On Wednesday, Netflix tweeted a photo of a billboard. But this was no ordinary billboard. The text, which reads, “EVERY ENDING HAS A BEGINNING,” was upside down, leading many to believe that a premiere date for Stranger Things season four was coming. That might be the case, but for now, it appears the tweet was in reference to Netflix releasing posters for the upcoming (and long-delayed) season.
The first poster shows Hopper, Joyce, and Murray outside of a Russian prison.
Feel free to wildly speculate about what it all means.
“It’s an unholy gap. I want to say what I can say and speak freely on this. As much as it pains our viewers, that it will have been so long. Trust me, it pains [creators Matt and Ross Duffer] and I more,” producer Shawn Levy told Collider about the break between seasons (season three premiered on July 4, 2019). “It is a kind of perfect storm, combination of COVID shutdown, slower pace of filming in COVID protocols and health protocols, which are necessary. And coincidentally, we chose season four to be by far and I mean, by far, far, far, the most ambitious of the seasons.”
Stay tuned for the ST4 premiere date and trailer… eventually.
The reigning ARIA Artist of the Year with the Album Of The Year award as well at essentially Australia’s version of the Grammys, Genesis Owusu is coming to the US for his first headlining tour in the country. Backing his stellar release, Smiling With No Teeth, he’s also shared the new video for the bombastic “Black Dogs!”
“It’s a straight-to-the-point song encompassing a day in the life of me, or just any Black person in Australia,” Owusu said in a statement. “It’s not that I’m getting abused by police every day, but it’s all the little microaggressions. Sonically speaking, it plays into how I feel every day, going into white spaces and feeling a bit paranoid.”
The video is an intense expression of the above sentiment and it showcases the pointed aesthetic that has made the Ghanaian-Australian soar as an artist. He’s an important voice for Australian hip-hop and will be surely welcomed with open arms when he arrives in the US next month.
Watch the video for “Black Dogs!” above and check out Genesis Owusu’s full US tour dates below. Tickets are now on sale here.
03/20 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
03/21 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
03/24 — Boise, ID @ El Korah Shrine (Treefort Music Fest)
03/25 — Seattle, WA @ Neumos
03/28 — St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
03/29 — Chicago, IL @ Schubas
03/31 — Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
04/02 — New York City, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
04/03 — The Sinclair @ Boston, MA
04/08 — DC9 Nightclub @ Washington, DC
04/09 — Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
04/10 — Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
04/12 — Nashville, TN @ Basement East
04/14 — Austin, TX @ Antone’s
04/15 — Studio at the Factory @ Dallas, TX
04/16 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall [upstairs]
The Chicago Bulls are one of the best stories in the NBA this season. After a hectic offseason, Chicago has turned into a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference, entering the All-Star break at 38-21 — they’re either going to be in sole possession of the 1-seed once games resume or tied in that spot with the Miami Heat, depending on the outcome of Thursday’s game between the Heat and the Charlotte Hornets.
Chicago’s ascent has been fueled in large part by offseason addition DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, both of whom earned the distinction of being All-Stars this year. Before they make the trek to Cleveland, Dime caught up with LaVine to discuss the Bulls, getting to see the work he’s put in over the years in Chicago pay off, his new Mountain Dew ad with Charlie Day, and more.
It’s the rare commercial that’s really funny. What was your experience like on set with Charlie?
That’s the thing, Mountain Dew does a good job of obviously, making it funny and light, and that’s one thing I really enjoyed. I got to see Charlie’s part and talk to him, but we weren’t able to actually do it together, obviously COVID related, we try to keep everybody safe. But I think they got some good movie magic and they can definitely scrap some stuff together to make it look good. So, I’ve seen the edit and it’s really good, it’s really funny. So I appreciate being part of the campaign.
What’s it like getting to do these sorts of things away from the basketball court and showing off your personality a little bit?
It’s really cool. I mean, a lot of people, just a regular fan of you or a team, will just see you as a basketball player, and being able to even talk like this in a platform, getting to see me in a different light, show mine so my personality, hopefully some good acting skills. I think it’s good that everybody gets to see another side you outside of being a basketball player.
