The Brainerd Dispatch - Today's Entertainment Magazine
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Brainerd Dispatch • March 7 - 13, 2021 •19 By Dana Simpson TV Media WHAT'S NEW ON APPLE TV+ "Cherry" (2021) Tap into the emotional, physical, mental and economic core of the United States in the new Russo brothers ("Avengers: Endgame," 2019) film "Cherry," premiering Fri - day, March 12, on Apple TV+. Fea- turing Tom Holland ("Spider-Man: Homecoming," 2017) in his "debut in an adult role" (per Deadline) as the title character, the film follows Cherry as he falls in love, enlists in the army as a medic, returns home with PTSD and becomes addicted to the opioids he is prescribed to treat his pain. As his emotional, physical and financial state begin to deteriorate due to his past experi - ences and subsequent addiction, Cherry resolves to rob banks for the cash he needs to maintain his new lifestyle — though, not without severe detriment to his marriage to the love of his life, Emily (Ciara Bravo, "Wayne"), in the process. Set in Cleveland, the Russo broth - ers' hometown and a main hub of the opioid crisis in the United States, "Cherry's" directors said in an interview with Inverse that they hope to address the severity of the very real crisis and plan to use their reputation and experience to do so. "We've had a lot of people we were very close to die because of the crisis," the Russos explained. "We felt that it was a story that needed to be told, and the luxury of coming off of movies like 'Infinity War' and 'Endgame' is that you can get complicated subject mat - ter made in a difficult market for content like that." The intense new film also stars Michael Gandolfini ("The Deuce"), Jack Reynor ("Sing Street," 2016), Michael Rispoli ("The Black Donnellys") and Jeff Wahlberg ("Future World," 2018) and is based upon the fictionalized memoirs of Nico Walker. WHAT'S NEW ON NETFLIX "Yes Day" (2021) How many times have you said "no" lately? If you're a parent, like those in Netflix's new family film "Yes Day," chances are you're due for a lot more "yes" in your life. Join in the fun when "Yes Day" premieres Friday, March 12, on the streamer. Tired of always hearing words of discouragement from their cautious, buzzkill-like parents, Allison (Jennifer Garner, "13 Going on 30," 2004) and Carlos Torres (Edgar Ramirez, "The Undoing"), Katie (Jenna Ortega, "Jane the Virgin") advocates for her and her two siblings' rights to hear the word "yes" instead, for a full 24 hours of fun — a concept that has been gaining traction in other households as well. Remembering how fun they used to be and hating how often they are forced to be the naysayers in their adulthood, Al- lison and Carlos agree to host a Yes Day for their three children. From crazy costumes and water balloon fights to interactive car washes and everything in between, the Torres family bonds over their new-found acceptance of one small word: "Yes." Based on the bestselling children's book of the same name by author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, "Yes Day" also stars Everly Carga- nilla ("The Haunted Man," 2021) and Julian Lerner ("Pottersville," 2017) as Ellie and Nando Torres and was directed by "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day's" (2014) Miguel Arteta. WHAT'S NEW ON DISNEY+ "Own the Room" (2021) With the rise in global warming, social unrest, political division and, of course, crises in health and safety, it should come as no surprise that what the world needs now (other than "love, sweet love," to quote the Jackie DeShannon song) are leaders in science, technology and civic innovation. Thankfully, National Geographic and Disney have us covered with the release of the new documentary "Own the Room," coming to Disney+ on Fri- day, March 12. Covering the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards competition where 51 nations are each represented by a young entre- preneur, "Own the Room" focuses on five up-and-comers in the world of business innovation — Daniela from Venezuela but living in the United States, Henry from Kenya, Jason from Greece, Santosh from Nepal and Alondra from Puerto Rico — as they pitch their ideas and compete to wow the audience with their research, preparation and charisma. With ideas ranging from an application that helps to streamline communication for deaf people (Alondra), an algorithm that helps to understand a baby's needs based on their specific cries (Jason) and an online student marketplace (Henry), to a new technology that allows for the natural creation of synthetic chemicals (Daniela) and an organization that spreads pure, unadulterated joy and happiness to others (Santosh), these young people are bringing hope to the small screen in a very big way. Produced by Shopify Studios and Saville Productions for National Geographic Documentary Films, Cristina Costantini and Darren Fos- ter ("Science Fair," 2018) serve as the film's directors. WHAT'S NEW ON HULU "kid 90" Have you ever wondered what life must have been like for child stars in the '90s? Well, wonder no more because the new documentary "kid 90" is landing on Hulu on Friday, March 12, to answer all of your questions. Directed by "Punky Brewster" (both the original and the reboot) star Soleil Moon Frye, this documentary film provides viewers with a unique coming-of- age experience shot over several years by Frye herself. Ever since Punky Power brought her fame in the '80s, Frye had been carrying a camera with her everywhere she went. Now, 20 years after she filmed hundreds of hours of foot- age as she grew from childhood into adulthood in Hollywood, Frye has opened this video time capsule and is ready to show it off to the rest of the world. Featuring interviews with fellow child actors, friends and co-stars David Arquette ("The Outsiders"), Stephen Dorff ("What a Dummy"), Balthazar Getty (''Lord of the Flies," 1990), Mark-Paul Gosselaar ("Good Morning, Miss Bliss"), Brian Austin Green ("Beverly Hills, 90210") and Heather McComb ("Party of Five"), among others, "kid 90" is the pre-internet and social media flashback every '80s baby and '90s kid needs before moving forward in their lives. WHAT'S ON PRIME "Freeway" (1996) Touted as "Little Red Rid- ing Hood" for the 1990s, this action-adventure flick stars Reese Witherspoon ("Little Fires Everywhere") in one of her very first movie roles. When troubled 15-year-old Vanessa Lutz's (With- erspoon) negligent and criminally active mom (Amanda Plummer, "Pulp Fiction," 1994) and stepdad (Michael T. Weiss, "Days of Our Lives") are arrested, leaving her to the fate of living in a foster home, Vanessa flees to find the grandmother she never met. On her way to the trailer park where her grandma supposedly lives, Vanessa's car breaks down, forc- ing her to accept a ride from Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland, "24"), a boys school counselor and seemingly good Samaritan. On the way to her grandma's, Wolverton and Vanessa begin a discussion about her life that quickly turns unsettling and leaves the teenager caught in a compromising situation that she must work to get out of on her own. Filled with all the twists and turns of a thriller film, but with all the panache of a modern-day fable, "Freeway" was written and directed by Matthew Bright ("Ted Bundy," 2002) and features an all- star cast that also includes Brooke Shields ("Suddenly Susan"), Con- chata Ferrell ("Erin Brockovich," 2000), Guillermo Díaz ("Weeds") and the late Brittany Murphy ("Girl, Interrupted," 1999). Tom Holland stars in "Cherry" Edgar Ramirez, Jenna Ortega, Everly Carganilla and Jennifer Garner in "Yes Day" Sébastien Houbani as seen in "Dealer"