Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 159

Oppenheimer – Physics, Power, Politics, Posturing

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” based on the book “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, is a riveting American tale of power, politics, and posturing. “Posturing” because as the minutes tick by, what begins as a story about a scientist leading a race against time to build a “bomb to end all wars” before the Nazis do, evolves into a grand political thriller of sorts, highlighting personal rivalries and ambitions. However, even with a generous three-hour runtime and an impressive cast, Nolan still isn’t able to give all his characters sufficient space to leave a powerful impression. It might seem unbelievable to state a three-hour movie wasn’t long enough! But that’s just how it is!

The pace is consistently steady, never slowing down, with constant plot developments and surprisingly, the makers avoid relying on slow-motion shots for emphasis on events, actions or emotions. While some sat bent forward on their seats in the theater, intent on not missing a single dialogue in the film, one could distinctly hear people in the packed hall chatting away, and there were others who constantly checked their phones. Clearly a few weren’t as invested in the experience as others. In-fact, there are three types of viewers who might find “Oppenheimer” completely uninteresting – those who know nothing about the politics of World War II; those who know too much; or those who were expecting a Batman-like action flick.

This movie is tailored for history fans and biopic enthusiasts and may not cater to Nolan’s regular fans. Nevertheless, the director infuses some of his trademark cinematic styles even in this period piece, like inserting dream sequences of Oppenheimer’s visions of nuclear fission, explosions, or of the atom splitting. The movie’s original soundtrack by Ludwig Göransson emerges as one of its strongest ingredients. The orchestral flourishes, the slow drumming up of beats, the poignant violin pieces, they all heighten the tension, anxiety and moral conflicts experienced by the characters.

Cilian Murphy is brilliant as the flawed genius physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is first hailed as a great American hero for helping build the atomic bomb and sealing America’s position as a world power during the war. Just like the real man who was considered a bit of an enigma by those close to him, the kind of genius who rarely lets one what what’s going on in his mind, Murphy too firmly maintains a cold distant persona for most parts. Propped up as an American hero at first, he is soon pushed to the sidelines for voicing strong opinions and persecuted for being an alleged communist and a suspected soviet spy. His friendships with fellow scientists, romantic relationships, political ties, are all sped up like recaps. Only Emily Blunt as his wife Kitty Oppenheimer stirs the viewer despite her very limited screen time. She packs a punch as an impassioned wife who questions her husband’s actions and commands him to “pull himself together” when he falls apart. Robert Downing Jr. probably clocks in the most screen-space after Murphy as Lewis Strauss, and despite a compelling performance, it makes you wish there was more story to him.

“Oppenheimer” is judiciously straightforward, it fairly presents how the atomic bomb was the culmination of several brilliant physicists and mathematicians, not just one man. But one always needs a poster boy, doesn’t one? And true to its title, Nolan and team keep their narrative fairly limited to their protagonist’s experiences. We never get to see or hear the arms race from the point-of-view of the Axis Powers and is what is truly laudable – the movie doesn’t exploit viewers’ emotions by showing any scenes of devastation cause by the bomb in Japan. Some might argue that this avoidance diminishes the real horror of what Oppenheimer and his team of scientists had created. Although the scientist became a pacifist after the war, he never expressed remorse for his contribution in making the one of the deadliest weapons known to mankind. Not that remorse can redeem anybody. Mere moral regret of mortals can never undo the damage caused by the nuclear arms race to the world. However, the film makes sure to underline that it was always a matter of “when” and “who” would have eventually developed the bomb. If not the Americans, it would have been someone else. 

Christopher Nolan wraps the movie with an intriguing interaction between the protagonist and Albert Einstein. This exchange is first shown in the first half of the film, but their conversation isn’t audible, and it is revealed only in the climax. This clever narrative technique brings things full circle in the tale, leaving the audience with unsettling questions about war and peace.

Dear David Trailer Looks Kinda Wack

Based on artist David Ellis’ Twitter thread, the trailer for the 2023 thriller “Dear David” is intriguingly odd! Directed by John McPhail, the movie stars Augustus Prew as the titular David, an artist working with BuzzFeed, who becomes a target of persistent trolling on Twitter. While the first few seconds of the teaser are light and comedic in tone, the plot takes a sudden turn, transforming into a horror story.

