Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose with a power ring.
"Friday Night Lights" alum Kyle Chandler is back on TV and teamed with talented up-and-comer Aaron Pierre as members of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps in HBO's "Lanterns," a "True Detective"-style mystery drama set in the DC superhero universe. (Fun fact: A Green Lantern's powers come from a special ring they wear that manifests whatever they can imagine.) Whether you dig comic-book characters or murder mysteries, definitely check that out. If you're into slasher movies, "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" is an interesting twist on a familiar horror subgenre, though if you want something lighter, give the ensemble comedy "Spa Weekend" a go.
Now on to the good stuff:
Stream HBO Max's 'Lanterns' with Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre as space cops
While much of
the rebooted DC universe has been built out on the big screen with "Superman" and "Supergirl," the HBO drama series "Lanterns" (streaming now on HBO Max) expands it with new characters and a very different tone. Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), Earth's designated Green Lantern, is a reluctant mentor to trainee John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), and the two team up to investigate a murder scene – with possible extraterrestrial involvement – in small-town Nebraska.
I talked with the two stars about the show, what makes Green Lanterns different from other superfriends like Batman and Superman, and their inherent relatability. "The Green Lantern Corps is just full of rock stars,” Pierre says. “You live with them, or you go to college with them, or work with them, or they're your neighbor." And once you've seen the pilot episode, I've got a breakdown of the twist ending that Chandler calls "a hook with good bait on it."
See the slasher genre get a queer twist with 'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma'
You know Freddy, and have hung out with Michael and Jason, but you've probably never met a slasher villain like Little Death. Director Jane Schoenbrun explores how media informs attitudes toward sex and sexuality with the queer horror movie "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" (in theaters now), starring Hannah Einbinder as a filmmaker rebooting a popular franchise and reaching out to the old films' original "final girl" (Gillian Anderson).
My bud Patrick Ryan talked to Einbinder, an Emmy winner for "Hacks," and Schoenbrun about the film's themes of intimacy, identity, gay awakening movies and why sex used to feel like a "performance" for Einbinder. "I realized I was queer first, and then I started to connect more to my sexuality after that point," she recalls. “But still, I wasn't embodied. I had no practice communicating what I wanted."
Take a trip with the comedic women of 'Spa Weekend'
In the comedy "Spa Weekend" (in theaters now), Anna Faris, Leslie Mann and Michelle Buteau play childhood pals who book a much-needed few days at a posh resort, and Isla Fisher is their outrageous friend who crashes the party. My colleague Erin Jensen traveled to Las Vegas to talk with the actresses about why female stories matter and how they all work on their craft. "I always feel like it's hard to find space for me, so I think if I'm really prepared, then I just have to go really quickly and just get it all out," Fisher says.
If you're feeling like a relaxing movie night at home, there are plenty of new streaming movies on your favorite services, including the psychological drama "Mother Mary" and road-trip horror flick "Passenger."
Even more goodness to check out!
- Much of the entertainment world this week has been remembering Hayden Panettiere, and her role in a Disney Channel movie about 9/11 seems especially poignant after her death at age 36.
- Three "Ted Lasso" newcomers who play Lady Greyhounds on the popular soccer comedy spill on their cringey audition tapes.
- Since she's in like every movie this year, here's our ranking of Anne Hathaway's greatest performances.
- "Insidious" franchise star Lin Shaye talks about how her horror role opens the door for "older women to be heroes."
- Get a first look at Season 2 of the Prime Video action series "Terminal List" featuring a transformed Chris Pratt.
Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email btruitt@usatoday.com and follow me on the socials: I'm @briantruitt on Bluesky, Instagram and Threads.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Lanterns' are lords of the ring 💚
