This month is definitely more heavy on movie and TV anticipation than book anticipation. Doctor Who is finally coming back! It’s been so long. I am so ready. I’m also highly anticipating Jurassic World: Chaos Theory which is a continuation of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous that I loved way more than I ever expected to. We’re gearing up for summer movie season and The Fall Guy is the perfect way to tease us in. Yeah, May is gonna be good! Let’s talk about it…
Books
The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste actually had its release date moved up a week so it did come out the last week of April but I want to mention it here so that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. This debut aside, we’ve got new stuff coming out this month from Jas Hammonds, Samira Ahmed, Renée Watson, and Nita Tyndall to name a few. I can’t in all honesty say that I’m going to read any May releases right away (Jas and Bethany’s books being exceptions) but all of these are certainly on my list to get to at some point.
Returning TV:
Interview With the Vampire returns for its highly anticipated season 2 on AMC. It feels like Season one was forever ago. I am SO pumped for its return. Definitely one of my most anticipated returning shows of the year. That’s not the only vampire show returning this month. Then, we’ve got the comedy, Reginald the Vampire over on Syfy. Solid show. I don’t hear anyone talking about it though and wonder about the ratings able to give longevity to the show. But I’m enjoying it. I haven’t read the book that it’s based on though. Finally, Doctor Who is back and on Disney+ with Ncuti Gatwa starring as the 15th Doctor. I’m excited for him to be the 15th Doctor and will keep a positive attitude for how they handle racism while time traveling. I’m not at all concerned about traveling into the future or other places in space. My concern should be self explanatory. They’ve handled episodes dealing with racism in the past gracefully but there also hasn’t been a Black doctor who travels to the past multiple times around the world before. So, there’s that. Fingers crossed the writing doesn’t disappoint.
New TV:
We’ve got two series and two mini series that I’m interested in catching this month. First, there’s DARK MATTER on Apple TV+ which is based on the book by Blake Crouch. It looks like it delivers. Only time will tell. Then, there’s JURASSIC WORLD: CHAOS THEORY on Netflix which takes place six years after Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous which I absolutely adored! I am so, so excited for the series to return in this way. I hope we can get another follow up series with these characters as adults as well. I am biased since I love this franchise and will watch and enjoy everything.
As for mini series, there are two on Netflix that I am intrigued by. There’s A MAN IN FULL and ERIC. Now I can’t say that I’m going to watch these right away but they are on my radar and I’m looking forward to getting to them sometime this spring/summer.
Movies
As for movies, I’m really excited for Turtles All the Way Down which is based on the John Green novel of the same name. As someone who has battled with dermatillomania and trichotillomania my whole life, this book and its portrayal of OCD meant so much to me. I did watch the movie adaptation and I really enjoyed and appreciated it. I hope it touches the people who need to see it most so they know that they are not alone.
The sci-fi thriller, Atlas on Netflix stars Jennifer Lopez and Sterling K. Brown so while I was already down for the concept, I’m even more excited knowing these two are in the cast. If Jennifer really wanted to connect with her fans, she’d forget about her This is Me Now… Greatest Hits tour and just do a Q&A tour all about her movies and acting. Though that is certainly less lucrative, even though the tour isn’t selling much anyway so, hey. At that point in your career when you can retire, is it really about the money anyway? Clearly not since she put $20 mill into the music video film thing for This is Me Now. Whatever, you do you, Jlo, just keep giving us movies haha. Anywaaaay!!!
I’m also looking forward to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which, who isn’t. Am I right or am I right?
What are you anticipating this month?
May 2, 2024
Movies/Documentaries
Turtles All the Way Down (Max)
The Idea of You (Amazon Prime)
May 3, 2024
Movies/Documentaries
The Fall Guy
*******
May 7, 2024
Books
* This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed (YA)
* The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste (YA)
* Loneliness & Company by Charlee Dyroff (A)
* Skin & Bones by Renée Watson (A)
* The Ministry of Time: A Novel by Kaliane Bradley (A)
May 9, 2024
Movies/Documentaries
Mother of the Bride (Netflix)
*******
May 14, 2024
Books
* The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood (YA)
* Thirsty by Jas Hammonds (YA)
* A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur (YA)
* Liquid, Fragile, Perishable by Carolyn Kuebler (A)
Movies & TV on Blu-ray/DVD
Dune: Part Two
May 17, 2024
Movies/Documentaries
IF
*******
May 21, 2024
Books
* Joyful Recollections of Trauma by Paul Scheer (N)
* Have You Seen This Girl by Nita Tyndall (YA)
May 24, 2024
Movies/Documentaries
Atlas (Netflix)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
*******
May 28, 2024
Movies & TV on Blu-ray/DVD
Anatomy of a Fall (The Criterion Collection)
Bob Marley: One Love Steelbook
TV Premieres On My Radar
Note: The titles listed are only of shows that I enjoy or am looking forward to checking out (new series are in CAPS), it’s not a definitive list of all of the premieres this month.
Sunday
9pm Interview With the Vampire: Season 2 (AMC, May 12)
Wednesday
Streaming DARK MATTER (Apple TV+, May 8)
10pm Reginald the Vampire: Season 2 (Syfy, May 8)
Thursday
Streaming A MAN IN FULL (Netflix, May 2), ERIC (Netflix, May 30), WE ARE LADY PARTS (Peacock, May 30)
Friday
Streaming Doctor Who (Disney+, May 10), JURASSIC WORLD: CHAOS THEORY (Netflix, May 24)