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Reviews
Zelos (2017)
Cheaters always cheat, so can trust be restored?
Cheaters always cheat, so can trust be restored? ZELOS is the perfect title, for this Australian indie feature movie film, as the word in Greek has the meaning of ZEAL and PASSION, but also of JEALOUSY and SUSPICION.
The nature of freedom versus responsibility in relationships is explored, during this different and intriguing story of two successful thirty-somethings, Bernard (Ben Mortley:- Lantana, McLeod's Daughters, Drift, Foreshadow, Pinch) and Sarah (Shannon Ashlyn:- Wolf Creek 2, Love Child, Dripping in Chocolate, Puberty Blues, Devil's Dust).
ZELOS takes a bold and brave path that shows precisely how both Bernard and Sarah cope, from the announcement of her affair whilst overseas on holiday without Bernard.
With the notion of salvaging their relationship, and in a bid to restore his trust, Sarah insists that Bernard sleep with another woman to even the score.
What could possibly go wrong?! Whole levels of their relationship immediately take on a very different dynamic, fuelled by Bernard's constant questions and jealousy.
ZELOS is fast paced entertainment, with the perfect cast of Sydney based actors. The movie is a film helmed predominantly by women, including director, co-producers, writer, cinematographer, editor and female-dominated crew.
Director Jo-Anne Brechin has a strong visual eye for detail, and this is her feature film directorial debut. Jo-Anne first met writer Claire Harris who was studying screen writing at AFTRS in 2013.
Claire Harris pitched ZELOS in class at AFTRS, and Jo-Anne Brechin decided, "let's do that together". They agreed to make the film when Harris finished the screenplay, a "good creative collaboration" was their starting point for their unique vision, that has now been realised.
In order to complete post-production for the film, Brechin and Harris established a crowd-funding campaign through the "Australian Cultural Fund", with all of those tax deductible donations going towards the final edit, sound design, score, and colour grading.
Harris and Brechin became co-producers of ZELOS after forming their own production company "Painted Gate Pictures", and used their own bank accounts in order to get ZELOS up and running. Crowd-funding was successfully used to pay for making the final-cut version.
Starting in January 2016, Brechin took less than three weeks, to fully complete their fast paced shooting, beautifully filmed in the suburbs of Sydney. In all the total production time took six months including the time for auditions, casting, design, wrapping principal photography, and the post-production process.
Brechin said that alongside cinematographer Emma Paine, they thankfully both chose to avoid the hand-held aesthetic, thus rendering crisp sharp scenes, instead of blurred, nausea-producing scenes. The image quality shows, because ZELOS was shot predominantly on sticks using ARRI Alexa, and that easily allows the film to easily compete against bigger budget productions, especially with the support of Definition Films (The Water Diviner, Ruben Guthrie), who provided top-of-the-range camera equipment and post-production suites.
The movie stars Shannon Ashlyn, Ben Mortley, Leigh Scully, Ainslie McGlynn and Jeanie Drynan. Exact Running Time is 01h 26m 57s.
"ZELOS © 2017 Painted Gate Pictures" – ZELOS was released nationally 8th of September 2017, in cinemas throughout Australia. World Premiere at the Great Barrier Reef Film Festival on the 7th of September 2017.
Minions (2015)
Sandra Bullock finally gets the role of a lifetime as the nasty super-villain, 'Scarlett Overkill'.
The MINIONS 3D computer-animated comedy movie begins from the dawn of time, with the relatively simple-minded MINIONS evolving from single-celled organisms, and then starting with the Jurassic Era becoming fiercely loyal beings who live just to serve history's most despicable masters. The forever-young goggles-wearing yellow henchmen, from the two delightful 'Despicable Me' children's' movies, now have starring roles in this latest film produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures. Sandra Bullock finally gets the role of a lifetime as the nasty super-villain, 'Scarlett Overkill'.
'Scarlett Overkill' does mention the bard, and to quote William Shakespeare "She vaunted 'mongst her minions t' other day" (Henry VI Part 2). This retro 'Despicable Me' prequel is set during 1968 initially in New York and Orlando, with wonderful pop culture icons/references throughout. In the Swinging 60s London finale, Scarlett Overkill alongside her inventor husband Herb, wants to steal Queen Elizabeth's crown from the Tower of London. The trio of Minions – Stuart, Kevin and Bob pass the henchmen recruitment process at Villain-Com International. Scarlett Overkill gives the job to her new henchmen, the trio of Minions, KEVIN (the leader), STUART (the teenage rebel with his ukulele) and the diminutive and very lovable BOB carrying Tim his Teddy Bear, and is easily identifiable with his brown/green "Heterochromia Iridum". Via the bedtime story of THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, with "Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf" on the soundtrack, Scarlet threatens to kill the minions if they fail to steal the crown.
