Category Archives: Pop Culture

Oct 11 2024
Leave a comment
Books, DVDs, Humor, Movies, Photography, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Oct. 11 – Oct. 17

A ‘Young Sheldon’ spinoff, a ‘Family Guy’ Halloween & Taylor Swift’s boyfriend hosts a game show!

FRIDAY, Oct. 11
A Laurie Berkner Halloween Special
Berkner, a musician and teacher known for her kid-friendly songs, hosts this hour-long TV party of costumes, dress-up, candy and classic Halloween music videos (YouTube).

Disclaimer
Kate Blanchet (below), Kevin Kline, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Sacha Baron Cohen star in this new psychological-thriller series about an author who discoverers a new book—and is shocked to find out it’s about her and all her darkest secrets! (Apple TV+)

SATURDAY, Oct. 12
Nobody Dumps My Daughter
An overbearing mom goes to extremes when a guy takes her daughter’s virginity (gasp!) then dumps her. Former Prince percussionist Shelia E. plays a fortune teller (8 p.m., Lifetime).  

SUNDAY, Oct. 13
Tracker
Justin Hartley returns for season two of the hit series about a lone-wolf survivalist who uses his instincts to find missing people—like tonight’s family, whose abandoned car leads him into a world of organized crime (8 p.m., CBS). 

The Disappearance of Alissa Turney
True-crime docuseries about a woman who turned to a grassroots campaign of podcasting to solve the mystery of her missing sister (8 p.m., Oxygen).

MONDAY, Oct. 14
NCIS
Can you guess how many seasons this hit procedural has been on the air? I’ll give you a big hint: Tonight begins season 22, with returning star Mark Harmon, Sean Murray and Diona Reasonover (8 p.m., CBS).

Family Guy Halloween Special
Peter and his friends try to unseat the reigning champion in Quahog’s annual Pumpkin Contest by any means necessary. Glen Powell from Twisters is the guest voice (Hulu).

TUESDAY, Oct. 15
Anatomy of Lies
Docuseries follows the rise and fall of Grey’s Anatomy star writer Elisabeth Finch, whose jaw-dropping deceptions made her a master of manipulation and fooled Hollywood for years (Hulu).

American Horror Stories
Special Halloween event features five all-new scary tales from the AHS franchise, with an all-star cast that includes Michael Imperioli, Henry Winkler, Victor Garber and June Squibb (Hulu). 

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16
Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?
New spin on an old game show is hosted by NFL star Travis Kelce, with a panel of celebs helping contestants navigate correctly through questions about subjects taught in elementary school (Prime Video).

Shrinking
Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford and Christa Miller return tonight to season two of the comedy series about a therapist who tells his clients exactly what he thinks (Apple TV+).

THURSDAY, Oct. 17
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
Montana Jordan and Emily Osment reprise their roles in this spinoff from Young Sheldon, taking their characters into the next stage of their relationship and parenthood (8 p.m., CBS).   

Brothers
A reformed criminal (Josh Brolin) tries going straight, but his best efforts are derailed by his twin brother (Peter Dinklage) on a cross-country road trip for the score of a lifetime (Prime Video).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Attention gearheads: Immerse yourself in car culture with author Witold Rybczynsi and The Driving Machine (W.W. Norton), a highly personal treatise about automobiles as cultural icons, emblems of their era and reflections of national character. From functionality to outright fun, it breaks down (pun intended) all things automotive, from early three-wheeled vehicles to modern electric cars—and memories of the author’s first car, a VW Beetle.

What does a humanitarian world look like? In Human.Kind (Thames & Hudson) you’ll see some 300 images from around the globe, the work of 30 different photographers documenting efforts to bring more compassion and positive change to our planet. It’s an awesome tour of people living, working, playing and simply being, from every corner of Earth. Prepare to be moved, and hopefully inspired.

No, The Man in Black (Marinor Books) isn’t about Johnny Cash. It’s a collection of short stories from venerated British crime writer Elly Griffiths featuring characters from her “Ruth Galloway” mysteries and beyond. If you’re into ghost stories, “cozy” mysteries and psychologically twisty tales, curl up with these yarns of a young magician, a mysterious man in a bookstore, a fortune teller’s dire predictions, a cat’s fireside tale, and more!

BRING IT HOME

Just in time for Halloween, a classic gets a spiffy new 4K restoration. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, A Nightmare on Elm Street (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) includes additional footage, commentary, alternate endings and making-of docs in the original tale of Freddy Krueger slashing his way into your dreams….and launching an iconic horror franchise. 

Once upon a time, back in the ‘70s, a bunch of celebrated actors made a series of five feature-length TV “teleplays,” shot live on videotape (like daytime dramas used to be). In The Classic Ghosts, you’ll see Vincent Gardenia, James Keach, Robert McCallum, Susan Sarandon and more in these TV tales including The Screaming Skull, The House and the Brain and And The Bones Came Together (https://kinolorber.com/shop).

Oct 04 2024
Leave a comment
Books, DVDs, Humor, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Oct. 4 – Oct. 10

Svengoulie’s monster mash, an Oprah Elvis special & kids tackle tough politics

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Oct. 4
Tia Mowery: My Next Act
Eight-episode docuseries shines the spotlight on the actress (from TV’s Sister, Sister and the movie Seventeen Again) as she breaks new ground after a divorce and learns to be newly single while entering a new phase of motherhood (9:30 p.m., WeTV).

V/H/S Beyond
Sixth installment of the horror/sci-fi anthology franchise stars Justin Long, Jordan Downey and Kate Siegel in more tales of terror and the supernatural (Shudder). 

