COVID, WFH, and OTT Picks

With a mix of continuous and on/off lockdowns, WFH (Work From Home) one worthy thing happened is more time for family, work, books, movies, and friends (video chats), not necessarily in that order. Yes, there is frustration and gloomy feeling that hits observing the happenings near and around us, lack of state capacity, and leaders continuing with their politics and optics even in these times when millions of people are

 

Music or Vibes?

(Author: Jay Ramalingam) Do you hear the music or the vibrations that produce the music?                 Do you see the table or the wood that makes up the table? Do you inhale the life-nourishing air or the electrons and protons that make up oxygen?                Do you feel the emotions or the pattern of neuronal firings that

 

Ennio Morricone (1928 – 2020)

If you are from 70s & 80s movie goers, you would remember few single screen big theatres had the ritual of raising the screen curtain when the movie is about to start. Usually red curtain that will raise to the theme music of For a Few Dollars More (FFDM). Of course, I didn’t know nothing about FFDM or Ennio Morricone that time. Saw The Mission movie in Chennai 85/86, liked

 

IR and MR – my journey

IR celebrated his 77th birthday June 2, 2020. Even though I wanted to write about him, I held back since I don’t have anything new to say about them. IR has been in the industry for more than 40+ years. His life has been pretty much an open book, meaning, everyone from last 3 generations of people from South India know about him. So much has been written about him.

 

Ponmagal Vandhal – A could have been movie

Official trailer: Imagine this. You have a storyline that looks interesting and good. Core conflict is gripping. You are given a bunch of good actors, well established names in the field, Parthiban, Bhagyaraj, Prathap Pothan, Thiagarajan, and Pandiarajan. Plus, Jyotika who gives the star value and pull factor. You have seen Few good Men, impressed by its court scenes and key plot points, want to use it in the movie

 

When the building is weakening the foundation…

(Author: Jay Ramalingam) Gray musings during the Corona crisis Source: Wiki Commons What do you do, when the building is weakening the foundation? when the paint is scarring the canvas? What do you do, when the clothing is burning the skin? when the medicine is corroding the stomach? What do you do, when roughshod ‘progress’ breaks your compass? when thrashing gets you deeper into the sand? What do you do,

 

COVID – India, fault lines, and failed leaders

இரந்தும் உயிர்வாழ்தல் வேண்டின் பரந்துகெடுக உலகியற்றி யான் – Thirukural – #1062 (Translation: If the Creator of the world has decreed even begging as means of livelihood, may he too go abegging and perish) NOTE 1: Creator in current context can refer to those who govern or in power. NOTE 2: Be warned….following is a rant…wanted to put it in writing and vent it out.  This is what happens when you feel

 

கோவிட் கவிதை – சௌம்யா

                                                   போன்சாய்                     Top: Source: The Guardian                    Source: Aljazeera தன்னுலகைத் தவிர்த்து மறு பாதி உலகின் நடைமுறை அறியா பொருளாதாரத்தின் உச்சத்தில் வாழும் மேல்தட்டு மக்களின் மெத்தகு மாடி வீட்டின் பாங்கான பால்கனியிலிருந்து போன்சாய் வைத்தால்

 

Lost Girls – Disturbing True Crime Drama with no closure

Official Trailer: Lost Girls follows Mari Gilbert (excellent performance by Amy Ryan), a mother of 3 daughters, who works multiple jobs to take care of two younger daughters who live with her. Her elder daughter, Shannan, goes missing one night. Mari realizes something bad may have happened to Shannan when calls to her go to voicemail. There was a 911 call from Shannan on that night from a gated community

 

COVID-19, WFH and Tamil Thriller Movies – Part 3

Link to Part 2: COVID-19, WFH, and Virus Attack Movies COVID-19, doesn’t seem to be slowing down yet. India has extended the lockdown for 2 more weeks till May 3, 2020. If you are WFH, make sure you stick to fixed time. With commute time saved, great opportunity to spend time with the family, and do things you have been postponing to later time (assuming they don’t need you to