Top 10 Hollywood, Bollywood and other films, shows to watch this weekend

Fly Me to the Moon (UAE cinemas): Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum team up in ‘Fly Me to the Moon,’ a slick comedy-drama set during Nasa’s monumental Apollo 11 mission. Kelly Jones (played by Johansson), a marketing genius, is roped in to revamp Nasa’s public image. Sparks fly as she clashes with Cole Davis (Tatum), the launch director. When the pressure mounts and the mission faces a critical moment, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as a Plan B. And that’s when the real countdown begins ...

Cinderella’s Curse (UAE cinemas): Forget the good old Cinderella who accepted mockery and ill-treatment without so much as a murmur. In circa 2024, Cinderella is having none of it as she summons her fairy godmother from an ancient flesh-bound book, seeking revenge on her evil stepmother and stepsisters. Watch this movie if you want all your childhood memories of this fairy tale come crashing down as Cinderella goes on a killing spree as she seeks liberation from human bondage.

Sarfira (UAE cinemas): Inspired by Captain Gopinath’s book, ‘Simplifly’, ‘Sarfira’ is Bollywood’s version of Suriya-starrer ‘Soorarai Pottru’, which earned him a National Award. Akshay Kumar essays the role of Vir Jagannath Mhatre, the son of a teacher in rural Maharashtra who sets out to make flying accessible to the common man. This is a story of grit and determination, of dreams — however incredible — coming true, of the underdog cocking a snook at caste and power dynamics and finishing at the top, against all odds.

Arcadian (UAE cinemas): The Earth’s been ravaged. Paul (Nicolas Cage) is dad to twin teens Thomas (Jaeden Martell) and Joseph (Maxwell Jenkins). By day, it’s a pretty peaceful life; by night, monstrous creatures roam, devouring all in their path. When Thomas doesn’t make it home one evening, Paul risks everything and leaves their safe haven to find him. He locates his son, but a brutal fight leaves Paul badly hurt. Now, with night closing in, the brothers must bring together all they’ve learnt from their father to survive and protect him from the horrors lurking in the dark.

Last breath (UAE cinemas): Levi (Julian Sands) is an ageing expat running a tourist dive business in the British Virgin Islands with his college dropout partner, Noah (Jack Parr). He has spent most of his life searching for the long-lost warship, USS Charlotte. After 80 years, the wreckage finally surfaces following a tropical storm. Noah’s friends insist on joining them for a once-in-a-lifetime dive on the wreck. However, the dream dive quickly turns into a nightmare when they get trapped inside the USS Charlotte, 30 metres below the surface. As tensions mount, and with air supply dwindling, they realise there’s more to deal with — they are not alone down there.

Al Eid Eiden (UAE cinemas): This Arabic-language film should hold a special connection with residents in the UAE as it was shot across Abu Dhabi, including on Yas Island. The film follows a Saudi-Emirati family as they get ready for an Eid getaway in Abu Dhabi. What follows is a roller-coaster ride, as the family hurtles along mishaps and misunderstandings, with plenty of laughter thrown in. And through the chaos, they discover unity as a family.

Indian 2 (UAE cinemas): In the sequel to the 1996 film ‘Indian,’ Tamil actor Kamal Haasan returns as Senapathy, the former freedom fighter-turned-vigilante known for battling corruption in India. Back from Hong Kong, Senapathy joins forces with Chitra Aravindhan, who's been exposing corrupt politicians through viral videos online. The film also features a Hindi version titled ‘Hindustani 2’ and a Telugu version titled ‘Bharateeyudu 2,’ with Priya Bhavani Shankar and Rakul Preet Singh joining the cast.

In the Arena: Serena Williams (ESPN+): No tennis fan can deny the flamboyance that Serena Williams brought to the court, be it her iconic fashion sense, her iconic grunt and, of course, her game that saw he amassing 23 career Grand Slam singles titles through her career. And now, a new docuseries journeys through Williams’ career, from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. ‘In the Arena: Serena Williams’, an eight-episode, examines her rise to greatness till her retirement announcement in 2022.

Sunny (Apple TV+): Rashida Jones stars in this new mystery that shines the spotlight on artificial intelligence. The series, based on Colin O'Sullivan's novel, ‘The Dark Manual’, sees Jones playing a woman living in Japan whose husband and son go missing after a plane crash. Suzie’s gifted a quirky bobble-headed robot, developed by her husband's electronics company, to alleviate her loneliness. Initially resistant, Suzie gradually forms a bond with the robot. The show promises mystery and humour in equal measure.

Wild Wild Punjab (Netflix): ‘Wild Wild Punjab’ celebrates friendship and adventure as four friends — Sunny Singh, Patralekha, Manjot Singh, Ishita Raj Sharma, and Varun Sharma — road-trip across Punjab to help one of them get over an ex-girlfriend. Enjoy the laughter and camaraderie of modern-day friendships, but be warned — Punjabi stereotypes abound and you’ve probably seen them all on some screen or the other.