162.Kingdom

Kingdom: Definitely one of the best Korean shows ever made.

Language: Korean
Genre: Drama-Horror
Director: Kim Seong-hun
Writer: Kim Eun-hee
Stars: Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doo-na, Kim Sung-gyu, Ryu Seung-ryong

As part of the global expansion, Netflix has opened its doors wide to storytellers of different cultures. One of the latest results of that initiative is the South Korean TV Series: “Kingdom”, which is set in the beautiful Joseon period. Adapted from the web comic series ‘’The Kingdom of the God’’, The show is Directed by Kim Seong-hun the man behind the 2016 film Tunnel and written by none other than Kim Eun-hee, who wrote 2016's police procedural “Signal”, one of South Korea's highest-rated dramas of all time.

Storyline: Set in Korea’s medieval Joseon period, Kingdom follows the story of a prince, who becomes embroiled in a coup/political conspiracy and is forced to embark upon a dangerous mission to investigate a mysterious plague spreading across his country. The truth threatens the kingdom when he discovers that it is an atrocious epidemic in the form of undead who rise at sunset seemingly and become inactive during the sunrise. Now things seem to hang in balance by a thin thread of hope to survive.

This show takes a new approach by setting the zombie drama in the backdrop of a period show. Unlike your typical Korean drama that tends to play it safe for the local censors, Kingdom is brutal with its decapitations and violence. The mini plots during the showcase of zombie disease spreading are done well without holding back in its disturbing level. Apart from its well written screenplay and perfectly handled direction, “Kingdom” catches the viewer’s attention with its amazing cinematography, beautiful costumes and locations, top notch action scenes and wonderful performance from the whole cast.

On the whole it’s a well executed zombie drama set in the backdrop of Joseon period. The only negative I felt was that the six episodes don’t quite tie up the story which leaves the audience hungry for more and makes them to wait eagerly for the next season. 

161.Peranbu

Peranbu: A masterpiece that happens so rarely in Indian Cinema.

Language: Tamil

Genre: Drama

Directors: Ram

Writer: Ram

Stars: Mammootty, Sadhana, Anjali, Anjali Ameer

In life we all have come across those people who find it difficult to cross the road. Who always needs a hand to get through their daily life. Who cannot do things we do. Those people face a lot of such problems in their daily life. Ram’s latest outing Peranbu takes on the lives of these humans in the society, who want nothing but acceptance. The same humans we always tag with the term disabled.

The plot revolves around ‘Amudhavan’ a father, who has recently taken custody of his spastic daughter ‘Paapa’ and events that follow in their life. Paapa is the representation of the disabled community, while Amudhavan represents the 'normal' human.

Director Ram has taken up a story that very few films have taken and presented it in a way that Tamil Cinema has never seen. There may have been a lot of films about differently abled person, but I don’t think Tamil cinema ever had a Peranbu which talks about the sexuality and sexual life of a differently abled person which makes it really unique. The story is narrated in chapters and each one has a reference to nature, aiding in making us understand that sexuality is among the most natural things and there is nothing wrong in dealing with it.  He also shows the difficulties that a caretaker has to undergo while raising a differently abled child. Another beautiful thing about Peranbu is that each and every character has flaws, which is why everything looks realistic. You don't have someone doing over-the-top things, and you don't have someone who is 'The Villain'. Ram paints a picture of the society on the whole, and leaves the rest to us, to identify where we stand.

Coming to performances, after leaving the theatre one could easily understand why Ram was persistent about casting Mammootty as Amudhavan. No one else could have pulled of such a complex character so convincingly like him. The film brings back the Mammootty we have been missing lately. Sadhana, who had won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist, has given an outstanding performance as 'Paapa' the spastic daughter, and it is hard to imagine anyone else in her shoes. Anjali as Vijayalakshmi a character that is neither positive nor negative brings out the helplessness beautifully. Anjali Ameer as Meera has also done a wonderful performance her character arc is a gem.

