MOVIES
“The Harder They Fall” is a modernized Western. It was co-produced and directed by Jay-Z. Based on real Black characters from Old West, who are often overlooked in this genre. Jonathan Majors plays Nat Love, a cowboy who is surrounded by gun-slinging men. He faces off against Rufus Buck (IdrisElba), who murdered Love’s parents many years ago. The cast includes Regina King and LaKeith Stanfield as well as Delroy Lindo, Zazie Bets, Danielle Deadwyler, and Zazie Beets. Jocelyn Noveck, AP, described “The Harder They Fall” as a bold Western that “tells a story sorely overlooked in cinema.”
Jane Campion’s upcoming Gothic Western “The Power of the Dog” has won him widespread praise. But, Benedict Cumberbatch gives an entirely different performance in “The Electric Life of Louis Wain,”a touching and funny biopic about the Victorian English illustrator of anthropomorphized cats. Will Sharpe, creator of “Flowers” in the UK, directed “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.” It is a portrait of an eccentric mind, often misunderstood, that is always at work. With Claire Foy.
Tom Hanks has been acting in the role of a volleyball for more than 20 years. Miguel Sapochnik’s film “Finch” features a man, dog, and robot on a road trip through a post-apocalyptic America. Hanks portrays the last human on Earth who created an android (voiced Caleb Landry). The android is his companion. This film will debut Friday on Apple TV+. It is the second Hanks movie that has landed at the Apple TV+ during the pandemic.
ABBA, the Swedish supergroup, will release “Voyage”, their latest album on Friday. This is 39 years since their last new music. In a September statement, the group said that it was foolish to wait over 40 years between albums. With two new songs, the foursome behind “Dancing Queen” (and “Take a Chance on Me”) has hinted at their sound in 2021. They have the sad “I Still Believe In You” and the dance-pop “Don’t Shut Me Down”. The lyrics are: “Now you can see another me/I’ve been reloaded.”
This album cover combination shows “Queens of the Summer Hotel”, left by Aimee Mann and “The Vinyl Collection Vol. “1” is a box set containing six of Billy Joel’s albums. (SuperEgo Records via AP and Columbia Records via AP).
What is the musical version of “Girl, Interrupted?”? Aimee Mann fans can discover the album “Queens of the Summer Hotel” via Mann’s SuperEgo Records. These 15 songs were composed for an upcoming stage adaptation of Susannah Kaysen’s memoir about her psychiatric hospitalization during the late 1960s. Mann’s trademark sardonic humor, wry words, moody melodies, and strong emotional resonance are evident in the songs. “Suicide Is Murder” is one of the most memorable songs on the album. It’s a monologue that the narrator tells about her suicide attempt.
Expect some classic Billy Joel to be released Friday. The Piano Man will re-release his six first albums, from 1971’s “Cold Spring Harbor”, to 1978’s” 52nd Street,” as part of the nine-LP set a rel=”https://www.billyjoel.com/news/billy_joel–the-vinyl–collection-vol-1–to-be-released–november-5 The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, as well as streaming platforms. Box set owners will receive “Live at The Great American Music Hall — 1975”, a previously unreleased concert recording. Streamers can listen to the digital versions of “Everybody Loves You Now”, and “New York State of Mind,” which are both live performances that were recorded before the album.
TELEVISION
Apple TV+, the home of the kind-hearted Ted Lasso, is now introducing a sibling for preschool. “Hello Jack!” “Hello, Jack!” is the theme of The Kindness Show. It features Jack McBrayer (network page Kenneth on 30 Rock) and was created by McBrayer (“Daniel Tiger’s Neighbor”). It tells stories about the cascading effects of helping acts and aims at explaining how to “solve problem with heart.” The series also features original songs by OK Go and Markita Prescott. It premieres Friday.
Adam Dalgliesh is a British detective-poet who was featured in over a dozen mysteries written by P.D. James is back on the small screen. Bertie Carvel plays the cerebral crimefighter who appreciates fine cars in “Dalgliesh,” which is a trio of mysteries that debut Monday on Acorn TV’s streaming service. The adapted books are “Shroud for the Nightingale”, “The Black Tower” or “A Taste for Death”. Dalgliesh has been played previously on TV by Roy Marsden (“Inspector George Gently”)
Saturday’s gaming event will see gamers clearing the decks. Riot Games’ Arcane, a TV adaptation of the eponymous videogame drawn from the “League of Legends,” universe, will debut on Netflix at 10 p.m. ET. After the Riot Games League of Legends World Championship in Iceland, it’s the chaser. Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell and Jayce Alejandro are the voices for “Arcane”. The series will be available in three episodes, with the first focusing on the origins of the siblings. The next episodes will air on Nov. 13th and 20th.
