Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 15

Weapons Movie Review: Six-Act Horror That Swaps Jump Scares for Slowburn Terrors

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

After portraying the victim of a Satanic cult in ‘Apartment 7A‘, the prequel to the horror classic ‘Rosemary’s Baby‘, Julia Garner returns to the genre with ‘Weapons‘, playing a teacher suspected of being a witch when 17 of her 18 students vanish on the same night.

Directed and written by Zach Cregger, ‘Weapons‘ opens with an eerie sequence of little kids waking up after 2 a.m., climbing out of bed, stepping outside, and running off into the night. Nobody knows where. Seventeen children, all classmates, vanish from the same town on the same night, all leaving at exactly 2:17 a.m, a fact captured on several home security cameras, leaving the town shaken and parents desperate for answers. Some direct their anger and suspicion toward the young teacher, Elizabeth Gandy (Julia Garner). “Why only her class?” one angry parent demands.

‘Weapons‘ is intriguingly divided into six distinct chapters, each centering on a different character linked to the mystery of the missing children. Some of these connections don’t become apparent until the second half. The first two chapters follow Elizabeth coping with the fallout of becoming the town’s “witch.” Then the focus shifts to angry dad Archer, played by Josh Brolin (‘Dune’, ‘Avengers’, ‘What If…?’), convinced she’s guilty and determined to run his own investigation. Elizabeth however thinks Alex (Cary Christopher), the only child who didn’t disappear from the class, might hold the key to the mystery.

The third act turns to Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), a cop friend of Elizabeth, who admits he’s not directly involved in the case. As a viewer, you start to wonder why we’re following someone who might have nothing to do with the central conflict. And the fourth act of ‘Weapons’ is even stranger, following druggie/petty thief James (Austin Abrams) after a tense encounter with cop Paul. But James’ perspective ends up being a dynamic stretch, it’s well-paced, slightly comedic, and starting off as an extremely random thread that entertainingly winds its way back to the missing children.

Benedict Wong (‘Doctor Strange’, ‘3 Body Problem‘), as the unsuspecting school principal Marcus, gets to headline the most horrifying chapter of ‘Weapons’, where the supernatural antagonist is finally revealed. From the fifth act onward, the gore, blood, and horror elements take over, turning the story into a chilling, dark horror comedy. Folklore horror, creepy rituals, and bloodied twists dominate the second half of the film, with some moments played subtly and others diving into over-the-top body horror, like a scene where a character, in self-defense, peels the skin off their assailant with a literal peeler, as if shaving vegetables for dinner. Yes, get ready to squirm in discomfort and disbelief.

The climactic act of ‘Weapons’ turns the focus on Alex, excellently portrayed by child actor Cary Christopher, a quiet boy, revealing how he ended up being the only student in Elizabeth Gandy’s class to not disappear into the night. The truth is twisted, sad, and sinister. The slow-burn pace pays off by culminating into an ending that’s terrifying and comedic at the same time. Since the narration is non-linear, some of the POVs feature repetitive scenes that could’ve been trimmed down for a tighter runtime. Also, there are some plot points that do not make sense, for instance, the lackadaisical attitude federal authorities show towards the lone survivor, showing no inclination to monitor him.

Minor flaws apart, ‘Weapons’ is an unconventional horror film, with its first three acts leaning into a cinematic ‘true-crime’ style, before jolting viewers with a violent, unhinged second half. The plot leans into some familiar genre tropes yet surprisingly steering clear of the usual jump scares and throat-shredding screams. Director Zach Cregger even slips in a hilarious tribute to the cult-classic The Shining, mirroring the iconic scene where Jack bursts his head through a door (check the movie poster if you’re a younger viewer with no clue what I’m talking about) with one of his own characters.

‘Weapons’ wraps up with a wacky, satisfying finale, giving its protagonists, and the audience, definitive closure. If you’re a horror fan, it’s well worth a watch.

Rating: 8 on 10.

