Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 19

July 12, 2025

‘Good Boy’ Episode 13 Review: Dong-ju’s Down, Han-na & Jong-hyeon Go Rogue

With Good Boy‘s Dong-ju (Park Bo-Gum) out of commission in episode 13, it’s time for Han-na (Kim So-hyun) to shine and live up to her reputation as the Olympic-famed “shooting fairy.” Both Han-na and Jong-hyeon (Lee Sang-yi) get their action-hero moments, proving to be just as badass as their boxer protagonist. Honestly, though, actor Oh Jung-se, who plays the primary antagonist in this K-drama, deserves his own anti-hero horror series. He gives you chills with those evil, no-remorse grins. A total standout performance.

Recap of ‘Good Boy’ Episode 12

Dong-ju and team barely have time to celebrate their victory against criminal mastermind Min Joo-Yeong (Oh Jung-se) before the villain strikes back with brutal force. Furious over the disbanded special team’s seizure of his hidden stash, truckloads of illegal cash, Joo-Yeong unleashes his wrath, sending henchmen to kidnap Dong-ju so he can personally kill the boxer-cop.

Joo-Yeong injects a lethal dose of drugs into Dong-ju’s veins, a move that would’ve killed him, if not for Drug Demon, who sneakily intervenes and saves his life. Battered, bloodied, and still under the influence, Dong-ju makes a desperate escape, only to be chased through the streets by armed goons. In a vicious twist, he’s framed on national news as a drugged-up, violent cop attacking civilians in broad daylight.

Now both hunted and helpless, the ‘Good Boy’ is forced into survival mode. With a police arrest warrant out against him and a massive bounty on his head, every thug in the city is now after Dong-ju’s blood. The episode ends with Jong-hyeon reaching out to his influential brother to secure a safe house and discreet medical help. Meanwhile, Han-na packs her bags and sets off alone, to take down the true Bad Boy, Joo-Yeong.

‘Good Boy’ Episode 13

Titled ‘Load, Start… Don’t Stop‘, the episode is all about revenge and getting justice served. It opens with Han-na grabbing her guns and heading to Joo-Yeong’s hideout with murder in her eyes. When Jong-hyeon and Man-sik (Heo Sung-tae) realize what she might be up to, they rush to help her, and as always, receive no backup from the police.

First off, this episode proves that ‘Good Boy‘ is powered by Park Bo-gum’s charm, without him in action (since his character is bedridden), the energy just isn’t the same. That said, Kim So-hyun and Jong-hyeon carry their solo combat scenes against hordes of thugs with both style and substance. Clearly, Dong-ju isn’t the only wolverine style hero in the squad. Personally, though, I feel Lee Ho-jung, who plays ‘Drug Monster,’ has brought more sass to her supporting role and might have pulled off the part of Han-na even better. Who knows!

While the pace feels a little challenging in the first half of the episode, the second-half is more entertaining, filled with back-to-back violent face-offs. A major twist towards the climactic minutes helps Han-na finally land some concrete proof against Min Joo-Yeong, dealing him a severe blow. Meanwhile, all the powerful men in the city gather to cover up their crimes, but not every successfully.

All this while in ‘Good Boy‘, it was the special team of athlete-turned-cops who seemed increasingly isolated in their fight against crime in Insung City. But now, Joo-yeong is starting to lose allies and advantages. Also, I can’t stop with the Wolverine jokes, because toward the end, Dong-ju, who practically dies in the last episode, wakes up and chooses violence. As always. L-O-L. I’m telling you, this series is going to be extremely disappointing if they kill him off in the end, especially with the overall tone leaning more toward action-comedy.

With three episodes to go, things are heating up in Good Boy, but honestly, the creators could have wrapped it up in just one more. It’ll be interesting, or maybe even a bit challenging, to see how they stretch the story across three more chapters.

Watch ‘Good Boy‘ on Prime Video.

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Published on July 12, 2025 10:46

Pune Highway Review: Weirdly Comical, Serves 90s Style Thrills

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

When we were kids, we loved buying cheap ice-lollies from pushcarts, despite the persistent rumors that they were made from the same ice used to preserve dead bodies. A few Bollywood films even helped fuel that bizarre theory. Now, ‘Pune Highway’ adds a new entry to the morgue-ice-cream conspiracy club, featuring a scene where a cop stores a body at an ice factory because he has no better option. Sorry if you hadn’t heard this urban myth before, because now, you might never look at roadside ice shavings the same way again.

