Weekly Entertainment Digest- August 3rd

August 3, 2024

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What new trailers were released this week and what can you expect to see coming to small and big screens near you?

Learn more about Michigan’s first ScreenX and be sure to stay up to date with the release schedule here, or check out the new Anime offerings coming to Hulu this month or the Family Friendly content coming to Netflix in August!

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Movie and Entertainment Updates

The Mask: The Animated Series – The Complete First Season – Available to Own on Digital Now

When he dons an ancient Nordic mask, Stanley Ipkiss moves at warp speed, knows your every desire, satisfies your every whim and dances like Fred Astaire, Gumby and Barishnikov combined. He’s s-s-s-smokin’! Based on the film The Mask, this animated series tells the story of sweet, socially inept bank teller Ipkiss, who discovers a mask that transforms him into a superhero … but one whom you may not want to call for help.

Available now for purchase digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango at Home and more.

WIDOW CLICQUOT Available On Demand August 6th

Widow Clicquot is based on the true story of the “Grande Dame of Champagne,” Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (1777–1866) who, at the age of 20, became Madame Clicquot after marrying the scion of a winemaking family. Though their marriage was arranged, a timeless love blossomed between Barbe-Nicole (Haley Bennett) and her unconventional, erratic husband, François (Tom Sturridge). After her husband’s untimely death, Barbe-Nicole flouts convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured together. Steering the company through dizzying political and financial reversals, she defies her critics and revolutionizes the champagne industry to become one of the world’s first great entrepreneurs.

THE SHAKEDOWN – Streaming on Prime Video August 8th

THE SHAKEDOWN is a Fargo-esque comedy-of-errors that follows Justin Diamond, a well-respected family man and medical aid broker who finds himself being blackmailed after his physiotherapist threatens to reveal the secret of their affair.

Desperate to maintain his golden boy reputation, Justin teams up with his ‘black sheep’ brother Dovi, to handle the escalating chaos. However, both their actions lead them down a path filled with dangerous criminals, mistaken identities, and comic mishaps into the clumsiness of the Cape Town underworld.

Solar Opposites – Renewed for 6th Season – Season five premieres on Hulu August 12th

Hulu debuted the “Solar Opposites” season five trailer during its panel at San Diego Comic-Con today, Friday July 26. Dan Stevens also announced via a pre-recorded video that the hit adult animation series has been renewed for a sixth season. “Solar Opposites” season five premieres on August 12 with all 11 episodes, with a Halloween special coming later this year.

SEASON FIVE SYNOPSIS:
“Solar Opposites” centers around a team of four aliens who are evenly split on whether Earth is awful or awesome. Korvo (Dan Stevens) and Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone) only see the pollution, crass consumerism, and human frailty while Terry (Thomas Middleditch) and Jesse (Mary Mack) love TV, junk food and fun stuff. On season 5, now that alien mission partners Terry and Korvo are married, the whole Solar Opposites team are focused on family values.

ALIEN: ROMULUS – Intense New Sneak Peak – in Theaters August 16th

A terrifying new sneak peek from “Alien: Romulus” is available now. Be sure to check it out, as well as these exclusive exhibitor/ticketing partner posters, and don’t forget to purchase advance tickets today for the sci-fi/horror-thriller at Fandango or wherever tickets are sold. A truly terrifying cinematic experience from director/writer Fede Alvarez and producer Ridley Scott, “Alien: Romulus” opens exclusively in theaters nationwide August 16, 2024, and will be available in IMAX®, Dolby Cinema®, Screen X, 4DX, and premium screens everywhere.

“Alien: Romulus” takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. The film stars Cailee Spaeny (“Civil War”), David Jonsson (“Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“The Last of Us”), Spike Fearn (“Aftersun”), Aileen Wu. Fede Alvarez (“Evil Dead,” “Don’t Breathe”) directs from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues (“Don’t Breathe 2”) based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett. “Alien: Romulus” is produced by Ridley Scott (“Napoleon”), who directed the original “Alien” and produced and directed the series’ entries “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” Michael Pruss (“Boston Strangler”), and Walter Hill (“Alien”), with Fede Alvarez, Elizabeth Cantillon (“Charlie’s Angels”), Brent O’Connor (“Bullet Train”), and Tom Moran (“Unstoppable”) serving as executive producers.

IN THE REARVIEW Arrives on VOD & Digital on August 16th

When Russia escalated its war against Ukraine in 2022, Polish director Maciek Hamela bought a van and volunteered to drive Ukrainian refugees – mostly women and children – on their quest to escape. IN THE REARVIEW is an authentic, intimate observation of war as it unfolds, following multiple generations of Ukrainian civilians as they abruptly abandon their homes and rely on the help of Hamela’s volunteer aid van to escape the life-threatening conflict. As he steers through minefields and attempts to get through numerous military checkpoints, Hamela offers viewers a seat in the van, guiding the documentary from behind the wheel and behind the camera, crisscrossing the roads of Ukraine to transport uprooted refugees safely to Poland. Traversing tens of thousands of kilometers across a bruised and battered landscape, the van serves as a waiting room, hospital, shelter, and zone for confidences and confessions among compatriots thrown together by chance.

Shot almost entirely inside Hamela’s van, the poignant and powerful documentary uses “the power of protest through personal filmmaking instead of blunt messaging” (RogerEbert.com) to create a collective portrait of those most vulnerable in this ongoing geopolitical struggle.