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‘Better Than The Movies’ Review: A ‘Rehash of RomComs’

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

One of the funniest things about reading ‘Better Than the Movies’ was the fact that it starts with a quote from ‘Notting Hill’, which stars Hugh Grant, who was ‘oh so delicious’ level heartthrob in the film, and only a few days ago I had seen him playing a creepy murderous wacko in the horror film ‘Heretic’. It’s just the ‘handsome young charmer’ versus the ‘serial killer uncle’ image that made me laugh. Yeah, nothing to do with anything actually in the novel. Anyway….

‘Better Than the Movies’ by Lynn Painter is a bit of a rehash of the many high school “enemies to lovers” tales out there, even though the “enemy” part is mostly imaginary. Teen protagonist Liz Buxbaum is a hopeless romantic, constantly watching her late mother’s favorite movies and living as if she belongs in a fluffy ’90s romcom, ready to fall into the lap of the “love of her life” at any moment. Her neighbor Wes Bennett is a “pain in the butt,” constantly fighting her for a parking spot and giving her a hard time. But when her childhood crush Michael returns to town and seems super close with Wes, Liz is willing to make peace and strike a win-win deal with Wes if he helps her win over Michael. Which, to Wes’ credit, he does quite wholeheartedly.

The primary reasons I’m giving ‘Better Than the Movies’ 3 out of 5 stars are that Wes turned out to be a super sweet romantic lead, and I was able to finish the novel in less than three days, so it didn’t disrupt my reading pace. Liz Buxbaum, on the other hand, is the typical teen high school lead: she schemes, lies, and treats her close friends poorly for the sake of a guy. Also, for a romance book, the romance was thin, and the comedy was middle-school level, relying mostly on Liz falling, tripping, over having someone puke on her. Ugh.

Also, for foreign readers or those who aren’t movie buffs, the constant stream of film references might feel alienating. ‘Better Than the Movies’ is a YA romance published in 2021, and it seems to target teen readers or early twenty-somethings, many of whom are unlikely to connect with the 1990s and early 2000s rom-com references the book leans heavily on.

Thankfully, Lynn Painter keeps the drama minimal, doesn’t cram in too many twists, and ends the story on a cute, happy note. But I will not be reading the sequel.

Rating: 3 on 5 stars.

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Revenged Love Episode 24 Review: Wraps Up with Rushed Happy Endings

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘Revenged Love’ has come to an end and what a random but happy finale! A worn out Chi Cheng (Tian Xu Ning) gets exonerated after the real culprit surrenders himself in the embezzlement case. And instead of a thrumming emotional re-union, viewers are served a comedic water fight: Guo Cheng Yu (Zhan Xuan) and Dr. Xiao Shuai’s (Liu Xuan Cheng) playfully attack Wei Wei (Zi Yu) with water-guns to celebrate his boyfriend’s comeback. Chi Cheng joins in the fun too.

Recap of Revenged Love Episodes 22-23: Chi Cheng is arrested for embezzling funds at his art firm, even though he didn’t commit the fraud, but he takes the entire blame to protect Wei Wei, since they don’t know who fudged the accounts. It turns out Yue Yue’s ex-boyfriend bribed an employee at the company to mess with the accounts. While Chi Cheng’s family blames Wei Wei for his imprisonment, Wei Wei does all he can to get his boyfriend free, which includes spending his life-savings and selling his childhood home for all the legal expenses. Episode 23 ends with the lovers meeting at prison for the first time after several months, and Chi Cheng is devastated to learn about the new developments.

Revenged Love Episode 24

Titled ‘I Have a Home Again’, the finale begins with an interesting development: Chi Cheng’s mother has warmed up to the idea of Wei Wei being her future son-in-law, especially after learning about all the running around he has been doing to free her son. It turns out Chi Cheng’s father chose not to bail him out as a way of teaching him a lesson. Talk about having a harsh dad. Still, the entire family eventually reconciles and accepts Chi Cheng’s relationship.

