We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
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The Penguin: The hotly anticipated spinoff to Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ finally hits OTT this week, starring an unrecognisable Colin Farrell as the titular villain alongside Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone. This miniseries takes place just a week after the events of the film, as it follows The Penguin’s rivalry with Falcone over who gets to control Gotham's criminal underworld. Expect violence aplenty with a heavy dose of Italian-American mobster accents inspired by ‘The Sopranos’.
Reviews are good. Variety loves the juxtaposition of Farrell and Milioti as a leading pair, while Chicago Sun-Times takes note of the “suitably noirish direction and cinematography”. Collider says: “[The Penguin] is no Tony [Soprano] by any means, as there are far more loud explosions and fights rather than rich character work, though he’s still given something more via Farrell’s performance.” Our take: You had us at Colin Farrell and mobster accents! You can catch it on JioCinema.
His Three Daughters: A touching and hilarious family drama, ‘His Three Daughters’ is about three disparate sisters who reunite in New York City to take care of their ailing father on his deathbed. There’s tension, there’s grief, and there’s love–all part of a bittersweet setup that spans three days. The film stars Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen as the three sisters, and has been directed by Azazel Jacobs.
The reviews are glowing. NPR calls it a “sharply written and beautifully modulated chamber piece”, and Washington Post praises the film as one of the best of the year, adding that “All three actresses do career-peak work in a talky but never verbose film”. Our take: This seems like the ideal cathartic watch at the end of a week and we can’t wait to immerse ourselves in the drama. You can watch the film on Netflix.
Agatha All Along: This is a witchy Marvel installation, starring the lovely Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness. The character first appeared three years ago in WandaVision and was revealed to be a super bad villain. But but but, she is actually an anti-hero. In the stand alone series, Agatha—trapped inside a human’s body—regains her powers and recruits her own team to help her get through the Witches’ Road. The cast also includes Aubrey Plaza and Joe Locke (from ‘Heartstopper’).
The reviews are mixed. USA Today writes: “‘Agatha is trying to do too many things at once… everything as confusing as possible.” OTOH, BBC Culture calls it “Marvel's "gayest" offering yet” and is gaga over the casting—especially the “outrageous sexual tension” between Aubrey Plaza and Hahn. Our take: We think this is the perfect start to the Halloween season! The first two episodes have been released on Disney+ Hotstar.
Jo Tera Hai Woh Mera Hai: A slice-of-life comedy about a man (Amit Sial) trying to con an older man (Paresh Rawal) into reverse mortgaging his house to him, ‘Jo Tera Hai Woh Mera Hai’ is a film that’s equal parts relatable and funny. It also stars Sonali Kulkarni and has been directed by Raj Trivedi.
There aren’t too many reviews for this one, but both Scroll and Times Now call it an “easy-going” and “pleasant” comedy. Our take: The cast and the subject matter are enough of a draw to want to sink our teeth into a comedy, this weekend. You can stream the film on JioCinema.
La Maison: Spotlighting haute couture and the drama that surrounds it, ‘La Maison’ is a French-language show about two formidable fashion dynasties that are vying for dominance in the world of fashion, but also have cut-throat competition and drama within–especially when Vincent (Lambert Wilson) exits his fashion house LEDU, forcing them to face scandal, and court reinvention.
There aren’t too many reviews of this one, either, but The Guardian endorses it mindless TV that is “as elegantly trashy as it is irresistibly moreish”. Our take: Gorgeous clothes, gritty drama, and French vistas? Sign us up! You can stream the first two episodes now on Apple TV+.
Transformers One: This animated addition to the Transformers franchise is an origin tale which gives us a glimpse of young and rebellious Optimus (voiced by Chris Hemsworth), who unlike his adult persona, is constantly cracking jokes and getting his best friend Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) into trouble. Also in the mix, Elita-1, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
The Guardian hated the “aesthetic” but said that it is “arguably more fun than almost all the other entries in the behemoth franchise.” Deadline concurs: “[T]he story has more humanity than the films that co-star human actors.” Our take: We reckon this one’s for die-hard fans only. You can catch it at the theatres.
Culinary Class Wars: This Korean culinary reality show brings 100 chefs together to participate in an intense cook-off challenge. Among them are hidden masters (aka “black spoon”) who will challenge the star chefs (aka “white spoon”) to become the best of the best in Korea. The competition will be judged by famous restauranteur Paik Jong-won who has appeared a lot on TV shows and chef of the three Michelin star restaurant Mosu Seoul, Anh Sung-jae.
There are proper reviews for the show but Decider verdicts “stream it” because the “premise of the contest is pretty intriguing.” Our take: If you’re into cooking reality shows or just interested in Korean food, this one’s for you. You can stream it on Netflix.
