Indiana Pacers' Ron Artest is restrained by Austin Croshere before being escorted off the court following their fight with the Detroit Pistons and fans on Nov. 19, 2004, in Auburn Hills, Mich. The famous "Malice at the Palace" brawl, Caitlyn Jenner's reflections toward winning an Olympic gold medal and boxer Christy Martin's fight for her life outside the ring are some of the most pivotal sports moments highlighted in a new Netflix docuseries. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson, File)
The weekend is here, so it's time to relax and catch up on our what-to-watch list. From the notorious Pacers vs. Pistons game in 2004 to an '80s cult classic, Cheddar's digital team might have a few suggestions to get you through. NOTE: Spoilers possible. Proceed with caution.
Untold: Malice at the Palace - Netflix
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
Undoubtedly one of the most intriguing NBA spectacles in the history of the game was the November 2004 brawl between members of the Indiana Pacers and fans of the Detroit Pistons. Famously known as the "Malice at the Palace," Netflix unearths its own basketball diaries to get the inside scoop of the infamous night, and more importantly, the players' angle. Hear from NBA veterans Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly known as Ron Artest, Reggie Miller, Ben Wallace, and Jermaine O’Neal as they describe how on-court antics led to off-court chaos with fans.
Reservation Dogs - Hulu
Picked by Copy Editor Mike Nam
A bit of a reference to the Quentin Tarantino title Reservoir Dogs, the half-hour comedy on FX + Hulu show follows four indigenous teens in Oklahoma doing whatever they can to escape to the mystical land of California. The production is led by Taika Waititi (a New Zealander of Māori indigenous descent) and Sterlin Harjo (a member of the Seminole Nation with Muskogee heritage). Shot entirely on the Muscogee Nation reservation in eastern Oklahoma, it's a groundbreaking series for Native American representation, and judging from the first episodes already available, it's pretty funny and moving too.
What If...? - Disney+
Picked by Copy Editor Mike Nam
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is doubling down on its multiverse plans following the streaming show Loki with the premiere of the animated What If…?, a title shared by a Marvel Comics series with the same premise: what if a single event was altered leading to an entirely different parallel universe. The series is narrated by Jeffrey Wright (who also plays Commissioner Gordon in DC's upcoming The Batman) as the all-seeing Watcher. The first episode showcases what might have happened in the MCU if Peggy Carter received the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers. The show features a lot of the live-action Marvel stars reprising their voices including Hayley Atwell and Sebastian Stan. Episode 1 is now streaming on Disney+.
The Prince - HBO Max
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
I just finished up Letterkenny, the offbeat, off-color sitcom about the hicks, skids, and jocks living in a small Canadian town. Now, what do I watch while eagerly awaiting seasons 10 and 11? Hopefully, Gary Janetti is answering my call. The show's creator talked to Cheddar this week about his offbeat, off-color cartoon about the British royal family. While it's clear noteveryonethinksit'sfunny … there must be someone who does because HBO Max dropped the entire series earlier this month. So, I guess I'll settle in with some tea and biscuits and see what the hubbub is all about.
Streets of Fire - Netflix
Picked by Cheddar Reporter Alex Vuocolo
As a movie buff, I sometimes get frustrated with the lack of deep-cuts available on Netflix. More and more, the OG streaming service relies on original content rather than licensing to fill up its catalog. That being said, sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised at its more obscure selections, and this month Walter Hill's visionary 1984 film Streets of Fire popped up under "Recently Added." It's a hard movie to categorize, but I'll do my best: Imagine West Side Story but super violent and with a dash of '80s neon. It's like a bunch of '50s-style greasers got their hands on a time machine and raided a West Hollywood thrift shop circa 1988. Interestingly, it's not a musical, but it feels like one. There's a rock n roll musicality to the direction that gives the whole movie a jaunty, propulsive tone. As the director of The Warriors, Hill wasn't new to flamboyant, colorful cult films with an almost fantastical urban backdrop, but Streets of Fire is arguably his most outrageous — and somehow most unheralded — effort.
Amazon is betting that ammonia could be the fuel of the future, participating in a Series A round for the Brooklyn-based company Amogy in December. Amogy aims to de-carbonize transportation with a clean energy system that uses ammonia as a renewable fuel. Amogy is partnering with Amazon on its first commercial product - an ammonia-powered cargo-shipping vessel. Amogy CEO Seonghoon Woo joins Cheddar Climate to discuss.
One of the world's largest transport companies is kicking off Black History Month with a new initiative aimed at the next generation of business leaders. Today, FedEx announced the launch of its Student Ambassador Program. Participants selected from eight historically black colleges and universities will receive career guidance from FedEx executives. The program is part of FedEx's ongoing commitment to HBCUs and will also help the company expand its pipeline for diverse talent. Cheddar News welcomes senior vice president at FedEx, Jenny Robertson, and Jerryl Briggs, President of Mississippi Valley State University, to discuss.
"Sing 2" has overthrown "Spider-Man: No Way Home" as the number one film at the UK box office. The animated sequel brought in $8.1 million, in just its two first weekends. However, "No Way Home" is still on track to beat "Avatar" as the number one grossing movie of all time.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has been a driving force for youth mentorship since 1904. The nonprofit organization is launching its annual Big Draft campaign this month in partnership with the NFL, and Artis Stevens, the first Black CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, joined Cheddar to discuss the push for adding more "Bigs" as mentors on his one-year anniversary leading the non-profit organization. "While the NFL is recruiting and drafting more players, they're also helping us to draft more mentors and, particularly, men all the way from across February to all the way to April of this year," Stevens explained.
The Supreme Court will reconsider race-based affirmative action in college admissions. The court will examine admissions policies at Harvard University and The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, which count the race of applicants as a factor in admissions. The court has upheld affirmative action policies in the past, saying it helps to create more diverse student bodies. However, the conservative Supreme Court could be skeptical and even possibly hostile to such policies. Nick Anderson, Higher Education Writer, Washington Post joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The value of most cryptocurrencies have plummeted in recent months since reaching all-time highs in November, wiping out more than $1 trillion in value globally. The steep crash has some talking about the possibility of a crypto winter, a term referring to a prolonged bearish period where asset prices persistently fall over many months. This all comes as the Fed is expected to raise interest rates, and the Biden administration is working on an executive order to regulate Bitcoin and other assets. Josh Goodbody, COO of Qredo, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the crypto crash, and how the industry might recover from it.
Recent data reveals that streaming giants are struggling to retain subscribers in the months following a major release.
According to data from Antenna, subscriber trends show that users will subscribe to a given streaming service just to watch a particular show, and then cancel those subscriptions shortly after. This comes as the streaming space continues to heat up as new entrants crowd the space. Jon Christian, Founding Partner + Digital Supply Chain Leader at OnPrem joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The EU relaxed its Covid travel restrictions for vaccinated individuals among the union's 27 member states, doing away with testing or quarantine requirements for travelers. This comes soon after the World Health Organization said the omicron variant could help make the pandemic more manageable. The new rules take effect February 1st. Bryce Conway, Founder, 10xTravel joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
If you're in China you may have noticed that the 1999 film "Fight Club" which features Brad Pitt has somehow got itself a new ending. In the new ending on the streaming service Tencent, the narrator is killed and the explosions are replaced with a black screen saying "the police arrested criminals".It's unclear as to exactly why the changes were made. However, it is the latest example of China playing by its own rules when it comes to entertainment and attempting to control everything its citizens watch. Media Reporter at Axios, Sarah Fisher, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
