 |
  |
| Chez's EOY lists 2018, ferdig, takk~ |
| Track this thread - Email this thread - Print this thread - Download this thread - Subscribe to this forum |
 22nd December 2018, 07:35 PM
Post
#1
|
|
 The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232 
          
|
Hello
 Now this is usually the time of year that I, along with many of you, count down my top 100 songs in a continuous stream of essays, fun......However, this year it'll be a bit different, mainly cos no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't find 100 different songs that I can list here. Maybe other priorities have taken time away from listening or my sources of music becoming increasingly limited to online hidden areas or I may be growing out of love with music (lol jk don't think that seriously  ), but either way I couldn't do it, so  But I still love a good list, and I do want to continue these annual rundowns so I can build up to next year's big End of Decade chart, so this year, I'll be splitting the lists up a bit. I will list and essay, as I always do, about my top 10 films and TV series from this year, I will then list my favourite songs/EPs in five different categorised lists which I will reveal when I get to them. So lots of little countdowns instead of one big one is the only difference really (and truth be told, it's been hard to find my favourite ANYTHING this year, it's all just been so close together). Hope some of you will enjoy! I'll be looking to start this tomorrow ;o |
 |
 
|
|
24th December 2018, 01:05 AM
Post
#2
|
|
 you never forget your first time...
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,678 User: 13,530                
|
We always have very little overlap but I love reading through your EOYs regardless so really excited for this!!
|
|
|
|
|
24th December 2018, 07:18 PM
Post
#3
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
Hey, there'll be chart stuff too, maybe no twinks tho x
OK, so I'll start off with FILMS, this top 10 turns out to be most of the films I watched in the cinema, some Oscar films are perhaps missed off which I honestly can't rlly remember (oops) and also an honourable mention to Deadpool 2 which I did see and enjoy, like the first one, but it was essentially more of the same, so I guess there wouldn't really be much original I could write about it. Also on the topic of superhero films, this list does not include either Black Panther or The Avengers Infinity War as I haven't yet seen them, I am planning to do so but I just have superhero movie fatigue atm even if literally the whole market doesn't, so I couldn't say I was THAT bothered about going to see them at the cinema. This shouldn't take too long (maybe longer now the site died on me x), the first half could possibly conclude today, we'll see -x-  10. Suspiria So I saw this recently at one of my most unique cinema experiences - I went to one of the Lounge Screens at a local Picture House and had a reclining seat with only about five other people in the theatre, it was rather cool and I think it did contribute to my experience there as a whole as a film like this is in many ways, not a film that goes by normal cinematic experiences. Based on the 1977 Dario Argento film which I saw a few years ago and is a real classic with a stunning soundtrack (more on that later), i was very intrigued to see a modern day interpretation turns out that this was much more a simple homage than a straight out remake as a lot of things are changed, while the story at it's roots remains the same - an unsuspecting girl joins a mysterious dance society before uncovering a witches coven, but quite a bit is changed - the story isn't so much one girl's uncovering of an ultimate evil, but more a story of the converting of this girl to evil. The witches aren't exactly a secret here, and this dark side of our main character is a continual theme, and shown by some very visceral and extreme dances that are a real highlight. The original is famed for it's use of exaggerated primary colours, but this is not true here, instead it's a very dark and grey wintery undertone, which reflects the sombre tone and mood of the film and there is much more of an emphasis on political context and war-time situations in Germany, perhaps overshadowing the coven's work. If I'm being honest, I don't think this worked as well as it just wasn't fully explored with the exception of the Doctor who attempts to find out the truth of what the coven did to one of his patients, who is haunted by his wife who died in the Holocaust, but even then it was surface level and didn't have an overarching theme. I did admire many aspects of this film hence it's placing - some sequences were chilling, it's characters mysterious and developed, the dance sequences extremely menacing and a different yet still great soundtrack and a rather horribly uncomfortable final scene that you can't help but admire in it's audacity, but I think ultimately it was a little over-ambitious in what it was trying to do overall that they've made a film that is clearly the work of a great mind, but equally divisive and I think differed too much from the relative simplicity and striking tone of the original. I'd recommend it for the fans of the original or the director's other work if just because it's great to see another interpretation of it, just know what you're expecting when you go in there!  