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The It List: 'Age of Influence' examines social media schemers including con-artist Danielle Miller, Kaley Cuoco stars in true-crime comedy 'Based on a True Story,' Ezra Miller portrays young Salvador Dalí in 'Dalíland' and all the best in pop culture the week of June 5, 2023
The It List is Yahoo's weekly look at the best in pop culture, including movies, music, TV, streaming, games, books, podcasts and more. Here are our picks for June 5-11, including the best deals we could find for each.
STREAM IT: The Age of Influence zooms in on social media schemers
Each episode of this six-part docuseries from ABC News profiles one of the biggest social media scandals ever. In the first, there's a deep dive into the case of Danielle Miller, who was the victim of revenge porn when she was a teenager, then went on to take advantage of others. For her part in a credit card scam, she ended up spending time at Rikers Island, where notorious con artist Anna Delvey was her fellow prisoner. Then in March, she pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in a $1.5 million COVID relief fraud ploy. The court found that she had used stolen identities and fake business names to obtain pandemic-relief money from the government. She then spent it on designer clothes, a luxury apartment, private jets and an otherwise lavish lifestyle. What people will do for the gram. — Raechal Shewfelt
The Age of Influence premieres Monday, June 5 on Hulu.
WATCH IT: Frankenstein gets a contemporary social twist with The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has long been looked at as a metaphor for the destructive nature of humanity. In other words, it’s timeless — and perfectly ripe for a contemporary social update like The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. Laya DeLeon Hayes stars in writer-director Bomani J. Story’s scorching feature debut as Vicaria, a brilliant teen who goes full mad scientist when her brother is gunned down in the streets. “They called him a monster, and he believed it,” she says chillingly in the trailer. Get more chills in the exclusive clip above. — Kevin Polowy
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster opens in theaters Friday, June 9 (check Fandango for ticket and showtime information) and on demand and digital Friday, June 23.
WATCH IT: The 2023 Tribeca Festival launches with new films featuring Alicia Keys and Dan Rather
The Tribeca Festival may not have "Film" in its name anymore, but don't worry — there are still plenty of new movies premiering at the New York-based event. The festival's robust documentary lineup features big premieres like Uncharted, director Beth Aala's behind the scenes look at the "She Is The Music" songwriting camp overseen by Grammy-winning artist Alicia Keys. (Check out our exclusive clip from the film, which counts Everywoman Studios and Katie Couric among its producing team.) News legend Dan Rather is also profiled in Frank Marshall's Rather, while Oscar-winner Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson executive produces The League, which recounts the history of Negro League baseball. On the fiction side, Michael Cera finds adulthood is hard in The Adults, Alex Wolff discovers the perils of frat life in The Line and Chelsea Peretti makes her filmmaking debut with First Time Female Director. Other events include star-studded reunions for New Jack City and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and panels featuring the likes of Paul McCartney, David Fincher and Patty Jenkins. — Ethan Alter
The 2023 Tribeca Festival runs from June 7 to June 18; visit the official website for screenings, events and tickets.
WATCH IT: A new documentary explains how American workers are getting Americonned
Here's one thing both sides of the political aisle can agree upon: It's harder than ever for America's working and middle classes to make ends meet. Sean Claffey's timely documentary, Americonned, traces how the vintage American Dream got so far out of reach for so many through the personal stories of ordinary men and women trying to keep up with the ever-shifting economic landscape. And that landscape will get even more complicated with the specter of artificial intelligence replacing human workers at a number of jobs. This exclusive clip from Americonned tackles the topic of AI and what it means for the future of the workforce. — E.A.
Americonned premieres Friday, June 9 in theaters (check Fandango for ticket and showtime information) and comes to VOD on Tuesday, June 13.
