HuMan's MILLENNIAL REVIEW BLOG

Superman is a classic superhero. He has been around for almost a century and provided inspiration to children and adults alike. He has a certain righteousness that is unparalleled by any other superhero I have ever read about. He isn’t the best or most interesting superhero, but Superman carries himself in a status that isn’t built as easily as other people think. In this essay I will iterate why I think Superman is the morally best superhero and why being him is difficult. (And some thoughts on the 2025 movie) The most memorable thing about superheroes will always be their origin stories. Spiderman had uncle ben, Batman has his parents, and the Flash has his mom. Superman has no real tragedies that motivate him against evil. He has two healthy parents who just raised him to be a good person. Sure, he lost his entire civilization of Krypton, but he was a baby when it happened and maybe he may feel alienated (pun intended), but he cannot feel traumatized enough to do good because of tha...

  Ok, this might be my 4th draft of today. If I can't keep writing, it might be fatigue. But if I can, that's great too. (Ok yea, I am on the second paragraph, and I am definitely fatigued. Let's stick to one review per day.) Oppenheimer, I got to this move too late, I know. I watched it a whole year after the Barbenheimer thing happened. I saw Barbie sometime in fall last semester, but only now resolved to finally watch Oppenheimer. In my defense, it is a long commitment. 3 hours. Some old hindi movies used to be 3 hours and I could rarely tolerate those. I still remember how long the songs were in Munna bhai and Lage raho munna bhai. Regardless, now that I have sat through three hours of this beauty, what do I think? I think it was hella artsy. I haven't seen a movie this artsy since I used to keep oscar movies checklists back in 2019. I used to watch all the oscar nominated movies, and I would feel like a true connoisseur of sorts. 

  This will be another quickie. I missed this because I have been on hiatus from any marvel content in the last year. I have been making a comeback only because of Ms. Marvel. I should write a review on that, but it would be highly biased because I have a major crush on Iman Vellani and it wouldn't be a fair review. Regardless, Werewolf by night is a pleasant short film. It comes at a runtime of about an hour long, and is perfectly edited to introduce all the monsters it feels are relevant. There is a good 'twist' that I think most people saw coming, but one I did not so I thought that was great. The 'monster' is a welcome addition to the MCU as well and I love seeing his portrayal here. He is scary and has a great presence. Elsa Bloodstone is fun too. She is badass and mysterious, awesome in all the right ways. I find the fact that it's mostly black and white pretty interesting. There is a 'bloody' action scene that is very reminiscent of Kill Bill. The...

  I have seen 4 seasons of Trying now and it unbelievable that I have done that. Is it a good or bad thing that it is so forgettable? Trying is a decent show, might I say. I started it because I read multiple places that it was heart warming, and on par with Ted Lasso's cuteness. Yes, in terms of only that, otherwise, considering setting, story, and characters, Ted Lasso is so much better. This might be a short review, because I literally don't remember a lot from this so I shall hit you with the highlights. The main protagonist, Esther and Rafe are great actors, and they really draw you in whenever the show wants to hit you with the emotional 'life is hard' trope. However, the writing of the show doesn't complement these actors enough. The writing is fast, and edits out any weight in the show in exchange for cringe jokes and stretched out B plots I really don't care about. I really dislike the arc they took of Scott the Atlantic. I already hated the character, ...

  I do not know if anyone is gonna read this, but for context, this and the next 5 reviews were all written on the same day. So apologies if the quality of any of the reviews feels low (me pretending like all the reviews are earth shattering masterpiece essays). I still haven't zeroed in on what I do exactly. I don't review this stuff, because I need to review for someone, writing all this for myself doesn't indicated a review, more like a thought journal. Yea, they're jus thoughts. So what did I think of Lessons in Chemistry? My fingers have an urge to type out "Eh", but the truth is, it's more like "Ew". Let's start with the book, because that's what I picked up first. I saw Lessons in Chemistry being reviewed by my local library. In that review written by Mary I., she says "This story is rich and complex, the characters witty (the good ones) and sometimes unbearable (the bad ones,) and it is guaranteed you will not stop turning th...

  There is some wisdom here that tells me to upload the review of this before anything else because I am afraid I might forget what mental notes I made about the cheesecake. So ok, this is my first of 5 drafts, I have many articles lined up after this.  It was my birthday on 11 July, but I was quite busy back then, so I instead redeemed by free Cheesecake Factory slice on the 25th of July. I had a wonderful day, and I journaled it all so if anyone is interested  feel free to leave a like or a comment, and I might share that entry.  Focussing back, the cheesecake pictures above is a recommendation of the bartender there. I had come there twice before and tried the coconut cheesecake, and another flavor I am not able to properly recall. But I remember they were very stuffy. I had gone with one other person first, and then 2 other people, and it was hard both times to complete the cake. So I was aware that if I planned to have the cheesecake at 3 PM, I would have to mak...