9. The Incredibles 2 Now, I love Pixar, who doesn't? They have made some of my favourite ever films that have lasted to this day and they have clearly shown that they still have wonderful original ideas in their recent films, so it's a shame that they seem to have made a name of themselves for doing pointless sequels - it's not that things like Finding Dory and Monsters University are bad films, but they don't need to exist at all when the originals remain, they're just there for money. Now, The Incredibles I can argue are one of the few Pixar films where a sequel was warranted as you're interested to know just what happened after the events of the last film, and because they are still living secret lives and are frowned upon by the government, in seeing this, I saw...pretty much the same kind of thing I saw in the last film as the plotlines are very similar (secret organisation wants to bring back superheroes, one of them works in secret, gets into danger by someone on the inside, whole family has to help to save them) but don't get me wrong I did like this, Elastigirl on her own was way more ahem stretched out as a character than the first film and it would be very easily for a film like the original to be accused of outdated gender norms, so I think switching the roles and giving again emphasis on the whole family being instrumental in saving the day was well done and dispelled any possible problems with regards to that. Although I did love Bob's scenes at home more - it was good seeing him interact with his kids, it gave him and them some more development and showed that he cared about them and wasn't all about heroics, and ofc. Jack Jack steals the show, the racoon fight was hilarious and him and Edna Mode...*.*.*.* I died. So yeah, this was really cool, I would've maybe liked to have seen them tackle it from a slightly different angle than a similar plot to the first one, but then it's hard to imagine why as this sequel is highly satisfying in ways you probably didn't even realise. |
|
|
|
|
24th December 2018, 10:39 PM
Post
#4
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
 8. A Star is Born Sure to be a big Oscar contender in the New year, I managed to actually see this one before (or I should say, as) all the hype was building up. The story remains very much unchanged from the 1939 original tale with singing prioritised over acting and features stunning performances from both Lady Gaga as Ally and Bradley Cooper as Jack. Both were so believable and authentic and played all parts of their characters' stories really well that you felt really quite heartbroken and frustrated with them when they were at their worst. The best film about this film sans the performances is it doesn't sugarcoat a lifestyle of fame, it is realistic in that it isn't always a fairytale ending and makes clear the pitfalls that can happen here, Ally is also portrayed as very realistic in still being quite humble and never forgetting who she is and what made her famous even to a fault. And ofc. the songs are largely wonderful (except that terrible 'why did you do that' racket), Shallow in particular is incredible, more on that later. Criticism? Way too long, the basic plotline was a 90 minute film at most and there was way too much padding and irrelevant scenes that don't further the plot that unfortunately mar it a bit, also Sam Elliot, he is obvs a good/legendary actor, but my God, that moustache is so big and accent so thick I can never understand him  so all his scenes went a bit over my head. Otherwise though, I highly recommend, a thoughtful realistic portrayal of stardom that all should see.  7. Halloween When I heard there'd be a new updated Halloween film, my first thoughts went to that godawful Rob Zombie 'retelling' and...errr, no thanks, but then I heard that it's disregarding every 'sequel' that came before it and simply just offering a sequel to the 1978 film and had the original actors of Laurie and Michael Myers back, now that had me have a bit more faith it may be closer in style to the original so I gave it a watch and it certainly was...and it isn't always to it's credit but mainly so. It pretty much plays out exactly the same except forty years later, Michael is in an asylum and has escaped, Loomis is dead, Laurie lives alone, never really recovering from her encounter and generally disregarded by her daughter and grand-daughter, Michael gets free and...yep you can guess the rest. There are many classic callbacks to the film in shots and kills done almost exactly like the original albeit with a bit more gore, the score and opening credits are barely changed and mocking of it's franchise (such as the idea that Laurie and Michael were siblings as an 'urban legend'). Michael is scarier than ever, and proves why Rob Zombie's ideas just didn't work as giving him a back-story and making him sympathetic instantly makes him less scary and like any other misunderstood villain. He is barely a human, he has no motives or character - he is an almost unstoppable (don't question the logic of how he keeps surviving, it ruins it), silent killing machine that will stop at nothing to do whatever it is he desires. These filmmakers clearly realised that and have him not pander to the professor character or journalists wanting him to speak, which is good as he was scarier than ever and part of what made that showdown between him and three generations of Strode females so powerful and enthralling to watch. The newer final girls weren't anything to shout about and didn't have much development, but they were still pretty formidable in the final battle and a far cry from the passive final girls of around the time of the original. Overall, I think this worked so well as it didn't try to be anything it wasn't, it wasn't innovative and it may not be a classic, but it realised what made the original so good and was an effective homage to it. As a big fan of the original and someone who despairs at what happened to the franchise, I'm very glad that an effective closure has been given to it to wipe the slate clean of all the disappointment |
|
|
|
|
24th December 2018, 11:21 PM
Post
#5
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
(I should say that there are spoilers in here, as you've probably guessed, so yeah if you are planning to see them, I'd be careful of what bits you read~)
