Weekend Watch: December 1, 2023
Just another freaky Friday, with Aussie Dickens vibes, Queen Bey's Renaissance, and, ohhhh, you fab ladies of the '80s...
Happy Friday, TueNighters! We're ushering in the first weekend of December with another fab lineup of movie releases, series drops, and TV shows. Pour your favorite beverage, snag a quick snack, and cozy up — LET’S GO!
Here are this week’s picks:
Family Switch (Netflix): Jess (Jennifer Garner) and Bill Walker (Ed Helms) are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout?
Mixed reviews for this Freaky Friday-ish moment but we’re here for the undeniable star power of Rita Moreno and the film’s Coach Kim, an extremely enthusiastic soccer coach played by the hilarious Fortune Feimster.
The Artful Dodger (Hulu): Set in 1850s Australia, 15 years after the events of Dickens’ Oliver Twist, in the lively colony of Port Victory, Jack Dawkins, The Artful Dodger (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), whose fast, pickpocketing fingers have turned into the skilled hands of a surgeon. Dodger’s past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin (David Thewlis), luring him back into a world of crime. A greater threat, to Dodger’s heart, is Lady Belle (Maia Mitchell), the Governor’s daughter, determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon. From heists to life-and-death surgeries, to the harsh realities of the criminal world mingling with the middle ground and gentry.
Review via The Daily Beast: Though The Artful Dodger is more pulpy than intellectual, there are touches of depth in its exploration of classism, patriarchy, colonialism, and medical advancement. (Dickens would be proud.)
Bookie (Max): From Emmy-nominated creator Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men) and Nick Bakay, this darkly funny comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (played by stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good. Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), side-hustling sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own.
Fun fact: Two and a Half Men alum Charlie Sheen makes a TV comeback in Bookie, reuniting with Lorre twelve years after Sheen’s dramatic exit from the series.
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (Theaters): accentuates the journey of Renaissance World Tour, from its inception, to the opening in Stockholm, Sweden, to the finale in Kansas City, Missouri. It is about Beyoncé’s intention, hard work, involvement in every aspect of the production, her creative mind and purpose to create her legacy, and master her craft. Received with extraordinary acclaim, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour created a sanctuary for freedom, and shared joy, for more than 2.7 million fans.
Quick heads up: Bey’s Insta feed is pure fire!
May December (Netflix): Popular television actor Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) heads to Savannah, Georgia, to research a part in a new film that follows a scandalous tabloid romance. That love affair — between Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Charles Melton) — was once a fixture of the gossip pages. Joe was significantly younger than Gracie, who served time in prison when they were caught together. When she was released, the pair were married, and they now have three children together who are about to graduate from high school. At first glance, their untraditional marriage looks more predictable than Elizabeth expected. But soon, her observation brings long-dormant feelings to the surface, and the decades-old scandal reveals deeper and deeper layers.
The movie is based on the real-life story of Seattle school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau and her relationship with sixth-grade student, Vili Fualaau.
Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas (Lifetime): Five glamorous ‘80s soap opera stars (Loni Anderson, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Donna Mills and Nicollette Sheridan) reunite to share the spotlight to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running soap opera. The producer, Alex (Travis Burns) and director Nell (Taylor Ann Thompson), old college friends, do their best to keep things on the rails but as the ladies come together, old rivalries resurface that threaten to tear the whole production apart. With the show nearly canceled before it even begins due to the ladies’ famous diva behavior, they reluctantly agree to set aside their differences and past secrets to “act” as if they all still love each other.
As seen on Entertainment Weekly: “If that isn't enough to make your Gen X heart burst with holiday spirit, the movie's theme song will be performed by none other than '80s shopping mall pop star Tiffany.”
Disclaimer: While we *think* these shows and movies might be worth checking out, there are no guarantees they'll all be your jam. It's always best to trust your own instincts.
AMERICAN SYMPHONY the documentary about Jon Batiste and his making of this symphony and his brilliant writer wife Juleika Jaouad ..... a love story and story of brilliance and struggle
I’m pretty disappointed in both Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. MKL was a sexual predator and I sincerely hope this movie doesn’t glamorize anything.