Around the Tubes: June 11, 2022

                  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on We Hunt Together, POV, Kenny Loggins, Blondie, UB40, Smash Mouth, James Bay, Neneh Cherry, Marcus King, Kid Cudi, Kira Kosarin, Of Monsters and Men, McEnroe, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Sofia, and Uninterrupted.

- The second season of the cat-and-mouse drama series WE HUNT TOGETHER will now premiere Friday, July 1, when all six episodes will be available on streaming and on demand for SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut with its first two episodes on Sunday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT and next two episodes Sunday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m ET/PT. Subsequent episodes will air Sundays starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT.  The London-set series stars Hermione Corfield (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Eve Myles (Broadchurch) and Babou Ceesay (GUERILLA), and joining the series for season two will be Colin Morgan (The Fall). From BBC Studios Drama Productions, all six episodes of the hour-long series of WE HUNT TOGETHER are written by Gaby Hull.  

- The 35th anniversary season of POV, America’s longest running documentary series, opens with the heart rendering observational film Wuhan Wuhan, about the first wave of COVID-19, in the city where the mysterious virus was first discovered.  Directed by Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze, This is Not a Movie), and produced by Diane Quon (Minding the Gap), Donna Gigliotti (Hidden Figures, Shakespeare in Love), and Peter Luo (Crazy Rich Asians, Marshall), the documentary goes beyond the statistics and salacious headlines to provide a human experience to the early months of the pandemic through the stories of frontline medical workers, patients, and ordinary citizens.  Watch the Trailer Now

- Pop icon Kenny Loggins is enjoying the resurgence of his 1986 hit “Danger Zone.” The track was featured in the original Top Gun soundtrack and makes another appearance in Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick (May 2022). Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster and has grossed $282 million at the box office worldwide, the largest opening in history for a Memorial Day weekend release.  Although Loggins re-recorded "Danger Zone" for the project,  the film's producers decided to use the original version for the sequel.  Loggins revisits the story behind the hit via American Songwriter here.

- In what has become another major year for Blondie, the New York legends mark a career milestone with the release of the first ever authorised and in-depth archive in their history, a rarity for a band almost 50 years into their career with 40 million records sold. Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 will be released on August 26^th via UMe and The Numero Group, and is available to pre-order now.  Pre-Order Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982: ​​https://blondie.lnk.to/AgainstTheOddsPR

- UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro will release their new album Unprecedented, July 1 via UMe.  The album will be released as a black 2LP, a limited-edition white-color 2LP, 1CD, limited-edition cassette as well as digitally.  All formats include their new single “Sufferer”, which Ali has dedicated to his beloved friend and bandmate of over four decades, Astro, who tragically passed away last November.  ‘“Sufferer,’ is a song that Astro and I have always loved, from the brilliant Kingstonians,” comments Ali. “Astro was so proud of our version of this song, as am I. It’s the first track off our new studio album Unprecedented which will be out in the summer. This song is more poignant and special than I ever realized after Astro heartbreakingly passed away after recording this album. We want to keep his memory alive through his music and this song and album.”  Listen to “Sufferer” HERE

- The Summer of Smash Mouth is officially underway. With new lead singer Zach Goode already in full bloom leading the charge of the band’s beach-approved brand of high-energy alt-pop, Smash Mouth is perfectly poised for their next audacious move.  Today, UMe releases “Never Gonna Give You Up,” Smash Mouth’s truly bold and vibrant cover of British soul-pop sensation Rick Astley’s iconic 1987 hit single on all digital formats. This refreshingly zesty reimagining spotlights the vocal talents of the New Your City-born, Los Angeles-based Goode to an absolute T.  There’s no doubt Smash Mouth’s version of “Never Gonna Give You Up” is never gonna let you down, as it’s the perfect sonic libation to accompany all means and methods of summertime fun. Click HERE to listen now.  And that’s not all. Back on May 13, Republic Records released “All Star (Owl City Remix),” Owl City’s bold reimagining of Smash Mouth’s iconic 1999 hit single, on all digital formats. This fresh take on a perennial classic adds a new layer of sunny electronic pep to a song recognized worldwide for its inherently joyful get-up-and-go disposition. Click HERE to listen now.

