Month: September 2022

Earlier this month, Cordae once again linked up with California producer Hit-Boy to contribute the triumphant new single “Checkmate” to the soundtrack for Madden 2023. Today, they shared a simple but effective video for “Checkmate,” which focuses on Cordae and Hit-Boy in the studio with a football game on the TV in the background, black-and-white crew shots, and naturally, close-up shots of a chess board in the middle of an intense match. The video feels very much like a throwback to the 2000s in the way that the track does, evoking the exuberant, rebellious energy of the Dipset takeover at the turn of the millennium.

“Checkmate” followed up Cordae’s second studio album, From A Bird’s Eye View, which dropped in January and has spawned the singles “Sinister” — which was also produced by Hit-Boy and features Lil Wayne — “Parables,” and “Chronicles” featuring HER and Lil Durk. He also got into better shape, gave an insightful TED Talk, and shined in his Coachella debut. He kept momentum going in August with a double single release featuring “Unacceptable” and “So With That,” and he’s already begun teasing a new mixtape to add to his growing, impressive catalog.

Watch the video for “Checkmate” above.

Cordae is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Fall is upon us, finally. It’s been one hell of a boiling hot summer, but relief is on the way, and with it, the spooky season. Netflix is fully into the seasonal mood with multiple new shows to thrill and care the bejesus out of you. Haunting of Hill House helmer Mike Flanagan returns with his next Midnight-titled show, the inner workings of Jeffrey Dahmer will be on display, and Mila Kunis stars in a thriller movie based on a popular, Gillian Flynn-esque book. In addition, Guillermo del Toro presents a collection of troubling tales, and Netflix also restocked their library with plentiful installments of the Ocean’s Eleven, Rush Hour, and Sex and the City franchises. Be warned: Schitt’s Creek will soon leave the streamer, so it’s time to catch up or binge it again.

One more key development for the month: Netflix appears to be shifting toward weekly releases for some titles. So, the newest Unsolved Mysteries and Bling Empire seasons will slowly roll out episodes, and we’ll see whether delayed gratification works out for Netflix, as it has for Amazon Prime and Apple TV+ shows.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Netflix in October.

The Midnight Club: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 10/7)

Halloween belongs to Mike Flanagan of The Haunting Of Hill House, and in the wake of Midnight Mass, the witching hour gets even more focus in this adaptation of Christopher Pike’s novel about teens afflicted with terminal illnesses. They cope by telling each other ghastly stories, and the the supernatural gets involved, along with a pact to send signals from the grave when the time comes. This series will (unfortunately) suffer from a lack of Hamish Linklater, but I’m sure that the show will make up for this egregious sin.

Big Mouth: Season 6 (Netflix series streaming 10/28)

Gather around for more of Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg’s adult-animated show about how puberty is the worst. Banality and critical acclaim do go hand-in-hand sometimes! This show will follow closely with the characters’ families, which should be interesting, considering that hormone monsters are afoot. Ideally, we’ll also hear more of The Bear‘s Ayo Edebiri, who replaced Jenny Slate as Missy following a casting controversy. Hey, we’ll take more Ayo any way that we can get it.

Luckiest Girl Alive (Netflix film streaming 10/7)

Mila Kunis stars in this adaptation of Jessica Knoll’s bestselling novel that surely took inspiration from Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places. The story follows a writer (Ani) who happened to survive a mass killing at her high school. Naturally, some PTSD is involved, and a documentary filmmaker surfaces some memories that would best be forgotten. In the end, some dark truths might shake up her whole world even more, and here’s a bonus: Scoot McNairy’s along for the horrific ride.

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (Netflix documentary series streaming 10/7)

Evan Peters stars as notorious cannibal/serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in this deep dive that sources unearthed interviews, all tied up in a revolting bow as he offers “sandwiches” to neighbors. Ryan Murphy produces this true-to-life American Horror Story, which sets out to examine systematic failures that allowed Dahmer to flourish. You know, despite all of the revolting smells and screams that emerged from his Wisconsin apartment. Close the blinds before you watch this one.

Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 3 (Netflix series streaming 10/7)

This compelling revival still ditches the narrator (and that’s for the best) while diving into more unexplained crimes and deaths, possibly missed with the paranormal. The Stranger Things producers teamed up with Cosgrove/Meurer Productions to keep the original series’ spirit alive with real-life stories that will entrance and haunt you.

Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 10/25)

The horror maestro unleashes an anthology series full of sinister tales, helmed by seasoned directors including Jennifer Kent (The Babadook). It’s a fitting way to wrap up the witching season, so make it last forever.

Avail. TBA
20th Century Girl
Inside Man

Avail. 10/1
17 Again
30 Minutes or Less
60 Days In: Season 3
Any Given Sunday
Barbie: It Takes Two: Season 2
Call Me by Your Name
Charlotte’s Web (2006)
Chocolat
City Slickers
The Color Purple
Gladiator
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
I Love You, Man
Labyrinth
Land of the Lost
Last Seen Alive
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
National Lampoon’s European Vacation
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Ocean’s Eleven
Ocean’s Thirteen
Ocean’s Twelve
Point Break (1991)
Risky Business
Robin Hood
Runaway Bride
Rush Hour
Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 3
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Sex and the City 2
Sex and the City: The Movie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
Vegas Vacation
Walking Tall
Wedding Crashers
Yes Man

Avail. 10/2
Forever Queen

Avail. 10/3
Chip and Potato: Season 4
Jexi

Avail. 10/4
Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester

Avail. 10/5
Bling Empire: Season 3
High Water
Jumping from High Places
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone
Nailed It!: Season 7
The Fight for Justice: Paolo Guerrero
The Trapped 13: How We Survived The Thai Cave
Togo

Avail. 10/6
Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake
The Joys and Sorrows of Young Yuguo

Avail. 10/7
Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes
Derry Girls: Season 3
Doll House
Glitch
Kev Adams: The Real Me
Luckiest Girl Alive
Man on Pause
The Midnight Club
The Mole
Oddballs
Old People
The Redeem Team
TIGER & BUNNY: Part 2

Avail. 10/9
Missing Link

Avail. 10/10
LEGO Ninjago: Season 4 Crystallized
Spirit Rangers

Avail. 10/11
The Cage
DEAW#13 Udom Taephanich Stand Up Comedy Show
Iliza Shlesinger: Hot Forever
Island of the Sea Wolves

Avail. 10/12
Belascoarán, PI
Blackout
Easy-Bake Battle
The Nutty Boy
Wild Croc Territory

Avail. 10/13
Dead End: Paranormal Park: Season 2
Exception
The Playlist
The Sinner: Season 4: Percy
Someone Borrowed
Sue Perkins: Perfectly Legal

Avail. 10/14
Black Butterflies
The Curse of Bridge Hollow
Everything Calls for Salvation
Holy Family
Mismatched: Season 2
Take 1

Avail. 10/15
Blippi’s Spooky Spell Halloween
Under the Queen’s Umbrella

Avail. 10/16
Dracula Untold
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am

Avail. 10/17
Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant

Avail. 10/18
Gabriel Iglesias: Stadium Fluffy Live From Los Angeles
LiSA Another Great Day
Somebody Feed Phil: Season 6
Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 3

Avail. 10/19
The Green Glove Gang
Love Is Blind: Season 3
Notre-Dame
The School for Good and Evil
The Stranger

Avail. 10/21
28 Days Haunted
Barbarians II
Descendant
From Scratch
High: Confessions of an Ibiza Drug Mule
ONI: Thunder God’s Tale
Pokémon Ultimate Journeys

Avail. 10/22
LOL Surprise! Winter Fashion Show

Avail. 10/23
Franco Escamilla: Eavesdropping

Avail. 10/24
The Chalk Line

Avail. 10/25
Barbie Epic Road Trip
Blade of the 47 Ronin
Fortune Feimster: Good Fortune
Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities
Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 3

Avail. 10/26
Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn
The Good Nurse
Hellhole
Love Is Blind: Season 3
Robbing Mussolini

Avail. 10/27
Cici
Daniel Spellbound
Dubai Bling
Earthstorm
Family Reunion: Part 5
Hotel Transylvania 2
Romantic Killer

Avail. 10/28
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself
Big Mouth: Season 6
Drink Masters
I AM A STALKER
If Only
My Encounter with Evil
Wendell & Wild
Wild is the Wind

Avail. 10/29
Deadwind: Season 3

And it’s your last chance to stream these titles:

Leaving 10/2
Schitt’s Creek: Seasons 1-6

Leaving 10/7
Sofia the First: Seasons 1-4

Leaving 10/8
After

Leaving 10/13
Apocalypse Now Redux
Everything Must Go
Little Italy
Scary Movie 4
The Girl Next Door

Leaving 10/14
Bleach The Movie: Fade to Black
Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse

Leaving 10/15
Sinister 2

Leaving 10/21
Yes, God, Yes

Leaving 10/22
Hemlock Grove: Seasons 1-3

Leaving 10/26
Begin Again

Leaving 10/27
Metallica Through The Never

Leaving 10/31
8 Mile
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Footloose
Friday
Friday After Next
Johnny Mnemonic
Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath: Seasons 1-3
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Monster-in-Law

Leaving 10/31
Naruto: Seasons 1-9
The Notebook
Rock of Ages

For years on end, Myles Turner has been the subject of trade rumors and reports. Most recently, there have been reports about a potential deal between the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers that would send Turner and Buddy Hield to Los Angeles in exchange for Russell Westbrook and draft compensation, yet those talks fizzled out.

According to Pacers General Manager Chad Buchanan, however, any deal including Turner will not materialize prior to the start of the 2022-23 NBA season, which he announced during an interview with 107.5 The Fan, Indianapolis’ flagship ESPN radio station.

Turner has one year and $17.5 million remaining on his four-year, $70 million contract. He’s a premier defensive center, particularly adept in drop pick-and-roll coverage and as an interior rim protector. He’s improved as a switch big and expanded his offensive aggression, though remains inconsistent on the latter front.

His combination of floor-spacing and defensive aptitude could certainly benefit quite a few teams. The issue, presumably, seems to be a disconnect between what Indiana believes he should fetch in a trade and what suitors believe they should offer the Pacers for him. That issue appears long-standing, too. The key distinction here should be noted that Buchanan saying he won’t trade Turner prior to the season. The language does not imply a move could not materialize before February’s trade deadline.

Given Turner is a free agent and Indiana has prioritized its youthful development, Turner being on the move is still a plausible outcome. It just won’t come before mid-October, at the earliest.

Eddie Murphy brought Prince Akeem Joffer (and Sexual Chocolate singer Randy Watson and barber shop owner Mr. Clarence and barber shop customer Saul) out of retirement in Coming 2 America. He’ll do the same with Axel Foley for one. last. job. in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, along with some familiar faces from the original films.

It was previously announced that the fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise — and first since 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III — would star Murphy as Detroit-turned-California cop Axel Foley. But on Wednesday, Netflix revealed that Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot, all of whom appeared in at least the first two Beverly Hills Cop films (Reinhold is three for three), have also joined the cast. Are we in the middle of the Paul Reiser-aissance, after he was in Stranger Things, Fosse/Verdon, The Boys, and Reboot? We’ll know for sure if James Cameron casts him in Avatar 5.

The franchise moved from Paramount to Netflix in the winter of 2019 and follows the adventures of Detroit cop Foley, who first appeared in the 1984 smash hit that followed him to Beverly Hills to solve the murder of a friend. The film became one of the year’s biggest hits and solidified Murphy’s movie-star status.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, which also stars Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, does not currently have a release date.

Future dropped the new music video for his song “I’m Dat N****” yesterday as the latest single from his 2022 album I Never Liked You. The video follows the rapper on a luxurious Paris vacation, where he rides on a yacht, attends fancy dinners with models, and spends his money at designer stores (specifically, Celine).

The music video also shifts in terms of visual influence, including a grainy film style, before switching the color scheme to black & white towards the end. “I just left, she textin’ me she miss me,” Future notes during the song’s second verse as he stands on what appears to be a hotel balcony. Slow Burnz, Dy Crazy, and Southside produced the single, which also interpolates Young Thug’s 2019 song “Hot.”

As Future’s fifth single, it follows up his earlier I Never Liked You songs, from “Holy Ghost,” “Puffin On Zootiez,” “Love You Better,” and “Wait For U” featuring Drake and Tems. In addition, Future’s album contains several collaborations with notable artists. He teamed up with Kanye West for “Keep It Burnin,” Gunna and Young Thug on “For A Nut,” and even brought Drake back again for another song titled “I’m On One.”

Watch the music video for Future’s “I’m Dat N****” above.

You won’t find a bigger Adam Sandler fan than me, someone who watched That’s My Boy (which he starred in) and Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (which he co-wrote and produced) literally last week. But even I, the Sandy Wexler defender, will admit that not all of his movies are… what’s the word I’m looking for? Oh yeah: good. Not all of his movies are good. But for so many of his comedies to be below 15 percent on Rotten Tomatoes? Why you gotta be so mean. Not that Sandler minds — most of the time.

