From left, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, Rukiya Bernard, Christina Ricci and Melanie Lynskey arrive at the premiere of "Yellowjackets" on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, at Hollywood Legion in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Another weekend, another chance to binge some content! Cheddar's Digital Team recommends DC's 'Peacemaker,' the quirky 'Letterkenny' Season 10, the hot Showtime drama 'Yellowjackets,' and the overlooked Soderbergh heist-flick 'No Sudden Move.'
Peacemaker - HBO Max
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
One of the many highlights of James Gunn's Suicide Squad movie was the delightfully earnest, sociopathic minor character codenamed Peacemaker played by former pro wrestler John Cena. He loves peace so much, he's willing to cause an extreme amount of violence to get it. Yeah, he's not subtle, but Cena's weirdly awkward take on the bloody D-list vigilante from DC Comics proved so enjoyable, HBO Max gave him his own series. Cena is also joined by a misfit group of government handlers and a trained pet bald eagle to round out the bizarre project. The series kicked off today with the first three episodes.
Letterkenny: Season 10 - Hulu
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
I have no idea how Season 10 of Letterkenny slid into Hulu over the holidays without my noticing, but now that it's here, I can't wait to begin! The sitcom stars the series' co-creator Jared Keeso as Wayne, a folksy farmer in Ontario, Canada, who has strong morals, foul-mouthed friends, and lots of time to kill. The sitcom started as a YouTube series and was turned into a full-fledged TV program in 2016. Pro tip: Turn on closed captioning so you don't miss any of the hysterical one-liners in the fast-talking, slang-filled scenes.
Yellowjackets - Showtime
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
Can you imagine having to eat some of your best friends in order to survive in the remote wilderness? Showtime's Yellowjackets explores the story of a wildly successful New Jersey high school girls soccer team who survived a plane crash in a thick Ontario forest. In the beginning, hopes and spirits are high that the team would be rescued but after several days, that hope dwindles, despair sets in, and they go into survival mode. Days turned into 19 staggering months in the wilderness, during which time chaos and cannibalism became the norm. Over the course of the series, the survivors, over 25 years later, begin to reveal the truth behind their survival story. The season finale airs Sunday, January 16.
No Sudden Move - HBO Max
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo
I'm still in 2021 catch-up mode over here, so this week I finally saw one of the year's most unheralded movies. No Sudden Move, which was quietly released on HBO Max back in June, is the latest from Steven Soderbergh, the prolific director-cinematographer behind Ocean's 11 and its sequels. This is also sort of a heist film, but it's set in postwar Detroit and is centered around a plot to steal GM's plans for the catalytic converter (the device that reduces emissions in automobiles). It's a funky period piece with a stellar cast, including Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, David Harbour, and Julia Fox. If you like a good caper, don't sleep on this one.
Looking for more to watch? Check out our recommendations from last week and the week before.
Matt Schulz, Chief Credit Analyst at LendingTree, joins Cheddar to break down the different types of credit card rewards that are out there, which states utilize rewards more than others, and how to get the most out of your credit card rewards.
While people have been spending more time on their phones throughout the pandemic, a new report shows they were also spending more money as well. A review from Sensor Tower on the global app ecosystem this year found that the app economy will see record consumer spending in 2021, up nearly 20% from 2020. Sensor Tower director of sales and financial institutions Anthony Bartolacci joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to break down the report.
The future of gambling in Florida recently suffered a major setback after a federal appeals court rejected a request from the state and the Seminole Tribe to allow online sports betting in the state. Now, the tribe has been forced to stop taking bets on its Hard Rock sportsbook app. ESPN gaming writer David Purdum joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what this could mean for the future of sports betting in Florida.
Web3 software startup Thirdweb has raised $5 million in a funding round, coming from a group of high-profile investors, including Gary Vaynerchuk and Mark Cuban. Thirdweb says it is paving the way for the revolution surrounding the new iteration of the internet known as web3, by offering users free tools to build their own web3 projects. Thirdweb's co-founders Steven Bartlett and Furqan Rydhan join Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Decentralized talent network Braintrust recently closed an atypical equity deal that involved investors buying $100 million in Braintrust tokens, the company's cryptocurrency. Braintrust's talent network is built on blockchain technology, which the company says allows it to be owned and built by users, instead of a centrally-controlled corporation. Braintrust users can also earn tokens for their contributions to the network and its growth. Braintrust co-founder Adam Jackson joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Time magazine has unveiled SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk as Person of the Year for 2021. Jeffrey Kluger, editor at large for Time, told Cheddar that Musk's impact on so many facets of forward-looking industries like crypto, solar power, electric vehicles, and especially his work on space travel were the reasons behind the selection. "On balance, Musk is performing on so many levels and in so many venues that it was hard not to consider him our Person of the Year," he said. Kluger also noted that the choice is based upon the influence the subject has had, whether good or bad and is not a judgment on its own.
The recent verdicts of the Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery murder trials have put a spotlight on the country's justice system. Experts have pointed to the explicit racial undertones in the high-profile trials, as well as the increased levels of stress that may be felt by communities of color because of the prevalence of these trials. Kailee Scales, CEO of Pencils of Promise and former first managing director of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Gold Medal ski racer Bode Miller and John Emery, CEO of Alpine-X, discuss the need to make snowsports more affordable and how the new facility in Virginia aims to diversify the sport to urban areas.