 6. A Quiet Place A very unique film in that it's premise allows it to be very experimental in a way that not a lot of big blockbuster films can be these days - yeah, you guessed it, there's no dialogue for a lot of the movie due to it taking place in a post-apocalyptic world where aliens that are entirely blind but can attack and kill by hearing even the slightest sound. The best scene that showcases how powerful this can be is the opening scene ending tragically as they lose their youngest son in a scene not many films would have the balls to show and adding a sense of true guilt and foreboding to the main family for the rest of the film. The characters, particularly Emily Blunt and John Krasinski's traumatised parents, are all strong and well portrayed here and you really feel for them as the monsters inevitably close in and the stakes continue to rise, the aliens themselves aren't the scariest designed and it's partly that why the first half of the film is much, much better than the second when it does go a bit generic action-horror film, good and nice-looking generic action-horror granted. But still, it really conveys just how tense a cinematic experience can be when there is no sound at all and it's then that the scares become much more scary. I wasn't mad on the last shot granted, this is a one-off unique film that should be left that way, I do not want this turning into a generic family shooter franchise like that scene implies, they would've been better to leave it open to interpretation or mystery as that would've been effective. Please Hollywood, don't do it Anyway, lets just marvel this while we can, an innovative and really highly gripping film that demands to be paid attention to. 5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri So this didn't quite prove to be the Oscars sweeping film that I thought it may be, even if it did well at the BAFTAs, maybe that controversy about the racism stopped it or something. Either way, it's a very good film that deserves the praise it got. Featuring the story of a grieving mother attempting to stick it to the Ebbing police by failing to solve the case of her daughter's rape and murder, the film is marketed as a comedy but it really is very dark and subtle in it's humour, you have a very raw and no-punches-pulled portrait of both life in a downtrodden town and the local law enforcement as well as the depiction of grief and how it can damage you,, the humour is pretty darn dark but it still comes in good doses and feels refreshing (excluding that fingernail scene ). The character development of the three leads - played expertly by Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell is really the highlight of the film, Mildred and Jason in particular aren't particularly likable in the slightest (one's a racist cop for one), but it's their development, their exploration of what made them that way and refusal to treat them the traditional Hollywood way that makes the film so good and those acting Oscars are entirely deserved, Frances McDormand in particular. Those calling 'racism' should really just shut up as you really are missing the entire premise of the film if you think it's about glorifying racism. It's a film that pulls no punches in it's depiction and that only makes it more powerful.-x- Top 4 coming after Christmas 
|
|
|
|
|
25th December 2018, 10:48 AM
Post
#6
|
|
 FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
|
I have the Suspiria soundtrack on CD
|
|
|
|
|
25th December 2018, 06:28 PM
Post
#7
|
|
 nabad
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 13 February 2013 Posts: 28,363 User: 18,316
     
|
Hey Chez!
Looking forward to seeing what your favourite TV shows of the year are!  I wasn't all that impressed with A Star Is Born when I saw it, but I feel like if I watched again it would probably be a lot better - I was just getting bored / restless sitting in the cinema.  Yet to see Incredibles 2 also!
|
|
|
|
|
26th December 2018, 11:33 AM
Post
#8
|
|
|
Buy yourself a car, and a house in Devon
Joined: 6 May 2016
Posts: 23,892 User: 23,247
   
|
Ooh, the format sounds interesting! Will keep my eyes out for this. I hardly see any films but A Star Is Born sounds interesting, until I read that I had no idea that Gaga wasn't playing herself oops
|
|
|
|
|
26th December 2018, 10:47 PM
Post
#9
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
Thanks for the comments <3
So it turns out I forgot a film when compiling this list that I really should have included - Annihilation, the Netflix film starring Natalie Portman. It really was quite an ambitious and intriguing direction for Netflix and certainly the best original movie they've done. Focusing on a group of military scientists venturing into quarantined zone full of infected shape shifting aliens, the film is really quite good for how much it focuses internally on the scares and how it uses a psychological take to gradually destroy the group, it leads to one of the strangest final acts of the film with some truly stunning sequences. It leaves you ambiguous on what's going on and doesn't let him back. It was quite a wonderful surprise from Netflix and I think I would rank it in my top 10 so...sorry for forgetting about it x Back to the list  4. The Shape of Water I know it was a favourite and everything but it still surprised me that this captivated the academy enough to win Best Picture. I mean it's premise probably is enough to put the most conservative film viewers off...a mute girl falls in love with a fish mutant. But then maybe it was so striking as to leave an impression on the academy, and that is certainly is. The story at it's roots is simple and if you could name a flaw then that would maybe be one, it's so clearly is designated to Propp's narrative roles and you can see where it's going to end up at the end. Fortunately, everything else is absolutely stunning - Sally Hawkins is truly incredible and as good as Frances McDormand was, I actually think that she should've taken that award as she somehow managed to convey the most well rounded, sympathetic and truly rootable character without saying one word, it is truly a mesmerising performance. Well almost, Some loved the black and white performance in her dreams, but personally I felt it took away from what made the performance so good even if I get why it was put in. The other performances are excellent too, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer and (as cartoonish as he is) Michael Shannon all play their roles great and the fish himself has some wonderful design, however weird this pairing it's a stunning realised portrayal of two misunderstood, discriminated people finding their match. It's a Disney fairytale yes, but Guillermo Del Toro has a way of putting these fantastic ideas in a way that evokes all sorts of emotions, and you certainly feel them all throughout the film's run. It has a