GoneTrending

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. Jackass 4.5 (Netflix)

What we have on our hands with this is a collection of new stunts and some behind-the-scenes of old stunts all featuring the sweet and chaotic boys from Jackass. You love that stuff. Don’t you dare overthink it. Turn your brain off and let the madness wash over you. Watch it on Netflix.

9. Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (Disney Plus)

There are two things happening here. The first is that, yes, we have another streaming-based reboot/reimagining nostalgia-bait film on our hands, this time for the Rescue Rangers. Which is… fine. But it brings us to the second thing: the talent involved in this sucker is wild. Voice work by Andy Samberg and John Mulaney and Seth Rogen, who really need to work together on a live-action project at some point. Direction by Akiva Shaffer, who also did MacGruber. it’s kind of nuts, really, which we promise is not a chipmunk pun. The point is that if you’re going to do one of these things you can at least try to do it right. The effort here is appreciated. Watch it on Disney Plus.

8. On the Count of Three (VOD)

Jerrod Carmichael is having a moment, garnering all the praise for his revealing and powerful HBO special (Rothaniel, watch it again!), a great turn as SNL host, and now, for the release of his festival fave narrative directorial debut, On The Count Of Three. But, of course, you knew Carmichael was a force from his previous specials and The Carmichael Show. You’re just happy to see everyone else catch up and, with this film, get the chance to see Carmichael flex his dramatic muscles opposite Christopher Abbott as two friends trying to get the most out of the last moments before they execute each other as a part of a suicide pact. Track it down on your VOD service of choice.

7. The Batman (HBO Max)

What if Seven but with way more leather and punching? In a lot of ways, that could serve as a very simple synopsis of what Matt Reeves has done with the crown jewel of DC Comics lore, placing his take beside The Joker on the highest shelf (both in terms of artistry, societal commentary, and other adult themes) in the DCEU film library. Does it work? In some ways, absolutely, providing a grim but intriguing vision of the Batman as a detective with the mother of all chips on his shoulder as he wrestles with his thirst for vengeance and a vicious villain in Paul Dano’s Riddler, who is always seemingly one step ahead of him and Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon (a buddy cop pairing that is as awkward as it is rewarding). Throw in Zoe Kravitz’s tremendous turn as Selina Kyle/Catwoman (who also connects so well with Robert Pattinson’s Batman that you wish Reeves would have allowed for even more of their on-screen back and forth) and Gotham City’s usual mix of criminal underworld string-pulling and civic corruption and you’ve got a very full meal. Overfull? Too mature? Let’s just say The Batman can seem so grown up and dense at times that you may forget that it’s a superhero movie, for better or worse. Watch it on HBO Max.

6. The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Amazon Prime)

The weird and wonderful new season of Kids In The Hall can be appreciated on its own merit, but to learn the story of how the legendary Canadian sketch group came to be in the mid ‘80s, came to push every boundary in the early ‘90s, came undone, and then came back together adds a layer to the whole thing. Those in search of a full accounting of their improbable run can check out Paul Myers’ “One Dumb Guy” book, but Amazon’s all-new doc, Comedy Punks, covers the highlights quite well, adding in a host of new interviews from the guys.

5. Norm MacDonald: Nothing Special (Netflix)

Look elsewhere for a meditative self-exploration of a comic inching toward the end of his life. Norm Macdonald just wants to tell jokes, delivering a very Norm set in a very non-Norm setting (recorded at home with no audience due to COVID) with urgency. David Letterman puts it perfectly in the loose conversation that follows with him, Conan O’Brien, Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, Molly Shannon, and David Spade, saying it’s not stand up, but something different. But it’s still something worth seeing for Norm’s swan song and also the aforementioned conversation, which brings a level of closure to fans who get to hear a few great Norm stories and some thoughts on what made him so unique. Watch it on Netflix.

4. Ambulance (Peacock)

Ambulance has everything you could want in an action movie: frenetic pacing, adrenaline-soaked chase scenes, Michael Bay doing everything at once, hot explosive nonsense, Jake Gyllenhaal as a villainous psychopath with crazy eyes, an ambulance, etc. It’s basically perfect, if this is the type of thing you’re looking for, which you probably are on a Friday or Saturday night. Make some popcorn or order a pizza and get in there. Watch it on Peacock.

