So you wanna watch something...
Escaype Live: Starring Siddharth, Jaaved Jaaferi and Shweta Tripathi Sharma, this nine-part thriller follows six content creators trying to make it big on a popular video app called Escaype Live. Escaype CEO (Jaaferi) announces a competition that offers contestants a chance to escape their “dull and boring” lives—setting off a disturbing chain of events as these influencers fight their way to the top. Yeah, it sounds like a ‘Squid Game’ ripoff. Firstpost has a bit more on the series, but there are no reviews as yet. We’re definitely interested enough to check it out. Drops today on Disney+ Hotstar.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers: This movie promises to be a lot of fun. It is not usual fare about cute chipmunks—but the actors who play them on a cartoon show. The show has been cancelled and the middle-aged duo are out of work—and struggling to stay relevant. The movie combines live action and animation much like ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’—and features cartoon cameos by Roger Rabbit himself and Bart Simpson.
The Hollywood Reporter called the film—with its stream of visual gags—“the funniest movie of the year so far.” Indiewire describes it as a “creative, clever watch” that cheerfully takes digs at Hollywood’s incessant remake culture. Premieres on Disney+ Hotstar today.
A Perfect Pairing: This is perfect romantic fare to watch while you’re not in a mood for anything demanding. Smart, sexy woman quits her job in LA and moves to Australia on a whim—where she meets a sexy, mysterious rancher. Yup, you know exactly what you’re getting. New York Times isn’t impressed but appreciates the Down Under vineyard setting. Variety calls it “charming, cute and fairly satisfying.” Watch it on Netflix.
Night Sky: Irene and Franklin York (Sissy Spacek and JK Simmons) are a retired married couple living a quiet life in the countryside—except for the teeny fact that they have a portal to outer space hidden under their shed. Things get complicated when they find a strange man in their shed—who claims to have come through the portal. The series has mixed reviews.
Verge calls it “warm, sweet, and occasionally heartbreaking,” but finds that the emotion is drowned out by the complexity of the plot. Chicago Sun Times says the plot meanders—but recommends giving it a shot for Spacek and Simmons’ performances. Check it out on Amazon Prime.
A list of good reads
- The Atlantic has a fascinating read on female incels—women who are involuntarily celibate—who mirror the rhetoric of their male counterparts.
- Also in The Atlantic: A mathematical formula to figure out exactly when you should show up for a party. (h/t subscriber Sowmya Swaminathan)
- The Guardian offers a stirring defence of the much-despised word ‘like’. It’s, like, y’know, really interesting:)
- Also in The Guardian: The surprising origin story of the Gua Sha—the wildly popular facial massage crystals. Nope, they have nothing to do with ancient Chinese practices.
- New York Times has a fascinating piece on a movement to reframe psychosis—a disorder that causes people to hear voices in their heads—as “nonconsensus realities.”
- The Quint profiles the popular Hindi novel ‘Rambhakt Rangbaaz’ and its author Rakesh Kayasth.
- Reuters has a very good piece on the state of play in the invasion of Ukraine—and the challenges faced by both sides.
- Indian Express looks at the state of Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani’s bank accounts—growing by the minute thanks to soaring oil and coal prices.
- Popular Science looks at rising human-tiger encounters in India. And while you’re at it, you can also check our excellent Big Story and podcast on the subject.
- Gizmodo tells you all about Thilafushi—the island in Maldives most of us don’t know about. It is made entirely of trash.
- Excited about cheaper, ad-supported subscriptions for streaming? Fast Company explains why ad companies are too—as it offers a new way to grab your data.
- Divya Ravindranath pens an emotional essay over at News9 on the relationship between the experience of physical pain and womanhood.
- Science Alert reports on the creepy fact that AI can predict a person’s race just from seeing their X-ray.