Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 158

‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Trailer Unveils New Era, New Belmont

Trevor Belmont has had his time in the sun, it’s time for the next generation to burn and battle. The official trailer for Netflix’s animated series “Castlevania: Nocturne” introduces Richter Belmont, Trevor’s son, who inherits his parent’s good looks, fighting spirit and enemies.

Set against the French revolution, the trailer gives little story away, although “vampire vs the rest” obviously continues to be one of the primary conflicts in the tale. The animation looks fantastic, maintaining the same gothic elements and color palette from past seasons, but now with a more glossy finish.

Violence, vengeance, and perhaps repentance seem to be some of the themes the story will delve into. While the original trio – Trevor, Sypha, & Alucard – who won over fans in the original animated series, are now relegated to the sidelines, a whole bunch of fascinating new characters are set to take over the new chapter. “Castlevania: Nocturne” promises to be a dark riveting spin-off from the teaser.

The series will be available to stream from September 28.

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Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 4 Review

It’s sorcerer killer Toji Fushiguro versus Suguru Geto in “Hidden Inventory Part 4” – episode three of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 4. If you thought things were quite bloody last edition, the plot only gets bloodier and murkier. And a little too verbose.

After ruthlessly murdering Amanai, Toji shifts his focus to the complete annihilation of Suguru. As the two intimidating men clash, both of them give a running commentary on their techniques, a tactic that’s supposed to strengthen the speaker. However, amidst the intense action, the excessive dialogues inadvertently diffuse the tension of the current moment, bringing to mind Tanjiro from “Demon Slayer”, who is in a habit of over-explaining things during intense battles. Although, unlike the long-drawn fights in Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen continues to be swift and crisp in its pace.

It’s fascinating how Toji remains such a formidable antagonist despite having zero cursed energy. Viewers who were previously unaware of the meaning behind the “hidden inventory” will finally understand its significance. Toji himself explains that he swallowed a cursed spirit, which allows him to store curse tools inside its body, effectively helping him evade detection. It’s his inventory curse, and thus the term “hidden inventory”.

Just like in episode three, viewers get a brief respite from all the violence. And just when you start to worry that the second half might be a bummer, Satoru rises from the dead like a blue-eyed Jesus and chases after Toji. That’s definitely not a spoiler at all. Since it’s a past timeline, we already know that Satoru is going to make it through whatever comes his way in this season, no matter how gory and crazy lethal things get! The episode also offers an intriguing insight into the power struggle between “ordinary humans versus sorcerers” and the role of religion in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Watch the series on Netflix.

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Adhura Review – Promising Plot Stretched Lamentably

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

In its very first episode, “Adhura” sets up the entire plot, and by the second episode, the direction becomes painfully obvious. Despite this, the potentially intriguing horror-thriller drags on for a cumbersome seven episodes, leaving viewers wondering why.

Created by Ananya Banerjee and Gauravv K. Chawla in 2023, the series falls into the growing sub-genre of boarding school thrillers, exploring themes similar to the mini-series “School of Lies” but with the added twist of the supernatural. The story revolves around ten-year-old protagonist Vedant, portrayed by Shrenik Arora, who endures bullying from his peers until a potentially sinister spirit comes to his rescue. Soon, Vedant begins to spook students, prompting concern from the headmaster about the upcoming two-day reunion celebration for the batch of 2007. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the alumni have a connection with the ghost possessing the young boy.

With 45-minute-long episodes, “Adhura,” meaning “incomplete,” suffers from being overstretched, constantly shifting between the present and events from 2007 involving former students attending the reunion. Many scenes are unnecessarily repeated, and an excessive use of slow-motion shots only adds to the tedium. Although the setting in a lavish boarding school in the picturesque hill station of Ooty provides visually pleasing cinematography, the dimly lit shots meant to create an ominous atmosphere fail to evoke any scares and instead become annoying.

While the first few episodes unfold more like a psychological thriller, it’s as if suddenly the makers wake up and realise there should be more supernatural elements and go overboard with ghosts, deaths, and possession towards the ending. Through the runtime, my mother kept falling asleep, dad conveniently scrolled through memes on his phone whenever he felt like, my 19-year-old cousin brother simply walked out by episode 6 and I was the only potato watching it all, prohibited from fast-forwarding anything. Clearly not a great pick for family night.

