Kalki 2898 AD to The Beasts: What to watch on OTT this week

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Forty Shades of Blue
MUBI

Acclaimed director Ira Sachs’ early short, Forty Shades of Blue, explores the blurred boundaries of sexuality, desire and identity that continue to mark the auteur’s work to this day. It cast Russian actress Lina Korzun (Last Resort, Peaky Blinders) in her first American film, earning her a nomination for Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. The film tells the story of Laura, a young Russian woman living in Memphis with a much older rock and roll legend Alan James, and the personal awakening she experiences in the wake of her unfortunate affair with Alan’s estranged, grown-up son. The short won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

Secret Lives of Orangutans
Netflix

Orangutans are not just the closest relatives of humans, they’re perhaps more relatable to us than any other great ape. Narrated by David Attenborough, this film, produced and directed by Huw Cordey, follows a remarkable group of orangutans in the pristine jungles of Sumatra. At the centre of this story is eight-year-old Eden, who’s about to embark on the most challenging moment of her life. Through the film, we also meet several new characters including Rakus, a Sumatran orangutan, who featured in global news headlines recently for being the first wild animal to be seen treating a wound with a medicinal herb.

The Beasts
BookMyShow Stream

Loosely inspired by real events, the thriller explores the tension that unfolds as an expatriate French couple, dedicated to running an organic farm in the idyllic Spanish countryside, find themselves at odds with the local villagers. What starts as subtle disagreements over land and tradition, escalates into a chilling confrontation, testing the couple’s resolve and revealing the darker side of rural life. The Beasts, which premiered during the Cannes Film Festival 2022, is directed and produced by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. He also wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Isabel Peña.

The Frog
Netflix

New Korean suspense thriller, The Frog, directed by Mo Wan-il, revolves around ordinary people whose peaceful lives are thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a mysterious guest in the middle of summer. The series features Kim Yun-seok as Young-ha, the owner of a pension home in the middle of the woods. His peace is disturbed by an enigmatic guest named Seong-a, played by Ko Min-si, who takes on a completely different role and turns in a chilling performance. Joining the cast are Yoon Kye-sang as Sang-jun, the owner of a rural motel whose peace is also disturbed by a guest of his own, and Lee Jung-eun as the intuitive cop investigating both Young-ha and Sang-jun’s cases.

Also Read | Grrr movie review: Kunchacko Boban and Suraj Venjaramoodu deliver an enjoyable, light-hearted film

Grrrr…
Disney+Hotstar

A heartbroken Rejimon Nadar (Kunchacko Boban) gets drunk after his break up with Rachana (Anagha) over caste issues. When Rejimon falls into the lion’s den in a zoo, the security officer Haridas (Suraj Venjaramoodu) and others try to rescue him even as the media tries to cover the incident. Inspired by real events, this Malayalam-language comedy film, directed by Jay K, is based on the real-life incident of a lion escaping from Thiruvananthapuram zoo in 2018. The film has received mixed reviews.