Why Watch That Radio: Recent Episodes
Why Watch That
Why Watch That Radio is a podcast featuring the Critic and the Referee who go head-to-head on a quest to find the best movies and TV shows that Hollywood has to offer!
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The Gentlemen
Review: TheGentlemen
The Gentlemen: Website
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Constellation
Review: Constellation
Constellation: Website
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The New Look
Review: TheNewLook
The New Look: Website
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The Taste of Things
Review: TheTasteofThings
The Taste of Things: Website
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The Promised Land
Review: ThePromisedLand
The Promised Land: Website
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Origin
Review: Origin
Origin: Website
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All Creatures Great and Small
Review: All Creatures Great and Small
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The Brothers Sun
Review: The Brothers Sun
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The Teachers Lounge
Review: The Teachers Lounge
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The Color Purple
Review: The Color Purple
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Ferrari
Review: Ferrari
Ferrari: Website
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The Boys in the Boat
Review: The Boys in the Boat
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Memory
Review: Memory
Memory: Website
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Saltburn
Review: Saltburn
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Maestro
Review: Maestro
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Raising Kanan
Review: Raising Kanan
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American Fiction
Review: American Fiction
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Lord of Misrule
Review: Lord of Misrule
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May December
Review: May December
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The Killer
Review: The Killer
The Killer: Website
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Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Review: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
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The Gilded Age
Review: The Gilded Age
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The Burial
Review: The Burial
The Burial: Website
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The Marsh King’s Daughter’s
Review: The Marsh Kings Daughter
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Fingernails
Review: Fingernails
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Lessons in Chemistry
Review: Lessons in Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry: Website
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Lupin (Part 3)
Review: Lupin
Lupin: Website
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The Gold
Review: TheGold
The Gold: Website
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The Creator
Review: TheCreator
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El Conde
Review: ElConde
El Conde: Website
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Flora and Son
Review: FloraandSon
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The Changeling
Review: The Changeling
The Changeling: Website
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Top Boy (Final Season)
Review: Top Boy
Top Boy: Website
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Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose
Review: Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose
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The Good Mother
Review: The Good Mother
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Landscape with Invisible Hand
Review: Landscape with Invisible Hand
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Heart of Stone
Review: Heart of Stone
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Jules
Review: Jules
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Painkiller
Review: Painkiller
Painkiller: Website
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Brother
Review: https://youtu.be/63gu3_Whpvg
Brother: Website
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Special Ops: Lioness
Review: https://youtu.be/63gu3_Whpvg
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Justified: City Primeval
Review: https://youtu.be/63gu3_Whpvg
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The Beanie Bubble
Review: https://youtu.be/63gu3_Whpvg
Full Circle: Website
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Full Circle
Review: https://youtu.be/63gu3_Whpvg
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BlackBerry
Review: BlackBerry
BlackBerry: Website
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The Bear (Season 2)
Review: The Bear (Season 2)
The Bear (Season 2): Website
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Outlander (Season 7)
Review: Outlander (Season 7)
Outlander (Season 7): Website
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Review: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
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Hijack
Review: Hijack
Hijack: Website
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Chevalier
Review: Chevalier
Chevalier: Website
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I'm a Virgo
Review: I'm a Virgo
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Secret Invasion
Review: Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion: Website
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Somewhere Boy
Review: Somewhere Boy
Somewhere Boy: Website
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The Lazarus Project
Review: The Lazarus Project
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Flamin' Hot
Review: Flamin' Hot
Flamin' Hot: Website
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Maggie Moore(s)
Review: Maggie Moore(s)
Maggie Moore(s): Website
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Mending the Line
Review: Mending the Line
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Dalíland
Review: Dalíland
Dalíland: Website
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The Crowded Room
Review: The Crowded Room
The Crowded Room: Website
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Happy Valley
Review: Happy Valley
Happy Valley: Website
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Reality
Review: Reality
Reality: Website
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American Born Chinese
Review: American Born Chinese
American Born Chinese: Website
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Succession (Series Finale)
Review: Succession (Series Finale)
Succession (Series Finale): Website
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Spy/Master
Review: Spy/Master
Spy/Master: Website
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White Men Can't Jump
Review: White Men Can't Jump
White Men Can't Jump: Website
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You Hurt My Feelings
Review: You Hurt My Feelings
You Hurt My Feelings: Website
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FUBAR
Review: FUBAR
FUBAR: Website
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Class of 09
Review: Class of 09
Class of 09: Website
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The Mother
Review: The Mother
The Mother: Website
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Air
Review: Air
Air: Website
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Master Gardener
Review: Master Gardener
Master Gardener: Website
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High Desert
Review: High Desert
High Desert: Website
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A Small Light
Review: A Small Light
A Small Light: Website
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White House Plumbers
Review: White House Plumbers
White House Plumbers: Website
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City on Fire
Review: City on Fire
City on Fire: Website
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Love & Death
Review: Love & Death
Love & Death: Website
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Tom Jones
Review: Tom Jones
Tom Jones: Website
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Fatal Attraction
Review: Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction: Website
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Silo
Review: Silo
Silo: Website
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Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Review: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story: Website
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Slip
Review: Slip
Slip: Website
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Waco: The Aftermath
Review: Waco: The Aftermath
Waco: The Aftermath: Website
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Barry
Review: Barry
Barry: Website
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Mrs. Davis
Review: Mrs. Davis
Mrs. Davis: Website
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Citadel
Review: Citadel
Citadel: Website
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Drops of God
Review: Drops of God
Drops of God: Website
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Somewhere in Queens
Review: Somewhere in Queens
Somewhere in Queens: Website
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To Catch a Killer
Review: To Catch a Killer
To Catch a Killer: Website
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The Diplomat
Review: The Diplomat
The Diplomat: Website
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The Collapse of The Mandalorian
Review: The Collapse of The Mandalorian
The Collapse of The Mandalorian: Website
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The Good Mothers
Review: The Good Mothers
The Good Mothers: Website
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Am I Being Unreasonable?
Review: Am I Being Unreasonable?
Am I Being Unreasonable?: Website
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The Portable Door
Review: The Portable Door
The Portable Door: Website
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The Last Thing He Told Me
Review: The Last Thing He Told Me
The Last Thing He Told Me: Website
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Mafia Mamma
Review: Mafia Mamma
Mafia Mamma: Website
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FX's Great Expectations
Review: FX's Great Expectations
FX's Great Expectations: Website
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Rabbit Hole
Review: Rabbit Hole
Rabbit Hole: Website
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Succession (Season 4)
Review: Succession (Season 4)
Succession (Season 4): Website
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How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Review: How to Blow Up a Pipeline
How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Website
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Beef
Review: Beef
Beef: Website
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The Big Door Prize
Review: The Big Door Prize
The Big Door Prize: Website
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Enys Men
Review: Enys Men
Enys Men: Website
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A Thousand and One
Review: A Thousand and One
A Thousand and One: Website
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Rye Lane
Review: Rye Lane
Rye Lane: Website
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Tetris
Review: Tetris
Tetris: Website
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Boston Strangler
Review: Boston Strangler
Boston Strangler: Website
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Marie Antoinette
Review: Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette: Website
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Mayor of Kingstown (Season 2 Finale)
Review: Mayor of Kingstown (Season 2 Finale)
Mayor of Kingstown (Season 2 Finale): Website
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Lucky Hank
Review: Lucky Hank
Lucky Hank: Website
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John Wick: Chapter 4
Review: John Wick: Chapter 4
John Wick: Chapter 4: Website
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The Fallen Sun
Review: The Fallen Sun
The Fallen Sun: Website
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Rain Dogs
Review: Rain Dogs
Rain Dogs: Webste
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Swarm
Review: Swarm
Swarm: Website
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Extrapolations
Review: Extrapolations
Extrapolations: Website
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The Night Agent
Review: The Night Agent
The Night Agent: Website
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Ted Lasso (Season 3)
Review: Ted Lasso (Season 3)
Ted Lasso (Season 3): Website
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True Lies
Review: True Lies
True Lies: Website
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Perry Mason (Season 2 Premiere)
Review: Perry Mason (Season 2 Premiere)
Perry Mason (Season 2 Premiere): Website
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The Return of Party Down
Review: The Return of Party Down
The Return of Party Down: Website
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The Ritual Killer
Review: The Ritual Killer
The Ritual Killer: Website
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1923 (Season 1)
Review: 1923 (Season 1)
1923 (Season 1): Website
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The Company You Keep
Review: The Company You Keep
The Company You Keep: Website
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Daisy Jones & The Six
Review: Daisy Jones & The Six
Daisy Jones & The Six: Website
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The Mandalorian (Season 3 Premiere)
Review: The Mandalorian (Season 3 Premiere)
The Mandalorian (Season 3 Premiere): Website
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The Quiet Girl
Review: The Quiet Girl
The Quiet Girl: Website
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Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Final Season Premiere)
Review: Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Final Season Premiere)
Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Final Season Premiere): Website
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Review: Liaison
Liaison: Website
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The Consultant
Review: The Consultant
The Consultant's: Website
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Animal Control
Review: Animal Control
Animal Control's Website
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Devil's Peak
Review: Devil's Peak
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Review: Hello Tomorrow!
Website: Hello Tomorrow!
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Review: Your Place or Mine
Website: Your Place or Mine
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Review: Hello Tomorrow!
Hello Tomorrow's Website: Hello Tomorrow!
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
Official Site: The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
Vikings - Valhalla Season 2
Official Site: Vikings - Valhalla Season 2
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
Mayor of Kingstown Season 2
Official Site: Mayor of Kingstown Season 2
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Official Site: I Wanna Dance With Somebody
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
All Creatures Great and Small
Official Site: PBS
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Official Site: Everything
Other Website: Showtime
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
The Banshees of Inisherin
Official Site: Banshees
Other Site: HBO
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AWARDS SEASON QUICK TAKE
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Website: Netflix
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MOVIE REVIEW
Top Gun: Maverick
Website: Paramount+
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Music by Randy Niles.
SEASON 3 REVIEW
Jack Ryan
Website: Prime Video
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Music by Randy Niles.
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TV SEASON FINALE
Let the Right One In
Website: Showtime
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Music by Randy Niles.
MOVIE REVIEW
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Website: Netflix
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Music by Randy Niles.
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Website: Netflix
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Music by Randy Niles.
TV SERIES PREMIERE
George & Tammy
Website: Showtime
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Music by Randy Niles.
TV SEASON FINALE
Mood (Season 1)
Website: BBC America
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Music by Randy Niles.
MOVIE REVIEW
Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
Website: Netflix
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Music by Randy Niles.
Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Fleishman Is in Trouble
Website: Hulu
Leopard Skin
Website: Peacock
Willow
Website: Disney+
TV SEASON FINALES
Magpie Murders
Website: PBS
Andor
Website: Disney+
TV SNEAK PEEK
Slow Horses
Website: Apple TV+
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Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
The Wonder
Website: Netflix
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Calling
Website: Peacock
Tulsa King
Website: Paramount+
Rogue Heroes
Website: Epix
TV SERIES FINALE
The Good Fight
Website: Paramount+
TV SEASON PREMIERE
The Crown
Website: Netflix
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Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Dangerous Liaisons
Website: Starz
Mood
Website: BBC America
The Suspect
Website: AMC+
TV SEASON PREMIERE
The Capture
Website: Peacock
TV SEASON FINALE
Interview with the Vampire
Website: AMC
TV SNEAK PEEK
The English
Website: Prime Video
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Website: Disney
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Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
All Quiet on the Western Front
Website: Netflix
Confess, Fletch
Website: Showtime
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Causeway
Website: Apple TV+
TV SERIES PREMIERE
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON PREMIERE
The White Lotus
Website: HBO
TV SEASON FINALE
The Serpent Queen
Website: Starz
TV SNEAK PEEK
The Mosquito Coast
Website: Apple TV+
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Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
The Stranger
Website: Netflix
The Good Nurse
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON FINALES
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Website: Starz
The Patient
Website: Hulu
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities
Website: Netflix
The Devil’s Hour
Website: Prime Video
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Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
The School for Good and Evil
Website: Netflix
TV SERIES PREMIERE
Magpie Murders
Website: PBS
TV SNEAK PEEKS
From Scratch
Website: Netflix
The Peripheral
Website: Prime Video
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
American Murderer
Website: Apple TV
Raymond & Ray
Website: Apple TV+
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Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Hellraiser
Website: Hulu
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Alaska Daily
Website: ABC
A Friend of the Family
Website: Peacock
Walker: Independence
Website: CW
Let the Right One In
Website: Showtime
TV SNEAK PEEK
Shantaram
Website: Apple TV+
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Young Sheldon
Website: CBS
Ramy
Website: Hulu
TV SERIES PREMIERES
So Help Me Todd
Website: CBS
East New York
Website: CBS
Interview with the Vampire
Website: AMC
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Dead for a Dollar
Website: Quiver Distribution
The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Website: Apple TV+
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
Lou
Website: Netflix
Memory
Website: Prime Video
Blonde
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON PREMIERE
Abbott Elementary
Website: ABC
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Rookie: Feds
Website: ABC
Andor
Website: Disney+
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Bandit
Website: Quiver Distribution
The Enforcer
Website: Screen Media
On the Come Up
Website: Paramount+
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Quantum Leap
Website: NBC
Reboot
Website: Hulu
TV SNEAK PEEK
Thai Cave Rescue
Website: Netflix
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Moonfall
Website: HBO Max
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Last Light
Website: Peacock
American Gigolo
Website: Showtime
Monarch
Website: FOX
The Serpent Queen
Website: Starz
TV SEASON PREMIERE
The Good Fight
Website: Paramount+
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
74th Annual Emmy Awards
Website: Emmys
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Elvis
Website: HBO Max
TV SERIES PREMIERE
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Website: Prime Video
RAPID FIRE
Resident Alien
Website: Syfy
The Resort
Website: Peacock
House of the Dragon
Website: HBO
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Samaritan
Website: Prime Video
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Everything I Know About Love
Website: Peacock
Mike
Website: Hulu
The Patient
Website: Hulu
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Orphan: First Kill
Website: Paramount+
TV SNEAK PEEK
Partner Track
Website: Netflix
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Undeclared War
Website: Peacock
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Website: Disney+
Mo
Website: Netflix
House of the Dragon
Website: HBO
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
QUICK MENTIONS
Echoes
Website: Netflix
Bad Sisters
Website: Apple TV+
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Day Shift
Website: Netflix
TV SERIES PREMIERES
This Fool
Website: Hulu
Leonardo
Website: CW
TV SEASON PREMIERE
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Website: Starz
TV SEASON RETURN
Resident Alien
Website: Syfy
TV SEASON FINALE
Evil
Website: Paramount+
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buy Me a Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
Prey
Website: Hulu
Thirteen Lives
Website: Prime Video
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Fall
Website: Lionsgate
TV SERIES PREMIERE
The Sandman
Website: Netflix
TV SNEAK PEEKS
A League of Their Own
Website: Prime Video
Five Days at Memorial
Website: Apple TV+
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERE
The Resort
Website: Peacock
74TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Website: Emmys
Music by Randy Niles.
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/whywatchthat
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
The Gray Man
Website: Netflix
TV SERIES PREMIERE
Rap Sh!t
Website: HBO Max
TV SEASON FINALE
The Old Man
Website: FX
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Keep Breathing
Website: Netflix
Uncoupled
Website: Netflix
Surface
Website: Apple TV+
Music by Randy Niles.
The Gray Man trailer is courtesy of Netflix.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Persuasion
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON FINALE
Transplant
Website: NBC
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Trigger Point
Website: Peacock
Resident Evil
Website: Netflix
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON RETURN
Stranger Things
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON FINALE
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Website: Showtime
TV SNEAK PEEK
Black Bird
Website: Apple TV+
Music by Randy Niles.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Website: Peacock
TV SERIES PREMIERE
The Bear
Website: Hulu
TV SEASON PREMIERE
The Split
Website: BBC America
TV SNEAK PEEK
The Terminal List
Website: Prime Video
Music by Randy Niles.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
Father of the Bride
Website: HBO Max
Jerry and Marge Go Large
Website: Paramount+
Spiderhead
Website: Netflix
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Website: Disney+
TV SERIES PREMIERES
You Don’t Know Me
Website: Netflix
The Old Man
Website: FX
TV SEASON FINALE
I Love That for You
Website: Showtime
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area
Website: Netflix
Chloe
Website: Prime Video
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
Hustle
Website: Netflix
The Northman
Website: Peacock
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Dark Winds
Website: AMC
Becoming Elizabeth
Website: Starz
TV SEASON PREMIERE
Evil
Website: Paramount+
TV FINALES
Gaslit
Website: Starz
The Staircase
Website: HBO Max
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON FINALE
Young Sheldon
Website: CBS
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Angelyne
Website: Peacock
Irma Vep
Website: HBO
Ms. Marvel
Website: Disney+
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Website: Disney+
TV SEASON PREMIERES
P-Valley
Website: Starz
Stranger Things
Website: Netflix
TV SNEAK PEEKS
For All Mankind
Website: Apple TV+
Peaky Blinders
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON FINALE
Young Sheldon
Website: CBS
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Angelyne
Website: Peacock
Irma Vep
Website: HBO
Ms. Marvel
Website: Disney+
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Website: Disney+
TV SEASON PREMIERES
P-Valley
Website: Starz
Stranger Things
Website: Netflix
TV SNEAK PEEKS
For All Mankind
Website: Apple TV+
Peaky Blinders
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Operation Mincemeat
Website: Netflix
SERIES PREMIERES
Conversations With Friends
Website: Hulu
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Website: HBO
SEASON PREMIERE
Hacks
Website: HBO Max
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Now and Then
Website: Apple TV+
Night Sky
Website: Prime Video
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES FINALE
Better Things
Website: FX
TV SEASON FINALE
Outlander
Website: Starz
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Offer
Website: Paramount+
Under the Banner of Heaven
Website: Hulu
I Love That for You
Website: Showtime
Ten Percent
Website: BBC America
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Website: Paramount+
The Staircase
Website: HBO Max
TV SEASON PREMIERE
Tehran
Website: Apple TV+
TV SNEAK PEEKS
The Essex Serpent
Website: Apple TV+
The Lincoln Lawyer
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Gaslit
Website: Starz
We Own This City
Website: HBO
TV SEASON PREMIERE
The Flight Attendant
Website: HBO Max
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Shining Girls
Listen to our SXSW review here!
Website: Apple TV+
Ozark
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
The Batman
Website: Warner Bros.
TV SERIES PREMIERE
The First Lady
Website: Showtime
TV SEASON FINALE
My Brilliant Friend: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay
Website: HBO
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Heartstopper
Website: Netflix
A Very British Scandal
Website: Prime Video
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
The Adam Project
Website: Netflix
All the Old Knives
Website: Prime Video
A QUICK GOODBYE FROM THE CRITIC
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
Website: HBO
Atlanta
Website: FX
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Moon Knight
Website: Disney+
The Informant
Website: HBO Max
Love Me
Website: Hulu
Tokyo Vice
Website: HBO Max
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Anatomy of a Scandal
Website: Netflix
Roar
Website: Apple TV+
Outer Range
Website: Prime Video
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Top Boy
Website: Netflix
Atlanta
Website: FX
TV SEASON FINALE
The Gilded Age
Website: HBO
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Julia
Website: HBO Max
Slow Horses
Website: Apple TV+
Aired on Sunday, March 27, 2022 on ABC
To listen to Part 1 of this two-part episode, click here!
Website: Oscars
Here Are the Categories We Discussed Across Both Parts:
International Feature Film
WINNER DRIVE MY CAR
Japan
FLEE
Denmark
THE HAND OF GOD
Italy
LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM
Bhutan
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
Norway
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
WINNER CODA
Screenplay by Siân Heder
DRIVE MY CAR
Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
DUNE
Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
THE LOST DAUGHTER
Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal
THE POWER OF THE DOG
Written by Jane Campion
Writing (Original Screenplay)
WINNER BELFAST
Written by Kenneth Branagh
DON'T LOOK UP
Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
KING RICHARD
Written by Zach Baylin
LICORICE PIZZA
Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Directing
BELFAST
Kenneth Branagh
DRIVE MY CAR
Ryusuke Hamaguchi
LICORICE PIZZA
Paul Thomas Anderson
WINNER THE POWER OF THE DOG
Jane Campion
WEST SIDE STORY
Steven Spielberg
Actress in a Supporting Role
Jessie Buckley in THE LOST DAUGHTER
WINNER Ariana DeBose in WEST SIDE STORY
Judi Dench in BELFAST
Kirsten Dunst in THE POWER OF THE DOG
Aunjanue Ellis in KING RICHARD
Actor in a Supporting Role
Ciarán Hinds in BELFAST
WINNER Troy Kotsur in CODA
Jesse Plemons in THE POWER OF THE DOG
J.K. Simmons in BEING THE RICARDOS
Kodi Smit-McPhee in THE POWER OF THE DOG
Actress in a Leading Role
WINNER Jessica Chastain in THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE
Olivia Colman in THE LOST DAUGHTER
Penélope Cruz in PARALLEL MOTHERS
Nicole Kidman in BEING THE RICARDOS
Kristen Stewart in SPENCER
Best Picture
BELFAST
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, Producers
WINNER CODA
Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, Producers
DON'T LOOK UP
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers
DRIVE MY CAR
Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer
DUNE
Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, Producers
KING RICHARD
Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, Producers
LICORICE PIZZA
Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
NIGHTMARE ALLEY
Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, Producers
THE POWER OF THE DOG
Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, Producers
WEST SIDE STORY
Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in BEING THE RICARDOS
Benedict Cumberbatch in THE POWER OF THE DOG
Andrew Garfield in TICK, TICK...BOOM!
WINNER Will Smith in KING RICHARD
Denzel Washington in THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Aired on Sunday, March 27, 2022 on ABC
To listen to Part 2 of this two-part episode, click here!
Website: Oscars
Here Are the Categories We Discussed Across Both Parts:
International Feature Film
WINNER DRIVE MY CAR
Japan
FLEE
Denmark
THE HAND OF GOD
Italy
LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM
Bhutan
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
Norway
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
WINNER CODA
Screenplay by Siân Heder
DRIVE MY CAR
Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
DUNE
Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
THE LOST DAUGHTER
Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal
THE POWER OF THE DOG
Written by Jane Campion
Writing (Original Screenplay)
WINNER BELFAST
Written by Kenneth Branagh
DON'T LOOK UP
Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
KING RICHARD
Written by Zach Baylin
LICORICE PIZZA
Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Directing
BELFAST
Kenneth Branagh
DRIVE MY CAR
Ryusuke Hamaguchi
LICORICE PIZZA
Paul Thomas Anderson
WINNER THE POWER OF THE DOG
Jane Campion
WEST SIDE STORY
Steven Spielberg
Actress in a Supporting Role
Jessie Buckley in THE LOST DAUGHTER
WINNER Ariana DeBose in WEST SIDE STORY
Judi Dench in BELFAST
Kirsten Dunst in THE POWER OF THE DOG
Aunjanue Ellis in KING RICHARD
Actor in a Supporting Role
Ciarán Hinds in BELFAST
WINNER Troy Kotsur in CODA
Jesse Plemons in THE POWER OF THE DOG
J.K. Simmons in BEING THE RICARDOS
Kodi Smit-McPhee in THE POWER OF THE DOG
Actress in a Leading Role
WINNER Jessica Chastain in THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE
Olivia Colman in THE LOST DAUGHTER
Penélope Cruz in PARALLEL MOTHERS
Nicole Kidman in BEING THE RICARDOS
Kristen Stewart in SPENCER
Best Picture
BELFAST
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, Producers
WINNER CODA
Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, Producers
DON'T LOOK UP
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers
DRIVE MY CAR
Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer
DUNE
Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, Producers
KING RICHARD
Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, Producers
LICORICE PIZZA
Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
NIGHTMARE ALLEY
Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, Producers
THE POWER OF THE DOG
Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, Producers
WEST SIDE STORY
Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in BEING THE RICARDOS
Benedict Cumberbatch in THE POWER OF THE DOG
Andrew Garfield in TICK, TICK...BOOM!
WINNER Will Smith in KING RICHARD
Denzel Washington in THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
To listen to Part 1 of this two-part episode, click here!
On this episode of Why Watch That:
OUR PREVIEW OF THE 94TH ACADEMY AWARDS
Will air Sunday, March 27 on ABC
Website: Oscars
To listen to Part 2 of this two-part episode, click here!
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Pachinko
Website: Apple TV+
Bridgerton
Website: Netflix
PART 3 OF OUR SXSW 2022 COVERAGE
Shining Girls
SXSW Webpage
Website: Apple TV+
Halo
SXSW Webpage
Website: Paramount+
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
PART 2 OF OUR SXSW 2022 COVERAGE
Swimming With Sharks
SXSW Webpage
61st Street
SXSW Webpage
The Man Who Fell to Earth
SXSW Webpage
On this episode of Why Watch That:
PART 1 OF OUR SXSW 2022 COVERAGE
To Leslie
SXSW Webpage
Linoleum
SXSW Webpage
I Love My Dad
SXSW Webpage
The Girl From Plainville
SXSW Webpage
DMZ
SXSW Webpage
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
West Side Story
Websites: Disney+ and HBO Max
TV SNEAK PEEK
WeCrashed
Website: Apple TV+
To listen to Part 1 of this two-part episode, click here!
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Killing Eve
Website: BBC America
Better Things
Website: FX
My Brilliant Friend: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay
Website: HBO
Outlander
Website: Starz
Transplant
Website: NBC
Cobra
Website: PBS
TV SEASON FINALE
1883
Website: Paramount+
TV SNEAK PEEK
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
Website: Apple TV+
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
To listen to Part 2 of this two-part episode, click here!
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SXSW 2022
Dates: March 11-20
Website: SXSW
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Endgame
Website: NBC
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber
Website: Showtime
The Dropout
Website: Hulu
Joe vs Carole
Website: Peacock
The Tourist
Website: HBO Max
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
Website: HBO
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
A special announcement from the Critic and the Referee
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
KIMI
Website: HBO Max
The King’s Man
Websites: Hulu and HBO Max
TV SNEAK PEEK
Pieces of Her
Website: Netflix
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Against the Ice
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Girl Before
Website: HBO Max
Bel-Air
Website: Peacock
From
Website: Epix
TV SEASON FINALE
The Book of Boba Fett
Website: Disney+
TV SNEAK PEEK
Vikings: Valhalla
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
A Taste of Hunger
Website: Magnolia Pictures
The Worst Person in the World
Website: Neon
Marry Me
Website: Peacock
TV SNEAK PEEKS
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Website: Prime Video
Severance
Website: Apple TV+
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Murderville
Website: Netflix
The Envoys
Website: Paramount+
Somebody Somewhere
Website: HBO
Pam & Tommy
Website: Hulu
Promised Land
Website: ABC
Power Book IV: Force
Website: Starz
The Gilded Age
Website: HBO
TV SEASON PREMIERES
This Is Us
Website: NBC
All Creatures Great and Small
Website: PBS
Resident Alien
Website: Syfy
Raised by Wolves
Website: HBO Max
TV SNEAK PEEK
Inventing Anna
Website: Netflix
TV SERIES FINALE
Gomorrah
Website: HBO Max
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Sharp Stick
Website: Sundance
Resurrection
Website: Sundance
Nanny
Website: Sundance
Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul
Website: Sundance
God’s Country
Website: Sundance
Alice
Website: Sundance
Cha Cha Real Smooth
Website: Sundance
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
Website: Sundance
AM I OK?
Website: Sundance
Emily the Criminal
Website: Sundance
Palm Trees and Power Lines
Website: Sundance
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Bring on the Dancing Horses
Website: Sundance
When You Finish Saving the World
Website: Sundance
FRESH
Website: Sundance
Emergency
Website: Sundance
After Yang
Website: Sundance
Living
Website: Sundance
Call Jane
Website: Sundance
892
Website: Sundance
Master
Website: Sundance
Watcher
Website: Sundance
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Website: Sundance
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
2022 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW
Website: Sundance Film Festival
TV SNEAK PEEKS
As We See It
Website: Prime Video
Ozark
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The Cleaning Lady
Website: FOX
Vigil
Website: Peacock
Women of the Movement
Website: ABC
The Book of Boba Fett
Website: Disney+
TV SEASON FINALES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Website: HBO
Dexter: New Blood
Website: Showtime
Mayor of Kingstown
Website: Paramount+
TV SERIES FINALE
Insecure
Website: HBO
TV SNEAK PEEK
Archive 81
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
1883
Website: Paramount+
Station Eleven
Website: HBO Max
A GOODBYE
Star Trek: Discovery
Website: Paramount+
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Website: Apple TV+
Jockey
Website: Sony Pictures Classics
Munich: The Edge of War
Website: Netflix
A Hero
Website: Prime Video
The Duke
Website: Sony Pictures Classics
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
The Matrix Resurrections
Website: HBO Max
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Landscapers
Website: HBO
Abbott Elementary
Website: ABC
And Just Like That...
Website: HBO Max
TV SEASON FINALE
Succession
Website: HBO
TV SNEAK PEEK
Emily in Paris
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Swan Song
Website: Apple TV+
Nightmare Alley
Website: Searchlight Pictures
The Novice
Website: IFC Films
The Tender Bar
Website: Prime Video
Cyrano
Website: United Artists Releasing
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOKS
Bruised
Website: Netflix
Benedetta
Website: IFC Films
SNEAK PEEK
Being the Ricardos
Website: Prime Video
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
The Wheel of Time
Website: Prime Video
The Sex Lives of College Girls
Website: HBO Max
SEASON PREMIERES
The Hot Zone: Anthrax
Website: Nat Geo
Star Trek: Discovery
Website: Paramount+
SEASON FINALES
Dopesick
Website: Hulu
BMF
Website: Starz
TV SNEAK PEEK
Lost in Space
Website: Netflix
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEK
True Story
Website: Netflix
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
The Harder They Fall
Website: Netflix
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Website: Disney+
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SEASON PREMIERE
Condor
Website: Epix
SERIES PREMIERE
Mayor of Kingstown
Website: Paramount+
REVIVAL
Dexter: New Blood
Website: Showtime
SNEAK PEEK
Cowboy Bebop
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Wakefield
Website: Showtime
Queens
Website: ABC
SEASON PREMIERES
Insecure
Website: HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Website: HBO
SEASON FINALE
Wu-Tang: An American Saga
Website: Hulu
SNEAK PEEKS
Narcos: Mexico
Website: Netflix
Dr. Brain
Website: Apple TV+
SNEAK PEEK AT AN UPCOMING SERIES FINALE
Baptiste
Website: PBS
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOK
Army of Thieves
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: In this prequel to Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead, small-town bank teller Dieter gets drawn into the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious woman recruits him to join a crew of Interpol’s most wanted criminals, attempting to heist a sequence of legendary, impossible-to-crack safes across Europe.
Release Date: Available on Netflix October 29, 2021
Directed by: Matthias Schweighöfer
Screenplay by: Shay Hatten
Story by: Zack Snyder & Shay Hatten
Starring: Matthias Schweighöfer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Guz Khan, Ruby O. Fee, Stuart Martin, Jonathan Cohen, and Peter Simonischek
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Comedy, Thriller
Running Time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Rated TV-MA
SNEAK PEEK
Finch
Website: Apple TV+
Synopsis: In “Finch,” a man, a robot and a dog form an unlikely family in a powerful and moving adventure of one man’s quest to ensure that his beloved canine companion will be cared for after he’s gone. Tom Hanks stars as Finch, a robotics engineer and one of the few survivors of a cataclysmic solar event that has left the world a wasteland. But Finch, who has been living in an underground bunker for a decade, has built a world of his own that he shares with his dog, Goodyear. He creates a robot, played by Caleb Landry Jones, to watch over Goodyear when he no longer can. As the trio embarks on a perilous journey into a desolate American West, Finch strives to show his creation, who names himself Jeff, the joy and wonder of what it means to be alive. Their road trip is paved with both challenges and humor, as it’s as difficult for Finch to goad Jeff and Goodyear to get along as it is for him to manage the dangers of the new world.
Release Date: Available on Apple TV+ November 5, 2021
Directed by: Miguel Sapochnik
Screenplay by: Craig Luck and Ivor Powell
Starring: Tom Hanks and Caleb Landry Jones
Distributor: Apple TV+
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOK
Dune
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Release Date: Available on HBO Max for 31 days and in theaters starting Thursday, October 21, 2021
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Screenplay by: Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, and Eric Roth
Based on the novel of the same name by Frank Herbert
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Rated PG-13
SNEAK PEEK
Passing
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Adapted from the celebrated 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, PASSING tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga), who can “pass” as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York. After a chance encounter reunites the former childhood friends one summer afternoon, Irene reluctantly allows Clare into her home, where she ingratiates herself to Irene’s husband (André Holland) and family, and soon her larger social circle as well. As their lives become more deeply intertwined, Irene finds her once-steady existence upended by Clare, and PASSING becomes a riveting examination of obsession, repression and the lies people tell themselves and others to protect their carefully constructed realities.
Acclaimed upon its premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, PASSING marks the directorial debut of Rebecca Hall, who also adapted the screenplay. The film intimately uses the notion of “passing” to explore not just racial identity but also gender and the responsibilities of motherhood, sexuality, and the performance of femininity.
Release Date: In select theaters on October 27, 2021 and available via Netflix on November 10, 2021
Directed by: Rebecca Hall
Screenplay by: Rebecca Hall
Based on the novel “Passing” by Nella Larsen
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, Bill Camp, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, and Alexander Skarsgård
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Dopesick
Website: Hulu
Squid Game
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Young Sheldon
Website: CBS
The Equalizer
Website: CBS
Succession
Website: HBO
TV SEASON FINALES
Evil
Website: Paramount+
Ted Lasso
Website: Apple TV+
TV SNEAK PEEK
Invasion
Website: Apple TV+
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOK
The Many Saints of Newark
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Witness the making of Tony Soprano. Set in 1967, The Many Saints of Newark reveals the humanity behind Tony’s struggles and the influence his family — especially his uncle, Dickie Moltisanti — had over him becoming the most iconic mob boss of all time.
Release Date: Available via HBO Max for 31 days and in theaters October 1, 2021
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Screenplay by: David Chase and Lawrence Konner
Starring: Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Michael Gandolfini, Billy Magnussen, Michela De Rossi, John Magaro, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Crime, Drama
Running Time: 2 hours
Rated R
SNEAK PEEK
Hard Luck Love Song
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: A crime thriller wrapped inside a haunting love story wrapped inside a neo-noir western,' HARD LUCK LOVE SONG follows Jesse (Michael Dorman), a charismatic but down on his luck troubadour hustling pool in dive bars, living out of cheap motels and making bad decisions. Jesse finds himself at an existential crossroads during a chance encounter with Carla (Bush), an old flame, as their complicated past and current troubles threaten to destroy their blissful reunion. HARD LUCK LOVE SONG captures a fractured optimism where characters navigate the choppy waters of life, searching for their 'own kind of American Dream.'
Release Date: In theaters October 15, 2021
Directed by: Justin Corsbie
Screenplay by: Justin Corsbie
Based on the song “Just Like Old Times” by Todd Snider
Starring: Michael Dorman, Sophia Bush, Dermot Mulroney, RZA, Brian Sacca, Eric Roberts, Melora Walters, Max Arciniega, Randal Reeder, Taylor Gray, Geri Courtney-Austein, Toni Robison-May, and Zac Badasci
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour 44 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Our Kind of People
Website: FOX
The Wonder Years
Website: ABC
BMF
Website: Starz
TV SNEAK PEEK
Acapulco
Website: Apple TV+
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Mass
Website: Bleecker Street
Synopsis: Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents (Reed Birney and Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton), agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. In Fran Kranz' writing and directing debut, he thoughtfully examines their journey of grief, anger and acceptance by coming face-to-face with the ones who have been left behind.
Release Date: In theaters October 8, 2021
Directed by: Fran Kranz
Screenplay by: Fran Kranz
Starring: Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, and Martha Plimpton
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON FINALES
Reservation Dogs
Website: Hulu
Fantasy Island
Website: FOX
Nine Perfect Strangers
Website: Hulu
Grown-ish
Website: Freeform
The White Lotus
Website: HBO
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Website: Starz
The Good Fight
Website: Paramount+
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEK
Old Henry
Website: Shout Factory
Synopsis: Old Henry is an action-Western about a widowed farmer and his son who warily take in a mysterious, injured man with a satchel of cash. When a posse of men claiming to be the law come for the money, the farmer must decide whom to trust. Defending against a siege of his homestead, he reveals a talent for gunslinging that surprises everyone, calling his true identity into question.
Release Date: In theaters October 1, 2021
Directed by: Potsy Ponciroli
Screenplay by: Potsy Ponciroli
Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Haze, Gavin Lewis, Trace Adkins, and Stephen Dorff
Distributor: Shout! Factory
Genre: Western
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Not Rated
FIRST LOOKS
Come From Away
Website: Apple TV+
Synopsis: Filmed live on Broadway, the Tony Award-winning musical tells the remarkable true story of 38 flights grounded in a small Canadian town on September 11, 2001. As the locals host these “come from aways,” they come together and find hope.
Release Date: September 10, 2021 via Apple TV+
Directed by: Christopher Ashley
Written by: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Starring: Petrina Bromley, Jenn Colella, De'Lon Grant, Joel Hatch, Tony LePage, Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Sharon Wheatley, and Paul Whitty
Distributor: Apple TV+
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Rated TV-14
Worth
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, a lawyer faces an emotional reckoning as he attempts to put a dollar value on the lives lost. Based on real events.
Release Date: September 3, 2021
Directed by: Sara Colangelo
Screenplay by: Max Borenstein
Based on “What Is Life Worth?” by Kenneth Feinberg
Starring: Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Amy Ryan, Tate Donovan, Shunori Ramanathan, Laura Benanti, Marc Maron, and Chris Tardio
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama, History
Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Rated PG-13
The Immortal (L’Immortale)
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Set in Latvia, this Gomorrah spin-off finds the notorious, indestructible Naples mob assassin Ciro Di Marzio far from home yet navigating an all too familiar world, where immortality is just another form of damnation.
Release Date: Available via HBO Max on July 29, 2021
Directed by: Marco D’Amore
Screenplay by: Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli, Marco D’Amore, Francesco Ghiaccio, and Giulia Forgione
Story by: Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli, Marco D’Amore, and Francesco Ghiaccio
Starring: Marco D’Amore, Giuseppe Aiello, Salvatore D’Onofrio, Gianni Vastarella, Marianna Robustelli, Martina Attanasio, Gennaro Di Colandrea, Nello Mascia, Aleksei Guskov, Nunzio Coppola, and Salvio Simeoli
Distributor: HBO Max
Genre: Crime, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Rated TV-MA
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
American Rust
Website: Showtime
Scenes from a Marriage
Website: HBO
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Wu-Tang: An American Saga
Website: Hulu
See
Website: Apple TV+
TV SNEAK PEEK
Foundation
Website: Apple TV+
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Featuring reviews of the following films at 2021’s Toronto International Film Festival:
Sundown
Tim Roth stars in writer-director Michel Franco’s chilling drama about a wealthy Briton attempting to abandon his life while vacationing in Acapulco.
From the outside, it would appear that Neil Bennett (Tim Roth, also at the Festival with Bergman Island), a wealthy Briton vacationing with loved ones at a luxury resort in Acapulco, wants for nothing. Until, that is, a single phone call shatters Neil’s idyll: there’s been a death in the family, and he, his sister Allison (Charlotte Gainsbourg), and the kids must return to London immediately.
At the airport, just before their flight is to depart, Neil pretends to have forgotten his passport at the resort. He insists the others go ahead; he’ll catch the next flight. Instead, Neil checks into a budget hotel, drinks beer at the beach, meets a beautiful local named Berenice (Iazua Larios), and begins concocting reasons to delay his return home. What is Neil up to? How long can he linger abroad while his family grieves and contends with legal matters? And what if things go from bad to worse?
The story of writer-director Michel Franco’s Sundown seems simple, but its twists are riveting and its mysteries rich. As with Franco’s Un Certain Regard–winning After Lucia or his TIFF selections April’s Daughter and New Order, Sundown is an incisive study of class disparity and familial strife. Roth, who worked with Franco previously on Chronic, is brilliantly cast as the film’s enigmatic antihero. His performance is one of immense containment, hinting incrementally at the profound ennui driving Neil to attempt to abandon his enviable life. There is something almost palpably haunted about Neil, and, as he makes his way along this strange journey, his desperate longing will resonate more than you’d expect. -DIANA SANCHEZ
Mexico, 2021
Spanish, English
84 minutes
Director
Michel Franco
Cast
Tim Roth, Iazua Larios, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Screenplay
Michel Franco
7 Prisoners (on Netflix this November)
Alexandre Moratto’s sophomore film follows a young man who compromises his own sense of friendship and community to survive in an extreme situation.
After the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival selection Socrates, director Alexandre Moratto and producer Fernando Meirelles return to TIFF with a compelling tale of modern-day indentured slavery in Brazil.
7 Prisoners follows a group of honest men from the countryside who think they are going to São Paulo for work but end up locked in a junkyard, where they are told they must work to pay off steep debts. The place functions like a prison; they are surveilled at gunpoint and their loved ones are threatened. One of the men, Mateus, tries to make a deal with the owner, Luca, saying he can increase productivity if Luca agrees to release them in six months. But it’s a slippery slope, and Mateus becomes the boss’s assistant in order to get ahead.
The heartbreaking story reflects on systemic oppression and corruption, and on how a person can compromise their own sense of friendship and community to survive in an extreme situation. It also depicts the smuggling and cruel exploitation of migrant workers. There are no winners here, as we discover that dire circumstances can make people alternately endearing and naive, or capable of physical and psychological violence. With a thriller touch and stellar performances by Rodrigo Santoro and Christian Malheiros, the film transcends the facile binary of good versus bad to create a sense of urgency about some of the world’s most blatant injustices. -DESCRIPTION COURTESY OF TIFF
CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
Brazil, 2021
Portuguese
93 minutes
Director
Alexandre Moratto
Cast
Christian Malheiros, Rodrigo Santoro, Bruno Rocha, Vitor Julian, Lucas Oranmian, Cecília Homem de Mello, Dirce Thomaz
Screenplay
Thayná Mantesso, Alexandre Moratto
Publicist
Netflix
I’m Your Man (Bleecker Street will release on Friday, September 24)
Maria Schrader’s unlikely sci-fi rom-com explores human relationships through the inquisitive eyes of a cyborg. Starring Dan Stevens and Maren Eggert.
How would you react if the perfect partner were created for you — designed to respond to your every conscious or unconscious need? For scientist Alma Felser (Maren Eggert), the reaction is instant skepticism. She is reluctant when offered a job evaluating a new line of humanoid cyborgs to determine what rights they should be granted in society. She believes it takes more than millions of data points collected from the human population to make a human being. But when research funding for her cuneiform studies at Berlin’s Pergamon Museum is dangled, Alma agrees to a three-week trial with Tom (Dan Stevens), an English-accented, rumba-dancing robot who is relentlessly eager to serve one purpose: her happiness.
Writer-director Maria Schrader’s I’m Your Man playfully interrogates the complexities of companionship and human interactions, as reflected back in the steely gaze of a replicant. Emotions and ego are explored through a full range of relationships: romantic, familial, professional, and, most importantly, the relationship with one’s self.
Schrader’s profound understanding of, and respect for, our internal contradictions is manifested in the relatable Alma. Conveyed with remarkable authenticity by Eggert in her Berlin Silver Bear–winning performance, the scientist’s reluctant feelings about cyborg Tom evolve ever so lightly into intimacy, in spite of his direct if perfectly charming advances (powered by the bionically good-looking Stevens of Downton Abbey fame — impressive in an entirely German-language role). It must be said: there aren’t many entrants in the sci-fi rom-com subgenre that wholly reflect the human condition. I’m Your Man stands apart as exemplary. -DIANA SANCHEZ
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Germany, 2021
German
108 minutes
Director
Maria Schrader
Cast
Maren Eggert, Dan Stevens, Sandra Hüller, Hans Löw, Wolfgang Hübsch, Annika Meier
Screenplay
Jan Schomburg, Maria Schrader
Publicist
Bleecker Street
The Good House
Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline play ex-flames who rekindle their romance, in this drama from directors Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky.
“I need a good year.” When Hildy (Sigourney Weaver) makes that pronouncement, she’s talking about her sales prospects as a realtor. But there’s also an unspoken acknowledgement that her best years just might be behind her. Bold, brash, and practiced in the ways of her affluent New England town, Hildy’s barely controlled chaos is a bit too familiar to her friends and family. So is its fuel: booze.
Veteran screenwriters Maya Forbes (who also directed Infinitely Polar Bear) and Wallace Wolodarsky adapt and direct Ann Leary’s novel as a piercing observation of a woman capable of great charm, but always ready to sabotage her own success when the mood descends. Seeing the risk escalate, her family stages an intervention. It goes about as well as expected.
Weaver is a pure pleasure to watch here, perfectly pitching Hildy’s captivating side as well as her more vicious moments. A woman who proudly notes that her family has lived in Wendover for almost 300 years, she carries herself with regal bearing, ready to adopt new arrival Rebecca (Morena Baccarin) as a prize. But Hildy’s mass of hurts and insecurities are never far from the surface. The only person who seems to see her fully is Frank (Kevin Kline, also appearing in TIFF selection The Starling), a grizzled old flame who earned his wealth with his own hands and may now be ready to take Hildy into his arms again. Wisely, Forbes and Wolodarsky allow us to bask in the bright glow of these two old pros at work. -DESCRIPTION COURTESY OF TIFF
GALA PRESENTATIONS
United States of America, 2021
English
114 minutes
Directors
Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky
Cast
Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin
Screenplay
Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky
Silent Night (in theaters and on AMC+ December 3, 2021)
Keira Knightley and Lily-Rose Depp star in Camille Griffin’s feature directorial debut, about a family’s eventful Christmas dinner in the country.
A cozy house in the English countryside. The tree has been lovingly decorated. A grand feast is being prepared. Over the sound system, Michael Bublé croons about holiday sweaters. Nell (Oscar nominee Keira Knightley), Simon (Matthew Goode), and their boy Art (Roman Griffin Davis, star of TIFF ’19 Grolsch People’s Choice Award winner Jojo Rabbit) are ready to welcome friends and family for what promises to be a perfect Christmas gathering. Perfect except for one thing: everyone is going to die.
A pitch-black comedy rooted in brilliantly conceived characters and wry observations about class and social order, writer-director Camille Griffin’s feature debut merges that most wonderful night of the year with the end of the world as we know it. A poisonous cloud is descending upon the United Kingdom. An extinction event is imminent. YouTube videos display images of people bleeding from the eyes and ears. And yet, even in this hour of ultimate dread, happy announcements are made, disagreements erupt, people dance, and ordinary foibles ensue.
Echoing elements of Last Night and Peter’s Friends, Silent Night fuses festive frivolity with existential angst for high entertainment. Gleaning lovingly textured, frequently hilarious performances from its stellar ensemble cast — which also includes Annabelle Wallis, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Lily-Rose Depp (also at the Festival in Wolf) — Silent Night gives us reasons to toast the human spirit… even when the end is nigh. -DESCRIPTION COURTESY OF TIFF
GALA PRESENTATIONS
United Kingdom, 2021
English
90 minutes
Director
Camille Griffin
Cast
Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Sope Dirisu, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch
Screenplay
Camille Griffin
One Second (will be distributed by Neon at some point)
Master director Zhang Yimou returns with his love letter to cinema in which a man escapes a labour camp for a glimpse of his beloved daughter.
China’s Zhang Yimou is a giant of international cinema. His many films, including Raise the Red Lantern, House of Flying Daggers, and Shadow have cemented his place in history. With One Second, he offers a powerful reminder of why film matters. A touching drama set against striking desert landscapes and marked by Zhang’s characteristic flashes of humour, this is a fable about how cinema can inspire us.
Towards the end of the Cultural Revolution, when movies were one of the few cultural experiences available to China’s masses, the film’s nameless hero (Zhang Yi) is sent to a remote labour camp for taking part in a fight. He escapes, but instead of returning to crime, his one aim is to see a screening of a newsreel where his daughter has been captured briefly on screen, immortalized as a model student and worker.
In this journey towards a fleeting, cinematic reunion with his beloved daughter, his unexpected companions include a scruffy orphan girl named Liu (Liu Haocun) — pursuing her own secret search for celluloid — and Fan (Fan Wei), who goes by Mr. Movie and is widely known as the best projectionist around. In one standout sequence, a reel of film has been damaged in the mud and Fan recruits an entire village to clean the long, precious spool and restore it to its former glory.
One Second marks Zhang’s return to the classic, grand storytelling of his early films. He draws on the specific customs of moviegoing from China in the 1970s to craft an enduring, universal celebration of the transformative power of film. -DESCRIPTION COURTESY OF TIFF
GALA PRESENTATIONS
China, 2020
Mandarin
105 minutes
Director
Zhang Yimou
Cast
Fan Wei, Liu Haocun, Zhang Yi
Screenplay
Zhang Yimou, Zou Jingzhi
Publicist
NEON
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEK
The Morning Show
Website: Apple TV+
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Best Sellers
Website: Screen Media
Synopsis: Lucy Standbridge (Aubrey Plaza) has inherited her father's publishing house, and the ambitious would-be editor has nearly sunk it with failing titles. She discovers she is owed a book by Harris Shaw (Michael Caine), a reclusive, cantankerous, booze-addled author who originally put the company on the map decades earlier. In a last-ditch effort to save the company, Lucy and Harris release his new book and embark on a book tour from hell that changes them both in ways they didn't expect.
Release Date: Available in theaters and on demand September 17, 2021
Directed by: Lina Roessler
Screenplay by: Anthony Greico
Starring: Sir Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza, Ellen Wong, Scott Speedman, and Cary Elwes
Distributor: Screen Media Films
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Not Rated
Blue Bayou
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: An official selection of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival from award-winning writer/director Justin Chon, Blue Bayou is the moving and timely story of a uniquely American family fighting for their future. Antonio LeBlanc (Chon), a Korean adoptee raised in a small town in the Louisiana bayou, is married to the love of his life Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and step-dad to their beloved daughter Jessie. Struggling to make a better life for his family, he must confront the ghosts of his past when he discovers that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home.
Release Date: In theaters September 17, 2021
Directed by: Justin Chon
Screenplay by: Justin Chon
Starring: Justin Chon, Alicia Vikander, Mark O'Brien, Linh Dan Pham, and Emory Cohen
Distributor: Focus Features
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Our reviews (so far) at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, including:
Petite Maman
Following a girl’s journey to her mother’s childhood home, French auteur Céline Sciamma’s latest is a tender tale of intergenerational connection.
Céline Sciamma’s TIFF ’19 selection Portrait of a Lady on Fire garnered international acclaim for its sumptuous rendering of queer female desire and the overwhelming power of both truly looking and truly being seen. Sciamma’s follow-up brings the writer-director’s exquisite craft and acute insights into longing to bear on a tale of childhood grief and wonder.
After her grandmother dies, Nelly (Joséphine Sanz) is taken to her mother’s childhood home. While her parents go about cleaning out the house, Nelly explores the surrounding woods. She encounters Marion (Gabrielle Sanz), a girl exactly Nelly’s age and to whom she bears a striking resemblance. The pair become fast friends, constructing a hut together, sharing lunches, and talking over the life transitions both are in the midst of. (Marion is only days away from going to hospital for an operation.) Incrementally, the girls’ eerie similarities yield revelations that merge events of the past with those of the present.
Working once again with cinematographer Claire Mathon and production designer Lionel Brison, Sciamma gently ushers us into a series of hushed, crepuscular spaces where the spectral meets the everyday and time seems to fold in on itself. Drawing lovely, subtle performances from her young stars, Sciamma allows us to see the world through Nelly and Marion’s eyes. The result is a film of tremendous tenderness and sombre beauty that, like all of Sciamma’s films, celebrates the spectrum of feminine connection. -DIANA SANCHEZ
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
France, 2021
French
70 minutes
Director
Céline Sciamma
Cast
Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse, Stéphane Varupenne, Margo Abascal
Screenplay
Céline Sciamma
Mothering Sunday
Olivia Colman and Colin Firth star in this deeply affecting adaptation of Graham Swift’s bittersweet novel about secret love in post-WWI England.
Featuring captivating performances from up-and-coming talents Odessa Young (TIFF ’18’s Assassination Nation) and Josh O’Connor (The Crown), and Oscar-winning veterans Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, and Glenda Jackson, this exquisite adaptation of Booker Prize–winning author Graham Swift’s eponymous novella transports us to Britain’s inter-war years for a story of grief, responsibility, and hidden love.
Jane (Young) works as a maid for the Nivens (Colman and Firth), an aging home counties couple who, like so many other families, lost their sons on the battlefields of the First World War. Jane is having a secret affair with Paul (O’Connor), son of the Nivens’ neighbours, the Sheringhams. Paul is the only member of his peer group to return from the front, a status that has left him with a powerful dose of survivor’s guilt and a weighty sense of duty to his family, who expects him to pursue a legal career and marry a woman of his station — which is to say, not the likes of Jane.
On Mothering Sunday, her day off, Jane trysts with Paul at his house while his parents are away. There is a sense of quiet idyll to their stolen hours of lovemaking and Jane’s gentle exploration of this world of wealth and prestige. Yet a double shadow hangs over this precious day, arising from the horrors of the recent past and the disappointments and sacrifices looming in the pair’s future.
Scripted by Alice Birch (TIFF ’16 world premiere Lady Macbeth) and directed by Eva Husson (TIFF ’18’s Girls of the Sun), Mothering Sunday draws us into Jane and Paul’s rendezvous, vividly evoking both its sensuous peaks and sobering undercurrents before zooming ahead into a future time when all this can be placed in perspective. -DIANA SANCHEZ
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
United Kingdom, 2021
English
104 minutes
Director
Eva Husson
Cast
Odessa Young, Josh O'Connor, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Glenda Jackson, Patsy Ferran, Emma D’Arcy
Screenplay
Alice Birch
The Starling
Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd and Kevin Kline star in Theodore Melfi’s bittersweet tale of a couple working their way toward the other side of grief.
Melissa McCarthy has long proved she can play both wild comedy and heartbreaking drama. Working again with her St. Vincent director Theodore Melfi and buoyed by a superb supporting cast, she soars in a complex role that draws upon her impeccable timing and emotional instincts.
Lilly (McCarthy) is always the one who holds it together when things go south for her family. A year has passed since she and her husband Jack (Chris O’Dowd) lost their infant daughter. Grief got the better of Jack, who’s now recovering in a psychiatric clinic. Lilly holds down her job at the grocery store, keeps up the family’s expansive rural property, and faithfully makes the weekly two-hour journey to visit her husband.
Concerned that Lilly isn’t tending to her own grieving process, a counsellor at Jack’s clinic suggests that she see a local therapist, Larry (Kevin Kline, also appearing in Festival selection The Good House). The counsellor neglects to mention that Larry long ago gave up psychology to become a veterinarian — a practice that will prove germane when a dive-bombing starling begins wreaking havoc in Lilly’s garden.
The intricacies of Matt Harris’s sensitive, canny screenplay allow us to observe the ways that every act of love — whether toward a spouse, a client, or an insistent bird — requires both generosity and boundary setting. Lilly can’t bear the notion of being a quitter, but without some self-care, all her efforts to care for others could come to naught.
Helmed with rich insight into the healing process by Melfi (Academy Award– nominated for Hidden Figures), The Starling lights upon a rare balance of levity and gravity, mischief and tenderness. -CAMERON BAILEY
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
United States of America, 2021
English
103 minutes
Director
Theodore Melfi
Cast
Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd, Timothy Olyphant, Skyler Gisondo, Daveed Diggs, Laura Harrier, Rosalind Chao, Loretta Devine, Kevin Kline
Screenplay
Matt Harris
Publicist
Netflix
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
An eccentric artist (Benedict Cumberbatch) introduces Victorian London to the delights of cats, in Will Sharpe’s enlightening biopic.
From Ancient Egypt to TikTok, cats have accompanied humans on life’s journey. But who made the creatures cute? The Electrical Life of Louis Wain tells the story of the Victorian-era artist whose widely published drawings of anthropomorphized cats transformed them from mysterious to irresistible. In a dazzling, career-best performance, Benedict Cumberbatch plays one of Britain’s most influential eccentrics as a flurry of wild ideas and prodigious artistic output.
Louis Wain (Cumberbatch, also at the Festival in The Power of the Dog) brims with creativity, even as his life in the 1880s oscillates between the delightful and the dizzying. To support his widowed mother and five younger sisters, the academy-trained artist sells drawings of animals from the country fair. His skilled and speedy portraiture impresses, but his often stormy view of the world and those in it keeps him from engaging much with society. That is, until he hires a kind, curious governess for his youngest sisters, Emily Richardson (Claire Foy), who illuminates his life in a way even he’d never imagined. Love blooms across the class divide — albeit to the chagrin of Louis’s stern sister Caroline (Andrea Riseborough), second oldest and second in command.
Writer-director Will Sharpe (television’s Flowers, whose co-star Olivia Colman narrates here) uses dynamic visual technique and colourfully shifting mood to convey Louis’s complicated mind, fickle wealth, momentous love, and consuming grief. Cumberbatch’s transcendent performance stands at the centre of an impressive cast that includes Toby Jones and Adeel Akhtar (also at the Festival in Ali & Ava). Alive with imagination in every scene, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain shows just how we came to live in a cat’s world. Meow. -DESCRIPTION COURTESY OF TIFF
GALA PRESENTATIONS
United Kingdom, 2021
English
111 minutes
Director
Will Sharpe
Cast
Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones
Screenplay
Simon Stephenson, Will Sharpe
Publicist
Amazon Studios
All My Puny Sorrows
Michael McGowan’s touching adaptation of Miriam Toews’ beloved novel about two sisters boasts a fine cast led by Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon.
Michael McGowan’s moving adaptation of Miriam Toews’ beloved novel All My Puny Sorrows is propelled by nuanced direction, an affecting script, and a truly stellar, fearless cast. The story revolves around the women of the Von Riesen clan: writer Yoli (Alison Pill), who’s tormented by self-doubt and is going through a tough, protracted divorce; her sister Elf (Sarah Gadon), a well-known concert pianist whose bouts with depression threaten to consume her; their steadfast mother Lottie (Mare Winningham); their no-nonsense aunt Tina (Mimi Kuzyk); and Yoli’s precocious daughter Nora (Amybeth McNulty).
The family are no strangers to sorrow. They left the Mennonite community after their patriarch (Donal Logue) unexpectedly killed himself. (It’s not said explicitly, but the film suggests his church played a key role in his decision.) How the Von Riesens, especially Yoli and Elf, confront — and fail to confront — tragedy and trauma is the central focus of the film. The sisters’ wisecracking banter and acute awareness of each other’s foibles indicates a profound love and mutual dependency, but as Yoli struggles to understand Elf and protect her from her demons, the women’s fundamental differences come to the fore.
Oscillating powerfully between extremes of joy and sadness, All My Puny Sorrows is also one of the most erudite, literary films you will see this year. Much of the close relationship between Yoli and Elf is based on their love of books (stretching from Philip Larkin to D.H. Lawrence), reflecting their intellectual curiosity and capacity for life — which only makes the film all the more heartbreaking, and its ultimate embrace of life so touching. -STEVE GRAVESTOCK
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Canada, 2021
English
103 minutes
Director
Michael McGowan
Cast
Alison Pill, Sarah Gadon, Mare Winningham, Amybeth McNulty, Donal Logue
Screenplay
Michael McGowan
Encounter
A decorated Marine (Riz Ahmed) goes on a rescue mission to save his two young sons from an inhuman threat, in the latest from director Michael Pearce.
Suspenseful, wildly imaginative, and eerily resonant, British director Michael Pearce’s follow-up to his TIFF ’17 Platform competitor Beast catapults us into a world where every encounter could lead to peril. Featuring an adrenalized lead performance from Riz Ahmed, this is a thriller for the age of cultural division and seemingly endless existential threat.
A decorated marine, Malik Khan (Ahmed) is trained to identify risk. But what if the risk appears totally ordinary? Malik sees bugs. Evil bugs. Alien bugs that seem to be seizing control of people, one after another. Malik can’t convince the world to sound the alarm, but he can at least protect his two young sons from global parasitic invasion — which might involve kidnapping them from the home of Malik’s estranged wife.
Written with Joe Barton (TIFF ’17 world premiere The Ritual), Pearce’s leap into large-scale filmmaking, with its nod to genre classics like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, brilliantly fuses dazzling spectacle with character-driven drama. Encounter’s visuals are by turns gorgeous and shocking. Its atmosphere of American heartland creepiness is both familiar and unnerving.
Yet the film ultimately rests on its performances. Oscar winner Octavia Spencer is masterful in a supporting role that prompts us to reconsider everything we’ve seen, while Ahmed cements his reputation as one of the most compelling actors working today. Whether playfully joshing with his boys, confronting far-right extremists, or defending himself against a human-insect hybrid, Ahmed imbues Malik’s every gesture with magnetism and mystery, leading up to a showdown that blurs the cosmic with the cognitive. -CAMERON BAILEY
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
United Kingdom, United States of America, 2021
English
108 minutes
Director
Michael Pearce
Cast
Riz Ahmed, Octavia Spencer, Rory Cochrane
Screenplay
Joe Barton, Michael Pearce
Publicist
Amazon Studios
The Guilty
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Antoine Fuqua’s thriller set over the course of a single morning in a 911 dispatch centre.
Versatile action auteur Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, screening at the Festival as part of TIFF Rewind) reunites with his Southpaw star Jake Gyllenhaal in this riveting film about an emergency responder’s desperate race to save a distressed caller. Unfolding in real time within the confines of a frenetic 911 dispatch centre, Fuqua’s The Guilty delivers on its high-concept premise, channelled through another powerhouse performance from Gyllenhaal.
As a wildfire rages towards Los Angeles, embittered police officer Joe Bayler (Gyllenhaal) winds down a chaotic but tedious shift answering emergency calls — a punitive demotion he received ahead of an imminent disciplinary hearing. His ennui is soon interrupted by a cryptic call from a woman (Riley Keough) who appears to be attempting to call her child, but is in fact discreetly reporting her own abduction. Working with the meagre clues she is able to provide, Joe throws all his skill and intuition towards ensuring her safety, but as the severity of the crime comes to light, Joe’s own psychological state begins to fray and he is forced to reconcile with demons of his own.
Every tense moment plays out on Gyllenhaal’s face, as he spars with a dynamic ensemble of voices in his headset, including those of Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard, and Paul Dano. Building off a script from True Detective creator-writer Nic Pizzolatto, Fuqua and cinematographer Maz Makhani crosscut the white-knuckle drama with a montage of monitors broadcasting the apocalyptic inferno outside; a surreal, but all too familiar reflection of our mad world. -CAMERON BAILEY
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
United States of America, 2021
English
90 minutes
Director
Antoine Fuqua
Cast
Jake Gyllenhaal, Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Eli Goree, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, David Castañeda, Paul Dano, Peter Sarsgaard
Screenplay
Nic Pizzolatto
Publicist
Netflix
Lakewood
Naomi Watts stars in Phillip Noyce’s nerve-rattling thriller about a mother struggling to rescue her son from a school shooter.
Amy Carr (Naomi Watts) is out for what should have been a restorative morning run when a friend calls with terrifying news: the local high school attended by Noah, her teenage son, has been besieged by an active shooter. Deep within a network of forest paths surrounding her home, miles from town and nearly overwhelmed by panic, Amy refuses to succumb to hopelessness. With her smartphone as her sole means of intervention, she will draw upon every resource she can think of to ensure that her son survives the attack.
Helmed by veteran director Phillip Noyce (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Dead Calm) and written by Chris Sparling, Lakewood plunges us headlong into a desperate scenario unfolding in real time. The film echoes Sparling’s acclaimed screenplay for Buried, a selection at TIFF 2010, in the sense that most of it unfolds as a one-person show, with Amy navigating the situation remotely. Yet Noyce’s film also functions as a tribute to the power of a community working together in the face of calamity, as Amy enlists the assistance of an auto-body shop manager, a 911 operator, a rideshare driver, and one of her co-workers at the Marion County Division of Taxation to help her take matters into her own hands.
It is rare to encounter a thriller like Lakewood, at once high-concept and heartfelt, exhilarating and poignant. It is also a showcase for Watts, who masterfully conveys a captivating fusion of impromptu heroism and maternal devotion. -DESCRIPTION COURTESY OF TIFF
GALA PRESENTATIONS
Canada, 2021
English
84 minutes
Director
Phillip Noyce
Cast
Naomi Watts
Screenplay
Chris Sparling
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
The Night House
Website: Searchlight Pictures
Synopsis: THE NIGHT HOUSE follows a widow (Rebecca Hall of GODZILLA VS. KONG) who begins to uncover her recently deceased husband’s disturbing secrets.
Release Date: Only in theaters August 20, 2021
Directed by: David Bruckner
Screenplay by: Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis Hall, Evan Jonigkeit, and Stacy Martin
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rated R
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Candyman
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: For as long as residents can remember, the housing projects of Chicago’s Cabrini Green neighborhood were terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand, easily summoned by those daring to repeat his name five times into a mirror. In present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, visual artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; HBO’s Watchmen, Us) and his girlfriend, gallery director Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris; If Beale Street Could Talk, The Photograph), move into a luxury loft condo in Cabrini, now gentrified beyond recognition and inhabited by upwardly mobile millennials.
With Anthony’s painting career on the brink of stalling, a chance encounter with a Cabrini Green old-timer (Colman Domingo; HBO’s Eurphoria, Assassination Nation) exposes Anthony to the tragically horrific nature of the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, Anthony begins to explore these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifyingly wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.
Release Date: In theaters August 27, 2021
Directed by: Nia DaCosta
Screenplay by: Jordan Peele & Win Rosenfeld and Nia DaCosta
Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colman Domingo
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Horror
Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
CODA
Website: Apple TV+
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the sole hearing member of a deaf family – a CODA, child of deaf adults. Her life revolves around acting as interpreter for her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur) and working on the family's struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant). But when Ruby joins her high school’s choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and soon finds herself drawn to her duet partner Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Encouraged by her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) to apply to a prestigious music school, Ruby finds herself torn between the obligations she feels to her family and the pursuit of her own dreams.
Release Date: Streaming via Apple TV+ on August 13, 2021
Directed by: Siân Heder
Screenplay by: Siân Heder
Starring: Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Amy Forsyth, and Kevin Chapman
Distributor: Apple TV+
Genre: Drama, Music
Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Gunpowder Milkshake
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Sam (KAREN GILLAN) was only 12 years old when her mother Scarlet (LENA HEADEY), an elite assassin, was forced to abandon her. Sam was raised by The Firm, the ruthless crime syndicate her mother worked for. Now, 15 years later, Sam has followed in her mother’s footsteps and grown into a fierce hit-woman. She uses her “talents” to clean up The Firm’s most dangerous messes. She’s as efficient as she is loyal. But when a high-risk job goes wrong, Sam must choose between serving The Firm and protecting the life of an innocent 8-year-old girl - Emily (CHLOE COLEMAN). With a target on her back, Sam has only one chance to survive: Reunite with her mother and her lethal associates, The Librarians (MICHELLE YEOH, ANGELA BASSETT and CARLA GUGINO). These three generations of women must now learn to trust each other, stand up to The Firm and their army of henchmen, and raise hell against those who could take everything from them.
Release Date: Available on Netflix July 14, 2021
Directed by: Navot Papushado
Screenplay by: Navot Papushado and Ehud Lavski
Starring: Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, Chloe Coleman, and Paul Giamatti
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Action
Running Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Rated R
TV SNEAK PEEK
Hit & Run
Website: Netflix
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Naked Singularity
Website: Screen Media
Synopsis: Naked Singularity tells the story of Casi (John Boyega), a promising young NYC public defender whose idealism is beginning to crack under the daily injustices of the very justice system he’s trying to make right. Doubting all he has worked for and seeing signs of the universe collapsing all around him, he is pulled into a dangerous high-stakes drug heist by an unpredictable former client (Olivia Cooke) to beat the broken system at its own game.
Release Date: In theaters August 6, 2021 and on demand August 13, 2021
Directed by: Chase Palmer
Screenplay by: Chase Palmer and David Matthews
Based on the novel “A Naked Singularity” by Sergio De La Pava
Starring: John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, Ed Skrein, Linda Lavin, and Tim Blake Nelson
Distributor: Screen Media Films
Genre: Crime
Running Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
The White Lotus
Website: HBO
The Beast Must Die
Website: AMC
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Website: Starz
TV SERIES FINALES
Good Girls
Website: NBC
Mr Inbetween
Website: FX
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Old
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: This summer, visionary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan unveils a chilling, mysterious new thriller about a family on a tropical holiday who discover that the secluded beach where they are relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly … reducing their entire lives into a single day.
Release Date: In theaters July 23, 2021
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Screenplay by: M. Night Shyamalan
Based on the graphic novel “Sandcastle” by Pierre Oscar Lévy and Frederik Peeters
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff, Thomasin McKenzie, Abbey Lee, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Ken Leung, Eliza Scanlen, Aaron Pierre, Embeth Davidtz, and Emun Elliott
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
Rated PG-13
Jolt
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: Lindy is a beautiful, sardonically-funny woman with a painful secret: Due to a lifelong, rare neurological disorder, she experiences sporadic rage-filled, murderous impulses that can only be stopped when she shocks herself with a special electrode device. Unable to find love and connection in a world that fears her bizarre condition, she finally trusts a man long enough to fall in love, only to find him murdered the next day. Heartbroken and enraged, she embarks on a revenge-filled mission to find his killer, while also being pursued by the police as the crime’s prime suspect.
Release Date: Available on Prime Video July 23, 2021
Directed by: Tanya Wexler
Screenplay by: Scott Wascha
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Bobby Cannavale, Jai Courtney, Laverne Cox, David Bradley, Ori Pfeffer, with Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci
Distributor: Amazon Prime Video
Genre: Action, Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Rated R
TV SNEAK PEEK
Ted Lasso
Website: Apple TV+
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON FINALE
Loki
Website: Disney+
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
A Quiet Place Part II
Website: Paramount+
Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path in this terrifyingly suspenseful thriller written and directed by John Krasinski.
Release Date: In theaters May 28, 2021 and on Paramount+ July 13, 2021
Directed by: John Krasinski
Screenplay by: John Krasinski
Based on characters by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Djimon Hounsou, and John Krasinski
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rated PG-13
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Joe Bell
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: From filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green (MONSTERS AND MEN; upcoming KING RICHARD), along with the Academy Award-winning writing team behind BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (Diana Ossana & Larry McMurtry) and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg, JOE BELL tells the intimate and emotional true story of an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son Jadin, embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.
Release Date: In theaters July 23, 2021
Directed by: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Screenplay by: Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Connie Britton, Reid Miller, Gary Sinise
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Genre: Biography, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Rated R
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV REBOOT
Gossip Girl
Website: HBO Max
TV SEASON PREMIERE
Grown-ish
Website: Freeform
TV SNEAK PEEK
Schmigadoon!
Website: Apple TV+
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Pig
Website: Neon
Synopsis: A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.
Release Date: In theaters July 16, 2021
Directed by: Michael Sarnoski
Screenplay by: Michael Sarnoski
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, and Adam Arkin
Distributor: Neon
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Rated R
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
No Sudden Move
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Set in 1954 Detroit, NO SUDDEN MOVE centers on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong, their search for who hired them – and for what ultimate purpose – weaves them through all echelons of the race-torn, rapidly changing city.
Release Date: Available on HBO Max July 1, 2021
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay by: Ed Solomon
Starring: Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Jon Hamm, Amy Seimetz, Brendan Fraser, Kieran Culkin, Noah Jupe, Craig muMs Grant, Julia Fox, and Frankie Shaw, with Ray Liotta and Bill Duke
Distributor: HBO Max
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rated R
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOKS
Infinite
Website: Paramount+
Synopsis: For Evan McCauley (Mark Wahlberg), skills he has never learned and memories of places he has never visited haunt his daily life. Self-medicated and on the brink of a mental breakdown, Evan is sought by a secret group that call themselves "Infinites," revealing to him that his memories may be real – but they are from multiple past lives.
Release Date: Exclusively on Paramount+ Thursday, June 10, 2021
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Screenplay by: Ian Shorr
Story by: Todd Stein
Based on the book “The Reincarnationist Papers” by D. Eric Maikranz
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Cookson, Dylan O’Brien, Jason Mantzoukas, Rupert Friend, and Toby Jones
Distributor: Paramount+
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Rated PG-13
The Ice Road
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: After a remote diamond mine collapses in far northern Canada, a ‘big-rig’ ice road driver (Liam Neeson) must lead an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the trapped miners. Contending with thawing waters and a massive storm, they discover the real threat is one they never saw coming.
Release Date: Available on Netflix Friday, June 25, 2021
Directed by: Jonathan Hensleigh
Screenplay by: Jonathan Hensleigh
Starring: Liam Neeson, Laurence Fishburne, Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, and Marcus Thomas
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
The Tomorrow War
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: The world is stunned when a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: Thirty years in the future mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight. Among those recruited is high school teacher and family man Dan Forester (Chris Pratt). Determined to save the world for his young daughter, Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist (Yvonne Strahovski) and his estranged father (J.K. Simmons) in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet.
Release Date: Available on Amazon Prime July 2, 2021
Directed by: Chris McKay
Screenplay by: Zach Dean
Starring: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Edwin Hodge, Jasmine Mathews, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and Keith Powers
Distributor: Prime Video
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Rated PG-13
The Forever Purge
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: Vaulting from the record-shattering success of 2018’s The First Purge, Blumhouse’s infamous terror franchise hurtles into innovative new territory as members of an underground movement, no longer satisfied with one annual night of anarchy and murder, decide to overtake America through an unending campaign of mayhem and massacre. No one is safe.
Adela (Ana de la Reguera, Cowboys & Aliens) and her husband Juan (Tenoch Huerta, Days of Grace) live in Texas, where Juan is working as a ranch hand for the wealthy Tucker family. Juan impresses the Tucker patriarch, Caleb (Will Patton, Halloween), but that fuels the jealous anger of Caleb’s son, Dylan (Josh Lucas, Ford v Ferrari).
On the morning after The Purge, a masked gang of killers attacks the Tucker family—including Dylan’s wife (Cassidy Freeman, HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones), and his sister (Leven Rambin, The Hunger Games), forcing both families to band together and fight back as the country spirals into chaos and the United States begins to disintegrate around them.
Release Date: In theaters Friday, July 2, 2021
Directed by: Everardo Gout
Screenplay by: James DeMonaco
Starring: Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Cassidy Freeman, Leven Rambin, Alejandro Edda, and Will Patton
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Action, Horror
Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERE
Kevin Can Fk Himself**
Website: AMC
SEASON PREMIERES
Evil
Website: Paramount+
The Good Fight
Website: Paramount+
A Discovery of Witches
Website: AMC
SEASON FINALE
The Girlfriend Experience
Website: Starz
CHECK-IN
Loki
Website: Disney+
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEK
I Carry You With Me
Website: Sony Pictures Classics
Synopsis: Based on true love, this decades spanning romance begins in Mexico between an aspiring chef and a teacher. Their lives restart in incredible ways as societal pressure propels the couple to embark on a treacherous journey to New York with dreams, hopes, and memories in tow.
Release Date: Opens Friday, June 25, 2021 in NY and LA (with a national rollout throughout July)
Directed by: Heidi Ewing
Screenplay by: Heidi Ewing and Alan Page Arriaga
Starring: Armando Espitia, Christian Vázquez, Michelle Rodríguez, Ángeles Cruz, Raúl Briones, and Arcelia Ramírez
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Rated R
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2021 WRAP-UP
Featured Narrative Films:
No Man of God
Website: Tribeca
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: It was a radical new approach to criminal investigations: “profiling.” Through one-on-one discussions with serial offenders, FBI researchers could go much more in-depth. FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier (Elijah Wood), emboldened by this new philosophy, sat down with famed serial killer Ted Bundy (Luke Kirby) for several interviews from 1984-1989 inside Florida State Prison, in hopes of figuring out why Bundy murdered more than 20 victims. What started out as a straightforward informational assignment gradually turned personal for Hagmaier, whose feelings about his charismatic subject grew more complicated with each conversation. Is it possible to empathize with evil?
Studies of Ted Bundy’s life and crimes have been in vogue lately, but this two-character study from director Amber Sealey is the most sober and psychologically intricate look at the killer’s story yet. With a pair of dynamic performances at its center, particularly that of an exceptional Kirby as Bundy, No Man of God is riveting in its intimate chamber piece structure. Sealey and company, including writer Kit Lesser, who based the screenplay on real-life transcripts, don’t glamourize the oft-romanticized Bundy; instead, No Man of God deftly balances emotional complexity and clear-eyed truthfulness. —Matt Barone
Release Date: In theaters and available on demand and digital August 27, 2021
Directed by: Amber Sealey
Screenplay by: Kit Lesser
Starring: Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino, and Robert Patrick
Distributed by: RLJE Films
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Not Rated
India Sweets and Spices
Website: Tribeca
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: On her summer break from college, outspoken Indian American freshman Alia returns home to her wealthy New Jersey suburb and for the first time pushes back against her parents' pretentious lifestyle. After a year at UCLA, she’s eager to trade in the family’s lavish Saturday-night dinner parties and the gossiping “aunties” of her community for a more meaningful existence—even if she doesn’t quite know what that looks like yet. When Alia meets Varun (Rish Shah), the handsome son of local shopkeepers, she impulsively invites him to her straitlaced mother’s upcoming extravagant soiree, and accidentally uncovers a pair of family secrets in the process. In this fresh take on the classic coming of age story, writer-director Geeta Malik brings a tongue in cheek sense of humor and an acute understanding of class privilege to an award winning script. And actress Sophia Ali delivers a charming performance as the rebellious leading lady who confronts her parents’ values in order to understand her own evolving identity. —Lucy Mukerjee
No release date yet
Directed by: Geeta Malik
Screenplay by: Geeta Malik
Starring: Sophia Ali, Manisha Koirala, Adil Hussain, Deepti Gupta, Rish Shah, and Ved Sapru
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
12 Mighty Orphans
Website: Official Site
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: 12 Mighty Orphans tells the true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, went from playing without shoes—or even a football—to playing for the Texas state championships. Over the course of their winning season these underdogs and their resilient spirit became an inspiration to their city, state, and an entire nation in need of a rebound, even catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The architect of their success was Rusty Russell, a legendary high school coach who shocked his colleagues by giving up a privileged position so he could teach and coach at an orphanage. Few knew Rusty's secret: that he himself was an orphan. Recognizing that his scrawny players couldn't beat the other teams with brawn, Rusty developed innovative strategies that would come to define modern football.
Release Date: Opens in Texas Friday, June 11, 2021 and everywhere Friday, June 18, 2021
Directed by: Ty Roberts
Screenplay by: Ty Roberts, Lane Garrison, Kevin Meyer
Starring: Luke Wilson, Vinessa Shaw, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Wayne Knight, Jake Austin Walker, Lane Garrison, Levi Dylan, Jacob Lofland, Treat Williams, and Scott Haze
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Drama, History, Sports
Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Rated PG-13
Werewolves Within
Website: Official Site
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: Forest ranger Finn Wheeler (Veep’s Sam Richardson) is jazzed about his latest assignment: temporarily living inside The Beaverfield Inn, a cozy, woods-bound nook run by nice folks and frequented by Beaverfield’s colorful array of residents, for the duration of a new pipeline construction project. Little does he realize, his timing couldn’t be worse. For one, a major snowstorm is set to rid him and the inn’s occupants of communication with the outside world. And two, something is on the loose and brutally murdering Beaverfield’s denizens—perhaps something lycanthropic. As the body count rises, it’s up to Finn to play the reluctant hero and figure what, or who, is shrinking Beaverfield’s population.
Building on the horror-comedy fun of his 2020 debut, Scare Me (a Shudder Exclusive), director Josh Ruben expands both his storytelling scope and offbeat hilarity quotient with this delightfully macabre whodunit/monster movie, based on Ubisoft’s popular VR game of the same name. It’s also the perfect leading man vehicle for Richardson, whose lovable everyman charms complement a strong cast of TV comedy fan favorites, including AT&T commercial fixture Milana Vayntrub, Casual’s Michaela Watkins and What We Do in the Shadows’ Harvey Guillén. —Matt Barone
Release Date: Opens in theaters and drive-ins Friday, June 25, 2021; Everywhere you rent movies Friday, July 2, 2021
Directed by: Josh Ruben
Screenplay by: Mishna Wolff
Starring: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, Michaela Watkins, Cheyenne Jackson, Glenn Fleshler, and Harvey Guillén
Distributed by: IFC Films
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Mystery
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rated R
False Positive
Website: Hulu
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: After difficult struggles with fertility, loving couple Lucy (Ilana Glazer) and Adrian (Justin Theroux) seem to have finally found their potential savior in the charming and world-renowned reproductive specialist Dr. Hindle (Pierce Brosnan). But as their dreams begin to come true and hope transforms to happiness, cracks start to appear in the façade of normalcy, sending the now-expectant mother into a spiral of suspicion that threatens her grasp on reality. A clever and chilling look at gender roles and the notion of unconditional trust, False Positive delivers an unexpectedly twisted tale of modern family troubles. Boasting a solid ensemble cast, including a memorable turn from Gretchen Mol as Hindle’s loyal nurse, director John Lee has truly found a kindred spirit in leading lady and co-writer Glazer. Longtime collaborators on the acclaimed Broad City, the two have shifted gears entirely here, abandoning the jokes but maintaining the edge for this genre-bending thriller about the perils of parenthood. —Loren Hammonds
Release Date: Available on Hulu Friday, June 25, 2021
Directed by: John Lee
Screenplay by: John Lee and Ilana Glazer
Starring: Ilana Glazer, Justin Theroux, Gretchen Mol, Sophia Bush, Zainab Jah, and Pierce Brosnan
Distributed by: A24 and Hulu
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Rated R
Featured Documentaries:
Wolfgang
Website: Disney
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: From acclaimed filmmaker and Tribeca alum David Gelb (Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Chef’s Table) comes another mouthwatering delight of a film about one of the first “celebrity chefs” to rule the scene and a pioneer in the world of California cuisine, Wolfgang Puck. Pushing beyond the sunny, superstar persona, Gelb follows Puck as he revisits his birthplace in Austria, revealing an abusive childhood that pushed him to flee home and fight for a life of his own as a teenager. With Puck steadily gaining life confidence and cooking know-how in his homeland, France and, eventually, America, he would officially launch a storied career in Los Angeles with the opening of the celebrity hot spot of the 80s and 90s, Spago. Though Puck’s inventive cuisine has remained the core of his popularity, his charming, energetic persona is what pushed him to a stratosphere of fame that would eventually include countless TV appearances, cookbooks and restaurants that span the globe. Using a wealth of archival material and eye-dazzling cinematography of Puck’s truly mouth-watering food, Gelb expertly brings us into the kitchen—and the mind—of this obsessively hard-working and inspirational virtuoso. Be prepared to leave hungry. —Liza Domnitz
Release Date: Available on Disney+ Friday, June 25, 2021
Directed by: David Gelb
Written by: Brian McGinn
Featuring: Wolfgang Puck, Barbara Lazaroff, Byron Puck, Christina Puck, Nancy Silverton, Evan Funke, Ruth Reichl, Laurie Ochoa, and Michael Ovitz
Distributed by: Disney+
Genre: Biography, Documentary, Food
Running Time: 1 hour 18 minutes
The Lost Leonardo
Website: Sony Pictures Classics
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: In 2008, a few of the world’s most distinguished Leonardo Da Vinci experts gathered around an easel at the National Gallery in London to examine a mysterious painting–an unassuming Salvator Mundi (Latin for Savior of the World)–found in a shady New Orleans auction house, that a select few believed to be a long-forgotten masterwork by Leonardo Da Vinci. That day, Salvator Mundi was authenticated as being the creation of Da Vinci himself, and thus, one of the most beguiling and perplexing stories of the 21st century was set into motion.
Unfolding as a gripping, real-life art thriller, The Lost Leonardo pulls back the curtain to uncover the stranger than fiction story behind how a Salvator Mundi painting went from bargain-basement replication to setting the world record as the most expensive painting ever sold at auction, weighing in at an astonishing $450 million. Director Andreas Keofoed positions this story squarely at the intersection of capitalism and myth-making, posing the question: is this multi-million dollar painting actually by Leonardo, or do certain powerful players simply want it to be? The Lost Leonardo detangles how a painting became a pawn in a geopolitical game played by the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people, ultimately revealing how vested interests became all-important, and the truth secondary. —Shayna Weingast
Release Date: Opens NY & LA Friday, August 13, 2021
Directed by: Andreas Koefoed
Written by: Duska Zagorac, Andreas Dalsgaard, Mark Monroe, Christian Kirk Muff, and Andreas Koefoed
Featuring: Dianne Modestini, Yves Bouvier, Evan Beard, Robert Simon, Alexander Parish, Warren Adelson, Luke Syson, Martin Kemp, Frank Zöllner, Maria Teresa Fiorio, Jacques Franck, Kenny Schachter, Bruce Lamarche, Jerry Saltz, Robert K Wittman, Alexandra Bregman, Georgina Adam, Alison Cole, Bradley Hope, Doug Patteson, Stephane Lacroix, Antoine Harari, Didier Rykner, David D. Kirkpatrick, and Bernd Lindemann
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Art, Documentary
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James
Website: Tribeca
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: This profile of legendary funk/R&B icon Rick James captures the peaks and valleys of his storied career to reveal a complicated and rebellious soul, driven to share his talent with the world. Known for his unapologetic and charismatic stage presence, James has been celebrated for his massive catalog of such hit songs as "Mary Jane" and "Superfreak." In this definitive portrait, acclaimed filmmaker Sacha Jenkins examines the brain beneath the braids, charting his soaring artistic success and eventual personal decline. Sexuality, race, and the tumultuous stew of American culture all contributed to the transformation of the songwriter born as James Ambrose Johnson into the larger-than-life performer forever known as Rick James. Against a soundtrack that compels you to get out of your seat from the opening moments, Jenkins approaches his subject not with reverence, but instead with indisputable care as he delves into the circumstances that birthed this one-of-a-kind personality. Surprising and enlightening, Jenkins’ film still pulls no punches with its exploration of James’ tragic obsessions. Comprised of rare archival performances, animation, interviews with family and collaborators and recorded conversations with James himself, this crowd-pleasing film proves the impact that this undeniable force had on American music and popular culture. —Loren Hammonds
*Part of the Juneteenth programming
Coming soon to Showtime
Directed by: Sacha Jenkins
Written by: Sacha Jenkins, Steve Rivo, and Jason Pollard
Distributed by: Showtime Networks
Genre: Documentary, Music
Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOKS
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” reveals a chilling story of terror, murder, and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Release Date: Available on HBO Max for 31 days and in theaters Friday, June 4, 2021
Directed by: Michael Chaves
Screenplay by: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Story by: James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Based on characters created by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ruairi O’Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, Julian Hilliard, John Noble, Eugenie Bondurant, Shannon Kook, Ronnie Gene Blevins, and Keith Arthur Bolden
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Rated R
In the Heights
Website: Warner Bros.
Tribeca Film Festival Synopsis: It’s the hottest day of the summer in Washington Heights, NYC. Bodega owner Usnavi dreams of opening a bar in the Dominican Republic, while also pining for aspiring designer Vanessa. His best friend Benny hopes to reconnect with Nina, his ex home for the summer from Stanford. Above it all, Abuela Claudia keeps a watchful eye over the intersecting stories of the rapidly changing neighborhood’s many residents.