3. Dirty Daddy: Bob Saget Tribute (Netflix)

Friends and colleagues of the late comedian and Full House star get together for one last tribute, this one probably full of sweet memories and filthy jokes. Which feels right. Watch it on Netflix.

2. Fire Island (Hulu)

Bowen Yang may be the best talent to emerge from Saturday Night Live in years – a fact underscored by the recent departure of comedy greats like Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant – but he’s not the only reason this sweet and silly gay romcom works. A BIG reason, sure, but not the only one. There’s also Margaret Cho playing a loopy lesbian house mom, a setting that allows a group of Queer misfits to find a sense of belonging amidst MDMA hazes and pulse-pounding raves, and a central love story that borrows from the period romance wellspring of one Jane Austen. It’s a booze-infused Pride & Prejudice in short swim trunks for the gays and the theys, but the fact that it works so damn well is also proof that the romcom genre should be welcoming more Queer and minority romantic leads into its ranks. Watch it on Hulu.

1. Hustle (Netflix)

Adam Sandler plays a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers who discovers a raw but promising player in Spain. Hijinks ensue. Kind of. It’s more of a dramedy than, say, Jack & Jill, but it’s still Sandler doing his thing. Basketball fans will no doubt be just as interested in the action as they will be picking out all the cameos by NBA stars. It looks like a good time. Watch it on Netflix.

The Recording Academy has announced several new categories which will be awarded at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023, as reported by Variety. Among these new categories are Songwriter Of The Year, Best Americana Performance, and Best Song For Social Change. Additionally, in order for an album to qualify as a new release, it must contain 75 percent new recordings, upped from the previous 50 percent rule.

Another new category is the Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media. This addition comes after a new arrangement of “Meta Knight’s Revenge,” a song originally from the 1996 Super Nintendo game Kirby Super Star, won the award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella at this year’s ceremony, marking a rare Grammy win for video game music.

“We’re so excited to honor these diverse communities of music creators through the newly established awards and amendments, and to continue cultivating an environment that inspires change, progress, and collaboration,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. in a statement. “The Academy’s top priority is to effectively represent the music people that we serve, and each year, that entails listening to our members, and ensuring our rules and guidelines reflect our ever-evolving industry.”

Per The Recording Academy, the new categories and rules are as follows:

Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical
Recognizes the written excellence, profession, and art of songwriting honoring the most prolific non-performing and non-producing songwriters for their body of new work released during an eligibility year.

Best Alternative Music Performance
A track and single category that recognizes the best recordings in an alternative performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group.

Best Americana Performance
A track and single Category that recognizes artistic excellence in an Americana performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group.

Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media
Recognizes excellence in score soundtrack albums comprised predominately of original scores and created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current video game or other interactive media released within the qualification period.

Special Merit Award Addition:

Best Song For Social Change
This Special Merit Award will be determined by a blue-ribbon committee and ratified by the Recording Academy Board of Trustees. Submissions must contain lyrical content that addresses a timely social issue and promotes understanding, peacebuilding, and empathy.

Grammy Award Voting Procedural Updates:

Charging Fees For Entry Submissions
All Recording Academy members will receive five courtesy entries every year. For additional entries, members will pay $40 (Early Bird Fee); $75 (Standard Fee); or $125 (Final Deadline Fee) per additional entry. Registered media companies will pay a fee of $65 (Early Bird Fee); $95 (Standard Fee); or $125 (Final Deadline Fee) for per entry. Considerations will be made for artists/members experiencing financial hardships. Any member who would be burdened by the entry fees can request the fees be waived by reaching out to the Recording Academy Awards Department.

Album Eligibility*
To be eligible for Grammy Award consideration, an album must contain greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded (within five years of the release date), previously unreleased recordings*. The previous eligibility rule was 50%. (Note: Best Compilation Soundtrack, Best Historical Album, Best Immersive Audio Album, Best Recording Package, Best Special Package, and Best Album Notes accept albums of recordings that are not newly recorded.)

*Note: The updated album eligibility rule was approved in 2021 but is going into effect for the 65th annual Grammy Awards cycle.

