Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 239

Hedy Lamarr – Graphic Novel Review

‘Hedy Lamarr – An Incredible Life” is a graphic novel written by William Roy and the illustrations are courtesy Sylavain Dorange. I hadn’t even known of the actor/inventor Lammar until I read a book on different women who aren’t celebrated enough a while back. It barely had 4-5 pages on the Hollywood actor, but was enough to pique my curiosity. So I didn’t think twice before getting a full-fledged graphic novel dedicated to her life.

The book starts with Hedy as a little girl in 19, with a ‘cool’ dad who loves to explain her how things work. So Hedy becomes a curious child who takes joy in inventing & fixing things. But as she grows older, the theater bug bites her, and she decides to become an actor. Roy & Dorange chart her tumultuous life, first as a scandalous rising star in Austria, then as the trapped wife of a jealous Billionaire and finally her twin life as that of a typecast Hollywood ‘man-eater’ and secret inventor.

I love the colorful illustrations, however, the biggest flaw of the art is how it fails to capture Lammar’s beauty. It could’ve been a deliberate distortion of her facial feature by the artist, but just that it blunts the primary message of the story – how a woman’s intellect was overlooked because she was stunningly gorgeous. Take a look at the panel from the book below, Hedi is pictured with a house-help, and they look like siblings.

Apart from that, the art is very enjoyable, it has a dreamy touch to it, like illustrated fairy-tale books made for little kids. Although Hedy’s story isn’t exactly child-friendly. There’s a lot of sexism, prejudice and unsavory advances that the protagonist faces, although, the writer has probably toned stuff down. The book has a moving climax that wraps the life of an icon neatly, but it just feels like something was missing. Lamarr remains an enigma even after the 100+ pages you get on the actor.

If you don’t know much about Hedy, this is a good graphic novel to find out more about a figure who was misunderstood and not recognized for her true potential. She truly did have an incredible life, slices of which William Roy and Sylavain Dorange are able to capture very well.

It’s a 3/5 from me.

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Listen to Episode 59 for 9 great animated film recommendations.

Love Story Review – Sweet Slow-Burn Romance With An Abrupt End

I’ve never seen a movie starring Sai Pallavi, until mom suggested we watch the 2021 Telugu movie ‘Love Story’ on the Indian streaming app ‘Aha’. Directed and written by Sekhar Kammula, this seemingly simple romantic tale at first glance, soon takes on themes of caste complications and ugly internal family tussles as the story progresses.

The film starts with Revanth (Naga Chaitanya), a simple boy from a poor family, who runs a small dance center in Hyderabad. His life changes when a new girl from his village moves into the building next to him. Sai Pallavi plays new girl Mounica, an engineer looking for a job in Hyderabad to escape her domineering rich family. Unfortunately, she is a complete dunce with terrible grades who is prone to panic attacks. So despite getting a cheat-sheet from a friend for a written test at a job interview, she fails to land the position. After a series of rejections and admonitions from everyone around her, a dejected Mounica breaks into an impromptu dance on Revanth’s terrace one morning, stunning onlookers. This scene was the high-point of the film, Sai Pallavi is a mesmerizing dancer, with such sharp/clean moves that it’s hard to believe she is not a trained classical dancer. Her movements are fluid, expressions joyous. It’s been a long time since I was captivated watching an actor dance on screen. Perhaps it’s her simple appearance that takes you by surprise, because she transforms into a swan (or a peacock like Revanth in the film call her) when she moves to the rhythm of music.

Love Story’s strength lies in its simple relatable characters and the earnest performances by lead actors. Mounica is an average girl, with sub-par grades, from a family that strongly believes in caste/class divide. Her character is written consistently, while Revanth on the other hand is an odd mix of gullible and practical. How these two fall in love and fight to be together is the bulk of the story, and a predictable sub-plot of abuse is also thrown in the mix. Three-fourths of the film is entertaining, filled with easy laughs, but the last 45 minutes feel drawn and overstretched. The climax is so abrupt that it feels like the editor was under pressure to wrap up the movie. It’s as if the makers suddenly realize the plot has gone on for too long and needs to end.

