If one's 'To-Do List' for the weekend features watching Pawan Kripalani's 'Bhoot Police', then we are going to be flat-out straight with you: take a detour! It's not the actors so much who fumble and falter here but the fiasco's committed by Kripalani himself: the director's clearly inspired by 'Stree', perhaps a bit too much for his viewers' liking.

 
Living the BoHo life in an RV, brothers Chiraunji (Arjun Kapoor) and Vibhooti (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-saif-ali-khan-starrer-bhoot-police-slammed-for-hurting-hindu-sentiments-396684">Saif Ali Khan</a>) are often at loggerheads over their extreme approaches towards their profession--Chiru wants to tread on his father's footsteps of being a tantric (ghostbuster), while Vibhu is a charming little b**tard (his words, not ours). Nonetheless, these ghostbusting brothers are tight. Yes, Vibhu's shrewd money-making tactics do not align with Chiru's but he caves, mostly. So when the tea estate owner from Dharamshala--an old client of their father's, Ullat Baba--Maya (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/inside-yami-gautam-and-aditya-dhars-intimate-wedding-ceremony-389909">Yami Gautam Dhar</a>) seeks them out, their inclination was to 'help'. The adventure that ensues sets the tone and foundation of 'Bhoot Police'.

<img alt="'Bhoot Police' is funny, until it's not" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4bf5f6ed-8153-4afb-84c0-9d0c2cb7bb62" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-10T132847.489.jpg" />

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-mumbai-diaries-26-11-review-the-horror-of-being-a-medic-in-terror-torn-mumbai-shown-tepidly-411876">'Mumbai Diaries 26/11' review: The horror of being a medic in terror-torn Mumbai, shown tepidly</a>

 
The first question that pops up right off the bat is what's with this script, really? Is it good versus evil? Clashing ideologies and the subsequent change of heart? Is it the age-old debate over the celestial universe and evil energies co-existing? Kripalani, and a few others behind the scribbling department, have cooked up a narrative that is a mish-mash of 'Stree', 'Roohi', with glimpses of Kripalani's own finer works from the past: like 'Darr @ The Mall' and 'Ragini MMS'.&nbsp;

<img alt="'Bhoot Police' is the story of two ghostbusting brothers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="38ca849f-d842-4a91-bb30-2d0d17b2278f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-10T131306.596.jpg" /> 
Artists Babu Tyagi, Sandeep Kamal, Ketan Kale and Gaurav Bhira have--by Indian horror movie standards--erected massive CGI and visual-effect&nbsp;work on display. After all, despite the feeble screenplay, the jumpscares and other horror-thriller elements don't drag the film further down. That's a win for the team!

 
Saif Ali Khan takes to boyish charm and flamboyance like fish takes to water ('Hum Tum', 'Go Goa Gone')--effortless and his strongest artistic suit discovered till date. As morally corrupt yet personable Vibhooti, Saif is, quite frankly, the USP of 'Bhoot Police'. He is the anchor that pulls <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-arjun-kapoor--khushi-anshula-arrive-at-rhea-kapoor--karan-boolani-wedding-405395">Arjun Kapoor</a>'s two&nbsp;goody shoes Chiru to the shore.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-wion-exclusive--themxxnlight-wiz-khalifa-reached-out-to-us-the-rest-is-history-410723">WION exclusive | THEMXXNLIGHT: Wiz Khalifa reached out to us. The rest is history!</a>

Yami Gautam Dhar's choice to venture into horror is a bold move, especially with the notoriety that follows Indian horror movies, and she lands just fine. With her restrained performance as a debt-ridden trust-fund kid, Yami is impressive. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-jacqueline-fernandez-trained-for-tightrope-walking-for-bachchan-pandey-371095">Jacqueline Fernandez</a>, on the other hand, bags the role of a bimbette drowning in her shopping and Instagram woes. Why would she say 'yes' to a character that neither contributes to the progression of the plot nor does it give her anything solid to work with? Well, that's a mystery for you all to solve.

<img alt="Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez in a still from the horror flick" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fa4ce854-723b-4e78-a9b3-a9663115514c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-10T132925.277.jpg" /> 
Sure, it is no crime to extract chunks from your repertoire out and refurbish them or even seek inspiration from the works of your contemporaries--some of the one-liners were actually chuck-able--but it is criminal when originality is compromised for the sake of relevance.&nbsp;

 
'Bhoot Police' could have given Indians their own Ed and Lorraine to obsess over. But, alas, that was not meant to be! 
&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-cinderella-review-camila-cabello--co-all-for-emancipation-of-women-410503">Cinderella review: Camila Cabello &amp; Co. all for emancipation of women</a>

'Bhoot Police' is now streaming on Disney + Hotstar.

If one's 'To-Do List' for the weekend features watching Pawan Kripalani's 'Bhoot Police', then we are going to be flat-out straight with you: take a detour! It's not the actors so much who fumble and falter here but the fiasco's committed by Kripalani himself: the director's clearly inspired by 'Stree', perhaps a bit too much for his viewers' liking.

If one's 'To-Do List' for the weekend features watching Pawan Kripalani's 'Bhoot Police', then we are going to be flat-out straight with you: take a detour! It's not the actors so much who fumble and falter here but the fiasco's committed by Kripalani himself: the director's clearly inspired by 'Stree', perhaps a bit too much for his viewers' liking. Living the BoHo life in an RV, brothers Chiraunji (Arjun Kapoor) and Vibhooti (Saif Ali Khan) are often at loggerheads over their extreme approaches towards their profession--Chiru wants to tread on his father's footsteps of being a tantric (ghostbuster), while Vibhu is a charming little b**tard (his words, not ours). Nonetheless, these ghostbusting brothers are tight. Yes, Vibhu's shrewd money-making tactics do not align with Chiru's but he caves, mostly. So when the tea estate owner from Dharamshala--an old client of their father's, Ullat Baba--Maya (Yami Gautam Dhar) seeks them out, their inclination was to 'help'. The adventure that ensues sets the tone and foundation of 'Bhoot Police'. Also read: 'Mumbai Diaries 26/11' review: The horror of being a medic in terror-torn Mumbai, shown tepidly The first question that pops up right off the bat is what's with this script, really? Is it good versus evil? Clashing ideologies and the subsequent change of heart? Is it the age-old debate over the celestial universe and evil energies co-existing? Kripalani, and a few others behind the scribbling department, have cooked up a narrative that is a mish-mash of 'Stree', 'Roohi', with glimpses of Kripalani's own finer works from the past: like 'Darr @ The Mall' and 'Ragini MMS'. Artists Babu Tyagi, Sandeep Kamal, Ketan Kale and Gaurav Bhira have--by Indian horror movie standards--erected massive CGI and visual-effect work on display. After all, despite the feeble screenplay, the jumpscares and other horror-thriller elements don't drag the film further down. That's a win for the team! Saif Ali Khan takes to boyish charm and flamboyance like fish takes to water ('Hum Tum', 'Go Goa Gone')--effortless and his strongest artistic suit discovered till date. As morally corrupt yet personable Vibhooti, Saif is, quite frankly, the USP of 'Bhoot Police'. He is the anchor that pulls Arjun Kapoor's two goody shoes Chiru to the shore. Also read: WION exclusive | THEMXXNLIGHT: Wiz Khalifa reached out to us. The rest is history! Yami Gautam Dhar's choice to venture into horror is a bold move, especially with the notoriety that follows Indian horror movies, and she lands just fine. With her restrained performance as a debt-ridden trust-fund kid, Yami is impressive. Jacqueline Fernandez, on the other hand, bags the role of a bimbette drowning in her shopping and Instagram woes. Why would she say 'yes' to a character that neither contributes to the progression of the plot nor does it give her anything solid to work with? Well, that's a mystery for you all to solve. Sure, it is no crime to extract chunks from your repertoire out and refurbish them or even seek inspiration from the works of your contemporaries--some of the one-liners were actually chuck-able--but it is criminal when originality is compromised for the sake of relevance. 'Bhoot Police' could have given Indians their own Ed and Lorraine to obsess over. But, alas, that was not meant to be! Also read: Cinderella review: Camila Cabello & Co. all for emancipation of women 'Bhoot Police' is now streaming on Disney + Hotstar.

Bhoot Police review: Saif Ali Khan, Yami Gautam Dhar wasted in this ho-hum ghostbusting adventure

It would be redundant to say that the human wheels on which the healthcare sector in India—and every nook and cranny of the world—survives, have it hard. The pandemic was a bare open to&nbsp;what the ruthless hours and extremely fragile working conditions could do to a medic. And, yet another time they had come under such duress was when a gang of terrorists ravaged through the streets of South Bombay, which later came to be known as ‘the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/2611-mumbai-terror-attack-setback-for-pakistan-as-us-retains-the-terrorist-designation-of-let-357104">26/11 Mumbai terror attacks</a>’.&nbsp;

 
The terror attack was so ghastly that it not only prompted Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) to make a movie out of it—embroiled in political and moral controversies back in the day—but also attracted foreign gaze as well: ‘Hotel Mumbai’ by Anthony Maras. Naturally, after such extensive postmortem-esque depiction of that horrible tragedy, we weren’t sure where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/unpaused-review-finding-hope-friendship-and-happiness-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic-350694">Nikhil Advani</a> (‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’) was going with his Amazon Prime Video-backed ‘Mumbai Diaries: 26/11’. Turns out, his tale is from the standpoint of the Bombay General Hospital (BGH) and its workers.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-wion-exclusive--afghan-actor-warina-hussain-i-dont-blame-women-who-have-taken-up-arms-in-afghanistan-409865">WION exclusive | Afghan actor Warina Hussain: I don't blame women who have taken up arms in Afghanistan</a>

Advani’s army of scriptwriters—Yash Chhetija, Nikhil Gonsalves, Anushka Mehrotra, and Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh—bounce between timelines, across attack points in Mumbai, all the while committing the humungous blunder of interlacing melodrama with thriller. The emotionally-charged scenes are swiftly replaced by deafening background scores (Ashutosh Phatak) and the air of solidarity and nostalgia is dampened by non-linear storytelling.&nbsp;

 
The horrific events that had unfolded in several ICUs and ERs on that fateful day, even if five per cent of it is true, conjured up tightness in our&nbsp;chests: the palpability of it could be sensed from the other side of the camera. We so wish Advani had left the theatrics out of this biographical series and invested more in the thriller aspect of it.&nbsp;

<img alt="Konana Sen Sharma is her usual versatile self in Nikhil Advani's 'Mumbai Diaries: 26/11 Attacks'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f06255-80d3-46ac-94fb-73ce041fe00d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-09T174543.145.jpg" />

But, trust <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/aparna-sens-the-rapist-featuring-konkona-arjun-rampal-to-premiere-at-busan-international-film-festival-411165">Konkona Sen Sharma</a> to headline projects that otherwise lack sincerity, conviction and flip them around into a watchable, almost convincing visual piece. She’s a battered but not broken doctor, who serves as the Director of Social Welfare, Chitra. Despite a character with no real layers—her forte—Sen Sharma puts on a good show, like any fabulous actor would. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hope-more-people-from-jammu-kashmir-find-a-way-to-bollywood-mohit-raina-226434">Mohit Raina</a> does pretty boy well, but here, he’s set out to act. And you can tell. As a ball of restless energy, Dr. Kaushik Oberoi’s anxiety is contagious and his calm exterior, matter-of-factly demeanour makes him the right fit for this high-octane drama-thriller. We were sold.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-disneys-first-indo-american-protagonist-avantika-i-was-asked-to-go-back-to-my-country-called-a-pakistani-405558">Exclusive! Disney's first Indo-American protagonist Avantika: I was asked to go back to my country; called a Pakistani</a>

 
The biggest letdown from the baton of ‘Mumbai Diaries: 26/11’ was its parallel characters. From dated shock reactions to overtly stiff terror acts, this bunch was far from being perfect for an issue as sensitive as this.

 
Nikhil Advani had cherrypicked an interesting subtext to explore from the plethora of literature that is already available on 26/11 terror attacks of Mumbai. But, he and his writers, miserably failed to&nbsp;chalk out rounded characters, leave their Bollywood-ness out of the equation&nbsp;and the end result is a series that drags&nbsp;on for far too long, with little meat to fall back on.

 
‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ has our respect—for the subject, of course—but not brownie points. &nbsp;

<img alt="Mohit Raina is restless, angry as Dr. Oberoi in this eight-part series" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d38cdeb6-7d9e-4f94-bcbb-8cc65fb29952" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-09T173658.045.jpg" />

'Mumbai Diaries: 26/11 Attacks' is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.&nbsp;

It would be redundant to say that the human wheels on which the healthcare sector in India—and every nook and cranny of the world—survives, have it hard. The pandemic was a bare open to what the ruthless hours and extremely fragile working conditions could do to a medic.

It would be redundant to say that the human wheels on which the healthcare sector in India—and every nook and cranny of the world—survives, have it hard. The pandemic was a bare open to what the ruthless hours and extremely fragile working conditions could do to a medic. And, yet another time they had come under such duress was when a gang of terrorists ravaged through the streets of South Bombay, which later came to be known as ‘the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks’. The terror attack was so ghastly that it not only prompted Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) to make a movie out of it—embroiled in political and moral controversies back in the day—but also attracted foreign gaze as well: ‘Hotel Mumbai’ by Anthony Maras. Naturally, after such extensive postmortem-esque depiction of that horrible tragedy, we weren’t sure where Nikhil Advani (‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’) was going with his Amazon Prime Video-backed ‘Mumbai Diaries: 26/11’. Turns out, his tale is from the standpoint of the Bombay General Hospital (BGH) and its workers. Also read: WION exclusive | Afghan actor Warina Hussain: I don't blame women who have taken up arms in Afghanistan Advani’s army of scriptwriters—Yash Chhetija, Nikhil Gonsalves, Anushka Mehrotra, and Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh—bounce between timelines, across attack points in Mumbai, all the while committing the humungous blunder of interlacing melodrama with thriller. The emotionally-charged scenes are swiftly replaced by deafening background scores (Ashutosh Phatak) and the air of solidarity and nostalgia is dampened by non-linear storytelling. The horrific events that had unfolded in several ICUs and ERs on that fateful day, even if five per cent of it is true, conjured up tightness in our chests: the palpability of it could be sensed from the other side of the camera. We so wish Advani had left the theatrics out of this biographical series and invested more in the thriller aspect of it. But, trust Konkona Sen Sharma to headline projects that otherwise lack sincerity, conviction and flip them around into a watchable, almost convincing visual piece. She’s a battered but not broken doctor, who serves as the Director of Social Welfare, Chitra. Despite a character with no real layers—her forte—Sen Sharma puts on a good show, like any fabulous actor would. Mohit Raina does pretty boy well, but here, he’s set out to act. And you can tell. As a ball of restless energy, Dr. Kaushik Oberoi’s anxiety is contagious and his calm exterior, matter-of-factly demeanour makes him the right fit for this high-octane drama-thriller. We were sold. Also read: Exclusive! Disney's first Indo-American protagonist Avantika: I was asked to go back to my country; called a Pakistani The biggest letdown from the baton of ‘Mumbai Diaries: 26/11’ was its parallel characters. From dated shock reactions to overtly stiff terror acts, this bunch was far from being perfect for an issue as sensitive as this. Nikhil Advani had cherrypicked an interesting subtext to explore from the plethora of literature that is already available on 26/11 terror attacks of Mumbai. But, he and his writers, miserably failed to chalk out rounded characters, leave their Bollywood-ness out of the equation and the end result is a series that drags on for far too long, with little meat to fall back on. ‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ has our respect—for the subject, of course—but not brownie points. 'Mumbai Diaries: 26/11 Attacks' is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

'Mumbai Diaries 26/11' review: The horror of being a medic in terror-torn Mumbai, shown tepidly

Whether inclusion and modernization of legends and fairytales—an all-Black ‘Anne Boleyn’ was a bouncer that landed right—is fad, is moot. When the news of Billy Porter and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/shawn-mendes-pens-appreciation-post-for-camila-cabello-for-her-work-in-cinderella-410367">Camila Cabello</a> (a Hispanic belle) starring in Kay Cannon’s (Pitch Perfect franchise) latest rendition of Cinderella broke (and there have been many, across genres), we knew we were in for a surprise. And surprise it is! Perhaps it is the fact that we are seeing this 21st century musical retelling of the tale through the eyes of a woman, or the current setting demanded one, that we get to witness the protagonist (and not a heroine) shedding light on patriarchal hangover. And smashing it hard against the wall: one empowering song, sequence at a time.

<img alt="Billy Porter as fabulous godparent (Fab G) in Cinderella" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e41a9ec1-612c-46b9-a3e6-e841b883a3f8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-03T173728.107.jpg" /> 
In the opening shot itself, we are ushered into the world of a mouthy, headstrong Cinderella working her nights away trying to be a dressmaker. Soon after, the whole charade—Cannon, quietly aptly, keeps the key components of the story intact—ensues, and even before the film clocks interval, we are introduced to a laid-back, adventure-seeking Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine).Taking a major deviation from the beat-up route, it is Princess Gwen (Tallulah Greive) now who is a fitting succession to King Rowan’s crown (played by the marvelous Pierce Brosnan). But, Lord forbid, a woman takes the Royal line ahead!

<img alt="Camila Cabello and Nicholas Galitzine as 'lovers' in Cinderella" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="39618530-63fa-4f51-9df8-995680be169b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-03T173403.282.jpg" /> 
Tactfully, Cannon juxtaposes traditional values against liberal ways of the modern world without making her social commentary an overbearing watch for her viewers. Of course, Camila Cabello being a singer made of fine fabric elevates the musical aspect of ‘Cinderella’—our personal favourites; ‘Am I Wrong?’, ‘Million To One’—and the usage of urban lingo (‘dude!’, ‘poppin’’ and ‘cray’, among many others) serves as an undertone to the overall feel of the narrative: young, bold and ground-breaking in its own right.

<img alt="Camila Cabello is a revelation in Amazon Prime Video's 'Cinderella'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0457af7b-e7cd-4135-a1a6-7760f1259efc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-03T173643.480.jpg" /> 
Speaking of acting chops, C<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/camila-cabello-receives-praises-from-cinderella-director-kay-cannon-410151">abello—the actress—is quite the revelation</a> in her debut film outing; a natural. &nbsp;And matching her charm &amp; charisma with equal confidence is the fun and flamboyant Galitzine. The biggest obstacle with actors portraying iconic characters on screen is that that image never leaves your head. Take for instance, a regal-looking <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/james-bond-is-the-gift-that-keeps-giving-pierce-brosnan-309983">Pierce Brosnan</a> flexing his vocal muscles to echo the dictatorial traits of a King, only to end up sounding more like Bond (“Am I doing the voice again?” he asks.) But, his sizzling chemistry with Minnie Driver (her second impactful performance in quick succession, first one being <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-modern-love-2-review-to-humanity-with-hope-405708">‘Modern Love 2’</a>) is for keeps.&nbsp;

<img alt="Minnie Driver, Pierce Brosnan and others in Cinderella" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="af0edceb-c4e7-4747-9080-48be4052ec89" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-03T173552.020.jpg" /> 
‘Cinderella’ scoops up the dated mindset its medieval counterpart is notorious for, and throws it out the window. As for Camila Cabello, whenever there’s a listicle on crooners who can act, “You will remember her name!”&nbsp;

Whether inclusion and modernization of legends and fairytales—an all-Black ‘Anne Boleyn’ was a bouncer that landed right—is fad, is moot. When the news of Billy Porter and Camila Cabello (a Hispanic belle) starring in Kay Cannon’s (Pitch Perfect franchise) latest rendition of Cinderella broke (and there have been many, across genres), we knew we were in for a surprise.

Whether inclusion and modernization of legends and fairytales—an all-Black ‘Anne Boleyn’ was a bouncer that landed right—is fad, is moot. When the news of Billy Porter and Camila Cabello (a Hispanic belle) starring in Kay Cannon’s (Pitch Perfect franchise) latest rendition of Cinderella broke (and there have been many, across genres), we knew we were in for a surprise. And surprise it is! Perhaps it is the fact that we are seeing this 21st century musical retelling of the tale through the eyes of a woman, or the current setting demanded one, that we get to witness the protagonist (and not a heroine) shedding light on patriarchal hangover. And smashing it hard against the wall: one empowering song, sequence at a time. In the opening shot itself, we are ushered into the world of a mouthy, headstrong Cinderella working her nights away trying to be a dressmaker. Soon after, the whole charade—Cannon, quietly aptly, keeps the key components of the story intact—ensues, and even before the film clocks interval, we are introduced to a laid-back, adventure-seeking Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine).Taking a major deviation from the beat-up route, it is Princess Gwen (Tallulah Greive) now who is a fitting succession to King Rowan’s crown (played by the marvelous Pierce Brosnan). But, Lord forbid, a woman takes the Royal line ahead! Tactfully, Cannon juxtaposes traditional values against liberal ways of the modern world without making her social commentary an overbearing watch for her viewers. Of course, Camila Cabello being a singer made of fine fabric elevates the musical aspect of ‘Cinderella’—our personal favourites; ‘Am I Wrong?’, ‘Million To One’—and the usage of urban lingo (‘dude!’, ‘poppin’’ and ‘cray’, among many others) serves as an undertone to the overall feel of the narrative: young, bold and ground-breaking in its own right. Speaking of acting chops, Cabello—the actress—is quite the revelation in her debut film outing; a natural. And matching her charm & charisma with equal confidence is the fun and flamboyant Galitzine. The biggest obstacle with actors portraying iconic characters on screen is that that image never leaves your head. Take for instance, a regal-looking Pierce Brosnan flexing his vocal muscles to echo the dictatorial traits of a King, only to end up sounding more like Bond (“Am I doing the voice again?” he asks.) But, his sizzling chemistry with Minnie Driver (her second impactful performance in quick succession, first one being ‘Modern Love 2’) is for keeps. ‘Cinderella’ scoops up the dated mindset its medieval counterpart is notorious for, and throws it out the window. As for Camila Cabello, whenever there’s a listicle on crooners who can act, “You will remember her name!”

Cinderella review: Camila Cabello & Co. all for emancipation of women

Be it for the soul-shaking content or just the sheer brilliance of its actor(s), some movies have pierced through our hearts and have stayed etched in our memories. For instance, Morgan Freeman's husky, trance-like voiceover in 'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994), Leonardo DiCaprio's heartbreaking rendition of a sick teenager in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' (1993) and now--without an iota of doubt--<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-anthony-hopkins-reacts-to-his-surprise-oscar-win-was-asleep-when-he-won-380515">Sir Anthony Hopkins for his Oscar-winning performance</a> in French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller's 'The Father'.&nbsp;

 
Now near-crippled by his rapidly declining Dementia, old yet charming Anthony (Sir Anthony Hopkins) was once an affable family man--father to two lovely middle-aged daughters, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/opinion-kate-winslet-salma-hayek-vidya-balan-sexy-is-the-new-middle-age-395980">Anne (Olivia Colman) </a>and Anne (Olivia Williams)--or is he?&nbsp;

<img alt="Anthony plays Anthony in 'The Father' " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="04fcf6fe-f509-4dd8-8df7-19db192873d1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-02T191420.873.jpg" /> 
Without getting into the various mind-twisting timelines that Zeller bounces between in this weirdly uncomfortable, heartbreakingly beautiful tale of a familia broken by virtue of aging and health, let's just say that 'The Father' is a deep-dive into the troubled (read helpless) minds of those who cannot seem to remember, primarily because they are no longer designed to.

