Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 88
July 14, 2024
Breaking Down Romeo-Juliet’s Romantic Timeline
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Meeting attractive people is easier than ever (hint: dating apps), falling in love extremely difficult, dying for love an absurdity, and ghosting someone after the first date the highest possibility. That’s how you die for someone these days – by getting ignored/blocked everywhere you like you are dead. Unlike decades ago, when people would meet and marry within days of knowing each other (okay, it happens even now, but not as much). And there’s the romance of Romeo and Juliet, which might be fiction, but must be an accurate representation of what “whirlwind romances” meant for some ages ago. In this day and age, the romantic-tragedy “Romeo Juliet” almost reads like an unintentional comedy for some modern readers.
If you haven’t had the chance to “Romeo and Juliet” it yet: it’s about two teenagers falling in love at first sight, marrying each other the next day of knowing each other, then dying for love within the first week of their burning romance. They meet on a Sunday and are dead by coming Thursday.
So, the timeline from when Romeo and Juliet first meet until their deaths is very brief, spanning just a few days. Here is a breakdown of the key events:
Sunday: Romeo and Juliet, who belong to feuding families, meet at a party and fall in love at first sight. They speak briefly and share a kiss.Monday: They confess their love for each other during the famous balcony scene and decide to marry. They are married secretly by Friar Laurence in the afternoon. That same day, Romeo kills Tybalt in a duel and is banished from Verona.Tuesday: Romeo and Juliet spend their wedding night together. In the morning, Romeo leaves for Mantua. Juliet is informed by her parents that she is to marry Paris on Thursday. She seeks Friar Laurence’s help, and he gives her a potion to make her appear dead.Wednesday: Juliet takes the potion and is found “dead” the next morning.Thursday: Juliet is placed in the family tomb. Romeo, unaware of the Friar’s plan, hears of Juliet’s “death” and returns to Verona. He buys poison and goes to Juliet’s tomb, where he encounters and kills Paris. Romeo then takes the poison and dies beside Juliet. Juliet awakens, finds Romeo dead, and kills herself with a dagger.Thus, from their first meeting to their deaths, Romeo and Juliet knew each other for approximately four days. Crazy or what?
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Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary Episode 2 Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
After all the hype over the famed strawberry tarts, it was simply sad that episode one of “Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary” (original title: “Shôshimin Shirîzu”) ended with them being crushed! The poor kids should’ve gotten to have at least a slice of those pretty-looking cakes. Sigh.
Also Read: Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary Episode 1 Review
Titled “How to Make Delicious Hot Cocoa,” which should’ve really been “The Mysterious Case of Delicious Hot Cocoa,” episode two of “Shoshimin” starts with Jogoro Kobato and Yuki Osanai discussing desserts yet again when they happen to meet each other in a shopping district. Kengo once again disrupts their plan by texting Jogoro to come over to his place and asks him to bring Yuki along. They buy some cake and head to Kengo’s place, where they are met with a curious new mystery in the kitchen.
This episode was all about cake and hot chocolate, and while I wasn’t sure where this anime series was heading, now I am sure: “Shoshimin” is for those looking for something completely laidback, simple, mundane, with just the slightest touch of comedy. All the kids do in this episode is try to solve how Kengo made them three cups of delicious hot chocolate without making a mess in the sink. Yes, that’s the mystery.
Jogoro Kobato sure is nailing his quest to become an ordinary student who worries about ordinary things in life. At this junction of the series, I am guessing this is really not something I would enjoy. Like I said in my review for episode one – “Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary” is a little like “Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions” but a lot more simpler, and less funnier.
You can stream “Shôshimin Shirîzu” on CrunchyRoll.
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Happiness Vol 9 Review: Okazaki is back and how
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Slow claps for the return of Okazaki! Missing from all the action in the last few chapters of Shuzo Oshimi’s “Happiness,” despite being one of the primary protagonists, he’s finally back. Not like I had any issue with him not being around, but it would’ve definitely been disappointing for some readers, since he seemed like the primary lead of this vampire-thriller-drama. Anyway, Okazaki gets a bloody good re-entry, and a literal blood-laden entry, because this penultimate volume is quite the gore-fest!
