Newyorking Reviews

Made in Heaven (2019– )

Season 2 review

[7/10 · 11 August 2023]

I loved season 1 of Made in Heaven. It broke boundaries on a massive scale, and my Latina friend recommended it, showing how many boundaries it had broken. Everyone I knew loved it. I watched it multiple times eagerly awaiting season 2. Did season 2 live up to its hype? It felt like a let-down. For one, season 1's premise of one marriage per season with parallels in the leads' own lives worked quite well and tied it up well. Season 2 seems like a hodgepodge of things trying hard to be consistent. Every single episode is "woke". While I love how this show has touched upon serious topics, season 2 was like being slapped in the face in every single episode how being woke and diverse and different is ok. I like subtleties, I do not like being hit in the face multiple times. It is exhausting.

Karan, Kabir and Jassi keep going round and round in the same cycle, while Tara lands on solid ground but in the process loses her simple boyfriend who is just a good guy, the chemistry everywhere seems quite rushed, the couples all seem very mechanic.

Season 1 had heart; season 2 has moments of it but there is so much going on that the overall heart is completely missing. Season 1 showed us how the couple fell in love, season 2 couples and marriages are revolving around the other characters completely losing its roots. Is season 2 worth it? Yes. Everything - sets, costumes, are all stunning. But it is certainly a let-down from season 1.

Season 2 did not need all the celebrities because then it takes away from the heart of the characters and weddings. The director got too carried away casting her celebrity friends who really have no purpose.

Khoobsurat (2014)

Its a wonderful happy movie

[8/10 · 24 June 2022]

I have to start by saying that Farad Khan is everything!! So is Ratna Pathak Shah. And Kiron Kher. Ratna has become typecast in such roles after Sarabhai but she plays it so well! She was truly amazing. I didn't like the guy who played her husband as much, didn't have much mettle, but Farad Khan, OMG, he is absolutely amazing! Absolutely. Obviously since Sonam is involved in the making she has made it all about herself. In-spite of that this film works. You can take her in small doses. She tries too hard to be charming. She does look good but tries too hard, even the last song is all about her when it should have been about her and Fawad. I think it she had taken a slight backseat or a different actress would have made this film work so much more. But overall I still enjoyed the film. It provided good entertainment, I just wish we saw more of Fawad.

My Unorthodox Life (2021– )

Leading lady not really rootable

[5/10 · 19 January 2022]

I can relate to Julie, a little bit. Not because I belong to the same community, but all over the world there are similar communities and I had lots of restrictions as well that I rebelled against. Now I am in my 40s and have a maturity and openness to different views and cultures. I do not like Julia. She has been through a lot and made the tough decision to leave a community. But the series is scripted, and she constantly refuses to listen to what others want unless their needs align with hers. I do not like her as a mother either - she wants her kids to validate her and feels the constant need to be right. She is extremely pushy and disrespectful. I don't like the way she treats Ben and despite her trying to cause friction Bat doesn't let her. Worst of all is her treatment of Robert. Babysitting in Paris, really? She is super unprofessional and takes her kids everywhere. How does she have so much time? From reading about her, clearly her husband owns the company and she is just there. I found Robert to be the most likable and genuine and felt very bad for him overall. I like Bat, Ben and Shlomo. Julia is insufferable and her husband is a pushover who is a bad kisser. I watch this show in the background and am tiring of Julia's content talk about her past. I wish they used her company to breathe fresh air into the series with some fashion and creativity. So far I have not seen Julia as a smart or creative person, and going by her outfits she is so brand-heavy and really not creative.

Street Dancer 3D (2020)

Awful movie in memorable dance

[1/10 · 3 January 2022]

What a terrible movie, evident from the 3.6 rating on IMDb. Which century is Remo in? He put every single cheese in this movie and a completely mismatched cast. Varun can jump around like a monkey but dance he can't - Hrithik and Tiger do a much better job. Shraddha is an awful dancer and certainly no match for Nora. You would think Remo would balance that out by taking other outstanding dancers to support them, not so. The movie is so so cheesy and even the dances aren't fun, neither is the music. When you fail in music and dance in a movie about dancing, it's best to retire from the job. Even Prabhudeva was under-utilized, and we have seen how amazing he can be. The TV dance show is far superior to this. Please save your time and money.

