who is always after suspicious faces in his lookout for those who create troubles in the city. The train thus goes on a flashback through the lives of these few on the very day of the blast, from morning six to the evening six, till the actual blasts happen.

Bottom Line
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ഈ ട്രെയിന്‍ പാളത്തില്‍ അല്ല.

'The train' may fall off from its rails within a couple of weeks run. Considering the wide array of experience the director has in  directing every genres in Mollywood, 'The train' could have been much, much better if it were visualized with more interesting, well developed characters and sequences.

Raghuvinte Swantham Rasiya - This Reghu and Raziya are big bore

Cast: Thilakan, Meghana Raj, Charu Hassan, Sphadikam George

Direction: Vinayan

Music: Sajan Madhav


The movie has Megna raj as Rasiya,  a wealthy Muslim girl and grandchild of freedom fighter Bapu Musaliar (Chaaruhaasan)who has fallen for the boy next door named  Reghu,  the grandchild of their  family friend Kuttappan Bhaagavathar(Thilakan). Reghu who is a 90 percent mark holder in plus two couldn't continue his studies due to economic problems and is now doing everything to keep his family at ease. And in the intervals, he is ready to pay the phone bills of Raziya, and also to do her college assignments.

When Rasiya's dad Aboobaker(Sphadikam George) gets to know about her girls sentiments, he plots a plan and ask Reghu to secure a good job , prove himself and comeback for Raziya. And for that he even helps him by giving a recommendation  letter to one of his  friends Jamaal, who recruits youths to terrorist camps in Pakistan. Shortly after we see Reghu in a new avatar, as a hardcore terrorist, who is grabbed to the jail after a bomb explosion killing a fifty people. And the rest of the unthinkable leads may unleash before you on screen, if you really decide to succumb yourself to a crime to your body and soul.that is to be in theatres screening this movie.

Bottom Line
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ഈ സിനിമ വളരെ ബോറാണ്.

It does not connect with the viewer, hasn't mustered a good opening at most places. And with too many releases in the week, its survival prospects at the box-office seems weak.

Janapriyan - Janapriyan is a watchable flick

Banner: Spotlight Vision

Cast: Jayasuriya, Bhama, Manoj K Jayan, Jagathy, Salim Kumar, Suraj Venjaramoodu

Direction: Boban Samuel

Music: Gautham



 The movie has Jayasuriya as Priyadarshan, a guy from a small village who lands at Kochi to join the temporary job in the Taluk Office, in the place of Vyshakhan (Manoj K. Jayan), who is forced to go for a long leave. Vyshakhan is quite unruly and doesn't care about completing pending works in the office, as he believes that his future is as a successful filmmaker. A graduate from Pune Film Institute, Vysakhan is now after a producer (jagathy Sreekumar) for his debut film.
On the other hand, Priyan is a honest, hardworking young man who had to shoulder the responsibility of his family since an young age, following his father's suicide. Being idealistic, Priyan also loves to marry a girl from a poor family as he believes that only such a girl can manage with the little income that he earns.While on the terrace of the little lodge where he is staying in the city, he also finds one girl in the next household named Meera, whom he believes to be the maid of the palatial bungalow.He starts weaving plans of starting a life with the poor Meera, who matches his ideals.


  Things are pretty happy till a day when Vyshakhan decides to cut short his leave and rejoin work. Priyadarshan pleads with Vyshakhan to extend his leave, so that he can continue in the present job.After many discussions Vyshakhan   agrees, but for a seemingly impossible demand of finding him a producer.Priyan now starts on his journey to find one, though he doesn't even know what is the role of  a producer in a film.

Bottom Line
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Janapriyan - Janapriyan is a watchable flick

Janapriyan' is a simple small movie, with enjoyable moments, definitely worth for a onetime watch. Don't embark on theatres to see something extraordinary, but for another regular comedy flick that don't tax your brains too much.

Maharaja Talkeis - This talkies falters big time

Cast: Mukesh, Urvashi, Jagadheesh
Director:  Devidasan

The movie is all about the attempts of Vimala (played by Urvashy) to somehow run a dilapidated film theatre  which is passed over to her family by their mother as an ancestral property. Vimala had been a fatherly figure to her three sisters  Ganga, Yamuna and Unnimaya,since their father desolated them years ago, but she some how manages to run the theatres with the help of her sisters. The major obstacle to the theatre running comes from Moorkhanparambil Pappachan (Vijayraghavan), a rich local man who is all set to somehow close the running of the theatre. For that he employs every cheaper ways including hiring a cabaret dancer to the highhandedness of the local panchayath members. Pappachan, instead  has plans to go for a bigger well quipped theatre in the lone town. To fill in the screen time apart from the fights between Pappachan and vimala, there is the romance in the air for the fours sister where Mukesh to Ramesh Pisharday comes up as the suitors to the four.

