I think Kate Winslet is a great actress, her accent was believable and the storyline kept my attention. It was a bit far fetched at times but it has to fit a lot in to a limited number of episodes. My main issue with it was its premise is very similar to a British show about 7 years older called Happy Valley - cop with a deceased adult child, now the guardian of their grandchild, divorced, husband moved on with a younger woman, chaotic lifestyle probably depressed, even wear the same plaid shirts. I still enjoyed it, just not quite as much as the hype around it. I much prefer the British show.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Speed
(1994)
The number of people who can't count...
10 September 2022
This film was made nearly 30 years ago, not 20. It should be given credit for the film it was at the time. Even as an 8 years old when I first saw it in a hotel room on holiday with my family in Florida the year it was released, it was totally original, kept a great pace and an excellent cast.
It's grown well over the years to become a classic apart from one thing, Dennis Hopper overacts completely. Yes it can be cheesey in that way all American good guys saves the day again way, but they're believable in their role. Dennis Hopper is just too cringey, think they were going for Hannibal turns terrorist but it ended up more a comedy role. It's a shame but luckily he isn't in it all that much. Still a favourite.
It's grown well over the years to become a classic apart from one thing, Dennis Hopper overacts completely. Yes it can be cheesey in that way all American good guys saves the day again way, but they're believable in their role. Dennis Hopper is just too cringey, think they were going for Hannibal turns terrorist but it ended up more a comedy role. It's a shame but luckily he isn't in it all that much. Still a favourite.
Maid
(2021)
Blown Away
19 March 2022
I had only seen this mentioned once on Facebook as a news story about Andie MacDowell and her daughter playing the mother and daughter, I didn't read the article but it sounded a bit different and thought nothing more of it. Few weeks later I ended up having several evenings on my own and never get the opportunity to binge watch something on Netflix and happened to see it advertised so gave it a shot. Wow what a choice, this series has stuck with me and I often find myself thinking about it. I won't rehash the prologue but it's a total eye opener. The UK has welfare system that's been propped up for years but the US is just a whole other level. The hoops you have to jump through and the ruthlessness of it all, you can't help but feel so sorry for this young woman who's a fantastic mother despite her very difficult upbringing, who's breaking her back trying to better her life and she's dealt bad hand after bad hand.
All the way through, having a child the same age as Maddie, I constantly checked my own privilege. I hate using that word as it's been bandied about so much lately but that's exactly what it is. I was born into a privileged life and I'm supported at all turns. I've had to work hard in my studies and work for my nice belongings but there was always a fall back, this girl had literally nothing and no one to pick her up. It was frightening to think how scared young mothers must be in this world. I genuinely think it's reevaluated how I will treat another young person who's fallen in hard times.
I would throughly recommend this for anyone to just see how the other half live, it's raw, emotional and brilliantly acted. Andie MacDowell in particular acted her socks off and was utterly convincing as the bi-polar, chaotic mother. As real life mother and daughter they must be thrilled with the series, what an honour it must have been to work together on this.
All the way through, having a child the same age as Maddie, I constantly checked my own privilege. I hate using that word as it's been bandied about so much lately but that's exactly what it is. I was born into a privileged life and I'm supported at all turns. I've had to work hard in my studies and work for my nice belongings but there was always a fall back, this girl had literally nothing and no one to pick her up. It was frightening to think how scared young mothers must be in this world. I genuinely think it's reevaluated how I will treat another young person who's fallen in hard times.
I would throughly recommend this for anyone to just see how the other half live, it's raw, emotional and brilliantly acted. Andie MacDowell in particular acted her socks off and was utterly convincing as the bi-polar, chaotic mother. As real life mother and daughter they must be thrilled with the series, what an honour it must have been to work together on this.
Virgin River
(2019– )
So far so good
12 January 2021
Just starting second season, really enjoying it. Need to watch several in a row to get a story going. Bit like a rural Grey's Anatomy. Much slower pace and less drama but characters that are likable. Obviously the main lead was in Grey's Anatomy as a potential love interest of Merediths but the chemistry didn't play out on screen so well and he made a sharp exit. The chemistry between Jack and Mel is much better, I can genuinely believe them as a couple. Easy viewing and I don't find it depressing at all.
