Joseph Gorden-Levitt starrer 7500 is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (Photo: Amazon Studios)
With the number of coronavirus cases rising to 366,946 in India, the opening of cinema halls still appears to be a distant dream. Though many states are in the Unlock 1.0 phase, they are still reluctant to reopen theaters. But the audience need not worry. There is no dearth of new movies since filmmakers have taken the digital route to tell stories.
Last week, Shoojit Sircar directorial Gulabo Sitabo, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Farrukh Jaffer, Brijendra Kala and Vijay Raaz among more, released on Amazon Prime Video. The film garnered a positive response from cinephiles.
The next big film to have a digital release is Keerthy Suresh starrer Penguin. Touted to be a mystery thriller, it revolves around a mother’s struggle as she searches for her child. Helmed by debutant director Eashvar Karthic, the film has been co-produced by Karthik Subbaraj. It is the second high-profile Tamil film to take the OTT route after Jyotika’s Ponmagal Vandhal.
The other big films which will be released on streaming platforms include Janhvi Kapoor starrer Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Kannada film Law and Vidya Balan’s Shakuntala Devi.
Not just the adults, the streaming platforms are also making sure to keep kids entertained. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5, Voot and Disney Plus Hotstar have updated their content library for children.
So, you need not get bored sitting at home as you can enjoy movies and shows while keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. And, if you are confused about what to watch, we are here to help.
In this blog, we suggest movies, web series, TV shows and documentaries you can watch on several OTT platforms.
Few places in the world are as enigmatic and mysterious. While archaeologists and historians have theories, nobody knows for certain the story behind these prehistoric standing stones that make a rough circle.
Abhishek Chaubey’s dacoit drama Sonchiriya is one of the most underrated films of 2019. Set in the 1970s, the film is packed with some hard-hitting dialogues and noteworthy performances from Ranvir Shorey, Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar and Manoj Bajpayee.
A YouTube series for Netflix hosted by internet stars Kusha Kapila and Srishti Dixit, this show mainly sees the presenters reviewing random shows and films. Guaranteed to provide you laughs and a somewhat fresh perspective on things.
If what you are looking for is a fun, romantic comedy with some passionate sequences, you should surely check out this Korean show. The case of the show is also helped significantly by the fact that the leads share a great chemistry.
In this engrossing tale of three siblings, the characters of Amol Parashar, Maanvi Gagroo and Sumeet Vyas develop a deeper bond as their journey together takes them to unexpected places.
As Baahubali 2 completes three years today, revisit the magnum opus by director SS Rajamouli in the comfort of your home. Watch the saga of Maahishmati as two princes battle for their their pride. Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannah Bhatia, among others, the film is streaming on netflix and Disney+ Hotstar in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi.
My Neighbour Totoro is the mascot of Studio Ghibli. The fantasy-movie follows the story of two young girls and their interactions with friendly wood spirits, especially the giant, cuddly, furry “rabbit who loves to roar”. This is the best film to watch if you are having a particularly bad day. The script is simple, and there are no major conflicts, but the story-telling is guaranteed to make you feel unbridled joy. The film will definitely be a hit among children.
Watch Vicky Kaushal starrer Bhoot on Amazon Prime Video. Set inside a haunted ship 'Sea bird', this film follows Kaushal's Prithvi who finds himself in teh midst of some supernatural occurences as he is also trying to deal with the loss of his family.
An Amazon Original, Lore is based on a podcast of the same name. Every episode of the show tells the origins of a horror story and although it is more of a documentary than drama, it is a slickly produced show that is engaging enough for a binge. You might want to check out the podcast as well. It is sublime.
A prequel of the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, Bates Motel tells the story of Normal Bates from when he was a kid. The acting is superb, both by Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga as his mother Norma Bates. There is uneasy, almost incestuous tension between the duo and that is the biggest strength of this show. Sometimes scary and sometimes creepy, Bates Motel is a worthy prequel.
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.
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.
The Kid Who Would Be King is about a school kid who has nothing special about him. His fortunes change, however, when he pulls King Arthur’s famous sword Excalibur from the stone it is buried in. According to the Arthur stories, only the true king can draw the sword and wield it. The film is an enjoyable adventure for kids and adults alike.
Brightburn is a truly terrifying superhero (or supervillain?) horror film. It is an inversion of Superman’s lore. Just like Clarke Kent, Brandon Breyer came from outer space and fell in a Kansas farm. And just like Clarke, he found loving parents. But instead of being a kind, thoughtful individual, he submits before his darker proclivities and goes on a murder spree.
HBO miniseries Chernobyl streaming on Hotstar is a harrowing and meticulous dramatisation of the events leading up to and the immediate aftermath of the biggest nuclear disaster in history. Most of the plot across five taut episodes is about the superhuman efforts at containment by brave people without which millions would have perished.
Also Read | Chernobyl review: A captivating, bleak portrait of the biggest nuclear catastrophe in history
12 Years a Slave is Steve McQueen’s heart-wrenching adaptation of a memoir of a black slave Solomon Northup. Chiwetel Ejiofor essayed the lead role in the film which also starred Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Lupita Nyong’o, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, and Alfre Woodard. The film was a brutal depiction of slavery and is a hard movie to watch.
HBO’s Watchmen series is a sequel of sorts (called a “remix”) to Alan Moore’s graphic novel of the same name. It is created by Damon Lindelof, co-creator of Lost and HBO’s own The Leftovers. Just like how the English author boldly confronted the contemporary social and political issues in the United States in the late 1980s, Lindelof’s Watchmen deals with the present concerns: chiefly white supremacy and racism. And it does it amazingly well.
Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-winning feature The Shape of Water twists the traditional beauty-and-the-beast story and in the process tells a story that is gorgeous both visually and musically.
In 7500, Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as the co-pilot of a flight that is hijacked by terrorists. Most of the film is just the main character trying to stop terrorists from taking control of the flight, and this means not allowing them to enter the cockpit, whatever the cost.
Also Read | 7500 movie review: Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines in claustrophobic thriller
Two hopeless tech geeks and one clueless dame together try to make through the hurdles of the job. Sometimes they fail, sometimes they succeed. And what do we get? Laughter in dozens.