Jon Chu’s hotly anticipated adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award®-winning musical is a visual and musical celebration of community, a treat for lovers of Broadway showstoppers and sticky New York summers. In the Heights is the story of a community on the brink of change, but looking fearlessly towards the future. As we too look toward the future—of moviemaking and moviegoing, of NYC itself—we are proud to open the Festival with this joyful cinematic tribute to the city we call home. —Cara Cusumano
Release Date: Available on HBO Max for 31 days and in theaters Thursday, June 10, 2021
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Screenplay by: Quiara Alegría Hudes
Starring: Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Corey Hawkins, Olga Merediz, and Jimmy Smits
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical
Running Time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
We Are Lady Parts
Website: Peacock
Blindspotting
Website: Starz
Loki
Website: Disney+
SEASON PREMIERES
Love, Victor
Website: Hulu
Summertime
Website: Netflix
SEASON FINALES
The Equalizer
Website: CBS
Hacks
Website: HBO Max
SERIES FINALES
Pose
Website: FX
Queen of the South
Website: USA
Younger
Website: Paramount+
TV SNEAK PEEK: SERIES PREMIERE
Physical
Website: Apple TV+
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
WELCOME TO THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL OF 2021
Website: Tribeca
MOVIE FIRST LOOKS
Oslo
Website: HBO
Synopsis: Adapted from the Tony Award-winning play of the same name, OSLO is based on a true story of negotiations between implacable enemies that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords. Starring Golden Globe-winner Ruth Wilson (HBO’s His Dark Materials, Mrs. Wilson) as Mona Juul, a Norwegian foreign minister, and Emmy-nominee Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Black Mirror) as Terje Rød-Larsen, a Norwegian sociologist and Mona’s husband, the film details the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple.
Release Date: May 29, 2021
Directed by: Bartlett Sher
Screenplay by: J.T. Rogers
Adapted from J.T. Rogers’ Tony Award-winning play of the same name
Starring: Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott, Salim Daw, Waleed Zuaiter, Jeff Wilbusch, Igal Naor, Dov Glickman, Rotem Keinan, Itzik Cohen, Tobias Zilliacus, and Sasson Gabay
Distributor: HBO
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Rated TV-MA
Army of the Dead
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Release Date: May 21, 2021
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Screenplay by: Zack Snyder & Shay Hatten and Joby Harold
Story by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighofer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, along with Garret Dillahunt, Tig Notaro, Raul Castillo, Huma S. Qureshi, Samantha Win, Richard Cetrone, and Michael Cassidy
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Action, Crime, Horror
Running Time: 2 hours 28 minutes
Rated R
TV SNEAK PEEK: PART 2 PREMIERE
Lupin
Website: Netflix
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SEASON FINALE
Debris
Website: NBC
SEASON PREMIERES
Mr. Inbetween
Website: FX
Gomorrah
Website: HBO Max
LIMITED SERIES FINALE
Mare of Easttown
Website: HBO
SNEAK PEEKS: SERIES PREMIERES
Lisey’s Story
Website: Apple TV+
Sweet Tooth
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Cruella
Website: Disney
Synopsis: Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”) stars in Disney’s “Cruella,” an all-new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. “Cruella,” which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute, played by two-time Oscar® winner Emma Thompson (“Howards End,” “Sense & Sensibility”). But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.
Release Date: In select theaters and available on Disney+ with Premier Access on May 28, 2021
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Screenplay by: Dana Fox and Tony McNamara
Story by: Aline Brosh McKenna and Kelly Marcel & Steve Zissis
Based on the novel “The One Hundred and One Dalmations” by Dodie Smith
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Mark Strong
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Running Time: 2 hours 14 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERES
Girls5eva
Website: Peacock
Hacks
Website: HBO Max
Intergalactic
Website: Peacock
Halston
Website: Netflix
TV SEASON PREMIERES
Pose
Website: FX
Shrill
Website: Hulu
TV SEASON FINALE
Young Sheldon
Website: CBS
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOKS
The Woman in the Window
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is an agoraphobic child psychologist who finds herself keeping tabs on the picture perfect family across the street through the windows of her New York City brownstone. Her life is turned upside down when she inadvertently witnesses a brutal crime. Based on the gripping, best-selling novel adapted by Tracy Letts, shocking secrets are revealed and nothing and no one are what they seem.
Release Date: Available on Netflix Friday, May 14, 2021
Directed by: Joe Wright
Screenplay by: Tracy Letts
Based on the novel of the same name by A.J. Finn
Starring: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, Tracy Letts, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Julianne Moore
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Rated R
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Jolie stars as Hannah, a smokejumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire. She takes a sort of comfort in the pain she inflicts on herself, whether it’s a showy stunt that knocks her on her ass or the self-imposed solitary confinement of her watchtower high above the Montana wilderness. However, when Connor arrives in her remote territory — a skittish young boy who appears bloodied and traumatized — they must set out together to cross the miles of thick forest. Braving deadly lightning storms that threaten even Hannah’s well-honed survival skills, they are unaware of the real dangers they face: two relentless killers hunting Connor from one direction, and a massive fiery blaze coming straight for them, quickly consuming everything in their path. Caught dead center between two evils, can Hannah keep them alive long enough to save Connor and ultimately set herself free?
Release Date: In theaters and available via HBO Max for 31 days starting on Friday, May 14, 2021
Directed by: Taylor Sheridan
Screenplay by: Michael Koryta, Charles Leavitt, and Taylor Sheridan
Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Koryta
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult, Finn Little, Aidan Gillen, Medina Senghore, Tyler Perry, Jake Weber, and Jon Bernthal
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEK
The Underground Railroad
Website: Prime Video
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Georgetown
Synopsis: In this thrilling true crime story filled with twists, turns, and political turmoil, Christoph Waltz stars as Ulrich Mott, an eccentric and smooth-talking social climber who seems to have everyone in Washington, D.C. wrapped around his finger. But when his wealthy, well-connected and much older wife (Vanessa Redgrave) turns up dead in their home, her daughter Amanda (Annette Bening) suspects Ulrich may not be all that he seems as the police investigation begins to uncover a larger deception that goes far deeper than anyone ever imagined.
Release Date: In select theaters May 14, 2021; available on digital and on demand May 18, 2021
Directed by: Christoph Waltz
Screenplay by: David Auburn
Starring: Christoph Waltz, Vanessa Redgrave, and Annette Bening
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Rated R
The Killing of Two Lovers
Website: Neon
Synopsis: “The Killing of Two Lovers” follows David, who desperately tries to keep his family of six together during a separation from his wife, Nikki. They both agree to see other people but David struggles to grapple with his wife's new relationship.
Release Date: In theaters and on demand May 14, 2021
Directed by: Robert Machoian
Screenplay by: Robert Machoian
Starring: Clayne Crawford, Sepideh Moafi, and Chris Coy
Distributor: Neon
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SERIES PREMIERE
Mare of Easttown
Website: HBO
TV SNEAK PEEK
Jupiter’s Legacy
Website: Netflix
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Stowaway
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: In the near-future, a time when humankind is reaching for the stars, the Kingfisher rocket blasts off from Earth, propelling Hyperion’s MTS-42 for yet-another manned mission to Mars. Leading the team is MARINA BARNETT (Toni Colette), the ship’s commander, on her third and final mission to the colony on the red planet. Joining her is medical researcher ZOE LEVENSON (Anna Kendrick) and biologist DAVID KIM (Daniel Dae Kim), accomplished academics chosen from thousands of applicants who have rigorously trained for a journey that will see them spend two years away from their loved ones. In the course of their safety checks after docking with a miniature space station, Barnett makes a startling discovery: a stowaway. The man MICHAEL ADAMS (Shamier Anderson) is unconscious, his harness wrapped around a pipe attached to the CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) – Life Support. Damaging both Barnett’s forearm and the pipe the situation becomes an emergency. When Adams awakens to realize his circumstances — his sister Ava, who he looks after, is back on Earth alone, and there is not enough fuel to turn back — he gradually accepts the situation and joins the crew in what becomes a fight for their lives.
Release Date: Available via Netflix on April 22, 2021
Directed by: Joe Penna
Screenplay by: Joe Penna and Ryan Morrison
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Rated TV-MA
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
The Water Man
Synopsis: Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) and his mother (Rosario Dawson) share a special bond. She supports his daydreaming and artistic pursuits, while his frequently-on-the-road father, Amos (Oyelowo), with whom Gunner shares a strained relationship, has other ideas about where his son’s interests should lie. Gunner and his dad attempt to smooth over their differences for the sake of the family, but when his mom’s sickness worsens, Gunner disappears into stacks of books on both science and the supernatural in search of possible cures. When Gunner and his rebellious friend Jo (Amiah Miller) go missing during their quest into the Water Man’s mysterious forest, Amos must immerse himself in his son’s world to find them and put his family back together.
Release Date: In theaters and via premium VOD on May 7, 2021
Directed by: David Oyelowo
Screenplay by: Emma Needell
Starring: David Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller, Alfred Molina, and Maria Bello
Distributor: RLJE Films
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Rated PG
Pink Skies Ahead
Website: MTV VMAs
Synopsis: Los Angeles, 1998. After dropping out of college and moving back home to live with her parents, Winona is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Skeptical of her doctor’s opinion — she hasn’t had a panic attack after all — Winona carries on with her wild lifestyle. Only when things begin to truly unravel around her, does she reluctantly decide to see a therapist and face her truths.
Release Date: Saturday, May 8, 2021 on MTV and Pop TV as part of MTV’s Mental Health Is Health initiative
Directed by: Kelly Oxford
Screenplay by: Kelly Oxford
Starring: Jessica Barden, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael McKean, Rosa Salazar, Lewis Pullman, Devon Bostick, Odeya Rush, Evan Ross, Henry Winkler, and Mary J. Blige
Distributor: MTV
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rated TV-14
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEKS
The Mosquito Coast
Website: Apple TV+
The Girlfriend Experience
Website: Starz
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
The Outside Story
Website: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Synopsis: Brian Tyree Henry takes on his first big screen lead role as Charles Young, a broken-hearted video editor. Perceiving a betrayal of trust as a sign his girlfriend Isha (Sonequa Martin-Green) is leaving him, Charles preemptively blows up his relationship and sequesters himself at home. The fates do not comply, and Charles locks himself out of his apartment. Stumbling into a transformational, timely odyssey as he explores his community, Charles meets a dynamic ensemble of previously avoided neighbors (including Sunita Mani, Olivia Edward, and Asia Kate Dillon) who show him everyone's got issues, and it never helps to keep them all locked up.
Release Date: Available on digital and on demand April 30, 2021
Directed by: Casimir Nozkowski
Screenplay by: Casimir Nozkowski
Starring: Brian Tyree Henry, Sunita Mani, Sonequa Martin-Green, Olivia Edward, Asia Kate Dillon, and Rebecca Naomi Jones
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Not Rated
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy's Without Remorse, the explosive origin story of action hero John Clark – one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly's mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.
Release Date: Available on Prime Video Friday, April 30, 2021
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Screenplay by: Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren London, Brett Gelman, Jacob Scipio, Jack Kesy, Colman Domingo, Todd Lassance, Cam Gigandet, Luke Mitchell, and Guy Pearce
Distributor: Amazon Prime Video
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Rated R
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MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Mortal Kombat
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Why has Outworld's emperor sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, to hunt down MMA fighter Cole Young? In search of answers, Cole finds his way to the temple of Lord Raiden and begins unlocking the secrets of his heritage. As Outworld’s threat to Earthrealm grows, Cole joins warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Kano in a high-stakes battle for the soul of the universe.
Release Date: In theaters April 23, 2021 and available on HBO Max through May 23, 2021
Directed by: Simon McQuoid
Screenplay by: Greg Russo and Dave Callaham
Story by: Oren Uziel and Greg Russo
Starring: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Rated R
TV FINALE
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Website: Disney+
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Our Reaction to the 93rd Annual Academy Awards
Website: Nominees and Winners
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Trigger Point
Website: Screen Media
Synopsis: Nicolas Brazer is a retired U.S. special operative who worked in the darkest shadows of the government, part of an elite “invisible” team that quietly took out some of the worst villains around the world. After being blamed for the exposure, and ultimately the assassination, of several members of his own team, Nicolas disappeared into a life of solitude and indignity. Now, two years removed, he is reluctantly drawn back into this dangerous world – with both enemies and supposed friends coming after him – to not only clear his name, but to prevent the killing of a new generation of noble operatives.
Release Date: In theaters Friday, April 16, 2021 and available on demand Friday, April 23, 2021
Directed by: Brad Turner
Screenplay by: Michael Vickerson
Starring: Barry Pepper, Colm Feore, Laura Vandervoort, Eve Harlow, Jayne Eastwood, and Karen Robinson
Distributor: Screen Media
Genre: Action, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
Not Rated
Limbo
Website: Focus Features
Synopsis: Recently nominated for two BAFTA® awards for Best British Film and Best Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, LIMBO is a wry and poignant observation of the refugee experience, set on a fictional remote Scottish island where a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. It centers on Omar, a young Syrian musician who is burdened by his grandfather's oud, which he has carried all the way from his homeland. Reflecting the complexity of the movement of people across borders has been a long-held passion for director and writer Ben Sharrock, who spent time working for an NGO in refugee camps in southern Algeria and living in Damascus in 2009 shortly before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. There, he formed a network of friends whose personal stories inspired the film.
Release Date: In theaters Friday, April 30, 2021
Directed by: Ben Sharrock
Screenplay by: Ben Sharrock
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi, Kwabena Ansah,
Sidse Babett Knudsen, and Kais Nashif
Distributor: Focus Features
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 44 minutes
Rated R
Together Together
Website: Bleecker Street
Synopsis: When young loner Anna is hired as the gestational surrogate for Matt, a single man in his 40s who wants a child, the two strangers come to realize this unexpected relationship will quickly challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love.
Release Date: In select theaters Friday, April 23, 2021 and available on digital Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Directed by: Nikole Beckwith
Screenplay by: Nikole Beckwith
Starring: Patti Harrison and Ed Helms
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rated R
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Atlantic Crossing
Website: PBS
Gangs of London
Website: AMC
Kung Fu
Website: CW
The Nevers
Website: HBO
SEASON PREMIERES
Queen of the South
Website: USA
Younger
Website: Paramount+
SERIES FINALE
Shameless
Website: Showtime
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Shadow and Bone
Website: Netflix
For All Mankind Season Finale
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
CHECK-INS
Superman & Lois
Follow the world's most famous super hero and comic books' most famous journalist as they deal with all the stress, pressures, and complexities that come with being working parents in today's society.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Following the events of 'Avengers: Endgame,' Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities -- and their patience.
SEASON FINALE
Resident Alien
SERIES FINALE
Beartown
TV SNEAK PEEK
Them
A limited anthology series that explores terror in America. The first season, 1950s-set "Covenant" centers around a Black family who move from North Carolina to an all-white Los Angeles neighborhood during the period known as The Great Migration. The family's idyllic home becomes ground zero where malevolent forces, next door and otherworldly, threaten to taunt, ravage and destroy them.
In the Earth
Synopsis: As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.
Release Date: In theaters Friday, April 16
Directed by: Ben Wheatley
Screenplay by: Ben Wheatley
Starring: Joel Fry, Reece Shearsmith, Hayley Squires
Distributor: Neon
Genre: Horror
Running Time: 107 minutes
Rated R
Concrete Cowboy
Synopsis: The film is about a 15-year-old boy from Detroit who is sent to live with his estranged father in Philadelphia and learns about the local urban cowboys. The main source of conflict revolves around his old friend, Smush, and Smush's efforts to undermine the local drug dealer. As the movie progresses it addresses the threat of the gentrification of the stables.
Release Date: September 13, 2020(TIFF), April 2, 2021 (United States)
Directed by: Ricky Staub
Screenplay by: Ricky Staub, Dan Walser
Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers, Lorraine Toussaint, Clifford "Method Man" Smith
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Adventure
Running Time: 111 minutes
Rated R
Godzilla vs. Kong
Synopsis: The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another - the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong - with humanity caught in the balance.
Release Date: March 31, 2021
Directed by: Adam Wingard
Screenplay by: Eric Pearson, Max Borenstein
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 67:09
Rated PG-13
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Made for Love
Website: HBO Max
The Serpent
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERE
GENERA+ION
Website: HBO Max
SEASON PREMIERES
Good Girls
Website: NBC
Bulletproof
Website: CW
SEASON FINALES
Grown-ish
Website: Freeform
The Investigation
Website: HBO
TV SNEAK PEEK
Who Killed Sara?
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEK
Nobody
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: Sometimes the man you don't notice is the most dangerous of all.
Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life's indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody.
When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen), seems to pull only further away.
The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch's long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (famed Russian actor Aleksey Serebryakov) — and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again.
Nobody is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ilya Naishuller, from a script by Derek Kolstad, the narrative architect of the John Wick franchise, and co-stars legendary Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd as Hutch's father and multi-hyphenate musician-actor RZA as Hutch's brother, whose own hidden talents aid Hutch in his quest for vengeance.
Release Date: In theaters Friday, March 26, 2021
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Screenplay by: Derek Kolstad
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Aleksey Serebryakov, and Christopher Lloyd
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Rated R
FIRST LOOK
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Batman and Wonder Woman enlist a team capable of protecting the world from the impending threat of Steppenwolf and his Parademon army, who are scouring the universe for three hidden Mother Boxes that would enable Steppenwolf to transcend worlds, lay waste to all enemies, and restore his good standing with his master, Darkseid. Though most of Batman and Wonder Woman’s initial efforts are met with resistance, they ultimately recruit Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash. But in order to help preserve the future of mankind, first they must each overcome their own demons.
After Steppenwolf secures two of the boxes buried deep within Themyscira and Atlantis, the superheroes are forced to take advantage of Cyborg’s unique connection to the one remaining. Harnessing the box’s capabilities to resurrect a final team member, they inadvertently provide Steppenwolf with an opportunity to obtain it – setting him up for imminent domination. With DeSaad and Darkseid waiting in the wings and posing catastrophic threats of their own, can this unique band of heroes dismantle the Mother Boxes before Steppenwolf’s synchronization is complete?
An epic, unabridged, and wildly different cut that will more than satisfy the fans who championed its release, “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” offers a bounty of extended fight scenes; deeper dives into character history – including a brand-new backstory for Victor Stone, his father, and Star Labs, which ties directly into one of the Mother Boxes; expanded roles for Steppenwolf, Lois Lane, and Martha Kent; two additional forces of evil; and so much more.
Release Date: March 18, 2021
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Screenplay by: Chris Terrio
Story by: Zack Snyder, Chris Terrio, and Will Beall
Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, and many more
Distributor: HBO Max
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Running Time: 4 hours 2 minutes
Rated R
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Featured Films and TV shows listed in SXSW premiere order:
Women Is Losers
[Narrative Feature Competition]
Synopsis: In 1960’s San Francisco, a once-promising catholic school girl, Celina Guerrera (Lorenza Izzo), sets out to rise above the oppression of poverty and invest in a future for herself and her son that sets new precedents for the time.
Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Bryan Craig, Chrissie Fit, Simu Liu, Steven Bauer, Liza Weil, Cranston Johnson, Alejandra Miranda, Shalim Ortiz, and Lincoln Bonilla
Director: Lissette Feliciano
Screenwriter: Lissette Feliciano
Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #womenislosersmovie
Ludi
[Narrative Spotlight]
Synopsis: Ludi, a hardworking and exhausted nurse, battles coworkers, clients and one impatient bus driver to learn her self worth as she chases the American Dream in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood.
Cast: Shein Mompremier, Alan Myles Heyman, Madelin Marchant, Success St. Fleur Jr., Kerline Alce, Plus Pierre, Patrice DeGraff Arenas, and Farah Larrieux
Director: Edson Jean
Screenwriters: Edson Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste
Runtime: 1 hour 19 minutes
Premiere Status: Texas Premiere
This film has not been rated. #LudiFilm
R#J
[Festival Favorites]
Synopsis: A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, featuring a diverse cast in the classic Shakespearean roles. This modern day take is told on mobile and is a mashup of Shakespearean dialogue with current social media communication.
Cast: Camaron Engels, Francesca Noel, RJ Cyler, Diego Tinoco, Russell Hornsby, and Siddiq Saunderson
Director: Carey Williams
Screenwriters: Carey Williams and Rickie Castaneda
Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
Premiere Status: Texas Premiere
This film has not been rated.
Made for Love
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: Based on Alissa Nutting’s tragicomic novel, Made for Love is a dark, absurd and cynically poignant story of divorce and revenge following Hazel Green (Cristin Milioti), a thirty-something woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage.
Cast: Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl, Noma Dumezweni, Augusto Aguilera, Caleb Foote, and Ray Romano
Showrunner: Christina Lee
Director: Christina Lee
Runtime: 27 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
MadeForLove
Here Before
[Narrative Feature Competition]
Synopsis: After new neighbours move in next door, a bereaved mother begins to question her reality in this unsettling psychological thriller.
Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Martin McCann, Jonjo O’Neill, and Eileen O’Higgins
Director: Stacey Gregg
Screenwriter: Stacey Gregg
Runtime: 1 hour 23 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #HEREBEFORE
The Girlfriend Experience
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: Set in the London tech scene, Iris, a neuroscience major, begins to explore the transactional world of The Girlfriend Experience and quickly learns that client sessions provide her with a compelling edge in the tech world.
Cast: Julia Goldani Telles, Oliver Masucci, Frank Dillane, Daniel Betts, Armin Karima, Tobi Bamtefa, and Jemima Rooper
Showrunners: Anja Marquardt and Philip Fleishman
Director: Anja Marquardt
Executive Producer: Steven Soderbergh
Screenwriter: Anja Marquardt
Runtime: 1 hour
Premiere Status: World Premiere
Language Lessons
[Narrative Spotlight]
Synopsis: A Spanish teacher and her student develop an unexpected friendship.
Cast: Natalie Morales, Mark Duplass, Desean Terry, and Christine Quesada
Director: Natalie Morales
Screenwriters: Mark Duplass and Natalie Morales
Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes
Premiere Status: North American Premiere
This film has not been rated.
The Fallout
[Narrative Feature Competition]
Synopsis: High schooler Vada navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family, friends and view of the world are forever altered.
Cast: Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen, and Shailene Woodley
Director: Megan Park
Screenwriter: Megan Park
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #TheFallout
Witch Hunt
[2020 Spotlight]
Synopsis: In a modern America where witches are real and witchcraft is illegal, a sheltered teenager must face her own demons and prejudices as she helps two young witches avoid law enforcement and cross the southern border to asylum in Mexico.
Cast: Gideon Adlon, Elizabeth Mitchell, Abigail Cowen, Nicholas & Cameron Crovetti, and Christian Camargo
Director: Elle Callahan
Screenwriter: Elle Callahan
Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #witchhuntmovie
Violet
[2020 Spotlight]
Synopsis: A film development executive realizes that "guiding voice" inside her head has been lying to her about everything.
Cast: Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, and Justin Theroux
Director: Justine Bateman
Screenwriter: Justine Bateman
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #VIOLETthefilm
Them
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: 'Them' is a limited anthology series that explores terror in America.
Cast: Deborah Ayorinde, Ashley Thomas, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Melody Hurd, and Alison Pill
Showrunner: Little Marvin
Director: Nelson Cragg
Screenwriter: Little Marvin
Executive Producer: Lena Waithe
Co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
The Lost Sons
[Documentary Spotlight]
Synopsis: 1960s Chicago, a baby is kidnapped from a hospital. Fifteen months later, a toddler is abandoned. Could he be the same baby? In a tale of breathtaking twists and turns, two mysteries begin to unravel and dark family secrets are revealed.
Cast: Paul Fronczak
Director: Ursula Macfarlane
Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #thelostsons
Twyla Moves
[Visions]
Synopsis: Interwoven with her storied career and prolific works, Twyla Moves sees legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp navigate her latest creative challenge: choreographing a dance for a world plagued by the Covid-19 pandemic. An American Masters documentary.
Cast: Twyla Tharp, Mikhail Baryshnikov, David Byrne, Billy Joel, Herman Cornejo, Jesse Huot, and Misty Copeland
Director: Steven Cantor
Runtime: 1 hour 22 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEK
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Premiere Date: Friday, March 19, 2021
Website: Disney+
SXSW 2021 EVENT INFORMATION
SXSW is launching SXSW Online as part of our 2021 offerings. The digital experience will feature conference keynotes and sessions, screenings, showcases, networking, and exhibitions. The dates for SXSW EDU Online are March 9 – March 11, 2021 and SXSW Online will take place March 16 – March 20, 2021.
“The challenge of building a new future is one that we’re excited to tackle. This has been such a year of change and we, like the entire world, are reshaping our perspective on how we connect. We’re pleased to be working on SXSW Online as part of our program for 2021, and regardless of platform, we will continue to bring together the brightest minds from creative industries worldwide.” – Roland Swenson, CEO and Co-Founder
SXSW Online programming takes place in web, mobile, and Connected TV apps, XR environments, plus video networking and mentoring platforms. Content includes 24/7 streaming across five channels and on-demand Keynotes & Featured Sessions, Conference Sessions, Film Screenings, Music Showcases and Special Events.
FEATURED OFFERINGS
Listed in order of scheduled premiere:
Made for Love
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: Based on Alissa Nutting’s tragicomic novel, Made for Love is a dark, absurd and cynically poignant story of divorce and revenge following Hazel Green (Cristin Milioti), a thirty-something woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage.
Cast: Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl, Noma Dumezweni, Augusto Aguilera, Caleb Foote, and Ray Romano
Showrunner: Christina Lee
Director: Christina Lee
Runtime: 27 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
MadeForLove
Here Before
[Narrative Feature Competition]
Synopsis: After new neighbours move in next door, a bereaved mother begins to question her reality in this unsettling psychological thriller.
Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Martin McCann, Jonjo O’Neill, and Eileen O’Higgins
Director: Stacey Gregg
Screenwriter: Stacey Gregg
Runtime: 83 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #HEREBEFORE
The Girlfriend Experience
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: Set in the London tech scene, Iris, a neuroscience major, begins to explore the transactional world of The Girlfriend Experience and quickly learns that client sessions provide her with a compelling edge in the tech world.
Cast: Julia Goldani Telles, Oliver Masucci, Frank Dillane, Daniel Betts, Armin Karima, Tobi Bamtefa, and Jemima Rooper
Showrunners: Anja Marquardt and Philip Fleishman
Director: Anja Marquardt
Executive Producer: Steven Soderbergh
Runtime: 60 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
Language Lessons
[Narrative Spotlight]
Synopsis: A Spanish teacher and her student develop an unexpected friendship.
Cast: Natalie Morales, Mark Duplass, Desean Terry, and Christine Quesada
Director: Natalie Morales
Screenwriters: Mark Duplass and Natalie Morales
Runtime: 91 minutes
Premiere Status: North American Premiere
This film has not been rated.
Twyla Moves
[Visions]
Synopsis: Interwoven with her storied career and prolific works, Twyla Moves sees legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp navigate her latest creative challenge: choreographing a dance for a world plagued by the Covid-19 pandemic. An American Masters documentary.
Cast: Twyla Tharp, Mikhail Baryshnikov, David Byrne, Billy Joel, Herman Cornejo, Jesse Huot, and Misty Copeland
Director: Steven Cantor
Runtime: 82 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated.
The Fallout
[Narrative Feature Competition]
Synopsis: High schooler Vada navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family, friends and view of the world are forever altered.
Cast: Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen, and Shailene Woodley
Director: Megan Park
Screenwriter: Megan Park
Runtime: 92 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #TheFallout
Cruel Summer
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: From Exec Producer Jessica Biel, Freeform’s Cruel Summer is a psychological thriller taking place over three summers when a popular girl goes missing and an awkward outlier transforms to queen bee and eventually, the most despised person in America.
Cast: Olivia Holt, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee, and Brooklyn Sudano
Showrunner: Tia Napolitano
Directors: Tia Napolitano and Max Winkler
Executive Producer: Jessica Biel
Runtime: 45 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
Violet
[2020 Spotlight]
Synopsis: A film development executive realizes that "guiding voice" inside her head has been lying to her about everything.
Cast: Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, and Justin Theroux
Director: Justine Bateman
Screenwriter: Justine Bateman
Runtime: 92 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
This film has not been rated. #VIOLETthefilm
Them
[Episodic Premieres]
Synopsis: 'Them' is a limited anthology series that explores terror in America.
Cast: Deborah Ayorinde, Ashley Thomas, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Melody Hurd, and Alison Pill
Showrunner: Little Marvin
Directors: Little Marvin and Nelson Cragg
Screenwriter: Little Marvin
Executive Producers: Little Marvin and Lena Waithe
Co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios
Runtime: 102 minutes
Premiere Status: World Premiere
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEK
The Courier
Website: Roadside Attractions
Synopsis: THE COURIER is a true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. At the behest of the UK's MI-6 and a CIA operative (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide crucial intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Release Date: In theaters Friday, March 19, 2021
Directed by: Dominic Cooke
Screenplay by: Tom O’Connor
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan, and Jessie Buckley
Distributor: Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Rated PG-13
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Beartown
Website: HBO
Superman & Lois
Website: CW
Debris
Website: NBC
SERIES FINALE
WandaVision
Website: Disney+
SNEAK PEEK
Genius: Aretha
Website: National Geographic
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
Coming 2 America
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.
Release Date: Available on Prime Video March 5, 2021
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Screenplay by: Kenya Barris and Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield
Story by: Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield and Justin Kanew
Based on characters created by Eddie Murphy
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, and Shari Headley, with Wesley Snipes and James Earl Jones
Also starring: John Amos, Teyana Taylor, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Paul Bates, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Bella Murphy
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 44 minutes
Rated PG-13
Boss Level
Website: Hulu
Synopsis: From acclaimed filmmaker JOE CARNAHAN – writer-director of NARC, SMOKIN’ ACES and THE GREY – comes BOSS LEVEL, an action-drama like no other. Roy Pulver (FRANK GRILLO) has a helluva problem: Every morning, he’s slaughtered by assassins in different ways. Sometimes he’s shot, then blown up, or beheaded, or stabbed — then that days starts anew, on and on, for reasons he can’t figure out. A former Delta Force member, Roy needs to figure out why he’s stuck in this repeating loop in time and space, how he can save his ex-wife (NAOMI WATTS) and 11-year-old son, and what an evil military scientist named Ventor (MEL GIBSON) wants with something called “The Osiris Spindle.” By setting things right, Roy can become the best version of himself – if he can save himself from being killed again.
Release Date: Available on Hulu March 5, 2021
Directed by: Joe Carnahan
Screenplay by: Chris Borey, Eddie Borey, and Joe Carnahan
Story by: Chris Borey and Eddie Borey
Starring: Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, Naomi Watts, Annabelle Wallis, Ken Jeong, Will Sasso, Selina Lo, Meadow Williams, and Michelle Yeoh
Guest Starring: Rob Gronkowski, Rashad Evans, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
Distributor: Hulu
Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Rated TV-MA
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Movies Mentioned (in alphabetical order):
Da 5 Bloods
Website: Netflix
The Dig
Website: Netflix
Elizabeth Is Missing (TV Movie)
Website: PBS
Farewell Amor
Website: Official Site
The Father
Website: Sony Pictures Classics
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Website: Netflix
Hamilton (Stage Film)
Website: Disney+
Judas and the Black Messiah
Website: Warner Bros.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Website: Netflix
The Mauritanian
Website: Official Site
Minari
Website: A24
Miss Juneteenth
Website: BET
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Website: Focus Features
Nomadland
Website: Searchlight Pictures
One Night in Miami…
Website: Prime Video
Small Axe: A Collection of Five Films (TV)
Website: Prime Video
Soul (animated)
Website: Disney+
Sound of Metal
Website: Prime Video
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Website: Hulu
Wolfwalkers (animated)
Website: Apple TV+
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
GOLDEN GLOBES 2021 WINNERS AND NOMINEES:
TV NOMINEES AND WINNERS
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
John Boyega (“Small Axe”) WINNER
Brendan Gleeson (“The Comey Rule”)
Dan Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Jim Parsons (“Hollywood”)
Donald Sutherland (“The Undoing”)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Gillian Anderson (“The Crown”) WINNER
Helena Bonham Carter (“The Crown”)
Julia Garner (“Ozark”)
Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Cynthia Nixon (“Ratched”)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Bryan Cranston (“Your Honor”)
Jeff Daniels (“The Comey Rule”)
Hugh Grant (“The Undoing”)
Ethan Hawke (“The Good Lord Bird”)
Mark Ruffalo (“I Know This Much Is True”) WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Cate Blanchett (“Mrs. America”)
Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Normal People”)
Shira Haas (“Unorthodox”)
Nicole Kidman (“The Undoing”)
Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Queen’s Gambit”) WINNER
Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
“Normal People” (Hulu/BBC)
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix) WINNER
“Small Axe” (Amazon Studios/BBC)
“The Undoing” (HBO)
“Unorthodox” (Netflix)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Don Cheadle (“Black Monday”)
Nicholas Hoult (“The Great”)
Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Jason Sudeikis (“Ted Lasso”) WINNER
Ramy Youssef (“Ramy”)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Lily Collins (“Emily in Paris”)
Kaley Cuoco (“The Flight Attendant”)
Elle Fanning (“The Great”)
Jane Levy (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”)
Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”) WINNER
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
“Emily in Paris” (Netflix)
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
“The Great” (Hulu)
“Schitt’s Creek” (CBC) WINNER
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama
Olivia Colman (“The Crown”)
Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”)
Emma Corrin (“The Crown”) WINNER
Laura Linney (“Ozark”)
Sarah Paulson (“Ratched”)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Jason Bateman (“Ozark”)
Josh O’Connor (“The Crown”) WINNER
Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
Al Pacino (“Hunters”)
Matthew Rhys (“Perry Mason”)
Best Television Series – Drama
“The Crown” (Netflix) WINNER
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
“Ozark” (Netflix)
“Ratched” (Netflix)
FILM NOMINEES AND WINNERS
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros.) – H.E.R., Dernst Emile II, Tiara Thomas
“Hear My Voice” from “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix) – Daniel Pemberton, Celeste
“Io Si (Seen)” from “The Life Ahead” (Netflix) – Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi WINNER
“Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami” (Amazon Studios) – Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
“Tigress & Tweed” from “The United States vs. Billie Holliday” (Hulu) – Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
“The Midnight Sky” (Netflix) – Alexandre Desplat
“Tenet” (Warner Bros.) – Ludwig Göransson
“News of the World” (Universal Pictures) – James Newton Howard
“Mank” (Netflix) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
“Soul” (Pixar) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste WINNER
Best Motion Picture – Animated
“The Croods: A New Age” (Universal Pictures)
“Onward” (Walt Disney Pictures)
“Over the Moon” (Netflix)
“Soul” (Walt Disney Pictures) WINNER
“Wolfwalkers” (Cartoon Saloon)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Glenn Close (“Hillbilly Elegy”)
Olivia Colman (“The Father”)
Jodie Foster (“The Mauritanian”) WINNER
Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”)
Helena Zengel (“News of the World”)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Sacha Baron Cohen (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”)
Daniel Kaluuya (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) WINNER
Jared Leto (“The Little Things”)
Bill Murray (“On the Rocks”)
Leslie Odom, Jr. (“One Night in Miami”)
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Emerald Fennell – “Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features)
Jack Fincher – “Mank” (Netflix)
Aaron Sorkin – “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix) WINNER
Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton – “The Father” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Chloe Zhao – “Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures)
Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language
“Another Round” (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
“La Llorona” (Shudder)
“The Life Ahead” (Netflix)
“Minari” (A24) WINNER
“Two of Us” (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Maria Bakalova (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”)
Kate Hudson (“Music”)
Michelle Pfeiffer (“French Exit”)
Rosamund Pike (“I Care a Lot”) WINNER
Anya Taylor-Joy (“Emma”)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”) WINNER
James Corden (“The Prom”)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton”)
Dev Patel (“The Personal History of David Copperfield”)
Andy Samberg (“Palm Springs”)
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (Amazon Studios) WINNER
“Hamilton” (Walt Disney Pictures)
“Palm Springs” (Neon)
“Music” (Vertical Entertainment)
“The Prom” (Netflix)
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)
Andra Day (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”) WINNER
Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”)
Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”)
Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”)
Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”) WINNER
Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”)
Gary Oldman (“Mank”)
Tahar Rahim (“The Mauritanian”)
Best Director – Motion Picture
Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features)
David Fincher, “Mank” (Netflix)
Regina King, “One Night in Miami” (Amazon Studios)
Aaron Sorkin, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix)
Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures) WINNER
Best Motion Picture – Drama
“The Father” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Mank” (Netflix)
“Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures) WINNER
“Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features)
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix)
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOK
I Care a Lot
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Poised with sharklike self-assurance, Marla Grayson (Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike) is a professional, court-appointed guardian for dozens of elderly wards whose assets she seizes and cunningly bilks through dubious but legal means. It’s a well-oiled racket that Marla and her business-partner and lover Fran (Eiza González) use with brutal efficiency on their latest “cherry,” Jennifer Peterson (two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest) — a wealthy retiree with no living heirs or family. But when their mark turns out to have an equally shady secret of her own and connections to a volatile gangster (Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage), Marla is forced to level up in a game only predators can play — one that’s neither fair, nor square.
Release Date: February 19, 2021
Directed by: J Blakeson
Screenplay by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Alicia Witt, with Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Dianne Wiest
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Rated R
SNEAK PEEKS
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Website: Hulu
Synopsis: The legendary Billie Holiday, one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, spent much of her career being adored by fans across the globe. Beginning in the 1940's in New York City, the federal government targeted Holiday in a growing effort to escalate and racialize the war on drugs, ultimately aiming to stop her from singing her controversial and heart-wrenching ballad, "Strange Fruit." Led by Oscar® nominated director Lee Daniels and introducing Grammy® nominated singer-songwriter Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday unapologetically presents the icon's complicated, irrepressible life. Screenplay writer Suzan-Lori Parks, the first African American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, pens this intimate tale of a fierce trailblazer whose defiance through music helped usher in the civil rights movement.
Release Date: Available on Hulu February 26, 2021
Directed by: Lee Daniels
Screenplay by: Suzan-Lori Parks
Starring: Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes, Natasha Lyonne, Garrett Hedlund, Miss Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Evan Ross, Tyler James Williams, Tone Bell, and Erik LaRay Harvey
Distributor: Hulu
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Running Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Rated R
Cherry
Website: Apple TV+
Synopsis: “Cherry” follows the wild journey of a disenfranchised young man from Ohio who meets the love of his life, only to risk losing her through a series of bad decisions and challenging life circumstances. Inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name, “Cherry” features Tom Holland in the title role as an unhinged character who drifts from dropping out of college to serving in Iraq as an Army medic and is only anchored by his one true love, Emily (Ciara Bravo). When Cherry returns home a war hero, he battles the demons of undiagnosed PTSD and spirals into drug addiction, surrounding himself with a menagerie of depraved misfits. Draining his finances, Cherry turns to bank robbing to fund his addiction, shattering his relationship with Emily along the way. Brought to the screen in bold, gritty fashion by visionary directors Anthony and Joe Russo, “Cherry” is a darkly humorous, unflinching coming-of-age story of a man on a universal quest for purpose and human connection.
Release Date: In select theaters on Friday, February 26, 2021 and globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, March 12, 2021
Directed by: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Screenplay by: Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Michael Rispoli, Jeff Wahlberg, Forrest Goodluck, and Michael Gandolfini
Distributor: Apple TV+
Genre: Crime, Drama
Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Rated R
The Father
Website: Sony Pictures Classics
Synopsis: Anthony is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne, encouragingly introduces. Yet help is also becoming a necessity for Anne; she can’t make daily visits anymore and Anthony's grip on reality is unravelling. As we experience the ebb and flow of his memory, how much of his own identity and past can Anthony cling to? How does Anne cope as she grieves the loss of her father, while he still lives and breathes before her? THE FATHER warmly embraces real life, through loving reflection upon the vibrant human condition; heart-breaking and uncompromisingly poignant – a movie that nestles in the truth of our own lives.
Release Date: In theaters in LA and New York February 26, 2021; In theaters nationwide March 12, 2021; Available on Premium VOD March 26, 2021
Directed by: Florian Zeller
Screenplay by: Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
Based on the play “The Father” by Florian Zeller
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Rufus Sewell, Imogen Poots, and Olivia Williams
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
The Equalizer
Website: CBS
Clarice
Website: CBS
The Luminaries
Website: Starz
It’s a Sin
Website: HBO Max
CHECK-IN BEFORE SEASON FINALE
WandaVision
Website: Disney+
SEASON FINALES
C.B. Strike: Lethal White
Website: HBO Max
30 Coins
Website: HBO
Your Honor
Website: Showtime
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SNEAK PEEKS
Behind Her Eyes (series premiere)
Website: Netflix
For All Mankind (season 2 premiere)
Website: Apple TV+
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
The Mauritanian
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: Directed by Kevin Macdonald and based on the NY Times best-selling memoir “Guantánamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is inspiring the true story of Slahi’s fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the US Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi (Tahar Rahim) finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) who battle the US government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up.
Release Date: In theaters February 19, 2021
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Screenplay by: M.B. Traven and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani
Based on the book “Guantanamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi
Starring: Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, Zachary Levi, and Saamer Usmani
Distributor: STX Entertainment
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Running Time: 2 hours 9 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
Land
Website: Focus Features
Synopsis: From acclaimed actress Robin Wright comes her directorial debut Land, the poignant story of one woman’s search for meaning in the vast and harsh American wilderness. Edee (Wright), in the aftermath of an unfathomable event, finds herself unable to stay connected to the world she once knew and in the face of that uncertainty, retreats to the magnificent, but unforgiving, wilds of the Rockies. After a local hunter (Demián Bichir) brings her back from the brink of death, she must find a way to live again.
Release Date: In theaters February 12, 2021
Directed by: Robin Wright
Screenplay by: Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam
Starring: Robin Wright, Demián Bichir, and Kim Dickens
Distributor: Focus Features
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes
Rated PG-13
The World to Come
Website: Bleecker Street
Synopsis: In this powerful 19th century romance set in the American Northeast, Abigail (Katherine Waterston), a farmer's wife, and her new neighbor Tallie (Vanessa Kirby) find themselves irrevocably drawn to each other. A grieving Abigail tends to her withdrawn husband Dyer (Casey Affleck) as free-spirit Tallie bristles at the jealous control of her husband Finney (Christopher Abbott), when together their intimacy begins to fill a void in each other's lives they never knew existed. Directed by Mona Fastvold and scripted by Jim Shepard and Ron Hansen, THE WORLD TO COME explores how isolation is overcome by the intensity of human connection.
Release Date: In theaters February 12, 2021 and on digital March 2, 2021
Directed by: Mona Fastvold
Screenplay by: Jim Shepard and Ron Hansen
Starring: Katherine Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Christopher Abbott, and Casey Affleck
Distributor: Bleecker Street Media
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Rated R
Judas and the Black Messiah
Website: Warner Bros.
Synopsis: FBI informant William O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). A career thief, O'Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). Hampton's political prowess grows just as he's falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Meanwhile, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Agent J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) commands?
Release Date: In theaters and on HBO Max for 31 days on February 12, 2021
Directed by: Shaka King
Screenplay by: Shaka King and Will Berson
Story by: Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas, and Keith Lucas
Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Daniel Kaluuya, Dominique Fishback, Jesse Plemons, and Martin Sheen
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Running Time: 2 hours 6 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SEASON PREMIERE
Snowpiercer (TNT)
SERIES PREMIERES
The Investigation (HBO)
The Head (HBO Max)
Resident Alien (Syfy)
On this episode of Why Watch That:
NETFLIX FIRST LOOKS
Malcolm & Marie
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: A filmmaker (John David Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) return home following a celebratory movie premiere as he awaits what’s sure to be imminent critical and financial success. The evening suddenly takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love.
Release Date: February 5, 2021
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Screenplay by: Sam Levinson
Starring: Zendaya and John David Washington
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Rated R
The Dig
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: As WWII looms, a wealthy widow hires an amateur archaeologist to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of it's uncertain future.
Release Date: January 29, 2021
Directed by: Simon Stone
Screenplay by: Moira Buffini
Based on the novel by John Preston
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, and Johnny Flynn
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
OUR FAREWELL TO SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2021
Films Mentioned (in alphabetical order):
CODA
In the Earth
Jockey
Judas and the Black Messiah
Land
Mass
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Together Together
On this episode of Why Watch That:
OUR TRIBUTE TO CICELY TYSON
Cicely Tyson's Wikipedia Page
Cicely Tyson's IMDb Page
IMDb's Tribute Video
SNEAK PEEK
Bliss
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: Bliss is a mind-bending love story following Greg (Owen Wilson) who, after recently being divorced and then fired, meets the mysterious Isabel (Salma Hayek), a woman living on the streets and convinced that the polluted, broken world around them is nothing but a computer simulation. Doubtful at first, Greg eventually discovers there may be some truth to Isabel's wild conspiracy.
Release Date: On Prime Video February 5, 2021
Directed by: Mike Cahill
Screenplay by: Mike Cahill
Starring: Owen Wilson, Salma Hayek, and Nesta Cooper
Distributor: Amazon Prime Video
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
Palmer
Website: Apple TV+
Synopsis: Former high school football star Eddie Palmer (Justin Timberlake) went from hometown hero to convicted felon, earning himself 12 years in a state penitentiary. He returns home to Louisiana, where he moves back in with Vivian (June Squibb), the grandmother who raised him. While trying to keep his head down and rebuild a quiet life for himself, Palmer is haunted by memories of his glory days and the suspicious eyes of his small town community. Things become more complicated when Vivian’s hard-living neighbor Shelly (Juno Temple) disappears on a prolonged bender, leaving her precocious and unique 7-year-old son Sam (Ryder Allen), often the target of bullying, in Palmer’s reluctant care. In time, Palmer is drawn into a more hopeful world as he forges a connection with Sam through their shared experience of being made to feel different by those around them. Life improves for Palmer, and a romance develops between him and Sam’s teacher Maggie (Alisha Wainwright). An inspiring and unexpected journey unfolds for the three of them, but soon Palmer’s past threatens to tear apart this new life.
Release Date: Available on Apple TV+ January 29, 2021
Directed by: Fisher Stevens
Screenplay by: Cheryl Guerriero
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple, Alisha Wainwright, June Squibb, and Ryder Allen
Distributor: Apple TV+
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Rated R
The Little Things
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city.
Release Date: In theaters and on HBO Max for 31 days on January 29, 2021
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Screenplay by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, Natalie Morales, Terry Kinney, Chris Bauer, Joris Jarsky, and Michael Hyatt
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Mr. Mayor
Website: NBC
Miss Scarlet & The Duke
Website: PBS
All Creatures Great and Small
Website: PBS
WandaVision
Website: Disney+
SEASON PREMIERES
Grown-ish
Website: Freeform
C.B. Strike: Lethal White
Website: HBO Max
Gomorrah
Website: HBO Max
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On this episode of Why Watch That, the Critic and the Referee give a quick preview of this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
For more information on Sundance and how to attend, click here for the official website!
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
The White Tiger
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Cunning and ambitious, our young hero jockeys his way into becoming a driver for Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra-Jonas), who have just returned from America. Society has trained Balram to be one thing — a servant — so he makes himself indispensable to his rich masters. But after a night of betrayal, he realizes the corrupt lengths they will go to trap him and save themselves. On the verge of losing everything, Balram rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master. Based on the New York Times bestseller and 2008 Man Booker Prize-winning novel.
Release Date: January 22, 2021
Directed by: Ramin Bahrani
Screenplay by: Ramin Bahrani
Based on Arvind Adiga’s novel
Starring: Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
My Little Sister
Website: Film Movement
Synopsis: Lisa, once a brilliant playwright, no longer writes. She lives with her family in Switzerland, but her heart remains in Berlin, beating in time with that of her twin brother Sven, the famous theatre actor. Since Sven has been suffering from an aggressive type of leukemia, the relationship between them has become even closer. Lisa does not want to accept this blow of fate, she does everything in her power to bring Sven back on stage. For her soulmate she neglects everything else and even risks losing her husband. Her marriage goes awry, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, who reflects her deepest longings and awakens in her the desire to be creative, to feel alive again.
Release Date: In select theaters and virtual cinemas January 15, 2021
Directed by: Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond
Screenplay by: Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond
Starring: Nina Hoss, Lars Eidinger, Marthe Keller, Jens Albinus, and Thomas Ostermeier
Distributor: Film Movement
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Not Rated
The Marksman
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: Hardened Arizona rancher Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson) simply wants to be left alone as he fends off eviction notices and tries to make a living on an isolated stretch of borderland. But everything changes when Hanson, an ex-Marine, witnesses 11-year-old migrant Miguel (Jacob Perez) fleeing with his mother Rosa (Teresa Ruiz) from drug cartel assassins led by the ruthless Mauricio (Juan Pablo Raba). After being caught in a shoot-out, an injured Rosa begs Jim to take her son to safety to her family in Chicago. Defying his step-daughter Sarah (Katheryn Winnick), Jim sneaks Miguel out of the local U.S. Customs and Border Patrol station and together, they hit the road with the group of killers in pursuit. Jim and Miguel slowly begin to overcome their differences and begin to forge an unlikely friendship, while Mauricio and his fellow assassins blaze a cold-blooded trail, hot on their heels.
Release Date: In theaters January 15, 2021
Directed by: Robert Lorenz
Screenplay by: Chris Charles, Danny Kravitz, and Robert Lorenz
Starring: Liam Neeson, Katheryn Winnick, Teresa Ruiz, Juan Pablo Raba, and Jacob Perez
Distributor: Open Road Films and Briarcliff Entertainment
Genre: Action, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rated PG-13
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV SEASON FINALE
Star Trek: Discovery
Website: CBS All Access
TV SERIES PREMIERE
30 Coins
Website: HBO
TV MOVIE
Elizabeth Is Missing
Website: PBS
MOVIE FIRST LOOK
Pieces of a Woman
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Herself
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: Single mother Sandra (Clare Dunne) escapes her abusive partner with her two young children, only to find herself trapped in temporary accommodation. After months of struggling, she draws inspiration from one of her daughter’s bedtime stories and hits upon the idea of self-building an affordable home. She finds an architect who provides her with plans and is offered land by Peggy (Harriet Walter), a woman she cleans for. Aido (Conleth Hill), a building contractor, appears willing to help, too. But as her past rears its head in the form of Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson), her possessive ex, and as bureaucrats fight back against her independent spirit, will Sandra be able to rebuild her life from the ground up?
Release Date: In theaters December 30, 2020 and on Prime Video January 8, 2021
Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd
Screenplay by: Clare Dunne and Malcolm Campbell
Starring: Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill, Ian Lloyd Anderson, Ruby Rose O’Hara, and Molly McCann
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rated R
NETFLIX TV SNEAK PEEK
Lupin
Website: Netflix
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On this episode of Why Watch That, we highlight the following shows (in alphabetical order):
The Capture (Peacock)
The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
I May Destroy You (HBO)
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
Mrs. America (Hulu)
My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name (HBO)
Ozark (Netflix)
Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
We Are Who We Are (HBO)
On this episode of Why Watch That, we highlight the following shows (in alphabetical order):
Belgravia (Epix)
The Crown (Netflix)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)
Normal People (Hulu)
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Ramy (Hulu)
Young Sheldon (CBS)
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
News of the World
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: Five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks), a veteran of three wars, now moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes, and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe. In the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna (Helena Zengel, System Crasher), a 10-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier and raised as one of their own. Johanna, hostile to a world she’s never experienced, is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.
Release Date: In theaters December 25, 2020
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Screenplay by: Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies
Based upon the novel by Paulette Jiles
Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Mare Winningham, Elizabeth Marvel, Ray McKinnon, and Bill Camp
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Western
Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Rated PG-13
Wonder Woman 1984
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: In “Wonder Woman 1984,” the fate of the world is once more on the line, and only Wonder Woman can save it. This new chapter in the Wonder Woman story finds Diana Prince living quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s — an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she’s come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile, curating ancient artifacts and only performing her superheroic acts incognito. But now, Diana will have to step directly into the spotlight and muster all her wisdom, strength and courage in order to save mankind from a world of its own making.
Release Date: In theaters and streaming on HBO Max December 25, 2020
Directed by: Patty Jenkins
Screenplay by: Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and David Callaham
Based onWonder Woman by William Moulton Marston
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Running Time: 2 hour 31 minutes
Rated PG-13
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Soul
Website: Disney+
Synopsis: What is it that makes you...YOU? Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.
Release Date: December 25, 2020
Directed by: Pete Docter and Kemp Powers
Story and Screenplay by: Pete Docter, Mike Jones, and Kemp Powers
Starring (voices): Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Angela Bassett, Daveed Diggs, Alice Braga, and June Squibb
Distributor: Disney+
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Rated PG
Shadow in the Cloud
Website: Redbox
Synopsis: In the throes of World War II, Captain Maude Garrett (CHLOË GRACE MORETZ) joins the all-male crew of a B-17 bomber with a top-secret package. Caught off guard by the presence of a woman on a military flight, the crew tests Maude’s every move. Just as her quick wit is winning them over, strange happenings and holes in her backstory incite paranoia surrounding her true mission. But this crew has more to fear…lurking in the shadows, something sinister is tearing at the heart of the plane. Trapped between an oncoming air ambush and an evil lurking within, Maude must push beyond her limits to save the hapless crew and protect her mysterious cargo.
Release Date: In select theaters and on VOD & Digital January 1, 2021
Directed by: Roseanne Liang
Screenplay by: Max Landis and Roseanne Liang
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale, and Taylor John Smith
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment & Redbox Entertainment
Genre: Action, Horror, War
Running Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Rated R
Promising Young Woman
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: From visionary director Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve) comes a delicious new take on revenge. Everyone said Cassie (Carey Mulligan) was a promising young woman ... until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be: she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story.
Release Date: In theaters December 25, 2020
Directed by: Emerald Fennell
Screenplay by: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Adam Brody, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Max Greenfield, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chris Lowell, Sam Richardson, Molly Shannon, and Clancy Brown
Distributor: Focus Features
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Rated R
NETFLIX TV SNEAK PEEK
Bridgerton
Website: Netflix
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Sylvie’s Love
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: In Sylvie's Love, the jazz is smooth and the air sultry in the hot New York summer of 1957. Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha), a saxophonist, spends late nights playing behind a less-talented but well-known bandleader, as member of a jazz quartet. Sylvie (Tessa Thompson), who dreams of a career in television, spends her summer days helping around her father's record store, as she waits for her fiancé to return from war. When Robert takes a part-time job at the record store, the two begin a friendship that sparks a deep passion in each of them unlike anything they have felt before. As the summer winds down, life takes them in different directions, bringing their relationship to an end. Years pass, Sylvie's career as a TV producer blossoms, while Robert has to come to terms with what the age of Motown is doing to the popularity of Jazz. In a chance meeting, Sylvie and Robert cross paths again, only to find that while their lives have changed, their feelings for each other remain the same. Writer/director Eugene Ashe combines romance and music into a sweeping story that brings together changing times, a changing culture, and the true price of love.
Release Date: December 23, 2020
Directed by: Eugene Ashe
Screenplay by: Eugene Ashe
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Aja Naomi King, Jemima Kirke, Tone Bell, Alano Miller, Erica Gimpel, Ryan Michelle Bathe, and Lance Reddick, with Wendi Mclendon-Covey and Eva Longoria
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Rated PG-13
The Midnight Sky
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: This post-apocalyptic tale follows Augustine (George Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully (Felicity Jones) and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.
Release Date: December 23, 2020
Directed by: George Clooney
Screenplay by: Mark L. Smith
Based on the novel “Good Morning, Midnight” by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Starring: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir, and Tiffany Boone
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Rated PG-13
One Night in Miami...
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali, (Eli Goree), defeats heavy weight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).
Based on the award-winning play of the same name, and directed by Regina King, One Night In Miami... is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these four formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. More than 40 years later, their conversations on racial injustice, religion, and personal responsibility still resonate.
Release Date: In Miami theaters on December 25, 2020, in select US theaters on January 8, 2021, and on Prime Video January 15, 2021
Directed by: Regina King
Screenplay by: Kemp Powers
Based on the Stage Play “One Night In Miami...” by Kemp Powers
Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Joaquina Kalukango, and Nicolette Robinson, with Beau Bridges and Lance Reddick
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Drama, History
Running Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis). Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) — who has an eye for Ma’s girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry — spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives.
Release Date: December 18, 2020
Directed by: George C. Wolfe
Screenplay by: Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Based on the play by August Wilson
Starring: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Taylour Paige, Dusan Brown, Jeremy Shamos, and Jonny Coyne
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Music
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rated R
Small Axe: A Collection of Five Films
Website: Prime Video
MANGROVE
Starring Letitia Wright, Shaun Parkes and Malachi Kirby
Mangrove centers on Frank Crichlow (Shaun Parkes), the owner of Notting Hill's Caribbean restaurant, Mangrove, a lively community base for locals, intellectuals and activists. In a reign of racist terror, the local police raid Mangrove time after time, making Frank and the local community take to the streets in peaceful protest in 1970. When nine men and women, including Frank and leader of the British Black Panther Movement Altheia Jones-LeCointe (Letitia Wright), and activist Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby), are wrongly arrested and charged with incitement to riot, a highly publicized trial ensues, leading to hard-fought win for those fighting against discrimination. Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Shaun Parkes (Lost in Space), and Malachi Kirby (Curfew) star alongside Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty), Jack Lowden (The Long Song), Sam Spruell (Snow White and the Huntsmen), Gershwyn Eustache (The Gentleman), Nathaniel Martello-White (Collateral), Richie Campbell (Liar), Jumayn Hunter (Les Miserables), and Gary Beadle (Summer of Rockets). Mangrove was co-written by Alastair Siddons and Steve McQueen.
LOVERS ROCK
Starring Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn and Micheal Ward
Lovers Rock tells a fictional story of young love at a Blues party in 1980. The film is an ode to the romantic reggae genre called "Lovers Rock" and to the Black youth who found freedom and love in its sound in London house parties, when they were unwelcome in white nightclubs. Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn makes her screen debut opposite the BAFTAs 2020 Rising Star award recipient Micheal Ward (Top Boy). Shaniqua Okwok (Boys), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Sex Education), Ellis George (Dr Who), Alexander James-Blake (Top Boy), and Kadeem Ramsay (Blue Story) also star, as well as Francis Lovehall and Daniel Francis-Swaby who make their screen debuts. Lovers Rock was co-written by Courttia Newland and Steve McQueen.
RED, WHITE AND BLUE
Starring John Boyega
Red, White and Blue tells the true story of Leroy Logan, a young forensic scientist with a yearning to do more than his solitary laboratory work. When he sees his father assaulted by two policemen, he finds himself driven to revisiting a childhood ambition to become a police officer; an ambition borne from the naïve hope of wanting to change racist attitudes from within. First, Leroy has to face the consequences of his father's disapproval, never mind the blatant racism he finds in his new role as a despised yet exemplary Constable in the Metropolitan Police Force. John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Steve Toussaint (Prince of Persia) star with talented newcomers Tyrone Huntley, Nathan Vidal and Jaden Oshenye. Red, White and Blue was co-written by Courttia Newland and Steve McQueen.
ALEX WHEATLE
Starring Sheyi Cole and Jonathan Jules
Alex Wheatle follows the true story of award-winning writer, Alex Wheatle (Sheyi Cole), from a young boy through his early adult years. Having spent his childhood in a mostly white institutional care home with no love or family, he finally finds not only a sense of community for the first time in Brixton, but his identity and ability to grow his passion for music and DJ'ing. When he is thrown in prison during the Brixton Uprising of 1981, he confronts his past and sees a path to healing. Sheyi Cole stars opposite Jonathan Jules. Alex Wheatle was co-written by Alastair Siddons and Steve McQueen.
EDUCATION
Starring Kenyah Sandy and Sharlene Whyte
Education is the coming of age story of 12-year-old Kingsley, a boy with a fascination for astronauts and rockets. When Kingsley is called to the Headmaster's office for disruptive behaviour in class, he is shocked to discover his transfer to a school for those with "special needs." Distracted by working two jobs, his parents are unaware of what was an unofficial segregation policy at play, preventing many Black children from having the education they deserve until a group of West Indian women take matters into their own hands. Newcomer Kenyah Sandy stars opposite Sharlene Whyte (We Hunt Together, Casualty), Daniel Francis (Once Upon A Time, Homefront), Tamara Lawrance (The Long Song, Kindred) and Josette Simon (Wonder Woman, Silent Witness, Law & Order: UK).
Release Dates: November 20, 2020-December 18, 2020
Directed by: Steve McQueen
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Drama, History
Running Times: from 1 hour to 2 hours 7 minutes each
Rated TV-MA
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Big Sky
Website: ABC
No Man’s Land
Website: Hulu
The Flight Attendant
Website: HBO Max
Your Honor
Website: Showtime
FINAL SEASON PREMIERE
Shameless
Website: Showtime
SEASON FINALE
Fargo
Website: FX
On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Minari
Website: A24
Synopsis: A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.
Release Date: December 11, 2020 (limited); February 12, 2021 (expanded)
Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung
Screenplay by: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, and Scott Haze, with Yuh-Jung Youn and Will Patton
Distributor: A24
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rated PG-13
Parallel
Website: Vertical Entertainment
Synopsis: A group of friends stumble upon a mirror that serves as a portal to a "multiverse", but soon discover that importing knowledge from the other side in order to better their lives brings increasingly dangerous consequences.
Release Date: In select theaters and on demand December 11, 2020
Directed by: Isaac Ezban
Screenplay by: Scott Blaszak
Starring: Aml Ameen, Martin Wallström, Georgia King, Mark O'Brien, and Alyssa Diaz, with David Harewood and Kathleen Quinlan
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Not Rated
Wild Mountain Thyme
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: John Patrick Shanley, who created the classic MOONSTRUCK, brings his sweeping romantic vision to Ireland with Wild Mountain Thyme. The headstrong farmer Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt) has her heart set on winning her neighbor Anthony Reilly’s love. The problem is Anthony (Jamie Dornan) seems to have inherited a family curse, and remains oblivious to his beautiful admirer. Stung by his father Tony's (Christopher Walken) plans to sell the family farm to his American nephew (Jon Hamm), Anthony is jolted into pursuing his dreams in this comedic, moving and wildly romantic tale.
Release Date: In theaters and on demand December 11, 2020
Directed by: John Patrick Shanley
Screenplay by: John Patrick Shanley
Based on the play "Outside Mullingar" by John Patrick Shanley
Starring: Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Jon Hamm, Dearbhla Molloy, and Christopher Walken
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Genre: Drama, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Farewell Amor
Website: IFC Films
Synopsis: After 17 years apart, Angolan immigrant Walter is joined in the U.S. by his wife and teen daughter. Now absolute strangers sharing a one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, they struggle to overcome the emotional distance between them. Walter is trying to let go of a previous relationship while his wife Esther struggles with a new country, culture and a husband who seems distant. (Can religion help her cope?) Their daughter Sylvia is a dancer just like her father, and while she also finds her new life difficult, she bravely starts to explore the city and show herself through dance. (But what do her parents, especially her mother, think about that?) ... The film is both a universal immigrant story and the unique perspective of three characters bound together by history and hope. It is an intimate and deeply personal look at an inter-generational tale that has defined America since its inception.
Release Date: In theaters and on demand December 11, 2020
Directed by: Ekwa Msangi
Screenplay by: Ekwa Msangi
Starring: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Zainab Jah, Jayme Lawson, Joie Lee, Marcus Scribner, and Nana Mensah
Distributor: IFC Films
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Not Rated
Wander Darkly
Website: Lionsgate
Synopsis: In WANDER DARKLY, a traumatic accident leaves a couple, Adrienne (Sienna Miller) and Matteo (Diego Luna), in a surreal state of being that takes them on a disorienting journey through the duality of their shared moments. By reliving fond recollections from the beginning of their romance while also navigating the overwhelming truths of their present, they must rediscover the love that truly binds them together. Writer-director Tara Miele offers a profound new perspective on the delicate nature of relationships with this emotionally moving story about a couple who must reflect on their past in order to face their uncertain future.
Release Date: In select theaters and on demand December 11, 2020
Directed by: Tara Miele
Screenplay by: Tara Miele
Starring: Sienna Miller and Diego Luna
Distributor: Lionsgate
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rated R
Ip Man: Kung Fu Master
Website: Ip Man: Kung Fu Master
Synopsis: IP MAN: KUNG FU MASTER harks back to Ip's early days before the Communist Revolution in 1949. Ip, portrayed by Dennis To for the third time as the martial artist who famously tutored Bruce Lee, was then a police captain who was framed for the murder of a ruthless but honorable mobster, and targeted for vengeance by his dangerous daughter. Forced to quit the force, Ip soon also has to contend with the arrival of the Japanese army in Guangzhou.
Release Date: In theaters and on demand December 11, 2020
Directed by: Liming Li
Screenplay by: Liming Li and Shi Qingshui
Starring: Dennis To, Yuan Li Ruoxin, Tong Xiaohu, Yue Dongfeng, Chang Qinyuan, Zhao Xioguang, Ren Yu, and Michael Wong
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing
Genre: Action
Running Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Not Rated
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
I’m Your Woman
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: Suburban housewife Jean (Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) lives a seemingly easy life, supported by husband Eddie’s (Bill Heck) career as a thief. But when Eddie betrays his partners, Jean and her baby are forced to go on the run, and Eddie’s old friend Cal (Arinzé Kene) is tasked with keeping them safe. After Cal mysteriously disappears, Jean befriends his wife Teri (Marsha Stephanie Blake) and the two women set out on a perilous journey into the heart of Eddie’s criminal underworld. A decidedly female take on crime dramas of the 1970s, I’m Your Woman is a tale of love, betrayal, motherhood — and what it takes to claim your life as your own.
Release Date: In select theaters December 4, 2020 and on Prime Video December 11, 2020
Directed by: Julia Hart
Screenplay by: Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz
Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Marsha Stephanie Blake, and Arinzé Kene, with Frankie Faison and Bill Heck
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Crime, Drama
Running Time: 2 hours
Rated R
ACORN TV SNEAK PEEK
A Suitable Boy
Website: Acorn TV
ANOTHER MOVIE SNEAK PEEK
Sneak Peek: Ammonite
Website: Neon
Synopsis: In the 1840s, acclaimed self-taught paleontologist Mary Anning works alone on the wild and brutal Southern English coastline of Lyme Regis. The days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now hunts for common fossils to sell to rich tourists to support herself and her ailing widowed mother. When one such tourist, Roderick Murchison, arrives in Lyme on the first leg of a European tour, he entrusts Mary with the care of his young wife Charlotte, who is recuperating from a personal tragedy. Mary, whose life is a daily struggle on the poverty line, cannot afford to turn him down but, proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, she clashes with her unwanted guest. They are two women from utterly different worlds. Yet despite the chasm between their social spheres and personalities, Mary and Charlotte discover they can each offer what the other has been searching for: the realization that they are not alone. It is the beginning of a passionate and all-consuming love affair that will defy all social bounds and alter the course of both lives irrevocably.
Release Date: In theaters November 13, 2020 and available Premium On Demand December 4, 2020
Directed by: Francis Lee
Screenplay by: Francis Lee
Starring: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle, Alec Secareanu, and Fiona Shaw
Distributor: Neon
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Running Time: 2 hours
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Nomadland
Website: Official Site
Synopsis: Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. The third feature film from director Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND features real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West.
Release Date: Limited Run December 4-10 in the Film at Lincoln Center Virtual Cinema
Directed by: Chloé Zhao
Screenplay by: Chloé Zhao
Based upon the book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder
Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, and Swankie
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
Rated R
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Uncle Frank
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: In 1973, teenaged Beth Bledsoe (Sophia Lillis) leaves her rural Southern hometown to study at New York University where her beloved Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany) is a revered literature professor. She soon discovers that Frank is gay, and living with his longtime partner Walid “Wally” Nadeem (Peter Macdissi) — an arrangement that he has kept secret for years. After the sudden death of Frank's father — Beth’s grandfather — Frank is forced to reluctantly return home for the funeral with Beth in tow, and to finally face a long-buried trauma that he has spent his entire adult life running away from.
Release Date: November 25, 2020
Directed by: Alan Ball
Screenplay by: Alan Ball
Starring: Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter Macdissi, Judy Greer, Steve Zahn, Lois Smith, with Margo Martindale and Stephen Root
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Roadkill
Website: PBS
A Teacher
Website: FX on Hulu
Valley of Tears
Website: HBO Max
SEASON PREMIERES
Young Sheldon
Website: CBS
Grey’s Anatomy
Website: ABC
SEASON FINALE
We Are Who We Are
Website: HBO
On this episode of Why Watch That:
The Nest
Website: The Nest
Synopsis: Rory (Jude Law), an ambitious entrepreneur and former commodities broker, who persuades his American wife, Allison (Carrie Coon), and their children to leave the comforts of suburban America and return to his native England during the 1980s. Sensing opportunity, Rory rejoins his former firm and leases a centuries-old country manor, with grounds for Allison's horses and plans to build a stable. Soon the promise of a lucrative new beginning starts to unravel, the couple have to face the unwelcome truths lying beneath the surface of their marriage.
Release Date: November 17, 2020 (VOD)
Directed by: Sean Durkin
Screenplay by: Sean Durkin
Starring: Jude Law, Carrie Coon, Charlie Shotwell, and Oona Roche
Distributor: IFC Films
Genre: Drama, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rated R
Sound of Metal
Website: Prime Video
Synopsis: During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career — and with it his life — is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recovering heroin addict into a secluded sober house for the deaf in hopes it will prevent a relapse and help him learn to adapt to his new situation. But after being welcomed into a community that accepts him just as he is, Ruben has to choose between his equilibrium and the drive to reclaim the life he once knew. Utilizing startling, innovative sound design techniques, director Darius Marder takes audiences inside Ruben’s experience to vividly recreate his journey into a rarely examined world.
Release Date: In select theaters November 20, 2020 and on Prime Video December 4, 2020
Directed by: Darius Marder
Screenplay by: Darius Marder and Abraham Marder
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, and Mathieu Almaric
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Drama, Music
Running Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
The Life Ahead
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: In seaside Italy, a Holocaust survivor with a daycare business, Madame Rosa (Sophia Loren), takes in 12-year-old street kid Momo, the boy who recently robbed her. The two loners become each other’s protectors, anchoring an unconventional family.
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Directed by: Edoardo Ponti
Screenplay by: Edoardo Ponti and Ugo Chiti
Based on “The Life Before Us” by Romain Gary
Starring: Sophia Loren and Ibrahima Gueye
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rated PG-13
Fatman
Website: Nelms Bros.
Synopsis: To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson), also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly skilled assassin (Walton Goggins), hired by a precocious 12-year-old after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. ‘Tis the season for Fatman to get even, in the action-comedy that keeps on giving.
Release Date: In select theaters November 13, 2020 and on demand and digital November 17, 2020
Directed by: Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms
Screenplay by: Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms
Starring: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Distributor: Saban Films
Genre: Action, Dark Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Rated R
Dreamland
Website: Paramount
Synopsis: Eugene Evans (Finn Cole) is coming of age in the Texas Dust Bowl. Clinging to a dream of escape and reunion with his biological father, Eugene and his family struggle to keep their home amidst a plague of Dust Storms and foreclosures. In a nearby town, five innocent civilians are killed in the midst of a holdup, and the local authorities are pursuing the fugitive bank robber, Allison Wells (Margot Robbie). When a $10,000 bounty is placed for the capture of Ms. Wells, Eugene seizes the opportunity in hopes that this monetary reward will prevent the foreclosure of his family farm. However, the task comes easier than anticipated when Eugene finds her hiding out in his family farm.
Release Date: In select theaters November 13, 2020 and available via Premium VOD and digital November 17, 2020
Directed by: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
Screenplay by: Nicolaas Zwart
Starring: Margot Robbie, Finn Cole, Travis Fimmel, Kerry Condon, Garrett Hedlund, and Darby Camp
Distributor: Paramount Pictures and Vertical Entertainment
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Rated R
Wolfwalkers
Websites: GKIDS and Apple TV+
Synopsis: In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the WOLFWALKERS and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.
Release Date: In theaters November 13, 2020 and available via Apple TV+ December 11, 2020
Directed by: Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart
Screenplay by: Will Collins
Starring: Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney, and Maria Doyle Kennedy
Distributor: Apple TV+ and GKIDS
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Rated PG
Come Away
Website: Come Away
Synopsis: In this imaginative origin story of two of the most beloved characters in literature – Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland – eight-year-old Alice (Keira Chansa), her mischievous brother Peter (Jordan A. Nash) and their brilliant older sibling David (Reece Yates) let their imaginations run wild one blissful summer in the English countryside. Encouraged by their parents Jack and Rose (David Oyelowo and Angelina Jolie), the kids' make-believe tea parties, sword fights and pirate ship adventures come to an abrupt end when tragedy strikes. Peter, eager to prove himself a hero to his grief-stricken and financially-struggling parents, journeys with Alice to London, where they try to sell a treasured heirloom to the sinister pawnshop owner known as C.J. (David Gyasi). Returning home, Alice seeks temporary refuge in a wondrous rabbit hole while Peter permanently escapes reality by entering a magical realm as leader of the "Lost Boys."
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Directed by: Brenda Chapman
Screenplay by: Marissa Kate Goodhill
Based on J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan” and Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
Starring: Angelina Jolie, David Oyelowo, Anna Chancellor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Clarke Peters, Derek Jacobi, and Michael Caine
Distributor: Relativity Media
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rated PG
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Dash & Lily (Season 1)
Website: Netflix
The Crown (Season 4)
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOK
Roald Dahl’s The Witches
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: Reimagining Dahl’s beloved story for a modern audience, Zemeckis’s visually innovative film tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy (Bruno) who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma (Spencer) in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world’s Grand High Witch (Hathaway) has gathered her fellow cronies from around the globe — undercover — to carry out her nefarious plans.
Release Date: October 22, 2020 (HBO Max); October 28 (in theaters internationally)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Screenplay by: Robert Zemeckis, Kenya Barris, and Guillermo del Toro
Based on the book by Roald Dahl
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth, Chris Rock, and Jahzir Kadeen Bruno
Distributor: HBO Max (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Rated PG
HBO TV SNEAK PEEK
Industry
Website: HBO
MOVIE SNEAK PEEKS
Let Him Go
Website: Focus Features
Synopsis: Following the loss of their son, retired sheriff George Blackledge (Costner) and his wife Margaret (Lane) leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas, headed by matriarch Blanche Weboy. When they discover the Weboys have no intention of letting the child go, George and Margaret are left with no choice but to fight for their family.
Release Date: November 6, 2020
Directed by: Thomas Bezucha
Screenplay by: Thomas Bezucha
Based on the book by Larry Watson
Starring: Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Lesley Manville, and Jeffrey Donovan
Distributor: Focus Features
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Rated R
Jungleland
Website: Paramount Movies
Synopsis: Stan (Charlie Hunnam) and Lion (Jack O’Connell) are two brothers struggling to stay relevant in the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing. When Stan fails to pay back a dangerous crime boss (Jonathon Majors), they’re forced to deliver an unexpected traveler as they journey across the country for a high-stakes fighting tournament. While Stan trains Lion for the fight of his life, a series of events threaten to tear the brothers apart but their love for one another and belief in a better life keep them going in this gripping drama that proves family pulls no punches.
Release Date: November 6, 2020 (in select theaters); November 10, 2020 (Premium VOD)
Directed by: Max Winkler
Screenplay by: Theodore Bressman, David Branson Smith, and Max Winkler
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Jack O’Connell, Jessica Barden, Jonathan Majors, and John Cullum
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rated R
Proxima
Website: Unifrance
Synopsis: Sarah (Eva Green) is a French astronaut training at the European Space Agency in Cologne. She is the only woman in the arduous program. She lives alone with Stella, her seven-year-old daughter. Sarah feels guilty that she cannot spend more time with her child. Her love is overpowering, unsettling. When Sarah is chosen to be part of the crew of a year-long space mission called ‘Proxima,’ it creates chaos in the mother-daughter relationship.
Release Date: November 6, 2020 (Digital and VOD)
Directed by: Alice Winocour
Screenplay by: Alice Winocour with Jean-Stéphane Bron
Starring: Eva Green and Matt Dillon
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Not Rated
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERE
The Undoing
Website: HBO
SEASON PREMIERES
Deutschland 89
Website: Sundance TV
This Is Us
Website: NBC
Black-ish
Website: ABC
The Mandalorian
Website: Disney+
SEASON FINALE
Tehran
Website: Apple TV+
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Sneak Peek: His House
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: After making a harrowing escape from war-torn South Sudan, a young refugee couple struggle to adjust to their new life in a small English town that has an unspeakable evil lurking beneath the surface.
Release Date: October 30, 2020
Directed by: Remi Weekes
Screenplay by: Remi Weekes
Story by: Felicity Evans and Toby Venables
Starring: Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Wunmi Mosaku, and Matt Smith
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Rated TV-14
To hear the Critic’s quick reactions to the first half of offerings that he saw at AFI Fest 2020, click here.
On this episode of Why Watch That:
HIGHLIGHTED OFFERINGS AT THE END OF AFI FEST 2020:
- World Cinema: Wolfwalkers
In 17th-century Ireland, a magical friendship takes shape. Young Robyn and her wolf-hunter father, Bill, are sent from England tasked with ridding the woodland outside of town of wolves. After being told to stay within the city walls, Robyn sneaks out to explore the magical world of the forest where she meets Mebh (“Maeve”), a wild girl raised by wolves. Robyn undergoes a secret transformation, turning into the very thing her father is sent to destroy and creating a final battle between the wolf pack and townsfolk.
Following THE SECRET OF KELLS and SONG OF THE SEA, WOLFWALKERS is the third film of Academy Award®-nominated animators Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s “Irish folklore trilogy” and an exciting visual adventure for the whole family. –Sarah Harris
- Special Presentation: World Premiere: Pink Skies Ahead
Los Angeles, 1998. After dropping out of college and moving back home to live with her parents, Winona is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Skeptical of her doctor’s opinion — she hasn’t had a panic attack after all —Winona carries on with her wild lifestyle. Only when things begin to truly unravel around her, does she reluctantly decide to see a therapist and face her truths.
Jessica Barden gives a magnetic performance as the passionate and struggling Winona. The directorial debut film of Kelly Oxford, based on her essay “No Real Danger,” PINK SKIES AHEAD is a powerful and empathetic portrait of mental health often hidden beneath the surface. –Sarah Harris
- World Cinema: Uncle Frank
Beth has always been keen on her uncle Frank. On the rare occasions whenever he would visit them in rural South Carolina from New York City, she would revel in how he was clever, worldly and different in a good way. When she goes off to college at NYU in the early ’70s, she learns more about his world, including his longtime partner Walid (“Wally”). When a death in the family strikes, Beth and her uncle set out on a road trip to their hometown to confront their family and their pasts.
Director and writer Alan Ball (SIX FEET UNDER, TRUE BLOOD) has spent much of his career contemplating death, and in UNCLE FRANK he tells another story where we face mortality the only way we know how: with life as a mirror. –Eric Moore
- World Cinema: Wander Darkly
How would you regard the arc of a romance if you could revisit it? This visually stunning, moving and time-bending drama is told assuredly by director Tara Miele. The viewer is rewarded with an exploration of love, memory, regret, loss and death and a profound examination of the complexity of relationships. Adrienne (Sienna Miller) and Matteo (Diego Luna) have a new baby and are about to become homeowners. Their chemistry is palpable, but distrust and uncertainty are tearing them apart. A traumatic event intervenes, and their story takes a surreal and fascinating turn. Each traces the history of their relationship, commenting as they relive events from their past from differing perspectives. Both lead actors give magnificent, emotionally layered performances. The film takes intriguing risks that intensify its profound emotional heft.
–Claudia Puig
- World Cinema: I Carry You With Me
Realism and romanticism come together artfully in this poignant, decades-long story. Ivan (Armando Espitia) and Gerardo (Christian Vazquez) fall in love and must face homophobia, racism and injustice, while weathering the perils of undocumented immigration. Documentarian Heidi Ewing’s first narrative feature cleverly incorporates her non-fiction background, weaving in the real-life couple with the actors who play them in a lyrical, non-linear fashion. Clear-eyed and tender in equal measure, the film moves with fluidity and grace from the slower rhythms of Puebla, Mexico, to bustling New York City. Gerardo and Ivan face a series of hurdles in the course of their relationship. Comparisons can be made to TREE OF LIFE and MOONLIGHT in the way this sweeping saga glides forward and back in time, through memories and over hardships to the ultimate transcendence of love.
–Claudia Puig
- World Cinema: My Little Sister
Dramas exploring adult brother-sister relationships are rare in cinema. And when told well, they resonate in powerful ways. Such is the case with Lisa and Sven in MY LITTLE SISTER, a graceful tale of a playwright (superbly played by Nina Hoss) and her twin brother, a Berlin-based stage actor (Lars Eidinger). Lisa has abandoned writing while living with her husband (Jens Albinus) and children in a small Swiss city. Bored by the way her cloistered existence revolves around the international school her husband heads, Lisa re-evaluates her life. When Sven develops leukemia, the pair bond even more profoundly over their shared passion for theater. Writer-directors Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond, both working actors, draw a compelling, raw and honest performance from Hoss which will stay with the viewer well after the credits roll. –Claudia Puig
- Special Presentation: The Father
Living alone in London and nearing 80 years old, Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) has refused another nurse that his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) has set up for him. Exuberant and independent, Anthony has struggled with his memory beginning to slip away. Anne announces she is moving to Paris with a new boyfriend, but later in the living room Anthony sees a stranger claiming to be Anne’s husband. Who is this man? Confusion sets in.
Academy Award®-winner Hopkins delivers a brilliant performance of a man with dementia, creating a powerful cinematic experience of memory and loss. Based on his award-winning play, Florian Zeller has crafted a moving and insightful portrait of a cruel disease and the heartbreak it brings. –Sarah Harris
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Soulmates
Website: AMC
NEXT
Website: FOX
The Right Stuff
Website: Disney+
Helstrom
Website: Hulu
Flesh and Blood
Website: PBS
Cobra
Website: PBS
SEASON PREMIERE
Star Trek: Discovery
Website: CBS All Access
SEASON FINALES
Last Tango in Halifax
Website: PBS
Lovecraft Country
Website: HBO
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
First Look: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: What was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest — including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale — were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.
Release Date: October 16, 2020
Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
Screenplay by: Aaron Sorkin
Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, and Jeremy Strong
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Drama, History
Running Time: 2 hours 9 minutes
Rated R
Sneak Peek: Bad Hair
Website: Hulu
Synopsis: In this horror satire set in 1989, BAD HAIR follows an ambitious young woman (Elle Lorraine) who gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career comes at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
Release Date: October 23, 2020
Directed by: Justin Simien
Screenplay by: Justin Simien
Starring: Elle Lorraine, Vanessa Williams, Lena Waithe, Laverne Cox, Jay Pharoah, Kelly Rowland, Blair Underwood, James Van Der Beek, and Usher Raymond
Distributor: Hulu
Genre: Horror, Satire
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rated TV-MA
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
HIGHLIGHTED OFFERINGS FROM AFI FEST 2020 SO FAR:
- Special Presentation: Opening Night World Premiere: I’m Your Woman
Suburban housewife Jean (Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) lives a seemingly easy life, supported by husband Eddie’s (Bill Heck) career as a thief. But when Eddie betrays his partners, Jean and her baby are forced to go on the run, and Eddie’s old friend Cal (Arinzé Kene) is tasked with the job of keeping them safe. After Cal mysteriously disappears, Jean befriends Teri (Marsha Stephanie Blake), and the two women set out on a perilous journey into the heart of Eddie’s criminal underworld. A decidedly female take on crime dramas of the 1970s, I’m Your Woman is a tale of love, betrayal, motherhood, family and what it takes to claim your life as your own.
- World Cinema: Industry
In the latest series from HBO, an ambitious group of graduates compete for a permanent role at Piedmont, a top London bank. Harper, the sole American, with a mysterious past, navigates privilege and egos in this world of international finance, determined to prove herself as the best hire. Boundaries blur and rankings intensify within the group as they are immersed into a company culture driven by success at all costs. AFI FEST is honored to host the North American premiere of the first four episodes of this electric ensemble-drama.
–Sarah Harris
- New Auteurs: Nine Days
What if you had just a little over a week to persuade an enigmatic gatekeeper to allow you to be born? How would you proceed? Winston Duke plays the cryptic and somber Will, the figure in charge of selecting the right soul for life on Earth. Will interviews several prospective candidates, aided by his more light-hearted colleague Kyo, played by Benedict Wong. As one soul dies, another takes its place. But the choice of who makes the cut is fraught. The unborn — personifications of human souls — must demonstrate why they deserve life. One applicant, played by Zazie Beetz, challenges Will in unexpected ways. A beautifully crafted, heartfelt sci-fi film that explores the existential, NINE DAYS marks the directorial debut of Edson Oda. An innovative concept thoughtfully plotted, this metaphysical tale is at once artistic, thought-provoking and life-affirming. –Claudia Puig
- Special Presentation: World Premiere: Really Love
Set in a gentrifying Washington, DC, a rising Black artist, Isaiah (Kofi Siriboe), spends most of his days pouring his heart into his paintings but still struggles to find his place in the prestigious and competitive art world. At a gallery show, Stevie (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing), an impressive and intelligent law student, catches his eye. A chance encounter is one thing, but the stars align and they meet again, leading to a whirlwind romance. When both Isaiah and Stevie hit crossroads in their careers, they are forced to consider if their relationship is a love for a season or a love for a lifetime.
In director Angel Kristi Williams’s debut feature, she delivers a poignant look at the sacrifices we make for careers and life-changing relationships. This well-crafted script by Felicia Pride and Williams is complemented by an impeccable soundtrack and incredible art. –Eric Moore
-
Special Presentation: U.S. Premiere: A Suitable Boy
-
In a newly independent India, passionate literature student Lata Mehra defies tradition and her meddling mother’s wish to choose her a husband. Torn between family duty and the excitement of romance, Lata embarks on a journey of love and heartache as three very different men try to win her heart. Also threatening to break with tradition is the charming but directionless Maan Kapoor, whose romantic entanglements begin to jeopardize his father’s political career. As Lata and Maan attempt to shape their futures, India too is coming of age. Only a few years after independence from British colonial rule, tensions are high as its people prepare to campaign and vote in their first democratic general election. A Lookout Point production for the BBC, internationally distributed by BBC Studios.
–Claudia Puig
- New Auteurs: Shadow in the Cloud
On a stormy night during World War II, a female pilot with top secret cargo talks her way on board a bomber plane about to take-off. The crass all-male crew reluctantly agrees, but their suspicions about her identity and the mysterious cargo quickly grow. Just then a shadow appears in the clouds — was it the incoming Japanese fleet? Or caused by some other sinister stowaway?
SHADOW IN THE CLOUD is a thrilling nightmare in the sky and its lead, Chloë Grace Moretz, is a badass to be reckoned with. After her exciting horror short DO NO HARM dominated the festival circuit in 2017, director Roseanne Liang returns with a feature proving she is a dynamic and powerful female voice in genre filmmaking. –Sarah Harris
- World Cinema: Sound of Metal
A recovering drug addict, Ruben has finally achieved balance in his life and knows his place in the world. He spends his nights drumming in a heavy-metal band with his girlfriend, traveling from show to show in a ragged RV – it may not be much, but it is full of love. When his ear pops during a performance, Ruben thinks little of it at first, but his hearing quickly deteriorates. When your existence and love is music, what happens when your world suddenly changes?