Additional category amendments:

Classical Field: Creation Of Craft Committees In Select Classical Categories
Three Categories within the Classical Field will now be determined by highly specialized Craft Committees: Producer of the Year (Classical), Best Engineered Album (Classical) and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

Classical Field: Recognition Of Composers And Librettists In Best Opera Recording And Best Classical Compendium Categories
Category definitions have been updated to award composers and librettists in addition to artists, producers and engineers.

New Age, Ambient Or Chant Field: Renamed And Redefined Field And Category Name
The category formerly known as “Best New Age Album” has been renamed “Best New Age, Ambient Or Chant Album” and the Field name has also been updated to reflect that change.

Musical Theater Field: Recognition Of Composers And Lyricists In Best Musical Theater Album Category
Category definition has been updated to award composers and lyricists of more than 50% of the score of a new recording.

Music For Visual Media Field (Includes Film, TV, Video Games, And Other Visual Media): Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Some language in the criteria for this category that had been removed has now been restored to recognize principal artists and in-studio producers.

Production Field: Updated Definition Of Best Remixed Recording Category
The newly amended definition of the Best Remixed Recording Category helps to reflect the remix craft as it currently stands in the industry: the creation of a new, full-track, unique performance created by a remixer from a previously released recording.

Spoken Word Field: Updated Category Name And Definition
The category formally known as Spoken Word Album has been renamed Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording. This category recognizes excellence in spoken word albums (not including Spoken Word Poetry).

In April, idiosyncratic folk artist Kurt Vile signed to Verve Records and released his new album Watch My Moves, the follow-up to his 2018 album Bottle It In. The LP was self-produced alongside Rob Schnapf, who’s known for working with monumental artists like Elliott Smith and Beck, and it featured collaborators like Chastity Belt and Cate Le Bon. Before it came out, he unveiled “Like Exploding Stones,” “Hey Like A Child,” and “Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone)” as singles, and last night he brought the latter to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

His performance is laid-back but transcendent and colorful, finding connection in tranquil, sluggish sounds. Vile’s vocals are eccentric and intriguing, especially as he ricochets from soprano notes to baritone notes within a matter of seconds.

When the song was first unleashed, he said about it: “When Waylon Jennings became an outlaw country artist, he liked to record at Hillbilly Central, which was Tompall Glaser’s studio. OKV Central is my version of that in Mount Airy. I’ve come into my own here, and at the same time I’m getting back to my home-recording roots.” It’s simultaneously polished and lo-fi, retaining a sense of grit.

Watch his performance of “Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone)” above.

On Wednesday, a man armed with a pistol and a knife, among other weapons, was arrested outside the residence of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was charged with attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice after he called authorities and said he was having suicidal thoughts and wanted to kill a specific justice,” according to the Washington Post.

Roske reportedly targeted Kavanaugh because he was “upset” by the very real possibility of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and the recent school shooting (although, sadly, not the most recent school shooting) in Uvalde, Texas.

Speaking of: Ted Cruz is treating what potentially could have happened to Kavanaugh more seriously and with more urgency than what actually happened in his home state of Texas, where 21 people, including 19 kids, were killed less than three weeks ago. The senator is also blaming the “deranged” Democrats, because Ted Cruz gonna Ted Cruz.

“Early this morning, a sick individual tried to murder Justice Kavanaugh. That lunatic was following through on the deranged rhetoric from elected Democrats who have incited violence, threatened justices, and urged people to commit crimes,” Cruz tweeted along with video of his appearance on Fox News, adding a Trump-like “it’s dangerous!”

Cruz wanting instant retribution for an incident involving guns is rich, considering recent comments. He’s also being widely mocked for his libs-owning outrage with his solution to stop school shootings: fewer doors. Thoughts and prayers to Ted’s mentions.

Earlier this week, Big Thief announced they were playing a couple of shows in Tel Aviv, Israel. While Tel Aviv is band member Max Oleartchik’s hometown, the announcement generated some controversy given the long-running Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Now, the band has decided to cancel those concerts.

In a statement when the show was announced, the band noted they “understand the inherently political nature of playing there as well as the implications” and explained, “Over the last seven years we’ve traveled constantly around 3 of our members’ home country, the United States, meeting each other’s families and childhood friends and sharing in the joys and sorrows of a complicated, beautiful and tumultuous home. We have grown so close. It is important for us to share our homes, families and friends with each other in order to gain a deeper understanding of one another and the people and places that have made us who we are. It is important for us to go where we have family to share space and play for them. It is foundational. It is in that spirit that we made our decision to play in Israel.”

