Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 217

In Vitro – Graphic Novel Review

“In Vitro” is a graphic novel by WIlliam Roy and it almost feels like a text-book guide on what a couple can expect when they decide to have a baby via In-Vitro-Fertilisation (IVF). Told from the point-of-view of a male protagonist, the book is filled with biological terms and details about how IVF works. Some might think of it as TMI (too much information), but for others, it will prove to be an intimate look at a life experience that not too many are comfortable to open up about.

The story follows a married couple, very much in love, and all they want to complete their home is the chatter of children, their own biological ones. Despite all their efforts, they fail to conceive and start feeling like they are missing out when all their friends pop babies. After a series of tests, they finally settle on IVF.

It’s funny how despite being a fictional story that’s very personal in nature, ‘In Vitro’ feels dry and cold. There’s a small sub-plot exploring the protagonist’s relationship with his estranged father, which sometimes felt unnecessary, but it’s the only thing that makes the protagonist feel more human. William Roy also weaves in how the protagonist’s thoughts about his dad matter, since is preparing for parenthood.

The artwork is simple and the color palette is largely on the muted side, even though some more variation would’ve been great. For a story about the desire to become parents, a dual perspective would’ve been so much more gripping. What is the woman going through? How does she cope with multiple disappointments? Is she actually happy in the marriage? We don’t know.

Overall, ‘In Vitro’ is a decent one time read. Perhaps it will hold a lot more value to those who’ve had similar experiences. It’s a 3/5 from me.

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Listen to Ep 75 – Psychological Thriller ‘Girl A’ by Abigail Dean Explained

Spiderhead Review – Chris Plays ‘God’ Again

Chris Hemsworth, better known to the world as the Norse God Thor, plays a different kind of almighty in the 2022 Netflix film ‘Spiderhead’. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and based on a short story by George Saunders, the plot is set in a remote prison facility, where drug trials are conducted by a certain Mr Abnesti (Chris) on convicted felons who volunteered to be test subjects in exchange of shortened sentences.

Both sci-fi and dystopian in nature, ‘Spiderhead’ explores the dark side of clinical trials with a cold gaze. Chris Hemsworth as Abnesti is a puppet-master, the man who pulls all the strings, deciding who’d get how much of what drug on a given day. Miles Teller plays Jeff, a convicted felon, who begins to question Abnesti’s motives when he is made the test subject for a new ‘love’ drug, a dosage generates instant feelings of passion when administered. Another drug called ‘Darkenfloxx’ triggers instant paranoia, to the point of subjects wanting to kill themselves to stop its effects. The lines of morality are thus blurred and the story begs the question – is it okay to treat felons like lab rats because their lives apparently aren’t worth much?

A rusted nameplate outside the facility reads ‘Spiderhead’, although the inner premises of this special prison is ridiculously swanky, modern and immaculately maintained. For a movie dealing with dark themes, the cinematography is aesthetically pleasing, almost clinically/eerily so. There are some stunning aerial shots of the remote island where the facility is located. And then there’s the piercing blue eyes of Mr Hemsworth that adds quite the visual value to the story. Nothing is as interesting as the sparsely used ‘gorgeous villain’ trope, provided the actor can pull it off. And Chris does.

In-fact, the story isn’t very meaty, but it’s gritty performances by Miles Teller and Chris Hemsworth that save ‘Spiderhead’ from being completely fatiguing. They make a unusual pair that fortunately clicks onscreen. Their mildly entertaining bromance apart, the pace of the movie is choppy and things get slow in parts. But a carefully picked soundtrack heightens or lightens up the mood the right way, keeping things interesting through the runtime. So, the makers of ‘Spiderhead’ get their score right, because the wrong kind of accompanying music can really kill a scene.

The big twist towards the end is clever enough, yet feels underwhelming. On the bright side, some scenes that didn’t make sense earlier on, fall into place.

It’s a 6.5/10 from me.

