Billa movie review

an attempt to add the scent of hollywood in tollywood movie. i waited all these days for prabhas statement on the movie. thats why i din write the review. and his statement goes like this

"gopi krishna movies" their own banner produced the movie. i can see each and every rupee that we kept in the movie. every rupee made the movie to look like a hollywood movie."

infact the movie looks like a hollywood movie. no , it smells like hollywood movie. just the scent is added. but the body is missing.

The base line is taken from the "DON". it is then twisted and twisted and twisted.

first we have to talk about director: "meher ramesh" a director whose movies shows the shades of purijagannadh. (this is because meher is the asst.director of puri) the director purely concentrates on the commercial elements. he attracts audience to theatre. but he wil not give satisfaction for that audience who steps into the theatre with lot of expectations. he believes in twists and heroines . but the important thing is the "STORY". when the base story line is not engaging--- it will stink no matter how much imported scent you apply to it.

next prabhas..... he is the perfect actor. but that can be showed when he works with the perfect director. thinking of only prabhas in billa. he is excellent. perfectly suited for billa role. and ranga role too... there is a lot of humourous sense in prabhas action. this is proved in puri's "bujjigadu" and now in "billa" ( ranga role). hope he will surely do entertaining roles rather than the serious roles.

anushka--- really sexy and hot. in each and every scene. the director utilesed her to the max in tollywood exposing levels.

and namitha--- god. i cannot write about her.

hansika-- good in the song. but the song is bad.

and finally krishnam raju: his talent is wasted in making the audience laugh for his outdated jokes.

music:average

cinematography: very good.

overall rating: 2.5 for 5

13 B movie review

Genre: Horror
Director: Vikram K. Kumar
Banner: Big Pictures
Music Director: Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa
Lyricist: Neelesh Misra
Star Cast: R. Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Sachin Khedekar, Murli Sharma, Poonam Dhillon, Murli Sharma, Deepak Dobriyal, Dhritiman Chatterjee
Release Date: 6th March 2009
Review:
A failure trail of making a horror movie.the story and screenplay is the exact copy of the film "a film by aravind" by tollywood director sekhar suri. if u had already watched that movie then 13B wil not be a thrilling movie at all. I was the one in the crew who already watched "film by aravind" and was watching 13B. The main drawback of the movie is the flashback. The director tries in all the possible ways to create hype in for the flashback. but when it comes to flashback its an airless balloon.
these are some of the flat tricks did by director to make the audience feel the horror,thrill,anxiousness about the flashback. But they failed.
1.The lift works asusually for all the people except madhavan.
2.The milk whenever kept on stove are always spoiled since the day they entered into that new apartment.
3.The photo of madhavan wil always be twisted whenever shot.
4.The driller meets with electric shock when he comes to the apartment to hang the picture frames of god.
5.The new serial in "EYE TV" that is telecasted in only the madahvans apartment.
6.The bathroom light automatically switches on even when madahvan switches it off.
7.The dog resists to enter the apartment as it sees madhavan.(this is somewhat nicely shot)
8.The way he analyses his photo by clicking inside the room and getting outside of it.(this is also a nicely shot scene with madhavan's emotions and expressions.
9.The result out scene of madhavan's sister and some scenes like this...all these scenes actually follow the serial episodes. its not a good idea to make a horror movie i think.
the second half of the movie is simply waste. we cant resist the thrill in waiting for the flashback.and when it comes it simply drops all the hopes. neetu chandran showed a nice parformance. the back ground score was nice. the attempt to entertain audience of the horror movie with songs is always a flop experiment. the director failed here again.

A GLANCE AT TOLLYWOOD-2008

Most of the pictures that were produced in the year 2008 gave a shock to Tollywood. Big hero pictures turned down at box-office and small budget films have given some oxygen to Tollywood. Read the analysis on the heroes and movies released. The success range for the year 2008 is only a decimal factor compared to the production and releases. The small budget films carried good success and hits at box –office. The best money churners were actually small budget films only. Take a look.

Ullasamga Uthsahamga: This small budget film proved to be a good hit at box-office. Yashosagar, a Bangalore based hero debuted in this film in the direction of Karunakaran. Sneha Ullal has also debuted in Tollywood in this film. Good songs, neat photography, sufficient Screen-play, adequate dialogues made the film a hit.

