The Weekly Watchlist: Netflix’s Beef and Grease. Two highly-anticipated comedy sequence are hitting streaming platforms this week, the excruciatingly relatable “Beef” on Netflix and the musical prequel sequence, “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” on Paramount+.
The Weekly Watchlist: Netflix’s Beef and Grease
In the meantime, there are movies like “The Drop” and “Mayhem” accessible to stream which may assist viewers prepare for a sequence like “Beef.” Each flicks are unique to their potential streaming platforms, so hopefully you have acquired Hulu and Shudder along with Netflix.
There’s additionally the Netflix sequence “Julie and the Phantoms” and the oft-forgotten “Grease 2” on Paramount+ to function the proper companion items to “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women.” Final-up, there’s additionally the Prime Video sequence “Paper Ladies” which manages to seize the girl-power power of the brand new prequel sequence whereas boasting a stand-out efficiency by one of many stars of “Beef.”
Beef Is About To Turn into Your Newest TV Obsession
The place to Watch “Beef”: NetflixWhen “Beef” Releases: April 6, 2023
It’d sound like an enormous declare, but when our evaluation of the brand new Netflix sequence is to be believed, “Beef” is the funniest and boldest darkish comedy since “Atlanta.”
Created by Lee Sung Jin who was just lately tapped to rewrite the upcoming Marvel film “Thunderbolts,” the Steven Yeun and Ali Wong-starring sequence is a collaboration between the streaming big and A24, and it exhibits.
The story follows the duo, who play an unlikely pair whose conflicting lives cross throughout the kind of street rage incident in a car parking zone you’d usually see handed round on social media.
The magic of the sequence lies with Yeun and Wong, who effortlessly seize the kind of self-destructive, chaotically messy characters you’ll be able to’t assist however love, warts and all. It captures the identical fractured, heartfelt, and unhinged comedy most A24 automobiles are recognized for.
At its coronary heart, “Beef” is about exploring the themes of rage, grief, betrayal, and undirected sorrow, whereas additionally inspecting how all of our personal private hangups immediately impression how we relate to 1 one other.
It is definitely not a “really feel good” comedy like “Ted Lasso,” however for individuals who profit from powerful love or are the kind of people who use humor to get by horrible moments, “Beef” is a present that can converse on to your twisted soul.
Grease: Rise Of The Pink Women Has Too A lot Coronary heart To Hate
The place to Watch “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women”: Paramount+When “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” Releases: April 6, 2023
I will be the primary to confess I used to be actually apprehensive when “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” was first introduced. As one of many foremost advocates for the cult cinema treasure often known as “Grease 2,” I’ve misplaced depend of what number of “Grease” or “Grease 2” articles/podcasts/assume items I’ve put out through the years.
When the trailers first arrived, boasting a superbly numerous solid that was undoubtedly not part of the primary two movies. I used to be nonetheless having fright. If this can be a prequel sequence concerning the formation of the Pink Women.
Whose canonical origins would now mark that the social membership was based on intersectionality … it implies one thing severely sinister occurred if the Pink Women of Rydell Excessive seen within the function movies wound up completely white.
Fortuitously, “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” will not be a little bit of revisionist historical past, and manages to sort out the uncomfortable realities of the Nineteen Fifties whereas boasting some severely killer musical numbers which can be certain to thrill anybody nonetheless recovering from years of watching “Glee.”
The sequence refreshingly pulls plenty of the feminist subtext of the movies to the forefront, however has loads on its plate attempting to juggle themes of racism, sexism, xenophobia, gender nonconformity, and the merciless politics of highschool, usually to uneven outcomes.
However regardless of the apparent missteps, “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” has a lot coronary heart, you’ll be able to’t assist however root for its success. Did anybody ask for this? No, not likely, however I am definitely not upset by its existence.
The Drop Is A Masterclass In Cringe Comedy
The Film: “The Drop”The place You Can Stream It: Hulu
Sarah Adina Smith is thought for her surreal movies like “The Midnight Swim,” “Buster’s Mal Coronary heart,” and “Birds of Paradise,” however her sensibilities are effectively suited within the darkly comedic Hulu function, “The Drop.”
Starring Anna Konkle (“Pen15”), Jermaine Fowler (“Superior Donuts”), and Jillian Bell (“Brittany Runs a Marathon”), the movie takes a downright horrific premise and finds a strategy to make it skin-crawling and hilarious.
Konkle and Fowler play a younger couple named Lex and Mani who’re attending a vacation spot marriage ceremony at a tropical resort when the unthinkable occurs — Lex drops their pal’s child. Don’t be concerned, the child is ok, however the adults from this second ahead are very a lot not effective.
The movie was produced by Mark and Jay Duplass, so that you anticipate the identical type of indie weirdo vibes present in movies like “Creep,” “Jeff, Who Lives at Residence,” or “Baghead.” Whereas the movie was written by Smith and co-writer Joshua Leonard, “The Drop” takes a mumblecore strategy by having the actors largely improv their very own dialogue.
The result’s an uncomfortably pure comedy that feels much less like watching “a comedy film” and as a substitute captures the feeling of being in a public place and witnessing strangers have complete meltdowns. If a present like “Beef” works for you, “The Drop” will really feel proper at residence.
Julie and The Phantoms Sing a Candy, Spooky Music
The Collection: “Julie and the Phantoms”The place You Can Stream It: Netflix
Tragically canceled after just one season, the teenager musical dramedy sequence “Julie and the Phantoms” is the proper appetizer for a present like “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women.”
