Just like many rappers who claimed they were retiring from the game have done, Logic reemerged from his cave to step up to the mic and share new music with fans shortly after his declaration. His return came less than a year after the release of his sixth album, No Pressure, a project he used to momentarily conclude his career. Now, the Maryland rapper is back in action, and he adds on to his recent string of releases with his latest effort, “Call Me.”
The track is a laid-back effort that’s conceptually similar to his highest-charting single, “1-800-273-8255,” as it finds him providing a hand of support to those around him who might be in need of it. “You know you can call me / When nobody picking up,” he raps over the song’s mellow production. “When it feel like don’t nobody in the world give a f*ck / Call me / I’ll be there to pick you up.”
“Call Me” is the third single that Logic revealed that his next project, Bobby Tarantino III, is on the way. The first was “Vaccine,” which he recently shared a music video for, and the second was “My Way.” Aside from Bobby Tarantino III, Logic is also promoting a joint project with Madlib as he’s shared a collection of singles that include “Raddest Dad” and “Mafia Music.”
If we could impart one piece of wisdom with this binge-guide it’s this: don’t sleep on Hulu‘s movie line-up. The streaming service may have started as just a way to watch cable TV without actually paying premium prices for the cord but over the years, it’s morphed into a platform with an impressive film catalog. We’re talking prestige originals, blockbusters, inventive comedies, and so much more. We don’t really need to do much more in the way of hyping it up, so we’ll just let you scroll through our picks for the best films on Hulu and leave you with this warning: your watchlist is going to get full real quick.
It’s hard to quantify a film as stylishly inventive and socially aware as Bong Joon Ho’s comedic thriller. There’s a reason this film won so many Oscars. It flits between instilling empathy for a family struggling to crawl out of poverty by increasingly deceptive means and the clueless elite whose house they eventually infiltrate. Bolstered by some terrific performances and a gripping script, the less said about the story, it’s twists and unexpected turns, the better. Just do yourself a favor and watch it.
Barry Jenkins follows up the success of Moonlight with this adaptation of a James Baldwin masterpiece. Told in a nonlinear style, the film recounts the romance of Tish and Fonny, two young Black lovers living in 1970s New York. When Fonny is accused of a heinous crime, Tish and her family fight to prove his innocence. The story is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time, and Regina King puts in an Oscar-winning performance as Tish’s devoted mother.
This Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary tells the unbelievably inspiring story of Hatidze, a bee-hunter in North Macedonia who represents a dying breed of ecological custodians. Hatidze and her ailing mother live on a remote mountain range, where she peacefully coexists with the bees whose honey is her livelihood, but when new neighbors arrive to disrupt this fragile harmony, Hatidze must fight for her simple way of life. It’s a moving, intimate portrait of an inspiring woman, and a larger commentary on how our greed and ignorance can irreparably damage our surroundings.
As flashy and over-the-top as the sequin-spandex numbers that graced the ice back in the ’80s, I, Tonya manages to straddle a thin line. It’s both a biopic of one of the most notorious female athletes in the history of figure skating and a raucous comedy intent on mocking everything troubling about American culture at the time. Margot Robbie is brilliant in her role-playing a woman tortured by talent and her inability to capitalize on it — and you can literally hear Allison Janney chewing every scene she’s in as Harding’s narcissistic, chain-smoking mother. Plus that parrot bite is as funny as you could hope.
Rob Reiner’s ridiculous fantasy romp never fails to entertain, no matter how many times you re-watch it. It plays with classic fairytale tropes in inventive, increasingly absurd ways without ever sacrificing its story: the quest for true love. Cary Elwes plays Wesley, a farmhand who falls in love with a beautiful maiden named Buttercup (Robin Wright), but a cruel twist of fate separates them, leading him to become a notorious pirate and her to be betrothed to a truly awful king. It’s a bit Monty-Python-esque but with more swoon-worthy moments and, if you can believe it, memorable jokes.
Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut is this coming-of-age ode to friendship starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. Feldstein plays Molly, a politically ambitious high schooler, who resolves to have one night of teenage fun before graduation. She ropes her best friend Amy (Dever) into her plan, and the two navigate a host of wild mishaps to make it to the biggest party of the year. It’s fun and heartfelt and a surprisingly confident first take from Wilde.
There are forbidden love affairs and then there’s this epic romance from French filmmaker Celine Sciamma. Filled with sexual tension and secret rendevous, this period piece centers on a young painter named Marianne who lives on the island of Brittany and is commissioned to complete a portrait of an aristocratic noblewoman named Heloise before she’s set to be wed. The two women form an intimate bond, one that tests their sense of self and their willingness to sacrifice for love.
