You Need to Check Out 'The Mummy,' Phoenix, and More This Weekend

Looking for some stuff to catch up on this weekend? Whether it's TV, movies, books, or anything in between—VICE has you covered. Read on for our staff recommendations on what to take in during your downtime:

Trey Edward Shults's dark and devastating follow-up to last year's mindblowing debut Krisha isn't a horror film—in the traditional sense, anyway. Instead of jump scares and gory blowouts, the post-apocalyptic dread of It Comes At Night comes from within as much as it does from the spooky outdoor environment the film's name suggests. Krisha was, above all else, a harrowing exploration at the worn seams of a family at the brink of chaos, and It Comes at Night also focuses on what happens when the limits of family bonds are tested—and what one will do to protect what's theirs regardless of the pain it might cause. It's not an easy watch, but it's unflinching and captivating. -- Larry Fitzmaurice, Senior Culture Editor, Digital

No, The Mummy is not a good movie. I'm aware of that, and I agree with critics that it's plainly bad and gets progressively worse as it chugs along. But I still liked it—or at the very least, thoroughly enjoyed turning off my brain to watch—and I'll probably watch it again, likely when I'm too lazy to find the remote to change it. I can't help that love terrible movies, and especially terrible movie franchises. It's perfect for half-watching in the background while playing repetitive iPhone games, flipping back-and-forth to during the commercials of another equally-terrible action movie, or putting on the television while your friends are over just to guess how long before they figure out what it is and demand you turn it off. Then, you can secretly watch it alone, gleefully hating every nonsensical moment. -- Pilot Viruet, Associate Culture Editor

Season four of OITNB was its most divisive, with some viewers and critics proclaiming it the best season yet while others understandably taking issue with (spoiler!) the poorly-handled death of fan-favorite Poussey (Samira Wiley) in a storyline that was supposed to parallel the Black Lives Matter movement. But season five, which debuts today on Netflix, is the series' most ambitious entry yet: The whole thing takes place during a prison riot over three days, making it even more claustrophobic than usual and allowing us to see what happens when the Litchfield women are in charge. Whether it'll hold up has yet to be seen—I've only watched six episodes so far—but either way, it's a fascinating watch that you can't take your eyes off. -- PV

I love SZA and I love Travis $cott, so naturally, when I heard they came out with a song together, I almost shit myself from sheer fandom. Now, some of you may be thinking: Gee wiz, "Love Galore" came out like a month ago, why are you still listening to it? Because it's dope, I tell you—dope! it's a love song that every girl in her 20s can relate to, about regretting hooking up with a guy who treats you like crap but continuously going back for more. It's also—like most SZA songs—the perfect blend of trap and soul. This sweet and sexy track from her new album Ctrl (out today) will have you coming back for another listen. -- Janae Price, Editorial Assistant

I'm not a music person. I'm not one of those freaks who doesn't like music, it's just that I've found about 100 songs I like and I'm content with that, though it gets repetitive. Trying new things doesn't scare me, it's just a pain-in-the-ass. Which is why it's so exciting when I find a new song that I want to listen to all the time. "This is the Day" is upbeat 80s new wave, perfect for getting yourself in a good mood while walking down the street. It's extremely catchy, meaning I listen to it about ten times a day. It just makes you feel good about yourself. -- Eve Peyser, Staff Politics Writer

Phoenix's sixth album is also one of their best—a romantic and neon-hued love letter to Italy and Europe in general, emphasizing the French pop aesthetes' capacity for evoking straightforward romance and starry-eyed wonder. It's all the more impressive when you remember that they've been doing this for nearly two decades, and yet they still sound like lovesick teenagers writing mash notes to their beloveds. Read my recent interview with them here. -- LF

Katy Perry has, honestly, been kind of grating lately. After years of image-toying that could charitably be described as culturally appropriating, the promo cycle around her latest album has seen the pop star trying to refashion herself as "woke," while still taking numerous swipes at Taylor Swift and keeping their feud ablaze. Swift, for her part, made all her albums available on streaming services again today, in an obvious attempt to overshadow the release of Witness—but you know what? Forget all that for a second. Witness is pretty good! A collection of weird, left-field production moves that draw from influences as disparate as house music, Latin freestyle (really), and James Blake (really), it's an album that is fascinating even as it seems to have the propensity to flop commercially. So give it a listen—just, uh, don't pay too close attention to the lyrics. She's not exactly John Darnielle with the pen. -- LF