Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 106
April 18, 2024
Love, Divided – Pared con pared Review
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Valentina, a young pianist, moves into a new flat with a looming audition in three weeks, but finds herself unprepared for the horrific, frightening sounds emanating from her next-door neighbor David’s apartment, a game-maker who ironically hates noise. As the two clash over the disturbance, they gradually warm up to each other’s personalities, sparking a unique romance as they court each other, albeit solely through their paper-thin wall.
Director by Patricia Font and written by Marta Sánchez, the 2024 Spanish romantic-comedy “Pared con pared” (English title: Love, Divided) is a remake of the 2015 French film “Blind Date”. While I haven’t seen the French original, the basic plot of the movie does sound fun, however, actors Aitana and Fernando Guallar who plays leads Valentina and David, just don’t click onscreen like you’d expect them to. Aitana is a singer and music composer, with a fantastic voice, and the piano music in the film is excellent too, but her acting skills don’t exude the comedic charm expected from her character. And in a minor irritating detail – her hair looks completely fake.
The first thirty minutes of “Pared con pared” (Love, Divided) are quite entertaining, but from thereon, the film gets very silly, which is fine for a romantic-comedy, but the leads aren’t able to pull it off. The personality clash between the leads is intriguing; both are not particularly social and are single-mindedly dedicated to their goals. However, while David rarely leaves his house and is obsessed with creating a complex new game, Valentina regularly ventures out for her part-time job as a waitress. You cannot help but feel that with a different cast and better direction, this movie would’ve been a lot more fun to watch.
The climax is surprisingly un-clichéd; the typical “grand gesture” trope, like rushing to a train station or airport, is absent because David never leaves home. However, the leads end up doing something completely unrealistic, which might have been funny if the film had been engaging up to that point, but instead, it just feels nonsensical. Maybe you’ll enjoy this title more than I did.
Rating: 4 on 10. You can stream “Pared con pared” on Netflix.
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April 17, 2024
The Asura Way – Book Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
All major religions have their own edicts, their own versions of “the ten commandments”, the numbers and morals might differ a little, but ironically, even Gods seem to have a hard time sticking to the rules at all times. So Anand Neelakantan in his cleverly titled book “The Asura Way” is the author’s guide to getting onto “the contrarian path to success” in Kali Yuga through reinterpretation of age-old edicts from epic Hindu texts. It’s essentially a self-help book, a genre I completely avoid, but someone gifted me “The Asura Way,” and after my dad read (and loved it), he enthusiastically urged me to check it out.
In Hindu scriptures, Asuras are said to be power-hungry demons or demi-Gods, with the most famous being Ravana, the King of Lanka and the primary antagonist in the epic Ramayana. Anand Neelakantan divides this book into several chapters, each exploring a “vice,” and then he cites examples from both mythology and history to illustrate how not just Asuras but also several great men, and in some cases even gods, have succumbed to their base emotions and violated the edicts espoused by great saints to live a honorable life.
The author conveys two key messages in the book:
To harness negative emotions effectively, be it anger, jealousy, greed, or pride. He writes about redirecting these typically “sinful” emotions into constructive avenues that foster individual success, rather than allowing them to spiral into destructive behaviors.Embrace a mindset of perpetual ambition, advocating for living life on a grand scale, akin to the Asuras. “Don’t be content with what you have,” the author repeatedly says.While packed with several interesting tales, from how Ravana got himself Lord Shiva’s sword to how Shivaji expanded the Maratha empire, “The Asura Way” gets a little repetitive and isn’t very interesting for avid readers who are already familiar with Hindu epics and Indian history. But it’s definitely a fun way to look back at the wisdom passed down through several generations and turn them upside down.
Regardless, Anand Neelakantan’s writing style is simple and easy to read, so I think “The Asura Way” would be a good pick for those who are dipping their feet into the reading world and lean towards the self-help genre.
Rating: 3 on 5.
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Cherry Magic – Anime Series Review
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The manga series “Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!” (Original title: “30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii”) by Yuu Toyota is such a hit with fans that it already had two live-action adaptations (a Japanese series and a Thai remake called “Cherry Magic”) and one movie released before its anime adaptation finished airing. And not like anybody is asking, but my favorite version is the Japanese show starring Eiji Akaso and Keita Machida – it had all the elements right, from the cast, to chemistry, to comic timing, and background music! But let’s now talk about the 2024 animated series directed by Yoshiko Okuda.
