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Although released in 2018, Jason Statham starrer “The Meg” only recently popped up on Netflix’s notification, as one of the top 10 movies to watch—in Nepal. Couldn’t be more thankful to Netflix for the recommendation when finding a movie worth watching was getting difficult, especially with the influx of boring Halloween-targeted horror/thrillers.

The Meg—loosely based on the 1997 book “Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror” by Steve Alten—features a gigantic megalodon, the largest shark ever discovered and thought to be extinct for two million years. Like most action, sci-fi, adventure movies that deal with gigantic creatures, the plot is simple and predictable. But there are definitely twists that demand the audience’s uninterrupted attention—the giant creature can be suddenly on-screen to scare you out of your wits.  

Retired after a botched rescue attempt that caused the death of his colleagues, rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is called back for another mission by an underwater research facility called Mana One. Reluctant to take up the mission at first, Taylor finds more than one reason to agree to the deep-sea rescue, below the Marian Trench. First, his ex-wife Lori (Jessica McNamee) is among the stranded crew. Second, the creature that attacked his vessel in the first mission seems to be back.

So our hero undertakes the rescue mission and successfully brings back the crew. The story doesn’t end there though. This is not a one-time rescue flick. Later, Taylor and the crew of Mana One find themselves engulfed literally between the devil and the deep blue sea and getting out alive becomes their biggest obstacle.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub, The Meg was a box office success following its theatrical release in RealD 3D. Even without the 3D on our computer screens, we can only imagine how terrifying the 75-feet-long megalodon would have looked on the big screen. The film’s special effects and CGI are top-notch, and go well with an evenly paced script and disciplined direction.

But as enjoyable as it is, this movie is not to be confused with the sci-fi masterpieces that created benchmarks in global cinema. The Meg is more like a cross between “Jaws” and “10,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, with improved cinematic technology. The acting is basic, the dialogues simple, and subtitle eye-friendly, and the plot is mostly one-way with no backstories or sub-plots to alleviate the monotony.

But again, The Meg makes up for all its simplicity with great visual effects and straightforward screenplay. Unlike most sci-fi films that fail miserably because of way too much melodrama and human interest stories, The Meg refrains from overdoing this bit. In any case, it doesn’t give the audience much time to think about what’s wrong with the movie through most of its 1hr 5 mins runtime.

Who should watch it?

The Meg is a movie made for a wider, global audience. It may have taken many liberties in explaining the science behind its story. Still, it is definitely entertaining for most of the audience and although it may not have as big an impact as the groundbreaking “Jurassic Park” series, its sequel titled “Meg 2: The Trench” is already in development.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Action, sci-fi

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Cast: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Jessica McNamee

Run time: 1hr 53mins

‘A Little Life’ by Hanya Yanagihara will break your heart into a million pieces and, as theatrical and clichéd as it may sound, you will feel like life will never be the same again. There is no way these characters are leaving you. They will inhabit every possible space in your head and whenever someone says you look a little lost, it will be probably because you are thinking of them, wistfully, and brimming with love.

Ever since I finished it a few days ago, I’ve recommended it to most of my friends, asked my husband to read it at least twice a day, and picked it up numerous times just to hold it and stroke the pages. This, I know, makes me sound like a lunatic, but Yanagihara has really messed with my head.

The book had been on my bookshelf for over four years. Meanwhile, I read everything there was being written about it, watched booktubers bawling their eyes out while reading it (check out paperbackdreams on YouTube), and low-key stalked Yanagihara on social media to try and find out just how her brain functions. Recently, a friend/reader/writer I admire (find her @15n3quarters on Instagram) mentioned Hanya Yanagihara as her favorite author and I finally dusted the book—shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2015—off my bookshelf.

A Little Life is about four friends—Jude, Willem, Malcolm, and JB—who move to New York after college. They are broke and clueless but all are ambitious and have one another for support. The story revolves around how their lives and friendships change over the years. However, for the most part, it’s about Jude who goes on to become a successful lawyer but is traumatized by his abusive past.

There are also other characters like Harold and Julia, Andy, and Richard whose backstories we never get to know much. Though the book isn’t essentially about them, Yanagihara hasn’t crafted characters without making them imperative to the narrative. So they too end up taking up considerable mind-space once you finish the book. It’s not often that a book has had this kind of effect on me. But A Little Life had me thinking about its villains as well and contemplating why they did what they did.

