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Life is quite a gripping sci-fi thriller that does seem inspired by the Alien franchise, however is markedly distinct in its treatment. Its a much more realistic take on the consequences of messing with an alien life form, in this case the subject is a living cell discovered on Mars.

The film is visually brilliant and has strong performances from its star cast, comprising of big names such as Jake Gylenhall and Ryan Reynolds. It isn't devoid of the usual survival movie cliches, hence characters do tend to take stupid decisions and logic is thrown out of the window in a couple of scenes. However, it still has enough tension and suspense to keep you hooked till the end and the ending too takes you by surprise. Definitely worth a watch as it is one of the better survival films out there.

The Ritual starts with four musketeers taking a hike in Sweden to pay tribute to a fifth musketeer who died a few months back, partly due to a cowardly act by one of the four who is also our main protagonist.

I am a huge fan of survival horror films and The Ritual provides a near perfect setting for the same. The friends traverse off the beaten track in search of a quicker route and get stranded in a dense and eerie forest with not just harsh weather but a far more ominous presence for company.Although the movie is largely predictable, it is still quiet riveting because of some masterful cinematography and sound effects which constantly maintains the atmospheric tension. This is complemented with some earnest performances from the entire cast, especially the lead played by Rafe Spall.It is also an allegory on how fear holds you captive and to survive the outer demon, one must first conquer his inner demons.Despite the lack of novelty, The Ritual is an enjoyable watch and is one of the better horror films available on Netflix.

Godless is a visceral, captivating and visually stunning 7-part miniseries on Netflix. It is a slow-burn, but necessarily so, patiently offering vital exposition while its classic, western plot unfurls itself violently. That violence can be attributed, mostly, to Jeff Daniels' Frank Griffin, a menacing, one-armed outlaw who's looking for a man named Roy Goode played by Jack O'Connell who was once a part of Frank's gang, more importantly a foster son to Frank, but betrayed him during one of the gang's heists. Roy lands up in a farm owned by Alice Fletcher (Michelle Dockery) , which is a part of desolate town inhabited by widowed women, who lost their men during a catastrophic mining accident. When Frank learns about the whereabouts of Roy, he sets out with the gang seeking revenge and in that quest, wipe out the entire village, which is his modus operandi. The performances are consistently top notch with Jeff Daniels and Michelle Dockery stealing the show. Jack O'Connell is fantastic young actor and I would love to see more of him.

Being a fan of Westerns, I was overwhelmed by Godless. It is my favorite show of 2017 and is highly recommended.