Is Hollywood Zach LaVine going to be coming anytime soon or are you gonna stick to hooping for now?
I mean, obviously, I know what I’m good at, but I definitely can see myself doing something like that, you know, later on, or any opportunity, I never want sell myself short. I think I might be a good actor if I put my hard work and time into it, but just not right now, not full-time. [laughs]
I talked to Coby White earlier this offseason, he said, you guys had expectations coming into the year, but you’re taking things one day at a time. What was your approach this offseason, and how are we seeing that as people who didn’t see the work that you and the team put in?
A lot of the team is is new, and there’s only about two guys that were on the team last year, I think that’s Coby and Pat. And you know, for a team, we got into camp really early, which you don’t really see guys sacrificing their summer. We got in, I think in August, a lot of guys met in August before training camp, even, just to get familiar with each other, get some chemistry down, some continuity. For me, personally, I sacrificed a lot of my time this summer, obviously doing the Olympics, and I think that was just an incredible experience for me, being able to be around winning culture, players in my caliber, and seeing how other guys worked, what made them great, as well, and how you have to sacrifice for a winning team. I think that all comes into fruition when you’re a really good team, everybody has to sacrifice something for a greater good, and I’m all about winning right now.
Was there a game, practice, a moment — even if that moment is you hear about DeMar coming — you found yourself going, oh, there’s something really special here, we could legitimately be a team that’s fighting for the one seed and has a chance to make some real noise in the playoffs?
Yeah, I mean, I was in a lot of those conversations, I was able to talk with DeMar before the season, and having a relationship with him going and working out with him was great. Knowing Zo, playing against him, and then obviously having a guy like Caruso come in as well that’s had championship experience — shoot, he has a championship not just experience — but you know, he’s an extremely high IQ guy. And then getting on the court with all those guys, I think, was the first time where … training camp, it just felt different. There’s a different attention to detail, a different competitiveness, and you’re looking around, you’re like, oh, ok, it’s just not, in years past where you’re like, ah, we’re going to have to see how it is and things like that. It was a real moment of okay, we can really do something special here.
And it’s hard not to watch you guys and see a group that is just so totally on the same page. I’m guessing it comes from that offseason work, where everyone seemed like they had a similar mindset of “we’re going to sacrifice now and it’s going to pay off later.” Is that fair?
Yes, that’s more than fair, and I think just us coming together in the first year of such a new team and being able to play this way and have this chemistry is a tribute to some of that sacrifice. I can’t wait to see what it looks like in year two and three, not even just counting this year.
And it’s paid off for you individually in your second All-Star nod, just found out you’re going to be getting that. What’s it like getting that call when you’ve gone in the past, and knowing that you are going to be going with a teammate this time around?
It’s really fun. Any time you have a chance to get selected, it’s an honor. Not a lot of guys get to experience that, and it for it to be my second time, and also being on the short end of the stick a couple of times, my first couple years in Chicago, where obviously you feel like you can make it but you might not be in position to, and there’s a lot of factors with “deserving” and things like that. Going there with a teammate is gonna be my first time doing that, I think it’s gonna be really fun, also having Ayo in the rookie game as well, which will be really fun. It’s just a blessing, man, just have to be very happy and understand that it’s a special year.
I’m going to be asking about Ayo in a second, but I want to ask about DeMar first. Watching you and him cook is just so much fun, what has made it so easy to build up that bond where you guys look like you have been playing together for years?
You have two guys that’s coming into the year that obviously have a chip on their shoulder, first and foremost. There wasn’t a lot of people believing in that tandem, and you know, us coming together in offseason and talking about it and working together, spending time together, working out, and then coming into the season, was had some really good chemistry already, not even playing with each other, and then, just understand how play, play off each other. And I feel like it helped me a lot, and he’s been in situations where he hasn’t had a scorer or player like me on the other side, and vice versa for me, and just taking advantage of that opportunity to go out there and put the team on our back sometimes is really fun.
I could go through the roster and ask about dudes, but it feels like the guy catching everyone’s attention right now is Ayo. I watched him in Illinois, that do just fights and fights and fights. What about him has made it so he’s gained everyone’s trust as a rookie so easily?
