Category: Viral

An argument can be made that Aug. 21, 2017 is the most consequential day in the recent history of the Cincinnati Bengals. About 110 or so miles away from Paul Brown Stadium, the Ohio State Buckeyes were in the midst of trying to figure out who would serve as the backup quarterback behind All-Big Ten signal caller JT Barrett.

One of the two guys battling for the job, three-star redshirt sophomore Joe Burrow, suffered a broken bone in his right hand. He got surgery the next day, and in the aftermath, four-star redshirt freshman Dwayne Haskins won the job. Burrow, an Ohio native, got a little run in Barrett’s stead the year before and looked good, but ultimately was not able to win the backup gig back. He threw 11 passes to Haskins’ 57 in 2017, and that following offseason, Burrow decided that the best thing for his career would be to transfer to LSU.

“I came here to play,” Burrow said after the Buckeyes’ spring game in 2018, per Eleven Warriors. “I didn’t come here to sit on the bench for four years. And I know I’m a pretty darn good quarterback. And I want to play somewhere.”

Things generally went pretty well in Columbus — Haskins took over in 2018, won the Big Ten, and led the Buckeyes to a victory in the Rose Bowl while finishing in the top-3 of Heisman voting before becoming a first-round pick — but of course, Burrow would go on to show that he is, indeed, a pretty darn good quarterback. After being a perfectly solid signal caller for an LSU team that went 10-3 in 2018, Burrow threw down quite possibly the best individual season for a college football player that these eyes have ever seen.

LSU’s offense in 2019 boasted an all-time great collection of skill position talent. The best wide receivers of the last two NFL Drafts came from Baton Rouge (Justin Jefferson in 2020, Ja’Marr Chase in 2021) and a third was a second round selection (Terrace Marshall Jr. in 2021). Add in first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire at running back, and LSU had, quite literally, an entire starting unit of NFL players.

Still, Burrow was the straw the stirred the drink, and he did it better than anyone ever has in a single season. The team’s pass-happy offense saw its signal caller complete 76.3 percent of his passes for 5,671 yards with 60 touchdowns and six interceptions. Burrow was a unanimous All-American, won just about every award a quarterback can win, brought home the Heisman with the second-most first-place votes in history, and of course, parlayed all of this into a national championship and a No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The thing that made Burrow so much fun to watch was his total control of his surroundings. Offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger and passing game coordinator Joe Brady built an offense around Burrow’s unflappable nature, accuracy to every part of the field, and the fact that the team’s pass catchers were so good that 50/50 balls were more like 70/30 balls when they were given a chance. Burrow’s deep accuracy, in particular, was put on display every week — his adjusted passing yards per attempt that season was the eighth-highest in FBS history, and stuff like this was commonplace.

It’s not hard to see why Burrow’s entire schtick would appeal to an NFL team, especially one like the Bengals, which had a decades-long history of bleak moments, could have really used someone who doesn’t really get shaken to be the face of the franchise, and also happened to have the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Taking Burrow was as easy a selection as there was, and while he flashed during his rookie campaign, Cincinnati’s inability to consistently protect him eventually took its toll — in Week 11 against the Washington Football Team, Burrow dropped back and got hit in the leg, suffering a torn ACL that ended his season.

Cincinnati being bad last year afforded them the opportunity to get Burrow some reinforcements. The team had the No. 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and saw Oregon standout offensive lineman Penei Sewell fall right to them, filling an obvious need. But instead of doing that, the team decided to bolster its already pretty good wide receiver room by reuniting Burrow and Chase. The pick raised some eyebrows — plenty of folks (the author of this piece included!) subscribed to the thesis laid out in this graphic — but the decision could not have worked out much better: Chase was a second-team All-Pro selection as a rookie.

The Bengals bet big on skill talent being able to make up for some holes up front, and so far they’ve been right. Chase (second) and Tee Higgins (18th) were among the league leaders in yards per reception, Tyler Boyd is a reliable third option, CJ Uzomah had a career year, and Joe Mixon gave the team a reliable option, both as a runner and a receiving option out of the backfield.

