With Houston now considered the epicenter of COVID-19 in Texas, many are opting to stay home to check out the latest streaming offerings.
This week, look for an epic musical journey with Will Ferrell, an irresistible Jon Stewart flick, and a trip to The Twilight Zone.
Movies
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix)
Will Ferrell takes his act to Netflix in this comedy from Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin. Ferrell plays one-half of an amateur, Icelandic pop duo (Rachel McAdams is the other half) who has aspirations of playing in the legendary, European song contest — even though everybody thinks they’re trash. Demi Lovato and Pierce Brosnan (aka the sexiest James Bond) co-star. (Premiering on Friday)
Irresistible (Focus Features)
Jon Stewart may have stopped doing political satire on a nightly basis as the former host of The Daily Show. But that doesn’t mean he can’t do that in full-length movie form. His latest film as writer/director has him reuniting with former Daily correspondent Steve Carell, as he plays a Democratic strategist who tries to groom a local yokel (Chris Cooper) into becoming a major candidate in a small-town election. Rose Byrne co-stars. (Available for rent on Friday)
Podcasts
The Black Guy Who Tips (self-distributed)
If you would like to know more about what’s going on with Black people and Black culture, you cannot go wrong with this podcast. On a near-daily basis, husband-and-wife team Rod and Karen Morrow break down what’s been going on in the news and how it mostly affects the African-American community. So, for all those white folk who would like to know more about Black folk — but are too damn scared to ask — just listen to these two on the regular.
You Must Remember This (Stitcher)
Film scholar (and wife of Knives Out director Rian Johnson) Karina Longworth continues to be the great excavator of Hollywood’s hidden/forbidden past, devoting each season of her podcast to people or incidents that Tinseltown doesn’t speak about that much. This season, she focuses on Polly Platt, the late producer and production designer known for her work with ex-husband/director Peter Bogdanovich — that is, until Bogdanovich started creeping around with Cybill Shepherd.
Television
Search Party (HBO Max)
After two seasons on TBS, the black comedy about friends who slide into one very bad thing after another when they try to locate the whereabouts of a missing young woman, now has a home on the brand-spanking-new HBO Max. Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) returns as the de facto leader of this roving gang of self-absorbed millennials. Unfortunately, she has to do this all from a jail cell since she’s on trial for murder. (Now streaming)
The Twilight Zone (CBS All Access)
Jordan Peele, perhaps one of the most successful, African-American filmmakers Hollywood just acts as though he’s not all that, returns as the host for another season of Rod Serling-inspired freakiness. Let’s see who’s guesting this season: Joel McHale, Billy Porter, Tony Hale, Topher Grace, Morena Baccarin, Chris Meloni, Gretchen Mol, Damon Wayans, Jr., Tavi Gevinson, and Jenna Elfman are a few of the stars popping up. (Now streaming)
