Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 73

The Trainee Review – Office Tears and Chaos

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

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The 12-episode Thai series The Trainee follows five youngsters interning at a small production house, where they all struggle to fit in and perform their duties. Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat plays the most lost of them all, Ryan Anawat, who “accidentally” lands the internship and begins to train under the strict Jane Jirapat (Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn). Like many new trainees who cannot handle the real world, poor Ryan is often reduced to tears at work, but as he spends more time learning new things, he also begins to fall for Jane.

Directed by Nat Thachai Komolphet, and Prang Sasinan Pattana, “The Trainee” has a fun first few episodes, with a lot of the story focusing on how the interns try to learn their new duties at work. However, while Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat and Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn (‘Cooking Crush’/‘Not Me’) are billed as the ‘main protagonists’, a significant section is dedicated to the relationship between the nerdy intern Tae Thanat (Sea Tawinan Anukoolprasert) and his clingy girlfriend Ba-mhee (Piploy Kanyarat Ruangrung). Tired of not getting enough attention from Tae, Ba-mhee begins to shift her affection towards the considerate senior Judy (Kapook Ploynira Hiruntaveesin).

Ba-mhee’s character is extremely annoying and I had hoped she would only be a minor character for comic relief, so it was a bore to see her get so much space. Kapook Ploynira Hiruntaveesin as Judy deserved someone better in ‘The Trainee’, even though her role is small, she shines in her part as a well-dressed, hard-working, courteous senior. Sea Tawinan Anukoolprasert (Last Twilight) as Tae has a weird hair-cut, probably just to show him as a boring, nerdy guy, and his character was just that – one-dimensional, always on the computer, or sulking.

Poon Mitpakdee plays Pah, an intern in the art department, who is one of the few characters not embroiled in romantic drama. Instead, he’s either busy working or spending time with his friends, often brightening their day. Meanwhile, Benyapa Jeenprasom portrays Pie, the fifth intern and the most ambitious of the trainees. She dreams of becoming a film director and is frustrated with the menial tasks assigned to interns in the early days. However, she receives a sharp reality check when she struggles to complete even the ‘simple’ tasks correctly. As the show progresses, both Pie and Pah become a lot more likable than Tae and Ba-mhee. Pie often tries to give tips to Ryan on how he should win over his crush, mistakenly assuming he likes their older mentor Baimon (Pompam Niti Chaichitathorn).

Off and Gun, as the boss-trainee duo Jane and Ryan, are fun to watch, though their romantic subplot is thin. What we get more of is their boss-trainee banter, with Jane often harshly criticizing Ryan for failing at his tasks—just like any real boss would. A hilarious scene in episode 2 shows Ryan failing at a task, leading him to offer his resignation to take responsibility. Jane responds wryly, “Hey, this isn’t Parliament, where you resign after making mistakes to show your spirit. You weren’t wrong; you just weren’t careful.” Despite Jane’s frequent scolding, he also tries to teach Ryan and encourages him to stick around and see things through.

The Tae-Bahmee-Judy love triangle in the second half of the series really disrupts the pace of The Trainee, especially with a completely ridiculous twist in the final episodes. The chaos became so overwhelming that I lost interest in watching the finale. The creators should have stuck with a buddy-comedy about friends navigating their first internship, with their romantic experiences as a secondary element. That would have made The Trainee much more enjoyable.

Rating: 5 on 10. You can watch The Trainee on YouTube.

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Woman of the Hour Trailer: Anna Kendrick on a Date Gone Wrong

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Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, is set to hit Netflix soon, and the trailer promises a dark, thrilling ride. Based on the bizarre true story of an aspiring actor who unknowingly chooses a charming yet dangerous man on a dating show, this film brings tension and suspense to the forefront.

The teaser doesn’t give much away, but it starts with Anna Kendrick’s character, Cheryl Bradshaw, enduring an uncomfortable dinner date with Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto). Kendrick’s portrayal of Cheryl captures the subtle unease of a woman trapped in an awkward situation, while Zovatto skillfully plays Alcala, his unsettling charm creating an undercurrent of danger. Despite Alcala’s attempts to get Cheryl drunk, she leaves the date sober, but the tension doesn’t end there. Rodney continues to pursue her, and when he demands she repeat the phone number she gave him, Cheryl’s hesitation confirms his suspicion that it was a fake number. The trailer ends there, leaving viewers in gripping suspense.

