Despite the continuing safety measure of theatres across the country operating at 50% capacity coupled with the woes of a scant number of patrons, this week has seen a quartet of releases hitting the big screens though all are undoubtedly small-budget films, carrying little to no buzz. So, it's our job to give you the lowdown about which of them could actually be worth your time and effort (and now, add risk to that) to venture into a cinema hall. Plus, as usual, we'll update you about the web films and web series to add to your watchlist from among the plethora of titles releasing on OTT platforms. Without further ado, here are the five best web shows, web movies and theatrical releases to boot that are perfect for your binge-watching needs across these seven days.
A lockdown-themed anthology film, revolving around five slice-of-life stories, with names like Gulshan Devaiah, Saiyami Kher, Richa Chadha, Ratna Pathak Shah, Raj & DK and Nikkhil Advani attached to it — Unpaused looks like an ideal way to spend about two hours.
An action-romance hybrid starring fresh faces — Sayonee looks to tick most boxes for those who don't mind a stree-free, simplistic, masala entertainer tailor-made to be watched in a single screen. (A word of caution though: Watching a film at single screens involves slightly more risk than in a multiplex during these times.)
Respected actors like Noomi Rapace and Joel Kinnaman star in this post-World War II thriller about a woman who kidnaps her neighbour in a quest for vengeance, after suspecting him to be the same Nazi soldier who had tortured and tormented her during the war, only to later doubt if she had nabbed the right man. Indubitably, the plot is eerily similar to Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley's 1994 masterpiece, Death and the Maiden, directed by Roman Polanski, but the reviews by American critics, where it has already released in theatres and on video, have been pretty favourable.
A second retelling in a similar miniseries format as the 1994 version of Stephen King's 1978 classic novel by the same name — The Stand hits a bit close to the current situation with its pandemic plot and death galore, but if it's anything like the Stephen King's novel and the erstwhile limited series, then rest assured you're in for an epic write filled with tension and non-stop entertainment. We do hope the makers have tweaked the story a bit to offer something extra to those familiar with the story albeit while retaining the essence and core premise of King's sweeping vision. It'll stream on a weekly episodic basis on Voot Select.
The Disney-Pixar animated film, featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, promises to be the Christmas treat we've all been waiting for.
So, which of these releases will be the first on your watchlist? Tweet and let us know @bollywood_life.
