Avatar vs Vettaikaran at Chennai BO

Its going to be an exciting weekend at the Chennai box office with James Cameron's Avatar and Vijay's Vettaikaran clashing with each other for box office supremacy. Both are much anticipated, most awaited movies of the year. Both movies have been promoted well.

 

Avatar has been in the making for close to 4 years and is reportedly the world's costliest movie ever. It is releasing in both 3D and 2D versions. It boasts of never-before-seen advancements in 3D and CGI technology. Most importantly, the director of Avatar is James Cameron whose previous works include Aliens, Terminator, Terminator II, True Lies, Abyss and Titanic. The movie has already generated lots of positive buzz around the world. Those who got the see the paid previews are raving about the movie.

Vettaikaran has also been in the making for a while now. Sun Pictures are releasing the movie and they have been hyping it up for the past few weeks. Some people say Vettaikaran is make or break movie for Vijay as his past few movies have not exactly set the cash registers ringing. The storyline of Vettaikaran is unknown as of now. If initial reports are to be believed, Vijay is playing a college student (yet again!). This time around he is a plus two student who fails over and over and finally reaches college. He gets to romance Anushkha and also fights off the baddies in his own style. Vettaikaran songs are already a hit with frequent playtime in FM radio stations. With Vijay's mass appeal and aggressive promotion by Sun pictures, Vettaikaran should bring in the crowds in large numbers.

My gut feel is that both movies will take a bumper opening at the BO. How they fare eventually will depend on the quality of the movie and the word of mouth generated after the initial weekend. Lets see who reigns over the Chennai BO this weekend!

Se7en

Happened to watch Se7en on TV yesterday. A dark, disturbing film, gripping till the last frame.

The movie stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey and is directed by David Fincher. This is the second time I am watching this movie and this time I was able to follow the dialogues better, thanks to the sub titles.

The plot is about 2 detectives, played by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, trying to solve a series of murders that seem to be inspired by the '7 deadly sins'. There have been many movies with similar themes in the past, but what makes this one different is the picturization. The director employs a dark visual tone almost throughout, with frequent visuals of dark alleys, rooms, and constant rain in the night. Music by Howard Shore blends with the visuals very well. There is a lot of strong language throughout along with some gory scenes, so the movie may not be ideal for kids.

Casting is another area in which the movie scores. Brad Pitt, Freeman and Paltrow are very aptly cast. Although Kevin Spacey has very little screen time, his character is well etched and remarkable. Watch out for the climax, its totally unexpected and shocking one. The movie is a must watch, especially if you like the drama/mystery genre.