Goodbye summer; hello fall
We're way past Labor Day. We've burned all of our white. There's a slight chill in the DC air (it might be wishful thinking). I've already made and purchased several fall-themed treats from Trader Joe's, including apple cider donuts and pumpkin-oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies. And I'm ready for sweaters, flannel, pumpkin spice and this winter's Hallmark holiday movie lineup. But before we officially dive into fall, let's take some time to revisit the pop culture hits & misses of summer 2019, and then we'll explore some highly anticipated fall 2019 releases. One note, before we get started, this rundown does not include some of the many, many movies, music, shows and books that I've already raved about earlier this year. Thank you for brightening up my summer: Booksmart, Red, White & Royal Blue, Lover, everything Lizzo, Always Be My Maybe and Veronica Mars. On to the rest!
Hit: I didn't think I could find such joy in a political comedy released in 2019, but Long Shot did the trick. A number of people have expressed disbelief that I enjoyed this raunchy Seth Rogan comedy, but the movie had me laughing out loud throughout the entire run. It smartly doesn't delve too deeply into the ins and outs of the political world and the realities of a woman running for president and instead uses this premise as a romcom vehicle for the two leads, while still making smart comments about men taking credit for women's work and the fine line that female candidates have to walk between being "likable" and serious. Give Charlize Theron more roles where she can kick back and relax. And all raunchy comedies should have a female co-writer -- it makes all the difference in the world.
Miss: As much as it pains me to admit it, Mindy Kaling's Late Night was not the movie I hoped it would be. Despite placing Emma Thompson at the helm of a Kaling-penned movie, the smart quips and brilliant acting were not enough to save the poor plot points that drag it down. Despite some clever comments about diversity in comedy writing rooms, the movie ultimately doesn't have much of a stance on some of the other issues it tackles. Spoiler alert... Emma Thompson's character (who is married) is having an affair with someone on her writing staff (leading to a news article about sexual harassment in the office). It was a twist I could have done without, mostly because the film had nothing to say on the subject. It was indicative of the film's reliance on mostly romantic relationships to drive the story forward. The film's conclusion hinges on the audience rooting for Emma Thompson but struggles to give us reasons to do so. Unlike The Devil Wears Prada... the belief that someone should stick with this job to work up the comedy writing ladder isn't quite there -- giving Mindy's character a lack of direction. She's underdeveloped and treated like more of a B-character than she should have been, given her role in propelling the story forward. In interviews after the film came out, Mindy was asked if she had a certain perspective she was trying to share about issues related to affairs and workplace harassment and she said no. Unfortunately, that lack of direction came across loud and clear.
Hit: When Hannah Brown was first announced as The Bachelorette, I was worried that she wouldn't be able to narrate the story and make the decisions she needed to in this leading role. Boy was I wrong. In what turned into my favorite Bachelorette season since Kaitlyn Bristowe, She fought for what she wanted, made her own choices no matter what anyone told her and delivered some of the most memorable moments in the show's history. Hannah B shined the most during the show as she tore down the unworthy men surrounding her. It was the mood we needed this summer, and I loved every minute of it.
Miss: Hannah B is a tough act to follow! And Bachelor in Paradise could not deliver. After a very slow start due to storylines that were constantly rehashed (can we not re-explain what's going on with Blake to everyone that comes to the beach?), this season lacked a lot of the compelling relationships and some of the funnier moments that have made this summer special such a treat in past years. The one standout? Actual honest conversations between a couple -- Demi and Kristian -- and a romantic ending for these two, making Bachelore franchise history (FINALLY).
Toss-Up: Mindy Kaling's TV series adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral started off shaky. From some truly lackluster acting from some of the lead characters to annoying plot points that seemed like they would veer into cliches (the college friend who has a hidden crush on someone in the friend group; someone is sleeping with her boss; someone has a surprise kid), the first couple of episodes dragged. But as the show went on, I found myself genuinely enjoying the chemistry among the leads and surprised at the directions the show chose to take. Instead of getting bogged down in a storyline about unfrequented love, the show had the two college friends date and see where things went. Instead of having a storyline about an unorganized twenty-something finding out he has a child, the show changes things up and uses that to propel his relationships, instead of getting bogged down into the ups and downs of raising a child you weren't expecting. As the show moves on, the romantic cliches are there, of course, as well as a number of fun nods to the original movie and other British romances, but at it's core the romantic nods are flipped. Instead of a creepy stalker showing up at his best friend's wife's house, holding up signs to tell her he loves her (isn't Love, Actually the worst???) -- the show's two best friends do this to tell each other how much they love each other, placing the love between female friends at the heart of the series. After I finished my watch, I found myself missing the characters and wanting to see them hang out, outside of the constructs of the series, which marks success in my book!
Haven't You Heard?
It's time for a fall pop culture preview! Here's a rundown of the releases that I'm looking forward to this season (with premiere dates from September through the end of November):
New seasons of old TV: Season four of This is Us premiered last week, and I loved the refreshing approach the show took by introducing new characters (including the ever-fabulous Jennifer Morrison). The final season of The Good Place also premiered last week, giving the characters a promising (and intriguing) set of new challenges as they fight to save all of humanity. Season three of The Crown is back with a brand new cast on November 17 and Netflix is continuing to frustrate viewers (or maybe just me) with annoyingly short teasers. Here's the latest.
Last Christmas: A Christmas romcom with a big-screen release? You know I'm in. Emilia Clarke and the dashing Henry Golding take the lead in this comedy from director Paul Feig, which hits theaters well in advance of the holidays on November 7.
Harriet: A few months ago I traveled to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Maryland and learned more about the incredible life she led. I left thinking... this hero deserves a movie that will showcase her story. I'm hopefully this is it. Starring Cynthia Erivo in the leading role, along with Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monáe, Harriet hits theaters on November 1.
Downton Abbey: I rushed straight to theaters to see this one (and I'll have a full recap next week!), and let's just say the BBC drama faces no hiccups in its move from the small to big screen. Looks like a story initially propelled by housekeeping is cleaning up pretty nicely at the box office too.
American Son: In a Netflix-movie adaptation of the Broadway play, Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee reunite to tell the story of a woman whose son is missing. Check out the trailer now until the movie's release on November 1.
Modern Love: Premiering on October 18, the Amazon TV adaptation of The New York Times column is jam-packed with stars including Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, Dev Patel, Catherine Keener, John Slattery and more. While the trailer is a bit all over the place, I'm confident the series will snap into place with its anthology of 30-minute love stories.
Should I pay for more TV? I'm not going to lie -- I honestly don't know how to access Apple TV, and given the onslaught of new streaming options we're being faced with, I'm not sure if the caliber of its shows are going to justify me dishing out any money. That being said, I hate feeling left out so my interest in Dickinson, a fresh take on Emily Dickinson starring Hailee Steinfeld and The Morning Show, which, as previously discussed, I already have some issues with, could be enough to force me to hand over more money in this era of peak TV.
Required Reading
There's nothing like political corruption mixed with Nora Ephron! In one of the only news angles that I brought me true joy this week, The Washington Post writes about how Nora Ephron correctly guessed the identity of Deep Throat many years ago and openly told people who it was -- only to have no one believe her. Maybe we'd all be better off if we listened to women?
