MMT June 2016 Netflix Picks

 

Happy Sunday MMT Fam! I know it’s the last weekend of the month, but we’re still in June so this list qualifies! Plus for those who get a three-day July 4th holiday next weekend, this may come in handy. 😉 There have been some great additions to Netflix in the past couple of months, and I was really excited about the inclusion of this first choice. BEING MARY JANE is one of my favorite cable shows/guilty pleasures and the third season is now available for streaming.

Featuring Gabrielle Union in the leading role, “Being Mary Jane” follows Mary Jane Paul- a successful and wealthy journalist/tv personality who (by all outside appearances) seems to have it all together – but does she really? The series explores Mary Jane’s struggles with relationships – intimate, familial, and work – career highs/lows, and highlights some heavy issues along the way – including substance abuse, mental illness, suicide, racial and gender disparities and much more.

I fell in love with “Being Mary Jane” during its 2013 première, and it hasn’t let me down since. Created by phenom Mara Brock Akil, who is turning over the reigns with the upcoming fourth season, the show also stars heavyweights Margaret Avery as Mary Jane’s mother Helen and Richard Roundtree as her father Patrick. Now for those who haven’t seen any the first two seasons, just know that it is well worth the binge – if you’re so inclined. And for those, like myself, that like to re-watch favorite episodes, grab those snacks and get into it!

My next pick is one from ESPN’s “30 for 30” documentary series entitled 30 FOR 30: THIS MAGIC MOMENT, which chronicles the formation and ultimate dissolution of the mid-1990’s Orlando Magic basketball “dream team,” which never quite became the cohesive and dominant unit the franchise expected. The story is related by several key players, including basketball greats Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway.

And remember last month when I told you about “Ip Man” and its two sequels? Well IP MAN 3 is currently streaming and it is a fun watch – especially for those who enjoy martial arts films. Donnie Yen as Master Ip never ceases to amaze me during fights scenes, and Ip’s rival Cheung Tin-Chi (portrayed by Jin Zhang) also performs the fight choreography as a thing of beauty. And that Mike Tyson scene? Actually worked so much better than I’d expected in the overall story.

This final pick is a heavy-themed one, but the acting is impeccable and it was one of my favorite films from 2015. I’m speaking of the Academy-award nominated movie SPOTLIGHT, which featured an all-star cast including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery and Brian D’arcy James.

“Spotlight” tells the story of the Pulitzer prize-winning Boston Globe news team that broke the Catholic church sex abuse scandal. As I stated in my review last year, I appreciated how this film highlighted the amount of effort and sacrifice these journalists made – and though I’m sure it doesn’t compare to what the actual spotlight team members went through, it gives some insight into what the cost may have been for each.

And though there are no sex scenes displayed, it is important that I give a trigger warning – as there are moments where activity is described by fictional victims.

Okay, that’s it for now MMT Fam. Ooh, and don’t forget the BET Awards are airing tonight at 8P/7C. I can’t wait to see its Prince Tribute!

Until next thought, Thomasena

UPDATED: IP Man: The Final Fight is not a part of the original Ip Man series. This post and May 2016 Netflix Picks has been updated to reflect that error.