tasnimaxuddin Reviews

Jumping from High Places (2022)

Allora! It had promise at the start..

[5/10 · 1 November 2022]

I felt like I resonated with Sole a little, she had normal fears like getting a job and figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. And the scenes where she imagines that everyone is judging her were pretty realistic to me. The breaking of the forth wall was kind of overkill but that didn't stop me from watching.

The connections she made with her new friends and potential love interest Danio felt too rushed. I would have loved to see these relationships fully fleshed out so we could see why they happened. The last 10 minutes of the movie, she turns down Massimo (the guy she's been pining for her whole life) and realises she likes Danio.

However I did like how her fear of flying was handled. It was pretty realistic that her biggest fear wouldn't be conquered in one day and that she didn't have to rush into something she wasn't ready for. Sole's relationship with her mother is pretty sour but we don't know why and see no resolution to this. She doesn't answer when her mother asks why she wants to go to Rome. Indeed, we as the audience don't really know what plans she has in terms of her future. She likes to draw but even though it seems obvious to pursue this again, she doesn't.

I don't really know where this review is going, but I guess my point is the movie definitely had promise in terms of storyline and direction but it lacked a little something and the relationships needed more time to seem plausible. I don't know if I'd watch this movie again - it wasn't horrible just not great.

The Future Diary (2021– )

The concept is refreshing and different

[7/10 · 9 February 2022]

This isn't really reality (though it is scripted at points on purpose by the production team), there's only one couple throughout and you get to truly see their relationship grow from strangers to someone they found themselves falling for. At first I thought it was cruel to make them separate at the end, knowing they would fall in love but when they were given a chance to meet again and stay in contact I was over the moon crying for them through my tv. There is truly no show like this and I can't WAIT for a second season.

Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)

Just wait and watch people!

[6/10 · 9 September 2021]

The episodes so far are slowly moving towards the big reveal which I'm excited for. Yes its a slow burn so you do have to wait. I've read the book and I also was initially annoyed at the details missed out in the tv show and the fact that it was revealed they were being drugged so early on. But I trust the process, the author Liane Moriarty is a producer on the show and I like that they've added in extra details that we would have never known from the book like showing more into Lars' childhood bullying.

Another thing yes Nicole's russian accent is annoying but I'm seeing a lot of people who obviously haven't read the book keep asking in the reviews why the character is Russian at all. All the characters have been made American but they needed to keep Masha Russian because that's a big part of her character. The fact that she feels the need to 'punish' them because she had a rough and poor upbringing compared to their cushy lives.

Kate & Leopold (2001)

Watch for Hugh Jackman's Leopold and forget the rest

[17 June 2021]

The cuteness of Leopold kept me going through this storyline. One of the things that irked me was that Leopold who grew up in Sussex and went to 18th century New York adapted way too easily and quickly to 21st century New York, and he somehow understood what everyone was saying. The romance happened as as expected and 3/4 of the way into the film I was beginning to wonder when they are going to explain the time travel element and how Liev Schreiber played into all of this. Kate in the end throws away her career that she worked hard for and that was that. I watched this last night and had almost completely forgotten what I had watched.

Sweetness in the Belly (2019)

Doesn't hold a candle to the book I'm afraid

[4/10 · 8 June 2021]

I watched this movie straight after having finished the book - which was my mistake. I guess I didn't see the movie for what it was on it's own. I thought Dakota was amazing and the actress who played Amina stole my heart. Yahya Abdul Mateen was a good choice for Aziz I believe. The problem was with fast pacing, and the fact that some scenes just don't make sense unless you read the book and understand it more. Characters were not as fleshed out as was needed to truly sympathise with them and understand why they say the things they do. Of course in just under 2 hours we can't expect the film to show everything that happens in the book, but some pivotal points like how Lily and Aziz eventually got together was skimmed over in the film for me. Overall it managed to find it's way through the plot but failed to fully capture the soul within sweetness in the belly,

Ophelia (I) (2018)

An adaptation I'm never watching again.

