Image via miff.com.au
I’m used to Michael Haneke dramas dealing a devastating blow as the credits roll (The White Ribbon, The Piano Teacher) so I was unprepared for the droll humour and light hand of this study of a wealthy French family struggling to let go of the past. Continue reading
Holy moly, this was a cracker of a film. Not to be watched by anyone who wants an easy ride – take this as a warning. Directed by Michael Haneke, who makes challenging films like The White Ribbon and Caché, The Piano Teacher also has powerhouse performances, themes that make you decidedly uncomfortable and no neat resolution. With all of the Haneke films I have seen so far, as the end credits roll there is a moment of incredulity and exasperation but then the characters and subtext worm their way into your brain and refuse to leave. Continue reading
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
