Streaming This Week
If you're a fan of Shakespearean dramas, check out the latest revamp of Romeo & Juliet. The film starring Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick and Oscar-nominated Hailee Steinfeld was released on Netflix this week.
If your kids loved Pixar's Cars and Cars 2, check out Disney's spin-off Planes, free on Amazon Prime.
In case you missed the History channel's The Bible, all ten episodes of the mini series are now streaming on Netflix.
If you're a fan of Jake Gyllenhaal, his 1999 classic October Sky is now available on Hulu Plus.
Critics Roundup
Netflix recently released the second season of their original series Orange is the New Black. "Come for the comedy," says the New York Times' Mike Hale, "and you can also fall for the sentimental back stories and the sheen of relevance provided by the large ensemble of working-class, minority, lesbian and transgender characters." Although Hale goes on to praise the writing, content, and cast of the show, PluggedIn's Paul Asay believes the content is far too crude. Asay warns, "While the Netflix show is sharply written, populated by multidimensional characters and ultimately has some nice things to say about friendship, acceptance and forgiveness, families will want to send it to jail after watching only a few minutes."
Crosswalk's Christian Hamaker recently reviewed Seth MacFarlane's Western parody A Million Ways to Die in the West. Although it's a comedy, Hamaker believes the R-rated humor is cheap and far too raunchy. He even goes so far as to say, "Mel Brooks has nothing to worry about: Blazing Saddles remains the gold standard for awkwardly funny Western parodies." Despite this, Stephen Holden of the New York Times applauds MacFarlane for his understanding of giving the people what they want. Of the director, writer, and star Holden says, "He knows full well that the human appetite for good-natured humor about bodily excretions and the messy area between the navel and the thighs is here to stay."
Movie News
Oscar-nominated actress and activist Ruby Dee passed away this week at the age of 91. She is most famous for her role in the 1961 A Raisin in the Sun and American Gangster. Click here to read more about her life and the legacy she leaves behind.
After the success of Now You See Me, Variety is reporting that a sequel has been confirmed. Jon Chu, of G.I. Joe: Retaliation fame, is set to direct. Find out more here.
The New York Times is reporting that Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo are reuniting after the success of their co-written Bridesmaids. Not only will the two ladies star, produce, and write the flick, but Wiig will also direct.
Larisa Kline is Christianity Today's summer intern and a student at The King's College in New York City.
