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With apologies to Smashing Pumpkins: Despite all his rage, I'm still just a fan of the Cage.
Oscar-winning acting machine Nicolas Cage has a new movie out, which is always good news – the dude is busy and back to being unhinged, which is just how we like him. This week's viewing recs also include a throwback to the space race of the 1960s with Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, plus it's time to talk cartoons! Not like the old "Mister T" show, "Voltron" or "Snorks," but things that today's kids dig – and maybe you will, too.
Now on to the good stuff:
Ever since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969, there have been conspiracies and legends surrounding the iconic Apollo 11 mission. There's even a theory that Stanley Kubrick "directed" the moon landing. The new retro rom-com "Fly Me to the Moon" plays with all those ideas, with an alt-history narrative starring Tatum as the NASA guy in charge of the launch and Johansson as a marketing specialist hired to stage a sexier fake moon landing.
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Tatum told my colleague Patrick Ryan that it's "just a fun way" to revisit the milestone, and Johansson says people are still fascinated by "the greatest achievement of mankind" because "it just seems absolutely impossible" in an interview discussing the movie's box-office potential and what it means to both actors.
You're going to need to take a good long shower this weekend – not just because of the excessive heat but after seeing the deliciously freaky horror flick "Longlegs." Directed by Osgood Perkins (son of "Psycho" legend Anthony Perkins), it's a throwback to "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Zodiac," with a smidge of the supernatural, where Cage plays a satanic serial killer haunting a young FBI agent (Maika Monroe). It's one of his most unhinged roles ever, which is saying something – Cage is a master of those! And I've ranked the best of the crazy, with choice cuts like "Face/Off," "Mandy" and "Wild at Heart."
If you dig a more restrained Cage, however, I'd suggest streaming his Oscar-winning turn in "Leaving Las Vegas," or a triple-feature binge of the A-lister's '90s action peak with "The Rock," "Con Air" and "Snake Eyes," or his brilliantly gentle performance in "Pig."
While my daughter is very much immersed in her tween phase, I can still remember the shows we watched together when she was a toddler: "The Furchester Hotel," "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood," "Yo Gabba Gabba!" Never "Caillou," though. That was the worst. For those with their own little ones now, TV critic Kelly Lawler has put together a list of the best shows that kids of all ages will enjoy, including Disney+'s "Bluey" (obviously) and Netflix's "Puffin Rock." (She also has a bunch to avoid, and "Caillou" makes an appearance there. Nice to see not everything's changed.)
And if you missed these last week, also check out Kelly's guide to screen time for families and her essay about how stressful it can be.
Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email [email protected] and follow me on the socials: I'm @briantruitt on Twitter (not calling it X!), Instagram and Threads.
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