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The End of the F***ing World (2017)
Dark, Perfectly Messed Up, Still So Beautiful!
You know those phases in life when everything is absolutely f****d up and you know that it is only going to get messier from there? James and Alyssa know that too. But as you keep watching episode after episode, you realize these two are are capable of cleaning up their mess and you do want their love story to go on, except that it shouldn't.
James and Alyssa shouldn't be doing what they are doing and you know that too (As a viewer). But we still hope the story goes on and we find ourselves forgiving all that they are doing... kind of an interesting way to find out about human tendencies to forgive and forget... :)
In all the chaos and the madness that these two teenagers create, you find absolute beauty and innocence... you know that misfits don't find other misfits as misfits... and soon, you don't find them misfits too when you learn more about them :)
Friends from College (2017)
Something's not working!
I am not saying that the screenplay is bad or that the mix of actors that they have chosen to play the characters is bad. But there is something not working here. And that something is the simple "combination" of the otherwise good individual elements.
There is humor in parts - parts that a very small section of the adult audience would relate to. There is some humor in the madness of being an adult and living an adult life, especially when there is awkwardness yet a certain unexplainable closeness to your college friends. 20 years later, these people are doing their best to manage their "friend group", but maybe they need a lot more happening in the story to really help us understand them better.
Black Mirror (2011)
Disturbing,Amazing,Incredible,Delighftul!
Is it possible that a show can be every emotion ever felt by a human being all at once? Well, Black Mirror definitely proves so. One of the most impressive series of the recent times, it becomes with a strong mix of stories. The creators have obviously spent a lot of time curating these stories to make for thrilling seasons one after the other.
I am particularly happy and satisfied with the consistency of the episodes. I love how each one of them (and the Directors are to be credited for that, of course) can simply engulf you and make you a part of the story within just a few mins. At several occasions, I have found myself so connected to the characters.
The production value is also excellent. You do really start believing what you see because everything looks so convincing. I do hope that this series does not stop for a long long long time!
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Just a little short of perfect
It would be unfair, of course, to compare both the Jumanji films. The first one was made in a different time with a different plot altogether. The second one is more modern, tech-savvy and relatable to the present generation.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) is a great watch and will entertain you completely. You will love the humor, the production value, the casting and the performances.
Just do not compare it to the original, because when you do, that's where you'll start finding the faults.
And yes, like the first one, I could watch this one too over and over again!
Chef (2017)
Disappointing!
Considering the film has already been made once, and all the Director had to do was do a good job setting it in the Indian context and adapting it for the local audiences, it was quite disappointing.
The film felt stretched, lengthy and extremely slow at many parts. While the Director did get away with using too many cuts in scenes where the stay on a moment was important, the overall pace of the acting itself seemed slow. The father-son jokes and banter needed a slighter higher tempo and swiftness, characteristic to the teenagers of day who speak and type at lightning speed.
Unnecessary insertion of humor and extra elements such as the "union issue" took away precious scree time. Would have also loved for a deeper connection between the father-mother in the story, on script level, as well as performance wise.
And the saddest part? The food could have been made to look so much more delicious and inspiring! Even though the focus was more on the personal evolution of the chef, the food did play an important role in his life and there was no logical reason to make the food shots look so boring and mundane.
The songs, however, are great! The album is bound by a certain preference towards percussion (I felt) but still consists of a range of genres to listen to.
2 Broke Girls (2011)
Not Binge-Watching Material
A recent trend with most sitcoms is that people love to binge-watch them. This approach works for them mostly because they want to focus on one series at a time instead of waiting for a new episode every week. You watch a series once and for all and then move on to the next... and that way you feel fully satisfied and also completely involved with the characters as well in the journey of the series.
Unfortunately, 2 Broke Girls is not that kind of a show. Easily fragmented in its approach on the way the episodes were structured, you will at max enjoy it best when watched with meals accompanying it or when you want to watch something on a flight with no heavy-duty drama to keep you awake. Post the second season, the humor starts to get repetitive. Some might even go to the extent of saying that the humor is stereotypical and slightly offensive to many communities mentioned in the show; the show actually thrives on the principle of "make fun of others" and that approach may not be liked by many after a few episodes.
As there is an audio laughter track that runs parallel, sometimes the "realness" of the situations goes away leaving the actors confused as to how to extend their last expressions (to say the least) until next time when their dialogue comes up.
So there is not much that you will "learn" or "gain" watching this show, especially if you are a film-maker and are looking for great content. But if you want light humor, much like stand up comedy that you can take on in bits and pieces, then you can watch this show at leisure... You might even be able to watch episodes at random unlike other shows where the story flow and progression sometimes are crucial to understanding each episode.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016)
Kjo's Mature Work
While a lot of people around me are not very happy with the film, I have to take a stand here and say very clearly that the film was never meant to be an all-type audience film. Unlike most of Karan Johar's film, this tale of unrequited love came with a very specific target audience - young, modern Indians who understand the complications of love and friendship, interspersed with their personal career goals... and of course, the baggage that those who come from troubled families carry...
If you've lived alone, gone through complicated relationships, understood how love and friendship are so similar yet so different, have sometimes hoped to be single but always with a best friend, this film is for you.
For me, this was KJo's most mature and relatable cinema ever!