Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 91

Wondla Review: Robots, Aliens, and a Teen’s Quest for Humanity

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“When a species goes extinct, that is nature resetting itself, restoring balance. But humans are a special case, instead of simply going extinct, you tried to take the world down with you.”

Set somewhere in the future, the Apple original animated series “Wondla” is based on the science-fiction fantasy books by Tony DiTerlizzi. It follows the adventures of a young girl, Eva, who sets out to find other humans after being raised in isolation by a robot mother in a self-sufficient underground bunker until her 16th birthday. Once she reaches the surface, she discovers the earth no longer resembles the uninhabitable planet wrecked by humans and is instead inhabited by a whole new alien race. While my instinct was to compare “Wondla” to the Amazon Prime series “Fallout” (a fantastic show, BTW, but not meant for children), which also follows a young woman named Lucy MacLean raised in an underground bunker, the shows are a world apart. Lucy ventures into a wasteland where humans still rule with terror, whereas Eva explores a wondrous new green world with strange new species, some friendly, others deadly.

Jeanine Mason voices protagonist Eva, a curious, positive teenager who simply wants to find her own tribe. The first episode is super cute – Eva is introduced as a baby, and a robot called MUTHR, short for Multi-Utility Task Helper Robot, takes care of her, preparing her for an uncertain future. Although the immediate question in my mind was – where are the parents? Surely Eva wasn’t manufactured at a factory, but okay, I had to set those questions aside. And since I haven’t read the books, I don’t know if it vastly varies from the original source material. There are quite a few things that don’t make sense, but that shouldn’t matter to younger audiences.

Spanning seven episodes, “Wondla” is animated by Skydance Animation studio, which was also behind the Apple original movie “Luck.” The animation is cute, very Disney-like, and Eva looks like a mash of Disney princesses animated protagonists, with the classic big beautiful eyes. For some reason, she kept reminding me of Raya from “Raya and the Last Dragon” (probably because of a hat she wears in one of the episodes). Some of the alien characters are adorable, and a few resemble the original illustrations from Tony DiTerlizzi’s books. However, the robot MUTHR is very different in Apple’s Wondla; it’s a much simpler, modern, minimalistic version, which is a good upgrade from the clunky steampunk version of the books. However, Eva’s character design is the most unoriginal update and I wish they had made her look more unique. Attached below is a comparison of Eva from the book versus Eva from the animated series.

Chiké Okonkwo menacingly voices Besteel, the principal antagonist, a mean ruthless beast that looks like a cross between a giant bear and a stunted dinosaur. Besteel is a bounty hunter of sorts who attacks Eva the moment she tries to reach the surface and keeps chasing her throughout the runtime. A wise nomadic guide named Rowender (Gary Anthony Williams) who looks like a tweaked version of the blue Na’vi from “Avatar” and a giant cuddly water-bear called Otto (Brad Garrett) become Eva’s allies as she navigates the new earth, now called Orbona, looking for other humans. The robot MUTHR also joins Eva’s quest, and their almost mother-daughter bond is a strong theme in the series, an interesting depiction of just how positively personal human-AI interactions can be.

Even though Eva’s adventures aren’t wholly novel, there’s familiar joy in many of her experiences. A lot of the humor in the series is drawn from the assumptions aliens make about humans, since humans no longer dwell on the surface and are assumed to be extinct. For example, some think humans can fry a creature’s brain by just looking at them. Episode 5 was my favorite in the series, where Eva befriends a young female alien who, much like Eva, grew up without any friends to play with or confide in. Like most protagonists in children’s fantasy books, Eva is kind, brave, easily trusting, and looks for the best in those she meets. The creators manage to make viewers root for Eva, but will she find more humans? The suspense over her quest is tightly maintained until the very end.

The season finale of “Wondla,” episode seven, was surprisingly dark and tragic, but it also ends with a solid twist that promises an exciting new season. The beautiful world-building and alien creatures of the series offer an engaging treat for science-fiction fantasy fans.

