Winter’s Bone (2010)

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This film has been on my list to watch for quite a while. The reviews were good and the Oscar-nominated lead role by a young Jennifer Lawrence had me intrigued.  It is a bleached and gritty movie about the harsh realities of poverty and there is a realness to it that pulls you right into the world of Ree, a 17 year old eking out an existence in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. You could perhaps dub this one ‘The Real Hunger Games’. Continue reading →

Tracks (2013)

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I wasn’t the only woman who, as the lights went up after our Film Society screening of this Australian film, said, “I want to do something like that!” There is much to be said about this beautiful and lyrical film but the real heart of it, at least for me, was a woman doggedly following a dream, despite the discomfort and disapprobation of all those around her. Continue reading →

The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band) (2009)

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Here’s a bit of insight into living on a farm. We get our internet via satellite, which has never been as good as ADSL but it has been the only broadband option for us other than Telstra mobile. We were offered NBN satellite a couple of years ago which upped our monthly limit from 6GB to 60GB and guaranteed a speed increase over several years to rival city access. Then the government changed. About a year ago we got a letter from our ISP saying NBN satellite was oversubscribed and so they were being forced to restrict speeds and limits. Now we are down to 20GB and speeds are so slow that websites take forever and we don’t bother with videos. So what does that have to do with The White Ribbon, I hear you ask? Continue reading →

Rear Window (1954)

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There’s something special about Hitchcock films, they can be enjoyable and make you uneasy at the same time. This is my favourite and I was lucky enough to catch a screening last week at ACMI for the Melbourne Festival. It has all the elements of a good Hitchcock – tricky, stylish camerawork, dry humour, an interesting subtext and a bit of moral ambiguity. It also has Grace Kelly at her best in some very stylish outfits. Continue reading →

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

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The only movie to watch on 21st October 2015. Half of the film is set in the ‘future’ of 1985 when Marty and the Doc go forward to, yes, you guessed it, Wednesday 21st October 2015 at around 4.30pm. That would have been the exact time I was borrowing the DVD, I reckon. The film was made in 1989 and, regardless of whether that was a good idea or not, it’s interesting to look at a 1989 view of what the world would be like today. It looks pretty much like the 80s. Continue reading →

The Martian (2015)

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Or MacGyver in Space, as Ron dubbed it as the lights went up. Benn asked me to review this one so the whole family trekked to the nearest town with a cinema for the experience. I will tell you from the outset that this review will have spoilers. Not that I will reveal anything that’s not patently obvious as soon as the movie starts, no, actually, as soon as you see the movie poster. This is a Hollywood film through and through and that means it’s predictable, patriotic and full of heroic blokes. Continue reading →

The Intern (2015)

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Should I blog about films that I really don’t recommend? I seem to see quite a few of these and there’s often not much to say other than, “it’s a dog, don’t bother.” I went to see The Intern last night at a proper cinema. I don’t often get to see movies at the cinema when they are first released and I wouldn’t really have picked that particular film but we were near the Kino and The Martian had only front row seats left (and at the Kino that would have meant sitting half way up Matt Damon’s nose) so the only other session about to start was The Intern. Continue reading →

The Piano (1993)

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Yes I know this film is nearly 25 years old – can you believe that? – but I am implementing an ad hoc program to introduce my girls to significant films from the past. Ron’s doing the same, Terminator 2 has become Tallulah’s favourite action film.

I haven’t seen The Piano for about 20 years and I remember having mixed feelings about it. I was a serious photography student at the time and the visual aesthetic and music had a big impact on me and on many other visual artists at the time. I remember being a bit uncomfortable about the gender roles but not enough to think negatively about the film. Continue reading →