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lydiafwilkinson
Reviews
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Review bombers will be the death of good TV
I'm so over people bombing shows with negative reviews because it doesn't fit their image of what it should be. This has nothing to do with the quality of the show. And if you're doing it to gatekeep LOTR, then you're not a real fan. This show is spectacular and such a great balm in the horrible times we're living in. I was 10 when the LOTR films first came out and I read the books. I am a big fan of the LOTR universe and I think this show is a brilliant addition to that world. It obviously looks serene and incredible, the dialogue is true to the previous films and the acting is great. Go away, haters!
The Father (2020)
Shattered my heart
Anthony Hopkins....a truly unbelievable performance - I believe, one of the best performances of all time. The final scene absolutely devastated me and I'll probably be thinking about it for weeks.
The structure of the film is also incredibly clever and added to the unbearable tragedy and terrifying nature of this subject matter.
The Pursuit of Love (2021)
You're all mad.
I mean, honestly. Rating this 1 or 2? Stop being a snob. This is joyous, bright, funny, eccentric, tragic and full of life.
The Pursuit of Love (2021)
You're all mad.
I mean, honestly. Rating this 1 or 2? Stop being a snob. This is joyous, bright, funny, eccentric, tragic and full of life.
Black Mirror: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too (2019)
Worth remembering...
To all the reviewers saying 'this is not Black Mirror!' try and remember that you don't get to decide what Black Mirror is. This is the job of the brilliant Charlie Brooker and the writers. This anthology series has become so big and consuming that it's only natural that they need to explore other avenues of the 'very near future'. Honestly, the sense of entitlement from some reviewers is just annoying.
The Mauritanian (2021)
Angry tears
I hope more and more films and documentaries continue to come out in the years to come that cover this period of American terrorism. The true terrorist were and are the American government and military. This fact needs to be put out into the world often to remind people that the USA is a developing country, not the greatest country on earth, as is often claimed. There is so much evil and corruption in the leaders of that nation. Through films like this, truth can be shed, outrage and fury can be felt and perhaps one day, accountability can be had. All torturers and law-makers who partook in the crimes against humanity committed in Gitmo should be in prison for a very long time.
The Twilight Zone: Replay (2019)
WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?
Seriously. This is one of the most amazing episodes of TV I have ever seen. I cannot believe the reviews - what is wrong with people? What are they not getting and why does it seem they are looking to be extra critical? Generally, I feel this whole reboot is a success. Yes, some are hits and others are slight misses, but overall it is fantastic. An antidote to my Black Mirror withdrawal symptoms. Grow up, people and get over your obsession with the original.
Becoming (2020)
So important
It is so important that young, black people - women, especially - have someone like MO to look up to and to remind them that they can make a difference. Just to see people's faces light up and tear up when they meet her is so emotional. I love her so much and I echo what others have said in their reviews that any hate for this documentary if solely coming from people who cannot get over their hatred for the Obamas and refuse (or are not educated enough) to see past their own Republic hate bubble.
As we keep hearing about horrendous stories coming out of the USA, most recently, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, we need people like Michelle to keep us hopeful. We need her voice, her power, her light and her kindness.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Brecht would have loved this
So hilarious were the funny moments that the sombre moments were made all the more tragic and heart-shattering. This allows you to understand the message even clearer. A perfect example of how to do Brectian theatre on the big screen. Just amazing . Taika is a god.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The exact reason I love movies and hate 'fans'
Firstly, and to be plain: there is no such thing as a perfect film. This is because the whole point of art is that it's subjective.
Now that we've cleared that up, I want to say, as someone who grew up watching these films, and whose parents grew up watching these films, I am absolutely thrilled at how this ending turned out and think it was a beautiful tribute to all the previous episodes and characters. The story was strong, it had the same sense of self-deprecating humour, cheesy moments, gorgeous cinematography, brilliant fight sequences and, of course, some incredibly moving moments. I thought the loss of Carrie was handled respectfully and woven into Leia's story really well.
It just felt like the right way for it all to end.
And, to briefly reference my review title, reading so many of these reviews reminds me why I view self-named SW fans with contempt. They have this incredibly specific vision for how they want the films to turn out and, when they don't get their own way, they have a tantrum. I cannot imagine how much work and love has gone into this film and it must be really annoying for everyone involved to see spoilt non-fans try to tear it down. I honestly don't understand what there could be not to like about this film.
Personally, I got everything I needed and wanted out of the film. Of course there were some minor things I might do differently had I been making it, but, because I'm genuinely enjoy films and am an actual movie fan and not just a frustrated critic looking to be upset, I can appreciate another person's vision and still enjoyed the film as a whole immensely.
Well done to absolutely everyone involved on such a gorgeous and emotional film. I cried, partly from nostalgia and partly because it is, at its core, a film about hope.
Queer Eye: We're in Japan! (2019)
Just as beautiful as ever
The same blend of humour, fabulousness, moving stories and amazing people. I just find myself crying 5 minutes in to every episode because they choose such deserving people to be made-over. This Japan series is just as gorgeous as the regular series and is a good reminder but there are people all over the world who need a little bit of the fab five.
I saw some really low ratings on the individual episodes which I really don't understand. I hate to say it but I think there may be a sense of bigotry there and the fact that they're not in America and there are subtitles to read in the episodes. Obviously if you're a true QE fan, then you appreciate other cultures and diverse backgrounds and so the fact they're in Japan is only a plus. I hope there will be more accurate ratings soon to reflect the incredible work the boys are doing in this mini-series.
I hope they continue to do trips to other countries!
As ever, beautiful work by the fab 5.
Prisoners (2013)
A bit too much deus ex machina
It's ok that chance encounters and coincidences help solve crimes maybe once in a film and in some small way but this film was littered with the kinds of coincidences that led directly to the solutions and it feels slightly clunky.
Having said that, I found the story interesting enough and the acting was incredible so I don't regret watching it. I just would have done things differently to make the mystery a bit more intellectually challenging.
Lots of people are focusing on Hugh Jackman'a performance and, whilst I agree it was brilliant and one of his best, I was totally taken by the character that Jake Gyllenhaal created. He's such a clever actor and always looks to make his characters three dimensional with tiny idiosyncrasies that make a massive difference. He really stole it for me.
Den skyldige (2018)
Directors take note...
...This is how you make a low-budget film.
Utterly nail-biting. It has great pace, and drip-feeds us information as the story unfolds. I watched on Netflix and found myself skipping back just to take in the piece of the puzzle that had just be revealed. Such clever story-telling. What makes it even more brilliant is that the story actually takes place in the viewer's mind. You find yourself multi-tasking as you watch Asger on screen at the same as building up a crystal clear picture in your mind of what is being described. It's so clever. Plus, a person's imagination is always more devastating than anything they can put on screen.
Amazing film-making and perfect for anyone who likes crime thrillers.
Undone (2019)
Beautiful
Two of my favourite films are Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly (love you, Richard Linklater) and this reminds me of those films in terms of appearance, tone and surrealism. Like Waking Life especially, this has philosophical undertones, opening you up to questions about life, existence, times dreams and how everything in the universe is linked below. This goes even further that WL because it has more of a sense of narrative and character development. I love shows that make me question everything. Rotoscope animation was a perfect choice for the aesthetics because it helps create the sense of the heightened reality, the abstract, the surreal. You get the sense that anything is possible, which reflects the ideas presented in the show. It's just beautiful and so well-acted.