From this brief glimpse, Woman of the Hour seems to be a chilling tale of a lone woman facing off against a man with far more sinister intentions than she realizes. Kendrick’s ability to convey vulnerability and strength, paired with Zovatto’s unnerving portrayal of a predator, suggests a gripping dynamic that will keep viewers on edge. Cheryl has no idea that Rodney is a notorious murderer, making the stakes even higher.

The film premieres on Netflix on October 18th, and both Kendrick and Zovatto’s performances are already making waves. Watch the trailer below.

Dear Child Review: A Chilling Puzzle of Missing Pieces

Rating: 4 out of 5.

‘Liebes Kind’ (English: Dear Child) may not sound like the title of a typical thriller series, but this German Netflix show truly does justice to the genre with its steady, gripping suspense.

The series opens with a chilling scene of Lena (Kim Riedle) and her two children confined against their will in a windowless, shadowy house. Soon, a man enters, and the three residents immediately line up in strict obedience. The story quickly shifts as Lena makes a desperate escape, only to be involved in a car accident. She is resuscitated in an ambulance, while her daughter, Hannah (Naila Schuberth), gives eerily precise details about the accident.

As Lena receives medical treatment, her daughter is placed in the hospital’s child-care unit under the watchful eyes of a nurse and psychiatrist. Aida Kurt (Haley Louise) is leading the investigation into Lena’s captivity, and when another detective, Hans (Gerd Bühling), hears about a woman named ‘Lena,’ he informs an elderly couple, Matthias and Karin, who rush to the hospital.

The screenplay and editing are captivating throughout the series, as different timelines are cleverly spliced into the present investigation, revealing vital clues in gradual, suspenseful pieces. We soon learn that Matthias and Karin’s twenty-something daughter Lena disappeared thirteen years ago after attending a party.

When Lena regains consciousness, Matthias quickly realizes she isn’t his missing daughter. But, in a twist, he’s convinced that Hannah is his granddaughter. The woman in the hospital, however, reveals her name is Jasmin, and that she was kidnapped six months earlier and forced to play the role of ‘Lena,’ the mother of Hannah and Jonathan. The police discover an abandoned NATO training ground near the accident site and consider entering it for more evidence. But, Boom! A landmine explodes. These constant twists keep the investigation full of surprises, ensuring you’re always on the edge of your seat.

While there are a few ‘obvious’ suspects, the chaotic yet creative merging of timelines keeps you guessing the identity of the true perpetrator. Jonathan is rescued from the site just moments before a timed explosive goes off. The children, who had never been outside the four walls of the house, require intense psychological care, while Jasmin—still mentally shattered—offers little help to the detectives.

As more skeletons are unearthed and additional suspects interrogated, shady and suspicious characters emerge, making the story increasingly gripping. Naila’s performance as the disturbingly obedient and dutiful child stands out, adding an extra layer of eeriness to the narrative.

The storytelling is methodical, supported by excellent editing, strong performances, a suspenseful score, and a sharp focus on essential details. These well-organized elements reinforce director Isabel Kleefeld’s ability to embody the stereotype of German precision and efficiency. The perpetrator is only revealed in the final episode, sustaining the tension throughout and making this thriller truly binge-worthy.

Rating: 8 on 10. Watch ‘Liebes Kind’ on Netflix.

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Kleo Season 2 Review: Jella Haase Runs This World

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Long review short: If you were entertained by season one of the Netflix series ‘Kleo’, you will most likely enjoy season two too.

Jella Haase reprises her titular role of the James Bond-like Kleo Straub, a former Stasi (secret police of East Germany) assassin, who goes on a killing spree to eliminate those who betrayed her after she is freed from prison. In season one, her vengeance mission gets intertwined with the hunt for a red suitcase, which contains explosive state secrets. By the end of season one Kleo kills most people on her ‘hit list’, and while she could’ve chosen to simply retire into the sun and ‘chill’, season two puts her back on the hunt for the red suitcase, which goes missing again.

