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“Matilda” and “The BFG” by Roald Dahl are two of my all-time favorite books. They make me happy. They also make me laugh till my belly hurts. But then so do “The Twits”, “James and the Giant Peach”, and “The Witches”. Dahl’s writing weaves a spell and takes you into unique, captivating worlds from where you never want to leave.

Fun fact: almost every book by Dahl has a song or verse. Not counting nursery rhymes, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Dahl’s books are where I first got introduced to poetry. These aren’t regular poems. Laced with humor and lessons, they are little stories in their own right. So, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a copy of “Songs and Verse” at Ekta Bookstore in Thapathali, Kathmandu, when I was browsing through their children’s section recently.

[Disclaimer: I don’t have children but I can often be found at bookstores hunting for a fun children’s book or two. There’s a certain charm in rediscovering children’s books as an adult. Surprisingly, it can give you new perspective on things. Children’s books are filled with important life lessons and they can be quite comforting too.]

Songs and Verse has seven sections—with rhymes about magical creatures, monsters, and dreadful children as well as adults. If you have read and loved Dahl books, you will be familiar with many of the poems in this collection but there are also some previously unpublished works that are delightful. There’s a verse that Dahl didn’t include in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” because he felt he had created just too many ghastly children and that there was simply no room for one more.

The book has a foreword and opening illustrations by Quentin Blake, who has previously illustrated 18 of Dahl’s books. The publisher has also roped in many talented young illustrators as well as award-winning artists such as Babette Cole, Lauren Child, Chris Riddell, Alel Scheffler and Tony Ross, to name a few, to work on the book. The end result is a fascinating hodgepodge of stories that jump out of the pages.

I have taken to reading a verse or two at bedtime and I love it. It’s how I unwind. No matter how difficult things have been, Dahl’s verses reassert life’s beauty and remind me of the importance of finding joy in the little things. It helps end the day on a positive, merry note, and I go to sleep smiling.

Songs and Verse

Roald Dahl

Published: 2005

Publisher: Puffin Books

Language: English

Pages: 191, Paperback

Winter weekends are for basking in the sun, all snuggled up on comfy cushions with a soft blanket and a hot cup of tea. It’s also a good time to read some old favorites that you know will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Here, I share with you my winter (re)reading list.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

This children's classic begins with the main character, a young pig, almost getting slaughtered by a farmer. But Fern, the farmer’s daughter, convinces him not to kill the pig and names him Wilbur. Wilbur goes on to live in a barn that belongs to Fern’s uncle where he befriends a gray spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur finds out he’s on the next Christmas dinner menu, Charlotte comes up with a plan to save him. This powerful book on what it means to be a good friend and love someone wholeheartedly is just the kind of cheer you need on a sunless day. The good thing about this book is that you can read it in one sitting and then you can read it over and over again.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

I read Anne of Green Gables and its seven sequels when I was in school and I remember being fascinated by the protagonist. She was kind and she was funny but she was also like every other rebellious girl her age—falling off roofs and dyeing her hair green. There is a lot the free-spirited 11-year-old Anne Shirley can teach you about love, family, friends and life in general. The novel has sold over 50 million copies and has been translated into at least 36 languages. Anne of Green Gables takes you back a couple of decades but the message is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1908.

My Grandmother Sends Her Regards & Apologizes by Fredrick Backman

Elsa is “almost eight years old” and her best and only friend is her grandmother. Upon her death, she leaves Elsa a series of letters to be delivered to their intended receivers. The main purpose of each letter is to say sorry to the receiver. The book is basically Elsa’s journey and discoveries along the way as she goes about her mission of delivering the letters. Backman’s writing is amazing. Elsa is fascinating. And the story is just the right amount of romp and melancholy. You won’t be able to put this one down.

The Alchemist, A Graphic Novel by Paolo Coelho

I can’t believe I’m recommending The Alchemist. I didn’t find the story engaging even though it became an instant bestseller. But the graphic novel is super fun and makes the story a whole lot more interesting than it actually is. Coelho himself said the graphic novel exceeds his expectations and is a beautiful manifestation of what he originally imagined while crafting the story. If you already know the story, you can just dip in and out of this and watch scenes come alive before you.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

I don’t usually underline sentences or highlight passages when I read. Bird by Bird is the one book where I’ve written on the margins and gone crazy with highlighters in different colors, on almost every page. This is also a book that I pull out when I need some perspective. It’s a treasure trove of contemplations that are timeless. Though essentially a guide on good writing, Bird by Bird is also crucial life advice by one of the finest writers we have today. You don’t have to read this book cover to cover. A chapter here and a page there is enough to get you thinking and looking at things a little differently than before.

Soon as it begins, even before the opening credits start on the screen, “Ava” gives the impression of a fancy Hollywood action-thriller. As our central character Ava Faulkner (Jessica Chastain) cruises the French countryside on a Land Rover, going to make a kill, we are given to believe we are watching a stylistically generic, fast-paced, femme fatale movie.

Ava Faulkner is a ruthless killer who works for an unnamed organization specializing in eliminating ‘targets’ sent to them. And by what we see, Ava is their best employee. Even her immediate boss Duke (John Malkovich) agrees. Stealthily, without blowing her cover, Ava has removed dozens of targets around the world, never getting caught.

