There is a lot of nostalgia going on this week. The Martin cast reunited after 30 years to look back on the legacy of the show and how it continues to be a multigenerational fan-favorite thanks to syndication and streaming. The 90-minute BET+ special Martin: The Reunion was filled with feel-good moments and the cast shared some of their fondest memories from their time on the sitcom. Pixar delivered Buzz Lightyear’s origin story Lightyear this week, and even if some people are upset that Chris Evans replaced Tim Allen, it is worth a watch for any Toy Story fan.
Netflix has two major releases this week with Jennifer Lopez’s Halftime documentary and Spiderhead, while Apple TV+ is bringing in two strong projects this week with the film Cha Cha Real Smooth and their series For All Man Kind kicking off its third season. HBO’s Barry had its Season 3 series finale, and if you haven’t seen it yet—go watch it. It is one of the most traumatizing episodes of television in recent memory, but also one of the best. We have spent all week watching the latest in TV and movie releases so you don’t have to. From everything we’ve watched, we selected a few of the best offerings that the entertainment world has to off. Check them out below.
'Martin: The Reunion'
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When: Thursday, June 16
Where: BET+
The Martin cast reunited 30 years after the show debuted on Fox in 1992 to celebrate the sitcom’s incredible legacy and its impact on TV and pop culture. Martin Lawrence (Martin), Tisha Campbell (Gina), Tichina Arnold (Pam), and Carl Anthony Payne II (Cole) sat down for BET+’s 90-minute special Martin: The Reunion to relive some of the show’s best moments from its five-season run. They discussed how Lawrence sought out Campbell to play his girlfriend on the show, how Arnold wanted to get the role on her own and without her longtime best friend Campbell’s help, and how the actresses and Payne knew each other since they were kids. The cast also shared an emotional tribute for their costar who played Martin’s best friend Tommy, the late Thomas Mikal Ford. The actor passed away in 2016 at the age of 52, and it was the reunion’s most special moment.
The show took place in the iconic living room set from the show that diehard fans will instantly recognize, and it was hosted by Affion Crockett. The reunion was also jam-packed with special appearances from recurring cast members and guest stars. The special emphasized how Martin is not only responsible for making people laugh for decades, but also for putting talent on the map and opening doors for them. Some of the guest appearances include Snoop Dogg, Brian McKnight, Marla Gibbs, and Tommy Davidson. Snoop, McKnight, and Tracy Morgan recalled Martin being the first sitcom they appeared on at the start of their careers and thanked the show’s creator for the opportunity. Watching the cast look back at their time on the show fondly and seeing how well they all get along, despite Campbell’s 1997 sexual harassment lawsuit against Lawrence, was heartwarming.
Going down memory lane alongside the actors as they discuss the impact the show had on them and the culture is going to be a treat for any Martin fan. —Karla Rodriguez
'Lightyear'
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When: Friday, June 17
Where: In theaters
Pixar has decided to give the people a backstory on the man who inspired Andy’s Buzz Lightyear toy in the Toy Story movies. Chris Evans is voicing the character and he has been open about his trepidation about how people will react to him taking over Tim Allen’s iconic role, but you can read more about that in our interview with the actor here. Lightyear serves its purpose. We get to finally see the space ranger’s story, and even though we don’t learn much about his personal life, we get an understanding of why he became such a heroic character. Buzz is on a mission to help his crew get back home from space, and his dedication to the journey leaves him lonely along the way until he finds a team of misfits to become his family. Evans does just fine with his voice acting, but Keke Palmer as an aspiring space ranger Izzy and a robot cat named Sox are really the heart of the movie. It’s a sweet film, and simply worth seeing because of the nostalgia of it all. —Karla Rodriguez
‘Spiderhead’
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When: Friday, June 17
Where: In select theaters and on Netflix
As if having directed one of the best blockbusters of the year (or any year, for that matter!) wasn’t enough, Top Gun: Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski’s next film is already out—albeit on streaming on Netflix instead of in a theater. Based on a short story from acclaimed writer George Saunders, Spiderhead is a science-fiction thriller focused on convicts in a facility who take experimental drugs in exchange for a reduced sentence. It’s not just Kosinski’s name that has us interested in Spiderhead, but everyone else involved, too; Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick adapted the Saunders story, and the compelling cast features Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, and Jurnee Smollett.
Maverick likely put Kosinski on the radar for many, but the stalwart director has had plenty of other compelling movies in the past, including the under-appreciated Only the Brave and Oblivion. Kosinski has officially earned his status as a filmmaker whose films are worth watching upon release—and it certainly sounds like he’s got the pedigree for another hit on his hands. —William Goodman
‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’
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When: Friday, June 17
Where: In select theaters and Apple TV+
The Apple+ release of Sundance hit Cha Cha Real Smooth is notable for two reasons: One, it’s the splashy sophomore effort of multi-hyphenate Cooper Raiff in the wake of 2020’s winning—if not winningly named—Shithouse, a confident debut about an adrift twenty-something. Two, it’s the second high-profile Sundance movie Apple Films has acquired (in case you’re unaware, the first movie Apple snagged was none other than CODA, which just won Best Picture at the Oscars this year). Apple is hoping lightning strikes twice.
