BAD: Movies which I would rate at less than 2
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kadhalil Vizhundhen - 1.25/5
This film had a sweet first half which was totally spoiled by a senseless and crappy second half which turned into a psychopath torture. Otherwise this could have entered the GOOD list.
Sakkarakatti - 1.25/5
Except ARR's music and Vedhika, this film had nothing worth watching. For most of the film my heart was yelling at Shanthanu "Why are you leaving Vedhika and going behind that alien creature in the name of heroine?" :D And obviously the film had a very bad ending :P
Vaaranam Aayiram - 1.5/5
I couldn't remember even one positive point about this film. All I could remember is "Daddy" and a moderately-good old age role by Surya. Named as a film about a father, it rather tells about his son's amateur love affairs and how he "makes love" to two girls before marriage, with father character reduced to a cameo in later parts. It was 3 hrs of mere torture sitting in a hotel room and watching this film in a DVD :P
GOOD: Movies which I would rate from 2 to 3
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
50 first dates - 3/5
A soft romantic movie with lot of sweet moments, which looks at short term memory loss from a different perspective.
Bommalaatam - 2.25/5
At last a good movie from Bharathiraja in this decade. Though the film has lot of negatives, Nana Patekar's performance and the suspense maintained were good. New face Rukmini had done a very good job.
Bujjigadu : Made in Chennai - 3/5
A commercial mass film starring Prabhas and Trisha, and its the story of two childhood friends separated and trying to meet each other again for a life long relationship. Telugu guy Prabhas playing the role of a Chennai brought up and Tamilian Trisha as Telugu girl makes scenes interesting, especially the scene where she calls him "Sambar" and he calls her "golti" :D Songs were visual treats. Love and action was blended well throughout the film.
Dark Water - 2.75/5
A supernatural thriller about how a mother saves her daughter from the spirit. Worth watching many times for the cute little girl who played the daughter. Her expressions in final scenes were too good.
Dus Kahaniyaan - 2.5/5
Broken into 10 small episodes, each directed by a different director and with different cast, it was a welcome attempt and though not all were interesting, some were really good.
Guide - 3/5
Screen version of RK Narayan's novel, much different from the book. A movie much ahead of its times, done in a bold attempt. Nicely shot and very good songs.
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na - 2.5/5
A feel good film on the lines of "Piriyadha Varam Vendum". Very nice screenplay and fresh actors. Rahman's music was a big plus. Ending was very cinematic though.
Kala Pani - 2.5/5
A Black and white movie starring Dev Anand and Madhubala, about how a son saves his father put behind bars by false accusation. Nice acting by the lead pair compared to overacting Tamil actors who existed in the same era.
Kotha Bangaru Lokam - 2.75/5
A school days love story except that it is handled in a very very intelligent way unlike some dirty films which came with same theme. Though many scenes were very cinematic, it was a good film with a nice message.
Milana - 2.5/5
A radio jockey's story, about his life after marriage. Slightly inspired by Mouna Ragam but with a different storyline. Watched it with Tamil subtitles on Zee Tamil. :D Good time pass.
Mussanje Maatu - 2.75/5
Set with a theme of a radio jockey's love life, it speaks about how he inspite of being a healer for other wounded hearts through his show, couldn't handle his own love failure. Good performances from Sudeep and Divya Spandana.
October Sky - 3/5
Story of how a teacher inspires her student to become a rocket scientist inspite of all hurdles and lack of support from people around him. A real life story.
Notting Hill - 2.5/5
A movie about how an ordinary bookseller falls in love with a top hollywood actress and unites with her. Nice romantic entertainer.
Orphan - 2.75/5
A thriller about how an Orphan brings chaos to the family who adopts her and how she tries to destroy them. Scary towards the end.
Paranormal Activity - 3/5
A real life video footage of how a paranormal activity destroys a lady and her husband. The thrill build up gradually and towards the end you will feel shivers down your spine.
Phoonk - 2.5/5
A supernatural thriller about how black magic destroys a family's happiness. The performance of the little girl who plays central role was awesome but the film moves very slow in many places.
Raaz 2: The Mystery Continues - 2.75/5
From the makers of Raaz, another supernatural thriller. Kangana gives a great performance and the first half was brilliant though the second half was just okay, except for the good climax.
Road to Perdition - 2.75/5
A beautiful action musical that portrays the affection developing between a father and his not so close elder son, after the younger one and his mother are killed by the gang for which the father works for. Emotional film.
Shutter - 2.5/5
The original of Tamil supernatural thriller Sivi. Most of the film happens in Japan and the plot is about how the spirit of a girl takes vengeance on her lover who deserted her.
Taxi Driver - 2.25/5
A classic film from the year 1976. Net says the film was chosen by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best films of all time and as of July 2009, Rotten Tomatoes reported that 98% of critics gave positive reviews.
