Top Ten Movies & Awards of 2008

[This post is completely personal and not to hurt anyone]
The top ten movies of 2008 are

10.Yaradi Nee Mohini(5.8/10)
9. Raman Thediya Seethai(6.2/10)
8. Poi Solla Porom(6.5/10)
7. Santhosh Subramaniam(6.8/10)
6. Vellithirai(7/10)
5. Vaaranam Aayiram(7.1/10)
4. Saroja(7.2/10)
3. Dasavatharam(7.3/10)
2. Anjathey(8.1/10)
1. Subramaniapuram(8.7/10)

The following are the awards for film technicians of 2008….

Best Editor: Antony
Best Art Director: Thottadarani(Dasavatharam)
Best Stunts: Andy Dixon(Dasavatharam)
Best Choreographer: Brindha
Best Villain: Prasanna(Anjathey)
Best Comedian: Premji Amaran(Saroja)
Best Cinematographer: Jeeva(Dhaam Dhoom)
Best Music Director: Harris Jayaraj(Vaaranam Aayiram)
Best Actress(Debut): Swathi(Subramaniapuram)
Best Actor(Debut): Nakul(Kadhalil Vizhunthen)
Best New Face of 2008: Sameera Reddy(Vaaranam Aayiram)
Best Supporting Actress: Simran(Vaaranam Aayiram)
Best Supporting Actor: Prakash Raj(Vellithirai)
Best Entertaining Movie: Dasavatharam
Best Film of 2008: Subramaniapuram
Best Story Writer: Kamal Haasan(Dasavatharam)
Best Screenplay Writer: Venkat Prabhu(Saroja)
Best Dialogue Writer: Viji(Vellithirai)
Best Producer: Prakash Raj(Vellithirai)
Best Director: Sasi Kumar(Subramaniapuram)
Best Actress: Asin(Dasavatharam)
Best Actor: Kamal Haasan(Dasavatharam)

CONGRATS & ALL THE BEST for all of these artists and lets hope we get more good movies in 2009….

Kamal Haasan: Chief guest at 39th IFFI

The multitalented actor of Kollywood, Kamal Haasan, and Rekha, the 70's and 80's heart-throb of Bollywood, will be the chief guests at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 39th International Film Festival that begins on November 22nd in Goa. Goa’s Governor S.S. Sidhu, Chief Minister Digamber Kamath, and I&B minister Anand Sharma will also grace the occasions.

Eminent playback singer Lata Mangeshkar, actors Saroja Devi, Dilip Kumar and Tapan Sinha will receive “lifetime achievement” awards this year at this festival which will be hosted by beautiful Bollywood actress Amrita Rao.

Ileana D’ Cruz, famed Tollywood actress of Goan origin, will also be a special guest at this festival.

As reported earlier, 15 films from all over the world have been selected in the competition section and Priyadarshan’s Tamil film Kanchivaram is one of them.

Apart from this, there will also be Indian Panorama, a screening session of 47 renowned Indian films (26 feature and 21 non-feature).

Vaaranam Aayiram wows audiences

After a touching premiere for the movie by Tanker Foundation and Reach India, who held a special screening of Vaaranam Aayiram yesterday in Chennai, audiences walked out of theatres moved nearly to tears by the impact of the movie. Almost every person said they either absolutely loved the movie or liked it immensely.

For a project that seemed to have been jinxed from the start, Vaaranam Aayiram has perhaps found a new lease of life in a quality that should be and essential part of any movie – a beautiful story and a beautiful narration.

When asked what they liked best about the movie, the audiences of the charity show last night responded with a slew of replies, from “fabulous music and visuals to match” to “ a most touching father-son relationship” to “beautifully portrayed love stories” to “an amazing perspective of a modern-minded middle-class Indian family”.

All in all, it seems that Vaaranam Aayiram could well prove to be the huge strength of director Gautham Menon at the box-office as well as in critics’ circles.

It is heartwarming to see the dedication of Suriya, who was filming near Mumbai for Ayan, arrived at the premiere promptly. Divya Spandana and Sameera Reddy looked amazing at the premiere.