The biggest reason that gamble worked is because, well, Burrow is a pretty darn good quarterback. The sacks were again a problem — he was taken down 51 times, the most in the league — but Burrow didn’t allow constant pressure to rattle him. The second-year star led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4 percent) despite consistently attacking teams downfield — he also also led the league in yards per attempt (8.9). Burrow attacks secondaries with aplomb, but also understands the value of taking what a defense will give you if that’s the best option. Of all the traits that he put on display in college, though, none is more prominent than his ability to remain level-headed no matter the situation, something that Bengals coach Zac Taylor praised after the team knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs.

“When the game is on the line,” Taylor said, “he is going to figure it out.”

We’ve seen plenty of teams make it to the Super Bowl for the first time and promptly lose. Hell, the team that the Bengals are about to play made it to football’s biggest game in 2019 and got stuffed into a trash can by the New England Patriots. Losing in the Super Bowl has the potential to be an excellent learning experience … but of course, it’s far, far better to go out there and win the whole thing. We’ll find out in a little more than a week if that’s the case, but if the Bengals are able to lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history, it will almost certainly be because the guy who had to transfer because of a horribly timed injury has turned into one of the best quarterbacks in the sport.

Historic Jeopardy! champ Amy Schneider jumped into a Twitter Space last night to share updates on her post-game show life. When asked about her next steps, Schneider discussed the possibility of writing a book chronicling her experience on the show and beyond.

“I’m trying to put together a book proposal to see if that gets interest. That just really needs my focus. I’m really excited about it. The chance to put all the stuff I’ve been thinking my whole life into a book is kind of exciting,” Schneider said. There most definitely will be interest.

Schneider discussed her monumental winning streak last week with The New York Times, opening up about how strange the fame has been, and the whirlwind experience she has had since losing on Jan. 26th, after 40 episodes. “It wasn’t just a feeling of sadness, there was a sense of relief,” she said. “It was so exhausting.” She has garnered a strong social media fanbase, who have supported the winner beyond her historic streak.

The software engineer has also been sharing interesting tidbits about her time on the show, including why the producers had her dress a certain way, and her favorite pre-game track.

Of course, the fans of the show are always curious what kind of lavish and over-the-top thing a big-winning contestant will spend their small fortune on. When asked on Twitter, Schneider wholesomely responded, “We went to this really fancy, boutique hotel in Half Moon Bay, Calif., last Saturday night, specifically for its giant bathtubs.” This is a person who knows how to handle her winnings! Give her the book deal!

The nominees for the 2022 induction class for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were revealed yesterday. In a list that will eventually be widdled down, A Tribe Called Quest, Beck, Carly Simon, Devo, Dionne Warwick, Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Fela Kuti, Judas Priest, Kate Bush, Lionel Richie, MC5, New York Dolls, Pat Benatar, and Rage Against The Machine were all selected to have the change to be inducted into the hall this year. These artists hope to join last year’s inductees, which included Jay-Z, Tina Turner, LL Cool J, Foo Fighters, Carole King, and more, as certified legends in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

What Are The Rules For The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?

An artist becomes eligible for inclusion in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after they release their first album. For example, this year marks Eminem’s first year of eligibility because it’s been 25 years and some months since he released his debut album Infinite back in 1996. According to the New York Times, nominators are asked to consider an artist’s musical influence as well as the “length and depth” of the career in addition to their “innovation and superiority in style and technique.”

Additionally, artists can be nominated and inducted into the hall based on four categories: performer (singers, vocal groups, bands, and instrumentalists of all kinds), early Influences (artists from early eras that include country, folk, jazz, and blues), non-performers (record label executives, songwriters, record producers, disc jockeys, concert promoters, and music journalists), and sidemen (veteran session and concert players.)

On Wednesday, I finally saw Moonfall, a movie that, since seeing the first trailer, I’ve been counting the days until I got to see the moon destroy the Earth. Moonfall could only be directed by Roland Emmerich, a man who has destroyed portions of Earth do often (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow that of course the only object he has left to ram into us is our own, peaceful moon. But, what if, as Emmerich proposes, our moon turned against us and decided to fall? Anyway, as you might expect, Moonfall was pure, unfiltered spectacle. And after seeing it, I just had to talk to Emmerich about it. So, I did, about an hour after I finished watching it – very much still hyped up on ice coffee and Moonfall fueled adrenaline.

