ONE SHOT

The near massacre of a bus full of school children is foiled by a man known simply as Vijay. The school children's death warrant was issued by the corrupt politician Walisundara. But now he focuses his anger and revenge on Vijay, actions which will eventually bring out the vigilante in hiding named One-Shot.

ONE SHOT is written and directed by Ranjan Ramanayake, produced by Soma Edirisinghe and stars non other than Ranjan Ramanayake (One-Shot/Vijay), Wilson Karunaratne (Walisundara) and Anarkali Akarsha (Shereen). The supporting cast includes Anton Jude, Rex Kodippile, Kanchana Mendis and Menike Aththanayake with special guest appearances by Anoja Weerasinghe and Ravindra Randeniya.

Once in awhile a film comes along that purely blows you away. THE SIXTH SENSE, THE MATRIX and in recent times THE DARK KNIGHT are examples of brilliantly crafted films. If these films fall into one end of the spectrum, then at the very opposite end is ONE SHOT. This film is mind blowing in a completely "bad" way.
The plot seems to have been created by a ten year old. It is the mixture of an exaggerated 1980's Hindi film and a patronizing speech given by a fake patriot. In a nutshell, Walisundara orders a bus load of innocent kids to be slaughtered as means to gain more votes. Vijay (a.k.a. One-Shot) saves the day by performing a stunt even Tarzan would be envious of. Walisundara retaliates by humiliating and assaulting Vijay. Walinsundara's daughter, Shereen falls in love with Vijay. The origin of One-Shot is revealed. The couple practically elopes and finally Vijay does his lover proud by killing her father. What more could you ask for in a Ramanayake plot.

The opening credits of the film said "Story, Dialogue, Script and Direction by Ranjan Ramanayake." Could someone please inform Mr. Ramanayake that he needn't blow his own horn too hard because no one in their right mind would take credit for a story like this. The narrative is pathetically infantile and the references to corrupt actions of Sri Lankan politicians are blatant. The lack of complexity in the story is clearly evident. It's as if the film was made by a child, for children. The story has been clearly designed in between scenes of Ramanayake taking his shirt off and modeling. The humour is painful and proves that the comedy genre is de-evolving in Sri Lankan cinema. ONE SHOT displays immature slapstick comedy, where a character falling on his face is still considered funny. To prove this fact here is my official count; number of times characters farted = 2, number of times characters urinated in fear of One-Shot = 5 and number of times male characters kissed One-Shot in fear = 7. (Not including the " GODFATHER style hand kissing scene")

This film is unique in the fact that the dialogue is completely devoid of subtext. Any book on screenwriting for beginners will state that the inclusion of subtext in the dialogue is what enriches a story. I guess Ramanayake didn't read that book(s). Subtext is replaced by transparent preaching to the audience. There are three different characters that look into the camera and directly address the audience. This spoon feeding of the story is insulting to viewers. Why do nearly all "Sri Lankan Commercial Film Directors" assume that their audiences are idiots and that the message of the movie must be forced fed? The story moves from scenes of babyish comedy to scenes of utter bloodshed. A proper tone for the film is never established. This callous method of storytelling shows the screenwriter's lack of creativity and imagination.

The cinematography is trivial. The pointless zooming in and out as a visual effect is annoying and the slow jerky zooming in a number of scenes is unprofessional. What really stands out like a sore thumb is the use of ridiculous sound effects to induce comedy in many scenes. I felt bombarded by these dim-witted sounds throughout the entire film.
YU! YU! YU!

Some have honed the art of Method Acting, others have practiced Expressionist Acting but it is only Ranjan Ramanayake who has perfected the art of Over Acting. He does it so well in fact; all the actors in the film have adopted his unique style. Even thespians such as Anoja Weerasinghe and Menike Aththanayake who are considered exceptional method actresses have tried the "Ran-Ram Method." I could probably write a short story on how bad the acting in this film is but I shall give you the condensed version. Wilson Karunaratne's acting is as always similar to The Incredible Hulk with a beard and a sarong. Rex Kodippile exhibits less emotions and facial expressions than Frankenstein. Kanchana Mendis proves that the only requirement to becoming a Sri Lankan actress is having the ability to cry and wail like a Banshee. Menike Aththanayake's parody of Chandrika Kumaranatunga is forgettable. Anton Jude's character is the clichéd sidekick, also known as Half-Shot. Anarkali Akarsha gives hope to all the burgeoning bimbos of Sri Lanka with her trademark Singlish dialogue and retarded smile. But it is Ranjan Ramanayake who truly steals the show. This character has been tailor made to highlight Ramanayake's lack of expressive intensity and at the same time highlight his man-breasts. He desperately tries to appear cool and noble but ends up being stilted and aloof. But then again acting like a stiff is his forte.

