Month: November 2022

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) I Love You, You Hate Me (Peacock)

To many, Barney The Dinosaur was a foundational and positive part of their childhood, filling their days with song and love, but the icon also found himself caught in the middle of a still-raging war between snark and sentimentality, sparking hate from hate groups of the early internet era that, in I Love You, You Hate Me, get credit for helping to unlock the culture of grievance and rage that feels more prevalent and caustic now. Throw in side stories about a tantric sex guru, a shooting, and some Blues Clues Steve wisdom on the uncomplicated positivity of Barney and you get a pretty rich and compelling 2-part docuseries. Watch it on Peacock.

10. (tie) Elvis (HBO Max)

Baz Lurhman’s Elvis biopic is trash. Beautiful, glorious trash. The kind you leave out on your front porch for your neighbors to marvel at in grotesque disbelief. It’s hip-gyrating, finger-thrusting, sweat-pouring theatrics packaged in lush cinematography, contained in a classic underdog story that reaffirms everything you thought you knew about the King of Rock and Roll, and then adds some weird personal fodder that makes you question everything you thought you knew about the King of Rock and Roll. Austin Butler is mesmerizing, and so is whatever the hell Tom Hanks is doing in this thing. Enjoy it for what it is – a beautifully-shot fever dream filled with some great tunes. Watch it on HBO Max.

10. (tie) Thor: Love and Thunder (Disney Plus)

Thor is back once again and he brought some new friends with him. Natalie Portman, to be specific. Which is fun. This follow-up to the also-fun Ragnarok has made the move from theaters to streaming and into your living rooms. That’s another fun thing. It is almost unreasonable how good Chris Hemsworth is in these movies. You should not be allowed to look like that and be that funny. Someone should make a rule about it. Until then… watch it on Disney Plus.

9. Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney Plus)

Oh look! Another glorious sequel. Fans have been clamoring for a followup to this spooky childhood classic for so long that, now that it’s finally here, there’s some understandable apprehension. Can it capture the magic (pun intended) of its predecessor? Will the surprise musical numbers go as hard? Will Disney allow more tongue-in-cheek one liners about Satanic worship and child cannibalism to flourish (because we really need to hear Sarah Jessica Parker confirm she smells children, just one more time)? We don’t have all the answers but it’s never a bad thing when Bette Midler, Parker, and Kathy Najimy get together on screen. And we wouldn’t be caught dead talking smack about the Sanderson sisters. Watch it on Disney Plus.

8. Rosaline (Hulu)

Hulu is continuing its tradition of taking dusty old romance classics and reimagining them for our more modern, thumb-swiping times (see Fire Island) by tackling, who else, Shakespeare. If you’ve ever heard the tale of two teenagers from warring families who off-ed themselves instead of, I don’t know, giving group therapy a try and thought to yourself, “Huh, this is really messed up,” then this rom-com is for you. Booksmart’s Kaitlyn Dever plays Rosaline, the girl Romeo drops like a hot potato soon after meeting his Juliet. Jilted and craving revenge, she enacts a plan to keep the lovers apart and … well, you know how things go. Sharply smart and wickedly funny, it’s the kind of Shakespeare re-telling no one knew to ask for but you’ll be happy it exists anyway. Watch it on Hulu.

7. The Independent (Peacock)

What better way to escape incessant political ads and election noise than by checking out… a political conspiracy thriller about a bombshell story that could upend an election? Still, while we all appreciate the star power of Steve Kornacki and his big board, it doesn’t quite compare to Brian Cox and John Cena, who play an investigative journalist and a surging independent candidate for President, respectively. Watch it on Peacock.

6. The School for Good and Evil (Netflix)

Lot going on here. Let’s start at the beginning. Paul Feig directs a cinematic take on a book of the same name about two kids who get swept away to an enchanted school where students learn to be heroes and villains in an attempt to keep the universe in balance. This is why “the school for good and evil” is right there in the title. We’ve got magic and teen angst and a heck of a cast that includes everyone from Charlize Theron to Kerry Washington to Laurence Fishburne to Michelle Yeoh. Again, a lot going on here. Most of it promising or at least interesting. Worth a shot, probably. Watch it on Netflix.

