Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 118

Wil Review – Violence Comes Full Circle Here

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Wilfried Wils is a young police officer in Nazi-occupied Antwerp who joins a secret organization working to help Jews, but juggling between the role of a cop expected to serve his Nazi masters and that of a ‘rebel’ comes at a great cost.

Based on Jeroen Olyslaegers’ fictional novel, the 2023 movie “Wil” by Tim Mielants stars Stef Aerts as the protagonist, Wil, a sensitive artist at heart who is torn between his ideals and the necessity of conforming to police brutality during the war. While the film starts with a light moment of Wil drawing a lewd portrait of a lady for a cop, the scene soon shifts to a gloomy rainy night, where Wil and his peer Lode Metdepenningen (Matteo Simoni) are accosted by a senior Nazi officer, who asks the duo to accompany him to arrest a family in the Jewish quarter. Forced to take part in the manhunt, the young men’s entire ordeal is captured in a tense sequence, which culminates into a tragedy.

While you’ll usually find me complaining about dull, dimly-lit shots in movies or series, the dim sepia themed color scheme of “Wil” befittingly blends with its sombre themes and situations. Both Wil and Lode must comply with their Nazi bosses in the day and then take part in a covert resistance movement post work, which creates a lot of tension and suspense over how long the two men can carry on their activities before they are found out and skinned alive. Hope, despair and the will to survive emerges as the biggest themes of this tale.

Stef Aerts’ portrayal of Wil is spirited; however, the character can be quite frustrating to watch. Despite being in the police force, Wil is filled with a certain naivete, making him quite easy to read. Whenever a Nazi officer is around him, his face falls, his body tightens, and he’d basically be one of the worst candidates for spy work. He begins to date Lode’s protective sister Yvette (Annelore Crollet), who is a lot more fierce, and intimidating. Their contrasting personalities offer much of the drama in “Wil”; while Wil is ready to bend according to the situation if it means keeping his head, Yvette would rather die than compromise her principles.

“Wil” might not be set on the frontlines like many popular war movies in the genre, such as ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ but it still captures Nazi brutality, violence, and persecution in uncomfortable ways. It’s an evenly paced war drama that displays the ugly side of war with grit, yet it never really manages to bring about catharsis in the viewer. However, the climax brings the theme of violence full circle, and Wil’s character development is marked by nihilism and the pessimism of war.

Rating: 7 on 10. You can stream “Wil” on Netflix.

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Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun – Quick Review

Adapted from the manga series “Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun,” this Japanese series is quite typical of manga adaptations in the romantic comedy genre. Directed by Shibata Keisuke, with a screenplay by Miura Yuiko, the show stars Kizu Takumi and Hachimura Rintaro as leads Sahara and Toki-kun, respectively. The story opens with Toki, a teen delinquent who always gets into fights but finally starts to mend his ways after developing a crush on the handsome new Physical Education teacher Sahara Ichiro. Accustomed to skipping school and wasting time, Toki starts attending classes just to see Sahara, and this leads to a lot of changes in both their lives.

The age of consent in Japan is 16, and Toki is either 16 or 17 in the story, so the student-teacher romance plot isn’t problematic in Japanese context. Not like there’s are any inappropriate scenes in the series, or indication that anybody is being taken advantage of, manipulated, or groomed. “Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun” is a simple, comedic story about how Toki is dazzled by his teacher and he does his best to win over his crush. But given Sahara’s personality in the series – a serious, hard-working, responsible man who is extremely particular about his conduct, it didn’t make much sense that he is okay with encouraging the advances of a student. Besides, except for Toki’s straightforward attitude, nothing really happens in the show to indicate why Sahara likes Toki back.

A significant sub-plot involves Sahara’s failed love story with a classmate when he was in high-school, and honestly, it would’ve made so much sense in the show if Sahara had actually ended up with the other character. Another sub-plot also involves Toki’s friend Todo (Matsumoto Hiroki), who is romantically interested in another student at school. While Todo’s is given screen space in a manner that leads viewers into believing they would get a whole secondary romantic plot, Todo’s love story is practically forgotten in the end.