In-fact, a lot of things towards the climax feel ridiculous and contrived. For example, Mounica’s character books a hotel room near a bus-stop because she gets her period unexpectedly. There’s a big restaurant right next to the hotel, where she could’ve just gone into the restroom and done the same. As a woman who’s traveled enough in rural parts of the country, with friends who’ve traveled a LOT more, I know of nobody who’s booked an entire hotel room just to change and put a pad on. And given that Mounica’s character doesn’t even earn much, it seemed like a dumb thing to do. Or maybe it just falls in line with her dim wit. The scene is quite important in the movie, which is why I feel the need to whine about it a little, anyhow….

‘Love Story’ strikes a good balance between a mass entertainer and a film with a social message, so Sekhar Kammula has done a laudable job with this production. He should’ve tried cutting some earlier bits in movie, to give us a better climax, instead of the inconclusive rush job at the end. Watch the film for a riveting performance by Sai Pallavi.

It’s a 6.5/10 from me.

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Listen to Episode 56 for three fun Netflix Show Recommendations

Single All The Way – Quick Review

Netflix’s 2021 romantic Christmas comedy ‘Single All The Way’ has a familiar plot at the center of it – a single man doesn’t want to look pathetic in front of his nosy family, so he convinces his flatmate/best-friend to pretend to be his boyfriend for the Christmas holidays. If you’ve seen enough romantic films, you already know where the story is going.

Directed by Michael Mayer and written by Chad Hodge, ‘predictability’ is definitely not a problem with this film. Those who love the romance genre are always up for a good old ‘friends to lovers’ tale. Michael Urie plays Peter, the protagonist and Philemon Chambers plays his super-cute bestie. The two unfortunately don’t have any chemistry. Chambers is endearing in his role of a writer/handyman who has a cheery demeanor that warms the hearts of those around him. Urie on the other hand didn’t look comfortable for most parts and delivered a lot of dialogues through clenched teeth. Jennifer Robertson who plays Peter’s sister too seemed to speak through clenched teeth and all her laughs are fake as hell. Kathie Najimy gets the nicest character, she is the loving mom who is cool enough to set up her son on a blind date with a hot gay gym trainer. Jennifer Coolidge has a cameo as her sister Sandy, which is clearly meant for comic relief, but isn’t amusing and almost unnecessary.

Visually, the film is colorful and vibrant, with some beautiful scenes. I loved the bits with snow covered-trees and Christmas decorations. The first half does elicit decent amount of laughs; Peter’s family is sweet, supportive and their banter makes for a fun watch. Towards the second-half however, things slow down drastically and it’s hard to keep yourself invested in the plot. Maybe a little tweak to the cast would have made ‘All The Way Single’ a lot of entertaining that it otherwise is.

It’s a 5/10 from me.

Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to Episode 59 for 9 great animated film recommendations.

Nayattu Review – Arresting Tale of Cops Vs Cops

More often than not, we have policemen divided into ‘good cop’/’bad cop’ roles in Indian cinema. They are either the bad guys, the ones taking bribes, foisting false cases, harassing families of the protagonists or they are portrayed as swaggering supermen saving the downtrodden and beating the system. The popularity of films like ‘Singam’ & ‘Dabangg’, both of which incidentally came out in 2010, saw a resurgence of hero-cop movies. Come 2021, there’s ‘Nayattu’, a cop movie that stands out from the crowd, where policemen are puny pawns of a twisted political system.

Written by Shahi Kabir and directed by Martin Prakkat, the film follows the story of three cops, who become unwitting victims of a complicated caste case embroiled in politics. They are wanted after their car meets with an accident, leading to the death of a young man. However, the man at the wheel, a civilian, flees from the scene, leaving them in a mess. Kunchacko Boban plays Praveen Michael, the protagonist, a fairly new cop at the bottom of the ladder at his local police station. Joju George plays his senior Maniyappan, a laid-back cop who loves to drink, but never drives drunk. And then there’s Nimisha Sajayan as rookie cop Sunitha, who is being harassed by some cousins who are political activists. How these three cops get framed in a murder case and are chased by their own fraternity makes for a gripping watch.