SATURDAY, Oct. 5
The Girl Who Wasn’t Dead
Inspired by real events, it’s the tale of a girl who disappeared and was thought dead, only to reappear years later. Starring Lyndsy Forseca, Emma Tremblay and Kyle Clark (8 p.m., Lifetime).

Svengoolie’s Halloween Boo-Nanza
TV’s iconic ghoul kicks off the Halloween season today with a collection of spooky Loony Tunes cartoons before the evening’s double feature of Son of Frankenstein and Monster That Challenged the World—followed by more vintage schlock flicks into the wee hours! (10 a.m., MeTV).

SUNDAY, Oct. 6
The American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
Tribute to a half century of the fan-voted awards ceremony from Dick Clark Productions, with live performances, artist interviews, special guests and archival footage of highlights (8 p.m., CBS).

Vinyl Obsession
Pro wrestler Eric Young takes viewers deep into his collection of some 2,000 albums he’s collected over two decades (10:30 p.m., AXS).

MONDAY, Oct. 7
What Would You Do?
Host John Quiñones returns for a new season that examines how people behave when confronting with a choice of “interfering” or just minding their own business (10 p.m., ABC).

TUESDAY, Oct. 8
Citizen Nation
Documentary series follows teens across America with diverse backgrounds as they come together to compete in the nation’s premier civics competition, “We the People,” and make sense of our troubled political climate (9 p.m., PBS).

An Oprah Special: The Presleys—Elvis, Lisa Marie and Riley
Queen O sits down at fabled Graceland with Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis, for a wide-ranging conversation about her late mother Lisa Marie, the grandfather she never knew, her famous family and her mother’s unfinished memoirs—which Keough completed as a co-writer (8 p.m., CBS).

The Accused
Court is in session for season two of the hit series (above), with actors in flashback recreations of real-life crimes that ultimately land them in front of a jury. Cobie Smulders, Ken Jeong, William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman are among the new cast members (8 p.m., Fox).

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 9
Scamanda
New docuseries based on a hit podcast about a blogger with cancer…and a secret she’s dying to keep (10 p.m., ABC).

La Maquina
Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna and Elza Gonzalez star in this Spanish language series about a boxer staging a life-or-death rematch while struggling with personal demons in the dark side of the pugilism world (Hulu).

THURSDAY, Oct. 10
Citadel: Diana
Italian actress Matilda De Angelis as a undercover agent trapped behind enemy lines in this new addition to the Citadel franchise, a foreign-language spinoff from the 2023 series (Prime).

Teacup have art
A desperate group in rural Georgia comes together to survive in this scary new series (above) inspired by the novel Stringer, adapted for the screen by horror maestro James Wan. With Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman and Chase Spencer. And as you might imply, a teacup takes on some significance (Peacock).

NOW HEAR THIS

To commemorate their induction into this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Foreigner has released Turning Back the Time (Rhino), a new career-spanning greatest hits collection. Turn back the time, indeed, and re-listen to the band’s radio-friendly ‘80s hits on two LPs or CDs, including “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent,” “Double Vision” and “Feels Like the First Time.” Plus, the all-new title track from original members Mick Jones and Lou Graham. 

READ ALL ABOUT IT

In Crisis Averted: The Hidden Science of Fighting Outbreaks (Viking), scientist Dr. Caitlin Rivers looks at the oft-overlooked roles public-health initiatives play in our everyday lives, from the quality of air we breathe to the safety of food we consume, the bathrooms we use and the management of disease outbreaks. It’s a dirty world out there!

Is photography an art, a chronicle or a memento? In Looking at Photographs (Thames & Hudson) author Laurent Jullier examines what constitutes a “good” photo, how to interpret artistry in photography, how to take better pictures, and the many ways photos can intrigue, engage, inform, stimulate, stir our emotions—and instantly turn the present into the past. Now that almost everyone has a camera (on our smartphones), it’s essential reading on how we see the world.

Just in time for Halloween, find out about all kinds of movie monstrosities in The Cinematic Boogeyman (McFarland), a thorough look at the spectrum of characters that scare us in a larger context of psychology, history, cinematic study and folklore, tracing a thru-line from Bluebeard the pirate to Freddy Krueger in Nightmare on Elm Street. It’s a compelling read for anyone who wants to dig into why we’re frightened first by mythical creatures that morphed into fairy tales and finally, the silver screen.

BRING IT HOME

If you ever wondered what happened to the actors who played Otter (Tim Matheson) and Flounder (Stephen Furst) after classic college-comedy flick Animal House, well, they teamed up again in another movie—that wasn’t quite as successful as its predecessor. Still, Up The Creek, newly re-released by Kino Lorber (https://kinolorber.com/shop), is about a couple of college cutups trying to win an intercollegiate white-water raft race. And Cheap Trick sings the movie theme song!

Time to get in the Wayback Machine and get bougie! The Gilded Age: The Complete Second Season (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) brings Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Taissa Farmiiga and the rest of the “uppercrust” cast back for more of the Gilded Age period drama. Plus, more than 20 bonus features!

Sep 27 2024
Leave a comment
Books, DVDs, History, Humor, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Sept. 27 – Oct. 3

Johnny Cash gives the finger to Nashville, Will Ferrell explores America in a new light and dinosaurs roar all day!

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Sept. 27
Apartment 7A
A prequel to the events of Rosemary’s Baby, this horror film with Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Jim Sturgess and Kevin McNally focuses on a young dancer in New York City who finds out there’s something disturbing going on in her apartment building (Paramount+).

Social Studies
What’s it like to be raised on social media? Documentary filmed over a school year follows a group of LA teens to explore how their phones have shaped—and reshaped—their childhoods (10 p.m., FX).

Will & Harper
Will Ferrell and Harper Steele (above), an SNL writer he met on his first day of the TV show three decades ago, trek across the country in this documentary full of fun and feels as they explore America exploring Harper’s new life after “coming out” as a trans woman (Netflix).

