Palvi Sharma's Blog

Changed my blog name and address. Follow this link: Dark Horror Tales 

 In times of disaster, we all hope that there would be someone to save us from the perils: be it the armed forces or the humanity and bravery innate in some people. When the apocalypse hits, though we will fear the event, somehow, we also know that a savior will rise.
There has to be someone, right? Someone who has predetermined the event? Someone who has also made preparations to safeguard themselves and maybe kind enough to help others?
I usually avoid movies that centers on disasters that could claim the world or a movie set in a dystopian future. The only reason I did eventually pick the movie was because of its clever marketing strategy: to not announce the movie until two months before its release. Literally no one knew this movie existed or was being made. The plot wasn’t revealed and there was so much secrecy surrounding it that my interest was piqued.
I can’t say I’m disappointed by my curiosity.
Michelle, the lead, is escaping her life with her boyfriend and ends up getting hit by a truck. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself in a strange room, an IV drip on her arm and her leg in a cast….and she is shackled to the wall!
It isn’t long before a man enters her “room” and tells her how he saved her. Michelle, certain that she is a victim of kidnapping, begs him to let her go. That is when she hears a remarkably shocking story: while she had been immersed in her relationship problems, the world was facing an attack from otherworldly forces.
Like anyone who is sane and has a modicum of sensibility, she suspects she is being lied to and whittles the end of her crutch to use as a weapon. However, Howard- the captor- deftly dodges her attack and subdues her.
Upon reawakening, she finds that there is someone else in, the what she realizes is a bunker, with her. A man called Emmett is living in the adjoining room and has an arm in cast. He tells her that he got hurt while trying to get in after the attack happened. Michelle is still suspicious, but when she takes it upon herself to find the truth, she is shocked to find the surprises waiting for her outside.
While the concept was intriguing, I had to wonder to myself if there was too much being crammed into a one hour forty-five minute movie. There’s the relationship issues, Michelle’s attempt to escape her captors, Howard’s twisted past and aliens.
Yes, aliens!
The earth is being attacked by aliens while Michelle has to escape the man who is a possible pedophile and murderer. For some reason- not explored fully in the movie- Howard thinks of Michelle as his daughter and intends to make her dutiful by making her do chores. Apparently, she wasn’t the first victim of his delusions as Michelle finds a distress message carved on glass with blood and then a photograph of a missing girl who Howard claims to be his daughter.
So here we have it: when the world is about to be destroyed by aliens, of all the people, the one who “saved” Michelle was a dangerous man, confirming the fact that humanity will not survive even when the world needs it to survive.
Howard couldn’t have been just another good Samaritan. He had to be the one who purposely crashes Michelle’s car and then locks her up in a room.
But here’s another way of looking at it: Perhaps Howard wanted to have a family. He knew he had screwed up his relationship with his own daughter and was thus trying to make amends before the world ended. In his mind, he was helping Michelle by not only providing her with a roof over her head, but also protecting her and taking care of her. His interaction with her was more fatherly and protective.
However this does not justify the fact that he refuses to let her leave or even breathe fresh air. He lies to her and he kills Emmett when he takes the blame for creating a bio-hazard suit to escape. Howard, never once is truthful to Michelle and that makes him a psychopath.
As for the climax, I have to say that it was the most WTH? climax ever! Blink, and you will miss the attack by the alien ship. Blink again, and suddenly Michelle is capable of assembling a molotov cocktail and thrust it into the alien’s mouth, thus destroying it.
It is true that Michelle became courageous when she defeated Howard, but he was a known enemy. Michelle was hardly shocked by the alien invasion and never once hesitates to see if the “bomb” would destroy the alien or not.
Then, at the very end, when she has to make the choice to either escape or fight more aliens, she chooses to use her newly-found combat skills and fight more aliens. Perhaps she has the taste for blood now?
The absurdity and abruptness of the climax is what took away some of the enthusiasm of watching this movie.
Was this movie scary? Not in the least?Was it a good thriller? Somewhat. Howard was creepy.

It is a movie for those who enjoy sci-fi thrillers and aliens. Not for ones who are looking for a decent horror movie that has a satisfying climax at least.  