Call My Agent Bollywood (2021– )

Worst show ever!

[1/10 · 19 November 2021]

This is by far the worst show I have ever seen. Here is why - it is completely word for word copied from the French version which is far superior. Why copy something to the point that everything has been taken plot-by-plot, even the actors look like the French version. And the lead role female agent is so so so bad, trying so hard to be a badass and failing miserably, not even coming close to Andrea. The daughter too such a try-hard with the clothing. I am so disappointed. I wish they had Indianized this version instead of copying the French version completely. Every single scene and plot is a copy. It is as if someone took detailed notes while watching that version and put it here, with the actors trying hard to copy the French. I would recommend you go watch that first and forego this one.

Anne with an E (2017–2019)

My first rated 10 show

[10/10 · 24 January 2021]

I have never rated any show 10, ever! But this one, oh my gosh, this one just blew me away. I read Anne of Green Gables when I was little and probably watched something too. So I was excited to find this on Netflix, can't believe I am watching it 3 years later! But go my gosh, the show just blew me away completely. It has heart, so much heart and soul. Anne is the lead, but Marilla and Matthew, their hearts and souls are dripping with the best things ever. Such fabulous actors. Everyone has acted so well. I loved Anne, felt frustrated with her, delighted in her carefree nature, and hated her for putting Matthew and Marilla and others in dangerous situations. I highly recommend this show. It is about an orphan and the people around her. I don't want to give away much, but this is truly a must-watch. Such a deeply heartwarming story, so acceptable of everyone, so inclusive. I love love love this show. And even more than Anne, I love Marilla and Matthew especially. He reminds me of my Dad! And the girls friendship, I so relate to that. Beautiful!

Mismatched (2020– )

Cute show with some issues

[6/10 · 22 December 2020]

This is a cute love-story, perfect for teenagers. It shows the trials and tribulations of young love. The show is quite modern with bloggers, shorts, and LGBQT. However, the concept itself is quite traditional- arranged marriage of 17 year olds. It doesn't really make sense. But if you put that aside, it shows Rigai as a very mature and solid 18 year old who wants to get to know Dimple better. I could not stand Dimple. She is annoying and arrogant, completely self-absorbed just like a normal teen. She doesn't know the meaning of love and relationships while Rishi is so mature, I see lots of problems in future. I was very disappointed with the ending. Kissing someone else is completely out of character for her. For someone who is so oblivious to love to go and kiss someone else just doesn't work for me. And then if they show her and Ridhi getting back together, that would ruin the story. Also, for a 3-months computer class the ragging seems unnecessary and unrealistic. Leave your brain behind and watch this for the fun, but be prepared to be a tad disappointed at the end.

Kapoor & Sons (2016)

Family movie with humor and great acting

[8/10 · 24 September 2020]

Every single person in this movie is an amazing actor except for Alia. More on that later. This is a family movie - think Six Feet Under, Bloodline, etc. Very well made, Rishi Kapoor is charming and funny, the couple is so normal with their fighting, the sons do an amazing job. A must-watch. The movie is fun too. The only issue was Alia Bhatt. Her poutines, bubbly nature, and overall demeanor scream over-acting and are very exaggerated and annoying. She doesn't know how to act and in this amazing cast she brings down the movie, I cringe every time she is onscreen.

