THE SAPPHIRES - film

What an exciting treat to be able to see this at the opening night of the Melbourne International Film Festival! The film didn’t disappoint the huge crowd – I don’t think I heard a bad word uttered about it as we left the cinema and joined the party at the Regent Ballroom.

I love a film that’s based on a true story, and this one is a gem. It’s based in the late 60s when, in the most unlikely circumstances, a group of Aboriginal women travelled to Vietnam to sing for the troops. This backdrop allows the film to touch briefly on some more serious issues like the Vietnam War and the stolen generation in Australia but they’re not overriding parts of the story by any means, it generally stays up-beat and bloody good fun. Jessica Mauboy plays the lead singer and she certainly isn’t a one trick pony; her acting’s almost as good as her off-the-dial good singing. I also loved Chris O’Dowd (the Irish guy in Bridesmaids & The IT Crowd) as the group’s manager, his comic timing and delivery is just beautiful. Kudos also to Deborah Mailman who was subtly gorgeous as always and to my favourite Australian comedian Judith Lucy who also delivers nicely in her small role as a racist pub owner.

This film is that fantastic combination of being both a lovely story that’s fun to watch and one that’s delivered in a beautifully crafted way. I was so engrossed in it that when a lovely plot line reached a crescendo, I actually gave a little yelp and tugged on the arm of the mate I went with who was polite enough to indulge my excitement with a grin that said ‘yes that really happened’ and a bit of ‘wow, you’re like a nine year old right now, this is embarrassing’.

This film has pretty broad appeal and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes the way of Red Dog where the audience builds and builds for a long run in cinemas on the back of positive word of mouth. If you see it and enjoy it, tell someone.

Check out the trailer here… it’s in cinemas from this Thursday, 9 August.

About this blog

'Cut to the chase' is where I write about anything from TV shows to films to stand-up comedy routines but in a quick and hopefully fun way. If you're wondering who the director of a film is and what awards their previous offerings have won at Cannes, you've come to the wrong place. This is where you'll find a quick round-up of my opinion on stuff. It's for time-poor people who ultimately just want to know stuff like 'Is 'Beauty and the Geek' as funny as it looks on the ads?'
So yep, highly intellectual stuff. (The answer to that question is a resounding yes, by the way.)

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN - film

Thank you Twitter, for connecting me to the film Not Suitable For Children. I follow Michael Lucas who wrote the screen play for this ace film and who is also part of the team behind two of my favourite TV shows, Offspring and Tangle.

The film is just what you’d expect if you’ve seen those shows – believable, watchable, fun and with a great cast to carry the nicely crafted dialogue.

I reckon it’s an excellent sign when you aren’t inclined to look at your watch during a film and the time never even crossed my mind in this one.

I was surprised how much I loved the lead actor in the film, Ryan Kwanten, given he’s been on Home and Away, something I’ve historically not been able to get past. (Think Indiana Evans as Tatum in the ABC TV drama ‘Crownies’… Actually, don’t.) However, he’s just lovely in this role, understated but charming to watch.

Kwanten’s character is diagnosed with cancer and told he won’t be able to have children after his surgery to treat it. We then follow him for about three weeks until the operation in which he realises he wants kids and tries to find a way to make it happen. As you’d imagine, there’s some complex issues and relationships that emerge that are all a pleasure to watch. Thought-provoking but fun and gently delivered.

Sarah Snook is also excellent in this film as the flat mate of Kwanten’s character. I’ve read comparisons to Emma Stone and there’s certainly a resemblance that goes beyond the red hair. To borrow a line from Molly Meldrum, Dicky Wilkins and just about every other person who’s watched and then talked about a film, I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of her!

I was one of just four people in the cinema when I saw this on opening day which made me really sad. I desperately hope that it gets some Red Dog-esque word of mouth and the cinemas fill in the coming weeks because this is an absolute cracker. Go see it!

Trailer here

FRIENDS WITH KIDS - film

Went into this one with the vague memory of having seen a mediocre review but I also knew it had an impressive cast, so I figured it’d be ok, at least. Turns out it was ok, at best.