&nbsp; 
By outward appearances, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-oscar-nominated-movie-the-father-featuring-anthony-hopkins-slated-to-release-in-india-on-this-date-376281">'The Father' </a>seems like a tad more comprehensive version of Julianne Moore's 'Still Alice'--for which she has won an Oscar, too--but twenty minutes into it, and you know the film was made to take you on a tour to what a Dementia-dwelled mind cannot comprehend, yet it must endure.&nbsp;

<img alt="The film is tangled in a web of repetitive sequences between Colman, Hopkins and Williams " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3a33244-f35a-4d94-ad32-06a3039f0ea6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-02T191651.307_0.jpg" />

The part-pliant, part-snobbish Sir Anthony Hopkins stirs up emotions within you that you haven't experienced in ages--if his ruthlessness towards Olivia Colman's Anne demands sympathy over her constant pining for a father long lost, his unabashed siding with his other daughter is a reminder of what a doting father ought to be. Hopkins takes one sequence (with one version of events) and turns it into a case study of the disease's irreparable grip over its victims. In most others, he puts on display just how good of an actor he really is. Marvelous!

 
Olivia Colman can never go wrong with twisted family dynamics--'Fleebag', for instance-- and with 'The Father' she ups her ante and how! One scene in particular resonates for its layered presentation, where a defiant Anthony tells her that his non-existent other daughter is his favourite child. The tears trickle through the British actress' eyes like water from a stream--deep, docile and oh-so-very hurt.&nbsp;

<img alt="Olivia Colman plays Anthony Hopkins' daughter Anne in 'The Father'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfef4e63-8d07-4541-98ff-e927b7fba0bd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-02T191324.736_0.jpg" />

Soon after the Oscars' Winners List was released this year, a debate had conjured up as to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-chadwick-bosemans-family-addresses-the-backlash-against-oscars-2021-for-snubbing-the-late-actor-381026">why the late Chadwick Boseman wasn't given the honour</a>. And for those of you who still need at least one reason to squash that argument, we will give you three--Sir Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman and a fair-and-square representation of that monster of a disease called Dementia.&nbsp;

'The Father' is now streaming on Lionsgate Play.&nbsp;

Be it for the soul-shaking content or just the sheer brilliance of its actor(s), some movies have pierced through our hearts and have stayed etched in our memories.

Be it for the soul-shaking content or just the sheer brilliance of its actor(s), some movies have pierced through our hearts and have stayed etched in our memories. For instance, Morgan Freeman's husky, trance-like voiceover in 'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994), Leonardo DiCaprio's heartbreaking rendition of a sick teenager in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' (1993) and now--without an iota of doubt--Sir Anthony Hopkins for his Oscar-winning performance in French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller's 'The Father'. Now near-crippled by his rapidly declining Dementia, old yet charming Anthony (Sir Anthony Hopkins) was once an affable family man--father to two lovely middle-aged daughters, Anne (Olivia Colman) and Anne (Olivia Williams)--or is he? Without getting into the various mind-twisting timelines that Zeller bounces between in this weirdly uncomfortable, heartbreakingly beautiful tale of a familia broken by virtue of aging and health, let's just say that 'The Father' is a deep-dive into the troubled (read helpless) minds of those who cannot seem to remember, primarily because they are no longer designed to. By outward appearances, 'The Father' seems like a tad more comprehensive version of Julianne Moore's 'Still Alice'--for which she has won an Oscar, too--but twenty minutes into it, and you know the film was made to take you on a tour to what a Dementia-dwelled mind cannot comprehend, yet it must endure. The part-pliant, part-snobbish Sir Anthony Hopkins stirs up emotions within you that you haven't experienced in ages--if his ruthlessness towards Olivia Colman's Anne demands sympathy over her constant pining for a father long lost, his unabashed siding with his other daughter is a reminder of what a doting father ought to be. Hopkins takes one sequence (with one version of events) and turns it into a case study of the disease's irreparable grip over its victims. In most others, he puts on display just how good of an actor he really is. Marvelous! Olivia Colman can never go wrong with twisted family dynamics--'Fleebag', for instance-- and with 'The Father' she ups her ante and how! One scene in particular resonates for its layered presentation, where a defiant Anthony tells her that his non-existent other daughter is his favourite child. The tears trickle through the British actress' eyes like water from a stream--deep, docile and oh-so-very hurt. Soon after the Oscars' Winners List was released this year, a debate had conjured up as to why the late Chadwick Boseman wasn't given the honour. And for those of you who still need at least one reason to squash that argument, we will give you three--Sir Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman and a fair-and-square representation of that monster of a disease called Dementia. 'The Father' is now streaming on Lionsgate Play.

The Father review: A testament to the cinematic genius that is Sir Anthony Hopkins

The creative liberties that David Lowery takes--in terms of historical revisionism--in his fantasy drama 'The Green Knight' is the kind of art that makes cinema a truly fascinating experience. Both as a visually exciting medium, and also in essence.&nbsp;

<img alt="A still from 'The Green Knight' starring Dev Patel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="19363e2b-2b50-4882-8c60-ec94872e8f6b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-22T092732.559_0.jpg" />

 
Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) is a whore-house-frequenting, liquor-chugging 'young' protagonist who's navigating life one reckless day at a time. “I am not ready yet!” he exclaims when asked to shoulder the responsibity of becoming a knight by King Arthur (Sean Harris).

 
In the opening shot a young Gawain is locked in embrace with a free-spirited Essel (Alicia Vikander), shattering the idea that the viewers are in for a long-drawn period drama. David Lowery is in it for the unseen, unheard version of how Sir Gawain has been perceived thus far. And yes, he succeeds.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-dev-patel-%E2%80%98the-green-knight%E2%80%99-embodies-my-own-journey-in-hollywood-407372">Also read: 'Exclusive! Dev Patel: ‘The Green Knight’ embodies my own journey in Hollywood'</a>

 
On Christmas Eve--they are calling this chapter 'The Christmas Game'--an imposing rider (Ralph Ineson) with a protruding face and echoing voice, shows up at the entrance to the hall where the merrymaking happens, wanting to play a bloody game of his own making wherein Gawain must slit his throat and come back for another brawl a year later. To his Green Castle, hence the title.

 
'The Green Knight' is a fantasy within a fantasy world, weaved by the fantastical David Lowery. The namelessness of the crucial players in the movie, including the poet who had originally written this riddle of a poem, as folklores often go, renders a sense of intrigue to the drama and we are hooked! Instead of plucking a leaf out of a particular reading out of Gawain’s journey, this piece of work serves as a meditation on the quest for meaning, direction and the lessons life has to impart. All the while leaving the audience scratching their heads over reality and illusion--both captivating, both hypnotizing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-%E2%80%98the-green-knight%E2%80%99-%E2%80%98sex-and-the-city%E2%80%99-reboot-star-sarita-choudhury-the-film-world-and-%E2%80%98representation%E2%80%99-is-finally-catching-up-407583">Also read: 'Exclusive! ‘The Green Knight’, ‘Sex And The City’ reboot star Sarita Choudhury: The film world and ‘representation’ is finally catching up'</a>

 
The highlight of 'The Green Knight' is a sequence in which decades have gone by and an aging Gawain has now reduced himself into an unkind leader; oblivious to the charm of women. This bit reiterates the inevitability of life, age and death. In that order, through stunning videography and believable prosthetics.

<img alt="Sarita in an intense poster from her period drama 'The Green Knight'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14657f9a-82be-4e45-84da-65db77521c42" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-22T092207.872_0.jpg" />

 
Patel is a chameleon in this movie--swiftly juggling between youthful exuberance and stone-heartedness only a life lived far too long can teach a man. The butterfly in this cinematic beauty is, however, Oscar-winning British actor Alicia Vikander. "You will be my lady, and I will be your man," she declares, nonchalantly. Emancipation of women in medieval history? That's what the world needs more of! Sarita Choudhury, as the legend goes, is Gawain's 'witch' of a mother, Morgan le Fay. Her deep-set eyes, angular face and that deathly stare makes her the enchantress she sets out to be.&nbsp;

 
In 'The Green Knight', Dev Patel's Sir Gawain has a peculiar quality about him--that he wants to know how to live before living. Yes, it is but human to seek the un-seekable, desire the unachievable. Along the way, what do&nbsp;men gain&nbsp;and what have they&nbsp;lost? This film is an ode to that unquenchable thirst for internal fulfilment through external validation. After all, as King Arthur says, "Is it wrong to want greatness?"

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pJmCTHlXVI8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The creative liberties that David Lowery takes--in terms of historical revisionism--in his fantasy drama 'The Green Knight' is the kind of art that makes cinema a truly fascinating experience.

The creative liberties that David Lowery takes--in terms of historical revisionism--in his fantasy drama 'The Green Knight' is the kind of art that makes cinema a truly fascinating experience. Both as a visually exciting medium, and also in essence. Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) is a whore-house-frequenting, liquor-chugging 'young' protagonist who's navigating life one reckless day at a time. “I am not ready yet!” he exclaims when asked to shoulder the responsibity of becoming a knight by King Arthur (Sean Harris). In the opening shot a young Gawain is locked in embrace with a free-spirited Essel (Alicia Vikander), shattering the idea that the viewers are in for a long-drawn period drama. David Lowery is in it for the unseen, unheard version of how Sir Gawain has been perceived thus far. And yes, he succeeds. Also read: 'Exclusive! Dev Patel: ‘The Green Knight’ embodies my own journey in Hollywood' On Christmas Eve--they are calling this chapter 'The Christmas Game'--an imposing rider (Ralph Ineson) with a protruding face and echoing voice, shows up at the entrance to the hall where the merrymaking happens, wanting to play a bloody game of his own making wherein Gawain must slit his throat and come back for another brawl a year later. To his Green Castle, hence the title. 'The Green Knight' is a fantasy within a fantasy world, weaved by the fantastical David Lowery. The namelessness of the crucial players in the movie, including the poet who had originally written this riddle of a poem, as folklores often go, renders a sense of intrigue to the drama and we are hooked! Instead of plucking a leaf out of a particular reading out of Gawain’s journey, this piece of work serves as a meditation on the quest for meaning, direction and the lessons life has to impart. All the while leaving the audience scratching their heads over reality and illusion--both captivating, both hypnotizing. Also read: 'Exclusive! ‘The Green Knight’, ‘Sex And The City’ reboot star Sarita Choudhury: The film world and ‘representation’ is finally catching up' The highlight of 'The Green Knight' is a sequence in which decades have gone by and an aging Gawain has now reduced himself into an unkind leader; oblivious to the charm of women. This bit reiterates the inevitability of life, age and death. In that order, through stunning videography and believable prosthetics. Patel is a chameleon in this movie--swiftly juggling between youthful exuberance and stone-heartedness only a life lived far too long can teach a man. The butterfly in this cinematic beauty is, however, Oscar-winning British actor Alicia Vikander. "You will be my lady, and I will be your man," she declares, nonchalantly. Emancipation of women in medieval history? That's what the world needs more of! Sarita Choudhury, as the legend goes, is Gawain's 'witch' of a mother, Morgan le Fay. Her deep-set eyes, angular face and that deathly stare makes her the enchantress she sets out to be. In 'The Green Knight', Dev Patel's Sir Gawain has a peculiar quality about him--that he wants to know how to live before living. Yes, it is but human to seek the un-seekable, desire the unachievable. Along the way, what do men gain and what have they lost? This film is an ode to that unquenchable thirst for internal fulfilment through external validation. After all, as King Arthur says, "Is it wrong to want greatness?"

The Green Knight review: Dev Patel stirs up the hornet's nest, emerges victorious

Imagine a new tide of modernity—coupled with humane undertones—taking over the ever-consuming Internet, the end product you are most likely to get is the textbook definition of The New York Times-meets-Amazon’s dangerously successful ‘Modern Love’ franchise.

&nbsp; 
After an uproarious entry into the digital space with its predecessor—Anne Hathaway has made us all cry, Dev Patel turned some into hopeless romantics—the second season of this part-book-part-column adaption had heightened the excitement (and expectations) for the digital populace so much so that it was the second most-anticipated phenomenon to have come out this year. First being <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-kit-harington-sings-drops-of-jupiter-live-and-fans-are-loving-every-bit-of-it-405326">Kit Harington’s</a> clean-cut hairdo and Irish accent in it, of course.

<img alt="Kit Harington is suave in 'Modern Love 2'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6ccfc205-71e7-4d6d-a270-bbed34795c20" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-15T182234.760.jpg" /> 
Frankly, the route to ‘Modern Love 2’ is way more adventurous this time around. But, thankfully, certain intricacies stay intact. Say, for example, a strong commentary around the alarming topic of mental health and the need to normalize it. In episode six, ‘In the Waiting Room of Estranged Spouses’, a war veteran sees life as a battlefield and his spouse, a mission. Sure enough, both his family life and mental health take a major hit as he starts to conjure up ‘bad things’ in his mind. The track is aptly not so much about the love lane—although, heart wrenching—as it is about recognizing the problem in hand and addressing it. Garrett Hedlund internalizes the trauma-filled pride of a soldier, grappling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in this John Crowley directorial. Similarly, another lesser known yet widely experienced disorder that no one seems to be talking about, Delayed Sleep-Phase Syndrome, takes the centre stage in Zoe Chao’s episode two, ‘The Night Girl Finds A Day Boy’, love attack by Jesse Peretz. “In love with a vampire,” is a recurring comment that comes up frequently when a charmer-types falls in love with a man who is on nature’s clock, and she isn’t. To pass a judgment on these grave issues would be criminal, hence, the hard pass.&nbsp;

<img alt="Zoe Chao in episode two, ‘The Night Girl Finds A Day Boy’" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4992df8-d7b5-4581-b795-e967a31dbdfd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-15T181833.708.jpg" />

 
If the title is ‘Modern Love’, can the different interpretations of it—in the times of Canva and Corona—stay far behind? Absolutely not! Two consecutive episodes, EP three and&nbsp;four, swing between the two extreme ends of love spectrum. One latches on to the ‘Before Sunset-y’ vibe, while the other is more along the lines on ‘Sex Education’: available on Amazon’s streaming rival, Netflix. Titled ‘Strangers On A (Dublin) Train’, two Irish poeple stumble upon one another on their way home for what is presumably a short, ‘stupid’ break. “The madness will be over soon (referring to the initial stages of lockdown,” says a suave Kit Harington, here seen as ad wiz Michael. The tomfoolery that we see in the face of adversity and unpredictability is almost cute. This third episode is the clichéd version of say-hello-to-medieval-romance and we have seen better, but, we will make do for two reasons: Kit Harington (there’s a ‘Game of Thrones’ joke in it, if you are looking) Irish-ness and the fact that we had all once tricked ourselves into believing that it will all be over soon. ‘A Life Plan For Two, Followed By One’ is, however, a different ballgame. There’s sex, jealousy, crass comedy and tongue waggling. The ‘Judas &amp; The Black Messiah’ star, Dominique Fisher, is a comedian feeding off rapper jokes. Fun, feisty, she just wants to be loved by her knight in shining armor. Her first love fails, like most first loves do. This Marta Cunningham production is quasi-modern. The comedy troupe works, love and friendship? Not so much!

<img alt="Dominique Fisher is a comedian who jokes about rappers in 'Modern Love 2'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57c0ac7c-3429-43cf-9541-626c9a3d11ec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-15T182116.757.jpg" />

 
Episodes five and seven are deep dives into sexuality and identification of the ‘one’ who’s somewhere buried in layers of Instagram DMs and Tinder swipes. Andrew Rannells’ ‘How Do You Remember Me?’ has been plucked straight out of the media houses’ 2019-published book by the same name. Two people, one one-night stand, and tragedy befell. You see each other from across the road—years later—what are the odds of this happening in New York City? Still, it does. It’s the movies, duh! Marquis Rodriguez’s deep-set eyes, literally, moves the narrative forward. You know these secret lovers wouldn’t reunite or break into a long embrace after all that history, but you still want to wait it out, just in case. This one hits out of the park, at least for some. “Am I?... Maybe This Will Tell Me’ is about an outwardly confident-‘maybe’ bisexual kid whose go-to solution for real problems is the Holy Google. Tap, click, repeat. Celine Held &amp; Logan George’s story starts out well; full of promise, and then reduces into a short film that couldn’t cram in all its crucial plot points. That teenage rush, of wanting to learn to live more before living, withers away as flawed storytelling takes over.&nbsp;

<img alt="Of flings and one-night stands" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d1ffe7f-4aae-470f-bc79-579fcc21b184" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-15T181918.419.jpg" />

 
Trust ‘Modern love’ to treat you with a real sob fest, and it happens in the second installment, too—and this declaration comes from experience and sheer experience alone—with the modern-day Shakespearean-esque tragedies. The opening episode, ‘On a Serpentine Road, With the Top Down’, and the closing one pierce through your heart, as they were meant to. A disheveled Minnie Driver secretly pines for her dead first husband—she talks to him in his rundown car, and sniffs his sweater when no one’s watching—before, finally, bringing herself to sell his overbearing Stag. The agony of having loved and lost, and loved again, shines through Driver’s saggy skin and sad-looking eyes. This, and the finale episode, is inarguably the finest in ‘Modern Love 2’. Staying true to its essence, after all, ‘Modern Love’ is built on the foundation of faulty humans and troubled decisions, is ‘Second Embrace, With Hearts and Eyes Open’—the last one for this year. Sophie Okonedo’s amicably parted with her husband, while he is acing the ‘Best Daddy’ game, she seems to be ‘getting worse’. Despite the grin-able camaraderie, and a lot of hook-ups-between-exes, the climax leaves one with a sense of hopelessness—pretty much what we have been feeling all-year long, aren’t we?&nbsp;

<img alt="To love and lose, and love again: Minnie Driver in 'Modern Love 2'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b9380aa2-526b-43f9-82a7-8310e8cdd996" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-15T182317.846.jpg" />

 
The pulse of ‘Modern Love 2’ is a metaphor for amusement-park rides—this moment you are bawling over sappy love songs and romantic anecdotes, and the next is overridden by cringe. But, after a long-hard day, you need someone to sprinkle some hope &amp; confidence all over you. And if ‘Modern Love 2’ does that, so be it. After all, as uptight Spence comes to relealise in episode six, “Life never goes as per plan.”&nbsp;

<img alt="Please give love a second chance: The finale's a tearjerker" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b964dfb7-638b-4591-8f6e-1c602e357151" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-15T182426.559.jpg" />

Imagine a new tide of modernity—coupled with humane undertones—taking over the ever-consuming Internet, the end product you are most likely to get is the textbook definition of The New York Times-meets-Amazon’s dangerously successful ‘Modern Love’ franchise.

Imagine a new tide of modernity—coupled with humane undertones—taking over the ever-consuming Internet, the end product you are most likely to get is the textbook definition of The New York Times-meets-Amazon’s dangerously successful ‘Modern Love’ franchise. After an uproarious entry into the digital space with its predecessor—Anne Hathaway has made us all cry, Dev Patel turned some into hopeless romantics—the second season of this part-book-part-column adaption had heightened the excitement (and expectations) for the digital populace so much so that it was the second most-anticipated phenomenon to have come out this year. First being Kit Harington’s clean-cut hairdo and Irish accent in it, of course. Frankly, the route to ‘Modern Love 2’ is way more adventurous this time around. But, thankfully, certain intricacies stay intact. Say, for example, a strong commentary around the alarming topic of mental health and the need to normalize it. In episode six, ‘In the Waiting Room of Estranged Spouses’, a war veteran sees life as a battlefield and his spouse, a mission. Sure enough, both his family life and mental health take a major hit as he starts to conjure up ‘bad things’ in his mind. The track is aptly not so much about the love lane—although, heart wrenching—as it is about recognizing the problem in hand and addressing it. Garrett Hedlund internalizes the trauma-filled pride of a soldier, grappling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in this John Crowley directorial. Similarly, another lesser known yet widely experienced disorder that no one seems to be talking about, Delayed Sleep-Phase Syndrome, takes the centre stage in Zoe Chao’s episode two, ‘The Night Girl Finds A Day Boy’, love attack by Jesse Peretz. “In love with a vampire,” is a recurring comment that comes up frequently when a charmer-types falls in love with a man who is on nature’s clock, and she isn’t. To pass a judgment on these grave issues would be criminal, hence, the hard pass. If the title is ‘Modern Love’, can the different interpretations of it—in the times of Canva and Corona—stay far behind? Absolutely not! Two consecutive episodes, EP three and four, swing between the two extreme ends of love spectrum. One latches on to the ‘Before Sunset-y’ vibe, while the other is more along the lines on ‘Sex Education’: available on Amazon’s streaming rival, Netflix. Titled ‘Strangers On A (Dublin) Train’, two Irish poeple stumble upon one another on their way home for what is presumably a short, ‘stupid’ break. “The madness will be over soon (referring to the initial stages of lockdown,” says a suave Kit Harington, here seen as ad wiz Michael. The tomfoolery that we see in the face of adversity and unpredictability is almost cute. This third episode is the clichéd version of say-hello-to-medieval-romance and we have seen better, but, we will make do for two reasons: Kit Harington (there’s a ‘Game of Thrones’ joke in it, if you are looking) Irish-ness and the fact that we had all once tricked ourselves into believing that it will all be over soon. ‘A Life Plan For Two, Followed By One’ is, however, a different ballgame. There’s sex, jealousy, crass comedy and tongue waggling. The ‘Judas & The Black Messiah’ star, Dominique Fisher, is a comedian feeding off rapper jokes. Fun, feisty, she just wants to be loved by her knight in shining armor. Her first love fails, like most first loves do. This Marta Cunningham production is quasi-modern. The comedy troupe works, love and friendship? Not so much! Episodes five and seven are deep dives into sexuality and identification of the ‘one’ who’s somewhere buried in layers of Instagram DMs and Tinder swipes. Andrew Rannells’ ‘How Do You Remember Me?’ has been plucked straight out of the media houses’ 2019-published book by the same name. Two people, one one-night stand, and tragedy befell. You see each other from across the road—years later—what are the odds of this happening in New York City? Still, it does. It’s the movies, duh! Marquis Rodriguez’s deep-set eyes, literally, moves the narrative forward. You know these secret lovers wouldn’t reunite or break into a long embrace after all that history, but you still want to wait it out, just in case. This one hits out of the park, at least for some. “Am I?... Maybe This Will Tell Me’ is about an outwardly confident-‘maybe’ bisexual kid whose go-to solution for real problems is the Holy Google. Tap, click, repeat. Celine Held & Logan George’s story starts out well; full of promise, and then reduces into a short film that couldn’t cram in all its crucial plot points. That teenage rush, of wanting to learn to live more before living, withers away as flawed storytelling takes over. Trust ‘Modern love’ to treat you with a real sob fest, and it happens in the second installment, too—and this declaration comes from experience and sheer experience alone—with the modern-day Shakespearean-esque tragedies. The opening episode, ‘On a Serpentine Road, With the Top Down’, and the closing one pierce through your heart, as they were meant to. A disheveled Minnie Driver secretly pines for her dead first husband—she talks to him in his rundown car, and sniffs his sweater when no one’s watching—before, finally, bringing herself to sell his overbearing Stag. The agony of having loved and lost, and loved again, shines through Driver’s saggy skin and sad-looking eyes. This, and the finale episode, is inarguably the finest in ‘Modern Love 2’. Staying true to its essence, after all, ‘Modern Love’ is built on the foundation of faulty humans and troubled decisions, is ‘Second Embrace, With Hearts and Eyes Open’—the last one for this year. Sophie Okonedo’s amicably parted with her husband, while he is acing the ‘Best Daddy’ game, she seems to be ‘getting worse’. Despite the grin-able camaraderie, and a lot of hook-ups-between-exes, the climax leaves one with a sense of hopelessness—pretty much what we have been feeling all-year long, aren’t we? The pulse of ‘Modern Love 2’ is a metaphor for amusement-park rides—this moment you are bawling over sappy love songs and romantic anecdotes, and the next is overridden by cringe. But, after a long-hard day, you need someone to sprinkle some hope & confidence all over you. And if ‘Modern Love 2’ does that, so be it. After all, as uptight Spence comes to relealise in episode six, “Life never goes as per plan.”

