1. The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power. This TV series is a prequal to the Lord of the Rings story and is available to stream on Amazon Prime. We’ve watched 4 of the 8 episodes so far and LOVE it. I don’t want to give any of the story away, but trust me–it’s a great addition to the overall story. It’s rated TV-14 (you can read the parent guide here).
2. Parks and Recreation. I have been wanting to watch this TV series (it originally aired from 2009-2015) for a long time now–so many have told us how funny it is. I love it. It has Amy Powhler and Chris Pratt and it is a lot like The Office–where the characters often talk directly to the camera as if they’re being interviewed. We’ve watched 1 of the 6 seasons so far and absolutely love it. It’s rated TV-14 (you can read the parent guide here).
3. Samaritan. This is a new movie streaming on Prime Video starring Sylvester Stallone. He plays a curmudgeon y reluctant hero. He was thought dead but has befriended a neighborhood boy who discovers who he really is. It’s a good story and enjoyable movie. It’s rated PG-13 (you can read the parent guide here).
4. The Peripheral. This is kind of a bizarre show about a future in which video games are all VR. A woman, who is very good at playing them is asked to test one–only she discovers that what she thinks is fantasy, is really happening and now she and her family are in danger. We’ve watched 2 of the 5 episodes available right now. I really like it. It’s a creative story with a lot of great action and drama. It’s rated TV-MA.
5. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. I was so excited to see this movie. I–like every Marvel fan–was devastated when Chadwick Boseman (the actor who played Black Panther) passed away unexpectedly. I really loved all of the tributes they made to him in the movie, and how they incorporated it (as in King T’Challa has died from a sudden illness) into the story. It made things a bit heavy emotionally at times, but was probably the best part of the movie. I don’t know what happened–it’s like the writers didn’t know what kind of story the audience would like, so they came up with a weird tale of an underwater world with an Aztec influenced people that also has access to vibranium. The whole thing seemed weird, disjointed and at times downright corny. Also, I absolutely love Letitia Wright (she plays Shuri–the sister of King T’Challa), but in my opinion, she is not a strong enough actress to carry this franchise. It’s a long movie (2 hours 41 minutes) and is slow to get to the good action parts. There are some really good moments here and there, but overall, I was disappointed. It’s rated PG-13.
I would love to hear our opinions and any suggestions you may have of what to watch.