It’s easy to understand why Apple sprung for Cha Cha in the wake of CODA. There’s a similar feel-good overlap between the two films, but Raiff’s effort is far more concerned with shaping and exploring that post-college wilderness. After returning from Tulane, compassionate Andrew (Raiff) stumbles into a job as a party-starter for bar/bat mitzvahs in the New Jersey area before striking up a friendship with a local woman named Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her neurodiverse daughter Lola (newcomer Vanessa Burghardt).
Much like Shithouse, Raiff writes and directs a deeply humanistic script that infuses a deep sense of love and care for all of its characters and provides his character Andrew with plenty to work with. But Cha Cha really excels whenever Johnson is on-screen, as she’s now two-for-two in playing believably memorable mothers (Cha Cha makes a compelling double feature with Johnson’s work in The Lost Daughter). This is easily Johnson’s best work, bolstered by the thoughtful life she infuses Domino with; the inevitable chemistry between Andrew and Domino is electric due to just how well both Johnson and Raiff play off of one another. Burghardt is also a huge surprise, and I hope this is the start of a long and fruitful career for her.
Cha Cha Real Smooth is a predictable but compassionate low-stakes affair that’s likely to surprise and disarm you with a full-on charm offensive reflective of its cast and the film’s talented director/writer/actor. Even if the film doesn’t garner awards like Apple may hope it does, it’s clear Raiff is one to watch—and it’s even clearer his talent isn’t a one-trick pony. —William Goodman
‘For All Mankind' Season 3
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When: Friday, June 17
Where: Apple TV+
We’ve not spent much time on site talking about Apple TV+’s For All Mankind, which is probably the best show you’re not watching. Now in its third season, the show details an alternate history wherein the space race never ended. Instead, humanity is competing to see who can explore the entire galaxy first.
After a breathtaking second-season finale, the show jumps from the 80s well into the 90s; it’s worth watching the first two episodes of the season together as they essentially work as a two-parter. The premiere establishes what each of the main characters—a truly fantastic ensemble cast led by Joel Kinnaman, Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Sonya Walger, Wrenn Schmidt, and Edi Gathegi—has gotten up to in the intervening decade or so. The second episode then pushes the pilot forward significantly as the scope of the third season clicks into focus: having established livable conditions on the Moon, there’s now a three-horse race in the competition to land on Mars first between NASA, the Soviets, and a public sector company led by an Elon Musk-like figure named Dev Ayesa (Gathegi).
For All Mankind is one of the best sci-fi shows airing right now, and Apple TV+’s best series that’s not Ted Lasso. Go ahead and slip on your spacesuit and moonwalk into your newest obsession. You’ll thank us later. —William Goodman
'Halftime'
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When: Tuesday, June 14
Where: Netflix
Jennifer Lopez’s Halftime documentary hit Netflix on Wednesday, June 15, and it shows a rare glimpse at the dedication and sometimes frustrations that she deals with in order to be a global superstar. The film documented the months leading up to her 2020 Super Bowl Halftime performance. In the doc, she talks about politics, her disappointment in not getting an Oscar nom for Hustlers, and having to share the stage with Shakira at the Super Bowl. The decision for the two Latina superstars to share the stage was controversial since the event is usually done by a single performer, who then has the option of inviting guests.
“It was an insult to say you needed two Latinas to do the job that one artist historically has done,” her manager, Benny Medina, says in the doc. He’s absolutely right and to me, it’s still one of the biggest fumbles in halftime history. Regardless of only having six minutes each, they killed it, and J.Lo’s resilience and her tenacity to make it work really shine through in this documentary. Some people had an issue with J.Lo saying that it was a bad decision to have them split the show, but in the doc, she makes it clear that her issue was with the NFL’s decision, not the Colombian singer.
My favorite part of it all? The Alex Rodriguez erasure. The former Yankee was engaged to the singer during her Super Bowl appearance but was appropriately edited out of the doc. Her current fiancé, Ben Affleck, made an appearance though, coming to her defense for the way she has been treated by the media throughout her career. A lot goes into being Jennifer Lopez, and while she generally always has a positive and cheerful attitude, this doc shows a fiercer, more powerful side of the singer fans rarely get to see. —Karla Rodriguez
'Barry' Season 3 finale
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When: Sunday, June 13
Where: HBO Max
Technically, the Barry Season 3 finale came out on Sunday last week, but it is our duty to put you on to the best TV has to offer—and right now, this show is it. Season 3 of the hit HBO series has been more anxiety-inducing than the last two, and that’s saying a lot. Barry, a hitman-for-hire turned actor played by Bill Hader, is grappling with his conscience in the finale and has to face the reality that he will never be able to escape his past. Viewers get to watch along as the fear of having to one day pay for his sins settles in, and regardless of his deep desire to want to turn his life around, Barry knows what his end looks like. The rest of the characters are also facing the consequences of their actions and the whole episode feels like opening a bottle of soda that you’ve been shaking for a while. It’s explosive, nerve-wracking, slightly frightening, and definitely messy.
Hader’s performance is so on point that you feel the character’s angst through the screen. Sarah Goldberg, who plays Barry’s girlfriend Sally Reed, is at her best in this episode, too, delivering some of the best acting on the show, which is hard to do since every single person on the show brought their damn A-game in the finale. If you missed the season, binge it all now, and if you haven’t hit play on the finale yet, brace yourself, you’re in for quite a ride. —Karla Rodriguez
