Jade Bahr

I like this movie but sometimes it's really schmaltzy - the cringey dialogs + the medicore stiff acting etc Definitely too long, the story boring and pointless that at some points I was close to fast forwarding lol

‘Rings of Power’ Season 2 Is So Much Better Than ‘House of the Dragon’ The most expensive show in TV history, the “Lord of the Rings” prequel has a major creative glow-up in Season 2. From storytelling to visuals, Middle Earth > Westeros. Hunky Sauron returns in the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and though he divided fans during the series’ maiden run, his duplicitousness proves the lynchpin of its superb sophomore outing. Determined to create additional rings of power and, with them, to manipulate Middle Earth’s numerous races into aiding his quest for world domination, Sauron is a villain of menacing Machiavellian proportions, and Charlie Vickers’ sterling performance as the dark lord drives much of this thrilling saga. Rife with deceptions and betrayals, the latest installment in the J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired prequel is a grand and unnerving showcase for Sauron’s superior cunning, intuition, and gift for treating his adversaries as pawns and rendering them fools—including a legendary craftsman who turns out to be the one dupe to ruin them all. With these eight new episodes, The Rings of Power, launching August 29 on Prime Video, remains a worthy backstory complement to Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning cinematic trilogy, marked as it is by CGI that brings the diverse realms of Middle Earth to stunning life, intricate plotting that’s rooted in three-dimensional characterizations and a sense of this civilization’s history and lore, and a collection of set pieces that culminate with an all-out war that recalls The Two Towers’ Battle of Helm’s Deep. Filled with extravagant monsters, vast and unique lands, brawny skirmishes, and striking tableaus, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay’s fantasy epic—the most expensive TV show ever produced—is an aesthetic triumph, its direction (courtesy of Charlotte Brändström, Louise Hooper, and Sanaa Hamri) and score (by Bear McCreary) channeling the sweeping scope and scale of its big-screen ancestors without ever feeling duplicative or redundant. Yet more important than its style, ultimately, is its nuanced multi-pronged narrative about greed, ambition, and seduction, all of it exploited by Sauron for devious ends. There’s more going on in The Rings of Power than just about anything on television, but Payne and McKay weave their several storylines together into a coherent tapestry of honor and treachery, selfishness and altruism. Having discovered that her comrade Halbrand was Sauron, Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) becomes convinced that the three rings of power created with the dwarves’ mithril is the key to saving the elves from extinction. Given that they were designed under Sauron’s watch, however, Elrond (Robert Aramayo) is deeply distrustful of the rings, thus putting him at odds with his long-time friend. Their dispute is one of many sown by Sauron, who having outed himself to his former allies allows himself to be captured by Adar (Sam Hazeldine, replacing Joseph Mawle). The Orc leader holds him prisoner without realizing his true identity, and in an opening flashback, he's revealed to be the figure who, in the aftermath of Morgoth’s demise, attempted to kill Sauron, played in this earlier incarnation by Slow Horses’ Jack Lowden. Following his escape from Adar’s military encampment, Sauron travels to Eregion to meet with master elven smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), whose trust he gains after divulging his “authentic” (read: false) self as Annatar, an elf god. Celebrimbor’s genius and hubris are easy prey for Sauron’s trickery, and he’s soon persuaded to craft new sets of rings, beginning with seven for the dwarves. Dwarf King Durin III (Peter Mullan) is eager to accept these gifts, considering that their predecessors restored the elves’ immortality and his mountain kingdom of Khazad-dûm has suffered cave-ins that have left it without sunlight. Alas, the ring he wears quickly corrupts his heart and mind, making him mad with avarice, which seriously concerns his estranged son Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) and daughter-in-law Disa (Sophia Nomvete) but earns Sauron further mithril supplies for his ring-making endeavor. Elsewhere in Middle Earth, elf warrior Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) is grieving a painful loss and crosses paths with Isildor (Maxim Baldry), who winds up partnering with a wild woman named Estrid (Nia Towle), whose romantic feelings for him are as obvious as her motivations are clandestine. In Isildor’s native Númenor, blind queen Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and her beloved right-hand man Elendil (Lloyd Owen) find themselves at odds with scheming politician Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle), who wants to usurp the throne and free their kingdom of elven influence even as he secretly wields an elf crystal ball (known as a palantir) that, like so much in The Rings of Power, spreads Sauron’s influence like a plague. At every opportunity, the dark lord takes advantage of men and women’s dreams and desires, noble impulses and base vulnerabilities, to advance his plan. Though he’s not always present in these narratives, Vickers’ baddie hovers over them like a malevolent specter, orchestrating chaos with a seemingly helpful insinuation here and a tantalizing promise there. This is just the tip of the iceberg for The Rings of Power’s second season, which also picks up with the Stranger (Daniel Weyman)—accompanied by his diminutive Harfoot friends Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards)—as he searches for a staff spied in slumbering visions. This trek leads him to Tolkien favorite Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) as well as a Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds) who commands a battalion of skull-masked marauders. The identities of the Stranger and the Dark Wizard are hardly big mysteries, but the series nonetheless has fun playing coy with them, and it offsets that impishness with a mounting atmosphere of doom and gloom begat by Sauron, whom Vickers inhabits with a calculating friendliness and benevolence that belies his monstrous intentions. The actor’s terrific turn evokes both Sauron’s slyness and the bottomless void it masks, and it’s matched by a collection of equally solid performances led by Clark, whose fierceness and resolve are as daunting as her skill at rolling her Rs (especially when she purrs “Celebrimbor” and “Sauron”) is impressive. The Rings of Power elegantly balances its myriad points of interest, only faltering slightly with a Númenor thread that too closely resembles House of the Dragon. Still, unlike that TV rival, Payne and McKay’s series boasts no stagnant placeholder episodes; every scene and subplot moves with urgent purpose. Better yet, it exudes grandeur in its expansive panoramas of Middle Earth and conflicts between combatants big and small, and it rarely indulges in one-dimensional writing, such that even the Orcs are complicated creatures rather than merely snarling, rabid fiends. Building to a prolonged campaign between forces that don’t (or refuse to) understand that their strings are being pulled by a virtuoso puppeteer, The Rings of Power is a tragedy born from arrogance, gluttony, and ego. Suspenseful, graceful, and frequently breathtaking, it’s a portrait of the way in which our chief strengths are also often our greatest weaknesses—a notion embodied, here, by Celebrimbor, an artist whose aspiration for immortality is the seed of incalculable destruction.

