ups-36964 Reviews

Black Mirror: Joan Is Awful (2023) Season 6, Episode 1

Wanted to like it, but...

[6/10 · 18 June 2023]

I was really excited for the new season, so when i started watching this episode, i obviously had some usual expectations. And so when it started, i was hooked up. Annie's acting and the concept seemed very interesting. But as the show progressed, it seemed to me as if it stopped taking itself seriously.

I'm sorry to hurt your feelings, but i didn't knew who Salma Hayek was, and watched her act for the first time. And frankly, she seemed too pretentious while playing her character. It was as if either she was playing a 'parody' of someone, or that this was a dark comedy show, instead of Black mirror. I'm not saying that edgy jokes and witty humor shouldn't be used, but there's a time and place for such things man.

Basically, i just couldn't take her seriously. For eg. In one scene, the guy managing the quantum computer just revealed to them that they're living in some sort of a 'matrix', and that their lives aren't real. Then Joan punches him out of frustation, and Salma says 'He was so boring'. Like who even says that after such a devastating revelation?? Who wrote such dialogues?

Overall the episode starts out well, but gets disappointing as it proceeds. The lack of depth, underwhelming dialogues, forced humor and some illogical scenes in the second half overshadows a great concept that could've been executed much better.

The Watcher (2022– )

Ending could've been better

[9/10 · 22 December 2022]

Ending could've been better

This series was so engaging and frustrating (in a good way) that i binged the whole thing in just 1 day. Some scenes would annoy and irritate you (again, in a positive way) that you'll just get hooked with the characters, especially the husband. Yes, there are some obvious plot holes, but they're still believable. The only thing which i felt kinda disappointing was the ending. Although i like open and ambiguous endings where the conclusion is left to the audience's interpretation, in this case, they could've at least added some more clues and hints. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining watch, and trust me, you'll not be left disappointed.

Cat (2022– )

Entertaining, keeps you binded till the end

[8/10 · 16 December 2022]

An entertaining thriller which will keep you binded with it till the end. Randeep hooda has obviously outdone his role, and other cast members did a pretty good job too. The scenes felt realistic, especially the depiction of the khalistani conflict (hindu-sikh rivalry) and the overall culture of punjab in general. The story is interesting too as it did had some twists and turns.

Overall almost every aspect of this web series, including the acting, the cinematography, the direction, the background score everything is great. I'll definitely suggest y'all to binge watch this. You'll not be disappointed.

Freddy (2022)

A decent, one-time watch

[6/10 · 15 December 2022]

The good: Kartik aryan's acting and his dedication towards his character, the cinematography and color tones, some twists and turns and the ending scene where his inner dental killer comes out, takes out his victim's teeth and then kills them.

The bad: Bad character development (except for freddy), lack of depth within the characters, i.e. Black and white attitudes with the absence of grey aspects especially w.r.t Kainaz and her boyfriend. Also, everything about kainaz's boyfriend, from his accent to the fact that he peed in his pants in the last scene, is so laughable and cringeworthy, that we just can't take him seriously. Also the story has some plot holes which deters the flow of the movie.

Nevertheless, it was good to see bollywood experimenting something new, instead of the usual no brainer masala films. Overall, it's a decent one time watch, and the reason i say this, is because if you watch it the second time,things wouldn't make any sense, especially Kainaz's behavior and her expressions in the first half. Just don't have too much expectations from the film, and you'll be good to go.

1899 (2022)

Mind blown

[8/10 · 15 December 2022]

Seriously, that was my reaction after watching the ending of this show. It was just so unexpected that I'm now excited for the 2nd season, as i need the answers!

Coming back to the show, it's set in the year 1899 when several passengers suffering from some kind of traumatic past, get onboard a ship to New York, only to realise that things aren't what they're led to believe. The acting of every cast member is great. But most importantly, the visuals/cinematography is just as amazing that it's almost convincing. Despite being monotonous, it perfectly captures what the makers wants us to believe. And the story, well, that's the central part, ain't it? That's the thing which binds us till the end and sends us on a journey to seek answers. The direction is excellent too. After all, it's from the makers of 'Dark'.