- Gearing up for his momentous return to the road in the United States, tickets for James Bay’s much-anticipated North American headline tour go on-sale today. They are available HERE.  The three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist has revealed dates in major markets such as New York’s Irving Plaza on September 7^th, Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts on September 9^th, Boston’s Paradise Rock Club on September 10^th, and Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club on September 11^th.  The shows are adding to his current run supporting The Lumineers on their 2022 Brightside World Tour where he will be joining them on nine dates including Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on September 1^st and Chicago’s Wrigley Field on September 3^rd. Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.

- Neneh Cherry’s new album The Versions is out today, a collaboration album of covers from her expansive catalogue by an all female lineup of some of the most exciting and revered artists of our time. Listen to ANOHNI’s version of Neneh’s empowering single “Woman,” where the pop provocateur lends her haunting vocals, delivering an arresting remake of the iconic original.  LISTEN TO THE VERSIONS HERE.  LISTEN TO “WOMAN” BY ANOHNI HERE

- All hail to Marcus King who ignited the stage of the Tonight Show last night with an electrifying performance of recent single “Hard Working Man.” King made his first tv performance of a song  from his forthcoming solo album, the highly anticipated, Young Blood, released August 26 on American Records / Republic.  Watch the performance HERE.  The 26-year-old Grammy nominated innovative songwriter and phenomenal performer on the rise to rock royalty with the release of Young Blood, a timeless concoction of swaggering rock and supersonic soul, drawing on his most stadium sized rock influences.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, and director Kid Cudi returns with a new single entitled “Do What I Want” via Republic Records.  Listen to “Do What I Want” HERE.  Most importantly, it heralds the arrival of his anxiously awaited eighth full-length offering and one of the most anticipated projects of 2022, Entergalactic. The NETFLIX project and accompanying album are coming this Fall. The project reunites Cudi with co-creator Ian Edelman who worked together on HBO’s “How To Make It In America.” Cudi also serves as an executive producer alongside Kenya Barris, through their respective production companies Mad Solar and Khalabo Ink Society.  Watch the teaser for Entergalactic HERE

-  Gaining momentum with the steady release of new music, 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kira Kosarin unveils a new song entitled “goodbye & thank u” via Republic Records today. Listen to “goodbye & thank u”–HERE.  The song sees Kira nostalgically say goodbye to a chapter in her life before welcoming a new one.

- Multi-platinum Icelanders Of Monsters and Men unveil their new TÍU EP via Republic Records featuring new single (and video for) “Lonely Weather”. This release  arrives on the heels of the world premiere of their TÍU short documentary at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City last night. To celebrate the premiere,  the band took the stage and performed three tracks from the EP, also featured in the doc.  Listen to TÍU—HERE.  Stream new track Lonely Weather - HERE.  Watch Lonely Weather video - HERE.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films today has announced McENROE, a captivating and powerful film that dives deep into the life of John McEnroe, one of tennis’ all-time greats who rose to world No. 1 for four consecutive years, all the while battling intense bouts of perfectionism and self-doubt. The documentary will have its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday, June 10, and will be available Friday, September 2 on all streaming and on demand platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, September 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The film will release theatrically in the U.K. on Friday, July 15.  To watch the trailer, visit: https://s.sho.com/SHOMcEnroe.