But there’s evidently more to Ava than just a hired assassin. The movie tries to build its protagonist’s character and give us behind-the-scenes of a life mired in violence. Briefly, as the film progresses, it tricks us into believing that Ava is not just another femme fatale movie. We start thinking the film could be another female-centric heavyweight action thriller like “Salt” (2010) or “Lucy” (2016).

Unfortunately, the film, in trying to strike balance between action and drama, fails on both fronts. It is neither an out-and-out action film that you watch, enjoy and forget. Nor is it a gritty drama that you watch, enjoy and introspect. Ava swings like a pendulum between the two ends and never strikes the right time.

Writer Matthew Newton spent too much time layering Ava’s character, so much so other important characters like her boss Duke (Malkovich) and her colleague-turned-nemesis Simon (Colin Farrell) do not get nearly enough screen time. Without the backing of a good script and direction, it is disappointing to watch both these talented actors struggle to register their presence. Even Chastain in her lead role does not make much of an impact because of sloppy filmmaking.

To add to the drama, the filmmakers have us meet Ava’s estranged family in Boston, US, where she is confronted by her painful past. We see that Ava’s a recovering addict who had left home after family problems. As she goes back home following her father’s death, she has to try find closure with her sister Judy (Jess Weixler), mother Bobbi (Geena Davis), and ex-fiancé Michael (Common). Complications multiply as she finds out that Michael is now engaged to Judy. So the family drama takes some of the screen time but, again, with a weak script, the execution is sub-par.

The more we look at the cast in the film, the more we are disappointed with “Ava”. Lead actor Chastain makes up for many of the film’s flaws with her convincing portrayal of a disturbed assassin. But the rest of the cast does not even get an opportunity to exert their presence. Any film with Malkovich or Farrell has probably never been this disappointing. Director Tate Taylor, a-last minute replacement following a controversy (look it up!) could probably do no better with the script he got. Or maybe even he’s one of the culprits behind this disaster.

Who should watch it?

Not recommended for action-film connoisseurs. Frankly, we’ve seen better action sequences in low-budget non-Hollywood movies. But with no other interesting new Netflix releases, if you’ve really got nothing to do, you might as well spend around 90 minutes on it.

Genre: Action/Drama

Rating: 2 stars

Run time: 1hr 36mins

Actors: Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, John Malkovich

Director: Tate Taylor

Three young college graduates, all close friends, aspire to realize their ultimate dream in Bengaluru, India’s IT capital. Their dream mirrors that of thousands of other IT graduates in the Indian subcontinent—to launch their own startup and make it big.

So Kapil (Priyanshu Painyuli), Yash (Chandrachoor Rai) and Vinay (Shadab Kamal) compete hard against other techies like themselves to sell their ideas and get funds to start their company. Among the three, Kapil seems the most motivated, coming up with ideas for apps that are sometime as absurd as putting wi-fi enabled transmitters on underwear so that they’re not lost. Even with their goals set, the boys from middle-class families also work as employees in tech companies for a living.

Then, one day, while volunteering in rural Karnataka, Kapil sees a person die before him for lack of a life-saving injection that is otherwise easily available in cities. That gives him an idea for a startup. With both Yash and Vinay’s support on this one, the trio start a company called CarryKaro, which is supposed to work like an aggregator for medicinal supplies in rural areas, using commuters to the areas as carriers. In short, CarryKaro is to be an “Uber for medicines.”

They start well but soon run out of cash. Enter a rich heir, Veer Diwan (Rajeev Siddhartha), with a major investment. But the trouble is only just starting. As the company gets bigger, so do differences between the friends, resulting in many arguments and separations. How these young techies deal with their sudden success and the sheer brutality of corporate world is what the movie “Upstarts” is all about.

Released in October 2019, Upstarts is a low-budget Hindi-language movie that takes the audience behind-the-scenes of the tech world. With a cast of new comers and lesser-known faces, the film portrays the hardships behind technological advances we see and also celebrates the number of startups that fail.

Directed by Udai Singh Pawar, the independent film is not commercialized to suit Bollywood audiences though. Upstarts rather takes a more realistic approach in dealing with the subject and maintains its integrity as a serious, non-nonsense film throughout.

As much as it's a work of fiction, Upstarts is based on a storyline that could well be a true story out of Bengaluru, or any other up-and-coming city in the world. What is also interesting is that the writers include industry jargons and financial explanations that give the audience a bit of education along with entertainment.

Even with its less-experienced cast and no ‘star power’ to drive it, the film does not feel amateurish at any point. The actors seem to follow the script by the book and overall filmmaking appears perfect for a Netflix release.

Had the film not been a grueling 1hr 52mins long, the viewing would have been that much better. We appreciate that the film does not get too fictional or melodramatic or masala-laced but without Bollywood’s filmy elements, the feature length feels a little too long.

Who should watch it?

Even if it is not that popular or commercially successful, Upstarts can be an inspiring film for young entrepreneurs or IT students. For the rest, the story of struggles, successes and failures is also definitely worth a watch.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Drama

Cast: Priyanshu Painyuli, Chandrachoor Rai, Shadab Kamal

Director: Udai Singh Pawar

Run time: 1hr 52mins