At 700-odd pages, the masterpiece is a long read. But the character-driven book, typeset in a font that’s not really friendly to the eyes, will consume you, and when you get to the end, you will want to hug the book and sob your heart out. Then, randomly flipping the pages, you will hunt for clues you might have missed, and wish you could have saved at least one character, and wonder how that might have changed things for all of them. This is where I am at. And this is where I will probably be for the rest of eternity.

If all that I have said here sounds melodramatic then read A Little Life and I’m sure you’ll see where I’m coming from.

Fiction

A Little Life

Hanya Yanagihara

Published: 2015

Publisher: Picador

Language: English

Pages: 720, Paperback

The ultra-competitive 150-160cc segment has a lot to offer. Long gone are days when you had to content yourself with conventional machines designed to take you from A to B with nothing to tap. But with the growing popularity of premium sports motorcycles in this segment, you are spoilt for choice.  

How do you choose? We get stressed out when someone asks us what we want for lunch, much less when queried about buying a new 150cc motorcycle. But when you have an admired machine like the new Suzuki Gixxer facelift, you already have an excellent package in terms of styling and performance.     

The earlier Gixxer did create a new benchmark in the segment with its unique styling and excellent performance: a value-for-money package for riders who were after modern looks, comfortable ergonomics, and reliable performance.  Now, the new enhancements will continue to take it even further. Can the updated Suzuki Gixxer 150 still make it big in this highly competitive segment? We find out…

First impressions matter…

The new Suzuki Gixxer 150 facelift ranks among the most handsome bikes in its segment. With its sharp styling and low crouched silhouette, it looks even more stylish than the outgoing model. The new Gixxer is aggressive and muscular from all angles and the trapezoidal body proportions complement its sleek styling.

You get a compact oval-shaped LED headlamp, edgy fuel tanks and extended arrow shaped tank shrouds, updated body graphics, stubby dual exhaust, and a neatly laid out rear. The compact rear gets new LED lights, split-seats, alloy grab rails, and a purposeful rear tyre hugger. Other neat touches include the new end cap design for the dual exhaust as well as the blacked out alloys.

The new Gixxer carries forward the full-LCD instrument cluster from the SF150 and displays all basic information such as current speed, RPM, fuel level, clock, odometer, dual trip meters, and gear position indicator. However, unlike the Gixxer SF, the naked Gixxer misses out on the clip-on handlebars.

The most dominant factor in this ultra-competitive segment is styling. Compact body-size, well-proportioned panels, and modern features appeal to a big chunk of potential buyers. So, if you are someone looking for a stylish street sport motorcycle, the new Gixxer has plenty to offer.

A consistent performer…

The Gixxer facelift carries forward the updated 154.9cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine from the previous BS4 model. However, it now comes with a fuel-injection system replacing the carburettor from the previous model. The engine churns out 14 bhp of maximum power at 8,000 rpm, and 14 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm. It continues to be powered by Suzuki’s SEP technology to strike a balance between performance and fuel efficiency.   

The bike uses a five-speed transmission in a smooth shifting gearbox. Clutch feel is light and the throttle response is likewise—brisk. Open the throttle and power feeds in rapidly throughout the rev band. The motor is known for its broad low-end torque and dynamic mid-range power. The punchy engine truly comes to life between 4,500-7,500 rpm before the power band maxes out at 9,500 rpm. It is suitably tuned for lower and mid-range grunt, adequate enough for a 150cc motorcycle to negotiate urban Kathmandu traffic.

Handling and dynamics…

The Gixxer’s ergonomics have always been comfortable despite its aggressive design language. The well-positioned handlebar and footrests result in a relaxed riding position, and the bike’s compact proportions make it nimble to manage in heavy city traffic.

While the wide handlebars promote a light feel, it does restrict stress-free manoeuvring in tight spaces. Although the new Gixxer is four kg heavier than the previous model (136kg), it is still a very agile motorcycle. Compared to the outgoing model, the seat height has been reduced by 5mm, to 795mm. However, the split seat setup lacks cushioning, and it isn’t spacious either.

