#livs reviews

[bisexualwolverines]

i was reading a book about space to my baby sister and it mentioned how yellow stars are hotter than red stars and it had me thinking about the impact that has on kryptonians

earth in general is so much warmer than krypton, yes the yellow sun gives them powers and makes them almost invulnerable but it's so hot and they're so sweaty all the time

maybe someone like clark who has lived his whole life here has acclimated to the weather, but as much as he can do that the heat still doesn't feel natural to him which is why his fortress is in the coldest climate you can get on this planet, where he feels most physically comfortable

for someone like kara though, who grew up on krypton, the earth's heat would be absolutely unbearable, and would it increasingly more difficult for her to adapt to earth life, an unfamiliar culture, new unfamiliar powers she has to control and the heat just makes matters entirely worse. heat is uncomfortable, it's a stressor, it can lead to irritability and anger and aggression. all of that to deal with on top of the death of her family and her home

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the definition of “epic”. The climax is on a scale so massive it’s legendary. You see it and cannot imagine how the series could top itself in the final chapter. It also contains great, quieter character moments, just enough comedy to give you the emotional breaks you need before the action kicks up again and some romance too. The special effects were spectacular for the time and hold up today. Yes, the extended edition is long - you basically have to dedicate an entire evening to it – but it never feels long. As soon as it's over, you'll debate whether you have time to sit down and watch the next chapter.

As Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) make their way toward Mordor to destroy the Ring of Power, they discover that its previous owner, the creature called Gollum (Andy Serkis) is following them. Though treacherous, Gollum may be the key to fulfilling their quest. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) arrive in the kingdom of Rohan to find its King, Théoden (Bernard Hill), corrupted by the wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee). In the forest near Saruman’s tower, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) try to convince Treebeard (voiced by Rhys-Davies) to join the fight against him and his army of Uruk-Hai.

Before we dig in, let me clarify that we’re talking about the Extended Edition of the film, which is 45 minutes longer than the already lengthy 179-minute theatrical version. Yes, that’s a lot of time spent in Middle-Earth. No, it doesn’t feel like too much. The pacing is the key. We begin with one story, see how dire the situation is, get to a turning point and are then whisked away to the next plot, where the cycle repeats itself. As the middle chapter in a trilogy, this film is not contained, but it feels complete. There are character arcs, clear stakes, and a beginning, middle and end within each of the three stories and for the picture as a whole. Even more than before, the action feels like it’s happening in a real place. You can see the history of the fortress of Helm’s Deep, of the people of Rohan, the realms in faraway lands that are choosing to either ally themselves with the great, never-blinking eye of Sauron, or against him and his forces. In the sets, costumes and weapons, you notice details that show how much love and dedication was poured into this project. When there is comedy, it’s not the kind that undercuts the action, it’s the kind that makes what comes next feel even more dramatic, exciting or tragic.

Director Peter Jackson has a knack for raising the stakes. You know it’s only a matter of time before Gollum betrays Sam and Frodo. You think that’s all the hobbits have to worry about but then they meet the late Boromir’s brother, Faramir (David Wenham). You figure the journey Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli will make to the fortress at Helm’s Deep will be perilous, but then we see what’s brewing in Saruman's lair. The journey there is the least of their problems. There’s a glimmer of hope in the form of Merry, Pippin and Treebeard but the more we learn about tree-like Ents, the less you have faith in them. Those are all part of the big picture but within the individual characters, we have engaging stories too. In the kingdom of the elves, Arwen (Liv Tyler) is told by her father, Elrond (Hugo Weaving), that the elves are abandoning Middle-Earth, and that she would be foolish to stay, particularly for love. Frodo and Sam are at odds when it comes to Gollum, with Frodo sympathizing with the creature and Sam believing they’d be better off without him. In Gollum himself, there is conflict, as the creature’s twisted mind cannot decide whether it should act as a loyal guide to the hobbits or kill them in their sleep.

Whether swords are drawn or sheathed, you’ll be gripped by the picture but what you’ll probably remember best about “The Two Towers” are the big, special-effects-heavy scenes. Most memorable is Gollum, a character created entirely by motion capture. It’s common nowadays, but this is a rare example of a pioneered technique that still holds up. As soon as Gollum enters the frame, you just think of him as a character, never as a trick of the camera. You might even forget there was a person, not a creature on set. Equally capable of knocking you off your feet is the big battle at the end of the film. This gigantic siege, set at night, in the rain, is so well-lit and well-directed that you’re never lost or disoriented. It feels like everything's been building up to this and in some ways it is, but in others, it hasn't. There's still more to come in The Return of the King.

Like its predecessor, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a significant achievement in filmmaking. The performances are excellent, the production on a scale we seldom see, the story and plot make you forget there’s a world outside of the movie itself. The only flaw in is that you can't sit down and watch this movie on its own, but it was never meant to be seen that way. (Extended Edition on Blu-ray, April 27, 2023)

[snowangeldotmp3]

challengers was so good it had me questioning my lesbianism for a second jesus christ

[crystaldeclear]

Nelli missing on purpose because he knows cinematically, it will be better for him to score in the second half at the exact same minute that he missed the Saka pass last year. Walk with me...

