We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
Kill: This action-thriller from Dharma Productions launches television actor Lakshya into Bollywood. He plays an army commando Amrit who takes the New Delhi-bound train with his love interest Tulika (Tanya Maniktala). They are on their way to talk her parents out of her arranged marriage but the train is attacked by a gang. Being the army man he is, Amrit vows to save everyone on the train—which results in a high octave action inside the compact train.
Reviews are surprisingly great. Film Companion says it is “slick, savage and supremely satisfying to watch.” The Guardian gives it a roaring review as well, calling it a “tasty piece of action cinema which doesn’t pull its punches; it’s finger-cracking good.” Our take: The story seems generic but count us in for the action! The movie released in theatres yesterday.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F: Get ready for a nostalgia-packed ride! The original cast of ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ reunite after 40 years for the newest instalment of the movie—the fourth in its franchise—lead by Eddie Murphy—who plays Axel, a cop at the Detroit Police Department. The plot is pretty generic—Murphy is sent back home as his daughter Jane’s (played by Taylour Paige) life is in danger.
TBH, reviews are mixed. USA Today says the police drama “does veer too earnest at times and is at its best when [it] embraces a sillier side.” Variety notes that the movie is better than its previous sequels. Our take: Recently, iconic cop films are getting a reboot (eg. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s ‘Bad Boys For Life’). While they seem generic, they remind us of why we love police action dramas in the first place. You can see the movie on Netflix.
Despicable Me 4: The latest instalment of this popular franchise is all about father and son bond. Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) now is a retired villain turned undercover agent of the Anti-Villain League (AVL). He now has a son with Lucy but for some reason, Gru Jr. despises him. Gru runs into a villain from his past, who hates him, and targets his family for revenge. How will Gru—with the help of minions (of course!)—save his son.
Reviews are not that great. New York Times writes the movie is a “messily passable iteration of the deliriously successful franchise”. Similarly, The Daily Beast simply is of the view that it “maintains its ancestors’ energy but lacks its wit and its heart.” Our take: The franchise has a loyal fan base and for a good reason: it is hilarious. You can catch it in the theatres.
Goyo: This Argentinian drama follows the story of an autistic museum guide and painter called Goyo—whose mannerisms are stiff and who counts the stairs on the stairway and if he misses a step he goes back and resteps and recounts. He eventually falls for a woman 20 years older than him—called Eva.
Reviews are mostly good. Decider describes Eva's character portrayal as “both alluring and complex” and “Eva is the film’s strongest dramatic force, and the screenplay wisely never overstates who she is or why she makes these decisions.” Our take: We enjoy films with simple and poignant themes. The film can be streamed on Netflix.
Sprint: The World’s Fastest Humans: From the makers of ‘Drive to Survive’—the one on Formula 1—this docu series follows the seven sprinters competing in the Paris Olympics. The episodes will follow the journeys of two American athletes, Noah Lyles and Sha’carri Richardson; three Jamaican sprinters Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson; Zharnel Hughes from England and the Italian runner Lamont Marcell Jacobs.
Our take: We couldn’t find reviews for the series but this new format combining televised content with the exclusive behind-the-scenes has been a success so far. We are looking forward to the Olympics Sprint as well. Stream it on Netflix.
Here’s a new chapter…
Mirzapur Season 3: The highly-anticipated season of the Indian crime-thriller web series that focuses on a succession within a gang is finally here. Headlined by the likes of Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi Sharma and Vijay Varma, the new episodes start off after the death of Munna Tripathi and Kaaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi) declared a fugitive. The new season dropped on Amazon Prime yesterday.
Fresh off the screens…
Bob Marley: One Love: This is a biopic of one of the most enigmatic musicians of the world—Bob Marley. The movie goes through Bob’s life, and his sensational career and examines his young legacy. Fair warning, reviewers didn’t like it much. For example, The Guardian is akin to “a reverent Hallmark Channel-type film made with the family’s cooperation” and it fails to “stir up”. However, it might still be a great introduction to the artist as most of his family was involved in the making. You can watch it on Amazon Prime.