However, there are some aspects which are kinda disappointing:

1) The length: I feel like the show was kinda overstretched. There were several scenes where either the characters were engaging in meaningless conversations that added nothing to either the story nor the depth of the character, OR scenes where there was some kind of awkward silence on behalf of the characters. It seems like netflix had intentionally asked the makers to stretch the episodes, in order to increase the time audience would consume on their platform. The point is that it could've been easily wrapped up in 8 episodes, and that too being less than an hour.

2) Dialogues: Speaking about the writing, although the screenplay was good, the dialogues were equally bad. It felt like some kind of meaningless mumble jumble delivered with the lack of emotions. The multilingual aspect of the show (English, German, Spanish, etc) also makes it kinda hard to follow or grasp them, which results in difficulty to generate empathy for the characters.

But overall, the spectacular and mind blowing ending saved the show. At one point, i also thought of skipping the second season as i was losing interest, but the ending changed everything. I'm now extremely curious and excited for the next season. I just hope the makers won't disappoint us.

The Peripheral (2022)

Kinda hard to follow, but decent overall

[7/10 · 8 December 2022]

The concept of this show was somewhat unique to me. I heard that this was inspired by The Westworld. But since i haven't watched that yet, i had no idea what the premise was going to be.

With that being said, it's overall a decent show. The acting of every character was very good, and especially the fact that they succeeded to distinguish b/w the body language and expression of their human characters and the peripheral, was quite impressive. The cinematography and special effects were amazing too. From the 2030s North Carolina to the 2099 london, they've captured both of them very well, and the shots felt believable.

But there were some disappointing aspects too. Firstly, the story is just too hard to follow. The concept, despite being kinda intriguing, is stretched and left ambiguous, due to which we often tend to lose interest here and there.

But other than that, overall, it's a decent one time watch. Not sure if i'd be interested to watch it's second season tho, but let's see what happens.

Monster (2022–2024)

Probably the most realistic portrayal of a serial killer i've ever seen

[8/10 · 22 November 2022]

Evan Peters has seriously outdone his job here. His acting was top notch and his portrayal of dahmer, from his clothing to expressions, everything was perfect, perfect everything, down to the last minute details. And apart from him, the performances of the other cast members (His father, his mother, grandma, Glenda cleveland and the victims) were excellent too.

Also, the cinematography and music was impressive. The writing and screenplay was decent too, especially the fact that they didn't did much creative liberties, and hence as a result, the story turned out to be close to the actual events. The only thing i found slightly disappointing was the length. The pace was a bit slow, especially in the last few episodes, and i feel the series could've been easily wrapped up in 8 episodes, instead of 10.

But overall, it's a must watch. Especially for the ones who are interested in the crime thriller genre. It's a realistic take on one of the most notorious series killers in our history, where they haven't romanticized him and in fact, called out the ones who tend to do so. And that's the thing which makes it a bit unique and interesting to watch.

Anand (1971)

Aye babumoshai...

[9/10 · 28 October 2022]

'Zindagi badi honi chahiye babumoshai, lambi nahi'. I've heard this iconic line many times, but to actually listen to it, in the context of it's movie's storyline, was a different experience altogether.

Anand (1971) is truly a cult classic movie. It has every element you'd expect from a cinematic masterpiece. From the dialogues to the acting, cinematography, music, direction and writing, everything was top notch. Amitabh Bachchan and especially, Rajesh Khanna nailed their respective roles. Tbh, i hadn't watched a single movie of Rajesh Khanna before this, so i didn't knew what to expect. Yeah i've heard people calling him a 'superstar'. But now, i kinda understand why. He perfectly knows how to carry a film on his own shoulders. His character was written very well, along with his dialogues. They were truly funny, hilarious and way ahead of their time imo.

Other than that, there's something different you'd feel while watching this movie. It has a unique vibe. It's definitely not one of those typical bollywood movies of the 60s/70s. Finally, the ending was actually emotional, and the reason being that the character development is so good that you'll eventually develop a sort of attachment/bond with the protagonist (Anand, in this case), and therefore, start to feel for him. My eyes were legit in tears during his death scene.

Overall, it's a must watch. It's an excellent movie in the drama genre, and is easily comparable to the hollywood movies of the 60s and 70s.

Unfaithful (2002)

Best case study of infidelity i've seen so far

[9/10 · 13 October 2022]

Seriously, this movie has one of the most, if not the most accurate depiction of infidelity in cinema. The actors did a pretty good job (especially Diana Laine and Richard gere). And the best part is despite the story being straightforward, it's still intriguing and engaging. The writer and director did a pretty good job too.

