10 | Weekly Roundup #3

In this issue: Jury Duty, Class of '07, 7 Women and a Murder, Suzume, and Ghosted.

Why, hello there! Funny seeing you on a weekday!

Well, as you may have noticed, I missed my weekend deadline for the last three weeks. But I finally finished up this issue, thanks to the Labour Day holiday 🕊️

So here I am, quickly sliding into your mail and tempting you with some good things to watch. Let’s jump right in.

Jury Duty

Genre: Reality Drama

Language: English

Gist: Ronald is informed that he is called in for Jury Duty which will be filmed for a documentary. What he doesn’t know is that it’s all fake.

Review: You go into Jury Duty thinking there’s no possible way they can pull off a show of this kind: a 17-day elaborate prank where no one can break character, in a closed-off environment where there’s no control over the outcome. Even with the possible scenarios sketched out in advance, there are just so many things that could go wrong. This is improv comedy on the most lethal level!
The “hero,” and very rightly so, is the genuine, good-hearted, funny Ronald. The only reason why the show ended up being so wholesome is because Ronald responded to every eccentric situation he was put in with the heart of an angel — be it dealing with a narcissistic actor, a nervous outcast, or deliberating a verdict to an ill-prepared defendant.
If you don’t believe in everyday heroes, Jury Duty will provide some really compelling evidence. I rest my case, Your Honor.

SYWT? Yes, please.

Class of ‘07

Genre: Dramedy

Language: English

Gist: An apocalypse hits when the class of ‘07 is celebrating their reunion, forcing them to be stuck together, trying to survive the end of the world and worse… their unsolved toxic issues from their school days.

Review: Australian dramas and comedies are my latest discovery and I have loved immersing myself in the little that I’ve watched so far, including Class of ‘07! First of all, an all-women ensemble? Big YES. Not only are their characterizations very individualistic, but they are funny to the core. One of the things I loved is how such a cast decision allows you to inspect the different facets of female relationships, something you don’t see often on TV, and definitely not in this amount.
Much to my happy surprise, I also realized that the show was borrowing themes from Lord of the Flies¹, which examines primal instincts, morality, and groupthink — Essentially, in a life-or-death situation where no rules apply, what are we as humans willing to do to survive? If you’ve ever found this book intriguing, Class of 07 is a brilliant gender-flipped exploration of the same.

You will like Class of 07 if you liked … Yellowjackets, Heartbreak High, The Society.

SYWT? Right this instant!

7 Women and a Murder

Genre: Mystery, Comedy

Language: Italian

Gist: When the family patriarch is murdered in his own room, the seven women in his life take it upon themselves to discover who among them is the culprit.

Review: 7 Women and a Murder was nice to look at, but otherwise was a complete waste of my time. I’m quite a forgiving reviewer, so you know this is quite a serious allegation.
By the end of the film, I gauged that the story was more social commentary than mystery but even then it felt outdated. The story itself was adapted from Robert Thomas’ play and perhaps it no longer has the same impact as it did when it was originally published. Or, maybe the film failed to capture the essence of his writing. Whatever may be the case, it falls short of being anything remotely entertaining or thought-provoking.

Similar to 7 Women and a Murder … See How They Run, Murder of the Orient Express.

SYWT? Nup. Save yourself those 90 minutes and take a nap.

Suzume

Genre: Fantasy Anime

Language: Japanese

Gist: Suzume comes across Souta who shoulders the responsibility of shutting down doors through which evil apocalyptic worms can enter. When Souta accidentally gets turned into a chair, it’s up to Suzume to complete his mission.

Review: Usually for Makoto Shinkai’s works, it’s the depth of emotions that I relish — he takes you to this otherworldly, larger-than-life state that makes you believe in fate, destiny, divinity. But in Suzume’s case, it’s the comedy I really got into. I don’t particularly remember him indulging in humor-driven scenes in his previous movies, but it is a more than welcomed effort and a side of his storytelling I’d love to see more.
What the audience can find solace in is the central theme of Suzume, which (if you look past all the action and fantasy) is about finding your home within the people left behind with you — especially those, who you think you’re a burden to. Suzume, herself, is a protagonist I enjoyed watching and one that left me with more courage than what I had while entering the theatre.
Cut points for the fact that I did think Suzume paled in comparison to Shinkai’s other films.

You will like Suzume if you liked … Your Name, Weathering with You.

SYWT? Without a doubt.

Ghosted

Genre: Action Rom-Com

Language: English

Gist: Upon being ghosted after an insanely great first date, Cole decides to surprise visit Sadie in London. Turns out, Sadie is a spy and Cole ends up getting kidnapped, tortured, and more, all before their second date.

Review: Did I give this film two points just for having Chris Evans and Ana de Armas in it, and one additional point for all the cameos they managed to bag? Hmm. It pains my heart to see Apple² stoop to a Netflix-level of entertainment, and how this got greenlit will remain a mystery to me.
I want to say that I enjoyed Cole and Sadie fighting because it seemed so much more believable than them being in love. But to be honest, none of the Armas-Evans interactions had any chemistry. Armas seemed to shout out dialogues instead of emoting them, and Evans, on the other hand, was just not believable as a helpless, physically feeble, dork in love. Even then, Captain America, did his best to assemble into a role that was clearly not written well nor made for him.
Notice how I didn’t talk about action-crime bits? Yeah.

SYWT? Just no. Watch them both in Knives Out instead.

This week’s issue has certainly been a mixed bag but that’s how it is sometimes! If you end up watching any of the above titles, do let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Before I go:

1. I can’t get enough of Adam Ellis’ comics!

2. If you’d like to read the previous issues, here’s a link to SYWT’s archive.

3. Looking for any title in particular? Cue the database — This has the list of movies/TV shows covered so far with ratings and links to the newsletters they were reviewed in.

4. What’s stuck in my head:

I promise to write to you on a weekend next time,

sal.

1. A book that I came to love during my second read.

2. Ironic as my next newsletter is about Apple’s hit shows.