Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 194
December 10, 2022
Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’ – A Twisty Visual Offering
Just when you think Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’ is pretty much like any other adaptation of the Italian classic, the plot takes a new turn, exploring new territory, forcing you to stick around until the end. Finally available to stream on Netflix, the 2022 animated movie does have a heart of its own, even though its basic structure is still very much like the popular version known to most fans – Gepetto is a heartbroken woodcarver, who lost his son and makes a puppet out of fine pinewood, hoping it would help fill the void in his life.
Set in the early 20th century, Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’ has a definitive timeline and doesn’t unfold in an ambiguous ‘once upon a time’. The story starts off during World War I and Gepetto creates Pinocchio a few years later, when Italy was under Benito Mussolini, with fascism sweeping through the country. Like the director’s other works, ‘Pinocchio’ dwells into themes that would be slightly lost on younger viewers, like class conflict, the brutal futility of war and frenzied fascist fanaticism.
The stop-motion animation is the most striking feature of this film, from old man Gepetto (voiced by David Bradley) to aging monkey Spazzatura (Cate Blanchett), the character art is a visual treat. In-fact, ironically, it’s Pinocchio the puppet that has the simplest make in the movie, even other marionettes appearing through the runtime have more details on them. But Pinocchio’s simple character design adds a touch surrealism to the tale and becomes metaphorical for his childlike uncomplicated thinking. Voiced by Gregory Mann, Pinocchio is excessively energetic, naughty, disobedient and easily led astray, just like the original. Ewan McGregor lends his voice to the Cricket that serves as the narrator for this adventure-filled fantasy.
While there’s a poignant flashback of Gepetto’s days with his real son at the beginning, the old man’s (who weirdly doesn’t age) bond with his wooden boy isn’t fleshed out well enough for viewers to get emotional over their dynamics. Disney’s live-action version starring Tom Hanks does a better job in that department. But Guillermo del Toro’s re-imagination of the children’s tale with darker tones definitely wins in the cinematography area. Despite having darker overtones, each scene is clear, well-lit and clean. Unlike some recent musicals, I surprisingly enjoyed all the tracks in this production and never once felt the urge to fast-forward them. Watch it for the stunning stop-motion animation and music.
It’s a 8/10 from me. Stream it on Netflix.
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Listen to: 9 Must-Watch Animated Films From IMDB Top 100
Barnstormers Issue #1 #2 & #3 Review
First off – I hastily concluded ‘Barstormers’ by Scott Snyder and Tula Lotay is a trilogy, because I remember reading it’s a limited series and there were only three issues for sale on the Kindle store. Presumptuous. Tsk Tsk. It’s actually a five-issue comic book series and the last two installments aren’t out yet. So if you don’t want to be left hanging in suspense, wait for those two to come out. Else, dive into the colorful glossy world of Bix and Tilly, one is a daredevil pilot looking to make money of the new but already dying trend of ‘Barnstorming’, while the other is looking to run off from her wealthy husband and would rather do flying stunts with a madman she just met.
Each issue is only about 30 pages long, so Issue one feels to fleeting and underwhelming, but the gorgeous illustrations by Tula Lotay are worth going through. Snyder gives a quick introduction to ‘Barnstorming’ is before the first issue begins – ‘A form of entertainment popular for a brief period in the 1920s, wherein wayward pilots would impress spectators with dangerous feats of daring.’ And even though the story is supposed to be in the 1920s, everything about this comic series has a 40s/50s vibe, the art-style and scenes reminiscent of Hollywood classics like ‘Gone With The Wind’, ‘Casablanca’, even though the romance is nowhere near the grand scale of those eternal hits.
Issue 3 was the most action-packed, where readers finally get a little more context to what’s happening, but just when things do get exciting, the pages come to an end. Like the blurb of the comic-series suggest, the ‘Barnstormers’ duo are indeed a bit like ‘Bonnie & Clyde’, except that they give their pursuers a slip by flying off in the air. The characterization of Bix and Tilly is superficial and you never feel strongly for them, they are akin to pulp fiction leads – good-looking and forgettable. Perhaps the last two issues would be more exciting.
Overall, it’s a 3.5/5 from me for the first three issues.
Do check out our Podcast show by the same name on YouTube.
