Just like you, our heads have been spinning with the constant flow of news about the effects and disruptions of the Covid-19 virus on daily life here in America. If the rest of the world’s experience serves as a guide, it will be quite some time before we’re watching live sports again. It will be quite some time before we go to amusement parks again. And — this is where it hits home for us — it will be quite some time before we go back into movie theaters.
With new releases being pushed back, most theaters are closing their doors. And, let’s face it … most moviegoers are feeling a little bit antsy about being in a room with a lot of strangers right now.
But hey, here at Hollywood Outbreak, we’re all about alternatives, So while the film release schedule is in a state of indefinite flux, we’ll shift a lot of our focus over to the options you’ve got at home, whether it’s broadcast or cable TV, or the content available on streaming services. Some new stuff, some old binge-worthy stuff, but plenty of things to help you pass the time as we wait out the effects of the virus together. Stay home, stay healthy, stay sane, and stay entertained!
Mike (WILL SMITH), Marcus (MARTIN LAWRENCE) on the streets of Miami in Columbia Pictures’ BAD BOYS FOR LIFE. Photo Credit Ben Rothstein
The term “chemistry” is thrown around pretty indiscriminately in the movie business. It’s that elusive quality that helps co-stars bond and makes their performances better than they might have been otherwise. Martin Lawrence and Will Smith have definitely had chemistry as the stars of the Bad Boys franchise, and they were able to pinpoint the precise reason why that chemistry was so good: balance. (Click on the media bar below to hear Martin Lawrence & Will Smith)
Bad Boys for Life is now available for streaming rentals.
While British actor Hugh Laurie has moved on from House — he’s now starring in HBO’s Avenue 5 — he will never lose the love he’s got for the long-running medical drama, which propelled him to stardom on this side of the pond after he’d been a staple of British comedies for years. Playing the role of the cantankerous, damaged doctor (without his British accent, no less) still stands out to him as the highlight of career thus far, and he told us why he still loves the character so much. (Click on the media bar below to hear Hugh Laurie)
Margot Robbie got to play Harley Quinn in the ensemble cast of Suicide Squad film a few years ago. Now, she’s the headliner in Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn. She told us she was thrilled to have a strong supporting cast backing her up, and that working with them helped her breathe fresh life into her own character. (Click on the media bar below to hear Margot Robbie)
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is now available for streaming purchases and rentals.
Even with a Canadian host, Jeopardy! has become an American institution. The show, which just celebrated its 56th birthday on Monday, is still as popular as ever. Alex Trebek has been the game’s emcee for the past 36 years — far surpassing the show’s original 15-year run under Art Fleming — and he doesn’t see the allure of Jeopardy! waning anytime soon. After all, he told us, Jeopardy! makes its viewers at home feel like they’re part of the action. (Click on the media bar below to hear Alex Trebek)
Jeopardy! is syndicated throughout the United States; find your local affiliate at www.Jeopardy.com.
Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island hits Blu-ray and DVD on May 12, and its digital release is set for April 14. Directed by Jeff Wadlow (Cry Wolf), the feature made $48 million worldwide (it had an estimated $7 million budget).
The feature centers on Mr. Roarke (Michael Peña), a man who can supposedly make everyone’s dreams come true. Ricardo Montalban played Mr. Roarke in the TV series, and while that show had a more positive spin in realizing one’s fantasies, this movie takes a darker turn. As the guests discover, their granted wishes can turn into tragic regrets, and they must solve the island’s mystery if they want to survive the experience.
Lucy Hale, Maggie Q, and Ryan Hansen are among the ensemble in this different take on the iconic program. Special features include deleted scenes and an unrated director and cast commentary with Jeff Wadlow and the Cast (unrated version only).
Were you a fan of the original show and are you excited about Fantasy Island’s Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release? Feel free to comment below!
