By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
Viola Davis lends her powerful voice to narrate Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter And The Wolf” for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, July 15 at the Hollywood Bowl.
Conductor Gustavo Dudamel will also lead the orchestra through selections from Margaret Bonds’ “Montgomery Variations.”
Written in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, “Variations” are a cycle of spirituals that were lost, restored and finally performed for the first time in 2018.
Davis will next be seen reprising her role as team leader Amanda Waller in the sequel “The Suicide Squad,” premiering Aug. 6 in theatres and on HBO Max.
The Oscar-, Emmy-, and two-time Tony-winning actress/producer has moved on to projects as Michelle Obama in the TV series “The First Lady” with Julian De Niro cast as young Barack Obama; “The Woman King,” as a general of the famed African all-female military unit; and as Harriet Tubman in an upcoming feature film.
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN: “48 Hrs,” the 1982 Nick Nolte buddy movie that heralded the big screen arrival of then “Saturday Night Live” sensation Eddie Murphy; and its 1990 sequel “Another 48 Hrs” have been remastered from 4K film transfers and are being presented on Blu-ray this week with new bonus content including insights from director Walter Hill along with vintage behind-the-scenes footage.
The limited-edition Paramount Presents Blu-ray Discs come in collectible packaging featuring a foldout image of each film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. The discs also include access to a digital copy of the film along with the theatrical trailer.
TASTY QUIP: “If it’s true that Howard University wants to terminate [Phylicia Rashad’s] position because they feel her comments about Mr. Cosby were insensitive, then they should give back the millions of dollars that he donated to the university.” – STEPHANIE MILLS on Twitter
CLIPPETTES: Super producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ first album as artists, outside of their work with The Time, will be released July 9. “Jam & Lewis: Volume One” arrives with superstar guests Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Charlie Wilson, Usher, Morris Day, Jerome Benton, Ann Nesby, Heather Headley, Boyz II Men and Babyface (who graces the album’s hit single, “He Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout It” …
To the disappointment of many, HBO has decided not to move forward on a season two of breakaway hit “Lovecraft Country” with Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors and Michael Kenneth Williams. A shame because despite not being written yet, show creator Misha Green mapped out the forthcoming direction …
The Metropolitan Opera’s smash-hit production of “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” starring Eric Owens and the phenomenal Angel Blue returns to select cinemas July 14. Recorded live from the Met in 2020, this iteration, with several numbers that have become American standards, including the classic “Summertime,” brought home the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. Visit FathomEvents.com for info …
Last month, Billboard Music Award-winning music collective Maverick City Music released its newest project, “Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition.” The album is a dual-side feature consisting of a live produced gospel A-Side and a Rap/R&B/Pop produced B-Side. A wide range of guest artists including Ciara, Rapsody, Tamar Braxton, Jonathan McReynolds, Israel Houghton, Jekalyn Carr, and more are featured.
TASTY QUIP: “I’m really f—ing tired of white men in Hollywood trying to tell me who Bruce Lee was. I think I’m more of an authority on Bruce Lee at this point than most people, not to mention having looked after his legacy for the last 21 years.” – Daughter/Producer/Writer SHANNON LEE in The Hollywood Reporter regarding Quentin Tarantino’s controversial depiction in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”
TC ON TV: July 9 – “Black Widow” (Disney+): Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe launches simultaneously in theaters and on the streamer with Premier Access. Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as The Avengers’ Natasha Romanoff. “Leverage: Redemption” (IMDB): Aldis Hodge returns to this reboot of the show that launched his career. “Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew” (MotorTrend): The comic actor and his closest friends attempt to transform from mere enthusiasts into a legit car club. “The Last Summer” (Netflix): Young heartthrobs Jacob Latimore (“The Chi”), Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”) and KJ Apa (“Riverdale”) star in this romantic comedy. “Secret Celebrity Renovation” (CBS Nischelle Turner (“Entertainment Tonight”) hosts a new series that gives celebs like Wayne Brady the chance to gift a surprise home makeover to a meaningful person who helped guide them to success. “Great Performances” (PBS): In “Gloria Estefan: Sangre Yoruba,” the three-time Grammy Award winner takes a musical journey through Africa, Brazil and Cuba with Maria Rita, Carlinhos Brown and Jorge Arãgo. “Entre Nos Presents” (HBO): “Frankie Quiñones: Superhomies” is the viral internet sensation’s very own (along with his alter-egos Creeper from the popular CholoFit sketches and “JC” Juanita Carmelita) half-hour comedy special.
