kittycatbarton Reviews

Can I Tell You A Secret? (2024)

Actual 7/10 but...

[9/10 · 7 April 2024]

...I'm grading this one on the curve due to the ridiculous low-rated reviews.

This wasn't an exploration of the wider implications of social media, nor is it a long at the devastating effects of stalking for victims who rarely receive and kind of justice. Nor was this a documentary about misogyny and the police handling of cases of harassment. Yet some reviewers seem to have gone in expecting any/all of the above, then have low rated the doc because they are disappointed.

This IS a very good look at the wide net of haressment and stalking that can be cast by one man. This IS a tale of strong women, fighting back. This is a story of a policeman who fought to validate these women and seek justice....and a very well told one it is.

Many reviewers have complained that the "stalker voice" is "silly", I disagree, I think if you had received these messages they would be terrifying, and the voice went a small way to illustrate that.

Barbarian (2022)

It seems like people love or hate this film...

[8/10 · 12 February 2024]

...I'm in the latter category!

Their were clear themes of misogyny, abuse and control in the movie, but done in a really original way so it doesn't feel heavy-handed or patronising to the viewer. As a woman in my late 40's many of these themes resonated with me. At times frustrating to watch as, like in so many horror films, I found myself questioning the choices of the main character...why oh why do characters put themselves in potential danger...then on reflection I realised that as a woman there have been countless times where, had something awful happened to me, I would have been viewed the same way. 'Why was she: there/out so late/alone/doing that/wearing that/behaving that way/so quiet/so loud/going back there, etc" and sure, this is a horror film, your belief will need to be suspended, but imo the pay off is well worth it.

Great casting, really strong performance from the lead Georgina Campbell, and the supporting cast.

The Artifice Girl (2022)

Rating on the curve!

[9/10 · 10 November 2023]

At time of writing the gem of a sci-fi had a 6.6 rating, which is ridiculous, hence my 10 star rating. If the general ratings were higher I'd still have given this movie an 9 star, because there is very little I could think of that could improve on it.

It's not an action film, it's sci-fi, and like all good sci-fi, the human relationships (shown and implied) are key. It's gentle, moving, and manages to navigate many compelling philosophical questions, without patronising or confusing the viewer.

Wonderfully acted, especially the young star playing 'Cherry'. Characters I felt invested in and intrigued by from the first few minutes, and that's down to wonderful writing.

It felt like I was watching a book or a play, somehow more intimate than movies normally feel. I'll definitly be watching this again, and looking out for more work by the director & writer, Franklin Ritch.

My Name Is Reeva: And I Was Murdered by Oscar Pistorius (2022– )

A missed opportunity

[6/10 · 8 October 2023]

I thought this was a wonderful opportunity for a victim of a heinous crime to be both honoured, and for her family to be able to tell their story. There was indeed much time devoted to her loving parents however it was marred by a 'talking head' trauma specialist who spouted a load of nonsense and in essence blamed the victim, Reeva. I do agree that the way we attach to people is rooted in how we were loved and cared for in childhood (or lack of love and care), however, this 'expert' gives his opinion on why Reeva was so loving and caring; because as a child/young person she kept her parents together, that her love for them both meant she took on a 'parent' role and acted as the glue that kept her parents together. And that's his opinion, and it's only an opinion, and seems to go against the evidence that her parents still clearly love each other and are together, despite this tragedy of their daughters murder. This opinion leads the 'expert' on the postulate that Reeva felt she could 'fix' Oscar. He then waffles on more about his opinion on Oscars 'attachment type'...and it's crass, victim blaming, and dismissive of the vile nature of this crime.

The episodes follow Reeva's father as he plans on meeting with Oscar as part of a 'victim empowerment program' and this makes for heart-breaking viewing. I feel this scheme allowed Oscar to act as a victim of himself, he even asked if he could shake Barry's (Reeva's father) hand. Oscar then got onto his knees in front of Barry as he shook his hand. This should never have happened, he deserves no chances to atone because he has never told the truth.

Most frustrating was the easy ride the prosecution team got in the documentary. It seemed they were never really pushed to give answers to glaring omissions from the trial. The bedroom door showed signs of having also been bashed in (suggesting she fled to the bedroom first, then into the bathroom). Oscars brother took one of Oscars phones from the house, deleted messages, and then 12 days later gave it to the police. There was 4 witnesses who heard a male and female having a loud argument, heard a female shouting for help, then heard gunshots. There were marks on her body showing fresh bruises and trauma that were not gunshot wounds. All these and more, were not permitted to be discussed in front of the jury.

