Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 57

Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions Episode 23 Review

“A letter postmarked seventeen years ago arrived at the apartments Ron manages. It was an invitation from a Auberge. A full course menu was included in the invitation, along with a lone emerald.”

After Ron receives a mysterious invitation at the end of Episode 22 of Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions, he travels to a remote location with Toto, where a group of guests has gathered after receiving similar invitations. From a senior doctor to a taxi driver, it’s a very eclectic crowd for the special dinner.

Titled “The Case of the Highland Auberge Serial Murders (Part 1)”, episode 23 begins with Ron showing off his deduction skills by accurately guessing the strangers’ professions. While the first few minutes were rather slow, things get interesting after everybody sits down for an elaborate full course meal. As the dishes begin to arrive, most guests seem visibly shaken, upset, or shocked. Obviously, we all know there’s going to be murder on the menu soon, so once everybody retires to their room post dinner, a guest’s body is found next morning.

Since the dated invitation to the Auberge indicated it might have something to do with Ron’s past, those who expected some revelations about the genius detective’s life would be thrilled with an exciting twist in the second half. Besides, after the murder is discovered, the rest of this episode of “Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions” flies by in a second. With multiple suspects in play, the suspense over identifying the culprit is much higher this time compared to some of the previous cases.

The title—“The Case of the Highland Auberge Serial Murders (Part 1)”—already hints that there will be more than one murder, and the episode delivers with two major twists. One involves a personal connection to Ron and his forgotten memories, while the other is the second death at the Auberge. Both twists heighten the intrigue and mystery surrounding the mastermind and their possible connection to Ron Kamonohashi!

Stream the series (Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri) on Netflix or CrunchyRoll.

Read Next: Mononoke Movie Review: Mad, Mad, Visuals

Also Read: Buckingham Murders: Sharp Cast in Blunt-Edged Thriller (Shorter Version Below)

That Christmas Review: Chaotic, Cute Festive Treat

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Director: Simon Otto

Writers: Richard Curtis, Peter Souter, Andrew Dawson

“I am shy, she’s anxious, it’s hopeless!”

This might just be my favorite funny line from That Christmas, spoken by a shy new schoolboy as he chats with his mum about the girl he has a crush on.

Set in the fictional town of Wellington-on-Sea, the 2024 animated movie is narrated by Santa (Brian Cox), who finds his duties severely tested when a snowstorm disrupts everyone’s Christmas plans. That Christmas weaves together the comedic misadventures of the town’s residents, keeping you guessing how their stories will eventually intertwine… which they do, in a clichéd but completely entertaining way.

There are essentially three subplots in That Christmas: one follows new kid Danny, whose parents are divorced, as he struggles to make friends and catch the attention of his crush; another centers on Samantha, who’s anxious that her mischievous twin Charlie will ruin Christmas with her pranks; and the third focuses on Bernadette, who unexpectedly finds herself in charge of four kids when their parents get stranded in the snowstorm. For Danny, his first friend comes in the unlikeliest of forms – the strict teacher Ms. Trapper, who imparts some solid life lessons along the way. So this film is all about family, friends, and community spirit.

The animation by Locksmith Animation is colorful and cute, with some of the snowstorm scenes in That Christmas being truly stunning. I loved some of the kid characters, especially twins Charlie and Samantha, who are polar opposites in personality but soul sisters nonetheless. Bernadette’s wide-eyed toddler sister Eve had the cutest character design and is adorably voiced by Bronte Smith. Since the child characters are the heroes of this tale, there’s a lot of chaotic energy throughout the film, but it also delivers a generous amount of giggles.

My brother had planned to play an exciting new game on his PC when I started streaming That Christmas, but he ended up watching the entire film with us because of how fun it was. That’s a glowing review in itself!

Rating: 4 stars on 5. You can stream “That Christmas” on Netflix.