Boots Riley’s directorial debut comes courtesy of this dark, absurdist comedy that manages to weave themes of class and capitalism into a bonkers tale about a telemarketer living in Oakland who figures out a way to use his “white voice” to make sales. As he moves up the ladder, selling while hiding his identity, he’s pulled into a conspiracy that forces him to choose between cashing in at humanity’s expense or joining his friends in a rebellion against the system. Lakeith Stanfield gives a riveting turn as Cassius Green, Cash, the kid at the center of this bizarre story, and Tessa Thompson gives a commendable performance as Cash’s radical feminist girlfriend, Detroit.
Chloe Zhao helms this moving portrait of a forgotten sect of society. Frances McDormand plays Fern, a woman who loses everything in the Great Recession and decides to journey through the American West. As she embraces the joys and challenges of her van-dwelling nomad life, she meets others on the same path who teach her about the value of letting go, moving on, and confronting her past.
It’s hard not to watch this Aaron Sorkin-penned, David Fincher-directed masterpiece and have your viewing experience colored by Facebook, and founder Mark Zuckerberg’s, many political misdealings. Jesse Eisenberg plays the boy genius, an outcast whose brainchild is the product of a bad breakup and sexism. He partners with Andrew Garfield’s business-minded Eduardo Saverin and the two create the famous social networking site before Zuckerberg outs his friend and alienates himself. The story isn’t new, but watching it play out is still thrilling, mostly because Eisenberg is just so damn good at being a dick.
Adam McKay’s controversial biopic lands on Hulu with its impressive cast of Oscar-winners including Christian Bale, who undergoes a mind-blowing transformation to play former Vice President Dick Cheney. The film follows the build-up to Cheney’s White House appointment, as he gains power first as a Washington insider, then as the man pulling the strings of the Bush administrations. Amy Adams plays his supportive, just as morally compromised wife, Lynne, with Sam Rockwell turning in a hilarious performance as Bush himself.
There are so many worthy entries in The Terminator franchise, but it’s hard not to love the original more than the rest. Arnold Schwarzenegger used the film to cement his action-hero legacy, playing a cyborg assassin simply known as the Terminator, who travels from the future to ’80s Los Angeles to kill a waitress named Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). From there, we learn about Skynet, an artificial intelligence defense network that will soon become self-aware and destroy humanity if Sarah’s unborn son doesn’t stop it. There’s a lot of time-travel jargon to keep up with, but the real thrill of this movie is seeing Hamilton more than hold her own against an eerily-robotic Schwarzenegger.
Viggo Mortensen and Kathryn Han star in this feel-good drama about an unconventional family’s attempts to stay together despite outside forces closing in on their way of life. Mortensen plays Ben, the father to six children all living in a remote, wooded area. The kids keep a strict schedule, learning on their own, surviving in the wild, eschewing traditional schooling and activities for Ben’s regimen, which pushes them to think for themselves and find their own purpose. When Ben and the kids are forced to leave their utopia and interact with estranged family members in the real world, his teachings and their way of life is challenged in surprising ways.
Set during the touring years of The Beatles’ career, from 1962-1966, director Ron Howard crafts an intimate portrayal of the world’s most popular band with the help of both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with widows Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. Featuring 4K restorations of some of the band’s most memorable concerts, this documentary is a must for any film lover, Beatles fan or otherwise.
Mads Mikkelsen gives a tour-de-force performance in this Danish tragicomedy about a group of professors who attempt an intriguing social experiment with varying degrees of success. Mikkelsen’s Martin is an aging teacher whose marriage is suffering. His three friends are also experiencing mid-life crises. Their solution? To test a scientific theory that claims having a constant blood alcohol level of .05 make you happier and more creative, but when being buzzed just isn’t enough, each of the men begin to spiral, some with tragic consequences.
Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson return for round two of this boxing drama reboot. Still training with Rocky Balboa, Adonis Creed (Jordan) tries to bounce back after a dangerous beatdown, resolving to face off against the son of Viktor Drago, the man who killed his father. The film’s tension is heightened, the hits more violent, and Jordan is as confident as ever in his leading man status.
Ozark breakout Julia Garner stars in this tense #MeToo thriller with Succession’s Matthew Macfayden. Garner plays Jane, a recent college grad who just scored an assistant job at a film production company. When she begins noticing her boss sexually harassing young women around the office, she tries to do something about it and runs into various roadblocks from the higher-ups. It’s a dark, seedy drama and Garner is brilliant in it.
