Mid-Month Media | July ‘26
The media we’ve been watching, reading, listening to, & loving this month
We’re in full swing of summer blockbuster releases and summertime shows!
The Spivey Sisters are wishing you a summer of sun, sand, and can’t-put-them-down beach reads
Xoxo
The Odyssey (in theaters now)
Ashley: I’m not sure why I went into watching this movie expecting to hate it but wow I really loved it. I think this is Matt Damon’s strongest role in years and the whole time I kept thinking what a waste it is to make high schoolers read this. I’m not even sure if I would have appreciated it in college. How fucking wild is it that this book is still so relevant today? Much like Odysseus, we have truly learned nothing. I’m not sure I loved Robert Pattinson in this role, he was the weakest link of the movie for me but I highly recommend watching! What an epic Summer movie! Literally.
Alexa: I need to put my full thoughts together in a thorough review, but just know … I LOVED IT. I thought the casting was absolutely perfect — no notes. And the Göransson score was epic in itself! Can’t wait to watch it again.
Toy Story 5 (in theaters now)
Ashley: Admittedly, I had never watched the Toy Story series because I was older when it came out and I was never much of a Disney person. So when I knew Toy Story 5 was about to come out, me and Penny started watching them! Y’all when I tell you that I cried so hard during TS3 I thought I was going to throw up. Why don’t more people talk about how fucking sad this movie is? Similarly, TS5 is also very sad but it’s also a horror story for parents. I absolutely loved it and so did Penny! I have to note that it was so weird to watch boy moms bemoan that Buzz and Woody were emasculated or weren’t featured enough? Ok weirdos.
Moana (Live Action) (in theaters now)
Alexa: I’m gonna say it — I think this may be the best live action adaptation of a Disney movie. From the acting, to the really good CGI, to the Pacific Islander/Polynesian representation, I thought it was all pulled off really successfully. For some reason this version made me cry more than the original (I think because we get to see the emotion of the actors’ faces). Go see it and tell me what you think! Here’s my full Letterboxd review.
Little Miss Sunshine (Netflix)
Alexa: It’s the 20th anniversary of Little Miss Sunshine (wtf…) and I saw it was streaming on Netflix. It used to be one of my favorite movies when I was younger but I haven’t seen it in probably 15+ years. This movie is everything and so humble and honest and perfect. If you’ve never seen it please go watch! It’ll make you laugh and cry in equal measure.
The Bear (Hulu)
Ashley: The Bear is always such a wild ride but Jesus Christ this season really gave me anxiety and I cried every single episode!
Every Year After (Prime Video)
Ashley: I talked about this on instagram but I actually liked this show! Was it fully faithful to the book - no! Did I still enjoy it - yes! But whew I did get the ick during that ice cream cone scene.
The Four Seasons (Netflix)
Ashley: This show is extremely corny and I’m not sure that they would all be friends in real life but this show is truly like Xanax to me. Steve and I also laugh so much when we watch. What is wrong with us?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (HBO Max)
Ashley: I actually do not like this show at all. I only laughed once during the skit with Lin-Manuel. We keep watching it though.
Love Island USA S8 (Peacock)
Alexa: I can now say that I’m a full blown lover of Love Island USA … last year was my first time watching it and although it was an addicting train wreck to watch, in hindsight all the islanders were pretty unlikeable. This year I fell in love with everyone and I’m a certified die hard Brynity fan club member. For people who have watched it since day 1, what did you think?
Not Suitable for Work (Hulu)
Alexa: I love Mindy Kaling and anything she does, especially when it’s set in NYC. I loved this! It’s a low stakes, low expectation show that was fun to have on throughout the day. I think I binged it in two days! Jack Martin, Avantika Vandanapu, Ella Hunt, and Nicholas Duvernay are all so good in it, but Will Angus steals the show. He’s to this show was Morgan was to The Mindy Project. Excited to watch Season 2 in the future.
Project Runway S22 (Hulu)
Alexa: Just started watching tonight!!! I didn’t realize a new season was out. The first episode was already jam packed with egos, personalities, divas, and some really impressive pieces. Plus, Tyra Banks has joined as a guest judge!!!
Fleabag (Prime Video)
Alexa: I rewatched this the other night while manic cleaning by bathroom for 5 hours and man … this show should truly be in the Louvre. It’s perfect beyond measure and I will never EVER recover from the Hot Priest. Please watch ASAP if you’ve never seen it — especially if you’re a woman in your 30’s.