[4/10 · 16 December 2020]

Being an avid fan of Hamlet and having seen many film adaptations, I was looking forward to seeing a tale told from the perspective of one of the most pitiful characters in Shakespeare's play, Ophelia. However, I struggled understanding why the story was changed so dramatically to fit around Ophelia and Gertrude's new storylines. The female empowerment was something I was prepared for but not the way it was incorporated into the movie.

The set and costume design was perfectly fine, for that I give it 4 stars.

Gertrude here is deprived of being a wife and she doesn't seem to be respected by her husband so she turns to her brother in-law where she receive ample of lover-like attention. I feel that this change was unnecessary, had Gertrude and the King's relationship been good before his death, her character would have appeared somewhat guilty of marrying his brother not long after his death but she didn't. This would have added dimension to the character but we get none of that. The ghost of the King is reduced to a fleeting dark image on the ramparts and Ophelia is the one who sees it, not Hamlet. Ophelia gets to play the role of the King's ghost for Hamlet essentially, revealing everything she knew from finding poison in Claudius' cloak. I felt the poison in the cloak was a pretty cheap reveal, this is supposed to be a huge moment and it ruined all the intrigue and suspense. Ophelia only finds out because she sees him in the woods coming out of the healer's home. Another unnecessary addition was the character of the queen's sister, the healer. Her only purpose was to give us some insight into how evil Claudius was before he had even killed his brother - labelling his own wife as a witch but the story would have been the same without. The character of the healer also introduces Ophelia to the venom that she uses to fake her death, Ophelia's tale was always supposed to be unfairly tragic but instead she lives on and has Hamlet's child. Huh?

In this revised tale of female empowerment Ophelia is still clinging to the man she loves - who also just killed her father but she doesn't really care about that. The scene of Polonius' death was really done so badly it was sad to see, the film doesn't explain why Hamlet was in Gertrude's bed chambers or why he stabbed Polonius thinking he were Claudius. Claudius' famous prayer scene where we catch a glimpse into his mind after he watches the play was sorely missed. Hamlet's character is a whole other problem, instead of a quick witted but thoughtful character who takes his time deciding on how to take his revenge, he draws his sword on Claudius in front of everyone as soon as he has confirmation Claudius really did kill his uncle.

The fight scene between Hamlet and Laertes was very rushed but the outcome was the same. What I didn't expect was for Gertrude to kill Claudius it was a huge turnaround for her character who up til now had known that Claudius had killed her former husband but really didn't seem to care. It was only after he allowed for Laertes to kill Hamlet did she strike him, perhaps showing in the end she was a greater mother than she was a wife.

If you did manage to read through my whole review you'd understand where I'm getting at, this was just really horrible compared to other Hamlet adaptations. I was originally intrigued by the idea of the different female perspective but they really could have done so much better with it, without butchering the play as they had done.

Rocks (2019)

Reminiscent of Nobody knows but set in Urban London and shown through a gritty multicultural lens.

[8/10 · 19 October 2020]

I may be a little biased here because this movie hits very close to home, the socioeconomic status of Rocks, the council flats and ghettoised neighbourhoods, the slang it's very much what living in East London is like. So kudos to the director for giving a real insight into what life is like for Rocks and people like her. As she tries to avoid social services, pushes away her true friends and steals from Roshe you find yourself pained by her choices and how they affect her little brother Emmanuel but you also have to remind yourself she's just a child. And yet we see her take on the responsibilities of looking after her brother and making sure they stay together no matter how hard it is.

Little Women (2019)

A very unique take on a story that has been adapted many times.

[7/10 · 5 September 2020]

I think this movie was very well casted with performances from the greatest young actresses of our time like Saoirse and Florence leading the movie. Well actually perfectly casted bar Chalamét, and I say this not as a jab to his acting abilities but because he really does look perpetually sixteen as someone has already stated. I feel an older actor would have been able to convince us better and allowed us to differentiate between past and present Laurie.

