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Jennifer Lawrence Named The One Song That She’d Want To Listen To For The Rest Of Her Life

Jennifer Lawrence’s last movie before taking a hiatus from acting was Dark Phoenix, the least successful of all the X-Men movies (New Mutants made less money, but at least it didn’t cost an estimated $200 million). But now she’s back, and her first post-hiatus film, Don’t Look Up, is breaking viewing records on Netflix. “In its second week on the streaming platform, the disaster movie has recorded 152,290,000 hours streamed between December 27 and January 2,” according to Variety, which puts it “right at the top of its leaderboard of globally viewed English-language films.”

Earlier this week, Lawrence visited The Late Show to discuss Don’t Look Up and also play “The Colbert Questionert,” a game of 15 questions “that when asked, reveal not only to me and the audience, but to the person being asked the questions who they truly are,” as host Stephen Colbert explained. One of the questions was: you get one song to listen to for the rest of your life, what is it? “Um… um… I can’t answer that! How do you answer that?” Lawrence said before settling on “Holding On to You” by Miranda Lambert.

The non-single from Lambert’s fifth album, Platinum, was co-written by Jessi Alexander (who also penned “The Climb” for Miley Cyrus) and Ashley Monroe, one-third of country supergroup Pistol Annies. It should not be confused with the Twenty One Pilots song of the same name, and it’s definitely not “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit.”

You can watch The Late Show clip above.

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Tara Reid Retweeted Her Now-Iconic Tweet From The Afternoon Of Jan 6th, 2021

As the nation grapples with the one year anniversary of the January 6 insurrection that saw the U.S. Capitol building breached by a throng of Donald Trump supporters in an effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, Tara Reid wants everyone to remember that she had a tweet go viral that day. The American Pie and Sharknado actress retweeted herself on Thursday morning, reminding the world that shortly after 3 PM EST on January 6, 2021, she announced to the world that she “saw the news” and tweeted an emoji that over 13,000 people liked. A true historical moment if there ever was one.

To Reid’s credit, she did acknowledge later in the year that maybe it wasn’t her best tweet. In May 2021, she responded to the original post with the laughing face emoji and joked that it “aged well.”

Of course, it’s not like the one-year anniversary of January 6 is deprived of levity. To “honor” the historic breaching of the Capitol building, The Daily Show erected mock monuments that completely lambasted the “patriots” of the “Freedomsurrection” like Rudy Giuliani, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Ted Cruz. Each of their actions during the attempted coup were much more ridiculous than Reid’s tweet, and in her defense, she wasn’t directly involved in an all-out insurrection. More importantly, Reid also acknowledges that attempting to decertify an election is a bad thing, which puts her light years ahead of Boebert, Cruz, and Greene in true patriotism.

(Via Tara Reid on Twitter)

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‘Ozark’ Season 4 Trailer More Than Suggests That Marty Needs To Watch Out For Ruth

Ozark‘s supersized, two-part final season may just get the job done. That job, of course, would be to make Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) rue the day that he ever got into money laundering. Sure, he’s had regrets before now because it’s awfully inconvenient to pluck up one’s family (including his cheating wife, Wendy, who’s also dealt with her share of sh*t from Marty) and haul butt down to the actual Ozarks. And he’s been roughed up plenty, as well, but now, Marty’s truly in a fine mess: because this new trailer suggests that Ruth Langmore (the magnificent Julia Garner) will make her move.

Ruth has, of course, been maneuvering in the background for some time as Marty’s right-hand gal who cleans up after him and rarely asks for much. She’s been learning (despite insisting, “I don’t know sh*t about f*ck”) and positioning herself for a power play, and this trailer indicates that she’s going to find some money-laundering assistance from Marty’s son. That’s pretty crafty, as are more ominous words from Navarro and the hint that (as in horror movies) the call’s coming from inside of the house, all while Marty’s supposedly working off the last shreds of his obligations in Mexico.

Here’s a tiny little logline to tide us over:

Marty and Wendy are rid of Helen and climb to the top of Navarro’s empire. They find another opportunity to get out of the Ozarks but some past sins won’t stay buried and the most dangerous threats come from blood.

This final season will contain 14 episodes, which will launch in two seven-part halves. So, two final seasons? That’s not the official stance, but I’m running with it.

