We recommend: The best new movies and TV series
Editor’s note: Dearest Advisory reader, this week we have packed in two weeks’ worth of new releases you must not miss as we, too, are going to enjoy the holidays! Don’t miss Avatar 3, a funny reboot of Anaconda, Sorry Baby, and fresh seasons of Emily in Paris and Fallout. Additionally, we have an immersive holiday watchlist comprising films and shows that transport you to a densely constructed aural and sonic world, giving you the sense of a mini-tour to another universe. What on earth are we talking about, right? Find out!
New Releases
Avatar: Fire and Ash (English)
The indefatigable and irrepressible James Cameron (Terminator, Titanic) continues to make his Avatar films that never fail to gross over $2 billion minimum, despite online chatterati arguing the franchise has no “cultural footprint”. A new volcano-dwelling Na’vi tribe is introduced in the third installment. The war over natural resources on the planet Pandora, involving competing Na’vi tribes and the relentless American army continues.
Brian Tallerico of rogerebert.com nails the exact appeal of the Avatar films:
Of course, many will forgive the storytelling flaws of Fire and Ash in favor of the pure spectacle of it all. In a time when it feels like entertainment is contracting under the weight of shoddy streaming service originals and the abundance of AI, it’s tempting to give Fire and Ash a pass just for how much it seeks to wow the viewer. Cameron feels like one of the few remaining directors who, first and foremost, tries to make sure that viewers get the most for their entertainment dollar. If he never makes a film again outside of this franchise, and it increasingly seems likely that he won’t, he can still claim to have done something that few ever have: created his own entire film universe, one that will outlive all of us through theme park rides, toys, video games, and more. There’s a big part of me that wants to give Fire and Ash a pass on billion-dollar chutzpah alone.
Where to watch: Theatres
Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders (Hindi)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui returns as the cop-who-will-get-to-the-bottom-of-it-no-matter-what in the sequel to the warmly received 2020 Netflix thriller Raat Akeli Hai.
The conceit of the series co-written by Smita Singh (Sacred Games writers’ room alum + creator of 2025’s fabulous horror series Khauf available on Amazon Prime): rich people do bad things, only Siddiqui’s middle-class cop can see through these rogues.
Radhika Apte reprises her role, the lead in part one, but here she is just Siddiqui’s love interest. The stalwart Revathi plays a forensic expert tolerating Siddiqui’s cop with a frown. Standard plot machinations ensue. The USP is seeing Siddiqui, Apte, Revathi et al. swagger and shimmer.
Where to watch: Netflix
Mrs. Deshpande (Hindi)
Madhuri Dixit does a (surprise!) Hannibal Lecter. She is the pro-baddie the cops consult to nab a rookie who seems to be copying her. The six-episode series is directed by the OG Hindie filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor (Hyderabad Blues, Iqbal, this year’s fab The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case on SonyLIV).
Critic Nandini Ramnath of Scroll writes, “The show rides on the possibility that the pleasing visage that comes with a mega-watt smile conceals a calculating and remorseless criminal [...] Dixit is hard-pressed to play a woman with a complicated inner life and deep secrets. The range of expression needed to bring out Seema’s turmoil escapes Dixit’s super-firm cheek muscles.”
Where to watch: JioHotstar
Anaconda (English)
A kooky action-comedy releasing in Christmas week. Comedy kings Paul Rudd and Jack Black play old friends who head to the Amazon to make an amateur remake of the frightening ’97 film Anaconda, starring Jennifer Lopez. (Remember that insane climactic scene where the giant snake pukes out the barely digested villain played by the great Jon Voight, best-known to young’uns as Angelina Jolie’s dad?)
Obviously, real anaconda shows up. Of course. Also starring Steve Zahn, who told The Hollywood Reporter: “I really believe that this movie is medicine right now. It’s kind of perfect.”
Where to watch: Theatres
Follower (Marathi)
Harshad Nalawade’s directorial debut looks at the hate factory that much of what is misunderstood as journalism has become. Set in a small border town beset with clashes between pro-Marathi and pro-Kannada communities, the film follows the story of Raghu, a young journalist at an inflammatory publication. He feels adrift, sinking deeper into a pit of hate and radicalisation, as he embraces the life of a troll.
The film, writes critic Alaka Sahani in The Indian Express, “depicts a microcosm of the ecosystem that breeds ignorance, malice and wilful disinformation while discouraging rational thinking.” Releasing on December 31.
Where to watch: MUBI.
