Blog #10 | Things to Watch

So here I am, back home for the summer with a minimal amount of things to do. What better way for a TV and film junkie to spend their days than to consume even more TV and film? (Other than going out and enjoying this beautiful weather, of course, which I have been doing) For those of you who don’t watch a TV episode or film here and there, and even for the ones that do, here are a few personal favourites of mine that you could watch during your downtime.  

Top Three Picks of Summer Television

Sundays: The Newsroom, S2, premiers July 14th on HBO

A political drama about making the news about actual news again, The Newsroom is full of humour, witty jokes, and has an amazing ensemble cast. Directed by Aaron Sorkin, who also created The West Wing and was a screenwriter for The Social Network, the show features competent and at times over-qualified members of a 24h cable news network reporting on all the big American news stories up to 2012 with style, grace, and integrity. The opening monologue in the pilot episode sets the tone for the entire series (see below). The second season focuses on one story while observing the relationships between the main characters.

Tuesdays: So You Think You Can Dance, S10, premiered on May 14th on Fox

Entering its 10th season, SYTYCD has offered a whole new perspective on dance over the past ten seasons. For those of you not familiar with the show, it’s a dance competition that starts with auditions where successful dancers get a plane ticket to Las Vegas for Vegas week. An intensive boot camp then challenges the dancers and separates the exceptional from the amazing. All styles of dance are tested, from contemporary to ballroom to hip hop. At the end of the week, ten girls and ten guys are chosen to form the top twenty who then go on to perform live shows for America’s votes. The show is an amazing showcase of diverse talent and versatility, and is a definite must see for all you dancers.  

Also on Tuesdays: Suits, S3, premiers July 16th on the USA Network (not available in Canada)

Suits opens a door into the high-stakes, fast-paced world of corporate law firms in New York City. The show follows the characters Harvey Specter, an over-confident egotistical hotshot attorney who is excellent at his job, and Mike Ross, an unmotivated, degree-less prodigy with a knack for remembering everything. The two end up working together to navigate the dark waters of the legal world, delivering witty one-liners and occasionally quoting movies. Suits is a complex mirage, from tense moments to wonder and awe, assisted by a wonderful set of co-stars who keep it light and make the show hilarious.  

Film

I’m a little ashamed to say that even though I’ve seen over 200 movies, I have yet to watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy and have only seen half of the Star Wars movies. However, I have recently watched Star Trek and enjoyed it very much! This summer I plan to visit some classic and iconic films, such as Say Anything, The Breakfast Club (after watching Pitch Perfect, this seemed like a good choice), and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, alongside the aforementioned franchises. Upon the suggestion of a friend, I shall be embarking on a journey of Studio Ghibli movies. I will also be taking my two younger sisters to watch Despicable Me 2, because the minions are just too damn adorable not to. As for films that I’ve seen that I would encourage you to see, here are some of my favourites:
  • Atonement [2007] – with 130 award nominations, 38 wins, and appearing on 16 film critic’s top ten lists of best films of 2007, Atonement is a beautiful presentation of an amazing story with the presence of a five minute long and impactful one-take Steadicam shot (can be found here)
  • (500) Days of Summer [2009] – a highly praised indie film also appearing in 15 top ten lists of its year, the trailer does a great job at showcasing the movie’s unique style and character (9/25 awards won)
  • Ratatouille [2007] – my most favourite Pixar film, it blends a love for food and cooking with spectacular computer animation, winning the Oscar for Best Animated Film and 37/57 other awards
  • Looper [2012] – consisting of two of my favourite actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt, the future is reimagined yet again in an intelligent, gutsy, action-packed story with one of the best endings I’ve ever seen (6/16 awards won, most of them for screenplay)
  • Ocean’s Eleven [2001], Ocean’s Thirteen [2007] – watching characters pull off a brilliant con is one of the fun things I do at my computer; Ocean’s offers witty banter, an eclectic cast of characters, and fun, opulent brilliance (Ocean’s Twelve was left out on purpose; I didn’t like it)
  • Shakespeare in Love [1998] – I can hear you secretly judging me, but hey, who doesn’t have a guilty pleasure. While I’m not a huge fan of poetry in and of itself, the actors in this romcom drama pull it off with grace and beauty while spinning a sweeping tale of love and woe (won 18/44 awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture)
If you’re ever looking for some fall television to watch, or an opinion on what you should watch next, leave a comment below and I’ll give you enough titles to wonder where I find the time to study and dance.   All the best, Cindy Ngan –          Graphic Designer

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *