PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There's a lot to talk about this weekend, from action blockbusters to dark comedies, with a documentary and period drama in between.
We've got some of the most notable new drops right here, plus a classic pick to honor one of the greatest actors to ever do it.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Disney+ is celebrating its second anniversary this weekend with a day packed with promotions across the Disney landscape, launches in new markets, and most important to everyone reading this, new content. There’s so much new content.
What can we expect on Disney+ Day? There’s the second season premiere of "The World According to Jeff Goldblum," a new Pixar short featuring characters from “Luca,” and a brand new “Home Alone” reboot, called “Home Sweet Home Alone,” among other debuts. Also, “Jungle Cruise” makes its general debut on Disney+, after months in premiere access.
But the tentpole of Disney+ Day is the streaming debut of Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” Simu Liu plays the titular master of kung-fu, who escapes his villainous father to pursue a normal life, but finds himself having to step up and save the world from his dad.
Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh co-star, but it’s Tony Leung, as the evil Wenwu, that we’re most excited to see here. Leung made his name as one of Hong Kong’s greatest (and most handsome) actors in classics like “Chungking Express” and “Hard-Boiled.” His charm, intensity and vulnerability are in full display in his English-language debut. Sign us up for another year, Disney+. Premieres Friday on Disney+.
Disney+ is giving us another big show later this month with Marvel’s “Hawkeye,” co-starring Hailee Steinfeld. Before that kicks off, however, Steinfeld wraps up her Apple TV+ series based on the life of poet Emily Dickinson.
“Dickinson” filters the famed writer’s life through an anachronistic, modern lens, to examine the work and soul of a woman struggling to be heard in the 19th century. Co-starring Jane Krakowski and featuring Wiz Khalifa as the personification of death, it’s an interesting ride through one of history’s most captivating wordsmiths. First three episodes currently streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes Fridays.
Newly-minted People's Sexiest Man Alive Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell star in this true-crime dramedy about a psychiatrist (Rudd) who insinuates himself into the life of an affluent, vulnerable patient (Ferrell).
The trailer for this limited series shocked viewers with a darker Rudd than we’re used to. His boyish charm is tweaked into something far more malevolent, while Ferrell emphasizes the childlike nature of his comic persona to play an emotionally brittle man susceptible to manipulation. Kathryn Hahn and Casey Wilson also star. First three episodes premiere Friday on Apple TV+. New episodes Fridays.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot lend their collective star power to this action-comedy about an FBI agent (Johnson) who reluctantly teams up with an art thief (Reynolds) to catch a master criminal (Gadot).
This is Johnson's third time working with director Rawson Marshall Thurber, after "Central Intelligence" and "Skyscraper." If you've seen those, you probably know what to expect — a chummy comedy built around Johnson's electrifying charisma. Premieres Friday on Netflix.
Irene and Clare are two light-skinned Black women living in 1920s New York. Both could pass for white, but only Clare actually does so. When she and Irene reconnect, their lives entangle in unexpected ways.
Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga star along with Andre Holland and Alexander Skarsgard in this highly anticipated drama. Actress Rebecca Hall makes her directorial debut. Currently streaming on Netflix.
No matter your feelings on Pete Buttigieg, it's hard to deny how much he's accomplished since emerging onto the national political scene. The new documentary "Mayor Pete" details his rise from military veteran and South Bend, Indiana mayor to his quest to become the youngest and first openly gay President of the United States. It promises an even deeper look at Buttigieg and his family. Premieres Friday on Prime Video.
"South Side" is a hysterical comedy about schemers and dreamers making their way through the titular Chicago neighborhood. The show, from the creators of the excellent "Sherman's Showcase" on IFC, is making HBO Max its new home after one season on Comedy Central.
In our opinion, Comedy Central slept on this one. "South Side" has one of the best casts of any comedy, but its best character, at least in our opinion, is Chandra Russell's gleefully selfish cop, Sgt. Turner. She's as cutthroat as she is clever, but also surprisingly complex. In a world of strivers, hustlers and disgruntled taxidermists-turned-neighborhood fur trappers, she's the show's screwed-up heart. Currently streaming on HBO Max.
"Yellowjackets" sounds like an intense blend of "Lord of the Flies" and "Alive." It's about a high school girls' soccer team forced to fend for themselves after a plane crash in the wilds of Ontario. 25 years later, the surviving women find themselves grappling with the truth of how they stayed alive.
Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci and Melanie Lynskey star. The trailer gave us chills, so we're definitely gonna give it a try. First episode streaming free on Showtime. New episodes Sundays.
With the death of legendary actor Dean Stockwell this week, What to Watch wanted to highlight some of his amazing work. And while it may be too much to recommend "Blue Velvet" for a casual weekend viewing, it's a good time to revisit his Oscar-nominated performance in the excellent comedy "Married to the Mob."
"Married to the Mob" stars Michelle Pfeiffe as a mob widow stuck between two men — the boss (Stockwell) who had her husband killed (for sleeping with his mistress) and the undercover FBI agent (Matthew Modine) posing as a charming suitor.
Stockwell was magnetic enough to make even the most despicable character unbelievably watchable. As Tony "The Tiger" Russo, he brought menace and charm, but also made him just a little pathetic. It's a subtle performance that somehow blends in completely with director Jonathan Demme's screwball comedy.
But that's what Dean Stockwell did better than anyone else. He could blend into anything and still make it look good. Currently streaming on HBO Max.