“Bridgerton” returns this week with a racy third season. Meanwhile, in theaters, “Babes,” with its well-deserved R rating, is worthy of your time.
And then there’s the metaphorical, trance-like “I Saw the TV Glow.”
Here’s our roundup.
“Bridgerton Season 3”
Will that shrewd purveyor of Regency-era gossip — Lady Whistledown (voice of Julie Andrews) — finally get her comeuppance and be unmasked as the one and only Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan)? That’s the question dangling over Netflix’s extra-spicy third season, which has the audacity of giving us a cliffhanger, albeit one you can foresee from the start of the first episode, before Part 2 resumes June 13.
Oh, dearest readers, the injustice of that!
There’s some good news indeed worth sharing that would meet with even the persnickety Whistledown’s approval: That new showrunner Jess Brownell is bringing a bit of tartness to the series’ comfort-food dish, elements that were somewhat absent from sexy Season 2.
The big wedge — there’s always at least one — between Season 3’s two main lovers comes from Penelope not ‘fessing up about her double life as the feared anonymous missive writer Whistledown or her own crush on suitor Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton, more than fulfilling the hunk and acting requirements). As in previous seasons, much happens away from the fumbling about of its two starry-eyed lovebirds, and proves just as interesting, including the unresolved dustup between Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Penelope, a welcome love interest (finally!) for Violet Bridgerton (the enchanting Ruth Gemmell), the reappearance of the so-in-love Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) from Season 2, and my personal favorite — a cnew character, the introvert Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli), who takes a quite the shine to Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd). Toss in an invitation to engage in a threesome, and this racier season, which, of course, is resplendent with gorgeous costumes, period details and classical-contemporary music, is just as much of a great escape from wretched reality as, says, a corker of a romance novel.
Details: 3 stars out of 4; four episodes drop May 16, four more drop June 13.
“Babes”
When presented as a comedy and even sometimes as a drama, portrayals of pregnancy and motherhood tend to get sanitized, even idealized. That’s not the case with this hilarious, uninhibited comedy about two New York best friends — single yoga teacher Eden (Ilana Glazer, who co-wrote the screenplay with Josh Rabinowitz ) and married dentist Dawn (Michelle Buteau) — dealing with the pangs and joys of both as their friendship gets tested. Eden is needier than Dawn and overly relies on her to be there every step of her pregnancy since the father of her unborn child died just after conception. Director Pamela Adlon navigates a raucous screenplay that robustly brings up lactation, sexual urges when pregnant and babysitting fails (one of the biggest laughs pertains to “The Omen”). But beyond those laughs and a suspension of belief (a yoga salary could cover the rent of that New York apartment?), there are authentic and beyond-the-standard observations and interactions here. That is particularly true when Eden meets with her casually and conditionally involved father (Oliver Platt). Those revealing scenes and the relatable, anything-goes exchanges between Glazer and Buteau and Buteau and Hasan Minhaj — acing his part as Dawn’s very likable husband — make “Babes” a rather revolutionary comedy that is a big bundle of joy (and lactation) from start to finish.
Details: 3½ stars; in theaters May 17.
“Back to Black”
The short, turbulent life of talented British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse, who died at 27 in 2021 from alcohol poisoning, remains seared in the public’s consciousness, perhaps due to the incessant paparazzi that hounded and humiliated her at every move. And that’s part of the reason why director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s biopic starring a committed Marisa Abela seems unnecessary, adding little of anything new to the story while holding back even when it addresses the ugly side of being in the public eye. To its credit, “Back to Black” never feels exploitative and regards its subject respectfully. But the storytelling is disjointed and cycles through important markers in life — her ascendancy, her recording sessions, her volatile relationship and marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O’Connell, giving his all in a narrowly focused role) and her untimely demise — without accomplishing much more than reminding us of how horribly sad this all is. We knew that going in.
Details: 2 stars; in theaters May 17.
“The Blue Angels”
The aerial acrobatics of the Blue Angels — the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron that’s again set to dazzle Bay Area spectators Oct. 11-Oct. 13 during Fleet Week — are indeed a sight to behold and experience, either firsthand or on IMAX. And those scenes are the high point of Amazon MGM Studios’ ordinary documentary about them. It’s when director Paul Crowder’s salute to this team touches ground that it loses all of its momentum and energy, offering a cursory, one-dimensional look at the service people behind this tireless program. When it’s up in the air, it does soar.
Details: 2 stars; opens May 17 in IMAX theaters and May 23 on Prime.
“I Saw the TV Glow”
A generic synopsis explaining what writer/director Jane Schoenbrun’s unconventional sophomore feature is all about would do it a disservice. That’s because Schoenbrun’s metaphorical genre blender feels like it’s going to stay in the popular coming-of-age lane, and then detours into bold, original directions. Schoenbrun’s trance-like storytelling — their calling card — centers on two suburban ‘90s teens. There’s uncertain Owen (Ian Foreman first and later Justice Smith, in his best, most soul-wrenching performance yet) and rebellious teen Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), who bond over an obsessed-about and cheesy TV series titled “The Pink Opaque.” Laden with pop-culture references (from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “Twin Peaks”) and actors/musicians (Fred Durst and Phoebe Bridgers), “I Saw the TV Glow” captures the awkward, outcast feeling of finding more meaning and context within a TV show than one’s life struggling to break free from an assigned gender and identity that isn’t who one is inside.
Details: 3½ stars, in select theaters, expanding May 17 into additional theaters.
“Bodkin”
Neither too dark nor too light, this seven-episode Netflix mystery series makes a enjoyable watch and opens the door for a season 2. (I’d walk through it). But by no means does it approach the twisted brilliance of a quirky movie or play from Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), which it seems to want to emulate. That Oscar winner juggles humor and tragedy expertly, while this Higher Grounds Production (the Obamas production company) drops the ball occasionally on both. You won’t care since it’s the three central characters and the actors who portray them that pick them up and put them back up in the air and keep us engaged. Lafayette native Will Forte stars as out-of-his-element American podcaster Gilbert who gets in over his head (no surprise) when he and his assistant Emmy (Robyn Cara) enlist the aid of bullish and under-investigation journalist Dove (Siobhan Cullen) to investigate the disappearance of three Bodkin townspeople during an annual celebration. The town isn’t so happy about them being there. There are numerous red herrings and even nuns doing yoga. Maybe next time – if there is indeed a next time – the case itself will be juicier.
Details: 2½ stars; now available on Netflix.
Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.