Riz Ahmed gives a powerful performance as a man on a complicated journey of grief and identity. With clever sound design and a sensitive script, SOUND OF METAL is a profound exploration on both the experience and culture of deafness. –Sarah Harris
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
NETFLIX TV SNEAK PEEKS
Grand Army
Website: Netflix
Social Distance
Website: Netflix
The Queen’s Gambit
Website: Netflix
On this episode of Why Watch That:
The complete AFI FEST program includes 124 titles (54 features, 3 episodic, 33 shorts, 19 Meet the Press Film Festival at AFI FEST shorts and 15 AFI Conservatory Showcase shorts) of which 53% are directed by women, 39% are directed by BIPOC and 17% are directed by LBGTQ+. This year's program represents 35 countries and includes 7 World Premieres. The total film breakdown by section is: Special Presentations (8), Tributes (4), World Cinema (16) New Auteurs (14), Documentary (15), Cinema’s Legacy (4), Short Films (33), Meet the Press Film Festival at AFI FEST (19) and AFI Conservatory Showcase (15).
“AFI FEST is committed to supporting diverse perspectives and new voices in cinema and this year is no different,” said Sarah Harris, Director of Programming, AFI Festivals. “While we wish we were able to be together in Hollywood, this year’s festival is an opportunity to celebrate the many great films yet to be discovered by audiences across the nation.”
The Grand Jury Award winners for Live Action and Animated Short will be eligible for the 2021 Best Live Action Short and Best Animated Short Academy Awards®. Short Film Competition Jurors this year are film critic Carlos Aguilar, filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison and Film Festival Alliance Executive Director Lela Meadow-Conner.
Passes are now available at FEST.AFI.com and individual tickets will be available for purchase for AFI members and the general public on October 7.
Website: AFI Fest
QUICK MENTIONS
INDUSTRY
In the latest drama series from HBO, an ambitious group of graduates compete for a permanent role at a top London bank. DIR Lena Dunham, Tinge Krishnan, Ed Lilly. SCR Mickey Down, Konrad Kay, Sam H. Freeman, Kate Verghese. CAST Myha’la Herrold, Marisa Abela, Harry Lawtey, David Jonsson, Nabhaan Rizwan, Conor MacNeill. USA, UK
SOUND OF METAL
A recovering drug addict and heavy-metal drummer begins to lose his hearing and must face the complicated changes to his identity and passion. DIR Darius Marder. SCR Darius Marder, Abraham Marder. CAST Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Almaric. USA
WOLFWALKERS
Robyn befriends wild girl Mebh while exploring the magical forest outside an Irish town’s walls and undergoes a transformation in this adventurous animated film from THE SECRET OF KELLS creators, Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. DIR Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart. SCR Will Collins. CAST Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney, Tommy Tiernan, Maria Doyle Kennedy. Luxembourg, Ireland, USA
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
FIRST LOOK
Enola Holmes
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: England, 1884 – a world on the brink of change. On the morning of her 16th birthday, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) wakes to find that her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) has disappeared, leaving behind an odd assortment of gifts but no apparent clue as to where she’s gone or why. After a free-spirited childhood, Enola suddenly finds herself under the care of her brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin), both set on sending her away to a finishing school for “proper” young ladies. Refusing to follow their wishes, Enola escapes to search for her mother in London. But when her journey finds her entangled in a mystery surrounding a young runaway Lord (Louis Partridge), Enola becomes a super-sleuth in her own right, outwitting her famous brother as she unravels a conspiracy that threatens to set back the course of history. Based on the beloved book series by Nancy Springer, ENOLA HOLMES is a dynamic new mystery-adventure that introduces the world’s greatest detective to his fiercest competition yet: his teenage sister. The game is afoot.
Release Date: September 23, 2020
Directed by: Harry Bradbeer
Screenplay by: Jack Thorne
Based on Nancy Springer’s book series
Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Adventure, Crime, Drama
Running Time: 2 hours 3 minutes
Rated PG-13
SNEAK PEEK
Charm City Kings
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: In this gritty coming-of-age drama, fourteen-year-old Mouse (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) desperately wants to join the Midnight Clique, an infamous group of Baltimore dirt-bike riders who rule the summertime streets. His older brother, Stro, was their top rider before his tragic death—a loss that consumes Mouse as much as his passion for bikes. Mouse’s mom (Teyonah Parris) and his police mentor, Detective Rivers (William Catlett), work overtime to help the charismatic teen reach his full potential, but when the Midnight Clique’s leader, Blax (Meek Mill), takes the boy under his wing, the lure of revving his own dirt bike skids Mouse toward a road way past the straight and narrow.
Release Date: October 8, 2020
Directed by: Angel Manuel Soto
Screenplay by: Sherman Payne
Story by: Kirk Sullivan, Chris Boyd, and Barry Jenkins
Based on “12 O’Clock Boys” by Lofty Nathan
Starring: Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Meek Mill, Will Catlett, and Teyonah Parris
Distributor: HBO Max
Genre: Crime, Drama
Running Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Rated R
NETFLIX TV SNEAK PEEK
The Haunting of Bly Manor
Website: Netflix
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Filthy Rich
Website: FOX
Tehran
Website: Apple TV+
Utopia
Website: Amazon Prime
The Good Lord Bird
Website: Showtime
SEASON PREMIERES
Manhunt: Deadly Games
Website: CBS
Fargo
Website: FX
Britannia
Website: Epix
SEASON FINALES
Ted Lasso
Website: Apple TV+
Raised by Wolves
Website: HBO Max
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
NETFLIX TV SNEAK PEEK
Emily in Paris
Website: Netflix
SNEAK PEEK
Possessor: Uncut
Website: Neon
Synopsis: From the visionary mind of writer/director Brandon Cronenberg, POSSESSOR is an arresting sci-fi thriller about elite, corporate assassin Tasya Vos. Using brain-implant technology, Vos takes control of other people's bodies to execute high profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her.
Release Date: October 2, 2020
Directed by: Brandon Cronenberg
Screenplay by: Brandon Cronenberg
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, with Sean Bean and Jennifer Jason Leigh
Distributor: Neon
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Not Rated
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
Once Upon a River
Website: Film Movement
Synopsis: Based on the best-selling novel by Bonnie Jo Campbell, Once Upon A River is the story of Native American teenager Margo Crane (Kenadi DelaCerna) in 1970s rural Michigan who after enduring a series of traumas and tragedies, sets out on an odyssey on the Stark River in search of her estranged mother. On the water, Margo encounters friends, foes, wonders, and dangers; navigating life on her own, she comes to understand her potential, all while healing the wounds of her past.
Release Date: October 2, 2020
Directed by: Haroula Rose
Screenplay by: Haroula Rose
Based on the Novel "Once Upon a River" by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Starring: Kenadi DelaCerna, John Ashton, Tatanka Means, Ajuawak Kapashesit, Sam Straley, Coburn Goss, Lindsay Pulsipher, and Kenn E. Head
Distributor: Film Movement
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Not Rated
The Glorias
Website: The Glorias
Synopsis: Journalist, fighter, and feminist Gloria Steinem is an indelible icon known for her world-shaping activism, guidance of the revolutionary women's movement, and writing that has impacted generations. In this nontraditional biopic, Julie Taymor crafts a complex tapestry of one of the most inspirational and legendary figures of modern history, based on Steinem's own biographical book 'My Life on the Road.' THE GLORIAS (Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Lulu Wilson, Ryan Keira Armstrong) traces Steinem's influential journey to prominence—from her time in India as a young woman, to the founding of Ms. magazine in New York, to her role in the rise of the women's rights movement in the 1960s, to the historic 1977 National Women's Conference and beyond.
Release Date: September 30, 2020
Directed by: Julie Taymor
Screenplay by: Julie Taymor and Sarah Ruhl
Based on the book “My Life on the Road” by Gloria Steinam
Starring: Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Bette Midler, Janelle Monáe, Lorraine Toussaint, Lulu Wilson, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kimberly Guerrero, and Timothy Hutton
Distributor: Roadside Attractions, LD Entertainment, and Amazon Prime Video
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Running Time: 2 hours 19 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Website: Urbanworld
We experienced these offerings
The Water Man
Bad Hair Conversation
The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
AMC Networks’ TV Preview: Gangs of London, Soulmates, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond
Forty-Year-Old Version Conversation
Charm City Kings
A Shot Through the Wall
Farewell Amor
Come Away
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
Misbehaviour
Website: ALTAVOD
Synopsis: In 1970, the Miss World competition took place in London, hosted by US comedy legend, Bob Hope. At the time, Miss World was the most-watched TV show on the planet with over 100 million viewers. Claiming that beauty competitions demeaned women, the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement achieved overnight fame by invading the stage and disrupting the live broadcast of the competition. Not only that, when the show resumed, the result caused uproar: the winner was not the Swedish favorite but Miss Grenada, the first black woman to be crowned Miss World. In a matter of hours, a global audience had witnessed the patriarchy driven from the stage and the Western ideal of beauty turned on its head.
Release Date: September 25, 2020
Directed by: Philippa Lowthorpe
Screenplay by: Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe
Starring: Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Manville, Rhys Ifans, and Greg Kinnear
Distributor: Shout! Studios
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Not Rated
The Artist’s Wife
Website: Strand Releasing
Synopsis: Claire (Lena Olin) lives a domestic life in the Hamptons as the wife of celebrated artist Richard Smythson (Bruce Dern). Once a promising painter herself, Claire now lives in the shadow of her husband’s illustrious career. While preparing work for his final show, Richard’s moods become increasingly erratic, and he is diagnosed with dementia. As his memory and behavior deteriorate, she shields his condition from the art community while trying to reconnect him with his estranged daughter and grandson from a previous marriage. Challenged by the loss of her world as she knew it, Claire must now decide whether to stand with Richard on the sidelines or step into the spotlight herself.
Release Date: September 25, 2020
Directed by: Tom Dolby
Screenplay by: Tom Dolby, Nicole Brending, and Abdi Nazemian
Starring: Lena Olin, Bruce Dern, Juliet Rylance, Avan Jogia, and Tonya Pinkins
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Not Rated
Kajillionaire
Website: Focus Features
Synopsis: From acclaimed writer/director Miranda July comes a profoundly moving and wildly original comedy. Con-artists Theresa (Debra Winger) and Robert (Richard Jenkins) have spent 26 years training their only daughter, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), to swindle, scam, and steal at every opportunity. During a desperate, hastily conceived heist, they charm a stranger (Gina Rodriguez) into joining their next scam, only to have their entire world turned upside down.
Release Date: September 25, 2020
Directed by: Miranda July
Screenplay by: Miranda July
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger
Distributor: Focus Features
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Rated R
NETFLIX TV SNEAK PEEK
Sneakerheads
Website: Netflix
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Van der Valk
Website: PBS
The Third Day
Website: HBO
We Are Who We Are
Website: HBO
Departure
Website: Peacock
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Pure
Website: HBO Max
Transplant
Website: NBC
Noughts + Crosses
Website: Peacock
Raised by Wolves
Website: HBO Max
SEASON FINALES
I May Destroy You
Website: HBO
P-Valley
Website: Starz
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Sneak Peek: Mulan
NOTE: After we recorded this episode, Disney announced that it will release “Mulan” for free to all Disney+ subscribers on December 4, 2020. So, the $29.99 Premier Access fee will give you access to “Mulan” for three months before anyone gains free access. Also, Premier Access will be available for purchase until November 2, 2020 at 11:59pm PT. As a result, from November 3, 2020 to December 3, 2020, only Disney+ subscribers who previously paid for Premier Access will have access to the film.
Website: Disney+
On this episode of Why Watch That:
Our Tribute to Chadwick Boseman
Marvel Entertainment’s Tribute Video: YouTube
Chadwick’s Howard University Commencement Speech: YouTube
On this episode of Why Watch That:
SERIES PREMIERES
Five Bedrooms
Website: Peacock
Dead Pixels
Website: CW
Ted Lasso
Website: Apple TV+
Lovecraft Country
Website: HBO
FIRST LOOK
Project Power
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: “An ex-soldier, a teen and a cop collide in New Orleans as they hunt for the source behind a dangerous new pill that grants users temporary superpowers.”
Release Date: August 14, 2020
Directed by: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Screenplay by: Mattson Tomlin
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Rodrigo Santoro, Amy Landecker, and Courtney B. Vance
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Rated R
SNEAK PEEK
The Personal History of David Copperfield
Website: Searchlight Pictures
Synopsis: “THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD re-imagines Charles Dickens’ classic ode to grit and perseverance through the comedic lens of its award-winning filmmakers — giving the Dickensian tale new life for a cosmopolitan age with a diverse ensemble cast of stage and screen actors from across the world. Emmy® winners and Oscar® nominees Armando Iannucci (IN THE LOOP, THE DEATH OF STALIN, HBO’s Veep and Avenue 5) and Simon Blackwell (IN THE LOOP, HBO’s Succession) lend their wry, yet heart-filled storytelling style to revisiting Dickens’ iconic hero on his quirky journey from impoverished orphan to burgeoning writer in Victorian England.”
Release Date: August 28, 2020
Directed by: Armando Iannucci
Screenplay by: Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell
Based on the novel by Charles Dickens
Starring: Dev Patel, Aneurin Barnard, Peter Capaldi, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, Ben Whishaw, Gwendoline Christie, and Benedict Wong
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 59 minutes
Rated PG
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEK
Unhinged
Website: Unhinged
Synopsis: “Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe stars in UNHINGED, a timely psychological thriller that explores the fragile balance of a society pushed to the edge, taking something we’ve all experienced – road rage – to an unpredictable and terrifying conclusion. Rachel (Caren Pistorius) is running late to work when she has an altercation at a traffic light with a stranger (Crowe) whose life has left him feeling powerless and invisible. Soon, Rachel finds herself and everyone she loves the target of a man who decides to make one last mark upon the world by teaching her a series of deadly lessons. What follows is a dangerous game of cat and mouse that proves you never know just how close you are to someone who is about to become unhinged.”
Release Date: August 21, 2020
Directed by: Derrick Borte
Screenplay by: Carl Ellsworth
Starring: Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson, and Austin P. McKenzie
Distributor: Solstice Studios
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Series Premieres
Frayed
Website: HBO Max
Britannia
Website: Epix and Amazon Prime
Coroner
Website: CW
Hitmen
Website: Peacock
We Hunt Together
Website: Showtime
Season Finales
Bulletproof
Website: CW
Perry Mason
Website: HBO
First Look
An American Pickle
Website: HBO Max
Synopsis: “AN AMERICAN PICKLE, directed by Brandon Trost, is based on Simon Rich’s New Yorker novella and stars Seth Rogen as Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling laborer who immigrates to America in 1920 with dreams of building a better life for his beloved family. One day, while working at his factory job, he falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly and when he emerges in present day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn’t aged a day. But when he seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great grandson, Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), a mild-mannered computer coder whom Herschel can’t even begin to understand.”
Release Date: August 6, 2020
Directed by: Brandon Trost
Screenplay by: Simon Rich
Based on Simon Rich’s New Yorker novella, “Sell Out”
Starring: Seth Rogen
Distributor: HBO Max
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes
Rated PG-13
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Sneak Peek:
I Used to Go Here
Website: iTunes Preview
Synopsis: “Following the lackluster launch of her debut novel, 35-year-old writer Kate Conklin (Gillian Jacobs) receives a welcome invitation from her former professor and old crush (Jemaine Clement) to speak at her alma mater. With her book tour cancelled, and her ego deflated, Kate hopes that returning to her old college as a published author will give her the morale boost she sorely needs. Instead, she falls into a comical regression — from misadventures with eccentric twenty-year olds to feelings of jealousy toward her former professor's new favorite student. Bittersweet emotion and awkward humor abound as Kate journeys through her past to redefine her future in this big-hearted fourth feature from writer/director Kris Rey.”
Release Date: August 7, 2020
Directed by: Kris Rey
Screenplay by: Kris Rey
Starring: Gillian Jacobs, Jemaine Clement Hannah Marks, Kate Micucci, Jorma Taccone, Josh Wiggins, and Forrest Goodluck
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Not Rated
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
TV Series Premiere
Foodie Love
Website: HBO
TV Season Premiere
The Alienist: The Angel of Darkness
Website: TNT
MainSTREAM: PEACOCK Platform Premiere
Intelligence
Website: Peacock
Brave New World
Website: Peacock
The Capture
Website: Peacock
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
SNEAK PEEKS
Radioactive
Website: Amazon Prime
Synopsis: “From the 1870s through our 21st century, RADIOACTIVE tells the story of pioneering scientist Marie Curie (Rosamund Pike) through her extraordinary life and her enduring legacies – the passionate partnerships, her shining scientific breakthroughs, and the darker consequences that followed. In late 19th century Paris, Polish-born genius Marie Sklodowska met fellow scientist Pierre Curie (Sam Riley). The pair went on to fall in love, marry, raise two daughters -- and change the face of science and our world forever as their work proved the existence of what Curie called "radioactivity." In 1903, the pair jointly won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery, making Marie the first woman to earn the esteemed prize. After the death of her beloved Pierre from a tragic accident in 1906, Marie's commitment to science remained strong and her work 'discovering' and explaining previously unknown radioactive elements went on to win her a second Nobel Prize, even as it became terrifyingly evident that Curie's work in radioactivity would lead to applications in medicine that could save lives by the thousands -- or applications in warfare that could destroy them by the billions. RADIOACTIVE is a bold, visionary depiction of the life and loves of an extraordinary woman, as well as an unblinking look at the transformative effects and ensuing fallout of the Curie's work and how the defining moments and bleakest fears of the 20th Century came from the Pandora's Box of a small lab in Paris at the turn of the 19th century.”
Release Date: July 24, 2020
Directed by: Marjane Satrapi
Screenplay by: Lauren Redniss and Jack Thorne
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Sam Riley, and Anya Taylor-Joy
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Running Time: 109 minutes
Rated PG-13
The Rental
Website: The Rental
Synopsis: “Two couples on an oceanside getaway grow suspicious that the host of their seemingly perfect rental house may be spying on them. Before long, what should have been a celebratory weekend trip turns into something far more sinister, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the four old friends come to see each other in a whole new light. Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, Jeremy Allen White and Sheila Vand star in this unnerving and sophisticated debut thriller from Dave Franco (NEIGHBORS, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, THE DISASTER ARTIST).”
Release Date: July 24, 2020
Directed by: Dave Franco
Screenplay by: Dave Franco and Joe Swanberg
Starring: Dan Stevens, Alison Brie, Sheila Vand, Jeremy Allen White, and Toby Huss
Distributor: IFC Films
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Running Time: 89 minutes
Rated R
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On this episode of Why Watch That:
Series Premiere
P-Valley (Starz)
First Looks
Palm Springs
Website: Hulu
Synopsis: “When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other.”
Release Date: July 10, 2020
Directed by: Max Barbakow
Screenplay by: Andy Siara
Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Meredith Hagner, Camila Mendes, Tyler Hoechlin, Peter Gallagher, and June Squibb
Distributor: Hulu
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rated R
The Old Guard
Website: Netflix
Synopsis: “Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile (KiKi Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights), The Old Guard is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks.”
Release Date: July 10, 2020
Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Screenplay by: Greg Rucka
Based on the graphic novel series by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Leandro Fernández
Starring: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Van Veronica Ngo, with Matthias Schoenaerts, and Chiwetel Ejiofor
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Running Time: 125 minutes
Rated R
Greyhound
Website: Apple TV+
Synopsis: “In a thrilling WWII story inspired by actual events, Captain Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) leads an international convoy of 37 ships on a treacherous mission across the Atlantic to deliver thousands of soldiers and much-needed supplies to Allied forces.”
Release Date: July 10, 2020
Directed by: Aaron Schneider
Screenplay by: Tom Hanks
Based on the novel “The Good Shepherd” by C.S. Forester
Starring: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue
Distributor: Apple TV+
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Running Time: 91 minutes
Rated PG-13
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Relic
A woman links her mother's increasingly volatile behavior to an evil presence at their family's decaying country home.
Directed by: Natalie Erika James
Written by: Natalie Erika James, Christian White
Produced by: Jake Gyllenhaal, Anna McLeish, Sarah Shaw, Riva Marker
Cinematography by: Charlie Sarroff
Cast: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote
Distributed by: IFC Films
Release Date : July 10, 2020
Directed by: Drama, Horror
Runtime: 1 hour 29 minutes
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Warrior Nun (Netflix)
A young woman wakes up in a morgue with inexplicable powers and gets caught up in a battle between good and evil.
Created by: Simon Barry
Produced by: Simon Barry, Stephen Hegyes
Cast: Toya Turner, Alba Baptista, Lorena Andrea
Network: Netflix
First Episode Date: July 2, 2020
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy
Stateless (Netflix)
Inspired by true events; a woman escaping a cult, a refugee fleeing with his family, a father trapped in a dead-end job, and a bureaucrat on the verge of a national scandal find their lives intertwined in an immigration detention center.
Created by: Tony Ayres, Cate Blanchett, Elise McCredie
Written by: Elise McCredie, Belinda Chayko
Produced by: Andrew Upton, Tony Ayres, Elise McCredie, Liz Watts, Sally Riley, Andrew Gregory, Cate Blanchett
Cast: Yvonne Strahovski, Jai Courtney, Asher Keddie
Network: Netflix
First Episode Date: July 8, 2020
Directed by: Drama
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Hamilton
The real-life of one of America's foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Filmed live on Broadway from the Richard Rodgers Theatre with the original Broadway cast.
Director: Thomas Kail
Produced by: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Jeffrey Seller
Cast: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr.
Written by: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Cinematography: Declan Quinn
Distributor: Disney +
Release Date: July 2, 2020
Runtime: 2 hours 40 minutes`
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rating: PG-13
Series Premieres
Love, Victor (Hulu)
"Love, Victor" is set in the world of the groundbreaking movie, "Love, Simon," which was inspired by Becky Albertalli's acclaimed young adult novel, "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda," about a closeted gay teenager who is forced to come out after being blackmailed. The series stars Michael Cimino as Victor, who, like Simon, is on his own journey of self-discovery. Facing challenges at home, navigating the ups and downs of a new high school and exploring his sexual orientation, Victor reaches out to Simon when things become too difficult.
Perry Mason (HBO)
Evangelical preacher Sister Alice offers the Dodsons the church's full moral and financial support, much to her mother Birdy's dismay; during a routine domestic intervention, beat cop Paul Drake is rerouted to a gruesome crime scene.
Season Premiere
Marcella (Netflix)
Acclaimed writer Hans Rosenfeldt continues his first British drama following the international success of the Swedish/Danish series "The Bridge." Anna Friel stars in the lead role of Marcella Backland, a British police detective working in contemporary London. Set in Rosenfeldt's unique style of "Nordic noir," the body of a missing child is discovered inside a wall and a task force is assembled to catch the killer. A complex set of characters from all walks of life and interweaving storylines take viewers on a dark and emotional journey with turns at every corner.
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Sneak Peek
7500 (Amazon Prime)
In the town of Seaside, nowhere near the sea, puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show. The show is a hit due to Judy’s superior puppeteering but Punch’s driving ambition leads to a tragedy that Judy must avenge.
Director: Patrick Vollrath
Produced by: Patrick Vollrath
Cast: Passar Hariky, Omid Memar, Hicham Sebiai
Screenplay by: Patrick Vollrath
Cinematography: Sebastian Thaler
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: June 19, 2020
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rating: R
First Look
Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
Four African American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.
Director: Spike Lee
Produced by: Jon Kilik, Spike Lee, Beatriz Levin, Lloyd Levin
Screenplay by: Spike Lee, Kevin Willmott, Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo
Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel
Cast: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mélanie Thierry, Paul Walter Hauser, Jasper Pääkkönen, Jean Reno, Chadwick Boseman
Distributed by: Netflix
Release Date: June 12, 2020
Genre: Drama, War
Runtime: 2h 34min
Rating: R
Series Premieres
Quiz (AMC)
Quiz tells the story of Charles Ingram, a former British army major, who caused a major scandal after being caught cheating his way to winning £1 million on the game show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'
I May Destroy You (HBO)
Two months after the incident, Arabella meets with a therapist who encourages her to find new ways to cope with her trauma, Arabella's book agents assign another client, Zain, to help her with the writing process.
Season Premiere
Bulletproof (CW)
Detectives Bishop and Pike fight crime together on the streets of East London, sharing a similar moral code despite their drastically different backgrounds. Bishop grew up being passed around foster families, desperately looking for a father figure, while Pike's father was the first black police commissioner, whose expectations he is struggling to live up to. Their deviating approach to life has been shaping an almost unbreakable bond between the two men, and their friendship is finally put to the test.
Season Finale
Insecure (HBO)
Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly. As the best friends deal with their own real-life flaws, their insecurities come to the fore as together they cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Created by co-star Issa Rae and writer/comic Larry Wilmore ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"), the comedy series looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It features the music of both indie and established artists of color, and touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience.
Sneek Peek
7500 (Amazon Prime)
In the town of Seaside, nowhere near the sea, puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show. The show is a hit due to Judy’s superior puppeteering but Punch’s driving ambition leads to a tragedy that Judy must avenge.
First Look
Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
Four African American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.
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Storytelling is a proven method in allowing someone to experience a reality that's different than their own. Film and tv has a unique opportunity to educate us about topics that may be hard to digest. In this episode, Why Watch That shares movies and tv shows that help you connect with the black experience if you are interesting in understanding what racial inequality is all about from a historical and modern perspective.
Judy & Punch
In the town of Seaside, nowhere near the sea, puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show.
The show is a hit due to Judy's superior puppeteering but Punch's driving ambition lead to a tragedy that Judy must avenge.
Director: Mirrah Foulkes
Produced by: Michele Bennett, Nash Edgerton, Danny Gabal
Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Damon Herriman, Benedict Hardie
Screenplay by: Mirrah Foulkes
Distributor: Madman Entertainment, Samuel Goldwyn Films
Release Date: (theatrical and VOD release on June 5)
Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Shirley
A famous horror writer finds inspiration for her next book after she and her husband take in a young couple.
Director: Josephine Decker
Produced by: Elisabeth Moss, Simon Horsman, Sarah Gubbins, David Hinojosa, Jeffrey Soros, Sue Naegle, Christine Vachon
Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Logan Lerman, Michael Stuhlbarg
Screenplay by: Sarah Gubbins
Distributor: Neon
Release Date: (available on Hulu, VOD, Virtual Cinemas and participating Drive-Ins June 5)
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes
Genre: Drama/Thriller
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HBO Max is Now Available!
Love Life (Max Original)
Anna Kendrick stars in a fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series about the journey from first love to lasting love, and how the people we're with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever. With Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, and Sasha Compere.
Trigonometry (Max Original)
A London couple struggling with an expensive apartment agree to take on a roommate.
Other HBO Max Originals Now Available:
Looney Tunes Cartoons:
Cartoon shorts featuring cherished characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester, Tweety, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Taz, Marvin the Martian, and Beaky Buzzard.
Legendary:
Pulling from the underground ballroom community, voguing teams, called "Houses," compete in dance challenges and showcase fashions for a chance to win a cash prize.
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo:
Elmo is the host of his very own talk show and he's going to bring you some (not-too-late) fun with an all-new, celeb-studded talk show series.
On the Record: On The Record presents the powerful haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon (collaborator on hit records by Method Man and Mary J. Blige, Estelle and Kanye West, and Whitney Houston) as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault.
Craftopia: Craftopia is an epic kid crafting competition show hosted and executive produced by YouTube influencer Lauren Riihimaki aka (LaurDIY).
Notable Collections (includes movies and TV shows):
DC Comics, HBO, Sesame Workshop, Classics Curated by Turner Classic Movies, Studio Ghibli’s Movies, Cartoon Network Collection, Adult Swim Collection, Crunchyroll Collection, and Looney Tunes Classic Episodes
Other Notable TV Shows and Movies: The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon (upcoming), Friends, Harry Potter Films, Doctor Who, The Boondocks, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Lord of the Rings Films, and Le Samourai
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Season Premieres
The Split (Sundance)
A co-production between BBC One and SundanceTV, the six-part series introduces the Defoes, a family of female divorce lawyers known for dominating their field in the ruthless and fast-paced world of London's divorce law circuit. At each step, viewers are met with an authentic and compelling look at how four very different women attempt to hold their ground in all areas of their lives -- from their own relationships to their careers and the surprise return of their estranged father after a 30-year absence.
Homecoming (Amazon)
A woman wakes up in a rowboat adrift on a river, but she has no memory of how she got there -- or even who she is. The search for her identity leads to the Geist Group, the mysterious wellness company behind the unorthodox Homecoming Initiative. Walter Cruz -- trying to build a new life after experiencing the traumas of war and the initiative -- quickly realizes that there's a new, even more insidious version of the program underway. With all of this going on, anonymous Geist underling Audrey is thrust into unexpected positions atop the corporate ladder.
Ramy (Hulu)
Ramy Hassan is a first-generation Egyptian-American who is on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood. He becomes caught between a Muslim community that thinks life is a moral test and a millennial generation that believes life has no consequences. Through it all, he's still trying to do the things that most 20-somethings do, like date. He is essentially a guy who is torn between praying on Fridays and going to parties on Friday nights. Which side will win out in this seemingly endless internal battle?
Season Finales
Killing Eve (AMC/BBC America)
Eve's life as a spy is not adding up to what she had hoped it would be when she started. She is a bored, very smart, MI5 security officer who is very desk-bound. Villanelle is a very talented killer, mercurial in mood, who clings to the luxuries of her job. Eve and Villanelle go head to head in a fierce game of cat and mouse, each woman equally obsessed with the other as Eve is tasked with hunting down the psychopathic assassin. Sarah Barnett, BBCA president, says, " `Killing Eve' stands out in a sea of scripted stories as refreshingly entertaining and great fun.”
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
The CBS All Access series picks up one year after the events in the final episode of "The Good Wife." After a financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out her mentor and godmother Diane Lockhart's savings, the two are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join forces with Lucca Quinn at one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms. At Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Diane finds familiar faces, including Colin Morrello, who is a rising star in the state's attorney's office, and Marissa Gold. Though starting at the bottom, Diane and Maia are determined to rebuild their careers and lives at the new firm.
Series Finale
Mrs. America (FX on Hulu)
"Mrs. America" tells the story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly, aka "the sweetheart of the silent majority." Through the eyes of the women of the era -- both Schlafly and second-wave feminists Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug and Jill Ruckelshaus -- the series explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the '70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted the political landscape.
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The High Note
Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis, a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable heights. Maggie is Grace's overworked personal assistant who's stuck running errands but still aspires to her childhood dream of becoming a music producer. When Grace's manager presents her with a choice that could alter the course of her career, Maggie and Grace come up with a plan that could change their lives forever.
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Produced by: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Cast: Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ice Cube
Cinematography: Jason McCormick
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
Genre: Romance, Comedy
End of Sentence
After being widowed, Frank Fogle reluctantly embarks on a journey to honor his wife's last wish of spreading her ashes in a remote lake in her native Ireland and a promise of taking his estranged son, Sean, along for the trip. Between a disconcerting Irish wake, the surfacing of an old flame, the pick up of a pretty hitchhiker and plenty of unresolved issues, the journey becomes a little more than father and son had bargained for.
Director: Elfar Adalsteins
Produced by: Elfar Adalsteins, David Collins, Sigurjón Sighvatsson
Cast: John Hawkes, Logan Lerman, Sarah Bolger
Screenplay by: Michael Armbruster
Cinematography: Karl Oskarsson
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
Genre: Drama
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Series Premieres
I Know This Much Is True (HBO)
Middle-aged Dominick Birdsey recounts his troubled relationship with Thomas, his paranoid schizophrenic twin brother, and his efforts to get him released from an asylum.
The Great (Hulu)
A genre-bending, anti-historical ride through 18th-century Russia following the wildly comedic rise of Catherine the Nothing to Catherine the Great.
Hightown (Starz)
After a body washes ashore during a holiday weekend, a National Marine Fisheries officer is caught up in a web of drama as she tries to solve the case on her own.
Season Finales
Good Girls (NBC)
When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives -- by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used-car-dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined -- and the only way out of this will be together.
My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name (HBO)
Pseudonymous author Elena Ferrante has written four mega-popular Neopolitan novels that explore the complicated intensity of female friendship. "My Brilliant Friend" is the first in the series, and also the first to be adapted for television. Filmed in Italian, the eight-episode drama centers on elderly author Elena Greco, who learns that the most important friend in her life, Lila Cerullo, has disappeared without a trace. It causes Elena to reflect on the early days of their friendship in dangerous but fascinating Naples, Italy, in the 1950s, when Elena and Lila are two very different girls at the top of their class. The story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives as Elena tries to describe the mystery of Lila.
Outlander (Starz)
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. `Outlander' is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
Liar (Sundance)
Created and written by BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated producers and screenwriters Harry and Jack Williams, and featuring "Downton Abbey" star Joanne Froggatt and "Fantastic Four" actor Ioan Guffard, "Liar" tells the story of two people whose initial attraction leads to far-reaching consequences for them and their friends and families. Laura Nielson, a smart and capable teacher in the middle of a breakup, is set up on a date with recently widowed surgeon Andrew Earlham. However, the day after it is apparent that something has gone wrong, and the subsequent fallout rapidly spirals out of control, exposing the power of truth, deception, and trust.
Series Finale
Belgravia (Epix)
When the Trenchards accept an invitation to the now-legendary ball on the fateful eve of the Battle of Waterloo, it sets in motion events that will have consequences for decades as secrets unravel behind the doors of London's grandest neighborhood.
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TNT TV Sneak Peek
Snowpiercer
Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity who inhabit a perpetually moving train, with 1001 cars, that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice, and the politics of survival play out in this riveting television adaptation based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel series and film of the same name.
Created by: Graeme Manson
Produced by: Bong Joon-ho‘s
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Mickey Sumner
Network: TNT TV
First Episode Date: May 17, 2020
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Netflix TV Sneak Peek
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend, Interactive Special
Kimmy sets off on her biggest adventure yet. Three states. Explosions. A dancing hamburger. And you, the viewer, get to decide how the story goes.
Created by: Tina Fey, Robert Carlock
Produced by: Jerry Kupfer, Dara Schnapper
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Jane Krakowski, Ellie Kemper
Network: Netflix
First Episode Date: May 12, 2020
Genre: Comedy
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Featured Review: “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles”
Via London, Versailles, and Instagram, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles follows famous chef Yotam Ottolenghi on his quest to bring the sumptuous art and decadence of Versailles to life in cake form at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He assembles a team—a veritable who's who of the dessert world, including Dominique Ansel and Dinara Kasko—to help bring his vision to life. The pastry chefs create a true feast of Versailles complete with a cocktail whirlpool and posh jello shots, architectural mousse cakes, chocolate sculptures, swan pastries, and an edible garden.
Throughout the film, Ottolenghi acts as a guide, disassembling pastries to give us the history of ingredients that we now take for granted, like sugar and chocolate. In conversations with experts, we also get an insight into life at Versailles, from the opulence of the Sun King to the downfall of Marie Antoinette, and including what went on in the kitchens. The film perfectly captures the heights of human achievement and the frailty of decadence, adding taste as one more sense with which to experience the Met.—Frederic Boyer
Director: Laura Gabbert
Produced by: Steve Robillard, Mohamed Al Rafi, Jeff Frey, Lauren Deuterman
Cast: Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Ghaya Oliveira, Dinara Kasko, Sam Bompas, Janice Wong
Cinematographer: Judy Phu
Release Date: April 15 , 2020 (Tribeca Film Festival)
Runtime: 1 hour 15 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Visit the links below for additional information:
YouTube.com/WeAreOne
https://m.facebook.com/Tribeca/
https://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/tribeca-talks-at-home
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Series Premieres
Normal People (Hulu)
Months later, school has finished and Connell arrives at Trinity College, Dublin. He has found a room in a house-share and meets his new housemate Niall. Despite his efforts, he feels out of place and struggles to articulate himself.
Betty (HBO)
A group of diverse young women navigate the predominantly male-oriented world of skateboarding in New York City.
Season Finales
Young Sheldon (CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbours, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
Better Things (Hulu)
`Better Things' is the story of Sam Fox, a single mother and working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters -- Max, Frankie, and Duke -- in Los Angeles. She also looks out for her mother, Phil, an English ex-patriate with questionable faculties who lives across the street. Whether she's struggling to keep her daughters close or trying to push one of them out of the nest, Sam approaches every challenge with fierce love, raw honesty, and humour. At the end of the day, Sam's just trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters' changing lives, survive her family, have fun with a friend or two, and also -- just maybe -- squeeze in some private time.
Series Finales
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
The intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.
Homeland (Showtime)
When Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody returns home following eight years in captivity, CIA agent Carrie Mathison thinks he has turned and is connected to a terror plot to be carried out on American soil, so she engages him in a dangerous game of cat and mouse that puts America's national security at risk. Later on, Carrie gets a promotion and returns to the front lines overseas. She is assigned to one of the CIA's most volatile and dangerous stations in the Middle East, where she is in the heart of battle in the war on terror. Years later, after being disillusioned and placing herself in a self-imposed exile in Berlin, Carrie becomes estranged from the CIA, eventually returning stateside where she works for a foundation providing aid to Muslims living in America.
Netflix TV Sneak Peek
The Eddy (Netflix)
A jazz club owner deals with the everyday struggles of running a live music venue in Paris.
Covid Special
Parks and Recreation Reunion (NBC and App)
Five years after its finale aired, Parks and Recreation is returning for a brand-new reunion episode. Premiering on Thursday, April 30, the episode is set to feature nearly all your favorite Pawnee residents, from Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) to Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman).
The NBC comedy ran from 2009 to 2015 and followed the close-knit government employees of a small Indiana town. While the cast and creators never officially ruled out a reunion, they were waiting for a good reason to bring everyone back together.
"The chance to do it again should it arise would be incredible, but I think that we would all only do it if we felt like it was something compelling us to do it,” co-creator Mike Schur told Entertainment Weekly back in 2019.
Clearly, that time has come. Here's what we know about the special, which will raise money for Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund, which will enable food banks to stay stocked during that crisis. The cast and creators will match donations up to $500,000.
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Netflix Movie First Look
Tigertail
A Taiwanese factory worker leaves his homeland to seek opportunity in America, where he struggles to find connection while balancing family and newfound responsibilities in this multi-generational drama.
Director: Alan Yang
Produced by: Alan Yang
Cinematography: Nigel Bluck
Cast: Tzi Ma, Christine Ko, Hong-Chi Lee
Network: Netflix
Initial Release Date: April 10, 2020
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 1h 31min
Rating: PG
HBO Movie First Look
Bad Education
A Long Island school superintendent and his assistant are credited with bringing the district unprecedented prestige. Frank is a master of positive messaging, whether before an audience of community leaders or in an office with a concerned student or parent. That changes when a student reporter uncovers an embezzlement scheme of epic proportions, prompting Frank to devise an elaborate cover-up.
Directed by: Cory Finley
Produced by: Mike Makowsky, Oren Moverman, Eddie Vaisman, Fred Berger, Julia Lebedev, Brian Kavanaugh Jones
Screenplay by: Mike Makowsky
Cinematography: Lyle Vincent
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Alex Wolff
Distributed by: HBO Films
Initial Release Date: April 26, 2020
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Runtime: 1h 43min
Rating: TV-MA
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Hollywood
A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood try to make it big - no matter the cost.
Created by: Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy
Produced by: Ryan Murphy, Janet Mock, Ian Brennan, Darren Criss, David Corenswet, Jeremy Pope
Cast: Darren Criss, Patti LuPone, Jake Picking
Network: Netflix
First Episode Date: May 1, 2020
Genre: Drama, History
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Netflix TV Sneak Peek
Hollywood
A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood try to make it big - no matter the cost.
Created by: Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy
Produced by: Ryan Murphy, Janet Mock, Ian Brennan, Darren Criss, David Corenswet, Jeremy Pope
Cast: Darren Criss, Patti LuPone, Jake Picking
Network: Netflix
First Episode Date: May 1, 2020
Genre: Drama, History
Netflix Movie First Look
Tigertail
A Taiwanese factory worker leaves his homeland to seek opportunity in America, where he struggles to find connection while balancing family and newfound responsibilities in this multi-generational drama.
Director: Alan Yang
Produced by: Alan Yang
Cinematography: Nigel Bluck
Cast: Tzi Ma, Christine Ko, Hong-Chi Lee
Network: Netflix
Initial Release Date: April 10, 2020
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 1h 31min
Rating: PG
HBO Movie First Look
Bad Education
A Long Island school superintendent and his assistant are credited with bringing the district unprecedented prestige. Frank is a master of positive messaging, whether before an audience of community leaders or in an office with a concerned student or parent. That changes when a student reporter uncovers an embezzlement scheme of epic proportions, prompting Frank to devise an elaborate cover-up.
Directed by: Cory Finley
Produced by: Mike Makowsky, Oren Moverman, Eddie Vaisman, Fred Berger, Julia Lebedev, Brian Kavanaugh Jones
Screenplay by: Mike Makowsky
Cinematography: Lyle Vincent
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Alex Wolff
Distributed by: HBO Films
Initial Release Date: April 26, 2020
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Runtime: 1h 43min
Rating: TV-MA
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Season Finales
Devs (FX on Hulu)
"Devs" is an FX limited series that focuses on a young software engineer named Lily Chan who works for Amaya, a cutting-edge tech company based in Silicon Valley. After her boyfriend Sergei's apparent suicide, Lily suspects foul play and begins to investigate. She quickly realizes that all roads lead to Forest, Amaya's enigmatic CEO, and Devs, the company's secret development division. In Lily's quest to discover the truth, she uncovers a technology-based conspiracy that could change the world.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of young doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the young doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. Grey struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them - Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Series Finale
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
In the sitcom "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy couple -- video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira -- suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt's Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
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Series Premieres
Baptiste (PBS)
A retired Julien Baptiste visits Amsterdam to visit his daughter who has just given birth, but he soon finds himself in the criminal underworld of the red light district as he helps search for a missing girl.
Run (HBO)
A woman whose humdrum life gets turned upside down when she receives a text from her college sweetheart inviting her to drop everything and meet him in New York to fulfill the pact they made 17 years earlier.
Belgravia (Epix)
The story of secrets and scandals amongst the upper echelon of London society in the 19th century.
The Baker and the Beauty (ABC)
Daniel Garcia is working in the family bakery and doing everything that his loving Cuban parents and siblings expect him to do until his life changes unexpectedly on a wild Miami night with a chance encounter with Noa Hollander at a fancy restaurant. Noa is an international superstar, the daughter of a real estate magnate and a successful model, just out of a high-profile Hollywood relationship. Sparks fly between the two and the unlikely couple must decide whether to upend their lives to be together, pulling their families into an inevitable culture clash.
Mrs. America (FX on Hulu)
"Mrs. America," tells the story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly, aka "the sweetheart of the silent majority." Through the eyes of the women of the era -- both Schlafly and second-wave feminists Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug, and Jill Ruckelshaus -- the series explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the '70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted the political landscape.
Season Premieres
Liar (Sundance)
Created and written by BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated producers and screenwriters Harry and Jack Williams, and featuring "Downton Abbey" star Joanne Froggatt and "Fantastic Four" actor Ioan Guffard, "Liar" tells the story of two people whose initial attraction leads to far-reaching consequences for them and their friends and families. Laura Nielson, a smart and capable teacher in the middle of a breakup, is set up on a date with recently widowed surgeon Andrew Earlham. However, the day after it is apparent that something has gone wrong, and the subsequent fallout rapidly spirals out of control, exposing the power of truth, deception, and trust.
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
The CBS All Access series picks up one year after the events in the final episode of "The Good Wife." After a financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out her mentor and godmother Diane Lockhart's savings, the two are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join forces with Lucca Quinn at one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms. At Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Diane finds familiar faces, including Colin Morrello, who is a rising star in the state's attorney's office, and Marissa Gold. Though starting at the bottom, Diane and Maia are determined to rebuild their careers and lives at the new firm.
Killing Eve (AMC/BBC America)
Eve's life as a spy is not adding up to what she had hoped it would be when she started. She is a bored, very smart, MI5 security officer who is very desk-bound. Villanelle is a very talented killer, mercurial in mood, who clings to the luxuries of her job. Eve and Villanelle go head to head in a fierce game of cat and mouse, each woman equally obsessed with the other as Eve is tasked with hunting down the psychopathic assassin. Sarah Barnett, BBCA president, says, " `Killing Eve' stands out in a sea of scripted stories as refreshingly entertaining and great fun."
Insecure (HBO)
Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly. As the best friends deal with their own real-life flaws, their insecurities come to the fore as together they cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Created by co-star Issa Rae and writer/comic Larry Wilmore ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"), the comedy series looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It features the music of both indie and established artists of color, and touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience.
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TV Series Premieres
Council of Dads (NBC)
The Perry family grows in unexpected ways after a life-changing event, as oldest daughter Luly and her four siblings -- Theo, Charlotte, JJ and newborn Hope -- adjust to the addition of three new "dads" who agree to help guide and support them and their mother, Robin, through all the challenges and triumphs life has to offer as a promise to their father. These men -- Anthony, Larry and Oliver -- soon find redemption and purpose in their new roles as backup dads, discovering that they need the Perry family as much as the Perry family needs them.
Baghdad Central (Hulu)
It's 2003 and Iraq is occupied by a US-led coalition. With his daughter missing, Muhsin al-Khafaji, a former police inspector in the Iraqi Police Service, must decide whether to become a collaborator to help his search.
Season Finales
Stumptown (ABC)
Based on the series of graphic novels by the same name, "Stumptown" follows Dex Parios, a strong, assertive and sharp-witted Army veteran who has a complicated love life, gambling debt, and a brother to take care of in Portland, Ore. Her military intelligence skills make her a great private investigator, but her brash, unapologetic style puts her in a league of her own, landing her in the firing line of hardcore criminals while not quite in alliance with the rules and objectives of the local police.
High Maintenance (HBO)
The Guy is a nameless marijuana dealer in Brooklyn who delivers his goods via bicycle to stressed-out clients across New York City, who try to savour the highs of life in an increasingly volatile world. While dropping off weed to his customers, he makes brief appearances in their lives to get a glimpse at their daily routines, allowing viewers to explore the existence of intriguing, colorful individuals from all walks of life. The comedy series stars Ben Sinclair, who created the show with then-wife Katja Blichfeld, as The Guy.
Grown-ish (Freeform)
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in-between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
This Is Us (NBC)
Jack and his wife - who is very pregnant with triplets - have just moved into their new home in Pittsburgh. Successful and handsome television actor Kevin is growing increasingly bored with his bachelor lifestyle. Randall - who was abandoned at a fire station by his father as an infant - is a stylish New York-based businessman working to raise two daughters with his wife, Beth. These people are among a group, several of whom share a birthday, of seemingly random individuals whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
A Salute to Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
In the sitcom "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy couple -- video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira -- suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt's Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
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Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
In this episode:
Our Thank You to Listeners and a Suggestions List
Series Premiere
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
The intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.
TV Season Premiere
My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name (HBO)
Pseudonymous author Elena Ferrante has written four mega-popular Neopolitan novels that explore the complicated intensity of female friendship. "My Brilliant Friend" is the first in the series, and also the first to be adapted for television. Filmed in Italian, the eight-episode drama centers on elderly author Elena Greco, who learns that the most important friend in her life, Lila Cerullo, has disappeared without a trace. It causes Elena to reflect on the early days of their friendship in dangerous but fascinating Naples, Italy, in the 1950s, when Elena and Lila are two very different girls at the top of their class. The story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives as Elena tries to describe the mystery of Lila.
Season Finale
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
`Seinfeld' co-creator Larry David plays a version of himself on the improvised series. He faces a constant barrage of life's little annoyances, which in David's sometimes well-meaning but terminally fumbling hands don't tend to stay small for very long.
Netflix TV Sneak Peeks
Ozark (Netflix)
Created by Bill Dubuque ("The Accountant," "The Judge"), this drama series stars Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, a financial planner who relocates his family from Chicago to a summer resort community in the Ozarks. With wife Wendy and their two kids in tow, Marty is on the move after a money-laundering scheme goes wrong, forcing him to pay off a substantial debt to a Mexican drug lord in order to keep his family safe. While the Byrdes' fate hangs in the balance, the dire circumstances force the fractured family to reconnect.
Unorthodox (Netflix)
Story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life abroad.
Movie Sneak Peek
Resistance
The story of a group of Jewish Boy Scouts who worked with the French Resistance to save the lives of ten thousand orphans during World War II.
Director: Jonathan Jakubowicz
Produced by: Claudine Jakubowicz, Dan Maag, Thorsten Schumacher, Carlos García de Paredes, Patrick Zorer, Jonathan Jakubowicz
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Ed Harris, Edgar Ramírez
Screenplay by: Jonathan Jakubowicz
Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: (In select theaters, on-demand, and cable VOD on March 27)
Runtime: 2 hours
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
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The Letter for the King (season 1)
A young squire holds the fate of the kingdom in his hands as he embarks on a quest to deliver a secret message to the king.
Written by: Will Davies
Executive Producers: Will Davies, Paul Trijbits
Cast: Islam Bouakkaz, Jack Barton, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Genre: Action, Adventure, Family
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (limited series)
A chronicle of the incredible story of Madam C.J. Walker, who was the first African American self-made millionaire.
Written by: Nicole Asher
Executive Producers: LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Mark Holder, Christine Holder, Janine Sherman Barrois, Elle Johnson, Kasi Lemmons (pilot)
Cast: Octavia Spencer, Dalila Ali Rajah, Zahra Bentham, Kevin Carroll
Distributor: Netflix
Series Premiere: March 20, 2020
Genre: Drama
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Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn and her cousin, Skylar, travel across state lines to New York City on a fraught journey of friendship, bravery and compassion.
Director: Eliza Hittman
Produced by: Adele Romanski, Lia Buman, Elika Portnoy, Tim Headington, Rose Garnett, Alex Orlovsky, Sara Murphy
Cast: Ryan Eggold, Talia Ryder, Sidney Flanigan
Cinematography: Hélène Louvart
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: (in select theaters 3/13)
Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
Genre: Drama
Blow the Man Down
Blow the Man Down is a 2019 American drama film, written and directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy. It stars Morgan Saylor, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale, June Squibb, Annette O'Toole and Marceline Hugot. It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2019.
Director: Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy
Produced by: Tim Headington, Lia Buman, Drew P. Houpt, Alex Scharfman
Cast: David Coffin, David Pridemore, Adam Wolf Mayerson
Screenplay by: Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: (exclusively on Amazon Prime Video 3/20)
Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes
Genre: Mystery, Drama
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TV Series Premieres
Devs (FX on Hulu)
"Devs" is an FX limited series that focuses on a young software engineer named Lily Chan who works for Amaya, a cutting-edge tech company based in Silicon Valley. After her boyfriend Sergei's apparent suicide, Lily suspects foul play and begins to investigate. She quickly realizes that all roads lead to Forest, Amaya's enigmatic CEO, and Devs, the company's secret development division. In Lily's quest to discover the truth, she uncovers a technology-based conspiracy that could change the world.
ZeroZeroZero (Prime Video)
ZeroZeroZero series follows the journey of a cocaine shipment, from the moment a powerful cartel of Italian criminals decides to buy it until the cargo is delivered and paid for, passing through its packaging in Mexico and shipment across the Atlantic Ocean.
TV Season Premiere
Better Things (FX)
`Better Things' is the story of Sam Fox, a single mother and working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters -- Max, Frankie, and Duke -- in Los Angeles. She also looks out for her mother, Phil, an English ex-patriate with questionable faculties who lives across the street. Whether she's struggling to keep her daughters close or trying to push one of them out of the nest, Sam approaches every challenge with fierce love, raw honesty, and humour. At the end of the day, Sam's just trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters' changing lives, survive her family, have fun with a friend or two, and also -- just maybe -- squeeze in some private time.
TV Season Finale
The Outsider (HBO)
Based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, "The Outsider" begins by following an investigation which at first seems like it will be simple and straightforward but things change as it leads into the gruesome murder of a young boy by a seasoned cop. When an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case, it leads the investigators to question everything they believe in. The character of Holly Gibney from "Mr. Mercedes" is a major character in this series.
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The Photograph
When famed photographer Christina Eames dies unexpectedly, she leaves her estranged daughter, Mae, hurt, angry and full of questions. When Mae finds a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box, she soon finds herself delving into her mother's early life -- an investigation that leads to an unexpected romance with a rising journalist.
Director: Stella Meghie
Produced by: Will Packer, James Lopez
Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Chelsea Peretti, Issa Rae
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: February 14, 2020
Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG-13
The Banker
The Banker is an upcoming American drama film written and directed by George Nolfi. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Nicholas Hoult, Nia Long, Jessie Usher and Colm Meaney. The story follows Joe Morris and Bernard Garrett, two of the first African-American bankers in the United States.
Director: George Nolfi
Produced by: Anthony Mackie, Brad Feinstein, Joel Viertel, Jonathan Baker
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Anthony Mackie
Distributor: Apple TV +
Release Date: In select theaters 3/6 and available on AppleTV+ 3/20
Runtime: 2 hours 01 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
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TV Series Premieres
Hunters (Amazon Prime)
Nazi hunters discover hundreds of high-ranking Nazi officials in 1977 New York City, conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in the U.S.; the Hunters set out to bring the Nazis to justice and thwart their new genocidal plans.
High Fidelity (Hulu)
Rob Gordon (John Cusack) is the owner of a failing record store in Chicago, where he sells music the old-fashioned way -- on vinyl. Although they have an encyclopedic knowledge of pop music and are consumed by the music scene, it's of no help to Rob, whose needle skips the love groove when his long-time girlfriend, Laura (Iben Hjejle), walks out on him. As he examines his failed attempts at romance and happiness, the process finds him being dragged, kicking and screaming, into adulthood.
TV Season Premieres
Outlander (Starz)
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. `Outlander' is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
Good Girls (NBC)
When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives -- by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used-car-dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined -- and the only way out of this will be together.
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Standing Up, Falling Down
A failing stand-up comedian and an alcoholic dermatologist give each other the confidence to face the failures in their lives.
Director: Matt Ratner
Produced by: Matt Ratner, Rick Rosenthal, Chris Mangano, Gabrielle Nadig, John Hermann
Cast: Billy Crystal, Ben Schwartz, Eloise Mumford
Screenplay by: Peter Hoare
Distributor: Shout! Studios
Release Date: (In theaters and on-demand 2/21/20)
Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Premature
Set against the backdrop of a changing Harlem landscape, when seventeen-year-old Ayanna meets handsome and mysterious outsider Isaiah, her entire world is turned upside down on her path towards self-discovery as she travails the rigorous terrain of young love the summer before she leaves for college.
Director: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Written by: Rashaad Ernesto Green, Zora Howard
Produced by: Darren Dean, Joy Ganes, Rashaad Ernesto Green
Cast: Zora Howard, Joshua Boone, Michelle Wilson
Cinematography: Laura Valladao
Screenplay by: Zora Howard, Rashaad Ernesto Green
Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: (In theaters and on-demand 2/21/20)
Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
Genre: Romance, Drama
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TV Season Premieres
High Maintenance (HBO)
The Guy is a nameless marijuana dealer in Brooklyn who delivers his goods via bicycle to stressed-out clients across New York City, who try to savour the highs of life in an increasingly volatile world. While dropping off weed to his customers, he makes brief appearances in their lives to get a glimpse at their daily routines, allowing viewers to explore the existences of intriguing, colorful individuals from all walks of life. The comedy series stars Ben Sinclair, who created the show with then-wife Katja Blichfeld, as The Guy.
Homeland (Showtime)
When Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody returns home following eight years in captivity, CIA agent Carrie Mathison thinks he has turned and is connected to a terror plot to be carried out on American soil, so she engages him in a dangerous game of cat and mouse that puts America's national security at risk. Later on, Carrie gets a promotion and returns to the front lines overseas. She is assigned to one of the CIA's most volatile and dangerous stations in the Middle East, where she is in the heart of battle in the war on terror. Years later, after being disillusioned and placing herself in a self-imposed exile in Berlin, Carrie becomes estranged from the CIA, eventually returning stateside where she works for a foundation providing aid to Muslims living in America.
TV Season Finale
Evil (CBS)
Skeptical psychologist Kristen Bouchard joins David Acosta, who is training to be a Catholic priest, and a blue collar contractor as they investigate the church's backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and other extraordinary occurrences. Their job is to assess if there's a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work, examining the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series is created by Robert and Michelle King.
Netflix TV Sneak Peek
Narcos: Mexico
This continuation of "Narcos" explores the origins of the modern drug war by going back to its roots, starting at a time when the Mexican trafficking world was a loose, disorganized confederation of independent growers and dealers. It's the 1980s, and Felix Gallardo takes the helm of the Guadalajara Cartel, unifying traffickers to build an empire. As DEA agent Kiki Camarena moves his wife and young son from California to Guadalajara to take on a new post, he learns his assignment is more challenging than he imagined. A tragic chain of events unfolds as Camarena gains intelligence on Gallardo and becomes more entangled in the mission.
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Narcos: Mexico (Season 2)
This continuation of "Narcos" explores the origins of the modern drug war by going back to its roots, starting at a time when the Mexican trafficking world was a loose, disorganized confederation of independent growers and dealers. It's the 1980s, and Felix Gallardo takes the helm of the Guadalajara Cartel, unifying traffickers to build an empire. As DEA agent Kiki Camarena moves his wife and young son from California to Guadalajara to take on a new post, he learns his assignment is more challenging than he imagined. A tragic chain of events unfolds as Camarena gains intelligence on Gallardo and becomes more entangled in the mission.
Creator: Carlo Bernard, Chris Brancato, Doug Miro
Executive Producers: Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro, Eric Newman, José Padilha
Cast: Michael Peña, Diego Luna, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Alyssa Diaz, Joaquín Cosío, José María Yazpik, Matt Letscher, Ernesto Alterio, Alejandro Edda, Fernanda Urrejola, Teresa Ruiz, Gerardo Taracena, Aaron Staton
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: February 13, 2020
Genre: Crime, Drama
BEST PICTURE
"Ford v Ferrari"
"The Irishman"
"Jojo Rabbit"
"Joker"
"Little Women"
"Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood"
"Marriage Story"
"Parasite"
"1917"
DIRECTING
Martin Scorsese, "The Irishman"
Quentin Tarantino, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
Bong Joon-ho, "Parasite"
Sam Mendes, "1917"
Todd Phillips, "Joker"
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Antonio Banderas, "Pain and Glory"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood"
Adam Driver, "Marriage Story"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Joker"
Jonathan Pryce, "The Two Popes"
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Cynthia Erivo, "Harriet"
Scarlett Johansson, "Marriage Story"
Saoirse Ronan, "Little Women"
Renée Zellweger, "Judy"
Charlize Theron, "Bombshell"
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kathy Bates, "Richard Jewell"
Laura Dern, "Marriage Story"
Scarlett Johansson, "Jojo Rabbit"
Florence Pugh, "Little Women"
Margot Robbie, "Bombshell"
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Tom Hanks, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"
Anthony Hopkins, "The Two Popes"
Al Pacino, "The Irishman"
Joe Pesci, "The Irishman"
Brad Pitt, "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood"
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
South Korea, "Parasite"
Spain, "Pain and Glory"
France, "Les Misérables"
North Macedonia, "Honeyland"
Poland, "Corpus Christi"
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
"The Irishman"
"Jojo Rabbit"
"Little Women"
"The Two Popes"
"Joker"
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
"Marriage Story"
"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
"Parasite"
"Knives Out"
"1917"
CINEMATOGRAPHY
"1917"
"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
"The Irishman"
"Joker"
"The Lighthouse"
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The 1st Annual Why Watch That Movie Awards: Winners and Nominees
(Honoring movies that were released in 2019)
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell)
Annette Bening (The Report)
Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
Renée Elise Goldsberry (Waves)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name)
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes)
Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco)
Al Pacino (The Irishman)
Joe Pesci (The Irishman)
Best Screenplay
Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story)
Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won (Parasite)
Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
Anthony McCarten (The Two Popes)
Steven Zaillian (The Irishman)
Best Director
Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
Sam Mendes (1917)
Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
Lulu Wang (The Farewell)
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose)
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
Alfre Woodard (Clemency)
Renée Zellweger (Judy)
Best Actor
Robert De Niro (The Irishman)
Taron Egerton (Rocketman)
Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell)
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)
Best Film
1917
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
The Farewell
The Irishman
Joker
Knives Out
Little Women
Marriage Story
The Two Popes
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Locke & Key
Based on the best-selling graphic novels, Locke & Key follows 3 siblings who, after the murder of their father, move to their ancestral home only to find the house has magical keys that give them a vast array of powers and abilities.
Creator: Joe Hill
Developed by: Carlton Cuse, Aron Eli Coleite, Meredith Averill
Executive Producers by: Andy Muschietti, Joe Hill, Carlton Cuse, Ted Adams, David Ozer, Barbara Muschietti, Aron Eli Coleite, Meredith Averill, Rick Jacobs, Michael Morris
Cast: Jackson Robert Scott, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Sherri Saum, Griffin Gluck, Darby Stanchfield, Laysla De Oliveira, Petrice Jones, Thomas Mitchell Barnet
Distributor: Netflix
First Episode Date: February 7, 2020
Genre: Supernatural, horror, drama
Promising Sundance Picks
Ironbark
Dream Horse
Four Good Days
Kajillionaire
Promising Young Women
The Glorias
Wendy
Downhill
The Father
Nine Days
The Last Thing He Wanted
Worth
The Nest
Minari
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The Turning
A young governess is hired by a man who has become responsible for his young nephew and niece after the deaths of their parents. A modern take on Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw.
Director: Floria Sigismondi
Produced by: Scott Bernstein, Roy Lee, Seth William Meier
Screenplay by: Carey W. Hayes, Chad Hayes, Jade Bartlett
Cast: Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklynn Prince
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: January 24, 2020
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Rated: PG-13
TV Season Premieres
Grown-ish (Freeform)
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
In the sitcom "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy couple -- video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira -- suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt's Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
`Seinfeld' co-creator Larry David plays a version of himself on the improvised series. He faces a constant barrage of life's little annoyances, which in David's sometimes well-meaning but terminally fumbling hands don't tend to stay small for very long.
Shrill (Hulu)
A struggling young journalist is determined to change her life without changing her body. While dealing with an unreliable boyfriends, sick parents and a perfectionist boss, she begins to understand that she's just as good as everyone else.
Salute to Kobe Bryant
The Critic and Referee, pay tribute to the life of the late Kobe Bryant.
TV Series Premieres
The Outsider (HBO)
Based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, "The Outsider" begins by following an investigation which at first seems like it will be simple and straightforward but things change as it leads into the gruesome murder of a young boy by a seasoned cop. When an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case, it leads the investigators to question everything they believe in. The character of Holly Gibney from "Mr. Mercedes" is a major character in this series.
Sanditon (PBS)
Sanditon is a British historical period drama television series adapted by Andrew Davies from an unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen and starring Rose Williams and Theo James in the lead roles. Set during the Regency era, a chance accident brings Charlotte Heywood to Sanditon, a seaside resort on the cusp of dramatic change. Spirited and unconventional, Charlotte is initially keen to experience everything the town has to offer but is then shocked by its scheming and ambitious inhabitants and intrigued by the secrets they share. When Charlotte is tactlessly forthright about the family of enthusiastic entrepreneur Tom Parker, she immediately clashes with his handsome but wild younger brother Sidney. Amidst the rival suitors and unexpected danger, can Charlotte and Sidney see past each other's flaws and find love?
Little America (Apple TV+)
An anthology of funny, romantic, heartfelt, inspiring, and surprising stories about the lives of immigrants in the United States.
Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access)
Retired admiral Jean-Luc Picard -- still deeply affected by the loss of Lieutenant Commander Data and the destruction of Romulus -- steps into the next chapter of his life.
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BEST PICTURE
Ford v Ferrari
American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and fearless British race car driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. Together, they plan to compete against the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.
Director: James Mangold
Produced by: James Mangold, Peter Chernin, Alex Young
Cast: Roberta Sparta, Caitriona Balfe, Christian Bale, Matt Damon
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours 32 minutes
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama
Rated: PG-13
Ford v Ferrari (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/sneak-peek-ford-v-ferrari/
The Irishman
Frank Sheeran maintains ties with the Bufalino crime family and claims to have killed fellow Teamster Jimmy Hoffa.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Produced by: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Gastón Pavlovich, Randall Emmett, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Gerald Chamales, Irwin Winkler
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: (in select theaters 11/1, available on Netflix 11/27)
Runtime: 3 hours 29 minutes
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
The Irishman (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/sneak-peek-the-irishman/
Jojo Rabbit:
Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.
Director: Taika Waititi
Produced by: Taika Waititi, Chelsea Cohen, Carthew Neal
Cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: October 18, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 04 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
PG-13
Jojo Rabbit (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/sneak-peek-jojo-rabbit/
Joker:
Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
Director: Todd Phillips
Produced by: Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper, Emma Tillinger
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: October 4, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours 01 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Joker (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/sneak-peek-joker/
Little Women
Following the lives of four sisters, Amy, Jo, Beth and Meg, as they come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Though all very different from each other, the March sisters stand by each other through difficult and changing times.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Produced by: Amy Pascal, Denise Di Novi, Robin Swicord
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: December 25, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours 14 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG
Little Women (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/movie-talk-sneak-peeks-little-women-and-1917/
Marriage Story
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Produced by: David Heyman, Noah Baumbach
Cast: Merritt Wever, Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: December 6, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours 16 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Marriage Story (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/sneak-peek-marriage-story/
1917
Two British soldiers embark on a dangerous mission to save 1,600 men from certain doom during World War I.
Director: Sam Mendes
Produced by: Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall, Brian Oliver
Cast: Andrew Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Drama, War
Rated: R
1917 (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/movie-talk-sneak-peeks-little-women-and-1917/
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: July 26, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours 41 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
R
Once upon a Time...in Hollywood (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/movie-talk-sneak-peek-luce-and-first-look-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood/
Parasite
Greed and class discrimination threatens the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Produced by: Kwak Sin-ae, Moon Yang-kwon, Jang Young-hwan
Cast: Kang-ho Song, Yeo-jeong Jo, So-dam Park
Distributor: NEON, CJ Entertainment
Release Date: October 11, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours 12 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Parasite (Listen to the Full Episode below)
http://www.whywatchthat.com/movie-talk-sneak-peek-parasite-and-first-look-light-of-my-life/
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TV Series Premiere:
Dracula
Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to meet a new client and finalize the sale of a stately house in London but finds himself trapped in a terrifying maze-like castle of undead brides with a vampire Count whose ambition is to conquer the world.
Created by: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat
Directed by: Jonny Campbell, Damon Thomas, Paul McGuigan
Produced by: Sue Vertue
Cast: Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, John Heffernan
Distributor: Netflix
First Episode Date: January 1, 2020
Runtime: 4 hours 30 minutes
Genre: Horror, Drama
Rated: TV-14
Sneak Peek:
Troop Zero
Troop Zero is a 2020 American comedy-drama film, directed by Bert & Bertie, from a screenplay by Beasts of the Southern Wild co-writer Lucy Alibar and inspired by Alibar's 2010 play Christmas and Jubilee Behold The Meteor Shower.
Director: Bert & Bertie
Written by:Lucy Alibar
Produced by: Steve Tisch, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal
Screenplay by Lucy Alibar
Cast: Merritt Wever, Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver
Distributor: Amazon Prime
Release Date: January 17, 2020
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Rated: PG
Blu-Ray Review:
Terminator: Dark Fate
In Mexico City, a newly modified liquid Terminator -- the Rev-9 model -- arrives from the future to kill a young factory worker named Dani Ramos. Also sent back in time is Grace, a hybrid cyborg human who must protect Ramos from the seemingly indestructible robotic assassin. But the two women soon find some much-needed help from a pair of unexpected allies -- seasoned warrior Sarah Connor and the T-800 Terminator.
Director: Tim Miller
Produced by: James Cameron, David Ellison
Screenplay by David Goyer, Justin Rhodes, Billy Ray
Cast: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis
Distributor: Paramount Pictures (North America), 20th Century Fox (International)[1]
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 08 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: R
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Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell)
Annette Bening (The Report)
Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
Renée Elise Goldsberry (Waves)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name)
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes)
Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco)
Al Pacino (The Irishman)
Joe Pesci (The Irishman)
Best Screenplay
Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story)
Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won (Parasite)
Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
Anthony McCarten (The Two Popes)
Steven Zaillian (The Irishman)
Best Director
Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
Sam Mendes (1917)
Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
Lulu Wang (The Farewell)
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose)
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
Alfre Woodard (Clemency)
Renée Zellweger (Judy)
Best Actor
Robert De Niro (The Irishman)
Taron Egerton (Rocketman)
Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell)
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)
Best Film
1917
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
The Farewell
The Irishman
Joker
Knives Out
Little Women
Marriage Story
The Two Popes
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Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the Why Watch That Family to yours!
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Messiah
When a CIA officer investigates a man attracting international attention and followers through acts of public disruption, she embarks on a global, high-stakes mission to uncover whether he is a divine entity or a deceptive con artist.
Creator: Michael Petroni
Executive Producers by: Michael Petroni, Mark Burnett, Roma Downey, James McTeigue, Andrew Deane
Cast: Mehdi Dehbi, Michelle Monaghan, Jane Adams
Distributor: Netflix
First Episode Date: January 1, 2020
Genre: Drama
The Witcher
The witcher Geralt, a mutated monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world in which people often prove more wicked than beasts.
Creator: Lauren Schmidt Hissrich
Executive Producers by: Sean Daniel, Tomasz Bagiński, Jarek Sawko, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich
Cast: Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, Joey Batey
Distributor: Netflix
First Episode Date: December 20, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 00 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Rated: TV-MA
Little Women
Following the lives of four sisters, Amy, Jo, Beth and Meg, as they come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Though all very different from each other, the March sisters stand by each other through difficult and changing times.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Produced by: Amy Pascal, Denise Di Novi, Robin Swicord
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: December 25, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 14 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG
1917
Two British soldiers embark on a dangerous mission to save 1,600 men from certain doom during World War I.
Director: Sam Mendes
Produced by: Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall, Brian Oliver
Cast: Andrew Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Drama, War
Rated: R
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Cats
A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.
Director: Tom Hooper
Produced by: Tom Hooper, Debra Hayward, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Screenplay by: Lee Hall, Tom Hooper
Cast: James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Francesca Hayward
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 20, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Rated: PG
Just Mercy
A black man wrongly accused of murder spends six years on death row before a lawyer with the Equal Justice Initiative gets him exonerated.
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Produced by: Michael B. Jordan, Asher Goldstein
Cast: Brie Larson, Jamie Foxx, Michael B. Jordan |
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 16 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
Clemency
Bernadine is a stoic prison warden, but two back-to-back executions put a strain on her marriage, career and convictions.
Director: Chinonye Chukwu
Produced by: Bronwyn Cornelius, Julian Cautherley, Timur Bekbosunov, Peter Wong
Cast: LaMonica Garrett, Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge
Distributor: Neon
Release Date: December 27, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
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TV Sneak Peek
Lost in Space (Netflix)
"Danger, Will Robinson!" The rest of the Robinson clan should be on the lookout for danger, as well, because they are facing challenging times. It's 30 years in the future and the family has been chosen to start a new life in a space colony. On the way to what they believe will be a better world, the Robinsons' ship is abruptly thrown off course and they are thrown into a dangerous alien environment. Now light-years from their original destination, they must forge new alliances and work together to survive. Stranded with the Robinsons are unsettlingly charismatic Dr. Smith and inadvertently charming Don West, two outsiders who are thrown together by circumstance and a mutual knack for deception.
Upcoming Season Finales
For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
Exploring the possibilities that might exist if the global space race had continued.
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Alex Levy anchors The Morning Show, a popular news program broadcast from Manhattan on the UBA network that has excellent ratings and is perceived to have changed the face of American television.
After her on-air partner of 15 years, Mitch Kessler, is fired amidst a sexual misconduct scandal, Alex fights to retain her job as top news anchor while sparking a rivalry with Bradley Jackson, a haphazard field reporter whose series of impulsive decisions bring her into a new world of TV journalism.
Season Finales
See (Apple TV+)
Far in a dystopian future, the human race has lost the sense of sight, and society has had to find new ways to interact, build, hunt, and to survive. All of that is challenged when a set of twins is born with sight.
Watchmen (HBO)
Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own.
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Bombshell
A revealing look inside the most powerful and controversial media empire of all time and the explosive story of the women who brought down the infamous man who created it.
Director: Jay Roach
Produced by: Jay Roach, Charles Randolph, Aaron L. Gilbert, Beth Kono, Margaret Riley, A.J. Dix, Robert Graf
Cast: Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron, Alice Eve
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: December 13, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated: R
Richard Jewell
American security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) saves thousands of lives from an exploding bomb at the 1996 Olympics, but is vilified by journalists and the press who falsely report that he was a terrorist.
Director: Clint Eastwood
Produced by: Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Andy Berman, Tim Moore, Kevin Misher, Jessica Meier
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Paul Walter Hauser
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: December 13, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 09 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
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Series Finale
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Partially inspired by co-creator Mike Judge's experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the 1980s, this comedy series follows the misadventures of introverted computer programmer Richard and his brainy friends as they attempt to strike it rich in a high-tech gold rush. They live together in a Bay Area startup incubator loosely run by self-satisfied dot-com millionaire Erlich, who lets them stay in his house rent-free in exchange for a stake in the projects they invent there. But when Richard develops a powerful search algorithm at his day job, he finds himself caught in the middle of a bidding war between his boss -- whose firm offers Richard an eight-figure buyout -- and a deep-pocketed venture capitalist.
Series Premieres
Servant (Apple TV+)
A Philadelphia couple is in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
Truth Be Told (Apple TV+)
The murder case that propelled a true-crime podcaster to nationwide fame comes back to haunt her when new evidence arises that suggests her original suspect may have been wrongfully convicted.
Work in Progress (Showtime)
At 45-years-old, Abby begins to re-evaluate her life and perspective after her misfortune and despair lead her to a transformative relationship.
Series Returns
Vikings (History)
Viking Ragnar Lothbrok is a young farmer and family man who is frustrated by the policies of Earl Haraldson, his local chieftain who sends his Viking raiders east to the Baltic states and Russia, whose residents are as poor as the Norsemen. Ragnar wants to head west, across the ocean, to discover new civilizations. With assistance from his friend Floki, Ragnar builds a faster, sleeker fleet of boats to help him make it to the Western world. Through the years Ragnar, who claims to be a direct descendant of the god Odin, continues to struggle with Earl until the two face each other in a final battle for supremacy. Following that, Ragnar goes on a search for new lands to conquer.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
It's the late 1950s and Miriam "Midge" Maisel has everything she has ever wanted -- the perfect husband, two kids and an elegant apartment on New York's Upper West Side. Her seemingly idyllic life takes a surprising turn when she discovers a hidden talent she didn't previously know she had -- stand-up comedy. This revelation changes her life forever as she begins a journey that takes her from her comfortable life on the Upper West Side through the cafes and nightclubs of Greenwich Village as she makes her way through the city's comedy industry on a path that could ultimately lead her to a spot on the "Tonight Show" couch. The series was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino ("Gilmore Girls").
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The Aeronauts
In 1862 headstrong scientist James Glaisher and wealthy young widow Amelia Wren mount a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone in history. As their perilous ascent reduces their chances of survival, the unlikely duo soon discover things about themselves -- and each other -- that help both of them find their place in the world.
Director: Tom Harper
Produced by: Todd Lieberman; David Hoberman; Tom Harper
Cast: Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Himesh Patel
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: December 6, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography
Rated: PG-13
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Director: Melina Matsoukas
Produced by: Véronique Cayla, Bénédicte Couvreur
Cast: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami
Distributor: Pyramide Films
Release Date: December 6, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 12 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
The Banker
The Banker is an upcoming American drama film written and directed by George Nolfi. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Nicholas Hoult, Nia Long, Jessie Usher and Colm Meaney. The story follows Joe Morris and Bernard Garrett, two of the first African-American bankers in the United States.
Director: Céline Sciamma
Produced by: Nnamdi Asomugha
Cast: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami
Distributor: Apple TV +
Release Date: TBD
Runtime: 2 hour 01 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: R
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Queen & Slim
Slim and Queen's first date takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation. When the situation escalates, Slim takes the officer's gun and shoots him in self-defence. Now labelled cop killers in the media, Slim and Queen feel that they have no choice but to go on the run and evade the law. When a video of the incident goes viral, the unwitting outlaws soon become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people all across the country.
Director: Melina Matsoukas
Produced by: Lena Waithe, Melina Matsoukas, James Frey, Michelle Knudsen, Andrew Coles
Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: November 27, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 12 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Les Misérables
Members of a Parisian anti-crime squad become overwhelmed by simmering neighborhood tension and violence.
Director: Ladj Ly
Produced by: Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral
Cast: Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, Djibril Zonga |
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: November 27, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated: R
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The Two Popes
Behind the Vatican walls, Pope Benedict and the future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Produced by: Dan Lin, Tracey Seaward, Jonathan Eirich
Cast: Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins, Juan Minujín
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: November 27, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 05 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: PG-13
Knives Out
A detective and a trooper travel to a lush estate to interview the quirky relatives of a patriarch who died during his 85th birthday celebration.
Director: Rian Johnson
Produced by: Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman
Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: November 27, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 10 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Rated: PG-13
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Series Premiere
The Feed (Amazon Prime)
In near-future London, a man invents a brain implant that allows people to instantly share thoughts and emotions. However, when the technology falls into the wrong hands, users start to become murderous and the inventor's family are driven apart.
Series Return
The Accident (Hulu)
A close-knit community in a small Welsh town is hopeful of a better future when a large construction project is planned in the area. But when a terrible explosion rips through the site killing many, the accident devastates the community.
Season Finale
Mr. Inbetween (FX)
"Mr Inbetween" is a half-hour comedy series inspired by the cult film "The Magician" and centers around Ray Shoesmith. Juggling a relationship, parental responsibilities, friendships and a sick brother while earning a living would be difficult for anyone, but it's particularly difficult for Ray since he's a criminal for hire. Ray "takes care of people" -- collecting debts, relieving them of drugs and guns, and often taking care of them on a more permanent basis. Ray demands respect and does not tolerate it when someone disregards his very clear code of ethics.
Fall Finales
This Is Us (NBC)
Jack and his wife - who is very pregnant with triplets - have just moved into their new home in Pittsburgh. Successful and handsome television actor Kevin is growing increasingly bored with his bachelor lifestyle. Randall - who was abandoned at a fire station by his father as an infant - is a stylish New York-based businessman working to raise two daughters with his wife, Beth. These people are among a group, several of whom share a birthday, of seemingly random individuals whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of young doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the young doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. Grey struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them - Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
A journalist's life is enriched by friendship when he takes on an assignment profiling Fred Rogers. Based on the real-life friendship between journalist Tom Junod and television star Fred Rogers.
Director: Marielle Heller
Produced by: Youree Henley, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Leah Holzer
Cast: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: November 22, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated: PG
Dark Waters
A tenacious attorney uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths to one of the world's largest corporations. While trying to expose the truth, he soon finds himself risking his future, his family and his own life.
Director: Todd Haynes
Produced by: Mark Ruffalo, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: November 22, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 06 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
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Season Finale
Get Shorty (Epix)
Working as muscle for a murderous Nevada crime ring, Miles Daly decides to change professions and become a Hollywood movie producer.
Series Premieres
Back to Life (Showtime)
Miri Matteson returns home from prison after eighteen years and attempts to integrate back into her old life. With a terrible event from her past hanging over her, it won't be easy.
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
A lone gunfighter makes his way through the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.
Ford v Ferrari
American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and fearless British race car driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. Together, they plan to compete against the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.
Director: James Mangold
Produced by: James Mangold, Peter Chernin, Alex Young
Cast: Roberta Sparta, Caitriona Balfe, Christian Bale, Matt Damon
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 32 minutes
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama
Rated: PG-13
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Atlantics
A soon-to-be-inaugurated futuristic tower looms over a suburb of Dakar. Ada, 17, is in love with Souleimane, a young construction worker. But she has been promised to another man. One night, Souleimane and his co-workers disappear at sea. Soon after, they come back to haunt their old neighbourhood by taking possession of the girlfriends they left behind. Some of the workers have come claiming revenge and threaten to burn the tower down if the developer does not pay their wages.
Director: Mati Diop
Produced by: Judith Lou Lévy, Eve Robin
Cast: Abdou Balde, Aminata Kane, Ibrahima Mbaye
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Waves
The epic emotional journey of a suburban African American family as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the wake of a tragic loss.
Director: Trey Edward Shults
Produced by: Kevin Turen, James Wilson, Trey Edward Shults
Cast: Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alexa Demie
Distributor: A24
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 15 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: R
The Report
FBI agent Daniel Jones performs an exhaustive investigation into the CIA's use of torture on suspected terrorists. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the CIA adopted new interrogation techniques
Director: Scott Z. Burns
Produced by: Scott Z. Burns, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Sugar, Eddy Moretti, Danny Gabai, Kerry Orent, Jennifer Fox
Cast: Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
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Series Premieres
His Dark Materials (HBO)
During her search for a kidnapped friend, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and a mysterious phenomenon called Dust.
Dublin Murders (Starz)
Detectives Rob Reilly and Cassie Maddox find themselves dispatched to investigate the murder of a young girl on the outskirts of Dublin, Ireland. Based on the books "In the Woods" and "The Likeness" by American-Irish writer Tana French, this psychological thriller features a cast of mostly Irish actors, including Killian Scott and Sarah Greene as the leads. The series follows the detectives, who put their friendship to the test, as they are pulled deeper into the intrigue and darkness that surrounds the case.
Season Premiere
Shameless (Showtime)
Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a single father of six who spends much of his free time drinking at bars. The Gallagher children -- led by oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who takes on much of the child-rearing responsibility due to her mother's absence -- manage to raise themselves in spite of Frank's lack of parenting and unusual parenting style when he does choose to act like a father. The drama is an adaptation of the BAFTA Award-winning British show of the same name.
TV Sneak Peek
The Crown (Netflix)
Based on an award-winning play ("The Audience") by showrunner Peter Morgan, this lavish, Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century.
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Sneak Peeks:Honey Boy
A young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.
Director: Alma Har'el
Produced by: Brian Kavanaugh Jones, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Christopher Leggett
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: November 8, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Crown Vic
Follows one memorable night in the life of LAPD officer Ray Mandel while hunting two cop killers on the loose.
Director: Joel Souza
Produced by: Alec Baldwin, Gregg Bello, Anjul Nigam, Maxx Tsai
Cast: David Krumholtz, Thomas Jane, Bridget Moynahan
Distributor: Screen Media
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Rated: R
First Look:Terminator: Dark Fate
In Mexico City, a newly modified liquid Terminator -- the Rev-9 model -- arrives from the future to kill a young factory worker named Dani Ramos. Also sent back in time is Grace, a hybrid cyborg human who must protect Ramos from the seemingly indestructible robotic assassin. But the two women soon find some much-needed help from a pair of unexpected allies -- seasoned warrior Sarah Connor and the T-800 Terminator.
Director: Tim Miller
Produced by: James Cameron, David Ellison
Cast: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis
Distributor: Paramount Pictures (North America), Tencent Pictures (China)
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 08 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: R
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Dickinson
Dickinson is an American period black comedy web television series about Emily Dickinson, created by Alena Smith and produced for Apple TV+. Starring Hailee Steinfeld as Dickinson, the first season was released on November 1, 2019. A second season was ordered in October 2019, before the series premiered.
Dickinson takes place "during Emily Dickinson’s era with a modern sensibility and tone. It takes viewers into the world of Emily, audaciously exploring the constraints of society, gender, and family from the perspective of a budding writer who doesn’t fit in to her own time through her imaginative point of view. Dickinson is Emily’s coming-of-age story – one woman’s fight to get her voice heard."
See
See is a science fiction drama web television series produced for Apple TV+. It is written by Steven Knight and directed by Francis Lawrence.
In the distant future, the human race has lost the sense of sight, and society is left to find new ways to interact, build, hunt, and survive. Meanwhile, blind warrior and chieftain of Alkenny Village Baba Voss' wife gives birth to a set of twins. To his tribe's amazement, the twins can see.
As word spreads, it gets the attention of a cynical tribe and its queen who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the twins. In order to protect his children, Voss is forced to rely on his instincts and must rally fellow tribes to take down the queen and her tyrannical cult before they can capture the children.
For All Mankind
For All Mankind is an American science fiction web television series created and written by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi and produced for Apple TV+. The series dramatises an alternate history depicting "what would have happened if the global space race had never ended" after the Soviet Union succeeds in the first manned Moon landing.
The first manned mission to the Moon during the Space Race in the late 1960s was a global success for NASA and the United States. But this drama answers the question: "What if the Space Race had never ended?".
In an alternate timeline, the USSR beats the USA to the Moon; thus setting its first Russian cosmonaut, Alexei Leonov, on it. Dubbed as "Red Moon", this event leaves NASA in devastation. This doesn’t mean those working there have given up as they challenge the Soviet Union a second time to show that there is no giving up on hope.
The Morning Show
The Morning Show is an American drama web television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, that premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019.
Alex Levy anchors The Morning Show, a popular news program broadcast from Manhattan that has excellent TV ratings and is perceived to have changed the face of American television.
After her partner of 15 years, Mitch Kessler, is fired amidst a sexual misconduct scandal, Alex fights to retain her job as top news anchor while sparking a rivalry with Bradley Jackson, a haphazard field reporter whose series of impulsive decisions bring her into a new world of TV journalism.
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Teaser Time:
The Crown (Netflix)
Based on an award-winning play ("The Audience") by showrunner Peter Morgan, this lavish, Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century.
Series Finale
The Deuce (HBO)
Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO's "The Wire" and "Treme," the semifictional drama series "The Deuce" tells of the germination of the sex-trade industry in the heart of New York's Times Square. It's the early 1970s, and the porn business begins a shift from organized crime-backed parlors to a legitimate, culturally accepted enterprise. A cast of barkeeps, prostitutes, pimps, police and nightlife seekers centers around twins Vincent and Frankie Martino (James Franco, in a dual role), who navigate the sex business after meeting well-connected mobster Rudy Pipilo. Their storyline, among others, merges with that of prostitute Candy, whose ambition and intelligence lead her to a more prominent role in the industry.
Series Premiere
Mrs. Fletcher (HBO)
A divorced woman jumpstarts her love life by adopting a sexy new persona and discovers that her world is full of unexpected and sometimes complicated erotic possibilities.
Season Premieres
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Partially inspired by co-creator Mike Judge's experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the 1980s, this comedy series follows the misadventures of introverted computer programmer Richard and his brainy friends as they attempt to strike it rich in a high-tech gold rush. They live together in a Bay Area startup incubator loosely run by self-satisfied dot-com millionaire Erlich, who lets them stay in his house rent-free in exchange for a stake in the projects they invent there. But when Richard develops a powerful search algorithm at his day job, he finds himself caught in the middle of a bidding war between his boss -- whose firm offers Richard an eight-figure buyout -- and a deep-pocketed venture capitalist.