Australian director Jennifer Kent follows up her surprise success, The Babadook, with another dark tale, this time one that follows a young woman on a path of revenge. Aisling Franciosi plays Claire, an Irish convict sent to Tasmania in 1825 who chases a British officer (Sam Claflin) through the wilderness intent on making him pay for the crimes he committed against her and her family. Along the way, she recruits help from an aboriginal tracker and the two navigate racial tensions and prejudice on their quest. Franciosi is magnetic as Claire, a woman who refuses to let the horrible abuses she’s suffered break her and Claflin seems to delight in playing the villain of this story.
Merging high art and science fiction, director Lars Von Trier found inspiration for his story after suffering a depressive episode. Focused on two sisters with a strained relationship, they must now face the reality of a rogue planet set to collide with Earth. It premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where Kristen Dunst was given the Best Actress Award, and the following year the British Film Institute named it one of the greatest films of all time — a rare honor for any film made in the 21st century.
Tessa Thompson and Lily James deliver magnetic performances in this gritty crime drama from director Nia DaCosta. Thompson plays Ollie, a young woman living in an oil town in North Dakota who starts running drugs across the Canadian border when her mom gets sick. James plays her screw-up sister, Deb, who comes back into her life after their mom’s death with problems of her own. The sisters must find a way to save their childhood home, get Deb the help she needs, and get Ollie out of town before the police and some angry drug dealers catch her. It’s a relentless meat grinder of a film, but it’s also a hell of a watch.
Loosely based on the ground-breaking manga of the same name, Akira is considered a landmark in Japanese animation, as well as one of the best animated films ever produced. Set in a dystopian future in 2019, a teenager named Tetsuo gains tremendous telekinetic powers after a motorcycle crash, eventually going mad with power before bringing the military-industrial complex to its knees. A live action adaptation has been in the works in some form since 2002, but remains in development purgatory for the time being.
Helping to close out a decade of memorable teen films on a dark note, Heathers is a savagely funny deconstruction of the frivolousness of popular cliques that helped set the tone of many dark comedies that would follow in its wake. The plot involves a popular group of girls known as The Heathers who invite Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) to join them, guaranteeing that she would gain popularity by association. Eventually, Veronica finds herself teaming up with a dangerous sociopath (Christian Slater) in an attempt to break the Heathers’ tyrannical hold on the school.
Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton), who’s unwilling and unable to properly care for her troubled son Kevin, watches her life unravel as her husband (John C. Reilly) ignores their problems and Kevin grows more and more sociopathic and violent. The story jumps around in time, showing Swinton’s character as both a new mother who blames her son for ruining her life and as a woman who eventually blames herself for what becomes of her son. Swinton proves once again that she’s the actress that indie movies need for complex characters that live their lives in grey areas. At its core, We Need To Talk is about the importance of proper parenting, communication, and probably therapy. And it’s not for the faint of heart.
Tom Cruise is joined by Superman himself, Henry Cavill in this latest installment in the action franchise. Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt who leads his IMF team but is joined by Cavill’s CIA Agent, August Walker, who’s tasked with monitoring the group after a mission gone wrong. Hunt is tracking some missing plutonium before a terrorist group called The Apostles can weaponize it against the world but he’s thwarted by a surprising enemy.
The war of the Fyre docs kicked off earlier this year with Hulu releasing their surprise flick just days before Netflix’s planned exposé. Both films rehash the same basic plot: a young entrepreneur scams thousands of millennials and investors out of millions of dollars, but Hulu’s movie takes a closer look the aftermath and damage caused by Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, in addition to interviews and close looks at the events of the Fyre Festival disaster with a critical eye.
Pen15‘s Maya Erskine and ‘ Jack Quaid star in this modern rom-com about a pair of friends, who agree to suffer a summer of wedding invites together. Alice and Ben have been pals since college, but when their mutuals start getting hitched, and they’re left without dates to the happy nuptials, they make a pact to be each others’ “plus one.” What begins as a chance to score free booze and food quickly spirals into a neverending series of interactions that remind them how lonely they both are and force them to confront their hidden attraction.
A charming, unconventional story about what it means to be a family, Hunt for the Wilderpeople follows a juvenile delinquent named Ricky (Julian Dennison), who is adopted by a couple living on a farm in a remote region of New Zealand. After Ricky fakes his suicide and escapes into the bush, his (reluctantly) adopted father Hec (Sam Neill) goes looking for him, and after a series of mishaps, the two are forced to survive in the woods together for months. It was released during SXSW in 2016 (you can read our review here), and after rave reviews from critics the world over, it’s gone on to become the highest-grossing film in New Zealand history.
