We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
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Alien Romulus: The newest instalment of the sci-fi-horror is set between the first two films of the franchise—Ridley Scott’s 1979 film ‘Alien’ and the 1986 movie ‘Aliens’ helmed by James Cameron. This one’s been directed by the Uruguayan horror filmmaker and follows a bunch of 20-somethings who devise a plan to get out of their planet in an abandoned spaceship. The catch: The spaceship has been hijacked by the violent alien species xenomorph. The film stars mostly up and coming actors like Cailee Spaeny (best known for ‘Pricilla’), Maya Hawke (Ethan Hawke’s daughter) and Archie Renaux (best known from ‘Shadow & Bone’).
Reviews are good. The Guardian calls it “thrillingly gruesome” and says that the movie “wisely pays tribute to its predecessors.” BBC News writes “Fede Álvarez… has triumphed with a clever, gripping and sometimes awe-inspiring sci-fi chiller.” Our take: We will take slow burn horror to jump scares anyday. Watch it in theatres.
Angry Young Men: The Salim-Javed Story: The definitive documentary series on the iconic and prolific Bollywood screenwriting partnership—Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar—is here. Spanning three episodes of roughly 45 minutes each, the series sheds light on the partnership’s beginnings in the ‘70s, the significance of ‘Deewaar’ and the duo’s first taste of failure. Die-hard fans can get lost in the treasure trove of interviews that make up most of these episodes.
Reviews are mixed to positive. Indian Express says the series “coasts on full-blown nostalgia and interesting trivia” without addressing some key questions. According to The Wire: “[Angry Young Men] feels cautious, and as a result timid, which is ironically the complete opposite of the Salim-Javed spirit”. Our take: It’s more of a fun trip down memory lane than a groundbreaking investigative piece. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
Drive-Away Dolls: Once the kings of black comedy, the Coen brothers have been going on their separate directorial ventures in recent years. The younger Coen, Ethan, helms and co-writes this one—in collaboration with his wife, Tricia Cooke. Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan co-star as two best friends who go on an impromptu road trip as a clean slate but get mixed up with incompetent criminals along the way.
Reviews are mixed. Empire says the film is “as furiously funny as it is helplessly horny” while The Atlantic says the “pointlessness is part of the charm”. OTOH, Washington Post warns: “Your mileage may vary to the point of completely sputtering out.” Our take: Be it one Coen or two, their films always bring the laughs with some cutting social commentary even if it’s not their best work. Check it out on Jio Cinema.
Secret Lives of Orangutans: Sir David Attenborough lends his voice to narrate the lives of orangutans living in the jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia. The 80-minute documentary film focuses on a family unit with grandma, mum and baby. The crew follow them for many months and capture the younglings learning survival skills by copying their parents, siblings and even friends.
Reviews are good. The Guardian deems it to be “frequently fascinating.” Times UK is of the view that it is “pleasant, undemanding and occasionally enlightening, but it lacks the rigour of his best work.” Our take: We are obsessed with David Attenborough’s narrations and our Sumatran primates. You can stream it on Netflix.
Here’s a new chapter…
Pachinko Season 2: The second season of the highly acclaimed Korean-language drama ‘Pachinko’ is here. The show is based on the plight and circumstances of a Korean family surviving in Japan as migrants. This season of the show is set across two timelines—one in 1945, where Sunja must make some difficult and dangerous decisions for her family’s survival in World War II Osaka, and the other in 1989 in Tokyo, where Solomon is finding a new beginning. You can stream the first episode now on Apple TV+, and new episodes release every week.
That '90s Show Part 3: The spin-off sequel to the immensely popular sitcom ‘That ‘70s Show’ returns to the fan favourites at Point Place, Wisconsin, for a third instalment of coming-of-age storytelling and summertime stoner hijinks. You can stream all eight episodes on Netflix.
Fresh off the big screen…
Kalki 2898 AD: After a money making run in theatres, the dystopian epic film is now out on OTT platforms. Directed by Nag Ashwin and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Prabhas, the film attempts to blend the historical mythology of Ashwatthama in the ‘Mahabharata’ and a sci-fi landscape. The reviews for the film weren’t as glowing as the box-office numbers, but the critics did praise the makers for their ambition. You can stream the Hindi version on Netflix, and the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam versions on Netflix.
