Sunday Summary | November 17

FILMS
My family all went to the cinema to see "The Current War." (Yes, because of Tom Holland.) Unfortunately, it's a film that definitely doesn't live up to its premise. The story doesn't really tell the story of the men it's about and while the acting is good, it's otherwise fairly poorly made.

I watched "The Beguiled" to write my review for In Their Own League's Top 50 Films of the Decade directed by women list. I love Sofia Coppola's films and was so impressed by how atmospheric this one is.

Of course, there was no way I would miss a biopic starring Cynthia Erivo, Joe Alwyn, and Leslie Odom Jr. I went to see "Harriet" with my friend, Lexi, and while it's not a perfect film, I think it's a lot better than many are giving it credit for. It is formulaic, but it also has gorgeous performances and is a really important story to be told. Read my full review here.

I'm a big fan of Aidan Turner's, so I thought I ought to give his new indie film "Love is Blind" a try. Unfortunately, while I appreciated that it had a unique view on grief and relationships, it is a bit of a mess. You can read my full review here.

As part of our preparation for our upcoming DisneyWorld trip, my family finally watched "Avatar." Yes, ten years late. I was so impressed by the technology and the message of the film and it made me so excited to go to Pandora in Animal Kingdom.

THEATRE
I reviewed my first national tour at DPAC earlier this month. I got to see "A Bronx Tale" and was surprised by how much my dad and I both enjoyed it. It's a really lovely show about family and ambition and love with fun retro-inspired music. You can check out my full review here.

I also got to see "Having Our Say" by North Carolina Theatre, a really wonderful two woman show about two actual African-American women who grew up in Raleigh and went on to become trailblazers. It was fascinating to hear their stories, based on actual oral history given to a journalist when the two ladies were still alive, especially about their father who was born a slave. You can check out my review here.

MUSIC
This month, I've been listening to Anthony Ramos's new album, "The Good & The Bad." You might know Anthony Ramos from Broadway smash hit "Hamilton" or his role in last year's "A Star is Born." It's a really solid first album, full of bops. You can listen on Spotify here.

YOUTUBE
1) Ashley from bestdressed has made a gorgeous look-book of office attire, with the help of Amazon Prime Wardrobe. I always love seeing fashionable people put together work-friendly outfits. .

2) I loved the teaser trailer for Pixar's upcoming movie, "Soul." I'd watch anything with Daveed Diggs, but it looks really great!

3) Carrie Hope Fletcher's vlog from her trip to Disneyland Paris earlier this year isn't new this month, but I finally got around to watching it. It brought back such great memories of my trip to Disneyland Paris last year!

Sunday Summary | October Edition

Yes, I know. It's not a Sunday. And it's no longer October. But I saw tons of wonderful movies during the month of October that I didn't want to get lost. So normal Sunday Summaries will resume soon, but for now....here's my catching up on October and in particular everything I saw at Film Fest 919.

FILMS
The opening night film for Film Fest 919 was "Marriage Story," a film I still haven't recovered from. It's currently my number one film of the year and I can't say enough good things about it. It's hilarious and heart-breaking and features some of the best acting of the whole decade.

While I didn't love "Honey Boy," the performances in it (by Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, and especially Noah Jupe) are undeniable. It's definitely a cathartic work by LaBeouf who wrote it during rehab based on his own relationship with his father and his childhood as a young actor. You can read my full review here.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked "The Report," a grueling look at the creation of the Torture Report that detailed what the CIA did in Afghanistan. It features a great performance by Adam Driver and really opened my eyes to things I only partially knew. You can read my full review here.

I also saw two French films, "The Truth" and "Portrait of a Lady on Fire." I thought that "The Truth" was a fascinating look at an aging actress and her relationship with her family, even if it did drag at points. "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" is one of my favorites of the year. It's a gorgeous period drama, a beautiful lesbian love story, and just an incredibly well-made film. Reviews for both are coming to Next Best Picture soon.

"The Two Popes" will drop onto Netflix late December and I think it'll make quite a splash. Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins play Pope Francis and Pope Benedict and a fascinating look at two opposing factions of the Catholic Church follows. The two are clearly some of the best actors of their generation and it's a movie that challenges its audience just as it delights them.

I saw two movies about the death penalty at Film Fest 919: "Clemency" and "Just Mercy." While I thought that Alfre Woodard's performance was stunning, I didn't much care for "Clemency." (Review coming later to Next Best Picture.) However, I absolutely loved "Just Mercy." It has a really touching story, fantastic performances, and it got me all fired up and wanting to help change the way the justice system is failing our country.

