To watch and watch for: Week of Feb. 19

It’s a quieter week here in the arts world. Big-budget releases and superstar artists have taken the week off — but all the better for it perhaps. It makes for a fantastic chance to dive into the indies, the debut artists and the up-and-comers.

For the first time, the groundbreaking Oscar-nominated Irish drama The Quiet Girl is making its way into American theaters. The war epic Ambush and the eccentric animated Mummies have limited releases as well. In television, Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive enters its fifth season.

Debut novelist Julia Bartz makes splashes with her explosive thriller The Writing Retreat, while Canadian historical fiction writer Janie Chang captivates with The Porcelain Moon: A Novel of France, the Great War, and Forbidden Love.

In podcasts, the second season of California Love, K-pop Dreaming, takes on the international phenomena of K-pop. Meanwhile, indie pop singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is set to release her debut album Good Riddance.

This week, here is what to watch and watch for. Enjoy!

To watch...

Mummies, directed by Juan Jesús García Galocha — Feb. 24

An adventurous trio of mummies (Sean Bean, Joe Thomas and Eleanor Tomlinson) find their way to present-day London, embarking on a hunt for a precious ring. 

We Have A Ghost, directed by Christopher Landon — Feb. 24

This comedic twist on the supernatural genre sees a family become internet sensations after discovering a ghost haunting their new home.

Ambush, directed by Mark Burman — Feb. 24

Based on a true story, veteran producer Mark Burman’s directorial debut follows a group of soldiers infiltrating enemy territory during the Vietnam War.

The Quiet Girl, directed by Colm Bairéad — Feb. 24

A shy young girl (Catherine Clinch) is sent away to live with her distant relatives over the summer, leading her to reassess the meaning of love and family.

Formula 1: Drive to Survive, season five, created by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin — Feb. 24

The popular docuseries, following the drivers and managers at the heart of Formula 1, premieres a dramatic new season. 

To read...

The Porcelain Moon: A Novel of France, the Great War, and Forbidden Love, by Janie Chang — Feb. 21

Two women escaping from their lives in the middle of World War I find friendship with one another, only to stumble across a ruinous secret that puts everything at stake.

The Writing Retreat, by Julia Bartz — Feb. 21

A famous author invites a quintet of female novelists to a writers’ retreat, but it soon devolves into a nightmare exposing the darkness of female relationships.

To listen...

K-pop Dreaming, hosted by Vivian Yoon — Feb. 23

From the perspective of the Korean diaspora in Los Angeles, Yoon blends memoir and pop culture to analyze the history and global rise of K-pop.

Good Riddance, by Gracie Abrams — Feb. 24

In collaboration with The National’s Aaron Dessner, Abrams’ highly anticipated record dives into themes of coming of age, reflection and the future.