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Showing posts from 2011

TV Show Review: Rake

Not only is this show seriously entertaining in each episode from start to finish, a second season has been confirmed and will more than likely premiere in the new year of 2012. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/11/abc-2012-highlights.html Richard Roxburgh effortlessly leads the cast as the criminal defence attorney - Cleaver Greene who's personal and professional life is hanging by threads, and that's shown pretty quickly from the pilot onwards and gets steadily worse from there. Despite his character's numerous faults, he is good at what he does, both inside and outside the courtroom and throughout it all, keeps his sense of humour and despite what is shown, a small sense of morals. Its set in Sydney, New South Wales, but thankfully, not all is set in the Sydney that's most often described in the guidebooks. They also show the dark side, but with Mr Roxburgh's character right in the middle, it doesn't scare off the audience too quickly. I recommend thi

Article on Audio Commentaries

On a lot of DVDs nowadays, there is something under special features, listed as the feature audio commentary. These run for the length of the film, or in the case of the one for Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl, for certain scenes that feature the two actors that are narrating. In this case, Keira Knightley and Jack Davenport. Audio commentaries range from the mind numbingly boring, Lemony Snicket and a series of Unfortunate Events, The A Team, come to mind, or just lovely and just as entertaining as the film itself, see the list below. Below is a list of my top eleven favourite audio commentaries, all of them worth listening/watching. If the DVD has more than one commentary, I've listed the commentators by name. If not, I've left it with just the title. 11. Eclipse: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart. 10. The Runaways. 9. The Boat that Rocked. 8. Wimbledon. 7. Two Weeks Notice. 6. Van Helsing: Richard Roxburgh, Shuler Hensley and Will Kemp. 5. Lov

TV Show Review: Teen Wolf

If I had to pick, teen dramas as TV shows and remakes are usually two things that I try to avoid, unless I know the quality will be excellent. So, I was quite surprised when a TV show episode combining those two things intrigued me and was actually worth watching. Thanks to the rise of fantasy themes, werewolves have been simplified and made to look a lot cuter than usual. In this, not only are the normal teen angst themes studiously avoided, they've also made sure that the werewolves are properly scary looking and out of control monsters, that most sane people would avoid. The other plus point, is the main actor, Tyler Posey. After his appearance in the romantic comedy, Maid in Manhattan, where he manages to present a solid character with Stanley Tucci, Ralph Fiennes and Jennifer Lopez with him, I guess I shouldn't be that surprised to find that he carries this series with the same maturity.

Film Review: Breaking Dawn Part One

One thought that was at the forefront when I was watching this film: Bill Condon, you are a genius. After reading the books and watching the last three films, you think you know what to expect. This one broke the rules and blew my mind away. For starters, one thing I've been used to, is that the lines you most love from the books, usually are changed or removed. With this one, it seemed like they were all in there. And each time, one was said out loud, I got a little shiver down my spine, it was truly wonderful. Also, things were added in or changed in this film, it wasn't a complete carbon copy of the first half of the book, but it added to the overall experience, it didn't detract one bit. All the actors in this film are talented people, the majority of which have been with us from the very beginning of the series, who make you care about the characters they are portraying. Lastly, Carter Burwell, a brilliant composer, who wrote the score for the first film r

Film Review: Anonymous

Derek Jacobi, Joely Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, Jamie Campbell Bower, Xavier Samuel and of course Rhys Ifans, all come together to present a superbly acted historical thriller, that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first moment to the start of the closing credits. Historically inaccurate yes, but exceptionally well written. It shows an idea, a "What if?" sort of theory and then proceeds to illustrate it with three dimensional characters that you care about. That takes skill, not just from the screenwriter, but also from the actors. And considering Mr Ifan's performance, it makes you wonder why on earth he doesn't get more attention from his dramatic roles as he does his comedic ones. For most, he is remembered most as the Welshman, Spike, in Notting Hill. In much the same way as Mr Samuel is known more as Riley in the Twilight Saga Eclipse, than in more detailed roles and in more diverse films. September, 2.37 are a couple that come to mi

TV Show Review: Misfits

Considering the long running trend of UK TV series being remade by American companies, I thought I would write and post this review of this truly superb series before a remake was made and then there was much confusion over which version I mean. Misfits, currently with two seasons finished so far, is set in an unnamed part of England, with the Wertham  community centre as its starting point. Six teenagers, all punished for various misdeeds with community service are on their first day, when a freak storm happens and the five still outside then start to develop powers. Its an interesting premise and thanks to some clever writing, the characters are well developed and seem quite real. Each episode is tense and they all flow into the next seamlessly. The main actors, Robert Sheehan, Iwan Rheon, Lauren Socha, Antonia Thomas and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett all portray their characters well, especially Mr Sheehan, and you wonder just how much of his lines are scripted and how much is pure imp

