The Brainerd Dispatch - Today's Entertainment Magazine
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1307515
Brainerd Dispatch • November 8 - 14, 2020 •19 By Dana Simpson TV Media WHAT'S NEW ON NETFLIX "Dash & Lily" We dare you to fall in love this holiday season with the new series "Dash & Lily," coming to Netflix on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Based on Rachel Cohn and David Levithan's adolescent fiction series, this eight- episode premiere season covers the events in their first book, "Dash & Lily's Book of Dares." When 16-year-old Lily (Midori Francis, "Ocean's 8," 2018) gets tired of her lack of luck in the love department, she solicits the help of her older — and much more experienced — brother, Langston (Troy Iwata, "Ray Donovan"), for advice. Ultimately deciding to leave a little red note - book atop a shelf in her favorite bookshop hoping for her soulmate to find it, Lily is pulled into a flirty game of dare that leads her, her potential new love — the cynical Dash (Austin Abrams, "Scary Sto - ries to Tell in the Dark," 2019) — and that little red book all over New York. Directed by sitcom master Fred Savage ("2 Broke Girls"), this cute new series also stars Dante Brown ("Lethal Weapon") and Agneeta Thacker ("A Light Beneath Their Feet," 2015). "The Life Ahead" (2020) There is nothing but life ahead for Oscar-winner Sophia Loren ("A Special Day," 1977) as she returns to film at the age of 86 after an 11- year hiatus in the new film "The Life Ahead," coming to Netflix on Fri - day, Nov. 13. This Italian-language film, originally titled "La vita devan- ti a sé," is an adaptation of French author Romain Gary's 1975 novel "La vie devant soi" and tells the story of Madame Rosa (Loren), a Jewish Holocaust survivor and for- mer prostitute in a seaside Italian town who looks after the children of her fellow former prostitutes. Her life is changed completely, however, when she takes in a young boy named Momo (Ibrahima Gueye, "Muñeca Negra," 2019), who had robbed her. This film marks Loren's third collaboration with her son, director Edoardo Ponti ("Between Strangers," 2002), and has already been receiving a lot of Oscar buzz for Loren's role as Madame Rosa. If she wins, this would be Loren's second Academy Award spanning her seven-decade career of more than 100 films. "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (2020) Embrace the music and magic of the holiday season with the new family film "Jingle Jangle: A Christ- mas Journey," coming to Netflix on Friday, Nov. 13. Eccentric toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy award winner Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland," 2006) has been working on a new invention for three decades, and his miserly boss, who provided him the loan to make it happen, has offered him an ultimatum: either produce the completed toy before Christmas or pay back the massive loan. Already stressed from working under pres- sure to perfect his creation in time, Jangle's life is further turned upside down when his trusted apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key, "Key and Peele") steals the magical new toy. Now, aware of the joy and power surrounding the invention, it is up to Jangle's equally creative grand- daughter, Journey (newcomer Madalen Mills), to get the toy back and save the day. This musical set in the fictional town of Cobbleton features original songs by Grammy winners Philip Lawrence and John Legend and also stars Anika Noni Rose ("The Princess and the Frog," 2009), Phylicia Rashad ("The Cosby Show"), Hugh Bonneville ("Down- ton Abbey") and two-time Gram- my-winning artist Ricky Martin. WHAT'S NEW ON HULU "I Am Greta" (2020) Get in touch with the environment this Friday, Nov. 13, as Hulu pres- ents the new documentary "I Am Greta." Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg first made interna- tional waves in August 2018 when she refused to attend school until the government in her home coun- try of Sweden agreed to reduce carbon emissions as per the Paris Climate Accord. Now a worldwide beacon of change, this documen- tary follows Thunberg's journey as she sails around the world urging citizens of the planet — a planet in crisis — to take action and make a change before it is too late. Featur- ing footage of her life at home and traveling with her family, as well as her interactions with everyday people, the media and political figures such as former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger and secretary general of the United Nations António Guterres during her quest for change, "I Am Greta" shows the power behind the young woman giving our planet a voice. Nathan Grossman ("Steig Larsson: The Man Who Played with Fire") directs. "A Teacher" Walk the line between love and illegality with the new FX series "A Teacher," streaming exclusively on Hulu beginning Tuesday, Nov. 10. After moving to Texas to start a new job as a high school