“Happiness” Vol 8 ended with the tense cliffhanger of Yuki being surrounded by the crazy cult members of “Blood of Happiness,” after their leader Sakurane instructs them to consume Yuki’s flesh to become immortal “Gods.” His exact instructions are: “All of you!! Rip him up!! Tear our God’s body apart!!! Consume his flesh!!! Gulp down his blood!!! Then you all will become as Gods!!!” The last few pages of volume eight ended with a fantastic frenzied panel of Yuki trying to run as the cult members grab him. Surrounded and sure to die, Yuki cries out for Okazaki, and the last page ends with the glimpse of only half of Okazaki’s face, assuring readers of his return.
So, the first page of “Happiness” Volume 9 begins with a stark bold close-up of Okazaki, with a bewildered expression on his face, strapped to a bed, like an animal under observation in a laboratory. Shuzo Oshimi had established in the previous edition that the vampires can telepathically call out to each other, so Okazaki is awakened by Yuki’s cry for help, but first, he must navigate the treacherous confines of the lab where he is being experimented upon. In a bizarrely good twist, someone unexpected comes to Okazaki’s aid.
The artwork, gory twists, and an alarmingly growing body count – this volume is unhinged, and tracks the fates of all surviving characters. A lot of the action unfolds at Sakurane’s cult, whose members are just as deranged as their leader – an excellent depiction of crazy cults and herd mentality. I loved the fast-paced narration this time around and the volume gets over before you know it, with a frustratingly shocking twist, which can lead to possible outcomes in the finale – either a scarily disturbing resurgence of Sakurane or his eventual defeat. If like me, you hate Sakurane, we will be on the same team – hoping the villain dies a painful death in the finale.
Rating: 4 on 5.
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July 13, 2024
My Stand-In Review: Up & Poom Make This A Guilty Pleasure Watch
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Bratty bad boys don’t just get the good girls; they get the good boys too. The last time actor Up Poompat Iam-Samang played a protagonist in a gay romance was in the 2021 series “Lovely Writer,” where he portrayed a cute, shy, introverted, hard-working author. In the 2024 iQIYI Thai drama “My Stand-In,” Up Poompat plays a walking-talking red flag called Ming, who is a far cry from his previous roles, but also the primary romantic lead. This show is all about drama, with problematic relationship dynamics, but the lead pair, Up Poompat Iam-Samang and Poom Phuripan Sapsangsawat, make it a guilty pleasure watch.
Directed by Pepzi Banchorn Vorasataree (KinnPorsche), “My Stand-In” spans 12 episodes and is based on the Chinese novel “Professional Body Double” (职业替身) by author Shui Qiang Cheng. Poom Phuripan Sapsangsawat plays protagonist Joe, a hard-working professional stuntman who often serves as a body double for famous actor Tong (Mek Jirakit Thawornwong). One day, the wealthy young Ming walks into the dressing room and hugs Joe from the back, mistaking him for Tong. (Ming has a back fetish, by the way, not even kidding). Joe falls head-over-heels in love with Ming, and the two start to date, only for Joe to realize Ming only sees him as a substitute for Tong. The two break up, and Joe dies while working on a new stunt job. But in a shocking twist of fate, he wakes up in a different body two years later, which belongs to a model called Joe. In what feels like a cruel joke, Joe once again finds his life repeating—he gets a job as Tong’s stunt double, and Ming hounds the new Joe.
This show heavily banks on the “bad boy” trope, which I am usually not a fan of, but there’s just so much drama, what with the supernatural body-swap twist, that you want to know what’s going to happen until the very end! Unlike the more plain series “Maxton Hall: The World Between Us,” which was oh-so-boring and also about the bad rich boy getting the good girl. Ming from “My Stand-In” is a young, brash, extremely jealous, possessive romantic lead who often tries to solve his problems with money or brute force. Ming is nuts, the kinds who will tie up a person, and hold them hostage until he gets his way, not a red flag, but the whole red nation. But Joe is mad about the boy, so he simply lets all his problematic behavior slide, happy to be by his side until he learns Ming isn’t in love with him. Joe is like that dog in the comedy movie “Strays”, who thinks his owner loves him to death, while in reality the dude is always trying to abandon the pup. So when Joe wakes up in a new body, he does try to avoid Ming like the plague but fails at it. But despite the new body, Joe is still the cute, sad, puppy, drawn to Ming like a moth to a flame, only to be burned.
