It’s the end of a year that, well, could have been better in many ways. But there were some highlights in television, movies and books that I wanted to share in case I can inspire someone for 2019.
MOVIES
I dug into movies as I usually do, but a few stood out by the end of the year as worthy of your time and money.
[Photo Credit: Reed Morano/Sundance Institute]
Eighth Grade
Bo Burnham did a stellar job in capturing an awkward girl in eighth grade trying to navigate her life. Rueben’s already highlighted how Elsie Fisher is good in this role, and it’s true. The whole movie is raw and made me uncomfortable in a good way.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor
If you don’t cry at a story about Mister Rogers, I don’t know what your life was like, but it needs Mr. Rogers. Once a staple of children’s television watching, this movie gives new details on the way in which Fred Rogers was a trailblazer and reminded me of how much we all need empathy for each other.
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
This animation is amazing! The story is heartfelt and brings in so many good Spider-memes from years gone by. Miles Morales is the next Spider-Man we need on screen and this movie tells you why.
TELEVISION
Many of my favorite shows this year are repeats of years before (The Good Place is quality always) but I do want to take note of two new series and one episode that stood out as amazing.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Netflix’s series based on the Archie comic is dark, but in the best way. As a kid I loved the version on ABC, but this keeps the world with dark magic, darker villains and less of a laugh track. Kiernan Shipka is stoic when she needs to be but also confused and expressive of Sabrina’s awkward position in life.
The Bodyguard
Brought to America via Netflix, this ITV drama is a thriller based off the complicated life of a Personal Protection Officer who gets tangled in a plot against the Home Secretary. Starting Richard Madden, the show pulls off so many twists and turns but with an end that feels right given the looming threat of terrorism in the show’s conceit.
The Good Place’s Janet(s)
D’Arcy Carden is a gift to us all! She played at least seven characters (including characters pretending to be other characters) in twenty-two minutes of jam-packed television. If she doesn’t win an Emmy in 2019, we’ve all been robbed.
BOOKS
Normally I’m so bad about books in the end of the year. That’s not to say I’m not reading, but I tend to read quickly and find few stick with me weeks later. I’m so glad to find that more than a few books did stay with me this year.
Ship It
Britta Lundin currently writes for The CW series Riversdale, and that affects so much of Ship It‘s story. When a fangirl raises the question about why two male leads on a show can’t be shipped in a convention panel, the fangirl’s life changes in numerous ways. First, she’s asked to be part of the rest of the promotional tour for the show, but that means being around the cast – not all of whom get shipping. But the book is more than just a book about fan’s interacting with the creative team, as the heroine has to figure out so many other things about herself in the process.
If you’re a fan of enough TV and ship an unconventional couple, this book is for you.
The Wedding Date and The Proposal
Jasmine Guillory turned out two books this year with something I rarely see: an African-American heroine. The two books are interconnected, but reading a book with a character who looks like me is something I rarely find. For that alone, these each stuck with me. Plus, they’re each funny but relatable stories of finding love in some very awkward situations.
Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy
For YA books, there’s always a hook I need to be drawn into books. This time it was historical fiction with action and adventure with some dysfunctional family dynamics mixed in. There’s not a great way to talk about each book without spoiling so much, but if you’re sold on watching teens having to use their brains to get through Europe without money, then these Mackenzi Lee books are perfect!
