GirlRebuilt Reviews

I Know This Much Is True (2020)

Stop whatever you are doing and watch this.

[9/10 · 10 November 2023]

This is IMO the best example of how masterfully Ruffalo has honed his craft. He plays two roles in unison, both of the identical twins; one of whom is mentally ill, the other dedicated to advocating for him. This of course means that the bulk of the scenes were shot with someone feeding him lines and/or with a recording of himself delivering the other characters lines and/or a body double, as opposed to having the actual actor off whom to feed. The complexity of executing this with resonance and whilst fully in character is monumental,. It's extremely dark, but it's a tremendously important piece in terms of mental health awareness and has done a great kindness to the often misunderstood families of profoundly mentally ill loved ones, and the ailing individuals themselves. Just be aware that you should be in a mindset able to handle a story of trauma, torment, and sadness, and some disturbing scenes (none gratuitous) - but also very deep unconditional love, devotion, and respect, and countless acts of compassion. It is a brilliant piece of work, by far the best of Ruffalo I have seen thus far, and will be very hard for him to top. I finished watching it and thought to myself that he could easily have retired after that wrapped with complete pride in the artistry that he had achieved. This is an absolutely stellar limited series.

Intersexion (2012)

An important watch

[8/10 · 3 October 2023]

Intersex people are not the rarity that many think they are. I was startled to learn this when pregnant with my youngest daughter. I read the novel Middlesex, which sent me on a likely hormonally fuelled wormhole of research into intersex individuals. What if my child was born intersex? What, if anything, would the medical establishment, want me to do?

I was horrified to learn that it is still common practice in North America, and many other parts of the world to do invasive, dangerous, and clinically unnecessary surgeries on infants and young children to assign gender long before they are capable of expressing their wishes. I was horrified to learn that frightened and well-intentioned parents are still being pressured to assign a gender to infants and young children who cannot reasonably assign a gender to themselves. I was even more horrified to learn how older children and adolescents are treated by the medical community; often having their genitals exposed and poked and prodded, simply out of curiosity under the guise of education which to me is dehumanizing and tantamount to sexual assault masquerading as science. All of these things are touched on in this documentary This is not uncommon. It is very frequent that babies are born with ambiguous genitalia, or genitalia that seems to fit one gender, but internal sexual organs of the other often not discovered until puberty or even later. I have heard statistics ranging from 1 in every 2000 to 1 in every 5000 babies born. That is a significant portion of our population. Given the staggeringly high statistics, I think it is very unlikely that any one of us does not know someone who was born somewhere on the intersex spectrum. But it is not spoken of. We do not hear about them. We do not hear from them. And that to me is tremendously sad.

So this documentary was a breath of fresh air. Intersex individuals telling their own unique stories in their own words. With everyone feeling they are so "woke" when it comes to gender identity and sexual orientation, this is the one area that seems to be missing. These individuals have very little representation in popular media. They are rarely discussed at all. Everyone deserves a voice. Everyone's story is individual and valid. I am thankful that this documentary was made to help educate myself and others about this diverse group of individuals who have very sadly been overlooked for far too long.

Heart of Invictus (2023)

Appalled by the low ratings!

[10/10 · 4 September 2023]

I cannot possibly fathom why a series this brilliant would have such a low rating. If this is because some people do not like Prince Harry, then just take him out of the equation because this film is not about him. It is about veterans, it is about the disabled both physically and mentally, it is about courageously men and women who fight every instinct telling them to just hide away, or to end it all. It is about veterans who risked everything to travel out of war-torn Ukraine to compete and to who did not make it out to do so. All these veterans, all these disabled human beings from around the world, travelling halfway around the world to compete not so much against each other, but alongside each other . It is about human resilience and the power of the soul to heal, given love, and the right resources, and the right supports. I am not a veteran. But I do suffer from PTSD and I am physically disabled. I am personally enraged that a series that touched me on such a personal level , and that I feel could teach so many people in my life to understand me and so many other disabled people and people afflicted with PTSD better would be so poorly regarded over trivial nonsense. Some respect for veterans. Some respect for people who fight battles many will never understand; and not the ones on the battlefield. The ones they fight every moment of every single day . Just watch this series with an open mind and open heart. If you do that, I promise you that you will be changed. This documentary series, just like the Invictus Games it chronicles, has power to change minds and to change lives.

Tiny Beautiful Things (2023)

A raw, emotional, yet hopeful limited series

[8/10 · 16 July 2023]

One of the best limited series I've seen in quite some time. The subject matter is dark, and this series is very raw and emotional, but also very realistic and well scripted and acted. The script goes back-and-forth in time between the principal characters tumultuous childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, and the present day, when she is pushing 50 and still inviting chaos into her life. These aptly timed repeated flashback scenes shed light into who the character has become and why. A fairly dysfunctional adult, but with great love for her child, the character constantly navigate flashbacks and memories of a primarily traumatic past. But it was not all bleak, and those glimmers of light seem to be what give her the hope that a stable life is possible and carry her through, even if she is not particularly adept at creating one . Most of all this is just a very good story, something that I find is lacking from many present-day series and films. Have a box of tissues handy, but definitely give this one a watch.

Anything Is Possible (2013)

A decent idea very poorly executed

[4/10 · 16 July 2023]

This seems to be one of those films that people either love or hate. While the general concept is good, it is poorly scripted, poorly acted, and beyond cheesy. They touch on so many important issues such as the implications of active military duty on the family, PTSD, adoption, childhood cancer, children without parents,; but that's all they do, touch on them. Nothing is properly explored. The acting is just plain flat. In what should be a very highly emotional situation the actors seem emotionally stunted. The soundtrack is full of extremely mediocre songs meant to further their message of positivity, but quite frankly, it was extremely irritating. And there were multiple parts of the film that were simply not grounded and reality, parts that eluded to government process that simply would not occur. If you're not a fan of feel good low budget Hallmark type films, this will not be for you. It definitely was not for me.

Black Boys Skate Too (2023)

Shows promise as the prelude for a feature of length doc

[8/10 · 7 April 2023]

This very short documentary piece shows promise as an introduction to a much longer film exploring both skate culture and African-American youth culture and where the two intersect. The peace begins a narrative about what sports are considered socially acceptable within the culture of African-American youth, and an exploration as to why skating does not make that list. I would definitely watch a full length documentary exploring the notion that by and large black youth do not consider skateboarding to be a sport in which they should be involved and why they seem to feel it is so closely tied to white culture. This short piece, while just barely touching on the topic due to the time constraint, seems to want to break down those walls, to open the door for African-Americans you to participate in the sport if they so desire. They seem to identify the issue, not as being disc looted by skaters, quite the opposite in fact. They seem to identify the issue as ostracization by fellow African-American you should they choose to participate in skating and to associate with white skaters. It saddens me to see any young people limiting themselves from doing things they love you due to any kind of cultural bias, and I think a film like this could potentially facilitate others to have the courage that the young man featured in this film has demonstrated by participating in a sport he loves, regardless of the fact that it is not socially popular with a large number of his peers for reasons that would appear to be based on racial bias alone . Definitely a lot to work with here, a lot worthy of further analysis, and judging by the high-quality footage and the interesting narrative, I think that this could do well as a feature length documentary. I'm hoping to see that happen in the future.