He’s just a worker, and for a rookie — obviously he did a couple more years in college, he came into the league a little bit more NBA ready than some guys that are one-and-done. But for a rookie still not being here, he asks a lot of questions, and it just shows he really wants to learn, and he’s invested into getting better and what he can do for the team. Whatever the coach asks him to do, or whatever we ask him to do, he does it, doesn’t ask questions, and he does it well. And I think just his confidence has gotten better and better each and every game, and he’s gonna be special, man.
You’ve been in Chicago for a few years, you’ve put a ton into the Bulls really captivating that city again, and we’re seeing it now.
Yeah.
How would you describe the feeling of running out into a packed United Center, Bulls fans going crazy, and knowing it’s the result of years of hard work, taking your licks, and getting to the point you’re at now?
Yeah, and being on the side where it wasn’t like that at first, and now being able to have some of that, and hopefully in the future have more of it is huge. Because like I said, I put in a lot of work, I think this is my fifth season here, so it’s a long time coming, and it shows how much hard work and how much the organization has trusted me, and I appreciate that, and it’s coming into fruition a little bit, so it’s exciting to see.
What is it about Bulls fans, Chicago as a basketball city, all that, that you really love?
I love how much they’re invested into it, and how much they care. Even in the years where — besides this last year, where we weren’t winning as much and didn’t have a lot of talent on the court — they were there every single day cheering people on. You see them in numbers, you see them on the streets, you see on social media how much they care and how much they invest into their team.
Chicago deserves a winning organization. Like I said before, they’re one of the most storied franchises, they had the greatest player of all time play here. So, they have pretty high standards, but they deserve it, because that’s what they’re used to. And I think that’s what I want to help them get back to.
Don’t be fooled by its title: Fontaines DC’s new single “I Love You” is an account of self-loathing, guilt, and disappointment.
Taken from their upcoming third album, Skinty Fia, “I Love You” is sung from the perspective of an Irish person abroad. Lyrics like “This island’s run by sharks with children’s bones stuck in their jaws” demonstrate vocalist Grian Chatten’s disdain for the atrocities caused by his home country.
In the song’s Sam Taylor-directed video, Chatten walks through a candle-lit church, calmly for the first half of the song, but with a deeper sense of anger for the second half. “It’s standing in the center of our beloved home country as a multitude of things are brought to tragic ends in an apocalyptic state of affairs,” said Chatten in a statement. “That’s how it feels to me, and what I felt when I wrote it.”
Fontaines DC will kick off their tour next month, with new dates recently added in Brooklyn and Australia. See below for updated tour dates and check out the “I Love You” video above.
03/20/2022 — Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera
03/21/2022 — Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz 3
03/23/2022 — Milan, Italy @ Magazzini Generali
03/24/2022 — Zürich, Switzerland @ Dynamo
03/25/2022 — Dudingen, Switzerland @ Bad Bonn
03/27/2022 — Prague, Czech Republic @ Roxy
03/28/2022 — Brno, Czech Republic @ Fleda
03/30/2022 — Malmo, Sweden @ Plan B
03/31/2022 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser
04/01/2022 — Oslo, Norway @ Vulkan Arena
04/02/2022 — Denmark, Copenhagen @ VEGA
04/04/2022 — Nikmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
04/05/2022 — Maastricht, Netherlands @ Muziekgieterij
04/06/2022 — Utrecht, Netherlands @ Tivoli Vredenburg
04/08/2022 — Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix
04/09/2022 — Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Den Atelier
04/10/2022 — Lille, France @ L’Aéronef
04/11/2022 — Paris, France @ Olympia
04/21/2022 — Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
04/22/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
04/23/2022 — Asbury Park, NJ @ Wonder Bar
04/25/2022 — Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
04/26-27/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
04/29/2022 — Columbus, OH @ The A&R Music Bar
04/30/2022 — Cleveland, OH @ The Beachland Ballroom
05/02/2022 — Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
05/03/2022 — Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix
05/05/2022 — Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
05/06/2022 — Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
05/07/2022 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
05/09/2022 — Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
05/10/2022 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell
05/12/2022 — Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
05/13/2022 — Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
05/14/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
05/16/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
05/18-19/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater
06/03/2022 — Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound
06/06/2022 — Lyon, France @ Le Transbordeur
06/07/2022 — Bologna, Italy @ Arena Puccini
06/08/2022 — Milan, Italy @ Un Altro Festival
06/10/2022 — Neuchâtel, Switzerland @ Festi’ Neuch
06/11/2022 — Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival
06/12/2022 — Berlin, Germany @ Templehof Sounds
06/13/2022 — Warsaw, Poland @ Proxima
06/15/2022 — Athens, Greece @ Release Festival with Nick Cave
06/17/2022 — Scheeßel, Germany @ Hurricane Festival
06/18/2022 — Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany @ Southside Festival
06/20/2022 — Zagreb, Croatia @ InMusic Festival
06/29/2022 — Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival
06/30/2022 — Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter
07/02-03/2022 — Dublin, Ireland @ Iveagh Gardens
07/06/2022 — Lisbon, Portugal @ NOS Alive Festival
07/08/2022 — Lytham St. Anne’s, United Kingdom @ Lytham festival
07/09/2022 — Glasgow, United Kingdom @ TRNSMT
07/14/2022 — Carhaix, France @ Les Vieilles Charrues
07/15/2022 — London, United Kingdom @ Finsbury Park with Sam Fender
07/17/2022 — Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall
07/18/2022 — Munich, Germany @ Neue Theaterfabrik
07/20/2022 — Berlin, Germany @ Astra Kulturhaus
07/21/2022 — Hamburg, Germany @ Gruenspan
07/24/2022 — Wiesbaden, Germany @ Schlachthof
08/11/2022 — Oslo, Norway @ Oya Festival
08/13/2022 — Helsinki, Finland @ Flow Festival
08/15/2022 — Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget Festival
08/16/2022 — Padova, Italy @ Parco Della Musica
08/19/2022 — Guéret – Saint-Laurent Aerodrome, France @ Check In Party
08/20/2022 — Charleville-Mézières, France @ Le Cabaret Vert
08/23/2022 — Stuttgart, Germany @ Longhorn
08/25/2022 — Paris, France @ Rock En Seine
08/27/2022 — Reading, United Kingdom @ Reading Festival
08/28/2022 — Leeds, United Kingdom @ Leeds Festival
09/16/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Primavera Sound
02/01/2023 — Sydney, Australia @ Roundhouse
02/02/2023 — Brisbane, Australia @ The Triffid
02/07/2023 — Melbourne, Australia @ Corner Hotel
02/08/2023 — Melbourne, Australia @ The Forum
Skinty Fia is out 4/22 via Partisan. Pre-order it here.
In addition to being one-third of Atlanta rap trio Migos, Quavo is becoming increasingly well known for his love of basketball. He’s participated in the NBA’s All-Star celebrity game multiple times, winning the MVP award for the game in 2018, and helped launch Bleacher Report’s inaugural All-Star adjacent two-on-two game last year alongside 2 Chainz, Jack Harlow, and Lil Baby. Now, not only is he participating in the celebrity game again this year, but he’s also going to play in actual NBA games — NBA video games, that is.
Quavo was announced as the latest playable character in NBA 2K22, which is out now via 2K Games. The rapper made the announcement in an Instagram post showing off his character model during gameplay, and from the clips provided, it’s a frighteningly good likeness, right down to Quavo’s signature, iced-out glasses frames — which he would probably never wear in a real game. However, judging from the caption he added, it seems he has one major quibble with his in-game presentation.
“@ronnie2k why are u one point away from being rated the same as me?” he wondered, tagging 2K Games’ infamous digital marketing director Ronnie Singh, who was also added to the game as a playable character. “Who Rated Me??” Of course, players always tag Ronnie with qualms about their in-game player ratings, something the social media star made clear is always tongue-in-cheek and orchestrated to hype the game up (he, of course, probably has a lot of say in how he’s rated in-game, despite being far from NBA-ready). So, it really wouldn’t be official without some light griping from the game’s newest star, would it?
Check out Quavo’s announcement and in-game likeness below.
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.
