What to stream this weekend: Taylor Swift, ‘Lincoln Lawyer’, ‘Biosphere’ and ‘Wham!’
Taylor Swift’s re-recording of her “Speak Now” and survivalist Bear Grylls taking Bradley Cooper and Rita Ora into the wilderness are among the new television, movies, music and games coming to a device near you.
Among the offers worth your time, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are the sci-fi comedy Biosphere starring Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass and a new spin-off series starring Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan from The Real Housewives of New York City.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM
— Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass are the last two men on Earth in the not-too-distant future sci-fi comedy “biosphere,” available in theaters and on demand Fridays from IFC. John DeFore wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that it is “a mysterious and hilarious picture that really can’t be talked about much without saying things that a prospective viewer shouldn’t hear.” “Biosphere” is the directorial debut of Mel Elsyn, who co-wrote the script with Duplass.
— If Paramount+ is not included in your streaming bundle, “80 for Brady” is now available on Prime Video. Inspired by a true story, the film stars Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field as a quartet of best friends and lifelong Patriots fans, who head to the super bowl to watch Tom Brady play. Reviews weren’t great, but most called the legendary actors reason enough to take a chance. Stephanie Zacherek wrote in Time that it was “brassy, ludicrous and shameless” as well as “irresistible”, while critic Katie Walsh called the screenplay’s “loose, absurdist” humor. Plus, it only takes 98 minutes.
— Freddie (Park Ji-min) is a 25-year-old who was adopted as a child, grew up in France and decides to return to South Korea, where she first lives in “Return to Seoul,” Comes to Mubi on Friday. Written and directed by Davy Chou, the critically acclaimed film got a little lost in its theatrical run, but made a handful of year-end best lists. Richard Lawson wrote in Vanity Fair, “She’s a fascinating creation, prickly and mercurial and, for a spell, immoral.” But Chou eventually rounds his film into something compassionate, a bittersweet collage of a young life in motion.”
NEW MUSIC TO STREAM
— Taylor Swift has us one chance to travel back in time after re-recording her second country album ‘Speak Now’, her third remake after ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ and ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’. “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” contains 22 songs, including six that were written during the album’s original era but were only recently recorded. Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams of Paramore are among the guest appearances. Swift wrote on social media: “Since ‘Speak Now’ was all about my songwriting, I decided to go to the artists who I think have influenced me the most as a lyricist at the time and ask them to sing on the album. “
— If PJ Harvey’s new album sounds fresh and inspired, it’s because the new songs came out in about three weeks and were recorded spontaneously. “I Inside the Old Year Dying” is Harvey’s 10th studio album and first since 2016’s Grammy-nominated “The Hope Six Demolition Project.” The album was produced by longtime collaborators Flood and John Parish. Lead folksy single “A Child’s Question, August,” is filled with pastoral imagery, sparse instrumentation and the singer’s soprano.
– Head over to Netflix if you’re hoping to wake up before you leave to celebrate a special pop duo in “Wham!” The 92 minutes documentary about the musical couple —George Michael and Andrew Ridley — lands Wednesday and promises access to personal archives, including never-before-seen footage and never-before-heard interviews. Directed by Chris Smith, the doc charts the duo’s four-year journey from teenage college friends to global superstars with hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Young Guns.” Michael passed away in 2016.
— AP Entertainment writer Mark Kennedy
NEW SERIES TO STREAM
— Part one of “The Lincoln Lawyer” season two is now on Netflix. If you haven’t seen the series based on Michael Connelly’s novels yet, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays Mickey Haller. Haller is a well-known Los Angeles lawyer who has a keen ability to think outside the box to help his clients. He is also often driven around town in a Lincoln while working from the backseat. In season one, Haller returned to law after several setbacks, including addiction and a divorce. In season two, Haller is the It Lawyer in town. Season two is based on Connelly’s book ‘The Fifth Witness’.
— David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan are not alone new Superman and Lois Lane in town. A new animated series, “My Adventures with Superman,” features Jack Quaid as the voice of the superhero along with Alice Lee as Lois Lane. Airing every Thursday on Adult Swim, the story follows Clark Kent as a reporter for the local newspaper in Metropolis, who also happens to be a secret superhero.
– Adventurer Bear Grylls has found more celebrities to get out of their comfort zone and be tested by the outdoors. Watch Bradley Cooper venture into the Wyoming Basin in a new season of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge,” premiere on Sunday. Other stars include Troy Kotsur, Grylls’ first deaf guest he takes to the Scottish Highlands, ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Sherlock’ star Benedict Cumberbatch, Tatiana Maslany of ‘She-Hulk’, recording artist Rita Ora and Tony Award winners Daveed Diggs and Cynthia Erivo.
– Bravo sends two of its most iconic Bravo lebrities, Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan from “The Real Housewives of New York City”, and gives them the “Simple Life” meets “Schitt’s Creek” treatment “Luann and Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake.” Normally accustomed to trips to the Hamptons or St. Tropez, the pair fly to Benton, Illinois, where the population is less than 7,000. The socialites check into a motel and are requested by the mayor to boost Benton’s morale. De Lesseps and Morgan revive a local theater with a variety show and build a new program. They also participate in activities such as searching a nearby lake for crappie fish with their bare hands or mudding with monster trucks. The show will premiere on Bravo on Sunday and episodes will stream on Peacock the following day.
NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
— In 2004, Japanese developer Nihon Falcom launched one of the most ambitious video game franchises in history with The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. Ten titles later, the drama from the war-torn land of Zemuria shows no signs of slowing down, and has found a wider Western audience since NIS America took over English translations in 2019. The last chapter, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie, is pitched as the centerpiece of the series, so it could be a good chance for newcomers to catch up on the story so far and brace for the endgame. If you love the turn-by-turn strategy and anime-influenced storytelling of old-school Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games, you can pick up the trail this Friday on PlayStation 5/4 and Nintendo Switch.
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Watch AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/entertainment.