teacher, young Claire (Kate Mara, "House of Cards") finds herself stuck in a rut with her marriage to her high school sweetheart, Matt (Ashley Zuckerman, "Succession"), and looking for a change. When Eric (Nick Robinson, "Jurassic World," 2015), an outgoing, popular stu- dent of hers begins to show interest in Claire, she finds herself drawn to him. As Eric and Claire spend increasingly more time together, friends and family of the pair begin to get concerned, and both student and teacher are forced to examine the intricacies and consequences of their actions. Written and directed by Hannah Fidell ("6 Years," 2015), this 10-episode series is based on her 2013 SXSW award-winning film of the same name. Dylan Schmid ("Snowpiercer") and Shane Harper ("Hightown") also star. "The Mighty Ones" Live large with the little creatures in "The Mighty Ones," a new children's series coming to Hulu, Monday, Nov. 9. This new animated series illustrates the idea that in ev- ery backyard there is a whole other universe filled with magic and fun. This show follows one particular backyard world centering on the tiny creatures inside its bounds: a twig, a leaf, a pebble and a straw- berry. Despite their small size and their second-class status to the hu- mans inside the house they believe to be gods, these adorable little characters live their lives to the full- est, nicknaming themselves "The Mighty Ones." Created by Sunil Hall ("Pickle and Peanut") and Lynne Naylor-Reccardi ("Samurai Jack"), this hilarious quartet of creatures is sure to warm your heart. Alex Ca- zares ("The Loud House"), Jessica McKenna ("DC Super Hero Girls"), Jimmy Tatro ("The Real Bros of Simi Valley") and Josh Brener ("Star Wars Resistance") voice star. WHAT'S NEW ON APPLE TV+ "Doug Unplugs" Unplug from the daily grind and enjoy life with Apple TV+'s newest children's series, "Doug Unplugs," coming to the streamer on Friday, Nov. 13. Following 18 Daytime Emmy nominations and a win for Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Programming for "Ghost- writer," Apple TV+ is welcoming Doug, an adorable little robot who believes that life is about more than just the hard facts and data. This Dreamworks animated television show is written and produced by Jim Nolan ("Nella the Princess Knight") and based on Dan Yacca- rino's "Doug Unplugged" book se- ries. "Doug Unplugs" also features the voices of Leslie David Baker ("The Office"), Eric Bauza ("Ben 10: Omniverse"), Mae Whitman ("Good Girls"), Kyrie Mcalpin ("Do- little," 2020) and Brandon James Cienfuegos ("Puppy Dog Pals"). WHAT'S NEW ON DISNEY+ "Inside Pixar" Immerse yourself in the magic of animation with "Inside Pixar," com- ing to Disney+ on Friday, Nov. 13. From classics such as "Toy Story" (1995) and "A Bug's Life" (1998) to new family favorites like "Coco" (2017) and heartwarming animat- ed shorts like "Geri's Game," Pixar has always had a way of capturing the hearts and minds of its audi- ence. This half-hour documentary gives fans of the influential anima- tion company an inside look at the studios and offers up an idea of what it is like to work for Pixar. With much of the focus on Walt Disney and Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter ("Cars," 2006), "Inside Pixar" takes viewers on a magical journey that will leave them more connected to their beloved film repertoire than ever before. Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger ("The Pixar Story," 2007), chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs ("Disney Cruise Line: Behind the Magic," 2013), and Walt Disney imagineer Kathy Mangum ("The Imagineering Story," 2019) are also featured. WHAT'S ON PRIME "Bones" Dig deep into human motivation and biology with this popular crime drama. All 12 seasons of "Bones" are available to stream now on Prime. Created by "Stargate SG- 1" writer Hart Hanson, "Bones" follows socially awkward forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennen (Emily Descha- nel, "Cold Mountain," 2003) and her polar-opposite partner, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), as they put their heads together to solve crimes that are often left with too little forensic evidence for the average crime scene team to crack. While Booth's emotive and sympathetic take on the crimes often gets in the way of Brennan's calculating and literal interpretations, the two begin to learn how to see things from the other's perspective and, ultimately, work better together because of their differences. Having aired a whopping 245-episode series total, "Bones" also stars Michaela Conlin ("The Lincoln Lawyer," 2011) as forensic artist Angela Montenegro, Tamara Taylor ("Serenity," 2005) as head of the Jeffersonian Institute's forensic division Dr. Camille Saroy- an, and T.J. Thyne ("How the Grinch Stole Christmas," 2000) as forensic entomologist Dr. Jack Hodgins. Midori Francis stars in "Dash & Lily" Greta Thunberg as seen in "I Am Greta" A scene from "Doug Unplugs"