We recommend: The best new movies and TV
The Pope’s Exorcist: Horror fans, rejoice! Inspired by the true story of Father Gabriele Amorth—Chief Exorcist of the Vatican (played by Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe)—‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ is about this one case where a young boy is possessed by a terrifying evil. This leads Father Amorth on a journey to uncover conspiracies that The Vatican has been hiding for centuries. What will he discover, how will he banish the devil, and will he be able to stop his own possession?
The Hindu says it is a straightforward story but finds that “Russell Crowe has an inordinate amount of fun” in the movie. Indian Express isn’t impressed and notes that the movie “lacks imagination”. Our Take: From the looks of the trailer, this one seems to be a good balance of modern horror and the disturbing vibe of the original ‘The Exorcist’. Moreover, we are excited to see what Russell Crowe brings to this genre. India is getting an early release so the movie hit theatres on Friday.
Beef: Here comes an oddly satisfying story about people’s pettiness. No, actually, ‘Beef’ takes it one step further. This new 10-episode dark comedy series focuses on two obsessive characters played by the stand-up comedian and actress Ali Wong and the Asian superstar of ‘Walking Dead’ fame Steven Yeun who have, you guessed it, beef against each other. They try to one up the other by making devious revenge plans, constantly screaming and yelling and destroying property.
The show had a two-episode world premier and the reviews have been overwhelmingly good. The Guardian has high hopes for the show and says, “Beef isn’t afraid to go to dark, weird places, it looks beautiful doing it and the episode titles read like a poem.” Collider writes that it “rewards patient viewers with a layered exploration of mental health, human morality, and how everyday chaos shapes our lives.” AV Club deems it “one of 2023’s most fascinating new shows.” Our Take: We are loving this trend of seeing more Asian stars getting their due with characters who are more than just their race. ‘Beef’ started streaming on April 6 on Netflix.
Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now: This documentary offers an inside look at Capaldi’s career and focuses on the personal battles he’s faced while trying to finish his long-awaited second album. The documentary captures Capaldi’s vulnerable moments—whether that’s his struggle with mental health or his journey coping with Tourette’s.
The Guardian is mildly impressed and says that there are some “astonishingly frank scenes”. Indie Wire on the other hand says that the documentary is “at first satisfying and ultimately dismaying”. Our take: We love Capaldi’s ‘Someone You Loved’ and ‘Before You Go’ as well as his wit and humour. This documentary seems like a unique window into his life that we can’t wait to look through. The documentary came out on April 5 on Netflix.
Tiny Beautiful Things: This 8-episode series is an adaptation of the best selling novel of the same name by Cheryl Strayed. ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ follows Clare (Kathryn Hahn), a floundering writer who becomes a revered advice columnist while her own life is falling apart. An old writing pal asks her to start an advice column called ‘Dear Sugar’ which allows her to explore some pivotal moments of her childhood and early life through the lens of her present day.
AV Club loved the series and remarked that it “won us over, repeatedly reducing us to tears”. Collider thinks it’s “one big messy triumph”. Our take: We’ve read Cheryl Strayed’s columns and are excited to see how her stories are given life on the small screen. The show will be out on Disney+Hotstar on April 9.
