The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
New this week: ‘Cinderella,’ Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez
Movies
Michael Keaton leads the new Netflix film “Worth,” available starting Friday, about the lawyer tasked with putting a dollar value lives of those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. Based on a true story, Keaton’s character is forced to reevaluate his priorities after meeting a widower played by Stanley Tucci.
“Pose” star Billy Porter plays a nonbinary Fairy Godparent named Fab G in the latest version of “Cinderella,” streaming Friday on Amazon Prime Video. Pop star Camilla Cabello stars as the glass slipper-loser and Idina Menzel plays the Stepmother. Naturally, both are providing original songs for the soundtrack.
The Criterion Channel is hosting a series of quintessential New York films starting Wednesday from Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant,” from 1917 through Noah Baumbach’s “Frances Ha,” from 2012. It is a murderer’s row of great films across the century. There are ‘60s classics like “The Apartment” and “West Side Story” and ‘70s greats like “Sisters” and “The Panic in Needle Park.” There are 1980s essentials like “After Hours,” “Moonstruck,” “Do the Right Thing” and “Stranger Than Paradise,” leading up to indie classics from the 1990s and beyond with “Metropolitan,” “Paris Is Burning,” “The Squid and the Whale” and “Margaret.” It might accidentally take up your whole month.
Music
Imagine Dragons are releasing their fifth studio album on Friday called “Mercury — Act 1” with Rick Rubin producing.
If you’re looking for something harder, look no further than Iron Maiden, whose 17th studio album “Senjutsu” drops Friday and is their first in six years. Though just 10 tracks, each one is long and this will be a double CD.
Television
Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez are the odd-triplet stars of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” and enticement enough to check out the comedymystery.
Billie Eilish and the city of LA star in a Disney+ special described as a cinematic concert experience. Eilish will perform her new album, “Happier than Ever,” in “Happier than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles,” debuting Friday. Her performance at the Hollywood Bowl is joined with animation to take viewers on a promised “dreamlike journey” thorough Eilish’s home and its landmarks. The Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo and singer-songwriter Finneas, Eilish’s brother, are among those making guest appearances.
After a pandemic-forced production break, Showtime’s “Billions” returns for the second half of season five on Sunday (9 p.m. EDT). There’s shifting alliances as the power struggle continues between hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and his prosecutor nemesis Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). Among those along for the bumpy, fiveepisode ride: Corey Stoll as billionaire Mike Prince and Janeane Garofalo as Winslow, who owns a legit cannabis enterprise.