Secret about Celebs

Not all celebrities are born with glamour, or at least such was the case with Madonna, Brad Pitt, Russell Crowe to name a few.

While some of the A-listers had reasonably decent beginnings, some had to sustain themselves with filthy jobs before creating a niche for themselves, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Matthew McConaughey spent a year shovelling chicken manure, Mick Jagger worked as a porter in a mental hospital, Madonna used to serve customers at ‘Dunkin Donut’.

Similarly, Russell Crow used to be DJ at 16, Robin Williams worked as a street mime, Eva Mendes used to sell hot dogs, and Brad Pitt donned a giant chicken suit and stood outside a store to attract clients.

Yuvanshankar Raja turns filmmaker

The man who enthralled everyone with his musical talent has a story to say. And here he comes with his story. Yuvanshankar Raja, the eminent music composer, will turn into a producer soon while attempting to picturise a beautiful story that he has written. He has started his own production house – Pearl Stone Entertainment Pvt Ltd.

Yuvanshankar Raja said that he has always had this desire to see his creativity take the form of cinema. He also added that cinema is a powerful medium through which various ideas can be conveyed effectively and he would like to paint the silver screen with his ideas. “As a musician, I have so many things left to be said, which I shall tell you in my films”, says the expert musician.

This yet-to-be-titled film will be directed by S.P. Sabha and will have his friend Mirchi Shiva (of Chennai 600028 and Saroja fame) in the lead. It is to be noted that S.P. Sabha is already directing Shiva in 16.

Also, this talented music director will work on a music album for Sony, which will release in March or April 2009. The theme of this album would be love. With the way the album is coming up, he is absolutely confident that it will strike a chord in the audience just like A.R.Rahman’s music albums did. But Yuvan has no idea of making an appearance in his music album.

Well, this is a great Deepavali for Yuvanshankar Raja – Aegan’s songs (composed by him) have become hugely popular and now this decision of filmmaking! It is a double Deepavali bonanza for Yuvanshankar Raja.

Piya, Kollywood's newest spice!

Have you watched the recent comic entertainer Poi Solla Porom yet? If you have, did you rack your brains to recall why the bubbly heroine looked so familiar?
Indeed, Piya's strength is her looks. She reigned as the most-wanted performer during her stint in the ad world. In fact, during 2007, she appeared in 60 different ad films. With a mop of attractive curls and dazzling eyes, she has now become the darling of Kollywood too.
Born in Kanpur, Piya's family, including her mother and sister, are into the teaching profession. A maverick among this ambitious and studious lot, Piya strongly opted for modelling and has found heart-felt enjoyment and profound success in her chosen profession. Her transition into films from the modelling realm has also brought her a wider reach. Following Poi Solla Porom, Piya will be seen in a meaty role in Ajith's Aegan. In a particular sequence in which she has to offer an emotionally-packed performance, all the spectators at the set had appreciated her acting, comparing her with the famous 'Anjali Pappa'. Though initially Piya was perplexed with the remark, after elaborate enquiry, she found that Anjali was one of the audiences' favourite characters on screen.
So, what did the Aegan hero advise Piya? "Always be sincere in your work. That will only lift you up above everything," is what the determined performer told her.
Armed with that precious counsel, Piya is all set to explore the exciting opportunities that keep coming her way now. Will she carve a substantial place for herself in the industry? We will have to wait and watch!

Johnny Depp voted 'World's Sexiest Man'

He might be 45, but Johnny Depp still rules ladies' hearts, and a new survey justifies that. According to a new poll, the Hollywood hunk has been voted as the world's sexiest man.

The 'World's Sexiest Men' survey, headed by 'Cosmopolitan' magazine has revealed that the heartthrob snatched the top spot leaving behind George Clooney to nab the second place - both in their 40's. However, following the third place was Jake Gyllenhaal, who's just in his 27th year.

Daniel Craig and Brad Pitt, who are in their 40s took away the fourth and the fifth rank, respectively. Interestingly, only three men in their 20 somethings made it to the Top 25 list, namely, 'Brokeback Mountain' star Jake Gyllenhaal, British actor James McAvoy who came in No. 6 while singer Justin Timberlake at No. 7. The survey featured singer-actor Will Smith bagging the 8th spot, followed by ace-footballer David Beckham and actor Wentworth Miller.

"Both George Clooney and Johnny Depp just keep getting better with age," the Daily Star quoted Lizzi Hosking of 'Cosmopolitan' as saying. The top 25 hunks are:

1 Johnny Depp, 45
2 George Clooney, 47
3 Jake Gyllenhaal, 27
4 Daniel Craig, 40
5 Brad Pitt, 44
6 James McAvoy, 29
7 JustinTimberlake, 27
8 Will Smith, 40
9 David Beckham, 33
10 Wentworth Miller, 36
11 Christian Bale, 34
12 Jonathan Rhys Meyers, 31
13 Take That: Gary Barlow, 37, Mark Owen, 36, Howard Donald, 40 and Jason Orange, 38
14 Ashton Kutcher, 30
15 Dermot O'Leary, 35
16 David Tennant, 37
17 Patrick Dempsey, 42
18 Clive Owen, 44
19 Pierce Brosnan, 55
20 Mark Ronson, 33
21 Gordon Ramsay, 41
22 Russell Brand, 33
23 Pharrell Williams, 35
24 Ryan Reynolds, 31
25 Olivier Martinez, 42

Vaaranam Aayiram Songs

When Gautham Menon and Harris Jayaraj get together, they make musical magic. With Vaaranam Aayiram, which has taken nearly two years in the making and is even today awaited with bated breath, the duo keeps their promise of giving music lovers a range of eminently melodious songs. From mellifluous ballads to peppy urban beats to quirky folk rhythms, Vaarnam Aayiram is for keeps. And so the chords go… Click any of the links below to download all songs....

Link 1
Link 2

MUSIC REVIEW

1. 'Mundhinam' Singers: Naresh Iyer, Prashanthini
This one reminds you of George Michael’s cult song “Keep The Faith”… and yet, it's different. It’s a peppy, young romantic number with a little infectious rattle here and some jazz-like pieces there. It will take you back to the time YOU were in college, full of life and love.

2. 'Yethi Yethi' Singers: Naresh Iyer, Solar Sai, Benny Dayal
Morcoccan meets Carnatic classical meets young energy – that’s Yethi Yethi in a nutshell. This song is bursting with exuberance and some naughty cockiness.

3. 'Nenjukkul Peidhidum' Singers: Hariharan, Devan, V. Prasanna
Undoubtedly one of the finest songs in the film, it is a blend of a soft ballad, gentle guitars and captivating lyrics. Be prepared to close your eyes and simply lean into the mesmerizing voice of Hariharan as he carries you along the flow of this song.

4. 'Oh Shanthi Shanthi' Singers: Clinton, S.P.B. Charan
And if you’re done leaning, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee with the bright and energetic mix of the same song. Definitely bridging the culture gap, this song brings together almost-rock beats, evocative yet simple lyrics and fusion instruments and the result is… BOOM!

5. 'Adiyae Kolluthey' Singers: Krish, Benny Dayal, Shruti Haasan
Galatta’s pick of the album. It’s hot, it’s rock-meets-Tamil, it’s young, infectious and a seamless confluence of melodies that blend with an electric beat guaranteed to get your feet off the ground. Be prepared for real enjoyment!

6. 'Annul Maelae' Singers: Sudha Raghunathan
It seems almost out of place, this song. It embraces all things ethnic and nothing urban, except for the mild guitar strains in the background. A deeply melancholic song, one needs to develop a taste for it, especially after the previous numbers. Sudha sounds uncannily like Harris’ usual favourite Bombay Jayshree, with her brand of husky wistfulness.

7. 'Ava Enna' Singers: Karthik, V. Prasanna
Another surprise. Completely folksy and yet, Harris’ brand of electronica peeks out every now and then. It’s sassy, sexy and very tribal – only you won’t be able to tell if it’s purely southern or also has some other ethnic influences too, in its finger-drumming beat and twanging instruments.