Directed by Rahul da Cunha and Bhargava Krishna, ‘Pune Highway’ follows four friends, who become suspects in a young woman’s murder, after her body is found in a decomposed state in Pune. Long review short, this is a decent thriller with a heavy 1980s/1990s drama mood and will entertain viewers who enjoy shows like ‘Crime Patrol‘ a great option for true-crime fans in India, where just one episode (sometimes two) gives you an entire story.

‘Pune Highway’ begins with a horror-style scene of an eerie-looking corpse washing up on the shore of a river. It’s an unidentified woman, with the only clue to ascertain her identity lying in a golden bangle on her wrist. Honest Inspector Prabhakar Pethe (Sudeep Modak) takes a personal interest in the case, intent on solving what is clearly a murder.

Meanwhile, viewers are introduced to a group of friends: siblings Pramod Khandewal (Amit Sadh), aka Khandu, Natasha Khandewal (Manjari Fadnnis), aka Nats, Nicky (Anuvab Pal), and Vishnu (Jim Sarbh). A fifth friend, Saple, is bedridden after a violent attack by goons belonging to a powerful Maharashtrian strongman called Mansekar (Shishir Sharma). Flashbacks reveal that Khandu helps hush up the case because he works for Mansekar, a man not to be messed with. Vishnu is an accomplished lawyer, Nicky an aspiring filmmaker, while we have no idea what Natasha does. It turns out the victim, identified as Mona (Ketaki Narayan), is connected to these friends, making some of them primary suspects in the case.

With multiple suspects, “who killed Mona?” is the primary suspense, and to the creators’ credit, they keep throwing red herrings to mislead the viewers, sustaining intrigue until the climactic moments of ‘Pune Highway’. Although, the way the case unfolds is comically unprofessional, with characters treating the police station like a guest house. The primary cast deliver convincing performances, but those given small bit parts are awfully bad, making their scenes unwittingly hilarious.

‘Pune Highway’ feels part thriller and part parody, but the primary cast and little twists, some of which are outright nonsensical, like a bit where a character who is arrested and could potentially face serious jail time refuses to give an alibi despite having one, over something ridiculously emotional, keep it engaging. The childhood flashbacks were quite unnecessary and the plot progression often feels jarring.

Anyway, like I said, if you’re a ‘Crime Patrol‘ fan, this film is a pretty entertaining one-time watch, even though it is absurdly over-the-top and melodramatic in parts. If I had to rate it, I’d say maybe 6 out of 10.

Watch ‘Pune Highway’ on Prime Video.

Read Next: Aap Jaisa Koi Review: Starts ‘Kadak’, Then Loses Flavor (Audio Version Below)

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Published on July 12, 2025 09:00

Quick Guide to the Omegaverse: What It Is & Why People Are Obsessed

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So… what exactly is the Omegaverse?

If you’ve ever read fanfiction or scrolled through spicy webtoons, chances are you’ve stumbled across the term “Omegaverse” and thought, uh, what is going on here? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

The Omegaverse (also called A/B/O – short for Alpha/Beta/Omega) is a fictional universe with a unique set of social dynamics, often focused on relationships, power roles, and primal instincts. It originally started in fanfiction (especially in Supernatural and Teen Wolf fandoms), but now you’ll find it everywhere, from original webtoons to full-length novels and mangas.

So, How Does the Omegaverse Work?

At the heart of it, the Omegaverse reimagines the world with three main secondary genders:

Alphas – Usually dominant, strong, and possessive types.Betas – The “normies.” Not too dominant, not too submissive. Just vibes.Omegas – Typically softer, more submissive, and able to go into “heat.”

These roles apply to all genders: you can have male Omegas, female Alphas, or vice versa. What makes it interesting (or wild, depending on your vibe) is that biological instincts come into play. Think heat cycles, bonding, scenting, knotting (yup), and sometimes mpreg (male pregnancy).

Why Do People Like It

It’s not just about the spice. Omegaverse stories often explore themes like:

Power dynamics and social hierarchiesFound family and loyaltyStruggles with identity and destinyConsent, freedom, and breaking societal rules

That said, yes, it can be very NSFW, depending on what you’re reading. But many stories also use the trope to dig deep into emotional storytelling, trauma, and character growth.

