Wednesday 22 December 2021

Fight for My Way

 Fight My Way is directed by Lee Na Jeong ( of Oh My Venus fame) Park Seo Joon and Kim Ji Won star in a drama that shows even a life without money and success can be beautiful, you just have to fight for it. This series is about four childhood friends who are aiming to make it big in life but are not finding their foot hold in doing so. How they try to fight against all odds to achieve what they set out to achieve forms the crux of the storyline.

This series will make the girls and ladies swoon as Park Seo Joon as Ko Dong Man is a totally adorable hunk. He takes off his shirt many times thankfully and makes our heart flutter with his innocent ways. Kim Ji Won  as Choi Ae Ra is a good choice as his trusted friend who is always there to root for him.

The story lines moves often to their childhood which tells us of the bond they shared as kids. For 20 years they stay next to each other and only then find out about the true feelings they have for each other. The life of these four friends is engaging and there is not a dull moment anywhere in the series. There is humour, emotion and romance in good measure. This is an entertaining watch and at the same time it tells us about how we can achieve what we want to if we really try.

This is a must watch for all K-Drama fans out there. It is so addictive that I just could not stop binge-watching the episodes.







Sardar Udham

 An amazing movie by Shoojit Sircar that takes us back to history. We can't watch without tears the black day of 13th April, 1919 when a horrific massacre took place at the Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar. Even after all these years it's difficult to forget how General Reginald Dyer ordered his men to open fire at a peaceful gathering of about 20,000 people at Jalianwala Bagh. I have taught about this incident to my students but I was unaware of the story of Sardar Udham Singh. It is sad that we know so less about the real heroes of India who sacrificed their all for their motherland. The trials and tribulations they went through for our freedom struggle and to avenge the massacre is unimaginable. Some really painful and heart wrenching scenes here. It's a shame that the British got away even after such horrific acts.

Yes, I agree that the movie is a bit slow-moving and not as crisp as expected. For me, the validity and honest of the story is enough for me to watch it. We need such films that give us an insight into our freedom struggle. Everything cannot be for entertainment alone. This movie moves us and takes us to visit India's past history during that time period.
It's important to know about these bravehearts of India and appreciate and give them the respect due. I wish there are more films like these so that we are inspired to work hard for the progress of our country and not take our freedom for granted. We, the people of India can make our country great.
Vicky Kaushal is fantastic as the main protagonist in the movie. He really portrays the character well.
Do watch this gem of a movie that is streaming on Amazon Prime.






Saturday 18 December 2021

Weight-lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

 I loved this season of the series. I started watching this as I had seen the male lead in another series and found him cute. Yes, he was cute but the female lead completely bowled me over. She is fantastic!

This series follows the life of athletes who are aspiring to win accolades for themselves and their country. We see them train hard and meet different challenges that come their way. Kim Bok Joo is a weight-lifter and we see her find love in the arms of a national level swimmer at the academy where they train together with other athletes. This series has so many warm and fuzzy moments about family, friends and love that you can't stop watching it.
Kim Bok Joo is simply adorable and has a range of emotions that portray her lovable personality. This series is a slice of life as it takes us through the ups and downs each one faces and the different ways in which we try to overcome the challenges we meet in life.
This is a must watch series. It has my heart.
The lead pair is outstanding.





The Unforgivable

Watching an English thriller after the huge Korean series tsunami.

I have always been a great fan of Sandra Bullock and her work so I could not miss this one. She is a really versatile actress! She shines in every genre of role she plays, be it drama, thriller or comedy. Here she exudes raw emotions brilliantly.
This is the story of Ruth Slater who was convicted for murder. Once released, she starts her search for her little sister. Sandra Bullock is exceptional and the other characters too are amazing.
The movie is slow moving and does not have much in the story. Even as we feel there is something else going to happen the movie comes to an end. What happens to Ruth Slater's sister?
What challenges does she meet with?
Watch this movie to find out. This one is a really good one. It is short and crisp. The story line is simple and matter of fact. There are some heart in the mouth moments and we cant help feeling sad for the main protagonist. Do watch this thriller.



Kurup

 A Dulquer Salman film after a long time.

Dulquer Salman never disappoints.
What a roller coaster of a movie!
It is a thriller with many twists and turns. The story line is engaging and keeps moving across timelines. So from the present we move to the past and then back to the past. The when, how and why is shown gradually so we keep guessing. There are some beautiful locations shown. It is a treat to see some of the iconic places in Mumbai. Dulquer Salman shines in the role of a conman who aspires to make money by hook or crook. He effortlessly disguises himself and tries to keep himself from being caught by the authorities. The climax points towards a sequel for the movie too.
I could not help seeing some shades of 'Catch me if you Can' and 'Dhoom 3' in this movie. This movie is a thriller that is fast paced and it is all about daring escapes and strategies.
A good watch for Dulquer Salman fans.
'There is no beast more cruel than man.' - Leonid Andreyev





Wednesday 8 December 2021

Mare of Eastown

 An engaging and interesting series with many twists and turns. Characters are all well sketched out and they do an amazing job. Kate Winslet is amazing and she carries the series completely on her shoulders. She emotes well and lives her character flawlessly. There is a lot of mystery that becomes more complicated as we move further with each episode. Something new keeps happening to arouse our interest.

I had watched the first episode a few months back and thought it was not worth a watch. I am glad I started watching this series again, it shows that sometimes we need to have patience and not jump to conclusions, especially when it is about mystery series like these. I started watching this one again after reading some excellent reviews about it.
Do watch this thrilling series streaming on Disney Hotstar.