Kotha Bangarulokam: A youthful love story made by successful producer Dil Raju was a super hit of the year. It yielded good revenue. Once again producer Dil Raju proved himself that he is a good judge on the scripts and knows the pulse of audience. Director Srikanth Addala debuted with this film as director. Hero-ine Swetha Basu Prasad also acted in her first telugu film. Happydays fame Varunsandesh performed well and he got a second hit. Hit songs, Good story and screen-play, artist performances, heroine’s slang dialogues all added up to the movie’s success.

Ashta Chemma: Ashta Chemma is a children’s game that we used to play in villages. National award winning director Indraganti Mohana Krishna directed this film and presented well on the silver screen. Colors Swathi’s performance is highlight of this film. She is a staunch fan of hero Mahesh Babu. This story runs on this point only. Director succeeded to present this to the hearts of audience.

Yuvatha: This film was made with the one of the Happy Days fame heroes Nikhil. Director Parusuram brother of Puri Jagannadh has also debuted with this film. Director Puri Jagannadh has given his voice for this film. This film got a reasonable success at Box-office.

Vinayakudu: A story on a fat boy and an arrogant girl became a hit at box office. Happydays fame Krishnudu and Sonia played as hero, hero-ines in this film. Producer of this film Premkumar was a Golden Nandi award winner for his film Aa Naluguu. Director Saikiran debuted with this film.

Nachavule: This picture has proved to be a hit at box-office by the end of this year 2008. This picture stands in between farewell and welcoming the New Year with joy to Tollywood. Artistes like Madhavilatha, Saikiran and Kasi Viswanath debuted in this film. Ramoji Rao has produced this film on Ushakiron Movies after a long time and has seen good success. Ravi Babu directed this film.

Lets have a look at the movie history hero wise:

Pawan Kalyan: His picture Jalsa was a super hit and a commercial hit of the year at Box-office. Audio was a big hit. This film stands as a highest grosser of this year in Tollywood. This film was directed by Trivikram Srinivas. Hero-ine Parvathi Melton got a good break in Tollywood.
BalaKrishna: Okka Magadu was released as a New Year gift to tollywood audience which faced major disaster at box-office. Fans and cine goers had high expectations for this picture which was directed by Y.V.S.Chowdary but it has disappointed them. Another picture Pandrangadu in the direction of Darsakendrudu K.Raghavendra Rao has also seen a failure at Box-office. The director concentrated more on Rakthi than Bhakthi in this film. People expected Balakrishna to strike back with another film this year, but that did not happen.
Nagarjuna: His guest appearance in Krishnarjuna did not help the movie which proved to be a flop at box-office. His prestigious film King in the direction of Sreenu Vytla was released in his sentiment month of December on the 25th and did not prove to be a hit and stands as average film of this year. This picture was released as a send off to 2008 in Tollywood. No sentiments worked out.
Rajashekar: His picture Gorintaku, a remake of Kannada hit film Anna Thangi was a commercial hit at the Box-office. Same-old sister sentiment made the film a hit. B and C centers made good collections.
Venkatesh: His picture Chintakayala Ravi was a disappointment at the box-office. Though most of the picture was shot in US, it did not help for its success. Popular Bollywood music directors Vishal-Sekhar has debuted in Tollywood in this film. Director Yogi’s poor screen-play made the film turned down at box-office.
Mahesh Babu: Did not face the camera this year. but we heard his voice in jalsa.(special thanks to mahesh for his narrator role in jalsa)
Jr.NTR: His picture Kantri was not paid well at Box-office. Meher Ramesh, a relative of Megastar Chiranjeevi was debuted by this film in Tollywood. Desamuduru Hero-ine Hansika showed her tremendous glamour in this film.
Allu Arjun: His picture Parugu got a failure talk in the first week. People thought that this picture was a first failure to him. But this picture slowly picked up and made a commercial hit at the Box-office. Hero-ine Sheela has given good performance in this film but unfortunately she did not get a good break. Hit Producer Dil Raju again proved himself as a successful producer. Director Bommarillu Bhaskar crossed the sentiment of Second picture by making it a hit.
Prabhas: His picture Bujjigadu in the direction of Puri Jagannadh was a great failure at the box-office.
Ravi Teja: His opening is good in the year 2008.His picture Krishna in the direction of V.V.Vinayak was a hit at the box–office. It is also a commercial hit. Trisha’s glamour, Chakri’s music, Raviteja’s body language and Brahmanandam’s comedy in the character Bobby lead the film in a success path. But the pictures Baladoor and Neninthe disappointed him. He credited one hit and two flops this year.
Gopichand: His film Souryam was a hit at the box-office. Sister Sentiment and Chemistry with Anushka worked well in this picture. With this picture cameraman Siva has become director.
Ramcharan Teja: After Chirutha, his film which started this year under the direction of Rajamouli will not hit the theaters in 2008. This high budget film may release in the year 2009.
Kalyan Ram: His film Hareram was a reasonable success at box-office.
Ram: After hit of his debutant film Devadas, he has seen a disasterous failure of Jagadam. The film Ready which was released this year, was a super hit at the box-office. It was not only a commercial hit but was also liked by all audiences. With this film his name entered the list of successful tollywood heroes. This hilarious comedy film was made by Sravanthi Ravi Kishore in the direction of Sreenu Vytla.With this film, director Sreenu Vytla stood beside the successful directors of Tollywood.
Vishnu: His film Krishnarjuna was a failure at the Box-office. Even Nagarjuna’s Guest Appearance was not able to help the film. This year is the last year for Vishnu as a bachelor. He had a betrothal with Veronica, daughter of Sudheekar Reddy (brother of Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy).
Manoj Kumar: His film Nenu Meeku Telusa ended-up as an average but, technically got good acclaim from the audience and the film industry.
Allari Naresh: He bagged four hits in the year 2008. His picture Gamyam, Chandana Brothers Bommana Sisters and Blade Babji were reasonably successful at Box-office. His portrayal as Gali Sreenu in Gamyam was applauded by the media and the public. Director Radhakrishna (Krish) debuted with this film. Allari Naresh reached a good position (he deserves it).
Nithin: His three films released in this year were flop at box –office. If he doesn’t do a hit film in the coming year his career will be a question mark.
Jagapathi Babu: His film Homam has given him a little breath by making an above average at box office. His film "raksha" the remake of "phoonk"(a ram gopal varma movie) opened to housefull crowds but bagged an average talk. one more flop is "kathanayakudu"
Srikanth: His film Kousalya Supraja Rama made by Movie Moghul RamaNaidu was a disaster.
Venu: His film Deepavali was a big failure at the box-office.
Uday Kiran: His film Gunde Jhallumandi directed by a successful director Madan did not survive and became a dud at box-office.Another picture Ekaloveyudu was also a disaster for him.
Rajinikanth: His film Kathanayakudu was a flop. Jagapathi Babu played an important character in this film equal to Rajinikanth. Chandramukhi director P.Vasu directed this film. This is a remake of a Malayalam hit film. Even all these factors did not help the film.
Kamal Hassan: His picture Dasavatharam was an above average film at box-office. But Kamalahassan got rave reviews for playing ten characters in this film. He got good appreciation and great applause from the public.
Surya: His picture Surya son of Krishnan was a big great failure. He could not give a good hit after Ghajani. Gowtham Menon directed this film and is produced by Oscar Films.

On the whole, most of the star studded pictures failed at box-office except for a couple because they lacked good story and good screen-play. Sekhar Suri’s Three and Sekhar Kammula produced Avakaya biryani failed miserably. Some new directors proved themselves with good movies. Some new and young artistes debuted in this year. Young actors and small budget movies are the winners for 2008.
For 2009 there are already some highlights like Naga chaitanya son of king Nagarjuna, grandson of living legend Akkineni Nageswara Rao was launched in a big way to the media and fans on the occasion of king audio function. In this movie, Karthi daughter of yesteryears hero-ine Radha will be paired up with Nagachaitanya. Hit producer Dil Raju is producing this film. Krishna Vamsi’s Sasirekha Parinayam (Remake of Jab We Met) is also getting ready to hit screens in January 2008.
Tollywood should make analysis on the successes and failures of 2008 and take a good step on what audiences really want and what not. We should learn a lesson out of this success and failures ‘Good Story only cures the failure”. Let us hope for better stories and a little thought process in making the movie so that the success rate can be improved.