The Photographer (2022)

Fascinating

[9/10 · 4 May 2022]

As in accounts of all wars, the female perspective of the Holocaust is, in my opinion, vastly underrepresented in the media. Anne Frank aside, I have read and seen very few accounts of the Holocaust from a female perspective and have never before heard of a female who became part of the Jewish resistance. The magnitude of this woman's strength, bravery and resilience is something I can barely fathom. This documentary short has inspired me to seek out books and films about the Jewish resistance, particularly anything that speaks of women who fought. I would very much like to see a full length documentary about Faye Schulman's life. Stories like hers must be told. We must not raise a generation of children who are unaware of the events that occurred during the Holocaust and also of the female narrative regarding this most horrendous, despicable, and horrifying time in human history. I was absolutely staggered by a quote that appeared on the screen just prior to the credits: "23% of surveyed American young adults believe that the Holocaust is a myth." -Claims Conference, 2018. I sincerely hope that this statistic is not also representative of Canadian youth. While they certainly do not think it to be myth, my own children who are 23 and 14 have learned very little about the Holocaust at school in the Canadian public school system. Children are most definitely being taught much less now than my generation was taught. The majority of what my children know has been learned through what I was able to teach them and through films they have seen. This statistic is utterly terrifying and speaks to the continued need for new documentaries, movies, books, and education about the second world war and the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis, as well as about the lives and bravery of the individuals who endured these horrors, both those who survived and those who did not.

Most sincere condolences to Mrs. Schulman's family on her passing.

Joe Bell (2020)

Very underrated film

[8/10 · 3 February 2022]

I'm confused both by why I hadn't heard of this film, just stumbled upon it accidentally on Netflix, and by the amount of poor reviews and low rating. I found this film to be a difficult one to watch due to the upsetting subject matter, but felt that it was authentic to what I know of the true story. I thought it was well brutally honest, did not overvillify or heroice, well written, strong performances... I am very confused by why so many people disliked this film. If you're reading this and are on the fence about watching it because of the reviews and rating, give it a shot. You might be like me and not need a film to be fast-paced and action-packed in order to see its merit and understand its value.

The Perfect Catch (2017 TV Movie)

A potential cure for insomnia

[3/10 · 16 February 2021]

I've got to say it: I am absolutely shocked at the high ratings I'm seeing here, but everyone is of course entitled to their own opinions. Here are mine. The acting was terrible, but to be fair the actors weren't given much to work with with a script that weak. The characters for one dimensional and poorly developed. Even the musical score was completely along the same lines that we have heard again and again and a cane in low budget family-friendly romcoms. The plot was completely predictable, from the main story in and of itself right down to small details, even the lines at times. . If you're having a lot of difficulty sleeping and want something to turn on for white noise, a little inane distraction from your own thoughts that will not hold your attention nor interest you enough to keep you awake, then I would definitely recommend this film. Otherwise there are hundreds of thousands of better options out there. Only gave it 3 stars as I was not offended by anything in it, there was no gratuitous violence which is some thing that I personally can't tolerate due to PTSD issues, no harm came to any animals which also triggers me., and I did somehow manage to get through to the end. But those alone are hardly redeeming enough qualities to make me recommend this film to anyone or subject myself to it a second time. In fact, I'd even take a sleepless night over this.

Emily in Paris (2020– )

The plot has potential, but...

[4/10 · 16 November 2020]

The plot has potential, but... The script was incredibly weak, cliché lines, predictable dialogue, the acting was mediocre at best, difficult to tell if this was as a result of week actors ( I am not familiar with any of them) or poor direction combined with the terrible script. It was so annoying that it would not even serve as light entertainment, far too annoying. Made it through four episodes and called it quits so one star per episode I managed to watch, and that's being generous.

The Queen's Gambit (2020)

Thoroughly addictive

[10/10 · 15 November 2020]

I have no interest whatsoever in chess. I did try to learn to play as a child but was not interested enough to take the time to learn all the rules. But that doesn't matter here. You don't need to know if thing about chess to understand and be thoroughly riveted by this fantastic series. To me it was more of an exploration of the psychology of one particular individual who was driven to win. It explores her genius just as much as her shortcomings. It examines how her past catapulted her into her present. I began watching yesterday afternoon and finished it near afternoon today, under 24 hours.. All 7+ hours. In fact were I not under the weather I am quite certain I would've stayed up all night and binged the entire series in one go. I genuinely can't think of anyone of any age or walk of life who this series is not appropriate for. The warnings of drug and alcohol use are irrelevant in terms of parental decision as it does not show these things favorably but is more a caution against them. it is at once a film about individualism, about feminism but in its most subtle form, about sportsmanship, and about the ability to overcome even the most dire and dismal of circumstances when one has to drive to do so and is fortunate enough to find that which lights that spark for them early on. Without being overly sappy or sentimental it is still highly emotional and a series that, though it leaves no string untied, leaves you wanting more. Brilliantly acted, brilliantly directed, brilliantly scripted, brilliantly shot. There is not one thing I would change about this series. And that is something I very rarely say, even about films or series that I enjoy. This is one I will definitely revisit several times.