truly wonderful score as well that I remembered long after seeing it. I'm so pleased a film this unconventional has broken through to achieve Best Picture and outside of the predictability, I can't fault it.  3. Coco Remember when I said that Pixar should make more original films and less sequels? THIS IS WHY! Coco is an absolutely stunning film from its visuals to it's resonating storyline to it's imagination to it's appreciation of music, it is a truly amazing film. Focusing on the Mexican Day of the Dead and handling it in a way that actually comes across as fairly sensitive and not overly reliant on stereotypes, it's nice to see Disney respecting other cultures well like in Moana. Miguel is the central star and he appreciates music in a way that his family does not and is the main dividing force between them, but it comes close to saving his life when he is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead where he uncovers connections old and new that he must use to get him back to the land of the living. The Land of Dead looks absolutely amazing, the colours, the creatures, the detail put into the paintings is jaw-dropping, that should be more than enough to hold your attention. As a story, it's not the most original, you see where it's going and the twists aren't overly surprising, it's its emotional core that really satisfies, music is a salvation for so many of us so it's very easy to relate to Miguel and makes this movie so essential that by the time that he sings Remember Me to Mother Coco...  f***'S SAKE PIXAR, WHY. Only scene in a movie all year that I've cried at all year. It's ultimately Pixar doing what they do best - getting to that emotional core and realising those things that we love that keep us going throughout our lives and making fully realised beautiful fantastic tales about them that truly draws us in. A triumph.
|
|
|
|
|
26th December 2018, 11:27 PM
Post
#10
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
 2. Isle of Dogs I rlly love Wes Anderson, his style is just so deliciously aesthetic and symmetrical to look at, so charmingly whimsical and at the same time gloriously deadpan that pretty much anything he does I'm interested in. I did love his take on Fantastic Mr Fox, so I was very interested to see him take on stop motion animation again, and a quirky and weird film about a society where all dogs have been banished to a wasteland after an outbreak of flu and the journey of a young boy to find his own dog and bring them back to society. It has all the hallmarks you can expect and the characters all have their own individual personalities that shine through, Bryan Cranston & Edward Norton in particular really stand out. There are moments of high drama, epic journeys, emotional sentimentality and deadpan humour and it all just works so well together. I was surprised how many children I saw coming to see this, probably cos parents saw it had animated dogs in it so would keep them entertained or something, but this wasn't particularly kid friendly. It was pretty sophisticated in places in terms of plot and perhaps the most bold choice is that the film does not have subtitles when it has it's speakers speaking Japanese, it's something that you just don't see many films take a risk with and while it's hardly the most complex of language and you can guess what they are saying from their actions, it's still admirable and why I think there was a real effort to engage with the culture of Japan and why I think these cultural appropriation claims (y'know the ones that come up when another country is portrayed by an American film director directs) are a bit bullshit, I admire the portrayal and think it really added to the charm. I would highly recommend this for Wes Anderson fans and want to see all his trademarks as well as those that aren't and just want a charming yet gripping fairy tale.  1. Hereditary This is my number 1 film because as a big horror fan, I have become frustrated with the amount of horror films that stick to one formula throughout and are so unadventurous in straying away from that for fear of not attracting genre fans and so ramping out the blood and gore without considering that the best horror films are slow burning and psychological that may not be instantly scary but whose disturbing themes will linger with you long after the closing credits. Hereditary does this perfectly, I can see the comparisons to The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby and the like, the latter in particular. Ludicrous comparing a newly released film to those classics is anyway, I still maintain it's warranted here. The atmosphere of dread and build-up to an ultimate evil that was somewhat unexpected is done so well, you are constantly on edge watching the film and the horror isn't the total focus, it also devotes time to analysing a family in distress and various mental health issues and treats this sensitively, making this accessible to all. Killing off Charley so early in the posters was a bold move, but her influence made the film as suspenseful as it was and it all builds in a way you suspect something sinister is going on but you're never sure until the final moments, which is where it succeeds the most and leaves you with a lump in your throat with the impact and constantly guessing the uncertainty it was trying to portray. This is really how modern horror should be done and it's reassuring that there are still some horror films like this out there made with care and sensitivity as this one, and it certainly restored my fate in them. It is for these reasons that it is my number 1 film this year! That's that for films then, tomorrow I'll go to the small screen to do the same with Television Series. |
|
|
|
|
27th December 2018, 02:22 PM
Post
#11
|
|
|
FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
|
Coco was a marvellous film.
|
|
|
|
|
27th December 2018, 04:50 PM
Post
#12
|
|
|
❤️❤️➕🟦
Joined: 3 June 2012
Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160
  
|
Rarely go to the cinema these days despite still loving films - but glad I’ve got 6/10 to watch on DVD! So excited for Coco and Incredibles and the horrors of Hereditary and A Quier Place have me hyped!