Hachimura Rintaro is pretty hilarious as the blonde-haired Toki, he looks the part of a troublemaker, and not your typical cute or handsome lead. While, Kizu Takumi as the handsome Sahara is a rather one-dimensional character, whose character is inconsistently written. Regardless, both Toki and Sahara are likable individuals, but together, the two of them don’t mesh well in the series and there isn’t much chemistry between the two either.

Overall, “Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun” is a mildly entertaining series, which could’ve used some tweaks in the plot progression or better execution. You can stream the series on GagaOolala.

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Scares, Snubs, and Statuettes: The Oscars vs. Horror

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

So, somebody on Quora asked me an interesting question – Why are horror movies not considered for the Oscars? And it’s the kind of question that I could write pages on, but here’s a short version of what I think –

It’s not like horror movies are never considered for Oscars; in 1973, “The Exorcist” made history by becoming the first-ever horror movie to be nominated for the ‘best picture’ category, even though it didn’t win. However, the creators did take home two Oscars: one for Best Screenplay and another for Best Sound.

Directed by William Friedkin, with a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, here’s the fun fact about “The Exorcist” – Warner Bros, the studio behind the film had low expectations for the film. It did not feature popular actors, had gone over-budget, and was about demonic possession, not exactly stuff that drew audiences to the theaters, so they did not even hold preview shows for critics! And then it was released on only 30 screens initially. Only after it opened to a roaring response was the film expanded to more screens. Until Greta Gerwig’s Barbie came along, according to a news report in Quartz – The Exorcist was one of the highest-grossing movies of all time for Warner Bros in its 100 years of history. Here’s an excerpt from the report – the highest-grossing movie of all time for Warner Bros. is still The Exorcist, released in 1973, which made $428.2 million that year worldwide. Accounting for inflation, that would be about $2.9 billion today, more than double the take of any Warner Bros. film released since.

Now the inflation calculation could be tricky, but that doesn’t change the fact that the film made a ton of money. So here’s a key takeaway from “The Exorcist” story – even the creators and studio executives didn’t believe a horror movie would interest critics and garner any critical acclaim! It wasn’t until the audience acceptance that the makers realized what they had on their hands – an Oscar-worthy title.

And that’s really what happens to horror movies; there’s both deliberate or unwitting snobbery and bias against the genre. In the case of “The Exorcist”, even its own producers had little faith in its potential. Because supernatural horror relies on, well, superstitions, screams, scares, gore, and blood to entertain the viewer, and thus isn’t considered “high art” – the unsaid criteria sought out by the Oscar panel. Pfft. Oscar panels have always had a soft spot for movies that are high on social issues, or racial and cultural elements. Horror movies are considered pure entertainment, and a traditional horror film would have to shatter box office records like “The Exorcist” to make the critics take notice and give it a second thought. But here’s the other thing – Oscars don’t have a soft spot for box office hits anyway. Or Margot Robbie would’ve at least got a nomination for Barbie. But let’s get back to Horror…

While traditional horror movies are often overlooked by the Oscars, there’s only one horror sub-genre the panel seems to make an exception for – Psychological horror. In 1992, “The Silence of the Lambs” made history by winning the Oscar for “Best Picture”. Most of the other horror films (except for “Jaws”) that made it to the Oscars are also psychological horrors – “The Sixth Sense”, “The Black Swan”, and Jordan Peele’s “Get Out”, which came out in 2017, won the Oscar for Best Screenplay.

I saw “The Sixth Sense” when I was a kid; I don’t remember much and cannot really comment on it. But both “The Black Swan” and “Get Out” serve as powerful allegories on societal problems. In Black Swan, protagonist Nina’s obsession with perfection is a cutting critique of the exhausting rat race people get caught up in, burning themselves out, putting ‘the job’ before their own well-being. While “Get Out” uses to shock to expose the racism and everyday microaggressions that black individuals face in white spaces.