Modern Love 2 review: To humanity, with hope

Here’s the thing about teen bromance, coming-of-age tales that—despite the recycle-redeliver format that makers have been religiously following, and succeeding at—never loses its sheen: the sheer cuteness of it. Smooches &amp; crushes or not, ‘The Kissing Booth’ crushes at rendering that same (deep) sense of connectivity to its viewers. And maybe that’s why Netflix has renewed it for three films straight. Or, maybe that’s not it.&nbsp;

 
In a minute-long opening sequence, a chirpy Joey King (as Elle Evans) quickly dives back into the lives of the central characters—Jacob Elordi as Noah, Joel Courtney as Lee and of course, the life of the franchise, Joey King herself as Elle—and brings the loyalists up to speed. Call it dependence on the relatability factor that this munchkin of a film has been riding on for so long, but much hasn’t really changed in director Vince Marcello’s universe—Noah is just as chiseled and chummy, Lee’s forever drunk-on-love persona lingers on and Elle is still a people’s person. And, yes, the very handsome Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez) is very much hankering after his unrequited love interest.&nbsp;

<img alt="vfhk,hjkmgfbds" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a76031f0-622f-420a-a64c-572df10f4668" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-12T195618.210.jpg" />

 
So, what makes this latest installment a raging success, you may ask. The answer is, in fact, a counter question: why does the extension of a piece of visual literature have to be different from its predecessor in order to warm the cockles of your heart?&nbsp;

 
Staying true to the game, Vince Marcello doles out one Gen Z problem after another—which college is Elle going to choose? Will long distance work out for Rachel and Lee? And, what happens when Elle’s dad decides to find love? The helmer, tactfully, divides the movie into two parts—before interval, chaos and commotion, climax, full-circle solutions laced with nostalgia. While the first segment of this book adaptation may seem tepid and a tad bit all over the place, the second one more than makes up for the unevenness of how ‘The Kissing Booth 3’ kicks off.

<img alt="vfnfdvdscsax" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ce2e2b69-a6a6-4cd9-89fc-b6b71eea49af" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-12T195739.941.jpg" />

 
Speaking of memories and nostalgia, two scenes are sure to resonate the most: first being an emotional Lee stroking the walls of his family beach home—up for sale, again, nostalgia—with paint and wells up while applying paint over the childhood height chart (that he had shared with Elle), and the other being when Elle pines for Noah to turn around for that stamp of confirmation: all is not lost between them, after all.&nbsp;

 
Some youth-centric films produce prodigies, others just faulty humans. This one is that.&nbsp;

<img alt="svgfv" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d7d14943-f11d-496a-ba29-cfcfcab79da1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-12T195820.808.jpg" />

 
What Lana Condor is to ‘To All The Boys’—again, a Netflix brainchild—Joey King is to ‘The Kissing Booth’ franchise: these names will stay synonymous with&nbsp;the genre, no matter who&nbsp;replaces them in the years to come. Likewise, Jacob Elordi’s restrained machismo and Joel Courtney’s boyish charm are meant to stick. It is unfair that Mrs. Flynn (Molly Ringwald), Elle’s Dad (Stephen Jennings) did not get a sizeable amount of screen space for their developing character tracks, but we, the viewers, will make do. Also, Maisie Richardson-Sellers as gorgeous arm candy Chloe loses the limelight between fights, insecurity-laden subtexts and stronger, more rounded characters.&nbsp;

<img alt="svfgngfbfd" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="371d2dec-b9c8-480c-b497-200a47dde740" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-12T195901.212.jpg" /> 
‘The Kissing Booth 3’ thrives on the mushiness of the people that it brings into your lives, and dilemmas they&nbsp;dodge along the way. Most certainly, it is one of those popular franchises that don’t need a substantial growth in terms of plotline for its viewers to like what it has to offer. One eye blink, one flick of hair—“Goodbye Summer” song in the background—and we are sold.&nbsp;

 
You are not sad that the makers are pulling the curtains on this one, you are sad that you won’t get to witness them grow old together.&nbsp;

<img alt="asvfdnhghnfdvxz" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b508db1-b4ed-4dd3-8553-0afb5a330526" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-08-12T195938.673.jpg" />

Here’s the thing about teen bromance, coming-of-age tales that—despite the recycle-redeliver format that makers have been religiously following, and succeeding at—never loses its sheen: the sheer cuteness of it.

Here’s the thing about teen bromance, coming-of-age tales that—despite the recycle-redeliver format that makers have been religiously following, and succeeding at—never loses its sheen: the sheer cuteness of it. Smooches & crushes or not, ‘The Kissing Booth’ crushes at rendering that same (deep) sense of connectivity to its viewers. And maybe that’s why Netflix has renewed it for three films straight. Or, maybe that’s not it. In a minute-long opening sequence, a chirpy Joey King (as Elle Evans) quickly dives back into the lives of the central characters—Jacob Elordi as Noah, Joel Courtney as Lee and of course, the life of the franchise, Joey King herself as Elle—and brings the loyalists up to speed. Call it dependence on the relatability factor that this munchkin of a film has been riding on for so long, but much hasn’t really changed in director Vince Marcello’s universe—Noah is just as chiseled and chummy, Lee’s forever drunk-on-love persona lingers on and Elle is still a people’s person. And, yes, the very handsome Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez) is very much hankering after his unrequited love interest. So, what makes this latest installment a raging success, you may ask. The answer is, in fact, a counter question: why does the extension of a piece of visual literature have to be different from its predecessor in order to warm the cockles of your heart? Staying true to the game, Vince Marcello doles out one Gen Z problem after another—which college is Elle going to choose? Will long distance work out for Rachel and Lee? And, what happens when Elle’s dad decides to find love? The helmer, tactfully, divides the movie into two parts—before interval, chaos and commotion, climax, full-circle solutions laced with nostalgia. While the first segment of this book adaptation may seem tepid and a tad bit all over the place, the second one more than makes up for the unevenness of how ‘The Kissing Booth 3’ kicks off. Speaking of memories and nostalgia, two scenes are sure to resonate the most: first being an emotional Lee stroking the walls of his family beach home—up for sale, again, nostalgia—with paint and wells up while applying paint over the childhood height chart (that he had shared with Elle), and the other being when Elle pines for Noah to turn around for that stamp of confirmation: all is not lost between them, after all. Some youth-centric films produce prodigies, others just faulty humans. This one is that. What Lana Condor is to ‘To All The Boys’—again, a Netflix brainchild—Joey King is to ‘The Kissing Booth’ franchise: these names will stay synonymous with the genre, no matter who replaces them in the years to come. Likewise, Jacob Elordi’s restrained machismo and Joel Courtney’s boyish charm are meant to stick. It is unfair that Mrs. Flynn (Molly Ringwald), Elle’s Dad (Stephen Jennings) did not get a sizeable amount of screen space for their developing character tracks, but we, the viewers, will make do. Also, Maisie Richardson-Sellers as gorgeous arm candy Chloe loses the limelight between fights, insecurity-laden subtexts and stronger, more rounded characters. ‘The Kissing Booth 3’ thrives on the mushiness of the people that it brings into your lives, and dilemmas they dodge along the way. Most certainly, it is one of those popular franchises that don’t need a substantial growth in terms of plotline for its viewers to like what it has to offer. One eye blink, one flick of hair—“Goodbye Summer” song in the background—and we are sold. You are not sad that the makers are pulling the curtains on this one, you are sad that you won’t get to witness them grow old together.

The Kissing Booth 3 review: If hearts could somersault, this would be it

The MIFT team at Monsters Inc. has to break up with the vending machine—fondly called Vendy—as Mike (voice by Ben Feldman) has mistakenly broken it and now it wouldn’t dispose the much-needed energy drinks. Angry, agitated, his boss threatens to fire him if he doesn’t fix that one piece of item with the highest sentimental value in their office. How do they navigate this issue and get to the other side of things forms the crux of episode six of the ‘Monsters At Work’ story.

 
The most common trope in an animation film/ series—across various sub-genres—largely circles around the conflict-resolution format. And ‘Monsters At Work’ is headed in that direction. In terms of narrative, the episode six of this 10-part series is a replica of what has already been shown in the previous part, in essence, only with a different obstacle to overcome.

<img alt="FDHGFBXZCZXCXZ" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3b8558ab-93c7-448f-9a3a-916706f3ff42" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2811%29.jpg" /> 
Considering the freshness and element of nostalgia has started to lose its steam—this TV series is a sequel to a 20-year-old movie—we wonder what director Kaitlyn Ritter and supervising director Stephen J. Anderson have to offer going forward.

 
Also, the more interesting aspects of this visually enriched animation series have been mercilessly dropped, or so it seems—what happened to the school for training monsters to be jokesters? And, why is an ambitious Tyler still working a job he not-so-while-ago utterly despised? These underlying themes, introduced early on in the series, have been shoved in the backseat as the story progresses.&nbsp;

 
This episode, titled ‘The Vending Machine’, is a ho-hum version of feel-good animation work by an otherwise marvellous Pixar Animation Studios.&nbsp;

The MIFT team at Monsters Inc. has to break up with the vending machine—fondly called Vendy—as Mike (voice by Ben Feldman) has mistakenly broken it and now it wouldn’t dispose the much-needed energy drinks.

The MIFT team at Monsters Inc. has to break up with the vending machine—fondly called Vendy—as Mike (voice by Ben Feldman) has mistakenly broken it and now it wouldn’t dispose the much-needed energy drinks. Angry, agitated, his boss threatens to fire him if he doesn’t fix that one piece of item with the highest sentimental value in their office. How do they navigate this issue and get to the other side of things forms the crux of episode six of the ‘Monsters At Work’ story. The most common trope in an animation film/ series—across various sub-genres—largely circles around the conflict-resolution format. And ‘Monsters At Work’ is headed in that direction. In terms of narrative, the episode six of this 10-part series is a replica of what has already been shown in the previous part, in essence, only with a different obstacle to overcome. Considering the freshness and element of nostalgia has started to lose its steam—this TV series is a sequel to a 20-year-old movie—we wonder what director Kaitlyn Ritter and supervising director Stephen J. Anderson have to offer going forward. Also, the more interesting aspects of this visually enriched animation series have been mercilessly dropped, or so it seems—what happened to the school for training monsters to be jokesters? And, why is an ambitious Tyler still working a job he not-so-while-ago utterly despised? These underlying themes, introduced early on in the series, have been shoved in the backseat as the story progresses. This episode, titled ‘The Vending Machine’, is a ho-hum version of feel-good animation work by an otherwise marvellous Pixar Animation Studios.

‘Monsters At Work’ S1, EP 6 review: Same trope, stuck in a loop!

Fossil Gen 5E: Rs 18,495&nbsp;

<table aria-rowcount="2" border="1" data-tablelook="1696" data-tablestyle="MsoTableGrid">
	<tbody>
		<tr aria-rowindex="1" role="row">
			<td data-celllook="0" role="rowheader">
			&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Pros&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
			</td>
			<td data-celllook="0" role="columnheader">
			&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cons&nbsp;
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr aria-rowindex="2" role="row">
			<td data-celllook="0" role="rowheader">
			<ul role="list">
				<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="1" role="listitem">
				Great buy under Rs 20,000&nbsp;
				</li>
				<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="1" role="listitem">
				Looks premium&nbsp;
				</li>
				<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="1" role="listitem">
				Great user interface&nbsp;
				</li>
				<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="1" role="listitem">
				Smaller size (42mm) available&nbsp;
				</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
			<td data-celllook="0">
			<ul role="list">
				<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="1" role="listitem">
				No SPO2 sensor&nbsp;
				</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

&nbsp;

Have you noticed people's wrists lately? Expensive wristwatches and jewellery have been replaced by trendy, functional smartwatches and fitness bands. Gone are the days when a high-end timepiece or sparkling diamonds were highly coveted. Now, the sparkle has been replaced by the little 'foot' as I call it. Everyone is tracking steps!&nbsp;

In a market brimming with options for all wallets, Fossil offers its Gen 5E smartwatch, the newest addition to its Gen 5 smartwatches. The company says it's more "affordable" at Rs 18,495. While this is more expensive than what plenty of other brands are offering under Rs 10,000, let’s see if this new watch is a bang for your buck.&nbsp;

How does it look?&nbsp;

No one is going to buy a watch that promises the world but looks clunky on the wrist. The Fossil Gen 5E comes in two sizes, 44mm and 42mm. I strapped on the 42mm with the delicate pink strap. The bling encircling the crown will add a nice touch only if you're into bling, else stop reading this review because if you're not a bling-lover, you won't be interested in this watch.&nbsp;

The 1.19-inch AMOLED touchscreen offers plenty of real estate to view notifications and the display leaves no room for complaints, even in bright daylight. What I did miss was the rotating crown found in more expensive Fossil smartwatches. &nbsp;

What I do love are the slim bezels, which give it the looks of a premium watch. It's light and easy to strap on and won't weigh your wrist down.&nbsp;

Pro tip: if you're going to use it during workout, ditch the fancy metal straps and opt for silicone straps which you will have to buy separately. Perhaps, the brand should've thrown in a pair in the box?&nbsp;

How does it perform?&nbsp;

Before I get into a nauseating list of features and specifications, let’s be frank, you'll be using this to track fitness and health metrics along with some notifications because that's what most smartwatch users do. The processor here is a slightly older one from Snapdragon possibly to save costs and that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. The watch is responsive and quick in performing most tasks without any lag. The user interface is easy to get accustomed to ONLY AND ONLY IF you're a Google WearOS user.&nbsp;

As someone, who is hooked to her Apple Watch perpetually, I did face some issues in shifting to Google WearOS but given the huge price difference between iOS and WearOS gadgets, one can't complain.&nbsp;

What I found lacking surprisingly in the age of COVID-19, was the lack of an SPO2 or blood-oxygen sensor. At nearly Rs 19,000, Fossil should have added this feature to its bag of offerings.&nbsp;

Can you track your fitness goals?&nbsp;

Well, if you're particular about hitting that 10K step count, daily activity can be tracked easily. But remember this, no matter which smartwatch you strap on, always underestimate the step count! You will need to sync the watch with the Google Fit app for a curated health analysis featuring sleep metrics, heart rate, cardio health, and step count.&nbsp;

Is the watch independent of the smartphone? Yes and no. You can receive calls on the watch but the sound quality isn't great.&nbsp;

Here's some good news -- this watch is splash-proof so, feel free to go for a run in the rain with it.&nbsp;

How long will it last?&nbsp;

Fossil doesn't say much about the watch's battery life except that it comes with smart battery modes to extend the watch's use. So, like all smartwatches, it will depend on your use. I wear my smartwatch from the moment I wake up to the time I hit the snooze button. So, for me, the watch lasted for around 10 hours, which is in line with expectations at this price point. Of course, it could have been better.&nbsp;

Is the Fossil Gen 5E for you?&nbsp;

If you're a Google WearOS user and are looking for a good-looking smartwatch under Rs 20,000, then the Fossil Gen 5E offers plenty of features without putting an extra burden on your wallet. However, at this price point, the SPO2 sensor is a must and the watch misses out on that. But if that's not something you need, then this watch looks premium and is a great addition on your wrist.&nbsp;

Fossil Gen 5E Specifications&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Powered by Google Wearos&nbsp;</li>
	<li>4 GB storage&nbsp;</li>
	<li>1 GB RAM&nbsp;</li>
	<li>300 mAh battery&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Water-resistant up to 3ATM&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Fossil Gen 5E: Rs 18,495 Pros Cons Great buy under Rs 20,000 Looks premium Great user interface Smaller size (42mm) available No SPO2 sensor Have you noticed people's wrists lately?

Fossil Gen 5E: Rs 18,495 Pros Cons Great buy under Rs 20,000 Looks premium Great user interface Smaller size (42mm) available No SPO2 sensor Have you noticed people's wrists lately? Expensive wristwatches and jewellery have been replaced by trendy, functional smartwatches and fitness bands. Gone are the days when a high-end timepiece or sparkling diamonds were highly coveted. Now, the sparkle has been replaced by the little 'foot' as I call it. Everyone is tracking steps! In a market brimming with options for all wallets, Fossil offers its Gen 5E smartwatch, the newest addition to its Gen 5 smartwatches. The company says it's more "affordable" at Rs 18,495. While this is more expensive than what plenty of other brands are offering under Rs 10,000, let’s see if this new watch is a bang for your buck. How does it look? No one is going to buy a watch that promises the world but looks clunky on the wrist. The Fossil Gen 5E comes in two sizes, 44mm and 42mm. I strapped on the 42mm with the delicate pink strap. The bling encircling the crown will add a nice touch only if you're into bling, else stop reading this review because if you're not a bling-lover, you won't be interested in this watch. The 1.19-inch AMOLED touchscreen offers plenty of real estate to view notifications and the display leaves no room for complaints, even in bright daylight. What I did miss was the rotating crown found in more expensive Fossil smartwatches. What I do love are the slim bezels, which give it the looks of a premium watch. It's light and easy to strap on and won't weigh your wrist down. Pro tip: if you're going to use it during workout, ditch the fancy metal straps and opt for silicone straps which you will have to buy separately. Perhaps, the brand should've thrown in a pair in the box? How does it perform? Before I get into a nauseating list of features and specifications, let’s be frank, you'll be using this to track fitness and health metrics along with some notifications because that's what most smartwatch users do. The processor here is a slightly older one from Snapdragon possibly to save costs and that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. The watch is responsive and quick in performing most tasks without any lag. The user interface is easy to get accustomed to ONLY AND ONLY IF you're a Google WearOS user. As someone, who is hooked to her Apple Watch perpetually, I did face some issues in shifting to Google WearOS but given the huge price difference between iOS and WearOS gadgets, one can't complain. What I found lacking surprisingly in the age of COVID-19, was the lack of an SPO2 or blood-oxygen sensor. At nearly Rs 19,000, Fossil should have added this feature to its bag of offerings. Can you track your fitness goals? Well, if you're particular about hitting that 10K step count, daily activity can be tracked easily. But remember this, no matter which smartwatch you strap on, always underestimate the step count! You will need to sync the watch with the Google Fit app for a curated health analysis featuring sleep metrics, heart rate, cardio health, and step count. Is the watch independent of the smartphone? Yes and no. You can receive calls on the watch but the sound quality isn't great. Here's some good news -- this watch is splash-proof so, feel free to go for a run in the rain with it. How long will it last? Fossil doesn't say much about the watch's battery life except that it comes with smart battery modes to extend the watch's use. So, like all smartwatches, it will depend on your use. I wear my smartwatch from the moment I wake up to the time I hit the snooze button. So, for me, the watch lasted for around 10 hours, which is in line with expectations at this price point. Of course, it could have been better. Is the Fossil Gen 5E for you? If you're a Google WearOS user and are looking for a good-looking smartwatch under Rs 20,000, then the Fossil Gen 5E offers plenty of features without putting an extra burden on your wallet. However, at this price point, the SPO2 sensor is a must and the watch misses out on that. But if that's not something you need, then this watch looks premium and is a great addition on your wrist. Fossil Gen 5E Specifications Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor Powered by Google Wearos 4 GB storage 1 GB RAM 300 mAh battery Water-resistant up to 3ATM

Fossil's new smartwatch review: Bang for your buck?

What do ‘Leap Year’, ‘P.S. I Love You’, the ‘Before’ trilogy and ever other Western travelogue-meet cute have as that one constant, primary element which&nbsp;is of Himalayan importance to the narrative? A gorgeous pair with a socket-plug dynamic! More on that as we move along.

 
Sadly, romcom queen Christina Milian—who knocked us off with her daring ‘American Pie’ way back in 1999, and warmed the cockles of our hearts with the more recent ‘Falling Inn Love’—cherrypicks this Alicia Keys-produced Netflix release with the hopes of regaining her superstardom in the mush-machine aka romance genre. But, her character—Erika Wilson, a struggling musician with a broken heart to nurse—only knows the language of wallowing&nbsp;in self-pity: over lost love, and a career that never really takes off. Erika’s dilemma over life choices and an insatiable need to please people is insufferable.&nbsp;

<img alt="CDFNJGBZXV" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4f5d553-816f-496a-8d4e-48714648e123" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2844%29.jpg" />

 
Perhaps, Milian and the rest of the team already had an inkling as to what a tepid, troublesome ride they had hopped on for, and maybe that is exactly why the costumes’ department tried overcompensating for the former: like a lot! It also helps that the central character moves to the tropical island of Mauritius for a shot at live singing via an expensive resort. As fate would have it, Erika stumbles upon her former fiancée, Jason (Jay Pharoah)—the cause of her heartache, the reason this flick is titled ‘Resort To Love’, get it? The concoction of it all serves this as the end product: attractive bikini-clad women, chiselled &amp; bare-chested gorgeous men, tall trees and wild bushes, mojitos &amp; margaritas, layered necklaces and sky-high heels... what’s not to love, no? Wrong!

 
Given, writers Tabi McCartney and Dana Schmalenberg are well-meaning champions of social and artistic change. And, they are rightly advocating an egalitarian representation in an otherwise whitewashed Hollywood—all the characters, including the secondary cast and junior artists, are people of colour—but the film’s shoddy execution was director Steven K. Tsuchida’s brainchild. In that sense, this one’s on him.&nbsp;

<img alt="ADDHNCXC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8d257d0-0b2c-4e82-b08e-a235219f93bf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2843%29.jpg" />

 
From the classic clichés like grand gestures of love at the beach to establishing a believable—if not legendary—rapport between the primary cast, this helmer has crashed in an epic fashion, on so many levels, in the utopian land of love.

 
‘Resort To Love’ not only reeks of un-roundedness, but is also guilty of borrowing the major romance tropes from here and there. Yet, it is neither fully romantic, nor a proper comedy.

 
We hate to break it to Jay Pharoah, but he blew the role of Jason and the insecurities he was entrusted with (for dramatic effect?) to portray on screen, look steely; misfired. Milian tries to stay agile and chirpy and help this sinking ship sail with her charm and candour, but that was just not enough. Not this time. T.J. Power was massively underutilised and his track, largely forgotten. For someone who plays an Australian ex-pat settling in Mauritius for a local girl and taking up odd jobs to buy a home someday... his character arch could have been (and should have been) explored beyond just a scratch-on-the-surface nod.&nbsp;

 
Like we have already mentioned, cinematographer Greg Gardiner has rendered a splendid, posh and aesthetically rich vibe to the plotline with his wide-angles and close-ups. So has costume designer Danielle Hollowell; the tropical dressing you get to see in this flick is every fashionista’s paradise.&nbsp;

<img alt="vfjghsddsfhgfsa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b2e5834c-79c1-41be-81b4-67fa24df7630" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2841%29_0.jpg" /> 
Yes, music constitutes about 2/3rd of ‘Resort To Love’—the ‘Unbreak My Heart’ and ‘Irreplaceable’ suggestions for a wedding; both break-up songs, were&nbsp;hilarious—but this film should not trick you into believing Christiana Milian’s Hilary Swank from ‘P.S. I Love You’: her character is not even the unfriendly Sloane from ‘Holidate’, another Netflix debacle.&nbsp;

 
‘Resort to Love’ most certainly had the locales and star cast to up the ante and take a progressive step towards AfroRomance that could have set a precedent for others to follow. But, no, it had to be the “Sex &nbsp;and the City’ of romcoms sans the chemistry, or a doable script. Christina Milian, you deserve better!

<img alt="vfhghgffdbvdv" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="68ed3cb5-dd9a-43ad-9373-99ed2d1588ee" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2845%29_0.jpg" />

What do ‘Leap Year’, ‘P.S. I Love You’, the ‘Before’ trilogy and ever other Western travelogue-meet cute have as that one constant, primary element which is of Himalayan importance to the narrative?

