Couch Theater – July 6, 2023

#MiddleburyCT #Movies

“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” (PG-13) – The biographic film based on the life of music legend Whitney Houston is now out on streaming. Naomi Ackie (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) portrays Houston as she gets her big break when a producer hears her singing at a nightclub. The film then walks viewers through Houston’s greatest moments during the 1980s and 1990s, including her performance of the National Anthem at Super Bowl XXV as well as her roles in films such as “The Bodyguard.” Even though the film digs deeper into her more personal relationships with notorious bad boy Bobby Brown and close friend/lover Robyn Crawford, the screenplay itself comes across a bit generic and surface-level. Ackie and other cast members like Ashton Sanders and Stanley Tucci do their best to make the script come to life. (Netflix)

“House of Hammer” (TV-MA) – The past few years have been tumultuous for actor Armie Hammer (“The Social Network,” “Call Me By Your Name”), after allegations of physical, sexual and emotional abuse came out against him from several women in January 2021. Even though the charges were recently dropped against Hammer due to insufficient evidence, a three-part documentary series breaks down the horrific allegations, tying Hammer’s manipulative behavior back to the sociopathic patterns of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him. Casey Hammer, Armie’s aunt, also appears in the documentary to give insight into the secrets of her family, spanning back to oil tycoon Armand Hammer (1898-1990), and how it all eventually trickled down to her nephew. Out now. (MAX)

From left, Rita Morena, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin star in “80 for Brady.” (MovieStillsDB photo)

“80 for Brady” (PG-13) – Four elderly best friends – Lou, Trish, Maura and Betty – are die-hard fans of the New England Patriots football team, specifically Tom Brady, the team’s quarterback. While making plans to watch Super Bowl LI, Lou throws around the idea of watching the game in person. When Lou announces that they won tickets from a radio show giveaway, the foursome make plans to travel to Houston to watch their dream team play, but they soon lose the tickets, forcing them to find another way inside. Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field star in this playful comedy, with Brady, of course, making a few appearances. Premieres July 4. (Amazon Prime Video)

“Reality Check” (NR) – Three years after his last comedy special that took place in the living room of his Los Angeles home, Kevin Hart is back with a new special – this time with material from his “Reality Check” tour, which he embarked on late last year. In this special, Hart focuses on topics similarly covered in his past specials, like his family life and fame, but he claims to be even more unfiltered than he’s been before. With no short supply of curse words or crude jokes, Hart takes the stage with a bat in hand, just in case he needs to “knock someone’s head off.” (Somewhere in the distance, you can hear Chris Rock quietly taking notes.) “Reality Check” premieres July 6, on the comedian’s 44th birthday. (Peacock)

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.