- One of the most popular series in television history will return fully restored to entertain old fans and new viewers when THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET: SEASONS 1 AND 2 arrive on four-DVD sets from MPI Media Group on June 21, 2022. The two sets contain 39 episodes each, representing the complete first two seasons (78 episodes) of the long-running sitcom ranked number 6 on Vulture’s list of “The 50 Most Definitive Family TV Shows.” The entire library of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet has been restored by MPI Media Group from the original 35mm picture and sound elements in association with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which preserves the elements on behalf of the Nelson family.  For a record-breaking 14 seasons and 435 episodes, THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET aired on ABC-TV from 1952 through 1966, becoming one of the most cherished cultural touchstones of the 20th century. The positive, wholesome series epitomized an idyllic American 1950s lifestyle, its gentle humor brought to the screen by the real-life Nelson family: Ozzie and wife Harriet with their sons, David and Rick, all portraying themselves in a trend-setting blend of fact-meets-fiction comedy decades before Seinfeld and other semi-reality-based shows. 

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films this week announced SOPHIA from directors Jon Kasbe (When Lambs Become Lions, The Deep End) and Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack, Skate Kitchen). The documentary feature follows inventor David Hanson’s relentless quest to bring compassion and consciousness to Sophia, the most recognized humanoid robot in the world. SOPHIA will premiere at the Tribeca Festival tonight, Friday, June 10 at the Village East Theatre, ahead of a theatrical qualifying run this fall and a SHOWTIME premiere later this year. To watch a clip from SOPHIA, click here: https://youtu.be/qDYrK65Q4d0.  Tickets for SOPHIA at Tribeca Festival can be purchased here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/sophia-2022.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films presents a film examining the improbable rise of one of boxing’s most guarded champions, Andre Ward, produced by Lebron James and Maverick Carter’s UNINTERRUPTED. The undefeated, five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist reveals his untold story in a deeply personal account of his journey from a turbulent childhood in Oakland, Calif., through the pressures of world championship expectations and ultimately to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame this weekend. The currently untitled film will premiere on SHOWTIME in early 2023.  “I always knew that one day I would tell my story in my own words. I’ve been waiting for the right moment and platform to do it, and the time is now,” said Ward. “I’m excited to be partnering with SHOWTIME and UNINTERRUPTED to bring this to life.  Many people know what I accomplished, but they don’t know what I overcame to get to this point. I pull back the curtain on my parents’ struggles with addiction, the lure of the street life following my father’s death, and my battles with the sport of boxing itself. This film will detail how I rose above it all through my faith, determination and desire to leave my own unique legacy no matter the cost.”  

 

Congratulations, You’ve Just Been Erased

 

Full Disclosure Notice:  Warner Bros. sent me this blu-ray for free so I could review it. 

 

In another measure of full disclosure, I feel like it is also important to mention I have never seen the original Eraser movie.  I thought about watching before checking out Eraser: Reborn, but then realized a fresh perspective from someone who is not tainted by seeing the original may be more interesting than a review that just a point by point comparison of the two.

 

Not only have I not seen the original, I barely remember it ever existed.  I think I only remember the name because it was always one of those movies that seemed to be on free weekend previews for premium cable channels.  Honestly, based on the name alone, I for some reason always thought it was a sci-fi movie (let us be honest, a sci-fi movie where someone goes around erasing people sounds pretty cool).  Then, when I first started and saw that a character loading up on guns (not really the best way to open a movie based on recent events), I then I began to think it was some sort of The Punisher type vigilante movie.  Wrong on both accords.

 

That character who was packing an entire arsenal to himself is actually a U.S. Marshall played by Dominic Sherwood (Shadowhunters) who is basically the only person in the film I recognized (sorry fans of the original, no Arnold cameo).  I am currently halfway through a re-watch of Justified and even fresh in my mind I do not remember Raylan Givens needing more than one gun at a time.  Nor did he engage in much hand to hand combat except for the time he got in a bar fight that resulted in him losing his iconic hat.  I think Sherwood gets in more fights in a single movie that Rayan got in during his six seasons.

