Comedy
What’s Streaming on Netflix in August 2020
Netflix is getting prehistoric in August 2020. The first three Jurassic Park films are stomping over to the streaming giant, leaving the newly minted confines of Peacock only 17 days after launching. That kind of coup would impress even the likes of Ian Malcolm. That’s not all! Those flicks join an onslaught of legitimate popcorn classics in The Addams Family, The NeverEnding Story, Mad Max, A Knight’s Tale, and Seabiscuit. Okay, maybe that last one is more wine and cheese than buttered popcorn… Hey, speaking of the wine and cheese crowd, Netflix is also bringing some high class cerebral fare. There’s An Education, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and one of our personal favorites in Nightcrawer. In terms of originals, Netflix’s premiering a ton of documentaries...
Bill & Ted: Face the Music Secures VOD Release Date, Drops New Trailer: Watch
The Wyld Stallyns are riding into your living room: Bill & Ted 3: Face the Music will now arrive on VOD and in select theaters on September 1st. To celebrate, Orion Pictures has dropped a totally awesome new trailer. As you’ll see below, William “Bill” S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Theodore “Ted” Logan (Keanu Reeves) are no longer the teen slackers outside the Circle K. They’re grown-ass adult slackers outside the Circle K. Tasked to write and complete a world-saving tune, the two heroes set out on another time-traveling adventure, this time involving their daughters: Samara Weaving as Thea Preston and Brigette Lundy-Paine as Billie Logan. It’s pretty far out. Editors’ Picks Grab a slushee and watch below. In addition to the aforementioned, the Steven Soderbergh-pr...
Netflix Drops The Official Trailer For Sam Jay’s ‘3 In The Morning’
Source: Netflix / Netflix Saturday Night Live writer Sam Jay is coming to Netflix with her own special and we are here for it. Source: Netflix / Netflix The hilarious queer comedian, who’s earned her comedy stripes by garnering an Emmy nod for her writing for the iconic late-night comedy showcase, is showcasing her own talent with her first-ever hourlong comedy special, 3 In The Morning. Filmed prior to the pandemic, the Netflix special features the Boston-bred comedian delivers the witty, candid, and raw style of comedy that is perfect for the current sociopolitical climate. “With everything that’s going on it’s hard to laugh at anything these days and I get that,” Jay said in a statement. “I just hope this special provides a little break from the insanity.” Breaking the news to fans, Sam...
What’s Streaming on HBO Max in August 2020
HBO Max has been conquering our summer quarantine, and they’re closing out the season in style this August. Below, Consequence of Sound has put together a full list of new TV and film titles heading to the network. For exclusives, subscribers can look forward to Seth Rogen’s An American Pickle, the series premiere of Lovecraft Country, new doc Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn, and finales for Perry Mason, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, and I May Destroy You. For moviegoers looking for a good marathon, you might want to Billy Madison your way through Hogwarts as all eight Harry Potter movies will be leaving the network by the end of the month. That’s right. No more Azkaban, no more Chamber, no more Goblet. Though, if magic ain’t your bag, you might try heading to Gotham City with just about ev...
An Oral History of The Freshman: Matthew Broderick, Andrew Bergman, and Michael Lobell Revisit the 1990 Comedy
On July 20th, 1990, The Freshman hit theaters with all the right pieces. It had solid pitch, one of Hollywood’s sharpest scribes in writer/director Andrew Bergman, and ’80s icon and heartthrob Matthew Broderick. To top it all off, the mob comedy managed to even wrangle the Don himself Marlon Brando, who had all but retired by that point. It wasn’t a summer blockbuster, but it was a success for TriStar. Critics loved it, audiences enjoyed it, and the box office returns managed to nearly double the budget. In the years since, however, it has garnered a cult following, and many view it as one of the last great works of Brando’s legendary (and oft-puzzling) career. To commemorate the film’s 30th anniversary, we recently spoke with writer/director Andrew Bergman, producer Michael Lobell, and st...
30 Rock Reunion Special: How to Watch, Premiere Time, and Everything You Need to Know
On Thursday, July 16th, the cast of 30 Rock are reuniting for a one-time-only scripted special. It’s debuting on NBC, which you can watch with a free 7-day trial of Hulu + Live TV. It’s been seven years since the hit sitcom concluded its seven-season, 138-episode run in January of 2013. Now, like its sister NBC program Parks and Recreation, the beloved comedy is heading back to the air for a purpose-driven reunion special. While the Parks and Recs crew re-teamed to support Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund, the 30 Rock-ers have gotten back together for a far more corporate purpose — which, given the very nature of the show itself, makes it a perfectly meta exercise in corporate synergy. So, why exactly have the doors to Studio 6H been reopened, and how can you watch it all unfo...
