Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 102
May 10, 2024
Super Rich in Korea Review – Some Seoul Bling Bling
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Move over kids born with silver spoons, and get ready to meet a few individuals born with “diamond spoons” in the 2024 Netflix series “Super Rich in Korea,” and see how they spend their daily lives in Seoul’s poshest pockets. The series is a quick, fun superficial look into the lives of the super rich, their opulent homes, extravagant clothes, ridiculously priced meals and exclusive parties. Don’t expect revelations or key takeaways.
Hosted by comedian Cho Sae-Ho, Got7’s BamBam, and singer Mimi, “Super Rich in Korea” starts off in Seoul, but also follows its rich protagonists to France, Italy, and Pakistan. The five super-rich individuals featured in the show are fashionista Aren Yoo, who works as a Korean ambassador for premium fashion brands; Noor, an Iraqi-American social media influencer; Singaporean business tycoon David Yong; Italian Teodoro Marani, whose family owns the bag brand Henry Beguelin; and Kim Anna, a Pakistani-origin Korean businesswoman who is married to a wealthy nobleman from Pakistan. Noor is the only one among them who is completely self-made, while the rest of them come from already affluent families.
David Yong stands out as one of the most entertaining personalities on the show. At 37 years old, he embraces loud branded clothing adorned with bling and frequently reminds others that he belongs to Singapore’s wealthiest 1%. He travels in a private jet to save time and owns eleven luxury cars across four different countries. In “Super Rich in Korea,” David Yong is looking to purchase a swanky river-facing apartment. Teodoro Marani accompanies David while house-hunting, and when they see a penthouse with four private elevators, David simply hands out his card to pay for the place right then and there. Now, that’s super-rich – the ability to buy apartments like apples in the market.
The personality clash between David Yong and Teodoro Marani is hilarious. Both men come from wealth, but while David Yong doesn’t bat an eyelid before spending millions, the younger Teo is surprisingly grounded, or at least displays a relatable shade of prudence on the show. In episode 4 titled “The Art of Italian Flirting,” the two embark on a double date that feels straight out of a dating show, showcasing the chuckle-worthy contrast in their personalities. Among the women, Aren Yoo is probably the most memorable. In her own words, “she is a random girl who is very skinny” and who loves dresses more than herself. Although she NEVER repeats a dress, no matter how expensive or unique it is.
Like any Korean variety show, a lot of the entertainment is generated by the amusing reactions of the panelists who watch the “Super Rich in Korea” going about their business. Comedian Cho Sae-Ho is hilarious in his reactions, especially when David Yong keeps mentioning how much everything he owns costs. The only surprising and relatable segment of this series was in episode three titled “Seoul, Paris, Milan” where Teodoro Marani visits his dad. What starts off as a really sweet evening where the duo cook together turns into an awkward, relatable father-son confrontation. Teo’s dad asks him what it will take for him to come and live with his family in Italy, and before it could turn into a full-blown argument, Teo simply bows out and leaves the room.
If it weren’t for their ostentatious displays of wealth, the super-rich individuals featured in the series aren’t particularly interesting. They come across as average, likable individuals, although this could simply be a PR exercise for the cameras. Essentially, “Super Rich in Korea” is a no-brainer series to indulge in over the weekend, especially if you’re seeking to live vicariously through the onscreen experiences of the wealthy.
Watch “Super Rich in Korea” on Netflix.
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May 9, 2024
Baby Reindeer Review – Traps You In Its Warped Quicksand of Abuse
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“Why did it take you so long to report it?”
That’s a standard uncomfortable question women hear from cops when they gather the courage to report crimes like rape, stalking, and harassment. We’ve seen it often enough on screens, so it hit differently to see the same question being posed to a man when he goes to report a woman who has been stalking him and spamming him with lewd/bizarre emails for months in the Netflix series “Baby Reindeer”. But the back-story isn’t as simple as you’d expect it to be.