And finally, the ending was, hands down, the most mature ending ever. I mean seriously, considering it's genre, they could've easily wrapped it up by showing that they escaped the city or Gere had committed suicide but instead, the director took a courageous path and that's what makes it weirdly satisfying.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Interesting watch

[9/10 · 29 September 2022]

This movie is one of those which you can't comprehend or explain after a single watch. You need to either look for an explanation video/article or rewatch it. Btw, do note that y'all must watch the director's cut, and not the theatrical cut, coz then you wouldn't get the point of this already ambiguous movie.

Coming back to the film, the acting is excellent. Jake Gyllenhaal nailed his role, and the fact that they casted his irl sister Maggie Gyllenhaal, makes their chemistry more realistic and convincing. And the same goes for his family too. Other characters like Gretchen, the english teacher, the science teacher that chut up girl and donnie's friends did a good job too. The character development of all characters is amazing.

Another good aspect is the bgm and soundtrack. An eerie and surreal atmosphere is maintained throughout the movie, which gives us chills. And finally, the ending song, Mad World: Gary Jules, changes the vibe of the movie to a whole new level. And what we get is a compelling ending.

Overall, it's a must watch for sci-fi/mystery lovers and also cinephiles in general. But if you're a mainstream audience, you'll probably not enjoy this movie much, and rightly so.

Delhi Crime (2019– )

Decent

[7/10 · 26 September 2022]

Decent

Season 1: This is was undoubtedly the most anticipated season, and the sole reason why i decided to watch this series in the first place. The story is, of course, engaging, disturbing (in a good way), and thought provoking. Only few films, documentaries and web series are made based on the nirbhaya case, and most of them are disappointing (for e.g. The bbc one). The performances are brilliant, especially Shefali Shah as Dcp Vartika Chaturvedi. Her character is based on real life Dcp Chhaya, and she stands out and carries the film on her shoulders. Other than that, every other main character nailed their part too. The editing, cinematography, and especially that scene of nirbhaya and her friend lying on the road and calling for help was chilling and disturbing.

However, there were a few disappointments too

1) The side characters: Their acting was either mediocre or just plain bad. Watching them act made me feel like i'm watching a B-Grade movie

2) Accuracy and Realism: Seriously, this series is based on india, but looks like since the director is an Nri, he probably has no idea about India. I mean, the fact that everybody, even the chief minister of Delhi mostly speaks in english, the bihari characters speaking shuddh delhi hindi, etc etc just makes it cringeworthy and laughable. The makers should've done a thorough research about their language, culture and lifestyle, before making a series based on or representing them.

3) Unnecessary H**duphobia: Finding a netflix india series that is not h**duphobic is like finding a needle in a haystack. And this applies here too. There's a mention of a shiv ji's murti in the bus of the rapists, which serves as the clue in the investigation. This could've been excused, only if it would've actually happened during the nirbhaya case. But when i searched about it, i found nothing of that sort, which means it was done deliberately and could've easily avoided and replaced by something else. But again, it's netflix eh....

Season 2: Tbh, i found S2 better than S1, in every other aspects, except the story. The new director had undoubtedly done a better job than the previous one. The cinematography, acting, direction were brilliant. However, the only let down was the story. The buildup was great, but the conclusion was disappointing. The psyche of the series' antagonist, the serial killer, should've been explored more. Also her motive doesn't sounds convincing and doesn't makes any sense. And eventually, many questions are still left unanswered.

Also, there was one aspect which was highly disappointing and even irritating. Ips Neeti Singh's (Rasika Duggal) husband is portrayed as an army officer who is immature, naive and is single handedly responsible for all problems occurring in their married life. Now here's the thing, it's laughable that despite being an army officer, he's unable to understand her commitment towards her duty. The actions of his character were so unrealistic, cringworthy and even disrespectful to our armed forces. His occupation could've been replaced by literally anything else, but they chose not to do that. Now, that's an example of sleazy writing.

Overall, it's a decent one time watch

Season 1: 6/10 Season 2: 8/10 Overall: 7/10.

