Cheddar has you covered at the start of November with the very, very true story of Weird Al Yankovic's life, the not so true story of the last 'Blockbuster,' the fantasy story of 'The Dragon Prince,' the scary story of 'Barbarian,' and the history of art told by a nun in 'Sister Wendy's Story of Painting.'
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story - The Roku Channel
Picked by Growth Associate Keara O’Driscoll
Daniel Radcliffe stars as “Weird” Al Yankovic in this EXTREMELY loose telling of the parody singer's life. The idea for the film stems from Funny or Die’s parody movie trailer of Yankovic’s life. If you like his music, are just weird, or somewhere in between, this movie looks like it will be a good watch. Catch Weird: The Al Yankovic Story streaming on The Roku Channel for free beginning November 4.
Blockbuster - Netflix
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
Yearning for a good sitcom featuring some tried and true comedic TV stars? Netflix's new series Blockbuster shows some serious promise. The pilot episode sets the scene as one of the franchises in Anytown USA becomes the last store standing of the once-storied chain. The store employees, a team of loveable misfits, decide to band together to make sure they don't go the way of "the last dinosaur." I'm excited to catch more of the season that dropped on Thursday and is led by Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat). At Cheddar News we have followed the saga of the real last Blockbuster store, so it's interesting to get a fictional take on the same story.
The Dragon Prince, Season 4 - Netflix
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
The long-running series (by Netflix standards), The Dragon Prince, returns for its latest installment subtitled Mystery of Aaravos, two years after the climactic finale that saw a peaceful resolution to a conflict between humans and magical creatures like elves and dragons. But apparently, peace is no walk in the fantasy park either. The young heroes Callum, Ezran, and Rayla are back to unravel the mystery and keep the peace starting Thursday.
Barbarian - HBO Max
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo
Yes, the spooky season is officially over, but top-notch horror releases keep coming. Hot off its theatrical run, Barbarian is now available on HBO Max, and I pity the casual viewer who accidentally turns on this head-spinner. This one has it all: jump scares, plot twists, punchlines, flashbacks, and more. It's a feast for horror fans, but don't read anything about the plot and make sure you're ready for some of the gnarliest cinematic curveballs in recent memory.
THROWBACK PICK
Sister Wendy's Story of Painting - YouTube
Picked by Newsletter Writer Graison Dangor
Stressed out about next week's elections, planning for Thanksgiving, or talking about next week's elections at Thanksgiving? There may be no better way to take your mind off things than watching a charismatic British nun explain art history. No, really, stay with me on this. You don't have to be an "art person" to enjoy the late Sister Wendy Beckett's ability to animate what Western artists were thinking and feeling (often through memorable phrases you would not expect to hear from a nun). In a time of disconnectedness, she can help you feel close to someone who painted a horse on a cave wall 17,000 years ago. There's something nice about that.
Looking for more to watch? Check out our recommendations from last week and the week before.