Kleo Season 2 is a lot more exaggerated, but it retains the same stunning retro cinematography that makes it a visual thrill. For instance, Kleo walks into a fortified Soviet Union building to steal some papers with no plan B, which is ridiculous as hell, but of course, she miraculously escapes. Oh well, we should know from Season 1 that Kleo is all about letting logic slide a bit and just enjoying the wild ride our protagonist takes us on. This time, she receives a personal warning from Soviet KGB officer Nikolai Zhukov to back off from locating the red suitcase. However, he also shows her a token from her childhood that further intrigues her and solidifies her interest in it. Meanwhile, the CIA approaches police officer Sven Petzold (Dimitrij Schaad) to win Kleo’s trust, as apparently “she’s the only one” who can get to the case (which was weirdly funny—what is she, Superwoman?), but he refuses. Instead, Sven apologizes to Kleo and begs her to let him become her partner in crime again. What unfolds next is madness involving the KGB, the CIA, a bunch of double agents, and a whole lot of people who want Kleo dead. This includes the pig-headed Uwe Mittig (Vincent Redetzki), a former Stasi comrade Kleo kills at the end of season one, but he is shown to survive and vow revenge.

Spanning six episodes, Kleo’s investigation once against takes her outside of Berlin, from Belgrade to Moscow, she has a hell of an adventure. And amidst all the guns, blood, deaths that ensues every time Kleo goes somewhere, there’s her new best-friend Thilo (Julius Feldmeier), the perpetually stoned DJ, who moves into her house with a new girlfriend called Ciana, who claims she is from the planet Sirius B. It’s hilarious how the writers manage to seamlessly blend Thilo’s wacky antics with Kleo’s more dangerous escapades, and their friendship is very amusing.

From reaching out to her estranged mother (Anna Stieblich), uncovering unsettling family secrets, and going against one of the most powerful man in the KGB, Kleo accomplishes a lot more than is humanely possible in a matter of few days. Jella Haase remains the undeniable standout of the show, seamlessly blending Kleo’s larger-than-life persona with relatable vulnerability. Whether it’s her signature pout when things don’t go her way or the exaggerated sad smile she uses to mock others, Haase makes Kleo intimidatingly unreal and human all at once.

While the climactic story twists in Kleo season two wasn’t as surprising, or entertaining, it’s all the other ingredients that makes the show come all together – the actors, the vivid cinematography, and an excellent soundtrack. The finale ends with an interesting cliffhanger that leaves fans with a promise of a possible season three!

Rating: 7.5 on 10. Watch Kleo on Netflix.

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In Limbo: Graphic Novel Memoir Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“I can change how I look. In my head at least.”

The graphic novel “In Limbo” by Korean American artist Deb J.J. Lee starts with a scene of seagulls flying, the next page focussing on a beautiful girl that’s not the protagonist. Because Deborah AKA Jung-Jin, wishes she was someone else, someone with double eyelids and a killer jawline.

I was lured into picking “In Limbo” by the stunning cover art for the graphic novel, and was expecting colorful art inside too, however, the graphic novel is nostalgically drawn in retro hues of black, white, and greys. While the character art is on the simpler side, Deb J.J. Lee puts in a lot of effort in the backgrounds, and sometimes, they almost feel like real pictures.

As far as the storytelling in In Limbo is concerned, it mostly follows Deborah’s struggles with making friends at school, her turbulent relationship with her mother, and a new friendship gone sour. Deborah doesn’t have any friends in class, and the only teens she is pals with are from her orchestra class. In an ironic twist, even though Deborah has fun only during orchestra practice at school, she isn’t interested in playing the violin anymore and starts to fall behind. Increasing pressure from her mother to do better doesn’t help either.

Deborah soon becomes heavily reliant on her new friend Quinn for validation, who, unlike the asocial Deborah, is quite extroverted and outgoing. Their friendship is an accurate representation of how it’s important for people to draw boundaries when their own mental health is at risk. There’s some gap in the storytelling between what really transpires between Deborah and Quinn; however, their falling out is a near-perfect example of how friendships can break.

Even though In Limbo is almost 350 pages long, filled with instances of the casual racism Deborah faces at school, along with her efforts to ‘fit in,’ the graphic novel often feels like a rambling account of a teen’s memories. This, of course, should charm some readers, but I would’ve preferred a more coherent structure to the novel. The graphic novel ends with Deborah’s trip to South Korea, which felt quite random. From Deborah grappling with mental health issues and her fraught relationships, the book suddenly switches to her taking a trip and meeting her maternal grandmother, who is the spitting image of her mother.

In Limbo thus ends with Deborah recalling a happy childhood memory with her mom, and Deb J.J. Lee closes the novel with a picture of seagulls, which circles back to the way the story started. But some readers might not even remember that. The hurried climax left me a little dazed and dissatisfied, but the artwork makes it worth it.

Rating: 3 on 5.

