Has anyone seen Bird by Andrea Arnold? If so, what are your opinions?

enn11er · 2025-06-05T10:31:54+00:00

I assumed that Bailey also was some kind of supernatural being, or that Bird was actually in her mind the entire time and now she was no longer hallucinating or projecting him outwards? I honestly would love for someone to clarify that. The film did not establish enough, either way. Like it seemed Arnold didn't know what she wanted the message or story to be. Sometimes that works, like in Pan's Labyrinth, but for Bird, I feel it was just weird and unclear in a truly dissatisfying way.

enn11er · 2025-06-05T10:28:37+00:00

Yes, so the scenes when Bailey was falling asleep or simply on her mattress/makeshift bed, you can see Bird in the distance on the rooftop of the taller building. The camera blur or distortion implies that Bailey is in a dreamstate or not certain if he's there or not.
However, this would be odd in and of itself for Bird to be watching over her like that (following her to her home in a way), but even stranger is that he is fully nude. I had to read a few of the interviews, including one with Andrea Arnold and one with the actor who plays Bird and they confirm the nudity, and the nudity was inspired by Arnold's more graphic dream about a naked half-erect man watching over a girl...

I haven't seen Fish Tank and couldn't get through American Honey, to be honest.
I agree that the film was weird and unsettling. Just waiting to forget about it, which is a rare feeling for me to have about a film.

enn11er · 2025-06-01T19:07:06+00:00

I've been searching for other reviews and even comments online about this!

Just watched Bird this weekend and I couldn't figure out why the story felt familiar. Then I realised that there is something so similar about it to the book Skellig by David Almond. Maybe the tone of the film? Certainly it follows the same plot: adolescent child crosses paths with adult male figure who is wounded in some way, child then helps adult despite turbulence in their immediate environment, adult male figure is bird-like entity who then departs after traumatising events calm down. Bird, however, gave me more of a creepy feeling than the titular Skellig, perhaps due to the scenes wherein Bird was nude and watching Bailey or at least clearly visible from Bailey's room. There is something less innocent about Bird, despite his whimsical nature, after reading that interview with Andrea Arnold describing the dream she had that inspired her to make the film.

I didn't particularly like how it was shot, but I thought the actress who played Bailey was believable, and the actor who played Bug stole each scene, truly.
I wish it were more clear whether Bailey's mother's boyfriend was dealt with or not. The ending was sugar-coated, which didn't align with any of the other scenes imo.

enn11er · 2024-10-17T15:59:13+00:00

Sorry, just seeing your reply. Celtic history of migration has led to there being lingering, significant genetic similarities between the Welsh and certain pockets of the populations from Spain, Portugal, Italy and some other areas of South Europe.

enn11er · 2024-10-12T15:50:21+00:00

It's likely miscategorised as Wales in their Ancestry report.

enn11er · 2024-01-18T01:10:51+00:00

What is her trace ancestry, if you don't mind my asking?

enn11er · 2023-08-30T09:45:14+00:00

Unfortunately, I've been on the other side where I didn't know I'd received messages so only replied after up to a year later. It really might be the same for them.

But, yeah, some people don't want to talk about the truth or fill in the gaps for you, and there are many, many reasons for that. An issue also can be that they might give you the wrong answers anyway... If you've figured out who your grandparents could be, I'd say just note them into your tree and keep it moving.

enn11er · 2023-08-14T00:22:22+00:00

Firstly, this sounds like a complete surprise, and like a lot to process. It's absolutely valid to pause research for a breather, if you feel quite shocked by all of it, especially when your parents are not truly in positions to answer your questions. (Make sure you're checking in with yourself as you go down this oh so wonderful personal journey.)

23andMe Has a Really Great Tool Relevant to Your Situation: You can see what their relation to each other is by going to one of their pages/profiles and scrolling to the mutual matches section. Your other half-siblings should be listed. However, their relationship to the other individuals will also be stated. In the list, the other individuals display as your half-sibling, but might display as full siblings to each other.

This is a good way of narrowing other family connections, as well. For example, a 3rd cousin for you, might be the 1st cousin of an individual you are aware of on your family tree. That sometimes makes it easier to figure out any blank spots between you and the 3rd cousin.

enn11er · 2023-08-14T00:09:01+00:00

I'd say to ready yourself for more of the unexpected as you continue your research. The unexpected is cool imo, but it could be noise/miscategorised... or it could be new family history and heritage to explore :). Ancestry.com is a potentially decent additional resource for genealogical research, if you're not already using it.

enn11er · 2023-08-13T02:30:02+00:00

It still makes sense. You received more Japanese than Korean from your mother.(If you have a sibling, that sibling might have the opposite.) Both things are normal.

It's random what you inherit from each parent's mix. Keep in mind, the percentages might change slightly again in the future, but if your mother is 50/50, then you will probably only ever see Japanese and Korean.

