Saturday, February 11, 2006
Brokeback Mountain
 | Brokeback Mountain
When Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) are thrown together for a sheep herding job on Brokeback Mountain, they have no idea of the impact that job will have on their lives forever. Initially very quiet, Ennis begins to open up to Jack and they form a friendship, which one night, turns into something much more intimate. It's the 1960's, and both men know that not only will society be intolerant of their love for each other, but also they may suffer violent consequences if their secret is revealed. And so, Ennis and Jack reluctantly part company and Ennis marries Alma (Michelle Williams) and has two daughters, and Jack marries Lureen (Anne Hathaway), the daughter of a rich tractor trader whom he meets at a rodeo, and has a son. The men don't see each other for 4 years, but when they do meet up it is immediately obvious that the separation has only increased their feelings for each other. They decide to meet up once or twice a year for "fishing trips" where they can act as they wish, free from public scrutiny.
Ang Lee's sweeping direction, emotionally charged performances from the four central characters and Gustavo Santaolalla's haunting score all combine to make this an achingly powerful film. The men's love for each other is played out honestly and warmly and I have to commend Ledger and Gyllenhaal for their outstanding performances. Williams is very believable as the woman struggling to cope with the knowledge of her husband's secret life, while trying to bring up two small children. Hathaway gives a very mature portrayal of feisty little rich kid turned high powered businesswoman Lureen, who is oblivious to her husbands secret until she is forced to face up to it in the most painful of ways. My only criticism of the movie is that some of the dialogue spoken by Ennis and Jack was lost on me, partly because of the strong accents and partly because of the way cowboys talk, with their lips as still as possible! Although this didn't have a great effect on the movie as a whole, I would like to have known what they were saying at all times. This said, I required more than a couple of tissues to dry my tears at the end (I needed my fiancé’s shirt sleeve too!) I was blissfully unaware of the intense hatred of homosexuality in America at that time before this film. This touching, heart wrenching story opened my eyes and flooded them. |
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Keeping Mum Movie Review
 | "Keeping Mum"
It's a bit tricky to review "Keeping Mum" without giving away major plot points, but I'll do my best. Kristin Scott-Thomas is bored vicar's wife, Gloria Goodfellow, in a tiny English village, with a promiscuous teenage daughter and a young son who suffers at the hands of the local school bullies. Her husband Walter (Rowan Atkinson) is oblivious to the problems of the children and the needs of his wife and is more concerned with parish matters, although he's not winning that battle either. Gloria's reaction to her husband's attitude is to indulge in some pretty heavy flirtations with her golf instructor Lance (a fabulous role for much missed Patrick Swayze). Enter innocent-looking housekeeper Grace (Maggie Smith), and suddenly all the family's problems seem, one by one, to vanish, although perhaps not in the manner they would've hoped.
This is an utterly loveable black comedy, with Maggie Smith proving once again why she is one of the best actors in Britain today. Rowan Atkinson plays the fool like a pro (which of course he is) but is surprisingly touching in the more tender moments of the film. Scott-Thomas plays the harassed Gloria to perfection, and Swayze is a deliciously slimy villain. Where I saw the movie there were plenty of moments that had the entire audience gasping or laughing out loud as one, which is a pretty satisfactory outcome for any film. The hugely sympathetic characters and involving storyline keep you entertained to the last. Writer/director Niall Johnson deserves high praise as he manages to keep us cheering for the characters even when they are performing quite awful acts! I'm not sure about the track that runs over the end titles though. It includes Rowan Atkinson reciting a particularly racy passage from the Bible, which worked wonderfully in the film, but just doesn't cut it when included in some half-baked pop tune. No matter, the piece is a joyful romp - another gem of British comedy. |
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Betty's soup Kitchen Restaurant Review
 | Betty's Soup Kitchen
If you have a yearning for a very cheap yet hearty meal, right in the middle of the city, you could do very much worse than Betty's Soup Kitchen (84 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst). A huge hunk of bread and accompanying pot of butter are served before every meal and are a snack in themselves. As the name suggests, Betty does soup best, including a wonderfully warming lentil, but her pasta's and nachos are of great quality and fill you up nicely. If you still have room, there are simple, yet tasty desserts including warm apple pie and mudcake. The scrubbed floorboards and wooden chairs are basic yet comfortable and the wait staff are efficient and friendly. In the heart of Sydney's gay district, you can expect to see a mix of colourful characters at Betty's, from artistic types, to backpackers, to passers by. They also do functions in their basement area. The sign says "Betty loves to party!" In short, a simple comforting meal in simple comforting surroundings.
Open: Sun-Thur 12 noon-11pm, Fri-Sat 12 noon-12 midnight, Closed: Christmas Day to New Years Day; Unlicensed BYO, Corkage $1 Person; Cards none, Seats inside 60, Seats outside 4, Private rooms 50, Kids welcomed |
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Thursday, February 02, 2006
The Producers movie review
 | "The Producers" opens like an old fashioned movie musical, and as with any remake it's tricky not to compare it to the original. For my money though, this version is superior to the 1968 film. All the essential elements are there; Mel Brooks' over the top humour, disturbingly catchy songs (I challenge you not to be humming "Springtime for Hitler" on your way our of the movie theatre)and more innuendo than you can shake a stick at. What's different, is better. Nathan Lane makes Max Bialystock,the failing Broadway producer much more watchable as he manages to be slimy yet lovable - No mean feat. And although it may seem blasphemous to Gene Wilder fans, Matthew Broderick is superb in the role of Leo Bloom ( Max's snivelling accountant), bringing to the part a vulnerable yet laughable quality which does him credit. Uma Thurman sends up the clueless Ulla beautifully and Will Ferrel is on top form as the crazed nazi turned playwright Franz Leibkind.
The story centres around Max and Leo's relationship, as they battle to put on the worst flop of all time. They figure that through Leo's creative accounting and Max's talent for producing duds, they can't go wrong. The ensuing race to find a director and cast as awful as the play (a musical about how wonderful Hitler was) is as entertaining as the resulting show and crazy aftermath. The insane camping up of the gay characters, the German playwright with a pigeon named Adolf, and the dumb Scandinavian secretary who's idea of cleaning up the office is to paint everything (and I mean everything) white, are far too outrageous to be in the least offensive. The original stage play was rather infamous in the way that it shocked people at the time. It therefore seems perfect timing to re-release this comic masterpiece in these modern times of political correctness. Some may find the slapstick humour old fashioned occasionally, but the silly songs (who could forget the "Guten Tag Clop Clop")and the indiscriminate mickey-taking more than make up for it. In short, this is a hugely entertaining piece of craziness, not to be missed. Oh, and hang around at the end for the songs and a post credits treat. 4 stars |
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