Streaming Guide: Web series, movies and shows to watch on May 23

A newly graduated chef is forced to seek refuge in his grandfather’s hotel, which is old but very popular with the people of Kozhikode. Dulquer Salman’s Faizi’s granddad is a task-master played by Thilakan. It is at this depleting hotel, Faizi practically learns the core values of his profession that classrooms can’t teach.

Love Death and Robots showcases a whole new world in the best way possible. The show is a collection of 18 stand-alone episodes that spans various genres like science-fiction, fantasy, horror and explores post-apocalyptic worlds and alternate histories. 

Manbhanjan is one of Rabindranath Tagore’s best short stories. Hoichoi’s adaptation of the short story stars Sohini Sarkar, Amrita Chattopadhyay and Anirban Bhattacharya, who shoulder the two-part mini-series.

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.

This dark-comedy drama features Mary-Louise Parker, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, and Kevin Nealon among others. Set primarily in the fictional town of Agrestic, California, the series follows a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family.

The series is a coming-of-age story that is based on Anmol Rana’s best-selling book – Those 7 Days. The plot revolves around a young boy, Vishwas who travels from a small town to a big city for his first job and meets 7 women whom he learns different lessons from.

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. 

This 2016 Oscar-winner shows us three stages in the life of the main character: his youth, adolescence, and early adult life. It explores the difficulties he faces with his sexuality and identity, including the physical and emotional abuse he endures growing up. Do not miss Mahershala Ali’s award-winning performance in the movie.

Defending Jacob features Chris Evans as the supportive father who will go to any lengths to save his son Jacob. Indianexpress.com critic Sampada Sharma wrote in her first impression review, “Chris Evans has taken the charge of the Apple TV limited series Defending Jacob and judging by the initial episodes, it would be right to say that Evans has an intriguing thriller on his hands.” Episode 7 is out now.

Episode 7 of #DefendingJacob on @AppleTV is out today. These last two episodes are hands down my favorites. If you haven’t checked us out yet, now’s the time to binge! (It’s very bingeable!)

— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) May 23, 2020

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.

The clock is ticking, a girl needs a heart transplant operation, and the organ is 150 kilometres away. It is a busy weekday and traffic is high as usual. The entire traffic police department goes to work to create a green corridor to allow the uninterrupted passage of the vehicle carrying the organ. This Malayalam movie is 122-minutes of pure thrills.

Nayanthara starrer Kolaiyuthir Kaalam is the remake of Hollywood film Hush. The film, helmed by Chakri Toleti, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.  

This tragic-comedy drama created by British comedian Ricky Gervais follows Tony (Gervais), who is depressed and struggling to live after his wife dies from breast cancer. Gervais is at his snarky best in the show and the second season has just begun streaming today.

Kabir Khan’s show is based on former Indian leader Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army. What led to its creation and how did they face defeat are some of the issues touched upon by the filmmaker in the show. It features Sunny Kaushal and Sharvari in the lead. 

A poignant story of a strong-willed girl and her relationship with her equally strong-willed mother. Saoirse Ronan has done a marvellous job in bringing out on the screen the angst of adolescence. There is subtlety here, and the viewer never feels overwhelmed. We rarely see the relationship between a mother and her daughter put on screen in such a believable way.

Released last year, Tune in for Love is a slow-burning romantic-drama that traces the journey of the protagonists over a decade. Even though the pace is slow, the movie evokes a sense of nostalgia and also has a beautiful soundtrack. Fair warning: you are bound to shed some tears.

The Sam Raimi-produced (he has also helmed a few episodes) show delves into dark legends from different places in the United States. Even though it is not particularly scary, 50 States of Fright is an entertaining affair.

Starring Vijay Deverakonda in the lead role, World Famous Lover has been directed by Kranthi Madhav and also stars Raashi Khanna and Aishwarya Rajessh. Indianexpress.com's Manoj Kumar R wrote in his review of the film, "World Famous Lover is not a cheesy romantic story about a man hurting from inside and fighting to win back the love of his life. It is an indictment of the male gaze that fails to see the other side of the story: women."

