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‘The Wonder’ Review: The Hungry Woman

In this period drama, Florence Pugh plays a British nurse hired to observe an Irish girl who’s said not to have eaten in four months.

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By Manohla Dargis

From the moment that Florence Pugh appears in the period drama “The Wonder” — seated at a table on a dimly lit ship and methodically eating from a plate while she gazes into some private horizon — you are with her. Her character, Lib Wright, looks so self-contained and so manifestly uninterested in the other passengers that you can’t help but be intrigued by her. She’ll keep you watching and interested as you follow her through this perverse, provocative story about women, their appetites and a world that barbarically tries to control them both.

A story of faith and sacrifice, “The Wonder” is a mystery wrapped in a welter of complications. Set in Ireland in 1862 — roughly a decade after the end of the Great Famine that ravaged the country, leaving an estimated one million dead — the story takes off when Lib, a nurse from London, arrives for her new and uncommon duties in a remote village. For two weeks, she is to closely observe a pious 11-year-old girl who’s said not to have eaten for four months. How the child remains alive is the puzzle that Lib briskly sets about solving, fortified by her seemingly unshakable confidence in science and an attitude of clinical detachment.

Lib’s journey to Ireland is arduous — she travels by boat, train and horse-drawn cart, her head like a prow, her face a mask of stoicism — and soon proves more existentially difficult than physically challenging. At the village, she meets her employers, a dour committee of patriarchs that includes a doctor (Toby Jones) and a priest (Ciarán Hinds). Anna O’Donnell (Kíla Lord Cassidy) does not eat, will not eat, or so it appears, they tell the incredulous Lib. Whether the fast is a miracle or a hoax, Anna has become an attraction and, as far as the men are concerned, has drawn unwanted attention from gawkers and the press.

Although some on the committee seem ready to canonize the fasting girl, others are more skeptical. Whatever the truth, Anna belongs to the ranks of women and girls who are problems in need of remedying, which is why Lib and a nun (Josie Walker) are to watch her in alternating eight-hour shifts. (Why the committee hires a British nurse remains a mystery.) Lib’s no-nonsense demeanor and grim history — she was a nurse in the Crimean War, presumably alongside Florence Nightingale — make her seem perfect for the position. That Lib is another problem becomes evident later that evening when she ingests some opium.

The Chilean director Sebastián Lelio — his credits include “Gloria,” its English-language remake “ Gloria Bell ” and “A Fantastic Woman” — gracefully introduces the pieces of this peculiar tale with economy, beauty, his characteristic intimacy and usual complement of memorable faces. His only real misstep is a framing device: two quasi-Brechtian scenes on a soundstage that bookend the story and announce its artifice. “The people you are about to meet, the characters, believe in their stories with complete devotion,” an offscreen woman says, as the camera glides past film equipment and splashes of color before stopping on Lib.

The voice belongs to Kitty (Niamh Algar), who’s close to the O’Donnell family and will sometime later, when in character, look at the camera and say, “Hello again. I told you we are nothing without stories.” No kidding. It’s unclear why Lelio bothered with these forced alienation effects, which are meant to compel you to think about what you’re watching (as if you ever stop thinking) rather than identify psychologically with the characters (as if that’s all viewers do). It’s a dubious move — and the assertive modern score is already doing some of that work — and generally is as stale as one of old Hollywood’s phony happy endings.

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Breaking news, how to stream the democratic national convention online, ‘the wonder’ review: florence pugh dazzles in sebastian lelio’s mesmerizing study of faith and abuse.

Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones and newcomer Kila Lord Cassidy co-star in this drama set in famine-ravaged 1862 Ireland.

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The story takes place in 1862, when an English nurse, Lib Wright (Pugh), comes to a small town in famine-ravaged Ireland to investigate a strange occurrence on a desolate homestead. The family’s young daughter, Anna (Kila Lord Cassidy), has been fasting for a few months with no apparent ill effects. The girl’s family and the elders of the community want to insure the girl’s safety and also verify if this might be a bona fide Christian miracle. Lib is skeptical of any supernatural interpretation; her only desire is to help the child, and she runs up against a community of elders who distrust her medical expertise.

The community’s priest (Oscar nominee Ciaran Hinds) and doctor (Toby Jones) look down on Lib, though she clearly has much more knowledge than they do, as well as considerably more compassion. Lib has her own troubled past, which is gradually revealed, and this may partly explain her desire to save the child under her care. Her only real ally is a journalist from England (Tom Burke), who is investigating a story that has obviously traveled beyond the confines of this small village.

Technically, the film is a striking achievement, with elegant, appropriately dark-tinged cinematography by Ari Wegner, who also shot The Power of the Dog last year. The eerie musical score by Matthew Herbert contributes to the movie’s impact.

Some of the other actors have too little to do. Hinds’ role seems underwritten, and other family members are also sketched a little too hazily. But there’s no disputing the power of the story and of the central performance. Pugh has shown great strength in earlier films like Lady Macbeth and Little Women , but here she rivets our attention from first frame to last. In a world increasingly threatened by religious extremism and male arrogance, we can take some comfort from the idea that women like Lib Wright — at least as embodied by Florence Pugh — are around to fight the good fight and even achieve occasional victories.

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‘The Wonder’ Review: You Won’t Believe Sebastián Lelio’s Latest, but Not in a Good Way

Florence Pugh plays a widowed Nightingale nurse looking for the gimmick that could explain how an Irish girl has survived without eating for four months.

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The Lord works in mysterious ways, Christians are fond of telling us. More mysterious still is the matter of faith, a uniquely human idea which operates on the principle that phenomena we can’t explain are true, not because we understand them but because we don’t need to.

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Then how to explain the film’s Brechtian framing device? Lelio opens on a soundstage, drawing our attention to the artifice: “Hello, this is a movie called ‘The Wonder,’” a woman welcomes (supporting actor Niamh Algar, so compelling in tiny doses, you wish she had more to do here). Movies aren’t real, this unusual introduction reminds, but their emotions can be. “We invite you to believe in this one,” continues the narrator, as DP Ari Wegner (“Lady Macbeth”) tracks left from a farmhouse set to the hold of a ship to find Pugh, deep in character.

It’s not clear what the film gains from this self-conscious setup, especially since Lelio proceeds to give his mostly female cast sufficient room to make their characters feel true. Once Lib arrives in Ireland, the movie commits to her reality. Just a few years earlier, the Irish Potato Famine pummeled the region, starving roughly a million, and food is still precious in most people’s minds. “The Wonder” doesn’t emphasize this overly, though you can sense it in Lib’s frustration when her employers call her away from whatever gruel was to be her first meal at the boardinghouse where she’s staying (a place with nearly a dozen hungry mouths to feed).

Lib soon learns that she’s not the only nurse they’ve engaged, though the other is no medical expert; she’s a nun. The two women are to take turns watching Anna and report on their findings. However politely serious Lelio’s approach, it’s a common enough horror-movie trope to send in an expert to examine someone exhibiting supernatural behavior, à la “The Exorcist” or “The Sixth Sense.” But “The Wonder” is not a horror movie. Nor is it the kind of film where a skeptic is swayed by what she sees (another familiar device in such films, where the director can bend the rules of nature to suit their point). When Lib first meets Anna, she’s impressed by the girl’s conviction. Believers often enjoy a serenity that atheists cannot, able to offload their anxieties to a higher power. Cassidy, who so eerily embodies Anna, taps into that peace. But the girl is not without secrets.

