MovieObsezed Reviews

W (2016)

Thrilling drama with a unique plot

[9/10 · 11 July 2017]

W: Two worlds is an exciting, fast-paced drama that will leave you constantly guessing on the edge of your seat. The storyline is extremely unique and the main leads did a fantastic job in playing their roles. The acting was powerful and I really felt for them in some of the scenes. Although there are a few clichés such as good vs evil, the plot is well written and pretty unpredictable. My only caveat is that some of the subplots in Oh Yeon-joo's world were not as interesting. Overall, this drama is a must-watch and most certainly among the best kdramas out there.

MasterChef Australia (2009– )

Most well-rounded amateur cooking reality show

[8/10 · 11 July 2017]

MasterChef Australia is definitely the best cooking show among all the ones out there. I have been watching this show since the 2nd season and I am always amazed at the quality of the contestants and dishes produced. Since it is a reality show, it does suffer from some over- dramatized moments and excessive crying in parts but the judges are great, especially George Calombaris, who is adorable. I also love how supportive the contestants are towards each other. To top it all, the recipes are actually posted on the Tenplay website and I for one love attempting such creative dishes.

Descendants of the Sun (2016)

Breathtaking visuals with a great cast and intense storyline

[10/10 · 11 July 2017]

Descendants of the sun (DOTS) is absolutely my favorite kdrama and is what got me hooked onto kdramas. There are several reasons for this - spectacular locations with great cinematography, amazing soundtrack and the perfect cast. The cast was especially impressive in their acting abilities and none of the actors disappointed. This is one of the few Korean shows where the subplots are just as enjoyable as the main story. The pacing is also good and I did not need to skip through any of the scenes. Although there are a few implausible moments, it is a riveting drama and definitely worth watching (preferably on a marathon)! I would give it a 9.5/10, mainly because it is exceptional in its genre.

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016–2017)

Interesting and visually appealing drama

[8/10 · 10 July 2017]

Goblin is a well-shot, stylish and artistic drama with some great locations. In addition to the cinematography, the soundtrack is also good and the plot is interesting. Despite a few extremely silly scenes, I enjoyed the bromance between the Goblin and the Grim reaper. That said, the female lead and the plot holes somewhat let it down. Although I did not hate Kim Go-eun, her character was not well-written and her inconsistent acting made it worse. Yoo In-na, the supporting actress, in contrast was impressive in her role and uplifted the drama. I also enjoyed the Grim reaper's romance more than the Goblin's. The ending was a bit incomplete and did not completely do justice to all the sub-plots. All in all, although a few elements prevented this from being an exceptional drama, it was nevertheless an enjoyable watch. 7.5/10

Dear Zindagi (2016)

Fresh take on the struggles of life in modern society

[7/10 · 25 November 2016]

Dear Zindagi is basically an introspective movie on the struggles that we all face and how to tackle them. The movie addresses several topics such as parents' separation, the social stigma of seeing a therapist and problems associated with dating and multiple relationships. These are issues that are generally frowned upon and not well accepted in Indian society. Dear Zindagi does a nice job in presenting these issues in a relatable manner which makes viewers sympathize with all the characters, even the divorced parents. Dating multiple men, especially for women, is portrayed in a positive light which is noteworthy. While both Alia and SRK gave commendable performances, my only complaint would be that SRK's role did not commence sooner.

Overall, although the movie dragged in parts and could have been more concise, the overall message was still beautiful which is to love life and all the ups and downs that come with it. Definitely worth a watch!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Bad acting with no plot whatsoever

[5/10 · 20 November 2016]

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of Harry Potter and JK Rowling's writing. This movie however was subpar in terms of quality of the script as well as the overall acting. The director tried to disguise the lack of plot by introducing totally random, disjointed elements which made the movie confusing. It was also slow-paced and unnecessarily dramatized in parts. The wizards seemed to possess powers akin to superheroes and the plot was inconsistent with the laws of magic that the Harry Potter series have established. Overall, this movie is an attempt to cash in on the Harry Potter franchise when it really isn't up to scratch whatsoever.

Pink (III) (2016)

Good one-time watch with an important message for Indian society

[7/10 · 19 September 2016]

Let me start off by saying that I applaud the director's endeavor in creating a movie centered on women empowerment and attempting to challenge the typical Indian mentality where women are concerned. Unfortunately, while Indian society has become increasingly liberal over the years, it still has a long way to go. Pink does a good job of highlighting the kind of behavior that is expected from women, which Amitabh Bachchan sardonically terms "rules of women's safety manual".

The plot however, was not without its weaknesses. The main argument made by the opposing counsel seemed baseless. The lawyer kept accusing the girls of soliciting and accepting money and yet did not produce one shred of evidence to support his claim. Therefore, a lot of the ensuing courtroom drama was spent on "he said she said" dialogue where it was one party's word against the other. Also, personally I would have preferred Taapsee Pannu's character to remain consistent. She was portrayed as a strong independent woman in the beginning who did not believe "she had done anything wrong", and yet, all the girls repeatedly broke down instead of being confident in sticking to their claims. Perhaps the director believed they could only elicit sympathy if they cried and thus gave in to the Bollywood penchant for melodrama.

Overall, the movie did a great job of relaying one simple message - just because a girl likes to drink, live independently, wear sexy outfits and basically have a good time does not automatically mean she is willing to sleep around. No means no and a girl has the right to withdraw consent at any time. On the whole, Amitabh Bachchan gave a dignified performance, suitable to his stature which made the movie a good watch. 7.5/10!

Madaari (2016)

A Wednesday gone wrong

[6/10 · 23 July 2016]

Having watched A Wednesday, I was really looking forward to another common man seeks justice movie that would be as riveting and suspenseful as the former. Alas I was disappointed! Madaari is a slow- paced movie with average dialogues that are only rescued by the acting prowess of Irfan Khan and the boy, Vishesh Bansal. If not for them, I might not have been able to sit through the entire movie.

Without giving away the plot, I felt that the reason Irfan Khan was seeking revenge against the government was not as justified and thus I was unable to root for him as much as I wanted to. The climax also felt underwhelming and lacked the necessary punch. Overall, the movie was too long and could have been so much more. 6/10