Milan Malcolm

a passionate cinema enthusiast!🎬

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

With the release of #ImGame which unfortunately looks like it might end up being a flop considering the numbers involved, I thought it was time to update my favourite #DQ characters because Dan John has officially entered my top 5.

#DulquerSalmaan gives a fantastic performance in what I actually think was quite a tricky character to pull off. Dan John could’ve very easily become annoying or unlikeable if DQ pushed the performance even slightly too far, but he gets that balance just right.

My current Top 5:

5. Johns Isaac from #ABCD
4. Dan John from #ImGame
3. Charlie from #Charlie
2. Faizi from #UstaadHotel
1. Imran Ikka from #Parava

And looking back, I genuinely think DQ’s run from 2015–2017 was one of the best peaks we’ve seen from a Malayalam actor. The variety of films and characters in such a short period was insane. He could go from one completely different world to another and somehow make every character feel like his own.

And DQ, a sincere request from a fan since the #NPCB days:

We need these smaller films again.

We love celebrating the larger-than-life characters and watching you carry these huge films, but it was characters like Aju, Kasi and Aadhi that made so many of us fall in love with you as an actor in the first place.

Give us the occasional small Malayalam film again. No massive scale. No pan-Indian expectations. Just DQ, a great character and a great story. ❤️

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

#ImGame — 3.5/5

For the most part, I absolutely loved this. A proper theatrical experience and easily one of the more refreshing commercial Malayalam films we’ve had recently.

#Dulquer was amazing. He’s completely in his zone playing the man-child brat something we’ve seen him do plenty of times before, but there’s a reason it works. His screen presence throughout is insane and genuinely one of his finest performances.

The first half wastes absolutely no time. It throws you straight into this world of underground betting and gambling, and the premise itself feels genuinely fresh, especially for Malayalam cinema. Always great seeing commercial films attempt something different.

And then the fantasy element kicks in and the way it’s incorporated is brilliant and it all culminates in that absolutely exhilarating bar fight. Cinematography, colour grading, choreography, stunts it all comes together perfectly. That entire sequence was made for the big screen.

Honestly, that first half alone is one of the best first halves we have had this year. Everyone in the cast does their job really well too. Nobody sticks out like a sore thumb and the performances all fit naturally into the world.

Unfortunately, the cracks start appearing in the second half. It definitely loses some of that momentum. The flashback and backstory were necessary, but the placement and length drag things down quite a bit. Especially after such an energetic first half, it slows the film down too much and ultimately leads to a slightly underwhelming payoff with the climax. That was probably my biggest disappointment.

JAKES BEJOY though. 🫡🔥

He deserves his own paragraph. The music is absolutely brilliant. The songs, score, elevation tracks everything hits. Even had some surprises waiting for us in the theatre, and that Vedan track was fire in the theatre. Jakes understood the assignment completely. #JakesBejoy Time for you to take a well deserved break bro🤣

And after all the talk following Kotha that Dulquer can’t pull off action films… yeah, I think he’s answered that here. His screen presence in the action sequences is fantastic.

Overall, #ImGame is an absolute treat for the big screen. Not perfect and the second half definitely stops it from reaching its full potential, but for action lovers or anyone who wants a slightly different flavour of commercial Malayalam cinema, there’s a lot to enjoy here.

#ImGame #BKU #DulquerSalmaan

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

Really excited for #ImGame tomorrow. I’ve got high hopes because of the crew involved, and one thing they’ve already absolutely nailed is the soundtrack. Jakes has hit it out of the park. phenomenal album.

My only concern is that everything feels like it’s come a little too late. Pre-bookings don’t seem to be where they should be for a #Dulquer movie, especially for a hyped, big-budget action entertainer like this. Outside of the music, the promo has honestly been pretty underwhelming.

Part of me is still thinking this could be a Lokah-style strategy though where maybe they’re confident enough in the final product to just let the movie do the talking rather than giving it a massive promotional push.

As a DQ fan, the scary part is knowing that if this unfortunately flops, Kunjikka is probably becoming Dulquer Garu again for quite some time before we even get an announcement for his next Malayalam movie. 😭

Anyways, of course opening-day tickets booked for tomorrow here in the UK.

Hoping it’s a banger.

Side note: all three elevation tracks are absolute killer gym songs. Jakes absolutely knew what he was doing there. 💪

#ImGame #DulquerSalmaan #BKU

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

Late to the party with #BethlehemKudumbaUnit but cinemas in my city here in the UK have basically been doing one show a day either ridiculously late at night or completely sold out 😭

Finally got around to watching it and I absolutely loved it.

Girish AD just has this essence to his films that instantly hooks me into his characters and their world. Whether it’s a Sachin or a Justin, they feel so natural and genuinely entertaining to watch. A lot of credit has to go to the entire cast as well because comedy is one of the hardest things to get right, and everyone’s timing here was brilliant.

Nivin is completely in his zone and gives a great performance, while Mamitha is equally strong. The casting and direction across the board were excellent.

My mouth was genuinely aching by the end from how much I was laughing 😭 But what I love about Girish AD is that underneath all the comedy, he still manages to emotionally draw you into the characters and tell a genuinely engaging story.

I went in with pretty high expectations considering Premalu is one of my favourite films in recent years, and this still delivered. The rewatchability of Girish AD’s films is honestly insane with Thanneer Mathan Dinangal, Super Sharanya, Premalu and now Bethlehem Kudumba Unit. There’s just something about these films that makes you want to experience them again.

Girish bro, keep doing what you’re doing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!!

#BKU #BethlehemKudumbaUnit #Premalu #NivinPauly #MamithaBaiju

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

With #Khalifa nearing release, I revisited the last Malayalam mass masala action film that completely satisfied me - #Marco

Yes, the film has its flaws, particularly when it comes to the story and writing, but it never pretends to be anything other than what it is. From the very beginning, it was marketed as a straight unapologetically violent action film, and on that front, it absolutely delivers.

Most of the action blocks are spectacular, but the staircase fight remains the standout for me. The colour grading, the one take, the close-quarters action and the way each floor changes colour as Marco moves upwards almost as if each level is getting progressively harder is absolutely brilliant.

I’m hoping Khalifa excels in that same department, and judging by the trailer, it definitely looks promising. Story-wise, I think it’s probably best to keep expectations in check, but I’m still extremely excited for this one especially with that #L factor.

#Prithvi has had a few duds recently, so hopefully Khalifa is the one that sees him bounce back properly.

#Khalifa #BKU #ImGame

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

@KeralaBxOffce This is basically Pathaan story line🤣

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

#kentarch @KentArch

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

#kentuni #kentarchitecture

[Milan Malcolm @MilanMalcolm1]

@am_not_perfect0 @Forumkeralam2 @PrimeVideoIN Thanks bro