BREWING MEMORIES

Not a day goes by when we don't think of the past at least once. Our thoughts are imprisoned by the sundry choices that still haunt us occasionally. "If only I could go back in time and change things" is a wishful thought we all once had. "Before the coffee gets cold" is as perfect as that piping hot morning coffee blend which offers much-needed mental peace. Every sip gets better as seconds slip away. Stories of 4 strangers connected by their visits to a time-honoured cafe take readers on a caffeine-loaded journey to their past. Nunaced dialogues complement this fascinating experience generously. By accepting the cleverly devised Time Travel protocols, these individuals have sensitively come to terms with the fact that a visit to the past won't alter the course of the present or the future. A glimpse at the familiar before a tragic change took over their lives has brought closure to those who chose to sit on the coveted chair which has transcended obsolescence without defying nature. Toshikazu Kawaguchi finely captures distinctive human traits through his characters. An act as simple as moving the coffee cup, holding hands or even nodding heads decodes the relationship dynamic among them. No words are wasted here. I surfed through the pages traversing the smooth flow of conversations over coffee. Whisked by emotional ingredients with an added dash of mystery, "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" is a book that is waiting to be tasted. As far as the adaptation goes, as usual, the book has triumphed over its movie.

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MOVIE REVIEW-POSSUM

Possum (2018) Director: Matthew Holness Starring: Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong A defamed children's puppeteer who is emotionally unstable and psychologically scarred plans to dispose of his grotesque puppet. Every time she tries discarding it, the puppet comes back to haunt him emotionally by being there in his room the very next day. This disturbs him in turn and deprives him of his sleep. His step-father also lives next door with whom he has an estranged relationship. Meanwhile, a young boy in the same neighbourhood gets kidnapped and the policemen start suspecting the puppeteer for it, given his weird behaviour and constant trips with the bag. The climax of the movie gives answers to the following questions, -Who kidnapped the young lad? -Why does the possum keep chasing him? குழந்தைகளுக்காக பொம்மலாட்டம் செய்து வாழ்ந்து வருகிறார் அந்த நபர். தற்போது அந்த தொழிலுக்கு அவ்வளவு வரவேற்பு இல்லாததால் , தனக்கென இந்த உலகத்தில் இருக்கும் ஒரே துணையான "Possum" எனப்படும் அந...

MOVIE REVIEW-EAST SIDE SUSHI

East Side Sushi (2014) Director: Anthony Lucero Starring: Diana Elizabeth Torres, Yutaka Takeuchi This movie has a beautiful, dramatic plot that brings together the mouth-watering cuisines of Mexico and Japan. Juana (J, silent) is a single Mexican mother living with her elderly father and her young daughter managing her own little roadside fruit stall. Though it's a tasteless job with less income, she has no choice. One day, she gets mugged and assaulted by a few strangers and all the money she had saved so far by selling fruits is gone. Devastated, she starts looking for jobs. There is a job opening in a Japanese restaurant for a Maid who is expected to clean the utensils and maintain the pantry. Though being an amazing cook herself, Juana would have expected a better position, she takes up this job without complaining. During her tenure, she learned a lot about Japanese cuisine, thanks to her colleagues. Among other things, she is fascinated by Sushi. She understands that J...

ALL FOR NOTHING

A text's verbosity reaches unfathomable grandiosity when poetry meets prose. Michael Ondaatje is gifted enough to weave a tale that's tragic in parts but wholly serene. At its core, "In the Skin of a Lion" treads the rugged path that courses a life chart making the journey somewhat worthwhile. Patrick Lewis is wildly swayed by the situational currents while what he truly yearns for is an ounce of regulated love. Love that is messy, uncompromising and effusively profound enough to make him feel things. At the fag end of his life, Patrick understands the universe's twisted sense of humour. In Patrick's case, timing plays a cursed role. Expectations are detached to deadlines. Everything has to run its course. Alignments don't care about our whims and fancies. "Trust the process", we've been told. But here's the neat part. By the time the pieces fall into place, everything ceases to makes sense; all dwindled down to a bunch of baloney. Al...

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