SATURDAY, Sept. 28
Jurassic Park Trilogy
Cue the dinos! Start the Jeep! And get ready to rip-roar with the original Jurassic Park, followed by its two movie sequels (12:15 p.m., TBS).

Saturday Night Live
Live, from New York…. It’s the iconic late-night comedy series kicking off its landmark 50th season, with host Jean (Hacks) Smart and musical guest Jelly Roll (11:30 p.m., NBC).

SUNDAY, Sept. 29
The Summit
Get a sneak peek tonight of the 90-minute premiere episode of new reality series as 16 strangers trek through the treacherous New Zealand Alps attempting to reach the peak of a distant mountain…and be rewarded by taking home $1 million (9 p.m., CBS).

Outrageous Pumpkins
Just in time for Halloween, tune into this annual competition series to watch America’s best carvers create jack-o-lantern masterpieces (10 p.m., Food Network).

MONDAY, Sept. 30
Patrice: The Movie
Documentary about a disabled couple navigating their relationship and planning for their future in an uncertain world. It’s sometimes funny, but always real (Hulu).

Rock Legends
Series returns tonight with a spotlight on Outlaw Country, when a handful of country trailblazers (like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash) started shaking up and breaking Nashville’s rules (8 p.m., AXS).

TUESDAY, Oct. 1
Accused
More stories in the new season dramatizing crime and punishment, told through the defendants’ points of view and showing how ordinary people can be caught up in extraordinary circumstances Watch for guest appearances by William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman and Michael Chiklis (8 p.m., Fox).

The American Vice President
With a current VP on the ticket to possibly become the next U.S. president, this timely doc examines the role of the vice president in American politics and how it was forever transformed one fateful day in the 1960s (8 p.m., PBS).

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 2
Where’s Wanda?
German-language series (don’t worry, just turn on your subtitles) about a set of parents (above) who make surprising discoveries about their neighbors after their teenage daughter goes missing (Apple TV+).

Big Freedia Means Business
What does it take for a gay female entrepreneur and New Orleans-born rapper, to branch out into even more business ventures, plus record a gospel album and write a childrens’ book? Find out in season two of this unscripted docuseries about the colorful cat known as Big Freedia (Fuse). 

Joan
Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner stars in this new drama series (below) as the notorious British jewel thief Joan Harrington, who was well known in London’s criminal underbelly of the ‘80s (8 p.m., The CW).

THURSDAY, Oct. 3
Law and Order
Producer Dick Wolf’s police procedural—the second longest-running drama in the history of TV—returns with new episodes and more crime investigation and prosecution. Starring Reid Scott, Mehcad Brooks and Hugh Dancy (NBC).

House of Spoils
Ariana Debose stars in this suspense-horror thriller as an ambitious chef whose restaurant kitchen is overrun by pests of the supernatural kind (Prime).

Salem’s Lot
Remake of the 1970s flick, based on Stephen King’s 1975 New England vampire tale, gets a streaming re-do with Lewis Pullman, Alfre Woodward, Bill Camp and others (Max).

BRING IT HOME

Now you can own a new slate of classic films with the Columbia Classics 4k Ultra HD Collection Volume 5, a deluxe roundup of All the King’s Men, On the Waterfront, A Man for All Seasons, Tootsie, The Age of Innocence and Little Women. Packaged with 20 hours of special features and an 80-page book on the history and impact of the movies, it’s a film lover’s feast.

One of TV’s most acclaimed political dramas comes to Blu-ray with The West Wing: The Complete Series (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment). Timed to coincide with the show’s 25th anniversary, it includes all 156 episodes of the Emmy-winning series with an all-star cast including Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, and which began on NBC in 1999. Hours of bonus features include commentary, gags and goofs, unused scenes and more. 

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Girl power flows off every page of How Women Made Music (Harper One), a spotlight on groundbreaking female artists including Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Joan Jett and Dolly Parton. It’s drawn from half a century of NPR’s music coverage, with contributions from female music critics, essays, photos, illustrations and lists. It’s not just about women making music, it’s about women making musical history. 

You may not be familiar with her name, but she’s regarded as one of the most influential visual pioneers of the 20th century, especially noted as one of the first to produce artistic and environmental portraits of Black Americans—along with her striking chronicle of the social issues of her time, including urban poverty, workers’ rights, segregation and inequality. Find out all about her—and see many of her remarkable images in Consuelo Kanaga: Catch the Spirit (Thames & Hudson).

Saddle up with The Paranormal Ranger (William Morrow), author Stanley’s Milford’s sometimes chilling memoir about his illustrious career of serving the Navajo Nation, patrolling and protecting the 27,000-square-mile reservation spanning portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. In the course of settling mundane disputes and other day-to-day routines, he also encountered all sorts of eerie supernatural activity—including UFOs, “skinwalkers,” livestock mutilations and hauntings—which altered his view of the world…and our place in it. 

Pet lovers will love Faithful Unto Death (Thames & Hudson), in which author Paul Koudaunaris presents a fascinating history of pet burial sites and memorials with remarkable stories of people whose bonds with their companion animals extend into the hereafter. Your heart will be warmed with tales of Elvis’ dog, the puppy who played Toto,  Hollywood’s favorite lion, heroic pets and much more!

Sep 13 2024
1 Comment
Books, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Sept. 13 – Sept. 19

A ‘Men in Black’ marathon, plus all about child stars, the hair-metal ’80s and big cats!

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Sept. 13
How to Die Alone
Natasha Rothwell stars in this new comedy series as a broke and lonely JFK airport employee whose brush with death spurs her onto a journey to find love and start living anew (Hulu).

