Watch List Weekly Recap 11/19/21

This is the Friday recap of Ty Burr’s Watch List postings for the week. If you’d like to receive this weekly email ONLY, please go to your account page and under “Email notifications” uncheck every box except “Weekly Digest.” If you’d prefer to not receive it at all, uncheck just “Weekly Digest.”

Tuesday was Euro-TV day, as I emerged with my wife from binge-watching the Icelandic crime drama “Trapped” and pondered the ways in which recommendations for TV series are now passed among friends and family like trading cards. Basically, it’s a way for me to hit subscribers up for new shows to check out. What are you watching?

The Tuesday Thread: Euro-vision Series Contest

Let’s pretend you and I and our spouses are at a dinner party. We’ve talked about the kids, we’ve talked about the state of the world, we’ve talked about where we go to get away on the weekends. There’s a pause. Someone says, “So… what are you watching?” And we’re off to the races, everyone writing down recommendations …

Ty Burr's Watch List

Thursday’s “little movie to check out” was “Karen Dalton: In My Own Time,” a new-to-streaming music documentary about a singular folk artist who fell between the cracks — or willed herself there.

Doc of the Week - "Karen Dalton: In My Own Time"

The Nut Graf: “Karen Dalton: In My Own Time” (available for VOD rental, *** stars out of ****) spotlights a gifted woman who willed herself away from being known.

Ty Burr's Watch List

The Friday new release spotlight fell on the crowd-pleasing “King Richard” (in theaters and on HBO Max), which gives Will Smith his best role in years as the father of Serena and Venus Williams, and the low-key charmer “C’mon C’mon” (in theaters), which features Joaquin Phoenix at his gentlest.

It's All Relative

ap The Nut Graf: “King Richard” (in theaters and on HBO Max) restores Will Smith to his throne in a crowd-pleasing sports drama about Serena and Venus Williams’ dad. (***1/2 stars out of ****). “C’mon C’mon” (in theaters) gives Joaquin Phoenix a lovely change of pace as a man caring for his nephew during a family emergency. (*** stars out of ****)

Ty Burr's Watch List

If you enjoyed this recap edition of Ty Burr’s Watch List, please feel free to share it with friends.

If you’re not a paying subscriber and would like to sign up for additional postings and to join the discussions, here’s how:

If you’re already a paying subscriber, I thank you for your generous support.