Most of the Minions have a somewhat childish sense of humour, with overall personalities like the 'Raving Rabbids' of video game fame. When Bob pulls out Excalibur from Sword in the Stone, Queen Elizabeth is removed from the United Kingdom throne, and Bob is crowned 'King Bob' with "Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 in D" on the soundtrack, then Bob immediately abdicates to permit the coronation of Scarlett Overkill as Queen Scarlett.
Cleverly narrated by Geoffrey Rush, when the three minions visit Orlando Florida, three years before Walt Disney World opened, a young FELONIOUS GRU (Steve Carell) gives a brief cameo performance, with his mother MARLENA GRU. Rude humour and brief sexual innuendo, with classic slapstick comedy routines, are the prevailing themes, providing adult content that pre-teenagers will not understand – from putting her mammary glands back into her costume, to minions wearing tiny red thongs and tighty-whiteys, stylised queen waving, abbey road, yellow Beefeaters, yellow fire hydrants, yellow rubber ducky, the ocean liner France docked in New York, the adjective 'coronated' incorrectly used as a verb, Queen Elizabeth (Jennifer Saunders) is called 'La Cucaracha', inside Buckingham Palace playing polo on the backs of the Queen's Corgis.
Adults will easily recognise Sydney Opera House (under construction), Uluru, and the multitude of visual homages to Hollywood movies including – Singing In The Rain (Make 'em Laugh), Nosferatu, Creature From the Black Lagoon, Forbidden Planet, Back To The Future, Hair, The Flintstones.
There are deliberate visual mistakes for the year 1968, in the USA sequences such as - three phase electricity power-lines strung from power poles, green emergency exit signs. London still does not have red fire hydrants on its streets.
For young children there is the sound of flatulence, and many child-specific visual delights, such as the pet rat (pochi), dribbling, bananas, looking through y-front underpants.
Surprisingly, MINIONS director Pierre Coffin, voices all 899 minions, together with Chris Renaud. The minions provide easily understood visual cues, and as polygots do understand English. They only speak the minimalist minionese language, which includes precise food references, which do often sound almost exactly like English, French, Spanish, Malay, Indonesian, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, Korean, Hindi, Italian, et cetera. You will hear many English words, such as 'banana', 'thank you', 'hello', 'no', 'this one', 'give it to me'.
The well-chosen music soundtrack features 1960s music icons including – KC & The Sunshine Band, Madness, Owl City, Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, Bo Diddley, The Rolling Stones, The Turtles (Happy Together), The Who (My Generation), The Kinks (You Really Got Me), Donovan (Mellow Yellow), The Doors (Break On Through – To the Other Side), Rick Springfield (I've Done Everything for You), Jimmy Hendrix (Foxy Lady), songs by The Beatles including "Got To Get You Into My Life", however the lyrics are usually sung in the minionese language.
Please remember to stay for all of the end credits which finishes with superbly-rendered 3D appearances by most of the cast, whilst the minions sing 'Revolution' by The Beatles, and then plug the 'Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem' ride at Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida. Very entertaining 91 minutes, rated PG with mild animated violence, is quite suitable for all ages, but especially when experienced in a cinema, with an audience of constantly laughing teenagers and adults.
Voice Cast includes – Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Allison Janney, Michael Keaton, Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud, Jennifer Saunders, Geoffrey Rush, Steve Coogan, Steve Carell, Katy Mixon, Michael Beattie.
In Australian cinemas from 18th June 2015.
Almost Home (2014)
Twentieth Century Fox, why would you advertise an upcoming 3D DreamWorks computer-graphics-animated movie called HOME?
Twentieth Century Fox, please explain to every Australian, why would you advertise an upcoming 3D DreamWorks computer-graphics-animated movie called HOME, when Twentieth Century Fox had no intention of ever showing that film in 3D?