Episode 24 of ‘Revenged Love’ runs just 35 minutes, at least ten minutes shorter than the average duration of earlier episodes. All the passion and playful tension between Chi Cheng and Wei Wei is missing from the climax, though they do share some cutesy romantic moments. One can’t help but wonder if there were additional scenes left out of the final cut, especially since the creators sped up the airing schedule by releasing back-to-back episodes on Saturdays and Sundays, when they originally aired only on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Anyway, it’s a rushed farewell to the lead protagonists, with both couples in ‘Revenged Love’ getting their happy endings. Thankfully, the finale avoids any last-minute ambiguity or open-ended twist, closing instead on Wei Wei and Chi Cheng sharing a blissful moment in his childhood home, wrapped in each other’s arms and smiling.

You can watch ‘Revenged Love’ on YouTube or Viki.

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Param Sundari Trailer Feels Like Chennai Express Meets 2 States

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The official trailer for ‘Param Sundari‘ deserves credit for not revealing too much of the plot… unless the twist is that there isn’t much of one. Directed by Tushar Jalota, the film stars Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor as the titular characters, Param and Sundari. From what the trailer reveals, Param appears to be a stereotypical North Indian boy who assumes all of South India is “Madrasi,” while Sundari hails from the serene backwaters of Kerala. The two fall in love and must navigate cultural differences, which seems to form the heart of the story.

Visually, the trailer is pleasant and the lead pair looks appealing, but the snippets we see are not particularly thrilling. ‘Param Sundari‘ comes across as a mix of Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Chennai Express’, Chetan Bhagat’s ‘2 States’, and the Netflix romantic comedy ‘Meenakshi Sundareshwar’. The familiar setup might work if the execution brings freshness, but from the looks of the trailer, the film leans heavily on tried-and-tested tropes.

Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor share good on-screen chemistry, and Janhvi, draped in elegant sarees throughout the two-minute-forty-second trailer, is a visual scorer. The film will need more than just pretty frames to stand out in an already crowded rom-com space. Perhaps the narrative will surprise viewers with stronger character arcs or unexpected plot turns beyond the usual “North versus South” banter. Or not. Who knows!

‘Param Sundari‘ is scheduled to release on 29 August. Watch the trailer on YouTube, it’s also below.

Sakamoto Days Episode 16 Review: Slice, Slice, Deaths

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Okay, maybe I am little more easily pleased than the average viewer of ‘Sakamoto Days’, but this was definitely one of the best editions of the anime this season! It was all about slicing, dicing, blood, blood, blood, and more blood.

Aptly titled ‘Slice Slice Dance’, episode 16 starts off right where the last episode of ‘Sakamoto Days’ ended: with primary antagonist Slur enters the JAA (Japanese Association of Assassins) headquarters with his sidekick Gaku. Their mission is to wipe out the ‘corrupt’ organization. Naturally, an unprecedented bloodbath follows. Although a surprise entrant stops them temporarily, and no, it’s not Taro Sakamoto.

Although, sure, Sakamoto and Shin do turn up at the JAA building, since they learn about Slur’s plan from the crazy Apart, who tried to kill Sakamoto and Heisuke at the Tokyo tower, not too long ago. So, this episode also brings Sakamoto face-to-face with Slur in a very violent showdown. In a twist, it turns out they do know each other. Not too surprisingly, Slur’s first reaction to seeing our chubby protagonist is to comment on how out of shape he is.

Slur and Gaku’s character designs stand out a bit compared to the rest of the assassins in ‘Sakamoto Days’. Slur could easily headline a corporate romance manga, while Gaku radiates the grit and swagger of an action-fantasy hero. You could simply pick up Gaku, drop him into a show like ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’, and he’d fit right in. Honestly, they look more “main character” than Sakamoto and Shin combined. Hehe. Still, I am always rooting for Shin! (Also, Lu, but she is missing from all the action in this chapter)

True to its episodic title, this edition is all about “Slice, Slice, Dance”… but it’s the dance of death. Slur’s exact logic behind wanting to wipe out the JAA is unclear, although it seems he wants to raze the institution and start something of his own. Maybe become the “Lord of Assassins.”