What do ‘Leap Year’, ‘P.S. I Love You’, the ‘Before’ trilogy and ever other Western travelogue-meet cute have as that one constant, primary element which is of Himalayan importance to the narrative? A gorgeous pair with a socket-plug dynamic! More on that as we move along. Sadly, romcom queen Christina Milian—who knocked us off with her daring ‘American Pie’ way back in 1999, and warmed the cockles of our hearts with the more recent ‘Falling Inn Love’—cherrypicks this Alicia Keys-produced Netflix release with the hopes of regaining her superstardom in the mush-machine aka romance genre. But, her character—Erika Wilson, a struggling musician with a broken heart to nurse—only knows the language of wallowing in self-pity: over lost love, and a career that never really takes off. Erika’s dilemma over life choices and an insatiable need to please people is insufferable. Perhaps, Milian and the rest of the team already had an inkling as to what a tepid, troublesome ride they had hopped on for, and maybe that is exactly why the costumes’ department tried overcompensating for the former: like a lot! It also helps that the central character moves to the tropical island of Mauritius for a shot at live singing via an expensive resort. As fate would have it, Erika stumbles upon her former fiancée, Jason (Jay Pharoah)—the cause of her heartache, the reason this flick is titled ‘Resort To Love’, get it? The concoction of it all serves this as the end product: attractive bikini-clad women, chiselled & bare-chested gorgeous men, tall trees and wild bushes, mojitos & margaritas, layered necklaces and sky-high heels... what’s not to love, no? Wrong! Given, writers Tabi McCartney and Dana Schmalenberg are well-meaning champions of social and artistic change. And, they are rightly advocating an egalitarian representation in an otherwise whitewashed Hollywood—all the characters, including the secondary cast and junior artists, are people of colour—but the film’s shoddy execution was director Steven K. Tsuchida’s brainchild. In that sense, this one’s on him. From the classic clichés like grand gestures of love at the beach to establishing a believable—if not legendary—rapport between the primary cast, this helmer has crashed in an epic fashion, on so many levels, in the utopian land of love. ‘Resort To Love’ not only reeks of un-roundedness, but is also guilty of borrowing the major romance tropes from here and there. Yet, it is neither fully romantic, nor a proper comedy. We hate to break it to Jay Pharoah, but he blew the role of Jason and the insecurities he was entrusted with (for dramatic effect?) to portray on screen, look steely; misfired. Milian tries to stay agile and chirpy and help this sinking ship sail with her charm and candour, but that was just not enough. Not this time. T.J. Power was massively underutilised and his track, largely forgotten. For someone who plays an Australian ex-pat settling in Mauritius for a local girl and taking up odd jobs to buy a home someday... his character arch could have been (and should have been) explored beyond just a scratch-on-the-surface nod. Like we have already mentioned, cinematographer Greg Gardiner has rendered a splendid, posh and aesthetically rich vibe to the plotline with his wide-angles and close-ups. So has costume designer Danielle Hollowell; the tropical dressing you get to see in this flick is every fashionista’s paradise. Yes, music constitutes about 2/3rd of ‘Resort To Love’—the ‘Unbreak My Heart’ and ‘Irreplaceable’ suggestions for a wedding; both break-up songs, were hilarious—but this film should not trick you into believing Christiana Milian’s Hilary Swank from ‘P.S. I Love You’: her character is not even the unfriendly Sloane from ‘Holidate’, another Netflix debacle. ‘Resort to Love’ most certainly had the locales and star cast to up the ante and take a progressive step towards AfroRomance that could have set a precedent for others to follow. But, no, it had to be the “Sex and the City’ of romcoms sans the chemistry, or a doable script. Christina Milian, you deserve better!

‘Resort To Love’ review: Survives only on sass and scenes

Personal commitment means the chirpy supervisor—Fritz (voice by Henry Winkler)—in the MIFT department of Monsters Inc. must spend the next two weeks under the strict, and at times conniving, watch of his temp replacement, Duncan (voice by Lucas Neff).&nbsp;

 
The team falters under his guidance and there’s a blackout, prompting MERF—a regulatory body—employee Mr. Blinks has come for a thorough inspection: shut down or management change? What will his report say?&nbsp;

 
Called ‘The Cover Up’, the tone of this fifth episode is more along series (corporate-y) lines and all the fun and games one gets to experience in the first four parts, suddenly vanishes. Val (voice by Mindy Kaling), Tyler (voice by Ben Feldman) and even Duncan mean business and do everything in their capacity to keep the inspector from calling their mistakes out.&nbsp;

 
Frankly, the episode is a complete U Turn from its feel-good predecessors and provides very minimal visual relief as far as lightening the mood goes—the whole episode is based out of a dingy office floor.

 
However, Pixar’s done one lesson right through ‘The Cover Up’—teach kids the value of team spirit and how not to be a snitch. Just come to work, mingle and ‘cha-cha the night away!’&nbsp;

'Monsters At Work' episode 5 is streaming on Disney + Hotstar.

Personal commitment means the chirpy supervisor—Fritz (voice by Henry Winkler)—in the MIFT department of Monsters Inc. must spend the next two weeks under the strict, and at times conniving, watch of his temp replacement, Duncan (voice by Lucas Neff).

Personal commitment means the chirpy supervisor—Fritz (voice by Henry Winkler)—in the MIFT department of Monsters Inc. must spend the next two weeks under the strict, and at times conniving, watch of his temp replacement, Duncan (voice by Lucas Neff). The team falters under his guidance and there’s a blackout, prompting MERF—a regulatory body—employee Mr. Blinks has come for a thorough inspection: shut down or management change? What will his report say? Called ‘The Cover Up’, the tone of this fifth episode is more along series (corporate-y) lines and all the fun and games one gets to experience in the first four parts, suddenly vanishes. Val (voice by Mindy Kaling), Tyler (voice by Ben Feldman) and even Duncan mean business and do everything in their capacity to keep the inspector from calling their mistakes out. Frankly, the episode is a complete U Turn from its feel-good predecessors and provides very minimal visual relief as far as lightening the mood goes—the whole episode is based out of a dingy office floor. However, Pixar’s done one lesson right through ‘The Cover Up’—teach kids the value of team spirit and how not to be a snitch. Just come to work, mingle and ‘cha-cha the night away!’ 'Monsters At Work' episode 5 is streaming on Disney + Hotstar.

‘Monsters At Work’ S1, EP5 review: Who stay close when trouble ensues?

What can one say—correction; what ‘new’ can one say—about love that hasn’t already been said before in cinema? Director Augustine Frizzell’s visual adaptation of Jojo Moyes’ book by the same name goes on to defy the various logic-of-love ideologies sticking to the ever-elusive concept of love—one “rich in emotions” letter at a time.&nbsp;

<img alt="A love saga that's filled with passion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8b2291c3-8ac3-4186-b6e8-990b211c8708" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%28100%29.jpg" />

‘La Piscine’, ‘Juene &amp; Julie’, beloved Woody Allen’s ‘magic In The Moonlight’ and many&nbsp;iconic films have their origins engrained in the Mediterranean coastline of France—The French Riviera. Naturally, Frizzell’s love saga has stiff competition standing on its path and a story, all too common. Two young but dejected-in-love Englishmen meet on a sunny morning—a cocky yet admirable financial journalist, Anthony O’Hare (Callum Turner), is besotted by Mrs. Jenny Stirlings’ (Shailene Woodley) undaunted frankness about her life and knowledge of the worldly ways, and Jenny, taken aback by his shameless belittlement of her high-brow British life and a successful but petty&nbsp;husband, Larry (Joe Alwyn). “My wife considers anything not in the pages of Vogue unworthy of her time and attention,” he patronizes the wife.&nbsp;

 
Nonetheless, the ‘illicit' romantics'&nbsp;burning chemistry and suppressed desires could fill up a room in smoke &amp; fires. But, in 1965, ‘adulteress’ women are disowned by their near and dear ones—regardless of the circumstances under which one might&nbsp;have ‘sinned’.

<img alt="A love saga dripped in passion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f8a8c4a1-9629-464a-9900-28e44a55336d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-07-25T200442.913.jpg" />

 
Bygone decades may have perished what could very well pass as youthful exuberance but an eager journalist with The London Tribune, Ellie Haworth (Felicity Jones), in 2017, stumbles over the exchanged love letters by fluke. Curious, almost obsessed, Ellie vows to trace the two, their story, their post office boxes, and possibly, help them reunite. If they haven’t already.&nbsp;

 
Some films are helmed by perfectionists and hence, each frame we see on the big canvas is staged and rehearsed, while others go with the flow. This one is inclined towards&nbsp;the latter. The setting is split into two halves, two timelines—one parked in wartime and mayhem with elitism at its heart, and the other, in the contemporary ‘WhatsApp’ and ‘ghosting’ world. ‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ bounces back and forth between these two timelines, only to converge in the end. Frizzell may lose the initial charm rendered by the butterflies-in-your-stomach, maple-leaves-in-my-hair type of art direction, but he resurrects the script with his leads'&nbsp;aid. “Marylebone station, Friday, at 7:15 pm. I will wait for you,”—the maker’s flirting with the element of intrigue convinces us—the viewers—to stay hooked till the sun goes down on this one.&nbsp;

<img alt="The film is based on a best-selling book by the same name" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="31395f09-b63c-420a-8f15-59a1fe6895a6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-07-25T200603.000.jpg" />

Call it habituality, but Shailene Woodley naturally beefs our expectations up, especially when she is headlining a woman-hopelessly-in-love saga on screen. Has ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ rendition spoilt us a bit too much? Maybe. In her expensive-looking fedoras, satin-smooth dresses, through her winged eyeliner and kohl-rimmed eyes, Shailene Woodley speaks a thousand emotions a mile. It also helps that her camaraderie with the suave and sexy Callum Turner translates on screen in a fashion prerequisite for a love story, substantially&nbsp;of the primitive kind. In the world of romance, they are Yin and Yang.&nbsp;

 
Felicity Jones is earnest in being an emotionally bankrupt workaholic sprinkling specks of modernity all over the script, for authenticity’s sake, perhaps. However, she seems out of it—more so in the second half. Her partner-in-crime Rory (Nabhaan Rizwan) is amicable as the needy, nerdy archivist. If they are the catalyst for the big reveal, then they have done their job right.

<img alt="Felicity Jones and Nabhaan Rizwan share a moment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="645e811f-d991-4a11-9c3a-4e6ec7b94b5e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-07-25T200522.734.jpg" />

Other than the clothes and bouffant hair, ‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ deserves a shoutout for capturing the essence of that long-lost&nbsp;era through music. From Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Summer Wine’ to ‘Johnny Boy’ by Melanie, the heart and soul of the late 60s is locked up in these timeless pieces; all retrieved—in their crude form—for this retelling of old-school love.

 
‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ may get whiplashed for lack of originality, and even schooled for not having brought in newer forms of expression in this done-to-death genre. But, hey, some movies are all heart and this one’s that. Like Anthony "Boot"&nbsp;O’Hare says, “… you have my heart in your hands.” So, come… fall in love!&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'The Last Letter From Your Lover' is streaming on Netflix.&nbsp;

What can one say—correction; what ‘new’ can one say—about love that hasn’t already been said before in cinema? Director Augustine Frizzell’s visual adaptation of Jojo Moyes’ book by the same name goes on to defy the various logic-of-love ideologies sticking to the ever-elusive concept of love—one “rich in emotions” letter at a time.

What can one say—correction; what ‘new’ can one say—about love that hasn’t already been said before in cinema? Director Augustine Frizzell’s visual adaptation of Jojo Moyes’ book by the same name goes on to defy the various logic-of-love ideologies sticking to the ever-elusive concept of love—one “rich in emotions” letter at a time. ‘La Piscine’, ‘Juene & Julie’, beloved Woody Allen’s ‘magic In The Moonlight’ and many iconic films have their origins engrained in the Mediterranean coastline of France—The French Riviera. Naturally, Frizzell’s love saga has stiff competition standing on its path and a story, all too common. Two young but dejected-in-love Englishmen meet on a sunny morning—a cocky yet admirable financial journalist, Anthony O’Hare (Callum Turner), is besotted by Mrs. Jenny Stirlings’ (Shailene Woodley) undaunted frankness about her life and knowledge of the worldly ways, and Jenny, taken aback by his shameless belittlement of her high-brow British life and a successful but petty husband, Larry (Joe Alwyn). “My wife considers anything not in the pages of Vogue unworthy of her time and attention,” he patronizes the wife. Nonetheless, the ‘illicit' romantics' burning chemistry and suppressed desires could fill up a room in smoke & fires. But, in 1965, ‘adulteress’ women are disowned by their near and dear ones—regardless of the circumstances under which one might have ‘sinned’. Bygone decades may have perished what could very well pass as youthful exuberance but an eager journalist with The London Tribune, Ellie Haworth (Felicity Jones), in 2017, stumbles over the exchanged love letters by fluke. Curious, almost obsessed, Ellie vows to trace the two, their story, their post office boxes, and possibly, help them reunite. If they haven’t already. Some films are helmed by perfectionists and hence, each frame we see on the big canvas is staged and rehearsed, while others go with the flow. This one is inclined towards the latter. The setting is split into two halves, two timelines—one parked in wartime and mayhem with elitism at its heart, and the other, in the contemporary ‘WhatsApp’ and ‘ghosting’ world. ‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ bounces back and forth between these two timelines, only to converge in the end. Frizzell may lose the initial charm rendered by the butterflies-in-your-stomach, maple-leaves-in-my-hair type of art direction, but he resurrects the script with his leads' aid. “Marylebone station, Friday, at 7:15 pm. I will wait for you,”—the maker’s flirting with the element of intrigue convinces us—the viewers—to stay hooked till the sun goes down on this one. Call it habituality, but Shailene Woodley naturally beefs our expectations up, especially when she is headlining a woman-hopelessly-in-love saga on screen. Has ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ rendition spoilt us a bit too much? Maybe. In her expensive-looking fedoras, satin-smooth dresses, through her winged eyeliner and kohl-rimmed eyes, Shailene Woodley speaks a thousand emotions a mile. It also helps that her camaraderie with the suave and sexy Callum Turner translates on screen in a fashion prerequisite for a love story, substantially of the primitive kind. In the world of romance, they are Yin and Yang. Felicity Jones is earnest in being an emotionally bankrupt workaholic sprinkling specks of modernity all over the script, for authenticity’s sake, perhaps. However, she seems out of it—more so in the second half. Her partner-in-crime Rory (Nabhaan Rizwan) is amicable as the needy, nerdy archivist. If they are the catalyst for the big reveal, then they have done their job right. Other than the clothes and bouffant hair, ‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ deserves a shoutout for capturing the essence of that long-lost era through music. From Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Summer Wine’ to ‘Johnny Boy’ by Melanie, the heart and soul of the late 60s is locked up in these timeless pieces; all retrieved—in their crude form—for this retelling of old-school love. ‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ may get whiplashed for lack of originality, and even schooled for not having brought in newer forms of expression in this done-to-death genre. But, hey, some movies are all heart and this one’s that. Like Anthony "Boot" O’Hare says, “… you have my heart in your hands.” So, come… fall in love! 'The Last Letter From Your Lover' is streaming on Netflix.

‘The Last Letter From Your Lover’ review: That elusive thing called love

Big boss Mike Wazowski (voice by Bily Crystal) makes a small mistake and is now huffing and puffing at the office floor. Irate with all the paperwork that’s pushed down his throat, in a moment of weakness, Mike challenges his arch nemesis Gary (voice by Gabriel Iglesias) to a bowling face-off at the upcoming Bowl-off-a-thon at Monsters Inc. Only hindrance? He neither knows how to throw a ball nor does he know anyone who does.

 
Meanwhile, Tyler Tuskman (voice by Ben Feldman) is desperate to move away from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-monsters-at-work-s1-ep-1--2-review-tussle-between-the-monster-and-jokester-within-396666">MIFT team</a> and ‘get in good’ with his boss, Mike, with the hope that the latter would finally promote him to the role of a jokester. Mike’s in a limbo, Tyler finds the perfect pitch to impress. What happens next—leading up to the Bowl-off-a-thon tournament—constitutes the rest of this 22-minute long episode, titled ‘The Big Wazowskis’

<img alt="Tyler and Val: a couple in the making?" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="86fc7e43-a7f5-485f-8426-9201a8621dd5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2839%29_1.jpg" />

Kaitlyn Ritter’s approach towards this episode is of heightening the drama: she focuses more on the preparation revolving around the face-off than the main event itself. Through blink-and-you-miss-it jokes and the power of animation, Ritter makes you one and all roll on the floor… literally!&nbsp;

‘The Big Wazowskis’ also serves as a behavioral insight into office politics, the innate quality of betrayal humans posses—brought to light through the eyes of cutesy creatures like ‘No Gutter Cutter’ and ‘No Splitz Fritz’—all the while staying true to its central theme: of love and laughter.&nbsp;

Unlike <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-monsters-at-work-s1-ep-3-review-of-love-and-human-connections-398229">episode three</a>, the Monsters Inc. team deviates from high-octane emotions. Instead, the off-beat gang exhibits team spirit with panache as they vow to win the competition for their boss by ‘stinking their way to victory’.&nbsp;

<img alt="From being monsters to jokesters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1222978-a2bd-4232-ba54-9d37bf468528" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Monsters%20at%20work%20cover.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;

Big boss Mike Wazowski (voice by Bily Crystal) makes a small mistake and is now huffing and puffing at the office floor. Irate with all the paperwork that’s pushed down his throat, in a moment of weakness, Mike challenges his arch nemesis Gary (voice by Gabriel Iglesias) to a bowling face-off at the upcoming Bowl-off-a-thon at Monsters Inc.

Big boss Mike Wazowski (voice by Bily Crystal) makes a small mistake and is now huffing and puffing at the office floor. Irate with all the paperwork that’s pushed down his throat, in a moment of weakness, Mike challenges his arch nemesis Gary (voice by Gabriel Iglesias) to a bowling face-off at the upcoming Bowl-off-a-thon at Monsters Inc. Only hindrance? He neither knows how to throw a ball nor does he know anyone who does. Meanwhile, Tyler Tuskman (voice by Ben Feldman) is desperate to move away from the MIFT team and ‘get in good’ with his boss, Mike, with the hope that the latter would finally promote him to the role of a jokester. Mike’s in a limbo, Tyler finds the perfect pitch to impress. What happens next—leading up to the Bowl-off-a-thon tournament—constitutes the rest of this 22-minute long episode, titled ‘The Big Wazowskis’ Kaitlyn Ritter’s approach towards this episode is of heightening the drama: she focuses more on the preparation revolving around the face-off than the main event itself. Through blink-and-you-miss-it jokes and the power of animation, Ritter makes you one and all roll on the floor… literally! ‘The Big Wazowskis’ also serves as a behavioral insight into office politics, the innate quality of betrayal humans posses—brought to light through the eyes of cutesy creatures like ‘No Gutter Cutter’ and ‘No Splitz Fritz’—all the while staying true to its central theme: of love and laughter. Unlike episode three, the Monsters Inc. team deviates from high-octane emotions. Instead, the off-beat gang exhibits team spirit with panache as they vow to win the competition for their boss by ‘stinking their way to victory’.

Monsters At Work S1, EP4 review: A meld of promise and politics

There could never be a better time for a film like ‘Oslo’ that premiered on Disney+ Hotstar in India on May 29 and looks at Israel-Palestine decades-old conflict through the prism of peace accords that were signed between the countries in 1993 with the help of a Norweigian couple backed by their government.&nbsp;

Adapted from American playwright JT Rogers’ play of the same name, ‘Oslo’ director Bartlett Sher brings us a dramatised version of events that led to the signing of Oslo peace accords between arch enemies Israel and Palestine. While history remembers the famous handshake between the-then PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as the US President Bill Clinton stood beside them -- the world looked on with disbelief as the two vowed to step back from violence and bring a new world order in 1993, ‘Oslo’ puts to light the very eventful nights and days that made it possible. That too a backchannel, unofficial round of discussions between 1992 and 1993.

The HBO film, as it deals with the complexities of the geo-political issue, carefully treads with its characterisation of the PLO leaders, Israeli diplomats who were a part of the under-the table discussions, so as to step away from making them caricaturish while it balances its weighs on how much the world truly understands their fight for land, their exertion of need of legitimacy of the cause and intricacies that follow with any matter of occupation of any land and its people.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QsRlXQcHd8c" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe>

‘Oslo’ in its entirety makes no claim to know it all and does not look like a textbook explanation of the conflict. It is not a documentary and it does not claim to be. The film, however does bring the White view on the Middle Eastern crisis but that can be given a passing considering it’s from the view of two Norwegians who facilitate a peace deal between the two warring parties without offering a solution or edging towards one party more. Andrew Scott as Terje Rød-Larsen, director of think tank Fafo Foundation and wife Ruth Wilson, a Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul are brilliant in their scope. They never offer an opinion, never meddle, never sit with them on the table as the negotiations go on until the very last brokerage -- helping the film stray away from criticism of being partial to any side. Other actors, Salim Daw, Jeff Wilbusch, Yair Hirschfeld, and Igal Naor are convincing in their roles.&nbsp;

The film runs linear mostly with a very simple style of storytelling, inviting the viewer to explore the history on their own to get an in-depth understanding outside of the movie's scope. It’s a film that is high on human emotions and drama rather than being a history lesson.

There could never be a better time for a film like ‘Oslo’ that premiered on Disney+ Hotstar in India on May 29 and looks at Israel-Palestine decades-old conflict through the prism of peace accords that were signed between the countries in 1993 with the help of a Norweigian couple backed by their government.

There could never be a better time for a film like ‘Oslo’ that premiered on Disney+ Hotstar in India on May 29 and looks at Israel-Palestine decades-old conflict through the prism of peace accords that were signed between the countries in 1993 with the help of a Norweigian couple backed by their government. Adapted from American playwright JT Rogers’ play of the same name, ‘Oslo’ director Bartlett Sher brings us a dramatised version of events that led to the signing of Oslo peace accords between arch enemies Israel and Palestine. While history remembers the famous handshake between the-then PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as the US President Bill Clinton stood beside them -- the world looked on with disbelief as the two vowed to step back from violence and bring a new world order in 1993, ‘Oslo’ puts to light the very eventful nights and days that made it possible. That too a backchannel, unofficial round of discussions between 1992 and 1993. The HBO film, as it deals with the complexities of the geo-political issue, carefully treads with its characterisation of the PLO leaders, Israeli diplomats who were a part of the under-the table discussions, so as to step away from making them caricaturish while it balances its weighs on how much the world truly understands their fight for land, their exertion of need of legitimacy of the cause and intricacies that follow with any matter of occupation of any land and its people. ‘Oslo’ in its entirety makes no claim to know it all and does not look like a textbook explanation of the conflict. It is not a documentary and it does not claim to be. The film, however does bring the White view on the Middle Eastern crisis but that can be given a passing considering it’s from the view of two Norwegians who facilitate a peace deal between the two warring parties without offering a solution or edging towards one party more. Andrew Scott as Terje Rød-Larsen, director of think tank Fafo Foundation and wife Ruth Wilson, a Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul are brilliant in their scope. They never offer an opinion, never meddle, never sit with them on the table as the negotiations go on until the very last brokerage -- helping the film stray away from criticism of being partial to any side. Other actors, Salim Daw, Jeff Wilbusch, Yair Hirschfeld, and Igal Naor are convincing in their roles. The film runs linear mostly with a very simple style of storytelling, inviting the viewer to explore the history on their own to get an in-depth understanding outside of the movie's scope. It’s a film that is high on human emotions and drama rather than being a history lesson.