ABOUT HOME was released from 7 March 2014 by Twentieth Century Fox, to be then screened with each new DreamWorks children's' movie. I have seen this fast-paced, wonderful, charming and captivating 3D DreamWorks computer-graphics-animated four minute comedy short called "ALMOST HOME" several times now. Before the 3D Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and 3D Penguins of Madagascar, plus the Blue Sky Studios film 3D Rio 2.
The Boov's ship runs from several "safe" planets, where the dictator leader of the aliens called the Boov, their Captain Smek (voiced by Steve Martin) had assured his fellow Boov that there was no possibility of any danger to the Boov, however again and again, each new safe planet turns out to be very unsafe. Captain Smek, is very funny as the forever lying dictator who continually takes credit for finding each new planet, however when each planet turns out horrible, suddenly Captain Smek denies responsibility.
The trouble is that on 19th March 2015, I went to see the full length 3D version of HOME in my local multi-screen cinema, but if you live anywhere in Australia, then Twentieth Century Fox has chosen to never ever allow screenings of the full length 3D version of HOME in any of our 2,057 Australian Cinema screens.
Home (2015)
Twentieth Century Fox, why would you advertise an upcoming 3D DreamWorks computer-graphics-animated movie called HOME?
Twentieth Century Fox, please explain to every Australian, why would you advertise an upcoming 3D DreamWorks computer-graphics-animated movie called HOME, when Twentieth Century Fox had no intention of ever showing that film in 3D?
ABOUT HOME was released from 7 March 2014 by Twentieth Century Fox, to be then screened with each new DreamWorks children's' movie. I have seen this fast-paced, wonderful, charming and captivating 3D DreamWorks computer-graphics-animated four minute comedy short called "ALMOST HOME" several times now. Before the 3D Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and 3D Penguins of Madagascar, plus the Blue Sky Studios film 3D Rio 2.
The Boov's ship runs from several "safe" planets, where the dictator leader of the aliens called the Boov, their Captain Smek (voiced by Steve Martin) had assured his fellow Boov that there was no possibility of any danger to the Boov, however again and again, each new safe planet turns out to be very unsafe. Captain Smek, is very funny as the forever lying dictator who continually takes credit for finding each new planet, however when each planet turns out horrible, suddenly Captain Smek denies responsibility.
The trouble is that on 19th March 2015, I went to see the full length 3D version of HOME in my local multi-screen cinema, but if you live anywhere in Australia, then Twentieth Century Fox has chosen to never ever allow screenings of the full length 3D version of HOME in any of our 2,057 Australian Cinema screens.
Turkey Shoot (2014)
The producers could never ever pay me enough money to willingly watch this movie again.
The end credits to TURKEY SHOOT had an excellent choice of font. They were, in fact, the only entertaining part of this turkey of a movie.
The producers could never ever pay me enough money to willingly watch this movie again.
Even if you are a fan-boy who enjoys blood-fest gore movies that are over-long, badly-edited, un-scripted, TURKEY SHOOT is still a complete waste of time, and will leave you with ninety minutes of your life, forever lost.
Rick Tyler is the latest target, on a brutal kill or be killed, live reality cable television game show. Dominic Purcell is Rick Tyler. Robert Taylor is Ramrod, and he is one of the many antagonists (a sniper who never ever misses his target). Robert Taylor gives a credible performance with the uninspiring and very wooden dialogue, that failed to mimic the natural cadence of speech, and is the only saving grace of TURKEY SHOOT.
If only the embarrassing screenplay had dialogue that allowed you to suspend disbelief. Performances by the ensemble cast included stilted dialogue, and unwieldy turns of phrase, all delivered by the actors without showing any sign of emotion.
We are supposed to think that this film was shot somewhere in the United States. Memo To continuity: Why during the film do we see cars with Melbourne Victoria number plates?!
At the media screening TURKEY SHOOT did not have a lip-synchronized sound track. Presumably this was an anti film piracy measure. Hopefully this situation will be remedied for the film's commercial release.
Starring: Dominic Purcell (Killer Elite, Prison Break), Viva Bianca (X, Spartacus) and Robert Taylor (Longmire, Focus)
Directed by: Jon Hewitt
Australianl Release Date: December 4th
Run time: 90 minutes
Rating: MA15+
02 December 2014 this is the first published review of TURKEY SHOOT at www.IMDb.com
The Water Diviner (2014)
Despite all the British Military obstacles to his search, will Joshua Connor finally find his sons?
