Weekly Entertainment Digest – October 12th

October 12, 2024

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The fall and holiday movies are coming at us pretty quickly! We’ve been waiting a long time for Wicked and a lot of the other movies to come to theaters and our wait is almost over. Be sure to check out all of the upcoming free local screenings, and events you can go to plus other movie reviews of films you’re going to want to watch later!

Be sure to stay up to date with the release schedule here, or find out when your favorite Peanuts Holiday Specials will be airing on AppleTV+ for free!

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SPELLBOUND SEASON 2 | Now Streaming on Hulu

Prepare to return to the Paris Opera Ballet School. Season two of “Spellbound,” the whimsical Hulu Original series from the creators of “Find Me in Paris,” premieres with all 13 episodes on Friday, October 11.

When Cece Parker Jones, a vivacious 15 year old relocates from a small town in the US to France to study at the Paris Opera Ballet School, she’s on top of the world! But things turn upside down when she discovers a book of family spells in the back room of her Aunt Ginger’s apothecary. While snooping through the book, she unknowingly casts the antidote to a protection spell that has been hiding her identity since she was a little girl. Turns out, she comes from a line of powerful witches called the Wizens! And in doing so, she summons her nemesis, the Mystics, who are after her magic. This spit-fire teen must now juggle the pressures of an elite ballet school, learning new techniques she’s never studied before, keeping up with her intense academics, not to mention her new friendships and maybe a cute boy… or two, as well as her incredible ability to activate magic, while keeping this a secret for only her closest friends.

In Season Two, Cece starts her second year with a vow to leave behind all magic so she can focus solely on dance. But as her Mystic side has been unlocked, secrets of the past are revealed, and she ends up on an adventure of self-discovery. And when she befriends a new student who is actually a Mystic, it’s magical mayhem all the way! With ballet at its core, this season sees her pushing the boundaries more than ever before to fulfill her dream of becoming an etoile. Cece also has a new crush, new friends, and a surprise from a familiar face, when a BLOK hip-hop challenge ignites and bonds the second division.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: ANOTHER 100 EPISODES AND THE BEST 300 EPISODES EVER| Available on DVD on October 15th

SpongeBob SquarePants, which has reigned as the most-watched animated series for 22 consecutive years, is at the center of two brand-new DVD collections timed for the landmark 25^th anniversary of the series! Follow the nautical adventures of the optimistic sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea as he and his friends surf the waves of laughter in these two collections.

Another 100 Episodes features the complete Seasons 10-14 on 14 discs. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 300 Episodes Ever includes the complete Seasons 1-14 on 44 discs. Take a deep dive into Bikini Bottom and beyond with Special Features that include “The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants,” a music video, a special crossover episode, several animated shorts and much, much more!

Another 100 Episodes and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 300 Episodes Ever will each be available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment on October 15^th, 2024 for the suggested retail price of $33.99 and $67.99 respectively.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Another 100 Episodes synopsis:

Another 100 episodes later…reels in more nautical nonsense with the Bikini Bottom denizens, SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Gary, Sandy, Plankton, and of course, Squidward! This collection is bubbling up with episodes from Seasons 10-14. Venture to the Doodle Dimension and encounter doodle versions of SpongeBob and friends, see Dirty Bubble become Clean Bubble in Dirty Bubble Returns, watch Squidward get lost in SpongeBob’s imagination box in Squidiot Box, and so much more! Surf the waves of laughter in this 14-disc collection!

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 300 Episodes Ever synopsis:

SHELLEBRATE GOOD TIMES with the best ever 300 episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants! Submerge into 20,000 leagues of waterlogged hilarity and unsinkable friendships featuring hours of your favorite Bikini Bottom Buddies from Season 1 all the way through Season 14.

PAW PATROL: THE ULTIMATE FILM & TV COLLECTION | on DVD on October 15th

PAW Patrol, which follows a tech-savvy boy named Ryder and his team of pups who work together on high-stakes rescue missions to protect Adventure Bay, have assembled the Ultimate Film & TV Collection. With each adventure showcasing bravery, teamwork and fun, this collection guarantees endless fun and heartwarming stories–perfect for fans of all ages.

PAW Patrol: Ultimate Film & TV Collection releases in time for the holidays with 10-discs that include 10 amarays in a giftable slipcase. Included are two Theatrical movies, three original TV movies and more than 40 episodes! PAW Patrol: The Ultimate Film & TV Collection will be available from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment on October 15^th, 2024 for the suggested retail price of $44.99.

Join Ryder and the heroic pups in this action-packed collection of 10 exciting movies and TV specials. From saving Adventure City in “PAW Patrol: The Movie,” and gaining superpowers in “The Mighty Movie,” to high-flying rescues in “Jet to the Rescue,” each adventure showcases bravery, teamwork, and fun. Enjoy thrilling missions like “Mighty Pups,” “Ready, Race, Rescue,” and more. Perfect for fans of all ages, this collection guarantees endless fun and heartwarming stories.

