Challengers (2024)

Challengers, is an interesting sports film about tennis... or is it really about tennis? 

The story follows two male tennis players, Art and Patrick, who start as best friends passionate about the game. Their dynamic changes when they encounter Tashi Duncan (played by Zendaya), a teenage tennis superstar they both become obsessed with.

Tashi is a formidable player with a singular focus on winning. As both friends slowly fall deeper into their obsession, they lose sight of their own friendship and start become obsessed with winning. Specifically, winning Tashi. 

SPOILERS AHEAD 

Art eventually marries Tashi, though complications arise. Patrick becomes entangled in their lives through various "challenger" tournaments, and Tashi positions herself as his "prize" to be won. 

Tashi's true motivations are ambiguous, adding to the film's complexity. She might be a slight sociopath driven solely by a need to win and dominate. However, not everything is within her control.

SPOILERS END 

Both men’s love for Tashi is flawed and somewhat toxic. Art is so in love with her, that he'll continue playing competitive tennis at the cost of his own happiness. Patrick's deep infatuation with her brings him to do immoral things so he can run into her again. 

In a way both men "lose" their way in trying to win her. Trying to win her love, and her approval. Tennis ceases to be about the sport and becomes a means to win her.

Tashi embodies the paradox of human desire: the constant drive to win and compare, even though the satisfaction of victory is fleeting and only fuels further desire.

The film masterfully reveals how an obsession with winning can consume us, leading to a satisfying conclusion. It suggests that while our desire to win and achieve can be powerful, true fulfillment comes from appreciating the journey and recognizing our genuine connections.

Bend it like Beckham (2002)

Bend it like Beckham attempts to answer the age-old question plaguing many second-generation Indians growing up in Western countries: am I Indian, or Western? The movie responds in a way that doesn’t simplify anything but connects the dots beautifully: you’re both.

The plot centers on Jess (short for Jassminder), a young Punjabi girl who is extremely passionate about football (soccer). She spends all her spare time thinking about it and fancies playing with some of the guys in her neighborhood. Her sister nudges her to be more like a “normal” girl and wear makeup, tight clothes, and get a boyfriend. Her parents are distraught at seeing her playing with the guys. Yet, she relents and keeps playing.

Jules, another young soccer player, observes Jess on the field and invites her to try out for the women’s (I suspect juvenile women’s) national soccer team. Jess tries out and impresses the earnest/initially skeptical coach (Joe) and makes it onto the team.

There’s only one problem: Jess’s parents don’t know that Jess is playing for the women’s soccer team. And they’d rather she stick to being a “good” Punjabi girl and learn how to make aloo gobi instead. Like many Indian communities, her family wants to maintain a good face in their own community, and we soon find out from Jess’s dad’s past experience: being Indian in any non-Indian sports team could come with its fair share of risk (racism, etc.).

Yet, what follows in Jess’s life on the soccer field are many fruitful things: a strong friendship with Jules, a genuine romantic connection with Joe, and the joy of playing soccer, an activity she loves. The soccer field is like a second home, with Joe, Jules, and her teammates being another family in addition to her own. It becomes more and more difficult to choose one home, and the reality that the movie weaves until the end is that she needs both to feel truly fulfilled.

Many Indian Americans and Indian Europeans, I’m sure, have felt this crisis before: doing something that feels against their parents’ values and upbringing, yet what feels like the best thing to do for themselves. Bend it like Beckham beautifully addresses these topics by highlighting the importance of communication and honesty between parents and their children, and the belief that there can, in fact, be a bridge between both cultures that could lead to a better future for all.

Barbie (2023)

Barbie is a cultural phenomenon, to say the least. I've spoken to many who've seen the movie based on word of mouth. A large poster ad of Barbie hangs down from a skyscraper. I notice this every time I walk over to my sister's place. 

The movie is very thought provocative. At first glance, it seems like a family/kids movie about Barbie making things right: a film with a clear good against a clear bad. However, as the movie unfolds, there's a lot more hidden beneath the layers of pink and perfection. 

*** SPOILERS AHEAD *** 

Barbie was introduced as an alternative to baby dolls. And if you take a microscope and examine the lifestyle and lure of Barbie, there's quite a bit to admire, especially from the perspective of not just a little girl, but any millennial/pre-millennial woman who has grown up playing with a barbie.

Barbie owns her own home, has her own car, and lives in a world with other Barbies. Where barbies (women with model-like figures) run society with smiles, hugs, empathy and feminine intelligence. 

It's a world where women run the show - a utopia for most of us. 

However, just as how the real world sexualizes women, Barbieland sexualizes men. There's no equality in Barbieland just as there is no equality in the real world. 

Everything is put into perspective when Ken (Barbie's supposed boyfriend) flips things upside down in Barbieland: with Barbieland turning into Kendom, and Kens running the show, while Barbies get brainwashed into being bimbos. The only thing that ironically saves the barbies from giving up their independence and intelligence to the kens is hearing from other women how difficult it is to be a woman. In other words, empathy. 