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Listen to Ep 75 – Psychological Thriller ‘Girl A’ by Abigail Dean Explained

Nice View Review – Celebrates Working Class Spirit

A 20-year-old is forced to race against time to not just clear off his debts but also make a lot of money, because his younger sister’s life is on the line. Directed by Muye Wan, 2022 film ‘Nice View’ stars Jackson Yee as Jing Hao, the young man who finds life constantly beating him down. His little sister Jing Tong (an adorable Halin Chen) is the only ray of sunlight in his glum life.

Plot overview – Jing Hao buys a huge haul of dysfunctional phones, in hopes of fixing them and making a fortune from the sales to pay for his sister’s surgery. But a new government ruling dashes his dreams and Hao finds himself making a desperate gamble to get out his troubled situation.

Jackson Yee’s spirited performance as Jing Hao keeps the movie gritty, he exudes the confidence of a young man who is hellbent on overturning his fortunes against all odds. ‘Nice View’ is the name of his mobile repair shop in the film, but also symbolize the aspirations of the working class – everybody wants to have a nice view of the future, but for that, one needs to put in their blood, sweat and tears in the present. And that’s exactly what our protagonist does. His ‘never give up’ attitude in the film is infectious and inspiring.

That’s not to say “Nice View” doesn’t have its share of exaggerations. But it’s a story that is very Asian in spirit, relaying the importance of hard work and familial ties. In fact, Jing Hao’s relationship with his little sister is the most precious thing about the film, despite being only 20 himself, he is a protective father figure to the girl and is driven by the ambition to give her a good life and the best health-care.

The support cast does a fantastic job too, Jing Hao finds a motley crew of people who agree to work for him. From a nearly deaf middle-aged mother, to a retired wheel-chair bound man, there’s an interesting bunch of workers who become Jing Hao’s ‘people’. It was refreshing to not have a romantic sub-plot distracting from the main theme of the story. Instead, we see how important platonic bonds with working colleagues can be.

The cinematography captures different facets of China, from imposing high-rises, to rundown factory spaces, foreign viewers get an intriguing glimpse of the working life in the nation. The background score however sometimes stuck out like a sore-thumb, while at points the music perfectly matched the mood of the scenes, there were times that the makers chose tracks that disrupted the pace of the film, instead of heightening it.

Overall, ‘Nice View’ is an entertaining drama that’s worth a watch. It’s a 7/10 from me. You can stream it on Netflix.

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Listen to: Purple Hibiscus Book Review

Love Victor Season Three Review – Cute And ‘Safe’

By Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Yes! Episode one of ‘Love Victor’ season three begins with the answer of the biggest cliffhanger yet – who does Victor choose? Boyfriend Benji or new friend Rahim? The first scene gets straight to the point and viewers get a decision that completely makes sense… for the time being.

Creators Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger bring another wholesome volume of the romantic young-adult series about navigating modern relationships. Season 3 dropped on 15th June, a cute comfy mid-month offering for Pride month, celebrating love in all forms… platonic, familial and sexual. Michael Cimino continues to be the adorable lead Victor Salazar, but the story isn’t about him anymore. All the other major characters get ample screen time, in-fact, sometimes, it feels like maybe we don’t get to see enough of Victor.

Let’s get to the obvious storylines that carry over from season two. Victor’s best-friend Felix Weston (Anthony Turpel) ends up dating Pilar Salazar (Isabella Ferreira), who isn’t open to telling her parents about their relationship, leading to eventual problems. Felix’s ex-girlfriend Lake (Bebe Wood) too has moved on, with a girl, which comes as a surprise to everybody (including the viewers), but her friends are extremely supportive. Lake’s sub-plot felt contrived at first, like a deliberate token attempt to have some bisexual/lesbian representation; however, Bebe Wood and Ava Capri as Lucy are convincing as two awkward teens in love and eventually make you root for them. Then there’s Mia (Rachel Hilson), who rekindles her relationship with Andrew (Mason Gooding) and the two try to work things out. Rachel Hilson and Mason Gooding have an eerily similar way of speaking, a laid-back lazy drawl, which isn’t a bad thing, since their characters have known each other their whole life and people who’ve been together forever do tend to start resembling each other. Although not sure if the similar dialogue delivery is intentional or co-incidental.