Bottom Line

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Maharaja Talkeis - This talkies falters big time

The director Devidasan has a pale debut with 'Maharaja Talkies’ as nothing even in the technical side is worth mentioning. At the box-office, with the lack of promotion and a poor opening, coupled with a nondescript script, the fall of the movie is inevitable.

Seniors - Have a summer fest with this ‘Seniors’

Cast: Jayaram, Biju Menon, Manoj K Jayan, Kunchako Boban, Mamtha

Direction: Vysakh

Production: Vyshakha Rajan

The movie is all about four friends Pappu alias Padmanabhan, Idikkula, Rex and Munna (played by Jayaram,Biju menon,Kunchakko and Manoj k Jayan respectively) who decides to get back to their studies, after a gap of 12 years. The four had to discontinue their college life following a tragedy that happened amidst a college festival and Pappu was then sentenced to a jail term for twelve years.Now back from Jail,  Pappu wants to start everything from where they have missed it and the other three supports him but giving a break to their jobs and joining the college for M A philosophy.But little did they surmise that their new college life was an attempt to unravel something that laid mysteriously beneath, for long.

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Seniors - Have a summer fest with this ‘Seniors’

' Seniors ‘will definitely score big time for its skillful performances and the superb execution of the subject. This is an entertainer that has something for everyone. So be at the movies houses for a movie that has the potential to rock big time.

Manikya Kallu - uplifter film

Banner: Gowri Meenakshi Movies

Cast: Prithviraj, Innocent, Salim Kumar, Mukesh, Jagathy, Kottayam Nazeer, Jagadeesh, K P A C Lalitha

Direction: Anwar

Music: M Jayachandran

‘Manikyakallu’centres around Vannanmala Government H S,  a school with a lot of history where even the state educational minister studied for his matriculation. But the present state of the school is pathetic as it is almost dysfunctional with just 50 students on their rolls. The eight teachers of the school has plenty of side businesses to the extent that for last decade, no student from the school has ever passed the state wide tenth standard exam. Into this atmosphere comes in Vinayachandran( Prithviraj)  a newly appointed teacher who deliberately opts for the school due to some mysterious reasons. The young blood he is, Vinayachandran tries to change the scenario, inspiring the students to learn, but also his fellow teachers to teach. The reasons for Vinayan’s arrival offer the twist and drama to the story. Samvrutha is the heroine of the movie who comes in a Chandni, the Physical education teacher of the school.

Bottom Line
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Manikya Kallu -  uplifter film

'Manikyakallu' is an uplifter film, no doubt, and has its share of heartrending moments. But it breaks no fresh ground in the theme that it undertakes, and the middlebrow manner that it adopts halfway through makes it an uneven piece of work.

Bhaktha Janangalute Sradhaku - a deeply humane and compassionate film

Cast: Kavya Madhavan,Irshad, Jagathy, Suraj, Lal, Bijukuttan, Sreeraaman, Sadhique, Lalu Alex, Nishanath Sagar.

Director: Priyanandanan

Suma (Kavya Madhvan) lives her life in regret; at having chosen to elope with Vishwam (Irshad) against her family's words. Post marriage and two kids, Vishwam has metamorphosed into a brash drunkard, with a penchant for getting into petty squabbles and spending the evenings at the local police station. A brainwave makes Suma pretend one fine day, that she is the spokesperson of the local deity Kambakkattu Devi, and she finds her husband's alcohol addiction having disappeared. However, Vishwam and Suma herself can only gape open-mouthed, as she gets glorified in no time and rises to holy heights.

Bottom Line
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Bhaktha Janangalute Sradhaku - a deeply humane and compassionate film

'Bhakthajanangalude Sraddhakku' offers a word of caution against rash judgments, and is more concerned about individual perceptions than about faith itself, as an entity. For the most part, it's unassuming and honest, and even when it gives in to a few cinematic obligations, it remains a deeply humane and compassionate film.

Kalabhamazha - tells an obsolete tale

Cast: Thilakan, Krishna, Devika, Charutha

Producer: Suku Nair

Director: P Sukumenon

Music Director: Rajeev ONV

Malavika (Devika) is the eldest daughter of Madhava Menon, who has just retired from the All India Radio. She is betrothed to Unnikrishnan (Krishna). Malu, is more than a sister to her two younger siblings, since their mother had passed away when they were quite young. Menon, is regretful that he hasn't been able to save much money for his children, and the family finds it hard, to make both ends meet, as days pass by.

Bottom Line

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Kalabhamazha -  tells an obsolete tale

Technically, the film leaves a lot to be desired, and the song picturisations would vouchsafe this fact. To cut a along story short, Kalabhamazha tells an obsolete tale, in a manner that is as archaic. 