Now, “Oscar-bait” movies have become a genre in itself, films that creators make keeping in mind the kind of “high art” and sentimental or social value the Oscar panel looks for in shortlisting nominees. These creators are certainly not making horror movies, given the aversion critics show towards the genre. To make it to the Oscars, horror makers will have to walk the tightrope between thrilling fans with shocks and scares, while managing to squeeze in a powerful allegory on some societal issue to woo awards panels. It’s not an impossible ask, but definitely tough.

It will take an exorcism of the deep-rooted bias among critics against horror movies for the genre to find more acceptance with big award events. Honestly, as a huge horror fan, I think the genre should have its own awards category.

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Orion and the Dark – Light for Chronic Pessimists

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Fun is just a word people made up to make danger sound more appealing!”

Orion, from the 2024 DreamWorks’ animated movie “Orion and the Dark,” is an anxiety-ridden, pessimistic kid who consistently envisions the worst possible outcomes for any given situation. Chronic overthinkers and procrastinators will immediately identify with the quirky little character who imagines the toilet will clog and flood his entire school each time he uses the restroom. But what’s Orion’s worst fear? The dark. So when Mr Dark himself appears in front of Orion to help overcome his extreme irrational fear of night, the boy goes on an incredible weird adventure to see how Mr Dark works through the world.

Directed by Sean Charmatz, “Orion and the Dark” has been written by Charlie Kaufman, Emma Yarlett, and Lloyd Taylor. Jacob Tremblay, known for his roles in “Wonder” and “Luca,” lends his energetic voice to Orion, the school-going protagonist who is afraid of everything and hilariously doodles about his fears in his diary. So, while Orion might be a scaredy-cat, he is a talented little pessimist. Paul Walter Hauser on the other hand voices Dark, the entity which tries to teach Orion how he is not all that bad.

The primary premise is fascinatingly original, bearing a slight resemblance to Pixar’s “Inside Out,” where human emotions are personified as distinct characters. In “Orion and the Dark,” abstract notions such as light, dreams, nightmares, and insomnia take on tangible character roles. While the animation is amusingly cute, the designs for some of the characters were quite underwhelming. For example, Insomnia is a glitch-y looking green mosquito, with the only fun detail being it’s eyeballs, which look like zeroes. Meanwhile, a character called Sleep looks like a sock-puppet version of Sully from “Monsters Inc.”.

While “Orion and the Dark” spans approximately 90 minutes, the story begins to lose momentum after an hour. The filmmakers resort to using deus ex machina-like plot devices to propel Orion’s adventure with Mr. Dark forward and provide a satisfactory conclusion. Consequently, the narrative becomes somewhat disjointed, although this may be acceptable given that the film is essentially a story within a story, with the primary narrator admitting to improvising along the way. However, these improvisations lack excitement. Nonetheless, the film offers an enjoyable exploration of a young boy grappling with his fear of the unknown, ultimately passing on his story to inspire others to overcome their fears as well.

You can stream “Orion and the Dark” on Netflix.

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Based on the popular fantasy series by Rick Riordan, the Disney series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has it all – Greek Gods, shape-shifting monsters, legendary villains, and a whole horde of demi-Gods training to become invincible or go on fascinating quests. It’s a story that brings together age old myths, powerful magic and vengeful deities plotting to go to war against each other.

Directed by Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, and James Bobin, the live-action adaptation of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, a young schoolboy sent on a mission to find Zeus’ stolen bolt just days after discovering that his father is the Greek God Poseidon. Joining him on the quest are his friend Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) and the ambitious Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries), daughter of Athena. If they don’t retrieve the bolt in time, a war between the Gods would break out.

For an episode-by-episode review of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” click here.

