ASHOK’S FIVE reviews for all things online

ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to watch “THE PLATFORM”, now streaming on Netflix. If you are in the frame of mind to watch a dark, grey, ugly film then this is it. By no means is it subtle; the lighting, colour and mood is Camus-esque and can make your insides groan as you remain spell-bound as the horror unfurls. As they say, the Spanish really know their ‘sxxx’. Galder Gaztech-Ursutia’s horror thriller is a mash-up of cannibalism, suicide, blood, guts, faeces and starvation with psychological mind games thrown in for ample measure. 1.        The Platform is a commentary on capitalism and is some ways can be clubbed under the vast array of work that is part of the communist propaganda. The plot unravels what happens when the privileged consume more than what they want, and the poor are left to starve to death through a unique device. The premise that is explored is what is the haves were to consumer only what they wanted and would this bring a modicum of e...

ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to read…yes, I said read and not watch for a change ... a brand-new book “Dreams of a Billion – India and the Olympic Games” by Boria Majumdar and Nalin Mehta and published by Harper Collins. Books have always been part of my prized collections and my earliest memories of sports related books were two dog-eared nondescript ones – the first laid out all the fielding positions in cricket on a green oval and served as my first lesson before taking the field; the other captured the story of Pheidippides and his run from Marathon to Athens and how be breathed his last. Tucked away in that book was also the story of a short man – the 5ft 3 in Baron Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic games. Many years later, I had the good fortune to witness the Athens Olympics where Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won the silver in Men’s double trap shooting. ‘Dreams of a Billion’ arrives at the opportune moment to stoke the fancy of not just my imagination but that of a billi...

ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to watch brings you another series on another platform “ASUR” now streaming on Viacom’s Voot. This is a psychological thriller build on a strong premise and dazzles but perhaps fails to impress. Nevertheless, it is worth checking out for good scripting, commendable acting and superb cinematography. The series leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions but when you actually sit down and navigate the eight-part series, you are held spellbound with a lot of questions around your dark side. 1.        Watch ASUR for Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti. Warsi is one actor everyone likes to see. He is the common man’s representative out there and you find yourself egging him on to deliver the goods whether as Circuit in Munnabhai or in Asur as Dhananjay Rajpoot. Here, he is in a non-comic role and keeps you in your seat with intensity and exceptional emoting. He remains as earnest as ever, save for some weight around the mid-riff that is nice...

ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to watch brings you a series that is quite different from what you would normally watch – OZARK on Netflix now streaming Season 3. This series has consistently improved season on season and is now on its way to reaching cult status on the lines of BREAKING BAD and I would highly recommend it for people who love an experiment with thrillers rooted in crime with protagonists who are grey but so very unique that they stand out and remain etched in your mind long after the television is switched off. The story captures the travails of Wendy and Marty Byrd and their family who relocate from Chicago to the picturesque Ozarks and get involved in a money laundering scheme that goes wrong. 1.Watch OZARK for a series where the next twist is truly difficult to predict. And this is on account of two things; the first is characters like Darlene who is ready to pull out a rifle and blow the brains out of just about anyone in the story and the second is...

ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to watch the four-academy awards winner “PARASITE” directed by the genius from Korean Boon Jong-Ho. Here is an extraordinary fare of simple ingredients meshed together to produce a symphony of visual and metaphorical delight that is stratospheric! Much like how the simple stew (or Avial as the Malayalis make it) can be raised to the level of a Michelin Star certified dish in the hands of the expert. And the Avial metaphor is deliberate – when was the last time you heard that an Avial dish hasn’t been done well? It can absorb all veggies as ingredients, the oil and spices will always be in the zone and therefore simple – it will always be fine but then it has potential to be superior or even superlative. And that is exactly what Boon Jong Ho does with simple ingredients, no fancy action or graphics sequences and goes on to elevate the fare to a masterpiece. 1.Parasite is an intelligent film but one that doesn’t make you break into a sweat. The film gets over pr...

ASHOK’s FIVE brings to you a review of the new series Special Ops now streaming on Hotstar. It is an espionage action thriller, a genre that is becoming increasingly popular and refined in the Indian market. Furthermore, it is in absolutely safe hands with Neeraj Pandey teaming up with Shivam Nair (Naam Shabana) to deliver what he has practiced several times and almost perfected. Remember the common thread to A Wednesday, Baby, Special 26 – all thrillers roughly woven around one real life action made the life mission of the protagonist. Special Ops is the story of a 19-year-old chase of RAW operative Himmat Singh trying to capture the ‘sixth’ terrorist in an incident and this fellow could well be a figment of his imagination! 1     Special Ops is all about one man – Kay Kay Menon. At 53 years, he remains a fantastic asset for the small screen and one often wonders why these large gaps in assignments. He plays the resolute Himmat Singh, a senior RAW official under t...

ASHOK’s FIVE is back with an absolute cracker of a treat “THE TEST” now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. This is a stunning eight-part series on the journey of Australian cricket from the shame and dishonor following the Cape town sandpaper gate scandal through the next eighteen months to the team retaining the Ashes in England in the summer of 2019. It is the story of Justin Langer who takes over as the coach and mentor for a new and young team and instills in them the self-belief inlaid with character that goes on to define the values that the team will uphold. “The Test” is simply of how the game of cricket is a way of life, character and values that forms the bedrock of a nation’s reputation! 1. Watch the series for a ringside view of what goes into the strategy and tactics in the dressing room and beyond. Justin Langer is tough, charismatic and vulnerable as he spells out his vision and mentors the boys’ session after session. He is a brilliant strategic mind and a master...