'Oslo' movie review: Not a better time for this HBO drama on 1993 Israel-Palestine peace talks

**The post contains spoilers** 
 
The much-anticipated finale of Marvel and Disney+’s ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ is here and delivers on all that was promised and more in the bubble wrap of patent Captain America morality. The shadow of stripe and stars loom over the finale in the best way possible, culminating in the storylines of Sam Wilson and James Barnes, letting them live their chosen destiny.&nbsp;

The final episode sees the face-off between The Falgsmashers, the Power-broker, John Walker along with ‘The Black Captain America’ and ‘The Winter Soldier’. While the finale might not be as power-packed as the fans expectations (considering Sam was donning the Wkandian design of Captain’s suit and the shield), it was packed in all the emotions Steve Rogers’ would have approved of.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/myW4ia-EjXQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Owning up to his identity as Steve’s protege, Sam is ready to accept the shield without shedding off his wings and Branes is ready to own up to his identity of Winter Soldier without the baggage it brings from the past. Owning up to the identity had been the underlying theme of the entire six-episode series and looking at the finale, it all fits in seamlessly. By the looks of it, the endplate of the series showing ‘Captain America and The Winter Soldier’ clarifies the doubt that going forward, Marvel has a name for both these characters in the Universe, be it the movies of another season.&nbsp;

Talking about the future, a lot is teased in the finale. From the setting up of ‘The Dark Avengers’ with Zemo in the super-prison Raft, and John Walker accepting his new identity as US Agent, the stage is set for Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine and her team of twisted ‘Avengers’. As for Sharon Carter aka Power Broker aka Agent Carter, looks like the series has found another grey character. While the build-up to her being the Power Broker from Madripur, didn’t come across as a surprise, her new role in the MCU is surely going to betray the trust of Sam and James.&nbsp;

A lot was said and done in the 45 minutes episode. All moral messaging to remind each of their purpose. ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ garnered all the praise for being relevant in the current fight if racial discrimination and judgement in the United States, Sam Wilson’s taking up the shield, established the intention. ‘No super-serum, no blonde hair, no blue eyes’, just a heart to do what’s right. The show asks some really hard-hitting questions, plays on some established Marvel cliches, but more importantly gives a sense of completion while keeping the door to something unimaginable open.&nbsp;

Bucky and Sam are a great team and their adventures have just gotten started. With the realm of magic being tested with the upcoming movies and series of Marvel, ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ stay true to the human aspect of the bigger fights - the purpose of it all and claiming the identity through work and not just by chance. After the magical chaos of&nbsp;'WandaVision'&nbsp;and before the magical mischief of&nbsp;'Loki', that is exactly what the MCU fans needed as a reminder - the humans are grey and its the present actions that define the future, not the legacy of the past.

 
&nbsp;

**The post contains spoilers** The much-anticipated finale of Marvel and Disney+’s ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ is here and delivers on all that was promised and more in the bubble wrap of patent Captain America morality.

**The post contains spoilers** The much-anticipated finale of Marvel and Disney+’s ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ is here and delivers on all that was promised and more in the bubble wrap of patent Captain America morality. The shadow of stripe and stars loom over the finale in the best way possible, culminating in the storylines of Sam Wilson and James Barnes, letting them live their chosen destiny. The final episode sees the face-off between The Falgsmashers, the Power-broker, John Walker along with ‘The Black Captain America’ and ‘The Winter Soldier’. While the finale might not be as power-packed as the fans expectations (considering Sam was donning the Wkandian design of Captain’s suit and the shield), it was packed in all the emotions Steve Rogers’ would have approved of. Owning up to his identity as Steve’s protege, Sam is ready to accept the shield without shedding off his wings and Branes is ready to own up to his identity of Winter Soldier without the baggage it brings from the past. Owning up to the identity had been the underlying theme of the entire six-episode series and looking at the finale, it all fits in seamlessly. By the looks of it, the endplate of the series showing ‘Captain America and The Winter Soldier’ clarifies the doubt that going forward, Marvel has a name for both these characters in the Universe, be it the movies of another season. Talking about the future, a lot is teased in the finale. From the setting up of ‘The Dark Avengers’ with Zemo in the super-prison Raft, and John Walker accepting his new identity as US Agent, the stage is set for Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine and her team of twisted ‘Avengers’. As for Sharon Carter aka Power Broker aka Agent Carter, looks like the series has found another grey character. While the build-up to her being the Power Broker from Madripur, didn’t come across as a surprise, her new role in the MCU is surely going to betray the trust of Sam and James. A lot was said and done in the 45 minutes episode. All moral messaging to remind each of their purpose. ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ garnered all the praise for being relevant in the current fight if racial discrimination and judgement in the United States, Sam Wilson’s taking up the shield, established the intention. ‘No super-serum, no blonde hair, no blue eyes’, just a heart to do what’s right. The show asks some really hard-hitting questions, plays on some established Marvel cliches, but more importantly gives a sense of completion while keeping the door to something unimaginable open. Bucky and Sam are a great team and their adventures have just gotten started. With the realm of magic being tested with the upcoming movies and series of Marvel, ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ stay true to the human aspect of the bigger fights - the purpose of it all and claiming the identity through work and not just by chance. After the magical chaos of 'WandaVision' and before the magical mischief of 'Loki', that is exactly what the MCU fans needed as a reminder - the humans are grey and its the present actions that define the future, not the legacy of the past.

'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' finale review: A moral battle of identity, purpose and legacy 

It’s always a big task to let go of the shadow of something huge while doing something similar. Abhishek Bachchan starrer ‘The Big Bull’ deals with not one but two such big shadows. Loosely based on the life of now popular ‘scamster’ of the early 90s, Harshad Mehta, the film has been greatly compared to Hansal Mehta’s critically acclaimed series ‘Scam 1992’ as soon as it was announced. Competing with a show loved and admired by all with a breakthrough performance by Pratik Gandhi, The Big Bull does a terrible job. 
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The second shadow the show is under is Abhishek Bachchan’s Guru. The actor who won the hearts of many playing the cunning, rising, ambitious Gurubhai in Mani Ratnam’s film, struggles hard to play a somewhat similar role of an underdog rising to success. Now you want to root for Abhishek, but the story, pace and lazy homework of the film pull you back.

Kookie Gulati's The Big Bull oscillates between finding a ground between being inspirational and between the grey area of success and greed. In turn, it only achieves confusion. At the core of the drama is Abhishek Bachchan, who steps in the shoes of Hemant Shah, a stockbroker, who gets the taste of the stock market after finding himself in a tight spot and later, takes it upon himself to ‘rebuild a country on the brink of bankruptcy. The makers try hard to present Hemant as the middle-class rebellious soul who wants to revolutionise the country by finding loopholes in the working of the banking sector.

 
Often called the messiah of the common man, Hemant referred to himself as the 'Big Bull' or like he said, "He was, is and will always be the Big Bull." As suggested by the title, the film is his story, told by the journalist who nearly ruins his life.

The film paints Hemant Shah as a dreamer who stopped at nothing to realise his dreams. He only knows how to run or fly, just doesn’t know how to stop (Hello, Bunny from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, are you listening?

As Hemant, Abhishek is buried by the weight of his ‘Guru’ persona, even the mannerism and postures remind you of the film. Nikita Dutta’s presence in the film is as confusing as the script, barely-there without evoking any emotions. As his brother and right-hand, Sohum Shah is passable and Ileana D'Cruz, who plays news reporter Meera Rao, will make you question your own dedication as a journalist. It's difficult, for once, to figure out if she’s a print journalist or a broadcast journalist. (or maybe it’s just the journalism fraternity finding flaws)

As for Ram Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Supriya Pathak and Samir Soni, they are as effortless as they come in their parts. Wish the makers could've used more of them, but then there’s only so much you can do in a lazy script and equally lazy execution.&nbsp;

Had better editing and shorter duration made it a better watch? Maybe. A one-minute montage on Carry Minati’s song would have sufficed the film. This film is a huge bore on every front possible. The only request to the filmmakers now is to use the brilliance of Abhishek Bachchan. It’s high time we put him out of the Guru persona, there’s so much about him to like, it always falls an inch short mostly because of the execution.

So give this one a skip and save your time, and if you really want to watch it, don’t.&nbsp;

It’s always a big task to let go of the shadow of something huge while doing something similar. Abhishek Bachchan starrer ‘The Big Bull’ deals with not one but two such big shadows.

It’s always a big task to let go of the shadow of something huge while doing something similar. Abhishek Bachchan starrer ‘The Big Bull’ deals with not one but two such big shadows. Loosely based on the life of now popular ‘scamster’ of the early 90s, Harshad Mehta, the film has been greatly compared to Hansal Mehta’s critically acclaimed series ‘Scam 1992’ as soon as it was announced. Competing with a show loved and admired by all with a breakthrough performance by Pratik Gandhi, The Big Bull does a terrible job. The second shadow the show is under is Abhishek Bachchan’s Guru. The actor who won the hearts of many playing the cunning, rising, ambitious Gurubhai in Mani Ratnam’s film, struggles hard to play a somewhat similar role of an underdog rising to success. Now you want to root for Abhishek, but the story, pace and lazy homework of the film pull you back. Kookie Gulati's The Big Bull oscillates between finding a ground between being inspirational and between the grey area of success and greed. In turn, it only achieves confusion. At the core of the drama is Abhishek Bachchan, who steps in the shoes of Hemant Shah, a stockbroker, who gets the taste of the stock market after finding himself in a tight spot and later, takes it upon himself to ‘rebuild a country on the brink of bankruptcy. The makers try hard to present Hemant as the middle-class rebellious soul who wants to revolutionise the country by finding loopholes in the working of the banking sector. Often called the messiah of the common man, Hemant referred to himself as the 'Big Bull' or like he said, "He was, is and will always be the Big Bull." As suggested by the title, the film is his story, told by the journalist who nearly ruins his life. The film paints Hemant Shah as a dreamer who stopped at nothing to realise his dreams. He only knows how to run or fly, just doesn’t know how to stop (Hello, Bunny from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, are you listening? As Hemant, Abhishek is buried by the weight of his ‘Guru’ persona, even the mannerism and postures remind you of the film. Nikita Dutta’s presence in the film is as confusing as the script, barely-there without evoking any emotions. As his brother and right-hand, Sohum Shah is passable and Ileana D'Cruz, who plays news reporter Meera Rao, will make you question your own dedication as a journalist. It's difficult, for once, to figure out if she’s a print journalist or a broadcast journalist. (or maybe it’s just the journalism fraternity finding flaws) As for Ram Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Supriya Pathak and Samir Soni, they are as effortless as they come in their parts. Wish the makers could've used more of them, but then there’s only so much you can do in a lazy script and equally lazy execution. Had better editing and shorter duration made it a better watch? Maybe. A one-minute montage on Carry Minati’s song would have sufficed the film. This film is a huge bore on every front possible. The only request to the filmmakers now is to use the brilliance of Abhishek Bachchan. It’s high time we put him out of the Guru persona, there’s so much about him to like, it always falls an inch short mostly because of the execution. So give this one a skip and save your time, and if you really want to watch it, don’t.

'The Big Bull' review: Abhishek Bachchan casts an inconsistent shadow of an underdog that fails to connect

*Post contains mild spoilers* The wait is over! Marvel is back on its toes with 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier', and unlike 'WandaVision', this series gets you the old Marvel Cinematic Universe’s flavour, right from the start.

*Post contains mild spoilers* The wait is over! Marvel is back on its toes with 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier', and unlike 'WandaVision', this series gets you the old Marvel Cinematic Universe’s flavour, right from the start. While fans anticipated a major Captain America’-kind hangover from the series (considering both Falcon and The Winter Soldier have been Steve’s long-standing allies from their start in the MCU- the series goes beyond it. The shadow of Steve Rogers stands tall as both Sam (Falcon) and James Barnes (The Winter Soldier) are trying to readjust to their lives post the blip that took away USA’s beloved superhero. With Captain America gone, Falcon is struggling to keep the shield bestowed upon him from the man himself, and Barnes is trying to amend his life after the atrocities he caused as the pawn of the HYDRA, taking out family time and visiting a therapist respectively. The show that’s going to have six episodes has been created by Malcolm Spellman and brings Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie to reprise their roles from Phase 3 of Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also early on in the episodes, fans are given a treat in the form of War Machine aka Don Cheadle, as an ally to Falcon. The first episode majorly deals with the lead characters going through a hard time and trying to come to terms with the events that altered their and the world’s lives post Infinity War (cue, high profile US Military missions right from the first frame and some major emotional turmoil). The first episode starts the string of events in Marvel’s patent way of embodying thrill and trauma with a lot of baggage, keeping the viewers hooked and asking for more. There’s action, drama, a bit of cheeky humour, and a cliffhanger to keep the fans asking for more. Also, expected, are a lot of old cameos and the introduction of new key characters who are going to take the camaraderie between the two leading men, to another level. Also read: 'WandaVision' season finale review: A goodbye that promises powerful beginnings The episode ends with John. F Walker manning the shield as the new Captain America, much to the dismay of Falcon, who is of the belief that no one can ever fill Steve Rogers’ shoes. The world is now broken and the world needs soldiers, but that doesn’t mean MCU fans have to completely let go of the old Marvel ways. After a renovated and refurbished started to Phase 4 with a quirky and magical Wanda Vision, Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s premiere episode brings Marvel back to its known roots, only to take a jump higher in the upcoming episodes (expect a lot of SHIELD cameos incoming and the introduction of the villain man who caused the rift between our two favourites - Iron-Man and Captain America) Also read: 'Loki' new poster: Tom Hiddleston is the God of Mischief with an upgrade There’s a lot of unpacking to be done, but the box has been opened cleanly and engagingly by the series makers. The only thing to keep in mind here is, this series will play out the values of Captain America, by two of the most impulsive Avengers. If anything, that promises a lot of friction and in-turn fun in the most ‘Marvelous’ fashion. The series is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, with new episodes dropping every Friday.

'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' review: The first episode is all about redemptions, re-adjustments, and replacements

Remember when as kids we used to throw a tantrum to eat that particular chocolate given to us in portions, and sometimes&nbsp;adults snapped and actually gave in to our demand, only for us to realise that portion control&nbsp;was better? Well, something similar happens with Snyder cut, only with every bite, the taste intensifies.&nbsp;

Zack Snyder, along with Warner Bros and DC, obliged to the fans’ immense request to release his version of the 2017 debacle 'Justice League', and now we have it - an excruciatingly long four-hour saga of a story known from start till the end to all DC fanatics. So was the call required? Sitting through the film, as a fan, the answer is an obvious yes.

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Snyder’s version brings back the grey tone of the DC Universe (The director himself was keen on releasing the saga on IMAX in black and white). It’s much deeper, painstakingly executed to build and develop each and every character and is more like an ode (or an apology) to all that was rushed in Joss Whedon’s 2017 version. A lot of thought, time and service has been given by Zack Snyder, and it all shows.

The film begins with Cyborg adjusting to his new form, to Bruce Wayne, trotting through Iceland to find Aquaman, It’s interesting to note that the story is not known, and you somehow know what’s going to occur, yet the excitement to see the events unfold, stays. Guess, that says more about the legacy built by the DC comics than anything else. Not much has changed since the 2017 version-&nbsp; it has&nbsp;only added and made DC appropriate. The humour is less, the intensity of the problem is more, and that interaction between Barry and Clarke never occurs. Snyder takes his sweet time to show the broken world, and that gives you enough time to get your supplies from the kitchen to prepare for an exhilarating climax sequence, something Whedon’s version completely destroyed. The big and only comic relief in the intense saga is The Flash and his interactions with fellow Justice League members.

There’s an epilogue at the end, where new characters are introduced, jumps to futures are made and some old-familiar characters make an appearance- *coughs* Joker *coughs*. Like the narration going in the background, in the end, the epilogue is there to give fans hope. Honestly, knowing where DC is headed right now, it did feel outstretched from a viewer’s perspective, but looks like Snyder actually, and truly wanted to honour the OG fans, without leaving any stone unturned.

Barry Allen, aka, Flash is again the biggest takeaway from the film and knowing that the standalone film is in full motion, it only gets interesting. Ezra Miller is a star, and that kid deserves a fan base of his own, real soon.

'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' is a fine example of what happens when a vision as big as 'Justice League' falls in the right hands. In the climax, Clake thanks Bruce for what he has done, and Bruce replies “I just undid a mistake”, the line Snyder must’ve wanted to say to the fans of the Universe. The saga, divided into six parts, might be a long watch, but it’s still shorter than the wait the fans did to get this onscreen.

You can pick all the faults in terms of movie-making, but it never claimed to be one. It proclaimed itself to be a fan-service, an undoing of a mistake, and it does that beautifully. So if you are a DC fan, strap on and take this splendid ride. For others, watch it in parts to experience Snyder’s dedication and a story that collects and combines the fear of DC’s mightiest form of a poem. It’s slow, but it’s worth savouring.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Remember when as kids we used to throw a tantrum to eat that particular chocolate given to us in portions, and sometimes adults snapped and actually gave in to our demand, only for us to realise that portion control was better?

Remember when as kids we used to throw a tantrum to eat that particular chocolate given to us in portions, and sometimes adults snapped and actually gave in to our demand, only for us to realise that portion control was better? Well, something similar happens with Snyder cut, only with every bite, the taste intensifies. Zack Snyder, along with Warner Bros and DC, obliged to the fans’ immense request to release his version of the 2017 debacle 'Justice League', and now we have it - an excruciatingly long four-hour saga of a story known from start till the end to all DC fanatics. So was the call required? Sitting through the film, as a fan, the answer is an obvious yes. Snyder’s version brings back the grey tone of the DC Universe (The director himself was keen on releasing the saga on IMAX in black and white). It’s much deeper, painstakingly executed to build and develop each and every character and is more like an ode (or an apology) to all that was rushed in Joss Whedon’s 2017 version. A lot of thought, time and service has been given by Zack Snyder, and it all shows. The film begins with Cyborg adjusting to his new form, to Bruce Wayne, trotting through Iceland to find Aquaman, It’s interesting to note that the story is not known, and you somehow know what’s going to occur, yet the excitement to see the events unfold, stays. Guess, that says more about the legacy built by the DC comics than anything else. Not much has changed since the 2017 version- it has only added and made DC appropriate. The humour is less, the intensity of the problem is more, and that interaction between Barry and Clarke never occurs. Snyder takes his sweet time to show the broken world, and that gives you enough time to get your supplies from the kitchen to prepare for an exhilarating climax sequence, something Whedon’s version completely destroyed. The big and only comic relief in the intense saga is The Flash and his interactions with fellow Justice League members. There’s an epilogue at the end, where new characters are introduced, jumps to futures are made and some old-familiar characters make an appearance- *coughs* Joker *coughs*. Like the narration going in the background, in the end, the epilogue is there to give fans hope. Honestly, knowing where DC is headed right now, it did feel outstretched from a viewer’s perspective, but looks like Snyder actually, and truly wanted to honour the OG fans, without leaving any stone unturned. Barry Allen, aka, Flash is again the biggest takeaway from the film and knowing that the standalone film is in full motion, it only gets interesting. Ezra Miller is a star, and that kid deserves a fan base of his own, real soon. 'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' is a fine example of what happens when a vision as big as 'Justice League' falls in the right hands. In the climax, Clake thanks Bruce for what he has done, and Bruce replies “I just undid a mistake”, the line Snyder must’ve wanted to say to the fans of the Universe. The saga, divided into six parts, might be a long watch, but it’s still shorter than the wait the fans did to get this onscreen. You can pick all the faults in terms of movie-making, but it never claimed to be one. It proclaimed itself to be a fan-service, an undoing of a mistake, and it does that beautifully. So if you are a DC fan, strap on and take this splendid ride. For others, watch it in parts to experience Snyder’s dedication and a story that collects and combines the fear of DC’s mightiest form of a poem. It’s slow, but it’s worth savouring.

'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' review: Exhausting yet engaging fan service disguised as a saga

**Post contains spoilers** 
 
After an extended mid-season break, Grey's Anatomy is finally back. The situation is still very grim at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, with Meredith's health decorating, COVID still wreaking havoc and Amelia and Link missing from the hospital to keep the children safe. If you were hoping for the show to return with any positive news, you're in for some major disappointment. After 16 seasons of the longest-running medical drama, one thing which its viewers have learned is that the makers always have a surprise up their sleeves.&nbsp;

The exit of a cast member is not something new for the show. Staring with Derek, Lexie, Mark, George, Izzie, the list goes on. But, it had been a while since we said goodbye to any of the characters. Well, Grey's Anatomy is back to its basics, with the departure of the beloved Andrew DeLuca. A character who had really started to develop in the last few seasons. After going through a rough patch with mental health issues, Deluca was getting back on his feet. Watching him exit the show at this point will definitely dishearten a lot of viewers.

"I don't regret it," says DeLuca while talking to Meredith at the beach (a magical afterlife place). After being stabbed while trying to bust a trafficking racket, DeLuca lands up in the hospital in a very critical state. Even though Owen and Teddy perform an operation, keeping aside all their differences, they fail to keep him alive. This could be termed as one of the most sudden deaths in the show.

While DeLuca wasn't able to bid farewell to his sister Carina or any other doctor in the hospital, he manages to get closure with Meredith, who herself is battling life after being diagnosed COVID positive. While having a conversation with each other at the beach, DeLuca tries to build a sandcastle before a rising tide comes and washes it away. This is used as a metaphor in the show, to explain that it was just a matter of seconds before Deluca's heart stops beating.

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While the writers were successful in making his exit from the show heart-breaking and emotional, a lot of the times they went on to the parallel plotlines of other characters, which quite frankly seemed unnecessary. Owen and Teddy having arguments or Maggie taking time off with her new boyfriend could have waited for some other episodes, and the focus should have just been on Andrew DeLuca. A character's death who no one had predicted and hurt just as much as Derick's death in Season 11.

With DeLuca's death, a lot is left to be seen in the coming episodes. How will Carina deal with the grief of losing her brother? Owen and Teddy's combined efforts failed to keep Deluca alive, will they be able to get over their failure? While Grey's Anatomy lost one of its most favourite characters, Bailey had been sleeping in her mother's room in the hospital. Having lost her mother just a couple of hours ago, how will she take the news of another doctor passing away? If Meredith ever regains consciousness, how will she react to not being able to save DeLuca's life?

Just in one episode, the makers reminded us that nothing stays constant in Grey's Anatomy. Andrew DeLuca and his never-giving-up attitude will be missed. Whether it was saving Richard's life by his extraordinary diagnosis or saving a girl from human trafficking, he never gave up.

**Post contains spoilers** After an extended mid-season break, Grey's Anatomy is finally back. The situation is still very grim at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, with Meredith's health decorating, COVID still wreaking havoc and Amelia and Link missing from the hospital to keep the children safe.

**Post contains spoilers** After an extended mid-season break, Grey's Anatomy is finally back. The situation is still very grim at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, with Meredith's health decorating, COVID still wreaking havoc and Amelia and Link missing from the hospital to keep the children safe. If you were hoping for the show to return with any positive news, you're in for some major disappointment. After 16 seasons of the longest-running medical drama, one thing which its viewers have learned is that the makers always have a surprise up their sleeves. The exit of a cast member is not something new for the show. Staring with Derek, Lexie, Mark, George, Izzie, the list goes on. But, it had been a while since we said goodbye to any of the characters. Well, Grey's Anatomy is back to its basics, with the departure of the beloved Andrew DeLuca. A character who had really started to develop in the last few seasons. After going through a rough patch with mental health issues, Deluca was getting back on his feet. Watching him exit the show at this point will definitely dishearten a lot of viewers. "I don't regret it," says DeLuca while talking to Meredith at the beach (a magical afterlife place). After being stabbed while trying to bust a trafficking racket, DeLuca lands up in the hospital in a very critical state. Even though Owen and Teddy perform an operation, keeping aside all their differences, they fail to keep him alive. This could be termed as one of the most sudden deaths in the show. While DeLuca wasn't able to bid farewell to his sister Carina or any other doctor in the hospital, he manages to get closure with Meredith, who herself is battling life after being diagnosed COVID positive. While having a conversation with each other at the beach, DeLuca tries to build a sandcastle before a rising tide comes and washes it away. This is used as a metaphor in the show, to explain that it was just a matter of seconds before Deluca's heart stops beating. While the writers were successful in making his exit from the show heart-breaking and emotional, a lot of the times they went on to the parallel plotlines of other characters, which quite frankly seemed unnecessary. Owen and Teddy having arguments or Maggie taking time off with her new boyfriend could have waited for some other episodes, and the focus should have just been on Andrew DeLuca. A character's death who no one had predicted and hurt just as much as Derick's death in Season 11. With DeLuca's death, a lot is left to be seen in the coming episodes. How will Carina deal with the grief of losing her brother? Owen and Teddy's combined efforts failed to keep Deluca alive, will they be able to get over their failure? While Grey's Anatomy lost one of its most favourite characters, Bailey had been sleeping in her mother's room in the hospital. Having lost her mother just a couple of hours ago, how will she take the news of another doctor passing away? If Meredith ever regains consciousness, how will she react to not being able to save DeLuca's life? Just in one episode, the makers reminded us that nothing stays constant in Grey's Anatomy. Andrew DeLuca and his never-giving-up attitude will be missed. Whether it was saving Richard's life by his extraordinary diagnosis or saving a girl from human trafficking, he never gave up.

