We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
Gladiator II: Back into the Roman empire, ‘Gladiator II’ takes the story forward from the 2000 film ‘Gladiator’ starring Russell Crowe as Maximus. This sequel features Paul Mescal as a grown up Lucius, who must return to the Colosseum as a fighter to save Rome from tyrannical rulers. Denzel Washington plays a power broker called Macrinus, while Pedro Pascal plays a general named Marcus Acacius, who was trained by Maximus.
The reviews are largely positive. The Guardian calls the film a “gobsmacking reboot” praising the performances by Washington and Mescal in particular. Variety was less impressed, calling the film “about as good a movie as we could have expected it to be.” Our take: We’d love to dive right into a massive Ridley Scott canvas that promises to be a popcorn entertainer. You can watch the film in theatres.
Say Nothing: This nine-episode long series is based on an acclaimed non-fiction book by journalist Patrick Radden Keefe about the history of the Troubles—the nationalist Northern Ireland group—responsible for the vicious cycle of violence in the country. The plot concerns the kidnapping of Jean McConville. She was eventually murdered by the IRA and accused of passing information to British forces. The show parallelly follows the story of the Price sisters who join the IRA.
Reviews are good. Financial Times is of the view that the series is “compellingly acted and carefully constructed”. However, Hollywood Reporter aches for more: “Each of its narratives comes with a different imperative, and each is conveyed with a different level of success.” Our take: We will tune in for the necessary history listen. You can see it on Disney+ Hotstar.
The Day of the Jackal: This cat and mouse chase between MI6 agent Lashana Lynch and master-of-disguise assassin (played by Eddie Redmayne) is the newest spy thriller on the telly. The best easter egg: character of Jackal is inspired from the 1971 novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth, which was also adapted into a movie in 1973.
The reviews are great! ScreenRant is impressed and says: “‘The Day of the Jackal’ proves that a series can have fight scenes, shootouts, and car chases, all while being interesting and well-written.” The Guardian calls it “highly enjoyable, trigger-happy stuff.” Our take: Watching Eddie Redmayne for 10 hours? Yes, please! The series dropped on JioCinema.
An Almost Christmas Story: This feel good short film is a product of Disney. The animation uses wood-cut characters and stop-motion. The story follows a little owl named Moon (Cary Christopher) who gets separated from his Papa (Jim Gaffigan) mid-flight and gets stuck in a tree which then gets sawed. He eventually lands up in the hands of Luna (Estella Madrigal)—a kid who helps him navigate the streets of snowy New York. The best bit: The run time is below 30 minutes.
Reviews are sweet. Collider says despite the “familiar beats” the short “has enough charm and personality to make up for that.” Our take: Who doesn’t like a warm and cosy film learning about the spirit of Christmas? You can catch it on Disney+ Hotstar.
St. Denis Medical: Taking the sitcom genre back to the medical world, ‘St Denis Medical’ is set in an underfunded, overcrowded, but understaffed hospital in Oregon, US. It follows the doctors and nurses trying to do their best for the patients that walk in, while trying to maintain their own sanity, and taking care of each other in the process. The show has been created by Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer, both of whom worked on the entertaining workplace comedy, ‘Superstore’.
Reviews are decent. Variety calls it a “winning workplace comedy” whose ensemble cast is a “likable lens through which to view some grim, intractable dysfunction.” Decider is more on the fence, and wishes the show was funnier, but suggests you stream it because it is “a pleasant watch with some nice performances”. Our take: We’d pick a medical sitcom over a medical drama any day, for a relaxed watch. The first two episodes are out now on JioCinema.
Here’s a new chapter…
Silo Season 2: The Rebecca Ferguson-starring sci-fi is premised on a postapocalyptic world where thousands of humans live in a huge ship called silo. The people inside are governed by certain rules—one of them being you cannot go outside. Anyone who questions them, is sent out and they immediately die due to the uninhabitable conditions of the environment. In the last season, Juliette (Ferguson) goes outside but discovers something life-changing. This season we find out what the silo really is and how humans came to live in it. You can stream it on Apple TV+.
Bad Sisters Season 2: The dark comedy is back for a second season, where five sisters plot to kill one of their husbands, who has wronged each of them in one way or another, giving them all motives. The second season revolves around the youngest sister Grace getting married, while the shadow of what the sisters have done looms over them, possibly throwing Grace’s impending marriage in jeopardy. It doesn’t help that the investigating officer still doesn’t believe that “The Prick” died by suicide. The first two episodes are out now on Apple TV+.
Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2: ‘Cobra Kai’ is a spinoff series of The Karate Kid franchise—made by creators of the cult comedy ‘Harold and Kumar’. This is part two of three of its final season which focusses on characters Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence—who fill the shoes of the OG Cobra Kai in the upcoming world karate championships. The episodes are out on Netflix.
Fresh off the big screen…
The Watchers: This is the first feature film by Ishana Night Shyamalan—yup, the 24-years-old daughter of ‘Cabin in the Woods’ director M Night Shyamalan. The story is based on the AM Shine novel of the same name and stars Dakota Fanning in the lead as Mina. The plot: Think ‘Cabin in the Woods’ but more sinister. Mina encounters a supernatural kidnapping where she and others are stuck inside a house in the middle of nowhere and are ‘watched’ by a mysterious fear mongering creature. The movie has been streaming on Jio Cinema since Thursday.
Deadpool & Wolverine: For those who didn't catch this in the theatres, the wait is over. MCU superheroes Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackson’s Wolverine fight villains played by Mr Darcy Matthew MacFayden and Princess Diana Emma Corrin. Watch out for the special appearance by Peggy the pugese—Britain's ugliest dog—and Ryan Reynolds’ entire family. The movie is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