While the teen stories take up most space, Victor’s parents share some of the spotlight too. His mother Isable (Anna Ortiz) is trying her best to be an LGBTQ+ ally and even switches to a more accepting Church, complete with a rainbow flag. We also get a glimpse into Rahim’s (Anthony Keyvan) relationship with his family, who are surprisingly supportive of his sexuality, yet expect him to play straight around relatives. Teens who haven’t had such smooth coming-out-stories might find ‘Love, Victor’ overtly optimistic/unrealistic on its take on conservative parents welcoming their kids with open arms, but we do need this kind of positive onscreen for healthy representation. Rahim and Victor’s distinct personalities make for an interesting study. While Rahim is the loud, fashionable one, practically wearing an invisible ‘queer’ label on his forehead, Victor blends into a crown, making their public experiences with homophobia very different. The makers also touch upon issues like teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, mental health among other things, all without making it too awkward.

Aesthetically, the show is a treat to watch, sprinkled with beautiful bright colors and a great looking cast. There’s a dash of modern fairy-tale like unrealism to it all, but well, that’s not really a sticky point for a teen romance. One wishes all the teens in this show could just have some pure moments of fun, instead of fussing over their relationships all the time. That said, all the platonic friendships are adorable in the series – Michael Cimino and Anthony being the sweetest BFFs ever as Victor and Felix. And, thankfully, the shy serious Victor does try to come out of the ‘Benjy’ shadow and has some fun in this season.

Episode eight, the last one, is the least entertaining in the series. Things get repetitive, preachy, overtly cliched and the makers go in for a very safe typical happy ending. The one you can see from miles away but hope that’s not how things end. To be fair, maybe a lot of fans will love it. Who doesn’t like a classic ending? But it’s 2022, and they should’ve shaken things up, given a different yet fun ending to Victor’s final onscreen chapter.

It’s a 7.5/10 from me. You can stream the show on Disney Plus or Hulu.

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Listen to – Heartstopper The Netflix Series Is As Adorable As The Comics

Trees of Peace Review – This Survivors’ Tale Feels Like A Play

The makers of the 2021 movie ‘Trees of Peace’ waste no time in diving into conflict, so first there’s sound of gunfire and screams, even before images of chaos take over your screen. Directed and written by Alanna Brown, the film focuses on four women’s struggle to survive in a small storage space during the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis.

While the viewers are informed the movie is “inspired by true events”, the makers never do a deep dive into the history of the conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis, except for blaming Belgian colonizers for fueling a violent class warfare. A classic trick from an oppressor’s rule-book – divide and rule. Just what the British did in India – instigating a bloodbath between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs during the 1947 partition.

In ‘Trees of Peace’, the scale of the Rwandan genocide doesn’t really hit the viewers, since the action is limited to where the four protagonists are hiding. There’s the pregnant Annick (Elliane Umuhire) who is the owner of the house, Jeannette a nun (Charmaine Bingwa), Peyton an American volunteer (Ella Cannon) and sharp-tongued Mutesi (Bola Koleosho) who raises hell in the first few days of their confinement. It takes time for these women to trust each other, ration their food and not lose their sanity while trying to survive. Soon, their conversations begin to get tedious, and as a viewer you wish for either flashbacks from before the genocide, or at least for more glimpse into what is happening on the streets.

Ella Cannon is the weakest link of the four actors, not only does she get a very stock-like American character, but she isn’t able to command any screen presence. It’s not like she is bad, but just not good enough for the viewer to empathize with her situation. Bola Kolesho as the outspoken Mutesi is the most unlikable of the four women, but it’s meant as a compliment to the actor, because the role requires her to be a hot-blooded young Tutsi, who is quick to pass judgement and wounds the other women with her harsh evaluations. She also grows emotionally from the near-death experience of being holed up in a cramped space for weeks, with little hope of coming out alive. The women often read ‘Seeds of Love, Trees of Peace’, the only book they have with them, which sort of inspires them. How? Maybe in times of darkness, all you needs is a children’s book to see some light.