Since iQIYI has a “cut” and “uncut” version of “My Stand-In,” I thought this was going to be a lot steamier than it is. But regardless, despite the messed-up personal dynamics between Joe and Ming, Up Poompat Iam-Samang and Poom Phuripan Sapsangsawat have good onscreen chemistry. I was skeptical about whether Up Poompat would be able to pull off the anti-hero shades of Ming, but he manages to make you hate his character, especially in the first half of the series.
Meanwhile, Poom Phuripan Sapsangsawat, who was last seen in “Bake Me Please”, is the standout star of “My Stand-In.” Like his character Joe, he might not have the dazzling personality of a superstar, but he is charming, sweet, and likable in his delivery, despite all the stupid decisions his character makes. Viewers will want to root for Joe’s success and well-being, and due to his desperate, hopeless attraction towards Ming, some viewers will also hope the jerk-of-a-brat Ming mends his ways. Poom shoulders the emotional scenes exceptionally well; there’s a scene in the second half of the show where Ming humiliates Joe, comparing him to a dog, so an exhausted Joe breaks into tears and tells him, “Sure, ask me for a paw; go ahead” The scene could’ve easily been one of the most cringe-worthy moments of the show but Poom makes it heart-breaking with his delivery.
“My Stand-In” is essentially Joe’s story, seen mostly from his viewpoint, and both the hero and villain of Joe’s story is his lover Ming. The next antagonist in their life is the manipulative Tong, the actor Ming crushes on, but their romance isn’t possible because Tong is in a relationship with Ming’s sister May (Shu Nunnicha Saehuang). However, Tong often meddles in Ming’s affairs. Mek Jirakit Thawornwong as Tong doesn’t really look like an action star, and the casting directors should’ve probably picked Inntouch Naphat Chalermphonphakdee, who plays Ming’s older brother Mike in the show, as Tong, but with a better hairstyle.
A lot of the supporting cast do not do their roles full justice. For instance, Porsche Tanathorn Charoenratanaporn plays Sol, a popular singer who is interested in Joe, so he poses a threat to Ming as a potential love rival. And even though Porsche looks cute as Sol, his portrayal of the character is annoying, and some of it is also the writers’ fault because Sol could’ve been a solid secondary lead, but much like Tong, he too is jealous, possessive, and manipulative, often trying to dictate to Joe what he should be doing, even though he has no stake in his life. Sorry, but I just wanted to swat Sol with a mosquito bat each time he appeared on screen. The actor who plays Joe’s mother is very wooden in her delivery, and while the actor playing Ming’s mother was more at ease in front of the camera, her role is a lot shorter.
Visually, “My Stand-In” makes for an engaging watch, with well-shot scenes. From outdoor bike stunts to indoor drinking parties, each setting is choreographed to entertain. One of the stronger elements of the show is the background music—the creators avoid stock tracks and comical sound effects and instead use a lot of original music. One of the songs that stood out most to me is a track by singer-songwriter Sin titled “The Chosen One” (เลือกแล้ว), which often plays during the romantic scenes.
Apart from the personal conflicts between the primary leads, “My Stand-In” also briefly explores the class divide between the ultra-rich Ming and the modest Joe, who struggles with his finances when he wakes up in a different body. The last two episodes squeeze in a lot of twists in the tale, including some ugly family conflicts, which get a too-easy conclusion in the end. The climax gives everybody a concrete resolutions, some who didn’t even need it, so at least the writers don’t forget any of their supporting characters. If you’re up for a “hero wakes up in a new body but finds himself trapped in old circumstances, including his toxic former lover” kind of tale, “My Stand-In” is an interesting series that might make your blood boil with some of its subplots but might also keep you satisfactorily entertained until the end.
You can stream “My Stand-In” on iQIYI.
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July 12, 2024
Il Re delle Indie – The King of the Indies Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Arezzo is an old, historic town nestled amid the farmlands of Italy’s Tuscany, whose streets are lined with Renaissance-era buildings that will make a visitor feel like they’ve been pulled back in time. Twice a year, the town hosts the Saracen Joust, a historical knightly tournament where the teams of Arezzo’s four neighborhoods compete to win the Lancia d’Oro, and of course—glory.
