‘Good News’: Absurdly Dark, Sarcastic & Weirdly Hilarious--A Must-Watch Movie

 I loved the way the movie jumps straight into the dark side of the moon— A place which exists but we never get to see. It refers to the truth that is hiding in plain sight—the reality, the true heroes, the ‘nobodies’ of our world who keep things moving and together in spite of all the chaos and plunder.

The movie shines light on the miracle workers whose ‘job is to freeze the water’, if their overlords wish to walk on water.

The dark comedy is set alight with ‘the ring of fire’, which doesn’t refer to any seismic zones but literally an arsehole and haemorrhoids.

A morally bankrupt capitalist on his last legs slapping the crap out of a spineless military general, further seals the tone of the narrative taken by director Byun Sung-Hyun.

The movie is about a misguided group of young Japanese revolutionary Marxists charging at the windmills like Don Quixote with a half-baked plan to hijack a plane to Pyongyang, when the windmills are manned by a bunch of unscrupulous spineless bureaucrats.

The plot is inspired by real events and follows what transpired with a heavy dose of sarcasm and the absurd.

Japan Air Lines Flight 351 was a scheduled passenger flight from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Fukuoka that was hijacked by members of the Red Army Faction of the Japan Communist League on March 31, 1970,[1] in an incident usually referred to in Japanese as the Yodogo Hijacking Incident (よど号ハイジャック事件, Yodogō Haijakku Jiken), after the aircraft's official Japan Airlines poetic nickname "Yodo" (meaning "still water").[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_Flight_351

I don’t intend to give away the spoilers, but some worthy mentions are in order.

·       ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ played in the background every time the American official spoke, implying that the so-called defenders of democracy sit safely on their thrones while riding heavy on the back of smaller nations who bear all the consequence. It instantly evokes the hollow claims made by Mango Mussolini about ending nine wars.

·       The reference to the Fastest Finger First and Clint Eastwood-style Western showdown between the South Korean and North Korean air traffic controllers, adding a dead Mexican playing maracas to bring in the Mexican standoff into the whole thing, is brilliant.

·       Hvorostovsky’s On the Hills of Manchuria playing as the North Koreans bombard the plane, with the hijackers sold on the idea of it as a welcome cannon salute. This scene illustrates the delusion of foolish idealism that lacks any solid grounding.

The movie momentarily descends into a slower pace in between to provide a moment of retrospection on the maddening events unfolding in the background.

The guileless, filthy rich men and women in power seem like invertebrate parasites—highly advanced creatures who exploit and kill their hosts to survive. They are the vilest of selfish human specimens who worry only about the optics.

The passionate young ones, on the other hand, jump into action without a concrete plan and stumble in the darkness. The situation is saved by a wise and experienced ‘nobody’ who intervenes behind the scenes to save the day.

My only grievance and quite a big one is the lack of a sane female character in the entire movie.

Now, go and watch the movie, before I tell you everything! It is worth it and shines like a pearl in the sea of imitation clams churned out by the corporate rating-chasers.

Let me know what you think, please.

Reclaiming Dhanteras—beyond gold and glitter.

Why do we Celebrate Dhanteras?

A mythic journey from cosmic churning to conscious healing—rediscovering the festival of Dhanteras exploring its roots in Ayurveda, spiritual balance, and mindful living.

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Today is Dhanteras – A festival widely celebrated in many parts of India. While consumerism and profit-driven media portray it as a festival of material wealth and prosperity, its significance is rooted in the spiritual and holistic well-being.

Dhanteras is celebrated in the honour of Lord Dhanvantari, the divinely radiant and youthful physician of the gods.

When the Devas (celestial beings) and Asuras (powerful entities living in the forest realm) found themselves in the midst of an unresolved conflict, the weakened Devas approached Lord Vishnu. He proposed the idea of Sagar Manthan (Churning of the Ocean) with a tug of war to determine a winner.