To make her study more scientific, Lib forbids any kind of physical contact between Anna and her parents. Almost immediately, the girl’s health starts to slump. Here, the movie seems to imply that Lib is justified in her means: She’s getting to the Truth. But it’s her rule that’s endangering Anna’s life, and the way she resolves the situation (with the help of a London journalist, played by Tom Burke) is ethically corrupt and downright inexcusable — a third party deciding what’s right for someone else’s child.

Reviewed at Netflix Roma screening room, Los Angeles, Aug. 24, 2022. In Telluride, Toronto film festivals. Running time: 108 MIN.

• Production: (U.K.-Ireland) A Netflix release and presentation of a House Prods., Element Pictures production. Producers: Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell. Executive producers: Emma Donoghue, Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen.
• Crew: Director: Sebastián Lelio. Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Sebastián Lelio, Alice Birch, based on the novel by Emma Donoghue. Camera: Ari Wegner. Editor: Kristina Hetherington. Music: Matthew Herbert.
• With: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Elaine Cassidy.

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The Wonder Review

A plain period drama starring florence pugh..

The Wonder is now in select theaters, and will stream on Netflix on Nov. 16.

Director Sebastián Lelio has made some remarkable films, including Spanish-language drama Glora, its English-language remake Gloria Bell, and his tremendous 2018 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner A Fantastic Woman. Each one is both grounded and imaginative, with a lived-in, familiar quality that makes up for any lack of visual embellishments. Unfortunately his latest film, The Wonder, loses its familiarity in service of a mystery presented un-mysteriously, about a 19th century English nurse who travels to Ireland to investigate a miracle, unfurling a tale of deeply held beliefs and even deeper regrets that read like demons on paper, but play out as mere inconveniences in practice.

The year is 1862. It’s been barely over a decade since the Great Famine, and battlefield nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) has been summoned to a small Irish town. She’s been tasked, by the township’s elders, with watching over a young girl named Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who, according to some, hasn’t eaten since her 11th birthday, four whole months ago. Lib’s job is to observe and verify, though her sense of duty compels her otherwise — if only for Anna’s safety. The Wonder isn’t really concerned with the “how” of the girl’s survival as it is with the “why.”

Made from a screenplay by Emma Donoghue (which she adapted from her own novel, much as she did with the movie Room ), The Wonder is framed as a story about stories, opening on a modern day film set before stepping into the past. There’s even voiceover that makes reference to the importance of stories and the way people cling to them, setting up a tale of fanatical religious belief that manifests as overseeing a girl all but starving herself to death just years after a famine. Surely there must be reasons for this — whether good or bad ones, they’re reasons Anna and her family must believe in all the same — and in trying to discern these motives, Lib ends up exposing parts of her own past, and her own tragic story, which inform her concerns.

The problem is that these stories (and the film’s own musings about storytelling) are far more compelling in theory than in execution. While young Cassidy delivers a spellbinding performance as a girl claiming to survive off only “manna from heaven,” Pugh’s character comes off more empty than reserved, owing to a visual approach that’s far too restrained for a story of lingering doubts that conjure horrible thoughts and memories. The cast includes heavy hitters like Toby Jones and Ciaran Hinds, who play members of a board convening to debate Lib’s duties, but they’re made to feel like an afterthought. So much of the experience of The Wonder is akin to watching filmed rehearsals in pre-production, with little by way of staging, movement, or rhythm to enhance what is clearly a very loaded text, given the facts which are eventually unearthed about several central characters.

What's your favorite Florence Pugh movie?

That’s all they are, though. Just facts, despite warm, low-light photography by Ari Wegner that seeks to make the story intriguing, and creeping, jagged musical tones by Matthew Herbert, which are filled with distorted voices, and which seek to dislodge your sense of equilibrium. Rather than using staging, framing, and motion to complement these forces, Lelio decides to withhold, in favor of a more observational approach — but what he’s observing is rarely expressive enough to speak for itself.

Lib, and the movie, both meander through what should be a powerful (and powerfully self-reflexive) tale about the way sticking to stories, beliefs, and rituals can both shackle and liberate. Even the handful of moments where faith is challenged, through dialogue, result in little by way of characters or the audience feeling shaken. And when the story finally takes minor turns — calling them “twists” or even “swerves” would be generous — it’s often difficult to tell which moments are meant to be emotional highs, and which ones are the lulls or the connective tissue. After a while, it all feels flattened into a homogenous mass, seldom stirring, and almost never instilling curiosity, let alone emotional intrigue.

The Wonder is the rare film where you might get more out of reading a plot summary. It’s a rare misfire from director Sebastián Lelio, whose approach to his tale of a 19th century English nurse (Florence Pugh) investigating an Irish miracle is far too plain to be mysterious or stirring.

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Common Sense Media Review

Irish period drama has drugs, sex, distressing themes.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Wonder is a pensive period drama -- set in 1860s Ireland -- that is female-led, with a strong, complex lead at its core. There is also some drug use, sex scenes, occasional strong language, and references to child sex abuse. It explores the religion versus science debate, and while…

Why Age 15+?

Two characters engage in sexual intercourse, fully clothed, up against a wall. O

A character is seen drinking liquid opium, to numb the grief they are suffering.

Distressing scenes involving a child who refuses to eat. Character spits out a b

Infrequent language, includes "f--k" and "Jesus Christ."

Any Positive Content?

Lib is widowed, and grieving the loss of a child, but shows incredible strength

A character displays courage, perseverance, integrity, and compassion. The film

A period piece set in rural Ireland, the cast is predominantly White. The centra

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Two characters engage in sexual intercourse, fully clothed, up against a wall. One character attempts to masturbate, but they eventually give up.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A character is seen drinking liquid opium, to numb the grief they are suffering. The central character stays above a pub -- customers are seen drinking on occasion.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Distressing scenes involving a child who refuses to eat. Character spits out a bloody tooth and is force-fed with a tube down their throat. Character cuts a finger, which is quite graphic in its depiction. There is a kidnapping plot and arson -- a picture of Jesus Christ and the Bible are seen burning. Dead rabbits are seen at the market. Several references to a dead spouse and child. Reference to child sex abuse.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Lib is widowed, and grieving the loss of a child, but shows incredible strength and resilience to carry on. She also stands up in the face of a patriarchal, backwards establishment, and fights for the well-being of Anna, when it seems nobody has her best interests at heart. The characters who believe in spirituality over pragmatism make life-threatening mistakes.

Positive Messages

A character displays courage, perseverance, integrity, and compassion. The film explores the religion versus science debate. While it sides with the latter, it doesn't make a mockery out of those who feel otherwise and acknowledges the comfort people get from their own beliefs.

Diverse Representations

A period piece set in rural Ireland, the cast is predominantly White. The central two characters are well-rounded and nuanced, and belong to women -- one of whom tries to stand up to a patriarchal society. The film is directed and co-written by a Chilean man.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that The Wonder is a pensive period drama -- set in 1860s Ireland -- that is female-led, with a strong, complex lead at its core. There is also some drug use, sex scenes, occasional strong language, and references to child sex abuse. It explores the religion versus science debate, and while it does support the latter, especially where the health of a child is concerned, it remains non-judgmental. Lib Wright ( Florence Pugh ) is a nurse, who is grieving the loss of both her husband and child. She is seen taking opium on occasion, to help overcome her pain. She remains spirited and empathetic, though, especially toward her patient, Anna O'Donnell (Kila Lord Cassidy), looking out for her well-being in a way that it seems nobody else will. The film veers into moments of body horror. A character spits out a bloody tooth and a cut finger is somewhat gory. In one scene, a child is force-fed. Two characters have sex, in their clothes, up against a wall, while another is seen attempting to masturbate, only to give up. There is use of the words "f--k" and "Jesus Christ." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

In THE WONDER, English nurse Lib Wright ( Florence Pugh ) heads to Ireland, in the 1860s, to study and observe the young Anna O'Donnell (Kila Lord Cassidy), who is said to have not eaten in months. Tourists visit to witness this child they believe to be a miracle from God -- but Lib is more concerned with keeping the girl alive.

