This July, fire up the grill and get ready for some sizzling hot entertainment. Here’s what we’ll be watching and playing this month.
Watching The Secret Life of Pets on July 8
It’s a classic tale of a mismatched pair of frenemies navigating their way through the dangerous streets of New York, standing up to a menacing leader of an underground gang…only with adorable dogs, sassy alley cats, and one fluffy, deranged bunny. If you’ve ever wanted to know what your pets think and do when you’re not around, well, you’ll probably never find out. But for some doggone fun featuring the voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Jenny Slate, and Hannibal Buress, check out The Secret Life of Pets. [Lesley Chen]
Watching Ghostbusters on July 15
The remake of the 1984 classic has gotten an insane amount of dog-piled backlash and criticism about everything from the “not funny enough” trailer to its — gasp — all female lead cast. But here’s the deal: It has four hilarious comedians (not just funny women, funny people, period — Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones), a great director (Paul Feig), and a dim-witted eye-candy secretary in the form of Chris Hemsworth. Plus, ghostbusting action. So hand me a Proton Pack, because I’m in. [Lesley Chen]
Playing I Am Setsuna on July 19
I fell in love with Japanese role-playing games back in the mid-1990s, when games like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger were pushing the envelope with visuals, music, and storytelling. Publisher Square Enix is looking to find that same spirit once more with I Am Setsuna, a throwback to a simpler time. It has the type of turn-based gameplay perfected in those retro days, along with a story that seems full of pathos and tragedy that you expect from a heartfelt RPG. I’ll be watching closely to see if Square Enix can actually succeed in its goal of making such a satisfying throwback. [Henry Gilbert]
Watching BoJack Horseman Season 3 on July 22
On the surface, Bojack Horseman looks like one of those overly weird Adult Swim cartoons, but in reality, this animated satire of Hollywood is one of the most emotionally rich shows on Netflix. The show follows a former sitcom star (who is also an anthropomorphic horse) as he struggles to reclaim fame while also finding the root of his deep-rooted unhappiness. Bojack is more successful than ever at the start of Season 3, and yet he’s only more miserable, despite being surrounded by the same collective of supportive dopes that have been backing him up for years. I can’t wait to see the highs and lows of Bojack’s like this year. [Henry Gilbert]
Playing We Happy Few on July 26
The bizarre British dystopia that is We Happy Few comes from Compulsion Games, the tiny studio behind Contrast, an indie darling for PSN. We Happy Few is set in a world where everyone takes Joy, a psychedelic drug that induces happiness. When the protagonist stops taking Joy, the facade of the world collapses into something quite terrifying. It almost seems like Bioshock, if you were to play the game entirely as a Splicer. We Happy Few is easily one of the most unique and interesting games out this year. [Jorge Albor]
Watching Jason Bourne on July 29
Despite saying he’d never come back to the series, Matt Damon has returned as Jason Bourne. Jason Bourne is also back in the capable hands of Paul Greengrass, the director of The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. Greengrass is a superb action director, and every set piece we’ve seen from the trailer looks as tense as anything we’ve seen in his previous Bourne films. Someone drives an armored car down the Vegas strip? Yes, please. [Jorge Albor]
