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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
Inspiring, humbling and important
My 8 year old son picked this as our rainy afternoon Netflix movie and when I realised it was nearly 2 hours long and was mostly subtitled I really didn't think he would manage to sit through it all.
How glad I am that I was wrong! We were both mesmerised by this film, both by the setting and the story. As comparatively privileged white westerners it is almost certainly the most humbling and important film we have ever watched together and I am so proud of my boy for having the maturity to understand that not everyone in the world has a life like his.
For me it was incredibly refreshing to watch a film with no white saviour or white bad guy character - this was purely William's story. I'd recommend everyone to watch this film, especially if you're feeling sorry for yourself for whatever reason. If you feel your kids could handle it then please watch it with them - it will give you lots of things to talk about afterwards and it really will expand their minds and give them the opportunity to understand more about the world.
Outlast (2023)
I spent most of the time saying "I hate them, I hate them all"
All the 1 and 2 star reviews are correct - this was BAD. I did sort of make it through all 8 episodes, although I only half-listened to the last episode rather than watch it cos I couldn't cope with looking at Jill and Amber's faces any more.
The team Alpha name was very fitting since Jill reminded me very much of Alpha from The Walking Dead (she even sounded like her). She was horrible. I know the whole thing was scripted, but I did wonder if she was actually a bit awful IRL.
There is enough real awfulness in the world right now without adding to it with this nonsense - I would much, much rather watch a proper survival show (like the Creek Stewart one) where we could learn about real skills and not just watch unhinged crazy women and backstabbing men. Paul absolutely did not deserve to end up on the winning team after being such a lying turncoat.
The two stars I have given this are for Javier and Brian and the beautiful scenery.
Keep Breathing (2022)
Please ignore the low reviews and watch
I never give 10 star reviews but this was incredible - I can't bring myself to read the low reviews because you are all just plain wrong or you weren't paying attention. And for that matter: I really hate it when people leave reviews after only watching 1 or 2 episodes of anything - it is very daft and pointless.
Anyway -there were so many things I loved about this - the colours (Liv's Mum's red velvet coat will haunt my dreams), the clever juxtaposition of certain elements e.g the fire/water, the music, the location, but most of all Liv and her journey, both physical and emotional. She was amazing from start to end.
Episode 5 was particularly brilliant, but by the end of the last episode I was a sobbing wreck - I had been so worried about how it would end but it was perfect. Please, please ignore the bad reviews.
Inside Man (2022)
Possibly the biggest waste of 4 hours of my life
1 star is for Tucci, the other is for the theme tune.
This was so so bad and I really don't want anyone else to waste 4 hours of their life.
Tennant was awful, but not as bad as his wife who was truly terrible. I never like dissing actors in reviews but she was just cringey to watch. I'm not sure that acting is her calling.
I waited until I had seen all 4 episodes before I left a review because I was really hoping for a big pay off at the end...which never came. I kept hoping and hoping but it was just beyond awful. Please don't let there be a 2nd series - give the money it would cost to make to the homeless instead.
Moffat's next series will probably be about a serial killer who targets TV reviewers. And that will no doubt be awful as well. Bless him.
Choose or Die (2022)
Ignore the bad reviews!
I am shocked this is getting such poor ratings!
It was a bit like a long Black Mirror episode and it did require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but isn't that sometimes what sci-fi entertainment is all about? I grew up loving Eerie Indiana and Goosebumps etc so anything that falls into that sort of category is always a win for me; this was pretty much a grown up R L Stein story.
Main point: Angela Griffin was amazing - absolutely her best performance, shame she didn't have a bit more screen time. It took me ages to realise it was her.
Please give it a watch and just enjoy a silly, gory story with some great performances.
Chloe (2022)
Sasha/Becky likes big frills
Like other reviews here, I really enjoyed this up until the lat episode which could've definitely been better. (She should've ended up with Josh).
I thought Erin Doherty was brilliant - I was watching mainly for her performance really, but jeepers creepers, what on earth was the costume department on?! I don't know which dress of Sashas I hated most - probably the god-awful asymetric number at the end which reminded me of those toilet roll covers old ladies used to have.
Not a perfect show, but it kept me gripped (and has made me really want to visit Bristol cos I've never been - good tourism promo).
Last thing I want to add - to the reviewer who said that they hate 1 or 2 star reviews for anything because they don't think anything can be that bad - I'm guessing you haven't seen 'Into the Woods'?
Dark Passage (1947)
Here's a funny story about why I'll always love this film
The year was 2001 and I was at university in Preston doing Film Studies. Back then it was only the proper rich kids who had their own computer so if I didn't fancy queuing up for one of the library computers I would go to someone else's house and use their computer to type up my essays.
