BEST BETS
McQueen
Lee Alexander McQueen – whose work arguably changed the course of European fashion – gets a stately, comprehensive biography that gives his life and work the consideration it deserves. Read Norm Wilner’s review.
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda
Stephen Schible’s patient, observant documentary follows the revered musician and composer – an Oscar-winner for the score of The Last Emperor – as he returns to work after a diagnosis of throat cancer. Read Norm Wilner’s review.
Scotty And The Secret History Of Hollywood
Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary about Los Angeles habitué Scotty Bowers – a former Golden Age escort, now 95 years old and happily married – goes well beyond the gossipy promise of its title. Read Kevin Ritchie’s review.
STREAMING/TV
Better Call Saul
The Breaking Bad prequel returns for a fourth season of world-building and character study, following the ethically flexible Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) a little further down his path to becoming “criminal lawyer” Saul Goodman. Norm Wilner is awfully appreciative of what the show is doing. August 6, 9 pm on AMC
Marching Orders
Only a handful of depictions of Black college marching bands have made it into the mainstream, from the 2002 classic Drumline to Beyoncé’s landmark Coachella performance, but when we do get to see them they’re always electric. Expect the same spine-tingliness from this behind-the-scenes look at Bethune-Cookman University’s Marching Wildcats. The reality series follows an incoming class of marching band and majorette hopefuls as they try to survive the rigours of practice and performance all while balancing school and their social lives. August 3 on Netflix
THEATRICAL
Christopher Robin
“Ewan McGregor as a middle-aged Christopher Robin who learns to reconnect with his family when the stuffed animals he loved as a boy return to show him the joys of life” seems like a bit of a stretch, but it’s bound to be better than Hollywood’s last crack at this story. Directed by Marc Forster, who kinda-sorta trod similar ground in Finding Neverland.
The Darkest Minds
When teenagers suddenly manifest superpowers, the government classifies them as hostile and starts rounding them up in camps … until one bold young woman makes a break for freedom. Amandla Stenberg stars in director Jennifer Yuh Nelson’s big-screen adaptation of Alexandra Bracken’s YA novel, which is totally not an X-Men tie-in.
The Spy Who Dumped Me
Susanna Fogel’s comedy stars Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon as besties forced on the run when an ex turns out to be an international man of mystery who left them holding the bag. Or a flash drive. It’s some sort of McGuffin, anyway. Read Rad Simonpillai’s review.
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