Ep 15 – Banned & Censored Graphic Novels – What’s The Fuss About?
December 9, 2022
Eien No Kinou Review: Eccentrically Engrossing
“I cried so much, my whole body turned into tears” – Oumi Mitsuru, ‘Eien No Kinou’.
Inoue Sora plays Oumi Mitsuru, a quiet introvert high-school student who falls in love with Yamada Koichi (Komiya Rio), a bright lively talkative popular kid in the same class. The two strike an awkward friendship, which includes having lunch every day without much conversation, without realizing their mutual affection, the two finally begin a relationship after an unexpected confrontation. Just as the two fall into the rhythm of the blooming romance, Koichi tragically dies in a road accident, but in an even bigger twist, he wakes up from the dead as if nothing happened. “He isn’t dead, he is a walking corpse” insists Oumi to his classmate who can still see Yamada, even though he clearly doesn’t have a heartbeat, it’s as if his body is frozen in time. But sooner or later, the two young lovers will have to accept the truth – the bizarre miracle of Koichi’s walking corpse won’t last long.
Directed by Kobayashi Keiichi, ‘Eien No Kinou’ is an eccentric supernatural romance based on a novel of the same name. Its English title is ‘Eternal Yesterday’, which sort of summarizes the theme of the eight-episode series. Even though Oumi can spend time with his dead lover in the present, he is actually stuck in the past. While the story could’ve been a weird exaggerated comedy drama, it’s got a surprisingly poignant plot about young love and loss. There are obviously some things that don’t make any sense in the series, but hey, it’s about a dead guy walking around town, so you’ve got to keep all logical questions aside and just enjoy this strange story.
The cinematography is simple yet captures the mellow mood of a slightly tragic summer romance between two young students. Inoue Sora is ardent as the serious, introspective Oumi Mitsuru, who unlike is calm exterior, holds a storm of emotions within, too scared of letting his feeling be known. In the first few episodes, you get a sense that Sora looks too grown-up to be playing a high-school student, and sure enough, the actor is a little older than the other cast members playing his classmates. Perhaps someone like Suzuki Jin from ‘Given’ would’ve been more convincing as a school kid; or someone other actor who was closer to Komiya Rio’s age. Komiya on the other hand is perfect as the sunny Koichii, and even capture the character’s dual traits – on one hand he is a carefree optimistic student, on the other hand he also burns with a strong desire to be with the person he loves and can be intimidating. Together, the lead actors make a fantastic onscreen pair, their chemistry is on point and their romantic scenes are ripe with sexual tension and love. As the episodes progress, Inoue Sora also grows on you as the ruminative Misturu, who struggles to come to terms with the grief of losing his beloved.
Soft, emotional, low-key comical and totally quirky, ‘Eien No Kinou’ is an offbeat series that will have viewers invested until the end. The background music is an essential element in the series, the accompanying tracks blend beautifully with the mood of the scenes without causing any distraction. The support cast do their job of moving the story forward, and unlike many romantic shows where a side character upstages the protagonists, in this series they are all a cog in the wheel. The series could’ve had an extra episode or two, because the climax leaves you feeling a little empty, like we deserved some more of Oumi and Koichii, if not in their romantic journey, then just them hanging out with their classmates at school. That said, the last episode doesn’t feel rushed, it’s the kind of end Oumi had been dreading from the beginning and the viewers too are subtly warned of. If you are a crier, grab some tissues and be prepared for a heart-breaking wistful ending.
It’s 8.5/10 from me.
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Listen To ‘The Closet’ Horror Comic Series Review
‘The Boss Baby: Christmas Bonus’ – Quick Review
If you are a fan of ‘The Boss Baby’, the 2022 Christmas Bonus film which is just 45-minute long is a fun watch, even though the makers manage to make even the short duration feel a little too long. While Alec Baldwin had voiced ‘Boss Baby’ in the 2017 film, JP Karliak had been lending his vocals to the hit animated character in its spin-off series and this short movie. Directed by Christo Stamboliev and Matt Engstrom, the movie borrows its core themes from the Dickens classic ‘A Christmas Carol’, but instead of grumpy/sad adults, you get a lot of feisty babies babbling all over.