 

So Eraser: Reborn is definitely an action movie, and an action movie in the vein of those that were made when the original was released in 1996 or even a decade earlier.  Watching the movie got me thinking of The Big Picture podcast which coined a phase “Garbage Crime.”  These are movies that will not be winning any awards, or light up the Tomato Meter, but are just light dumb crime movies that you watch when you have nothing better to watch and tired of searching.  Not necessarily a derogatory term but certainly not the most glowing nickname.  They are probably made even better if you have a buddy who also likes these types of movie to watch with.

 

Eraser: Reborn certainly fit the bill.  Sherwood is no Arnold nor is he Raylan because the movie goes over the top even though budget restraints keeps them from really going as big as the writer and director wants to go.  There is a pretty absurd action sequence with a moving shipping container and there is one of the wildest safe house in film history, quite literally.  Speaking of budgetary restraints, this movie looks like it could have been a TNT show during the ’10.  Maybe an Eraser show would fit into other current dadcore shows that Prime Video pumps out these days like Bosche and Reacher.  Someone who “erases” a new person every week sounds like a pretty good idea for a television show even without the big twists the movie has.  It already has a great catchphrase to use every week: “Congratulations, you’ve just been erased.”

 

Eraser: Reborn is available today on DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital.  Or you could just wait until this fall when it is scheduled to hit HBO Max.  Just do not ask me why we could watch The Batman on HBO Max after 45 days but have to wait two to three times as long for a straight DVD movie.  Really, why even make straight to DVD movies anymore?  Just put them straight on streaming.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 5, 2022

 

The Time Traveler’s Wife:  Oh wow, an episode of The time traveler’s Wife that is about, you know, the time traveler’s wife.  Though I am not sure if Ygritte could actually pull off a teenager.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  So Alicia is dead?  My big take away from her “waking up” was that she actually looks healthy… she must be dead.  But I am guessing they left it vague in case this is a Maggie situation where the actress wanted to leave only to realize there is not much work out there andcomes back to the show.

 

The First Lady:  I routinely ask about the accuracy of small details in this shows based on real people, but the thought that three Secret Service  pulled Sasha out of class solely because of a school shooting a couple states away seems fairly absurd.  Then I forgot that Judy Greer was on this show.  She seemed like she was going to be an important part of the Betty Ford storyline but just seemed to disappear.  But it was nice to see that Gerald was a good sport on SNL unlike Cheney and Rumsfeld.  I wonder what Dick thought of the movie made about him.

 

The Man Who Fell to Earth:  Yeah, it became obviously fairly quickly that the lady no one else saw was not really there.  But where exactly did she come from?  Did the other alien conjure her like he just show up to him from tome to time?

 

I Love That for You:  I mentioned how Patricia and Joanna would see different types of doctors to treat their types of cancer.  Unfortunately for Joanna, that did not stop Patricia from asking to talk to her doctor.  It was really rough of Joanna to ask her dad to pretend to be her doctor.

 

Obi Wan Kenobi:  Ooo, Vader vs. Kenobi… that almost made me forget that the Inquisitor somehow beat Leia to the end of the tunnel despite Leia having a decent head start the Inquisitor not really knowing where the tunnel ended.  Almost.

 

The Challenge: All Stars:  Stupid “This Season On…”  We saw Wes complain about Johnny being brought in as a mercenary so as soon as he got selected, it was obvious whoever he went up against was going to lose.  And that was one of the dumbest eliminations ever.  All they had to do is stand between the things, like Beth and Wes did, and had everyone been smart, could have been up there forever.

 

The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans:  Is there really going to be someone who goes home right before they were going to leave anyway for the second straight season?  But how disappointing that they did not put C’mon Me My Baby Tonight on Spotify.

 

Under the Banner of Heaven:  I did not realize this was going to be the finale.  And at 90 minutes, they really could have just split the last episode into two 45 minute episode.  Though, with every episode over an hour, they really could have just done ten 50 minute episodes instead.  Or just done away with the cop and his family life and made the Lafferty’s the main characters.