Jack Ryan (Amazon)
Author Tom Clancy introduced the character of Jack Ryan in a series of books before Ryan headed to the big screen in several films. Now the former U.S. Marine is featured in an episodic series for the first time, with John Krasinski portraying Ryan in this Amazon original thriller that centers on Ryan as an up-and-coming CIA analyst. He is thrust into a dangerous field assignment for the first time and uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication. That launches him into the middle of a dangerous gambit with a new breed of terrorism that threatens destruction on a global scale.
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Marriage Story
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Produced by: David Heyman, Noah Baumbach
Cast: Merritt Wever, Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: December 6, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 16 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
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Motherless Brooklyn
In an unusually bold adaptation, writer-director-producer Edward Norton has transplanted the main character of Jonathan Lethem’s best-selling novel Motherless Brooklyn from modern Brooklyn into an entirely new, richly woven neo-noir narrative, reset in 1950s New York. Emotionally shattered by a botched job, Lionel Essrog (Norton), a lonely private detective with Tourette syndrome, finds himself drawn into a multilayered conspiracy that expands to encompass the city’s ever-growing racial divide and the devious personal and political machinations of a Robert Moses–like master builder, played by Alec Baldwin. Featuring a rigorously controlled star turn by Norton and outstanding additional supporting performances by Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Mann, and Cherry Jones, plus a haunting soundtrack (featuring a score by Daniel Pemberton, with orchestration by Wynton Marsalis, and an original song by Thom Yorke), Motherless Brooklyn is the kind of movie Hollywood almost never makes anymore, and a complexly conceived, robust evocation of a bygone era of New York that speaks to our present moment. A Warner Bros. Picture.
Director: Edward Norton
Produced by: Edward Norton, Gigi Pritzker, Bill Migliore
Cast: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 24 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated: R
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Series Premieres
The Cry (Sundance)
Joanna and Alistair travel from Scotland to Australia with their baby son Noah, to see Alistair's mother and to fight for custody of his 14-year-old daughter from his previous marriage; when they arrive, unforeseen events change their lives forever.
Daybreak (Netflix)
Navigating a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies and "Mad Max"-style gangs, a teenage outcast searches for his lost love.
Zomboat! (Hulu)
Kat worries about sharing a kiss with Sunny with Zombie Jude still on their tail. Meanwhile, the gang encounter another boat, which Jo decides to stay on to avoid Kat's bossiness. However, when Jo crashes the boat, Jude attacks.
Catherine the Great (HBO)
The life of Catherine the Great toward the end of her reign during her affair with Grigory Potemkin; amid scandal, intrigue and immense conflict, they develop a unique and devoted relationship, overcoming their adversaries.
Season Finale
Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Hulu)
In early 1990s New York, Bobby Diggs strives to unite a dozen young black men who are torn between music and crime but eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories.
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Marriage Story
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Produced by: David Heyman, Noah Baumbach
Cast: Merritt Wever, Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: December 6, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 16 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Motherless Brooklyn
In an unusually bold adaptation, writer-director-producer Edward Norton has transplanted the main character of Jonathan Lethem’s best-selling novel Motherless Brooklyn from modern Brooklyn into an entirely new, richly woven neo-noir narrative, reset in 1950s New York. Emotionally shattered by a botched job, Lionel Essrog (Norton), a lonely private detective with Tourette syndrome, finds himself drawn into a multilayered conspiracy that expands to encompass the city’s ever-growing racial divide and the devious personal and political machinations of a Robert Moses–like master builder, played by Alec Baldwin. Featuring a rigorously controlled star turn by Norton and outstanding additional supporting performances by Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Mann, and Cherry Jones, plus a haunting soundtrack (featuring a score by Daniel Pemberton, with orchestration by Wynton Marsalis, and an original song by Thom Yorke), Motherless Brooklyn is the kind of movie Hollywood almost never makes anymore, and a complexly conceived, robust evocation of a bygone era of New York that speaks to our present moment. A Warner Bros. Picture.
Director: Edward Norton
Produced by: Edward Norton, Gigi Pritzker, Bill Migliore
Cast: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 24 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated: R
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Sneak Peek: Jojo Rabbit
Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.
Director: Taika Waititi
Produced by: Taika Waititi, Chelsea Cohen, Carthew Neal
Cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: October 18, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 04 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
PG-13
Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
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The Irishman
Frank Sheeran maintains ties with the Bufalino crime family and claims to have killed fellow Teamster Jimmy Hoffa.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Produced by: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Gastón Pavlovich, Randall Emmett, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Gerald Chamales, Irwin Winkler
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: (in select theaters 11/1, available on Netflix 11/27)
Runtime: 3 hour 29 minutes
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
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Sneak Peek: The Kill Team
A young American soldier in Afghanistan is disturbed by his commanding officer's behavior and is faced with a moral dilemma.
Director: Dan Krauss
Produced by: Marty Bowen; Wyck Godfrey; Adrian Guerra; Isaac Klausner
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nat Wolff, Adam Long
Distributor: A24
Release Date: October 25, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Sneak Peek: Harriet
From her escape from slavery through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad, the story of heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman is told.
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Produced by: Gregory Allen Howard, Debra Martin Chase, Daniela Taplin Lundberg
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, Janelle Monáe
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 05 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
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Season Finale
Succession (HBO)
Although he has no plans to step aside as the head of Waystar Royco, the international media conglomerate controlled by his family, aging patriarch Logan Roy is contemplating what the future holds. He has lingered in the limelight longer than even he thought he would, and now family members want to run the company as they see fit. Despite a best-laid succession plan, tempers flare over Logan's intentions. Kendall Roy, Logan's eldest son from his second marriage and a division president at the firm, is the heir apparent. As Kendall attempts to solidify his eventual takeover, he and the three other Roy children face a difficult choice as company control and family loyalties collide.
Series Premieres
Treadstone (USA)
From the world of Jason Bourne, "Treadstone" is an action-packed thriller set amidst the black ops program Operation Treadstone. exploring both the origins of the infamous covert program, as well as connecting to present-day special ops, "Treadstone" follows the action across the globe -- from D.C. to Berlin to Paris and beyond. "Treadstone" turns its recruits around the world into nearly superhuman assassins using a secret behavior-modification protocol, creating sleeper agents who are mysteriously "awakening" to resume their dangerous missions.
Limetown (Facebook Watch)
Follows Lia Haddock, a journalist for American Public Radio (APR), as she unravels the mystery behind the disappearance of over 300 people at a neuroscience research facility in Tennessee.
Modern Love (Amazon)
TV series based on the New York Times' column that explores relationships, love and the human connection.
Living With Yourself (Netflix)
A man who is burned out on life and love undergoes a mysterious treatment, only to discover that he has been replaced by a better version of himself.
Watchmen (HBO)
Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own.
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Marriage Story
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Produced by: David Heyman, Noah Baumbach
Cast: Merritt Wever, Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: December 6, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 16 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Wasp Network
A band of Cuban defectors infiltrates anti-Castro terrorist groups in Miami in the early 1990s.
Director: Olivier Assayas
Produced by: Charles Gillibert, Rodrigo Teixeira
Cast: Ana de Armas, Penélope Cruz, Gael García Bernal
Release Date: September 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 03 minutes
Genre: Thriller
Rated: R
Motherless Brooklyn
In an unusually bold adaptation, writer-director-producer Edward Norton has transplanted the main character of Jonathan Lethem’s best-selling novel Motherless Brooklyn from modern Brooklyn into an entirely new, richly woven neo-noir narrative, reset in 1950s New York. Emotionally shattered by a botched job, Lionel Essrog (Norton), a lonely private detective with Tourette syndrome, finds himself drawn into a multilayered conspiracy that expands to encompass the city’s ever-growing racial divide and the devious personal and political machinations of a Robert Moses–like master builder, played by Alec Baldwin. Featuring a rigorously controlled star turn by Norton and outstanding additional supporting performances by Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Mann, and Cherry Jones, plus a haunting soundtrack (featuring a score by Daniel Pemberton, with orchestration by Wynton Marsalis, and an original song by Thom Yorke), Motherless Brooklyn is the kind of movie Hollywood almost never makes anymore, and a complexly conceived, robust evocation of a bygone era of New York that speaks to our present moment. A Warner Bros. Picture.
Director: Edward Norton
Produced by: Edward Norton, Gigi Pritzker, Bill Migliore
Cast: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 24 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated: R
Sneak Peek: Jojo Rabbit
Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.
Director: Taika Waititi
Produced by: Taika Waititi, Chelsea Cohen, Carthew Neal
Cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: October 18, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 04 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
PG-13
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Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
Limited Series Finale
Our Boys (HBO)
TV Movie
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)
The Critic Says Goodbye to This Is Us
The Critic’s Reaction to Joker
Memory: The Origins of Alien
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Sneak Peek: Parasite
Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Produced by: Kwak Sin-ae, Moon Yang-kwon, Jang Young-hwan
Cast: Kang-ho Song, Yeo-jeong Jo, So-dam Park
Distributor: NEON, CJ Entertainment
Release Date: October 11, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 12 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
First Look: Light of My Life
A man tries to protect his daughter from the dangers of the world after a devastating plague wipes out most of the female population.
Director: Casey Affleck
Produced by: Casey Affleck, Teddy Schwarzman, John Powers Middleton
Cast: Anna Pniowsky, Casey Affleck, Tom Bower
Distributor: Saban Films
Release Date: August 9, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Series Premieres
Stumptown (ABC)
Based on the series of graphic novels by the same name, "Stumptown" follows Dex Parios, a strong, assertive and sharp-witted Army veteran who has a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of in Portland, Ore. Her military intelligence skills make her a great private investigator, but her brash, unapologetic style puts her in a league of her own, landing her in the firing line of hardcore criminals while not quite in alliance with the rules and objectives of the local police.
Almost Family (FOX)
Only child Julia Bechley finds her life turned upside down when her father reveals that, over the course of his prize-winning career as a pioneering fertility doctor, he used his own genetic material to conceive dozens of children. Reeling from this explosive revelation, Julia discovers two new sisters -- former best friend Edie Palmer and ex-Olympic athlete Roxy Doyle. As these three young women begin to embrace their new reality, Julia must figure out what life is like without her father by her side; Edie comes to grips with her burgeoning sexuality as her marriage falters; and Roxy faces adulthood out of the spotlight. Against all odds, the three women attempt to form a bond as sisters, even as they must welcome a tidal wave of new siblings into their rapidly expanding family.
Raising Dion (Netflix)
A single mother must hide her young son's superpowers to protect him from exploitation while investigating their origins and her husband's death.
Season Premieres
Goliath (Amazon Prime)
Once a powerful lawyer, Billy McBride is now a washed up ambulance chaser, who spends more time in bars than the courtroom. When Billy reluctantly agrees to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the massive law firm he helped create, a vast and deadly conspiracy comes to light. Billy and his team end up in a life-or-death trial against the ultimate foe, which could end up helping Billy find redemption and exact revenge on the firm. The Amazon original series is created by David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro.
Get Shorty (Epix)
Working as muscle for a murderous Nevada crime ring, Miles Daly decides to change professions and become a Hollywood movie producer.
Series Finale
Poldark (PBS)
This all-new version of the vintage Masterpiece series stars Aidan Turner as Capt. Ross Poldark, a redcoat returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to find his father dead and his true love about to marry someone else. A Mammoth Screen production, the series is packed with action, adventure and romance. Also featured are Eleanor Tomlinson as servant Demelza, Warren Clarke as Uncle Charles, and Heida Reed as Elizabeth Chenoweth. Robin Ellis, who portrayed Ross Poldark in the original adaptation 40 years ago, appears here as Reverend Halse.
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Lucy in the Sky
After an awe-inspiring experience in outer space, an astronaut returns to Earth and starts to lose touch with reality in a world that now seems too small.
Director: Noah Hawley
Produced by: Reese Witherspoon, John Cameron
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: October 04, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 04 minutes
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Dolemite Is My Name
The story of performer Rudy Ray Moore, who assumed the role of an iconic pimp named Dolemite during the 1970s.
Director: Craig Brewer
Produced by: Eddie Murphy, John Davis, John Fox
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Wesley Snipes
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: October 04, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Pain and Glory
A film director reflects on the choices he's made in life as past and present come crashing down around him.
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Produced by: Agustín Almodóvar
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Nora Navas, Julieta Serrano, Penélope Cruz
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Release Date: October 4, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Genre: Drama
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Sneak Peek: Joker
Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
Director: Todd Phillips
Produced by: Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper, Emma Tillinger
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: October 4, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 01 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
R
The Irishman
Frank Sheeran maintains ties with the Bufalino crime family and claims to have killed fellow Teamster Jimmy Hoffa.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Produced by: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Gastón Pavlovich, Randall Emmett, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Gerald Chamales, Irwin Winkler
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: (in select theaters 11/1, available on Netflix 11/27)
Runtime: 3 hour 29 minutes
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Pain and Glory
A film director reflects on the choices he's made in life as past and present come crashing down around him.
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Produced by: Agustín Almodóvar
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Nora Navas, Julieta Serrano, Penélope Cruz
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Release Date: October 4, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Genre: Drama
Atlantics
Along the Atlantic coast, a soon-to-be-inaugurated futuristic tower looms over a suburb of Dakar. Ada, 17, is in love with Souleiman, a young construction worker.
But she has been promised to another man. One night, Souleiman and his co-workers leave the country by sea, in hope of a better future. Several days later, a fire ruins Ada’s wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread. Little does Ada know that Souleiman has returned.
Director: Mati Diop
Produced by: Judith Lou Lévy, Eve Robin
Cast: Mame Bineta Sane, Amadou Mbow, Ibrahima Traoré
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: (limited theaters 11/15/19, on Netflix 11/29/19)
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Genre: Drama
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Director: Céline Sciamma
Produced by: Véronique Cayla, Bénédicte Couvreur
Cast: Mame Bineta Sane, Amadou Mbow, Ibrahima Traoré
Distributor: Pyramide Films
Release Date: December 06, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
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Season Premieres
This Is Us (NBC)
Jack and his wife - who is very pregnant with triplets - have just moved into their new home in Pittsburgh. Successful and handsome television actor Kevin is growing increasingly bored with his bachelor lifestyle. Randall - who was abandoned at a fire station by his father as an infant - is a stylish New York-based businessman working to raise two daughters with his wife, Beth. These people are among a group, several of whom share a birthday, of seemingly random individuals whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
black-ish (ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of young doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the young doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. Grey struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them - Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Young Sheldon (CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbours, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
Season Finale
Pearson (USA)
Looking to atone for her past and reconnect with her estranged family, Jessica Pearson -- a recently disbarred powerhouse attorney -- leaves her New York City law firm for the down-and-dirty politics of the Windy City. Newly appointed as Chicago Mayor Bobby Novak's right-hand fixer, Jessica is quickly embroiled in a crooked and dangerous new world where every action has far-reaching consequences. With her compulsion to win, she is forced to reconcile her unstoppable drive with her desire to do the right thing -- two things very much at odds.
Series Finale
Suits (USA)
Big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter and his team, which includes Donna Paulsen, Louis Litt, and Alex Williams, are launched into a play for power when a new partner joins the firm. With his two best associates gone and Jessica back in Chicago, Specter and the team try to adjust to a new normal without them. The team faces down betrayals, fiery relationships, and secrets that eventually come to light. Old and new rivalries surface among members of the team as they learn to deal with their new member.
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Series Premieres
Prodigal Son (FOX)
Malcolm Bright is a gifted criminal psychologist, using his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve crimes and stop killers, all while dealing with a manipulative mother, a serial killer father still looking to bond with his prodigal son and his own constantly evolving neuroses. Bright's only ally is his sister, Ainsley, a TV journalist who wishes her brother would take a break from murder and have a normal life. Unfortunately for his sister, the only way Bright feels normal is by solving cases with the help of his longtime mentor, NYPD Detective Gil Arroyo. Arroyo's one of the best detectives around, and he expects no less from his team, which includes Detective JT Tarmel, a born-and-bred New Yorker who questions whether Bright is a psychopath himself.
Bluff City Law (NBC)
Coming from a famous Memphis family known for taking on injustice, brilliant lawyer Sydney Strait worked at her legendary father Elijah's celebrated law firm until their tumultuous relationship got in the way. After barely speaking to her father for years, Sydney is suddenly thrust back into the family fold when her philanthropist mother passes away unexpectedly. In the wake of this loss, Elijah asks Sydney to rejoin his firm, hoping to reconnect with the daughter he loves. She agrees because despite her lingering resentment and distrust, she knows that working alongside her father is her best hope at changing the world.
mixed-ish (ABC)
Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the '80s and the constant dilemmas she and the family members had to face over whether to assimilate or stay true to themselves. Bow's parents, Paul and Alicia, decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate a mainstream school in which they're perceived as neither black nor white. The family's experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one's own identity when the rest of the world can't decide where you belong.
Emergence (ABC)
After Jo, a police chief, takes in a young child she finds near the site of a mysterious accident, she soon discovers the girl has no memory of what has happened or who she is. The investigation into the history that led up to the accident -- and questions as to how and why it happened -- draws the woman into a conspiracy larger than she ever imagined, with the child's identity at the center of it.
The Unicorn (CBS)
A tight-knit group of friends and family band together to help Wade embrace his new normal in the wake of the loss of his wife a year earlier. As a sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted single parent to his two adolescent daughters, he is taking the major step of dating again. To Wade's amazement, he's a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he's the perfect single guy: employed, attractive and with a proven track record of commitment. With his daughters and best friends rooting him on and hoping he'll find happiness, Wade and his healing heart are ready to try life and love again.
Perfect Harmony (NBC)
When former Princeton music professor Arthur Cochran unexpectedly stumbles into choir practice at a small-town church, he finds an oddball group of singers that is out of tune in more ways than one. Despite the ultimate clash of sensibilities, Arthur and his newfound cohorts, including temporary choirmaster Ginny, her ex, Wayne, vocal powerhouse Adams, gentle giant Dwayne, the impossibly upbeat Reverend Jax and more, may just be the perfect mix of individuals to help each other reinvent and rediscover a little happiness... just when they all need it most.
The Politician (Netflix)
Payton Hobart, a wealthy student from Santa Barbara, has known since age 7 that he's going to be president of the United States, but first he has to navigate the most treacherous political landscape of all, Saint Sebastian High School.
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Judy
Thirty years after starring in "The Wizard of Oz," beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.
Director: Rupert Goold
Produced by: Cameron McCracken, Andrea Scarso, Jim Spencer, Lee Dean, David Livingstone
Cast: Renée Zellweger, Finn Wittrock, Jessie Buckley, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon
Distributor: LD Entertainment
Release Date: September 27, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
The Laundromat
When her idyllic vacation takes an unthinkable turn, Ellen Martin begins investigating a fake insurance policy.
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Produced by: Scott Z. Burns, Lawrence Grey, Gregory Jacobs, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Sugar
Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Gary Oldman, Meryl Streep, Antonio Banderas, Jeffrey Wright, Robert Patrick, David Schwimmer, Sharon Stone|
Distributor: Anonymous Content
Release Date: September 27, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
Genre: Drama
Ad Astra
Thirty years ago, Clifford McBride led a voyage into deep space, but the ship and crew were never heard from again. Now his son -- a fearless astronaut -- must embark on a daring mission to Neptune to uncover the truth about his missing father and a mysterious power surge that threatens the stability of the universe.
Director: James Gray
Produced by: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, James Gray, Anthony Katagas, Rodrigo Teixeira, Arnon Milchan
Cast: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: September 20, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 03 minutes
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery
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The 71st Emmy Awards aired this past Sunday and the Critic and the Referee are back to give you their thoughts on the event!
Who won? Tune in and find out!
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Sneak Peek:
The continuing saga of the Crawley family and the servants who work for them in the English countryside in the early 20th century.
Director: Michael Engler
Produced by: Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame, Liz Trubridge
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: September 20, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 02 minutes
Genre: Drama
PG
Evil
The highly anticipated new series from Robert and Michelle King (The Good Wife, The Good Fight), Evil finds a skeptical female clinical psychologist as she joins a priest-in-training and a contractor as they investigate supposed miracles, demonic possession, and other extraordinary occurrences to see if there’s a scientific explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.
Executive Producer: Michelle King, Robert King, and Liz Glotzer
Cast: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi,Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti and Kurt Fuller.
Network: CBS
Episode Date: September 26, 2019
Genre: Drama
TV-14
Godfather of Harlem
A gangster named Bumpy Johnson makes his way in Harlem during the 1960s. A TV prequel to the 2007 film, 'American Gangster', which centered on the criminal enterprise of Frank Lucas.
Written by: Chris Brancato
Executive Producer: Chris Brancato, Paul Eckstein, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, Markuann Smith, Forest Whitaker
Cast: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi,Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti and Kurt Fuller.
Network: Epix
First Episode Date: September 29, 2019
Genre: Drama
TV-14
The Critic’s 5 Most Anticipated Films at the 57th New York Film Festival
The Irishman (Opening Selection/World Premiere)
The Irishman is a richly textured epic of American crime, a dense, complex story told with astonishing fluidity. Based on Charles Brandt’s nonfiction book I Heard You Paint Houses, it is a film about friendship and loyalty between men who commit unspeakable acts and turn on a dime against each other, and the possibility of redemption in a world where it seems as distant as the moon. The roster of talent behind and in front of the camera is astonishing, and at the core of The Irishman are four great artists collectively hitting a new peak: Joe Pesci as Pennsylvania mob boss Russell Bufalino, Al Pacino as Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa, and Robert De Niro as their right-hand man, Frank Sheeran, each working in the closest harmony imaginable with the film’s incomparable creator, Martin Scorsese. A Netflix release.
Runtime: 3 hours 30 minutes
Distributor: Netflix
Release Dates: November 1, 2019 (limited theatrical release) and November 27, 2019 (on Netflix)
Motherless Brooklyn (Closing Night Selection/New York Premiere)
In an unusually bold adaptation, writer-director-producer Edward Norton has transplanted the main character of Jonathan Lethem’s best-selling novel Motherless Brooklyn from modern Brooklyn into an entirely new, richly woven neo-noir narrative, reset in 1950s New York. Emotionally shattered by a botched job, Lionel Essrog (Norton), a lonely private detective with Tourette syndrome, finds himself drawn into a multilayered conspiracy that expands to encompass the city’s ever-growing racial divide and the devious personal and political machinations of a Robert Moses–like master builder, played by Alec Baldwin. Featuring a rigorously controlled star turn by Norton and outstanding additional supporting performances by Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Mann, and Cherry Jones, plus a haunting soundtrack (featuring a score by Daniel Pemberton, with orchestration by Wynton Marsalis, and an original song by Thom Yorke), Motherless Brooklyn is the kind of movie Hollywood almost never makes anymore, and a complexly conceived, robust evocation of a bygone era of New York that speaks to our present moment. A Warner Bros. Picture.
Runtime: 2 hours 24 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Marriage Story (Centerpiece Selection/New York Premiere)
Noah Baumbach’s new film is about the rapid tangling and gradual untangling of impetuosity, resentment, and abiding love between a married couple negotiating their divorce and the custody of their son. Adam Driver is Charlie, a 100-percent New York experimental theater director; Scarlett Johansson is Nicole, his principal actress and soon-to-be L.A.-based ex-wife. Their “amicable” breakup devolves, one painful rash response and hostile counter-response at a time, into a legal battlefield, led on Nicole’s side by Laura Dern and on Charlie’s side by nice Alan Alda and not-so-nice Ray Liotta. What is so remarkable about Marriage Story is its frank understanding of the emotional fluctuations between Charlie and Nicole: they are both short-sighted, both occasionally petty, both vindictive, and both loving. The film is as harrowing as it is hilarious as it is deeply moving. With Merritt Wever and Julie Hagerty as Nicole’s sister and mom, and Azhy Robertson as their beloved son, Henry. A Netflix release.
Runtime: 2 hours 16 minutes
Distributor: Netflix
Release Dates: November 6, 2019 (limited theatrical release) and December 6, 2019 (on Netflix)
Pain and Glory (New York Premiere)
Pedro Almodóvar cuts straight to the heart with his intensely personal latest, which finds the great Spanish filmmaker tapping into new reservoirs of introspection and emotional warmth. Antonio Banderas deservedly won the Best Actor award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for his miraculous, internalized portrayal of Salvador Mallo, a director not too subtly modeled on Almodóvar himself, whose growing health problems—including tinnitus, migraines, and spinal pain—and creative block have initiated a midlife reckoning. Moving in and out of time, evoking Salvador’s childhood in the sixties (featuring Penélope Cruz as his doting mother); his years of triumph in the eighties; and present-day Madrid, where he navigates new artistic challenges, Pain and Glory is both a moving summative statement on a career and an indication of more brilliant things to come. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: October 4, 2019
Parasite (New York Premiere)
In Bong Joon-ho’s exhilarating new film, a threadbare family of four struggling to make ends meet gradually hatches a scheme to work for, and as a result infiltrate, the wealthy household of an entrepreneur, his seemingly frivolous wife, and their troubled kids. How they go about doing this—and how their best-laid plans spiral out to destruction and madness—constitutes one of the wildest, scariest, and most unexpectedly affecting movies in years, a portrayal of contemporary class resentment that deservedly won the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or. As with all of this South Korean filmmaker’s best works, Parasite is both rollicking and ruminative in its depiction of the extremes to which human beings push themselves in a world of unending, unbridgeable economic inequality. A NEON release.
Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes
Distributor: Neon
Release Date: October 11, 2019
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Season Premieres
The Deuce (HBO)
Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO's "The Wire" and "Treme," the semifictional drama series "The Deuce" tells of the germination of the sex-trade industry in the heart of New York's Times Square. It's the early 1970s, and the porn business begins a shift from organized crime-backed parlors to a legitimate, culturally accepted enterprise. A cast of barkeeps, prostitutes, pimps, police and nightlife seekers centers around twins Vincent and Frankie Martino (James Franco, in a dual role), who navigate the sex business after meeting well-connected mobster Rudy Pipilo. Their storyline, among others, merges with that of prostitute Candy, whose ambition and intelligence lead her to a more prominent role in the industry.
Mr. Inbetween (FX)
"Mr Inbetween" is a half-hour comedy series inspired by the cult film "The Magician" and centers around Ray Shoesmith. Juggling a relationship, parental responsibilities, friendships and a sick brother while earning a living would be difficult for anyone, but it's particularly difficult for Ray since he's a criminal for hire. Ray "takes care of people" -- collecting debts, relieving them of drugs and guns, and often taking care of them on a more permanent basis. Ray demands respect and does not tolerate it when someone disregards his very clear code of ethics.
Season Finales
Queen of the South (USA)
While living in the barrio of Jalisco, Mexico, poor Teresa Mendoza falls in love with a member of a successful drug cartel, hoping the love will help her rise above the hopelessness she feels in her life. When it doesn't happen, she is forced to flee the country after her boyfriend is murdered. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams up with an unlikely person from her past to take down the leader of the drug ring that is after her. Teresa ends up starting her own drug empire, becoming one of the world's wealthiest women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of others and stay alive.
Grand Hotel (ABC)
Eva Longoria executive produces this bold, provocative drama set at the last family-owned hotel in multicultural Miami Beach. Charismatic Santiago Mendoza owns the hotel, while his glamorous second wife, Gigi, and their adult children enjoy the spoils of success.The hotel's loyal staff round out a contemporary, fresh take on an upstairs/downstairs story. Wealthy and beautiful guests bask in luxury, but scandals, escalating debt and explosive secrets hide beneath the picture-perfect exterior. The show is based on the Spanish series.
Harlots (Hulu)
In this drama set in 18th century London, Samantha Morton stars as Margaret Wells, a brothel owner and mother to two daughters, Charlotte and Lucy. When Margaret's business is attacked by Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), a ruthless rival madam, a war breaks out over the city's most profitable commercial activity -- sex. Margaret is determined to fight back and protect her business, even if it puts everything else at risk, including her family. Creators Moira Buffini and Alison Newman also serve as executive producers.
Younger (TV Land)
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career -- while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth after revealing her secret to Kelsey.
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Series Premieres
Carnival Row (Amazon Prime)
A growing population of mythological immigrant creatures struggles to coexist with humans after the creatures' exotic homelands are invaded by the empires of man. The creatures are forbidden to live, love or fly with freedom, but hope lives in darkness. Human detective Rycroft "Philo" Philostrate and a refugee faerie, Vignette Stonemoss, rekindle a dangerous affair despite being in an increasingly intolerant society. Vignette has a secret that endangers Philo's world during his most important case yet -- a string of gruesome murders threatening the uneasy peace of the Row.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix)
When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis' power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and try to save their world.
Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Hulu)
In early 1990s New York, Bobby Diggs strives to unite a dozen young black men who are torn between music and crime but eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories.
The Spy (Netflix)
This drama tells the astonishing true story of Israel's most prominent spy, Eli Cohen, who infiltrated the Syrian government in the 1960s.
Unbelievable (Netflix)
When a teen reports being raped, then recants her story, two female detectives follow evidence that could reveal the truth; based on a true story.
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The Referee and the Critic give us their final thoughts as they wrap up their coverage of this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
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The Referee and the Critic give us their thoughts as they move into day 4 at TIFF 2019.
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Sneak Peek: Monos
On a faraway mountaintop, eight teenaged guerillas with guns watch over a hostage and a conscripted milk cow. Playing games and initiating cult-like rituals, the children run amok in the jungle and disaster strikes when the hostage tries to escape.
Director: Alejandro Landes
Produced by: Alejandro Landes, Fernando Epstein, Santiago Zapata, Cristina Landes
Cast: Julianne Nicholson, Moisés Arias
Distributor: Neon (USA), Participant Media (USA), Cine Colombia (Colombia)
Release Date: September 13, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Genre: Drama, Thriller
R
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Sneak Peek: Goldfinch
Theodore Decker was 13 years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day -- a painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch.
Director: John Crowley
Produced by: Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Nicole Kidman
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: September 13, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 29 minutes
Genre: Drama
R
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The Referee and the Critic give us their thoughts as they move into day 3 at TIFF 2019.
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The Referee and the Critic give us their thoughts as they move into day 2 at TIFF 2019.
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The Referee and the Critic give us their thoughts as they kick off day 1 at TIFF 2019.
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The Referee and the Critic discuss the exciting films and shows coming to TIFF, Tribeca TV, and NYFF this year.
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Sneak Peek: Official Secrets
One day in 2003, in the lead up to the Iraq War, British intelligence specialist Katharine Gun receives a memo from the NSA with a shocking directive: the United States is enlisting Britain's help in collecting compromising information on U.N. Security Council members to blackmail them into voting in favor of an invasion of Iraq. Unable to stand by and watch the world be rushed into war, Gun makes the gut-wrenching decision to defy her government and leak the memo to the press.
Director: Gavin Hood
Produced by: Ged Doherty, Elizabeth Fowler, Melissa Shiyu Zuo
Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Ralph Fiennes
Distributor: Entertainment One, IFC Films
Release Date: August 30, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
R
Sneak Peek: Don’t Let Go
Detective Jack Radcliff gets a shocking phone call from his recently murdered niece Ashley. Working together across time, they race to solve the crime before it can happen.
Director: Jacob Aaron Estes
Produced by: Jason Blum, David Oyelowo, Bobby Cohen
Cast: David Oyelowo, Storm Reid, Byron Mann, Mykelti Williamson
Distributor: OTL Releasing, BH Tilt
Release Date: August 30, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
R
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Series Premieres
The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)
Well into the second generation of a grand televangelist tradition, the world-famous Gemstone family is living proof that worship pays dividends in all sizes. Patriarch Eli, the man most responsible for the tremendous success of the family's megachurch, is in mourning over the loss of his wife. Jesse, the eldest of the three grown Gemstone siblings, looks to lead in his father's footsteps, but finds his past sins jeopardizing the family ministry. Next in line comes middle sister Judy, who secretly lives with her fiancé and dreams of escaping the Gemstone compound. Rounding out the dysfunctional trio is pseudo-hipster Kelvin, the youngest of the preachers and a thorn in Jesse's side. As the family battles numerous threats to their renowned religious empire, they continue to spread the good word... and make a solid buck doing so.
This Way Up (Hulu)
Aine is a smart English-as-a-foreign language teacher trying to pull her life back together after a `teeny little nervous breakdown'. Despite this, Aine puts on a brave face for her sister.
On Becoming a God in Central Florida (Showtime)
"On Becoming a God in Central Florida" is a dark comedy starring award-winning actress Kirsten Dunst that takes place in a small town that is adjacent to Orlando in the early 1990s. Dunst plays Krystal Stubbs, a minimum wage employee at a waterpark who is looking for a better life. To reach her goal, she lies, cheats and cons her way up the ranks of Founders American Merchandise (FAM), a cultish pyramid scheme that ruined her family in the first place. As Krystal dives deeper into FAM, things take on a very serious turn as the business begins to affect everyone that is close to her.
Final Season Premiere
Ballers (HBO)
A superstar during his football playing days, Spencer Strasmore tries to find the same success as a financial manager for current players in sun-splashed Miami. Heeding his boss Joe's instruction to "monetize his friendships," Spencer builds a client base of young phenoms and veteran stars alike, but his role in their lives far exceeds money management as he struggles to help them navigate the many traps that come with life as big-time "ballers." The series is created by Stephen Levinson ("Entourage," "Boardwalk Empire") and stars Dwayne Johnson as Spencer.
Season Finales
Sweetbitter (Starz)
A new life awaits 22-year-old Tess when she arrives friendless in New York City and lacking any specific ambitions beyond finding a job. Her charm and observational nature lead to an invitation to train at one of the city's best restaurants. She thinks it is a temporary place to wait for her life's big break, but Tess is quickly intoxicated by the people she meets and by the chaotic world behind the scenes -- tasting expensive wine, exploring dive bars, learning whom to trust. Her co-workers become her family, and through them she finds a sense of belonging that she has never encountered before.
Pose (FX)
Set in the 1980s, Pose' is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene. Blanca forms ahouse', a self-selected family that provides support to LGBTQ youth who have been rejected by their birth families. Damon is a dancer who joins Blanca's house. Together, they compete in the balls -- where house members challenge each other in various categories and are judged on their outfits, attitude, or dance skills -- against Blanca's former house mother, Elektra. Pray Tell is Godfather to the children who compete in the balls. Angel is a streetwalker who develops feelings for a new client, Stan, who has a loving wife, Patty. James Van Der Beek co-stars as Stan's boss, Matt.
Series Finale
Baskets (FX)
Chip Baskets has always dreamed of being a classically trained clown. After flunking out of French clown college -- probably due to his inability to understand French -- he returns home to Bakersfield, California, where he moves in with his mother, Christine, bickers with his twin brother, Dale, longs for his sophisticated Parisian ex-wife, and continues to pursue his professional clowning dream, with the assistance of his friend/assistant/insurance adjuster, Martha. Zach Galifianakis stars as both Chip and Dale, with Louie Anderson as Christine and Martha Kelly in the role of Martha.
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Sneak Peek: Brittany Runs a Marathon
A hard-partying woman receives a startling wake-up call when a visit to the doctor reveals how unhealthy she is. Motivated to lose weight, she soon takes up running to help her prepare for her ultimate goal of competing in the New York City Marathon.
Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
Produced by: Matthew Plouffe; Tobey Maguire; Margot Hand
Cast: Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rel Howery, Micah Stock
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: August 23, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
R
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Series Premieres
Our Boys (HBO)
Set in the summer of 2014, the series is based on the true events which led to the outbreak of war in Gaza. When three Jewish teenagers are kidnapped and murdered by Hamas militants, Israel is shocked, shaken and furious. In an apparent response to the horrific act, the burned body of 16-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khdeir is found in a forest on the outskirts of Jerusalem. As a terrorism agent and his team at the Jewish Division of Shin Bet investigate Mohammed's murder, the parents of the slain teenager begin their long and anguished journey toward consolation and justice.
David Makes Man (OWN)
"David Makes Man" is a drama series created by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney ("Moonlight"). Set in South Florida, this lyrical coming-of-age story centers on a teenage prodigy named David who lives in the projects but attends a magnet school for academically gifted youngsters. David, played by newcomer Akili McDowell, straddles two different worlds, navigating between the streets that raised him and the school that offers him a way out of poverty. His balancing act comes at an emotional price which is portrayed in this original series on OWN that delves into issues of race and identity. It features an ensemble cast that includes Alana Arenas, Phylicia Rashad and Isaiah Johnson. Dee Harris-Lawrence ("Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.") serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside McCraney, Mike Kelley, Melissa Loy, Michael B. Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey.
Why Women Kill (CBS All Access)
A darkly comedic drama detailing the lives of three women living in three different decades: a housewife in the 60s, a socialite in the 80s, and a lawyer in 2018, each dealing with infidelity in their marriages.
Season Premieres
Succession (HBO)
Although he has no plans to step aside as the head of Waystar Royco, the international media conglomerate controlled by his family, aging patriarch Logan Roy is contemplating what the future holds. He has lingered in the limelight longer than even he thought he would, and now family members want to run the company as they see fit. Despite a best-laid succession plan, tempers flare over Logan's intentions. Kendall Roy, Logan's eldest son from his second marriage and a division president at the firm, is the heir apparent. As Kendall attempts to solidify his eventual takeover, he and the three other Roy children face a difficult choice as company control and family loyalties collide.
The Terror: Infamy (AMC)
Set during World War II, the haunting and suspenseful second season of the horror-infused anthology The Terror: Infamy centers on a series of bizarre deaths that haunt a Japanese American community, and a young man's journey to understand and combat the malevolent entity responsible. The season chronicles Chester Nakayama and his friends and family from Terminal Island, California, as they face persecution from the American government and battle the evil spirit that threatens their future. The Terror: Infamy tells the often overlooked story of Japanese American internment and asks what it truly means to be an American. From 1942 to 1945, more than 145,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians were forced from their homes and into internment camps by their respective governments, simply because of where they or their ancestors were born. Their story is one of perseverance in the face of injustice.
Mindhunter (Netflix)
Catching a criminal often requires the authorities to get inside the villain's mind to figure out how he thinks. That's the job of FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench. They attempt to understand and catch serial killers by studying their damaged psyches. Along the way, the agents pioneer the development of modern serial-killer profiling. The crime drama has a strong pedigree behind the camera, with Oscar-nominated director David Fincher and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron among the show's executive producers.
Series Finales
The Rook (Starz)
Myfanwy Thomas wakes up in the rain beside London's Millennium Bridge with no memory of who she is and no way to explain why she is surrounded by dead bodies. She discovers she is a high-ranking official in Checquy, Britain's last secret service agency for people with paranormal abilities. Myfanwy makes it her mission to find out who she is, who wiped her memory and why she is a target while trying to navigate the complex world of a secret agency and the people who are a part of it. The series is based on the novel of the same title by Daniel O'Malley.
Legion (FX)
David Haller is a troubled young man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next, in his early 30s, David met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd. After a startling encounter with her, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd led David to Melanie Bird, a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists -- Ptonomy, Kerry, and Cary -- each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden abilities and unlock a deeply suppressed truth -- he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power.
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Series Premieres
Bulletproof (CW)
Detectives Bishop and Pike fight crime together on the streets of East London, sharing a similar moral code despite their drastically different backgrounds. Bishop grew up being passed around foster families, desperately looking for a father figure, while Pike's father was the first black police commissioner, whose expectations he is struggling to live up to. Their deviating approach to life has been shaping an almost unbreakable bond between the two men, and their friendship is finally put to the test.
Two Sentence Horror Stories (CW)
An anthology series featuring updated tales of horror and haunting for the digital age, inspired by the viral fan fiction of two sentence horror stories.
Wu Assassins (Netflix)
An unassuming San Francisco chef becomes the latest in a line of assassins chosen to keep the mystical Wu powers out of the wrong hands.
Season Premiere
GLOW (Netflix)
Alison Brie stars as Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the '80s. Wilder finds an unexpected chance at stardom: enter the glitter and spandex-laden world of women's wrestling, where she must work alongside 12 other Hollywood misfits. Marc Maron plays the role of Sam Sylvia, a washed-up director of "B" movies who tries to lead the group of women to fame. The series is created by Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive, who serve as executive producers with Jenji Kohan and Tara Herrmann.
Season Finales
Jett (Cinemax)
World-class thief Daisy "Jett" Kowalski is just out of prison and already being forced back into what got her there, by a group of eccentric and dangerous criminals.
Grown-ish (Freeform)
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
Sneak Peek: Blinded by the Light
Javed is a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in 1987 England. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in the powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers an outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to express himself in his own voice.
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Produced by: Jane Barclay; Gurinder Chadha; Jamal Daniel
Cast: Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: August 16, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
PG-13
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Sneak Peek: Brian Banks
The inspirational true story of Brian Banks, an all-American high school football star who finds his life upended when he's wrongly convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Despite the lack of evidence, Banks gets railroaded through a broken justice system and sentenced to a decade of prison and probation. Years later, with the support of Justin Brooks and the California Innocence Project, Banks fights to reclaim his life and fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL.
Director: Tom Shadyac
Produced by: Amy Baer, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson
Cast: Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Release Date: August 9, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
PG-13
Sneak Peek: The Peanut Butter Falcon
After running away from a residential nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a pro wrestler, a man who has Down syndrome befriends an outlaw who becomes his coach and ally.
Director: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
Produced by: Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, Christopher Lemole, David Thies, Tim Zajaros, Lije Sarki
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, Thomas Haden Church
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: August 9, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes
Genre: Adventure
PG-13
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Miniseries Premiere
Four Weddings and a Funeral (Hulu)
Four American friends reunite for a fabulous London wedding, but after a bombshell at the altar throws their lives into turmoil, they must weather a tumultuous year of romance and heartbreak.
Mid-Season Check-Ins
Younger (TV Land)
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career -- while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth after revealing her secret to Kelsey.
Yellowstone (Paramount)
Oscar and Emmy winner Kevin Costner is the marquee attraction of the ensemble cast in this drama series, starring as the patriarch of a powerful, complicated family of ranchers. A sixth-generation homesteader and devoted father, John Dutton controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. He operates in a corrupt world where politicians are compromised by influential oil and lumber corporations and land grabs make developers billions. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect, Dutton's property is in constant conflict with those it borders -- an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America's first national park.
Limited Series Finale
Years and Years (HBO)
An ordinary British family contends with the hopes, anxieties and joys of an uncertain future in this six-part limited series that begins in 2019 and propels the characters 15 years forward into an unstable world. The story begins as members of the Lyons clan converge for the birth of the newest family member, baby Lincoln, and an outspoken celebrity begins her transformation into a political figure whose controversial opinions will divide the nation. As the Britain of this imaginary drama is rocked by political, economic and technological advances, the family experiences everything hoped for in the future, and everything that is feared.
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Sneak Peek: Luce
A liberal-minded couple, Amy and Peter Edgar, are forced to reconsider their image of their adopted son after they discover he has written an extremely disturbing essay for his class at school.
Director: Julius Onah
Produced by: Julius Onah, John Baker, Andrew Yang
Cast: Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Norbert Leo Butz, Tim Roth
Distributor: NEON, Topic Studios
Release Date: August 2, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes
Genre: Drama
R
First Look: Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: July 26, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 41 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
R
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Series Premieres
South Side (Comedy Central)
Two friends and aspiring venture capitalists who just graduated from community college are ready to take over the world but must work at a rent-to-own store in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood until then.
Another Life (Netflix)
Astronaut Niko Breckinridge and her young crew face unimaginable dangers as they go on a high-risk mission to explore the genesis of an alien artifact.
The Boys (Amazon Prime)
When superheroes abuse their superpowers instead of using them for good, The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about The Seven and Vought, the conglomerate that covers up their dirty secrets.
Pennyworth (Epix)
Former British SAS soldier Alfred Pennyworth forms a security company and goes to work with Bruce Wayne's billionaire father, Thomas, in 1960s London.
The Lion King
Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival. Scar, Mufasa's brother -- and former heir to the throne -- has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. Now, with help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
Director: Jon Favreau
Produced by: Jon Favreau, Karen Gilchrist, Jeffrey Silver
Cast: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: July 19, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
Series Update
The Loudest Voice (Showtime)
Based on the best-selling book "The Loudest Voice" by Gabriel Sherman, TV executive and media consultant Roger Ailes' life continues to be a source of interest to many due to the lasting effect he has had on the media world. Primarily focusing on the past decade when Ailes arguably became the Republican Party's de facto leader, and defining events in Ailes' life, including experiences with world leaders that helped launch Ailes' political career and the sexual harassment accusations and settlements that brought his Fox News reign to an end.
Series Premieres
Pandora (CW)
Set in the year 2199, "Pandora" is a science fiction action series about a resourceful young woman who has lost everything but finds a new life at Earth's Space Training Academy, where she and her friends learn and train to defend the galaxy from threats, both alien and human. During their adventures, she begins to discover secrets about the nature of her own identity and decides that she must uncover the truth and find out whether she will be humanity's savior or the instrument of its destruction.
Pearson (USA)
Looking to atone for her past and reconnect with her estranged family, Jessica Pearson -- a recently disbarred powerhouse attorney -- leaves her New York City law firm for the down-and-dirty politics of the Windy City. Newly appointed as Chicago Mayor Bobby Novak's right-hand fixer, Jessica is quickly embroiled in a crooked and dangerous new world where every action has far-reaching consequences. With her compulsion to win, she is forced to reconcile her unstoppable drive with her desire to do the right thing -- two things very much at odds.
Final Season Premiere
Suits (USA)
Big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter and his team, which includes Donna Paulsen, Louis Litt, and Alex Williams, are launched into a play for power when a new partner joins the firm. With his two best associates gone and Jessica back in Chicago, Specter and the team try to adjust to a new normal without them. The team faces down betrayals, fiery relationships, and secrets that eventually come to light. Old and new rivalries surface among members of the team as they learn to deal with their new member.
Series Finale
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Based on the same-titled best-seller by Liane Moriarty, "Big Little Lies" weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief in the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey, Calif. Amidst doting moms, successful husbands, beautiful children, and stunning homes exists a community fueled by rumors and divided into haves and have-nots, exposing fractured relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors. Told through the eyes of three mothers -- Madeline, Celeste and Jane -- the series' narrative explores society's myths regarding perfection and its romanticization of marriage, sex, parenting and friendship. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star as the three prominent "mothers of Monterey."
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Series Premieres
The Disappearance (WGN)
Anthony Sullivan vanishes mysteriously on his 10th birthday while he is doing a treasure hunt. Anthony's entire family is devastated by his unexplained and very sudden disappearance and events begin the night before he vanishes and the investigation as it begins to take shape. The police search for signs of Anthony and long-buried, devastating family secrets are dredged up to the surface and touches each member of the Sullivan family. `The Disappearance' is a compelling event series that will send CTV viewers on an emotional and intense journey," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks, and CraveTV.
Florida Girls (Pop)
Having grown up in Florida, series creator and executive producer Laura Chinn draws upon her real-life experiences in the Sunshine State for this comedy about four broke girls who are forced to take stock of their lives when their best friend moves out of their shared mobile home to start a career. Decidedly lowbrow and low-rent, the girls struggle to overcome the unfortunate cards they are dealt and find self-worth in a society that deems poor, uneducated women as valueless. Fortunately, the female foursome has a tight-knit, nonjudgmental and loving friendship to fall back upon while navigating life's endless barrage of comedic curveballs.
Season Premieres
Sweetbitter (Starz)
A new life awaits 22-year-old Tess when she arrives friendless in New York City and lacking any specific ambitions beyond finding a job. Her charm and observational nature lead to an invitation to train at one of the city's best restaurants. She thinks it is a temporary place to wait for her life's big break, but Tess is quickly intoxicated by the people she meets and by the chaotic world behind the scenes -- tasting expensive wine, exploring dive bars, learning whom to trust. Her co-workers become her family, and through them she finds a sense of belonging that she has never encountered before.
Harlots (Hulu)
In this drama set in 18th century London, Samantha Morton stars as Margaret Wells, a brothel owner and mother to two daughters, Charlotte and Lucy. When Margaret's business is attacked by Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), a ruthless rival madam, a war breaks out over the city's most profitable commercial activity -- sex. Margaret is determined to fight back and protect her business, even if it puts everything else at risk, including her family. Creators Moira Buffini and Alison Newman also serve as executive producers.
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Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
Does the greatest TV show actually exist? In this episode, the Critic and Referee dive deep into several shows which have been given this crown and let you know what their thoughts are on the topic.
Shows discussed:
Breaking Bad
The Good Wife
The Wire
Game of Thrones
The Sopranos
Mad Men
The Americans
Friday Night Lights
Six Feet Under
Lost
Rectify
The Leftovers
The Fall
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
TV Check-In
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Based on the same-titled best-seller by Liane Moriarty, "Big Little Lies" weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief in the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey, Calif. Amidst doting moms, successful husbands, beautiful children, and stunning homes exists a community fueled by rumors and divided into haves and have-nots, exposing fractured relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors. Told through the eyes of three mothers -- Madeline, Celeste, and Jane -- the series' narrative explores society's myths regarding perfection and its romanticization of marriage, sex, parenting, and friendship. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley star as the three prominent "mothers of Monterey."
Grownish (Freeform)
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in-between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
Sneak Peek:
The Farewell
Billi's family returns to China under the guise of a fake wedding to stealthily say goodbye to their beloved matriarch -- the only person that doesn't know she only has a few weeks to live.
TV Series Return
Stranger Things (Netflix)
It's the fall of 1984, about a year after Will Byers was found, and he has been plagued by seeing visions of the Upside Down featuring a more dangerous monster. That leads the boy to see a suspiciously friendly new doctor, with the possibility that Will's visions are the result of suffering from PTSD. Nancy deals with survivor's remorse over the death of best friend Barb. Meanwhile, a new sinister entity threatens the Hawkins residents who survived the year-earlier events. New to the town is tomboy Max, who befriends the boys and attracts the romantic interests of Dustin and Lucas.
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Spider-Man: Far From Home
Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.
Director: Jon Watts
Produced by: Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal
Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J. B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: July 2, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 09 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
PG-13
Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
In this episode, the Critic and Referee discuss the 30th Anniversary of American film director, producer, writer, and actor, Spike Lee's film, “Do the Right Thing”!
Season Premiere
Legion ( FX)
David Haller is a troubled young man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next, in his early 30s, David met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd. After a startling encounter with her, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd led David to Melanie Bird, a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists -- Ptonomy, Kerry, and Cary -- each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden abilities and unlock a deeply suppressed truth -- he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power.
Series Premieres
Years and Years (HBO)
An ordinary British family contends with the hopes, anxieties and joys of an uncertain future in this six-part limited series that begins in 2019 and propels the characters 15 years forward into an unstable world. The story begins as members of the Lyons clan converge for the birth of the newest family member, baby Lincoln, and an outspoken celebrity begins her transformation into a political figure whose controversial opinions will divide the nation. As the Britain of this imaginary drama is rocked by political, economic and technological advances, the family experiences everything hoped for in the future, and everything that is feared.
The Rook (Starz)
Myfanwy Thomas wakes up in the rain beside London's Millenium Bridge with no memory of who she is and no way to explain why she is surrounded by dead bodies. She discovers she is a high-ranking official in Checquy, Britain's last secret service agency for people with paranormal abilities. Myfanwy makes it her mission to find out who she is, who wiped her memory and why she is a target while trying to navigate the complex world of a secret agency and the people who are a part of it. The series is based on the novel of the same title by Daniel O'Malley.
The Loudest Voice (Showtime)
Based on the best-selling book "The Loudest Voice" by Gabriel Sherman, TV executive and media consultant Roger Ailes' life continues to be a source of interest to many due the lasting effect he has had on the media world. Primarily focusing on the past decade when Ailes arguably became the Republican Party?s de facto leader, and defining events in Ailes? life, including experiences with world leaders that helped launch Ailes? political career and the sexual harassment accusations and settlements that brought his Fox News reign to an end.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Series Premieres
Euphoria (HBO)
An American adaptation of the Israeli show of the same name, "Euphoria" follows the troubled life of 17-year-old Rue, a drug addict fresh from rehab with no plans to stay clean. Circling in Rue's orbit are Jules, a transgender girl searching for where she belongs; Nate, a jock whose anger issues mask sexual insecurities; Chris, a football star who finds the adjustment from high school to college harder than expected; Cassie, whose sexual history continues to dog her; and Kat, a body-conscious teen exploring her sexuality. As the classmates struggle to make sense of their futures, the series tackles the teenage landscape of substance-enhanced parties and anxiety-ridden day-to-day life with empathy and candor.
Grand Hotel (ABC)
Eva Longoria executive produces this bold, provocative drama set at the last family-owned hotel in multicultural Miami Beach. Charismatic Santiago Mendoza owns the hotel, while his glamorous second wife, Gigi, and their adult children enjoy the spoils of success.The hotel's loyal staff round out a contemporary, fresh take on an upstairs/downstairs story. Wealthy and beautiful guests bask in luxury, but scandals, escalating debt and explosive secrets hide beneath the picture-perfect exterior. The show is based on the Spanish series.
Das Boot (Hulu)
In 1942, the crew of U612, a German U-boat, embark on their maiden voyage. Meanwhile, a young woman finds herself caught between the Gestapo and the French Resistance.
Reef Break (ABC)
Cat Chambers' less-than-perfect past as a thief gives her an instinctive gift for understanding crime and criminals, which comes in handy in her new role as fixer for the governor of a Pacific Island paradise. As she becomes enmeshed in fast-paced, high octane adventures and island intrigue, Cat's reappearance also makes waves for old friends, enemies and lovers -- including an FBI agent ex-husband, her imprisoned crime boss and a police detective lover who is in over his head -- and the lines between work and play become increasingly blurry.
Mr. Iglesias (Netflix)
Stand-up comic Gabriel Iglesias stars in this series as a good-natured high school history teacher who tries to help gifted misfits.
Season Premiere
Yellowstone (Paramount)
Oscar and Emmy winner Kevin Costner is the marquee attraction of the ensemble cast in this drama series, starring as the patriarch of a powerful, complicated family of ranchers. A sixth-generation homesteader and devoted father, John Dutton controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. He operates in a corrupt world where politicians are compromised by influential oil and lumber corporations and land grabs make developers billions. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect, Dutton's property is in constant conflict with those it borders -- an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America's first national park.
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Series Premieres
Jett (Cinemax)
"Whoever says crime doesn't pay is doing it wrong." Such is the slogan of world-class thief Daisy ?Jett? Kowalski. Fresh out of prison, Jett's retirement plans don't last very long when powerful crime lord Charlie Baudelaire offers her one "final" task in Cuba. The scheme not only reunites Jett with a former flame, but sets off a chain of unexpected events that endangers everyone she cares for and pits her against ruthless criminals determined to exploit her skills for their own ends. Carla Gugino, best known for her action-filled turns in the "Spy Kids" film franchise, stars as the reluctant title thief.
Too Old to Die Young (Amazon)
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy Martin Jones' life is blown apart in one tragic night, and he is forced into a deadly underground of cartel soldiers, yakuza assassins and mysterious vigilantes as his past sins close in on him.
City on a Hill (Showtime)
In early 1990s Boston, violent criminals, corruption, and racism are part of the norm. Hailing from Brooklyn, District Attorney Decourcey Ward seeks change and forms a surprising alliance with a hardened FBI veteran. This unlikely duo take on a family of armored car robbers from Charleston. The case evolves into the change that Boston needs by altering the city's criminal justice system.
Los Espookys (HBO)
A group of friends turns its love for horror into a peculiar business in a dreamy Latin American country where the strange and eerie are just part of daily life.
Season Premieres
Pose (FX)
Set in the 1980s, Pose' is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene. Blanca forms ahouse', a self-selected family that provides support to LGBTQ youth who have been rejected by their birth families. Damon is a dancer who joins Blanca's house. Together, they compete in the balls -- where house members challenge each other in various categories and are judged on their outfits, attitude, or dance skills -- against Blanca's former house mother, Elektra. Pray Tell is Godfather to the children who compete in the balls. Angel is a streetwalker who develops feelings for a new client, Stan, who has a loving wife, Patty. James Van Der Beek co-stars as Stan's boss, Matt.
Krypton (Syfy)
Years before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel's home planet, Superman's grandfather, Seg-El, fights to redeem his family's honor after the House of El is ostracized and shamed over Seg's grandfather's false claims of a world-killer coming to Krypton. When an attack on the government is attempted, Seg seizes an opportunity to advance himself and his family by allying with those who sentenced his grandfather to execution and destroyed his family's name but when evidence that his grandfather's claims were true is discovered, Seg must work within the system that discarded the House of El in order to protect their future legacy.
Baskets (FX)
Chip Baskets has always dreamed of being a classically trained clown. After flunking out of French clown college -- probably due to his inability to understand French -- he returns home to Bakersfield, California, where he moves in with his mother, Christine, bickers with his twin brother, Dale, longs for his sophisticated Parisian ex-wife, and continues to pursue his professional clowning dream, with the assistance of his friend/assistant/insurance adjuster, Martha. Zach Galifianakis stars as both Chip and Dale, with Louie Anderson as Christine and Martha Kelly in the role of Martha.
Younger (TV Land)
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career -- while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth after revealing her secret to Kelsey.
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Based on the same-titled best-seller by Liane Moriarty, "Big Little Lies" weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief in the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey, Calif. Amidst doting moms, successful husbands, beautiful children, and stunning homes exists a community fueled by rumors and divided into haves and have-nots, exposing fractured relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors. Told through the eyes of three mothers -- Madeline, Celeste and Jane -- the series' narrative explores society's myths regarding perfection and its romanticization of marriage, sex, parenting and friendship. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star as the three prominent "mothers of Monterey."
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Season and Series Finales
Good Girls (NBC)
When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives -- by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used-car-dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined -- and the only way out of this will be together.
Killing Eve (AMC/BBC America)
Eve's life as a spy is not adding up to what she had hoped it would be when she started. She is a bored, very smart, MI5 security officer who is very desk-bound. Villanelle is a very talented killer, mercurial in mood, who clings to the luxuries of her job. Eve and Villanelle go head to head in a fierce game of cat and mouse, each woman equally obsessed with the other as Eve is tasked with hunting down the psychopathic assassin. Sarah Barnett, BBCA president, says, " `Killing Eve' stands out in a sea of scripted stories as refreshingly entertaining and great fun."
Fosse/Verdon (FX)
Spanning five decades, "Fosse/Verdon" explores the singular romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Bob is a visionary filmmaker and one of the theater's most influential choreographers and directors, and Gwen is the greatest Broadway dancer of all time. Only Bob can create the groundbreaking musicals that allow Gwen to showcase her greatness. Only Gwen can realize the unique vision in Bob's head. Together, they will change the face of American entertainment -- at a perilous cost.
Chernobyl (HBO)
Brave men and women act heroically to mitigate catastrophic damage when the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffers a nuclear accident on April 26, 1986.
Movie Talk
Wild Rose
Fresh out of prison, a Scottish woman juggles her job and two children while pursuing her dream of becoming a country music star. She soon gets her chance when she travels to Nashville, Tenn., on a life-changing journey to discover her true voice.
Director: Tom Harper
Produced by: Faye Ward
Cast: Jessie Buckley, Sophie Okonedo, Julie Walters
Distributor: Entertainment One
Release Date: June 7, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Drama, Music
Plus One
Longtime single friends agree to be each other's plus one at every wedding they are invited to.
Director: Jeff Chan, Andrew Rhymer
Produced by: Jeff Chan, Debbie Liebling, Ross Putman, Andrew Rhymer, Greg Beauchamp, Jeremy Reitz
Cast: Maya Erskine, Jack Quaid, Beck Bennett, Rosalind Chao, Perrey Reeves, Ed Begley Jr.
Distributor: RLJE Films
Release Date: June 14, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Rocketman
An epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough years.
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Produced by: Elton John, David Furnish, Matthew Vaughn, David Reid, Adam Bohling
Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: May 31, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 01 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
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Season Premieres
Elementary (CBS)
This take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic character has disgraced Sherlock Holmes fleeing London for present-day Manhattan after a stint in rehab. He arrives to find that his father has assigned a sober companion to live with him - Dr Joan Watson, a former surgeon whose medical licence was revoked three years earlier after she lost a patient. She now seeks penance by helping addicts stay clean. However, Holmes has his own plan for keeping on the straight and narrow, throwing himself into his work as a police consultant in New York City. The two find that they make a good team and are soon cracking some of the NYPD's most-difficult cases.
She's Gotta Have It (Netflix)
Iconic filmmaker Spike Lee revisits his first feature film with this Netflix original series of the same name. Brooklyn-based artist Nola Darling struggles to stay true to herself and her dreams while dividing her time between her friends, her job and her lovers -- all three of them. That trio includes married businessman and father Jamie Overstreet, photographer and self-described "biracial Adonis" Greer Childs and chatty Michael Jordan fan Mars Blackmon. In addition to creating the series, Lee directs all the episodes and serves as an executive producer alongside wife Tonya Lewis Lee.
CLAWS (TNT)
At the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon in Central Florida, five diverse, hardworking manicurists try to make ends meet in a staid economy while managing perilous personal lives awash in drama. Amidst all the silk wraps, pedicures and polish treatments, salon owner Desna, who lives with and cares for her mentally ill twin brother, leads a staff that includes best friend Jennifer, now sober and raising two kids from a previous relationship; enigmatic Ann, who provides security for the salon; mild-mannered preppy and ex-convict Polly; and Virginia, who becomes easily bored and impatient with her job. Also hanging around the salon are shady redneck Roller; ambulance coach Bryce, Jennifer's husband who is also newly sober; and Uncle Daddy, a dangerous, deeply Catholic and actively bisexual crime boss.
Queen of the South (USA)
While living in the barrio of Jalisco, Mexico, poor Teresa Mendoza falls in love with a member of a successful drug cartel, hoping the love will help her rise above the hopelessness she feels in her life. When it doesn't happen, she is forced to flee the country after her boyfriend is murdered. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams up with an unlikely person from her past to take down the leader of the drug ring that is after her. Teresa ends up starting her own drug empire, becoming one of the world's wealthiest women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of others and stay alive.
Luther (BBC America)
Luther is a brilliant but emotionally impulsive detective who is tormented by the dark side of humanity while hunting down murderers. Once the self-destructive detective knows the killer's identity, it becomes a psychological duel between predator and prey.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, this series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States. Gilead is ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state, and is faced with environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate. In a desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world, the few remaining fertile women are forced into sexual servitude. One of these women, Offred, is determined to survive the terrifying world she lives in, and find the daughter that was taken from her.
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Series Premieres
Blood & Treasure (CBS)
A globe-trotting action-adventure drama about a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. Danny McNamara is a former FBI agent specializing in stolen arts and antiquities. Lexi Vaziri is a resourceful art thief who is haunted by the tragic loss of her father, which she blames on Danny. When terrorist Karim Farouk absconds with a priceless artifact and kidnaps Danny's mentor, Dr. Anna Castillo, Danny recruits Lexi to help him bring Farouk to justice and rescue Anna. As they crisscross the world hunting for their target, Danny and Lexi unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.
The Name of the Rose (Sundance)
In Italy 1327, accompanied by his apprentice, a Franciscan monk journeys to an isolated abbey in the Alps for a canonical function, only to discover that the abbey is now witness to several, mysterious murders.
What/If (Netflix)
In this neo-noir social thriller, Oscar winner Renée Zelwegger stars as Anne Montgomery, a woman of extreme wealth who makes young scientist Lisa a steamy proposal. Lisa is on the verge of a breakthrough that would save the lives of millions of kids, but she needs funding to go through with the trials and eventually bring her technique to the market. Other venture capitalists have turned Lisa down, but Anne makes her an unexpected offer -- one that comes with a twist. In order to give Lisa the money, Anne wants to spend a night alone with Lisa's husband, Sean, a former professional athlete. If the couple agree to the terms, Lisa will get the funding but can never ask her husband what happened during his time with Anne, who believes that human attachment is a weakness and Lisa will only succeed if she focuses all of her attention on her work.
Good Omens (Amazon)
An angel and a demon must join forces to find a way to save the world as the end of time grows near with the approaching Armageddon.
American Princess (Lifetime)
Australian actress Georgia Flood stars as "American Princess" Amanda, an Upper East Side socialite whose storybook nuptials are dramatically derailed when she discovers her fiance is cheating on her just hours before her dream wedding in the countryside. Stunned by the betrayal, Amanda runs off only to find herself stranded in the middle of a Renaissance fair with no phone and no way home. Amid the bizarre surroundings, Amanda has an unexpected awakening and impulsively decides to become the newest member of the fair. The fledgling wench-in-waiting quickly develops new friendships, rivalries and romances that, much to the confusion of her family, opens her eyes to new beginnings.
Perpetual Grace, LTD (Epix)
Young grifter James attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown and his wife, Lillian, who both turn out to be more dangerous than anticipated.
NOS4A2 (AMC)
Based on Joe Hill's New York Times best-selling novel of the same name, "NOS4A2" is a different kind of vampire story. It follows Vic McQueen, a gifted young woman who discovers she has a supernatural ability to find lost things. This ability puts her on a collision course with the evil and immortal Charlie Manx. Manx is a supernatural villain who feeds off the souls of children and then deposits what remains of them into Christmasland -- a twisted place of Manx's imagination where every day is Christmas Day and unhappiness is against the law. Vic strives to defeat Manx and rescue his victims -- without losing her mind or falling victim to him.
When They See Us (Netflix)
Created, written and directed by Ava DuVernay, this series exposes the breakdown of the U.S. criminal justice system during the Central Park Five case.
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The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Jimmie and his best friend Mont try to reclaim the house built by Jimmie's grandfather, launching them on a poignant odyssey that connects them to their past, even as it tests their friendship and sense of belonging in the place they call home.
Director: Joe Talbot
Produced by: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Joe Talbot, Christina Oh, Khaliah Neal
Cast: Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors, Danny Glover, Tichina Arnold, Rob Morgan, Mike Epps, Finn Wittrock, Thora Birch
Distributor: A24
Release Date: June 7, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 00 minutes
Genre: Drama
Late Night
A late-night talk show host's world is turned upside down when she hires her first and only female staff writer. Originally intended to smooth over diversity concerns, her decision brings about unexpectedly hilarious consequences as the two women who are separated by culture and generation become united by their love of a biting punchline.
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Produced by: Mindy Kaling, Howard Klein, Scott Rudin, Jillian Apfelbaum, Ben Browning
Cast: Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella, Hugh Dancy, John Lithgow, Denis O'Hare, Reid Scott, Amy Ryan
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: June 7, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
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Upcoming Series Premiere
The Hot Zone (National Geographic)
In 1989, the Ebola virus appears in chimpanzees in a research lab in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and there is no known cure; a U.S. Army scientist puts her life on the line to head off an outbreak before it spreads to the human population.
Series Premiere
Catch-22 (Hulu)
Artful dodger Yossarian is a bombardier in the U.S. Air Force during World War II who is upset that thousands of people who he has never met are trying to kill him. His biggest problem isn't the enemy, though, it's his own army that keeps increasing the number of missions soldiers must fly in order to complete their service. And if Yossarian tries to make an attempt to avoid his assignments, he will be in violation of catch-22, a bureaucratic rule that states a man is considered insane if he willing continues to fly dangerous missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and makes him ineligible to be relieved of his duty. Oscar winner George Clooney serves as an executive producer of the six-episode series, which is based on the 1961 novel by Joseph Heller.
Season Finales
Young Sheldon (CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbours, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of young doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the young doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. Grey struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them - Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Better Things (FX)
`Better Things' is the story of Sam Fox, a single mother and working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters -- Max, Frankie, and Duke -- in Los Angeles. She also looks out for her mother, Phil, an English ex-patriate with questionable faculties who lives across the street. Whether she's struggling to keep her daughters close or trying to push one of them out of the nest, Sam approaches every challenge with fierce love, raw honesty, and humour. At the end of the day, Sam's just trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters' changing lives, survive her family, have fun with a friend or two, and also -- just maybe -- squeeze in some private time.
Barry (HBO)
Disillusioned at the thought of taking down another "mark," depressed, low-level hit man Barry Berkman seeks a way out. When the Midwesterner reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an actor who is bedding a mobster's wife, little does Barry know that the City of Angels may be his sanctuary. He follows his target into acting class and ends up instantly drawn to the community of eager hopefuls, especially dedicated student Sally, who becomes the object of his affection. While Barry wants to start a new life as an actor, his handler, Fuches, has other ideas, and the hit man's criminal past won't let him walk away so easily.
The Blacklist (NBC)
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the globe's most wanted fugitives. But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies and international terrorists -- on the condition that he must work with profiler Elizabeth Keen. Red's true intentions -- choosing Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection -- are unclear. Does Liz have secrets of her own? Red promises to teach Liz to think like a criminal "to see the bigger picture," whether she wants to or not.
black-ish (ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
The CBS All Access series picks up one year after the events in the final episode of "The Good Wife." After a financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out her mentor and godmother Diane Lockhart's savings, the two are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join forces with Lucca Quinn at one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms. At Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Diane finds familiar faces, including Colin Morrello, who is a rising star in the state's attorney's office, and Marissa Gold. Though starting at the bottom, Diane and Maia are determined to rebuild their careers and lives at the new firm.
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In this episode of Off The Cuff, the Critic and Referee, give you their thoughts on the finale of the last season of Game of Thrones.
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Trial by Fire
Cameron Todd Willingham, a poor, uneducated heavy metal devotee who has a violent streak and a criminal record, is convicted of arson-related triple homicide in 1992. During his 12 years on death row, Elizabeth Gilbert, an improbable ally, uncovers questionable methods and illogical conclusions in his case and battles with the state to expose suppressed evidence that could save him.
Director: Edward Zwick
Produced by: Alex Soros, Allyn Stewart, Edward Zwick, Kipp Nelson
Cast: Laura Dern, Jack O'Connell, Emily Meade
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 07 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Photograph
Pressured by his grandmother to get married, a struggling street photographer convinces a shy stranger to pose as his fiancee. They soon develop an unexpected bond that transforms both of them in ways they could not have imagined.
Director: Ritesh Batra
Produced by: Ritesh Batra, Ronnie Screwvala, Michel Merkt, Anish Savjani, Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino, Viola Fügen, Michael Weber
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Sachin Khedekar
Distributor: AA Films, Amazon Studios
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
See You Yesterday
Two Brooklyn teenage prodigies build makeshift time machines to save one's brother from being wrongfully killed by a police officer.
Director: Stefon Bristol
Produced by: Spike Lee, Ashley Alexander
Cast: Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, Astro
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
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John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
After gunning down a member of the High Table -- the shadowy international assassin's guild -- legendary hit man John Wick finds himself stripped of the organization's protective services. Now stuck with a $14 million bounty on his head, Wick must fight his way through the streets of New York as he becomes the target of the world's most ruthless killers.
Director: Chad Stahelski
Produced by: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, Ian McShane
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 10 minutes
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Rated R
Series Premiere
State of the Union (Sundance)
Meeting in a pub before their weekly marital therapy sessions, a recently estranged couple review the circumstances that drew them together and pulled them apart.
Series Returns
Easy (Netflix)
From director and creator Joe Swanberg, this Netflix-original comedy anthology series explores diverse Chicago characters, modern romance technology and culture. Scenarios include a married couple hoping to reignite their sex life, a couple looking to spice things up with another woman, and middle-aged dating. The series features an impressive array of stars, including Jake Johnson of "New Girl," comic Hannibal Buress, actor Orlando Bloom, actress/model Emily Ratajkowski and actor Dave Franco.
Sneaky Pete (Amazon)
Giovanni Ribisi plays the role of Marius, a con man who tries to leave his old life behind by assuming the identity of his cell mate, Pete. While Pete's family doesn't have reason to suspect that he is not their long-lost loved one, they are a colorful group with their own secrets and lies that could make life as dangerous as the world Marius was hoping to escape. Marius must find a way to keep his lies from backfiring as he deals with unexpected situations that come his way. Executive producers include Graham Yost and Bryan Cranston.
Series Finale
Veep (HBO)
"Politics is about people," former Sen. Selina Meyer is fond of saying. Unfortunately, the people Meyer, a charismatic leader and rising star in her party, meets after becoming vice president are nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. "Veep" follows the VP as she puts out political fires, juggles her public schedule and private life, and does everything within her limited powers to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive. Meyer's trusted -- and some not-so-trusted -- sidekicks include chief of staff Amy, one-time spokesperson Mike, and right-hand man Gary.
Final Season Check-In
Game of Thrones (HBO)
George R.R. Martin's best-selling book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is brought to the screen as HBO sinks its considerable storytelling teeth into the medieval fantasy epic. It's the depiction of two powerful families -- kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and honest men -- playing a deadly game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and to sit atop the Iron Throne.
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In this episode of Off The Cuff, the Critic and Referee, touch on the accomplished life of the late director, screenwriter and producer John Singleton.
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Films and TV Series Discussed:
Standing Up, Falling Down
A comedy about the unlikely friendship that kindles between a struggling stand-up comedian from L.A., forced to move back home to Eastern Long Island with his tail between his legs, and a tragically flawed, but charming and charismatic, alcoholic dermatologist. Discovering to be kindred spirits, each helps the other find healing, in addition to the confidence to face the "failures" in their lives.
The Hot Zone
In 1989, the Ebola virus appears in chimpanzees in a research lab in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and there is no known cure; a U.S. Army scientist puts her life on the line to head off an outbreak before it spreads to the human population.
Plus One
In order to survive a summer of wedding fever, longtime single friends, Ben and Alice, agree to be each other's plus one at every wedding they've been invited to.
Georgetown
Ulrich Mott (Christoph Waltz) is an eccentric and versatile social climber with grandiose plans to affect United States foreign policy. He is encouraged and egged on in his attempts by his strategically chosen (and much older) wife, the well-connected journalist Elsa Brecht (Vanessa Redgrave). Mott has a knack for making himself indispensable and impossible to ignore whether it is as an intern, the perfect host, or a Brigadier General of the Iraqi Special Forces. He has an impeccable sense for when to flatter and how to deftly use political jargon to his advantage. The only one seemingly immune to his charms is Elsa's daughter, Amanda (Annette Bening), who might simply disapprove of her mother marrying a much younger man or perhaps she senses something more sinister beneath the smooth-talking surface
Wild Rose
Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley) has recently been released from jail. Forced to wear an ankle monitor and observe a strict curfew, she is unable to return to her job bringing down the house nightly as the lead singer at Glasgow’s own Grand Ole Opry. Resigned, she takes a gig as a house cleaner for the affluent Susannah (Sophie Okonedo), who immediately notices Harlan’s raw talent and authentic country music chops. Together they hatch a plan to get her to the big time in Nashville.
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Series Premieres
The Red Line (CBS)
Following the lives of three vastly different Chicago families whose stories of loss and tragedy intersect in the wake of the mistaken shooting of an African-American doctor by a white cop. As the stories of the Calder, Young and Evans families crisscross and converge, a message of hope appears -- it's possible to emerge from tragedy stronger, and it's important to come together with others, not just to survive, but to thrive.
Dead to Me (Netflix)
A powerful friendship blossoms between a tightly wound widow and a free spirit with a shocking secret in this darkly comic series.
Series Return
The Spanish Princess (Starz)
Beautiful Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon navigates the royal lineage of England with an eye on the throne.
Check-In
Game of Thrones (HBO)
George R.R. Martin's best-selling book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is brought to the screen as HBO sinks its considerable storytelling teeth into the medieval fantasy epic. It's the depiction of two powerful families -- kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and honest men -- playing a deadly game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and to sit atop the Iron Throne.
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Films and TV Series Discussed:
Only
Only is a mysterious, dreamy post-apocalyptic love story told elegantly and in non-sequential order by director Takashi Doscher. Tony Award-winner Odom, Jr. (Hamilton) and Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) play the doomed couple whose fear that their secret will be revealed unveils the layers of pain and longing between them. As Will and Eva struggle to reach a beloved waterfall from their past, the couple attempts to survive in a new world where she is a commodity of unparalleled worth.
Two/One
Kaden (Boyd Holbrook) is a ski jumping champion pushing the limits. After a few disappointing jumps, his drive returns in the form of a long lost love. Khai (Song Yang) is a lonely executive focused on an ascending career. When a mysterious woman (Zhu Zhu) starts working at his office, he’s not ready for the detour.
The same living essence inhabits two different homes: one in Canada, one in China. Two men who have never met share a lonely existence. While one sleeps, the other is awake. The world waits for an impending moment; They must unite.
Roads
Two lost teenage boys, from Congo and Britain, meet in Morocco and take a road trip in a stolen RV to France, encountering poverty and refugees on the way.
Chernobyl
Brave men and women act heroically to mitigate catastrophic damage when the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffers a nuclear accident on April 26, 1986.
The Kill Team
A young American soldier in Afghanistan is disturbed by his commanding officer's behavior and is faced with a moral dilemma.
Crown Vic
Follows one memorable night in the life of LAPD officer Ray Mandel while hunting two cop killers on the loose.
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Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
A chronicle of the crimes of Ted Bundy, from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend, who refused to believe the truth about him for years.
Director: Joe Berlinger
Produced by: Joe Berlinger, Nicolas Chartier, Michael Costigan, Ara Keshishian, Michael Simkin, Jason Barrett
Cast: Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, Jeffrey Donovan, Angela Sarafyan, Dylan Baker, Brian Geraghty, Jim Parsons, John Malkovich
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: May 3, 2019 (Worldwide}, January 26, 2019 (Sundance)
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Rated R
Series Premieres
Gentleman Jack (HBO)
It's 1832 in West Yorkshire, England -- the cradle of the evolving Industrial Revolution -- where landowner Anne Lister is determined to save her faded ancestral home, Shibden Hall, even if it means bucking society's expectations. In addition to reopening the coal mines, a part of Lister's plan to help her family is to marry well. But the charismatic, single-minded Lister -- who dresses head-to-toe in black and charms her way into high society -- has no intention of marrying a man. "Gentleman Jack" examines Lister's relationships with her family, servants, tenants and industrial rivals, and would-be wife. The real-life Anne Lister's story was recorded in her diaries, and the most intimate details of her life are revealed for the series.
Chambers (Netflix)
Consumed by the mystery surrounding the donor heart that saved her life, a young patient starts taking on sinister characteristics of the deceased.
Upcoming Miniseries Premiere
Chernobyl (HBO)
Brave men and women act heroically to mitigate catastrophic damage when the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffers a nuclear accident on April 26, 1986.
Mid-Season Check-In
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Nine noble families fight for control over the mythical lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for thousands of years.
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Avengers: Endgame
Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers -- Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner -- must figure out a way to bring back their vanquished allies for an epic showdown with Thanos -- the evil demigod who decimated the planet and the universe.
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: April 26, 2019
Runtime: 3 hour 041minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated PG-13
Series Premieres
Bless This Mess (ABC)
Newlyweds Rio and Mike make the decision to change the course of their life together and move from the relentless pace of big city New York to what they think will be a more relaxed existence in rural Nebraska. After dropping everything --including their jobs and an overbearing mother-in-law -- to make the move from skyscrapers to farmhouses, they soon realize that the simpler life isn't as easy as they had planned. Rio and Mike must now learn how to weather the storm as they are faced with unexpected challenges in their new lives as farmers.
Ramy (Hulu)
First-generation Egyptian-American Ramy is on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood.
Season Finales
The Magicians (Syfy)
Quentin Coldwater, a grad student at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, has been fascinated by the magical fantasy world since he was young. But as he has gotten older, Quentin and his 20-something friends have discovered that the magical world they read about as children is not only real, but it poses dangers to humanity. While studying at the secret upstate New York school, the friends struggle to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophe that befalls the institution. The fantasy series is based on a series of novels by Lev Grossman.
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
The story of "Star Trek: Discovery" begins roughly a decade before Captain Kirk's five-year mission -- as portrayed in the original "Star Trek" from the 1960s -- and a century before the events of "Star Trek: Enterprise." The series follows the crew of the USS Discovery as they encounter new worlds and civilizations, delving into familiar themes and expanding upon an incident that has been talked about within the franchise's universe, but never fully explored.
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Little
Jordan is a take-no-prisoners tech mogul who torments her long-suffering assistant, April, and the rest of her employees on a daily basis. She soon faces an unexpected threat to her personal life and career when she magically transforms into a 13-year-old version of herself right before a do-or-die presentation. Jordan will now need to rely on April more than ever -- if April is willing to stop treating Jordan like a 13-year-old child who has an attitude problem.
Director: Tina Gordon
Produced by: Will Packer, Kenya Barris, James Lopez
Cast: Regina Hall, Issa Rae, Marsai Martin
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
The Silence
When the world is under attack from creatures who hunt their human prey by sound, a teenager who lost her hearing at 13, and her family, seek safety in a remote refuge. However, they discover a cult who are eager to exploit her heightened senses.
Director: John R. Leonetti
Produced by: Alexandra Milchan, Robert Kulzer, Scott Lambert
Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Stanley Tucci, Miranda Otto, John Corbett
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: April 10, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Guava Island
A young musician seeks to hold a festival to liberate the oppressed people of Guava Island, even if only for a day.
Director: Hiro Murai
Produced by: Donald Glover, Fam Udeorji, Carmen Cuba, Jennifer Roth
Cast: Donald Glover, Rihanna, Nonso Anozie, Letitia Wright
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: April 13, 2019
Runtime: 55 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Music, Thriller
Red Joan
The story of Joan Stanley, who was exposed as the KGB's longest-serving British spy.
Director: Trevor Nunn
Produced by: David Parfitt
Cast: Stephen Campbell Moore, Sophie Cookson, Tom Hughes, Ben Miles, Nina Sosanya, Tereza Srbova, Judi Dench
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 19, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Little Woods
In North Dakota, two estranged sisters are driven to extremes when their mother dies, leaving them with one week to pay back her mortgage.
Director: Nia DaCosta
Produced by: PGabrielle Nadig, Rachael Fung, Tim Headington
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby, James Badge Dale, Lance Reddick
Distributor: Neon
Release Date: April 19, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Western
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Series Premieres
The Code (CBS)
The military's brightest minds take on the United States' toughest legal challenges, inside the courtroom and out, in the only law office in the world where every attorney is trained as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, an investigator - and a Marine. Operating out of Judge Advocate General Headquarters in Quantico, these active-duty Marines are attorneys who have chosen to serve their country in pursuit of military justice at home and abroad, often having to put aside their ideals for the sake of the truth.
Fosse/Verdon (FX)
Spanning five decades, "Fosse/Verdon" explores the singular romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Bob is a visionary filmmaker and one of the theater's most influential choreographers and directors, and Gwen is the greatest Broadway dancer of all time. Only Bob can create the groundbreaking musicals that allow Gwen to showcase her greatness. Only Gwen can realize the unique vision in Bob's head. Together, they will change the face of American entertainment -- at a perilous cost.
Special (Netflix)
A young gay man with cerebral palsy branches out from his insular existence in hopes of finally going after the life he wants.
Les Misérables (PBS)
Television adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel which follows Jean Valjean as he evades capture by the unyielding Inspector Javert. Set against a backdrop of post-Napoleonic France as unrest beings to grip the city of Paris once more.
Season Finale
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
In the sitcom "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy couple -- video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira -- suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt's Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
Final Season Premiere
Game of Thrones (HBO)
George R.R. Martin's best-selling book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is brought to the screen as HBO sinks its considerable storytelling teeth into the medieval fantasy epic. It's the depiction of two powerful families -- kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and honest men -- playing a deadly game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and to sit atop the Iron Throne. Martin is credited as a co-executive producer and one of the writers for the series, whose shooting locations include Northern Ireland, Malta, Croatia and Spain.
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Shazam!
We all have a superhero inside of us -- it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In 14-year-old Billy Batson's case, all he needs to do is shout out one word to transform into the adult superhero Shazam. Still a kid at heart, Shazam revels in the new version of himself by doing what any other teen would do -- have fun while testing out his newfound powers. But he'll need to master them quickly before the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana can get his hands on Shazam's magical abilities.
Director: David Sandberg
Produced by: Peter Safran
Cast: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: April,5 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 12 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
A disillusioned advertising executive is pulled into a time-jumping fantasy when he is mistaken for Sancho Panza.
Director: Terry Gilliam
Produced by: Amy Gilliam, Gerardo Herrero, Mariela Besuievsky, Gregoire Melin, Jeremy Thomas, Sébastien Delloye
Cast: Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce, Stellan Skarsgård, Olga Kurylenko, Joana Ribeiro
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: April 10, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 12` minutes
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy
Defeated by Master Ip, martial arts expert Cheung Tin Chi tries to lead a normal life in Hong Kong until triad leaders draw him back into fighting.
Director: Yuen Woo-ping
Produced by: Raymond Wong
Cast: Max Zhang, Dave Bautista, Liu Yan, Xing Yu
Distributor: Universal Studios
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes
Genre: Action, Crime
Teen Spirit
A shy teenager dreams of escaping her small town and pursuing her passion to sing. With the help of an unlikely mentor, she enters a local singing competition that will test her integrity, talent and ambition.
Director: Max Minghella
Produced by: Fred Berger
Cast: Elle Fanning, Rebecca Hall, Zlatko Buric
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
Genre: Drama, Music
Dogman
Marcello is a mild-mannered dog groomer who commits petty crimes for Simoncino, a former boxer who terrorizes the neighborhood. When Simoncino's abuse brings Marcello to the breaking point, he finally decides to take matters into his own hands.
Director: Matteo Garrone
Produced by: Matteo Garrone, Jeremy Thomas, Jean Labadie, Paolo Del Brocco
Cast: Marcello Fonte, Edoardo Pesce
Distributor: 01 Distribution
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
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Series Premieres
In the Dark (CW)
Blind 20-something Murphy is drifting through life in a haze of drunkenness, and her only friends are her understanding roommate Jess and Tyson, a sweet teenager she met when he saved her from a violent mugging. Murphy's life is turned upside down when, while out for a walk with her guide dog, she stumbles upon what she is certain is Tyson's lifeless body in the alley outside her apartment. When the body disappears by the time the police arrive, and they don't seem inclined to investigate, Murphy clings onto the only thing that can keep her together: figuring out what happened to her friend.
Unspeakable (Sundance)
Based on the books "Bad Blood" by Vic Parsons and "The Gift" by Andre Picard, "Unspeakable" chronicles the early emergence of HIV and hepatitis C in Canada in the 1980s. It documents the tragedy that resulted in thousands of people who were infected by tainted blood. The blood scandal is one of the largest medical disasters in Canada's history, and it went on to trigger a federal inquiry and landmark lawsuit which resulted in billions of dollars being awarded to the victims. Robert C. Cooper was a victim of this and contracted hepatitis C from tainted blood.
Warrior (Cinemax)
A crime drama that takes place in the latter half of the 19th century during brutal gang wars in San Francisco's Chinatown, it follows martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm, a Chinese immigrant who arrives in the City of Lights under mysterious circumstances. Once he proves his prowess as a fighter, Sahm becomes a hit man for one of Chinatown's most powerful organized crime families. As he is mentored by the son of the crime family's leader, learning the ins and outs of gang warfare, Al Sahm wins the confidence of brothel madam Ah Toy, eventually revealing to her his true intentions. "Warrior" is based on the writings of martial arts legend Bruce Lee and features a largely Asian cast.
Season Premieres
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix)
This adaptation of the "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" tale is a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror and the occult. In the reimagined origin story, Sabrina Spellman wrestles to reconcile her dual nature -- half-witch, half-mortal -- while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family -- including aunts Hilda and Zelda -- and the daylight world humans inhabit. Kiernan Shipka ("Mad Men") leads the cast in the titular role of the show that is based on a comic series of the same name.
