We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3: Seventeen years on from its initial success as a remake of the 1993 Malayalam film,’ Manichitrathazhu’, this Bollywood foray into horror-comedy is now a trilogy. Kartik Aaryan returns to star as fake exorcist Ruhaan Randhawa, aka Rooh Baba, but the film trades Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh for West Bengal as its primary setting. The reason: Randhawa has taken on an exorcism case at a haunted mansion in a kingdom called Raktagat, where two spirits with the same name are in an eternal lafda. Will the real Manjulika please stand up?
There are no reviews out for this film yet. Our take: By now, we pretty much know what we’re gonna get with this franchise—a less progressive, less coherent cousin of ‘Stree’. Go for the laughs or the cast which includes Vidya Balan, Tripti Dimri, and wait for it, Madhuri Dixit. The film hits cinemas on Friday.
Singham Again: The Rohit Shetty Cop Universe is alive and well with the latest instalment of the ‘Singham’ franchise. The plot takes inspiration from the Ramayana—including an abduction and a battle of good versus evil—Ajay Devgn returns as Singham, with Kareena Kapoor Khan as his metaphorical Sita. Then there’s Ranveer Singh as Simmba, Arjun Kapoor in a Ravana-like villainous role, and Deepika Padukone joining the franchise as Shakti aka Lady Singham.
There are no reviews out for this film yet. Our take: The five-minute trailer and possible plot holes aside, a festive long weekend feels more complete with a masala Bollywood entertainer. ‘Singham Again’ releases in theatres on November 1.
Lucky Baskhar: Dulquer Salmaan plays Baskhar, a bank clerk who has it all—a stable job, and a happy family with his wife and kid. But his back is pushed against the wall for the lack of money. He decides to get embroiled in a shady investment plan which leads him to fortune, but also throws him into risk with money laundering. The film is originally in Telugu, but will also be released in Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Tamil.
There are no reviews out for this film yet. Our take: Dulquer Salmaan’s earnest clerk is a great sell, and the film looks slick enough for us to give it a go. It will be in theatres on October 31.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Ready for a nostalgic ride back to ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’? Only, this sequel follows adult Justin Russo (David Henrie), married to a normie Giada—with two sons Roman and Milo. Enter Alex (Selena Gomez) who brings a new problem child Billie to his home—asking Justin to be her mentor. And thus begins a new era of Russo wizard training.
There aren’t many reviews yet but ScreenRant gives it a glowing assessment: “‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’ tells its own new, enchanting, and highly enjoyable story.” Our take: This will be a sure pull for all Zinnenials who grew up watching it. The first two episodes dropped on Disney+ Hotstar yesterday.
The Substance: This sophomore effort by Coralie Fargeat premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, winning the award for Best Screenplay. Containing elements of body horror and social satire, the film stars Demi Moore as a yesteryear celebrity (meta much?) who is sacked from her most recent job on her 50th birthday. In order to relive her former glories, she consumes a drug off the black market and turns into a younger version of herself—played by rising character actress Margaret Qualley. But, but, but: there are some surprise side effects along the way. Dennis Quaid rounds out the cast.
Reviews from the festival circuit are excellent. IndieWire labels the film as “an immensely, unstoppably, ecstatically demented fairy tale about female self-hatred” and “the ruthless beauty standards that society has inflicted upon women for thousands of years”. BBC News loves the casting choices: “Moore is fearless in parodying her public image, Qualley showcases a wicked sense of humour as Barbie's evil twin, and Quaid hams it up joyously as an obnoxious, flashy-suited impresario.” Our take: Shades of David Cronenberg-esque body horror with unapologetically feminist themes? We’ve been hyped since May! The film will release on MUBI on October 31.
Here’s a new chapter…
The Law According to Lidia Poët: This Italian historical drama is based on a real person of the same name. She was a lawyer in a regressive society in the 1880s—before women's suffrage. The fictionalised story explores how Lidia—despite being disbarred by the court—took on cases with her lawyer brother and solved them. The new season drops on Netflix today.
Somebody Somewhere Season 3: The Peabody-winning show returns for a third and final season with Sam (Bridget Everett) who is still living the small-town life. But she must now focus on herself, while she faces major changes in her family of birth, and her chosen family, especially as her best friend Joel (Jeff Hiller) is moving in with his boyfriend. The first episode of the season is now out on JioCinema, with new episodes weekly.
The Diplomat season 2: The London-based political dramedy switches gears from the breezily awkward to the heavily intense in its six-episode second instalment. It picks up from a cliffhanger first-season finale in which the husband of US Ambassador Kate Wyler—played by Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell respectively—is targeted in a car bombing. In terms of political fallout, a lot ensues from this diplomatic incident (pardon the pun). All six episodes of this season will be released on Netflix on October 31.
Fresh off the big screen…
Meiyazhagan: This Tamil film starring Karthi and veteran actor Arvind Swamy received positive views upon release. Now, we can watch the “stellar performances” at home. The story focuses on Arul who returns to his hometown for wedding, after 22 years. He meets an enthusiastic young relative he cannot recall. The film follows their growing bond and ends with Arul finally remembering his beloved relative. You can stream the heartfelt movie on Netflix.
Thangalaan: Vikram fans gather around. This Pa Ranjith film—set in the Veppur village of North Arcot around 1850 CE—focuses on a clan of tribals of which Thangalaan (Vikram) is the leader. He and the village folk are recruited by British lords to find gold. What follows is a battle with a sorceress Aarathi (Malavika Mohanan) and Thangalaan’s will to lead his people back to safety. Why we are watching: Vikram got rave reviews for his performance. Watch it on Netflix.
Splainer team is watching…
Raat Jawaan Hai : This little drama with a big heart has been a great find for Prachi, amid the deluge of thrillers and reality shows on streaming platforms. It tells the story of three childhood friends who are now first-time stay-at-home parents. They navigate these challenges as young, modern parents would without the preaching. It’s relatable, has the charming sense of humor of director Sumeet Vyas, and fantastic performances by the cast: Barun Sobti, Priya Bapat and Anjali Anand. Watch it on Sony LIV.
Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born: This Kdrama has been on Aarthi’s list for a while. Starring one of her faves Kim Tae-ri (best known for ‘Sunshine’ and ‘Twenty-Five’ among many many more), this story is set immediately after the Korean War in the 1950s. She plays a pansori singer who strives to be a Korean traditional opera star. There are 12 episodes in the series and eight are already out on Disney+ Hotstar.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person: A French horror-comedy, the title alone was a massive draw for Aakriti, who will be revisiting this film over the long weekend, after catching it at a film festival last year. The story revolves around a young girl who is coming of age as a vampire, but struggles to meet her family’s expectations. She crosses paths with a suicidal teen, who wants to help her by being her first “kill”. Honestly, the less said the better for this entertaining gem. The film is now streaming on MUBI.
Gangs of London: This crime drama has been on Raghav’s radar ever since its initial release on UK screens during the pandemic. The reason: it comes from the violently innovative mind of Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans, who is best known for his trio of Indonesian action films—‘Merantau’, ‘The Raid’ and ‘The Raid 2’—that helped bring global attention to the country’s pencak silat style of martial arts. Evans has since moved back to Wales from Jakarta, and brings us this adaptation of a 2006 video game that focuses on London’s ethnically diverse criminal underworld. Warring families jostle for power after a prominent patriarch is assassinated—it’s a mafia premise we’ve heard before. But the series stands out in its execution, particularly in its fight choreography and balancing of subplots. You can immerse yourself in 18 episodes across two seasons on JioCinema.
