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 you guessing throughout its two-anda-half-hour run time. I learnt mostly, the importance of family and the risks you would take to receive justice and to be able to hold closely the individuals you love.
Image credit: Erik McLean, unsplash.com
I knew ‘Waves’ would be something I would love also. And I was right. Not only is the film, at times, a complete sensory overload with crazy visuals 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 heart and beauty, exploring ideas of In between keeping up with my family, consequences, love, race, regret schoolwork and keeping a healthy and so much more. Towards its middle, mind, I fell into a slump of not something tragic happens, something consuming any film or television. So, that had been carefully brewing the one night, while scrolling through my whole film, which completely changes ‘Films to Watch’ list, I landed upon Trey the whole plot. We go from a film that Edwards Shults’ uses so much Frank ‘Waves’. Having ...family are so very, Ocean and Kendrick seen the trailer, vitally important and to Lamar music it feels which featured the like an hour-long hold your loved ones as song ‘Godspeed’ by music video (in the close as you can... Frank Ocean, I knew best way possible) ‘Waves’ was going to a quiet, heart-breaking final act that to be a complete sensory experience. gently weaves itself through themes From its twirling visuals to its heavy use of (once again) family and love all until of neon lighting, the trailer displayed a the credits roll. Even in its final shot, film that looked almost like a sequel to where a character rides her bike, there ‘Euphoria’, and having loved ‘Euphoria’,
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
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