For a series with teen protagonists aimed at a younger audience, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” was rather somber and gloomy in tone and atmosphere. While it didn’t necessarily require the casual humor associated with some Marvel fantasy movies and series, it certainly could have benefited from more jokes and light moments. While Walker Scobell does a decent job as Percy Jackson, particularly in terms of appearance—he does resemble a blonde, handsome half-god—Leah Jeffries exhibits a very limited range of expressions as Annabeth Chase. The character of Annabeth is portrayed as overly serious and stuck-up; she comes across more like a cynical granny trapped in a child’s body than a typical teenager. Aryan Simhadri was charming as Grover, but even his character could’ve used punchlines. Overall, the characters were just underwhelming, like they were asked to hold back their emotions.

The cinematography of the series relies heavily on dimly lit shots, likely used to conceal some of the CGI weaknesses, as many scenes involving magical creatures, gods, or otherworldly elements occur in dark settings. For instance, in episode three titled “We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium,” the legendary Greek creature Medusa appears. While it’s understandable that viewers aren’t given a proper glimpse of her face due to her curse, when she confronts Percy and his friends, the scene abruptly transitions from a brightly colored bakery to a poorly lit basement.

The most visually enjoyable aspect of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” occurs when he arrives at “Camp Half-Blood” in episode two. The camp is situated in a beautiful forest, and many well-lit sequences allow viewers to appreciate the intricate details of the background settings. Additionally, the show features some well-executed special effects, particularly notable in episode 5 titled “A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers.” In this episode, Percy and Annabeth visit a magical amusement park, where they must retrieve an item for a powerful god who offers to aid them on their quest. From a Midas-like spell, to a creative animated sequence which was reminiscent of the Grecian animation in “Hercules”, the cartoon show, the episode packs in some fun bits.

Overall, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” manages to be entertaining due to its larger-than-life fantasy story, which also contributed to the popularity of the books. However, the last two episodes of this season fell somewhat flat in terms of scale and excitement, despite Percy and his squad reaching the underworld, where they believe Hades is hiding Zeus’ bolt. The show concludes on a triumphant note, with several twists, both big and small, keeping things entertaining. I would definitely watch a season two but would hope the creators infuse more energy and fun characters if a second installment comes around.

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ is available to stream on Disney Plus.

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After Everything Review – Nothing Redeemable

Rating: 0.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Major story spoilers ahead

“After Everything” is a little like the 2008 Bollywood movie “Bachna Ae Haseeno”, but infinitely worse. Bachna Ae Haseeno follows Raj, a young handsome guy who keeps breaking women’s hearts until he falls really hard in love and then decides to make amends with his past flames as penance and a way to win his ultimate lady love. The worst thing Raj did was ghost a fiance who was waiting for him at the altar (actually a civil court in bridal dress, but same thing), which was pretty awful and made one dislike the hero. But Hardin Scott in “After Everything” attempts to make amends with one past flame. He had slept with her for a bet, secretly recorded their intimate encounter to share with his friend as proof, and then had the gall to express outrage when his friend shared the clip with others. Talk about victim mentality.

It’s hard to believe this is the 5th film in the “After” series, and I haven’t even seen the two movies that came out after “After We Collided” in 2020. I am pretty sure I am not missing anything. This fifth film has nothing new to offer in the name of plot – hot ‘bad’ guy breaks his girlfriend’s heart, she breaks up with him, so he tries to change himself (again) because he cannot live without her, then wins her back. Ugh. To be more specific, Hardin Scott writes a bestselling novel detailing his life with girlfriend Tessa, and she is shocked, upset over their private lives becoming public. So she calls it quits and he tries to win her back.

The only reason anybody is hooked to this franchise is probably because of how hot Hero Fiennes Tiffin is as Hardin Scott. It’s got to be that, because Josephine Langford who plays his ‘soulmate’ Tessa, barely has any screen time in the movie, since she is the ex he is trying to get back with by mending past mistakes. But apart from the pretty face, Hero Fiennes Tiffin’s acting is mediocre as hell. Although, the dialogues are so poorly written that anybody would look like an idiot spouting them.