P.S. You can find me on Twitter | Instagram

Read Next: Look Back Movie Review: Where Art’s a Lifeline

Also Read: Buckingham Murders: Sharp Cast in Blunt-Edged Thriller (Shorter Version Below)

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Episode 10 Review

Follow us on Twitter | Instagram

Kirishima and Yoshino manage to defeat the goons who targeted them in Episode 9. As a result, Chapter 10 of Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii kicks off with the duo having a serious sit-down with Ozu Kento, the mastermind behind the orchestrated attacks against them.

For Plot Overview Read: Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Episode 1 Review

Titled “To Be Honest, I Want to Marry You Part 2,” the first half of this episode focuses on the protagonists dealing with Ozu, who cooks up a blatantly fake tale about why he was after Kirishima. The mysterious Azami Suo, whose name was finally revealed at the end of the last episode, doesn’t get much more screen time, except for a repeat of the skirmish scene between him and Kirishima. So, we still don’t know Azami’s motive, except that he seems to have an interest in Yoshino.

Kirishima steps up his flirting game with Yoshino, and while he doesn’t bring up marriage again, their relationship definitely progresses! Episode 10 is fast-paced and wraps up with a hilariously playful game between the two to settle the bet they made before their showdown with the goons. Even though Yoshino has yet to make any verbal declarations about her feelings for Kirishima, she is slowly warming up to the “psycho” and seriously considering his emotions. The next episode promises to be even more fun, given the way this one ends.

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Read Next: Look Back Movie Review: Where Art’s a Lifeline

Also Read: Buckingham Murders: Sharp Cast in Blunt-Edged Thriller (Shorter Version Below)

Four Review: Small-Cast Drama Delivers Big Emotions

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

In India, “Hum Do, Hamare Do” is a well-known family planning slogan, which translates to “Two of us, two of ours.” The government promoted the idea that two children were more than enough to complete a family. The phrase came to mind while watching “Four,” a film about a couple struggling with fertility issues, dreaming of having their own little family of four. It’s a nice, round number, isn’t it?

Directed by Canyon Prince, “Four” is based on Ashley Berry’s memoir, “Waiting for Rainbows,” and opens with a heartwarming video montage of the lead couple’s dating history. Meghan Carrasquillo stars as Ashley, the protagonist eager to have children with her husband, Cal (Spencer Breslin). However, when the couple struggles to conceive, they are compelled to explore alternative paths to parenthood, embarking on a tumultuous journey filled with challenges, tragedy, but also hope.

At just over 90 minutes, “Four” is an emotionally charged domestic drama that zeroes in on Ashley’s turbulent journey to motherhood. Meghan Carrasquillo carries the film with charm and intensity, portraying a young woman unwavering in her determination to become a mother, no matter the emotional, physical, or financial toll. Spencer Breslin’s Cal, who serves as Ashley’s anchor through the chaos, isn’t as compelling in his role. Despite the sweet romantic montage at the start, the chemistry between the leads feels lukewarm they feel more like friendly coworkers than long-term lovers in some scenes.

Stacey Dash plays Beth, a no-nonsense social worker who initially intimidates the couple during their first attempt at adoption. However, as the story progresses, their professional relationship softens into a warm, supportive bond. The rest of the cast makes brief appearances, as the film keeps its razor-sharp focus on the lead pair’s emotional journey, and is perfect for fans of small-cast films without distracting subplots.

The background score, reminiscent of an early 2000s playlist, adds a nostalgic warmth to the story. From nerve-wracking IVF treatments to the painstakingly long adoption process, Ashley and Cal navigate their trials as a united team. The pace leans on the slower side, but the simple cinematography and the tender, supportive dynamic between the lead couple is the heart of “Four”. Despite the trauma and challenges they face, their relationship remains grounded in kindness and mutual respect, never tipping into toxicity—a refreshing portrayal of partnership under pressure. The climax ends on a sentimentally positive note and will tug at viewers’ emotions, bringing both tears and smiles.

Rating: 3 on 5 stars. You can watch ‘Four’ on Amazon Prime from December 10.