The runtime could’ve been tighter, and Alanna Brown should’ve relied on the classic rule of ‘show, don’t tell’. For example, each time a woman talks about a memory or their experiences, instead of just having them drone on and on, flashback scenes would’ve been more gripping. Such scenes would also have added more depth to each woman’s tale. In the end, ‘Trees of Peace’ feels more like a play, than a movie, and that’s not great, because viewers don’t have that live connection with the actors. Sure, there are some tense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, but you just don’t feel the kind of catharsis one would expect from a movie like this. The climax feels flat, although a beautiful song at the end, along with pictures of real life women survivors of the Rwandan genocide does leave some imprint on your mind. Alanna Brown should perhaps consider making a one-hour play out of this story.

It’s a 6/10 from me. The film is available to stream on Netflix.

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Listen to – Love Death + Robots Vol 3 Quick Review

Quick Recap of ‘Love Victor’ Season 2

Hello there, if you are planning to watch ‘Love Victor’ Season Three, but don’t remember much from the second volume, we are here to rescue you!

The cute shy protagonist Victor starts off in a happy relationship with hot boyfriend Benji, but still needs to come out to everybody at school. Victor used to be in a relationship with popular student Mia, and folks just assume she dumped him for someone else and spread vile rumours about her being a cheater. To set the record straight, Victor publicly announces he is gay, but this leads to problems with his basketball team, as some of the guys turn out to be homophobes.

At home, things aren’t great either, Victor’s mother is uncomfortable about his sexuality and is mean to Benji. This leads to some friction between the boyfriends, and the makers finally address the issue of ‘white gay privilege’. Benji just doesn’t understand the complexities of being gay in a conservative Christian mixed-race household. So, when Victor is introduced to Rahim, a gay Muslim teen seeks advice on coming to his parents, the two quickly become close friends.

Meanwhile, Victor’s friends are dealing with their own troubles. Estranged ex-girlfriend Mia starts dating a college boy who turns out to be an asshole. Neighbour and bestie Felix Weston is facing serious problems – his mother’s mental health is spiralling out of control, and the burden of unpaid bills falls on his shoulders. Trying to balance between side hustles and school takes a toll on Felix’s relationship with girlfriend Lake. It’s Victor’s sister Pilar who helps Felix out in times of need and has a serious crush on him. (The two end up dating by the way)

Things between Victor and Benji continue to be strained, especially after it’s revealed Benji has an alcohol problem and has been trying to be clean. With sparks flying between Victor and Rahim, season two ends with a cliff-hanger – Victor turning up at someone’s door. Is he going to talk things out with Benji or is he going to start something new with Rahim?

Season three should answer our questions.

Zombieland Double Tap Review: Boring Into Two

Now and then you’ll watch a film that is “so bad it’s good” kind of bad, and then there is ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ – just bad. There’s a reason why horror fans watch zombie movies… for the zombies. Duh! But Director Ruben Fleischer and team give them so little screen-space, it’s infuriating.

The film begins with a lowdown on how zombies have now evolved into a few types, including some intelligent enough to unlock smart doors. But after establishing there are these new dangerous flesh-eaters, they are just sort of forgotten for most parts of the film. The plot overview is something like this – guy proposes to his girlfriend, she freaks out and runs off with her sister, but eventually comes back and they patch up. Oh and they meet a few dumb people along the way, and kill a few zombies too.

Look, as horror fans, we don’t expect a lot of story from a film anyway, but at least give us some blood, action and freaking zombies! The script is devoid of any wit, all the jokes are annoying, and the new characters barely worth a second look. There’s pretty much no point discussing the actors, they are all established names anyway and probably signed up for this movie for a quick buck. It feels like there wasn’t even a script and everybody is just doing their own thing.

Sure, there are a few funny jokes in there, the best being “do you know why she is still alive? Because zombies eat brains and she ain’t got any!”. But those high points are too few to make the painfully long film engaging.

Do you know why Zombieland got a sequel? Because horror fans have low standards and we will watch any(thing)! For a film with a decent budget and big names, it’s quite disappointing. It’s a 4/10 from me.