Plot overview: ‘Boss Baby’ hates all the little Christmas traditions his family loves to celebrate, and things get crazy when he accidentally gets swapped with an identical baby and finds himself stranded with Santa’s elves in North Pole. It’s up to his older brother Tim Templeton (Pierce Gagnon) to ensure gets his baby brother back home on time to celebrate their favorite holiday together.
The animation is cute, cheery and has a generic festive atmosphere, nothing extraordinary or awe-inspiring. The character ‘Boss Baby’ is all about business, so he first panics at finding himself at Santa’s place, but soon gets to work, ordering the little elves around on how to be more efficient, almost leading them to a rebellion against the jolly old man. The plot is exciting, and the script is largely hilarious, although it does get a little slow towards the end. Perhaps a 30 minutes runtime would’ve been perfect for an extra little Holiday film.
It’s a 6/10 from me. Stream it on Netflix.
Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – AbstractAF
Listen to Ep 59 – 9 Must-Watch Animated Films From IMDB Top 100
December 8, 2022
‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’ – Quick Review
Another ‘Christmas Carol’ adaptation, an animated musical at that, okay, why not? Directed by Stephen Donnelly, the 2022 Netflix film ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’ features the voice of Luke Evans as Ebenezer Scrooge, one of the most famous literary characters created by Charles Dickens.
This is a slightly biased review, because I love animated films and thoroughly enjoyed watching it, despite having seen ‘Spirited’, another adaptation of the same story a few days ago. ‘Scrooge’ may not have a fun track like ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ that made Encanto such a big hit, but it is still a faithfully fun retelling of a solid story. The animation is colorfully delightful, and never gets as bleak as the original tale, even though it does retain the themes of poverty, exploitation, sickness, and death. Those looking for something new will be disappointed, because except for the magically extravagant song-dance by the spirits, this film sticks to its source material. Except for a cute huge dog, nice touch.
In case you aren’t familiar with the classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is about a nasty old penny-pinching moneylender called Ebenezer Scrooge, who’s estranged from the only family he has left, is horrid to his lone loyal employee Cratchit and absolutely hates Christmas. One night, he is visited by a scary ghostly apparition, who claims Ebenezer will be visited by three spirits – past, present, future – each with a lesson to give him and if he still doesn’t reform into a kind soul, a sordid end might await him.
Olivia Coleman lends her voice to the ghost of Christmas’ Past, the character is an enchanting candle-like lady who helps shed light on the protagonist’s past, making him remember how the holidays weren’t always terrible. The movie could’ve done without a song or two, but otherwise, I found it to be a charming animated film which is largely meant for children.
It’s a 8/10 from me.
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Listen to ‘The House – An Unusual Animated Anthology’
‘Meet Cute’ Review – Kooky But Miscast
“I am from the future” whispers Gary’s date, a gorgeous blonde he’s met only a few minutes ago. He thinks she is cute, funny, but after spending a few hours together, not so much. Directed by Alex Lehmann, written by Noga Pnueli, the 2022 sci-fi romance-drama “Meet Cute” follows Sheila, who has access to a time machine and chooses to re-live her date with a man over and over, because she thinks he is (almost) perfect for her.
The film starts at a bar, where Sheila (Kaley Cuoco) decides to buy a drink for a stranger called Craig (Pete Davidson) and the two then spend a fun night, but soon she starts to spout stuff that freaks the guy out. She claims she is serious about being from the future and has been living the same night on loop because she is too scared to find out what happens next.
To be able to appreciate the subtle brilliance of this time-travel romance, one must first make peace with the fact that everyone has different ways of dealing with trauma. Sheila meets Craig at the lowest point in her life, so her night with him becomes her safe space, a grain in time she is comfortable being stuck in. It’s not relatable, and her decision has its problems, yer you can empathize with her emotions. Kaley Cuoco is great as Sheila, but she can’t pull off the more emotional scenes in the story. It’s like she is still playing Penny from ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and her crying would’ve been funny if this film was a comedy, but it’s supposed to be a quirky yet poignant tale about love, loss, fear and insecurities. Pete Davidson is okay as Craig, but just doesn’t have the charm for the viewers to believe a girl would go to crazy lengths to get him, one with a ‘time machine’ that too.
