Thoughts on movies, shows, books and life will be found here. Read at the risk of getting addicted.
Eight heartwarming real stories that tell us what dreams and aspirations brought people to the USA or kept people there.
Spelling, squash/sneakers, hat/boots, a silent retreat, cookies, quail eggs, lucky winners and asylum seekers all have relevance in how people persevere in making their dreams come true.
With all the negativity in the world right now, this one is a heart warming watch!
Happy New decade everyone! Super exciting! 2020 is coming! It will be amazing! Better than 2019! Can’t wait to start the new year! Boom! In Australia, we ended 2019 with bush fires which raged into 2020, killing over a billion animals and keeping us indoors because of the air pollution. Masks were scarce and a necessity if you wanted to be out without choking, though the eyes still burned.
That was but a precursor of what was to come. “There is a flu like outbreak in China,” said the news. But China was far from Australia, or Dubai and India, so I wasn’t too worried about me or my family. We live in a small world, which we had gotten used to. Pop in to Hong Kong on your way to Mumbai, and I did! Lets have tea in London en route to Toronto, let’s surprise Mom in Dubai, lets do a Singapore celebration for #coter, it was all possible.
Until this little virus made its way to every country, shutting down the world. I looked for any unused masks from January but couldn’t find them. Stores were out of masks, sanitisers, gloves and cleaning products. We all had plenty of time to retreat, rethink and re-evaluate our lives. How many masks would nature have to impose on us till we realised we had to get rid of our own masks?
What is really important in our lives? I can’t think of anything other than groceries or essential medicines. The lack of freshly made cakes and muffins also reacquainted me with baking at home after decades. We were lucky, with the internet, lots of content to watch, listen and read, we bided our time indoors, as our hair grew out and the hair colour wore off. Video chatting apps kept human connections alive, as more challenges surfaced; locusts, storms, extreme weather, racial divide and the fear of the unknown.
“I can’t wait to get back to normal!” some say, as I bite back my words. “Normal wasn’t working! Which is why we are in this situation! It will be a new normal and don’t worry, we will adapt to it!” I think as I move on, very clear about what I will do. “Always have a Plan B,” I used to say, but now a Plan C and D should also be chalked out, in case a spoke hits our wheels. No more planning holidays, events, or even weekends with a contingency that things may not turn out as we thought, or hoped.
Walks and a coffee to go brought so much joy as we explored lanes hitherto unknown and expressed gratitude for having a roof, meals and the hope that something will stabilise this situation, because nothing lasts forever! So, take off your masks, all of them. Be true, be authentic, be you! If this ‘retreat for wellness’ has taught me anything, it’s that when we are real, life is effortless, avenues open up and we attract opportunities, love and support that we could never imagine.
Physical distances haven’t affected social connections and I feel closer to my loved ones, though I miss giving them a hug, which may not be possible now but I foresee it in the very near future! Until then, stay safe and real!
Bong Joon-ho’s film Parasite was a subtle social commentary compared to this powerful film with a potent message, based on a French graphic novel by Jacques Lob.
It mirrors the real world with terrifying accuracy, using metaphors which stir the same rebellion in you that ‘the back of the train’ feel at being controlled.
Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Bell, Song Kang-ho, Ko Asung, Ewen Bremner are effective characters in a larger plot, where the train itself becomes the protagonist and the villain, alive and breathing, a messiah in an apocalyptic world.
The basic premise remains the same, it’s the treatment that makes this an eye opener, a cinematic genius which is perhaps more relevant now than when it was made, making it a classic, timeless warning.
4/5
An interesting crime drama that goes back and forth, painting a picture of a murder, with a 14 year old as a prime suspect.
Some fine performances by Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell reveal a world of children parents may be shocked to know is ‘normal’ or ‘no big deal’.
Multiple sub-plots emerge without being over dramatic, which make an even more tense watch.
Good content!
The story of Buddha’s destined journey from a prince to an ascetic was first televised in 2013 on Zee TV and Doordarshan. It is now available to view on Netflix.
The soap opera style drama aside, it beautifully explored the relationship between Siddhartha and his parents, teachers and wife. The story ties itself well with the earlier drama when it speaks of redemption, righteousness and the quest to know oneself.
Unlike our other epics, this is not a story oft told. Though liberties are taken with its history, it makes for an enlightening watch with many well written and dramatised lessons, questions and truths.
The Morning Show, or Morning Wars as it is known in Australia and Indonesia, is so much more than one would expect!
We get a career best performance from Jennifer Aniston, a sturdy and dependable Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell, and an ensemble cast which deserve every accolade.
The story is complicated. There is much more at stake than meets the eye. Power, relationships, money, the MeToo movement, bushfires, a terrible mass shooting incident make up the backdrops to many stellar moments.
Introspection, grief, anger, anguish, confidence, insecurity, pain, pent up suffering are all rolled into a hard hitting portrayal by the cast, who have written, produced and delivered an appropriate message which asks new questions and answers old ones.
A captivating watch!
An apocalyptic sci-fi thriller drama, it has a unique premise which quickly takes the tension to the characters, their personalities and motives. The ensemble cast does full justice to all their roles.
An intense watch with lots of back stories, sub plots and obstacles which make the already frustrating and crucial situation unbearable, but we always want to know how they will get out of it!
Movies&Musings 