There are so many things wrong in this film; it's difficult to disregard them all. This is why I have compiled a Top Five "Mistakes-Made by the Director" List.

5. Choosing a wardrobe similar to that of a Gay Pirate.

4. Making a full length feature film just so you can flex your muscles and sport your wigs on camera

3. Shamelessly believing you have a talent for screen writing and directing.

2. Deluding yourself into thinking you are comparable to Vijay Kumaranatunga and/or Jesus Christ by including a ridiculous crucifixion scene.

1. Violating International Music Copyrights and Intellectual Property Laws by stealing:
· Bailamos – Enrique Iglesias
· "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" score music – Brad Fiedel (Composer), James Cameron (Producer)
· "Mission Impossible" theme music – Lalo Schifrin (Composer), Bruce Geller (Creator).
· Song from "Asoka"- Sunidhi Chouhan (Vocals), Anu Malik (Composer).

The alarming fact is that ONE SHOT is the Highest Grossing film in Sri Lankan Box Office history. This is a wake up call for the cinema audiences of Sri Lanka to demand better films from our filmmakers. In my opinion I have never witnessed such a cinematic travesty, then again I still haven't seen Ramanayake's third film entitled LEADER. A wise man once said "I have seen better film on teeth," which is why I confer on ONE SHOT the inaugural new rating.

Rating: 0 COCONUTS

S. V. Fernando

HELLO

A young boy uses a payphone at school to call his mother. But before the boy can ask his mother to pick him up, the phone disconnects. Fortunately the distraught boy will find solace in the kindness of a stranger.

HELLO is a short film directed by Lakpathy Wijesekara, produced by Thamindu Ranasinghe and the actors are Nilesh Narendran with Tharindu Jayakody.

This is the first short film critiqued upon the request of the director. Lakpathy Wijesekara is a 16 year old filmmaker based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The plot is straightforward yet effective. I assume that the younger and older boy both reside in the school boarding house. This is why the younger boy informs his mother via the payphone that he is well and studying hard. Meanwhile the older boy is talking to his girlfriend through his mobile phone. The conflict of the story arises when the money in the payphone runs out, before the younger boy can ask his mother to pick him up. Simultaneously the funds on the older boy's mobile phone depletes, resulting in him walking towards the payphone. The older boy observes the distress on the younger boy's face and decides to help him.

This is a touching story similar to the tale of the "Good Samaritan." The older boy's act of unselfishness is a simple but heartfelt message for the viewer. The opening credits sequence is attention-grabbing. Imaginative selection of the score music gives the short film a magical feel, like a Tim Burton film. Close-Ups and Wide-Shots are utilized appropriately to focus on key mannerisms and reactions. My only criticism is the shaky backward movement of the camera in the final scene. But all in all a fine effort by a future Sri Lankan filmmaker who displays attention to detail and a natural ability for storytelling.

For those interested in viewing HELLO, follow the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/lakpathy

S. V. Fernando

SULANGA

The collapse of a marriage leads the distraught couple to a divorce court. During the court proceedings, three viewpoints are heard which may impugn to the breakdown of the marriage. The wife's, the husband's and the mistress' perspectives are exhibited thus beginning an exploration of the concept of 'truth' as it relates to each character's personal story.

SULANGA (The Wind) is written and directed by Bennett Rathnayake and stars Sanath Gunathilake (Senarathne: the husband), Dilhani Ekanayake (Krishanthi: the wife) and Sathya Erandathi Rathnayake (Kumari: the village girl/mistress). The supporting cast includes Palitha Silva, Chandani Senevirathne and Sriyani Amarasena.

