What To Watch in July
Folks, we are officially halfway through the year! Right in the middle of summer, the heat keeps rising and the days are getting longer. Fortunately, the big and small screens have enough to keep us occupied for those long summer days. Continue reading for five things to watch this month. (Hopefully with a large popcorn and drink in hand!)
Sunny
A24 and Apple collaborate once again on this dark comedy series hitting Apple TV+ this month. The story follows Suzie (Rashida Jones) as a woman living in Japan dealing with a horrific loss: her husband and son lost in a mysterious plane crash. The husband’s tech company gives Suzie a robot named Sunny as a consultation for what happens. As the days go on, Suzie and Sunny forge a relationship as they quickly uncover the truth about what happened to Suzie’s family. Also starring Hidetoshi Nishijima (Drive My Car), this ten episode series premieres on Apple TV+ on July 10.
Fly Me to the Moon
We live in an entertainment world overwhelmed by adaptations, sequels and remakes. That’s what makes Fly Me to the Moon so special. It’s an original rom com set in the 60s that follows an unexpected relationship between a marketing specialist (Scarlett Johansson) and a NASA director (Channing Tatum) during the height of the space race. Director Greg Berlanti has stated that high test screening scores, along with audiences craving for something original, was some of the reasons why this Apple film was able to get a Columbia/Sony theatrical release; which could mean audiences are in for something special. You can check out this out of this world romance when it hits theaters on July 12.
Lady in the Lake
“Dreams…they push you down, until you drown.” That’s the haunting sentence that Moses Ingram utters in the trailer for another new Apple show: Lady in the Lake. Directed by Alma Har’el (Honey Boy), this mystical dreamlike show follows a typical housewife (Natalie Portman) in the 60s who breaks free of her limitations in life to become an aspiring reporter. She soon gets tangled up in a case involving the murder of Cleo (Moses Ingram), the aforementioned “Lady in the Lake.” Based on the trailer things just get more mysterious from there as the line between dreams and reality begin to blur and nothing is as it seems. Be sure to check out this stunning show when it premieres on Apple TV+ on July 19.
Twisters
One of the best parts of summer movie season are the crowd-pleasing blockbusters that offer you a cool escape from the summer heat. And Twisters looks to be no exception. From the acclaimed director of Minari (Lee Isaac Chung), the story follows a team of scientists testing out a new system to help prevent tornadoes. They soon cross paths with the team of Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) a social media star that loves posting he reckless adventures with the wild side of nature. But sooner than later these two teams have to work together when mother nature decides to strike harder than ever. Featuring some insane visual effects and a who’s who of upcoming actors in Hollywood today (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, David Corenswet, Brandon Perea etc.), this film is meant for the big screen. Mark your calendars for a trip to the theater to catch Twisters on July 19.
Didi
On July 26 I imagine a large portion of movie fans would be flocking to the theaters to catch the newest Marvel hit: Deadpool & Wolverine. But I personally want to recommend something else that's coming to the big screen on that day: Sean Wang’s Didi. It’s a coming of age story set in the late 2000s that follows Chris Wang (Izaac Wang) in the summer before high school where it seems like every day and every choice is going to be the end of the world. From trying to impress girls, fighting with your older sister (that you are secretly sad about leaving for college), to struggling to be the perfect smart kid for your family, Didi tackles it all with a seemingly personal edgy touch. I was fortunate enough to have been able to catch this at Sundance back in January, and I enjoyed it for the extraordinary lead performance by Izaac Wang, a unique take on the time period, and some great surprise needledrops. For those looking for something different this summer, I highly recommend you catch this one in theaters on July 26.