Written and created by Richard Gadd, the seven-part series is based on his experience with a female stalker. Her increasingly aggressive advances push him toward facing buried trauma and confronting crippling truths about his own twisted personality. Richard Gadd plays protagonist Donny Dunn, a bartender who does stand-up comedy on the side, while Jessica Gunning portrays Martha Scott, a woman who claims to be a lawyer and starts to stalk and harass Donny. One might be tempted to think this series would be along the lines of Netflix docu-series “Lover, Stalker, Killer”, a story about a man being stalked by a dangerous woman, but it’s far more nuanced and convoluted.
Episode one of “Baby Reindeer” begins with Donny at the police station reporting Martha for stalking him for six months, and then flashbacks begin to reveal how it all started. Martha walks into the pub where Donny works, frazzled, upset over something, and when he asks her what she’d like to order, she says she doesn’t have the money to buy anything. So Donny offers her a cup of tea on the house, out of sheer pity, but Martha lights up like she has been asked out to prom by the boy of her dreams. And thus begins Donny’s bizarre entanglement with Martha Scott, which begins to get nightmarish as time passes.
The next few episodes explore how Donny doesn’t do much to dissuade Martha, not until he begins to date a trans-woman called Teri (Nava Mau), who becomes the target of Martha’s ire. Things take a much darker turn in episode 4, where Donny’s trip to the police station to report the stalking triggers ugly memories of his traumatic experience with a writer called Darrien. Episode 4 of “Baby Reindeer” is the most challenging to get through and marks a definite turning point in a viewer’s perception of Donny, casting his ordeal with Martha in a completely new light.
Nava Mau is exceptional as his new girlfriend Teri, a mental health practitioner who isn’t even aware of his past. However, she minces no words when she forces him to face the truth – he takes perverse joy in the disturbing display of attention he receives from his stalker. But the stand-out performance comes from Jessica Gunning, she kills it as Martha, a lonely woman who spins a web of lies about herself and is creepily intimidating in stalking her prey. She is unhinged, violent, larger-than-life, suffering from extreme mood swings, and is strangely both the most straightforward yet complex character of “Baby Reindeer”.
Richard Gadd’s Donny serves as the narrator for “Baby Reindeer,” a nickname Martha often uses for him. He is swift in his delivery of the story, maintaining a perky pace for his unsettling experiences. From his awkward, unfunny stand-up comedy shows to his excruciatingly embarrassing exchanges with Martha, the series offers a voyeuristic dive into the troubled life of Donny. He often lets Martha off the hook out of pity, believing she needs help. Ironically, and perhaps sadly, he fails to acknowledge that he needs help too. In fact, it’s almost frustrating how Teri, despite boasting multiple times about being a therapist, never advises Donny to seek help.
The funny thing is, I thought episode six was the last episode, it has Donny Dunn deliver a cathartic monologue about his struggles at one of his stand-up shows, a scene which was similar to a climactic scene in Bollywood movie “Kho Gaye Hum”, another Netflix offering. If the creators wanted to, they could have ended the story right there, and maybe “Baby Reindeer” would have seemed complete at that point. But episode seven turns things up again, bringing a significant high point to Donny’s life for the first time. But just when Donny and the viewers think he might have rid himself of his monsters, they don’t just come back to bite him; he himself goes looking for some of them.
“I knew she was mad, I knew she was dangerous, but she flattered me and that was enough” – Donny has this to say about Martha in one of the concluding episodes, and that’s really his undoing. Attention and adulation are like a drug for him, so scarcely found that he’d take it from anywhere. Unfortunately, Martha, his stalker, becomes like a spurious drug in his life, giving him a high he can’t admit to, not until it starts affecting his friends and family.
“Baby Reindeer” manages to be consistently unsettling and awkward, rarely funny, especially since Donny is supposed to be a failing comedian who cannot get people to laugh – and the writers 100% deliver his lack of humor. There are plenty of scenes featuring his stand-up comedy, and even the bits where the audience does laugh at his jokes weren’t funny, not to me at least. If you aren’t a fan of British humor, you’ll probably feel the same. (Although I am not immune to British jokes, and think Diane Morgen’s act as Philomena Cunk is incredibly hilarious.)
