Couch Theatre: We Were Liars
By Demi Taveras
"We Were Liars" (TV-MA) -- This new eight-episode series hitting streaming on June 18 is based on the 2014 young adult novel by E. Lockhart and almost feels like a cleaner version of Netflix's "Outer Banks." Emily Alyn Lind ("Gossip Girl") stars as Cadence Sinclair Eastman, a 17-year-old who spends her summers on a private island near Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, thanks to the wealth and notoriety that comes with the Sinclair name.
From left, Emily Alyn Lind, Esther McGregor, Joseph Zada and Shubham Maheshwari star in "We Were Liars". Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
Usually, these summers consist of normal teenage shenanigans like parties, dates, and late nights, but one summer night results in a terrible accident for Cadence, leaving her with a serious bout of amnesia. A year later, she returns to her summer island to see if she can piece together what happened to her and who was involved. (Amazon Prime Video)
"Sally" (PG) -- June is Pride Month in the United States, and this documentary's release about the first LGBT astronaut is very timely and topical! Premiering June 17, this doc details the life of Sally Ride, whose list of firsts is quite legendary. Not only was she a part of the first class of NASA astronauts to include women, Ride was the first American woman in space (third woman overall and the youngest American overall). Her list of achievements is even more legendary, but they didn't come without sacrifice. In the doc, her longtime partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, provides her account of their 27-year relationship and the significance of these sacrifices as two professional queer women working to achieve their dreams during the late 1900s. (Disney+)
"Love Me" (R) -- This postapocalyptic romance movie starring Kristen Stewart ("Love Lies Bleeding") and Steven Yeun ("Nope") went completely under the radar during its theatrical release last year, although a film that takes the plot of "WALL-E" and spins it on its head isn't going to be a major blockbuster draw like "Deadpool & Wolverine." Taking place long after the year 2500 and the major extinction of humanity, the film follows a weather buoy that was left to greet any lifeform that encounters Earth. The buoy happens upon a passing satellite, which is the first object that the buoy is able to make contact with. Lonely and yearning to learn about human life, the buoy becomes online friends with the satellite, leading to a beautiful connection that evolves to almost become humanlike. Premieres June 16. (Paramount+)
"Skincare" (R) -- Deemed as a thriller, even though it assumes the form of an action-comedy, this directorial debut from Austin Peters is led by none other than the prolific Elizabeth Banks ("The Better Sister"), who knows how to bring relatable comedy to life. Banks portrays Hope Goldman, an aesthetician who runs a skincare studio in Los Angeles. Hope prepares to launch a skincare line, but her dream starts to dwindle in the distance when another skincare studio opens up directly across from her and garners lots of success. Slowly but surely, attempts are made to sabotage Hope's work, forcing her to decide how far she's willing to go to save her dream. If you've seen Banks' "Cocaine Bear," you should know that she's willing to go pretty far! Premieres June 17. (Hulu)