The Week in Culture (August 21st)

### Watch

Hot Ticket: Eden Ron Howard delves into thriller territory with this pre-WWII parable about a group of expats who find their jungle utopia unraveling thanks to humankind’s basest instincts. With Jude Law, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Ana De Armas. Now playing in theaters. 

Pamphleteers’s Pick: Relay Riz Ahmed plays a high level fixer in the Michael Clayton/Ray Donovan vein whose ethics come full circle when a client (Lily James) goes to him for help. It looks like Scottish director David Mackenzie may be offering up another late-summer prize like he did with eventual Best Picture nominee Hell or High Water back in 2016. Now playing in theaters. 

For a complete list of upcoming titles, check out the 2025 Film Guide.

Stream

Speed (HBO Max) The Keanu classic about a runaway bus and Dennis Hopper’s madman is the perfect August home viewing option. 

Alien: Earth (Hulu) This prequel series to the stalwart sci-fi franchise traces humans’ first contact with the acid-spitting xenomorphs through a brilliant AI allegory. With Justified’s Timothy Olyphant. 

Read

Panamerican Book Club Those who missed County Highway’s Grimey’s stop on their summer road trip can still sign up to receive five books over the next year that are rooted beyond the coasts in the real America. Lee Clay Johnson’s brutal Tennessee noir Bloodline and a collection of populist bon vivant Martin Mull’s musings are now available. 

Listen

Own Worst Enemy Gavin Adcock The outlaw country rising star may be most famous for bashing Beyoncé’s country turn, but his latest proves he knows exactly what he’s talking about. On this gorgeous and unflinching double album, he walks a fine line between country’s past and present with witty tracks like “Morning Bail”, “Graveyard”, and “Last One To Know.”