Jack Reacher is back once again, this time not on the page or in a feature film starring Tom Cruise (yes, it was weird that Jack Reacher, a character whose defining characteristic is his massive size, was played by… Tom Cruise), but on the small screen. Or your laptop. Or your phone. This time the role is filled by Alan Ritchson, who takes the character to hell and back trying to clear his name after a wrongful murder accusation. Does he break some limbs and smash some heads in the process? Well, let’s just say that is a pretty safe assumption. Watch it on Amazon.
The premise is beyond silly with Will Arnett overplaying a too serious homicide detective who inexplicably keeps getting paired with random celebrities (Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch) to solve murders. Oh, and the celebrities aren’t given a script, they’re just tasked with riffing off Arnett’s constant exasperation with them and everything that’s unfolding. But what seems like an odd cross between a Castle episode and a Jimmy Fallon bit magically works, finding giggles within the stock moments of a procedural thanks to guests who are incredibly game and Arnett’s dedication to the bit and to getting the most out of them. Watch it on Netflix.
Back in the early 1990s, it’d be hard to envision a world where the South Park dudes would be cranking out the social satire like no one’s business for 25 seasons. Not only are they taking over Casa Bonita and inspiring an orchestra, but there’s a whole heaping helping of Paramount+ specials coming our way in addition to a full-on season of f-bombs and rightful torching of Cartman. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are still crushing the adult animation game like no other. Watch it on the South Park website.
One of The Suicide Squad‘s characters who seemed least likely (well, there actually were a lot of them, including poor Boomerang) to make it out alive has his own spinoff series. That would be John Cena’s horribly patriotic bro, and it’s still hellaciously funny that this is happening because James Gunn got bored during quarantine and decided to write this TV show. Never fear, though. He Of the Butthole Jokes is still as worthy of contempt as always. There’s no telling whether we’ll see another Squad movie, so soak up as much of this end of the DCEU while it’s hot. Watch it on HBO Max.
The bad news is that Marty Byrde and fam will only be with us for one more season. The good news is that this is a supersized season that will arrive in two halves, so let’s pretend that it’s two more seasons. Jason Bateman’s baby has been good to us all, even if it’s been bad for Marty, Wendy, and the kids, and so-so for Ruth (Julia Garner’s set to rule the world). This season, we’ll see what happened after the blood-spattered tarmac happenings in Mexico. One can bet that this new beginning won’t be any more relaxing than the Byrdes’ money-laundering U.S. life. Watch it on Netflix.
IN West Philadelphia… things get real real quick for young Will Smith, a promising baller with a ticket to Bel Air to wait out the neighborhood rival who just might want to put him in the ground. You know the story of The Fresh Prince, a ’90s staple that launched the real Will Smith (who just got his third Oscar nomination) and the Carlton dance into pop culture. But this show promises and delivers something a little different thanks to a very talented cast and a willingness to push past nostalgia preciousness and remake this in a way that should hit. Watch it on Peacock.
“Am I livestock?” Who among us hasn’t asked ourselves that question while grazing amongst the cubicles at work? But the workplace in Severance (a new Adam Scott starring and Ben Stiller produced Apple TV+ series) is a little different, running workers through a process that effectively breaks people in two with zero crossovers between their work life and non-work life. Sound ideal in a world where work stresses bleed into home life and Sunday scarys seem to always kneecap your weekend? Perhaps in some respects. Susan from HR probably LOVES the idea, seeing it as the ultimate NDA, but as the show is set to explore, it’s a less tidy experience that raises all kinds of questions about what happens when people are severed from the awful things they might be asked to do at work. Watch it on Apple TV Plus.
Look at this. We’ve got a murder mystery from a genius (Christopher Miller of Lord and Miller) that stars all your favorite comedic scene stealers (Sam Richardson, Ben Schwartz, Tiffany Haddish, Ilana Glazer, John Early, Ike Barinholz, Dave Franco, and more) as suspects/victims/detectives, with each episode told from a different characters’ perspective in a different film style (rom-com, action, musical, psychological thriller, etc.). It is… really good. It’s really good. And really fun. You are probably going to love it. Get in there and check it out. Watch it on Apple TV Plus.
What starts as a weirdly quirky caper story mixed with the reckless abandon of Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee’s courtship soon transforms into a needed indictment on the wild west nature of the internet and the way Anderson was packaged, sold, and diminished regardless of her feelings on the matter. But with the actress not signing off on this very intimate look at a painful period of her life, is she still being turned into a product and where is the line when it comes to a public figure and events that largely happened in front our eyes… because we couldn’t help but invade her privacy in the first place? Entertaining, shocking, thought-provoking — there is more to meets the eye in this show that is about a lot more than a stolen sex tape. Watch it on Hulu.
Righteous Gemstones is back, building on its God-squaded Succession vibes with more in-fighting, corruption, and largesse. Simply put, the Gemstones are in the dynasty business, looking to upsize, let loose, and steer clear of the claw of consequences that keeps grabbing at them. As hilarious as it is compelling, the show has somehow found a way to bring the thunder yet again with its stand-out cast, adding Eric Andre, Jason Schwartzman, and a spectacular Eric Roberts to the mix beside Danny McBride, John Goodman, Walton Goggins, Edi Patterson, and company. Dream Team ’92 level comedy casting, folks. Watch it on HBO.
Euphoria’s first season was a glitter bomb of teenage angst, drug-fueled spirals, and social media-splattered heartbreak. It’s been two years since Jules left Rue on that train platform and the show’s return promises some kind of resolution to their romance, the return of some familiar faces, and new additions that pressure the group to get their sh*t figured out. They won’t, of course, but the mayhem, bathroom fights, drug busts, and masterclass in acting Zendaya will surely give us will still be worth it. Watch it on HBO.
As you are probably aware, Kanye West’s personal life has overshadowed his professional life lately, and much of this is his own doing, but he’s also got this documentary on Netflix that promises to chart his formative days as an artist and ascension to being a brand. The name of the project, of course, is a play on words on how he considers himself a “genius.” One thing is certain: this won’t be boring. Watch it on Netflix.
As if Julia Garner didn’t already rule the small screen in Ozark, we’re getting another heaping helping of her. This time, though, the tight corkscrew curls are hidden while Garner portrays Anna Delvey, a real-life Instagram “legend” and fake German heiress. In reality, Delvey was a master con artist who captivated New York’s social elite and ended up dragging the hell out of the American dream in the process. This Shondaland limited series follows the investigation into Anna’s misdeeds, along with how she stares down trial and keeps those lies alive, all as inspired by Jessica Pressler’s New York Magazine article that will get you primed. Watch it on Netflix.
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.
Andrew Garfield is giving theater-kids everywhere a musical-thirst-trap performance in this Lin-Manuel Miranda-directed biopic that pays tribute to Jonathan Larson, the artistic genius who changed Broadway with his seminal musical Rent. This film examines Larson’s life before fans were belting out Season of Love though, with Garfield giving an award-worthy turn as a restless visionary who feels the suffocating deadline of turning 30 without having produced a great show. The supporting cast is terrific, Garfield is doing his best work, and Miranda infuses everything with a genuine sense of love and admiration that makes it hard not to root for this one. Watch it on Netflix.
Halle Berry’s MMA movie made a deal with Netflix and now Halle Berry’s MMA movie is on Netflix. Yes, that sentence said “Halle Berry’s MMA movie twice but, to be fair, it’s a phrase it takes a little bit of time to wrap your head around. Berry makes her directorial debut and stars as a disgraced fighter named Jackie Justice (Jackie Justice!) who is back in the cage to deal with various personal demons. It’s Halle Berry’s MMA movie! The reviews are pretty good! Watch it on Netflix.
As odd as it is to have a movie about two of the greatest athletes of all time told centered on, not the women winning Grand Slams and Olympic gold medals, but their determined, driven father – King Richard works. It works because Will Smith exudes charisma and charm but he also brings a believable grit and weary defiance to the role of Richard Williams, the man who gave tennis not one, but two female legends. This is Serena and Venus’ story, told from the perspective of the man who believed in them when no one else did so, yeah, grab a box of tissues before you sit down to watch. Watch it on HBO Max.
Benedict Cumberbatch gives a villainous performance for the ages in The Power of the Dog, the first film in 12 years from director Jane Campion. The western is expected (and deserves) to be an Oscars frontrunner, so hop on the horse-drawn bandwagon now. Watch it on Netflix.