On the technical side, Theni Easwar's frames are oe of the major highlights of the film, its very rich and beautifully blends with each scene. Yuvan Shankar Raja;s music is another plus point. The musical scores complement the scenes very well and attach the audience emotionally to the film. Kumar Gangappan's art direction deserves a special mention, especially because of his eye to detail.

Overall Peranbu is a movie which happens very rarely in Indian cinema and a movie which can be showcased in front of world cinema. Ram tells us that the differently abled community doesn’t need our sympathy to survive. We must realize that they are as normal as anyone. Walking out of Peranbu leaves you with a feeling that is too hard to digest, yet gut-wrenchingly beautiful.

160.Petta

Petta (2019) : GetRajnified

Language: Tamil
Genre: Action
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Writer: Karthik Subbaraj
Stars: Rajnikanth, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Sethupathi

Though Kabali and Kaala brought back the actor in Rajni, The so called Rajnisim were missing from these movies. And this is were Petta scores, the self acclaimed fan boy Karthik Subbaraj has delivered a  pakka Rajni film with a touch of Karthik Subbaraj flavor.

Synopsis: Kaali  joins a  college as hostel warden, and set things right in his own way.but he is not what he claims to be, He has a past; a bloody one that he disguised with a smile. Things take an interesting turn when he becomes the target of a politician and his son.

Petta is a classic Rajnikanth film. Karthik Subbaraj as the director takes the backseat in the film and lets his Thalaivar take the wheel, which is were the films success lies. Though Karthik Subbaraj the fanboy pays a lot of tribute to Superstar's previous movies. The basic plot itself is a reinvention of his biggest hit Baashha with some added Karthik touch. He also pays tributes to everything old, everything vintage about the biggest superstar of Tamil cinema, and the placing of these is impeccable.

The dream cast put together by the director has performed their best and stand out in their respective scenes. Simran, Trisha, Sasikumar, Bobby Simha, Munishkanth, and Guru Somasundaram. Even though Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Sethupathi deliver memorable performances, the film leaves us wanting more of them.

Anirudh looks like a man who has been eagerly waiting to work for a Thalaivar movie. He has unleashed every trick in his bag, leaving us with a terrific score. His racy numbers are exactly what the film needed.

Petta is technically strong  too. From National Award-winning cinematographer Tirru's impressive frames, Kunal Rajan's sound design and Vivek Harshan's edits everything pays off well for the Superstar movie.

Though the movie has its flaws, a close to 3 hour long runtime could have been shortened. The villains does not feel threatening even though they are played by Nawazuddin and Sethupathi.

Verdict: Petta gives us the Superstar we all love, which was missing from his recent films. Petta is a celebration, a treat for his fans on Pongal. Go and GetRajnified.

159.Adanga Maru

Adanga Maru (2018): An engaging action thriller.

Language: Tamil

Genre: Action-Thriller

Director: Karthik Thangavel

Writer: Karthik Thangavel

Stars: Jayam Ravi, Raashi Khanna, Ponvannan 

Adanga Maru is a stylishly made action entertainer from debutant director Karthik Thangavel. The film follows the story of a sincere police officer who stands against some powerful people with a lot of mind games and a little muscle power. 

Synopsis: Subash is a newly recruited Sub Inspector, who is as straightforward as they come. He’s also an expert in hacking and handling various gadgets. When Subash was about to close the case about the mysterious death of a girl, he’s been asked to wrap up the case by terming it a suicide by his senior officer. This upsets him very much and he starts tracking down the case even after being asked to step out from it. He crosses paths with four men who are sons of the rich and powerful in the city. This changes his life upside down. He decides to avenge the people who turned his life upside down. What was Subhash's personal loss and whether he won against all the odds is what Adanga Maru is all about.

Though the plot isn’t anything new, the treatment which Karthik has given it makes Adanga Maru fast-paced and interesting. The first half sets up the character of the hero and his predicament in an interesting manner and it ends with a powerful interval punch which tells us how the hero is going to take on the powerful villains single-handed with the help of technology and mind games. The second half brings out the cat and mouse game between Jayam Ravi and the antagonists are well etched out. The loopholes in the screenplay can be forgotten since the fast paced narration doesn’t give much time to think through it.