THE WATER DIVINER is an epic Australian historical action drama, opening in Australian Cinemas on Boxing Day, and is Russell Crowe's directorial debut, and written by Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight.
In World War I, "The Gallipoli Campaign", was an awful and notable failed offensive by the Allies, and took place on the Gallipoli peninsula for eight months from 25 April 1915. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek word "Καλλίπολις" (Kallipolis), meaning "Beautiful City", and where the Anzac Legend began. "Anzac Day" every 25th of April, commemorates the date of that military landing at Gallipoli, and remains the most significant day for Australian and New Zealand commemoration of our military casualties and our veterans from all wars.
In 1919, long after the Battle of Gallipoli, an Australian farmer Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) travels to Constantinople, Turkey and then to the former battlefields of Gallipoli (Turkish: 'Gelibolu') to fulfill a pledge he made on his wife's grave, to find his three missing sons, lost during the battles at Gallipoli, and then bring them back home to Australia.
Connor is an amazing water diviner that can follow and find life-giving water buried deep under the earth, but finding his three sons seems impossible, when faced with the gruesome battlefield landscape of the sun-dried bones of the thousands of buried soldiers from both sides.
Despite all the British Military obstacles to his search, will Connor finally find his sons? In the enemy capital city, Connor meets Orhan, a young and very mischievous Turkish boy who then guides him to stay at his family's hotel, run by his mother Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko). At long last a Turkish former-officer gives the broken father hope. Connor risks his life to travel into the heart of Anatolia with that Turk.
Entertainment One and Universal Pictures will jointly release the film in Australia, with Universal Pictures solely releasing the film for Europe and Canada, and with Warner Bros. in the USA.
Go the Rabbitohs. Starring: Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko ("The November Man"), Yilmaz Erdogan ("The Butterfly's Dream"), Cem Yilmaz ("The Magician"), Jai Courtney ("Divergent"), Ryan Corr ("Not Suitable for Children," "Where the Wild Things Are"), James Fraser ("The Turning"), Ben O'Toole (TV's "Love Child") and Isabel Lucas ("Red Dawn"), Megan Gale, Deniz Akdeniz, Mert Firat, Daniel Wyllie, Damon Herriman, Steve Bastoni, Jacqueline McKenzie,
OFLC classification: rated M
Running time 111 minutes.
On 9 December 2014, published by Pan Macmillan, "The Water Diviner" novel will be released in Australia.
28 November 2014 this is the first published review of THE WATER DIVINER at www.IMDb.com
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03 December 2014 Russell Crowe's THE WATER DIVINER receives eight AACTA Australian Academy Award Nominations
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THE WATER DIVINER is fiction inspired by true events, plot premise is based on the one very intriguing line found in a letter from Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Hughes, who was an integral part of the Imperial War Graves unit in Turkey in the years immediately after the First World War: "One old chap managed to get here from Australia, looking for his son's grave".
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Maleficent (2014)
MALEFICENT with its new twist, was created for everyone who enjoys this genre
Disney's movies and theme parks were created for adults to feel young again, and MALEFICENT with its new twist, was created for everyone who enjoys this genre. Watching it one gains a whole new perspective on the fairy-tale innocence of the Disney Animated classic Sleeping Beauty and one learns all about Maleficent, the thirteenth fairy godmother.
A must see dark fantasy movie, Angelina Jolie is magnificent in the lead role. of this new Disney film directed by Robert Stromberg.
The villain was once a pure-hearted young woman, but when ruthlessly betrayed, her pure heart turns to stone. She is now is a woman scorned, who initially has treacherous and hate filled motives, but gradually succumbs to the goodness and love that is the young Aurora.
Elle Fanning is happy, delightful and perfectly matches Aurora's cute and charismatic character, and Sharlto Copley delivers a strong performance as King Stefan, but Jolie steals the show.
The original music score by James Newton Howard is fresh and has many clever orchestral pieces. Creative cinematography was by our very own Australian cinematographer, Dean Semler.
Highly recommended, especially in the stunning 3D version and the huge IMAX 3D version.
OFLC Classification: rated M (Fantasy themes and violence), 97 minutes.
Official Website: http://movies.Disney.com/maleficent
I had the opportunity to watch the film again at the end of its season, at Pathé De Munt, Amsterdam. This reviewer saw a Dutch translated version, it was really a strange experience to also have the 3D movie Dutch subtitles displayed as floating text in the immediate foreground.
