Another weekend is upon us and with it a heady combination of new shows and movies to stream and brain-melting heat. It’s really getting to the peak of summer sweat out there right now, and I for one am praying for rain.
If things get too hot for your outdoor adventures, you can always head to the couch. There are a number of new and returning shows headed to Netflix, Max, Hulu and more this weekend. Fans of Timothy Olyphant, in particular, are in for a treat.
Let’s dive right in!
What We Do In The Shadows — Season 5 (Hulu)
FX’s hilarious vampire comedy returns for a fifth season this weekend on Hulu. The brainchild of director Taika Waititi, What We Do In The Shadows is a silly, raunchy take on vampires and a nice break from all the serious dramatic shows we’ve been getting lately. I can’t believe it’s already on Season 5!
Full Circle (Max)
Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon team up for this limited series starring Claire Danes, Dennis Quaid, Jharrel Jerome, Adia and—of course—Timothy Olyphant. It’s a story about a kidnapping gone very, very wrong and all the mysteries, secrets and superstition that follow. It sounds fascinating and confusing, though I haven’t watched it yet. The first two episodes are available on Max now.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Netflix)
Apparently this is Antonio Banderas’s last outing as the adorable Puss in Boots. Those, er, puppy dog eyes will charm us no longer (though every time a long-running franchise like this claims this is the last movie I take it with a grain of salt). Most of my recommendations are adult fare, but this one can be enjoyed with the whole family.
Foundation — Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Another show I never started for lack of time, the adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series sounds pretty good, even if it’s basically abandoned the impossible-to-adapt source material. (To be fair, despite my love of sci-fi I still haven’t read the books!) I’m curious what you think of this one, dearest readers. Will you let me know if it’s worth catching up on on Twitter or Facebook? I have another show on this list I need to catch up on also below . . . .
Justified: City Primeval (Hulu)
I really loved Justified and I’ve missed watching it. This sequel series is loosely based on the Elmore Leonard novel of the same name (though I’m pretty sure Raylan Givens isn’t the main character of the book). In any case, I’m super excited for this one. Timothy Olyphant can do no wrong.
Oh, also, this doesn’t come out this weekend. It comes out on Tuesday. But that’s closer to this weekend than next weekend, so I’m including it here (though I’ll have more to say next week!)
The Walking Dead: Dead City
I’m enjoying Dead City but I think I’m pretty much burnt out on The Walking Dead, so even though it’s pretty good I still find myself irked by all the little things it does wrong. AMC just has no regard for quality control when it comes to these shows, which is a real shame. Still, it’s the best Walking Dead we’ve had in years, so that’s something!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
And here we come to the show I was referencing earlier. I really need to start this one! I keep meaning to but there’s always so much to watch and so many games to play and then other stuff, like work and family. I’ve been rewatching a bunch of shows with my kids, and that’s time-consuming! We’re watching Severance now (which I’ve already watched twice). We just wrapped on Barry. Oh and Better Call Saul is another one we’re watching together, which has been a lot of fun to revisit.
Time! I need more time!
In Theaters
I thought I’d add an ‘In Theaters’ section just because why not? As great as streaming at home is, there’s nothing like going to the movies! Here are a handful of picks. Two more head to theaters next week: Christopher Nolan is dropping bombs with Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig is toying with our emotions with Barbie. I’ll be seeing and reviewing both. For now, however . . . .
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny — I haven’t seen this one yet but I think I’m going to go this weekend. A part of me is really excited for more Indiana Jones; a part of me is dreading what I felt when I went to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But I think I need to go see it one way or another and find out for myself.
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 — One of the best action movies I’ve seen in a long, long time chock full of crazy stunts and exciting set-pieces. This one is both hilarious and emotionally powerful. You can read my review here.
Asteroid City — A surprisingly divisive film, even among Wes Anderson fans. I found it absolutely delightful in all the right ways, and one of the more emotionally powerful Anderson films, though I’m still not entirely sure why it moved me so. Read my review here.
The Flash — While I really did enjoy parts of this superhero flick—and Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton are both great—overall it was yet another DC dud. I think I enjoyed it more than I was expecting simply because my expectations were so low. Read my review here.
What are you all watching these days? Any recommendations?
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