In 2011 I had started maintaining the list of films I watched in that year. I ended up watching 120 films in 2011 and in 2012, that number came almost down close to 60% at 69 films. It was not due to the quality of films or anything like that. Till April I was on target as 2011, with 40 films. After that during the IPL season all my spare time went there and then my new business commitments and social engagements meant that I would watch fewer and fewer films.
I am starting this post on the 7th of March and till now, I have only seen seven films this year and all of them are Tamil films!
1) Saguni (2012) 3.0/10
This year started with Saguni in TV during Pongal. I dont have to say anything more on this film, as enough has been said and written. I am not sure what the thought process was when such a film is conceived and made. The director doesn't seem to take anything seriously and the film goes up and down through a roller coaster. It had its moments. It was more like a bad remake of Dhool.
2) Pizza (2012) 8.0/10
3) Kumki (2012) 8.5/10
4) Thadayara Thakka (2012) 7.0/10
5) Naan Ee (2012) 8.5/10
6) Thuppakki (2012) 7.5/10
7) Neethaane En Ponvasantham (2012) 8.0/10
8) Viswaroopam (2013) 8.0/10
9) Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2010) 7.0/10
10) John Carter (2012) 6.5/10
11) Billa 2 (2012) 3.0/10
12) Puss in Boots (2011) 6.5/10
13) Sundarapandian (2012) 8.0/10
14) Haridas (2013) 8.0/10
15) Uthiripookkal (1979) 9.0/10
16) Tootsie (1982) 8.5/10
When I came to know about Mrs Doubtfire and Avvai Shanmughi, I thought Kamal had created some parts of that story on his own, especially Gemini Ganesan, Manivannan, Heera characters. When I saw Tootsie now (seen it before Avvai Shanmughi), I realized I was very wrong.
Tootsie is an enjoyable film even today and as IMDB rightly puts it, its a Comedy and a Drama at the same time.
17) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011) 5.0/10
18) Men in Black 3 (2012) 7.0/10
19) Garfield 2 (2006) 7.0/10
20) Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) 8.0/10
21) Aval Appadithan (1978) 8.0/10
22) This Means War (2012) 5.0/10
23) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 7.5/10
24) Cats & Dogs (2001) 6.0/10
25) A League of Their Own (1992) 7.0/10
26) Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) 8.0/10
27) 12 Angry Men (1957) 7.5/10
28) Fight Club (1999) 8.5/10
29) Soodhu Kavvum (2013) 8.5/10
30) Total Recall (2012) 6.0/10
31) Naan (2012) 7.0/10
32) Neram (2013) 8.5/10
33) Attakathi (2012) 7.0/10
34) Kalakalappu (2012) 7.5/10
35) Taken 2 (2012) 7.0/10
36) Battleship (2012) 6.5/10
37) 21 Jump Street (2012) 6.5/10
38) American Reunion (2012) 6.5/10
39) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 7.5/10
40) Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (2013) 7.0/10
41) Mariyan (2013) 4.0/10
42) Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013) 6.0/10
43) Vathikuchi (2013) 7.0/10
44) Udhayam NH4 (2013) 7.5/10
45) Alex Pandian (2013) Zero/10
46) Ethir Neechal (2013) 7.5/10
47) Ainthu Ainthu Ainthu (2013) 6.5/10
48) Kadal (2013) 5.0/10
49) The Bourne Legacy (2012) 7.5/10
50) Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) 8.5/10
51) Aaranya Kaandam (2011) 9.0/10
52) Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) 5.0/10
53) Maasani (2013) 4.0/10
54) Prometheus (2012) 7.5/10
55) Raja Rani (2013) 7.0/10
56) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) 7.5/10
57) The Hunger Games (2012) 7.5/10
58) The Artist (2011) 9.0/10
59) Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam (2013) 6.5/10
60) The Three Musketeers (2011) 6.5/10
61) Saettai (2013) 6.5/10
62) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) 9.0/10
63) Hugo (2011) 7.5/10
64) The Conjuring (2013) 6.5/10
65) Monsters University (2013) 7.5/10
This was no where close to what Monsters Inc was in terms of story or content, what was adorable was it was still good in its own way. Maybe I related myself with the story that I liked it more and I feel many people can relate themselves to this story. Initially I had a confusion whether this was a sequel or prequel in terms of the storyline.
66) Olympus Has Fallen (2013) 5.5/10
67) Moodar Koodam (2013) 8.0/10
Though I have not seen the Korean film "Attack the Gas Station", I thought this was a worthwhile film. I think now the new age directors are almost at the border of going overboard in the name of being realistic and different. There were few sequences in each of the new age hits, that I would have avoided. Some of the song sequences in this film were in that group. Otherwise it had laughable comedy and lots of criticism of the society as well.
68) Wrath of the Titans (2012) 6.0/10
69) Aarambam (2013) 7.0/10
70) Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) 6.0/10
71) Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) 8.0/10
After the first film Star Wars, this is the one I enjoyed the most, with all the romance, politics, and war. The film comes to the end with the formation of Darth Vader.
72) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) 5.0/10
73) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 8.5/10
74) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 8.5/10
75) Rio (2011) 6.0/10
76) Arthur Christmas (2011) 5.0/10
77) Brokeback Mountain (2005) 7.0/10
78) Cars 2 (2011) 6.0/10
79) Network (1976) 7.5/10
80) Pandiya Naadu (2013) 8.0/10
81) Django Unchained (2012) 8.5/10
82) Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer (2013) 7.5/10
83) Naiyaandi (2013) 6.0/10
My Top 5 Tamil Films of 2013:
The biggest disappointments of the year were: Mariyan, Kadal, Naiyaandi & Alex Pandian
I am starting this post on the 7th of March and till now, I have only seen seven films this year and all of them are Tamil films!