You can stream “Wondla” on Apple TV+

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Bhaje Vaayu Vegam Review – Winded and Worn Out

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Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Venkat is orphaned as a child and adopted by his father’s friend, an impoverished farmer who raises Venkat alongside his own son Raju in their village. As adults, the brothers leave for the big city to achieve their dreams—Venkat aspires to become a cricketer, while Raju hopes for a software job. However, neither accomplishes their goals, leading them to lie to their simple farmer father about their success. Venkat makes money by betting on cricket matches, and Raju works as a valet. This setup is established in the first 18 minutes of the 2-hour 16-minute-long “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam.” The real story begins when their father falls ill, and the brothers need a substantial amount of money for his treatment. Desperate for quick money, Venkat finds himself entangled with local gangsters and politicians, leading to a whirlwind of chaos.

Directed by Prashanth Reddy and written by Madhu Srinivas, “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam” – which means “fast like the wind” – packs numerous sob stories into the first fifteen minutes to evoke sympathy for Venkat (Kartikeya Gummakonda) and Raju (Rahul Tyson). Iswarya Menon plays Venkat’s romantic interest, whose character is there only for perfunctory reasons, and give makers an excuse to fill in some song-dance numbers. Tanikella Bharani, looks too old to play their farmer father in the childhood flashbacks, but portrays a loving and hardworking man who hides his financial troubles to provide for his sons. This makes it difficult to understand why the brothers become such deceptive troublemakers. Although they fear disappointing their father, he doesn’t seem like the kind of man who would disapprove of their failures. The script feels outdated; the boys’ lying would make more sense if their father were depicted as a strict figure with lofty expectations. Instead, he is a simple farmer who would be content as long as his sons earn an honest living.

Kartikeya Gummakonda exudes lead actor energy throughout “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam,” but the twists, turns, and setbacks Venkat experiences are far too contrived. For instance, a forced scene shows Venkat confronting a stranger for hitting a woman on the road. Venkat asks, “Is this your father’s road?” to which the rich man responds, “Yes, it is owned by my father, so what?” This exchange signals to viewers that Venkat’s gambling will cause trouble, and the rich man may also seek revenge. However, why so many wealthy and powerful men would waste their time on a nobody like Venkat isn’t convincingly explained. In fact, the villains’ backstories are more compelling than the hero’s arc. Besides, since a lot of Venkat’s troubles are self-inflicted, it isn’t easy to root for him.

The screenplay is chaotic and doesn’t align with the exaggerated twists in the plot. Despite the abundance of criminals, gangsters, and villains in “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam,” the movie lacks any memorable action sequences. There’s almost no comedy, so don’t expect any comic relief. And the romance? Whatever little there is, it feels unnecessary. Unlike its title, this film is a slow, messy, formulaic production with a predictable climax that doesn’t even get its clichés right. Watch only if you’re a big fan of the actors, and maybe you’ll enjoy it more.

“Bhaje Vaayu Vegam” in on Netflix.

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Happiness Vol 4 Review: Expect More Deaths

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

The cover art for “Happiness” Volume 4 by Shuzo Oshimi is the most chaotic so far. It’s jarringly colorful and looks like it was made with crayons, with lots of spirals in the corners, which makes it look like a childish manga version of “Andy Warhol meets Junji Ito.” I am a little gullible when it comes to pretty book covers, so if this had been on the cover of the first volume, I doubt I would have picked it. But like they say about covers, don’t let it mislead you. This volume is the bloodiest yet in the horror manga series. It’s filled to the brim with disturbing images and events that surpass all the blood and gore in the last one.

Recap of “Happiness” Volume 3: After protagonist Makoto rescues his classmate Yuki from a water tank where he was left to die, Yuki is hospitalized and begins to experience painful bodily distortions. Makoto seeks out Nora, the girl who bit him, and begs her to make him human again. When she suggests they run away together, a dejected Makoto goes back home, only to be gagged and kidnapped by men who masquerade as police officers but seem to be part of some shady organization that hunts down vampires. Yuki, however, comes to Makoto’s rescue this time, and the two boys manage to escape to safety. Yuki confesses he murdered his mother for blood. Volume three ends with Makoto bringing Yuki to Nora, but whether the vampire girl will help them or kill them is left for the next edition.