Empathy, death and the meaning of perfection are all themes that come up in Barbie. And as you hear them, you realize that Barbie isn't just about Barbie. It's about all of us, who crave to be perceived, admired and deemed perfect by society. 

And at the end, what Barbie chooses is indeed surprising and satisfying. 

I'd highly recommend watching this film. The acting is pretty good, and the story doesn't fall into a standard action movie with a predictable plot. Instead, it retains its human element, asking honest questions about life, society, and well barbie.

Six (Broadway show)

 Just came back from the wonderful, powerful Broadway show "Six", which shows six strong women with six incredibly strong voices representing the ex-wives of Henry VIII. 

I love the modern twist in style and song that the show places in each of their stories. 

Without giving too much away, I would say that what I LOVED about the show were the vocals and the diversity of voices they cast. I LOVED the people of color representation, and I've heard some of the best solos I've heard in my entire life on that stage. 

What I thought could improve was the reckoning at the end. It's true that the six wives reclaimed their glory by spinning the take to say Henry VIII was in fact remembered because of how distinct and powerful their stories were, but I would have almost liked the show to connect these powerful and somewhat traumatic stories to the day to day. How can a woman living in a society now who maybe hasn't faced such a traumatic story connect to the message? 

There were some deep opportunities to connect their experiences to a deeper meaning that I felt was lost. 

Overall though I would still see the show. The glitz, soul, glamor, and love just poured through and all the actresses were absolutely amazing!!! 

Would HIGHLY recommend it!

Never Have I Ever (Season 2) - 2022

 Never Have I Ever (Season 2), is perhaps one of the best TV shows with Indian American representation that I've seen. The cast is superb, and the themes are certainly relatable.

The show touches on trauma (with loss), adolescence, identity crisis (being Indian vs being American), sexism, and heartbreak; all with a splash of comedy. 

It's masterfully written and there's a certain sense of warmth to the show that makes it overall just a must-see. 

Some of my favorite scenes (spolier below) 

• When Devi tells Paxton that his meltdown was important because it showed him how much he values school inside 
• When Devi tells Paxton that he's not truly doing his best and that he needs to go above and beyond 
• When Devi listens to video recordings of her dad to calm her heart down because of the built-up anxiety and tension 

It's tremendous how great this show is and I would highly recommend!

Lovebirds (2020)

As a somewhat standard romcom  film involving a bizarre murder, Lovebirds (2020) sure carries some of its own beat and authenticity. A lot of the film's spirit comes from the film's two stars: Issa Rae (playing Leilani) and Kumail Nanjiani (as Jibran) playing a couple on the brink of break up. 

The film had a lot of potential, but overall as some of the other reviews I've read said: the movie doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.  

It starts out extremely realistic with the couple having fun and starting what seems to be a perfect relationship, only for it to turn into a spiral of arguments 4 years later. The arguing moves from trivial things (like scheduling "freaky sex") to more serious things like questioning each others' character.

Right when they've come to the breaking point of their relationship, they hit a bicyclist who looks like he's being chased down. There's a "cop" that soon requests to take over their car to follow the bicyclist, with both of them in the passenger's seat. Soon the couple find themselves witness to a murder and have to spontaneously think of how to extricate themselves from it. Especially since they've been suspected by a couple of bystanders. 

"The woman happens to be african american and the man happens to be a person of color too. But I'm not racist, they actually did perform the murder", the bystander says. 

With a couple of minority main characters, the film does touch upon the effect of race in relation to the police. Neither Leilani nor Jibran think their chances are high of convincing the police that they're not involved in the crime because of the color of their skin, which prompts them to try to figure out the mystery of the murder on their own. 

What comes after that seems to be a movie that is trying too hard. 

The events that spiral afterwards are a bit random, and I feel like there were parts of the film that didn't quite reach the height of comedy like they could have. The couple was really likable but I wish that the film paid them more justice. Some of it felt extremely contrived to just turn the movie into a slapstick comedy, and we only see the couple have moments with each other in between heists; and the moments seem like an afterthought. There are definitely more pensive moments needed; and clever ones with the storyline to tie it all together, because from what I saw, the story seemed like a hodgepodge of complete randomness.

Overall though, I'd recommend the film for a few laughs. And I'm happy at how diverse we're becoming!

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020)

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo embraces everything Tollywood to the max: ostentatious fighting scenes (the hero is a one man army), glamorous female characters for show, weeping family drama sequences and a violent villain. However, the beating charm of this film comes from the ridiculousness of it all and somewhat unanticipated charm of Allu Arjun in the role.  If you want a few laughs, this movie is the right one for you, although in the beginning it certainly doesn't seem like it. It also delivers a core truth with light heartedness: that fate can neither replace human will to succeed, nor values. That being said, there are some god-like qualities the hero (Bantu) has, that I notice are prevalent in a lot of these Tollywood heroes: ability to ONLY speak the truth, always protect women and family through extreme macho violence, extreme intelligence and impeccable sense of humor, which is DEFINITELY unrealistic (how can anyone be that perfect?). At the end of the film, you feel like you've really seen a movie with a star. It's pure entertainment... 