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019)

As superficial as the actress in the lead role

[3/10 · 21 July 2020]

I was interested in watching this movie because Rajkumar Rao has been doing a lot of good work, and Anil Kapoor is a fabulous actor. I have also liked Sonam Kapoor's romcom movies. They aren't top grossers but I have found them entertaining. She usually brings the fashion. Unfortunately here she has completely failed. The movie is focused on the LGBQT community and is a bit realistic. However, Sonam cannot carry a movie. She is not a good actress and cannot carry a heavy topic. The story requires acting way beyond what she brings as a nepotism actress. She has no chemistry with her co-star/lover, her lover is there just as a prop to carry the story ahead. There is zero chemistry which makes it hard to root for them or even feel anything. Rajkumar has done his best with a bad screenplay. Anil Kapoor truly steals the show. When he reads his daughter's diary and understands her plight, his heartbreaking reaction is the only part where I actually felt something. Overall a very predictable movie, lacking depth; it is as superficial as Sonam herself. The screenplay, dialogues, and Sonam's acting brought it down. Sonam's makeup is also bad and looks so cakey throughout. This topic requires a much more powerful actress to emote and make the audience root for her. The only thing I learned from this movie is that Sonam cannot cry to save her life! Her crying moments are cringeworthy. And it is hard to feel empathy and understand why people "mean-girl" her knowing that she grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth (her own words) and knowing that she is a product of nepotism and belongs to the Karan Johar gang.

Indian Matchmaking (2020– )

Represents arranged marriage process with some problems

[7/10 · 18 July 2020]

I like this show. I went through an arranged marriage process 20 years ago and would never ever put my kids through it or recommend it. I relate to this show a lot but it has a lot of issues. First, I like the host, she is no-drama and tells it like it is without mincing words. She is correct in the way families think, and obviously most families choosing to go this route are traditional. A modern family would probably not encourage arranged marriages. Being completely honest, a lot of the people wanting to get married aren't your typical good looking ones, they are pretty average, but sure if that is why they need a matchmaker to help find someone.

There are lots of likable characters, and the overbearing MIL make me fume because I could relate to it, and it is so representative of Indian MILs and mama's boys. I had a real issue with the host's not recognizing and respecting independent women. Aparna was so off-putting and arrogant. Pradyuman was also so arrogant, feeling like he deserved the best. All the arrogant ones wanted to marry up. Entitlement in the man and his family is so common, where the woman is expected to adjust more. I was fuming at Geeta's "women need to adjust more". Obviously given the largely traditional families' preferring arranged marriage, she wouldn't be able to get a good proposal for the independent constantly advice me to do the same. Then when the woman told Sima how Geeta hadn't been fully honest, Sima sent her to a life coach, for what? Just because she wasn't pleased that Geeta didn't tell her the guy was a divorce from the get-go? This is not something you hide. For most Indian families that is a deal-breaker and you have to be honest about it before the meeting is arranged else it wastes everybody's time. Sima completely wrote that off and sent her to a life coach as if it was her fault and because she isn't "photogenic" she wouldn't get a match. I have SO many issues with this show because it keeps the bad part of tradition alive, and the matchmaker's job depends on the patriarchal society, but it is truly representative of the culture. Truly representative. Which is the sad part. I would not recommend the arranged marriage process for anybody, the family pressure is awful and does not a marriage make, in fact too much involvement from the family breaks the marriage and causes a lot of pain for the son and his wife.

Sima also doesn't take accountability for her matches. While it is her job to match them and let them deal with everything like adults, she should have done something about holding the guy accountable who stood up the girl twice. Instead when the girl told her about it, Sima kept putting pressure on her to call him and find out what happened and also kept saying "give me good news". What good news? The guy stood her up and embarrassed her in front of her friends, please don't ask her to give you good news, the guy doesn't care about her and she will never be happy. So Sima just wanted to have a number of matches or a % of success in matchmaking and took no accountability. She can be very dismissive. At least she is not like Patty in Millionaire Matchmaker!!

Motichoor Chaknachoor (2019)

Very cute movie

[6/10 · 9 July 2020]