Three Women
Shailene Woodley (below), Betty Gilpin and DeWanda Wise star in this new series based on the bestselling book, about three women who change courses in their relationships, altering their lives forever (10 p.m., Starz).

SATURDAY, Sept. 14
Have I Got News for You
Comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr. hosts this new American version of a long-running BBC comedy quiz show, with a smart and edgy spin on real weekly news (9 p.m., CNN).

Men in Black Marathon
Tune in for all the space-alien comedy in all three of the Tommy Lee Jones/Will Smith films back to back…followed by an Ocean’s heist-caper marathon (Ocean’s Thirteen, Oceans Twelve and Ocean’s Eleven (starts 11 a.m., TBS).

SUNDAY, Sept. 15
The Emmy Awards
The annual event honoring the best of television returns live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by father-son acting duo of Eugene and Dan Levy (8 p.m., ABC).

Tulsa King
Sylvester Stallone returns for season two of the mob drama set in Oklahoma as a transplanted Chicago capo and his crew grow their new crime empire and fend off threats from interlopers (Paramount+).

MONDAY, Sept. 16
Celebrity Family Feud
Tonight it’s the casts of Jury Duty and 9-1-1 facing off for fun and charity, followed in the next hour by Deadliest Catch vs. Star Trek (8 p.m., ABC).

TUESDAY, Sept. 17
High Potential
New procedural based on a hit French series stars Kaitlin Olson (above) as a mom with exceptional organizational skills who’s onboarded to become part of a crime-solving team (10 p.m., ABC).

Child Star
What’s it like to be a famous showbiz kid? This new doc features interviews with actors who got their starts as kids, including Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, Raven-Simone and Christina Ricci (Disney+).

Nothin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of ‘80s Hair Metal
Come to this three-part headbanger’s ball with the inside story of life in the heavy-metal fast lane, told by those who lived it…and lived through it, like Poison (below) (Paramount+).

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 18
Big Cats 24/7
Six-part series follows lions, leopards and cheetahs day and night, revealing their round-the-clock lives like never before (8 p.m., PBS).  

The Golden Bachelorette
In tonight’s season premiere, two dozen men strut into the spotlight trying to impress Bachelorette Joan Vassos. Who’ll be the lucky fella a few weeks from now?  (8 p.m., ABC).

THURSDAY, Sept. 19
Frasier
Kelsey Grammar’s TV comeback as TV’s favorite on-the-air shrink heads into season two tonight (Paramount+)

The Penguin
Colin Farrell reprises his role from The Batman as Oz Cobb (above), better known in Gotham City’s criminal underworld as The Penguin (HBO and MAX).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Is there any multimedia hill that Dolly Parton can’t summit? Now the superstar entertainment mogul has released a new cookbook, Good Lookin’ Cookin’ (Ten Speed Press), with her sis, Rachel Parton George. It’s a sumptuous collection of down-home recipes for year-round scarfin’, including ham and biscuits, meatloaf, spare ribs, and Slaw of Many Colors—of course!

In The Road to Wisdom (Little, Brown), author Dr. Francis Collins tackles some big issues—about faith, facts and medical breakthroughs—while addressing the elephant in the room: the growing distrust of science and its politicization, especially among those who profess their religion. It’s all the more pressing for the author, because he was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.  

Sep 06 2024
Leave a comment
Books, DVDs, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Sports, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Sept. 6 – Sept. 12

Inside TV’s most famous mob family, Mormon wife hotties & the new “Money Game” of college athetics

All times Eastern.

Go inside ‘The Sopranos’ and its creator, David Chase, Saturday on HBO.

FRIDAY, Sept. 6
The Boy and the Heron
The Oscar-winning animated film begins streaming tonight, about a young man who loses his mother in a hospital fire then meets a mysterious bird (Max).

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
Controversial reality show—about a swingin’ bunch of Mormon hottie wives (below) and social media “influencers”—was making waves long before it headed to the airwaves. See what all the fuss was about tonight! (Hulu)

SATURDAY, Sept. 7
Held Hostage in My House
Formerly known as Blunt, this psychological thriller—about a single mom entrapped in her vacation home—stars Amy Smart, Matt Davis, Billy Zane and Ne-Yo. Can she discover who’s holding her hostage, and why? (8 p.m., Lifetime).

Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos
How did David Chase come to create one of the most culturally impactful TV shows of all time? This two-part doc delves into the man behind the media-sensation mobsters and the real stories that inspired the show (8 p.m., HBO).

SUNDAY, Sept. 8
Universal Basic Guys
Mark and Hank try to reconnect with their primal roots by purchasing a heat-seeking crossbow to hunt deer, kicking off a new season of the adult animated comedy (on Fox following the NFL double-header).

The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood
Four-part docuseries delves into the twisted tale one of Hollywood’s most famous murder cases—a sordid story of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll from 1981 that inspired the movie Boogie Nights (MGM+).

MONDAY, Sept. 9
Name Me Lawand
A young man deaf since birth seeks a fresh start with his new family in the U.K. after a year in a refugee camp in this touching documentary about the power of friendship and community (10 p.m., PBS).

Flip Side
Jaleel (“Urkle”) White hosts this new game show with teams trying to guess how different groups of people have answered the same questions (syndicated, CBS).

TUESDAY, Sept. 10
The Chicken Sisters
Cluck cluck! New family drama (above) on Hallmark’s new streaming service is dipped in Southern charm with a saucy side of romance! With Lea Thompson, Wendie Malick and Schuyler Fisk (Hallmark+).

The Money Game
How is the NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) ruling—which allows college athletes to be paid for endorsements and advertising—revolutionizing sports? This doc focuses on Louisiana State University and the big-bucks players there who’ve become young millionaires (Prime Video).

