Avengers Infinity War Review: Marvel’s Superherogasm ticks the right boxes.

There are reasons why DC Fans don’t look too kindly at Marvel. Too non serious for their liking. But even the most ardent of DC fans have to acknowledge the fact that this Marvel’s Superhero extravaganza is a true masterpiece in how to contextualize what has been an enthralling first 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers – Infinity War is the best directed Marvel movie till date behind Captain America Civil War and it is not a surprise that both are directed by Joe and Anthony Russo.

Staying true to its title, Infinity war is quite literally the war for the 6 infinity gems that which put in an Infinity Gauntlet can destroy the Universe and one of select few who can wield it, Thanos is in procession of it and on his way to earth along with his black order to retrieve the remaining gems. Standing in his way are the Avengers, fresh from feuding with themselves and scattered with no trace of each other. Will the Mad Titan succeed or will the heroes put aside their differences and stand together against the man hell bent on destroying half the universe.

It is not every day that a performance review begins with a movie’s villain. But such was Thanos’ belligerence that there is no other place he goes but to the top. What an inspired casting. The first time his name was revealed as the actor playing the mad titan a lot of fans went “Meh”. No disrespects to the academy award nominee but the news didn’t exactly set the internet on fire. But the way he has managed to understand the depth of the character giving it layers for us fans to explore is just magical. His quest does not come across as simply madness but a method behind it and an unassailable belief in what he is trying to do. It is clear that every other actor has grown into their roles so effectively that it is just a treat to see them play off each other so well. The clusters of Iron Man-Dr Strange-Spiderman, Thor and the Guardians and finally the rest of them in Wakanda is worked out to perfection. In a ensemble as large as this, it would have been forgiven if someone was forgotten in the shuffle but everybody feel important and that’s largely possible because of how well its written.

What is impressive about the Russo brothers is they kept their belief on the fans’ knowledge of the MCU and by refusing to spoon feed they have really gone for the kill in exploiting the depth of each character arcs and infusing a much needed darkness to the series. The comedy is well blend in and does not take out the seriousness of the plot unlike Thor Ragnarok which completely lost it in my opinion. The movie also gloriously stays away from being forced into it for the sake of it (Cue: Game of Thrones Season 7) There may be a lot of confused casual fans but I think it is ultimately a good thing because the thickness of the plot would only make them watch the previous movies more.

There aren’t really much to pick with what they could have done better but certainly Peter Dinklage’s Eitri is certainly one of them. The guy is so versatile that he feels a bit wasted. Also Red Skull’s role as the guardian of the soul stone feels more like a moment to make us excited for that second. Also, why waste Vision? I get it that they wanted to extract the mind stone without destroying him but it felt out of place to see one of the most powerful avenger there is not a part of the great war especially with how it all transpires for him in the end. Perhaps the biggest of them all is the climax and what happens with Thanos’ purpose. If they wanted us to believe in it a little more they really shouldn’t have gone with the way they did with which avengers they picked as victims. Even a casual fan knows that all of them has a sequel coming up and it is really not rocket science to know the plot of Avengers 4. Where have they all gone is a more mysterious one but in my opinion most likely in the space within the soul gem where Thanos meets a young Gamora just before the snap. Tell me Avengers 4 is not about the original Avengers with the help of Eitri re-forging the infinity gauntlet which now looks destroyed in Thanos’ hand to recreate the events and reclaim their younger mates in an epic battle where Captain Marvel, Thanos’ arch nemesis destroys him and restores the Universe to its rightful place. I dare you!

But where Avengers Infinity War stands out is how well the character arch’s of almost all of their central characters has been utilized, the rightful reliance of audience knowledge thereby making the plot more intriguing and proving a platform for how to finish a journey on a high.

Thor – Ragnarok Review: Marvel’s emphasis on moments over script will hurt them

There is a scene in the movie where Thor and Hulk try to identify themselves onboard the Quinjet with the word “Strongest Avenger”. I think henceforth The Hulk must be called the “Funniest Avenger”. It was funny when The Hulk smashed Loki like washing clothes in the Avengers. It is funnier when he does the same to Thor but it does begs the question, is Marvel looking to create more moments than a gripping and engaging script. It’s funny and some of the 3D work is stunning but if Marvel continue to make laughing stock out of their super heroes then The Infinity Wars will not be a landmark as it is supposed to be.