Faithful to the manga in large parts, the anime version of “30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii” has been made by Satelight animation studio, who are behind titles like “Macross Frontier” and “Fairy Tail”. Chiaki Kobayashi voices primary protagonist Adachi Kiyoshi, an ordinary boring office employee with no social life, who gains the power to read minds by touching people after he turns 30. According to popular legend, those who remain virgin until 30, develop this strange power, and Adachi has such low esteem, he doesn’t see how he can use his new powers to his advantage. But when he learns the office heartthrob Yuichi Kurosawa (voiced by Ryota Suzuki) is madly in love with him through his powers, his life turns upside down. A secondary sub-plot focuses on Adachi’s best-friend Tsuge gaining the same power and falling for a much younger man called Minato who wants to become a pop star.
The first few episodes of the show hilariously establishes the clashing personalities of its leads Adachi and Kurosowa, while the former is a hard-working wallflower, the handsome Kurosowa is the star of his office, who is exceptional is everything he does. Adachi is in-fact envious of Kurosowa’s personality, so it comes as a shock to him to learn the office hottie has a crazy crush on him. The calm-cool exterior of Kurosowa and his chaotic inner thoughts offer plenty of comedic moments in the show. “Despite its silly magical premise, what makes “30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii” a heartwarming feel-good romance is how the leads fall in love with each other due to small acts of kindness.
Chiaki Kobayashi’s voice-acting for Adachi was slightly inconsistent, his voice would just sound different in certain parts in the latter episodes, but he definitely manages to capture the capricious/skittish personality of Adachi very well. The animation on the other-hand is pretty cute, with the character styles quite similar to the manga illustrations, but the creators could’ve taken some liberties with the faces of the different characters, because except for their hair color and style – Minato and Adachi look like twins. However, there’s a noteworthy detail throughout the series concerning Adachi: his hair conceals his face and one eye for the first half of the series, symbolizing his lack of confidence and reluctance to reveal himself. Yet, as he gradually gains confidence, largely due to Kurosawa’s love and support, his countenance becomes more visible, a subtle metaphor for his burgeoning personality and increasing happiness.
Regardless of whether you’ve watched/read the other versions of the story, this animated series is a fun watch for those looking for a comedic-cute office romance.
You can watch the series on CrunchyRoll.
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April 16, 2024
Super Trash Clash Review – Super Cute
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Nostalgic & super cute! For pre-internet era kids.
Anyone who’s ever played cartridge games before CDs and the internet swept over the world would probably love “Super Trash Clash” by Edgar Camacho. I mean, I definitely cannot imagine any other way the creator could have improved upon this quick little comic book that’s just one page short of 100.
Edgar Camacho spins a colorful, retro world which follows Dul, a young woman who buys a game cartridge at a vintage store and it brings her back memories of a happy time. Dul reminisces about the time her mom, who knew nothing about games, gifted her “Super Trash Clash” as a birthday surprise—an awfully rated game. The birthday and the few days after turn into a roller-coaster ride of adventures for Dul and her best-friend, packed with games, fights, surprises, problems and a heartfelt lesson.
The first few pages of this book don’t even have dialogues, but Edgar’s bold art joyously captures the thrills of playing a video game as a kid. I love the artwork in “Super Trash Clash”, the color scheme keeps changing with each page and the character illustrations are slightly reminiscent of the “Scott Pilgrim” comics. Several sections are packed with gaming illustrations which exude 80s/90s energy, with Dul and friend’s being big fans of “Street Fighter” style games.
Overall, this is an easy to read, visually engaging comic book, which would be highly relatable to anybody who grew up playing video games.
Rating: 4.5 on 5. “Super Trash Clash” is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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Night of the Hunted Review – Induces Sleep in the Day
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Director: Franck Khalfoun
Writers: Rubén Ávila Calvo, Glen Freyer, Franck Khalfoun
“Night of the Hunted” should have been a 20-minute short film, 30 minutes tops. However, at 1 hour and 35 minutes, the thin plot about a woman being trapped in a remote gas station while an unknown sniper tries to shoot her to death becomes unbearably overstretched.
Camille Rowe plays protagonist Alice, who is introduced while talking to her husband on the phone about meeting a fertility specialist. Just as she ends the call, her friend John (Jeremy Scippio) enters the bathroom, implying that the two of them are having an affair. At 2 am, John drives Alice to her appointment, and they stop at a gas station to refuel. While Alice goes into the convenience store to grab some snacks, she is shot at by a sniper, and the night quickly turns into a deadly game of survival for her.