I appreciate how Greta has told this story that is as old as time in a way that is much more receptive to modern audiences. The themes of feminism and attitudes towards marriage are more prominent in this version and helps bring a new light to characters like Amy and Meg who weren't given as much chance to shine in previous versions. We get to see Amy and Laurie's relationship actually become something other than a few fleeting scenes before they are apparently wed. It felt right to see that get explored.

Yet, I do have some qualms about a few changes Greta made that perhaps didn't work as well into the movie. Beth's death is a scene that usually milks the most emotions and grief but in this movie it was not really done justice due to pacing it felt lacklustre. Also another direction that Greta chose to take was pushing Jo and Friedrich's relationship as a friendship until the very end when Jo realises she loves him. In this way the ending suffers as it's hard for us to believe they love each other when we are shown nothing to suggest that besides a few glances and smiles between them. The mentor/mentee dynamic is non existent and this is what their romantic relationship in the book was built on. There was no common interest of transcendentalism or anything further than liking Shakespeare (a scene which was just tossed in). I would have liked to see their relationship start from something so we can appreciate how they end up together that much more.

I love this version for taking a new approach but I also think in some areas the changes and the effect of pacing on the storyline delivery hindered the movie from being better than it could have been.

Little Women (1994)

A very finely done remake

[8/10 · 4 September 2020]

I absolutely loved watching this and taking it all in without feeling compelled to compare it to other versions because this is the first one I have seen. The relationships between the March family and the people who come into their lives are convincing and real. If I were to have any qualms about this movie it would probably be that it didn't feel clear to me which character Samantha Mathis was playing until later when I had realised she was indeed an older Amy. The casting choice was perhaps the problem, four years later in the storyline Amy would have been a lady of society so about sixteen but she looks the same age as Jo. I later found out that Samantha Mathis is actually much older than is implied of her character, in fact much older than Winona and Claire and that makes it confusing and makes it hard to believe she is supposed to be Amy.

Wolf Children (2012)

Will not disappoint.

[8/10 · 5 August 2020]

I just realised that Mamoru Hosada also directed summer wars, the girl who leapt through time and Mirai. I thought the animation style seemed familiar. The movies mentioned above were amazing but I feel like wolf children takes the cake. Truly unique and interesting throughout. I love that every choice and action is poignant and meaningful. Hana indeed raises her two wolf children to the best of her ability and that scene where she calls out to Ame at the end was heartbreaking to watch. Yes that one scene in the beginning treds the line of beastiality a little but all it is there to drive the plot forward.

The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)

You know what's gonna happen but you watch it anyway

[26 July 2020]

Every teen movie sequel netflix has been chewing out somehow follows the same tropes. Introducing new guy we've never seen before (in TALBILB 2 it was John Ambrose) to shake things up. As the movie progresses the main female grows further apart from her boyfriend due to misunderstandings and what have you and grows closer to the 2nd love interest. They have undeniably chemistry and the movie makes you want to root for them instead of her and her boyfriend. They share a kiss and you think it's a done deal she obviously have feelings for John Ambrose/Marco but no. He's not the one she's in love with after all. The female protagonist realises her feelings in the end (cue running towards each other scene), clears up the misunderstandings and it's happy ever after all over again. The John Ambrose/Marco character's sole purpose is to sway her feelings and in the end make her realise her feelings for Peter/Noah are true and worth fighting for. The fact that Noah's on the film poster and not Marco made it clear from the start that Marco was never going to be the one for Elle. Sigh. I really liked him.

What I did like was the friendship between Elle and Lee it's probably the best part of the movies.