That was followed by the cancelation news and a new statement today, which reads in part, “Our intent in wanting to play the shows in Tel Aviv, where Max was born, raised, and currently lives, stemmed from a simple belief that music can heal. We now recognize that the shows we had booked do not honor that sentiment. We are sorry to those we hurt with the recklessness and naivete of our original statement on laving in Israel and we hope those who were planning to attend the shows understand our choice to cancel them.”

Find both statements below.

“We are excited to announce two shows in Max’s hometown, Tel Aviv, Israel @barby.tlv on July 6th and 7th.

Accompanying this announcement, we would again like to clarify our motivations and intentions for playing in Tel Aviv, Israel, with as much transparency as possible.

Over the last seven years we’ve traveled constantly around 3 of our members’ home country, the United States, meeting each other’s families and childhood friends and sharing in the joys and sorrows of a complicated, beautiful and tumultuous home. We have grown so close. It is important for us to share our homes, families and friends with each other in order to gain a deeper understanding of one another and the people and places that have made us who we are. It is important for us to go where we have family to share space and play for them. It is foundational. It is in that spirit that we made our decision to play in Israel.

We are well aware of the cultural aspect of the BDS movement and the desperate reality of the Palestinian people. In terms of where we fit into the boycott, we don’t claim to know where the moral high ground lies and we want to remain open to other people’s perspectives and to love beyond disagreement. We understand the inherently political nature of playing there as well as the implications. Our intention is not to diminish the values of those who support the boycott or to turn a blind eye to those suffering. We are striving to be in the spirit of learning.

With this in heart, the show’s profits will be donated to NGOs that provide medical and humanitarian aid to Palestinian children, including joint efforts between Palestinians and Israelis working together for a better future.

With love,
Big Thief.”

“We will be canceling our 2 shows in Tel Aviv.

We would like to start by clarifying a few things from our first post. When we spoke of loving ‘beyond disagreement’ and not knowing ‘where the moral high ground lies,’ that was in specific reference to playing shows in Israel during a time when BDS is calling for a cultural boycott. This was not in reference to the Israeli occupation and the displacement of Palestinians.

To be clear, we oppose the illegal occupation and the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people. We believe in total freedom and self-determination for all Palestinians.

Although we have much to learn, these basic realities were never in question for us. We acknowledge that aspects of our previous post were written unclearly and in avoidance of the magnitude and importance of this conversation. We also recognize there are limitations in our perspectives based on our various layers of privilege. We said we are ‘well aware of the cultural aspects of the BDS boycott’ and we have since realized that that is not the case.

Since announcing these shows in Israel we have been in constant dialogue with friends, family, BDS supporters and allies, Palestinians, and Israeli citizens who are committed to the fight for justice for Palestinians. It has been the only thing on our minds and in our hearts.

Our intent in wanting to play the shows in Tel Aviv, where Max was born, raised, and currently lives, stemmed from a simple belief that music can heal. We now recognize that the shows we had booked do not honor that sentiment. We are sorry to those we hurt with the recklessness and naivete of our original statement on playing in Israel and we hope those who were planning to attend the shows understand our choice to cancel them.

We recognize that withholding our cultural labor alone cannot be the only action we take. We have more learning to do so we can take more informed action.

As a band, we consider each other family, forever reaching to understand each other. In your responses to our actions, you have helped us to realize that we were in avoidance of entering this discussion about Max’s home in a more thoughtful way.

We are committed to growing from this, and moving forward with the transparency, accountability, and import that such a situation requires.

With love,
Big Thief”

Jared Kushner has never seemed much like a ride-or-die kind of guy. So when The New York Times reported that on November 5, 2020 — days before the presidential election was officially called for Joe Biden — Kushner told his wife Ivanka Trump that it was time for them to high-tail it out of D.C. and move to Miami, no one was surprised. While Kushner was happy enough to play the doting son-in-law during Pa Trump’s presidential campaign and four years in office, the mere whiff of failure seemed to have Jared dreaming of palm trees and beach volleyball.

