Apple TV+ has set the two-episode premiere date for the Spanish-language medical drama Midnight Family for Wednesday, September 25. New individual episodes will follow weekly on Wednesdays until November 20.
Inspired by the award-winning documentary of the same name, Midnight Family follows Marigaby Tamayo (Renata Vaca), an ambitious and gifted medical student by day, who spends her nights saving lives throughout a sprawling, contrasted and fascinating Mexico City aboard her family’s privately owned ambulance. Along with her father Ramón (Joaquín Cosío) and her siblings Marcus (Diego Calva) and Julito (Sergio Bautista), Marigaby serves a population of millions by tackling extreme medical emergencies to make a living.
The 10-episode series also stars Óscar Jaenada, José María de Tavira, Itzan Escamilla, Mariana Gómez, Dolores Heredia and special guest Yalitza Aparicio. Cosío is perhaps best known by audiences for his roles in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico, The Suicide Squad and FX’s The Strain.
Midnight Family is produced for Apple TV+ by Fremantle and Juan de Dios Larraín and Pablo Larraín via their Fabula banner. The project hails from showrunner and director Natalia Beristáin and was created for TV by Julio Rojas and Gibrán Portela. Ángela Poblete and Mariane Hartard serve as EPs along with Natalia Beristáin, as well as Rodrigo Herranz, Christian Vesper, Luke Lorentzen, Kellen Quinn, Josh Braun and Jonathan Bouzali.
Fans of Apple TV+’s show For All Mankind got some very good news earlier this year. Not only would the show be coming back for a fifth season, a spinoff show called Star City was in the works, which tells the story from the Russian point of view. It was an intriguing, but very curious proposal. Russians already play a big role in For All Mankind. How was it all going to work?
In a new interview with Collider, one of the show’s producers, Ronald D. Moore, explained in more detail. “We’re in the writing period of the spinoff series, which is Star City, which is very exciting,” Moore said. “I’m very happy that Apple was supportive of that whole concept and to do it and to tell the story from the cosmonaut point of view and how the Russians got to the moon first and what it was like to work in that program.”
Moore goes on to explain what will set the two stories apart. “I didn’t know a lot about the Russian space program before I started doing this project,” he said. “It was pretty ballsy stuff that they did. The spacecraft were not quite as reliable as ours were. They lost a lot of good people on them. The conditions were tough. They also had things like the KGB being around and hanging out in mission control, so there’s a lot of espionage and Cold War kind of environments that you’re dealing with in that particular show. So, it’s a familiar tale in terms of the narrative for people who watch Mankind. They know the Soviets got there first and they know that they have a robust space program in our alternate history, but certainly the details of how that program worked and what it was like to be on the inside of that program, I think are gonna be really interesting to the audience.”
With Star City still in the writing phase, not every detail has been set in stone. For example, Moore isn’t sure how the language barrier will be handled. But he did reveal they have a larger outline of where it could go. “We have a path,” he said. “We have a general arc. It’s probably not as detailed as what we started off with on For All Mankind, but we have a general sort of, ‘Okay, here’s the structure of how this would play out over several seasons.’”
And, yes, Star City will follow that all too crucial For All Mankind device of jumping ahead in time each season. “I’m not sure [how long] the jumps will be,” he said. “We know we are gonna jump through time. We haven’t quite got to that point yet. It’s probably still an in-the-decade, or so, jump ahead. We don’t know if we’re gonna do exactly what the Mankind jumps were or if we’ll try to split them in the middle.”
But it’s still a format that works for us and makes it a unique part of this universe. It also allows their space program to advance. That was why we did it on Mankind, so that you could see the advancement in chunks instead of getting stuck in a very limited timeframe where there really wouldn’t be a lot of change.”
Head over to Collider to read more from Moore about Star City, For All Mankind, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica.
At WWDC 2024, Apple unleashed a blitzkrieg of software updates to put AI, or “Apple Intelligence,” front and center in your iPhones, iPads, and Macs. After Samsung and Google pushed AI on phones, it’s now Apple’s turn to try and flip the script to make smartphones, tablets, and laptops “smarter” by introducing an AI of its own.
Apple Unveils Its iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9
If you woke up this morning hoping for some big hardware announcement, or hell, even a hint or teaser for a new phone or Mac design, it’s best you return to your comfortable cave and hibernate until the next big Apple showcase. Regarding software, Apple Intelligence will be available in most user-end apps with automatic summarizations and AI-enhanced photo editing. ChatGPT is coming to the latest iPhones as the Cupertino, California tech giant is set to make the chatbot accessible anywhere on the phone without needing the app.
WWDC 2024 — June 10 | Apple
If you have no interest in AI, there are a few new updates to get excited about. iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 are incoming, promising some long-awaited features. One is the iPhone lock screen update, which allows users to place their widgets and icons where they want. Another is the update to Messenger that will finally enable it to use the RCS protocol. Say goodbye to those green bubbles forever.
Meanwhile, iPads and Macs are getting a few new, unexpected features, like a full-on Calculator app that supports scribbling and iPhone mirroring on macOS Sequoia. Many of these updates are slated for fall of this year, though the betas should start rolling out in the next few months.
What’s Up With ‘Apple Intelligence’
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s Big AI Product for All of its Ecosystem
Screenshot: Apple
First on the list is “Apple Intelligence.” The Cupertino company’s AI is just what it says on the tin: an entire ecosystem for navigating users’ lives. There’s a lot going into it, but—eventually—the software should be able to include multimodal AI vision capabilities and work within all the apps on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The only problem is that we still don’t know exactly when any or parts of these features should be available.
Apple Intelligence can Rewrite or Proofread Text
Apple promises the new AI writing tools can summarize your text and add an easy “TLDR” to the top of emails. Like Google’s Gemini, the rewriting feature could include different text styles to make it sound more “Friendly” or “Concise.” You also have the option to add tables, lists, or summaries to the text. This should work in pretty much all Apple apps and some third-party apps.
Apple’s Emails Will Summarize Important Points Before You Open them
The Priority feature in the Mail app will show you your most important emails or messages for when you have a lot of them coming in at once. These condensed notifications will show this right on the lock screen of your iPhone. This works with a new Focus that cuts down on the number of notifications and only shows the most important ones.
Apple Will Let You Create AI Images, Including ‘Genmojis’
Screenshot: Apple
Of course, Apple wouldn’t stay its hand from the AI image generation game. The new Image Playground is built into Pages, Messages, Freeform, and several other apps.
You have three styles on offer: animation, illustration, or sketch, but you have the regular prompt bar to make it create whatever (somewhat disturbing) images you desire. There are also new AI-generated emojis called ‘Genmoji,’ which will come out as a sticker or Tapback. You can also create one of your friends if you trust it enough. Apple promises all its images are generated on-device.
There’s also a new Magic Eraser-like tool in Photos to remove unwanted elements from an image before filling in those missing pixels.
The Apple Intelligence Can Pull Up Your Files and Photos
There’s a lot of big promises coming about thanks to AI. Apple claims their new AI system will eventually let the AI perform rather complex actions, like pulling up photos and files from any of your apps. It should be able to work between apps so that it will know when your meetings are and what your plans are for that day when you ask it to send a text that helps you work around your schedule.
Apple Promises Its AI Won’t Save Your Data
Some of the AI running on Apple’s devices are on-device, but those are supposed to run through Private Cloud Compute. Apple promises to maintain your privacy by determining if a request needs any off-device AI. Then, it will only send parts of the request to the cloud. Apple promises outside agencies will be able to look at Apple’s servers to verify the big privacy claims.
Siri Has a New Look and a Whole Lot More Capabilities
Screenshot: Apple
Poor, beleaguered Siri is finally receiving those long-rumored AI upgrades, but we may need to wait a long time to see them in action. The Siri updates will allow the assistant to interact with iPhone and iPad apps far more than it currently can.
For one, Siri now has a new logo and look, making the borders of the screen wavy whenever the assistant gets called up. Siri will maintain conversational context and will be able to work off your previous requests. Now you can type to chat to Siri as well. Double tapping on the bottom of the screen allows you to communicate with Siri directly.
Siri can also take actions happening on-screen. It can also take actions across apps, like adding a photo from the Photos app to the Notes app. Eventually, the idea is that Siri can take specific actions in more apps over time.
The digital assistant should also become more engrained with users’ “Personal Context.” Siri should know your emails, plans, calendar events, and texts to find all the necessary information.
Siri Will Be Your Best How-To Machine for Apple Products
Siri should be able to send you a how-to guide for anything related to your Apple products. This comes baked into Siri and will work with all the most commonly asked questions about Apple products.
Siri Can Use ChatGPT ‘Seamlessly’
Screenshot: Apple
While we don’t have a good idea when Siri will receive its most important updates, we know that the current stopgap will be ChatGPT integration directly on users’ devices. The app will be accessible straight from Siri and the new compose feature. You can use the chatbot to generate DALL-E images as well. Apple promises this integration will be powered by GPT-4o for free without paying for an account.
Apple promises your activities won’t be logged, and you can access the ChatGPT paid features if you link your account. ChatGPT integration will be coming to all the Apple ecosystem’s new updates later this year.
iOS 18 is Promising some Long-Awaited Customization Features
iOS Now Supports RCS
Screenshot: Apple
As a last-minute note to end its talk about iOS 18, Apple confirmed that the next version of iOS will support RCS protocol. There’s no word yet exactly what form this will take, though Android Authority first recognized that it could be RCS Universal Profile 2.4. This could be the true end to green bubble tyranny, but we’ll learn more as we get close to release.
iOS 18 Lets You Finally Rearrange Your Home Screen Apps
Screenshot: Apple
iOS 18 will be a big one for folks who have long demanded Android-like customizability on the iPhone. Now, you can rearrange all your apps and widgets on the home screen however you like, so you can finally frame your background wallpaper without having an app covering up your kids’ faces. Apple goes further by allowing users to set the tint and tone of the app’s icons themselves.
You Can Soon “Lock” Any App in iOS 18
The next iPhone update will allow users to lock and hide apps so anyone using your phone won’t have immediate access without biometric scanning or a PIN. Similarly, you can now hide away apps into a select hidden folder if you don’t want visitors to your iPhone to get into some of your more sensitive apps without a passcode.
Messenger Includes Full Emoji Tapbacks
Screenshot: Apple
Are you annoyed you can’t do full emoji reactions to texts like you can on Android? The iOS Talkback feature is receiving full emoji support, so you can respond to your friend’s queries with as many poop emojis as their messages require.
Messenger Text Effects Will Let You Emphasize Certain Words
The Messenger app in iOS 18 is expanding the ability to emphasize words. Now, instead of just emphasizing the names of people or other words, users can use Text Effects to make certain words blow up or jiggle. The app will automatically suggest specific effects for certain words. There are new effects, and you can add them to any text you want.
Messages are also gaining the ability to use text formatting, allowing you to underline, bold, or italicize words or phrases.
Game Mode on iPhone
Mac’s Game Mode is getting a version on iPhone. The mode should automatically kick in while in a game. This minimizes background tasks to put as much processing power into the game. It should improve latency with controllers or AirPods.
