• Movie Review

    Good Night (2023), a down to earth tamil film

    It is rare to see such a realistic and relatable movie made in Kollywood. Good Night (2023) is a story about marital problems caused by snoring. A simple screenplay, a perfect cast, and very little heroism with comedy that works have made this film enjoyable. I wish Director Vinayak Chandrasekaran had avoided a few medical science gaps and trimmed the running time a bit. Rewarding a fine attempt, the film gets a Ripe rating on our Mangoiditos scale. K Manikandan as the protagonist shines in every frame. Meetha Raghunath has his love interest and his wife has played the subdued role very well. Joining them were Ramesh Thilak, who has…

  • Movie Review,  தமிழ்

    பொன்னியின் செல்வன் 2 (2023)

    பொன்னியின் செல்வன் 2 இன்று ஐமாக்ஸ் பெரிய திரையில் பார்த்தாயிற்று, எனக்குப் பிடித்திருந்தது. திரைக்கதை நன்றாகவிருந்தது. ஐஸ்வர்யா ராய் மற்றும் திரிஷாவின் நடிப்பு அருமை. நடிகர் ரகுமான் இந்த வயதிலும் எப்படி இவ்வளவு இளமையாக இருக்கிறார்?. இறுதி சண்டைக்காட்சி சுமார் தான், ஆனால் திரைப்பட வடிவத்தில் அவசியம். எனக்குச் சொல்ல ஒரு புகார் தான், ஏ.ஆர்.ரஹ்மான் அவர்களின் பின்னணி இசை வெறும் இரைச்சல், முக்கியமான காட்சிகளில் கூட வசனம் கேட்க முடியாதளவு வாத்திய இசைகளின் ஆதிக்கம், அதோடு ஒலியளவையும் குறைத்திருக்கலாம். பின் குறிப்பு: புத்தகத்திலிருந்து ஏன், எப்படி மாறுபட்டு இருக்கிறது என்பதைப் பற்றி நான் கவலைப் படவில்லை. காரணம் நான் நாவலை வாங்கினேனே தவிரப் படித்ததில்லை! #PonniyinSelvan2 #பொன்னியின்செல்வன்

  • TV Show Review

    Star Trek Picard, I loved the final episode

    Season 3 of Star Trek Picard started tamely. I was disappointed to see Picard throwing everything he stood for by lying to Captain Shaw and sacrificing many for his son. However, Episode 9 titled Vox brought it all together nicely and made sense. The final episode was a treat for the fans as the writers did an excellent job of wrapping up the storylines. Instead of high adrenaline, nail-biting action sequences, we got a treatment that suited the age of the characters. It was a fitting end to the series, but I wish we got a glimpse of the earth below! Overall, Star Trek Picard season 3 was a great watch…

  • Movie Review

    Viduthalai Part 1 (2023), a familiar naxalite film that was engaging

    Actor Soori used to bore me to death in his recent movies. But guess what? Vetrimaaran has unleashed the hidden beast in him, and he has nailed it in Viduthalai Part 1. You can’t miss his stellar performance in this movie. It’s a familiar tale of Naxalites fighting for the oppressed against the cruel cops, but with an engaging screenplay that keeps you hooked. The only downside is that they left us hanging for a sequel. Come on, guys, don’t be lazy and wrap it up in one go! Kumaresan is a cop who drives around and does his driver’s job with a pure heart. He’s sweet and brave, clueless…

  • Movie Review

    Romancham (2023), a malayalam film featuring roommates

    A group of seven roommates from Kerala are staying together in an independent house in Karnataka. The dynamics between them and their everyday life are narrated in an unusually relaxed way, seen only in Malayalam films. Director Jithu Madhavan and the actors Soubin Shahir, Sajin Gopu & others have made an ordinary film, a special one. Gets ripe on the mangoidiots scale. When you have seven characters, with no backstory for any of them, it is not easy to leave an impression about each of them on the audience, yet Romancham succeeds in that effortlessly. By just watching a few minutes of their walk or the few words they utter…

  • Movie Review

    Pathaan (2023), where thrill trumps sense!

    What a movie this was! A thriller with non-stop action, Shah Rukh Khan with a muscular and sculpted physique, breathtaking Deepika Padukone, a ruthless villain in the form of a toned John Abraham and the entire screenplay happening in locations outside India. I appreciate the director Siddharth Anand and his crew for being unapologetic for the film not having a story or being original, yet producing a dazzling entertainer. The film has elevated Bollywood to Hollywood heights in terms of its filmmaking technology, it is not easy to shoot in so many locations and such complex stunt sequences. For these reasons, mangoidiots is giving a Ripe rating to Pathaan (2023).…

  • Movie Review

    Nothing to Declare (2010),

    It was unimaginable that in the centre of Europe where two world wars took place, half a century later integration of economies and laws between the involved countries will happen. Nothing to Declare (Rien à déclarer) is a humorous take on the events leading up to the implementation of the eurozone. The Franco-Belgian comedy doesn’t take place in Brussels or Paris but in a small village that is part of both countries. The officers featured are not leaders, but two customs officers on the border checkposts. The film narrates how the commoners are affected by the noble ideals of the European Union. It gets a Ripe rating in Mangoidiots for…

  • Movie Review

    Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2023), is an unbelievably simple film!

    What can good casting, attention to the smallest detail, brilliant acting and natural background score do? It can produce a wonderful film like Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2023). The lead actors starting with Mammootty, Ramya Pandian and Ramya Suvi were outstanding. The film gets a ripe rating. In the first fifteen minutes, we are transported to the holy town of the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health Vailankanni. The camera of the cinematographer Theni Eswar doesn’t miss anything in the market or the corridors of the lodge there or the eatery during a road trip. The story is about what happens when the leader of a group of devotees on…