Ride quality on the Gixxer is somewhat iffy. Suspension is telescopic forks in front and a monoshock at rear. Although the suspension works well to soak up minor undulations and potholes, it may get bumpy on large uneven roads. However, the new Gixxer offers a good mix of ride and handling, and is stable in a straight line even when you’re overtaking at high speeds. It does feel exhausted when revved hard, with mild vibes kicking in via the handlebars and the footrests. 

The Gixxer facelift rides on grippy 17-inch MRF tires that feel reassuring when you are riding into corners and braking hard. Braking is handled by discs, and supported by a single-channel ABS. The brakes have progressive feel and the single-channel ABS does its job perfectly.

Final thoughts…

Ever since its launch, the Gixxer has gained immense popularity with its powerful performance, and sporty style, making it one of the most successful products in the 150cc segment. The new Gixxer facelift exhibits these attributes perfectly. And the addition of LED lights, fuel-injection system, and a single-channel ABS system makes it an even more attractive.  

Although the Rs 3.24 lakh price tag makes it the most expensive of the lot, the Gixxer facelift is so much more fun and contemporary than its rivals, making it an enticing proposition. In the segment, the new Suzuki Gixxer competes against the likes of TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Yamaha FZ-S FI and Bajaj Pulsar NS160.

Satnam ‘Sunny’ Sethi (Vikrant Massey) is an aspiring chef and restaurateur who is desperate to get married in order to meet his father Pappi Sethi’s (Rajiv Gupta) condition. The condition is that Sunny will get to open his own restaurant only after he gets married. Unfortunately, finding a bride is difficult for Sunny as he keeps getting rejected by prospective matches, for no apparent reason.

On the other hand, there is Simran ‘Ginny’ Juneja (Yami Gautam), who is also being pressured into getting married by her single mother Shobha Juneja (Ayesha Raza). But Ginny is still in a complicated relationship with her ex-boyfriend Nishant (Suhail Nayyar) who is now her best friend, and she will settle for no less than love marriage.

By chance, Ginny’s mother is also a wedding matchmaker and when Sunny’s father approaches her to find Sunny’s match, she thinks it is a good idea to get Sunny and Ginny hooked. So Sunny, with help from Ginny’s mother, plans to woo Ginny. The story then continues to create confusion and collisions in the lives of everyone involved, with humor, sarcasm and satire thrown into the mix.

The story of Ginny Weds Sunny is as predictable as a Bollywood romantic comedy can be. In fact, most dialogues and plot changes are also predictable. But the slight difference in this one is the execution. With a talented cast of actors and without superfluous larger-than-life sequences, the film directed by Puneet Khanna is a light-hearted rom-com you can watch while you wait for Season 2 of “Mirzapur.” (No, I don’t get paid to do this. Promoting anything with Pankaj Mishra in it is my self-appointed duty.)

Originally intended for theatrical release but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the film tries to emulate the success of a string of low-budget family movies that have recently done well in the box-office, the likes of “Subh Mangal Saavdhan” and “Bareilly Ki Burfi”. But the key advantage of originality is missing in this one and hence, Ginny Weds Sunny might not create a benchmark for upcoming films with its clichéd screenplay. Still, it does a better job of entertaining folks compared to many big-banner Bollywood releases that are unbearable to watch.

The cast in Ginny Weds Sunny is natural and instantly relatable. The characters are mostly from Punjabi families that speak in a mixed Punjabi-Hindi dialect without going overboard with stereotyping. Despite an unoriginal script, the entire cast performs its roles with earnestness, making the audience believe what they’re watching is something completely new. This is one of those movies where the whole cast executes a well-coordinated performance instead of banking on the main characters.

And when a movie has Punjabi wedding themes to it, there is bound to be some upbeat bhangra music. In this, the film is below average, with none of its soundtracks leaving a mark. The film does feature a rendition of the classic Punjabi song “Sawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag” written and composed by Mika Singh, which is still not one of the best remixes.

Who should watch it?

So the low-budget Ginny Weds Sunny fails you in some parts and wins you over in others. If you’re looking for some light entertainment without many expectations, this one is for you.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Genre: Romantic comedy

Director: Puneet Khanna

Cast: Yami Gautam, Vikrant Massey

Run time: 2hrs 5mins