July 10 – “To Be An American: Identity, Race And Justice” (A&E): Soledad O’Brien takes viewers on a tour across the middle of the country from Denver to Kansas City on I-70 to meet their fellow citizens. With historians and inaugural Howard University Knight Chair and “1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones. “The 2021 ESPYS” (ESPN): Anthony Mackie (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”) hosts this annual celebration of major sports achievements, moments and performances.
July 11 – “Tiffany Haddish Does Shark Week” (Disc): Producer Will Packer taps his “Girls Trip” star to uncover some secrets of the predators. “The Chi” (SHO): Uh Oh! Kiesha wants her baby. Exec producer Justin Hillian tells TVLine, “It’s like, how are you going to do that to Tabitha Brown” — who plays Octavia, the woman who adopted Kiesha’s son — “of all people?” Brown was in the headlines last week for her classy clap back at TV host Wendy Williams. “History Of The Sitcom” (CNN): The eight-part docuseries features over 180 original interviews with sitcom icons including Norman Lear, Tracy Morgan, Kim Fields, Dick Van Dyke, George Lopez, Mel Brooks, Isabella Gomez, Jimmie Walker, Mara Brock Akil, and many more, breaking down how sitcoms have helped generations of Americans navigate an ever-shifting cultural landscape.
July 12 – “The Beast Must Die” (AMC): Cush Jumbo (“The Good Fight”) portrays a mother posing as a novelist researching a new murder-mystery to gather clues into the fatal hit and run that claimed her son. “The Celebrity Dating Game” (ABC): Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
July 13 – “Naomi Osaka” (Netflix): Follows the tennis superstar and multiple Grand Slam champ as she explores her cultural roots and navigates her multifaceted identity in the high-pressure year running up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. “30 For 30” (ESPN): “Breakaway” explores the story of WNBA superstar and activist Maya Moore, who stepped away from the sport to fight for a man she believed was wrongly imprisoned. The documentary chronicles a search for justice, and a relationship that changed the lives of two people forever.
July 14 – “Private Network: Who Killed Manuel Buendia?” (Netflix): A deep dive into the work of the renowned Mexican journalist looks to unravel his murder and the ties between politics and drug trafficking. “Gunpowder Milkshake” (Netflix): Angela Bassett, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, Lena Headley and Karen Gillan portray a gun-wielding sisterhood at war with a powerful crime syndicate. “Music’s Greatest Mysteries” (AXS): “Devil Horns, Tupac and A Legendary Muse”
July 15 – “American Horror Stories” (FX on Hulu): A spin-off of the hit anthology series “American Horror Story” telling a different tale each episode. “First Wives Club” (BET+): A second season of the Jill Scott led dramedy. “Homegrown” (Disc+): Atlanta-based farmer Jamila Norman helps families transform their outdoor spaces into beautiful and functional backyard farms while exploring the joy and benefits of growing your own food. “Emicida: AmarElo – Live in São Paulo” (Netflix): The Brazilian rapper performs hits from his latest album. “Keeping Up With The Joneses” (LMN): Part of a three pack of films narrated by Kandi Burruss (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”) and executive produced by and starring Vivica A. Fox as the matriarch of a wealthy family, who along with her four stepdaughters, will stop at nothing to protect their business and family after they are threatened.
TASTY QUIP: “The main takeaway is that storytelling is important. I’ve heard Gen Z and millennials say, ‘All y’all do is diss us, and y’all never talk to us.’ The older people are like, ‘I don’t know what the f–k they saying. That ain’t hip-hop, that’s mumble.’ I think generationally speaking, there has to be a meeting in the middle and a real understanding of the culture and not so much disdain for history. Yes, Disney is presenting [“Summer of Soul”] through my filter, but it’s also important that we start to take our history seriously. We have to hold our own history up right now.” – The Roots drummer AHMIR “QUESTLOVE” THOMPSON about his debut documentary now in theatres and on Hulu.
As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.
