The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Hello, hello, We've been having a very rainy week in Mumbai and so, have been watching a mix of old and new and underrated horror movies! Sharing some that we enjoyed for fellow horror aficionados.    In no particular order, here are the horror movies we enjoyed!  1. The Pope's Exorcist: Inspired the real life adventures and misadventures of the actual exorcist hired by the Pope in the 1980s to help individuals suffering from demonic possession, this is a pretty gnarly movie. When an American widow moves to a tiny town in Spain to restore and sell an ancient abbey that belonged to her husband's family, she finds a demonic entity possessing her young son. The Pope's Exorcist is called in to help the little boy.  Streaming on Prime Video.  2. Slumber: When a family that has consistent, horrifying nightmares approaches a sleep clinic for help, little do the doctors know that they have bitten off more than they can chew and what seems like some kind of sleep disorde...

 Hello, hello, It is Friday and in just a few hours, another weekend starts! WeeHee!  If you plan on staying in and being a couch potato, then we have some binge-worthy OTT show and movie recommendations for you!  1. Shabash Feluda (Zee5): Another new reboot/ new franchise for our favourite Bengali detective! This one stars Parambrata Chattopadhaya as Feluda and brings to life one of the many Feluda stories that have not hitherto been made for TV or film! This is a convoluted, fast-paced thriller and is definitely worth watching!  2. The Last Thing He Told Me (AppleTV): Based on the eponymous book, this is a fast-paced thriller about whether we really know the ones we love! When Hannah Hall's husband goes missing, she has no idea the kinds of things she would end up finding out about his past and the sacrifices they would need to make to keep his daughter- Bailey- safe. If you liked the book, you'll also like the series.  3. Kathal (Netflix): A sharp and well-ma...

  It's another weekend and a hot one at that! Or a rainy one if you are in the path of Cyclone Mocha! Please stay safe!  So, if you are looking to stay in and binge a show, then may we suggest Dahaad on Amazon Prime Video.  We binge watched it today and here are five reasons why we think you should watch this show!  1. Loosely inspired by the notorious Cyanide Killer - a serial killer from Karnataka known for killing women with cyanide - Dahaad is, at a very basic level, a serial killer thriller show. However, it is not just that. It is a lovely, nuanced look at general misogyny, the role and place of women in society, issues of casteism and religious intolerance that are so prevalent in our society today. So, if you want to watch a great serial killer cat-and-mouse type show with some thoughtful and intelligent layers, then this is the show for you.  2. The casting is just stellar! Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Varma, Gulshan Devaiah and Sohum Shah are pitch perfect in...

 Hello, hello! A long weekend is just a few hours away from us and if you, like us, plan to just chill and be home, then we have got you sorted with some really interesting OTT recommendations.  Without any further ado, let's get into it, shall we? :)  Documentaries If you enjoy documentaries, then these three on Netflix are definitely ones that you should watch: MH370: The Plane That Disappeared looks into various theories behind the mysterious disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared into thin air in 2014! An interesting look at multiple conspiracy and scientific theories that speculate on what could've happened.  Waco: American Apocalypse is a look at the 51-day stand off between the FBI and a cult based out of Waco, Texas. The documentary sheds light on what went on for those 51 days and how, in the end, the tragic events that unfolded at the compound came to pass. A nice true crime documentary.  Challenger: The Final Flig...

  Today was the second season finale of The White Lotus and if you haven't watched it yet, then, now is the perfect time to do so!  The White Lotus is an anthology series based on the follies and foibles of the rich as they spend a few days soaking up the luxurious life in a 5-star Resort, usually, somewhere very, very beautiful!  Season 1 was based in Hawaii and Season 2 has one-upped that by basing the show in Sicily! So, let's get into the quick reasons as to why this season is such a must-watch!  1. Since we were already talking about it- Season 2 is a visual treat! The beautiful town of Taormina in Sicily and the places around it are so stunning that you are torn between paying attention to the drama unfolding on the screen vs the gorgeous surroundings! Oooh la la! Some of the palazzos and hotels and markets shown are just drop dead stunning! What a treat for the travel hungry, who are waiting to start travelling!  2. Unlike Season 1, where there were a few...