The Curious case of Benjamin Button (brad pitt)

I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Saturday and have been trying to sort it out ever since.
David Fincher and screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) have delivered an historic achievement, a masterful piece of cinema, and a moving treatise on death, loss, loneliness and love. As the movie proceeds, and Brad Pitt as Button ages backwards, we know where he is headed: it's where we are all going. But he feels he has to go there by himself, without his loved ones. And nobody wants to die alone. (Here is Todd McCarthy's review.)
So when the movie reaches its climax, it is extraordinarily moving .It may pack a more powerful punch the older you are and the more people you have lost. In that case it will score with the Academy, who will also recognize the skillful filmmaking on display.
The movie marks a seismic shift in terms of what is possible in moviemaking. What Fincher and his team have done is no small technological feat. Button starts off as a CG-aged baby, moves through CG-altered older Pitt faces superimposed on small bodies, and then proceeds to the "real" Pitt wearing makeup and then getting younger and younger. Thus the film's central performance is in great part a visual effect. (Blanchett is also made younger digitally, but aged with makeup.) That accounts in part for the movie's high cost (well above $150 million) but is also its primary limitation.

Thus, while I admire the film's amazing accomplishment--it's hard to imagine that anyone but the digitally sophisticated Fincher, who has become adept at "painting" his digital canvases, could have pulled this off--the movie is not entirely satisfying. But given what it is, it's hard to imagine it being done done any better. The actors are superb, especially Pitt and Cate Blanchett, who should earn Oscar noms. What's missing has partly to do with the limitations of the technology. Button reminds me of Peter Sellers as Chauncey Gardner in Being There. He's oddly passive and restrained, zen-like as he floats through all the decades, watching, listening, learning. He narrates the tale via his diary, along with his dying love Blanchett. We see him engaging with people, but he never says much. We see him from the outside; we never get under his skin, and we never learn the fruits of his wisdom. He stays much the same.
Still, the movie is sadly beautiful, of a piece, as impeccably wrought as its ornate clock that runs counterclockwise. Do Paramount and Warner Bros. have a prayer of making their money back? This movie needs all the help it can get, from anyone who loves movies and wants the studios to take more risky bets like this one.

MILK review

Sean Penn and Gus Van Sant have a proposition for us: a biopic dedicated to the memory of San Francisco activist and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, who was murdered by a fellow supervisor in 1978.

Sean Penn plays San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk in "Milk," directed by Gus Van Sant.

The subject may be a tricky sell, but the timing feels right -- a few weeks late to save Californians' same-sex marriage rights, admittedly, but the need to keep on fighting through adversity may be Milk's most important legacy.
And "Milk" is a powerful movie that will stir more than a few hearts and minds.
An audiotape Milk records "just in case" is screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's convenient structuring device, foregrounding the story's tragic outcome and allowing Milk to narrate his own life story.
In this telling, it's a life that begins at 40 -- when he picks up Scott (James Franco), falls in love, comes out and drops out. The year is 1970, and San Fransisco beckons. Their Castro Street camera store soon becomes a focal point for the booming gay community, and it's not long before Milk makes the first of several unsuccessful runs for district supervisor.
Civic elections might seem like small beer, but the persecution that compelled Milk to run for office is no trivial matter. The gay rights movement's most critical accomplishment, the film suggests, is how it liberated gays to be themselves.
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As Milk tries to explain to his heterosexual colleague Dan White (Josh Brolin), this isn't about principles, it's about people's lives -- three of his lovers had threatened suicide. One of them, Jack Lira (Diego Luna), goes through with it. The political can't get more personal than that. Ironically, the devoutly "normal" White is the one who is truly messed up.
Here's another irony: To earn the recognition and validation of the voters, Milk has to shed his reborn hippie uniform and ponytail, put on a suit and get a haircut. Making the same calculation, director Gus Van Sant has axed the long takes and experimentalism that made "Elephant" and "Paranoid Park" arresting but decidedly marginal experiences and turned in his most conventional movie since "Finding Forrester." In other words, he's playing it straight this time.
The strategy is sound; the execution, nearly flawless. Van Sant captures the time and the place with unobtrusive precision, seamlessly mixing in reams of archival news reports. (She may not know it, but Anita Bryant has a co-starring role in this movie.)
Penn is studied and thoughtful, impassioned and immediately sympathetic as Milk. It's easy to see how he attracts so much support -- and how his drive and commitment don't leave enough time for a "real" life. When Penn smiles, there's always pain there -- it's almost a wince -- and he smiles a lot here.
"Milk" may be a little too homogenized for some tastes. Like "Philadelphia" and "Brokeback Mountain," it's careful how it advances its agenda (and it does have one).
But it's not just a single-issue movie. In its conviction that "change" isn't effected through rhetoric alone, but through the hard slog of campaign work, persuasion, inspiration, inclusion and good old, bad old politicking, "Milk" says something about how progress is achieved in America. In that respect, it evokes the best aspirations of the country -- and, for that matter, of filmmaking.