Fast, casually furious, and dripping with enough blood to rival a gory horror flick, this chapter of ‘Sakamoto Days’ delivers pure adrenaline. Gaku’s basically the Grim Reaper cosplaying as a human, and every fight scene cranks the intensity to eleven. With sharper animation, it could’ve been legendary, but even as is, it’s a bloody good time.

Only the last few minutes of the episode shift the action from JAA, to provide some lighter, comedic moments from the barbarity brought upon by Slur and Gaku.

Watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix.

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Revenged Love Episodes 22-23 Review: Wei Wei Goes All In for Chi Cheng

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Now that the Chinese drama ‘Revenged Love’ is close to its finale, things go from playful highs to crushing lows for lead protagonists Wei Wei (Zi Yu) and his boyfriend Chi Cheng (Tian Xu Ning). After a fun camping trip and some comedic kidnapping drama with Chi Cheng’s father, the couple find their firm entangled in serious legal trouble. They are framed for embezzlement they didn’t commit.

Recap of Revenged Love Episodes 19-21: Wei Wei’s mother, Li Ya (Qin Yue), passes away, leaving him devastated. Unable to watch his sweetheart grieve alone, Chi Cheng sets aside his ego and reconciles with him. They break up, make up, take a trip together, and free of other worries for the moment, start meddling in Guo Cheng Yu (Zhan Xuan) and Dr. Xiao Shuai’s (Liu Xuan Cheng) relationship. While Xiao Shuai is initially upset with Wei Wei, he soon takes things to the next level with boyfriend Cheng Yu, and the two couples head out for a fun camping trip.

Episode 21 of ‘Revenged Love’ is mostly light-hearted, reviving the show’s earlier comedic tone. It ends on a humorous twist, with Chi Cheng’s father, Chi Yuan Duan (Cheng Shi Yu), kidnapping Wei Wei, only to treat him kindly and advising him to “save himself” from Chi Cheng’s bad influence.

Revenged Love Episodes 22-23

Titled “I Want to Bring You Home”, episode 22 kicks off with Wei Wei breaking free from his would-be father-in-law and finding his way back to Chi Cheng. What follows is a light, romantic stretch, with Chi Cheng eager to introduce Wei Wei to his mother and sister. But with Chi Yuan Duan’s disapproval looming large, Wei Wei believes Chi Cheng should first repair his relationship with his family before adding him to the mix.

It’s adorable how Chi Cheng hangs on to every word Wei Wei says, so off he goes to visit his family. Left to his own devices, Wei Wei slips into third-wheel mode with Guo Cheng Yu (Zhan Xuan) and Dr. Xiao Shuai (Liu Xuan Cheng), now blissfully stuck in their honeymoon phase. The whole setup hilariously mirrors Chi Cheng’s own habit of barging in to annoy the couple whenever Wei Wei isn’t around.

The episode ends with the couple’s art company in hot water over embezzled funds, and Chi Cheng taking the fall to keep Wei Wei out of trouble. Episode 23 of ‘Revenged Love’ (titled “I Only Want You”) takes on a sombre tone, centering on Wei Wei’s desperate attempts to clear Chi Cheng’s name in the embezzlement case.

Episode 23, the penultimate chapter of ‘Revenged Love’, is particularly frustrating due to its lack of clarity around the embezzlement case, especially the legal timeline. In one scene, Wei Wei laments that “two years have already flown by” since he first came to Xiao Shuai’s clinic with nothing. Yet this does little to clarify how long Chi Cheng has actually been incarcerated; we’re left to assume it’s somewhere between six months and a year.

The prison twist ends up feeling both underwhelming and unconvincing, partly because the show had mostly leaned into a comedic tone, and partly because Chi Cheng’s influential family background made a forgery charge seem like something they could easily quash. Then again, as a foreign viewer, I can’t speak to how strict Chinese laws might be, and the creators do little to clarify the legal nuances.

