So you wanna watch something...
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Gather around Cumberb****hes. Benedict is back as sorcerer-superhero Dr Stephen Strange in Marvel’s latest offering. This time, he is tasked with keeping a multiverse-hopping teenager safe. The big thing about this movie: It is directed by Sam Raimi. Honestly, even the reviews—see Hollywood Reporter and CNET—are written for fans who are totally into this universe—and totally incomprehensible to anyone who is not. So we can safely say go watch it if this is your jam. The movie premieres today in theatres.
Thar: Set in 1980s Rajasthan, the film follows Surekha Singh (Anil Kapoor) as a no-nonsense cop investigating a series of violent murders in a remote town. During his investigation, he encounters Siddharth (played by his son Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor), a big-city antiques dealer who is new in town. The aim seems to be an Indian spin on the Western–meets-noir. There are no reviews as yet. But the locales in the trailer look stunning—that’s reason enough for us to give it a spin this weekend. ‘Thar’ drops on Netflix today.
The Takedown: Do you adore Omar Sy of delicious ‘Lupin’ fame? Well, then this movie is for you. Sy and Laurent Lafitte star as a pair of odd-couple cops whose simple drug case escalates into something much larger. There are no reviews yet, but this promises to be a fun buddy-cop adventure to watch over the weekend. Drops today on Netflix.
Saani Kaayidham: Arun Matheswaran’s revenge action-drama follows former constable Ponni (Keerthy Suresh) who seeks vengeance after her life was turned upside down due to the deaths of her husband and daughter. Ponni enlists the help of the equally vengeful Sangaiah (played by filmmaker Selvaraghavan) on her quest. Nope, no reviews for this one either, but it’s wisest to skip this one if you’re not fond of violence and gore. Catch it on Amazon Prime today in Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam.
A list of good reads
- We love this nostalgic piece by Venkat Iyer in Scroll on growing up in a railway colony in Mumbai.
- Also in Scroll: Shoaib Daniyal on whether Elon Musk will loosen the government’s stranglehold over social media.
- This Cut story made us laugh: While everyone is going broke trying to buy real Birkins, seriously rich New York women are flaunting their fakes.
- Los Angeles Times (paywalled) finally has the scoop on what really happened after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.
- BBC Future asks the controversial question: Is veganism always best for the planet?
- The Atlantic has an excellent piece on what the fitness industry doesn't understand—that not every customer is some young person looking to get super buff (and laid).
- Bon Appétit profiles a chef who researches diners online—and cancels reservations if he sees “misbehaviour.”
- BBC News has the story of an astonishing Kerala couple who lived through two separate international conflicts—the Yemen war and the Ukrainian invasion.
- Dear Gen-Xers, McSweeney’s welcomes you to the “middle-aged restaurant.”