Messages Via Satellite
If you find yourself without cellphone service, Apple will let you use your iPhone to text friends and family when off the grid on Messages. You can still send emojis and Tapbacks, and Apple claims its E2E encrypted. This will only be available with the iPhone 14 or later, which comes with satellite support.
Apple Maps Now Allows You to Get Hiking Trail Info
Screenshot: Apple
Apple Maps now has access to topographic trail maps, allowing hiking loops on your phone. This will show the overall length and elevation gain of the trail or loop and the various entry points on the app.
Tap to Cash Allows You to Pay Your Friends With Your Phone
Those iPhone users keen on Apple Cash will soon be able to send money to each other using the same action you can use to send folks your contact information. Hovering both phones with the active cash app will send and receive money from your wallet. Additionally, event tickets are being redesigned to show you details about the venue and other essential information.
Photos App is Gonna Look a Hell of a Lot Different
The Photos app now has a new design that shows all your photos in a single grid. You can find different photos based on months or years and filter your photos to eschew screenshots.
The new Collections will let you section different photos into topics like People & Pets or Recent Days. This will let you see your photos in a collage. In selections like Trips, you can find your vacations or travels by date. You can also pin different collections.
The Favorites carousel now shows you a slideshow of photos from various favorite collections.
iPadOS 18 Promises Some New and Unique Features for Apple’s Tablets
Floating Tab Bar on iPad Might Make it Far Easier to Use
Screenshot: Apple
Apple is introducing a new floating tab bar for iPadOS 18. It essentially works as an easy-to-access menu that can morph into a sidebar for even more fine-tuned controls. It should work with most Apple apps on the iPad. There are also new animations to accompany this update. Apple added it’s working to make browsing through documents easier on Apple’s tablets.
SharePlay Tap and Draw Will Let You Remote Control Another iPad
The new SharePlay update will let you make annotations on a foreign device and act as a remote control for another person’s iPad. So, if you’re trying to describe to your mom how to access her iPad photos, you can use SharePlay and draw an arrow straight to them. Once you get frustrated enough, you can take control.
Calculator on iPad (‘Yay’)
Screenshot: Apple
Finally, the iPad is getting a calculator app, but it’s far more interesting than that. It may look like It also works with Apple Pencil. Math Notes comes up from the calculator button, and if you write out an equal sign, it solves it for you, updating it live depending on your different functions. It also works with lists that let you tabulate numbers rather quickly. Notes also have the same math capabilities as Calculator.
Notes’ Smart Script Will Fix Your Chicken Scratch as You Write
The AI will make your writing more legible as you go. The on-board AI should be able to take your loose handwriting and make it a bit more legible while keeping your writing “style.” You can paste it directly into the Notes app, which should mimic your handwriting style.
So, What’s New in macOS Sequoia?
macOS Sequoia Will Allow You to Mirror Your iPhone on Your MacBook
Screenshot: Apple
macOS Sequoia is getting a lot of the features you can find on Apple’s other products. Continuity will let you access universal apps on the rest of the Apple ecosystem. More importantly, it will let you mirror your iPhone on a Mac. Users can then select and work on any of the iPhone’s apps. The audio also comes through Mac.
The iPhone stays locked while you mirror it and works with Standby mode. When your phone is connected to the laptop, iPhone notifications will also appear on Mac, and when you click on them, your iPhone mirror will open up.
You Can Place Your Mac Windows into Tiles, Like Windows 11
Screenshot: Apple
macOS Sequoia is adding a few new tiling features to make organizing your desktop more seamless. Bringing a window to a corner of the screen should automatically reorient and morph to fit a clean style.
You Can Preview Your Camera When Doing a Facetime
Before hopping into a video meeting, Macs will let you preview what you look like on camera. It is better to help you fix your makeup or remember to put on a shirt. There’s also a built-in background replacer if you can’t access one in whatever app you use.
Passwords App Will Show All Your Stuff
There’s now an all-new Passwords app to act as your one-stop shop for your keychains and important, sensitive information. It should be present across the entire Apple ecosystem. This should contain everything from WiFi passwords to verification codes to Passkeys.
Safari Reader Function Summarizes Text
Screenshot: Apple
The new updates to Safari introduce several new AI functions. At the top of the list are AI-generated summaries for the content on web pages. The Reader mode changes the website’s look and brings up a table of contents. There’s no look whether it also removes ads while it’s at it.
Game Porting Toolkit 2 Adds Better Windows Compatibility
Apple first announced its Game Porting Toolkit last WWDC, and now there’s a sequel that promises to make porting more hardcore titles easier to Apple’s framework. The company detailed several new games coming to Mac, including Frostpunk 2 and Control. Assassins Creed: Shadows is also coming to iPad, and Prince of Persia: Shattered Crown is coming to Mac.
How About watchOS 11 and AirPods?
AirPods Can Sense Your Head Nods For Saying Yes to Siri
Screenshot: Apple
If you’d rather not be that asshole in the elevator talking on your Bluetooth headset, AirPods will soon get a feature that should track your head movements. If there’s an incoming call, you can nod or shake your head to respond yes or no to taking it. After it rolls out to AirPods, we’ll have to see what other uses this gesture has.
Apple Watch’s watchOS 11 Gets Training Mode
There are a few new features on the Apple Watch for those fitness fans. With Training Mode, an AI algorithm tells you what kind of effort you made during your recent exercise. This might tell you if you were going too soft or too hard on your recent workout. Plus, you can customize your Fitness app to see what kind of data you want to see at a glance.
The Next watchOS Update Includes a Vitals App
Screenshot: Apple
The Vitals app will look at your entire health data to check all your health metrics and even tell you whether your drinking has impacted your health. This might show your heart rate and tell you whether that’s in your typical range. If it’s not within normal levels, the app should give you a rundown of what’s happening and what could be causing the issue.
Apple Watch Will Open Up Different Widgets Depending on Context
Apple’s smart stacks will automatically add weather or translation widgets to your main screen if it thinks you need them. This might come up when it looks like it’s about to rain or if you’re traveling around a foreign country.
The Apple Watch Will Determine Which Photos Work Best for Your Home Screen
Screenshot: Apple
Like its new TV update, Apple Watches will look through your photos and select those with enough blank space to fit the time. It should also be able to stick the time in front or behind certain photo elements, making it look far more like the photo belongs on the home screen.
If you’d rather not be that asshole in the elevator talking on your Bluetooth headset, AirPods will soon get a feature that should track your head movements. If there’s an incoming call, you can nod or shake your head to respond yes or no to taking it. After it rolls out to AirPods, we’ll have to see what other uses this gesture has.
AirPods Pro Now Have Voice Isolation and Spatial Audio in Gaming
AirPods Pro is getting an update that will add voice isolation to remove background noise for the sake of whoever’s on the other end. Additionally, developers can access an API to add spatial audio for games. This will add a surround-sound type experience to the game, first coming to Need for Speed Mobile.
Is There Anything New Coming to Apple TV+ and Vision Pro?
AppleVision OS 2, the Squeekquel, Will Let You Project Your Mac Screen Into nearly 180 Degrees
Screenshot: Apple
Apple released Vision Pro in February, and its first major update of the year is a sequel to the first visionOS coming down the pike just a few months later.
The big new update includes several new spatial photo updates. The Vision Pro can turn 2D images into 3D-ish Spatial photos. You can share those spatial photos with SharePlay. Apple is adding a few new gestures to tap to open the home view or open the control center by turning your wrist. Later this year, Apple plans to update the OS to add better Mac screen integration. This will expand the total view of your projected Mac screen, and with dynamic foveation, it can create a wraparound screen that travels nearly 180 degrees.
InSight on Apple tvOS Will Offer a Few Details on What You’re Watching
Apple’s new InSight feature on Apple TV+ is essentially Amazon’s X-Ray. It lets you get a quick summary of the content you’re watching, plus information about the actors on screen and perhaps a little trivia about the scene as it plays. Plus, there are a few new screensaver animations, like one from Peanuts’ Snoopy, but your photos will now reframed to fit with a timestamp and look like they belong on-screen.
Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial — Documentary legend Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost) takes a six-episode stroll through the history of the Third Reich, with the Nuremberg Trials as a framing device. If you’re unfamiliar with that aspect of the story, the Nazis all had their convictions overturned on appeal because the judge hadn’t allowed them to tweet smack about the Allies. (Netflix)
How to Rob a Bank — Explore the methodology of the late Scott Scurlock, who got dubbed “The Hollywood Bandit” for wearing theatrical disguises while holding up 17 banks in the Seattle area. Fun fact: The Unknown Comic tried something similar after falling on hard times, but drawing a new face on the bag for each heist didn’t fool anybody. (Netflix)
Under Paris — Remember when Bérénice Bejo was nominated for an Oscar for her role in The Artist? Now she’s starring in a Netflix movie as a scientist who discovers a giant, bloodthirsty shark lurking in the river Seine. And that’s all it is: just a shark. If the woman’s going to wave the white flag on her whole-ass career, the least they could do is make it half kraken or something. (Netflix)
Premieres Thursday:
Am I OK? — Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne direct Dakota Johnson as a woman who has to confront the real reason she can’t form successful relationships with men. Personally, I’m guessing it’s because they aren’t bears. (Max)
Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura — Characters from the two hit manga series meet in a contest of martial-arts prowess. It’s kind of like RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars, but with a slightly lesser possibility of violence. (Netflix)
Basma — Writer/director/star Fatima Al-Banawi drew on her degree in psychology to compile this dramatic portrait of a young woman who returns to her native Saudi Arabia after completing her academic studies in the U.S.A., just in time to discover that her father has become a delusional paranoiac. Gosh, a guy really has to be crazy if he still seems off to you after you’ve been living with Americans. (Netflix)
Counsel Culture — Get a better understanding of the mental-health issues facing today’s men in this series hosted by Nick Cannon and adapted from his podcast of the same name. Because “Nick Cannon” and “podcasting” are two things that always go together perfectly smoothly, as your rabbi well knows. (Prime Video Freevee)
Criminal Minds: Evolution — As Season 2 dawns, the members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit are shocked to learn that last season’s big bad — serial killer Elias Voit — has been transferred to their own neck of the woods by the feds. It seems like this shouldn’t be too much of a concern unless you don’t trust the feds. So count me in, because boy do I not trust the feds! (Paramount+)
Kübra — The Turkish thriller series has cooked up even more trouble for protagonist Gokhan Sahinoglu, whose acceptance of his role as a modern-day prophet threatens to put him at odds with just about everybody in Season 2. Yeah, people just naturally resent a prophet. Look at what Britney has to deal with every day. (Netflix)
Nelma Kodama: The Queen of Dirty Money — Fresh out of prison for her involvement in one of Brazil’s most infamous corruption cases, the black-market money trader sits down with interviewers to paint herself as a mere stooge to an all-powerful criminal network. Smart move, Nelma. Everybody hates Ticketmaster. (Netflix)
Queer Planet — The next time somebody insists to you that heteronormativity is the natural order of things, plunk them down in front of this documentary about the fluidity of sexuality that exists throughout the animal world. Just make sure they’re wearing pants, because you never know what’s going to turn those people’s crank. (Peacock)
Rafa Márquez: El Capitán — Go straight to the horse’s mouth to learn about the highs and lows in the life of the great Mexican defender. “Ooh, a defender! Like a crusading public defender?” No. “OK, maybe an Aztec soldier with a nifty golden sword?” Nope, defender as in soccer. “Goddammit, hasn’t the UN’s Human Rights Council outlawed that yet?” (Netflix)
Sweet Tooth — The third and final season takes the action to Alaska, where human/deer hybrid Gus is pursued by forces dedicated to the cause of human supremacy. On the plus side, I think Marisa Tomei has finally convinced Joe Pesci not to shoot him. (Netflix)
Daniel Brühl and Théodore Pellerin in ‘Becoming Karl Lagerfeld’
Premieres Friday:
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld — Daniel Brühl plays the title role in a French-made period piece that shows the legendary designer battling rival Yves Saint-Laurent (Arnaud Valois) to define fashion in the ’70s. Interestingly, the series only came about because the French government announced it was willing to fund “somezing like ze Ryain Murph-AY.” (Hulu)
Hierarchy — Just when they’ve fully accustomed themselves to their school’s rigid social order, the students at a Korean private academy have to cope with a whole bunch of unfamiliar phenomena, like untimely death and the arrival of a new pupil who’s there on a scholarship. I mean, the occasional corpse is something every kid should learn to deal with, but a full-rider? Ewwwww! (Netflix)
Perfect Match — Season 2 brings together past contestants from shows like Love Is Blind, The Ultimatum and Too Hot to Handle to find a pairing that might actually stick this time — and to vote on one another’s prospects while they’re at it. Here’s hoping Season 3 adds the Baby Reindeer chick, to really spice things up. (Netflix)
Queenie — Author Candice Carty-Williams is executive producer and showrunner of this series adaptation of her 2019 novel, with Dionne Brown in the title role of a 20-something Jamaican British woman who reacts to being dumped by making some questionable choices. Hey, getting dumped is when you get to make all the questionable choices you want. Sleep around! Share needles! Become a showrunner! This is your mulligan! (Hulu)
Transformers: EarthSpark — The first nine episodes of Season 2 feature guest voice-over work from Richard Ayoade, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Flea. Not to be outdone, Luther Campbell is lobbying hard for a part in the next He-Man show. (Paramount+)
Premieres Tuesday:
How Music Got Free — Yes, that title is meant to be ironic. Because what we have here is an industry-sponsored excoriation of the file-sharing explosion of the early 21st century, with the tech innovators of the time denounced as “thieves” who ruined music for everybody. But seriously, if that were true, the recording artists of today wouldn’t be able to make a single penny for their … oh, shit. ShitshitSHIT. (Paramount+)
Keith Robinson: Different Strokes — Get a humorous lesson in perseverance from comic Robinson, who suffered life-threatening strokes in both 2016 and 2020. But that’s what’s gonna happen when a guy’s refreshing fivethirtyeight.com every 10 seconds. (Netflix)
Love Island — Ariana Madix of Vanderpump Rules replaces Sarah Hyland as host in Season 6, with the action now set in Fiji. Meanwhile, herpes replaces hepatitis C as the pathogen you’re most likely to contract from just watching. (Peacock)
Tour de France: Unchained — Season 2 invites us to relive the thrills of the 2023 race, through every one of its 21 nail-biting stages. (Is anybody else a little weirded out that that’s three times as many stages as grief gets?) (Netflix)
It’s finally the night of the much-talked-about Beach Ball — and even in the midst of it, there’s still a power struggle over who exactly is hosting it. Technically, Maxine and Evelyn are co-hosting, but Norma looms. “This was supposed to be my night,” she confides in Robert, complaining to him about growing old and the humiliation of being treated like a helpless child. Despite her scheming, it’s clear that this makes him feel for her. Furious at watching her supposed family steal her fortune, she proposes a plan to Robert … literally. She tells him that after the gala, they should go to the courthouse and get married, so when she dies, her money will go to him. “This is the only thing that will protect us both,” she says.
But my big question for this finale isn’t about Norma’s money, it’s if Mary will successfully assassinate President Richard Nixon? Had you told me when this show started that that’s where it would lead, I’d have been even more excited to watch. In fact, I think the whole series should have been marketed as such. The Secret Service searches Mary’s bag upon entry, not wanting another grassy knoll situation, to which Mary responds, “Lucky for you, this is a beach.” She makes it into the event without issue, which bodes well for her eventually earning a spot in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins in this universe. Evelyn is happy to see that Mary has seemingly left the hippies behind, but she explains that they were all taken away — which, to Evelyn, means that her former home is empty and waiting for her once more. “Good to know,” she says.
With Maxine’s astronaut MIA, she begs Robert to impersonate him by donning the space suit, insisting that nobody would be the wiser. He’s initially reluctant, but realizing that accompanying Norma in the suit could be a good way to give her back some of her shine, he agrees. But Norma doesn’t see it that way, she considers it another example of him doing Maxine’s bidding, and warns him that if they’re to get married, he’ll have to choose between the two of them. It’s a bold ultimatum for Norma to be giving because if it were to truly come down to it, I don’t know that Robert would make the choice she would want.
Nonetheless, she gets to work at the gala to set things right. Firstly, she has her sights set on a clearly distraught Mitzi, telling her, “If you’ve got something on your mind, I’m a good listener.” It gives us the chance to see her in action like an artist at work, methodically collecting gossip and tucking it away as ammunition — a skill that she’s been cultivating for decades, which has led us here. Sure, we all know about the affair, but according to Mitzi, that’s not the half of it.
Her next stop is to Evelyn, who is equally surprised to hear her talking and furious when she says that she’s not getting a cent from the gala. “You’ll get half of my money over my dead body,” she says, telling her that she will always be an outsider to this world. And at this point, who isn’t? With money off the table, Evelyn has no incentive to be there anymore, so she grabs her boy toy and storms home — or rather, to the apparently vacant mansion she used to call home. But not before telling Maxine about Norma’s ruse: “She’s been playing possum.”
When Maxine hears this, the pieces start to come together. Her spill off the boat, Ann getting poisoned with insulin … and she realizes that Norma has been trying to kill her. After confronting her, Norma tells Maxine that she’s not a part of the Dellacorte family, no matter how hard she tries. But Maxine is still the one in power as Norma’s conservator — and knowing it will destroy her, she tells her about their reinstated plans to turn the Dellacorte mansion into a club. It’s a plan that Maxine was originally against, but agreed to after Douglas guilted her into it, saying it was the childless couple’s only shot at a legacy.
A second blow to Norma’s plan comes while Ann — thankfully back on her feet — delivers a presentation on her storied life. But the real intel is being shared in the audience, when Robert sidles up to Norma’s supposed former-flame Axel to ask about their history. He shares that everything changed between them when Norma went to boarding school, where her diabetic roommate Agnes was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. It sounds like we might have a Talented Mr. Ripley situation on our hands because when “Norma” returned, it was like she was a totally different person, Axel says, in case we needed it spelled out for us.
Speaking of conspiracies, Richard Nixon has arrived. The series shows him mostly in shadow or from behind, much like the pope in Sister Act. But let’s focus less on how he’s being shot and more on if he’s being shot … by Mary. His only hope is locked away at the Rollins mansion, but luckily for Linda and Virginia, Evelyn arrives to have sex with Eddie and finds them. But let’s backtrack: why are Linda and Virginia so intent on stopping Mary? Why are they suddenly so intent on saving an evil man that they’ve been organizing against all season? And who are Virginia’s “friends in high places” that got her out of jail in the first place? We start to lose the thread here, but nonetheless, our two feminists beg Evelyn to free them so they can save Richard Nixon. Evelyn, not one to ever miss a money-making opportunity, tells them she’ll only release them if Linda pinky promises to give back the house and half of her trust fund. Who would have thought at the beginning of this show that Linda would be the one trying to save Nixon and Evelyn would be happy to let him die? Anyway, Linda agrees to Evelyn’s terms, so they’re off to save Tricky Dick.
Meanwhile, Norma’s grand flourish happens just before Maxine is set to take the stage for her big performance. She brings Mitzi to her, encouraging her to come clean to Maxine about her pregnancy. “Do you know what you’re going to do? It’s your choice,” Maxine tells her, proving yet again that she’s more of a feminist than she’d ever admit. When Mitzi says she wants to be a mother, a feeling Maxine can sadly relate to, she tells her to go demand that the baby’s father marry her — thinking that the father is Perry. But when she’s out on stage, she sees Mitzi doing just that — but to Douglas, not Perry.
Realizing what’s going on, we start to see Maxine fall apart under the lights, despite trying to keep the show together like the pageant queen she is. She sings “Is That All There Is?” through tears, and between verses, talks about her orphanage upbringing and her big dreams of making it somewhere, but then veers off script to call out all of the members of this high society she so desperately wanted to join — concluding her rant by exposing Douglas’s affair to the whole room. She thought she was destroying everybody’s secrets by burning the Rolodex, but it turns out that the only true way of robbing them of their power is airing them all out.
As Norma revels in this breakdown, Robert approaches her, and says, “I can’t believe I considered spending my life with you … Agnes.” It’s a death blow to Norma, who in one fell swoop loses Robert and has her deepest secret revealed. Even the grand dame of this high society faked her way in, just as Maxine did. At this point is there anybody who didn’t?
It’s during Maxine’s onstage breakdown that Nixon decides he’s had enough cottage cheese and starts to leave. As Maxine tries to stop him, we see Mary retrieve a gun from inside her wig, but as she fires, Linda rushes over and pushes her, diverting the bullet. Instead of Nixon, the bullet hits Robert. If you thought a NASA space suit might be bulletproof, you’re sadly mistaken — at least in this case. The bullet takes Robert down, sending Maxine into hysterics. He was her only true friend, and would have been all she had left in the aftermath of the gala. Now she has nobody, likely not even Linda, who the federal agent finds on the balcony with the gun. Presumably, she will go to jail for a shooting after all, just not the one she was actually behind. An awestruck Norma also roams into the havoc as it plays out, now in the complicated position of losing her life’s one love, but also the one person who found out her life was a lie. It’s the most complex, tangled, and interesting spot this show has been in all season — and it ends right in the thick of it. Limited series, my ass.
However, I’m not angry at it ending like this; in fact, I think it’s the most interesting choice the show has made in the whole season. This entire story was about Maxine accidentally breaking this world in her attempt to join it — like a child who plays with their favorite toy too hard. And now it’s broken. And we’re meant to look at the pieces — not to glue them back together. The glossy, perfect world that we were presented in episode one was not only deconstructed as the series played out, but now it was shattered beyond repair, and we’re left sitting in the wreckage. Plenty of questions remain, but the biggest of all: is that all there is?