One of my favorite movies I saw all month was Netflix's "The King." (In fact, I loved it so much that I've watched it again this month!) It's a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Henriad, starring Timothée Chalamet and Joel Edgerton, who also co-wrote it. Chalamet really continues to prove his skills in it and it's a great medieval epic that questions if a ruler can ever really remain uncorrupted by power and paranoia. You can hear more of my thoughts on the NBP podcast.

The closing film of Film Fest 919 was "Jojo Rabbit" and it absolutely blew me away. Taika Watiti is absolutely a genius and this film proves it. It's the perfect anti-hate satire while also being a really heartfelt story about a boy who has been brainwashed by those around him discovering that his beliefs might not be what they seem.

The two films that I saw outside of Film Fest 919 in October were rather disappointing. Renee Zellwegger is absolutely outstanding as Judy Garland in "Judy," but the film around her doesn't live up to her performance. I truly don't have anything good to say about Netflix's "The Laundromat." It's currently clocking in as my least favorite film of 2019. If you want my full thoughts, you can find them here and on this podcast.

MUSIC
Mostly in October, I listened to a lot of different versions of "Sweeney Todd" to prepare for our Next Best Theatre podcast episode about it. I'm not sure I realized before just how clever this show's lyrics are. I also made a playlist of tons of spooky musical theatre albums in honor of Halloween that I listened to a lot. 

THEATRE
I got to see a darling family show, "80 Days Around the World" by Theatre Raleigh. It was a really charming adaption of the well-known classic and well adapted to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. You can read my full review for BroadwayWorld Raleigh here.

YOUTUBE
1) I went cruelty free with my makeup and skincare a few months ago and this guide by Lucy Moon on how to go cruelty free is super helpful. If anyone ever wants to hear more about my decision to go cruelty free or my favorite cruelty free products, let me know.

2) This interview with Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet on the set of their Entertainment Weekly photoshoot is probably my favorite thing to hit the Internet all month. I couldn't possibly be anymore excited for "Little Women"!

3) This one's rather NSFW, but man is Anthony Ramos's music video for his new song "Mind Over Matter" hot. It features his real-life girlfriend and former "Hamilton" co-star Jasmine Cephas Jones. The song's also an absolute bop.

The Sunday Summary | September 29

And just like that, September is gone and October is only a few days away. I'm very excited as this fall and early winter hold so many fun things I can't wait to see, from theatre to movies. I'm also very excited for the start of Victober, a reading challenge from a group of BookTubers, that involves reading as many Victorian books as possible. What are you looking forward to in October?

FILMS
In addition to seeing Downton Abbey a second time (with my friend Kathleen!), I watched the 1971 "Fiddler on the Roof" film in preparation for a Next Best Theatre podcast. Keep your eyes peeled for that to come up on my Twitter once it's done being edited. I wasn't the biggest fan of the movie but I did appreciate its scope and I could tell that I would really enjoy the show onstage. 

THEATRE
On Friday night, my dad and I went to see Raleigh Little Theatre's "Blood at the Root." It's a bit of a heavy play, based on real events in a Louisiana high school in 2006, but it's well worth a watch for its commentary on race relations in America. Check out my BroadwayWorld Raleigh review.

MUSIC
People who follow me on social media will likely already know of my love for former Disney Channel star, Dove Cameron. She released her first two singles this week and both of them are perfect autumnal bops. While I love "Bloodshot"'s moodiness, it's the more playful "Waste" that has my heart.

YOUTUBE
1) I'm aware that it would be silly to go all the way to Disneyland just to get a Spiked Hard Apple Float and yet Maxwell Glick's video makes me want to.

2) Does anyone else like watching children's clothing hauls even though they don't have kids? I loved Louise Pentland's autumn clothing haul for her two little girls, especially the little boots and tutus!

3) I always love Lucy Moon's videos, but I especially enjoyed her second-hand shopping video which I finally caught up with this week. I love watching hauls, but it's nice to have a way to get to watch someone go shopping while being more environmentally-conscious.

The Sunday Summary | September 22

It's crazy how quickly September is going by. September is definitely my favorite month of the year; I'm an autumn girl at heart.

FILMS
I recently rewatched "Bride and Prejudice" for my first article for In Their Own League, a new film website focused on women in film. This movie is a Bollywood-style adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice" set in modern-day India. It's such a delight, and a clever adaptation of Jane Austen's classic as well.

Naturally, I went to see the "Downton Abbey" movie when it had a special early release across the country on September 12. I absolutely love the series and the movie was the perfect add-on, full of heart and warmth and fun (and zingers from Lady Violet). You can find my full thoughts in my review for Next Best Picture.