The theme is relatable for both couples with kids (I think) and single people with friends who are having kids and all the ‘fun’ that comes with that. But that feeling of being in a social situation with a couple who pick at each other like a festering sore is, it turns out, just as uncomfortable to watch on the big screen as it is in real life.

As I was watching I couldn’t help but think of the lead woman (Jennifer Westfeldt), how on earth did she get this gig? Her face was distracting in a sharp and scrunchy way that seems mean to have noticed but the friends I saw it with did too. Her delivery was just a bit *meh*, I couldn’t warm to her. I also couldn’t stop wondering how this ok-but-not-great script had secured such a talented cast, a number of whom starred in Bridesmaids (Chris O’Dowd, Maya Rudolph & Kristen Wiig). It all made sense though, when I discovered that leading woman Jennifer also wrote and directed the film and that her husband who also features in it (though with not enough screen time for his character to develop much) is Jon Hamm, star of the smash TV series Mad Men.

Call me a cynic (you wouldn’t be the first), but the pieces all fit together now.

I saw this film with four other women, all of whom had kids. Two of them were with me and found the whole thing a bit tiresome and the other two enjoyed it.

On balance, I’d say wait for the DVD. At best.

Trailer here...

WISH YOU WERE HERE - film

I can't remember the last time I saw a film at the cinema twice. I don't know I ever have. Until this week. I loved the Aussie film Wish You Were Here so much that I decided to go back for a second viewing. It was partly motivated by the fact that the film builds to such a crescendo that to take in all the intricacies of the last 15 minutes or so, I wanted to see it again. But that's not to say you need to see it twice, I'm confident you're much smarter than me.

The story is complex but relatable - most of us have taken some dumb risks or acted like a bit of a douche in a foreign country. That's a simplistic take on what the film is based on, but still, as I say, a relatable theme. The performances are great, Joel Edgerton excellent as always and newbie (to me, anyway), Felicity Price as the leading woman was just terrific. She also co-wrote the film, just to make me love her even more.

Finally, this film is proof that you can tell a compelling and intricate story that engrosses you in an hour and a half. There's no need for films to be longer than that!

Watch the trailer but more importantly, go and see the film. I can't imagine anyone not appreciating it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVw1f43xF2M

Melbourne International Comedy Festival - various shows part 2

I saw Judith Lucy's show on Monday night, my favourite of the Festival. I have a soft spot for Judith, she's probably my favourite Australian comedian, but truly this show is gold. The laughs just come at you constantly and she somehow even turned a punch line ruined by a dud microphone into something hilarious. Warning, lots of audience participation for folks in the front row. One of my cousins I went with enjoyed it but wasn't quite as convinced as me because she 'doesn't like sexual comedy'. Judith's not afraid of working blue, certainly a fair but of that but all very funny.

Last night, in what I think will be my last night attending the Festival, was an interesting one. Saw Kate McLennan who was given a 4.5 star review in the Herald Sun (like Judith Lucy) and Geraldine Hickey who was given 3 by the same publication (different reviewer, a favourite of mine). Kate was up first in front of an audience of about 25. Intimate, you might say, especially on tight-ar5e Tuesday. I enjoyed the show, the story, the journey she took us on yada yada, but to be frank I didn’t actually laugh out loud that much. I trotted off to Geraldine next mainly because the time and location suited after Kate’s show. I had no expectations or interest beyond having heard her a few times on a favourite old radio show (Get This on Triple M, 2007-2009 approx). Her room was even smaller than Kate’s and had about 20 in the audience. Despite some of the material being a bit, umm, graphic, I really did laugh out loud quite a lot, as did most of the crowd. Her style is very droll which I guess does appeal to me personally but the whole room did seem to be cacking themselves a lot, certainly a lot more than in Kate’s show.

The juxtaposition of the two shows reminded me that a) comedy is so very subjective and b) expectations or lack thereof can be a huge factor.

I’m totes insightful, right?

The Festival finishes this Sunday. For (insert name of figure you worship)’s sake, go see something. http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2012/season/

Melbourne International Comedy Festival - various shows

I've seen a bunch of shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in the last few weeks. Thought I'd give you a bunch of quick reviews while the Festival still has a week to go. Get out and see something!