Thor Ragnarok is an extravagant journey from start to finish about the prophecy that destroys Asgard. Thor’s elder sister Hela, the goddess of death comes back to extract revenge on her father who banished her and literally covered up all her traces under the Odin treasure room. On top of that Odin is missing and Loki is blamed for it. That itself is a compelling plot with a lot of family history and two of the greatest actors of our generation in Anthony Hopkins (Odin) and Kate Blanchett (Hela) with a potential face off that could have become a signature moment, not just in the movie but also in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Odin’s dark side to the fore and establishing Hela as a villain with a cause. But what should have been compelling storytelling turned into moments that stands out here and there but stitch them together and it becomes a dud.

Chris Hemsworth seems to grow into the character of Thor but it takes the character’s depth away when he decided to play it with a comic undertone especially after the death of his father, a vengeful sister and the prophecy to wipe out Asgard for good. Tom Hiddleston is brilliant as usual as Loki. His character has so many shades to it that it’s hard to imagine anyone doing it better than the Brit. I think the reason why Cate Blanchett decided to play Hela is that she wanted to have some fun. This double Oscar winner never seems to break a sweat and sweeps the role with ease. Anthony Hopkins seems to be at ease as Odin, so is idris Elba as Heimdall. Jeff Goldblum has made the Grandmaster character his own, pouring his unique style into the role. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk feels like there is more to the character than just an enraged monster. Tessa Thompson is a refreshing addition to the MCU as the badass Valkyrie while Karl Urban does what is required of Skurge. There are delightful cameos from Benedict Cumberbatch, Sam Neil, Luke Hemsworth and Matt Damon who is making it a habit of surprising cameos after Interstellar.

It remains to be seen what the MCU is trying to achieve with this not so serious treatment of an otherwise engaging story. Taika Waititi, the New Zealand director has sprinkled the movie with special and memorable moments. I thought Doctor Strange was refreshing and the next step in the MCU but this I feel, although refreshing in other ways, does not suit the heavy core of the movie. But stunning visuals and delightful performances will make Thor: Ragnarok a must watch and Marvel fans will watch it out of habit and for continuity since 2008’s Iron man if not for anything else.  

Katru Veliyidai Review: Mani Rathnam buries his plot in the Himalayan ice and lets us search for it

Pic Courtesy: Google

It is ironical that the greatest screen writer-filmmaker of our generation is also, in his own words, a commercial movie director. Mani Rathnam never hides that. In fact he embraces it. His characters always comes across as suave and sophisticated and yet after this particular offering, one wonders if he ever thought that his audience could be the same. Beyond the breathtaking visuals, poetic music, Bharathiyar and all the love is a plot that Mani buries deep in the snow and we end up wandering the barren tundra searching for it.

Set in the back drop of the mighty Himalayas during the Kargil War of 1999, Katru Veliyidai follows the love story of Varun, a life taking fighter pilot and Leela, a life saving doctor. The opposites doesn’t end there. He is narcissistic while she bats for treating women equality or at the very least, recognition. They argue at every level and yet couldn’t shake off their love for each other. All this make up for a fascinating story that could have been told with arguments that would shake up the very make up of this society. But Mani lets everything loose with an unpredictable screenplay that changes like the Kashmiri weather.

In a world where the line between black and white is increasingly blurry, Mani is able to conceive a ‘hero’ who in the words of his girl “either treats me like a princess or walk over me”. Yet, he does recognize what is making him less of a man and wants to make amends. But how many chances will he get from a girl who is stunning, confident and intense. She falls for his charm but is mature enough to understand his flaws and yet couldn’t control herself from falling in love with him over and over again. Does she take his promises to change blindly? There is strength in her character but for how long? How is she able to forgive his abusive manners just like that? In the end, the answer is Love. However old the notion sounds, there is no other tangible explanation for both behaving the way they do and yet end up they way they did. It is in fact Love where, along with the other plot carrier War, everything is fair.