That being said, there are some things I liked about the movie, and some things that made me roll my eyes (and even walk out). 

Here is a quick synopsis of the film: Bantu (Allu Arjun) learns at age 25 that he had been switched at birth with someone else (Raj) at a hospital, and that he's actually the son of a millionaire (Ramachandra). The person who orchestrates the switch is Valmiki, a bitter worker in Ramachandra's business who wants to see his biological son (Raj) succeed and bring down Ramachandra's real son (Bantu himself). 

What I liked: 

The storyline of Valmiki trying to switch his child with another child in the hospital, hoping that fate is written by what house you grow up in, how much money you have and how lucky you are is definitely an interesting (although not novel) concept. It's consistent throughout the film, as Valmiki tells Bantu, "your fate is bad, very bad. You'll never rise". I liked how the movie stays consistent with that theme and how Bantu rises from it (to Valmiki's chagrin) and proves otherwise. If you have the fixed mindset of Valmiki, alas, that's all your going to get. But if you have a growth, can-do attitude, you can become like Bantu (although this being the Tollywood movie that it is, Bantu seems to be born perfect).

I liked that the heroine's true skin tone was honored and that nowadays the industry is more accepting of darker skin in general. 

I liked that they didn't make Valmiki's real son Raj (living as Ramachandra's son for 25 years) a jerk, and just a regular person. Ramachandra's family is portrayed as a normal household with problems. 

I liked some of the ridiculousness, surprisingly. There's one scene that's pure fun when Bantu arrives to negotiate with the villain's son in a bright red suit, and starts dancing like crazy to youtube songs and jesting. It's just funny. In general the movie is light hearted and comedic, and that almost forgives the unrealistic nature of it all. I laughed out loud quite a few times. 

What I didn't like: 

I didn't really appreciate how women in these films are always super sidelined. Or any character other than the hero for that matter. For example, Raj wasn't given the chance to say no to the villain since Bantu had already fought with everyone on his behalf, and Bantu had to first put up a tough macho man demeanor before his female boss could feel confident to say no. There was a slight reprieve with Tabu's character as a woman who confronts her husband about his infidelity, and I wish to have seen more of that strength from the other female characters. I wish that women could breathe a little bit more outside of the Tollywood constraints that chain them.

Overall, I'd recommend the movie for its good fun. It's light hearted and carries some laughs. The songs and dancing are great (Allu Arjun dances really well). The message is good, but at the end of the day I wouldn't call it a great movie. In my view, hero perfectionism can carry some entertainment, but it's not enough to make a movie legendary: multi dimensional characters are. 

Into the Woods (2014)

 I had been anticipating watching this Disney movie for a while. Having seen previews of this play in high school, I was eager to finally unravel what it's about and what's so great about it. 

After having sat through the film, I must say... it could've been better. 

The songs are phenomenal and the acting and scenery are great, but the story finds itself in twists and turns, not reaching a clear destination as the characters get lost in the woods...

The movie intersects 4 popular storylines: Cinderella's yearning to go to the royal ball, Jack and his mother yearning for more riches and milk from their cow, Repunzel locked away in her tower yearning for adventure and Little Red Riding Hood yearning to see her grandmother. All four of these characters wish for something, and the movie intersects their journeys into the woods. 

Plus there is a plot twist that ties all these characters together: a childless baker and his wife yearning for a child. A witch (portrayed brilliantly by Meryl Streep) has the power to reverse the curse and give them a child: but only if they give her 4 things to make a potion that would make her beautiful again; each item belonging to each of the aforementioned characters: a golden slipper, a cow as white as milk, hair as yellow as corn, and a cape as red as blood. 

Hence the baker and his wife head onto the woods and find themselves embarking on an adventure unlike they've ever encountered before, running into these characters and trying to find ways to grab these items from them. 

The movie has some wry laughs along the way, and it is relatively entertaining for the first hour or so, but towards the last 40 minutes, it turns its course into a confusing, dark alley that leaves us with nothing clear to hold on to. 

An example of this dark turn is the witch's character development. In the beginning, it seems as though she's greedy and just wants her beauty back at all costs; having the same type of yearning that the other human characters have. Then towards the end, we realize she's lost trust of the world and is trying to make a point about how everything and everyone will fall to its doom at midnight, eventually getting herself turned into a swamp of sticky goo; pretty dramatic. Her demise is well acted, but still at the end, I'm not sure if she's sincere or greedy. The movie could have focused more on why she is so overprotective of Repunzel and why she views the world as such. TLDR: I didn't find her demise touching.