Grey's Anatomy S17 Ep 7 review: A chapter of another beloved character closes

The wait is almost over.&nbsp;'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' is all set to release worldwide, this week.

Commonly referred to as the 'Snyder Cut,'&nbsp;this version completely overhauls the 2017 original into a four-hour-long opus, just as the director had envisioned it. The first 'Justice League,'&nbsp;for which Snyder is still the credited director, was completed by Joss Whedon after Snyder left the production due to a family tragedy.

The film was critically panned and did not do well at the box-office either,&nbsp;as per the expectations. To avenge what was lost, fans of the DC Universe, started demanding a re-release of Snyder's version of the film until Warner Bros. and HBO Max relented. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/zack-snyders-justice-league-final-trailer-sees-superman-and-darkseid-take-the-center-stage-370618" hreflang="en">'Zack Snyder's Justice League' final trailer sees Superman and Darkseid take the center-stage</a>

Many of the set pieces and the general plot will be familiar to those who saw the original theatrical version. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” once again sees Batman (Ben Affleck) trying to round up a team of superheroes along with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill). 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-zack-snyder-reveals-his-version-of-justice-league-is-not-a-series-357404">Zack Snyder reveals his version of 'Justice League' is not a series.</a>

Among the new recruits are the Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and the heroes must band together to stop Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) from bringing about the beginning of the end of the world. Snyder’s new cut maintains the darker tone set by his superhero movies, 'Man of Steel' (2013) and 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice&nbsp;(2016), and is packed with CGI-heavy, slow-motion-laden action sequences. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-justice-league-new-photos-released-by-zack-snyder-will-leave-you-intrigued-354310">'Justice League' new photos released by Zack Snyder will leave you intrigued</a>

Many international outlets have already reviewed the opus and the critics stand divided.&nbsp; 
 
Times film critic Justin Chang finds “fleeting pleasures and unlikely sources of fascination” in Snyder’s “maximalist” cut, but adds that the added material “often feels less than vital.”

“Having sat through this new ‘Justice League’ in its 242-minute entirety, I can note that the two films represent utterly antithetical approaches to a project that might have benefited from a third, middle-ground option,” writes Chang. “Forced to choose between the two, the Snyder cut is probably the one I respect more, which doesn’t mean it’s the one I prefer: The two-hour 'Justice League' was, for all its baggage, a watchable exercise in damage control, with welcome moments of levity that cut through the murky torpor of Snyder’s storytelling.”

New York Times'&nbsp;Maya Phillips notes that “the [film’s] supersized run time allows the narrative room to stretch, for better or for worse.”

“For better: There’s an ambitious mythology at work, revealing the epic that Snyder had envisioned, a bildungsroman of not one hero but a team of heroes who achieve even greater feats together,” writes Phillips. “For worse: Snyder also plods through seemingly endless, pointless exposition, adding enough back story for each Justice League hero to strong-arm us into investing in these characters so we care when they finally put on the team jerseys and step out onto the court.”

Entertainment Weekly’s Darren Franich also agrees with the same sentiment&nbsp;but accepts that this is just Snyder being “utmost” Snyder.

“Everything takes forever to go nowhere,” writes Franich. “This cut is no worse than the theatrical edition, but it sure is longer.”

For John DeFore of the Hollywood Reporter, this 'Justice League'&nbsp;“remains unimproved” compared to the original.

“This expanded version may be exactly the product desired by the legion of Snyder fans who cried to the heavens for its release,” writes DeFore. “But nonmembers of that cult will find it just as unenjoyable as the original.”

Mashable’s Angie Han concludes that “Snyder's belated tinkering results in a movie that represents, on just about every level, a vast improvement over the previous edit” and that its “four hours feel far better spent than the two it took for the theatrical cut.”

“Those open to Snyder's take on the DC universe … will find much more to like here than they did four years ago,” writes Han. With the new release, she adds, "it finally becomes possible to see ‘Justice League’ for the grand epic it was meant to be.”

Variety’s Owen Gleiberman ranks “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” alongside titles such as “The Dark Knight,” “Spider-Man 2” and “Black Panther”: “superhero movies that have achieved a genuine sweeping transcendence.”

“The new movie — and make no mistake, it really is a new movie — is more than a vindication of Snyder’s original vision,” writes Gleiberman. “It’s a grand, nimble, and immersive entertainment, a team-of-heroes origin story that, at heart, is classically conventional, yet it’s now told with such an intoxicating childlike sincerity and ominous fairy-tale wonder that it takes you back to what comic books, at their best, have always sought to do: make you feel like you’re seeing gods at play on Earth.”

Zack Snyder's Justice League is releasing on March 18 on HBO Max. Indian fans will be able to watch the film on the BookMyShow stream along with Google Play and Apple TV, at a certain price.&nbsp;

The wait is almost over. 'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' is all set to release worldwide, this week. Commonly referred to as the 'Snyder Cut,' this version completely overhauls the 2017 original into a four-hour-long opus, just as the director had envisioned it.

The wait is almost over. 'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' is all set to release worldwide, this week. Commonly referred to as the 'Snyder Cut,' this version completely overhauls the 2017 original into a four-hour-long opus, just as the director had envisioned it. The first 'Justice League,' for which Snyder is still the credited director, was completed by Joss Whedon after Snyder left the production due to a family tragedy. The film was critically panned and did not do well at the box-office either, as per the expectations. To avenge what was lost, fans of the DC Universe, started demanding a re-release of Snyder's version of the film until Warner Bros. and HBO Max relented. 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' final trailer sees Superman and Darkseid take the center-stage Many of the set pieces and the general plot will be familiar to those who saw the original theatrical version. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” once again sees Batman (Ben Affleck) trying to round up a team of superheroes along with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill). Zack Snyder reveals his version of 'Justice League' is not a series. Among the new recruits are the Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and the heroes must band together to stop Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) from bringing about the beginning of the end of the world. Snyder’s new cut maintains the darker tone set by his superhero movies, 'Man of Steel' (2013) and 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and is packed with CGI-heavy, slow-motion-laden action sequences. 'Justice League' new photos released by Zack Snyder will leave you intrigued Many international outlets have already reviewed the opus and the critics stand divided. Times film critic Justin Chang finds “fleeting pleasures and unlikely sources of fascination” in Snyder’s “maximalist” cut, but adds that the added material “often feels less than vital.” “Having sat through this new ‘Justice League’ in its 242-minute entirety, I can note that the two films represent utterly antithetical approaches to a project that might have benefited from a third, middle-ground option,” writes Chang. “Forced to choose between the two, the Snyder cut is probably the one I respect more, which doesn’t mean it’s the one I prefer: The two-hour 'Justice League' was, for all its baggage, a watchable exercise in damage control, with welcome moments of levity that cut through the murky torpor of Snyder’s storytelling.” New York Times' Maya Phillips notes that “the [film’s] supersized run time allows the narrative room to stretch, for better or for worse.” “For better: There’s an ambitious mythology at work, revealing the epic that Snyder had envisioned, a bildungsroman of not one hero but a team of heroes who achieve even greater feats together,” writes Phillips. “For worse: Snyder also plods through seemingly endless, pointless exposition, adding enough back story for each Justice League hero to strong-arm us into investing in these characters so we care when they finally put on the team jerseys and step out onto the court.” Entertainment Weekly’s Darren Franich also agrees with the same sentiment but accepts that this is just Snyder being “utmost” Snyder. “Everything takes forever to go nowhere,” writes Franich. “This cut is no worse than the theatrical edition, but it sure is longer.” For John DeFore of the Hollywood Reporter, this 'Justice League' “remains unimproved” compared to the original. “This expanded version may be exactly the product desired by the legion of Snyder fans who cried to the heavens for its release,” writes DeFore. “But nonmembers of that cult will find it just as unenjoyable as the original.” Mashable’s Angie Han concludes that “Snyder's belated tinkering results in a movie that represents, on just about every level, a vast improvement over the previous edit” and that its “four hours feel far better spent than the two it took for the theatrical cut.” “Those open to Snyder's take on the DC universe … will find much more to like here than they did four years ago,” writes Han. With the new release, she adds, "it finally becomes possible to see ‘Justice League’ for the grand epic it was meant to be.” Variety’s Owen Gleiberman ranks “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” alongside titles such as “The Dark Knight,” “Spider-Man 2” and “Black Panther”: “superhero movies that have achieved a genuine sweeping transcendence.” “The new movie — and make no mistake, it really is a new movie — is more than a vindication of Snyder’s original vision,” writes Gleiberman. “It’s a grand, nimble, and immersive entertainment, a team-of-heroes origin story that, at heart, is classically conventional, yet it’s now told with such an intoxicating childlike sincerity and ominous fairy-tale wonder that it takes you back to what comic books, at their best, have always sought to do: make you feel like you’re seeing gods at play on Earth.” Zack Snyder's Justice League is releasing on March 18 on HBO Max. Indian fans will be able to watch the film on the BookMyShow stream along with Google Play and Apple TV, at a certain price.

Here's what international critics are saying about Zack Snyder's Justice League

The Audi A4 is Audi’s best-selling sedan, and its fifth-generation model is now available in the Indian market. The company has done several revisions to the new version and we are going to tell you about all of them in this video.

WION Pitstop: Behind The Wheels, New Audi A4

I Care a Lot is an American dark comedy-thriller film starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest. It is written and directed by J Blakeson. British actress Rosamund Pike, who received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of anti-hero Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl', takes another villainous turn in the satirical thriller.

The&nbsp;star plays Marla Grayson, a conning court-appointed guardian who brazenly takes advantage of the legal system to seize and steal her elderly clients' assets. She carries out her operation in broad daylight, working within legal parameters as much as possible, which is something that Blakeson highlights regularly — Marla is able to get away with her scam not by slipping under the radar, but by walking confidently through loopholes in the law.

In her monologue at the very beginning of the movie, she says “There are two kinds of people in this world: predators and prey.” Grayson is ambitious, shameless and poised with shark-like self-assurance and describes herself as a ''lioness''.

Grayson's character is symbolic of the evil in the world as she bribes a doctor to declare her patients mentally unfit and then persuades an overburdened, gullible judge burdened with numerous cases to appoint her as their guardian. Caring and professional in court, Marla shows her true colours out of it, as she tracks down and tricks potential clients and their families with her business and life partner Fran (Eiza Gonzalez). 
 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D40uHmTSPew" width="560"></iframe>

As soon as she gets the legal document, she blindsides her victims, sends them old age homes, auctions off their assets, and makes a hefty profit. When questioned she acts innocent and coincidently, fortune favours the brave. She is the personification of the bottomless appetite of American capitalism, and she is so unflinching in her avarice that she can win over other sharks who recognise a fellow predator.

As her scheme begins to unravel, Marla forges on headfirst, oozing confidence and refusing to bow out or to be intimidated into letting go of Mrs Peterson's assets. Her relationship with Fran provides the only hint of her softer side. While Marla is fearless, Fran is resourceful but, they complement each other well. They both are in search of a ''cherry'' on the cake with no strings attached to act as their big professional breakthrough.

The duo meets their match in wealthy pensioner Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), whose tranquil suburban life turns out to be a disguise for a criminal network lead by an evil gangster (Peter Dinklage). His sentimental outbursts and antiques as a member of the mob provide comic relief in the otherwise serious film. The battle of the sexes and the rambunctious cat and mouse chase between Grayson and Ramon contribute to the development of the plot.

Both Marla and Roman have climbed high in their chosen spheres, and cannot help but admire the other’s tenacity. Corporate firms feeding on the vulnerable for their benefits strikes a chord with the current society we live in. The realism in the movie makes it grave and nauseating. But it is the harsh reality of life.

The predatory system of conservatorship highlighted in the film made me think about Britney Spears's conservatorship controversy which shares much in common with the central conceit of 'I Care a Lot'. 
 
There are a few voices in Hollywood that are so distinct and deeply etched in our memories that it is impossible to look at them play out a new role and not be reminded of the one that had made them iconic. Rosamund Pike’s Gone Girl-husky voice is one such example. It acts as an asset to this film adds a layer of wonderful threat to that salacious smile that can make any line feel magnetical, appealing, and dangerous. That voice and smile were the essences of Gone Girl and this movie is somewhat indebted to that persona.

'I Care a Lot'&nbsp;proposes, rather boldly, that the act of taking back control in a male-dominated society shouldn’t be reserved for honourable women. Because after all, there’s a gender imbalance in the world of villainy, too.

Pike's performance as an ice-cold villain is mesmerising and reminds of her perfection in 'Gone Girl'. However, this does act as drawback as well as sometimes the audience has a hard time believing them. Dinklage is effortlessly hilarious as rogue Roman and his addiction to cupcakes and donuts is one motif that renders the much-needed comic relief to his otherwise grey character.

Eiza González’s a henchwoman in ‘I Care A Lot’ and although her role rises to prominence towards the climax, she, more or less, remains overshadowed by a splendid Pike for the better part. Chris Messina’s minor character as a corporate lawyer Dean could have developed into a full-blown parallel character.

His ego tussle with the feminist Marla ends without any twists and turns and is very predictable from start to finish. They both have one thing in common, that is, they hate to lose. And as a person with such a demeanour, Dean gives up way too easily.

Dianne Wiest, who is a brilliant and incredibly talented actor could have been utlised in a much better manner. However, her character is overshadowed by Pike and Dinklage's characters. Even though the film is compelling, the editing could have been much crisper as the movie goes off the rails near its climax. Scenes feel stretched and becomes evident that the focus of the writer was on the characters rather than the plot. He struggles to get to its conclusion in one piece. The ending feels a bit rushed and abrupt.

I Care a Lot is an American dark comedy-thriller film starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest. It is written and directed by J Blakeson.

I Care a Lot is an American dark comedy-thriller film starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest. It is written and directed by J Blakeson. British actress Rosamund Pike, who received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of anti-hero Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl', takes another villainous turn in the satirical thriller. The star plays Marla Grayson, a conning court-appointed guardian who brazenly takes advantage of the legal system to seize and steal her elderly clients' assets. She carries out her operation in broad daylight, working within legal parameters as much as possible, which is something that Blakeson highlights regularly — Marla is able to get away with her scam not by slipping under the radar, but by walking confidently through loopholes in the law. In her monologue at the very beginning of the movie, she says “There are two kinds of people in this world: predators and prey.” Grayson is ambitious, shameless and poised with shark-like self-assurance and describes herself as a ''lioness''. Grayson's character is symbolic of the evil in the world as she bribes a doctor to declare her patients mentally unfit and then persuades an overburdened, gullible judge burdened with numerous cases to appoint her as their guardian. Caring and professional in court, Marla shows her true colours out of it, as she tracks down and tricks potential clients and their families with her business and life partner Fran (Eiza Gonzalez). As soon as she gets the legal document, she blindsides her victims, sends them old age homes, auctions off their assets, and makes a hefty profit. When questioned she acts innocent and coincidently, fortune favours the brave. She is the personification of the bottomless appetite of American capitalism, and she is so unflinching in her avarice that she can win over other sharks who recognise a fellow predator. As her scheme begins to unravel, Marla forges on headfirst, oozing confidence and refusing to bow out or to be intimidated into letting go of Mrs Peterson's assets. Her relationship with Fran provides the only hint of her softer side. While Marla is fearless, Fran is resourceful but, they complement each other well. They both are in search of a ''cherry'' on the cake with no strings attached to act as their big professional breakthrough. The duo meets their match in wealthy pensioner Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), whose tranquil suburban life turns out to be a disguise for a criminal network lead by an evil gangster (Peter Dinklage). His sentimental outbursts and antiques as a member of the mob provide comic relief in the otherwise serious film. The battle of the sexes and the rambunctious cat and mouse chase between Grayson and Ramon contribute to the development of the plot. Both Marla and Roman have climbed high in their chosen spheres, and cannot help but admire the other’s tenacity. Corporate firms feeding on the vulnerable for their benefits strikes a chord with the current society we live in. The realism in the movie makes it grave and nauseating. But it is the harsh reality of life. The predatory system of conservatorship highlighted in the film made me think about Britney Spears's conservatorship controversy which shares much in common with the central conceit of 'I Care a Lot'. There are a few voices in Hollywood that are so distinct and deeply etched in our memories that it is impossible to look at them play out a new role and not be reminded of the one that had made them iconic. Rosamund Pike’s Gone Girl-husky voice is one such example. It acts as an asset to this film adds a layer of wonderful threat to that salacious smile that can make any line feel magnetical, appealing, and dangerous. That voice and smile were the essences of Gone Girl and this movie is somewhat indebted to that persona. 'I Care a Lot' proposes, rather boldly, that the act of taking back control in a male-dominated society shouldn’t be reserved for honourable women. Because after all, there’s a gender imbalance in the world of villainy, too. Pike's performance as an ice-cold villain is mesmerising and reminds of her perfection in 'Gone Girl'. However, this does act as drawback as well as sometimes the audience has a hard time believing them. Dinklage is effortlessly hilarious as rogue Roman and his addiction to cupcakes and donuts is one motif that renders the much-needed comic relief to his otherwise grey character. Eiza González’s a henchwoman in ‘I Care A Lot’ and although her role rises to prominence towards the climax, she, more or less, remains overshadowed by a splendid Pike for the better part. Chris Messina’s minor character as a corporate lawyer Dean could have developed into a full-blown parallel character. His ego tussle with the feminist Marla ends without any twists and turns and is very predictable from start to finish. They both have one thing in common, that is, they hate to lose. And as a person with such a demeanour, Dean gives up way too easily. Dianne Wiest, who is a brilliant and incredibly talented actor could have been utlised in a much better manner. However, her character is overshadowed by Pike and Dinklage's characters. Even though the film is compelling, the editing could have been much crisper as the movie goes off the rails near its climax. Scenes feel stretched and becomes evident that the focus of the writer was on the characters rather than the plot. He struggles to get to its conclusion in one piece. The ending feels a bit rushed and abrupt.

'I Care a Lot' review: An exhilarating pitch-black comedy with a stellar performance by Rosamund Pike

Lifelong friendships, group study sessions, and plenty of sleepovers: Hostel becomes a home away from home and its people become your chosen family. TVF's 'Girls Hostel Season 2' manages to go back to our past and give us a large slice of nostalgia, with an added topping of drama and suspense.

While the first season was successful in establishing the base of the story and its characters, it's actually season 2 where we see the characters develop and the narrative takes a serious turn. The rivalry between the dentistry stream and the medical stream of SVM college continues, and so does the rivalry between Jo (Srishti Srivastava) and Zahira (Parul Gulati). In the list of changes-Ramya (Shreya Mehta) makes an entry and becomes the self-proclaimed college President by bribing the Principal. Her journey from President to a contender was just a matter of days, as Zahira decides to stand against her in the first-ever college elections. From the campaigning to the declaration of results, a lot unfolds inside the walls of the girl's hostel.

Through the course of two&nbsp;and a half hours, split into 5 episodes, the show addresses a number of issues that the girls in the hostel go through. From being cramped up in a small hostel to having water problems and security issues, the show will remind you of your hostel days in one way or another. TVF has again managed to ace the 'relatability factor. Unlike many other shows/movies, they strayed away from fancy sets and have just shown regular college students on a regular college campus. 
 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dW1pBCOsylI" width="560"></iframe>

Due to the short duration of the show, it can be binged at one go. However, there were certain narratives which we would have liked to explore a bit more. For instance, there was a moment when the Principal told Jo and Richa (Ahsaas Channa) to dress properly and return to the hostel early every day in order to "stop giving opportunities to the guys". Such a shallow remark goes by unaddressed with the right closure by the girls and is just forgotten. Or what happened to the girl's hostel viewpoint (a small tea shop outside the hostel which was a breeding ground for creeps) after Jo destroyed it. Did they set it up again the next day? Did that put an end to the problem of guys circling around the girl's hostel? These were rushed through to complete the series in 5 episodes.

Where the show works is its characters and their relationships. After having a falling out in the previous season, Jo and Zahira don't see eye to eye on anything happening in the hostel. Their conversations are dominated by arguments and sarcastic comments. Still, in times of trouble, they have each other's back and fight the election together. Richa and Aarav (Gagan Arora) have their sweet little romance, which is stuck in the friendship zone, waiting to be taken up to the next level.

Even though they are all helping Zahira to win the student body elections, each character has its own parallel storyline going on in the background. One character that really developed this season is Mili (Simran Natekar). Once shy and quiet,&nbsp;Mili&nbsp;is now much more vocal and is actually finding herself during this season.

Girls Hostel Season 2 takes the series ahead and talks about pressing matters which need to be discussed. While taking us on a nostalgia trip, the show also explains how issues like security and fair elections are so relevant even at present times. Perhaps more episodes would have helped the show seem more complete. Nonetheless, the storyline, characters make it a perfect weekend watch.

Lifelong friendships, group study sessions, and plenty of sleepovers: Hostel becomes a home away from home and its people become your chosen family. TVF's 'Girls Hostel Season 2' manages to go back to our past and give us a large slice of nostalgia, with an added topping of drama and suspense.

Lifelong friendships, group study sessions, and plenty of sleepovers: Hostel becomes a home away from home and its people become your chosen family. TVF's 'Girls Hostel Season 2' manages to go back to our past and give us a large slice of nostalgia, with an added topping of drama and suspense. While the first season was successful in establishing the base of the story and its characters, it's actually season 2 where we see the characters develop and the narrative takes a serious turn. The rivalry between the dentistry stream and the medical stream of SVM college continues, and so does the rivalry between Jo (Srishti Srivastava) and Zahira (Parul Gulati). In the list of changes-Ramya (Shreya Mehta) makes an entry and becomes the self-proclaimed college President by bribing the Principal. Her journey from President to a contender was just a matter of days, as Zahira decides to stand against her in the first-ever college elections. From the campaigning to the declaration of results, a lot unfolds inside the walls of the girl's hostel. Through the course of two and a half hours, split into 5 episodes, the show addresses a number of issues that the girls in the hostel go through. From being cramped up in a small hostel to having water problems and security issues, the show will remind you of your hostel days in one way or another. TVF has again managed to ace the 'relatability factor. Unlike many other shows/movies, they strayed away from fancy sets and have just shown regular college students on a regular college campus. Due to the short duration of the show, it can be binged at one go. However, there were certain narratives which we would have liked to explore a bit more. For instance, there was a moment when the Principal told Jo and Richa (Ahsaas Channa) to dress properly and return to the hostel early every day in order to "stop giving opportunities to the guys". Such a shallow remark goes by unaddressed with the right closure by the girls and is just forgotten. Or what happened to the girl's hostel viewpoint (a small tea shop outside the hostel which was a breeding ground for creeps) after Jo destroyed it. Did they set it up again the next day? Did that put an end to the problem of guys circling around the girl's hostel? These were rushed through to complete the series in 5 episodes. Where the show works is its characters and their relationships. After having a falling out in the previous season, Jo and Zahira don't see eye to eye on anything happening in the hostel. Their conversations are dominated by arguments and sarcastic comments. Still, in times of trouble, they have each other's back and fight the election together. Richa and Aarav (Gagan Arora) have their sweet little romance, which is stuck in the friendship zone, waiting to be taken up to the next level. Even though they are all helping Zahira to win the student body elections, each character has its own parallel storyline going on in the background. One character that really developed this season is Mili (Simran Natekar). Once shy and quiet, Mili is now much more vocal and is actually finding herself during this season. Girls Hostel Season 2 takes the series ahead and talks about pressing matters which need to be discussed. While taking us on a nostalgia trip, the show also explains how issues like security and fair elections are so relevant even at present times. Perhaps more episodes would have helped the show seem more complete. Nonetheless, the storyline, characters make it a perfect weekend watch.