Ozark will return on January 21, 2022.

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Grimes Asks Fans To Help Pick Her ‘Book 1’ Album Cover From A Pair Of Outlandish Options

Last month, Grimes officially kicked off her new era of music following her 2020 album Miss_Anthropocene with the wistful track “Player Of Games.” Though she hasn’t confirmed the song’s subject matter, it definitely seemed like her version of a breakup track after splitting things off with her ex (and father of her child) Elon Musk. The song arrived as the first preview of her upcoming album Book 1. While she has yet to share a release date for the LP, the singer has asked her fans advice on an important aspect of the album.

On Twitter, the singer shared two possible images she wants to use for her Book 1 album artwork. The first image shows her as half-android with her clothes ripped in a way that shows off her then-pregnant belly. The second is a more close-up image that puts her against a starry backdrop with open books and snake-like creatures at her back. “I can’t tell which of these is my album cover,” she wrote. “all thots welcome.”

Ahead of sharing her possible Book 1 album artwork, Grimes announced to fans that she aims to pivot away from music as her “day job” after releasing Book 1, although she clarified that her goal isn’t to quite music forever. “Celebrity culture is suffocating a f,” she wrote on Twitter. “I’m not quitting music, but def changing my main day job after BOOK 1. Music industry feels old and tired, reliant on archaic systems.”

Check out Grimes’ Book 1 cover art options above.

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Black Country, New Road’s ‘Concorde’ Video Is A Must-See Alien Ant Abduction Tale

In their budding existence, Black Country, New Road have never taken the easy way out. The 7-piece chaos punk collective’s songs are often sprawling numbers with dynamic movements and “Concorde” is no different. The single came out last November and now the can’t miss video has arrived.

A twisted sci-fi tale of a reverse alien abduction, features an alien ant (a nod to the band’s upcoming album, Ants From Up There) being taken into custody by an earthling ops team. The six and a half minute clip feels like a campy extraterrestrial short film and the music really complements both the tension in the story, and the feeling of joy as the events transpire towards the finish line.

Watch the “Concorde” video above and check out Black Country, New Road’s North America Tour dates below.

02/19/2022 — Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
02/22/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Sultan Room, Turk’s Inn
02/23/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
02/25/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
02/26/2022 — Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
02/28/2022 — Detroit, MI @ Third Man Records
03/01/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/03/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Barboza
03/03/2022 — Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall
03/05/2022 — Arcata, CA @ The Miniplex, Richard’s Goat Tavern
03/06/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
03/08/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
03/09/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater

Ants From Up There is out on 02/04/2022 via Ninja Tune. pre-order it here.

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Nas Boards The NFT Train, Offering The Publishing Rights To Two Of His Songs

It was probably only a matter of time before Nas jumped on the NFT trend. He’s invested heavily in blockchain before and has often been on the cutting edge when it comes to his investments in tech. Today, he announced his partnership with blockchain platform Royal to offer 50 percent of the streaming rights from two of his songs as NFTs. According to a press release, a limited number of tokens will be offered on January 11, granting holders a portion of the publishing rights to “Ultra Black” and “Rare” from King’s Disease I and II, respectively.

Of the partnership, Nas said, “I am always looking for new and unique ways to connect with the people. So I am excited to partner with Royal on their new endeavor in order for the world to connect with my music in a new way.” Meanwhile, Royal’s co-founder and CEO Justin “3LAU” Blau said, “Having Nas be the first artist to sell royalty rights through Royal is an incredible affirmation of our mission. It’s proof that artists across genres feel strongly about democratizing ownership of their music, and that they want to be connected to their listeners on a deeper level.”

Royal’s investors also include 3LAU’s fellow electronic artists The Chainsmokers, Disclosure, and Kygo, while hip-hop artists involved include Joyner Lucas, Logic, and Stefflon Don.

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John Early On How The ‘Bonkers’ ‘Search Party’ Final Season Covers Cults, Elon Musk, And Millennial Narcissism

Search Party is the kind of show that samples different genres like it’s ordering toppings at the counter of a fro-yo shop … if fro-yo was still cool. The dark comedy series, which launched on TBS before moving to HBO Max, has done it all: murder, mystery, murder mysteries, millennial brunches, psychotic twinks, courtroom drama, and Susan Sarandon in a slow-speed round-about car chase. But in its swan-song season, showrunners Sarah-Violet Bliss and Charles Rogers have defied the improbable, surprising us again with cults, Jeff Goldblum, horror-comedy, shocking hookups, and a story about found family – the dysfunctional, criminally selfish kind.