Ishwak Singh portrays Adhiraj Jaisingh, a 2007 alumnus settled in the USA, who attends the high-school reunion in hopes of reuniting with his estranged best friend, Ninad Raman (Poojan Chhabra), from the same year. Rasika Dugal plays the school counselor, Supriya, who attempts to help Vedant but unintentionally projects her own trauma-related issues onto the boy. Despite Shrenik Arora’s endearing performance in a short cameo in “The Night Manager,” his character in “Adhura” lacks depth and comes across as generic—a scared and bullied boy lacking personality. In fact, all the characters in the series suffer from one-dimensional personalities. Jaimini Pathak as the condescending superstitious Hindi teacher Chandra Prakash turned out to be the most entertaining supporting character, despite his cliched lines.

Instead of wasting time in scenes where a character is doing nothing but walking towards a door for almost twenty seconds, the creators should’ve spent more time on character development. And if they didn’t want the flaws to start showing, this should’ve been a 5-episode long show at best, if not shorter. A really ridiculous plot twist involving Supriya, the counselor, completely ruins any semblance of satisfaction one could’ve drawn from the ending of the primary ghost story.

It’s a 4 on 10 from me. The series is available on Prime Video.

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Malice: Nu Gui – Movie Review

“Nu Gui” is the Chinese phrase for “female ghosts,” and according to lore, they are women who suffered wrongs during their lives and seek vengeance after death. They are certainly not like Casper, the friendly ghost. Created by Chaz Fenwick and Gustavo Diaz, the short horror film introduces their primary concept, setting up an interesting premise embedded in folklore.

Martina Chen portrays the titular character, Malice, a malevolent spirit relentless in haunting men and exacting revenge. Zheng Wei (Kent Lee) flees China to escape Malice’s wrath, but she follows him to Australia, making him pay in blood. However, he is not her only victim. The story unfolds with her haunting a group of university students, while a lady scholar attempts to investigate what the evil spirit wants. The film includes a lot of Mandarin, adding cultural weight to the tale.

The cinematography boasts a retro horror aesthetic, employing heavy use of red lighting that immediately reminded me of the 2020 Bollywood horror film “Bulbbul.” Interestingly, “Bulbbul” also deals with the theme of a wronged woman seeking retribution from erroneous men, but it delves deeper into issues of patriarchal violence, gender justice, and dysfunctional families. “Malice – Nu Gui,” on the other hand, focuses on lust, revenge, blood, screams, and scares.

Also Read: Kohrra Review – Slowburn blend of family drama & crime

While the story’s execution leaves a lot to be desired, with its 45-minute runtime, the movie kept me engaged until the end. Joshua Chan plays Lee, a young student who remains level-headed until his encounter with Malice, delivers a flawless and natural performance despite his limited screen time. Visually, Martina Chen fits perfectly into the femme-fatale role, although she fails to spook the audience as the part demands. Some of the other actors struggle with their roles and display palpable awkwardness while delivering their dialogues. For instance, in one of the climactic scenes, Yumi Kohama, who plays a character named Sakura, seemed to be holding back laughter during an intense moment.

Regardless, I still enjoyed watching this film, even though the climax felt a bit muddled.  Check it out if you enjoy watching indie movies and have a soft corner for the horror genre.

You can watch the film on TubiTv and Amazon Prime Video.

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Demon Slayer Swordsmith Village Arc Review

Ashley Suvarna (Instagram | Twitter)

Half of 2023 is over already, and with it, another season of Kimetsu No Yaiba, or Demon Slayer. There’s no doubt about this being one of the most popular anime of the current generation. The fact that season four was one of the most awaited shows this year only serves to cement that position. The latest Swordsmith Village Arc can best be described as something that feels more like a side quest than a main event. Regulars like Zenitsu and Inosuke are not a part of the team this time, so but instead we’ve got two Hashiras and a new character that was briefly seen in the first season. 

The premise is pretty straightforward – our boy wonder Tanjiro Kamado gets his nichirin sword broken yet again. Mr Haganezuka, the ill-tempered smith in charge of forging blades for him, has gone missing, so he has no other option but to journey to the hidden Swordsmith Village in order to get a new sword. However, it looks like one of the Upper Moons has found clues to the location of the village as well, and now two of Muzan’s strongest demons are heading there at the same time. If they succeed in destroying the village, there will no longer be smiths to forge those special anti-demon swords, severely impacting the power of the Slayer Corps.