Melvilasam - 'Melvilasam' has an untold theme

Banner: banner of Mark Movies

Cast: Suresh Gopi, noop Menon, Ashokan, Thalaivasal Vijay, Parthuban, Nizhalgal Ravi

Production: Muhammed Salim

The movie set in the late seventies tells the events of a court martial of Sawar Ramachandran (Parthiban), who is alleged to have shot two of his officers, killing one and gravely injuring the other.Colonal Puri (,Nizhalgal ravi) is there as the government counsel while Captain Vikas Roy (SureshGopi) comes up as the defence counsel. Upright colonel Suraj Singh is the presiding judge before whom the accused , witnesses and others are brought up for questioning.Since Ramachandran has already acknowledged his attempt to kill the officers, Vikas Roy is now after throwing some light into the events that could have prompted Ramachandran to do the crime.

Bottom Line
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Melvilasam - 'Melvilasam' has an untold theme

Melvilasam' is indeed a movie for niche audiences and has something for the festival circuit. At the Box office, the prospects appear a little bleak for its heavy experimental nature.

Lucky Jokers - The jokers and the viewers are not so lucky

Banner: Oscar Films

Cast: Indrans, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Jagadeesh, Vadivelu

Production: Ravichandran

Music: M. Jayachandran



The movie set in the mammoth Vishnupuram palace, is all about a travel of a few after a previous diamond, that is owned by the Nepalese royal family and is send centuries ago to Vishnupuram to be kept in their interestingly built security locker, involving a lot of Vasthu concepts. The fist line of the film itself is about the centuries old relation between Nepalese and Kerala kings (?)

Few years ago, the present patriarch of the family (Madhu) was laid to coma after an attack by his nephew, whose family was scheming things to somehow get hold of this diamond which cost more than thousand crores. In fact one of the family members (Saikumar) is shown even planning another IPL team for Kerala, with the money that he may gather by selling this costly diamond.

Bottom Line
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Lucky Jokers - The jokers and the viewers are not so lucky

Lucky Jokers, can be your movie if you are the type who  throw your thinking caps out of the window  for managing a few laughs. In fact, those rib tickling wits are also few and far in between the narratives, though the makers seems to have  taken the movie, too lightly that it could be.

Mohabbath - ‘Mohabbath' is half baked and out- of-date

Banner: East Coast Communications

Cast: Nedumudi Venu, Jagathy, Devan, Meera Jasmine, Asokan, Suraj Venjramood, Suresh Krishna, Saari, Lakshmi Priya, Munna, Siman, Anand Michael

Direction: East Coast Vijayan

Production: Ease Coast Vijayan

Music: S. Balakrishnan

The movie follows the life and woes of of a Muslim girl, Sajna(Meera Jasmine) from an influential family named 'Chandhanathope'.She is the bold elder daughter of the eldest heir(Devan) of the big family and is betrothed to  Anwar(Anand Micheal), her cousin who is currently studying to become a doctor. Sajna now plans to complete her degree course in the meantime. And when in college she meets Amir(Munna), with whom she had a love -hate relationship. After the obligatory fights which is followed by intense friendship, Amir opens his heart out and tells Sajna that he is in deep love with her. But Sajna immediately ridicules him for his petty scheming and desire to marry a girl from a rich family. Within days everything goes upside down as Sajna's father dies in an accident and grand father (Nedumudi Venu) also follows due to the shock of his favourite son’s untimely demise. In comes the villain in the form of Nizar (Ashokan) who throws Sajna and her family out of the home. As Sajna’s family is left in dire streets, Amir who has already dropped his studies, effortlessly becomes a big player in real estate business. What follows is how Amir, Anwar and Sajna travails with their love for each other.

Bottom Line
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Mohabbath - ‘Mohabbath' is half baked and out- of-date

Mohabbath is an average show, all the way .Perhaps, this may have struck a chord a few years ago, but not certainly, today.

City Of God - This ‘City of God’ belongs to a different genre

Cast: Prithviraj, Indrajith, Rima Kallingal, Swetha Menon, Priyanka


Direction: Lijo Jose Pellissery


Production: Anil Mathew


Music: Prasanth Pillai



'City of God' is presented in a non-linear narrative style, telling different but interlinked  incidents in the lives of Tamil workers in the state and wars between real estate mafia and business groups, based at Kochy.  The movie opens with a crash scene where a speeding Sumo, which is followed by a mini bus of quotation gang, hits a couple travelling on a motorbike and then into an electric post .The movie then rewinds on to the incidents that led to the crash scene. And we are introduced to a small time Tamil labourer, Swarnavel(Indrajith), who is in love with Marathakam, a Tamil woman who flees her village to escape from her ever disturbing married life and husband.


A wily business man and builder in the city, Sony Vadayattil, had a love bitten heart where in the past he had to throw out a girl from his life, due to persuasion from his parents.Now that girl has grown up to become the famous filmstar,Sooryaprabha(Reema Kallingal). Sony, with the aid of his best friend Jyothilal (Prithviraj), is out there to get the lady back into his life though she had been married for four years. And amidst their nefarious activities to accumulate wealth, Jyothilal, who is more like a bodyguard to his friend Sony, kills Poonoose, a wealthy businessman, while operating in a land deal.This leaves his wife Viji Punnose(Shwetha Menon) who witnesses the murder of her husband, go to any extent to take revenge.