Richard Gadd as Martha’s “Baby Reindeer” is a strange mash of the archetypal “babe in the woods” meets “tormented creative soul”. Donny Dunn is the kind of character that literary students could write pages about. Even if I were to write an entire article focusing solely on his character traits, I wouldn’t be able to determine what viewers are supposed to feel about him. He is a complex shade of grey, with too much darkness and just a hint of light, a shade he refuses to embrace. Instead, he voluntarily crawls into darker spaces, stewing in pain, fear, and anxiety, as if discomfort is his true solace.
The climactic chapter of “Baby Reindeer” brings Donny Dunn’s bizarre brush with Martha to a tragic end and the last scene cleverly ends the series on an ironic note. It’s a pretty solid ending, which doesn’t really bring down the curtains on the protagonist’s journey and instead gives Richard Gadd plenty of scope to bring viewers a “Baby Reindeer 2”. Watch the show if you’re ready to experience some second-hand angst, confusion, and turmoil. In-fact, watch it regardless.
“Baby Reindeer” is available on Netflix.
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May 8, 2024
Tillu Square Review – Only for DJ Tillu Fans
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Director: Mallik Ram
Writers: Ravi Anthony, Sidhu Jonnalagadda
Tillu (Sidhu Jonnalagadda) is a famous DJ, so popular in town that brides would rather halt their wedding than have the celebrations go on without him playing. And when Tillu’s introductory scene plays in the movie “Tillu Square”, he is flirting with a woman at a pub, asking her why her dress doesn’t come with a chunni (scarf), while folks at his event management company are tearing their heads wondering why he isn’t at the venue on time yet. Not a very professional DJ, this Tillu.
For the first forty minutes of “Tillu Square,” one cannot even make head or tails of where the story is going. All we know is that Tillu is a flirtatious DJ who falls for a girl called Lilly (Anupama Parameswaran), who disappears after a one-night stand with him, claiming she isn’t interested in a relationship. However, fate brings them together again, and an earnest romance seems to bloom between the two. But in a twist, Lilly isn’t who she claims to be and has her own hidden agenda in entrapping Tillu. So the second half of the film shifts gears completely as far as the plot is concerned and becomes a bizarre comedy-crime-mystery-thriller. Perhaps some of the jokes would seem funnier to viewers who’ve seen “DJ Tillu”, also because this is sequel that largely builds upon the events that took place in the first film.
Sidhu Jonnalagadda ranges between mildly funny and completely casual as Tillu, and the character is so laidback that it’s hard to invested in anything that happens to him. Anupama Parameswaran as his romantic interest Lilly, has a far more interesting character, although she doesn’t bring much flavor to the potential duality of her part. The supporting cast is all right, nobody really sticks out, delivering what is asked of them.
Laden with unnecessary forgettable song-and-dance numbers, cringe-worthy jokes and lines, like a scene where Tillu tells himself, “Let me be a witness to your wetness” when he sees a foreigner swimming in a pool at a hotel, and emotional scenes that don’t strike a chord, “Tillu Square” is a hard-to-watch circus show. Tillu is such a casual weirdo, that it’s difficult to become invested in anything that happens to him
Watch it only if you enjoyed “DJ Tillu” a lot, or else stream something else on Netflix.
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Death Whisperer Review – Lush Settings, Sparse Scares
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Plot overview: Yaem is a friendly, helpful schoolgirl with five siblings who belong to a farming family in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province. One day, on their way to school, the sisters encounter a spooky tree with a black-clad ghost standing by it. A few days later, Yaeem begins to show signs of a strange sickness and begins to behave differently, like she is possessed. Led by their older brother Yak, the siblings try to save Yaem from the clutches of a demonic entity that takes over her body.
