Around the Tubes: January 13, 2024

  

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 Wednesday, Rick and Morty, Ariana Grande, The Black Crowes, Kid Cudi, Superhot: and The Spicy World of Pepper People.

- From the creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (“Smallville”), and director Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice), the kooky and spooky first season of “Wednesday,” the TV series based on Wednesday Addams of the iconic Addams Family, which streams on Netflix and is produced by MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios, comes to DVD and Blu-ray March 26, 2024. "Wednesday" Season One will be available to purchase online and in-store from major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.  The series stars Jenna Ortega as Wednesday, Gwendoline Christie as Principal Larissa Weems, Jamie McShane as Sheriff Donovan Galpin, Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin, Percy Hynes White as Xavier Thorpe, Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair, and Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay. Guest stars include Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, and Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester.

- Go on an intergalactic adventure across the multi-verse with the critically acclaimed animated hit comedy series from Adult Swim when Rick and Morty: The Complete Seventh Season will be available to own Steelbook Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray Disc and DVD beginning March 12, 2024. Get ready to binge on one of cables #1 watched comedies - and follow the misadventures of America’s favorite crazy scientist and his grandchildren with this outrageous set which includes all 10 episodes from Season 7, along with copious special features curated for the fans, including a deep look into season 7 and its characters: "Directing Unmortricken", "The Characters of Season 7", and "Inside Season 7"  Rick & Morty has won 2 Emmy Awards and has received 5 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Animation Program for 2023.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and international superstar, Ariana Grande releases the official video “yes, and?” today directed by Christian Breslauer. Watch HERE.  The video comes just hours after she dropped the single via Republic Records – listen HERE.

- Legendary rock band The Black Crowes announce their hugely anticipated new album, Happiness Bastards, set for worldwide release March 15 via the band’s own Silver Arrow Records. Produced by GRAMMY Award-Winning producer Jay Joyce, the project is The Black Crowes’ tenth studio album and their first original music in 15 years.  Happiness Bastards is a blistering record that is both fresh, yet quintessential rock n’ roll. The thrilling news is kicked off with the release of the riff-ripping lead single “Wanting and Waiting,” an exhilarating taste of what’s to come with the signature flair and attitude of one of the most vital rock bands of this generation. Listen to “Wanting and Waiting” HERE and watch the single reveal HERE. 2024 marks 40 years since the inception of The Black Crowes, and the Robinson Brothers are claiming this momentous year as their own. Following decades marked by sex, drugs, fights, breakups, and divorce, they are leaving their bullshit behind. Serving as a salute to their past and a celebration of the present and future, the new album includes 10 original tracks, with a very special feature from GRAMMY-nominated superstar Lainey Wilson. While they have dealt with their share of differences over the years, they are now two happy bastards, with a triumphant album to show for it. Pre-Order Happiness Bastards HERE.

- After much anticipation, GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, actor and director Kid Cudi proudly presents his anxiously awaited ninth studio album, INSANO, out now via Republic Records. Listen HERE. It stands out as his first full-length offering since 2022 and features Travis Scott, Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Lil Yachty, DJ Drama as well as the late XXXTentacion. The INSANO album art will come with 4 cover-art variations featuring artwork by renowned artist and designer, KAWS as well as one rendition featuring a character by renowned multimedia artist Glassface. Check them out HERE.

- Hulu has debuted the trailer for upcoming original docu-series "Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People."   The docu-series will premiere all ten episodes on January 22, only on Hulu.  Superhot spicy peppers are on fire lately - but while most experiment with heat, others live their lives in pursuit of fire. “Superhot” is a wild ride into the Spicy World of Pepper People – the self-proclaimed chili heads who have taken the chili pill and want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes. This 10-part series goes deep into a subculture fueled by spice: from the elite growers who strive to create new superhots to the chili eaters who chase the endorphin rush of consuming them. Along the way, one legendary chili head sets out on a quest to answer the spiciest of questions: is there a pepper that can challenge the world’s hottest? 

The Ten Most Anticipated Events of 2024

 

The strikes really put a damper on 2024 as a bunch of things got delay.  Here are the few things this year worth getting at least a little excited about.

 

10.  Obligatory Super-Hero Mentions:  It seems like we may be close to the end of the superhero era.  There will be no DC movies and just one set in the MCU.  Yet, for some reason, Sony’s Spiderverse is still plowing full steam ahead with movies based on characters named Madam Webb and Kraven the Hunter.  Yeah, I have no clue who they are either.

 

9.  2024 Elections (November 5):  Usually elections are higher on my anticipated lists, but if we are barreling towards a race between a senile old man and a senile old man who is also a raving lunatic, my excitement level is fairly low.  Only one of those old farts kicking the bucket or the 14^th Amendment can save us now.

 

8.  Mean Girls (January 12):  A movie musical based on a musical that was based on a movie sounds like a horrible idea, but I am still mildly intrigued by this.

 

7.  The Final Season of La Brea January 9):  Sigh, the guiltiest guilty pleasure on television is coming to an end.

 

6.  True Detective: Night Country (January 14):  I am cautiously optimistic about this one considering it has been diminishing returns since the first season.  But putting it up north adds an interesting wrinkle.

 

5.  House of the Dragon (TBD):  It seemed like the first season was just a preamble with all the time jumping.  Things should finally pick in the second season.

 

4.  Shōgun (February 27):  I am all for a cool samurai show.

 

3.  Ballerina (June 7):  The first attempt at John Wick without John Wick did not get good reviews and was probably little watched as it was on Peacock.  But center a movie around Ana De Armas could be a better second attempt.

 

2.  Self Reliance (January 12):  I am always up for an Anna Kendrick movie especially when it premieres on Hulu.

1.  2024 Paris Olympics (July 26):  There is nothing I get more excited more than the Olympics.  I usually watch as much as I can.  Then to make this installment even better, NBC just announced that they hired Snoop Dogg to be a correspondent.

 

The Twenty-Five Best Movies I Saw in 2023

 

1.  CODA

2.  Everything Everywhere All at Once

3.  John Wick: Chapter 4

4.  Joy Ride

5.  Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

6.  Plane

7.  Beastie Boys Story

8.  The Beanie Bubble

9.  Do Revenge

10.  Fall

11.  Quiz Lady

12.  Boston Strangler

13.  No One Will Save You

14.  The Choice Is Yours

15.  Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend

16.  Flora and Son

17.  All the Bright Places

18.  Shazam! Fury of the Gods

19.  Scream

20.  Kate

21.  Werewolves Within

22.  Wildflower

23.  X

24.  See You on Venus

25.  Avatar: The Way of Water

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 7, 2024

 

 Fargo:  Okay, that opening at the debate was hilarious.  But given our political climate, I think Roy could still easily win as long as no one uncovers the murder he just committed. Which I have a feeling will happen considering how many people knew Danish was going there.  I also wonder just how many bodies are under that windmill.

 

The Challenge: Battle for a New Challenge:  Ha ha ha, Cara Maria talked all this trash and got beat at a physical challenge by a literal stick figure.

 

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: Once half the cast went through the portal last week, the grandmother still being alive was the easiest best ever, even though the last time we saw her she was being eaten by giant bugs.  Now the question is just how long does she think it has been since was sucked into the portal.  But at least they explained how Kurt Russell does not look 90 like his character should be.  But trying to figure out how time works down there and when will they actually come out when they find a way out is now hurting my brain.