We are officially in the second phase of the lockdown, which was stretched to May 3 recently by the Government of India. The coronavirus outbreak is still raging around the world. People are again looking for those methods that work inside their homes to divert themselves. For instance, the TV shows and movies using the host of streaming services now at our disposal.
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Hotstar recently became Disney+ Hotstar, and is now hosting content from Disney’s spanking new streaming service. It now includes The Simpsons, the full 31 seasons of the longest-running adult animated sitcom. It also hosts Irrfan Khan’s latest, an entertaining comedy sequel Angrezi Medium. The market leader Netflix is still uploading exciting new content, and so is Amazon Prime Video.
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Streaming Guide | April 18 | April 15, 16 and 17 | April 12, 13 and 14 | April 10 and 11 | April 7, 8 and 9 | April 5 and 6 | April 3 and 4 | April 1 and 2 | March 30 and 31 | March 28 and 29 | March 26 and 27| March 24 and 25 | March 22 and 23 | March 20 and 21 | March 19 and 18 | March 17 | March 16
Apple TV+, the Cupertino tech giant’s streaming service, also has decent content, though it is not a lot. At Rs 99 per month, though, it also does not cost much.
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This Christopher Nolan movie boasted of a great star cast and a mind-bending script (pun intended). What would happen if someone were able to not only see, but hack your dreams? This single line is the basic plot of this multistarrer.
This variety show hosted by comedian and actor Hasan Minhaj is insightful, witty and highly informative. Tune in to Netflix now if you don't believe us!
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The BBC One and HBO television series His Dark Materials is many things — a bildungsroman, a fantasy fiction, an adventure show, but above all, it is about making the choices that you believe in and finding your own identity in the process. Adapted from the books of the same name by Philip Pullman, the narrative follows a girl called Lyra, who is said to achieve greatness.
Also read | His Dark Materials review
At its core, Kingdom is a tale of the struggle for the throne, but the said struggle gets hampered by dead people getting resurrected because of a mysterious plant which also turns them into witless cannibals. Read more here
What is interesting about Asur is that it is dipping its hands into a lot of things – a dissolving marriage, love, crime, mythology and psychology. To juggle these and simultaneously make a watchable show is a task. Read more here.
This Ryan Reynolds starrer about the adventures of a 'detective' Pikachu will provide you a lot of joy and comfort. Read more here.
In this procedural drama, an FBI agent teams up with a forensic scientist to figure out culprits behind henious crimes.
In this live-action version of the children's fable, Emma Watson stars as the bookworm 'beauty.' The film had received mixed reviews upon its release. However, it is a perfectly enjoyable weekend watch.
This South Korean romantic drama is a modern take on the Cinderella fable. Here Cinderella has multiple knights in shining armour, but they all have their own motives.
Rewatch this HBO original where Carrie and her friends traverse the tricky lanes of New York and life together!
Go down the memory lane with Miley Cyrus' TV debut that helped her become a household name. There's singing, drama and lots of teen romance in store!
This documentary is as strange as it can get. One child gets kidnapped twice by her neighbour and her parents are unable to do anything about it. This film is bound to make you furious, but you won't be able to look away.
Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta star in this coming-of-drama directed by Farhan Akhtar. Bonus: It's great music and some spellbinding camera work.
This Farah Khan directorial featured Shah Rukh Khan, Zayed Khan, Amrita Rao and Sushmita Sen in the lead. Suniel Shetty played the antagonist. If what you are looking for is a mad-cap entertainer, tune in to Netflix to watch the movie.
This Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford starrer is set in a dystopian future in Los Angeles of 2019. This science-fiction drama was helmed by the acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott.
Directed by Patrick Hughes, this movie features Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L Jackson, Gary Oldman and Salma Hayek. What happens when one man is called upon to save his mortal enemy? Mayhem and hilarity ensues.
In this short form interview series, we get a peek inside the minds of some of the most successful Indians working today, including the likes of AR Rahman, Anurag Kashyap, Anita Dongre, Ad man Piyush Pandey and more.
A somewhat revised adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, this is the tale of four sisters and how they percieve life. The film was honoured with multiple Oscar nominations and featured Emma Watson, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Saorise Ronan and Florence Pugh among more. Click here to know more about the Greta Gerwig directorial.
This quirky comedy revolves around a rave party where all the guests turn into zombies. Starring Saif Ali Khan, Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das and Anand Tiwari, the film was a hit among audiences for its hilarious portrayal of drug-addled zombies. Thanks to its success, the makers have announced a sequel, which is set to hit the screens on March 2021.
Succession is the story of rich people but the makers are acutely aware that this show is being watched by regular people so to get a sense of this world we are introduced to Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun). Greg has grown up in a regular household but because he happens to be related to the Roys, he ends up in their inner circle, enjoying the high life. And while he’s amazed by the riches, he knows that he is a disposable outsider.
