It's the most Joy-ful time of the year! 🥰
Christmas is 🥰rather famous for bringing joy to the world. But you know what's better? The "Inside Out" movies bring Joy as well as Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sadness. Forget BOGOs, that's a five-for-the-price-of-one steal.
And even more new emotions are on the way in a new Pixar sequel, one of a bunch of new entertainment options you'll want to mark on your to-do list. Speaking of feelings, we're pretty darn happy that so many people have joined the Watch Party club so far. There's more room at this fest, so tell a friend and they can get all the best viewing recommendations sent right to them weekly, too.
Now on to the good stuff:
Got Anxiety? Feeling Envy? See Pixar's 'Inside Out 2' in theaters
I keep seeing things like "Pixar's in a slump." That's chicanerous and deplorable! OK, sure, "Lightyear" was aggressively fine, but "Turning Red" and "Luca" were wondrous little coming-of-age flicks and "Inside Out 2" is the best Pixar sequel to date and almost as good as the magnificent first outing. (Peep my ★★★½ review.)
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke) arrives when Riley hits puberty, and she's joined by fellow new emotions Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment in an enchanting but matured narrative that ambitiously captures how it feels for a kid (and adults) to be overwhelmed by anxiety. When that happens to Hawke in real life, writing songs helps: "You go from this desperation and loneliness and sadness into a little bit of victory and accomplishment and self-worth," the actress says in an interview that also touches on her own teenage years and having famous parents.
Stream Amazon's hyperviolent and subversive 'The Boys' for your superhero fix
Recent summers have been chock-full of superheroes. Not this one, though: Comic-book fans are getting "Deadpool & Wolverine" in theaters and that's it. Thankfully, the fourth season of the outrageously gory satire "The Boys" is here to tide folks over for a month till Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman bring friendship and f-bombs to the big screen.
In the "Boys" world, "supes" like the homicidal Homelander (Antony Starr) – honestly, one of the most interesting characters on TV these days – are bad guys and Jack Quaid's Hughie is among the real heroes trying to take them down. Also this season, all the good guys – plus some baddies – face their own personal issues. “It’s so cool to take a character, one you've actually been playing for a while, and finally get to delve into their core trauma and what makes them tick," Quaid says.
Gird your loins for Season 2 of 'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon'
"Game of Thrones" hive! We're so back on Sunday. The second season of the prequel series "House of the Dragon" (on HBO and streaming on Max) returns with those complicated Targaryens and – YOU KNOW IT – dragons. Matt Smith, who plays Daemon Targaryen, told my colleague Bryan Alexander what it's really like to sit on the Iron Throne: "It's made of swords, so you have to be careful or you'll get poked in the wrong place."
Yet not all is hunky-dory in Westeros, according to TV critic Kelly Lawler. She called the first season (which you can catch on Max) dull, boring and a "deep disappointment" and takes a flaming sword to the second: "Get ready for dragons, battles, ridiculous misconceptions and a host of petty man-children who can't get over their own drama." Check out her ★★ review and pine for the good ol' days when Jon Snow was the coolest dude ever.
Even more goodness to check out!
- Want to stream a movie tonight? Here's a satisfying bunch to see right now including Glen Powell's "Hit Man," French shark movie "Under Paris" and Japanese slice-of-life drama "Perfect Days." (Also check out this "Hit Man" fact check but be warned: It's spoilery!)
- Andrew McCarthy and the rest of the Brat Pack (who hated that name, by the way) revisit their 1980s heyday with Hulu's new "Brats" documentary.
- If you missed it, watch how Pat Sajak welcomed new "Wheel of Fortune" host Ryan Seacrest to the set.
Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email [email protected] and follow me on the socials: I'm @briantruitt on Twitter (not calling it X!), Instagram and Threads.