The Bank Job - 2.75/5
Movie about a bank robbery, adopted from a real life incident. Was pretty good and interesting.
Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru - 2.5/5
Though people who watched it said it was boring, I felt it was a good movie and a nice attempt at slapstick comedy. The baby around which the story revolves around was extremely cute.
Twilight: New Moon - 2.5/5
The second part of the Twilight series. Not so good as the first part but enjoyable for the lovely vampires are a delight to watch. ;-)
Untraceable - 2.75/5
A cyber crime based thriller with some gory scenes portraying the activities of a psychopath killer. Very gripping narration.
Vettaikaaran - 3/5
Vijay's latest movie that is a good entertainer and far better than his past 2 films which had so many negatives attached to it. It was a delight to watch.
Woh Lamhe - 2.5/5
Said to be based on actress Parveen Babi's life story. Good performances by Shiney-Rape-Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut. Drags a bit in second half though.
Yaaradi Nee Mohini - 2.75/5
A remake of Selvaraghavan's Telugu film starring Dhanush and Nayanthara. Though the movie had a few good moments and a very beautiful Nayanthara, it had equal amount of bad scenes and topping it all with a worst climax. But still, a decent entertainer.
Zombieland - 2.5/5
The story of how the leftover members of human species escape to safety after whole of America turns into a zombieland. Good entertainer.
VERY GOOD: Movies which I would rate from 3 to 4
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani - 4/5
Undoubtedly one of the best films I have watched in 2009, this film brought a sweet fairy tale to life on screen. Ranbir was awesome in his role while I would rate Katrina's performance as her career best till date. Both shared a very good chemistry and except for a few cinematic sequences it was a delight to watch this film.
Anjaadhey - 3.25/5
Movie packed with a lot of realism and how a police job splits two friends apart to extreme ends. Good performances and a nice screenplay makes the movie worth its watch.
Arundathi - 3.5/5
After a long time, a heroine-based subject in Telugu cinema. Glam girl Anushka stunned with her performance which reminded me of Madhuri Dixit in her early films. Even though based on reincarnation and supernatural powers, the movie kept me engaged throughout.
Ashta Chamma - 3.5/5
Based on a novel by Oscar Wilde, the film is about a Mahesh Babu fanatic waiting to marry a guy like him, atleast with his name. Filled with fun throughout and with good performances by everyone, the film was a joyful ride.
A Walk in the clouds - 3.25/5
A film suggested by Sundara Balaji. Set in a 60's backdrop, the film has a storyline close to what we saw in Jab We Met (Now we know where it came from :D) A very sweet romantic movie
A Walk to remember - 3.75/5
Another very sweet romantic movie featuring singer Mandy Moore in lead role. A normal love story with a very moving screenplay and sequences that will make you feel good. The first English film I saw that has no abuse or swear words at all. :D
A Wednesday - 3.75/5
A very strong social film with a gripping narration with the added advantage of having brilliant performances by Nasseerudin Shah and Anupam Kher.
Cellular - 3.25/5
The movie which was remade and murdered in the name of "Vegam" in Tamil. A fast paced film with lots of thrills with cell phone playing a main role in the film.
Dostana - 3.5/5
A light hearted film which takes on gay relationship in a funny manner and also stresses on value of friendship. A fun ride. :)
Eeram - 3.75/5
One of the best thrillers in Tamil Cinema in this decade. The high points of the film are the beautiful romance that comes along with the story throughout, creating a sense of fear without any gory makeups or graphics, depicting the existence of the ghost just by the fact that she is a left-hander and a heart warming music.
Fashion - 3.75/5
Another serious film from Madhur Bhandarkar this time throwing light on the life of models and fashion world. Very close to reality and an emotional film, and one would really feel sorry for the life models adopt themselves to. Award winning performance by Priyanka Chopra and another very close one in a supporting role by Kangana make the film worth its watch.
Gangster - 3.5/5
A serious film with an unexpected twist towards the end. Extremely good performances by Shiney-Rape-Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut.
Godavari - 4/5
A perfect love story that happens in the backdrop of a boat journey on the river Godavari. The beautifully shot scenes in exotic locales along the river with an engaging screenplay and good performances makes the film a treat to watch. From the director of Happy Days, yet another feel-good film.
Happy Days - 3.75/5
One of the films close to my heart for the nice portrayal of college days which mostly fits with reality. Tamanna and newcomer Varun Sandesh were best in their roles and film had a lot of fresh feel to it. Music was awesome.
Inglourious Basterds - 3.5/5
A period film about German-Jews episode during second world war portraying the revenge of an escaped Jewish girl on the Germans and how the team of Inglourious Basterds incidentally help her achieve it. A slow film with lot of violence and gore, but at the same time the thrill builds up slowly and reaches its peak at the end. Some scenes are very lengthy but still you can't even take your eyes off the screen.
Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam - 3.5/5
Movie made in the lines of Bommarillu focusing on family values and relationships. Siddarth and Tamanna complemented each other well and gave best performances in the film. A feel-good film.
Life is Beautiful - 3.75/5
A classical film that is set in second world war time period when Hitler killed jews in huge numbers. After getting caught in the camp for jews, how a father saves his son's life from cruel Germans inspite of the hardships he faces forms the theme of the film. Very emotional film.
Matrix Trilogy - 4/5
I would probably be the last person to have watched this Trilogy. :P The whole matrix concept was very fascinating and I loved all the 3 movies very much, thanks to the subtitles that came along :D
Memento - 3.25/5
The film from which Ghajini's theme was lifted. Though it didn't have the delightful Asin's part of Ghajini, this film was way above it, in terms of narration, the characterization of the Short Term memory loss patient and the screenplay.
Mirrors - 3.75/5
A horror film themed with ghosts existing in mirrors. I experienced the chill from beginning to end and it was a very exciting watch.
Mungaaru Male - 3.5/5
The biggest grosser of Kannada Cinema starring the latest sensation Ganesh and Sanjana Gandhi. Shot in the heaven like locales of Karnataka, rain occupies most part of the film. A breezy romantic entertainer with a pathos ending.
Phone Booth - 3.5/5
The whole film was about a few hours event that happens at a phone booth. You can't take your eyes off the screen for the film has an importance for each and every frame of it.
Serendipity - 4/5
Watching this movie made me understand how a little lead taken from this film was spoiled in the name of a crap film called "Jay Jay" in Tamil. A very nice romantic entertainer with very good performances by lead cast.
Sleepless in Seattle - 3.5/5
Story of how a kid tries to find a partner for his single father through a radio show. A heart warming film with good performances and a sweet ending.
The DaVinci Code - 3.75/5
I haven't read the book but the film was really nice and the way suspense builds upon was very good.
The Hangover - 4/5
Undoubtedly one of the best films of this year, its the story of 4 friends who in a hangover try to trace out what happened during the previous night of their stay in Las Vegas. Completely hilarious throughout and full of fun.
Tube - 3.5/5
A Korean film that almost looks like a commercial Tamil film in its presentation and action scenes. Most part of the movie happens in a subway train and how a detective saves passengers in the train from the villain.
Twilight - 3.75/5
I have seen vampire films full of blood and gore. The cute romance of a girl with a vampire was very exciting and new. Part 1 of the series, the whole film was shot well and was really entertaining.
Whats your Rashee - 3.75/5
Playing multiple characters with different getups, ages and backgrounds is a difficult job, but not as difficult as showing difference in 12 characters,in same age group, same Gujarati background and with minimal changes in appearance. If not for Priyanka Chopra, this movie would have failed big time. The actress plays 12 roles with ease proving why she is one of the best in Hindi cinema. The fact that no one can play her 12 roles with same comfort in all characters and with same level of performance in Tamil cinema made me love her more in this movie ;-)
Yaavarum Nalam - 3.75/5
One of the best supernatural thrillers in Tamil in recent times. The concept of ghost in TV was very new and there were many edge-of-the-seat moments in the film. Madhavan did his role very well.
Excellent
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kaminey - 4.5/5
Nothing can beat this film for me, as it is the most brilliant made movie of Hindi cinema last year. Shahid kapoor in a dual role playing twin brothers Charlie and Guddu, one with a lisp and other with stammering, proves yet again why he is one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema. Charlie's dialogues with "F" in place of "S" are really interesting. Priyanka Chopra supports him well and gives yet another best performance as a brave sister of a Maratha fanatic. Though a dark film, it has its own lighter moments and a thread of romance woven into it. The supporting cast was also brilliant in the film.
ALSO WATCHED
+++++++++++++
Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring: 3 hours long and with lot of special effects, this movie was good to watch but I couldn't enjoy it very much as I had never read the book and couldn't relate much with the happenings on screen. It took me 5 days to complete watching it in parts every night :D
Villu - Except for Vijay and a glamorous Nayanthara and a few nicely shot songs with them, this remake of soldier was nothing worth in it. Prabhudeva failed big time to make a movie suitable for commercial audience.
Final Contract - Watched it partly as a dubbed film on TV, so watched its original version in full. Not really good except for lot of action throughout. Story of a man who unknowingly gets caught in a death race trapped by a lady killer.
The Blair Witch Project - Watched it after hearing it would be a thriller and edited from a real footage like Paranormal Activity. Couldn't find much of a thrill and felt it was quite normal like watching a horror documentary.
Achamundu Achamundu - Read about it was a thriller, but it was more like a documentary with couple of songs. Tended very boring towards the end and the climax was very bad, as everything was over in a moment, unworthy of all the hype built till then.
