Change Your Image
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Reviews
Original Sin (2001)
Australian Jack Thompson now being typecasted as a real Southerner
If anyone has seen 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' will know what I'm talking about (Even then Jack Thompson was typecast as being a lawyer again as in 'Breaker Morrant').
Now when 'Original Sin' was previewed to Australian critics they all groaned that Jack Thompson was again playing a
southern lawyer type.
Jack Thompson is a very versital actor and seeing him in American films where his roles reduce him to only playing southern gentlemen is a farce.
Could casting agents please not cast Jack Thompson as being a Southerner? Give the man a bit more credit, try putting him in some more challenging roles for starters.
Fuckland (2000)
Dogmaland
Text Taken from 2001 Melbourne International Film Fest Guide.
fuckland The title is a pun based on the film's lead actor Fabian Stratas' deliberate mispronunciation of Falkland, a reference to the film's setting and a rather less than subtle allusion to the secret agenda of its protagonist.
Fabian is an Argentine national, an amateur magician passing himself off as a tourist visiting the Falklands soon after it is reopened to its people. His master plan is to win the ultimate struggle by seducing and impregnating the local females, commencing with the delicious Camilla,thus siring an entire generation of half Argentinians. Fuckland creates the illusion of a documentary and maintains a fish-eyed perspective that gives the film a voyeuristic flair and intimacy. (ARGENTINA)
Gimme Shelter (1970)
I'd like to thank the Hells Angels
Having just seen the re-release of Gimme Shelter I was blown away by the naivety of surroundings of this era. It's funny how you view the footage of Altamont Speedway compared to the barriers and laminates of modern day concerts. You just have to remind yourself that this actually happened and that no pen could ever write such a saga. The footage in Gimme Shelter' is the closest rock music has ever come to a scenario quite like Jonestown.
Play Your Cards Right (1984)
The Poor Man's Game Show
If there was ever a game show that lacked something vital like a plot it was certainly 'Play Your Cards Right'. The host of this show was 1960's comic Ugly Dave Grey a man who never got past the mother in-law jokes genre of comedy who had appeared regularly on 'Blankly Blanks'.
The show consisted of asking the couples that appeared on the show some very bad couple related questions like... (does you Hubby ever? If you were to have a statue made after you would it be? etc. etc.)
Even more amusing are the contestants on the show which looked like they were collected from a local swingers party prior to shooting. Added into this strange show was an extremely strange higher and lower card game hence 'Play Your Cards Right'.
All these qualities made Play Your Cards Right' a classic in the b-grade game shows.
Weekend with Kate (1990)
Stock Footage
The next time you watch this film be sure to check out the stock footage used in this film for the audience at the rock concert.
The Kiss banner is a dead giveaway.
Other than that it's a very dated flick.
Traffic (2000)
Oh PLEEEEEEESE
It doesn't take long when watching Traffic to sense the message that's continually drummed into you.
`So Beaver did you learn anything today?'
`Yes Sir, I learnt that drugs are bad but I think Belnico Del Toro was the best thing about Traffic' and that if you remember the original mini series Traffik' you already know how the film will end '
`Beaver! That's no way to speak about Traffic' go to your room'.
`Yes Sir'
Billy Liar (1963)
Billy Liar = Despair..
I must agree with the views of Eva Ionesco. After just watching 'Billy Liar' I find just how captivated and annoyed I was by the outcome of its conclusion.
Watching 'Billy Liar' is like hearing a song but not being able to place where you might've heard it before. While watching 'Billy Liar' you get the feeling that large portions have been lifted or replicated by later day filmmakers.
'Billy Liar' simplistic settings interspersed with it daydream scenery is very appealing.
The Devil's Playground (1976)
A great debut for Schepisi
Fred Schepisi's debut film was semi autobiographical in it's narrative and entirely grand in it's vision. It was able to be convincing in it's re-creation of the mid 50's catholic lifestyle disguised as education. Fred Schepisi has gone on to become renowned director and all indications of this were present in this debut.
Gallipoli (1981)
Importance of Gallipoli
Gallipoi has been criticised as not only an anti war movie, but also an anti English movie as well. For Australians, the era of WW1 represents a time in it's young history when it made it's debut on the world fighting stage. Only too late did it discover that they (The Anzacs AKA: Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) were actually cannon fodder for the British and 2nd class, A class cannon fodder at that.
It was also during this time of Gallipoi's releases that Breaker Morrant (1980) was also spearheading and making ground in the entire defacto anti British/anti War genre of film. It was these two films which helped put the Republic debate into the minds of the Australian public whom only a few years before were still singing 'God Save the Queen' as it's national anthem.
Peter Weir captured and tapped into a lasting image for Australians to cling to with Gallipoi. Since Australia has such a brief history, Gallipoi brings together the fighting spirit and the original larrikin Australian attitude which could now be considered a bygone clique of character.
Gallipoli's use of a moog like score gives the entire film an ageless precedence and quality which could still be as fresh for any period drama in the future.
Gallipoli should be released on DVD immediately.