Krishan Bhatia is Amazon’s new global ad sales chief. Penske Media via Getty Images
Amazon (AMZN) continues to build out its advertising team after making the move to introduce ads to Prime Video for basic subscriptions. The tech giant’s latest addition is Krishan Bhatia, a former ad sales executive at NBCUniversal, who left last September after 18 years with the media company. In the newly created role of VP of global video advertising sales, Bhatia will be leading Amazon Prime Video’s advertising sales and Amazon’s other streaming offerings, including Twitch and Freevee.
Bhatia is the latest in a string of former NBCUniversal executives who have joined tech companies that are making foray into the media business. Last month, Apple (AAPL) hired Joseph Cady, who previously served as head of advanced advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, to join its advertising team. Apple’s streaming service Apple TV+ still does not have an ad-supported subscription yet, but the hire suggested an ad tier could be in the works. Cady was the last person to hold his role at NBCUniversal.
Last year, Linda Yaccarino, the former NBCUniversal chair of global advertising, was hired by Elon Musk as CEO of X, formerly Twitter, as the tech billionaire looked for a media expert to turn around X’s slumping advertising business. Yaccarino’s impact has been difficult to assess because of Musk’s volatile relationship with X’s advertisers and his strong influence on key company decisions.
Outside of advertising, Netflix also recently brought on a former NBCUniversal executive. The streaming giant in February hired Jeff Gaspin, who served as chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment from 2009 to 2011, to lead its unscripted series division.
Amazon has been making major ad hires from other media giants as well. In January the company brought on a former ad-tech chief from The Walt Disney Company, Jeremy Helfand, to lead global advertising at Prime Video.
In a letter to shareholders this week, Amazon CEO Andy Jassyboasted about Prime Video’s potential after implementing ads for the platform’s 200 million monthly viewers, saying it can become a large and profitable business in its own right. Jassy noted that “streaming TV advertising is growing quickly and off to a strong start.”
Amazon’s advertising revenue grew 24 percent last year to $47 billion, which was driven mainly by sponsored ads. The e-commerce giant also spent almost $19 billion on content in 2023, an increase from $16.6 billion the year prior.
What if you scored a free trial of Apple TV+ for three months, or you have six free months of Apple Music through an offer you redeemed? Unfortunately, Apple One will cut those free trials down to the standard one-month period, after which you will start to pay the Apple One plan price you chose. Note: You don’t get any free trial allowance back if you cancel your Apple One plan.
Apple One Services
Courtesy of Apple
What exactly do some of these services offer? Here’s a closer look:
Apple Music
Apple Music appears in our Best Streaming Services guide because the entire library of more than 90 million songs is available in lossless format, and you get immersive 3D sound with albums tuned in Dolby Atmos. It has an excellent iPhone app and Siri support, but the Android app is just OK, and we’re not fans of the desktop app. Social playlist sharing and curation don’t quite match up to our favorite service, Spotify, but the gap is closing. If you want to switch from Spotify to Apple Music, you can also take your playlists.
Apple TV+
With a focus on quality over quantity, Apple TV+ isn’t competing with the enormous libraries offered by Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, and it deserves its place in our Best Streaming Services guide. It’s light on movies, though there are highlights, like Killers of the Flower Moon, Wolfwalkers, and Finch. But the real appeal of Apple TV+ is unmissable hit shows like Severance, Foundation, Ted Lasso, and The Morning Show, and it boasts excellent music documentaries, too. Everything is offered in 4K with HDR, and no, you don’t need an Apple TV to watch content in Apple TV+.
Apple Arcade
Closing in on three years since its release, the impact of Apple Arcade on mobile gaming is still unclear. What isn’t up for debate is the fact it offers some of the best mobile games without ads or in-app purchases. There are more than 200 titles in the Apple Arcade now, many of them exclusive. Some of our favorites include Mini Motorways, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Sneaky Sasquatch, Bloons TD6, and Assemble With Care.
iCloud+
Everyone gets 5 GB of storage space in iCloud for free, but that soon fills up with device backups, photos, and videos. You can upgrade to iCloud+ to get 50 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB, and each option supports family sharing. There are several alternative cloud storage services that work well with Apple devices, but iCloud is tightly integrated. Aside from the extra space, another reason to upgrade to iCloud+ is for HomeKit Secure Video. It allows HomeKit security cameras and video doorbells to record 10 days of activity, viewable in the Home app. The 50-GB plan supports a single camera, the 200-GB plan covers up to five cameras, and the 2-TB plan supports unlimited cameras. These HomeKit videos don’t count against your iCloud storage limit. Every iCloud+ subscription also includes Private Relay, which encrypts your Safari web browsing, and Hide My Email, which gives you unique, random email addresses to use when you’d prefer to keep yours private.
Apple News+
If you love to read great magazines like (ahem) WIRED, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Time, People, Vogue, Rolling Stone, and Popular Science, or newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times, you can find them and many more, cover-to-cover, in the News app with an Apple News+ subscription. The service saves you from paywalls, features slick presentation, and offers curation based on your interests. On the downside, it doesn’t include everything—The New York Times and The Washington Post are famously unavailable. It also only works on Apple devices.
Apple Fitness+
Workout subscription services grew popular at the start of the pandemic, as people could no longer visit the gym. Apple Fitness+ offers various workout types, from yoga to strength training, audio-guided walks and runs, and meditations, along with plenty of real-time metrics. It works via the Fitness app on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, and it requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer. You can read more about it in our review, but the service has since expanded. (Apple adds around 30 new workouts and meditations every week.)
How to Subscribe to Apple One
If you are sold on Apple One, signing up on an Apple device is easy. Go to Settings, Account (tap on your name), Subscriptions, and you will see Apple One with the option to Try It Now. That’s it!
Under the deal, Hugh and her Moonslinger Productions banner will create, write, and produce content for the streaming service and the TV studio and movie production company.
“For the last six years, I’ve been fortunate to call Apple and Media Res my creative family,” Hugh said. “Together, we dreamed big, and I am thrilled to be able to continue working with so many people I admire and cherish. Now, the homecoming is official.”
Hugh developed the Min Jin Lee novel “Pachinko” for television, which was produced by Media Res and distributed by Apple TV+. Hugh also serves as showrunner and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed series, which debuted its first season in March 2022. The second season is due out later this year.
Hugh was also the co-showrunner on the first season of the AMC series “The Terror” and created the ABC series “The Whispers.” Her other credits include “The Killing” and “Under the Dome.”
She is repped by WME, Entertainment 360, and McKuin Frankel Whitehead.
Hugh runs Moonslinger with Margo Klewans, the company’s president. Klewans joins Moonslinger from UCP, where she was a vice president. In her time there, she oversaw shows such as “Joe vs. Carole,” the “Battlestar Galatcia” reboot, and “Lockerbie.” She also handled business strategy for multiple pods, including Hugh’s, as well as Sam Esmail, Etan Frankel, and more. Prior to UCP, Klewan worked at Constantin Films, where she served as a co-executive producer on the Freeform series “Shadowhunters.”
Bandidos — A bunch of deep-diving opportunists try to retrieve a centuries-old treasure from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico — before a competing party can get to it first. Damn, that Jason Momoa is really hard up these days. (Netflix)
Little Wing — A New Yorker article by Susan Orlean becomes a dramatic feature about a 13-year-old who hopes to bring her family back to solvency by rising to the top of the lucrative sport of … pigeon racing. If the kid is smart, she’ll keep her money on the DL when Orlean is around. Because nobody’s forgotten that shit she and Chris Cooper tried to pull with the orchids. (Paramount+)
Premieres Thursday, March 14:
24 Hours With Gaspar — A private detective decides to spend his last day of life taking part in a jewelry heist in this crime drama, which netted nine nominations at the 2023 Indonesian Film Festival. It won Best Adapted Screenplay, a category it got shunted into when somebody realized “Gaspar” is Indonesian for “Ken.” (Netflix)
Apples Never Fall — In an adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s 2021 novel, the children of two retired tennis coaches have to consider some disquieting possibilities after the mom (Annette Bening) goes missing. At least nobody has to trawl the rivers, since we’ve all seen how that bish can swim. (Peacock)
Art of Love — A Turkish Interpol officer develops an even deeper distaste for the art thief she’s been pursuing when she learns he’s a guy she used to bang. And thus begins a desperate game of cat and mouse — if that’s what you call it when the cat gave the mouse herpes. (Netflix)
From Dreams to Tragedy: The Fire That Shook Brazilian Football — A three-episode docuseries takes stock of the catastrophic 2019 blaze that claimed 10 lives at the Flamengo football club’s training center in Rio de Janeiro. Wait a minute: Somebody finally found a way to make soccer interesting, and we’re supposed to cry about it? (Netflix)
Girls5Eva — The series moves to Netflix for Season 3, in which the ladies hit the concert trail to promote their comeback album — despite having no itinerary, tour manager or booked venues. What I’m hearing here is that they’re on a major label. (Netflix)
The Girls on the Bus — The writings of New York Times reporter Amy Chozick are adapted into a scripted series that follows female journalists on the presidential campaign trail. Your heart will swell with pride as they prove they can draw false equivalencies and normalize fascism as well as any man. (Max)
Invincible — As the second half of Season 2 commences, Mark and Oliver are searching for a way to get back to Earth so they can stop the Viltrum Empire from subjugating the entire planet. Given that the distance is millions of miles and time is of the essence, I’m gonna say SunRail is out. (Prime Video)
Justice, USA — Male, female and juvenile inmates are featured in a two-part exposé of the Nashville prison system. You can tell which ones have been locked up the longest, because they can be heard asking the guards why they don’t get Johnny Cash concerts anymore. (Max)
Red Ollero: Mabuhay Is a Lie — Captured in concert during an August 2023 three-night stand at the Teatrino Promenade in San Juan, the Filipino comic sets out to dispel some of the biggest misconceptions about Pinoy culture. Well, for one thing, Imelda Marcos did not invent Crocs. (Netflix)
Premieres Friday, March 15:
The Bloody Hundredth — A documentary profile of the brave men of the 100th Bomb Group arrives just in time to promote the final episode of the like-themed drama series Masters of the Air. Gosh, it’s so inspiring when corporate synergy gives us a window to honor the fallen. (Apple TV+)
Chicken Nugget — K-drama takes a turn for the surreal as a woman gets turned into a chicken nugget, sending her father scrambling to find a way to restore her. But is this really a big deal? I know people who are essentially 87 percent cheese fries. (Netflix)
Irish Wish — After trying her darndest to suppress a crush on her best friend’s fiancé, Lindsay Lohan wakes up one morning to find they’ve traded places. (I mean she’s traded places with her friend, not with the fiancé. But now that I’ve said it out loud, isn’t that the movie you’d rather be watching?) (Netflix)
Iron Reign — The life of a Barcelona drug lord gets significantly more complicated after his family business receives a problematic product shipment. It’s amazing the hot water you can get into when you order a kilo of blow off Amazon and they send you six cases of Gold Bond instead. (Netflix)
Manhunt — A seven-part limited series dramatizes the nearly two-week search for John Wilkes Booth that played out while the nation was still reeling from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Given that Booth was an actor, did anybody think of looking in the break room at Applebee’s? (Apple TV+)
Murder Mubarak — A firmament of Bollywood stars plays the suspects in a twisty Hindi-language mystery that shows an “unconventional cop” trying to find the killer amid a group of outwardly normal folk. It’s a tough case to crack, mostly because he doesn’t speak Hindi. (Netflix)
The Outreau Case: A French Nightmare — A Gallic version of The Crucible played out 20 years ago, when the accusations of four French children got their parents and other adult authority figures convicted of sexual abuse. As this docuseries shows, the public erupted in outrage when the charges proved to be as bogus as gas-station escargot. On the bright side, we finally canceled Pepé Le Pew. (Netflix)
The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy — Eugene schleps all over Europe in Season 2, on a quest to explore some of the continent’s most intriguing locales. First up: The credit union where the Romanians hide all that money they’ve been withholding from NATO. (Apple TV+)
Premieres Monday, March 18:
Stormy — The notorious Stormy Daniels goes before the documentary cameras to reveal the real woman behind the sex scandal that failed to bring down a president but sent two lawyers to prison. Or as Ken Jennings would call it, “a solid consolation prize.” (Peacock)
Premieres Tuesday, March 19:
Brian Simpson: Live From the Mothership — Not only is this the first stand-up special for Austin-based comic Simpson, it’s the first by anybody to be recorded at Joe Rogan’s Comedy Mothership. You really want to be funny in that environment, you stop your set right before the first punchline and demand that everybody produce their vax card. (Netflix)
Dinner Party Diaries With José Andrés — The internationally renowned chef opens up his kitchen to swap stories and recipes with guests Jamie Lee Curtis, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Bryan Cranston. “Hey Bryan, why is that béarnaise sauce so blue?” (Prime Video)
Forever Queens Season 2 — With their comeback single a hit, the titular quartet of middle-aged Mexican performers suddenly find themselves down two members and scrambling to hire replacements. In a shocking turn of events, the first right of refusal goes to anybody from BTS who isn’t currently in the army. (Netflix)
When it comes to originals, Netflix and Amazon have the deepest libraries of prestige movies. But ever since CODAwon the Best Picture Oscar, it’s become clear that some of the best movies are on Apple TV+.