JUSTIN HAMILTON (Aus) - Great show by an Australian comedian who's been on the scene a long time. Very clever, works on a few levels, meaning if you've seen him before you might get a bit of extra bang for your buck but first-timers will enjoy just as much. Nice story-telling (even shed a tear or two at one point) combined with great laughs. He's said it's the last Festival show he'll do for the forseeable future, so get along while you can.

TOMMY DASSALO (Aus) - A young Aussie comedian, I think this is his first MICF show. Like Justin, he's a good story teller with lots of laughs and a few tears. The show is about his battle with cancer as a child, surprisingly funny stuff! Tickets are cheap because he's relatively unknown, easily worth the money.

ANNE EDMONDS (Aus) - A good show with a musical bent but not a stand out to be honest. Enjoyed it but have seen other shows that gave more laughs.

FELICITY WARD (Aus) - Definitely one of my favourites, excellent bang-for-buck when it comes to laughs. Go see her!

TOM BALLARD (Aus) - Saw him this year because I found his show hilarious last year. This year was not up to that standard & some of the material was really pretty gross. At the end of the show he was recommending another show to see and said something along the lines of "it's hilarious, like the last 10 minutes of this show"... an admission he hadn't nailed it, I think.

DAVID O'DOHERTY (Ireland) - I've seen David perform at MICF for I think 4 or 5 years in a row now. He's a reliable favourite and didn't let me down this year. His annual 'My beefs...' song is just hilarious.

MARK WATSON (England) - Have enjoyed his work in a few podcasts I've come across but the show was a let down. Definitely not worth $38 for mine.

NATH VALVO (Aus) - Was one of my favourites of the Festival last year, laughed constantly through his show and hoped for the same this year. Not quite as good the second time round but still really funny. (Friends who were there for the second time said they enjoyed it more than last year so, horses for courses.) Does an uncanny Judith Lucy impression which was gold. Beware of seats in the front row and aisle - audience participation is rife and he can be a real bitch!

SAM SIMMONS (Aus) - Went with trepidation to be honest (taking my nephew for his birthday - Sam was his choice) but found it really funny. Not everyone's cup of tea, his style is really pretty odd but if you like a bit of slightly physical, definitely absurd comedy, give him a shot. And bonus points for being totally lovely to my nephew when he came out after the show to say hi.

Got myself booked for Judith Lucy tomorrow night, first stand-up show she's done in a few years. Can't wait, she's one of my all time favourites. Fingers crossed she doesn't let me down. 'Cause it's about me, right?

YES, PRIME MINISTER - theatre

I feel the need to preface this review by saying that I’ve seen hardly any of the TV shows Yes, Minister & Yes, Prime Minister. The two shows aired for the first time when I was just 0-8 years old. (Finally, something that makes me feel young!) I suspect my reluctance to watch it in subsequent years when it aired was because I figured if my parents loved it so much, it couldn’t possibly be something I’d be interested in. But here I am, 31 years old, working in spin, interested in politics and loving a laugh. I assumed this would be right up my alley.

Alas, I was quite disappointed. I didn’t laugh much; the humour was all so predictable. For example, at one point there’s reference to blackmail and Sir Humphrey (Philip Quast) says something like “We don’t blackmail, we leverage”… cue laughter from most of the room in the 50+ age group, but not me.

I found the acting so hammy and over the top. I get that’s the characters, but for me, it just wasn’t enjoyable to watch. It made me dislike them rather than find them endearing. Caroline Craig’s English accent was a distracting let-down and I didn’t laugh much at John Lloyd-Fillingham’s physical comedy as Bernard either.

My mate enjoyed it a bit more than me but we agreed on the things I’ve mentioned. I hung around in the foyer for a while to listen to what people were saying and the stuff I heard was largely positive so I accept I’m probably in the minority. A young minority.

I’ve never been a big fan of the Comedy Theatre and this experience reminded me why. Hardly any leg room and it was so hot and stuffy in there that a woman two seats away from me had to excuse herself for about 20 minutes to go and get some air.

