Nano puts together a narrative that oozes with swanky graphics, technical prowess and a storytelling befitting a top-drawer sci-fi flick to the extent of leaving you surprised when it ends at a mere sixteen minutes. Now this isn't a shortcoming, but a strength suggesting how the film has a premise and subject worthy of a longer project. The story is set in a futuristic society where nanotechnology has advanced far enough to be able to control a being's, humans or their pets, genetic makeup. While it may be all fun and games to alter your hair or eye colour at will, there indeed lies a much darker reality underneath it all. Though the government may be set to roll out an update that can potentially render all free will useless (surprise, surprise), there is a group of ethical hackers trying to fight against it, to ensure that human agency and individuality does not come under attack from technological developments. The film's attention to detail to the technology it discusses is worthy of mention, especially if you enjoy science fiction for its spectacular visuals, finesse of all the gadgets it brings to life and the manner in which the characters interact with it all. The film packs a complete punch of thrill, suspense, action, stolen identities and valiant sacrifices. It is involving, engaging and invokes the age-old idea of technological advancement posing a huge threat to mankind. The question the film would leave you with is that amidst the differing views strewn across the spectrum of the debate, where would you find yourself located?

Nano | Short Film of the Day

With a film like Toxic, it's very important to pay attention to the images which inhabit the screen, whether in a corner or predominating the space entirely, for it is them that carry the intended, distinctive, well-defined message of the plot. The short opens with a scene of a cityscape where in the distance lurks a hoarding of a woman, unmistakably sexualised for a society which has conditioned itself to view them solely as objects of desire, and meeting with a failure to fulfil this expectation in real life, away from the lens of media and entertainment, makes them feel deprived of a right, or view themselves as a victim of a serious wrong done to them. This is the core concern of the narrative, dealt expertly, steering clear of traps of banality, voyeurism or superficiality regarding the treatment of its subject matter. When Darren agrees to give a ride to Irene to a common friend's party, his expectations from the night, as well as Irene, in his own head are contrasted against the inadequacy of his misguided feelings in the real world. While even in the face of all the aggression and rudeness, the characters around him remain unmoved, and maybe even polite and friendly, his perception and the interpretation of the same situations is jarring as well as deeply disturbing for both the viewer and the protagonist himself, albeit for vastly different reasons. A reflection in the mirror stands for his skewed interpretation of the events unfolding before him. A TV screen in focus comes as a harbinger of the dark path a character like Darren might be headed towards, once again proving true the proposition made at the start about the images and symbols in the narrative. The film manages to interact with all of these concerns, without ever explicitly spelling out anything, finally concluding with a clear warning of what is to come for someone who, despite seeing himself as a victim of those around him, especially women or men who manage to be comfortable around their female counterparts, is simply a product of staggering levels of toxic masculinity, entitlement and distorted ideas of interpersonal relationships.

Toxic | Short Film of the Day

‘Adderall Cowboy’ paints a world with a predominance of pink, and linked colors, in the palette. As a space of luxury and softness comes to mind, the reality it represents is far from that. 

A charming protagonist introduces us to her professional endeavors, the business of peddling drugs to teenagers. She likes to indulge herself in long baths and self-care routines, all along funding her preferences with money earned from enabling young, impressionable minds into getting consumed by substance abuse. 

The film is especially notable in the leanness it employs for sharing all this. Its elements are few, but completely sufficient for fulfilling the job of critiquing a crumbling society. A single character within the walls of a single room help this reality unfold, ensuring that the ideas are presented with a sustained approach of frugality - of dialogue, characters and the physical space conjured before you.

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