June in Review

Hello? We’re back again already? I feel like I just sent out one of these…but my calendar’s telling me it’s time for another so here I am. Happy July, friends! It is as hot as it’s ever been and I am fighting for my life, but there’s nothing better than summer vibes, you know? Popsicles, beach trips, constant itching from mosquito bites that may or may not be carrying malaria. A lovely time of year. Anyway, let’s find out what people were watching at home in the A/C.

Today’s feeling: Sweaty 🥵

iWrite about The Bear

I’ve found that I can put these top ten charts into two categories: stable, when there’s little change amongst titles, or erratic, when new titles are joining and falling off the chart left and right. TV in June falls into the stable category, with mostly just new releases entering the ranks.

Another winning streak for Richmond

Ted Lasso wrapped up its final season at the end of May, but it managed to linger on the chart long enough to unseat Star Wars: The Bad Batch and become the new Marathoner 🏃🏾‍♀️, setting the record at 14 consecutive weeks on the chart.

Coming in from behind

The Bear makes its debut on the chart with its second season dropping a few weeks ago on Hulu. I remember watching Jeremy Allen White win his Golden Globe for this back in January and having zero thoughts about it since I’d never seen the show. I binged the first season last week and yeah. Deserved.

And season 2 is even better. Who knew that something could become popular and successful if given the time to breathe and find its audience? Crazy. Now if the studio could just pay its writers a living wage, then we’d be getting somewhere.

The show’s a breezy watch. The episodes are only a half hour, save for the season 1 finale. Would highly recommend if you like shows about cooking/food or you like watching people yell over each other in extremely stressful environments (seriously, they’re a lot, but they’re executed very well).

iWatched Extraction 2

Movies will always be in the active category, we know this. With new releases from theaters hitting streamers and older films bouncing around every month, this chart will always be more green than off-white.

A second home for theatricals

Our two new Serpents 🐍 this month, Avatar: The Way of Water and Renfield, are both recent theatrical releases. In fact, of the 21 movies that appear on the chart, 9 of them were in theaters in 2023.

I talked a bit about this last month, but we’re seeing how the release of new films on streaming in 2020 and the following simultaneous release plans offered by certain studios in 2021 are affecting people’s relationships with theaters in real-time. The public has always had the power to decide a film’s fate, e.g. dictating its box office performance. But that power’s been steadily amplified by new movies being available on streaming so quickly after their initial releases.

It’s a little funny watching some of these mega conglomerates suffer from poor box office results, but it’s not funny seeing great movies suffer alongside them.

It’s Clueless but with racing

Quick tangent. This movie was only on the chart for a week but have you guys heard of My Fault on Prime Video? I saw someone say it was like Fast & Furious meets After. My friend then told me it was incestuous, and now I’m concerned but also honestly? not surprised that enough people watched it for it to make the chart. Did they know? Is that why they watched it? Probably. Most likely. Sorry if I spoiled that for you, but also. I’m not. You can watch something else.

iGo to a double feature

July is finally here, you guys. You know what that means? Barbenheimer.

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer both come out on July 21. It’s a very goofy coincidence of release dates, and people have been incredibly excited to see the two juxtaposed films back to back.

I’ve recently found out that this is apparently a trend with Nolan’s films being released against lighter, female-skewing watches. In 2008, The Dark Night came out alongside Mamma Mia!, and in 2017, Dunkirk was accompanied by Girls Trip. A good bit of counter-programming, but if Barbenheimer proves anything, it’s that the girlies want both.

Speaking of Girls Trip, have you guys seen Joy Ride yet? Of course you haven’t, because it only made $5 million this weekend. Did you see The Blackening? No, you did not! The theatrical comedies are back, folks, and they’re worth your time.

I know you wanna see Tom Cruise motorcycle off a cliff, but you can also watch a group of friends do tons of coke in the Chinese countryside and watch another group fight their way out of a cabin in the woods. What’s not to love? Go see them with your own crew and see how much you laugh and enjoy yourself.

I’ll be honest, I’m not watching any of these new July shows. Partly because I’m not interested, but mostly because I’m watching too much else! I started catching up with iCarly (2021), if that wasn’t obvious. I need to finish The Bear, Secret Invasion’s still going, and I have to start My Adventures with Superman. Not to mention, Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 just started, and that alone is gonna keep my Thursdays busy for the next 6 (SIX!) months.

We’ve got very slim pickings for new movies on streaming this month (please watch the trailer for They Cloned Tyrone) so we’re doing another round of recommendations. This time, all of these movie recs are from my lovely coworkers here at daydream. They’re either movies that we’ve recently enjoyed or some personal favorites, so if you’ve got some time, check ‘em out:

• The Nice Guys (2016) - Netflix

• Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) - Max

• The Fast and the Furious (2001) - Peacock

• Prisoners (2013) - Netflix

• The Matrix (1999) - Max

• The Pez Outlaw (2022) - Netflix

• Westworld (2016) - it’s not a movie and it’s not streaming anymore but you can rent it! 😅

🎤 What are you enjoying this June?

Let me know what you guys are or aren’t watching this month! Stay hydrated and addicted to your devices, and I will write to you all in August 🏖️.