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 11
John Legend: Live from the Artists Den
The award-winning R&B singer and songwriter performs at Manhattan’s historic Riverside Church, with powerful renditions of “All of Me,” “Glory” and more (10 p.m., AXIS).

THURSDAY, Sept. 12
The Taylor of Sin City
True-crime docuseries follows the tale of a gifted tailor who built a drug and fashion empire in Las Vegas with the help of the Mob and a South American cocaine kingpin (10 p.m., Sundance TV). 

The Old Man
Jeff Bridges returns to season two of the series about a former FBI agent, tonight setting off on an adventure to recover a kidnapped girl with a mysterious past. With John Lithgow, Amy Brenneman and Alia Shawkat (10 p.m., FX).

BRING IT HOME

Get ready for some outrageously funny stuff with this Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), a one-man show recorded live onstage at the Hollywood Palladium in the early 1980s, when he was hot stuff in Hollywood with movies including The Toy, Silver Streak and Stir Crazy.

What’s the highest-grossing animated film of all time? It’s Inside Out 2, and now you can own it on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD! This new home-entertainment release comes with multiple mini-features, including scenes that didn’t make the movie (which features voices by Amy Poelher, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri and Tony Hale), and a making-of doc about creating the movie’s “new” emotions of Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy and Ennui (Disney Home Entertainment).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

In the handsome Man Ray: Liberating Photography (Thames & Hudson), you’ll see the remarkable photos by the camera artist—including his groundbreaking, experimental and avant-garde work in the 1920s and ‘30s for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair—who introduced new ways of thinking about the visual world.

It sounds like the stuff of sci-fi movies, but in Robin George Andrews’ How to Kill an Asteroid (W.W. Norton), you’ll find out how real-life scientists have been working on real-world solutions—like “deflection campaigns”—to defend against what could very possibly turn out to the Earth’s greatest threat from the cosmos. It’s engaging, eye-opening reading…and a reason to keep your eyes on the skies!

Louis Stettner (Thames & Hudson) chronicles the wide-ranging work of the New York-born master photographer, acclaimed for his portraits, streetscapes and hustle and bustle of life in the Big Apple and Paris. Learn how Stettner, who began roaming the streets as a preteen with a camera, became one of the most influential lensmen of the 20th century, finding the beauty and sensuality of everyday things and people. 

Aug 30 2024
Leave a comment
Books, DVDs, History, Photography, Pop Culture, Sports, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Aug. 30 – Sept. 5

Kevin Hart’s ‘Fight Night,’ Glenn Close’s portal to hell & all about K-Pop!

Kevin Hart goes back to the ’70s in a true tale of an armed robbery…and Muhammad Ali!

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Aug. 30
Crossing
Powerful and potent story of queer identity follows a retired European teacher and her young neighbor crossing the border into Turkey to search for her transgender niece. From Swedish director Levan Akin (Mubi).

K-Pop Idols
Looking to learn more about the musical phenomenon known as K-Pop? This New documentary series will take you inside the music and its top artists—like Jessi Ho (below). AppleTV+

The Deliverance
Based on a true story, a struggling single mother (Andra Day) is convinced her new home is a portal to hell in this spooky new horror-thriller from director Lee Daniels. Come for the exorcism, stay for Glenn Close and Monique (Netflix).

SATURDAY, Aug. 31
Head Over Heels
A shoe designer (Rebecca Dalton) gets a swell new job, but gets swept off her feet by the her company’s PR guru (Olivier Renaud) and warned she’ll need heels of steel to compete with her trailblazing icon (Alexandra Castillo) (8 p.m., Hallmark)

SUNDAY, Sept. 1
The Chosen
Tonight launches season four of the Biblical drama series, which presents the life of Jesus against the backdrop of Roman oppression (8 p.m.,The CW).

MONDAY, Sept. 2
The English Teacher
New comedy series stars Brian Jordan Alvarez as a high school teacher in Texas navigating friends, relationships, faculty snafus and wisecracking students (10 p.m, FX).

The Chicano Squad
Two-night documentary tells the first-hand story of the first all-Latino homicide unit (above) within the police department of Houston, Texas, dedicated to tackling the city’s soaring rate of unsolved homicides in the Latin community (9 p.m., A&E).

TUESDAY, Sept 3
Cody Gakpo
Soccer fans will get a kick (that’s a pun, get it?) from this doc about the Euro Cup superstar (Viaplay).

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 4
Slow Horses
Gary Oldman returns to season four of the espionage drama as the misanthropic leader of a dysfunctional team of British spies (Apple TV+).

Tell Me Lies
In season two, Lucy (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen (Jackson White) return to college, finding themselves in a new version of their old addictive dynamic, below (Hulu).

THURSDAY, Sept. 5
Fight Night
Follow the infamous story (based on a real incident) about an armed robbery on the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight in Atlanta. The all-star cast includes Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle (Peacock).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

What’s the future of photography look like? Class of 2024 showcases the work of 10 young students, offering engaging and adventurous looks at the world through the eyes of recent graduates of the esteemed Savannah College of Art & Design (W.W. Norton).

In America’s Deadliest Election (Hanover Square Press), CNN anchor Dana Bash recounts an extraordinary contested-election event—and it’s probably not one that comes readily to mind. It’s the 1872 Louisiana gubernatorial race that changed the course of America politics and tested the foundations of America democracy.

BRING IT HOME

The acclaimed TV series Call My Agent!, which you may have seen on Netflix, gets a dandy do-up in this roundup of the complete series. It’s all four seasons, with French actors playing themselves (plus some American guest stars for good measure) in a grande spoof of the entertainment biz. 

Aug 23 2024
Leave a comment
DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

August 23 – August 29

Inside ‘Baywatch,’ ‘Only Murders’ goes to California, and a star-spangled tribute to Toby Keith

Find out the scoop on the beach-y lifeguard franchise “Baywatch.”