Coincidentally, I happened upon a box set (series 1-3) of The Thick of It DVDs on Saturday and paid about the same price for it as I did for my ticket to Yes, Prime Minister. (The Thick of It has been described by some as a sort of 21^st century version of Yes, Prime Minister.) For value-for-money & laughs when looking behind the scenes at UK politics, I’d choose The Thick of It ten times over.

http://www.yesprimeminister.com.au/

The Thick of It – season 3 extended preview

ANY QUESTIONS FOR BEN? – film

As I do with any Australian film, I walked into ‘Any questions for Ben?’ wanting to love it.

I wasn’t disappointed.

The central character Ben (Josh Lawson) leads a life that in some respects is hard to relate to. Glamorous parties , dating a famous sportsperson, sleeping around; it’s not a life I know or aspire to.  But as Ben’s dissatisfaction with that life grew, so too did my affection for him.

 Whatever you think of Ben, he’s surrounded by loveable characters who help carry the story with ease - David James as Malcolm, Daniel Henshall as Nick, Felicity Ward as Emily and Rob Carlton as Ben’s dad were my favourites.

Just about every review I’ve read has rightly acknowledged that the film is like a beautiful moving postcard from Melbourne. One of the surprises for this Melburnian viewer was seeing Chantelle Raleigh (Fleur), who grew up down the road from me in a small suburb in outer Melbourne. Wattle Glen girl made good!

In keeping with my ‘cut to the chase’ reviewing mantra, I’ll close with this... This is a great film that I recommend you go and see. Not because of some lame ‘Australians should support Australian films’ obligation that you often hear thrown about, but because you’ll enjoy watching it. 'Any questions for Ben?' is a lovely story matched by excellent performances and a fabulous soundtrack that almost steals the show.

Trailer here.

A FEW BEST MEN - film

Don’t see it. It’s terrible.

It’s certainly not worth $18.50 but also not worth 96 minutes of your life if you got a free ticket. Well, in my case it was about 60 minutes as I left when I couldn’t bare the lameness and predictability of it anymore.

Oh, and when did Olivia Newton John become such a terrible actress?

THE DESCENDANTS – film

One of my gripes about film reviews these days is that often they do little more than tell you the plot of the film. I don’t want to know the plot. I want to know if it’s any good, if I should go and see it.

So here’s my take on The Descendants… You should go and see it.  

This film deserves the buzz it’s generating, it’s such a great story and so well told. Unless emo 15 year olds have taken to reading my blog (they are totes welcome), I can’t imagine a reader who won’t enjoy it. Clooney gives an awards-season-fantastic performance and just in case you needed reminding, is a total dreamboat. There was a few times when I was getting very weepy (yes, take tissues) and I kept thinking to myself ‘focus on how hot George is, focus on how hot George is…’. That silver fox’s foxiness is a great distraction, for what it’s worth.

Though the story does require tissues from time to time, there’s a character in the mix who happily lightens the mood. At first I wasn’t wild about Sid because he seemed to be in the film for that purpose alone but as it progresses we do find out there’s a bit more going on upstairs than we thought.

For the comb over spotters, keep an eye out early on for a crackerjack one that’s more ‘comb up and over’ than over alone.

Official trailer here.

PS. Would an emo kid say “totes”? I have no idea.

WARRIOR - film review

I’m guilty-as-charged when my mate Liz calls me “so white bread”. I hate violence. I hate violent films. It makes me nauseous and distracts me from the bigger picture, if you’ll pardon the pun.

But in spite of that, I enjoyed the film ‘Warrior’, which centres around the unbelievably violent ‘sport’ Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Starring Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte & Tom Hardy (who played Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights!), the film has a strong enough story about family, redemption and forgiveness that the MMA can just be a vehicle that allows that to unfold if, like me, that’s all you want it to be. That said, the physicality of Edgerton and Hardy’s performances is admirable to say the least. Hardy especially has those chiselled muscles that can only be achieved with hours and hours at the gym. Hours and hours and hours.

I’ve heard a bit of buzz about Nolte in this film. He plays the raw and broken father of Edgerton & Hardy precisely as a seasoned, brilliant actor would, but I think the role was too small to really be anything buzz-worthy.