Yet, there is one reprising moment in the film: when Cinderella is running away from the prince. Time freezes and we get a window into her thought process. We realize she's indecisive and is about to make the first major decision of her life: should she be with the prince or not? I thought the song, the mental dialogue, the fact that she would rather not make the decision and leave it to the prince was quite brilliant, and I enjoyed having Cinderella leaving the golden slipper as intentional versus accidental. 

Now for the ending: it doesn't quite do justice to the story. There is a hard question that Little Red Riding Hood asks **SPOILER AHEAD, SKIP PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW**: why should they kill the big lady giant and was that the right thing to do? I mean, Jack had after all lead to her husband's demise after stealing the harp. I felt that a BETTER ending to the movie would've ironically been to make terms with the lady giant and come to a CLEAR moral of the story: It's okay to trust the world sometimes and believe in the goodness of human nature.

If I were to give one more positive prop to the film, it would be to the Baker's wife played by Emily Blunt. I enjoyed how she looses herself in the woods in the last 40 minutes to a certain degree, and then comes back to realize that what she has is more valuable than what she desires. However, the movie had so many angles, so many twists, so much going on, that I feel we didn't get to really delve into the theme of that. 

IN CONCLUSION, the film is NOT a must-see and I do NOT highly recommend it. I would choose another Disney film that brings more clarity to its audience: whether it provides a moral, or simply pure fun. HOWEVER, if you want to see a musical that's well acted and are just looking for a way to kill time on a Saturday night with some Disney characters, Into the Woods might satisfy your palate. 

Minari (2020)

 

Minari is unlike any movie I've ever seen. It's filmed in a dreamy mood, and watching each frame feels like I'm turning another page of a story book. The shots are beautifully taken; it takes place in the outskirts of Arkansas in the 80s (judging by the fact that Reagan was president at the time). 

Jacob (Steven Yuen) thinks big about starting his own farm to grow Korean vegetables in Arkansas.  There's a lot of land over there that's more affordable (unlike in California - funny how it's relevant even now) and as he explains to his daughter: 30,000 Koreans immigrate to America every year,  so growing crops for them to buy in Korean markets would be a game changer. On the other hand, he's hauled his family all the way from the lives they were used to in California (which was stable even if it was boring). His wife Monica (Yeri Han), is weary of the instability in this decision and sees it as a threat to their family and their son's heart condition. This farm is an isolated land, away from easy access to markets and the church. Jacob is steadfast in his goal; from his perspective he's investing in the future, but at the same time, he doesn't realize Monica's perspective in feeling responsible for the family and their stability. Their young son David (Alan S Kim) has a fragile heart condition causing one of his family member's to scold him whenever he runs, and their daughter Anne (Noel Cho), usually takes on the responsibility of looking after her younger brother and other operations. 

To add some support to the situation, Monica and Jacob call Monica's mom to come and help out.  Monica's mom (Mrs. Oh), initially enters as a supporting character. We see Monica light up when she sees her mom coming, and as someone growing up in SouthEast Asia; any elder 's presence in my life has made me feel a sense of relief, like I was getting emotional support right away. Mrs. Oh serves the same function to her daughter, and brings korean chilli and delicious veggies! Mrs. Oh is not well received by her grandson David: she talks about a bunch of korean things and "smells like korea" as David complains. She swears, cracks silly jokes and can sometimes say things out of social context. She snores, she plays cards and "isn't a real grandma". 

I thought that the movie would be setting up Mrs. Oh as an instrument to promote the "feel goodness" of the movie, but thankfully I was wrong. 

By being herself, showing true care for her grandson, and growing minari in a dense creek, Mrs Oh lies at the true heart of the movie. And also David, who through receiving and experiencing his grandma, heals, literally. 

SPOILERS AHEAD

Before Mrs. Oh walks in, the family lives in separate plains from each other. Jacob is chasing after the American dream, believing that hard work would pay off and that thinking big is what he needs to do to make his kids proud of him. Monica thinks that Jacob cares more about his ambitions than his family and feels that this decision would break them apart and that she isn't doing enough to help, and David is struggling with his heart condition and the possibility that he might die.

Then walks in Mrs. Oh. 

And although she is interpreted as strange or wonky by her grandkids, she adds tremendous value: 

1/ she tells David that he's strong and suggests that he tries to run unlike what his parents tell him, and at the end he runs. 

2/ she exposes David to Minari, a korean vegetable; which is almost analogous to his roots. David creates a song at the spur of the moment about it when they are together, She sings it to him before he sleeps, and the doctor suggests that his heart condition has healed. I saw the connection there. 

3/ She accidentally burns the vegetables, but in the process brings Monica and Jacob together again as they navigate the fire 

4/ She grows Minari, which is what the movie ends with as it thrives; the essence of korean herb.

Although initially uncomfortable and unanticipated, it's Mrs. Oh's presence, that makes the entire family stronger and yields those powerful connections; hinging them back to to their roots and back together

CONCLUSION (SPOILERS DONE) 

 There are other nuances in the film as well: like the micro-racism faced at the church for being asian in a predominantly white community, with Monica being overly fawned on as "cute", and a girl trying to imitate the korean language. What also was significant was how the family politely put up with it which certainly has relevance now with the "model minority" effect.