“Happiness” Volume 4 introduces a new character called Sakurane, who for the first time uses the term “vampire” in the manga series. Not like we needed Sakurane’s validation, but it sure feels good to finally see a character use the word in the series. Sakurane runs into Goshi, the sweet young student who is looking to help Makoto and Yuki but doesn’t know how to, so Sakurane offers to assist her.

Except for the um-impressive cover art, Shuzo Oshimi’s illustrations are fantastic, eerily capturing the creepy, bloody experiences of Makoto and Yuki. While Makoto is under Nora’s spell, Yuki escapes her clutches and rushes off to find his girlfriend Shiraishi. With his thirst for blood spiraling out of control, there’s significant tension over what he’d do next or who he’d kill next. So, plenty of deaths take place in this edition too.

Amid all the macabre deaths, loss, and betrayal, Makoto continues to be surprisingly human in his behavior and even convinces Nora to come to an unlikely agreement with him, a sort of unofficial pact. But unlike the title of this horror manga series, happiness isn’t something Makoto can aspire for, so things don’t get any better for him. Readers are left with a cliffhanger that could mean only more bodies in the future. “Happiness” sure has gotten dark, disturbing, and deranged in the right amounts for horror fans!

Rating: 4 on 5.

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Land of Women Episodes 1-2 Review

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45-year-old Gala has it all—a successful, wealthy husband, a loving teenage daughter, and a new boutique wine shop she can’t wait to run in New York City. But her life turns upside down when she discovers her husband owes $15 million to some dangerous men who threaten her with serious consequences if they aren’t paid back in 24 hours. With not many options, Gala deceives her daughter and mother to take a “girls trip” to her mother’s obscure little hometown in Spain, hoping to hide in their ancestral property until things calm down. But for how long can she keep the truth from her family?

Created by Ramón Campos, Paula Fernández, and Teresa Fernández-Valdés, the Apple TV series “Land of Women” stars Eva Longoria as Gala. Victoria Bazua and Carmen Maura play her daughter, Kate, and her mother, Julia, respectively. Santiago Cabrera is Spanish hottie Amat, who Gala crashes her car into on the day they reach Spain, spilling his produce of grapes for a vineyard and setting the stage for a possible “enemies to lovers” trope between the two characters. Even though Gala is married, it’s unlikely a marriage to a guy who attempts to run away without telling his family that a bunch of goons are out for their necks can last too long.

The first episode of “Land of Women” comically sets up the primary premise of the story, with Gala convincing her mother it was her idea to visit Spain while telling her daughter, Kate, that Julia’s health and memory are worsening, and that it’s her grandmother’s dying wish to go on vacation. But their trip to Spain turns into one hell of a ride. From crashing into a local truck, finding out their ancestral property has been sold off, losing their money, to landing in jail, the women have a rollercoaster journey within the very first day of their arrival.

Carmen Maura is the most entertaining character in “Land of Women” so far. She is joyous as the carefree Julia, who has early onset dementia and tends to get lost in her own head. When Gala suggests they take a trip to Spain, Julia agrees only on one condition—that she be allowed to drink a certain number of drinks on the plane. Flashbacks show a younger Julia (Helena Ezquerro) as quite the heartbreaker, and the more time Gala spends in her mother’s hometown, the more she learns how little she knows about her own mom. It might remind some viewers of mother-daughter focused shows like “Gilmore Girls” or the more recent “Ginny & Georgia”.

The cinematography for “Land of Women” paints a romantic picture of the Spanish countryside, although the townsfolk aren’t as lovely and are quite the gossiping bunch. The shift in scenarios from Gala’s plush flat in New York to a rusty old sprawling cottage in Spain makes for an interesting juxtaposition. The first two episodes are steadily paced, sprinkled with plenty of funny moments, and the chemistry between the three women is quite engaging so far.