There are quite a few things in the film that don’t make sense, and I am not even going to get to those details, to keep review free of spoilers. But the most sleep-inducing part about “Night of the Hunted” is the fact that the plot heavily relies on conversations between Alice and the sniper, which are far too patronizing and uninteresting. The sniper talks about a lot of random issues, from vaccines to social media and how people get offended over everything. Perhaps some viewers might find the conversations compelling, but it started to make me yawn, even though I was watching the film barely four hours after I woke up from a proper night’s sleep.
Night of the Hunted” definitely had potential, and it’s also sprinkled with some clever metaphors in its world-building. For instance, the sniper is shooting from a billboard that reads “GODISNOWHERE,” all caps, without any spaces. It’s a deeply ironic situation, as Alice seems to be the target of a random violent crime, and the sniper also brutally targets the rare few who come to the gas station to refuel. For the victims, there is no God to help save them from the terrifying ordeal they find themselves in. The climax is surprisingly unexpected, however, the build-up to the end is repetitive, and very challenging to watch. Give it a go if you have high tolerance for verbose thrillers, where a criminal goes on and on about how messed up the world is.
Rating: 3.5 on 10. You can stream “Night of the Hunted” on Prime Video.
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April 15, 2024
What Jennifer Did – Documentary Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
The title of the Netflix documentary “What Jennifer Did” is such a dead giveaway that even those who’ve never heard of the Jennifer Pan case can guess what happened. Nonetheless, it’s a rather shocking case from a quiet neighborhood in Canada’s Markham city, where two residents were shot in their home, one of them dying immediately, while the other was left in a coma. Their young daughter, Jennifer Pan, was the only eyewitness to what seemed like a random shooting to the police. The home invasion crime sent the entire neighborhood into a tizzy and jolted the cops into quick action.
Directed and written by Jenny Popplewell, “What Jennifer Did” begins with a harrowing phone call to the police, during which Jennifer reports that intruders have barged into her house and shot at her parents. In the background, her father can be heard wailing in pain. It’s an intense start, which will immediately draw viewers into the tale. With no other witness, Jennifer becomes the primary focus of the case. What follows next is the quintessential tale of truth that seems just a tiny bit stranger than fiction.
“What Jennifer Did” is gripping only because of the original footage of Jennifer’s interviews with the police, starting from her initial witness statement regarding the violent crime that unfolded in her home, to follow-up interviews conducted after more facts about the Pan family come to light. While it took some time for the investigators to piece together all the pieces of the case, what emerges as the ultimate truth is quite tragic.
The documentary includes interviews with the officers who investigated the case, a friend of Jennifer’s, and a friend of her mother. However, it’s unfortunate that the creators couldn’t get any relatives of the Pan family for interviews. The two friend interviews that the team did secure lacked substance; they felt more like acquaintances that the creators had to settle for.
Given the number of documentaries Netflix has been churning out of late, its executives should simply consider creating a non-fiction true crime series with one-hour-long episodes, each focusing on a different story. In its current form, “What Jennifer Did” should’ve been part of such a series instead of being a standalone 90-minute documentary. Despite the spoiler-ridden title, it’s an intriguing watch for true-crime fans who aren’t familiar with the case.
Rating: 6 on 10. Watch it on Netflix.
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Parliament of Rooks Issue #4 Review
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Star-crossed lovers Princess Seraphina and Darius Ravenscar are only able to snatch a few moments of respite before the latter’s curse threatens to consume him and put his lover’s life in lethal danger. Issue 4 of “Parliament of Rooks” isn’t as swift or tense as the last one, however, it does unravel some interesting secrets from Darius’ past. And Abigail Jill Harding’s gothic illustrations continue to be vividly engaging.
Titled “Winter,” issue 4, much like the first installment of “Parliament of Rooks,” begins with Darius standing by an ailing and elderly Seraphina, before viewers are plunged into fresh flashbacks of events from the past. The truth about what happened to the mysterious Calisandra, Darius’ lover before he met Seraphina, is finally unveiled. Darius also recalls meeting an old associate of his mother, who tells him the strange story of how he came to be. However, the element of shock is somewhat diminished because the author strongly foreshadows Calisandra’s fate. Consequently, in terms of twists and turns, this issue lacks excitement, but a new antagonist introduced towards the end does stir things up, leading to some fantastic and violent battle scenes between Darius in his Wraith form and the new entrant.
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Some of the events in the second half of the comic were very annoying as they didn’t make sense from the characters’ perspective. Darius escorts Seraphina back to her castle, however, it’s hard to understand why he decides to accompany her inside the castle, as if she doesn’t know the way or is incapable, especially considering how much the King despises him. Let’s not forget, he unleashed brutal carnage on the kingdom, so ideally, he should have simply seen her off at the palace gates and left (he is used to sneaking around anyway). His decision obviously leads to conflict, but it could’ve been introduced in some other way.