John Early has been part of it all, playing a fame-whoring, monochrome-outfit-rocking hipster ready to switch political allegiances, fib cancer diagnoses, and lie under oath for a spot in the limelight. In the show’s final season, Early’s Elliott is ready to settle down, with a custom-ordered baby that may or may not turn out to be some kind of genetically manufactured Anti-Christ.

Uproxx chatted with Early about the show’s final season, how Search Party captures the essence of our culture, that Jeff Goldblum cameo, and his ongoing beef with email search engines.

Elliott’s life has been pure chaos for four seasons. Does that trend continue in season five?

Well, season four ends essentially with Dory dying. So, I think they were all ready to move on from the kind of roller coaster ride that Dory has taken them on through the first four seasons. They’re all, in their own way, settling down. In some ways, starting a family is maybe the first glimmer of selflessness in Elliott. But of course, as he says in a scene with the great John Waters in regard to these genetically engineered children, ‘They’re real conversation pieces.’ So we kind of immediately know that this is not out of love or desire to raise a family.

That’s not his character.

It would be so disappointing, as a viewer, to see Elliott suddenly want to be a good person. That’s not why we watch the show.

And do people really change?

I think it’s really hard to change. That’s why I think hard comedies don’t get enough credit. I think they’re actually more honest about the nature of people’s inability to change.

Right. Ted Lasso is sunny optimism on steroids whereas a comedy like Search Party can have teeth and still be enjoyable and funny and ridiculous.

Totally. I mean, look at the world right now, it’s falling apart. Everyone can kind of feel the precariousness of this moment. I understand, obviously, why some people would need the kind of positivity, the positive outlook of a show like Ted Lasso. But then I think a lot of people also need this kind of catharsis of leaning into how sour and dark and scary this moment is.

It’s the show for people who turn on cult documentaries for comfort.

[laughs] I’m much more in that camp.

Speaking of cults, Dory might be leading one this season. What would get Elliott and the rest of the group to join?

I think they’ve all kind of gone to such extremes over the past four seasons because of Dory, that at this point — their threshold for just getting on board, it’s very low. I think the tenderness that this show earns, after dragging you through so much hell, is in the fact that they actually all choose to be together. Even though they may resent it on some level or actively even try to resist it, in the end, they’re bonded by the trauma of the end of season one and what they go through after that.

At the end of the day, they just want to be together. They like hanging out. So, if it takes joining a cult, then sure. That’s why I think a lot of people join cults — literally just to have any sort of social structure, routine, a kind of committed family.

For the prospective cult leaders out there, what would it take to recruit John Early?

I mean, I grew up a child of ministers — very Presbyterian, progressive, easy-breezy ministers, nothing too hard about it. But I think of myself as just kind of anti-cult because of that. I think for me, it would have to be food-based. It couldn’t be one of those cults where you’re kind of just having paste.

It can’t just be radishes and bone broth every day.

It’s going to have to be a kind of heavy cream-based cult.

I heard your dad is a huge fan of the show and he gave some input for this season.

He did! He emailed me, ‘If they’re going to do a season five, here are my ideas.’ He literally did a paragraph for each character. It was so smart and funny. I was like, ‘I did not know you were watching the show on this level.’

Not just a “being a supportive parent” surface-level kind of thing.

Yeah, he’s truly internalizing the show and thinking about the characters in a deep way. I was very touched.

Did any of his script notes make the cut?

I’m going to look it up right now. [Checks phone} Let me see. ‘Robert Early.’ ‘Search Party.’ These are my search terms … [Long pause] Oh, no. Can I use this interview as a platform for something?

Go for it.

Why is it so hard to search email?

Good question.

Okay, wait. ‘Search Party ideas’, maybe?

[Another long pause]

Oh, God. It’s not coming up. Let’s coordinate. I’ll send them to you. I think that’ll be funny, and he’ll get the Google alert.*

The show has had some fantastic guest stars over the years but this season, there’s a scene with Jeff Goldblum that might be the most ridiculous thing we’ve seen so far. What was it like shooting with him?