The King: Eternal Monarch is a new South Korean drama about an emperor Lee Gon who tries to close the doors to a parallel world which was opened by demons who were unleashed by a deity into the human world, and a detective Jung Tae-eul who tries to protect the people and the one she loves. The show premiered on Netflix on April 17.
Vikramaditya Motwane’s Lootera is loosely based on O Henry’s short story The Last Leaf. The film has Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha essaying intense roles of star-crossed lovers.
The Plot Against America belongs to the genre of alternative-historywhere fascists took control of USA in the 1940s. The show stars Winona Ryder in the lead role.
Starring Rajeev Khandelwal and Aahana Kumra, Marzi is streaming on VootSelect. The first impression review of Marzi read, "A rape case. One victim. One accused. Who is guilty? Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Voot Select’s original web series Marzi, starring Rajeev Khandelwal and Aahana Kumra, is a gripping thriller that leaves you with questions after each episode."
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie and Nicholas Hoult in pivotal roles, The Banker is now streaming on Apple TV+. The film has been directed by George Nolfi.
Devs comes from Alex Garland, known for uncanny movies with a trippy visual language. The series, starring Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Karl Glusma, Alison Pill. among others is a mystery that takes it time to get off the ground, but when it does, the payoff is big and worth waiting for. Apart from its entertainment value, Devs has a lot to say about humans, religion and so on and it is fun to peel back the layers of the story and look beneath the metaphors.
Stephen King adaptation Pet Sematary starring Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow, is now available on Amazon Prime Video. The film tells the story of a family that moves to a countryside house with his wife and two kids. They discover that their new house is built near a pet cemetery (spelled as Sematary). The said pet cemetery was itself built on an ancient burial ground. Among the two kids, one becomes a little too interested in the cemetery. When their pet dies and comes back, the child is happy. But as we know from horror fiction, when the dead come back, they are never the same. One of the children is also then run over by a speeding vehicle.
Set in a single room occupied by many women, Devi is the story of perseverance. The film opens with a few women who seemingly belong to different worlds but are all stuck in the same room – but why? The story unravels in the next 13 minutes as we get to know the trauma that they have suffered. Written and directed by Priyanka Banerjee, Devi is an empathetic attempt to show that no matter the age, caste, religion and class, female rape victims are all stuck in the same purgatory. Read the full review here.
Helmed and written by Bong Joon Ho, this Oscar winning South Korean movie deals with class divide and how one underprivileged family cons and somewhat manages to climb up the social ladder before things fall apart.
Based on the film that has come to represent and define the genre, this Fox’s TV series is actually really good. It acts as a sequel to the original story and comes under the umbrella of the franchise. The Exorcist redefined the then stale horror genre and spawned several sequels, each one falling way short of the original. This TV series undoes some of the damage. The atmosphere alone would make you fall in love with the franchise again.
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Kaithi opened to glowing reviews. Karthi essays the role of a convict who is ready to go to any lengths to see his daughter. The film also stars Narain and Dheena in pivotal roles.
Also Read | Kaithi movie review: Karthi’s light and pacy action thriller keeps you engaged
A film which became synonymous with the genre, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan is considered by many filmmakers as the greatest war film ever made. The first half an hour of the film, which is considered by fans as the best part of the film, shows American soldiers landing on the Omaha beach amid massive artillery and machine gun fire by Germans and suffer heavy losses. The presentation of the scene is harrowingly realistic with limbs flying, water turning red and a traumatic soldier walking with one of his limbs in one hand. It makes you feel as if you are actually there. Saving Private Ryan is the pinnacle of war filmmaking.
Based on the Iraq war, The Hurt Locker presents the middle-east conflict from the perspective of soldiers. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker was noted for its attention to detail and turned Jeremy Renner into the star he currently is. But back then, he was unknown among faces like Guy Pearce, Anthony Mackie and Ralph Fiennes. The performances are great all around are helped by stunningly beautiful set-pieces.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds is based on a fictional team of Jewish soldiers who go on a spree of killing and scalping German soldiers during World War II. More than anything, the film acts like a catharsis. In a typical Tarantino fashion, the film does not take anything seriously on the surface. But also like other Tarantino movies, Inglourious Basterds takes delight in violence and despite the apparent frivolity, has ultra realistic violence and depiction of Jewish plight.
Written and directed by Jennifer Fox, The Tale is based on her own experiences of child sexual abuse. This is no sanitised version of events. This is harsh reality laid bare - unsparing, unstinting.
‘1922’ is a decent watch for horror fans. The themes of the film – guilt and ‘every murderer gets his comeuppance’ (epitomised by a character in the line “In the end, we all get caught”) – are as old as time. It unsettles more than it scares and seeks to be a slow-burner.
Titans is a good and entertaining beginning to the DC Universe and a welcome, darker departure from The CW’s DC shows.
