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Movie Review: ‘The Devil All The Time’ is a Sinner’s Moral Compass

Posted on September 16, 2020October 2, 2020 by Khush

By Aishvarya Varma (fetuinyou)

A story set in suburban Southern USA, ‘The Devil All The Time’ is Netflix’s latest psychological thriller. Having been released today, the movie is a gruesome portrayal of the evils that befall authoritarian failure. Discussing topics like religion and law & order, this adaptation of Donald Ray Pollock’s book by the same name forces viewers to snap out of comfortable viewing – dragging them into a grim tale of a series of unfortunate events. The original writer is also the narrator of this brilliant film produced by Jake Gyllenhaal.

“Nearly all of them connected by one godforsaken calamity or another; be it lust, or necessity, or just plain ignorance.”

the devil all the time - image — Source: The Devil All The Time – Netflix

Life was significantly difficult in the 1950s. The narrator makes it a point to let us know the gravity of this truth in a deep, southern accent that is memorable. In the late 1940s, the Russells moved to the town of Knockemstiff, Ohio. Who were the Russells? That is a biography best heard from Pollock himself.

Without disclosing any relevant details, their biographies spark debate on subjects that cause diabolical emotions to emerge in all its hosts. Love, parenthood, poverty, disease, or prayer are all things we struggle to decipher as ordinary citizens. Sadly, its effect on the disconnected lives of the past was far graver than one imagines today. With all this in mind, Arvin Russell, an eight-year-old boy, begins a new and unexpected journey.

“Some people just need a little help once in a while.”

the devil all the time movie — *Source: The Devil All The Time – Netflix*

The film painstakingly details Arvin Russell’s (Tom Holland) torrential ancestry and the path before him. As a child, luck wasn’t particularly on his side. Religious protection often seemed to do him little to no justice, but he continues to believe in goodness and empowerment. He has faced innumerable losses throughout his life, eventually forcing us to wonder how they would impact him. From becoming the little boy that needed care, he becomes a force of protection and sustenance for those who depend on him. Highlighting a pandora of death and crime, will Arvin ever find justice through prayer?

“Let me tell you something friends, before I found the Holy Ghost, I was scared plumb to death of spiders. I was a runt.”

the devil all the time movie image — *Source: The Devil All The Time – Netflix*

Evangelism has a strange way of inspiring the loveless. An immediate need to connect with a higher spirit that is positive and ambitious, adding effervescence to one’s daily essence, is an easy sell. The Reverend, in this small town of West Virginia, always seemed to have a questionable agenda. Portrayed by Harry Melling and Robert Pattinson, these men of God throw light on the darkness that surrounds fundamentalist authority.

The film questions an important facet of religious faith – the blind belief that someone more familiar with scripture is indeed a man who can bring light to the lives of the lost. A strong antagonism towards religious extremism is made clear through this plot. Perhaps to the disappointment of religious positivists, the movie dramatically serves audiences an undeniable shakedown of the exploitation of trust. Does it catch up to the powerful?

“He just felt lucky someone was giving him a ride.”

In this entire debacle that seems to be an ever-so-stretched monotony of pain, the writer also includes the characters of Carl and Sandy (Jason Clarke and Riley Keough), who find each other on a day relevant to the protagonist’s narrative. Similar to a flow of cut scenes in Pulp Fiction, we realize that Antonio Campos sprinkles the perfect amount of memorability in each scene, connecting persons across spaces and timelines.

the devil all the time movie scene — *Source: The Devil All The Time – Netflix*

One of the most powerful narratives penned down for a couple, it serves as an anchoring plot point to highlight the desire & privilege of the fortunate. Most importantly, in one of the first few scenes in the movie, Sandy mentions that her brother got her the job as a waitress. It’s interesting to see how subtly the movie builds on that almost-insignificant fact.

I am struggling to tell you enough about ‘The Devil All The Time’ not because it isn’t impactful, but because it has been narrated with a fluency that I dare not over-assess. It is jarring and thought-provoking, forcing audiences to pay close attention to the smallest details. Each scene connects in the end, depicting horrors of death, mayhem and exploitation in almost every societal interaction. While the topics discussed have been the plot of innumerable movies, there is something distinctly visual and crass about this film. It feels a lot like a version of Lolita directed by Tarantino.

With purposeful irony, the movie also makes it a point to show gratitude to the only stranger who seemed to have acted in good faith and without any self-interest, and the kind lady who gives away everything to continue being a caring mother. The movie successfully finds a way to intertwine society’s most excruciating extremes. It pushes you to a corner, asking you – “Have you been good?”

The Devil All The Time Trailer

Let us know what you think of this ‘The Devil All The Time’ Review in the comments below.

