Week of June 28 - July 4

Happy almost-Fourth of July! And with that day (or hopefully more) off, it’s the perfect opportunity to sit back and catch up on your favorite shows and movies. Or, as is usually the case, start watching something brand new. This week, we’ve got a new series inspired by “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (“Nautilus” on AMC), a new movie that teams Charlize Theron with Uma Thurman (“The Old Guard 2” on Netflix), not to mention plenty of shark-related content (including documentary “Shark Whisperer” on Netflix). Hey, it’s that time of year – stars and stripes and sharks! 

On with the television! 

Nautilus

Sunday, June 29 at 9 p.m., AMC

Source: AMC

Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas” was originally serialized from March 1869 to June 1870 in a prestigious French publication and its tentacles still reach us today. The most famous example of the story and its characters, led by the irascible Captain Nemo, is undoubtedly Disney’s live-action 1954 favorite, directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Kirk Douglas and James Mason. For years, it lived on as popular theme park attractions at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Those are both gone now, but the connection to the Magic Kingdom remains. In fact, “Nautilus,” which premiered overseas last fall, was originally a Disney+ series. It was ordered by the company and then, just as soon, dumped by them. But a cool show is a cool show and we’re thrilled to finally be getting “Nautilus” here. The 10-part series serves as an origin story for Captain Nemo (played here by Shazad Latif) and his amazing submarine. The series was created by James Dormer, who also wrote several episodes, and the reviews have praised the series for the rousing adventure it is. Ready to take a dive? We sure are. [TRAILER]

The Sandman

Thursday, July 3, Netflix

Source: Netflix

A lot has happened since the first season of “The Sandman” aired on Netflix back in 2022. Chiefly, fantasy author Neil Gaiman, whose comic book series the show was based on (and who co-created and co-wrote the streaming series), has been accused of sexual assault, which has led to the cancelation or postponement of several projects based on his work. And the second season of “The Sandman” is also its last, although the producers stress this was the plan all along. Time to say goodbye to the mystical god of sleep and all of the crazy characters and creatures he meets along the way. It’s a shame too; the first season was really special, with Tom Sturridge doing an excellent job of capturing the character’s spirit and the show itself maintaining so many of the odd curlicues that made the comic books so unforgettable. But every good dream must come to an end, especially if the real-life events surrounding that dream are downright nightmarish. [TRAILER]

The Old Guard 2

Wednesday, July 2, Netflix

Source: Netflix

Remember “The Old Guard?” It was released back in 2020 on Netflix (see below) and now it’s getting a long-awaited sequel. “The Old Guard 2,” which sees director Victoria Mahoney take over for Gina Prince-Bythewood, reteams Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts and the rest of the immortal warriors for a new threat – against the very first immortal (played by Uma Thurman). That’s right – it’s Charlize Theron versus Uma Thurman. Need we say more? Greg Rucka, who wrote the comic book that the original movie was based on, returns to script the sequel, which was shot back in 2022. What was the hold-up? Just waiting for the right time to unleash “The Old Guard 2?” Or something more nefarious? (At one point Theron had implied that post-production had been shut down five weeks in due to regime changes at Netflix.) When you're immortal, timing becomes a bit more fluid. All we know is that the first movie was an absolute delight and we cannot wait for the further adventures of our favorite immortals. And hopefully we won’t have to wait as long for part 3. Some of us are actually aging over here. [TRAILER]

Shark Whisperer

Monday, June 30, Netflix

Source: Netflix

“Shark Whisperer” follows the exploits of Ocean Ramsey (this is, supposedly, her given name), who advocates for the safety and conservatorship of sharks, who are hunted and killed in the hundreds of millions each year for very stupid reasons. According to the official synopsis for the film, which was directed by J.P. Stiles, Harrison Macks and James Reed (Academy Award–winning director of “My Octopus Teacher”), the documentary “follows the rise in notoriety of Ramsey and her partner and videographer, Juan Oliphant, as they work to garner attention for their cause on social media. The film also tracks the way Ramsey’s approach to her activism has drawn criticism by both members of the scientific community and the public at large; Ramsey’s detractors say she is putting herself, other humans, and the sharks at risk by seeking media attention. Ramsey’s approach, and her intent behind it, raises thought-provoking questions in this urgent race to save sharks.” [TRAILER]

The Old Guard

Netflix

Source: Netflix

If you need a refresher on “The Old Guard” before the sequel hits, why not revisit the original? Based on a comic book series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández (with Rucka penning the screenplay for the adaptation), it follows Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), a U.S. Marine who dies but then is miraculously alive again. It turns out that she’s the latest in a long line of immortal warriors, dating back centuries, led by Charlize Theron’s Andromache (or “Andy”) of Scythia. The central plot involves an evil pharmaceutical company, looking to harness the power of the immortals, and Andy dealing with the possibility that – shocker! – she could actually die. But what’s more important, really, is the camaraderie of the immortals and the action sequences, which are stylishly designed and shot by director Gina Prince-Bythewood. In other words: the new one has a lot to live up to. [WATCH]

Source: Prime Video

“Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel”

Tuesday, July 1, Netflix