SELECT FESTIVALS/AWARDS

Artdocfest (2024) |Winner, Best FilmDocAviv (2024) |Nominee, Beyond the Screen Award
International Documentary Association (2024) |Winner, Best Film
Palm Springs Int’l Film Festival (2024) | Nominee, Best Documentary
Polish Film Awards (2024) | Nominee, Best Documentary
Thessaloniki Documentary FF (2024) | Winner, Amnesty Int’l Award
Bilbao Int’l Festival of Docs and Short Films (2024) | Winner, Grand Prix
Chicago Int’l Film Festival (2023) | Winner, Best Documentary
DOC NYC (2023) | Nominee, Audience Award
IDFA (2023) |Nominee, ADFA Audience Award
Millenium Docs Against Gravity (2023) | Winner, Best Polish Film
Sheffield Int’l Documentary Festival (2023) | Winner, Grand Jury Award
Toronto Int’l Film Festival (2023) | Nominee, People’s Choice Award
Ukrainian Film Critics Awards (2023) | Nominee, Best Documentary
Zurich Film Festival (2023) | Winner, Best Int’l Documentary Film

THE CROW – In Theaters August 23rd

Bill Skarsgård takes on the iconic role of THE CROW in this modern reimagining of the original graphic novel by James O’Barr.

Soulmates Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.

BLINK TWICE – Only in Theaters August 23rd

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.

Apple TV+ Reveals First Look at New Documentary Event | “K-Pop Idols” – Premieres on August 30th

Apple TV+ announced the new six-episode documentary event “K-Pop Idols” and revealed a first look at the new series set to premiere globally on August 30, 2024. “K-Pop Idols” offers fans an unprecedented backstage pass to the world’s biggest musical phenomenon, with a behind-the-scenes look at the highly competitive reality of K-pop stardom, featuring beloved artists Jessi, CRAVITY and BLACKSWAN.

Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-7 – Coming to DVD September 10th

Fans can travel across the multi-verse with the epic release of the Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-7 boxed set on DVD on September 10. Get Schwifty while you binge on one of cable’s most-watched comedies that follows the sci-fi misadventures of genius scientist Rick and his family. Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-7 includes all 71 episodes from seven seasons of the award-winning series, copious special features, audio commentary, deleted scenes, “Inside the Episode” segments, numerous featurettes, animatic sketches, and more.

ABOUT RICK AND MORTY: THE COMPLETE SERIES 1-7:

Rick and Morty is the critically acclaimed, half-hour animated hit comedy series on Adult Swim that follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Rick Sanchez is living with his daughter Beth’s family and constantly bringing her, his son-in-law Jerry, granddaughter Summer, and grandson Morty into intergalactic escapades.

Debuting in 112 countries in 38 languages, Rick and Morty has captured substantial international viewership. The series has ranked as one of the top series for Max, both domestically and globally. Lifetime to date, Rick and Morty has been viewed over 10 billion times globally, across linear, digital, and streaming.

Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-7 series information:

Includes 71 episodes from all seven seasons, plus all the bonus materials that have been lovingly created over the years, and carefully curated for you now.

My Old A$$ – In Theaters Beginning September 13th

In this fresh coming-of-age story, an 18th birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when Elliott’s “old ass” starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what’s becoming a transformative summer.

TRANSFORMERS ONE IS IN THEATRES SEPTEMBER 20th

TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, TRANSFORMERS ONE features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.

Bagman ONLY IN THEATERS SEPTEMBER 20th

In the dark horror film BAGMAN, a family finds themselves ensnared in a nightmare as they are hunted by a malevolent, mythical creature. For centuries and across cultures, parents have warned their children of the legendary Bagman, who snatches innocent children and stuffs them into his vile, rotting bag—never to be seen again. Patrick McKee (Sam Claflin) narrowly escaped such an encounter as a boy, which left him with lasting scars throughout his adulthood. Now, Patrick’s childhood tormentor has returned, threatening the safety of his wife Karina (Antonia Thomas) and son Jake (Caréll Rhoden).

Family Guy Halloween Special Premieres on Hulu October 14th

At the “Family Guy” San Diego Comic-Con panel, the cast and producers revealed that the first of two Hulu Exclusive holiday specials will premiere Monday, October 14 on Hulu. The Halloween special will feature Glen Powell as the reigning champion in Quahog’s annual Pumpkin Contest and Derek Jacobi as “Rupert.”

Halloween Special Logline: Peter and his friends aim to unseat the reigning champion (GLEN POWELL) in Quahog’s annual Pumpkin Contest by any means necessary.

Before premiering globally on AppleTV+ October 25th

Apple TV+ shared a first-look at “Before,” an atmospheric, character-driven psychological thriller starring multi-award winning actor, comedian and filmmaker Billy Crystal. The ten episode series is executive produced by Crystal, Oscar Award-winner Eric Roth and creator Sarah Thorp and will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, October 25 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through December 20.

Alongside Crystal, the supernatural mystery series stars multi-Emmy and Tony Award- winner Judith Light (“Transparent”), Jacobi Jupe (“Peter Pan & Wendy”), Oscar Award- nominee Rosie Perez (“The Flight Attendant”), Tony Award-nominee Maria Dizzia  (“Orange Is the New Black”) and Ava Lalezarzadeh (“In the Garden of Tulips”).
“Before” stars Crystal as Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn  (Light), encounters a troubled young boy, Noah (Jupe), who seems to have a haunting  connection to Eli’s past. As Eli attempts to help Noah, their mysterious bond deepens.

Hailing from Paramount Television Studios, the limited series is created by Sarah Thorp  (“The Bounty Hunter”). Thorp serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer.  Crystal executive produces alongside Eric Roth (“Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Dune”),  pilot director Adam Bernstein (“Silo,” “Billions”) and producing director Jet Wilkinson  (“The Chi,” “Truth Be Told”).

THE FIRE INSIDE – Only in Theaters This Christmas

THE FIRE INSIDE is the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.