I liked this film. There are lots of funny moments throughout and the fantastic Cate Blanchett steals many scenes. I found her character original and highly amusing, and very well acted. (And I loved those first singing scenes in the kitchen!) Billy Bob Thornton is very good as the hypochondriac and I had no problems with Bruce Willis. The three leads had great chemistry together and it made for a very enjoyable film. Things did drag a bit midway through the film but I didn't really mind it.
Reviews
13 Reviews
Holy Smoke
(1999)
was an interesting idea
29 December 2002
First of all, I didn't think Kate Winslet's accent was that great. It was an admirable attempt but it slipped at times (very obviously in my opinion). I'm just being picky, I know - of course it didn't ruin the movie or anything. It just wasn't "flawless".
Anyway back to the film. It was an interesting idea - having this "exiter" guy who de-brainwashes people and in the process goes through a personal transformation - but the way the film unfolded couldn't hold my interest. I won't say much cos many others on this page have already written their negative comments on the film and I agree with most of their points.
It could be one of those films that I'll see in 20 years and then love it and find it fascinating and all that, but right now I think it's quite boring and disappointing.
Anyway back to the film. It was an interesting idea - having this "exiter" guy who de-brainwashes people and in the process goes through a personal transformation - but the way the film unfolded couldn't hold my interest. I won't say much cos many others on this page have already written their negative comments on the film and I agree with most of their points.
It could be one of those films that I'll see in 20 years and then love it and find it fascinating and all that, but right now I think it's quite boring and disappointing.
The Majestic
(2001)
Australia
21 February 2002
It was mostly slow and boring and didn't make me feel happy, just rather bored. It felt drawn-out and towards the end there were several moments when it felt like it was going to end, but it didn't.
Apparently the cliches are deliberate to make it seem like those old, happy, light-as-air movies, but they got to me a bit - the golden glow of the sunset with the gently rolling waves was a bit too much. And the music (other than the great jazz) sometimes seemed strained and intrusive.
I didn't have a problem with Jim Carrey, he was fine. But the movie was way too long, and that scene near the end where Appleton stands up for himself and declares how great the American constitution made me cringe.
Apparently the cliches are deliberate to make it seem like those old, happy, light-as-air movies, but they got to me a bit - the golden glow of the sunset with the gently rolling waves was a bit too much. And the music (other than the great jazz) sometimes seemed strained and intrusive.
I didn't have a problem with Jim Carrey, he was fine. But the movie was way too long, and that scene near the end where Appleton stands up for himself and declares how great the American constitution made me cringe.
Rabbit-Proof Fence
(2002)
very good
31 January 2002
The three lead girls are very good in the film (great work from the children's acting coach Rachael Maza!) and there is strong backup from others like Ningali Lawford. Some scenes are very emotional and will certainly move many members of the audience. It's disgusting to know the mixed-race Aboriginal children continued to be removed from their families until only about 30 years ago.
I suppose there is potential for this film to be quite important given the debate in recent over the Stolen Generation (with some, including the Prime Minister, questioning whether it could be called a "generation" and whether they were "stolen" or just "removed"). The film doesn't demonise the white people who take the kids away, not even the Chief Protector of Aborigines, A.O. Neville, played by Kenneth Branagh; he is shown as someone who honestly believes he is "protecting the Aboriginal from himself". It's interesting they decided to portray him this way.
The scenes where Mr Neville gives a slide show on how the "half-caste" can be "simply bred out" are very disturbing - I just thought, how can someone say these things? And the women just watch on attentively.
It seems miraculous that Molly and Daisy are still alive. The courage they showed to get home was really something extraordinary.
The film is very good, but there seemed to be something missing. Can't put my finger on it though, so it musn't have been that important.
I suppose there is potential for this film to be quite important given the debate in recent over the Stolen Generation (with some, including the Prime Minister, questioning whether it could be called a "generation" and whether they were "stolen" or just "removed"). The film doesn't demonise the white people who take the kids away, not even the Chief Protector of Aborigines, A.O. Neville, played by Kenneth Branagh; he is shown as someone who honestly believes he is "protecting the Aboriginal from himself". It's interesting they decided to portray him this way.
The scenes where Mr Neville gives a slide show on how the "half-caste" can be "simply bred out" are very disturbing - I just thought, how can someone say these things? And the women just watch on attentively.
It seems miraculous that Molly and Daisy are still alive. The courage they showed to get home was really something extraordinary.
The film is very good, but there seemed to be something missing. Can't put my finger on it though, so it musn't have been that important.
