Film / Documentary - Recently watched & worthy of some discussion

[NOV]

Oh Kadhal Kanmani is a TERRIBLE film and should be avoided at all costs.
In fact it should come with a warning!

Imagine I - a seasoned man having gone through everything - feel like wanting to fall in love all over again, as I was watching the movie! ��
It's a love story like you've never seen before - everything appears fresh. Amazing acting by the leads and all supporting casts.

The first half breezes past shockingly fast. Awesome screenplay. There is humour touches everywhere and Maniratnam takes us through what appears to be clichés, with surprises.

Everyone who was, is and will be, in love - don't miss this movie.

Muni vs. Mani? Who is Muni? Hehe
Sigh..... I want to fall in love again.....

[Mahen]

Oh Kadhal Kanmani is a TERRIBLE film and should be avoided at all costs.
In fact it should come with a warning!

Imagine I - a seasoned man having gone through everything - feel like wanting to fall in love all over again, as I was watching the movie! ��
It's a love story like you've never seen before - everything appears fresh. Amazing acting by the leads and all supporting casts.

The first half breezes past shockingly fast. Awesome screenplay. There is humour touches everywhere and Maniratnam takes us through what appears to be clichés, with surprises.

Everyone who was, is and will be, in love - don't miss this movie.

Muni vs. Mani? Who is Muni? Hehe
Sigh..... I want to fall in love again.....

..

[mappi]

Kanchana 2 : Here Sillata Pillata song was not present. The intro of Lawrence was - watching a horror film with other kids (just after a dapper claded 'baby' Lawrence). Was this song present in the version you saw ?

But a remix version of Sillata Pillata was playing during the end title cards.

[interz]

Sagaptham - Oh My Atheist

Usually I would review a movie after watching it, but this movie has made me speechless.

[NOV]

OK Kanmani vs Kanchana

[littlemaster1982]

Rajathanthiram - A tamil film I really liked after a long time Though I could predict few scenes, it didn't take anything away from the movie watching experience. A heist film done right in Tamil, which is a rarity. Now I regret not watching this film in theater.

[mappi]

(Muni 3) Kanchana 2 [2015 : Tamil : Horror (Comedy, Melodrama) : 2h30m (the version I saw)]

Written & Directed by Raghava Lawrence

Respects : Editor Kishore Te

Staring : Kovai Sarala, Raghava Lawrence, Tapsee & others

Friendly neighbourhood of ghosts

Muni 3 - Ganga [which should have been its real title] was released under the title Kanchana 2 (M3K2) by Sun Pictures, produced by Raghavendra Productions. One of the finest dance choreographers in TFI turned film makers, Raghava Lawrence, writes & directs M3K2, an all new episode in his Muni Series. M3K2 potrays a much experienced Lawrence, where the approach to his story is fasinating and gains an upgrade in humour, as well as depicting the paranomal effects. Moreover M3K2 goes old-school by using tradional thrills 'makeup-lightup-shoot-cut' to provide the needed jump scares. The story chosen by Lawrence this time is quite interesting too.

A handful of souls loiter in & around a beach house. Between shattered dreams, deception & revenge they wait in the corner for that lucky person who can give them a purpose. When the occasion arrives, they do not hesitate to take up their new identity and prepare to snatch back what once belonged to them. Our 'ghost-friendly' hero, Raghava, is appointed as a camera man to assit a shooting team lead by director Nandhini, to film a documentary in and around this beach house. Nandhini draws the attention of the wandering spirits, which inturn jumps onto Raghava. Yet again, Raghava becomes the chariot of the souls to fight againt the most cruel men still circling on the face of the earth and this time he goes a step further by destroying the Evil's 'evil-plans'.

A person like myself, who adores 'larger-than-life' reel image, 'electrifying-screen-burning' events, long dialogues that are more devastating than real punches, exploitation movie style set-up, awesome 'slo-mos' etc., M3K2 is a best dish on the card. During the climax, Mottai Shiva removes a Trisul and walks in slo-mo, dragging it towards the Evil he is fighting , all the time encircled by tiny lightenings. That's a perfect exemple on how thundering M3K2 was for me. As in its predecessors, the side-story is excellent. Muni was an helpless father watching his own daughter's creul murder, and Kanchana becomes a victim of greed, in M3K2, Ganga gains the wrath of a malevolent man. Ganga is a dynamic girl, even being physically challenged she just rolls on. Lawrence has briliantly narrated the Ganga story by not gaining sympathy but by using the weakness as a forte. And then there is Motta Shiva who enters and leaves with a mark.

