3 Non-Tamil Movies

Saw Mahesh Babu's Pokiri. It is only the 3rd straight Telugu film I've seen(after Peddaraayudu and Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana) and there were a couple of reasons I picked this one up. The film is supposed to be the biggest hit in the history of Telugu cinema and that piqued my curiosity. And ofcourse, I was curious about the film since Vijay is acting in the Tamil remake(it is being directed by Prabhu Deva and slated to be released for Pongal 2007). The film is definitely a fast-paced, racy entertainer but it wasn't the constantly engaging, exhilarating ride that one expects from a film that has become "the biggest hit in history".

On the positive side, the film is quite stylish and has a good pace. The story doesn't amount to much and the big twist is predictable but the presentation is excellent with some sequences(like the way the twist is revealed) getting our pulses racing. Mahesh Babu has good charisma and screen presence. He seems to be very intense and his style of dialog delivery is underplayed but effective. Ileana looks cute and contrary to her role in Kedi, proves that she can carry a glamorous role well. Songs are catchy and nicely picturized. On the downside, the film is quite violent. The body count is very high and most of the deaths are brutal and bloody. The separate comedy track is cheap and unfunny and drags the movie down.

The role will definitely suit Vijay very well. If Prabhu Deva recreates the style and pace of the movie, tones down the violence and eliminates the comedy track(or atleast comes up with a better one), Vijay could well have a big hit on his hands.

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Saw You, Me & Dupree. Rented it for only 1 reason - Kate Hudson - and eventually, she turned out to be the only bright spot in the movie. It is one of those weird movies that can't be slotted in any genre. It starts of as a comedy, shows signs of turning into a romance and finally ends up being neither. None of the characters ring true, mainly because they aren't consistent and change according to the dictates of the screenplay.

But the best part of the DVD is actually hidden in the 'Special Features' section. I'm always a fan of the trailers and watch all the previews usually provided in the 'Bonus Features section'. This movie had something called a 'Spoof Trailer'. It turned out to be a very clever bit that, with real scenes that actually appeared in the film, constructed a trailer for a horror film. The way it twisted things around with both characters and their behavior was ingenious and totally hilarious. If you do watch the DVD of the film, do not miss this trailer.

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Also watched Corporate, Madhur Bhandarkar's latest film. It was an interesting, engrossing look at the behind-the-scenes workings of big business. With two companies in the food industry, he painted a scary picture of the way things work in the corporate world. It becomes a bit too cinematic and dramatic towards the end with martyrs and pawns that are used to show that big business really is bad. But until that, the film is a fascinating look at what goes on inside the world of business.