‘India After Gandhi’ Review: 4 History Books In One!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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‘India After Gandhi’ by Ramachandra Guha is like at least four non-fiction history books smashed into one! A great, easy-to-read (although just a teeny bit repetitive in parts) look at India’s political landscape between the 1940s and early 2000s. And to those who claim Ramachandra Guha sounds partisan and like a Nehru fanboy… well, maybe he does, but he also makes Indira Gandhi sound as the most corrupt, despotic Prime Minister we’ve (India) ever had. The ‘Iron Lady’ who turned Congress into a nepotistic, family-run business filled with sycophants. A tainted legacy that endures even today.

‘India After Gandhi’ was recommended to us by our journalism professors as part of an “additional reading list.” Wish I had read this book back then, but I rarely read non-fiction titles as a student. That said, it’s easy to see why professors would suggest journalism students read Ramachandra Guha. He has made almost seventy years of Indian history accessible in one book, meticulously crediting hundreds of historians, newspapers, authors, famous figures, and journalists in endless references. The “Notes” section alone in the book is book-sized, nearly 100 pages long.

Jawaharlal Nehru with Sardar Patel (Wikimedia Commons)

From the historic first term of Jawaharlal Nehru as independent India’s first Prime Minister to the formation of the first non-Congress governments, ‘India After Gandhi’ traces how electoral democracy took root in a country as vast and diverse as India. It explores the gradual weakening of the Grand Old Party and how Morarji Desai rose to become the nation’s first non-Congress Prime Minister. The book is a burst of political intrigue. For those who have closely followed India’s politics, culture, and religious tensions, it might not offer many new revelations. But for younger readers, this mammoth work is a treasure trove of insight into modern India.

Despite what the title might suggest, ‘India After Gandhi’ doesn’t begin strictly after Gandhi’s death in January 1948. Instead, the first chapter, titled ‘Freedom and Parricide‘, opens with the events of August 15, 1947, when India gained independence from British rule. The author then delves into the horrific communal riots between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs that followed the partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan, dedicating an entire chapter to ‘The Logic of Division‘. Naturally, the Kashmir dispute, long a point of tension between India and Pakistan, receives significant attention, as the book explores how it has shaped India’s geopolitical landscape.

For me, the most impactful sections of ‘India After Gandhi’ are the chapters that highlight how Indian leaders worked tirelessly to unify the many small states and princely kingdoms into a single nation. They defied the expectations of foreign observers and critics who believed India would eventually fragment into multiple independent nations, much like parts of Europe. Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel emerge as the two towering political figures who made this possible in the early years.

Given India’s current political climate, it’s understandably difficult for many to view the Congress party in a favorable light. But a closer look at history reveals that being independent India’s first Prime Minister was hardly a role to envy. As I mentioned at the start of this review, critics of ‘India After Gandhi’ often accuse Ramachandra Guha of being a Nehru loyalist. However, considering Jawaharlal Nehru held office for an unprecedented 16 years and 286 days, the longest tenure of any Indian Prime Minister, it’s only natural that he occupies significant space in the book. That record may eventually be broken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, if he runs again in the 2029 general elections, could surpass both Nehru and Indira Gandhi as the longest-serving PM.

Which brings me to Indira Gandhi, the next major political figure who features prominently in ‘India After Gandhi’, largely due to her long tenure as Prime Minister, which included the pivotal creation of Bangladesh. Guha strikes an interesting balance in his portrayal of Indira, acknowledging her bold, decisive political moves while also highlighting the corruption and nepotism that tainted her leadership. There’s a clear contrast between Nehru’s statesmanlike approach and his daughter’s increasingly autocratic style, especially during the infamous Emergency period, imposed when her political position was under threat.

Just as Indira Gandhi is credited for India’s role in the creation of Bangladesh, the Kargil War victory under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership is also acknowledged with pride. ‘India After Gandhi’ makes an important observation about how the Indian Army has consistently remained apolitical, unlike its counterpart in neighboring Pakistan.

If there is one non-Prime Ministerial leader whose legacy stands out in ‘India After Gandhi’, it is that of B. R. Ambedkar, India’s First Minister for Law and Justice, a highly revered social reformer who championed the cause of those oppressed by the caste system. In several chapters, the author writes about the political movements inspired by Ambedkar, and how his political legacy endures decades after his death.

