Summer Entertainment Review

The summer of 2018 was really an exciting time in the world of entertainment. New movies broke box office records, musical artists took the world by storm and new television shows had us all binging like crazy. If you missed out on any of the awesome stuff that came through this summer, you’re in luck: here is the summer 2018 entertainment review.

Movies

This summer just might have been the biggest summer for movies in quite some time. We saw the release of new superhero movies, dinosaur adventures, animated wonders and great story-driven masterpieces as well. The summer kicked off with perhaps the biggest movie event ever with “Avengers: Infinity War.” With over 10 years of planning and dozens of movies leading up to it, this was the most anticipated movie to come through in years. Luckily, it did not disappoint; “Avengers” broke numerous box office records and even was a hit to the critics. People are still going to see this movie on the big screen mere days before it is to be released on DVD.

If superheroes are not really your thing, that’s okay too. While three of the top five movies of the summer were superhero based, we also had the follow-up to Jurassic World and the next Star Wars movie to watch. While “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story” may not have been the darlings of critics, moviegoers still flocked to the theaters to see these big adventures.

If animation is more your speed, we also had a record breaker at the domestic box office with “Incredibles 2.” This hotly-anticipated sequel was years overdue for many fans, but we all can agree that it was better late than never, because it was one of the best of the summer. “Incredibles 2” is now the record holder for the highest grossing animated movie ever in America, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. If you missed any of these phenomenal movies this summer, I highly recommend you go and check them out as soon as you can.

Television

TV shows can be a bit harder to pin down as who was the best of the summer because everyone has different tastes. With that being said, there were some truly amazing shows that continued along the summer months, and some others that saw their finales show across the airwaves as their series called it a close.

Lately, one of the hottest names in Hollywood is Donald Glover, AKA Childish Gambino. Glover has been all over the place, acting in recent movies such as “Spiderman: Homecoming” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” as well as continuing to put out fantastic music such as “This Is America.” However, one of his best achievements is his television show, “Atlanta.” The show returned for its second season in early March, running all the way through May to kick off the summer. The show is absolutely adored by critics, and it is seen as a very ambitious and refreshing series by many. Binging this show just might be the best thing you do before school starts back up.

Another critical darling that was on this summer was the acclaimed series, “The Americans.” The 1980’s era spy drama starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys aired its final season, and the show is finally over. For years this Soviet spy couple has been one of the surest successes on television, and the fact that it is now over is a bitter pill to swallow. Catch this show as soon as possible if you want a gripping drama to carry you through long nights in the dorms.

Perhaps the biggest TV series to be in lately has been Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Based on the dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, the show has captured audiences all around into its wonderful storytelling and the terrifying world within. After winning numerous awards, including the Golden Globe awards for best drama and best actress, this show is definitely one you cannot miss. If you’re looking for something to binge as school continues on this fall, these shows are some great places to start.

Music

Let’s just come out and say it; Beyonce dropped a new album, so she wins the summer. The season was flush with plenty of new content from some great artists, but if Beyonce is in the mix, it is not really much of a contest for the crown of the summer’s best. Her album, “Everything is Love,” is actually shared with her husband Jay-Z, and the two of them wrote and performed all of the songs together for one fantastic listen. You can't get much better than one of the best vocalists in the world mixed with one of the best rappers in the world.

If you're looking for something other than Queen Bey, then look no further; this summer also saw releases by Cardi B, Future, Travis Scott and Kacey Musgraves. Travis Scott’s album, “ASTROWORLD” has been very anticipated, and its release is looking like a successful one thus far. Similarly, Cardi B’s new album, “Invasion of Privacy” has been on repeat on radio stations all over the country.

New music always comes and goes, but if you’re looking for that new artist to start off the school year with, then these performers should give you some great music to choose from for the coming months.