We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
Thunderbolts*: Marvel fans, assemble! Thunderbolts is the ultimate anti-hero squad consisting of Black Widow’s adoptive sister Yelena Belova—whose role is reprised by Florence Pugh—her adoptive father Red Guardian played by David Harbour, and Winter Soldier—reprised by Sebastian Stan. These guys were once the villains but now are part of a super team that protects the earth from harm.
Reviews are surprisingly good for this. Screen Rant loves that mental health is at the forefront and writes: “All told, Thunderbolts* is a great, if somewhat messy and imperfect, MCU movie.” BBC Culture echoes: “When it comes down to it, that's why Thunderbolts* is so much better than most of Marvel's post-Endgame films. It's not just because it's a rough-edged, big-hearted spy thriller about lovably clueless anti-heroes.” Our take: We think this is strictly for Marvel fans, but casual watchers may also enjoy it. Head to your nearest theatres to watch it!
The Four Season: The show is an adaptation of the 1981 movie of the same name by Alan Alda and stars Tina Fey, Colman Domingo and Steve Carell! The plot: A group of six really good friends are on a peaceful weekend getaway celebrating one of the couple's 25th anniversary. Little do they know, that couple is on the verge of breaking up. There’s comedy with a healthy dose of mid-life crisis :)
Critics are mixed on this. The Guardian praises Fey and her writing and says: “The Four Seasons is full of properly funny lines, rooted in properly middle-aged experience.” OTOH, Hollywood Reporter gave it a harsh review: “Its eight half-hours don’t feel like time well spent so much as just spent, in ways too innocuous to hate but too tedious to treasure.” Yikes. Our take: We’re here only for the cast. The series is on Netflix.
Carême: This French dramedy takes us back to eighteenth century Paris to tell the story of Antonin Carême—one of the world’s first celebrity chefs. Benjamin Voisin plays the titular character as his rise in the culinary world also leaves him vulnerable to the influence of Napoleon as well as local politicians—eager to use him as a spy for their own ends. Martin Bourbolon—who adapted ‘The Three Musketeers’ into two films in 2023—is behind the camera for this one.
Reviews are good. The Guardian says, “It is about as understated as a 12-course tasting menu. But as it scoffs and seduces its way through the Napoleonic era, it’s hard not to fall for the extravagant charms of the Bake Off: extra spice.” According to Collider: “[Carême] is refreshingly assured of its identity, a commendable trait that can be hard to come by in today's television climate.” Our take: It comes off as deliciously decadent and irresistible as a fancy French meal—count us in! The series is available to stream on Apple TV+.
The Eternaut: Set in Buenos Aires, this Argentine six-episode sci-fi series follows Juan Salvo—played by Ricardo Darín—whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious snowstorm hits the city, killing anyone who steps outside. As electricity fails and the snowfall turns out to be the first wave of an alien invasion, Juan and his friends are forced to band together in a fight for survival. Adapted from the iconic 1950s comic ‘El Eternauta’, the series blends post-apocalyptic action with personal drama.
Reviews are very positive. Screenrant says that it is a "highly creative, modern reimagining" of Héctor Germán Oesterheld’s iconic sci-fi comic that delivers "strong character moments" and a "mystery that keeps revealing wild new elements." New York Times details the series as a “perfectly decent alien-invasion series” that “follows the rough outlines” of Héctor Germán Oesterheld’s cult comic but adds “layer upon layer of melodramatic detail and mystery.” Our take: Come for the eerie snowfall and ghostly cityscapes, stay for the reimagined drama. Now streaming on Netflix.
Another Simple Favor: Director Paul Feig reunites with the main cast—Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding and Andrew Rannells—for a follow-up mystery romp after the success of 2018’s ‘A Simple Favor’. This time around, a murder has taken place at Emily Nelson’s (Lively) wedding to businessman Dante Versano (Michael Morrone) in Capri, Italy. Twists, turns and hijinks ensue.
Reviews are mixed to positive. IGN says the sequel “takes its tongue-in-cheek momcore satire to new visual heights” and retains “all the best parts of the original”. OTOH, AV Club isn’t as high on it: “the heat powering the concept has cooled to the extent that, despite the increased body count, the sequel feels as perfunctory as its title. It’s just ‘Another’ one.” Our take: We’re mostly here for the chemistry between Kendrick and Lively, and the extravagant outfits on show. Catch it on Amazon Prime Video.
The Brown Heart: This powerful docu-drama travels between India, the US, and the UK to uncover a hidden epidemic affecting South Asians: early-onset heart attacks. Directed by Indian doctors Nirmal and Renu Joshi, ‘The Brown Heart’ features real-life stories from survivors, grieving families, and over 40 medical experts who weigh in on why young South Asians are facing deadly heart issues—often without warning signs.
Reviews are not out yet for the documentary. Our take: It’s an eye-opening call to action that everyone should watch and take seriously. Stream it on JioHotstar.
Costao: Nawazuddin Siddiqui leads this biopic of Costao Fernandes, a customs officer best known for taking down a gold smuggling ring in Goa in the 1990s—which involved former Goa CM Churchill Alemao’s brother Alvernaz. Priya Bapat of Marathi industry fame co-stars as Costao’s wife Maria, while Sandalwood stalwart Kishore plays mob boss D’Mello. Gagan Dev Riar—who turned heads with his portrayal of Abdul Karim Telgi in ‘Scam 2003’—is also part of the cast here, playing a CBI officer. Cinematographer Sejal Shah takes up directorial duties for the first time.
Reviews are mixed to positive. The Hindu says the biopic recovers from a rocky start to a stronger second half—anchored by Siddiqui’s “aching portrayal”. OTOH, Indian Express says the film “has Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a role that’s worthy of his talents, but a script which is distinctly lacklustre.” Our take: While the premise appears by-the-numbers, there may be just enough material for Siddiqui to deliver some of his signature scenery-chewing dialogue baazi. The film is now out on ZEE5.
Fresh off the big screen…
Bromance: Directed by Arun D Jose, this Malayalam movie follows Binto who’s been called on to find his elder brother Shinto (Shyam Mohan), who’s gone missing. Though the perfect elder son image of Shinto shatters as the story progresses, his brother teams up with Shinto’s ex-girlfriend and a hacker to find his brother which ultimately leads him to the lion’s den—yup, a dangerous gang. Not convinced? You can check out this Hindu review. The movie is streaming on SonyLIV.
Our MAMI iphone short film picks…
Mangya: This 28-minute Marathi film tells the story of a kid and his pet rooster, Mangya. The story is premised on the onset of a sudden bird flu outbreak which prompts the government to order the mass killing of chickens to prevent the spread of the disease. As the crisis deepens, the kid steals Mangya and keeps him at home but he has to grow up and do the right thing when he is found out. You can watch the entire movie on YouTube.
Kovarty: With Lijo Jose Pellisery as the creative mentor, this Malayalam short by Rohin Raveendran Nair is set in a government office in a fictional Kerala village in the 1980s. Rajisha Vijayan stars as a typist who falls in love with…the new office typewriter and nicknames it Qwerty—or ‘Kovarty’. Turns out, this typewriter is sentient and secretly loves her back—repercussions ensue in a village where the arrival of this typewriter is seen as a harbinger or broader technological changes. The full short is free to watch on MAMI’s YouTube channel.
