Rajchetan Chilkamari, a student of Mass Communication from Kottayam, writes in his top five movies
Jalsaghar
This Satyajit Ray movie is about a decadent 19th-century landlord, who is possessed by pride, ignorance and grief, leaving him emotionally exhausted. The movie perfectly captures the sense of emptiness in the protagonist’s life.
Inside Llewyn Davis
Set in New York in 1961, it stars Oscar Issac as a talented musician caught in the web of bad luck. Directed by Coen Brothers, the film plays out like a tragedy with comedic undertones as we see our hapless protagonist gulping all the despair of life, one at a time.
Solaris
A psychologist is sent to a space station to investigate the source of unusual emotional trauma endured by cosmonauts orbiting an ominous planet, ‘Solaris’. Legendary filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky directed the movie, which has some eye-catching visuals.
Departures
The story follows a failed musician, who discovers profound satisfaction as an undertaker. The film tackles the theme of ‘death’ head-on while teaching life-affirming lessons. It also makes a strong statement against occupation-based discrimination.
Ex Machina
Novelist Alex Garland’s directorial début is an ambitious science fiction extravaganza. Focusing on Artificial intelligence, it explores themes such as identity, purpose and confinement, leading to the dramatic climax.
Readers can send in their top five movies to frkerala@thehindu.co.in. The write-up should not exceed 250 words. Please include your phone number as well.