The 100 Greatest Summer Blockbuster Movies of All Time
“Cool.” “Riveting.” “Gripping.” “High-Octane Thrill Ride!” All cliches of film criticism and yet all feelings we’ve experienced while watching a crackerjack summer blockbuster. Oops, there we go again. All things considered, any moviegoer can speak to the divine feeling of sitting in a cool, packed theater in the heat of the summer and being united by narrative. Not just united, but hypnotized, mentally convinced that the fate of the world is before your eyes, and there is nothing more important in that very moment. It’s escapism. It’s popcorn. It’s Chinatown. But also, it’s the power of spectacle. Over the years, Hollywood has certainly run that concept through the ringer, having turned what used to be a summer blockbuster season into, well, an entire calendar year. Now, all those aforeme...
Hulu’s Palm Springs Had a Record-Breaking Opening Weekend
When was the last time you experienced pure, unbridled joy? It’s clearly been some time, and Hulu’s latest success story is proof. As IndieWire reports, Andy Samberg’s newest film Palm Springs has smashed the platform’s opening weekend streaming records, proving that we’re all quite desperate for the twin balms of romance and laughter. Palm Springs was directed by Max Barbakow and written by Andy Siara. Set in the titular idyllic California town, it stars Saturday Night Live alum Samberg and Cristin Milioti, who you may remember as the panicked crew member trapped aboard the USS Callister from Black Mirror’s fourth season. It’s an earnest, warmhearted take on the time-loop format; think Groundhog Day meets When Harry Met Sally, set against a hazy desert sky. Sure, we’d all love to be ...
The Lost Art of Summer Blockbuster Counterprogramming
Blockbuster Month is celebrating the true titans of the genre. In the weeks ahead, you’ll read through a variety of features digging deep into the greatest hits of Hollywood, from popcorn classics to underrated gems. Today, Josh Spiegel discusses the art of counterprogramming and whether studios can still pivot around major tentpoles and blockbusters. All movies are not created equal. For decades, the summer was the domain of the blockbuster: big-budget films with loads of action, special effects, and anchored by some kind of intellectual property. Sometimes, those films were able to boast A-List stars; other times, those films created A-List stars. (Will Smith was well-known for his music career and starring role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but Independence Day made him a star. The fo...
NBC Unveils Teaser for 30 Rock Reunion Special: Watch
Next week, 30 Rock cast members Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer will reunite for a new scripted special. In anticipation, you can watch a newly revealed teaser trailer below. As previously reported, the 30 Rock reunion is part of an upcoming hour-long, commerical-free special from NBC airing on July 16th at 8:00 p.m. local time. You’ll be able to watch it live via Hulu. The special was seemingly put together by NBC in lieu of this year’s Upfront presentation, which was canceled due to COVID-19. In a meta twist that bridges the fictional and real-life realms of the media conglormate, the special will see the 30 Rock cast tout “the stories and talent featured in NBCUniversal’s 2020-21 television season.” The special will be reb...
Dave Chappelle Hosted a Fourth of July Music Festival in the Cornfields of Ohio
Ever the trailblazer, Dave Chappelle has proven it’s possible to host a safe outdoor music festival in the middle of a pandemic. As BrooklynVegan points out, Chappelle celebrated Fourth of July by holding a mini music festival in the cornfields of Yellow Springs, Ohio on Saturday night. As recounted by comedian Cipha Sounds, the six-hour event kicked off with standup comedy from Michelle Wolf, Tiffany Haddish, Michael Che, and Chappelle himself. Questlove then provided the soundtrack for a fireworks display with an all J. Dilla DJ set. The evening concluded with live performances from Erykah Badu, Common, and Talib Kweli, interspersed with appearances from Chappelle and Jon Hamm. All of the evening’s participants were tested for coronavirus prior to taking the stage. Meanwhile, the 400-per...
HBO Max’s An American Pickle Trailer Gives Us Two Seth Rogens In One Movie: Watch
There’s always room for Seth Rogen — even two of them. Such is the case for An American Pickle, the forthcoming comedy set to premiere on HBO Max on August 6th. Today, the network the film’s first trailer, which you can watch below. Based on Simon Rich’s 2013 New Yorker short story, An American Pickle spins a tall-tale about a struggling immigrant named Herschel Greenbaum (Rogen), who falls into a vat of pickles in 1920 Brooklyn, only to wake up brined and young 100 years later. It gets better: Greenbaum has a grandson named Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), who works as a mild-mannered coder, which obviously doesn’t make a lick of sense to the confused time traveler. Naturally, hi-jinx will ensue. Editors’ Picks Rich wrote the screenplay and cinematographer-turned-filmmaker Bran...