Directed by Khui Taweewat Wantha, the 2023 Thai horror movie “Death Whisperer” (Thai title: ธี่หยด) is based on a novel called “Tee Yod” by Krittanon, supposedly inspired by real events. Set in the 1970s, the setting for this horror story is near-perfect – a beautiful remote village, which looks stunning in the day and eerily spooky at night. Nadech Kugimiya plays the eldest sibling Yak in the tale, followed by Junior Kajbhunditt Jaidee as Yos, Friend Peerakrit Phacharaboonyakiat as Yod, Denise Jelilcha Kapaun as the oldest sister Yad, Mim Rattanawadee Wongtong as the possessed Yaem, and Nina Nutthatcha Padovan as the youngest sibling Yi.
Despite having a mildly intriguing plot and great settings, “Death Whisperer” unfolds far too slowly and relies on a few gory scenes to scare viewers, some of which are unintentionally funny. For instance, there’s a scene where Yak tries to hunt down the demon woman haunting Yaem, but he ends up being chased in his fields by a macabre-bloodied person (withholding the identity to keep this spoiler-free), and the scene had me in splits. On the other hand, my mom started looking at her phone because she couldn’t stand the gore and told me to alert her when the ghastly scene was over.
The cast manages to hold fort in “Death Whisperer”, especially the actors playing the sisters in the troubled family, and their sibling bond is established sweetly in the first-half hour of the film. Nina Nutthatcha Padovan is the most endearing as the youngest sister Yi and captures all the nuances of being scared witless perfectly.
While the cinematography of the remote village is visually appealing, the special effects for the “scary” scenes were not up to par, with some of the more gruesome scenes featuring severed body horror being far too farcical, which is why some of them were simply funny. It does give “Death Whisperer” a slight campy element, even though it’s clear that the creators were aiming for something on the lines of “Evil Dead” or “The Conjuring”.
The climax for “Death Whisperer” is completely chaotic, with Yaem’s entire family desperately trying to find ways to save Yaem from the violent possession of evil. Some lives are lost and the movie it ends with a surprising twist and a character at the end blatantly announces “This is not the end”. So the story is going to continue in a part II. Some parts of the film were definitely entertaining, and this could be like a “guilty pleasure” title for some horror fans. I think the creators couldn’t maximize the script’s potential and wasted too much time setting up the supernatural sequences instead of delivering chills.
Rating: 5.5 on 10. You can watch “Death Whisperer” on Netflix.
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May 7, 2024
Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me – Book Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Well, that didn’t really live up to its title!
“Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me” is a graphic novel memoir by Lorina Mapa, who was born into an affluent and politically connected family in the Philippines, but moved to America when she was sixteen. When her beloved father passes away, Lorina returns to her hometown for the funeral, experiencing overwhelming grief while reminiscing about the happy childhood summers spent with family and cousins. The graphic novel initially focuses on Lorina grieving her father, with flashbacks revealing her life in the Philippines.
“Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me” begins with Lorina’s personal recollections, portraying her as a tomboy who idolized her brother, enjoyed sports, music, comics, and drawing. She introduces her siblings, favorite uncles, and cousins. However, the tone shifts to a political one as the graphic novel delves into the oppressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos, the tenth President of the Philippines. Marcos imposed martial law in 1972, which lasted until 1981, characterized by widespread corruption. Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos were notorious for their extravagant lifestyle and misuse of public funds. Lorina’s parents and several members of her family actively participated in campaigning against Ferdinand Marcos, so despite her young age, she witnessed the ousting of Marcos firsthand.
Okay, since this is a graphic novel, let me write about the artwork in “Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me” first. Lorina Mapa’s illustrations are simple, not particularly striking, but workable enough to keep readers interested in turning the pages. For those like me who aren’t very familiar with the political history of the Philippines, the graphic novel was definitely intriguing, especially since Lorina keeps mentioning popular names throughout the book, almost as if she is flexing her privileged background. I found myself repeatedly searching the internet to learn about the political figures and incidents mentioned in the graphic novel. So perhaps for those from the Philippines or familiar with its political history, this book might not be as interesting.
