MOVIES:
EMMA (2020): Devaki Divan: Desperate for a good Jane Austen romance to watch? Emma (2020), with its stunning pastel sets and toe-curling chemistry, might be the perfect pick for you. The story of a spoilt heroine with a talent for matchmaking, Emma is a film filled with meddling, mischief, romance, and wit.
The Lorax (2012): Mythili Kamath: The Lorax is the movie to watch if one needs just a little bit of hope. A Dr. Seuss adaptation, this movie introduces us to the wonderful-yet-mysterious fuzzy, orange Lorax through the romantic escapades of Ted Wiggins. Truly Ashokan in its critique of capitalism, this film is sure to warm your heart as the story of the lone seed unfolds.
Tangled (2010): Kavya Gupta: Take a trip down memory lane with us! Grab all your favorite childhood snacks and candy for this nostalgic movie. Comedy, romance, human-animal rivalry, and of course, Eugene, everyone’s first childhood crush. Tangled has it all; it’s the perfect telling of an age-old fairytale.
Gone Girl (2014): Fiza Mishra: Amy Dunne’s mysterious disappearance on their fifth wedding anniversary leaves her husband, Nick Dunne, struggling to cope with being the target of a highly publicised investigation that unravels the dark secrets of their marriage as one haunted by fear, depravity, and infidelity. Brilliantly twisted and eerily funny, this movie is perfect for your next girls night in. Anne Hathaway called it her favourite rom-com!
SONGS AND ALBUMS:
Punisher (Pheove Bridgers) Mohan Rajagopal: Phoebe Bridgers’ sophomore album, Punisher, has become a cult classic in the world of indie-folk and alternative music. With foreboding guitar sections and lyrics exploring themes of troubled childhoods, depression, and fragmented relationships, the album takes one on a sonic journey perfect for Halloween. Fans of Taylor Swift’s folklore and Mitski’s discography are sure to enjoy the deeply personal, sardonic music.
Strawberries and Cigarettes (Troye Sivan) Shriya Bhat: Bittersweetly nostalgic, the smoky, low-toned melody of Strawberries and Cigarettes paints an intoxicating picture of the ups-and-downs of a relationship full of first-times. The sugary sweetness of hard candy and sooty scent of smoke rings are almost tangible when you close your eyes and listen, a tantalising contrast. Troye Sivan reaches out to the hearts of all of us who’ve experienced confusing, mesmerising first loves. Candied and hazy, this song is one for November sunsets and 3 AM nights.
Teenage Dream (Katy Perry) Mohan Rajagopal: This week, it’s time to take a trip down memory lane, back to an era when most of us first began to listen to music. What better album to represent this period than Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream? The album spawned a number of classic hits dear to all of our hearts, including Firework and Last Friday Night, and marks a monumental moment in pop music of the 2010s. Fans of quintessential bubblegum pop or those wishing to revisit the nostalgia of the ubiquitous 2011 YouTube lyric videos are sure to enjoy this ode to young love, partying, and self-empowerment.
Short Story:
The Horla, Guy de Maupassant: Lavanya Goswami: This short-story presents a series of journal entries recording the narrator’s encounters with a supernatural force that torments him to the point of insanity. We hope that a rendez-vous with this invisible vampire gives you the scariest chills. Be sure to keep a glass of water handy!