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Australian Rules (2002)
Great, underexposed Australian film
it's been a long time since i've posted a review. i didn't think i needed to. but this film makes me think otherwise.
Australian Rules is a small film. Even by Australian standards. Yet I think it is a highly important film.
It is understandable that the local Aboriginal community may not have wanted to participate in this production. It was probably too close for comfort.
The first part of the film is the carefree, commedic and spirited aspect. It showed signs of the signature Australian 90s filmmaking, the quirky, commedic and feel good type of movie. Then it moves onto the tragic and the dramatic. I think the latter is far more interesting and I am glad that the new wave of Australian filmmaking are concentrating on these aspects (Lantana, Rabbit Proof Fence, Till Human Voices Wake Us).
Australian Rules is a sensitive film. It deals with contentious issues and things we would probably rather not know about. This film has a social conscience and is extremely relevant in this day and age to Australia.
Everyone was great in it. From the coach, to the racist 'manly' father, to Blacky, to Clarence to Dumbie and even Pickles. Special mention to Blacky's mother, the intelligent, wise (and football fanatic) woman who still puts up with her husband's abuse but like Blacky, seems to be above her company.
More people should see this film. Especially Australians.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Julia Roberts, put a shirt on!
I am sick of it! I cannot stand her (or anyone's) cleavage constantly in my face for two damn hours without adequate compensation and the dull movie that was ERIN BROCKOVICH certainly didn't compensate.
This woman is manipulative, stubborn and worse, a fraud. She tries to fraudulently claim money from a car accident, which leads her to stubbornly DEMAND a job from the law firm which represented her. Not only does her lawyer Ed Masry get jack-all from the Erin Brockovich vs. Jaguar Driving Surgeon, he now has to employ and pay HER money.
If Julia Roberts' portrayal of Erin Brockovich is anything like the real character, I can only pity Ms Brockovich. Whoever thinks that men are so singular as a fash of the 'boobs' can do anything is sickly delluded. This woman is portrayed to be a dedicated mother but when she's dressed as a tart with bad language when there's the slightest chance she won't be getting what she wants: that's not the greatest nor most endearing role model. Admit it, Julia Roberts' Erin Brockovich is a bitch! Pure and simple. I for one can't see what originally attracted George to her seeing how badly she treated him. And the fact that she leaves her children with him having only known him for a day or so, what can you say...Responsibility Plus!
PS. There are plenty of ways to tastefully show of breasts, of which none was portrayed in Erin Brockovich.
Drive Me Crazy (1999)
An example of post modernist pastiche.
Looking through the reviews, Drive me Crazy is not THAT bad!! I can name a few teen movies which were SO much worse! (Disturbing Behaviour, Urban Legends...)
It tries to expell all those teen cliches by amalgamating things which have worked well for other teen movies and placing it in theirs. No points for guessing the end, but it's enjoyable none the less if you're in the right mood for it.
I was quite impressed that the characters were not COMPLETE stereotypes as you usually get. The main character of these types of movies would usually be a shy, not popular person who no one notices without a makeover. Not true here. Melissa Joan Hart is a popular girl with popular friends and is completely vivacious. The object of the girl's desire is usually the sport hero who is completely self absorbed or mean or something but seemingly unattainable but here, the guy's fairly nice (if not a little dumb) and it's sort of sweet to see him think himself in 'love' with a cheerleader he fell onto but it seems him and Melissa Joan Hart have always been marked out for each other. The guy next door is not all that strange, just a bit more alternative than the others and so effectively is not the token 'geek'. He had a very pretty girlfriend and guess what? She's not a bitch! Rather, she's just a girl who thinks they're growing apart. A bit of a fresh approach from the age old stereotypes that were getting a bit boring. This movie has its fair share of cliches too and avoids the token prom cliche by having a centenary celebration instead.
But ultimately, you already know the ending before you've starting watching.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Moulin SLUDGE
Moulin Rouge is a rather unfulfiling experience. I had heard and experienced the hype as well as the numberous bad reviews. I must say, this dazzling, fickle piece is not worth it. I am rather a fan of Baz Luhrmann so I was REALLY disappointed with this one. (I was in the cinema three days after it opened in a peak hour session with less than a dozen people seeing it.)
First of all, it felt like Luhrmann was a kid let loose in a candy store and just wanted everything. He just lost sight of the FILM aspect when he was thrown all that industry money. There were WAY too many elements thrown in for the sake of throwing in elements. Oh wow, isn't Baz intelligent, he's got all these different things in his film! The result is a hybrid, bombastic musical with the cinema sounding more like a rock concert than a nice musical about courtesans.
The visual merry go round is nausiating after a while. The whole morphing effect was overdone with a great sense of vertigo. A little bit for effect is fine but you can't do your whole movie in this way!
Considering they spent about $100 million on this one, they could have made realistic sets as opposed to deliberately artificial, commical ones.
Nothing in this movie is really original except for the writing/transformation of old songs into new ones. That I do commend the writers. The storyline is taken from an opera (I don't want to be a spoilsport so I won't tell you which opera) and the songs as I said, are all old stuff. I was thoroughly embarrassed for Nicole Kidman, especially in its rather boring begining.
Ewan MacGregor is excellent and has a really nice voice. I wouldn't be surprised if he releases an album next year!
Go (1999)
predictably unpredictable
I am a very loyal PULP FICTION fan so when GO came out and someone said it had similar structures to PF, what could I do but see it?
First of all, the story. It was OK, average, nothing really special and then I felt as if the writer tried to liven the pace, trying to make unfunny things funny (a la FARGO style), add bits of 'unpredictability' to it and generally make a little muddle of a story for the audience to figure out. (But then again, this isn't exactly a 'thinking' film!)
In terms of editing and putting things into perspective, I had absolutely no problems. After years of watching Tarantino films, my mindset is permanently trained. Yet even in this relative ease, I did feel that this film deliberately tried to make a 'coherent' non linear film, distinguishable absolutely (a la SLIDING DOORS style). It gave me the impression that it had its foot in the door as to whether or not he should stick to conventionalities.
I thought the 'interested' policeman was somewhat, a take on Christopher Walken's character in PULP FICTION. The same absurdity.
Yes Mr Quentin Tarantino rips off things from everyone and everywhere. He was ripping off B grade stuff to show to mainstream culture and he added his own 'signature' to it which is more than what Mr Doug Liman can say about his piece of PULP FICTION wannabe. But at the end of the day, PULP FICTION had a strong and absorbing message of redemption. GO seemed to be shallow and hollow and loving itself for it and wondering why others don't like it because of its superficiality.