|
|
|
|
|
28th December 2018, 12:13 AM
Post
#13
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
You will love all of them I'm sure *.*
-x- Before I get into my top 10 TV shows, I'll do some honourable mentions, as while I was overall a little disappointed with these shows, I do think they warrant discussing: Black Mirror I still absolutely love this show don't get me wrong, a choose-your-own-adventure episode of this sounds like the best thing ever so that's my evening sorted tomorrow, but on Season 4 (which did come out in the last few days of 2017 yes, but it was a little late to let that sink in to count to my EOY then), I don't think it was a particularly vintage season. I count only two episodes that are definite keepers - USS Callister and Hang the DJ, the former was the clear highlight - a perfect and quite terrifying satire of fandom culture and the sometimes danger of certain corners of the internet with the Star Trek homage giving it a nice retro and campy feel with a dark underbelly, classic Black Mirror really, and Hang the DJ was a great in doing the same with algorithms and dating apps in a way that seemed positive in the same vein as San Junipero but still made you think a bit about the implications. But aside from that, none of the other episodes were classics - Metalhead had an intriguing style but perhaps too minimalist for it's own good, Black Museum on reflection was good and had some truly terrifying stories, but slightly inconsistent with it's storylines, Crocodile looked beautiful and was admirable as a drama, but as a Black Mirror episode, the technology was weak and while I love the show's sadistic side, this overdid it massively as there didn't seem any point to the bleakness except to make you squirm rather than make you think which previous nasties White Bear and Shut Up & Dance have done, it left a seriously bad taste in my mouth, and then you have Arkangel which was straight out unmemorable and predictable. So all in all, pretty average, but then Black Mirror is an anthology series so they're not always gonna get it right as a rule, my previous thoughts to the show as a whole remain unchanged and still very much look forward to the next season, I just hope there's a bit more focus on what made it so good to start with as there was worrying signs that it was slightly veering off course. Maniac I watched this on recommendation from my sister that it was the kind of mind bending weirdness that I might like, and she was half right. There was a lot I liked about this show - it seemed to be looking at mental health in a meaningful way and exploring it's effects on two seemingly very different people (played expertly by Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, both incredible, I expected it for Stone but Hill in particular surprised me as this was the first time I'd seen him in a non-comic role and he was phenomenal) taking part in a mysterious drug test in order to come to terms with their own quests and them being somehow linked together. This was indeed very weird, and it really did whatever it wanted - the first dream sequences when the characters take the drugs feature some wonderfully bizarre moments and situations that were very gripping, including an Icelandic political party dealing with aliens, a Lord of the Rings style sequence and Jonah Hill literally turning into a hawk, it was wonderful, and there was an intriguing subplot going on with the original creator of the trial and the issues he was facing of his own that seep through into the trial, so yeah, very good stuff all in all, my issue? The ending. For a show that raised so many questions and with such a big scope, it was very disappointing that the resolution is so predictable in everything it built up to and just as simple as them both escaping together for a happily ever after setting, the subplot likewise was never properly explored on some ends, including a very interesting British-Asian scientist that really wasn't developed at all. , maybe I misread it but from the first episode I got the sense it was going for bigger questions, and I'm OK with not getting all the answers but not when they're all answered so simply. Essentially, it seemed like it ran out of ideas, excusable I suppose given how big a story it had built up in the last few episodes, but I would still recommend this for the reasons I stated hence me spoiling the ending part, just like...don't set your hopes TOO high after those first few episodes. Doctor Who Ah yes, Doctor Who, what would still remain to this day my favourite show and one of the first "adult" (well at least it was to 12 year old me) shows I really took interest in. I still remain loyal to it even if the quality has been dipping a bit in the last few years, but I was still very intrigued to see a female Doctor as it was the kick into gear the show needed and the ratings haven't lied, I'm very pleased to see them. But was the season any good? In some ways yes, but in others not so much. The obvious problem was the new writer whose previous episodes have been amongst the weakest of Davis/Moffat controlled Who (HELLO Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and The Power of Three) has a somewhat different idea of how the show should be managed, and it'll take some getting used to - gone are the season arcs, connecting storylines, complex subtexts and scary threats and instead we have a much more family friendly version with a wholesome friendly Doctor and...no threats, yeah that sums it up, there has been so few memorable and terrifying villains this year or times I genuinely felt unsure of how the characters could survive and they don't all skip off in a happy ending and it's just gotten a bit dull, it felt like a bit of an anti-climax at the end as there just wasn't really anything to build up to. The other issue is his handling of the Doctor, now I'm not saying Whittaker is bad and NONE of this criticism is because it's a woman at the helm, she's been excellent in this and clearly knows the role very well, but Chibnall's perception of her is just a bit too...soft? She seems a little bit too sensitive compared