5. Wendell and Wild (Netflix)

If you’re missing Key & Peele, we have some good news for you. Multiple seasons of the Comedy Central series will arrive on Netflix in November, so you can get your Hingle McCringleberry on, right from the comfort of your living room. In the meantime, you can enjoy Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s voices (along with that of Angela Bassett) as they play plotting demons who tangle with a teen who digs punk rock. Watch it on Netflix.

4. The Good Nurse (Netflix)

Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne star in a mostly fictionalized account of Charlie Cullen, a New Jersey nurse who was found responsible for dozens of murders of patients over a 16-year period. The star power is here and everyone seems to love semi-true stories about serial killers lately so there’s at least even money odds that this sucker takes off. Just don’t watch it before you have a doctor appointment. That would not be fun. Watch it on Netflix.

3. Causeway (Apple TV+)

Jennifer Lawrence ended her mini-acting hiatus with last year’s Don’t Look Up, but she was part of an ensemble cast with other A-listers. The Oscar winner is front and center (along with Atlanta great Brian Tyree Henry) in A24’s Causeway as a soldier who struggles to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans. It’s the kind of movie that she hasn’t made since her breakout performance in Winter’s Bone — and it looks just as good. Watch it on Apple TV+.

2. Enola Holmes 2 (Netflix)

Thank goodness Henry Cavill didn’t sign on to play Superman again before filming this sequel, or there’d be another The Witcher-esque switcheroo in the works. Cavill is back, but more importantly, Millie Bobbie Brown returns as the sassy younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. One of the bigger plot finds roots in the real-life Bryant & May match factory atrocities, but somehow, the overall mood stays light. Enola sets up her own detective shingle and goes undercover, so you can only imagine what hijinks will ensue. Watch it on Netflix.

1. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story stars Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic, obviously. The fake biopic depicts the world’s premier polka-loving pop song parodist as a hard-drinking sex maniac, obviously. It also stars Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna, Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey, and Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, obviously. Should you watch Weird: The Al Yankovic Story this weekend on the Roku Channel? Obviously.

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. (tie) Reboot (Hulu)

A comedy all-star team of Judy Greer, Keegan Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Rachel Bloom, and Paul Reiser come together to gently mock the reboot gold rush and the entertainment industry, providing a Larry Sanders-y kind of inside baseball show that benefits from the presence of Modern Family co-creator Steven Levitan and Party Down mastermind John Enbom. Did we mention Judy Greer? The legend that is Judy Greer grows as she totally steals these early episodes as an actress turned duchess turned actress trying to stave off Hollywood irrelevancy, which is something that could never happen to the real Judy Greer because she is an American treasure. But acting! Watch it on Hulu.

10. (tie) Shantaram (Apple TV+)

Charlie Hunnam and Shubham Saraf told us how chaos fueled this odyssey, and they aren’t messing around. Hunnam, as well, is a world away from Sons of Anarchy‘s Charming, California setting here. He’s semi-similarly an outlaw, though, in this adaptation of Gregory David Roberts’ same-named book, which details the life of an Australian convict who flees from prison for a new life in India. This may or may not be a semi-autobiographical turn from Roberts himself, whose life experiences are incredibly similar. Hunnam’s character finds himself both enthralled and struggling to avoid the trouble that got him into prison in the first place. Then he meets an enigmatic woman, and life grows even more complicated. It happens! Watch it on Apple TV Plus.

9. Andor (Disney Plus)

George Lucas has frequently insisted that, like Wu-Tang Clan, Star Wars is for the children. But Andor sure looks like it’s geared more towards adults. The Rogue One prequel starring Diego Luna, reprising his role as Cassian Andor, is gritty, mature, and other words you use to describe movies and TV shows that aren’t messing around. And with this being the first Disney-era Star Wars show to be filmed in real-life locations, Andor isn’t messing around. Watch it on Disney Plus.

