Filmy Illusions

Picture Courtesy: Cine Point Kadhalikka Neramillai – A Masterclass in Performative Wokeness While Kadhalikka Neramillai throws around plenty of taboo topics, it does so with all the depth of a puddle after a light drizzle. It’s almost like the director fed ChatGPT a prompt saying, “Write a woke script, but make sure it’s still safe enough for my conservative uncle to watch with his family.” Having worked with AI platforms myself, I can confidently say even an AI would have churned out a better screenplay than this. Fair warning—this review has spoilers. Normally, I’d avoid them, but in this case, they’re necessary to highlight the chef’s kiss levels of absurdity at play. Also, the movie has been out for a while on both OTT and in theaters, so if you still haven’t watched it, do so and come back. Picture Courtesy: Movie Crow Now, I’d love to say credit where it’s due , but when a film treats serious issues with all the respect of a high school project thrown together the night befo...

  Picture Courtesy: Pravinkoodu Shappu FB Page In one of the most telling scenes in Pravinkoodu Shappu , Soubin’s character remarks, “I can see right through a guy who enjoys the accolades because I am exactly like that.” This line encapsulates the film's underlying narcissistic tone—a brilliant facade that crumbles under its own weight. The movie boasts of excellent characters, brought to life by actors who truly understand their craft. The dark humor scattered throughout the narrative is sharp and effective, and the script holds immense potential. However, much like the narcissist who meticulously crafts an image but falters with one misstep, the film loses its way in the second half. The initial brilliance gives way to unnecessary misogyny, cheap gags, and a mystery trick that is reduced to a simplistic device handled by commoners. Previously clever characters are sidelined into foolish bystanders, making the climax feel like a letdown. The promise of a gripping narrative fa...

  Picture Courtesy: TV9 Malayalam News Happy New Year! It’s been exactly a year since I last wrote about movies consistently. Not because there weren’t films that moved me—2024 had plenty, with gems like, Bougainvillea , Ullozhukk , Meiyazhagan , Amar Singh Chamkila , Bhramayugam , Avesham, to name a few . But somehow, I just couldn’t bring myself to write. Let’s just say 2024 wasn’t a great year. I don’t know if this year will be any different, but I’m trying to go with the flow—in writing and in life. Fingers crossed. And what a movie to restart writing about than a mystery thriller around the magic of cinema! Rekha Chithram, my first theatre experience of 2025, is a captivating mystery thriller interwoven with the wonder of filmmaking. It beautifully demonstrates how modern technology can be used so effectively to make you fall in love with a yesteryear classic while delivering an intriguing new narrative. Picture Courtesy: Nana on X My memories of Kathodu Kaathor...

  Picture Courtesy: NowRunning Manjummel Boys is a riveting survival thriller that shines through its simplicity, delivering an engaging cinematic experience that's worth your time. While excessive hype might detract from its straightforward narrative, the movie truly excels within its chosen framework. Personally, I initially hesitated to watch it, battling against a sense of fatigue from 'boys-dominated’ stories saturating the industry lately. So, I approached "Manjummel Boys" with a mix of curiosity and skepticism and yet, the movie defied my expectations, pulling me into its story. To be honest, in the first half-hour of 'Manjummel Boys,' I felt a tug of disconnection. As a woman watching a group of friends venture off on a cross-state journey without a secure financial footing, their ease in securing travel permissions from parents and their carefree pause in the journey, seemingly oblivious to safety concerns, felt like scenes from a different world. Y...

  Picture Courtesy: IMDb I am yet to experience a season as resolute in its determination to usher in joy and merriment, as Christmas. Preparations for the season commences months in advance, with nature, surroundings, and the bustling marketing extravaganza all unequivocally signalling its imminent arrival—almost a quarter of the year beforehand. It's almost like you're left with no other option but to embrace happiness, making you wonder whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. Does it offer a chance for people who are typically downcast to find a glimmer of happiness, even if fleeting? Or does it, sadly, make those with profoundly wounded souls feel compelled to shoulder the blame for not being able to join the world's celebration during this season? In my 33 years of navigating life's twists and turns, I've found myself on both ends of the emotional rollercoaster. As a kid, I couldn't help but wonder how families that seemed on the verge of fallin...

  Picture Courtesy:  PBS NewsHour Classroom To those who've inquired about my thoughts on God over the past six years since my transition into agnosticism, my response has remained consistent: "If God conforms to the description provided by those who seem to consider themselves as his managers, it would be in his best interest to remain non-existent. The magnitude of suffering attributed to him is beyond any conceivable redemption."                                          Picture Courtesy:  Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Wikipedia This stance, I believe, extends to individuals who arrogate unto themselves the role of "playing God."  I read couple of recent articles which shed light on how the Oppenheimer movie not only stands as a masterpiece of technical cinema but also functions as a vehicle for Westernized whitewashing; that the film seemingly see...