‘Story of Things’ series review: An ingenious supernatural anthology that makes you want more

(left to proper) Bharath, Aditi Balan, Ritika Singh, Shantanu Bhagyaraj, and Vinoth Kishan in stills from ‘Story of Issues’
| Photograph Credit score: Sony LIV

The whole lot attention-grabbing in regards to the supernatural rests past the carnate world. And we now have seen horror titles the place, just like the tangible human physique, inanimate supplies are used as mediums for the supernatural. In 2009, we obtained two movies, Eeram and Yaavarum Nalam, that banked on this concept. The latter even had a cell phone get hijacked by a spirit because the medium to the human world, and so did 2020’s Andhaghaaram.

Related is the case with Sony LIV’s newest anthology collection Story of Issues, by which writer-director George Okay Antoney offers life to inanimate objects in several varieties to inform 5 distinct tales. Even right here, we see a cell phone develop into a supernatural portal. Nonetheless, Story of Issues is not like something we now have seen earlier than, and right here, the fabric issues take the foreground and are used as extra than simply gimmicks. Other than horror, different sub-genres of speculative fiction are additionally touched upon. The core concept and the format are used to their benefit, and George faucets into the peculiar conditions that may come up when odd objects behave unusually. That is primarily what the collection goals to do — it isn’t a typical horror collection meant to scare you with gore/ soar scares or darkness — and it’s fascinating how every of those tales explores particular feelings.

As an illustration, in Weighing Scale, an odd story will get elevated into one thing ambiguously unnatural because it explores guilt and penance. When Ram (Bharath) and Titus (Linga), aspiring actors, are near grabbing a once-in-a-lifetime alternative, a second of carelessness endangers the lifetime of a stranger. Titus, ridden with guilt, urges Ram to give up to the police, however Ram refuses to let go of the aspirational life he craves. Issues take an eerie flip when the latter is haunted by a weighing system he finds in his late grandmother’s belongings that weighs his sins along with his physique weight.

Weighing Scale is the primary of the 5 tales, and it units up the temper of the remainder of the collection fairly effectively. In Compressor, the stakes are pushed a little bit additional by means of an air con unit that refuses to change off. When Raghu (Roju) possibilities upon a bundle of money, he asks his live-in girlfriend Shruthi (Ritika Singh) to both plan a trip for the 2, or purchase an air conditioner. She buys a second-hand AC, and the article begins to bother Raghu. When he goes lacking hastily, Shruthi begins to analyze.

Compressor, nonetheless, is the weakest of the 5 tales by way of depth and innovation. Automobile and Mobile, then again, are extra classical of their strategy to the style. In Mobile, a daily story of our instances a couple of controlling mom (Gautami) and a daughter wanting to interrupt free, will get a horror twist unexpectedly. Having been raised within the shadow of her mom, Vannamayil (Aditi Balan) decides to do as she likes for as soon as, and the unlucky occurs. However Vannamayil will get the scare of her life when she will get an otherworldly name.

In the meantime, Automobile has Britto (Shantanu Bhagyaraj) on a courageous quest to beat the concern of his abusive father (Siddique) and his automobile. Each time his mom questioned his father for beating him, little Britto would get locked up by his father in his automobile with a watchdog standing guard. Inside that darkish and dingy automobile, Britto’s fears manifest in lots of varieties. A long time later, Britto decides to combat again, however the ghosts of his previous return.

Each these tales delve into the psyches of the protagonists and have them cope with the trauma that the connection with a mum or dad brings in. In Vannamayil’s case, it’s the dependency she has on her mom and the guilt of wanting freedom that punishes her. Though he has chosen to beat his phobia and cope with his previous, Britto’s journey has layers of ache, and he has to cope with the very basis of who he grew up as. Materials issues, aside from changing into mediums for the paranormal, additionally develop into metaphors in these tales.

George saves his greatest for the final, and we get an attractive story of how a little bit woman turns into the friend-in-need for a heartbroken college-goer. After he’s thrown out of his hostel, Sethu (Vinoth Kishan), who’s struggling a horrible break-up, strikes into the attic of an previous home. He questions his personal sanity for a second when a ten-year-old woman named Nazia talks to him by means of an previous dresser mirror. Mirror, the ultimate episode within the collection, is hopeful and heartwarming; it’s additionally attention-grabbing how George retains a whole lot of ambiguity and solely lets the feelings converse.

It’s spectacular how the storytelling type stays constant all through the collection and the general theme anchors all of them. It’s additionally pretty to see filmmakers use the silence and background rating effectively; the music, scored by Madley Blues (Harish Venkat and Prashanth Techno), and the sound design complement the writing too.

Story of Issues is a kind of uncommon titles that makes you need extra. The very idea does half its job, and one can consider a bunch of prospects that may come out of it.

Story of Issues is presently streaming on Sony LIV