Directed by Eliza Hittman, Never Rarely Sometimes Always centers on Autumn (Flanigan), a pregnant teen who travels to New York with her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) to get an abortion. Their trip to the Big Apple has its share of trials and tribulations, as Hittman delivers an incisive look at the challenges of teen abortion. Co-starring Ryan Eggold (New Amsterdam) as Autumn’s deadbeat stepfather, the feature was honored with the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always also focuses on the detrimental effect men have on younger women, and its relatable journey appealed to Ryder. “I think a lot of women watching this will see these moments in the supermarket and on the bus and all these little interactions throughout the day in relation to that and – you don’t see the male gaze portrayed so honestly really ever in film,” said Ryder, who will be seen later this year in Steven Spielberg’s version of West Side Story. “And I think a lot of people will watch the film and be shocked (and think) ‘Oh my gosh, that happened to me too.'”
Click on the media bar to hear Sidney Flanigan talk about the bond she continues to share with Hittman and Ryder:
Never Rarely Sometimes Always hits On Demand Friday, April 3.
The late Leslie Nielsen’s 55-year show business career can be neatly divided into two halves: pre-Airplane! and post-“Airplane!” During the first part of his career, he was known as a serious dramatic actor, with notable starring roles in Forbidden Planet and Tammy and the Bachelor. But in his post-Airplane! years, he reigned as Hollywood’s silver-haired bastion of buffoonery, willing to do nearly anything to get a laugh in movies like Spy Hard, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, and, of course, the infamous Naked Gun trilogy, based on his Emmy-nominated role in the short-lived cop comedy Police Squad. Nielsen told us he loved the sudden change, because he’s always had a great sense of humor. (He was known to often carry a Whoopie Cushion with him.) And he worked hard on his comedic persona, wanting to make sure that he could deliver even the most tasteless lines in a tasteful way. (Click on the media bar below to hear Leslie Nielsen)
Nielsen’s hysterical Naked Gun movies are streaming now on Netflix.
Melissa (Britt Robertson) and Jeremy (KJ Apa) in I STILL BELIEVE. Photo Credit: Michael Kubeisy
In the film I Still Believe, KJ Apa plays Christian music star Jeremy Camp, and the movie tells the story of Camp’s first marriage to wife Melissa. Sadly, it was a short-lived marriage, as she succumbed to ovarian cancer within half a year of their wedding. Britt Robertson plays Melissa in the film, and Apa told us it was an on-screen match made in heaven. (Click on the media bar below to hear KJ Apa)
I Still Believe is available now for streaming rentals.
At age 80, John Amos can look back at an incredibly diverse career, one that’s featured work on stage and on screen, in movies and on television. He’s well known for his recurring roles on two iconic TV series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The West Wing. About a decade ago, he even recorded an album of country music. However, he’ll always best be known as James Evans, the head of the household on Norman Lear’s groundbreaking sitcom, Good Times. It was the show that introduced us to Jimmie Walker’s catchphrase “Dy-no-mite!” and, in later seasons, featured a young Janet Jackson. Above all else, though, the show tried to take a gritty (yet funny) look at life in the inner city. Recalling his days on the show, Amos told us why he thought it was such a special experience. (Click on the media bar below to hear John Amos)
Amos’s legendary clashes with the producers during the show’s third season resulted in one of the most memorable TV moments of the ’70s — when his TV wife, played by Esther Rolle, learned of his death. Her reaction still haunts Amos to this day. (Click on the media bar below to hear John Amos)
Good Times is playing now on Starz and the Starz app.
THE VOICE — “Battle Rounds” Episode 1806 — Pictured: Kelly Clarkson — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
Sure, Kelly Clarkson has a spectacular winning record on The Voice, with three coaching wins in her first four seasons on the show. She does, however, admit to being intimidated by the coach who’s kept her from a perfect record: John Legend. (Click on the media bar below to hear Kelly Clarkson)
Just like you, our heads have been spinning with the constant flow of news about the effects and disruptions of the Covid-19 virus on daily life here in America. If the rest of the world’s experience serves as a guide, it will be quite some time before we’re watching live sports again. It will be quite some time before we go to amusement parks again. And — this is where it hits home for us — it will be quite some time before we go back into movie theaters.