That was a day where the four of us really felt like we were so lucky this show was continuing. I think every season has a great comic set-piece and this one is really up there for me. It’s so fun when the stakes of it are so high and also so clear. It’s not just emotional stakes. In this case, it’s actual action movie stakes. That’s what I feel so grateful for with the show because it started as millennials at brunch. It could have just stayed that, as so many shows do. But we get to hit all these genre notes and do these crazy things.

We’ve talked about how this show started and how it’s changed over the years. How do you think this season will be remembered?

It really ratchets up in stakes. There were times when we were shooting where we were like, ‘Is this just so bonkers?’ We couldn’t tell, but then we would think about the culture right now. We would think about Elizabeth Holmes, Elon Musk, the pandemic, wellness culture on Instagram, influencers. Search Party is really good at not directly depicting what’s going on in the culture. Which would be boring, because why would you want to see any more of what we’re going through, directly on screen? But Search Party does a really good job of capturing the essence and the volume of this moment, culturally; of what turns people into Elizabeth Holmes-es. It’s not just that our generation happens to be narcissistic, just in a vacuum, or happens to be ruthlessly ambitious. This is a generation of people who grew up within a kind of late capitalism moment and therefore, have those ruthless, ambitious principles, as everything around them is shrinking. We’re living in a culture of austerity, scarcity. Do you expect people to suddenly become selfless and learn how to share, as all of our resources are shrinking? No. People are going to become monsters and I think Search Party does a good job of showing how our current culture, the way our society is structured, turns people into true monsters. Anything other than that would’ve been treacly and sentimental and not authentic.

*John Early searched his inbox tirelessly and without ceasing for what we can only assume were days. He was unable to find his father, Robert Early’s, email at the time of this interview’s publication. He hopes this tragedy will draw attention to the very real need of millennials everywhere for a better email search engine. Do better, Google.

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What To Watch: Our Picks For The Ten TV Shows We Think You Should Stream This Weekend

Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

Get more streaming recommendations with our weekly What To Watch newsletter.

10. Queer Eye (Netflix)

QUEER EYE
NETFLIX

The Lone Star state is ground central (Austin, Texas, specifically) for the fearless ambassadors storming forth to give heroes some TLC. Surely, more Emmys are on the way after everyone sees the magic of this season, all while making the Land of Boots much more fabulous than usual. Pandemic be damned, there’s plenty of stylishness that takes priority, even if everyone’s dealing with masking and testing to the max. Watch it on Netflix.

10. Hanna (Amazon Prime)

HANNA
AMAZON

Esmé Creed-Miles is back as the pint-sized, badass title character, who’s still attempting to defeat the mysterious powers that be while Dermot Mulroney’s operative is as sinister as ever. The third season promises more fight scenes and thrills, all while more characters get backstories, and Mireille Enos’ character forms one half of a lady power duo to cross generations. Watch it on Amazon Prime.

9. Station Eleven (HBO Max)

station eleven
HBO Max

It seems strange to say that a post-apocalyptic drama about a flu-like pandemic that destroys much of humanity qualifies as a “comfort watch,” but it’s nearly impossible to exaggerate just how beautiful and poignant and deeply human Station Eleven is. Based on a novel by Emily St. John Mandel and starring an exceptional cast (Mackenzie Davis and Himesh Patel being the most recognizable), the show sports serious Leftover vibes, following a traveling theater troupe 20 years after the world has ended. It’s bold and imaginative with dreamy cinematography that’s grounded by some truly inspired performances, and it might just be the best doomsday watch we’ve seen on TV in a long time. Watch it on HBO Max.

8. MacGruber (Peacock)

macgruber-feat.jpg
Universal

It seemed improbable that a one-note SNL sketch sending up an ’80s action TV show could be stretched into a film, but dammit they did it, creating a cult favorite action-comedy that has now spurred a Peacock TV series. Circle of life! Unfortunately, Val Kilmer couldn’t return but the specter of the film’s explosive and urine-soaked conclusion hangs over MacGruber’s life, setting him off on a trail of redemption that is a lot more fully developed than you might imagine. Sure this thing is friggin hilarious in all the ways you’d expect, but it’s also a damn good TV show with a platinum level cast with Billy Zane and Laurence Fishburne joining Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, and Will Forte as they reprise their roles. Watch it on Peacock.

