Pad Man: example of how good causes may not always make great cinema
Based on the true story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the movie tells the story of a fascinating man, who embraced the worthy cause of producing affordable sanitary napkins for the poor and revolutionised the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India.
Read Namrata Joshi’s review here.
Kalakalappu 2: Comedy of errors
There are a few laughs, but Kalakalappu 2 comes nowhere near the comical heights that the first part achieved. You’d be a duffer to expect logic in a Sundar C comic caper, but the romantic portions (there are four of them – involving Jiiva, Jai, Satish and Shiva) are incredulous.
Read the review here .
Aami: A pretentious biopic of Kamala Das
In the very first scenes of Aami, a bird hits the ceiling fan and ricochets off the window glass, forming a bright scarlet blob. But somehow the blood looks artificial, and so does Kamal’s much-hyped biopic of Kamala Das – staged and pretentious to the last frame.
Read the review by Navamy Sudhish here.
Savarakkathi: as sharp as it gets
As a cat and mouse story that more or less positions itself from the eyes of its hero and villain, Savarakkathi does justice, and much more.
For a film that thrives on situational comedy, the hard-hitting portions in the second half strike a high note. There are emotional notes as well.
Read the full review here .
The 15:17 to Paris: this real life story derails on-screen
Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial venture is as confused as a day-long tourist in Paris. He can’t decide between the city’s nightlife, museums or churches, so he runs around soaking in a bit of all, doing justice to none. The 15:17 to Paris – incidentally about three friends on a Euro trip who save the day on a train – spends ample time exploring the trio’s childhood, friendship, nationalism and holiday itinerary, without tying up it all up the end.
Read the review by Kennith Rosario here.
Tholi Prema: This rom-com is a joy
Debut director Venky Atluri’s rom-com builds its tempo gradually and before you know it, sweeps you off your feet. The writer-director gives us 2018’s first memorable Telugu film, packing in solid performances and nuanced writing.
Read the review by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo here.
Boy and the World: a heartfelt tale about a young boy’s adventures with life
‘The Boy and the World’ is melancholic with a no-frills story but its exuberant execution leaves a long lasting mark on its audience.
At first blush, it might appear to be rudimentary. The film is anything but that. Especially when the animator starts to fill the screen with wonder and colour. What first appears to be a restrained oeuvre expands to suit an overflowing cup. That’s how Boy and the World lassos in its audience.
Read Deborah Cornelious' review here .
Inttelligent: Intelligence goes for a toss
There are films that you watch with a willing suspension of disbelief, filmmaker V V Vinayak makes many like them work, not by virtue of their plot but their strong masala element. Even going by the minimalistic standards he has set in the past, Inttelligent (sic) is among the silliest films he’s made to date. What you see here is a director stuck in a time warp, lost in the archaic fight-song-comedy mix that Telugu cinema is trying to move away from.
Read the review here .
