Nivedkrishna Thavarayil

I just saw the first episode and I'm can't handle it. If there was a half-star option even that wouldn't be a true rating.

Kala is a weed, a plant that grows in the midst of important crops. It is something you should do away with. When you see Kala, you wonder who the undesired person is. In this film, there is no traditional hero or villain. It's not a plot-driven film, and it's not for the faint hearted. The film is 'A' rated, so it is not a movie you would find comfortable watching with your family. You do not simply sit back and let this movie play out. Instead, you'd feel like you're in the centre of these individuals who are out for each other's blood. Even in a film that has more fighting than anything else, writers Yadhu Pushpakaran and writer-filmmaker Rohith provide insights about man's thirst for vengeance and one-upmanship. If Jallikattu (2019) emphasised the fight between man and beast to convey its message, Kala emphasises the animals latent in all men that may be brought out with the right triggers and environments.

Aarkkariyam is a film where the characters express deep thought for a long time. It is not a plot-driven film so much as a meditative one about how human being behave in a particular way under some circumstances. The film revolves around a middle-class family and the real issues they can face especially during lockdown. There are vast stretches of the film where nothing happens. That may turn off some viewers, but true cinema fans would see it as a means to encourage the audience to reflect on what the characters are going through. The editing by Mahesh Narayanan, which maintains a feeling of coherence to the events, is also remarkable. For example, a character acts in a specific manner early in the film and we only learn why afterwards.

It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where all of mankind has perished and Earth has been invaded by giant monsters. Love and Monsters isn't a completely original idea, but a clever script and Dylan O'Brien's charisma make for a fantastic adventure comedy. O'Brien plays Joel Dawson in Love and Monsters, a 24-year-old who has been living in a bunker underground with a group of fellow survivors since the 'Monsterpocalypse' seven years ago. When he hears his high school girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick) on the radio, he decides on the spur of the moment to drive the 85 miles to her colony and reunite with his love. The problem is that Joel lacks both combat skills and killer instincts. That doesn't stop him, and happily, he meets a dog named Boy who keeps him safe, as well as a pair of survivors named Clyde (Michael Rooker) and Minnow (Ariana Greenblatt) who teach him how to stay alive. Joel is fighting monsters on the surface of the Earth, but he's still worried about whether he made the right decision to abandon his colony and meet Aimee, and it's unclear whether he'll survive the monsters - or his love. It's not often that you get to see a film in which even the weakest connection holds up. The dialogue is witty, the scenery is lovely yet fitting, the CGI game is good for the most part, and the cinematography is crisp and simple, with no lightning cuts or shaky camera. The entire cast was on point. Hero and Dog portrayed as "Boys" with such emotion, they were kind of long-lost friends. Mavis the robot could almost pass the Turing exam. In a couple of scenes, you may have to suspend your disbelief a little. However, keep in mind that you're watching a film with giant frogs and snails, so it shouldn't be too difficult.