R K Arts' Ellam Avan Seyal directed by Shaji Kailas could have been a taut murder thriller. Instead this Tamil movie panders to RK's ego mercilessly and is an exercise in frustration.
This Tamil movie might move slowly at places and not have a crackling climax but the ending fits in very well with the general tone of the story. As far as screenplays and performances go, Sasi has a winner on his hands. Few rural sagas are this refreshing or poetic.
Judging by the songs, which all seem to begin promisingly but taper into nothingness, it looks like Vidyasagar really does need a shot of inspiration to boost his compositions.
Sun Pictures' Thenavattu, starring Jeeva is an action and romantic flick that's hopelessly outdated and devoid of logic.
Aascar Films's Vaaranam Aayiram, directed by Gautam Menon and starring Surya in many varied roles, is a moving, if a longish tribute to an ideal father and a loving son. It's a common enough premise and is Surya's magnum opus but this one is inherently up-market.
Perhaps Yuvan Shankar Raja has spoilt you by his innovative work in his previous albums but in this one, he seems to have careened off after Silambarasan's tastes. He might have ended up satisfying the makers; the duo's track record might help in this album becoming a best-seller. But the collection, barring one or two moments, is nowhere near his best.
Put together, V Selvaganesh seems to have turned out a collection which seems, on the surface, familiar. That said, he has taken the time and effort to present some variation, which accounts for the freshness in a couple of numbers. It looks like we can expect good things from debutant music director.
Taken together and barring a few moments, the album of Ananda Thandavam doesn't really rise to inspiring heights. There's a lot of romance and Vairamuthu's words add some dashing energy, though the tunes are familiar. It's not bad but not very good either.
Jinnah Creation's Seval, directed by Hari and starring Bharath is a potpourri of drama, romance and action which makes for watchable fare despite some melodramatic hiccups.
Though Vijay Antony seems to want to go beyond his Kadhalil Vizhunthen tracks, it still looks like the hangover exists. Some numbers are passable, while others are down-right boring.
It looks like G V Prakash needs to re-group his resources after Kuselan or Seval's premise wasn't interesting enough, and he decided that ho-hum numbers is the way to go. The tunes are not too bad but somehow, you've come to expect a little more from this youngster who showed so much promise, to begin with.
Post Saroja, you suppose expectations from Yuvan Shankar Raja are certainly high, but you can't really say that this album is scintillating. Perhaps the composer had to bow down to a film that comes with star-trappings.
Barring infrequent flashes of his earlier works, there's very little to write home about -- and you hope Radhamohan's picturisation makes these numbers work.
Gajanana Movies' Kathikkappal, directed Dinesh Selvaraj, Mani Ratnam's assistant, falls short of your expectations of a classy thriller.
All through the album, you're confronted with already-heard moments when the melody takes predictable turns. There's a dated feel to the collection, showing, probably, how well Srikanth Deva has channelled the original and its aura. Strangely, you don't feel appreciative.
Sri Rajalakshmi Films' Dhurai, starring Action King Arjun comprises of many fight-scenes, with the story inserted in between.
Put together, you definitely feel that Harris Jayaraj has broken out of a self-imposed mould of recent times, and has set out to provide some quality music with a difference.
Sun Pictures' and Atlantic Movies' Kadhalil Vizhundhen, directed by P V Prasad and starring Boys' Nakul, is a angsty romantic story that brings a lump into your throat and is definitely worth a watch.
Kalaprabhu really needs to observe the world around him if he needs to come up with a plausible screenplay, dialogues and performances. Picturising A R Rahman's songs in SFX, throwing in American catch-phrases and making his characters swagger in designer wear won't make a good, peppy film.
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