WATCH IT: Ezra Miller and Sir Ben Kingsley play famed artist Salvador Dalí in Dalíland
Celebrated Canadian auteur Mary Harron made her breakout debut with 1996's I Shot Andy Warhol. Cut to 2023, and she's revisiting the New York City art world in her latest film, Dalíland, which arrives in theaters and on VOD after premiering at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. Set in the early '70s, the film stars Sir Ben Kingsley as legendary Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí who is at a fallow point in his storied career. Enter James (Christopher Birney), who has been hired to keep Dalí focused on an upcoming gallery show. That's no small task considering the various temptations that are competing for the artist's attention. In addition to Kingsley, embattled Flash star Ezra Miller plays a younger Dalí in flashback sequences that are interspersed throughout the film. In this exclusive clip, James is introduced to the many delights — and some of the perils — of life in Dalíland. — E.A.
Dalíland premieres Friday, June 9 in theaters (check Fandango for ticket and showtime information) and on most VOD services.
STREAM IT: Burden of Proof traces the aftershocks of a teenage girl's disappearance
The last time Stephan Pandos saw his 15-year-old sister Jennifer was in 1987 when his parents told the world that she had run away from home. Decades later, he started to doubt that version of events and re-opened the case — opening a can of worms within his family in the process. Filmed over nearly eight years, HBO's four part docuseries Burden of Proof follows Stephen as he tries to get to the bottom of what happened to his sister, even if it destroys his family in the process. This exclusive clip from the series features him combing through Jennifer's notes, and how he came to the realization that everything his parents had told him may have been a lie. — E.A.
Burden of Proof premieres Tuesday, June 6 on HBO and Max.
STREAM IT: Kaley Cuoco's latest is Based on a True Story
The Big Bang Theory alum's latest promises to be a little bit The Flight Attendant and somewhat Netflix's Only Murders in the Building. Cuoco stars as Ava, a mom-to-be who's obsessed with true crime. Her and her husband Nathan, played by The Mindy Project's Chris Messina, are in desperate need of money, when they realize they have a close connection to a local serial killer. The couple is inspired to start a podcast about the so-called West Side Ripper’s crimes, in the hopes that the Ripper himself will be a guest. — R.S.
Based on a True Story premieres Thursday, June 8 on Peacock.
HEAR IT: Niall Horan shows his true self
Fresh off his win on his first season of The Voice, the former boy band star and singer-songwriter continues in a triumphant solo direction with his third album, The Show, his most mature and serious yet. Horan recently told Rolling Stone: “What makes this record incredibly special to me is it's a reflection of where I am in my life today, as a person, a musician, and of course, as a songwriter. Can't say I'm not a little nervous, but hopefully you'll still like this version of me when you listen to the new record. … It just sounds like something that a 30-year-old would release. Not a youthful version of what I did before.” — Lyndsey Parker
The Show by Niall Horan is available Friday, June 9 to download/stream on Apple Music.
PLAY IT: Enter a Spider-Verse filled with new Spider-Man toys from Hasbro
Why just rock out when you can rock out and blast webs? Those are the twin attractions of the Spider-Punk Web Blast Guitar — part of a bevy of Spider-Man toys that Hasbro has hitting shelves with the release of Miles Morales's new animated adventure, Across the Spider-Verse. Wielded by Daniel Kaluuya's rockin' Spider-Punk in the film, the guitar comes with over 25 sounds, plus easily-blastable web chargers. Hasbro is also releasing multiple action figures based on characters in the movie, from heroes like Miles and Gwen "Spider-Woman" Stacy to the more morally ambiguous Spider-Man 2099 and the Spot. It's enough toys to fill the multi-verse many times over. — E.A.
Hasbro's Across the Spider-Verse toys are available at most major retailers, including Amazon.
HEAR IT: Janelle Monáe returns for your listening pleasure
The funk provocateur is finally back with her first album since 2018’s Dirty Computer, issuing in The Age of Pleasure. Collaborators include Seun Kuti, Egypt 80, Doechii, Amaarae, Nia Long, Sister Nancy, CKay… and the amazing Grace Jones, whom Monáe befriended after she jumped onstage to dance during “Pull Up to the Bumper” at Jones’s Hollywood Bowl concert last year. Monáe recently explained to Zane Lowe that she created the record to be “so specific to this Pan-African crowd who are my friends. I want it to be a love letter to the diaspora.” — L.P.
The Age of Pleasure by Janelle Monáe is available Friday, June 9 to download/stream on Apple Music.