Read Next: The Penguin Review: Cristin Milioti Makes It ‘The Hangman’

Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)

Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video Review: Lost Tape, Lost Laughs

Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Vidya, these English folks make a video of their wedding night and watch it until their old age. That’s why they remain so happy. So, I’ve been thinking, we should also record our wedding night!”

Directed by Raaj Shaandilyaa, the 2024 Bollywood movie “Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video stars Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri as newlywed couple Vicky and Vidya, whose lives are turned upside down when a private CD from their honeymoon in Goa goes missing after a robbery at their home. Looking into their case is police officer Laadle (Vijay Raaz), who is more interested in wooing Vicky’s older sister Chanda (Mallika Sherawat), a free soul with zero interest in marriage.

“Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video” is set in 1997, just two years after the infamous Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex video went “viral” around the world. So if you really must watch a comedy about a couple losing their sex-tape, watch the series ‘Pam & Tommy’ on Hulu or Hotstar. But unlike the “97% Paarivarik” (family-friendly) promise in the trailer for “Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video”, the Hollywood series is only meant for adult viewers.

If it weren’t for the CD and a couple of Bollywood songs from the ’90s that play throughout Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, the film oddly lacks any real retro vibe, and some jokes don’t even make sense for the era. For instance, Vicky is a henna artist who can’t string an English sentence together, but in the second half of the film, he says, “I will take you to Wakanda if you want” to a character—a Black Panther joke that feels completely out of place, especially since the character wasn’t even popular back then.

On the brighter side, Triptii Dimri is super cute as Vicky’s doctor wife Vidya, but the actors’ on-screen chemistry is practically nonexistent. For a moment, I wondered if it was due to the age gap between the actors, but then I remembered how Rajkummar Rao shared great chemistry with the younger Janhvi Kapoor in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi. Clearly, the problem isn’t the age—it’s the bland script and uninspired direction. Maybe the recycled and rehashed 90s songs in the trailer should’ve been plenty indication that not a lot of new ideas went into the making of this film.

Let’s be honest—Raaj Shaandilyaa and the writers would’ve been better off making a full-blown raunchy comedy for adults instead of this half-baked attempt at a “family-friendly” story about a missing sex tape. It’s crammed with contrived jokes and random twists, capped off with a moral lesson that feels completely out of place, like the weird Wakanda joke. Maybe watch Rajkummar Rao’s “Stree 2” instead or if you’re in the mood for a nostalgic retro offering, try Rao’s action-comedy series Guns & Gulaabs.

Rating: 3 on 10. “Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video” is on Netflix.

Read Next: Jigra Review: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina Are Gutsy Siblings in Dusty Script

Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)

La Brea Season 1 Review: Time Pass Kinda Show

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Here’s the thing, ‘La Brea’ has an excellent plot idea – a massive sinkhole suddenly appears in Los Angeles along a road, sucking in several people, who instead of falling to their deaths, find themselves hitting the ground in a pristine unknown forest. While in Los Angeles, authorities assume the sinkhole must’ve killed people who fell through it, the surviving strangers slowly learn they might be in 10,000 BC! Will they be able to survive in a non-civilized world inhabited by sabre-toothed big cats and woolly mammoths?

Created by David Applebaum, La Brea revolves around the Harris family: pilot Gavin Harris (Eoin Macken), his estranged wife Eve Harris (Natalie Zea), and their teenage children Izzy (Zyra Gorecki) and Josh (Jack Martin). Eve and Josh fall into the sinkhole, while Gavin, plagued by visions of them in the other timeline, rallies support to launch a rescue mission for the sinkhole victims. Meanwhile, the survivors who fell into La Brea face a tough battle for survival, grappling with limited food supplies, trust issues, and mysterious, hostile natives who may want them dead.