YOU & I | Releasing in Limited US Theaters October 18th

An unexpected meeting brings former flames Sara and Joseph together for a weekend where they have an opportunity to explore the “What if’s?” that could have been with the one that got away.

GREEN NIGHT | Premiering on VOD/Digital/Film Movement Plus on October 18th

Trapped in a cycle of oppression, Chinese immigrant Jin Xia (Fan Bingbing) works in customs at South Korea’s Incheon Airport, where she encounters a mysterious green-haired girl (Lee Joo-young) acting suspiciously at the security checkpoint. Overcome by the unspoken attraction between them, she takes the enigmatic stranger home only to uncover her involvement in a deadly drug trafficking ring. After the two end up killing Xia’s abusive husband, the pair go on the run, but when Xia returns to the crime scene to retrieve the drugs the green-haired girl left behind, their plans for finding freedom together take a dangerous turn.

“Thelma & Louise meets Blue is the Warmest Color” in Han Shuai’s female-led, neo-noir thriller, which features international megastar Fan Bingbing in a daring performance that “ranks as one of the most rugged in her career” (South China Morning Post).

OUR DAD, DANIELLE | Available on Digital/VOD November 1st

Starting in 2018, OUR DAD, DANIELLE follows 4 years of Danielle’s life as she faces the unexpected adventures of transitioning alongside her wife and kids who undergo their own transition: adjusting to a new name, pronouns and social fall out.

Over time, as the political landscape evolves and Danielle’s world expands, she integrates into the LGBTQ+ community, using her legal prowess to help fight for the rights of her trans and queer brothers, sisters, and siblings.

Danielle is finally ready to embrace the beauty and joy that comes from living authentically— but how will her law firm and conservative community respond?

LOST ON A MOUNTAIN IN MAINE | New Trailer – In Theaters November 1st

Lost on a Mountain in Maine tells the inspiring true story of 12-year-old Donn Fendler, who becomes separated from his family by a fast moving storm atop a treacherous mountain. For nine days Donn fights to stay alive as he attempts to survive the unforgiving wilderness of northern Maine without food, proper clothing, or the knowledge of how bad his situation really is. His disappearance sparks a massive search effort that captures national headlines and attracts hundreds of volunteers, including his own father who fears he may never see his son again.

ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS: A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR VOLUME 2 |Will be Available at Retail on November 12th

Unquiet spirits have gathered once again: ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS: A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR VOLUME TWO brings together 24 films representing 18 countries for more of the best-loved, rarely seen, thought-lost and brand-new classics of folk horror, most making their disc debuts including the North American Disc Premieres of the Severin Films Original Productions TO FIRE YOU COME AT LAST directed by Sean Hogan and the documentary SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC directed by David Gregory, which will have its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival on October 12th. The set also features 55+ combined hours of new and archival Special Features including trailers, interviews, audio commentaries, short films, video essays, historical analyses and bonus feature-length films; a 252-page hardcover of newly commissioned folk horror fiction by luminaries that include Ramsey Campbell, Cassandra Khaw and Eden Royce with illustrations by Drazen Kozjan, and much more, all curated and produced by WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED creator Kier-La Janisse.

While cinema aficionados can currently pre-order ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS: A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR VOLUME TWO exclusively on SeverinFilms.com, it will be available at retail on November 12, 2024 for $289.95srp.

WICKED | Experience it Early EARLY in IMAX® – Tickets Now on Sale – In Theaters November 22nd

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

GLADIATOR II | New Featurette & Tickets on Sale Now – In Theaters November 22nd

From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Experience the Music of Gladiator II | Behind the scoring with Ridley Scott, Harry Gregson-Williams

THE FORGE | Available on Digital Now and on Blu-Ray & DVD December 3rd

Isaiah Wright has some growing up to do. A year out of high school with no plans for his future, Isaiah is challenged by his single mom and a successful businessman to start charting a better course for his life. Through the biblical discipleship from his new mentor, prayers of his mother and a prayer warrior named Miss Clara, Isaiah begins to discover God’s purpose for his life is so much more than he could hope for or imagine. From the Kendrick Brothers, the creators of the No. 1 hit WAR ROOM, comes THE FORGE, a faith-filled new movie with familiar friends and inspiring new twists.