As with any streaming service, not every film on the roster is a winner, but from Billie Eilish documentaries to Sundance darlings, Apple’s streaming service is building up a strong catalog to run alongside its growing slate of beloved TV shows.
Below are WIRED’s picks for flicks you should prioritize in your queue. Once you’re done, hop over to our list of the best movies on Netflix and the best movies on Disney+. If you’re feeling a little more episodic, our guide for the best shows on Amazon might be just the ticket.
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Mad Max: Fury Road
When Mad Max: Fury Road came out in 2015, it was three decades late and right on time. Released 30 years after mastermind George Miller released the last Mad Max movie—Beyond Thunderdome—it was a jolt to moviegoers who were otherwise being treated to rehashes like Fantastic Four and Terminator Genisys. Easily one of the best postapocalyptic films ever, it’s all style but not devoid of substance. It also introduced Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, a crusader for the women being subjected to the tyranny of Immortan Joe. Fury Road will be on Apple TV+ until the end of April—just enough time for you to watch it again before its follow-up, Furiosa, hits theaters in May.
Napoleon
OK, so Napoleon didn’t exactly get critics’ pens flying, but sometimes you’re just in the mood for a big, prestige-y Ridley Scott historical drama, you know? This one stars Joaquin Phoenix as the title character, following his quest to conquer, well, as much as he possibly can. However, rather than being a sprint to the Battle of Waterloo, this pic gives attention to the French emperor’s emotionally rocky relationship with his wife Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby). What happens when a man can conquer most of Europe but not his own feelings? Watch and find out.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Just in time for awards season, Killers of the Flower Moon is finally available to stream starting January 12. Martin Scorsese’s epic film is based on David Grann’s 2017 book about a member of the Osage Nation, Mollie Burkhart, who sought to get to the bottom of the deaths in her family. Set in 1920s Oklahoma, a time when many Osage were being killed for the money made from oil on their land, Scorsese’s film follows the relationship between Mollie (played by Lily Gladstone, who won a Golden Globe for her performance) and Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and what happens when the FBI comes to investigate the Osage deaths. When WIRED named it one of 2023’s best movies, we called it “a feel-bad masterpiece,” and we stand by that.
Fingernails
Can technology determine whether you’ve found The One? Probably not, but in the latest from writer-director Christos Nikou, an institute run by Duncan (Luke Wilson) claims that it has found the formula for true love anyway—and Anna (Jessie Buckley) wants to figure out if it’s real. The institute, you see, has determined that Anna and her boyfriend Ryan (Jeremy Allen White) are a match, but has doubts. While working at the institute, though, she meets Amir (Riz Ahmed) and finds someone who actually might be her match.
Flora and Son
Remember Sing Street, that charming indie about a kid in Dublin who starts a band as an escape from his complicated home life? What about Once, that charming indie about a pair that spends a week in Dublin writing songs about their love? If you enjoyed either of those—or if they just sound like something you might enjoy—let us suggest Flora and Son, a charming indie about a mother in Dublin trying to connect with her son through song. Like Sing Street and Once, Flora and Son comes from director John Carney and has all of his signature moves, plus something else: Eve Hewson, who plays the movie’s titular mom. She’s a force, and she hits all of her musician notes perfectly. Makes sense, she’s Bono’s daughter.
The Beanie Bubble
Here it is, the question everyone will ask when you’re writing about Apple TV+’s new original movie: Do you remember Beanie Babies? If you were born after 2000, the answer is likely no, unless you have a retro toy collector friend or a goofy aunt who has a few of them lying around. The good news is that The Beanie Bubble is for those fans and everyone else too. It’s about a toy salesman named Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis) who stumbles into the biggest success of his life after he teams up with three women to develop the kind of plushies people just can’t get enough of. Critics have been mixed, but thanks to performances from the likes of Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks, and Sarah Snook (proving there’s life after Succession), it’s the kind of sweet dramedy that’s perfect for a night in.
Stephen Curry: Underrated
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry might be one of the most beloved players in American basketball—and he is definitely one of the best players, if not the best player, in the league. He’s been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice and has won four championship rings. He also has more career three-pointers than anyone in the league. But in the late aughts, he was a kid at a small school, Davidson College, just trying to live up to the potential his coaches saw in him. Underrated, directed by Peter Nicks (Homeroom), chronicles that journey, showing how Curry bested the predictions of his own NBA draft (many said he didn’t have the size necessary for the league) to become one of the greatest to ever play the game. For basketball fans, it’s a must-watch.
Beastie Boys Story
One of the pioneering groups in hip hop, the Beastie Boys have a story like no other. For this “live documentary,” filmmaker Spike Jonze filmed Mike Diamond (Mike D) and Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) as they told a crowd at Brooklyn’s Kings Theater about their rise to stardom. Complete with old footage, photos, and stories from the group’s decades-long career, the doc captures just how influential the Beasties have been since they started playing music together as kids in New York City in the late ’70s and early ’80s. It also features some wonderful memories of their third member, Adam “MCA” Yauch, who died in 2012 following a battle with cancer.
CODA
This is the one that put Apple TV+ on the map. The movie’s title is an acronym for “child of deaf adults.” It’s the story of Ruby, the only hearing person in a family that includes two deaf parents and one deaf sibling. When Ruby discovers a love of music, she’s forced to reconcile her own aspirations with those of her family, who run a small fishing business and often need her to help communicate. Warm and gripping, CODA is the kind of movie that will have you cheering and crying at the same time.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
In 1985, Michael J. Fox was one of Hollywood’s biggest names as the star of a hit TV show (Family Ties) and the year’s highest-grossing movie (Back to the Future). Just a few years later, at the age of 29, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In Still, Oscar-winning documentarian Davis Guggenheim offers a poignant portrait of Fox’s personal and professional life, and his journey from teen idol to advocate for a cure.
Swan Song
Mahershala Ali stars alongside, well, Mahershala Ali in this romantic-sci-fi-drama. Yes, it’s all of those things. Cameron (Ali) is a loving husband (to Naomie Harris) and father who, after learning he has a terminal illness, must decide just how far he’ll go to protect his family from having to know the truth, or deal with the devastating aftermath.
Sharper
Sharper is one of those movies where the less you know about it going in, the better. Just know that no one is what they seem or who they say they are in this neo-noir starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, and John Lithgow. This twisty little thriller flew largely under the radar when it was released in theaters for a half-second in early 2023.
Ghosted
If you’ve read the reviews, you know this movie isn’t exactly good, per se, but if you want to see Captain America (Chris Evans) and a future John Wick–franchise badass (Ana de Armas) fall in love as part of the goofiest premise possible—He’s a farmer! She’s a secret agent!—this is for you. Give this movie a go(sted).
The World’s a Little Blurry
By now, thousands of pop music fans know the Billie Eilish monomyth: Young, slightly punk, slightly goth teenager starts making songs in her brother’s bedroom, puts them online, and becomes one of the biggest pop stars in the world. It’s a great story, but that’s only about a quarter of the tale of Eilish’s ascent to superstar status. The World’s a Little Blurry fills in (some of) the blanks. Director R. J. Cutler got amazing access for this film, which chronicles everything from Eilish’s songwriting process with her brother Finneas to her frank talk about her Tourette’s. It’s the kind of music documentary that redefines the music documentary.
Cha Cha Real Smooth
“Sundance hit starring Dakota Johnson”s are almost a dime a dozen, but this one, about a young bar/bat mitzvah party-starter is the, ahem, real deal. It also proves that Cooper Raiff—who writes, directs, and stars in the movie—is one to keep your eye on.
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Yes, most people already know the story of Macbeth—Scottish lord with an eye toward ruling his country—but not everyone has seen it through the eyes of director Joel Coen. Shot entirely in black and white and starring Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as his powerful wife, the film was nominated for three Oscars and brought a very new twist onto a classic Shakespearean tale.
Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues
Above all else, Louis Armstrong is known as one of the most famous jazz musicians of all time. But he was also a figure in the struggle for equality in America—albeit a complicated one. As director Sacha Jenkins illustrates in this documentary, while Armstrong broke racial barriers in entertainment he also faced accusations that he didn’t stand up as much for civil rights as other performers of his era. Jenkins got access to scores of photographs, clippings, and even recordings Armstrong made of his own conversations for this documentary, and that access provides a much fuller picture of the legendary musician than the world has ever had.
Tetris
One of the most popular video games of all time, Tetris was a phenomenon for Nintendo Game Boy owners in the 1980s. But Tetris (the movie) is the story of the people who made the game and brought it from the then-Soviet Union to the rest of the world. Part historical dramedy, part espionage flick, the movie doesn’t always hit its marks, but if you’ve never heard the story of how Tetris got out from behind the Iron Curtain, it’s worth a watch.
Causeway
Causeway kind of came and went when it was released in 2022, but that’s also the sort of movie it is. Focused on a soldier (Jennifer Lawrence) who returns home after suffering a brain injury in Afghanistan, the film from director Lila Neugebauer is about trauma and how people lean on each other to get through it. A worthy watch for the times when you have your own stuff to work through.
