Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 186
February 5, 2023
12 Book Reviews Under 10 Minutes
We are back with another edition of ’10 Book Reviews under 10 Minutes’ for our podcast. So if you aren’t into reading long book reviews, listen to the 16th edition, where we quickly look at some diverse titles, including graphic novels. The titles reviewed are as follows –
To The Lighthouse – Virginia WoolfThe Discomfort of Evening – Marieke Lucas RijneveldDelicates – Brenna Thummler A Boy’s Own Story – Edmund White, Brian Alessandro, Michael Carroll and Igor Karash At the End of the Matinee – Keiichiro Hirano Roller Girl – Victoria JamiesonThe Lost Daughter of Happiness – Geling Yan 12 Reasons Why I Love Her – Jamie S Rich & Joelle Jones Return to the Enchanted Island – Johary Ravaloson Sam and Oscar – Ademar Vieira
February 4, 2023
‘Between Us’ Review – Miss This Bus
The 2022 Thai series ‘Between Us’ is supposed to be a spin-off series which focuses on the romance between college students Team and Win, a secondary couple in the re-incarnation drama ‘Until We Meet Again’. But in an annoying decision, the creators repeat the timeline, repeat a few incidents and yet treat the lead characters like completely different people. Boun Noppanut Guntachai and Prem Warut Chawalitrujiwong do have great chemistry as Win and Team, but they should’ve just given the duo a new series with a coherent script instead of this rambling mess called ‘Between Us’. The story unfolds in their University, the characters behave like school-kids, but have issues and problems that people usually face in their late 20s.
Directed by New Siwaj Sawatmaneekul, ‘Between Us’ is spread over 12 episodes and just as bland as one of his more recent series titled ‘Star In My Mind’. Okay let’s talk plot – Team (Prem) is a swim champ who has been having trouble in the water due to childhood trauma, however his senior Win (Boun) helps him deal with his problems and a romance brews between the two. Win has his own hang-ups that aren’t really explained, you are just supposed to lap up the fact that both these 19/20 year old boys have mental health issues because it makes their characters seem more layered. However, Team behaves and is also treated like a 15-year-child throughout the show. He is the kind that needs a ‘knight in shining armor’ and is boxed in the stereotypical ‘wife’ part like many Thai LGBTQ+ series do with gay couples.
The series is spread over 12 episodes, but I completely lost interest in the show in between because they were just dragging the story with some new secondary love-stories that were half-baked. It’s kind of a shame because the production quality is pretty great, the college campus scenes are cheery, some of the friendships are sweet, however the plot progression is uninteresting. I could write a bunch of more paragraphs on why this series didn’t work for me, but I don’t want to spend more time on this than necessary.
It’s a 4/10 from me. You can stream the series on YouTube.
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Listen to – 10 Graphic Novel recommendations under 10 Minutes
It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth – Book Review
The artwork or rather the artplay (like wordplay) in the graphic novel ‘It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth’ is fantastic. Zoe Thorogood keeps changing the art-styles in this meta memoir, where she records six turbulent months of her life grappling with depression, self-loathing, and the constant wish to die. Luckily for her, she was also working on a comic-book series called ‘Rain’ during the period, so the work kept her sane.
The introductory page will immediately remind Studio Ghibli fans of the odd but iconic ‘No Face’ from Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’. Zoe takes inspiration from the character to represent the monsters in her head, so she is almost always surrounded by a gloomy black spirit in the work. Then there are a few pages and panels that are reminiscent of horror manga master Junji Ito’s artwork, especially some scenes where the author is going through extreme emotions. She has worms crawl up her skin and the mood switches to a horror comic. However, ‘It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth’ never gets dreamy like Ghibli’s works, not immensely terrifying like Ito’s oeuvre; instead it’s an awkward derivative mash which surprisingly complements the content of the book.
Despite being a personal peak into the intimate life of the author, it feels a little generic – a long-about way of saying “life sucks, I am alone, no one loves me, I don’t even get along well with my parents, I want to die”. Unfortunately, Zoe Thorogood herself bitterly realizes and illustrates in her novel that a lot of people feel the same way. She hates it when people say her work seems “relatable”, it’s a word she hears most when she is at book signings or comic-book conventions. In some minor solace to the creator, I didn’t find the book very relatable. Some bits, sure, who doesn’t feel like they want to die after a shitty day? Or a week? Or a month? Or even a year. And very few have someone singing ‘I’ll be there for you’ at the end of it. (You know, like the Rembrandts’ song from Friends)
At the beginning I thought this was a rather small graphic novel for a memoir in terms of length, however it became tedious in the second half and lost some of its earnest charm. The creator was probably not too sure about how to round things off, so we get a rather abrupt end. Since it’s a personal memoir of trying to deal with a difficult period in the creator’s life, the memoir is both personal yet alien. To me it felt like I was reading someone else’s diary and perhaps it would’ve been a lot more interesting if I actually knew them. I really enjoyed the artwork, the narration… not so much.