From the unrest in Kashmir and strained relations with China to secessionist movements across states, linguistic divides, communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, and the unexpected rise of communist parties in Kerala and West Bengal, ‘India After Gandhi’ offers a chronological account of the many complex challenges that have tested Indian governments over the decades. That India has endured and survived what many believed would tear it apart stands as a testament to the resilience and spirit of its people.

If you don’t read a lot of non-fiction either, but are curious about Indian history and how its politics shaped the country, this is a brilliant place to start. Perhaps in the future, I will revisit ‘India After Gandhi’ again, something I almost never do (read a book twice).

Rating: 5 on 5 stars.

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Published on July 12, 2025 05:08

July 11, 2025

Aap Jaisa Koi Review: Starts ‘Kadak’, Loses Flavor in 2nd Half

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

What is it with some storytellers using the conflicts of a supporting character to propel their leads? Not that it’s a problem, but at least give that side character enough space in the story to make it feel legit. Like in thrillers, where the author casually mentions a harmless first cousin in two pages, and then suddenly reveals them as the killer in the end? ‘Aap Jaisa Koi‘ does something like that towards its climax, derailing the overall mood. Although to be honest, it started testing my patience after the first hour, despite a pretty fun, cute first half. So it starts ‘kadak’ (strong) but loses flavor fast.

Directed by Vivek Soni, ‘Aap Jaisa Koi‘ follows Madhavan as Shrirenu Tripathi, a 42-year-old shy, conservative Sanskrit teacher in Jamshedpur, raised under the shadow of a chauvinist elder brother (Manish Chaudhari). Fatima Sana Shaikh plays Madhu Bose, a 30-something bold French teacher living in a feminist joint family in Kolkata. How an unlikely romance brews between these two contrasting personalities is the crux of the tale.

‘Aap Jaisa Koi‘ kicks off with a 1990s flashback to a party, with the hit song ‘Koi Mil Gaya‘ (Karan Johar is a producer) playing in the background. A school-going Shrirenu approaches his crush and is hilariously rejected. Cut to 2024, Shrirenu is in his early 40s with zero romantic experience and fading future prospects. All that changes when his sister-in-law (Ayesha Raza Mishra) brings along an arranged marriage proposal. With the charming Madhu Bose.

With an almost 2-hour runtime, Fatima Sana Shaikh’s Madhu doesn’t even make her dreamy entry until after the first 20 minutes of “Aap Jaisa Koi”. When she does, she gets a very Bollywood-style intro, mildly reminiscent of Sushmita Sen’s gorgeous saree-clad professor role in “Main Hoon Na“. Until then, the film comically focuses on Madhavan’s struggles as a single man.

Shrirenu’s close friend (Namit Das) convinces him to join an app for anonymous audio sex chats, where you’re never matched with the same person twice. With no hope for real-world romance, Shrirenu is content with his digital flirtations. This bit is portrayed entertainingly, including an entire song dedicated to Shrirenu’s secret chat sessions, where he imagines himself surrounded by beautiful women while doing daily chores. When he finally meets Madhu Bose for coffee, that’s when love walks into his life for the first time.

Shrirenu and Madhu don’t click immediately, and the Sanskrit teacher begins to wonder if someone is playing an elaborate prank on him. Why, after all, would a much younger, very attractive woman want anything to do with a ‘boring’ guy like him? At least that’s what he and his friend think, so they hilariously travel to Kolkata to do a background check on Madhu. The ‘rishta‘ seems legit, the family is quite nice, and things start to move quickly between the teacher couple. However, once Shrirenu discovers a ‘wilder’ or not-so-sanskari side of Madhu, trouble brews between them, after their engagement!

If it weren’t for the smartphones and the app subplot, “Aap Jaisa Koi” could have easily unfolded in the 1990s or early 2000s, and viewers wouldn’t know the difference. But the film is set in 2024 and takes viewers through the streets of Jamshedpur and Kolkata. The latter, of course, wears its colonial hangover so strongly that walking through some of its streets even today feel like stepping through a time portal. The Kolkata setting gives the film a cinematic nostalgia, further deepened by both Madhu and Shrirenu’s love for old Bollywood songs.

Okay, look, this is supposed to be a romantic comedy, and I don’t want to drone on and on about it. At its heart, “Aap Jaisa Koi” tries to be a feminist romance about ‘equal love’, with Madhu challenging Shrirenu’s patriarchal double standards about what makes a ‘good woman’. Although in the end, Madhu learns his lesson through a close relative’s ordeal, the very side character who should have gotten more screen time.