Stream the series on Apple TV.

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Fancy Dance: Lily Gladstone Steps Up As Fierce Aunt Jax

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

This was anything but “fancy,” but at least there’s some dancing and a deceptively heartwarming climax that might just make viewers forget the gloomy incidents leading up to it and savor the satisfactory ‘happy ending’ of the film “Fancy Dance.” I say deceptive because once you begin to think about what would potentially happen to the protagonists after the seemingly sweet curtain call, almost all likely scenarios point towards a messy, unhappy aftermath.

Director Erica Tremblay has co-written “Fancy Dance” with Miciana Alise, and the story follows Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) as Jax, a Native American woman looking for her missing sister while taking care of her 13-year-old niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson). However, as if desperately looking for Roki’s mother wasn’t troubling enough, the authorities decide the girl should be handed over to her grandparents due to Jax’s criminal history of dealing with drugs.

“Fancy Dance” opens with a tranquil, picturesque scene of the aunt Jax and Roki spending time outdoors, catching crabs and fish, until they decide to steal a guy’s vehicle and run off. It sets a comically amusing tone for the aunt-niece relationship, but also makes it challenging to root for the aunt who’s basically training her minor niece to become a career criminal. So even though it is heartbreaking to see the authorities trying to tear the aunt-niece apart, they aren’t wrong in their evaluation of Jax as an “unfit” guardian. Lily Gladstone, however, is a force of nature to reckon with as the intimidating, serious Jax, who loves her sister and niece to death. Each frame with Lily Gladstone is powerful, her Jax is a practical, hard-working hustler. She is the kind of aunt you wouldn’t want to mess with. And despite her killer demeanor, she is a soft aunt, who encourages Roki to believe she will see her mom at the Powwow, a Native American celebration. So the Powwow’s power to connect families is one of the strongest metaphors in the tale.

It’s a good thing that the runtime for “Fancy Dance” is only 90 minutes long because any more and it would’ve been a test of patience. While the cinematography and music are subtle, the only thing setting “Fancy Dance” apart from dime-a-dozen movies about problematic adults trying to take care of a child is the Native-American angle and some cultural elements. Although wait, the thriller M3GAN was also about an aunt trying to take care of her niece, except that she passes her babysitting responsibilities to a robot-doll that tries to kill everybody. If you’re looking for something exciting, watch that.

Anyway, back to “Fancy Dance” – one of its biggest themes, of course, is racial discrimination, and the creators astutely depict how hard it is for minorities to get their voices heard. Despite having a brother (Ryan Begay) in the force, Jax is unable to make the authorities take her missing sister’s case seriously. What’s more bizarre is that her white dad won’t do anything to help either, even though all he has to do is make a call to the FBI to help build some pressure.

“Fancy Dance” bounces between being a tense thriller about a woman looking for her older sister and a warm tale about an aunt trying to look out for her niece. Roki’s grandparents trying to bond with her is just painfully boring, and it could’ve been funnier, just to give viewers some sort of comical relief in this otherwise somber tale. Lily Gladstone and Isabel Deroy-Olson as Jax and Roki do get some fleeting fun moments together, like when they try out lipsticks in a shop or sneak around looking for trouble.

There are no significant emotional highs and lows in the film except for the poignant climax, which is only superficially “happy” but gives Jax and Roki a rousing photo finish.

You can watch “Fancy Dance” on Apple TV+

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Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc – Ep 8 Review

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“Finally, you have come to me. And now you are standing in front of me, Muzan Kibutsuji. The demon that my family, the demon slayer corps has been pursuing for a thousand years.” – Kagaya Ubuyashiki.