While Trump was a lame duck president, he and his lackeys spent their final days in office attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election (and still are). But it seems that Kushner had other things on his mind, like what his next move should be, professionally. Like so many other on Team Trump, he decided that writing a memoir was the way to go, and that’s apparently what he started working on to pass the hours during his final weeks at the White House.

As Peter Baker writes for The New York Times:

While still in the White House, [Kushner] began writing a memoir focused on Middle East peacemaking. In the weeks to come, as Mr. Trump would continue to insist that he would remain for a second term, Mr. Kushner set about chronicling the first. He even took an online MasterClass on how to write a book, taught by the prolific best-selling novelist James Patterson. In the course of a two-week stretch after the election, he batted out 40,000 words of a first draft. The final version is set to be published in August.

No word yet on whether Trump will provide a blurb for the cover, or whether Kushner’s tome will be classified as memoir or fiction.

(Via The New York Times)

There’s a moment during Ms. Marvel where Kamala Khan (played by Iman Vellani) is pleading with her parents to attend an event and to trust her, then makes a reference to how it’s not like she’s going to do cocaine. For the record, I haven’t been tracking the MCU’s use of drug references, but it instantly struck me as something different. Dialogue we don’t usually hear from this universe. Ms. Marvel is a different kind of show, in that, at least so far, it’s as much about being a teenager in high school as it is being a superhero. And Ms. Marvel’s co-creater, Sama Amanat, is hoping that people who have never watched the MCU before (there has to be some left, right?) will want to watch Ms. Marvel.

It was 2013 when Amanat (who is now Director of Content and Character Development at Marvel) co-created the character of Kamala Khan for Marvel Comics. After cycling through a few names for her character – according to Amanat, “Drone” was considered – they decided a teenage girl from New Jersey, with strict parents organically, would look across the river to New York City and be infatuated with Carol Danvers who had just changed her title from Ms. Marvel to Captain Marvel, so Ms. Marvel was available.

Ahead, Amanat takes us through how Ms. Marvel came to the MCU and also the time President Obama called Amanat “a superhero” and how she really should bring that up more often.

Ms. Marvel, the character, who was created not really that long ago is now in the MCU. Are you on cloud nine?

I certainly am. I feel like I just, I don’t know what cloud I’m on because it’s all so hazy and dizzy and crazy and lovely at the same time. I feel so happy that Marvel wanted to continue to tell her story in this way and that I was able to be a part of it on top of it. So it feels really wonderful and also really nerve-racking, now putting her out there in the world in the biggest way possible. I just hope people will love her and her world.

Right, obviously this is a very popular character in the books, but so many people are going to be introduced to this character who don’t know her yet because of this series.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think people who love Kamala obviously are going to gravitate towards the series. I think what’s really exciting for us is there’s going to be a whole new world of Marvel fans, and non-Marvel fans, I think, that are going to be coming to the show and experiencing something different. And that’s what I’m really most excited about is bringing in even just more fans and people who might not necessarily be – and Kevin Feige was saying this earlier – might not necessarily be Marvel fans. But, perhaps, this will be their first Marvel experience and then they’ll want to go experience the rest of the universe. I think that is really special and cool.

President Obama called you a superhero…

Oh my God. That was like…

I would never let anyone forget that if I were you.

Yeah, exactly. It’s so funny you say that. I actually should talk about that more! I don’t know why I don’t.

Seriously, you really should. Everyone would know that if I were you.

Coolest experience of my life was introducing Barack Obama at the White House. Definitely very trippy. And the funny thing that happened actually, and it was great: It was at a women’s summit and it was really cool. I did the intro and then he comes up to me, gives me a kiss on the cheek, greatest moment of my life. I’m walking away and then of course my heel gets stuck on the carpet.

Oh no.

And the President of the United States is right there, and I’m struggling to get off stage. So it was a very me moment, but truly that’s definitely one of the honors of my life.

I would not have guessed Ms. Marvel would be the first I would hear the word cocaine in the MCU.

That’s actually so funny you say that because we thought a lot about that.

I bet you did.

