Couch Theater – May 12, 2022

#Middlebury #Movies

“The Quest” (NR) – In 2014, a reality competition series called “The Quest” placed contestants in the fantasy land of Everealm and presented them with a variety of challenges in order to reveal the “One True Hero.” Disney+ decided to revive the one-season competition show, but with a little twist: Contestants would consist only of teenagers from around the U.S. These eight teens must rely on their skills and battle it out to save themselves from elimination after each challenge. The last one standing receives the title of “One True Hero.” “The Quest” is an entertainingly unique competition that people of all ages could follow along to at home. Premieres May 11. (Disney+)

Claire Danes, Tom Hiddleston in “The Essex Serpent.” (Apple TV+ photo)

“The Essex Serpent” (TV-14) – Sharing the same name with the 2016 novel written by Sarah Perry, this series follows Londoner Cora Seaborne (Claire Danes), who moves to Essex to explore the myth of the Essex Serpent, a creature reportedly bringing tragedy to those who’ve needed to speak for their sins. While trying to learn the truth about the serpent, Cora becomes dangerously close to married local pastor Will Ransome (Tom Hiddleston). As the people of Essex continue to experience horrors within their town, they blame Cora for the serpent’s presence. Division, doubt and fear wreck Cora, Will and the rest of the townsfolk as the serpent’s grip, whether real or metaphorical, only tightens around them. Premieres May 13. (Apple TV+)

“Candy” (TV-MA) – True-crime drama has been taking center stage lately in movies and TV, and this limited series serves as another example of why the drama and true crime genres work so effectively together. Based off real-life events, Jessica Biel stars as Candy, a well-respected housewife in the 1980s who feels boxed in by her life and begins to crave more from it. With these feelings harboring inside of her, Candy decides to have an affair with Allan, the husband of her best friend, Betty. Afterward, when Betty starts behaving suspiciously as if she knows of Candy’s betrayal, Betty winds up dead. Candy then becomes a suspect for more than just her secret affair. (Hulu)

“Operation Mincemeat” (PG-13) – During World War II, the Allied powers hatched a plan to invade Sicily’s southern shore; however, the Nazis received wind of the planned attack, forcing the Allies to rethink their original plan. The Allies then came up with Operation Mincemeat, a scheme to make Germany believe that their target has shifted from Sicily to Greece. The scheme included a corpse carrying fake documents that would wash up on the Spanish shore and get taken in by the Spanish military. If all went accordingly, these documents would then be passed onto Germany through its connection with Spain, proving Greece is the Allied forces’ new target and leaving Sicily free for the Allies to attack. “Operation Mincemeat” depicts the very risky operation once orchestrated in 1943. Premieres May 11. (Netflix)

© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.