The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

 Hello, hello! This year has been a bust as far as the Indian movie scene was concerned (for us). We watched a few good ones, though and so, are sharing those as solid recommendations to enjoy over a long weekend!  Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies): Hands down, the best movie of the year! Won't be writing much here because we have a whole post about it. Read it ! :) Streaming on Netflix.  Kill: A gory, thrilling, slick action flick that's made in India! Fast-paced and so, so, so thrilling. Streaming on Netflix. Watch it!  Stree 2: A sequel that is not a sophomoric disaster! Yes, please! This movie takes us back into the Stree universe, except, we have a new villain and also, some new allies. A fun, spooky watch, for sure! Streaming on Prime Video.  Munjya: A nicely made horror movie inspired by the myth/ legend of the Brahmadaitya- the belief that if a Brahmin youth days within 14 days of his sacred thread ceremony, he becomes an evil spirit/ entity. Highly recommen...

 Hello, hello! I hope December has been good to you thus far!  We are a little more than halfway done with the last month of the year and, seriously, where has the time flown by?!  Anyway, back to the post. Today, I am going to share our Top 10 Hindi movies of the year. This year has been awful for the Hindi movie industry and they've only given us duds and godawful movies! However, even amongst the uninspiring slew of Hindi movies, there were some that were, thankfully, good!  Let's get into it, shall we?!  Uunchai,  streaming on Zee5, is a lovely, heartwarming movie about a group of septuagenarians, who decide to trek to the Everest Base Camp to honour one of their friends, whose dream it was and who'd passed away quite suddenly. The treacherous trek, the unravelling of secrets and just the dynamics of the friendships was really nicely done!  Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga,  streaming on Netflix, is a really nicely done thriller. It starts with the hi...

 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...

 Hello, hello, Sharing some of our most loved movies and web series of February 2023!  Given we have some long weekends coming up in March, these would be good ones to watch.  Let's get into it!  1. Mr Queen: A K-drama that is absolutely hilarious and adorable but with a hint of palace/ political intrigue! When a 21st century masterchef falls into a swimming pool, he wakes up in the body of a 19th century queen-to-be. Hilarity ensues as he tries to keep the King at an arm's length, try desperate means to get back to his life and fix things in the past all at the same time!  2. Crash Course in Romance: An introverted, workaholic Maths tutor falls for an extroverted, kind restaurant owner. This is, however, not just an opposites attract love story but is also a commentary on the brutal education system in Korea, especially, the cut-throat world of competitive exams, special tuition classes for these exams and the toll it takes on students. There is also a bit of a...

 Hello, hello! Sharing our favourite movies (a mix of Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam and English) of 2022 with you.  These are across genres like thrillers, drama, dramedies, horror-comedies, action and such.  As we wind down the year and, hopefully, you have a little more time on your hands, these movies are good ones to watch!  Without further ado, let's get into it!  We will be back with our Top OTT series faves across fiction and non-fiction very soon!  Enjoy! 

  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...

 Hello, hello, Another weekend closer to Christmas! The lights in our building went up today and I am feeling most festive!  If you are looking for some quick stuff to watch tonight and tomorrow, then we've got you!  Here are some movies and shows that we've enjoyed recently!  1. Blur Blur is a thriller movie streaming on Zee5 starring Tapsee Pannu and Gulshan Devaiah. It follows the story of twins- Gautami and Gayatri- who have progressive blindness. When Gautami is found dead, the police think it is suicide but Gayatri refuses to believe it. As she delves more and more into her twin's life in the days leading up to her death, she uncovers some pretty sketchy and dangerous things that confirm her suspicions.  Though a bit of a slow burn, Blur is quite nicely done.  2. The White Lotus (Season 2)  Season 1 of The White Lotus was weird and slightly problematic but fun. Season 2 is even better!  Set in a beautiful resort in Sicily, the series follows...

 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....

 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....