The plot of Moonfall … honestly, I’m not sure I can actually explain it. It’s a lot crazier than you might even expect from a movie about the moon smashing into Earth as Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, and John Bradley try to stop the moon. (I’ve never seen a movie where people are actively “running away from the moon” before. Ahead, we talk to Emmerich, who secured the financing for Moonfall himself, which means he could do literally anything he wanted in the movie. (Spoiler: he does anything he wants.) Which means Moonfall is, truly, Roland Emmerich unleashed.

I remember seeing the commercial for this a couple of weeks ago, and I tweeted Moonfall will win an Oscar and your Twitter account favorited that.

[Laughs] It’s not going to happen, but thank you very much.

This movie lived up to everything I wanted. The moon falls!

Yeah, it’s kind of inspired by a book I read like eight, nine years ago. And it was called Who Built the Moon, very provocative question, and then answered it. And then I kind of checked out some other books and internet stuff, and so I thought it was a fascinating idea to have this thing get out of orbit. Through that we find out that it’s not a real object, and then we fly into it.

People are asking me what the plot is, and I’ve been having trouble coming up with a succinct way to do it, and what you just said is very good.

And then I also kind of said we have to, this time, use a real conspiracy theorist, which comes into the story and gets sucked into it. And then at one point, even he wanted to become an astronaut, is reluctant to do it, and finds all kinds of excuses. And they say, “Well, we need a megastructurist.”

Remember in Armageddon when Michael Bay took a shot at your Godzilla movie at the beginning of that movie? I feel like now, 24 years later, you’re like, “Oh, your little asteroid was going to hit the Earth? How about the moon!”

No, definitely not, definitely not.

Oh, come on. That’s had to have been in your head for a while…

I’m not that petty. I’m not that petty person.

But it is a bigger object than what he did…

I know, I know. But it’s also, how he had kind of the wrong Godzilla anyways! You know what I mean?

I do.

I slimmed him down! I made him fast!

I’m not kidding when I said I am in awe of this movie.

Good.

But how did you convince anyone to pay for this?

Well, this was like exactly the problem. We had this set up at Universal even before Midway, and then nothing happened really. And then I actually, kind of first time in my career said, “Okay, so how much is this worth for the people out there?” And we found some Chinese company who had committed some equity, and then another Chinese company came in, and then we sold the movie to Lionsgate, and then to the world. We got all the money together, it was a little bit less than we wanted, but it was still kind of okay.

And so, when I kind of realized all of a sudden, oh my God, I can make my own movies, I was really excited because about that. Because all of a sudden nobody’s saying anything to you. It’s only like your colleagues will once in a while say something, and that’s it. So I said to myself, “Why not do this with Moonfall?”

Is this the first movie where you just literally did anything you wanted?

It’s the second one. The first was Midway.

But compared to Midway, this one feels like Roland Emmerich unleashed.

Yeah, but it’s like whatever it is, I mean, I make different kinds of movies. But also, I’m very fearless when it comes to these kinds of scenarios.

Sure, I’ve seen your Shakespeare movie, Anonymous. I know you make different movies, but this one felt like for anyone who doesn’t think you can still make a good disaster movie, well, check this out. The moon is going to kill Earth.

Well, you have to also understand, we did this entering the COVID times. First of all, we started the movie in Montreal for two months or so. Then they shut us down. They said, You cannot work anymore, and you have to leave the country.” And then we all kind of sat around for three, four months. I then was allowed back into the country like in July or so. And then we get all the crew back. And then we actually had them to shoot over Christmas. And I had $5.6 million in COVID costs. The movie was $140 million roughly, right? Now you deduct $5.5 million in COVID costs, nearly $11 million in financing costs. That leaves you with $190 million or so.

So, was this the most challenging movie you’ve ever had to make?

Well, yes. I wanted to shoot it in 59 days, but then it didn’t work out, and it was shot in 61. But think about that, 61 shooting days with no second unit. Also, this was a movie where I didn’t build so much, you know what I mean? There was not much built. Yeah, there was the NASA thing, there was this, there was that, but most of the time it’s CGI. I mean, it was like people jumping around in front of a blue screen.

