Hits and misses in entertainment for the season
For most, the summer is spent working through a job or hustling at an internship, or for that lucky person, lounging on the beach. A lot can happen in three months though, so don’t feel bad if your busy summer schedule caused you to miss that hit movie, much-discussed TV series or major song.
In the interest of keeping the public informed, the Lifestyle section has determined what audiences need to know about this summer in culture: the incredible standouts, pleasant surprises and forgettable fiascos.
Movies
Standouts:
“Wonder Woman” – Making over $801 million at the U.S. box office, “Wonder Woman” was a major hit of the summer, without a doubt. Aside from monetary success, the movie sparked a frenzy of excitement and empowerment, especially among female fans.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” – The Marvel Studios sequel was almost universally acclaimed, as was its tie-in soundtrack, “Awesome Mix Volume 2.” Several months after its release, director James Gunn took to Facebook to announced that “Vol. 3” was in pre-production. What more can one say but: “I am Groot!”
“Dunkirk” – Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic has drawn critical acclaim and grossed over $400 million worldwide. Early Academy Awards predictors have also chosen this film as a surefire Best Picture nominee.
Surprises:
“Baby Driver” – A mix of action, comedy and romance, the Edgar Wright film “Baby Driver” was thrilling, entertaining and charming. The film featured emotional, multifaceted characters and unexpected twists, making it more than the average crime movie.
“Girls Trip” – The breakout comedy of the year, this film starred Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish as lifelong friends who go for one crazy night in New Orleans. The relative unknown Haddish was especially praised for her comical turn.
“It Comes At Night” – In the deluge of low-budget but high-scare horror movies like “Get Out,” “It Comes At Night” is a refreshingly simple yet scary film in the vein of “Halloween,” and is the highest-rated horror film of the season on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes.
Fiascos:
“The Dark Tower” – For as many books as Stephen King has sold, this film adaptation of his relatively popular horror-mystery series flopped at the box office, even though it starred Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. The movie’s failure cancelled plans for sequels, but maybe King fans will be more pleased with the remake of “It,” which hits theaters this weekend.
“The Emoji Movie” – The concept alone would make most people cringe. This may be a children’s movie, but that does not give the filmmakers a license to be lazy, no matter how much money it has made.
“The Mummy” – What’s worse than a movie that has no point? An entire franchise that has no point. The Tom Cruise film tried to kick off a cinematic universe for Universal Studios monsters, but awful domestic grosses and a “Rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes might lead the company to have second thoughts.
TV
Standouts:
“GLOW” – This Netflix Original Series is based on the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a group of women starring in a female wrestling TV show in the 80s. The show is fun, emotional and inspiring, making it a sure standout for the season.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” – An adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel of the same name, which takes place in a dystopian era where women are subservient to men, the Hulu series became one of the most-watched shows in the site’s history and earned raves for its star, “Mad Men’s” Elisabeth Moss.
“Game of Thrones” – Why wouldn’t GOT have a place on this list? With more battles, politics and gore than ever before and 16.1 million viewers in its premiere episode, this is the uncontested TV series of the summer.
Surprises:
“Rick and Morty” – Fresh off its quest for Mulan’s Szechuan sauce, the Adult Swim staple returned for an acclaimed third season, where alcoholic mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his easily frightened grandson Morty Smith go on adventures throughout the multiverse.
“The Tick” – From funny comic book character to even funnier cartoon and now a hysterical Amazon Prime original series, “The Tick” is a superhero series for those who are bogged down by the tropes that are usually found in superhero media. With its quick wit and excellent writing, “The Tick” is the cure that many need for superhero fatigue.
“Twin Peaks: The Return” – 27 years after its two-season run, Showtime revived cult show “Twin Peaks” for a limited series. Against all odds, the rebooted show found an audience through streaming and is a must-watch for fans of suspense and mystery.
Fiascos:
“Life of Kylie” – As if the world did not already have enough of the Kardashian family, Kylie Jenner now has her own reality show. The 20-year-old’s life is already blasted all over social media, so what more does she possibly have to share?
“Gypsy” – For a Netflix Original, this show really missed the mark. With a confusing concept, uninteresting characters and no clear direction, the show was quickly cancelled after one season.
“Dr. Ken” – Comedian Ken Jeong might be a doctor in real life, but that couldn’t help him resuscitate his situation comedy after a poorly rated second season. The show was promptly cancelled by ABC, which is doing away with many of its sitcoms. Maybe it’s time for “The Hangover Part IV?”
Music
Standouts:
“Despacito,” Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber – With 16 consecutive weeks as the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, this Spanish-language ballad is the undisputed song of the summer, even if Bieber doesn’t know what the words mean.
“Wild Thoughts,” DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – The collaborator of the summer, DJ Khaled’s second hit this year (after “I’m the One”) is currently in the top two on the Hot 100. It caused some controversy early on for sampling Carlos Santana’s “Maria Maria,” but Santana himself has said that he enjoys the song, too.
“Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran – This love song off the British-Irish singer’s latest album “Divide” reached the top on over 50 international charts, including the Hot 100. Back in July, Sheeran also made a cameo on the season premiere of “Game of Thrones” two hits in a few months.
Surprises:
“Malibu,” Miley Cyrus – Cyrus has had an interesting career to say the least, and with her new single, she has turned her style around once more. This chill beach tune paved the way for Cyrus’ new and improved image after her “Wrecking Ball” days.
“Fetish,” Selena Gomez – While Gomez has released a lot of singles recently, this is the one that seems to most show her maturation as an artist. Accompanied by a music video of only her lips synching to its lyrics, this may be just what Gomez needs to find the success of her contemporaries Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.
“Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt – Country may be the genre of choice for many people, but Hunt’s song appeals to more than just country fans. With a balance between country, pop and rock tones, many of us were surprised to find this song to be just right.
Fiascos:
“Bon Appetit,” Katy Perry feat. Migos – Perry’s filthy, food-themed song from her recent album “Witness” didn’t make an impression on listeners, as it only made it to #59 on the Hot 100. Its music video fared even worse, with many critics calling it “gross.”
“There’s Nothing Holding Me Back,” Shawn Mendes – This cocky, braglike song has become one of the main reasons this singer is as despised as Bieber was in his younger years. Mendes may appeal to preteens, but he does nothing for their older siblings and their parents.
“XO TOUR Llif3,” Lil Uzi Vert – With a title as incomprehensible as that, how could this possibly fail? No matter its chart success, this song is straight-up depressing at a time where most pop music is the same way, and thus doesn’t emerge from the pack.
Standout Surprise Fiasco:
“Look What You Made Me Do,” Taylor Swift – We at The Hawk didn’t know how to categorize this, so we just put it in every category. It’s a standout because it’s Taylor Swift, a surprise because of the under-wraps release and a fiasco because nobody is sure what to think of it. Which is exactly what Swift wants, right? Maybe the extremely dark music video is meant to tell viewers something – or maybe it’s just a cry for attention.