Remember when phones were used only for making handy calls, when a landline wasn’t available? I don’t either because I’m not that old. I used my first cell phone to play games and the second one to take pictures...not of myself.
When smart phones came along, texting became instantly popular and there were so many games apps that classic games of solitaire and snake was quickly forgotten. Games became popular, messaging apps provided more and more convenient features and while there was a camera in every phone, taking pictures was never the main reason why people bought mobile phones.
I think it was when smart phones started using better lenses and providing increased pixels, was when people decided that taking clear pictures of passing scenery was simply not enough. Turning around the phone, they started to take pictures of themselves and friends, until it was decided that the camera app would be used more if the selfie feature was added to the application. So, no more turning around the phone; a simple tap on the screen can activate the front camera.
Thus began the obsession with selfies. No one care about taking a picture of anything but themselves with a background that is never the main focus of the picture. There will be hundreds of pictures on a social media account of a person, but rarely would there be a noticeable background, much less the event that was supposed to be captured.
Therefore, you have only captured a moment, not truly lived it.
Pictures are important to commemorate a moment, but surely one can be enough, rather than a series of shots and the compulsion to take a perfect shot. How much time is wasted to find the perfect angle, the accurate pose and the perfect filter to enhance photos, when all that time could be utilized spending time with loved ones, or better yet, taking the time out to do something productive.
There used to be a time, I believe, when people’s favorite pastime was to pick up a book and read. They would take it everywhere with them, especially during traveling. I used to do it as well, until I stopped the practice. Carrying a book in my handbag suddenly became cumbersome when I had to keep in mind the allowance of luggage weight.
Fortunately, readers now have the option to carry all their favorite books on their favorite device. Be it an e-reader or a tablet or the cellphone, books are now available as apps that an be purchased no matter where you are.
There are many who argue about the waning trade of publishing and how print books are, no doubt, far superior to ebooks. My argument: it doesn’t matter in which form you read books, as long as the hard work of writers is appreciated.
If I had an opinion, I would say ebooks are better. As a writer, it is far easier to get published by epublishers rather than mainstream ones. The process is the same though, writers have to face their share of rejections in any field. In epublishing, once you are accepted, the release of your book is a faster process. Everything is done over the internet- from cover art to coordinating with your editor.
It is easier, faster and advantageous to the reader who can download the book immediately in the comfort of their own homes. Readers can carry their favorite stories, anywhere in their pockets. And honestly, I would rather see people appreciating the written word rather than obsessing about selfies and creating photo collages.
By spending time reading an ebook, readers are encouraging writers to work on their craft. And when you purchase a book, you are lending support to a struggling writer. It is easy to fall in love and be passionate about writing, what is difficult is to sustain that passion. All writers want, is to have their hard work being appreciated by having more reads on their work.
When you purchase and read ebooks, you are also helping hundreds of epublsihing companies who strive to bring forth interesting stories and help struggling writers. Without the support of readers, small publishing companies are unable to hold onto their endeavors to help authors who have talent but down on their luck to find an outlet to display their work.
When these epublishers close down, many talented authors are left stranded and forced to give up on their dreams. Without someone wanting to help and encourage them, writers are left with no choice but to give up on the one thing that makes them happy.
All this can be avoided by encouraging reading. There are thousands of authors in the world and hundreds of stories in each of them. Their stories can take you to another place- a happier one, a fantastical one, a place filled with dreams. Their stories will lend you perspective, help you grow and understand culture and tolerance.
Each story is beautiful and each word is a tiny part of a writer’s passion.

So stop being selfie-ish and indulge the writers who spend so much time on their art. In the process, you too, gain a world where anything is possible.  
My Ebooks: 
Kobo books
iTunes

