The Ruminative Reviewer

From the cult classic Star Trek franchise comes a new series, Star Trek: Discovery. Adventure, science fiction, action and drama, all rolled into one, this television series is fun and engaging. Dive into the worlds of Vulcans, Klingons and others and witness the adventures of the USS Discovery that boldly goes where no man has gone before. Unlike the earlier series that followed Christopher Pike and Spock aboard the USS Enterprise, this television show follows Michael Burnham aboard the USS Discovery. Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, is a force to be reckoned with. Sonequa Martin-Green delivers an excellent performance as a highly intelligent and brave Starfleet Officer who puts everything on the line to beat the enemy and has to face the consequences of her actions. Michelle Yeoh, who plays Philippa Georgiou, is lovable as always and Jason Isaacs, who plays Captain Lorca, is every inch the authoritative Captain. The story is full of thrilling adventure, on-your-t...

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is the first animated Godzilla movie. The 2014 Godzilla film, starring Elizabeth Olsen, was so mind-numbingly boring that I had decided I wanted nothing more to do with the franchise. Morbid curiosity and a soft spot for anime made me watch Planet of the Monsters and I am glad I did. Not only did it erase the trauma of the 2014 failure, it restored my fragile faith in the awesomeness of the ginormous reptilian monster. Planet of the Monsters is the first installment in a trilogy by Kōbun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita. It is a post-apocalyptic film about humanity’s fight for survival and planetary dominance. An entertaining movie that draws you in and enthralls until the end. There are great action sequences that will keep you hooked and enough science fiction talk to tickle the nerdy bone. The animation is good and the voice-over, well delivered. However, what is most impressive is Godzilla. I felt awe-tinged fear at the sight of the dark coloss...

This dystopian television series is one of a kind. There are elements characteristic to the genre- the conventional system replaced by a new tyrannical one; a tightly controlled society that longs for the old ways; restrictions on freedom of any kind; a few brave souls risking their lives and more to end the autocracy. This is a story of the quiet voice of dissent, which grows in strength and power, fuelled by the unquenchable spark of humanity within. America is an ultra-orthodox, totalitarian society where male chauvinism is at its worst and religion has been perverted to serve the interests of those in power. Fertility rates have decreased to an alarming level, threatening the very existence of humankind. The story is told from Offred’s perspective, a woman whose only value lies in her ability to bear children. It is a story of subjugation, despair, loss and courage. In this dystopian narration, the evil is not capitalism, socialism, alien invasion or the outbreak of a pand...

The thing about Mr. Robot is that every other episode has a surprise. It is a television show that made hackers popular again, but it’s more than that. A group of hackers rises up to challenge and overthrow the biased system of economic dominance of an elite minority. They do so by attacking one of the largest multi-national conglomerates in America - E Corp. It is a story of rebellion, technology, politics, ambition and revenge. Season 1 was more mysterious and slow, but gripping nonetheless. Season 2 was when things started to get darker and more messed up. Season 3 was the explosive fast-paced aftermath of the first two seasons. Rami Malek plays Elliot Alderson, a highly intelligent, asocial and troubled hacker who, unwittingly, becomes a part of the biggest cyber-attack of the century. This season is about the consequences of the attack, for the hackers, the people in their lives, E Corp and the public at large. It is a story about how the ambitious stop at nothing to get wh...

Thor (2011) is entertaining, but forgettable. It is a coming-of-age movie about the Norse god of thunder. Thor: The Dark World (2013) is boring. It seemed to be nothing more than a filler and not even a very good one. Thor: Ragnarok (2017), on the other hand, is awesome. It surpasses its prequels in every aspect and it is, undoubtedly, the best Thor movie to date.  After watching the trailers, I was quite excited about Thor: Ragnarok. The thrilling action, the comic element, the atmosphere charged with superhero awesomeness; Ragnarok showed every indication of being a great movie. When the lights dimmed in the theatre, I wriggled in my seat with happy anticipation and, for once, a movie met all my expectations. I spent the next 2 hours and 10 minutes watching one of the best superhero movies ever. Superhero movies make some of the best action movies, possibly because the known laws of physics do not bind their sort of action. On an intrinsic level, superheroes have di...

The much-anticipated television thriller, Stranger Things, released on the 27th of October 2017. My twitter page was flooded with Stranger Things tweets for weeks. I remember having a mad urge to eat Eggos. I binge-watched Season 2 and I must say, unlike most sequels, it did not disappoint. Stranger Things is one of those shows that you cannot help but binge-watch. The theme music is awesome, the actors are excellent performers and the story is captivating. Mike, Dustin, Will and Lucas have a great chemistry, but their bond of friendship is tested in this season. A new character is introduced, who creates a rift in their friendship. Nancy deals with her misery and guilt over Barbara’s death in her own way. Jonathan begins to come out of his shell. Steve emerges as one of the main participants and not just an observer. Will realizes he has not gotten over his ordeal in the Upside Down and Eleven’s power grows. The Upside Down is more dangerous than ever. Season 2 is not as good ...