Ufotable’s gorgeous animation has been one of the reasons for this show’s rise to the top, and this time it’s no different. The season begins with a short but jaw-dropping sequence of Muzan’s Infinity Castle that immediately grabs all your attention and sets the tone for the rest of the arc. This is where the studio does what it is best known for: blending 2D and 3D assets seamlessly in a cinematographic work of art. ‘Maybe Ufotable does spend the GDP of a small town on each episode’, you might think to yourself. And who knows, you might be right.

Which is why I was a little surprised when the production quality fell a notch or two around mid-season. More prominently, in terms of the 3D. Yes, I’m talking about the demon fishes. We went from shots like this: 

to this

Everything about those fish creatures screamed haphazard production. Could be deadline woes. Could be a lazy streak. It’s hard to tell. Despite how shoddy it was, I personally didn’t think it made as much of a difference as some fans are insisting. Still, I can’t really blame them for being mad about it. After all, this is Ufotable we’re talking about. To put it subtly, a bad pizza in Iran can be forgiven but a bad pizza in Italy cannot. Fortunately, the visual quality across other elements in the show, including other 3D assets, had no such problem. Overall the studio lives up to its reputation, and in certain parts, I daresay even exceeds it.

And let’s not forget a banger of a soundtrack. Demon Slayer wouldn’t be Demon Slayer without the music. Yuki Kajiura (not to be confused with Yuki Hayashi of My Hero Academia) nails it in the sound department with the trademark chanting, the clarinets and oboes seeping through all the synth with just a hint of electronic. Just like the previous seasons, the soundtrack elevates this show even further, making even the most cliched moments feel exciting. At this point, I’d say Demon Slayer’s music has become as much a part of its identity as its characters.

But even the best music and visual quality cannot make things work unless there’s good storytelling to back it up. And there is something unique about a show like Demon Slayer, something that makes it stand out in a genre saturated with similar plots and tropes – it reminds us that there is always a cost to victory. The story doesn’t shy away from insisting time and time again that despite how strong our protagonists keep getting, despite how great the Hashiras might be, the demons are ultimately much stronger. This becomes all the more important once the Upper Moons come into the picture. Sure, the good guys can eventually defeat them for the sake of plot progression, but it’s going to take everything and even then, our heroes are not going to come out unscathed. I mean if you think back to the Mugen Train arc, sometimes the losses are too high to even call it a proper victory. 

You as a viewer have come to understand that in this universe, winning can be very expensive, and so every time you see Team Tanjiro duke it out with one of Muzan’s elite, you are already expecting some losses by the end. Demon Slayer has a way of piling up the odds and putting the viewer in a state of hopelessness and despair, which is what makes the ensuing moments of triumph worth savoring.

Sadly I felt no such thing with either Gyokko or Hantengu, the big baddies this time, both of whom are supposed to outrank Gyutaro from the last season. Neither of them had that overwhelming presence, nor did they feel like a genuine threat at any point. Hantengu briefly creates a sense of dread when he first appears in Zohakuten form, but for the most part, he just seemed like someone who isn’t scary, just annoying to kill. Gyokko was even worse, a confusingly easy one to deal with, whose death, if you think about it, is only delayed because Muichiro the Mist Hashira wasn’t going all out for most of the encounter. Compare that to the Gyutaro-Daki fight, where the entire team had been giving it their all from the very beginning. And still failing. We are told  that Muichiro’s power difference was caused by him awakening the Slayer Mark, and maybe it might come in handy when dealing with someone insanely strong like Kokushibo or Muzan himself, but to be honest it was too much of a powercreep at this point, taking away the thrill of the fight altogether.

The lack of fast combat sequences was also one of the reasons why the demons didn’t feel as imposing. A lot of viewers might think these fights are purely for the adrenaline rush, but in this case they actually help to demonstrate the level of skill needed to go toe-to toe with a ranked demon. If you remember Tengen Uzui from the previous season, poisoned, with one arm lost, stabbed and slashed in the eye, still going on at blistering speeds because he knows if he stopped or slowed down for even a moment, they would all die. That’s what I’m talking about. 

