Five recently-released regional movies to watch this week
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The 2019 independent action film directed by Lijo Jose Pellisser y is this year ’s India’s entr y to the Oscars in the best International movie section. It is a stor y of buffalo that escapes from a slaughterhouse and the entire village folks gathering it hunt down. The film got critical acclaim on its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and was also showcased at the 24th Busan International Film Festival under the section ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’.
FILM: Soorarai Pottru, Tamil WHERE TO WATCH: Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition
The Sudha Kongara directed drama is based on the life of Captain Gopinath, who founded budget airline Air Deccan and is a must watch. The film is now also in the Oscars race. On Republic Day, the film’s co-producer Rajsekar Pandian announced this on Twitter: “Happy Republic Day! #SooraraiPottru joins OSCARS under General Category in Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Original Score and other categories! The film has been made available in the Academy Screening Room today.” SooraraiPottru is also among the 10 Indian films to be screened at the Golden Globes Awards 2021 under the Best Foreign Film category.
FILM:
Jallikattu, Malayalam Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition
The Disciple, LANGUAGE: Marathi WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
This critically acclaimed movie written, directed and edited by Chaitanya Tamhane and executive produced by Oscar winning director, Alfonso Cuarón is a festival favourite. It has won FIPRESCI International Critics Prize and the Best Screenplay award at the 77th Venice International Film Festival and Amplify Voices Award at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. The film traces the journey of a vocalist who is devoted to studying classical Indian music. According to Tamhane, it is a spiritual and more matured adaptation of a play he had written in 2008 called GreyElephants in Denmark.
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Master, LANGUAGE: Tamil Amazon Prime Video, digital premier today
The Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi starrer that got audiences back to the cinemas in droves refuting Covid-19 guidelines and saw as many as 10 movie theatre managers getting booked for not adhering to 50% occupancy norm, is now getting a OTT release. The action thriller traces the stor y of John Durairaj, an alcoholic professor, essayed by Vijay, who is sent to a juvenile school, where he clashes with a gangster Bhavani, played by Sethupathi who uses the children of the school for criminal activities. The film, helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Xavier Britto, is already a huge hit and a must watch for the terrific per formances by two powerhouse actors and also because of the sheer madness has created among the audience!
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World Famous Lover, LANGUAGE: Telugu January 30 at 8 PM on Sony MAX it
You can watch this Vijay Deverakonda hit on television without wasting money on this never-ending cringe-fest with the atrocious dialogue like, “I did not just spread your legs, Yamini. I loved you.” The film has all the staples of a Deverakonda movie, regressive misogyny, deeply-disturbing relationships and a protagonist that should not exist in movies anymore. Deverakonda once again channels his inner Arjun Reddy and plays the brooding and abusive lover. Why then should you watch it? Because you still find ‘bad boys’ hot and Deverakonda cute. Better reason? Because cringe is fun! Cringe is Binge!