New Releases for the week of February 21 - 27
The Last Vermeer
Shortly after the end of World War II, Capt. Joseph Piller (Bang) is part of the Dutch force tending to the bureaucratic mess left by the Nazis. When a rare painting by the renowned and adored Danish artist Johannes Vermeer is recovered from the belongings of Nazi leader Hermann Göring, Piller is on the case. Determined to find the traitor who would hand a priceless national treasure over to the enemy, he traces the sale to Han van Meegeren (Pearce), an extravagant artist with a penchant for mischief. Despite his initial motion to arrest the supposed Nazi sympathizer, it only takes Piller a few conversations with the eccentric gentleman to realize that there might be more to the story as Meegeren reveals that, rather than collaborating with Axis officials, he was conning the enemy by forging Vermeer paintings and selling them to the Nazis for millions.
Director: Dan Friedkin. Stars: Guy Pearce, Vicky Krieps, Claes Bang, August Diehl, Olivia Grant, Andrew Havill, Karl Johnson, Adrian Scarborough. 2019. 118 mins. Drama.
Silk Road
Ross Ulbricht (Robinson), like many millennial entrepreneurs, saw the internet as a portal to the unimaginable. But, unlike most of his contemporaries, his ambitions were not limited by legality or morality. As quickly as the idea came to him, Ulbricht and his girlfriend, Julia (Shipp), set up Silk Road, the first digital black market. Soon enough, their drug chain is in motion the world over and their activities are at the forefront of the DEA's concerns. Enter Rick Bowden (Clarke), a rugged FBI and DEA agent whose old-fashioned, violent and often-questionable investigative style will struggle to carry him in the hunt for Ulbricht, the model of the faceless, modern-day criminal.
Director: Tiller Russell. Stars: Jason Clarke, Nick Robinson, Alexandra Shipp, Jimmi Simpson, Jennifer Yun, Kenneth Miller, Lexi Rabe. 2021. 112 mins. Crime.
The Croods: A New Age
Still searching for a place to settle, Crood patriarch and caveman Grug (Cage); his wife, Ugga (Keener); her mother, Gran (Leachman); their daughter, Eep (Stone); and Eep's boyfriend, Guy (Reynolds), stumble upon an enormous wall. When the Croods decide to go beyond it, they are greeted by a paradise inhabited by the Bettermans, a family a couple of steps ahead of them, evolutionarily speaking. Delighted by each other at first, the novelty soon wears off as the units grapple with their glaring differences.
Director: Joel Crawford. Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Leslie Mann, Peter Dinklage. 2020. 95 mins. Animation.
Late Laughs for the week of February 21 - 27, 2021
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Tom Brady makes history as both the oldest person ever to play in a Super Bowl and the first person who ever moved to Florida so he could keep working.
Why is the rollout of the COVID vaccine going worse than the rollout of the Popeye's chicken sandwich?
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, on HBO
John Oliver hosts this Emmy-winning series, back with a new episode of its eighth season. Taking a deep dive into social, cultural and political issues, Oliver highlights lesser-known stories and offers new perspectives on the headlines.
Back to 'The Wonder Years': Reboot in the works
Josh Saviano, Fred Savage and Danica McKellar in "The Wonder Years"
Back to 'The Wonder Years': Networks are still riding a wave of '80s nostalgia — in fact, they've added a few more familiar titles to the list of reboots, remakes and spinoffs currently in the works.
Saturday Night Live, on NBC
Now in its 46th season, the iconic sketch comedy show has served as a launching ground for funny people, films and recording artists since its premiere in 1975. The show recently aired its 900th episode, which was guest-hosted by Dan Levy.
Q: Why did Chip and Joanna Gaines leave HGTV for a new network?
To be fair, they're not just leaving for a new network. They're leaving for their own network.
The network formerly known as DIY Network is being rebranded as Magnolia Network, a joint venture between the Gaineses and Discovery. Discovery is the parent company of DIY and of HGTV, the Gaineses former TV home.
Snatch, on AMC
Jason Statham leads an ensemble cast in this twisted black comedy heist drama. A small-time fight promoter finds himself in big-time trouble when he crosses paths with a sadistic mobster (Alan Ford), an Irish Traveler (Brad Pitt) and a stolen diamond.
Skating around secrets: New hockey drama 'Beartown' premieres on HBO
Miriam Ingrid stars in "Beartown"
If you like hockey, Swedish backdrops, shocking twists and inspiring stories about small communities, then you're in luck. The five-part series "Beartown" takes all of these qualities and turns them into a new series that is set to premiere Monday, Feb. 22, on HBO.
Clarice, on CBS
Rebecca Breeds stars as FBI agent Clarice Starling in this new series based on the "Silence of the Lambs" heroine. Still reeling from the traumatic events of her dealings with a cannibalistic serial killer, Clarice returns to the field.
Tough as Nails, on CBS
Twelve hard-working contenders are tested by a series of challenges meant to push their endurance, life skills and mental toughness to the limit at real-world job sites. Phil Keoghan returns to host this blue-collar competition series' second season.
