Ambimama - India

All channels and Dailies have started listing the best and worst of 2008. I also start with Top Ten Tamil movies 2008, the easiest to do!

2008 has not been good for the Tamil film industry. There was confusion again as star actor films flopped and small budget films with new faces were hit. The viewers no longer could be fooled by masala and obscenity.

My choice of the good ones: 
Subramainiapuram
The main attraction was story and scenes set to Madurai of the 1980s. Sashi decided to produce the film himself after failing to get producers. Director Sashi Kumar was the assistant of Ameer and Bala who produced Paruthiveeran. The film turned out to be the hit of 2008. One song ‘Kangal Irundhal’ became a hit but the limitations of James Vasanthan has been exposed.
Anjathe
Director Mysskin’s Anjathe February has made people still talk about it. This is his second hit after Chithiram Pesuthadi. This is a crime thriller and the film’s success is also due to performances by Prasanna, Ajmal and Naren.
Yaaradi Nee Mohini
This Dhanush hit is a remake of the Telugu runaway hit, Aadavari Maatalaku Ardhaale Verule.  Director Selvaraghavan’s screenplay and Dhanush made the movie a success. The original Teleugu version had Venkatesh and Trisha.
Saroja
Directed by Venkat Prabhu of Chennai-600028 fame Saroja was a hit. The mild humour and incidents is really different (Oru Vidhyasamana Kathai in the real sense).The biggest compliment Venkat Prabhu got was that it was projected to compensate the distributors’ losses from Rajni’s Kuselan!
Poo
The film’s success is mainly due to Parvathy’s performance. Moserbaer’s Poo is based on a creative Tamil story written by Tamilselvan.
Dasavatharam
It is difficult for any actor even to do a double role. Lot of technical and acting skills are required. To imagine performing in 10 roles is huge. Though some of the roles are boring, overall the film Dasavatharam is Grand. Commercially, the film was a huge success.
Vaaranam Aayiram
The young Surya as son with Sameera Reddy is better than the father role. Vaaranam Aayiram is director Gautham Menon’s tribute to his father. Though lengthy and narrative the film is not boring and the songs are good in music and video.
Santosh Subramanium
The girl from the movie ‘Boys’ Genelia’s cheerfulness is infectious and this movie has an entertaining story and worthy of family viewing.
Poi Solla Porom
A Hindi remake Khosla ka Ghosla is all about a middle class man trying to buy a home. After a long gap Mouli entertains with Boskey and Cochin Hanifa.
Alibhaba
Sudden twists and turns is the feature of this film.
Dhanam
The movie is not a hit but the challenging role by the heroine of ‘Pithamagan’ (Vikram’s love in the film) is worthy.

The Failures
I hear many movies with Ads and Promotion failed. Like Thenavattu, Aegan, Pandhayam, Dhaam Dhoom,Seval,Kadalil Vizhunden,Uliyin osai, Nepali, Indiralohathil Na Azhagappan and Bheema.
Shankar’s movies always make news. More if it stars Tamil superstar Rajnikant. Eindhiran shooting is in progress. I do not want to see Rajini doing stunts and tricks like Arnold or Jackie. I am bored of Rajini, his styles and stunts in politics and movies. But that will be in 2009.

I have chosen films that I heard about or forced to hear and view. Sure I have not seen some of the bests of 2008, but sure wish to see them in 2009.
For those people who have time here is the list of Tamil movies in 2008 and reviews. Click on the link below:
http://www.koodal.com/tamil/movies/reviews