SCREENSHOTS #6: a movie about the rise and fall of BlackBerry - and other recs
Movies, series, books and more: everything I've watched, listened to, read, and tried in August.
Movies
BlackBerry
I didn't have high expectations for this movie, but it really surprised me! I usually love 'nerdy' movies, and this one tells the story of the rise and fall of BlackBerry. When it was created, BlackBerry revolutionized the phone industry by making it possible to send and receive emails on your phone. It's fascinating to watch and be reminded that the internet, social media, and smartphones were not what they are today, 20-something years ago.
King Richard
This movie had been on my watchlist for a while and, during a flight, I finally decided to watch it. It's just… WOW. If you are not familiar, is the true story of Richard Williams and his tennis empire - his daughters are Serena and Venus Williams. Such a beautiful story of resilience and hope. I absolutely love it. It's available on Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and AppleTV.
Documentary
Simone Biles Rising
I got a little obsessed with gymnastics after the Paris Olympics, which gave me the perfect excuse to watch Simone Biles' documentary on Netflix. I was really impressed by the production—it was fascinating to learn more about her journey and the behind-the-scenes of what happened in Tokyo. I'm looking forward to the second part, which will be released at the end of October.
Series
Emily in Paris
I know, I know—Emily in Paris is far from being an excellent series. But sometimes, you just need something to distract and entertain yourself. Sure, some characters are shallow, some dialogues make no sense, and, honestly, I'm not a fan of the costumes. But I like the cast, and most importantly, I love the locations they feature and the soundtrack. Plus, this season, we get Rome!
The Perfect Couple
Here's another series just for entertainment. To be honest, I was looking forward to it because I had read the book—more on that below—but it ended up disappointing me. They changed a lot from the original story, which I understand, and while I was satisfied with the ending and how things were developed, it’s hard not to have high expectations with a cast that includes Nicole Kidman. Some scenes and dialogues were so awkward... it just felt kind of 'meh.
In case you're not familiar with the plot: Amelia Sacks is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket. And when someone dies the night before the wedding, everyone is a suspect.
Books
The Perfect Couple
I saw this book at the bookstore last month and remembered that the series was coming out in September. Since the cast looked great (I had watched the trailer), I bought the book with the intention of finishing it before the show was released. Mission accomplished! It's a long book, but I couldn't put it down—definitely a page-turner.
It's Nantucket wedding season, and the Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be an event to remember [...] But it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons when tragedy strikes: a body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony—and suddenly everyone in the wedding party is a suspect.
The story unfolds in a single day, but the author uses a lot of flashbacks to provide more context on each character. More than once, I found myself saying 'OMG' as I uncovered their secrets.
The Housemaid
Someone I follow mentioned they couldn't put this book down, so I took a screenshot. The other day, when I decided to buy some books, I picked this one up as well. I finished it in 24 hours—another page-turner.
It's a psychological thriller about Millie, who becomes a housemaid for a wealthy family in Long Island. It’s her chance to start over, but she quickly realizes it’s not going to be an easy job.
Just when I thought I had everything figured out... plot twist. I didn’t see that coming. While reading, I kept thinking this would make a great movie. After some Googling, it turns out an adaptation is already in the works.
Podcast
On my last SCREENSHOTS edition, I recommended an episode by Huberman Lab about exercising and nutrition for women +35y. And someone recommended me this other episode, that talks a lot about longevity in a general perspective. Highly recommend as well!
On the blog
Products
I have a lot of trips over the next months. One of them includes my longest flight ever - and since I'm flying economy, I decided to give this Travel Pillow a chance. I saw some great reviews - and comments! - on TikTok and I thought it was worth the shot. Apparently, the 360° headrest holds softly across the head, gently ‘sticks’ your head, and evenly distributes support to the seat to prevent falling head and bobblehead. I keep you guys posted!
Ninja just launched its Ninja Luxe™ Café Machine - I was gifted one and I'm obsessed with it! Not only it makes espressos that don't involve guesswork but also makes drip coffee and rapid cold brew. The machine features a built-in scale that does the work for you with weight-based dosing tailored for your chosen drink. Also, I absolutely love the hands-free frothing - you can use dairy or plant-based milk, and create hot or cold microfoam.
Let me know if you have good recs on movies, TV, podcasts, books… I'm all ears! And let me know if you have followed any of these tips that I share here :)
I have the same opinion about Emily in Paris 😂 I love the fact that every time she gets frustrated with something (work situation or boyfriend) there is no time to linger the frustration. There is always another man interested in her or a new work opportunity. It's so different from real life that makes me laugh