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2018)

A beautiful and emotional rollercoaster

[9/10 · 19 September 2022]

'I want to eat your pancreas' is a story about an anti social/ introvert guy meeting an outgoing and extrovert girl. Both of them are polar opposite, still they form a very special bond. The dynamic of their relationship was much beyond friendships and romantic relationships, it was truly cosmic. Eventually, both of them learn something from each other. The boy learns how meeting and interaction with people around him is important, as we humans are social beings, and the girl learns the importance of solitude and ability to have her own allure. Basically both of them are two sides of the same coin and they complete each other.

The title of this anime is a bait (And i'm glad it was). It's based on a local legend that if there was something wrong with a certain body part of an individual, it'll get better if you eat it. So since the girl had a terminal pancreatic disease (cancer), the boy wanted to eat her pancreas out (metaphorically), in order to save her life.

The best part about this anime is it's character development. We connect easily with the main character, and as the story proceeds, we starts to care about them (particularly the girl). Even though the story it may sound cliche on the surface, it didn't felt like that at all. The execution is done very well. It's like a journey, where even though we already know about the destination (the ending), we still enjoy the travelling part, thanks to the engaging screenplay and writing. Also, the animation is obviously excellent too.

Overall, it's a great anime film, and a really emotional one. It's the second one i watched after 'Your name', and i gotta say, i'm really starting to become some kinda weeb from now on.

Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011)

Can't believe this was made in bollywood

[9/10 · 1 September 2022]

This movie is a hidden gem. Seriously, I didn't expected it to be this good. The story, characters, writing, editing and direction, all of them are top notch. Although it may seem like a comedy movie, the comedy part is only until the first half, and the second half gets more serious and dark (in a good way). As far as misogyny is concerned, if you'll watch scenes and dialogues out of context, obviously it'll appear misogynistic. Also, this movie is from a male pov. I'm sure if this was a women centric movie instead, it surely would've had dialogues bashing men too. But then, these hypocritical feminists and their simps wouldn't even utter a word and instead would've called that 'empowering'.

The story is basically about three bachelors who have never been in a relationship, finally getting a girlfriend, only to realise that it has it's own complications, and the reality is not like those bollywood rom coms.

Rajat/Rajjo (Kartik Aryan) gets trapped in a toxic and abusive relationship with his gf Neha (Nusrat Bharucha). She's a controlling and narcissistic b*tch, who always plays the victim in order to gaslight him to apologize, even when it's not his fault. She's also a hypocrite, talks about respecting personal space, and then acts clingy when he wants to spend some time with his friends. Her words don't match her actions. Also, she expects him to read her mind, like most girls do, and gets angry when he fails to do so. All limits are crossed when she lies about making out with another man, in order to make him jealous and regain control. This was just peak emotional abuse. That scene where Rajjo cries while hugging her is dark and incredible. Overall, Nusrat Bharucha did a good job playing a narcissistic psycho. And of course, Kartik Aryan nailed his character too, especially his famous 5 min monologue. That was pure gold man.

Nishant (Divyendu Sharma) did a great job too. He plays a frustrated, virgin employee who falls for her colleague, Charu, only to realise that she was already in a LDR, and she just used him for emotional and financial support. And he, being a simp, hoped that one day, she'd realise his 'true love' and leave her bf to be with him. And this was despite all the red flags (hanging out in the middle of the night and going out on a date with a 'friend', going on a goa trip with a 'friend', and finally cheating on her bf by kissing a 'friend') right in front of him. Only if he would've tried to think from her bf's perspective by replacing her bf with him, he would've never fallen into her trap

But the one who steals the show is Choudhary (Raayo S Bakhirta). This guy seriously nailed it. His character was the most unspoken one, but whenever he spoke, it was meaningful. He was mature and knows how to deal with problems and conflicts in life. Unfortunately, his girlfriend turned out to be a s*ut, who was just using her as a rebound to get emotional support. She hadn't even moved on from her past relationship (heck it isn't even clear if there was a breakup). And then, she finally cheats on him with her ex. The best part is the scene after that, where she constantly downlplays and justifies it, but he packs his backs, completely ignores her, and finally dumps and ghosts her, like a true sigma. What a chad.

I liked how maturely they both dealt with their breakups. However one thing i didn't like was the scene where Nishant slaps Charu's bf. I mean, it wasn't his fault. Any bf would've had reacted the same way after listening to those deeds of their gf. He should've instead slapped Charu. She was the one who truly deserved it, and that scene would've been hella based.