At its core Minari shows the true essence of culture, heritage and roots and how it can help us thrive even when we sometimes take it for granted, or feel ashamed of it. Just like how the grandma grew the minari in a hidden area by the river, we have these roots sometimes in a dormant area within ourselves, and nurturing it can heal us; just like how minari did. 

The cast excellently portrays the characters, and I would HIGHLY recommend this film. The only disclaimer I will say is that it can be slow at times; but if you are in the mood for a realistic film, I would choose this one without a blink of an eye. 

Kapoor & Sons (2016)

 Kapoor and Sons was a movie I fished out of netflix as being a rom-com and something that would lighten up the weekend. After watching the film, I would hardly characterize it as such. 

What the movie ended up being was a confusing hodgepodge of arguments and conclusions without really being a journey. There were a number of themes that the movie touched upon, but none of them really bore any consequence on character development: 

HEADS UP, SPOLIER ALERT NEXT 

1) Indian parents' expectations for their children and the fear of not living up to them 

2) Keeping sexual identity a secret from parents 

3) The value of a family in general and what it means to be in a family 

4) Trust and infidelity 

but although the film started exploring these themes, it never really dug into any of them or allowed its characters to fully evolve and develop as such. 

Towards the end, it just felt like a few misunderstandings were cleared and that's it. And true, although the mom Kapoor in the household eventually starts her own catering business and accepts her son's homosexuality, we don't really see the transition. It happened in barely 5 minutes covered by a few frames. 

The disappointingly least developed character in my opinion is the father Kapoor portrayed by Rajat Kapoor. His character was pretty much flat throughout. We find out near the end that he's been having an affair and we have no idea why. It felt like the affair was an instrument to increase the complexity of the movie, but really bore no consequence to understanding Kapoor as a person. When he dies in the movie, I am shedding 0 tears. 

The most endearing character in my opinion is the grandfather played by Rishi Kapoor. His character is fun loving, jovial and I was quite intrigued by learning more about him and LEANING into the life lessons that he might have to share. I felt the movie didn't capitalize on his character enough and he ended up turning into a version of Amitabh Bachchan from Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. I wish that the film brought more sentimentality from that character and his unique personality. 

There was something about the movie that made it seem like it tried TOO hard to be modern and "Western". The affair, the partying and constant cannabis intake, the estranged family relationships and it just felt like the movie was more show than genuine. 

There were a couple of wins: the theme of the cut out cardboard people, one dialogue is particularly good which is why people delve into stories: for their happy ending. 

Overall though: I was craving for something that spoke more to the themes that were introduced especially within an Indian cultural context. And... was hoping to shed at least a few tears. The ending did make me tear up a bit. 

All in all, okay use of 2 hours, but WOULDN'T recommend overall. 

Mahadev: Indian Serial (2011-2014)

 

In India, there have historically been films about Hindu mythology released that are based from the puranas; ancient Indian scriptures that talk about a variety of topics, including those concerning the Hindu Gods. I've watched many of these films from childhood: Maya Bazaar (1957), Sita Kalyanam (1976) and Bhookailas (1958) to name a few. There's something that brings me back to them: the way they portray the characters, surface Hindu values and the omniscience of the Gods. They remind me of what I've learned and experienced from going to Hindu school on Sundays. I've always seen these films as first and foremost a way to bring back memories of those days. 

When I first watched Mahadev, which is based on a Shiva purana, I must say, I was amused. Instead of it being a mythological movie like I'm used to seeing, Mahadev is... taken as a Hindi serial. It has all the bells and whistles: the closeups of at least 10 dramatic expressions when something as little as a dialogue has been spoken, the echoing sound effect whenever someone says something of consequence, and the dragged out storyline which could be told in about one-third the time. 

Yet despite ALL that... It has its charm and its wins. The symbolism behind the story of the puranas can still very much be discussed through the storyline, and thankfully the serial sticks to the original story. Sure, the CGI very much looks like CGI, and the portrayal of Nandi (Shiva's devotee) can be exhausting since his number one response to everything is crying, but the show still does a good job of gripping the audience with a charming cast and a pretty good set. Even if everything does look over the top, I mean, the original settings described in the puranas are...

The biggest win of the show in my opinion is the portrayal of the holy trinity: Vishnu, Bramha, and the one and only Mahadev (Shiva). All three of the actors are well suited for their roles. Shiva's personality is portrayed in a very convincing, earnest way. I particularly enjoyed the dancing sequences of Shiva and I'm glad the show didn't over-dramatize his personality. 

Sati who is Shiva's main love interest in season 1 and 2, is flat for a while, but we see her character come more to life as she starts learning more about herself and her destiny. 