House of Secrets

 House of Secrets is a limited series about The Burari Deaths that took place in Delhi and left the whole of India stunned.

This Netflix documentary will leave everyone watching it feel the chills and make one feel extremely perplexed and uncomfortable. It is hard to imagine that this really happened in these circumstances. It is a difficult watch and we cannot help feeling that this is all a figment of someone's wild imagination.
Three generations of family members living together in a joint family found dead one morning. What could be the cause of their deaths, was it suicide or a planned murder?
The series which is in three episodes, stays with us and we have so many questions unanswered. From the youngest to the oldest member in the family, nothing seemed out of place to everyone around them. The neighbours, the friends and their relatives had no clue as to what was happening behind those closed doors. In fact they had just celebrated the engagement of one of the girls in that family with great joy and fervour. A few days later they end up lifeless.The story is shocking and undeniably gruesome.
This one is a difficult watch so stay away if you are weak hearted. Do understand that this series is really depressing and painful to watch. But this is something that needs to be discussed and understood. The circumstances need to be seen and should serve as insights so that similar things don't happen. This short series is streaming on Netflix and I remember reading about this story hitting the headlines. The mystery is solved yet there are so many questions left unanswered.






Start Up!

 Start Up is an amazing drama series that is highly entertaining. It has drama, humour and romance in good measure. Some great insights on what a start up is all about. This is also about friendship and family. I am hooked to this one although I was hesitant to start watching this one due to the title. Once I started with the first episode there is no looking back. I

This series is all about being inspired and following your goals. They also depict the bond shared by the main characters and how their life is shaped by the bonds they share. love the character sketches and the story line. The acting is top class. Never a dull moment here! Please watch this one without fail. You won't be disappointed. I found the lead pair to have amazing chemistry and they are simple adorable. They light up the screen with their presence. This series is all heart and cannot be missed!

Streaming on Netflix, where else!





Oh My Venus!

 Oh My Venus is a fun-filled entertaining series that will keep you engaged for its story line and wonderful star cast. The lead pair is simply amazing and the male lead's friends are adorable.

The series is all about love, friendship, family and achieving goals. The series is interspersed with romance, emotion and humour in the right measure. I just chilled not stop watching this one. The series has great eye candy for all the guys and gals and some really romantic moments.
It is not just that though, it is also about having challenges that come your way and never giving up. The lead couple go through immense hardships to achieve their goals. There are some life lessons for all about family, love and friendship. It is also about maximising your health and being fit and not just concentrating on outer beauty.
The female lead is gorgeous and you can't help loving her. Her exuberance and her dimples are bewitching. She also stars in Hometown Cha Cha Cha in which she was excellent too. I have to look for series where I can find this male lead. He was just right for the role and he is swoon- worthy. I am glad I watched this series. Do watch this entertainer. It is streaming on Netflix.






My Name

 My Name is a thrilling Korean drama series on Netflix.There are just eight episodes but each one is thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The characters are well sketched and they do an amazing job. The story line is simply fantastic. There are superb fight scenes and car chases that keep you pumped up. Many scenes of blood and gore that can terrify you. Many heart in the mouth moments here. It also has a steamy sex scene, the only scene with romance. This series involves the mafia and the police force. The female lead was fantastic and has done an amazing job with the fight scenes as well as the emotional scenes. It was nice to see the female lead look the opposite of a damsel in distress. The lead villain too was fantastic.
This series is a must watch as it is an amazing thriller.





When the Camelia Blooms

 What a beautiful series this was! It was full of drama, emotion and romance.This is a story of a young single mother who is doing her best to provide all she can for her little son. This series tells us about all the challenges and prejudices she had to fight to survive in her new neighbourhood.

The characters are well etched and the performances are superb. The lead couple is adorable and their love story is really enjoyable and full of ups and downs. The story line is very interesting and it is a pleasure to see the location of the country side. Their fascination for food is evident in every series I have watched so far. They relish their traditional cuisine and it is heartening to see that they value family and friends and go out of their way to help each other in this series.
Do watch this entertaining and addictive series. It is a thrilling and enjoyable series.




My Mister

What an amazing series. My Mister is a look at all the challenges faced by the characters as they go about their life. It's about family, work ethics, bonds with colleagues, family and strangers. How circumstances make us or break us girls the crux of this series. They're are so many heart warming moments as well as tear-inducing moments.

The characters are well etched and all the performances are noteworthy. IU is fantastic as Lee Ji Un and even the male lead is outstanding! This is a series that is ridden with some values for life. The story line is edgy and keeps us engaged. It is not the usual romance or family series, there are many twists in it. It is difficult to watch it without being touched by the storyline. This series tells us how a little love and kindness can go a really long way. A must watch series.






Vincenzo

 What an amazing series, it's no wonder that out is a much loved one.Intelligent script and engaging storyline. All the characters are so believable. The lead pair is a class above and keep us enthralled with their quirky acts. You just cannot get enough of Song Joong-ki, he is simply adorable. He caught my full attention when I watched Descendents of the Sun, what an amazing personality!

Vincenzo is a series that is a favourite of my wonder boyband BTS so I had to watch this one. I am so glad I am watching this one, it's engaging and high in entertainment. This one is fast paced unlike the slower 'My Mister' that I watched last. Both belong to different genres and are really a good watch. Vincenzo is full of drama, emotion and conflicts. It also has a romantic side to it that cannot be missed.
Vincenzo steals our heart with his style and demeanor. He is truly swoon-worthy. This is a must watch. Watch this for sure and thank me later.