Before the Tina Feys, Amy Poehlers, and Maya Rudolphs of the world made Saturday Night Live a female-led powerhouse, comedian Gilda Radner starred on the sketch comedy series. She’s an icon, an absolute legend in the world of stand-up, and she played her bigger-than-life characters on the show with a kind of quirky abandon that made you laugh at them and care for them all at once. This doc looks back at her career, her struggles in an industry that wasn’t always accepting of her gender, and her brushes with more serious issues, like illness and eating disorders. Despite those serious topics, it’s a breezy, feel-good watch for comedy lovers of every generation.
Coherence is one of those low-budget sci-fi stories that is extremely tough to explain without either giving too much away or requiring an extended entry. Essentially, a group of friends sifts through their own issues and insecurities during a mind-bending paradoxical experience. Taking place almost entirely in the same room on a single night, the characters struggle to find answers just as much as the viewer. It’s a challenging yet enthralling film, perfect for those who love to overthink things.
This highly-anticipated comedy from SNL alumn and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg feels like a spiritual successor to a Bill Murray classic, a millennial Groundhog’s Day except this story is set in the sunny world of Palm Springs. Samberg’s Nyles meets Sarah (Cristin Milioti) at a wedding, and the two are pulled through a weird portal that causes them to repeat the same day, over, and over again. Honestly, it’s the perfect quarantine watch.
In today’s generation of rap, Gunna and Polo G stand as two of the most popular names within the genre. The success they portrayed over the last couple of years is direct proof of this, in addition to the work from early in their careers. So it’s no surprise that Kawhi Leonard recruited them both to appear on his upcoming compilation project titled Culture Jam. The duo’s song, titled “Waves,” leans more into Gunna’s lane as it features production the YSL rapper might use for his own work, but nothing too out of the box for Polo G as he flows smoothly on the new track.
Kawhi dropping a project, here he is teasing a track from it with NBA YoungBoy and Rod Wave pic.twitter.com/Zgmi0m46sR
Leonard shared additional details about the project back in May. “Culture Jam will always be a platform where creators’ ideas and talents come to life and serve our families and communities,” he said in a statement. “As an athlete that loves family, music, culture, and community, it was extremely important for me to build a space where all these elements thrive. Culture Jam’s significance is not only timely but it is also necessary.” The first single from the project was NBA YoungBoy and Rod Wave’s “Everything Different.”
The new track is also not the first time the the two rapper’s have worked together. Back in 2019, Gunna and Lil Baby teamed up to join Polo G for “Pop Out Again,” a song of the Chicago rapper’s debut album, Die A Legend.
Press play on Gunna and Polo G’s latest collaboration in the video above.
Gunna is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Plenty of R&B acts came out to impress last year with their respective projects despite the pandemic making it anything but a normal year. Two artists who did this are Kiana Lede and Kehlani. The former shared her debut album, KIKI, while the latter delivered her sophomore effort, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, which both stood out for their own reasons. More than a year removed from the releases, Kiana and Kehlani bring their talents together for their new single titled “Ur Best Friend.”
Both singers find themselves deep in thought after cheating on their current respective partners. Kiana nor Kehlani don’t necessarily feel guilty about the act of infidelity, in fact, after returning to their original partners, they both long for another moment with their cheating counterparts. “Almost called your name when he was in it,” Kiana admits while Kehlani sings, “And he’s almost perfect / And that’s why it hurts.”
The new collaboration comes after a quiet 12 months that followed since Kiana dropped her KIKI album. Her releases after the project were mainly guest features, those being “This Day” with Usher, “A Little More” with G-Eazy, and a remix of They.’s “Count Me In.” She also veered into the political lane with her summer 2020 track, “Dear Mr. President.”
As for Kehlani, she recently joined T-Pain in a video for their “I Like Dat” collaboration while working with other names like Amorphous and Pink Sweats for their respective “Back Together” and “At My Worst” efforts.
You can listen to the duo’s new single in the video above.
Kehlani is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The music world is just a couple of weeks away from what would be eight months since Drake was originally supposed to release his sixth album, Certified Lover Boy. The project was announced last summer and slated for a January 2021 release but it was later pushed back to a new date that the rapper has not shared yet. In the meantime, Drake has delivered a good amount of tracks, both being solo efforts and guest verses, that have made the wait for the album a bit easier for his faithful supporters. The latest example of this comes through a brand new track with Toronto rapper Smiley.