From Me to You (2010)

It was so-so

[5/10 · 24 July 2020]

This version stayed pretty true to the manga and the anime. For any movie adaptation there are going to be the issues of skimming down the story. The content from the manga and the anime had to be told in a 2 hour window. The storyline is not so smooth but you get the general gist of the movie and it definitely appeals to its target audience as it is a shojo romance after all. This is why I gave it 4 stars. Oh and because I love Haruma Miura (RIP 😭)

The reason why I didn't rate it any higher is because to me the characters are not delved into much, we only see whats on the surface and the characters come off unconvincing at times. For example we see Sawako interact with Yano and Yoshida twice or so and suddenly we are expected to believe that they're such close friends that Yoshida and Yano would care so much about their friendship with her and vice versa. Also the director chose to leave out Kazehaya's dog Maru which meant we didn't get to see Kazehaya and Sawako bond over those scenes with Maru. It is during these scenes in the manga and anime that we see Sawako noticing how caring Kazehaya is. The character Kurumi had virtually no purpose in this movie, we don't see her get close with Sawako at all so it would be difficult to understand why Sawako trusted her so much. Kurumi's purpose is to help Sawako realise how much she actually likes Kazehaya but we don't really see that besides the scene where she convinces Sawako to talk to Ryu. Also in the anime Sawako misses the christmas party but Kazehaya waits for her afterwards and they meet. It's here she gives him a present. In this adaptation Sawako simply misses the christmas party and that's that.

Basically to sum up the previous paragraph by choosing to leave out scenes that show the growth of the bonds between the characters the movie suffers immensely. The flow of the story changes here and there and we don't get to understand why the characters made choices and felt a certain way. Sawako still doesn't explain to Kazehaya why she rejected him. It felt a incohesive and jumbled.

What Will People Say (2017)

Didn't love it but I didn't hate it.

[5/10 · 8 May 2020]

I gave 5 stars not because it was unwatchable or out of place but because a few things brought down my rating. First of all in the beginning her traditional family really aren't that traditional and strict, she still does what she wants when she's not at home i.e, the drinking, clubbing and getting friendly with white boys. She is very westernised but she can't let that show at home. She knows when she's at home that that is when she must hide all of her 'liberal activites' and at least pretend to be a good pakistani daughter. All she had to do was not get caught by her parents. I'm sure all brown especially muslim girls can understand that, we know there's things you don't do in front of family it's just being smart. She did it all along but then she had to get caught in her house with a boy by her dad? C'mon girl you're better than that.

Obviously no one could have predicted what would come next except we could. Her dad was not happy and was heavily influenced by other members of the Pakistani community to send her back home to save face. It's all about honour and really nothing about religion or family. She lives with her aunt and for a while seems to be enjoying living with them. And then she starts to fall for her cousin this is the other part of the movie that annoyed me. She knows what her family are capable of doing to her if she gets caught with a boy again but she does it anyway. In Pakistan as well GIRL. In a country full of people like her dad. The police scene was so horrific I had to skip I don't know if that happens in real life but I truly felt sad for her then. The family find out from the police and her aunt and uncle are ready to point blame at her cos their son was innocent. It takes two to get caught kissing though? I know I've complained quite a bit so now I'll talk about what I did like. I like how the film handled the scene with the father on the cliff. It is a sad reality that honor killings still go on to this day and we see the father internally fight with himself. Does he follow suit and listen to what others say- control his daughter and do what he must to make sure she doesn't damage the family reputation? He decides to take a more humane approach this time maybe because somewhere inside of him he doesn't want to kill his daughter. And it should be made clear because people on here think honor killings are done in the name of religion. They are not. It has nothing to do with God and it is not condoned by Islam it is about man's hold on their honor and what happens what they think their female family members have destroyed it.

Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)

Great movie.. there's only one problem with it

[7/10 · 26 July 2019]

I liked the movie in general just as I suspected. And the kiss scene between Keith and Watts was so intense that I was convinced from that point on that Keith would forget all about gorgeous Amanda and realise that Watts liked him all along and that he likes her. But no, he doesn't even act a little awkward after kissing his best friend nor question his relationship with Watts at all until 10 minutes before the end of the movie after he had his fun with Amanda. His sudden a-ha moment wasn't really convincing, he had one flashback to kissing her and then we as the audience also then realise that even after all that he likes Watts. After seeing her the whole night, she being his driver and all, he didn't once think about why she bothered doing all that?