Testament of Youth Was Brilliant

I’m a self-proclaimed HUGE fan of period dramas.  Being a total history nerd, I love immersing myself in a well filmed, well-acted, well written historical drama and 2014’s Testament of Youth was just that.  Based on Vera Brittain’s memoir of the First World War; the film stars Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina, Ex-Machina) as Vera and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) as her fiancée Roland.  Focusing less on the battles and violence and more on the emotional weight of the conflict, the film manages to instill the fear of the unknown in the viewer as the men and women at home in England wait with bated breath for news of their loved ones.  Vera’s fiancée, brother, and childhood friends are all sent off to the front which inspires her to abandon her long sought enrollment at Oxford to become a nurse with the Voluntary Aid Detachment at the Front.  As she spends time waiting for news of her loved ones Vera helps to heal both allied and German soldiers.  This humanizes the conflict and shows how the Great War was not just a war between countries but a war humanity faced against itself.  Testament of Youth shows how close we came to the brink of destruction and how despite all the tragedy and suffering endured by those who were there, we still managed to emerge on the other side with hope for the future.

Exciting Summer Shows

I can't believe it but the Game of Thrones finale is this Sunday and that means that we will have to wait another year until more episodes.  But that doesn't mean there's nothing to watch.  This Summer promises to have some great new television series starting up about everything from angels, to vampires, to Victorian mysteries.  Some notable ones to check out include: Leftovers, an HBO show in which a huge section of the worlds population suddenly disappears and the rest of the planet is left to pick up the pieces and decide what happens next.  Penny Dreadful, a Showtime drama about Victorian England using fictional characters from the era such as Dorian Gray and Victor Frankenstein.  The Strain which premiers on FX, is based on the book series by Guillermo Del Toro about vampires and promises to be just as gory and realistic as the Walking Dead.  Other cable network shows include Dominion on SyFy which is based on the movie Legion and involves the disappearance of God and the subsequent battle between the angels Gabriel and Michael.  Finally, for those who are looking for less substance and more action and explosions, check out Last Ship on TNT.  Directed by action filmmaker Michael Bay, the show is about a battleship out at sea which receives information that 80% of the worlds population has died of a mysterious disease and it is up to the crew of the ship to find a cure.  All seem interesting and with such a wide variety, there's a little something for everyone.  Read the full Rolling Stone hot summer series list below.

New Summer Series