Overall, it is a must watch for men. Women can watch it too, but only with an open, non judgemental and empathetic mind, in order to understand the male perspective. Otherwise, they wouldn't get the true meaning of this movie.

ImMATURE (2019– )

Season 2 was a disappointment

[7/10 · 30 August 2022]

Season 1: 9/10 Season 2: 5/10 Overall: 7/10.

I loved the first season of this show. It was relatable, grounded, realistic and funny. The only con was that there were only 5 episodes. However season 2 was a disappointment.

First of all, i don't think there was a need for a 2nd season at all. This show should've ended at S01 E05. I mean, the whole point was to portray the schoolife of students upto class 10th, a phase after which their paths diverge. And if you really wanted to continue the story, you should've at least written a decent story. Like literally, S02 felt completely dragged. They should've hired better writers smh.

Secondly, we seriously miss the original susu. Idk why they've not casted Vishesh Tiwari again. Sorry, but this role doesn't suit at all to the new actor (Naman Jain). Sometimes, he often does overacting too. Also there are scenes of him being surrounded by girls after hearing him playing guitar, and one girl was so impressed that she literally makes out with him. All of these scenes felt too unrealistic and cringeworthy.

Lastly, we seriously miss Rashmi Agredekar here. She was the one of them who carried the show on their shoulders. Her persona, dialogues and smile were just unique and umatchable. Chhaya (Kanika kapur) has kinda replaced her here, but despite being pretty, she sucks at acting (just like kiara aadvani). And we don't get those vibes unlike last season. Also her relationship with dhruv is very ambiguous this season. Chhavi insisted him to take a break, but then out of nowhere she tells 'this isn't working anymore' and breaks up with him. And the exact reason of their breakup isn't explored much.

Overall, S02 is a disappointment. You can easily skip this and end this show at first season itself. Also, there is a huge possibility of S03 as well, as the story is incomplete here. I have mixed views about that, coz it's going to be a hit or miss imo. The makers need to seriously learn something from the criticism and retrospect their project, if they want the next season to be better.

Lust Stories (2018)

A potentially good series ruined by woke liberalism

[5/10 · 25 August 2022]

I watched this series back in 2018 when it was released. But at that time i was young and immature and well, ngl, watched it just for the sex scenes. I completely ignored the storyline and the message part. Now 4 years later, out of nowhere, decided to rewatch and analyse what's it actually trying to convey.

The Good

1)Acting/Performances- Seriously, doesn't matter whether you agree or not with what these guys have to say, but you just can't ignore the grounded and realistic portrayl of the characters they play. Radhika apte, Bhumi pednekar, Neil bhoopalam, Manisha koirala, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sanjay kapoor and Vicky kaushal. All of them nailed their roles. The only exception tho, was Kiara advani. Admit it man, she's a model not an actor. I don't think she's even capable of acting. No wonder why the segment for which she was chosen was directed by Karan Johar.

2) Zoya akhtar's one was the only watchable part and a saving grace imo. Apart from Bhoomi and Neil, the parents and in laws' part, their conversations was utterly grounded and realistic. The thing that makes it stand out from others is the lack of context and less dialouges. They've left it to the audience to interpret according to them.

The Bad

Other than that, everything else was just ridiculous and sometimes even problematic. Let's talk about them one by one.

Part 1 - Anurag Kashyap

You know what to expect when you hear his name. I mean the guy's pretty good and has undoubtedly made excellent movies. But his social and political opinions are just trash, and when he tries to shove them down our throats through his movies, it just gets unbearable. Radhika apte's character, although well acted, just gets annoying and obnoxious. The preachy monologues with a condescending tone when heard from the surface, sounds intellectual and edgy. But in reality, it's just a woke beech trying to normalise degeneracy in the name of 'freedom' and 'modernity'. This segment is just 30 mins of justifying polyamory/open relationships and ironically, it just fails to do that. Firstly, she says that 'men can't seperate sex from emotions', which is just wrong. It's normal for humans to feel that way, it's not a gendered thing. In fact, it's women who worry the most about emotional infidelity (men worry about sexual one). And secondly, there's nothing wrong with that. Intimacy is the key part of sex. Hookups, casual sex and ons may sound and feel fun, but only in the short term. In the long term, it gives nothing but regret. And ironically, she is the one who stalks her student whom she had 'casual' sex with, and is even jealous about his relationship with his gf. Also on one hand, she talks about having multiple partners and how a single partner can't fulfill her 'needs', but just can't stand the fact that Tejas is making out with another woman. And when after knowing about all this he asks her out, she says 'Pagal hai kya, i'm married'. Such contradictory actions of her character just makes us despise her.