Well, this has to be the most anticipated episode in Demon Slayer series history, especially after that spooky, dramatic long walk of slow demonic deliberation by Muzan Kibutsuji towards Demon Corps leader Kagaya Ubuyashiki in Hashira Training Arc Episode 7. Some fans online have been comparing the walk to the slow-motion scenes from sappy Indian serials, but c’mon, Muzan deserved the long-drawn theatrical entry. And just in case some hasty viewers missed watching the sequence, as it was shown post-credits, fans get to see his ominous walk towards Ubuyashiki’s quarters once again.

Titled “Hashiras, Assemble!”, episode 8 of Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc, like the last edition, is longer, lasting 40 minutes (including credits), and marks the season finale. Just before the episode was out, Crunchyroll unveiled the official trailer for “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” movie. Ufotable will be releasing a movie trilogy which will mark an end to the anime series, an adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga series.

Throughout the series, Muzan appears in various forms of his choosing, but for this fateful meeting, he is dressed in a dapper white suit with a black vest and cape, giving him the appearance of a vampire of royal lineage. Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who is already on the brink of death, bedridden and wrapped in bandages, greets Muzan with a calmness and composure that Muzan himself likens to that of the Buddha.

“He appears to be a man in his mid to late twenties. However, his eyes are a deep plum color, and his pupils are elongated like a cat,” Amane describes Muzan for Ubuyashiki, as he cannot see him clearly through the bandages. In a surprise turn of events, Muzan doesn’t immediately move to annihilate the Ubuyashiki family, giving the Demon Slayer Corps’ leader enough time to say whatever is on his mind. This includes reminding Muzan that they belong to the same bloodline, another reason the demon is keen on wiping out the Ubuyashiki family – to erase any trace of his links to humans and mortality.

Honestly, I was expecting the exchange between the two men to be a little more tense, but their interaction lacks punch, a lot of which also has to do with the sparse screentime Ubuyashiki gets throughout the anime. Even though he is a cherished leader, deeply respected by everybody in the corps, he has been more of a shadowy ghost through the series. Some flashback scenes dedicated to him in the earlier episodes would’ve made this season finale hit harder.

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About 15 minutes of this episode of Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc focuses on Muzan’s encounter with Ubuyashiki. The rest, as the title suggests, focuses on the Hashiras rushing to assemble at the mansion. Gyomei Himejima, Obanai Iguro, Shinobu Kochō, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Mitsuri Kanroji, Muichiro Tokito, Giyu Tomioka, and of course Tanjiro Kamado – they all arrive at their leader’s residence, although almost nobody is mentally prepared to see Muzan Kibutsuji in flesh and blood. Oh, and there’s lots and lots of blood in this edition, including some twisted blood demon art on display.

Swiftly paced, the second half of the Hashira Arc finale gets over in a blink, ending with a hilariously dark cliffhanger, which was cleverly foreshadowed in the earlier episodes. Viewers get some solid legwork for the anime’s final chapters, which bolsters Muzan’s image as a nearly invincible enemy. I wasn’t even expecting this season to have any serious developments and thought the creators might just limit the Hashira Arc to Tanjiro and friends training hard under their seniors. So, for those who had similar expectations, episode eight will prove to be solidly entertaining. Actually, it is pretty epic even otherwise! Given the brutally long face-offs between the slayers and upper ranks in arcs like “Mugen Train”, and “Entertainment District”, the final trilogy is going to one hell of a showdown in the grand infinity castle.

You can stream the series on Netflix, CrunchyRoll and JioCinema.

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Rautu Ka Raaz Review – Quaint Hilltop Whodunit

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

In a sleepy, picturesque hill town where nothing much of interest happens, a warden’s mysterious death at a school for underprivileged children sets the gossip mill running (which really is just two old men sitting on a bench and talking to each other). The residents are confident that the clever but weird inspector Negi will soon unravel the town’s first murder case in over a decade.