The effort is titled “Over The Top,” and on it, Drake keeps it strictly business with his Toronto counterpart. Lines like “I got too much on the line, too much on my mind, too much ain’t enough for my plans” and “I know I came with the slide from left to right / But now I don’t wanna dance,” a reference to his viral 2020 track “Toosie Slide,” highlight Drake’s tunnel vision.
“Over The Top” comes after Drake connected with Brent Faiyaz for “Wasting Time,” their first-ever collaboration. Prior to that, he worked with Migos on “Havin My Way,” from their fourth album Culture III. As for those who are still waiting on an update about Certified Lover Boy, Drake recently revealed what stage he’s in with the project. “You know Uncle Drake’s on his way back home to mix the album,” he said on a recent OVO Sound radio appearance, adding that there’s “a bunch of new tracks coming.”
You can listen to the new track in the video above.
Smiley is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It’s been a couple of years since Camila Cabello dropped a solo song for her fans. The last time she did was at the end of 2019 when she delivered her sophomore album, Romance. While the effort didn’t exactly match the success of her debut album, Camila, he gave the singer another top-20 single, that being “My Oh My” with DaBaby. While that’s all well and good for the singer, that project and its songs live in the past now and her fans are ready for Cabello to begin the journey towards her upcoming third album, something she does tonight with the release of “Don’t Go Yet.”
The new track sees her request a few more hours with a special lover who originally intended to spend a short amount of time with her. “Sayin’ you got a flight, need an early night, no,” she sings, adding, “Don’t go yet.” The track is supported by dance-friendly production with a dose of Latin elements as well. It also comes with a very colorful video that Camilla uses to flaunt her dance skills with help from a cast of backup dancers
Last summer, the singer confirmed she was working on new music and shared some insight about it. “Sending so much love to everyone,” she wrote under an Instagram post. “Been writing a lot of new music and it’s coming from a really pure place. reminding myself everyday that life is now; and not in yesterday or tomorrow. let’s be extra gentle, soft, and kind to ourselves and others today.”
You can listen to “Don’t Go Yet” in the video above.
Lil Nas X should release his official debut album Montero at any point now, but in the meantime, the singer has graced the world with enough singles to make the wait bearable for now. There was of course the album’s lead single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which set the internet ablaze thanks to its music video, Satan Shoes, and the strong opinions some had to it all. Next came “Sun Goes Down,” a much more relaxed release that dove a bit into Lil Nas’ life, and now, the singer returns with “Industry Baby,” a track that features a guest appearance from Jack Harlow.
The new track is a boastful one that’s carried by production filled with trumpets and a hard-hitting bass supplied by Lil Nas’ frequent collaborator Take A Daytrip as well as Kanye West. Jack Harlow arrives with a verse of his own to bring the song to an end boastful bars centered on his fame and success and how some have a hard time seeing him thrive in it all. Its accompanying video sees Lil Nas staying true to himself with scenes of twerking nude in jail while he raises a bit of hell with help from Jack Harlow.
Lil Nas shared the new song days after announcing the track with a video that parodies his impending Nike lawsuit trail. The singer himself played the judge, prosecutor, defendant, and a member of the juror in the effort that proved he isn’t too worried about the result of the real-life trial.
Press play on the new track in the video above.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Earlier this week, the hip-hop world celebrated the ten-year anniversary of Funk Flex’s memorable radio premiere of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Otis.” At that moment, the track was the second single from their soon-to-be-released joint album, Watch The Throne. That moment proved to be a huge one as it built up anticipation at an exponential rate for the project. Fast-forward to the present and many shared where they were during Funk Flex’s radio premiere of “Otis,” but it all came with the reminder that in today’s world, Jay-Z and Kanye West haven’t been on the best of terms. However, it turns out that the Watch The Throne duo may have fixed the issues in their palace.
During Kanye West’s listening event for his upcoming album, Donda, the Chicago rapper premiered a track with Jay-Z for the thousands of fans in attendance at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The song, which has an unknown title at the moment, saw Jay-Z show a lot of love to Kanye.
“Donda, I’m with your baby when I touch back road,” Jay raps on the song, later adding, “This might be the return of the throne / Hova and Yeezy like Moses and Jesus / You’re not in control of my thesis / You already know what I think about think pieces.”