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Aug. 23
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
The bond of friendship between a trio of best friends is tested by heartbreak and hard times in this movie based on a novel by Edward Kelsey Moore (Hulu).

Lie to Fly
Remember the professional pilot high on psychedelic mushrooms when he allegedly tried to crash a plane mid-flight and kill all 83 passengers? No? This docuseries will remind you, taking you into some not-so-friendly skies!  (10 p.m., FX).

Pachinko
The award-winning international series returns for another season tonight, continuing its tale of love and survival across four generations of a Korean family as they leave their homeland on a quest to survive (Apple TV+).

SATURDAY, Aug. 24
Forever
Taye Diggs and Meagan Good star in this drama about a military vet who returns home to find his marriage over—and falls in love with the female cop who pulls him over for speeding. Ah, the magic of the movies! (Lifetime).

SUNDAY, Aug. 25
Married to Evil
Think you know the person you married? These gripping stories look at the wickedness sometimes lurking behind the wedding vows (10 p.m., ID).

Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys
Follows the life of the legendary rapper, a founding member of hip-hop’s Wu-Tang Clan who died of a drug overdose in 2004, with interviews from Mariah Carey, Ghostface Killah, family members, record execs and more (9 p.m., A&E).

No Place Like Nebraska
Come along with the Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team in this hour-long documentary as they build on their legacy and eye a national championship title (ESPN).

MONDAY, Aug. 26
The Somerset Murders
Season five of the popular crime drama continues with more dirty deeds in a picturesque Danish coastal town (Acorn TV).

Almost American
Meet a Salvadoran American family whose lives are upended when Temporary Protective Services (TPS) for those from El Salvador and other countries is revoked (8 p.m., PBS).

TUESDAY, Aug. 27
Only Murders in the Building
More murder, more building—and more of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez in season four of the fun Emmy-winning whodunnit, this time as their podcast enters the production pipeline to become a motion picture in Hollywood! (Hulu)

Counting the Vote: A Firing Line Special with Margaret Hoover
How does voting really work in America? This hour-long special explores ballots, the reliability of voting systems, and why trust has eroding in our election process (9:30 p.m., PBS).

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28
After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun      
Four-part series begins tonight, exploring the untold stories behind the iconic ‘90s TV show and the indelible mark it made on pop culture. Includes interviewers with creators and cast, a never-aired interview with Pamela Anderson and on-set home videos (Hulu).

Toby Keith: American Icon
The late country superstar, who lost his battle with stomach cancer in February, is celebrated in this all-star concert special by Trace Adkins, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Hardy, Tyler Hubbard, Ashley McBride, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and others performing his hits, including “How Do You Like Me Now?,” “Who’s Your Daddy” and “American Soldier.” The U.S. Army Band Honor Guard sings a salute, and Keith’s daughter Kristal performs her daddy’s 2018 hit “Don’t Let the Old Man In” (9 p.m., NBC).

THURSDAY, Aug. 29
Gary
Documentary about the late Diff’rent Strokes actor, who died in 2010 at age 42, features interviews with his fellow actors, industry insiders, his ex-wife and his parents (Peacock).

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Season two begins tonight of the Lord of the Rings streaming prequel spinoff, with more Middle Earth drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (Prime Video).

BRING IT HOME

The 2011 action-packed classic Drive, starring Ryan Gosling as a Hollywood stunt driver moonlighting as a wheelman for gangsters, arrives in a new 4K collection, with featurettes and other new content—including a look at the stunts, almost 15 years before Gosling starred in another stunt-centric film, The Fall Guy. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).

Dakota Fanning stars in The Watchers (Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment), a scary tale of a young woman stranded alongside three strangers in forest in Ireland…and stalked by a mysterious creature. M. Night Shyalaman’s daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan, makes her directorial debut, following in her father’s nerve-rattling footsteps.

Set sail with Vikings: Vikings Valhalla: The First Season (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), the fan-favorite series about the epic adventures of Leif Eriksson and his Nordic buds, sailing the seas, clashing with Christians, exploring and marauding.

The cowboy crime thriller Ride (Wellgousa), about a rodeo rider and a heist that goes awry, stars C. Thomas Howell, Anabeth Gish and Jake Allyn. It beat out a bunch of other flicks to get a Western Heritage Award for motion pictures earlier this year.

One of TV’s top, award-winning shows comes to Blu-ray with Succession: The Complete Series (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), with over 20 bonus features and featurettes, including interviews with the cast and crew of the satirical dark comedy-drama starring Brian Cox, Alan Ruck, Jeremy Strong and Sarah Snook.

Aug 16 2024
Leave a comment
Books, DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Aug. 16 – Aug. 22

Mark Wahlberg & Halle Berry dodge bullets, James Cameron goes deep, ‘Homicide: Life on the Streets’ comes to streaming, and a hunka hunka Elvis

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Aug. 16
The Union
Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry (above) star in this fun action flick about a former spy pulled by his long-lost sweetheart back into the world of shootouts, high-speed car chases and narrow escapes. Do the romantic sparks fly? What do you think?! (Netflix)

Rupaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars
The award-winning reality series series returns tonight, with host RuPaul Charles leading his judges overseeing a slate of fan favorites competing for the title of “Queen of the Mothertrucking World” (Paramount+). 

SATURDAY, Aug. 17
Disaster Autopsy
If you loved the movie Twisters, you’ll dig this new docuseries exploring natural disasters and what causes them (10 p.m., National Geographic).

SUNDAY, Aug. 18
Oceanxplorers
In recognition of national Oceans Day, this ambitious six-part docuseries from director James Cameron takes audiences onboard a high-tech scientific research vessel to investigate the deepest and farthest frontiers of the world’s oceans, underneath the seas all over the globe (National Geographic).