Don’t go down the woods today. For deep in the woods, danger lurks that will feed upon you, destroying everything that makes you strong. You have been warned, be careful when you wander into the woods.
Such is the story of ‘The Witch’. Set in a bygone era, the story circles around a family, excommunicated from the plantation and made to leave their home. They quickly settle near the woods and begin their lives until an unforeseen event throws their lives into turmoil.
This is the basic premise of the movie and I was eager to watch it when I read the summary. Now I have to admit that I was tempted to switch it off after watching the first part of the movie. I have watched a couple of low budget horror movies lately, which though rated low on leading review websites, turned out to be actually decent. When the first scene came along and the language stayed true to the era but not easily understood, I thought: well, here goes my lucky streak.
I don’t know why I still watched it after a very disturbing scene, but carried on I did. Here’s what I didn’t like about the movie: When you are writing a story, as a writer, you know exactly what’s happening and what is happening next. You know the context, but the audience is experiencing your story for the first time and therefore, they would not understand the events unless the writing is eloquent.
In this case, though the story had some frightening moments and enough drama to keep you hooked, some of the subplot is lost to the audience, who after all are not sitting in the writer’s mind. Apart from the fact that the language spoken (although relevant to those times) was a bit difficult to comprehend, most of the story was never clearly explained.
The family was sent away because of the father being “too proud”...in what way? What happened to the twins in the end? Who is the witch residing in the woods? There’s a witch and a devil the family has to deal with? So many questions that remain unanswered.
My take on this very obscure story was this: The family was preyed upon evil forces because each one of them had sinned. The father was too proud, the mother perhaps did not love all her children and perhaps had an affair, the son- Caleb- had sinful thoughts and the twins were insolent and disrespected their sister. Thomasin, the eldest I think, was the only one who though flawed, confessed her sins and was truly pious.
Perhaps this is why the devil, in the form of a black goat, is eager to entice Thomasin. In this case, the devil doesn’t want its victim for himself, but to turn them into levitating witches.
It’s heartbreaking really, to see Thomasin deal with accusations regarding her baby brother’s disappearance and Caleb’s death. She’s a girl living in tough times where any unfeminine act, immediately brands her as a medium of the devil- a witch.
You can’t help feel sympathy for Thomasin who tries so hard to love a family undeserving of her adoration. She is mocked by her younger siblings and cursed by her parents. Toward the end, after being accused of being behind the disappearance of the twins, Thomasin is shown to finally give in to the evil side. She speaks to the black goat who turns out to be Satan himself. Giving herself up to him, she agrees to join the coven of witches.

Usually, when I see a horror movie with a high score, I immediately decide that it is going to be a drama with bits of frightening scenes thrown in that are inadequate to the basic plot. Fortunately, The Witch does justice to its genre and sustains the right amount of macabre. It is gruesome and disturbing in parts and will make you cringe. Not for the faint of heart, but for those who like things just a little different.  

