Even in the normal August doldrums, there’d at least be one or two major theatrical releases hitting your local cinema to get excited over but that’s not the case in 2022. Many of the major blockbuster-style films we’d typically see are hitting streaming television instead. To wit: this week alone features a high-profile series adaptation of A League of Their Own, the beloved Penny Marshall baseball film over on Prime Video. Disney+’s latest animation short collection takes a decidedly Marvel spin with the debut of I Am Groot.
All that alone would probably be enough to get you through the weekend, but there’s still more: Jamie Foxx’s Netflix original movie Day Shift sees the actor as a work-class man taking down vampires for cash in an action comedy that looks to be a good time. AllBlk is launching Send Help, a dark comedy from some of the minds behind Insecure about a first-generation Haitian man struggling to make it in Hollywood after a family tragedy. That’s also to say nothing of the penultimate episode of Better Call Saul, which continues its stellar run towards its series finale. Industry’s fantastic outing (which we’ve already written about, check that if you haven’t already), or Westworld’s fourth season finale on Sunday. Sure, we’ll miss having a major film release this week, but with so much to watch, well, maybe it’s for the best. Dive into our picks below.
'Day Shift'
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When: Friday, Aug. 12
Where: Netflix
Day Shift is everything fans have come to expect from a vampire movie. The Netflix action flick starring Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco is full of all the gore and violence fans want with an extra layer of humor thanks to the surprising and refreshing chemistry between the two stars. Foxx plays Bud Jablonski, who currently works as a pool cleaner while hunting and killing vampires on the side to sell their fangs. He realizes that in order for the business to be lucrative, he has to do it through a union in order to get the money he needs to keep his family together. After being kicked out for his unconventional tactics in the past, he gets assigned a straightedge union rep named Seth (Franco) and the two become one hilarious, unconventional duo.
Karla Souza also delivers a convincing performance as a vampire turned realtor, while Snoop Dogg’s addition to the cast makes the film even more entertaining. This is not the type of movie that makes you think but that’s the magic of it—their goal was simply to entertain. And that it does. — Karla Rodriguez
When: Wednesday, Aug. 10
Where: Disney+
We’re now reaching a point in the MCU where it’s hard to tell what is or isn’t essential regarding the larger story Marvel is telling. That being said, I can safely say that despite the Marvel Studios tag on I Am Groot, the latest Disney+ series isn’t super consequential to the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. There’s a relief in that as the 5-episode set of shorts are, well, brief in their construction, you can probably watch the whole series while on your lunch break. The tone of the series reminds me a lot of the Looney Tunes-like clips audiences used to see before a Warner Bros. animated movie. There’s typically some sort of mischief that Groot gets into, allowing for all kinds of different shenanigans across the episodes, which do differ in tone from installment to installment. It also marks some decidedly kid-friendly MCU content, which means if you have kids (or know someone who does), they’ll probably love it. Hell, adults may end up finding themselves loving it too. – William Goodman
When: Friday, Aug. 12
Where: Prime Video
With series like Swagger, All American, and Winning Time, it feels like we’re in the middle of a sports television renaissance. The latest (and perhaps most no-brainer) series to join this group is Prime Video’s splashy adaptation of A League of Their Own. Anchored by a memorable who’s who of comedic talents, including Abbi Jacobson, D’Arcy Carden, Chanté Adams, Kate Berlant, Nick Offerman, and plenty of others—the movie-to-television adaptation of Penny Marshall’s beloved film looks to gain some depth and breadth by switching to a series. Instead of portraying the roles from the movie, the series sets up a new crew of players—and doesn’t look to shy away from exploring social matters of the 1940s era like racism and closeted queerness. If A League of Their Own can explore those topics with thrilling sports drama and sharp comedy, we may have a home run on our hands. – William Goodman
\When: Sunday, Aug. 14
Where: HBO
Regardless of whether or not Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) is alive or dead, Westworld is poised for one hell of a season finale on Sunday as the series heads back to its roots with the Man in Black (Ed Harris) against everyone a la the early days of the series. The remaining group of Caleb (Aaron Paul), Frankie (Aurora Perrineau), and Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth) will have quite a fight on their hands—and that’s not even considering a looming Charlotte (Tessa Thompson) in the mix as well. Oh, and we haven’t even mentioned whatever it is Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Teddy (James Marsden) are up to. There’s a lot to contend with before the series powers down for this season.
Westworld has often struggled with landing its plots, and as you can see, there’s a lot of ground to cover in just an hour on Sunday. But after delivering a consistently coherent, engaging, thoughtful, and (above all else) entertaining season, we’re hoping they can close this one out with a bang. No matter what, we’ll be watching. – William Goodman
‘Send Help’
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When: Thursday, Aug. 11
Where: ALLBLK
It’s not easy being a first generation American. If you can’t relate, ask somebody you know that’s constantly dealing with the pressure of not only making it but also doing something that helps their family while also making them proud. Insecure star and writer Jean Elie is setting out to tell the story of he and his Haitian family’s life through Send Help. The series, created alongside Mike Gauyo, is loosely based on Elie’s life and his journey of making it out in Hollywood while he and his family deal with the tragic passing of his big brother. The show is much more than that. Complex was sent screeners of the first season and it’s a comedy worth watching. It’s current and relatable as hell, and tackles not only the family and career aspect that young adults deal with but also gives a closeup (and real as hell) look at dating in 2022 but from the male perspective. It feels similar to Insecure or the early seasons of Sex and the City but with the family dynamics and cultural details that those shows were missing, that make this show that much richer. Elie’s performance as Fritz is also phenomenal and it takes courage to share such a deeply personal story for us all to enjoy. It’s a solid watch that you will want more of, episode after episode. —Karla Rodriguez