Preorder your copy of The Forge

DISC DETAILS AND BONUS MATERIALS
Blu-ray™ & Digital Extras:

The Making of The Forge
Commentary with the Kendrick Brothers
Discipleship in The Forge
Bloopers
Follow-Up Resources
Deleted Scenes

DVD Bonus Features:

The Making of The Forge
Commentary with the Kendrick Brothers
Discipleship in The Forge
Bloopers
Follow-Up Resources

JENTRY CHAU VS THE UNDERWORLD | Teaser trailer – Premieres on Netflix December 5th

The series follows Jentry Chau (voiced by Ali Wong), a Chinese-American teen living in a small Texas town, who finds out a demon king is hunting her for the supernatural powers she’s been working her whole life to repress. With the help of her weapons expert great-aunt and a millennia-old jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampire), Jentry must now fight an entire underworld’s worth of monsters while balancing the horrors of high school.

THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT | In Select Theaters December 6th and Releasing Globally on Netflix December 20th

The Six Triple Eight is inspired by the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in WWII. Despite facing racism and sexism – and grueling working conditions – they were committed to serving their country with honor and distinction. Given an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes delivered hope and shattered barriers. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Produced by Tyler Perry, Nicole Avant, Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, Keri Selig and Carlota Espinosa, the film features an ensemble cast including Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Moriah Brown, Jeanté Godlock, Susan Sarandon, with Dean Norris, and Sam Waterston, and Oprah Winfrey. Based on the article by Kevin M. Hymel, the film features an original song “The Journey” written by Diane Warren and performed by H.E.R., with choreography by Debbie Allen.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN | Watch New Trailer – In Theaters December 25th

Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, the ballad of a true original. A Film by James Mangold. Co-starring Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, and Monica Barbaro. Only in theaters Christmas Day.

Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician BOB DYLAN’s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.

A Film By James Mangold. Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Norbert Leo Butz, Dan Fogler, and Scoot McNairy.

GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE | Premieres on PBS on January 28th

PBS announced the full details for GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE, a new four-part docuseries from Emmy nominated executive producer, host, and writer Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., premiering January 28, 2025, 9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS app. GREAT MIGRATIONS is the latest docuseries from Gates on PBS following recent critically acclaimed series including GOSPEL, MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, THE BLACK CHURCH, and more.

The series tells the story of African American movement over the 20th and 21st centuries, and how it has shaped our nation by exploring the meaning behind those movements. What political or economic pressures inspire people to move? Is it more often inspired by hope or fear? Is there even such a thing as a promised land? GREAT MIGRATIONS is directed by Julia Marchesi and Nailah Ife Sims, who also serve as producers of the series. Dyllan McGee serves as executive producer, along with Gates.

Human beings have always moved en masse. Since the beginning of human existence, movement has defined how we evolved and created identities, communities, and nations-states. Migration is not unique to any single ethnicity or group, but it is a deeply profound aspect of the modern African American experience simply because Black people were denied movement for so long. Theirs was a forced migration from Africa, followed by centuries of enslavement that kept them in place. In being denied movement, they were denied their humanity.

After emancipation, the migratory spirit took hold in this new space of freedom, and many African Americans uprooted themselves from all that was familiar to move to northern cities (sometimes stopping first in southern cities) to build entirely new lives – a decision that dramatically changed the fabric of American culture and society. It was an epic migration of people that began in the late 19th century when it was clear that the early promises of Reconstruction would not be fulfilled, and accelerated as the century progressed. Underlying this courageous act was the abiding belief in American opportunity, as well as a belief in their own capacity to better their lives, and the lives of their children. In some ways, it has never really ended.

Throughout GREAT MIGRATIONS, Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, interviews dozens of journalists, scholars, professors, and experts. The series includes notable figures including political leader Stacey Abrams, artist George F. Baker III, journalist Charles Blow, and more.

“The Great Migration was not just a seismic historical event; it’s an ongoing story,” said Gates. “Our series focuses on three dramatic migrations that have profoundly shaped the African American experience, and redefined what it means to be ‘Black’ in this country: the great migration from the Deep South to the North and West; the reverse migration back to the South, and most recently the astonishing large migration of Africans and West Indians to this country in recent decades. In fact, more Africans migrated to the United States in a ten-year period than were forcibly shipped here over the entire course of the slave trade! Our series is the first to explore these three mass movements of Black human beings to this country, and what that has meant for the reshaping of American culture.”

Reflecting on the series, series producers/directors, Julia Marchesi and Nailah Ife Sims share, “Over the past century, Black migration has shaped the fabric of our biggest cities, our industries, our music, our food, our politics, and so much more. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to create a series that highlights just how powerful the choice to move has been for the trajectories of so many Black families, and this ‘great experiment’ called America.”

Episode descriptions are provided below:

Tuesday, January 28, 9:00 pm ET – “Exodus”

Episode 1 explores the first wave of the Great Migration (1910–1940), when more than a million Black Americans fled the Jim Crow South for the promised lands of the North, forever changing the country and themselves.