“Engaging with trolls is the worst possible use of your energy,” warns David’s colleague (played by Andrea Bang). However, David disregards the advice and soon finds himself suffering from sleep paralysis and becoming convinced that he is being haunted by a malevolent ghost with the intent to kill him. The question arises: is David losing touch with reality, or is there something far more insidious happening around him?

The trailer presents a wild mix of elements, with some parts resembling a horror comedy while others contribute to the seriousness of the thriller. As audiences, we can only discover what director John McPhail has in store for us on October 13th—the film’s release date.

Sisu Review – Delivers What It Promises

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

If you are an action fan, there’s very little reason for you to not watch the World War II movie “Sisu,” which is about one mean old man taking down a whole bunch of nasty Nazis. I remember watching its trailer and hoping to see the film with my dad because he is a huge action fan. However, I ended up watching it with my brothers, which turned out to be more fun because we could all exclaim, “What the fuck?” loudly each time something ridiculous happened. Like how the hero does not even limp after being shot in the leg, or how he flings active mines like they are frisbees.

But if you’ve seen the trailer for the film, the full length delivers just what the teaser promises – an exaggerated action drama about one invincible man against evil Nazis. Jorma Tommila plays the legendary/near-immortal protagonist called Aatami in this fictional historical drama directed and written by Jalmari Helander. What makes “Sisu” grittier is the fact that the protagonist is no saint; he is a notorious retired army man infamous for being a “one-man death squad,” and in “Sisu,” he sets out to sell a lot of gold he finds after mining some land. It’s one greedy badass man versus greedy retreating Nazis.

The cinematography in “Sisu” makes it look like a Hollywood Western from the 1960s, especially due to the scorched terrain in which it is shot and the big, bold, golden-orange font used to demarcate each chapter in the 90-minute film. But the lumbering battle tanks and back-to-back violent, bloodied scenes will keep reminding you it’s war time. Despite the crisp runtime, the makers use a lot of dramatic, slow flourishes in between critical scenes that will test viewers’ patience. While stories with a strong focus on a single theme work best, this script could’ve benefited from at least one small sub-plot or perhaps a few more dialogues, or maybe just some sort of complications, because the whole “one man against dozens of armed soldiers” gets dragged out.

The climax is so exaggerated that it’s comical, and some things make no sense at all. The creators just decided to go all out with the idea of “logic can go to hell” and made an entertaining film for action enthusiasts. If you are a fan of Indian superstar Rajinikanth, this one is definitely a must-watch. Even though Aatami cannot stop bullets with his teeth, he comes close.

It’s a 7 on 10 from me.

La Pluie Review – Rains on its sunshine

Rating: 3 out of 5.

What would you do if you lived in a universe where there was a fool-proof way of finding out who your “soul mate” is? Well, I don’t know about you, but some people apparently straight up choose to ignore “the one”. Like the protagonist in the 2023 Thai fantasy-romance series “La Pluie”, where some people suffer from an affliction making them temporarily deaf when it rains, however, they can hear and communicate with their soul-mates. “La Pluie” is the French word for rain. However, the plot is a little like Korean series “Color Rush”, where some people suffer from acute color-blindness, but can see the world in all its beautiful shades when they are around their soul-mate.

Spread over 12 episodes, the series stars Tanatorn Saenangkanikorn (known as ‘Title’) as the protagonist Saengtai, a young writer with a magazine, who doesn’t respond to his soulmate’s voice whenever it rains because he first hears it on the day his parents announce their divorce, despite being “soulmates” themselves. But a few years later, he starts to fall for a stranger, who turns out to be the same voice that had been reaching out to him every time it rained. Pee Peerawich Ploynumpol plays Dentist Pat, the charming dentist who wins Saengtai’s heart. However, there are obviously complications.

Honestly, I don’t know how to rate this one; it was somewhere between cute, sexy, and silly, but then things get boring towards the end. The sibling relationship between Saengtai and his younger brother Saengthian (Suar Kritsanaphong Sripattiyanon) was the sweetest thing in the series. The brothers care and root for each other, and brownie points to the casting team since the actors really look like they are related and have an easy familial onscreen chemistry.