Click here for Saroja Movie Review

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Soundarya Rajini confirms Billa-2

Soundarya Rajinikanth, the director of Rajini's forthcoming animated magnum opus, Sultan - The Warrior officially confirmed the idea of making Billa 2 with actor Ajith. She said that she will start working on the film after June 2009, by which time Ajith will be free from Aegan and she will be free from Sultan: the warrior. Soundarya is going to produce this sequel in association with Warner Bros. Pictures India. Earlier, when people watched Billa, they related with it as they would relate to a Hollywood movie. This time, with the Ocher and Warner Bros combination, it looks like Billa 2 would surpass Hollywood and Bollywood standards and herald a new generation of movies.
Ajith recently enjoyed success in Billa, directed by Vishnuvardhan. The remake of a 70s' blockbuster turned out to be an enhanced version with grandeur, stunning locales, excellent cinematography, glamorous Nayantara, and above all, a very stylish and dapper Ajith, who portrayed a sadistic, sharp-witted and powerful don. He stole the thunder from others in this movie which had a Hollywood feel.
Apparently attracted by this, Ocher Studios and Warner Bros Pictures India have decided to include the victorious duo of Ajith and Vishnuvardhan in their first venture. The teaming up of Ajith and Vishnuvardhan has led the Tamil film industry to speculate that Ocher and Warner Bros are making Billa 2.
For another project, Ocher and Warner are planning to rope in Vijay. They have plans to make eight more films with frontline heroes of Tamil cinema.

Tahaan Movie Review

A fable rarely gets its cinematic interpretation in Bollywood. But acclaimed cinematographer Santosh Sivan decides to do so for his new outing TAHAAN. TAHAAN is a soothing experience. Also, amidst the story of a child's obsession for his pet donkey, it also opens your eyes to the fact that children can be soft targets for carrying out nefarious activities.

Agreed, a film like TAHAAN caters to a niche audience. But its simplicity is its USP. There's another reason to go for it: Child artiste Purav. You can't take your eyes off from this sensational discovery of Sivan.

Tahaan [Purav Bhandara] lives with his grandfather [Victor Banerjee], his mother [Sarika] and older sister [Sana Shaikh] in the serene meadows of Kashmir. They all live in the hope that someday Tahaan's father, who's been missing for over three years, will return.

The death of his grandfather prompts the local moneylender [Rahul Khanna] to take away the assets of the family, including their pet donkey Birbal. For Tahaan, bringing his favourite donkey Birbal back home becomes the sole purpose in life. Tahaan is devastated to learn that an old man, Subhan [Anupam Kher], has bought Birbal and taken him across the mountains. He traces Subhan and tells him about Birbal.

Subhan doesn't befriend Tahaan at first sight, but slowly warms up to this energetic and determined soul whose love for Birbal is paramount. On his way back home, Tahaan encounters a teenage lad ldrees, who convinces him that his efforts would never be sufficient to get Birbal back. Instead, he promises to get Birbal back for a favour. All Tahaan will have to do is carry a package across the mountains on his next journey. Seeing Tahaan's eagerness, ldrees hands him a grenade.

Tahaan sets off on his second journey with Subhan, the grenade and package tucked away under Birbal's saddle. What is the price that Tahaan will have to pay for Birbal? Santosh Sivan travels a seldom travelled path in TAHAAN. Sure, he's telling a simple, uncomplicated story, but a simple story could be difficult to narrate. The film has its share of interesting moments, but the finale is, without doubt, the best part of the enterprise. However, the screenplay is not as convincing and gripping as one expects it to be.

TAHAAN belongs to the young actor -- Purav. Post Darsheel's act in TAARE ZAMEEN PAR, Purav's is the most confident act by a child actor. Anupam Kher also stays with you even after the show has concluded. Sarika is excellent. Rahul Bose doesn't deliver this time, mainly because the role lacks meat. Rahul Khanna has a miniscule role. Ditto for Victor Banerjee.

On the whole, TAHAAN is for a niche audience, more for the festival circuit.

Fan Club Awards

The annual fan club awards for 2007 have been announced. Every year, the Chennai Cine Fans’ Club, headed by former judge Jagadeesan, selects the best film actors and technicians and recognizes their good work by conferring this award. Parthasarathy, Chief Secretary of Cine Fan Club announced the winners’ list in a simple function graced by former judge Vallinayagam and Chennai Cine Fan Club president Jagadeesan.

