Britney signs massive book deal
Britney signs massive book deal
And good box office news
What to know:
Uncharted and Dog have an encouraging weekend at the box office… Both movies over performed expectations! I’m not about to declare that “movie theaters are back” because the situation is still in flux — but this is a good sign. Why did people go to the movies this weekend? Maybe for Tom Holland or maybe for Channing Tatum’s very good dog or maybe it’s because COVID numbers are in a lull again post omicron. Hopefully people keep going to theaters for things other than comic book movies. 🎟
Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr. re-team for Parker at Amazon… The Iron Man 3 and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang duo are reuniting for a new feature adaptation of author Donald E. Westlake’s fictional thief. Black will write and direct RDJ will star. Fun fact: Lee Marvin, Jim Brown, Robert Duvall, Mel Gibson, and Jason Statham have all played an incarnation of the character. Let’s hope this turns out better than Dolittle. 🎥
Lacey Chabert signs multi-picture deal with Hallmark Channel parent company… Wondering what happened to Mean Girls/Party of Five star Lacey Chabert? She’s become the Hallmark original movie queen. Chabert just signed an exclusive multi-picture overall deal with Crown Media in which she’ll star in and executive produce movies, as well as develop other content for Hallmark Channel and its platforms. Good for Lacey Chabert, you go Lacey Chabert! 👏
Britney Spears signs $15-million book deal… Speaking of 2000s stars getting paid, Britney is set to tell her story and Simon & Schuster backed up the Brinks truck. Spears’ recent legal battles with her father have been very public and publicized, so I don’t feel the need to go into it here — but this should delight all the Free Britney stans out there. 📕
What’s new this week:
Law & Order — Feb 24 | NBC revival series | 🍅
Cyrano — Feb 25 | Musical drama film in limited theaters | 🍅 88%
Studio 666 — Feb 25 | Horror comedy film in limited theaters | 🍅
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber — Feb 27 | Showtime miniseries
SAG Awards — Feb 27 | TNT and TBS awards show
For more pop culture news, discussion, and what-to-watch recommendations subscribe to my pals over on the Kickball Friends podcast. 🎙
What to watch:
I don’t believe in Oscar snubs, but if I did I’d say Pig deserved some Academy love. Michael Sarnoski’s poignant and impressive directorial debut, now available on Hulu, features Nicolas Cage as a wood-cabin recluse bent on recovering his beloved truffle pig from kidnappers. At this point you might be thinking, “Nic Cage + stolen pet. Is this a John Wick ripoff?” Thankfully, the answer is no. Cage is far from rage in Pig, instead he plays a subdued, more quietly broken leading man. After years of being typecast and mocked for exaggerated performances, Cage reminds audiences that he’s got so many more levels and modes. Sarnoski, who co-wrote the story with Vanessa Block, leans into this as well, playing with Cage’s persona on a meta-textual level. In order to get his pig back, Cage’s character opts out of violence, instead using intellect, emotion, and brutal honesty to achieve his ends. Sarnoski always zags where you think he’d zig. Without divulging too many of the film’s beautiful secrets, Pig is surprisingly a top-notch foodie movie that portrarys food in ways I’ve never seen on celluloid before — especially in its heartbreaking climax. (Two of the featured dishes are credited to real local Portland chefs/restaurants.) If you love great cooking and its unique magic, if you’re interested in themes of loss, ambition, power, and corruption, if you’re trying to boil life down to its most essential elements, or if you just want to see Nic Cage slay over a brisk 1 hour and 32 minutes, fire up Pig.
For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!