February came and went, leaving behind some pretty subpar releases in theaters but some pretty strong TV offerings.
This last week of February is aiming to redeem the month with some entertaining new content. Cocaine Bear will be smashing through theaters this weekend, and based on everything that has been written about the film so far—it’s the kind of mindless fun worth going to the movies for. On the TV side, two popular TV shows are making their comeback.
Snowfall is back as Franklin Saint and his crew dive into the show’s sixth and final season. And for another West Coast focuses show, Bel-Air is also back with Season 2 and promises to deliver the same level of drama fans loved in its first. Awards season is still in full swing and the 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards will be taking place this Sunday, Feb. 26. The SAG Awards will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. EST on Netflix’s official YouTube channel. This weekend is a good time to catch up on all the Oscars contenders as the big night is quickly approaching. A whole lot of new arrivals are on the docket for March, so just hold on, because the 2023 movie schedule is starting to heat up.
Check out our choices for What to Watch this week below.
'Cocaine Bear'
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When: Friday, Feb. 24
Where: In theaters
Look, I’m a big fan of what you see is what you get movies like M3gan, Plane, or hundreds of the other schlocky yet entertaining movies audiences used to get throughout a calendar year. With franchise films continuing to lead the box office, it’s harder to find movies that aim to entertain without crossing a billion dollars.
Audiences won’t need to look too hard for a blast at the movies this weekend, thanks to Cocaine Bear. The Elizabeth Banks R-rated comedy does exactly what it says on the tin. Inspired by the 1985 true story, Bear follows an ensemble cast of characters (Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklyn Prince, Christian Convery, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, and Ray Liotta) who come across a bear that ingested a significant amount of coke after a plane crash scatters a trafficked stash in a Georgia National Forest.
Banks is committed to following through on the absurd reality of that premise, resulting in comedic amounts of gore and goring—but not at the cost of some fun performances. The cast knows what movie they’ve signed onto (half the battle in these kinds of movies), with the standouts being Ehrenreich, Ferguson, and Liotta in his final performance. Banks manages to surprise as well, staging many early action sequences like horror setpieces that give weight to the dangers of the bear without losing any of the humor. That’s a tenuous tightrope dance to walk, but Banks performs it with ease and makes Cocaine Bear quite the enjoyable ride from start to finish. —William Goodman
'Snowfall' Season 6
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When: Wednesday, Feb. 22
Where: FX
FX knows it’s been a while since fans got to dive into the Snowfall world so they kicked off the final season by sharing not one, but two, new episodes of the show. Episode 1 finds Franklin Saint still at odds with his family after he has been robbed of his money stash, halting his drug operation. Aunt Louie and Uncle Jerome have separated from Franklin and are ready to go to war against their own to assert their power as their own entity. It feels like the walls are closing in on Franklin, but any loyal fan of the show knows that he always finds a way out. Where will they all end up? We’re just episodes away from finding out. —Karla Rodriguez.
'Bel-Air' Season 2
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When: Thursday, Feb. 23
Where: Peacock
Diehard fans of the original The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air may have been skeptical about the dramatic remake of the classic TV sitcom at first. It turns out that Bel-Air found itself an audience who is eager to keep following Will as he continues to adjust to his new life with the Banks family. While the appeal of the original was mostly due to its highly comedic moments, the show dealt with some pretty serious issues on occasion. The dramatization of the show may be a bit much for some who prefer humor, but for the right audience, Bel-Air is exactly the kind of show they need. If Will Smith’s involvement with the show wasn’t enough to motivate you to join in the first season, OG fans might be interested in hearing that Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley in the original, is joining the cast in Season 2. Tune in now on Peacock to see for yourself. —Karla Rodriguez.