to other incarnations and a bit too em, chummy? I like the Doctor better when they're a bit more detached, they help the human race but they have their own issues and are never fully integrated with them. I'd like to see a bit more depth and perception of this Doctor in the future and just have her deal with difficult situations and make tough choices, particularly with regards to her companions, I was skeptical of the idea of three companions and this didn't really prove that they were warranted, with Ryan and especially Yazz getting massively sidelined in most episodes, Graham was a surprise though and was by far the most developed and memorable of the companions, and I did NOT think I'd be saying that about a character Bradley Walsh plays. Anyway, I should probably say the positives as the episodes Rosa and Demons of the Punjab which has one of the season's themes of letting historical events happen as they did as hard as it is, which does lead me on to the positives as Chibnall certainly employs a human and unique touch which sometimes is very heartwarming and using sci-fi to highlight modern day prejudices and painting us as the real villains is, when done well, a great idea. I've enjoyed seeing this in episodes like Rosa with race and The Witchfinders with it's highlight of femininity and (partly) Arachnids in the UK. So yeah, ups and downs really, I can't put it in my top 10 but I still enjoyed it for the most part and if it is Daleks for the upcoming New Years special, then I'm all for that, I'm glad his new formula has got the ratings back up with it's family friendly format, now I just hope that that will spur them into taking more risks for the next time (2020 :'(). |
|
|
|
|
28th December 2018, 12:46 AM
Post
#14
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
 10. Cunk on Britain I absolutely loved almost everything about Charlie Brooker's weekly wipes when he did them, his sardonic take on TV was perfect and this character was part of the reason why, played with straight-faced perfection by Diane Morgan, Philomena Cunk's uneducated rambling on life's greatest issues is hilarious yet somehow on point as you'd somewhat imagine that people do think that way   9. American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace If the first season covered a case we were all very much familiar with, the second season of this show covers one that wasn't so universally known and so it's really quite interesting learning about the story of a young psychopath, Andrew Cunanan, going on a killing spree of rich old males and eventually his once idol and everything he wasn't, you certainly don't sympathise but you're very engaged at his arc and what happened that made him like this and learning a lot about the political context of the times as well, especially for LGBT males, I never knew about the incidents directed towards gay soldiers in the US Navy at the time and loved that side episode which focused on one of Andrew's victims experiences here as it made it all the more shocking, it's that balance of exploring Andrew's psyche and also fitting in in a world that wasn't so tolerant of the LGBT community which made it really fascinating to watch. Darren Criss is the absolute highlight here, if you've only seen him in Glee, then definitely change that as he's simply electric here, terrifying yet so watchable, that Emmy was deserved. Gianni Versace's backstory is also explored and I must admit, I never found it that engaging and found the characters a bit static, and the attempted Italian accent of Penelope Cruz could...use some improvement I guess  But in almost every other sense, this was a really good watch and showcases yet another promising anthology season for this show which is certainly holding my interest more than American Horror Story is doing.
|
|
|
|
|
29th December 2018, 12:04 AM
Post
#15
|
|
|
FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
|
Doctor Who rules!
|
|
|
|
|
29th December 2018, 02:23 PM
Post
#16
|
|
|
I'm a paragon so don't perceive me
Joined: 3 February 2011
Posts: 37,417 User: 12,929        
|
Great thread of course, I always support EoYs like this - though I haven't seen any of the films as I'm not a big film watcher, I should know a few TV series here.
Pretty much share your thoughts on Black Mirror S4, the right highlights and USS Callister in particular was amazing - slightly more for me as I'm quite the Trekkie, but good to see the theme resonated well for you as well. The rest, Hang The DJ aside, not as good as Season 3. Maniac I'm halfway through at the moment. It's a bit trippy but I'm not sure I'm getting the point of it? Maybe I should finish it, I am enjoying Jonah Hill's parts, but it just seems too weird. |
|
|
|
|
29th December 2018, 06:30 PM
Post
#17
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
Ooh it gets a lot weirder as you get to the last part, trust me! Though there's one scenario that you'll like I'm sure
You start to see the connections to the overall narrative though, I still thought the ending let it down but I'd still stick with it, you may have different thoughts.-x-  8. Killing Eve One of the most critically acclaimed BBC dramas of the year I'd say pretty much deserves that accolade as it really was a distinctive and engaging thriller with phenomenal performances.The show focuses on the cat-and-mouse dynamic of Eve, an MI5 security officer that is bored with life and takes action when she uncovers the killing spree of a notorious Russian serial killer, Villanelle, working with a ruthless organisation. The joy is both in the constant twists and turns in the story that always changes the vantage point of the chase so that one is never clearly at an advantage for too long, the tables are constantly turning in both Eve and Villanelle's directions and it maintains that right up until the finale. There's a good dosage of humour which contrasts nicely with the rather bloodied and sinister events in the show and the chemistry between Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer (who is apparently Liverpudlian, but I will NEVER not see her as a terrifying Russian psychopath, her sadistic and dry manner throughout is wonderful) is completely electric, the scenes with them together are amongst the highlights of the show and there is an oft done technique in these kind of relationships where it acknowledges even though they are natural enemies, they need each other and are fuelling their motivations, and the ending certainly gives that a lot more scope to continue in the second series, definitely one I'd recommend.  