The track comes after a few moments that showed the two could end up on better terms. At the end of 2019, Jay-Z named Kanye’s “Follow God” as one of his favorite songs of the year, which came shortly after they reportedly ended all legal feuds. Last summer, Kanye spoke publicly about Jay, saying, “Miss my bro … real talk” in a Twitter post that showed the two acts performing together.
You can listen to a snippet of the track in the video above.
The streaming game feels particularly strong this week, which is fantastic news, given that the outside world feels a little less safe than it did a mere week ago? Do you want to know where you’ll find the best bang for your buck among the streaming services? There are two top contenders this week, and I’m talking about Apple TV+ and Netflix. The former’s bringing back a widely beloved Jason Sudeikis title character, who is sorely needed right now to spread his brand of optimism. And the latter has a sequel of a fondly remembered 1980s series, along with the most bizarre dating series that you’ve ever heard of and more. In other words, it’s impossible to break this Apple TV+/Netflix tie, but there’s something for everyone on those two services.
However, it’s worth noting here that there are three other strong competitors this week. AMC+ keeps adding to its coffers with The Walking Dead: Origins being their cap’s feather, but there are three other (relatively) new shows on the roster as well. HBO Max brings in a good showing with selections that showcase music, comedy, hard-hitting journalism, and a different side of Sesame Workshop. Disney+ follows with a Loki behind-the-scenes special and a few other new series, and the streaming realm is not done yet. Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Paramount+ all have fresh offerings for you as well.
Here’s everything that you should consider putting in your queues this weekend.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+
Ted Lasso: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — First thing’s first: Everyone who’s caught a glimpse of this Bill Lawrence co-created and developed series loves it. That’s a notable feat, considering that star Jason Sudeikis first portrayed the title character way back in 2013 for NBC Sports’ promos for Premier League coverage. Fast forward to the fresh hell that was 2020, and the show surfaced as one of the year’s lone bright spots. Ted Lasso is somehow both relentlessly and charmingly cheery, although the last season finale showed the team losing against Manchester City, which spelled bad news, since the team can no longer hang in English Premier League games. We’ll see how they can turn themselves around, and while considering that possibility, it’s best to remember that Ted Lasso (and Walt Whitman) once said, “Be curious, not judgmental.”
Schmigadoon!: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series) — If a musical comedy series starring Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, and Jane Krakowski sounds a little bit too frenetic to you, consider this: Apple TV+ has been crushing the comedy game these days with the likes of Mythic Quest and Ted Lasso under its still-young belt. So, one can bet that if a series called Schmigadoon! can succeed, the show found the correct streaming home. Strong and Key portray a backpacking couple who stumble into a 1940s musical, literally. The premise might sound a bit like a horror movie, but it’s intended to be (bizarrely) romantic with a bang-up cast that demands a streaming shot.
The Snoopy Show: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series) — Don’t be a blockhead, Charlie Brown. Instead, tuck into this new animated series for all ages, as long as you’re into the almost universally beloved beagle, Snoopy (duh), and his best friend for life, Woodshock. Not only is Snoopy actually Joe Cool, but he’s also Masked Marvel and a World War I flying ace, and yes, do not try to resist this delight of a revisiting that’s based upon Charles M. Schultz’s “Peanuts” comic strip.
Netflix
Netflix
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Netflix series) — The very battle for Eternia’s soul continues with the ultimate fanboy, Kevin Smith, picking up the showrunner sword. Smith’s enthusiasm for all stuff geeky has led him down many roads, all of them filled with huge feelings, and honestly, the dude has the Power of Grayskull running through his veins. So, one can expect him to nail the tone here while advancing the story, justifying a revival, and continuing the story of the rivalry between Skeletor and everyone else. Cringer and Orko and Teela are on board, and the voice cast (including Lena Headey, Henry Rollins, and Jason Mewes) is phenomenal here, especially Mark Hamill as Skeletor. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of He-Man, guys.
Sexy Beasts (Netflix series) — Well, if you thought that you’ve seen every kind of dating series out there, Netflix is shouting something about holding their beer. The show purports to feature contestants that will choose matches based on personality only. Sounds practical, right? Well, the key to doing that here is dressing up as furries and other prosthetic-adorned creatures, and no reveal of actual physicality shall happen until the pivotal decisions are made. It’s like The Masked Singer, only way hornier.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (Netflix film) — This franchise installment (from Guillermo del Toro) picks up after the events of the Tales of Arcadia films, and those heroes must now come together to banish the evil Arcane order and defend humanity. Of course, the Arcane Order has ancient titans on their side and the darkest of magic, so vanquishing them won’t be a simple feat.