Part 3- Dibakar Banerjee

Basically a woman cheats on her husband, and here's the worst part, with her best friend, and then tries to justify it by gaslighting him with a woke logic. She says the reason i cheated on you was because 'you wanted a good mother, not a wife'. Well beech, you were good at neither.

Part 4- Karan Johar

Tbh, i was unable to unable to decide which part was the worst, anurag kashyap's one or the karan johar one (despite both of them being polarizingly different directors). I guess it was a tie.

So basically in this one, an all boys school guy and a all girls school girl get married. The guy is obviously a virgin, and also has premature ejaculation. But since he didn't get sex ed, he couldn't figure out there's a problem. Now the girl, instead of having a conversation with him, decides to play mind games. And when the guy, being naive af, doesn't get the hints, she just gives up. Like wtf. Communication is the key part of a relationship.

So now, she gets influenced by her nympho peer neha dhupia, do masturbates with a vibrator in the school library (Everything is possible in the kjo universe), and buys a vibrator 'secretly' to pleasure herself. Nevertheless, i fully disagree with kiara advani's character. While i agree her problem was vaild, her approach was wrong. Not sure why the makers chose to glorify such acts in the name of feminism

Overall, this series was an utter disappointment. Yes sex is a taboo topic in India, but the way these people chose to push their woke propaganda in the name of 'sexual liberation' or whatever ideology they might have had, is just outright problematic and detrimental to the society.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Best romance movie till date

[8/10 · 14 December 2021]

So, the story basically starts with Joel, an introvert guy, wakes up a random morning and finds a scratch on his car and most of his journal entries missing. In a hurry, he ditches his usual train, and hops into another train to Montauk, where he meets and falls in love with an impulsive girl, Clementine, only to know later that, it wasn't the first time he was meeting her.

They both had been in a relationship in the past, but due to some fights and differences, Clementine decided to erase her memory of Joel, with a procedure that seeks to 'erase' ones memories, followed by Joel being helpless and erasing his too. We all had a desire after our heartbreaks or breakups, that kaash, we could easily forget about that person in order to move on in our lives. The technological procedure in this movie allows to fulfill that, and lays out the consequences if we gave up to that desire.

But turns out, neither Joe and Clementine's memories of each other could be erased completely, nor that of Mary. This could be due to two reasons, either A) Their attachment/bond is too strong to be erased B) The machine's capability is limited. Whatever be the case, the film teaches us that a 'spotless mind' as the title suggests, is a bad thing. We need those spots, those traumas and heartbreaks and breakups, in order to learn from our past, and actually 'move on'.

Now many people seem disappointed with the ending, arguing that a being in relationship despite such flaws indicates a 'toxic relationship'. I disagree with that. I don't think that's what the movie is tryna say. At the end, when Joel tells he can't see anything about her be can't like, Clementine tells Joel about her flaws, and he just replies 'OK' indicating that his love for her is beyond her flaws, and that he's ready to accept her with her flaws. And that's what love is. And here, the flaws and differences b/w them can play a constructive role in their relationship, eventually strengthening it, because now that Mary had mailed and revealed the truth to all the patients, the loop is finally broken

Now talking about the performances, it's really great. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet nailed their characters, so much that their irl persona is invisible here. Even Mark Ruffalo and Kirsten Durst did really good. The cinematography, the visuals, especially those of inside Joel's mind (Including that faceless head, depicting confusion) is just amazing. Overall, it's one of those rare 'science fiction-philosophical' romance movies. It's truly a masterpiece in the romance genre.

Rang De Basanti (2006)

Decent

[7/10 · 8 December 2021]

Watched this movie yesterday. A great example of how movies and TV shows often try to give the certificate of patriotism. Overall the movie was good, but talking only about certain aspects here:-

1) The forced hindi by the character of the British director, and the unwanted dubbing of his grandfather's voice. I mean come on, we all can understand English. The least you could've done is adding hindi subtitles for certain people who can't understand, but yeah, it kinda ruined

Scene 2: Long story short, an Air force pilot Flight Lt. Ajay Rathod died in a MiG 21 crash. The reason: Corrupt and incompetent defense ministry purchased poor quality aircrafts. So the martyr's family staged a protest near India gate. After that, some hindu men wearing saffron and tilak started beating the family of armymen, with the help of police, apparently because they were the ones in power.