For a 90 minute film, “After Everything” is 90 minutes too long. Just skip it. Unless you’ve been following these movies and are weak for Hardin Scott.

The film is available on Netflix.

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Love for Love’s Sake Series Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

If you had the opportunity to alter the trajectory of a tragic character’s life from your favorite book by becoming a character in their world, would you seize that chance? 29-year-old Tae Myung Ha doesn’t even get to answer the question before he is thrown into athlete Cha Yeo Woon’s life, trapped within a fictional game that eerily mirrors reality. With a dating simulation game ambiance, he receives continuous instructions about his next moves, with his overarching objective being to ensure Cha Yeo Woon’s happiness.

Adapted from the webtoon “Love Supremacy Zone” (original title – 연애 지상주의 구역) by Aquram and Hwacha, the 2024 Korean series “Love for Love’s Sake” consists of eight episodes and features Lee Tae Vin and Cha Joo Wan in the roles of Tae Myung Ha and Cha Yeo Woon, respectively. Tae Myung Ha, is back in high school as a 19-year-old senior, faces his initial challenge: preventing Cha Yeo Woon from jumping off a building and jeopardizing his future as an athlete. To avoid the death penalty, he must then befriend the reclusive Yeo Woon and make him ‘happy’ within a set number of days.

Lee Tae Vin and Cha Joo Wan look great together as Tae Myung Ha and Cha Yeo Woon, and their ‘strangers to friends’ transformation in the first few episodes is fun, and engaging. Raised by their grandmothers, their shared family background becomes a significant adhesive in strengthening their bond. The cinematography has a pleasing summer high-school romance palette, with simple graphics overlaid through the episodes for the gaming scenario. Whenever Tae Myung Ha is around Cha Yeo Woon, a small transparent bar pops up in front of him, with a text saying he is entering the ‘love supremacy zone’. The bar is accompanied by gaming notification sounds and often assigns different gaming tasks to Tae Myung Ha. At first, the story reminded me of “Our Dating Sim,” but as the plot unfolds, “Love for Love’s Sake” takes a darker and more depressing turn in the last two episodes, diverging from the initial ‘fluffy’ and ‘feel-good’ atmosphere.

Cha Joo Wan flips smoothly between the cold and warm sides of Cha Yeo Woon, and his smile is absolutely disarming. His character begins as an archetypal Tsundere (Japanese terms for individuals who are distant on the outside, but are more vulnerable on the inside), however, Yeo Woon becomes surprisingly straightforward about his romantic feelings for Tae Myung Ha and begins to follow him like a cheery-sunny puppy everywhere. In contrast, Tae Myung Ha, despite being a 29-year-old in a teen’s body and aware of the peculiar game scenario, is not transparent about his intentions. Episode six marks the show’s romantic zenith, yet just as viewers anticipate an upward trajectory in the leads’ relationship, a twist unfolds, altering the series’ genre significantly.

Oh Min Su plays Chun Sang Won, Yeo Woon’s peer, who also has a massive crush on Tae Myung Ha, so there’s some subtle comedic rivalry between them. Cha Woong Ki is Ahn Kyung Hoon, a classmate who often helps Tae Myung Ha navigate high school and his relationship with Yeo Woon. It felt like Ahn Kyung Hoon would have a significant sub-plot, with an episode even hinting at a secret relationship, but nothing really comes of it.

The climactic episode unfolds in an arbitrary manner, with the writers inserting “errors” into the game and then resetting it to provide the protagonists with a satisfying conclusion. “Love for Love’s Sake” predominantly succeeds thanks to the strong chemistry and charisma of Lee Tae Vin and Cha Joo Wan. The final moments are set against a beach backdrop during sunset, concluding the show on a romantic note that manages to wash away some of the awkward twists presented in the preceding scenes.

You can stream “Love for Love’s Sake” on GagaOolala.