If I remember correctly, the White House in the first Independence Day was a model that you blew up. You couldn’t actually get the moon to come that close to Earth.

Right, it’s all done digitally anyways.

And I say this as the biggest compliment, the plot of this movie is insane. The last act of this movie, it just keeps getting weirder and weirder, and I’m like, what is this? This is nuts.

Exactly, that’s also kind of the trick. If you want to have a certain reaction, yeah, they’re flying inside the moon, but they don’t know really what’s going on, and you leave everything out really, which is the conclusion. There’s no conclusion, and that’s actually something I’m very proud of. So when the people then finally go in, because they’re not going in when you make it that complicated, anyway. They either come or not come, and the people who come and see that movie, they have to be so excited that they tell everybody in the world what a fantastic movie this is.

Look, it’s been a shitty couple years, and this movie is exactly what I wanted to see. And you don’t see movies like this anymore.

Well, we have like a huge problem with that. Because of the streamers, they’re like always tense, either doing really big stuff with a lot of stars, or small stuff. Doing exactly the same way it always was, but you can hardly do any movie without having an IP. Marvel, DC Comics…

Star Wars.

Star Wars. That’s pretty much it. And if this keeps going like this, this will be the death of films.

Could there be another Moonfall?

It is planned as a trilogy.

Alright!

That’s why it has a little bit open ending.

A character melds with the moon.

The line, “we have to get ready.”

By the way, John Bradley, who was always great on Game of Thrones, he’s really great in this. And I know there was someone else cast in that role before you got him…

I had him at the very beginning. I Zoomed with him and I kind of thought, I found my actor. At the very, very beginning, even before Halle and Patrick and everything.

Oh really?

And then they challenged me, and I gave in. I gave in. And then I cast Josh Gad, who is a similar type of person, but maybe a bigger name or whatever, at least here America. And luckily, to my real excitement, he couldn’t do it.

Because you got who you wanted?

And then I had a second chance at John Bradley. Because the casting is still a little bit in the hands of Lionsgate than us. It’s just this weird thing, which I want to change now too, because that’s just not right. The whole world has to see this movie, and then Lionsgate has this clause in there, has to be 50/50. Then, but what happens when you’re not 50/50, you know what I mean? So anyhow, we were totally in, and then I had John Bradley, and now John Bradley pretty much steals the movie.

I’m not sure the movie works without him.

He’s the comic relief, but with a lot of heart. He’s a sad figure. He’s a sad, sad figure who like knows the moon will crush us.

I have not seen anything like this in a long time. Or really, anything like this ever. I kept thinking I can’t believe this exists.

We were like starved for it. We finally got something.

A movie about the moon destroying the Earth, and you made it.

Okay. Thank you.

‘Moonfall’ opens in theaters everywhere on February 4th. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Last fall, Ed Sheeran released = (Equals) his first full-length album since 2019’s No. 6 Collaborations Project. The 2021 project was a successful effort that granted the singer his fifth consecutive chart-topping project. There were other highlight moments for Sheeran in 2021 which another being his appearance on Saturday Night Live where he performed “Shivers” and “Overpass Graffiti.” This year, for Ed Sheeran’s tour, he hopes to have some more impressive moments during the “+-=÷x” tour — better known as “The Mathematics Tour” — in support of =.

Who Is Opening The Ed Sheeran Tour?

For Ed Sheeran’s tour, which kicks off in April, he will bring Griff and Maisie Peters along for the ride for select shows. Both acts will have music from projects that they released in 2021 to perform during their time on tour. Griff will look to last year’s One Foot In Front Of The Other as well as her most recent single, “Head On Fire,” as songs to bring with her on the road. Maisie Peters, who is signed to Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man label, will take songs from her debut album You Signed Up For This for her performances. Check out the Ed Sheeran tour dates below.

