Mountainhead, a new darkly comedic film, is officially a satire, but could actually be a documentary. It depicts a bunch of tech bros playing God with their AI-powered toys.
The movie is Jesse Armstrong’s debut feature. That alone seems tasty – Armstrong gained acclaim for creating the HBO comedy-drama series Succession and also wrote for the brilliant, if by now forgotten, British political satire series The Thick of It.
But hey, if you’re tired of tech (understandable), you can always try Stick, a new Apple TV+ show marketed as the platform’s attempt to hype up golf the way Ted Lasso helped soccer.
And if you’re hungry for some true crime, for once, it’s not Netflix you have to turn on. HBO Max is about to release The Mortician, a docuseries examining crimes at a funeral home. Ghastly, indeed.
Mountainhead (HBO Max)
In this satire film, the aforementioned Armstrong imagines a vision of a world run by billionaire tech bros. It might sound dystopian, but what if tech bros already rule us anyway?
The best satire is, of course, really close to reality, and when the four main characters – all wealthy tech tycoons – remind us of an amalgam of people such as Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk. It’s as close to the real world as possible.
Who could, for instance, object to the idea that social media has overtaken journalism and is now setting off global conflicts?
Plus, Armstrong only began shooting the film in March. Three months later, it’s already on HBO Max – the quick turnaround allows the film to be up-to-the-minute.
Stick (Apple TV+)
Owen Wilson stars as Pryce “Stick” Cahill, a tired golf pro reluctantly mentoring a 17-year-old talent. Obviously, golf doesn’t suit the TV at all – it’s all a bit inert – but Wilson truly succeeds in this cozy, humane tale.
Quite clearly, Apple TV+ is attempting to recreate the vibes of Ted Lasso, another feelgood show about soccer. According to the critics, Stick is great – and it helps that real-life golf stars and YouTube favorites pop in for charming cameos.
Golf fans are actually spoiled this summer – in July, Happy Gilmore 2, a film following the namesake golfing talent, is going to be released on Netflix.
The Mortician (HBO Max)
HBO Max is between two big Sunday shows – The Last of Us and The Gilded Age Season 3, set to premiere a few weeks later. To fill the gap, the platform is airing a new three-part true crime docuseries.
The Mortician is a chilling series that uncovers the dark secrets behind a seemingly respectable, family-run funeral home.
The Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, California, was known for decency and propriety, but in the early 1980s, David Sconce, heir to the Lamb legacy, took control of the business and launched a disturbing campaign to boost profits by exploiting the dead in increasingly unethical and inhumane ways.
Now, HBO Max explores the scandal – and talks to Sconce himself.
Tires Season 2 (Netflix)
The Shane Gillis-led comedy Tires received mixed critical reviews when the first season debuted on Netflix a year ago, but the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes was surprisingly high. Unsurprisingly, Season 2 was greenlit and will air this week.
The show is unambitious but fantastic, so we can’t wait. Tires is actually remarkably innovative because it truly is funny – that’s pretty rare these days.
It’s even hard to describe what the show’s about. But that’s probably because the plot isn’t that important – and it shouldn’t be when the one and only goal is to deliver something funny.
Ginny & Georgia Season 4 (Netflix)
Emotions are running high, everyone’s choosing sides, and no one trusts each other. In short, Ginny & Georgia’s fourth season is sure to be a rollercoaster – if this type of content is your cup of tea, of course.
The series indeed has grown a dedicated fanbase, coming from all sorts of backgrounds. It’s not exactly surprising, though, as the show is something between Desperate Housewives and Gilmore Girls. Plus, there’s murder!
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