Goodbye, summer. It has been real. We will miss your lazy afternoons when there was nothing to do except lounge in a hammock and get lost in a book that was not assigned for class. We will miss sticky popsicle hands and cannon-balling into the cool water. We will miss how it is acceptable to wear swimsuits instead of underwear, bonfires, spontaneous road trip, dancing in your twilight and the ubiquitous smell of fresh cut grass. However, we will not miss the heat”” overbearing, sweat-through-your-clothes-every-single-time heat. And for that very reason I am welcoming fall with open arms, even though it is a couple of weeks too early. Caveat for all you Northerners: Texas fall is nothing like your fall. There is no drastic color change in the landscape (except in some places, see next page for details), but we still have the feeling of renewal, pumpkin spice lattes and flannel here. Besides all these wonderful autumn features, here are upcoming movies, shows, video games and books to look forward to this season.
Movies
The end-of-summer cinema slump is drawing to a close, and that means one thing: here come the Oscar contenders. “Rush”, a Ron Howard-helmed sports drama out in September, is already generating awards buzz for German actor Daniel Bruhl. October marks the return of Spanish wunderkind Alfonso Cuaron. His “Gravity”, is a groundbreaking sci-fi film starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock.
That month also brings with it two historical thrillers: “Captain Phillips,” the story of the Somali pirate hijackings, and “The Fifth Estate,” about mysterious hacker Julian Assange. Michael Fassbender fans also have plenty to look forward to; the actor appears in the race drama “Twelve Years A Slave” and in the “The Counselor,” for which the eternally brilliant Cormac McCarthy wrote the screenplay. Lovers of J.D. Salinger wait with bated breath for the release of a documentary called…well, “Salinger.” For fans of lighter fare, we have the latest in Robert Rodriguez’s “Machete” saga, starring Danny Trejo and featuring cameos from Charlie Sheen and Lady Gaga (you did, in fact, read that correctly). Finally, there’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s eagerly awaited directorial debut, “Don Jon.”
If that’s not enough to tide you over until Thanksgiving, I don’t know what is!
Shows
The Legend of Korra – Book 2 – The follow-up series to the Nickelodeon show “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is premiering its second season on Sunday, September 15. An anime/cartoon (there are debates about how this show should be categorized) may not seem exciting to anyone older than 16, but the Avatar series is great for both kids and adults. The powers are flashy, the fight scenes are well-choreographed, the characters have depth, and the plot is always engaging.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Joss Whedon is the man behind “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” For those who do not know who he is, let us enrich your life: Whedon is the man behind many beloved works of entertainment like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, “ “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Firefly.” The show centers around agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (surprise), an organization in the Marvel Universe filled with normal humans that deal with superheroes, monsters, aliens and magic to save Earth. The juxtaposition of power and a lack of power is exciting because Whedon is best known for how he handles characters.
The Michael J. Fox Show
Television comedies can be very divisive and have ruined many relationships. Trailers for said shows are an even more difficult and complicated entities. Most situational comedies look awful in trailer form but “The Michael J. Fox Show” actually looks funny and not completely vapid. It does not seem like a glowing review, but being hesitant for sitcom is the best way to approach life. Pro-life tip brought to you by the A&E section.
Video Games
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto is easily one of the most recognizable video game franchises. Unfortunately, a lot of it is because of various controversies with the content of the games. With each game in the series, Rockstar, the developers, have refined their storytelling, characters and the world that these two exist in. It is easy for mainstream media to grab onto certain elements like beating up hookers or recreational drugs, but “Grand Theft Auto” is filled with a rich, moving storyline – this time starring three distinct characters – and hundreds of activities to do.
Watch Dogs
“Watch Dogs” is being created by Ubisoft Montreal, the developer behind the first few games in the “Assassin’s Creed” series. Watch Dogs can be reduced to “a near-future Assassin’s Creed” game. You play as a character whose ability is to hack into various systems all around the city, so you are able to control lights, cameras, security systems, bank accounts and personal data. The NSA video game really puts a whole city at your disposal to hunt down criminals and whomever else you target.
Playstation 4 and Xbox One These two entries are not video games, but they are quite important if you are interested in video games and are not an elitist who only believes in the PC master race. Sony and Microsoft are releasing their next-generation consoles this fall – Nintendo’s Wii U kind of counts. A new generation is always one of the most exciting times for someone who plays games (gamer is a dirty word). A leap in technology and design is going to usher in another generation of new experiences that will make people feel afraid, excited, happy, sad and a need to beat up hookers.
Books
“MaddAddam” by Margaret Atwood:
This novel will end Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy about a man-made plague destroying the world’s population. The two first books are a mixture of satirical and dark and, hopefully, this one will deliver the same level of harsh irony.
Coming out: Aug. 29, 2013
“Bleeding Edge” by Thomas Pynchon:
From the author who published works like Vineland and Mason & Dixon comes a novel, set in 2001, about America’s struggle to adjust to post 9/11 sentiments and the increasing presence of technology. It is a mystery about a fraud- investigating mother of two who comes across a scheme involving a billionaire web designer.
Coming out: Sept. 17, 2013
“Doctor Sleep” by Stephen King: The much anticipated sequel to The Shining is finally here. In this novel, King will explore the future of little Danny Torrance and his search to make sense and meaning of his supernatural gift.
Coming out: Sept. 24, 2013
“Dallas 1963″ by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis:
For history and poli-sci buffs, this book chronicles the events in Dallas, Texas three years before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It will explain the pressures he was facing from Washington during the time and the overall political climate.
Coming out: Oct. 8, 2013