[milliondollarbaby87]

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) Review

After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family must reunite and return to the home at Winter River. Still haunted by the memories of Beetlejuice, Lydia has struggled through her life and has a strained relationship with her now teenage daughter Astrid. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) Review

[moviesinfocus]

Notebook Reviews: PLUNKETT & MACLEANE

Jake Scott – 1999 Plunkett & Macleane is an energetic – but hugely disappointing historical buddy movie starring Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler. It sounds like a great idea, but the mix of the modern day and the 18th Century just doesn’t work. There are flashes of good cinema but most of it misses the mark. At the end of the day, Plunkett & Macleane is a bold idea that fails in…

[jimsmovieworld]

AUTUMN SONATA- 1978 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A mother and a daughter, what a terrible combination...

A world-renowned pianist visits her estranged daughter, Eva, for the first time in seven years. Upon her arrival, she is confronted with suppressed bitterness which Eva has been harbouring for years.

An amazing Swedish drama movie, so moving. Although everyone was great I was blown away by Liv Ullmann's incredible performance, she was captivating. Perfect pacing and painful realism. Final performance of Ingrid Bergman before her passing. Just a remarkable film, can't wait to rewatch this.

Directed by Ingmar Bergman.

[eldesstia]

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[youbutstupid]

Hi and I’m bored so here are 5 books that honestly changed me

1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: this story follows the lineage of 2 sisters as they are separated at birth. It goes through the family tree from how they went from the tribes in Africa over a century ago to modern day America. My favourite book ever and it’s written so gorgeously

2. Olive by Emma Gannon: it follows a woman and her friend group from University; as everyone in her group is going their separate ways and living their adult lives, Olive feels as though she isn’t catching up. It’s a really empowering read as it goes through her journey of trying to navigate adulthood

3. Rosewater by Liv Little: this was only published in 2023 and it reads so gorgeously. In this story we follow Elsie, a poet who is estranged from her family in London. It’s a very sex positive book that also allows us to have an insight into Elsie’s journey of navigating her late 20s as a gay, black woman trying to not give up on her dreams

4. The Fat Lady Sings by Jacqueline Roy: this was the book that got me back into reading when I was 19 and it is such a stunning book. The story follows two different perspectives of two women in a psychiatric hospital in the UK; first we have Gloria, a middle aged black, gay woman trying to live her life as a free spirit, but she keeps being let down by the system, and Merle, a young woman having to face her trauma. Together they discover that the faults lie within the system and they can’t let their spirits be crushed

5. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo: I’m not an easy crier, but this book made me sob. Set in Chinatown in San Francisco during the Red Scare, a teenage girl called Lily attempts to explore her sexuality whilst attempting to hide it from her family. This book is so gorgeously written and honestly left me thinking about it for days after I had read it

[oswincoleman]

Some reviews of Jenna Coleman in Wilderness!

 this series would not be what it is without Jenna Coleman and her excellent characterization of Liv. I have loved Coleman since her Doctor Who days, but Wilderness helped cement how expansive her acting talent is. She’s a powerhouse as the bombastic Liv, showcasing the two extremes of a person who has had their heart broken and eventually becomes broken herself. However, through the shattering of her life, Liv reassembles the pieces into something else, which is beautiful to witness. Although within the beauty is a darker side, which Coleman portrays perfectly.

As the protagonist who blunders as often as she succeeds, Jenna Coleman was an inspired choice. Her ability to play the human side of occasionally morally grey characters (as she did with aplomb during her reign as Victoria) lends a kind of authenticity to Liv’s struggle that makes you want to continue alongside her down her chosen path, if only to see where it will lead.

 Jenna Coleman shines in this pulpy revenge thriller

Jenna Coleman is pitch perfect as Liv and is able to brilliantly tap into Liv’s fury and rage as she discovers Will’s infidelity. Coleman mostly carries the whole series on her shoulders, but she’s supported by Jackson-Cohen. 

Don’t worry, Wilderness wisely turns the tables, evolving Liv believably as the rug is constantly pulled from under her feet. Coleman is a consistent delight in this role, bringing exceeding levels of empathy and expressiveness to Liv as rage and ego tend to drive her decisions.

Coleman, who is largely known for playing an array of plucky, likable heroines in period dramas and genre properties, is clearly having a blast inhabiting a character who goes so against her usual type. She still manages to give Liv some surprisingly human layers, particularly when it comes to her relationship with her mother and the unexpected sympathy she often seems to feel for Cara.

Known for an array of roles in The Serpent, The Cry, Doctor Who and lest we forget Emmerdale, Coleman's beguiling on-screen presence is a perfect match for the ever-complicated Liv. Like the former Gillian Flynn novel-turned-movie, Coleman commands attention in the same way as Rosamund Pike, a feat not to be scoffed at.

Of course, a great script means nothing without great actors, and on that front everybody here is acting their socks off. Coleman’s Liv is beautifully enigmatic.