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Tom Clancy’s: Rainbow Six Quarantine – Everything we know

Posted on September 12, 2020October 2, 2020 by Khush

By Faras Sait

Tom Clancy’s: Rainbow Six Quarantine is a tactical, three person co-op game being developed by an entirely new and dedicated team at Ubisoft Montreal. First teased and talked about at E3, back in 2019, the game has since faced delays and several changes. Let’s breakdown everything we know.

HISTORY

Rainbow Six Siege fanatics would be rather reminiscent of the much popular Operation Chimera and consequently Operation Outbreak that followed. Very much in theme with 2020 and Covid-19, operation Outbreak followed an epidemic in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. However, unlike the real world, this epidemic is caused by an alien parasite which crash lands on Earth onboard a USSR space capsule; following this a quarantine is set up. The alien virus triggers a range of infected forms, each correspondingly leading to enemy classes of different sizes and difficulty to kill. The game mode enabled 3 players to enter the quarantine zone and face off the monsters in typical and spectacular Rainbow Six fashion.

Following the insane success of the game-mode and the rather short period of time that the mode was made available, it left alot of fans wanting more and it seems Ubisoft chose to capitalize on this and have now decided to make a whole game out of it.

Though Rainbow Six Quarantine is not confirmed to follow the same plot, all leaks point to it being the same.

GAMEPLAY

First shown off in June, 2019, the trailer showed some familiar faces – that being Vigil and Ela from the Rainbow Six Siege universe. It has since been confirmed that Rainbow Six Quarantine will host a lot more of the operators and mechanics that we are so familiar with in Six Siege. Not familiar however was the watch and arm mechanic that we saw in the trailer. considering how vague the trailer was, it is still unclear what the operator injected into himself.

Ubisoft has also confirmed that the whole game will be co-op, much like Operation Outbreak. Meaning you can play the game alongside your friends in a Player vs Environment fashion.

Devs also claim that the game will be much different from operation Outbreak, with new, much different infected forms and parasites to deal with.

LEAKS AND EVERYTHING WE KNOW

Rainbow Six Quarantine Leaked Pamphlet 1 — Source: u/X_hard_rocker on Reddit

Ubisoft hasn’t officially released any gameplay footage other than its initial teaser trailer, but this hasn’t stopped data miners and leakers alike from enlightening the community.

In one series of leaks in the form of a pamphlet, that most probably belongs in-game or may even just be a marketing tool, we see that Rainbow Six Quarantine will inherit a good majority of operators from Siege (ash mains look away, now), each debuting with their load outs.

It is, however, not clear if all operators will have the same special abilities that are sported in Siege. The best example being vigil; whose main ability is to hide from enemy drones.. so unless the zombies suddenly become sentient and start wielding cameras, we can expect operators to have different abilities.

Rainbow Six Quarantine Image — Source: Rainbow Six Quarantine Trailer, Ubisoft

It is also clear that operators are split into 3 categories: Assault, Support and Recon, with recruit being a seemingly all-rounder. Considering the legitimacy of these leaks, while they have been released by a ‘trusted’ source, it has also been confirmed by data miners – whose leaks aligned with those of the pamphlets.

It has also been brought to the communities attention that ubisoft is exploring a Ranked game mode for Rainbow Six Quarantine – much like the one in Siege. The introduction of this game mode could possibly open the game up to a competitive landscape but this entirely depends on how Ubisoft approaches this feature. This is just something we have to wait and see.

Rainbow Six Quarantine Leaked Pamphlet 2 — Source: u/X_hard_rocker on Reddit

another set of leaks shows to discuss new levels and missions spanning across the United States. Showing 3 locations in New York city, 3 in San Francicso and a final 3 in Truth and Consequences, New Mexico. And if Operation Outbreak was anything to take from, we can expect these locations to be sort of post-apocalyptic and under quarantine. What for sure is we can expect it to be a large and spectacular map no matter the case.

Game types on the other hand will be much different from anything we are accustomed to, with the pamphlet indicating modes for sabotage, escort, hunt and disruption; each having their own unique objective and gameplay mechanism.

We also see the arrival of new infected forms that we hadn’t seen back in Operation Outbreak. We will see the introduction of Bloater, Spiker and Harasser, alongside fan favorites that we already saw back in 2018; each form with different mechanism and contributions to the gameplay.

RAINBOW SIX SIEGE QUARANTINE BETA

Though the date of which is not confirmed, Six Quarantine will have a Beta that players can sign up for right now, no matter the console. All on the Rainbow Six Quarantine website.

The beta and subsequently the game is expected to release mid 2021 for the Xbox One, PS4, PC and later on the next-gen consoles as well.

RAINBOW SIX QUARANTINE TRAILER

Do share your thoughts on the Rainbow Six Quarantine in the comments section below.