Lorina Mapa tends to meander a lot, jumping from one theme to another, and “Duran Duran,” the English pop band, happens to be one of her favorites, though it only gets a passing mention. However, she does get a haircut like one of the musicians, so you often see her with her “Duran Duran” inspired hairstyle. Apart from that, music doesn’t occupy much space in the novel. She delves into a little bit of everything – films, music, boys, crushes, and even religion. In fact, Lorina Map has her own theories about Roman Catholicism and its influence in the Philippines. Of course, she always emphasizes that these are solely her opinions, so readers should take everything she writes with a pinch of salt.
Overall, “Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me” is an interesting graphic novel memoir about a Filipino American recounting selected slices of her life from her homeland. The ending feels slightly abrupt, even though it ends on a note about how the creator finally took out some time to fulfill a childhood dream – write and illustrate a graphic novel.
Rating: 3 on 5. The book is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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May 6, 2024
Love Is Like a Cat Review – Pretty But Unmoving
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Uno is a superstar who lives in Korea, speaks no Korean, and is scared of dogs. So when he is practically forced to volunteer at a pet daycare for a variety show for image-building, he reluctantly agrees and meets the spunky Dae Byeol over there, who helps him overcome his fears.
Directed by Kwon Nam Ki, the Korean romantic-comedy series “Love is Like a Cat” (Sarangeun Goyangicheoreom) stars Thai actor Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat as the protagonist Uno and Korean singer Choo Ji Min, known by his stage name JM, in his debut drama role as Dae Byeol.
Spanning 12 episodes, each just 15 minutes long, this series is extremely low on both laughs and love. The pace is so slow that the lead couple do not even meet each other properly until the end of episode four. Until then, the script desperately tries to be funny but barely delivers any hilarious moments. Moreover, for seemingly childish reasons, the writers shape “Love is Like a Cat” as an “enemies to lovers” tale, with Dae Byeol immediately taking a dislike towards Uno because he isn’t friendly to a kid with a dog, despite it being evident that he is simply scared.
Even though “Love is Like a Cat” nails its visual elements — boasting a good-looking cast, pleasantly pretty sets, and stylish, casual-chic costumes — the storytelling is blandly flat. If you want to see an entertaining romantic-comedy where the lead is scared of dogs and falls in love with someone who helps him overcome his fears, you should watch the Korean series “A Good Day to be a Dog” starring Park Gyuyoung and Cha Eun-Woo. Or if you are looking for a fluffy romance about cats, dogs, and romance, watch Korean mini-series “Choco Milk Shake”, which is available to stream for free on YouTube.
Rating: 3 on 10. “Love Is Like a Cat” is available on Viki.
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Prom Dates Review – Silly Teen Comedy With Fun Bits
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Julia Lester and Antonia Gentry play Hannah and Jess, childhood best friends who’ve always dreamed of having a perfect prom night with their future boyfriends. They even make a blood-soaked pact to have the best prom ever. But just before the big day approaches, they both dump their boyfriends and must find new prom dates for themselves in less than 24 hours.
Written by D.J. Mausner and Directed by Kim O. Nguyen, the 2024 teen comedy “Prom Dates” packs in a whole bag of teen comedy tropes and gives just a few of them a Gen Z twist to not feel like it’s from early 2000s. It’s like a mash of “Superbad” and “Bottoms”, but not nearly as hilarious, even though it does have just enough funny moments to make it watchable. And even though the script isn’t wholly fresh, or witty, the creators have a fun cast that pulls of all the silly bits foisted upon them.