DRINK IT: Don't tell Gunther — three new Friends coffee blends are available now
How you doin'? You'll almost certainly be much better after a pick-me-up cup of joe brewed from one of the Central Perk Coffee Company's three new Friends-inspired blends. This new trio includes a seasonally-appropriate Cold Brew blend that will have you making like Janice and exclaiming "Oh my gawd!" There's also a Gunther-approved bag of Espresso beans and a pre-ground decaf blend. Could we be any more caffeinated? — E.A.
Central Perk's new Friends coffee blends are available at the official Central Perk website.
STREAM IT: The gang hasn't learned anything on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's been 15 full seasons since we met the crew at Paddy's Pub, and they truly haven't changed at all, not where it really counts. They're as clueless, heartless and, yes, hilarious as ever. Now Dennis, Dee, Mac, Charlie and Frank are all back drinking way too much, being otherwise disgusting and hatching ridiculous schemes. (Seriously, pushing an inflatable couch on someone?) The Emmy-nominated show continues to be a welcome distraction from real-world problems, because you know — and hope! — it's just too ludacris to actually exist. — R.S.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premieres Wednesday, June 7 on FXX on Hulu.
HEAR IT: Jason Isbell weathers the storms of life
Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell is one of the most authentic artists working in country music today, as his vulnerable, warts-and-all documentary, Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed, recently demonstrated. Now he follows up that ambitious project with Weathervanes — his first collection of his original songs since 2020, sixth album with his band the 400 Unit and ninth studio album overall. “There is something about boundaries on this record,” Isbell explained in a statement. “As you mature, you still attempt to keep the ability to love somebody fully and completely while you’re growing into an adult and learning how to love yourself.” Isbell’s wife, country star Amanda Shires — whose at times rocky relationship with Isbell was a large focus of Running With Our Eyes Closed — beautifully contributes throughout. — L.P.
Weathervanes by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit is available Friday, June 9 to download/stream on Apple Music.
PLAY IT: ToyMonster's Jurassic Park toys hatch a ton of dino fun
Jurassic Park roared into theaters 30 years ago this month, and the sound of those dinosaurs are still ringing in our ears. ToyMonster celebrates the Steven Spielberg classic's pearl anniversary with a special addition to its Captivz Build N' Battle line of miniature dinos housed in slime-filled eggs. These 30th anniversary figures include many of the species seen in the 1993 film, and they hatch from eggs filled with amber-colored slime and prehistoric sand. Sticker sheets and collector's cards will get young dino-lovers roaring all on their own. — E.A.
ToyMonster's Jurassic Park toys are available now at Walmart, Five Below and Meijer.
READ IT: The award-winning historical explainer Stamped From the Beginning gets the graphic novel treatment
Originally published in 2016, Ibram X. Kendi's incisive history of racism in America, Stamped From the Beginning, earned critical praise and numerous book awards. Now, it's getting the graphic novel treatment courtesy of Joel Christian Gill, a historian and cartoonist who puts Black history front and center in his own work. Gill's adaptation creates powerful images that complement Kendi's words, driving home how ugly ideas about race have been embedded in the nation's history for centuries. — E.A.
Stamped From the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America is available Tuesday, June 6 at most major booksellers, including Amazon.
HEAR IT: Christine and the Queens’s new album is a labor of love
Parano?a, Angels, True Love, the bold new album from Christine and the Queens, is French electronic pop auteur’s most ambitious yet. “This new record is the second part of an operatic gesture that also encompassed 2022’s Redcar les adorables étoiles,” Chris said in a statement. “Taking inspiration from the glorious dramaturgy of Tony Kushner’s iconic play, Angels in America, Redcar felt colorful and absurd like Prior sent to his insane dream-space. The follow-up Parano?a, Angels, True Love is a key towards heart-opening transformation, a prayer towards the self — the one that breathes through all the loves it is made of.” And perhaps we buried the lede here, but three of the album’s tracks feature a very special queen: Madonna. — L.P.
Parano?a, Angels, True Love by Christine and the Queens is available Friday, June 9 to download/stream on Apple Music.