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City Of God - This ‘City of God’ belongs to a different genre


‘City of God’ is a movie with feelings and appeal for the proponents of differently made experimental cinema. Director Lijo, Anil Mathew and their crew needs to be applauded for the efforts in keeping away cliches and commercial thrusts on the narrative structure, though they may find it a little difficult to cruise in the box-office( which is already ruled by such ‘Christian brothers’ and ‘China towns’). May be, our viewers may take a little more time to befriend such varied attempts.

Doubles - A poor show in ‘Doubles'

Banner: Dreams on Wheels


Cast: Mammootty, Nadhia, Bhavana, Tapasee, Atul Kulkarni, Biju Menon, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Salim Kumar


Direction: Sohan Seenu Lal


Production: KK. Narayanadas


Music: James Vasanthan


The movie is all about twin siblings Giri (Mammootty) and Gouri (Nadiya Moithu), whose parents were killed in their childhood, in a road accident. They now runs an Accident Rescue Service at Pondicherry to make it sure that no one else dies on road due to lack of timely care and needed help.The siblings are told to be  absolutely inseparable, and  remains unmarried, though we don’t get the intensity of their relationship in any of the scenes portrayed on screen.Things takes a different path as a new girl, Saira bhanu rescued from an accident start to live in their house as she has got no where to go. Add to that is the subplot of Gouri’s liking for Michel(Suresh), their foster father Pieere’s son,  as well as Giri's rejection of such a relation due to reputation of  Michel as a spoiled brat.


Bottom Line
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Doubles - A poor show in ‘Doubles'


‘Doubles’ is a poor show all the way. The script and the direction disappoints to such a level that it may not even sound   a good looking  film for the hard core fans of the megastar.

China Town - 'Chinatown' is just for time pass

Banner: Aashirwad Films


Cast: Mohanlal, Jayaram, Dileep, Kavya Madhavan


Direction: Rafi and Mecartin


Production: Antony Perumbavoor


Music: Jassie Gift


The movie opens with a flashback of 1986, planted in Goa where four friends- Xavier, David, Jayakrishnan, Gomez and their family are leading a happy life, running a casino. But a drug dealer turned politician, Gowda plays foul and kills three of the friends while their children lead by Gomez somehow manages to escape from the land. Twenty five Years later, Gomez (Captain Raju) is now back to Goa to teach Gowda a lesson and to gift the children of his friends with the ownership a new casino. For that he manages to bring together Xavier's son Mathukutty,(Mohanlal) who is now  a known goonda at Idukki, and Jayakrishanan's son Binoy , a hyper romantic drunkard with David's son Zakharaia who is ready to do anything for money. More over, Gomez also secretly informs the police about the drugs stock in the casinos owned by Gowda, leading to continuous raids in later’s warehouses and loss of around hundred crores of stuff. The movie takes a different route as Gowda who is contesting the elections accidentally identities the three youngsters as his former enemy's sons.


Bottom Line
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China Town - 'Chinatown' is just for time pass


'Chinatown' has a thoroughly entertaining first hour, but the weak writing in its post-interval portions asking you to leave-your-brains-at-home prevents the movie from becoming an altogether  appreciable work.At the Box Office, the movie will have a very good first week,  but the subsequent weeks will need heavy promotions to sail through.  Anyhow, ‘China Town’ is prescribable for a one time watch, much to enjoy the comic timing of its lead cast.

Urumi - This ‘Urumi’ Is Beautiful, A Must See

Banner: August Cinema


Cast: Genelia D'Souza, Prithviraj, Tabu, Prabhu Deva, Arya, Nithya Menon, Vidya Balan


Direction: Santhosh Sivan


Production: Prithviraj, Santosh Sivan, Shaji Natesan.


Music: Deepak Dev


The movie opens in the present century where a carefree youth named Krishna Das gets an irresistible offer to sell his ancestor land. While he embarks to Kerala to sign the related records, he realizes the stories about his ancestors and about the fiery feats they had taken to keep their homeland free of invaders. And in the flashback we are introduced to the courageous fighter ( Arya) who is killed for his plans to eliminate the viceroy, Vasco Da Gama, of Portuguese empire. His son Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar now gets ready for revenge, making an 'Urumi' with the ornaments of innocents who was burnt alive when going to Mecca. The massacre was executed according to the order from Vasco da Gama. Kelu Naynar with his close Muslim friend from childhood Vavvali (Prabhu Deva) also get the support of princess Ayesha (Genelia) who is also plotting to fight the foreign invaders led by Vasco Da Gama. The film goes on to tell whether they succeed in their mission to eliminate the threat from Indian soil.