Is It Any Good?

Set in 1860s Ireland, this intriguing film delves into thriller territory at times, then horror, yet remains a slow-burning, pensive period drama that exists somewhere between genre lines. The Wonder is based on a novel by Emma Donoghue, the same author who penned Room , which was also adapted into a widely praised movie . As seen in that story, Donoghue has a great ability for characterisation, in limited and somewhat intimate settings. Much of this film focuses on the two women at the core; a nurse (Pugh) and patient (Cassidy). It's a nuanced and complex situation, that has so much bubbling under the surface.

Pugh is wonderful in the leading role, bringing depth to a character with so much history. You feel Lib's past, you see the pain in her eyes. Somewhat bizarrely, the film is bookended with a breaking of the fourth wall. But ignore this and you'll be rewarded with a narrative that explores a fascinating territory with a deft, yet capable touch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the science versus religion debate in The Wonder . How were these two approaches portrayed in the film? What impact did it have on the characters?

Would you describe Lib as a positive female role model? What makes a good role model ? What character strengths did she show?

Did you find any of the scenes or discussions disturbing? If so, which ones and why?

Discuss the drug use in the film? Why did Lib take drugs? Were there consequences? Did it glamorize it?

How was sex portrayed in the film? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 2, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : November 16, 2022
• Cast : Florence Pugh , Tom Burke , Niamh Algar
• Director : Sebastian Lelio
• Inclusion Information : Latino directors, Female actors, Female writers, Latino writers
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : History , Science and Nature
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Integrity , Perseverance
• Run time : 103 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : for some sexuality
• Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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• TriPictures

Summary The Irish Midlands, 1862 - a young girl stops eating but remains miraculously alive and well. English nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is brought to a tiny village to observe eleven-year old Anna O'Donnell. Tourists and pilgrims mass to witness the girl who is said to have survived without food for months. Is the village harbouring a sai ... Read More

Directed By : Sebastián Lelio

Written By : Emma Donoghue, Sebastián Lelio, Alice Birch

Florence Pugh

Kíla lord cassidy, anna o'donnell, niamh algar, kitty o'donnell, david wilmot, ruth bradley, maggie ryan, darcey campion, ryan's daughter, abigail coburn, carla hurley o'dwyer, juliette hurley o'dwyer, dr mcbrearty, dermot crowley, ciarán hinds, father thaddeus, brían f. o'byrne, josie walker, sister michael, elaine cassidy, rosaleen o'donnell, caolan byrne, malachy o'donnell, mary murray, critic reviews.

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• Entertainment

'The Wonder' on Netflix: That Ending Explained and Your Questions Answered

The psychological period drama starring Florence Pugh has a fairly unconventional beginning and ending.

• Best New Journalist 2019 Australian IT Journalism Awards

Florence Pugh stars as Lib Wright in The Wonder.

If you just caught The Wonder on Netflix , you might have questions about that unconventional ending. The psychological drama from Chilean director Sebastián Lelio asks you to believe in the power of storytelling and how it can alter reality. Case in point: The young girl visited by Florence Pugh's Nurse Lib Wright claims to be able to survive without food, but someone might be spinning a yarn.

Let's run through the themes of The Wonder, sort the truth from the storytelling and find out why the movie opens and ends in such an odd way.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

What's with that weird opening?

You might have been double-checking which movie you'd put on after seeing this period drama's strange beginning. To the sounds of haunting choral voices, we see the semi-built structure of an old-fashioned two-storey house. The camera pans through what appears to be a lot in a film studio, filled with equipment and other pieces of set. Then actor Niamh Algar says in voiceover: "Hello. This is the beginning. The beginning of a film called The Wonder. The people you're about to meet, the characters, believe in their stories with complete devotion. We are nothing without stories, and so we invite you to believe in this one."

The camera then stops on the interior of a ship sailing to Ireland in 1862, where the Great Famine "still casts a long shadow and the Irish hold England responsible for that devastation." It zooms in on Florence Pugh, who plays English nurse Lib Wright, the main character of the tale.

William (Tom Burke), Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) and Nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh).

Yep, it's all a tad pretentious. But it effectively sets up the main theme of the film: the power of belief. The whole reason Nurse Wright is summoned by a self-appointed committee to a village in Ireland is that many people want to believe a young girl called Anna O'Donnell has miraculously lived without food for four months. Nurse Wright is enlisted to watch the girl for two weeks to determine how she's still alive.

This framing also sets us up to be aware of the transportive power of storytelling -- you're quickly immersed in the creaking, drippy, smokey world of the ship and Nurse Wright's journey, a journey the narrator has invited us to believe in.

What does Nurse Wright drink every night?

Nurse Wright's addiction to what looks to be laudanum, a tincture of opium, is another nod to that question of what's real and what isn't. Nurse Wright has suffered her fair share of tragedy -- her baby daughter died and her husband left her soon after -- and the night cap might be her way of coping. Pricking her finger with blood could be a way of checking she's still alive -- or it could be a form of self-harm. Amid the stresses of her current job, the ritual seems to further loosen Nurse Wright's grip on reality.

Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) refuses to eat because of her beliefs.

Is it true that Anna doesn't need to eat?

Not long into Nurse Wright's stay with the O'Donnell family, we see young Anna's mother lean in close to her daughter's face during a nightly prayer. It isn't clear if we're witnessing a loving kiss on the forehead or something more disturbing. Nurse Wright soon escalates her watch over the miracle patient by insisting the O'Donnells no longer come into Anna's room. From this point onward, Anna's condition deteriorates rapidly.

About two-thirds through the film, after summoning the committee, Nurse Wright reveals her assessment of the situation: "Anna's mother, Mrs. O'Donnell, has been passing her food from her own mouth. She cups her face and kisses her good morning and good night, and she feeds her daughter with each kiss, like a bird." When her mother is prevented from kissing her, Anna quickly becomes ill, no longer receiving any sustenance at all.

Why does Anna refuse to eat?

Even after Nurse Wright reveals her findings to the committee, Anna's mother refuses to admit the truth. She and her husband are willing to let the experiment continue, even if Anna dies, refusing to give up their religious beliefs. In any case, Anna has "chosen" the path to death, believing that if she dies, "one soul will be released... from Hell." Anna thinks this soul will be her brother, who groomed and raped her at 9 for years. He was "punished" for the "Unholy" act with a deadly illness, but their mother says he'll be released to Heaven with Anna's sacrifice. Anna believes this is her duty because she loved her brother back.

Kitty (Niamh Algar), Anna's sister, who also ends up being the narrator.

What's with the narrator at the end?

In the end, Nurse Wright uses the power of storytelling and belief to save Anna. After discovering the horrifying narrative Anna's mother has fed her, Nurse Wright convinces Anna she could face a different fate: That she can die and make her sacrifice, but also be reborn as a 9-year-old again who didn't suffer terrible acts. Mixing the opioid liquid with milk, Nurse Wright induces Anna into a trance-like state in which she experiences rebirth, assuming the new identity of "Nan."