La Brea attempts to position itself as a dystopian survival show in the vein of Lost or The Walking Dead (minus the zombies), but it lacks the grittiness expected from a strong first season. Instead, it adopts a more leisurely pace, emphasizing interpersonal dynamics among the group of survivors. Unfortunately, a disproportionate amount of screen time is devoted to Gavin Harris, the pilot hero determined to save his wife and son. His dialogues are dull, repetitive, and could easily be skipped without missing much. A lot of the other sub-plots focusing on different survivors is also very mundane and stretched out. While everybody simply wants to find a way to get back to their timeline, they survivors must also stick together to keep themselves safe from unknown dangers.

Most characters in La Brea are not very entertaining, most of them are unlikable, except for Scott Israni (Rohan Mirchandaney), a museum tour guide, who is always high, and yet is quick to realize that the survivors are inexplicably in 10,000 B.C. Rohan Mirchandaney is comically entertaining as the cowardly yet smart Scott, who quickly becomes friends with Josh Harris. A small romantic sub-plot about Josh’s crush on Riley (Veronica St. Clair), an undergrad student who fell in with her doctor father (Jon Seda), is kinda cute. It helps that both actors look good together and are charming onscreen together.

The cinematography is somewhat mediocre, the VFX on some of the extinct animals is pretty bad, and many of the sets in 10,000 BC straight-up look fake, like they were made for a new museum. Also, let’s not even get started on the costume and makeup department—some of the outfit choices and the fact that everyone looks fresh despite being stuck in the past for a while is simply ridiculous.

This is basically a “time-pass” kind of show. It has a really interesting plot, but it’s not executed with the level of cleverness the story deserves. That said, it still manages to keep you hooked through all ten episodes. Honestly, I wish they had just wrapped up the story in the tenth episode—it really didn’t need a second season. But here I am, curious enough to watch the next season anyway. If you’re in the mood for some mindless time-travel fun, this is a decent pick—you can enjoy it without analyzing all the things that make no sense.

Rating: 5.5 on 10. Stream ‘La Brea’ on Netflix or JioCinema.

Read Next: The Penguin Review: Cristin Milioti Makes It ‘The Hangman’

Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)

Mary Review: This Birth of Christ Retelling Feels More AD Than BC

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“You may think you know my story. Trust me, you don’t.”

That’s one of the first dialogues in the 2024 movie “Mary”, and for anybody who is familiar with biblical tales, trust me, the story is pretty familiar. Directed by D.J. Caruso, the most surprising element in the film is probably the random appearances of the angels Gabriel and Lucifer through the runtime. They pop out of nowhere, do their thing, and disappear.

Noa Cohen plays the titular protagonist and also doubles as the narrator, beginning Mary with her father Joachim (Ori Pfeffer) wandering through the desert, fasting and performing penance for 40 days, praying for God to grant him a child. The film starts with Mary’s birth and concludes with the birth of Jesus, the Messiah on whom people pin their hopes against the tyrannical rule of King Herod (Anthony Hopkins).

The highlight of Mary is its cinematography, which conjures a fantasy-like vision of ancient Israel, with the city resembling something out of Arabian Nights. Noa Cohen is radiant as the adult Mary, often dressed in simple yet dreamy robes that look out of a ‘Dune’ movie. Ido Tako plays Joseph, who is led to Mary by an angel, and it’s love at first sight for him, leading to their betrothal.

The one thing that stood out oddly in the film was a line where someone yells, “Stone the virgin whore!” while zealots target Mary. A person can’t logically be both a virgin and a whore, so this paradoxical dialogue only makes sense if it’s coming from someone with a deeper understanding of biblical contradictions—or if the writers intended it as a sly joke. If it’s the latter, it’s very oddly timed, as it occurs during a tense and violent scene. In other words, it doesn’t feel very BC (Before Christ). That’s the thing about Mary: it’s an easily digestible retelling of Mary’s story, and it seems aimed at younger viewers.