Girls Hostel Season 2 review: A nostalgic trip with relevance to the present times

Somewhere near the climax, the lead character and narrator of the film Balram quotes poet Iqbal’s words “the moment that you realise what’s beautiful in the world, you stop being a slave”, ‘The White Tiger’ shows you a mirror in the opposite direction. Directed by Ram Bahrani, ‘The White Tiger’, an adaptation of Booker-prize winning novel by Aravind Adiga, is everything we know about the society we live in, yet choose to ignore by saying this is how the country functions. 
 
Balram (Adarsh Gourav) is a rarity in a village living in servitude, out of necessity and fear, and breaks out the clutter only to create one of his own. The story of the film is all about him breaking out of a rooster coup served to him on a platter by society. Through the symbolism of class, caste, and other divides, that persist in the society, ‘The White Tiger’ actually is a story of a rare man born into the most ordinary circumstances known to him, where he makes the end extraordinary, adapting and accepting the shade of darkness that liberation brings. 
 
Now, one can say the film is a social commentary about a lot of things that persist in the ‘poor democracy’ that’s India. Maybe, more so now, but calling it that would take away the light from the film and put it on the genius of the story that has already been widely appreciated. The cunning story of a rare man could not have been brought alive better by anyone other than Adarsh. The way he imbibes Balram, his servitude, his ambitions, and his constant struggle to seek out an exit, makes you root for him. You know his intentions are not moral, but then neither has been his entire life. Balram is not a man out of choices, he’s not a distressed poor man who did what he did out of no options, or do and die situation, he did it because he believed in himself, something, not all has the privilege of doing. An endearing performance, Adarsh as Balram fits in the regular crowd yet his eyes speak a different language of confidence.&nbsp;In a cast filled with power performers like &nbsp;Mahesh Manjrekar, Rajkummar Rao, and Priyanka Chopra, Adarsh is true ‘The White Tiger’. 
 
 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/35jJNyFuYKQ" width="560"></iframe> 
Speaking of the supporting cast Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra fit decently in their parts. Rajkummar as a privileged, educated yet spineless Ashok is what many would relate to. Many are Ashok, while many see an Ashok in a&nbsp; day to day life, something the story hits close to home. He’s a champagne socialist, trying to make it in a corrupt democracy, with a big vision but not enough belief to go ahead with it. Priyanka as Pinky falls somewhat in the same category, the middle ground holder, the enablers, who want to eradicate the big difference between the master and the servant but don’t know-how. 
 
So is ‘The White Tiger' a more real ‘Slumdog Millionaire'? Well. No. Calling it that would be a disrespect of Adiga’s story and Bahrani's impeccable execution. ‘The White Tiger’ is when a servant goes rogue and that’s about it. He’s not changing the system. He’s neither a messiah of the poor nor is he giving a cheat code to break out of the coup. He’s just a shrewd rooster who got out and that’s his story. 
 
Another brilliant aspect in the film is Paolo Carnera’s cinematography of the village of Balram, to the Delhi that you and I recognise. It makes you look up at the sky-rise building with Balram but immediately brings you down to the pavement encroached with homeless people selling ‘faith’ on roads. There’s nothing beautiful in the film and that gives it its flavour of grittiness and suffocation, the way the main character Balram feels. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-white-tiger-to-wandavision-january-guide-for-everything-new-to-watch-353566">'The White Tiger' to 'WandaVision': January guide for everything new to watch</a> 
 
 
Ram Bahrani has hit the bull’s eye with ‘The White Tiger’ and while the association of Priyanka Chopra serving as one of the producers might give a feel of it hanging a foot in the Western gaze, in reality, that’s how Balram would’ve wanted it to be. And a film that follows the footstep of its lead character, is the film done brilliantly. 
 
An invested watch, the film thrives on its acting, execution, and a motive of staying true to its narrator’s vision and vision alone. Not a commentary on India’s divide, ‘The White Tiger’ is the story of a place we recognise and many don’t survive.&nbsp;

Somewhere near the climax, the lead character and narrator of the film Balram quotes poet Iqbal’s words “the moment that you realise what’s beautiful in the world, you stop being a slave”, ‘The White Tiger’ shows you a mirror in the opposite direction.

Somewhere near the climax, the lead character and narrator of the film Balram quotes poet Iqbal’s words “the moment that you realise what’s beautiful in the world, you stop being a slave”, ‘The White Tiger’ shows you a mirror in the opposite direction. Directed by Ram Bahrani, ‘The White Tiger’, an adaptation of Booker-prize winning novel by Aravind Adiga, is everything we know about the society we live in, yet choose to ignore by saying this is how the country functions. Balram (Adarsh Gourav) is a rarity in a village living in servitude, out of necessity and fear, and breaks out the clutter only to create one of his own. The story of the film is all about him breaking out of a rooster coup served to him on a platter by society. Through the symbolism of class, caste, and other divides, that persist in the society, ‘The White Tiger’ actually is a story of a rare man born into the most ordinary circumstances known to him, where he makes the end extraordinary, adapting and accepting the shade of darkness that liberation brings. Now, one can say the film is a social commentary about a lot of things that persist in the ‘poor democracy’ that’s India. Maybe, more so now, but calling it that would take away the light from the film and put it on the genius of the story that has already been widely appreciated. The cunning story of a rare man could not have been brought alive better by anyone other than Adarsh. The way he imbibes Balram, his servitude, his ambitions, and his constant struggle to seek out an exit, makes you root for him. You know his intentions are not moral, but then neither has been his entire life. Balram is not a man out of choices, he’s not a distressed poor man who did what he did out of no options, or do and die situation, he did it because he believed in himself, something, not all has the privilege of doing. An endearing performance, Adarsh as Balram fits in the regular crowd yet his eyes speak a different language of confidence. In a cast filled with power performers like Mahesh Manjrekar, Rajkummar Rao, and Priyanka Chopra, Adarsh is true ‘The White Tiger’. Speaking of the supporting cast Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra fit decently in their parts. Rajkummar as a privileged, educated yet spineless Ashok is what many would relate to. Many are Ashok, while many see an Ashok in a day to day life, something the story hits close to home. He’s a champagne socialist, trying to make it in a corrupt democracy, with a big vision but not enough belief to go ahead with it. Priyanka as Pinky falls somewhat in the same category, the middle ground holder, the enablers, who want to eradicate the big difference between the master and the servant but don’t know-how. So is ‘The White Tiger' a more real ‘Slumdog Millionaire'? Well. No. Calling it that would be a disrespect of Adiga’s story and Bahrani's impeccable execution. ‘The White Tiger’ is when a servant goes rogue and that’s about it. He’s not changing the system. He’s neither a messiah of the poor nor is he giving a cheat code to break out of the coup. He’s just a shrewd rooster who got out and that’s his story. Another brilliant aspect in the film is Paolo Carnera’s cinematography of the village of Balram, to the Delhi that you and I recognise. It makes you look up at the sky-rise building with Balram but immediately brings you down to the pavement encroached with homeless people selling ‘faith’ on roads. There’s nothing beautiful in the film and that gives it its flavour of grittiness and suffocation, the way the main character Balram feels. 'The White Tiger' to 'WandaVision': January guide for everything new to watch Ram Bahrani has hit the bull’s eye with ‘The White Tiger’ and while the association of Priyanka Chopra serving as one of the producers might give a feel of it hanging a foot in the Western gaze, in reality, that’s how Balram would’ve wanted it to be. And a film that follows the footstep of its lead character, is the film done brilliantly. An invested watch, the film thrives on its acting, execution, and a motive of staying true to its narrator’s vision and vision alone. Not a commentary on India’s divide, ‘The White Tiger’ is the story of a place we recognise and many don’t survive.

'The White Tiger' review: Adarsh Gourav shines in Priyanka Chopra-Rajkummar Rao starrer; showing a mirror to India's sense of servitude

There have been talks of the film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ being an Oscar contender with acting nods for leading actors Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf and we tell you reasons for why everyone&nbsp;thinks like this and rightly so. Released on Netflix on January 8, ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ is equal parts moving and thought-triggering as it deals with the intricacies of a married couple’s relationship after they lose a newborn child.&nbsp;

The film starts with an intense childbirth that will need you to sit with a box of tissues as Vanessa Kirby (Martha), the pregnant woman goes through labour with the support of her husband Shia LaBeouf (Sean) at their home. The director Kornel Mundruczo makes the couple’s home their sanctuary and it drives the film from there with passion and grief. Almost half an hour long, the childbirth sequence will make you go through highs and lows like you’ve not experienced in the recent while watching a film. Vanessa is excellent as a pregnant woman who has given an Oscar-worthy performance and the role is quite a shift from her last outing as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s ‘The Crown’. It shows her range and we can’t wait to see more from her.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="446" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1zLKbMAZNGI" width="793"></iframe>

Shia LaBeouf is fabulous on screen as the husband who is supportive and affectionate to start with and then goes through a tumultuous range of emotions having lost his newborn child within seconds of her coming into the world. It could have been a performance that would earn him a mention in the awards cycle for this year but committees would ignore him considering he’s been charged with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/actor-shia-labeouf-accused-of-abuse-by-ex-girlfriend-fka-twigs-349211">‘abuse’ allegations by ex girlfriend</a> and incidentally as Sean, he abuses his wife Martha in the film too as she goes through a mournful period of coping with trauma of losing one’s child.&nbsp;

Another actor worth mentioning is Ellen Burstyn who plays Martha’s Holocaust survivor mother who is bitchy to Sean but a solid support system for Martha only a rather dominant one.

The film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ on the whole is about trauma and coping with it,&nbsp;only more complex as it revolves around the most complicated being on the planet -- humans.&nbsp;

There have been talks of the film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ being an Oscar contender with acting nods for leading actors Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf and we tell you reasons for why everyone thinks like this and rightly so.

There have been talks of the film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ being an Oscar contender with acting nods for leading actors Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf and we tell you reasons for why everyone thinks like this and rightly so. Released on Netflix on January 8, ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ is equal parts moving and thought-triggering as it deals with the intricacies of a married couple’s relationship after they lose a newborn child. The film starts with an intense childbirth that will need you to sit with a box of tissues as Vanessa Kirby (Martha), the pregnant woman goes through labour with the support of her husband Shia LaBeouf (Sean) at their home. The director Kornel Mundruczo makes the couple’s home their sanctuary and it drives the film from there with passion and grief. Almost half an hour long, the childbirth sequence will make you go through highs and lows like you’ve not experienced in the recent while watching a film. Vanessa is excellent as a pregnant woman who has given an Oscar-worthy performance and the role is quite a shift from her last outing as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s ‘The Crown’. It shows her range and we can’t wait to see more from her. Shia LaBeouf is fabulous on screen as the husband who is supportive and affectionate to start with and then goes through a tumultuous range of emotions having lost his newborn child within seconds of her coming into the world. It could have been a performance that would earn him a mention in the awards cycle for this year but committees would ignore him considering he’s been charged with ‘abuse’ allegations by ex girlfriend and incidentally as Sean, he abuses his wife Martha in the film too as she goes through a mournful period of coping with trauma of losing one’s child. Another actor worth mentioning is Ellen Burstyn who plays Martha’s Holocaust survivor mother who is bitchy to Sean but a solid support system for Martha only a rather dominant one. The film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ on the whole is about trauma and coping with it, only more complex as it revolves around the most complicated being on the planet -- humans.

'Pieces Of A Woman' review: Vanessa Kirby is brilliant in this heartbreaking film

'The Mandalorian'&nbsp;season 2 finale is here and it’s as mindblowing as you’d expect it to be. To put it straight after doing fan-service with Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett, let’s say the makers saved the biggest surprise for the last.

<meta charset="utf-8" />

Any fan of the series would be feeling numb&nbsp;at the fact that the series finale, which was laden with cameos from around the galaxy, paid homage to the franchise in the most beautiful manner possible. While the fan-fictions were having their own speculations as to who would take Grogu under their wing and which Force the little green guy would up yielding, the sky looks blue for him (that’s enough spoiler to be given in this review).

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eW7Twd85m2g" width="560"></iframe>

The finale sees almost all the important characters introduced this season joining&nbsp;hands to rescue the child from Moff Gideon. Mando, with the help of Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves, Cara Dune, and Fennec Shand make their way to the Imperial vessel. Mando wants The Child back, and Bo-Katan wants the Darksaber and Gideon’s head, as well as his spaceship. However, Cara wants the Imperial Boss alive in tonight’s gripping season 2 finale which was directed by Peyton Reed and written by series creator Jon Favreau. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-the-mandalorian-season-2-review-first-two-episodes-promise-a-thrilling-journey-into-the-known-star-wars-galaxy-341380">Also read:&nbsp;First two episodes of 'The Mandalorian' season 2 promise a thrilling journey into the known 'Star Wars' galaxy</a> 
 
Filled with blasting action, some dark trooper scare and the power of baskar, the finale is everything one expects it to be. The finale has answered a lot many questions that were built up throughout the series, but have also opened the gates for major new ones, as to, where is the series headed next, is this the end of Mando-Grogu adventures? Will the man in Baskar’s next adventure be all about claiming Mandalore?

Oh as for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-mandalorian-spin-off-series-announced-for-disney-350809">Boba Fett, there’s a special post-credit scene declaring a new series based on the beloved character</a> (this does not count as a spoiler). There are so many stories that have been churned out of the galaxy and already three spin-offs from The Mandalorian itself, the fear is, creatively the studio might spread itself too thin. After two blockbuster seasons, that’ll be heartbreaking for creator Jon Favreau. However, as we all know how big a fan-service oriented filmmaker he is, the pieces might all fall into place and we might get a Universe full of stories known-unknown and cameos that’ll satisfy the George Lucas fans in us.

'The Mandalorian' Season 2 finale, if only it was released on a big screen, the Star Wars fans might’ve had their own mini ‘Avengers Assemble’ goosebump moment with shouts and shrieks. If the real world is not engulfed by aliens or viruses, we might have some clues and little answers by next Christmas.&nbsp;

'The Mandalorian' season 2 finale is here and it’s as mindblowing as you’d expect it to be. To put it straight after doing fan-service with Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett, let’s say the makers saved the biggest surprise for the last.

'The Mandalorian' season 2 finale is here and it’s as mindblowing as you’d expect it to be. To put it straight after doing fan-service with Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett, let’s say the makers saved the biggest surprise for the last. Any fan of the series would be feeling numb at the fact that the series finale, which was laden with cameos from around the galaxy, paid homage to the franchise in the most beautiful manner possible. While the fan-fictions were having their own speculations as to who would take Grogu under their wing and which Force the little green guy would up yielding, the sky looks blue for him (that’s enough spoiler to be given in this review). The finale sees almost all the important characters introduced this season joining hands to rescue the child from Moff Gideon. Mando, with the help of Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves, Cara Dune, and Fennec Shand make their way to the Imperial vessel. Mando wants The Child back, and Bo-Katan wants the Darksaber and Gideon’s head, as well as his spaceship. However, Cara wants the Imperial Boss alive in tonight’s gripping season 2 finale which was directed by Peyton Reed and written by series creator Jon Favreau. Also read: First two episodes of 'The Mandalorian' season 2 promise a thrilling journey into the known 'Star Wars' galaxy Filled with blasting action, some dark trooper scare and the power of baskar, the finale is everything one expects it to be. The finale has answered a lot many questions that were built up throughout the series, but have also opened the gates for major new ones, as to, where is the series headed next, is this the end of Mando-Grogu adventures? Will the man in Baskar’s next adventure be all about claiming Mandalore? Oh as for Boba Fett, there’s a special post-credit scene declaring a new series based on the beloved character (this does not count as a spoiler). There are so many stories that have been churned out of the galaxy and already three spin-offs from The Mandalorian itself, the fear is, creatively the studio might spread itself too thin. After two blockbuster seasons, that’ll be heartbreaking for creator Jon Favreau. However, as we all know how big a fan-service oriented filmmaker he is, the pieces might all fall into place and we might get a Universe full of stories known-unknown and cameos that’ll satisfy the George Lucas fans in us. 'The Mandalorian' Season 2 finale, if only it was released on a big screen, the Star Wars fans might’ve had their own mini ‘Avengers Assemble’ goosebump moment with shouts and shrieks. If the real world is not engulfed by aliens or viruses, we might have some clues and little answers by next Christmas.

'The Mandalorian' S2 review: A blasting finale of a cameo-packed season 

There are reality-based shows that you love, shows that you like and shows that you binge out of habit. Then there is Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Productions' ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’, a show that so badly wants to be a guilt binge, that it even fails at being a proper cringe. 
 
'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives' dwindles somewhere between ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. The four women in the series - Bhavana Panday, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Khan and Neelam Kothari Soni - are celebs, living lives&nbsp;beyond the&nbsp;media spotlight. Bhavana, Chunky Panday's wife and mother of Ananya Pandey. Maheep is the wife of Sanjay Kapoor and is part of one of Bollywood’s legacy families. Seema Khan is Sohail Khan's wife, and a fashion designer and then we have 80s popular face and now a jewellery designer Neelam who is married to actor Samir Soni. 
 
 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5IQ645-UUV4" width="560"></iframe> 
It has all the elements to attract any person invested in Bollywood (urm.. Nearly half of India) with names that are famous enough to gossip about, but not enough to gain the national spotlight. The eight-episode series wants to be flashy but lacks the sheen. 
 
It had the spunk in the idea but alas, the four wives fail to make it appetising enough. At the age and stage when Kardashian-worshippers gobble up anything and everything ‘celebrity reality’ through the internet, ‘Bollywood Wives’ is too outdated. 
 
The four women are irrelevant and remain so till the end of the show. They try so hard to be pretentious enough for the viewers to peek into their lives, but even their shallowness feels shallow. Everything feels staged, from their talks to their reactions and the extra effort put in by Karan to turn segments into an unfiltered Koffee With Karan (lite). Maheep Kapoor tries her best to be this obnoxious yet lovable leader of the clan, with her undying urge to stay millennial-friendly. However, it feels someone failed to give her a memo that not every word needs to be this loud and about to gain attention, the lazy presence of the other three anyway helps her the most to shine (if you would like to call it that). Bhavana Pandey feels like a misfit in the series. Either she is too poised or too scared to be in a show that promises to bare-all about their lives. Seema Khan is respite in a few episodes, promising to stir some drama effortlessly but then it fizzles out when focus shifts to our fourth Bollywood wife Neelam. 
 
One can say that the whole show was kind of orchestrated to bring Neelam back on the public radar. The emphasis on her getting back to acting is so much, and so staged that it felt unreal. All the conversation feels imposed, otherwise which tight-knit group of 25 years acts like they’ve never been on a vacation together and discovering (don’t confuse it with re-discovering) a different side of one another. 
 
The plus of any reality-based show is its intrigue and power to present a narrative that is glamorous yet relatable. Here, the makers have made it glamorous but forgot to make it even a bit relatable. It might have worked as a Netflix fiction show about four middle-aged women, but as a reality show, it’s just lazy and disappointing. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/karan-johar-strikes-pose-with-bollywood-wives-as-fabulous-lives-premiers-on-netflix-345859">Also see:&nbsp;Karan Johar strikes pose with 'Bollywood wives' as 'Fabulous Lives' premiers on Netflix</a> 
 
The final episode is the only one where the viewer feels the magic of the show-biz and that’s because of the presence of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri. Had the makers taken her along with the likes of Twinkle Khanna, Sussanne Khan and Malaika Arora, that would’ve made for a killer binge-show, but then that’s wishful thinking. At times the show also feels like a justification on Nepotism by the likes of Maheep who says ‘what can one do about it’ and Karan Johar trying to give it an emotional spin, making the show feel soppy rather than spunky. 
 
Honestly, as a connoisseur of cringe-binge, I had high hopes from '....Bollywood Wives' but it just failed to be ‘too bad that’s it’s good’. All this show gives you is a yawn, a dashing Shah Rukh Khan for 10 mins and an accent that comes and goes at its own convenience. Oh and also a future announcement that Neelam is coming back onscreen, most likely in some ‘Dharmatic Production’. 
 
If Karan is seriously considering making ‘Fabulous Lives’ into a franchise, it would be better to cast the kids next. They seriously felt more intriguing and interesting than their mothers, who think that hummus is the most difficult dish to make on this earth. 
 
To be honest more drama happened in my life while watching the show, than in the lives of four women combined. If that doesn’t speak B-O-R-I-N-G, I don’t know what else will.

There are reality-based shows that you love, shows that you like and shows that you binge out of habit. Then there is Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Productions' ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’, a show that so badly wants to be a guilt binge, that it even fails at being a proper cringe.

There are reality-based shows that you love, shows that you like and shows that you binge out of habit. Then there is Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Productions' ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’, a show that so badly wants to be a guilt binge, that it even fails at being a proper cringe. 'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives' dwindles somewhere between ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. The four women in the series - Bhavana Panday, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Khan and Neelam Kothari Soni - are celebs, living lives beyond the media spotlight. Bhavana, Chunky Panday's wife and mother of Ananya Pandey. Maheep is the wife of Sanjay Kapoor and is part of one of Bollywood’s legacy families. Seema Khan is Sohail Khan's wife, and a fashion designer and then we have 80s popular face and now a jewellery designer Neelam who is married to actor Samir Soni. It has all the elements to attract any person invested in Bollywood (urm.. Nearly half of India) with names that are famous enough to gossip about, but not enough to gain the national spotlight. The eight-episode series wants to be flashy but lacks the sheen. It had the spunk in the idea but alas, the four wives fail to make it appetising enough. At the age and stage when Kardashian-worshippers gobble up anything and everything ‘celebrity reality’ through the internet, ‘Bollywood Wives’ is too outdated. The four women are irrelevant and remain so till the end of the show. They try so hard to be pretentious enough for the viewers to peek into their lives, but even their shallowness feels shallow. Everything feels staged, from their talks to their reactions and the extra effort put in by Karan to turn segments into an unfiltered Koffee With Karan (lite). Maheep Kapoor tries her best to be this obnoxious yet lovable leader of the clan, with her undying urge to stay millennial-friendly. However, it feels someone failed to give her a memo that not every word needs to be this loud and about to gain attention, the lazy presence of the other three anyway helps her the most to shine (if you would like to call it that). Bhavana Pandey feels like a misfit in the series. Either she is too poised or too scared to be in a show that promises to bare-all about their lives. Seema Khan is respite in a few episodes, promising to stir some drama effortlessly but then it fizzles out when focus shifts to our fourth Bollywood wife Neelam. One can say that the whole show was kind of orchestrated to bring Neelam back on the public radar. The emphasis on her getting back to acting is so much, and so staged that it felt unreal. All the conversation feels imposed, otherwise which tight-knit group of 25 years acts like they’ve never been on a vacation together and discovering (don’t confuse it with re-discovering) a different side of one another. The plus of any reality-based show is its intrigue and power to present a narrative that is glamorous yet relatable. Here, the makers have made it glamorous but forgot to make it even a bit relatable. It might have worked as a Netflix fiction show about four middle-aged women, but as a reality show, it’s just lazy and disappointing. Also see: Karan Johar strikes pose with 'Bollywood wives' as 'Fabulous Lives' premiers on Netflix The final episode is the only one where the viewer feels the magic of the show-biz and that’s because of the presence of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri. Had the makers taken her along with the likes of Twinkle Khanna, Sussanne Khan and Malaika Arora, that would’ve made for a killer binge-show, but then that’s wishful thinking. At times the show also feels like a justification on Nepotism by the likes of Maheep who says ‘what can one do about it’ and Karan Johar trying to give it an emotional spin, making the show feel soppy rather than spunky. Honestly, as a connoisseur of cringe-binge, I had high hopes from '....Bollywood Wives' but it just failed to be ‘too bad that’s it’s good’. All this show gives you is a yawn, a dashing Shah Rukh Khan for 10 mins and an accent that comes and goes at its own convenience. Oh and also a future announcement that Neelam is coming back onscreen, most likely in some ‘Dharmatic Production’. If Karan is seriously considering making ‘Fabulous Lives’ into a franchise, it would be better to cast the kids next. They seriously felt more intriguing and interesting than their mothers, who think that hummus is the most difficult dish to make on this earth. To be honest more drama happened in my life while watching the show, than in the lives of four women combined. If that doesn’t speak B-O-R-I-N-G, I don’t know what else will.