Sidney
Sidney Poitier died in 2022, the same year Apple TV+ released this documentary looking at the actor’s long-running career—In the Heat of the Night, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner—and impact on American culture and politics. With interviews ranging from Spike Lee and Morgan Freeman to Harry Belafonte, the film goes beyond his time in Hollywood, starting with his upbringing in the Bahamas and ending with his massive impact on the civil rights movement and elsewhere.
Great news for entertainment enthusiasts! Apple is currently offering a deal for new or qualifying returning subscribers to Apple TV+.
When you redeem the offer on the designated page, you can enjoy an exclusive 2-month free trial of Apple’s streaming service. This offer allows you to explore a diverse range of content, including award-winning series, captivating dramas, groundbreaking documentaries, kids’ entertainment, comedies, and more. Code expires on March 14, 2024.
Please note that after the complimentary 2 months, the subscription will continue at your region’s regular monthly price. However, Apple offers the flexibility to cancel your subscription at any time directly from your account page.
Code expires on March 14, 2024. New and qualified returning subscribers only. This is a promotional code and is not for resale, has no cash value, and will not be replaced if lost or stolen. Valid only where Apple TV+ is available. Requires Apple ID with payment method on file. Apple TV+ renews at your region’s price per month after the promotion until canceled. Terms and Apple Privacy Policy apply; see the applicable terms for your country at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/ww/. Cannot be combined with other offers providing access to the same service. Minimum age required depending on your country. Must be in the country that matches the store front on which you are redeeming the code. Compatible products and services required. Apple TV+ is a service mark of Apple Inc.
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
Can you believe it’s already March? Time just seems to be sprinting ahead! But hey, there’s a silver lining — a new month means a fresh batch of great films and awesome TV shows hitting our favourite streaming platforms. Below, find a rundown of what to watch in March.
So, if you’re like us and find yourself endlessly scrolling through options, trying to decide what to watch next, we’ve got you covered.
From highly anticipated premieres to buzzworthy releases, we’ve handpicked the standout shows and movies you won’t want to miss this month. Get ready for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie, Adam Sandler’s latest cinematic endeavour “Spaceman”, and Millie Bobby Brown’s thrilling action fantasy “Damsel.”
What to Watch in March
“Spaceman”
Adam Sandler stars in this gripping adaptation of the novel “Spaceman of Bohemia”, portraying a Czech cosmonaut embarking on a solitary mission to investigate a mysterious celestial phenomenon. Joined by Paul Dano as an enigmatic extraterrestrial companion, Sandler’s character confronts both outer space mysteries and inner demons in this thought-provoking journey.
Premiere date: March 1 Where to watch: Netflix
“Ricky Stanicky”
In their youth, Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) conjured up an imaginary companion named Ricky Stanicky. Fast forward 25 years, the three best friends still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behaviour.
Premiere date: March 7 Where to watch: Prime Video
“Damsel”
Millie Bobby Brown shines in this imaginative fantasy film that subverts traditional fairy tale tropes. When Princess Elodie finds herself facing a perilous fate at the hands of her royal family, she must rely on her courage and resourcefulness to forge her own path. With a stellar supporting cast including Angela Bassett and Nick Robinson, this is one adventure you won’t want to miss.
Premiere date: March 8 Where to watch: Netflix
“Beautiful Wedding”
A sequel to the popular “Beautiful Disaster”, this film follows Abby and Travis as they navigate the aftermath of an impromptu Vegas wedding. So, join them on a wild and chaotic honeymoon adventure filled with twists, turns, and plenty of romance. Starring Dylan Sprouse and Virginia Gardner, it’s a feel-good flick perfect for date night.
From the mind of acclaimed author Liane Moriarty comes this gripping suburban thriller, which unravels the secrets lurking beneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic family. When a mysterious stranger disrupts their lives, a chain of events is set in motion, revealing hidden truths and testing familial bonds. With a stellar ensemble cast led by Annette Bening and Sam Neill, it’s a must-watch for fans of psychological drama.
Premiere date: March 14 Where to watch: BINGE
“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)”
Disney+
Whether you missed out on her Taylor Swift’s Aussie Eras Tour or simply want to relive the magic, this concert film is a must-watch. Featuring dazzling performances and behind-the-scenes insights, it’s a celebration of Swift’s iconic career that’s sure to delight audiences of all ages. So, grab your sequins and get ready to sing along to your favourite hits.
Premiere date: March 15 Where to watch: Disney+
“Palm Royale”
Transport yourself back to 1969 with this stylish comedy set in the glamorous enclave of Palm Springs. Follow the ambitious Maxine as she navigates the social hierarchy of the era, determined to ascend to the upper echelons of society. With a stellar cast that includes Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney, expect plenty of laughs and a retro chic vibe.
Jake Gyllenhaal takes centre stage in this high-octane remake of the cult classic “Road House”. Packed with adrenaline-pumping action, explosive set pieces, and a dash of celebrity cameos, it’s a wild ride from start to finish. Whether you’re a fan of the original or simply craving some heart-pounding entertainment, this one’s sure to deliver.
Premiere date: March 21 Where to watch: Prime Video
Other Notable Things to Watch in March 2024
“The Gentlemen” — March 7, Netflix
“Population 11” — March 7, Stan
“Girls5Eva”, Season 3 — March 14, Netflix
“Celebrity Ex On The Beach” — March 20, Paramount+
“Shirley” — March 22 on Netflix
“The Beautiful Game” — March 29, Netflix
“Renegade Nell” — March 29, Disney Plus
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Watching people do things in space with a time limit is almost always compelling (see: The Martian, Gravity, Apollo 13), and the second episode of Constellation does not disappoint in that regard. In a tense hour, we watch with bated breath as an oxygen-strapped Jo struggles to fix the Soyuz 1 capsule by herself while the world stands by in horrified fascination.
The episode is once again bookended by brief visits to a snowy vista in the near future. Jo rushes to safety in the warm cabin after finding who she thinks is the real Alice. She quickly runs a steaming hot bath for her freezing child — to anyone who has ever taken a First Aid class, this will register as a huge no-no, but hey, it’s a TV show — and then panics when they run out of hot water. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a warm, safe, sleeping Alice in the bedroom and starts to lose it. She whirls around the cabin, toggling her attention back and forth between the two girls, one in the bath and one in bed. Bath Alice is only seen through a fractured reflection in a mirror, and we also catch glimpses of Jo in that mirror as well. As Jo walks into the bathroom, Bath Alice is gone, and Bed Alice is awake and asking questions. Jo is flummoxed and furious.
The scene abruptly ends by transitioning to Jo on the ISS. As I said in my previous recap, if the show hadn’t firmly established that the events in the cabin take place five weeks after the events in the ISS, I would be 100 percent convinced that Jo’s oxygen-addled brain was hallucinating it all. If the intent here is to disorient us, it’s successful.
Jo herself is somewhat untethered from reality as she floats around in the near-defunct ISS. She suddenly realizes that she has lost hours of precious time. What happened to her in those hours? Did she pass out due to stress and lack of oxygen? Or might this be an important gap in time that will get filled in later? Do we have a Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde situation going on here? She lost nearly 12 hours, right? At this point, though, it doesn’t really matter. All Jo knows is that she has to hustle if she wants to make it back to Earth. Her love for Alice and Marcus motivates her, and she works diligently to retrieve batteries from elsewhere in the station and reconnect them to power up Soyuz 1.
As she works, she talks to hear someone’s voice, even if it is her own, and she starts to hallucinate a garbled message from her dead crewmate, Paul. Yes, Paul is still dead, but he comes back to haunt Jo in several ways throughout this episode. First, his head covering comes off, floating up to greet Jo as she’s hard at work. Jo takes an ill-advised break to replace it and lays in the capsule next to the body, wishing that someone, anyone, could hear her. She admits to no one in particular that she’s afraid of the dark. Jo is a stoic and capable woman, but she’s also vulnerable and terrified. And scary things just keep happening. She hallucinates (?) Paul’s voice as she plays back her own recording. He tells her to stop breathing, which is a horrifying thing to hear anyone say in any situation. A bit later, Paul’s hand floats into view. Curious, she follows it. It seems to be reaching out to her, so she grabs it, and for a second she sees her old friend on the other end of the disembodied limb.
Jo returns to her work, successfully replacing all of the batteries and starting the undocking procedure. She still has no contact with TsUP. Every time she runs into a problem, she is the only one who can fix it, and we’re right there alongside her, adrenaline pumping through our veins. These moments feel akin to watching someone play a particularly tricky video-game sequence, only the penalty for losing the level is certain death. There’s a moment in which Jo keys in the previous de-orbit parameters, and the ancient onboard computer denies her because the parameters are outdated. Jo gives it a few hard whacks like one might smack a vending machine with a dangling treat. Voilà! It works. Later, when a bolt gets stuck and Jo finds out that it’s an issue that takes two crew members to resolve, the camera work seems to subtly be implying that someone or something (Paul’s disembodied hand?) intentionally assisted her from the outside of the hatch.
As Jo prepares to launch, she leaves a tearful and heartfelt message to both Marcus and Alice on her iPad. She thanks Marcus for the sacrifice he made so that she could go on this mission and then pours her heart out to Alice. When she says, “No matter what happens, my eyes are always on you,” it’s heartbreaking. Noomi Rapace makes Jo’s love for her daughter palpable, but we still don’t know what motivated her to spend an entire year away from her family and risk death in the process. Something tells me we’re going to find out.
Of course we know that Jo doesn’t die. But let’s press pause on her for a moment as we check in with the humans on the ground. One of the most intriguing pairings in the episode is Henry and Irena. We see the two meet face-to-face at the landing strip in Kazakhstan, and even the first looks they give one another suggest a fraught relationship. They both appear to be very influential in the space community. Irena tells Henry that she’ll be pulling Russian support for the ISS project soon as it was never meant to run this long; Henry protests. But he’s mostly protesting because he wants his precious CAL back, and he’s not sure if Jo is going to make it. The two also share a cryptic exchange in which Henry asks Irena about her sister, and she says that he should know that she passed away years ago. When Irena asks Henry the same question, he says that he hasn’t heard from his brother in “many years, thank God.”
But it doesn’t exactly feel like Henry is telling the truth about this mystery brother. In fact, it seems like Irena and Henry both have firsthand experience with what is happening to Jo in real time. Are these mysterious “siblings” actually other halves that came back with them from space somehow? We see Henry’s identical brother, Bud, give an interview to a major news organization about Jo’s situation, and he gets increasingly angry with the reporter’s line of questioning. (Breaking Bad fans will enjoy Banks trotting out his signature Mike Ehrmantraut sneer on glorious display here.) It’s unclear whether Bud is Henry’s twin, a space apparition, or living in a separate universe, but one thing is for sure — Bud Caldera has an anger problem.
Elsewhere, we meet Frederic. Apparently, Frederic was the dude who trained Jo for four straight years in order to complete this mission, and he’s got some pull with the space people. Marcus pleads with him to try to do something to save Jo, and Frederic comes up short. There’s a sense that this smarmy space bro may be the reason that Marcus and Jo were having problems before she left, and this information makes me want to know a whole lot more about all of these relationships.