The Castle
(1997)
very very funny
28 December 2001
So hilarious! I totally understand that some people won't like this film, and not because it's an "Australian" film. It just appeals to a certain type of humour. But I thought it was very funny. Some great bits:
The $15 "genuine Rolex" - "He said he'd mail the warrantee later"
The "As seen on TV" sign outside Dennis Denuto's office at the end
Darryl Kerrigan's version of a patio
"There was only one thing Dad liked better than Hey Hey It's Saturday, and that was The Best of Hey Hey It's Saturday."
Darryl's love of the power lines and "Man's ability to generate electricity"
Coco's son, named "Son of Coco"
The great thing about living right next to an airport is that you can walk home!
"Just the ... vibe of the whole thing."
The $15 "genuine Rolex" - "He said he'd mail the warrantee later"
The "As seen on TV" sign outside Dennis Denuto's office at the end
Darryl Kerrigan's version of a patio
"There was only one thing Dad liked better than Hey Hey It's Saturday, and that was The Best of Hey Hey It's Saturday."
Darryl's love of the power lines and "Man's ability to generate electricity"
Coco's son, named "Son of Coco"
The great thing about living right next to an airport is that you can walk home!
"Just the ... vibe of the whole thing."
Charlie's Angels
(2000)
Laughed my head off
5 November 2001
This movie was way, way better than I expected it to be. It's probably the most hilarious film I've ever seen. Absolutely ridiculous, VERY stupid, but so fantastic, because it doesn't take itself seriously and the cast look like they're having an absolute ball.
The plot? Who really cares? I never thought I'd say that about a film, really. But this movie is so much fun, nobody gives a second glance to the plot. Anyone wanting to take this movie seriously and looking for deep interpretations of female empowerment might need to get a life. There's no way you could read feminism into this film (3 women commanded by a male voice, come on). Sit back and have a laugh!
The fight scenes are so great, like Drew Barrymore whipping a roomful of guys ("And that's kicking your ass!"), and fighting the "thin man" (I love Cameron Diaz's slow motion 10-second-wind-up-kick - LOL!). The soundtrack suits the film perfectly and gives it a great kick.
Of course it's not for everyone - but just don't take it seriously and you might get a great laugh out of it.
Definitely recommended. I was still laughing about it for ages afterwards.
The plot? Who really cares? I never thought I'd say that about a film, really. But this movie is so much fun, nobody gives a second glance to the plot. Anyone wanting to take this movie seriously and looking for deep interpretations of female empowerment might need to get a life. There's no way you could read feminism into this film (3 women commanded by a male voice, come on). Sit back and have a laugh!
The fight scenes are so great, like Drew Barrymore whipping a roomful of guys ("And that's kicking your ass!"), and fighting the "thin man" (I love Cameron Diaz's slow motion 10-second-wind-up-kick - LOL!). The soundtrack suits the film perfectly and gives it a great kick.
Of course it's not for everyone - but just don't take it seriously and you might get a great laugh out of it.
Definitely recommended. I was still laughing about it for ages afterwards.
My Left Foot
(1989)
amazing performances make it great
7 September 2001
I thought Hugh O'Conor was astounding as the young Christy Brown, and really deserved greater recognition for his role. I couldn't believe how well he played the part. Of course, Daniel Day-Lewis was brilliant too. My favourite scene is where the boys are playing football and Christy uses his head to stop the goals and then kicks the penalty! Amazing performances by the two Christys (and other also).
Disco Pigs
(2001)
A beautiful, amazing film.
4 August 2001
I saw this last night at BIFF and it was just incredible. Wow. It's a beautiful film. I loved the story; these two people who just lived for each other, in a world of their own, and the series of events which changed this world forever. The two leads were just perfect and they conveyed so well the weird, fantastic relationship between Pig and Runt and how they cared nothing for the outside world.
The cinematography was beautifully done. The supporting actors were excellent. The soundtrack was fantastic.
I hope Disco Pigs will be widely distributed. What a film.
The cinematography was beautifully done. The supporting actors were excellent. The soundtrack was fantastic.
I hope Disco Pigs will be widely distributed. What a film.
Risk
(2000)
great experience
17 May 2001
Great film. Stylish, cynical, very well made. Strong performances by the three leads make for a most enjoyable film, even if the characters are so unlikeable because of their mean and manipulative ways. Australian film-making is getting better and better.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
(1999–2000)
hilarious, fun movie!
