Tag Archives: Kate Winslet

Carol Smillie & The Underwear Changing Women’s Lives

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Carol Smillie & The Underwear Changing Women's LivesIt is not easy being a woman. First there are periods, then possible post maternity leakage (do this pelvic exercises now!) or other bladder issues. But help is at hand at last: DiaryDoll are a range of protective underwear with a concealed waterproof layer which offers girls and women that extra peace of mind and comfort.

DiaryDoll is a pioneering range of pretty clever pants and the brainchild of TV presenter Carol Smillie. With teenage daughters dealing with their monthly cycle, Carol originally developed the range for young women who might be worried about heavy periods whilst at school, playing sport and sleepovers. They definitely serve a great purpose for this but also stress incontinence (which an estimated 1 in 3 women suffer with), during / post-maternity and SUI, commonly known as  ‘sensitive bladder’, or ‘pelvic floor weakness’ (which is believed to affect approx 9 million women in the UK).

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Just like any other pants in the drawer, they are soft, comfortable and machine washable. They are available in black, white, pink and blue online and in 122 Boots stores across the UK. They sold over 400 pairs in 8 minutes on QVC.co.uk and are available in Debenhams.com, JohnLewis.com and pharmacies across the world.

When Kate Winslet openly admitted ‘by third sneeze, it’s game over’ on Graham Norton’s chat show, sales rocketed.

Carol comments, ‘Sales have really taken off, over 35,000 in fact, but not without a little resistance. We underestimated the level of taboo that still surrounds this whole topic. The launch into Boots is a huge deal for us – it’s a big step towards getting this sensitive but very common problem out in the open and getting more people talking about it.’

Knowing Frost is popular with mothers, and women in general of course, we decided to ask to see the underwear. Was it comfortable and discreet? Well yes and yes. The underwear looks good and is comfortable. We were worried there would be rustling but the pants are luckily noise free when you walk. If I was not pregnant I would definitely wear these pants when I had my period. Although be advised that they are to be worn with sanitary protection. The pants are machine washable, very soft and streamline. I would say order a size bigger than you are. They fit small. I always buy underwear bigger than my actual size and I found the 12 I was sent to be a bit snug.

Diary Doll underwear is available here.

www.diarydoll.co.uk

 

 

The Giver – Movie Review

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appleIs it better to give than receive?

The Giver’ is the latest in the long line of film adaptations aimed at the angst driven young adult market; the very same genre that belonged to Twilight, Hunger Games, the latest iteration of Spiderman and most recently Diversion.

The movie Divergent is an interesting comparison to make because to be honest, even though Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver was released almost 15 years before Divergent in 1993 to what some would say was more critical acclaim once you have seen Divergent you just can’t watch this film without thinking this is just another version of the same film. To excuse the pun; this film just doesn’t diverge enough.

To be fair it boasts a decorated cast led by Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep and a capable director in Patriot Games’s Phillip Noyce;  these key ingredients come together to create an incredible cocktail with what they have. But Meryl Streep in her bad girl role comes across like Kate Winslet’s evil step sister but with a whole lot less ‘aggy’, Jeff Bridges on the other hand is as enigmatic as ever but unable to really breathe given the limitations of his role.

Like many of the aforementioned films The Giver is set years after a cataclysmic event that prompted society to adopt a scheme whereby emotions are stripped and families are assembled based on character traits. When a young person leaves childhood, they are handed pre-determined roles within society. Those that don’t ‘fit’ become outcasts or ‘forgotten’; people can’t lie, the society is fashioned on order and obedience and with power comes control. Now, I don’t know about you but I’ve seen enough film adaptations to know that it is just ripe for someone who thinks differently to challenge the corruption and change the upheld views.

This task falls to none other than Jonas (Brenton Thwaites); chosen to take over the role of receiver of memory from The Giver.  He will learn everything about the world before the ‘new world order and utopia’ in order that he has the wisdom to advise the Elders in times of crisis. How will he learn you ask? Is it by reading books, in these types of utopia aren’t books banned? Of course they’re banned, No he learns through ‘mind-melds’ with The Giver, because he needs to ‘experience’ the past. Oooooh I hear you say. That’s exciting. Yes, and it is through these experiences that Jonas learns his new role comes at a cost, you see there is no such thing as love in this life, and no such thing as joy. As such he begins to experience an emotional awakening. Noyce cleverly visualizes Jonas’s epiphany by bleeding colour into black and white images, this happens in such a gradual deliberate way that it almost makes you take a double take, for example he sees the vivid red of an apple, or his love interest’s bright eyes before later seeing the sky full-on blossom into Technicolor.It’s a really nice touch.