Film Review: The Help

I read the book, a little while before seeing the film, so I was a little prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that the film takes you on, much like the book on which is based. Kathryn Stockett is the author and her way of writing sucked you right in and made the book almost impossible to put down. The film is much the same. Somewhat interesting as most films that are books first, manage to miss out a few characters, some parts of the story. This one is quite unique, as not only do they manage to keep the same emotional tones and feeling of the book, but also the major storylines and character arcs. A real achievement, by the director and scriptwriter, in this case - it was one person doing both jobs. The acting in this film, top of the line performances, from each and every one of them. From the smaller walk ons, to the major performers, every single actor was putting their all into their parts and it shows. I don't want to mention names, because I want to write this,

Film Review: Arthur (2010)

Admittedly, I have only seen a small portion of the original version of this film. So I won't be able to make any educated sounded comparisons between the classic and this  newish film, which has Russell Brand as the main character. Interestingly though, a little while ago, I heard that they were going to remake another classic film: Drop Dead Fred. Why is relevant? Because the same actor that manages to instil his own almost manic energy and humour into this film, was listed as the man to play the title character. And while that news was slightly upsetting to me, as I thought that no one could even dare to think of maybe excelling past Rik Mayall's character, is sadly mistaking themselves. But this remake, with my happy knowledge of not seeing the original film, I thought Mr Brand would be awesome as Arthur Bach. And I was right. Helen Mirren, as his nanny (there was a male butler in the original film), is as brilliant as ever and provides clever and witty remarks to keep

Film Review: Jane Eyre (2011)

There have been many adaptations of this novel, first written by Charlotte Bronte. Until now, I have only seen two. And of those two, the first I saw only the beginning episode and part of the end ones (it was a mini series) and of the second, only the very end. So, I was very excited to see this most recent adaptation, as I have already seen both Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender in other films before and I was intrigued as to how the director, Cary Fukunaga would show the story. I am pleased to say, in all aspects of this beautifully made film, I was not in any way disappointed. Miss Wasikowska gives a very moving, yet subtle portrayal of Jane Eyre. Although she is very abrupt in her manner, you still feel for her, not just because of her loveless childhood. Mr Fassbender, who portrays Mr Rochester, by contrast, is not subtle in his portrayal, but at the same time, he does not overdo the brashness that characterises his character, that you might see in other adaptations.

Film Review: The Conspirator

Directed by Robert Redford, this is a clever and decidedly frank dramatic tale of what happens, when a nation and its leaders feel they are under threat. His direction is stunning in this film. Specifically, when Abraham Lincoln, the current president is assassinated as well as the secretary of state. In this film, the Civil War has apparently ended, at least the fighting has and on the 14th of April, 1865 the unthinkable happens, at a theatre. All are appalled and when the others that were planning such a heinous crime, are arrested and named, they too are tainted with the same brush of guilt by the media of the day, and by extension, the general populace. Including a young lawyer, Frederick Aiken, recently returned from a soldier's life, fighting on the union side of the Civil War, here portrayed by James McAvoy. Here in this film, it is really quite hard to even imagine that he is Scottish and not American. He has possibly the most believable American accent in this film

Film Review: The Beaver

Thanks to the bad publicity surrounding the lead actor of this film, its release date was stalled and pushed back a lot. And that lessened the chances of fair reviews as well. Which is sad, because it isn't only Mel Gibson's acting ability that is showcased to it fullest in this film. Its Jodie Foster's directing and acting, as well as the superb acting of Anton Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence. The script, is quite excellent too, but you wonder how much of the script was used in the end, and how much was pure ad lib, as the delivery is quite natural and unforced. From the trailer, you get the feeling that the film is serious in the problems that Walter Black has, but then has some levity with the introduction of the beaver puppet, hence the title. Of course, the film is more serious and more realistic than the trailer would have you believe. A lesson learned the hard way, after watching most of the film: Everybody's Fine. That trailer showed the film to be a comedy.