The final pages of this issue are brimming with a tense, bloody battle, and the illustrations are simply riveting. However, despite the conflict, the pace slows down in the climax, and I find myself less enthused about what might happen in the next issue. Hopefully, as it’s slated to be the concluding volume of “Parliament of Rooks,” creator Abigail Jill Harding might have some thrilling surprises up her sleeve.
Rating: 3.5 on 5. “Parliament of Rooks” is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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April 14, 2024
Fallout Review – Dystopia Is Rarely This Fun!
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Creators: Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner
Some stories begin with the end, especially the post-apocalyptic kinds, like the 2024 series “Fallout”, which is based on the popular video game series of the same name. Fans of the game might be thrilled with this live-action series, as the eight-episode season packs in a lot of violence, gore, twists, and just enough of a sprinkle of comedic moments to keep it from being depressingly dark. For viewers like me, who haven’t played the games, an elevator pitch for the show would be – “The Walking Dead” meets “The Boys”, minus the zombies and superheroes, but with its own unique set of monsters and fighters.
Set in the 22nd century, two hundred years after a nuclear war wipes out organized nations, the surface world in “Fallout” is a wasteland inhabited by bandits, ghouls, and cults, while a significant number of wealthy survivors live in luxurious network of underground vaults to protect themselves from radiation, plunderers and monsters. The series primarily follows three protagonists, all of whom are looking to get their hands on a wanted man, who is in possession of a game-changing “relic”.
Titled “The End”, episode one starts with the day when the world went to shit after the devastating nuclear war. Viewers are then transported two centuries ahead, where we encounter Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) from Vault 33, who is poised to marry someone from Vault 32. Her introduction scene quick gives a lowdown on the organized hierarchical life in the vaults, its denizens completely disconnected from the harsh realities of surface life. But Lucy’s vault is brutally attacked by raiders, her dad, the leader of the vault, is taken away by the plunderers and Lucy for the first time in her life, sets foot outside the bunker to find her father. Out in the wasteland, Lucy meets a mysterious doctor, who can help lead her to her dad, but as it turns out, a lot of dangerous people are after the doctor too. The other two protagonists are swiftly introduced as well: Maximus (Aaron Moten), an ambitious member of a warrior cult called “The Brotherhood,” who aims to become an armored knight. Walton Goggins brilliantly portrays the show’s meanest character – The Ghoul – a once-famous Hollywood actor mutated by radiation into an undying cowboy. His flashbacks unveil a complex family man with clear political views, a low tolerance for nonsense, and a hopeful outlook for humanity, however, as the ghoul, he embodies every human’s worst nightmare.
Over the next few episodes, the characters embark on a wild ride to acquire the “relic” and leverage it to their advantage. Lucy needs it as a bargaining chip with the ruthless raider Lee Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury), who kidnapped her dad. Maximus seeks it to gain favor with the Brotherhood, while the Ghoul pursues it for the hefty bounty. Ella Purnell’s portrayal of Lucy MacLean easily makes her my favorite character in “Fallout” – a naive, privileged Vault dweller with a mild “savior complex”, who learns the ugly realities of surface life in vibrantly visceral ways. Every second person she meets in the Wasteland, tries to rob her, kill her or worse.
The cinematography for “Fallout” is just super freaking fun to watch, especially due to its retro-futuristic theme, which is vividly brought to life in each frame. So a scene will have a talking robot who can perform medical operations, while the humans watch black-and-white movies via DVDs on analog TVs. The actions scenes are a total blast for action fans, with savage scenes popping out unexpectedly throughout the episodes. The violent sequences have a video-game like touch to them, the special effects team has pulled out all stops for this series. “The yesteryear music, spanning from jazz and blues to early rock and roll, hilariously clashes with the scenes, adding an extra dose of whimsy to the overall atmosphere.
What “Fallout” does best is tie up all its primary characters’ paths and histories with each other in a twisted way. The Ghoul’s connection with the vaults is darkly hilarious at first glance but also somewhat tragic in retrospect. While the primary focus is on Lucy’s misadventures on the surface, another sub-plot focuses on the life in vault 33 post the ghastly attack and her brother Norm MacLean’s (Moises Arias) private investigation into how the raiders where able to get into their high-security underground dwelling. Moises Arias’ Norm shows immense character growth in the series, from starting out as a coward who hides in the bushes when his near and dear ones are getting massacred, he displays significant courage, grit and intelligence in finding out how/why vault 33 was compromised.