Life Itself (2018)

A brilliant piece of Storytelling

[9/10 · 13 November 2020]

The art of storytelling has almost been lost in film. Even fantastic stories on paper when rewritten as screenplays lose that magic, that craftsmanship that made the story so brilliant. This is perhaps why so many people say they liked the book better in reference to so many films, that the movie did not do the book justice.. It is the artistry, the ark that comes full circle connecting the beginning to the end. When I think of contemporary films that were examples of brilliant storytelling only a few come to mind; The Lovely Bones, The Ciderhouse Rules, Shawshank Redemption, and most definitely Life Itself. This is a sometimes agonizing sometimes joyful, but always masterful film suitable for all genders, all ages, for everyone. Like reading a well written novel, watching this film is time well spent.

Eighth Grade (2018)

Totally unmemorable

[6/10 · 8 November 2020]

Well this is a first. I actually just watched this movie for the second time but didn't realize until I was about 3/4 of the way through that I had seen it before. I typically has a very good memory for movies that I have seen. That does not say good things about the film. It's not terrible, it does touch on some themes that are important for younger girls, but the presentation is so dry and the pace is so slow that it makes for a completely unmemorable watch. Give it a chance if you have time to kill or are looking for something very calm and sedate to put you to sleep. But do not expect it to become among your favourite films.

Zone interdite: Unité pour malades difficiles, qui sont ces fous que l'on enferme? (2017) Season Unknown, Episode Unknown

Fascinating

[7/10 · 8 November 2020]

A very personal look at some of those deemed criminally insane. Several patients are spoken to in depth over a period of time so one can really get a good sense of who they are and what they feel. These men have committed heinous crimes. This is a maximum-security psychiatric facility for those that could not be managed even at other psychiatric facilities. The staff form respectful relationships with them and truly do seem to care. For me, the most notable difference between these men and inmates not suffering from mental disorders is the truly heartfelt remorse that these men seem to feel. Now that they understand what they have done and they understand their illnesses which are much more controlled, many of them are plagued by memories of the things they have done. They are horrified not only by what they have done but by what they could have done were they not stopped. Many of these are men who could potentially have futures within society provided that they received frequent medical attention to ensure that they were taking their medication and that about their medication was still doing working for them, a sense of purpose and activity to fill their days like some form of employment be it paid or volunteer work, and a supportive place in which to live. These men are not all write offs. They have absolutely no desire to return to the state that they were before or to repeat the crimes they have committed. In fact some of them request not to be released when it is time to evaluate their placement because they simply don't feel ready to be trusted. I think the staggering difference between these men and most of those in maximum-security penitentiary's who have committed violent crimes is truly shown in this documentary. It's amazing what being treated with dignity and humanity can do in terms of recovery. I would however be interested in hearing the recidivism rate for men granted release from facilities such as these. From what this documentary has shown me I think it would be rather low, at least within the system in place in France where this is filmed, but I could be completely wrong. All in all a fascinating and at times heartwarming documentary.

Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine (2020 TV Special)

Fantastic!

[9/10 · 31 October 2020]

I went into this with no expectations and no background information And I was so pleasantly surprised! What a treat to see original, cleverly crafted, comedic satire being performed by an all-star cast! I think the low rating is to be expected for a show like this. Not everyone appreciates or even understands this brand of humour, and that's okay. But for those who like dark humor, irreverent satire, fantastic delivery of comedic material, and want a switch from the over done brand of humour we see on most television and in most films now, this one is for you. Think I'm going to go watch it one more time!

