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Showing posts from October, 2021

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Genre:  Comedy Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin Directed by: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones Widely regarded as one of the funniest movies ever made, this parody of Arthurian legend was written and performed by the famous Monty Python comedy troupe and directed by troupe members Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. The film chronicles various elements of King Arthur’s quest to find the Holy Grail and those of his fellow Knights of the Round Table as they encounter one ridiculous scenario after another in pursuit of the relic. If you’ve ever wondered about the airspeed of a swallow, the best ways to determine whether someone is a witch, or how a fuzzy bunny could be the most terrifying creature in the world, well … you might not get all the answers in this film, but you’ll definitely find plenty of laughs.

Roma (2018)

Genre:  Drama Stars: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón Alfonso Cuaron’s  Roma  opens quietly, the camera staring, motionless, at a tile floor as the credits play; eventually, water pours over the floor, as the sound of a mop spills in from just offscreen. It’s a boldly mundane opening, fitting for a film about an ordinary woman.  Roma  follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a maid working in the household of a wealthy doctor, Antonio (Fernando Grediaga) and his wife, Sofia (Marina de Tavira). Cleo cleans the house, tends to the children, and keeps the household running as Antonio and Sofia’s marriage strains. Cleo is the type of character typically relegated to the background of stories like this, but Cuaron makes her the focus, depicting her daily labor and struggles with a surprise pregnancy and unreliable lover. It’s a beautiful Netflix film, delicately composed and shot in stark black and white.

Holidate

Sloane's mother gives her grief about not having a boyfriend. In fact, Sloane gets hassled by her entire family about not bringing a date at every family occasion. That is, with the exception of her Aunt Susan, who admits she brought a "Holidate" to the family Christmas party—a date solely for the holiday, with no commitment. By chance, Sloane meets Jackson, a complete stranger who also hates the constant judgment he gets from his family during the holidays, so they decide to be each other's platonic plus-ones, starting with a New Year's Eve party that Jackson has to attend.  Over the next year, they attend every festive occasion together. But when Sloane begins to have feelings for Jackson, it makes things awkward, because she worries he may not feel the same way about her. By : Riddhima Rajpal

The Crown

  The Crown was Netflix's first major foray into a British prestige drama, such as those produced by the BBC. The show's massive budget allows for a grandiose representation of Queen Elizabeth II's life, which was originally represented by Claire Foy and most recently by Olivia Colman in season 3, as well as a stellar ensemble cast. Even if you have mixed sentiments about the royal family in real life, this open-minded drama is definitely worth your time. Season 4 of The Crown, which focuses on Charles and Diana's relationship and stars Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher, is now online, and it's just as meaty and riveting as the previous seasons. The Crown season 5 is set to premiere in 2022, with Imelda Staunton reprising her role as the Queen. By Twinkle Bansal

The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor

  If you're seeking the finest Netflix horror TV program, go no further than The Haunting of Hill House, which will be followed by The Haunting of Bly Manor in 2020. Hill House is a narrative of a family who returns to their former house to confront the circumstances that pushed them away, a drama with many truly horrific scenes brought to life by a fantastic ensemble cast (including Carla Gugino and Henry Thomas). Meanwhile, Bly Manor doesn't quite reach the same terrifying heights as Hill Mansion – it's about an American au pair who looks after some bereaved children in another massive old house with plenty of weird goings-on – but it's a gothic romance at its core, and admirably distinct from Hill House. On Netflix, both are worth binge-watching. By Abhay Kapoor

After We Fell

Tessa (Josephine Langford) and Hardin (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin) had met Tessa's long-lost (and extremely intoxicated) father Richard (Atanas Srebrev) the last time we saw them. We Fell continues up right where we left off, with Tessa helping her father clean up and discussing why she hasn't heard from him in 9 years. Hardin confronts Richard, but the two end up bonding later when they go to a club and start throwing punches to defend Tessa's dignity. Richard quickly departs, but not before vowing that he will not vanish this time. Meanwhile, Tessa and Hardin are dealing with their own problems; Tessa is eager to go to Seattle for her dream career, while Hardin is baffled as to why she is so eager to leave him behind. He doesn't want to go to Seattle because there isn't much else for him there, and this causes a significant breach in their relationship. Tessa and Hardin continue to fight over ridiculous things (such Tessa perhaps having a crush on an old coworker while s...