Directed by Gaetano Maria Mastrocinque, the Italian documentary film “The King of the Indies” (original title: Il Re delle Indie) gives viewers a fascinating glimpse of the jousting tournament and the people who make it possible. The film opens in the thick of things; the tournament is already underway, and frenzied fans pack Arezzo’s Piazza Grande, awaiting their neighbourhood’s knight to take his aim. If it weren’t for the medieval costumes, one might think they were watching the audience of a crucial football match. But before we can know the score, file footage of past tournaments rolls in.
“In Italy, there’s no other event with greater impact. It’s called the ‘big hit,’ because, if you aren’t trained, you can get hurt,” explains Martino Gianni to the camera. He has been the King of the Square several times and is a bit of a legend in Arezzo. The interview sets an exciting pace for the documentary, which is packed with jubilant, colourful scenes of the joust.
Over 1 hour 15 minutes long, “The King of the Indies” deftly explains everything viewers need to know about Arezzo’s bi-annual event, which started off as a military training exercise in the medieval ages. Director Gaetano Maria Mastrocinque chooses to focus on a neighborhood that hasn’t won the tournament in 12 years and what it means to train for the rigorous event. So, the first half unfolds leisurely, interwoven with interviews of jousters who reveal how seriously the town takes the event.
The cinematography and screenplay are a visual treat, capturing not just the Saracen Jousting event in all its grand, baroque glory, but also all the work that goes into it before the day of the joust. The second half of “The King of the Indies” shows the live event in progress, building tension over who will win. To heighten the excitement, the screen is often split into two windows, juxtaposing the tense knights against the reactions of the audience or the organizers. This helps establish the electrifying tension and excitement that grips the square of Arezzo as the crowds await the announcement of the new King of the Square. The climactic minutes of the film hit an emotional crescendo, the cameras capturing the pure joy, and tears of the winner, along with the celebratory atmosphere that rings through the screen.
From exploring the relationship between a jouster and his horse to plunging the viewers into the pulsating energy of the live event, “The King of the Indies” will make international viewers want to pack their bags, plan their next trip to Italy, and witness the spectacular knighting tournament firsthand. If you’re both a history and sports enthusiasts, this makers for great viewing. If not, it might feel slightly dry and slow, but that still doesn’t take away from its visual splendour.
“Il Re delle Indie” is available to buy/rent on Prime Video.
Kakuda Review: Sonakshi, Riteish Turn Ghostbusters for Ratodi ka Shaap
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
In a remote village called Ratodi, scared men are seen scrambling towards their homes in the evening, closing their doors, saving themselves from a ghost that haunts them all. The viewers get to only see the ghost’s legs. Does it sound a little like the 2018 horror-comedy Stree? Well, director Aditya Sarpotdar, along with writers Avinash Dwivedi and Chirag Garg, are almost upfront about borrowing a few ideas from Stree for their horror-comedy Kakuda, with a few direct jokes referring to it.
Kakuda is, in fact, a light-hearted ode to several horror films, right from nods to good old Ramsay Brothers’ titles to stuff from Stephen King’s novels like In the Tall Grass. The creators also immediately distinguish themselves from Stree in the opening minutes of their film with a new little twist: all the houses in Ratodi have an architectural peculiarity. While the men slam shut their main doors in fear, they also throw open a smaller door situated right beside their entrance, which is almost window-sized. According to local legend, every day at 7:15 pm on Tuesday, the men are expected to open the door for a ghost called Kakuda. If they don’t, the man of the house becomes a hunchback and dies within 13 days.
Sonakshi Sinha plays primary protagonist Indu, whose boyfriend Sunny (Saqib Saleem) lives in Ratodi. Indu doesn’t believe in the curse of Kakuda, despite several hunchback cases, claiming the villagers are victims of superstition and disease. But when Sunny also develops a lump on his back after failing to open his door on time one Tuesday, Indu teams up with Sunny’s friend Kilvish (Aasif Khan) and a ghost-hunter from Delhi called Victor Jacobs (Riteish Deshmukh).
Riteish Deshmukh is quite comical as Victor, the ghost-hunter who often communicates with the dead and uses an array of gadgets for his supernatural cases, which will instantly remind horror fans of the guys from Ghostbusters, or well, our very own Bollywood flick Phone Bhoot. And when all the gadgets fail, Victor hilariously goes old school with his cross and starts chanting verses from the Bible, Exorcist style, to spook the spirits he is dealing with. Sonakshi Sinha’s Indu is feisty and fearless, who doesn’t hesitate to go out with Victor in the dead of night to hunt for their ghost.
