This week brings a diverse and exciting lineup of new movies and series to major streaming platforms. From a chilling horror mystery to a gripping political drama and intense thrillers, there's something for every viewer. Here is your detailed guide to the key releases hitting OTT services from January 9 onwards.
Major Film Premieres: Horror and High-Stakes Drama
The week's headlining film release is the mystery horror movie "Weapons", now streaming on JioCinema. Written and directed by Zach Cregger, this award-nominated film presents a terrifying premise. In the town of Maybrook, every student from a third-grade classroom, except one, mysteriously vanishes after running from their homes at the same time. Their teacher, Justine Gandy, played by Julia Garner, becomes the prime suspect. The film features a strong ensemble cast including Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan.
Another significant release is "The Thing with Feathers", starring Benedict Cumberbatch, arriving on Lionsgate Play from January 9. Adapted from Max Porter's acclaimed novella, this unconventional drama explores a family's profound grief. After the sudden loss of a wife and mother, a widowed father and his two sons find their sorrow manifesting as a surreal, crow-shaped presence in their home. The film is noted for Cumberbatch's inventive performance as it delves into how pain can both shatter and ultimately heal.
Web Series Spotlight: Political History and Southern Noir
The highly anticipated second season of the political drama "Freedom at Midnight" premieres on SonyLIV from January 9. Based on the seminal book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, this Nikkhil Advani-directed season shifts focus to India's tumultuous post-partition struggles. The series brings to life the pivotal events following independence with a stellar cast featuring Sidhant Gupta, Chirag Vohra, Rajendra Chawla, Arif Zakaria, Ira Dubey, and several others in key roles.
Netflix adds a tense limited series to its library with "His & Hers", now available for streaming. Tessa Thompson stars as Anna, a former news anchor living in reclusive isolation in Atlanta. Her life is jolted back into focus when she hears details of a murder in her sleepy hometown of Dahlonega. As she begins her own investigation, she draws the suspicious attention of Detective Jack Harper, played by Jon Bernthal, who begins to suspect her involvement in the case.
Thrillers and Romantic Dramas Round Out the Week
Crime thriller fans can look forward to "Caught Stealing" on Netflix from January 10. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film stars Austin Butler as Hank Thompson, a New York City bartender whose life spirals into chaos. A simple favour of cat-sitting for his punk-rock neighbour plunges him into a dangerous world of threatening gangsters. The film also features a strong supporting cast including Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, and Regina King.
For a change of pace, Prime Video offers the romantic drama "A Nice Boy". Directed by Roshan Sethi, the film follows Naveen, a soft-spoken doctor played by Karan Soni, who brings his charming artist fiancé Jay, portrayed by Jonathan Groff, home to meet his traditional Indian family. The visit leads to a series of comic misunderstandings and emotional revelations, challenging everyone's ideas of love and marriage as they attempt to plan a grand Indian wedding. The screenplay is by Eric Randall, based on the play 'A Nice Indian Boy' by Madhuri Shekar.
With this mix of horror, historical drama, crime, and romance, streaming platforms are offering a rich selection of content to kick off the new year. Mark your calendars for the release dates and get ready to update your watchlists.