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Bizarre True Crime: Introducing 3 Netflix DocuSeries That Shock

Posted on September 11, 2020October 2, 2020 by Khush

By Aishvarya Varma (fetuinyou)

How does crime occur? When we as ordinary people think of the possible reasons that could lead to crime, we come up with reasons like a bad environment or jealousy or anger. Little do we know the kind of traits that such emotions could birth. Netflix hosts three cases of such nature in their extreme. Here’s a quick introduction to these DocuSeries that describe anomalous horrors:

1. The Innocent Man (2018)

“I don’t think I messed up. To apologize to them for doing my job? That’s just not going to happen.” – Bill Peterson: Previously District Attorney, Oklahoma 22nd District

Based on John Grisham’s only non-fiction book of the same title, this 6-episode DocuSeries explores two murders between 1982-84 in Ada, Oklahoma. It begins by restaging one of the most graphic crime scenes to narrate the tale behind the death of Debra Sue Carter. As a victim of assault, rape and suffocation, with the added morbidity that the murderer made the effort to detail, this news shook the entire town.

The Innocent Man Docuseries Image — Source: Netflix

Attempting to create an infallible chronology, this documentary series provides footage of interviews and the confessions of those who were arrested. It also recreates scenes with artistic sensibilities aimed at memorability. Similarly, the series tackles the 1984 murder of Donna Haraway in the very same town. Unsurprisingly, the police investigations in both were not thorough, leading some to bear undeserved condemnation while others escape needed scrutiny. Some remain unapologetic, as others highlight how dysfunctional the policing of crime is.

The Innocent Man Docuseries Trailer

2. Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019)

“You can train a donkey for a hundred years, and it can never be a horse. That’s your problem.” – Bikram Choudhury

This DocuSeries is the story of Yogi Bikram Choudhury. It suggests that he was an Indian practitioner of yoga who had a new 26 + 2 asana routine, designed by him for human perfection. The show follows how, in effect, this was a product he sold in incomprehensible numbers in North America. His classes had an energy that can be best described as volcanic. From interviews shown, it appears that many were tranced by his passion and vigour.

He was crude with his instructions, but in a manner that seemed acceptable to most of his students and his family. They worshipped his mission for fitness and growth. While all this may have been someone’s truth, the series explores how this was a façade for a cruel con. With allegations of sexual exploitation and commercial misrepresentation, it appears that he was far more than “just a yogi”. How far can one go before one is publically tainted as a pathological liar?

BIKRAM Docuseries Trailer

3. Don’t Fuck With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2020)

“He’s going to get the attention of the world now.” – Deanna Thompson

This 3-episode limited DocuSeries explores perhaps the most horrific true crime to have ever been made available to the public. The show follows social media detectives, interviewing them on the events of this crime that was recorded and uploaded on the internet. As the story unfolds, the “internet sleuths” recount instances of trauma and exasperation as the account continues to post mind-numbing content similar to that known to come out of the dark(est) web, if not worse.

Authorities get involved as evidence of a criminal mind are made obvious through rather creepy narcissism. As various questions about his identity arise, viewers still struggle to grasp the depravity of the person who posted the video content. While the show eventually answers that question too, it leaves viewers baffled by a world that obviously exists but dramatically shocks when disclosed with such detail.

Don't F With Cats Docuseries Image — Source: Netflix

Is justice delayed justice denied? The societal pressures to leave no stone unturned make us wonder if the burden of policing such gruesome crimes is indeed as high as claimed. Worse, one is also forced to stress brain cells over what could possibly make someone so insecure or shaken that they could dwindle down such nasty paths. As these documentaries uncover rackets of their own accord, one wonders if media or social media intervention is what it takes for people to pay attention.

Don’t Fuck With Cats Docuseries Trailer

Let us know what your thoughts on these True Crime DocuSeries are in the comments below!

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Beyond Good and Evil 2 Trailer- Honest Breakdown

Posted on September 7, 2020September 7, 2020 by Khush

By Faras Sait

Amidst all the delays, we have been waiting ages for a sequel or in this case a prequel to the classic and ever-loved action-adventure game – Beyond Good and Evil. With its humorous and easily lovable cast combined with groundbreaking gameplay mechanics; the first installment quickly caught the attention of several gamers when it first dropped way back in 2003.

Ubisoft debuted a brand-new trailer at E3 that dropped jaws, alongside the infinite amounts of excitement it spurred amongst gamers around the world, the trailer created more questions than it answered. So, lets breakdown this trailer and point out what you may have missed.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 - 1 — Source: Ubisoft

Watching the cinematic trailer, it is quickly apparent that Beyond Good and Evil 2 is switching up the setting from the first installment and this time moving to outer space. This setting, however, is made especially unique when you realize that there are 2 galaxies colliding with each other. Getting a closer look and we are now settled in the outer rings of one of the many planets. As the camera pans inwards and zooms in, with the tiny ship being dwarfed with little icy planet-sized asteroids, we can fully appreciate the absolute vastness of the area that players can play in.