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Kalki 2898 AD Review: Big B Powers Mythic Extravaganza

Ashley Suvarna (Instagram | Twitter)

Indian mythology is a pretty hot topic right now. It’s not like Indian cinema or television has had any shortage of tales about gods and kings. But thanks to recent films like Bahubali and Tumbbad that got noticed internationally, coupled with the rising Indic sentiment, filmmakers have probably realised that there’s once again a huge demand for such stories. And everyone wants a piece of it. No wonder in the last couple of years, I’ve noticed more shows being made, books being written, and film projects being planned that either cover one of the numerous religious stories and texts from ancient India, or at least borrow inspiration from them. Kartikeya, Adipurush, Hanu-Man, Brahmastra… the list is quite decent.

But here’s the thing – Indian mythological texts don’t just cover ancient times, but also contain tidings of what is to be. Think of Ragnarok in the Norse myths and the constant cycle of death and rebirth the universe must go through. India has something similar, just far more fleshed out. And this is where the theme of Kalki 2898 AD stands out from the rest – it’s based not in the past, but on the future.

For context, according to Hindu texts, every cycle of existence is divided into four Yugas or eras, and we are currently in the Kaliyuga, the final era that is defined by sin and decay. The plot of the movie is loosely based around the story of Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu who is slated to appear at the very end of the cycle. Kalki’s goal would be to vanquish the demon Kali who represents all the vices of mankind, and bring about the end of Kaliyuga, starting the cycle anew. The movie begins with a neat VFX sequence depicting the battlefield at the end of the Mahabharata war, where the warrior Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) commits a grave sin and is cursed by Lord Krishna with immortality, albeit a painful one. To redeem himself, he would have to wait out the entire Kaliyuga and eventually protect the womb from which Kalki shall be born.

Fast forward to 2898, The world has turned into a dump as predicted, a wasteland with a single dusty city still standing. Living for the average person is all about desolation,poverty, wardrobes that look like they were borrowed from the sets of Dune, and cool gadgets that look like they were borrowed from Riddick. Most of the water has been stolen and taken to the Complex, a towering structure shaped like an inverted pyramid, which we’re told is a haven overflowing with food, drinks, and luxury that is so costly to enter, you might have to sell your kidneys, your neighbour’s kidneys, maybe even your spare Lamborghini. And probably still fall short.

The plot begins within this city, where the story introduces us to a secret society of rebels whose members lurk around from settlement to settlement, hiding from bounty hunters and Complex soldiers while looking for a pregnant woman who they believe contains their sacred god. The stage is set, the pieces are in place, and so far it looks promising. Except, the next hour or so is little more than a borefest. The movie suffers from major pacing issues in the first half. The story does build up slowly, adding more layers and characters, but I think it’s a tad slower than it should be.

Inside the Complex, there’s a secret mass experiment going on called Project K, which sounds important and all, but we never actually get any hints or explanation as to what it is. Then there’s Yaskin (Kamal Haasan), the big baddie who reminds me of Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid and whose identity is even more mysterious than the project he’s running. But I think what really drives the point home is Prabhas’ character Bhairava having one of the most lacklustre, dragged out intro sequences I’ve ever seen. And why the heck was Disha Patani even there? Her presence is as inconsequential to the movie as Tamannah Bhatia’s in Bahubali 2. The makers could have easily trimmed off around twenty minutes of footage from the entire first half, and it would have worked out just fine.

The good news is, the film picks up immediately after the interval. Sumati (Deepika Padukone) has escaped the labs and found herself with the rebels, who waste no time taking her to their hidden base Shambhala. Both Bhairava and the newly rejuvenated Ashwatthama want in ont he action, Bhairava so he can hand her to Yaskin’s right hand man Manas for a lot of moolah, and Ashwatthama so he can protect her. This tussle is what makes up the crux of the story, Ashwatthama’s power and ferocity matched only by Bhairava’s determination.

Which reminds me, Amitabh as Ashwatthama is probably the star of the movie. The man is a complete powerhouse in terms of acting. But what surprised me was how well he managed to pull off those intense action sequences despite being around eighty years old. I think his character design is one of the best creative decisions the team has made. He is an ancient being, from a time when demigods and divine powers freely walked the earth, some of whom he has fought with on equal footing. Depicting him as a10 feet tall behemoth in the present only serves to highlight his persona and the true scale of the era he belongs to. Sumati is your typical damsel in distress, an expendable lab asset, a nobody who suddenly finds herself becoming the centre of the universe.