“Fallout” is filled to the brim with wit, dark humor, violence, morally gray-and-black characters, it’s everything you’d expect from a post-apocalyptic tale, and more! The season finale of episode eight delivers a few more twists, including the onset of a war, leaving viewers with plenty to anticipate from this franchise. I thoroughly enjoyed this series!
You can watch “Fallout” on Prime Video.
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Love Is Better The Second Time Around Review
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Business editor Miyata Akihiro is taken by surprise when he meets University professor Iwanaga Takashi for work, as the professor turns out to be his first love from school, but with a new surname. Will the former flames reunite? Akihiro doesn’t think so, but Takashi is keen on getting a chance in the Japanese romance “Love is Better the Second Time Around” (Original title – Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto).
Directed by Yasukawa Yuka, the series spans six episodes and is based on a manga by Kinoshita Keiko. Manga readers will immediately be able to spot the usual ticks of characters in such romances – exaggerated, slightly stereotypical, but very very entertaining. Hasegawa Makoto plays the serious, earnest editor Miyata Akihiro, while Furuya Robin plays the handsome heartbreaker Iwanaga Takashi. The two of them were close in school, but Akihiro breaks off their relationship without an explanation, and misunderstandings abound on each side. Now older and successful in their careers, the plot follows their attempt to start over again. While Akihiro wants to keep things strictly professional between them, Takashi is vocal about wanting more.
One of the things that might stand out for some viewers in “Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto” is the background music, which ranges from being romantically upbeat to weirdly comical in parts. So the music really helps set the tone in several key scenes of the show. The chemistry between lead actors Hasegawa Makoto and Furuya Robin blows between hot and cold, there’s no consistent romantic sparks between the two onscreen, but since they are both good-looking leads, they’ll most likely charm most viewers looking for a simple quick romantic comedy.
The theme of second-chances in love is sweet, however, for a mini-series, there are far too many “rivals” in the plot. Well, there are only two of them, but that’s still two many for Akihiro to worry about in just six episodes. Actors Mochizuki Haruki and Nose Rin play the younger versions of Akihiro and Takashi, and I wish the series would’ve show more of their teenage flashbacks, to display the growth of the characters with more depth. Takamatsu Aloha, who portrayed a serious lead in ‘Tokyo in April Is…’, is comically cute as Takashi’s jealous assistant Yuto, immediately giving Akihiro a hard time. Shiraishi Shunya looks straight out of a manga as Sugimoto Kyosuke, a wealthy businessman, whose appears towards the last few episodes and brings about a new twist in the tale.
The ultimate conflict in ‘Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto’ feels too contrived. After being expelled from his family and treated like an orphaned stranger, Takashi is suddenly expected to leave everything and take over as the household’s head because his sister is leaving the country with her foreign husband. However, as expected in Japanese culture, family honor and pride hold significant weight. Thus, Takashi seriously considers the proposition, despite enduring awful treatment from his own kin.
Regardless of the plot flaws, “Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto” comes a full circle with its romantic tale, with a perfect ending, both in terms of visual imagery and storytelling. Overall, it’s a cute quick series for those looking for a soft romantic comedy.
Rating: 6.5 on 10.
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April 13, 2024
Parliament of Rooks Issue #3 Review
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“The rooks were my only company. I found the more I stayed in their presence, the more I felt my humanity slipping away. Like autumn leaves drifting down a river, never to be seen again.”
Issue 3 of “Parliament of Rooks” opens with protagonist Darius Ravenscar reflecting on his memories and the loss of his sense of self. Flashbacks then reveal what happens between him and Seraphina after he transforms into a grotesque winged creature. Their ‘star-crossed lovers’ story takes a completely terrifying turn, yet, the princess Seraphina displays exemplifying courage in the face of horrifying uncertainty. Darius’ sister Rowena desperately tries to find ways to help her unraveling brother, but with little success.
This was one was one hell of an macabre, dark issue, with lots of action and fantastic artwork by Abigail Jill Harding. The black-and-sketches with just the right dash of red continue to evoke a stunning gothic and eerie setting for the story, page after page. Darius’ curse is completely unleashed in this edition, and he further transforms into a massive demonic wraith with unhinged rage.
I feel this issue was nicely paced, with plenty happening—so much so that even the characters struggle to process their surroundings and the developments. Myths, legends, and tragedy are seamlessly interwoven to depict the adversities faced by the protagonist. Just when you think things are settling down, the issue ends with the promise of “far worse things to come.”
Rating: 4 on 5 star. “Parliament of Rooks” is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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