7. Inside No. 9 I've raved about this show for so long in these countdowns and still am still annoyed it isn't at the acclaim it deserves (and sometimes I think they are too given by the not so subtle hints in their episodes!), but it's gaining traction year on year which is good for me and we had another great albeit all to brief dosage of episodes this year as well, with a wonderful Shakespeare-tribute told in iambic pentameter, a rather poignant and sad portrayal of the reuniting of a long defunct comedy duo, an absolutely brilliant conspiracy plot told all through reverse chronology, a tale of a dying marriage of a marriage photographer and his wife which has a VERY surprise twist which this show just excels at, I won't reveal any more but it's a highlight, a comparatively predictable look into the goings on at a panel for deciding the award for Supporting Actress, it's not that it was bad but the twist felt a bit lame and it more just read like a not too subtle swipe at the awards committee, it can do better, thankfully it ended well with a very dark tale of council contractors clearing out a dead man's house, it's pretty grim but very bizarrely weird, and to top it all off, we got a brilliant Halloween live special which really plays with the medium so well that you just don't get in many other shows these days. Overall, still brilliant, twisted and marvelously sadistic, like Black Mirror without the technological side. I would recommend it to all (as I'll tell you all again next year x) |
|
|
|
|
30th December 2018, 09:10 PM
Post
#18
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
 6. The End of the f***ing World One of the random 'ooh this title looks very interesting' punts that turned out really well. While it wasn't quite the post-apocalyptic vision I had in mind, what we got was great too. One of the most captivating small screen portrayals of misunderstood and damaged youth I'd seen recently, the show follows 17 year old self-proclaimed psychopath James (wonderfully played by Alex Lawther following his stint in the Black Mirror episode, Shut Up & Dance) and rebellious, Alyssa as they run away from home and encounter that the world isn't so safe for people like them. And by not so safe, I mean absolutely sodding horrific, srsly it's insane how perilous and horrifying the adults in the series are - they go from a paedophile, a serial rapist to even Alyssa's biological father who happily abuses and disowns her and policeman chasing them for committing a murder, and yet none of it seems overdramatis, these are very real reported dangers and it really makes you root for what initially seems like two characters you'd find very hard to root for. The chemistry and character arcs they both go on are wonderfully portrayed, both becoming more empathic and realising more about themselves and how each can help them. It's not easy watching, and don't expect a happy ending, but there still manages to be a good dosage of humour throughout which lands largely very well. I believe a second series is coming and I'm not sure it's going to work as it's hard to imagine it can get any darker! But I'd certainly be intrigued to see it.  5. Bodyguard One of BBC's biggest hits and will definitely be remembered as one of the defining TV moments of the year as it genuinely seemed like everyone was talking about this, from it's hugely successful ratings and genuine real life impact as various students and colleagues of mine were talking about it, it hasn't felt like a primetime terrestrial TV show had been this big in such a while and it's a credit to Bodyguard for bringing back the TV talking point. Is it deserved? For sure. Telling the story of a security guard traumatised by past fighting and thwarting a possible act of martyr terrorism (which is shown in the opening act and manages to be one of the most tense and thrilling openings to a series I have seen in a long, long time) who is assigned to protect the highly unpopular foreign secretary and the gradual developing relationship and perils that develop from his assignment. I'm giving a brief synopsis but really it feels like a completely different show at the end from when you begin watching, I won't spoil anything but there's just so many twists and turns that the stakes just keep getting bigger and the conspiracy gets more and more dangerous and enigmatic that you fear for him, and it's leading to an explosive finale that is highly satisfying, though does still leave you with an awful lot of questions. Maybe they'll be answered in Season 2, who knows. But srsly what a show, it's so hard to give this show justice in writing, please do give it a watch. |
|
|
|
|
31st December 2018, 01:14 PM
Post
#19
|
|
|
❤️❤️➕🟦
Joined: 3 June 2012
Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160
|
Oh my, you have such excellent taste in TV. I do definitely agree with what you have said about Doctor Who, a very well reasoned summary! Also Maniac I loved - although definitely one of a kind of a show and I'm still left unsure about what I actually show. I largely loved it as it helped show off Emma and Jonah's brilliant acting skills (as if that needed to be further proven)
Cunk on Britain was as brilliant and hilarious as I'd hoped it would be, praying that there's still more Cunk to come. Inside No 9 was definitely as brilliant as ever, omg the live episode. The End of the f***ing World was a brilliant gem to discover - such great dark humour and so odd, helped make it so unique. Unsure about it having a second series, I just hope it is as genius as the first. Bodyguard was a full on popcorn thriller that had literally everyone hooked. The first half was stronger than the second half though I feel. Also can't wait to dive into Killing Eve, seen so so SO many good things about it. |
