By John Saeger
The ongoing series from The Philadelphia Globe peaks ahead at the next week of television, movies, and topical classics.
Ammonite
The 19th Century costume drama stars Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan in a premise that sounds familiar, but might wind up as a must-see anyways. The pair star as two women whose love is hampered by the trappings of a society that considers the affair taboo. Their mutual affection encompasses struggles of class, art, and personal tragedy.
If you think this sounds a little too much like Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, you are not alone. The French foreign language film set a high bar for this premise, but you can’t help but wonder if Ammonite is not an Oscar lock for two of the best actors of their respective generations.
The Climb
Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino lead this comedy starring two men whose friendship endures, um, unusual challenges. These conflicts involve infidelity and addiction. The indie flick focuses solely on their friendship, something that hinders capable supporting players Gayle Rankin and George Wendt. Despite a few issues, it stands as a movie that could generate considerable buzz as awards season begins.
Read The Globe’s full review of The Climb.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants (FOX 1:00 PM)
After a week off, the Birds are back for a key matchup against their divisional rival. The 3-4-1 Philly squad might be the best bad team in the NFC East, but have the chance to right the ship and make another playoff run. All eyes are on Carson Wentz in this one.
Industry (Monday, 10:00 PM)
We talked about workplace comedy Superstore last week. Another workplace series is set to air its second episode on Monday. HBO is rolling out their new series Industry, a show whose biggest name is executive producer and director Lena Dunham.
The show’s production is set in London and follows young graduates entering the world of investment banking. Industry joins Succession as another HBO series following a cast that controls billions. It will be tough to match the black comedy of Succession, but the new show appears to be worth a look.
Oldie, But Goodie
VEEP (“Mother”) HBO
The seven seasons of VEEP are the standard for biting political satire. Razor sharp writing and an all-time ensemble lampooned bureaucracy in ways that are suddenly all too real.
When the episode “Mother” first aired in 2016, it stood as one of the show’s finest half hours. The flailing Meyer administration faced a tight election and began a desperate court process to alter the outcome. The hilarious episode features staffers trying to recount votes in one minute and stopping the tally a short while later. If you are going to watch one episode of VEEP, this is the one.
About the Author: John Saeger is a music and film writer from Philadelphia. Since 2017 he has been writing his pop-culture blog Long After Dark, a site dedicated to the arts in the City of Brotherly Love and beyond. email/ Twitter
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