On his debut director Karthik Thangavel has attempted to give an intense revenge drama with a tinge of technology. One can definitely say that the director has succeeded to a greater extent, except for the fact that the premise could have been much stronger. Karthik’s frustration on the system, especially the inability to thwart crimes against the women, is evident in the movie. 

Every actor does what is required of them, but it is Jayam Ravi who shines in the role of a revenge-seeking, intelligent common man. His subtle yet fierce action is the essence of the film. Raashi Khanna gets to play a mature character, a close to reality girlfriend who doesn't sound dumb or hyper. The supporting actors Sampath Raj, Azhagam Perumal, Mime Gopi, and others, have done justice to their characters.

The background score of Sam CS heightens the tension in the film. Majority of the film is filled with the Adanga Maru theme music which boosts up the intensity. Cinematography and editing handled by Sathyan Sooryan and Anthony L. Ruben is very good.

Verdict: Thanks to the speedy screenplay and Jayam Ravi’s wonderful perfo, makes this film a good watch.

158.Time Renegades

Time Renegades (2016) Siganitalja (original title) : An engaging thriller.

Language: Korean

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller 

Director: Jae-young Kwak

Writer: Jeong-un Oh

Stars: Soo-jung Lim, Jung-suk Jo, Jin-wook Lee |

Time Renegades director by the hit maker Kwak Jae-yong released in 2016 is a high concept romantic thriller about two men from different timelines of 30 years apart who must work together to save the life of the women they love. 

Storyline: In 2015, while chasing a suspect, rookie detective Gun-woo is shot and loses consciousness. At the same time back in 1983, high school teacher Ji-hwan is stabbed by a pickpocket.  Both suffer life threatening injuries. Two men who live 30 years apart are taken to the same hospital, on the same day. Both their heart stops and miraculously starts again at the exact same time.  As they come back from the brink of death, the two begin to see through each other’s life through their dreams. Soon realizing that the women they love are in fatal danger, the two men must team up to trace the past and change her destiny.

The basic theme of ‘Time Renegades’ is similar to the Korean movies like ‘Il Mare’ or ‘Ditto’. The difference is that while the later were of Fantasy-Romantic genre, Time Renegades is more of a Crime-Romantic-Thriller with fantasy element.  Director Kwak Jae-yong, well famous for directing super hit romantic movies like My Sassy Girl, The Classic and Windstruck steps into thriller forte for the first time in his career. The director succeeded in bringing out a fast paced thriller that engages the audience from start to end. The screenplay by Jeong-un Oh creates a strong emotional foundation before setting loose on the thriller elements. With basics thus well-covered, the film flicks the high-tempo switch and introduces a gallery of intriguing supporting characters, just about all of whom could potentially be guilty of heinous crimes in the past or about to commit them in the near-future. Time travelling stories are always complicated when it comes to justifying itself well these are the places where Time Renegades falls on some shortcomings, Thanks to the razor-sharp editing and top-shelf visual effects seamlessly uniting past and present the film never fails entertain the audience throughout.

Overall Time Renegades is an excellent treat for the lovers of thriller genre.

157.Dark Figure of Crime

Dark Figure of Crime (2018) Hangul (original title): Best of 2018

Language: Korean

Genre: Crime-Thriller

Director: Tae-Gyoon Kim
Writer: Kwak Kyung-Taek, Kim Tae-Gyun

Stars: Yoon-Seok Kim, Ji-Hoon Ju, Jin Heo |

The "dark figure of crime" is the name given by scholars to the number of crimes that go unreported or are never discovered. Inspired by a true story the film is a well written crime thriller about the mental chess game between a detective and a killer who confessed of mass murders while serving a 15 years sentence in prison.