So, much to my delight we were introduced to this film in class and I borrowed a friend's housemates computer and typed up my brilliant essay. The thing was, I didn't have a floppy disk on me at the time so, not wanting my essay to get accidentally deleted, I saved it (without thinking) as 'Alice's Dark Passage'.
Once I had got hold of a disk and loaded up my essay, I took it to the printing shop (just next to Roper Hall if I remember correctly) and asked to get 2 copies of my essay printed. And then of course the man asked what was the name of the file on the disk which I wanted printing. And of course when I had to say 'Alice's Dark Passage' in a busy printing shop, it caused much mirth and merriment.
Anyway, this film is awesome and I'm going to watch it again today in honour of that daft memory.
Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)
One big advert for blenders and a stark Botox warning
I read the book when it first came out and really enjoyed it - it was the first one I had read by that author and it made me want to read more of her work (some of which I subsequently enjoyed more than NPS.
Anyway, I was really excited about this series, as you are when you have read the source material. But I REALLY didn't enjoy this at all. I was hoping that the last episode would redeem it, but it only made it worse.
I am not easily bored but this whole series was incredibly boring. In the end I was only watching it for Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale because they were the only characters with any chemistry. I didn't actually find Nicole Kidman as awful as other people have said here, but I am glad that I've finished the series so I don't have to watch any more of her. There really needs to be a ban on actors having botox because it just looks awful.
Final point - the close up smoothie shots were so over used and very annoying - a bit like watching an advert for a blender over and over again.
The Dawn Wall (2017)
Most inspiring documentary I have ever seen
It takes something special for me to give a 10 star rating on IMDB, and this was most certainly special. I had to watch it again the day after first viewing, just to see if I hadn't dreamt the whole thing.
Some people in this world are definitely super humans and, without a doubt, Tommy and Kevin fall into this category. These guys are 2 of the most inspiring people I have ever seen, along with Beth.
I will recommend The Dawn Wall to everyone I will ever meet from now on, and I will watch it every time I am finding life a bit tough, just to remind me what people can overcome if they believe in themselves and are prepared to work hard to achieve their dreams.
Garth Brooks: The Road I'm On (2019)
50% footage of Garth crying
A week on from watching this, I'm still processing it.
There is a line in a Harvey Andrews song which goes: "Well never meet your heroes,
I've read that line somewhere;
they're just like you and me friend,
with all our hopes and our despairs".
For me, The Road I'm On, is like those lyrics coming to life. I know that by watching this 2 part documentary doesn't mean I have actually met Garth Brooks...but by watching it I can say that I really wouldn't actually like to meet him IRL. Despite writing some amazing songs and having an instantly recognisable voice and style, he just comes across as a bit...annoying. Such a shame.
I truly haven't got a problem with men crying - emotion is fine - but why did Garth want to portray that much emotion? It just felt a bit much at times.
My favourite part was when Trisha Yearwood said that when anyone says anything negative about 'In the life of Chris Gaines' it makes her want to punch them in the face. That album is such underrated brilliance and I still really hope someone still makes the movie one day.
The Accident (2019)
Lots of problems, but some nice shots of wind turbines
Main issues:
- pretty much no back story with most of the kids who died so couldn't feel any connection with them or their families.
- the character of Martin was totally underused and a bit pointless when he was the only one I actually wanted to know more about.
- so many dis-joined scenes which simply didn't make any sense.
- I love the welsh accent and in real life I find it perfectly easy to understand, but there were some points during these 4 episodes when I think subtitles would've helped - lots of soft mumbling.
- The reactions to this horrific tragedy were very odd all round. If 8 kids died, where were the majority of the other families - why weren't they present during the scene about the funerals?
- Sarah Lancashire's character was suffering such horrific domestic violence which apparently everyone knew about, yet not even her best friend since childhood seemed to have ever offered her support with this.
- Awful, awful ending.
Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
25 long years of waiting for that?
I am so, so sad. Like many folk, I have been looking forward to this movie for a long, long time. I have many things to say, as you will see below.
As a child of the 80s, B&T's Excellent Adventure helped to define my childhood - I can still only ever pronounce Socrates as 'So-crates' and I would imagine that there hasn't been a week in my life where I haven't quoted the film in some way. One of my clearest childhood memories was asking my parents why they were laughing so much at the number 69.
Anyway - I was so excited about Face the Music. Every time anyone told me 'but you know it's going to be rubbish' I would shoot them down with a steely gaze and inwardly laugh at them. Ha! Silly fools!, I thought. As if anyone would allow a film we've been waiting for for 25 years to be rubbish! No way dude.
