June media diet

Welcome to Wrexham, S4 — Hulu | Four years in, and it’s still amazing that actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought a football team in Wales and made it into a legitimate Premiere League powerhouse. This season covers their historic bid for a third consecutive promotion. But I guess it happened in the same world where a reality TV star sits behind the Resolute Desk. And while I’m very loath to admit it, they both make for can’t-miss TV. 

Hacks, S4 — Max | An up and down season for this Outstanding Comedy Emmy winner. Felt sort of like the writers had told their stories but Warner Media wanted more, so they wrote another season with the same antagonistic relationship between Deborah and Ava. But it was nice to see Helen Hunt again! 

Mythic Quest, S4 — Apple | I thought the season finale of this one was a little abrupt, then I read that Apple canceled it after the 10th episode aired and allowed the creators (star Rob McElhenney and his “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” sidekick Charlie Day) the chance to update it as a series finale. So I guess I never saw the climactic kiss that was supposed to establish the main storyline of season 5? Anyway, solid show throughout its run — lots of laughs, skewering of video game culture and Millennials.

Mountainhead — Max | Enjoyed this for about half of its 1:47 run time, before it got too creepy, and a little too real. It’s the directorial debut of Jesse Armstrong, the creator of “Succession.” Like that show, it is satire that borders dangerously close to truth. There really are tech bros who at least believe they are running the world and you can argue whether they already have or they will destroy civilization (or parts of it) to satisfy their insatiable hunger for wealth and power.

Wine Country — Netflix | We stumbled on this one from 2019 and discovered it was Amy Poehler’s directorial debut! So you know it’s funny. Lots of SNL alums, including Maya Rudolph and Tina Fey in a bit role. Solid laughs as middle-aged female friends get together to celebrate Rachel Dratch’s 50th birthday in Napa Valley.

Fountain of Youth — Netflix | John Krasinski and Natalie Portman star in this made-for-Netflix movie that skips from Bangkok to London to Giza as a brother and sister help a wealthy tech bro search for the mystical water source of the film’s title. Surprise, tech bro does not have humanity’s best interests at heart!  

The Accountant 2 — Prime | Did the world need a sequel to this 2016 film starring Ben Affleck as a mild-mannered money man with a talent for mayhem? Maybe. Jon Bernthal as his brother adds some levity and it was an enjoyable enough two hours.

Maybe It’s You — Hulu | Really liked this rom-com I’d never heard of, until the very end! I won’t spoil it in case anybody really cares, but it was a cute story of longtime friends coming off breakups who maybe, just maybe, realize that they’d be better off together. 

Salem’s Lot — Max | As Stephen King TV movie adaptations go, this one wasn’t bad. It’s based on one of his earlier novels, set in the post-Watergate Era, when parts of America felt hollowed out and unsupported by the government. Perfect conditions for a vampire to move into a rural Maine town and begin converting the residents into an Army of bloodsuckers.

Echo Valley — Apple TV | Julianne Moore is carving out a late career niche for herself as women who have been wronged and won't stop until they make it right. This one was about a mother's unconditional love for her drug addicted daughter, who finds herself in a heap of trouble that only mom can extradite her from.

The Gorge — Apple TV | No clue what this was about until I pushed play and it turned out to be a thriller/love story starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, elite snipers guarding opposites side of a gorge in which humanity has literally unleashed hell. Quite enjoyable.

Captain America: Brave New World — Disney+ | This one finally came out on the streaming service, so in the interest of being Marvel completists, we watched. I’d put it slightly below average, though I appreciate Harrison Ford’s late-career work. Somehow he’s both a believable president and a Red Hulk.

The Shallows — Netflix | I’d seen this Blake Lively thriller, but it stars a shark, so we watched it again when Greta was home. Spoiler alert: Blake Lively is a very good looking woman and bikinis are required to be worn under skin-tight surfing suits.
 
The Devil’s Thumb — Disney+ | Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell teamed up in 2024 to climb this remote rock face in Alaska that looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings. Caldwell, whose heyday as a big rock climber was in the 2000s, was recovering from a ruptured achilles. Impressive stuff, but it’s hard not to believe both of these men will one day die doing what they love.

On her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports by Christine Brennan | This long-time USA Today reporter jumped aboard the Caitlin Clark bandwagon early and spent a big chunk of her rookie season covering games, asking questions post-game, and landing interviews with everyone BUT the title heroine. Her intense focus on all things Caitlin irritated the WNBA, which would like to think all its players are worthy of attention, but they’re wrong — Clark simply has “It” and they should embrace it or miss the ride. | My AP review.

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware | If you haven’t read Ware’s “The Woman in Cabin 10,” do that first and then read this one. Both are middle-of-the-road thrillers starring the same travel writer, who has a penchant for getting herself in trouble far from home. 10 was set on a fjord in Norway and 11 takes place partly in Switzerland, and partly in England. Page turners, for sure, but that’s the best I can say about them. | My AP review.