This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Sebastian Stan in a scene from "Fresh." (Searchlight Pictures via AP)
This weekend, Cheddar recommends sitting down with the birth of Showtime in Los Angeles, a dating horror story, a Cold War tale that seems awfully contemporary, and the rom-com classic that taught us all about what water can do to a fresh perm.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
Before Steph, Lebron, Kobe, and Michael, there were Magic and Larry. The 1980s saw the rebirth of the moribund National Basketball Association and, not coincidentally, the return to glory for the Los Angeles Lakers and its rivalry with the Boston Celtics. At the center of "Showtime" versus "Celtic Pride" were a host of sociopolitical, cultural, and racial divisions the entire country was undergoing, and the creators of The Big Short and Don't Look Up fashioned a fictionalized, fourth-wall-breaking limited series in Winning Time to give you the perspectives of Ervin "Magic" Johnson, team owner Jerry Buss, and the other major figures when sexiness and entertainment were married to the game of professional basketball, making the sport what it is today.
Fresh - Hulu
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo
Hulu has been churning out original horror flicks for the past few years, but very few have distinguished themselves amid the wash of new streaming content. Director Mimi Cave’s Fresh is one such exception. This is pulpy shock-horror at its finest, so the less said the better. But let’s just say it's a tale of modern dating gone horribly, horribly wrong. The two leads, Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones have real chemistry, which they carry forward into the film’s utterly disturbing second half. The squeamish should turn back now, but horror-heads should get a kick out of this tale of a meet-cute-turned-cat-and-mouse chase.
Without Remorse - Amazon Prime Video
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
With Amazon announcing the acquisition of MGM in an $8.5 billion deal, I figured I'd show some love to Prime's original content. Without Remorse, starring Michael B. Jordan, is an action-packed thriller, based on a Tom Clancy novel, that follows an elite Navy SEAL seeking revenge for the murder of his wife. Amid the search for those responsible, the protagonist John Kelly discovers a plot that could tip the scales in favor of an all-out war between the United States and Russia. Kelly becomes tasked with two major responsibilities: avenge his wife's death and get to the bottom of the conspiracy — which might be homegrown, leading to increased tension between the two countries. If you're into action and a good whodunnit flick, I think you'll be pleased.
Legally Blonde - Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
While I try to get through a bunch of series that have been recommended by colleagues (hello,The Gilded Age,Ozark, and Insecure!) maybe it's time for something a little longer. As Amazon snaps up MGM, perhaps I'll add something from its archive to my viewing list for the weekend, like, say, Legally Blonde. Who knew it would turn out to be a classic — one of the top-grossing films in MGM history, according to The Numbers. Reese Witherspoon has made a lot of films over her career, but this one, arguably, launched her into movie stardom, playing a rich sorority girl who decides to go to Harvard Law in order to hang onto her beloved beau. It's silly, quirky, and very, very light, but following an Ozark marathon (see above), it may provide a much-needed break.
Looking for more to watch? Check out our recommendations from last week and the week before.
Catching you up on today's entertainment headlines with the Tribeca Film Festival has kicked off in NYC, "Black Adam," starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson dropped its first full trailer, the musical "Come From Away" based on a true story set during 9/11 will be closing on Broadway this October, and more.
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
The Elevate Prize Foundation is donating $10,000 to different grassroots organizations based on a theme every month to help scale their work, focusing on a different theme each time. Upcoming prizes will help uplift an organization supporting the LGBTQ community and one mobilizing to help end gun violence. The foundation's CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram joined Cheddar to discuss the initiative and why it's important to uplift these grassroots organizations. "We are identifying social entrepreneurs around the world to help them scale their work. but the ultimate purpose of that is to create the first-ever fanbase for good," she said. "We're trying to make good famous and by inspiring people to think about the role they can play in doing good in the world."
With real estate being a largely male-dominated industry, Stephanie Shojaee, vice president and chief marketing officer at development company Shoma Group, joined Cheddar News to discuss how she took on the gender gap for women to achieve leadership roles, starting at her own company. “It's been very important to teach all the women that work here, especially the younger ones, that they shouldn't change themselves," she said. "You need to be happy with who you are and just keep breaking barriers."
We are already starting to feel the effects of summer. Heat waves in Texas and California are already sending temperatures soaring. That could spell trouble for the nation's power supply. there are new concerns about outages in many areas of the country. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier explains the two main causes of blackouts, and what states are doing to keep the lights on and the air conditioning running.
If you have been on the road this past year, you've probably seen more accidents on the road than you ever have. You're not wrong. Traffic fatalities are not only increasing they are hitting historic highs. Almost 43,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2021. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier investigates - and finds out why.
U.S. stocks close Tuesday at session highs after a subpar start to the trading day. Tim Chubb, Chief Investment Officer at the wealth advisory firm, Girard, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. 'We're starting to see the moderation of three core things -- we've seen the moderation of prices, we've seen the moderation of wage growth we've seen in the labor market, and we've also seen a moderation of job openings,' he says.
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew
in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Tattoo artist Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson, famous for starring in the VH1 hit series "Black Ink Crew: Chicago," is also the first Black woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She joined Cheddar News to discuss her trailblazing work, the stigma BIPOC tattoo artists face in the industry, and the way the space has changed for artists of color since her start. "In the beginning, I remember walking into a tattoo shop just like, hey, I wanna learn, I wanna be a tattoo artist and kind of just being laughed at, not taken seriously," she said. "Even with the tattoo conventions, a lot of African American tattoo artists were almost scared to go to conventions because it's not a welcoming environment."