Apart from that, the pacing of the story was pretty consistent with the previous seasons, although the flashbacks were pretty annoying at times. You’re about to witness some great action, and then there’s suddenly a backstory or an exposition dump that keeps going on for the rest of the episode, and then just as things finally get back on track, bam, the end credits roll. It killed the immersion on more than one occasion. Even felt frustrating at times. Thankfully, when the action does begin, the show more than makes up for it with some slick VFX and camera work. 

Nevertheless, the story of Demon Slayer still has a lot to offer. Muzan is yet to play his best cards, and so does the Slayer Corps. We still have plenty to find out about Tanjiro’s connection to Yoriichi, the first demon slayer, a mysterious figure who fought Muzan single handedly and wrecked him so hard, even his blood has PTSD. Judging by the twist at the end of the season, Tanjiro and his half-demon sister Nezuko now have the attention of the Demon King himself. The stakes have been increased, and if the narration is anything to go by, we seem to be getting very close to the beginning of the end.

I would still rank the Entertainment District Arc higher than the Swordsmith Village in terms of story and execution. This may have been an enjoyable season, but is quite far from being this franchise’s best.

You can stream the series on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Kohrra Review – Slowburn blend of family drama & crime

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Two small-town cops investigate the murder of a young groom days before his wedding in the 2023 Netflix series “Kohrra”. Pressure keeps mounting on the police to solve the case as the victim was a affluent NRI lawyer and his best-friend, a British national, is also missing. With multiple suspects emerging, the case keeps getting murkier by the day.

Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti star in the series as the senior-junior cop duo, Balbir Singh and Amarpal Garundi, respectively. They are constantly chasing leads in the complex murder case. As clues pile up, a family saga of rift, jealousy, rivalry, hatred, and power struggle unravels. The first episode begins with an early morning scene, where a young man discovers a dead body seconds after having sex with his girlfriend in the fields. As the cops arrive on the scene, a drone is already relaying the body’s footage to a local news channel. The episode swiftly introduces most of the main characters and establishes its primary themes – sex, crime, family conflicts, and the uneasy relationship between the media and the police.

Vishal Handa portrays Paul Dhillon, the murder victim, who ironically gets very little screen-time despite events revolving around his death. Except for a few happy engagement photos, and a flashback establishing a tense family atmosphere, we don’t get much. There are even fewer details on his best-friend Liam Murphy (Ivantiy Novak) who goes missing the same night, drawing more media attention to the case as he is a British national. While Manish Chaudhari is intimidating as Paul’s grieving father, Satwinder; Aanand Priya delivers a low-key riveting performance as Paul’s bride-to-be Veera Soni, who seems genuinely distressed at her fiance’s death, yet invites a lot of suspicion with her behavior. Saurav Khurana however is the most entertaining in his cameo as Veera’s jilted ex-boyfriend, an aspiring rapper who struggles to get over her and soon becomes a primary suspect too.

“Kohrra” unfolds as a Desi version of an Agatha Christie mystery, but with a grittier tone and more mature, serious themes. The writers delve into strained father-son and father-daughter relationships, highlighting how some parents struggle to treat their grown adult children with the autonomy and respect they deserve. Apart from these personal dynamics, the plot sheds light on Punjab’s drug problem, depicting how vulnerable addicts are often unjustly held responsible for others’ actions, especially when the police need cases to be quickly “solved.” The class divide between the victim’s affluent family and the other characters is discerningly established to portray how wealth dictates the system.

Crucial twists are astutely foreshadowed in the first two episodes, allowing crime content enthusiasts to foresee where the story is going, yet the plot remains engaging. However, the pace is quite slow and might challenge viewers who aren’t patient. There is a significant focus on the personal lives of the cops, and while senior cop Balbir Singh’s character explores the blurred lines between his personal and professional life, making glimpses into his family affairs necessary, Amarpal Garundi’s post-work activities could’ve been trimmed in the show. However, Balbir is one of those “grey” characters, who is more than flawed and undeservedly gets to redeem himself towards the end, for events and acts that didn’t have anything to do with the primary plot of the tale.

Like its title, which means “fog,” Kohrra is a well-spun crime thriller series where the primary murder case is shrouded with secrets and twists. It takes two flawed but dedicated small-town cops to get to the bottom of the matter, even while they struggle to get their own lives in order. It’s one of the rarer shows where the pace continues to be steady until the climax, leaving viewers with ample closure.