  We watched Monica O My Darling last night and we simply had to come over and tell you why you need to absolutely watch it! Here's why:  1. After a long, long time, a Bollywood movie has hit all the right notes!  Monica O My Darling is a neo-noir thriller, a sort of a whodunnit, a comic caper, a massive misadventure saga and all of this with a wild 70s ka tadka! We have the iconic Monica O My Darling song being played in the background during some insane moments of the movie and everything just works so well together! Watch it for the amazing storytelling, the treatment and sheer fun!  2. The performances were pitch perfect! Every single actor was SO GOOD and perfectly cast! Huma S. Qureshi as the eponymous wily, chalu, grifter/ hustler   Monica was perfection! Her dialogue delivery, body language and just everything was perfection. Rajkumar Rao, as always, was insanely good! Radhika Apte in a sort of comic role was also very good. Sikander Kher was hilarious! ...

 Hello, hello! Diwali is almost here!  Happy Dhanteras to everyone celebrating!  If you are planning on doing something low-key this weekend, we've got you! Here are some recommendations of movies and web series that you can watch this weekend... 1. 20th Century Girl (Korean Movie | Netflix)  Remember being in love for the very first time? Or having a massive crush on someone in school? Or just the insane shenanigans that you and your best friend got up to? If you love reminiscing about the past and enjoy nostalgic content, then 20th Century Girl is the film for you!  Cute, fun, funny and heartwarming, it is just the ticket for the slightly cold nights that we are seeing in India! :)  2. Shining Girls (AppleTV) Based on the eponymous book, Shining Girls, set in Chicago in 1992 follows Kirby, the sole survivor of a brutal serial killer, who kills smart, kind and talented women. Basically, 'shining girls'. Kirby teams up with a washed up crime reporter to tra...

  We binged The Midnight Club in one sitting yesterday and here are five reasons why you should watch this horror-thriller-mystery series right away!  1. Set in the mid-1990s in a hospice for terminally ill teenagers in Washington state, The Midnight Club is a cozy, atmospheric, occasionally spooky show that is mostly a thriller-mystery-suspenseful ride rather than an out-and-out horror series. If you are expecting a re-do of the makers' previous series such as The Haunting of Hill House or Bly Manor or Midnight Mass, then you will be disappointed horror-wise. This show doesn't have that many scares at all and is more of a mystery, thriller type show.  The show follows a group of terminally ill teenagers, who are in residence at Brightcliffe Manor. These kids meet every midnight in the hospice's very well-appointed library and share ghost/ mystery stories in a bid to scare each other and also, to take their minds off their illnesses, aches, pains and impending death....

 Hello, hello, Over the past couple of weeks, we've watched a few things and thought we'd recommend some of our favourites here!  Let's get into it, shall we?! 1. Thor: Love and Thunder (Disney+ Hotstar) The latest instalment in the Thor series of films, Thor: Love and Thunder  continues Thor's journey in dealing with his grief and loss after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Directed and written by Taika Waititi, the movie has the hallmark Waititi wit and zany humour that made Thor: Ragnarok such a hit with Marvel fans! It is a fun ride and if you are a Marvel fan, then this is definitely worth watching!  2. End of the Road (on Netflix) When a recently widowed (and deeply in debt) mother decides to leave LA to move back home (Houston, Texas) with her teenaged kids and her younger brother, she never thought that a simple cross-country road trip will end up becoming a nightmare when they unwittingly witness a murder at a motel.  Queen Latifah helms this action-adv...

