The Ruminative Reviewer

Medici: Masters of Florence is a political drama about the powerful banking family, Medici, of 15th century Italy. An attractive, intelligent and self-possessed protagonist reluctant to take up the mantel of a dynasty, but exceptionally good at it. That’s a classic, case in point, The Godfather. I decided to watch Medici because I love period dramas and History fascinates me. Medici: Masters of Florence is historical fiction at its most entertaining. Cosimo de’ Medici, played by Richard Madden, is the charismatic heir of the influential Medici banking family. The first season of the show is about his ascension to power. It is a political story having the compelling characteristics of a bildungsroman. The evolution of Cosimo’s character, similar to that of Michael Corleone’s, is intriguing. Al Pacino won hearts all over the world with his performance as the Italian mafia lord, Michael Corleone, in The Godfather. Though I feel it sacrilegious to compare Richard Madden to Al Pacino...

Cloudy skies and black leather-clad figures; violence, bloodshed and betrayal- such is the atmosphere of the Underworld movie series. Underworld Blood Wars is better than its predecessor, Awakening (2012), in terms of entertainment value. However, the Directors seem to be dragging the story unnecessarily. Blood Wars is about Selene’s transformation into a more powerful and wiser vampire. David’s character, first introduced in Awakening as an idealistic warrior, develops in this flim. His significance is explained and he is finally given the charge of leadership. However, Eve, Selene’s daughter, seems to be lurking in the shadows. Eve was introduced in Awakening; in fact, the story was about her reunion with Selene. The stories of Awakening and Blood Wars seem to be centered on Eve and her unique heritage, yet she plays a minor role in the first and hardly features in the latter. Her character seems to be an excuse to make more Underworld movies about Selene, her mother, who assi...

Arrival is one of those few science fiction movies that does not rely on thrilling fight sequences with extra-terrestrials, blood and gore to be engaging. Based on the short story, “Story of your life,” this movie is about a linguistics professor who is asked to interpret the language of the visiting aliens. It is about her efforts to communicate with the alien beings and the life-changing consequences of the contact. Unlike most science fiction films, the premise is original, unusual and intelligent. Being a student of arts and literature, I applaud the director, Denis Villeneuve and writer, Eric Heissere for making a profound science fiction movie that goes beyond the scope of mere technical science. Learning a new language augments cognitive ability exponentially. This is a proven fact. The movie, Arrival, has taken this fact to the next level. Linguist, Louise Banks, played by Amy Adams, is recruited by the military to interpret the speech of the aliens and initiate communic...

The girl on the train is one of those books that I found out about after they made a movie of it. The trailer did not impress me, but when I opened the book, I was hooked. It’s about a woman who drinks to numb the pain of heartbreak. Rachel’s drunken narrative in the book is intriguing; you can almost feel the frustration of trying to retrieve a memory lost in the haze of total inebriation, a memory that could free you or doom you. It’s a story told from the perspective of three women, Rachel, with her pain; Megan with her dissatisfaction and Anna with her fierceness. The story goes back and forth in time; weaving through the thin strands of Rachel’s blurred recollections, around the shadowy corners of Megan’s feelings, with the sharp edges of Anna’s voice. Three women who are tied together by their choices which turn out to be life-changing. At the start of the book, you delve into Rachel’s mind, and before you know it, you are drawn into her miserable and wistful thoughts of...

A highly intelligent boy, Light Yagami, finds an otherworldly book at school that allows him to kill people by writing their names in it.  He uses the book to punish murderers, molesters and thieves with the goal of cleansing the world of crime. Death Note explores Light’s psyche and his obsession with the book. Light Yagami is the perfect anti-hero. He is a megalomaniac who decides to take the law in his own hands. Complete self-confidence, a razor-sharp intellect and good looks are a potent combination and Light Yagami has it all, along with an enormous ego and an inflated sense of self-importance. His superior intellect and careful planning help him escape detection. However, he is hard-pressed to cover up his criminal activities when an equally intelligent detective, L, takes up his case. Whereas Light is charismatic with his intensity, L is winsome with his maturity. The battle of wits between Light and L is engrossing. In addition, the supernatural element of the Shi...