7. The Witcher (Netflix)

The Witcher Geralt Henry Cavill
Netflix

It’s time to go on another swashbuckling rampage through destiny as Henry Cavill’s wig returns for more monster hunting on The Continent. The show’s got a lot to live up to, given that it defied expectations during its debut, and it’s still a banger. That is to say, the Humble Bard is cranking out his angst in song, Geralt has less time to be grumpy, and Ciri is in training mode. The monsters are better, the emotions run higher, and we’ve got two new kids on the block: Killing Eve‘s Kim Bodnia (as Geralt’s mentor, Vesemir) and Game Of Thrones‘ Kristofer Hivju (in highly unflattering prosthetics, and we’ll leave it at that). Watch it on Netflix.

6.. The Book of Boba Fett (Disney Plus)

BOBA FETT
DISNEY

The natural evolution (or de-evolution, depending on your perspective) of pop entertainment is to constantly mine under the surface of popular things to project new stories tethered to the old, finding dollars, fan affection, and sometimes a truly interesting story. It’s still too early to know what the result will be with The Book Of Boba Fett, but it is the ultimate payoff for a fandom long clamoring for that kind of excavation of one of George Lucas’ most enduring characters. One that barely did more than look badass in his original appearance. Powered by many of the same people behind the very successful Mandalorian with a story woven into Star Wars mythos, The Book Of Boba Fett sure has all the ingredients to turn its ambition into something enduring. Even if it lacks a magical memeable muppet. Watch it on Disney Plus.

5. Yellowjackets (Showtime)

yellowjackets
Showtime

Are you in the mood for an intense survival epic and psychological horror story with plenty of coming-of-age touches? How about all of that with Juliette Lewis and Christina Ricci starring as the adult versions of two female athletes who were irretrievably shaken by their experiences after a plane crash in the wilderness? Sure, that sounds like a stressful description, but it’s also a hell of a watch. Not to mention another reason not to hop onto an airplane these days. Watch it on Showtime.

4. Search Party (HBO Max)

search party
HBO MAX

The final season of the most exciting, darkly funny comedy on TV right now launches with a near-death experience, a mental asylum stay, and a pair of gay dads who label their genetically-engineered baby a “conversation starter.” Impossibly enough, things only get more bizarre – and a hell of a lot funnier – from there. With a comedically-gifted cast, some wild story arcs, cults, and a Jeff Goldblum cameo, Search Party’s swan song proves it’s the boldest show out there. Watch it on HBO Max.

3. Cobra Kai (Netflix)

COBRA KAI
NETFLIX

The O.G. All Valley Karate Tournament confrontation took place 30 years ago, and Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence can’t get over it. Likewise, their respective dojos, Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang, attempt to join forces against John Kreese’s ownership of Cobra Kai, but of course, getting along will prove to be a bumpy road. Kreese has called in reinforcements in the form of his old Vietnam War buddy and co-founder of the Cobra Kai dojo, Terry Silver, who returns to the franchise. Who will win the spirit of karate in the Valley, and can Hawk and Tory keep their bully spirits alive while Johnny’s messing around with a crane kick? Robby’s also all in with enemy territory, and training methods are crossing like crazy, for better or worse. Watch it on Netflix.

2. The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)

GEMSTONES
HBO

Righteous Gemstones is back, building on its God-squaded Succession vibes with more in-fighting, corruption, and largesse. Simply put, the Gemstones are in the dynasty business, looking to upsize, let loose, and steer clear of the claw of consequences that keeps grabbing at them. As hilarious as it is compelling, the show has somehow found a way to bring the thunder yet again with its stand-out cast, adding Eric Andre, Jason Schwartzman, and a spectacular Eric Roberts to the mix beside Danny McBride, John Goodman, Walton Goggins, Edi Patterson, and company. Dream Team ’92 level comedy casting, folks. Watch it on HBO.