Film Review: The Social Network

This isn't just a film that shows the idea that eventually became the most used and most trusted social networking website: Facebook. Jesse Eisenberg portrays Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield, his friend Eduardo Saverin. Both mains are excellent, especially English actor Mr Garfield, who not only portrays his role well, but also has a believable accent to go with it. Joseph Mazzello, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Josh Pence and Rooney Mara also star. And all play their roles well. As well as Brenda Song, who plays the psycho girlfriend from hell. This is a well made film, each and every detail researched to the finest degree, with the young actors portraying their characters, based on real people, perfectly nuanced. I watched this with the audio commentary and from there, discover how much effort was put into the detailing of this film. They looked up the real Mark Zuckerberg's college application and found that he had been in a fencing club in high school. Which, when

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

I have been a fan of this series, since reading the first book, (twelve years ago) and loving every word printed. And have been an avid reader and watcher of both the books and movies. I loved them all, despite their faults and plot holes and with that in mind, I watched the last Harry Potter film at the cinemas today, this afternoon. We've all known, for a while now, that the acting standards of the three main characters, is not that brilliant. But these movies were not made with acting awards being their main goal. Aside from the obvious monetary gain of making films of a very popular series, there was a story to be told. And in each film, it has been a huge thrill ride from beginning to end, with comedic and some romance scenes in each one of them. This one, was no exception. I've read each of the books several times and despite knowing how the story goes, I actually felt nervous for all the characters and found that I had to remind myself, several times, that it would b

Article on Typecast Actors

There are quite a few of these. Some more painfully typecast than others, Meg Ryan springs to mind. She is best known and best liked for her role in romantic comedies. Less liked and known for her roles in the genre of drama. Two films that can be used as an example here, In the Land of Women and Against the Ropes. In both, her acting was of a high standard, but the character was not someone in love. Hence the poor reviews. Restoration is another, but that film was also less of a hit, because another lightly typecast actor portrayed the main role. And that time, he was not always portraying yet another cocky young man. That is of course, Robert Downey Jr, and the other films he's played against type, are Charlie Bartlett and maybe The Soloist. One of those might have been just as successful as Iron Man or Sherlock Holmes, but somehow, I doubt it. This brings me to three young actors, who have recently finished filming the last of eight movies, part of one of the biggest franchi

TV Show Review: Carnivale

I have watched the two seasons of this show a couple of times so far, and as yet, I am nowhere near bored of it.There are many layers to it, and to both sides of the story, which ultimately of course collide. Its set in 1934, right smack in the middle of the Depression, in America. On one side of the story, the main character is a young chain gang escapee, called Ben Hawkins. The actor who plays him, probably one of the best yet very relatively unkown, is Nick Stahl. His acting and the way he portrays his character so fully and with the best expressions, is what drives this half of the story. His family farm, which more resembles a patch of dirt and dust, has been repossessed. He's picked up by a travelling carnival, who have stopped in the little town in Oklahoma, hence the name of the show and works there, as a roustabout. He joins the ragtag group, despite concerns from the old blind mystic, who can read dreams and Ben's are more extreme than most. The fact that Ben has he

Film Review: The Trip

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, both actors are well known in their own right, in the same film, doing impersonations of famous characters and actors, whilst touring restaurants in the North of England. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, how can you resist the combination? Answer, you can't, and you would be very foolish to not watch this film. Put simply, a film full of one liners and hilarious send ups, is so enjoyable to watch. The two mains, Mr Coogan and Mr Brydon, play "fictionalised versions of themselves", rather how I've heard the guest actors on Extras portray themselves. A word of advice, this is a good movie, to watch when you've already eaten, because then you won't feel too hungry afterwards.

Article on the films The King's Speech and Made in Dagenham

I love it how films do this. Make more well known little known facts about important events or people in history, more often when it has to do with the underdog, who makes the big difference and causes the event or person to be even more important or life changing. These kinds of films are a complete joy to watch, when you remind yourself that the inspiring and sometimes amusing scenes are based on real life occurrences. The first film, is about how the Duke of York, later King George VI, overcame his stammer and other problems which had badly affected his confidence in speech making, with the help of an unassuming Australian speech therapist, a Mr Lionel Logue. Colin Firth deservedly won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Bertie, which is how he was known to friends and family. Geoffrey Rush was nominated, for best supporting actor at the Oscars, understandably, for his role as Mr Logue, who appears to be a very clever but never a show off. The supporting cast of this brilliant

Film Review: Young Frankenstein (1974)

I know that this film has been out of the cinema and on video and dvd for some time, but I thought it was worth a more recent review and attention. Most spoof films these days, are not that brilliant, to be honest. Instead of one genre or original story to use as a plot, they use maybe 6, and all the characters to populate the scenes. Which is somewhat sad, when  you think of earlier spoof films that are more entertaining and are less well known. Written by Gene Wilder, (Who also portrayed the main character) and Mel Brooks, and directed by the latter, this spoof of the Frankenstein story is very funny, even on repeated viewings. Full of one liners and references to the original, and a cameo by Gene Hackman, this is one well made classic that shouldn't be ignored for something more recent. The supporting cast includes Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Peter Boyle and Madeline Kahn. The latter also starred alongside Gene Wilder in another Mel Brooks film, Blazing Saddles.

