WHAT 2 WATCH THIS WKND
Andrew Garfield, Regina King, Will Ferrell+
THE HARDER THEY FALL
Starring “Lovecraft Country’s” Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, and Regina King, “The Harder They Fall” is a magnetic new addition to the Western canon. Refocusing the lens on Black legends of the Old American West, first-time feature filmmaker Jeymes Samuel bursts onto the scene with a gun-slinging, swagger-toting, and certifiably fresh new story. “The Harder They Fall ” is a captivating instant classic that injects a balance of gravitas and fresh humor into the cowboy genre.
DEXTER: NEW BLOOD
Dexter is back, with the original showrunner Clyde Phillips – best known for the show’s beloved “Trinity Killer” fourth season. A decade has passed, and now the titular anti-hero goes by Jim Lindsay, working at an outdoor supply store in a big hunting town. If you’ve ever wanted your favorite shows to return with a do-over to controversial endings (looking at you, Game of Thrones), then the Dexter reboot might be what you’re looking for.
TICK, TICK….BOOM!
Theater history in the making, “Tick, Tick…Boom!” is Jonathan Larson’s (“Rent”) semi-autobiographical story of a musical theater writer’s quarter-life crisis before turning 30. The piece is about what it means to “make it,” which took on new meaning after Larson’s tragic and sudden death at 35, the day of Rent’s first Off-Broadway preview performance. The film version is directed by Lin Manuel Miranda in his feature directorial debut, starring Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, and more.
THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR
Apple TV+’s dark new mini-series, “The Shrink Next Door,” follows a psychiatrist who begins to insert himself into the lives of his patients. Based on the hit podcast of the same title by Joe Nocera, the cast of “The Shrink Next Door” stars big names like Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell, and explores the dynamics of charm, trust, and control.
PASSING
Set in 1920s New York City, two childhood friends, Irene and Clare, reconnect one day in Harlem. The chance encounter will upend their worlds, when Irene, who is Black, learns that Clare has been living as a white woman. Written and directed by respected British actress Rebecca Hall, “Passing” is a delicate and devastating examination of race, self-perception, and friendship. “Passing” also brings the world of Old New York to life, shot fully in black and white 4:3 aspect ratio. “Passing” may be based on a Harlem Renaissance novel from 1929, but it shines brightly on today’s screen.
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
This classic creepy movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola features Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and more, as they bring to life the famous vampire novel from Irish author Bram Stoker. In this adaptation, Dracula travels to London to search for a woman who resembles his long-lost wife, with vampire hunter Van Helsing hot on his trail. Newly released on American Netflix, “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is a work of Gothic horror that leans into a romantic, religious understanding of its source text. Its closing credits song “Love Song for a Vampire ” by Annie Lennox became an international success at the time of its release.