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Masters of the Air Episode 3 Review

Overview: Austin Butler and Callum Turner portray American Air Force officers Major Gale Cleven and Major John Egan, nicknamed Buck and Bucky, leading the 100th Bomb Group in England for an offensive against Germany in the 2024 World War II series “Masters of the Air.” Created by John Orloff, who co-produced the series with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, this historical drama is based on a book by Don Miller.

“God help our boys”

There’s tragic irony in military masters praying for their men after dispatching them to a near-suicide mission. Episode 3 of “Masters of the Air” begins with the 100th Bomb group being briefed on a daredevil mission to bomb key aircraft manufacturing factories in the heart of Germany. The plan is for three groups to cross the English Channel together and then separate, in a bid to confuse the Nazis, and then they’d fly all the way to Africa instead of heading back to England, to further gain tactical advantage. But no matter how tight their formation, the men know some of them will perish even before they reach their target.

Both primary protagonists Buck (Austin Butler) and Bucky (Callum Turner) for the first time fly together on the same mission, all because Bucky has convinced higher-ups to be part of this dangerous aerial assault on the Nazis. About 45 minutes in duration, the episode is densely packed with mid-air action, kicking off after five minutes of strategic planning. Amid the onslaught of German fighter planes attacking from all directions, the individuality of the men and their personalities becomes obscured. With the characters all wearing oxygen masks, viewers will have a hard time telling them apart. While some stand out for their courage in the face of impending doom, others are memorable for their unavoidable display of cowardice. A poignant contrast emerges as certain individuals adamantly refuse to abandon their comrades, juxtaposed against those who opt for self-preservation, forsaking their fellow soldiers.

The cinematography vividly captures the dogfights between Americans and Germans, with the thunderous sounds of munitions drowning out all other noise. The sky is tainted with smoke, battered planes, and parachutes of men abandoning their aircraft. If not for the intimate close-up shots of the pilots, navigators, and bombers engaged in communication while fending off their adversaries, one could easily mistake this for a World War II documentary. This comparison is intended as a compliment to the immersive portrayal of the wartime setting.

Overall, this chapter is well-rounded, commencing with a new mission plan, progressing to its execution, and concluding with the culmination of the day’s mission. Some die, some survive, and some land in territories where a fate that could be worse than death awaits.

You can stream “Masters of the Air” on Apple TV+.

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Penny Nichols – Graphic Novel Review

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Penny Nichols is 26, single, navigating through a myriad of jobs to make ends meet. When she meets two indie horror filmmakers at a shop, Penny agrees to be a background actor for their new project but ends up taking on the roles of scriptwriter, costume designer, casting director, set designer, and a bit of everything in between!

Created by M.K. Reed, Greg Means, and Matt Wiegle as the illustrator, “Penny Nichols” unfolds as an entertaining graphic novel chronicling the chaotic process of creating a small horror movie. The narrative revolves around a group of enthusiastic creatives who spontaneously navigate the challenges of producing a wild, blood-soaked film titled “Blood Wedding,” where the bride embarks on an unhinged murdering spree. With a director who often disappears and an enthusiastic yet directionless crew, Penny finds herself holding the reins to ensure the movie becomes a reality.

The protagonist, Penny, is immediately likable (at least to me) as a seemingly average American temp with a day job at her sister’s shop, peddling a not-so-tasty health drink. Armed with a penchant for sarcasm and dry humor, Penny expresses disdain for various aspects of her life, from her job to her snobby roommate. However, her disinterest takes an unexpected turn when the opportunity to be an extra in a small indie horror film arises. Rather than succumbing to chaos on the no-budget set, Penny assumes control, steering the production smoothly towards completing “Blood Wedding” in time for submission to “Splatter Con,” a film festival dedicated to independent horror movies.