Tuesday, February 4, 9:00 pm ET – “Streets Paved in Gold”

Episode 2 explores the second wave of the Great Migration (1940-1970), highlighting how Northern and Western Black communities matured through migration and transformed the cultural and political power of Black America.

Tuesday, February 11, 9:00 pm ET – “One Way Ticket Back”

Episode 3 shows how the reverse migration of Black Americans to the South—driven by mass movements, economic change, and an ongoing struggle for freedom and opportunity—continues to reshape the country.

Tuesday, February 18, 9:00 pm ET – “Coming to America”

Episode 4 tells the story of African and Caribbean immigrants in the United States, examining their profound impact on American culture and what it means to be Black in America.

GREAT MIGRATIONS serves as the latest in a lengthy career of acclaimed docuseries from Gates, who has made a name for himself as one of the preeminent documentarians in public media. In addition to his history-producing content that brings the African and African American experience to a broad audience, Gates’s slate of programming also includes the fan-favorite PBS series FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., which recently received its first Emmy nomination, will return for an 11th season in January 2025.

GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE is a production of McGee Media and Inkwell Media, in association with WETA Washington, D.C. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the writer, host, and executive producer. Dyllan McGee is executive producer. Julia Marchesi and Nailah Ife Sims are series producer and directors. Kevin Burke, Jasmine Cannon, Kate McCormick and Thea Piltzecker are producers. Deborah Clancy Porfido is the supervising producer. Robert L. Yacyshyn and Ashley Thomas are line producers. Megan A. Graham is the supervisory archival producer. Sandra Valdivieso is the co-producer.

Corporate support for GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE is provided by Bank of America, Ford Motor Company and Johnson & Johnson. Major support is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Support is also provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional support was provided by the Inkwell Society together with many of its members. For a complete list of funders, please contact McGee Media.

A THOUSAND BLOWS | Teaser Trailer – On Hulu in 2025

Ahead of the World Premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 11, Hulu has released a first-look teaser trailer for “A Thousand Blows” the epic new series, set in the perilous world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London. The series is from the mind of Steven Knight, acclaimed creator of the global hit series, “Peaky Blinders.” Season one of “A Thousand Blows” is coming to Disney+ in the UK and Ireland, Hulu in the U.S. and select other countries on Disney+ in 2025. The series is produced by The Story Collective in a co-production with Matriarch Productions and Water & Power Productions.

The teaser trailer features the first glimpse at BAFTA award-winning actor Malachi Kirby (“Anansi Boys”, Small Axe”) as Hezekiah Moscow, who finds himself thrust into the vibrant and violent melting pot of post-industrial revolution London’s East End from Jamaica. Drawn into the criminal underbelly of the thriving boxing scene, he meets Mary Carr, played by Erin Doherty (“The Crown”), leader of The Forty Elephants – the notorious all-female London gang – as they battle for survival on the streets. As Hezekiah sharpens his new skills, he comes up against Sugar Goodson, played by Stephen Graham (“Boiling Point”, “Boardwalk Empire”), a seasoned and dangerous boxer and the two are soon locked into an intense rivalry that spills out way beyond the ring.

The wider ensemble cast includes Francis Lovehall as Hezekiah’s best friend Alec Munroe, Jason Tobin as Mr Lao and James Nelson-Joyce as Edward “Treacle” Goodson. The Forty Elephants includes Hannah Walters as Eliza Moody, Darci Shaw as Alice Diamond, Nadia Albina as Verity Ross, Morgan Hilaire as Esme Long, Jemma Carlton as Belle Downer and Caoilfhionn Dunne as Anne Glover. Additional cast includes Susan Lynch as Jane Carr, Daniel Mays as William ‘Punch’ Lewis, Adam Nagaitis as the Earl of Lonsdale, Gary Lewis as Jack Mac, Tom Davis as Charlie Mitchell and Robert Glenister as Indigo Jeremy.

The thrilling series is brought to life by acclaimed screenwriter Steven Knight, starring and executive produced by Stephen Graham. Steven Knight is the lead writer for the series, with episodes also written by a group of new voices including Ameir Brown, Insook Chappell, Harlan Davies and Yasmin Joseph. The series is directed, and executive produced by Tinge Krishnan and Nick Murphy, alongside Ashley Walters and Coky Giedroyc.

“A Thousand Blows” Season one is created, written and executive produced by Steven Knight. Starring and executive produced by Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters for Matriarch Productions, Damian Keogh and Kate Lewis for The Story Collective, and Tom Miller and Sam Myer for Water & Power Productions. Award-winning broadcaster and historian Professor David Olusoga acts as executive producer on the series with Tom Miller as Series Producer and Barrington Robinson and Jo Johnson as producers. The Original series is executive produced for Disney+ by Lee Mason, Director of Scripted Content.