School is back, and so are The Lasso’s favorite columns. Check in with The Roundup each week for entertainment recommendations. 

Bookends

Fall is arriving in all of its Northern Virginia glory — crisp air, changing leaves, the constant smell of bonfire smoke from neighbors. And while we wait for Evermore season to arrive, we need an ambience album to hold us over. My vote goes towards Bookends, the 1968 hit album from Simon & Garfunkel. While the album is older, the soft guitar backdrops and smooth vocals are timeless. “America” is the true star of the show, inspired by a road trip across the United States, but touching on themes of American beauty and values. 

The Secret Life of Bees

Although The Secret Life of Bees was published in 2001, it is set in the 1960s. Written by Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees was narrated by a young girl named Lily, who runs away from her abusive father with her nanny, Rosaline, who cared for Lily since her mother died. The two escape to the home of three beekeepers, the Boatwright sisters. The women take them in, and Lily learns in surplus about honey, mental illness, and the truth behind her mother’s past. It’s a powerful coming-of-age story with beautiful prose. 

The Trial of the Chicago 7 

Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network, A Few Good Men) never disappoints, but he especially does not disappoint in this film. Set in 1969, the movie covers the trial of seven Vietnam War protestors at the Democratic National Convention in 1968, charged by the federal government. The film includes flashbacks to the organization of a peaceful protest turned frenzied riot. Eddie Redmayne shines as Tom Hayden, bringing his usual subtlety as an actor, while Sacha Baron Cohen is empowered in a part that deviates from his classic comedic roles. The cinematography is sharp, the music is stellar, the writing is incredible — it’s worth a watch.