ArtySri

BEING SEEN

Don’t waste your gift of sight for just looking at your phone.  At a recent show, a comic’s joke that he liked panhandlers who ask him for money because they are the only ones who “look” at him, and make him feel visible, barely elicited a laugh. But it got me thinking about the statement’s […]

BEING SEEN Read More »

FAILURE PROOFING YOUR LIFE

Death is the only failure-proof event in life.  The fear of failure’s success rate in making people lead regretful lives is unmatched. But not all failures are born equal. What is failure? Failure can be tangible or intangible. Tangible failure involves measurable losses, like going bankrupt, losing a home, or failing an exam. On the

FAILURE PROOFING YOUR LIFE Read More »

C’MON C’MON (2021)

One-line review: An adult coming of age story, aided by a kid. Mike Mills’ new black and white offering feels like a documentary, a faithful recording of a memorable period in radio journalist Johnny’s (Joaquin Phoenix) otherwise routine life. Johnny decides to help take care of his young nephew Jesse (Woody Norman) when his mom

C’MON C’MON (2021) Read More »

LABELING EMOTIONS

Choose complex emotions like joy to guide your life. Osho, the late Indian godman, says labeling emotions is dangerous because it makes you only seek out the ones you like. Instead, he suggests we observe emotions like someone sitting atop a hill watching the weather change. Is that sage advice (pun intended)? Mindfulness techniques also

LABELING EMOTIONS Read More »

MINNAL MURALI (2021)

One-line review: Entertainment (not CGI) fuels this smashing Malayalam superhero movie. Minnal Murali, Kerala’s first superhero movie, is a pan-Indian and global hit. Netflix almost over-promoted the film, but MM lives up to the hype. This is because, at its core, MM is a wholesome family entertainer that would have worked even without the superhero

MINNAL MURALI (2021) Read More »

Dealing with shame

You, too, can learn to wield shame, the double-edged sword.  Shame, that universal emotion, is a double-edged sword. Shame overlaps with the law to some extent. For example, being arrested is shameful. But human nature is too complex to be entirely governed by law, and shame is useful in keeping society humming along. The fear

Dealing with shame Read More »

LICORICE PIZZA (2021)

One-line review:  An impressionist painting of love in the 70s.  What is the stamp of a PTA movie? Most films of the small group of writer-directors are easily recognizable, like Woody Allen and Tarantino’s unmistakable dialogue, and in Allen’s case, the Woodyesque leading man. Others work in similar genres like Del Toro, Tim Burton, or

LICORICE PIZZA (2021) Read More »

A Free Ivy League Education

Get yourself an Ivy League education about life. When asked about his film education, famous Malayalam Director Dileesh Pothan, whose films are exemplars of character studies, sheepishly admitted he doesn’t watch too many films. However, he quickly added that he spends hours talking to people from all walks of life, asking them about their life

A Free Ivy League Education Read More »