Are we going to get in trouble for this? Is this the first time we’re doing it? And whatever. And it just felt like, what was funny about it also was just Iman’s performance, about her stumbling into that wording and her stumbling into that… It’s just so funny because she doesn’t mean to say it, and then she says it, and she’s like, “Oh, wait. What did I just say?” I think that’s why it worked, just because we’re not trying to talk about drugs. She’s like, “I don’t do drugs or drink or do any of that stuff.” And just, “Let me go to the diner. That’s all I’m asking for.” So yeah.

So when do you first hear this is officially happening? When do you get that news? Because when you first even created this character, correct me if I’m wrong, that’s the year Iron Man 3 came out…

Wow, right.

So to get from there to now, what happens?

We heard some rumblings relatively early on after the character was created because it was such a success. And I think a lot of people are like, when is there going to be a TV show? What are you guys going to do next? And apparently, I’m hearing this for the first time, that’s what Kevin was getting: Questions like that all the time himself. And so I think he was very much attuned to it. And he’s constantly thinking about how to expand the universe, so I think this was sort of in the arena of potentially to be in development. I only really found out it was official about, I think, maybe four years ago? Four or five years ago where I was like, okay, they’re going to do this. This is amazing. I hope I could be a part of it. That would be wonderful. I’ve been at the company for 12 years now, so I kind of understood what their development process was, but the idea of Ms. Marvel, is it really going to be a show? Is it really going to be a movie? I didn’t really believe it until that moment. Really until the moment where they announced it at D23, and they’re like, “And Ms. Marvel,” and there was such a huge, amazing moment. God, and now we’re here. It’s crazy.

I understand why, in the comics, Kamala uses the Ms. Marvel name. But I’m curious with you, did you debate that? Between that or something completely new?

Yeah, 100 percent. We actually were – G. Willow Wilson and I – were thinking a lot about the name of the character. And we had some pretty bad names at first while we were ideat-ing what the story was.

Can you say one?

Drone.

Yeah. Ms. Marvel is better than Drone.

Drone? Ew, I was like, that’s just… is she boring? What is that? Is this her power? Or she can go whip around and spy on people. I don’t even know what we were thinking. Oddly, it kind of all happened at the same time. We’re realizing that we wanted to tell a story about identity and a young woman of color looking across the river and seeing these big, beautiful superheroes who look nothing like Kamala save the day every day, save the world every day. And then having the mantle of Ms. Marvel open – Carol Danvers had become Captain Marvel – and I felt like it was a really cool branding opportunity to just grab onto. People know what Ms. Marvel is, so let’s lean into it. And of all the people that Kamala would be a fan of, it makes sense for it to be Carol Danvers, right?

She’s blonde, beautiful, tall, strong, blue-eyed, everything Kamala Khan is not. And let’s tell the story through the metaphor of that. We don’t have to talk so much about it, but we can just show it. So I think it kind of all worked. It worked with the story that we were telling, and it also helped that Ms. Marvel was a familiar name for a character, and we kind of just jumped onto it.

Like you said, a lot of people who may not even be fans of the MCU are going to watch this because it’s about a kid in high school and really reflects that extremely well. But you’re kind of talking to kids, and with everything going on right now in the news, espicially with guns, do you think about that? It seems like a scary time.

I do. I definitely do. I have nephews and nieces who are Kamala’s age and younger and older, and I’m very conscious of how influenced, one, not only by entertainment, but they’re influenced by Marvel content, very much so. And so this is, I think, one of the first shows where not only are we speaking to that audience in terms of just the pure demographic of the characters and the age of the characters, but really in a way that I think is we’re diving in. We’re delving into the world. We’re going to high school. We’re going to her community center mosque. We’re going to her living, having dinner at the dining table many times. It’s a very immersive experience.

And I think ultimately, when they have a resilience and an ability to really sort of amplify their own platforms and their own voices and try to use it for good, despite the challenges and the difficulties that might be out there, they actually have this inner strength within them. And I think that’s because Kamala and her friends and her community have that, and hoping that they’re able to find that in their own communities or find communities who will be able to offer that to them. I think that’s incredibly important.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

The Los Angeles Angels were in a bit of a slump heading into their Wednesday night game against the Boston Red Sox. The team was in the midst of a 13-game losing streak that dated back to May 22 when they had a 4-1 win against the Oakland Athletics. As you would expect any team to do, the Angels sought out ways to finally get a win, and one way they came up with was to change the music that played for each player during their walk-ups. Prior to the game, the team announced that each player would walk up to different songs by Nickelback.

