The top entertainment picks to enjoy this July

The Four Seasons

Created by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracy Wigfield based on the film by Alan Alda. The Four Seasons stars Tina Fey, Steve Carrell and Kerri Kenney. Each season three couples, who are long term friends, take a short break together. When one of them decides to leave his marriage and subsequently brings along a new partner tensions arise. It’s not hysterically funny, but has some laugh out loud moments, is very watchable and relatable. The cameo from Alan Alda is special. The final episode of the 9 episode season left a bit of a hook so I wasn’t surprised to see that a new season is expected next year. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to have hit the mark with the Gen X and younger viewers but I think it will resonate with the Starts@60 family. I watched it on Netflix.

A Complete Unknown

I was disappointed when I missed this at the local cinema so pleased to spend a bitterly cold afternoon on the couch, complete with a blanket and popcorn to watch A Compete Unknown on Disney. In 1961 a young Bob Dylan arrives in New York City with his guitar and seeks out his musical idols. Director and co-writer James Mangold follows Dylan (Timothee Chalamet) as he becomes part of the Greenwich Village folk scene. He performs at the 1963 March on Washington, meets with Joan Baez and eventually moves to perform with electric not acoustic instruments at the Newport Folk Festival a controversial event that many claim bridged the chasm between folk music and rock. For a young man who appears driven to write and play music his response to fame is that it is less than welcome. Timothee Chalamet is outstanding and it’s no surprise that this film has received many award nominations and of course the music is wonderful. It’s long, slow in part but well worth the ride.

Sirens

Meghann Fahy, Millie Allcock are sisters Devon and Simone while Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon are the fabulously rich and amazing super couple Michalea (Kiki) and Peter Kell. It’s suspenseful as we try to figure out what is the hold that Kiki has over Simone and just what chaos will Devon create on her visit? Is the entire island a cult controlled by Kiki and what of the need for perfectionism? What is behind it? It’s well acted but the ending fell away somewhat with the writing letting down some excellent performances. Could it really be just another cliché of an unhappy relationship and a rich man replacing his wife with a younger model? Worth watching at least for the first few episodes but by then you’ll want to see the finish. It is on Netflix.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

It’s another reality series that probably isn’t based much on reality but more about what the producers are choosing to screen and what they are cutting but it is a glimpse into the “other wordly”, (well for me and most of my vintage), space of Tik Tok and influencers and how “collabs” and product placements deliver an income for some. The group of very young mums could be connected through any means but they all just happen to be members of the same church in Utah which does create some additional expectations and some rather interesting dilemmas. I watched it on Disney while worrying about the future of society.

The Walsh Sisters

I was very excited to hear that Stan has acquired the rights to The Walsh Sisters a six part series based on Marion Keyes books. I love the chaotic but likeable Walsh family and their lives with all the love, heartbreak, everything in between and the complex, complicated sibling relationships. Just like the books the series will be set in Dublin. If the on-screen Walsh Sisters can deliver the heart-wrenching yet hilarious stories as well as the original novels, we will all be in for a treat. Keep an eye out for this one.