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Urumi - This ‘Urumi’ Is Beautiful, A Must See


’Urumi’ is a must watch for all those who love quality cinema. Redefining the traditional qualities of period dramas, ‘Urumi’ is sure to become a movie that will be  respected and adored by Mollywood for its creative panache, tremendous performances and great technical wizardry.

August 15 - 'August 15' is not up to mark

Cast: Mammootty, Meghna Naidu, Madhu


Direction: Shaji Kailas


Production: M Mani


The movie has Mammootty again in the role of Perumal, a senior officer with the Crime branch. He is now entrusted with the mission of finding the culprits behind the poisoning of the State Chief Minister Vasudevan,(Nedumudi Venu) who is now in a critical condition in hospital. The C M is in logger heads with the party secretary (Saikumar as a Pinarayi look alike) and also with the lottery and sand mafia. As with the original, there arrives the professional killer (this time, it is Siddhique) and the rest is predictable.


Bottom Line
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August 15 - 'August 15' is not up to mark


'August 15' may fare a little better than ' Drona 2010' but may not help Shaji Kailas or S N Swamy to bounce back with a hit.Prescribed only for the big fans of the megastar who still likes him walking handsome in slow motions and doing routine investigative stuffs.

Christian Brothers - Goes the 'Twenty:20' way

Cast: Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Dileep, Sarath Kumar, Lakshmi Rai, Kanika, Lakshmi Gopalswamy, Saikumar, Biju Menon, Vijayaraghavan, Suresh Krishna, Kunchan, Anand, Suraj Venjaramood, Shobha Mohan

Direction: Joshy

Production: A.V. Anoop, Maha Subair

Music: Deepak Dev

The movie as expected presents its four heroes in their stylish avatars, voicing punchlines and engaging in well choreographed action sequences.

'Christian Brothers' has superstar Mohanlal as Christie alias 'Sherson', the elder brother of Jojy (Dileep), Jessy (Lakshmi Gopalaswamy) and Stella (Kaniha) who belongs to the wealthy and eminent Palamattam Tharavadu. Christie and Jojy but failed to be in the mould and interests of their famous father Capt. Varghese Mappilai (Sai Kumar), the former turning into a police informer based in Mumbai, and the later opting out of priest hood after falling in love with Meenakshi (Kavya Madhavan), the daughter of State home minister.

The movie doesn't take time for a safe landing with issues addressed from the minute one, ranging from deals of land mafia, murder of upright village officer Kochuthoma (Jagathy Sreekumar), and the opponents led by Thampy (Vijayaraghavan) and his sons, including the I PS officer (Biju Menon), the kidnapping of Meenakshi and much more.

Bottom Line

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Christian Brothers - Goes the 'Twenty:20' way

'Christian Brothers' is a definite prescription for all lovers of heavy masala fares of Mollywood. At the box-office, 'Christian Brothers' will have a good opening and may end up as 'more than a safer hit' in days to come!

Puthumukhangal - flow down into oblivion

Cast: Suraj Venjaramood, Innocent, Salim Kumar

Producer: Salahudeen

Director: Don Alex, Biju, Majeed

Music Director: Shyam Dharman, Rajesh Krishna

The song and dance routine goes on without any sign of stopping whatsoever. The only difference perhaps is that the film has been set in an Agricultural College campus. There are no stream specific farming activities on display except for a scene where the elder students are asked to prepare for the field for the younger students.

Essentially there are two narratives in the film that progress parallel to each other. They coincide a bit later but the impact is ineffective. Even undiscriminating viewers would find something remotely interesting in all this muddle.

There is a villain who drops down from the middle of nowhere and who creates a ruckus for no purpose whatsoever. The reason why he is there, is because things have to turn from bad to worse at some point. He does manage to do the needful in bringing about this mishap. The girls in the film are there, since what fun could an all male film be?

Bottom Line

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Puthumukhangal - flow down into oblivion

This is the moment of experimentation in Malayalam cinema. The moment when promising ventures get lauded, and those unpromising get drowned in a flood down the drain. Sad then, that Puthumukhangal that wastes opportunity and talent would flow down into oblivion in no time.

Natakame Ulakam - Lacking sense

Cast: Mukesh, Vinu Mohan, Sarayu, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Jagathy Sreekumar

Direction: Viji Thampi

Music: Johnson

The movie has Mukesh as Omanakuttan, a sincere cooperative bank manager, living a happy life with his wife and only daughter. Though an ardent dramatist and theatrical activist he gets very less opportunity to show off his talents. And when ever he catches one, he will take over the show as the director, scripter and even the lead artist. He has only one dream-of being in at least one cinema at some point of his life. He faces tough rebukes from his father in law-'Labham Lambodharan Pillai' (Jagathy Sreekumar) for this care free attitude.

