This week’s new entertainment releases include two Billies — a documentary on Billie Eilish debuting on Apple TV+ and in theaters, and Lee Daniels’ film “The United States vs
By The Associated Press
February 22, 2021, 6:07 PM
• 5 min read
Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.
MOVIES
— A classic immigrant story told with rare grace, Lee Isaac Chung's “Minari” has been steadily building buzz since its acclaimed debut at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2020, leading up to its recent crop of Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations. On Friday, after a brief run in theaters, “Minari” debuts on-demand. It stars Steven Yeun and Yeri Han as parents of young children (Noel Kate Cho, Alan S. Kim) who move from California to Arkansas in the 1980s to start a farm on their land when they're not working at a chicken plant. Chung's film gently burrows into collisions of Korean and American identity, crafting an earthy and atmospheric family drama.
— Based on Johann Hari’s 2015 book, “Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs,” Lee Daniels' “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” chronicles the legendary jazz singer's addiction and activism. Andra Day, who's nominated for a Golden Globe, plays Holiday in the biopic, which premieres Friday on Hulu. In it, Holiday struggles with addiction, racism and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, and becomes a vital voice in a Civil Rights movement that drew strength from her music.
— During much of Billie Eilish's meteoric ascent, filmmaker R.J. Cutler was trailing the popstar. On Friday, “Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry” debuts on Apple TV+ and in theaters, revealing an intimate coming-of-age story of the 19-year-old Grammy winner, including the recording and releasing of her debut album — plus less public events like getting her driver's license. Eilish has said she “cried out of joy” while watching it for the first time.
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
MUSIC
— Willie Nelson won a Grammy Award for his 2018 album honoring close friend Frank Sinatra. Now, he’s paying tribute to the late icon again. “That’s Life,” out Friday, is a collection of standards and classics made famous by Sinatra that Nelson has recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, where Sinatra recorded some of his masterpieces and was also the first to record at the facility. Sinatra died at age 82 in 1998. He and Nelson, 87, were pals and colleagues: In the 1980s, Sinatra opened for Nelson at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and they appeared together in a public service announcement for NASA’s Space Foundation.
— The American treasure Harry Belafonte will celebrate his 94th birthday on Sunday with a virtual party featuring rappers Common and Chuck D and activist Tamika D. Mallory. Tickets for The Gathering for Harry start at $25 and funds will benefit The Gathering for Justice, the social justice organization Belafonte founded in 2005. Party starts at 7 p.m. ET.
— Grammy-nominated country duo Florida Georgia Line are livestreaming a concert Thursday to celebrate their recent album and also support downtown merchants affected by the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville. “LIFE ROLLS ON FROM THE FGL HOUSE” will be available Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at the Amazon Music Twitch channel and will feature music from the group’s new album, “Life Rolls On,” released on Feb. 12. The event in Nashville was originally supposed to take place Feb. 17 but was postponed because of the bad weather. Amazon Music, Florida Georgia Line, Big Machine Label Group and CMT have each donated to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Nashville Neighbors Fund to support merchants affected by the bombing.
— AP Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu
TELEVISION
— The greatest superpower of all, parenting, is central to CW’s new “Superman & Lois,” which finds the couple and their two boys on the Kent farm in Smallville handling family business. There are still bad guys for Superman to bust and deadlines for Lois and Clark to meet, but their domestic life can’t be ignored. One critical issue: Will sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin) inherit their dad’s powers someday? Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch star in the series debuting 8-9:30 p.m. EST Tuesday.
— While the rover named Perseverance combs the Martian surface, viewers can dig into the remarkable exploit with “Looking for Life on Mars,” a one-hour special airing Wednesday on PBS’ “Nova” series (check local listings for times). Nova filmmakers began following the NASA mission in May 2019 to detail the innovation and team work required for what proved to be last week’s successful landing on Mars. The special promises exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the mission and post-landing still images released by NASA.
— “Punky Brewster” is back, and so is star Soleil Moon Frye. In the original 1980s sitcom, bright little Penelope, nicknamed Punky, was abandoned by her parents but found her own home, with a widower who first became her foster and then adoptive father. In the new series for the Peacock streaming service, Punky is a single mom with three children when Izzy (Quinn Copeland), a young girl in the foster system, enters the picture. Freddie Prinze Jr. co-stars in the series debuting Thursday.
— AP Television Writer Lynn Elber
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