Both Griff and Maisie Peters shared their excitement about the tour in respective posts on social media. “Kinda have no words, thank you @teddysphotos,” Griff wrote in response to the official announcement. Peters wrote, “I was an honour to be asked and i promise i will be practising and rehearsing and writing to make it the best possible show i can give.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

With Megan Thee Stallion between albums, it’s no surprise that fans have taken to speculation about her future work; what it’ll sound like, when it’ll arrive, and perhaps most of all, who it’ll feature. Meg was recently asked by People who she most wants to collaborate with in the future, answering Adele and Rihanna.

Today, she was asked a similar question by Billboard, and to her credit, she found another intriguing answer. This time, the question wondered which artist she’d like to do a full project with. She selected an R&B who has had a career breakout over the past year, receiving renewed attention with the release of her new EP, Heaux Tales.

“Me and Jazmine Sullivan would definitely have some stuff to talk about,” Meg replied. “We’ll have the girls crying, we’ll have the girls screaming, we’ll have the girls dancing, we’ll have the girls sipping wine, [and] sitting in the backyard sipping cognac. The men better go run and hide if me and Jazmine Sullivan do an EP, so that’s actually a really good idea. We need to get that in the works.”

Meanwhile, Meg herself remains an in-demand collaboration partner, most recently receiving the call from Jamaican singer Shenseea for the “WAP”-esque collaboration “Lick.”

Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

Get more streaming recommendations with our weekly What To Watch newsletter.

10. (tie) Reacher (Amazon)

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.

10. (tie) Billions (Showtime)

The degree of difficulty in what Billions is trying to do should not be understated. Not only are they changing things up following Damian Lewis’ exit with a new co-lead but they’re also trying to pull off an on-screen culture change in the way Axe Cap does business, trading brash rule-breaking for a more evolved and above board seeming process. Seeming is a key word here, because while Corey Stoll’s Michael Prince is no Bobby Axelrod, he’s still hyper-competitive and ambitious, putting him square in the sights of Paul Giamatti’s Chuck Rhoades. So, how’s it going heading into season 6? We’ll spare the spoilers, but the whole thing brings a freshness to the cat and mouse game at the show’s center and, as always, dimension and delight can be found in the often compelling and entertaining side characters that populate the show. Watch it on Showtime.

10. (tie) Cobra Kai (Netflix)

The O.G. All Valley Karate Tournament confrontation took place 30 years ago, and Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence can’t get over it. Likewise, their respective dojos, Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang, attempt to join forces against John Kreese’s ownership of Cobra Kai, but of course, getting along will prove to be a bumpy road. Kreese has called in reinforcements in the form of his old Vietnam War buddy and co-founder of the Cobra Kai dojo, Terry Silver, who returns to the franchise. Who will win the spirit of karate in the Valley, and can Hawk and Tory keep their bully spirits alive while Johnny’s messing around with a crane kick? Robby’s also all in with enemy territory, and training methods are crossing like crazy, for better or worse. Watch it on Netflix.

10. (tie) We Need To Talk About Cosby (Showtime)

W. Kamau Bell dives into the rise and steep, steep fall of Bill Cosby in this four-part docuseries. He interviews comedians and cultural figures and women who had encounters with him over the years to map out his faults and his cultural impact, in an attempt to paint a fuller picture of a man who has been at both ends of the hero-villain spectrum over the last few decades. It’s a lot. As it kind of has to be. Watch it on Showtime.

9. Murderville (Netflix)

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.

8. Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)

If you’re fond of the brand of android-generated confusion inspired by Westworld, then you’ll want to give this Ridley Scott show a chance. Mother’s still doing everything she can to reboot humanity on an unfriendly planet, but as it turns out, her bloodletting strategy isn’t so friendly either. Don’t expect this show to make total sense, but sci-fi fans will love the questions that the show poses with sweeping, sometimes trippy visuals to go along with the intellectual ride. Watched it on HBO Max.

7. South Park (Comedy Central)

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.

6. Peacemaker (HBO Max)

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.

5. Ozark (Netflix)

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.

4. The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)

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.

3. Euphoria (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.

2. The Afterparty (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.

1. Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

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.

Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish movies available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

10. (tie) Tick, Tick… Boom (Netflix)

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.

10. (tie) Bruised (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.

10. (tie) King Richard (HBO Max)

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.

