Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 02, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A12 A 12 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015 ENTERTAINMENT winnipegfreepress. com Compiled by CHRIS LACKNER / Twitter: @ chrislackner79 FRESH START for Fantastic Four ' You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,' but these days, a guide through the seemingly endless flurry of pop- culture offerings is just what we need. With that in mind, here is what's on the radar in TV, music and film for the coming week. MOVIES BIG RELEASES FRIDAY: Fantastic Four ; Ricki and the Flash BIG PICTURE: Inter- dimensional travel never ends well. It's kind of like going to a nightclub: you never know what super- villain will follow you home or what ITIs ( inter- dimensionally transmitted infections) you're going to pick up. In this reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise, a team of young misfits develops strange new powers after teleporting to an alternate universe. Circumstances force them into a life of crime- fighting, but only one has any talent for picking a superhero name: the Human Torch, who can essentially turn himself into a sentient bonfire. ( Meanwhile, Mr. Fantastic can stretch his limbs; the Thing's body transforms into craggy, orange space rock that looks strangely like Mickey Rourke's skin and the Invisible Woman is, well, invisible.) The new team must overcame angst and alienation - basically, they've been reinvented as " more like the X- Men" ( in fact, there's already talk of a crossover) - to unite against big baddie Dr. Doom. As for Ricki and the Flash , it finds Meryl Streep playing an aging, charismatic rock star - and absentee mom. After her daughter's ( Mamie Gummer) heart is broken, she reunites with her adult children and ex- husband ( Kevin Kline) to mend fences. From writer Diablo Cody ( Juno ), this one features lines such as, " It's not their job to love you, it's your job to love them." Streep has taken a lot of risks in her career, but nothing tops sporting her character's severely parted, half- braided haircut, which would have been the envy of A Flock of Seagulls ( or any ' 80s band). FORECAST: Both movies will succeed in making their subjects a little hipper. But I would have preferred Fantastic 5 , co- starring Streep as herself, or a new superhero duo franchise called Meryl and the Flash . TV BIG EVENT WEDNESDAY: Mr. Robinson ( NBC, 8 p. m.) BIG PICTURE: Craig Robinson ( The Office ) goes back to school, like many before him. It's hard to bring anything new to the blackboard given this well- trod sitcom setting ( Welcome Back, Kotter , Hangin' with Mr. Cooper , Head of the Class ). But the fact Mr. Robinson moonlights as the keyboardist in a funk band named Nasty Delicious ( which sounds like a sandwich named after Charlie Sheen) gives this show a much- needed setting for laughter outside of the classroom. Back- to- back episodes air for three weeks. FORECAST: Unless you're Louis, Mindy Kaling or Sarah Silverman, it's tough to build a sitcom brand around a comic's name. Gone are the days of one- word sitcom juggernauts such as Roseanne and Seinfeld . But Robinson's charismatic brand of deadpan could provide the right lesson plan to make this one a success. HONOURABLE MENTION: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart ( Thursday, The Comedy Network, 10 p. m.). Stewart bids farewell for good. Sigh. Now we'll be forced to watch " real" news networks for our information. Speaking of those rare sitcoms that can be sold by their headliner's name, I'd watch any show with this man's name on it. For example, Jon ; Librarian Jon ; Jon Stewart: Tax Accountant ; Mr. Stewart Goes to Washington ... anything. MUSIC BIG RELEASE FRIDAY: Lindi Ortega ( Faded Gloryville ) BIG PICTURE: Toronto's Ortega is old country. Think Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, not Keith Urban and Blake Shelton. On her fourth effort, Ortega proves she may be Canada's best country singer. Her classic songs are infused with a bit of twang, a lot of soul, a touch of honky- tonk and plenty of grit. Plus, nobody makes heartbreak sound more sensual than Ortega. Standouts tracks include the ballad Someday Soon with former Civil Wars member John Paul White. Ortega rarely includes cover songs, but her spirited, jazzy take on the Bee Gees' To Love Somebody is memorable. FORECAST: There is nothing faded about Ortega. She is headed for glory. HONOURABLE MENTION: Luke Bryan ( Kill the Lights ); Ultimate Painting ( Green Land ). Bryan is the face of new country. On his fifth album, the title track's about as creative as it gets; other song titles include Fast , Move and Just Over . ( I'm pretty sure Bryan also came with the Fantastic Four 's superhero names.) Meanwhile, U. K. duo Ultimate Painting conjures nostalgia with its Velvet Underground- infused brand of hazy, jangly, mid- tempo rock. Miss Lou Reed's monotonous vocals? You're in luck. ALAN MARKFIELD / TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION Kate Mara and Miles Teller play Sue Storm and Reed Richards in the new Fantastic Four film. VIVIAN ZINK / NBC Craig Robinson's new comedy series debuts on NBC Wednesday. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Lindi Ortega in the city's Exchange District in February 2014. Her fourth album is out Friday. A_ 12_ Aug- 02- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A12 8/ 1/ 15 6: 56: 52 PM ;