(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Movie name: Meiyazhagan

Genre: Drama

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Streaming on: Netflix

Ever wondered about that brand of chocolate that you relished as a child? Or a small-town home that you once grew up in but has made way for something else? The critically acclaimed Meiyazhagan tackles such themes in a delightful manner that makes for, to borrow that famous Martin Scorsese meme, absolute cinema.

Directed by C Prem Kumar, Meiyazhagan explores the tale of a man (Aravind Swamy) conflicted between nostalgia and the somewhat-bitter present, and a relative who serves a connection between the two (Karthi); the two deliver perhaps their best performances in a long time.

Meiyazhagan also serves as an ode to our cherished childhood memories that doesn't fall prey to the established cliches of cinema.

The melange of emotions Arulmozhi Varman (Swamy) goes through contrasts well with Meiyazhagan's (Karthi) innocence and forms the bedrock of this movie. Govind Vasantha's soul-stirring background score and songs, too, creates magic. Go for it if you want a flick that lingers in your mind – for the right reasons.

For fans of: 96, nostalgia, dramedies

By Rajagopalan Venkataraman

Movie name: Echo Valley

Streaming on: Apple TV+

Genre: Thriller

If you're in the mood for a suspenseful, dramatic thriller this weekend, Echo Valley is a solid pick. The film stars Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, and Domhnall Gleeson, each delivering nuanced performances that anchor a story full of tension, secrets, and emotional complexity. Moore is magnetic as a widowed mother taking care of a teenage daughter while battling personal grievances, and Sweeney and Gleeson add layers to the drama that keep the story moving forward.

What makes Echo Valley stand out is its clever pacing - the movie gradually builds suspense, layering subtle hints that keep you guessing. The ending packs a twist that is both satisfying and thought-provoking, making the film feel substantial. It's a smart, gripping movie that balances character depth with suspense, perfect for a single-evening binge.

For fans of: Gone Girl, Prisoners, psychological thrillers with twists

By Husain Rizvi

Movie name: The Painted

Streaming on: Apple TV +

Genre: Horror

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a house with portraits that seem to follow you with their eyes? Well, what if they really did...haunt you, that is. With their eyes, with paint that stayed within the lines one min, creating a picture and melted the next, slowly distorting reality? In The Painted, the scene is set for the creepies when a family learns that they must be the executors of to a deceased relative's estate.

The house is, of course, dark, dank, in the middle of nowhere, and with a number of paintings lining the walls. Set in the 1960s, the family stays the night only to find some of them are getting mesmerised by the wall hangings. There are the usual grunts of the floorboards, the dripping paint, and an aura of haunting (by hostile spirits). Now, the family must discover the secret behind the people in the portraits and find a way to save themselves before it's too late. While some of the narrative is quite predictable, you are still bound to get the jitters when you see other life-like paintings in real time.

For fans of: Movies that haunt you when the TV goes off

By Karishma Nandkeolyar

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