The Best of 2018
It's the last newsletter of the year, so it's only fitting to look back at our time together in 2018 to give you a rundown of the best of the best. Here it is! The top five pop culture picks of the year (in no particular order):
RomComs Revitalized: It was the year of the romcom (with a better, more diverse lineup of stars), from Crazy Rich Asians to Juliet, Naked to Set it Up to Second Act. But my favorite of the 2018 releases was Netflix's To All the Boys I've Loved Before. It's a sweet escape that I've revisited several times in the last few months (and not just to rewatch Noah Centineo's "woah, woah, woah" lines), and I'm continuously struck by the simple beauty in Lara Jean's journey to open up to those around her.
America's Idol: At various points over the last few months, I've found myself reflecting back on the RBG documentary from Betsy West and Julie Cohen. It was a timely film, released when Ruth Bader Ginsburg fangirling is at a high and the country as a whole is searching for some optimism. The movie also shed insight on the real woman behind the dissent collar, the sexism she faced on her journey to the Supreme Court and functioned as a love letter to female lawyers and introverts.
We Didn't Start the Fire: While not technically released in 2018, Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere topped my year-end reading list and seemed to reach peak popularity this summer. The book tells the story of Pearl and Mia, who move into Shaker Heights, Ohio and are simultaneously treated as outsiders by Mrs. Richardson and welcomed by her children. Next year, the TV series will premiere on Hulu, starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, so if you haven't read the book yet, now is the time. It's a quick read, because you won't want to put it down, and the writing style is beautiful and inspiring.
A "Wrinkle"-free Adaptation: In March, Ava DuVernay's adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time sailed into theaters. It's a beautiful, refreshing and timely update of Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel, starring the talented Storm Reid, as Meg, alongside Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Chris Pine and more. It's a coming of age tale about a girl finding her power in a world where everything feels out of control, which is made all the more resonant thanks to Ava's directing choices throughout the movie, including the decision to incorporate Meg's hair insecurities as part of her journey to self-acceptance. Wrinkle was incredibly moving and should not be relegated to "children's movie" status, but I'm certainly glad that kids will now grow up with access to this new classic.
Standing Ovation: NBC finally hit it out of the park with live, television musicals in April with its airing of Jesus Christ Superstar. The decision to ditch elaborate set design, add in a live studio audience and hire actors with true stage experience made all the difference in bringing this musical to the top of the list. Starring John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Brandon Victor Dixon, Norm Lewis and Alice Cooper, the musical featured stunning visuals and a catchy soundtrack that I've listened to for months since. The acting is superb, especially breakout star Brandon Victor Dixon, who will reappear on our TV screens in January during the live airing of Rent on Fox. I can only keep my fingers crossed that the rival network learned from NBC's excellent decisions.
Required Reading
To finish up the year, Vox pulled together a gallery of 2018 featuring pictures taken by women and nonbinary photographers. In the publication's introduction, they write, "News photography is an industry dominated by men — especially the wire services, like AP Images and Getty Images, which most newsrooms rely on for visual coverage. These wire services drive most of our visual news consumption. And that problem is especially stark in the annual “Year in Pictures” galleries that most news organizations publish every December." Fortunately, they published a more diverse group of viewpoints in this stunning gallery of photographs that you can use to look back on the year.
And with that, I want to say thank you again for reading Seen & Heard throughout 2018. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy new year!