Nurse Wright fakes a report of Anna dying so the committee don't press charges against her, and she burns down the O'Donnell's house so evidence of a body appears to be destroyed. Escaping Ireland, Nurse Wright, William and Nan safely make it to Sydney, posing as the Cheshire family. There, we see them share a fancy meal, with Nan shown to be eating again.

To the sound of more hopeful, ethereal tones, the camera pans and we return to the film studio. There, we see Algar dressed in all black, no longer playing Anna's older sister Kitty, but the mysterious narrator. She whispers: "In. Out. In. Out." Again, pretentious, but this goes back to the idea of believing in stories and the power of faith.

Is The Wonder based on a true story?

Irish-Canadian writer Emma Donoghue adapted The Wonder from her own 2016 novel (Donoghue did the same with her 2010 novel Room, the 2015 adaptation seeing Brie Larson win the best actress Oscar). The story of The Wonder isn't based on real-life events but was inspired by the phenomenon of "the fasting girl," dating back to the 1500s, whereby girls would starve themselves as a form of penance.

In an interview with Pan Macmillan , Donoghue explains:

"I was instantly intrigued by these cases, which seemed to echo medieval saints starving as an act of penance, and also modern anorexics, but weren't exactly the same as either. In researching the novel I looked at almost fifty of them, which ranged from Ireland and Britain, to Western Europe, to the USA and Canada, from the 1500s right through to the 1900s. That's an average of only about one a decade; these self-starving celebrities were very rare. In some cases they may have heard of each other, but the cases didn't cluster; they happened at long, random intervals, anywhere from urban Brooklyn to rural Wales."

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The wonder (2022).

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Haunted by her past, a nurse travels from England to a remote Irish village in 1862 to investigate a young girl's supposedly miraculous fast.

Sebastián Lelio

Director, Writer

Emma Donoghue

Novel, Writer

Alice Birch

Top Billed Cast

Florence Pugh

Kíla Lord Cassidy

Anna O'Donnell

Niamh Algar

Kitty O’Donnell

Elaine Cassidy

Rosaleen O'Donnell

Ruth Bradley

Maggie Ryan

Dr. McBrearty

Ciarán Hinds

Father Thaddeus

Dermot Crowley

Full Cast & Crew

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A review by Manuel São Bento

Written by manuel são bento on december 3, 2022.

MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/mini-reviews-2022-edition

"The Wonder takes time to transform its mysterious premise into a truly captivating narrative, but the displays of Florence Pugh and especially Kíla Lord Cassidy - one of the most impressive performances to come from a 13-year-old - bear the struggles in the least relevant moments.

As a character study, the film approaches the protagonists' distinct grieving processes in a gradually more profound manner, with some surprises along the way. Filmmaker Sebastián Lelio makes the most of the atmo... read the rest.

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The Wonder Netflix - What We Know So Far

There's little doubt that Florence Pugh is one of Hollywood's fastest-rising stars. Making great impressions on audiences in films like " Midsommar ," " Fighting with My Family ," and Marvel's " Black Widow ," the 25-year-old British actress has shown incredible skill at performing across nearly all genres and scales. Now, she's gearing up to bring audiences her next major feature under the direction of "Gloria Bell" filmmaker Sebastián Lelio.

With that in mind, Netflix and Florence Pugh fans have finally gotten their first glimpse at "The Wonder" (via Variety ), which is helping to set the tone for the type of film audiences should expect. Directed by Lelio, "The Wonder" is part of a broad initiative by Netflix to continue pushing UK-based talent to the global stage. However, many are still curious about some key details related to the movie. If you're looking for more information about the release date, cast list, and plot of "The Wonder," then let's dive in and take a closer look.

What is The Wonder's release date?

No concrete release date has been announced for "The Wonder," however, we do know that the film is slated to debut on Netflix sometime next year. With the film currently in production in Ireland, it's safe to assume that audiences can expect to see it sometime in the back half of 2022 if everything proceeds smoothly and goes according to schedule.

This makes a bit of sense considering that "The Wonder" is currently the main project on Florence Pugh's plate. She recently finished promoting "Black Widow" for Marvel Studios, and she also recently wrapped production on Marvel Studios' " Hawkeye " as well as "Don't Worry Darling," which is the second directorial feature from " Booksmart " director Olivia Wilde. With all of that in mind, it seems fairly reasonable to assume that "The Wonder" will arrive within the next year or so.

Who is in The Wonder's cast?

As we have already established, Florence Pugh is currently the lead of "The Wonder." In the film, she will portray Lib Wright as the English nurse who attempts to unravel the mystery of the "fasting girls" — young women in the 19th century who claimed they could go months without eating — and uncover if what is happening is real, or a fraud. Beyond Pugh, however, "The Wonder" has assembled an incredible supporting cast of familiar character actors, as well as up-and-coming talent from the United Kingdom

In addition to Florence Pugh, "The Wonder" cast credited on IMDb also includes "Mank" actor Tom Burke, " Captain America: The First Avenger " actor Toby Jones, "Wrath of Man" actress Niamh Algar, and "Game of Thrones" actor Ciaran Hinds. Additional credited actors include Elaine Cassidy ("The Others"), Dermot Crowley ("The Death of Stalin"), and David Wilmot ("Barkskins"). At this time, Pugh is the only listed actor in the film with a credited, named role. However, with the film currently in production, audiences looking forward to the film will likely get more character details in the coming weeks and months.

What is the plot of The Wonder?

Netflix's "The Wonder" will adapt Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue's 2016 novel of the same name. The film is set in Ireland circa 1862 and follows the harrowing tale of the "fasting girls," who mysteriously stopped eating but never starved. In the film, Florence Pugh portrays Lib Wright, a nurse who attempts to unravel the mystery of the "fasting girls" as a sensationalist frenzy begins to overtake the girls' small Irish town.

With that plot revealed, it seems that Florence Pugh is operating firmly within her wheelhouse for "The Wonder." A rising star across numerous different genres, she has specifically made a name for herself with her dramatic chops in period pieces like Greta Gerwig's " Little Women " which hit theaters in 2019 and David Mackenzie's " Outlaw King ," which similarly debuted on Netflix. With that in mind, all eyes are on Pugh (not to mention the rest of the cast) to deliver standout performances in the adaptation of Emma Donoghue's novel.

That's everything that we currently know about Netflix 's "The Wonder." However, with the film currently in production, we're likely to learn more about the highly anticipated movie in the coming months. Looper will bring you more information related to the upcoming Florence-Pugh-fronted period piece as new details emerge.

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Wonder doesn't shy away from its bestselling source material's sentiment, but this well-acted and overall winsome drama earns its tugs at the heartstrings.

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This was the last movie review Roger Ebert filed. 

Released less than two years after his " The Tree of Life ," an epic that began with the dinosaurs and peered into an uncertain future, Terrence Malick 's "To the Wonder" is a film that contains only a handful of important characters and a few crucial moments in their lives. Although it uses dialogue, it's dreamy and half-heard, and essentially this could be a silent film — silent, except for its mostly melancholy music.

The movie stars Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko as a couple who fall deeply, tenderly, transcendently in love in France. Malick opens as they visit Mont St. Michel, the cathedral perched on a spire of rock off the French coast, and moves to the banks of the Seine, but really, its landscape is the terrain is these two bodies, and the worshipful ways in which Neil and Marina approach each other. Snatches of dialogue, laughter, shared thoughts, drift past us. Nothing is punched up for dramatic effect.