1. Euphoria (HBO)

EUPHORIA
HBO

Euphoria’s first season was a glitter bomb of teenage angst, drug-fueled spirals, and social media-splattered heartbreak. It’s been two years since Jules left Rue on that train platform and the show’s return promises some kind of resolution to their romance, the return of some familiar faces, and new additions that pressure the group to get their sh*t figured out. They won’t, of course, but the mayhem, bathroom fights, drug busts, and masterclass in acting Zendaya will surely give us will still be worth it. Watch it on HBO.

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What To Watch: Our Picks For The Ten Movies We Think You Should Stream This Weekend

Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish movies available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

10. (tie) Tick, Tick… Boom (Netflix)

tick tick boom
NETFLIX

Andrew Garfield is giving theater-kids everywhere a musical-thirst-trap performance in this Lin-Manuel Miranda-directed biopic that pays tribute to Jonathan Larson, the artistic genius who changed Broadway with his seminal musical Rent. This film examines Larson’s life before fans were belting out Season of Love though, with Garfield giving an award-worthy turn as a restless visionary who feels the suffocating deadline of turning 30 without having produced a great show. The supporting cast is terrific, Garfield is doing his best work, and Miranda infuses everything with a genuine sense of love and admiration that makes it hard not to root for this one. Watch it on Netflix.

10. (tie) Bruised (Netflix)

bruised
netflix

Halle Berry’s MMA movie made a deal with Netflix and now Halle Berry’s MMA movie is on Netflix. Yes, that sentence said “Halle Berry’s MMA movie twice but, to be fair, it’s a phrase it takes a little bit of time to wrap your head around. Berry makes her directorial debut and stars as a disgraced fighter named Jackie Justice (Jackie Justice!) who is back in the cage to deal with various personal demons. It’s Halle Berry’s MMA movie! The reviews are pretty good! Watch it on Netflix.

10. (tie) King Richard (HBO Max)

king richard
HBO

As odd as it is to have a movie about two of the greatest athletes of all time told centered on, not the women winning Grand Slams and Olympic gold medals, but their determined, driven father – King Richard works. It works because Will Smith exudes charisma and charm but he also brings a believable grit and weary defiance to the role of Richard Williams, the man who gave tennis not one, but two female legends. This is Serena and Venus’ story, told from the perspective of the man who believed in them when no one else did so, yeah, grab a box of tissues before you sit down to watch. Watch it on HBO Max.

10. (tie) Encounter (Amazon Prime)

encounter
amazon

Oscar-nominee Riz Ahmed likes to make the kind of movies you wouldn’t expect him to. In 2019, he played a rock n roll drummer slowly losing his hearing and having to upend his life because of it. This year, well … he’s surviving an alien invasion. Sort of. Encounter is one of those streaming movies that quietly sneak onto a platform – this time it’s Amazon Prime Video – and usually stay buried under all the other content the algorithm prioritizes. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen here though because Ahmed is a force on screen, playing a disturbed man and desperate father who believes he’s saving his two sons from an extra-terrestrial invasion that no one else knows is happening. It’s a mindf*ck, in the best way possible. Watch it on Amazon Prime.

9. The Power of the Dog (Netflix)

power dog benedict
netflix

Benedict Cumberbatch gives a villainous performance for the ages in The Power of the Dog, the first film in 12 years from director Jane Campion. The western is expected (and deserves) to be an Oscars frontrunner, so hop on the horse-drawn bandwagon now. Watch it on Netflix.

8. Swan Song (Apple TV+)

SWAN SONG
APPLE

Set in the near future, Swan Song stars two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as a husband and father who’s dying from a terminal illness. To spare his family from unimaginable grief, he secretly agrees to undergo an experimental treatment where his memories will be transported into an exact healthy duplicate. Swan Song examines how far we’re willing to go to protect the ones we love. It’s science-fiction at its most melancholy. Watch it on Apple TV+.

7. Being the Ricardos (Amazon Prime)

Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as Lucy and Desi in Being The Ricardos
Amazon Studios

Aaron Sorkin is back with a movie about I Love Lucy and its stars, with Nicole Kidman playing Lucille Ball, and a whole bunch of other stuff. You know what to expect here, probably, if you’ve seen a Sorkin movie or television show in the past. The dialogue will be snappy, the villains and heroes will be clearly defined, all of it. The important thing here is that we all agree that Lucille Ball was pretty impressive. Watch it on Amazon Prime.