Directed by Anand Surapur, who co-wrote the film with Shariq Patel, “Rautu Ka Raaz” stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Afwaah/Badlapur/Tiku Weds Shera) as protagonist Deepak Negi, while Rajesh Kumar plays his sidekick Naresh Dimri. Together with his ragtag team of cops, who’d rather close the case, take a vacation, and visit a temple, Negi begins to investigate the death of Warden Sangeeta (Narayani Shastri) of Sevadham School. As leads begin to emerge in the case, it turns out the warden was privy to several dark secrets that slowly tumble out of the closet.

Set in the hills of Uttarakhand, the murder mystery is a simple, small-town thriller, but the epicenter of action is quite unique – Sevadham School mostly comprises children with vision impairments. Atul Tiwari plays Manoj Kesari, the owner of the school, who is a little too keen on closing the case, inviting suspicions over whether there’s more to the case than meets the eye. Despite its leisurely pace and laidback characters, “Rautu Ka Raaz” keeps throwing up new layers of intrigue in its 2-hour runtime.

I saw Nawazuddin Siddiqui last in the dark, flashy thriller “Haddi”, where he seemed miscast as a vengeful transgender woman. However, in “Rautu Ka Raaz”, Siddiqui is at his entertaining best as the practical, straightforward Inspector Negi. He suffers from some past trauma and gets a little too emotionally involved in the warden’s case, although, since his painful past is only explored in superficial glimpses, it could’ve been eliminated from the plot. His personal investment in the case could’ve remained intact without the fleeting soppy glimpses of his past as Negi’s genuine interest in the welfare of the visually impaired students of Sevadham School makes for a significant theme of the story.

Laden with subtle humorous moments and interactions, “Rautu Ka Raaz” drums along smoothly with its little twists and turns. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rajesh Kumar make an entertaining duo as Negi and Dimri, their senior-junior work equation is low-key comical. One of the funniest scenes in the film is when the cops find a lot of cash at a crime scene, and when Negi instructs his juniors to record the recovery, Dimri asks, “Should we record everything? I have five kids at home,” implying he wishes they could keep some money for themselves. Negi promptly responds by saying that Dimri popping kids is not the government’s problem. Dimri, however, never takes offense at Negi’s affronts and meticulously follows whatever instructions he is given by his senior. The two comically manipulate all the witnesses in the case to cough up the truth or give them leads.

The cinematography and screenplay are straightforward, oftentimes charming due to the mountains, and thankfully there are no song-dance sequences to distract from the story. The last 15-20 minutes throw in a surprising story twist that at first feels like an attempt to cheat viewers because it simply feels out of the blue, although it’s faintly foreshadowed throughout the runtime. You know, it’s a Deus Ex Machina kind of twist, yet it kind of falls into place. However, the emotional tone of the ending wasn’t as satisfactory as the creators intended it to be. If you like cozy mysteries with a sprinkling of humor and local flavor, without much grandiosity or complex twists and turns, this is a good pick.

You can watch “Rautu Ka Raaz” on Zee5.

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Happiness Vol 3 Review: Friends Bound by Blood

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

The cliffhanger scene in “Happiness” Volume 2 by Shuzo Oshimi gave me the chills; what a fantastic panel to end the edition with – Yuki lying trapped in a tank somewhere, surrounded by bloodied dead bodies.

Quick recap: High-school student Makoto finds himself thrown into a new chaotic life of bloodlust and violence after he is bitten by a mysterious young vampire called Nora. Becoming stronger from the bodily changes post-vampire attack, Makoto ends up becoming friends of sorts with his bully Yuki, and the association lands him in trouble with local goons. A violent turn of events orchestrated by the evil Saki leads to the near death of both boys, and while Makoto wakes up in a hospital, Yuki is missing.

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Happiness Volume 3 begins with protagonist Makoto looking for Yuki, right after Makoto was once again nearly hacked to death by the psychotic Saku. Shuzo Oshimi delivers a gritty edition, which sees the mysterious Nora reaching out to Makoto, offering him a bizarre deal he isn’t interested in. Meanwhile, Yuki comes to terms with his own vampire transformation and newfound thirst for blood. It’s like Makoto’s and Yuki’s newfound friendship is sealed with blood, as the boys know what is happening to them, even though they aren’t sure how to deal with it.

