So you wanna watch something…
Modern Love - Season 2: The series based on the famous New York Times column is back for a second season. Get ready for pandemic romance, failing marriages, a middle-schooler’s sexual awakening and more. The all-star cast includes Kit Harington, Minnie Driver and Anna Paquin. Mashable says “the episodes go beyond the expectations to make one smile, swoon, sob and more. Sometimes all in one episode. And it makes all the more difference and impact because you know it's a real story.” Streaming on Amazon Prime.
Cloud in Her Room: A film festival darling, this one has won over 17 awards, including at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. It captures the quarter-life crisis of a millennial woman—stuck in the painfully familiar inertia of post-college life. The Guardian writes, “This film is pure slow-burn arthouse, shot in black and white, the format dominated by flashbacks – perfect for a film that drifts along on scraps and dreamlike fragments.” Streaming on MUBI.
Kuruthi: The highly awaited crime thriller has some of the most popular Malayalam stars such as Roshan Mathew and Prithviraj Sukumaran—and tackles a very thorny subject: communalism. Our hero is faced with a stark choice: Should he protect a Hindu suspected of killing a fellow Muslim from a bloodthirsty mob? Indian Express calls this home invasion plot “a claustrophobic and nerve-wracking thriller.” The New Minute explains why it is still worth your time despite a problematic treatment of minorities. Streaming now on Amazon Prime.
El Reino: This Spanish political thriller deals with the familiar subject of corruption in high places. A clever, twisting plot and excellent production value promise to keep you intrigued. The Hollywood Reporter writes, “[The] Realm is a fine example of concerned, contemporary cinema that also happens to be a lot of fun to watch; it deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.” Streaming now on Netflix.
A list of good reads
- An absolute must read: Jacobin Magazine’s riveting takedown of Barack Obama as one of the worst ex-presidents in American history.
- The Hindu has a fascinating report on how two foreign journalists became an unofficial backchannel between India and Pakistan—at the height of hostilities after the Pulwama attack.
- The Cut has a useful guide to diastasis recti—where the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles stretches and separates--which is common among pregnant women.
- CNN Travel looks at a quest to identify the quietest places on Earth—which is surprisingly very, very hard in this noisy world we’ve created.
- Scroll’s long form reporting focuses on the pandemic-driven shift to online education—and its effect on the less privileged.
- Also in Scroll: a look at ‘Tarikh-i-Alfi’, the first grand, illustrated historical manuscript made in Emperor Akbar’s kitabkhana.
- BBC News has an engaging read on South Korean women’s battle to reclaim short hair—which is widely viewed as a symbol of feminism.
- National Geographic has the wonderful story of Jacob, the three-legged lion. It is a story of both resilience and tragedy.
- Speaking of lions, The News Minute reports on the determined battle to save 13 lions who tested positive for Covid in Chennai.
- Refinery29 has an engaging piece on the female gaze. What do we see when we see men?
- The Quint has a poignant collection of excerpts from Father Stan Swamy’s letters from prison.
- If breakdancing is now part of the Olympics, where is the line between sports and art? Quartz looks for answers.
- BBC Future offers a deep dive into the dramatic effects of proximity to human beings on animals—even those who are not domesticated.
- The Lily’s illustrated guide to being on psychiatric medication is both quirky and incisive. (h/t founding member Insiyah Rangwala)
- Two good listens: Malcolm Gladwell’s three-part revisiting of ‘The Little Mermaid’ on his podcast ‘Revisionist History’; Sandip Roy’s audio essay over at KALW San Francisco on cancelling curry.