It’s unpredictable and, thanks in large part to Coleman, who acts with a perpetual wily glint in her cosmically expressive eyes, entertaining in a blunt way.

The most persuasive aspect of Wilderness is the performances. Coleman and Jackson-Cohen perform as if they’re convinced by the script, rippling with aggressive and sensual chemistry. You can understand why Jackson-Cohen accepted; he’s become typecast as the Toxic Boyfriend since The Invisible Man remake and The Haunting of Bly Manor. But this is a surprising turn for Coleman, who shot to fame as one of Doctor Who’s best companions and delivered a beautiful performance in The Cry. She’s a proven force, so why is she dealing with television scraps? She deserves better than this silly, if seductive, drive to vengeance. Wilderness is lucky to have her.

Jenna Coleman sells her role as Liv Taylor and has the cuteness to pull off her crazy side

Coleman is ravishing as a wannabe murderess

[tinyreviews]

The start was strong but the ending failed to deliver... if only they had paced the pinch points of Bunniguru and Blister closer, made them more impactful. Maybe I am expecting too much from a kids show.....

Scarygirl is a 2023 adventure fantasy animation directed by Ricard Cussó and Tania Vincent, starring Sam Neill, Jillian Nguyen, Anna Torv, Liv Hewson , Tim Minchin, and Remy Hii.

[loverscrossmp3]

the ONLY thing getting me thru this biology class is the absolute mammoth of an essay i’ll write flaming my prof in the course evaluation. and i mean that

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

It feels like every single fantasy film has been building up to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. This sprawling world of myth and magic is a landmark achievement. The special effects, characters, art direction, score, scale and faithfulness to the source material make it the kind of picture that will shape generations. It’s big, wonderful and epic but also small, intimate and emotional. This is a labor of love and it shows.

In the Second Age of Middle-earth, the Dark Lord Sauron forged the One Ring. With its power, he was poised to conquer all. Defeated through sheer luck, his evil dissipated. 3,000 years later, the One Ring is discovered in the possession of a humble hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood). To save the world, from Sauron's return, the ring must be snuck back into the shadowy land of Mordor and thrown into the volcano where it was forged. On this quest, Frodo is accompanied by his friends Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Pippin Took (Billy Boyd) and Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), his mentor, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and representatives of the free races of Middle-Earth: humans Strider (Viggo Mortensen) and Boromir (Sea Bean), dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) and elf Legolas Greenleaf (Orlando Bloom).

To get us up to speed, the picture begins with a history lesson that’ll knock you off your feet. The armies clashing seem immeasurably large. Sauron effortlessly radiates evil despite having no dialogue. You can feel the thousands of years of culture in the fighting styles, weapons and scenery. Middle-Earth feels real. The scale is immense, which makes director Peter Jackson’s decision to focus the plot on an ordinary hobbit a genius move. In a story with caverns so large our civilization could never dream of carving them, elven cities that seem to grow from the trees that surround them, seamless towers of black stone and all sorts of monsters, it would be easy for audiences to feel alienated. We’d all like to think that when push comes to shove we’d be great heroes but in reality, there’s no way. The best a tiny person like you or me could hope to do is stay brave, which is exactly Frodo’s role.

Several times throughout, we hear that “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” There couldn’t be anyone smaller than Frodo Baggins - except, perhaps, his friend to the end, Samwise. The hobbits are humble little people who have lived peaceful, simple lives free from adventure and are now thrust into a journey that will be the stuff of legends. Their joys are simple: warm meals, fields of brightly-colored vegetables and parties with friends & family. One particular scene that shows you just how small they are comes towards the end of the story. Sam and Frodo are traveling down a river. In the distance, they spot these enormous statues, the kind that would make the Statue of Liberty blush. Like us, they gaze at them in wonder, wondering who could’ve built them and who they represent. None of the other members of the Fellowship seem to give them more than a passing glance - and yet, these simple people prove themselves just as brave and reliable as the seasoned guardians they are traveling with. It’s awe-inspiring in so many ways.

By focusing on Frodo and his part of the journey, the film has a strong emotional core. The Fellowship of the Ring knows it has this time-tested story that’ll enchant audiences but before doing anything else, it made sure to get the basics right. Even if it hadn’t, it would’ve been an impressive production. Surrounding the inspirational battle of good vs. evil are incredible visuals, standout special effects and exciting action scenes. The film contains elements of horror in the form of its shadowy Ring Wraiths and scenes set in the deep mines of Moria. It’s got comedy to lighten the mood when necessary, chases so perfectly paced they should be shown in film school and battles that remain exciting whether they feature millions or a handful of fighters. There are so many great lines and iconic scenes you’ll love to quote it to your friends. The score by Howard Shore is this powerhouse that immediately sets up residence in your mind.

Though it ends in a "to be continued", The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the kind of movie you need to watch just to be part of the cultural conversation. Don't worry if you're weary of following trends; you would fall in love with this film even if you discovered it on your own. (Theatrical version on Blu-ray, April 26, 2022)

[vaticinatrix]

if the original winx club cartoon premiered in 2023 it would become bullshit culture war fodder faster than you could say alfea

[reviewersradar]