Film Review: Paul

After seeing Run Fatboy Run, Hot Fuzz, I was very excited about seeing this film as well. The premise is of two sci fi nerds from the UK, best friends, played by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, come to America to go to Comic Con (a real event held yearly) and see some sights made famous by alien encounters of some kind. Travelling by motor home, they have a close encounter of their own, when a truck crashes near them and they go to investigate. A real alien, who calls himself Paul, voiced by Seth Rogen, tells them that he needs to go home and that he needs their help. This isn't ET, and Paul's been on earth for some time, so he's adjusted, and has weed in his backpack, and a bit of a potty mouth to boot. The support cast includes Kristen Wiig, who has recently released a film that she co -wrote, Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader and Blythe Danner. Steven Spielberg, lends a reference and his voice to the film. Which merely adds to the mountain of hilarious bits and

Film Review: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

I'm sure after repeated viewings, this movie might loose some or even all of the original magic that made it so much fun to watch. But I don't really care at this point. I just think Jerry Bruckheimer is an absolute genius to combine the calm and cool onscreen personality of Nicolas Cage and the decidedly not of Jay Baruchel. Who is,  lets face it, a nerd. But a nice guy, who has a few clever tricks up his sleeve to woo the girl of his dreams, Aussie actress Teresa Palmer in the role of the love interest. And that's before the special effects, magic tricks, call them what you like, turn it into a rollercoaster ride and Alfred Molina appears as the bad guy. For those who haven't seen Mr Molina portray the role of Doc Ock in Spiderman 2, he is the best stereotypical evil character I've seen for a while. You know its a well played role, when you start supporting both sides. Its funny, a massive thrill ride and not the most realistic movie of all time, but you forgi

TV Show Review: Hawaii Five O (2010)

I haven't yet seen the original series, which was released in the 70's, but after watching the first twenty episodes of the remake, I'm not sure I really want to. Don't get me wrong, I'm its really good, but whenever I watch remakes, the chances of me watching the original version and liking both, are pretty close to zero. Okay, this version. It is pure escapism, and you never want to think of the ins and outs of the stunts the group pull, unless you want to ruin the whole experience. Its an action show with cops in Hawaii. The action scenes are big and well choreographed. The main producer of the series, Alex Kurtzman, has also produced the series Alias, a spy thriller, and the films Star Trek and Eagle Eye. How much realism do you suppose were in those ones? And to add, he's also produced the about to released, Cowboys and Aliens. Alex O'Loughlin, an Australian actor, plays the main role Steve McGarrett, alongside Scott Caan, who plays Danno. The cat

Film Review: Inception

After seeing trailers, clips and reading reviews, I had prepared to watch a film that was really confusing and with a lot of twists. Imagine my surprise when I was watching it and discovered that it was a cleverly constructed film, that was about using the dream world, and dreams within dreams, within dreams. And so on. Christopher Nolan, best known at the moment for directing Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and the third film The Dark Knight Rises, takes us on a monumentally visually stunning journey. Using mastery of the realm of special effects, this film makes you believe that inception is actually possible. Fleshing out this film with intriguing characters out with this idea, are the top actors, headed by the 'leader' of the group, Leonardo DiCaprio, and supporting him are Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard and Michael Caine. All are fine actors and they all play their parts well. This is a stunning film and I

Film Review: The Lucky Ones

There are a lot of films, that fall between the cracks, and don't even make it to the cinema. Or barely get a DVD release date. Sad, but true. Sometimes, its because the quality of the film is that of a badly made TV film. Other times, its well made, but the actors or makers of the film, are not well known, and not enough attention is raised. The Lucky Ones, is of the latter. Its a subtle film, and tells the story of three soldiers, two home on leave (30 days long) from the war, the third who's finished his duty. At the airport, all the flights are grounded, so they band together and rent a car to go where they need to. Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins and Michael Pena are unrecognisable, not because of makeup, or any special effects, but it is because of the characters that they are showing to the screen. Its so impressive, and it ensures that its the characters that you remember the most, and stay with you. This film was directed and co written by Neil Burger, the other writ