The black-and-white artwork adds a cute, cartoonish, and expressive dimension to the graphic novel. With over a dozen characters making appearances, each design is distinctive, making it easy for readers to distinguish between them. Penny, a curvy and slightly matronly young woman, contrasts with Lix, the spunky brunette playing the serial killer bride, and Angela, the pregnant blonde director’s wife who also stars in the film. The diverse personalities of the male characters, like the portly, short middle-aged Max and the school-aged-looking Spazzy in charge of props, further add to the contrast. Introduced in the second half of the novel, Adam, a hilariously dramatic professor, injects humor with his Shakespearean spouting and theatrical audition for the groom role, even though nobody asks for it (and he would’ve been hired regardless, the crew simply has no options).

“Penny Nichols” exudes a certain joie de vivre, evolving from a story about an angry young woman into an amusing tale about the thrills and joys of creating a ridiculously over-the-top horror movie. A subplot involving Penny’s strained relationship with her older sister introduces familial drama that resonates with those familiar with judgmental siblings.

The narrative’s sole limitation, perhaps, lies in its monochromatic palette, missing the opportunity to showcase the vibrant blood in the making of “Blood Wedding.” Despite this, if you’re an indie horror fan, this graphic novel is a definite must-read.

Rating: 4 on 5. Penny Nichols is also on Kindle Unlimited.

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Expats Episode 3 Review

Created by Lulu Wang, the 2024 series “Expats” is an adaptation of Janice Y.K. Lee’s novel, “The Expatriates.” The series delves into the lives of three American women residing in Hong Kong, each grappling with their distinct and profound existential crises.

Titled “Mid-Levels,” the third episode of “Expats” kicks off with an ironic scene. Mercy takes a smoke break at work while just a few meters away, two women engage in conversation on a bench. One of them clutches a child safety leash, preventing her little boy from reaching a ball just out of reach. This opening encapsulates Mercy’s struggle, still grappling with the incident of losing a child in a crowded market. Her affair with the married David Starr serves as a distraction, their shared trauma acting as the adhesive in their dalliance.

Read: Expats Episodes 1-2 Review

Meanwhile, David’s wife, Hilary, strives to maintain the facade of a perfect life within her affluent social circle. Even though Hilary hopes to save her marriage, the presence of Margaret, who lives just a few doors away and persistently knocks on her door, doesn’t help things. Margaret’s relentless search for clues to find her son Gus leads her to suspect someone new, blurring the line between a plausible suspicion and a mother’s desperate whim.

Nicole Kidman flawlessly embodies Margaret’s mania over her youngest son’s disappearance, almost as if the role was tailor-made for her. Her ability to portray the neurotic nuances of characters shines through effortlessly. While David’s grievances with Margaret were only hinted at in the previous episodes, this instalment clarifies why their friendship is irreparably strained. Despite his infidelity, Jack Huston injects a certain vulnerability into Daniel’s character, evoking pity rather than disdain.

As a constant reminder of the affluent background of two main characters, the episodes adeptly intertwine the minor roles played by their house-helps and drivers in their lives. Ji-young Yoo, portraying Mercy, stands out as the only character not sharing the same economic background as Margaret and Hilary. The episode introduces a new character, a Chinese girl befriended by Mercy, but it’s quite uncertain where this intriguing development is headed towards.

Although “Expats” unfolds at a leisurely pace, with creators meticulously setting up scenes and lingering on mundane details, this deliberate approach transforms Hong Kong into an essential character in the narrative. The cinematography captures the city’s essence, from bustling markets to convenience stores, cheap roadside eateries to upscale hotels, creating a kaleidoscopic blend of divergent scenes. The dynamic color palette enhances the visual experience, shifting seamlessly from the orange-tinted apartment of Mercy to beautiful flashback moments in Thailand dominated by soothing blues.

While some viewers may find the unhurried pace testing their patience, it aligns well with the grief-based narrative. “Expats” is not a thriller, devoid of explosive twists and shocking revelations—at least, not yet. If it remains a straightforward exploration of how tragedy reshapes the lives of three women, the episodes are well-timed.

You can stream “Expats” on Prime Video.

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