Bridgerton

  Based on Julia Quinn's romance novels, this daring and sexually charged Netflix period drama has swiftly become the talk of the 'town.' It follows a group of young socialites as they negotiate a season of balls, betrothals, and betrayals in 1813 London – and try to outsmart Lady Whistledown, whose 'gossip sheets' may make or shatter a debutante's image in an instant. It's mostly a blast, with snappy storytelling, vibrant costumes, and sets, and fun versions of Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande performed on period instruments. Its diverse ensemble is also a welcome respite, demonstrating Bridgerton's determination to update and liven up a stale genre. It's not all pleasant sailing, notably in one particularly remembered episode's problematic portrayal of sexual assault. Given the talent on board and the positive response, we hope the show's creators can approach the show's relationships with a little more care in season 2 Bridgerton. By Stu...

Manifest

  The mystery thriller about a passenger jet that lands years after it took off has been spared from cancellation by Netflix US, which has given it a fourth and final season of 20 episodes. The show's puzzle-box structure makes it a wonderful fit for streaming, and unlike Netflix's own originals, each episode is a lean and snackable 40 minutes. This deep ensemble drama may seem a little Lost-y at first, but it takes some very interesting turns. You've certainly seen it haunting the Netflix charts for months, but with new episodes on the way, now is a good moment to get involved. By Naman Raina

Love, Death and Robots

  Love, Death, and Robots, an adult CG animated anthology, has now returned for a second, shorter season of episodes. The quality fluctuates across episodes, as it does with any anthologies, but as a whole, this program has a lot to offer. The concepts range from comedy to drama, with a grim twist at the center of the series — what happens if a housecleaning service decides to murder its owner? What happens if a yogurt tries to take over the world? An episode can be as basic as a lady fleeing from a perpetrator after witnessing a horrific murder. Because the episodes are so short, you'll be able to go through the entire series in no time. Love, Death, and Robots are one of Netflix's greatest sci-fi shows; we only wish there were more of it. Check out our handy sorted list of every Love, Death, and Robots episode if you only want to watch the greatest ones. By Abhay Kapoor

Sweet Tooth

  The latest comic book adaptation from Netflix has nothing to do with superheroes. This post-apocalyptic fantasy series follows a half-human, half-deer youngster as he searches for a new existence among the ruins of America with the help of a tough protector. Sweet Tooth is a must-see for anyone looking for something that's almost like a cozy family watching but with a twist. If you like it, you should check out Jeff Lemire's fantastic comics, which the program is based on. Season 2 of Sweet Tooth has been confirmed. By Twinkle Bansal 

Locke and Key

Netflix’s  loose adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s beloved comic-book series  Locke & Key  has had fun all season with the magical keys that keep dropping into the lives of its main characters. The arrival of a new key into the hands of the Locke children can fundamentally shift what it is they’re facing and their ability to deal with it, so understanding them is key (sorry) to unlocking (sorry again) the show’s plot. After a shocking act of self-immolation (explained far later in the series), the pilot begins with the Locke family — mother Nina (Darby Stanchfield), teens Tyler (Connor Jessup) and Kinsey (Emilia Jones), plus Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) in elementary school — leaving Seattle after a horrifying family tragedy to move to the ancestral home of deceased patriarch Rendell (Bill Heck, in a lot of flashbacks) on a remote part of coastal Massachusetts. The spacious Key House has everything — ample bedrooms, magical keys tied to a family curse, sce...

SQUID GAME !!

