FILMS AND TV SHOWS I WATCHED DURING LOCKDOWN AND WHAT I LEARNT FROM THEM

TOBY BAILEY

When it was announced that the UK was finally going into lockdown, I knew I would have a lot of time on my hands. Could I have maybe exercised more? Yes. Could I have possibly taken up a new hobby like painting or baking? Yes. But, do I regret watching almost every film and TV show Netflix can offer? (Obviously, I didn’t watch all of them) Absolutely not.

1. Prisoners (Netflix)

Firstly, I watched Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Prisoners’. The thriller tells the story of two six-year-old girls who go missing and the parents’ and police’s response to the disappearance. Despite how dense it sounds upon its surface, Villeneuve crafts a heart-breaking, genuinely terrifying mystery that leaves Image credit: Erik McLean, unsplash.com you guessing throughout its two-anda-half-hour run time. I learnt mostly, the I knew ‘Waves’ would be something I importance of family and the risks you would love also. And I was right. Not would take to receive justice and to be only is the film, at times, a complete able to hold closely the individuals you sensory overload with crazy visuals love. and so much intense lighting it literally at one point feels like you’re being 2. Waves (Sky Cinema) blinded by them, but it has so much

In between keeping up with my heart and beauty, exploring ideas of schoolwork and keeping a healthy family, consequences, love, race, regret mind, I fell into a slump of not and so much more. Towards its middle, consuming any film or television. So, something tragic happens, something one night, while scrolling through my that had been carefully brewing the ‘Films to Watch’ list, I landed upon Trey whole film, which completely changes Edwards Shults’ the whole plot. We go from a film that ‘Waves’. Having seen the trailer, which featured the song ‘Godspeed’ by ...family are so very, vitally important and to hold your loved ones as uses so much Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar music it feels like an hour-long Frank Ocean, I knew close as you can... music video (in the ‘Waves’ was going best way possible) to be a complete sensory experience. to a quiet, heart-breaking final act that From its twirling visuals to its heavy use gently weaves itself through themes of neon lighting, the trailer displayed a of (once again) family and love all until film that looked almost like a sequel to the credits roll. Even in its final shot, ‘Euphoria’, and having loved ‘Euphoria’, where a character rides her bike, there is so much emotion and freedom in the simple act, that I was completely overwhelmed with tears. So, what did I learn? Well, if anything, I learnt that family are so very, vitally important and to hold your loved ones as close as you can, because you never know when your final moments together are.

3. The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix)

I think it’s safe to say summer was a bit of a… let down this year. Bored of the heat and bored of being in my house, I craved the feeling autumn brings. What screams autumn more than… more than… dead trees, I guess (?) Halloween. So, I put on a jumper, sat on my sofa (where I practically lived for 6 months) and watched all 10 episodes of Netflix’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (again). Only being 10 episodes, it’s digestible, despite its very, very heavy themes of grief, loss and death. Opening with a terrifying sequence of

haunted events, the show grips you able to add layers of important social right from the beginning. The house commentary as well as present itself almost becomes with an almost a character of its cinematic feel, ...it’s more important than own, tormenting all ever to immerse yourself looking at white of the siblings that in various forms of media. supremacy, race make up the cast. and policing in the The scares are genuinely terrifying, like US. It is extremely gripping and hugely nightmare level scary, and because of ambitious and makes for a captivating how carefully crafted the show is, you watch over its episodes, including an care about all the siblings. This is thanks excellently crafted sixth episode. I learnt to the focus us on them during their mostly, the importance of standing up individual episodes as the front section for what’s right. It is an essential watch of the show. I learnt, throughout the for our times. course of the season, about the impact that the past can have on the future, 5. Call Me by Your Name in terms of family. As the show travels During lockdown, Netflix announced through two timelines, you are able the removal of the 2017 romance, to develop almost a bond with the ‘Call Me by Your Name’, I knew I had characters as you understand what they to immerse myself one last time have been through and how it shaped somewhere in Northern Italy, 1983. The them as humans. film is extremely intimate. It’s slow and 4. Watchmen TV series (Sky Atlantic) gentle and is able to capture an array of emotions over is two-and-a-half-

Based off the famous graphic hour runtime. With gorgeous, simplistic novel of the same name, Watchmen cinematography and a script that stays is a show that subverts expectations close to its source material, ‘Call Me by from beginning to end. Watchmen is Your Name’ is a stunning presentation Image credit: Mikey Langford, unsplash.com of love and loss and everything in between. If anything, ‘Call Me by Your Name’ broke my heart, taught me to live life with passion, and that people don’t always stay around, but it’s the memories that do.

Films and TV shows have subtle ways of presenting themes and ideas to us. They can transport you into their universes for just two hours and when those final credits roll, leave you feeling like you were there with those characters in those places. As cinemas reopen, and films are released, it’s more important than ever to immerse yourself in various forms of media. Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller, Tenet, was a perfect example of escapism and a needed film that will hopefully inspire other studios to start releasing films again. Who’s to say what will happen next? But, in these trying times where you feel trapped, pop on a film and ease your mind, you’ll feel so much better if

you do.