Maharaja is a simple story of a father. This is a spoiler review, so yea. Look away if you haven't already seen it. As stated a million times everywhere, the screenplay of Maharaja is the standout feature. It is only a layer on top of a simple story of a father, and his vengeance for his daughter. I initially found it very engaging up until the 3/4th mark before the reveal that he was in fact not the one who was assaulted, because it was pretty obvious from the get go, that it was either something in the dustbin, or about the dustbin that he finds so fascinating. So the mystery of what this man was talking about, coupled with many instances of humor kept me quite engaged. Of course, if it was revealed early on in the film that such atrocities were performed on the girl, the movie would not have been able to hold it's comedic tone for any length of time after that.  After the reveal of the break in and the rape however, I was struck with a wave of sadness. Which is good, I think...

I have previously reviewed How to train your dragon on this blog. The third part to be specific. And in that I said I wasn't particularly fond of it because it felt less like a sequel and more like an add on or spinoff. Well, since then I have come to appreciate the fact that at least HTTYD never became a knockoff of itself the way Ice Age did and lost its initial identity in the process. The sea beast however, does that for HTTYD.  The Sea Beast features most notably the voice of Karl Urban, someone I recognize from the TV show The Boys, which is just fantastic in its own way. Regardless, one can barely tell who Karl Urban plays in this movie as his voice is as generic as possible. He rocks an Australian accent in the Boys and I honestly don't know if that is his real accent but that was what I was expecting. Either way, weak voice acting aside, all of the characters seem to lack polish in their personalities. There is nuance here and there in the plot, but overall they aren...

Recently, I had a quick fleeting recommendation to peruse George Orwell's 1984. Its increasing relevance in today's time period as social media sites and technology aim to do precisely that which is described in this book contains more forethought than one would expect from a writer during the industrial revolution. So I picked it up, as in, I downloaded an epub file from the internet and employed my trustee Google Books app to create a simulation of the book on my phone and completed it in a mere 5 days. Without giving too much away, the base premise basically describes modern-day China. In that, every single person living is under a regime that is constantly watching them. 1984 has a slight bit of confusion though.  Before it can really embed itself upon me as genuinely being a good book, it first has to decide what kind of book it is. 1984 takes ample time and liberal descriptions to describe each and every contemplation of thought that goes on in our protagonist's mind ...

 Jug Jugg Jeeyo is a film about divorce. As dismal as it sounds the movie barely treats it with the emotional gravity that a separation should bring. Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani do sport an engaging chemistry, which is why their separation makes us feel really bad for them. Still, then they get completely overshadowed when Varun's dad drops a bomb on him. If this movie had a stronger focus on separation it would be a significantly more meaningful movie with some really powerful scenes but instead it chooses to be an unexpected comedy of confusion in mind bending situations. It is as though if Marriage Story was shit. They could've done several things better, Manish Paul is misused as in many scenes he seems and sounds smart and then immediately disproves that in a later scene. The inconsistency in character is what bugs me. Anil Kapoor could've been a genuinely great role model on how compromising and maintaining relationships is integral to keeping any relationship but i...

  The most notable antagonist of Jaadugar is the protagonist themselves. Meenu's self destructiveness harms not only him but everyone he imposes his self-proclaimed 'true love' on. It is increasingly bothersome as the movie progresses because I personally grew to despise his decisions and need to achieve something with complete disregard for the people who care for him so unconditionally. He repeatedly uses them, ignores them, and shuns them except to benefit anyone but himself.  The performance of Jitendra Kumar as Meenu adds no flair to the character whatsoever. I guess I expected some kind of feigned emotional weight whenever he tries to deceive or inveigle someone. But it is so apparently obvious that he is faking it that even in the in universe characters catch it in one go. On top of that it is no joking matter whenever he attempts to manipulate someone. He consistently forces his love and how he perceives it and does everything in his way, which while reiterated seve...

  The south Indian film industry is one that is appreciated almost all over India. With its tacky action and unrealistic depictions of heroes, the films nonetheless succeed in presenting a competent entertainment experience. Personally, that was the case for Bahubali and now Vikram. The excessive use of CGI, prevailing of good over evil without any gray area or personal dilemma. Vikram even features a detective helping out a vigilante who is technically carrying out terrorist-like operations. As an ardent fan of Batman and the principles that he operates with, the confidence that this is all depicted in with respect to opposing a simple villain is too lightweight. Beating up anyone who opposes you, supremely vilifying someone who runs a drug ring, or to the downright slightly inappropriate treatment of women characters. There is a heartfelt scene when Kamal Haasan treats a prostitute with some kind form of affection but that is defaulted later on with the death of another female ch...