3) Ah the climax. I think it ruined the movie for me. I mean seriously? Indian Army firing mercilessly at the unarmed college students, and they didn't spare the last two students too? Does the director even had an idea of how special operations and encounters work?

The one message (out of many) this film tries to give is some people are pseudo patriots, and gives some tips on how to become the 'real patriot', which is laughingly absurd and factually incorrect.

Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (2021)

Ah, of course it's the netflix

[5/10 · 28 September 2021]

How can we forget that it's the netflix. Maybe i shouldn't even have expectations after all, in fact i didn't had any when i started watching it. But the first two episodes were excellent. And i was compelled to expect more. But it quickly turned into a left liberal propaganda after the 3rd episode. Let's have a look at some of the major flaws of the series:-

1) Unnecessary self loathing and anti american propaganda: Seriously, i was surprised that a series made on 9/11 can have this. And let me be clear, i didn't meant that it's bad to highlight the failures and wrongs done by america. The problem comes when it's presented in the form of propaganda, and the whole narrative is overturned. After the 3rd episode, you'll start to hate bush and believe that he's the one responsible for everything, like he's a monster. The only thing he was wrong was on the invasion of Iraq. But that's not the point. The point is by doing this, the makers ignores the islamists and jihaditsts, and constantly shifts the blame for them

2) Wrong criticism of the war on terror: Yes, america surely made mistakes in afghanistan. And those mistakes were the confused strategies, lack of experience, lack of public support, corruption and choosing the wrong ally (Pakistan). But none of these are even mentioned

3) Islamist propaganda: When it's a Netflix series, how can you not expect islamist apologists. Of course, the building of a mosque on the ground zero was correct, and those who oppose it by comparing it to Hitler's tomb in Auschwitz, are Islamophobes and bigots. And then there's this guy with a punchable face, who's an islamist apolgist, trying hard to convince you how islam is a religion of peace ( In fact the series ends with that, smh)

Overall, the series was average at it's best. The first two episodes were excellent though, but messed up a lot afterwards.

Phantom (I) (2015)

Underrated

[8/10 · 28 August 2021]

I must say, i started watching this with low expectations, and i damn what a surprise it was. It's obviously one of the, if not the, best commercial spy thrillers made by bollywood.

No unnecessary songs, item numbers or romance, just straight to the point storyline and a realistic ending, not a happy one. Taking about acting, saif ali khan did a good job, and surprisingly katrina too, even if i don't like her acting skills in other movies. Maybe the fact that she was a british made me overlook her accent. Nevertheless, the real show stealer was Zeesah Ayyub. He did an amazing job

Seriously, i was surprised how this movie got negative response from both critics and audiences. I can understand the critics stance due to their political agenda, but audiences? When will we look beyond masala entertainers? I'm sure most of them were expecting that, and later left disappointed.

Nevertheless, it's the best commercial spy thriller from bollywood acc to me. A must watch.

Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020)

Low on masala, high on quality

[8/10 · 28 October 2020]

Scam 1992 is probably a new era in the Indian web series industry, which is dominated by sex and drugs. It is a well made, well researched and highly factual web series, which is rare in the Indian film industry. The best part is i never lost interest or felt like it was boring or something, and all this happened despite me being a science student :p . All the topics and incidents are well explained. Also, the acting is top notch, especially Pratik Gandhi and Shreya Dhanwantri. Both of them steals the show. But alas, it isn't perfect. At the end, it wants the viewers to sympathise with Harshad Mehta by emotional song. This could've been avoided.

Overall, this series is only for those who are interested in history, politics and economics. Masala audience please stay away :p

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

Goodbye, Jesse :)

[8/10 · 11 October 2020]

So, finally, here comes the end. Here's the time to say goodbye, once and forever :)

Breaking Bad is undoubtedly the best TV show i've ever seen, and i've a lot of memories attached to it too. So, i was really looking forward to it. And tbh, this movie does it's job. It does what it is supposed to do. I'm surprised that so many people have given this a negative review. I mean, what were you expecting, some scifi action or psychological mystery :p That's why i watch every movie with zero expectations. This movie was a farewell for Jesse, and a greeting for his new life.