I liked this movie quite a lot. The cast is strong with very good actors, making it a joy to watch. Athiya Shetty wants to marry to go abroad but ends up next door. Nawazuddin is such a good actor, playing the comedic part so well. It is a cute love story and has its funny moments. The only issue I had, which is a major major major issue, is that the husband slaps the woman in front of everyone and she leaves his house, as she should. Yet nobody says anything to him, every single person expects her to forgive and move on, despite his using force on her for something that wasn't even her fault. Hence the 6 stars. Indian movies should stop being so patriarchal. Slapping a woman is unacceptable, it is domestic violence and the husband should go to prison. Instead, everyone tells the woman to move on instead of saying anything at all to the husband, there is even a song about it. Her own parents refuse to take her in and she has to go back to her in-laws place. Till the very end everyone holds her responsible and her husband is "poor thing" for slapping her and then trying to make good but never truly apologizing. I had such a major issue with this that I cannot watch this movie and accept that the Director is so tone-deaf about going this route. So yes I enjoyed the movie overall but this took away a huge part of an otherwise enjoyable movie. Please please stop making such movies showing that slapping a wife that also in front of everyone is acceptable and she has to move on from it while the husband is considered a martyr while everyone holds her responsible. It makes me sick to my stomach.

Inside Edge (2017– )

Very well directed but too dark

[7/10 · 16 February 2020]

I love watching Amazon originals. The direction of this show is amazing, and it is about cricket and movies, who doesn't love the world of glamor. I love watching this show and binge watched till episode 7 when it took a very dark turn. Vivek Oberoi, I don't know what to make of him, do I hate his acting or his character. It is just too dark, too too dark. Sometimes you need a dark show to have a hint of comedy or some humor to make it watchable and not-cringeworthy. This show has absolutely no humor, the cricket team is just not having any fun at all which we know isn't true, as a team, they should be close, know each others good and bad, and be able to take it with humor. This show misses out on that or even on showing strong teamwork because the entire focus is just on the dark, and the one main dark character. Other characters show shades of grey but not Vivek. So yes it is a bit of a turnoff and headache-inducing if you watch too much and I wish it had just a bit of humor and good to balance out an otherwise well-done series. It really needs to balance. So while the show has done an amazing job, and the cast is mostly good peppered with minor bad actors, it fails to capture fully.

Into the Badlands (2015–2019)

Too serious and drags too much

[6/10 · 6 January 2020]

I started watching this show and couldn't get into it a couple of years ago. I started watching again and really like Daniel Wu as Sunny, and like the diversity of the cast and the storyline. It started off really well and interesting, but the story got more and more strange as the episodes went along. The show itself has a good premise but it is just too serious. Everyone is just too darn serious about everything and the cast talks too much. The dialogues could use more substance, and the story needs to stop going around in circles. I had to forward season 2 and I can't get myself to watch season 3. It needs a soul and some humor.

Labyrinth (1986)

Not for kids

[1/10 · 6 January 2020]

I watched this movie with my 7 year old boys after reading reviews that this is for kids, and even 4 year olds would love it. The first 30 minutes in, the movie was very scary for my boys and the goblins are very scary-looking, the movie starts off very dreary and scary, I am not sure what part is child-friendly. I had to turn it off. I don't recommend the movie for kids. The goblins are scary and the starting concept is itself scary. It may have gotten better later, but we couldn't see past the first part.

Jumanji (1995)

Perfect for the entire family

[8/10 · 15 December 2019]

I decided to watch this movie with my 7 year old boys and absolutely loved it!! The movie is perfect for that age - suspense, thriller, kids, humor, and Robin Williams. I grew up watching him and miss him so much. He is amazing in the movie, and my boys really enjoyed watching it. I had purchased the game so surprised them with it after the movie and we had a fun game night. I highly recommend it for that age. The new Jumanji is geared more towards teenagers and adults with cheesy dialogues just to generate cheap laughs; this one is a classic. I wish they continued making these for kids, because the new ones are definitely not geared towards kids.

Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019)

Very nice insight into Bikram yoga

[8/10 · 3 December 2019]

I have friends who swear by hot yoga, and there are still centers in the US calling themselves Bikram yoga, so obviously Bikram is still making money from yoga. How did he get started and why did he become so popular? I see gurus like this even today displayed all day on TV in India and it is a constant debate between me and my mother about the authenticity of these people. When people have no hope in life, the desire to belong and feel wanted and a part of something is so strong that it overrules the mind. Bikram made his hot yoga a "thing" and his personality made people feel drawn to him because he stood out and was talked about by everyone everywhere. When I saw him on TV, I saw him as a disgusting man who pushed boundaries and in the process made a lot of money which went to his head, he thought he could do anything and demand anything. How did he get people to follow him? I found the documentary very insightful since I didn't know about the cases against him. Having said that, the quality itself is a bit lacking and not to the level of say Fyre Festival probably because as much information is not available about his personal life, which is probably why he got away with it all. It is still a very good watch.

