Review: A friend asks a tall favor in Pedro Almodóvar’s death-fixated ‘The Room Next Door’

In “The Room Next Door,” Martha expresses to her friend and fellow writer Ingrid that she believes she is entitled to a dignified ending. This film, directed by Pedro Almodóvar in his first English-language production, navigates the often saccharine cancer genre, instead finding raw, emotional, and humorously poignant moments within its narrative. The story revolves around two women confronting their personal obstacles; one has made the decision to leave this world, while the other, afraid of death, is there to bear witness to her farewell.

‘Laid’ review: Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet shine in this funny, bingeable rom-com mystery

In “Laid,” airing on Peacock this Thursday, Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) portrays Ruby, a self-absorbed 33-year-old woman. As events unfold, she learns to her surprise that each of the individuals she had intimate relationships with are either deceased or gravely ill – in the sequence of their encounters. (It’s worth noting that the term “slept with” may not be entirely accurate based on the evidence provided.)