For an actor of Karthi’s talents this isn’t the most difficult character to pull off but after Paruthiveeran and Madras, this is his finest performance. However, the real revelation is Aditi Rao Hydari. The struggling Bollywood actress could have permanently sealed a place in the south putting her heart and soul to a role that could very well add some trophies to her cabinet during the next award season. R J Balaji’s role was pretty close to his one word summary of his meeting with Mani Rathnam for the part, “Nice”.

You could see why Mani chose Kashmir and Kargil as his conduits to tell this story, The ever changing landscape of the region and the circumstances of war makes for the perfect metaphor. Yet in some ways, it also lets you forget the fundamental flaws in the movie’s writing. You get a sense of climbing Mt. Everest and yet had to return before the Hillary step. So Close! Ravi Varman’s cinematography blends so closely with the story and Rahman is as majestic with his music as the mountain itself.

Why Mani Rathnam left the questions unanswered is anybody’s guess. But the impact those questions have on you could very well be what he intended. And therein lies his genius. Leaving some things to audience’s interpretation is what any intelligent director would do but the desired effect happens only if the plot is thick and the writing strong. It is those areas that Katru Veliyidai falls short. The air is thin as you climb. Again, a metaphor!

Wrestlemania 33 Reaction & The Road Ahead: What were you thinking Vince?

Vince Mcmahon, Oh you demented arsehole.! I know Vince can be an ass sometimes with his bookings (Remember the Invasion!) but this must be his greatest failure yet. How would you explain retiring the one person most synonymous with your greatest show in that fashion. Oh that's right! Put him against a guy who has been a massive failure in your attempts to baby face him and clearly can't work a proper match with an ageing superstar. And what's up with a two week (no) build up to that retirement? You Goddamn Maniac! The Undertaker's loss to Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 33 is the most clearest of all indications that WWE has completely lost it in the way they book matches in a night filled with so many mis-matches. With not a single 5 star match on the card and part time wrestlers made to look great, this could be the beginning of the end of WWE if they don't learn from what is one of the worst Wrestlemanias ever. 

Vince's success lies with the arrogance that we as fans would still be watching any bullcrap he is making us do because there is no alternative. TNA is alright but never the level of competition WCW posed to the then WWF during the monday night wars. And so he thought he would put Roman Reigns against the Undertaker with two weeks of build up in what would be Taker's last bloddy mania match. The match itself was so bad and not even close to main event material. Mark Calloway is old and clearly cannot do any of the heavy duty stuff that he is known for which is why you need an opponent who knows how to carry the other person. Cena, HHH, AJ Styles could all be better candidates than Roman 'Boring' Reigns. When Jim Ross walked out to commentate it was pretty sure that this could be it but atleast give him a match worthy of an exit. Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels did not have to have to put over anyone and ended up with the most memorable farewell matches ever. Undertaker deserved that after all he did for the company.

The rest of the match card failed even before it even began. Except for the return of the Hardy Boys which was mental, none of the matches felt like Mania worthy. Sure the fatal four way for the women's title was alright along with HHH Vs Seth Rollins and so was Kevin Owen's vs Chris Jericho but if WWE has to move forward then they have to start giving their goddamn title matches more importance. Lesner Vs Goldberg could have happened even without the title on the line and Randy winning it was expected. But title matches ending in less than 15 minutes combined for both is just plain bollocks. They wasted AJ Styles and John Cena in unwanted matches. There was no underdog moment that makes for a great Wrestlemania Moment like Bryan's crowning glory at Mania 30 or Chris Benoit and Eddie Gurrero hugging at the end of Wrestlemania 20. There were no technical masterpieces like Michaels vs Angle at Mania 21 or the sheer showmanship and story telling of Micheals vs Taker or Taker vs HHH, the end of an era match. 

It now begs the question on how WWE is going to promote their brand now? More part timers stealing the show from the ones who bust their ass day in and day out? Despite being the last genuine attraction in the WWE, Brock Lesner needs to out the title down even if it is against Roman Reigns if he is still going to be a part timer. A champion needs to be there for every Raw. AJ Styles needs to be back in the title hunt. Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe are all exciting and so is Shinsuke Nakamura who needs to come to smackdown in my opinion and restart his great rivalry with Styles. WWE has some very exciting talents in store but evil Vince or any of his halfwit writers needs to step it up. Strong story lines, great storytelling and memorable matches were their thing. Now they have to start all over again.

