Music, Movies & TV - March/April 2026

By DENISE K. JAMES

Coming to a theatre near you

Project Hail Mary (PG-13)
Science teacher Ryan Gosling wakes up on a spaceship with zero recollection of how he got there — only a mission to stop a looming catastrophe. So begins the sci-fi adventure based on the novel by Andy Weir (no relation to Bob Weir — rest in peace) and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. People are already whispering Academy Awards.

Michael (PG-13)
King of Pop fans will no doubt flock to theaters for this Michael Jackson biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring the late superstar’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson. The film covers his life beyond the music and was viewed 116.2 million times in 24 hours, surpassing “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” This one’s about to be huge, y’all.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (PG-13)
Fans of the original will never forget the tension between Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, and now the fashion-forward duo returns— long with Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. Based on Laura Weisberger’s second book, “Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns,” the movie navigates the shift from print to digital. Our opinion? Keep both.

Streaming 

“The People We Meet on Vacation” (PG-13)
Netflix
Starring Tom Blythe, Emily Bader
This flick starts out with a few familiar tropes: a single woman writer in the city with her dream job who just happens to have a hunky male friend. But before I knew it, I was hooked. The flashbacks to the early days of Poppy and Alex’s friendship—and how they bonded and fell in love—pulled me in completely. I’d venture to say this is the best romantic comedy I’ve seen in ages. It’s tender, not raunchy, and surprisingly true to life.

Album Review

Paper Wings: Mountains on the Moon
Based in Nashville, Emily Mann and Wila Frank describe themselves as “instrumental and lyrical.” Their latest album is proof, ranging from thoughtful ballads like “Lonesome Freeway Rider” and “To Consume Time” to playful romps like “Dortha Butters” and “White Roses.” Catch Paper Wings in the Carolinas in late April-early May.

April Playlist: Spring Bluegrass — Fresh Air & Fast Picks

Spring’s here, and we’re celebrating the season the best way we know how: with bright, boot-stomping bluegrass. From legends of the genre to today’s new-grass firebrands, these tracks feel like open windows, longer days, and your first sunny drive with the volume up.

Billy Strings — “Gild the Lily”

Béla Fleck — “Wheels Up”

The Travelin’ McCourys — “Passin’ Thru”

The Steeldrivers — “Blue Side of the Mountain”

Greensky Bluegrass — “Reverend”

Yonder Mountain String Band — “Half Moon Rising”

Red Camel Collective — “In the Mexican Sun”

East Nash Grass — “Papa’s on the Housetop”

Mountain Grass Unit — “Cicada Song”

Carolina Chocolate Drops — “Cornbread and Butterbeans”

The Charlie Daniels Band — “The South’s Gonna Do It Again”

The Infamous Stringdusters — “Fork in the Road”

Trampled by Turtles — “Whiskey”

Old Crow Medicine Show — “We Don’t Grow Tobacco”

The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys — “Little Maggie”