The recipients of this award are:

Technicians:

Best Producer: Aascar Ravichandran
Best Director: Vishnuvardhan (Billa)
Best Film: Periyar
Special Award: Sivaji
Best Music Composer: Yuvanshankar Raja
Best Lyricist: Na. Muthukumar
Best Cinematographer: Neerav Shah (Billa)

Actors:

Best Actors: Rajinikanth (Sivaji), Ajith (Billa).
Best Actresses: Nayantara (Billa), Trisha (Kireedam), Namitha (Naan Avanillai), Malavika (Naan Avanillai).

Best Character Artist (Male): Sathyaraj (Periyar)
Best Character Artist (Female): Khushbu (Periyar)

The award reflects the popularity gained by some films released in 2007.

Trisha in Marmayogi

Trisha is reported to have bagged a role in Kamal Haasan's next film Marmayogi, to be produced by the legend himself, in association with Pyramid Saimira. Expected to be the costliest ever movie in Kollywood, it is being planned with a 125 crore budget. Kamal Haasan himself will be directing this film. He had earlier directed films like Hey Raam and Virumandi.
This reigning queen of South Indian filmdom is doing King opposite Nagarjuna right now. She was all set to do two more flicks; one opposite Venkatesh in Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum to be directed by Krish and teh other, Ravi Teja’s next film to be directed by Surendar Reddy. But now, it seems she has backed out of these two plum projects. Why? Because she had to give bulk dates of around 200 days for Kamal’s dream project, meaning she will have no time for any other project. As a result, her presence in Telugu films will be quite low in the near future.
Though she was upset that she had to decline the Telugu movie offers, the role in Marmayogi will be the role of a lifetime for this petite dream queen of Kollywood. Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikalam, Abhiyum Naanum and Sarvam are the three Tamil movies on hand that Trisha has to wrap up before starting Marmayogi.
Trisha’s dream of working with Kamal Haasan, her favourite actor, has come true.

Deepika tops the Maxim Hot 100 girls list

Model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone, who is set for her second release 'Bachna Ae Haseeno', is feeling ecstatic after topping the popular Maxim Hot 100 girls' worldwide list. 'I really didn't expect it. I'm really excited. People always used to call me either cute or pretty, but no one ever called me sexy. I take it as a compliment,' Deepika told IANS. Although the young actress is flattered by the title, she did not feel even a tad embarrassed.

'There is nothing wrong in being called sexy. I think the term itself has been misunderstood. People think that a person is sexy only if she is wearing tiny clothes. But for me, being sexy is about being mysterious and having your own personality and certainly has nothing to do with a person's fashion sense,' she held.

After being a top model, and coming up with a successful debut with super hit 'Om Shanti Om', Deepika has become a Bollywood star, but she says stardom hasn't affected her as her feet are firmly grounded. While in 'Om Shanti Om' Deepika shared screen space with superstar Shah Rukh Khan, she has been paired opposite real life beau Ranbir Kapoor in 'Bachna Ae Haseeno'. The romantic drama also stars Minissha Lamba and Bipasha Basu and is being directed by Siddharth Anand.

She has been roped in to play an important role in 'Jab We Met' fame director Imtiaz Ali's next venture.

Why did Bill Gates leave microsoft??????

Letter is from our great friend SARDARJI of Punjab to Mr. Bill Gates of Microsoft

Subject: Problems with my new computer

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,

We have bought a computer for our home and we have found some
problems, which I want to bring to your notice.

1. There is a button 'start' but there is no 'stop' button. We request
you to check this.

2. We find there is 'Run' in the menu. One of my friends clicked 'run'
he ran up to Amritsar ! So, we request you to change that to 'sit',
so that we can click that by sitting.

3.. One doubt is whether any 're-scooter' is available in system? I
find only 're-cycle', but I own a scooter at my home.

4. There is 'Find' button but it is not working properly. My wife lost
the door key and we tried a lot trace the key with this ' find'
button, but was unable to trace. Please rectify this problem.