Both families have interesting members, though curiously, Fatima Sana Shaikh doesn’t quite fit into the ‘Bengali’ household and isn’t fully convincing as a sassy Bong lass. Even her grandmother, who is supposed to be in her 90s, doesn’t look the part, though all the uncles and aunties do. Still, Madhu’s big Bengali family is a joy to watch, full of vibrant, talented women. It’s just a shame those moments are so fleeting. Madhu herself is an accomplished pianist, and there’s a great scene where she and Shrirenu share a jugalbandi: she on the piano, he on the sitar. It might just be the only point in “Aap Jaisa Koi” where their romance genuinely clicks.

Despite starting off as a potentially refreshing romantic comedy, the humor vanishes in the second half of “Aap Jaisa Koi”, which also throws in the very cliched ‘love rival’ twist in the mix. The music and songs are a strong element early on, but in the climax, the background score becomes over-the-top and needlessly dramatic, trying to force the mood onto viewers. The onscreen chemistry between Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh is cutesy but not memorable. In the end, the film turns into yet another formulaic flick. Maybe it should’ve been a mini-series, where the characters got the space they needed to grow, to leave a stronger impression by the end.

Rating: 6 on 10. Watch ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ on Netflix.

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Published on July 11, 2025 09:48

July 10, 2025

Dan Da Dan Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Jiji Goes Full Muscle Mode

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Woah! ‘Dan Da Dan‘ is back in form with the second episode of season 2, returning to its wild, weird violence and crazy new Yokai. The biggest surprise is Jin, a.k.a. ‘Jiji,’ who levels up from being the goofy, good-looking side character to a muscly, freakishly strong dude whose life completely changes in ways Momo and Okarun cannot fathom.

Quick recap of Dan Da Dan Season 2 Episode 1

Momo fights off creepy old men at the hot-springs with the help of turbo granny and then visits a local tourist spot where she learns about a local legend describing human sacrifices to a Tsuchinoko, a snake-like creature, to ensure a nearby volcano doesn’t explode. When Momo heads back to Jin’s house, she finds Jin and Okarun cornered by the Kito family (Jin’s landlords), which include the eerie men who had attacked her before.

The family reveals that the house is an altar to the legendary Tsuchinoko and that they intend to sacrifice Jin, Momo, and Okarun to it in order to protect the town. The episode of ‘Dan Da Dan‘ ends with the young trio fighting for their lives against the Tsuchinoko, which turns out to be a Mongolian Death Worm, terrifying and deadly.

Dan Da Dan Season 2 Episode 2

Titled “The Evil Eye,” episode 2 of the new season kicks off with Okarun, in his Turbo-Granny power form, attacking Jiji. However, it turns out he is actually trying to harm himself. The Mongolian Death Worm releases an energy that drives people to suicidal behavior. The main focus of this episode is thus Jiji trying to stop Momo and Okarun from hurting themselves. It’s strange how he isn’t affected, and in a twist, the episode introduces a new Yokai with a tragic past who quickly earns Jiji’s sympathy.

“You idiot, do not trust it!” Turbo Granny hilariously keeps warning Jiji about the new Yokai, but not very successfully. Flashbacks reveal the origin of this Yokai, whose past is tied to the creepy Kito family. You know, the ones performing human sacrifices to protect their town from a volcano, yes, the same folks who try to murder Momo, Okarun, and Jiji too.

Anyway, this is a fast-paced, tragicomic and entertaining episode. The first half is seriously tense, while the second half throws in some comical bits. Turbo Granny delivers most of the laughs in her cute, comical cat form, mostly by screaming at the kids for being stupid. Some of the humor also stems from shirtless Jiji, leaning into Dan Da Dan‘s recurring trope of characters going semi-naked whenever they’re in grave danger.

The animation style shifts noticeably throughout the episode, and given its dark themes of suicide and sacrifice, the color palette leans heavily into gloomy, dark tones. In contrast, the background music remains upbeat and energetic, especially during the action scenes, adding a great sense of urgency when the kids are fighting for their lives.

Can Momo and team really defeat the massive Mongolian Death Worm and the new, possibly evil Yokai? The episode ends on a pretty solid cliffhanger.

Stream Dan Da Dan on Netflix and CrunchyRoll.