‘Meet Cute’ has an entertaining first 30 minutes, things get slow and tedious in between, but surprisingly, the pace picks up again. Sheila is always armed with a little twist, which makes her dates interesting. The cinematography is simple, cozy, however, the generic title of the film does its script a lot of disservice. One can imagine a different lead cast being able to elevate this drama to the heights of a ‘modern classic’ you wouldn’t mind watching again and again. But with Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson, it’s a decent one-time-watch.
It’s a 6.5/10 from me. Stream it on Prime Video.
Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – AbstractAF
Listen to ‘The House – An Unusual Animated Anthology’
December 7, 2022
Did ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ Need Another Adaptation?
‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ by DH Lawrence is considered a classic now, but had shocked the literary world once upon a time. I read it for the first time as a 19-year-old literature under-grad who was fascinated by its ‘scandalous’ claim to fame. However, the only memory I have of the book is feeling underwhelmed and dissatisfied after finishing it; perhaps too impatient to dwell deeper on the class divides, gender roles and cultural context of the story. I had already read enough Dickensian works to know the squalor, struggle and indignities suffered by the working class; Lawrence’s tale of a bored rich baroness having a passionate affair with her groundskeeper was much too mundane for a modern 21st century reader. And despite not holding the work in high regard, I streamed the 2022 Netflix film directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre because it stars Emma Corrin who was pretty impressive in ‘My Policeman’, which also treads into ‘forbidden’ romance territory.
While Corrin is Connie Reid Chatterley, the handsome Jack O’Connell plays her lover Oliver Mellors, who rose to the ranks of a Lieutenant during the war but had to go back to working for his previous master AKA Clifford Chatterley (Matthew Duckett). Injuries suffered in the war render Clifford impotent, and he drags Connie away from the city to his sprawling property in Wragby to start a new career as a writer. At Wragby, Connie withers away like a flower denied sunlight, until she becomes familiar with Mellors, a straightforward man with none of the intolerable pompous airs of her husband’s intellectual friends.
The makers have evidently made a lot of changes to the original story. Lawrence’s publishers around the globe faced lawsuits for obscenity, not just for the ‘torrid’ extramarital affair, but also for its coarse language. However, nothing in the movie is stirring enough. There’s plenty of full-frontal nudity and sex, yet the chemistry between Emma Corrin and Jack O’Connell isn’t electric or compelling. It’s unfortunate, because the actors are fine in their respective roles, but don’t mix well together. Emma Corrin makes a fine Lady Chatterley, a woman stuck in a loveless marriage, because Lord Chatterley reduces her to his caregiver and proof-reader.
The cinematography is beautiful, from the green grounds of Wragby, to the ornate decorated halls of the Chatterley mansion, the movie is a sight for the eyes, especially for period drama enthusiasts. The intimate scenes are shot delicately, but perhaps fans of the novel would despise how soft their affair appears to be against the raw primal sexual awakening Lawrence had originally penned. And the climax marks the biggest departure from source material – viewers get a concrete ending between the two star-crossed lovers and not the cryptic “interpret it how you’d like to” closure in the book.
The movie convinces viewers that Connie is more than just a bored rich housewife looking for pleasure, but her affair feels fleeting and the script never comes to a cathartic pleasure a story like this can achieve. Maybe we didn’t need another remake of this often re-visited classic.
It’s a 6/10 from me for the film.
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Ep 15 – Censored Graphic Novels – What’s The Fuss About ?
‘Sunburn’ – Post-Card From Greece
Sixteen-year-old Rachel lives a mundane grey life in England until an opportunity to travel to Greece for the summer comes her way, she is invited by a couple who used to be their parents’ friend to spend her break with them. Written by Andi Watson and illustrated by Simon Gane, the graphic novel ‘Sunburn’ is a fleeting quick holiday romance that will get over before you even realize it.
Amid her battered bleak English suburban life, Rachel doesn’t realize just how exciting the beautiful blues of the Greek shores could be. ‘Sunburn’ immediately reminded me of the French classic ‘Bonjour Tristesse’ by Francoise Sagan, both the tales share some similarities, although Sagan’s teen protagonist is a lot more independent, adventurous and under the care of her father through the course of the story; while Rachel tastes her first slice of freedom with a stranger couple she barely remembers.