Antonia Gentry plays the attention-seeking Jess, who is with the popular rich jerk Luca (Jordan Buhat) only because it gives her a credible shot at being Prom Queen, while Julia Lester is her BFF Hannah, a comically-cute closeted lesbian dating an excessively clingy nerd named Greg (Kenny Ridwan). While Jordan Buhat’s Luca is a caricature of every high-school jock character ever, Kenny Ridwan is ridiculously entertaining as the tacky Greg, who ask Hannah out for prom by staging an ostentatiously embarrassing banana themed “promposal” at their high-school. Terry Hu stands out in her small cameo as Hannah’s hot crush Angie, who is in a band and openly queer.
“Prom Dates” keeps flitting between funny and cringe-worthy as Hannah and Jess crash two college parties to find dates for themselves, go through a string of awkward encounters with a bunch of strangers, which includes Jess almost getting murdered by a cultist and Hannah throwing up blood on a stripper. Yeah, those two have one heck of a weird night, and also a huge fight – to set up a conflict before the climax comes close, obviously.
If you’re seeking a no-brainer teen comedy with some raunchy moments and ridiculous jokes, “Prom Dates” is a decent choice for a casual movie night.
You can stream “Prom Dates” on Hulu or Disney Plus.
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‘What Did Jack Do?’ – Short Film Review
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Thanks to a delayed train, the cops are able to nab a murder suspect, and a homicide detective interviews a Capuchin monkey called Jack Cruz over the crime. That’s the absurd, surreal plot of David Lynch’s short film “What Did Jack Do?,” written, directed, and edited by him.
Seventeen minutes long, “What Did Jack Do?” feels like it was made on a whim by the director, perhaps after watching edited AI videos of animals and historical figures speaking through digital manipulation. In the film, Jack Cruz, the monkey, has human lips superimposed over his face to do the talking, and while it’s slightly funny in the first few minutes, the comical effect wears out and you begin to wonder what is happening?
The interview between the detective (played by David Lynch) and the monkey feels like they are throwing movie dialogues from the 1950s/60s at each other, and for all you know, maybe the script was generated by AI too. All the while, the detective tries to get Jack to confess his crime – for shooting Max, who had his eyes on Jack’s love Toototabon. The cinematography is black-and-white, with deliberate grainy film overlay to lend it a retro look, and if it weren’t for the monkey, you’d think you’re watching something from decades ago.
After a point, even the 17-minute runtime begins to feel too long, and despite the weirdly hilarious plot, I didn’t find “What Did Jack Do?” particularly entertaining. If the premise of David Lynch interviewing a monkey sounds amusing (of course it does), watch it and form your own opinion, because this short film feels way too random.
You can watch “What Did Jack Do?” on Netflix.
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May 5, 2024
Manjummel Boys Review – Seamlessly Melds Slice-of-Life Start with Survival Thrills
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Plot overview: A group of friends who live in Manjummel, a locality in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, embark on a small trip to Kodaikanal. Tragedy strikes when one of them falls into a dark, endless pit at a tourist spot called Guna Caves.
Written and directed by Chidambaram, the 2024 film “Manjummel Boys” is based on a true story and starts off on a celebratory note, with the primary group of friends attending a wedding and dancing to a groovy rap song. In fact, the first forty minutes are lighthearted, setting the stage for the eventual conflict and familiarizing viewers with the boisterous group of men who might be a fun set of friends, but make for an annoying group of tourists. Despite fences and “prohibited area” signs, the friends venture into a restricted area while exploring Guna Caves, and one of them – Subhash (played by Sreenath Bhasi) – falls into a deep pit. Difficult weather, past precedents, unhelpful cops, and local superstitions attached to the spot make it even harder for the friends to rescue Subhash. Amid mounting challenges, the men refuse to leave the spot until they get to take their friend back home with them.
With a lineup of top-notch actors like Sreenath Bhasi, Soubin Shahir, Balu Varghese, Ganapathy, and Jean Paul Lal, “Manjummel Boys” dives into the essence of friendship, hope, and unwavering determination. While the slow start might make viewers wonder why Chidambaram takes so much time to get to the crux of the tale, once the survival drama chapter begins, many of the earlier scenes fall into place, providing viewers with a more stirring climax. Although at 2 hours and 15 minutes, the film could have shortened some of the earlier scenes and instead extended the rescue mission by a few more minutes.