It’s a 3/5 from me.
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Listen to – 10 Reviews Under 10 Minutes (Graphic Novel recommendations)
February 3, 2023
‘Vadh’ Review – Manohar Kahani Sans Spice
The Mishras are parents to an ungrateful son who forces them to take a ridiculous loan to fund his American dream. As the parents struggle to pay off loan-sharks, their son who hasn’t been to India in six years sends them a pitiful Rs 5000 while he has enough to buy himself a flat in the U.S. The couple’s life is further complicated when a goon starts to harass them, and the cops would rather read the latest edition of ‘Manohar Kahaniya’ (a very popular Hindi crime fiction magazine) than deal with an old couple’s problems.
Written and directed by duo Jaspal Sandhu, Rajeev Barnwal, the 2022 movie ‘Vadh’ is a character driven crime-drama, relying on the cast’s performances to carry the story forward. Sanjay Mishra does the heavy lifting as protagonist Shambhunath Mishra, a humble teacher who is hesitant to ask him son for help. Neena Gupta plays his simple religious wife Manju Mishra who dotes on her son, despite his assholery. Saurabh Sachdeva doesn’t get to be a swaggering villain but delivers a fantastic performance that makes him immediately repugnant as Prajapati Pandey, a scummy goon who bullies the hapless Mishras.
Vadh’s first half is slow, with lingering shots that could’ve been speedier. The proceedings were like a throwback to ‘Baghban’, which was also about a couple married for 40 years who find themselves almost penniless while retiring and are treated terribly by their adult kids who they doted upon. The Mishras however are far less privileged, with a rundown home that does look like it belongs to a middle-class couple. In a land where goons and cops collude to keep the oppressed in the pits, it’s hard for the simple man to lead a life without fatal falls. What starts off as a family drama about a neglected aging couple trying to make ends meet, soon becomes a moral tale of crime and punishment. But Mr Mishra has something to say about guilt that is quite unlike what Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov experienced in Dostoevsky’s famed classic.
Set in Gwalior, the cinematography is minimalist, there are plenty low-lit shots and warmer tones through the runtime. ‘Vadh’ is a dramatic, gritty, straightforward crime drama and isn’t a ‘whodunnit’ thriller, so there’s only slight mystery in the movie. However, in an interesting high point, this film has a stronger second-half, with the Mishras teaming up to be stronger in face of adversity. Sanjay Mishra’s Shambhunath emerges an unlikely middle-class aged hero, who may cower against the powerful, but is fearless when necessary.
It’s a 7/10 from me. Stream it on Netflix.
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Listen to ‘An Action Hero’ – Movie Review
February 2, 2023
‘Junji Ito Maniac’ Review – Bizarre and Brusque
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre’ is a horror anthology of about 20 short horror stories, ranging from creepily grotesque to weirdly funny.
Titled ‘The Strange Hizikuri Siblings’, the first one is the softest in terms of horror but sets an interesting pace for the rest of the collection. It is about a bunch of orphaned wealthy siblings living in a haunted property and the characters look like Junji Ito may have drawn inspiration from the Addams Family.
As a Junji Ito fan, I could see that the terror his manga invokes on physical pages is a little hard to capture with animation. But that still didn’t dilute the visual experience and some of the stories were entertainingly bizarre. Some of the stories were too abrupt and felt like they got over in a minute. Despite that, most of them have the kind of climax that will make viewers wonder out loud ‘what the fuck?’. My friend and I enjoyed most of the brusque endings, however many other viewers might feel underwhelmed by the shorter hasty tales.
Some of the stories that really stood out were ‘Hanging Balloon’ which is about a senseless epidemic of suicides sweeping through Japan after a young popular idol dies; ‘Tomb Town’ – two siblings find themselves on a road filled with tombstones; ‘Layers of Terror’ – an eerily violent tale of a woman losing half her face and ‘Whispering Woman’ that’s about a lady who takes up a uniquely challenging job of constantly instructing a neurotic child and the two end up forming a scarily symbiotic bond.