Human Specimens (Japanese)
Shiro Sakaki, a butterfly researcher, turns himself in after a butterfly-themed “art installation” featuring dismembered bodies of young men is found. Dispassionately, he explains how he killed six men—including his own son—and wrote a paper explaining the rationale behind this artwork. Originally titled Ningen Hyôhon, this macabre Japanese series has been adapted from popular crime author Kanae Minato’s novel of the same name.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Breakdown, 1975 (English)
Ironic that this documentary is out on Netflix, ground zero of the algorithmic model of filmmaking. The docu looks back on a critical year in American history, and consequently, American movies. As the US seemed to tear itself apart over the Watergate scandal, cold-war paranoia and rising crime, popular cinema drew in large audiences by pointedly addressing these issues as a horde of young writers and filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and William Friedkin, took charge and the studios stepped aside to let the young’uns steer the ship.
This was a fertile time that led to seminal films like Taxi Driver, Jaws, Nashville and One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest. The honeymoon period for these filmmakers ended by the time ‘80s rolled in, and president Ronald Reagan opened the hellgates for neoliberalism.
Where to watch: Netflix
Fresh off the big screen
Sorry, Baby (English)
Eva Victor’s debut feature is a stunning and gentle portrayal of trauma's capacity to take over one’s whole life. It takes the time to stop and ask some very important questions. What happens when a bad thing happens to Agnes (Victor), and her world seems to stop, but her best friend, Lydie (Naomi Ackie) has a life that keeps moving? What must one do in order to maintain the loving relationships they have in the face of grief?
The Guardian’s Adrian Horton writes, “Victor has a deft and refreshing handle on the absurd situations, unnerving ironies and forced inevitability of moving forward, how sexual assault can shred one’s self-confidence but not destroy you.”
Where to watch: BookMyShow Stream
One More Chapter
Four More Shots Please S04 (Hindi)
Final season of four millennial baddies navigating adult life, relationships, sexuality, and more. The through-line remains the rare, strong friendship these four women share. Sayani Gupta, Bani J, Kirti Kulhari and Maanvi Gagroo lead the sparkling cast.
Sana Farzeen of India Today writes, “The bond between the four women feels lived-in and authentic, especially in moments where nothing dramatic is happening. A late-night drink after a bad day, a silent show of support, or simply being present when things fall apart. These quieter beats carry more emotional weight than the show’s louder conflicts, and they are where Four More Shots Please! still shines.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Emily in Paris S05 (English)
Your favourite binge-watch is back, and this time she’s traipsing around Rome! This season has all the same pulls as the previous ones — job troubles, romantic complications, self-discovery, and of course, gorgeous European locations.
Nicole Gallucci of Decider writes, “Emily in Paris knows exactly what it is and owns it. Like it or not, there’s a real place and need in this world for escapist television. When life gets dark, there’s something comforting about shows that dare to embrace whimsy and campiness while creatively balancing comedy and drama.”
Where to watch: Netflix
Fallout S02 (English)
Season two of the video-game adaptation takes us back, or forward, to the retro-futuristic US where 1950s optimism coexists with radiation, mutants and authoritarian technocracy in a wasteland. Lucy (Ella Purnell), the ever-hopeful heroine returns, as does the anti-hero, The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), as they navigate the bleak landscape to reach their respective spiritual destinations.
Groteseque humour and genuine tragedy coexist in this big-budget series from exec-producers, and real-life couple, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who helmed HBO's highly successful Westworld.
Greame Virtue of The Guardian calls the season “absolutely hilarious”, adding:
Season two continues the odd couple team-up between Lucy and the Ghoul [...] Lucy still says “fudge” rather than swearing but is quicker on the draw than she used to be. Her travelling companion remains impassive as she attempts to break though the crustiness and rekindle his sense of humanity. (“Empathy’s like mud: you lose your boots in that stuff,” grumbles the Ghoul when she rushes to help a stranger.)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The immersive holiday watchlist
A series of films and shows that plucks you from your cozy room and plants you right in the middle of a time and space densely packed with detail and stylised enough to give you a sense of a mini-tour at practically zero cost. Ain’t technology fun?
*****
Amélie (2001)
Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet films Paris through a kaleidoscope high on Belgian chocolate infused with mushrooms in this delightful, whimsical, happy-sad coming-of-age story. Audrey Tautou is the luminescent star of this beautiful film, ably supported by a gallery of talented character actors. The eccentric cinematography is by Bruno Delbonnel, a close collaborator of Tim Burton, Wes Anderson and the Coen brothers. Yann Tiersen's accordion-heavy score has attained legendary status for Gen X, millennials, and, hopefully, Gen Z, will soak in the fun too.
Where to watch: Buy the uncut Blu-ray from Amazon
Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008)
A sharp change in vibes here as we zoom into Delhi, specifically West and South Delhi, as super-thief Lucky (Abhay Deol) traverses the world of the filthy rich, stealing from their homes in broad daylight, enduring their hypocrises, and holding his own against an army of riff-raffs and cops. The exceptional soundtrack is from Sneha Khanwalkar, her first major release, actually. And it’s a Dibakar Banerjee joint. You can’t go wrong with it.