Bhairava, on the other hand, is a somewhat complicated man. He’s both the antihero and the comic relief. Not evil, but not averse to doing bad stuff either. The movie makes you both like him and despise him, although I’m not too sure if this was entirely intentional. Because if it is, I would call it either a stroke of genius, or the most confused character writing of the lot. Saswata Chatterjee as Commander Manas is a little under-utilised, although his character is more colourful than one might imagine at first. Unlike the character of Counselor Bani (Yaskin’s left hand man?) who always has the same grim, wisdom-filled expression, Manas gives off the aura of ruthlessness and malice one moment, then drops a humorous little quip in the next scene in a manner that doesn’t take away from his overall nature. Coupled with his mannerisms and clothing, he almost feels like a 90s Mogambo style villain stuck in the wrong universe.

But I’d be doing a disservice if I didn’t mention Bujji, whose name sounds oddly like ‘buggy’. Again, I don’t know if that was intentional. Bhairava’s vehicle cum AI companion was featured very prominently in the movie’s promo campaign. Although Bujji (voiced by Keerthi Suresh) doesn’t have a lot of screen time, her part skeptic, part pessimist personality lends a certain lighthearted tone to certain scenes. However, if you are even somewhat familiar with Western movies, Bujji may look like she has nothing unique to offer. To be honest, the moment I first saw the bobble-head looking thing that serves as Bujji’s face, I couldn’t help but connect it to Marvin the Paranoid Android from Hitchhiker’s Guide. At this point I’m already so convinced that half of the things in this film are direct inspirations from other franchises, even Bhairava’s Bujji… sorry, buggy feels like the Dark Knight Batmobile to me.

But despite its numerous issues, the movie has plenty of stuff that deserves to be appreciated. For example, the visual effects. There were a lot of instances where even a slight neglect could have easily made everything look tacky and fake, but the VFX department did a pretty stellar job of it. The later story, while cliched in places, also makes up for the slow runtime of the earlier half. There were times when I predicted a certain twist and found myself pleasantly surprised at being proven wrong. But nothing could have prepared me for the climax, and unless the internet has already spoiled it for you, maybe you won’t find yourself somewhat shocked too. The movie does drop certain hints along the way that foreshadow the end, but every time, it draws your attention somewhere else before you have time to think about it. I believe that’s one of the hallmarks of a story that’s been given plenty of care and thought.

I can forgive Kalki for ending on a cliffhanger considering it’s only the first movie in the franchise. Maybe there’s plenty of story elements in it that don’t make sense now, but probably will in subsequent films. In that sense, it’s best to think of Kalki 2898 AD as a setup for even greater events. Nag Ashwin definitely has a lot to learn from the downsides of this movie, from the forced emotions and unnecessary jokes, to the hybrid Hinglish dialogues peppered all over. Come to think of it, if Kalki was instead marketed as a 6-episode series, the pacing would have made so much more sense.But all in all, Kalki is a very ambitious movie that proves it has the guts to match the vision. A strong contender that lays the foundation for this mythological scifi genre in Indian cinema. It’s not perfect by any means, but if the filmmakers evolve their storytelling skills and manage to somehow iron out its kinks, the Kalki universe could potentially be a game changer. Not just here, but internationally.

Rating: 7.5 on 10. Kalki 2898 AD is now on Netflix and Prime Video.

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Sector 36 Review: Where Prem Turns Serial Killer

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

For a Bollywood fan, the name ‘Prem’ is most likely to evoke images of a soft, romantic hero from Sooraj Barjatya’s larger-than-life movies. Some might also think of Prem Chopra, the veteran actor who brought numerous iconic villains to life over a career spanning seven decades. And then there’s Vikrant Massey’s Prem from the 2024 Bollywood movie ‘Sector 36’—a cold-blooded serial killer whose tracks elude the cops despite an alarmingly high body count. A Prem we might not remember for far too long.

Directed by Aditya Nimbalkar and written by Bodhayan Roychaudhury, Sector 36 opens with Prem watching a spoof version of Kaun Banega Crorepati (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire) on his television, while more urgent tasks await him—like disposing of a young girl’s body. Inspired by the 2005-2006 Noida serial murders, the film takes a straightforward approach to murder, motives, and “action and reaction.” Prem, who suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of his maternal uncle as a child, sees no wrong in unleashing violence against innocent children. All the crimes take place in the bungalow of Balbir Singh Bassi (Akash Khurana), Prem’s wealthy boss.