The sequence follows a musician named Julie Molina (Madison Reyes) who’s having a tough time creating new music after her mom passes away. Someday, Julie listens to an previous CD and summons the ghosts of a band from 1995.
Naturally, Julie turns into the band’s lead singer, and should you guessed that she’d develop emotions for considered one of her new ghostly bandmates, you are completely proper. “Julie and the Phantoms” is considerably of a paint-by-numbers teen musical sequence.
However the music is legitimately improbable (they received an Emmy!) and the entire characters are so charming, it is arduous to not instantly get on board with the ridiculous premise.
The sequence was govt produced by musical mogul Kenny Ortega, the choreographer turned director behind beloved initiatives like “Newsies,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Descendants,” and the “Excessive College Musical” trilogy.
The sequence has a really vocal and devoted fanbase, so should you watch the present and fall in love with it like so many others and wish a spot to vent about its premature cancellation, don’t be concerned. You are in good firm. This is hoping “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” does not endure the same destiny.
Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving Tear It up in Mayhem
The Film: “Mayhem”The place You Can Stream It: Shudder
Steven Yeun’s breakthrough position got here when he was solid as Glenn Rhee on “The Strolling Lifeless,” however should you ask me, it was in 2017 when he appeared in each Bong Joon-ho’s “Okja” and Joe Lynch’s “Mayhem” that he actually got here into his personal.
The latter, particularly, was a improbable showcase of the balls-to-the-wall dedication Yeun has when coming into the style sphere, and his chemistry with co-star Samara Weaving is off-the-charts improbable. “Mayhem” is a few fictional pandemic often known as ID-7 aka “Pink Eye,” that turns folks into impulse monsters.
Whereas the contaminated aren’t zombies by any means, the illness assaults the neural pathways and completely obliterates any sense of inhibition or an ethical compass. Persons are working on their most intrusive ideas, throwing the world into, effectively, mayhem.
Whereas “Beef” is definitely nowhere close to the high-octane thrill trip as “Mayhem,” there is a stage of dedication in Yeun’s efficiency that has developed from his position on this flick. The movie is a twisted, social satire set in a cutthroat legislation workplace, however with loads of darkish humor to maintain issues from ever feeling too heavy. In the event you ask me, “Mayhem” is the proper appetizer for “Beef.”
Grease 2 Is the Phrase
The Film: “Grease 2”The place You Can Stream It: Paramount+
Look, nobody wants me to inform them to look at “Grease” as a result of it is probably the most recognizable IPs in historical past, however “Grease 2” has been handled just like the Cousin Oliver of the franchise for a lot too lengthy when in actuality, the controversial sequel has at all times been the Marcia Brady.
The movie is most well-known for giving Michelle Pfeiffer her first main position, however the raunchy, feminist, dance-forward musical sequel has solely gotten higher with time. Is a track like “Copy” or “Do It For Our Nation” as accessible as “Summer season Nights” or “We Go Collectively”? Completely not, however “Grease 2” has higher choreography, snappier humor, and could be too bizarre in your grandma to need to watch with you.
“Grease 2” focuses a lot extra on the Pink Women and their chief, Stephanie Zinoni (Pfeiffer), and rightfully portrays the T-Birds as a bunch of corny try-hards in leather-based jackets.
This can be a movie a few lady taking management of her personal place in the highschool hierarchy, and bucking the so-called “guidelines” of younger girls’s required allegiance to their boyfriends.
In reality, I would argue that with out “Grease 2,” a present like “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women” would not have been potential, as a result of the movie serves as a bridge between the squeaky clear authentic and way more progressive prequel sequence.
It additionally has Lorna Luft on the planet’s biggest pair of gold lamé pants and a track about paying intercourse staff. You like to see it.
Paper Ladies Deserved Higher
The Collection: “Paper Ladies”The place You Can Stream It: Prime Video
One other present canceled manner too quickly is “Paper Ladies,” based mostly on the comedian e book sequence of the identical title. The present was billed as “Stranger Issues” for ladies, which did a disservice to the genuinely phenomenal sequence.
Movie’s personal Valerie Ettenhofer known as the sequence “a singular, satisfying tackle girlhood and time journey” in her evaluation, and identified how it’s a “uncommon comedian e book adaptation that each honors and improves upon the supply materials.”
The present follows 4 paper supply ladies on their post-Halloween routes, who get caught in the course of two warring factions of time vacationers. They find yourself thrown into the longer term, coming face-to-face with their older selves, which is a extreme thoughts soften for a gaggle of ladies who have not even actually hit puberty.
“Paper Ladies” suits a bit extra in line as a suggestion with “Grease: Rise of the Pink Women,” however incorporates a improbable supporting efficiency by “Beef” star Ali Wong because the grownup model of one of many time-traveling tweens.
Wong is an extremely gifted humorist, as proven in her Netflix specials “Child Cobra,” “Onerous Knock Spouse,” and “Don Wong,” which made her a shoo-in for comedic initiatives like “Tuca & Bertie” and “At all times Be My Perhaps,” however “Paper Ladies” actually lets Wong shine as a fancy, emotional character, one thing effectively on show in “Beef.”
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The submit The Weekly Watchlist: Netflix’s Beef and Grease: Rise of the Pink Women Convey Humor and Coronary heart in Wildly Completely different Methods (April 3, 2023) appeared first on Movie.