Marina, a single mother, decides to move with her little daughter, Tatiana, to America with Neil, and the setting suddenly becomes the flatlands of Oklahoma, a land seen here as nearly unpopulated. Oh, there are people here, but we see few of them and engage with only a handful. Again there is the hushed serenity as in France, but differences grow between them, and there is anger now in some of their words. Neil reconnects with Jane ( Rachel McAdams ), an American girl he was once in love with, and romantic perfection between he and Marina seems to slip away.

In Oklahoma, we meet Father Quintana ( Javier Bardem ), a priest from Europe, whose church is new and brightly lit. We can almost smell the furniture varnish. His faith has been challenged, and many of his statements are directed toward Jesus Christ, as a sort of former lover. Quintana visits prisoners, the ill, the poor and the illiterate, whose dialogue is half-understood even by themselves.

As all of these relationships intertwine, Malick depicts them with deliberate beauty and painterly care. The mood is often similar to the feelings of the early small-town scenes in " The Tree of Life ." Malick has a repertory of fundamental images he draws upon.

We don't need to be told Malick's in an autobiographical vein here; these memories surely belong to the storyteller. In both films, he is absorbed in living and dining rooms, looking out upon neat lawns and neighborhood pastoral peace.

As the film opened, I wondered if I was missing something. As it continued, I realized many films could miss a great deal. Although he uses established stars, Malick employs them in the sense that the French director Robert Bresson intended when he called actors "models." Ben Affleck here isn't the star of " Argo " but a man, often silent, intoxicated by love and then by loss. Bardem, as a priest far from home, made me realize as never before the loneliness of the unmarried clergy. Wandering in his empty church in the middle of the day, he is a forlorn figure, crying out in prayer and need to commune with his Jesus.

A more conventional film would have assigned a plot to these characters and made their motivations more clear. Malick, who is surely one of the most romantic and spiritual of filmmakers, appears almost naked here before his audience, a man not able to conceal the depth of his vision.

"Well," I asked myself, "why not?" Why must a film explain everything? Why must every motivation be spelled out? Aren't many films fundamentally the same film, with only the specifics changed? Aren't many of them telling the same story? Seeking perfection, we see what our dreams and hopes might look like. We realize they come as a gift through no power of our own, and if we lose them, isn't that almost worse than never having had them in the first place?

There will be many who find "To the Wonder" elusive and too effervescent. They'll be dissatisfied by a film that would rather evoke than supply. I understand that, and I think Terrence Malick does, too. But here he has attempted to reach more deeply than that: to reach beneath the surface, and find the soul in need.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

To the Wonder (2013)

Rated R for sexuality/nudity

112 minutes

Ben Affleck as Neil

Olga Kurylenko as Marina

Rachel McAdams as Jane

Javier Bardem as Quintana

Directed by

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Halle Berry's Netflix movie debuts with fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating

" The Union is a fun, worthwhile watch."

The spy rom-com, which is set for release on Netflix today (August 16), currently boasts a 70% critics score on the review aggregator website.

Directed by Giri/Haji 's Julian Farino, The Union sees Berry and Wahlberg play former high school sweethearts who reunite after 25 years. When Wahlberg's character Mike McKenna wakes up in London, he learns that Berry's Roxanne Hall is actually a spy.

Related: Alien: Romulus lands fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating after first reviews

Per the synopsis, Mike is "thrust into the world of super spies and secret agents when his high school sweetheart Roxanne recruits him on a high-stakes U.S. intelligence mission".

Critics praised the chemistry between the two leads, describing the action movie as "fun", while others called it "forgettable".

Here's a look at what some of the critics had to say:

"With its well-rounded performances, exciting action sequences, and stellar chemistry between Wahlberg and Berry, The Union is a fun, worthwhile watch that tees itself up nicely for a potential sequel mission — should Mike and Roxanne choose to accept it."

"There’s nothing really to recommend The Union except the fact that it exists and you can watch it. It’s a harmless waste of time because it’s a serious waste of a good idea."

Related: The best movies on Netflix to watch right now

Leisure Byte

"Thanks mostly to the natural chemistry between its two leads, some fun action sequences and the beautiful locations that we have come to expect from Netflix films, this one will be a fun watch for lovers of forgettable action and adventure."

Next Best Picture

" The Union follows the same formula as so many other spy movies that it entirely lacks any personality. Much of it is so poorly set up that one has to wonder if the screenwriters want anyone to watch it at all."

Entertainment Weekly

"Dumb-but-agreeable caper."

The Union will be released on Netflix on August 16. For a list of UK release dates for the rest of 2024, we've got you covered .

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Stree 2 Movie Review : This sequel is a headless wonder that's got humour in spades

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kareenrhea 6 hours ago

Abbas Razvi 7 hours ago

Tamannah's dance is left half-baked disappointedly. Some comedy is irritating. Shradha is always grinning showing her teeth. Rajkumar is repetitive. Akshay sneeks in taking short break from his many flops just like jobless Varun. Just Time-Pass stuff.

Jessica Parker 18 hours ago

Thankfully Bollywood is back without any jingoism, fake nationalism. This movie is pure entertainment. Recommended to see Stree 1, Bhediya and Munjaya before watching this.

ANURAG MOHANTY 1 day ago

Good entertainer and maintained curiosity all through but feels scripted and lacks the originality and essential freshness of Stree-1

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Every Late Night Talk Show, Ranked By IMDb Score

James corden’s 10 best movies (according to rotten tomatoes), drake & josh revival chances get surprising response from drake bell: “let’s hit ‘em with a bang”.

• James Corden's career took a hit after leaving The Late Late Show , with many people disliking him due to his on-screen personality and reported off-camera conduct.
• Critics find Corden to be rude and fake in interviews, interrupting and talking over guests, and being overly dominant in his fan-favorite Carpool Karaoke segment.
• Corden's behavior off-camera has caused controversy, with reports of him yelling at directors and humiliating writers, as well as being rude to waiting staff at a restaurant. Despite the hatred, Corden left the show to be closer to his family in London and give his kids a fun upbringing. No controversial reasons for his departure were stated.

James Corden saw his career skyrocket when he brought the world Carpool Karaoke while hosting The Late Late Show , only for the public to turn on the talk show host — leading many to wonder what the controversy really is, and why so many people seem to hate James Corden. The British performer is best known for succeeding Craig Ferguson as host of The Late Late Show in 2015, becoming one of the most popular talk show hosts on the air. By the time he left in 2023, however, opinion toward him seemed to have soured dramatically.

Corden was already a well-known name in the UK thanks to his previous comedy works. He rose to fame with the UK sitcom Gavin & Stacey before relocating to the US, acting in multiple Hollywood movies such as Cats , and The Prom , and voicing characters like Peter Rabbit and Biggie in Trolls . However, the TV host appears to have returned to his homeland on a less-than-positive note — but the James Corden hatred didn't come out of nowhere. There are several reasons many people dislike Corden, both because of his on-screen personality, and what's been reported of his off-camera conduct.

The late night comedy scene has never been this lively. Here is how all the late night acts rate, according to IMDb users.