Film Review: X Men First Class

First off, let me just say, I have never been into comic books, aside from the ones that Murray Ball wrote about a farm dog in rural New Zealand. But that didn't mean I was any less excited about the film X Men First Class's release and seeing it at the cinema for the first time. After having watched the last four X Men films, I thought was well and truly prepared for anything this one might throw at me. I usually expect something similar, when faced with an origins film, but this one brought things to a whole other level. Not just in the extraordinary intensified action scenes, directed by the man who showed us his skill in the films Layer Cake and Kick Ass: Michael Vaughn. But also the scenes which showed the characters' vulnerabilities and fears. The scripting was well done as well, it was not all one sided, nor did the characters portrayed seem black and white. There was no clear "bad guy" except from the obvious character of Sebastian Shaw. And even he

Film Review: Angele et Tony

A French film, subtitled. Apparently the two main actors are stage actors, but the parts they play here are portrayed quite simply and understated. Angele is a recently paroled woman, who we find out is trying to reconnect with her nine year son, who has been living with his paternal grandparents for the past two years, and are, understandably, a bit nervous about letting him be near their daughter in law. Tony is a fisherman, living with his mother and runs his business. He's not a wealthy man, but lives relatively comfortably. He advertises a personal ad in a newspaper and Angele is the one to answer it. Angele is looking for a man, so she can have custody of Yohan, her son. The situation slowly improves for both, and the reconciliation does happen, but you have to be patient. The music is like the story, sweet, sad and quiet.

Film Review: The A Team

There are two main categories for action films. The clever and the silly. The A Team falls into both. And seems to balance both qualities quite nicely. This is a funny film and provides much laughter to every second scene. The action sequences are big and over the top, which is just the way I like it. A fair warning. Those hung up on detail and realism, will not enjoy this film. Or those looking for excellent acting by well known actors. Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Patrick Wilson, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Sharlto Copley and Jessica Biel, all have their fun with this movie, and it shows. My only complaint would be how on some scenes, the camera was a little too close to the people fighting. Other than that, loved this movie, and would most definitely watch it again.

TV Show Review: The Tudors

4 Seasons, 38 episodes in total, that describes the most event filled years of King Henry VIII's reign in rich and exciting detail. What makes this historical drama/thriller/comedy/horror so excellent, aside from everything else, is the way that all the opposing sides are allowed to put their two cents in, and give the audience credible reason to support them, even though to the other people on the other sides of the story, they are the "bad guys". (The main reason I list horror as one of the genre, is because of the episode that is centred on the plague. There are parts where the King is truly frightened and has nightmares about the horrible ordeal.) There are a few historical inaccuracies, but this isn't a documentary. Its a TV show, and as such, they are not there to inform, they are there entertain. For example, they may change around a few dates and time lines, but there is no mistaking the script and acting in each scene, as being of the highest quality. J

Article on the Actor: Bill Hunter

I am writing after mere moments after hearing of the loss of one of the greatest and well known Australian actors,   Bill Hunter. It comes as a great shock to me, as it will to the many others who remember him in Muriel's Wedding, Strictly Ballroom, Crackerjack, Priscilla - Queen of the Desert, Gallipoli, Finding Nemo, The Square and Australia. He also made many TV appearances in various shows, including SeaChange. I grew up watching the film Priscilla, and later on saw him in most of the others listed above as well. Actors like these, are thought of as legends, but are also considered part of the family and friends circle. They stick in your mind for quite some time, long after the credits are done. The characters they create on screen, doubly so. Farewell, Mr Hunter, you shall be greatly missed by us all.

Film Review: Planet 51

Yeah, so a fifties style community is going along nicely, the main character, Lem, has the job he wants and is working up the courage to ask the girl of his dreams if she'll go out with him. Voiced by Justin Long, he's your normal guy, with his friend who believes that aliens will come to their planet and invade and turn everyone into zombies. If this sounds boringly familiar, then wait for the next part. The alien who invades, looks like your average astronaut, and is somewhat shocked to find that the planet he lands on to have an "alien" population. Which creates a bit of confusion when the astronaut, voiced by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, claims that Lem is the alien, not him. The other recognisable voices include John Cleese, Jessica Biel and Gary Oldman. Directed by Jorge Blanco and co directed by Javier Abad and Marcos Martinez, this animated film is a refreshing take, that turns the Alien genre upside down, literally. And manages to sneak in a few reference

Film Review: Robin Hood (2010)