The first 15-20 minutes are a little slow and slightly confusing to follow for non-Malayalam speakers, despite English subtitles. A string of incidents constantly unfold, each seeming very disjointed. Impatient viewers might be tempted to switch off, because the plot takes time to come together and make sense. But once the pace picks up, director Martik Prakkat ensures his actors keep you intrigued throughout the rest of the film. The whole ‘cops versus cops’ chase, where loyalties are tested, and lives are on the line, is executed well.

All three protagonists are believable and deliver measured performances. Joju George as Maniyappan was the most entertaining of the trio, he is very convincing as the dejected drunk cop, although his character tends to get on your nerves a little. He is flawed and not a great asset for a team on the run from the system. Yama Gilgamesh as Anuradha, the lead investigating officer in the cop-case is a total boss-woman, despite not having any typical ‘killer’ lines. And that’s really the strength of ‘Nayattu’, everything that happens in this drama is steeped in reality. The theme of how caste-politics plays a major role in state elections is brilliantly done. As viewers, you feel a sense of frustration with the events, and that’s exactly the effect the director is hoping for.

In the quintessential cat-mouse chase, sometimes, it’s the cops that are the mice. That’s the message ‘Nayattu’ leaves you with. The pace slackens a little towards the climax, but an unexpected twist redeems the slow turn of events in the second-half. Prakkat and team don’t give us the ending one would typically hope for. The film might leave you feeling a little dejected, but it will be worth your time.

It’s a 7.5/10 from me. You can stream ‘Nayattu’ on Netflix.

Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to Episode 59 for 9 great animated film recommendations.

Nine Great Animated Films on IMDB Top 100

In the latest episode of Abstract AF’s podcast on Youtube, we quickly tell you why you should watch the the nine animated creations that are on the IMDB list of Top 100 movies. While Disney giants like ‘Toy Story’ and ‘The Lion King’ are the obvious favorites that made it to the top, the dark and poignant Japanese movie ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ has been given a very high rating by users too.

Listen to the episode and please subscribe to the channel.

The Summit of The Gods Review – Stunning Symphony of Fiction & Reality

For most mere mortals who’ve never experienced the rush of being atop any of the tallest peaks in the world, nothing can ever compare to the real deal. However, the 2021 animated film ‘The Summit of the Gods’ directed by Patrick Imbert, about climbing Mt Everest, manages to leave viewers with bated breath at points.

Based on the manga by Jirô Taniguchi and Baku Yumemakura, ‘The Summit of The Gods’ is serious, gripping and cleverly combines fiction with real slices of mountaineering history. The plot follows reporter Fukamachi’s attempt to track down a man called Habu Joji, who is in possession of a camera owned by the famous mountaineer George Mallory. Both in the film and in reality, Mallory had gone missing while scaling Mount Everest in 1924. Whether he managed to reach the summit remains one of the biggest mysteries in the mountaineering world.

Unlike most glossy contemporary animated films, Patrick Imbert’s film has a very simple 90s style animation. The movie feels like comic panels in motion, although the bits with the mountain-climbing are surprisingly detailed and breathtaking, versus rest of the regular scenes.

Through Fukamachi’s reporter eyes, the makers try to explore what drives mountaineers to risk their lives and scale impossible peaks. The fictional Habu Joji is a bit of an anti-hero, he is obsessively ambitious and doesn’t lack in courage, but is also exceedingly self-centered. All he wants to do is scale the most dangerous peaks in the world and accomplish feats nobody else has. How the fates of these two men collide is a tale worth watching.

It’s laudable how the screenwriters steer clear from the temptation of exaggerating and dramatising things. Mountaineering isn’t romanticised and rookie viewers can understand the gravity of just how dangerous scaling the Everest can be. It’s no mean feat and only those with superhuman will and grit can make it to the top. Despite being an animated feature, the journey of the protagonists feels as real as it can get. The carefully picked background score helps in heightening the tension and maintaining a steady pace.

