We recommend: The best new movies and TV
SatyaPrem Ki Katha: Kiara Advani and Kartik Aaryan fans can rejoice as they’re back together in a musical love story. ‘SatyaPrem Ki Katha’ follows the story of Satyaprem (Kartik), who falls for Katha (Kiara) and they hit it off but Katha has her own secrets which may cause their relationship to face a lot of challenges. The film addresses consent in marriage.
Reviews are mixed for one. The Hindu says that the movie “pushes a progressive thought in what appears like a dated envelope” but “once the social drama finds its voice, this Katha becomes worth listening to.” OTOH Indian Express finds that the “film buries a good idea beneath its overcooked plot.” Our take: While this sounds like another dramatic Bollywood movie, we’re looking forward to watching this with our families in theatres. The movie was released on Thursday, and you can catch it in theatres.
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny: If you’re looking for a nostalgic throwback, the fifth instalment of the Indiana Jones franchise has got you covered. ‘Dial of Destiny’ is set in 1969, Professor Jones (Harrison Ford) and his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag fame) are on the lookout for a dial created by Archimedes which allows its owner to control time. They have to protect it from a Nazi Jurgen Voller, who is trying to reintroduce Hitler’s ideology into the world again.
The reviews are mixed for this film but The Guardian says the movie still has a “certain old-school class” which viewers can enjoy. The New York Times notes that this movie is "overly strained" and it improves as the movies goes along. Our take: We are excited to watch the dynamic between Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge on the big screen and don't want to miss the finale of this franchise. The movie is out on Netflix.
Celebrity: Here is a k-drama pick. ‘Celebrity’ is a thriller series that explores the lives of social media influencers and how their fans know nothing about their personal lives. This story follows Seo A-ri (played by Park Gyu-young who has appeared in hit dramas like ‘Sweet Home’ and ‘It’s Okay Not to Be Okay’)—a social media celebrity who gets murdered by her own fan—and exposes the dark side of the entertainment industry and the luxurious lifestyle that comes with it.
Our take: The series is set in South Korea which is an undeniable culture hub right now. We are excited to dive deep into this show. ‘Celebrity’ started streaming on Netflix yesterday.
Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate: This documentary is about a nightclub in Berlin during the 1920s, which was a haven for the queer community at the time. The focus is on how Hitler’s rise to power snatched away many freedoms and rights from the community, and how it affected the club.
Reviews are good. Decider says “stream it” for “the film looks amazing—like The Great Gatsby but informational—and the information provided is given the right amount of emotional weight.” Our take: While there are many documentaries around WWII or Hitler, this offers a fresh perspective and premise.
Here’s a New Chapter
Lust Stories 2: The highly anticipated second instalment of the mega popular anthology series with short films on themes centering romance, love and, of course, lust, is finally here. R Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh and Amit Ravindernath Sharma are the directors on board with a talented pool of cast—including Tamannaah Bhatia, Mrunal Thakur, Kajol, Vijay Varma, Tillotama Shome and Neena Gupta, among others. The series drops on Netflix on June 29.
The Night Manager Season 2: This is a stylish spy-thriller about a night manager (Aditya Roy Kapoor) who brings down the business tycoon (Anil Kapoor) by becoming close with his wife (Sobhita Dhulipala) and son—with the help of an Indian government agent (Tillotama Shome). Season 1 did its best to lay down the plot for Season 2 to pick up and deliver the sweet action we all have been waiting for. The new season will exclusively stream on Disney+ Hotstar from June 30.
Jack Ryan Season 4: The fourth and final season of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan is also airing this weekend. The story continues after a six-month time skip and follows John Krasinski’s character as the deputy director of CIA, on a mission to investigate drug cartels, terrorist organisations and a domestic conspiracy. The first two episodes landed on Amazon Prime yesterday.
The Witcher Season 3: The hit supernatural series is superbly entertaining. It follows the lives of The Witcher Geralt of Riva—a skilled hunter who finds and kills mythical monsters and princess Ciri of Cintra. The first batch of episodes are likely to focus on the romantic relationship between the two characters. You can watch Henry Cavill’s last run as the face of the titular character in the episodes released yesterday on Netflix.
Fresh off the big screen…
Afwaah: Here is a film which Film Companion calls “cinema of dissent” which paints a picture on how “love jihad” plays out in India. The political thriller focuses on a youth leader of a political party Vicky Singh (Sumeet Vyas) who incites violence in a Muslim majority area and his fiancé Nivi (Bhumi Pednekar) who is disgusted by his nonchalance and gets caught up in a rumoured affair with Rahab Ahmad (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). The film released in theatres two months ago and is now available to stream on Netflix.