Deepak Dobriyal plays Inspector Ram Charan Pandey, a cynical cop who swears by Newton’s third law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Though he has little interest in serving the community, an incident forces him to investigate the disappearances of several children from a nearby slum under his jurisdiction—Sector 36. Prem and Ram Charan Pandey cross paths for the first time in a scene rich with symbolic undertones during the Ram-Leela celebrations. Ram is dressed as the mythological villain Raavan, while Prem wears a Raavan mask. It’s villain versus villain, except Inspector Pandey is ready to shed his old wolf’s skin to bring the lost sheep to justice.

Sector 36 is often unsettling, largely due to the disturbing power imbalance between Prem and his victims, who are often poor, minor children from the slums—either lured by candy or drugged and abducted. Vikrant Massey is chillingly convincing as the psychopathic killer, who feels no remorse for butchering children and instead gloats over his actions, as if doing society a favor by ridding it of children he claims will never matter. Prem treats his victims as vermin to be exterminated, whether by circumstance or by people like him, who see their deaths as a means to an end.

Some sections of ‘Sector 36’ reminded me of ‘Article 15’, the 2019 Anubhav Sinha thriller about caste-based violence. But it was largely due to the broody cinematography and color palette, because ‘Sector 36’ unfolds like a dramatic but flat crime documentary, and never delivers a gut punch like ‘Article 15’ did with its storytelling. Not only do Aditya Nimbalkar and team fail to build any suspense over what Vikrant Massey’s Prem is up to in the bungalow he lives in, which is fine, but after that, they fail to create a gripping investigative story. Inspector Ram Charan Pandey is able to make progress in his case only due to co-incidences, chance encounters, and sheer luck. The film lacks the tension of a cat-and-mouse chase, mind games, or any major twists in the story, with the emotional arc remaining steady, even bordering on the mundane.

Regardless, ‘Sector 36’ keeps viewers anxious over what’s going to happen next until the climax, and is carried by solid performances by Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal.

You can watch the film on Netflix.

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4 Minutes Review: Great-Tyme Thriller? Not Quite.

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When the creators of ‘4 Minutes’ dropped the trailer for their time-traveling (sort of) thriller, you couldn’t make out what the plot was about, which was a great sign – good trailers shouldn’t give the story away. But now that I’ve seen the 8-episode long series starring Bible Wichapas Sumettikul and Jespipat Tilapornputt as Great and Tyme, I am still not sure what the whole point of the story was!   

Directed by Ning Bhanbhassa Dhubthien, who was a screenwriter for “KinnPorsche”, Thai thriller ‘4 Minutes’ follows wealthy university student Great Pacharawit Sriwatsombat (Bible Wichapas Sumettikul), who suddenly gains the supernatural power to see 4 minutes into the future. So, this newfound ability helps him fix several bad decisions and leads him to meeting the charming doctor Tyme Thamin (Jespipat Tilapornputt). While strong speaks fly between the two, however, Dr Tyme seems to have ulterior motives for getting close to Great. Dark family secrets, lies, money, corruption, vengeance, and a murder complicate Great’s pursuit of a relationship with Dr Tyme.

After watching Bible Wichapas Sumettikul play the twisted villain Vegas in ‘KinnPorsche’, a lot of fans were excited to watch him lead his own show, but surprisingly, the first half of ‘4 Minutes’ gives its secondary leads Korn Sriwatsombat (Bas Asavapatr Ponpiboon), Great’s older stepbrother, and his boyfriend Tonkla (Fuaiz Thanawat Shinawatra) a lot more space. Korn takes over his wealthy father’s many businesses, including some shady enterprises, which is eventually connected with the primary pair’s plot. Interestingly, Korn and Great share a healthy, endearing sibling relationship despite being stepbrothers. However, as Korn’s work responsibilities increase, he starts to ignore Tonkla, prompting Tonkla to begin a steamy affair with a cop named Win (JJay Patiphan Fueangfunuwat), who is investigating the murder of Tonkla’s younger brother. While both Win’s and Tonkla’s roles in the story seem unclear at first, they become crucial catalysts for many events in the climax.

The screenplay for 4 Minutes can be quite confusing for viewers due to the ‘what if’ scenarios running through the plot (nowhere near as bad as the Thai time-travel series ‘609 Bedtime Story’ though). The creators blur the lines between reality and the supernatural by presenting two timelines—one where Great makes awful decisions and lives with the consequences, and another where he rewinds time by four minutes to choose better outcomes. The cinematography leans heavily into symbolism, especially regarding the number four and time in general, though naming the main character “Tyme” felt like overdoing the metaphor.

