SCREENSHOTS #14 - Devil in the Family, Sirens, Trevor Noah's memoir and more recs
Movies, series, books and more: everything I've watched, listened to, read, and tried in May.
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TV Series
Your Friends and Neighbors
Jon Hamm - aka Dom Draper, how can we forget him? - is Andrew “Coop” Cooper, a hedge fund manager, still trying to move on from his divorce, and then he is fired. And because of the circumstances, he finds a very particular way to maintain his lifestyle and his obligations as a father of two: he steals from his rich neighbors.
I mentioned this show in my previous newsletter - and besides some adrenaline moments and funny jokes, I love how the show is also a critic of the forever cycle of maintaining appearances. It is interesting how the main character also starts to question some of this status quo. The cast is incredible, too. I love the final episode - and the series was renewed for a second season.
Available on Apple TV.
Sirens
When I watched the trailer of this series, I was intrigued. I mean, Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon - plus Meghann Fahy, whom I love - would be enough to convince me, but an excellent cast does not always guarantee a great show (who remembers Nicole Kidman and "The Perfect Couple"?).
But this show surprised me. It's a mix of dark humor, drama, and suspense - though, by the end, there are numerous plot twists that I didn't see coming. We had good laughs and were shocked sometimes as well.
Only 5 episodes, perfect for bind watching.
Available on Netflix.
You
I must say I started the final season of You very curious, then I got bored and rolled my eyes, but towards the end, it got interesting again. Although it may sound like the show is repeating the same formula from previous seasons at first, I think they did a good job with this one. Perhaps the show didn't need five seasons and could have ended earlier, but I'm satisfied with the conclusion and how the story was developed. And we can't deny Penn Badgley is just as perfect as Joe Goldberg - especially with the voice-overs.
Available on Netflix.
Four Seasons
I read something about Four Seasons being a good show only if you are middle-aged. My husband and I are not quite there yet, but I can guarantee that we had a lot of fun watching this show. It's light, it's funny, it's easy, but at the same time, it brings some interesting reflections - with whom probably not only middle-aged people but also millennials in general will relate. Claude, played by the Italian actor Marco Calvani, is perhaps my favorite character.
Available on Netflix.
Do you want more movies, series, and book recs? Check my previous SCREENSHOTS editions.
Docu Series
Devil in the Family
This three-episode series reveals the story behind Ruby Franke - a popular family vlogger arrested for child abuse in August 2023. I'm surprised I didn't know anything about this case, given its recent nature. In case you are not aware, Ruby had a YouTube channel where she documented a perfect, happy family life that got 2.5 million subscribers. But things were not perfect like they seem to be.
For this docu-series, the two eldest kids and the ex-husband share what having your life recorded means and how everything started to fall when Ruby became really close to counselor Jodi Hildebrandt.
Available on Hulu.
Books
The House of my Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
The reason that made me watch the previously mentioned docu-series was this book. I was browsing on Audible when I found this title that caught my attention. Since I love memoirs and I liked the summary, I decided to give it a chance. It was the first time I heard about the Ruby Franke's case.
I must say the docu-series doesn't substitute the book or vice-versa. Yes, Shari shares her perspective on the docu-series, but there's also her brother, her father, friends, and neighbors adding more details and perspectives.
On this book, on the other hand, it's Shari's perspective only. We learn not only about Ruby's journey on YouTube but also about her previous life, more about her personality and how that deeply impacted Shari and her non-existent capacity to identify abusive relationships. Shari is super vulnerable - and I love that she is the one narrating.
Born a Crime
When I decided to start listening to Trevor Noah's memoir, I knew I would probably enjoy it. I couldn't imagine how much, though.
The comedian, writer, and host shares stories from his childhood growing up in South Africa - surviving fear, poverty, and violence while being raised by his mother, Patricia, a stubborn and strong woman who makes the story so interesting. For me, this book was also a History class - I learned so much about South Africa's social context. It's also a book about privileges and racism.
But perhaps the cherry on top is Trevor Noah's narration. I don't know if I'd have the same experience and joy by reading this book rather than listening to it. His performance-changing accents, mimicking the characters and even his younger self, make this book a piece of art.
Little Life
"These are the saddest books I've read" - was how a Booktuber I follow introduced her video about the subject and proceeded to list all the books. I bought all of them. Call me crazy, lol. I really love drama.
And then, my feed was popping up with people talking about this book and how sad it was. Like, really sad. Well, yes, that made me cautious, but it also made me curious. I will leave the official description here:
"A Little Life book follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara's stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves."
That description can not even start to really tell what this story is about. And I guess that's what makes it more interesting and will make you more curious. I really wanted to know what was so sad about the story, and honestly, I couldn't even imagine or conceive all the things that happened over the 800 - yes, 800 pages - of this book. I couldn't finish the book without crying - a lot. Such a beautiful story about life, love and friendship.
Interesting readings
Unfriended: The Quiet Grief of Losing a Friend - I'm fascinated by the female friendship topic, and I really believe we don't talk a lot about all the pains and joys involved in this kind of relationship. Going further, it also seems we don't give friend's breakups the same importance as romantic relationship breakups - and this article by
hit home so hard. I feel I could have written this.Women hate women who go for what they want - such an interesting reading about how women react to other women's success, appearance, and ambitions. (by
.How to Learn French and Actually Enjoy It - if you are learning French - or plan to start learning someday - this post from
has so many incredible resources!
That's a wrap! What have you been reading and watching lately?
I also lovedddd your friends and neighbors! So pumped for season two :) and tysm for sharing my piece