When you fall in love, at one point or another, you’re doomed to suffer heartbreak. It may be a temporary situation and you may end up making amends. But there are times when no amount of apology can save the love that had so much meaning in your life. In fact, that love was what made you- nurtured you and gave you hope. Without that in your life, without that goodness, what do you become then?
Fan is a movie that shows you the downside of fandom. They say you should never meet your idols. Guess what? They were right!
The movie opens and we get a peek into Gaurav’s life- a simple boy in Delhi who is obsessed with Aryan Khanna, the superstar. Gaurav has grown up watching Aryan and thus his whole life revolves around emulating the great star. In fact, he even considers himself to be a part of Aryan all because his face bears similarities with him. Gaurav calls himself the Junior Aryan Khanna and every year, partakes in a competition where he naturally emerges the winner for portraying his favorite star.
Over here, it becomes gradually obvious that his love and idolizing of the star is turning into obsession reminiscent of SRK’s portrayal Rahul in Darr. Gaurav doesn’t only want to meet the star on his birthday but share the same life. He too, wants to travel to Mumbai without a ticket, eat the same meals and live in the same room the star had in his struggling days.
Aryan’s birthday comes along and unfortunately Gaurav doesn’t predetermine that there would be hundreds of fans gathered in front of the house, preventing him from meeting face to face with his idol. That doesn’t deter Gaurav who won’t go back to Delhi until he meets Aryan. Later, while having dinner and watching the news, he sees Aryan’s rival- Sid, giving an interview that belittles the superstar. Angered by his disrespect, Gaurav devises a plan to bring down Sid and make him apologize to Aryan.
After beating Sid up and coercing an apology from him, he sends the video to Aryan, trying to show him the lengths he would go for his idol. Is Aryan amused? Of course not and he immediately has Gaurav arrested and beaten up.
Later, Gaurav finally meets Aryan but his idol is in no mood to entertain him for even five minutes and rubbishes his claims of being his biggest fan since he crossed all limits when he beat up Sid.
Gaurav is heartbroken, all his admiration for Aryan is demolished in one single remark- Meri life hain, mein usme se paanch second bhi kyun doon?
It would be normal to feel a bit of sympathy for the dejected fan, but you can’t help by being creeped out by Gaurav who has taken his obsession too far. The last shreds of sympathy are wasted away when he leaves prison and goes back home, hellbent on revenge. He had been rejected by his star and he sets about to show Aryan that he really is nothing without his fans.
Like I said before, you should never meet your idols. Not that they would turn out to be the opposite of what you thought or too arrogant about their success, but because they are used to being adored by thousands of people. For them, to give even five minutes to one fan, means being unfair to the hordes of other fans who are just as crazy about them.
The second half is all about Gaurav taking advantage of the fact that he looks like Aryan Khanna. His actions turn sinister as he sets about to ruin the superstar’s reputation by performing acts of boorishness and promiscuity.
It is the latter that shatters Aryan’s reputation who then learns that even after a year, Gaurav had not forgotten his rejection. Unfortunately, Aryan cannot prove his innocence and the police do little to help. It is all up to Aryan to bring down Gaurav himself and does so by having a showdown in Gaurav’s little town. After all, Gaurav too had invaded his home.
Spoilers: I suppose the ending must have been difficult to write though it was an obvious and systematic one. Gaurav had to die. He had done too many criminal activities to ever reform. Aryan was ready to forgive him and advised him to stop living his life as Junior Aryan and start living as Gaurav, but this rejected fan, knows his life has been destroyed by his own hands and his ego to demand an apology from the star.
He lets himself fall from a tall building, cautioning Aryan that he was doomed to always be connected to his obsessive fan. Time passes and on his birthday, a very disturbed Aryan emerges from the house to greet his fans. His name has been cleared, but he is forever haunted by his one fan who had crossed all his limits for him.
What can I say about the movie? It was a thrilling ride and solely belonged to Shah Rukh Khan who shines and delivers in both roles. It’s not his first time playing an obsessed person, but he does things just a little differently here. He scares you when you are shown a peek into his psychosis. As Aryan, it does seem that he must derive inspiration from his own life, but he does it excellently.
You know he’s done a terrific job when he plays both parts so seamlessly. You can spot Gaurav a mile away and you know Aryan is different...but they are both the same actor! It’s amazing to see the subtlety of mannerisms in both characters that helps you discern which is which character in each scene.
The characters may be trying to confuse the other characters in the movie as to who they are- Aryan or Gaurav, but as the audience, you know it is Gaurav pretending to be Aryan and vice versa because that’s how effortlessly Shah Rukh has played both roles. Very few actors have managed to play double roles so differently and so perfectly.
This movie is a must watch and no, it won’t ONLY appeal to Shah Rukh’s fans. It’s one of those movies that will leave you gripped in horror and sympathy at the lives the celebrities have to live. It’s not all glamor and lights. Sometimes its dejection and darkness that they have to live with.