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Published on July 10, 2025 13:36

Leviathan Review: Two Teens & a Flying Beast Try to Stop World War in Epic Fantasy

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Weaponized bats, bomb-dropping pigeons, flying beasts, and Transformer-like war machines! ‘Leviathan’ (2025) is a gripping sci-fi reimagining of World War I, where the Central Powers, known as ‘Clankers’ wield advanced machinery, while the Allied forces led by Britain, called ‘Darwinists’ in the series, deploy genetically modified animals as weapons.

Directed by Christophe Ferreira, ‘Leviathan’ is based on the novel by Scott Westerfeld, illustrated by Keith Thompson, which follows two teens from opposing sides of war teaming up aboard a flying whale-ship. Just like the original work, the anime adaptation richly blends history, fantasy, and teen heroics.

Spanning 12 episodes, the series begins in an alternate history where Prince Aleksandar of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is forced into hiding by loyal soldiers after his parents, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie of Hohenberg, are assassinated by a Serbian, setting the stage for a world war.

A parallel subplot follows Deryn, a young girl who dreams of becoming a pilot. Disguised as a boy named Dylan Sharp, she joins the British army and finds herself aboard the titular Leviathan, a massive and powerful airship that is the pride of the Darwinists. Onboard the vessel, she learns that their mission is to accompany Dr. Barlow, a renowned scientist, on an urgent journey to deliver a secret package to the Ottoman empire.

Prince Alek is on the run with Count Volger, a gruff Austrian officer, and Klopp, one of the world’s top mechanics. While hiding in neutral Switzerland, they witness the Leviathan crash into the mountains. Despite it being an enemy vessel, Alek defies orders to help potential survivors, leading to his first encounter with the fiery Dylan Sharp. From that point on, their destinies become intertwined. Alek, of course, doesn’t reveal his true identity, but during his time aboard the Leviathan and through interactions with members of the ‘enemy’ nation, he becomes increasingly convinced that the world needs peace, not war.

The animation by Studio Orange is fantastic, though it might feel a bit old-school to some viewers, it suits the historical-fantasy setting perfectly. The retro yet dreamy world of ‘Leviathan‘ is a visual treat, with the story taking viewers across the landscapes of Europe, Ottoman empire, and even America. The background score carries a nostalgic thrum, although a few vocal tracks come off as emotionally familiar and slightly stale. But music is a core them in the story, with Prince Alek finding solace in playing an instrument when he is consumed by anxiety, helplessness, or simply loneliness. Dylan too takes to singing at the end of her day, bringing her joy after a day full of hard-work and playing soldier.

The first few episodes swiftly establish the personalities of principal protagonists Alek and Dylan. While Alek is a young, sheltered royal, with an overtly idealistic view of the world, and a soft heart, Dylan on the other hand is more practical, brash, and has a clear-cut military attitude in her behavior, even though she is a fresh recruit. In some way, Alek and Dylan are quite similar, which is what make their characters click as ‘friends’. Since Dylan is after-all a girl, she sometimes gets awkward around Alek, but the Prince never really registers anything amiss for a long time.

In fact, I enjoyed the fact that ‘Leviathan‘ doesn’t reduce Dylan to a comic cross-dressing trope. She’s portrayed as just another soldier, often better than most. She is quick on her feet, unafraid, and always ready to volunteer for dangerous mission. Alek provides pacifist point-of-view in the anime, and even though he sometimes comes off as naively annoying, he makes a strong protagonist in the tale.

The first six episode of ‘Leviathan’ are well-paced, packed with adventure, violence, politics, and intrigue. It’s midway through the series that we’re taken to an alternate Ottoman Empire, which is famed for both its coffee, and elephant-shaped machines! Alek and Knopp find themselves in Istanbul, soon amidst rebels, planning a revolution against the oppressive regime, so we get French revolution style mutiny. At this juncture, a few new curious characters are introduced and there’s a mild romantic triangle between Alek, Dylan and a new rebel girl they meet.

I feel the last few episodes weren’t as exciting, even though the plot of ‘Leviathan’ only gets wilder, bringing in some really famous historical figures into action. The climactic episodes are set in New York, where Alek and Dylan team up for meet a world famous scientist, in possession of ground-breaking technology that could either plunge the world into violent chaos or bring lasting peace. In the end, it’s up to the two of them to see the war doesn’t worsen.