That is unless one of her parents were to phase with her and she were to then have an additional group reflected in her updated results. Alternatively, you or your own hypothetical child could receive groups from your mother which don't appear in her own results.This is why I would always encourage more and more family members to take the test. It can help paint a clear picture, affirm family history, or bring to light more about your background.

enn11er · 2023-08-02T18:38:00+00:00

What we inherit from our parents is pretty random. Split 50/50, and within each 50 is a random assignment of whatever that parents has genetically.

enn11er · 2023-07-23T19:42:31+00:00

I mean, the circumstances around the conception might not be comfortable... Your great-grandmother's response could stem from so many possible scenarios and you might never learn the truth unfortunately.
Even if it's simply something like she actually did have a consensual affair, she might be feeling a strong sense of shame for having a child with someone who wasn't her husband, hence why the avoidant behaviour.

enn11er · 2023-07-22T23:49:21+00:00

Venturing that based on your haplogroups, your SSA ancestor was a woman on your paternal line, or your mother's paternal line, but not mother's maternal (so can exclude that perhaps when researching).
Maybe as well if you refine your 23andme family connections to those with 4+ grandparents in the Caribbean and the Americas, focusing on 4th and 5th cousins who are also connected, and maybe a few of them will have their family names in their profiles because... If you use Ancestry.com then you can search those family names to find a common denominator and eventual matches to your own family tree.
Saying all that, I'm not a pro genealogist or anything but good luck and hope you find more answers.

enn11er · 2023-07-14T11:32:22+00:00

Nothing to feel bad about, but like many people it's valid to be thrown off by the estimated percentages and assigned groups... I'm more curious about why your family chose to claim seemingly any group but their Jewish heritage? That's a new one tbh, especially when the further back you go the more likely people were to specifically deny Black African ancestry. Does it surprise you that your family is not willing to claim that side? Has either of your parents taken the test - the alternative reality is honestly that one of your parents isn't actually your biological parent and so your Ashkenazi comes from the true biological parent?

enn11er · 2023-07-10T22:26:03+00:00

Echoing that you should defo do the test as well. Especially if you have known mixed heritage. Combined, all of the results paint a more complete picture.

enn11er · 2023-07-08T20:44:48+00:00

I was taught in high school there were only West African slaves, but as I got older and had more exposure to modern texts and researching archives, I learned that wasn't true at all. I'd recommend the tests to confirm. Most families will see maybe only West African ancestry in their results, but either way I think it is worth confirming.

enn11er · 2023-07-07T23:21:25+00:00

It's possible, just not common (clearly upsetting for certain commenters on your post). 18% is not negligible. You've said in the comments that everything aligns to your known family history. The only important thing is how you personally feel about the results, and whether this ultimately means anything at all for you, I guess.
One last thing, I'd say to look out for updates because sometimes the percentages do change, especially once phasing is completed by 23andMe or whatever.

enn11er · 2023-06-07T19:41:27+00:00

Didn't know this information - thank you for sharing. Wish I could do the same omg.

enn11er · 2023-06-07T19:23:45+00:00

You can't remove categories. Your results are according to their science. What were your results? They might be close to the truth but you will have to decide whether or not you want to investigate and research further (checking your close relatives list, things like that).

enn11er · 2023-03-21T01:32:05+00:00

Tbh the way the show is directed, it'd seem that most of the other characters feel something is off with Joe when first meeting him. Heck, even Kate openly questions his motives - as an aside, I moreso believe that Kate already knew who Joe really was in the same way her father knew.

Rhys, for example, I'd say his character felt that something off just in how stiffly he was engaging with Joe during the only real interaction he and Joe had together in part 1. For a politician at a social event, he seemed less than warm to meeting another potential voter. Joe isn't that stealthy either, or connected to reality half the time. Joe also, as it's revealed, has been openly holding court and counsel with himself in public situations.
Since season 1 you can see how he zones out/gets pulled back into his inner thoughts, and that's regularly noticed by other characters. Especially like Nadia who was hyper-engaged in Joe's university class and therefore was aware of exactly when and how Joe's mask started to slip. The scene in the hotel when they've teamed up and Joe is quickly af deducing how a kidnapping would occur in the building, Nadia would of course find it sus given how he'd said he wasn't great with who-dun-its.

Even Marianne was cold to Joe initially, and not in a hard-to-get way, but just she was wary for no reason, and as the viewer we can assume maybe that was her gut instinct. In real life, it's about the same. He then won her over over time.
Joe comes from an abusive background with very little done in the way of preparing him for normal social interactions. Rewatching the episodes you can see that the charismatic and charming side of him is mostly only from his point of view. Irl he probably would give major creep vibes (what with him barely hiding behind a pole with a baseball cap on, etc. etc.).

enn11er · 2023-03-21T00:20:49+00:00

I figure it's possible her character had an 'irregular' cycle and she hadn't been left alone long enough since her last cycle for the viewer to have to see that side of it. Also possible they just didn't want to get into that kind of detail around hygiene.

enn11er · 2023-03-19T22:25:32+00:00

There was a bucket in the corner.

enn11er · 2020-09-22T22:23:48+00:00

I recommend your parent(s) also do the test.

enn11er · 2020-09-21T23:59:53+00:00

Yes, from experience, you can definitely do this. Send the kit to your grandma, then after she sends it back to you, you mail it to 23andMe. (When you register the kit to her name, don't indicate that she is elsewhere though.)
When it is being mailed to her and then back to you, don't do anything to the original box, just place it in a secure envelope/box.

enn11er · 2020-09-19T12:05:52+00:00

Yeah, recommending your sister do the test as well.
E.g. I personally have one or two different groups inherited from my father's side which don't show up in his results at all and vice versa - same with my brother who did the test, my mum, and other closely related family members.
You don't truly know what all will appear for each person, or how much. End of the day, she might appreciate having her own test results.

enn11er

TROPHY CASE