The top entertainment picks to enjoy this June

A Netflix Saturday night at home movie, a cinema visit, an Aussie author’s new book, a TV series and a reality shocker are my varied entertainment offerings this month.

The Life List

This is the Saturday night at home movie you’ll want some hot chocolate or wine and snacks too. Ticking off a bucket list created by her younger self becomes a requirement to fulfill her deceased mother’s wishes and claim her inheritance which takes Alex, played by Sofia Carsen on a journey. It’s a bit predictable and even a bit slushy but if you like the genre it’s nice, simple viewing without any violence, sex or swearing. It’s been compared to PS I Love You and has a focus on relationships and growth reminding us about what is important, revisiting old dreams but without being preachy. Watch The Life List on Netflix.

Snow White

I visited the cinema to see Snow White with some grandchildren recently. It was true to the version I watched as a child many years ago the songs rekindled memories, not surprising as it is a live action adaptation of the 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. For the next week I was “whistling while I worked” at household tasks. Starring Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot and directed by Marc Webb it may be a little slow moving for children who have been to see The Minecraft Movie, (great fun in case you wondered) and spend so much time in their “screenuverses”, (my made-up word for where my grandchildren spend time) but it was an old fashioned, moral filled story with some beautiful visual moments. It was panned by many critics but we gave it 7/10 from grandson aged 9 and 7.5/10 from his 12-year-old sister while Nana gave it an 8. “It’s not Wicked but it’s not horrible,” said Max.

Etoile

The creative husband and wife team that brought us The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Gilmore Girls have a comedy -drama set in the ballet world. When a New York based and a French ballet company trade their “stars” hoping to increase their audiences. Of course, there are some amazing dance sequences and some real-life dance stars but it wasn’t as easy for me to become involved with the characters as the earlier work from this team and I’m still in the early episodes. If you enjoy some dance world viewing, and I put my hand up, it may be worth a visit to watch it on Prime.

Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon

I finished my proof copy of Australian author Sophie Green’s new book and it’s a great read. Relatable and realistic characters in a relatable setting with lovely interwoven yet independent story arcs. If you aren’t familiar with Sophie Greens her novels are about women’s relationships and their growth set in a various setting, a swim group, a gardening group and in this case a hair salon. Sophie Green fans should preorder their copy asap. Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon is an easy to read treat, snuggle up with a blanket and a cup of tea and visit Trudy at the salon. Just like a real salon you’ll leave feeling better! This book will be released in August and is published by Hachette.

90 Day Fiancé Happy Ever After?

This was an absolute shocker that became a binge viewing addiction to the exclusion of watching anything else except the weekly drop of The Handmaid’s Tale final season (that will be in next month’s column). People looking for love, hook up with people of different ages, living in different countries and cultures and then try to negotiate their lives and challenges in front of television cameras. What could possibly go wrong? An over fifty-year-old US woman Angela in a marriage with a thirty-year-old Nigerian man and Angela is worried that he might be using her to get a Visa?? Even when she sees screen shots of his chats with other women telling them he loves them and wants to come to the US with them poor Angela is still delusional. It’s a bit sad how heartbroken you know she is going to be. Or what about the guy from Moldovia, (yes, I did have to look it up on a map) who is having so many issues with his US born wife’s family? Or the beautiful Ukrainian woman who married an ordinary guy from Louisiana but wants to purchase a property in Prague just in case? It’s slow moving and repetitive in part but I was hooked and just had to know what happened. Was it worth my time investment- absolutely not. The production team are experts in ensuring they hook the viewer each episode to keep them watching. Don’t think I’ll be bothering with the next season but I suspect if I weaken I’ll be stuck again staring in a mix of horror and disbelief but not able to look away.