Shuzo Oshimi’s artwork fantastically captures the eerie, unsettling sensations in Yuki’s body, all of it taking place in the hospital, a morbid enough setting in its own right. The illustrations are frenzied, with lots of lines and spirals in some panels that will remind horror manga fans of Junji Ito‘s Uzumaki.

The plot doesn’t move forward significantly and is even repetitive, since Yuki experiences the same terrifying sensations as Makoto after being bitten. Despite the mysterious Nora’s appearance in “Happiness” volume 3, readers still don’t get any back-story or her exact reasons for saving Makoto. The significant development in the story is the introduction of a shady organization that knows about the existence of vampires and hunts them down. So, Makoto and Yuki might not be able to live regular lives as high-school students.

Volume 3 of “Happiness” ends with a dark cliffhanger, which isn’t as spooky as the last edition, but leaves viewers with a sense of excitement for the next volume.

Rating: 4 on 5. You can read “Happiness” on Kindle Unlimited.

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The Boys Season 4 Episode 5 Review

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If you still haven’t seen the series “Gen V”, you really should, especially before streaming episode 5 of “The Boys” Season 4, so you have better context to all things happening in the show. Right from the first episode of Season 4, there are plenty of references to Season One of “Gen V”, and one of its biggest plot twists also serves as the ground for Butcher’s (Karl Urban) next scheme to off Homelander (Antony Starr) and Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit). But okay, if you really aren’t interested in investing time in “Gen V”, here’s a summary of its plot in Billy Butcher’s words – “You see, some clever cunts over at Godolkin University cooked up a bug that latches on to the V in their bloodstream. Now, it’s completely harmless to humans, but to Supes? Fucking diabolical.” Yes, that virus quickly infects and kills Supes, a spoiler that was given away in the trailer for the season. But having a plan is different from executing it, because Butcher and the Boys have a bloody hell of a time trying to simply find the virus.

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Titled “Beware the Jabberwock, My Son,” episode 5 of “The Boys” Season 4 features a Vought expo called “V52 Expo – Powered by Fans, For Fans,” which is hosted by Cameron Coleman (Matthew Edison) and The Deep (Chace Crawford). For the uninitiated, “Jabberwock” is a made-up word for a fictional monster by Lewis Carroll, first mentioned in his nonsensical poem “Jabberwocky” in the novel “Through the Looking Glass.” A fitting title for the episode, since this edition is filled with plenty of new kinds of monsters!

Packed with multiple sub-plots, this edition includes just as much blood, guts, and gore as episode four, if not more! It’s becoming hard to keep track. And while the splatterfest is obviously a staple in “The Boys,” the surprise element is that most of the brutal deaths in this episode have nothing to do with the greatest villain of all – Homelander. There’s a hilariously bloody barn scene which reminded me of the final battle from “The Umbrella Academy” Season 2, which was also set in a barn and was quite epic. I wouldn’t say “The Boys” barn scene was “epic,” but it was entertaining AF!

While Butcher, MM (Laz Alonso), Annie (Erin Moriarty), Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), Frenchie (Tomer Capone) and an unlikely ally set out to find the super-killer virus, Hughie grapples with the disturbingly unexpected consequences of his father (Simon Pegg) being injected with temp-V. Meanwhile, Homelander decides to train his Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) to become more independent and freer from the burdens of having to dance to the tunes of Vought executives. Homelander’s new recruit Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) seems to be on to A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), who had scuttled her plot against Starlight, but A-Train strikes a deal with Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) that might just save his skin.

After the basement bloodbath of episode 5, Eric Kripke and team keep up with the savage pointless deaths, along with the pop culture jokes and digs at the entertainment industry via Vought. Karl Urban’s gritty edge as the foul-mouthed Butcher had almost lost all its charm, but the character is getting back on its feet again. But will his long-standing goal/fantasy of murdering Homelander finally become reality any time soon? A twisty cliffhanger in this episode sure seems to promise that the boys might be closer to their goal, that’s if they aren’t lasered to meaty bits by the Supes. Even though in a character’s words – it’s a miracle they’ve all managed to stay alive for so long!