SQUID GAME - SEASON 1 Wasn't it bound to happen? Squid Game is not only one of Netflix's newest shows, but it's also on course to become the streaming service's most popular. This South Korean drama, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, depicts a group of indebted individuals who are invited to participate in a secret survival game. But, given the fanfare that has erupted around the performance, you presumably already knew that. Squid Game, like Bong Joon-Parasite ho's before it, uses class division as a trigger for violence, satirizing reality television by pitting 456 competitors against each other in a series of kid-friendly games with lethal twists. It obviously prioritizes stereotypes. A series that is capable of getting your undivided attention...Watch closely as you don't want to miss this. By: Twinkle Bansal 

You

You is back for a third pandemic-delayed season, with Penn Badgley's obsessive Joe Goldberg playing a father as he settles down in the suburbs with hazardous partner Love (Victoria Pedretti). Of course, things don't stay regular for long, but we'll let you find out for yourself. Just know that if you're in the right state of mind for it, this knotty, twist-heavy, and occasionally absurd programme is fantastic. It also manages to keep you involved with every scene, while focusing on a character who is so toxic on paper — little wonder Netflix has extended it for a fourth season.

Russian Doll

  Natasha Lyonne (Orange Is the New Black) plays Nadia, a woman who, like Groundhog Day, continues dying and repeating her 36th birthday party in a bizarre time loop. Russian Doll is a must-see for its sarcastic and humorous assessment of living and death. It alternates between laugh-out-loud comedy and profound melancholy. Netflix announced in June 2019 that Russian Doll had been renewed for a second season, which is well-deserved. by Stuti Choudhary

Birds of Prey And The Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn

  The pace of a film may make or break it. The pace in "Birds of Prey (And the Fantastic Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" is the one thing that keeps it from becoming a superb "superhero" picture. This picture, a spinoff/sequel to "Suicide Squad," in which we first saw Margot Robbie's portrayal of Harley Quinn, appears to be the polar opposite of the newly released Joker flick. The film doesn't take itself too seriously, from its tone to its character work, and it appears to be having a good time. From the first scene, it's clear that this film will stick to DC's new model of not attempting to be Marvel. They're allowing directors and writers to have a good time. And that is exactly what this film is: entertaining. Character, choreography, and comedy are the film's three primary assets. With her humorous version of her origin tale, Harley Quinn does an excellent job as a primary protagonist. I don't believe the recounting was ...

The White Tiger

The White Tiger, another Oscar-nominated film that will be available on Netflix in 2021, is an adaptation of the famous 2008 book. Balram (Adarsh Gourav), a guy from a rural Indian hamlet who will go to any length to avoid living in poverty, stars in the film. Balram realizes his place in the food chain – and designs his own ascension as an entrepreneur – when he enters the service of a wealthy family and they attempt to frame him for a crime. This Netflix original dark class drama is certainly worth watching. By: Twinkle Bansal

I Care A Lot

  This thriller starring Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) as Marla Grayson, a con artist who utilizes an intricate hospital setup to swindle elderly folks out of their homes and possessions, is one of Netflix's major 2021 movies. It's a horrible picture in a lot of ways, as you'd expect from a concept like that, but when it's revealed that Marla's newest victim is linked to a deadly mobster, the movie takes a left turn and becomes something completely different (played by Peter Dinklage). It's certainly worth seeing, even though it could be 30 minutes shorter, and the general narrative is never less than unbelievable. By: Riddhima Rajpal

The Mitchells vs the Machines

Netflix purchased this new animated film from Sony and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who are most known for their work on The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street, as well as being part of the team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It's also as delightful and amusing as those films.  Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) is an aspiring filmmaker preparing to start college – until her father cancels her plane ticket and insists on a family road trip, realizing that they've been drifting apart. Halfway through this perilous voyage, an AI exacts vengeance on its rich founder, and the planet is now threatened by intelligent robots. Many of the visual elements from Spider-Verse make their way into this film, including 2D comments and doodles on top of the already stunning 3D graphics. Most importantly, it's great to see Netflix support a family film that isn't just full of talking dogs and other clichéd drivel that is so common in computer-generated animation for kids. By:...