ESPN reporter Alden González revealed that the coaches made the decision in hopes of shaking things up for the team. Gonzalez also provided a list of the songs that would be played during the game and for which player. DH and pitcher Shohei Ohtani picked “Photograph,” right fielder Jordon Scott Adell selected “Rockstar,” first basemen Jared Walsh went with “How You Remind Me,” and third basemen Matt Duff picked “Someday.” Other songs that were selected by Angels players included “If Today Was Your Last Day” (Juan Lagares), “When We Stand Together” (Brandon March), “This Afternoon” (Jack Mayfield), “Animals” (Kurt Suzuki), and “What Are You Waiting For?” (Tyler Wade).

While the Angels’ attempt to cure their losing ways was quite ambitious, it proved to be unsuccessful as they fell to the Red Sox 0-1 for their fourteenth consecutive loss. But hey, at least they had some good humor about it as you can see in the tweet above.

You can see González’s initial report and the full list of songs for the Angels players’ walk-ups above.

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

Draymond Green has been a central focus throughout the NBA Finals, for better or worse, as the outspoken defensive leader of the Warriors has had two rather dreadful performances in Golden State’s losses in Games 1 and 3, and a sensational outing in their Game 2 win.

Adding to the fact that he always attracts attention with his postgame commentary in a press conference setting, Green dives deeper into each game on his own podcast, The Draymond Green Show. Green has happily touted himself as part of the “New Media,” along with CJ McCollum, JJ Redick, and other current or recently former players who are jumping into the sports media space and offering strong pushback to the takesmiths that dominate the airwaves.

However, as one would expect, Green’s podcast can be a lightning rod for Warriors fans and others when the team is playing poorly, as it’s an easy thing to point to as being a distraction, whether true or not. After fouling out of Game 3 with just two points on the night and the Warriors defense struggling as a whole, Green described his play as “sh*t,” but didn’t take kindly to being asked if the Celtics are able to glean insight into Golden State’s plans from his podcast content.

Green bristles at the question, saying it’s “reaching” to even suggest that and scoffs at the idea him talking about forcing Boston into contested shots is approaching any X’s and O’s talk.

Steve Kerr was asked something similar prior to Green and likewise shrugged it off, joking he doesn’t listen to Green’s podcast and noting it’s just the way it is now.

It’s certainly fascinating to watch play out in real time, as Green is the first player with a podcast to reach the NBA Finals — and maybe more importantly, the first to reach the Finals and have wild swings in his production and effectiveness from game-to-game. If Green was playing great and the Warriors were up, it wouldn’t be a topic, but it’s definitely on the minds of some fans, whether Green wants to engage in it or not.

More than three years ago, the music world was shocked by the news of 21 Savage’s Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest. In a statement following his arrest, ICE revealed that the rapper was actually from the United Kingdom and that he came to the United States legally on a visa in July 2005. The visa expired in July 2006 and Savage unlawfully stayed in the country. Savage later received help from Jay-Z and Roc Nation as he was later released from ICE custody. As of today, the case has not been fully resolved as Savage is still in a fight for legal immigration status.

During a recent appearance on My Expert Opinion with Math Hoffa, 21 Savage spoke about the arrest and revealed that Meek Mill had a hand in getting him legal assistance. “They detained me ’cause they said I had felony conviction, but the felony conviction got dismissed,” Savage explained. “And I called Meek while I was in jail and told Meek, ‘Bro, I just got locked up.’ [Meek] called Jay-Z, and Jay-Z put a lawyer on my case … [he] played a role in getting me out of there.” He then shared his gratitude for the help Jay-Z gave him to fight the case.

[Jay’s] ain’t just doing that shit for anybody, just ’cause you rap …,” Savage said. “It’s like you gotta be from a certain cloth … I don’t feel like he’s just doing that for anybody. I ain’t Roc Nation or any of that sh*t.”

The most recent update in Savage’s case came in April. His lawyer Charles Kuck revealed that a 2020 charge for possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm was affected his fight for legal immigration status. As a result, the immigration case was put on pause until the charges could be resolved.

You can check out the full episode of My Expert Opinion in the video above.

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