3D and 2D very poor quality image presentation Pathé De Munt, Amsterdam Cinema Thirteen. Comfort and Service - Pathé is projecting two images for 2D and three images for 3D. There is an annoying and very distracting ghost image of each and every movie, being displayed approximately one meter up and slightly to the right for both 2D and 3D digital projection in Cinema Thirteen (Bioscoop Zaal 13). Because of the very poor quality image presentation at this Pathé cinema, which I found to be extremely distracting and inappropriate and completely destroyed my enjoyment of two full length movies at this Pathé cinema. The matter was brought to the attention of Pathé junior staff and the end credits shown to them and received the comment "it is 3d and it is supposed to be like that" to which I replied "put on my 3D glasses and see if it goes away" and with the 3D glasses on or off "it is still there in the same place" ... So if you live in Amsterdam, North Holland, Nederlands, never ever pay to see any movies in Pathé De Munt, Amsterdam Cinema Thirteen, unless you enjoy your movies to be screened WITHOUT the studio's contractually required high quality "presentation" of their product.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Just perfect for its intended audience of teenagers, with just so much happening, far more than you could possibly take in.
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION starring Mark Wahlberg plus OPTIMUS PRIME® and the remaining AUTOBOTS, is back with a fresh take and a new back story. It is has to be said that the film is a better experience when seeing this CG special effects movie in a cinema equipped with impressive ear-splitting DOLBY ATMOS sound and 3D. The movie is the latest entry into the Transformers giant fighting robots franchise, directed once more by Michael Bay, and the very predicable storyline and its (unintentionally laughter inducing) routine dialogue was written by Ehren Kruger.
Typical of a Michael Bay film, the predicable plot of this 165 minute movie, will test your patience because the pacing is set at a snail's pace, building character and its new back story. It takes around thirty minutes before the action expected from every Transformers storyline finally starts, and the mindless action keeps stopping to take more lengthy opportunities to further flesh out the narrative and the new characters.
Just like the earlier Transformers movies, this film relies on a multitude of impossible but nevertheless amazing action scenes to fill in the time. Yes, all the CG fighting sequences are spectacular, especially when presented in the depth-enhanced 3D version. The cinematic experience is unrelentingly claustrophobic because of the in-your-face cinematography and the severe nausea inducing shaky-cam sequences.
The film is a great fit for teenagers, just perfect for its intended audience of teenagers, with just so much happening, far more than you could possibly take in.
It's a case of just sitting back and enjoying the explosions, the chases, and the frequent "jokes" from the Transformers.
The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammar, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz, Sophia Myles, TJ Miller, Li Bingbing and Han Geng.
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION runs for 165 minutes and is rated M as it features action violence and coarse language.
Perfect Presentation. As this reviewer saw a Dutch translated version, it was really a strange experience to also have the 3D movie Dutch subtitles displayed as floating text in the immediate foreground. Thank you to Pathé Tuschinski Bioscoop, Amsterdam, Nederlands. Highly Recommended for teenagers.
Noël Coward's Private Lives (2013)
London West End theatre productions, Noël Coward's PRIVATE LIVES as directed by Jonathan Kent
CinemaLive and Digital Theatre are currently presenting the second title in their series of London West End theatre productions, Noël Coward's PRIVATE LIVES as directed by Jonathan Kent.
As seen at the Chichester Festival Theatre 2012 at the Minerva Theatre, this a new production of Noel Coward's 1930 romantic comedy "Private Lives", that has transferred to the London West End at the Gielgud Theatre. This explosive production, proving yet again that Noël Coward's delightful words, still have the power to provoke and thrill today's audiences.
Elyot Chase (Toby Stephens) and Amanda Prynne (Anna Chancellor) are glamorous, rich and reckless divorcées. Five years later, whilst on their second honeymoons with their brand new spouses, their passionate love for one another is unexpectedly rekindled, when they take adjoining suites at a French hotel. They both fling themselves headlong once more, into a new and exciting whirlwind of lust/love, without any thought for their partners present or their past issues.
Kent's production works so well with the cast and is very highly recommended. This is not at all the expected look and feel that you would expect for a writer famous for his lighter-than-air banter and smirking comedy. Surprisingly, this lush, nasty but immaculately plotted version is something very grand.
Director Jonathan Kent and designer Anthony Ward have built a particularly opulent hotel double balcony, and a sumptuously fitted apartment in Paris full of beautiful objects and furniture.