He explained that the churning will yield the divine nectar or Amrit which would heal the gods and restore their strength. He advised the Devas to seek a temporary truce with the Asuras to help with the mighty task, promising to share the nectar equally.

On the thirteenth day of the churning, Lord Dhanavantari emerged out of the ocean holding a pot(kalash) of amrit—the elixir of immortality. He also held a conch shell (Shankha --representing the divine sound of creation), a discus (Chakra-- symbolizing the cycle of life), and medicinal herbs—embodying the wisdom of Ayurveda and nature’s pharmacy.

This day came to be celebrated as Dhanteras or Dhanatrayodashi. The word “Dhan” means wealth, while “Teras” refers to the thirteenth lunar day. However, the wealth celebrated here is not merely material, it refers to health, the foundation of all prosperity. As the saying goes, health is wealth.

Lord Dhanvantari taught sages and physicians the art of healing, herbal remedies, surgery, and the principles of maintaining health through proper diet, clean lifestyle, and spiritual discipline.

Yet today, instead of seeking his blessings for health and wisdom, many are blinded by commercials urging them to buy precious metals on this day. The regrettable shift reflects a loss of connection with the festival’s original intent.

I believe that the metals mentioned may also refer to the essential minerals and nutrients required for our body to function well. These naturally occurring elements are vital to a balanced diet and wellness.

In South India, a special lamp called Yama Deepam is lit in the evening and placed facing south to honour Yama, the god of death. This ritual is performed to ward off untimely death and seek longevity and good health represented by Lord Dhanavantari.

The story of Lord Dhanvantari and Dhanteras offers deep spiritual wisdom.  The churning of the ocean mirrors our own inner struggle where both poison and nectar arise and how through knowledge and mindfulness, we can learn to choose what’s best for us. It also reminds us that opposing forces are nature’s way of maintaining balance on earth and how we must traverse between the material and spiritual to achieve wholeness. 

The teachings of Lord Dhanvantari have been preserved through generations, forming the foundation of Ayurvedic holistic healing.

The traditions we observe are not merely religious customs, they hold deeper spiritual and holistic wisdom, guiding us towards mindful living.

Unfortunately, modern interpretations have often distorted and reduced them to obscene displays of wealth and inane and detrimental practices like bursting of crackers which ruin ecological balance and peace and harm our health.

It is about time that we practice these rituals in their true sense reclaiming the wisdom lost somewhere in the folds of blind faith and religious fanfare.

·       Light earthen diyas to ward off negativity

·       Welcome positive energies by cleaning our homes and hearth to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.

·       Prepare healthy and nourishing homemade food and traditional sweets to prepare our bodies for the winter ahead.

·       Share what we have with our neighbours and those in need.

Wishing everyone a healthy, meaningful, and joyful Dhanteras.

Please feel free to share your wisdom and the rituals you follow to make this festive season fruitful and meaningful. Thank you.

Why 'Chaos' is My Favourite Word?

‘Chaos’ I love this word. It is my favourite word in the English language — the one I believe, to be the genesis of everything, even the universe (Nasadiya Sukta, Hymn of Creation, Rigveda).  

To me, life is a series of chaotic rumblings and stirrings — an unpredictable swirling of randomness. Our brain is wired to seek structure through patterns and repetitions, but that doesn’t mean reality is so.

 Language itself compels us to shape and structure our thoughts and that is precisely why each of us arrive at multiple meanings and different perspectives. How did you first come across this word? Do you remember when you started liking it? Does it remind you of a particular moment, person, or memory?

 “One must have chaos within oneself to give birth to a dancing star.” 

Friedrich Nietzsche from ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra’.

 I don’t recall exactly when I first came across this word. However, during my undergrad studies, my favourite philosopher, Nietzsche, mesmerized me with this brilliant quote. It made me reflect deeply on the word itself — its power, its contradiction and paradox. If you had to describe your favourite word to someone who doesn’t know it, how would you do it? It is a paradoxical thing to explain. It is a word that defies all rhyme and reason. It is a giant mess of everything that somehow leads to sense — for what we perceive as chaos is often part of a larger cause and effect. 

