Critic’s Picks: The best films and series of June

MUMBAI : OTT platforms are raining series and movies, now more than ever. With the lockdown in place and people bound in homes, the time is ripe to catch-up on latest releases on OTT platforms. But we know what a hassle it is to choose from the plethora of content available on various video streaming mediums. And how to know whether it will be worth investing your time? Here’s something that might help.

Dark season 3 – (Netflix): Set in the fictional town of Winden, the series in its first two seasons became known for successfully integrating science fiction with human drama. In the final season of the time travel saga, Jonas and Martha journey across parallel worlds and timelines to find the origin of time loop to save their loved ones from the apocalypse. Dark’s final chapter does not disappoint and is as thrilling as it is bewildering, bringing viewers full circle without sacrificing any of the show’s narrative complexities.

Kappela – (Netflix): Kappela is a Malayalam-language drama directed by Muhammad Musthafa and starring Anna Ben, Sreenath Bhasi, Roshan Mathew, Tanvi Ram and Sudhi Koppa in the lead roles. The movie centres around Jessy, a small-town girl, who mistakenly dials Vishnu’s (a rickshaw driver) number, and the duo falls in love talking over the phone. However, a surprise marriage proposal makes Jessy desperate to meet her lover. But a stranger named Roy walks into their lives and the drama begins. The incident causes a chain reaction that you probably won’t be able to guess beforehand.

Krishna and His Leela – (Netflix): This Telugu rom-com starring Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Shraddha Srinath, Seerat Kapoor, and Shalini Vadnikatti, has been earning appreciation for its slick presentation and a fresh take on modern, young romance. The story follows a young bachelor who is torn between his past and present girlfriends, and his indecisiveness leads him to spin a web of lies and cheating as he struggles to commit.

Crawl – (Amazon Prime Video): Crawl is the story of a young woman Haley and her father, trapped in their basement during a category 5 hurricane. It turns out that flooding house is the least of their fears. A compact, terrifying film that will keep you engaged with the slowly rising floodwaters and the deadly, slow-moving alligators. Starring Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper in the lead, the film has been directed by Alexandre Aja and written by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen.

Ford v Ferrari – (Disney+Hotstar): Based on the true story of visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), the story revolves around how they battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. They also plan to compete against the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966. Ford v Ferrari caters to the need of the audience expecting auto action as well as non-racing enthusiasts by balancing it with enough gripping human drama.

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Aarya – (Disney+Hotstar): The web series, an official adaptation of the Dutch crime drama Penoza, has been widely applauded for its strong performances and deft direction. The nine-part thriller revolves around Sushmita Sen’s character Aarya who is compelled to take over the drug business after her husband is killed. Sushmita Sen could not have asked for a more powerful comeback vehicle than Ram Madhvani’s Aarya.

Chintu ka Birthday – (ZEE5): Chintu Ka Birthday is a family-entertainer that thrives on simplicity and sweetness. The film tells the story of a 6 year old boy named Chintu, stuck in Iraq with his family during Saddam’s fall in April 2004. As the family prepares to celebrate the 6th birthday of their youngest member Chintu, their kind-hearted Iraqi landlord lends them a helping hand. The film gives out a strong message of hope and positivity to its viewers in these unprecedented times . No wonder the movie has managed to tug the heart of critics and audiences alike! Chintu Ka Birthday has been garnering some rave reviews.

Nirontor – (ZEE5): Nirontor is a story of two men, Biplab and Bhaskar, former is a middle-aged engineer whereas the latter is his project assistant, much younger in age. The crux of the film lies in the way these two men bond. First-time filmmaker Chandrasish Ray’s Nirontor is a tale of a humble life with narratives of regrets and realisations. It is a well written film that unfolds at a realist pace. The film also deserves credit for paying necessary attention to details. Nirontor also delves deep into the psychology of all the characters, subtly providing possible explanations for their actions. The film comes with a twist when you least expect it, just like the way life surprises us.

Your Honor – (SonyLIV): Directed by E Nivas, the thriller series is an adaption of an Israeli series, Kvodo. The plot centres on the life of Bishan Khosla (Sheirgill), a rookie judge celebrating his promotion. However, things go hay-wire when his own son is involved in a hit-and-run case. The judge sacrifices relationships and subverts the law to save his son from a vengeful gangster. The series displays how even the most upright people break in order to save their family. The series has been in talks, mostly for good reasons and has received decent critical acclaim.

SOURCE – BINGED NEWS

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