That the Darwinists would leave the fate of the world in the hands of two plucky teenagers is absolutely absurd, but since this is an action-fantasy tale, several subplots are understandably far-fetched. The last two episodes do feel a bit harebrained, but overall, Leviathan is a thoroughly entertaining watch.

Rating: 8 on 10. Watch ‘Leviathan’ on Netflix.

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Published on July 10, 2025 11:20

Tether Movie Review: A Quiet Storm of Grief and Guilt

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It’s been three years since Leonard lost his daughter in a school shooting. Still inconsolable, he finally begins therapy, hoping to reconnect with his estranged wife and start anew. But when he runs into Gerald, a former school resource officer who was present during the tragedy, Leonard becomes consumed by rage, blaming him for failing to protect the children. What begins as a chance encounter spirals into a dark tangle of obsession, fear, guilt, and unresolved grief between the two men in 2025 film ‘Tether’.

Directed by Hariharasudhen Nagarajan and written by Anghus Houvouras, ‘Tether’ is a slow-burn psychological drama about trauma, emotional repression, and the human need for closure. Nick Giedris plays primary protagonist Leonard, the grieving father, whose anguish and anger is directed at Gerard (Ben Burton), the man who couldn’t contain the school shooting.

The first act of ‘Tether’ efficiently sets up the fractured dynamic between Leonard and his wife Amanda (Joanna Cretella), with their conversations teetering between frustration and detachment. Leonard’s reluctance to move forward has left Amanda emotionally drained, and her threat to walk away is what finally pushes him toward therapy. There, a composed yet empathetic mental health professional (Laura Faye Smith) helps him peel back layers of guilt and trauma. In a coincidental twist, Gerard, still haunted by the day he failed to act, also begins sessions with the same therapist.

The first half of ‘Tether’ employs minimal background music, relying instead on white noise and quiet tension. This minimalism enhances its bleak tone, though viewers expecting a more conventional psychological drama might find the silence slightly unsettling. The cinematography leans on long, lingering shots that center the actors’ expressions, underscoring the emotional gravity of their grief. Interspersed throughout are old home video clips of Leonard’s daughter, tender, sunlit memories that break the oppressive mood and remind us of what was lost. These moments are among the film’s most affecting.

What ‘Tether‘ does compellingly is offer two deeply human responses to tragedy. Leonard channels his sorrow into blame and obsession, while Gerard internalizes his failure, spiraling into shame and self-loathing. Ben Burton brings a convincing weariness to Gerard, a man teetering on the edge, whereas Nick Giedris’s performance as Leonard occasionally falters. A climactic emotional outburst meant to mark a turning point for Leonard feels oddly muted, almost as if the actor is holding back. For a brief moment, it even plays like a surreal, darkly comic misfire, making one think that maybe Leonard is only imagining things.

One of the film’s most quietly powerful elements is its depiction of therapy sessions. The dynamic between the characters and their therapist is often charged, even unsettling. Laura Faye Smith’s character endures everything from emotional dumping to thinly veiled hostility, and while some of her lines veer into self-help territory, her performance stays grounded and believable. In one memorable scene, after a particularly difficult session, she steps outside to light a cigarette, just a beat of release that humanizes her and subtly reminds us that even caregivers carry emotional burdens. It’s a small but thoughtful touch.

At under 90 minutes, ‘Tether‘ is a restrained, somber meditation on grief, guilt, and the lingering trauma of gun violence. While its performances are a bit uneven, and its pacing deliberately slow, it offers a charged look at two men forever changed by a single, tragic day.

Rating: 3 stars on 5.

Also Read: Sirens Netflix Series Review (Short Audio Version below)

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Published on July 10, 2025 03:01

July 9, 2025

Rachel Rising Volume 3 Review: Gorgeous Art, Mild Horror

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Titled ‘Cemetery Songs‘, Volume 3 of ‘Rachel Rising‘ by Terry Moore starts off with a stark panel of Rachel taking a shower at her place, after rising from death for the nth time. I’ve lost count at this point, that’s just the deal with this eerie, darkly comedic comic series: Rachel keeps dying and keeps rising, while trying to solve her own murder mystery, because she still cannot remember how she died the first time. Although, in Volume 2 she learns (and so do we) that a witch called Lilith is behind most things, and she plans to destroy the entire town over a centuries-old grudge.