With characters being the heart and soul of Beyond Good and Evil, we are introduced to the first character, Uma, the chief medical officer. Uma seems to be some sort of dubious oracle and it is with all her religious markings that make it clear that she is a devotee to Lord Shiva. This signifies that she has Indian origins. And yes, the game has been confirmed to take quite a few inspirations from south Asian culture, with one map even being called “Ganesha city” that we get a beautiful glimpse of later.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 - 2 — Source: Ubisoft

We also see that despite being so far away from Earth, the characters are very attached to their cultures and considering the fact that Beyond Good and Evil is set very, very far in the future, the characters make use of advanced technology while still maintaining their cultures.

In a move that made fans across the world blithe, Beyond Good and Evil 2 shows us our first glimpse at some remarkably familiar faces. A now much more detailed and better looking Pey’J and Jade that made fans of the series reminiscent of the days when the first installment came out.

Moving on we get a more detailed idea on the dynamics that run the game. The crew has been confirmed to be a very vital part of the gameplay, as a captain, gamers are able to recruit their own crews and the recruited crew members further enables the gamer to develop the equipment’s used on the ships in the game. Another game dynamic we see is the ability to jump from your mothership into a smaller ship. A cool feature apart from that is to then abort your small ship and use a little jetpack to navigate the space. this enables you to explore the smallest most intimate spaces to the vastness of space seamlessly and with ease.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 - 3 — Source: Ubisoft

As the mothership is engulfed in a space-tsunami, we are hit with another scene that gives us another sense of scale to represent the massive proportions gamers will have access to. We see a massive enemy ship overshadow the mothership and with its two side claws pinch onto the ship, grabbing it and holding it down. We also get our first glimpse at who attacked the ship, and from this scene, fans will instantly recognize from their signature armor style as the Alpha Section.

Between the 2 Alpha Section soldiers is Jade, the protagonist from the first installment. And a quick pan shows her epic Katana stained with blood signifying she had been on a savage killing spree before she appears in front of the cast. People who know Beyond Good and Evil one will also know that Jade had a dark past and considering that Beyond Good and Evil 2 is actually a prequel we can very much expect Jade to be against the crew of characters that we are otherwise so familiar with. With that, we can also expect the story to effectively explore this dark past that Jade had and eventually get a better understanding of where Jade comes from.

All in all, there is a lot to look forward to with this installment in the franchise and gamers can expect to get a gameplay trailer and subsequently a fixed release date by the end of 2020.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 Trailers

Do Share your thoughts about Beyond Good and Evil 2 in the comments section below.

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‘Knock Down The House’ (2019) – An Honest Political Peak

Posted on September 6, 2020October 2, 2020 by Khush

By Aishvarya Varma (fetuinyou)

Politics has always been a difficult terrain. Today, it is far more so. ‘Knock Down The House’ throws light upon the 2018 campaigns of four progressive Democrats that changed the way the world viewed politics. With the Trump Administration having been elected, Rachel Lears felt the need to highlight the benefits of an honest grassroots campaign. Finding women candidates who were endorsed by Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress, Lears began filming what is, arguably, the best political documentary of this decade.

‘Knock Down The House’ follows Amy Vilela in Nevada (4th Congressional District), Cori Bush in Missouri (1st Congressional District), Paula Jean Swearengin (United States Senate – West Virginia, Class 1) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York (14th Congressional District). Partially biographical, ‘Knock Down The House‘ explores the lives of these four women and the dilemmas that forced them to take up this mantle.

“If we elect working people, working people can have representation in Congress. We can change the way we see government, change the way we see politics in this country.” -Isra Allison, Brand New Congress

The four identified candidates had either faced or been witness to extreme issues in governance. Amy Vilela’s primary campaign in Nevada stood for free health care. Having lost her daughter over the semantics of health insurance coverage, Amy Vilela possessed the determination to remind all that there is no price for a life. Medicare for All was the obvious solution to a pained mother who discovers that she’s not alone. Over 35,000 Americans lose their lives annually to this very predicament.

Bush is a nurse in St. Louis and is also an ordained pastor. An extremely progressive asset to her community, Bush’s fight highlighted the need for minority representation. As a woman and a person of color, PAC money seems to have bought her a government that didn’t understand her or her community as it should have.

“The person I’m running against is complacent, but I’m not.” – Cori Bush

Swearengin represented a far more universal issue – the protection of the environment. Born to a coal miner, she highlights the risk of cancer that plagues her entire hometown. She has a strong agenda that identifies with the lifestyle that her community desires while concentrating on immediate control over all industry that releases fatal toxins. Today, this critique is one that can be seen to be far more important than one would have thought in 2018.