Asvins Review – Intriguing Prelude Sets It Up To Bungle

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

The 2023 horror movie “Asvins” sets off in the tradition of folklore horror films like Tumbbad and Kumari, weaving a mythical tale about Gods, humans, demons, and conflicts. However, it quickly transitions into a “Paranormal Activity” style narrative when a group of friends, who are recording an infamously haunted mansion, start to encounter a malevolent presence.

Directed by Tarun Teja Mallareddy, who shares writing credits with Yogesh Sudhakara Mallineni, the film has an excellent setting for a horror-thriller. Vasanth Ravi portrays protagonist Arjun, who, along with four friends (including his wife), is hired by a firm to make a video of a remote mansion where an archaeologist murdered 15 people before taking her own life.

The grand haunted mansion sits on an isle that becomes surrounded by water during high-tide, often trapping inhabitants and visitors on its premises. The creators capture breathtaking scenes of the location, including a slow but ominous submerging of a cross as the water level rises, symbolizing how evil surfaces when God drowns. However, despite the intriguing start and lavish haunted set-up, the camera’s point-of-view in the first half becomes somewhat annoying. While the introduction promised a folklore-themed tale, the first half leans more towards a modern story of YouTubers and ghost-hunters. The initial pace takes too long to deliver the first significant twist, leading to waning viewer interest due to flat dialogues and a digression from the mythical beginning. Some elements were reminiscent of the Taiwanese horror film “Incantation,” but the eerie factor was very weak.

Vasanth Ravi’s performance as Arjun is engaging, but the dialogues and character’s story lack coherence. The movie features a few good jump scares and a pretty creepy soundtrack, but the writing leaves numerous questions unanswered, and the overall pace feels boringly slow. Some scenes are needlessly repeated, and certain aspects are over-explained, which might be frustrating for some viewers. By the end of the story, “Asvins” disappointingly fails to live up to the excitement and expectations it initially sets up in its own prelude.

It’s a 4.5 on 10 from me. You can stream the film on Netflix.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 3 Review

This was unexpectedly dark and violent! Titled “Hidden Inventory Part 3”, Jujutsu Kaisen episode 3 begins with a lot of tension – bounty hunters kidnap Kuroi, the woman close to Amanai (Star Plasma Vessel). So, Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo fly to Okinawa along with the young girl, to save the only person she considers family.

There’s a literal break in the episode, which provides a surprising shift in tone for the animation. It’s sunny, colorful, and for a moment, I thought I was watching “One Piece” due to the beach, red shirt, and yellow hat in a scene. The sorcerers and their ward treat themselves to some touristy stuff after fighting malevolent forces in Okinawa. Trust the flamboyant blue-eyed boy, Satoru, to turn a dangerous mission into a fun little holiday. However, the light-hearted scenes lull the viewer into complacency, and suddenly, without warning, the episode turns crazy bloody.

Episode three is definitely the strongest edition of season two so far, it will have viewers biting their nails in the second-half. The devious contract killer Toji Fushiguro is hellbent on annihilating the ‘Star Plasma Vessel’, and has no qualms about finishing off anyone who stands in his way. With the kind of build-up his character receives, Toji turns out to be quite a formidable antagonist.

Can Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo continue to protect Amanai from the man who is scarily confident of clearing his path to success? Episode three is a rollercoaster ride of funny, scary, bloody, and emotional moments.

Watch the series on Netflix!

Merry-Go-Round Review – Modern Love ft Comics

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Some bits of ‘Merry-Go-Round’ by Sergio Rossi made me feel like I was reading a comic book version of a ‘Modern Love’ episode, the popular NYT column that eventually led to the creation of several series inspired by the idea of exploring new age love stories.

The graphic novel follows a group of young friends as they navigate college, comic conventions, and parties while dealing with their romantic lives. The artwork by Agnese Innocente is captivating, with most pages drenched in pleasant pastel shades, regardless of the drama unfolding in the story. Each chapter in the tale focuses on a different pair, delving into their dynamic and emotions towards each other.

Given the multiple protagonists, it can be a bit challenging to recall everyone by the end of the book. Even while reading the novel, sometimes it was hard to keep track of which character’s story you were actually following. Sergio Rossi explores various aspects of dating through different characters, so while one chapter may revolve around chasing someone you like, another might deal with cat-fishing.

