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The Billboard Family Hits of the Week compiles what’s new and worth your family’s time in music, movies, TV, books, games and more. Forget the mind-numbing scrolling and searching “what to watch for family movie night” … again. The best in family entertainment each week is all in one place, in this handy guide. Isn’t it satisfying to cross something off your list?
You’re probably seeing a lot of Ariana Grande‘s name in this week’s headlines: She’s hosting Saturday Night Live, she’s featured on Charli XCX’s new version of Brat, and Ariana as Glinda is just about everywhere as the rollout to Wicked in movie theaters continues. Let’s break it down for you — should you catch up with everything Ariana with your kids? — and share what else to look out for in entertainment this second week of October.
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In theaters this week is Piece by Piece, an imaginative take on a celebrity biopic that should appeal to the young and old. Through the art of LEGO animation, it tells the story of multihyphenate Pharrell Williams, the music artist, producer and fashion icon.
To balance out the screen time, get lost in a good book. Below are a couple choices for different age ranges, including a beautifully illustrated, holiday Harry Potter release, and a neat box set of a best-selling, realistic fiction series that’s inspired a movie my family’s looking forward to streaming on Disney+ next month.
Find out more about this week’s top picks in the Billboard Family Hits of the Week:
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Catch ‘Piece by Piece’ in Theaters Friday
Piece by Piece is an animated biopic telling the story of “Happy” hitmaker Pharrell Williams in a most delightful way — with the help of a classic toy. “You know what I always thought about?” he asks in the movie’s latest trailer, seen above. “What if life is like a LEGO set? And you can put it together, piece by piece?”
The film, directed by Morgan Neville and rated PG, brings viewers from the creative’s childhood through adulthood, where he’s found his place as an artist and entertainer. It’s a given that Pharrell fans will want to see the film, and it should be enjoyed by kids like mine who love music and enjoyed the visual concept of The Lego Movie, or anyone who’s interested in an uplifting story. Even the youngest out there should be intrigued by the vibrant music and colors — and the familiar sight of LEGOs on the big screen.
Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake are among the other music stars you’ll spot making cameos in the playful movie (in LEGO form, of course!). Piece by Piece opens in theaters this Friday, Oct. 11. Find showtimes near you here.
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Watch Ariana Grande Host ‘SNL’
This Saturday, Oct. 11, Ariana Grande returns to host Saturday Night Live for the second time. Why watch? She’s got the experience, sense of humor and comedic sensibility to pull off leading some really memorable sketches in Studio 8H. I’ve been there behind the scenes for the rehearsal and live show, and I can tell you it’s a long night for the host, cast and crew that requires pure adrenaline and the ability to roll with last-minute changes, on top of the talent for delivering a punchline. The live show needs performers who won’t crack under pressure or take it personally if a sketch is cut (sketches are always cut). Grande’s career has spanned years of long hours on camera and on stage, from the time she was just a kid on TV sets to commanding a crowd as a chart-topping pop singer. She’ll be able to laugh at herself and have fun.
Will all of her sketches be appropriate for all ages? Probably not. My eldest started watching SNL with me around age 10 or 11, but my strategy is to screen sketches first. Then on Sundays, we try to make some time to sit together and watch the ones I think she’ll find funny. (The show’s sketches can be streamed individually on YouTube after they air. And those who want to see the full show on TV, without cable, can find out how to watch on Peacock here.)
Grande’s not the musical guest this weekend, though she has been multiple times previously. Rock icon Stevie Nicks is performing — another excellent reason to watch. It’s a rare SNL appearance for the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman, who’s appeared as musical guest on the show only once before, when she graced the stage with “Stand Back” and “Nightbird” in 1983.
Elsewhere in Grande’s week, she’s featured on a new version of “Sympathy Is a Knife” on Charli XCX’s Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. While Charli’s overall scene is geared toward older teens and adults, Ari fans will come across her track from the re-worked Brat album. It’s one of my personal picks from Brat and it’s completely different, but for those parents wary of language, be warned that there is a well-placed “f—” in the verse. The soundtrack for Grande’s upcoming Wicked movie also just had its release date announced: It’ll be available Nov. 22, the same day Wicked opens in theaters.
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Read ‘Out of My Mind’ Before It’s on Disney+ & ‘Christmas at Hogwarts’
Disney+ will stream the new movie Out of My Mind on Nov. 22, meaning there’s a good amount of time to read the book it’s based on beforehand. Author Sharon M. Draper’s novel, great for readers who are middle schoolers — I’d have suggested it to mine, but she just looked over my shoulder and informed me she’s already read it, and “it was amazing” — is about the life of a smart 11-year-old who has cerebral palsy. She’s unable to walk, talk or write, and she wants to be heard. Out this week is a new box set of all three novels in the Out of My Mind trilogy, available to purchase now for those who like to have a hardcover collection, but it’s also out in paperback if you want to start with just book one. To get an idea of the story, check out the trailer for the film adaptation above.
More recommended reading: For families who love to read together and appreciate the magic of the world of Harry Potter, consider pre-ordering new picture book Christmas at Hogwarts. With beautiful illustrations by Ziyi Gao and text from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, it’s the story of Harry’s first Christmas at Hogwarts. It looks like a festive, sweet way to introduce Harry and friends to pre-readers. The book arrives soon, on Oct. 15.