What the hell were the prosecution doing, the whole court system stinks of corruption. This documentary, whilst well intentioned, left a very bitter taste.

Open Shadow: The Story of Teal Swan (2017)

Watch The Deep End instead

[1/10 · 15 June 2022]

Propaganda, this film is propaganda. Teal Swan is dangerous in many ways and this film is a slap in the face to her victims and their friends and family.

A Love Song for Latasha (2019)

Beautiful and relevant

[10/10 · 22 September 2020]

This is not an easy watch, but it's worth watching every minute. It is exactly what the title says, a love song, and like so many love songs has heartbreak at its core. A young black girl shot, her life seemingly worth $1.79, and no justice. This could have been 1951 rather than 1991, and tragically could be 2021.

Don't Let Go (2019)

A solid 7 stars but 9 to reflect the low white reviews bias

[9/10 · 11 July 2020]

This is a tight thriller, well written & acted, and great action scenes to get your heart racing. I loved the chemistry between the two leads, Storm Reid especially strong, making their relationship feel real. This kept me gripped from the beginning, and the pacing was perfect. It makes me sad and mad to see the mass of low star reviews, racial biases and prejudice run so deep. Some of the reviews are blatant in their racism, and it makes me think of Dave's track Black: "Black is....workin' twice as hard as the people you know you're better than, 'Cause you need to do double what they do so you can level them". Is this the worlds best thriller? No. Is it big budget typically Hollywood fair? No. It is a great film though and deserves more praise than shown in these reviews.

The Willoughbys (2020)

Very enjoyable but quirky

[9/10 · 4 May 2020]

Hate Ricky Gervais to the point his voice makes you want to stab your ears with hot pokers? Yep, me too! So I wantched the film in french with english subs to assist hahaha. Quirky characters, gorgeous, colourful animation and a fun story....whats not to love? Oh yeah, that Gervais bloke.......

Dracula (2020)

If you want the old tale, then read the book!

[9/10 · 26 February 2020]

This is a fabulous adaptation and I am baffled by the reviewers who hated the last episode. It was well written, had a fabulous score, superb acting, and directing THROUGHOUT the series. The production values were high.....what is not to love? I loved the dynamic between Agatha and Dracula (hats off to casting for both the stars), and that we had a man and woman in leading roles. Did I mention that it is funny and moving? It is! If you don't like adaptation twists & turns then stick to the novel. and avoid Moffat & Gatiss works at all costs.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

10/10 I loved everything about this

[10/10 · 28 October 2019]

I had no idea what to expect of this movie, I didn't even see the trailer, but very early on I knew I was in for a treat. All the cast were on top form and WELCOME BACK EDDIE! This is the Eddie Murphy I remember, full of character, sharp lines and that cheeky smile! I very rarely give 10/10 to a film, but I would not change a single thing about Dolemite Is My Name, it was superb.

Eli (I) (2019)

Thoroughly enjoyable horror!

[7/10 · 18 October 2019]

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The cast were wonderful, especially Lili Taylor as Dr. Horn and the title character played superbly by Charlie Shotwell. As with most horror you have to suspend belief but it never felt like a parody, hammed up, nor did it take itself too seriously. The direction was well done, with some fab jump scares, along with a growing sense of dread. It evoked similar feeling in me that I get from Rosemary's Baby. A bold claim I know, and this film certainly isn't such a classic, but I would recommenced this film, and I will definitely be watching it again sometime!

The Perfection (2018)

Bloody fun!

[8/10 · 30 May 2019]

I loved this film, great cast, a nice spin on your usual thriller, and a well paced plot. Great direction means this film has it's tongue placed firmly in it's cheek, something I feel many negative reviewers seem not to realize.

Lake Mungo (2008)

A little gem of a film.

[7/10 · 29 May 2019]

I am not easily scared but film but this had a creeping effect on me. Really well paced and, although the plotting is a little off, the result is a proper chiller.

