The It List: The final episode of Emmy-winning drama 'Game of Thrones,' Keanu Reeves returns for another 'John Wick,' Paul Rudd hosts 'SNL' and the best in pop culture the week of May 13, 2019
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 May 13 to 19, including the best deals we could find for each.
WATCH IT: Game of Thrones (Series finale)
In the still-smoldering ruins of King's Landing, a new ruler is about to rise. But will it be the Mad Queen Daenerys, the reluctant heir-in-waiting Jon, the skilled survivor Tyrion... or someone else entirely? The Game of Thrones series finale will settle the identity of the Iron Throne's next occupant once and for all. It will also, presumably, kill off more of our favorite characters, hopefully in more creative ways than dropping a castle on them. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have 80 minutes to bring this song of ice and fire to a conclusion that may finally unite fans instead of continuing to divide them as much as this abbreviated final season has. No matter what happens, our money's on Arya Stark to be left standing.
The Game of Thrones series finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO, HBO Go and HBO Now; stream it on Hulu or Amazon.
WATCH IT: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (20th anniversary)
Believe it or not, it has been 20 years since the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Once the pariah of the Star Wars franchise, the film’s fanbase has grown with each passing year as more and more kids who discovered the film in theaters come of age. The film still has its flaws — from wooden acting and questionable humor, to a clunky structure and CGI that has aged poorly — but there is something altogether fascinating about George Lucas’s vision of the Republic’s downfall: It wasn’t a war, but a dispute over trading lanes. If that doesn’t ring terrifyingly prescient in the era of Trump, we don’t know what does.
You can purchase The Phantom Menace in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Collection on Blu-ray or download it now from Amazon.
WATCH IT: Saturday Night Live (Season 44 finale)
It's been an up-and-down 44th year for the late-night weekend sketch staple, but here's one very good reason to be excited for the season finale: Paul Rudd. The charming, ageless wonder will return to host for a fourth time as his Avengers: Endgame continues to dominate the worldwide box office, where it's thus far raked in $2.5 billion (so clearly this is not a promotional stop). Will The Kissing Family return? What about Rudd's intense love for One Direction? In non Rudd-related items to be excited about, DJ Khaled is handling musical guest duties. There are also whispers that 44 could mark the final season for Kate McKinnon, far and away one of the show's most talented, most versatile and most beloved cast members. Maybe Rudd can convince her to stay.
Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. on NBC; stream SNL live with a Hulu + Live TV subscription.
WATCH IT: John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
There’s a moment early on in the third John Wick flick where Keanu Reeves’s dog-loving assassin gets in a knife fight with a squad of goons that devolves into them just chucking blades at each other for five minutes straight… and it may just be the greatest thing we’ve ever seen. It’s also the moment where the movie comes dangerously close to peaking too soon, but you’ll be happy to hear that there’s still plenty of insane action up its bloody sleeve, whether it’s John Wick riding through Coney Island on horseback or battling the Iron Chef Chairman himself, Mark Dacascos, to a standstill. And don’t worry about this being the last entry in the franchise: based on the final moments, it’s very clear that Reeves and everyone else involved intend to keep making more of these movies. Our only request is that Jason Mantzoukas — who joins the cast as the enigmatic Tick Tock Man — gets his own knife fight next time.
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum opens in theaters on May 17. Visit Fandango or Atom Tickets for showtime and ticket information.
WATCH IT: Barry (Season 2 finale)
After the game-changing events of Sunday’s penultimate episode — if you haven’t watched it, do it now! — Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) has a serious move to make. What will he do? That half-hour had all the marks of those cliffhanger season finales of yesterday, but happily, Barry fans still have one more episode to enjoy this season. The bad news is that it will go away for awhile — like HBO shows tend to do — but the good news is that the Emmy-winning series has already been renewed for a third season.
The season finale of Barry airs Sunday, May 19 at 10:20 p.m. on HBO; stream it on Hulu or Amazon.
HEAR IT: “Stay (I Missed You),” by Lisa Loeb (25th anniversary)
It was May 1994 and, “I turned the radio on, I turned the radio up, And this woman was singing my song….” Twenty-five years later this week, Lisa Loeb’s hit is still celebrated, as both it and Reality Bites, the movie that helped make the song so ubiquitous, turn old enough to rent a car without restrictions. It’s worth another listen, if you haven’t heard it on the radio in the last few days and, honestly, even if you have.