Relationships can be complicated and it’s not always easy to write them out. We all have a different equation with our families, friends and the people we meet, so to write your version of relationships may not always be agreeable to the audience. They may view relationships a bit differently and would be stunned when the plot deters from perspective.
This is what happened to me when I watched ‘The Forest’. The story is about two women who are twins- Sara and Jess, one of whom is seriously troubled. For two sisters, who are that close, I began to wonder how one of them left her sister alone, knowing well that she was suicidal.
That’s the thing about relationships- some view the very words as a definition of togetherness, others believe in giving complete independence as a sign of respect to the individual. Had Sara kept an eye on Jess, she would have never disappeared and the circumstances that happened would not have happened.
The story centers around the Aokigahara Forest in Japan- a destination notorious because people venture into it to commit suicide. Sara receives a call one day from Japan and is told her sister may be dead as she too had gone to the Forest. Packing up her bags and ignoring her boyfriend’s advice, she heads out to Japan to search for her missing story.
Over here, I have to mention that I loved the pace set for the first part. Within minutes, we were given a background of the sisters, Sara’s life with her boyfriend, her trip to Japan and a failed call to her sister. In a matter of minutes, the story was set and I readied myself for the inevitable horror part.
The film does excellently in the first half- setting up characters and pace and once you learn about the forests and the ghosts that supposedly lurk there, you ready yourself for a thrilling ride.
Except the film falters a bit in the second part. A night in a creepy forest where people go to commit suicides should have been scary, instead we are shown a scene where Sara bonds with a photographer- Aiden- who is intrigued by her mystery.
In the third part, Sara encounters the spirits of the forest who prey on her because apparently her guide tells her that she is “too sad”. Of course Sara is disturbed and sad. Her father apparently killed his wife and then kills himself and unfortunately the twins were too young when they had to witness that event.
This explains Jess’ spiraling condition into depression and though Sara feels like she was unaffected, apparently turning away from the bloodied bodies of her parents, didn’t shield her from the trauma that was hidden deep within her.
The Forest now wants her and she becomes susceptible to the hallucinations that slowly drive her insane. Suddenly, she can’t trust anyone. Not even Aiden who she had been forming a sympathetic relationship with.
One minute, she believes him to be behind her sister’s disappearance, the next she is calling for him to rescue him when she has fallen into a pit.
Her madness continues when she hears her sister’s voice in a cabin, begging her to free her as Aiden had kidnapped her. Sara, in a stupor, attacks and kills Aiden only to realize later on that her mind had been played on. She is attacked with more memories from her past and hallucinates that her father is attacking her. Sara cuts off his fingers and flees. She sees her sister in the forest and calls out to her, but Jess, who had just been lost, doesn’t hear her and runs to the lights.
The search party has come for her- including Sara’s boyfriend- but eventually it is not Sara they save.
Sara, who is still in the forest, realizes her mind had been played with and that she had actually cut her wrists while struggling with her father’s spirit. She bleeds to death slowly and the spirit of the forest takes her away.
In the beginning of the movie, we see Sara using her twin telepathy to find out whether her sister is alive or not. She could feel her sister so she knew she was alive. So it was absolutely heartbreaking when Jess tells Sara’s boyfriend that she can’t feel her sister anymore.
Nothing- she couldn’t feel anything.
That’s the thing about relationships. You could be that close to feel every bit of pain the other is feeling and stay by their side. Or you could leave them alone to deal with their own demons.
Sara’s boyfriend should have never let her go. He should have accompanied her if she wanted to. Jess should have told her sister that she was depressed. Sara should have kept tabs on her sister. Aiden should have never stayed back with Sara- he had just met her. Sara should have gone to therapy and realize that her parents’ deaths had affected her.
Sara and Jess- their bond could have saved them both. Instead, their lack of communication and neglecting to confront their tragic pasts led them to make choices that took the life of one.

The Forest is a horror movie- it’s a story that throws you into a deep pit of darkness and makes you wonder if it is scarier to be lost in your own minds or a place cursed with death.  

The word ‘Home’ itself has such a placating effect on our minds. We think of homes as a place where we are comfortable and safe. Home is where we repose, eat our meals and spend time with our families. In fact, home is pretty much synonymous with family.
There are instances where some people don’t get along with their families and to them, home means just a rest stop before they move away.
For Carrie, the protagonist of the movie, home means visiting her mother who has just come out of the closet and married a woman who has a young daughter. Suddenly, Carrie has a sister and she must now get accustomed to the new habits of the family which includes quite a lot of non-religious beliefs. It is not to say that they are atheists, just that their thoughts on religion isn’t completely explored in the movie.
I must say I was surprised when I started to watch the movie. Yes, the poster is dark and creepy, but the twist in the end is something I couldn’t presuppose.
When the movie begins, it actually strays more towards drama than horror. Carrie comes to visit her newly married mother who is already comfortably adjusting to her new life. She is stunned to find that her mother has given up all her traditions, yet she agonizingly stays true to her beliefs.
We are shown that the reason her mother’s wife disapproves of any religious talks or rituals in the house is because their lifestyle isn’t exactly supported by the devout, though they show exhibit tolerance to Carrie’s inclination towards her beliefs.
Over here, I have to say that the controversial topics regarding religion and sexuality are handled in a neutral tone so that not one opinion fares over the other.
Anyway, now here comes the horror part.
Turns out, Carrie has a boyfriend her mother disapproves of and whom she goes to meet in secret when she’s supposed to be picking up her little stepsister from school.
When Carrie goes to the school, it has closed for the day and Tia, her stepsister is nowhere to be found. She panics and straight away admits her fault to her mother who berates her. Luckily for her, the neighbor drops Tia home though stating that legally he wasn’t allowed to do so.
The mothers are relieved and go off on their trip. Carrie is apologetic but Tia barely speaks to her. In fact, as time passes, Tia seems to be behaving more and more bizarre. Carrie thinks the house is haunted by the former owners and her fears are confirmed by her equally pious boyfriend who suggests they perform an exorcism.
They do that and inadvertently anger the spirit who throws chaos around the house. It is up to Carrie to save herself and her sister. Can she?
Okay, spoilers time!! Here’s the remarkable twist: somewhere in the middle of the movie, Carrie’s boyfriend tells her about how sometimes spirits don’t know that they are dead and therefore cause havoc around the houses they live in.
Turns out, Tia is dead. When Carrie forgot to pick her up at school, Tia was playing near the air conditioning units and fell down, breaking her skull. The girl who enters the house is a spirit who is confused and evil for some reason.
The neighbor who brings her actually didn’t as she states again that he couldn’t bring Tia home, only inform the parents to take their child home.
The last scene ends with the mother finding the body of her daughter in her bed who suddenly wakes up. Sequel? Perhaps….