Channel Zero (2016–2018)

Chilling to the extreme

[10/10 · 17 August 2018]

I love reading and in particular the art of a short story can blow me away if done well, and Candle Cove on creepypasta was a fine example. A growing sense of dread and unease develops in the reader, and the ending made me shiver with delight. And all told so succinctly. So on learning the first season of Channel Zero was to be an adaptation of Candle Cove I was apprehensive to say the least. I shouldn't have been. The story has been wonderfully translated onto film, it has the same sense of chill as the original story, despite revealing the ending of the original story in episode one! What a feat. Then Season Two....an adaptation of (imho) a slightly overlong creepypasta, which didn't really grip me. But oh boy, they have created a TV masterpiece. It reminds me of Tales of the Unexpected (both the original book and the TV show) in many ways, just great writing, showing not telling, and some fine, fine acting! Particularly Aisha Dee, wow, this actor needs an award: I will give no spoilers but episode 5 at the end was just sublime...the empathy I was feeling with the character was unbelievable, she was spot on in her portrayal. And now I am about to step into season 3.....and I can't wait to be petrified again. EDIT: Season three is THE BEST! It had me chuckling whilst petrified and yet was also a thoughtful and emotional journey into schizophrenia. I adored all the main actors, heck all the actors were superb. Rutger Hauer was a delight to watch. The two sisters Zoe and Alice Woods (played by Holland Roden & Olivia Luccardi) were beautifully portrayed, you feel like you are beside them in their horrific experiences. But by far, my stand out characters were: Louise Lispector, portrayed with a wink and charm by Krisha Fairchild and the hilarious character that I kind of fell in love with: Edie Peach, I seriously think Diana Bentley needs an award for this role. Just watch it! If I were to recommend a viewing order for people new to the show, I would say watch season 3 first, then 1 then 2. Roll on season 4!

Jordan (2010)

An enjoyable, easy to watch drama.

[7/10 · 31 July 2018]

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it built tension throughout and there was some strong acting, especially from the actress playing Jordan. It was, I suspect, a low budget film, but they did really well with what they had. The setting was stunning and well filmed, and it was a plus to see a diverse cast. One criticism would be the sound. Often the music was too loud and the dialogue, especially in the hospital scenes, was far too quiet. I would rate this a 6.5.

Nova: 15 Years of Terror (2016) Season 43, Episode 14

Very one sided view of terrorism

[1/10 · 4 July 2018]

If you're looking for a documentary that shows one fraction of terrorism, then this is for you. It begins on the premise that terrorism began from 9/11, I can concur that terrorism has changed in the years since the birth of social media, but it's not new. The KKK were committing acts of terror decades before, on American soil, against American people. The far right were never mentioned, nor were any other known terrorism groups, only Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Nor was there any discussion of what terrorism is. For example they showed the capture of Bin Laden as if they only bombed a few, very select, targets, never was there a mention how for many people in Afghanistan, they may view the Western troops as terrorist invaders. No mention of the terror atrocities committed against Palestine by the Israeli government.

Brain on Fire (2016)

Such a shame

[5/10 · 28 June 2018]

I am so disappointed as I think this film had HUGE potential.

Positives: The acting, especially the lead Chloe Grace Moretz, was superb. Her portrayal of a person 'slipping away', from themselves and family, was amazing. This section of the film had me gripped and I was pondering why there was so many negative reviews and low ratings.

Which leads me on to: Negatives: The voice over really annoyed me, and turned the film into a 'made for young people' film, which actually is insulting to young people. It left me feeling the subject was being 'dumbed down', and a waste of talented actors. I cannot stand voice overs when used for telling me,rather than showing me, what is happening. Especially when you have such a telanted lead. Now my main negative, the ending. It felt hollow and rushed and I felt cheated out of a character that I wanted to know so much more about. Dr. Najjar. He is clearly a fascinating man, and I was left feeling his amazing work was put in a tiny packet, with a little bow on, for us 'dumb viewers'!

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

Dreadful

[2/10 · 4 September 2008]

I have wasted 2 hours of my life watching this trite film. The characters are one dimensional, the plot is non existent, the script awful and the direction is lazy.

The only reason I have given this film 2 stars is for the scene where Scott (played by Eddie Marsan) the driving instructor, pulls Poppy's hair...the very least he could've done, considering how bloomin' annoying she is. The other star was for Eddie Marsan's acting, although he was wasted in this drivel.

As for the character of Poppy trying to make the world a 'happier' place: maybe she should try listening to people, instead of her constant snickering and mocking attitude.

Words cannot express how much I loathed this film, but then, I've always hated people who say "cheer up, it may never happen". Next time someone says that to me I'll reply with: "it already has, I watched Happy-Go-Lucky".