With just two settings, the three act play is beautifully photographed using multiple cameras, and carefully edited to hide the stage-bound origins.
"No man or woman can be safely trusted with a life of leisure" PRIVATE LIVES, for that "low dishonest decade", announces and celebrates the twin virtues of sophistication and spinelessness, those two moral diseases which overtook most of the continent removing both ethics and conscience, in the years before World War Two.
Elyot Chase and Amanda Prynne are both very low, very dishonest and their carelessness and selfishness are in fact very symptomatic of that era.
In the opening scene, within moments of unpacking at the honeymoon hotel, he is already threatening to sever his new and younger second wife's head with a meat axe, simply because she was nagging him. Elyot is a very intolerant man of unlimited leisure and unlimited misery, who does in the end infect everyone with his kind of poisonous verbal venom, thus providing large doses of audience laughter.
They are all constantly concerned with worrying only about their own happiness. On the first day of their honeymoons, the new spouses are both wondering, just how long the wedded bliss of lust/love will last for them, and that vanity leads to disaster in their private lives. The high energy applied to smashing up of objects against walls and each other, heightens the emotional impact of the bickering and nagging. One 78 record made from solid bakelite, is broken on an actor's head. One wonders just how much pain the actor feels from that impact.
Perfect comic timing for all of the excellent cast, whilst in full battle mode, the two abandoned spouses suddenly burst unannounced through the front door, to hear and see the bewildering scene of utter destruction.
This is an era where English Society believed that corporal punishment and capital punishment actually worked. As it was not a crime and having no legal consequences, spouse-beating was considered a necessary duty to be regularly performed during marriage. After all this England, is the nation that hanged men, but were unwilling to hang women and instead women were burned alive at the stake!
Amanda Prynne is full of adulterous mischief and gratuitous self-satisfaction, and she delivers much of the script's callous elegance. You are unable to take your eyes off her and her silky gowns and pyjamas. Yes indeed, the worst of these four upper-class cretins is Elyot, forever exuding impish charm, he is the only hero of this story.
Well-breed and witty, he is an emotionally abusive, nasty, charming, brutally sarcastic, still jealous, caustic, chain-smoking, brandy-swilling, wife-beating, always impeccably dressed man of leisure, all wrapped-up as our perfect expectation of blunt-edged cynicism, as spoken by a male 1930′s character that was originally played on the stage by Noel Coward. Casting Sue Kelvin as Linda the French Maid, is pure genius.
Stunning performances by all, and one can now clearly understand exactly why Anna Chancellor was nominated for the 2014 Olivier Awards for her performance. One marveled at the way her exquisitely expressive face emoted every subtle emotional turn, and always rendered with all the skill of a consummate female actor.
Dialogue is delivered in standard posh upper-crust English accents, and the French Maid is very effective by speaking her lines, all in the French Language, very deliberately and clearly.
Noel Coward's well-made comedies, are always a perennial favorite with adult audiences. All of his limitless wit and lively charm remain fresh and vital. Adultery remains a perennial issue and theatrically remains an excellent source for generating laughs. Thankfully neither wife nor husband-beating are no longer accepted in today's more enlightened world!
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The Other Woman (2014)
Unrealistic and unlikely storyline, THE OTHER WOMAN, women getting even - raunchier and edgier, female buddy movie
THE OTHER WOMAN is directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Cameron Diaz (Carly) as a smart and beautiful New York lawyer, who suddenly learns that her monogamous and unmarried boyfriend of eight weeks, Mark (Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau) is in fact happily married. With Mark's wife Kate (Leslie Mann) together they get their revenge on the two- timing bastard, and they quickly discover yet another affair with the much younger Amber (Kate Upton), so the cheater is actually a three-timing bastard.
THE OTHER WOMAN has a brand new screenplay and is also a female buddy movie, but this oft-used theme of women getting even does immediately remind one of Olivia Goldsmith's book and movie called FIRST WIVES CLUB (1996). With its unrealistic and unlikely storyline, THE OTHER WOMAN is a raunchier, edgier take on the subject.
Of course the audience is anticipating how the revenge will play out with the excessive consumption of alcohol including shots. With the clever use of music to quickly move the story forward the movie's 109 minutes went by at high speed, and there are many gross shocks and surprises ahead, as the three women royally set up their man.