Starring Tarom Egerton in the role of Elton John, this biopic by Dexter Fletcher is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Rocketman also stars Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard among others.
A science fiction drama TV anthology series, Tales from the Loop is a gripping, superbly shot and well-written piece of entertainment that will delight everyone, but specifically those who liked HBO's Westworld and FX's recent series Devs.
Perhaps the greatest film trilogy ever, Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films got ex[ponentially better with every movie, which was great considering the first movie was epic and enthralling in the first place. All the three are available to watch in their full glory. Relive the nostalgia, or if you haven't seen them, discover a stunning new world full of colourful characters and creatures and a classic tale of good vs evil with themes like friendship underlying the whole thing.
In an alternate reality where fantasy creatures like elves, orcs, centaurs, and so on co-exist uneasily with humans, Will Smith plays a cop called Daryl Ward who has been saddled with, to his bad fortune, an orc Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton) for a partner – the first ever orc to be a Los Angeles cop. Jakoby is looked down upon by both humans and orcs. Humans, because he is an orc. Orcs, because he is working with the police department, an institution that victimises their race.
It might be a good idea to famaliarise yourself with this fictional chain-smoking, wisecracking working class warlock, and occult detective from DC Comics with this series. Why? JJ Abrams is coming up with a TV series for HBO Max based on Justice League Dark, and guess what? Constantine is the leader of the superhero team. There is a Keanu Reeves starrer movie of the same name as well.
You might want to revisit the old animated classic Mulan before the live-action arrives.
Derived from Taika Waitit and Jemaine Clement's awesome horror comedy movie of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows is a supremely entertaining show with a ridicululous premise that just works.
Action star extraordinairre Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in this Christopher McQuarrie's directorial.
Hrishikesh Mukherjee's comedy classic, starring Amol Palekar, Utpal Dutt and Bindiya Goswami, still holds up well after all those decades. A testament to the filmmaker's talent.
Now you can witness Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar-winning performance as the Clown Prince of Crime in the comfort of your home.
Dulquer Salmaan's Malayalam comedy-drama film written and directed by Anoop Sathyan is now availble on Netflix.
Omkara found its narrative in William Shakespeare’s Othello, a tale of friendship, jealousy and betrayal. Apart from an engaging story, the film boasts of some spectacular performances by Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgn, Konkona Sensharma and Vivek Oberoi. Bipasha Basu’s dance on “Beedi” became one of the highlights of the film and music by Bharadwaj played a character in the movie. You can’t miss this one from Vishal Bharadwaj’s filmography.
Horpal, written and directed by Aniket Kulthe, is a story based on the condition of migrant workers of Maharashtra, from the point of view of a school going boy, Gunaa. In less than 12 minutes, the film throws light on how children of migrant workers lose out on education because of their constant migration in search of work.
Servant is a twist-filled, psychological thriller from M. Night Shyamalan. The series follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
Marathi film Aga Bai Arrecha! is directed by Kedar Shinde and stars versatile actors Sanjay Narvekar and Dilip Prabhavalkar and Priyanka Yadav. It is a classic modern day urban comedy directed by Kedar Shinde and is loosely based on Hollywood comedy What Women Want.
Fan-favourite show Westworld is back with its third season after a gap of 2 years. The science fiction series, created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, has been winning critical acclaim, thanks to its innovative writing, imaginative plot-twists and a new form of story-telling.
If you are looking to watch something light-hearted, Ayan Mukerji directorial Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kalki Koechlin, Evelyn Sharma and late actor Farooq Sheikh, is the perfect pick. The film, with its elements of friendship and romance, is a coming-of-age love story.
Relive your childhood and follow the adventures of ultra-rich Scrooge McDuck, and his three grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie in the classic series.Duck Tales: Disney+ Hotstar
Based on the movie of the same name by Clement and Taika Waititi, the show is a mockumentary horror comedy, What We Do in the Shadows chronicles the ‘life’ of three vampires — Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja and one more vampire Colin Robinson, who leaches off the energy of others instead of blood.
Read more | What We Do in the Shadows Season 2 first impression: Vampire comedy continues to be uproarious
This Deepika Padukone starrer revolves around the story of one acid attack survior who fought against all odds to attain dignity of life. Also starring Vikrant Massey, the movie has been directed by Meghna Gulzar. While Chhapaak tanked at the box office, the film won critical acclaim, mainly thanks to Deepika's convincing act as Malti. Chhapaak: Hotstar
If you are looking for a fun movie to watch, then be sure to check out Detective Pikachu. Ryan Reynolds stars as the adorable Pokemon who teams up with a teenager, Tim, as they attempt to uncover the mystery of Tim's father's disappearance.
Larry David plays his own fictionalised version in this HBO series. The show is uproariously funny, and it really brings out the talent of the writer behind Seinfeld.
A sitcom about a bunch of police officers in a New York precinct, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is continuously funny. The performances are great, and the uniquely written characters never let you get bored.