The thing is, Kakuda isn’t scary at all, and if you’re an avid horror watcher, there’s probably no scene that will keep you on the edge of your seat or make you anxious, but the writers deliver on the comedy aspect. The special-effects and make-up for the ghost was quite gaudy, that’s where it felt like a Ramsay Brothers’ production, so instead of being creepy or petrifying, Kakuda is like a gaudy male-Annabel doll from a 1980s flick. Although, the supernatural entity does get a solid back-story and reasons for terrorizing an entire village.
Those looking for something wholly fresh might be disappointed with the familiar tropes of the tale, but I really enjoyed all the fun references and banter between the characters. The climax was a little convoluted and the ending could’ve been wrapped up sooner, but overall, Kakuda is a pretty entertaining entry in Bollywood’s growing new genre – Horror Comedy.
You can stream Kakuda on Zee5.
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The Boys Season 4 Episode 7 Review
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“When you see something, say something. Report that groomer, when he comes for you. See something, say something. ‘Cause he hates America and Christmas too. It’s the woke principal and his husband Chad. Or it could be your uncle who says Supes are bad. It might even be your mom and dad…”
Episode seven of “The Boys” Season 4 starts with that bizarre, ultra-right themed lyrics sung by puppets on Vought’s channel for kids, featuring a stupefied Ryan (Cameron Crovetti), who is clearly uncomfortable with the song. But Ryan’s battles are smaller compared to Billy Butcher’s troubles, who is dying but is still nowhere close to finding a solution to kill Homelander. Billy finally confesses to The Boys about the Sameer debacle and proposes a new plan to help create a virus that won’t cause a global pandemic.
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Titled “The Insider,” episode seven of “The Boys” is fast-paced and swiftly covers what’s happening with all its primary protagonists. Like the title suggests, Homelander is once again on the hunt for the person who’s been leaking their information to Butcher, since he finds out Starlight was at the Tek Knight party. I am glad the creators aren’t milking the new friendship between Homelander and Firecracker, pun intended. If you’ve seen the last episode, you know what that means. But thanks to their new equation, Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) finds herself being slowly sidelined. Meanwhile, Sister Sage’s antics also drive a dent in The Deep’s (Chace Crawford) relationship with his octopus partner Ambrosius (voiced by Tilda Swinton). In another major development, Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) finally reveals why she developed her mutism, which wasn’t as traumatizing as one would expect it to be, not after all the grotesque, violent events the writers have already subjected us to.
After that “Fight Club” style reveal at the end of episode 6 about Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), that he too is only a figment of Billy’s imagination, I thought we wouldn’t get to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan again! But he is still haunting Billy’s mind, constantly cussing him and encouraging him to do devious shit. However, the most underrated surprise of this season is A-Train’s (Jessie T. Usher) redemption arc – he has been risking his life time and again to help The Boys and this time he goes an extra mile against Homelander.
There isn’t a lot of political mongering in this edition, which was a welcome respite. Instead, there’s plenty of tension over who’s going to do what next. I was kind of on edge for a lot of the runtime, anxious over who’s going to drop dead next, and even though the body count in this episode of “The Boys” is relatively low, the makers have successfully managed to keep some of us on tenterhooks all the time.
Episode seven ends with an interesting twist, even though one major event leading up to it doesn’t make sense – let’s just say, someone from the enemy camp tries to infiltrate The Boys, but some of the stuff they say is pretty private, the kind of information they shouldn’t be privy to. On the bright side, the whole team is on the same side again, even if reluctantly!
You can stream “The Boys” on Prime Video.
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July 11, 2024
Century of Love Episodes 1-2 Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
If you believed in reincarnation, how long do you think you could wait for the love of your life to be reborn after an untimely demise? San, the protagonist of the Thai romantic-fantasy series “Century of Love” (original title: ปาฏิหาริย์รักร้อยปี/Patihan Rak Roi Pi), waits almost 100 years to see his deceased lover Wat be reincarnated. A magical stone allows him to retain his youth for a century, but if he doesn’t find Wat within 100 years, he will die a tragic death and suffer for eternity.