Sports Illustrated model – Kate Upton at 21 years of age- appears to have been cast in her role as the silly bimbo, simply as a result of her upper body size. What the casting agent missed was spotted by every woman in the audience, her cellulite.
Leslie Mann is perpetually typecast in this kind of role although this reviewer was very impressed by the range of her emotionally driven performance. Nicki Minaj (Carly's secretary) delivers her witty modern day metaphors with great aplomb.
The audience were mainly women, and from their constant laughter, they left their sense of reality at home! They got real pleasure from the rough treatment dealt out to the cheating husband, including the physical injuries. The standard message that men are 'dogs' and women are 'cats', is yet again reinforced in this movie. Recommended for its target audience.
OFLC Classification: rated M (Sexual references, coarse language and mature themes),
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Cohesive stand-alone blockbuster of epic proportions, you must see
"The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro" is a gripping sequel that is just so much better and tighter, than the first re-boot of the franchise "The Amazing Spiderman". At times the tone is quite dark, with stunning detailed visuals with almost non-stop action fight sequences, battling with multiple villains, starting with Jamie Foxx (Electro/Max Dillon), plus Dane DeHaan (Harry Osborn) of Oscorp as the main antagonist in a standout performance.
This villain Electro, is the combination of two characters from the classic Marvel Comics Universe, with character (mild Maxwell Dillon, who acquires superpowers in an accident and goes insanely villainous) with a character from the Marvel Comics "Ultimate Universe" (a leather-clad super-villain). "Gwen saves Spider-Man more (often), than he saves her. Gwen's incredibly helpful to Spider-Man ... "
You are so constantly and consistently entertained that you fail to realize that this SPIDERMAN sequel has just flown by, despite the longest running time of 142 minutes. Spider-Man must yet again protect New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten NYC. This time there are real deep and meaningful emotional challenges, seen in the on- screen romance between Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) and Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy). Despite being a Computer Graphics driven movie, it was filmed entirely in New York USA, and now is the largest film production ever shot in New York and New York City. USA MPAA Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence.
You must see the 3D cinema version, but visually even better when experienced in the IMAX 3D version. The director has very deliberately adjusted the focus, so that you concentrate only on the one part of the screen important to progressing the storyline. Such visual direction for 3D, is very reminiscent of Martin Scorsese's HUGO (2011) and Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 one and only 3D visual masterpiece "DIAL M FOR MURDER".
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 shown in 3D. Directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field.
SONY PICTURES for the character of Gwen Stacy, has re-interpreted and deviated from the source material. Look for Gwen Stacy clothed in a mint-colored coat plus purple skirt, referencing the controversial comic titled "Night That Gwen Stacy Died" story arc.
Based on the Marvel Comic Books written by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Amazing Spider- Man 2 is a cohesive stand-alone blockbuster of epic proportions, you must see. Very Highly Recommended. OFLC Classification - rated M. Australian Release 17th April 2014.
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15th April 2014 this is the first published review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 at www.IMDb.com
Jonathan Creek: The Clue of the Savant's Thumb (2013)
It was a great pleasure that Rik Mayall is back
Jonathan Creek - The Clue of the Savant's Thumb (DVD) 2013 -
It was a great pleasure that Rik Mayall is back as good old "Gideon Pryke", but it was completely impossible for "Gideon Pryke" to get to the upstairs crime scene.
Jonathan Creek last seen in 2010, finally returns in April 2013, to investigate an terrible crime committed inside a locked room, but when the police arrive the body has vanished.
With the disappearance of the dead body from the sealed room, no crime appears to have been committed, but there is photographic evidence of the terrible crime.
Exciting Jonathan Creek episode with a great cast, moved forward with a steady pace, with no dull moments. First watched on television, and more carefully when recently issued on BBC DVD bought from www.amazon.co.uk.
The quick and clever explanation near the end is not too complicated, but there is much more to come after the locked room mystery is solved, that make this whole new episode a very satisfying experience.
Looking forward to the Jonathan Creek cast with Alan Davies, Rik Mayall, Sheridan Smith, Sarah Alexander all returning again each year, in more brand new Jonathan Creek episodes.
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Being Venice (2012)
Carefully crafted unique storyline
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Invited by "Curious Films" to be part of a small focus group to experience the new Australian film "BEING VENICE" at CINEMA 11 at HOTYS EQ 6pm Thursday 17th November 2011 Test Screening.
