Willie Nelson’s 152nd album and Benedict Cumberbatch playing a curmudgeonly puppeteer in “Eric” on Netflix are some of the new television shows, movies, music and games coming to a device near you.
Also among the worthwhile streaming offerings selected by Associated Press entertainment journalists: George Clooney sports drama “The Boys in the Boat,” British musical comedy “We Are Lady Parts” returns for a second season and Home improvement gurus Chip and Joanna Gaines fix up a mid-century modern lake house on HGTV.
– Jim Henson died in 1990 at age 53, but his Muppet creations and rambunctious spirit have long lived on. Ron Howard’s “Jim Henson Idea Man” (Friday, May 31 on Disney+) is an attempt to document the life and imagination behind one of the most beloved artists. Howard made the film with the involvement of the Henson family and use of their extensive archive
— George Clooney’s “The Boys in the Boat” (Tuesday on Prime Video) is an almost daringly old-fashioned sports drama that makes “Seabiscuit” seem comparatively avant-garde. It tells the true story of the University of Washington rowing team that, in 1936, reached the Berlin Olympics. In her review, AP national writer Jocelyn Noveck wrote that “Clooney chose to be choppy and a little dull, pleasant and a little predictable.”
– In the Nordic western “The Promised Land” (Thursday on Hulu), the frontier is the remote Jutland moorland of Denmark, where a retired army captain (Mads Mikkelsen) travels with royal permission to farm in 1755. His adventures, somewhat true story adapted from Ida Jessen’s 2020 bestseller, “The Captain and Ann Barbara,” gives Mikkelsen a sweeping backdrop to his magnetic presence.
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
– “The Border,” Willie Nelson’s 152nd album – you read that correctly, at least, according to Texas Monthly – arrives Friday, May 31st. Throughout the release, Nelson offers idiosyncratic interpretations of compositions by great country songwriters: Mike Reid (“Nobody Knows Me Like You”), Rodney Crowell with Will Jennings (“Many a Long and Lonesome Highway”) and Larry Cordle with Erin Enderlin ( “I Wrote This Song for You”) among them. The title track, “The Border” is another Crowell reimagining of a track from his 2019 album “Texas.” It’s a love letter to the Lone Star State, the kind Nelson knows better than anyone.
— It wasn’t long ago that all conversations about K-pop girl group aespa focused on their digital avatars. The quartet is actually an octet if you count their AI counterparts – an inventive exercise in transmedia storytelling to match their innovative pop sound. But that was then. Now the group is preparing to release their first full-length studio album, “Armageddon.” Lead single “Supernova” samples Afrika Bambaataa’s 1982 “Planet Rock” and brings their electronic experiments even further into the future.
– Grammy, Tony and Emmy winner Ben Platt brings his Broadway-sized pop to a third studio album, “Honeymind.” It’s a breezy pop-rock record (produced by Dave Cobb, known for his work with country greats Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile and, most recently, Zayn Malik), deeply informed by its own love story and Peter Gabriel’s melodies. It’s an ideal album for musical theater fans looking for a different change of pace.
— Tanerélle, the latest Republic Records signee, is preparing to release a new EP, “Electric Honey.” The Atlanta singer-songwriter’s strength is her rich vocal tone – classic and futuristic, in the same breathy delivery as her grounded R.&B. She may be a new name to some, but she’s already scored some impressive co-signs in the form of A-list syncs: her music was used in Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” and Issa Rae’s great HBO drama “Insecure.”
— And now for something completely different: on Friday, May 31, BMG Records will release “Pepito y Paquito,” the first collection of recorded material from flamenco legends Paco de Lucía and Pepe de Lucía – partially restored using AI technology – originally captured when they were 11 and 13 years old, respectively. (Before working under their own names, they were known as “Pepito y Paquito.”) There’s a lot to love here, but start with “Me Falta La Resistencia,” the male adaptation of Malaga’s La Repompa tango.
—AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
– It’s 1980s New York in the new Netflix series “Eric,” and Benedict Cumberbatch plays a curmudgeonly puppeteer named Vincent with a crumbling marriage. When Vincent’s son Edgar goes missing, he becomes obsessed with finishing a doll the boy was drawing, convinced he is the key to bringing him home. “Eric” premieres Thursday on Netflix.
– Peacock’s acclaimed British musical comedy “We Are Lady Parts” returns for a second season on Thursday. Follows the members of an all-Muslim female rock band in London. The new episodes begin after a time jump. Lady Parts now have fans, a rival musical group to compete with, and they are preparing to release a full-length album. Activist Malala Yousafzai makes a special appearance in the new episodes.
– A new Lifetime docu-series called “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson” shares details of her life before she and Ron Goldman were murdered outside their home thirty years ago on June 12, 1994. Her ex -husband, OJ Simpson, was acquitted of her murders after a long trial that was broadcast live on TV. Simpson, who died in April from cancer, always maintained his innocence. The two-part docuseries premieres June 1 and 2 on Lifetime and will stream on mylifetime.com. Both parts will also be available for purchase on VOD platforms.
– Chip and Joanna Gaines try #lakelife with their latest filmed-for-TV project. They’re fixing up a mid-century modern home near Lake Waco, just in time for the 10-year anniversary of “Fixer Upper” on HGTV. “Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse” premieres Sunday, June 2 on Magnolia Network and HGTV. It will also stream the same day on Max and Discovery+.
– Alicia Rancilio
– For 25 years, Super Smash Bros. owned its self-created category – goofy, family-friendly multiplayer brawls – because none of Nintendo’s competitors have its deep bench of characters. However, Warner Bros. Games can pose a serious challenge with MultiVersus. Why not pair Wonder Woman and Jason Voorhees against Bugs Bunny and Steven Universe? And make them fight in the Batcave or the throne room from “Game of Thrones”? And it’s free to play, although WB expects you to spend money on season passes and cosmetic upgrades. The initial roster has a few dozen fighters, and who knows to what extent WB will explore its massive film library? Dirty Harry and The Exorcist face off in Casablanca? The battle begins Thursday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox Series X/S/One and PC.
-Lou Kesten
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