Due to the negative publicity of this film's main actor and one of the producers, the critics seemed to be overly negative about this film too. Which is considerably unjust to not just the film, but also the people who worked on it. Not just Russell Crowe. What I loved about this film, among pretty much everything else, was the fact that the writers, director and producers pared the legend back, to show the real guy, scars and all. They did their research and found some real people to outline and give scope to. And the result is a historical thriller, complete with battles, with very real consequences to each one. The detailing is magnificent and it shows in your overall enjoyment. I found myself struggling to think of another historical thriller with almost as much effort and results gained, clearly shown in this one. I'm sorry to say, that there was only one I could think of, which was King Arthur, which starred Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Ray Winstone, Keira Knightle

TV Show Review: Boardwalk Empire

You know the routine, a trailer that blasts out the major (and more famous names) with the prefix of directed by, produced by, written by and the suffix, i.e. who also did such and such. So when Boardwalk Empire was shown in such a way, with all the big names mentioned, I was wary, but as I already knew that Steve Buscemi and Kelly McDonald had been rightfully nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and Steve Buscemi had won there, I was also excited. I was not in any way disappointed, and after six episodes, I am eagerly awaiting the seventh. First off, the characters. The way its written and acted out, makes you care and wonder about each of the characters, and where they might be taken to next, in the following episode, or the next one. The characters are not one sided either. No one is completely good, or bad. The Prohibition Agent, Van Alden, appears at first to be the dogged agent to bring those who break the laws to justice. What separates him from the usual, is his at times s

Film Review: Water for Elephants

I discovered this movie through the usual channel, the website Imdb.com. And today I saw it at the cinemas. I was already aware of the basic plot line, that a young guy, living in America at the time of the depression, about to take his final exam that would qualify him as a vet, is told that his parents have died and he runs for the city, but joins the circus instead. This film is another that was based on a book, the novel written by Sara Gruen. I have not yet read the book, but I probably will, thanks to my enjoyment of this film. I know full well, that there are many others, who think Robert Pattinson's acting ability is either non existent, or barely developed. This is not true. Keanu Reeves, whose lack of facial expressions and non existent ability to change the tone of his voice, is, despite all this, is a successful actor, and has been in many popular films, regardless. They (though I am not sure exactly who) say the eyes are the window to the soul. I am not really

Australian films

These includes films that are filmed here by American or whoever else producers/directors in Australia. Sanctum pops to mind. But there are others, some that barely get a limited release in cinemas, or even on dvd. I am quite passionate about all Australian films, and mention them myself, when the usual channels ignore or give them a bad review, even if they haven't seen them themselves. Because funding is sometimes limited, a lot of films have to go through a long line of checking and proofing by whoever is producing the work, which means the ones that do make it to this stage, are of the highest quality, before the actors and directors have their chance to put their two cents worth in. Of course, its not just the films that are given the run around. Actors and Actresses from Australia, who's talent far outstrips others of their kind, who's publicity is just better financed, are either in leading roles and excelling in every way possible and not noticed, or in supp

Movies that are based on books

There are a lot of these, probably more than you would think. Legally Blonde, is based on a book. And I found that out, only today! But there is usually a problem, when books are made into movies, especially for the hard core readers (of whom I am one) who look forward to the film's release and their first viewing with feverish excitement, which at times, creates a veneer, helped along plenty by the hype, the trailers, interviews, set pictures etc. Or the person's passion for the book, or the author. So when, during the first viewing, when the film might dip in the quality, this same veneer protects the viewer and gives them some rose coloured glasses, to make things easier, and lets them enjoy their first viewing in peace. On subsequent viewings, this veneer can start to crack and the dips in quality that I spoke of earlier, are more visible with each new viewing. And I can speak from experience on this one. For example. The Twilight series. The veneer was especiall

"Like seams in the concrete..."

This quote is from an old favourite of mine, and it starts off the moment when the characters realise that all is not lost, they can still win the day. The music, also helps you realise that there is still hope. And the line is spoken by the character who is blind. This film, Sneakers, with its cast that includes Robert Redford, David Strathairn James Earl Jones, River Phoenix, Dan Akroyd and Sir Ben Kingsley, is one of my favourites, because it is funny, clever and a thriller, all at the same time. Robert Redford is the unofficial leader of his group, each of the members have certain skills that make them indispensable and unstoppable force, but each have witty one liners that stop this film from being too serious. I would highly recommend this film to anyone, I was first introduced to it at a young age, and I still find it entertaining as anything, almost fourteen years on.