This week is really all about Friday, Feb. 18. A bevy of content is being released on that day just in time for the long Presidents Day weekend. Amazon Prime is providing viewers with the much anticipated fourth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, while Netflix has the second season of Steve Carell’s Space Force, as well as Rory Kennedy’s documentary about two recent Boeing plane crashes called Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. Not to be outdone, Apple TV Plus will release Ben Stiller's Charlie Kaufmanesque Severance, along with the appropriately timed Lincoln’s Dilemma. Here's a summary of what's on tap:
Erax, (Netflix, Feb. 17)
Directed by Hebru Brantley and written by Henry G.M. Jones, this 15-minute Netflix short fantasy drama focuses on Auntie Opal and her niece Nina, who are having a sleepover. Together, they accidentally release mythical and dangerous Erax creatures from a storybook. Drama unfolds as the duo attempts to return the monsters back to the book. Brantley is part of Netflix's inaugural Emerging Filmmaker Initiative (EFI), which gave Brantley and two other filmmakers money to develop, produce and distribute their respective short films on Netflix.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - Season 4 (Amazon Prime, Feb. 18)
Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) is back. After establishing herself as a stand-up comedian, Midge is now looking to hone her act. Tony Shalhoub also stars in the series, which during Season 4 will play host to guest stars including Kelly Bishop, Milo Ventimiglia, John Waters and Jason Alexander. The first and second seasons were hits with audiences and critics alike. Season three wasn't as big of a success with critics, but it had its charms, with Newsday's Verne Gay noting, "There are lots and lots of arc shots — when the camera revolves around characters — to capture the screwball moment, but those never feel redundant or vertiginous. They feel necessary — a device to keep us off balance, and in the moment, and to savor the sheer professionalism of what we are observing."
Severance (Apple TV Plus, Feb. 18)
Ever want to block out your work day? That’s what Mark Scout, played by Adam Scott, is looking to do in Severance. So, he undergoes a surgical "severance" procedure that solves any work-life balance issues. While the nine-episode series is directed and produced by Ben Stiller, don't expect too many laughs. Severance, which also stars Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walkin and John Turturro, is a thriller with plenty of dark undertones. The first two episodes of the series will be available on Feb. 18
Space Force - Season 2 (Netflix, Feb. 18)
Inspired by Donald Trump’s creation of a real United States’ Space Force, this Netflix comedy stars Steve Carell as general Mark R. Naird -- a man who has dreamed of running the Air Force, but instead has to lead the newly formed Space Force. While Carell created the series with Greg Daniels (The Office) the first season got off to a rocky start. Arizona Republic writer Bill Goodykoontz said of Season 1, "There's so much talent here, and so much to draw from. You long for the brilliant savagery of Veep. In the six episodes Netflix provided for review, it’s not there. Too bad. Space Force isn’t toothless. But it could use more bite.” The hope is that Carell and Daniels read the reviews and made improvements to the second season. With a cast that includes Lisa Kudrow, John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Jimmy O. Yang, Noah Emmerich, Fred Willard, Tawny Newsome, Diana Silvers, Alex Sparrow, and Don Lake, there's always hope.
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (Netflix, Feb. 18)
Director Rory Kennedy investigates two Boeing 737 MAX crashes that occurred within five months of each other in 2018 and 2019, killing a combined 346 people. Aviation experts, journalists, former Boeing employees, members of Congress and the families of victims reveal that sometimes corporations, airlines, manufacturers, and the regulatory agencies that are supposed to be looking out for the public aren’t paying attention to the core issue of our safety. Kennedy exposes Boeing’s decision to focus on its finances instead of public safety. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard served as executive producers.
The King’s Man (Hulu, Feb. 18)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zdBG-iGfes
A prequel in the Matthew Vaughn’ Kingsman spy series, The King's Man is an action film that explores the origins of the first independent intelligence agency and follows "a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds as they gather to plot a war to wipe out millions.” The ensemble cast includes an impressive lineup of actors including Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou and Charles Dance.
Uprooted (Discovery Plus, Feb. 18)
Director Avril Z investigates the unsolved 1986 hanging death of Keith Warren, a 19-year-old Black man from Silver Spring, Md. The police ruled out suicide at the death scene, but no autopsy was ever performed, and no criminal investigation was ever opened. The three-part docuseries follows Warren’s sister Sherri and her 35-year fight against systemic corruption to find out what really happened to her brother.
Lincoln’s Dilemma (Apple TV Plus, Feb. 18)
Jeffrey Wright narrates this four-part documentary series focused on Abraham Lincoln’s challenging quest to end slavery. The series features the voice of Bill Camp as Lincoln and Leslie Odom Jr. as Frederick Douglass. Based on David S. Reynolds’ book, Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times, the series features insights from journalists, educators and Lincoln scholars who offer a more nuanced look at the Great Emancipator. The series was directed by Barak Goodman and Jacqueline Olive.
Free Guy (HBO Max/Disney Plus, Feb. 23)
Ryan Reynolds’ stars as Guy – a man who discovers he’s not actually a bank teller, but in fact a background video game character. After gaining consciousness, Guy becomes determined to save his world before the evil game company CEO (Taika Waititi) destroys it. This Disney/20th Century Studio’s film defied theatrical box office expectations when it garnered over $28 million in its opening weekend and earned an aggregated 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Due to the structure of Disney's distribution contracts, the Shawn Levy film -- which has been available for rental in the transactional window -- will come to Disney Plus and HBO Max SVOD simultaneously.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Plus, Feb. 23)
This animated family comedy originally premiered on the Disney Channel 17 years ago. Now, the show about teenager Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt) is back, starring original voice cast members including Pratt, Karen Malina White, Soleil Moon Frye and Alisa Reyes. New additions to The Proud Family include a gay couple -- Randall and Barry Leibowitz-Jenkins -- voiced respectively by Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto, and Penny’s new gender non-confirming friend Michael Collins (voiced by EJ Johnson).
