Weekend Watch: November 17, 2023
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Weekend Watch: November 17, 2023
'60s White House secrets, the salty side of Oxford, and a deep dive into Diana's final chapter...
As we gear up for the weekend, we're excited to bring you another lineup of movie releases and the debut of some captivating new series, all highlighted in this week's The TueDo List newsletter.
We’ve got a lot to unpack here, so let's dive right in!
Here are this week’s picks:
The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu): Lady Bird Johnson’s personal audio diaries from inside the White House. History as it happened. The powerful and award-winning new documentary - from acclaimed filmmaker Dawn Porter.
Critics concensus via Rotten Tomatoes: An outstanding achievement in historical documentary storytelling, this film captures a thorough time capsule of Lady Bird Johnson's time in the White House. As a portrait of a public figure reassessed during a seminal chapter of American history, The Lady Bird Diaries is an essential addition to the record.
Saltburn (Theaters): Academy Award-winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) brings us a beautifully wicked tale of privilege and desire. Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family's sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten.
“There's something distinctly unnerving about leaving the cinema and not being able to process what you just watched. 'What the fuck just happened?' 'Why am I horny?' 'Was that a Britney Spears shirt?' These are just some of the words that might come out of your mouth after watching Emerald Fennell's new film.” — Alexandra Koster, Refinery29
Kennedy (History Channel): The new eight-part docuseries narrated by Emmy Award-winner Peter Coyote marking 60 years since JFK’s assassination. The 3-night event chronicles the remarkable life, enduring legacy, and ambitious leadership of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The story unfolds through a cinematic library of archival materials and over 70 new interviews from those well-versed in JFK’s history including comedian Conan O’Brian, JFK’s niece Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, actor Bruce Greenwood, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eileen McNamara.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Theaters): This Hunger Games prequel, set 64 years before the original film, serves as a villain origin story, delving into the early life of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) before he transforms into the tyrannical president of Panem. At 18, Snow is the last hope for his once-proud but now struggling Snow family in a post-war Capitol. Faced with threats to his livelihood, Snow reluctantly mentors Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from impoverished District 12. As Lucy Gray captivates Panem, Snow seizes an opportunity to reshape their destinies. In a high-stakes race against time, he grapples with conflicting instincts of good and evil, leaving the question hanging: will he become a songbird or a snake?
Viola Davis takes on the role of Head Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul, portraying a chicly sadistic figure with just the right amount of camp.
The Crown | Season 6, Part 1 (Netflix): The 6th and final season, spanning 1997 to 2005, depicts the Tony Blair era with Bertie Carvel in the role. Season 6, Part 1, explores the relationship between Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla) before a fateful car journey has devastating consequences. Dominic West returns as Prince Charles, with Salim Daw portraying Mohamed Al Fayed. Imelda Staunton continues as Queen Elizabeth II, alongside Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret. Rufus Kampa and Fflyn Edwards make their debut as Prince William and Prince Harry, marking their debut appearances in the series.
Consensus for what to expect: Unsurprisingly, fans of The Crown are bracing themselves for Season 6, which covers the final days of Princess Diana's life. The season is expected to be a "tough watch.”
A Murder at the End of the World (Hulu): a mystery series with a new kind of detective at the helm — a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker named “Darby Hart” (Emma Corrin). Darby and eight other guests are invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location. When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests before the killer takes another life.
Fun fact: Emma Corrin was cast as Princess Diana in Season 4 of The Crown.
Disclaimer: While we *think* these shows and movies might be worth checking out, there are no guarantees they'll all be your jam. It's always best to trust your own instincts.
Weekend Watch: November 17, 2023
Will definitely see Saltburn; love Emerald Fennell’s work. I’m a big fan of Lady Bird Johnson (thanks to her, Texas highways are a kaleidoscope of color from bluebonnets to Indian Paintbrush). The Crown? Meh. Started off so strong with Claire Foy and then Olivia Coleman. Maybe the story is just getting old to me. I’m just waiting for the return of Abbott Elementary. We could all use a little levity about now.
I have to catch up on The Crown, but I have to admit my surprise at how much I enjoyed the Robbie Williams doc-series on Netflix. Since we're there, be sure to watch Escaping Twin Flames. xo