5. My child learnt 'Microsoft word' now he wants to learn 'Microsoft
sentence', so when you will provide that?

6. I brought computer, CPU, mouse and keyboard, but there is only one
icon which shows 'MY Computer': when you will provide the remaining
items?

7. It is surprising that windows says 'MY Pictures' but there is
not even a single photo of mine. So when will you keep my photo in
that.

8. There is 'MICROSOFT OFFICE' what about 'MICROSOFT HOME' since I use
the PC at home only.

9. You provided 'My Recent Documents'. When you will provide 'My Past
Documents'?

10. You provide 'My Network Places'. For God shake please do not
provide 'My Secret Places'. I do not want to let my wife know where I
go after my office hours.

Regards,

Banta

Last one Mr. Bill Gates :

Sir, how is it that your name is Gates but u are selling WINDOWS?

Marmayogi = Maruthanayagam?

With the commencement of Marmayogi, it's time for controversies to take centre stage. The recent buzz that has been doing rounds in Kollywood is that Kamal Haasan is trying to revive his dream project Maruthanayagam and pass it off as Marmayogi. A few years ago, the ambitious actor started Maruthanayagam amidst much fanfare. It may be recounted that this film, which was also directed by Kamal, was shelved when a section of the society raised a hue and cry over depicting their community in dark light. But Kamal's new appearance for Marmayogi, which is similar to one he sported during the Maruthanayagam days, has raised doubts that he has plans to serve the old wine in a new bottle. However, Marmayogi is based in the 7th century while Maruthanayagam was a warrior who lived in the 18th century.

Kuselan Review

First of all, Kuselan is not the regular superstar film. It is just a film with superstar and on superstar.

By not a regular superstar film, I mean there are no powerful adversaries, no challenges, no revenge, no riches to rags to riches character graph. And a Rajnikant film without a villain is something we haven't seen in God knows how long!

Real meets reel as superstar Rajnikant plays Superstar Ashok Kumar and frankly, you can't tell the difference nor does director P Vasu want you to know the difference. Montage of Rajnikant films and references to superstar's life are thrown in liberally into the Tamil remake. Since the pace of the original is already slow, these elements further slacken the pace.

Performance-wise, superstar is a little subdued because he has to play himself. As a fan, I understand the expectation out of a regular Thalaivar film. Though it is closest to the real him, with Kuselan we realize that his screen persona is larger than the real him and it's like watching a tiger put inside a cage at the circus. We so want him to break free. To make up for the masala, Vasu unleashes glamour in the form of Nayanthara cavorting in the rain and has Vadivelu leer at her like a voyeur.

Like superstar himself says in the film: Watching a film being shot is not as exciting as watching a film. And Kuselan is a soppy drama with the shooting of a Superstar film being a mere backdrop. For people closely following his political ambitions, let me just say that superstar distances himself from the political punch-lines from his past films saying that he was only an actor saying his lines. And he hastens to add, that he does not have to answer to anybody about whether or not he will do something in the future. There's also a tinge of Superstar's personal philosophy when he reveals why he takes a trip to Himalayas every year.

Kuselan though slow is extremely watchable if you forget the hype. Go for it only if you are a sucker for sentiment. Let the taps flow. Bring out the hankies....

Kuselan Tickets

Featuring Rajinikanth, Pasupathy, Nayantara and Meena in key roles, Kuselan is a remake of the Malayalam movie Katha Parayumpol. Vadivelu presumably provides the comedy angle. Kuselan is said to be the story of two friends - a superstar actor (Rajinikanth) and a poor barber (Pasupathy). Music is from G.V.Prakash Kumar while Arvind Krishna gets credit for the cinematography. Kuselan is produced by K.Balachandar and directed by P.Vasu (director of the Rajinikanth’s 2005 blockbuster Chandramukhi). It remains to be seen if Kuselan can match the success of Rajinikanth’s previous movie Sivaji. Kuselan is also being released in Telugu under the title Kathanayakudu.
Superstar Rajinikanth revealed that he dons a very important role in 'Kuselan'. However, he said that, as per the story, “Pasupathy’s role is 50%, Vadivelu gets 25% and 25% for me”. He added that the movie revolves around his character. He also said that the emotional climax would be on par with 'Chandramukhi'. He expressed his confidence that the movie would come out very well. Director P. Vasu said that the movie is Rajini’s movie and that no one needs to have any doubt about it. His character has been shaped to fulfill the expectations of his fans, he added. It is learnt that Rajini has two fights and two duets in the film.
Well, the movie is going to be released on August 1 and all Rajini fans are very eager to watch the movie.. The tickets are being sold out in huge numbers.. Online bookings are very much busy for the next three weeks.. People all over India can book tickets for any show in the link provided below....