It wasn't rubbish at all. But it wasn't anywhere nearly as good as it could've been. I wish they'd just let a group of fans write the script - look what the Cobra Kai dudes managed to do with the Karate Kid franchise! That is how you resurrect movies. So, here are a few of my main thoughts from the film:
- Firstly, I am a female. But that doesn't mean that I want everything I love turned into a piece of feminist propaganda. The fact that the first 2 B&T films are kind of male-centric with only supporting female actors certainly didn't stop the 10 year-old me from loving the film and the characters. There was no need to make all men/robots seem stupid while all the women were geniuses. No need at all. I will discuss this issue with my own 10 year-old daughter to see what she thinks.
- COSTUMES!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!! Thea's dungarees/shirt outfit was a bit annoying after a while, but, seriously, what was that mental outfit Billie was wearing? It just didn't make any sense. In the original films, B&T wear regular human clothes, yet here we see Ted's daughter wearing some strange futuristic Star Trek-style top and horrible shorts. This awful ensemble distracted me in every scene she was in.
- Keanu, Keanu, Keanu, I love you so very much but what can I say without being mean? Perhaps they should've let you have a beard because, at times, you didn't really look like Keanu Reeves - I almost wondered if they had dug Alan Rickman up from the grave.
- Dennis Caleb McCoy: not as annoying as JarJar Binks, but not far off.
- I have many more thoughts but I realise this is a long review so I'll stop. I am just sad and I kind of wish they hadn't bothered. There were things I liked about the film, but sadly the things I didn't like eclipsed these.
No Men Beyond This Point (2015)
Don't watch this if you are the sort of man who feels that his masculinity could be threatened by a film
Full disclosure: I am female but I wouldn't necessarily identify as a feminist - I call myself an 'equalist' (partly because I have both a son and a daughter).
Anyway...I hadn't heard of this film and knew nothing about it beforehand...but I really bloody enjoyed it. I think the first scene I properly laughed out loud was when Andrew was hanging up the women's underwear - I can't remember exactly what he said but that was when I knew this was the sort of comedy that I like.
The casting and acting was perfect. I can't remember the last film I watched where I was so badly rooting for a couple of characters to get together at the end.
I do understand why some folks wouldn't like this film, but for me it is just refreshing to actually something different from most other films. Obviously this was a mockumentary, but it was also a sci-fi film, as well as being a rom-com, of sorts.
Summary: I just thought it was all round clever little film, which was also bloody hilarious. And I would definitely watch it again. Also - I watched it with my other half (male) and he thought it was funny as well, because thankfully he isn't the sort of bloke to feel that his masculinity could be threatened by a film.
Cobra Kai (2018)
Quite possibly the best show I have ever seen
I won't go on because I'm sure pretty much everyone has already written everything I want to say about this show...but I loved it so so so much...I loved everything about it, even though I really wasn't expecting to. Thank you so much to everyone involved in making it!
To make it crystal clear how much I loved it: I binged watched the 2 seasons in a week and now, because I am missing it so much, I am just going to rewatch it all again this week. I am a 35 year-old mother of 2 young kids, and have a business to run, but rewatching Cobra Kai is more important than all of that.
Also - I'd like to add that my 4 year old son was getting pushed around at school so I let him watch a bit of the epic fight on the last episode and it gave him so much more confidence. Not sure whether that is good parenting or not, but he's happy now!
I, Tonya (2017)
A sports biopic, but definitely not a boring one.
For those who aren't aware, Margo Robbie used to be in the Australian soap opera, Neighbours (which is more popular in the UK, or at least, it used to be 10 or 20 years ago.)
Anyway, I bloody loved it and still watched it well into my 20s like a weirdo (and got back into it when I had my first baby in my 30s). Margot Robbie played an aspiring fashion designer called Donna (short for Donatella, of course) and I loved her to bits. She had a boyfriend called Ringo who was a bit of a drip and he got killed in a car crash right after they got married age 17.
Sorry - this isn't a review for Neighbours. Anyway, I actually had no idea she was playing the titular character of this film until about 10 minutes in - that's how good she was. Everyone was good in this film.
I knew nothing about the film and only hazily recalled the whole Harding/Kerrigan 'incident' so it was quite a fresh story to me, and told in such a clever way with so many little blink-and-you'll-miss-it type shots and tricks. I've not seen a film so engrossing in quite a while and has certainly made me want to check out other work directed by Gillespie.
Dogville (2003)
If I was a film maker, I'd be dead proud of this. Good job Lars!
It has taken me a long, long time to get round to watching this film which I finally did last night. I started watching it at 1am thinking I'd just watch a bit of it and finish it today. As it was, I ended up going to bed just before 4am and couldn't get to sleep for an hour because I couldn't stop thinking about this film.
Someone I once loved very much told me a long time ago that Nicole Kidman's character in this film reminded him of me. People usually always tell me that I am Kate Winslet's character in Eternal Sunshine... so , since I knew absolutely nothing about Dogville, I was expecting Kidmans character to be something like that.