“Manjummel Boys” doesn’t just smoothly shift its mood from cheery to somber, but the makers also astutely manage to shift the viewer’s perception of the friends’ group. From starting off as rowdies who get intoxicated in public places and create a nuisance, they transform into genuine, loyal companions who, despite police intimidation, refuse to abandon their friend in need. Each actor makes you cheer for their efforts to bring Subhash to safety. Soubin Shahir as Kuttan, one of the oldest in the group, emerges as the unlikeliest hero in the tale. The local cops perhaps are the only antagonists in the film, who aren’t interested in helping the boys, not until they realize the media has already caught a whiff of the story, so there would be trouble if they are caught napping on duty.
Both the cinematography and soundtrack of “Manjummel Boys” are vividly engaging. From stunning drone shots of Kodaikanal, Guna Caves, and even the sleepy Manjummel, to simpler shots of the friends doing touristy things, the camerawork is almost immaculate in capturing the essence of the locations featured in the film. Since Guna caves got its name from Kamal Hassan’s cult-classic 1991 movie “Gunaa”, the creators aptly pay homage to the film by playing its song in a crucial climactic scene. Even though it feels odd for the moment, it somehow heightens the scene’s emotional intensity perfectly.
This isn’t your typical survival drama film, which tends to be tense throughout. Instead, “Manjummel Boys” starts off as a slice-of-life tale about male camaraderie, then twists into the path of a survival thriller before emerging as a tribute to small-town heroes. It perhaps also (hopefully) serves as a cautionary tale to tourists against venturing into place one isn’t supposed to – like an infamous cave which is known as the Devil’s kitchen.
You can stream “Manjummel Boys” on Disney Hotstar.
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Dange Review – Campus Drama on Crack
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Director: Bejoy Nambiar
Writers: Neil Julian Balthazar, Mithila Hegde, Bejoy Nambiar
Divided into multiple chapters, the 2024 Bollywood movie “Dange” starts off a fun story about struggling medical student Zee (Harshvardhan Rane) failing in his final thesis presentation for the fifth time, and then evolves into a chaotic rivalry between him and fresher Yuva (Ehan Bhat) against the backdrop of their college festival. Another significant subplot involves the political rivalry between Gayatri (TJ Bhanu), who challenges the aspiring political leader Siddhi (Zoa Morani), for the position of general secretary by introducing another candidate to run against her.
Set in Goa, “Dange” also explores another intriguing theme – the use of psychedelic drugs to treat depression, which is also the focus of Zee’s final thesis. His close friend Rishika (Nikita Dutta) conducts experiments with drugs to prove their positive effects, while simultaneously gaining a reputation as the college’s top ‘dealer’. Essentially, “Dange” tackles too many themes and becomes a messy hotpot within the first half-hour of the film. From caste-based discrimination, college politics, bullying, blackmail, suicide, drugs, romance, senior-junior conflicts, and more, the creators cram one issue after another into this film. While some of its subplots are interesting, they are treated in a formulaic manner, with emotional clichés slowing down the pace and making it challenging to watch.
All the actors in “Dange” deliver convincing performances, even though half of them do not quite pass for college students. The cinematography effectively captures the energetic, vibrant essence of campus life, particularly in the latter half, during a major student festival on campus – its packed with that are brimming with colorful celebrations. The soundtrack doesn’t feature any stand-out song numbers, but they are passable.
The climax is absolute pandemonium, quite literally, featuring a lot of student violence and mayhem, which is somewhat expected from a movie titled “Dange”. If there’s one thing Bejoy Nambiar and his team manage to do well in this film, it’s keeping things dynamic right up to the end. It’s half-predictable, half-surprising, and fully chaotic. If you’re in the mood for a madcap campus-themed film to watch on the weekend, you might want to give it a go.
You can stream “Dange” on Netflix.
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