Edgerton’s Aussie accent crept in a few times but that only made him more endearing for me. It’s that ‘awww, local guy made good’ factor I guess. His performance was excellent and hopefully the start of more Hollywood fame & fortune coming his way.

I reckon a good test of how engrossed you are in a film is how many times you’re inclined to look at your watch. In this case it was just once, when at the two hour mark we still seemed a way off an ending. It went for another 20 minutes after that, so I’d advise against guzzling a giant frozen Coke in the opening minutes.

The story is predictable and heads to a fairytale ending but I was still engrossed enough to want to know which of the brothers was going to win the fight of their lives; a fight that was of course about much more than MMA.

‘Warrior’ opens in cinemas this Thursday, 27 October.

(You can see a non-fiction sample of MMA here)

TOM TOM CREW - a hard-to-define-show

Headed to the Forum Theatre last night to see Tom Tom Crew perform as part of the Melbourne Festival. The Forum is a gorgeous venue, my favourite in Melbourne, so a beautiful scene was set.

The foyer was full of ominous signs saying “This show is very loud!!!!!” (Why use one exclamation mark when many can really hammer your point home?) and there was a big box of ear plugs at the door of the theatre. I grabbed a set of ear plugs, suspecting my nana ways would have me squishing them in within minutes of the show starting.

After starting about 15 minutes late, the show opened with some amazing acrobatics. Well, they felt amazing, but as the show progressed, those opening moves were put to shame by even more amazing acrobatics. And when they got their see-saw thing going (see what I mean in this YouTube clip) well, their tricks were so risky (in a very cool way) as to have my stomach tied up in an anxious knot, concerned for their safety! For what it’s worth, I think at least part of that anxiety was born out of the fact that the see saw thing looked like it had been made in someone’s back yard out of odds and ends picked up at Bunnings. But no one fell to their death or cracked their head open. Score! There was a few dud landings but given the complexities of what they were doing, the crowd weren’t put off by that at all, they just cheered even more out of sympathy and appreciation.

As well as the acrobatics, there was a beat-boxer, a contortionist and a percussionist who all really thrilled the crowd. I’m about as far from a beat-boxing aficionado as you can be, but their guy Tom Thum, he had the crowd lapping up his every beat. The noises he could make were astounding, to the point where we had to be assured that there were no tricks, it was all legit, live beat-boxing. I loved the fact that he explained the equipment and what he was doing; it was a great touch for people like me, to whom this was all a bit new-age. He’s got a unique talent, but the nana in me couldn’t help but wonder (of he and the acrobats) ‘but what will they do when they get older and their bodies can’t do that anymore?... I hope they’ve got a trade to fall back on’.

The guy hosting the show, Ben, was also the group’s incredibly talented percussionist, at one stage with 8 drums on the go at once. He also brings out an omnichord, for which he obviously has a strong affection, and creates some very cool sounds which the crowd again went a bit nuts for. The cheers turned to gasps of delighted horror when a contortionist came on stage and did the kind of things with his body that a yogi could only dream of. I had to look away when his shoulder seemed to be dislocating before our eyes on account of my weak stomach but then I couldn’t bear to miss anything so quickly looked back.

The one part of the show that my mate AC and I agreed was a bit of a let-down was a graffiti sequence. Despite the fact that thematically it tied in with the rest of the show, it’s an art form that really can’t be done justice on stage in a theatre. As AC frankly said, “it felt a bit self-indulgent” and it went without the enthusiastic support of the crowd that the rest of the show enjoyed.

The show went for about an hour and a half so I’m still a bit mystified as to why so many people got up and left (presumably to go to the loo – they did return) during the show. Seriously, you can't hold on for 90 minutes?! It was an unwelcome distraction from the constant action on the stage.

The group is made up of blokes from across Australia, including a few Melburnians, so I suspect that might be part of the reason behind the standing ovation from the eclectic crowd at the end of the show.

It was a fantastic show, loud and action-packed, but happily not so loud as to entice me to squish in those ear plugs! Go and see it if you get the chance.

Tom Tom Crew are performing until 23 October for the Melbourne Festival. Details & tickets here.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER - film

The woman next to me said it best when the film finished... "That was amazing. Horrific, but amazing."

