Several beloved television series are leaving Netflix in the United States this month, so get your binges going. Also departing: an uproarious film version of a classic TV comedy, the prequel to an action movie favorite and the sensational hit movie about a doll and her friends.
A ton of the titles this month are leaving on July 1, so we’ve rounded up those at the bottom. But as a result, the list will be a little tighter — and shorter lived — than usual. (Dates reflect the first day titles are unavailable and are subject to change.)
‘Insecure’ Seasons 1-5 (July 3)
The funny and talented Issa Rae broke out from niche online personality to mainstream juggernaut with this acclaimed and popular HBO comedy series, on which she was co-creator, showrunner and star. Her character (also named Issa) spends the series struggling with her unsatisfying career, continuing romantic woes and roller-coaster relationship with her longtime best friend, Molly (the endlessly entertaining Yvonne Orji). What could have easily been a Black “Sex and the City” is lent nuance, texture and richness by Rae and her writers’ deft intermingling of serious social, sexual and racial themes, turning this half-hour comedy into a pointed portrait of the American Black experience in the late Obama and early Trump eras.
‘The Addams Family’ (July 5)
Barry Sonnenfeld graduated from being one of the best cinematographers on the scene — he shot such distinctive and stylish efforts as “Raising Arizona” and “When Harry Met Sally” — to one of our quirkiest directors with this hit adaptation of the beloved ’60s television series, itself culled from the cult comic strips of Charles Addams. His whirling cameras, striking angles and rapid-fire pacing prove an ideal match for Addams’s weird world, but this isn’t just an exercise in aesthetics; the casting is the key to bringing these characters to life. Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston find the perfect mixture of cheerful darkness and playful romance as Gomez and Morticia Addams, Christopher Lloyd gives Uncle Fester a delightful innocence, and Christina Ricci found her breakthrough role as the deadpan daughter Wednesday.
‘This Is Us’ Seasons 1-6 (July 8)
When “This Is Us” debuted in 2016, The New York Times described it as “skillful, shameless tear jerking,” and that description was apt throughout its six-season run. Its creator, Dan Fogelman, borrows its setup from films like “Short Cuts” and “Magnolia”: interwoven stories of seemingly unrelated strangers, bound together by random chance (in this case, four characters who share a date of birth). The show isn’t exactly subtle — the tragedies and troubles come down like the sheets of rain that seems to accompany every emotional moment — but it delivers what it promises, and the stellar cast (including Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, Mandy Moore, Chris Sullivan and Milo Ventimiglia) elevates many of the cornier moments.
‘Barbie’ (July 15)
When word got out that the actor-turned-filmmaker Greta Gerwig was following up her widely lauded and award winning “Lady Bird” and “Little Women” with what sounded like a feature-length ad for Barbie dolls, even her fans were skeptical. But the gifted director (who co-wrote the script with her partner, Noah Baumbach) pulled one of the greatest acts of subversion in modern blockbuster cinema, using the iconic doll to smuggle in a razor-sharp commentary on patriarchy, gender and privilege — all presented in a bright, candy-colored package. It’s full of quotable lines and memorable images, anchored by Margot Robbie’s first-rate turn as the title character and Ryan Gosling’s delightfully tuned-in work as Ken.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (July 16)
When the director George Miller promised a prequel to his 2015 smash “Mad Max: Fury Road,” he wasn’t kidding: This 2024 action adventure walks the viewer right up to the earlier picture, concluding with the opening moments of “Fury Road.” The key difference is that the title role of Imperator Furiosa, filled by Charlize Theron in “Fury Road,” is here taken over by Alyla Browne (as a girl) and then Anya Taylor-Joy, as she is kidnapped by the Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth, having an absolute blast), learns the rules of the road and sets about avenging her mother’s death. “Furiosa” is, in many ways, very much “Fury Road” redux with its shimmering style, metal-crunching set pieces and bleak worldview. Then again, if it ain’t broke …
‘Call My Agent!’ Seasons 1-4 (July 22)
Fans of meta-showbiz comedies like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Larry Sanders Show” and “Entourage” will enjoy this French series, set in the fictional Parisian talent agency ASK and focusing on a handful of senior agents. But it is also less cynical than its American counterparts, depicting its characters as helpful fixers (and, often, more than that) who usually just want what’s best for their frequently temperamental clients. And, as said clients, the guest stars are deliciously game, including like Isabelle Adjani, Monica Bellucci, Juliette Binoche, Jean Dujardin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Isabelle Huppert, Jean Reno and Sigourney Weaver.
‘Wynonna Earp’ Seasons 1-4 (July 26)
This Syfy horror western was the very definition of a contemporary cult hit, overcoming its less-than-impressive Nielsen ratings by building a vibrant and active fan base on social media and at genre conventions. It’s not hard to see why: It was unlike anything else on television, despite its copious cultural influences. Melanie Scrofano is a marvel as the title character, a descendant of Wyatt Earp who is tasked with fighting the demons that are attempting to take over the hamlet of Purgatory. All this she does while generating considerable (and fan-friendly) heat with her co-stars Shamier Anderson (as a former federal agent) and Tim Rozon (as an immortal, monster-fighting variation on Doc Holliday).
Also leaving:
“13 Going on 30,” “28 Days,” “Colombiana,” “Constantine,” “Couples Retreat,” “Crazy Stupid Love,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Draft Day,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Friends With Money,” “Hotel Transylvania,” “The Net,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve,” “Ocean’s Thirteen,” “Runaway Jury,” “Sisters” (July 1).
The post Stream These 7 Movies and TV Shows Before They Leave in July appeared first on New York Times.