The Jayalalitha That I Will Miss

It's hard not to shed a tear or two when a personality of this magnitude passes. You may not see eye to eye on everything, but there is respect that goes far beyond the differences. I had hated Jayalalitha's merriment when her comrades, irrespective of gender and age falling at her feet. I had criticized her arrogance on certain decisions, specially her attempt to convert what is South Asia's biggest library into a hospital just because it was M.K Stalin's Brain Child. It was annoying whenever I saw kilometers of posters of her all along the while going to secretariat or party office. But beyond all that when I had tears rolling down my cheeks as I watch one news channel after another, it was pretty clear. She was a colossus who defied every odd that was thrown against her and strolled head high as the iron willed lady in an era of politics that was defined by male chauvinism. Her loss will be felt even more in the near future when that chauvinist disease comes creeping back and you find nobody in the vicinity who could fight it the way she did. On top of it, she was a Kannadiga Brahmin women who took the reigns of a Pro-Dravidian party not because of influence but because every one their supporters wanted her to do so. Oh the inside battles that she won!

It wasn't that she rose to the highest post in the state by virtue of her own effort. She did have the support of the great Mr. MGR, nurtured by him and took over the party that he left behind. But her political legacy lies in the way she fought the countless obstacles that came her way. From being thrown off MGR's funeral convoy to be taken in a similar convoy and laid next to his mentor, she conquered everything. It's hard to imagine anyone, gender irrelevant, who could have survived and had the will to continue after what she went through. The spat with V.N. Janaki, the saree grabbing incident in the secretariat in '89, the 48 cases lodged after the error-ridden reign of '91-'95, The Tansi Case & the recent property cases would take anyone's breath away, literally. She broke all that didn't she! Put aside the political gimmicks that are inevitable part of the modern day political landscape, some of the schemes of her's deserve special mention. The Cradle scheme in '91 that arrested the rampant female foeticide, Rain water harvesting in '01, Amma Unavagam in 2011, Including the Supreme Court's decision to release Cauvery water in Governement Gazette  stands out as her best work. 

But my admiration for Ammu goes beyond her political achievements. It's J. Jayalalitha, the person that fascinated me. While serving the people has always been one of her ambitions, inside her was a child that longed for something else. A brilliant student, a trained singer and an excellent dancer, she wanted to pursue a career in all forms of arts. All she wanted was to be with her mom when she was gowing up and yet Sandhya was so busy making a living for a young Jaya that she never had the time for her daughter. She started acting against her wishes and thrust into politics against her will. I guess more than anything it's her struggles that made her what she is. if not for them she would have quit being a politician long time back. With every struggle came the determination to prove herself and get on top of that situation and life had a way of throwing one situation after another at her. Eventually she made her life as one of defying struggles and died a fighter. But is this what she really wanted? Not Really! All she craved for was a family but never had a chance for one. It's the one thought that kept coming to me. If she had a family, they could have fought harder for her because although she was ill for 75 days the timing just does not seem right. There was a sense of incompleteness that gripped my heart when I saw the last ride.

We all know the strong willed personality that she is but few know that gentle beating heart inside her. You could see that when she visited her best friend Cho Ramasamy who passed away as I was writing this. The video that showed her saying "It's gonna be alright" to him may be the most simplest thing but it showed a side we haven't seen in a while. We saw her in her most relaxed during M.S Vishwanathan's tribute. There was a moment when somebody joked and she had that candid, beautiful smile on her face that I will remember forever. She has a library of 10000 books in her house and used to kick back with a book every night after a hard day's work. There are stories of how she used to test drive cars in her Kodanad estate. She was a bad patient, just like us you know. She had an enormous liking for sweets and cashews and refused to not eat them even after being diagnosed with Diabetes. You could see the child, stubborn, adamant and stupid. If only there was a family to whack the child, we could have seen more of her. But the thng that I admire the most apart from her beauty is her command over the English languauge which just like her beauty was flawless and effortless. Bishop Cotton and Church Park! The old Matriculation Standard! As a child, her speeches in English were a true inspiration for me to love the language the way I do now. Thanks Ammu for that!

it's so heartening to see that the best of tributes for her came from none other than their arch rivals DMK. Years of battle back and forth and some bitter moments and yet, the respect in the end. Here is what one of them wrote, a truly fitting tribute this.

