So, I have been mulling over this for a while. Last year was when I experimented with posting screenshots of the books I read (on Whatsapp), and brief takes on the movies and shows I watched (Bluesky). I was honestly surprised when a few folks responded to these takes, and asked me for recommendations. 

Now my system so far when I get these requests has been to turn it back to the person and ask them to list the last three books (or movies) that they enjoyed, which would help me think of similar books which I could recommend. However, Sindha, who keeps me sane (most of the time), gently informed me that people hate doing this. They just want a reco which they could then decide to try out - or not. I was backing them into a corner by asking them their preferences, which was what they wanted to avoid thinking about in the first place.

The second related thing that happened last year was when I had dinner with a few friends and got into conversations about books, movies, and TV shows. I spoke about Slow Horses. About Murderbot. somebody somewhere. My friends asked me to write about these shows and tell them about it.

These two instances made me do the mulling bit I spoke about earlier. Which led to thinking about an email format, in what was called the year of the newsletter. Substack was a no, which made me consider beehiiv, with a setting to automatically post to my blog as well just to keep that mostly ignored thing alive.

Let’s try this out, shall we? The idea is to list a book, a movie, and a show that I consumed. You will not need to pay anything to subscribe of course, and I intend to do this every week (ish). Let me know what works and what makes your eyes glaze over, please.

Off we go!

Kiran Desai's The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is a novel that really gets into the heads of its two main characters as they navigate the disconnection that accompanies an immigrant experience. I could relate to how this fuels their feelings of isolation, their fragmented sense of self, the hopes and letdown that come with seeking a new identity. That said, the book was overlong and there was a point where I wanted the damn thing to end. I had purchased the hardcover and could skip my dumbbell workout when I was reading it. I wanted to like this book, I really did. I wound up putting it on my shelf with a sigh of relief at the end. Not recommended.

Kishkindha Kaandam was my favorite Malayalam movie of 2024, so I knew I had to watch the new film by the same folks b. Eko is written and shot by Bahul Ramesh, and directed by Dinjith Ayyathan, two people I still don’t know much about but whose careers I plan to follow with interest. Eko is supposedly the final installment of Ramesh’s Animal Trilogy, following Kishkindha Kaandam and Kerala Crime Files (the TV show). This is one of those movies which you need to experience yourself, going in as blind as possible. It has a lot to do with dogs, if you must know. I liked it quite a bit despite a few misgivings, and plan to watch it again sometime soon. Recommended.

The Beast In Me has Claire Danes, she of the quivering lip, and Matthew Rhys, with his steady Russian/American smirk, playing two unlikeable characters doing unlikeable things - not to each other though, thankfully. It leans heavily into the "suburban noir" feel with lots of tension, good cinematography, and that constant feeling that everyone is hiding something behind their polished front doors. Rich white-people problems, mostly. I wound up liking it but will stop short of recommending it as it does fall into the trashy category. And that quiver from Danes can get grating quickly.

Have a great week!