Since the exploration of 'truth' is the theme of this film, the simple truth is that this is an immature plot in the guise of a serious adult story. This is yet another film that deals with the "Typical Cheating Sri Lankan Husband" storyline. It makes you question the actual existence of the rare and endangered species known as the "Faithful Sri Lankan Husband." The lack of depth between the married couples' relationship is shamelessly obvious. Scenes of adult conversations are replaced by trivial scenes such as preparing the morning tea and making a lunch packet. Why do present day Sri Lankan filmmakers continue to visually represent love with images of the wife cooking food? "The way to a man's heart is through the stomach," is an overstatement.
The relationship of Senarathne (the middle-aged professor) and Kumari (the very young village girl/mistress) seems unbelievably childish and juvenile. The plot attempts to be original but fails due to the mundane subject matter.

The first act of the screenplay does not waste time with unnecessary scenes, but half way through the second act the progression of the film comes to a screeching halt. Excessive narration seems to spoon feed the story without permitting self discovery. This is yet another film that squeezes the melodrama to its last drop. The fact that the cheating husband displays himself as the victim of the divorce is just hilariously absurd.
What is the screenwriter thinking?

The cinematography is the only redeeming quality of the film. The frame composition is exceptional and executed with artistry. All interior scenes have been meticulously lit and the attention to detail in the shots is evident. The visual images of the garbage dump are particularly spectacular and show the professionalism of the cinematographer Biju Vishvanath.

Dilhani Ekanayake proves that experience in the art of acting does make a significant difference. Her performance as the distressed wife is heartfelt and empathetic.
However Sanath Gunathilake's portrayal of the husband proves that all the experience in the world cannot help a mediocre actor at best. His performance is ludicrous and takes overacting to another stratosphere. But the stand out performance of the film is by newcomer Sathya Erandathi Rathnayake, who gives new meaning to the word 'robotic.'
There was more emotional depth on the face of the robot "R2D2 from Star Wars" than there was on Sathya's face. She delivers dialogue as if she was reading it directly from the script. Her monotone expressionless face is excruciating and makes you wonder how the hell she got this role? She has to be related to either the director or one of the producers, because it's difficult to comprehend that anyone would pay money for that performance.

If there's anyone that deserves the bulk of the blame for the shortcomings of this film, it's Bennett Rathnayake. The producer, writer, director really should have tackled less mundane subject matter. The score is irritating and inapt, the casting of Sathya Erandathi Rathnayake in a prominent role is a monumental mistake, but the final nail in the coffin was the pointless open-ended resolution to the ending of the film. Simply giving up on the ending does not make this an artistic film.

Rating: 2 COCONUTS

S. V. Fernando

THE DARK KNIGHT

The highly anticipated sequel to the 2005 sleeper hit BATMAN BEGINS, has finally arrived. Directed by Christopher Nolan, who also did the prequel, THE DARK KNIGHT stars Christian Bale, Aaron Echart and the late Heath Ledger to name a few. It follows the path of billionaire Bruce Wayne one year after the events of BATMAN BEGINS. Despite the Caped Crusaders efforts Gotham city’s worst has only become more ferocious. While dealing with mobsters an unpredictable clown, The Joker, seems to have a powerful effect on the citizens and the batman.

I doubt there are many who are unfamiliar with concept of batman. The character has spanned over 70 years through media ranging from the comics, TV shows, cartoons, movies, and novels. Something common to the true batman story to at it’s center is a detective dissecting crime. This was also the heart of this story.

The plot was a true crime drama of epic proportions. Rather than comparing this to another superhero film, I found myself reminiscing of HEAT or THE DEPARTED.
The story is well thought-out despite it’s speedy pace. There are a few subplots that extend a bit longer than it should, but eventually they all tie in together. Fantastic turn of events kept me at the edge of my seat throughout.

The script is simply crisp and smooth. The dialogue is appropriate and seems to gel the characters to the gritty world they are enveloped in. Although some characters are more colourful than others, all of them have an equal share in adding a significance to the story. Screenwriter Jonathan Nolan has truly brought appropriate and mature conversations to the characters.