I'll not reveal the whole story, but at the end, Jesse sorts all the remaining issues, has some forgettable moments with Todd (unforgettable for me tho) and moves to alaska, to start a new life, under a new name and a new identity, i.e. Mr. Driscoll. j Man, that was the saddest part. I couldn't stop crying. I hope he'll do well in Alaska.

CONCLUSION: Watch it only if either you're a hardcore Breaking Bad fan or you've watched all the previous episodes. So, what's ur answer? If no, then why do u even exist? If yes, then it'll be ur lifetime experience

Jai Shree Ram🚩 Jai Hind🇮🇳

Breaking Bad (2008–2013)

A show that i'll remember for my lifetime :)

[10/10 · 11 October 2020]

What to say about this show? Words can't describe how perfect it is. Although some parts may be slow & boring, but if you watch the ending, it'll feel like talking a deep dive in ganga river, where all your past sins are washed up ;)

Thank you Vince Gilligan for bringing up this show. Breaking Bad, Dark and Mahabharata are those shows that made my lockdown somewhat interesting. Alright, alright let's get back to the review :p

So, basically Breaking Bad is a crime drama or a crime thriller show, which revolves around Walter White (Bryan Cranston) who is a high school chemistry teacher, suffering from cancer. In order to make money & secure the future for his family, he joins the meth business, along with a high school drug addict junkie Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). And hence, their rollercoaster ride starts. It's journey of many ups and downs. The most amazing part is the show's accuracy towards science. I mean, they have to literally cut off some portions, so that the whole methamphetamine making process couldn't be exposed :p It's a treat for science students. 10/10 for that...

You know what's the best parts of the show:- It's the ACTING and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. I mean, you literally get physically, mentally and emotionally connected with each and every character of the show, no matter whether he's the protagonist or the antagonist. In fact, there's none of them in this show. In the start, we follow Walter and get connected to him, but until the end, Jesse steals our heart. Both Bryan and Aaron have nailed their characters. They've diggen deep into their characters.

But wait, there are others too. Be it Skyler, Hank, Walter Jr, Guss, Saul, Mike, Badger, Skinny pete or Todd. All of them steals our heart. And, the ending duh, can it get any better ;)

Overall, it's a masterpiece. I wouldn't call it the greatest TV show ever, coz i haven't watched many other shows yet. But seriously, it has to be ONE OF THE GREATEST TV SHOWS EVER MADE. And, it is one of those shows which needs to be watched multiple times. I'm really waiting for that day.

Breaking Bad: Felina (2013) Season 5, Episode 16

The best ending this show could ever get

[10/10 · 8 October 2020]

What to say? I was quite emotional after the ending. It is one of those TV shows with a satisfying ending, other being 'Dark'. Note that i emphasized on the word 'satisfied' because if an ending, no matter if it's happy or sad or dark, raises more doubts and question or makes you angry, it's a useless ending (E.g. GoT :p). But this was a full 'Paisa wasool' show. Walter sorted out all the strings and problems before leaving this world. He destroyed Todd's Uncles' gang, poisoned Lydia (gosh, finally he used the ricin) Jesse got freedom, would probably start a new life, Skyler and Walter Jr. got the money for their better future :)

The best thing about this episode is that it too had jaw dropping and savage scenes like Walter activating an automatic machine gun and boom, everything destroyed. It was the second most satisfying moment imo. The first one is obviously, Walter lying on the ground of the meth lab, waiting for his death (a peaceful and satisfying death) while Baby Blue plays in the background :) Gosh, i got so emotional. Eagerly waiting for the El Camino one now.

Jai Hind Jai Shree Ram

Breaking Bad: Granite State (2013) Season 5, Episode 15

Intriguing, depressing and Heartbreaking

[10/10 · 29 September 2020]

After watching this episode, i can't wait for the ending. My jou rney with this TV series is amazing and unforgettable!!

Breaking Bad: Ozymandias (2013) Season 5, Episode 14

I have no words

[10/10 · 28 September 2020]

The title pretty much sums up the whole episode. It's both engaging, nail biting and depressing (highly). Everything that happens in this episode is highly unpredictable and deeply disturbing. Don't watch it if you have a weak heart :(