1917
(2019)
Rare beauty
26 September 2020
I generally shy away from watching box office smashes because they are usually overhyped. This film deserves all its applause. The negative reviews seem to focus of lack of characterisation, but that's the whole point, our two main characters were just two young men among millions plucked from their normal lives and thrown into hell. They don't have big showy unrealistic back stories or romantic and unnecessary plots, this is about the total innocence of average men who did very heroic and frankly awe inspiring things.
Sometimes living in our times, we are so lucky in what we have it's hard to imagine how it was for them to be forced into war, this film has really awakened my senses to the utter distruction. I clenched my teeth for 2 hours on the adrenaline packed ride we go on. The way the film is shot makes you feel like a third person all the way through. Hours later I'm still shaken because of the tiny glimpse I've seen into the nightmares of our war veterans. And it is only a tiny glimpse, a 2 hour snapshot of what carried on for 4 long years and again just a couple of decades later. I thank Mendes for making a film that will stay with me a very long time and remind me of the sacrafice those men made.
'Never was so much owed by so many to so few'
Sometimes living in our times, we are so lucky in what we have it's hard to imagine how it was for them to be forced into war, this film has really awakened my senses to the utter distruction. I clenched my teeth for 2 hours on the adrenaline packed ride we go on. The way the film is shot makes you feel like a third person all the way through. Hours later I'm still shaken because of the tiny glimpse I've seen into the nightmares of our war veterans. And it is only a tiny glimpse, a 2 hour snapshot of what carried on for 4 long years and again just a couple of decades later. I thank Mendes for making a film that will stay with me a very long time and remind me of the sacrafice those men made.
'Never was so much owed by so many to so few'
The Duchess
(2008)
Could have been so much more
22 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I'm surprised at some reviews who state Knightly doesn't have to do much but wear nice dresses and look pretty, shows how far in England we have come since 17th C and accepting of women's talents (clue: not very far). In fact Knightly is the one holding the whole thing together, Fiennes is badly cast, in the first half of the film I think he manages about 20 lines. He's meant to be cold hearted and frankly a rapist but not speaking doesn't really portray anything, he needed much more dialogue. The same goes for Cooper as Grey, the Duchess falls in love with him but how I'm not sure as there's barely any interaction that we see.
Much more could have been done in the early years of their marriage, where the Duchess falls for another man and at the same time, as we quickly hear in a line to Bess, the Duchess suffered many miscarriages and also had stillborn babies, which were boys. This wasn't explored at all, the film would have been very lengthy but what we end up with is a very skimmed over film.
What I did take from this film was how it explored the suffering of many high society women. An earlier review below from someone states they couldn't care less of their suffering because of the money and servants they had when they are a hardworker themselves, that person simply shouldn't be reviewing films, completely out of touch with norms of our past and how hard they had it behind all the grandeur. To be jealous of people who lived several centuries ago is laughable. We have a women who was in a loveless marriage, embarrassed by her husband and his lover, shamed for not producing a male, she was raped, couldn't be with the man she loved and bore a child that was taken away from her but alas at least she had some nice dresses ey! I worry for today's society....
Much more could have been done in the early years of their marriage, where the Duchess falls for another man and at the same time, as we quickly hear in a line to Bess, the Duchess suffered many miscarriages and also had stillborn babies, which were boys. This wasn't explored at all, the film would have been very lengthy but what we end up with is a very skimmed over film.
What I did take from this film was how it explored the suffering of many high society women. An earlier review below from someone states they couldn't care less of their suffering because of the money and servants they had when they are a hardworker themselves, that person simply shouldn't be reviewing films, completely out of touch with norms of our past and how hard they had it behind all the grandeur. To be jealous of people who lived several centuries ago is laughable. We have a women who was in a loveless marriage, embarrassed by her husband and his lover, shamed for not producing a male, she was raped, couldn't be with the man she loved and bore a child that was taken away from her but alas at least she had some nice dresses ey! I worry for today's society....
The Accident
(2019)
Little idea of what is going on
15 November 2019
I'm really struggling with this drama, it's somehow slow and at the same time missed out huge chunks of information. It goes straight into the accident and we have zero idea of anyone's involvement, who the company are, each character's background, their relevance to the story. Some were dead before we got to meet them yet they're referred to like we should know them well. Then apparently the blame game starts for who caused the accident...I wouldn't have a clue I don't know who anyone is! So disappointing.
All I can say is I'm pleased I didn't watch with my H&S Inspector husband, that would have been painful beyond belief!
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