8. The Watcher (Netflix)

Fresh off his Dahmer success, Ryan Murphy is here to freak people out again with this true-crime miniseries about the Broaddus family, who thought they found the greatest home ever, but it’s haunted. Not literally, but it’s being stalked by somehow who actually calls himself “The Watcher” and claims a deep attachment to the home, and god, this sounds horrific. Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale portray the terrorized leads, but rest assured, some light moments will exist because Jennifer Coolidge portrays the house’s realtor. Sold! Watch it on Netflix.

7. Atlanta (FX/Hulu)

Atlanta is back — and back in Atlanta — for one last ride after a season-long jaunt to Europe. It’s kind of remarkable that this show has even existed. In a good way. It’s strange and silly, thoughtful and artistic, and not really like anything else out there. Donald Glover was a star before any of this got underway, but it’s made the rest of the main cast stars, too. That’s kind of cool. Get in there and appreciate this show while we still have it. You could be waiting a long time for anything even remotely similar. Watch it on FX/Hulu.

6. Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix)

The horror maestro unleashes an anthology series full of sinister tales, helmed by seasoned directors including Jennifer Kent (The Babadook). Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke adapts a story from H.P. Lovecraft, and other directors include Ana Lily Amirpour, Panos Cosmatos, Guillermo Navarro, David Prior, Vincenzo Natali, and Keith Thomas. It’s a fitting way to wrap up the witching season, so make it last forever. Watch it on Netflix.

5. Blockbuster (Netflix)

The bitter irony of Netflix streaming a show about the long-fallen lords of home entertainment will definitely turn heads, but don’t let it distract. The former DVD and VHS haven is more an inconsequential setting, occasionally inspiring nostalgia for a pre-algorithmic world, but often no more vital to the story than the bar in Cheers. It’s less about the place than it is the people, a group of well-drawn characters struggling with economic uncertainty, gentle bickering, and the eye-roll-inducing but still sweet notion of co-workers as family. If you’re looking for a new Superstore (which was your new Parks And Rec which was your new Office), this might be it. Watch it on Netflix.

4. Interview With the Vampire (AMC Plus)

You’ve surely seen the 1990s movie starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst, and now, Anne Rice’s most popular gothic novel gets the small-screen adaptation. Great news: this version is better than the film for several reasons. Jacob Anderson of Game of Thrones gives us a very different Louis while Sam Reid swaggers about as Lestat de Lioncourt, and Claudia’s story gets expanded with Bailey Bass giving us a brazen and tragic performance and a secondary narrative framing device. The leading duo takes their sexual tension out of the closet, too, which adds a lot of layers (and fun) to this update. Watch it on AMC Plus.

3. Manifest (Netflix)

These new episodes are nonsensical as always for this sci-fi soap opera, so it remains to be seen whether this investment will pay off for Netflix after NBC dropped the show at the height of streaming glory. Cal suddenly being five years older doesn’t even scratch the top 10 of WTF moments for Flight 828 passengers, but here we are. All of the passengers remain confused as hell, and the voices and red herrings continue. Expect to see many more Death Date mentions and a total fiasco as showrunner Jeff Rake aims to bring this puppy in for a landing. Watch it on Netflix.

2. Abbott Elementary (Hulu)

The first season of Abbott Elementary was a feel-good network sitcom that caught a massive wave of popularity and won a bunch of Emmys in a time when feel-good network sitcoms are kind of not supposed to do that. Credit for this goes to creator and star Quinta Brunson, who realized that an underfunded inner-city public school was exactly the right place to show us people with good hearts working inside a system that can be cold. Kind of like Parks and Recreation but in Philadelphia. The second season is underway and does not appear to be missing a beat. This is basically a miracle, all around. Watch it on Hulu.