Curiously, the birth of Jesus was one of the most underwhelming sequences in “Mary”, it was rushed, and wasn’t done with the theatrics or fanfare you’d expect in a period-piece like this. Anthony Hopkins, as the narcissistic, exploitative, and cruel King Herod, feels a tad underutilized. However, in the brief sequences he appears in, the veteran actor embodies megalomania to perfection. And unlike a lot of Christ/Mary focused movies, this one isn’t extremely violent or gloomy, even though it does dwell on Herod’s ruthless regime and acts of atrocities.

Overall, Mary is a decent one-time watch for those seeking a Christmas movie and open to a fresh retelling of the story of Jesus’s birth.

Rating: 6 on 10. “Mary” is available on Netflix.

Read Next: The Penguin Review: Cristin Milioti Makes It ‘The Hangman’

Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)

Jigra Review: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina Are Gutsy Siblings in Dusty Script

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Maa ko bhagwaan le gaye. Papa ne khud ki jaan le li. Dur ke rishtedaaro ne panah di, par bhaari kiraaya vasool kiya…”

Jigra opens with a contrived, mildly comical scene of a sibling duo walking home from school, with the older sister asking her brother to give up the names of his bullies so that she can beat them to a pulp. Then, within seconds, the scene takes a “WTF” U-turn as the kids open the door to see their father jump off the balcony.

Directed by Vasan Bala (Monica, O My Darling / Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota / Ray), Jigra immediately establishes lead protagonist Satya (Alia Bhatt) as a fiercely protective sister to younger brother Ankur (Vedang Raina). When Ankur is arrested in a foreign country on false charges of selling/consuming narcotics, Satya teams up with a gangster named Bhatia (Manoj Pahwa) and former cop Muthu (Rahul Ravindran) to break Ankur out of prison, along with three other inmates.

One of the first script problems is how Ankur is initially portrayed as a smart young man, making it borderline ridiculous that he voluntarily takes the blame for a serious crime. This happens because his lawyer convinces him to take the fall for a wealthier cousin caught with drugs, promising him false assurances of a quick bail. Do viewers want to root for someone who lacks basic self-preservation instincts? I’m not so sure. Even though Ankur’s character does undergo major transformation due to harsh prison conditions, building in him a new fight for life. Meanwhile, the wealthy relatives who pushed Ankur under the bus to save their own son, are pretty much forgotten in the second-half of the tale.

As Divya Khosla Kumar claimed, Jigra indeed is quite similar to the Bollywood film Savi, which itself was a remake of the 2008 French thriller Anything for Her. For those who’ve already seen Savi, this Alia Bhatt starrer doesn’t bring much new to the table, except for minor tweaks. In Savi, a housewife does everything she can to free her husband from a British prison, after he is falsely convicted for murder. Similarly, in Jigra, Vedang Raina’s Ankur is imprisoned in a fictional foreign country called Hanshi Dao, and his sister Satya is willing to go to any length to rescue him. Interestingly, Mahesh Bhatt’s 1993 film Gumrah too shares similarities with Jigra, it featured Sridevi as a singer facing the death penalty in Hong Kong for drug possession. And much like Savi, the Sridevi movie was loosely based on the 1989 series Bangkok Hilton starring Nicole Kidman.

Yes, both Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina deliver convincing performances, but the story lacks the intrigue needed for viewers who prefer fast-paced thrillers with punchy twists. Alia gets to play an “angry young woman,” a character with the same kind of build-up and attention typically reserved for big action heroes in commercial cinema. By the time the credits roll, you’ll realize Jigra tries to be a serious crime drama but lands somewhere between uninspired melodrama and a draggy action flick. If you have the “jigra” (guts) to sit through it, all the power to you! I guess, I had much higher expectations from this film.

Rating: 2 on 5. Jigra is available on Netflix.

Read Next: Cruel Intentions Review: Barely Bold, Mildly Entertaining

Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)

The Answer Is No Review: Say ‘Yes’ To Something Else

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Have you seen those viral videos where someone who is no longer in their 20s rejoices when their going-out plans or parties are canceled? Or memes about introverts, like the one where someone looks awkwardly and says, “when you find out your daily life is called ‘quarantine’ by the rest of the world during the pandemic” (which was hilariously relatable for me, btw)?