There is no clear antagonist in the tale, and wealth seems to be the biggest villain in 4 Minutes, it corrupts the brothers Great and Korn in different ways. In his eagerness to please his crony-capitalist father, Korn remains in the closet, pursues a relationship with the daughter of a business partner for financial benefits and alienates the person he loves. Great on the other hand seems to despise his parents’, but he is more than happy to use their clout and influence to cover up his many misdeeds, some of which would land an ordinary youngster in prison. Those looking forward to a solid romantic plot between Dr Tyme and Great in the series are likely to be left disappointed, because their story is rushed. And while Bible Wichapas Sumettikul and Jespipat Tilapornputt do have great onscreen chemistry, they are overshadowed by the steamy-messy love triangle between Tonkla, Korn and Win, especially in the first half.

Bas Asavapatr Ponpiboon and Fuaiz Thanawat Shinawatra, as Korn and Tonkla, are initially introduced in a way that make them look like casual lovers who simply meet up for sex, but flashbacks reveal them to be college sweethearts who are genuinely affectionate toward each other. Last seen playing a coy, skittish, helpless teenager in the horror series ‘Dead Friend Forever – DFF’, Fuaiz Thanawat Shinawatra stands out as Tonkla, an angst-ridden character who uses sex as a coping mechanism, to distract himself from the things he cannot control. Tonkla could’ve easily been reduced to a boy toy meant solely to titillate the audience, but Fuaiz manages to make one wonder why Tonkla is the way he is, delivering a spirited portrayal of grief, angst, and vengeance in the few scenes where he isn’t in bed with someone.

The mysterious aspects of 4 Minutes heavily generated by the confusing realities and not a suspenseful plot. For instance, a murder takes place in the very first episode, and viewers already know who the killer is, however, due to the changing realities, you don’t know if the murder really occurred or not. If that already sounds confusing to you, wait until you watch the series, you’ll be in for more confounding surprises. The finale appears to introduce a whole new angle to the tale that will just make you go “WTF?”. A weird, unnecessary sequence of Tyme being confused over what’s happening to him slows down the pace of the last episode. Viewers get a half-baked explanation of Great’s ability to see 4 minutes into the future and are left with a rushed conclusion to the lead pair’s personal and romantic struggles. A more straight-forward thriller plot without the time-travel aspect would’ve made 4 Minutes a lot more entertaining, but then, the creators would’ve needed a whole new title. Check out the series if you like the cast.

You can watch 4 Minutes on iQIYI.

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Hidamari ga Kikoeru – I Hear The Sunspot Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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Kohei is a handsome but asocial University student, who finds himself misunderstood due to his hearing loss problems. He strikes an unlikely friendship with the loud, friendly, extroverted Taichi, when the two meet by accident on campus and Taichi volunteers to take notes for Kohei in exchange of food.

Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuki Fumino, the 12-episode long series ‘I Hear the Sunspot’ (Hidamari ga Kikoeru – (ひだまりが聴こえる) has been directed by Yaegashi Fuga, Makino Masaru, and Harashima Takanobu. Actor Nakazawa Motoki plays the hearing impaired Sugihara Kohei, while Kobayashi Toranosuke is the energetically optimistic Sagawa Taichi. Poles apart in personalities, how a quiet friendship and a possible feelings of love stir between the two forms the plot of ‘I Hear the Sunspot’/’Hidamari ga Kikoeru’

I have read both the manga and seen the live action movie ‘I Hear the Sunspot’ (2017), so I had higher expectations from the series, and somehow, Kobayashi Toranosuke’s portrayal of the playful Taichi didn’t seem convincing enough. Toranosuke’s onscreen personality seemed more suited for action-themed stories, or where gets to play the confident lead, instead of the naive, dense, silly Taichi in ‘I Hear the Sunspot’, who’s unable to read Kohei’s feelings, even after the latter clearly confesses them. He sometimes came across as an older person trying to hard to emulate a carefree college kid. That wasn’t the case with Onodera Akira’s (he also played Yuki in ‘Given’) portrayal of Taichi in the movie. Nakazawa Motoki is a lot more effortless in his part as Kohei, who starts out as a loner with insecurities, but slowly comes of his shell as he spends more time with the bright Taichi.