Tim McGraw in Concert
The county hitmaker’s 2014 performance in downtown Houston (above) includes fan favorites including “Southern Girl,” “Truck Yeah” and “One of Those Nights” (2 p.m., AXS).

MONDAY, Aug. 19
Under the Vines
Tonight begins a new season about an Aussie socialite (Rebecca Gibney) and a former London lawyer (Charles Edwards) running a small vineyard in New Zealand, where the arrival of a mysterious stranger has caused a bit of a ruckus (Acorn TV)

Homicide: Life on the Streets
All seven seasons of the acclaimed NBC cop drama (above), which ran 1993-2000 on NBC (with a cast including Richard Belzer, Ned Beatty, Daniel Baldwin and Melissa Leo) makes their debut on the streaming service tonight  (Peacock).

TUESDAY, Aug. 20
Face to Face with Scott Peterson
Follow the notorious case of the murders of Peterson’s wife and unborn son in this three-part docuseries, with his first on-camera interviews in 20 years (Peacock).

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21
Cursed Gold: A Shipwreck Scandal
The true story of a maverick scientist who recovered tons of gold from the bottom of the Atlantic, and how he became an infamous fugitive in the aftermath (8 p.m., National Geographic). 

Like a Girl
Sports docuseries spotlights female pro soccer stars, flag football champs and a collegiate basketball sensation (Fuse)

THURSDAY, Aug. 22
Reasonable Doubt
In season two, defense attorney Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi) discovers that one of her closet friends claims to have killed her husband in self-defense. Can Jax get her off the hook? (Hulu).

Unbelievably Vegan with Chef Charity
Foodies will relish this new series, filmed at Nashville’s Germantown Pub, as chef Charity Morgan (above) tries to win over local carnivores (Max)

READ ALL ABOUT IT

What’s going on up there? Former Pentagon classified-info insider Luis Elizondo—who headed a program to investigate UFOs—now spills the beans (and raises some existential questions) about it in Imminent: Inside the Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs (William Morrow). It’s a fascinating tell-all about the U.S. government’s longtime, shadowy involvement in investigations of “flying saucers” and little green men—and the lengths they take to keep what they found out a secret.

NOW HEAR THIS

It’s Elvis month, if you didn’t know—commemorating the anniversary of his demise in 1977—and RCA has opened the vault for Memphis, the first-ever comprehensive set of all the records Presley made in the Tennessee city that became his adopted hometown. Released on the 70th anniversary of his recordings there, this deluxe roundup includes a whopping 111 tracks of hits, new remixes and rarities, including “That’s All Right,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “In the Ghetto,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Poke Salad Annie” and many more. It’s a musical feast for fans of the iconic entertainer often simply referred to as “the king.”

Aug 09 2024
Leave a comment
DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Aug. 9 – Aug. 15

Matt & Casey on the lam, ‘Game of Thrones’ meets ‘Industy’ and the rise and fall of a TV psychic

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Aug. 9
The Instigators
Matt Damon and Casey Affleck star in this heist comedy (above) as thieves on the run…with their therapist in tow (Apple TV+).

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Who’s your favorite crime-fighting hard-shelled reptile? Leonardo? Donatello? Raphael? They’re all here in this new animated series, which features a guest voice by Pete Davidson as a lazy rich kid who loves the Turtles so much, he’ll do anything to become one (Paramount+).

The Braxtons
New reality series begins tonight with more exploits of the ladies from Braxton Family Values as they embark on an emotional rollercoaster of love, loss, triumph and healing after the death of a beloved sister (9:30 p.m., We TV).

SATURDAY, Aug. 10
Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall
Biopic about the Los Angeles woman who stumbled into a career as TV psychic and later expressed her regret about charging people for “spiritual guidance” by the minute—before dying of colon cancer (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, Aug. 11
Industry
Game of Thrones star Kit Harington joins the cast for season three of the acclaimed drama about high finance in a London pressure cooker of sex and drugs. (HBO).

Gangland Chronicles
Delve into some of the world’s most notorious criminal organizations in this new series about money-making rackets, deadly turf wars, monstrous mobsters, crafty informants and federal shakedowns. From the mafia to motorcycle clubs and prison subcultures, the gangs’ all here! (10 p.m., History)

Hollywood Black
Four-part documentary series explores a century of Black experience in Hollywood with personal stories from actors, writers, directors and producers who recall fighting for their places on the screen and behind the scenes (MGM+)

MONDAY, Aug. 12
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Euro celebs hop in classic cars and head off across Great Britain scouting for finds to sell in an auction competition (PBS Living on Prime Video).

Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life
New investigative series explores the cult-like secrecy, power and control of the Greek system and its lifelong impact on young men and women who participate (9 p.m., A&E).

TUESDAY, Aug. 13
Wiggin’ Out with Tokho Stylez
Come along as the famed hairdresser to the stars creates custom wigs for high-profile celeb clients including Cardi B, Trina Braxton and Ari Fletcher (ALLBLK

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 14
Bad Monkey
Vince Vaughn stars in this ten-episode comedy series as a former cop who makes a grisly discovery that puts him back in the law-and-order game—if he can get past a host of Sunshine State oddballs and one bad monkey (Apple TV+).

Daughters
Poignant documentary follows a group of young girls (above) as they prepare for a momentous daddy-daughter dance with their incarcerated fathers (Netflix).

The Tyrant
Scientists in South Korea work to develop a virus that will put their country on a level playing field with the world’s most powerful nations in this new drama mini-series with an all-Korean cast (Hulu).

Rhythm Masters: A Mickey Hart Experience
The Grateful Dead drummer explores the universal rhythm found in music, sports and life itself (9 p.m., ESPN).