Strange But True (2019)

A thriller that will keep you guessing the whole way through

[7/10 · 31 October 2020]

I'm actually surprised at how low the rating for this is. Though not the best thriller ever made, the storyline does take many unexpected twists and the ending is as well unexpected. Any thriller in which I cannot anticipate what is going to happen next has done it's job, in my opinion. The acting Is quite good, the cinematography and score are good as well. My only complaint would be some unlikely if not implausible events and choices. But this is well worth a watch if you're looking for a thriller that has an unpredictable storyline that keeps you guessing right down to the very last scene. It's good enough that I plan on reading the book on which it was based.

Weed the People (2018)

A thought provoking documentary

[7/10 · 19 September 2020]

This thoughtful and sensitive documentary shows the often gut wrenching plights of several families with children battling cancer who are helped tremendously by medical cannabis. I have seen many times the phenomenal results that medical cannabis has in controlling the side effects of chemotherapy, but the fact that correctly dosed appropriately chosen strains of both THC and CBD tinctures can actually serve as tumour shrinking agents, as demonstrated in clinical settings in more liberal countries, is new to me. It's unfortunate that because big Pharma cannot gain from the use of cannabis for medical treatments we are seriously lacking in the studies that we need to know how to use it use to combat many diseases. I live in a country where not only is cannabis legal for medical use, but it is also now legal for recreational use. I have used prescribed clinical grade CBD oil to help with the symptoms of MS and fibromyalgia. But this film makes me wonder if correctly chosen and dosed cannabis extracts could actually help me battle the diseases, MS in particular, at their core as opposed to just providing some relief from symptoms. But alas, if in a country that recognizes that cannabis has medical merits and no longer criminalizes its use recreationally, big Pharma still controls what is studied and what is not based on their own financial agenda . This film is thought-provoking and extremely optimistic in its tone. I won't lie, the Kleenex did come out a few times, but for the most part this film shows children having success treating cancer with medical cannabis and are happy, thriving , and now in remission. This is clearly an advocacy piece so it is one sided in its opinion of the merits of cannabis. But if nothing else perhaps it will prompt people with serious illnesses or their caregivers to entertain the idea and do some research on their own, however limited the resources may be. My only issue with the film is it's title. I actually passed this one over many times having read the title but not the synopsis and thought it sounded like another stoner-made decriminilization piece. Something more indicative of it being a medical documentary would have been much more fitting.

Blue (I) (2018)

An absolute gem of a film

[8/10 · 9 September 2020]

I had very few expectations when I sat down to watch this film as I knew absolutely nothing about it. But I will say that as a person who suffers from depression I tend to gravitate towards films that deal with mental health and have therefore seen many. When dealing with issues of self harm, most films tend to either sensationalize or demonize. I was expecting one or the other but this film did neither. It normalized it within the context of a volitive individual suffering an acute depressive episode . The issue was of course taken seriously as it should be, but it was seen as just what it is, yet another symptom of mental illness for some people. It is not the self harm that needs to be treated, it is the reason behind it. And this film focussed on just that. The writing was fantastic, the acting superb, the editing and musical score ideal. i'm hoping this film gets a lot more exposure in the days to come, particularly now that mental health issues are at an all-time high. It was also an uplifting reminder of what friendship and love can do to lift the human spirit, no matter how blue.

Banana Split (2018)

Refreshing light watch

[7/10 · 14 August 2020]

Certainly not the best film of the year, not life-changing or profound, but still worth the watch. Extremely refreshing to see a teen chick flick where young women choose their friendship with each other over their romantic/sexual relationships with a boy. It's unfortunate that much of the content is too mature to show my preteen daughter. I think it could provide some good perspective for young girls approaching the years when they'll be dating. Regardless, if you're in the mood for a light film with a feel good ending, this is definitely one to zone out to.