NEW TO STREAM
Rundown of what’s arriving on entertainment platforms
MOVIES
Bill Nighy leads a charming crowd-pleaser on
Netflix, “The Beautiful Game,” in which he plays an English soccer (sorry, football) manager taking a team to the Homeless World Cup in Rome. Michael Ward co-stars as an especially talented player, Vinny, who reluctantly joins the team. New to housing insecurity, he feels above his teammates and the circus of the games at first. The story, written by Frank CottrellBoyce and directed by Thea Sharrock is loosely inspired by the real thing (Cottrell-Boyce worked with the Homeless World Cup Foundation to develop the characters), but at heart is very much a movie, tidy and feel-good in the vein of “Ted Lasso.” It is now streaming.
Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan
Neville dives into the life of a personal idol, Steve Martin, in “Steve! (Martin) a Documentary in 2 Pieces,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor”) essentially created two different movies, one about Martin’s beginnings and one about the present. Martin has told his story many times, but the Neville movies offer unprecedented access to him reflecting on successes, failures and finding happiness. He assures viewers that they can be watched in any order. And yes, there will be banjos.
“Madu” is about a 12-yearold Nigerian boy
who leaves home to study ballet at a prestigious school in England for seven years. If this sounds vaguely familiar, it’s likely because at age 11, Anthony Madu went viral online with a 44-second video of him dancing shoeless in the mud and rain in Lagos. It got the attention of the national media and the likes of Cynthia Erivo and
Viola Davis and put him on the path you see in the film. “Madu” is now streaming on Disney+.
— Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
MUSIC
This ain’t a country album, it’s a Beyoncé album
. At least, that phrase was briefly projected onto the exterior of some of New York City’s most famous museums in the week leading up to her highly anticipated new album, “Cowboy Carter.” The album was first announced in a Verizon commercial starring Beyoncé that aired during the Super Bowl and ended with the superstar saying, “They ready, drop the new music.” A cryptic Instagram tease later, and Bey surprise released two singles, the country stomp “Texas Hold ’Em,” and the soulful slow burn “16 Carriages.” It’s not new territory for Beyoncé, as anyone who has heard the track “Daddy Lessons” from her 2016 studio album “Lemonade” will remember, but it has opened up new territory. The album is out now.
Sheryl Crow has released “Evolution,” her
12th studio album and first in half a decade. After 2019’s “Threads” was released, Crow said she would not release another full-length. Time changes things, as any artist will let you know, and it’s a great thing. One listen of her cover of Peter Gabriel’s 1992 track “Digging in the Dirt,” recorded with Gabriel, guarantees it.
Bid farewell to Sum 41, the pop-punk band
from Canada known for its raucous hits “In Too Deep” and “Fat Lip.” The band’s final album, “Heaven :x: Hell,” is out now. They’re going out with an explosion — their enthusiastic rock never missing a beat — but it is an end to an era, nonetheless. Was lead single “Landmines” written in
2023 or 2001? Who knows — palm-muted power chords hit just as hard now as they did then.
With members of the K-pop group BTS
currently participating in South Korea’s mandatory military service, it’s hard not to miss them. But there is a balm: an Amazon Prime Video docuseries about member J-Hope titled “Hope on the Street.” The show follows J-Hope’s story. The six-part series has new episodes dropping every week.
— Maria Sherman, Associated Press
TELEVISION
“Good One: A Show About Jokes,” based on a
popular Vulture podcast, is now streaming on Peacock. The documentary follows Mike Birbiglia, known for his personal comedy, as he mines his life for new material. “Good One” also features Seth Meyers, Hasan Minhaj and Atsuko Okatsuka.
Netflix offers a new docudrama in the
faith-based genre with “Testament: The Story of Moses.” It follows the Biblical story of Moses and his journey from Egyptian prince to being given the Ten Commandments by God. He also*
went from an outcast to a liberator. Charles Dance narrates and Avi Azulay plays Moses, and the threeparts also feature interviews with religion experts. “Testament” is now streaming.
BritBox offers the second season of the
British prison drama “Time.” If you missed Season 1, it’s OK, because “Time” is an anthology series. Season 2 stars Jodie Whittaker of “Doctor Who” and “Broadchurch” along with Bella Ramsey from “The Last of Us.” Whittaker, Ramsey and Tamara Lawrence play three women who meet on their first day in prison. “Time” is now streaming.
A new limited drama series on“Hulu”called
“We Were the Lucky Ones” follows the members of the Kurc family, who get separated during World War II after the Nazi’s invaded Poland. It’s based on a book by Georgia Hunter who discovered her own Jewish ancestry and that her grandfather was actually a Holocaust survivor while writing a report for school. The series stars Logan Lerman as her grandfather Addy and Joey King as his sister. The family’s love, resilience and survival is one of hope and optimism. “We Were the Lucky Ones” is now streaming.
Amazon Prime Video’s new series
“The Baxters” is a Christian-based series that stars Roma Downey and Ted McGinley as John and Elizabeth Baxter, who have five adult children. The family’s faith is tested when one of the Baxter daughters learns her husband has had an affair. It’s based on a book series by Christian author Karen Kingsbury. “The Baxters” is now streaming.
Beloved for playing Gus Fring on
“Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” Giancarlo Esposito executive produces and stars in his own series called “Parish” for AMC. Esposito plays Gracian “Gray” Parish, who is drawn back into the crime world after a family tragedy. “Parish” is a passion project for Esposito, who worked to get it developed for eight years. Skeet Ulrich co-stars and Bradley Whitford has a recurring role. “Parish” is based on a BBC One show called “The Driver” and is now airing Sundays on AMC and streaming on AMC+.
Louise Harland stars in the Disney+ series
“Renegade Nell” as Nellie Jackson, an 18th-century swashbuckling cockney who outwits and survives robbers and barons, and even beats a murder charge. She’s assisted by a protective sprite played by “Ted Lasso’s” Nick Mohammed. The eight-episode drama is now streaming.
— Hilary Fox, Associated Press
VIDEO GAMES “South Park” has been around for so long
that Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny should be old enough to have kids of their own. Fortunately, the boys are still stuck in elementary school purgatory, so they’re just the right age to go nuts for THQ Nordic’s South Park: Snow Day! The town has been shut down by a massive blizzard, so the gang is free to get outside and create all sorts of mayhem. Your character is the “New Kid,” and you can play solo or join forces with up to three friends in battles that go way beyond a neighborhood snowball fight. Break open the Cheesy Poofs now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Annapurna Interactive’s Open Roads begins
with teenager Tess Devine and her mother, Opal, discovering a stash of old letters that hint at dark secrets — and maybe a hidden treasure. So the two of them hit the road in their station wagon on a mission to visit some long neglected family properties. It might not be the best idea for a mother-daughter road trip, since Opal might revive some memories she has spent years trying to forget. Open Roads features the voices of Keri Russell and Kaitlyn Dever. Join the drive now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.