THURSDAY, Aug. 15
Bel Air
Season three begins of the Fresh Prince spinoff starring Jabari Banks as a young Will Smith adjusting to life among Hollywood’s upper crust after arriving from the mean streets of Philly (Peacock).

CMT Giants: Alabama
The supergroup is honored in this musical special by Blake Shelton, Steve Wariner, Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Old Dominion, Martina McBride, Vince Gill and others (8 p.m., CMT).

NOW HEAR THIS

Get down and dirty in the Rio Grande mud with ZZ Top From the Top: 1971-1976 (Rhino), the splendid new box set of high-end vinyl re-releases of five seminal LPs by the three-piece “little ol’ band from Texas”—ZZ Top’s First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, Fandango and Tejas. Only 2,000 copies were made of this deluxe collection, so if you’re a fan(dango!), order yours today at Rhino.com. 

BRING IT HOME

The Bikeriders—based on a real-life Midwestern motorcycle club in the 1970s—roars on to Blu-ray with bonus features that includes interviews with the cast (Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy) and an inside look at the making of the movie. Vrooom! (Read a full film review of Bikeriders here: https://neilsentertainmentpicks.com/2024/06/19/movie-review-the-bikeriders/)

Director George Miller continues his epic of road rage in the post-apocalyptic prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), starring Anya Taylor-Joy as the young woman who would grow up to become the one-armed badass played by Charlize Theron in the previous film, Mad Max: Fury Road.  Come for the wild ride, stay for the extras, especially on the 4K version.

Jul 26 2024
Leave a comment
DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

July 26 – Aug. 1

A Bugs Bunny celebration, Michael Keaton fights dementia & Batman’s back…again!

FRIDAY, JULY 26
Antiques Roadshow Recut
Season three features themed half-hour highlight episodes of standout moments of the popular every-object-has-a-story series (10 p.m., PBS).

Knox Goes Away
Michael Keaton directs and stars in this film as a hit man with dementia (below), racing to save his son from a vengeance-fueled mistake before his mind deteriorates (Max).

SATURDAY, JULY 27
Family Movie Marathon
Sit back with the fam and get ready to laugh all through the p.m. hours with this mega movie marathon featuring Paul Blart: Mall Cop, The Addams Family and two Despicable Me’s (begins 12 noon, TBS).

Hare’s to Bugs! A Bugs Bunny Marathon
Celebrate the 84th birthday of cartoondom’s most famous wascally wabbit with an all-day slate of Bugs’ greatest ‘toon hits, plus commentary from voice actors, animation historians and more (begins 10 a.m., MeTV Toons). 

SUNDAY, JULY 28
Hotel Portofino
Bella (Natasha McElhone) prepares for the arrival of her brother (Lucian Ainsworth) and sister (Constance March) but is thrown off when Cecil (Mark Umbers) shows up requesting a divorce. Season three of the made-in-Croatia period drama, set during the era of the crash of Wall Street in the 1920s, begins tonight (PBS, Masterpiece and Prime Video).

Hustlers Take All
When an underground casino run by women recruits a brilliant young business grad, their biggest rival hatches a murderous plot to stay on top. Carole Davis—you might have seen her in small roles on Hacks, Madam Secretary or Two Broke Girls—stars as Talia (Tubi).  

MONDAY, JULY 29
Futurama
Season 12 begins tonight of the far-out animated sci-fi comedy series, created by The Simpson’s Matt Groening (Hulu).

Signora Volpe
More adventures of the British spy (Emilia Fox, below) with a new quiet life in the Italian countryside…until murder and blackmail pull her back into the world of crime (BBC America).

TUESDAY, JULY 30
Betrayal: A Father’s Secret
New series based on the hit podcast follows a Utah wife and mother of three who makes a horrifying discovery about her husband, causing her to safeguard her family from the man she thought she knew (Hulu).

Under the Radar: Secrets of a Swedish Serial Killer
In this new docuseries, a journalist traces additional crimes though clues he finds in songs by a convicted serial killer (Viaplay).

WEDNESDAY, JULY 31
Women in Blue
Brush up on your Spanish for this crime drama (above) with an entirely Hispanic cast, about four women who defy cultural notions of the time and join Mexico’s first female police force (Apple TV+).

Mountain Queen
Doc about Lhaka Sherpa, a Nepali-born woman who’s climbed Mount Everest ten times, more than any other woman the world. High (very high) five, sista! (Netflix).

THURSDAY, AUG. 1
Batman: Caped Crusader
Yes, yet another adaptation of the tale of the Dark Knight. This new high-pedgree animated version, which drops all 10 episodes in the wee a.m. hours, features voices by Hamish Linklater, Christina Ricci, Minnie Driver and McKenna Grace (Prime).

Influenced
Social media personalities host this new series about content creators with varying spheres of influence in lifestyle, food, home décor, travel, beauty and entertainment (Prime).

BRING IT HOME

The award-winning and fan-favorite hit series Ted Lasso comes to Blu-ray and DVD for the first time, with all episodes from three acclaimed seasons available in a specially packaged box set. Relive all the magic, merriment and comedic mayhem led by the cast of Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple (Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

I grew up with G.I. Joe, “America’s movable fighting man,” which ultimately became a multimedia franchise with countless action-figure spinoffs, a TV series and movies.  The G.I. Joe Roster (McFarland), by Teresa Bane, gives the ultimate rundown on all the iterations and “characters” in the G.I. Joe-verse, with details on their names, nicknames, missions, weaponry, areas of combat expertise, dates of service and more. It’s the field book for all those Joes who “served” the gung-ho military fantasies of gazillions of kids since the 1960s.

← Older posts
Newer posts →