A number of sites do speed tests. This is one
http://www.dslreports.com/stest but you should do several at diferent times and from different sites. Google will give you plenty! (don't forget to bookmark a site(s) you find particularly suitable for future reference)
Hmm movies are large files, and any host that has one movie may have many more. You may have to try clicking find more sourses a few times before you become waiting on busy hosts.. The host may well be permanently stretched and movie files can take a long time to transfer.
re-search, and re-search again, but be reasonably patient. I believe it will help if you are sharing a good number of files. A host is likely (I'm not entering into the question of whether he is justified or not) ... to allow uploads from those he can see are sharing in preference to those who are not or appear to not be sharing.