The Edge, David Letterman and Bono arrive at the LA premiere of Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, With Dave Letterman.
The Edge, David Letterman and Bono arrive at the LA premiere of Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, With Dave Letterman.
Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman
(Disney+)
Half of one of the world’s biggest bands joins forces with one of the world’s biggest chatshow hosts for this documentary that charts the rise, rise and, er, more rise of U2. This unlikely trio returns to U2′s home country of Ireland where vocalist Bono and guitarist The Edge recount their journey to the top of the pops while Letterman hams it up as an American abroad.
Despite being officially sanctioned, critics have said there are still plenty of insightful and new revelations, with one calling its contextual approach “masterful” as it paints the social, religious and cultural clashes of Ireland in the late 70s and early 80s that gave rise to the band.
It all culminates in the present day with the two musos performing a show in Dublin where they showcase the new stripped-down versions of their classic songs that are on their upcoming album Songs of Surrender.
As the old saying goes, “More sex please, we’re British.” Something like that anyway... here Emma Thompson gets sexy and sensual and certainly emotional in this dramedy about a woman who hires a gigolo. Like Mick Jagger, she can’t get no satisfaction, so thinks the best thing to do is turn to a professional.
Daryl McCormack and Emma Thompson in the film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. Photo / Searchlight Pictures
However it’s all not “push, purr, thank you sir”, as her insecurities about her age, weight, body - you know, the usual stuff - bubble up and put her off her game. Leo, her companion for the night, tries to put her at ease and the two begin to confide in each other leading to a much more meaningful exchange than what she’d been expecting.
The sex-positive film was embraced by critics, with Thompson again being hailed as a true British treasure. It’s sitting on a juicy 94 per cent at review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, with one reviewer saying its “electric script, tackles taboo sexual subjects with wit, flair and welcome realism”.
Streaming from Sunday
Agent Elvis
(Netflix)
It’s a wacky premise that’s bound to leave you all shook up. Elvis Presley, super spy. In Netflix’s new adult animation, Elvis isn’t just the King of Rock and Roll, he’s also a government spy working for a secret agency. If that wasn’t crazy enough, he’s also partnered with a spy monkey. We can’t help but think that it’s a missed opportunity not having his animal sidekick be a hound dog.
Matthew McConaughey voices the King of Rock and Roll in new Netflix show Agent Elvis. Photo: Netflix.
Animal-based digressions aside, we have no complaints about the voice talent Netflix has assembled for this adult-centric animation. Matthew McConaughey voices Elvis and there are more star cameos than a Vegas special. We’re talking Kaitlin Olson, Christina Hendricks, Don Cheadle, Johnny Knoxville, Simon Pegg and, starring as herself, Elvis’ wife Priscilla Presley.
She also co-created the show, basing it on her hubby’s apparent real-life love of superheroes. “From the time Elvis was a young boy he always dreamed of being the superhero fighting crime and saving the world,” she says in the press release for the show.
The last thing to know is that it’s by the studio behind the best superhero movie of the decade, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, so if nothing else you can expect dazzling visuals.