Of course, Grace was very different and I can't work out if the comparison to myself was an insult? That is certainly not how I see myself, but then again, the version of the person you are is completely different to everyone who knows you. If that's who I was/am to my old friend, then so be it. But I really hope I'm not.
Anyway - I really liked this film a lot in so many ways. There were things I didn't like as much, but then nothing is ever perfect. As von Trier is all too aware of, so many films are so utterly forgettable the minutes the credits roll which is certainly not something you can say about Dogville, whether you liked it or not.
My personal measure of a films worth to me is whether or not I'd watch it again with my other half. And even though I kind of dont want to put myself through it again, I think I will be watching it again very soon. Might get ridiculously high and have a double bill with this and Under the Skin just for a super mind-bending evening.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (2019)
Our brand new Christmas Eve family tradition forever
Just watched this with my 4yo and 8yo and I don't think we have ever seen anything that we have all loved so equally. Not even ashamed to say that I shed a wee tear or two, but this was partly down to watching the sheer delight on the kid's faces as they watched the tiger eat all the food etc etc.
We are all huge fans of the book so I suppose the tv adaptation could have let us down...but it most certainly didn't. And I was very happy to note that David Oyelowo did the tiger's voice exactly in the same tone I do when I read it to my kids.
It only fails to get a full 10 out of 10 because of the Robbie Williams song - that bit wasn't really necessary and I would have preferred someone who is actually cool, like Willie Nelson or Snoop for example, to provide the music. Busta Rhymes or Dolly Parton would also have been better alternatives. But that is just cos I can't stand Robbie Williams. Other than that, The Tiger who came to Tea was utterly wonderful and I can't wait to watch it again.
Into the Woods (2014)
Painfully awful
It's my birthday today. I was very much looking forward to going to Pizza Hut with my other half and our 3 year old daughter, and then to the cinema to watch this massive celluloid mistake. It's kind of ruined my birthday.
Firstly, I don't really need to write much because everything I wanted to write has already been written in other reviews on here. I love films, enough to of done a degree in Film studies, and I haven't got any issues with musicals - my favourite film of all time is Little Shop of Horrors. But, quite simply, Into the Woods does not contain any good songs and the film makes no sense whatsoever.
My daughter has been brought up to respect, concentrate and discuss films. The last film she saw at the cinema was 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and she was mesmerised the whole way through and has not stopped talking about it ever since. Today's experience was a whole lot different - the poor kid was so excited about seeing 'the little red riding hood film' but, in her words, 'none of the characters looked right and it was quite boring'. Thats the only review you'll ever need.
The Mist (2007)
what a great film!
i could write an essay about this film but it seems many people already have so i'll just keep it brief.
this is without a doubt one of the best films i have seen in a long long time. the film is littered with great and engaging characters which, in my opinion, is the most important aspect to any story. and i have always believed in the power of a great ending and this film certainly has that. maybe i'm just a bit slow but i didn't expect that...
i loved the setting of this film - the majority of the story took place in a convenience store so it kind of reminded me of Dawn of the Dead. And i suppose in that sense it was a bit Hitchcock as well.
it was just simply brilliant. you will not be disappointed.
The Women (2008)
clunky, ugly, painful & boring
please do not waste your time, money or life by seeing this film.
i don't know what possessed me. a friend invited me so i thought i'd go with an open mind. i am not exaggerating - it was the most painful experience of my life.
these are just a tiny fraction of my reasons for my opinion:
1 - there was nothing likable about any of the characters. they were all 1 dimensional, boring, stereotypical, very unattractive etc etc
2 - the script was the most clunky, forced, unbelievable piece of writing i have ever bore witness to. and i have seen a lot of 'poundshop classic'.
3 - there was not a single man in it. not even a walk on / extra part. i know that was obviously a really radical girl-power idea by the director but its a stupid idea. and its not even radical.
4 - on the subject of extras, if you do happen to watch this shocker, observe the extras. they are the funniest part of the film.
5 - i can't believe that this film was directed by a women. I'm sure she doesn't know any women or has never interacted with one.
6 - meg Ryan's hair, meg Ryan's face. in no particular order.
7 - Bette Midler played Bette Midler.
8 - the terrible, unbearable scene when Midler offered a joint to Ryan. why oh why.
9 - potentially good films don't get the backing to get made because money goes into awful drivel like this.
10 - the bags under Eva Mendes' eyes.
i have not seen the original so i am not some anti-remake type. my favourite film is a remake. i just hated this film so much it makes me want to say a swear. its not even one of those films that you have to check out just to see how bad it really is. please take my word for it and leave it at that. don't even watch it when its on TV. pretend it doesn't exist because i certainly will.