Ampere Suttatip Wutchaipradit plays Saengtai’s office best-friend Beau, an older but much chirpier character. She is quite entertaining in her bit part. Copter Nuntapong Wongsakulyong’s Lomfon is a very confusingly written character, who has a very contrived “enemies to friends” subplot with Saengthian and is thrust into Saengtai’s life too, creating a weak love triangle. The coincidences were jarring, and the twists unconvincing.

The cinematography is sunny and pleasing to the eye, and a section of the story is shot in a picturesque Thai village; the scenes from there were really pretty. Even some of the city scenes, including college campus shots are aesthetically pleasing, with the creators using a lot of white and pastel tones in their sets. While the chemistry between the leads as Pat and Saengtai is quite sizzling, the latter’s character is treated like a spoiled baby for most parts. Tanatorn Saenangkanikorn was endearing in “Remember Me,” the series, as the studious Champ, a supporting character; here his lead character Pat is poorly fleshed out; but Tanatorn’s piercingly expressive eyes make you feel like you are spending your time well. Pee Peerawich Ploynumpol on the other hand has a fairly well-written part as the older suave romantic lead and he sort of balances out Pat’s immaturity.

Even though, on the surface, “La Pluie” seems to be about this grand concept of “soulmates,” it tries to dismantle the idea by showing how relationships always come with their own sets of challenges, even when you’ve found the most “perfect” person in the world. However, at 12 episodes, the series is too long and should’ve been cut down to either 8 or a maximum of 10 episodes. Perhaps a consistent “sweet and sexy” theme would’ve worked better for the show, instead of forced complications in the story to make it more serious than it needed to be.

You can stream the series on iQIYI.

The Queen Mary Trailer Offers Another Haunted Ship Tale

The official trailer for the film “The Queen Mary,” titled “Haunted Ship,” is now out. While it may not be extremely scary, it does offer glimpses of several creepy elements that will stoke horror fans. Considering how the trailer for another ship-themed series, “1899,” was fantastic, but the series itself turned out to be rather mediocre – I am hoping for the opposite with “The Queen Mary”. Although its trailer might not be overly impressive, perhaps the creators are reserving the best bits for the actual feature-length film. In-fact, kudos to the film’s team for not giving away its plot at all in the trailer.

Directed by Gary Shore (he also directed “Dracula Untold”), the horro flick stars Alice Eve, Joel Fry and a whole bunch of other actors. The story is loosely based on the real-life British ocean-liner, “The Queen Mary,” which was in active service from 1936 to 1967. Today, the ship serves as a tourist attraction and is renowned as one of the most haunted places in the world.

Gary Shore’s film promises to offer viewers a glimpse of both the past and present. The trailer begins with a woman giving a tour of the ship to visitors armed with smartphones, but it also includes creepy flashbacks from decades ago. What’s the deal with the ship? We’ll have to watch the film to find out.

Watch the trailer below –

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 2 Review

The second episode of Jujutsu Kaisen begins in the thick of action as Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo are busy rescuing the “Star Plasma Vessel,” a young girl who is supposed to merge with Master Tengen. Both men get to flaunt their casual flamboyance and abilities through their cursed techniques.

Episode one already explained how Master Tengen’s cursed technique makes him immortal; however, the body continues to wither to a point that could trigger a complete evolution of his being, leading to unpredictable changes and even memory loss. To prevent a complete alteration in personality, Master Tengen can merge into someone else’s body – which is called the”Star Plasma Vessel” – and the merging will lead to the total preservation of his current being.

While the girl is swiftly saved from evil forces, she insists on attending her high school and places her life in danger again. There’s a hefty bounty on the Star Plasma Vessel, which leads to several curse users chasing after the young girl. Suguru and Satoru team up again to rescue her from the new spate of attacks at her high school.

