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“They Call Me Magic” (not rated, AppleTV) This deep-diving four-episode sports documentary series explores the Magic Johnson’s life, as he grows up in Lansing, Mich., becomes a five-time NBA champion, brings HIV into the light, and evolves into a community activist and entrepreneur. With Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Michael Wilbon, Cookie Johnson, LL Cool J; directed by Rick Famuyiwa.
“Death Valley” (not rated, 1 hour, 31 minutes, On Demand, Blu-ray, DVD) From AMC Networks’ Shudder streaming service for horror and the supernatural comes a run-of-themill thriller focusing on mercenaries with nothing to lose, hired to rescue a bio-engineer imprisoned in a Cold War bunker, who themselves soon become a target. With Jeremy Ninaber, Ethan Mitchell, Kristen Kaster; written and directed by Matthew Ninaber. The DVD and Blu-ray includes cast and crew commentary and a making-of featurette.
“My Little One” (not rated, 1 hour, 41 minutes, On Demand) Filmed on Navajo Nation land, this visually arresting but otherwise unimpressive road movie tags along with once inseparable friends Alex and Bernardo (now middle-aged), who are summoned to the Arizona desert by Jade, a woman they both loved but haven’t seen in 10 years. The cast includes John Doe and French arthouse names such as Anna Mouglalis and Mathieu Demy, first-time child actor Ruby Matenko, and an assortment of nonprofessionals. Directed by Frederic Choffat and Julie Gilbert.
“I Love That for You” (TV-MA, eight episodes, 30 minutes, Showtime) Inspired by Vanessa Bayer’s experience of overcoming childhood leukemia, this Showtime cast-driven comedy series concerns Joanna Gold (Bayer) who dreams of becoming a host at a home shopping channel. Working to shed her lifelong label as “that cancer girl,” she moves away from her parents, starts a romance, and forms a meaningful friendship with her idol Jackie (Molly Shannon), the charismatic star of the network. With Jenifer Lewis, Johnno Wilson, Ayden Mayeri.
“Splinters” (not rated, 1 hour, 8 minutes, iTunes, Amazon, Googleplay, Youtube, Vudu). The latest micro-budget independent film to be supported by Outsider Pictures as part of its strategy to bring firsttime independent directors’ voices to the screen is a drama about Anna and her son, Bo, who live in a small town in the Midwest and struggle to communicate after the death of Anna’s husband. With Paul Gordon, Jackson Kelly, Joni Mann; written and directed by Jon Corum.
“Inbetween Girl” (not rated, 1 hour, 29 minutes, Amazon Prime, AppleTV, iTunes) This winner of the SXSW 2021 Visions Award is a skillfully wrought coming-of-age drama about teenage artist Angie Chen (Emma Galbraith) who unexpectedly finds herself involved in late-night hookups with the heartthrob of her private school after her parents’ sudden messy divorce. Written and directed by Mei Makino.
“Wuhan Wuhan” (not rated, 1 hour, 30 minutes, On Demand) This is an unbiased observational documentary that takes place during February and March 2020 at the height of the pandemic in Wuhan city, where the coronavirus began, and puts a human experience into the early days of the mysterious virus that turns into a deadly killer. Directed by Yung Chang.