That being said, I'm excited for season 3. I'd highly recommend this show as a way to reconnect to this story and discuss the symbolism behind it. The battle between arrogance, dharma (duty), and destiny that happens in all our minds. The story is just a metaphor for it. 

Spiderman: Far From Home

 It's been a while since I've indulged in a marvel movie...

That being said, I thought Spiderman: Far From Home is unlike any marvel movie I've seen before. It's very whimsical and funny. It's the type of movie that gives you a feeling of ease; like you know it's going to end well and there'll be laughs along the way. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but still offers a good peak into what the main character, Peter Parker, is going through. 

As a high school student, Peter Parker just wants a normal summer. He's supposed to go on a trip to Europe with his classmates and teachers. For him, this is also a prime opportunity to tell the girl he likes (MJ) how he feels. Nick Fury, one of the Avengers in charge of damage control, however, thinks differently. He calls on Peter to embark on a mission with the Avengers as Spiderman, and provides a legacy piece that IronMan had left behind for him. I loved the realism that the movie brought to the idea of being an Avenger; the fact that it's a job, and when you're on call, you're on call, even when you don't really want to be. Peter, being the normal teenager he is, isn't super excited about embarking on this adventure and growing up so quickly. He wants to have fun and have a normal summer. 

The movie explores how Peter grapples with his growing responsibility as an Avenger member, alongside with the main plot of the movie which involves stopping the villain. In the process, we learn a little bit about the classmates in Peter's life: his endearing friend, his crush MJ and his other classmates that have quirks of their own. 

I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I will say that the movie not only engaged me from an action superhero angle, but also from the angle of getting to know and love the characters, and I really appreciated it. 

I also loved the diversity in the film. Of course, Peter Parker himself is caucasian, but his classmates ranged from african american to asian to Indian. It really made me connect to the film more to see people of color (me being Indian myself). 

I would overall, highly recommend this movie. It's not super dramatic, and isn't too crazy about "spiderman" as a superhero either. It really brings to light the heart of the character, as someone who really is shaped by the support system he has and who is willing to grow to meet the needs of the situation. At the end of the day, Peter Parker is a growing human being just like the rest of us.

Black Panther

Watching this film was long overdue... I'm glad I finally got around to it.

Wow. The layers.

There are so many facets of this movie which make it transcend the genre of an "action packed superhero movie". It's not just about the strength of the Black Panther, or the fact that he is a good and righteous man, and blah blah blah. But it also dares to explore the complexity of African perception in the world. Most of us (let's face it) think of Africa as a third world continent, and the movie brings to light that the abuse of colonizers all has led to severe discrimination of Africans (slavery, and its evolved forms: mass incarceration, etc.) around the world.

Wakanda defies all the stereotypes that we lay on Africa. It's rich, powered by the most strong metal in the world, "Veranium" (fictional), and has the best technology mankind has ever laid eyes on. Women are empowering and thrive there as soldiers and scientists. Its trains run on advanced magnetism. It is beautiful, and its people are colorful and peaceful.

The complexity is brought quite nicely into the picture through the villain of the movie, Erik Killmonger, who is not so much a heartless monster, as a product of the violence, injustice and cruelty that African Americans have been facing till now. How much is Wakanda to blame for not stepping up to the unfairness faced by people of African descent around the world? Killmonger thinks a lot. To him, justice is dethroning T'Challa (Black Panther, current Wakandan King) and using Wakanda's vibranium to "colonize the colonizers" and take revenge upon white supremacy. Of course, this is all fueled by anger and hatred, which makes Killmonger need to be stopped, but it raises some very serious questions about whether Wakanda should in fact play a larger role in bridging the gap between Wakandan abundance and African poverty around the world.

That makes the pursuit of defeating Erik Killmonger not so much a good vs evil battle, but rather a wakeup call to the Wakandans.

T'Challa is portrayed in the movie as someone who is pure of heart and good, but who needs to make the penultimate decision to take Wakanda out of its luxurious safety net. He is surrounded by smart and strong women: his sister Shuri: chief scientist of all gadgets and architecture that fuels Wakanda and his black panther suit, his chief general: the nimble and strong Okoye, and his ex-lover Nakia:  refugee saver and mighty warrior. It seems that he is in equal footing in power with all of them, which makes the movie a breathe of fresh air from the typical male dominating superhero films.

The visuals are spectacular, the Wakandans, in their bright and colorful costumes shine with powerful culture, even the Mountain tribe that play as competitors to the Wakandans, are portrayed with gusto. The basal beat throughout the movie is steady and compelling, and the special effects with the gadgets are high quality.

I would therefore, recommend this film. It's more than just good vs bad as I mentioned before, but it also shows what righteousness and honor would be for a situation as complex as this. And I just loved the African empowerment that reminds us all to not underestimate anybody out there in the world.

Coco

I really enjoyed this film. The visuals were spectacular, it made me cry at the end and it was a good overall family entertainment. 