“Stay (I Missed You)” on the Reality Bites soundtrack is available to stream and on CD at Amazon.
BUY IT: Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary Funko Pops
Well, there’s something you don’t see everyday. To celebrate the 35th birthday of Ivan Reitman’s ghostbusting classic, Funko dug deep into Ray Stanz’s mind and produced a super-sized, super-cute Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. This new 10” Pop towers over the previous 6” inch model, and will be available exclusively at GameStop starting in June. Anniversary editions of all four Ghostbusters — Venkman, Stantz, Spengler and Zeddemore — are available for pre-order on Entertainment Earth, alongside two of our favorite paranormal characters: the Scary Library Ghost and a hot-dog chomping Slimer. Cue up the Ray Parker Jr. song… now.
Funko’s Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary Pops retail for $10.99 each and are available for pre-order on Entertainment Earth. The 10” Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is a GameStop exclusive and carries a $29.99 price tag.
HEAR IT: The National, I Am Easy to Find
The indie darlings’ eighth studio album features an impressive array of talented women, including Sharon Van Etten, Damien Rice associate Lisa Hannigan and Bowie band member Gail Anne Dorsey. Plus, the ambitious LP is accompanied by a Mike Mills-directed short film starring Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD/vinyl at Amazon.
WIN IT: Meet George R.R. Martin with Meow Wolf: Origin Story Sweepstakes
Two lucky people will have the chance to meet the creator of Westeros himself, George R.R. Martin via a new sweepstakes organized by the makers of the upcoming documentary Meow Wolf: Origin Story. Available on digital services on May 21, the film chronicles the rise of the Santa Fe-based art collective, Meow Wolf, which received the author’s blessing at a formative stage. Entrants will compete for a prize package that includes 3-day trip to Santa Fe that culminates with a face-to-face meeting with Martin in his movie theater. Just make sure The Red Wedding isn’t on the marquee.
Enter the Meow Wolf: Origin Sweepstakes on the film’s official website by May 31.
HEAR IT: Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated
America’s sweetheart is back with what is sure to be your summer 2019 soundtrack. The effervescent album is inspired by disco legends like ABBA, the Bee Gees and Donna Summer, featuring contributions from Jack Antonoff, MNDR, B-Rock of the Knocks, Chiddy Bang and members of Grouplove and Electric Guest.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD/vinyl at Amazon.
WATCH IT: Nailed It! (Season 3 premiere)
Netflix's irreverent baking competition is back to deliver the laughs we all need right now. Though Nailed It! sets its amateur bakers up for failure, the strength of the show is that it's not mean-spirited; at this point, every contestant knows that even a professional couldn't make those sky-high cakes and fondant sculptures in the allotted time, and they're happy to be along for the ride. The challenges of Season 3 include a Black Panther cake, a chocolate re-creation of Michelangelo's David and edible hats. While the contestants spend a whole lot of time rummaging through pantries and trying to figure out stand mixers, delightful host Nicole Byer makes sure there's never a dull moment.
Nailed It! Season 3 premieres Friday, May 17 on Netflix.
BOOK IT: Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience
Game of Thrones may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave Westeros for good. This fall, HBO is reviving its popular Live Concert Experience for a 20-city North American tour, with stops scheduled in Toronto, Tampa and San Francisco. Audiences will hear original and reworked themes from all eight seasons, and the show’s celebrated composer, Ramin Djawadi, will even be appearing at select concerts.
Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience tickets are available on Ticketmaster starting May 13.
HEAR IT: Dionne Warwick, She’s Back
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-winner’s 36th studio album — her first R&B/soul album in 50 years — features production by her son Damon Elliot; guest spots by Musiq Soulchild, Kenny Lattimore and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone; and a timely a new version of “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” which Warwick first recorded in 1963.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD at Amazon.
WATCH IT: American Idol (Season 17 finale)
The American Idol live finale airs this Sunday on ABC, but you can live every like it’s Hollywood Week by rewatching the entire Season 17: Hulu’s got your golden ticket, with every episode available on demand. You can also stream American Idol live if you’re a Hulu + Live TV subscriber.
The season finale of American Idol airs Sunday, May 19 on ABC.
HEAR IT: Maddie Poppe, Whirlwind
Two days before the Season 17 American Idol finale, last year’s winner drops her debut album. Sadly, Poppe hasn’t been invited to perform its new single, “Made You Miss,” on the Idol finale (and has protested this slight on Twitter) — but hopefully her devoted fans will have her back.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD at Amazon.
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