Most of the stories were too brief, a few ended abruptly, and in the end, readers may feel like they’ve read a random online thread about people sharing short anecdotes of someone they liked. However, it’s the art that makes ‘Merry-Go-Round’ a fun and enjoyable reading experience.”

It’s a 3.5 on 5 from me.

Barbie Review – Entertaining evolution of Toy Story!

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Watching “Barbie” turned out to be quite an experience. The theater was filled with a lot of girls, boys, men, women wearing pink. If you weren’t in pink, you’d feel like you missed the dress code memo for a theme party!

Directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach, the 2023 movie “Barbie” stars Margot Robbie as the ‘stereotypical Barbie’. She lives in Barbieland, a fantastical place inhabited by various Barbies, such as lawyer Barbie, doctor Barbie, astronaut Barbie, president Barbie, and many others, along with Kens and other Mattel dolls. In this world, everything is beautifully bright, shiny, and perfect for the stereotypical Barbie, until she starts to show signs of humanness – contemplating mortality, developing flat feet, and even cellulite! In order to regain her perfect self, she goes to the real world to find answers. Accompanying her on this adventure is Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, who sneaks into her car and insists on joining her.

The opening scene is a hilarious introduction to the Barbie’s history, where cute little girls smash their old baby-shaped dolls after Barbie’s arrival. In a nod to the first Barbie unveiled in 1959, Margot Robbie is dressed in the same black-and-white striped swimming suit. The scene then transitions to a glitzy pink Barbieland, resembling a giant glitter bomb, a utopian joyland run by gorgeous women of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The cinematography is lavishly delicious, with sets and costumes inspired by real dollhouses. While this isn’t exactly a musical, there are plenty of songs and they were all in line with the plot’s theme. Interestingly, the Kens in this world serve as cheerleaders of the Barbies, creating a subtle but clever reversal of traditional gender roles. Thus, the journey to the real world with its thriving consumerism, capitalism and sexism becomes an eye-opening experience for both Barbie and Ken.

With Mattel CEO (Will Ferrell) wanting to put Barbie back in a box, she receives help from Mattel employee Gloria (America Ferrera) and Gloria’s teen daughter (Ariana Greenblatt) to escape the executives trying to stop her mission. Margot Robbie delivers an impeccable performance as the sweet and stereotypical Barbie, who yearns to be more than just someone else’s creation. It’s hard to imagine anybody else play the life-size doll once you watch the film. From casual confidence, sheer joy to heart-breaking vulnerability, Margot masters each little emotion expected out of her with perfection.

Also Read: Oppenheimer Review – Physics, Power, Politics, Posturing

Ryan Gosling as Ken, constantly under Barbie’s shadow, discovers a new way to look at gender hierarchies once he is out of Barbieland. He is animatedly unreal and fabulous as Ken, an insecure man constantly seeking validation from the girl he loves, and trying to gain some sense of control in his life. There’s a scene where he serenades Barbie, and you realize why Greta Gerwig was so insistent that he play Ken. It will bring back memories of his romantic lead hero charm from hits like “Notebook” and “La La Land”.

The creators break the fourth wall to humorously acknowledge that Margot may not have been the obvious choice for a role where they wanted to portray someone feeling insecure about their body. In fact, Greta Gerwig and her team infuse the movie with numerous pop-culture jokes and references that will tickle the viewers’ funny bones. “Barbie” isn’t solely about a doll discovering the human world; it’s also an incredibly fun feminist tale that delves (not too deeply) into gender roles, power imbalances, and how even utopian wonderlands treat men and women differently. A small tribute to the doll’s creator towards the climax felt contrived and could’ve been avoided; it made the movie feel too much like a Mattel ad, even though the script does take ample digs at the company. However, the ending was in line with a classic fairy-tale, and the absolute last scene was hilarious, wrapping the fantasy comedy with one last joke!

Disney revolutionized the way kids perceived their playthings with “Toy Story,” the 1995 movie in which toys come to life whenever humans are absent. “Barbie” takes that beloved fantasy to the next level and presents a colorful, fun-spirited comedy packed with numerous underlying themes. The amount of hooting, cheering, and laughter echoing throughout the theater brought back memories of watching “Spider-Man: No Way Home” on its release day; that’s how ecstatic the audience was.

Watch the movie in a theater if you can.