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Halle Bailey at the Oscars in March.
CNN –
Are you ready to enjoy the summer?
I am with open arms. Because I’m so ready to enjoy food on the grill, outdoor company, more hours of sunlight, and of course, summer movies.
Always summer movies.
Which, of course, brings us to this week’s newsletter (along with a certain water princess).
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Halle Bailey attends the 2021 American Music Awards in Los Angeles in November.
No one will have a summer like Halle Bailey.
That’s because she’s starring in one of the most anticipated films of the last minute – the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
I have voiced my opinion on the racism associated with this film and will instead focus on the joy of her performance. One only has to listen to Bailey’s version of “Part of Your World” from the film’s soundtrack to know that she was born for the role.
She and sister Chloe were signed to Beyoncé’s management company, Parkwood Entertainment, after the legendary singer spotted them doing a cover of one of her hits on YouTube in 2015.
Nothing gives glory like association with Bey. And now Bailey has another big celebrity behind her: Oprah Winfrey.
Bailey will next play young Nettie in Winfrey and Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of the Broadway musical version of The Color Purple, slated for release on Christmas Day.
Bailey will not only be the girl of the summer but also of the holiday season.
Throw all the musicals in her way, Hollywood. We are ready and so is she.
Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.
Margot Robbie as Barbie.
Remember when there were blockbusters in the summer?
Now, blockbuster movies are released year-round, but I still remember how hot days gave way to cold air-conditioning in theaters for hits like Jaws, Die Hard, Men in Black and the likes Watch the original Star Wars. (Thanks to my mother and late father for taking me to see the last film when I was a little girl).
Streaming has changed cinema, but we’ve got you covered for this season too with this list of “Summer Movies That Want To Recapture The Magic Of The Blockbuster Movies You Remember.”
From Walt Disney Studios/YouTube
A still from the trailer for The Little Mermaid (2023).
Back to the mermaids, recommending The Little Mermaid soundtrack for the remake just feels right.
Read above to see how much praise Bailey’s singing voice has received. Come for her and stay for the co-stars “Poor Unfortunate Souls” by Melissa McCarthy and “Under the Sea” by Daveed Diggs.
A special mention goes to Awkwafina, who reconnected with her rap roots in her performance of “The Scuttlebutt” with Diggs.
The entire album is a good time, even without “Les Poissons” from the original animated classic.
DisneyPlus
Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan in American Born Chinese.
Customization seems to be this week’s topic, so here’s another one.
American Born Chinese is based on Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel of the same name.
The action comedy series centers on an Asian-American teenager who becomes involved with some gods from Chinese mythology. Speaking of representation (despite the fact that teenager Jin Wang – played by actor Ben Wang – really wants to assimilate).
Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh also stars and it’s great to see her in everything she does. Add in her co-stars Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu from their wonderful, Oscar-winning best picture Everything Everywhere All at Once, and you have a summer series more than worthy.
American Born Chinese is streaming on Disney+.