One wishes the makers had tweaked the stories to make them longer and more arresting. It’s a 7/10 from me. Stream the anthology on Netflix.
Subscribe to our Podcast show by the same name on YouTube.
Listen to – 10 Reviews Under 10 Minutes (Graphic Novel recommendations)
February 1, 2023
Return to the Enchanted Island – Book Review
By Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Dubbed ‘Mad Monarch of Madagascar’, Ranavalonoa I was the queen of the island country for over three decades and it’s said that the population halved from 5 million to 2.5 million during her oppressive rule due to a combination of disease, difficult working conditions and constant wars. Some believe she was a cruel tyrant; others think the strict reign was a way to protect her nation from Christianization and colonizers. I learnt of this from the internet after she is mentioned in passing as a crazy ruler in Johary Ravaloson’s novel ‘Return to the Enchanted Island’. I do appreciate a book that leads to learning.
Wrapped with historical references, rituals, beliefs, legacies, and legends, ‘Return to the Enchanted Island’ follows the story of Iesty Razak who’s named after the first Malagasy man but is nothing like his venerated ancestors. Translated to English by Allison M Charette, the novel however is an awkward combination of modern realities and mystical myths.
Readers get to meet Iesty Razak as a comfortably married man living in his palatial ancestral home, without financial worries or need of a job, however sleep eludes him. How he came to be a restless insomniac despite sleeping in the lap of luxury forms the crux of the story. Honestly, it was difficult to care about a rich brat who thinks he owns the world. In flashbacks, we meet Iesty as a popular schoolboy in a private institution, doing drugs, pulling pranks, and having fun. Due to an accident, his father sends him away from Madagascar and once again – life isn’t very different abroad for the rich boy, just with lesser privilege, since he isn’t a local prince of sorts in France.
Johary Ravaloson mixes Madagascar’s mythical stories without clear demarcations between Ietsy’s modern life of sex, booze, and parties so the novel also gets a little confusing in parts. Luckily, ‘Return to the Enchanted Island’ is almost novella sized and gets over quickly, offering an interesting slice of Madagascar.
It’s a 3/5 from me.
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Listen to ‘The Discomfort of Evening’ – Book Review
January 31, 2023
‘The Menu’ Review – Mad Meal With Damp Dessert
By Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
What if Anton Ego from Ratatouille wasn’t a cynical food critic but a psychotic chef with a remote restaurant on an isolated island? That sounds like a believable elevator pitch for 2022 movie ‘The Menu’ starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, and Ralph Fiennes.
Directed by Mark Mylod, the food-based thriller is written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy and follows a couple’s bizarre dining experience at Chef Slowik’s (Fiennes) exclusive restaurant where an elaborate theatrical dinner is served to 12 guests, who realize they have signed up for something far more sinister than pretentious dishes. Hoult plays the annoyingly obsessive food enthusiast Tyler, the sorts who takes photos of his plate even when it’s prohibited. Anya is his unassuming date Margot and probably the only sane/normal person on the island.
I’ve never seen any food shows and do not follow food blogs/critics/podcasts or anything to do with the culinary world. But as someone aware of Gordon Ramsay and Hell’s Kitchen, ‘The Menu’ seemed inspired by chefs and cooking shows, taking a delightfully dark dig at those who consider themselves arbiters of taste. It also tastefully mocks the moronic pomposity of the privileged class. The story unfolds like an absurd satirical spread, but the writers feel the need to elucidate the weird proceedings and end up with explanations that aren’t wholly satisfactory. It’s a rare instance of a story where maybe not giving answers to all the ‘whys?’ that pop up in one’s head would’ve been more fun.
Visually, ‘The Menu’ is surprisingly simple/modern and not as avant-garde as a script like this can get. Slowik’s restaurant is minimalist and considering the kind of elaborate experience his staff provides to its niche clientele, the price for dinner doesn’t sound too steep. Maybe these little contradictions are deliberate. One cannot be sure.
Ralph Fiennes is near perfect as a mad chef, Hoult exceedingly irritating like the part demands and Anya Taylor-Joy a tad bit underwhelming as someone who doesn’t stand bullshit. Those in the support cast that leave an impression on you are Hong Chau as the creepy hostess who leads guests through the diabolic night and Janet McTeer as Vivienne, a snooty foot critic who spins ridiculous yarns about what she eats and casually ruins careers.
At 1 hour 47 minutes, the movie moves swiftly, never lingering or wasting viewer’s time. However, the climax doesn’t live up to the expectations set up by the main course in ‘The Menu’, it’s like having a fantastic dinner made forgettable by a mediocre dessert in the end. Maybe the ending is wild enough for a lot of viewers, however I was expecting something more shocking. Regardless, it’s a gripping watch!
