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Reviews
Ustad Hotel (2012)
Clichéd but inspiring and a real eye opener.
This is my second Malayalam movie after Thoovanathumbikal. Clearly Ustaad Hotel is not in the Pedigree of Thoovanathumbikal. The film is predictable in most parts and lack depth and gray in the characters. Dulquer Rahman is cute but he is no Mohan Lal and neither is Nithya Menon a Sumalatha.
But this film is about an idea, albeit a clichéd one that real joy is often treading off the beaten track and chasing your dreams only you can see. Everyone dies but not everyone lives. Some of the greatest joys may lie in the very pursuit of your dreams and it is those moments which makes life worth living. Also sometimes a person, in this case Faizi, becomes the the carrier of not just his own dreams but also the carrier of the inspirations and beliefs everyone around him needs- Shahana, the band,the workers or even the excellent Karim. The film portrays beautifully that there is even more joy in helping others chase their dreams as well, however small and insignificant they might be-for some that might be that one square meal for the day. One of the aspects which made the film endearing was the relationship between Faizi and his granddad, Kareem who is just perfectly played out here. He is a free spirit yet headstrong in his ways; disconnected to everything worldly yet compassionate and receptive to everything. His love for Faizi is selfless and subtle and being a grandson myself I can vouch for the authenticity in those emotions. He must be a wonderful granddad in his real life.
A small mention of Faizi's father. He may be seen as the epitome of sexism and materialism but I sympathize with him. He is the victim here, having to toil, and toil against a prejudiced society, unwillingly trapping himself in the curse of the working class. That character was overdone a wee bit though. It is not the broadest theme in the film but I liked the fact that, like Ratatouille, the film makes cooking look so delightful and enticing. And I enjoyed the background scores and the songs as well. Was literally tapping to that disco song.
Whether this is a great film is a debatable. But the fact is, most of my favourite movies are just sheer experiences. And Ustaad Hotel is just that, a refreshing whirlwind of a film.
Thoovanathumbikal (1987)
My first Malayalam movie and I hit a jackpot
At the outset I would say that this is a profound film, a true classic and if it is not, Malayalam cinema is beyond me. The film proved what I have long heard, that Malayalam cinema from Kerala is idiosyncratically creative. Here, the director Padmarajan revisits a fascinating theme of cinema, adultery. Yet, it would be a simplistic and narrow-minded view of this film to say that it was simply about adultery because it is really far more complex than that, and essentially a film about all varieties of human nature and relationships, and one could even argue- the relationship between reality and what is accepted. Despite the complexities in the characters, and despite the outcast nature of the story itself, the screenplay never borders on the theatrical and is amazingly believable. I will remember this film for many reasons, none more than the character of Jaykrishnan. At the start of the film the first thing that strikes the viewer is his dual nature. But as the film progresses seamlessly, his character becomes a case study in itself. J is confused but principled and yet never an idealist. In fact he has a dark tint so apparent yet difficult to pin point (until of course he kidnapped that guy, which I thought was unnecessary and kind of gave away that part of him). Moreover, throughout the film, despite being portrayed as a popular and gregarious man, he never really opened up completely to the other characters (even to Clara) and to the audience. I would always remember those scenes when I expected him to say the obvious but he smiled away to my frustration. His restraint further made his character extremely intriguing. However, despite the multitude of shades in his character, J is extremely self re-assured (except in his love life) which seems contagious to the other characters. The character of Clara is equally interesting. She is a prostitute but is not typecast as one. She isn't weak, broken, grieving and craving for love. Having lived a life among bounds herself, she understandably never lets herself confine J's life either. For a prostitute to let her true lover go is a supreme sacrifice. In that she comes as the strongest character in the film. While Clara's love for J is transparent, J to me was ever trying to find himself even while loving her. Clara thus came out as the more likable character at the end. It is their amazing chemistry, made all the memorable by such beautiful background scores, that finally left behind a film which is not so much a rigorously interpretable body of work but a series of transcendental cinematic moments. The film is an important, intelligent work that explores the implications of whether or not this is indeed a moral universe.Despite its plot resolution, the film is 'rescued'from utter nihilism by its ritual more acceptable ending, which I found rather an anti- climax. Perhaps Padmarajan wanted an ending the way it is supposed to end in the real world. I am sure the debate on morality and infidelity has an epiphany on everyone who saw the film, which is a wonderful accomplishment for a film made 26 years ago.
Criminal Hunter (2012)
Unique
Being a avid movie watcher myself, I have always been left disappointed by the Assamese comedies, which at best are not even laugh out louds.The title criminal hunter may sound naive but it is far from it. It is as good a thriller and action movie I have seen this year, of course with Rajkumar's trademark humor sprinkled liberally all over. The action is remarkably fresh and gripping. It is widely considered to be adopted from MMA.But of course no Assamese movie would be complete without some heartfelt romance. Any more information would be spoilers. I reckon if you are in a mood for a extra spicy masala movie, criminal hunter is a must watch