Agreed, old is gold, but sometimes you need a touch of new. And after a long, tiring and stressful week you deserve to unwind with something new and exciting.
Up until now, this month has a fantastic line-up of newly released movies. From Fast and Furious 9 to Luca, the line-up contains some of the most awaited releases of the year. With half the month gone, and a dozen of new releases, we realized that you may want to do something new this weekend as opposed to binging on the go-to series and movies (by the way, our go-to are Friends and Big Bang Theory!).
So here are some of the most engaging and fascinating movies we could shortlist for you. Look no further, just keep scrolling and find your weekend entertainment fix!
Luca
One of the safest watches this weekend has to be a cute film about friendship and adventure by Pixar. Streaming on June 18, the movie’s trailer suggests that it is a light story unfolding on the Italian Riviera. It is sure to be a great journey to embark with Luca Paguro, Alberto Scorfano and Daniela while two sea monsters form a strong friendship with a human being.
If you don’t believe us and think that this is just another animation movie which you may not want to watch, then believe AO Scott who reviewed the article and wrote, “It's about the sometimes risky discovery of pleasure, and it's a pleasure to discover.” We suggest you give it a try this laid-back Sunday.
Where to watch: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 8.3
Director: Enrico Casarosa
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer and Maya Rudolph, among others.
Watch the trailer:
Fatherhood
For us, we think it’s one of those ‘aww’ movies that one would like to watch when they want to just feel good. The movie is about a widowed father who brings up his baby girl all by himself. After the death of his wife, who died a day after childbirth, the single dad takes up the mantle giving the daughter-father relationship multiple layers!
Well, we are sure that the trailer and the adorable poster featuring the father and his baby girl sharing the crib would be enough encouragement for you to watch this movie this weekend. Yet, if you have any qualms about watching the movie, maybe you’ll want to read what Owen Gleiberman’s review, who wrote, “It transitions Hart from playfully scowling cutup to earnest heartfelt actor, and it does so in a way that, at times, is genuinely touching, even as the audience can see every sanded-down conflict and market-tested beat falling into place.”
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 7.8
Director: Paul Weitz
Starring: Kevin Hart, Paul Alexander Désiré, and Rodney Alexandre among others.
Watch the trailer:
Sherni
This is one of the serious ones but is sure worth a place on your weekend watchlist. The movie is about an upright Forest Officer, essayed by actor Vidya Balan, and her quest of creating a balance between humans and animals. The movie lands as an environmental thriller, one of the uncharted territories in Indian cinema.
If you are one of those who wonder why media is not doing much about creating awareness through this means of communication, well here it is. Many reviewers have applauded the movie for its attempt at addressing various issues in wildlife conversation. Shubhra Gupta in her review for The Indian Express wrote, “…yay for anyone focussing on a major, vexing issue of our times: when a tiger burns bright, we glow too.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb rating: 7.7
Director: Amit Masurkar
Starring: Vidya Balan, Mukul Chadda and Neeraj Kabi, among others.
Watch the trailer:
Raya and the Last Dragon
Like Pixar’s Lucas, this is yet another feel-good animation story about friendship and hope. The movie is about a young warrior named Raya, who goes to the end of the earth (or at least, very close) to bring the last dragon back to life so that it can restore a realm known as Kumandra.
A wonderful spin on “an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind” philosophy, the movie will surely bring you to smile. Appreciating the girl power in the movie, Peter Travers cleverly writes, “The sisters are doing it for themselves and one of them is a dragon in a wild, animated wonder ride from Disney that radiates female empowerment and comes at you in a whoosh of creative ideas in full eruption.”
Where to watch: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 7.4
Director: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Paul Briggs and John Ripa
Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina, among others.
Watch the trailer:
Skater Girl
It’s one of those movies that remind you of your journey and maybe even encourage you to rediscover your passion (it did for us, at least!). And why would it not be, the movie is directed by Manjari Makijany, who was also a production assistant on Wonder Woman. The sports drama is about a girl and a village full of young kids who discover a life-changing passion for skateboarding but face many hurdles to pursue their passion.
While most critics have applauded Makijany’s work, Anupama Chopra rightfully wrote, “…it's always lovely to see a young girl take flight.” Yes, it is!
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 6.6
Director: Manjari Makijany
Starring: Amy Maghera, Waheeda Rehman, and Rachel Saanchita Gupta, among others
Watch the trailer:
Jagame Thandhiram
Streaming from June 18, the trailer of this movie made noise way before its release. Starring Dhanush, one of the most celebrated actors of South India, the movie is about a notorious gangster Suruli. This movie also marks the Indian debut for actor James Cosmo. For the unversed, Cosmo essayed the role of Jeor Mormont on Game of Thrones and numerous other Hollywood movies and series.
Most of the initial reviews of the movie indicate an appreciation towards Dhanush’s presence in the film. Well, that should be a reason enough to watch this action-packed film.
Where to watch: Netflix
IMDb rating: 8.7
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Starring: Dhanush, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and James Cosmo, among others.
Watch the trailer:
Hope you have an exciting weekend!
For more suggestions, visit the #BingeChronicle page.