Happy Bhaag Jayegi is the story of Amritsar girl Happy (Diana Penty) who doesn’t wish to marry the man of her father’s choice, a local corporator Daman Singh Bagga (Jimmy Shergill). On the day of her wedding, she jumps into a fruit truck that will take her to her lover, Guddu (Ali Fazal) with whom she plans to elope. But the plan to elope goes wrong, and she reaches Pakistan where she meets Bilal Ahmed (Abhay Deol). Now, how will she get back to India, makes for the film’s narrative. Read more

Bankrolled by Phantom Films, Wrong Side Raju, inspired by a hit-and-run case, is a thriller directed by Mikhil Musale, who recently helmed the Rajkummar Rao-starrer Made In China in Hindi. Wrong Turn Raju won the 65th National Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati.

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. Read more

True crime lovers, Jamtara: Sabka Number Aayega is a gem that’s hiding in the crevices of Netflix. Based on a true story, the series focuses on phishing operations in Jamtara district. Directed by Soumendra Padhi, the 10-part series garnered positive reviews upon its release. In an interview with Indian Express, Padhi said, “What drew me to this particular crime, as a concept, is that I feel it is a great equaliser. Most people there have not studied after class six. All they do is procure mobile phones and it’s like a family business, they’re all into conning.”

Movie reviews are considered sacrosanct by film-goers. But a parody of the format named Pretentious Movie Reviews got viewers hooked and worked wonders for stand-up comedians Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath. The duo started reviewing movies on YouTube in 2014. The videos were hilarious and fans of the series keep going back to watch them over and over again. Some of their best videos involve the movies Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, Rudraksh, Hum Saath Saath Hain and Prem Aggan. Read more 

Socha Na Tha showcased those intricacies of love which probably no filmmaker did in Bollywood until then. It steered away from rom-com cliches and was relatable to those in love or seeking love. The movie was led by Abhay Deol and Ayesha Takia who impressed with their raw acting skills and simplicity. If you haven’t watched it yet, Socha Na Tha has everything to make it to your weekend watchlist.

Seinfeld is often regarded as one of the best sitcoms in television history. Created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, the show stars Seinfeld as a fictionalised version of himself, Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes and Michael Richards as Kramer. It was said that Seinfeld was a show about nothing as the show did not follow the traditional format of characters evolving as the show moved on, yet they never came across as lazy or repetitive. Seinfeld ran for nine seasons and ended in 1998. Read more 

Starring Hugh Grant as bookseller Will and Julia Roberts as a popular American actress, Notting Hill was written by Richard Curtis, who had previously weaved his magic with the blockbuster Four Weddings and a Funeral. It’s no surprise then that Notting Hill too went on to achieve the top spot in popular culture, with people quoting lines from the movie till date. Read more 

Said to be based on the real-life antics of Delhi crook Bunty, the crime caper, helmed by Dibakar Banerjee, is a fun watch. It is the story of Lucky Singh who steals hearts and cash in equal measure. He grows from a petty criminal to a cool thief. Abhay Deol as Lucky Singh impresses with his effortless acting and Manjot Singh, Manu Rishi and Paresh Rawal are brilliant too. Watch it if you are in a mood to watch something out of the ordinary.

This crime dramedy features Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae in the lead roles. The official synopsis of the movie reads, "When the couple in the fast lane to splitsville accidentally careens into a murder, they take off on a wild race to find the killer and clear their names."

Helmed by Drew Goddard and co-written by him and Joss Whedon, The Cabin in the Woods is a subversive horror film that takes the hackneyed remote forest cabin premise of so many horror films and turns it on its head. The result is a smartly written and acted movie. Chris Hemsworth plays the role of Curt Vaughan, who is one of the college students who go on a vacation to that forest cabin.

This Martin Scorsese directorial is about the rise and fall of mobster Henry Hill (a real figure) and stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta. The film is easily one of the best Scorsese film -- it is that good -- if not the best.

Another Martin Scorsese directorial, The Departed featured a glittering cast with names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, and Alec Baldwin. Set in Boston, it was about a Irish crime lord (Nicholson) who sends Damon's character as a mole in the state police. The police likewise send state trooper (DiCaprio) undercover to infiltrate the crime lord's crew.