Directed by Mi Thanawat Panyarin and Wo Worawit Khuttiyayothin (Laws of Attraction), “Century of Love” stars Daou Pittaya Saechua as San, who is willing to go through hell and back for love. Episode one begins in 1920s Thailand, where San falls in love with Wat (Cookie Yada Suwanpattana), a beautiful young woman from a wealthy noble family. But the lovers are torn apart by Wat’s father, and she dies while trying to run away with San, taking a bullet meant for him. So there’s plenty drama, heartbreak and tears in the first few minutes to keep viewers invested. The twist in the tale comes when, after waiting for a century, San finds out that his beloved Wat has been reincarnated as a young man called Vee (Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol). San is shocked, outraged, and wonders if the Gods are playing a joke on him, but his instant connection with Vee is no joke.
The plot for “Century of Love” is somewhat reminiscent of the Korean mini-series “First Love Again,” which also features a man who remains ageless for over 300 years to have a “happy ending” with his reincarnated lover. However, over three centuries, the protagonist’s lover keeps dying before they can establish a stable relationship, until she is finally reborn as a man.
I had seen the trailer for “Century of Love” and am completely on board with the whole reincarnation fantasy plot. However, episode one has a hilarious CGI scene where San is injured by a bullet (much before Wat’s death) and a priest heals him with the special stone. The bullets magically travel out of his arm, and the special effects were so unconvincing that I almost choked laughing. It would’ve been much better if the creators had just injured him with a stabbing and healed his wound—a situation that happens to him multiple times throughout the series anyway, and the special effects for those scenes are a tad bit better.
It’s pretty easy to overlook the not-so-great CGI since this isn’t a big-budget series, plot-wise, but the creators should’ve given Cookie Yada Suwanpattana’s Wat more screen time in the first episode to sell us San’s love story. She is only there for 10 minutes before she tragically dies. Wat and San’s brief moments make it feel like a rushed version of Romeo and Juliet, where the boy meets the girl for 2 minutes, falls in love, and they decide to die for each other in the next four days. Okay, only one of them dies here, but you get the gist.
After the tragic death and the magical-fantasy bits, “Century of Love” gets quite comical and light-hearted in the second half of episode one. Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol is blindingly bright and cute as Vee, a young, cheerful convenience store worker, who has a dramatic meet-cute with San in 2024. The grocery store job is bound to remind fans of “Love in Translation,” a light romantic series where Daou Pittaya Saechua and Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol played lovers and had great chemistry. Their onscreen chemistry continues to be impressive in “Century of Love,” so that’s a definite plus point for the show.
Episode one ends with a surprisingly spicy twist, although San’s character isn’t convinced that Vee could be his reincarnated lover. Both episodes focus on slowly building their romantic subplot and maintaining suspense over whether the two will end up together, since San has a hard time accepting Vee. Considering San is from the 1920s, his disbelief and discomfort over showing affection for a man is believable and is executed without any offensive lines. Although some of the other primary conflicts in the tale are obvious, one involves the magical stone that San possesses.
The first two episodes have a generous amount of fight scenes, and Daou Pittaya Saechua pulls them off with aplomb as San. His body movements and strikes in the close combat scenes are very clean and convincing. However, he has a short haircut that is very unflattering, and it’s also weird that San has had the same cut for 100 years. They could’ve made Daou wear a wig or given him some extensions in at least a few scenes; the short hair is most likely due to the actor’s stint in the military, which must’ve been close to his shoot days for “Century of Love.”
So far, the show seems entertaining enough, even though some of its tropes and conflicts are slightly childish. For instance, San has lived for 100 years, but he tends to behave like an entitled brat who thinks his reincarnated lover will simply fall into his lap (although, ironically, that’s what happens) and remember everything about her past life with him. Also, the makers seem to be banking too much on Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol’s smile, which, of course, is like watching a rainbow appear on a gloomy day. However, they make him smile and laugh for no reason at all, which is borderline creepy and weird, except Offroad is very good-looking, so it doesn’t seem as creepy as it would’ve if it were a different character doing it.