17 May 2001
Well I knew this wasn't going to be faithful to the book -- and it definitely wasn't! -- but who cares, movies rarely are anyway, and I was expecting it to be unfaithful to the book. I thought it was hilarious!!! It's just a fun movie, so I suggest that you shouldn't take it seriously and condemn it as sacrilege just because it's a different take on the legendary Scarlet Pimpernel. Richard E. Grant is just hilarious as Percy -- he plays him as a foppish dandy, and it is the funniest thing. I didn't see what was so bad about Elizabeth McGovern. I loved the great one-liners between Percy and his wife. "I know he loves me!" LOL!!!
Looking for Alibrandi
(2000)
not as good as I'd hoped
2 May 2001
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't see this film until about a year after it came out, even though I'd really wanted to see it. Everyone I asked about the film said it was excellent, fantastic, especially because "it's so much like the book!" Now I thought this was unusual because as everyone knows, movies almost always twist up the books they're based on; and I thought, wow, here was something that might be an exception. But when I watched the movie, after reading the book, I was very disappointed. It's not as funny, and, well, it's just nowhere near as good.
** spoilers coming up! **
I thought it'd be almost exactly like the book (like I'd been told) but it wasn't. I mean, sure, the characters were there and all, but they didn't act the way I expected they would be. And they shifted some of the events of the book around too. John's death came up in the middle of the movie (or before the middle?) whereas in the book it was right near the end. It didn't work for me at all in the movie; I hardly knew John's character there and so I wasn't sad at all when he died. That was an enormous disappointment. I was absolutely shocked and upset when he died in the novel. Also, I really liked John's poem from the book, but then they changed it in the movie, and I didn't understand that at all.
Another major disappointment was the way that the movie was not constantly funny like I'd expected, as the novel was just side-splittingly hilarious pretty much all the way through. That was one of the reasons I loved the book.
I think that if I hadn't expected the movie to be so much like the book, and if I'd never read the book before, I would have enjoyed the movie so much more. But since that wasn't the case, I was hugely disappointed with this film.
** spoilers coming up! **
I thought it'd be almost exactly like the book (like I'd been told) but it wasn't. I mean, sure, the characters were there and all, but they didn't act the way I expected they would be. And they shifted some of the events of the book around too. John's death came up in the middle of the movie (or before the middle?) whereas in the book it was right near the end. It didn't work for me at all in the movie; I hardly knew John's character there and so I wasn't sad at all when he died. That was an enormous disappointment. I was absolutely shocked and upset when he died in the novel. Also, I really liked John's poem from the book, but then they changed it in the movie, and I didn't understand that at all.
Another major disappointment was the way that the movie was not constantly funny like I'd expected, as the novel was just side-splittingly hilarious pretty much all the way through. That was one of the reasons I loved the book.
I think that if I hadn't expected the movie to be so much like the book, and if I'd never read the book before, I would have enjoyed the movie so much more. But since that wasn't the case, I was hugely disappointed with this film.
The Matrix
(1999)
Absolutely fantastic! (but 'course, that doesn't mean The Best)
18 March 2001
I saw this movie a few days ago, and I just thought it was brilliant. Fantastic piece of entertainment. The stunning special effects were, of course, the best thing about the movie. Wow. The acting was nothing impressive, but I thought that got covered pretty well by the special effects and the plot. I thought the plot was great, actually. I thought it was going to be pretty crap but it wasn't. I think that's a thrillingly frightening idea -- that the whole world could be one big computerised fake.
However, I must say that I really wouldn't put it at no.38 or whatever it was in that list of the top movies of all time. It's easy to be overcome by all the hype surrounding the movie; I reckon you gotta give a movie at least 10 years before even considering putting it on a "Top-movies-of-all-time" list.
But anyway, what an awesome movie!! Three cheers for all the Aussies involved in the film!! Yeah yeah yeah!!!
However, I must say that I really wouldn't put it at no.38 or whatever it was in that list of the top movies of all time. It's easy to be overcome by all the hype surrounding the movie; I reckon you gotta give a movie at least 10 years before even considering putting it on a "Top-movies-of-all-time" list.
But anyway, what an awesome movie!! Three cheers for all the Aussies involved in the film!! Yeah yeah yeah!!!
Strictly Ballroom
(1992)
one of my favourites!
27 October 2000
I love this movie. The music is just absolutely fantastic - whenever I watch the movie I can't help dancing around the lounge room, especially during the scenes where Fran's relatives teach Scott to dance. Baz Luhrman's direction is typically brilliant ... those zoom-ins and captions which he also used in "Romeo + Juliet" work really well, and add to the mockery of the world of "strictly ballroom". The film is also very well cast - Paul Mercurio really showed his qualities with this movie. Highly recommended!
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