The Answer Is No by Fredrik Backman is like those videos and jokes, except while they get over in one little image or 20 seconds, Fredrik drags the joke out for 68 pages. And it’s barely funny. The story follows Lucas, who is very “happy” working from home, eating Pad Thai, playing video games, and keeping human interaction to a minimum. But his worst nightmare comes true when he is constantly drawn into conversations with his building residents because of a “frying pan.” Lucas is essentially a recycled version of Ove, the protagonist from Fredrik Backman’s bestselling novel A Man Called Ove, except Lucas is younger, a true loner, and has no romantic partner, dead or alive.

Pesky building board members, freeloading neighbors, and cult members—all sorts of humans invade and destroy Lucas’s happiness. “It’s a frying pan that’s ruining Lucas’s life. We’re getting to that now,” chapter five ends with this quote, and I couldn’t help thinking, “It’s this story that’s ruining my day. I’ll get to that in my review soon.” The Answer Is No is essentially an absurd tale about futile human interactions, and feels extremely repetitive, despite several characters and incidents taking place in a short course of time.

I really wanted to give up after page 30, and in fact, I did, but then I went back and finished it over the course of three days. In my book review for Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing, I mentioned my self-destructive habit of suffering through books no matter how uninteresting they are. And this was only 68 pages, after all—I powered through in absolute misery, over a period of three days that too. The only time I sort of chuckled in this supposedly “hilarious short story” (according to its Goodreads description) was when an official mimics Lucas like a child who doesn’t have a good comeback for an argument. Okay, maybe my sense of humor is broken? I don’t know. If, unlike me, you enjoyed A Man Called Ove, you might like this novella-sized tale too. The ending was kinda clever, and fitting, but this could’ve easily been a 10 page short story.

If you’re asking me whether you should read it, The Answer Is No.

Rating: 1 on 5 stars. It’s on Kindle Unlimited though.

Read Next: Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone: Book Review

Also Read: ‘The Easy Life in Kamusari’ – Book Review (Audio Version Below)

Dan Da Dan Episode 10 Review: Rumors & Gig Workers

Follow us on Twitter | Instagram

“I’ll just ask one more time. Are you guys being bullied?”

The aliens might seem defeated and gone for now, but Momo, Okarun, and Aira are left to grapple with the embarrassment of being spotted nearly naked in their school corridors by multiple witnesses! Episode 10 of Dan Da Dan kicks off with a hilarious scene of the three students sitting across from a school staff member, who earnestly asks if they were being bullied. That’s got to be the simplest explanation for why three teens were flapping around without clothes at school, right?!

Titled “Have You Ever Seen A Cattle Mutilation”, the rest of this episode doesn’t quite match the fun or entertaining tone of the last few Dan Da Dan installments. But after all the alien-induced chaos, the teens do need a moment to catch their breath. Most of the chapter focuses on the comical aftermath of their encounter, with half the school gossiping about how the girls and Okarun were found lying in their underwear. While the vain Aira freaks out over her “pure” image being ruined forever, Momo worries that the rumors about her will only get worse. More importantly, she also demands answers from Okarun over what’s cooking between him and Aira.

In a little twist, the hired “gig worker” from episode 9 is still around, determined to finish the job he was hired for so he can collect payment from the Serpoians (the aliens who want Okarun’s banana). So, the second half of the episode features wacky interactions between the gig worker and our protagonists, who, this time, receive some help from Granny Seiko to deal with the situation. There’s a supposed-to-be-funny sequence where everyone fights over food, but honestly, it’s more annoying than humorous. Regardless, the animation and music keep things fairly entertaining.

You can stream ‘Dan Da Dan’ on Netflix and CrunchyRoll.

Read Next: Mononoke Movie Review: Mad, Mad, Visuals

Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)