This is one of the film’s greatest strengths, by experiencing Jonas relieving the memories of our own history the audience themselves are taken on a journey of the highs and the lows of life. It is there that the connection comes within the film as when he returns each day back to the society the blandness is almost all consuming and it is there you recognise with his plight to change things.

There are some other good supporting roles too. Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgård have great turns as Jonas’s parents, whilst Taylor Swift appears in hologram form as a former protégé of The Giver. Unfortunately, none of them are on screen long enough to create much of an impact.

Whilst obviously on a tighter budget than Hunger Games and Divergent, The Giver does well with its production values and costume design. Indeed if Steve Jobs is in charge of architecture up in heaven most would agree it would look like this.

The only thing I thought let the Giver down was its ending; it just lacks that visceral punch of its contemporaries. However, some would argue that it isn’t necessary; this is a touching film about love and identity; about power and responsibility not a movie actioner. It’s a nice film but I can’t help but feel it’s a shame; if this film had come out five or even ten years earlier it would probably be one of those memorable films of a lifetime. However with Hunger Games and Divergent sequels on the horizon my only fear is that this title will soon be forgotten.

7 / 10

Lara Pulver: “People Think I’ll Keep Getting Naked”.

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After her nude turn in Sherlock Holmes Lara Pulver says she has been “inundated” with nude offers. The episode where she striped while playing Irene Adler became the most watched show ever on the BBC iPlayer.

Now the 31-year-old is saying she keeps getting offered nude roles.

She told the Radio Times: ‘I take my clothes off for a minute and a half and everyone suddenly goes, “Oh great, she’s an actress who will take her clothes off. We can’t get Kate Winslet. Let’s see if Lara Pulver will do a swinger movie”.’

Pulver insisted that the scene was not ‘nudity for nudity’s sake’.

Lara also said she may return to Sherlock Holmes. She is in a new show; Camouflage.

Downton Abbey, Scorsese's Broadwalk Empire Compete For Emmy Awards.

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Downton Abbey, Mad Men and Broadwalk Empire are all competing for Emmy Awards tonight. The Emmy Awards are the TV equivalent of the Oscars.

Mad Men have been nominated for outstanding drama series, for the fourth year in a row. Jon Hamm is also nominated for outstanding dramatic actor and co-star Elisabeth Moss has been nominated for best dramatic actress, Christina Hendricks and John Slattery are up for the best supporting actor/actress awards.

Kate Winslet and Hugh Laurie are keeping the British side up, Winslet is up for best actress in a mini-series for her role in Mildred Pierce, while the show itself is also competing for the mini-series award.

And Laurie is up against Jon Hamm in the outstanding actor category for his role as grumpy surgeon Dr Gregory House in the acclaimed drama House.

Downton Abbey – which returns to ITV tonight for a second series – is up for the best mini-series category, while Maggie Smith is nominated for her role as the Countess of Grantham. I have filmed a lot for Downtown Abbey, as a downstairs maid, so I am rooting for the cast and crew, who are all lovely.

And British actresses Eileen Atkins and Jean Marsh both received nominations for their roles in the BBC remake of Upstairs Downstairs.

Other shows with nominations are Glee – nominated in a few categories including best comedy – the medieval drama Game Of Thrones, serial killer drama Dexter and the US remake of The Office.
Martin Scorsese’s Boardwalk Empire is also tipped to win big at the awards.

The prohibition era drama is up against Mad Men in the best drama category, while Steve Buscemi is nominated in the same category as Jon Hamm, for the best actor trophy.

The awards, which will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday night, will be hosted by Glee actress Jane Lynch.

Stefans TV Picks: 24th May 2010

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Monday 24th
Ignoring the annoying script and its bum-numbing runtime, Titanic did give us the pairing of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, a pair able to convey the feeling of adventure and love in an otherwise pretty mediocre movie. We get to see this partnership once again on Sky Movies Drama and Romance at 22.10 in Revolutionary Road. Join the Wheelers in 1950’s suburban America as boredom and a failing marriage start to take over their façade of a perfect happy home life. Winslets performance is absolutely worthy of her Golden Globe win and Oscar Nomination, she acts everyone off the screen in her flawless portrayal of housewife April as she struggles to keep up the appearance of doting wife and mother while the desire to escape gnaws away within. If you can’t be in to see it, set it to record, you won’t be sorry.

