A man haunted by his past is forced to face his demons in the slow-moving horror film, The Vigil. Yakov Ronen (Dave Davis) is a shadow of a man in the aftermath of a tragedy that befell his younger brother. He was present; but he didn’t intervene and before he knew it, it was too…
A fly-on-the-wall expose of the world of talk-back radio is the basis of Melanie Tait’s outstanding new play A Broadcast Coup. It is set almost entirely in the studios of Australia’s largest public broadcaster (conspicuously nameless). The play provides the impression of a workplace which runs by default and is dominated by individuals whose egos…
If you’ve ever seen Karel Reisz’s superb The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981); or Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), you may find something familiar in Nicolas Bedos’ La Belle Époque. This brilliantly conceived drama of love and loss is inventive, poignant and compelling. Bedos is an actor who’s turned to directing. That…
I love Hamlet; it’s my preferred Shakespearean tragedy. Visiting its Kronborg Castle setting was my favourite of all days when touring in Denmark. There’s something rotten in the Denmark of this ultimate revenge drama though. After his father’s death, Prince Hamlet (Silvan Rus) is overlooked for the crown in favour of his uncle, Claudius (Ben…
Nada Surf was formed in New York City in 1992 by Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca, and Ira Elliot. Their debut single, The Plan/Telescope, was released in 1994, and they quickly gained attention with their first full-length album, High/Low, in 1996, produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. Their single “Popular” became a breakout hit, propelling…
Unbridled ambition gets a thorough workout in Gloria. This Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama from American playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is one of four MTC Australian premieres this season. Set in the offices of a prestigious Manhattan magazine, the play is a contemporary satire. The day-to-day drudgery is particularly wearing on a small group of editorial assistants. They…
Youthful anarchy is at the heart of Beats. This largely black-and-white film is set in a working-class Scottish town in 1994. The story takes place against the background of a British government proposal to ban amplified “beat” music at unlicensed raves. The film centres on the friendship between two teenagers who approach life very differently….
Paris is on my bucket list so the title of this book was always going to hook me. After reading this, I want to go to Paris more than ever. Here’s the blurb: Rosalie Laurent is a graphic artist and proud owner of a little postcard shop in Saint-Germain. Her specialty is producing ‘wishing cards’, and…
Jungle Cruise benefits from the talents of Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. This old fashioned, far-fetched adventure fantasy is based on a Disneyland attraction that’s been operating since 1955. Set at the height of World War I, the film concerns a long-standing hunt for an elixir with remarkable healing powers. English botanist Dr Lily Houghton…
When a successful New York advertising executive suffers a great tragedy he retreats from life. While his concerned friends try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love, Time and Death. “These three things connect every single human being on earth. We long for love. We wish…