MUSIC
If you're looking for a song with some great autumn vibes, then check out Zach Adkin's recent release "Dexter Hall." It's part of his EP which comes out later this year. You might know Zach from playing Dmitri in Broadway's "Anastasia" and I'm very excited to see him as Tony in North Carolina Theatre's "West Side Story" next month.

YOUTUBE
1) Another Sunday Summary, another bestdressed video? You bet. In this video, Ashley shares some tips for keeping a journal consistently, something I've always struggled with and am trying to get better at.

2) My favorite BookTuber, Lucy Powrie, is one of the hosts of an October reading challenge called Victober. The hosts have set different challenges all related to Victorian literature and I can't wait to take part. This video contains more information.

3) I'm so thrilled that SophieBelleBrown is posting to her personal channel again. This Primark haul is adorable and full of wonderful floral things.

The Sunday Summary | September 8

Happy Sunday! I've decided to do these every other week if I don't have enough content to warrant doing one. I hope that works for you all. x

FILMS
I finally got around to seeing Blinded by the Light on Memorial Day and it's so absolutely endearing. It's the story of a young Pakistani man living in Luton, England in the 1980s who wants to be a writer against the wishes of his more traditional father. He falls head over heels for the music of Bruce Springsteen and it catapults him into following his dreams and finding his voice.

Even for someone with limited Springsteen knowledge like me, this film is a beautiful love letter to the power of music and art and one generation's relationship with the one before. The cast are phenomenal, particularly Viveik Kalra and Meera Ganatra. I love the 80s fashion, the British slang, and how the main character's love interest Eliza seems like an actual high school girl -- and he's interested in her for her personality and her activism. God bless female directors!

THEATRE
Today, I got to see Theatre Raleigh's production of The Scottsboro Boys which is an incredibly powerful piece of theatre. It's a minstrel show-style musical about the trials of the Scottsboro Boys in the 1930s and while it's uncomfortable to watch at times, I think it's very important. Check out my full review for BroadwayWorld Raleigh here.

YOUTUBE
1) If you've recently gone back to school, you might be starting to run out of cute outfits. One of my favorite YouTubers, Ashley (known as bestdressed), has a great video with 30 back to school outfit ideas. Or even if, like me, you're done with school, it's just great autumn outfit inspiration!

2) I love food and I especially love food at Disney parks, so I adored this video of Disney YouTuber Maxwell Glick reviewing the three course prix fixe meal at Epcot's Les Chefs de France.

3) It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Dove Cameron's and while I absolutely can't wait for her to release her original music, I love this beautiful video and cover she made of Kacey Musgraves's "Slow Burn."

What have you been reading, watching, and listening to this week? Let me know in the comments x

The Sunday Summary | August 25

I apologize for completely missing last week's Sunday Summary. Things have been a bit crazy! I decided to roll everything from the past two weeks into one post.

FILMS
I watched The Big Short for the first time for a Next Best Picture podcast and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I actually liked director Adam McKay's controversial Vice last year, but The Big Short was a cool learning opportunity for me as I didn't know much about how the housing bubble bursting caused the economic crash. You can read my full review for NBP here.

I used my Regal pass for the first time to see Lulu Wang's The Farewell and it blew me away. It replaced Booksmart as my number one film of 2019 thus far. It's a gorgeous tale about identity and different cultures and family and grandparents. It's beautiful in its specificity and yet universal. Wonderfully acted and written, The Farewell is a movie that I recommend that everyone see as soon as possible.

THEATRE
I saw my first Raleigh Little Theatre production last week, with Hannah as my plus one. It was my first introduction to the delightful A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and even if it isn't one of my favorite musicals, it was a lovely production. You can read my full review for BroadwayWorld here.

ALBUMS
Taylor Swift's latest album, Lover, dropped on Thursday at midnight and I've thought about little else since. This is definitely one of my favorite albums of all time (okay seriously..."London Boy"? "I Forgot You Existed"? This album is a gift), but I'm also still formulating my ideas about it. Would you all be interested in me doing a ranking of the songs on the album or a write up about it?

YOUTUBE
1) I'm so thrilled that my favorite YouTuber Carrie Hope Fletcher is back to backstage vlogging now that she's in the concert version of Les Mis in London. She put up her first "Follow Me, Fantine!" and I was so excited.

2) I love to see people's morning and nighttime routines and Lucy Moon has a knack for creating super aesthetically pleasing videos. Check out her morning routine for days when she wants to be productive.

3) Sara Bareilles is releasing an album of songs that were cut from Waitress and as part of that, she's been previewing some of the songs. This gorgeous cover by Jeremy Jordan (who I saw earlier this year in Waitress!) is absolutely stunning and sure to tug at your heartstrings.

What have you been reading, watching, and listening to this week? Let me know in the comments x