The artwork by Simon Gane breathes warm life into the graphic novel and is the best bit about it. All its pages are washed in different shades of blues, almost always pleasant, holding the promise of both love and heartbreak simultaneously. The story on the other hand is lack-luster, Watson writes in a way that constantly makes the reader anticipate something terrible, tragic or shocking, but nothing really ever happens. There is a little twist in the tale, but it’s foreshadowed well enough to not blindside the reader.
Pick the novel up if you are looking for a light vacation read with some gorgeous nostalgic art work.
It’s a 3.5/5 from me.
Do check out our Podcast show by the same name on YouTube.
Ep 15 – Banned & Censored Graphic Novels – What’s The Fuss About ?
December 6, 2022
Spy x Family Episode 22 Review
Loid Forger AKA agent Twilight has done the most bizarre things to maintain his cover, but playing in an illegal underground tennis tournament would’ve probably been on the bottom of his ‘might have to do’ list. The last time an episode focused heavily on a sport was months ago in ‘The Great Dodge-ball Plan’, but it features little Anya and her schoolmates. Now it’s time for the adults to show their skills on the court.
(Read Spy x Family Episode 1 Review if you have no clue what the show is about)
Titled ‘Underground Tennis Tournament Campbellton’, episode 22 features new spy Nightfall again, who introduced herself as Loid’s colleague Fiona and is determined to replace Yor in the Forger household. As part of their next mission, Loid and Fiona team up to take part in a tournament held by an art collector, in the hopes of winning a painting they believe holds clues to an important dossier.
So far, Franky Franklin was the only character who was amusingly comical, but Fiona’s is turning out to be quite a riot. Her dual personality provides ample laughs; the contrast between her cold mean spy charade on the outside versus her screaming fan-girl personality on the inside is hilarious. Fiona’s aloof act even manages to get Loid ruffled, which is an achievement. The two make a formidable team, but can the two face-off against tennis professionals who’ve been training all their life?
This sports themed edition turned out to be exaggerated, exciting and thoroughly entertaining! Yor and Anya make a brief appearance, and it seems like Fiona has managed to shake up the cold-blooded assassin too. ‘Spy X Family’ is getting a lot more interesting now.
Stream the series on Netflix.
Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – AbstractAF
Listen To ‘The House – An Unusual Animated Anthology’
‘Spirited’ Review: Christmassy, Needed Snips
The 2022 movie ‘Spirited’ is a modern musical retelling of Charles Dickens famous classic ‘A Christmas Carol’. The story follows an after-life department that picks one horrid human to haunt each year and reforms them in time for the holidays. Will Ferrell plays a senior spirit who insists on choosing Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), a corporate crook considered ‘irredeemable’ by his team. Can they really change a jerk who relies on scandal, controversies and spread of disinformation to make money?
Directed by Sean Anders, ‘Spirited’ has a snappy, witty first 30 minutes, but things go downhill from there. The idea of an organized team of ghosts working to transform one ‘bad’ person during Christmas was fun, however, the plot gets muddled when the focus shifts from Clint Briggs to Ferell’s spirit. The first few songs are amusing and then eventually like one of the characters in the film – even you want to say, “not another song please!”.
Anders and team had a great idea for a Christmas comedy, but Ferrell seemed a little ill-fitted for his role, even though Reynolds was quite fitting as an egocentric unscrupulous Clint who doesn’t care about anybody’s feelings. Octavia Spencer is wasted in a silly cameo, while Marlow Barkley has a sweet supporting role as his orphaned niece. What I did like about ‘Spirited’ is how it pays direct tribute to the original classic by Dickens, but while ‘A Christmas Carol’ has one clear-cut protagonist, the makers of this movie are burdened by the need to justify the presence of two big stars and aren’t able to balance the storytelling with two protagonists.
Overall it’s a decent one-time watch for the holidays with some lavish Christmas themed sets that spark joy. However, a two-hour musical about ghosts trying to transform an asshole into a good guy is too much.
It’s a 5/10 from me. Stream it on Apple TV.
Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – AbstractAF
Listen to Ep 59 – 9 Must-Watch Animated Films From IMDB Top 100