Honestly, at this point, I am mainly sticking around for the gritty, detailed artwork, because the story is almost a rehashed version of what happened earlier: Rachel getting back from the dead, Earl trying to see if Jet really is dead; little serial killer Zoey being manipulated by those more evil, while Lilith goes around town performing weird rituals. And now that there are so many women in the tale, it’s becoming a little difficult to tell some of the characters apart! It’s the constant snow and eerie settings that make it worth a read.

Volume 3 collects issues #13 to #18 of ‘Rachel Rising‘ and the only really new angle in the story is the fact that Lilith and her posse of evil witches contaminate the town’s water supply. Not just that, they also find a scapegoat to take the fall for their actions. The primary arc of course follows Rachel as she, with the help of her friends, tries to figure out what’s happening and how to stop Lilith. Meanwhile, a mildly intriguing sub-plot show how the demon Malus is now in a priest’s body, trying to use Zoey as his puppet.

I feel like if I had read ‘Rachel Rising‘ during its year of publication (2013), I might’ve been a lot more impressed by this supernatural tale of witches trying to snuff out humanity, while beautiful young dead women keep waking up from their deaths. But I’ve read so much wacky stuff over the past few years that the story doesn’t hold much excitement anymore. For instance, I loved Junji Ito’s ‘Tomie‘ (2011), which is about a gorgeous femme fatale who drives men insane. Her lovers always end up killing her, but she keeps coming back to life, even when she’s been brutally hacked to bits, only to repeat the cycle of seduction and death.

‘Rachel Rising’ also feels pretty tame in its horror elements, despite some brutal deaths and creepy twists. Hopefully the next volume will pack more punch. Also, the fact remains: Terry Moore’s artwork in this comic series is fantastic.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. ‘Rachel Rising‘ is also on Kindle Unlimited.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

Also Read: KPop Demon Hunters Review: Light Sticks Meet Dark Arts (Audio Version Below)

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Published on July 09, 2025 13:34

July 8, 2025

He Went That Way Review: Fictionalized True Crime Stranger Than Fiction

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“This really (mostly) Happened” – says a disclaimer at the beginning of the film ‘He Went That Way.

Created by Jeffrey Darling (director) and Evan M. Wiener (writer), the movie is set in 1964, and follows an edgy, tense road-trip which goes wrong when Jim (Zachary Quinto), an entertainer traveling with his celebrity chimp Spanky (Phoenix Notary), offers a ride to a handsome young man called Bobby (Jacob Elordi), an unhinged criminal with a bad temper.

‘He Went That Way’ is of course a heavily fictionalized account that is based on the real life experience of Dave Pitts, who out of kindness had picked up a hitch-hiker, while traveling with his star chimpanzee, famous at the time for being the ‘only ice-skating chimpanzee in the world’, only to find out the young man was a murderer.

The film captures this bizarre road trip with a serial killer, a showbiz guy, and his celebrity monkey in a way that is largely discomforting for the viewer. Jacob Elordi brings an erratic, murderous energy to Bobby, giving the character an eccentric edge. You never quite know when Bobby will blow a fuse and kill someone, so full points to Elordi for embodying a young, restless, temperamental killer in ‘He Went That Way‘.

It was Zachary Quinto as Jim who felt unreliable and unconvincing through the film, his ‘good guy caught in a bad situation’ act rarely feeling right. In-fact, at the beginning of ‘He Went That Way’, when Jim offers the handsome Bobby a ride, you wonder if he has some ulterior motive to do so. He does. He just wants some company for a painfully long drive, so why not help out a hitchhiker in need? Except, Quinto gives off more of a creepy killer vibe initially. Or maybe it’s just how it seemed to me.

Honestly, I just wanted to see more of Spanky the chimp, who is criminally underutilized throughout the runtime. That said, Zachary Quinto deserves praise for his easy, endearing onscreen chemistry with the chimp. On the other hand, the rapidly weird dynamic that develops between Jim and Bobby during the road trip was just… well, odd. In some ways, this of course is also a thriller, because there’s suspense over what will happen to Jim and Spanky. Will they survive the trip or become the next victims of the serial killer?

Give this film a try only if the premise sounds interesting to you.

Rating: 6.5 on 10. Watch ‘He Went That Way’ on Netflix.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

Also Read: Sirens Netflix Series Review (Short Audio Version below)

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Published on July 08, 2025 14:19

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