Promising Young Woman
Cassie (Carey Mulligan), a medical school dropupout, works in a coffee shop by day and at night, hangs out in bars, pretending to be drunk—she turns the tables when these so-called “nice guys” try to sexually assault her. Cassie is out to seek revenge, consumed by the trauma of what happened to her friend in med school. It’s a dark comedy, Mulligan is unsettling as a feminist vigilante; the ending, though, will divide opinions. Directed by Emerald Fennell. (Netflix)
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Limbo
A bunch of refugees in hostile conditions on a remote Scottish island, waiting for their asylum status. It’s a bleak existence—the characters are struggling with their identity, and in limbo about their future. One of the refugees is Omar, who carries his grandfather’s oud, which he brought from Syria, everywhere but is unable to play it. It's as if the instrument embodies his lost home, culture and identity. Ben Sharrock's film is heart-breaking and sensitive, with a humorous undertone. (Netflix)
Summer Hours
Art collector Hélène’s three children gather at their country home for her 75th birthday. The siblings must decide what to do with her extensive collection, and come to terms with her failing health. French director Olivier Assayas (Irma Vep, Clouds of Sils Maria) directs this sun-dappled, brittle, intimate film. The wonderful cast that includes Juliette Binoche, Adrienne Marly, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier and Édith Scob. (MUBI)
Faraaz
Based on the 2016 terror attack in Bangladesh, five young men, led by Nibras (Aditya Rawal), walk into an upscale restaurant in Dhaka and selectively kill all the foreigners, or non-Muslims, in a siege which unfolds over a night. Among the hostages is Faraaz (Zahan Kapoor), who calls out the “brain-washed” Nibras over the true meaning of Islam. It’s a debate you would have liked to see more of, but barring Rawal, and Juhi Babbar as Faraaz’s mother, none of the other characters have much to play with. Directed by Hansal Mehta. (Netflix)
Tetris
This unlikely thriller revolves around the popular video game Tetris. Taron Egerton stars as marketing man Henk Rogers, who becomes fascinated by the game with falling bricks. His attempts to secure the rights from its Russian makers take him to Japan and eventually to the other side of the Iron Curtain where, amidst Cold War tensions, he must use his wits to get home safe with the prize. Directed by Jon S. Baird. (Apple TV+)
War Sailor
Best friends and merchant sailors Freddy (Kristoffer Joner) and Sigbjørn (Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen) are conscripted to fight for the allied forces as Germany invades Norway in 1940. It’s a grim and harrowing look at how the brutality of war takes a toll on these men who are unable to return home to Bergen. The three-episode Norwegian mini-series is an edited version of director Gunnar Vikene’s film of the same name. (Netflix)
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