The arrival of Pavanan Parassala (Suraj Venjaramoodu), who presents himself as one of the assistants of Steven Spielberg ,presently planning to debut into Malayalam films becomes a turning point in the life of Omanakuttan. He is now selected as the hero, producer and scriptwriter of the movie. But within days he realises that Pavanan is a fraud incapable of shorting a single scene. Now Omanakuttan is faced with the task of somehow completing the movie that he has already started.

Into these chaos is the side track involving Murali (Vinoo Mohan), Omanakuttan's younger brother who is in love with Nandhana (Saranya) the girl from the same village, now selected as the heroine of the movie produced by Omanakuttan. Murali's attempts to somehow thwart the movie production, to bring back Nandhana to his life creates further problems to Omanakuttan who is already in great financial debt, following his fancies with film.

Bottom Line

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Natakame Ulakam - Lacking Sense

Viji Thampi, who had made at least a dozen of well created comedies will realize that comedy is quite a difficult emotion to create on celluloid, if it is backed by poor script lines. 'Natakame Ulakam' thus ends as a light entertainer with comedy attempts witnessed umpteen times in the past. At the box-office, lack of publicity and ordinary merits is sure to add to its woes.

Living Together - This is bad film making, Fazil

Banner: Pilakkandi Filims

Cast: Hemanth, Sreelekha, Anoop Menon

Direction: Fazil

Production: Mohammed Basheer

Music: M. Jayachandran

This highly forgettable film from the legendary director is narrated as being told by its protagonist Hemachandran (Hemanth Menon), who has just returned from Germany, to his kids (apparently too small to have found interest in hearing such a story).The flashback has him in his start of his adulthood, working as a mechanical engineer, musing in making interesting discoveries.He falls in love with the neighbourhood girl Shyama (Sree Rekha), who had always made it a hobby to make youngsters around to fall in love with her. And within days she will throw them out of her life to make their life dismal. Surprisingly these tactics are all with the support of her family members including her grandfather (Nedumudi Venu) and others played by Innocent, Bindu Panikkar, Anoop Chandran and Lakshmi Priya and also a host of children from her neighbourhood.

But this time with Hemachandran, the story is a bit different. Shyama also feels for him and his qualities and when Heman's mother (Menaka) approaches Shyama's family for a relationship, the big secrets about her astrological problems and mysteries of mind are unveiled. Adding to this is a drug addict and manic Sathyamoorthy who had taken a bail from Bangalore jail, with the intention to rape and kill Shyama, for she had made him suffer behind bars for another rape attempt of her friend. Adding to this is a horror story planted in a haunted house where a spirit is running loose to attain salvation.

Bottom Line

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Living Together - This is bad film making, Fazil

On the whole, 'Living Together' just don't have a thing, except good songs and graceful costumes, that may impress anyone.

Payyan - Good Storyline but in an old narrative style

Director: Leo Thaddeus

Music: Alphonse

Cast: Jayasurya, Anjali, Lal, Rohini

Josy (Jayasurya) lives in a huge bungalow, with his mother Padma (Rohini). He is yet to complete his engineering and likes to go around in style, doing nothing worthwhile. His mother tries to make him disciplined, but she loves him a bit too much to impose any rules to make him realize all that.

There are no real clues about his dad, John Varghese (Lal), a marine engineer who never returned home after a trip to Sri Lanka. Josy becomes a radio-jockey pretty easily and falls in love with Seema (Anjali), a sound engineer at the radio station. Things take some dramatic turns, after some time.

Bottom Line

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Payyan - Good Storyline but in an old narrative style

Payyans is all about the coming of age of a reckless youth. There is an inherent honesty about the storyline for sure, but even then it barely affects you with a shaky script and the narrative style is a tad too old. Now if you think all these fit your concept of entertainment, well, give this one a try.

Makeup Man - a story happening behind the camera

Director: Shafi

Music: Vidyasagar

Cast: Jayaram, Sheela,Suraj Venjarammoodu

Balu (Jayaram) is in dire straits after his event management company run into heavy losses. He has nowhere to go and just then Soorya (Sheela), who is madly in love with him, flees from home before her marriage. The lovebirds tie the knot with the help of a film production manager Kichu Manjaly (Suraj Venjarammoodu).

After some dramatic twists and turns, Soorya is chosen as the heroine in the film in which Kichu is working. The director changes her name to 'Anamika' and Balu remains with her, as her personal makeup man.

Bottom Line

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Makeup Man - a story happening behind the camera

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Makeup Man has nothing great to offer for the viewers. If your idea of entertainment is limited to those lines, well, it could turn out to be a watchable fare at best.