The songs felt a bit lacking for me, partially because this movie wasn’t a musical per se as many other Disney films are so we didn’t get to see a full song in action. 

The Mexican culture explored though was interesting, especially surrounding the significance of ancestral/family blessings in life and happiness. 

The skeleton world was also interesting. I wondered why ancestors were represented as skeletons and not spirits that were just invisible but human like in form? Maybe this was to show the clear distinction between changing bodies as representing changing worlds and perceptions. My mom did comment that some of her pre-school kids perceived the skeletons as scary. I thought they bought a sense of eerie charm, although let’s face it, the skeleton world seems exactly like the human world. It’s not heaven, just a morphed continuation of life where you’re constantly dependent on your legacy in another world to survive. 

I thought the charm of the movie came from how important family is to kids, and to people of all ages in general. Miguel, the main character of the film just wanted to become a musician, yet  he couldn’t easily because of his family. The core insecurity of pursuing music in his current family stemmed from his ancestors, and what Miguel was able to bring from the ancestral world to the current world after his journey was the acceptance of music. With his family accepting music, Miguel was more free to pursue music than ever before. 

The importance of family to an individual’s life and career path is one that is especially prevalent in Asian cultures. The hope to bring pride and happiness to one’s family is a constant goal in many peoples’ lives. This movie touched me when the family really saw that it wasn’t music that was the problem, but a misunderstanding. But even more that they fully embraced what Miguel wanted to pursue at the end, as all good families must do. 

Stranger Things

Stranger things is indeed a strange TV show. Yet, it is extremely interesting. It is the type of show that you can geek out on: it has all the elements: monsters, an alternate universe, a secret laboratory tied to the government, and missing children.
The acting (especially Winona Ryder) if delivered in a lighter plot would be almost comedic, but it works well for the setting and dynamics of the show which is suspenseful and a bit dark.
It does have some whimsy to it though, and that comes with the group of main children characters: Mike, Lucas and Dustin. When their beloved friend Will, disappears in Mirkwood, a woodsy dark area, they try to re-trace his steps and wind upon a strange, and interesting young girl named Eleven. El takes a temporary abode in Mike's basement, and speaks in single words. Soon enough, the boys realize that El has supernatural powers. She can teleport objects with her mind, and perform telekinesis to channel sound waves to hear Will who it turns out, is in another dimension.
Mike's sister, Nancy gets involved when her friend disappears into this dimension in a similar manner, and Will's brother Jonathan, won't stand to give up the search for his younger brother. Nancy and Jonathan form an alliance, and so do Jody, Will's mom (Wynona Ryder) and the Chief Town Police officer (Jim) after Jim shows much empathy remembering the loss of his own daughter a few years earlier.
I won't give away how they try to access this alternate dimension and deal with what awaits them, but if you have read the second sentence of this review and were curious, then yes. There are monsters.
What ironically sets Stranger Things apart from your typical bunch of sci-fi dramas, is the way you grow to care for the main characters, within the very first episode. It's as though you know them, and you can feel their pain and loss. Will feels like your very own brother.

My major conclusion though is if you enjoyed E.T., Signs, and Arrival, then you will most certainly enjoy Stranger Things. It's sci-fi, drama and adventure all packed into one.

Joy Luck Club

The Joy Luck Club is a powerful film. As an Indian immigrant to the country, I related a lot to the struggle all main characters had with reconciling their Asian identity/traditions with their Western ideals. Having the movie focus on the main characters relationships with their mothers, and then showing not only their own but their mothers' perspectives and their backstories is what sets this movie apart.

It's one thing to say, this is how I feel about some of the strange beliefs, paranoias and desires that my mom has, but another thing to then show how your mom came upon those traditions.

The movie spans three strong Asian American parents and how they ended up in US, and the hopes and dreams they carried with them. Their daughters have at some point struggled to relate to their parents' perspective. One daughter Waverly, always performed well in chess, but is turned off by how her mom shows off her ability to all her friends. She gets into an argument with her mom, and says that she never wants to play chess again. Her mom does not budge from her stance, and lets her make the independent decision. When Waverly decides she wants to play again, her mom remarks that it is not so easy to play once practice is lost. Waverly loses confidence from that point, and her mom's intentions, although always good, really hold a high regard in decisions she makes for better or worse. Her mom's back story *** SPOILER ALERT *** is that she built that toughness through being in an unfortunate situation in her youth where she was arranged to marry a pre-pubescent boy. She used superstitions and dramatics to convince her mother in law that the match was cursed and it would be fatal for her husband to get out of the situation. From that point she left China to build a better life for herself and her future child. When hearing that, you can admit that there is a reason she is tough on her daughter to understand how lucky she is to have the opportunity to practice such an art.


This is an example of the type of stories that the movie covers. It's an intriguing film that examines that there is often a why before a how, and how the lives of your parents can often affect your own.

Indian Movie

I have somewhat of an issue with the premise of this movie.

SPOILERS BELOW.


