Shreya Phadke – Google

A Man Called Ove is not a book you skip..read it today! It's a beautiful, heartwarming, sensitive rendition of things that shape us as a person and by extension the relationships in our orbit. The book subtly yet wonderfully highlights how it's important to encourage tiny changes in your loved ones but not at the cost of first embracing them for who they are. A strong point of Fredrik Backman's writing is that each reader can have a different interpretation of Ove & what makes him tick. Through his words, Backman takes us on a walk along a quirky, fun cul-de-sac interspersed with classic romance, lasting love and unfortunate tragedy. The walk is 100% worth it!

The truly good thing about Four Good Days is Glenn Close; forever the expert at making you experience the full range of human emotions with only her expressions and dialogue delivery. The movie in itself feels tiresome and recycled. As it progressed, I couldn't help but feel that a lot of what was being shown didn't make much sense. There wasn't enough consistency or intent shown in the writing, characterization or what was happening to warrant empathy. Whenever the plot is bound by some timeline, a minimal approach works better. The writers could have focused on a particular theme and strengthened the script but instead it feels like they tried to tackle a lot; unfortunately with limited success. Overall the movie is an average one time watch.

Promising Young Woman makes your skin crawl. The movie's warm-and-pastel look is in stark contrast to the dark, hard-hitting message it drives home. Carey Mulligan is simply brilliant, carrying the movie almost single-handedly from start to finish. Whether it's her sassy, deadpan moments or her softness in the middle of a blooming romance or the bottled-up emotions barreling out of her, Mulligan leaves no stone unturned with this performance. Other standout features of the movie are its dialogues & direction. Also, a special mention to its on-point soundtrack. It took me far too long to finally watch this movie & I could kick myself for it. This is a must watch!

I'm gonna miss this show! It doesn't matter what genre you classify Dead To Me in, it was always less about the other aspects that traditionally make up a show & more about Jen & Judy. Their bond, their guilt, their growth, their shared & individual guilt. The writers must have sensed it from day one that they have a winner on their hands in terms of the actors (Christina Applegate & Linda Cardellini) as well as the lead characters, & that translates wonderfully on-screen. James Marsden is a sweet little part of it too. But overall, Dead To Me rests on the shoulders of its two MVPs & they make the journey worth it!

You'll either enjoy The Devil's Hour or find it too slow to finish. I fall in the former category. I usually keep my distance from supernatural/time-travel related fiction but every once in a while, there are some that stick. There isn't much about the show that is particularly spectacular or outstanding & yet all the little things; such as the performances, the intrigue, the characters, they blend together well enough to lock you in for the next episode. Among the cast, Jessica Raine, as Lucy Chambers, does the majority heavylifting & full credit to her for being so fine at it. Given the sufficiently long run-time of episodes, the plot could have been handled expansively. The final episode feels a tad rushed & that makes you wonder if the writers left some empty pockets in the previous episodes? The answer is: Yes! Even so, The Devil's Hour is a fun chase through the maze, with a wonderful, curiosity arousing plot at its center. I strongly believe that this is one of those shows that will benefit more by going out like a limited series instead of returning for another season. Special mention to one of the most heartwarming parent-child relationships shown on-screen (Lucy & Isaac). You're left with nothing but warm & gooey feels watching their relationship grow from ep.1 to ep.6

I'm not a fan of baseball at all, coming from the land of cricket & even though I am familiar with the basic game terminologies, the sport doesn't interest me. A League of Their Own looked like they didn't give a damn about who was watching the show; they made something with enough confidence to know that it'll connect with the audience. It'll make you cheer during the baseball moments. The conflicts will resonate. The characters will be compelling. The show is incredible from the start to the very end. It doesn't drop the ball (of course) even once. It's very rare to have a big ensemble cast & not spot a single weak-link or a wasted/irrelevant character but A League of Their Own makes it happen. The friendships, the camaraderie, the underdogs, the grit, the butterflies-in-your-stomach romance..the show is a complete package. You'll fly through the 8 episodes. Seriously, season 2 of A League of Their Own needs to be out fast..like yesterday!

I was unaware about Elizabeth Holmes' shenanigans before The Dropout. It is a slick albeit unevenly paced showcase of such an in-your-face scam that if it wasn't true, would seem wildly unreal. On paper, everything about the show stands out: the story, the look, the actors, the timeline details & portrayal, etc; & yet, it falters to form a consistent, strong connection with the viewers. The supporting cast delivers noteworthy performances but Amanda Seyfried's chameleon-esque capture of Holmes is the heart of The Dropout. Be it the quirks, the voice, the bubbling arrogance, or the wide-eyed display of fake innocence, Seyfried nails it all. Sidenote: kudos to the team for displaying the disturbing & creepy Holmes-Balwani dynamics so well!