10. (tie) The Power of the Dog (Netflix)

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.

9. Don’t Look Up (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.

8. The Tender Bar (Amazon Prime)

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.

7. The Tuck Rule (ESPN Plus)

Would there be a New England Patriots dynasty if not for the Tuck Rule? Would Tom Brady have won his first Super Bowl ring, let alone six more, if not for the Tuck Rule? Would the Las Vegas Raiders still be in Oakland if not for the Tuck Rule? Who knows. But I do know that ESPN picked a very good week to air The Tuck Rule, a “30 for 30” documentary about the 2002 game between the Patriots and Raiders that changed the course of NFL history. Watch it on ESPN Plus.

6. The Matrix Resurrections (HBO Max)

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.

5. The Tragedy of Macbeth (Apple TV+)

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+.

4. Home Team (Netflix)

You may not remember this, but in 2012 a football coach was suspended for an entire season by villainous NFL commissioner Roger Goddell over accusations about his players being paid bonuses for hurting players on opposing teams. (This tragic injustice became infamously known as “Bountygate.”) During his forced time off, the coach in question — New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton — coached his son’s pee-wee league football team. This whole kerfuffle is the real-life inspiration for Home Team, the movie starring Kevin James and Taylor Lautner hitting Netflix. Coincidentally, Sean Payton announced his retirement the same week it dropped, probably due to the shame of being portrayed by Kevin James in a movie about one of the worst things to ever happen to him. Just a hunch. Watch it on Netflix.

3. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (Disney Plus)

Did you know Ice Age is one of the highest-grossing movie franchises ever? According to one estimate, it’s made nearly as much money as the DC Extended Universe. Superman has nothing on Ray Romano as an extinct hairy elephant. No wonder Disney (which purchased Blue Sky Studios) wants to keep the money train rolling with The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild. The spin-off is less about the central foursome of Manny, Ellie, Sid, and Diego, and more focused on some adventurous possums and a weasel known as Buck Wild, which is a terrific name. Watch it on Disney Plus.

2. The Tinder Swindler (Netflix)

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.

1. Encanto (Disney Plus)

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.

After years of rumors, Madame Web is joining Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (which should not be confused with the Marvel Cinematic Universe). That’s exciting enough as is — of the 13 highest-billed stars in Spider-Man: No Way Home, only two are women — but even better is that she’ll be played by Dakota Johnson.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that The Lost Daughter actress is “in talks” to play the title character in Madame Web. The clairvoyant mutant “specializes in predicting the future of Spider-themed superheroes, having mentored not only Peter Parker’s alter ego, but also multiple generations of heroes calling themselves Spider-Woman.”

Traditionally depicted as a blind, paralyzed old woman, she is surrounded by a web-like machine necessary to keep her alive, meaning that she stays away from direct conflict, favoring the option to send others to do the physical stuff on her behalf.

S.J. Clarkson, who helmed episodes of Orange is the New Black, Jessica Jones, and Succession, will direct the movie from a screenplay by The Last Witch Hunter co-writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. If there isn’t already a scene where Johnson’s Madame Web and Tom Hardy’s Venom try to out-chaotic energy each other…

… they better start over. Madame Web doesn’t currently have a release date, but it will still come out before Morbius.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis have become close collaborators in recent years, and now the pair is chronicling their work relationship in a new documentary, This Much I Know To Be True, which is set for release in 2022. The film was announced last month and now the first look at it has been shared.

An 86-second clip from the movie was unveiled today, and it features two clips: One of cave discussing his self-identity, and another of Ellis conducting a string section as Cave sings “Lavender Fields,” from their joint 2021 album Carnage.

A previous report noted of the film, “Interstitial pieces between the songs will ‘illuminate the cosmology and themes of the music.’ Viewers will hear about the process of Cave writing The Red Hand Files — the letters he chooses to answer and the replies themselves — and his method. The film will also visit the workshop where Cave is creating a series of sculptures depicting the life of the Devil. The series is described as ‘a portrait of the lives of all of us as we move from innocence to experience, attune to the world and its attendant loss, and eventually confront our own mortality.’”

Watch the This Much I Know To Be True clip above.