"Even though you stood against us, we were proud that we were facing a lioness.
We always wanted you to not rule but never wished for you to not live!"

R.I.P Ammu!

My Captain And What He Means To Me

It's 3.30 in the morning. It's my wife's birthday. I am sitting in the living room with her and a bunch of her friends who had travelled a great deal to be with her on her day. It's an absolutely wonderful atmosphere filled with love and laughter. I log in to facebook to see updates that her friends had posted for her and yet I coudn't but notice that my newsfeed is filled with one name, Steven Gerrard. I had a few rounds of my favorite Scotch Whiskey on the rocks, I am a little high but I coudn't help but pen this piece on my captain. Honestly I don't want to be left out when all my friends supporting the great Liverpool Football Club is writing their tributes for their recently retired talisman even though he hung up his boots some thousand miles away from his home at Anfield. That's what my captain means to me. No matter the situation my captain makes me to write about him. My captain, the great Steven Gerrard. The laughter in my living room is not a distraction, not even close. I am in my own world now. My wife is in her own world and she doesn't mind either. 

Growing up in a country in an era that idolises individuals rather than the team, it was academic for me to follow a superstar when I first started following football. To be frank, it wasn't Steven Gerrard of Liverpool that captivated me, but that smiling assasin and the coolest and the greatest striker to have ever played, Alan Shearer. The knack for goal even with his back turned and that raised hand celebration simply captivated me. My first hero in Liverpool wasn't the all action midfielder either, it was another smiling albeit a bit selfish assasin, Michael Owen. How can a player be so cool when surrounded by 5 other opposition players in the box, I asked myself. Yet beyond all the fascination rose a man who did something to me that even those two greats couldn't do! He made me follow the beautiful game for the rest of my life. That you Steven Geroge Gerrard. He is my hero, my captain, my leader, my inspiration and he epitomized everything that I come to love about Football.

Enough was said about THAT Champions League campaign which included the oh so repeated Olymiakos goal, HIS FA Cup final at Cardiff and his loyalty to his boyhood club. But beyond all this I have come to love a man whose earliest memory of him that I had was a celebration after scoring a goal against that had him ignore his teammates and point towards himself as if to make a point that he is the man. I asked myself, who is this arrogant and selfish guy? Little did I know!!! 

I was fortunate enough to see Tendulkar play, bailing India out of a situation day in and day out. I had never imagined another sports person who was as dedicated to the sport and team he played for and that too in a sport as team oriented as football. It just so happened that he played in a team like Liverpool, that most family like club that you would ever see. It just fits. A club like family and a homegrown player to lead them out of the tunnel. Looking back now and there is only one fitting explanation for his brief flirtation with Chelsea, that he is human after all. Perhaps England would have benefitted from the two icons forming a formidable partnership both at Stamford Bridge and Wembley. But the legend was well and truly born when he told Rick Parry to remove the release clause from his contract after much media speculation that put an ever so small dent on that glorious return from Istanbul. 

He was there you know, pretty much everywhere. He was there with that spectacular goal against Manchester United. He was there with THAT celebration against Everton so early in his career that put them in their place. He didn't want to wake up in the Europa League, so he was there with "Gerraaaaard! What the hit son, What a hit!". "European Champions and this time it's for keeps" happened because he rose against everybody to head in that captain's goal. He had no energy but still conjured a "Gerrard Oh! Ohhhhhh!" to pull an absolute rabbit out of the hat and a celebration that made us say "We know the name Son!" Steven Gerrard and Andy Gray (An Evertonian of all people!) are football's version of Sachin Tendulkar and Tony Grieg. They made each other's carrers in more ways than one.

That he managed to do all this for 19 years with only three years of world class teams around him in the treble winning season, the title chasing teams lead by the brilliance of Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez makes his that more special. Not to reign on his parade but I wonder how much Frank Lampard would have dragged and achieved with an underachieving Chelsea team. Perhaps Zizu was right after all! He must just be up there with those two aliens who are playing in Spain right now. 