1. The White Lotus (HBO Max)

The first season of The White Lotus took the world and the internet by storm with its combination of misery and drama and beautiful Hawaiian scenery. Season two takes the action to a new resort in the White Lotus chain, this one in Italy, and replaces almost the entire cast. “Almost” being the key word here because Jennifer Coolidge is back as Tanya. Which is good. More shows should be about Jennifer Coolidge going to fancy hotels around the world. This is a nice start. Watch it on HBO Max.

Like all of us, President Joe Biden feels the weight of paying concert ticket processing fees, so he announced that he and his administration would get rid of them.

Biden called the processing fees “unfair and deceptive” in a tweet on Thursday. He wrote, “I know hidden junk fees – like processing fees on concert tickets – are a pain. They’re unfair, deceptive, and add up. That’s why, last week, I called on my Administration to crack down on these fees and put that money back in your pocket.”

While many are delighted with the move, others believe there are more critical issues that the president should focus on. “Oh, thank god, concert ticket fees are killing the poor and middle class. Finally, a focus on the big issues,” one person tweeted. Another user noted that people “are not worried about concert fees” but worried about necessities like rent, groceries, and more.

It’s unclear when this change will go into effect, and so far, the Biden administration has yet to release more details.

Recently, the Biden administration formally launched a student loan forgiveness program, which promises to forgive up to $10,000 (and up to $20,000 for those who received Pell grants). At least eight million people have signed up already, and the number is only expected to grow.

Election Day is less than a week away, but you don’t even need to own a calendar to know that. By watching just a few minutes of television, the onslaught of political attack ads is clearly signaling that the midterms are almost here. But if Trevor Noah had his way, we’d never have to bear witness to yet another sinister-sounding voiceover telling us everything that’s bad about each of this year’s candidates — awful or otherwise.

As The Daily Show continues airing from Atlanta, Noah shared his utter disdain for attack ads. “I watched TV for 10 minutes last night and I saw 30 minutes worth of ads,” he joked. But he wasn’t kidding when he said that “the thing that stuck out to me was how most of them were mean as sh*t.”

“If you only knew Stacey Abrams from attack ads in Georgia,” Noah said, by way of example, “you would think she was Darth Vader combined with Thanos combined with that a**hole who cuts you off in traffic. Pure evil!” It’s for that reason that The Daily Show host thinks that attack ads should be banned altogether, and he made a strong argument for why that might improve the strength of the candidates we see running around the country:

If you ask me, I say attack ads should be illegal. I mean it… Not campaign ads, attack ads. I’ll tell you why: First of all, I think it’s because they only drive up polarization and hate. That’s what they do, right? And secondly, politicians should be earning your vote by telling you what they’re going to do, not just by sh*tting on other candidates. Just tell me what you’ll do if you want me to vote; don’t tell me about the other person.

‘Cause you realize, they’re auditioning for the job. We don’t accept this sh*t in any other job. There’s no other job where you can apply for it and then your resume isn’t what you do, it’s just a list of other reasons that the other people suck. You can’t do that anywhere else. You can’t just be sitting there, like: ‘Oh, what are my strengths? Well I think you should be focusing on Anthony’s weaknesses. That guy types with his index fingers. So when do I start?’

As Noah sees it, attacking your opponent isn’t “campaigning,” nor is it how candidates should be winning votes. “It shouldn’t be a part of democracy,” he said, noting that attacking the opposition isn’t a savvy political move — “it’s basically the same strategy every R&B song from the ‘90s used.”

You can watch Noah’s full argument against attack ads above, beginning around the 2:30 mark.

Matthew Perry’s memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, sounds like a lot, to be blunt. The book, which released on November 1, includes multiple controversial observations, including his apparent distaste for Keanu Reeves and a “mortifying” (to Valerie Bertinelli) account of a make-out session next to a passed-out Eddie Van Halen. Perry also recounted raw details about his health issues related to addiction. Those include his teeth falling right out (at a moment that should have been unlikely) and his heart-stopping circumstances while pulling out of an Adam McKay movie.