Sauron on ‘Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Is Officially TV’s Greatest Villain With “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 2 now in full flow, we’re enthralled with Charlie Vickers’ captivating, multi-dimensional breakout. The landscape of television is littered with great villains. Gustavo Fring, Joffrey Baratheon, the Cigarette Smoking Man, Vernon Schillinger—the list goes on and on. With the latest season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power now in full flow, a new power has arisen and entered that stratosphere of villainy: Charlie Vickers’ Sauron… and Halbrand… and Annatar. Rings of Power is a staggering achievement in terms of scale and scope, with layered character development, action set-pieces that hold up against the mastery achieved by Peter Jackson 20 years ago, as well as a near-perfect balance of multiple plotlines (Númenor is still a little shaky). But the show’s greatest achievement to date is establishing Sauron as the greatest villain currently occupying your screens. This is in part due to his characterization, in part down to the magnetic performance of Australian actor Charlie Vickers, along with the sumptuous chemistry he possesses with seemingly every character and cast member he encounters. Starting with Vickers himself, it’s a mighty achievement that he’s established himself so fully in this show, in this role, and as a future star of the industry given his relative lack of experience prior to Rings of Power. An eight episode run in 2018’s Medici, and two minor film roles made up the entirety of his CV before taking on the mantle of the Dark Lord, but Vickers possesses the aura of someone who should occupy your screen at every possible juncture moving forward. Tackling three characters within one is no easy feat for an experienced veteran of the small screen, let alone such a relative newcomer, but Vickers has brought a depth and a nuance to each face of Sauron we’ve been treated to thus far. His Halbrand, an original character created for Rings of Power, was brought to life with an incredible charisma, but also a quiet vulnerability, all wrapped up in the wider mystery of Season 1’s story. The brief glimpses we’ve seen of his Sauron-esque form at the end of Season 1 never lost any of that charisma, but added a secondary layer of malice that Vickers carried with ease—an almost quiet threat that exuded off the screen. And finally, his Annatar form, which debuted in last week’s three-episode premiere of Season 2, elevated his performance to new heights. Sauron is the greatest deceiver in all of fantasy literature, maybe all of fiction, and his Annatar form is central to that legacy. Awe-inspiringly beautiful, in essence, an emissary of the Gods themselves, Vickers brings Annatar to life with such calculated levels of grandeur—to the point that you find yourself wholly transfixed by his presence, almost as if the Valar themselves emerged before you. While Vickers deserves immense credit for his stellar work in bringing new life to one of literature's greatest villains, showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne deserve their due as well for fully grasping Sauron as a character—not just as a faceless evil within a lidless eye, but as a figure who is in part a tragic one, but also a classic iteration of Machiavellian tendencies. Peter Jackson’s iconic trilogy from the early 2000s stands as one of cinema’s greatest series, but Sauron is never really delved into in any meaningful way—presented purely as the source of ultimate evil. While McKay and Payne aren’t portraying Sauron as “good guy” by any stretch of the imagination, his characterization is one of complexity, adding a whole new meaning to our perception of him. The show hasn’t pretended Sauron wants anything other than to control all of Middle-Earth, bending the minds of its population to his will. Far from it, actually—the show has made it plain that it’s his truest desire. But like all great villains, this desire doesn’t come out of a simple paint-by-numbers need for domination, but out of a genuine intention to, in his eyes, heal the world. As he states to Galadriel in the Season 1 finale, “Alloyed,” he sees no difference between saving and ruling Middle-Earth, but the point remains—his mission and his purpose is born out of a flawed desire to be savior. Naturally, a villain is only as strong as the characters they work with, and Rings of Power has provided two for Sauron to manipulate, infatuate, and ultimately, control in two separate dynamics with a delicious blend of both desire and despair. Season 1 spent so much time forging the relationship between Sauron and Morfydd Clark’s wonderful Galadriel, and their relationship was the true highlight of the season. Balancing a beautiful tenderness with the unshakeable belief that something was amiss, all culminating in the extraordinary scene of Halbrand’s reveal over his true identity, and Galadriel’s culpability in his return to power. Season 2 looks to be no different, this time switching the relationship from Galadriel to Charles Edwards’ Celebrimbor—the celebrated Elven smith and forger of the titular Rings of Power. It’s in this relationship where Vickers truly brings the Machiavellian nature of his character to life, feeding on the pride and insecurity of his target to achieve his own ends. Emerging from the fire in his Annatar form, Sauron says to Celebrimbor, “When our work is complete, never again will the world overlook you as the mere scion of Fëanor, but forevermore revere you… The Lord of the Rings.” From that moment on, Celebrimbor is trapped, pulled ever further into the manipulation by his own desire to craft a legacy for himself. Having a villain who knows exactly what strings to pull, what buttons to push, so that they ultimately achieve what they desire is paramount to any story tackling notions of good and evil, but The Rings of Power has taken it to new heights. Vickers embodies Sauron with such complexity, balancing the myriad elements of his multiple persona’s to perfection, portraying benevolence in one frame while his shadow creeps into the next. The Rings of Power has the potential to dominate the television landscape throughout its run, particularly after such a shaky season of House of the Dragon—its main competitor in the fantasy landscape. But if The Rings of Power is to receive the adoration and accolades it deserves, so much of that will come off the back of Charlie Vickers’ portrayal as its leading antagonist.