“If another country came in and blew up our mountains and poisoned our water, we’d have a war. So why is industry allowed to do that?” – Paula Jean Swearengin

The story that moves viewers most is that of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A bartender in the Bronx, Cortez represents the mission of the working class in a big city – Economic Restructuring. Cortez’s campaign involves higher minimum wages and other social security measures that are needed for the working class. Her campaign refused to access or promote large corporations, asserting that they do not benefit the largest stakeholders of NYC – the everyday working class.

“I’m used to being on my feet 18 hours a day. I’m used to receiving a lot of heat. I’m used to people trying to make me feel bad. They call it ‘working class’ for a reason, because you are working non-stop.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

In difficult times like these, finding alternate methods and agendas for lucrative campaigning is the need of the hour. When one says lucrative, one does not mean that it ought to be alluring, but that it ought to be gainful. ‘Knock Down The House’ depicts sheer honesty on part of these four candidates, highlighting simple stakeholders and uncomplicated belief systems. Often pushed down as an unsuccessful approach towards attaining a majority, ‘Knock Down The House’ proves that an honest grassroots campaign across severely affected regions is the key to building a new political network that cannot be defeated by money.

“I never saw myself going into politics, but now that I sit here in this room with you all, I just feel like we can only accomplish great things together.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Knock Down The House – Trailer

Knock Down The House – Netflix Documentary

Let us know what your thoughts on ‘Knock Down The House’ are in the comments below!

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Watch Dogs Legion: Trailer Review – What To Expect?

Posted on September 4, 2020September 7, 2020 by Khush

By Faras Sait

Over a year since Watch Dogs Legion was announced and we have finally got our hands on a spectacular cinematic trailer. And with this the recurring rumours have been confirmed – the 3rd instalment to the popular Watch Dogs series will indeed set you in the streets of futuristic London. One where mass surveillance and organised crime seem to be the norm.

It is quickly apparent, however, that Ubisoft is taking a slightly different approach with this instalment, especially when it comes to the setting. Though not quite post-apocalyptic, the trailer especially stood out for the comic book feel that it delivered. Deviating from the series typical dull and dark theme legion appears to be bold, colourful and very fast-paced but yet realistic for that matter.

In fact, if you feel like you’ve seen this style of presentation before then it’s because you probably have. This cinematic trailer was made and directed by the same crew that worked on the very colourful ‘Into The Spider-Verse’ and the 3rd episode in the ‘Love, Death and Robots’ show on Netflix. A truly unique yet beautiful style.

Watch Dogs Legion Image — Source: Ubisoft

Set in a post-Brexit London, following the scenes from Watch Dogs 2, the sudden development and innovations in artificially intelligent tech have further caused severe degradation to the British economy.

As a result of this, the accurate and convincing representation of iconic London landmarks like the Houses of Parliament shown are all surrounded by a slowly collapsing society. The capital is being torn apart by a bombing campaign and this fact is being taken as an opportunity by Albion – a private security company who amidst the events manage to convince the government that DedSec are solely responsible for the collapse.

Watch Dogs Legion Game — Source: Ubisoft

Having said that, the trailer follows a DedSec member (a resistance movement made up of hackers that the player will be in charge of alongside the countless characters you can recruit) as he makes a spectacular escape from the clutches of the government, all through the colourful streets of dystopian London where surveillance and organized crime are around every corner.

At the very end of the trailer as the DedSec member is seen almost apprehended, she is confronted by a taxi driver that chooses to help her escape. This is a key feature that was slyly portrayed in the trailer – a never seen before and unique to this game is the feature to recruit. Legion has been confirmed to feature the ability to recruit characters from around the city into your resistance group – DedSec.

Watch Dogs Legion 2020 — Source: Ubisoft

Having recruited characters you are able to form a whole roster that you can make use of in various ways throughout the game. Each character can be assigned into one of 3 classes, each with unique skills and tools to enable the player complete different missions. The categories include – enforcer, infiltrator and hacker. With each having a unique set of skill that differently enable to complete different levels. For example a spy or even a construction worker that you scout on the streets of London, the possibilities are near endless and quite possibly might be Watch Dogs Legion’s biggest selling point.

Watch Dogs Legion – Resistance Trailer

Apart from the new feature to recruit, we can still, in typical Watch Dogs fashion, expect the usual hacking aspect to the game. But this time possibly in an even more diverse manner considering the game is set in a much more developed and tech-savvy world.

Watch Dogs Legion – Gameplay Overview Trailer

Do Lets us know What your expectation from Watch Dogs Legion are in the Comments section below.

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Online Dating in 2020: ‘Love Guaranteed’?

Posted on September 3, 2020October 21, 2020 by Khush

By Aishvarya Varma (fetuinyou)

‘Love Guaranteed’ is Netflix’s latest romantic comedy! Releasing globally today, Damon Wayans Jr. brings a new delightfully light comedy to one and all. Starring Rachael Leigh Cook against Damon, the duo portray an Attorney-Client relationship for a rather intriguing case. Nick (Wayans Jr.) has been on one-too-many dates on an internet dating website that guarantees love. Are they liable when Nick claims that he still hasn’t found love?

