Hello, friends. Happy Friday! We made it through another week of working from home, virtual school, and social distancing. This is pandemic week #29.
As I have every week since mid-March, I'm sharing new TV and movie recommendations to get you through the weekend. If you missed any of the previous lists, you can find all of them on my TV recaps page.
Before we dive into this week's picks, here are a few goodies to look forward to:
- Today - Sarah Paulson stars in Ratched, a new Netflix show based on the Nurse Ratched character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
- Friday, September 25 - Judy, the movie starring Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland, hits Amazon Prime.
- Friday, October 2 - Darren Star, creator of Sex and the City and Younger, has a new show coming to Netflix called Emily in Paris. Lily Collins stars as Emily, an American who moves to Paris for a marketing job. Here is the one-minute trailer.
- Wednesday, October 7 - The Real Housewives of Orange County will be back on Bravo. This is the original location of the franchise and I still think it's one of the best.
- Wednesday, October 14 - Moneyball, co-starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, comes to Netflix. The movie is based on the Michael Lewis book with the same title.
Ok, now onto this week's top six.
1. Call My Agent! (Netflix) - My favorite thing I watched this week was a French series titled Call My Agent! It's about the ASK talent agency in Paris, France. It centers around four of the agents and their assistants.
Each episode is named for one of the clients, and you learn their backstories throughout the hour.
It's glamorous and gossipy - just the way I like my shows!
A warning: if you do not speak French, you will have to watch with subtitles.
2. Million Pound Menu (Netflix) - I had Million Pound Menu on my watchlist for a long time, but I never actually started it. I always assumed the term "million pound" referred to gluttony, but it's actually a nod to the pound, the British form of currency. Whoops!
I've watched four episodes now and it's basically Top Chef's restaurant wars meets Shark Tank. Each episode features two chefs who have been given the chance to do a pop-up restaurant showcasing their dream concept. They do a friends and family night to work out the kinks, and then it's time to serve the investors.
At the end of each episode, the host sits with the chef, waiting to see if any investors will come through the door to make them an offer. When there is a match, it's pure jubilation. When no one shows and the chef is left sitting alone and defeated, it's brutal.
I cannot recommend this enough! It's fun, fast-paced, and of course, there are British accents.
3. Rising Phoenix (Netflix) - My bestie recommended this documentary which is about athletes competing in the Paralympic Games. Their stories are inspiring and it will certainly crack your brain open to a new way of thinking about individuals with disabilities.
While it was incredible to see footage of them competing, I found their personal stories even more compelling - where they grew up, the support of their families, and what they want the world to know they are capable of.
Also, Prince Harry is interviewed, so that was a delightful surprise.
4. The Social Dilemma (Netflix) - I wasn't planning on watching this, but so many people were chatting about it on Instagram Stories that I had to see what the fuss was about. The Social Dilemma features former executives and engineers from Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest talking about the dangers of social media.
They do touch on what to be weary of when it comes to ads on the platforms, but even more than that, they caution against how the content shared on those platforms is designed to alter and sway your thoughts and opinions. If you watched The Great Hack (about Cambridge Analytica) then you already know how that can work during an election.
The biggest piece of advice these tech leaders gave was to turn off your push notifications for these platforms. That way, you aren't spending more time on the apps than necessary and you aren't allowing yourself to become addicted to using them, or relying on them as your sole source of news.
5. The Parent Trap (Disney+) - A close friend recently added me to her Disney+ account and in the words of Aladdin, it's "a whole new world!" I was elated to discover the original Parent Trap movie with Hayley Mills is available to stream.
You can also make it a double feature and then watch the Lindsay Lohan remake!
6. 50 First Dates (Amazon) - Always in search of a rom-com, I was happy to learn 50 First Dates is available to stream (for free) on Amazon. The movie came out in 2004 and co-stars Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. Barrymore plays Lucy, a woman with no short-term memory. Sandler plays Henry, a man who falls for her and has to keep winning her over again and again and again.
This one is just a feel good flick.
There you have it! This week's list.
*Images courtesy of Unsplash, Screen Daily, Eater, CNN, Hit Network, The Medium and Entertainment Weekly.