Tuesday 25th
Hmmm, Tuesdays….I’m not sure what happens on Tuesdays but there’s never anything on that really says WATCH ME WATCH ME! So once again I shall resort to my favourite hobby, watching films, and once again I shall turn to Sky Movies Drama and Romance for Once, playing at 16:45 and again at 23:30. If you do take my advice and watch this, have a box of tissues ready, I unashamedly admit to crying every time I watch this film about the growing relationship between Czech immigrant girl (played by Marketa Irglova…if your anything like me, you’ll fall in love with her a lil bit) and Irish busker boy (Glen Hansard). With an outstanding original soundtrack, mostly written by Hansard and Irglova, Once is one of those films that make you so happy and really sad at the same time. A masterpiece of independent cinema.

Wednesday 26th
I’m finding it difficult to suggest anything this week that isn’t movie related, I mean today on Sky 1 at 20:00…Dogs in Frocks (yes its exactly what it suggests) or the tedious Justin Lee Collins ranting and raving in his ‘wacky’ way about trying to enter the Eurovision Song Contest (Eurovision, Channel 5, 22:00) I cant think of any reason to watch these and I’m not a fan of repeating recommendations like The Big Bang Theory at 23:05 on Channel 4 (although everyone should defiantly watch this), so back to movie related programmes it is. Today it’s thanks go to ITV. The National Movie Awards at 20:00 will bring us glitz, glamour, beautiful people and a sneaky peek at the much anticipated (by me anyway) Toy Story 3.

Thursday 27th
BBC2, 19:00, The Culture Show…A-HA I hear you cry, in a week of movie related Picks you are choosing a TV show, but await dear Reader; I am merely suggesting this programme due to one of its segments. In today’s episode, as well as delving into the history of Westminster Abbeys gargoyles, a visit to the funny folk at The Onion and a preview of the new Mostyn gallery in Wales which promise to be pretty interesting, Mark Kermode and Miranda Sawyer debate the choice between Movies and Theatre. I’ll be backing Kermode!

Friday 28
Lost…..I’ve never watched a single one episode, but apparently it finishing and it’s a big momentous thing, my Lost Fanboy friends would probably tell me off for not saying it so Sky 1 from 20:00 onwards sit back and watch the two and a half hour double episode finale that’ll answer all the questions that need to be answered, maybe after I can continue in a conversation instead of it turning to ‘oooo what’s the smoke monster about?’ ‘What about that polar bear?’ ‘What’s down the hole?’ ‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN ON?’ and maybe where on earth the folk on the island got access to toothbrushes, razors and hair products? (keeping in the movie theme…a two and a half hour episode is more than most movie runtimes, so I count it as a film)

Saturday 29th
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like The Rolling Stones, even those who say they don’t probably like their songs but don’t know it’s them playing it, which is why I’m suggesting The Stones in Exile: An Imagine Special on BBC2 at 23:10. This documentary presented by Alan Yentob chronicles the bands recording of their 1972 acclaimed record Exile on Main Street. This revealing account shows their chaotic lifestyle while taking up residence in the French Riviera after fleeing the UK for not paying taxes. Should be an interesting programme for fans and non-fans alike (and will probably have you asking the question…why are we lumbered with musicians like Justin bloody Bieber these days?)

Sunday 30th
Imagine a flat round world, now imagine that world resting on the backs of four elephants, now imagine those elephants standing on the shell of a giant turtle that swims through space….that turtle is the Great A’Tuin, and that world is the Discworld. It’s on this bizarre world that Terry Pratchetts novel (the 33rd in a series of 38) Going Postal takes place, and which has now been made into a two part series for Sky 1 and will be shown at 18:00. Magic, action and almighty cons are rife in the story of swindler Moist Von Lipwig as he takes on the job of PostMaster, in a not so much ailing as decrepit Post Office, in a bid to escape the Hangmans noose. After some disappointing previous Discworld series’ (why they cast David Jason as Rincewind still confuses me) I’m hoping they make up for it with Going Postal, casting Tamsin Grieg is a step in the right direction. As an owner of a majority of the Discworld books this is one I’m looking forward too!