Anyway, the movie is pretty decent. The sensitive topics are handled well without giving sides, religious opinions are kept to one side as well and though the movie centers mainly on the drama, the twist at the end wraps it all into a nice horror film.

Was it scary? Nope, but it did have a decent story.  

Often you come across people with peculiar habits and even stranger lifestyles. They might be doing things that seem strange to you but to them, that is the most normal thing in the world. It is then that your limitations for tolerance is tested. Can you adjust yourself in a lifestyle that seems completely bizarre to you?
In this sense, Greta manages to show us that she is capable of handling a very aberrant situation. We are introduced to Greta from the very beginning- a woman from America who accepts a job in a small English town. I suppose the reason she even accepts this job is so that she could put a substantial difference between her and her abusive boyfriend.
She soon makes acquaintance with Malcolm- a man who delivers groceries for the family and then meets the parents whereupon she’s introduced to Brahms- not a boy but a porcelain doll. As anyone would have in such an incredulous situation, Greta begins to laugh until she realizes that the parents are serious and she comes to the shocking realization that she would have to take care of a doll.
Normally, the work should be easier, I mean the parents leave, she gets paid a lot of money and she could do whatever she wanted considering she doesn’t have to take care of an actual boy- and this is what Greta does. She throws a blanket over Brahms and goes about doing absolutely whatever she wants. That is unless she finds Brahms staring right at her.
Brahms is no weapon-wielding, maniacal Chucky, which is a good thing but he isn’t as boring and lifeless as Robert the doll or Annabelle either. My biggest peeve with Robert and Annabelle was how dull the movies were and how they weren’t creepy at all.
Brahms doesn’t say a word at all, but he’s creepy as hell. I think that has more to do with the direction and story. Sure, Brahms is staring at Greta, but there is something more unnerving about him turning up at places he shouldn’t be or that there’s a clipboard of rules on how to treat him, just next to him.
Greta is horrified when she realizes that Brahms must be a doll possessed by the son who died twenty years ago and is frightened to death until she realizes that he just wants her to be nice to him and even makes her a sandwich.
Malcolm is skeptical when she first tells him, but it is when she proves that the doll moves, that he is convinced though afraid of the boy that is possessing him. Turns out that Brahms had never been a sweet little kid. He had allegedly killed his playmate and then burned down the house which supposedly killed him as well.
It is when Cole- Greta’s abusive boyfriend turns up- that a twist is revealed. Not one to keep secrets for long, here’s what happens: Brahms is actually alive. He is now an adult who wears a mask, identical to the doll’s face. I suppose it is because his face was disfigured in the fire. Anyway, when Cole smashes the doll into smithereens, the real Brahms is enraged and goes on a rampage. He creeps out from behind a wall and finishes off Cole.
Then he goes after Greta and Malcolm, though I’m not sure why. Didn’t he like LIKE Greta? Or maybe he wanted to kill off Malcolm. The duo find a passage that leads behind the walls and apart from Great making a startling discovery that she was being spied on, she finds a letter from Brahms’ parents who more or less inform their son that their duties are over and that the ‘girl is his’.
In a flashback, we are shown the parents walking towards the lake, putting rocks into their coats and drowning themselves. Over here, I didn’t feel too much sympathy for the parents who were making their escape and leaving behind a harmless woman to deal with their psychotic son. And what did they mean when they said the girl was his? To marry? To be a mother to him or to be his toy in his sick games?
I think in some sick twisted way, the parents were fulfilling their duties by helping their son get into a relationship with a normal girl since Greta turned out to be younger than the other nannies they had before.
Getting back to the movie, Brahms chases them, they try to outdo him but Malcolm is caught and injured. Greta almost makes it to the gates but then stops because she wants to save Malcolm. She goes back, instructs Brahms that she is his nanny and it was time for him to go to bed. Then while she “kisses” his goodnight, she stabs him.
As in all slasher movies, the killer gets up, so Brahms is shocked but gains superhuman strength and strangles Greta; even pushed her up against the wall!
With whatever mortal strength Greta has, she pushes the knife further into Brahms and eventually he collapses.
Greta flees, taking Malcolm with her and escapes the town. In the final scene we are shown someone putting together the Brahms doll.
Now who could that be?
The Boy was a thrilling move. The characters were well etched out, the story was thrilling and there were some genuinely creepy moments.