"BEING VENICE" Film Duration without end credits of approximately 89 minutes.
Carefully crafted unique storyline, about issues within relationships, a must see Australian Film due for world-wide release during late 2012.
Lovingly filmed in inner city locations around Sydney NSW Australia, including around Stanmore, and Clovelly Beach and Wylies Baths (one of Sydney's most beautiful ocean swimming pools, situated just south of Coogee Beach).
Outstanding lead performances by the small cast with
Alice McConnell as "The Daughter" "Venice" Garry McDonald as "The Father" "Arthur" Simon Stone as "Lenny" Katie Wall as "Irene"
"BEING VENICE" written + directed by Miro Bilbrough
7 July 2012 this is the first published review of BEING VENICE at www.IMDb.com
Midnight in Paris (2011)
amazon.fr french language DVD version running time is 90 minutes
Having recently purchased the DVD version of "Midnight in Paris" (2011) an amazing great Woody Allen movie film - but the running time of the received DVD is much less than the advertised running times as specified at amazon.fr ---
amazon.fr french version DVD running time is almost precisely just 90 minutes, and not the advertised 94 minutes as clearly stated on the back cover of the french language DVD box ... ... DVD u.r.l. address www.amazon.fr/Minuit-à-Paris-Owen-Wilson/dp/B0054IQ5P2/ and not the amazon.fr advertised 96 minutes ... ... BLURAY u.r.l. address www.amazon.fr/Minuit-Paris-Blu-ray-Owen- Wilson/dp/B0054IQ5N4/ and not the amazon.fr advertised 100 minutes ... ...
- - - THE DETAILED EXPLANATION of the running time discrepancy is that the whole movie is speed-up by about four percent on DVD. On the FRENCH LANGUAGE DVD distributed by the Studio "TF1 Vidéo" in France, when you watch the original language version (English Language) the perceived pitch of everyone's voices has changed to a four percent higher pitch. For unknown reasons the movie transfer from motion picture film stock to PAL video for DVD was done at 25 frames per second, and worldwide the original motion picture film was projected in cinemas at 24 frames per second ... ...
Midsomer Murders: Garden of Death (2000)
At Inkpen Manor Garden, Barnaby and Troy investigate when a young girl is hit over the head with a spade.
At Inkpen Manor Garden, Barnaby and Troy investigate when a young girl is hit over the head with a spade.
Barnaby and his wife Joyce, make an afternoon visit to the Inkpen Manor Garden in Midsomer Deverell. This village garden has been the talk of the village ever since the owner, Elspeth Inkpen-Thomas, decided that with the popularity of the garden, they need to have a tea room. What has upset the villagers most, is that they are going to take away the beautiful Memorial Garden to build the tea room.
Inkpen-Thomas family originally owned the manor, but they were forced to sell, but now they have regained the ownership of their ancestral home. The family now consists of Elspeth's mother, Naomi, her first and quite overbearing daughter, Fliss, and her younger daughter, Hilary. Hilary has only just traced Elspeth and her family, she was adopted with an unknown father.
Barnaby catches and then arrests Rodney Widger, for firing shots at the tyres of those cars, that have blocked the lane and the entrance of his small cottage located in front of the manor.
The Bennett family is particularly incensed and lead the opposition, as they had previously owned the manor for a few years, and originally founded the Memorial Garden.
Later an open village meeting is held in the village hall, to debate whether or not the tea room should go ahead. First to speak in Jane Bennett, whose father Gerald created the Memorial Garden. During the meeting there is an murderous attack on one of the Inkpen-Thomas. Fliss is beaten to death with a spade in the Memorial Garden, with her skull smashed in, and her body is found the next day by Susan Millard, one of the persons responsible for the village meeting. Barnaby and Troy move their investigations slightly towards Daniel Bolt, a gardener, both involved with Elspeth and Fliss.
That evening, another Inkpen-Thomas family member is force fed pasta, poisoned with aconitine (aconite) as obtained from the plant Aconitum Napellus (Monkshood), which is one of the most toxic plants known.
Troy also realizes a possible connection to an unsolved "cold case" missing person case from that village, upon learning that Mrs Bennett disappeared mysteriously some years before.
Barnaby is determined to discover the dark secrets of the Inkpen-Thomas's family history.
Barnaby investigates these deaths, and finds older and more deep-seated ancient motives for these murders.