All that’s left for the people on the ground to do is wait. So they do. And, when the countdown ticks to zero, they immediately give up hope. Irena gives a short prayer that cryptically mentions “brothers and sisters,” a callback to her prior exchange with Henry. Everyone somberly resigns themselves to Jo’s fate except the industrious Sergei, who continues to broadcast to her in case she can hear them. Sergei is a real one.
Mere minutes later, they get a signal. It’s Jo! Sergei is so elated that his little headset almost pops off. They confirm that she has the CAL and then they ask her to change her parameters. The girl is hurtling through literal space at 8Gs, so … no. Obviously she can’t reach 7 million buttons to change her parameters, so she’s just destined to fall where she may, and the team will have to find her.
In a thrilling sequence, the cavalry convenes to search for the capsule as it falls. Dozens of helicopters and trucks are deployed, rumbling across the desert to find a single human. As citizens of the universe, we all have a vested interest in humans coming home safely from space, and this overwhelming team effort is heartening.
Jo lands. The images of the stark, otherworldly capsule against the arid desert landscape are captivating. The orange-and-white parachute catches a gust of wind, and for a moment it feels like the whole thing might go off a cliff. But honestly, what’s another hundred or so feet when that thing has just dropped hundreds of miles from the sky, am I right? Jo is elated and, despite her body’s protests over being reintroduced to gravity, she somehow makes it out of the capsule, only to come face-to-face with a wolf. It’s unclear whether or not this is a hallucination — only the boldest or dumbest of wolves would come close to a giant capsule that just fell from the sky — but there’s not much time to contemplate the situation because the cavalry arrives, and the wolf runs away. So much for Jo being hard to find.
Jo is elated to be home and even more elated to be reunited with Marcus and Alice. As the family is evacuated from the site via helicopter, Jo and Alice hold hands. As they touch, they simultaneously experience the sensation of losing the other and being totally alone in the helicopter. They both have respective moments of panic but are quickly reunited in psychic space. Oddly, neither tells the other about what they’ve just experienced. It feels very strange that Alice is also experiencing these skips in reality.
Jo goes right back to being blissfully back on her home planet, taking a deep breath and saying, “You forget how Earth smells.” It feels worth mentioning that Jo’s sense of smell is prominent three times in this episode, first in the present timeline when Jo smells the “rescued” Alice and rejoices in her scent, and then again when she frantically smells the other Alice and only registers feelings of panic. If Earth is home, then so is Alice. Smell is the sense most tied to memory, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this comes up again in a later episode.
Back in the snow, Jo retrieves the CAL from a nearby shed and insists that the other Alice come with her. The exchange: “Where is she?” “Who?!” “You!” is pretty great. And, as the two head out into the elements to find the other Alice, it feels very much like they’re racing into a blizzard to chase an apparition.
• This episode is called “Live and Let Die,” which is the title of a Wings song written by Paul (and Linda) McCartney. First, the “Paul is dead” reference last episode, and now this? Let’s hope every episode has a passing reference to the living legend.
• I can’t really find any narrative reason for this episode to be called “Live and Let Die.” Is this referring to ground control’s inability to help Jo in her time of need? Or is it a reference to the dead Paul and living Jo returning to Earth in the capsule together? Sound off in the comments, please, because I seriously do not get it.
Ah yes, the four Rs of the film industry: reduce, reuse, recycle, and remake. Per Variety, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are reuniting to give us an English-language version of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low (which was itself a loose adaptation of Ed McBain’s 1959 pulp novel King’s Ransom). Kurosawa’s take followed a Japanese businessman who is targeted by a ransom-hungry kidnapper. It’s not too surprising that Lee is doing this project; he’s been a longtime fan of Kurosawa, previously telling Vulture that She’s Gotta Have It was inspired by Rashomon. Lee wrote the script with playwright Alan Fox, and production is scheduled to begin in March. This will mark Lee and Washington’s first movie together since 2006’s Inside Man, and fifth collab overall. Their version of High and Low will be released in theaters by A24 before launching on Apple TV+. We’ll have to wait and see if the film will end up being a career high or low (sorry, had to do it).
The new Apple TV+ series Masters of Air gives us a look into fighter pilots during World War II and the love they all had for each other in the midst of high-stakes situations. The Mary Sue is proud to debut an exclusive clip for episode 4 of the series!
In a new clip of the fourth episode, we get to watch as the boys all wait for the team to return to base after their 25th mission, a celebration waiting to happen as they’d be the first team to make it to 25 successful missions overall. What really makes this clip work, though, is the pure love that each of these characters have for each other.
Here we see Buck (Austin Butler) and Bucky (Callum Turner) drive up to all of their friends waiting, sitting together as the plane roars overhead. To see the joy that takes over their faces is such an emotional experience, especially given the death of Lt. Curtis Biddick (Barry Keoghan) in the previous episode.
One of the things about Masters of the Air that I have loved from the start is the desire to just cheer for these boys that exists within each episode. As we’re listening to Major Crosby (Anthony Boyle) narrate his life with them all, you can hear how much he loved his team. We see it in the way that Buck and Bucky always are looking out for one another, and so much of this show is dependent on us caring about the men we’re seeing fight.
What this clip for episode 4 shows is that their friendship and happiness helps them keep going and keep fighting even when things get dark and they may lose another one of their friends. It’s why we keep tuning in each week to see what awaits them and how they’re going to fight to end the war.
The next episode of Masters of the Air airs on Apple TV+ on February 9th and episode four’s logline is as follows: “Lt. Rosenthal joins the 100th just as one of its crews reaches a milestone. The U-boat pens at Bremen become a target for the second time.” We’re in for quite another ride with the team at the 100th and we cannot wait to see what Masters of the Air has for us next.
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
Welcome to the month of love, where the only decision harder than picking a Valentine’s Day gift is choosing what to watch on your favourite streaming service. If you’re wondering what to watch in February, fear not! POPSUGAR Picks is here to rescue you from endless scrolling!
February isn’t just about heart-shaped chocolates and romantic dinners — it’s also about falling in love with the hottest new shows and movies hitting your screens this month. We get it! The struggle is real when it comes to navigating the vast ocean of streaming options. That’s why we’ve curated a list of the most talked-about and binge-worthy content across major streaming services.
So, whether you’re cosying up with your significant other or flying solo this Valentine’s Day, let POPSUGAR Picks be your guide through the maze of entertainment choices.
What to Watch in February
“Mr & Mrs Smith”
A fresh take on the iconic spy movie, “Mr & Mrs Smith” features Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane as strangers forced to pretend to be a married couple while working as spies. The sparks fly as they navigate their undercover mission, leading to unexpected and entertaining developments.
Premiere date: February 2 Where to watch: Prime Video
“Bottoms”
“Bottoms” offers a unique and raunchy comedy experience as two girls, PJ and Josie, start a fight club with an unconventional motive — to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. The plot takes unexpected turns as the fight club gains popularity, leading PJ and Josie to navigate the consequences of their eccentric plan.
Premiere date: February 6 Where to watch: Prime Video
Kicking off the month of love, Netflix presents the adaptation of David Nicholls’ bestselling romance, “One Day”. The story follows Emma and Dexter over two decades and explores the complexities of friendship, failed love stories, and the inevitable journey into adulthood. Brace yourself for a heartwarming and heartbreaking experience just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Premiere date: February 8 Where to watch: Netflix
“Players”
Follow sportswriter Mack (Gina Rodriguez) and her close-knit NYC friend group who excel at no-strings-attached hookups through foolproof “plays”. When Mack unexpectedly falls for Nick (Tom Ellis), one of their targets, she must navigate a deeper connection and rewrite the group’s rulebook.
Premiere date: February 14 Where to watch: Netflix
“Constellation”
For those craving a compelling sci-fi thriller series, look no further than “Constellation”. This Apple TV+ original follows Jo, portrayed by Noomi Rapace, a solitary astronaut stationed on the International Space Station. However, upon her return to Earth, Jo discovers that the cosmic catastrophe she endured might have profound consequences on her personal life beyond what she could have envisioned.
Premiere date: February 21 Where to watch: AppleTV+
“Avatar: The Last Airbender”
“Avatar: The Last Airbender”, a beloved animated series, is making a return to live-action on Netflix. While a previous attempt in 2010 left fans disappointed, this eight-episode fantasy show offers a fresh take on the iconic franchise. Set in a war-torn land where people can control elements, Aang stands as the last of his kind, possessing the rare ability to “bend” all four elements. The narrative unfolds with the struggle for control over Aang’s powers — while some see him as a beacon of peace, others seek to exploit his abilities for destructive purposes.
Premiere date: February 22 Where to watch: Netflix
“The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live”
“The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” introduces a fresh spin-off featuring the unkillable duo, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and the sword-slinging Michonne (Danai Gurira). This apocalyptic love story explores the possibility of survivors turning their meet-cute into a lasting relationship amidst a world falling apart. Will love prevail in the face of undead threats? Tune in to find out.
Premiere date: February 26 Where to watch: Stan
Other Notable Things to Watch in February 2024
“Below Deck”, Season 11 — February 6, Hayu
“Halo”, Season 2 — February 8, Paramount+
“Lover, Stalker, Killer” — February 9, Netflix
“Upgraded” — February 9, Prime Video
“RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Versus The World” — February 10, Stan
“Jersey Shore: Family Vacation”, Season 7 — February 10, Paramount+
AACTA Awards 2024 — February 11, BINGE
“Grimsburg” — February 12, BINGE
“Five Blind Dates” — February 13, Prime Video
“Shōgun” — February 27, Disney+
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If you’re watching it with your employees or playing it on the big screen for your customers, the big game might matter more to your business than you think. Whether you’re running a startup, a restaurant, or just getting your team hyped for the year, having the game playing could elevate the mood of your workers or customers and keep you all connected.
If you’re watching it with your Apple TV, do it right with a remote you don’t have use your voice to control. The Function101 is a button alternative to the Siri remote, and you can grab one on sale for $24.97 for a limited time.
Voice controls may be a novel idea, but they might not be suited to something like a professional environment or the hushed crowd watching sports together. Whether you need to turn up the volume or flip away during commercials, you can get another type of remote for your Apple TV.
The Function101 Button Remote has the look of a classic remote with button controls for familiar functions like flipping channels or changing the volume. The difference is that this advanced remote uses infrared technology to sync quickly with your TV.
This smart remote has a range of 39 feet and just needs a line of sight with your device. It has been fully tested with Apple TV and Apple TV 4K and does not require voice controls to operate.
We’re living in the heyday of fast fashion. TikTok microtrends are churned out faster than most brands can keep up with and toxic “dupe” culture has convinced us that it’s always better to pay less to participate in trends — despite the environmental and social impact of major fast fashion brands. Is getting one picture in a polyester dress really worth the hours of child labor that went into it, and the eternity that piece of plastic masquerading-as-fabric will spend in a landfill?