All in all- well worth a watch!  

I know I should be working on the last chapter of my new novel or thinking of a way getting over the last hurdle in the plot or at least reading to get some inspiration to write and learn new storytelling techniques.

Instead I find myself watching horror movies. Oh well, at least I'm writing about them and it helps me achieve the writing goals I've set for myself.

Today: Writing goals still to be met.

Walking goals: Met!

Adding another goal= Good deed goal-- somewhat met today.

There’s something about sitting for an exam that never leaves you even years after you’ve sat for your last one. You’ll dream about it, feel every bit of pressure you had felt long ago and worst of all- you will end up staring at a blank paper as all that you have learned for that subject, deserts you.
The feeling of being lost, the pressure of being restrained by a time limit and the most important aspect of exams- being tested for your competence and knowledge- it is an unforgettable experience.
Exams either bring out the best in us or the worst in us. We are being tested for our comprehension on the subject but we are also being tested on how well we perform under pressure and how much we want to win.
In school and college it is all about getting the highest grade, but in the movie ‘EXAM’ the answer to a question can win candidates a wonderful opportunity to work for a high profile company.
The movie gives a whole new nightmare feel to examinations. We are introduced to a very curt invigilator and eight candidates all with different personalities- or so we are made to believe at first.
The candidates have to answer one question and the question is right before them. The only problem is, that it isn’t visible to any of the candidates and time is running out. In eighty minutes, we are shown how the candidates learn to decipher the cryptic remarks of the invigilator and how they try to trust each other.
They all want to win and are ready to do anything for it- even kill each other for the coveted position. One by one the candidates are eliminated by either breaking rules or by ruse. The candidates refuse to divulge their real names and are categorized by their race or hair color.
Pressure rises and eventually we are shown how low people can stoop to when they are promised an extravagant offer.
Turns out the question had always been in front of them. Through all the trials they face together and all the ideas they work on, they forget a minute detail. The question had already been asked- there had only been one question asked to them after all, right in the beginning.
This was one of those movies that makes you sit at the edge of your seat and make your own wild guesses. The suspense was superb as was the thrill. The problem though lay with how the answer was revealed that caused confusion.
Spoilers: The answer was ‘No’ but was that supposed to be given before the timer started or after a long tiring wait of eighty minutes? Some of the candidates either had loved ones who suffered from a disease that the company was creating medication for. So were they picked on purpose to see if they would be loyal to the company or themselves?
The eighty minute exam was either there to test the candidates’ patience or their endurance. The paper they are given only carries a hint and apparently only a magnifying glass would reveal it. In this case- the undercover CEO’s glasses. Did he expect someone to knock him out and steal his glasses in order to read the paper?
These questions will nag you, but not spoil the movie watching experience.

The movie has all the components that would make an exciting thriller movie. This is one to watch, especially for psychology enthusiasts who are interested to learn how people would behave in such perplexing circumstances.