Arvind Pennathur
Bio
I'm a graduate law student with a love for the quieter things in life. I write on a variety of topics, along with the occasional short story or poem. My perfect evening? Give me a rainy day, a cup of coffee, and a place to sit and write.
Stories (55/0)
My Top Five Legend of Zelda Dungeons
November 2011 was a monumental moment for Nintendo as they released The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on the franchise’s 25-year anniversary. The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular gaming franchises in the world, and it is one of Nintendo’s hallmarks; every game in the series has achieved commercial and critical success, and Skyward Sword was special because it was touted to be a major departure from every game that came before it with the introduction of motion controls for Link’s sword movements. For the occasion, YouTuber Austin Hargrave (AKA Peanut Butter Gamer), started a series of videos where he talked about various things in the Zelda franchise for the entirety of November, dubbing the series "Zelda Month." He has since continued the tradition, and several other YouTubers, among people across the internet, have taken up the initiative of making Zelda-themed videos every November.
By Arvind Pennathur5 years ago in Gamers
Audience Expectation vs. Creative Vision: The Finale of 'How I Met Your Mother'
Making a finale for a TV show can be an excruciatingly difficult task. Leaving aside the fact that its obviously emotional seeing the characters that audiences have grown close to and who have impacted the lives of so many people finally bid goodbye, there's the issue of ensuring that they end up with satisfying conclusions to their individual arcs. If the finale treats them differently or introduces new facets of a characters' personality, audiences are bound to feel a disconnect, as it would feel like the person they've come to know and love has been replaced by someone else entirely. However, if the creator of the character has a certain end goal in mind, then inevitably, there is going to be a situation where that character conforms with the creative vision of his/her creator, no matter what his/her individual character arc may be.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
A Review of Avatar: The Last Airbender
Growing up, cartoons were a huge part of my childhood. I remember getting up early on Saturday mornings just to catch an episode of shows like Jimmy Neutron or Spongebob Squarepants. While these shows were entertaining, they were not captivating enough for me to delve into in greater detail beyond enjoying what I saw on the screen. To be fair, this isn't detrimental, as many cartoons children watch at that age don't do this, and if they did, they presented information in such a convoluted way that it became difficult to follow.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
'Incredibles 2': Movie Review
Movie sequels are tricky. Old audiences have to be convinced that the original story merited a sequel in the first place, and upon sitting down to view one, have to be convinced that the plot of the movie is worthy of bearing the name of the first. There is also the issue of relevance, which is usually why sequels come out soon after the first movie with a gap of 2 or 3 years. In recent times, franchises like Marvel have shaken it up with sequels to their blockbuster series The Avengers having a gap of around 5 years between each installment, which makes sense given the massive hype surrounding each installment in the series.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
The Renegade Pokémon
“This is it…Giratina is up ahead.” I gulped and hopped off from the floating platform to follow Cynthia. As I walked, the air around us grew colder, and the maelstrom below us increased in intensity. Dread filled my entire being as I grasped Infernape’s Poké Ball tightly as I approached the edge of the platform. I stopped next to Cynthia, staring at the empty space in front of us. Cynthia said, “It’s odd that Cyrus isn’t here to confront us. Do you think something happened to him in the Distortion World?” I shook my head. “Honestly, I’m a little scared to think about it.” Cynthia looked into the dark ahead of us and said in an eerily calm voice, “It would seem that Giratina wishes to confront you. I wonder what you will do once you meet in battle.” I looked at her in bewilderment and said, “Why would Giratina want to fight me? I haven’t done anything to it! It was all Cyrus! He’s the one who used the Red Chain to disrupt the fabric of reality!”
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
What Went Wrong with 'Solo' and What Does It Mean for Star Wars?
When Star WarsEpisode I: The Phantom Menace was announced, everyone became giddily excited at the prospect of a new adventure in the galaxy far, far away. However, when the movie released, fans were immensely disappointed at the lackluster acting, over the top drama, and of course, Jar-Jar Binks. Little did they know that such a display was to be the status quo for Star Wars for the next six years, as two more prequels came out that people were not very kind too. Naturally, people were disappointed that their beloved saga had been reduced to a melodramatic stage show in space. The fear that Star Wars would never recover would have surely been in people’s minds ten years later, as Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens was announced. Yet, as we all know, the movie exceeded all expectations and gave the fans a glimpse at how Star Wars could live on and not let itself be defined by an era long past.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Futurism
'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Movie Review (Spoiler Edition)
When I walked into to see this movie, I was astonished to see that the theatre was almost completely empty. I double checked my ticket, convinced that I was at the wrong theatre. After all, this was no ordinary Hollywood flick: it was a Star Wars movie, for crying out loud! The seats should be filled with eager audiences chattering about what they expected from the movie and how it would change the rapidly expanding lore of the revitalised franchise. However, to my great dismay, for the entirety of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the theatre was only filled to one-fourth of its maximum capacity. After seeing the movie, however, I understood why, but at the same time, I felt like its not really the movie's fault.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Futurism
The Genius of 'Hamilton'
History is that one subject that most of us roll our eyes at. After all, how does what happened to men who lived hundreds of thousands of years before us affect us in the modern world? Why do we have to learn about how kings built their courts and how people lived their life back then? I think the primary question most people ask when they are asked to learn history in school is the question of relevancy to their lives in the present, and I agree — there isn’t much. However, if presented in the right way, I believe that history can be one of the best teachers of character and a brilliant opportunity to look back on humanity and see where even the best of us made mistakes. But with the way courses are structured in school, this is sadly traded away for mindlessly memorising facts and regurgitating them in examinations without internalising any of the intricacies and stories behind the material that is being learnt. I, too, play my role in the system by learning and writing pages and pages in order to get the best possible marks, but after seeing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, I’m afraid I might have to change my outlook on the subject.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
Avengers: Infinity War Review (Spoiler Edition)
For the past 10 years, Marvel has come to dominate cinema and completely transform superhero movies as we know them. They have managed to build an entire universe within a set of 19 movies. When you consider that each of these movies tie into each other with the most intricate of details in a way that combines for one cohesive narrative, only then will you realise the scale that Marvel's movies have reached, and no movie emphasizes that more than their latest blockbuster, Infinity War.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
Is 'Dragon Ball Super' Really That Bad?
Shōnen is the most recognisable branch of anime for the simple fact that it's the most marketable. Throw a couple of quirky characters together, give them superpowers or some special skills and a villain who's tens of thousands of times stronger than they are, and you've got yourself a typical shōnen. However, back when anime was first becoming popular outside of Japan, the formula was still being put together. Shows like Naruto, One Piece and Bleach were shaping the landscape of modern anime, establishing tropes that would go on to define shōnen for years to come. Before their rise, though,Dragon Ball Z had alreadycaptivated audiences throughout the United States with action-packed battles and a captivating story.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
Why 'My Hero Academia' Scares Me
I think we can all agree on the fact that superheroes and the superhero genre is the most marketable form of entertainment in the world right now. We've got movies which, when combined together, weave cinematic universes, which spawn numerous spin-off series (TV shows and movies alike), which in turn give rise to video games and toys, among other forms of merchandise. As of late, however, the trend has gone on to dominate another emerging form of entertainment. I am of course, talking about anime, and the amazing series that is My Hero Academia.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Geeks
Why I Think New Year's Resolutions Are Ridiculous
It’s that magical time of the year again – the time when people will spontaneously decide to make radical changes to their lifestyle only to realize that they’re too hard to keep up and as a result said plans inevitably collapse by the middle of the first month of the year.
By Arvind Pennathur6 years ago in Motivation