Jennifer Lawrence is back in Don’t Look Up, Adam McKay’s apocalyptic satire about two low-level astronomers (J-Law and Leonardo DiCaprio) who try to warn everyone on Earth about an approaching comet — but no one seems to care. The ensemble cast also includes Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, and Tyler Perry. Maybe that’s why no one cares about the comet. They’re too busy looking at all those stars. Watch it on Netflix.
What we have here: George Clooney directing Ben Affleck in a film adaptation of a best-selling memoir about a writer who learns a number of life lessons while working as a bartender. The star power here is undeniable and makes it worth at least a snoop at some point, but it does make us wish — at least a little bit — that Clooney and Affleck had teamed up to make a movie about two handsome guys in tuxedos who team up to steal… oh, let’s say the Liberty Bell. This is probably fine, too, though. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
The gang is all back. Mostly. They’re mostly all back. Keanu is there as Neo, with the John Wick beard. Carrie Ann Moss is back as Trinity even though Trinity kind of… died. It’s a whole thing. And it’s fun. This all could have gone a lot worse, really, which isn’t exactly the highest praise but is still important. Let’s do it all again in another 20 years. Let’s make it a thing. Watch it on HBO Max.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is the first time Joel Coen has made a movie with no involvement from his brother, Ethan. But even without his sibling, this black-and-white adaptation of one of William Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays is typically excellent, with stellar performances from Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Corey Hawkins, Stephen Root, and Kathryn Hunter. Something wicked good this way comes… to streaming. Watch it on Apple TV+.
A man poses as a diamond mogul to lure in women online and bamboozle them out of millions of dollars, and then women get wise to the scam and try to figure out how to exact revenge. This is somehow both the best-possible description for an episode of SVU or a movie starring Charlize Theron as a vengeance-seeking assassin and the actual plot of Netflix’s latest true-crime documentary. Which will probably become an episode of SVU soon enough. It’s a whole ecosystem, really. Watch it on Netflix.
The standout cut from the Encanto soundtrack, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” is the latest addition to the Maddeningly Catchy Disney Song canon, along with recent inductees “Let It Go” and “You’re Welcome.” (Lin-Manuel Miranda apparently knows a thing or two about songwriting, who knew?) The rest of the movie is fun, colorful, and teaches an important lesson about family and community, and you get to hear Rosa from Brooklyn Nine-Nine belt it out. But the best reason to watch Encanto is to learn firsthand why “Bruno” is one of the most popular songs in the country right now. Should you skip Encanto? Bruno-no-no-no. Watch it on Disney Plus.
Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson star as a preposterously attractive couple who get together after her character — one half of a global sensation pop duo — discovers her lover and music partner has been stepping out. That’s right, it is rom-com time over here. Will they? Won’t they? Whose hair will look better in the pivotal scene that will probably take place in the driving rain? There’s one way to find out: Grab some popcorn and comfy pajamas and set up shop on the couch. Watch it on Peacock.
Instead of trying to make sense of where 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which should not be confused with 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre or 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, falls into the horror franchise’s convoluted timeline, just enjoy watching Leatherface kill a new batch of no-good teens (including Elsie Fisher from Eighth Grade). It’s more fun that way. Watch it on Netflix.
Zoe Kravitz plays a stay-at-home digital detective in this latest thriller from Steven Soderbergh who — with the help of her friendly A.I. sidekick Kimi — uncovers a string of murders she traces back to the company she works for. She then must venture out into a pandemic-ridden Seattle in search of the reason why. Honestly, we can’t relate. But, Kravitz is quickly becoming a bonafide action star and a Soderbergh script rarely disappoints. Watch it on HBO Max.
Swift has never specifically said that the track five from Red is about the actor, but come on; it couldn’t be more about him if it was called “Dear Jake.” It was easy enough for Gyllenhaal to ignore the song (with devastating lyrics like, “Well maybe we got lost in translation / Maybe I asked for too much / But maybe this thing was a masterpiece / ‘Til you tore it all up”) when it was a fan-favorite deep cut. But that became harder to do after Swift re-recorded it, along with every song from Red, and “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. He was every Taylor Swift fan’s public enemy number two (number one is Scooter Braun) all over again.
