Hello, welcome to my blog. It’s rarely updated but as I’ve become increasingly disillusioned with social media, this will be one of the very few places I post anything.
For years I’ve only been using Twitter as my social media of choice only touching Meta/Facebook/Instagram as needed to communicate with family. Since the takeover and rebranding of Twitter it’s become increasingly bad. First they took the first party apps, then they reinstated the racists and bigots, then they made verified accounts and checkmarks pointless and now it seem to automatically flick over to the “For you” tab that seems to be dedicated to highlighting the racists and bigots. Just now I was watching a video posted by someone I follow, when it ended it instantly started to play a video of a man violently attacking a woman. I’m done with it.
So now if I do have the need to post something it’ll be here on my trusty old self hosted WordPress blog. I’ll also be posting and following on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/theville.co.uk
As a millenial I’ve grown up with the internet. From first seeing it at David Bulmer’s house in the early 90’s, to learning to code in the .com boom to being an “expert” with my liveihood being solely support by my internet based work. Early social media was an amazingly fun way to connect with fellow weirdos all over the world. I’ve met so many friends online and have to thank it for my family too. But it has been corrupted, for money, for influence and for power. The world is undoubtly a worse place for it. I urge people to seriously consider their social media use. I highly recommend “Ten arguments for deleting your social media accounts right now” by Jaron Lanier. I read it a few years ago now and I seriously cut down on my social media. It was written before the current AI boom which has and is hypercharging many of the bad things about social media. Misinformation & Disinformation are huge problems, even more so when combined with news and politics. If we can’t agree on an objective reality, then we are lost.
So yeah, that’s that.
Meanwhile, I’m getting into field recording. Soon I’ll be posting some recordings of places I’ve ending up whilst trapsing around the country side. Going outside and getting lost is quite fun.
As many of us start to have some time off and do the usual christmas things. I thought I’d share my favourite TV and films of the year, things that I’m sure many haven’t watched but you really should!
Not a family friendly list at all so 15+. Generally, I recommend seeing them blind without watching the trailer (especially the films) as that’s how I saw many of these myself and the discovery and surprise only added to the delight. But I’ve included them below if you’re interested. Some might be from not 2022 but I saw them this year and it’s my list, so there.
Obviously, I whole hearted recommend watching previous season to catch up on any of these that are a season or two deep already.
I’ve put where you can find each thing, films that aren’t on streaming service I recommend renting. For £3.50-£5 from wherever is easiest for you and all of these are well worth it. Use https://www.justwatch.com/uk/ to find the best prices or if it’s streaming. I suppose there’s other ways of obtaining things too.
Based on the excellent book (which I also recommend), an emotional rollercoaster about life in the NHS. Important, Funny, Life Affirming, Soul Destroying. Should be shown before every election.
No Force, no Jedi, no Sith, no lightsabers. Just great story telling about the issues of today set in the Star Wars universe. Some of the best writing, acting and cinematography not just in a Star Wars show but on TV this year.
Adapted from the 1992 film it’s a period sports comedy drama about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League formation in 1943. It diverges from the original with it’s greater focus on race and sexuality with great affect.
Probably my favourite film of the year. I’ve purposely not included the trailer as I saw it blind and it added so much to the experience. Looking at the trailers in hindsight, they certainly would have spoilt so much. Carnivalesque (thanks Ruth x) is the pertfect word.
Martin McDonagh’s (In Bruges, Three Billboard, Seven Psychopaths) latest doesn’t disappoint. Beautifully set in 1920’s Ireland and wonderful beak dark comedy about friendship and masculinity.
Just a damn good example of why films are excellent. Takes a tricky, taboo subject of sex and sex work and humanises it through great writing and acting.
The scariest film this year? Alex Garland (The Beach, 28 Days Later, Annihilation) makes a terrifying and probably divisive comment on toxic masculinity and women’s safety.
George Miller (Mad Max, Babe, Happy Feet) tells the Genie in a bottle story you think you’re so familiar with in a new way. With Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba front and center what else do you need?
A masterpiece from the Daniels. Multiverse’s have been the talk of the town recently but the idea hasn’t be explored as clearly and imaginatively as this. Sci-fi, Kung-fu, fantasy, black comedy.