It’s a slow but steady episode, featuring new curse users, ugly creatures, and a generous sprinkling of hilarious little scenes. The animation gets visibly blurry and basic (as in there isn’t much detailing in the background, and even the characters’ features are smudgy) in longer shots, which was slightly disappointing. But Jujutsu Kaisen’s interesting story and characters continue to be its strongest points. The first episode was a lot more gripping due to the haunted house subplot; regardless, episode two was entertaining enough too.

You can stream the series on Netflix.

Listen to our audio review of 2023 historical anime series “Ooku” below.

Visualization – Short Film Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Directed and written by Abdolrahman Sarraei, the short film “Visualization” begins with a stark shot of what appears to be a hotel corridor. The camera zooms out to reveal multiple doors, accompanied by ominously dramatic music reminiscent of a horror movie intro. However, the story is an abstract tale depicting an artist’s struggle to express their individuality while being manipulated by powerful individuals.

Clocking in at around eleven minutes, the first half of the film may leave viewers uncertain about its direction. Nevertheless, the second half escalates the narrative, offering viewers ample food for thought. Abdolrahman Sarraei portrays a tormented artist who initially stares at a blank canvas and eventually begins painting with bare hands. Additionally, Sarraei takes on the dual role of a patient in a mental health facility, raising the question of whether the artist is a figment of his own imagination or if he envisions himself as a prisoner within a corrupt system. Or he could be both – an artist persecuted for his art. This intriguing conundrum leaves the answer to the viewer’s interpretation of the story.

Mojo Mona plays a psychiatrist, in-charge of the fate of her patients, with a creepy smile that’s quite unsettling. Is she driving her patients to madness, or is she simply a metaphorical representation of a dictator controlling those under them through sinister means? She also portrays a performing artist in black robes, her eyes glistening with grief as close up shots focus on her stricken face. Perhaps she too was humane, before she was beaten by the system into becoming an oppressor?

With minimal dialogue and several quick montage like shots, “Visualization” leaves audiences with a myriad of questions, all of which can be answered depending on one’s chosen perspective on the story. The background score effectively maintains a heightened sense of suspense and drama throughout, leading to a visceral and tragic climax. However, the ending was a little too literal in its imagery, versus the absurd nature of proceedings for most of the runtime.

Watch the trailer below.

Ooku Review – Fascinating Retelling of Edo Era

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) | Click here for audio version

Set during the Edo period in Japan, the 2023 anime series Ooku is an alternate fictional retelling of the country’s history, where a deadly disease kills over 75 percent of the male population. Based on a Manga series of the same name by Fumi Yoshinaga, the anime is spread over ten episodes. Called the Redface Pox, the pandemic only affects young boys and men, forcing women to take over male roles in agriculture and trade, eventually turning Japan into a matriarchal nation. While the shogunate (the government of Japan’s dictator) refuses to adapt to changing times at first, it’s also taken over by women in the end. And the Ooku is an organized harem of sorts filled with handsome men who serve the Shogun.

The reversal of traditional gender roles serves as a riveting fictional setup, yet it continues to be steeped in reality – women are not portrayed as physically stronger just because they are now the dominant gender in society. If anything, it’s more challenging to be a woman than ever, as they have to take on both the roles of childbearing and earning, although they do have an upper hand in all matters of the state.

The first episode starts with a brief origin story of the pox and fast-forwards 80 years later, when female Shoguns have become the norm, and the male population has stabilized at 25%. So, men are precious commodities, and the government-licensed red-district Yoshiwara is populated with male prostitutes who women visit for both pleasure and their precious seeds. Only the very rich can afford grooms for themselves, while the Shogun has the luxury to choose from hundreds of handsome men who reside within the walls of Ooku. I wanted to see   at least one subplot set in Yoshiwara, partly due to its depiction in the “Demon Slayer Entertainment District Arc.” But viewers must content themselves with tales unfolding in the Ooku, which is what the whole story is about after all.

Largely faithful to its source material, the anime adaptation only omits a few of the raunchier dialogues due to lack of time but retains all the other violent and sexual content. The first episode serves as a stand-alone story, following a samurai’s entry into the Ooku as a mere page boy and his rise to the ranks of the inner chamber, which consists of the lucky few men who become the Shogun’s concubines. His journey also gives viewers a glimpse into the hierarchy and politics within the Ooku, where a complex system of various roles exists, and the men aren’t allowed to step out or discuss their lives with outsiders. So while some men might only get to do menial cleaning tasks through their lives, others may have a shot at becoming the next Shogun’s father.