The Tick (Amazon)
In a world where superheroes and villains have been real for decades, Arthur, an unassuming accountant with no superpowers, becomes embroiled in the middle of the battle between good and evil. When he realizes that his city is owned by a global supervillain who was long thought to be dead, he struggles to uncover the conspiracy. As he becomes obsessed with the conspiracy, most people think he's crazy. One person who believes Arthur is a mysterious new ally, The Tick, who is a bizarre blue superhero who may just be a figment of Arthur's imagination.
Killing Eve (AMC/BBC America)
Eve's life as a spy is not adding up to what she had hoped it would be when she started. She is a bored, very smart, MI5 security officer who is very desk-bound. Villanelle is a very talented killer, mercurial in mood, who clings to the luxuries of her job. Eve and Villanelle go head to head in a fierce game of cat and mouse, each woman equally obsessed with the other as Eve is tasked with hunting down the psychopathic assassin. Sarah Barnett, BBCA president, says, " `Killing Eve' stands out in a sea of scripted stories as refreshingly entertaining and great fun."
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Native Son
A young African-American living in Chicago enters into a seductive new world of money and power after becoming a chauffeur for an affluent businessman.
Director: Rashid Johnson
Produced by: Michael Sherman, Matthew Perniciaro
Cast: Ashton Sanders, Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, KiKi Layne, Bill Camp, Sanaa Lathan
Distributor: HBO Films
Release Date: January 24, 2019, (Premieres on HBO 4/6)
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Genre: Drama
Peterloo
In 1819, British forces charge on a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter's Field in Manchester, England, which results in the Peterloo Massacre.
Director: Mike Leigh
Produced by: Georgina Lowe
Cast: Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley
Distributor: Entertainment One Films
Release Date: April 5, 2019 (Select Theaters)
Runtime: 2 hour 34 minutes
Genre: Drama, History
The Highwaymen
Former Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Maney Gault join forces to try and capture notorious outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
Director: John Lee Hancock
Produced by: Casey Silver
Cast: Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates, John Carroll Lynch, Kim Dickens, Thomas Mann, William Sadler
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: March 10, 2019 (SXSW), March 15, 2019 (United States)
Runtime: 2 hour 12 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Vice
The story of Dick Cheney, an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today.
Director: Adam McKay
Produced by: Adam McKay, Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Kevin J. Messick
Cast: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Tyler Perry, Alison Pill, Lily Rabe, Jesse Plemons
Distributor: Annapurna Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 12 minutes
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
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Series Premieres
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Vampire housemates (Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh) try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) some of the perks of being undead.
Hanna (Amazon)
A young girl with extraordinary skills attempts to evade the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is.
Traitors (Netflix)
In 1945 London, Feef Symonds is seduced by a rogue US agent into a dangerous mission spying on her own country. Her task is to uncover Russian infiltration in the heart of the British Government.
Mrs. Wilson (PBS)
After the sudden death of novelist and former Secret Intelligence Service agent Alexander Wilson in 1960s London, his wife Alison is forced to investigate when mysteries from her late husband's past come knocking.
The Twilight Zone (CBS All Access)
This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two or three) rooted in horror or suspense, often with a surprising twist at the end. Episodes usually feature elements of drama and comedy.
Season Premiere
Veep (HBO)
"Politics is about people," former Sen. Selina Meyer is fond of saying. Unfortunately, the people Meyer, a charismatic leader and rising star in her party, meets after becoming vice president are nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. "Veep" follows the VP as she puts out political fires, juggles her public schedule and private life, and does everything within her limited powers to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive. Meyer's trusted -- and some not-so-trusted -- sidekicks include chief of staff Amy, one-time spokesperson Mike, and right-hand man Gary.
Series Finale
SMILF (Showtime)
Bridgette Bird is a smart, young single mom living in South Boston who is trying to navigate life with a very unconventional family. As she struggles to make ends meet, she strives to create a better life for her son, Larry, and often finds herself making impulsive and immature decisions. The program is a fresh, raw, and honest comedic look at co-parenting, motherhood and female sexuality. "SMILF" is adapted from Frankie Shaw's Sundance Film Festival Jury award-winning short film.
Upcoming Series Premiere (on TV)
A Discovery of Witches (AMC and BBC America)
Historian Diana finds herself immersed in a world of vampires, daemons, witches and forbidden love when she comes across an ancient manuscript forcing her to acknowledge her own magical heritage.
Season Finale
This Is Us (NBC)
Jack and his wife - who is very pregnant with triplets - have just moved into their new home in Pittsburgh. Successful and handsome television actor Kevin is growing increasingly bored with his bachelor lifestyle. Randall - who was abandoned at a fire station by his father as an infant - is a stylish New York-based businessman working to raise two daughters with his wife, Beth. These people are among a group, several of whom share a birthday, of seemingly random individuals whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
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The Chaperone
Louise Brooks is a rebellious 15-year-old schoolgirl who dreams of fame and fortune in the early 1920s. She soon gets her chance when she travels to New York to study with a leading dance troupe for the summer -- accompanied by a watchful chaperone.
Director: Michael Engler
Produced by: Victoria Hill, Rose Ganguzza, Elizabeth McGovern, Kelly Carmichael, Luca Scalisi, Greg Clark
Cast: Haley Lu Richardson, Miranda Otto, Elizabeth McGovern, Blythe Danner, Campbell Scott
Géza Röhrig, Victoria Hill
Distributor: PBS Distribution
Release Date: March 29, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Genre: Drama
Bumblebee
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee the Autobot seeks refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. Charlie, on the brink of turning 18 years old and trying to find her place in the world, soon discovers the battle-scarred and broken Bumblebee. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns that this is no ordinary yellow Volkswagen.
Director: Travis Knight
Produced by: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, Jason Drucker,Pamela Adlon, Dylan O'Brien, Angela Bassett, Justin Theroux, Peter Cullen
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: December 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13
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Us
Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, the family is horrified to learn that each attacker takes the appearance of one of them.
Director: Jordan Peele
Produced by: Jordan Peele, Jason Blum, Sean McKittrick, Ian Cooper
Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: March 22, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Series Premieres
The Fix (ABC)
Attorney and author Marcia Clark co-writes and executive produces a new legal drama about Maya Travis, a Los Angeles district attorney who suffers a devastating defeat when prosecuting an A-list actor for double murder. With her high-profile career derailed, she decides she needs a change and flees for a quieter life in Washington. Eight years later, when this same celebrity comes under suspicion for another murder, Maya Travis finds herself lured back to the DA's office for another chance at justice.
The Village (NBC)
A unique apartment building in Brooklyn is home to residents who have built a bonded family of friends and neighbors. Sarah's a nurse and single mom raising a creative teen; Gabe's a young law student who just got a much older and unexpected roommate; Ava must secure the future of her young, U.S.-born son when ICE comes knocking; Nick's a veteran who's just returned from war; and Ron and Patricia, who are the heart and soul of the building, have captivating tales all their own. Their hopeful, heartwarming and challenging stories of life prove family is everything, even if it's the family created with the people around them.
The Act (Hulu)
Gypsy Blanchard is trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother; her quest for independence opens a Pandora's box of secrets, which ultimately leads to murder.
Season Premiere
The OA (Netflix)
In addition to her role as creator and executive producer of this mind-bending series, Brit Marling also plays the role of Prairie Johnson, a young woman who returns home after a 7-year disappearance. Her sudden return is not the only miraculous occurrence: everyone is shocked to learn that Prairie is no longer blind. While the FBI and her parents are anxious to discuss Prairie's disappearance, she won't talk about what happened during the time that she was missing. Zal Batmanglij, the co-creator and an executive producer of the series, is the director of every episode.
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Tessa Thompson
MIB: International
Release Date: June 14, 2019
The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.
Little Woods
Release Date: April 19, 2019
In North Dakota, two estranged sisters are driven to extremes when their mother dies, leaving them with one week to pay back her mortgage.
Regina King
Watchmen
Release Date: March 6, 2009(USA)
In an alternate 1985 America, costumed superheroes are part of everyday life. When one of his former comrades is murdered, masked vigilante Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) uncovers a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his retired associates, only one of which has true powers, Rorschach glimpses a far-reaching conspiracy involving their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the world's future.
All the Way With You
Release Date: (pre-production)
Boris meets a woman named Gloria who wants to help him kill a man who has owed him money for years but their actual assignment is to kill each other. Together they go on a expedition that is breath taking.
Zendaya
Euphoria
Release Date: (HBO)
Euphoria is an upcoming American drama television series, based on the Israeli series of the same name created by Ron Leshem, Daphna Levin, and Tmira Yardeni, that is set to premiere on HBO in 2019. Wikipedia
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Release Date: July 5, 2019
Peter Parker's relaxing European vacation takes an unexpected turn when Nick Fury suddenly shows up in his hotel room. Parker soon finds himself donning the Spider-Man suit to help Fury stop the evil Mysterio from wreaking havoc across the continent.
Lupita Nyong’o
Us
Release Date: March 22, 2019
Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen to her family. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, each stranger takes the appearance of a different family member.
Star Wars: Episode IX
Release Date: December 20, 2019
Star Wars: Episode IX is an upcoming American epic space opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. It will be the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, and the final episode of the main Star Wars film franchise
Keira Knightley
Official Secrets
Release Date: January 28, 2019
The true story of a British whistleblower who leaked information to the press about an illegal NSA spy operation designed to push the UN Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The Aftermath
Release Date: March 15, 2019
In 1946 Rachael Morgan arrives in the ruins of Hamburg to be reunited with her husband, Lewis, who is a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. As they set off for their new home, Rachael is stunned to discover that Lewis has made an unexpected decision: They will be sharing the grand house with its previous owners, a German widower and his troubled daughter. In this charged atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal.
Berlin, I Love You
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Ten stories of love, compassion, redemption and acceptance set against the vivid backdrop of Berlin.
Viola Davis
Troop Zero
Release Date: February 1, 2019
In rural 1977 Georgia, a misfit girl dreams of life in outer space. When a competition offers her a chance to be recorded on NASA's Golden Record, she recruits a makeshift troop of Birdie Scouts, forging friendships that last a lifetime.
How to Get Away with Murder
Release Date: September 25, 2014 (ABC)
Annalise Keating (Oscar- and Tony-winning actress Viola Davis), a brilliant, charismatic and seductive professor of defense law, teaches a class called How to Get Away With Murder. Annalise, also a criminal defense attorney, selects a group of students -- the best and the brightest -- to assist with cases at her firm alongside her employees, the trustworthy and discreet Frank Delfino (Charlie Weber) and Bonnie Winterbottom ("Gilmore Girls" alum Liza Weil), an associate attorney. Mysteries arise that test everyone's limits and reveal dark truths.
Marsai Martin
Little
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Jordan is a take-no-prisoners mogul who torments her long-suffering assistant and employees on a daily basis. She soon faces an unexpected threat to her personal life and career when she magically transforms into a 13-year-old version of herself.
Blackish
Release Date: September 24, 2014 (Netflix)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
Zazie Beetz
Lucy in the Sky
Release Date: 2019
The story of a female astronaut who, upon returning to Earth from a life-changing mission in space, begins to slowly unravel and lose touch with reality.
Joker
Release Date: October 4, 2019
In 1981, a failed stand-up comedian disregarded by the society that he lives in turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City
Meet Me in a Happy Place
Release Date: 2019
Monique Watson, a 10 year old African American girl goes missing in Brooklyn, New York.
The Twilight Zone
Release Date: April 1, 2019 (CBS)
This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two or three) rooted in horror or suspense, often with a surprising twist at the end. Episodes usually feature elements of drama and comedy
Against All Enemies
Release Date: 2019
An ambitious young F.B.I. Agent is assigned to investigate iconic actress Jean Seberg when she becomes embroiled in the tumultuous civil rights movement in late 1960s Los Angeles, California.
Storm Reid
When Will They See Us
Release Date: May 31, 2019 (Netflix)
The Central Park Five extends "from 1989 when five Harlem teens were incorrectly convicted first in the media and then twice in the courts for the brutal rape of a jogger in the NYC park to 2014 when Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise saw their names finally cleared. Having been vilified by New Yorkers back in the late 80s and forced to spend years in jail each, the five sued New York City and settled for just over $40 million about four years ago. Before you take another breath, take into account that sum that works out to around $1 million for every year they collectively spent tossed behind bars for a terrible crime they never committed.
Relive
Release Date: January 27, 2019 (Sundance)
fter a man's family dies in what appears to be a murder, he gets a phone call from one of the dead, his niece. He's not sure if she's a ghost or if he's going mad, but as it turns out, he's not.
Killing Winston Jones
Release Date: 2019
Ethan Jones, a sixth-grade English teacher is on a mission to get the newly constructed Junior High gymnasium named after his elderly father Winston, the old retired gym teacher, despite the fact that being dead is one of the requirements.
Margot Robbie
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Release Date: July 26, 2019
In 1969 Los Angeles, a former Western star and his longtime stunt double struggle to find success in a Hollywood that they don't recognize anymore.
Dreamland
Release Date: 2019
A teenager's adventures as a bounty hunter takes an unexpected twist.
Fair and Balanced
Release Date: December 20, 2019
The film centers around the stories of various female Fox News personnel and their altercations with founder Roger Ailes.
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Triple Frontier
Former Special Forces operatives reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. For the first time in their prestigious careers, these unsung heroes undertake this dangerous mission for themselves instead of the country. But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties, and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.
Director: J. C. Chandor
Produced by: Charles Roven, Neal Dodson, Alex Gartner, Andy Horwitz
Cast: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, Pedro Pascal
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: March 6, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 05 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Rated R
Hotel Mumbai
In 2008 the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai becomes the target of a deadly attack by Pakistani militants. Dozens of people are held hostage as fire races through the building.
Director: Anthony Maras
Produced by: Basil Iwanyk, Gary Hamilton, Julie Ryan, Kent Kubena,
Cast: Basil Iwanyk, Gary Hamilton, Andrew Ogilvie, Jomon Thomas, Mike Gabrawy, Julie Ryan
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Release Date: March 22, 2019
Runtime: 2 hour 03 minutes
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Rated R
Out of Blue
Mike Hoolihan is an unconventional New Orleans cop investigating the murder of renowned astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell, a black hole expert found shot to death in her observatory. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing case, she finds herself grappling with increasingly existential questions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and exploding stars - cosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality.
Director: Carol Morley
Produced by: Maggie Monteith, Luc Roeg, Cairo Cannon
Cast: Mamie Gummer, Patricia Clarkson, James Caan, Aaron Tvei, Jacki Weaver
Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: March 22, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Rated R
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Season Finale
High Maintenance (HBO)
The Guy is a nameless marijuana dealer in Brooklyn who delivers his goods via bicycle to stressed-out clients across New York City, who try to savour the highs of life in an increasingly volatile world. While dropping off weed to his customers, he makes brief appearances in their lives to get a glimpse at their daily routines, allowing viewers to explore the existences of intriguing, colorful individuals from all walks of life. The comedy series stars Ben Sinclair, who created the show with then-wife Katja Blichfeld, as The Guy.
Series Finale
Catastrophe (Amazon Prime)
During a business trip in London, an American named Rob meets Sharon, an Irish teacher with whom he shares incredible chemistry. While the two plan to have some fun with no strings attached, things go awry when Sharon learns she is pregnant. The unexpected news inspires the recent acquaintances to try and make it as a couple, despite nonstop complications that include hailing from different countries and a pregnancy that is not without risks. Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney play the starring roles and write the series.
Miniseries Premiere
Manhunt (Acorn TV)
Looking at the work of Colin Sutton, who was the senior investigating officer in the hunt for Levi Bellfield, the killer of Marsha McDonnell, Amelie Delagrange and Milly Dowler in the early 2000s.
Series Premieres
Shrill (Hulu)
Annie is a full-figured woman who wants to change her life -- but not her body; she is trying to start her career while juggling bad boyfriends, a sick parent and a perfectionist boss.
Turn Up Charlie (Netflix)
Struggling DJ and eternal bachelor Charlie is given a final chance at success when he reluctantly becomes a manny to his famous best friend's problem-child daughter, Gabby.
Season Premieres
Billions (Showtime)
Wealth, influence and corruption collide in this drama set in New York. Shrewd U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades is embroiled in a high-stakes game of predator vs. prey with Bobby Axelrod, an ambitious hedge-fund king. To date, Rhoades has never lost an insider trading case -- he's 81-0 -- but when criminal evidence turns up against Axelrod, he proceeds cautiously in building the case against Axelrod, who employs Rhoades' wife, psychiatrist Wendy, as a performance coach for his company. Wendy, who has been in her position longer than Chuck has been in his, refuses to give up her career for her husband's legal crusade against Axelrod. Both men use their intelligence, power and influence to outmaneuver the other in this battle over billions.
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
The CBS All Access series picks up one year after the events in the final episode of "The Good Wife." After a financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out her mentor and godmother Diane Lockhart's savings, the two are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join forces with Lucca Quinn at one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms. At Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Diane finds familiar faces, including Colin Morrello, who is a rising star in the state's attorney's office, and Marissa Gold. Though starting at the bottom, Diane and Maia are determined to rebuild their careers and lives at the new firm.
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Yardie
Years ago while growing up in Jamaica, D witnessed his brother's murder, before being taking in by a don. Years later, having been sent on a mission to London, the past catches up with him.
Director: Idris Elba
Produced by: Gina Carter, Robin Gutch
Cast: Aml Ameen, Stephen Graham, Akin Gazi
Distributor: StudioCanal
Release Date: March 14, 2019 (US) (Select Theaters), August 31, 2018 (UK)
Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated R
The Mustang
A violent convict is given the chance to participate in a rehabilitation therapy program centered around the training of wild mustangs.
Director: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
Produced by: Alain Goldman
Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Mitchell, Gideon Adlon, Connie Britton, Bruce Dern
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: March 15, 2019 (US), January 31, 2019 (Sundance)
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated R
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Season Premieres
Good Girls (NBC)
When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives -- by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used-car-dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined -- and the only way out of this will be together.
American Gods (Starz)
Ex-convict Shadow Moon roams a world he doesn't understand, left adrift by the recent, tragic death of his wife. Little does he know his life is about to change after he meets a crafty, charismatic con man named Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job as his bodyguard. As their journey begins, Shadow encounters a hidden America where magic is real and fear grows over the ascending power of New Gods like Technology and Media. In a grand plan to combat the threat, Mr. Wednesday attempts to unite the Old Gods to defend their existence and rebuild the influence that they've lost, leaving Shadow struggling to accept this new world and his place in it.
Series Premiere
After Life (Netflix)
Tony changes after his wife dies, and the formerly nice guy decides to live long enough to punish the world by saying and doing whatever he likes from now on.
Season Finale
Shameless (Showtime)
Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a single father of six who spends much of his free time drinking at bars. The Gallagher children -- led by oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who takes on much of the child-rearing responsibility due to her mother's absence -- manage to raise themselves in spite of Frank's lack of parenting and unusual parenting style when he does choose to act like a father. The drama is an adaptation of the BAFTA Award-winning British show of the same name.
Series Finale
Crashing (HBO)
Sheltered suburbanite Pete dreams of a big-city career in comedy, but his wife, Jessica, has other ideas. Childhood sweethearts no more after he finds her in an uncompromising position with another man, Pete is suddenly homeless and frantically re-evaluating his priorities. As he attempts to find comfort in the rough-and-tumble New York comedy scene, the aspiring funny man bunks on other people's couches while learning hard lessons about life and himself. Created by and starring Pete Holmes, with Judd Apatow as a co-executive producer, "Crashing" draws on Holmes' own experiences as a comedian, presenting an inside look at the fickle world of stand-up comedy.
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The Kid
In 1879 Rio and his teenage sister go on the run across the American Southwest to escape from their violent uncle. Along the way, Rio encounters the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid and the legendary lawman Pat Garrett. He soon finds himself caught in the crossfire as Billy and Garrett square off in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Director: Vincent D'Onofrio
Produced by: Jordan Schur, Nick Thurlow, Sam Maydew, David Mimran
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Dane DeHaan, Jake Schur, Leila George, Chris Pratt
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Release Date: March 8, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 67 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, Western
Rated R
First Look:
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library and learns how to build a windmill to save his village from a famine.
Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Produced by: Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan
Cast: Maxwell Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lily Banda
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: January 29, 2019 (Sundance),
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated TV-14
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Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: February 27, 2019 (London), March 8, 2019 (United States)
Runtime: 2 hour 04 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated R
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Series Premieres
The Enemy Within (NBC)
Erica Shepherd was one of the CIA's most brilliant operatives until she became one of the greatest traitors in American history, serving a life sentence in a Supermax prison. Now, to save her daughter, she must team up with FBI agent Will Keaton -- a man whose life she destroyed -- to track down a fiercely dangerous, elusive criminal and his legion of spies. While working with Shepherd goes against every fiber of his being, Keaton knows that sometimes to catch a spy, you must trust one.
Whiskey Cavalier (ABC)
Following an emotional breakup, tough but tender FBI super-agent Will Chase (codename: Whiskey Cavalier) is assigned to work with CIA operative Francesca"Frankie" Trowbridge (codename: Fiery Tribune). Together, they lead an interagency team of flawed, funny and heroic spies -- including Will's best friend, behavioral scientist Susan Sampson and jittery genius Edgar Standish -- who periodically save the world -- and each other -- while navigating the rocky roads of friendship, romance and office politics.
The Widow (Amazon)
Georgia Wells has her life turned upside-down when she receives a phone call that her husband has died in a plane crash in the Congolese jungle. Three years later and still haunted by the past, Georgia travels to the Congo to find out the truth.
Season Premiere
Better Things (FX)
'Better Things' is the story of Sam Fox, a single mother and working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters -- Max, Frankie, and Duke -- in Los Angeles. She also looks out for her mother, Phil, an English ex-patriate with questionable faculties who lives across the street. Whether she's struggling to keep her daughters close or trying to push one of them out of the nest, Sam approaches every challenge with fierce love, raw honesty, and humour. At the end of the day, Sam's just trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters' changing lives, survive her family, have fun with a friend or two, and also -- just maybe -- squeeze in some private time.
Season Finales
Suits (USA)
Big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter and his team, which includes Donna Paulsen, Louis Litt, and Alex Williams, are launched into a play for power when a new partner joins the firm. With his two best associates gone and Jessica back in Chicago, Specter and the team try to adjust to a new normal without them. The team faces down betrayals, fiery relationships, and secrets that eventually come to light. Old and new rivalries surface among members of the team as they learn to deal with their new member.
Victoria (PBS)
This eight-part drama features an all-star cast including Jenna Coleman as a young Queen Victoria and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert. The monarch's life is chronicled as the story begins with the death of King William IV in 1837, her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 and her relationships with the influential forces around her. With the advice of the prime minister Lord Melbourne and the support of her husband Prince Albert the young queen flourishes and establishes herself in her newfound role.
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Series Premieres
Flack (Pop)
A flack is a person who does PR, promotes, publicises and protects their clients. Robyn, portrayed by Anna Paquin, does exactly that in UKTV's `Flack': Her job as a publicist is to clean up the mess left behind by her ill-behaved yet high-profile clients, even though she has no idea how to get her own life back on track. With a dynamic London backdrop, the life and woes of American Robyn offers a take on the fast-paced and cut-throat world of celebrity PR.
Modus (PBS Passport/PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel)In snowy Sweden, a talented ex-FBI profiler works with the police and her own autistic daughter to unravel the strange motives of a vicious killer.
TV Movie
O.G. (HBO)
Louis Menkins is in the final weeks of his 24-year prison sentence. Though he doesn't talk about it, Louis' nervousness about adapting to life on the outside is affecting every decision he makes. Chief among those is his choice to befriend a new prisoner named Tracy Beecher, who is facing 23 years for murder. Louis warns Tracy to stay away from gang life, but it soon becomes clear that such a feat is easier said than done.
Season Finale
True Detective (HBO)
Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch star in Season 2 of `True Detective', which weaves a web of conspiracy and betrayal around a bizarre murder in the scorched landscapes of Southern California. The disappearance of a city manager ignites an investigation involving Ray Velcoro, a police detective torn between his job and those he serves in the Mafia; Frank Semyon, a criminal/entrepreneur in danger of losing his empire; Ani Bezzerides, a sheriff's detective whose resolute ethics are unpopular; and Paul Woodrugh, a war veteran and highway patrol motorcycle cop with a troublesome past.
“Overlord” Giveaway Spot
On the eve of D-Day, American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines to penetrate the walls of a fortified church and destroy a radio transmitter. As the soldiers approach their target, they soon begin to realize that there's more going on in the Nazi-occupied village than a simple military operation. Making their way to an underground lab, the outnumbered men stumble upon a sinister experiment that forces them into a vicious battle against an army of the undead.
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Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot
After nearly dying in a car accident, the last thing Oregon slacker John Callahan intends to do is give up alcohol. Encouraged by his girlfriend and a charismatic sponsor, Callahan reluctantly enters a treatment program and discovers that he has a knack for drawing. The budding artist soon finds himself with a new lease on life when his edgy and irreverent newspaper cartoons gain a national and devoted following.
The Sisters Brothers
It's 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and hostile world. The Sisters brothers find themselves on a journey through the Northwest, bringing them to the mountains of Oregon, a dangerous brothel in the small town of Mayfield, and eventually, the gold rush land of California -- an adventure that tests the deadly family ties that bind.
Leave No Trace
A father and daughter live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own.
First Man
A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
Mission Impossible — Fallout
Ethan Hunt and the IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. Arms dealer John Lark and a group of terrorists known as the Apostles plan to use three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. When the weapons go missing, Ethan and his crew find themselves in a desperate race against time to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
22 July
A dramatisation of Norway's deadliest terrorist attack, in which a right-wing extremist murders 77 teens at a youth camp in 2011.
A Quiet Place
In a post-apocalyptic world, a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing.
Brian Tyree Henry in If Beale Street Could Talk
In early 1970s Harlem, daughter and wife-to-be Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny. Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together, but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.
Toni Collette in Hereditary
When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they have inherited.
Eighth Grade
Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school -- the end of her thus far disastrous eighth-grade year.
Annihilation
A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor (Doc)
Filmmaker Morgan Neville examines the life and legacy of Fred Rogers, the beloved host of the popular children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Three Identical Strangers (CNN)
Three Identical Strangers is a 2018 documentary film directed by Tim Wardle and starring Edward Galland, David Kellman and Robert Shafran. It examines a set of American triplets, born in 1961 and adopted as six-month-old infants by separate families, unaware that each child had brothers
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Best Picture
Black Panther (Disney)
A Marvel Studios Production
Kevin Feige, Producer
BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features)
A QC Entertainment/Blumhouse Productions/Monkeypaw Productions/40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks Production
Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Raymond Mansfield, Jordan Peele and Spike Lee, Producers
Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox)
A 20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises Production
Graham King, Producer
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
A Film4/Waypoint Entertainment/Element Pictures/Scarlet Films Production
Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday and Yorgos Lanthimos, Producers
Green Book (Universal)
A Charles B. Wessler/Innisfree Pictures/Participant Media/DreamWorks Pictures Production
Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly and Nick Vallelonga, Producers
Roma (Netflix)
A Netflix/Participant Media/Esperanto-Filmoj Production
Gabriela Rodríguez and Alfonso Cuarón, Producers
A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
A Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Bill Gerber, Bradley Cooper and Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers
Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
An Annapurna Pictures/Gary Sanchez Productions/Plan B Entertainment Production
Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers
Actress in a Leading Role
Yalitza Aparicio, Roma (Netflix)
Glenn Close, The Wife (Sony Pictures Classics)
Olivia Colman, The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Fox Searchlight)
Actor in a Leading Role
Christian Bale, Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate (CBS Films)
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox)
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book (Universal)
Directing
BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features)
Spike Lee
Cold War (Amazon Studios)
Paweł Pawlikowski
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Yorgos Lanthimos
Roma (Netflix)
Alfonso Cuarón
Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Adam McKay
Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali, Green Book (Universal)
Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features)
Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Fox Searchlight)
Sam Rockwell, Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams, Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Marina de Tavira, Roma (Netflix)
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna Pictures)
Emma Stone, The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Adapted Screenplay
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Netflix)
Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features)
Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Fox Searchlight)
Screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna Pictures)
Written for the screen by Barry Jenkins
A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
Screenplay by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters
Original Screenplay
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara
First Reformed (A24)
Written by Paul Schrader
Green Book (Universal)
Written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly
Roma (Netflix)
Written by Alfonso Cuarón
Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Written by Adam McKay
Cinematography
Cold War (Amazon Studios)
Łukasz Żal
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Robbie Ryan
Never Look Away (Sony Pictures Classics)
Caleb Deschanel
Roma (Netflix)
Alfonso Cuarón
A Star Is Born (A Star Is Born)
Matthew Libatique
Production Design
Black Panther (Disney)
Production Design: Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Jay Hart
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Production Design: Fiona Crombie; Set Decoration: Alice Felton
First Man (Universal)
Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)
Production Design: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Roma (Netflix)
Production Design: Eugenio Caballero; Set Decoration: Bárbara Enríquez
Costume Design
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Netflix)
Mary Zophres
Black Panther (Disney)
Ruth Carter
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Sandy Powell
Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)
Sandy Powell
Mary Queen of Scots (Focus Features)
Alexandra Byrne
Film Editing
BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features)
Barry Alexander Brown
Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox)
John Ottman
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Yorgos Mavropsaridis
Green Book (Universal)
Patrick J. Don Vito
Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Hank Corwin
Foreign Language Film
Capernaum (Lebanon)
A Mooz Films Production
Cold War (Poland)
An Opus Film/Apocalypso Pictures/MK Production
Never Look Away (Germany)
A Pergamon Film/Wiedemann & Berg Film in coproduction with Beta Cinema, ARD Degeto and Bayerischer Rundfunk Production
Roma (Mexico)
A Netflix/Participant Media/Esperanto-Filmoj Production
Shoplifters (Japan)
A Gaga Corporation Production
Documentary Feature
Free Solo (National Geographic)
A National Geographic Documentary Films/Little Monster Films/Itinerant Media/Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation Production
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Evan Hayes and Shannon Dill
Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Cinema Guild)
A Louverture Films Production
RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes and Su Kim
Minding the Gap (Magnolia Pictures)
A Hulu in association with Kartemquin/American Documentary | POV/ITVS Production
Bing Liu and Diane Quon
Of Fathers and Sons (Kino Lorber)
A BASIS BERLIN Production
Talal Derki, Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme and Tobias N. Siebert
RBG (Magnolia Pictures/Participant Media/CNN Films)
A Storyville Films/CNN Films Production
Betsy West and Julie Cohen
Animated Feature Film
Incredibles 2 (Disney)
Brad Bird, John Walker and Nicole Paradis Grindle
Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight)
Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson
Mirai (Gkids)
Mamoru Hosoda and Yuichiro Saito
Ralph Breaks the Internet (Disney)
Rich Moore, Phil Johnston and Clark Spencer
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Original Score
Black Panther (Disney)
Ludwig Goransson
BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features)
Terence Blanchard
If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna Pictures)
Nicholas Britell
Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight)
Alexandre Desplat
Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)
Marc Shaiman
Original Song
“All The Stars” from Black Panther (Disney)
Music by Mark Spears, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth and Anthony Tiffith; Lyric by Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Anthony Tiffith and Solana Rowe
“I’ll Fight” from RBG (Magnolia Pictures/Participant Media/CNN Films)
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“The Place Where Lost Things Go” from Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)
Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyric by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
“Shallow” from A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt
“When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Netflix)
Music and Lyric by David Rawlings and Gillian Welch
Visual Effects
Avengers: Infinity War (Disney)
Dan DeLeeuw, Kelly Port, Russell Earl and Dan Sudick
Christopher Robin (Disney)
Christopher Lawrence, Michael Eames, Theo Jones and Chris Corbould
First Man (Universal)
Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles and J.D. Schwalm
Ready Player One (Warner Bros)
Roger Guyett, Grady Cofer, Matthew E. Butler and David Shirk
Solo: A Star Wars Story (Disney)
Rob Bredow, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Dominic Tuohy
Makeup and Hairstyling
Border (Neon/Movie Pass Films)
Göran Lundström and Pamela Goldammer
Mary Queen of Scots (Focus Features)
Jenny Shircore, Marc Pilcher and Jessica Brooks
Vice (Annapurna Pictures)
Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia DeHaney
Sound Editing
Black Panther (Disney)
Benjamin A. Burtt and Steve Boeddeker
Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox)
John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone
First Man (Universal)
Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan
A Quiet Place (Paramount)
Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
Roma (Netflix)
Sergio Díaz and Skip Lievsay
Sound Mixing
Black Panther (Disney)
Steve Boeddeker, Brandon Proctor and Peter Devlin
Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox)
Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali
First Man (Universal)
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Ai-Ling Lee and Mary H. Ellis
Roma (Netflix)
Skip Lievsay, Craig Henighan and José Antonio García
A Star Is Born (Warner Bros)
Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic, Jason Ruder and Steve Morrow
Documentary Short Subject
Black Sheep (The Guardian)
A Lightbox Production
Ed Perkins and Jonathan Chinn
End Game (Netflix)
A Telling Pictures in association with Peer Review Films and Sidewinder Films Production
Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman
Lifeboat
A Spin Film Production
Skye Fitzgerald and Bryn Mooser
A Night at the Garden (Field of Vision)
A Field of Vision and Marshall Curry Production
Marshall Curry
Period. End Of Sentence (Netflix)
A Pad Project Production
Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton
Animated Short Film
Animal Behaviour
A National Film Board of Canada Production
Alison Snowden and David Fine
Bao (Disney)
Pixar Animation Studios Production
Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb
Late Afternoon
A Cartoon Saloon Production
Louise Bagnall and Nuria González Blanco
One Small Step
A Taiko Animation Studios Production
Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas
Weekends
A Past Lives Production
Trevor Jimenez
Live Action Short Film
Detainment
A Twelve Media Production
Vincent Lambe and Darren Mahon
Fauve (H264 Distribution)
An Achromatic Media and Midi La Nuit Production
Jeremy Comte and Maria Gracia Turgeon
Marguerite (H264 Distribution)
A DIY Films Production
Marianne Farley and Marie-Hélène Panisset
Mother
A Malvalanda and Caballo Films Production
Rodrigo Sorogoyen and María del Puy Alvarado
Skin
A New Native Pictures Production
Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman
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TV Talk
Series Premieres
Miracle Workers (TBS)
To prevent Earth's destruction, Craig, a low-level angel responsible for handling all of humanity's prayers, and fellow angel Eliza must answer a seemingly impossible prayer: help two humans, Laura and Sam, fall in love.
Weird City (YouTube)
Weird City is a lively but slightly slapdash collection of half-hour vignettes all set in the same near-future metropolis, one divided by a strict security border called the Line. Those living above the Line (presumably on Allegorical Avenue) are the Haves: affluent, status-conscious poseurs pampered by daft sci-fi luxuries. Those subsisting below the Line are the Have Nots, who mostly just seem like normal decent folk rather than the usual Mad Max-style feral scavengers.
Proven Innocent (Fox)
"Proven Innocent" tells the emotional story of one woman's fight to prove the innocence of wrongfully convicted people. The legal drama follows an underdog criminal defense firm led by a fierce and uncompromising lawyer, Madeline Scott, who was wrongfully convicted in a sensational murder case that made her an infamous media obsession. Madeline runs the legal firm with her partner, Easy Boudreau, the very lawyer who helped set her free after 10 years in prison. Their team also includes investigator Bodie Quick and communications director Violet Price, who runs a true crime podcast that follows each investigation.
Doom Patrol (DC Universe)
A team of traumatized and downtrodden superheroes comes together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence.
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
A dysfunctional family of superheroes comes together to solve the mystery of their father's death, the threat of the apocalypse and more.
Off the Cuff: The Critic Catches Up Part 2
The Wife
Joan and Joe remain complements after nearly 40 years of marriage. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as the great American novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm and diplomacy into the private role of a great man's wife. As Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed and prolific body of work, Joan starts to think about the shared compromises, secrets and betrayals.
RBG
An intimate portrait of an unlikely rock star: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. With unprecedented access, the filmmakers explore how her early legal battles changed the world for women.
Hale County This Morning, This Evening
Composed of intimate and unencumbered moments of people in a community, HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING allows the viewer an emotive impression of the Historic South - trumpeting the beauty of life and consequences of the social construction of race, while simultaneously a testament to dreaming - despite the odds.
The Sisters Brothers
It's 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and hostile world. The Sisters brothers find themselves on a journey through the Northwest, bringing them to the mountains of Oregon, a dangerous brothel in the small town of Mayfield, and eventually, the gold rush land of California -- an adventure that tests the deadly family ties that bind.
Eighth Grade
Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school -- the end of her thus far disastrous eighth-grade year.
The Rider
After suffering a near fatal head injury, a young cowboy undertakes a search for new identity and what it means to be a man in the heartland of America.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor Filmmaker Morgan Neville examines the life and legacy of Fred Rogers, the beloved host of the popular children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
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For the Culture: Why Watch That’s Recommendations for Black History Month, Part II
TV SHOWS
The Offbeat Humor: Atlanta
Atlanta is one of the top cities for young rappers looking to make a name for themselves in the business. Among those up-and-comers is Alfred Miles, a hot new artist who is trying to understand the line between real life and street life. He is managed by his cousin, Earn, who gets caught up in the local rap scene and his cousin's career after returning home to the ATL. Earn does whatever he can to try to get Alfred's career to the next level. Darius, the rapper's right-hand man and visionary, is also in Alfred's entourage. When Earn isn't busy managing his cousin's career, he spends much of his time with best friend Vanessa, who is also the mother of his daughter.
Network’’s Finest: Black-ish
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
Cable’s Finest: Insecure
Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly. As the best friends deal with their own real-life flaws, their insecurities come to the fore as together they cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Created by co-star Issa Rae and writer/comic Larry Wilmore ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"), the comedy series looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It features the music of both indie and established artists of color, and touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience.
True Detective (S3)
Season 3 of "True Detective" plays out in three separate time periods, telling the story of the 1980 disappearance of a young Arkansas boy and his sister, and a mystery that deepens over decades. Oscar winner Mahershala Ali stars as state police detective Wayne Hays, who recalls the days and weeks immediately following the crime, as well as developments in 1990, when he and his former partner, Roland West, were subpoenaed after a major break in the case. What started as a routine investigation becomes a long journey to dissect and make sense of the crime.
Gen Z’s Take: Grown-ish
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
The True Crime Drama: American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ
This dramatization traces the twists and turns of O.J. Simpson's murder trial, examining behind-the-scenes gambits on both sides of the court.
The Guilty Pleasure: Empire
Hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment, Lucious Lyon, has always ruled unchallenged, but a medical diagnosis predicts he will be incapacitated in three years, which prompts the sharks to circle. Without further damaging his family, he must decide which of his three sons will take over. His favorite, young Hakeem, is a gifted musician but values fame over hard work. Middle son, Jamal, is talented and shy but gay -- embarrassing to Lyon. The oldest, Andre, is business-minded but lacks charisma. The reappearance of Cookie, his ex-wife, complicates things; she says he owes her for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.
Scandal
"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes is the creative mind behind this ABC drama. Olivia Pope, a former media consultant to the president, is ready to move on with her life and opens her own crisis-management firm, but she can't seem to shake ties with her past. Olivia's staff includes Quinn Perkins, who has a complicated history, and hacker extraordinaire Huck. As she moves forward it becomes clear that, while her staffers may specialize in cleaning up the lives of other people, they can't seem to do the same for themselves.
The Reboot: She’s Gotta Have It
Beautiful Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) can't decide what kind of man she wants to date, so she decides to date three at the same time. The first is Greer Childs (John Canada Terrell), a rich, handsome narcissist. Then there's Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks), a stable, overprotective alpha male. Finally, there's Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), a timid geek with a heart of gold. Unfortunately, while each suitor has his virtues, Darling just can't seem to make up her mind.
The Throwback: A Different World
Denise Huxtable is in "a different world" -- predominantly black Hillman College -- in this popular "Cosby Show" spinoff. A sophomore, Denise shares her quarters with divorced freshman Jaleesa and naive Maggie, one of Hillman's few white students. Other Hillman students include Whitley, a Southern belle full of attitude; Dwayne, a math major, and his best friend, Ron; and Col. Taylor, aka "Dr. War."
TV Talk
Series Premieres
American Soul (BET)
The rise and fall of impresario Don Cornelius, who created the dance show "Soul Train," against the backdrop of an unforgiving Hollywood in the 1970s.
PEN15 (Hulu)
Comics Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play versions of themselves as 13-year-old outcasts in middle school in the year 2000, surrounded by actual 13-year-olds.
White Dragon (Amazon)
Professor Jonah Mulray's life is turned upside down when he discovers his wife, Megan Harris, has been killed in a car-crash in Hong Kong.
TV Movie Premiere
High Flying Bird (Netflix)
A sports agent pitches a controversial business opportunity to a rookie basketball player during a lockout.
Mid-Season Premiere
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse. Led by former police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
TV Sneak Peek
Boomerang (BET)
Boomerang is an upcoming American comedy television series, based on the film of the same name written by Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield, that is set to premiere on February 12, 2019, on BET. Wikipedia
Off the Cuff: The Critic Catches Up
First Reformed
The pastor of a small church in upstate New York spirals out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.
Incredibles 2
Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back in “Incredibles 2” – but this time Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voice of Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transistion for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible.
Hereditary
When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they have inherited.
Annihilation
Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s best-selling Southern Reach Trilogy, Annihilation stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac. It was written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later).
BlacKkKlansman
From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. It’s the early 1970s, and Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. Produced by the team behind the Academy-Award® winning Get Out.
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For the Culture: Why Watch That’s Recommendations for Black History Month, Part 1
FILM
The Oscar Win: Moonlight
The Art House Indie: If Beale Street Could Talk, Sorry to Bother You
The Horror Film: Get Out
The History Lesson: Selma, Hidden Figures, The Birth of a Nation, 12 Years a Slave
The Good Sport: Creed, Queen of Katwe
From Stage to Screen: Fences
The Commercial Hit: Girl’s Trip, Black Panther
TV Talk
SERIES PREMIERES
Russian Doll (Netflix)
A woman gets caught in a mysterious loop, repeatedly attending the same party and dying at the end of the night, only to awake the next day unharmed.
The ABC Murders (Amazon)
In 1933, retired detective Hercule Poirot is targeted by a taunting killer who sends letters signed "ABC", which Poirot must decode in order to discover the identity of the murderer.
SEASON PREMIERES
The Magicians (Syfy)
Quentin Coldwater, a grad student at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, has been fascinated by the magical fantasy world since he was young. But as he has gotten older, Quentin and his 20-something friends have discovered that the magical world they read about as children is not only real, but it poses dangers to humanity. While studying at the secret upstate New York school, the friends struggle to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophe that befalls the institution. The fantasy series is based on a series of novels by Lev Grossman.
Suits (USA)
Big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter and his team, which includes Donna Paulsen, Louis Litt, and Alex Williams, are launched into a play for power when a new partner joins the firm. With his two best associates gone and Jessica back in Chicago, Specter and the team try to adjust to a new normal without them. The team faces down betrayals, fiery relationships, and secrets that eventually come to light. Old and new rivalries surface among members of the team as they learn to deal with their new member.
SEASON FINALES
Outlander (Starz)
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humour. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. `Outlander' is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
Vikings (History)
Viking Ragnar Lothbrok is a young farmer and family man who is frustrated by the policies of Earl Haraldson, his local chieftain who sends his Viking raiders east to the Baltic states and Russia, whose residents are as poor as the Norsemen. Ragnar wants to head west, across the ocean, to discover new civilizations. With assistance from his friend Floki, Ragnar builds a faster, sleeker fleet of boats to help him make it to the Western world. Through the years Ragnar, who claims to be a direct descendant of the god Odin, continues to struggle with Earl until the two face each other in a final battle for supremacy. Following that, Ragnar goes on a search for new lands to conquer.
First Look: The Wife (Theaters & On Demand)
The Wife
Joan and Joe remain complements after nearly 40 years of marriage. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as the great American novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm and diplomacy into the private role of a great man's wife. As Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed and prolific body of work, Joan starts to think about the shared compromises, secrets and betrayals.
Director: Björn Runge
Produced by: Meta Louise Foldager, Rosalie Swedlin, Claudia Bluemhuber, Piers Tempest, Piodor Gustafsson
Cast: Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, Max Irons, Annie Starke, Harry Lloyd, Elizabeth McGovern
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: August 17, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
Genre: Drama, Sport
R
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This is the 3rd year the team at Why Watch That has landed in beautiful Park City, Utah for the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, and they are ready to share their experience and reviews of some really strong and interesting films that were showcased this year.
Sit back and relax while the Critic and the Referee give you the inside scoop on everything Sundance!
Velvet Buzzsaw
After paintings by an unknown artist are discovered, a supernatural force enacts revenge on those who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art.
Director: Dan Gilroy
Produced by: Jennifer Fox
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Diggs, Billy Magnussen
John Malkovich
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: January 27, 2019 (Sundance), February 1, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Rated R
Bird Box
When a mysterious force decimates the population, only one thing is certain -- if you see it, you die. The survivors must now avoid coming face to face with an entity that takes the form of their worst fears. Searching for hope and a new beginning, a woman and her children embark on a dangerous journey through the woods and down a river to find the one place that may offer sanctuary. To make it, they'll have to cover their eyes from the evil that chases them -- and complete the trip blindfolded.
Director: Susanne Bier
Produced by: Chris Morgan, Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, Clayton Townsend
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, Jacki Weaver, Rosa Salazar, Danielle Macdonald, Lil Rel Howery, Tom Hollander, Colson Baker
BD Wong, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich, Rebecca Pidgeon
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: November 12, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 04 minutes
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
R
Green Book
Dr Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist, who is about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation.
Director: Peter Farrelly
Produced by: Jim Burke, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Charles B. Wessler
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 16, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 10 minutes
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
PG-13
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MINISERIES PREMIERE
Vanity Fair (Amazon)
In a world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having, no one is more determined to climb to the heights of English Society than Miss Rebecca Sharp.
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
In the sitcom "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy couple -- video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira -- suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt's Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
SERIES PREMIERES
Project Blue Book (History)
Dr. J. Allen Hynek is a brilliant but under appreciated college professor who is recruited by the U.S. Air Force to spearhead an operation called Project Blue Book. He is joined by his partner, Air Force Capt. Michael Quinn as they investigate UFO sightings around the country. They use science to determine what really happened to cause the sighting, and some cases cannot be explained. In those instances, Hynek believes he's being duped by the government into a larger conspiracy that covers up the truth. It is set in the Cold War and atomic era, and each case blends UFO theories with authentic historical events.
Sex Education (Netflix)
Inexperienced Otis channels his sex therapist mother when he teams up with rebellious Maeve to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.
Informer (Amazon Prime)
The series follows Raza Shar, a second generation British-Pakistani man from East London, and his unexpected encounter with Gabe Waters and Holly Morten, who work as counterterrorism officers. The unlikely trio works together towards mutual benefits when Raza becomes an informer for the officers. The drama explores the complexities of the themes of identity, family and expectations.
Deadly Class (Syfy)
Based on the graphic novel of the same name comes an unlikely coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of unsanitized 1980s counterculture. A homeless, disillusioned teen named Marcus is recruited into Kings Dominion, a secret academy for the Deadly Arts, where he struggles to find his place among a community of the deadliest characters in the world -- literally fighting every day for survival. It is in this struggle he tries to find purpose and family in an unlikely group of outcast misfits who plan to use their skills to really change the world for the better... by breaking every rule there is.
SEASON PREMIERES
Grown-ish (Freeform)
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
The Blacklist (NBC)
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the globe's most wanted fugitives. But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies and international terrorists -- on the condition that he must work with profiler Elizabeth Keen. Red's true intentions -- choosing Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection -- are unclear. Does Liz have secrets of her own? Red promises to teach Liz to think like a criminal "to see the bigger picture," whether she wants to or not.
Victoria (PBS)
This eight-part drama features an all-star cast including Jenna Coleman as a young Queen Victoria and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert. The monarch's life is chronicled as the story begins with the death of King William IV in 1837, her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 and her relationships with the influential forces around her. With the advice of the prime minister Lord Melbourne and the support of her husband Prince Albert the young queen flourishes and establishes herself in her newfound role.
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The 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards aired this past Sunday, and the Critic and the Referee can't wait to let you know their thoughts.
Did they agree or disagree with the nights winners? You’ll have to listen in to this episode to find out.
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On the Basis of Sex
Young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg works with her husband to bring a groundbreaking case of gender discrimination before the Supreme Court.
Director: Mimi Leder
Produced by: Robert W. Cort
Cast: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates
Distributor: Focus Features[
Release Date: December 25, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 00 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated PG-13
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse
Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Produced by: Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord , Christopher Miller, Christina Steinberg
Cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry ,Lily Tomlin ,Luna Lauren Velez, Zoë Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: December 14, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Rated PG
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Happy Holidays from the Why Watch That Family to yours!
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Bumblebee
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee the Autobot seeks refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. Charlie, on the brink of turning 18 years old and trying to find her place in the world, soon discovers the battle-scarred and broken Bumblebee. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns that this is no ordinary yellow Volkswagen.
Director: Travis Knight
Produced by: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, Jason Drucker,Pamela Adlon, Dylan O'Brien, Angela Bassett, Justin Theroux, Peter Cullen
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: December 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13
Shows Mentioned:
A Million Little Things (ABC)
It has been said that friendship isn't one big thing, it's a million little things. That is certainly true for a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it's just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. Along the way, they discover that friends may be the one thing that can save them from themselves.
New Amsterdam (NBC)
Dr. Max Goodwin is brilliant, charming -- and the new medical director at America's oldest public hospital. While he's set on tearing down the bureaucracy to provide exceptional care, the doctors and staff are not so sure. They've heard this before, and no one else has delivered on those promises. Not taking no for an answer, Max disrupts the status quo and proves he will stop at nothing to breathe new life into this understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospital -- the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers Island and the president of the United States all under one roof -- and return it to the glory that put it on the map. Inspired by Bellevue in New York City.
The Good Doctor (ABC)
Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon who has savant syndrome, relocates from a quiet country life to join the surgical unit at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital -- a move strongly supported by his mentor, Dr. Aaron Glassman. Having survived a troubled childhood, Shaun is alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, but he finds his niche using his extraordinary medical skill and intuition to save lives and challenge the skepticism of his colleagues.
Blindspot (NBC)
When a beautiful woman (Jaimie Alexander) with no memory of who she is or how she got there is discovered naked in New York's Times Square, the conspicuous etching of FBI Agent Kurt Weller's (Sullivan Stapleton) name across her back quickly makes it obvious to whom the case should be assigned. An international plot blows up as Agent Weller and his team discover that each intricate tattoo on Jane Doe's body is a crime to solve, creating a map that leads ever closer to the truth about her identity and mysteries yet to be revealed.
The Rookie (ABC)
Starting over isn't easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan, who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of becoming an LAPD officer. As the force's oldest rookie, he's met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can't keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he'll be risking lives -- including his own -- but if he can use his life experience, determination and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become successful in this new chapter of his life.
The Flash (CW)
At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Orphaned Barry later becomes Detective Joe West. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession - a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention - causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
Black Lightning (CW)
CW and Greg Berlanti expand the footprint of their DC Comics universe with this exploration of the intersection between family life and being a superhero. As a younger man, Jefferson Pierce donned the suit of a vigilante and protected the streets of his city, but he believed he'd left those days in the past. He learns that life doesn't always work out as planned when his daughter, Jennifer -- a star student who is determined to achieve justice at any cost -- gets recruited by a street gang. In order to protect his family, Jefferson sees no choice but to once again become Black Lightning.
Charmed (CW)
Mel and Maggie Vera suffer a shock when their mother dies suddenly, but before they have time to heal from their loss, another surprise shows up on their doorstep in the shape of an older sister -- brilliant geneticist Macy -- whom their mother never told them existed. The emotional stress takes its toll and the girls begin to exhibit impossible new abilities. An explanation comes from an unexpected place: the new chair of the women's studies department. Harry Greenwood reveals that the three are powerful witches, and he is their whitelighter, there to advise and guide them as they battle dark forces.
Madam Secretary (CBS)
Having left her job as a CIA analyst for ethical reasons, newly appointed Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord returns to public life at the request of the president, after the suspicious death of her predecessor. Valued by her boss for her apolitical leanings, knowledge of the Middle East, language skills and creative thinking, Elizabeth drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol, while negotiating national and international issues. At home, politics and compromise take on new meaning with her supportive husband and three bright kids.
SEAL Team (CBS)
Failure isn't an option for the new Navy SEALs, and that kind of pressure can take a toll on the members of the special operations forces' most elite unit. This team -- which includes Jason, the group's intense leader, and Ray, Jason's longtime confidant, along with loyal soldier Sonny and SEAL hopeful Clay -- trains, plans and executes some of the most dangerous, high-stakes missions and deploys for clandestine missions around the globe at a moment's notice. While serving their country is a worthy and rewarding cause, it can put a strain on the SEALs and their families, causing the guys to look out for one another in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, both on and off the job.
The Kids Are Alright (ABC)
Set in the 1970s, this ensemble comedy follows a traditional Irish-Catholic family, the Clearys, as it navigates big and small changes during one of America's most turbulent decades. In a working-class neighborhood outside Los Angeles, Mike and Peggy raise eight boisterous boys who live out their days with little supervision in their three bedroom, one bathroom home. The household is turned upside down when oldest son Lawrence returns home and announces he's quitting the seminary to go off and "save the world."
black-ish (ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
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Mary Poppins Returns
The mysterious Mary Poppins returns to Depression-era London to visit Jane and her brother Michael, now a father of three, and helps them rediscover the joy they knew as children.
Director: Rob Marshall
Produced by: Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, Marc Platt
Cast: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kairi Jō, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: December 19, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 10 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Rated PG
Cold War
Set against the backdrop of the 1950s Cold War in Poland, two people of differing backgrounds and temperaments begin an almost impossible romance.
Director:Paweł Pawlikowski
Produced by: Tanya Seghatchian, Ewa Puszczynska
Cast: Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Agata Kulesza
Distributor: Kino Świat
Release Date: December 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Rated R
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A Star is Born
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Produced by: Bradley Cooper, Bill Gerber, Todd Phillips, Lynette Howell Taylor
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: October 5, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 15 minutes
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Rated R
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (DVD Review)
Ethan Hunt and the IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. Arms dealer John Lark and a group of terrorists known as the Apostles plan to use three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. When the weapons go missing, Ethan and his crew find themselves in a desperate race against time to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Written by: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: (Theaters) July 27, 2018 (DVD Release) December 4, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 15 minutes
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Rated R
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If Beale Street Could Talk
In early 1970s Harlem, daughter and wife-to-be Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny. Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together, but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.
Director: Barry Jenkins
Produced by: Megan Ellison, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, Barry Jenkins
Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Emily Rios, Ed Skrein, Finn Wittrock, Brian Tyree Henry, Regina King
Distributor: Annapurna Pictures
Release Date: December 14, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Rated R
Season Premieres
Vikings (History)
Viking Ragnar Lothbrok is a young farmer and family man who is frustrated by the policies of Earl Haraldson, his local chieftain who sends his Viking raiders east to the Baltic states and Russia, whose residents are as poor as the Norsemen. Ragnar wants to head west, across the ocean, to discover new civilizations. With assistance from his friend Floki, Ragnar builds a faster, sleeker fleet of boats to help him make it to the Western world. Through the years Ragnar, who claims to be a direct descendant of the god Odin, continues to struggle with Earl until the two face each other in a final battle for supremacy. Following that, Ragnar goes on a search for new lands to conquer.
The Last Kingdom (Netflix)
As a child, Uhtred witnessed his father being killed and the Saxon army defeated by invading troops. Danish warlord Earl Ragnar captured Uhtred and raised him in a Danish camp alongside fellow captive Brida, a sharp-tongued girl. Years later, Uhtred is a valiant warrior who is dealt another tragic blow when his home is deliberately set on fire, killing his surrogate family, including Ragnar. Now exiled -- alone except for Brida by his side -- he vows to avenge Ragnar's death and reclaim his homeland. But, he must choose between his birth country and the people who raised him. If he is going to help birth a new nation and ultimately recapture his ancestral land he must walk dangerous path between both sides.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
It's the late 1950s and Miriam "Midge" Maisel has everything she has ever wanted -- the perfect husband, two kids and an elegant apartment on New York's Upper West Side. Her seemingly idyllic life takes a surprising turn when she discovers a hidden talent she didn't previously know she had -- stand-up comedy. This revelation changes her life forever as she begins a journey that takes her from her comfortable life on the Upper West Side through the cafes and nightclubs of Greenwich Village as she makes her way through the city's comedy industry on a path that could ultimately lead her to a spot on the "Tonight Show" couch. The series was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino ("Gilmore Girls").
Counterpart (Starz)
What might be different if a person could co-exist in an alternate world? Howard Silk, a low-level agent whose career is winding down at a Berlin-based United Nations spy agency, unwittingly learns the answer. Upon discovering his organization is harboring a secret, that of a gateway to a parallel dimension, Howard becomes immersed in a mysterious world of espionage, intrigue, and government conspiracies. There, the only man Howard can trust is Prime, his almost identical counterpart from a divergent reality.
Series Premiere
Bad Blood (Netflix)
Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto is released from prison after serving 31 years for murder and seeks revenge on those who killed his family and friends.
Mid-Season Finale
Young Sheldon (CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbours, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
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Currently in Theaters, Released on Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Creed II
In 1985, Russian boxer Ivan Drago killed former U.S. champion Apollo Creed in a tragic match that stunned the world. Against the wishes of trainer Rocky Balboa, Apollo's son and current champ Adonis Creed accepts a challenge from Drago's son -- another dangerous fighter. Under guidance from Rocky, Adonis trains for the showdown of his life -- a date with destiny that soon becomes his obsession. Now, Creed and Balboa must confront their shared legacy as the past comes back to haunt each man.
Director: Steven Caple, Jr.
Produced by: Sylvester Stallone, Kevin King-Templeton, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Irwin Winkler, Udi Nedivi
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Distributor: Annapurna Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
Genre: Drama, Sport
PG-13
Currently in Theaters, Released on Friday, November 16, 2018
Instant Family
When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child, but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hope of becoming a family.
Director: Sean Anders
Produced by: Sean Anders, Stephen Levinson, John Morris, Mark Wahlberg
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner, Margo Martindale, Julie Hagerty, Tig Notaro, Octavia Spencer
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: November 16, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Drama, Comedy
PG-13
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The Walking Dead (AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse. Led by former police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
This Is Us (NBC)
Jack and his wife - who is very pregnant with triplets - have just moved into their new home in Pittsburgh. Successful and handsome television actor Kevin is growing increasingly bored with his bachelor lifestyle. Randall - who was abandoned at a fire station by his father as an infant - is a stylish New York-based businessman working to raise two daughters with his wife, Beth. These people are among a group, several of whom share a birthday, of seemingly random individuals whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
New Amsterdam (NBC)
Dr. Max Goodwin is brilliant, charming -- and the new medical director at America's oldest public hospital. While he's set on tearing down the bureaucracy to provide exceptional care, the doctors and staff are not so sure. They've heard this before, and no one else has delivered on those promises. Not taking no for an answer, Max disrupts the status quo and proves he will stop at nothing to breathe new life into this understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospital -- the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers Island and the president of the United States all under one roof -- and return it to the glory that put it on the map. Inspired by Bellevue in New York City.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of young doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the young doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. Grey struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them - Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
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Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
The small sleepy town of Dannemora is home to the Clinton Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison. Two inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat become entangled in the life of a married female prison employee in the summer of 2015. Tilly Mitchell, an employee at Clinton Correctional Facility becomes romantically entangled with both convicts and aids in their escape from the facility. Emmy winner Ben Stiller executive produces and directs all episodes.
Queen America (Facebook Watch)
A pageant coach tries to outrun her troubled, working class past by coaching Oklahoma pageant contestants to victory while struggling with her own demons.
Sick Note (Netflix)
When Daniel is misdiagnosed with a fatal disease he notices how everyone begins to treat him better. This display of empathy prevents Daniel from telling the truth about his health.
Dirty John (Bravo)
Debra Newell has a perfect life -- from the outside -- she's successful, beautiful and lives in Newport Beach, one of California's most desirable coastal cities. The only thing missing from her life is love, so when she meets the charismatic, handsome and charming Dr. John Meehan, she is swept off her feet in a whirlwind romance. Her daughters, Terra and Veronic, set out to prove that he's just a conman after they are displeased at the fast-tracked relationship and decide to investigate their mother's new beau for themselves. As Debra gets drawn deeper into his lies, the psychological manipulation has consequences for the entire family.
My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
Filmed in Italian, the eight-episode drama centers on elderly author Elena Greco, who learns that the most important friend in her life, Lila Cerullo, has disappeared without a trace. It causes Elena to reflect on the early days of their friendship in dangerous but fascinating Naples, Italy, in the 1950s, when Elena and Lila are two very different girls at the top of their class. The story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives as Elena tries to describe the mystery of Lila.
Nightflyers (Syfy)
On a mission aboard the Nightflyer, the most advanced ship ever built, a team of scientists embark on an expedition to make first contact with alien life. Set in the year 2093, their mission takes them beyond the edge of the solar system, farther than mankind has ever gone before. But when terrifying and violent events start to occur, the team and crew begin to question themselves, each other, and their reclusive captain. They soon come to realize that the true horror isn't waiting for them in outer space -- it's already on their ship.
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Ben is Back
Nineteen-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve. Ben's mom, Holly, is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe.
Director: Peter Hedges
Written by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges
Distributor: LD Entertainment, Roadside Attractions
Release Date: December 7, 2018 (Select Theaters)
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated R
Sally4Ever (HBO)
Written, directed by and starring Julia Davis (creator of the original British series "Camping"), "Sally4Ever" is an HBO/Sky Atlantic co-production about a love affair that quickly spirals out of control. Mid-level marketing executive Sally, in an attempt to spice up her personal life, sets in motion a series of events that lead her to embarking on a wild affair with Emma and calling it off with long-term, predictable partner David. Unlike Sally, Emma is a free spirit and impulsive. She exudes sexuality and brings excitement to Sally's mundane existence. Yet before Sally knows it, Emma has commandeered her life in every single way.
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
He may be in his twilight years, but aging acting coach Sandy Kominsky isn't ready to ride off into the sunset just yet. The once-famous Kominsky and his longtime agent, Norman Newlander, keep each other laughing as they tackle the curveballs that life throws at them while navigating their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty. The Netflix original sitcom has a strong Hollywood pedigree; it was created by multiple Emmy winner Chuck Lorre and stars Oscar winners Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin as Kominsky and Newlander, respectively.
Origin (YouTube Premium)
A chilling new original series that follows a group of troubled passengers as they wake up on a damaged spaceship abandoned in deep space. Each having left behind a dark past in search of a fresh start on a newly colonized planet, they’re determined to survive at all costs. But as their terrifying situation spirals into paranoia, they come to realize that the greatest threat to their dream of starting over – and indeed their lives is something far darker than the pasts they were so desperate to escape.
The Bisexual (Hulu)
New Yorker Leila lives in London with her girlfriend of 10 years and business partner, Sadie, but Leila has a secret: she is bisexual; realizing that she is living a lie, Leila breaks up with her girlfriend and tries to live life as a bisexual.
Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)
Witness the birth of the Mexican drug war in the 1980s as a gritty new "Narcos" saga chronicles the true story of the Guadalajara cartel's ascent.
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Creed II
In 1985, Russian boxer Ivan Drago killed former U.S. champion Apollo Creed in a tragic match that stunned the world. Against the wishes of trainer Rocky Balboa, Apollo's son and current champ Adonis Creed accepts a challenge from Drago's son -- another dangerous fighter. Under guidance from Rocky, Adonis trains for the showdown of his life -- a date with destiny that soon becomes his obsession. Now, Creed and Balboa must confront their shared legacy as the past comes back to haunt each man.
Director: Steven Caple, Jr.
Produced by: Sylvester Stallone, Kevin King-Templeton, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Irwin Winkler, Udi Nedivi
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Distributor: Annapurna Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
Genre: Drama, Sport
PG-13
Robin Hood
Robin of Loxley (Taron Egerton) a war-hardened Crusader and his Moorish commander (Jamie Foxx) mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown in a thrilling action-adventure packed with gritty battlefield exploits, mind-blowing fight choreography, and a timeless romance.
Director: Otto Bathurst
Screenplay by: Ben Chandler, David James Kelly
Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson, Tim Minchin, Jamie Dornan, Cornelius Booth
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure
Rated R
Green Book
Dr. Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist who's about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation.
Director: Peter Farrelly
Screenplay by: Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 10 minutes
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Rated PG-13
The Little Drummer Girl (AMC)
Germany, 1979. When a bomb goes off in the diplomatic quarter of Bonn, a senior Israeli intelligence agent arrives to investigate. Meanwhile in London, a passionate young actress finds herself drawn into a dangerous international espionage operation.
Director: Park Chan-wook
Cast: Michael Shannon, Alexander Skarsgård, Florence Pugh, Michael Moshonov, Simona Brown, Clare Holman
Distributor: BBC Studios, AMC Studios
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ROMA
In 1970s Mexico City, two domestic workers help a mother of four while her husband is away for an extended period of time.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Written by: Alfonso Cuarón
Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 15 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated R
The Favourite
In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance to return to her aristocratic roots.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Written by: Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara
Cast: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: November 23, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated R
Shoplifters
On the margins of Tokyo, a most unusual “family”—a collection of societal castoffs united by their shared outsiderhood and fierce loyalty to one another—survives by petty stealing and grifting. When they welcome into their fold a young girl who’s been abused by her parents, they risk exposing themselves to the authorities and upending their tenuous, below-the-radar existence.
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Written by: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Cast: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kairi Jō, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki
Distributor: Gaga Corporation
Release Date: November 23, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 01 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rated R
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At Eternity’s Gate
Jared is the son of a small-town Baptist pastor who gets outed to his parents at age 19. He's soon faced with an ultimatum -- attend a gay conversion therapy program or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends and faith.
Director: Julian Schnabel
Screenplay: Jean-Claude Carrière, Julian Schnabel, Louise Kugelberg
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Oscar Isaac
Distributor: CBS Films
Release Date: November 2, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated PG-13
Widows
A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows -- Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle -- have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.
Director: Steve McQueen
Screenplay: Steve McQueen, Gillian Flynn
Cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: November 16, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 15 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Rated R
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Series Premiere
Clique (Pop)
Holly and Georgia are two childhood best friends who go to the same university together. They are having a great time, but when Georgia is drawn into an elite clique of popular young women and begins to change, Holly must save their friendship.
Season Premiere
Patriot (Amazon)
Following the complicated life of an intelligence officer John Tavner, whose latest assignment is to prevent Iran from going nuclear, which requires him to forgo all safety nets and assume a perilous non-official cover.
Season Finales
The Deuce (HBO)
Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO's "The Wire" and "Treme," the semifictional drama series "The Deuce" tells of the germination of the sex-trade industry in the heart of New York's Times Square. It's the early 1970s, and the porn business begins a shift from organized crime-backed parlors to a legitimate, culturally accepted enterprise. A cast of barkeeps, prostitutes, pimps, police and nightlife seekers centers around twins Vincent and Frankie Martino (James Franco, in a dual role), who navigate the sex business after meeting well-connected mobster Rudy Pipilo. Their storyline, among others, merges with that of prostitute Candy, whose ambition and intelligence lead her to a more prominent role in the industry.
Kidding (Showtime)
"Kidding" follows Jeff Pickles, a man who is iconic in children's television. Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, is a pillar of kindness and wisdom to the impressionable minds of America's youth and to the parents who grew up with him. When Mr. Pickles' family begins to implode, his life starts to take a downward spiral. He must put the fables and puppets aside to get through this newest crisis in life. As the slow leak of sanity advances faster than he can cope with it, the cruel world breaks his heart.
Mayans M.C. (FX)
"Mayans M.C." is the next chapter in the "Sons of Anarchy" saga. Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ, the gifted son of a proud Latino family and former golden boy, sees his quest for the American dream snuffed out by border violence. Faced with carving out a new identity for himself in his small town, EZ's need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.
Woman in White (miniseries, PBS)
The lives of two half-sisters and their drawing master get caught up in a deadly conspiracy revolving around a mentally ill woman dressed all in white.
Poldark (PBS)
This all-new version of the vintage Masterpiece series stars Aidan Turner as Capt. Ross Poldark, a redcoat returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to find his father dead and his true love about to marry someone else. A Mammoth Screen production, the series is packed with action, adventure and romance. Also featured are Eleanor Tomlinson as servant Demelza, Warren Clarke as Uncle Charles, and Heida Reed as Elizabeth Chenoweth. Robin Ellis, who portrayed Ross Poldark in the original adaptation 40 years ago, appears here as Reverend Halse.
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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Six chapters each present a different story from the wild frontier. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs tells the story of a sharp-shooting songster. In Near Algodones, a wannabe bank robber gets his due and then some. Meal Ticket is a gothic tale about two weary travelling performers. All Gold Canyon is a story about a prospector mining for gold, while a woman finds an unexpected promise of love, along with a dose of life’s cruel irony, on a wagon train across the prairies in The Gal Who Got Rattled. Finally, ghostly laughs haunt The Mortal Remains as a Lady rains judgment upon a motley crew of strangers undertaking a final carriage ride.
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Written by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: Liam Neeson, James Franco, Tim Blake Nelson
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: November 8, 2018 (Select Theaters), November 16, 2018 (Netflix and its expanded theatrical run)
Runtime: 2 hours 12 minutes
Genre: Comedy , Drama , Musical
Rated R
Series Premieres
Tell Me a Story (CBS All Access)
Beloved fairy tales interweave to create a subversive tale of love, loss, greed, revenge and murder set in New York.
Homecoming (Amazon)
A caseworker at a facility that helps soldiers transition back to civilian life leaves to start a new life, living with her mother and working as a small-town waitress.
Season Premieres
House of Cards (Netflix)
U.S. Rep. Francis Underwood of South Carolina starts out as a ruthless politician seeking revenge in this Netflix original production. Promised the post of Secretary of State in exchange for his support, his efforts help to ensure the election of Garrett Walker to the presidency. But Walker changes his mind before the inauguration, telling Underwood he's too valuable in Congress. Outwardly, Underwood accepts his marching orders, but secretly he and his wife, an environmental activist, make a pact to destroy Walker and his allies. Based on the U.K. miniseries of the same name, the U.S. version offers a look behind the scenes at the greed and corruption in American politics. A number of real-life media figures make cameo appearances.
Outlander (Starz)
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humour. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. `Outlander' is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
The Walking Dead Says Goodbye to Rick (AMC)
This gritty drama portrays life in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse. Led by former police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
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Boy Erased
Jared is the son of a small-town Baptist pastor who gets outed to his parents at age 19. He's soon faced with an ultimatum -- attend a gay conversion therapy program or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends and faith.
Director: Joel Edgerton
Screenplay: Joel Edgerton
Cast: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton, Joe Alwyn, Xavier Dolan, Troye Sivan, Cherry Jones, Flea, Russell Crowe
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: November 2, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated R
Prospect
This is the first feature film distributed by Gunpowder & Sky's sic-fi label DUST.
A man and his teenage daughter encounter nonstop danger while searching for valuable gems on an alien moon.
Director: Chris Caldwell, Zeek Earl
Screenplay: Chris Caldwell, Zeek Earl
Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Jay Duplass, Pedro Pascal
Distributor: DUST (under Gunpowder and Sky)
Release Date: November 2, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Genre: Sci-fi
Rated R
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SERIES PREMIERES
The Woman in White (PBS)
The lives of two half-sisters and their drawing master get caught up in a deadly conspiracy revolving around a mentally ill woman dressed all in white.
Bodyguard(Netflix)
A heroic but volatile war veteran works as a Specialist Protection Officer for London's Metropolitan Police Service. When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful home secretary, he finds himself torn between his duty and his beliefs.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix)
As her 16th birthday nears, Sabrina must choose between the witch world of her family and the human world of her friends; based on the "Archie" comic.
SEASON PREMIERE
Deutschland 86 (Sundance)
Martin Rauch is recruited by the HVA to infiltrate the West Germany army. As a rookie spy his decisions constantly put his cover at risk and force his agency to take extreme measures.
Loving Pablo
In the early 1980s, Colombian journalist Virginia Vallejo begins a tumultuous love affair with Pablo Escobar -- the world's most feared drug lord.
Director: Fernando León de Aranoa
Written by: Fernando León de Aranoa
Cast: Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz
Distributor: Universal
Release Date: October 5, 2018
Runtime:2 hour 03 minutes
Genre: Action , Biography , Crime
Rated R
Suspiria
Young American dancer Susie Bannion arrives in 1970s Berlin to audition for the world-renowned Helena Markos Dance Company, stunning the troupe's famed choreographer, Madame Blanc, with her raw talent. When she vaults to the role of lead dancer, Olga, the previous lead, breaks down and accuses the company's female directors of being witches. As rehearsals intensify for the final performance of the company's signature piece, Susie and Madame Blanc grow strangely close.
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Screenplay: Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi, Dave Kajganich, David Kajganich
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Angela Winkler, Ingrid Caven, Elena Fokina, Sylvie Testud, Renée Soutendijk, Christine LeBoutte, Fabrizia Sacchi, Małgosia Bela, Jessica Harper, Chloë Grace Moretz
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: October 26, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 32 minutes
Genre: Fantasy/Thriller
Rated R
Burning
BURNING tells the story of three individuals and a mysterious incident they experience. Jongsu bumps into an old friend, Haemi, on a part-time delivery job. Haemi asks Jongsu to take care of her cat while she leaves on a trip to Africa. When she returns, Haemi introduces Jongsu to Ben, a man she met in Africa. One day, Ben and Haemi pay Jongsu a visit, and Ben reveals his secret interests to Jongsu.
Director: Lee Chang-dong
Screenplay: OH Jung-mi, Lee Chang-dong
Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo
Distributor: CGV Arthouse
Release Date: October 26, 2018
Runtime: 2 hour 28 minutes
Genre: Drama/Mystery
Rated R
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SERIES PREMIERES
The Conners (ABC)
After a sudden turn of events, the Conner family is forced to face the daily struggles of life in a way they never have before. This iconic family, Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky and D.J., demonstrates that laughter, conversation and love can overcome anything. The family grapples with issues include parenting, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging, and in-laws. Through it all, the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns -- with love, humor and perseverance, the family prevails.
The Kids Are Alright (ABC)
Set in the 1970s, this ensemble comedy follows a traditional Irish-Catholic family, the Clearys, as it navigates big and small changes during one of America's most turbulent decades. In a working-class neighborhood outside Los Angeles, Mike and Peggy raise eight boisterous boys who live out their days with little supervision in their three bedroom, one bathroom home. The household is turned upside down when oldest son Lawrence returns home and announces he's quitting the seminary to go off and "save the world."
The Rookie (ABC)
Starting over isn't easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan, who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of becoming an LAPD officer. As the force's oldest rookie, he's met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can't keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he'll be risking lives -- including his own -- but if he can use his life experience, determination and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become successful in this new chapter of his life.
Wanderlust (Netflix)
Unable to revive their fading sex life after many years of marriage, a therapist and her husband decide to start dating other people.
SEASON PREMIERES
Blindspot (NBC)
When a beautiful woman (Jaimie Alexander) with no memory of who she is or how she got there is discovered naked in New York's Times Square, the conspicuous etching of FBI Agent Kurt Weller's (Sullivan Stapleton) name across her back quickly makes it obvious to whom the case should be assigned. An international plot blows up as Agent Weller and his team discover that each intricate tattoo on Jane Doe's body is a crime to solve, creating a map that leads ever closer to the truth about her identity and mysteries yet to be revealed.
black-ish (ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
Daredevil (Netflix)
"Daredevil" follows Matt Murdock, attorney by day and vigilante by night. Blinded in an accident as a child, Murdock uses his heightened senses as Daredevil to fight crime on the streets of New York after the sun goes down. While Murdock's day job requires him to believe in the criminal justice system, his alter ego does not follow suit, leading him to take the law into his own hands to protect his Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and the surrounding communities.
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SERIES PREMIERES
The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix)
This modern reimagining of the Shirley Jackson novel follows siblings who, as children, grew up in what would go on to become the most famous haunted house in the country.. Now adults, they are forced back together in the face of tragedy and must finally confront the ghosts of their past. Some of those ghosts still lurk in their minds, while others may actually be stalking the shadows of Hill House. The ensemble cast includes Oscar winner Timothy Hutton, Carla Gugino and Henry Thomas. Mike Flanagan, a veteran of the horror genre, created the series.
The Romanoffs (Amazon)
Emmy-winning producer Matthew Weiner ("Mad Men") created this anthology series that tells stories of people who believe that they are descendants of a Russian royal family. Each episode takes place in a new location -- with filming occurring on three continents -- with a new cast. Among the actors appearing in the hourlong installments are Aaron Eckhart, Amanda Peet, Diane Lane, Kathryn Hahn, Noah Wyle, and "Mad Men" alumni Christina Hendricks and John Slattery. Weiner writes and directs each episode of the Amazon original series.
Light as a Feather (Hulu)
Four best friends invite the shy new girl out on Halloween, but they quickly regret their decision when she suggests they play a game of Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board. The seemingly innocent game goes awry when the five girls who played start dying off in the exact way that was predicted. The survivors are then forced to figure out why they're being targeted -- and whether the evil force hunting them down is one of their own.
Titans (DC Universe)
Young heroes from around the DC Universe come of age in this gritty take on the "Teen Titans" franchise.
Charmed (CW)
Mel and Maggie Vera suffer a shock when their mother dies suddenly, but before they have time to heal from their loss, another surprise shows up on their doorstep in the shape of an older sister -- brilliant geneticist Macy -- whom their mother never told them existed. The emotional stress takes its toll and the girls begin to exhibit impossible new abilities. An explanation comes from an unexpected place: the new chair of the women's studies department. Harry Greenwood reveals that the three are powerful witches, and he is their whitelighter, there to advise and guide them as they battle dark forces.
Camping (HBO)
Obsessively organized L.A. mom Kathryn plans a camping trip in honor of her husband Walt's 45th birthday, hoping the get-together with old friends lessens tension in their not-so-happy marriage. As they arrive at the underwhelming Brown Bear Lake site with Kathryn's meek sister, her holier-than-thou ex-best friend, and a free-spirited tagalong, the supposed delightful, back-to-nature camping trip quickly becomes a weekend of tested relationships, heightened emotions, and memories everyone would rather forget. Lena Dunham ("Girls") is among the series' writers and executive producers.
MIDSEASON FINALE
Shameless (Showtime)
Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a single father of six who spends much of his free time drinking at bars. The Gallagher children -- led by oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who takes on much of the child-rearing responsibility due to her mother's absence -- manage to raise themselves in spite of Frank's lack of parenting and unusual parenting style when he does choose to act like a father. The drama is an adaptation of the BAFTA Award-winning British show of the same name.
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Series Premieres:
Into the Dark (Hulu)
A horror anthology series featuring tales inspired by holidays.
All American (CW)
Spencer James is a rising high school football player and A student at South Crenshaw High, but when coach Billy Baker recruits him to join his team in Beverly Hills, Spencer's mother, Grace, and his best friend, Coop, convince him it's an opportunity he has to seize. Forced to move in with Billy and his family to protect his transfer permit to Beverly, Billy's son Jordan, who is also the starting quarterback, is less than thrilled to be sharing his father's attention -- or the team spotlight. While Spencer struggles to find his footing, he makes an unlikely friend in Jordan's sister, who is struggling with her own demons.
Season Finales:
Insecure (HBO)
Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly. As the best friends deal with their own real-life flaws, their insecurities come to the fore as together they cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Created by co-star Issa Rae and writer/comic Larry Wilmore ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"), the comedy series looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It features the music of both indie and established artists of color, and touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience.
Ballers (HBO)
A superstar during his football playing days, Spencer Strasmore tries to find the same success as a financial manager for current players in sun-splashed Miami. Heeding his boss Joe's instruction to "monetize his friendships," Spencer builds a client base of young phenoms and veteran stars alike, but his role in their lives far exceeds money management as he struggles to help them navigate the many traps that come with life as big-time "ballers." The series is created by Stephen Levinson ("Entourage," "Boardwalk Empire") and stars Dwayne Johnson as Spencer.
Get Shorty (Epix)
Working as muscle for a murderous Nevada crime ring, Miles Daly decides to change professions and become a Hollywood movie producer.
Mr. Inbetween (FX)
"Mr Inbetween" is a half-hour drama series inspired by the cult film "The Magician." It centers around Ray Shoesmith -- a father, ex-husband, boyfriend and best friend. All tough roles to juggle in the modern age, but it's even harder when you're a criminal for hire. Shoesmith is a man who has been hardened by the prison system and his experiences there. Now, he is learning how to deal with life in the real world -- even attending anger management classes -- away from the bars of prison, where actions always have consequences.
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Season Premieres:
Poldark (PBS)
This all-new version of the vintage Masterpiece series stars Aidan Turner as Capt. Ross Poldark, a redcoat returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to find his father dead and his true love about to marry someone else. A Mammoth Screen production, the series is packed with action, adventure and romance. Also featured are Eleanor Tomlinson as servant Demelza, Warren Clarke as Uncle Charles, and Heida Reed as Elizabeth Chenoweth. Robin Ellis, who portrayed Ross Poldark in the original adaptation 40 years ago, appears here as Reverend Halse.
SEAL Team (CBS)
Failure isn't an option for the new Navy SEALs, and that kind of pressure can take a toll on the members of the special operations forces' most elite unit. This team -- which includes Jason, the group's intense leader, and Ray, Jason's longtime confidant, along with loyal soldier Sonny and SEAL hopeful Clay -- trains, plans and executes some of the most dangerous, high-stakes missions and deploys for clandestine missions around the globe at a moment's notice. While serving their country is a worthy and rewarding cause, it can put a strain on the SEALs and their families, causing the guys to look out for one another in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, both on and off the job.
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse. Led by former police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
Madam Secretary (CBS)
Having left her job as a CIA analyst for ethical reasons, newly appointed Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord returns to public life at the request of the president, after the suspicious death of her predecessor. Valued by her boss for her apolitical leanings, knowledge of the Middle East, language skills and creative thinking, Elizabeth drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol, while negotiating national and international issues. At home, politics and compromise take on new meaning with her supportive husband and three bright kids.
The Flash (CW)
At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Orphaned Barry later becomes Detective Joe West. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession - a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention - causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
Black Lightning (CW)
CW and Greg Berlanti expand the footprint of their DC Comics universe with this exploration of the intersection between family life and being a superhero. As a younger man, Jefferson Pierce donned the suit of a vigilante and protected the streets of his city, but he believed he'd left those days in the past. He learns that life doesn't always work out as planned when his daughter, Jennifer -- a star student who is determined to achieve justice at any cost -- gets recruited by a street gang. In order to protect his family, Jefferson sees no choice but to once again become Black Lightning.
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The Happy Prince
His body ailing, Oscar Wilde lives in exile, surviving on the flamboyant irony and brilliant wit that defined him.
Director: Rupert Everett
Screenplay: Rupert Everett
Cast: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Edwin Thomas, Emily Watson, and Tom Wilkinson
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: October 5, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rated R
Hold the Dark
Summoned to a remote Alaskan village to search for the wolves that killed three children, a wolf expert soon finds himself unravelling a harrowing mystery.
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Screenplay: Macon Blair
Based on the novel by William Giraldi
Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Riley Keough, Alexander Skarsgard, and James Badge Dale
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: September 28, 2018
Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery
Rated TV-MA
Private Life
A couple coping with infertility struggle to keep their marriage going as they navigate through the world of adoption and assisted reproduction.
Director: Tamara Jenkins
Screenplay: Tamara Jenkins
Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Paul Giamatti, Molly Shannon, John Caroll Lynch, and Kayli Carter
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: October 5, 2018
Runtime: 2 hours 3 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated R
22 July
A dramatisation of Norway's deadliest terrorist attack, in which a right-wing extremist murders 77 teens at a youth camp in 2011.
Director: Paul Greengrass
Screenplay: Paul Greengrass
Based on the book “One of Us: The Story of an Attack in Norway — and Its Aftermath” by Åsne Seierstad
Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Jon Øigarden, Jonas Strand Gravli, Maria Bock, Thorbjørn Harr, Ola G. Furuseth, Seda Witt, and Isak Bakli Aglen
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: October 10, 2018
Runtime: 2 hours 23 minutes
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Rated R
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Beautiful Boy
Teenager Nicolas Sheff seems to have it all -- good grades, editor of the school newspaper, actor, artist and athlete. When Nic's addiction to meth threatens to destroy him, his desperate father does whatever he can to save his son and his family.
Director: Felix van Groeningen
Screenplay: Luke Davies and Felix van Groeningen
Based on David Sheff’s memoir of the same name and on Nic Sheff’s memoir “Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines”
Cast: Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney, and Amy Ryan
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: October 12, 2018 (in NY and LA), expanding nationwide in the following weeks
Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated R
Wildlife
Fourteen-year-old Joe is the only child of Jeanette and Jerry -- a housewife and a golf pro -- in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job -- and his sense of purpose -- he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, Joe witnesses his mother's struggle as she tries to keep her head above water.
Director: Paul Dano
Screenplay: Dano and Zoe Kazan
Based on Richard Ford’s novel of the same name
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould, Bill Camp, and Jake Gyllenhaal
Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: October 19, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated PG-13
What They Had
At the urging of her brother, a woman returns to Chicago to visit her father and mother -- the latter now suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Director: Elizabeth Chomko
Screenplay: Elizabeth Chomko
Cast: Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Taissa Farmiga, with Josh Lucas and Blythe Danner
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Release Date: October 19, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
Genre: Drama
Rated R
The Oath
In a politically divided America, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family.
Director: Ike Barinholtz
Screenplay: Ike Barinholtz
Cast: Ike Barinholtz, Tiffany Haddish, Nora Dunn, Chris Ellis, Jon Barinholtz, Meredith Hagner, Carrie Brownstein, John Cho, and Billy Magnussen
Distributor: Roadside Attractions and Topic Studios
Release Date: October 12, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Rated R
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First Man
A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
Director: Damien Chazelle
Screenplay: Josh Singer
Based on the book by James R. Hansen
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds, Olivia Hamilton, Pablo Schreiber, Shea Whigham, Lukas Haas, Ethan Embry, Brian D’Arcy James, Cory Michael Smith, and Kris Swanberg
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: October 12, 2018
Runtime: 2 hours 21 minutes
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rated PG-13
Bad Times at the El Royale
The El Royale is run-down hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada. It soon becomes a seedy battleground when seven strangers -- a cleric, a soul singer, a traveling salesman, two sisters, the manager and the mysterious Billy Lee -- converge on a fateful night for one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.
Director: Drew Goddard
Screenplay: Drew Goddard
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman, and Chris Hemsworth
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: October 12, 2018
Runtime: 2 hours 21 minutes
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rated R
Billy Madison (Netflix)
Man-child Billy Madison (Adam Sandler) has been a spoiled rich kid all his life, and spends his days drinking and partying. When his father, hotel magnate Brian (Darren McGavin), becomes fed up with his son's irresponsible ways, he issues an ultimatum. Since Billy passed all his schooling thanks to his father's influence and bribes, he must retake and pass every grade in 24 weeks. Otherwise, the business will be turned over to Brian's conniving associate, Eric (Bradley Whitford).