“A lumbersexual? Oh, that’s a thing.”

With Attorney Susan Whitaker (Cook) having a reputation for fighting pro-bono cases for underdogs, it’s a surprise when she takes up a case against an internet dating giant. After an initial shock because of the sheer number of dates Nick has gone on, Susan slowly begins to realise that there is some merit to Nick’s case. As she ventures into online dating herself, “for research purposes”, she comes across examples that confirm Nick’s tragedy.

“Why do you think I proposed to Dante in only two weeks? It’s a jungle out there.”

The supporting characters in this movie are pivotal to the plot while being very heart-warming. Susan’s assistants can easily be rated as the nicest people on cinema. Roberto (Sean Amsing) and Denise (Lisa Durupt) are effeminate, selfless and nurturing in a way that only romantic comedies can offer. Both her assistants are hype-characters who look forward to Susan’s cheeks blushing a tad bit more. While the story’s candy positivity lies somewhere between the trifecta formed by ‘A Cinderella Story’, ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ and ‘The Good Wife’; viewers manage to find it engaging enough. Susan’s character is witty and solemn, leaving little room for plastic romance.

“There’s plenty of fish in the sea. There’s also plenty of trash.”

The centrepiece of Love Guaranteed is the quality of online dating. While Susan’s sister-in-law is a believer, none of the evidence helps Susan find credibility in online dating. Despite support from her local restaurant and no external pressure from friends & family, she very quickly finds that online dating is not just not for her, but most likely isn’t for anyone. She begins to take the case a lot more seriously after she discovers the true facts behind ‘the man’.

“You’ve got another think coming.”

Nick comes off as a very douchey man with a vengeance. Right off the bat, Susan has a hard time treating the case as any more than the only money-maker she’s had access to lately. Susan knows that he’s this tall, hot man who, most obviously, would be enjoying his privilege to break hearts. Love Guaranteed touches upon another important topic that plagues masculinity in 2020 – is it really that easy to judge a book by its cover? The case involves studying the facts of all these dates that Nick has been on. Even though he finds it easy to tag each date with a header matching a ‘Friends’ episode title, one would say that they weren’t as corny.

“Then let me do what I know is right for both of us, okay?”

As the plot unfolds, one-a-many dilemmas are struck-off both Susan and Nick’s checklists. Susan’s duty towards ensuring that the big corporate doesn’t play any dirty tricks leads to her being more solemn than the character introduced at the start of the movie. She works hard at making sure she can cheque a win in favour of the underdog, as is her duty. Little does she know that before being a lawyer, she’s a female protagonist in a romantic comedy. What does this imply? That is best told by the movie itself.

Love Guaranteed Trailer

Let us know what you think of Love Guaranteed Netflix Review

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Netflix’s ‘The Match’ exposes suburban Italian football

Posted on September 1, 2020October 21, 2020 by Khush

By Aishvarya Varma (fetuinyou)

Exploring the Italian love for football, Francesco Carnesecchi writes and directs ‘The Match’, originally titled ‘La Partita’. With its worldwide release on Netflix today, viewers follow passions that fuel football in the outskirts of Rome. Is this another movie like “Goal!”? To the contrary, I would say ‘The Match’ is an insightful commentary on how football affects suburban Roman families.

I don’t believe in God or miracles, and if any of you do, you’re mistaken. Here, you can only win by fighting. Don’t wait for help from the sky.

Claudio Bulla (Francesco Pannofino) has been the devoted coach of Sporting Roma, a suburban local football team, for 30 years now. Sadly, the team has never won anything so far. Despite Sporting Roma never having won, it has a steady set of observers. Antonio, the star player of the team, is determined to win. His father Paolo (Fabrizio Sabatucci) brings his daughter to the games, as he supports his son in his endeavours. There is a vibrant fever in the air as small crowds cheer players who aren’t known outside the town.

The Match Netflix Review — Source: Netflix

The endeavour for success isn’t unique to Claudio or Antonio. It appears that beyond football, there lie many more concerns for the people of this town. The families are struggling to pay bills – all for different reasons. This includes the President of the team, Italo (Alberto Di Stasio). As the movie progresses, we realise that there are many more characters who are juxtaposed between passion and poverty.

But children need to dream, am I right?

Earlier in the movie, there is a scene with Umberto (Giorgio Colangeli), who gives us a visual introduction to the best recipe for Guanciale. The enchanting way in which this food truck owner describes a local favourite suggests that there’s more to the writer using this analogy. If not, at least it reminds all of the importance of Amatriciana in the development of spaghetti, among other glimpses of Italian pride on his part.