6. South Park: Post-COVID: The Return of COVID (Paramount Plus)

south park
Paramount Plus

It’s the follow-up to the first COVID special and things are still weird. There are experiments and mental asylum escapes and marijuana farming and pretty much everything you’ve come to expect from South Park at this stage of the game. There are worse ways to spend a few hours this weekend. Watch it on Paramount Plus.

5. Reno 911: The Hunt for Qanon (Paramount Plus)

reno
paramount

This one is pretty straightforward: the delightfully incompetent police department from the long-running Comedy Central series is now, for some beautiful reason, on the hunt for the mysterious political conspiracy theorist Qanon, and their mission takes them from the desert of Nevada to, for other beautiful reasons, the open seas. Maybe straightforward wasn’t the right word. It’s probably best to avoid asking questions. Let’s just roll with it and be glad it exists. Watch it on Paramount Plus.

4. Don’t Look Up (Netflix)

don't look up
netflix

Jennifer Lawrence is back in Don’t Look Up, Adam McKay’s apocalyptic satire about two low-level astronomers (J-Law and Leonardo DiCaprio) who try to warn everyone on Earth about an approaching comet — but no one seems to care. The ensemble cast also includes Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, and Tyler Perry. Maybe that’s why no one cares about the comet. They’re too busy looking at all those stars. Watch it on Netflix.

3. The Tender Bar (Amazon Prime)

TENDER BAR
AMAZON

What we have here: George Clooney directing Ben Affleck in a film adaptation of a best-selling memoir about a writer who learns a number of life lessons while working as a bartender. The star power here is undeniable and makes it worth at least a snoop at some point, but it does make us wish — at least a little bit — that Clooney and Affleck had teamed up to make a movie about two handsome guys in tuxedos who team up to steal… oh, let’s say the Liberty Bell. This is probably fine, too, though. Watch it on Amazon Prime.

2. The Matrix Resurrections (HBO Max)

matrix
WARNER BROS

The gang is all back. Mostly. They’re mostly all back. Keanu is there as Neo, with the John Wick beard. Carrie Ann Moss is back as Trinity even though Trinity kind of… died. It’s a whole thing. And it’s fun. This all could have gone a lot worse, really, which isn’t exactly the highest praise but is still important. Let’s do it all again in another 20 years. Let’s make it a thing. Watch it on HBO Max.

1. Encanto (Disney Plus)

encanto
DISNEY

The standout cut from the Encanto soundtrack, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” is the latest addition to the Maddeningly Catchy Disney Song canon, along with recent inductees “Let It Go” and “You’re Welcome.” (Lin-Manuel Miranda apparently knows a thing or two about songwriting, who knew?) The rest of the movie is fun, colorful, and teaches an important lesson about family and community, and you get to hear Rosa from Brooklyn Nine-Nine belt it out. But the best reason to watch Encanto is to learn firsthand why “Bruno” is one of the most popular songs in the country right now. Should you skip Encanto? Bruno-no-no-no. Watch it on Disney Plus.

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Tom Holland’s James Bond Origin Story Pitch Led To Him Starring In ‘Uncharted’

Tom Holland was born in 1996. In his lifetime, only two actors have played James Bond: Pierce Brosnan (from 1995-2002) and Daniel Craig (2006-2021). Could he be the third? The short answer is: no. I mean, he technically could, because every actor who is handsome and British is being considered to be the next 007, but Bond has traditionally been played by lesser-known actors, not the star of the biggest movie of the pandemic era. Besides, he already had his chance to play Bond… young James Bond.

“I had a meeting, after or during Spider-Man 2 [Far From Home], with Sony to pitch this idea of a young Bond film that I’d come up with. It was the origin story of James Bond,” Holland told Total Film. “It didn’t really make sense. It didn’t work. It was the dream of a young kid, and I don’t think the Bond estate were particularly interested.”

But that failed pitch led to another role: Nathan Drake in Uncharted.

“The idea of a young Bond film sparked this idea, in turn, that you could do a Nathan Drake story as an origin story, rather than as an addition to the games. And that opened a conversation.”

A pitch for an origin story resulted in a movie about a treasure hunter? This is somehow going to result in Holland playing a young Indy in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: The Movie, I know it (maybe once Indiana Jones 5 comes out in 2027).

Uncharted opens on February 18.

(Via Total Film)