New television shows, movies, music, and games coming to a device near you include an album by Ariana Grande and Garth Brooks that offers a glimpse into the opening of his Nashville bar.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: John Cena starring in the film comedy “Ricky Stanicky,” the debut of the admired Atlus’ video game Unicorn Overlord, and Emma Stone’s “Poor Things” lands on Hulu.

“Yorgos Lanthimos’ film “Poor Things” will be available on Hulu this Thursday, just in time for the Academy Awards. The film has received 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Emma Stone. Based on Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel, the Victorian-era fantasy features Stone as Bella Baxter, a woman brought back to life by a deranged scientist (Willem Dafoe) with the mind of a child and the body of an adult. AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr praises the film as “one of the most visually stunning films of the year” in her review.”

– Timothée Chalamet’s latest movie, “Wonka,” will be released on Max on Friday, March 8. It is a musical prequel to the 1971 film “Dune: Part 2,” which he is working on. Chalamet plays a young, hopeful Wonka who is determined to create his own candy business. The film, directed by Paul King and with designs similar to “Paddington,” showcases Chalamet’s charm, but in my opinion, it falls short of doing justice to Roald Dahl’s original story.

In the movie “Ricky Stanicky,” a group of three friends have always relied on a fabricated friend named Ricky Stanicky to help them avoid conflicts with their significant others. When their families start to become suspicious, the trio (played by Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, and Andrew Santino) ask a struggling actor known as “Rock Hard” Rod (played by John Cena) to pretend to be the fictional Stanicky. This film, directed by Peter Farrelly, will premiere on Thursday on Prime Video.

reports:

— Jake Coyle, AP’s film writer, has reported:

Ariana Grande changed things up four years ago with “Positions” and five years ago with “Thank U, Next” in her songs about breakups. She also released previous albums titled “Sweetener,” “Dangerous Woman,” “My Everything,” and “Yours Truly.” Now, she has released a new full-length album called “eternal sunshine” and has reclaimed her top spot in the world of pop music. Her lead single “Yes, And?” introduced a new sound influenced by house music and quickly reached the No. 1 spot. Adding to the success, a remix featuring Mariah Carey was released shortly after.

Jack Antonoff leads the New Jersey group Bleachers when he’s not working with artists like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Florence and the Machine, and Clairo. The band’s fourth studio album, self-titled Bleachers, follows in the same style as their previous work, with upbeat pop-rock heavily influenced by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (the saxophones in the beginning of “Modern Girl” are a clear example). This album showcases a different side of Antonoff’s talents, and is perfect for those hoping to experience a lively performance.

Kim Gordon, best known for her work in the innovative noise rock band Sonic Youth, is gearing up to release her second solo album, titled “The Collective.” The album embraces the avant-garde style of “no wave” and is filled with spoken-word vocals (referred to as sprechgesang by those with refined tastes) layered over explosive and unconventional production. From hip-hop influenced beats to the sound of shattering glass in the almost nu-metal track “Bye Bye,” to the standout song “I’m A Man,” which challenges traditional views of masculinity in our current capitalist society. Even after all these years, Gordon’s art remains raw and unapologetic.

Camae Ayewa, also known as Moor Mother, has always incorporated Black history and music into her artistic work as an Afrofuturist poet. Her latest album, “The Great Bailout,” delves into the impact of British colonialism and explores the connection between displacement and liberation. The album features melodic strings and hauntingly beautiful vocals, interrupted by powerful lyrics that touch on the effects of slavery. The first single, “Guilty,” features Lonnie Holley and Raia Was.

— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

– Praise the female leaders. A recently released documentary series on National Geographic highlights the power of queenly animals in the animal kingdom. Narrated by Academy Award winner Angela Bassett, the seven-part series was captured over four years in 12 different countries by a team of female filmmakers. The series features insect, orca, hyena, and lion queendoms. The final episode spotlights the important work of women who document and protect wildlife, an area that is often male-dominated in the field of natural history. “Queens” will debut on Monday on National Geographic and can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+ the following day.

Theo James is the lead actor in “The Gentlemen,” a television show created by Guy Ritchie that is based on the 2019 movie with the same name. James portrays the character of Eddie, who inherits the title of Duke and a dilapidated country estate from his deceased father. He sees the estate as a financial drain and a significant responsibility. However, his world is turned upside down when he learns that the estate has been secretly running a marijuana cultivation business, which he has also inherited. “The Gentlemen” will be available on Netflix starting Thursday.

Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” is widely considered his greatest song, always bringing a smile and encouraging people to sing along and enjoy themselves. This is the atmosphere that Brooks aims to recreate with the opening of his Friends in Low Places Bar and Honky-Tonk in Nashville on Thursday. Coinciding with the bar’s opening is the premiere of a docuseries on Prime Video, following the journey of creating this establishment. Cameras captured Brooks, his wife Tricia Yearwood (experienced with her popular Food Network show and knowledge of hospitality), and their team as they brought this new venture to life.

A highly praised BBC dramatic comedy, “Boarders,” will soon be available in the U.S. on Tubi. The series follows five Black teenagers from the inner city who are awarded scholarships to attend St. Gilberts, a prestigious and historic boarding school in Britain. Adapting to a new environment is always challenging, and the transition to St. Gilbert’s proves to be even more difficult. All six episodes will be released on Tubi on March 8th.

— Alicia Rancilio

— Who is The Thaumaturge? According to the dictionary, they are someone who performs miracles. In this situation, the Thaumaturge is Wiktor Szulski who possesses the ability to identify “salutors” – supernatural beings that roam the streets of 1905 Warsaw. Wiktor is able to assist some locals by banishing their demons, but he can also call upon salutors to aid him in battling the imperial Russian soldiers who dominate the city. Fool’s Theory, a Polish game studio composed of experienced veterans from the popular Witcher series, describes The Thaumaturge as a role-playing game with choices that challenge morality. Its blend of historical fiction and philosophical intrigue has caught the attention of many. The game will be available on PC starting Monday.

“Unicorn Overlord” by Atlus is a top contender for game of the year. The main character, Alain, was once a prince but now is on a quest to regain his empire from the treacherous General Valmore. Despite losing his throne, Alain possesses a powerful ring that allows him to gather a diverse group of allies from different races such as humans, elves, angels, and beasts, in the fantastical world of Fevrith. Developed by Vanillaware, the creators of the beloved “13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim,” this game incorporates the studio’s trademark vibrant storytelling and strategic, real-time battles. Get ready to play on Friday, March 8 on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S, or Nintendo Switch.

— Lou Kesten

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Source: wral.com