Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

Director: F.W Murnau

Genre:  Horror/Fantasy

Language: German/English

Year:1922

Plot

Year 1838.

Thomas Hutter is an estate agent. He is sent to Count Orlok's castle in Transylvania to prepare documents as Orlok plans to buy a new house in town. While traveling Hutter receives some bad signs from local folks while mentioning Orlok. Soon, he will discover why...

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Nosferatu is an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stocker's Dracula. Because of the legal problems related to rights from Stocker Estate, the filmmakers were forced to change the character names and some parts of the original story. Even so, the film is a classic example of a gothic horror film. Max Schreck's performance as Count Orlock is iconic. We can see its influence in various films throughout history. The film inspires filmmakers even today.

For me, this is the oldest film I have watched in my life It was a different experience watching this silent film and I enjoyed it very much.

I am looking forward to the 2024 remake written and directed by Robert Eggers.

Yojimbo

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Genre:  Action

Language: Japanese

Year:1961

Plot

Set in feudal Japan, the film explores the events in a village ruled by two rival gangs. When an unnamed Samurai enters the village, the gang leaders try to hire him to their side. So whom will the warrior choose? 

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My first Akira Kurosawa film.

I have watched only a few black-and-white movies. So this was something new for me.

The film is from 1961. Even so, the story felt good and the actors looked cool like illustrations from a comic book. I have read that Rajinikanth's style in the films is inspired by the hero of this film. 

Good watch. 

Maybe I will explore more old films in the future...

Kishkindha Kaandam

Director: Dinjith Ayyathan

Genre:  Mystery/Drama

Language: Malayalam

Year:2024

Plot

Aparna (Aparna Balamurali) just got married to Ajayachandran (Asif Ali) and moved to his home. He works as a forest officer and lives with his father, Appu Pillai (Vijayaraghavan) This is Ajay's second marriage - his wife passed away 3 years ago because of cancer. His son went missing before that and Ajay is still searching for him. As Aparna tries to fit into this new home surrounded by dense trees and monkeys, she discovers that everything is not as it seems - especially her father-in-law-  a mysterious old man in his seventies.

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Pure cinematic magic...🎥✨

Great performances from Vijayaraghavan and Asif Ali. 

Mollywood peaked with this movie...

Citadel Honey Bunny

Director: Raj and DK

Genre:  Action/Thriller

Language: Hind

Year:2024

Streaming Platform: Prime

Plot

Honey's dream was to become an actress in Bollywood. But circumstances force her to join a secret agency - which was introduced to her by Bunny - a Bollywood stuntman who later became her lover.

Years later, Honey lives with her little daughter Nadia - leading a normal life. But when someone comes searching for her and her daughter, Honey realizes that nothing is over - the past is here to catch up with her - and she needs to fight - because only bad things are coming...

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I haven't watched any of the other shows based on Citadel - so no comparison is possible. The names of Raj and DK attracted me to the show because I love their work, and this is no different. Thrilling spy story set in the 90s and 2000s - this is a binge watch material.

Everybody was good, but special mention to Kay Kay Menon - he outshined everyone.

Upgrade

Writer:   Blake Crouch

Genre:  Science Fiction

Language: English

Plot

Logan Ramsay was an average human all his life - he was never as brilliant as his mother, who was a great scientist. But after an accident, Logan feels something has changed inside him - he felt upgraded - to a superhuman.

But who did that to him? And what is the intention behind it? And above all, what is this new discovery that can change the course of the entire human species?

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My favorite thing about Blake Crouch is that even if he is writing about high-level scientific stuff, the story always gives importance to human emotions - the reader will be able to feel what his characters are feeling - which makes it another beautiful read. Loved it.