Story Stream: 5/16 - 5/22
Hello dear friends and neighbors!
It's been another great week for streaming stories, and I'm excited, as always, to share my recommendations from the week below. And, again as always, I'd love to hear YOURS. What movies, tv shows, YouTube channels, etc. are you watching? What podcasts, albums, audiobooks, etc. are you listening to? What do I need to stream this coming week? Let me know in the comments below!
Here's what my week looked like:
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MOVIES
Ford v. Ferrari (2019)
I'll be honest: I had no interest in this movie whatsoever when it came out, or at any point since. It just did not look like my thing. I watched it earlier this week on a trip home to Fort Worth only because my father-in-law, who is very much a car guy, picked it. I'm so glad he did. This is honestly an amazing movie. I loved it so much more than I imagined I would. Matt Damon (who I almost always love), and Christian Bale (who I only occasionally love), were perfectly cast in each of their roles. And although I'm not exactly a "car guy,"... the cars in this movie make me sort of want to become one. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)
Drop Dead Fred (1991)
This movie, which I LOVED as a kid, will turn 30 years old in the next couple days, so I'm getting ready to cover it on Thirty Pop. I rewatched it this week to jog my memory, fully expecting to feel all the nostalgic cringe of a formerly beloved movie that has aged poorly over time, (a feeling with which I've become all too familiar the last couple years). The critics have not been kind to this movie, rating it at only 11% on Rotten Tomatoes. Here's how one critic described it: "Tackling mature themes with an infantile sensibility, Drop Dead Fred is an ill-conceived family comedy that is more likely to stir up a headache than the imagination." Well, to my great delight, I couldn't disagree more. While the special effects in the film have aged exactly as you'd expect a thirty year old low budget film's effects to age, the storytelling here is so much more than I ever understood. I remember it just being a silly movie about boogers and mud pies and a couple of grown ups getting in trouble for their childlike antics. I suppose that's all I needed it to be in 1991. Today though, I see that it's a really playful telling of a young woman's self-actualization. It's about our mysterious human psyches, and the lengths to which they go to protect us, to grow us, to remind us, etc. I may be reading a lot into this movie, but I think it's SIGNIFICANTLY better than it's generally remembered. Plus, it stars Phoebe Cates, who is just the best. Available wherever you buy movies digitally. (8/10 - Highly Recommended)
The Sword in the Stone (1963)
I'm on uncle duty this weekend. My wife and I are keeping my 6 1/2 year old niece, and she chose this animated classic to watch* last night. I grew up loving this movie, but I haven't seen it in easily 30+ years. Turns out I still love it. This one is also rich with nostalgia for me, which may be at the heart of my still loving it. I'd like to think I'd still appreciate it though even with no memories attached. Either way, it held up very well for me. Streaming on Disney+. (7/10 - Strongly Recommended)
*ignore entirely while staying up too late, eating popcorn, petting dogs, and wandering noisily (but adorably) about
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TV
Startup - Season 1, Episode 1: "Seed Money"
I watched this on my older brother's recommendation, and as a huge fan of Martin Freeman, I had high expectations. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it exactly, but I definitely didn't love it. It's just not the sort of role I wanted/needed/expected to see Martin Freeman play. I'm undecided as to whether or not I'll watch any more. I highly doubt I'll binge watch it either way. Streaming on Netflix. (5/10 - Not Strongly Recommended)
The Underground Railroad - Episodes 1-5
If this isn't a masterpiece, I don't know what is. Truly. I'm halfway through the first season at this point, and I could not be more impressed. I predict this will win SO MANY EMMYS. Masterfully directed, stunning cinematography, brilliantly written, and genuinely some of the best acting performances I've ever been privileged to see. The show's heroine, Cora, is played by Thuso Mbedu, and I don't even know what to say about her. I believe every moment she gives us on screen. No exceptions. Her performance is breathtaking. Also, 11-year old Chase Dillon may only have a few acting credits to his name, but he has as much acting talent as I've ever seen. I'd bet all my money on this kid's future in Hollywood. Friends, you must experience this show. It's such a compelling exploration of one of the darkest eras of human/American/white history. More importantly, it's a gut wrenching and beautiful celebration of black strength, black resilience, and black history. Each episode is its own uniquely haunting experience. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
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PODCASTS
Cocaine & Rhinestones - "Starday Records: The Anti-Nashville Sound"
I mentioned this show several weeks back after one of the members of this community, Derek, recommended it. I listened to the first episode of Season 1 back then, then recommended it to the Listening Session group I'm a part of this week. We wound up reviewing the (VERY long) first episode of the recently launched second season. I enjoyed it, although it felt more like a full season worth of content crammed into a single episode. There is much to love about this show, and much that I would do differently if it were mine. Overall though, it's pretty great. Streaming on all podcast apps. (6/10 - Recommended)
Can I Pet Your Dog? - "Luke Brawner and Dexter (And Lexi)"
It was such a treat to get to guest on this delightful show this week! This is part of the Maximum Fun network of shows and it has a significantly larger audience than anything I've ever done. This episode alone already has nearly three times the traffic Milieu Media Group shows had this week all combined, and it's only been out since Tuesday. We had a lot of fun with this conversation, and I really hope you'll give it a listen! Streaming on all podcast apps. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)
Stay Away From Matthew MaGill - Episodes 1-4
This is a show that was recommended this week by one of the members of the Listening Session group, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. It feels a bit like Sh*t Town meets Missing Richard Simmons, two of my all-time favorite shows, but with extraordinary writing. Truly. Extraordinary. I don't want to give anything away. Just go listen! Streaming on all the podcast apps. (9/10 - Highly Recommended (so far))
Houston Made - Episodes 1-5
If you saw my post yesterday, then you know this is the latest addition to the Milieu Media Group neighborhood of shows. I'm mixing these episodes, so I've already technically heard them all, but yesterday I binged the first 5 episodes back-to-back, trying to simply enjoy them as a listener, rather than listening technically. Honestly, they were so easy to enjoy. I genuinely love each of the first five episodes. Rusty is such a talented and endearing conversationalist. He's unafraid of vulnerability, or at least he seems unafraid, and he clearly locks in with his guests and REALLY listens to them. I love that as an easily distracted, overly self-conscious conversationalist. Much to learn from Rusty! Streaming on all the podcast apps. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)
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That's it for this week, friends! Again, let me know your recommendations below! Also, if you have thoughts, memories, etc. on any of the recommendations above, I'd love to hear them! Let's chat it up in the comments section or, for those of you who have joined the neighborhood, let's continue the conversation on the Milieu Media Group Discord!