What's New is a recurring column that looks at the new films, music, books and DVD releases in and/or about Chinese mainland
Film: Finding Dory
13 years after Finding Nemo, Pixar has finally crafted a follow-up. This one focuses on the lovable amnesiac Dory (voiced by Ellen Degeneres) who suddenly remembers a childhood in California. Eager to reunite with her family, she sets off on an adventure with appearances by the first film's Nemo, Marlin and the Tank Gang, as well as new characters like Bailey, a white beluga whale; Destiny, a whale shark, and Hank, an octopus. Opens nationwide on June 17.
Music: A-Bu - Butterflies Fly in Paris
The Beijing based piano prodigy takes a huge artistic forward on his first album to primarily feature his original compositions. The 17-year-old has previously covered legends like Coltrane and Evans, bringing a modern take to hardhitting jazz. While stalwarts like saxophonist Antonio Hart guests, the backbone of Butterflies Fly in Paris remains A-Bu’s fierce chemistry with drummer Ryan J. Lee and Tom Kennedy on bass. Streamable on Xiami. Cheers to Live Beijing Music for the recommendation.
Music: Cuckooland - Cuckooland
The Shanghainese quartet has all the Brit-rock mannerisms down from soaring choruses to noisy outros on their eight-track debut disc. While it’s been surfacing on Bandcamp for a few months, the group will be properly unveiling it with a hometown show on June 19 at Yuyintang. Available at Bandcamp.
TV: Heroes Reborn
Youku scores the exclusive streaming rights to the 13-episode miniseries event reviving NBC’s sci-fi series, Heroes Reborn. Initially a hit, Heroes was canceled in 2010 but a devoted cult following led to its brief return. Recurring characters like the shadowy Noah Bennet and Masi Oka’s Hiro Nakamura are back but the story picks up one year after a terrorist attack in Odessa, Texas with those with extraordinary abilities blamed for the attack. Streamable at Youku.
TV: Key and Peele
It’s been nine months, since Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele gave up their crown as the kings of American sketch comedy, but Comedy Central has ensured their legacy will live on with their impressive Key & Peele Archive featuring every sketch from the show’s five seasons including 176 sketches previously unavailable online. Better yet, they’re viewable without having to turn on your VPN. Available at the Key & Peele Archive.
For past What's New columns, click here.
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