Technically, the movie is briliantly shot. There is movement everywhere and in everything. Editing was crisp with some fine technics that elevates the continuity. Background score was loud, but was not disturbing either. Liked all the songs, even though could not get a chance to see opening song. Sandi Muni was awesome, a cracking opener for the Climax Fight. Viveka is very good in penning for such (genre) songs. Moda Moda is a 'funny explosive' - "ithu entertainment pei, adikathu" was received with a roar of laughter. Talking about laughter, the ACT1 & a good part of ACT2 had some fantastic humour. Kovai Sarala was at her best, no, Kovai Sarala is the best. Sriman gets trapped with a ghost in his room, rest is to be seen. A fabulous star cast including Manobala & Mayilsamy makes the entire screaming suituation screamingly funny, esp. the one where Tapsee gets scared and announces there is a Pei, you got to see the folks falling on each other - incredibly funny. Tapsee is a surprise, a satisfaction of having watched the most prettiest Ghost on screen. The Beach scene was terrific. And yes, yet another movie Rajendran stays for a 'wink-time'.

The ACT3 is where Ganga story begins, and takes a quite serious route with a huge share of bloodshed & 'Sword-Kathakallis'. The movie slowly creeps towards a Mortal Kombat between two greater Evils. Comparision is unevitable, but we have to be proud that we have a proper series up and sucessfully running. For that Muni Series gets a place in my collection. When Muni dealt more about possessed Raghava and his collaboration with Ghost, Kanchana talked about the impact of Raghava's family members over spirit possession and travels a lot with the symptoms. M3K2 takes a different route, where Raghava's purpose is triggered by Ganga through another medium. And thats why M3K2 is completely different in the series. M3K2 also gets an upgrade with number of ghosts multipled by 2. At a point of time the Ghosts occupy the entire momentum. Muni had Raj Kiran, Kanchana had Sarath Kumar and Ganga has Nithya Menon. Lawrence did not appoint anyone else for Motta Shiva and take away the charm of Ganga. Eventhough Nithya Menon did not or cannot bring the vibes sent by Raj Kiran or Sarath Kumar, but still she finds an unforgetable place in the Series.

Andam Athil Kandam Pala Kandam Athil Pindam Pala Anjaamalae Vanjam Theer
Hara Hara Hara Hara Hara

Muni 3 - Mersal

[interz]

Kanchana 2 (Muni 3)

Horror comedy started with Chandramukhi starring Rajinikanth IMO, who can forget the epic dialogue "enna kodumai saravanan?". R Lawrence re used comedy&horror in his movie and gets away with it. While Kanchana 1 was had more comedy content this movie has more horror. It has become a cliche to say 1st half is best and second half is so so, but that is the truth about this movie. 1st half had lots of comedy, edge of the seat moments and great ending, 2nd half has too many repeated scenes of ghost slapping the cast. The flashback is cruel and so 90ish, climax is not good, too much graphics ruining it all.

About performances, the females in the movies did good job: Tapsee, Nithya M, Kovai Sarala, Renuka. Tapsee fits so well as a ghost or a divine goddess character, her face is very apt for such roles. Among the males Sriman acts best followed by Jayaprakash and then Lawrence on 3rd spot. R Lawrence might have started a new trend, ghosts talking punch dialogues, that is pakka mass.

Music is loud but spooky too,for the latter part good job Thaman S. The melody song is great, well composed by Leon James (from camp Anirudh).

The movie is a emotional rollercoaster, like having midage crisis, if you can handle it watch it.

[mappi]

Ooru Vittu Ooru Vandhu (1990), Ramarajan starrer directed by Gangai Amaran preceeds Chandramukhi. Goundamani plays an exorcist and Senthil his apprenti. When Ramarajan's wife Gauthami gets possessed by a foreign ghost, the team goes to Singapore to unearth the secrets. There, its not only the language a problem, but everything that crosses the path of our Rural Heroes.

A hillarious film with wonderful music, can watch it even now.

[mappi]

R Lawrence re used comedy&horror in his movie and gets away with it.

Yes, but in another sense. The opening of the film is a ditto of Wes Craven's Scream where 'Stab-the Killer' gets introduced. It has nothing to do with the movie's plot.
Lawrence uses a similar set-up in Kanchana 2 and dilutes it as a dream in 'mise en abyme' style.