after credits: stephen king adaptations ranked by writer's block & is netflix's hostage worth it?

Plus my monthly film & tv recommendations for you this month.

August is when I usually take stock of all the cultural consumption happening around me, partly because everyone's supposedly on holiday but still somehow finding time to binge entire series and argue about them online. This year I noticed something different: the people in my life who used to have very strong opinions about what constitutes "good" entertainment have quietly migrated to completely different formats without announcing it or explaining why.

I’m not saying there are any dramatic declarations about giving up books or swearing off television. Just a gradual shift from one type of storytelling to another, like they're following some internal compass that's pointed them in a new direction. And instead of feeling judgmental about it, I found myself curious.

What makes someone abandon a cultural practice they've maintained for years? What are they getting from the new format that the old one wasn't providing?

The more I paid attention, the more I realized these shifts reveal things about how we process stories, what we need from entertainment at different points in our lives, and how much our viewing habits are shaped by factors we don't usually acknowledge. It also made me question my own biases in ways that were both illuminating and slightly embarrassing.

This month's After Credits reflects that journey. You'll find recommendations designed for every possible headspace, from "I need something playing while I fold laundry" to "I want my brain to hurt in a productive way." Plus some observations about generational viewing patterns and a ranking system about the good ol’ writer’s block.