The quintessential adventure movies, it is hard to choose one among these Indiana Jones movies, though most would probably rate the original as the best. A poll from a couple of years ago deemed Harrison Ford's fictional archaeology professor the most popular movie character, beating out Batman and his own Han Solo. It is easy to see why. Indiana Jones lives the life many dream of. There is nothing remotely dull in his life, it appears, as he fights the Nazis, cult leaders and all manner of scum of society... and comes out of the fray alive and still pining for more adventure.

In this Sam Hargrave directorial, Chris Hemsworth’s character Tyler Rake, a mercenary, is recruited by another mercenary Nik Khan (Golshifteh Farahani) to rescue the son (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) of an imprisoned crime lord (Pankaj Tripathi). Randeep Hooda, Priyanshu Painyuli and David Harbour also star.

While the plot and characters are thin, Extraction is all the same a gripping piece of entertainment.

This show is based on the children book series of the same name and follows two young siblings as they try to protect themselves and their fortune from the devilish Count Olaf (played with a menacing glee by the inimitable Neil Patrick Harris). The series is the right mix of horror and comedy and you scarcely mind the improbability of the events unfolding before you, since it is incredibly entertaining.

This one is among the weirder and eccentric shows. Frodo of Lord of the Rings movies, Elijah Wood, plays an everyman whose life is turned into a veritable whirlwind a flamboyantly British "holistic" detective; holistic because he believes everything in the universe to be interconnected. And indeed, he has a seemingly preternatural ability. The feel of the show is like from one of the more strange comic-books from the 80s came to life. The story is loosely based on the writings of the great Douglas Adams.

While the sunny Los Angeles is not as compelling a setting for horror as the dank streets of Victorian London, The City of Angels, Showtime horror series Penny Dreadful's spinoff, is surprisingly good, with a nice amalgam of contemporary social issues and the supernatural.

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Eliza Scanlen, Timothee Chalamet and Chris Cooper, the Greta Gerwig directorial Little WOmen is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Read the review here.

Adapted from Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery of India, this Shyam Benegal show delves deep into India’s rich and disturbing past. It features a variety of actors, including the likes of Om Puri, Pallavi Joshi, Piyush Mishra among others, playing historical characters. You can stream the series on YouTube.

Gujarati film Hellaro, directed by Abhishek Shah, won the 66th National Award for Best Feature Film. Based in a village in Gujarat, the movie tells the story of a group of women who break the shackles of patriarchy. Read more 

The Indian Express' Shubhra Gupta gave the Amazon Prime Video web series 3.5 stars and wrote in her review, "A celebrity TV anchor is the target of a group of killers. Why do they want to kill him? Who is behind it all? The case is handed over to a cynical, seen-it-all, from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks cop, and as he starts digging, startling connections between the most unlikely people in the most unlikely places start popping up. Paatal Lok is fashioned as a crime thriller-cum-police procedural set mainly in Delhi, spinning off into several threads, some really solid, a few comparatively weak, but managing to keep its hold on us. Weaving in an awareness and recognition of contemporary India makes it political, and elevates it: Paatal Lok is intelligently written, fast-paced, and engrossing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it." Read More.

Firsts is a simple love story that unfurls over video calls. Aman, a fun-loving marketing executive, and Tanya, a software developer, meet on Bumble. Tanya uses a perfect pickup line on Aman, and the two connect instantly. The only trouble in their paradise is a lockdown. In one-minute episodes titled ‘The First Call’, ‘The First Compliment’, ‘The First Date’, ‘The First Fight’ and more, the creators make us feel good with the small pleasures of a romantic relationship. Read more 

Directed by Pushpendra Nath Misra, Ghoomketu stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap, Raghubir Yadav, Swanand Kirkire, Ragini Khanna and Ila Arun. Touted as a comedy-drama, the story revolves around an inexperienced writer (Siddiqui) who struggles to make it big in the film industry in Mumbai. Kashyap will be seen in the role of a lazy and corrupt police officer who has been tasked to find a missing person called Ghoomketu.

Read more | Ghoomketu movie review: The Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer is a drag