Still, could Matthew Perry’s revelation-filled memoir *be* any better timed? He thinks not. At this point, Perry has been sober for over 18 months, and via Hollywood Reporter, he opened up (during a NYC town hall event hosted by Jess Cagle) about why this was go-time for a memoir:

“I felt very secure in my sobriety,” the actor shared. “It took very hard work to get there. Because you can’t write a book like this and then, you know, you appear drunk at your local bar.”

There’s nothing quite like upping the stakes for personal accountability. It’s practically insurance. As well, Perry discussed his (slightly evil) new pickleball addiction and how his (wonderful) “sudden” obsession, writing, helps him stop “feeling uncomfortable and agitated.” The Chandler Bing actor spoke up about how he recently “sat in front of my laptop and 10 days later I had written a play,” so there’s that to anticipate. And let’s hope this won’t be a not-so-subtle tale about a supervillain named Reanu Keeves.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

Kyrie Irving met with the media on Thursday afternoon for the first time since his combative press conference where he refused to denounce an antisemitic film he posted to his Twitter account. While Irving has since deleted the tweet and pledged $500,000 alongside the Brooklyn Nets to organizations that look to eradicate hate, a big, lingering question that exists is whether or not Irving understands the gravity of the situation.

The answer appears to be no. Irving was asked, point blank, if he holds any antisemitic beliefs, and at no point did the word “no” leave his mouth.

“Again, I’m gonna repeat, I don’t know how the label becomes justified, because you guys ask me the same questions over and over again, but this is not gonna turn into a spin around cycle, questions upon questions,” Irving said. “Told you guys how I felt, I respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life. That’s where I sit.”

When asked, point blank, if he would say yes or no to that question, Irving said, “I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from.” Irving was asked about meeting with the Anti-Defamation League, something the Nets indicated he would do in a statement the team released a day prior, and he did not say if he has. And when he was asked about how NBA commissioner Adam Silver wanted to see him explicitly apologize, Irving once again sidestepped the question.

There is no word on when Irving will speak to the media next. Silver said in his statement that he will meet with Irving next week.

Stranger Things co-stars Sadie Sink and Millie Bobby Brown both have movies coming out soon. Sink plays Brendan Fraser’s daughter in The Whale, the first film in five years from director Darren Aronofsky, while Bobby Brown is reprising her role as Sherlock Holmes’ sister in Enola Holmes 2. They barely shared any screentime during season four of the Netflix series that made them famous, but the two are close friends in real life.

“Having each and every kid on the show — I think we’d be so lost without each other,” Sink told Access (via People). “We really depend on each other when things get absolutely nuts, or when you need to talk to someone who understands exactly what you’re going through. We have each other.” She singled out Bobby Brown, as “she was the only girl at first. So, I think, it was nice that we had that connection.” Stranger Things has added more female characters along the way, like Maya Hawke’s Robin and Priah Ferguson’s Erica, but Millie and Sadie are closest in age. And Taylor Swift fandom.

Sink called the “Anti-Hero” singer “amazing,” and Sink memorably appeared in the 10-minute “All Too Well: The Short Film.” Maybe season five can take place in 1989?

(Via People)

Following Elon Musk announcing that Twitter will begin charging $8 a month for users to keep their verified accounts, there has been intense discussion over the controversial plan that would change the very nature of the blue checkmark on top of being rife for abuse. While right wing Twitter users have cheered on Musk for seemingly sticking it to “media elites” by leveraging the playing field to acquire a blue check, the new social media CEO earned himself some surprising critics over at Fox News.

While discussing Musk’s latest tiff with AOC, Fox News anchors Dana Perino and Kat Timpf both said that there’s no way they’re paying for a blue checkmark. In fact, Perino is hoping the whole ordeal will finally make her quit Twitter for good.

Via Mediaite:

“Would you pay $8 for it?” asked Perino.

“I think it’s embarrassing to pay $8 for it,” shot back Timpf.

“I do too. I don’t think I’m going to do it,” added Perino, concluding, “I’ve been looking for a reason to get off Twitter.”

“I mean, maybe this could be it,” Perino quipped.