 Hello, hello, A nice long weekend is staring us in the face and if you are not travelling anywhere and planning a cozy weekend at home, like us, then we've got you covered!  Sharing some of our must-binge shows and movies below that will have you all set for the weekend!  1. Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (Prime Video) If you, like us, loved and watched Pretty Little Liars, then this reboot of the series is eminently watchable! Also, even if you haven't watched the OG PLL but love slasher flicks, then this one has to be on your watchlist!  Set in small town Pennsylvania, just like the OG show was, and revolves around 5 girls connected by a macabre incident in their mothers' lives!  Don't want to give too much away, but 5 episodes in and we are totally hooked! Give this a watch!   2. Old (Prime Video)  A creepy, makes-you-think kinda movie that is very watchable, Old is almost quintessentially M. Night Shyamalan but also not.  A family on holid...

Hello, hello! It is Friday afternoon (here in India) and the weekend is almost here!  If you are looking at a rainy or cozy weekend in, then we've got you covered! Sharing some of our recently watched and loved series and movies that you could, potentially, watch over the weekend!  Let's get into it, shall we? 1. Suzhal: The Vortex on Amazon Prime Video Set in a small town in Tamil Nadu, Suzhal  tells the story of a crime (or two or more) committed during a popular local festival. As the police begin investigating one crime, more and more secrets (past and present) rise up to the surface.  A really interesting, not-so-easy-to-guess and absolutely brilliantly acted series. Highly recommend!  2. Kaiser (Hoichoi)  Two young women are found brutally murdered in their apartment. Gaming addict and brilliant cop- Kaiser Chowdhury- gets on the case and even before he has started properly investigating it, someone attacks him and warns him to not dig into this case....

  So, I just finished bingeing Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 and I have some thoughts! Without wasting any time, let's get into it, shall we?  STOP! WAIT!!  THIS POST WILL HAVE SOME SPOILERS, WHICH WILL BE CALLED OUT BEFORE EACH MENTION. PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED IT YET!  Things I Loved:  1. The very fact that the show was back after T-H-R-E-E long years! It was so good to be back with the characters that you've grown to care about so much! It was so good to re-visit that crazy ol' town of Hawkins, Indiana and get back with the gang and do some mind-flayer demon hunting shenanigans!  2. It was good to see some real-life high school struggles faced by teens make its way into Stranger Things!  SPOILER BEGINS: Mike and Dustin are struggling to fit into high school while Lucas has joined the basketball team and is considered (sort of) cool. On the other hand, in California, Will seems all alone and struggling to fit in as well but Elev...

 Hello, hello!  It is Friday (the 13th, at that) and I hope you are winding down your week and looking forward to the weekend!  If you are planning on spending this hot, hot weekend at home, then we have some OTT series and movie recommendations for you! Let's get into it, shall we?  1. Jhund  A fantastic, heartwarming and inspiring movie about retired sports teacher, Vijay Barse's, journey to create Slum Soccer, an NGO that holds national-level football tournaments for slum-dwelling youth!  Directed by the acclaimed director of Sairat and with realistic, moving, lovely performances, Jhund is an absolute must-watch! Jhund is streaming on Zee5.  2. Anantham (Tamil)  Anantham is a Tamil anthology series that tells the stories of various, different, families that have lived in the same art deco-style house in Chennai from the mid-1960s to present day. Covering different situations, challenges, emotions and struggles, Anantham has something that reson...

 Hello, hello, Another week has almost come to an end and with it the hot-hot-hot month of April! How is it almost-May?! Time does fly!  Hope all of you are staying indoors and safe during this unprecedented heat wave that we're having!  If you are spending this weekend indoors, as you should, here are a few movies and web series that you can binge!  1. Reacher  Based on the very popular titular character in several of Lee Child's best selling books, Reacher, is an action-based crime thriller.  Jack Reacher, a retired military police investigator, spends his days moving from one small town in America to another to live a free, "hobo-like" life. He finds himself in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, where one of his favourites blues singer was supposed to have died. His arrival in the small town coincides with two murders for which he is arrested. Reacher, now, has to clear his name and also get to the bottom of the mysterious going ons in this small town....