Where to watch: Currently unavailable in India online, but don’t let that stop you.
Snatch (2000)
Now take a flight straight to "fish, chips, cup 'o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary f* Poppins... London!" and explore the gritty and dirty and very funny criminal underbelly of the British capital. An all-star cast includes Jason Statham as the lead, alongside Benicio del Toro, Stephen Graham (Remember? Adolescence?), Dennis Farina, Vinnie Jones, and more. But the scene-stealer is Brad Pitt in the hilarious supporting role of a bare-knuckle boxer with an inexplicable gypsy accent. You have to hear it from his mouth to believe a man can speak this way.
Where to watch: SonyLIV, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Frances Ha (2012)
Jump-cut to the Big Apple. A nostalgic black-and-white snapshot of contemporary New York City, Frances Ha allows us a glimpse into the life of Frances (Greta Gerwig), drifting through life after her best friend Sophie (Mickey Summer) moves out and leaves her to fend for herself. It’s a tender, moving film about love, friendship, and growing up.
Where to watch: Currently unavailable in India online, but don’t let that stop you.
The Bear (2022 - )
At its best, downtown Chicago-set The Bear is a show that sings like a nightingale. Anxiety-inducing, frenetic in pacing, tight closeups and extended chatter, switching focus constantly between its maladjusted ensemble, finding that fragile balance between comedy—both dry and outlandish—and an underlying sense of pathos driven by grief and ambition. The series is nominally about a sadsack white boy chef who’s a genius at his craft; Jeremy Allen White plays the titular Bear, or Carmy, with a brooding intensity, as he struggles with the grief of losing his brother.
Where to watch: JioHotstar
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
This is Wes Anderson’s love letter to India. As with much of his work, The Darjeeling Limited, too, is a tender tragicomedy played out over thrilling, anal-retentive visual design and outrageously deadpan humour. Three estranged brothers—Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzmann—get together a year after their father’s funeral for a “spiritual journey” across India. An ensemble of dysfunctional characters spar with each other to escalating absurdity; underneath it all though, there’s a lot of heart and emotion to this film. The late great Irrfan Khan, too, has a heartbreaking cameo here.
Coming back to India: the film, shot largely in Jodhpur, presents its technicolour vision of India with a loving gaze. Anderson’s admiration and, indeed, his hero-worship of Satyajit Ray jumps out of the screen here. Literally: the score of the film comprises music written by Ray and used in his films.
Where to watch: Currently unavailable in India online, but don’t let that stop you.
Chungking Express (1994)
Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai is best-known for his eternal romantic classic In The Mood for Love, but his breakthrough hit Chungking Express is the one you need to see to fully grasp the volcanic talent he was in his late 20s and early 30s. The film zips, zaps, zooms through downtown Hong Kong, festering with poetic lowlifes and brooding women, as unrequited love and crimes that go nowhere mishmash to give us a haunting sense of longing and heartache. Perfect for singles.
Where to watch: MUBI
The Sound of Music (1965)
This classic has stood the test of time. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music turned 60 years old this year — the perfect occasion for a rewatch. Adapted from a stage musical, which was in turn originally a German film about Maria von Trapp, a very real woman who escaped Nazi Austria with her family, the movie features views spanning the gorgeous Austrian countryside and the city of Salzburg. And, of course, it stars the inimitable Julie Andrews as Maria, and generational heartthrob, Christopher Plummer, as the father of the seven children she is entrusted with as governess.
Where to watch: JioHotstar
Flow (2024)
Now, flash forward into post-apocalyptic Earth with no humans in sight, only animals. (Peaceful, no?) This Latvian Oscar-winning animated film unfolds from the perspective of a cat. There are no dialogues in this film, just animals and their animal sounds, bound to pull on your heartstrings, especially as the film sets off with an environmental disaster, forcing our lead (the cat) to find a way to survive an all-encompassing flood.
Where to watch: Currently unavailable in India online, but don’t let that stop you..
Derry Girls (2018 - 2022)
The Troubles—an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that left the country in turmoil for three decades up until the late ’90s—forms the backdrop to Derry Girls, a period sitcom about a group of girls (and one hapless boy) studying at a Catholic school in Derry. The conflict informs—and often intersects with—the lives of the central characters here, adding a sense of urgency and danger against which the girls’ shenanigans take place. But more than anything,
Derry Girls is just really weird and carefree. The girls are always up to some nonsense or the other, getting in trouble over petty teenager issues, squabbling over imaginary slights, screwing each other over, mercilessly mocking and bullying poor English boy James, and just causing mayhem wherever they go. The series is ridiculous amounts of fun, well worth a rewatch or two, littered with unpredictability and chaos.
Where to watch: Netflix
souk picks