Living with Yourself (2019)

One word - Paul Rudd

[8/10 · 28 November 2019]

Truly, Paul Rudd is fabulous. I love love this show. It is quirky, has dark humor, almost like a parody. The concept itself is ridiculous and so crazy, but Paul carries it off and makes cloning look like common place. I love love this show and am so happy to see Rudd because it is all about him and he does this show full justice. I highly recommend it. Wish it wasn't so short!

Heroine (2012)

What a bleak film

[3/10 · 28 November 2019]

I like Madhur Bhandarkar's movies but this movie was just too heavy and intense. It brings to the fore everything that is negative about being an actress. A couple of suicides in the film industry show how hard the industry is especially for women. Madhur tries to show that in this film, but the overall bleakness and everything negative about the Heroine's life makes it an overall bleak and hard film to watch with nothing to look forward to. I would skip the film. Kareena is a good actress but her acting here is too intense, probably because she is bipolar in the movie although that hasn't been explored much. In that, it feels ignorant. Overall the film was just a waste of time and depressing so much so that I had to forward the very intense parts.

Mind the Malhotras (2019– )

Like someone else said, wannabe

[3/10 · 27 September 2019]

I was excited to watch this show. I know someone related to someone involved in this show, and when she sent it to me I was excited because I love funny desi family dramas that are not the typical saas-babu types. This one was disappointing. First of all, I am not a big fan of Mini Mathur. I find her over-rated who used to screech on Indian Idol when I found the other host more pleasant. But I persisted. I couldn't watch beyond episode 1. This show is a wannabe, tries so so hard to be funny but really isn't. You can see the trying in every single episode. I was almost wincing at how painful it was, the trying so hard. Comedy has to be effortless for it to be funny, and the actors have to wear the character to the point where it doesn't look like acting. Here it seemed more like, someone said, hey why don't we have a Punjabi family film about us since the Gujjus have done it and are so funny. But this fails completely. I wouldn't even bother. It is just plain boring and uninteresting. The writers and director really should do a better job or hire someone else.

Juliet, Naked (2018)

Such a lovely under-rated movie

[8/10 · 3 March 2019]

I love love this movie. I watched it in the airplane, it was among recommended movies by British Airways staff, and I am so glad I watched it. I love Ethan Hawke, he has done so many similar romantic movies that have not been written or talked about but are wonderful. This is one of those movies. It is very realistic in terms of the characters but the story itself has humor and is heartfelt. I don't want to give the story away but there is charm to this movie that you can find out only if you watch it. I highly recommend the movie.

Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution (2012)

Don't know if it is true

[3/10 · 8 January 2019]

I watched this documentary after seeing the 7.4 rating, and was surprised to see how boring it is. First of all, the documentary is entirely from the American point of view which says that Americans won the competition with French designers. It was an American Revolution primarily due to usage of African American models and a couple of AA designers. Unheard of American designers went up against the top French haute couture houses. At no point is the French clothing shown, not even in pics, and some, just a handful of American designs are shown which pale in comparison. Anne Klein was one designer who went, I mean, Anne Klein went against the top couture houses. In which world? The people in the film keep saying Americans won, but not a single French person is shown so who knows what really happened? This is about a time period from before I was born, given the elaborate designs of couture houses from 10+ years ago, I highly doubt that the unknown sportswear designers who went against them "won". It is a pointless boring documentary that doesn't even seem correct.

The Romanoffs (2018)

Unpredictable, strange, riveting show

[9/10 · 28 November 2018]

I chanced upon this show while looking for quality TV and it did not disappoint. I am sad that it only has one season. It features some of my favorite cast members. The series is about the current descendants of Romanoffs. Each episode has a new story and cast but there are subtle connections between the characters. The writing and acting keep you totally riveted. There is some suspense too. I loved every single episode and highly recommend this show for quality TV. My husband likes more action with sunshine and roses so didn't enjoy it as much but I was glued to my screen. Watch it!!