The Last Letter From Your Lover (Netflix film) — Shailene Woodley and Felicity Jones star in this story (based upon the novel by JoJo Moyes) about a journalist who uncovers decades-old love letters that reveal a forbidden affair. While investigating the individual threads that make up the mystery surrounding the affair, the journalist soon falls into a love story of her own.
HBO Max
HBO
Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage (HBO film on HBO Max) — All was not what it seems for this three-day music festival that was meant to revive the countercultural idealism of its 1969 predecessor. Well, things weren’t “peace and love” in 1999, but rather, a total disaster by most standards. Mosh pits, blazing heat, a distinct lack of sanitation, and an absence of free water led to riots and looting, all of which were not deterred by the scant security measures. Decades later, this documentary looks back upon a pivotal moment when rose-tinted nostalgia evaporated under the hard truths exposed by this mismanaged festival. All pre-Fyre Festival!
Tig Notaro: Drawn (HBO special on HBO Max) — On the heels of the “hot Tig” role in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead, quadruple threat (comedian, writer, actor and director) Tig Notaro pulls off an innovative first. That feat would be the first-ever entirely animated stand-up comedy special, in which you’ll witness an hour of pure genius. Several artistic styles will mesh with Notaro’s voice and storytelling style, and expect anecdotes about Dolly Parton and Jenny Slate, along with other fearless touches.
Through Our Eyes: Season 1 (HBO Max series) — Sesame Workshop gets dark with this quartet of 30-minute films that intend for adults to watch with their kids, who should be at least 9 years old, according to HBO Max’s press information. Each installment will follow children as they experience enormously challenging family issues, including parental incarceration, housing insecurity, weather-related disasters, and the hurdle of a military parent who’s been injured. These very real issues mean to teach lessons in empathy and will hopefully educate all ages.
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes (HBO series on HBO Max) — Ronan Farrow’s podcast undergoes this miniseries treatment here while expanding upon existing interviews with whistleblowers, private investigators, and more. The minseries will dig into the powers that be, beginning with the Harvey Weinstein case, for which Ronan’s groundbreaking New Yorkerinvestigative report got the #MeToo ball rolling.
Gossip Girl: Season 1 premiere (HBO Max series) — The original CW series helped to launch the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Sebastian Stan, and Penn Badgley (and the latter is now portraying an amped-up version of the same character on Netflix’s You). HBO Max is now ready to welcome another crop of mostly unknown faces playing wealthy, privileged teens who find themselves socially surveilled and at the mercy of the “Gossip Girl” narrator, who’s still voiced by Kristen Bell.
AMC+
AMC
The Walking Dead: Origins (AMC+ limited series) — This batch of episodes will bridge the gap between zombie-apocalypse-laden seasons with the origin stories of Daryl, Carol, Maggie, and Negan. Expect a lot of interwoven clips (along with cast interviews and narration) to remind everyone of these characters’ most pivotal moments as their stories head into the final season.
Ultra City Smiths: Season 1 (AMC+ series) — Fans of Robot Chicken will undoubtedly want to check out this stop-motion animated selection from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and showrunner Steve Conrad. Expect very adult-oriented humor and the voices of Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Alia Shawkat, Tim Meadows, John C. Reilly, Bebe Neuwirth, Jason Mantzoukas, and Damon Herriman. The show revolves around a corrupt city and a group of characters who only want a kinder, gentler atmosphere in which to, uh, live. It’s a sort-of whodunit with the most unorthodox detectives (literally baby dolls) who are attempting to save the world. Hey, this show has Dewey Crowe, so why ask for logic?
The North Water (AMC+ limited series) — This adrenaline-filled series stars Jack O’Connell, Colin Farrell, and Stephen Graham with a story about a beleaguered and disgraced military surgeon who must contend with a terrifying Arctic mission. The elements are the worst enemy here, followed closely by the crew-mate violence at hand. Civilization is a long way away from this story.
The Beast Must Die: (AMC series on AMC+) — Jared Harris and Cush Jumbo star in this revenge-thriller series that has already been renewed for a second season. The story’s based on Nicholas Blake’s 1938 novel and revolves around a mother who’s hell-bent upon avenging her son’s death, all while a PTSD-afflicted detective’s working the case. It’s an enormously chaotic show, but it’s so crushingly executed that you’d be gripping your seat arms if you watched it in a theater.