The acting overall is just amazing. Christian Bale is in top form, just as he was in the prequel, forceful as the Batman but stressed out as Bruce Wayne. Aaron Echart was excellent playing the charismatic and troubled Harvey Dent. Even Gary Olman give an empathetic view to the plight of James Gordan. Maggie Gylenhall is a pleasant replacement to the still childlike acting of Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. However I do feel all of these of these roles will be unfairly shadowed by the star of the film, the late Heath Ledger. His rendition of the Joker was simply astounding, and chilling. In the likes of Hannibal Lector, Tony Montana'Scareface' and Darth Vader, this Joker will go down in history as one of the most memorable and unforgettable villains. The relationship of The Joker and Batman is an intricate and complex one, I was impressed at how Nolan managed to keep it fresh and familiar. Throughout the film, the Heath’s performance made me wince in discomfort as he slices flesh and norms, but he also made me laugh at his over the top antics. I found myself cheering for him simply to see what he’ll do next. Leaving aside the much publicized death of a talented actor, he gave the performance of his life. I will be surprised if he does not get an oscar nomination.

The cinematography was simply eye-opening. In BATMAN BEGINS we are introduced to a dinghy, vicious ambiance of Gotham city after dark. Here we are shown Gotham’s gritty life with an atmosphere of danger during the day. The wide angle shots truly allowed grand scope of the city, and in many of the high angle scene there are elements of vertigo. The action sequences had me holding my breath in excitement. Not only were they effective in keeping you in awe visually but it was potent to match the story as well.

This is Christopher Nolan’s 6th movie and 5th commercial success. He has always been a director to bring a real life feel to all of his films by keeping things relatively simple. No grand illusions, no complicated storylines, no surprise ending, no special fx or CGI, and no gimmicks have been used in any of his films and THE DARK KNIGHT is no exception. The man knows how to tell a story, but also create a dark real life mood. I was truly spellbound from beginning to end. The quality of the film is on par with any drama of recent times.

It is no surprise the film just set a box office precedent of having the highest movie opening in history, a record formerly held by SPIDERMAN 3. Since of late the standard for comic films have been raised to a new level, mainly thanks to the new MARVEL STUDIOS. Warner Bros/DC has not only manged to reach this level,... but exceeds it. In spite of being a fan of Batman, without any bias I can truly say this is not only the greatest superhero film I have ever seen, but also one of the best films of the year. The adult and the child in me were both gleefully satisfied at this cinematic marvel.

RATING : 5 COCONUTS

D. PIERIES

TEASER

BAHU BHARYA

A married couple desperate to conceive a child of their own is given an unexpected solution to their dilemma. The husband's adulterous affair with another married woman results in the birth of an illegitimate child. The husband proposes that he and his wife permanently raise the new born, under the stipulation that she (the mistress) promises to never see her child and accepts the monetary compensation provided.
But this agreement is broken and the story takes a dramatic turn for the worst.

This film is written and directed by Udayakantha Warnasooriya and features Ranjan Ramanayake (Kapila: the husband), Wasanthi Chathurani (Navoda: the wife) and Sangeetha Weeraratne (Theja: the mistress).

The plot is probably the only redeeming quality in the entire film. The themes are mature, adult oriented and quite relevant. The story moves at a brisk and steady pace.
Unfortunately the screenplay does not compliment the interesting plot. The dialogue is melodramatic and mediocre at best. For complicated situations the characters do not have many thought provoking conversations.

The cinematography is extremely poor for a film made in the past decade. Unnecessary close-ups and jerking the camera were repeated mistakes. Probably the most unforgivable blunder was during a love making scene; where a close-up of Theja's breasts are photographed with a black background and immediately cut-to a medium-shot with a white background (white coloured paint on walls). This lack of photographic continuity is amateurish. I don't know what's worse, the above error or the use of a pair of ridiculous prosthetic fake female breasts in that scene. Either use real breasts (the actress’s or a body double’s) or simply don’t show breasts. But to show something out of puppet show is simply insulting the audiences' intelligence.

Veteran actress' Wasanthi Chathurani and Sangeetha Weeraratne stand out in their designated roles. Suitable casting of the two female characters can be attributed to their poignant performances. But what stands out like a sore thumb is the ridiculous and wooden portrayal of the 'Kapila' character by Ramanayake. Overdramatic reactions and exclaimed expressions are a few of Ramanayake's acting traits, neither one should he be proud of. It seems that he is incapable of portraying complex emotions which are needed in many of the intricate scenes. It is clearly evident that being a ‘Movie Star’ doesn't necessarily make one a ‘Professional Actor’. The immortal words of the late-great Mr. Bruce Lee come to mind in what was missing, "We need emotional content!"