The British Comedian Is A Divisive Figure

The James Corden controversy re-emerged following his departure from The Late Late Show with James Corden, but it's not a new phenomenon. While the finale was watched by millions and clips of the show have already garnered millions of views on The Late Late Show YouTube channel, critics of Corden have commented negatively about the episode . This followed a rough couple of years of Corden controversy, such as The Late Late Show segment "Crosswalk the Musical," which saw the host gyrating at people stuck in traffic. Then, many Friends fans voiced their grievances that Corden hosted Friends: The Reunion .

However, the most recent James Corden controversies are just the latest and have trailed him throughout his career.

However, those are just the latest in a long line of controversies that have trailed him throughout his career, as even when he was at his most popular he was still divisive. Critics cite that they don’t buy his “nice guy” image, finding him to be rude and fake in interviews, where he sometimes interrupts or talks over guests . It has also been suggested that the Peter Rabbit 2 actor “ constantly needs to sing over ” his guests in the fan-favorite segment Carpool Karaoke, and others believe he has crossed the fine line between funny and offensive multiple times.

Numerous accounts exist that call into question Corden's off-camera personal conduct, many widely documented by the media.

Numerous accounts exist that call into question Corden's off-camera personal conduct, many widely documented by the media. There was also the infamous and very uncomfortable encounter with Patrick Stewart at the 2010 Glamor Awards, where Sir Patrick Stewart told Corden off for looking like he "would rather be anywhere else" (via YouTube ). It doesn’t help that Corden's performance in The Prom as an LGBTQ+ character was seen as stereotypical and offensive, and his Golden Globe nomination for the role only heightened the outrage.

Ultimately, the answer to why people don't like Corden is complicated. Some attribute it to the audience not wanting to see actors from across the pond succeed in Hollywood, his comedy being “bland”, having to rely heavily on celebrity cameos rather than on the quality of his comedy, and his off-screen behavior. So many people's dislike of James Corden has spawned a petition against his Wicked casting. While it certainly isn't confirmed that negative criticism influenced his decision to leave The Late Late Show , it likely had an impact.

James Corden, known for CBS's The Late Late Show, has also acted on the big screen, including the recent film, Cats. Here are his top 10 films ranked.

James Corden Is Controversial Behind The Scenes Too

His behavior off-camera has caused a stir.

Corden has been the recipient of criticism not just from viewers at home but from other significant industry workers too . British TV director Craig Duncan worked with Corden on the British game show, The League of their Own , where the host was ultimately telling the director how to direct (via Decider ). When speaking with the crew about how to shoot the scene, Corden apparently intervened, yelling, " What the f*** is going on here? It’s obvious what you do... It’s so obvious how you shoot it, it’s stupid. " This happened after Duncan had already observed Corden ridiculing and embarrassing a writer.

Restaurateur Keith McNally, who owns the Manhattan French brasserie Balthazar, banned Corden from the brasserie in 2022, as McNally claimed the host was rude to the waiting staff on not one but two separate occasions.

Corden has also reportedly been rude to the staff of some of the projects he has been involved in. When asked by Jimmy Fallon to name two members of his Late Late Show crew in the "Spill Your Guts" segment, he couldn't do it and opted to drink a fish smoothie instead. The controversies extend outside his duties as a performer too.

Restaurateur Keith McNally, who owns the Manhattan French brasserie Balthazar, banned Corden from the brasserie in 2022, as McNally claimed the host was rude to the waiting staff on not one but two separate occasions (via Mama Mia ). According to McNally, Corden demanded two rounds of free drinks for his party after he found a hair in his food, threatening to post a bad review on Yelp.

On the second occasion, Corden allegedly yelled at the waiting staff after he found egg white in his wife's omelet. Things got more out of hand when the waiter brought her a new omelet with a side of fries, not the side salad that she ordered. Corden is alleged to have screamed:

" You can't do your job! You can't do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelet myself !"

McNelly wrapped up his story about his experience with Corden by calling him " a tiny cretin of a man. And the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago. "

Why James Corden Left The Late Late Show

James corden didn't quit because of criticism.

Despite the James Corden hatred that's run rampant both online and in the media, his decision to step down from The Late Late Show was purely due to geography and familial circumstances . While some media outlets have tried to create a narrative stating otherwise, there have been no controversial announcements from any parties involved about why Corden left The Late Late Show. It had nothing to do with his other controversies.

Instead, the host left the show to be closer to his family and to give his kids a fun upbringing in London (via The Independent ). Corden reached this decision after having to cancel a summer holiday due to work, explaining:

" When I told Max [about canceling the holiday], he looked so sad, and I had this sudden revelation of the maths: we’ve only got six more summers with the kids, before they start wanting to go off with their mates. Six if we’re lucky. "

Despite Corden's clear communication about leaving The Late Late Show , the prevailing rumor among the public is that he was fired. During an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Corden humorously recounted the disbelief he encounters: " No one believes that I wasn’t fired ." He added that when he shares his desire for his children to grow closer to their grandparents, the response is typically dismissive. This persistent doubt highlights how deeply ingrained the idea is that no one would willingly leave such a lucrative and comfortable position unless forced out. Corden explained (via The Wrap ):

“People will honestly be like, ‘You don’t have to give me that bulls–t. It’s fine, mate. If you got fired, you got fired. Because nobody thinks you would ever leave what is — let’s be honest — a cushy existence.”

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What James Corden Is In Next: Upcoming TV & Movie Projects

There isn't much on james corden's horizon yet.

Despite the James Corden hatred, it's definitely not keeping the actor down. The Peter Rabbit franchise is set to continue after the announcement of Peter Rabbit 3 . Director Will Gluck announced that he's already working on the script for the next sequel. Corden's movie appearance as the protagonist wasn't well-received, but the movies were still hits and he'll return nonetheless. In addition to the Peter Rabbit franchise, Corden will provide his voice as part of the star-studded animated movie reboot The Smurfs , alongside the likes of Nick Offerman, Kurt Russell, Natasha Lyonne, and Rihanna.

In a significant shift back to his theatrical roots, Corden recently played the lead role in Joe Penhall’s political drama, The Constituent , at the Old Vic theater. The play marks his first stage appearance since his acclaimed performance in One Man, Two Guvnors . In The Constituent , Corden plays an ex-serviceman whose tumultuous life brings him into sharp conflict in a constituency office, opposite Anna Maxwell Martin, who plays an idealistic opposition backbencher. The role was a more dramatic departure for Corden but one that earned him strong reviews.

He is also set to return to another earlier aspect of his career as it has been announced that Gavin & Stacy will return for a Christmas special in December 2024 with Corden reprising his role as Smithy.

James Corden's Feud With Lily Allen

Allen spoke about her earlier friendship with corden.

While James Corden continues to move onto new stages of his career, there continue to be controversies that follow him around with the latest involving fellow British celebrity Lily Allen. In an interview on the BBC podcast, Miss Me? , singer-turned-actor Allen claims that she was friendly with Corden for a period of time after he appeared on her talk show, but suggests he came on too strong:

“Yeah James Corden was a bit of a beg friend for me. [He] came on my chat show and was very flirtatious with me, and we sort of made friends and I introduced him to a group of my friends.”

Allen's description of Corden as a "beg friend" refers to a friend who is clingy and overly pushy about developing a relationship . In response to Allen's comments, a source close to Corden told the Daily Mail that he found her assessment to be "tacky" while also suggesting that it is just another bit of negativity that Corden ignores:

"James gets a bunch of heat on how he treats people over and over again and is a very polarizing person. He is a bit like Ellen DeGeneres nowadays, you either like him or you don't, nothing in between. So, when Lily recently talked s**t about him, to James it was just another day in his life, just another hater."