Well, despite the flaws, the episodes were entertaining, testing Chi Cheng and Wei Wei’s severely, but also proving their love can withstand the test of time. Zi Yu carries episode 23 with his soft charm as Wei Wei, while Tian Xu Ning remains a standout as the fiercely magnetic Chi Cheng, despite limited scenes. One glance into his eyes is enough to believe he’d move mountains for Wei Wei, or even walk to the gallows without hesitation. The usually stingy Wei Wei puts everything he has on stake to ensure justice is served and he has his love back.

Both characters do a lot of growing up, and going by the last few minutes, ‘Revenged Love’ is headed to a cinematic finish, nothing less than a much deserved happy ending.

You can watch ‘Revenged Love’ on YouTube or Viki.

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The Dragon Republic (Poppy War #2) Review

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

It’s time for a brutally prolonged civil far in ‘The Dragon Republic’, the second book in R. F. Kuang’s war fantasy trilogy, set in the fictional Nikara empire, ruled by a Shamanic Empress.

You remember how ‘The Poppy War’ ended right? With protagonist Rin channeling the Phoenix God and destroying the enemy Island-nation of Mugen, putting an end to the war in Nikara. Basically instant genocide. And as a reader, I am thinking: How is author R. F. Kuang going to continue this story in two more books – ‘The Dragon Republic’ and ‘The Burning God’ – if the lead is a ridiculously powerful shaman who can simply burn entire nations and ‘rip the fabric of the world’ in seconds? Well, apparently, getting genocidal-level angry isn’t simple, so Rin can’t always char her enemies, and getting vengeance against the Empress (or the ‘Vipress’), also a dangerous shaman herself, won’t be easy.

The basic plot in the second book focuses on Rin joining forces with the ambitious Dragon Warlord Yin Vaisra, who wants to overthrow the Empress Su Daji and bring democracy to the Nikara Empire. Fresh from victory against Mugen, Nikara is battered, scattered, and weakened, and Vaisra thinks it’s the perfect time to lead a coup against Daji. Vaisra hopes to channel Rin’s shamanic powers against the Empress, and thus recruits the Cike (the small shamanic wing of the empire led by Rin) for his cause. Oh, and Vaisra is also Nezha’s dad, you know, Rin’s enemy-turned-friend, with the promise of romance in the future. And best-friend Kitay becomes a key strategist for the Dragon Republic.

Also Read: The Poppy War Synopsis & Ending Recapped

There are so many storytelling elements that works better in this book, while some of the flaws from the first ‘Poppy War’ novel remain, the most grating being the lack of character development for the supporting cast. It’s all Rin, Rin, and more Rin, but she is no longer the likable underdog, instead a doped up egocentric power-hungry war-dog. She becomes an opium addict, in case you forgot. But yes, R F Kuang’s narrating skills are sharper in ‘The Dragon Republic’, and almost 70% of the text dedicated to war action, atrocities, and strategies, which will thrill fans looking forward to more blood, death, vengeance, and violence.

R F Kuang of course introduces a twist that temporarily locks out Rin from channeling the fire, so she is forced to fight as any ordinary soldier and also faces a demotion in the army. And well, if her powers weren’t restrained with a plot twist, ‘The Dragon Republic’ would be over in a few pages. Readers would remember the handsome, arrogant Nezha was hinted to possess shamanic abilities too, so that sub-plot is explored further in book 2.

Empress Su Daji continues to be one of the primary antagonists, while a delegation of Hesperians arrives in Vaisra’s kingdom, but only as observers, claiming they will provide their superior military assistance only if they deem his army worthy. The Hesperians are foreigners from another land, with a monotheistic religion, so they look down upon the Nikara empire’s Gods and beliefs. Through them, RF Kuang explores some discomforting racism, religious bigotry, and cultural tensions. Shamans are thus the equivalent of witches to them.