For those who have zero interest in mountaineering and prefer their movies with a lot of action, romance, humour – “The Summit of the Gods” can seem like a futile watch. But for those who are open to this genre, it’s a stunning animated film that keeps you invested in its characters till the end. For those who can see it, the story is a universal celebration of the human spirit – of how we continue doing things we are passionate about, even if there isn’t any monetary benefit in it. Or perhaps it can be seen as an existential ode – life is too short & pointless to not do things that give us an adrenaline rush/inexplicable joy.

It’s a 8/10 from me.

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Listen to Episode 50 for a lowdown on 22 Studio Ghibli films

The Rose Villa Review – A Thorn In Your Eye

The only thing nice about the 2021 thriller ‘Rose Villa’ is the Villa in which majority of the story unfolds. It looks like a vintage guesthouse, surrounded by greenery and is the kind of ‘5 star’ homestay you would like to book on a holiday. But the movie is the kind of film you’d want to be warned about by friends or folks on the internet.

Written and directed by R.J. Hemant, the story follows a young couple who get invited for dinner by an elderly pair they’ve just met. They go to a remote property called ‘Rose Villa’ and the young couple finds themselves trapped by the odd owners. Despite a decent plot-line, this was a mess of an affair.

I don’t see the point of writing a detailed review, because there isn’t much to discuss. It was hard to concentrate on anything that was happening on the screen, no single scene demands your attention, you could casually listen to it and still follow and guess what’s going to happen next. The acting is sub-par, the plot predictable, the direction ridiculous. I was sitting with our pet-dog, and chose to speak to her throughout the runtime.

The climax was so badly directed, it makes you want to gouge your eyes out. The biggest high-point about the production is the short-runtime and even that feels long. It’s a 2/10 from me. Skip. Skip.

If you still want to stream it, it’s available on Amazon Prime.

Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to Episode 56 for three fun Netflix Show Recommendations

Girl Town – Graphic Novel Review

‘Girl Town’ by Carolyn Nowak is a graphic novel whose art panels scream a myriad of emotions, wrapping you in its colors, characters and situations. It’s a collection of short stories, all focusing on interesting women protagonists, who are friends, lovers and sisters to each other. The first few panels reminded me of graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi’s work, but soon, the similarities disappear.

There are a total of five stories in the book. I love the bright artwork, the LGBTQ+ representation, and the the blending of genres throughout the collection. Nowak gives us an almost American frat-like story in the first tale, while the second one titled ‘Radishes’ has a dash of Studio Ghibli like magical-fantasy elements. There’s a scene where the two protagonists go to an ‘all you can eat’ stall, and it strongly reminded me of a scene from the animated film ‘My Neigbour Totoro’, a Ghibli classic.

Nowak goes for a cyberpunk-like theme for the third one, about a heartbroken girl who buys a lifelike male companion/sex robot to comfort her. Titled ‘Diana’s Electric Tongue’, it’s my favorite tale, and isn’t too far from the reality of our times, where humans seek comfort in AI; it’s the only one that has a conclusive end too. Diana is the most relatable protagonist, reflecting our deep need to connect with someone who is ready to listen when we want to pour our heart out. Nowak’s art is vivid, bold and brings alive the tale in a manner that will stay with you for a while. The others aren’t as memorable.

What bugged me most about ‘Girl Town’ was how all the other stories end abruptly, leaving the reader disappointed, as you are left hoping for more. In-fact, after the first one ended, I went back to the earlier pages because I thought maybe I had skipped some! That’s how incomplete the tale felt. The fourth one was slightly confusing and irritating to read because a lot of script was squeezed between the art panels.

The last one was an intriguing tale of a recently divorced woman house-sitting her parents’ home with a friend. What starts off as a simplistic looking ‘holiday story’, gets poignant and has elements of magical realism infused into it. Just when you begin to hope for more plot, it ends!

If it hadn’t been for the hurried climaxes, I would’ve given ‘Girl Town’ a 5/5, but the story-telling is not consistent enough. So it’s a 3/5 from me.