Disney+
Disney+
Marvel Studios: Assembled:: Season 1 The Making of Loki (Disney+ series, releasing in the wee hours of Wednesday morning) — This immersive documentary-type series brings us a fresh installment to help us feel a little bit better about having to wait for Season 2 of all of the Lokis and their mercurial pursuit of the glorious purpose. Tom Hiddleston had an absolute blast playing the MCU’s trickster god, and hopefully, we’ll hear more about that crushing moment and the new big bad. This is the best Disney+ show so far, and Loki’s so beloved that you might binge the whole season all over again.
Turner & Hooch (Disney+ series) — The beloved 1989 Tom Hanks film gets the reboot treatment with Detective Scott Turner’s son taking the helm. Josh Peck stars as a U.S. Marshal who’s saddled with an unruly canine, only to realize that this pup is actually the partner of his dreams. Hooch is portrayed by five French Mastiffs, which means that series doesn’t take CGI shortcuts, and these dogs will charm everyone.
Stuntman (Disney+ film) — The Rock executive produces this movie that tracks veteran Hollywood stuntman Eddie Braun through highs and lows. Both arose from Braun’s career, including his attempt to complete cinematic history’s (arguably) most dangerous stunt, which happens to be replicating (and besting) Evel Knievel’s (failed) Snake River Canyon jump. What would be a more fitting way to put an exclamation point upon a crash-and-explosion filled career in Hollywood?
Playing With Sharks (National Geographic film on Disney+) — Valerie Taylor, a legend and icon in the shark-exploration world, shows off her incredible underwater archival footage in this documentary. She’s a pioneer, for sure, along with a leading spearfisher and an ardent activist for shark protection.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Jolt (Amazon Prime film) — Honestly, I couldn’t describe this film better than the synopsis, which I’ll quote here. Kate Beckinsale stars as a “bouncer with a slightly murderous anger-management problem that she controls with the help of an electrode-lined vest she uses to shock herself back to normalcy whenever she gets homicidal.” Well, at least she’s a self-policing menace? Unfortunately, she actually falls in love with a dude who ends up dead, which causes a few problems, including being the primary suspect for obvious reasons. Jai Courtney and Stanley Tucci co-star.
Paramount+
Paramount+
Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — Young SpongeBob, age 10, goes to sleepaway camp, where Mr. Krabs rules the roost. Our protagonist seeks to nab his first jellyfish, and of course, his friends step up to assist while antics rage elsewhere.
Hulu
FX on Hulu
American Horror Stories: Season 1 (FX on Hulu series) — This spinoff of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s anthology-based franchise will present a new iteration of horror. Viewers will receive a fresh set of terrors within every episode, after the flagship series already dove through an unsettling asylum, a freak shows, a haunted hotels, a witch coven, and the apocalypse. It’s not as scary as the real America, but close.
McCartney 3,2,1: Season 1 (Hulu series) — The legend himself (yes, Paul McCartney) sits down with Rick Rubin to get real about his work and legacy from The Beatles, along with his five decades as a solo artist. This is a six-part series the aims to be much more revelatory than your usual pop-culture documentary, which is fitting, given that we’re talking about an iconic musician.
Sean Penn reportedly isn’t interested in a workplace that isn’t fully vaccinated, throwing production on Gaslit into turmoil in the process. The actor has apparently offered to vaccinate everyone working on the Starz limited production and has reportedly gone as far as to say he won’t return to work on the show until everyone involved has gotten the jab.
According to Deadline, Penn’s work on Gaslit is on hold until the crew, which is working on the show in Burbank, gets vaccinated.
In a move that likely will reverberate across an industry still trying to deal with Covid, Penn is refusing to return to work on Gaslit — the UCP-produced Starz limited series he stars in with Julia Roberts — until everyone on the production has been vaccinated for the virus. With the highly contagious Delta variant raging enough that Los Angeles has re-imposed indoor mask wearing and cases among the unvaccinated are spiking again at alarming levels across the country, Penn has insisted to the production that the vaccination of everyone must be mandatory. Through his organization, CORE, Penn has offered to facilitate the vaccination effort, free of charge.
Deadline notes that NBCUniversal has mandated vaccines for “Zone A” crew, which is the cast and anyone in close proximity. An on-site vaccine clinic was also established, but Penn wants everyone involved in the production to be protected from the pandemic and the ever-dangerous Delta variant that’s shown to be increasingly contagious around the world.
It’s unclear how the crew has responded to this demand, or Penn’s willingness to help those get the jab. But it’s one of the first major stars to demand a fully vaccinated workplace in Hollywood, and it will certainly be interesting to see how the staff and others in the industry respond.
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