One of the more intriguing elements in the story this time around was the introduction of the Naimad clan, to which twins Chagan and Qara belong to. Rin and Kitay have an unexpected encounter with them, leading to some big revelations and an unexpected ritual that changes their life.

I was really hoping to see some significant character development for Kitay, Nezha, and the members of the Cike in ‘The Dragon Republic’, but once again, Rin’s inner rants, angst, and contradictory thoughts dominate the pages. On one hand, she says she doesn’t want to be somebody’s war dog; on the other, she expresses smug relief at serving as Vaisra’s “weapon” and not having to take on the responsibilities of a leader. While her contradictory thoughts are fine, her inflated sense of self becomes increasingly tiring to read.

Well, despite its flaws, The Dragon Republic is a fast-paced, blood-laden saga of war, politics, vengeance, violence, and fresh betrayals. R. F. Kuang delivers a sequel that’s arguably better than The Poppy War, with the climactic chapter dealing a new gut punch to Rin and leaving her at the floodgates of a new, perhaps even bloodier, war.

Rating: 3.5 stars on 5.

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The Next Prince Review: Gorgeously Grand, Equally Bland

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘The Next Prince’ is all about larger-than life palaces, elaborate stunning costumes, ornate jewellery, royal rivalries, and forbidden romances. Or at least it seemed so in the first two-three episodes, before spiraling into a simpler, formulaic ‘clingy rich boy smitten with his bodyguard’, kinda like ‘KinnPorsche’, but make it a lot more bland, chaotic, rushed, and boring. Although, this Thai series is surprisingly a lot steamier scenes than ‘KinnPorsche’.

Directed by Aoftion Kittipat Jampa, Den Panuwat Inthawat, ‘The Next Prince’ stars NuNew Chawarin Perdpiriyawong as Khanin, a pro fencer living abroad with no idea that he is actually the grandson of the King of Emmaly, a wealthy nation divided into five regions and clans. Zee Pruk Panich plays Charan Phithakthewa, who is sent to bring Khanin back to the kingdom to participate in a prestigious competition where the heirs of the five royal clans compete, and the winner’s father will be crowned the new king.

Episode one opens in the UK, where Khanin is thriving in his fencing career, living happily with his beloved father Thatdanai Keerakul (Saksit Tangthong). His life changes when handsome stranger Charan arrives, revealing Khanin’s royal lineage and that Thatdanai is not his real father but a servant to the Emmaly crown. Shocked, Khanin refuses to return to Emmaly, until armed goons attempt to assassinate him. He reluctantly agrees to play the role of “The Next Prince,” driven by a need to uncover what really happened to Thatdanai, presumed killed in the ambush.

Lead actors Zee and NuNew already established their onscreen chemistry in ‘Cutie Pie’, a much simpler, modern romance, also directed by Aoftion, so they continue to look great in this show too. However, while the first few episodes are entertaining, it’s hilarious how Khanin nearly forgets about Thatdanai, and quickly becomes a smitten brat, spending most of his time being needy, clingy and seeking Charan’s attention at the palace.

Prince Khanin’s main rivals are Prince Ramil (Jimmy Karn Kritsanaphan) and Princess Ava (Kris Charintip Rungthanakiat). While both start out as intriguing opponents, they quickly lose steam due to underdeveloped subplots. Ramil, for instance, has a potentially compelling arc through his romance with his striking aide Paytai (Ohm Thanakrit Chiamchunya), but it’s reduced t o a handful of tame, supposed “risqué” scenes. Their dynamic hints at a consensual dom-sub relationship, with Ramil asserting power only in the bedroom, everywhere else, he’s constantly belittled and bullied by his father, Rachata (Bie Teerapong Leowrakwong). Jimmy and Ohm have great onscreen chemistry, but their their sub-plot isn’t handled with the complexity it deserved.

Interestingly, there’s lots of potential chemistry between Prince Ramil and protagonist Khanin in some of their earlier scenes in ‘The Next Prince’. And with Khanin’s romance with Charan turning dull, I found myself wishing the writers would shake things up by exploring some sparks between the two rival princes. Now that could’ve been fun. Who knows! And an entire tiring sub-plot involving Prince Calvin (Net Siraphop Manithikhun) should’ve been cut out altogether, to give other characters more screen space.