|
|
|
|
31st December 2018, 05:53 PM
Post
#20
|
|
|
The owls are not what they seem
Pronouns: He/him
Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,120 User: 9,232
|
You will love Killing Eve I'm sure! Thanks <3
-x-  4. Dynasties So at the time of writing this, I haven't actually got around to watching the last episode of this, sooo maybe this isn't as legitimate, but I still think I've seen enough of this wonderful Nature documentary to get a great picture of it. I know I always put these in my top 10 no matter what (and they always inspire my signatures) but they continue to astound me every time, this time, the show focuses on groups of families of animals - chimpanzees, penguins, lions, painted wolves and tigers - and their life cycles, and it doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties they face in terms of rearing the next generation as well as staying alive themselves in some very dangerous environments. Again, this manages to comfortably dwarf most fictional TV drama this year just by realising the fact that animals have it so much harder than us and we take our dominant place in the world for granted many times, and there are some insanely dramatic stories that when you think all these were caught on camera and are entirely real life. I don't think a piece of television has affected me more than the Penguins episode where it shows full well the truly strenuous lifestyle of the Emperor Penguin - in the course of 12 months, they have to find a mate, give birth, keep their egg safe (as we're shown, this isn't always successful, sometimes fellow penguins threatening that), shelter it from the brutal winter, and then make perilous treks down to the sea to get food for their chicks and themselves, the most heartbreaking scene shows some penguins and chicks getting trapped in a crater in the snow with slippery slopes meaning they can't get back up despite their efforts. It was truly one of the most difficult things to watch all year but thankfully the cameramen stepped in to form steps in the slope so they could get back to their waddle, despite the general rule to not interfere with nature, I am glad as it was truly inspiring to see. So yes there was that, but also you see the dominance struggles of chimpanzees and inner family feuds for the little known painted wolves that are just as engaging. It further proves that as long as Sir David is with us, we are always graced with the very best nature can give us.  3. The Haunting of Hill House I recall just lounging around Netflix post midnight one weekend and clicking on something that looked appealing to me as I needed something scary to watch in time of Halloween. I watched it and I'm very glad I did as it turned out to be one of my favourite discoveries of the year, I've always liked Mike Flanagan's material like Oculus and Ouija: Origin of Evil, but this was him excelling. Based on the Shirley Jackson novel which I still haven't read and the film adaptation The Haunting from 1963 which I still haven't seen, I felt it was time to give myself to this material. Turns out this was more of a prequel to that or based around it as it doesn't actually have much of a connection to the main plot, however a lot of the same themes remain. It focuses on am estranged family that once lived in Hill House that are continually haunted by the spirits that live there, they must reunite to ultimately solve the mysteries that have been plaguing their lives since they were children. The show constantly goes from the past when the siblings were kids to the present when they're working adults, the first five episodes are about building up the back stories of the characters and the next five on the actions of the family when they finally confront their past, the transitions and stories are really good, you feel for every one of the characters, clearly all very flawed in their own ways but sympathetically and humanly so. I can't talk about this series without talking about the two episodes everyone talks about - Ep. 5: The Bent Necked Lady and Ep.6: Two Storms, and I can only add to the praise, two absolutely incredible hours of TV - The Bent Necked Lady is so heart breaking in it's inevitable downfall of Nell and so shocking and terrifying in it's final pay off that it leaves you breathless, and Two Storms uses the continuous takes and long shots of both the gathered family at the funeral of Nell and then seamlessly transitioning to a night when they were children where they were again all together, if Alfred Hitchcock were alive, he would be proud. So yes that was it's peak but there's a lot else to praise, the style of horror is very much emotional based which is certainly the most chilling and isn't entirely on jump scares, as well as the hidden ghosts in each episode that I myself never even noticed at first, but it was so cleverly done and shows furthermore how well made this is. I mean you might be thinking with the amount I'm praising it, why it isn't my number 1. It would be but for one reason: the ending turns out for the absolute horror the house was made out to be, they were just misunderstood spirits who let them out really safely and they lived happily ever after, it just doesn't match the tone they were building up to all season, it feels forced. I did enjoy the twist with the red room, but was expecting at least something truly scary and for them to really confront their demons and it just never came. Just a country singer singing us out like any other dull drama it's such a shame that something like that ruined what was one of the most scariest shows on TV, but then maybe my expectations were just not quite on par with the vision they were going for. I still can't rank it any lower for just how good and well crafted the rest of the season was and recommend it highly, even for those that aren't fans of horror as you'd be surprised.
|
|
|
|
|
| Time is now: 23rd April 2024, 10:50 AM |
Copyright © 2006 - 2024 BuzzJack.com
About | Contact | Advertise | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