Of course, when it comes to unnamed sources who are supposedly close to the subject of the gossip, the information must be taken with a grain of salt. While this latest controversy is not very scandalous, it continues the narrative of putting Corden in the news for something that paints him in a negative light.

What James Corden Has Said About The Online Hate

Corden doesn't pay attention to the good or bad things said about him.

With all of the online hate that James Corden has experienced over the years, he has been forced to address some of it. The story about Corden's treatment of the staff at the restaurant Balthazar gained so much attention in the press that Corden was forced to address it on his show. The awkward segment saw Corden apologizing for how he treated the staff while also suggesting his behavior was due to concerns over his wife's allergies.

However, when it comes to the general negative perception of him that exists online, Corden has taken a simpler approach to not paying attention to any of it . When asked about what he thinks of the online conversations about him, Corden explained (via LADbible ):

"I mean, I'm the wrong person to ask about it because I don't ever read anything," he tells us. So I don't read anything. I don't read anything good, I don't read anything bad. I won't see this that we're doing now. I just don't. I've decided that that's the best way to do it, because I sort of feel I've had probably more praise than anyone should get in a lifetime. So with that will come inevitable criticism, so I don't really mind. My hunch is if I dig down into it, if I ever did, it's probably as much about the person being critical as it is about me."

Regardless of what someone's opinion of Corden is, this is a sound response to what must be a difficult thing to deal with. Corden's focus on the praise he has received over his career is a healthy approach to take and he is right that anyone who receives so much praise for their work is undoubtedly going to receive some criticism as well. While there may be genuine reasons for disliking things about Corden, he is also right that some of the negativity online is less about the person being criticized and more about the anger of the critic.

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Alien: Romulus review: This 'clever, gripping and sometimes awe-inspiring' chiller is the best Alien film in decades

Since the first two films in the 1980s, the sci-fi horror series has been a very mixed bag. But this latest gets back to basics, and makes for a superbly scary monster movie.

There have already been eight Alien films, including the two Alien vs Predator spin-offs, but if you add up the Alien films which are genuinely good, that number gets much, much smaller. The series is notorious for sequels and prequels that were compromised by personality clashes and studio interference, and even the last two, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant , ended up being derivative and pretentious muddles, despite being made by the director of the peerless 1979 original, Ridley Scott.

Now, though, the total of genuinely good Alien films has gone up by one. Fede Álvarez, the Uruguayan director of Don't Breathe and 2013's remake of The Evil Dead, has triumphed with a clever, gripping and sometimes awe-inspiring sci-fi chiller, which takes the series back to its nerve-racking monster-movie roots while injecting it with some new blood – some new acid blood, you might say.

He has set Alien: Romulus between the events of Scott's Alien and James Cameron's Aliens, and he takes care to recreate the retro-futuristic atmosphere of those films. In particular, he sticks to their weathered industrial aesthetic, with its low lighting, its jets of steam and its scratched and dented machinery, most of which gets jammed so often that it's amazing anyone from Earth ever made it past the Moon. He also brings back the rumblings of anti-corporate sentiment, and uses characters who seem like ordinary people rather than pre-ordained action heroes, while he and his co-writer, Rodo Sayagues, have fashioned a fast-moving, sort-of logical plot that is refreshingly short of the "why are those idiots doing that?" moments that spoilt Prometheus and Covenant. Wisely, he doesn't attempt to shoehorn in Sigourney Weaver, although a surprise guest appearance by someone who appeared in an early Alien film will delight some fans of the series while upsetting others.

The main characters are a group of twentysomething colonists who are stuck in dead-end mining jobs on a grey and grimy planet that never has any sunlight. The actors include Archie Renaux, Isabella Merced, Aileen Wu and Spike Fearn, but the only characters anyone will care about are the orphaned Rain, played with steely grace by Cailee Spaeny ( Priscilla ), and her awkward adoptive brother Andy, played with exquisite nuance by David Jonsson (Rye Lane). These downtrodden workers have to labour away for years before they are eventually allowed to travel to the verdant planet Rain has been dreaming of, but one of them has a better idea. They have detected an abandoned spaceship in orbit just above them, so if they can fly up to it in their own shuttle craft, they should be able to salvage its cryogenic pods, put themselves into suspended animation and zoom off to their dreamworld before the colony's authorities catch up with them.

ALIEN: ROMULUS

Director: Fede Álvarez

Cast: Cailee Spaeny, Maya Hawke, Archie Renaux, Isabella Merced

Run time: 1hr 59m

After setting off, the first thing these young rebels discover is that the abandoned spaceship is actually a space station. The second thing they discover is that it's abandoned because, you guessed it, its crew was wiped out by spiky-tailed, long-clawed, cucumber-headed xenomorphs. Soon it will be Rain's turn to be chased along metal corridors by these monsters, but that's not her only problem. There are fuel supplies and law-enforcement officials to worry about, and the space station is drifting towards an asteroid belt which will rip it to shreds in a matter of hours. As in all the best ticking-clock thrillers, the characters have a limited amount of time to complete their mission, and then that time suddenly gets a lot more limited.

It feels like a missed opportunity not to have the creatures wreaking havoc in the colony itself, considering how expansive and detailed that dingy setting is. But Alien: Romulus delivers the goods as a creepy haunted-house-in-space film with some crafty twists, hold-your-breath suspense and popcorn-dropping scares. Relying on practical rather than digital effects, Álvarez makes the xenomorphs as nightmarish as they ever have been. He is sensible enough to keep them hidden for most of the running time, skilfully building tension with muffled clangs and glimpsed silhouettes, but whenever the monsters do emerge from the shadows, he makes repulsive use of the icky slime and squelchy, birth-related imagery which have become the series' trademarks.

In fact, my main complaint about Alien: Romulus is that the aliens aren't in it enough. Determined to pay loving homage to several of the franchise's previous films, Álvarez can't resist dropping in concepts and plot strands from all over the series, and, among all those, the iconic xenomorphs are slightly under-used. It's also easy to lose track of which characters are still alive, which spacecraft they're in, and what the rules are concerning room temperature and artificial gravity. The stripped-back simplicity of Scott's first Alien film still hasn't been matched by any of its successors, whether or not they're directed by Scott himself.

Alien: Romulus beats most of the competition, though. Bloated by two or three elements too many, it isn't a "perfect organism", to use the phrase coined by Ian Holm's android character in Alien, but it's as close to perfect as any entry in the series since Aliens in 1986.

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The 10 Highest-Rated TV Shows on IMDb, Ranked

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The Big Picture

• Explore diverse genres with IMDb's top 10 TV shows list, from animated adventures to gritty crime dramas.
• Rick and Morty, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Game of Thrones are must-see series for television lovers.
• Breaking Bad is hailed as one of the greatest TV shows ever created, with a perfect blend of suspense and emotion.

There aren't many things more fun than binging a good TV show in one sitting. But then, what arises is the problem of what to watch next. There are several ways of figuring that out, but what many television fans will turn to is IMDb . The website has a handy list of the 250 highest-rated shows on the platform, and the top 10 are all a must-see for those who love the medium.

Thankfully, for those who like to keep their television-watching diverse, there's a surprisingly wide variety of shows on IMDb's top 10 TV shows list. From kid-friendly animated series like Avatar: The Last Airbender to revolutionary crime dramas like The Sopranos , these are shows whose quality is backed up by the incredibly high ratings they have received from users on IMDb.