“Sometimes,” Sandler told AARP (!) when asked if the harsh reviews sting. “Mostly because I invite all these amazing people I care about to make movies with me, and I wish they didn’t have to read sh*t about whatever we’ve made. But I don’t get too shook up.” He then shared a story involving his dad.

I always remember something my father said. He was a tough bastard. He went through ups and downs in his life, like not having work for a year or two and not telling us. I recall one time that something didn’t go right for me. I bombed onstage or didn’t get an audition. I was upset and probably embarrassed. And he said, “Adam, you can’t always be happy. People aren’t always going to like you. You’re going to fail.” I said, “But I just want to be happy, man. I don’t want all that other crap.” He said, “You won’t actually know you’re happy if you don’t feel that other stuff.”

In other words, ignore the negative reviews for Jack and Jill and focus on the fact that you got Al Pacino to rap about Dunkin.’ Watch the scene for something like the 67th time? Don’t mind if I DO.

(Via AARP)

Robert Sarver’s time as the owner of the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury is on the precipice of coming to an end. According to a statement that the disgraced owner of both teams released on Wednesday afternoon, Sarver has started to look for buyers of both teams in the aftermath of the investigation that has led to him receiving a 1-year suspension and $10 million fine.

Sarver attempted to make himself a victim in his statement, citing his faith as the reason he is a believer “in atonement and the path to forgiveness” and blaming “our current climate” for meaning that “whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past.” But after he got that out of the way, he announced his decision to start looking for someone to purchase the teams.

I do not want to be a distraction to these two teams and the fine people who work so hard to bring the joy and excitement of basketball to fans around the world. I want what’s best for these two organizations, the players, the employees, the fans, the community, my fellow owners, the NBA and the WNBA. This is the best course of action for everyone.

Sarver purchased both teams in 2004. The news of his decision to sell came after an independent investigation determined that there were numerous examples of Sarver being racist and sexist in his workplace, which led to the punishment being handed down by the NBA. Numerous players — including LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Draymond Green — spoke out in the aftermath of the NBA’s decision, while NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio called for Sarver to receive a lifetime ban.

After the Latin Grammy Award nominations were announced yesterday, many artists took to social media last night to share their excitement. Among the nominees that expressed their gratitude were Rosalía, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, and Sebastián Yatra.

With eight nominations (not counting a technical category nomination), Rosalía is tied with her boyfriend Rauw Alejandro as the second most-nominated artists this year. She is also the most-nominated female artist this year. The Spanish pop star is up for Album Of The Year for the critically-acclaimed Motomami. She’s also up for Record Of The Year for “La Fama” with The Weeknd and Song Of The Year for “Hentai.”

While on a break from her Motomami Tour, Rosalía wrote in Spanish, “Today I woke up very happy!!!! Thank you for the 9 Latin Grammy nominations and for the 2 sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall that I enjoyed so much. NYY the most incredible city in the world. Thank you for so much love.”

Shakira is nominated for Record OF The Year for her kiss-off anthem “Te Felicito” featuring Alejandro. The song has become one of the biggest hits of the year, peaking at No. 67 on Billboard‘s all-genre Hot 100 chart and No. 10 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. The Colombian superstar kept her thanks short and sweet.

With a photo from the “Te Felicito” music video, Shakira wrote in Spanish, “Thanks for the nomination @LatinGrammys. I congratulate you, Rauw!”

It’s been a breakthrough year for Colombian singer-songwriter Sebastián Yatra. He scored one of the biggest hits of his career with “Dos Oruguitas” from Disney’s Encanto soundtrack. In March, he performed the song live in Spanish at the Academy Awards. Yatra received four nominations, including an Album Of The Year nomination for his latest Dharma. His sweet love song “Tacones Rojos” is up for Song Of The Year. John Legend jumped on a remix of the track earlier this year.

On Twitter, Yatra wrote in Spanish, “How crazy are the nominations today!!! Thank you (I hadn’t uploaded anything because I was working). Working gives us [new] inspiration.”

Christina Aguilera received seven nominations this year for her return to the Latin music scene. The pop star with Ecuadorian roots is up for Album Of The Year for her self-titled LP. Her all-women collaboration “Pa Mis Muchachas” alongside Becky G, Nicki Nicole, and Nathy Peluso is up for both Song and Record Of The Year.

On Twitter, Aguilera wrote, “What amazing news to wake up to. So much love to my @SonyMusicLatin fam and to my fighters for your endless support.”

The 2022 Latin Grammy Awards will take place in Las Vegas on Thursday, November 17. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Univision.