'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives' review: Lack of drama & oomph makes it a skippable cringe rather than guilt-binge

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review.

Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday.

Coronavirus numbers are relatively low in Thailand, making way for domestic tourism. Koh Chang island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, is also witnessing footfall.

A recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday.

According to the Tripadvisor review Barnes posted in July, he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here".

"The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website," Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP.

He said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel", and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel.

Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht ($6,300) fine.

Thailand's notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review. Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday.

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review. Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday. Coronavirus numbers are relatively low in Thailand, making way for domestic tourism. Koh Chang island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, is also witnessing footfall. A recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday. According to the Tripadvisor review Barnes posted in July, he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here". "The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website," Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP. He said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel", and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel. Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht ($6,300) fine. Thailand's notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.

American sued in Thailand over negative review on internet

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business. While the Galaxy S line of devices are equally powerful, it’s the Note series that elevates the smartphone game year after year.

Back in August, the Note 20 Ultra was put on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 1,04,999. That’s a hefty asking price during a worldwide pandemic. Budgets may be stretched but if the product is that good, then why not?

I’ve been using the smartphone for over a month now and here’s why I think the Note 20 Ultra has a lot to offer

Design: Similar to the previous Note 10+

Let’s start with the design. The smartphone is all-screen at the front, while the back is covered with glass and has curved sides with a thin metal band. There’s the flat top and bottom. It’s one of those designs that immediately stands out despite its gigantic nature.

The 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display is simply stunning to look at. It’s the back of the smartphone that will attract all the attention though. It’s got an enormous camera bump. So much so that the smartphone will never lie flat on a table when on its back.

What’s best about the rear panel is the frosted glass back. Probably the best Samsung has ever used. It hides fingerprints more than most other phones and also provides for a comfortable grip in one’s hand. In certain situations - answering calls and checking notifications - one-handed usage may be possible but this is really a phone for both your hands.

Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. It can withstand drops up to 2 metres and is twice as scratch-resistant as compared to Gorilla Glass 6.

The camera module is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. Despite a few drops and a couple of nicks here and there, there hasn’t been a single dent on my Note 20 Ultra. It is one sturdy device.

Mystic Bronze goodness

Is the mystic bronze colour really all that it is hyped up to be? The answer to that is YES. It may look like rose gold in certain lightings but it’s got this understated elegance to it. Thanks to the matte finish, there are close to zero fingerprints.

Display: Gorgeousness

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a56f986f-1474-42e9-a910-cc4c38b7a7b4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Samsung%20display%20final.jpg" />

The best-in-class display shows off its strengths on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.. It might be massive at 6.9 inches but it is pretty faultless. The colours are vivid and punchy and when maxed out at QHD+ resolution, binge-watching is a super treat.

The 120Hz screen refresh rate has been much better implemented than on the Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. There’s the “Adaptive” motion smoothness, that adjusts the refresh rate based on the action being performed on the screen. Essentially, this saves battery in the long-run.

The one negative is the optical fingerprint scanner that is buried under the display. It’s easy to set up but the positioning is off. It’s the exact same sensor as in the Note 10+ but it’s inconsistent and slow.

Curved screens: Yay or nay?

The curved display of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra looks immersive, with its waterfall edge. But the edge-to-edge display makes it easy for accidental touches to occur. It’s more prominent when gripping the phone with one hand and typing with the other. Far too many times I unintentionally touched a part of the display I didn’t want to and it got in the way of my typic. Sometimes, an app would be closed by accident.

Some touch rejection along the edges would make this issue mostly go away.

Performance: Will breeze through any task

Despite the Indian variant of the Note 20 Ultra having the Exynos 990 chipset and not the Snapdragon 865+, the smartphone can handle any task with aplomb.

Whether it is capturing multiple photos, flipping through social media feeds, playing game after game, or just reading, the Note 20 Ultra will never slow down.

The Note 20 Ultra developed significant heat during my usage. Whether it was playing Call of Duty: Mobile, taking multiple pictures or even just charging the smartphone, the Note 20 Ultra got hotter than usual. It wasn’t too hot to hold at any point though.

Software: One UI 2.5

Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra runs the latest One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. It’s almost identical to S20 Ultra but has some nifty S Pen features such as handwriting recognition, translation and gesture support and various screen writing and screenshot tools.&nbsp;

One UI 2.5 may be filled with Samsung apps and a Galaxy Store (that basically acts as a duplicate), but the software works well and is very heavily-customised to suit the consumers’ needs. Samsung has promised three years of major Android updates and monthly security patches which bodes well for the company’s outlook.

Battery life: Middling at best

With the Galaxy S20 Ultra there was rarely a time I had to charge the smartphone in the same day. Samsung decided to stick with a 4,500 mAh despite the huge display and state-of-the-art processor. Sure, it is an improvement over the Note 10+’s 4,300 mAh battery, but was hardly an improvement in real world usage.

The Note 20 Ultra lasted me a day and over 5 hours of screen-on-time but barely any charge leftover to last through the night. I always have to put it on charge before hitting the sack.

With the S20 Ultra earlier this year, I rarely had to charge it at night. It was only in the morning, while getting ready, did I put it for charge.

The Note 20 Ultra ships with a 25W charger which means the phone takes about 70 minutes to reach a full charge from being dead. The Note 20 Ultra also supposes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

Cameras: The all-important laser autofocus sensor

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One of the biggest downfalls of the S20 Ulta’s camera was blurry shots. The S20 Ultra had 100x digital zoom but the photos were blurry in both zoom shots and general shots.

The laser autofocus helps with all kinds of shorts. It provides for less blurry photos on the whole. Even those with the shakiest of hands get a huge benefit here.

Also, the Note 20 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology. This basically means that it uses a higher lens to capture a shot as smaller megapixels. Then it combines them for a rich and detailed shot. A 108-megapixel lens delivers 27-megapixel shots. It combines four pixels into one.

The Note 20 Ultra has a triple-camera setup plus the laser autofocus sensor.

<ul>
	<li>A 108-megapixel wide-angle camera: You can shoot at full 108 megapixels or the pixel-binned 27-megapixel shots.</li>
	<li>A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera: This can be used to capture a wider field of view.</li>
	<li>A 12-megapixel telephoto camera: This lens allows for you to capture more details (when zoomed in) and offers up to 5x optical zoom.</li>
</ul>

The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is a huge step up from the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The speed of the capture and the transitions between the three lenses is excellent. In good lighting, the photos are rich in detail with great colours. The low-light performance has been vastly improved. Using the Night mode is a pleasure.

It is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that steals the show. One of the best implementations of an ultra-wide camera on any phone.

The 12-megapixel telephoto camera is definitely a step up from the S20 Ultra. The optical zoom makes a difference but going into digital zoom and anything over 30x is just not good.

Video quality up to 8K is also quite good and you get a range of shooting options. Finally, the 10-megapixel selfie camera is simply excellent.

This is by far Samsung’s best camera on any of its smartphones. It’s a reliable camera that you can just pull out of your pocket and shoot dozens of great photos in mere minutes.

S Pen: Game-changer

The S Pen on the Note series of devices has been a game changer since Day One. This time around, the latency on the S Pen has been drastically reduced making it a pleasure to use all the time. Taking notes is faster and more accurate.

The Air Actions and the physical button is great. I use it mostly to as a camera shutter

Final observations: Worth the price tag?

While I love the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it is Samsung’s best photo to date, expensive smartphones just don’t cut it anymore. Going down the ladder, there are plenty of other phones that offer almost as much as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but for far less.

Samsung played it safe with the Note 20 Ultra but that isn’t to cut into the fact that this is a fantastic device. Despite some shortcomings, the Note 20 Ultra has risen to the top of the Android smartphone charts.

During a pandemic nonetheless, spending over one lakh rupees is sheer exuberance. Once the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is on discount, it will be a fantastic deal.

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business.

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business. While the Galaxy S line of devices are equally powerful, it’s the Note series that elevates the smartphone game year after year. Back in August, the Note 20 Ultra was put on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 1,04,999. That’s a hefty asking price during a worldwide pandemic. Budgets may be stretched but if the product is that good, then why not? I’ve been using the smartphone for over a month now and here’s why I think the Note 20 Ultra has a lot to offer Design: Similar to the previous Note 10+ Let’s start with the design. The smartphone is all-screen at the front, while the back is covered with glass and has curved sides with a thin metal band. There’s the flat top and bottom. It’s one of those designs that immediately stands out despite its gigantic nature. The 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display is simply stunning to look at. It’s the back of the smartphone that will attract all the attention though. It’s got an enormous camera bump. So much so that the smartphone will never lie flat on a table when on its back. What’s best about the rear panel is the frosted glass back. Probably the best Samsung has ever used. It hides fingerprints more than most other phones and also provides for a comfortable grip in one’s hand. In certain situations - answering calls and checking notifications - one-handed usage may be possible but this is really a phone for both your hands. Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. It can withstand drops up to 2 metres and is twice as scratch-resistant as compared to Gorilla Glass 6. The camera module is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. Despite a few drops and a couple of nicks here and there, there hasn’t been a single dent on my Note 20 Ultra. It is one sturdy device. Mystic Bronze goodness Is the mystic bronze colour really all that it is hyped up to be? The answer to that is YES. It may look like rose gold in certain lightings but it’s got this understated elegance to it. Thanks to the matte finish, there are close to zero fingerprints. Display: Gorgeousness The best-in-class display shows off its strengths on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.. It might be massive at 6.9 inches but it is pretty faultless. The colours are vivid and punchy and when maxed out at QHD+ resolution, binge-watching is a super treat. The 120Hz screen refresh rate has been much better implemented than on the Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. There’s the “Adaptive” motion smoothness, that adjusts the refresh rate based on the action being performed on the screen. Essentially, this saves battery in the long-run. The one negative is the optical fingerprint scanner that is buried under the display. It’s easy to set up but the positioning is off. It’s the exact same sensor as in the Note 10+ but it’s inconsistent and slow. Curved screens: Yay or nay? The curved display of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra looks immersive, with its waterfall edge. But the edge-to-edge display makes it easy for accidental touches to occur. It’s more prominent when gripping the phone with one hand and typing with the other. Far too many times I unintentionally touched a part of the display I didn’t want to and it got in the way of my typic. Sometimes, an app would be closed by accident. Some touch rejection along the edges would make this issue mostly go away. Performance: Will breeze through any task Despite the Indian variant of the Note 20 Ultra having the Exynos 990 chipset and not the Snapdragon 865+, the smartphone can handle any task with aplomb. Whether it is capturing multiple photos, flipping through social media feeds, playing game after game, or just reading, the Note 20 Ultra will never slow down. The Note 20 Ultra developed significant heat during my usage. Whether it was playing Call of Duty: Mobile, taking multiple pictures or even just charging the smartphone, the Note 20 Ultra got hotter than usual. It wasn’t too hot to hold at any point though. Software: One UI 2.5 Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra runs the latest One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. It’s almost identical to S20 Ultra but has some nifty S Pen features such as handwriting recognition, translation and gesture support and various screen writing and screenshot tools. One UI 2.5 may be filled with Samsung apps and a Galaxy Store (that basically acts as a duplicate), but the software works well and is very heavily-customised to suit the consumers’ needs. Samsung has promised three years of major Android updates and monthly security patches which bodes well for the company’s outlook. Battery life: Middling at best With the Galaxy S20 Ultra there was rarely a time I had to charge the smartphone in the same day. Samsung decided to stick with a 4,500 mAh despite the huge display and state-of-the-art processor. Sure, it is an improvement over the Note 10+’s 4,300 mAh battery, but was hardly an improvement in real world usage. The Note 20 Ultra lasted me a day and over 5 hours of screen-on-time but barely any charge leftover to last through the night. I always have to put it on charge before hitting the sack. With the S20 Ultra earlier this year, I rarely had to charge it at night. It was only in the morning, while getting ready, did I put it for charge. The Note 20 Ultra ships with a 25W charger which means the phone takes about 70 minutes to reach a full charge from being dead. The Note 20 Ultra also supposes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Cameras: The all-important laser autofocus sensor One of the biggest downfalls of the S20 Ulta’s camera was blurry shots. The S20 Ultra had 100x digital zoom but the photos were blurry in both zoom shots and general shots. The laser autofocus helps with all kinds of shorts. It provides for less blurry photos on the whole. Even those with the shakiest of hands get a huge benefit here. Also, the Note 20 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology. This basically means that it uses a higher lens to capture a shot as smaller megapixels. Then it combines them for a rich and detailed shot. A 108-megapixel lens delivers 27-megapixel shots. It combines four pixels into one. The Note 20 Ultra has a triple-camera setup plus the laser autofocus sensor. A 108-megapixel wide-angle camera: You can shoot at full 108 megapixels or the pixel-binned 27-megapixel shots. A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera: This can be used to capture a wider field of view. A 12-megapixel telephoto camera: This lens allows for you to capture more details (when zoomed in) and offers up to 5x optical zoom. The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is a huge step up from the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The speed of the capture and the transitions between the three lenses is excellent. In good lighting, the photos are rich in detail with great colours. The low-light performance has been vastly improved. Using the Night mode is a pleasure. It is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that steals the show. One of the best implementations of an ultra-wide camera on any phone. The 12-megapixel telephoto camera is definitely a step up from the S20 Ultra. The optical zoom makes a difference but going into digital zoom and anything over 30x is just not good. Video quality up to 8K is also quite good and you get a range of shooting options. Finally, the 10-megapixel selfie camera is simply excellent. This is by far Samsung’s best camera on any of its smartphones. It’s a reliable camera that you can just pull out of your pocket and shoot dozens of great photos in mere minutes. S Pen: Game-changer The S Pen on the Note series of devices has been a game changer since Day One. This time around, the latency on the S Pen has been drastically reduced making it a pleasure to use all the time. Taking notes is faster and more accurate. The Air Actions and the physical button is great. I use it mostly to as a camera shutter Final observations: Worth the price tag? While I love the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it is Samsung’s best photo to date, expensive smartphones just don’t cut it anymore. Going down the ladder, there are plenty of other phones that offer almost as much as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but for far less. Samsung played it safe with the Note 20 Ultra but that isn’t to cut into the fact that this is a fantastic device. Despite some shortcomings, the Note 20 Ultra has risen to the top of the Android smartphone charts. During a pandemic nonetheless, spending over one lakh rupees is sheer exuberance. Once the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is on discount, it will be a fantastic deal.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: The best Android smartphone comes with a hefty price tag

When it comes to budget phones, the market is crowded. There are so many options to choose from and this makes it difficult to pick a phone that aligns well with our needs. And now joining the crowd is a new contender - the Nokia 5.3&nbsp;

I got my hands on the new phone and put it to different tests. I will share with you what’s good and what’s bad in HMD's latest Android smartphone, so that you can make an informed buying decision.

Design

I will begin with the design. Like many other Nokia phones from HMD, the Nokia 5.3 is aesthetically designed. The phone has a nice build quality. The gradient design and the circular camera module at the back are likely to draw your attention.

The scratch-resistant back is another highlight of the phone. It hasn’t got even a single scratch in around 15 days that I have spent with it.

Though it’s made of polycarbonate, it has a metallic finish, and that adds to the overall appeal of the phone. Most importantly, it's slim and pretty lightweight, which makes it easy to handle and operate, even for long hours. And a dedicated button gives users faster access to Google Assistant.

I have the Cyan colour with me, but it comes in two more colours - Charcoal and Sand. Overall, the design is nice.

Display

Next comes the display.

The slim bezels and a waterdrop notch add to the overall look of the phone.

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&nbsp;

The 6.5-inch display with the HD+ resolution is pleasing to the eyes, but note that it’s not the best screen resolution that you would get in this price range. There are sharper displays available on phones in the mid-range category.

I am fine with the display’s brightness, but some of you may find it a little dull.

The absence of 90Hz refresh rate is what I can’t ignore - something which competitors have started to offer on budget phones. Understand that a higher refresh rate results in a smoother and more fluid display experience. I wonder, why HMD decided to not include it.

All in all, the display is of acceptable quality if not the best in class.

Camera

Next comes the camera, something that’s really important for me in a phone. I can still compromise here and there on the design front, but not with the camera.

It has four camera lenses (13 MP + 2 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP) with a flash at the back and an 8 MP camera at the front. But how well does this quad-camera setup fare?

In daylight, and for that matter, even in room-light environments, the camera generates decently bright results, but they lack sharpness and detailing. The Macro mode is a disappointment in most of the conditions.

In Night mode, it captures a good amount of light, but the results are grainy.

Talking about the front camera, it’s satisfactory in daylight, but in low-light, it’s a letdown.

Overall, for me, the cameras of the Nokia 5.3 are below-average performers.

Performance

We have talked about design, display and camera, but how does it perform?

I must admit that the phone got along with me quite well. Mostly, I was doing usual things on the phone - calling, messaging, watching videos, browsing and managing social networks. It was smooth to multitask. The phone neither slowed down nor it had heating issues. I am not very impressed with its speaker; it’s fairly loud, but the audio quality is underwhelming.

The 4000 mAh battery is one of its strongest pillars. It easily lasts for a day, and if the usage isn’t heavy, it can survive for around half-a-day more.

The software is what could make it desirable for some people. The phone runs stock Android 10, meaning no bloatware, a clean interface, and regular software and security updates. The company also promises that it will be upgraded to Android 11.

Also, the Nokia 5.3 comes with a pair of earphones, which is usually not bundled with budget phones.

The dual-SIM phone comes in two variants - 64 GB storage with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage with 6 GB of RAM. The former is priced at INR 13,999, while the latter costs INR 15,499.

Verdict

Now comes the most important question - should you buy it? I would say, if the camera isn’t your priority, you can go for it, but if you’re looking for a complete package at INR 15,000, you should give this phone a miss.

When it comes to budget phones, the market is crowded. There are so many options to choose from and this makes it difficult to pick a phone that aligns well with our needs.

When it comes to budget phones, the market is crowded. There are so many options to choose from and this makes it difficult to pick a phone that aligns well with our needs. And now joining the crowd is a new contender - the Nokia 5.3 I got my hands on the new phone and put it to different tests. I will share with you what’s good and what’s bad in HMD's latest Android smartphone, so that you can make an informed buying decision. Design I will begin with the design. Like many other Nokia phones from HMD, the Nokia 5.3 is aesthetically designed. The phone has a nice build quality. The gradient design and the circular camera module at the back are likely to draw your attention. The scratch-resistant back is another highlight of the phone. It hasn’t got even a single scratch in around 15 days that I have spent with it. Though it’s made of polycarbonate, it has a metallic finish, and that adds to the overall appeal of the phone. Most importantly, it's slim and pretty lightweight, which makes it easy to handle and operate, even for long hours. And a dedicated button gives users faster access to Google Assistant. I have the Cyan colour with me, but it comes in two more colours - Charcoal and Sand. Overall, the design is nice. Display Next comes the display. The slim bezels and a waterdrop notch add to the overall look of the phone. × The 6.5-inch display with the HD+ resolution is pleasing to the eyes, but note that it’s not the best screen resolution that you would get in this price range. There are sharper displays available on phones in the mid-range category. I am fine with the display’s brightness, but some of you may find it a little dull. The absence of 90Hz refresh rate is what I can’t ignore - something which competitors have started to offer on budget phones. Understand that a higher refresh rate results in a smoother and more fluid display experience. I wonder, why HMD decided to not include it. All in all, the display is of acceptable quality if not the best in class. Camera Next comes the camera, something that’s really important for me in a phone. I can still compromise here and there on the design front, but not with the camera. It has four camera lenses (13 MP + 2 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP) with a flash at the back and an 8 MP camera at the front. But how well does this quad-camera setup fare? In daylight, and for that matter, even in room-light environments, the camera generates decently bright results, but they lack sharpness and detailing. The Macro mode is a disappointment in most of the conditions. In Night mode, it captures a good amount of light, but the results are grainy. Talking about the front camera, it’s satisfactory in daylight, but in low-light, it’s a letdown. Overall, for me, the cameras of the Nokia 5.3 are below-average performers. Performance We have talked about design, display and camera, but how does it perform? I must admit that the phone got along with me quite well. Mostly, I was doing usual things on the phone - calling, messaging, watching videos, browsing and managing social networks. It was smooth to multitask. The phone neither slowed down nor it had heating issues. I am not very impressed with its speaker; it’s fairly loud, but the audio quality is underwhelming. The 4000 mAh battery is one of its strongest pillars. It easily lasts for a day, and if the usage isn’t heavy, it can survive for around half-a-day more. The software is what could make it desirable for some people. The phone runs stock Android 10, meaning no bloatware, a clean interface, and regular software and security updates. The company also promises that it will be upgraded to Android 11. Also, the Nokia 5.3 comes with a pair of earphones, which is usually not bundled with budget phones. The dual-SIM phone comes in two variants - 64 GB storage with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage with 6 GB of RAM. The former is priced at INR 13,999, while the latter costs INR 15,499. Verdict Now comes the most important question - should you buy it? I would say, if the camera isn’t your priority, you can go for it, but if you’re looking for a complete package at INR 15,000, you should give this phone a miss.

Nokia 5.3 review: Should you buy it?

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court.&nbsp;

On May 2017, the court held him guilty of contempt for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of the court's order.

According to the Banks' allegations, Vijay Mallya hid the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in violation of the orders given by the Karnataka High Court. 
&nbsp; 
The Supreme Court's division bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan rejected the petition and said "We do not find any merits. Review petition dismissed".

Mallya, who is accused in a bank loan default case of over ₹9,000 crores involving his Kingfisher Airlines and is presently in the UK, had reportedly sought asylum in the country after having lost extradition proceedings.

In June, the apex court had asked its registry as to why Mallya's review petition had not been listed before the court concerned in the last three years. The Supreme Court directed the registry to provide all details including the names of officials who dealt with the file concerning the review petition in the last three years.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court. On May 2017, the court held him guilty of contempt for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of the court's order.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court. On May 2017, the court held him guilty of contempt for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of the court's order. According to the Banks' allegations, Vijay Mallya hid the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in violation of the orders given by the Karnataka High Court. The Supreme Court's division bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan rejected the petition and said "We do not find any merits. Review petition dismissed". Mallya, who is accused in a bank loan default case of over ₹9,000 crores involving his Kingfisher Airlines and is presently in the UK, had reportedly sought asylum in the country after having lost extradition proceedings. In June, the apex court had asked its registry as to why Mallya's review petition had not been listed before the court concerned in the last three years. The Supreme Court directed the registry to provide all details including the names of officials who dealt with the file concerning the review petition in the last three years.

Supreme Court rejects Vijay Mallya's plea seeking review against contempt order

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