“I don’t think I would pay for it,” replied Timpf. “If someone you know, if this company paid for it for me, then sure. But I think that’s like it’s embarrassing to be like. Yes, yes. It’s so important to me that I spent this money.”

However, co-anchor Bill Hemmer revealed that their Fox News colleague Jesse Watters still plans to keep his blue check but expense it to the company. Watters’ stance would be more in line with Fox News’ coverage of Musk since he purchased Twitter. Both Ainsley Earhardt and Greg Gutfeld have defended Musk for spreading a baseless conspiracy theory about Nancy Pelosi’s husband being attacked. Although, it should be noted that Gutfeld’s The Five co-stars pushed back on his defense of Musk.

With at least Fox News two anchors literally laughing at Musk’s plan to charge for blue checks, it definitely seems like there’s some division in the ranks over whether his purchase of Twitter is a genius move to “own the libs” or a comical train wreck.

(Via Mediaite)

Takeoff (real name Kirshnik Khari Ball) tragically died in the early hours of November 1. The 28-year-old Atlanta rapper best known as a member of Migos was fatally shot outside of 810 Billiards & Bowling in Houston, where he was at a private party with Quavo, when an altercation broke out during a dice game, according to Houston Police’s press conference held later in the day. The heavy-hearted tributes have been pouring out since the news broke.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner started Tuesday’s press conference by giving voice to “the human element,” saying he’d met with Takeoff’s mother and empathizing with her grief. “I told her, as we stand with any victim of violence or any homicide victim, their family, we stand with them,” he said.

Finner stated that Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene. Sgt. Michael Arrington laid out the full sequence of events and provided an update on whether a suspect had been identified.

“A lot of people that were there fled the scene and did not stick around to give us statements, so we’re asking them to either call us at the homicide division at 713-308-3600 or if they would like remain anonymous, they can call Crime Stoppers,” Arrington said. “We’re looking for any information at this time — any videos, any information.”

Arrington urged the public to send everything directly to him and his investigative team “so we can solve this case” rather than calling the media or posting potential evidence on social media. He added, “We want to find justice for this family. They’re going through a lot right now, and the only thing that we can do is hope that y’all reach out and assist us in any way to lead to evidence that will help us to apprehend and get charges and arrest on the person responsible for the death of Takeoff.”

Finner echoed Arrington’s call to action: “There were 40 people, at least, at this event. And people left, possibly out of fear. I ask you one thing, and I want this to resonate with everybody: What if it was your brother? What if it was your son? You would want somebody to step up. So, please, step up. Get the information to us so we can bring some closure to this family who’s hurting right now.”

TMZ additionally reported this morning (November 4) that Joshua “Wash” Washington, Quavo’s assistant, was one of two other people who suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting.

Things have been a little tough for Saturday Night Live alum Chris Redd as of late. The comedian was quickly and quietly let go from the latest season of the late-night sketch show for undisclosed reasons, though rumors began swirling after Redd was seen out and about with Kenan Thompson‘s ex-wife. Then, just last week, Redd was attacked outside of The Comedy Cellar and he was rushed to the hospital with three fractures that the comedian knew couldn’t have been the result of only a fist.

“This man hit me in the face with something metal,” Redd said in a preview for an upcoming The Last Laugh podcast episode. “I thought it was brass knuckles because of the way it cut my nose to the bone.” Redd was scheduled to perform a stand-up set but spent the night in the hospital instead. “A fist don’t normally do all of that at one time,” Redd said. “So it was safe to assume I was hit with something…But the dude just hit me and ran off. I fell down so fast. I didn’t even know I fell until I looked at the [surveillance] footage.”

Despite the hit, Redd (who was a boxer for years) was more worried about the amount of blood that was rushing down his face. “It wasn’t really about the pain at that point, it was just so much blood. [It wasn’t a good idea to] to chase him down the street with blood gushing out of my face.”

The incident took place on October 26th and the culprit still hasn’t been found. It may or may not be a random incident, as whoever attacked him may have known that he would be at The Comedy Cellar. Who’s to say?

(Via The Daily Beast)