I went to see it on a whim. In fact, having asked the the Palace Cinemas tweeter if their tight arse night was Tuesday & getting an unsolicited recommendation, I abandoned my plans to see The Help or Jane Eyre and took their suggestion to see The Whistleblower. I'm not usually so easily swayed but the time and location suited and hey, I'm a lazy realist.

It can be a great way to go into a film; with virtually no expectations. You might not be blown away, but you can't really be disappointed. But the good news is that I was blown away. It's fantastic. It reminded me a bit of the film Precious, in that it's harrowing to watch but that you could recognise that it was an amazing story, well told.

The story is about human trafficking, which I didn't know before I saw it. It's not for the faint hearted. The graphic reality of what life is like for these young women was shown in quite some detail. It's based on a true story which just made every plot twist and turn more compelling. I was drawn in, desperate to know what happened with each plot development. The whole audience was captured. Everyone instinctively looked away when terribly graphic things happened and everyone gasped when the story took a surprise turn. The creators of this film had us in the palm of their hand. Go and see it.

PS. One of my pet hates was committed by one lone ranger in the cinema at the end of the film… clapping! I don’t know why, but it drives me crazy. If you’re at a premiere and the director and cast are in the room, sure, show them your appreciation but when you’re with the blue-rinse set at Rivoli (Melbourne), give it a rest.

BEAUTY AND THE GEEK - television

I’ve found a way to feel great about myself. It’s cheap and really easy to do. Want to know what it is?

Of course you do.

Well, set aside an hour from 8.30pm on Thursday night to watch ‘Beauty and the Geek’ on Channel 7.

The male geeks are generally loveable characters, whose social ineptitude will make you want to take them under your wing (and/or just give them a big pash) and tell them that they’re great people who deserve to be in happy, loving relationships. Cue warm, fuzzy feeling.

The female beauties are perhaps a bit less charming, but no less entertaining. Last week’s trivia question ‘What kind of animal is a koala?’ was answered by one beauty with ‘A placenta?’. Cue uproarious laughter. 

When the intellectual shortcomings of the beauties is starting to look goofy and loveable (and it will), remind yourself of their likely motivation for going on the show – a gig in Zoo Weekly. For the geeks, it’s a noble mission – to find love. Or in some cases, more like lurrrrve...

In a new innovation for the show this season, they’ve introduced a female geek and a male beauty. Watching the female geek have a little meltdown last week when she was asked to chat to strangers (a task clearly very foreign and uncomfortable for her) genuinely made me shed a tear (and wonder why the hell she’d signed up for the show). But it was a compelling, can’t-look-but-can’t-look-away moment.

And the male beauty, what’s he like? He’s orange. Desperately, hideously orange. But he did run to the aid of the female geek in her hour of need, so he can’t be all bad.

At the end of the show, you will feel like a genius and you will have had belly laughs to boot. That’s a great return on an hour in front of the box these days. 

CRAZY STUPID LOVE - film

Loving Steve Carell and Julianne Moore felt like a good start. That and the generally positive reviews I’d seen. But ‘Crazy Stupid Love’ fell a little flat for me. Not a write-off, just not the gem I’d hoped. It’s certainly not the first film to be built on an implausible premise but the idea that the very hot Jacob (Ryan Gosling) would take a 40-something whinging stranger (Carell) under his wing was a bit hard to take. I wasn’t alone in feeling a bit let down. In the session I attended, two couples and one other person left about half way through the film and didn’t return.

But if you can suspend reality there’s some good laughs to be had and at least one genuinely surprising moment. Don’t want to ruin a plot surprise but will say there was some great casting of relatives.

An audible whimper from the audience when Gosling removed his shirt did make me giggle (that body’s certainly whimper-worthy) but appreciation for him went beyond the body. And the face. He had a great chemistry with Carell and Emma Stone, who stars as Hannah, the woman who gets under his womaniser skin.

Too high expectations coupled with some douche bag audience behaviour (OTT pashing and answering a phone call were stand-outs) soured my experience with this one a little, but still worth the $18 I reckon.