Change Your Image
susanna-saunders
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Leave No Trace (2018)
Missing the first half of the movie...
What happened to the back story, the life lives that brought the pair of them to where they are now? This movie is missing so much because you keep expecting some back story that never comes! The relationship dynamic is handled very well. The emotional trauma is obvious and it's easy to imagine some war veteran being unable to reintegrate back into society. But it would have been nice to see this. Whether it's in the book or not I don't know. If it isn't I can't imagine how the book goes because the movie is just about them moving from place to place. But I can't rate half a movie more than a score of 5.
The Rig (2023)
Sheesh! This is bad!
And if you thought Dr Who was bad... 🤦♀️ Episode 2 has a scene of a woman trying to open a door that has been blocked by a crow bar... But it doesn't occur to her to remove the crow bar first so that she can open the door! WTF! This is really bad drama! Save yourself some wasted time and watch something else instead!
The characters are irrational. The rig management is clueless. No one follows any sensible protocols. I've seen Cybermen behave with more conviction than this lot! Seriously bad attempt to put together a script that deserves only a bone fire! Only a few more characters to go before I hit the minimum required.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Great CGI visuals! A 3D Masterpiece but the plot... ARGH!!! DREADFUL!
Loved the visuals, especially the underwater scenes as these were awesome in 3D (definitely see it in 3D for this alone) but hated the crappy 'Family' plot. I get that this is supposed to be a family friendly movie but it was a Vomitfest throughout! Zero plot unless you call repeatedly saving your brats plot. It was so bad I'm doubtful I'll even bother with the remaining episodes of this 'franchise'. I just can't face the nauseating Brat Family again for another Vomitfest session... It really was dire! Cameron seems to have thrown the plot to the wolves with this movie. Not recommended except to see the CGI visuals! I expected so much more but this? Just sad! Disappointing and sad! Visually stunning but the plot is SO Crap!
National Treasure (2016)
Great acting from Coltrane and Waters! But ultimately let down by a weak script writer.
I have to give due credit to the acting in this mini-series. Coltrane and Waters are especially brilliant in their respective roles! But the script writing seems to just not really be on the page. The series ends up being carried by two great performances rather than the underlying story, feeling empty and ultimately unsatisfactory. It's not the lack of real resolution to the series either. As a study of how a family is destroyed by adultery, rape and abuse of position, it works well enough. But I can only say this is 'watchable' (scoring 6) and only really because of the acting by Coltrane and Waters. The story seems too 'empty' to be worthy of more.
The Queen's Gambit (2020)
Childhood trauma is a hard teacher!
Firstly, I was amazed by the imbd score! Unusual in itself, despite probably being by a self-filtering process as people who don't enjoy a more cerebral plot will just not watch this... But for those who are able to move past this self-elimination process, this is awesome viewing! For those that don't watch this series, a pity as this series cuts across so many socio-economic and political issues of the 20th century. Her children trauma started long before her parents died and she was put in an orphanage. It's the anti-social out workings in a society with strict defined gender roles that is fascinating to watch. I'm finding the series extremely compelling! Definitely recommended, whether it is your usual type of program or not!
Capharnaüm (2018)
Had to be said, but didn't say it for me...
Why do people have children?
Just some vanity or moment of ignorant pleasure?
Some belief that they are bestowing some blessing upon their unborn child?
Some God given right to have children? As many as they please?
This story had to be told, but it didn't go far enough or ruthless enough for me.
It soft peddled it's point and fell short of the mark.
Perhaps a monk on fire would make the point more poignantly?
But No. Not even that would make an impression on your minds for more than a moment.
Atomic Blonde (2017)
The fight scenes are very realistic because she takes a lot of pain!
Most action movies don't show the hero taking a real pasting whole taking out loads of bad guys... Which just isn't realistic. This woman does! To the point that she is barely able to stand! This Adds to the realism and visceral experience enormously! You feel every blow that she takes! The lesbian scenes were not needed (not that I minded, I'm lesbian myself), it just added sexual fantasy for the male viewers, but didn't add to the plot.
Overall an excellent plot! Very enjoyable movie!
Anna (2019)
All been done before and better..
Save your money for a movie worth seeing. This one isn't 🤔
There are a couple of reasonable action scenes. But what you see in the trailer is about it. The film could easily been half an hour shorter without losing anything of the (limited) plot. Why people are rating this movie highly is beyond me!
The Children Act (2017)
Plenty of Pathos as both the Legal and Spiritual realms fail to deliver the answers to Human Morality
*WARNING - SPOILERS*
This is very much an 'adult' themed movie... Sadly such movies usually fare poorly in terms of their IMDB rating - but this is one worth watching! Don't be put off by the mediocre score! It will have you pondering the meaning of the movie long after the credits have finished rolling...
The Children Act is a portrait of the clash of the Legal vs Spiritual realms trying to resolve the issues of everyday Human Morality.
Emma Thompson represents the Legal System in the role of Fiona 'Justice' Maye and Fionn Whitehead the representative of the Spiritual System in the role of Jehovah's Witness Adam Henry.
What soon becomes apparent is that Fiona Maye's marriage is about to implode due to long term neglect with the announcement by her husband Jack (Stanley Tucci) that he wishes to have an affair. The marital collapse is an analogy of Maye's own internal collapsing of her dependence upon the Legal system to resolve life's moral dilemmas.
Justice Maye has devoted her life to the Legal System, which addresses the core necessities of life but is unable to answer the need for spiritual dignity and a divine relationship. Conversely, the Jehovah Witness' spiritual position cannot resolve the moral complexities of life other than by leaving these to 'God's Will'. We are left considering what is 'conscience' and how this directs our knowledge of Right from Wrong. Both are left empty and bankrupt of real solutions to life - an arbitrary blowing of the wind...
Justice Maye's decision to go and see Adam in Hospital is a key turning point in her deeper questioning of the ultimate value of the Legal system and its limitations to address these moral issues of life and death (from a legal position, the courts always rule that the blood transfusion will take place against the patients/parents wishes - there was no need for Fiona to visit Adam in hospital...).
Adam's acquiescence to the blood transfusion that will save his life (but not his peace of mind) is an effective divorce from his religious principles and relationships within the church and his family.
Adam's attempt to reach out to Fiona and build a relationship with her is ultimately rewarded on his death bed following another relapse but neither find resolution of their deeper need for answers. There simply are none.
The Children Act leaves you deeply aware of the futility of trying to resolve these deeper humanistic issues. There simply are no answers other than to chose the lesser of two evils in any given situation, which is a purely subjective process!