Kuselan Tickets

Dark Knight

“The Dark Knight” became the highest single-day grossing movie in Hollywood history, collecting a staggering $66.4 million in its first 24 hours of release, Warner Bros. said Saturday. The much-anticipated flick, co-starring the late Heath Ledger as a particularly psychotic Joker, soared past the old one-day mark of $59.8 million set last year by “Spider-Man 3.” The huge one-day number indicates “The Dark Knight,” the second installment with Christian Bale as a brooding Batman, could smash the all-time opening weekend record of $151.1 million held by “Spider-Man 3.” The movie - with a reported $180 million pricetag - appears a lock to leapfrog “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” as the biggest first weekend film of 2008. “The Dark Knight” collected a record $18.5 million alone at midnight screenings, besting the old record of $16.9 million set by “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” in 2005. While critics are taking the film seriously enough to suggest Ledger could be in line for an Academy Award nomination, the action-packed movie also delivers as pure summer movie escapism.

Subramaniapuram Review

A simple tale about group of young cool guys in Madurai during 1980 who have worries to care about their future lives. Azhagu (Jai), Paraman (Sasi), Kasi (Ganja Karuppu) and their handicapped friend are almost the roadside Romeos of the town. Azhagu is in love with Swathi whose belongs to the family of political background. Thulasi (Samuthirakani), uncle of Swathi has a very close relationship with these guys. Azhagu, Paramanan and other buddies in the group set-up a sound service rental in front of Thulasi’s home and now and then they get into problems. Well, Thulasi is the first one to step forward in bringing them out of troubles. Gliding with gleeful moments, these youngsters are now thrown into troublesome moments filled with lots of betrayals and vengeance.

‘An awesome movie’, these would be the remarking words that you will spell after watching this flick. An intensifying attempt from Director Sasi for brimming up with a perfect story and powerful narration that makes audiences glued to the screens right throughout the film. Chennai 600028 fame Jai shells out his best performance that looks more naturalistic. But in most of the scenes, his performance and gestures brings Karthi in Paruthiveeran. Probably, it may be due to the fact that Sasi worked with Ameer as assistant director and seemingly this could be the one fine reason. Not alone standing on the shoes of director does Sasi excel, for he does a mind blowing performance on the character of Paraman. Actress Swathi looks cool, but her performance is not up to our expectations for you can spot her all the time smiling and rolling her eyes.

Musical score by James Vasanth is a commendable approach for all the melodies have been well-tuned. Fine! It would have nice if he had come bit of improvised work on background score. A marvelous cinematography by Kathir makes the film more enhanced; especially the action sequences have been very well captured. Kathir has the detailed elements canned and obviously it’s a great for audiences. Director Sasi hasn’t focused more on the aspects of romance and fails a bit in drawing us in emotionally in few scenes. But violence dominates the most throughout the frames

In simple terms, ‘Subramaniapuram’ is a film that elevates Tamil Cinema to the next level in World Cinema. Splendiferous directorial by Sasi is praiseworthy and you people shouldn’t miss this film…

Vaaranam Ayiram

The date for the release of Gautam Menon’s Vaaranam Ayiram was shifted due to unforeseen circumstances. Due to the release of this year biggie Dasavathaaram, many films changed their release dates. Gautam Menon doesn’t stick to a release date plan. He said that they had to wait for Surya to lose weight because he is playing a father and son. They didnot anticipate that his old age make up would take 4 hours in application require constant re-application due to the heat! Now the film will release on 15th August only.