1) Saguni (2012) 3.0/10
This year started with Saguni in TV during Pongal. I dont have to say anything more on this film, as enough has been said and written. I am not sure what the thought process was when such a film is conceived and made. The director doesn't seem to take anything seriously and the film goes up and down through a roller coaster. It had its moments. It was more like a bad remake of Dhool.
2) Pizza (2012) 8.0/10
3) Kumki (2012) 8.5/10
4) Thadayara Thakka (2012) 7.0/10
5) Naan Ee (2012) 8.5/10
6) Thuppakki (2012) 7.5/10
7) Neethaane En Ponvasantham (2012) 8.0/10
8) Viswaroopam (2013) 8.0/10
9) Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2010) 7.0/10
10) John Carter (2012) 6.5/10
11) Billa 2 (2012) 3.0/10
12) Puss in Boots (2011) 6.5/10
13) Sundarapandian (2012) 8.0/10
14) Haridas (2013) 8.0/10
15) Uthiripookkal (1979) 9.0/10
16) Tootsie (1982) 8.5/10
When I came to know about Mrs Doubtfire and Avvai Shanmughi, I thought Kamal had created some parts of that story on his own, especially Gemini Ganesan, Manivannan, Heera characters. When I saw Tootsie now (seen it before Avvai Shanmughi), I realized I was very wrong.
Tootsie is an enjoyable film even today and as IMDB rightly puts it, its a Comedy and a Drama at the same time.
17) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011) 5.0/10
18) Men in Black 3 (2012) 7.0/10
19) Garfield 2 (2006) 7.0/10
20) Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) 8.0/10
21) Aval Appadithan (1978) 8.0/10
22) This Means War (2012) 5.0/10
23) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 7.5/10
24) Cats & Dogs (2001) 6.0/10
25) A League of Their Own (1992) 7.0/10
26) Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) 8.0/10
27) 12 Angry Men (1957) 7.5/10
28) Fight Club (1999) 8.5/10
29) Soodhu Kavvum (2013) 8.5/10
30) Total Recall (2012) 6.0/10
31) Naan (2012) 7.0/10
32) Neram (2013) 8.5/10
33) Attakathi (2012) 7.0/10
34) Kalakalappu (2012) 7.5/10
35) Taken 2 (2012) 7.0/10
36) Battleship (2012) 6.5/10
37) 21 Jump Street (2012) 6.5/10
38) American Reunion (2012) 6.5/10
39) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 7.5/10
40) Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (2013) 7.0/10
41) Mariyan (2013) 4.0/10
42) Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013) 6.0/10
43) Vathikuchi (2013) 7.0/10
44) Udhayam NH4 (2013) 7.5/10
45) Alex Pandian (2013) Zero/10
46) Ethir Neechal (2013) 7.5/10
47) Ainthu Ainthu Ainthu (2013) 6.5/10
48) Kadal (2013) 5.0/10
49) The Bourne Legacy (2012) 7.5/10
50) Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) 8.5/10
51) Aaranya Kaandam (2011) 9.0/10
52) Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) 5.0/10
53) Maasani (2013) 4.0/10
54) Prometheus (2012) 7.5/10
55) Raja Rani (2013) 7.0/10
56) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) 7.5/10
57) The Hunger Games (2012) 7.5/10
58) The Artist (2011) 9.0/10
59) Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam (2013) 6.5/10
60) The Three Musketeers (2011) 6.5/10
61) Saettai (2013) 6.5/10
62) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) 9.0/10
63) Hugo (2011) 7.5/10
64) The Conjuring (2013) 6.5/10
65) Monsters University (2013) 7.5/10
This was no where close to what Monsters Inc was in terms of story or content, what was adorable was it was still good in its own way. Maybe I related myself with the story that I liked it more and I feel many people can relate themselves to this story. Initially I had a confusion whether this was a sequel or prequel in terms of the storyline.
66) Olympus Has Fallen (2013) 5.5/10
67) Moodar Koodam (2013) 8.0/10
Though I have not seen the Korean film "Attack the Gas Station", I thought this was a worthwhile film. I think now the new age directors are almost at the border of going overboard in the name of being realistic and different. There were few sequences in each of the new age hits, that I would have avoided. Some of the song sequences in this film were in that group. Otherwise it had laughable comedy and lots of criticism of the society as well.
68) Wrath of the Titans (2012) 6.0/10
69) Aarambam (2013) 7.0/10
70) Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) 6.0/10
71) Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) 8.0/10
After the first film Star Wars, this is the one I enjoyed the most, with all the romance, politics, and war. The film comes to the end with the formation of Darth Vader.
72) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) 5.0/10
73) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 8.5/10
74) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 8.5/10
75) Rio (2011) 6.0/10
76) Arthur Christmas (2011) 5.0/10
77) Brokeback Mountain (2005) 7.0/10
78) Cars 2 (2011) 6.0/10
79) Network (1976) 7.5/10
80) Pandiya Naadu (2013) 8.0/10
81) Django Unchained (2012) 8.5/10
82) Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer (2013) 7.5/10
83) Naiyaandi (2013) 6.0/10
My Top 5 Tamil Films of 2013:
- Soodhu Kavvum
- Neram
- Pandiya Naadu
- Viswaroopam
- Moodar Koodam
The biggest disappointments of the year were: Mariyan, Kadal, Naiyaandi & Alex Pandian