Hyung-Min (Kim Yun-Seok) is a detective in Busan. He doesn't care about getting promotions, but instead focuses on solving cases. One day at a small restaurant he meets Tae-O, who confesses to Hyung-Min that, about 6 years ago he had received money to bury the body of someone. As he is about to reveal the location of the body, cops storm in on to the restaurant and arrests Tae-O for the murder of his girlfriend.3 months later Hyung-Min receives a phone call from Tae-O who is now serving a 15 years sentence in prison. Tae-O gives Hyung-Min a shock by confessing that he is a serial killer and has killed 6 other people. Hyung-Min visits Tae-O in prison and there Tae-O give hints about the 6 other murders.

Why a man currently serving 15 years sentence confesses about other murders? What’s his motive? Why did he choose Hyung-Min? Hyung-Min's intuition tells him that Tae-O is telling the truth, while others are skeptical of Tae-O's confession. Hyung-Min now sets out to find the murdered victims without knowing their identities. Hyung-Min’s hunch tells him that Tae-O is telling the truth while other cops tell him he is wasting what is left of his career. Hyung-Min now sets out to find the murdered victims without even knowing their identities.

What could be the strategy playing here by both Tae-O and Hyung-Min? Is Tae-O telling the truth? What will be the findings of Hyung-Min?

South Korean crime thrillers have a strong reputation, based on gripping, well directed works like Memories Of Murder (2003), I Saw The Devil (2010) and The Chaser (2008). Dark figure of crime is one such a movie, strongly written, well crafted with excellent performances from the lead actors, the film is undoubtedly the best Korean flick of 2018.

Ju Ji-hoon’s portrayal as the psychopathic killer with a high IQ for the minute details was very convincing and on point. While Kim Yoon-seok as Kim Hyung-min has done a brilliant job in presenting the detective who’s fighting with his own demons, as he always does. The film received best screenplay award in the 39^th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

Overall Dark Figure Of Crime is an excellent crime thriller based on a true story with outstanding performances from the lead actors.

156.The Invisible Guest

The Invisible Guest (2016) Contratiempo (original title): Another well crafted film from the director of ‘El Cuerpo’.

Language: Spanish

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Director: Oriol Paulo

Writer: Oriol Paulo

Stars: Mario Casas, Ana Wagener, Jose Coronado

In 2016, 4 years after his first directional venture with the critically acclaimed ‘El Cuerpo’ (The Body, 2012) Oriol Paulo came with another crime thriller ’The Invisible Guest’. The film follows a wealthy Barcelona businessman accused of murdering his mistress. Must work out a perfect defense in less than just three hours, with the help of a witness preparation expert.

Adrian Doria a wealthy businessman named Man of the Year due to his high-tech company and his trade agreements with the Asian market, wakes up in a locked hotel room next to the body of his dead lover Laura Vidal. Adrian Doria claims that both he and his lover, Laura, were attacked by an unseen assailant, who then vanished from their locked hotel room. His lawyer sends top witness coach Virginia Goodman to help him get his story straight before the judge calls him to the stand, which could happen in next 3 hours. Adrian talks Virginia about the crime and his relationship with Laura, revealing that both suffered a car crash where a man called Daniel Garrido died, and how Laura manipulated Adrian to avoid the jail by Daniel's death. Virginia and Adrian keep talking about the case but her, unconvinced of the Adrian's testimony, forces him to clear the dark points of his history, in a puzzle where the truth and the lie are easily exchangeable.

Likewise El Cuerpo, The Invisible Guest is also a well crafted crime thriller with a well written script by the director himself. The treatment is very much similar to Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects , Here the story unfolds in a series of flashbacks, as Adrian hastily recounts the events leading up to Laura’s death, while Virginia’s probing questions untangle a web of lies dating back to the disappearance of a young man three months previously. The plot unveils so gradually and beautifully that by the time it has reached its peak it will lead the audience to swept up. The story puts you on edge and tickles your curiosity throughout.

The fantastic performance of the lead actors is one of the main highlights of this thriller, each and every one of the cast has superbly performed. Though I must say the performance by Mario Casas as Adrian Doria, Blanca Martínez as Virginia Goodman and Jose Coronado as Tomas Garrido stand out.

I will recommend this movie to all movie lovers and especially to the fans of crime-mystery thriller genre.