The joy of passionate living bears certain costs. Football only seems to find funding at the pro-level. What are the economics of promoting football in suburban regions? How does one make this sustainable? Carnesecchi explores the different ways in which families in this town try to make room for sport. It is clear that Italo has a certain amount of respect for Claudio’s work, but how far will he go to protect it? How much does he care about Sporting Roma? These are questions that the movie raises throughout, as Italo tries to hold what was his together before it is stripped away from him.

’My word’, really? You really don’t get it? My word’s worth shit.

The film portrays honest dialogue among suburban families. Highlighting the frustration, devotion, care and critique they are bound to, Carnesecchi does an impeccable job at presenting daily ordeals. Discussing issues like acceptable social etiquette, religious faith, drugs and gambling as casually as he does, he makes room for tangible aggression that sets a twisty tone for the film.

With little to no humour, the film seems to find inspiration in the subtlety of an angry Tarantino-esque tool of dramatic exploration. Sharp, thrilling scenes raise smirks that are all too familiar or silently appreciate the attempt. Each character brings his or her own narrative, forcing viewers to slide far and wide before caving into an own goal. This was one of the few movies I’ve seen lately where every character undoubtedly adds a nuanced facet to the story.

While ‘The Match‘ doesn’t feel like a serious commentary, one has to credit the worldview with which Carnesecchi exposes suburban Italian football. It is a well-produced enjoyable family drama; with just enough action, gambling and substance abuse to let his message soak into fans of football.

Let us know what your thoughts on The Match (Netflix) 2020 Review.

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Is ‘Unknown Origins’ at the apex of Superhero Writing?

Posted on August 28, 2020August 29, 2020 by Khush

By Aishvarya Varma (fetuinyou)

With its worldwide release today, the Spanish movie ‘Unknown Origins’ evokes a smile among a very butt-hurt bunch. Ever since the pandemic began affecting the release dates for Marvel movies, fans of this genre are increasingly restless. Filling this void, ‘Unknown Origins’ brings fans a crime thriller whose drama matches the telenovela style of storytelling – a touch of comedic tragedy. Originally titled ‘Orígenes Secretos’, this story is of the birth of a new hero in the city of Madrid. It is an adaptation of David Galán Galindo’s 2016 novel.

“The best cops are the ones with that stupid sense of duty. It’s the angry ones that end badly.” – Cosme

The protagonist of this action movie is David (Javier Rey) – a cop who has recently transferred to the Madrid Police Department. He takes Cosme’s (Antonio Resines) title, who is an elderly police officer due to retire. As Cosme attempts to show David the ropes, they arrive at their first crime scene. To their surprise, this isn’t the kind of first case that David should’ve witnessed. The medical examiner Bruguera (Ernesto Alterio) explains that the murderer has taken a great effort to ensure that the corpse was presented this way. Eerily, Cosme and David are both forced to wonder why.

“My brother was a Gryffindor. I’m a Slytherin.” – Jorge

Cosme’s son Jorge is an entertainment store owner, specializing in superhero merchandise. That very night, when Cosme casually speaks to Jorge about the strange events of the day, Jorge reminds him that this is quite similar to what happens in the Hulk Origin Story! Yes, Hulk, from the Marvel Universe! Very quickly, more staged murders take place, resembling plots from other famous origin stories.

With Jorge being able to connect the dots so easily for very different reasons, David is forced to work with him. Jorge also informs audiences that he studied philosophy in university, which is “very similar to studying modus operandi in criminology”. Together they discover other cult collectibles in this investigation, including the likes of Game of Thrones and Kill Bill. In fact, it is Jorge’s knowledge of all the weaponry used in Lord of the Rings that leads them closer to the killer. Realizing that David is out of his depth, he spends EUR 145 in Jorge’s store to learn more about this “frivolous” world. This is the premise of ‘Unknown Origins’, the plot of which needs no more telling.

“It’s from China. They banned it in Europe ‘cause it’s fucking nasty.” – Jorge

As Jorge takes a larger role in the movie, the writers indulge in a very interesting plot point: the duality of masochism. David is a relatively poor and traditionally good-looking police officer. Jorge is a successful entrepreneur who was bullied in school for his weight. The contrasting characters bring forth an important perspective on money & power that forms the basis of the investigation itself.

The various reactions of secondary characters pick viewers out of their realities, dropping them onto a fantasy and picking them back up to drop them onto a different spot in their reality. This constant exchange between the crude reality of crime & police duty and the superhero fantasy stretches the narrative. David and Jorge’s investigation acts like the elastic band on which the plot is weaved. David’s boss, Norma (Verónica Echegui), is an interesting facet that anchors both opposites.