From episode two onward, the story moves back to the beginning of the Redface pox outbreak, as the new Shogun goes to her library to find out how things were eighty years ago. One of the most powerful characters in the series is the last male shogun’s wet nurse, a shrewd woman called Kasuga, who grooms Lemitsu – Japan’s first woman Shogun. The slow shift of power balance between the genders is masterfully explained through the reign of a young Lemitsu, who grows exceedingly fond of one man in the Ooku. But despite her powers as the Shogun, Lemitsu also carries the burden of being a baby-maker, responsible for producing the next heir.

The characters are designed just like their Manga counterparts, but the anime is obviously a lot more colorful and vibrant. Honestly, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the animation quality, because I wholly invested my attention to the interesting developments in the tale. From love, lust, power, politics and faith, the anime series covers several themes and is a gripping fictional fest. The first ten episodes of the series only cover Lemitsu’s rule, leaving ample scope for further seasons. Made for adult viewers, “Ooku – The Inner Chambers” a fantastic exploration of what history might have been like if women were at the helm of everything.

It’s an 8 out of 10. You can stream the series on Netflix.

Eight Limbs – Graphic Novel Review

“The bloodied face of a female fighter is beautiful. It is strength”

“Eight Limbs,” a graphic novel centered around Muay Thai, opens with an earnest foreword by creator Stephanie Phillips. She reflects on the double standards women face in the sporting world. While scars on male boxers are often celebrated as badges of honor, women boxers are pitied for supposedly ruining their faces. Phillips asserts that the blood, cuts, bruises, and welts in this sport are all symbolic of the unwavering commitment women fighters devote to it.

I felt that the foreword was the most compelling part of the graphic novel, whereas the actual story itself seemed formulaic and lacked excitement. “Eight Limbs” revolves around the life of Mari, a 16-year-old orphan in the foster care system who frequently finds herself in fights, leading to her expulsion from schools and even families. As her case-worker struggles to find a new foster family for Mari, a temporary solution emerges: Mari is placed under the care of Joanna, a retired Muay Thai world champion who runs a training center. Joanna believes that Mari could benefit from the discipline and training provided by the martial art. Will Mari be able to embrace this opportunity for growth, or will she continue to stir up trouble as she always has?

The artwork in the graphic novel by Giulia Lalli (Illustrator) and Lee Loughridge’s (Colorist) is engaging and colorful, even though the tones are largely subdued. Many scenes are so visually captivating that they effectively convey the story without the need for extensive dialogue. In terms of character design, Mari’s appearance reminded me of a young Rogue from X-Men, or maybe I made the comparison because of the slight similarities in their personalities, they are both angst-ridden and fairly asocial. Joanna’s character on the other hand seemed a little too good to be true, and one wishes there was more nuanced conflict in the tale.

Given the limitations of space within the novel, it becomes challenging to delve deeply into the intricacies of Muay Thai. However, “Eight Limbs” manages to provide readers with a reasonable introduction to the sport. Notably, it cleverly incorporates descriptions of some pre-fight rituals that participants observe before stepping into the ring. Apart from that, the novel is pretty generic in nature, although I did enjoy the almost picture-perfect ending.

It’s a 3 on 5 from me.

Mime Your Manners – Quick Review

What a delightful little movie “Mime Your Manners” is! Less than four minutes long, the animated short has been both directed and written by Kate Namowicz and Skyler Porras.

The story follows an mean man who throws a tantrum when he bumps into a mime artist on the street. He is immediately punished for his arrogant behavior as he finds himself turned into a mime and trapped between invisible walls. The only way to break the curse is to become a better person. The story is a little like the age old classic “Beauty and the Beast”, but without the grand romance.

Bright, colorful, comedic, with a tinge of whimsy, the animation in “Mime Your Manners” is engaging and fun. The plot swiftly delivers Mark Twain’s message on anger – Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.

You can watch the film on YouTube.