The NeverEnding Story (Netflix)
Bastian Balthazar Bux is a shy and outcast bibliophile ten-year-old raised by his widowed father, teased by bullies from school. On his way to school, he hides from the bullies in a bookstore, interrupting the grumpy bookseller, Mr. Coreander. Bastian asks about one of the books he sees, but Mr. Coreander advises against it. With his curiosity piqued, Bastian seizes the book, leaving a note promising to return it, and hides in the school's attic to read.
The Devil's Advocate (Netflix)
Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) accepts a high-powered position at a New York law firm headed by legal shark John Milton (Al Pacino). As Kevin moves up in the firm's ranks, his wife, Mary Ann (Charlize Theron), has several frightening, mystical experiences that begin to warp her sense of reality. With the stakes getting higher with each case, Kevin quickly learns that his mentor is planning a far greater evil than simply winning without scruples.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Hulu)
When Joanna Drayton (Katharine Houghton), a free-thinking white woman, and black doctor John Prentice (Sidney Poitier) become engaged, they travel to San Francisco to meet her parents. Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) and his wife Christina (Katharine Hepburn) are wealthy liberals who must confront the latent racism the coming marriage arouses. Also attending the Draytons' dinner are Prentice's parents (Roy E. Glenn Sr., Beah Richards), who vehemently disapprove of the relationship.
Once Bitten (Hulu)
A centuries-old vampire, the countess (Lauren Hutton) has kept her youthful look by drinking the blood of male virgins. Since she finds this prey challenging to come by, she is thrilled when she meets young Mark Kendall (Jim Carrey), who wants to lose his virginity, yet has a reluctant girlfriend, Robin (Karen Kopins). After luring Mark away from a club, the countess drinks his blood, but the hapless guy isn't sure what has happened until he starts exhibiting unusual symptoms.
Robocop & Robocop II (Hulu)
In a violent, near-apocalyptic Detroit, evil corporation Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the city government to privatize the police force. To test their crime-eradicating cyborgs, the company leads street cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) into an armed confrontation with crime lord Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) so they can use his body to support their untested RoboCop prototype. But when RoboCop learns of the company's nefarious plans, he turns on his masters.
Blazing Saddles (Netflix)
In this satirical take on Westerns, crafty railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) becomes the first black sheriff of Rock Ridge, a frontier town about to be destroyed in order to make way for a new railroad. Initially, the people of Rock Ridge harbor a racial bias toward their new leader. However, they warm to him after realizing that Bart and his perpetually drunk gunfighter friend (Gene Wilder) are the only defense against a wave of thugs sent to rid the town of its population.
Valley of the Dolls (Hulu)
In New York City, bright but naive New Englander Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins) becomes a secretary at a theatrical law firm, where she falls in love with attorney Lyon Burke (Paul Burke). Anne befriends up-and-coming singer Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke), whose dynamic talent threatens aging star Helen Lawson (Joey Bishop) and beautiful but talentless actress Jennifer North (Sharon Tate). The women experience success and failure in love and work, leading to heartbreak, addiction and tragedy.
The Green Mile (Netflix)
Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) walked the mile with a variety of cons. He had never encountered someone like John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a massive black man convicted of brutally killing a pair of young sisters. Coffey had the size and strength to kill anyone, but not the demeanor. Beyond his simple, naive nature and a deathly fear of the dark, Coffey seemed to possess a prodigious, supernatural gift. Paul began to question whether Coffey was truly guilty of murdering the two girls.
The Blair Witch Project (Hulu)
Found video footage tells the tale of three film students (Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams) who've traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale's veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises.
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In Theaters October 5, 2018
The Hate U Give
Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a white police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right.
Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, KJ Apa, Algee Smith. Lamar Johnson, Issa Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, Common, Anthony Mackie
Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
Screenplay by: Audrey Wells, Tina Mabry
Produced by: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Robert Teitel, George Tillman Jr.
Cinematography: Mihai Mălaimare Jr.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 132 minutes
Miniseries Finale:
The Miniaturist (PBS)
In 1686, 18-year-old Nella Oortman (Anya Taylor-Joy, Split, The Witch) arrives in Amsterdam to meet her wealthy merchant husband Johannes Brandt (Alex Hassell, Genius: Picasso), but is instead met by his sister Marin (Romola Garai, Churchill’s Secret, The Hour). When Johannes appears, he presents her with a wedding gift: a cabinet that is a miniature replica of their home, to be furnished by an elusive Miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror what is happening within the house in unexpected ways and seem to be predicting and unraveling the future with unsettling precision.
As Nella begins to uncover its secrets and those of the Brandt household she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the Miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?
Series Premieres:
Magnum P.I. (CBS)
Thomas Magnum is a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum has Juliet Higgins and her Dobermans to keep him in line, as well as his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors T.C. and Rick when he needs backup on a job. With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Düsseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is on the case.
Manifest(NBC)
When Montego Air Flight 828 landed safely after a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers were relieved. But in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years -- and after mourning their loss, their friends, families and colleagues had given up hope and moved on. Now, faced with the impossible, they're all given a second chance. But as their new realities become clear, a deeper mystery unfolds, and some of the returned passengers soon realize they may be meant for something greater than they ever thought possible.
FBI (CBS)
From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind the "Law & Order" franchise, "FBI" is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. First-class agents -- including Maggie Bell and Omar Adom "OA" Zidan -- bring all of their talents, intellect and technical expertise to tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime and counterintelligence, to keep New York and the country safe.
New Amsterdam (NBC)
Dr. Max Goodwin is brilliant, charming -- and the new medical director at America's oldest public hospital. While he's set on tearing down the bureaucracy to provide exceptional care, the doctors and staff are not so sure. They've heard this before, and no one else has delivered on those promises. Not taking no for an answer, Max disrupts the status quo and proves he will stop at nothing to breathe new life into this understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospital -- the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers Island and the president of the United States all under one roof -- and return it to the glory that put it on the map. Inspired by Bellevue in New York City.
Mr. Inbetween (FX)
"Mr Inbetween" is a half-hour drama series inspired by the cult film "The Magician." It centers around Ray Shoesmith -- a father, ex-husband, boyfriend and best friend. All tough roles to juggle in the modern age, but it's even harder when you're a criminal for hire. Shoesmith is a man who has been hardened by the prison system and his experiences there. Now, he is learning how to deal with life in the real world -- even attending anger management classes -- away from the bars of prison, where actions always have consequences.
Single Parents (ABC)
This ensemble comedy follows some single parents as they lean on each other to help raise their 7-year-old kids and maintain some kind of personal lives outside of parenthood. When the parents in the group meet Will, a 30-something guy who's been so focused on raising his daughter that he's lost sight of who he is as a man, they see just how far down the rabbit hole of PTA, parenting and princesses he has gone. The friends decide to band together to get him out in the dating world and make him realize that being a great parent doesn't mean sacrificing everything about his own identity.
A Million Little Things (ABC)
It has been said that friendship isn't one big thing, it's a million little things. That is certainly true for a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it's just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. Along the way, they discover that friends may be the one thing that can save them from themselves.
The Cool Kids (FOX)
"The Cool Kids" is a comedy about a rowdy, rag-tag group of friends living in a retirement community who are willing to break every rule to have fun, because, at their age, what do they really have to lose? Hank, a gruff, opinionated, 21st-century Archie Bunker who will go to any lengths to have a good time, is the leader of this motley crew. His loyal -- but less than helpful -- friends include Charlie, a bumbling storyteller who constantly goes off on tangents about some bizarre and barely believable episodes from his life; and Sid, a naysaying, pill-popping hypochondriac who shoots down every scheme but still gets roped in. Complicating matters is Margaret, a brash, confident woman who forces her way into their group and refuses to leave because she's not going to take crap from anyone -- especially not these three. But what unites them all is their shared belief that they're not done yet -- not by a long shot. Growing old with dignity is for chumps.
Season Premieres:
Young Sheldon (CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbours, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
The Good Doctor (ABC)
Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon who has savant syndrome, relocates from a quiet country life to join the surgical unit at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital -- a move strongly supported by his mentor, Dr. Aaron Glassman. Having survived a troubled childhood, Shaun is alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, but he finds his niche using his extraordinary medical skill and intuition to save lives and challenge the skepticism of his colleagues.
This Is Us (NBC)
Jack and his wife - who is very pregnant with triplets - have just moved into their new home in Pittsburgh. Successful and handsome television actor Kevin is growing increasingly bored with his bachelor lifestyle. Randall - who was abandoned at a fire station by his father as an infant - is a stylish New York-based businessman working to raise two daughters with his wife, Beth. These people are among a group, several of whom share a birthday, of seemingly random individuals whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of young doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the young doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. Grey struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them - Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Murphy Brown (CBS)
Amid a divided nation, chaotic national discourse and rampant attacks on the press, Murphy decides to return to the airwaves and recruits her FYI team: lifestyle reporter Corky Sherwood, investigative journalist Frank Fontana, and her former wunderkind news producer Miles Silverberg.
Joining them is social media director Pat Patel, who is tasked with bringing Murphy and the team into the 21st century. Murphy's millennial son, Avery, shares his mother's competitive spirit and quick wit, and is following in her journalistic footsteps—perhaps too closely.
The team still lets off steam at Phil's Bar, now run by his sister, Phyllis. Now back in the game, Murphy is determined to draw the line between good television and honest reporting, proving that the world needs Murphy Brown now more than ever.
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Released on, Friday August 24, 2018
Searching
David Kim becomes desperate when his 16-year-old daughter Margot disappears and an immediate police investigation leads nowhere. He soon decides to search the one place that no one else has -- Margot's laptop. Hoping to trace her digital footprints, David contacts her friends and looks at photos and videos for any possible clues to her whereabouts.
Starring: John Cho, Debra Messing
Directed by: Aneesh Chaganty
Produced by: Timur Bekmambetov, Sev Ohanian, Natalie Qasabian, Adam Sidman
Written by: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian
Cinematography: Juan Sebastian Baron
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Releasing
Runtime: 102 minutes
Released on, Friday September 14, 2018
The Land of Steady Habits
Feeling trapped in the stifling, wealthy enclave of Westport, Connecticut, a man retires from his job in finance and leaves his wife in the hopes that it will renew his lust for life. He befriends a drug-addicted teen, sending him down a path of reckless, regrettable behaviour. His shameful actions cause him to question who he is as a father and, ultimately, who he is as a person.
Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco, Thomas Mann, Connie Britton
Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Produced by: Anthony Bregman, Stefanie Azpiazu
Screenplay by: Nicole Holofcener
Cinematography: Alar Kivilo
Distributed by: Netflix
Runtime: 98 minutes
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The Referee and the Critic discuss the exciting films coming to NYFF this year.
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In Theaters, September 28, 2018
Night School
Teddy Walker is a successful salesman whose life takes an unexpected turn when he accidentally blows up his place of employment. Forced to attend night school to get his GED, Teddy soon finds himself dealing with a group of misfit students, his former high school nemesis and a feisty teacher who doesn't think he's too bright.
Starring: Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Riggle, Taran Killam, Romany Malco, Keith David, Loretta Devine
Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
Produced by: Will Packer, Kevin Hart
Written by: Kevin Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Matt Kellard, Nicholas Stoller, John Hamburg
Cinematography: Greg Gardiner
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 111 minutes
In Theaters October 5, 2018
Venom
Journalist Eddie Brock is trying to take down Carlton Drake, the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, Eddie's body merges with the alien Venom -- leaving him with superhuman strength and power. Twisted, dark and fueled by rage, Venom tries to control the new and dangerous abilities that Eddie finds so intoxicating.
Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Produced by: Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal
Cinematography: Matthew Libatique
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Releasing
Runtime: 112 minutes
A Star is Born
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Produced by: Bradley Cooper, Bill Gerber, Todd Phillips, Lynette Howell Taylor
Cinematography: Matthew Libatique
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Runtime: 135 minutes
In Theaters October 12, 2018
First Man
On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost—on Armstrong and on the nation—of one of the most dangerous missions in history.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Ciarán Hinds, Christopher Abbott, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas
Directed by: Damien Chazelle
Produced by: Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner, Damien Chazelle
Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 141 minutes
Bad Times at the El Royale
Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at a run-down hotel in Lake Tahoe in 1960s California. Over the course of a fateful night, they all get one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman, Chris Hemsworth
Directed by: Drew Goddard
Written by: Drew Goddard
Produced by: Drew Goddard, Jeremy Latcham
Cinematography: Seamus McGarvey
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 140 minutes
In Theaters October 19, 2018
Halloween
It's been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. Locked up in an institution, Myers manages to escape when his bus transfer goes horribly wrong. Laurie now faces a terrifying showdown when the masked madman returns to Haddonfield, Ill. -- but this time, she's ready for him.
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner, Nick Castle
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Screenplay by: Jeff Fradley, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green
Produced by: Malek Akkad, Jason Blum, Bill Block
Cinematography: Michael Simmonds
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 109 minutes
The Hate U Give
Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a white police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right.
Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, KJ Apa, Algee Smith. Lamar Johnson, Issa Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, Common, Anthony Mackie
Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
Screenplay by: Audrey Wells, Tina Mabry
Produced by: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Robert Teitel, George Tillman Jr.
Cinematography: Mihai Mălaimare Jr.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 132 minutes
Serenity
Baker Dill is a fishing boat captain who leads tours off of the tranquil enclave of Plymouth Island. His peaceful life is soon shattered when his ex-wife Karen tracks him down. Desperate for help, Karen begs Baker to save her -- and their young son -- from her violent husband. She wants him to take the brute out for a fishing excursion -- then throw him overboard to the sharks. Thrust back into a life that he wanted to forget, Baker now finds himself struggling to choose between right and wrong.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, Djimon Hounsou, Jason Clarke
Directed by: Steven Knight
Written by: Steven Knight
Produced by: Greg Shapiro, Guy Heeley
Cinematography: Jess Hall
Distributed by: Aviron Pictures
In Theaters October 26, 2018
Hunter Killer
Deep under the Arctic Ocean, American submarine Capt. Joe Glass is on the hunt for a U.S. sub in distress when he discovers a secret Russian coup is in the offing, threatening to dismantle the world order. With crew and country on the line, Capt. Glass must now assemble an elite group of Navy SEALs to rescue the kidnapped Russian president and sneak through enemy waters to stop WWIII from beginning.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common, Linda Cardellini, Toby Stephens
Directed by: Donovan Marsh
Written by: Arne Schmidt, Jamie Moss
Produced by: Toby Jaffe, Neal H. Moritz, Gerard Butler, Tucker Tooley, Alan Siegel, Mark Gill
Cinematography: Tom Marais
Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
Runtime: 121 minutes
Indivisible
Fresh out of the seminary and basic training, Army chaplain Darren Turner receives orders to deploy to Iraq, leaving his wife behind to care for their three young children. The harsh realities of war soon take their toll on Turner and his battalion, making it hard to stay connected to his beloved family. When Darren finally comes home, the Turners must decide if they're willing to face one more battle -- the fight to save their marriage.
Starring: Justin Bruening, Sarah Drew, Jason George
Directed by: David G. Evans
Written by: David G. Evans, Cheryl McKay
Produced by: Darren Moorman
Screenplay by: Cheryl McKay, David G. Evans, Peter White
Cinematography: Bob Scott
Distributed by: Provident Films
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Series Premieres:
Sorry for Your Loss (Facebook Watch)
The sudden death of her husband upends and transforms every relationship in Leigh Shaw's life, also forcing her to realize there was a lot about her husband that she didn't know.
I Feel Bad (NBC)
Emet is the perfect mom, boss, wife, friend and daughter. OK, she's not perfect. In fact, she's just figuring it out like the rest of us. Sure, she feels bad when she has a sexy dream about someone other than her husband, David, or when she pretends not to know her kids, Lily and Louie, when they misbehave in public, or when she uses her staff to help solve personal problems. But nobody can have it all without making a few mistakes -- and Emet's realizing that as long as she doesn't become her mother, it's all going to work out pretty great.
The Good Cop (Netflix)
A disgraced former NYPD officer lives with his son, an earnest, obsessively honest NYPD detective.
Maniac (Netflix)
Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim are two strangers who are drawn to the late stages of a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. Each has a different reason for participating in the experiment -- she is disaffected and aimless, fixated on broken relationships with her mother and sister, while he has struggled throughout his life with a disputed diagnosis of schizophrenia. The radical treatment, using pills that the inventor claims can repair anything about the mind, draws Annie, Owen and 10 other subjects into a three-day drug trial that they're told will permanently solve all of their problems, with no complications or side effects. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned.
Mid-Season Finale:
Suits (USA)
Big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter and his team, Donna Paulsen, Louis Litt, and Alex Williams are launched into a play for power when a new partner joins the firm. With his two best associates gone and Jessica back in Chicago, Specter and the team try to adjust to a new normal without them. The team faces down betrayals, fiery relationships, and secrets that eventually come to light. Old and new rivalries come to light among members of the team as they learn to deal with their new member.
Season Finales:
The Sinner (USA)
Detective Harry Ambrose returns to his hometown in rural New York to assess an unsettling and heart-wrenching crime -- parents murdered by their 11-year-old son with no apparent motive. As Ambrose realizes there's nothing ordinary about the boy or where he came from, the investigation pulls him into the hidden darkness of his hometown. He's pitted against those who will stop at nothing to protect its secrets -- and the mysterious Vera, who proves to be a complicated, enigmatic piece to this haunting puzzle.
Elementary (CBS)
This take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic character has disgraced Sherlock Holmes fleeing London for present-day Manhattan after a stint in rehab. He arrives to find that his father has assigned a sober companion to live with him - Dr Joan Watson, a former surgeon whose medical licence was revoked three years earlier after she lost a patient. She now seeks penance by helping addicts stay clean. However, Holmes has his own plan for keeping on the straight and narrow, throwing himself into his work as a police consultant in New York City. The two find that they make a good team and are soon cracking some of the NYPD's most-difficult cases.
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Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
In this episode, the Critic and Referee discuss:
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"Tea with the Dames", a documentary that highlights the expansive careers of Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Eileen Atkins, and Dame Joan Plowright. (Releases September 21st)
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The British Invasion in Hollywood: Why are so many British actors and actresses cast as American characters?
In Theaters, Friday September 21, 2018
The Sisters Brothers
It is 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters (Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly) are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and hostile world. They have blood on their hands: that of criminals, that of innocents...and they know no state of existence other than being gunmen. The older of the two, introspective Eli (Reilly) rides hard with his younger sibling yet dares to dream of a normal life. The younger of the two, hard-drinking Charlie (Phoenix) has taken charge with gusto as lead man on the duo's assignments. Each increasingly questions, and quibbles with, the other's methods.
The Sisters brothers find themselves on a journey through the Northwest, bringing them to the mountains of Oregon, a dangerous brothel in the small town of Mayfield, and eventually, the Gold Rush land of California - a journey that will test the deadly family ties that bind. But, can it also be the path to rediscovering what remains of their humanity?
Starring: John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Riz Ahmed
Directed by: Jacques Audiard
Produced by: Rosa Attab, Pascal Caucheteux, Michael De Luca, Allison Dickey, John C. Reilly
Distributed by: Annapurna Pictures
Runtime: 121 minutes
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The Referee and Critic discuss the Emmy results. Were we right? Were we wrong?
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In Theaters, Friday September 21, 2018
Colette
After moving to Paris, author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette agrees to ghostwrite a semi-autobiographical novel for her husband. Its success soon inspires her to fight for creative ownership and overcome the societal constraints of the early 20th century.
Starring: Keira Knightley, `Dominic West, Eleanor Tomlinson, Denise Gough
Directed by: Wash Westmoreland
Produced by: Elizabeth Karlsen, Pamela Koffler, Michel Litvak, Christine Vachon
Written by: Wash Westmoreland, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Richard Glatzer
Distributed by: Bleecker Street, 30West, Lionsgate
Runtime: 151 minutes
Season Premiere:
The Deuce (HBO)
Series Premieres:
The Miniaturist (PBS)
In 1686, 18-year-old Nella Oortman (Anya Taylor-Joy, Split, The Witch) arrives in Amsterdam to meet her wealthy merchant husband Johannes Brandt (Alex Hassell, Genius: Picasso), but is instead met by his sister Marin (Romola Garai, Churchill’s Secret, The Hour). When Johannes appears, he presents her with a wedding gift: a cabinet that is a miniature replica of their home, to be furnished by an elusive Miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror what is happening within the house in unexpected ways and seem to be predicting and unraveling the future with unsettling precision.
As Nella begins to uncover its secrets and those of the Brandt household she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the Miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?
You (Lifetime)
What would you do for love? For a brilliant male bookstore manager who crosses paths with an aspiring female writer, this question is put to the test. A charming yet awkward crush becomes something even more sinister when the writer becomes the manager's obsession. Using social media and the internet, he uses every tool at his disposal to become close to her, even going so far as to remove any obstacle --including people -- that stands in his way of getting to her.
The First (Hulu)
A crew of astronauts battles peril and personal sacrifice as they race to become the first humans on Mars.
Forever (Amazon)
Forever follows married couple Oscar and June who "live a comfortable but predictable life in suburban Riverside, CA. For 12 years they’ve had the same conversations, eaten the same meals and taken pleasant vacations at the same lake house. But after June talks Oscar into shaking things up with a ski trip, the pair find themselves in completely unfamiliar territory."
Season Finales:
Castle Rock (Hulu)
The Stephen King multiverse is the setting for this psychological horror series that takes place in Castle Rock, Maine, which is a location familiar to fans of King's work. "Castle Rock" explores themes and worlds that unite King's canon, including the infamous Shawshank Prison. An anonymous phone call lures death-row attorney Henry Deaver back to Castle Rock. He is unsettled by his hometown, but he returns to help a sinister, mostly mute man being kept in a cage underneath Shawshank. Sissy Spacek and Bill Skarsgård, who starred in feature adaptations of King's "Carrie" and "It," respectively, are among the show's stars.
Queen of the South (USA)
While living in the barrio of Jalisco, Mexico, poor Teresa Mendoza falls in love with a member of a successful drug cartel, hoping the love will help her rise above the hopelessness she feels in her life. When it doesn't happen, she is forced to flee the country after her boyfriend is murdered. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams up with an unlikely person from her past to take down the leader of the drug ring that is after her. Teresa ends up starting her own drug empire, becoming one of the world's wealthiest women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of others and stay alive.
Series Finale:
Shooter (USA)
Based on the best-selling novel "Point of Impact" by Stephen Hunter, and the 2007 feature film starring Mark Wahlberg, the series stars Ryan Phillippe ("Secrets and Lies") and follows the courageous journey of Bob Lee Swagger, a highly-decorated ex-Marine sniper who is coaxed back into action after he learns about a plot to kill the president. When Swagger's former commanding officer Isaac Johnson, played by Omar Epps ("House"), solicits his expertise in a clandestine operation, Swagger re-emerges from exile only to discover that he is inextricably involved in a disastrous operation with ties to his past.
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In Theaters, Friday September 14, 2018
Bel Canto
Roxane Coss (Moore), a famous American soprano, travels to South America to give a private concert at the birthday party of rich Japanese industrialist Katsumi Hosokawa (Watanabe). Just as a handsome gathering of local dignitaries convenes at Vice-President Ruben Ochoa's mansion, including French Ambassador Thibault (Lambert) and his wife (Zylberstein), Hosokawa's faithful translator Gen (Kase), and Russian trade delegate Fyorodov (Krupa), the house is taken over by guerrillas led by Comandante Benjamin (Huerta) demanding the release of their imprisoned comrades. Their only contact with the outside world is through Red Cross negotiator Messner (Koch). A month long standoff ensues in which hostages and captors must overcome their differences and find their shared humanity and hope in the face of impending disaster.
Starring: Julianne Moore, Ken Watanabe, Sebastian Koch, Christopher Lambert
Directed by: Paul Weitz
Produced by: Caroline Baron, Anthony Weintraub, Paul Weitz, Andrew Miano
Screenplay: Paul Weitz, Anthony Weintraub
Cinematography: Tobias Datum
Distributed by: Screen Media Films
Runtime: 102 minutes
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Currently in Theaters, Released on Friday, August 15, 2018
Crazy Rich Asians
Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse -- Nick's disapproving mother.
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Nico Santos, Lisa Lu, Ken Jeong
Michelle Yeoh
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Produced by: Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, John Penotti
Screenplay: Peter Chiarelli, Adele Lim
Cinematography: Vanja Cernjul
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Runtime: 121 minutes
In Theaters, Friday, September 14, 2018
The Predator
From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home. The universe's most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biologist can prevent the end of the human race.
Starring: Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, Sterling K. Brown
Directed by: Shane Black
Produced by: John Davis
Written by: Fred Dekker, Shane Black
Cinematography: Larry Fong
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 107 minutes
Early Season Premiere
God Friended Me (CBS)
God Friended Me is described as a humorous, uplifting series that explores questions of faith, existence and science. It centers on Miles (Hall), an outspoken atheist whose life is turned upside down when he is friended by God on Facebook. Unwittingly, he becomes an agent of change in the lives and destinies of others around him. Violett Beane will play Cara Bloom. Confident, compelling and quick-witted, Cara is a leading writer at an online magazine. Under pressure for her next big story, her life takes an interesting turn when she meets Miles—thanks to God's friend suggestion.
Mid-Season Check-In
Get Shorty (Epix)
Get Shorty follows "Miles Daly, who works as muscle for a murderous crime ring in Nevada. For the sake of his daughter, he attempts to change professions and become a movie producer, laundering money through a Hollywood film. But instead of leaving the criminal world behind, he accidentally brings it with him to Los Angeles." Daly ends up working with "Rick, a washed-up producer of low-quality films who becomes Miles' partner and guide through the maze of Hollywood.
Season Premieres
Mayans M.C. (FX)
"Mayans M.C." is the next chapter in the "Sons of Anarchy" saga. Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ, the gifted son of a proud Latino family and former golden boy, sees his quest for the American dream snuffed out by border violence. Faced with carving out a new identity for himself in his small town, EZ's need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.
The Purge (USA)
During a 12-hour period when all crime -- including murder -- is legal, a group of seemingly unrelated characters cross paths in a city in an altered America. While the clock winds down, some will fight, some will hide, others will embrace what it means to purge to its fullest extent -- whether for revenge, personal gain, protection, or unadulterated glee. As each character is forced to reckon with his or her past and plot how to better their futures, they soon discover how far they will go on Purge Night.
Rel (FOX)
Rel, a loving husband and father living on the West Side of Chicago, finds out his wife is having an affair -- with Rel's own barber. As hard as it is to find a good spouse, it's even harder to find a reliable barber. Plus, with the barbershop being an epicenter of neighborhood gossip, Rel finds that his embarrassing business is known by everyone before Rel can even process the emotions himself. Offering Rel support -- when they themselves aren't butting heads -- are Rel's best friend and unfiltered sounding board, Brittany, and his wayward younger brother, Nat, as well as Rel's prideful dad, who perhaps has taken the news even harder than Rel. After his kids move to Cleveland with their mom, Rel must begin the difficult task of rebuilding his life as a long-distance dad. He jumps back into the dating pool -- head first -- and often finds himself the victim of his own well-intentioned hubris. He continues his search for love, respect... and a new barber.
Shameless (Showtime)
Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a single father of six who spends much of his free time drinking at bars. The Gallagher children -- led by oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who takes on much of the child-rearing responsibility due to her mother's absence -- manage to raise themselves in spite of Frank's lack of parenting and unusual parenting style when he does choose to act like a father. The drama is an adaptation of the BAFTA Award-winning British show of the same name.
Full Season Review
Save Me (Starz)
On a tireless quest to find his missing daughter Jody, Nelly will go to any length to uncover the truth and he'll discover more about him than he could have ever imagined.
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The Cosby Show’s Geoffrey Owens, aka Elvin, shamed by FOX News for “bagging groceries” at Trader Joe’s. The internet comes to the rescue.
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AMAZON PRIME
Fighting Temptations (2003)
Advertising executive Darrin Hill (Cuba Gooding Jr.) loses his job and his girlfriend after his many lies about his background and education are discovered. Soon after, he returns to his small Georgia hometown to collect an inheritance from his Aunt Sally (Ann Nesby). To receive it, he must lead the church choir to victory in a gospel competition. With the help of childhood friend Lilly (Beyoncé Knowles), now a beautiful singer, Darrin gets the choir ready to perform.
Ghostbusters (1984)
After the members of a team of scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to become "ghostbusters" to wage a high-tech battle with the supernatural for money. They stumble upon a gateway to another dimension, a doorway that will release evil upon the city. The Ghostbusters must now save New York from complete destruction.
Ghostbusters II (1989)
After saving New York City from a ghost attack, the Ghostbusters -- a team of spirit exterminators -- is disbanded for demolishing parts of the city during the battle. But when Ghostbuster Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) learns that spirits have taken an interest in his son, the men launch a rogue ghost-chasing mission. The quest quickly goes awry, landing them in court. But when the ghosts turn on the judge, he issues an order allowing the Ghostbusters to get back to work.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
When slick sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) has a crisis of conscience, he pens a heartfelt company-wide memo that promptly gets him fired. Desperate to hang on to the athletes that he represents, Jerry starts his own management firm, with only single mother Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) joining him in his new venture. Banking on their sole client, football player Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Jerry and Dorothy begin to fall in love as they struggle to make their business work.
Big Top Pee-wee (1988)
Playful Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) operates a fantastical farm with talking animals and hot-dog trees. One day, after a giant tornado hits, Pee-wee finds a circus has landed in his yard. He befriends the manager, Mace Montana (Kris Kristofferson), and develops a crush on a trapeze performer (Valeria Golino), even though he already has a fiancée (Penelope Ann Miller). Pee-wee tries to excite the town about the new circus, but most of the residents want it gone and harass Pee-wee because of it.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother (Darlene Cates), who is so overweight that she can't leave the house, and his mentally impaired younger brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who has a knack for finding trouble. Settled into a job at a grocery store and an ongoing affair with local woman Betty Carver (Mary Steenburgen), Gilbert finally has his life shaken up by the free-spirited Becky (Juliette Lewis).
HULU
Any Given Sunday (1999)
Four years ago, DAmato's (Al Pacino) Miami Sharks were at the top. Now, his team is struggling with three consecutive losses, sliding attendance, and aging heroes, particularly 39-year-old quarterback Jack "Cap" Rooney (Dennis Quaid). Off the field, DAmato is struggling with a failed marriage and estranged children, and is on a collision course with Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz), the young president/co-owner of the Sharks organization.
The Bone Collector (1999)
Policewoman Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) is in hot pursuit of a serial murderer whose calling card is a small shard of bone extracted from each of his victims. Unable to decipher the cryptic clues the killer leaves behind at the scene of the crime, Amelia calls upon quadriplegic forensic criminology expert Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) to help. With Amelia acting as Rhyme's able-bodied go-between, the pair piece together disparate clues, hoping they will learn who the next victim is.
Sixteen Candles (1984)
With the occasion all but overshadowed by her sister's upcoming wedding, angst-ridden Samantha (Molly Ringwald) faces her 16th birthday with typical adolescent dread. Samantha pines for studly older boy Jake (Michael Schoeffling), but worries that her chastity will be a turnoff for the popular senior. Meanwhile, Samantha must constantly rebuff the affections of nerdy Ted (Anthony Michael Hall), the only boy in the school, unfortunately, who seems to take an interest in her.
Unbreakable (2000)
A security guard, having been the sole survivor of a high-fatality train crash, finds himself at the centre of a mysterious theory that explains his consistent physical good fortune. When news of his survival is made public, a man whose own body is excessively weak tracks him down in an attempt to explain his unique unbreakable nature.
NETFLIX
Unforgiven
When prostitute Delilah Fitzgerald (Anna Thomson) is disfigured by a pair of cowboys in Big Whiskey, Wyoming, her fellow brothel workers post a reward for their murder, much to the displeasure of sheriff Little Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman), who doesn't allow vigilantism in his town. Two groups of gunfighters, one led by aging former bandit William Munny (Clint Eastwood), the other by the florid English Bob (Richard Harris), come to collect the reward, clashing with each other and the sheriff.
Groundhog Day
A cynical TV weatherman finds himself reliving the same day over and over again when he goes on location to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a report about their annual Groundhog Day. His predicament drives him to distraction, until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage.
The Breakfast Club
Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal (Paul Gleason). The disparate group includes rebel John (Judd Nelson), princess Claire (Molly Ringwald), outcast Allison (Ally Sheedy), brainy Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) and Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the jock. Each has a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently -- and when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same.
Scarface
After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana (Al Pacino) stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall.
Black Panther
After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king -- and as Black Panther -- gets tested when he's drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
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Season Premieres:
One Dollar (CBS All Access)
"One Dollar" is a mystery set in a small rust belt town in post-recession America, where a one-dollar bill changing hands connects a group of characters involved in a shocking multiple murder. The path of the one-dollar bill and point of view in each episode paints a picture of a modern American town with deep class and cultural divides that spill into the open as the town's secrets get revealed.
Jack Ryan (Amazon Prime)
Up-and-coming CIA analyst Jack Ryan is thrust into a dangerous field assignment for the first time; he uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the middle of a dangerous gambit with a new breed of terrorism.
Ozark (Netflix)
Created by Bill Dubuque ("The Accountant," "The Judge"), this drama series stars Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, a financial planner who relocates his family from Chicago to a summer resort community in the Ozarks. With wife Wendy and their two kids in tow, Marty is on the move after a money-laundering scheme goes wrong, forcing him to pay off a substantial debt to a Mexican drug lord in order to keep his family safe. While the Byrdes' fate hangs in the balance, the dire circumstances force the fractured family to reconnect.
Kidding (Showtime)
Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, is an icon of children's television, a beacon of kindness and wisdom to America's impressionable young minds; when his family begins to implode, Jeff finds that no fairy tale, fable or puppet can guide him through the crisis.
Season Finale:
Younger (TV Land)
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career -- while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth after revealing her secret to Kelsey.
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In Theaters, Friday August 31, 2018
The Little Stranger
During the long, hot summer of 1948, Dr. Faraday travels to Hundreds Hall, home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries. The Hall is now in decline, and its inhabitants -- mother, son and daughter -- remain haunted by something more ominous than a dying way of life. When Faraday takes on a new patient there, he has no idea how closely the family's story is about to become entwined with his own.
Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter, Charlotte Rampling
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
Produced by: Gail Egan, Andrea Calderwood, Ed Guiney
Written by: Lucinda Coxon
Cinematography: Ole Bratt Birkeland
Distributed by: Focus Features (United States), Pathé (United Kingdom)
Runtime: 111 minutes
Complete Season Premieres
The Innocents (Netflix)
When a teenage couple run away to be together, the extraordinary gift they possess unleashes powerful forces intent on dividing them forever.
Safe Harbour (Hulu)
A psychological thriller set in Brisbane set around a group of friends whose sailing holiday to Indonesia alters their lives forever after they come across a boat overloaded with asylum seekers.
Season Finales
Harlots (Hulu)
In this drama set in 18th century London, Samantha Morton stars as Margaret Wells, a brothel owner and mother to two daughters, Charlotte and Lucy. When Margaret's business is attacked by Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), a ruthless rival madam, a war breaks out over the city's most profitable commercial activity -- sex. Margaret is determined to fight back and protect her business, even if it puts everything else at risk, including her family. Creators Moira Buffini and Alison Newman also serve as executive producers.
Love Is ____ (OWN)
is an American drama television series created and produced by Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil. Based on the Akils’ real-life relationship, the series follows a modern-day power couple in Black Hollywood balancing successful careers and family over three decades.
American Woman (Paramount)
A new, challenging life awaits Bonnie Nolan after she discovers her husband is having an affair. Amid the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1970s, the unconventional mom decides to leave her marriage and raise her two daughters by herself. It's a struggle, but with the help of best friends Kathleen and Diana, the ladies each create their own brand of independence in a rapidly changing world that frowns upon it. Starring Alicia Silverstone as Bonnie, the comedy series is inspired by the real-life upbringing of co-executive producer Kyle Richards ("The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills").
Yellowstone (Paramount)
Oscar and Emmy winner Kevin Costner is the marquee attraction of the ensemble cast in this drama series, starring as the patriarch of a powerful, complicated family of ranchers. A sixth-generation homesteader and devoted father, John Dutton controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. He operates in a corrupt world where politicians are compromised by influential oil and lumber corporations and land grabs make developers billions. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect, Dutton's property is in constant conflict with those it borders -- an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America's first national park.
Sharp Objects (HBO)
Based on the debut novel of the same name by writer Gillian Flynn ("Gone Girl"), the eight-episode series "Sharp Objects" stars Amy Adams, in her first major role on the small screen, as reporter Camille Preaker, who returns to her small hometown to investigate mysterious, unsolved crimes. Two girls are missing, one of whom was found dead and presumed murdered. As she searches for clues, Camille reunites with her estranged family -- overbearing mother Adora, stepfather Alan Crellin, and half sister Amma -- which rekindles traumatic childhood memories, including the death of her younger sister. Piecing together a psychological puzzle from her past, Camille begins to identify with the young victims a bit too closely.
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A Beautiful Mind (2001)
A human drama inspired by events in the life of John Forbes Nash Jr., and in part based on the biography "A Beautiful Mind" by Sylvia Nasar. From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery.
Across the Universe (2007)
The songs of the Beatles provide the sonic framework for this musical tale of romance, war and peace. When young British worker Jude (Jim Sturgess) sets sail for the United States in search of his father, he ends up meeting carefree college student Max (Joe Anderson) and his lovely sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a cast of eccentric characters. As Jude and Lucy fall for each other, their relationship is threatened by the social upheaval that accompanies the Vietnam War.
Analyze That (2002)
Mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is nearing the end of his term in Sing Sing, and the FBI agents monitoring him are baffled. Day after day they watch as New York's most notorious gangland figure walks around his cell in a semi-catatonic stupor. Is Vitti having a nervous breakdown because of recent threats on his life or is his odd behavior merely a foxy ploy to get him sprung from jail early?
Analyze This (1999)
A Mafia don suffers anxiety attacks which force him to visit a psychiatrist. Renowned for his brutality, the mobster is worried about his reputation when he finds himself bursting into tears for no apparent reason. Seeking help on the psychiatrist's couch, the forceful and demanding hard man proves a challenge to the doctor who has several complicated problems of his own.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
In 1963, rodeo cowboy Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and ranch hand Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid) as sheep herders in Wyoming. One night on Brokeback Mountain, Jack makes a drunken pass at Ennis that is eventually reciprocated. Though Ennis marries his longtime sweetheart, Alma (Michelle Williams), and Jack marries a fellow rodeo rider (Anne Hathaway), the two men keep up their tortured and sporadic affair over the course of 20 years.
The Burbs (1989)
Settling in for some time off in his suburban home, Ray Peterson's (Tom Hanks) vacation becomes a horror when the Klopeks, a suspiciously odd family, move in down the block. Enlisting the aid of his paranoid buddy, Art (Rick Ducommun), and his militia-man neighbor, Rumsfield (Bruce Dern), Ray sends his son and wife (Carrie Fisher) away on a trip while he investigates the Klopeks. When a neighbor disappears, Ray and his cohorts risk their lives to save their cul-de-sac from the clutches of evil.
Clue (1985)
Based on the popular board game, this comedy begins at a dinner party hosted by Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving), where he admits to blackmailing his visitors. These guests, who have been given aliases, are Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn) and Col. Mustard (Martin Mull). When Boddy turns up murdered, all are suspects, and together they try to figure out who is the killer.
My Left Foot (1989)
No one expects much from Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), a boy with cerebral palsy born into a working-class Irish family. Though Christy is a spastic quadriplegic and essentially paralyzed, a miraculous event occurs when, at the age of 5, he demonstrates control of his left foot by using chalk to scrawl a word on the floor. With the help of his steely mother (Brenda Fricker) -- and no shortage of grit and determination -- Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.
Over the Top (1987)
Tale in which a truck driver with a lucrative sideline in arm-wrestling takes his estranged 12-year-old son on the road after the boy's mother falls seriously ill. The trucker is beginning to reach out to the boy as the pair head for Vegas and the arm wrestling world championships, but the lad's wealthy, unfeeling grandfather sends his thugs to put a stop to the bonding and bring the boy back.
Primal Fear (1996)
Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the greater good. His latest case involves an altar boy, accused of brutally murdering the archbishop of Chicago. Vail finds himself up against his ex-pupil and ex-lover, but as the case progresses and the Church's dark secrets are revealed, Vail finds that what appeared a simple case takes on a darker, more dangerous aspect.
Rain Man (1988)
When car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learns that his estranged father has died, he returns home to Cincinnati, where he discovers that he has an autistic older brother named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) and that his father's $3 million fortune is being left to the mental institution in which Raymond lives. Motivated by his father's money, Charlie checks Raymond out of the facility in order to return with him to Los Angeles. The brothers' cross-country trip ends up changing both their lives.
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (2008)
Crack commando Zohan Dvir is Israel's first line of defence against terrorism, but despite his prowess as a soldier, he dreams of just one thing: becoming a hair stylist in New York. When a battle with his arch-nemesis, a terrorist called The Phantom', gives Zohan the opportunity to fake his own death, he flees to the Big Apple to follow his dreams. However,The Phantom' learns that he is still alive.
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Off the Cuff is where you can get personal with the Critic and Referee. This mixed bag of topics could include Documentaries, Reality TV or Animation, and will allow you to see what the co-hosts are doing in their free time.
In this episode, the Critic and Referee touch on Matt Thompson's (Executive Editor of The Atlantic) talk with senior editor Gillian White and culture writer Hannah Giorgis, to discuss how well movies and shows represent diverse experiences.
Check out the discussion with Matt Thompson, Gillian White and Hanna Giorgis on, "The Atlantic Podcast" Link
In Theaters, Friday August 24, 2018
Support the Girls
Lisa is the general manager of Double Whammies, a sports bar that features skimpily dressed waitresses. Always nurturing and protective of her staff, she soon faces one trying day that tests her optimism at every turn.
Starring: Haley Lu Richardson, Regina Hall, James Le Gros, AJ Michalka, Dylan Gelula, Junglepussy, Lea DeLaria, Jana Kramer, Brooklyn Decker
Directed by: Andrew Bujalski
Produced by: Houston King, Sam Slater
Written by: Andrew Bujalski
Cinematography: Matthias Grunsky
Distributed by: Magnolia Pictures
Runtime: 91 minutes
Released on Netflix August 10, 2018
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
In 1946 a London-based writer begins exchanging letters with residents on the island of Guernsey, which was German-occupied during WWII. Feeling compelled to visit the island, she starts to get a picture of what it was like during the occupation.
Starring: Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Courtenay, Penelope Wilton
Directed by: Mike Newell
Produced by: Paula Mazur,Mitchell Kaplan, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin
Screenplay by: Kevin Hood, Don Roos, Tom Bezucha
Cinematography: Zac Nicholson
Distributed by: StudioCanal (United Kingdom) Netflix (International)
Runtime: 124 minutes
Released in theaters on May 18, 2018. Currently available on DVD.
Book Club
Diane (Diane Keaton) is recently widowed after 40 years of marriage, Vivian (Jane Fonda) enjoys her men with no strings attached, Sharon (Candice Bergen) is still working through her decades-old divorce, and Carol's (Mary Steenburgen) marriage is in a slump after 35 years. The lives of these four lifelong friends are turned upside down after reading the infamous "50 Shades of Grey," catapulting them into a series of outrageous life choices.
Starring: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Andy García, Don Johnson
Directed by: Bill Holderman
Produced by: Andrew Duncan, Erin Simms, Bill Holderman, Alex Saks
Screenplay by: Bill Holderman, Erin Simms
Cinematography: Andrew Dunn
Distributed by:Paramount Pictures
Runtime: 103 minutes
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Season Finale:
Strange Angel (CBS All Access)
Jack Parsons, a brilliant and ambitious blue-collar worker of 1930s Los Angeles, started as a janitor at a chemical factory but had fantastical dreams that led him to birth the unknown discipline of American rocketry. Along the way, he fell into a mysterious world that included sex magic rituals at night, ultimately becoming a disciple of infamous occultist Aleister Crowley. Parsons used Crowley's teachings of self-actualization to support his unimaginable and unprecedented endeavor to the stars.
Season Premieres:
Get Shorty (Epix)
Working as muscle for a murderous Nevada crime ring, Miles Daly decides to change professions and become a Hollywood movie producer.
Ballers (HBO)
A superstar during his football playing days, Spencer Strasmore tries to find the same success as a financial manager for current players in sun-splashed Miami. Heeding his boss Joe's instruction to "monetize his friendships," Spencer builds a client base of young phenoms and veteran stars alike, but his role in their lives far exceeds money management as he struggles to help them navigate the many traps that come with life as big-time "ballers." The series is created by Stephen Levinson ("Entourage," "Boardwalk Empire") and stars Dwayne Johnson as Spencer.
Insecure (HBO)
Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly. As the best friends deal with their own real-life flaws, their insecurities come to the fore as together they cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Created by co-star Issa Rae and writer/comic Larry Wilmore ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"), the comedy series looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It features the music of both indie and established artists of color, and touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience.
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In Select Theaters, Friday August 17, 2018
We the Animals
Manny, Joel, and Jonah tear their way through childhood. Their mother and father have a volatile relationship that makes and unmakes the family many times over, often leaving the boys fending for themselves. As their parents rip at one another, Manny and Joel harden and grow into versions of their father. With the triumvirate fractured, Jonah, who is the youngest, becomes increasingly aware of his desperate need to escape. Driven to the edge, Jonah embraces an imagined world all his own.
Starring: Evan Rosado, Raúl Castillo, Sheila Vand, Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Gabriel
Directed by: Jeremiah Zagar
Produced by: Paul Mezey, Jeremy Yaches, Christina D. King, Andrew Goldman
Screenplay by: Jeremiah Zagar, Dan Kitrosser
Cinematography: Zak Mulligan
Distributed by: The Orchard
Runtime: 90 minutes
Released on June 15, 2018
Incredibles 2
Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back in “Incredibles 2” – but this time Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voice of Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transistion for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible.
Starring: Evan Rosado, Raúl Castillo, Sheila Vand, Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Gabriel
Directed by: Brad Bird
Produced by: John Walker, Nicole Paradis Grindle
Written by: Brad Bird
Cinematography: Mahyar Abousaeedi, Erik Smitt
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Runtime: 125 minutes
Season Finales:
Claws (TNT)
At the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon in Central Florida, five diverse, hardworking manicurists try to make ends meet in a staid economy while managing perilous personal lives awash in drama. Amidst all the silk wraps, pedicures and polish treatments, salon owner Desna, who lives with and cares for her mentally ill twin brother, leads a staff that includes best friend Jennifer, now sober and raising two kids from a previous relationship; enigmatic Ann, who provides security for the salon; mild-mannered preppy and ex-convict Polly; and Virginia, who becomes easily bored and impatient with her job. Also hanging around the salon are shady redneck Roller; ambulance coach Bryce, Jennifer's husband who is also newly sober; and Uncle Daddy, a dangerous, deeply Catholic and actively bisexual crime boss.
Succession (HBO)
Although he has no plans to step aside as the head of Waystar Royco, the international media conglomerate controlled by his family, aging patriarch Logan Roy is contemplating what the future holds. He has lingered in the limelight longer than even he thought he would, and now family members want to run the company as they see fit. Despite a best-laid succession plan, tempers flare over Logan's intentions. Kendall Roy, Logan's eldest son from his second marriage and a division president at the firm, is the heir apparent. As Kendall attempts to solidify his eventual takeover, he and the three other Roy children face a difficult choice as company control and family loyalties collide.
Deep State (Epix)
A former spy is drawn into a covert intelligence war and global conspiracy to profit from the spread of chaos in the Middle East.
Season Premieres:
The Sinner (USA)
Detective Harry Ambrose returns to his hometown in rural New York to assess an unsettling and heart-wrenching crime -- parents murdered by their 11-year-old son with no apparent motive. As Ambrose realizes there's nothing ordinary about the boy or where he came from, the investigation pulls him into the hidden darkness of his hometown. He's pitted against those who will stop at nothing to protect its secrets -- and the mysterious Vera, who proves to be a complicated, enigmatic piece to this haunting puzzle.
Lodge 49 (AMC)
An overly optimistic ex-surfer who is drifting aimlessly through life finds fellowship at a fraternal lodge.
Ordeal by Innocence (Amazon Prime)
Rachel Argyll is murdered at her estate, Sunny Point. Eighteen months later, an unexpected arrival at the house throws the identity of her murderer in doubt.
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In Theaters, Friday August 10, 2018
BlacKkKlansman
From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. It’s the early 1970s, and Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. Produced by the team behind the Academy-Award® winning Get Out.
Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace
Directed by: Spike Lee
Produced by: Jason Blum, Spike Lee, Raymond Mansfield, Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele, Shaun Redick
Screenplay by: Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott
Cinematography: Chayse Irvin
Distributed by: Focus Features (United States), Universal Pictures (International)
Runtime: 135 minutes
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In Select Theaters, Friday August 10, 2018
Skate Kitchen
Camille's life as a lonely suburban teenager changes dramatically when she befriends a group of girl skateboarders. As she journeys deeper into this raw New York City subculture, she begins to understand the true meaning of friendship.
Starring: Rachelle Vinberg, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Jaden Smith, Nina Moran, Taylor Gray, Thaddeus Daniels, Kabrina Adams, Jules Lorenzo, Judah Lang, Ajani Russell
Directed by: Crystal Moselle
Produced by: Michael Sherman, Rodrigo Teixeira, Julia Nottingham, Matthew Perniciaro, Lizzie Nastro, Izabella Tzenkova
Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner
Distributed by: Magnolia Pictures
Runtime: 140 minutes
In Theaters, Friday August 10, 2018
The Meg
A massive creature attacks a deep-sea submersible, leaving it disabled and trapping the crew at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. With time running out, rescue diver Jonas Taylor must save the crew and the ocean itself from an unimaginable threat -- a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark known as the Megalodon.
Starring: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, Cliff Curtis
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Produced by: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Colin Wilson, Belle Avery
Screenplay by: Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber
Cinematography: Tom Stern
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Runtime: 113 minutes
In theaters Friday August 03, 2018
The Darkest Minds
When teens mysteriously develop powerful new abilities, they are seen as a threat by the government and sent to detainment camps. Sixteen-year-old Ruby soon escapes from her captors and joins other runaways who are seeking a safe haven. Banded together and on the run, they soon combine their collective powers to fight the adults who tried to take away their future.
Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Mandy Moore, Gwendoline Christie
Directed by: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Produced by: Shawn Levy, Dan Levine
Screenplay by: Chad Hodge
Cinematography: Kramer Morgenthau
Distributed by:20th Century Fox
Runtime: 105 minutes
Series Finales:
Nashville (CMT)
Rayna James has had a successful country-music career, but lately, her popularity has started to fade. Her record label believes the solution is to have her open for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes on tour, but Juliette is a schemer and wants nothing more than to steal Rayna's spotlight. Rayna thinks her real chance is in another young woman, undiscovered songwriter Scarlett O'Connor. While Rayna struggles with her career, her father is busy messing with her private life, encouraging her husband to run for election to be mayor of Nashville - against her wishes.
Colony (USA)
In the not-too-distant future, Los Angeles has been invaded and occupied by outside forces, causing a rift between the city's residents; some have collaborated with the occupation, while others are rebelling and suffering the consequences that come with that choice. Former FBI agent Will Bowman and his wife, Katie, must consider their familial obligations when making their decision because they were separated from their son, Bram, during the invasion. Proxy Snyder, a cunning and powerful leader within the occupational government, offers Will the opportunity to get Bram back if he works with the invading faction. Will's decision doesn't sit well with Katie, but the couple risk their lives -- and their relationship -- to protect their family.
Season Finale:
Pose (FX)
Set in the 1980s, "Pose" is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene. Blanca forms a "house," a self-selected family that provides support to LGBTQ youth who have been rejected by their birth families. Damon is a dancer who joins Blanca's house. Together, they compete in the balls -- where house members challenge each other in various categories and are judged on their outfits, attitude, or dance skills -- against Blanca's former house mother, Elektra. Pray Tell is Godfather to the children who compete in the balls. Angel is a streetwalker who develops feelings for a new client, Stan, who has a loving wife, Patty. James Van Der Beek co-stars as Stan's boss, Matt.
Season Premieres:
Suits (USA)
Big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter and his team, Donna Paulsen, Louis Litt, and Alex Williams are launched into a play for power when a new partner joins the firm. With his two best associates gone and Jessica back in Chicago, Specter and the team try to adjust to a new normal without them. The team faces down betrayals, fiery relationships, and secrets that eventually come to light. Old and new rivalries come to light among members of the team as they learn to deal with their new member.
Burden of Truth (CW)
A big city lawyer returns to her hometown to take on what she thinks is a simple case, only to find herself in a fight for justice for a group of sick girls.
Castle Rock (Hulu)
The series will intertwine characters and themes from Stephen King's body of work. Henry Deaver (Moonlight's André Holland) arrives in the fictional town (Castle Rock) after getting "a call from Shawshank" prison (the very same from King's The Shawshank Redemption) and is later seen speaking to a mysterious inmate there (It's Bill Skarsgard), who magically appears in a cell one night without any of the prison guards knowing how. While investigating the eerie appearance — it looks like it could potentially involve a suicide — Henry bumps into other odd people in the town: Ruth Deaver (played by Sissy Spacek), Molly Strand (Melanie Lynskey), Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn), and more.
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Currently in select theaters / Released on July 13, 2018
Puzzle
A woman who has a talent for assembling jigsaw puzzles sneaks away from her suburban town and goes to New York City, where she partners with a man for a puzzle tournament in Atlantic City. As she experiences independence for the first time, she begins to view her value and the pieces of her own life in a whole new light.
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan, David Denman, Bubba Weiler, Austin Abrams, Liv Hewson
Written by: Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Produced by: Wren Arthur, Guy Stodel, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf
Directed by: Marc Turtletaub
Cinematography: Chris Norr
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Runtime: 103 minutes
Currently in theaters / Released on July 20, 2018
Blindspotting
Collin (Daveed Diggs) must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. He and his troublemaking childhood best friend, Miles (Rafael Casal), work as movers, and when Collin witnesses a police shooting, the two men’s friendship is tested as they grapple with identity and their changed realities in the rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood they grew up in.
Starring: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Ethan Embry, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Wayne Knight
Written by: Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Produced by: Keith Calder, Jess Calder, Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Directed by: Carlos López Estrada
Cinematography: Robby Baumgartner
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Runtime: 95 minutes
In theaters July 27, 2018
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Ethan Hunt and the IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. Arms dealer John Lark and a group of terrorists known as the Apostles plan to use three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. When the weapons go missing, Ethan and his crew find themselves in a desperate race against time to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin
Written by: Christopher McQuarrie
Produced by: Tom Cruise, J. J. Abrams, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Christopher McQuarrie, Jake Myers
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Cinematography: Christopher Blauvelt
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Runtime: 147 minutes
The 2018 Emmy nominations were announced recently, so the Critic and the Referee decided to weigh in. In this episode, they discuss the nominees and give their reaction! Listen in to the second half of this two part episode to hear what they've got to say.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The 2018 Emmy nominations were announced recently, so the Critic and the Referee decided to weigh in. In this episode, they discuss the nominees and give their reaction! Listen in to part 1 of this 2 part episode to hear what they've got to say.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Season Premieres:
GLOW (Netflix)
Alison Brie stars as Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the '80s. Wilder finds an unexpected chance at stardom: enter the glitter and spandex-laden world of women's wrestling, where she must work alongside 12 other Hollywood misfits. Marc Maron plays the role of Sam Sylvia, a washed-up director of "B" movies who tries to lead the group of women to fame. The series is created by Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive, who serve as executive producers with Jenji Kohan and Tara Herrmann.
Harlots (Hulu)
In this drama set in 18th century London, Samantha Morton stars as Margaret Wells, a brothel owner and mother to two daughters, Charlotte and Lucy. When Margaret's business is attacked by Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), a ruthless rival madam, a war breaks out over the city's most profitable commercial activity -- sex. Margaret is determined to fight back and protect her business, even if it puts everything else at risk, including her family. Creators Moira Buffini and Alison Newman also serve as executive producers.
Series Premieres:
A Very English Scandal (Amazon)
Starring Golden Globe-nominated actor Hugh Grant and based on a true story, "A Very English Scandal" tells the story of Jeremy Thorpe, a member of Parliament who, in 1979, was tried and later acquitted of conspiring to murder his ex-lover, Norman Scott. Beginning in the 1960s, Thorpe is the leader of the Liberal Party, the youngest head of a political party in 100 years. But he is hiding an affair with a man at a time when homosexuality is still illegal. When Scott threatens to reveal the affair, Thorpe decides upon a plan of action that eventually exposes the scandal and leads to a watershed moment in British social and political life, illuminating the level of dark secrets and cover-ups in the British establishment.
Sharp Objects (HBO)
Reporter Camille Preaker returns to her hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls; Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims while trying to solve a psychological puzzle from her past.
Season Finales:
The Split (Sundance)
A co-production between BBC One and SundanceTV, the six-part series introduces the Defoes, a family of female divorce lawyers known for dominating their field in the ruthless and fast-paced world of London's divorce law circuit. At each step, viewers are met with an authentic and compelling look at how four very different women attempt to hold their ground in all areas of their lives -- from their own relationships to their careers and the surprise return of their estranged father after a 30-year absence.
I’m Dying Up Here (Showtime)
Before the internet and viral videos made it easy for aspiring comics to get their material seen, they had to travel and perform at comedy clubs to rise through the ranks of stand-up comedy and make a name for themselves. This drama series explores the famed Los Angeles stand-up scene of the 1970s as the comedy hopefuls stand alone on stage, "dying" for fame, fortune and -- if they're lucky -- a shot on Johnny Carson's show. Oscar winner Melissa Leo leads the ensemble cast as Goldie, a comedy-club owner who mentors a competitive but close-knit group of comics. She leads her business with an iron fist but nurtures the comics with tough love because she knows that there's no such thing as an easy laugh in their chosen profession.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, this series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States. Gilead is ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state, and is faced with environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate. In a desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world, the few remaining fertile women are forced into sexual servitude. One of these women, Offred, is determined to survive the terrifying world she lives in, and find the daughter that was taken from her.
C.B. Strike (Cinemax)
Based on the best-selling novels by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), Tom Burke ("The Musketeers") stars as private detective Cormoran Strike, a former war veteran now working out of a cramped London office. Together with his assistant, Robin Ellacott, Cormoran tackles cases that have, so far, baffled the police. Though struggling with the psychological and physical toll that combat have wrought on him, Cormoran is well-equipped to delve into complex conundrums thanks to his background as a Special Investigation Branch investigator.
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In select theaters
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Young Han Solo finds adventure when he joins a gang of galactic smugglers, including a 196-year-old Wookie named Chewbacca. Indebted to the gangster Dryden Vos, the crew devises a daring plan to travel to the mining planet Kessel to steal a batch of valuable coaxium. In need of a fast ship, Solo meets Lando Calrissian, the suave owner of the perfect vessel for the dangerous mission -- the Millennium Falcon.
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Paul Bettany
Produced by: Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, Simon Emanuel
Written by: Jonathan Kasdan, Lawrence Kasdan
Directed by: Ron Howard
Cinematography: Bradford Young
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Runtime: 135 minutes
In theaters July 13, 2018
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
After nearly dying in a car accident, the last thing Oregon slacker John Callahan intends to do is give up alcohol. Encouraged by his girlfriend and a charismatic sponsor, Callahan reluctantly enters a treatment program and discovers that he has a knack for drawing. The budding artist soon finds himself with a new lease on life when his edgy and irreverent newspaper cartoons gain a national and devoted following.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black
Produced by: Charles-Marie Anthonioz, Mourad Belkeddar, Steve Golin, Nicholas Lhermitte
Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Cinematography: Christopher Blauvelt
Distributed by: Amazon Studios
Runtime: 113 minutes
In theaters July 6, 2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson. Randall Park, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas
Produced by: Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Cinematography: Dante Spinotti
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Runtime: 118 minutes
In theaters July 6, 2018
Sorry to Bother You
In a dystopian, not-too-distant future, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success, propelling him into a macabre universe of material glory. As his friends and co-workers organize in protest of corporate oppression, Cassius falls under the spell of his company's cocaine-snorting CEO Steve Lift, who offers him a salary beyond his wildest dreams.
Starring: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun, Armie Hammer
Produced by: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Kelly Williams, Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker
Directed by: Boots Riley
Cinematography: Doug Emmett
Distributed by: Annapurna Pictures
Runtime: 105 minutes
In theaters June 29, 2018
Ideal Home
Paul and Erasmus are a bickering couple with an extravagant life. But when Bill, the grandson Erasmus never knew he had, shows up at their dinner party with nowhere else to go, the couple reluctantly decide to take him in. Despite the difficulties of incorporating a child into their lives, Bill grows on them. But when Bill's father is released from prison and comes to take back his son, the men realize that you don't fight with your family, you fight for them.
Starring: Steve Coogan, Paul Rudd, Alison Pill, Jake McDorman, Jack Gore
Produced by: Aaron Ryder, Gabrielle Tana, Maria Teresa Arida, Clark Peterson, Maxime Rémillard
Directed by: Andrew Fleming
Cinematography: Alexander Gruszynski
Distributed by: Brainstorm Media
Runtime: 108 minutes
In theaters June 29, 2018
Leave No Trace
A father and daughter live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Ore., rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own.
Starring: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Jeff Kober, Dale Dickey
Produced by: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini
Directed by: Debra Granik
Cinematography:Michael McDonough
Distributed by: Bleecker Street
Runtime: 131 minutes
In theaters June 29, 2018
Uncle Drew
After draining his life savings to enter a team in the Rucker Classic street ball tournament in Harlem, Dax (Lil Rel Howery) is dealt a series of unfortunate setbacks, including losing his team to his longtime rival (Nick Kroll). Desperate to win the tournament and the cash prize, Dax stumbles upon the man, the myth, the legend UNCLE DREW (NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving) and convinces him to return to the court one more time. The two men embark on a road trip to round up Drew's old basketball squad (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, and Lisa Leslie) and prove that a group of septuagenarians can still win the big one.
Starring: Kyrie Irving,Lil Rel Howery, Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, Lisa Leslie, Erica Ash, J. B. Smoove, Mike Epps, Tiffany Haddish, Nick Kroll
Produced by: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey
Directed by: Charles Stone III
Cinematography: Crash
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Runtime: 103 minutes
Premieres:
Love Is ____ (OWN)
The love story of a modern-day power couple in the world of black Hollywood as they navigate a complex set of social codes.
Yellowstone (Paramount)
John Dutton tries to protect his ranch, the largest in the United States, from land developers, an Indian reservation and America's first National Park.
Queen of the South (USA)
While living in the barrio of Jalisco, Mexico, poor Teresa Mendoza falls in love with a member of a successful drug cartel, hoping the love will help her rise above the hopelessness she feels in her life. When it doesn't happen, she is forced to flee the country after her boyfriend is murdered. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams up with an unlikely person from her past to take down the leader of the drug ring that is after her. Teresa ends up starting her own drug empire, becoming one of the world's wealthiest women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of others and stay alive.
Shooter (USA)
Based on the best-selling novel "Point of Impact" by Stephen Hunter, and the 2007 feature film starring Mark Wahlberg, the series stars Ryan Phillippe ("Secrets and Lies") and follows the courageous journey of Bob Lee Swagger, a highly-decorated ex-Marine sniper who is coaxed back into action after he learns about a plot to kill the president. When Swagger's former commanding officer Isaac Johnson, played by Omar Epps ("House"), solicits his expertise in a clandestine operation, Swagger re-emerges from exile only to discover that he is inextricably involved in a disastrous operation with ties to his past.
Take Two (ABC)
After Sam Swift, the former star of a hit cop series, has an epic breakdown that is broadcast to the public and sends her to rehab, she finds herself stalled professionally. Desperate to restart her career, she talks her way into shadowing lone-wolf private investigator Eddie Valetik as research for a potential comeback role. Though Eddie resents what he views as a baby-sitting gig, high-spirited Sam uses the skills she learned as an actor playing a cop and proves herself to be surprisingly valuable.
Luke Cage (Netflix)
This gritty, action-packed drama follows the evolution of Luke Cage (Mike Colter), a man with super strength and unbreakable skin caused by a sabotaged experiment. After a failed relationship with fellow superhero Jessica Jones, Cage tries to rebuild a quiet life in Harlem, New York --until he is pulled out of the shadows and forced into a battle for his city. Along the way, Cage cannot avoid confronting his past, which he has worked hard to bury. "Marvel's Luke Cage" is the third show in the Netflix-original Defenders series.
Season Finale:
Westworld (HBO)
Westworld isn't your typical amusement park. Intended for rich vacationers, the futuristic park -- which is looked after by robotic "hosts" -- allows its visitors to live out their fantasies through artificial consciousness. No matter how illicit the fantasy may be, there are no consequences for the park's guests, allowing for any wish to be indulged. "Westworld" -- which is based on the 1973 Michael Crichton movie of the same name -- features an all-star cast that includes Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins and Golden Globe winner Ed Harris.
Genius ( National Geographic)
"Genius" tells the story behind Pablo Picasso, one of the 20th century's most influential, controversial, and celebrated artists. Also explored are the muses who inspired him. Starring Antonio Banderas in the titular role, hourlong episodes explore how the Spanish-born Picasso's passion and creativity were inseparably linked to his personal life, which included tumultuous marriages, numerous affairs and constantly shifting political and personal alliances.
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In theaters June 22, 2018
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Three years after the destruction of the Jurassic World theme park, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing return to the island of Isla Nublar to save the remaining dinosaurs from a volcano that's about to erupt. They soon encounter terrifying new breeds of gigantic dinosaurs, while uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the entire planet.
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, B. D. Wong, Isabella Sermon, Geraldine Chaplin, Jeff Goldblum
Produced by: Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, Belén Atienza
Directed by: J. A. Bayona
Written by: Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly
Cinematography: Óscar Faura
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 128 minutes
In theaters June 22, 2018
The Catcher Was a Spy
Major League baseball player Moe Berg lives a double life as a spy for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Mark Strong, Sienna Miller, Jeff Daniels, Tom Wilkinson, Giancarlo Giannini, Hiroyuki Sanada, Guy Pearce, Paul Giamatti
Produced by: Kevin Scott Frakes, Tatiana Kelly, Buddy Patrick, Jim Young
Directed by: Ben Lewin
Cinematography:Andrij Parekh
Distributed by: IFC Films
Runtime: 98 minutes
Season Finales:
Legion (FX)
David Haller is a troubled young man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next, in his early 30s, David met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd. After a startling encounter with her, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd led David to Melanie Bird, a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists -- Ptonomy, Kerry, and Cary -- each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden abilities and unlock a deeply suppressed truth -- he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power.
Billions (Showtime)
Wealth, influence and corruption collide in this drama set in New York. Shrewd U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades is embroiled in a high-stakes game of predator vs. prey with Bobby Axelrod, an ambitious hedge-fund king. To date, Rhoades has never lost an insider trading case -- he's 81-0 -- but when criminal evidence turns up against Axelrod, he proceeds cautiously in building the case against Axelrod, who employs Rhoades' wife, psychiatrist Wendy, as a performance coach for his company. Wendy, who has been in her position longer than Chuck has been in his, refuses to give up her career for her husband's legal crusade against Axelrod. Both men use their intelligence, power and influence to outmaneuver the other in this battle over billions. The high-profile cast is led by Emmy winners Paul Giamatti ("John Adams") and Damian Lewis ("Homeland") as Chuck Rhoades and Bobby Axelrod, respectively.
Season Premieres:
Strange Angel (CBS All Access)
A rocket scientist in 1940s Los Angeles is secretly the disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley.
Goliath (Amazon Prime)
Once a powerful lawyer, Billy McBride is now a washed up ambulance chaser, who spends more time in bars than the courtroom. When Billy reluctantly agrees to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the massive law firm he helped create, a vast and deadly conspiracy comes to light. Billy and his team end up in a life-or-death trial against the ultimate foe, which could end up helping Billy find redemption and exact revenge on the firm. The Amazon original series is created by David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro.
Deep State (Epix)
A former spy is drawn into a covert intelligence war and global conspiracy to profit from the spread of chaos in the Middle East.
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DirecTV Now
DirecTV Now is a subscription streaming television service owned by AT&T, which allows subscribers in the United States to stream programming from cable channels without the long term commitment.
Sling TV
an American over-the-top internet television service owned by Dish Network. Unveiled on January 5, 2015, at the Consumer Electronics Show, the service – which is structured as a virtual multichannel video programming distributor – aims to complement subscription video on demand services for cord cutters, offering a selection of major cable channels and OTT-originated services that can be streamed through smart TVs, digital media players and apps
YouTube TV
a paid over-the-top content (OTT) MVPD streaming subscription service available for YouTube in the United States. It offers live streaming of programs from the five major broadcast networks in the U.S., as well as other channels. YouTube Red original content is available for an additional fee.
TV Originals:
Condor (Audience from AT&T/DirecTV)
A low-level CIA employee returns from lunch to discover that everyone in his office has been killed; on the run, he goes on to pursue the truth about who is behind the murders while continuing to dodge the hitmen who are after him.
Impulse (YouTube Original)
Impulse is an American drama web television series based on the novel Impulse by Steven Gould. The ten-episode series premiered on June 6, 2018 on YouTube Premium
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Series Premieres:
Pose (FX)
Set in the 1980s, "Pose" is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene. Blanca forms a "house," a self-selected family that provides support to LGBTQ youth who have been rejected by their birth families. Damon is a dancer who joins Blanca's house. Together, they compete in the balls -- where house members challenge each other in various categories and are judged on their outfits, attitude, or dance skills -- against Blanca's former house mother, Elektra. Pray Tell is Godfather to the children who compete in the balls. Angel is a streetwalker who develops feelings for a new client, Stan, who has a loving wife, Patty. James Van Der Beek co-stars as Stan's boss, Matt.
Succession (HBO)
Although he has no plans to step aside as the head of Waystar Royco, the international media conglomerate controlled by his family, aging patriarch Logan Roy is contemplating what the future holds. He has lingered in the limelight longer than even he thought he would, and now family members want to run the company as they see fit. Despite a best-laid succession plan, tempers flare over Logan's intentions. Kendall Roy, Logan's eldest son from his second marriage and a division president at the firm, is the heir apparent. As Kendall attempts to solidify his eventual takeover, he and the three other Roy children face a difficult choice as company control and family loyalties collide.
Dietland (AMC)
A ghostwriter for the editor of a New York fashion magazine struggles with self-image and sets out on a wildly complicated road to self-acceptance, as men accused of sexual abuse and assault disappear and meet untimely, violent deaths.
Younger (TV Land)
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career -- while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth after revealing her secret to Kelsey.
Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger (Freeform)
In New Orleans, teenagers Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson come from different backgrounds and have acquired superpowers after two life changing events that revolved around the collapse of an oil rig that is owned by Roxxon. While forming a romantic relationship, they soon realize that their powers work better when they are together, "but their feelings for each other make their already complicated world even more challenging
Nashville (CMT)
Rayna James has had a successful country-music career, but lately, her popularity has started to fade. Her record label believes the solution is to have her open for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes on tour, but Juliette is a schemer and wants nothing more than to steal Rayna's spotlight. Rayna thinks her real chance is in another young woman, undiscovered songwriter Scarlett O'Connor. While Rayna struggles with her career, her father is busy messing with her private life, encouraging her husband to run for election to be mayor of Nashville - against her wishes.
American Woman (Paramount)
A new, challenging life awaits Bonnie Nolan after she discovers her husband is having an affair. Amid the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1970s, the unconventional mom decides to leave her marriage and raise her two daughters by herself. It's a struggle, but with the help of best friends Kathleen and Diana, the ladies each create their own brand of independence in a rapidly changing world that frowns upon it. Starring Alicia Silverstone as Bonnie, the comedy series is inspired by the real-life upbringing of co-executive producer Kyle Richards ("The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills").
Marcella (Netflix)
Despite marriage woes, a tragic loss, memory blackouts and her struggles as a mom, a London detective excels at what she does best: catching killers.
Season Finale:
Sweetbitter (Starz)
A new life awaits 22-year-old Tess when she arrives friendless in New York City and lacking any specific ambitions beyond finding a job. Her charm and observational nature lead to an invitation to train at one of the city's best restaurants. She thinks it's a temporary place to wait for her life's big break, but Tess is quickly intoxicated by the chaotic world behind the scenes -- tasting expensive wine, exploring dive bars, learning who to trust -- and, most of all, by the people she meets. Her co-workers become her family, and through them she finds a sense of belonging that she has never encountered before.
Series Finales:
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Patrick Melrose is a man from a very privileged yet traumatic childhood in the 1980s. Patrick's father was a very abusive man, and Patrick's mother put up with his behavior. Eventually, Patrick's childhood led him down a path into addiction and severe substance abuse in New York. "Patrick Melrose" is a five-part limited series based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn from the 1980s through early 2000s.
Sense8 (Netflix)
Eight strangers around the globe find themselves connected -- first by a violent vision, then by their shared ability to connect with one another's thoughts and actions, and finally by the urgent need to find out what happened and why. Their need to know goes beyond simple curiosity -- as they pursue answers, a mysterious organization hunts them down, intent on destroying them. The intense thriller is the first foray into television (or, more accurately, Netflix) for renowned filmmakers Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski ("The Matrix Reloaded"), who created the series with J. Michael Straczynski ("Thor"). The international cast includes veteran actors known to U.S. audiences, like Daryl Hannah ("Kill Bill") and Naveen Andrews ("Lost"), and others well-known in their home countries, like German actor Max Riemelt and Doona Bae of South Korea. In keeping with the global premise of the series, shooting takes place all over the world, including London, Reykjavik, Nairobi and Mumbai.
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In theaters June 8, 2018
Hearts Beat Loud
In the hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, single dad and record store owner Frank (Nick Offerman) is preparing to send his hard-working daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) off to college, while being forced to close his vintage shop. Hoping to stay connected through their shared musical passions, Frank urges Sam to turn their weekly "jam sesh" into a father-daughter live act. After their first song becomes an Internet breakout, the two embark on a journey of love, growing up and musical discovery.
Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner, Toni Collette
Produced by: Sam Bisbee, Houston King, Sam Slater
Written by: Brett Haley, Marc Basch
Directed by: Brett Haley
Cinematography: Eric Lin
Distributed by: Gunpowder & Sky
Runtime: 97 minutes
Season Premieres:
Claws (TNT)
At the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon in Central Florida, five diverse, hardworking manicurists try to make ends meet in a staid economy while managing perilous personal lives awash in drama. Amidst all the silk wraps, pedicures and polish treatments, salon owner Desna, who lives with and cares for her mentally ill twin brother, leads a staff that includes best friend Jennifer, now sober and raising two kids from a previous relationship; enigmatic Ann, who provides security for the salon; mild-mannered preppy and ex-convict Polly; and Virginia, who becomes easily bored and impatient with her job. Also hanging around the salon are shady redneck Roller; ambulance coach Bryce, Jennifer's husband who is also newly sober; and Uncle Daddy, a dangerous, deeply Catholic and actively bisexual crime boss.
C.B. Strike (Cinemax)
Based on the bestselling novels written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, miniseries C.B.Strike follows a war veteran turned private detective, who operates out of a tiny office in London’s Denmark Street. Although wounded both physically and psychologically, his unique insight and background as a military police investigator prove crucial in solving complex crimes that have baffled the police.
Reverie (NBC)
Former hostage negotiator and human behavior expert Mara Kint becomes a college professor after experiencing an unimaginable personal tragedy. When an old friend hires her to work at his new cutting-edge company, she is given the opportunity to save ordinary people who have lost themselves in a highly advanced virtual reality program -- in which people can literally live their dreams. After a lot of hard work, Mara finds that, in saving others, she may actually have discovered a way to save herself.
Season Finale:
Killing Eve (BBC America)
Eve's life as a spy is not adding up to what she had hoped it would be when she started. She is a bored, very smart, MI5 security officer who is very desk-bound. Villanelle is a very talented killer, mercurial in mood, who clings to the luxuries of her job. Eve and Villanelle go head to head in a fierce game of cat and mouse, each woman equally obsessed with the other as Eve is tasked with hunting down the psychopathic assassin. Sarah Barnett, BBCA president, says, " `Killing Eve' stands out in a sea of scripted stories as refreshingly entertaining and great fun."
Series Finale:
The Americans (FX)
Philip and Elizabeth Jennings are two KGB spies in an arranged marriage who are posing as Americans in suburban Washington, D.C., shortly after Ronald Reagan is elected president. The couple have two children, teenager Paige and preteen Henry, who are unaware of their parents' true identities. The complex marriage becomes more passionate and genuine each day but is continually tested as the Cold War escalates. As Philip begins to warm up to America's values and way of life, his relationship with Elizabeth becomes more complicated. Further complicating things is the arrival of the Jennings' new neighbour, FBI agent Stan Beeman, who is part of a new division of the agency tasked with fighting foreign agents on U.S. soil. The drama series was created by former CIA agent-turned-author Joe Weisberg.
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In theaters June 1, 2018
Breath
BREATH follows two teenage boys, Pikelet and Loonie (newcomers Samson Coulter and Ben Spence in breakthrough performances), growing up in a remote corner of the Western Australian coast. Hungry for discovery, the pair form an unlikely friendship with Sando (Simon Baker), a mysterious older surfer and adventurer who pushes the boys to take risks that will have a lasting and profound impact on their lives. Also starring Elizabeth Debicki and Richard Roxburgh, BREATH is an authentic coming-of-age drama set in an idyllic 1970s coastal Australia.
Starring: Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Samson Coulter, Ben Spence Richard Roxburgh
Produced by: Mark Johnson, Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton
Screenplay by: Gerard Lee, Simon Baker, Tim Winton
Directed by: Simon Baker
Cinematography: Marden Dean, Rick Rifici
Distributed by: FilmRise
Runtime: 115 minutes
Season Finales:
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
The CBS All Access series picks up one year after the events in the final episode of "The Good Wife." After a financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out her mentor and godmother Diane Lockhart's savings, the two are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join forces with Lucca Quinn at one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms. At Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Diane finds familiar faces, including Colin Morrello, who is a rising star in the state's attorney's office, and Marissa Gold. Though starting at the bottom, Diane and Maia are determined to rebuild their careers and lives at the new firm.
The Terror (AMC)
British Royal Navy Capt. Sir John Franklin is nearing the end of an uneven career. Described as "a man everyone likes, but no one respects," Franklin has seen men die under his leadership on previous expeditions, and now he would like to retire with honors by discovering the Northwest Passage. Guiding the HMS Erebus into uncharted territory, Franklin's most perilous journey yet pushes his crew to the brink of extinction. Frozen, isolated and stuck at the end of the earth, the men have been put in horrible danger by their commander's Victorian hubris. A struggle to survive ignites infighting, and Franklin must try to undo the damage he has caused.
Krypton (Syfy)
Years before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel's home planet, Superman's grandfather, Seg-El, fights to redeem his family's honor after the House of El is ostracized and shamed over Seg's grandfather's false claims of a world-killer coming to Krypton. When an attack on the government is attempted, Seg seizes an opportunity to advance himself and his family by allying with those who sentenced his grandfather to execution and destroyed his family's name but when evidence that his grandfather's claims were true is discovered, Seg must work within the system that discarded the House of El in order to protect their future legacy.
The Flash (CW)
At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Orphaned Barry later becomes Detective Joe West. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession - a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention - causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
Madam Secretary (CBS)
Having left her job as a CIA analyst for ethical reasons, newly appointed Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord returns to public life at the request of the president, after the suspicious death of her predecessor. Valued by her boss for her apolitical leanings, knowledge of the Middle East, language skills and creative thinking, Elizabeth drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol, while negotiating national and international issues. At home, politics and compromise take on new meaning with her supportive husband and three bright kids.
Season Premieres:
The Split (Sundance)
Following the Defoes, a family of female divorce lawyers who are forced to face their past following the return of their estranged father after a 30-year absence.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Amazon Prime)
In the early 1900s, Miranda (Anne Lambert) attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine's Day, the school's typically strict headmistress (Rachel Roberts) treats the girls to a picnic field trip to an unusual but scenic volcanic formation called Hanging Rock. Despite rules against it, Miranda and several other girls venture off. It's not until the end of the day that the faculty realizes the girls and one of the teachers (Vivean Gray) have disappeared mysteriously.
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Safe (Netflix)
Widowed surgeon Tom has struggled to raise his two daughters alone following his wife's death a year ago. Things seem to be on the right track for the family, who live in a gated community, because they have close friends nearby and Tom is in the early stages of a new relationship. But the situation takes a turn for the worse when Jenny, Tom's oldest daughter, goes missing along with her boyfriend. Tom enlists girlfriend Sophie, a police detective, to help locate the teens, but her new partner is working her own agenda. As the investigation intensifies, Tom unearths dark secrets about the people closest to him in his affluent neighborhood. The drama series was created by mystery novelist Harlan Coben.
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Patrick Melrose is a man from a very privileged yet traumatic childhood in the 1980s. Patrick's father was a very abusive man, and Patrick's mother put up with his behavior. Eventually, Patrick's childhood led him down a path into addiction and severe substance abuse in New York. "Patrick Melrose" is a five-part limited series based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn from the 1980s through early 2000s.
Little Women (PBS)
Four sisters and their mother battle life's vicissitudes in Civil War-era America after their father leaves to join the conflict.
Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)
In a terrifying care-free future, a young man, Guy Montag, whose job as a fireman is to burn all books, questions his actions after meeting a young girl...and begins to rebel against society.
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Blindspot (NBC)
When a beautiful woman (Jaimie Alexander) with no memory of who she is or how she got there is discovered naked in New York's Times Square, the conspicuous etching of FBI Agent Kurt Weller's (Sullivan Stapleton) name across her back quickly makes it obvious to whom the case should be assigned. An international plot blows up as Agent Weller and his team discover that each intricate tattoo on Jane Doe's body is a crime to solve, creating a map that leads ever closer to the truth about her identity and mysteries yet to be revealed.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of doctors at a hospital in Seattle, including several who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. She struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them -- Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
SEAL Team (CBS)
Failure isn't an option for the new Navy SEALs, and that kind of pressure can take a toll on the members of the special operations forces' most elite unit. This team -- which includes Jason, the group's intense leader, and Ray, Jason's longtime confidant, along with loyal soldier Sonny and SEAL hopeful Clay -- trains, plans and executes some of the most dangerous, high-stakes missions and deploys for clandestine missions around the globe at a moment's notice. While serving their country is a worthy and rewarding cause, it can put a strain on the SEALs and their families, causing the guys look out for one another in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, both on and off the job.
The Blacklist (NBC)
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the globe's most wanted fugitives. But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies and international terrorists -- on the condition that he must work with profiler Elizabeth Keen. Red's true intentions -- choosing Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection -- are unclear. Does Liz have secrets of her own? Red promises to teach Liz to think like a criminal "to see the bigger picture," whether she wants to or not.
Blackish (ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighbourhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honour their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
Timeless (NBC)
When a group with nefarious intentions attempts to change the world as we know it by altering the past, Lucy, a historian, Wyatt, a soldier, and Rufus, a scientist, unite to form an unlikely partnership, traveling through time to save history. Their riveting adventures take them to some of the most thrilling, volatile and critical events on record, including a venture to the Old West, a sojourn to the Alamo, a visit to the famous Chicago World's Fair and a crusade into Nazi Germany. Along the way, they cross paths with famous historical icons, such as Josephine Baker, Harry Houdini, Ernest Hemingway and infamous rivals Eliot Ness and Al Capone. But every step the team takes to protect history puts everything we know at risk -- because changing one thing changes everything.
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Partially inspired by co-creator Mike Judge's experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the 1980s, this comedy series follows the misadventures of introverted computer programmer Richard and his brainy friends as they attempt to strike it rich in a high-tech gold rush. They live together in a Bay Area startup incubator loosely run by self-satisfied dot-com millionaire Erlich, who lets them stay in his house rent-free in exchange for a stake in the projects they invent there. But when Richard develops a powerful search algorithm at his day job, he finds himself caught in the middle of a bidding war between his boss -- whose firm offers Richard an eight-figure buyout -- and a deep-pocketed venture capitalist.
Atlanta (FX)
Atlanta is one of the top cities for young rappers looking to make a name for themselves in the business. Among those up-and-comers is Alfred Miles, a hot new artist who is trying to understand the line between real life and street life. He is managed by his cousin, Earn, who gets caught up in the local rap scene and his cousin's career after returning home to the ATL. Earn does whatever he can to try to get Alfred's career to the next level. Darius, the rapper's right-hand man and visionary, is also in Alfred's entourage. When Earn isn't busy managing his cousin's career, he spends much of his time with best friend Vanessa, who is also the mother of his daughter.
Young Sheldon (CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbours, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
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In theaters May 18, 2018
Deadpool 2
After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff, Samuel West, Adrian Scarborough
Produced by: Simon Kinberg, Ryan Reynolds, Lauren Shuler Donner
Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ryan Reynolds
Directed by: David Leitch
Cinematography: Jonathan Sela
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 119 minutes
In theaters May 18, 2018
On Chesil Beach
In 1962, newlyweds Edward and Florence, both in their early 20s and also both virgins, spend their honeymoon preoccupied and terrified by the upcoming consummation of their marriage.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff, Samuel West, Adrian Scarborough
Produced by: Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley
Screenplay by: Ian McEwan
Directed by: Dominic Cooke
Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Runtime: 110 minutes
Menace II Society vs. Boyz n da Hood:
After growing up in the gang lifestyle of the Los Angeles projects, 18-year-old Caine Lawson (Tyrin Turner) wants a way out. Everyone around him, including his unpredictable friend O-Dog (Larenz Tate), is trapped in their lives of crime and violence. With the help of his caring teacher (Charles Dutton) and supportive girlfriend (Jada Pinkett), Caine plans to leave the city for good. But in a series of tragic events, Caine realizes that escape will not be easy.
Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is sent to live with his father, Furious Styles (Larry Fishburne), in tough South Central Los Angeles. Although his hard-nosed father instills proper values and respect in him, and his devout girlfriend Brandi (Nia Long) teaches him about faith, Tre's friends Doughboy (Ice Cube) and Ricky (Morris Chestnut) don't have the same kind of support and are drawn into the neighborhood's booming drug and gang culture, with increasingly tragic results.
Juice vs. Belly
Four Harlem friends -- Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Q (Omar Epps), Steel (Jermaine Hopkins) and Raheem (Khalil Kain) -- dabble in petty crime, but they decide to go big by knocking off a convenience store. Bishop, the magnetic leader of the group, has the gun. But Q has different aspirations. He wants to be a DJ and happens to have a gig the night of the robbery. Unfortunately for him, Bishop isn't willing to take no for answer in a game where everything's for keeps.
Ever since they were kids, Sincere (Nas) and Buns (DMX) have lived life close to the edge, doing whatever it takes to survive. As adults, they build up their kingdom of crime on drug dealing and robbery. But Sincere grows weary of the criminal lifestyle and joins a black Muslim religious group. Buns, on the other hand, sinks deeper into criminality and faces serious prison time. The cops offer him a deal, however -- assassinate the head of the Muslim group, and he will go free.
Do the Right Thing vs. Jungle Fever
Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.