“Superhero? That’ll be stupid anywhere, but far more in Spain. Don’t be an idiot. What Spaniards have the least faith in is heroes. While England wrote King Arthur, we wrote Don Quixote. We think only a mad man does good.” – Cosme

With more pretend action and designer costumes that aim to compete with Edna Mode’s creations, the writers bring forth a very gripping thought. What triggers a hero complex? Is that the objective of a villain? Drawing parallels to Batman and Joker, the writers do a great job of evoking a much-needed discussion among viewers. The scriptwriter also throws in a hint when he gives the serial killer the same pen-name as himself.

Unknown Origins Review — Source: Netflix

‘Unknown Origins’ is not a great superhero movie in terms of action or drama, despite being categorized as an action thriller. In my view, the film is a well-thought casual montage of every relevant & known superhero reference that corroborates the Hero Complex narrative. Jorge’s character adopts a Jack Black persona, while David is very Henry Cavill. With a tone that is a little more serious than 21 Jump Street, viewers still get to enjoy the drama from death and mayhem, with a climax that IRL vigilantes-at-heart only ever hope to come true. It is undeniable that the writing is a labor of love and major fanboying on part of both writers.

Let us know what your thoughts on ‘Unknown Origins’ are in the comments below.

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GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Review (PS4): a Hit or a fail?

Posted on August 27, 2020August 27, 2020 by Khush

By Faras Sait

Ghost of Tsushima – the latest open-world game from developers at Sucker Punch.

For video games, the visual presentation is a crucial first impression, and Ghost of Tsushima makes a powerfully striking first impression. Though it may not sport the most hyper-realistic animations like we saw in the Last of Us 2, it still doesn’t fail to make a statement. The aesthetically pleasing map is filled with architectural marvels and cultural splendours that accurately represent the time period that Ghost of Tsushima is set in.

Set in the Feudal era of medieval Japan – the 13^th century to be precise. The title features several assortments of shrines and various landmarks that each pay due homage to the culture from this era. Sucker punch clearly took great care to keep the game’s authenticity as close to real-life Japan as possible… and yes the storyline is accurate too – for the most part at least.

Ghost of Tsushima is a fictional tale that follows a fictional Lord Jin Sakai, however, it is all based on the very real invasion by the Mongol Empire that took place on the island of Tsushima. Gamers take control of Jin who starts off a samurai but a quick and disastrous defeat quickly teaches him that perhaps his ways and skills as a samurai are maybe not good enough to deal with this new threat. It takes a little while to get going from here as Jin starts to practice and learn new skills.

The sound and music employed for scenes in the game are perfectly orchestrated to prominently enhance whatever emotion the scene is trying to provoke. Also, the music seamlessly transitions between traditional shakuhachi flutes when in stealth modes to thunderous drums when the combat gets going. This little effect makes combat scenes all the more stunning.

Fighting like a true samurai – Ghost of Tsushima’s combat is like a tasty thick milkshake of everything you have come to love from the assassin creed and batman Arkham series but now with epic Kunais, Katanas and an arsenal of other more weapons. From the get-go it seems quite basic, with the light/heavy attacks, a dodge button, a block button and others. But, what really causes it to stand out and remain interesting throughout: is the addition of stances – each of which are unique to different weapon types. All this combined makes the combat in Ghost of Tsushima fast, chaotic and feels just like you’d imagine it to feel as an actual samurai.

Having said this however the stealth aspect is not the very best. The AI tends to make stumbles once you have been detected and at this point, the enemies just seem to not know what to do. Fortunately however Ghost of Tsushima makes going loud just as rewarding and advantageous as picking off enemies unnoticed and it does this ‘going loud’ in the most stunning way.

Complementing to the actual storyline, Ghost of Tsushima employs several different kinds of side quests in a successful attempt to keep gameplay fun. ‘Tales of Tsushima’ – the first and most common type of quests. These are largely forgettable but more often than not, present gameplay mechanics that you normally wouldn’t get anywhere else in the game. Apart from this, there are also the more impressive, character specific side quests that gives every major characters a nice character arc that in turn reflects in aspect of Jins’ journey through the game. These quests do also provide rewards as an incentive to interact with them. Providing charms that in turn can be used to pull out helpful upgrades to your character.

The final and most impressive quests are the mythic tales that are obtained by listening to a musician narrate a story through truly beautiful animations, and the rewards from these are the most valuable.

Finally, a true stand out feature that sucker punch thoughtfully added is photo mode. One of the best I’ve ever seen – and that is only partially because the game is just so beautiful but mostly because of the unique touches that enable you to change the backgrounds and even add an overload of leaves, fireflies and such.

Final verdict – despite its few unpolished areas such as the buggy AI and the off-point stealth action, Ghost of Tsushima constantly left me awe-struck with both its aesthetic spectacle and truly stunning combat mechanism. But in the end, personally, I was sold on the concept of a samurai themed game – that too in medieval Japan. A truly extraordinary action-adventure open-world game.

What’s your take on the game. Do let us know in the comments.

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