Race - tries to be a thriller

Cast: Kunjackko Boban, Mamta Mohandas, Indrajith, Gowri Munjal, Jagathi Sreekumar, Sreejith Ravi, Geetha Vijayan, Baby Ankitha

Producer: Jose K George, Shaji Mecheri

Director: Kukku Surendran

Music Director: Vishwajith

In 'Race', it's Dr. Eby John (Kunchacko Boban) who is caught in a race against time with his wife Niya (Mamta Mohandas), when their daughter is kidnapped by a stranger by the name of Niranjan (Indrajith) and his accomplice Shwetha (Gouri Munjal). The couple desperately tries to amass the ransom in 24 hours to save their kid, only to find that Niranjan has raised it by another crore.

Bottom Line

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Race - tries to be a thriller

'Race' is no 'Butterfly on the Wheel', and given its lame script, it cannot even aspire to be a 'Cocktail'. It's a wannabe cat and mouse thriller that tries to keep you on the edge of your seats. But with the thin thrills and clunky dialogues, that would indeed be a bit too much to expect from 'Race'.

Khaddama - old-fashioned pattern

Director: Kamal

Music: Bennet Veetraag

Cast: Kavya Madhavan, Sreenivasan, Biju Menon

Razak Kottekad (Sreenivasan), a social activist who finds more time for helping others than taking care of his own family, learns about a house-maid named Aswathy who is missing after robbing some jewelry from an Arab’s home. Razak’s investigation reveals some shocking truths about Aswathy’s sad plight in the Gulf.

In one of the early scenes in the film, as Aswathy (Kavya) waits for the sponsor at the airport, an old ‘Khaddama’ cautions her about the impending travails. Usman (Suraj Venjarammoodu), the Malayali driver at the Arab’s place and Fathima, an Indonesian girl who also works there makes her feel fine initially. But life soon becomes tough for Aswathy with the cruel treatment that she has to suffer from virtually everyone at the Arab’s home.

Bottom Line

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Khaddama - old-fashioned pattern

It is a sensitive story for sure, but things could have looked more appealing if the makers had added some style to the presentation instead of following an old-fashioned pattern. The focus often goes away from the real issues and the result is that the agony of the lady often gets less effective. The film looks a bit too melodramatic at times and some of the scenes, terribly clichéd

Ithu Nammude Katha - a genuine story of Tamil film Nadodikal

Director: Rajesh Kannankara

Music: Mohan Sithara

Cast: Asif Ali, Nishaan, Ananya

Vinod (Asif Ali), Santosh (Nishaan) and Kochumon (Abhishek) are close friends, living in a sleepy village, dreaming to make it big someday. Santosh is in love with Vinod’s sister, played by Nimisha. Meanwhile Vinod is in love with his bubbly murappennu (Ananya sleepwalking through the role which she did brilliantly in the Tamil version), but he has to fetch a government job before marrying her! Kochumon’s dad loves him but doesn’t have the courage to show it in front of his step-mother.

Sometime later, Vinod’s friend Mahesh (Vineetkumar) comes to see them. The friends decide to help him in getting married to his girlfriend (played by Amala Paul, who has become a sensation in Tamil after Mynaa), as both their families are at loggerheads. They succeeding in uniting the love birds but are brutally attacked in the process and their lives changes forever.

Bottom Line

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Ithu Nammude Katha - a genuine story of Tamil film Nadodikal

Ithu Nammude Katha tells how true friendships are important in our lives. There is a genuine story here that the viewer can relate to and the honesty of some young men shakes you up as well. But then, the question is, when the original is available why waste time on this ordinary looking copy?

Arjunan Saakshi - certainly in a different league

Director: Ranjith Sankar

Music: Biji Bal

Cast: Prithviraj, Ann Augustine

Roy Mathew (Prithviraj) is an architect, who has lived outside Kerala for most of his life, but has come back to his home-town to join a real estate firm. Meanwhile, a journalist Anjali Menon (Ann Augustine) gets into trouble when she publishes a letter from an unknown person called Arjunan, who has some crucial clues concerning the murder of the former district collector Firoze Mooppan (Mukesh). Soon after, Roy starts hogging the limelight as he is mistaken for ‘Arjunan’. The young man is totally shaken up by the sudden happenings as he has no real idea about the dramatic turnaround of events and he is soon targeted by some goons.

Bottom Line

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Arjunan Saakshi - certainly in a different league

No two ways about it, Arjunan Saakshi is certainly in a different league, when compared to the usual crop of films that we see in Malayalam nowadays. Still, one gets the feeling that the film is more inclined to the social issues which are being focused rather than on a gripping, cinematic experience. It makes you think about the state of affairs around you, which may be an achievement in itself.

Achan - a stagy feel

Cast: Thilakan

Producer: Louisiama

Director: Ali Akbar

Music Director: Aleena Akbar

The veteran actor plays a retired Major in the film who leads a solitary life in a flat, and for whom the only contact with the outer world is a male nurse Rahithan. His sons have migrated to countries far away, and the most they can do at the moment is to appear on pre-scheduled online chat sessions.