It is heartening to see that despite giving his life for the club, there is more he wants to offer for the club in a managerial role. Some people just don't know when to stop, do they! I really can't put a finger to why I support this great club. But I am greatful I did because I got to follow a man who continues to inspire me as a leader, even in my obscure job officiating a bank branch in a small town in northern Tamilnadu. The lives he can touch! Purely on a footballing perspective we may never find another Gerrard, Carragher. Totti, Maldini, Terry, Scholes, Giggs and the likes. Perhaps Harry Kane if Tottenham can keep up. It was a pleasure to have watched football during their times. The time of Men rather than the "brace my hair and I will fall down holding my knee and crying like a baby" footballers of today.

When I used to frequent a self-order cafe, I used to always pick token no 8 whenever it is available because it is his jersey number. Then for a birthday, a friend of mine made a puzzle that answer for which the answer is No 8 and the gift was with the cafe manager who was holding the token. That's how I rememeber my captain. By talking about him even to non football loving people. I will remember him everytime I type in my password. I will remember Steven Gerrard, for the rest of my life as the best footballer I have ever witnessed. And I will make sure that in all the footballing conversations that I will ever have, I will hold that thought. That will be my tribute to him.

Movie Review: Doctor Strange – Has Soul Searching Marvel Found Their Key to Survival?

Every movie franchise needs a rebirth at some point. Christopher Nolan’s storytelling changed the way we look at superhero movies forever with that kind of conflict that rips our understanding of right and wrong. DC may have done the reverse of it with the utterly terrible Batman Vs Superman, Dawn of Justice. But Marvel seems to have turned a page from their formulaic action extravaganzas to formulaic magical extravaganzas. I use the word formulaic because despite the soul searching that the franchise undergoes along with Dr Strange, it is the writing that lets it down.

Doctor Strange follows that life of Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) an arrogant but brilliant neurosurgeon who loses his way after a terrible accident. In search of an eastern cure, he unwittingly falls into the hands of the Ancient One (Tilda Swindon) who along with Master Mondo (Chiwetel Edjiafor) transforms Dr Strange into a universe saving sorcerer by introducing him to dimensions that defy time and space. And when the inevitable threat comes to earth it was up to the trio to save it from falling into darkness.

Robert Downey Jr must be pissing himself at the sight of Benedict Cumberbatch. If he though he nailed the role of World’s famous detective, out came Cumberbatch with his version of Sherlock Holmes that blew the audience away. Now Downey Jr’s title as the best Marvel Cast member might be at threat with Englishman stealing the show as Dr Strange with an arrogant, narcissistic yet lovable, goofy and funny portrayal. There may be shades of Sherlock to it but only just. He mesmerizes us with a performance that shifts from self-centred arrogance to a world saver without essentially losing the soul upon which the character is developed. And yes, that smile! How long before he stars in a timeless romantic flick?

Though originally not conceived in the comics as a Celtic sorcerer, Tilda Swinton as the ancient one steals the show with a measured performance that resonates with the very purpose of the movie. Chiwetel Edgiafor has done far more challenging roles so this is a cake walk for the talented actor. Mads Mikkelson doesn’t do a lot of mainstream Hollywood movies but when he does it stands out like the Bond Villain in Casino Royale, the series Hannibal and now as Caesillius. Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams has limited screen space but that does not stop from leaving an impression.

Doctor Strange might just be the template upon which Marvel could continue its cinematic existence. Here they have moved into a darker territory and the sort of concepts that stimulates the modern movie going geeks. There is humour that goes extremely well written for the characters and doesn’t look forced. Originally conceived in the 60’s, the writers have done well to introduce modern concepts of physics to enchant the modern intellect and enough spiritual material to appeal to the family audience. The special effects stay close to the movie’s time and space bending concepts. Yet there are some inevitable flaws that they could not correct. The screenplay follows an extremely tried and tested path and sometimes overbearing of CGI that could take the focus off storytelling. There is an instant comparison to Nolan’s Batman Begins that follows a similar trajectory of a talented lost man in search for his soul in the orient and Inception inspired CGI although others may argue that Nolan stole the original idea from the comic itself.

Marvel after Infinity Wars could have been a stretch given the orgy of stars and that sort of final battle that could make a successful movie franchise and force their audience into submission. But with an alternative look to its thinking, Marvel might have found a way beyond that with Doctor Strange.