It seems to me that the assaulter in this movie is ironically more of the victim, and the people at fault had gotten away with a crime that nobody feels happy about (including them).

Long story short, the movie is about a man whose daughter gets harassed by one of her classmates, who threatens to post a video of her changing on youtube. What will it take to stop him, her having intercourse with him.

He leads her to a point where she is vulnerable, and she tells her mom about the situation. Her mom's reaction is where the movie becomes over-dramatic. The mom, instead of calling the cops, or even his parents, proceeds to sob and is almost close to yielding to his desire. Meanwhile the daughter finds a club, and in an attempt to smash his phone with the video, ends up clubbing his head instead. The kid dies, and now the family has to cover up this murder scene.


The father steps in, covers all tracks and creates a story that implies the family was traveling during the time of the murder. They are still suspects in the eyes of a couple of cops. The first is one who literally sees the father drive the boy's yellow sports car and the second is the mom of the boy, who is also the head of Police of the state. The family is abused to speak the truth, but no one lets up.

When the youngest girl of the family agrees to show the buried body, they find a dog's instead. The father really covers up the tracks.

The hindi movie element here is that the father learns all of these murder tracking skills through watching movies.

At the end, the father intelligently calls upon the media during unveiling of the dead dog's body to reveal the family's unwarranted abuse by the police department. The Police of the state is suspended, and the cops are all fired.

Eventually the father meets with the ex-Police of state and her husband to not so indiscreetly admit that his family did commit the murder. There could have been a recording there! But alas, this is a Hindi movie.

That's the story. Think what you will, but it is decent in terms of suspense and flawed in terms of premise.
That's my verdict.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Wonder woman blew me away. It was amazing. Every single part of it was crafted to perfection. From the main character, to the story, to the complexity, to pretty much every single detail.

The story takes place during World War II. But when the movie opens, we are introduced to the Amazonian people, all of whom are women warriors. Diana, who is the Warrior Queen's daughter has an appetite for fighting from a young age, and although her mother tries to protect her from it, Diana relents. The Queen's sister sees this, and trains Diana to be strong.

I wouldn't exactly say the story is unpredictable or that it does not have the checklist which a typical action movie would have: action, explosions and some serious kicking butt, but what sets this movie apart is its heart, and the pure goodness of Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman can be seen as a symbol of our time, with women rights being in the forefront of today's top social issues. Also, the fact that she fights better than all the men. She raises the beacon of hope and shines, gaining the support of the truly good around her.

She also brings out the best in CIA agent Steve, who falls in love with her and becomes inspired to be  even more proactive in the war.

Here is an amazing story: inspiring, entertaining and maybe with a social/political message?

You can gain respect from those around you, and you can make a difference even if you're an outlier or minority. Only question is: can you be as strong as wonder woman?

Spartacus

Spartacus is extremely graphic -- blood, and intercourse throughout the entire series. It is entertaining, but more so has a sense of underlying themes:

1. Men going to full lengths to protect their women (and seek vengeance for them).
2. Roman empire feasting on power, with every senator acting to further his own ambitions and not doing what is best for the republic
3. Spartacus's one notable comment, "every man, woman and a child has a right to freedom" -- a concept way beyond his time, yet that which makes his character not just a visceral vengeance-seeking gladiator, but a visionary for his time and people.

The characters in Spartacus are pretty flat, but there is plenty of political intrigue and war depicted to make up for that. The best part of the series is quite literally the cool references to roman culture and mythology. Also the code of ethics for battle, and maybe a glimpse into the sad but clamored lifestyle of a gladiator.

If you thoroughly enjoyed 300 and Troy, Spartacus might be worth a watch.

It could definitely be better television - with dynamic characters, and more emphasis on the plot than gore and violence, but it can definitely satisfy guilty pleasure needs.

Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight is a profound film.
It is a real work of art. It is the only movie I have seen so far in which the main character could be a metaphor to your own self, and your journey.
Little is a gay black kid growing up in Florida a few decades ago. The crack scene is high, even his mother has caught on to it. The one inspiration he looks up to is the neighborhood crack dealer (played by Marsharsha Ali) who takes the kid as his own and looks after him.
It is hard to personify Little, other than to say, he could be all of us in hard situations. He is extremely self-withdrawn and unconfident.
The situation doesn't improve as his mom's addiction becomes a lifestyle, and he is more and more bullied at school. He finds comfort in talking to his friend, Kevin, who is more outgoing.
Kevin offers Little, now Black his first sexual experience in high school, and although in a better life, this is too young and a bad decision, Black finds true happiness in discovering who he really is in that scene.
As an adult, Black evolves into a drug dealer, and decides to face his past, to remedy his present and future...

This movie is really a character study. It is worthy to note a couple of things:
1. The character's real name is not what he is often referred to, showing the transition of identity, but the difficulty in pealing layers to reveal one's true nature.
2. It is hard to kick bad habits, but easy to lose the ones we love.