 Do you like it more for its meaning or for how it sounds? Do you enjoy how the word sounds when spoken aloud? Does the rhythm, length, or spelling of the word play into why you like it? Do you associate your favourite word with a colour, sound, or image?

 The two syllabic word /ˈkeɪ.ɒs/ is perfect and sounds exotic! I love the way it stirs sharply at the back of the mouth (/k/ velar), glides seductively forward to the front /eɪ/ and then steps back /ɒ/ and ends with a breathy exhale /s/ and a dramatic flourish. If the word ‘chaos’ were a dance, it would dazzle the world with an emotionally charged volatile tango. It encompasses far more than its length suggests. 

It is an overachiever amongst words — leaping literally from nothing to everything. It goes from the deep, dark midnight blue of the universe to a chromatic whirl of abstract expressionism. 

 The word comes from Ancient Greek word χάος (khaos), which originally meant “abyss” or “a gaping void.” In Hesiod’s Theogony, ‘chaos’ was the primordial emptiness from which everything emerged — a yawning chasm before the birth of the cosmos.

 The term passed into Latin as ‘chaos’, keeping its sense of vast emptiness, and then into Old French in the 14th century. By the time it entered English, it still meant “immeasurable space” or “void”. Around the 1600s, influenced by Classical authors like Ovid, the meaning evolved to signify not just emptiness, but disorder, confusion, and a jumbled mass — the opposite of cosmos, which means order. Source

Press enter or click to view image in full size Nature is painted chaos…somehow it all works. Photo by Author. Shimla 2025 

What does this word mean to you personally? What feelings does the word bring up when you say or hear it? Does it connect to a value, belief, or philosophy you hold? 

 I believe chaos is the most essential seed of all creation. It evokes inspiration, hope, and the confirmation that in spite of or perhaps because of all the chaos in life, we can find our unique path and that life throws us again and again into the swirling mess, till we master the steps and learn to dance to its rhythm. Perhaps, things fall apart so that they can come together in a better way. 

 If your favourite word were a person, what kind of personality would it have? Does the word link to your culture, background, or language in any way? 

 Although, chaos often carries a negative connotation, I agree with Nietzsche that it is a necessary condition for evolution and creation. If Loki, the trickster, had a little more conscience and a little less shadow, I would choose him. But closer to home in Indian mythology, I would go with Shiva, literally ‘that which is not’, the cosmic dancer and the destroyer of negative forces who restores the balance between good and evil. 

 If you had to write a poem or story around your favourite word, what would it be about? 

Mistakes abound. 

I stumbled around. 

Searching semblance, 

orders ordained 

Realisation Reels, 

Nuclear Kneels 

That Chaos inside is 

Clarity in reprise 

That perfection is 

but a mirage. 

Chaos rumbles, 

dances, unifies, & underlines 

It is the ultimate universal update.

 If your favourite word could describe a phase of your life, which one would it be? 

Every single phase! It surrounds every moment. I feel I am a flibbertigibbet forever caught in between a flux of things and change. In any case, only dust settles. We are built for change, growth and wisdom in response to it all. 

 Would you ever get it as a tattoo or use it in art? Why or why not? 

While I admire artistic tattoos on others, I wouldn’t and cannot deliberately mark my body for I believe we as human beings are constantly evolving and a tattoo feels too permanent. 

 Besides, I have trypanophobia!!!!

 If you could give this word to someone else as a gift, who would it be and why?

I would gift it to a certain orange combover buffoon in the hope that he will attain the ultimate knowledge(brahman) and take samadhi somewhere on the vast expanse of his Mar-a-Lago estate and leave the word a better place.

The story is first published on Catharsis Chronicles on Medium and is inspired by a monthly prompt from the Chrysa Stergiou, editor of Catharsis Chronicles.

 © Anu Maheshwari, 2025. All rights reserved.