Author: Rad

Jallikattu – An entertaining, high energy sound and light spectacle

Official Trailer: I was impressed by the uniqueness of the sound design that accompanied the visuals when I watched the trailer. I loved Lijo Jose Pelllissery’s earlier movies Angamaly Diaries and Ee.Ma.Yau. So, naturally I was looking forward to Jallikattu. This director has a special talent with directing crowds. If you have watched Angamaly Diaries and Ee.Ma.Yau, you know what I am talking about. Even with so many characters, and

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Unbelievable – a compelling series that takes you through anger & frustration to uncomfortable peace towards the end

Official Trailer: What if your behavior doesn’t conform to society’s norms? How you will be perceived if you insist on a specific brand and color of bedsheet the next day after a traumatic event, say rape? What if no one believes your story because your behavior doesn’t conform? That is the situation Marie Adler, the teenager, faces in the latest Netflix’s mini-series Unbelievable. When Marie reports about her rape to

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One Nation One Banana

Whenever I hear the slogan One Nation One Language, first question that pops up in my head is what is the problem statement? What are we missing now that will get addressed by moving to one language nationwide? This fascination with one language, one national language, is not new, it has been there from pre-independence days. Let’s consider some facts. As per 2001 & 2011 census, India has 122 major

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Fast Cuts – Aadai, and Game Over

When it rains, it pours. Lately there have been series of Kollywood movies with woman protagonists. A change for the positive. Less of toxic masculinity. Game Over –  After a long time, got to see an original genre-hopping supernatural-revenge-horror-serial killer-videogame movie. Movie maintains the mood throughout, lighting, cuts, and music. Like Apoorva Sagodharargal movie sets up the bait with a serial killing, where the killer beheads the woman, kicks the

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90ml – an unapologetic, funny female bonding movie

Official Trailer: Based on the trailer, I expected yet another run-of-the-mill 27th adult comedy. I sat up and realized this movie is going to be different when Rita says My bungalow, my rules, only entry and exit. Movie is bold and has that FU attitude till the end. Don’t get misled by the trailer. Yes, you do get those scenes and dialogues, but they don’t stand out as sleazy when

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Short Takes – Monsters, Virus, Kavaludaari, Uriyadi 2

Virus – From Mollywood, a highly engaging and moving film, based on incidents around Nipah virus. Similar to HBO series Chernobyl, story focuses on how doctors, nurses, Collector, health minister, rise to the occasion to control the spread of virus taking risks. While the movie progresses like a procedural investigation, the director does a brilliant job of giving us back stories of few characters, their personal struggles, that makes us

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Fast Cuts – I am Mother, and Kumbalangi Nights

I am Mother – post apocalypse, continuation of humanity is in the hands of a robot. Movie setups the premise very nicely where we get to see a shielded shelter managed by a robot. Out of the embryos, one embryo gets picked by the robot to restart the humanity. Baby girl grows up to be an adult, named only as daughter. A robotic mother concept is used effectively to explore

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Books that changed my perception

Thanks to Baradwaj Rangan (BR) for giving the idea for this blog post!! BR had a query to his readers on Books that changed you. I did call out the list of books that influenced me in his comments section. Here I am giving an elaborated version for your reading pleasure 😀 I grew up reading all kinds of magazines and books. During my school years, we got pretty much

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When They See Us – Horrors of Injustice

Official Trailer: When They See Us Netflix series explores the human side of wrong conviction by justice system, suffering through jail term, not able to get a job and have a life after the release, and how the stigma continues to haunt them. Series is based on famous Central Park Five event that rocked USA in 1989. While the event happened in US, functioning of justice system, and social prejudices

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