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The blooming friendship between Taichi and Kohei is heartwarming, especially when they share meals, laugh over food, and bond through their lecture notes. Motoki’s Kohei lights up whenever Taichi is around, like a sunflower turning toward the sun—it’s undeniably adorable. However, there’s a strong ‘platonic friendship’ vibe between the two, and I Hear the Sunspot (Hidamari ga Kikoeru) might have been more engaging if it focused purely on friendship and the struggles of hearing-impaired youth.

A major subplot introduces Kohei’s new friend, Maya (Shiraishi Yua), who comes across as annoyingly passive-aggressive—sometimes just outright mean—toward Taichi. I wasn’t a fan of Maya and even Taichi becomes not so likable as the show progresses – his character inconsistencies become frustrating in the second half of ‘I Hear the Sunspot’/’Hidamari ga Kikoeru’. Taichi is portrayed as a loud, boisterous, no-filter kind of guy who always speaks his mind. However, to add conflict to the story, Taichi virtually ghosts Kohei for a while, causing both of them to suffer from the lack of communication—for no good reason.

The romance is far too slow-paced, you can say it’s almost non-existent, which is why this should’ve been a simple ‘slice of life’ story about a group of college friends. Regardless, there’s a lot like in I Hear the Sunspot (Hidamari ga Kikoeru), especially it’s summer-themed laid-back University atmosphere and the friendly banter between its characters.

Rating: 6 on 10. You can stream the series on iQIYI.

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Non-Readers: The Perfect Couple’s Ending is Totally Different in the Book!

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If you’re one of the many who tuned in to Netflix’s live-action adaptation of The Perfect Couple without cracking open the book first, buckle up—you’re in for a twist! While the series captures the essence of Elin Hilderbrand’s juicy murder-mystery-meets-wedding-drama, it definitely throws in a few curveballs. The ending? Yeah, it’s very different. Whether you’re a fan of the book or new to the story, the tweaks Netflix made will keep both readers and non-readers on their toes.

In the series, Eve Hewson plays Amelia Sacks, who is all set to marry Benji (Billy Howle), the son of ‘the perfect couple‘ – bestselling author Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman) and her dashing husband Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber) – at their beach-side mansion. While most characters have the same names as the novel, Amelia is actually called Celeste in the book. And both in the book and the Netflix series, Amelia/Celeste begins to have cold feet on the wedding eve, wondering if Benji is really the right guy for her. In a twist of fate, her wedding is cancelled, when her best-friend and the maid of honor, Merritt Monaco, is found dead. What starts as the most Instagrammable Nantucket wedding of the year turns into a full-blown whodunit, as the cops suspect Merritt was murdered.

Major Spoilers Ahead! We reveal the killer’s identity.

Yes, so the book killer and series killer are quite different. And if you’ve already seen the series, you know that Dakota Fanning’s character Abby Winbury, Benji’s sister-in-law turns out to be the murderer in “The Perfect Couple”, a revelation that is made towards the very last episode of the show (Read ‘The Perfect Couple Series’ Ending Explained’). However, in Elin Hilderbrand’s book the person responsible for Merritt’s death isn’t the same.

The Big Reveal (AKA the “Wait, WHAT?!” Moment)
By the end of the book version, it turns out—drumroll, please—Celeste (Amelia in the Netflix series) didn’t just have cold feet about the wedding; she was also involved in Merritt’s death! But, before you go thinking she’s a stone-cold killer, let’s break it down: Merritt’s death was actually an accident in the book. Celeste pushed her during a heated argument, and Merritt fell, hit her head, and tragically died. It’s one of those moments where you’re like, “Oh no, she didn’t mean to do it, but wow, that escalated fast.”

Why Did This All Go Down?
Celeste was already stressed about marrying Benji, feeling all sorts of unsure. Then, it turns out that Merritt had been sleeping with Benji’s dad, Tag Winbury. When Celeste found out, she lost it. Merritt was supposed to be her bridesmaid and friend, but instead, she was tangled up in all this messy family drama. Things went from zero to chaotic during an argument between the two women, and Celeste pushed Merritt in the heat of the moment, which led to her death.

How Does It All Wrap Up?
In classic twist fashion, Celeste keeps the truth hidden for most of the book. Chief Ed Kapenash is out here piecing everything together like the small-town detective we all need, but it’s complicated because there’s a ton of family baggage, hidden affairs, and lies floating around. When the truth finally comes out, Celeste has to face the music. And honestly, you can’t help but feel for her. Was it an accident? Yes. But she was caught in this toxic swirl of lies, deceit, and wedding chaos that spiraled out of control.

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