You can stream “The Boys” on Prime Video.

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That ’90s Show Season 2 Part 1 Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

That’s it, the “That ’90s Show” cast has infinitely grown on me from season one to season two. It was super fun watching the group of friends being silly, goofy, and getting themselves into trouble. The biggest conflict of the new season is, of course, “the almost kiss” between Leia (Callie Haverda) and Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan). Netflix decided to drop season two in two parts, so only the first eight episodes were released at the time (June 2024) of writing this review.

Season two of “That ’90s Show” opens with Leia back in her grandparents’ home at Point Place, while her best friend Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide), boyfriend Jay Kelso (Mace Coronel), and grandmother Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp) fight over who gets to hug her first. Grandpa Red (Kurtwood Smith) might not be happy to host Leia’s posse of friends in his basement again, but he sure is happy to have his granddaughter back. The Forman’s cozy house once again becomes the center of all activities and hubbub.

While the adult cast outshone the teen cast in season one of “That ’90s Show,” the teen characters are definitely a lot more entertaining this time around. The funniest subplot involving the adults was Kitty Forman’s relentless efforts to convince her daughter-in-law Donna (Laura Prepon) to move back into the same neighborhood. Kitty hilariously uses various versions of “Give me my son back!” to emotionally blackmail Donna. Debra Jo Rupp remains a hoot as the casual, upbeat, and energetic Kitty, while Kurtwood Smith is equally entertaining as the grumpy old Red.

As for the teen plots, like I said at the beginning of this review, Leia and Nate agonize over whether they should tell Jay and Nikki (Sam Morelos) about how they almost kissed. Their dilemma and eventual decision lead to a lot of comedic moments in the show, including some drama between both couples as Leia continues to Jay, while Nate and Nikki begin to doubt their connection. Meanwhile, another major subplot follows Ozzie’s (Reyn Doi) decision to meet his long-distance Canadian boyfriend for real. Ozzie is my favorite from the friend group in “That ‘90s Show,” thanks to Reyn Doi’s riotous portrayal of the sassy, smart, blunt, no-filter teen. Leia and Nate come a close second, just because both are such big airheads. But don’t get me wrong, I do not want them to end up together; they would make a dumb-and-dumber combination. I wish the writers hadn’t made both Jay and Nate so incredibly dumb—one brainless jock in the group would’ve been enough to bring on all the giggles. And even though I make that criticism, I really enjoyed Jay and Nate’s friendship. They’re like brothers who share the same brain cell and always have each other’s back (and Ozzie’s too).

I remember writing about how a lot of the humour in the first season of “That 90s Show” felt like it was written for a Disney or Nickelodeon show, even though the series isn’t aimed at kids. However, this time around, the writers surprisingly explore a few serious issues, albeit, in a light-hearted manner. For instance, episode six dwells into racial profiling via Gwen’s (Ashley Aufderheide) character, who gets into some trouble with the authorities.

Just like the last season, this one also boasts a lot of special appearances, including a sexy-funny cameo by Carmen Electra, who doesn’t have anything to do with the original “That ’70s Show,” but is just there for the era-specific humor, since she’s a 1990s star. If I had to pick the best 90s reference in this season, it has to be a scene from episode seven where Leia imagines herself and Jay as Romeo and Juliet, but from the 1996 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. So, Callie Haverda and Mace Coronel get to recreate the iconic fish-tank meet-cute from the film, wearing the same costumes: Leia in the popular angelic outfit complete with wings, while Jay dons a medieval soldier costume.

The first eight episodes of “That ’90s Show” are easy to watch, with plenty of comical moments throughout. Again, it might not be rib-tickling, but it’s got an adorable cast and is a light, breezy show that you could watch if you’re looking for some ’90s nostalgia.

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