The cinematography for ‘The Next Prince’ is stunning, all the royal characters, especially Khanin, Ramil, Ava, look gorgeous through the show. However, with half-a-dozen sub-plots squished into a 14-episode runtime, with the primary romance losing steam quickly, the show becomes a snooze-fest. After about episode 7, I had a hard time keeping up my interest in the show, which is such a pity, because this started out with grand promise.

Rating: 4 on 10. You can watch ‘The Next Prince’ in on iQIYI

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Alienated #5 Review: Alien Gets Candid About His Kind

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Plot overview of ‘Alienated’: Earth is deluged with the bodies of dead aliens, but one family finds a survivor and attempts to understand what happened to his species.

The last issue ended with a daring rescue mission by TJ and his grandchildren, as they manage to locate and free their alien friend from Frank, a nutter trying to get some media fame. Despite the victory, the chapter closes with TJ collapsing at Rose’s house. Issue #5 of ‘Alienated’ by Taki Soma and John Broglia starts with teens Lily and Winter comically dressing up Alien (yes, his name is basically just Alien now, no one’s interested in giving him a proper moniker) like a rapper and taking him to visit TJ at the hospital.

Some parts of the chapter feel a bit repetitive, but it finally delivers a major revelation: Alien explains to TJ and the teens what makes his species unique, and why the others perished after landing on Earth. From broken phrases, the grey being has advanced to speaking proper sentences, making communication easier. Turns out, Alien is super sentimental, and has grown quite attached to TJ and the kids.

‘Alienated’ is supposed to be six issues long, and given that this is the penultimate chapter, the content isn’t all that exciting. How the creators are going to wrap up the story is anybody’s guess, because at this stage, it feels like a silly, simple, sentimental tale about an alien becoming friends with humans. Not much else.

As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the artwork remains colorfully engaging.

Rating: 2.5 on 5. Alienated is also on Kindle Unlimited.

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‘Trainwreck: Storm Area 51’ Review: From Shitpost to Showdown, a ‘WTH?’ Saga

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Netflix documentary ‘Trainwreck: Storm Area 51’ is all about a “shit post” by a bored mall worker named Matty Roberts, who created a fake event called Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us on Facebook as a joke, only to have over a million people express interest in attending. The post went viral, gathered media coverage, and had the U.S. government seriously worried that over a million people might actually turn up to storm Area 51, the highly secretive United States Air Force (USAF) military facility in Nevada. Most were nerds or online eccentrics, some of whom strongly believed the government was hiding aliens or UFOs.

‘Trainwreck: Storm Area 51’ is a two-episode documentary, and until I saw it on Netflix, I had no idea this about this viral story. It even made national news in America and grabbed way more headlines than one would imagine a “shit post” could. “What the hell?!” I kept laughing at some of the developments in the story. For instance, Matty Roberts did a follow-up post about how atendees should do a ‘Naruto run’ as a way to dodge bullets by security, as a way to ensure people understood the event was a joke and it only made the post more popular.

The event was scheduled for September 20th, while Matty had created the post on June 27th, so there was plenty of time for it to spread, morph, and capture the internet’s wildest imaginations. The documentary features interviews with Matty Roberts, several people who did show up to “Storm Area 51,” U.S. government employees who had no choice but to give the bizarre case their attention, and a business owner who owned property near the area and became involved in the chaos that followed.

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The creators interweave real-life footage, Facebook posts, TikTok clips, and some funny animated sequences to keep things visually engaging. Both episodes are under one hour long, and if you know nothing about this story, definitely check out ‘Trainwreck: Storm Area 51’ for some madness. From Matty creating the fake event to the date when over a million people were actually expected to show up near the facility, this entire story is comic-book-level crazy.

Watch ‘Trainwreck: Storm Area 51’ on Netflix.

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