A married black lawyer named Flipper (Wesley Snipes) begins an affair with Angie (Annabella Sciorra), his white secretary. When the news is leaked through an acquaintance, Flipper's wife (Lonette McKee) kicks him out of the house. Flipper decides to begin courting his mistress, only to be greeted by disapproval from friends, family and even strangers. The relationship continues to be strained in a society not ready to accept it, and people are hurt during its inception.
Foxy Brown vs. Shaft
Unable to pay back the $20,000 he owes the mob, small-time hustler Link (Antonio Fargas) instead gives up the identity of an undercover cop (Terry Carter) who happens to be dating his sister, Foxy Brown (Pam Grier). When gangsters later kill the cop, Foxy is quick to make the connection and swears vengeance. Posing as a prostitute, and with the help of a group of neighborhood vigilantes, she gradually tracks down the hit men, their Mafia bosses and her own brother.
John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy (Moses Gunn), the leader of the black crime mob, then against black nationals, and finally working with both against the white mafia who are trying to blackmail Bumpy by kidnapping his daughter.
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In theaters May 11, 2018
Breaking In
Shaun Russell takes her son and daughter on a weekend getaway to her late father's secluded, high-tech vacation home in the countryside. The family soon gets an unwelcome surprise when four men break into the house to find hidden money. After managing to escape, Shaun must now figure out a way to turn the tables on the desperate thieves and save her captive children.
Starring: Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke
Produced by: Gabrielle Union, James Lopez, Craig Perry, Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Will Packer
Screenplay by: Ryan Engle
Directed by: James McTeigue
Cinematography: Toby Oliver
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 88 minutes
Season Finales:
Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. (USA)
Unsolved' is a new limited series that draws from the experiences of Greg Kading and Russell Poole, two former Los Angeles Police Department detectives who led separate investigations into the murders of iconic rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. Based on Kading's bookMurder Rap: The Untold Story of the Biggie Smalls & Tupac Shakur Murder Investigations', the series juxtaposes the two investigations alongside flashbacks into the relationship between Tupac and Biggie.
Good Girls (NBC)
When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives -- by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used-car-dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined -- and the only way out of this will be together.
Homeland (Showtime)
When Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody returns home following eight years in captivity, CIA agent Carrie Mathison thinks he has turned and is connected to a terror plot to be carried out on American soil, so she engages him in a dangerous game of cat and mouse that puts America's national security at risk. Later on, Carrie gets a promotion and returns to the front lines overseas. She is assigned to one of the CIA's most volatile and dangerous stations in the Middle East, where she is in the heart of battle in the war on terror. Years later, after being disillusioned and placing herself in a self-imposed exile in Berlin, Carrie becomes estranged from the CIA, eventually returning stateside where she works for a foundation providing aid to Muslims living in America.
Season Premieres:
Elementary (CBS)
This take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic character has disgraced Sherlock Holmes fleeing London for present-day Manhattan after a stint in rehab. He arrives to find that his father has assigned a sober companion to live with him - Dr Joan Watson, a former surgeon whose medical licence was revoked three years earlier after she lost a patient. She now seeks penance by helping addicts stay clean. However, Holmes has his own plan for keeping on the straight and narrow, throwing himself into his work as a police consultant in New York City. The two find that they make a good team and are soon cracking some of the NYPD's most-difficult cases.
Colony (USA)
In the not-too-distant future, Los Angeles has been invaded and occupied by outside forces, causing a rift between the city's residents; some have collaborated with the occupation, while others are rebelling and suffering the consequences that come with that choice. Former FBI agent Will Bowman and his wife, Katie, must consider their familial obligations when making their decision because they were separated from their son, Bram, during the invasion. Proxy Snyder, a cunning and powerful leader within the occupational government, offers Will the opportunity to get Bram back if he works with the invading faction. Will's decision doesn't sit well with Katie, but the couple risk their lives -- and their relationship -- to protect their family.
Cobra Kai (YouTube Red)
Cobra Kai is an American comedy-drama web television series based on The Karate Kid film series created by Robert Mark Kamen
Vida (Starz)
Two Mexican-American sisters return to their old neighborhood in East Los Angeles, where they are confronted by the past when they learn the shocking truth about their mother's identity.
Sweetbitter (Starz)
Following 22-year-old Tess who, shortly after arriving in New York City, lands a job at a celebrated downtown restaurant and learns to navigate the chaotically alluring, yet punishing life she has stumbled upon.
I’m Dying Up Here (Showtime)
Before the internet and viral videos made it easy for aspiring comics to get their material seen, they had to travel and perform at comedy clubs to rise through the ranks of stand-up comedy and make a name for themselves. This drama series explores the famed Los Angeles stand-up scene of the 1970s as the comedy hopefuls stand alone on stage, "dying" for fame, fortune and -- if they're lucky -- a shot on Johnny Carson's show. Oscar winner Melissa Leo leads the ensemble cast as Goldie, a comedy-club owner who mentors a competitive but close-knit group of comics. She leads her business with an iron fist but nurtures the comics with tough love because she knows that there's no such thing as an easy laugh in their chosen profession.
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If you have a Netflix account, it is standard that you see these current TV shows.
Everyone's already talking about it; it's time for you to get caught up. What have you been waiting for?
Godless (Western, Miniseries, 7 episodes)
The Crown (Historical Drama, s1, 2)
Daredevil (Comic, s1, 2)
Happy Valley (Crime Drama, s1, 2)
Stranger Things (Horror, s1, 2)
BONUS: The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Comedy, s1-3, 1/2 hour)
Season Finales:
Suits (USA)
In need of an associate, big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter hires the only guy who impresses him -- college dropout Mike Ross. The fact that Ross isn't actually a lawyer isn't lost on Specter, who believes his new right-hand man is a legal prodigy with the book smarts of a Harvard law grad and the street smarts of a hustler. However, in order to keep their jobs, the charade must remain strictly between these two unconventional thinkers.
McMafia (AMC)
Alex Godman, the English-raised son of an exiled Russian crime family, has spent years trying to evade his family's past and live on the straight and narrow, running a legitimate business and mapping out a future with his girlfriend Rebecca. As he struggles against the lure of corruption and his family's former mafia connections, tragedy strikes and he finds himself drawn into the shadowy underworld of international crime, fighting for survival and revenge. "McMafia" is inspired by journalist Misha Glenny's best-selling book of the same name.
Howards End (Starz)
Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but is rebuffed. Her sister Margaret becomes friends with his mother, who promises her the family house, Howards End. Unfortunately, after her death, the will disappears and it appears the inheritance will disappear. Until the widower, Henry Wilcox, becomes attracted to Margaret.
Season Premieres:
Westworld (HBO)
Westworld isn't your typical amusement park. Intended for rich vacationers, the futuristic park -- which is looked after by robotic "hosts" -- allows its visitors to live out their fantasies through artificial consciousness. No matter how illicit the fantasy may be, there are no consequences for the park's guests, allowing for any wish to be indulged. "Westworld" -- which is based on the 1973 Michael Crichton movie of the same name -- features an all-star cast that includes Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins and Golden Globe winner Ed Harris.
Into the Badlands (AMC)
AMC's goal for "Into the Badlands" was twofold: produce a compelling character drama, and introduce the highest caliber of martial arts filmmaking to a weekly, ongoing series. Left in the hands of creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar ("Shanghai Noon," "Smallville"), the series stars Daniel Wu as ruthless, prodigiously skilled warrior Sunny, who mentors teenage boy M.K. during a spiritual journey across a feudal civilization known as the Badlands. With the help of trained assassins like Sunny, the area is ruled by rival barons, and for decades Quinn has consistently outflanked and outmaneuvered his fellow barons to keep the upper hand. His invincibility, however, begins to fade in light of brazen attacks by the newest baron, The Widow, who believes M.K. is the key to her success. As the battle for control of the Badlands heats up, the destinies of the stoic assassin and the impetuous teenager become intertwined.
Genius (Nat Geo)
Season 2 of the Emmy-nominated series "Genius" tells the story behind Pablo Picasso, one of the 20th century's most influential, controversial, and celebrated artists. Also explored are the muses who inspired him. Starring Antonio Banderas in the titular role, hourlong episodes explore how the Spanish-born Picasso's passion and creativity were inseparably linked to his personal life, which included tumultuous marriages, numerous affairs and constantly shifting political and personal alliances.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, this series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States. Gilead is ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state, and is faced with environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate. In a desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world, the few remaining fertile women are forced into sexual servitude. One of these women, Offred, is determined to survive the terrifying world she lives in, and find the daughter that was taken from her.t
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In theaters April 26, 2018
Avengers: Infinity War
Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet -- the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista
Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Screenplay by:Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cinematography:Trent Opaloch
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Runtime: 149 minutes
Legion (FX)
David Haller is a troubled young man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next, in his early 30s, David meets and falls in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd. After a startling encounter with her, he must confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd leads David to Melanie Bird, a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists -- Ptonomy, Kerry, and Cary -- each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they help David to recognize and harness his hidden abilities and unlock a deeply suppressed truth -- he has been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power.
The Last O.G. (TBS)
Spending 15 years in prison didn't transform Tray, but everything else sure seemed to change. After he is released on good behavior, he returns to his newly affluent Brooklyn neighborhood and is shocked to find out how much different the world is. For starters, he's a father to twin sons, born to his former girlfriend Shay. She is now married to a successful white man who is helping raise the teenagers, who grew up in private schools and can't relate to their dad's hardscrabble upbringing. Wishing he could connect with his kids but having neither the money to support them nor himself, Tray relies on some well-worn skills to make ends meet while treading unfamiliar territory. Oscar winner Jordan Peele is co-creator and co-executive produces the series along with star Tracy Morgan.
Killing Eve (BBC America)
Eve's life as a spy is not adding up to what she had hoped it would be when she started. She is a bored, very smart, MI5 security officer who is very desk-bound. Villanelle is a very talented killer, mercurial in mood, who clings to the luxuries of her job. Eve and Villanelle go head to head in a fierce game of cat and mouse, each woman equally obsessed with the other as Eve is tasked with hunting down the psychopathic assassin. Sarah Barnett, BBCA president, says, " `Killing Eve' stands out in a sea of scripted stories as refreshingly entertaining and great fun."
Lost in Space (Netflix)
"Danger, Will Robinson!" The rest of the Robinson clan should be on the lookout for danger, as well, because they are facing challenging times. It's 30 years in the future and the family has been chosen to start a new life in a space colony. On the way to what they believe will be a better world, the Robinsons' ship is abruptly thrown off course and they are thrown into a dangerous alien environment. Now light-years from their original destination, they must forge new alliances and work together to survive. Stranded with the Robinsons are unsettlingly charismatic Dr. Smith and inadvertently charming Don West, two outsiders who are thrown together by circumstance and a mutual knack for deception.
Rellik (Cinemax)
DCI Gabriel Markham hunts for the serial killer who left him physically and mentally scarred; the story begins with the capture of the killer, and reverses to the very beginning of the murderer's spree.
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
A sign of the apocalypse has begun. Reports of a rapidly changing world for unknown reasons underscore this gritty drama, a prequel to AMC's uber-popular "Walking Dead." The story is told through the lens of high school guidance counselor Madison Clark. The widowed mother is raising two children single-handedly and maintains a relationship with English teacher Travis Manawa, her apocalyptic partner. The challenge of blending their families is exacerbated by unforeseen chaos, and a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold.
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The Looming Tower (Hulu)
"The Looming Tower" traces the rising threat of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida in the late '90s and how a rivalry between the FBI and CIA during the time period may have inadvertently set the path for the attacks of 9/11. The series follows members of the I-49 Squad in New York and Alec Station in Washington, D.C. -- the counterterrorism divisions of the FBI and CIA, respectively -- as they travel around the world, fighting for ownership of information while seemingly working toward a common goal of preventing an imminent attack on American soil. The drama is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name by Lawrence Wright.
Black Lightning (CW)
CW and Greg Berlanti expand the footprint of their DC Comics universe with this exploration of the intersection between family life and being a superhero. As a younger man, Jefferson Pierce donned the suit of a vigilante and protected the streets of his city, but he believed he'd left those days in the past. He learns that life doesn't always work out as planned when his daughter, Jennifer -- a star student who is determined to achieve justice at any cost -- gets recruited by a street gang. In order to protect his family, Jefferson sees no choice but to once again become Black Lightning.
The Magicians (Syfy)
Quentin Coldwater, a grad student at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, has been fascinated by the magical fantasy world since he was young. But as he has gotten older, Quentin and his 20-something friends have discovered that the magical world they read about as children is not only real, but poses dangers to humanity. While studying at the secret upstate New York school, the friends struggle to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophe that befalls the institution. The fantasy series is based on a series of novels by Lev Grossman.
National Treasure: Kiri (Hulu)
Drama series following the story of a much-loved TV star who is faced with an accusation of historical sexual offences.
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the months and years that follow a zombie apocalypse. Led by former police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
Scandal (ABC)
"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes is the creative mind behind this ABC drama. Olivia Pope, a former media consultant to the president, is ready to move on with her life and opens her own crisis-management firm, but she can't seem to shake ties with her past. Olivia's staff includes Quinn Perkins, who has a complicated history, and hacker extraordinaire Huck. As she moves forward it becomes clear that, while her staffers may specialize in cleaning up the lives of other people, they can't seem to do the same for themselves.
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On Netflix April 13, 2018
Come Sunday
Internationally-renowned pastor Carlton Pearson risks his church, family and future when he questions church doctrine and finds himself branded a heretic.
Starring:Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen, Condola Rashad, Jason Segel, Danny Glover, Lakeith Stanfield
Produced by: Marc Forster, Ira Glass, Alissa Shipp, James D. Stern, Julie Goldstein
Written by: Marcus Hinchey
Directed by: Joshua Marston
Cinematography Peter Flinckenberg
Distributed by: Netflix
Runtime: 106 minutes
In theaters April 11, 2018
Beirut
In 1980s Beirut, Mason Skiles is a former U.S. diplomat who is called back into service to save a colleague from the group that is possibly responsible for his own family's death. Meanwhile, a CIA field agent who is working under cover at the American embassy is tasked with keeping Mason alive and ensuring that the mission is a success.
Starring:Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, Larry Pine, Mark Pellegrino
Produced by: Tony Gilroy, Ted Field, Mike Weber, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson
Written by: Tony Gilroy
Directed by: Brad Anderson
Cinematography Björn Charpentier
Distributed by: Bleecker Street
Runtime: 109 minutes
Instinct (CBS)
Dr. Dylan Reinhart is a former CIA operative who's created a quieter life for himself as a professor and author of a best-selling book on abnormal behavior. When tenacious and resourceful NYPD detective Lizzie Needham approaches him to help her solve a serial killer case, he taps into his old skill set and reaches out to a CIA friend who has access to invaluable top-secret intelligence. As Dylan gets lured back into the adrenaline filled world of law enforcement, he and Lizzie realize that, together, they make the perfect team.
Krypton (SyFy)
Years before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel's home planet, Superman's grandfather, Seg-El, fights to redeem his family's honor after the House of El is ostracized and shamed over Seg's grandfather's false claims of a world-killer coming to Krypton. When an attack on the government is attempted, Seg seizes an opportunity to advance himself and his family by allying with those who sentenced his grandfather to execution and destroyed his family's name but when evidence that his grandfather's claims were true is discovered, Seg must work within the system that discarded the House of El in order to protect their future legacy.
Station 19 (ABC)
Practically raised at Seattle's Station 19, Andy Herrera is a confident firefighter who is also the daughter of Pruitt Herrera, the formidable head of the firehouse. Capt. Pruitt was Andy's primary inspiration to become a firefighter and is a mentor to both her and Jack Gibson, the lieutenant at the station. Jack is as fearless as Andy is by-the-books, but when the two are together, sparks fly and opposites attract. The two are joined by Maya Bishop, Dean Miller, Travis Montgomery, Victoria Hughes, and the station's newest addition, rookie Ben Warren. The team also works closely with Seattle PD, often running into Andy's former flame Ryan Tanner.
Trust (FX)
Inspired by actual events, "Trust" delves into the trials and triumphs of one of America's wealthiest and unhappiest families, the Gettys. Equal parts family history, dynastic saga and an examination of the corrosive power of money, "Trust" explores the complexities at the heart of every family, rich or poor. Told over multiple seasons and spanning the 20th century, the series begins in 1973 with the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, an heir to the Getty oil fortune, by the Italian mafia in Rome. His captors banked on a multimillion-dollar ransom. But Paul's grandfather, enigmatic oil tycoon J. Paul Getty Sr. -- possibly the richest man in the world -- is busy being marooned in a Tudor mansion in the English countryside with a harem of mistresses and a pet lion. Paul's father, J. Paul Getty Jr., is lost in a daze in London and refuses to answer the phone. Only Paul's mother, Gail Getty, is left to negotiate with the increasingly desperate kidnappers. Unfortunately, she's broke.
Billions (Showtime)
Wealth, influence and corruption collide in this drama set in New York. Shrewd U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades is embroiled in a high-stakes game of predator vs. prey with Bobby Axelrod, an ambitious hedge-fund king. To date, Rhoades has never lost an insider trading case -- he's 81-0 -- but when criminal evidence turns up against Axelrod, he proceeds cautiously in building the case against Axelrod, who employs Rhoades' wife, psychiatrist Wendy, as a performance coach for his company. Wendy, who has been in her position longer than Chuck has been in his, refuses to give up her career for her husband's legal crusade against Axelrod. Both men use their intelligence, power and influence to outmaneuver the other in this battle over billions. The high-profile cast is led by Emmy winners Paul Giamatti ("John Adams") and Damian Lewis ("Homeland") as Chuck Rhoades and Bobby Axelrod, respectively.
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Partially inspired by co-creator Mike Judge's experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the 1980s, this comedy series follows the misadventures of introverted computer programmer Richard and his brainy friends as they attempt to strike it rich in a high-tech gold rush. They live together in a Bay Area startup incubator loosely run by self-satisfied dot-com millionaire Erlich, who lets them stay in his house rent-free in exchange for a stake in the projects they invent there. But when Richard develops a powerful search algorithm at his day job, he finds himself caught in the middle of a bidding war between his boss -- whose firm offers Richard an eight-figure buyout -- and a deep-pocketed venture capitalist.
Barry (HBO)
Disillusioned at the thought of taking down another "mark," depressed, low-level hit man Barry Berkman seeks a way out. When the Midwesterner reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an actor who is bedding a mobster's wife, little does Barry know that the City of Angels may be his sanctuary. He follows his target into acting class and ends up instantly drawn to the community of eager hopefuls, especially dedicated student Sally, who becomes the object of his affection. While Barry wants to start a new life as an actor, his handler, Fuches, has other ideas, and the hit man's criminal past won't let him walk away so easily.
The Terror (AMC)
A Royal Navy ship undertakes a perilous voyage in pursuit of the Northwest Passage, but treacherous conditions, limited resources, and low morale plague the crew.
Roseanne (ABC)
A revival of the popular 1990s sitcom 'Roseanne,' which centered on the everyday life of an American working-class family.
Suits (USA)
In need of an associate, big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter hires the only guy who impresses him -- college dropout Mike Ross. The fact that Ross isn't actually a lawyer isn't lost on Specter, who believes his new right-hand man is a legal prodigy with the book smarts of a Harvard law grad and the street smarts of a hustler. However, in order to keep their jobs, the charade must remain strictly between these two unconventional thinkers.
The Crossing (ABC)
When refugees from a war-torn country start seeking asylum in a small American fishing town, it becomes clear that something strange is going on. The residents soon learn that the country they are fleeing from is America, and the war they are escaping hasn't happened yet. While the government sets to work trying to untangle the truth behind the ominous migration, the fact that the lives of those involved will never again be the same seems to be the only thing that no one can deny.
The Americans (FX)
Co-starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys,"The Americans" is a period drama about the complex marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington, D.C., during the Reagan administration. The arranged marriage of Philip and Elizabeth Jennings grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but as the pressures and demands of the job grow heavier, the personal toll becomes almost too exhausting to bear, especially when it comes to protecting their American-born children, Paige and Henry. They also face the risk of discovery by their friend and neighbor FBI agent Stan Beeman, who is tasked with uncovering Soviet illegals hiding in plain sight.
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In theaters April 6, 2018
You Were Never Really Here
A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe's nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina SamsonovAlex Manette, John Doman, Judith Roberts
Produced by: Rosa Attab, Pascal Caucheteux, James Wilson, Lynne Ramsay
Written by: Lynne Ramsay
Directed by: Lynne Ramsay
Cinematography Thomas Townend
Distributed by: Amazon Studios
Runtime: 90 minutes
Grown-ish
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
Baskets
Chip Baskets has always dreamed of being a classically trained clown. After flunking out of French clown college -- probably due to his inability to understand French -- he returns home to Bakersfield, California, where he moves in with his mother, Christine, bickers with his twin brother, Dale, longs for his sophisticated Parisian ex-wife, and continues to pursue his professional clowning dream, with the assistance of his friend/assistant/insurance adjuster, Martha. Zach Galifianakis stars as both Chip and Dale, with Louie Anderson as Christine and Martha Kelly in the role of Martha.
The Good Doctor
Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon who has savant syndrome, relocates from a quiet country life to join the surgical unit at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital -- a move strongly supported by his mentor, Dr. Aaron Glassman. Having survived a troubled childhood, Shaun is alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, but he finds his niche using his extraordinary medical skill and intuition to save lives and challenge the skepticism of his colleagues.
Another Period
Before others staked a claim, there was one American family who stood for all that was spoiled, shameless and stupid. It's the Bellacourts, and as Rhode Island's first family of the Gilded Age, the insanely ridiculous, debaucherous clan have more servants than relatives, and days are filled with money, sex, drugs and more money. With nothing of substance to offer their fellow citizens, the Bellacourts are solely concerned with how they look, what parties they attend, and -- in the case of sisters Lillian and Beatrice, especially -- becoming super famous. Co-executive producers Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome star as Lillian and Beatrice, respectively.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is the second season of the FX true crime anthology television series American Crime Story.
High Maintenance
Exploring the private lives of dozens of New Yorkers that have one connection, their weed dealer.
The Alienist
The best-selling book by Caleb Carr is the basis for "The Alienist," a psychological thriller set amidst the vast wealth, extreme poverty and technological innovation of 1896 New York. A never-before-seen ritualistic killer is responsible for the gruesome murders of boy prostitutes, and newly appointed police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt calls upon criminal psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, newspaper illustrator John Moore and police department secretary Sara Howard to conduct the investigation in secret. The brilliant, obsessive Kreizler is known as an alienist -- one who studies mental pathologies and the deviant behaviors of those who are alienated from themselves and society. His job, along with his controversial views, makes him a social pariah in some circles. But helped by a band of outsiders, Kreizler's tireless efforts eventually answer the question behind what makes a man into a murderer.
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In theaters March 29, 2018
Ready Player One
The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger.
Starring: The Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg,
Mark Rylance
Produced by: Steven Spielberg, Donald De Line, Dan Farah, Kristie Macosko Krieger
Written by: Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cinematography Janusz Kamiński
Screenplay by: Zak Penn, Ernest Cline
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Runtime: 140 minutes
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In theaters March 23, 2018
Unsane
Sawyer Valentini, a bright but troubled business woman, begins to find out that her past is catching up to her when an estranged boyfriend she once dated starts to stalk her. To ensure her safety, Sawyer signs up for a support group that helps people tackle stalking problems. Unfortunately, Sawyer finds out that she has involuntarily placed herself in a mental institution with strict rules that there should be no contact with the outside world. Alone and trapped against her will, Sawyer must fight her own demons within the twisted asylum as the visions of her stalker begin to take over.
Starring: Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharaoh, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins
Amy Irving
Produced by: Joseph Malloch
Written by: Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Cinematography Steven Soderbergh
Distributed by: Bleecker Street, Fingerprint Releasing (United States)
20th Century Fox (International)
Runtime: 98 minutes
Season Enders:
Waco (miniseries, Paramount Network)
In February 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms raids David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound, a small religious community located just outside of Waco, Texas, triggering a drawn-out gun battle that kills four ATF agents and six civilians and wounds dozens more people. After a 51-day standoff, the conflict ends when an FBI assault leads to a fire that engulfs the compound, killing 76 Branch Davidians, including Koresh. Told from the perspectives of those who were there, including chief FBI negotiator Gary Noesner and survivor David Thibodeau, the six-part scripted series "Waco" dramatizes one of the most misunderstood stories in American history.
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (s1 finale, ABC)
Kevin Finn is struggling. Directionless and cluelessly self-serving, he seems to be drifting ever closer to total despair. With his life spiraling further and further out of control, he heads home to seek refuge with his widowed twin sister, Amy, and her young daughter. On his first night there, life takes an unexpected turn when he receives an unlikely celestial being named Yvette, who has a mission for him: to save the world. It's going to take a lot of trial and error, but maybe a bigger purpose is exactly what he's needed all along.
Crashing (s2, HBO)
Sheltered suburbanite Pete dreams of a big-city career in comedy, but his wife, Jessica, has other ideas. Childhood sweethearts no more after he finds her in an uncompromising position with another man, Pete is suddenly homeless and frantically re-evaluating his priorities. As he attempts to find comfort in the rough-and-tumble New York comedy scene, the aspiring funny man bunks on other people's couches while learning hard lessons about life and himself. Created by and starring Pete Holmes, with Judd Apatow as a co-executive producer, "Crashing" draws on Holmes' own experiences as a comedian, presenting an inside look at the fickle world of stand-up comedy.
Victoria (s2, PBS)
This eight-part drama features an all-star cast including Jenna Coleman as a young Queen Victoria and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert. The monarch's life is chronicled as the story begins with the death of King William IV in 1837, her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 and her relationships with the influential forces around her. With the advice of the prime minister Lord Melbourne and the support of her husband Prince Albert the young queen flourishes and establishes herself in her newfound role.
This Is Us (s2, NBC)
The Pearson family's generational story unfolds in this emotional drama. In moments of love, joy, triumph and heartbreak, revelations emerge from parents Jack and Rebecca's past, while triplets Kate, Randall and Kevin discover deeper meaning in their present day lives. Successful businessman and father Randall searches for information about his biological parents. Kate finds love and self-acceptance while battling obesity. Kevin pursues a more meaningful career, which brings some difficult choices.
Season Beginnings & Returns:
Schitt’s Creek (s4, Pop)
In CBC's sitcom "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy couple -- video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira -- suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt's Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
The Walking Dead (return of s8, AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the weeks and months following a zombie apocalypse. Led by police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
Deception (s1, ABC)
Superstar Las Vegas magician Cameron Black's career may have been ruined by scandal, but he's found another place to put his skills of deception, influence and illusion to use: the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As a consulting illusionist, Cameron uses every trick at his disposal -- inventing new ones as necessary -- to help the government catch the world's most elusive criminals and solve crimes that seem to defy all explanation. In doing so, he while feeds his ego by staging the biggest illusions of his career.
Timeless (s2, NBC)
When a group with nefarious intentions attempts to change the world as we know it by altering the past, Lucy, a historian, Wyatt, a soldier, and Rufus, a scientist, unite to form an unlikely partnership, traveling through time to save history. Their riveting adventures take them to some of the most thrilling, volatile and critical events on record, including a venture to the Old West, a sojourn to the Alamo, a visit to the famous Chicago World's Fair and a crusade into Nazi Germany. Along the way, they cross paths with famous historical icons, such as Josephine Baker, Harry Houdini, Ernest Hemingway and infamous rivals Eliot Ness and Al Capone. But every step the team takes to protect history puts everything we know at risk -- because changing one thing changes everything.
Mary Kills People (s2, Lifetime)
As an ER doctor, Mary Harris is used to helping save people's lives. At night, though, she turns her attention to a different practice. Working with her partner, a former plastic surgeon, Mary moonlights as an underground angel of death. Together, they help terminally ill patients end their lives on their own terms. Mary tries to fly under the radar with her side business -- which she has managed to do for a while -- but her secret career becomes increasingly complicated as business picks up. As her world starts to unravel, Mary realizes she has to fight dirty if she wants to keep the killing-scheme going.
Rise (s1, NBC)
Inspired by a true story, a working-class community is awakened when its high school theater program takes on an unconventional new leader. As dedicated teacher and family man Lou Mazzuchelli takes over the lagging department, he encourages his students to unleash their creativity and explore new means of self-expression. But even though the students discover talents and ambitions they never knew they had, not everyone in town is thrilled. Upset by challenges brought by change, enraged faculty and skeptical parents contest Mr. Mazzu's galvanizing efforts. But with passionate fervor running through the town's veins, no one can deny a revolution is underway.
For the People (s1, ABC)
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York -- also known as the Mother Court -- is the oldest district court in the nation, and the setting for the newest drama from the minds of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. Focusing on the lives and careers of the brand-new lawyers working for both the defense and the prosecution and handling some of the most high-profile and high-stakes federal cases in the country, "For the People" follows the talented professionals as their lives intersect both in and out of the courtroom.
On My Block (s1, Netflix)
A coming-of-age comedy about four bright, street-savvy friends navigating their way through high school in the gritty inner city of South Central Los Angeles.
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In theaters March 9, 2018
Gringo
Mild-mannered U.S. businessman Harold Soyinka finds himself at the mercy of backstabbing colleagues, local drug lords and a black ops mercenary after traveling to Mexico. Crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal, Harold fights to survive an increasingly dangerous situation that raises the question -- is he out of his depth or two steps ahead?
Starring: David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Amanda Seyfried, Thandie Newton, Sharlto Copley
Produced by: Rebecca Yeldham, Nash Edgerton, Charlize Theron, Beth Kono, A. J. Dix
Directed by: Nash Edgerton
Cinematography Natasha Braier, Eduard Grau
Distributed by: Amazon Studios, STX Entertainment
Runtime: 110 minutes
The Tick (Amazon Prime)
In a world where superheroes and villains have been real for decades, Arthur, an unassuming accountant with no superpowers, becomes embroiled in the middle of the battle between good and evil. When he realizes that his city is owned by a global supervillain who was long thought to be dead, he struggles to uncover the conspiracy. As he becomes obsessed with the conspiracy, most people think he's crazy. One person who believes Arthur is a mysterious new ally, The Tick, who is a bizarre blue superhero who may just be a figment of Arthur's imagination.
Seven Seconds (Netflix)
When 15-year-old black cyclist Brenton Butler dies in a hit-and-run accident -- with a white police officer behind the wheel of the vehicle -- Jersey City explodes with racial tension. This crime drama explores the aftermath of the accident, which includes an attempted cover-up by the police department and a volatile trial. Assistant prosecutor KJ wants to prosecute the hit-and-run as a hate crime, in addition to a negligent homicide. The longer the case drags on without a resolution, the more tense the situation becomes. Emmy winner Regina King stars as Brenton's churchgoing mother, Latrice.
Living Biblically (CBS)
After losing his best friend and learning that his wife is pregnant, film critic Chip Curry embarks on a spiritual journey to start living a better, more moral life. While searching for answers, he turns to the Bible and comes to the decision to try living in accordance with its pages. When he quickly discovers that it may be harder to achieve in today's world than he initially believed, he and his wife assemble a "God Squad" to help him out along the way.
Good Girls (NBC)
When sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve, they band together to take control of their lives -- by holding up a local grocery store. Beth's the perfect wife and mother, but her used-car-dealing, cheating husband has sent her family into financial ruin; Ruby is happily married to a policeman but can't afford the medical bills and experimental drugs to help her daughter; and Annie, a single mom, is caught in a nasty custody battle with her ex. In desperate need of money, the women plan the heist expecting to ease their financial burdens. But new to the game of crime, they get pulled in deeper than they ever imagined -- and the only way out of this will be together.
McMafia (AMC)
Alex Godman, the English-raised son of an exiled Russian crime family, has spent years trying to evade his family's past and live on the straight and narrow, running a legitimate business and mapping out a future with his girlfriend Rebecca. As he struggles against the lure of corruption and his family's former mafia connections, tragedy strikes and he finds himself drawn into the shadowy underworld of international crime, fighting for survival and revenge. "McMafia" is inspired by journalist Misha Glenny's best-selling book of the same name.
Unsolved (USA)
"Unsolved" is a new limited series that draws from the experiences of Greg Kading and Russell Poole, two former LAPD detectives who led separate investigations into the murders of iconic rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. Based on Kading's book "Murder Rap: The Untold Story of the Biggie Smalls & Tupac Shakur Murder Investigations," the series juxtaposes the two investigations alongside flashbacks into the relationship between Tupac and Biggie.
The Looming Tower (HULU)
"The Looming Tower" traces the rising threat of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida in the late '90s and how a rivalry between the FBI and CIA during the time period may have inadvertently set the path for the attacks of 9/11. The series follows members of the I-49 Squad in New York and Alec Station in Washington, D.C. -- the counterterrorism divisions of the FBI and CIA, respectively -- as they travel around the world, fighting for ownership of information while seemingly working toward a common goal of preventing an imminent attack on American soil. The drama is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name by Lawrence Wright.
Atlanta (FX)
Atlanta is one of the top cities for young rappers looking to make a name for themselves in the business. Among those up-and-comers is Alfred Miles, a hot new artist who is trying to understand the line between real life and street life. He is managed by his cousin, Earn, who gets caught up in the local rap scene and his cousin's career after returning home to the ATL. Earn does whatever he can to try to get Alfred's career to the next level. Darius, the rapper's right-hand man and visionary, is also in Alfred's entourage. When Earn isn't busy managing his cousin's career, he spends much of his time with best friend Vanessa, who is also the mother of his daughter.
The Good Fight (CBS)
The CBS All Access series picks up one year after the events in the final episode of "The Good Wife." After a financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out her mentor and godmother Diane Lockhart's savings, the two are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join forces with Lucca Quinn at one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms. At Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Diane finds familiar faces, including Colin Morrello, who is a rising star in the state's attorney's office, and Marissa Gold. Though starting at the bottom, Diane and Maia are determined to rebuild their careers and lives at the new firm.
Hard Sun (HULU)
London detectives Charlie Hicks and Elaine Renko seek to enforce the law while protecting their loved ones in a world that is constantly slipping closer to certain destruction. Hicks is a family man and committed officer, but he is profoundly corrupt. Renko is difficult and damaged but utterly incorruptible. While they stand on opposite ends of the social and moral spectrums and have a serious distrust for each other, the partners must learn to work together if they're going to survive until the end of the world.
Champions (NBC)
From executive producers Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy, brothers Vince and Matthew are living every single man's dream. They own the fifth largest gym in Brooklyn, N.Y., date an endless string of beautiful women and share a bachelor pad in fraternal bliss. But their simple life gets complicated fast when Vince's high school fling Priya surprises him with Michael, their fabulous and feisty 15-year-old son with big city dreams. As Michael plots his rise to fame, fitness-obsessed Vince and Matthew must now work out how to be a strong and supportive family.
Jessica Jones (Netflix)
This Netflix original chronicles the life of one of the darker Marvel characters, the mysterious Jessica Jones. When a tragedy puts an end to her short-lived career as a superhero, Jessica settles in New York City and opens her own detective agency, called Alias Investigations, which seems to be called into cases involving people who have special abilities. Suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, Jessica wants to do good, but her primary interest isn't in saving the world, it's saving her apartment and getting through each day. Based on a graphic novel intended for adults, this is not a superhero story for the kids.
Collateral (Netflix)
London detectives investigating the seemingly random murder of a pizza delivery man uncover a convoluted case of interlocking circumstances amid a cross-section of British society.
Sneaky Pete (Amazon Prime)
Giovanni Ribisi plays the role of Marius, a con man who tries to leave his old life behind by assuming the identity of his cell mate, Pete. While Pete's family doesn't have reason to suspect that he is not their long-lost loved one, they are a colorful group with their own secrets and lies that could make life as dangerous as the world Marius was hoping to escape. Marius must find a way to keep his lies from backfiring as he deals with unexpected situations that come his way. Executive producers include Graham Yost and Bryan Cranston.
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In theaters March 9, 2018
Thoroughbreds
Childhood friends Lily and Amanda reconnect in suburban Connecticut after years of growing apart. Lily has turned into a polished upper-class teenager who has a fancy boarding school on her transcript and a coveted internship on her resume. Amanda has developed a sharp wit and her own particular attitude but all in the process of becoming a social outcast. Though they initially seem completely at odds, the pair eventually bond and hatch a plan to solve both of their problems.
Starring: Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin, Paul Sparks, Francie Swift
Produced by: Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks, Kevin J. Walsh, Nat Faxon
Jim Rash
Directed by: Cory Finley
Written by: Cory Finley
Cinematography Lyle Vincent
Distributed by: Focus Features
Runtime: 90 minutes
The 2018 Oscars have ended, and the Critic and the Referee couldn’t wait to let you know their thoughts. Listen in to hear what they have to say about the Academy’s picks.
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
WINNER: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
WINNER: Allison Janney - I, Tonya
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
WINNER: Call Me by Your Name
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
WINNER: Get Out
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
WINNER: Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
WINNER: Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
WINNER: Frances McDormand - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
DIRECTING
WINNER: Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water
BEST PICTURE
WINNER: The Shape of Water
In theaters March 2, 2018
Submission
Ted Swenson (Stanley Tucci) is a once-acclaimed author who teaches writing at a small liberal arts college. Though his marriage to Sherrie (Kyra Sedgwick) is comfortable, he finds himself drowning in discontent--stuffy departmental dinners at which he drinks too much, smug colleagues whom he dislikes yet fears he resembles, and an endless stream of students who are as untalented as they are unteachable. But when a new pupil, Angela Argo (Addison Timlin), showspromise Ted focuses on nurturing her career, and she appears more than willing to devote the one-on-one time required. Basking in Angela's youth, talent, and admiration, just as she benefits from Ted's wisdom, experience, and professional connections, it's only a matter of time before lines are crossed and it becomes unclear whether Ted is predator or prey and Angela is victim or victimizer.
Starring: Addison Timlin, Stanley Tucci, Kyra Sedgwick, Janeane Garofalo
Produced by: Wren Arthur, Jared Ian Goldman
Directed by: Richard Levine
Written by: Richard Levine
Cinematography Hillary Spera
Distributed by: Mighty Engine, Olive Productions, Ospringe Media Limited
Runtime:145 minutes
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The Oscars will be airing this coming Sunday, March 4th, and the Critic and the Referee are back to bring you their annual predictions on the winners in this years major categories, while giving you their own favorites in those categories. Will they predict the winners? Do they agree or disagree with the Academy’s nominees? You'll have to listen in to this episode, then tune into the Oscars airing on ABC this Sunday to find out.
Major Categories
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Call Me by Your Name
The Disaster Artist
Logan
Molly's Game
Mudbound
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
The Big Sick
Get Out
Lady Bird
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water
Christopher Plummer - All the Money in the World
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Mary J. Blige - Mudbound \
Allison Janney - I, Tonya
Lesley Manville - Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Timothée Chalamet - Call Me by Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis - Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out
Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
Denzel Washington - Roman J. Israel, Esq.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Sally Hawkins - The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie - I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird
Meryl Streep - The Post
DIRECTING
Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk
Jordan Peele - Get Out
Greta Gerwig Lady Bird
Paul Thomas Anderson - Phantom Thread
Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water
BEST PICTURE
Call Me by Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water
The Post
Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
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La Mante (miniseries, Netflix)
Decades after she was captured, imprisoned serial killer Jeanne Deber is asked by Paris' police commissioner to help solve a series of unsolved murders being committed by someone who is copying her crimes from years earlier. Jeanne -- who was known as "The Mantis" during her days as a criminal -- agrees, but only if estranged son Damien -- now a detective -- works alongside her. He reluctantly agrees so that they can try to end the copycat's crime spree. Time is of the essence because as the investigation goes on, the number of victims continues to rise.
The Magicians (season 3, Syfy)
Quentin Coldwater, a grad student at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, has been fascinated by the magical fantasy world since he was young. But as he has gotten older, Quentin and his 20-something friends have discovered that the magical world they read about as children is not only real, but poses dangers to humanity. While studying at the secret upstate New York school, the friends struggle to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophe that befalls the institution. The fantasy series is based on a series of novels by Lev Grossman.
Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (anthology, Amazon Prime)
"Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams" is a 10-episode science-fiction anthology series that journeys into unique worlds beyond the reach of the imagination. Based on short stories written by Dick, each stand-alone episode is inspired by a different story, adapted by a team of leading British and American writers. The all-star cast changes with each episode and includes Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi, Greg Kinnear, Timothy Spall and Anna Paquin. "Electric Dreams" is a co-production between the U.K's Channel 4 and Amazon Prime Video.
Babylon Berlin (season 1, Netflix)
Police commissioner Gereon Rath is transferred from Cologne to Berlin, the epicenter of political and social change in the Golden Twenties. Shellshocked from his service during World War II, he uncovers a dangerous web of intrigue while investigating one of Berlin's biggest pornography rings. There's an even bigger conspiracy unfolding, though, when Soviet rebels hijack a train as part of a mission hatched by Trotsky supporters in the city.
A.P. Bio (season 1, NBC)
When Harvard philosophy professor Jack Griffin fails to get his dream job and reluctantly moves back to Ohio to work as a high school Advanced Placement Biology teacher, he makes one thing very clear: he will not be teaching one bit of biology. Instead, realizing he has a room full of honor roll students at his disposal, Jack recruits the kids to help him mentally break his job-stealing nemesis and win back the position that's rightfully his. From Saturday Night Live alums Seth Meyers and Mike O'Brien.
Here and Now (season 1, HBO)
A multi-racial family made up of a husband, a wife, three adopted children from Somalia, Vietnam and Colombia, and one biological child, finds its bonds tested.
Homeland (season 7, Showtime)
When Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody returns home following eight years in captivity, CIA agent Carrie Mathison thinks he has turned and is connected to a terror plot to be carried out on American soil, so she engages him in a dangerous game of cat and mouse that puts America's national security at risk. Later on, Carrie gets a promotion and returns to the front lines overseas. She is assigned to one of the CIA's most volatile and dangerous stations in the Middle East, where she is in the heart of battle in the war on terror. Years later, after being disillusioned and placing herself in a self-imposed exile in Berlin, Carrie becomes estranged from the CIA, eventually returning stateside where she works for a foundation providing aid to Muslims living in America.
DC's Legends of Tomorrow (return of season 3, CW)
"Arrow" and "The Flash" have some new superhero company in the CW's lineup with the addition of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow." After seeing what doom the future holds, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter realizes heroes alone are not enough to prevent the impending catastrophe that threatens not only the planet, but all of time itself. Tasked with recruiting both heroes and villains, Rip brings together a ragtag team of divergent talents, which includes the likes of Sara Lance, Ray Palmer, and Heat Wave.
Mozart in the Jungle (season 4, Amazon Prime)
As Amazon's "Mozart in the Jungle" opens, Maestro Thomas takes his final bow with the New York Symphony. Applause dies down, and the orchestra's chairwoman introduces a new conductor -- young, flamboyant, talented Rodrigo, who strides onto the stage, bows and turns his baton into a rose! Conflict begins for the badly behaved genius and his stodgy predecessor, now music director emeritus. Rodrigo promises change when he icily reviews Thomas' last concert, and it starts with auditions that alter life for a female oboist scrambling for gigs.
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In Theaters Now
Black Panther
After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king -- and as Black Panther -- gets tested when he's drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people..
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis
Written by: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Cinematography Rachel Morrison
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Runtime: 134 minutes
The Flash (season 4 on CW)
At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession -- a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention -- causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
Black Lightning (season 1 on CW)
CW and Greg Berlanti expand the footprint of their DC Comics universe with this exploration of the intersection between family life and being a superhero. As a younger man, Jefferson Pierce donned the suit of a vigilante and protected the streets of his city, but he believed he'd left those days in the past. He learns that life doesn't always work out as planned when his daughter, Jennifer -- a star student who is determined to achieve justice at any cost -- gets recruited by a street gang. In order to protect his family, Jefferson sees no choice but to once again become Black Lightning.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (season 2 on FX)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is the second season of the FX true crime anthology television series American Crime Story. The season premiered on January 17, 2018, and will consist of a total of 9 episodes.[3] It explores the murder of designer Gianni Versace by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, based on Maureen Orth's book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History.
Grey’s Anatomy (season 14 on ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of doctors at a hospital in Seattle, including several who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. She struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them -- Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Scandal (final season on ABC)
"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes is the creative mind behind this ABC drama. Olivia Pope, a former media consultant to the president, is ready to move on with her life and opens her own crisis-management firm, but she can't seem to shake ties with her past. Olivia's staff includes Quinn Perkins, who has a complicated history, and hacker extraordinaire Huck. As she moves forward it becomes clear that, while her staffers may specialize in cleaning up the lives of other people, they can't seem to do the same for themselves.
High Maintenance (season 2 on HBO)
Exploring the private lives of dozens of New Yorkers that have one connection, their weed dealer.
Counterpart (season 1 on Starz)
What might be different if a person could co-exist in an alternate world? Howard Silk, a low-level agent whose career is winding down at a Berlin-based United Nations spy agency, unwittingly learns the answer. Upon discovering his organization is harboring a secret, that of a gateway to a parallel dimension, Howard becomes immersed in a mysterious world of espionage, intrigue, and government conspiracies. There, the only man Howard can trust is Prime, his almost identical counterpart from a divergent reality.
Baskets (season 3 on FX)
Chip Baskets has always dreamed of being a classically trained clown. After flunking out of French clown college -- probably due to his inability to understand French -- he returns home to Bakersfield, California, where he moves in with his mother, Christine, bickers with his twin brother, Dale, longs for his sophisticated Parisian ex-wife, and continues to pursue his professional clowning dream, with the assistance of his friend/assistant/insurance adjuster, Martha. Zach Galifianakis stars as both Chip and Dale, with Louie Anderson as Christine and Martha Kelly in the role of Martha.
Another Period (season 3 on Comedy Central)
Before others staked a claim, there was one American family who stood for all that was spoiled, shameless and stupid. It's the Bellacourts, and as Rhode Island's first family of the Gilded Age, the insanely ridiculous, debaucherous clan have more servants than relatives, and days are filled with money, sex, drugs and more money. With nothing of substance to offer their fellow citizens, the Bellacourts are solely concerned with how they look, what parties they attend, and -- in the case of sisters Lillian and Beatrice, especially -- becoming super famous. Co-executive producers Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome star as Lillian and Beatrice, respectively.
Waco (miniseries on Paramount Network, formerly called Spike)
In February 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms raids David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound, a small religious community located just outside of Waco, Texas, triggering a drawn-out gun battle that kills four ATF agents and six civilians and wounds dozens more people. After a 51-day standoff, the conflict ends when an FBI assault leads to a fire that engulfs the compound, killing 76 Branch Davidians, including Koresh. Told from the perspectives of those who were there, including chief FBI negotiator Gary Noesner and survivor David Thibodeau, the six-part scripted series "Waco" dramatizes one of the most misunderstood stories in American history.
Altered Carbon (season 1 on Netflix)
More than 300 years in the future, society has been transformed by new technology, leading to human bodies being interchangeable and death no longer being permanent. Takeshi Kovacs is the only surviving soldier of a group of elite interstellar warriors who were defeated in an uprising against the new world order. His mind was imprisoned for centuries until impossibly wealthy businessman Laurens Bancroft offers him the chance to live again. Kovacs will have to do something for Bancroft, though, if he wants to be resurrected. Bancroft's request of Kovacs is to solve a murder -- Bancroft's. "Altered Carbon" is based on Richard K. Morgan's cyberpunk noir novel of the same name.
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Star Trek: Discovery (season 1 finale on CBS All Access)
Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman for CBS All Access, the story of "Star Trek: Discovery" begins roughly a decade before Captain Kirk's five-year mission -- as portrayed in the original "Star Trek" from the 1960s -- and a century before the events of "Star Trek: Enterprise." The series follows the crew of the USS Discovery as they encounter new worlds and civilizations, delving into familiar themes and expanding upon an incident that has been talked about within the franchise's universe, but never fully explored.
Black-ish (season 4 on ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all: a great job, a beautiful wife, Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighborhood, but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honor their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
Grown-ish (season 1 on Freeform)
The Johnson family's eldest daughter is taking her first steps into the real world as she heads off to college. "Grown-ish" explores the first trappings of adulthood, and Zoey must navigate through the trials and tribulations of these momentous steps. Zoey discovers that once she leaves the nest, things do not always go her way. The series features "that in between place where you're not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time," Kenya Barris, the show's creator and executive producer, said.
9-1-1 (season 1 on FOX)
Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk venture into a new genre with procedural drama "9-1-1." The series is a fast-paced exploration into the lives and careers of first responders -- including police officers, paramedics and firefighters -- the individuals who put their lives on the line every day to save others. The show draws from real-life, high-pressure experiences of emergency response providers who regularly face heart-stopping situations that are often unpredictable, intense and uplifting at the same time.
The Blacklist (season 5 on NBC)
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the globe's most wanted fugitives. But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies and international terrorists -- on the condition that he must work with profiler Elizabeth Keen. Red's true intentions -- choosing Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection -- are unclear. Does Liz have secrets of her own? Red promises to teach Liz to think like a criminal "to see the bigger picture," whether she wants to or not.
Nashville (final season on CMT)
Rayna James has had a successful country-music career, but lately, her popularity has started to fade. Her record label believes the solution is to have her open for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes on tour, but Juliette is a schemer and wants nothing more than to steal Rayna's spotlight. Rayna thinks her real chance is in another young woman, undiscovered songwriter Scarlett O'Connor. While Rayna struggles with her career, her father is busy messing with her private life, encouraging her husband to run for election to be mayor of Nashville - against her wishes.
The Chi (season 1 on Showtime)
The South Side of Chicago carries daily danger, and the smallest and simplest of decisions can have life or death consequences for the residents. Life continues as the kids prep for school and their parents shuffle off to work. The young adults of the area are trying to scrape a living for themselves, while the elders sit on their front porches and observe the goings on. The South Side has the potential to crush dreams, and this coming-of-age series focuses on Kevin, a preteen who embraces the normal rites of childhood, Brandon, who makes a leap of faith to succeed in love and life with Jerrika, Emmett, who seeks guidance from his mother, and Ronnie, who is a drifter struggling to be loved. All of them are linked together by sheer coincidence as they seek redemption.
This Is Us (season 2 on NBC)
The Pearson family's generational story unfolds in this emotional drama. In moments of love, joy, triumph and heartbreak, revelations emerge from parents Jack and Rebecca's past, while triplets Kate, Randall and Kevin discover deeper meaning in their present day lives. Successful businessman and father Randall searches for information about his biological parents. Kate finds love and self-acceptance while battling obesity. Kevin pursues a more meaningful career, which brings some difficult choices.
Blindspot (season 3 on NBC)
When Jane Doe is found naked in Times Square with her memory erased and her body covered in fresh tattoos, Agent Kurt Weller and his FBI team are instantly drawn to the case. Together, they discover each tattoo is a clue, making Jane's body a maze of mysteries that must be solved to uncover her true identity. But as Jane and Weller get closer to unveiling her past and discovering who set this riddle in motion, they find the quandary goes deeper than they ever imagined, involving people they thought they could trust.
Crashing (season 2 on HBO)
Sheltered suburbanite Pete dreams of a big-city career in comedy, but his wife, Jessica, has other ideas. Childhood sweethearts no more after he finds her in an uncompromising position with another man, Pete is suddenly homeless and frantically re-evaluating his priorities. As he attempts to find comfort in the rough-and-tumble New York comedy scene, the aspiring funny man bunks on other people's couches while learning hard lessons about life and himself. Created by and starring Pete Holmes, with Judd Apatow as a co-executive producer, "Crashing" draws on Holmes' own experiences as a comedian, presenting an inside look at the fickle world of stand-up comedy.
Shameless (season 8 finale on Showtime)
Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a single father of six who spends much of his free time drinking at bars. The Gallagher children -- led by oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who takes on much of the child-rearing responsibility due to her mother's absence -- manage to raise themselves in spite of Frank's lack of parenting and unusual parenting style when he does choose to act like a father. The drama is an adaptation of the BAFTA Award-winning British show of the same name.
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On Netflix February 9, 2018
The Ritual
Reuniting after the tragic death of their friend, four college pals set out to hike through the Scandinavian wilderness. A wrong turn leads them into the mysterious forests of Norse legend, where an ancient evil exists and stalks them at every turn.
Starring: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton
Produced by:Jonathan Cavendish, Richard Holmes, Andy Serkis
Directed by: David Bruckner
Cinematography Andrew Shulkind
Distributed by:eOne Films Netflix
Runtime:91 minutes
Released, December 8, 2017
I, Tonya
In 1991, talented figure skater Tonya Harding becomes the first American woman to complete a triple axel during a competition. In 1994, her world comes crashing down when her ex-husband conspires to injure Nancy Kerrigan, a fellow Olympic hopeful, in a poorly conceived attack that forces the young woman to withdraw from the national championship. Harding's life and legacy instantly become tarnished as she's forever associated with one of the most infamous scandals in sports history.
Starring:Margot Robbi, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson, Bobby Cannavale
Written by:Steven Rogers
Produced by:Tom Ackerley, Margot Robbie, Steven Rogers, Bryan Unkeless
Created by:Craig Gillespie
Directed by: Jakob Verbruggen, David Petrarca, James Hawes, Jamie Payne
Cinematography Nicolas Karakatsanis
Distributed by: Neon
Runtime: 119 minutes
Premiering on TNT, January 22, 2018
The Alienist
Set in New York City in 1896, a journalist and an investigative team assembled by police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt try to solve a series of murders; based on the novel by Caleb Carr.
Starring:Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, Dakota Fanning, Robert Wisdom, Douglas Smith, Matthew Shear, Matt Lintz, Brian Geraghty, Q'orianka Kilcher
Created by:Cary Fukunaga
Directed by: Jakob Verbruggen, David Petrarca, James Hawes, Jamie Payne
Cinematography PJ Dillon (ISC), Gavin Struthers (ASC)
Distributed by:Warner Bros. Television Distributio
Leave No Trace
Release: January 20, 2018 (Sundance)
A father and his 13 year-old daughter are living in a paradisiacal existence in a vast urban park in Portland Oregon when a small mistake derails their lives forever.
Starring: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Jeff Kober, Dale Dickey
Directed by: Debra Granik
Produced by: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini
Written by:Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini
Cinematography by: Michael McDonough
Distributed by:Bleecker Street
Runtime: 108 minutes
Sorry to Bother You
Release: January 20, 2018 (Sundance)
In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success - which propels him into a macabre universe.
Starring: Lakeith Stanfield, Armie Hammer, Tessa Thompson, Steven Yeun, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover
Directed by: Boots Riley
Produced by: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Kelly Williams, Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker
Written by:Boots Riley
Cinematography by: Doug Emmett
Distributed by:Annapurna Pictures
Runtime: 105 minutes
What They Had
Release: January 21, 2018 (Sundance) March 16, 2018 (United States)
When her Alzheimer's-suffering mother, Ruth, wanders into a blizzard on Christmas Eve, Bridget Ertz travels back to her hometown to help her brother convince their father to put Ruth in a nursing home and face the end of their life-long love affair.
Starring: Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, Taissa Farmiga, Josh Lucas
Directed by: Elizabeth Chomko
Produced by: Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, Andrew Duncan, Tyler Jackson, Bill Holderman, Keith Kjarval, Alex Saks
Written by:Elizabeth Chomko
Cinematography by: Roberto Schaefer
Distributed by:Bleecker Street
Runtime: 98 minutes
Yardie
Release: January 20, 2018 (Sundance)
On a hot night in Kingston, Jamaica, 1973, Jerry Dread stops the music at an outdoor party to encourage a truce between warring gangs. His little brother Denis looks on from the crowd as an assassin's bullet rings out, taking Jerry's life. A decade later, Denis is the right-hand man to gang-boss Fox, who sends him on a loyalty-testing mission to London. But when the mission goes wrong, Denis hides out with an old flame and decides to find his brother's killer.
Starring: Aml Ameen, Akin Gazi, Mark Rhino Smith, Fraser James, Naomi Ackie
Directed by: Idris Elba
Written by: Brock Norman Brock
Runtime: 101 minutes
Monster
Release:January 22, 2018 (Sundance)
A teenager finds himself incarcerated at a New York juvenile detention center and charged with robbery and felony murder.
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jennifer Ehle
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Written by:Radha Blank, Cole Wiley, Janece Shaffer
Distributed by:Bron Studios, Charlevoix Entertainment, Get Lifted Film Company, Tonik Productions
Runtime: 91 minutes
Come Sunday
Release: January 21, 2018 (Sundance) April 13, 2018 (United States)
Evangelist Carlton Pearson is ostracized by his church for preaching that there is no Hell.
Starring: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Jeff Kober, Dale Dickey
Directed by: Joshua Marston
Produced by: Marc Forster, Ira Glass, Alissa Shipp, James D. Stern, Julie Goldstein
Written by:Marcus Hinchey
Cinematography by: Peter Flinckenberg
Distributed by:Netflix
Runtime: 106 minutes
Beirut
Release: January 22, 2018 (Sundance) - April 13, 2018 (United States)
A U.S. diplomat (Jon Hamm) flees Lebanon in 1972 after a tragic incident at his home. Ten years later, he is called back to war-torn Beirut by a CIA operative (Rosamund Pike) to negotiate for the life of a friend he left behind.
Starring: Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, Larry Pine, Mark Pellegrino
Directed by: Brad Anderson
Produced by: Tony Gilroy, Ted Field, Mike Weber, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson
Written by:Tony Gilroy
Cinematography by: Björn Charpentier
Distributed by:Bleecker Street
Runtime: 149 minutes
The Happy Prince
Released: 21 January 2018 (Sundance)
The untold story of the last days in the tragic times of Oscar Wilde, a person who observes his own failure with ironic distance and regards the difficulties that beset his life with detachment and humor.
Starring: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Emily Watson
Directed by: Rupert Everett
Written by: Rupert Everett
Distributed by:Lionsgate UK, Concorde Film, Beta Cinema
Runtime: 145 minutes
Burden
Released: 21 January 2018 (Sundance)
The film follows Mike Burden (Hedlund), an orphan raised within the Ku Klux Klan who attempts to break away when the girl he falls in love with urges him to leave for a better life together. The Klan seeks Mike out for vengeance, a black church congregation led by Reverend Kennedy takes Mike, his girlfriend and her son in, protects them and accepts them into their community in hopes of teaching Mike about love and acceptance.
Starring: Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whitaker, Andrea Riseborough, Tom Wilkinson, Tess Harper, Usher
Directed by: Andrew Heckler
Produced by: Robbie Brenner, Jeff Kwatinetz, Gabby Revilla, Kevin McKeon
Written by:Andrew Heckler
Cinematography by: Jeremy Rouse
Distributed by:Bill Kenwright Films, The Fyzz Facility, Unburdened Entertainment
Runtime: 129 minutes
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The 2018 Sundance Film Festival just wrapped up, and the Critic and the Referee are back to give you their inside scoop on what went down while in those snowy mountains. This was the Critic and the Referee's 2nd year attending the film festival and it didn't disappoint.
Enjoy our coverage of day 1 and day 2 of Sundance Film Festival 2018!
Day1
Hearts Beat Loud
Release: January 26, 2018 (Sundance)
A father and daughter form an unlikely songwriting duo in the summer before she leaves for college.
Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Toni Collette, Sasha Lane, Ted Danson, Blythe Danner
Directed by: Brett Haley
Produced by: Sam Bisbee, Houston King, Sam Slater
Written by:Brett Haley, Marc Basch
Cinematography by: Eric Lin
Distributed by:Gunpowder & Sky
Runtime: 97 minutes
Blind Spotting
Release: January 18, 2018 (Sundance)
A raucous, rap-filled and often revealing story of male friendship on the rapidly gentrifying streets of Oakland, California.
Starring: Janina Gavankar
Directed by: Carlos López Estrada
Produced by: Jess Calder, Keith Calder, Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Written by:Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Cinematography by: Robby Baumgartner
Distributed by:Lionsgate
Runtime: 97 minutes
The Catcher Was a Spy
Release: January 19, 2018 (Sundance)
In the midst of World War II, major league catcher Moe Berg (Paul Rudd) is drafted to join a new team: the Office of Security Services (the precursor to the CIA). No ordinary ballplayer, the erudite, Jewish Ivy League graduate speaks nine languages and is a regular guest on a popular TV quiz show. Despite his celebrity, Berg is an enigma - a closeted gay man with a knack for keeping secrets. The novice spy is quickly trained and sent into the field to stop German scientist Werner Heisenberg before he can build an atomic bomb for the Nazis.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Guy Pearce, Jeff Daniels, Paul Giamatti, Sienna Miller
Directed by: Ben Lewin
Produced by: Kevin Scott Frakes, Tatiana Kelly, Buddy Patrick, Jim Young
Cinematography by: Andrij Parekh
Runtime: 138 minutes
Day2
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Release: January 19, 2018 (Sundance) - May 11, 2018 (United States)
After nearly dying in a car accident, the last thing Oregon slacker John Callahan intends to do is give up alcohol. Encouraged by his girlfriend and a charismatic sponsor, Callahan reluctantly enters a treatment program and discovers that he has a knack for drawing. The budding artist soon finds himself with a new lease on life when his edgy and irreverent newspaper cartoons gain a national and devoted following.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black, Udo Kier, Carrie Brownstein, Steve Zissis, Mark Webber
Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Produced by: Charles-Marie Anthonioz, Mourad Belkeddar, Steve Golin, Nicholas Lhermitte
Cinematography by: Christopher Blauvelt
Distributed by: Amazon Studios
Runtime: 113 minutes
Wild Life
Release: January 20, 2018 (Sundance)
In 1960, a boy watches his parents' marriage fall apart after they move to Montana, and his mother falls in love with another man.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould, Zoe Margaret Colletti
Directed by: Paul Dano
Produced by: Jake Gyllenhaal, Oren Moverman, Riva Marker, Ann Ruark, Alex Saks
Cinematography by: Diego García
Runtime: 144 minutes
Colette
Release: January 20, 2018 (Sundance)
The story of a marriage, Colette shows the lengths one woman must go to escape her husband's control and claim her voice as an artist.
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Directed by: Wash Westmoreland
Produced by: Elizabeth Karlsen, Pamela Koffler, Michel Litvak, Christine Vachon
Written by: Wash Westmoreland, Richard Glatzer
Runtime: 151 minutes
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In theaters January 12, 2018
The Polka King
Local Pennsylvania polka legend Jan Lewan develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans and lands him in jail.
Starring:Jack Black, Jenny Slate, Jason Schwartzman, Jacki Weaver
Written by:Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky
Directed by: Maya Forbes
Produced by:Jack Black, Stuart Cornfeld, Monica Levinson, Priyanka Mattoo, David Permut, Shivani Rawat, Wallace Wolodarsky
Cinematography by:Andrei Bowden-Schwartz
Distributed by:Netflix
Runtime: 135 minutes
In theaters January 12, 2018
The Commuter
Insurance salesman Michael McCauley is on his daily commute home, which quickly becomes anything but routine. After being contacted by a mysterious stranger, Michael is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on the train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, he realizes a deadly plan is unfolding, and he is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that carries life and death stakes for everyone on the train.
Starring:Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Elizabeth McGovern, Sam Neill
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Screenplay by:Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi, Ryan Engle
Produced by:Andrew Rona, Alex Heineman
Cinematography by:Paul Cameron
Distributed by:Lionsgate (United States) StudioCanal UK (United Kingdom)
Runtime: 105 minutes
In theaters December 25, 2017
Molly's Game
The true story of Molly Bloom, a beautiful, young, Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans and finally, unbeknown to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey, who learned there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led people to believe.
Starring:Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O'Dowd, Bill Camp
Directed by:Aaron Sorkin
Screenplay by:Aaron Sorkin
Produced by:Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Matt Jackson
Cinematography by:Charlotte Bruus Christensen
Distributed by:STXfilms
Runtime: 140 minutes
(limited release December 22, 2017 , wide release January 12, 2018)
The Post
Katharine Graham is the first female publisher of a major American newspaper -- The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee, Graham races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents. Together, they must overcome their differences as they risk their careers -- and very freedom -- to help bring long-buried truths to light.
Starring:Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys
Directed by:Steven Spielberg
Produced by:Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Amy Pascal
Written by:Liz Hannah, Josh Singer
Cinematography by:Janusz Kamiński
Distributed by:20th Century Fox (United States) Universal Pictures (International)
Runtime: 116 minutes
In theaters December 22, 2017
Downsizing
When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.
Starring:Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig
Directed by:Alexander Payne
Written by:Alexander Payne
Produced by:Megan Ellison, Mark Johnson, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Cinematography by:Phedon Papamichael
Distributed by:Paramount Pictures
Runtime: 135 minutes
In Theaters December 20, 2017
The Greatest Showman
The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya
Directed by: Michael Gracey
Produced by: Laurence Mark, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping
Cinematography by: Seamus McGarvey
Screenplay by: Jenny Bicks, Bill Condon
Distributed by:20th Century Fox
Runtime: 105 minutes
Sunday, 11/5:
The Girlfriend Experience
Inspired by Steven Soderbergh's same-named 2009 film, Starz's "The Girlfriend Experience" further develops the original premise of a young attorney in training who leads a double life as a high-end escort. These girlfriends, however, provide far more to their clients than just sex. Season 2 introduces new characters and follows parallel storylines, the first about a former call girl, Bria Jones, who enters the Witness Protection Program to escape an abusive relationship. In the second story, a complex relationship between political fundraiser Erica Myles and confident escort Anna Garner affects every aspect of Erica's life and allows Anna to experience new emotional heights.
Shameless
Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a single father of six who spends much of his free time drinking at bars. The Gallagher children -- led by oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who takes on much of the child-rearing responsibility due to her mother's absence -- manage to raise themselves in spite of Frank's lack of parenting and unusual parenting style when he does choose to act like a father. The drama is an adaptation of the BAFTA Award-winning British show of the same name.
SMILF
Bridgette Bird is a smart, young single mom living in South Boston who is trying to navigate life with a very unconventional family. As she struggles to make ends meet, she strives to create a better life for her son, Larry, and often finds herself making impulsive and immature decisions. The program is a fresh, raw, and honest comedic look at co-parenting, motherhood and female sexuality. "SMILF" is adapted from Frankie Shaw's Sundance Film Festival Jury award-winning short film.
Friday, 12/1:
Easy
From director and creator Joe Swanberg, this Netflix-original comedy anthology series explores diverse Chicago characters, modern romance technology and culture. Scenarios include a married couple hoping to reignite their sex life, a couple looking to spice things up with another woman, and middle-aged dating. The series features an impressive array of stars, including Jake Johnson of "New Girl," comic Hannibal Buress, actor Orlando Bloom, actress/model Emily Ratajkowski and actor Dave Franco.
Wednesday, 12/6:
Shut Eye
Jeffrey Donovan stars in this Hulu-original drama as Charlie Haverford, a scam artist whose future is controlled by Fonso, a single father who runs a psychic empire belonging to the Marks family. Haverford's wife, Linda (KaDee Strickland), is tired of their mediocre life and yearns for a change. When Charlie suffers a blow to the head at the hands of a client's angry boyfriend, he begins to see and feel very real and fundamental truths -- a big change for a person who had been living a life built on fraud. Isabella Rossellini plays the role of Rita, the Marks' seductive and sadistic matriarch.
Happy!
Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Nick Sax is a corrupt, intoxicated, ex-cop turned hit man who is adrift in a twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, and betrayal. After a hit goes wrong, Nick finds a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous killer on the loose. But his world is about to be changed forever by a tiny, imaginary, blue-winged horse with a relentlessly positive attitude named Happy. On their journey, they must contend with a laundry list of enemies including angry mobsters, ex-mistresses, ex-wives, and one very bad Santa.
Knightfall
In 1306, the Knights Templar are winding down their run as one of the most powerful organizations in the Christian world. Acre, the Templars' last stronghold, has fallen and years later a rumor is heard that the lost Grail is still in that area. The Templars, led by the courageous, headstrong, but noble Templar Knight Landry have shifted their attention to regaining a foothold in the Holy Land. They take their battle back to the Holy Land and their battles become the Crusades. The Templars are now losing allies and gaining new and powerful enemies, including the King of France. The legendary, wealthy and secretive military order of warrior monks are entrusted with protecting the Holy Grail and any secrets that are capable of destroying the Church.
Friday, 12/8:
The Crown
Based on an award-winning play ("The Audience") by showrunner Peter Morgan, this lavish, Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century.
Apple Tree Yard
Apple Tree Yard is a British television thriller, adapted from the novel of the same name by Louise Doughty. The four-part series was commissioned in 2016 and the first episode had its premiere on BBC One on 22 January 2017
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Grey’s Anatomy
(s14 returns 1/18, 9, 24 total, 8p, ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of doctors at a hospital in Seattle, including several who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. She struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them -- Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Scandal
(s7 returns 1/18, 8, 18 total, 9p, ABC; final season)
"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes is the creative mind behind this ABC drama. Olivia Pope, a former media consultant to the president, is ready to move on with her life and opens her own crisis-management firm, but she can't seem to shake ties with her past. Olivia's staff includes Quinn Perkins, who has a complicated history, and hacker extraordinaire Huck. As she moves forward it becomes clear that, while her staffers may specialize in cleaning up the lives of other people, they can't seem to do the same for themselves.
The Blacklist
(s5 returns 1/3, 9, 22 total?, 8p, NBC)
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the globe's most wanted fugitives. But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies and international terrorists -- on the condition that he must work with profiler Elizabeth Keen. Red's true intentions -- choosing Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection -- are unclear. Does Liz have secrets of her own? Red promises to teach Liz to think like a criminal "to see the bigger picture," whether she wants to or not.
This Is Us
(s2 returns 1/2, 11, 18 total, 9p, NBC)
The Pearson family's generational story unfolds in this emotional drama. In moments of love, joy, triumph and heartbreak, revelations emerge from parents Jack and Rebecca's past, while triplets Kate, Randall and Kevin discover deeper meaning in their present day lives. Successful businessman and father Randall searches for information about his biological parents. Kate finds love and self-acceptance while battling obesity. Kevin pursues a more meaningful career, which brings some difficult choices.
The Flash
(returns 1/16; s4, 10, 23 total?, 8p, CW)
At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession -- a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention -- causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
DC's Legends of Tomorrow
(returns 2/12; s3, 10, 17 total?, 9p, CW)
"Arrow" and "The Flash" have some new superhero company in the CW's lineup with the addition of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow." After seeing what doom the future holds, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter realizes heroes alone are not enough to prevent the impending catastrophe that threatens not only the planet, but all of time itself. Tasked with recruiting both heroes and villains, Rip brings together a ragtag team of divergent talents, which includes the likes of Sara Lance, Ray Palmer, and Heat Wave.
The Walking Dead
(s8 returns in February, 9, 16 total; final 8 episodes in 2018; 9p, AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the weeks and months following a zombie apocalypse. Led by police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
Season Finales:
Outlander
(s3, 13, 13 total, 8p, Starz)
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. "Outlander" is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
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Thursday, 11/2:
S.W.A.T. (s1, 1, total?, 10p, CBS)
Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson, a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. lieutenant, is assigned to lead a highly skilled unit in the community where he grew up. Torn between loyalty to the streets, where the cops are sometimes the enemy, and allegiance to his brothers in blue, he strategically straddles the two worlds. Hondo encourages his team to rely on communication and respect over force and aggression, but when a crisis erupts, these unflinching men and women are prepared to put their tactical training to the test.
Tuesday, 11/7:
Damnation (Aden Young dropped out due to creative differences and was replaced by Killian Scott; s1, 1, total?, 10p, USA)
Seth Davenport is a man masquerading as a small-town Iowa preacher in hopes of starting a full-blown insurrection against the status quo. Focused on his mission, he is unaware that an industrialist tycoon has hired a professional strikebreaker named Creeley Turner to stop the uprising by any means necessary. But unbeknownst to those around them, these two men already share a secret, bloody past. This epic saga about the secret history of the 1930s American heartland centers on the mythic conflict and bloody struggle between big money and the downtrodden, God and greed, charlatans and prophets.
Sunday, 11/5:
SMILF (s1, 2, total, 10p, Showtime)
Bridgette Bird is a smart, young single mom living in South Boston who is trying to navigate life with a very unconventional family. As she struggles to make ends meet, she strives to create a better life for her son, Larry, and often finds herself making impulsive and immature decisions. The program is a fresh, raw, and honest comedic look at co-parenting, motherhood and female sexuality. "SMILF" is adapted from Frankie Shaw's Sundance Film Festival Jury award-winning short film.
Sunday, 11/12:
No Activity (s1, 1, total, CBS All Access; from the Funny or Die team)
No Activity is an Australian comedy television series which screens on Stan. The series is about two detectives on a stakeout. The Australian series was the first commission produced for the Australian streaming service.
Monday, 11/13:
Ill Behavior (s1, 1, 6 total, Showtime)
Typical family man Charlie is young, healthy, and in the prime of his life. That is, until he's diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Although the cancer is still in the early stages and the prognosis looks good, Charlie chooses to forego medical treatment in favor of natural remedies instead, much to the dismay of his friends, Joel, Tess and Nadia. Rather than allow their friend's suspicion of modern medicine to sign his death certificate for him, Joel, Tess and Nadia opt to rent an old mansion, kidnap Charlie, and treat him with regular chemotherapy drugs against his will.
Tuesday, 11/14:
Future Man (s1, 1, all 13 total, Hulu)
Janitor Josh Futturman leads a pretty boring life, spending much of his time playing video games when he's not working. Things change, though, when he beats a video game that the rest of the world has given up on, thinking it was unbeatable. After he defeats the game, mysterious visitors from the future appear. They put the world in danger, and Josh is the only person who can save it. He assembles a team to assist him as he travels through time, completing various missions as he does whatever he can to try to save Earth from the extraterrestrial visitors.
Thursday, 11/16:
There’s … Johnny! (s1, 1, all 8 total, Hulu)
It's 1972 and "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" is in the midst of its three-decade run sitting atop the late-night TV world. When 19-year-old Nebraska native Andy Klavin leaves his home state for the first time and makes his way to Burbank, Calif,. the show's famed home, he gets surprised upon stumbling his way into a job working on the show -- and for the host, his hero. This coming-of-age comedy follows the young man from the Midwest as he gets caught up in the glamorous lifestyle that abounds in Hollywood -- and the sex, drugs and rock `n' roll that are all part of show business. Actor Paul Reiser, who made several real-life appearances on Carson's "Tonight Show," helped create the series and serves as an executive producer on it.
Tuesday, 11/21:
Marvel's Runaways (s1, 1, 10 total, Hulu)
There are times when pretty much every teenager thinks his or her parents are evil -- but what if it was actually true? That's the situation six Los Angeles teenagers find themselves in when they stumble upon a terrible secret and realize that their parents have been lying to them for their entire lives. The offspring begin an investigation to try to figure out what their guardians are after, while the adults wonder if their kids are hiding secrets of their own. The unlikely crew of teens bands together -- led by de facto leader and primary strategist Alex Wilder -- to stop their parents before it is too late. The Marvel series is from executive producer Josh Schwartz, whose resume of young-adult fare includes "The O.C." and "Gossip Girl."
Wednesday, 11/22:
Godless (miniseries from Steven Soderbergh; 1, 7 total, Netflix)
Thursday, 11/23:
She's Gotta Have It (s1, 1, 10 total, Netflix)
A notorious outlaw and his gang track his traitorous partner to an isolated mining town governed mainly by women.
Wednesday, 11/29:
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (s1, 1, total, Amazon; from creator of Gilmore Girls, already renewed for 2nd season)
A housewife living comfortably in the 1950s changes everything to pursue a newly discovered talent.
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In Theaters December 1, 2017
Wonder Wheel
Four peoples’ lives intertwine amid the hustle and bustle of the Coney Island amusement park in the 1950s: Ginny, an emotionally volatile former actress now working as a waitress in a clam house; Humpty, Ginny’s rough-hewn carousel operator husband; Mickey, a handsome young lifeguard who dreams of becoming a playwright; and Carolina, Humpty’s long-estranged daughter, who is now hiding out from gangsters at her father’s apartment.
Starring: Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet
Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woddy Allen
Produced by: Letty Aronson, Edward Walson, Erika Aronson
Cinematography by: Vittorio Storaro
Distributed by: Amazon Studios
Runtime: 101 minutes
(Sun., 10/29):
The Deuce (s1, HBO)
Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO's "The Wire" and "Treme," the semifictional drama series "The Deuce" tells of the germination of the sex-trade industry in the heart of New York's Times Square. It's the early 1970s, and the porn business begins a shift from organized crime-backed parlors to a legitimate, culturally accepted enterprise. A cast of barkeeps, prostitutes, pimps, police and nightlife seekers centers around twins Vincent and Frankie Martino (James Franco, in a dual role), who navigate the sex business after meeting well-connected mobster Rudy Pipilo. Their storyline, among others, merges with that of prostitute Candy, whose ambition and intelligence lead her to a more prominent role in the industry.
(Wed., 11/1):
Liar: Season Finale: (s1, Sundance)
Created and written by BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated producers and screenwriters Harry and Jack Williams, and featuring "Downton Abbey" star Joanne Froggatt and "Fantastic Four" actor Ioan Guffard, "Liar" tells the story of two people whose initial attraction leads to far-reaching consequences for them and their friends and families. Laura Nielson, a smart and capable teacher in the middle of a breakup, is set up on a date with recently widowed surgeon Andrew Earlham. However, the day after it is apparent that something has gone wrong, and the subsequent fallout rapidly spirals out of control, exposing the power of truth, deception and trust.
(Released on Fri., 11/3):
Fearless (s1, all 6 total, Amazon)
Human rights lawyer Emma Banville takes up the defense of convicted killer Kevin Russell, who's serving a life sentence for the murder of a schoolgirl 14 years earlier.
(Sun., 11/12):
Vice Principals: Series Finale : (s2, HBO)
"Eastbound & Down" creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill team again for a dark comedy series -- no surprise there! -- that may place high school administrators in a wholly different light. McBride and Walton Goggins co-star as vice principals at North Jackson High School, which becomes ground zero for a major power struggle when the principal retires. The rival administrators set their sights on the vacated top spot -- only to see English teacher Dr. Belinda Brown enter the picture. Putting their mutual hate aside, the bitter antagonists form an unholy alliance to bring down the outsider by any means necessary.
(Sun., 11/12)
Star Trek: Discovery : Mid-Season Finale : (s1, e09, 15 total, CBS All Access; Chapter Two includes the remaining 6 episodes that launch in January)
Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman for CBS All Access, the story of "Star Trek: Discovery" begins roughly a decade before Captain Kirk's five-year mission -- as portrayed in the original "Star Trek" from the 1960s -- and a century before the events of "Star Trek: Enterprise." The series follows the crew of the USS Discovery as they encounter new worlds and civilizations, delving into familiar themes and expanding upon an incident that has been talked about within the franchise's universe, but never fully explored.
(Thurs., 11/16):
Better Things: Season Finale: (s2, FX)
Sam Fox is an actress, who is also a single mother raising three daughters -- teenager Max, eccentric middle child Frankie, and spicy youngest daughter Duke -- in Los Angeles. She also helps to care for her mother, Phil, who lives across the street. In addition to looking after her family, Sam tries to earn a living in the difficult acting industry while having time to have fun with friends and, occasionally, get in some private time with potential mates. In addition to starring as Sam, Emmy winner Pamela Adlon is a co-creator of the comedy series, along with former "Lucky Louie" co-star Louis C.K.
(Released on Fri., 11/17):
Marvel’s The Punisher (s1, Netflix)
After exacting revenge on the people responsible for the deaths of his wife and children, Frank Castle uncovers a conspiracy that runs deeper than New York's criminal underworld. Now known as the Punisher, he must dig deep into the conspiracy to discover the truth about injustices that affect more than just him and his family. Assisting the vigilante in his quest to fight criminals are best friend Billy Russo, who runs private military corporation Anvil, and former NSA analyst Micro, who shares common enemies with Castle and helps him as part of a so-called marriage of convenience.
(Sun., 11/19):
Poldark (s3, PBS)
This all-new version of the vintage Masterpiece series stars Aidan Turner as Capt. Ross Poldark, a redcoat returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to find his father dead and his true love about to marry someone else. A Mammoth Screen production, the series is packed with action, adventure and romance. Also featured are Eleanor Tomlinson as servant Demelza, Warren Clarke as Uncle Charles, and Heida Reed as Elizabeth Chenoweth. Robin Ellis, who portrayed Ross Poldark in the original adaptation 40 years ago, appears here as Reverend Halse.
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In theaters November 24, 2017
Call Me by Your Name
It’s the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who’s working as an intern for Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.
Starring: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, Victoire Du Bois
Screenplay by: ames Ivory, Luca Guadagnino, Walter Fasano
Directed by: Luca Guadagnino
Produced by:Luca Guadagnino, Emilie Georges, James Ivory, Marco Morabito, Howard Rosenman, Peter Spears, Rodrigo Teixeira
Cinematography: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
Distributed by: Sony Pictures
Runtime: 130 minutes
In Theaters November 22, 2017
Darkest Hour
A thrilling and inspiring true story begins at the precipice of World War II as, within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill (Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman) must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a nation. As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup, Ben Mendelsohn
Directed by: Joe Wright
Written by: Anthony McCarten
Produced by: Tim Bevan, Lisa Bruce, Eric Fellner, Anthony McCarten, Douglas Urbanski
Cinematography by: Bruno Delbonnel
Distributed by: Focus Features
Runtime: 125 minutes
In Theaters November 22, 2017
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Using real-life inspiration and a vivid imagination, author Charles Dickens brings Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters to life in "A Christmas Carol," forever changing the holiday season into the celebration known today.
Starring: Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce
Directed by: Bharat Nalluri
Written by: Susan Coyne
Produced by: Robert Mickelson, Ian Sharples, Paula Mazur, Mitchell Kaplan, Andrew Karpen, Vadim Jean
Screenplay by: Ben Smithard
Distributed by: Bleecker Street (US) Elevation Pictures (Canada) Wildcard Distribution (Ireland)
Runtime: 104 minutes
Now Playing in theaters.
Thor Ragnarok
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins
Directed by: Taika Waititi
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Screenplay by: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
Cinematography by: Javier Aguirresarobe
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Runtime: 130 minutes
On Netflix November 17, 2017
Mudbound
Laura McAllan is trying to raise her children on her husband's Mississippi Delta farm, a place she finds foreign and frightening. In the midst of the family's struggles, two young men return from the war to work the land. Jamie McAllan, Laura's brother-in-law, is everything her husband is not - charming and handsome, but he is haunted by his memories of combat. Ronsel Jackson, eldest son of the black sharecroppers who live on the McAllan farm, now battles the prejudice in the Jim Crow South.
Starring: Carey MulliganJason, ClarkeJason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, Garrett Hedlund
Directed by: Dee Rees
Produced by: Ridley Scott, Mark Gordon, Simon Kinberg, Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Michael Schaefer
Screenplay by: Dee Rees, Virgil Williams
Cinematography by: Rachel Morrison
Distributed by: Netflix
Runtime: 132 minutes
Released (NY & LA 11/3; Nationwide 11/17)
Last Flag Flying
Thirty years after serving together in the Vietnam War, Larry "Doc" Shepherd, Sal Nealon and the Rev. Richard Mueller reunite for a different type of mission: to bury Doc's son, a young Marine killed in Iraq. Forgoing burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Doc and his old buddies take the casket on a bittersweet trip up the coast to New Hampshire. Along the way, the three men find themselves reminiscing and coming to terms with the shared memories of a war that continues to shape their lives.
Starring: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Produced by: Ginger Sledge, John Sloss
Cinematography by: Shane F. Kelly
Distributed by: Amazon Studios, Lionsgate
Runtime: 124 minutes
In Theaters November 10, 2017
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby, the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command, Officer Dixon -- an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence -- gets involved, the battle is only exacerbated.
Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage
Written by: Martin McDonagh
Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Produced by: Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, Martin McDonagh
Cinematography by: Ben Davis
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Runtime: 115 minutes
In Theaters November 10, 2017
Murder on the Orient Express
A lavish trip through Europe quickly unfolds into a race against time to solve a murder aboard a train. Everyone's a suspect when Detective Hercule Poirot arrives to interrogate all passengers and search for clues before the killer can strike again.
Starring:Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Produced by: Ridley Scott, Mark Gordon, Simon Kinberg, Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Michael Schaefer
Screenplay by: Michael Green
Cinematography by: Haris Zambarloukos
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 114 minutes
In theaters November 3, 2017
Lady Bird
In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating both the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird’s father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amidst a rapidly shifting American economic landscape, Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen Henderson, Lois Smith
Directed by: Greta Gerwig
Produced by: Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Evelyn O’Neil
Cinematography by: Sam Levy
Distributed by:A24 (United States) Universal Pictures (International)
Runtime: 93 minutes
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In theaters November 3, 2017
LBJ
After powerful Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson (Woody Harrelson) loses the 1960Democratic presidential nomination to Senator John F. Kennedy (Jeffrey Donovan), he agrees to be his young rival’s running mate. But once they win the election, despite his extensive legislative experience and shrewd political instincts, Johnson finds himself sidelined in the role of vice president. That all changes on Nov. 22, 1963, when Kennedy is assassinated and Johnson, with his devoted wife Lady Bird (Jennifer Jason Leigh) by his side, is suddenly thrust into the presidency. As the nation mourns, Johnson must contend with longtime adversary Attorney General Bobby Kennedy (Michael Stahl-David) and one-time mentor Georgia Senator Richard Russell (Richard Jenkins) as he seeks to honor JFK’s legacy by championing the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rich Sommer, Bill Pullman, C. Thomas Howell, Jeffrey Donovan and Richard Jenkins
Written by: Joey Hartstone
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Produced by: Matthew George, Liz Glotzer, Rob Reiner, Tim White, Trevor White and Michael R. Williams
Cinematography by: Barry Markowitz
Distributed by: Electric Entertainment
Runtime: 98 minutes
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Wednesday, 10/11:
Dynasty (s1, CW)
A modernized reboot of the 1980s primetime soap follows two of America's wealthiest families, the Carringtons and the Colbys, as they feud for control over their fortune and their children. Told primarily through the perspectives of two women at odds -- Fallon Carrington, daughter of billionaire Blake Carrington; and her soon-to-be stepmother, Cristal, a Hispanic woman marrying into the WASP family -- "Dynasty" not only features the glitz and gloss of extreme wealth, but also exposes the dark underbelly of a corrupt world built on backroom deals.
Tuesday, 10/24:
Wanted (seasons 1 & 2 now available, Netflix)
Polar-opposite strangers Lola and Chelsea become partners on the run when they witness a murder involving dirty cops and are framed for the crime.
Friday, 10/27:
Blindspot (s3, NBC)
When Jane Doe is found naked in Times Square with her memory erased and her body covered in fresh tattoos, Agent Kurt Weller and his FBI team are instantly drawn to the case. Together, they discover each tattoo is a clue, making Jane's body a maze of mysteries that must be solved to uncover her true identity. But as Jane and Weller get closer to unveiling her past and discovering who set this riddle in motion, they find the quandary goes deeper than they ever imagined, involving people they thought they could trust.
Friday, 10/27:
Stranger Things (s2, Netflix)
This thrilling Netflix original drama stars Golden Globe-winning actress Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, who lives in a small Indiana town in 1983 -- inspired by a time when tales of science fiction captivated audiences. When Joyce's 12-year-old son, Will, goes missing, she launches a terrifying investigation into his disappearance with local authorities. As they search for answers, they unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries involving secret government experiments, unnerving supernatural forces, and a very unusual little girl.