Part of the blame for Ramanayake's absurd acting falls upon the director; Warnasooriya. The director fails to mold his leading male actor, which proves detrimental to the end product. There are many scenes that required deeper reactions from the characters. The lack of hesitation during the first marital infidelity, the lack of remorse when Kapila accidentally pushes Theja off a cliff and the lack of guilt in Kapila when his wife finds out about his cheating ways are examples of blatant directing inaccuracies.

The original score by Dulip Gabadamudalige is intolerably inappropriate, not to mention the songs by Samitha Mudunkotuwa and Athula Adikari. Sound mixing and dubbing are a complete mismatch with the visuals.Bahu Bharya is a poor man's Sri Lankan version of 'Fatal Attraction'. Although there are many reasons for the downfall of this film to its English counterpart the most noticeable one is that Ranjan is no Michael Douglas.

Rating: 1 COCONUT

S. V. Fernando

ASANI WARSHA

Pradeep is an impulsive young man, from the wrong side of the social tracks who does dirty work for a local politician. With the help of this politician Pradeep manages to locate the whereabouts of his biological father (Sanjeewa). Pradeep confronts Sanjeewa and tells him that he is the result of a fleeting relationship between Sanjeewa and his mother Renuka, decades ago. Due to the fact that Renuka was of lower social class, Sanjeewa's mother convinced him to break up the relationship and travel abroad for an indefinite period of time. Now Sanjeewa has returned to Sri Lanka with his wife and two young children, only to have his life turn upside down by Pradeep's revelation. Pradeep was relentlessly taunted as a young child. 'Bastard' was one of many insults he had to bare, which lead him to drop out of school by the fifth grade. Now an uneducated young thug, Pradeep is faced with an uncertain future. This is why he begins to ask for money from his biological father, who happens to be a successful businessman. The small amounts of money requested proceed into larger sums and for Sanjeewa this small problem has escalated into a much more dangerous and threatening crisis.

ASANI WARSHA (Wrath and Rain) is written and directed by Vasantha Obeysekera and features Jagath Chamila (Pradeep) and Kamal Addaraarachchi (Sanjeewa) as the two leading characters. The supporting cast includes Meena Kumari (Renuka), Sanath Gunathilake (Sirimanna, the politician) and Mahendra Perera.

The plot has been masterfully crafted by an experienced writer/ director. The story is simple yet cleverly paced with the progression of plot points seamlessly increasing in importance. The story kept me interested and engrossed in the film until the very end. The story encompasses many social dilemmas and double-standards still occurring in present day Sri Lanka. It highlights the most common quandary of all, how can an uneducated man make a living in a country where economic strife is widespread?
What makes this story unique and sets it apart from other films is that it contains subtext. Whereas many other films present superficial conflicts, this film shows a deeper and mature discord. The character of Pradeep is constantly defeated by external forces but in the end Pradeep's greatest enemy is himself. This veiled layer to the story is what makes this a superior film. As with many of Obeysekera's films, the screenplay is meticulously designed to convey the exact information at the correct time. The dialogue is intimate and heartfelt and the use of clichés is non-existent.

The look of the film matches the subject matter undertaken. The cinematography is understated with the use of appropriate camera angles for each scene. The photography does not try to overcompensate for the slow moving plot by increasing the movement. Many Sri Lankan cinematographers are guilty of doing too much or too little, but Director of Photography Jayanath Gunawardana has done is job just right.

Besides the plot, the best part of this film is the acting. Jagath Chamila who plays the lead character of Pradeep gives a complex performance. Although he is a recognizable actor today, he was a fairly unknown actor during the making of this film. But judging from his conflicted portrayal, there is no doubt why Obeysekera cast him in the lead. He is truly in the forefront of the new generation of talented actors in Sri Lanka.
Kamal Addaraarachchi is consistence as always, adding a sense of restrained intricacy to his role and the supporting cast members purely enhance the quality of the film by their individual performances.

Vasantha Obeysekera is considered one of the best film directors in Sri Lanka by journalists, film reviewers and cinema-goers alike, I wholeheartedly agree with this. But in my opinion his consistency is debatable from film to film. As far as ASANI WARSHA is concerned he's proved his aptitude and ability. The film is exceptional, from the script, to casting, to cinematography, to editing, to scoring; the director has pooled the individual talents of his cast and crew and created a memorable film.

Rating: 4 COCONUTS

S. V. Fernando