It’s a 7.5/10 from me. Stream it on Disney Hotstar.
Subscribe to our Podcast show by the same name on YouTube.
Listen to ‘An Action Hero’ – Movie Review
January 29, 2023
An Action Hero – Movie Review
What happens when an actor famous for action hero roles finds himself being chased by real life villains after a fatal accident? Listen to our quick spoiler-free audio review of ‘An Action Hero’ starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat. The movie is available to stream on Netflix.
‘Cherry Magic The Movie’ Review
‘Cherry Magic The Movie’ turned out to be a lot more serious and dramatic in tone than expected. While it’s not as fun or hilarious as the series, the movie does have some adorable romantic moments between the leads that are endearing.
Also Read: Cherry Magic Series Review – Cute and Fuzzy
Eiji Akaso and Keita Machida reprise their roles as Adachi and Kurosowa respectively. The movie picks up the plot from where the series ended, so Adachi and Kurosawa are comfortably carrying on their sweet office romance. However, their relationship gets complicated when Adachi is offered a lucrative position in a different city and the couple is faced with the challenges of long-distance dating.
Directed by Hiroki Kazama, the movie is a lot blander, with none of the laugh-out-loud moments that made the series so popular and endearing. Even though the leads have declared their love for each other, they are painfully shy and keep a lot of their feelings bottled up, instead of talking things out. Eiji Akaso and Keita Machida deliver earnest performances, but the script doesn’t do justice to their chemistry and puts them through unnecessary trials and then gives them a rather hasty conclusion.
Despite its flaws, ‘Cherry Magic The Movie’ is a feel-good flick and hinges on the performances of its lead pair. Luckily for the makers, they have reliable stars headlining the film.
It’s a 7/10 from me.
Subscribe to our Podcast show by the same name on YouTube.
Listen to – Twelve 2022 Holiday Releases To Stream (and Some to Skip!)
January 28, 2023
The Lost Daughter of Happiness – Book Review
‘The Lost Daughter of Happiness’ by Geling Yan is largely narrated by a writer who tells the readers the tale of an infamous Chinese prostitute. Fusang is tricked and trafficked into San Fransisco’s flesh trade and many men die squabbling over her but the beautiful, strange woman has eyes only for one white boy much younger than her.
While Geling Yan’s decision to use a literary device wherein the narrator directly addresses the protagonist was interesting, it doesn’t really hit a chord. The narrator lives in the present (perhaps in the 21st century), whereas Fusang was about 20 when she first set foot on American soil in the 1860s. So it often feels like the narrator is talking to a corpse who has no idea someone is talking about them. Had there been a better link between the two, maybe the narration would’ve worked well.
There are two main characters in this novel, each of them is described like legendary figures from some folk tale, which means they are slightly one-dimensional. Fusang is elevated to a pedestal, like an angel who fell on Earth to be defiled, raped by lusty men. She never screams, complains, or utters a word unless necessary, silently suffering and taking each man who comes to her with a smile. It’s hard to read her mind, she is an enigma to the reader, but oftentimes it’s implied there is nothing to read, she is blank slate who doesn’t ponder upon anything and has wholeheartedly accepted her fate as a prostitute pushed around by scheming pimps. You are conflicted as a reader on whether to admire her stoic resilience to survive or pity her for relinquishing her free-will.
Then there is Chris, her white-boy, who is only 12 when he finds himself enamoured by 20-year-old Fusang while walking around Chinatown. It’s the 1860s, so it wasn’t uncommon for curious adolescent boys to try cheap Chinese whores whose services would cost as much as candy. The story spans decades, following how Chris and Fusang’s lives are intertwined with each other, like star-crossed lovers who can never have a happy ending. Or can they?
Geling Yan paints a vivid picture of the racial tensions and poisonous hatred the Whites harboured against Chinese immigrants. And Fusang symbolized one of the worst Chinese exports – cheap prostitutes luring young white boys. But as a book that promises to be an epic tale of forbidden romance, ‘The Lost Daughters of Happiness’ doesn’t provide a satisfactory love story. Fusang, Chris are obsessed with each other in very different ways and that obsession turns into a twisted tragic joke towards the end, a twist which should’ve been like a stab in the gut, but felt hollow.
It’s a 3/5 from me.
Subscribe to our Podcast show by the same name on YouTube.
Listen to ‘The Discomfort of Evening’ – Book Review