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Wednesday, 10/11:
Mr. Robot (s3, USA)
Young, anti-social computer programmer Elliot works as a cybersecurity engineer during the day, but at night he is a vigilante hacker. He is recruited by the mysterious leader of an underground group of hackers to join their organization. Elliot's task? Help bring down corporate America, including the company he is paid to protect, which presents him with a moral dilemma. Although he works for a corporation, his personal beliefs make it hard to resist the urge to take down the heads of multinational companies that he believes are running -- and ruining -- the world.
Friday, 10/13:
Mindhunter (s1, Netflix)
Mindhunter is an American crime drama web television series created by Joe Penhall, based on the true crime book Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit written by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker.
Sunday, 10/15:
Good Behavior (s2, TNT)
Based on the Letty Dobesh books by Blake Crouch, the seductive thriller "Good Behavior" centers on con artist Letty Raines and her inability -- despite good intentions -- to consistently live a clean life. Fresh out of prison, Letty attempts to reunite with her 10-year-old son and keep in regular contact with her parole officer, whose motives for helping her are questionable. But after she overhears a hit man being hired to kill a man's wife, Letty sets out to derail the job and finds herself on a collision course with the killer, entangling herself in a dangerous and seductive relationship.
White Famous (s1, Showtime)
Talented young comic Floyd Mooney is on the rise in the industry, which forces him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility while crossing over into becoming "white famous." His frustrated agent, Malcolm, wants Floyd to do whatever it takes to succeed as Floyd's roommate, Ron, remains the voice of reason amidst the chaos of differing opinions. Giving her opinion in all of this is Sadie, Floyd's ex-girlfriend and the mother of his son. The comedy is based on the personal experiences of Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, who serves as an executive producer on the series.
Friday, 10/20:
Red Oaks (s3, last season, Amazon Prime)
Red Oaks is a comedy web television series by Amazon Studios. The pilot was directed by David Gordon Green, who also executive produces with writer and creators Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs
Sunday, 10/22:
The Walking Dead (s8, AMC)
Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, this gritty drama portrays life in the weeks and months following a zombie apocalypse. Led by police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of other survivors find themselves constantly on the move in search of a safe and secure home. But the pressure each day to stay alive sends many in the group to the deepest depths of human cruelty, and Rick discovers that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be more deadly than the zombies walking among them.
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Sunday, 10/1:
Wisdom of the Crowd (s1, CBS)
Driven by a need to find his daughter's killer, Silicon Valley tech innovator Jeffrey Tanner takes crowdsourcing to a new level, creating a digital platform for people around the world to publicly share and evaluate evidence for criminal investigations. He uses the software as the foundation to launch a new company with a staff of passionate specialists -- including the original police officer who searched for his daughter's killer -- ultimately managing to revolutionize crime solving in the San Francisco Bay area.
Sunday, 10/1:
Poldark (s3, PBS)
This all-new version of the vintage Masterpiece series stars Aidan Turner as Capt. Ross Poldark, a redcoat returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to find his father dead and his true love about to marry someone else. A Mammoth Screen production, the series is packed with action, adventure and romance. Also featured are Eleanor Tomlinson as servant Demelza, Warren Clarke as Uncle Charles, and Heida Reed as Elizabeth Chenoweth. Robin Ellis, who portrayed Ross Poldark in the original adaptation 40 years ago, appears here as Reverend Halse.
Sunday, 10/1:
Ghosted (s1, FOX)
Former missing persons detective Leroy Wright is a skeptic who doesn't believe aliens exist, unlike true believer Max Jennifer, who is convinced his wife was abducted by such beings. Against all odds, the two find themselves forced to work with each other when, at low points in their lives, they are both recruited by Capt. Ava Lafrey, a take-no-prisoners former Air Force test pilot and head of the Bureau Underground, a secret government organization investigating paranormal cases. Lafrey and her staff support Leroy and Max as they look into unexplained activity and keep Earth safe.
Sunday, 10/1:
The Last Man on Earth (s4, FOX)
In 2022, a cataclysm strikes Earth, seemingly wiping out the population save for former family man and bank employee Phil Miller. Sad and very lonely, Phil travels the United States, Canada and Mexico in his RV searching for other survivors. Striving to hold onto hope that there is at least one other living person, he tries to make the best of circumstances until his path finally crosses with that hoped-for other survivor -- and all becomes more comforting that the person happens to be a woman. As more survivors turn up, complications arise and Phil finds it difficult to co-exist with others again.
Monday, 10/2:
The Gifted (s1, FOX)
Marvel expands its footprint on the television landscape with this new family adventure series about an ordinary suburban family whose lives change course forever when they discover their children have developed mutant powers. When the threat of a hostile government forces the family to go on the run to protect themselves, they join the ranks of an underground network of mutants. Together, the group fight to survive in a world where fear and misunderstanding put them at constant risk. "X-Men" alums Bryan Singer, Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg are among the executive producers.
Tuesday, 10/3:
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (s1, ABC)
Kevin Finn is struggling. Directionless and cluelessly self-serving, he seems to be drifting ever closer to total despair. With his life spiraling further and further out of control, he heads home to seek refuge with his widowed twin sister, Amy, and her young daughter. On his first night there, life takes an unexpected turn when he receives an unlikely celestial being named Yvette, who has a mission for him: to save the world. It's going to take a lot of trial and error, but maybe a bigger purpose is exactly what he's needed all along.
Friday, 10/6:
Suburra (s1, Netflix; from producers of Gomorrah)
Criminal rivalries and endemic corruption are exposed when plans are made to turn a seaside town into a gambling paradise.
Sunday, 10/8:
Madam Secretary (s4, CBS)
Having left her job as a CIA analyst for ethical reasons, newly appointed Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord returns to public life at the request of the president, after the suspicious death of her predecessor. Valued by her boss for her apolitical leanings, knowledge of the Middle East, language skills and creative thinking, Elizabeth drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol while negotiating national and international issues. At home, politics and compromise take on new meaning with her supportive husband and three bright kids.
Tuesday, 10/10:
DC's Legends of Tomorrow (s3, CW)
"Arrow" and "The Flash" have some new superhero company in the CW's lineup with the addition of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow." After seeing what doom the future holds, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter realizes heroes alone are not enough to prevent the impending catastrophe that threatens not only the planet, but all of time itself. Tasked with recruiting both heroes and villains, Rip brings together a ragtag team of divergent talents, which includes the likes of Sara Lance, Ray Palmer, and Heat Wave.
Tuesday, 10/10:
The Flash (s4, CW)
At 11, Barry Allen's life changed completely when his mother died in a freak accident and his innocent father was convicted of her murder. Now a crime-scene investigator, his dedication to learn the truth about his mother's death drives him to follow up on every new scientific advancement and urban legend. When his latest obsession -- a particle accelerator heralded as a world-changing invention -- causes an explosion, it creates a freak storm and Barry is struck by lightning. He awakes from a coma nine months later with the power of superspeed. When he learns that others who have gained powers use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent, while still trying to solve the older mystery.
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In Theaters October 27, 2017
Novitiate
Set in the early 1960s and during the era of Vatican II, a young woman in training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, the changing church and sexuality.
Starring: Margaret Qualley, Dianna Agron, Morgan Saylor, Melissa Leo
Directed by: Margaret Betts
Written by: Margaret Betts
Produced by: Jessica Betts, Carole Peterman, Celine Rattray, Trudie tyler
Cinematography: Kat Westergaard
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classic
Runtime: 123 minutes
The Critic and The Referee are back with part two of the fall TV shows everyone is talking about. Listen in and find out if these shows should be on your list to watch this season!
Empire (s4, FOX)
Hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment, Lucious Lyon, has always ruled unchallenged, but a medical diagnosis predicts he will be incapacitated in three years, which prompts the sharks to circle. Without further damaging his family, he must decide which of his three sons will take over. His favorite, young Hakeem, is a gifted musician but values fame over hard work. Middle son, Jamal, is talented and shy but gay -- embarrassing to Lyon. The oldest, Andre, is business-minded but lacks charisma. The reappearance of Cookie, his ex-wife, complicates things; she says he owes her for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.
Grey’s Anatomy (s14, ABC)
The medical drama series focuses on a group of doctors at a hospital in Seattle, including several who began their careers at the facility as interns. One of the doctors and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey, is the daughter of a famous surgeon. She struggles to maintain relationships with her colleagues, particularly the hospital's one-time chief of surgery, Richard Webber, due to a pre-existing relationship between them -- Webber and Meredith's mother had a personal relationship when Meredith was young.
Scandal (final season; s7, ABC)
"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes is the creative mind behind this ABC drama. Olivia Pope, a former media consultant to the president, is ready to move on with her life and opens her own crisis-management firm, but she can't seem to shake ties with her past. Olivia's staff includes Quinn Perkins, who has a complicated history, and hacker extraordinaire Huck. As she moves forward it becomes clear that, while her staffers may specialize in cleaning up the lives of other people, they can't seem to do the same for themselves.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (s9, HBO)
"Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David plays a version of himself on the improvised series. He faces a constant barrage of life's little annoyances, which in David's sometimes well-meaning but terminally fumbling hands don't tend to stay small for very long.
Blackish (s4, ABC)
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all: a great job, a beautiful wife, Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighborhood, but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (special guest star Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honor their background while preparing them to embrace the future.
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The Critic and The Referee are back with part one of a two part discussion on the fall TV shows everyone is talking about. Listen in and find out if these shows should be on your list to watch!
Outlander (s3, Starz)
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. "Outlander" is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
Fear the Walking Dead (s3, FX)
There's a sign of the apocalypse in Los Angeles, where reports of a strange flu and the disappearance of people underscore this gritty drama, a prequel to AMC's uber-popular "Walking Dead." The story of the mysterious outbreak and its ramifications are told through the lens of high school guidance counselor Madison Clark and English teacher Travis Manawa. Widowed mother Madison is raising two children single-handedly but has recently found love with Travis, who maintains a relationship with his ex-wife and resentful son while trying to become a father to Madison's children. The challenge of blending their families is exacerbated by unforeseen chaos, and a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold. The Clarks and Manawas must reinvent themselves, or embrace their darker histories.
Star Trek: Discovery (s1, CBS All Access)
Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman for CBS All Access, the story of "Star Trek: Discovery" begins roughly a decade before Captain Kirk's five-year mission -- as portrayed in the original "Star Trek" from the 1960s -- and a century before the events of "Star Trek: Enterprise." The series follows the crew of the USS Discovery as they encounter new worlds and civilizations, delving into familiar themes and expanding upon an incident that has been talked about within the franchise's universe, but never fully explored.
Young Sheldon (s1,CBS)
It's 1989 and 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper has skipped four grades to start high school along with his less-intellectual older brother. As he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates and neighbors, his mother arms him with the best tool she can come up with: reminding bullies his dad is the football coach and his brother is on the team. His twin sister doesn't share his exceptional mind, but she has a much clearer vision of what life has in store for the young genius. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," narrates.
This Is Us (s2, NBC) (You’ll need to edit out the phone call I received during this section. Sorry!)
The Pearson family's generational story unfolds in this emotional drama. In moments of love, joy, triumph and heartbreak, revelations emerge from parents Jack and Rebecca's past, while triplets Kate, Randall and Kevin discover deeper meaning in their present day lives. Successful businessman and father Randall searches for information about his biological parents. Kate finds love and self-acceptance while battling obesity. Kevin pursues a more meaningful career, which brings some difficult choices.
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The Fall TV season has picked up, and "The Critic" and "The Referee" are back to let you know what’s happening in TV land.
Premiered Sunday, 8/6:
Ray Donovan (s5, Showtime)
Ray Donovan is a "fixer" for Hollywood's elite. He is the go-to guy that the city's celebrities, athletes and business moguls call to make their problems disappear. It's a much more lucrative job than his previous work as a ruthless South Boston thug, vaulting him within reach of the truly wealthy and powerful. But no amount of money or the expensive things it can buy can completely mask Ray's past, a past that continues to haunt him with troubled brothers always calling and his father's recent release from 20 years spent in prison. Now a free man, Ray's father, Mickey, arrives in Los Angeles to get what he feels is rightfully his. Mickey's desire to reconnect and settle old scores with his family -- including Ray's wife and kids, who have never met the family's patriarch and are anxious to get to know him -- threatens to destroy everything Ray has built for himself
Premiered Sunday, 9/10:
The Deuce (s1, HBO)
Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO's "The Wire" and "Treme," the semifictional drama series "The Deuce" tells of the germination of the sex-trade industry in the heart of New York's Times Square. It's the early 1970s, and the porn business begins a shift from organized crime-backed parlors to a legitimate, culturally accepted enterprise. A cast of barkeeps, prostitutes, pimps, police and nightlife seekers centers around twins Vincent and Frankie Martino (James Franco, in a dual role), who navigate the sex business after meeting well-connected mobster Rudy Pipilo. Their storyline, among others, merges with that of prostitute Candy, whose ambition and intelligence lead her to a more prominent role in the industry.
Premiered Thursday, 9/14:
Better Things (s2, FX)
Sam Fox is an actress, who is also a single mother raising three daughters -- teenager Max, eccentric middle child Frankie, and spicy youngest daughter Duke -- in Los Angeles. She also helps to care for her mother, Phil, who lives across the street. In addition to looking after her family, Sam tries to earn a living in the difficult acting industry while having time to have fun with friends and, occasionally, get in some private time with potential mates. In addition to starring as Sam, Emmy winner Pamela Adlon is a co-creator of the comedy series, along with former "Lucky Louie" co-star Louis C.K.
Premiered Sunday, 9/17:
Vice Principals (s2, final season, HBO)
"Eastbound & Down" creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill team again for a dark comedy series -- no surprise there! -- that may place high school administrators in a wholly different light. McBride and Walton Goggins co-star as vice principals at North Jackson High School, which becomes ground zero for a major power struggle when the principal retires. The rival administrators set their sights on the vacated top spot -- only to see English teacher Dr. Belinda Brown enter the picture. Putting their mutual hate aside, the bitter antagonists form an unholy alliance to bring down the outsider by any means necessary.
Premiered Monday, 9/25:
Me, Myself & I (s1, CBS)
As a 14-year-old boy in 1991, Alex Riley and his mom move from Chicago to Los Angeles when she remarries. In present day, 40-year-old Alex's life has hit both a personal and professional standstill. In 2042, at 65, Alex has a realization that to be truly happy, he has to step away from his successful company and get back to his passion... inventing. "Me, Myself & I" follows him through each of these pivotal periods, revealing where the past informs the future, and the moments where he learns that his story isn't defined by what happens to him, but by how he decides to deal with it.
Premiered Monday, 9/25:
The Good Doctor (s1, ABC)
Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon who has savant syndrome, relocates from a quiet country life to join the surgical unit at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital -- a move strongly supported by his mentor, Dr. Aaron Glassman. Having survived a troubled childhood, Shaun is alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, but he finds his niche using his extraordinary medical skill and intuition to save lives and challenge the skepticism of his colleagues.
Premiered Tuesday, 9/26:
Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (s1, NBC)
A dramatization of the trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez
Premiered Wednesday, 9/27:
The Blacklist (s5, NBC)
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the globe's most wanted fugitives. But then he agreed to work with the FBI to catch his "blacklist" of mobsters, spies and international terrorists -- on the condition that he must work with profiler Elizabeth Keen. Red's true intentions -- choosing Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection -- are unclear. Does Liz have secrets of her own? Red promises to teach Liz to think like a criminal "to see the bigger picture," whether she wants to or not.
Premiered Wednesday, 9/27:
SEAL Team (s1, CBS)
Failure isn't an option for the new Navy SEALs, and that kind of pressure can take a toll on the members of the special operations forces' most elite unit. This team -- which includes Jason, the group's intense leader, and Ray, Jason's longtime confidant, along with loyal soldier Sonny and SEAL hopeful Clay -- trains, plans and executes some of the most dangerous, high-stakes missions and deploys for clandestine missions around the globe at a moment's notice. While serving their country is a worthy and rewarding cause, it can put a strain on the SEALs and their families, causing the guys look out for one another in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, both on and off the job.
Premiered Wednesday, 9/27:
Liar (miniseries, Sundance)
British psychological thriller in which schoolteacher Laura Nielson accuses renowned surgeon Andrew Earlham of rape.
Premiered Friday, 9/29:
Marvel’s Inhumans (s1, ABC)
Black Bolt, the enigmatic, commanding head of the Inhuman royal family and King of Attilan, possesses a voice so powerful that the slightest whisper can destroy a city. After a military coup splinters the family, the group -- which includes Black Bolt's wife, Medusa; his brother and rival, Maximus; his cousins Karnak, Gorgon and Triton; and Medusa's sister, Crystal -- barely manages to escape to Hawaii, where surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them may prove to not only save them, but Earth itself.
Premiered Friday, 9/29:
The Exorcist (s2, FOX)
Father Tomas Ortega and a newly collarless Marcus Keane head out on the road away from Chicago searching for other evils to uproot and extinguish. Andrew Kim is a former child psychologist running a group home for five at-risk foster children on an island off the coast of Seattle. He finds that one of his children has been targeted by a powerful demonic force. When Tomas and Ortega discover this, they head west to use their skills and faith to help rid the child of the possession. At the Vatican, Father Bennett is doing his part to rid the world of evil by attempting to root out those that have turned against God.
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The 55th New York Film Festival took place September 28th and ran through – October 15th, 2017 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Why Watch That was there to cover it. Check out "The Critics" final thoughts on the film festival and the last few films he had the opportunity to catch.
Wonderstruck (Currently in theaters)
Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known, while Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his home and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out on quests that unfold with mesmerizing symmetry.
Starring: Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, Millicent Simmonds
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Produced by: Pamela Koffler, John Sloss, Christine Vachon
Cinematography by: Edward Lachman
Distributed by: Amazon Studios, Roadside Attractions
Runtime: 117 minutes
Lady Bird
In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating both the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird's father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amidst a rapidly shifting American economic landscape, Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen Henderson, Lois Smith
Directed by: Greta Gerwig
Produced by: Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Evelyn O'Neil
Cinematography by: Sam Levy
Distributed by:A24 (United States) Universal Pictures (International)
Runtime: 93 minutes
Wonder Wheel
Four peoples' lives intertwine amid the hustle and bustle of the Coney Island amusement park in the 1950s: Ginny, an emotionally volatile former actress now working as a waitress in a clam house; Humpty, Ginny's rough-hewn carousel operator husband; Mickey, a handsome young lifeguard who dreams of becoming a playwright; and Carolina, Humpty's long-estranged daughter, who is now hiding out from gangsters at her father's apartment.
Starring: Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet
Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woddy Allen
Produced by: Letty Aronson, Edward Walson, Erika Aronson
Cinematography by: Vittorio Storaro
Distributed by: Amazon Studios
Runtime: 101 minutes
Spielberg (Documentary)
a documentary film directed by Susan Lacy, and is centered around the career of director Steven Spielberg
Starring: Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet
Directed by: Susan Lacy
Produced by: Susan Lacy, Jessica Levin, Emma Pildes
Cinematography by: Ed Marritz, Samuel Painter
Distributed by: HBO
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In the second half of our best of summer TV reviews, the Critic and the Referee wrap up their thoughts on the summer season shows that dominated 2017.
Manhunt: Unabomber (miniseries, Discovery)
This miniseries tells the story of the FBI's hunt for the Unabomber in the 1990s. Agent Jim "Fitz" Fitzgerld, a fresh-faced criminal profiler with the agency, faces an uphill battle in tracking the infamous criminal but also has to fight against the bureaucracy of the Unabom Task Force (UTF), of which he is a part. Although Fitz pioneers the use of forensic linguistics, others in the UTF dismiss his maverick ideas and new approaches. Ultimately, though, his new techniques help him identify and capture the Unabomber.
The Sinner (anthology, USA)
Young mother Cora Tannetti is overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage that leads her to commit a startling -- and very public -- act of violence, with no explanation as to why she did it. When Detective Harry Ambrose begins his investigation and grows obsessed with uncovering Cora's hidden motive, the two work together to try to get deep into her psyche to learn about the violent secrets that are hidden in her past.
Get Shorty (Season 1, Epix)
Miles Daly makes a career change, going from a muscle-for-hire of a dangerous crime ring to a movie producer.
Marvel's The Defenders (Season 1, Netflix)
Four of Marvel's biggest heroes are each working individually but have one common goal in mind -- to save New York City. Burdened with their own personal challenges, Matt Murdock (Daredevil), Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Danny Rand (Iron Fist) realize that they likely won't be able to accomplish their goals working solo. That realization leads them to team up and form The Defenders, a supergroup that is more equipped to save the Big Apple than the heroes would be if they continued to work on their own.
The Tick (Season 1, Amazon)
In a world where superheroes and villains have been real for decades, Arthur, an unassuming accountant with no superpowers, becomes embroiled in the middle of the battle between good and evil. When he realizes that his city is owned by a global supervillain who was long thought to be dead, he struggles to uncover the conspiracy. As he becomes obsessed with the conspiracy, most people think he's crazy. One person who believes Arthur is a mysterious new ally, The Tick, who is a bizarre blue superhero who may just be a figment of Arthur's imagination.
Narcos (Season 3, Netflix)
Netflix chronicles the rise of the cocaine trade in Colombia and the gripping real-life stories of drug kingpins of the late '80s in this raw, gritty original series. Also detailed are the actions taken by law enforcement as they battle in the war on drugs, targeting notorious and powerful figures that include drug lord Pablo Escobar. As efforts are made to control cocaine, one of the world's most valuable commodities, the many entities involved -- legal, political, police, military and civilian -- find themselves in conflict.
Top of the Lake: China Girl (Season 2, Sundance)
In the wake of New Zealand's devastating events, troubled Detective Robin returns to Sydney for a fresh start, however, the wounds of the past are deep and angry, moreover, a suitcase with a rather appalling content summons dark memories.
Transparent (Season 4, Amazon Prime)
Mort has a secret that he really wants to tell his three adult children, who are so self-absorbed they don't see that something has changed for divorced, girlfriendless dad. Even when he invites them to dinner en masse to share his news, somehow, the conversation becomes about them. The secret unfolds, though, when he comes home and sees his married daughter getting intimate with her ex. Now, he knows her secret; she learns his; and the dysfunctional family finds one secret after another being exposed.
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In theaters October 20, 2017
Wonderstruck
Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known, while Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his home and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out on quests that unfold with mesmerizing symmetry.
Starring: Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, Millicent Simmonds
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Produced by: Pamela Koffler, John Sloss, Christine Vachon
Cinematography by: Edward Lachman
Distributed by: Amazon Studios, Roadside Attractions
Runtime: 117 minutes
(Limited Release) In theaters October 20, 2017
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
Early 1990s. With AIDS having already claimed countless lives for nearly ten years, Act Up-Paris activists multiply actions to fight general indifference. Nathan (Arnaud Valois), a newcomer to the group, has his world shaken up by Sean (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a radical militant.
Starring:Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel, Antoine Reinartz
Directed by: Robin Campillo
Produced by: Hugues Charbonneau, Marie-Ange Luciani, Jacques Audiard
Written by: Robin Campillo, Philippe Mangeot
Distributed by: Memento Films
Runtime: 140 minutes
The summer may be over, but before we jump into our fall TV reviews, we thought we'd revisit the TV shows which rounded out our 2017 summer season. In this first part of a two-part discussion, the Critic and the Referee talk about summer shows that were well worth watching and others that fell just short of the mark. Sit back, relax and revisit the best of summer TV right here with Why Watch That!
Game of Thrones (penultimate season; Season 7, HBO)
George R.R. Martin's best-selling book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is brought to the screen as HBO sinks its considerable storytelling teeth into the medieval fantasy epic. It's the depiction of two powerful families -- kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and honest men -- playing a deadly game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and to sit atop the Iron Throne.
The penultimate season focuses primarily on the convergence of the show's main plotlines, featuring major events such as Daenerys Targaryen arriving in Westeros with her army and three dragons and waging war against the Lannisters, Jon Snow forging an alliance with Daenerys in an attempt to unite their forces against the White Walker army, Arya and Bran returning to Winterfell and reuniting with their sister Sansa, and the army of the dead breaching the Wall (with the help of a reanimated wight dragon) and entering the Seven Kingdoms.
Shooter (Season 2, USA)
Former Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger has entered a new phase of his life, living in exile after leaving the military. His civilian life doesn't last as long as he expects, though, with the discovery of a plot to kill the president. Former commanding officer Isaac Johnson, now a Secret Service agent, draws Swagger into the investigation by seeking his expertise for a clandestine operation to keep the commander in chief safe. The series is based on the 2007 film of the same name, which was an adaptation of Stephen Hunter's novel "Point of Impact."
Queen of the South (Season 2, USA)
While living in the barrio of Jalisco, Mexico, poor Teresa Mendoza falls in love with a member of a successful drug cartel, hoping the love will help her rise above the hopelessness she feels in her life. When it doesn't happen, she is forced to flee the country after her boyfriend is murdered. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams up with an unlikely person from her past to take down the leader of the drug ring that is after her. Teresa ends up starting her own drug empire, becoming one of the world's wealthiest women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of others and stay alive.
Younger (Season 4, TV Land)
Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which suddenly single-mom Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution revolves around trying to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career -- while no one discovers her secret. She later has to deal with the fallout of the truth after revealing her secret to Kelsey.
Suits (Season 7, USA)
In need of an associate, big-time Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter hires the only guy who impresses him -- college dropout Mike Ross. The fact that Ross isn't actually a lawyer isn't lost on Specter, who believes his new right-hand man is a legal prodigy with the book smarts of a Harvard law grad and the street smarts of a hustler. However, in order to keep their jobs, the charade must remain strictly between these two unconventional thinkers.
Insecure (Season 2, HBO)
Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly. As the best friends deal with their own real-life flaws, their insecurities come to the fore as together they cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Created by co-star Issa Rae and writer/comic Larry Wilmore ("The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"), the comedy series looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It features the music of both indie and established artists of color, and touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience.
Ballers (Season 3, HBO)
A superstar during his football playing days, Spencer Strasmore tries to find the same success as a financial manager for current players in sun-splashed Miami. Heeding his boss Joe's instruction to "monetize his friendships," Spencer builds a client base of young phenoms and veteran stars alike, but his role in their lives far exceeds money management as he struggles to help them navigate the many traps that come with life as big-time "ballers." The series is created by Stephen Levinson ("Entourage," "Boardwalk Empire") and stars Dwayne Johnson as Spencer.
The Strain (Season 4, FX)
Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the CDC's New York-based Canary Project, is called upon to investigate when an airplane lands with everybody on board dead. What his team discovers is a viral outbreak that has similarities to an ancient strain of vampirism. As the virus begins to spread, Goodweather works with his team and a group of the city's residents to wage a war that could hold humanity's fate in its hand.
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On Netflix October 13, 2017
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is the emotional, and comic intergenerational tale of adult siblings (Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, and Elizabeth Marvel) contending with the long shadow their strong-willed father (Dustin Hoffman) has cast over their lives.
Starring: Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Marvel
Directed by: Noah Baumbach
Produced by: Eli Bush, Noah Baumbach, Scott Rudin, Lila Yacoub
Written by: Noah Baumbach
Distributed by: Netflix
Runtime: 110 minutes
In Select Theaters October 13
Breathe is an inspiring true love story between Robin and Diana Cavendish (Academy Award® nominee Andrew Garfield, Golden Globe® winner Claire Foy), an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. When Robin is struck down by polio at the age of 28, he is confined to a hospital bed and given only a few months to live. With the help of Diana's twin brothers (Tom Hollander) and the groundbreaking ideas of inventor Teddy Hall (Hugh Bonneville), Robin and Diana dare to escape the hospital ward to seek out a full and passionate life together — raising their young son, traveling and devoting their lives to helping other polio patients.
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, Hugh Bonneville
Directed by: Andy Serkis
Written by: William Nicholson
Produced by: Jonathan Cavendish
Cinematography by: Robert Richardson
Distributed by: Bleeker Street, STX Entertainment, Elevation Pictures
Runtime: 117 minutes
The 55th New York Film Festival took place September 28th and will run through – October 15th, 2017 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Why Watch That was there to cover it.
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In theaters Friday, October 6, 2017
An estranged father and son are forced to rely on one another to survive an unforgiving wilderness in this riveting, richly emotional thriller. Once a year, fourteen-year-old David (Josh Wiggins) travels from his mother’s home in Texas to visit his loner father, Cal (Matt Bomer), in the remote mountains of Montana. There, the two embark on their annual hunting excursion, during which the taciturn Cal attempts to connect with his smartphone-addicted son. But when a terrifying turn of events leaves Cal critically wounded, it’s up to the teenage David to summon enough strength for both of them. Infused with a deep reverence for the rugged beauty and harsh realities of the Montana landscape, Walking Out is both a tense survival saga and a disarmingly moving father-son tale. Featuring Bill Pullman.
Starring: Matt Bomer, Josh Wiggins, Bill Pullman, Alex Neustaedter, Chaske Spencer, Lily Gladstone
Written by: Alex Smith, Andrew Smith
Directed by: Alex Smith, Andrew Smith
Produced by: Brunson Green, Laura Ivey
Distributed by: IFC Films
Runtime: 96 minutes
In theaters October 6, 2017
Set over one summer, the film follows precocious 6-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Disney World.
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Kimberly Prince, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, Caleb Landry Jones
Written by: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Directed by: Sean Baker
Produced by: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch, Kevin Chinoy, Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks, Francesca Silvestri, Shih-Ching Tsou
Cinematography: Alexis Zabe
Distributed by: A24
Runtime: 115 minutes
In theaters October 6, 2017
After the cancellation of their flight due to stormy weather, Dr. Ben Bass (Idris Elba) and photojournalist Alex Martin (Kate Winslet) board a charter plane. The plane crashes midflight and they survive the incident with injuries, but get lost in the wilderness. Stranded, the two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across hundreds of miles of wilderness, pushing one another to endure and discovering strength they never knew possible. The film is directed by Academy Award nominee Hany Abu-Assad and stars Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and Golden Globe winner Idris Elba.
Starring: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet
Directed by: Hany Abu-Assad
Produced by: Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, David Ready, Jenno Topping
Screenplay by: Chris Weitz, J. Mills Goodloe
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Runtime: 104 minutes
Still reeling from his break-up with college sweetheart Allison (Cobie Smulders), Adam (Justin Long) is devastated when she announces her plan to marry to a man she’s only known for a year. What’s worse is that Adam is invited to the wedding. When he returns home for the festivities, which for him include a nightmarish rehearsal dinner and a bizarre wedding date (with a scene-stealing Kristen Schaal), Adam is forced to grapple with his unresolved feelings, ghosts from his past, and an uncertain future.
Starring: Justin Long, Cobie Smulders, Ryan Hansen, John Cho, Kristen Schaal, Dana Delany, Peter Gallagher, Lea Thompson, Luis Guzmán
Directed by: Ryan Eggold
Written by: Ryan Eggold
Produced by: Ryan Eggold, Ross Kohn, Cassandra Kulukundis, Nancy Leopardi
Distributed by: Screen Media Films
Runtime: 97 minutes
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The plot focuses on Barry Seal, a pilot for commercial airline TWA. A CIA agent, Monty Schafer, contacts him and asks him to fly clandestine reconnaissance missions for the CIA over South America using a small plane with cameras installed. Seal accepts.
Later in the 1970s, Schafer asks Seal to start acting as a courier between the CIA and General Noriega in Panama. During a mission, the Medellin Cartel picks Seal up and asks him to fly cocaine on his return flights to the USA. Seal accepts and starts flying the cartel’s cocaine to Louisiana. The CIA turns a blind eye to the drug smuggling, but the DEA tracks Seal down. Schafer warns Seal, who moves to a remote town in Arkansas called Mena.
Later, Schafer asks Seal to run guns to the Contras. Seal soon realizes that the Contras are not serious, so he starts delivering the guns to the cartel. The CIA set up a Contra training base in Mena and Seal flies the Contras in, but most of them disappear as soon as they arrive.
Eventually, the CIA shut the program down and abandon Seal to the FBI, DEA and other law enforcement. Seal escapes prosecution by making a deal with the White House, which wants evidence the Sandinistas are drug traffickers. They ask Seal to get photos that tie the Medelin Cartel to the Sandinistas. Seal manages to get the pictures and the White House releases them as propaganda against the Sandinistas. The cartel now want Seal dead. Also, as Seal is in the pictures himself, he’s arrested.
Seal is convicted, and given community service which means he has to report to the same Salvation Army hostel each night. Eventually, assassins shoot and kill him. The CIA then seize all the evidence to avoid being implicated in drug smuggling.
Starring: Tom Cruise
Directed by: Doug Liman
Written by: Gary Spinelli
Produced by: Brian Grazer, Brian Oliver, Tyler Thompson, Doug Davison, Kim Roth
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 111 minutes
Rated R
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On Sunday, September 10, 2017, The Paley Center for Media hosted day five of its 11th Annual PaleyFest Fall TV Previews honoring the OWN series Queen Sugarat the Paley Center in Beverly Hills and Why Watch That was there to cover it. The cast dawned the "purple" carpet eager to share their thoughts of show's mid-season return. This episode is such to satisfy your Sugar fix. Take a listen!
While the Critic and Referee are enjoying some well deserved vacation time before the Summer comes to an end, we've prepared a favorites episode that is sure to keep you entertained until their return.
Sit back, relax and enjoy while the Critic and the Referee each share with you one of their favorite interviews on WhyWatchThat!
Welcome to Episode 65 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Sneak Peek: Brave New Jersey
Check out our review page here!
- Did You Know?
Did you know that this late, great comedic actor (who was one of Mel Brooks’s favorites) provided the voice of Pizza the Hutt in “Spaceballs”?
- Sneak Peek: Chronically Metropolitan
Check out our review page here!
- Sneak Peek: Wind River
Check out our review page here!
- Pick of the Week: The Incredible Jessica James (Netflix)
Welcome to Episode 64 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Sneak Peek: Brigsby Bear
Check out our review page here!
- Did You Know?
Did you know that, according to Indiewire, the real director of the original "Poltergeist" (1982) isn't technically Tobe Hooper, as credited? The actual director of the film is this mega-famous director who was bound by contract to another film and couldn't attach his name to "Poltergeist," as a result.
- Talk: Recent TV Premieres
Insecure (HBO)
Ballers (HBO)
The Strain (FX)
Shooter (USA)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
- Sneak Peek: Atomic Blonde
Check out our review page here!
- Pick of the Week: Ozark (Netflix)
In this bonus episode, the Critic talks to the Producer about two major film releases this weekend – "Girls Trip" and "Dunkirk." The Producer got a chance to attend a screening for each, so listen to find out which film is for you. Maybe it's both? Also, be sure to check out our website at whywatchthat.com for our full suite of resources, including reviews, episodes, and free giveaways! Enjoy!
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Welcome to Episode 63 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
1. Sneak Peek: Landline
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
2. Did You Know?
Did you know that this actor is a rapper, was a backup dancer for Queen Latifah, starred in a film with Tupac, and played a TV doctor twice?
3. First Look: To the Bone
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
4. Rapid Fire: Summer TV
Claws (TNT) The Mist (Spike) Snowfall (FX) Salvation (CBS) Hooten & the Lady (CW) Friends from College (Netflix) Younger (TV Land) Broadchurch (BBC America) Zoo (CBS) Suits (USA)
5. Pick of the Week: GLOW (Netflix)
In this bonus episode, the Why Watch That team reviews "War for the Planet of the Apes," the upcoming and highly anticipated end to the most recent "Planet of the Apes" trilogy. For more information about that film and to enter into Blu-ray DVD giveaways (courtesy of Paramount Pictures), visit our website at whywatchthat.com!
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Welcome to Episode 62 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Sneak Peek: A Ghost Story
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
- Did You Know?
Which American artist has been nominated for a SAG award twice and a Pulitzer for drama and won a Pulitzer and a Tony award as an actor and a playwright?
- Sneak Peek: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
- Pick of the Week: Younger on TV Land
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Welcome to Episode 61 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Sneak Peek: The Beguiled
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
- Did You Know?
Which classic comedy movie turns 30-years-old on June 24 and used a blue screen that scared the film crew and cast?
- Sneak Peek: The Big Sick
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
- Pick of the Week: I, Daniel Blake
Check out our review page at whywatchthat.com!
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We'll be back with an all-new episode this weekend. In the meantime, visit whywatchthat.com for reviews, interviews, giveaways, and more! Don't forget to rate us on iTunes!
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Welcome to Episode 60 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Rapid Fire (Part 1): New & Returning TV Shows
The Last Kingdom
I Love Dick
Twin Peaks
Bloodline
House of Cards
Nashville
Fear the Walking Dead
I’m Dying Up Here
Queen of the South
Orange Is the New Black
- Did You Know?
Which well-respected actress, who stars in a hit show that recently returned, threatened to go public if she didn’t receive the same pay as her male co-star?
- Rapid Fire (Part 2): Recent TV Series Finales, Season Endings, and Cancellations
Sense8
Prison Break
The Americans
The Leftovers
- Pick of the Week: The Mist (2007) (TV version premieres June 22 on Spike TV)
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Welcome to Episode 59 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Why Watch That Insider: Who We Are: The Heartbeat of Why Watch That
The Critic and the Referee take a stroll down memory lane to discuss the origins of our show and the driving force behind it.
- Did You Know?
Which actress refused to return to an iconic ‘80s show without a pay raise and missed the first episode of its fifth season as a result? She did this knowing that the fourth season of the show ended with a cliffhanger that easily could have resulted in her character’s death.
- The Why Watch That Talk: Some of Our Favorite TV Performances This Season
Jessica Lange (Feud: Bette and Joan)
Tracee Ellis Ross (Blackish)
The cast of The Americans
F. Murray Abraham and Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Honorable Mention: Stanley Tucci (Feud: Bette and Joan)
- Pick of the Week: Sand Castle (Netflix)
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Welcome to Episode 58 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
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Sneak Peek: Alien: Covenant
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Did You Know?
Which TV show was cancelled after its first season, then brought back for another 11 seasons after it achieved popularity in syndication?
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The Why Watch That Talk: TV Renewals & Cancellations with Lawrence Saint-Victor
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Pick of the Week: Gomorrah on SundanceTV
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Welcome to Episode 57 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
- Rapid Fire: Our rapid takes on TV shows that have premiered or ended recently
Season Finales
The Magicians
The Path
Crashing
Legends of Tomorrow
Outsiders
Catastrophe
Premieres
Harlots
Class
The White Princess
Girlboss
Mary Kills People
American Gods
- Did You Know?
What’s the highest-grossing comic book movie of all time?
- The Why Watch That Talk: Our lengthier takes on TV shows that have premiered or ended recently
Premieres
13 Reasons Why
Genius
The Handmaid’s Tale
Dear White People
Season and Series Finales
Colony
Homeland
The Good Fight
Feud: Bette and Joan
Girls
- Pick of the Week: Alien and Aliens
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Welcome to Episode 56 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
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Our reviews of The Lost City of Z, Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, and The Fate of the Furious!
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Did You Know: Which revered actress campaigned to appear in the Fast & Furious franchise?
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Pick of the Week: Homeland Season 6 (Showtime)
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Welcome to Episode 55 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
1. Recent TV Finales: The Critic and the Referee discuss just how successful the season finales of This Is Us (NBC), Baskets (FX), Legion (FX), and The Walking Dead (AMC), and the ending of miniseries Big Little Lies (HBO) were.
2. Did You Know: Meryl Streep was crowned "The Next First Lady of the American Screen" by which iconic actress who's come back to prominence recently?
3. Sneak Peek: Their Finest
4. Pick of the Week: Get Out
5. New Giveaway: Office Christmas Party (Enter at whywatchthat.com)
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Welcome to Episode 54 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
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New & Returning TV: The Critic and the Referee give you the goods on the new seasons of The Americans (FX), Underground (WGN), The Catch (ABC), American Crime (ABC), and Into the Badlands (AMC); the series debuts of Trial & Error (NBC), Snatch (Crackle), Iron Fist (Netflix), and Shots Fired (FOX); the returns of Designated Survivor (ABC) and Empire (FOX); and the recent TV movie, To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters (PBS).
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Did You Know: Which two actors swapped roles in two major films, one directed by Steven Spielberg and the other directed by Martin Scorsese?
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New Giveaway: Click here to win a Blu-ray copy of Martin Scorsese's Silence (from Paramount Pictures)!
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Pick of the Week: Big Little Lies (HBO)
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Welcome to Episode 53 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
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Our TV Catch-Up: We give you our take on the current states of The Collection (Amazon Prime), The Missing (Starz), The Walking Dead (AMC), Girls (HBO), The Good Fight (CBS All Access), Billions (Showtime), Crashing (HBO), National Treasure (Hulu), Making History (FOX), and Feud: Bette and Joan (FX).
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The Future of Cable TV: The Critic and the Referee discuss how to navigate the vast landscape of TV offerings without breaking the bank and where cable TV is headed in the near future.
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Did You Know: Which Oscar-nominated actor turned down the role of the Beast in Disney's live-action version of "Beauty and the Beast"?
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Pick of the Week: Fences (Click here for a chance to win a Blu-ray copy!)
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Welcome to Episode 52 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes:
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Our Sneak Peek reviews of "Raw," "The Ottoman Lieutenant," and "The Sense of an Ending."
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Snippets of our interview with Jim Broadbent (the "Harry Potter" series, "Iris," the "Bridget Jones" series), the Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe Award-winning star of "The Sense of an Ending."
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Welcome to Episode 51 of Why Watch That Radio! This episode includes: * Snippets of our interviews from this year's Sundance Film Festival with the cast and producers, including Common and Alfre Woodard, of Netflix's "Burning Sands" * Snippets of our interview with stars Tatiana Maslany ("Orphan Black") and Tom Cullen ("Downton Abbey") and writer-director-producer Joey Klein of "The Other Half" * Our "Sneak Peek" reviews of "Burning Sands," "Personal Shopper" (which stars Kristen Stewart), and "The Other Half" * "Did You Know?": This versatile Emmy and Tony award-winning actor has a birthday today. Who is he? * "Pick of the Week": FX's "The Americans" (Season 5 begins tonight!)
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Whoa, listeners! After handing out awards fairly predictably, last night's Oscars ended with a shocker! "Moonlight" emerged victorious after a mix-up that will go down in history. So, we just couldn't wait until Tuesday to release our reaction! In this episode, the Critic and the Referee provide their takes on the festivities. Are they pleased with the Academy's decisions? How good was this year's ceremony? Take a listen to their entertaining conversation to find out. But, that's not all! The entire Why Watch That team, including our producer, gives us a Sneak Peek of "Logan," which opens everywhere this Friday. You don't want to miss our reaction to Hugh Jackman's last stand as Wolverine. And, of course, there's a "Did You Know?" and a "Pick of the Week" that you just have to hear! Go on, enjoy!
Click here for our full post!
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Hey, there, listeners! Welcome to a very special episode of Why Watch That! Before the Oscars are held this Sunday, we want to give you our final take on last year's best releases. Normally, the Critic and the Referee make their recommendations based on who should watch specific movies and TV shows and how. But, this time, they're giving you their personal picks for the best movies and TV shows of last year. What excited them the most? Listen to this candid episode to find out!
Click here to visit our website!
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We haven't forgotten about you and will be back on Friday with a new episode. In the meantime check out our Sundance coverage at the website.
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Since the Oscars will air on Sunday, February 26, the Critic and the Referee decided to say “Happy Valentine’s Day!” by predicting the winners in this year’s major categories and by giving you their own favorites in those categories. Do they get it right? Listen to this episode, then tune in to the festivities on the 26th to find out. Also, do they agree or disagree with the Academy’s nominees and the odds-on favorites? At times, their responses to that question are explosive, indeed. Finally, we return to providing a “Did You Know?” segment, just in time for a recent TV return, and a “Pick of the Week” that’s in honor of two worthy Oscar-nominated acting performances. Enjoy our Valentine’s Day treat!
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The LEGO Batman Movie
In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble—LEGO® Batman—stars in his own big-screen adventure.
But there are big changes brewing in Gotham City, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.
John Wick 2
In this next chapter following the 2014 hit, legendary hitman John Wick [Keanu Reeves] is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.
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In this episode, the Critic and the Referee say “Happy New Year!” to recent TV shows (both new and returning) that premiered last month. The “new” includes “Star,” Lee Daniels’ second musical show on FOX; “Taboo,” Tom Hardy’s foray into television on FX; “Sneaky Pete,” which was co-created by Bryan Cranston; “The Young Pope,” starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton; and much more. The “returning” includes “Nashville,” which now airs on CMT; “Homeland,” Showtime’s perennial favorite; “Sherlock,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman; “The Path,” Hulu’s foray into religion; and more. Go ahead: Get your TV fix!
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The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is over, and we’re back in NYC. Thanks for joining us as we covered the movies, politics, and events at this year's festival. We networked with filmmakers and producers, interviewed a few celebrities, and even watched some great and not-so great movies that will be coming to a theater near you later in the year. We can’t wait to go back next year! But, for now, please enjoy our festival highlights, featuring the Critic's and the Referee's thoughts on "A Ghost Story," "Roxanne Roxanne," and "Beatriz at Dinner." Our highlights also include a Q&A with the movers and shakers behind "Crown Heights" and an interview with Alfre Woodard, who stars in "Burning Sands." Also, be sure to check back for even more of our coverage from Sundance, including our Sundance Survival Guide. Stay tuned!
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Why Watch That is going to the Sundance Film Festival! Stay tuned for updates and additional coverage.
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In this episode, the Critic and the Referee say goodbye to one of their favorite TV shows, “Rectify.” In addition, they discuss where a bunch of shows left us after their recent season finales. Those shows include “Mozart in the Jungle,” “Westworld,” “Pitch,” “Poldark,” “Younger,” “Insecure,” “Atlanta,” “Masters of Sex,” and “The Exorcist.” Enjoy!
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Hey, there, listeners! This is the third and final episode that is chock full of movie reviews only! If you missed the previous two episodes, be sure to check them out! Since there are so many movies coming out around the holidays, we wanted to make sure that we shared our reviews before you hit the theaters. In this episode, we review “Hidden Figures,” “Paterson,” “20th Century Women,” and “Silence.” (Don’t forget to visit whywatchthat.com for even more reviews, as well.) Enjoy!
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Well, well, well, listeners! Welcome to the second episode of a three-episode series that we’re releasing for the holidays! (The third and final episode in the series will be released Friday.) So, we’re continuing to share our reviews of movies that are releasing during the holiday season. If you missed the first episode in this series, check it out! Also, be sure to visit whywatchthat.com for even more reviews! In this episode, we review “Assassin’s Creed,” “Passengers,” and “Patriots Day.” Enjoy!
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Hey, listeners! Since there are so many movies coming out around the holidays, we’ll be releasing three episodes over the course of the next two weeks (starting with this one) that are chock full of reviews. We’ll release even more movie reviews on our site at whywatchthat.com. (For instance, if you’re looking for “Sing” or “Solace,” please visit our site.) In this episode, we review “Fences,” “Office Christmas Party,” “La La Land,” and “Collateral Beauty.” Enjoy!
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Welcome to a special episode of Why Watch That; this is all about reviews! Since we’ve been away for a couple of weeks in preparation for the future of Why Watch That, in this episode, we wanted to put together our reviews of recently released and soon-to-be released movies. Our first review is of “Arrival,” which opened last week and stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker. The other three films that are reviewed in this episode all release this week. They are: “Bleed For This,” which stars Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Ciaran Hinds, and Katey Sagal; “Nocturnal Animals,” which is directed by Tom Ford and also stars Amy Adams, along with Jake Gyllenhaal and a great supporting cast, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon, Armie Hammer, Isla Fisher, Michael Sheen, and Laura Linney; and “Manchester by the Sea,” which stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, and Kyle Chandler. By the way, at whywatchthat.com, we have even more recent reviews, including reviews of “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Loving,” and “Elle.” Enjoy!
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In this episode, the Critic and the Referee take a step back from movie review after movie review to focus on ... "The Walking Dead"! Well, not just that, of course. Our dynamic duo talks about both new and returning TV shows. They also take a pause to reflect on the state of this year's fall film releases. Are these films delivering the goods so far? Listen to find out! Plus, there's a "Did You Know" about one of the most singular actors around and a "Pick of the Week" that will help you get your Netflix binge on. Enjoy!
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WEEKEND EDITION: In this episode, the Critic and the Referee review action-sequel “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” which stars Tom Cruise; horror-movie “Ouija: Origin of Evil”; and action-comedy “Keeping Up With the Joneses,” which stars Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, and Gal Gadot. In addition, we’ve included highlights of our interviews with Courtney Hunt, director of “The Whole Truth,” which we reviewed in our previous episode, and with Ti West and James Ransone, writer-director-editor and star, respectively, of “In a Valley of Violence,” which we also reviewed in Episode 37. Enjoy!
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This episode of Why Watch That Radio is chock full of reviews! The Critic and the Referee give you their takes on “The Whole Truth,” directed by Courtney Hunt and starring Keanu Reeves, Renée Zellweger, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Gabriel Basso, and Jim Belushi; Barry Jenkins’ startling new film, “Moonlight,” starring Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes; “In a Valley of Violence,” Ti West’s singular sort of western, which stars Ethan Hawke, John Travolta, and James Ransone; and our Pick of the Week: Whit Stillman’s “Love & Friendship,” which will be available on Amazon Prime this Thursday and stars Kate Beckinsale and Chloë Sevigny. Of course, we have a Did You Know that you won’t want to miss, as well. There’s something in this episode for everyone!
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Welcome, everyone, to Why Watch That Radio’s first Thursday episode. We’re calling this: the WEEKEND EDITION! Since we have a lot of content to share with you, we decided to release two episodes per week, when it makes sense. So, be sure to check us out every Tuesday and Thursday for all things film and television. In this episode, the Critic and the Referee review “Certain Women,” starring Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, and Laura Dern; “Coming Through the Rye,” starring Chris Cooper as J.D. Salinger; and “The Accountant,” starring Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, and more! In addition, we recap the third press week at the New York Film Festival, including our quick takes on Pedro Almodóvar’s “Julieta”; “Personal Shopper,” which stars Kristen Stewart; and “20th Century Women,” which stars Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, and Lucas Jade Zumann. Enjoy!
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Listeners, we’re on a roll! Since we have so much content to give you, we’ve decided to start releasing two episodes a week … when appropriate. So, be sure to check us out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and you won’t miss a thing. In this episode, we have the return of a special guest: writer-director-actor extraordinaire, Lawrence Saint-Victor. If you missed Lawrence’s first appearance on our show, check out Episode 31. This time around, Lawrence joins us for the first part of a two-part discussion entitled, “We Heart 80s Movies!” In addition, the Critic and the Referee review “Ordinary World,” which stars Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Selma Blair, Fred Armisten, and many other wonderful actors. “Ordinary World” will be available in theaters and On Demand this Friday. But, that’s not it. They also discuss the state of returning fall TV shows: From American Horror Story to Blackish to Blindspot, they’ve got you covered. And, as always, our Pick of the Week and Did You Know segments are dynamite. Enjoy!
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Hey, listeners! Welcome to another episode that's chock full of goodies! Here they are: our reviews of Ava DuVernay's "13th" and Nate Parker's "The Birth of a Nation," our continued coverage of the 54th New York Film Festival, even more of our takes on new fall TV shows, a timely "Did You Know," and a "Pick of the Week" that delivers. Enjoy!
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Wow, listeners! Since there’s so much going on in the world of Film/TV, the Critic and the Referee have a lot to discuss (and keep up with). In this episode, they give you their takes on what they’ve seen, so far, at the New York Film Festival. (The festival’s public screenings begin Friday, September 30.) They also give you the highlights from the Urbanworld Film Festival, which just ended. But that’s not all. Two major films are in wide release Friday, so they just had to review them. The first film review is of “Deepwater Horizon,” which stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, and Kate Hudson. The second is of “Queen of Katwe,” which screened at Urbanworld and stars Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo. (“Queen of Katwe” is already in limited release in selected cities.) But, even that isn’t all. What about Fall TV? New TV shows get the Why Watch That treatment. Plus, of course, there are a “Did You Know?” and a “Pick of the Week” that you don’t want to miss. Dig in!
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Well, well, well, listeners! The Critic and the Referee recorded their instant reaction to this Sunday’s Emmys ceremony! What do they think about the winners and the losers? You know you’ll find out when you listen! Plus, they have two intriguing reviews for you! The first review is of “The Dressmaker,” a peculiar film that stars Kate Winslet. (By the way, our interview with director Jocelyn Moorhouse is available on our site. Check it out!) The second review is of the highly anticipated “The Magnificent Seven,” which, of course, stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and more … in a western! Take a listen!
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Listeners, we have an extra special treat for you! In this episode, the Critic and the Referee are joined by a very special guest: actor-writer-director Lawrence Saint-Victor! Lawrence first came to our attention as Remy Boudreau in “Guiding Light.” He also starred in “The Bold and the Beautiful” as Carter Walton, and he even made an entertaining appearance in “Ugly Betty,” among others. To celebrate some recent TV shows we love, Lawrence joins us to discuss some of our favorites. In addition, the Critic and the Referee review “The Vessel,” which stars Martin Sheen, and “Operation Avalanche,” which reimagines what happened at NASA and the CIA during the Cold War. Both films release this Friday. This is a good one!
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This episode is jam-packed with our takes on upcoming movies and TV shows that release this month! Find out what’s coming soon to a theater or TV screen near you and whether it will appeal to you. In addition, we give you our review of “Kicks,” which opens in selected theaters this Friday. Plus, our “Pick of the Week” celebrates the birthdays of Naomie Harris and Idris Elba, and our “Did You Know” segment is all about one of the most beloved actors in the world. You don’t want to miss this episode!
For complete info & more, visit whywatchthat.com!
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HBO’s hit limited series “The Night Of” just ended, so the Critic couldn’t wait to share his thoughts about it with you. How does he feel about the way things ended? You’ll have to listen to find out. In addition, the Critic and the Referee discuss the return of AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire” and “Fear the Walking Dead” and FX’s “The Strain” and the start of SundanceTV’s “Gomorrah.” But that’s not all! The Critic also gives you his review of “Max Rose,” a film that stars icon Jerry Lewis; and the Ref gives you her verdict on the well-received western, “Hell or High Water,” which stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges. Lastly, our hosts challenge you to figure out which movie star went to high school with Snoop Dogg in our “Did You Know” segment and provide a timely “Pick of the Week”: “Narcos,” which returns with its second season on Friday. This episode has something for everyone!
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He burst onto the scene as the star of "District 9" and has appeared in many other sci-fi/action/adventure films since then, including the upcoming "Free Fire." But, on Friday, Sharlto Copley stars in ... a dramedy, called "The Hollars"! Director-producer John Krasinski ("The Office") also stars in the film, along with Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick, and Josh Groban — yes, Josh Groban! Listen to our engaging and insightful interview with Sharlto and our review of the film. Plus, we have a related "Pick of the Week" ("District 9") and a "Did You Know?" that you don't want to miss! Take a listen!
For more info, visit whywatchthat.com!
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It’s been a while since we last talked TV, so the Critic and the Referee decided to delve into the recent offerings from HBO and Netflix. The Critic gives his takes on “Ballers,” “Vice Principals,” “Looking: The Movie,” “The Little Prince,” and “The Get Down.” But, will those offerings appeal to you? Listen to find out! In addition, we have a “Sneak Peek” at “Imperium”: Daniel Radcliffe, once again, proves that he’s willing to take risks in his career. The Critic will give you an idea of whether you should go see this in a movie theater. Our “Did You Know?” segment hilariously references one of the stars of the upcoming “Ben-Hur” remake, and the “Pick of the Week” is in preparation for the return of AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire.” Dive in!
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This week, we have not one, not two, but three different “Sneak Peeks” for you! In this episode, the Critic and the Referee review “Anthropoid,” which stars Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan, “Joshy,” which stars Thomas Middleditch of HBO’s “Silicon Valley,” and “Blood Father,” which marks the return of Mel Gibson to the big screen. Each film releases Friday, August 12. In addition, our “Did You Know?” segment focuses on one of the most beloved actresses in the world, and our “Pick of the Week” is in honor of Melanie Griffith’s birthday. Enjoy!
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Will Smith is and has been one of the most powerful movie stars in the world. So, right in time for the release of “Suicide Squad” on Friday, the Critic and the Referee decided to take a trip down the memory lane of his filmography. But, of course, that’s not it! They also come back to this question: Whatever happened to …? You won’t believe the actors they chose. Plus, our “Did You Know?” also pertains to “Suicide Squad,” and the “Pick of the Week” is a beloved — by some — sci-fi trilogy that’s now available on Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
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In this episode, we have a special treat for you! The Critic and the Referee got a chance to interview the director, Meera Menon, and writer, Amy Fox, of “Equity” — a new film starring Anna Gunn, Alysia Reiner, Sarah Megan Thomas, and James Purefoy that opens Friday, July 29. It provides a groundbreaking look at Wall Street from women’s perspectives: Women are the driving force of the film, both in front of and behind the camera. Plus, the Critic and the Referee give their own thoughts on the film overall. In addition, they discuss another film that releases this Friday — “Indignation,” starring Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, and Tracy Letts. Furthermore, for our “Did You Know?” segment, they ponder this question: Is Jason Bourne real or fake? (You’ll have to listen to figure that one out!) And, they celebrate the great career of Garry Marshall, who recently passed away, in their “Pick of the Week.” This episode’s chock full of goodies. Enjoy!
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The Critic and the Referee decided to check in on summer TV once more! In this episode, they discuss the Outlander finale, the returns of Suits and Mr. Robot, the premiere of The A Word, and the full season of Stranger Things. Plus, they revisit the McGuffin and the importance of the narrative force by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of some TV shows and a movie. Lastly, there’s a special birthday version of “Did You Know?” and a “Pick of the Week” that’s a blast from the recent past. Dive in!
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In this episode, in response to recent events in this country, the Critic and the Referee decided to highlight films of triumph. From Selma to Erin Brockovich, they present both expected and unexpected films that feature characters who strive to overcome. But, that’s not it! Since this year’s Emmy nominees will be announced this Thursday (July 14), the Critic and the Referee also talk about the TV shows and performances that they think deserve some recognition at this year’s festivities. Plus, they provide an absolutely hilarious “Did You Know?” and a “Pick of the Week” that the Critic is excited about — HBO’s The Night Of. This episode has a little something for everyone. Enjoy!
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Summer TV is here to stay! And, the Critic and the Referee are doing their best to bring you their thoughts on the latest and (sometimes) greatest offerings now available. They dive into the second season of Marco Polo, Greenleaf, American Gothic, Queen of the South, Thirteen, the return of Zoo, and Marcella. In addition, they discuss Captain Fantastic, a new film starring Viggo Mortensen that you don’t want to miss. Plus, don’t forget about “Did You Know?” and the “Pick of the Week”!
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Hey, listeners! Game of Thrones just ended, so the Critic wanted to share his thoughts with the Referee and you! In addition, our co-hosts discuss the season finales of Veep and Silicon Valley, the return of Ray Donovan, and the debut of Cameron Crowe’s Roadies. Plus, they talk about two films that are available to stream online, right now: Trumbo and The Fundamentals of Caring. For the “Did You Know?” and “Pick of the Week” segments, you’ll have to listen to find out. Enjoy!
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The new season of Orange Is the New Black is upon us! And, the Critic has watched every episode of Netflix’s critically acclaimed hit. So, listen to find out whether this season is worth the binge. In addition, the Critic and the Referee discuss the return of Another Period and the debuts of BrainDead, Uncle Buck, Wrecked, and Animal Kingdom. You’ll find out which shows will tickle your fancy. On the film side of things, we bring you our reviews of The Duel (starring Woody Harrelson and Liam Hemsworth), which will be in theaters and On Demand June 24, and The Neon Demon (starring Dakota Fanning and Jena Malone), which will also be in theaters on the 24th. Finally, there’s a “Did You Know?” that commemorates the career of Anton Yelchin, a wonderful young actor who surely will be missed.
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This week, the Critic and the Referee decided to check back in with TV! What do they have to say about the season finale of The Americans, the premieres of some new shows (Preacher, Cleverman, and Feed the Beast), and the premieres of some returning shows (Penny Dreadful and Bloodline)? You’ll have to listen to find out! In addition, in case you missed it, we’ve included our “Sneak Peek” of The Conjuring 2. Plus, we certainly didn’t forget to include an illuminating “Did You Know?” and a well-deserved “Pick of the Week.” Well, what are you waiting for? Dive in! (Visit whywatchthat.com for more info!)
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Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum – the director of “Careful What You Wish For,” a film that opens this Friday and stars Nick Jonas, Dermot Mulroney, Isabel Lucas, and more – dropped by for an interview with the Critic and the Referee. Is this the film that will help you beat the heat or possibly turn it up? Listen to find out! Also, the Ref got a chance to see “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” which stars Andy Samberg. Can you guess what she thought about it? Lastly, we chose the remake of “Roots” as our “Pick of the Week” (Did you see it?) and a “Did You Know?” that you probably don’t know. This is a good one!
Interview
Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum (director of “Careful What You Wish For” – In Theaters, iTunes and On Demand June 10th)
FILM SYNOPSIS (from Starz Digital): While working in a wealthy vacation community the summer before college, Doug (Nick Jonas, “Kingdom”, “Scream Queens”) begins an affair with the beautiful young wife (Isabel Lucas, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”) of his powerful investment banker neighbor (Dermot Mulroney, “The Family Stone”, “Shameless”). When the town erupts after a suspicious death, the young lovers become embroiled in scandal, forcing Doug to his limits as he battles deceit and betrayal. Graham Rogers (“Quantico”, LOVE & MERCY), Paul Sorvino (GOODFELLAS), and Kandyse McClure (SEVENTH SON, “Hemlock Grove”) costar in this steamy thriller.
Sneak Peek
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Did You Know?
Which upcoming movie uses technology that might allow actors to live forever?
Pick of the Week
Roots (2016) (History Channel)
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The heat is on! In this episode, the Critic and the Referee discuss the newly released X-Men: Apocalypse in the context of how today’s Hollywood handles the Summer Blockbuster. What aspects of superhero movies do they love, and which aspects do they wish were used more fully? Find out! In addition, they go through one more round of TV finales, including Blindspot, Nashville, The Path, Fear the Walking Dead, and The Night Manager. And, as always, there’s a “Pick of the Week” that you’ve got to see and a “Did You Know?” segment that you won’t see coming. Well, what are you waiting for? Dive in!
X-Men: Apocalypse & the Summer Blockbuster
X-Men: Apocalypse: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3385516/?ref_=nv_sr_1
X-Men: Days of Future Past: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877832/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Captain America: Civil War: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3498820/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Captain America: The Winter Soldier: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843866/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2975590/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Our Final Round of TV Finales (for a while)
Blindspot (NBC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4474344/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Nashville (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2281375/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Path (Hulu): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4789576/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Fear the Walking Dead (mid-season) (AMC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743822/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Night Manager (AMC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1399664/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did You Know?
Justin Bieber is the basis for which movie? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3960412/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Pick of the Week
Outcast (Cinemax): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4229954/?ref_=nv_sr_1
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Hello there, listeners! In honor of Memorial Day, the Critic and the Referee decided to bring you a bonus episode! First, they give you a sneak peek at Alice Through the Looking Glass. This sequel opens this weekend, but is it worth seeing in a movie theater? Find out! In addition, they give you a first look at All the Way, an HBO movie that you can watch, right now, from the comfort of your own home. But, should you? You’ll know after you listen to what the Critic and the Referee have to say! Enjoy!
Links
Alice Through the Looking Glass: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2567026/?ref_=nv_sr_1
All the Way: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3791216/?ref_=nv_sr_1
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More TV! More TV! And … More TV! In this episode, the Critic and the Referee continue to give you their reactions to recent TV finales. Also, they clue you in on where they stand with Empire (and where its showrunner stands). Plus, they highlight actors and actresses who are “Gone Too Soon” and provide a timely “Did You Know?” and a recently released “Pick of the Week.” Go ahead: Listen! (We dare you!)
More TV Finales
The Blacklist (NBC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2741602/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Blackish (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3487356/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Legends of Tomorrow (CW): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4532368/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413573/?ref_=nv_sr_3
The Catch (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4396862/?ref_=nv_sr_2
The Last Panthers (Sundance): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4075386/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Lady Dynamite (Netflix): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4789300/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Empire (FOX) (THR’s interview with Ilene Chaiken): http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/empire-season-2-finale-death-895623
Gone Too Soon
Philip Seymour Hoffman: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000450/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Robin Williams: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000245/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Natasha Richardson: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001670/?ref_=nv_sr_3
Adrienne Shelly: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0791248/?ref_=nv_sr_3
John Candy: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001006/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Lynne Thigpen: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0858106/?ref_=nv_sr_4
Did You Know?
Which X-Men: Apocalypse star graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a major in Journalism and minors in Japanese and the Dramatic Arts? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1711525/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1
Pick of the Week
Julian Fellowes Presents Doctor Thorne (Amazon Prime): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4938084/?ref_=nv_sr_3
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TV’s all over the place! From season finales to renewals and cancellations, there’s been no shortage of things to talk about in TV land. So, the Critic and the Referee decided to weigh in. In this episode, they discuss the TV finales that they’ve seen so far. From Underground to Scandal, they’ve got it covered. In addition, they provide a fast-paced overview of TV shows that have been canceled or renewed. Which shows bit the bullet? And which shows are still going strong? Some of the results may surprise you. And, as always, there’s an exciting “Did You Know?”, and there’s a “Pick of the Week” that will take you down memory lane. You don’t want to miss it! (This episode’s a little – just a little – longer than normal, but it’s more than worth it! … Oh, and Jon Snow, we see you!)
TV Finales … So Far
Girls (HBO): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1723816/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Togetherness (HBO): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3061830/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Underground (WGN): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4522400/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Grinder (FOX): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4481322/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Scandal (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837576/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Madam Secretary (CBS): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3501074/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Elementary (CBS): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2191671/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Limitless (CBS): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4422836/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Why Watch That News: TV Renewals & Cancellations
List of Renewals & Cancellations: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/broadcast-tv-renewed-canceled-guide-844887
Metacritic Guide to Renewals & Cancellations: http://www.metacritic.com/feature/tv-renewal-scorecard-2015-2016-season
Canceled:
(ABC) Nashville; (FOX) The Grinder, Grandfathered; (NBC) Hannibal, Game of Silence; (HBO) Getting On, Togetherness; (WGN) Manhattan; (Netflix) Hemlock Grove
Renewed:
(ABC) The Catch, American Crime, Blackish, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal; (CBS) Elementary, Madam Secretary, Zoo; (CW) The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl (moved to the CW from CBS); (FOX) Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Empire, The Last Man on Earth, Sleepy Hollow; (NBC) The Blacklist, Blindspot, Shades of Blue, Superstore; (FX) Baskets, Fargo, The Strain; (AMC) Better Call Saul, Fear the Walking Dead, Into the Badlands, The Walking Dead; (Showtime) Billions, Homeland, Masters of Sex, Ray Donovan, Shameless; (USA) Colony; (HBO) Game of Thrones, The Leftovers, Silicon Valley, Veep, Vinyl; (Bravo) Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce; (Netflix) Hemlock Grove, House of Cards, Jessica Jones, Narcos, Orange is the New Black, The Ranch, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; (Syfy) The Magicians; (Amazon Prime) The Man in the High Castle, Mozart in the Jungle, Red Oaks, Transparent; (PBS) Mercy Street; (WGN) Outsiders, Underground; (Hulu) The Path; (Sundance) Rectify; (POP) Schitt’s Creek; (Esquire) Spotless; (History) Vikings; (TV Land) Younger
Did You Know?
What former major TV show is in talks to have a spinoff (but the creators will be involved with the pilot episode only)? http://variety.com/2016/tv/opinion/agent-carter-cancelled-castle-axed-good-wife-spinoff-1201773941/
Pick of the Week
Regarding Henry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102768/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this bonus episode of Why Watch That Radio, the Critic and the Referee say goodbye to one of their all-time favorite TV shows, The Good Wife. In addition, the Ref shares her thoughts on box-office hit, Captain America: Civil War. You won’t find this combination anywhere else! ’Nough said!
Show Notes
The Good Wife: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442462/?ref_=nv_sr_1 AND https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Wife
Captain America: Civil War: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3498820/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Back in the early days of Why Watch That, the Critic and the Referee asked the question: "Whatever happened to [insert the name of an actor or actress]?" This week, they're feeling a bit of nostalgia, so they decided to ask that question again. It's so much fun! But, that's not all. They also talk about the upcoming summer movie releases that excite them the most, and they play "Did You Know?" (you won't believe the Critic's reaction) and provide a "Pick of the Week" that you may not have heard of. Go ahead: Enjoy!
Whatever Happened To … Too?
Judd Nelson: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Hal Williams: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0930724/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Joel Grey: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001297/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Sean Connery: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000125/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Brendan Fraser: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000409/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Dawnn Lewis: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0507097/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Faye Dunaway: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001159/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Hugh Laurie: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491402/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Jeffrey Jones: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000470/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Rick Moranis: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001548/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Rita Moreno: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001549/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did You Know?
Which movie was directed by Mike Nichols, written by J.J. Abrams, and starred Annette Bening? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102768/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Upcoming Movies We’re Excited About
Love & Friendship (May 13): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3068194/?ref_=nv_sr_1
X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3385516/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Conjuring 2 (Jun 10): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3065204/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Free State of Jones (Jun 24): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124037/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Independence Day: Resurgence (Jun 24): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1628841/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Star Trek Beyond (Jul 22): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2660888/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Jason Bourne (Jul 29): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4196776/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Founder (Aug 5): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4276820/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Suicide Squad (Aug 5): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1386697/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Ben-Hur (Aug 12 or 19): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2638144/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Pick of the Week
Catastrophe: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4374208/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In many movies, characters (and the actors who playthem) go head-to-head. They face-off! So, in honor of theburgeoning summer blockbuster season, the Critic and the Refereediscuss some of their favorite movie face-offs. From the hilariousto the shocking, they cover it all. In addition, they talk aboutthe start of some new TV show seasons, including those of Fear theWalking Dead and Game of Thrones. And, as always, they round thingsout with a timely "Did You Know?" and an oft-overlooked "Pick ofthe Week." Enjoy!
MovieFace-Offs
Runaway Jury:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0313542/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Rocky II:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079817/?ref_=nv_sr_3
Heat:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113277/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Midnight Run:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/?ref_=nv_sr_1
What About Bob? (mention):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103241/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Kramer vs. Kramer (mention):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079417/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Superman II:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081573/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Notes on a Scandal:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465551/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Matrix (mention):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Dark Knight (mention):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/?ref_=nv_sr_1
A League of Their Own (mention):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Across the Tracks:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101268/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Fight Club:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did YouKnow?
Which actor campaigned hard to becast as Marvel’s Black Panther and received an unexpected response?http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Anthony-Mackie-Originally-Begged-Marvel-Let-Him-Play-Different-Role-70582.html
New Seasons of TVShows
Game of Thrones (HBO):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Veep (HBO):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759761/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Silicon Valley (HBO):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2575988/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Path (Hulu):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4789576/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3339966/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC):http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743822/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Pick of theWeek
Shameless: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1586680/
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In honor of Prince’s life and work, the Critic andthe Referee decided to discuss movies about music. These aren’tmusicals. Oh, no! We’re talking about movies that highlight thelives and works of musicians. From “Purple Rain” to “The BluesBrothers,” our conversation will take you on a musical journey.Plus, speaking of journeys, the Critic and the Referee also discusswhat excellent storytelling is all about. Whether in documentaryform (“Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall”) orin narrative form (the films of James Cameron), the story mustreign supreme for a movie or TV show to be a success. Lastly, towrap up the episode, we provide a dynamite “Pick of the Week” and ahilariously surprising “Did You Know?” Enjoy!
Movies About Music (in honorof Prince)
Purple Rain: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087957/
The Blues Brothers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080455/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Straight Outta Compton: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1398426/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Five Heartbeats: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101891/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Amadeus: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/?ref_=nv_sr_1
School of Rock: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332379/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Did YouKnow?
Who wrote the theme song to the 1991 John Candycomedy, “Delirious”? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101701/soundtrack
ExcellentStorytelling
Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off theWall: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5275844/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Confirmation: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4608402/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Primal Fear: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117381/?ref_=nv_sr_1
James Cameron on storytelling:http://www.fastcocreate.com/1683090/good-characters-and-cool-stuff-james-cameron-on-the-evolution-of-storytelling
Pick of theWeek
The Americans: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2149175/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Since “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” will be released in a movie theater near you sometime soon, the Critic and the Referee decided to celebrate the wonderful work of one of its stars – Emily Blunt. From “The Devil Wears Prada” to “Edge of Tomorrow,” Emily has proven that she’s one of the most versatile actresses on either side of the Pond. In addition, given the current TV climate and the fast-approaching summer blockbuster season, we talk about the difference between empty hype and good storytelling. Listen to all that and more in this week’s episode. Enjoy!
Emily Blunt
The Devil Wears Prada (2006): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Dan in Real Life (2007): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480242/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Charlie Wilson’s War (2007): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Sunshine Cleaning (2008): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0862846/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Young Victoria (2009): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0962736/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Wolfman (2010): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780653/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Adjustment Bureau (2011): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385826/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441952/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Your Sister’s Sister (2011): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1742336/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Looper (2012): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Edge of Tomorrow (2014): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1631867/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Into the Woods (2014): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2180411/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Sicario (2015): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2381991/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Mary Poppins (in pre-production): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5028340/?ref_=nv_sr_2
The Hype Is Not the Story
Game of Silence (NBC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4074374/?ref_=nv_sr_2
The Girlfriend Experience (Starz): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3846642/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Catch (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4396862/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Nashville (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2281375/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Empire (FOX): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3228904/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Outlander (Starz): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3006802/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Happy Valley (Netflix): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3428912/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Summer Blockbusters 2016 & More: http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2015/08/22/the-top-10-films-that-will-rule-the-box-office-in-2016/2/#101dda52282f
Did You Know?
Who was Tim Burton’s second choice to play the Joker in 1989’s “Batman”? http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000347/
Pick of the Week
Schitt’s Creek (Pop): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3526078/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Two huge TV shows just wrapped, so the Critic and the Referee wanted to give you their thoughts. In this episode, they discuss the end of season 6 of The Walking Dead and the conclusion of The People v. O.J. Simpson. In addition, Keith Arthur Bolden is back! Since he was such a great guest co-host during our seventh episode (check it out, if you missed it!), we decided to have another discussion with him. This time, we talk about the current state of American television. Of course, there are a “Did You Know?” and a “Pick of the Week” that you don’t want to miss, as well. Enjoy!
The Current State of American TV
Robin Williams in Aladdin (changed the landscape for voice-over actors): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/actors/the-voices-behind-disneys-best-characters-through-history/aladdin-was-the-most-successful-film-of-1992-and-marked-a-move-i/
Atlanta is Hollywood South: http://stories.accessatlanta.com/movies-tv-filming-atlanta/?ecmp=AJC_rotator
The Jungle Book: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3040964/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Three’s Company: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075596/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Happy Days: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070992/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Shondaland: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/03/25/the-catch-how-you-can-tell-youre-watching-a-shondaland-drama/
House of Cards: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did You Know?
Who could have replaced Tobey Maguire as Spiderman in Spiderman 2? http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350453/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Walking Dead & The People v. O.J. Simpson Finales
The Walking Dead: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/episodes?season=6&ref_=tt_eps_sn_6
The People v. O.J. Simpson: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788432/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Pick of the Week
Happy Valley (Netflix): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3428912/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
TV keeps going … and going … and going. So, in this episode, the Critic and the Referee decided to do a bit of catch-up. From House of Cards to The Catch, from Daredevil to Underground, they discuss some recent shows that you can check out on your television. In addition, the Referee leads a discussion about the difference between being dark and being complex. One doesn’t necessarily mean the other. And, as always, there’s an unbelievable “Did You Know?” and an intriguing “Pick of the Week.” Enjoy!
TV Catch-Up
House of Cards (Netflix): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Daredevil (Netflix): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3322312/?ref_=nv_sr_1
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (The CW): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4532368/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Catch (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4396862/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Underground (WGN): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4522400/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Colony (USA): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4209256/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did You Know?
Who got their big break as a regular cast member in a short-lived spinoff of The Golden Girls? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103426/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Dark Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Complex
Miracles From Heaven (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4257926/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Downton Abbey (PBS): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1606375/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The West Wing (NBC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200276/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4
The Good Wife (CBS): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442462/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Pick of the Week
Togetherness (HBO): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3061830/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We’re in the mood for love. To celebrate the season, the Critic and the Referee discuss romantic comedies, Rom-Coms. Sometimes they agree, and sometimes they don’t; but, they are always entertaining. Enjoy this fun-loving display of Rom-Com exploration. The episode itself will leave you laughing, so we hope that you’ll find a movie, or two, that you want to watch after listening.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We have a special guest this week – Keith Arthur Bolden, professional actor and Assistant Professor of Drama at Spelman College! In honor of this very special guest co-host, in this episode, the Critic and the Referee decided to focus on movies and TV shows that are based on literature. From stage plays to Bible stories, their two-part conversation will help you extend your Easter celebration (if that's your thing) or simply choose a TV or movie adaptation that will work for you. Enjoy!
Movie Adaptations of Stage Plays
Steel Magnolias: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098384/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063518/?ref_=nv_sr_4
A Raisin in the Sun (all): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055353/?ref_=nv_sr_1 AND http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808435/?ref_=nv_sr_2 AND http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098166/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4
The Crucible: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115988/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Wait Until Dark: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062467/?ref_=nv_sr_1
12 Angry Men: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050083/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did You Know?
A little known fact about a star in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000178/?ref_=tt_cl_t5
Bible Stories
The Passion of the Christ: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335345/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Ben-Hur: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052618/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Ten Commandments: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049833/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Prince of Egypt: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120794/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Of Kings & Prophets (ABC) [ABC canceled this series after two episodes. This happened after we recorded this segment.]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4387170/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Joseph (TV movie): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113483/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Pick of the Week
2015's Macbeth (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2884018/?ref_=nv_sr_1)
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The dawn of the action/superhero movie season is upon us! With the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, summer blockbuster season is already here … and (ahem) spring just began. Here’s the question, though: Is Batman v Superman worth your time and money? The early reviews from critics weren’t too kind, but what does our Critic have to say? To find out, listen to this conversation between the Critic and the Referee. You don’t want to miss it!
Batman v Superman Show Notes
Official Website: http://batmanvsuperman.dccomics.com/
Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_v_Superman:_Dawn_of_Justice
IMDb Page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2975590/
FiveThirtyEight’s Take on Batman’s and Superman’s Relationship: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/batman-superman-movie/
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Why Watch That
Superhero Movies have been increasing in popularity. People of all ages love to see how images from a page will be brought to life on the big screen. Listen to the Critic and the Referee discuss some popular and some not-so popular superhero films. We hope this helps you determine what to watch as superhero movie season kicks into gear!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
It’s March Madness time, so the Critic and the Referee decided to participate by highlighting movies that are all about b-ball. In addition, they discuss new TV shows, introduce ”Did You Know?", and offer a "Pick of the Week" that you may not be aware of. Enjoy!
Show Notes
New TV Shows
Vinyl (HBO): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3186130/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Billions (Showtime): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4270492/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Underground (WGN): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4522400/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Mercy Street (PBS): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4597870/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Baskets (FX): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3468798/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Family (ABC): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4428038/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Did You Know?
From Spike Lee’s Malcolm X: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104797/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
March Madness Movies
Finding Forrester: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181536/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Space Jam: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117705/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Love & Basketball: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199725/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
White Men Can’t Jump: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105812/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Teen Wolf: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090142/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Pick of the Week
Prey on BBC America (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3315020/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2)
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Why Watch That Vintage
This week’s 66th Primetime Emmy Awards honored the amazing work of some of today’s most recognizable actors. But, what about the actors who are no longer as recognizable? In this episode, the Critic and the Referee ask: “Whatever happened to…?” In their own unique way, they pay homage to the actors who used to be hot on the scene. Take a trip down memory lane with them, and enjoy the ride.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Since this month is Women’s History Month, the Critic and the Referee decided to celebrate by highlighting actresses who are on the verge of making history and films that feature female characters (real or imagined) who drive the plot. From Shailene Woodley to Danai Gurira, from “Frida” to “9 to 5,” this conversation covers both familiar and unfamiliar ground. Hats off to the women who have been, are, and will be the movers-and-shakers of history. Enjoy!
Note: Tessa Thompson appeared in the play, "Smart People." She didn't appear in "Race." The Ref apologizes profusely for the mistake.
Show Notes
Talk 1: Actresses – The Future History Makers
Tessa Thompson: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1935086/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Gugu Mbatha-Raw: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1813221/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Keri Russell: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005392/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Danai Gurira: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1775091/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Lupita Nyong’o: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2143282/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Emma Watson: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914612/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Shailene Woodley: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940362/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Eve Hewson: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2016723/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Talk 2: Great Films About Women
The Josephine Baker Story: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102167/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Elizabeth (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127536/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Elizabeth I (HBO miniseries): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465326/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
9 to 5: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080319/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Frida: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120679/?ref_=nv_sr_6
Working Girl: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Pick of the Week: TV Land’s “Younger” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3288518/?ref_=nv_sr_1
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We have a special treat this week. The Critic and the Referee conducted their first interview with award-winning and Oscar-nominated director/screenwriter, Atom Egoyan, whose new movie, "Remember," is being released in the U.S. on Friday, March 11, 2016. It stars Academy Award winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau, both giving riveting performances in this drama/thriller. Atom gives us inside details about what it’s like to work with Plummer, Landau, and first-time screenwriter Benjamin August in this unexpected tale of a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor suffering from memory loss. Listen as Egoyan walks us through how he developed his phenomenal storytelling chops, as well as his technique in working with the industry’s most talented actors and actresses. Finally, Atom shares what he’s watching, as well as what you should be watching. Yes, he ultimately takes the Critic and the Referee back to school—film school, that is. We told you it was a special treat!
Show Notes
Here some fun facts about Atom Egoyan (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000382/ & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_Egoyan):
Attended Film School: Nope (Hitchcock/Truffaut Conversation was his film school.)
Break Out Feature: "Exotica"
Most Notable Work: "The Sweet Hereafter" (received tons of awards including two Oscar nominations)
Other Big Wig Stars He’s Directed: Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Reynolds, Colin Firth, Victor Garber, Rosario Dawson and…wait for it…Kevin Bacon. (Yes, we at Why Watch That were officially one degree away from Kevin Bacon. Major accomplishment, folks!)
Current Small Screen Favorites: "Ray Donavan," "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men"
Current Big Screen Favorite: "Tangerine"
What to Watch: "Vertigo," "The Conversation," "Taxi Driver," "The Godfather," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"
Remember (A24) http://a24films.com/films/remember/
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Synopsis: "Remember" tells the story of Zev Guttman (Academy Award® Winner Christopher Plummer), a 90-year-old struggling with memory loss who is living out his final years in a serene retirement home. A week following the death of his beloved wife Ruth, he suddenly gets a mysterious package from his close friend Max (Academy Award® Winner Martin Landau), containing a stack of money and a letter detailing a shocking plan. Both Zev and Max were prisoners in Auschwitz, and the same sadistic guard was responsible for the death of both their families – a guard who, immediately after the war, escaped Germany and has been living in the U.S. ever since, under an assumed identity. Max is wheelchair-bound but in full command of his mental faculties; with his guidance, Zev will embark on a cross-continental road-trip to bring justice once and for all to the man who destroyed both of their lives.
Pick of the Week: "The Conversation" by Francis Ford Coppola http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071360/
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Since we haven’t talked television yet at Why Watch That Radio, the Critic and the Referee decided to dive head first into a few of the shows that they enjoy. A couple are in their final seasons, and the rest are still going strong. Either way, you won’t be disappointed when you check them out. In addition, the Critic and the Referee talk movies. They discuss a few of the films that were in contention during this year’s Oscars and give you a verdict on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, the sequel to Ang Lee’s great Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Lastly, as always, the team provides a “Pick of the Week.” You’ll never guess what it is. Enjoy!
Note: The Critic references Joan Chen as the star of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but he meant to reference Michelle Yeoh. He apologizes profusely for the error.
Show Notes
TV Shows
The Good Wife: http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_good_wife/
Downton Abbey: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/index.html
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson: http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-people-v-oj-simpson-american-crime-story/episodes
Blackish: http://abc.go.com/shows/blackish
The Walking Dead: http://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead
The Grinder: http://www.fox.com/the-grinder
Movies
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny: https://www.netflix.com/watch/80039717?p=os
Room: http://roomthemovie.com/#/
The Big Short: http://www.thebigshortmovie.com/
Bridge of Spies: http://bridgeofspies.com/
Brooklyn: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/brooklyn/
Pick of the Week
Oliver Twist (2007 BBC Miniseries): http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008m6b8
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Why Watch That
Who ever complained about a good chuckle? Nobody we know! So, we’re back with an episode about our favorite comedies. The Critic and the Referee discuss a variety of funny films so diverse that you’re bound to find something that will make you cry with laughter. Enjoy!
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Why Watch ThatThanks to some of the wonderful performances that we’ve recently seen from Lupita Nyong’o, Viola Davis, and many others, black actresses are beginning to get the recognition that they deserve. In this episode, the Critic and the Referee discuss several notable black actresses and their standout performances. Enjoy our lively conversation about these women who often get overlooked!
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On Sunday, the 88th Annual Academy Awards were held, so we decided to tune in just to see what Chris Rock would do ... and say. Well, he knocked it out of the park. (We can't say the same about the ceremony overall, though.) In this episode, the Critic and the Referee react to the Oscars, describe an effective way to determine whether the plot of a movie or TV show will appeal to you, and provide an all new "Pick of the Week." Enjoy!
Show Notes
Oscar Nominees & Winners: http://oscar.go.com/news/winners/oscar-winners-2016-see-the-complete-list
The McGuffin: https://www.writingclasses.com/toolbox/articles/what-is-a-mcguffin
Deadpool: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/
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Why Watch That Radio
In honor of Black History Month, the Critic and Referee discuss the work of black actors. Since they are not often given their proper due, we thought it was only fair to spend some time exploring some great and some not-so-great work being done by black actors today. This is part of an ongoing conversation, so enjoy the first of many discussions about black actors.
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Why Watch That Vintage
It’s always nice when hard workers finally catch a break – that’s what feel good movies are all about! In this episode, the Critic and the Referee talk about movies that take you on an emotional yet worthwhile journey.
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The Why Watch That Critic and Referee are back with a brand new format! But, they're bringing the same old, exciting and informative conversations about movies and TV shows that you've come to expect. In this inaugural episode of Why Watch That Radio, the Critic and the Referee talk about #OscarsSoWhite and who they think will win an Oscar this Sunday (February 28th). In addition, the Ref provides her pick of the week. You won't want to miss it!
Show Notes
Complete List of Oscar Nominations: http://oscar.go.com/news/nominations/oscar-nominations-2016-the-complete-list-of-nominees
How racially skewed are the Oscars? (from The Economist): http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2016/01/film-and-race
Jimmy Kimmel's Oscars So White Skit (while the video has been made private, here's an article about it): http://hiphollywood.com/2016/01/ignorant-jimmy-kimmel-blasted-for-oscarssowhite-skit/
SNL's Screen Guild Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ospx7tXWYbI
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