The 'Achan' in the film is old, frail and neglected. He moves about the walls of his apartment and along with Rahithan contemplates suicide. The latter talks about getting a better job elsewhere, but maintains that he wouldn't dream of leaving the old man alone in his misery. What juts out of place in a scenario as this is the talk about senior actors boogying with young girls.

Bottom Line

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Achan - a stagy feel

'Achan' tries hard to take a look at relationships that have turned corrosive in an ever changing world, but the airless and stagy feel that it carries through out doesn't let it leave a mark.

Kudumbasree Travels - Is a fun ride

Cast: Jayaram, Bhavana, Jagathy Sreekumar

Direction: Kiran

Music: Biji Bal

Kiran who is also is in charge of the script lines takes you to the village of chithirapuram with its share of assorted caricatured characters.The protagonist of the movie, Aravindan is a chakiyarkoothu artist hailing from a tharavadu of koothu artists. He is in the lookout for a girl to marry, but in one condition. She must be a Nangiarkoothu artist. After much search Aravindan finds one in Aswathy, a city girl hailing from Mullassery family and the marriage is fixed. Aravindan's uncle Chachu is prepared to go to any extent to get his daughter Vasumathy, married to Aravindan and makes plans to somehow make this a no deal. The marriage crew sets off for the function in a bus named 'Kudumbashree Travels', which thereafter is a prominent figure in the entire story.Adding more twists to the tale and travel is the entry of Hemalatha (Radhika) into the same bus with a bomb set in her suitcase. The rest of the movie mostly happens in the bus.

Kiran and Thomas Tthoppilkody have been able to interestingly weave a story around simple incidents which keeps your interest alive in most parts.They inject quality humour in every situation relying on humorous lines and one-liners and the dialogues are enjoyable at most times. Serious moments?. Don't look for it here. The highlight of the flick is that it's not heavy on your mind, even though there's ample drama happening every now and then. But everything is presented without going overboard.

Bottom Line

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Kudumbasree Travels - Is a fun ride

'Kudumbasree Travels' is a time-pass fare which offers an interesting watch. Expect no glitz-n-glam or serious logic here, but if you want to spent a few relentless hours without taxing your brain ,then this may well be your film for the weekend.

The Metro - This 'metro' may not make it big

Cast: Sarath Kumar, Rima Kallingal, Suraj Venjaramood

Direction: Vyasan Edavanakakd

Production: Dileep

Music: Shan Rehman

The movie after a short introduction by Dileep and a very lengthy detailing of Kochi's current status as a hub of goondas (shown as a TV programme FIR, together with movie credits ,which extent to ten minutes) goes on with its three dissimilar stories- One about the daring C I Jacob Alexander's attempts to book the big goonda leader Shaji paruthikkadan (Suresh Krissna), and the second dealing with InfoPark employee Anupama (Bhavana) followed by a gang of Goondas and the third about a young gang of five lead by Hari (Nivin Pauly) who is on a tour from Thiruvilyamala to Pala to deliver a package.

The third story is the sunny part with the five some including Usman (Bhagath) and Sujathan (Suraj Venjaramoodu) taking much of the time in the proceedings. On their return from Pala after a short visit to wagamon in their old Tempo trax, they had to enter into fisticuffs with Freddy, the younger brother of Shaji. Within no time they are followed by the goonda group which force them to take refuge in the darkness of the metro city, which they don't know well. A number of twists follows, after which they are to join sides with the C I, in his fight against the baddies.

Bottom Line

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The Metro - This 'metro' may not make it big

'The Metro' fails to hook your attention. At the box-office, despite the presence of star-names, the fizz would be missing. It's strictly for those in a mood to catch a differently attempted thriller.

Note Out - This Note Out is ‘OUT’

Banner: Thekkadayil Films

Cast: Nishan, Mithra Kurian, Suraj Venjaramood, Jagathy Sreekumar, Bijukkuttan, Anoop Chandran

Direction: Kutty Naduvil

Production: Joseph George

The movie has ‘Rithu’ fame Nishan as Pavithran who hang around with his gang of four friends, practically doing nothing. Pavi dreams of becoming a film director some day but his gang are regular shirkers of their jobs to play folly around the protagonist. After several traumas of badly executed scenes, they are given the final 30 days of freedom by their parents following which they must start doing some work. Enters the heroine Maya (Mithra Kurien) whom Pavi finds on a tree top and there starts the fights between them, which finally lead into Pavithran announcing his love to Maya in front of her family on the day of her betrothal with the intention to teach her a lesson. But to Pavi’s surprise, Maya walks out of her home with Pavi. Into this mayhem lands the villain, that too in a double role, that makes the proceedings hardest to digest. To add to the chaos is a group of petty villains Mr Black, Red and White just meant to add more fun, if anyone can take more…..

Bottom Line

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Note Out - This Note Out is ‘OUT’

‘Note Out’ qualifies as the first movie of the year which can definitely be kept away from any sort of inspection, as it is sure to hurt you badly.