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Listen to – Love Death + Robots Vol 3 Quick Review

Spy X Family Episode 10 Review

The mildly hilarious housemaster Henry Henderson, the man with an obsession for all things ‘elegant’ is back in ‘Spy X Family’ Episode 10. So, unlike the last two episodes, the focus shifts to Anya’s school life again, where is expected to excel, for her spy dad Loid Forger’s mission to succeed.

(Read Spy x Family Episode 1 Review if you have no clue what the show is about)

Titled ‘The Great Dodgeball Plan’, Anya trains with ‘mom’ Yor Forger to become the MVP in her team. Because rumour has it, the MVP would be awarded a ‘Stella’, the badge for top students. Love how this episode throws shade at ‘Dragon Ball Z’ when Yor and Anya practice to become Dodgeball legends. There are quite a few funny animated scenes meant to re-create popular sequences from other shows.

For the first time, there is very little of Loid Forger, he voluntarily takes a backseat to let Yor take reins of things. And while the first few minutes build on the mother-daughter bond, most of it is about a dodgeball game. Henry Henderson oversees the match and expects ‘elegance’ from the students on the court too.

Episode 10 was more like a fun break, with ample funny moments and Anya taking centre-stage with her classmates.  That kid’s determination and dedication to help her father succeed is adorable. If you aren’t watching this anime on Netflix, which is based on a manga series of the same name, stream it for some mindless entertaining comedy.

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Listen to – Love Death + Robots Vol 3 Quick Review

Purple Hibiscus – Book Review

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a celebrated Nigerian author, best known for her novel ‘Americanah’ which won the 2013 U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. But instead of starting with her most popular work, I started with ‘Purple Hibiscus’, her debut novel which was first published in 2003.

Known as a strong feminist voice, women are the primary protagonists in the author’s debut novel too. Religious fanaticism, patriarchy, domestic abuse are some of the primary themes in ‘Purple Hibiscus’.

Listen to the audio review of the book –

Fukou-kun wa Kiss Shuru Shikanai! Review

Sota Ryosuke is such an adorable squishy dumpling! He is the lead star of the 2022 Japanese series ‘Fukou-kun wa Kiss Shuru Shikanai!’ (Mr Unlucky Has No Choice but To Kiss) which is based on a manga of the same name. Sota plays Fukuhara Kota, an extremely unlucky college student, who ends up dating the popular Shinomiya Naoya who is incredibly lucky, so much so that his mere presence cancels out Kota’s misfortunes. Can the two last? Especially since their relationship is based upon a misunderstanding.

Eight episodes long, the series is an exaggerated romantic comedy, which hinges on the chemistry of the two leads. Luckily, Sota Ryosuke and Sato Yusuke (who plays the lucky Naoya) have an easy onscreen equation. Sato’s Naoya is handsome, calm, poised, intelligent, kind yet aloof, while Fukuhara Kota is a clumsy bumbling bum, full of energy and smiles. Together, they make an endearing match.

Told from Fukuhara’s perspective, the makers dive into the main plot twist right in the first episode – how the two vastly different protagonists end up dating each other. So, viewers get a bunch of first dates, innocent/comical interactions between two people who barely know each other but are already in a relationship. There is no serious conflict in the tale, and it makes for a fluffy, funny campus romance, complete with bizarre incidents that can make sense only in a Japanese manga!

I love how except for the first misunderstanding between Kota and Naoya, the two are quite communicative with each other; Naoya is very straightforward and does not beat around the bush about his feelings. The plot has an interesting take on luck – constant fortune is not necessarily a good thing, sometimes you just want to have a regular day, without people flocking around you over your incredible luck.

The last episode felt slightly random and the conclusion to Kota and Naoya’s romance felt too childish and cold. And unlike the title’s suggestion – there are very few kisses and disappointingly so. But overall, the series is a cute breezy watch for the weekend.

It is an 7.5/10 from me.

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Listen to – Heartstopper The Netflix Series Is As Adorable As The Comics