Episode two has a rib-tickling twist regarding San’s curse, which I totally didn’t expect. So despite its predictable moments, the writers of “Century of Love” seem to have a trick or two up their sleeves. Unlike the first episode, the second one also ends with a major cliffhanger, which introduces a new antagonist for the show, who may or may not prove to be a formidable adversary for San. I will be following this series; it’s a lot more interesting than a few other current shows, and the promising chemistry between the leads is a big selling point for me. If you are a fan of the reincarnation trope and enjoyed watching “The Sign,” then you might enjoy “Century of Love” too.
The series is available on Netflix Thailand and YouTube.
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‘The Perfect Couple’ Trailer: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber Pair Up for Beachside Whodunit
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Is there such a thing as a perfect couple? Netflix’s trailer for the murder-mystery “The Perfect Couple” begs to differ, offering a tantalizing peek into the lives of Greer Garrison Winbury and Tag Winbury, played by the iconic Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber. This seemingly flawless couple has been happily married for 29 years and is gearing up to host a lavish wedding ceremony for their son’s marriage to the beautiful Amelia Sacks, portrayed by Eve Hewson. However, the celebrations take a dark turn when a body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor, turning every wedding guest into a suspect.
Adapted from Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling mystery, “The Perfect Couple” is a limited series spanning six episodes and boasts an intriguing ensemble cast, including Dakota Fanning, Billy Howle, Meghann Fahy, Michael Beach, Ishaan Khattar, among others. Eve Hewson, last seen in the British musical-drama “Flora and Son,” plays Amelia Sacks, who appears to be the quintessential “outsider” marrying into a family that isn’t as picture-perfect as it seems. “They are rich, kill someone and get away with kinda rich,” a character says about the Winburys.
The trailer doesn’t reveal much but promises an amusing thriller filled with curious characters, each harboring their own secrets. While the beach setting feels reminiscent of Netflix thriller “A Deadly Invitation”, the whole rich family with buried skeletons in their closet gives off a strong “Knives Out” vibe. After her role in Netflix’s age-gap romance “A Family Affair” with Zac Efron, it will be interesting to see Nicole Kidman share the screen with Liev Schreiber in “The Perfect Couple.” Fun fact: Nicole’s character in both Netflix titles is an author.
You can watch the trailer on YouTube, it’s also embedded below. The series will be on Netflix on September 5.
Land of Women Episode 4 Review
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Recap of Land of Women Episode 3: Gala and Amat strike a deal to improve their wine production to generate more revenue, aiming to use the money to pay off the thugs threatening her family. Viewers discover that Gala’s daughter, Kate, is still transitioning when she asks a local doctor in La Muga for hormone pills. Meanwhile, her grandmother Julia stirs up trouble by suggesting to Andreu that Gala might be his daughter. Unfortunately, the two armed goons who threatened Gala over her husband’s debts in New York have tracked her to Spain and discovered her location.
Just like the previous episode, episode 4 of Land of Women opens with a flashback—a mildly chaotic, comical look at Gala (Eva Longoria) giving birth to Kate. In the present, Kate (Victoria Bazua) is still reeling from the local doctor compromising her privacy, leading to half of La Muga knowing she’s a trans-teen. Julia (Carmen Maura) approaches another potential father of Gala in yet another hilarious sequence. While Gala tries to kickstart her fine-wine production, the women find themselves face-to-face with the goons who’ve been pursuing them. How will they get out of this mess?
This episode is full of comedy, with much of the humor stemming from the women’s attempts to outwit the goons, Hank (Jim Kitson) and Kevin (Amaury Nolasco). The goons, who speak no Spanish, become the butt of several language barrier jokes. Carmen Maura’s Julia continues to shine as the most beloved character, with her cheerful, playful, and troublemaking nature making her both annoying and endearing. In this episode, Julia doesn’t hold back from flirting with the men trying to intimidate them, even calling Kevin a “hunk.”
Jim Kitson and Amaury Nolasco portray Hank and Kevin as some of the most laid-back onscreen thugs. Despite their intimidating appearances, their characters are portrayed as rather friendly, maintaining the show’s light-comedic tone. However, a bit more drama could have made the confrontational scenes even more hilarious. The writers miss an opportunity to maximize the comic potential of three Spanish women outsmarting two clueless goons. The episode’s final minutes are chaotic, ending with a tense cliffhanger that feels somewhat predictable. Hopefully, the next episode will shake things up even more.
Stream the series on Apple TV.
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