Anaga Anaga Oka Dheerudu - Telugu Movie Review

Walt Disney pictures hasn't had a mega hit for years; unlikely that their first Telugu movie will deliver. "Anaga Anagaa Oka Dheerudu" has few pluses - simply fairy tale with extra-ordinary sfx, one memorable song, and a cute, demure Shruti Hasan  paired with every youthful Siddharth. Even Lakshmi Manchu looks good. What's missing? There's little soul when 75 mins of effects takes over screen. prakash K - director fails to connect well with kids or adults. He shows clean hand in directing and crafts but in pursuit of creativity, which is a high for Tollywood, he missed the wood for the trees - the Disney magic- which tells a good story while moving you to bits in joy and laughter. Good Disney bore only 30 per cent of the cost - so they' ll be back.

Mirapakaay - Telugu Movie Review

"Mirapakaay" has no different storyline than any of his recent movies but Ravi Teja carries the day firmly on his shoulders with great performance - the plot is loose but director Harish Shankar makes decent debut thats overall neat even if 16 reels is a bit long. Richa gives lifetime exposure and Thaman scores smashing music. No  doubt, Ravi is a rockstar of megawatt entertainment - he drips Redbull energy every frame. First round of Sankranti movies to "Mirapakaay".

Sri Krishna Commission Report - Good Read

If the last time  you read about AP (like me) was in 8th grade social studies text book, gift yourself a reading of 505 pages of Sri Krishna  report for a 360 degrees view of one of most vibrant states - its a definitive, staggering report with appealing statistics,  insights on some of the basic curiosities and inquiries we keep having on Hyderabad, AP or Telangana - its a socio-politico-economic commentary - unbiased and readable. You can finish it in less than four hours.

Manmadha-Baanam - Telugu Movie Review

"Manmadha  Baanam" starring Kalam Hasan, Madhavan and Trisha, directed by Ravikumar gives a tour of Rome, Venice and Barcelona, brings back fun of "Sati Lilavati" and pun of "Panchatantram". It is watchable once but has some patchy and dull and yet some dazzling reels of standards you expect from Kamal's team. Second half is better but all lead actors compete well. Trisha looks gorgeous and Kamal still coming good. No kisses between them, surprise. Devisri Prasadd scores good music.

"Naagavalli" - Telugu Movie Review

"Naagavalli" is perceptively linked up with the storyline of "Chandramukhi" and puts Venky in dual role - one in negative role for first time. It seems to have diluted  the scary contents of original "Aapta Rakshaka" which ran for 200 days and so the film moves in a trajectory of "Chandramukhi" punctuated by the same moments of fear, discovery, and laughter that made "Chandramukhi" so endearing. NV is not your dad's movie to send shivers and thrills because of dangerous verisimillitude to CM. Its watchable but no surprises, except Venky chopping body partsof good men. The heroines are the real heroes but  Anushka really lets down. Funny, Venky gets five  heroines but not even one to woo.

Kathi Kanta Rao - Telugu Movie Review

"Kathi Kantha Rao" is one of those exaggerated comedy fares you want to watch after a week of lavish smattering from sensex falls. It has brisk screenplay, AVM studio-style story and comedy gang thats surprisingly controlled in performance. Everybody packs a punch sometime. Dialogues and direction are typical EVV-style but raunchy at times. With Allari Naresh and Kaamna and Kota and Venu Madhav-the film will connect with masses. It is above-average entertainment. 

The Social Network - English Movie Review

"The Social Network"  is one incredible movie on the life and times of facebook founder - Mark Zuckerberg. It shows how melancholic, egoistic, workaholic Zuckerberg, who can't stay close to anyone, starts facebook accidentally, and later pulls the rug on his real pal and co-founder. David Fincher directs awesomely and uses some dramatic narrative techniques seldom seen in Hollywood movies - flashback and forth. He paces the movie with extreme  delicacy and precision and is helped by Sorkin's swift dialogue and some great music. Justin Timberlake as the candyman and Andrew Garfield as co-founder of facebook besides the Harvard twins and Zuckerberg's only girl-friend all stand out. Inspite of some pusating courtroom dramat that forms the backbone of the movie, the movie shows the many faces of human behaviour that nudged facebook into a $25 Billioon (now$60 Billion) company. Even if you are not facebook user, you will  get curiouser. Well worth watching.