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Listen to Episode 50 for a lowdown on 22 Studio Ghibli films

Peter Rabbit 2 – Quick Movie Review

Who doesn’t like movies that somehow manage to revert us back to a childhood version of themselves? Stories that remind you of the time when our parents used to take us to the theater to watch productions meant for kids, like ‘Toy Story’ or ‘Space Jam’. ‘Peter Rabbit’ is one such film, a wholesome family entertainer, that might not be memorable, but is fun while it lasts.

Directed by Will Gluck, ‘Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway’ has the same ‘Dennis, The Menace’ like theme, where our furry little protagonist is usually up to no good. The sequel starts with an idyllic looking wedding set in the countryside. Bea (Rose Byrne), Peter’s human mom is getting married to Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson). All the little animals are dressed for the special occassion, Peter’s three sisters as flower-girls are adorable.

If you are a sucker for cute children movies, with silly simple jokes, Peter Rabbit 2 fits the bill perfectly. It helps that there’s an interesting plot at play – Bea lands a book-deal with a publisher in the big city for her illustrated book about the rabbit family. Meanwhile, Thomas continues to see Peter as a troublemaker. A misunderstanding between the two leads to our protagonist abandoning his family and exploring his ‘bad side’.

The animated is bright, engaging and draws inspiration from a lot of other children’s movies. The humor is very British, so it’s not very hilarious, but funny enough to keep kids giggling I suppose. Cynical adult viewers might get bored quickly, but for those looking for a wholesome family entertainer, especially when there are kids at home for the holidays – Peter Rabbit 2 makes for a good pick.

It’s a 7/10 from me. You can stream the film on Netflix.

Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to Episode 50 for a lowdown on 22 Studio Ghibli films

The Unholy Review – Mary Needs Sacrificial Lambs

A fallen journalist visits a small town to do a ‘cattle mutilation’ story, but the one-day outing for a forgettable byline turns into a long complicated trip of alleged miracles and redemption. Directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos and produced by Sam Raimi’s banner ‘Ghost House Pictures’, 2021 horror film ‘The Unholy’ is an interesting story about a girl who claims to have been granted special powers by virgin Mary.

Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays Gerry Fenn, an infamous journalist who fabricates news. Just when his career couldn’t get shittier, he lands in a small town just in time to see a deaf-mute girl gain speech and healing powers out of the blue. Cricket Brown plays Alice, the young girl in question, who is raised by an uncle who is a priest at the only church in their small town. The small town gains worldwide attention for its miracles, Gerry Fenn gets exclusive access to the story of the moment, and it seems like a win-win situation for all. While everybody believes Alice is the vessel for Virgin Mary, the source of her powers is something very unholy. Mary in this film isn’t ‘the good shepherd’ like Jesus, but someone who needs sacrificial lambs.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as a corrupt scribe is the glue that holds this movie together. Since it’s based on a 1983 novel of the same name by James Herbert, the plot is engaging for most parts. Evan Spiliotopoulos has managed to direct a tale that has enough meat to spark conversations around religions and blind faith. However, the cinematography is quite weak, especially when it comes to the special effects used for the supernatural elements in the film. The makers could’ve used something simpler to depict the evil forces at play, instead they turn back to the 1980s, using movements and make-up that are too outdated to scare adult viewers. In-fact, nothing about the movie is scary at all. You have the same old flickering of lights, a creepy being slowly crawling on the floor (even though it can apparently move at the speed of light when it wants to), cloaked mannequins in a dusty old ancient room, blood coming out of eyes of statues. If you are a horror fan, you’ve seen it all before.

Cricket Brown as the protagonist Alice isn’t exactly bad, but she doesn’t stand out either, a forgettable character in what could’ve been a fantastic religious themed horror movie. There is enough back-story, with historical precedents that makes the first-half believable and gripping. Too bad that the makers give into the temptation of giving the audience an almost fairy-tale like ending. The climax was weak, rushed and quite laughable. It’s still worth a one-time watch for those who love horror movies, especially if you watched and liked ‘Midnight Mass’, the 2021 mini-horror series.

It’s a 6/10 from me. You can stream the film on Netflix.

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