Lover her natural make up look 🤩

I really want to see her in "natural" status because she looks so fake/plastic to me. Didn't even know she's an actress lol

I saw the trailer in cinema and I was already TERRYFIED so I can't wait for the final movie @Lilja K James McAvoy is one of my all time favorites (how about a list of his work? he's so good I think he's also very underrated imo)

She's hands down one of the most gorgeous women gracing this earth Photographed by Adir Abergel for the ‘WE LIVE IN TIME’ press.

This scene... well -uhm- played 😏 @Lilja K

Hi handsome 🥰

They should just recast Timothy imo. He hardly looks his age, let alone 12 years older 🤣 @Lilja K

#for science K I S S O G R A P H Y : ↳ Viggo Mortensen THE INDIAN RUNNER (1991) / Patricia Arquette THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (1996) / Nicole Kidman A PERFECT MURDER (1998) / Gwyneth Paltrow A WALK ON THE MOON (1999) / Diane Lane 28 DAYS (2000) / Sandra Bullock LOTR: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001) / Liv Tyler LOTR: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) / Liv Tyler LOTR: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003) / Liv Tyler A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005) / Maria Bello EASTERN PROMISES (2007) / Naomi Watts

Since The Rings of Power has me in cockhold since season 2 started I decided to re watch Lord of the Rings (I can't put in words how much I love Aragorn ) ... and stumbled about those gifs! HOLY MOLY The Indian Runner (1991) Have you seen the movie? @Lilja K

Of course LOL ‘The Lord of the Rings: Hunt for Gollum' Will Be Split Into Two Films Ian McKellen has confirmed that Andy Serkis’ upcoming “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum” will be split up into two films. McKellen, who will be returning as Gandalf, explains that he still hasn’t read the script, but that it’s supposed to be by finished early next year. “I’m told it’s two films,” the actor told ITV’s This Morning. It was recently reported that Serkis might be using AI to de-age his LOTR actors, which include McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom. The story of ‘Gollum’ is set only a few years after 2003’s “The Return of the King.”

That's pretty much it. With the face of Halbrand he tried to seduced Galadriel (kinda successful kinda not I think he at least tempted her and managed to make her questioning her own morals etc)... Also not to spoiler anything but we also got a glimpse of Saurons "spiritual form" in E1 of S2 after Adar "killed" Sauron -played by Jack Lowden- with his own stupid crown (also one of my favorite scenes so far) ... and now in S2 Annatar is about to make Celebrimbor his ring puppy. I mean you only can seduce people when you give them something they desire and I think the show nailed this part of Sauron so far. I already feel sorry for him when he realizes -too late of course- the evil behind the “fair face.” "what have you done to me?" poor guy I also think the fairer he gets the more merciless he is bonus actually he was doomed the very first moment

Yay or nay? @Lilja K Shailene Woodley to Play Janis Joplin in Biopic

Leo & Dakota at Caring for Women dinner in NY on monday Now this is some sort of "hot" friendship 😏

Well deserved it's a great season so far

Sounds like a nightmare.

Yay or nay? @Lilja K

📸 Juergen Teller for W Magazine | Jan. 4, 2024