New this week: ‘Not Okay,’ ‘Amber Brown’ & ‘Honor Society’
Newslooks- AP
Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.
MOVIES
— Modern influencer culture is skewered in the smart new satire “Not Okay,” streaming on Hulu starting Friday. The film, written and directed by Quinn Shephard, stars Zoey Deutch as Danni, an aspiring writer in her 20s who is lacking for things to say until she embarks on a little social media lie (pictures of a “trip to Paris” taken from her Bushwick apartment). When the landmark she’s supposedly posing with explodes, Danni gets the trauma narrative she’s been craving. Dylan O’Brien (“The Maze Runner”) also co-stars alongside newcomer Mia Isaac of the recent father-daughter road trip pic “Don’t Make Me Go.”
— For a different kind of critique of influencer culture, just look to “Hatching,” the gruesome Finnish body horror about a 12-year-old Tinja (Siiri Solalinna) and her perfectionist mother (Sophia Heikkilä), who runs a popular blog called “Lovely Everyday Life.” Directed by Hanna Bergholm, in her debut, the film has shades of both “E.T.” and “Black Swan” making for an interesting creature feature. “Hatching” also arrives Hulu on Friday and could make for a fun double feature with “Not Okay.”
— A high school senior (“Spider-Man’s” Angourie Rice) is desperate to get into Harvard and attempting to take down her competitors in the new comedy “Honor Society,” streaming on Paramount+ on July 29. Directed by Oran Zegman and written by David A. Goodman (“Family Guy”), “Honor Society” also stars “Stranger Things’” Gaten Matarazzo and “Superbad’s” Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr
MUSIC
— Few artists want to compete against a Beyoncé release, but Maggie Rogers’ new album also drops Friday. “Surrender” is the singer-songwriter’s first collection since her stunning major label debut “Heard It in a Past Life” in 2019. During the pandemic, Rogers relocated to the Maine coast, cutting herself off from the outside world to write what became the dozen tracks of “Surrender.” One single, “Want Want,” showcases an edgier, dancier side, while “That’s Where I Am” is a bolder, confident Rogers turning in something almost anthemic. She is rising and rising. One fan must be David Byrne — see if you can spot him in the video.
— Exploring the multiverse is all the rage these days and Wiz Khalifa is about to jump into his. The rapper releases “Multiverse” on Friday and some of the producers are Hitmaka, Sledgren, ID Labs, RMB Justize, Big Jerm and IamSu! Khalifa tells Vibe: “The title comes from the unique world that I live in and experience. It’s one of my favorite projects to date and I’m so excited for the fans to come into my world and go crazy with it.” First single “Bad Ass Bitches” has the immortal line: “Chronic in the air/You don’t need underwear.”
— “Surround me with the girls/I love being a girl,” sings Hayley Kiyoko on her sophomore album “Panorama,” out Friday. The poppy, airy lead single “For the Girls” has a great video that’s a queer “Bachelorette” parody, complete with roses, snark and pool diving. Kiyoko achieved a level of viral fame in 2015 with the iconic queer bop “Girls Like Girls” and became known to her fans as “lesbian Jesus” because of her openness about who she loves. Other singles from the new album include the bubbly “Chance,” the dance-ready “Found My Friends” and lush pop anthem “Deep in the Woods.”
— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy
TELEVISION
— Cristin Milioti was caught in “Groundhog Day”-like recycled day in the film “Palm Springs.” In Peacock’s eight-episode dark comedy “The Resort,” time is again an issue for Milioti’s character, Emma, who’s vacationing with husband, Noah (William Jackson Harper), when a 15-year-old mystery intrudes. Andy Siara is the other link between “Palm Springs” and the series: He wrote the former and is a writer and showrunner for the latter. Siara has described “The Resort,” debuting with three episodes on Thursday, as focusing on people who long for a period in their lives “before the hard parts” took over.
— There’s a treat in store for young fans of Paula Danziger’s Amber Brown books and for grown-up admirers of Bonnie Hunt. “Amber Brown,” debuting Friday on Apple TV+, is written and directed by Hunt (“Life with Bonnie”), who infuses the show with her trademark humor and warmth. The screen iteration of Amber (Carsyn Rose) is slightly older than the original 9-year-old and has an artistic streak that helps her cope with her parents’ split. Through Amber’s sketches and a video journal, viewers become privy to her hopes and dreams in the 10-part series co-starring Sarah Drew as Amber’s mom.
— Comedies about life after a breakup are common, but Netflix’s “Uncoupled” offers a new take. Neil Patrick Harris stars as Michael, who’s dumped by partner Colin (Tuc Watkins) after 17 years. Michael grapples with pain, anger and fretful acceptance as he takes on the challenge of being an unattached gay man in his 40s in New York City. His support system includes loyal friends and real estate sales partner Suzanne (Tisha Campbell). Creators Darren Star (“Sex and the City,” “Emily in Paris”) and Jeffrey Richman (“Modern Family”) combine heartache with laughs in the eight-episode series that debuts Friday.
— AP Television Writer Lynn Elber