Fast fashion giants like SHEIN have convinced us not to think about those pesky problems. Instead, they draw our attention to their cheap prices and sponsored influencer hauls. In an age of hyperinflation, who can be blamed for seeking a bargain?
But there’s another consequence of the reign of TikTok style: everybody dresses like everybody else.
Personal style is a relic of the past. I used to spend hours in New York’s SoHo, window shopping and people-watching to get aspirational fashion inspiration. Now, all the stores and the shoppers look exactly alike. It’s algorithm fashion. Everybody is wearing the same trend-du-jour, paired with a different color variation of the Adidas Sambas.
While I too love to participate in trends that resonate with me (through vintage shopping as much as possible), I often find myself thinking: what is my personal style? I don’t want to dress how I did in college, but I fear that the past few years of social media trends has infiltrated my closet more than I think, erasing any sense of individuality and peculiarity from my closet.
It is after all, the unique and strange things about how you dress and how you style your clothes that make up your personal style. But now that I can’t turn to people-watching or even Pinterest for fresh, new style inspiration, I’ve gone back to basics: watching movies.
Personal stylists like Allison Bornstein or Tibi’s Amy Smilovic have amassed platforms — and both written books — about cultivating personal style in an overwhelming sartorial landscape. And both of them advise us to use three words as our anchors. The idea is this: pick three words that, when you go to get dressed, help you build an outfit that feels true to who you are. These words aren’t “pear-shaped” or “autumn color palette,” but rather words about your character and your inspirations. Words like “edgy,” “romantic,” or “pragmatic.” To find these anchors, I’ve started going back to my favorite movies to discover a whole new vocabulary.
How you dress is a reflection of who you are and what you like. This is why so many TikTok “cores” take inspiration from esoteric lifestyle ephemera, not just specific items of clothing. It’s about world-building. And where better to find worlds that inspire you than in movies and television?
I’m partial to 90s movies just like I’m partial to 90s style. Movies like Love Jones, 10 Things I Hate About You, Basic Instinct, and even Mary Kate and Ashley’s Passport to Paris (I was destined, it seemed, to have a toxic love for The Row) have a sartorial chokehold on me. The 2000s romantic comedy also can’t be ignored, so add How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Under the Tuscan Sun, andLove and Basketball to the roster. Plus anything Gwenyth Paltrow has ever been in, like Sliding Doors, Great Expectations, and The Talented Mr. Ripley.
When I think about it, the most generative content that has helped me navigate my life, and style, as an adult has mostly been television and cinema. As a former Tumblr girl, I am no stranger to analyzing film screencaps and making them my entire personality. And over the past few years, titles like Hulu’s High Fidelityhave actively influenced my purchasing decisions more than any influencer. And who wasn’t sartorially inspired by Euphoria?
Now that I’m looking for style inspiration in movies and TV, I see potential in everything I watch. A color palette from a Regency-era TV show, a silhouette from a 90s period piece, an unexpected styling choice by a quirky character.
And in 2023, the year that the SAG actor’s strike halted a season’s worth of press tours, this was the perfect year to find fashion in film rather than in promotional material. Good thing we had a glut of good movies with great style to choose from. Here are some fashion highlights from the best movies in 2023:
Barbie
Barbie was a marketing masterpiece. Pretty much a two-hour advertisement for Mattel, the film didn’t pull any fashion punches. From Barbie’s custom Chanel to her cowboy two-piece and even the pink jumpsuits, every moment in this film was a masterclass in style. No wonder Barbiecore reigned supreme this year. Even Ken had his moments — the double denim, the leather vest, and, of course, the “I am Kenough” sweater.
Bottoms
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Bottoms is proof that we should all be dressing like lesbians. It’s a menswear masterpiece for any gender. Lots of layers, lots of overalls, and an enviable collection of vintage tees were all major style moments in this film.
Strange Way of Life
This stylish cowboy short film was the star of the Cannes Film Festival 2023. Some have called it filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar’s Answer to Brokeback Mountain. This queer Western, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, might seem like an odd choice — until you realize it’s styled by the fashion house Saint Laurent.
Sharper
This Apple TV film was not talked about enough — despite its all-star cast of Sebastian Stan, Julianne Moore, and Justice Smith. A movie about con artists, how you dress and how you appear is a major theme of the story. So no surprise that, with all the talk of quiet luxury this year, Julianne Moore’s ensembles are a stunning rival to Succession style.
She Came to Me
This odd indie film was a feast of perfectly crafted characters with fashion moments that felt so precise to the core of the characters. The female leads, Marissa Tomei and Anne Hathaway, are no strangers to iconic cinematic attire. Hathaway plays an uptight, wealthy therapist whose wardrobe is another quiet luxury dream for the Brooklyn townhouse creative class. But to me, nothing beats Tomei’s ensembles as a tugboat captain addicted to romance. The juxtaposition between her worker’s coveralls and her corsets is so sumptuous it’s a play I’ll be replicating in my own closet. Carhartts, you’re about to be dressed up with vintage lingerie.
May December
This chilling character study is another film where appearance is everything. Natalie Portman’s character mirrors Julianne Moore’s character in her quest to embody her essence, copying her clothes and her makeup in a disturbing display. But most surprising is Charles Melton’s dad style in this film. The rugbies and New Balance combo is just at home on this tragic character as it is on fashion girlies in London and NYC.
Scrapper
Starring Harris Dickinson as a young father, this might seem like an odd choice. But this was the year of Scumbag Style and Blokecore (hence all the football jerseys and sports sneakers you’ve been seeing around) and no movie better encapsulates this than Scrapper. Plus, I can’t get enough of Dickinson’s bleached blonde hair in this.
Priscilla
Sofia Coppola’s genius is that of perspective and aesthetics. And with a subject as fascinating and fashionable as Priscilla Presley, this film was a fantasy for the Tumblr girl in me and for the year of “girlhood.”
Asteroid City
It’s Wes Anderson. Need I say more?
Daisy Jones & the Six
One of the great television triumphs of the year, this series was a feat of world building and nostalgia. It brought 70s style back and gave us some style moments that will likely go down in history. It’s our generation’s Almost Famous.
Subscribers to Apple Music and other services may be eligible to claim part of a $25 million settlement over the company’s subscription-share program.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit over Apple’s Family Sharing perk, a free service that allows up to six users to access a handful of pay-per-month apps — including Apple News+, Music, TV+, Arcade and Apple Card — under one shared subscription.
According to the complaint, Walter Peters v. Apple Inc., Apple ran “deceptive” advertisements for Family Sharing alongside “virtually all” of the App Store’s subscription-based apps despite most of them not supporting sharing through the service. As a result, millions of customers were misled into buying subscriptions through third-party apps “that they would not otherwise have purchased,” lawyers alleged in the lawsuit.
Apple has denied any wrongdoing under the settlement and that it misled customers.
U.S. customers who had a Family Sharing plan and bought a subscription to a third-party app between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019, can file a claim under the settlement.
How do I claim money under the Apple settlement?
People who used Apple Family Sharing and who are eligible under the settlement can file to receive a payout through the claims website. If you have an identification number and PIN, you can file your claim through the website; if not, you must download, fill in and mail in the payment election form from the case’s website.
The filing deadline is March 1, 2024, according to the the settlement site. Claimants who file after the deadline will not receive compensation.
How much is the payout?
Under the settlement, eligible class members can expect to receive “up to $30,” according to the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of the claims site.
How will I get paid?
If you are eligible for a payout, you can choose between two payment methods: an ACH transfer (electronic payment) or a check, according to the settlement site.
You must indicate your payment preference by the filing deadline or risk forfeiting your piece of the settlement.
How do I know if I’m eligible?
Eligible customers will receive an email with information about the settlement, The Verge reported. You are eligible if you purchased a subscription through a third-party app while belonging to the Family Sharing plan with at least one other person between June 21, 2015, and Jan. 30, 2019.
If you haven’t received a notice despite meeting the eligibility requirements, you can still file a claim using the form on the settlement website and mail it in.
There’s an opt-out option for class members. Who should opt out?
You may want to opt out if you plan on filing a separate lawsuit against Apple regarding any claims related to the the class-action suit. To do so, you must mail a letter including your contact information, signature and a statement detailing your decision to opt out of the settlement to the case’s administrator.
Alternatively, you can complete an opt-out request form from the settlement website, print it out and mail it.
The opt-out request must be sent to the following address: Peters v. Apple Class Action Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 301134, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1134. Your request must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2024.
Elizabeth Napolitano is a freelance reporter at CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and technology news. She also writes for CoinDesk. Before joining CBS, she interned at NBC News’ BizTech Unit and worked on the Associated Press’ web scraping team.
Apple TV+‘s “The Buccaneers” invites viewers into the glamorous world of young, wealthy American women hunting for high-class British husbands in 1870s Britain. Based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel, the series features a stellar cast, including Kristine Froseth, Christina Hendricks, Alisha Boe, and Mia Threapleton.
While the show’s protagonists and their tales are fictional, they draw inspiration from a fascinating chapter in history— the phenomenon of American heiresses marrying British aristocrats during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
As depicted in the show, many American women of that era embarked on transatlantic journeys, offering their newfound wealth to cash-strapped British aristocrats. The backdrop for this unique social exchange was the financial turmoil faced by Britain’s aristocracy during the Gilded Age. The advent of American grain production damaged Britain’s profits, while across the Atlantic, American men were accumulating wealth but lacked social standing.
“The Buccaneers’” Imogen Waterhouse and Aubri Ibrag on Historical Norms
Apple TV+
In a recent interview with POPSUGAR Australia, Imogen Waterhouse and Aubri Ibrag, who portray Ginny St. George and Lizzy on the show respectively, spoke about the confronting historical norms that shocked them during filming.
“Nothing surprised me too much, just constantly being reminded of how rough it was for women to perform and be perfect, just to be seen as a wife,” Immy said.
Now, these gals — dubbed “dollar princesses” — didn’t have it easy. They clashed with British culture and etiquette as they tried to inject some modern vibes. Their efforts left an indelible mark on history, shaping the landscape of the British aristocracy.
“I was pretty surprised at how you couldn’t just say what you want to say,” Aubri revealed. “There’s always a code for something. You can’t just be straight. If you want a guy to come up to you, you have to drop your handkerchief and wait for them. All of these norms were so coded, and how difficult it was for women back in the day. So, it’s not surprising, but shocking.”
“The Buccaneers” Is Based on Real Events
And here’s the kicker: these unions weren’t just gossip fodder. In 1874, Jennie Jerome married Lord Randolph Churchill, and their son? None other than Winston Churchill. Fast forward to 1880, stock and railway heiress Frances Ellen Work tied the knot with the future Baron Fermoy. The marriage didn’t last, but decades later, their great-granddaughter Diana married a certain Prince Charles.
“The Buccaneers” joins period dramas like “Downton Abbey,” revealing the lives of bold women who crossed oceans for status, impacting British aristocracy. Imogen Waterhouse and Aubri Ibrag’s insights add reality to the captivating tale of love, societal norms, and groundbreaking journeys.
The highly anticipated finale episode of “The Buccaneers” is available on Wednesday, 13 December on Apple TV+.
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