Weekend Watch: July 21, 2023
Living in a Barbenheimer world + 80s glam metal scene + badass women on the frontlines and the awesome power of sisterhood...
As we gear up for the weekend, we're back with an incredible lineup of blockbuster movie releases and exciting new series debuts, all featured on this week's TueDo List.
There's so much to unpack here, so let's dive right in!
Here are this week’s picks:
Sweet Magnolias | Season 3 (Netflix): based on the novels by Sherryl Woods, follows three lifelong BFFs, recently divorced Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), attorney Helen (Heather Headley), and chef Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) as they juggle relationships, family, and careers in the small Southern town of Serenity.
This season, Maddie wrestles with the best way to help Cal (Justin Bruening) after the brawl at Sullivans, while Helen faces difficult decisions about the men in her life. Dana Sue searches for a way to use Miss Frances' check to help the community, without upending her family.
Throughout the season, the ladies lift each other up as they tackle these problems with their trademark warmth, humor, and devotion to each other and those they love. And margaritas.
I wanna Rock: The 80s Metal Dream (Paramount+): This three-part docuseries follows the journeys of five young dreamers pursuing stardom in the competitive world of 80s metal music. The series features notable figures such as Janet Gardner from the group Vixen, Dave "The Snake" Saba of Skid Row, Kip Winger from Winger, John Corabi from The Scream and Motley Crue, and Jonathan Daniel from Candy.
Through candid interviews, they share insights into their music career beginnings, the challenges their bands faced in securing record deals, and how they sustained their passion while making a living.
The series also showcases the iconic elements of the 80s glam metal scene, including hair spray, spandex, and leather pants.
Justified: City Primeval (Hulu): the next chapter to FX’s Justified, which ended its six-season run in 2015. Having left the hollers of Kentucky 15 years ago, Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) now lives in Miami, a walking anachronism balancing his life as a U.S. Marshal and part-time father of a 15-year-old girl (played by Olyphant’s real-life daughter, Vivian). A chance encounter on a desolate Florida highway sends him to Detroit to assist them with a task force including Detectives Wendell Robinson (Victor Williams), Maureen Downey (Marin Ireland), and Norbert Bryl (Norbert Leo Butz).
With a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the critics' consensus is Timothy Olyphant's quickdraw charm shows no signs of dulling in City Primeval, an introspective and very welcome return for Raylan Givens.
Special Ops: Lioness | Season 1 (Paramount+): Inspired by an actual US Military program, follows Joe (Zoe Saldaña) who leads Lioness, a female-focused covert CIA operation tasked with flipping or befriending the wives, mothers, girlfriends, or other women who have close ties to male terrorist leaders. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman), enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) to operate undercover and become the confidant of a high-ranking terrorist’s daughter. The 8-episode series also stars Morgan Freeman and Taylor Sheridan.
Fun fact: Zoe Saldaña, a 45-year-old mother of three, is the only actor to have starred in the top three highest-grossing movies of all time — Avatar; Avatar: The Way of Water; Avengers: Endgame — a feat not achieved by any other performer.
Barbie (Theaters): From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (“Little Women,” “Lady Bird”) the much-talked-about release stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie (“Bombshell,” “I, Tonya”) and Ryan Gosling (“La La Land,” “Half Nelson”) as Barbie and Ken who are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.
The popularity of Barbie has reached a global frenzy. If you type "Barbie" into your search bar, you’ll “see” exactly what we mean.
Oppenheimer (Theaters): Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. The much-awaited film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist, and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
With both Barbie and Oppenheimer releasing simultaneously, we anticipate a frenzy of crowds, as fans plan for a “Barbenheimer” double-feature mega-movie night. Keep in mind that Oppenheimer runs for a lengthy 3 hours, so plan accordingly!
I’m seeing Barbie on Saturday with my 14 year old son! I can’t wait!!
Been blowing through Suits and it’s such a blend of trashy soap opera and comedy-laced courtroom drama with characters who you love to hate and hate to love—and I’m very into it.