Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Angie Han review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms. Plus, John Horn takes us to the movies and interviews "Tenet" star John David Washington.
FilmWeek: “Mulan,” “Tenet,” “I’m Thinking Of Ending Things” And More
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Angie Han review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.
" Mulan " on VOD (Disney+, AppleTV, Google Play & Roku)
" Tenet " (only available in cities where theaters have reopened)
" I'm Thinking Of Ending Things " on Netflix
" Jimmy Carter: Rock N' Roll President " on Laemmle's Virtual Cinema
" Cuties " on Netflix
" Critical Thinking " on Laemmle's Virtual Cinema & VOD (iTunes, Google Play, FandangoNOW & Vudu)
" Feels Good Man " on VOD (iTunes, Google Play, FandangoNOW & Vudu)
" The Andorra Hustle " on Amazon Prime Video
" The Social Dilemma " on Netflix
Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here .
Guests:
Tim Cogshell , film critic for KPCC, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com ; he tweets
Angie Han , film critic for KPCC and deputy entertainment editor at Mashable; she tweets
Jessica Kiang , film critic for Variety and The Playlist, an online publication covering film and TV; you can read her review of “Tenet” in The New York Times; she tweets
What It’s Like To Go To The Movies During COVID-19
Christopher Nolan’s new time travel thriller “ Tenet ” has been touted as the film to bring back movie theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it remains to be seen whether that prediction comes true, if there’s going to be a film to do it, another one of Nolan’s so-called “brainy blockbusters” in the vein of “Inception” and “Interstellar” has as good a chance as anything. Nolan and Warner Brothers delayed the film’s release several times over the course of two months, insisting that the film be seen as Nolan intended it to -- on the big screen.
Finally, the film is out this Labor Day Weekend and so far seems to be gathering mostly positive reviews . But if you live in the L.A. area, you won’t be able to see the film at your local theater or on demand at home. That’s because the film is only releasing in cities where indoor theaters have reopened. But, for the most buff of film buffs and intrepid moviegoers, there is a way you could see the film -- drive to Las Vegas, where theaters have reopened. KPCC’s John Horn did just that, and while he says some of the things he remembers about the theater are still there, a lot has changed. There are things you might expect like extra space between seats in the theater, wipes all around and staff members cleaning handrails ,and some you might not. Physical tickets have given way to digital only, there were
Today on AirTalk, we’ll hear from John about what it was like to go see a movie for the first time since the start of the pandemic and why other moviegoers say seeing “Tenet” in theaters is worth the risk.
With contributions from John Horn
Clarification: In this segment, we said that the film was not playing in Southern California. The film is not available in the greater Los Angeles area, but it can be seen in theaters in San Diego that are currently open.
Guest:
John Horn , host of the KPCC/LAist Studios podcast “ Hollywood, The Sequel ”; he tweets
“Tenet” Star John David Washington Talks Audiences (Finally) Getting To Watch The Much Awaited Film
The long-anticipated movie “Tenet” is finally being released in theaters . . . except in Los Angeles. The film’s budget and intention to be a “big theater” experience pushed Warner Bros. to pursue a theatrical release, instead of straight to on-demand. But that means SoCal moviegoers are going to miss John David Washington’s leading performance in the Christopher Nolan directed film. It’s not the release he was expecting, but he’s glad it’s finally out.
Washington caught people’s eye with his performance in the 2018 Spike Lee drama “BlacKkKlansman”, and many were excited to see what his next move might be. The next time audiences would have the chance to see Washington was as the leading protagonist in “Tenet,” starring alongside Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki. The movie was expected to be one of the biggest box office hits this year. Then the pandemic happened. The highly-anticipated Nolan flick was originally scheduled to be released on July 17th. But the film was postponed multiple times until Warner Bros. finally settled for a September 3rd theatrical release date. Still, not all moviegoers will have the chance to see the film and Washington’s performance if they live in an area where movie theaters are still closed due to coronavirus restrictions. Washington, like the rest of us, never thought we'd be living under the circumstances of a pandemic. But situation aside, he’s happy that at least some now have the chance to go see the film. John Horn spoke with Washington to talk more about the film and the impact the pandemic has had on the film industry.
With contributions from John Horn
Guest:
John David Washington , actor and producer starring in the movie “Tenet”; his other films include “BlacKkKlansman” and “Love Beats Rhyme”