Larry June keeps it as cool as the September breeze in his new video for “I’ll Make Time.” The San Francisco native has been promoting his new album, Spaceships On The Blade, with a string of sunny but lo-fi videos perfect for the album’s casual vibe. “I’ll Make Time” is no exception, finding Larry cruising through the California desert with the top down and repeatedly crossing paths with a pretty woman on a drive of her own. They don’t meet until near the end of the video, though, when Larry leaves his wallet in a diner after enjoying a glass of his favorite beverage.

I don’t know if you could call what’s happening with Larry June a “breakout.” He’s been around for quite a while and unlike some rappers who explode into the spotlight seemingly all at once with a viral hit, Larry has been easing his way into it, growing his following slowly but organically as his magnetic personality draws in listeners of fellow low-key luxury rappers like Curren$y, Dom Kennedy, and LE$ (all names he’s collaborated with over the years). Rather than pursuing radio or TikTok, Larry keeps up a steady stream of laid-back bangers like “Private Valet,” “Don’t Check Me,” and “Corte Madera, CA,” sticking to his guns and letting the world catch on.

The strategy appears to be working. Larry has secured a co-headlining spot on the returning Red Bull SoundClash with two events alongside Detroiter Babyface Ray in both rappers’ hometowns next month.

Watch Larry June’s “I’ll Make Time” video above.

In episode five of House of the Dragon, a cloaked Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) has an unpleasant reunion of sorts with his frequently mentioned wife, Lady Rhea. Daemon, dressed ominously in a black hooded cloak, stands in the middle of a path in the Vale, seemingly waiting for her. He looks like the Grim Reaper, the lead singer of an early 2000s emo band, or, ironically, Jared Leto in Morbius. Lady Rhea sarcastically asks him if he’s come to finally consummate their marriage and torments him. Tense music plays (thanks closed captioning!) as Lady Rhea’s eyes widened. She reaches for her weapon, but her horse freaks out (the technical terms) and she falls off, cracking her neck. We see Daemon try to tame Lady Rhea’s horse, and he picks up a large rock. Daemon’s actions remain unclear. Before the tense music and the horse freaking out, we didn’t see what Daemon did, if anything, so it’s impossible to know for sure. Did Daemon intend to kill his wife, who was a skilled rider? Did he pick up the rock to show her mercy with a quick death, or was he motivated by hate?

As one of the few main characters on such an intimate show that has mostly consisted of the same three Targaryens talking in various rooms, Daemon Targaryen remains a mystery. The narrative consistently and intentionally hides his motivations and actions from the audience, leaving us to ponder his true nature. Is he a villain or just a weirdo? It’s still too soon to tell, but Matt Smith’s striking performance keeps it interesting rather than frustrating. The events in episode five imply that Daemon is dangerous and guilty of uxoricide, and playing a game (of thrones, perhaps?) with his brother King Viserys and niece Princess Rhaenyera.

But in episode four, Daemon was menacing, outrageously emotional, and disturbingly hot. He turned on the uncle charm when he took Rhaenyra for a night out in King’s Landing, they had a streamy little finger bang, and by the end of the episode, Daemon is writhing on the floor getting a beating from his brother. When confronted about his intimacy with Rhaenerya, Daemon’s emotions feel authentic: he doesn’t feel bad about his actions with Rhaenyra because he has genuine romantic feelings for her. Smith plays Daemon so well that the incest scene, as gross as it was, felt weirdly hot, and so well that by the time King Viserys is pissed and kicking him, you feel kind of bad.

Smith is a master at quiet, rousing menace. His face looks completely different depending on his emotion and the lighting. He can embody charm with his body language while his eyes communicate the opposite, or vice versa. He can also be completely charming or completely terrifying. Although a terrible film (and not even so terrible that it is a pleasure to watch), Smith does this in his entertaining performance in Morbius. His character builds and builds from a seemingly normal person into total chaos and as Prince Philip on Netflix’s The Crown, Smith tapped into his dark side.

Essentially, Matt Smith gives House of the Dragon everything while also giving nothing at all. Smith’s presence changes the gravity of every scene, instantly making the show more interesting and infinitely more dramatic and emotional, despite the unknown. Every scene without him feels like a missed opportunity, but a necessary missed opportunity because you need to miss him. A character without clear motivations should never work, but like Game of Thrones’ Littlefinger played with similar success by Aiden Gillen, Daemon Targaryen works because of Matt Smith.