  Doctor Strange back in 2016 was arguably one of the most visually bizarre cinematic experiences. That was until 2018's infinity war and afterward every MCU movie aimed only to one-up one another in terms of graphical spectacles. The focus, however, of that movie was very well balanced. It didn't linger on the scene with the butterfly in space. There was the whole arc of Dr. Stephen Strange going from arrogant surgeon to one who attains enlightenment as destiny to protect our universe as we know it.  The threat he faced was Dormammu, a multi-dimensional entity that devoured and enslaved civilizations (rang some bells very similar to Galactus from F4 back then). The doctor now faces a unique problem. A fellow avenger hell-bent on acquiring a power I will not describe to avoid spoilers. But, keep in mind, that watching WandaVision helps experience this movie from Wanda's point of view. Otherwise, it ends up looking like Dr. Strange stopping someone from doing wrong. The stro...

  At this point, it is either common knowledge or one of Henry Cavill's most attractive traits that he is a gamer. At least to me, it is. The guy was severely misused as Superman and according to recent news, he is humble and innocent enough that he sold the rights to his face to Netlfix (I honestly expected from Netflix). But anyway, putting aside the suspicious decisions being taken by Netlfix as of late I wanted to talk about seasons 1 and 2 of The Witcher. Season 3 will be coming soon, and so will The Boys but I ended up watching the first season during my exams to destress and the 2nd one on my train return trip from Mumbai.  I thought it was amazing! The extreme levels of sci-fi explored in the show were something if asked to me directly I'd make a face that emanates an emotion resembling the phrase "ew", but no. I think I felt that way because the show only focuses on its strong fictional ties to the books only to describe basic details but rarely do they dwell...

 Moon Knight has to be the first MCU show I actively procrastinated on. I was busy with college and exams and honestly, it seemed like a luxury time thing. And it was, I saw it soon after my exams, my Mumbai trip, once everything wrapped up I ordered a burger and a Belgian waffle and sat down for a 6 episode long binge with 0 interruptions.  All MCU shows seem to run this formulaic course of action, where the 4th episode is generally the mind-blowing containing element. It isn't different here however the 4th episode contains the key to what is actually going on. So the first 3 episodes I was very confused. It doesn't introduce any of the characters and doesn't establish any backgrounds. The first episode launches our protagonist into the clutches of the villain and we just keep drawing our conclusions as the episodes keep running. As much as it can be put off as clever writing it can be pretty off-putting especially since I need to know what I am watching. Epic fights and ...

  Originally Published: 4th January 2021 Movie: Tenet I actually liked Tenet. Kat looked really hot and captivating, and yes, it did counteract the extreme unnecessary and forced evilness of Andrei Sator. Priya also had an engaging on-screen presence. The Protagonist seems so lost yet trained for the entirety of Tenet. And Neil has to be the best part about Tenet. As for the movie, it is depicted and treated in a very filler or prologue kind of way. You know how in Nolan's Batman each movie felt independent and enjoyable on its own, Tenet feels like the upcoming follow-up will truly and properly explain and do justice to Tenet. However, it waits to reason whether or not the public is willing to wait. I really did still love the sci-fi concept of it. It felt new and unexplored. Something I would watch more if better refined. Maybe next time focus less on the logic and just get to the epic action set pieces pls Nolan. Originally Published: 5th January 2021 Movie:  WW84 Are u fuc...

  Going through life's ups and downs one eventually in today's times resorts to self help books. Prior to this one I read The Secret. The main point of The Secret over its entire run was to think positive and to think of only good outcomes and to manifest it to yourself. Letting the power of the universe serve you. Go Suck a Lemon isn't much different. Repeating one ideal over and over again till it embeds itself into your natural thinking and instincts seems to be a pattern that works pretty effectively. However while The Secret comprehensively bombards you with examples from all walks of life and all accounts of individuals from various backgrounds who are all in their own right successful, Go Suck a Lemon is a much more personal account of Dr. Micharl Cornwall. So much so it also includes a whole chapter deticated to his down syndrome sister who taught him a good few lessons on emotional intelligence. The mantra repeated in this book is of taking ownership of our emotion...

You know, I for one really agree with how this movie is called “The Hidden World” and not just part 2, like its predecessor. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is in very little ways a full sequel, more like a stretched epilogue so it’s easier to say goodbye to your favorite lovable characters, I have been a fan of this franchise ever since the first How to Train Your Dragon came out. I absolutely loved the characters and also related them all to real people in my life. So it really got me thinking as to why this movie wasn’t just called part 3. Now, to be honest I wasn’t very impressed when I first saw the trailer. The featuring of a female white light fury seemed like a bit of a stretch to me and I was afraid that my favorite franchise would end in steaming hot mess. However, gladly that is not the case, on the contrary, it just serves as a super satisfying end to the series. The light fury can sometimes manage to come off as very annoying but otherwise she is kept to a...