Streaming Sensation: Chris Stapleton, Call of Duty, ‘The Killer,’ Tim Allen’s Santa Return!
Coming soon to your device, there are several exciting additions in the world of television, movies, music, and games. These include the highly anticipated fifth studio album from country superstar Chris Stapleton, as well as a documentary about Albert Brooks featuring renowned figures such as Steven Spielberg, David Letterman, Ben Stiller, Larry David, Chris Rock, and Wanda Sykes.
Also among the offerings selected by Associated Press entertainment reporters are Michael Fassbender to play a hitman in David Fincher’s “The Killer,” Tim Allen donning his suit for the second season of “The Santa Clauses” and “The Buccaneers.” Apple TV’s eight-episode series is the equivalent of “Bridgerton.”
NEW MOVIES to stream
– Michael Fassbender stars as an unnamed hit man in David Fincher’s “The Killer,” which debuts on Netflix on Friday, November 10. Based on a French graphic novel and adapted by Andrew Kevin Walker, who also wrote the screenplay for “Seven” (or “Se7en” for purists), this nameless assassin has some very specific rules for his chosen profession, which he monologues to the audience. But of course, things go horribly wrong with this particular job in Paris, and he has to deal with the fallout in a competition that goes global. While it may not rank among Fincher’s stone-cold classics, reviews have been largely positive. Critic Bob Strauss wrote that “The Killer” may look like a fight for life with a satisfying aspect of revenge. But it is a study in existential death, served up in deliciously cold and precise portions.
– Rob Reiner enlists Steven Spielberg, David Letterman, Ben Stiller, Larry David, Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes to examine the impact of Albert Brooks in a new documentary, “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life,” airing Saturday on Max. November 11th. Reiner and Brooks, who have been friends for “almost 60 years,” also discuss his career from stand-up to generation-defining author and filmmaker with classics like “Lost in” in person. America” and “Modern Romance” in a cozy restaurant with plush red leather booths. “This was supposed to be a compliment to finally hear,” laughs Brooks. “I can’t wait to die.”
– “Dumb Money,” an enjoyable movie about the GameStop stock flurry, was somewhat unfairly buried in the theatrical release – perhaps lost in the early post-Barbenheimer strike obscurity. Paul Dano stars as Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, an amateur investor whose endorsement of GameStock on Reddit in 2021 went viral, shaking up Wall Street’s power players. Two former Wall Street Journal reporters, Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, wrote the screenplay and Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya”) directed a star-studded cast that included America Ferrera, Seth Rogen, Anthony Ramos, Pete Davidson, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley. and Nick Offerman. In his AP review, Mark Kennedy wrote that “Dumb Money,” whose title comes from “a pejorative term institutional investors call common folk, wears a love for the little guy up its sleeve” and is a sort of correction of “The Wolf.” on Wall Street” and “The Big Short.” It will be available on video-on-demand starting Tuesday.
— AP film writer Lindsey Bahr
PERFORMING NEW MUSIC
– Country superstar Chris Stapleton‘s enigmatic voice – known for its raw versatility, so anchored in his chosen genre of music with an uncanny ability to transcend it – is equally present on his fifth studio album, ‘Higher’, which will be released on Friday in November. 10. Recorded at Nashville’s famous RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb, bassist J.T. The Cure, pedal steel player Paul Franklin, drummer Derek Mixon and multi-instrumentalists Morgane Stapleton (Stapleton’s wife) and Lee Pardini, the release is a rich collection of uptempo rock stompers like “White Horse” and stripped back soulful harmonies. from the song “It Takes a Woman” – sung with Morgane, of course. No one is immune when Stapleton’s textured, roaring ballads are played.
— Aespa was once best known as a K-pop group with its own AI avatars — a quartet that was actually an octet with digital twins performing alongside them, seeking to develop innovative transmedia storytelling to match the futuristic pop sound. Of course, at times that meant that the conversation surrounding the aespa distracted from the music itself. This should never have happened, and they continue to show their difference with the high-octane “Drama,” the band’s fourth mini-album. That’s evident in the English-language lead single, “Better Things,” with its upbeat, hand-clapping production and kiss-off chorus. “I’ve got better things to do with my time / Than you,” they sing.