Swift did not comment on her fans’ reactions; while she’s always been open about using her past relationships as lyrical fodder, she’s never named names. Until now, Gyllenhaal hasn’t commented, either; that he turned off his Instagram comments was the only sign this firestorm had affected him at all. “It has nothing to do with me. It’s about her relationship with her fans,” he says when I bring it up. “It is her expression. Artists tap into personal experiences for inspiration, and I don’t begrudge anyone that.”
Gyllenhaal continued, “I think it’s important when supporters get unruly that we feel a responsibility to have them be civil and not allow for cyberbullying in one’s name. That begs for a deeper philosophical question.” Has he listened to Red (Taylor’s Version)? “No.”
It’s a good read, although one question remains: where’s the “f*ck the patriarchy” keychain, Jake?
Like the Dark Knight himself, The Batman promotional tour has become an unstoppable force. Case in point, on Wednesday night, Robert Pattinson stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to talk about all things Batman. While yukking with Kimmel and talking about his experience trying on all four of the old Bat-suits (he fit best in Val Kilmer’s suit, but needed George Clooney’s cowl.) Pattinson talked about the initial trouble he had with nailing his own Batman voice for the character.
“Everyone does this kind of gruff, gravelly thing, and I’m like, I’m going to do the opposite. I’m gonna go really whispery,” Pattinson told Kimmel. “And I tried to do it for the first two weeks, and it just looked absolutely atrocious, and they told me to stop doing it.”
While the whisper voice didn’t go over well, Pattinson learned his instincts weren’t far off and that another Batman actor tried the same thing, too. Via ET Canada:
Pattinson later learned that he wasn’t the only one to try such a technique, telling Kimmel: “I found out from Nick, who was putting me in the suit every day, that’s what Christian Bale did on ‘Batman Begins’ as well.
“And if you listen to the first ‘Batman Begins’ teaser trailer, you can hear the original voice. I only found this out a couple of weeks ago.”
Pattinson also revealed that he wanted Bruce Wayne to dress in grunge after learning that Matt Reeves based his version of Batman on Kurt Cobain. That suggestion was quickly shot down, too.
“So you had a lot of bad ideas to start with,” Kimmel quipped, to which Pattinson replied. “Tons.”
How soon they (don’t) forget. Marvel fans did what they did best following the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesstrailer. They speculated after taking a fine-toothed comb to the newly released poster and found a blur (inside one of the many mirror shards) and decided that it looked like Deadpool. While this was funny, you know, it didn’t not look like Deadpool, plus there’s the fact that Marvel once snuck a mysterious cat butt into a Captain Marvel poster, which ultimately told us something very important about Nick Fury’s background and the universe at large.
Also, there’s the inevitability that the MCU will eventually introduce Deadpool (post-merger) into the MCU, and Deadpool 3 will happen, and all of that jazz. So naturally, Ryan Reynolds had to field the question and insisted to Variety, “I’m promising, I’m not in the movie.” In the process, Mark Malkin pointed out that Reynolds “could be lying,” given Marvel Studios/Disney’s commitment to secrecy, and Reynolds was like, oh sure, “I could be an unreliable narrator,” while maintaining that he’s not in Doctor Strange 2.
Hmm. On one hand, you gotta feel for Reynolds a little bit. He’s only trying to promote Netflix’s The Adam Project, and MCU fans are all excited about a poster, and of course there was some skepticism.
There’s an added layer on top of this for sure. Not too long ago, Andrew Garfield confronted rumors that he’d appear in Spider-Man: Far From Home with a simple “I did not get a call.” He clung tight to that claim and later admitted (after appearing in the movie) that he kinda enjoyed lying about it. And you know, he had to lie (the machine is all-powerful), but still. Marvel fans aren’t ready to get burned again, and a bunch of them are completely not buying Reynolds’ denial at this point.
And who knows, Reynolds could be telling the truth, and the MCU could still stick someone in a Deadpool suit into the background, or he could pop up in a post-credits scene. So yep, I’m thinking too much about this subject, too. Comic books!
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.
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