10 'Rick and Morty' (2013 - )

Imdb rating: 9.1/10.

It has somewhat gone down in quality as time has passed, but Rick and Morty is evidently still one of the animated shows that are held in the highest regard by general audiences . It's the story of the title characters, one of the most iconic duos in animation . One is a nihilistic mad scientist, the other is his anxious grandson. Together, they go on a number of intergalactic and interdimensional misadventures that often involve their dysfunctional family.

With its particular brand of intellectual humor and clever meta-commentary on the sci-fi genre and the televisual medium as a whole, Rick and Morty has a loyal fanbase that prides itself on appreciating the fact that it's much smarter than your typical adult animated show. Full of hilarious episodes and highly creative stories, it may no longer quite be what it used to be, but it still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

Rick and Morty

Not available

9 'Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood' (2009 - 2010)

With its awesome steampunk aesthetic and some of the highest-rated episodes on IMDb , it's no wonder why Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is by a significant margin the most acclaimed anime series on the platform. It's about two brothers searching for a Philosopher's Stone after an attempt to revive their deceased mother goes awry and leaves them in a damaged condition.

Even those who don't typically like anime series — or even those who have never even gotten into the art form — will find that Brotherhood is nevertheless the kind of show that they would love . After all, who could say no to an addictive and commendably well-written narrative? To a stacked ensemble of fascinating characters? To some of the best animation on IMDb's top 250? Chances are, not many TV fans.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

8 'Game of Thrones' (2011 - 2019)

Imdb rating: 9.2/10.

Universally panned final season notwithstanding, HBO created in Game of Thrones (an adaptation of George R.R. Martin 's seminal work) what might just be the most acclaimed adult fantasy show in the history of television . It's an epic about nine noble families fighting over control of the land of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns from a millennia-long slumber.

With its iconic characters, legendary action scenes, and wide variety of awesome dragons, Game of Thrones is a masterclass in TV fantasy done right, even in spite of its nosedive in quality toward its end. Its technical aspects are of the most elite quality, its story is a gripping drama of betrayals and alliances, and its triumphantly epic tone is the kind of thing that fans of the genre would never want to miss.

Game Of Thrones

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7 'The Sopranos' (1999 - 2007)

In more ways than one, The Sopranos gave birth to prestige television as audiences know it today. This drama, about a New Jersey mob boss dealing with personal and professional issues in his home and business, proved that the medium could push the envelope in ways never seen before . It could look and sound just like the highest-quality Hollywood films, it could tell complex stories full of moral ambiguity, it could show violence and sex in ways that had only been considered taboo before. In other words, there's TV before The Sopranos and after The Sopranos .

The characters are complex and layered; often despicable, but never any less fascinating to follow as a result. The stories are gripping, subtle, powerful. The series holds some of the highest-rated seasons on IMDb , and even after just watching a little bit of a Sopranos episode, it's abundantly easy to see why. There has never been a show like this one since, and there probably never will be.

The Sopranos

6 'avatar: the last airbender' (2005 - 2008), imdb rating: 9.3/10.

Seeing as it's the highest-rated animated TV show on IMDb, it's clear that Avatar: The Last Airbender has more than earned its quintessential place as a pillar of the genre in modern pop culture. Set in a war-torn world of elemental powers, this globetrotting adventure is about a young boy who reawakens to undertake a mystic quest to fulfill his identity as the Avatar, the one meant to bring peace to the world.

The show has eye-popping animation, deeply compelling characters with complex arcs, and one of the best series finales in the history of television . This is far more than just a children's show about magical martial arts. It's an epic story with philosophical themes and life lessons that are valuable even for adults, with some of the most fun action scenes, storylines, and characters that audiences can find.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

5 'The Wire' (2002 - 2008)

Another prestige HBO show that left an indelible impact on television as a whole, The Wire is easily one of the best TV drama shows of all time . It's a cop drama that puts a spotlight on the Baltimore drug scene, seeing it through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement. Dark, mature, and with a rivetingly layered portrait of the city that it's set in, it's without a doubt one of the best shows HBO has ever made.

For those who enjoy gritty police procedurals, The Wire is a must-see. For those who don't, The Wire is still a must-see. There aren't many shows with writing and directing as impeccable as the one found here , paying close attention to even the slightest details and expanding on even the most tertiary characters in ways that work surprisingly well.

4 'Chernobyl' (2019)

Gut-wrenching but an obligatory watch, the docudrama miniseries Chernobyl is about the Soviet Union's titular city and the atrocious disaster that it suffered in 1986, labeled as the worst nuclear disaster in the history of mankind. The show follows the many heroes who put their lives on the line in the following months, anchored by a star-studded cast featuring the likes of Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård .

Chernobyl was very highly praised at the time that it came out, and five years later, it's still considered one of the best thriller miniseries ever made . It's not for the faint of heart, but its accurate and devastating retelling of the events of this infamous moment in humanity's history is admirably well executed . It's not long at all, either, leaving no excuses for anyone to not watch this impeccable show.

3 'Bluey' (2008 - )

Imdb rating: 9.4/10.

With its growing popularity even (perhaps especially) among adults, it's clear that Bluey is the kind of truly special children's show that only comes along once in a generation. It follows the slice-of-life adventures of an Australian Blue Heeler Cattle puppy as she has fun with her family and friends in all sorts of everyday situations. It's not often that shows aimed at little kids get such a high rating on IMDb, which is how one can tell that there's something different about Bluey .

Of course, it's perhaps the best show for the little ones currently airing on television, full of valuable lessons, good role models, and colorful animation and humor. The reasons why it also resonates so much with the older IMDb users, though, are too many to mention . Perhaps it's the nuanced and well-developed characters, or the subtle treatment of adult themes like miscarriages and aging, or the surprisingly smart humor; but the fact is that this is one of the website's most praised shows for a reason.

2 'Band of Brothers' (2001)

Created by none other than Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks , the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers has for many years been the highest-rated miniseries on IMDb. King among TV war dramas , the show follows the history of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company and their mission in World War II, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.

The show won a whopping six Emmys, and not one of them was undeserved. Its stacked cast plays a number of enthralling characters, paying loving respect to Easy Company . Those who aren't history buffs and don't care about historical accuracy in their WWII dramas as long as they're gripping, though, will also be fully satisfied. Band of Brothers is virtually flawless, displaying the strength of TV as a medium to tell powerful war stories that resonate with audiences even decades later.

Band of Brothers

1 'breaking bad' (2008 - 2013), imdb rating: 9.5/10.

Nothing can be said about Vince Gilligan 's Breaking Bad that hasn't been said before. No amount of praise for its actors, its writing, its directing, or its visuals could ever live up to the amount of admiration that they truly deserve. This masterful show tells the story of a chemistry teacher who, after receiving a deadly diagnosis, turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine to secure his family's financial future.

Ever since it ended over a decade ago, Breaking Bad has been considered by many as the single greatest TV show ever created . Its IMDb numbers certainly vouch for that. With its many fascinating characters, its suspenseful and highly dramatic stories, and its very emotional series finale , it's about as close as TV dramas come to perfection.

Breaking Bad

NEXT: TV Dramas That Are Perfect from Start to Finish

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• Trivia Originally set for a release on September 16, 2022, it was pushed to October 14, 2022. Later that month, the film was quietly removed from the schedule and pushed to August 25, 2023, due to underperforming at the Fall (2021 box office and pushed again to an unspecified date due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
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Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours
• Dolby Digital

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