— AP music composer Maria Sherman
NEW SERIES to stream
— “The Buccaneers” is Apple TV’s answer to “Bridgerton,” featuring attractive young people in late 1800s London with modern dialogue and corsets. The eight-episode series is inspired by Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name. It’s about a group of American girls who travel to London for the social season to hopefully find husbands. They are considered loud, brash and far too independent-minded. The series stars Kristine Froseth, who ends up in a love triangle, as well as Alisha Boe (“13 Reasons Why”), Mia Threapleton (Kate Winslet’s daughter), Imogen Waterhouse and Christina Hendricks. “The Buccaneers” opens Wednesday.
– Octavia Spencer executive produces new series “FEDS” for ID, who goes inside the FBI to uncover details about some of their most unusual and high-profile cases. “We had unparalleled access to the FBI,” Spencer told The Associated Press. “These agents are still active and telling their stories in their own voices. They are also unsung heroes. It was a way for us to show what they go through on a daily basis.” “FEDS” premieres Wednesday on ID and will also stream on Max.
– Tim Allen dons his Santa suit in the second season of “The Santa Clauses,” which starts Wednesday on Disney. The series is a sequel to the films, starring Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an everyman who also happens to be Santa Claus. Calvin is ready to retire but hasn’t found the right replacement. Elizabeth Mitchell also reprises her film role as Mrs. Clause in the series. “Modern Family’s” Eric Stonestreet and Gabriel Iglesias will also join the second season as guest appearances by Tracy Morgan.
– In the new Showtime series called “The Curse,” Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder play Whitney and Asher, a married couple with their own home improvement show whose shiny, happy lives in front of the camera aren’t so perfect behind the scenes. Their lives crumble even further when a young girl curses them with bad fortune. The series was created by Fielder and Benny Safdie, who plays their producer. “The Curse” premieres Friday, Nov. 10 on Paramount and Sunday, Nov. 12 on Showtime.
– After portraying savvy billionaire Logan Roy in HBO’s “Succession,” Brian Cox next stars as the boss in Prime Video’s new game show, “007: Road to a Million.” The competition features nine couples who take part in James Bond-inspired challenges around the world, testing them physically and mentally to answer questions from Cox’s Salaam. Cox is the “Controller” who guides the contestants where to go, what the exercise is and monitors their progress. The winning team will receive £1 million. All eight episodes drop Friday, November 10 on Prime Video.
– Alicia Rancilio
NEW VIDEO GAMES ARE PLAYING
– When Call of Duty premiered in 2003, critics praised it, but few predicted the monster it would become. But here it is, 20 years and 20 games later, and it’s racked up successful sales numbers, even though most of us critics have long since moved on. The latest chapter, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, welcomes back the iconic villain Vladimir Makarov, who masterminded the most horrific terrorist attack in the history of the franchise. Can the good guys of Task Force 141 stop him from starting World War III again? Hopefully. Will most CoD players make it through the campaign so they can dive back into multiplayer? Yeah. Can publisher Activision raise billions of dollars? Don’t bet against it. The bullets start flying on Friday, November 10th on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S/One, and PC.
– Sega’s Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has been around almost as long as CoD, but while huge in Japan, it’s more of a cult favorite in the West. The latest chapter, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, picks up the story of Kazuma Kiryu, who faked his own death and went into hiding before being dragged back into gangster life. Kiryu has two ways to fight: He can be an aggressive brawler or use high-tech equipment for precise takedowns. Or he can just relax and sing karaoke or race cars. The Yakuza mythology can be overwhelming for newcomers, but if you’re into unexpected, sometimes loopy storytelling, you might want to give it a try. The drama continues on Thursday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S/One and PC.
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