The Americans (2013–2018)

The best show on TV

[10/10 · 24 May 2018]

This is THE best show on TV!!! It is up there with Game of Thrones for me. The story is about two Russian spies in the US. I love that the show is amazing due to its subtleties. It has an amazing cast, truly amazing, which encourages emoting without using words to drive home the point and build on their characters. I am watching the final season now and am absolutely hooked. I plan to watch it again from the beginning. I must have watched GOT so many times by now, at least 4 or 5 times. While The Americans is not as easy a watch for me to see it so many times, it is a little piece of treasure that should be on every must-watch list. And the best part is that at no point does it lose steam. At no point ever. Many shows get famous in Season 1 and get ruined either due to studio pressure, more budget, changes in directors, or an actor becomes Executive Producer and is envious of other characters becoming more popular and the shows become single-focused on one character, etc. At NO POINT does that happen with this show. It retains its tone, focus, and characterizations till the very end which is what enriches it, because how boring would a show be with focus on just one character. I have absolutely loved this show and am truly sad that it will go off-air soon. I am so surprised that it has not won any awards because the cast is so much more deserving than many other shows out there. Probably because it is so subtle and the marketing of the show is not loud. But really you must watch this show, else you are missing out. It is thrilling, subtle, emotional, and makes you root for the spies despite knowing what they are capable of and how bad they are for the country. You just can't help it. Matthew Rys is amazing, truly amazing, and while it is hard to empathize with Keri Russell she is amazing too. The show image says it all -- Keri has a gun in her hand while Matthew's hand is preventing her from shooting. That is the underlying tone throughout the series more towards the latter seasons, where duty battles with humanity.

Misfits (2009–2013)

Love this show!

[8/10 · 19 December 2012]

After Downton Abbey, I was having withdrawal symptoms and wanted to get onto a new show. Sick and tired of American shows, I decided to go British. I read about Misfits and decided to watch them. 1 season later I am hooked! I love that the people with super powers on the show are so normal, and instead of going off to become heroes they continue to lead normal lives.

Some episodes are scary, some hilarious, some keep you on the edge of your seat. I love the show and watched a marathon of 3 seasons. I couldn't watch after that because I heard Robert (who plays Nathan) left the show, he is the best part! He keeps things entertaining, so I just couldn't continue to watch. I will try to watch 1-2 episodes of season 4 and see if I want to continue.

The show is awesome, characters funny, normal, and strange at the same time.

Mumbai Diaries (2010)

Not sure what the hoopla is about

[2/10 · 30 October 2012]

There are so many good reviews about this movie, so I watched it also because it is produced by Amir Khan. The movie tries to be deep without really succeeding. Its a story about a few characters - Prateik plays a laundryman/dhobi, an immigrant photographer comes over from the US and befriends Prateik, Amir Khan is a divorced painter, and a woman records her life in videos that Amir finds and watches. I found Prateik the most interesting mainly because he had several shades - he was a wannabe actor, and interacted with a few different characters through his dhobi work. The immigrant was totally shallow, a typical photographer taking photos of every part of India and finding it all quite deep and profound, yet ashamed of letting her friends know that she knows Prateik. She was the most under- developed character. Amir Khan is just there as a painter. The worse part was that the immigrant slept with Amir the first time she met him yet was surprised that he didn't want to continue the "relationship" and considered it a one-night stand - duh, then don't sleep with the man the first night you meet him!

Overall, the movie tries very hard to be deep and falls short. It was a boring movie, with no character development. You really don't understand what the characters are about, what drives them, etc. The movie is also directed and edited poorly, some scenes are very abrupt. I am very surprised Amir did this movie, he must really love Kiran Rao. He is such a perfectionist yet he acted in such a horribly directed film. I don't recommend this film.

I usually love art films and have seen many many art movies, this one tries hard to be one but fails miserably.