Four disparate individuals enter a twilight zone. No, that’s not the starting point for a gag. In fact, far from it. Rather, it is the beginning of what could turn out to be a long journey back. Each of the quartet – strangers to one another – has attempted to take their own life by different methods…
The Greek myths continue to fascinate and challenge both writers and readers. The last few years in particular have seen a number of authors tackling and re-imagining Greek mythology. From established authors like Colm Tóibín, Pat Barker and Mark Haddon to newer authors like Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint. Saint’s first book Ariadne, began with…
Harry Potter is casting a spell over Melbourne anew, as well it deserves to. How fitting, as speculation mounts about expanding the eight film Potter series, the last of which was released in 2011. As the saying goes, there is a lot of love in the room for this production at the Princess Theatre. You can readily…
A moving, slice-of-life piece, One Fine Morning combines the sensitive touch of writer-director Mia Hansen-Love (Bergman Island) with the acting chops of leading actor Lea Seydoux. Seydoux plays Sandra Kienzler, a single mother whose husband died five years ago. A translator, she and her family are dealing with the deteriorating health of her father Georg…
Diminutive 88-year old filmmaker Agnes Varda (The Gleaners and I) returns to the screen with the whimsical road-trip documentary Faces Places; her first feature film in nine years. Here she teams up with 33-year old French visual artist and film director who goes by simply JR. He’s known for his large scale photographic murals, and…
When reviewing a new Stephen King book, you can only really compare such rich work to that of his own. There is no other writer, past or present, quite like him. King is the gold standard, the literary bar, a unique category. A problem other authors would no doubt like to have. If It Bleeds…
Bittersweet, comes this slapstick, but poignant tale of sisters looking to escape from their mundane small-town (Dumfordton, population 340 and falling) existence. To do so, with her school dropout, songwriting little sister Shannon’s (Alana Louise) undying support, 25-year-old Jodi (Sarah Palmieri) has her heart set on winning Simon Cowell’s the X-Factor. Shannon has a history…
Golden Globe winner Brie Larson (Short Term 12) gives the performance of a lifetime in this dark, disturbing and emotionally affecting psychological drama that is also one of the films of the year. Larson plays Joy Newsome (though known to her son only as Ma), a woman who has been held prisoner for seven years…
The way I remember it, the game of truth or dare can get you in to trouble. But hardly as much trouble as it is in the hands of a bunch of college students in this movie. For them, it becomes deadly. These friends get together for one last Spring getaway before graduation. But what…
There have been many great films that have depicted teachers as caring individuals who have moulded young minds and shaped their charges for the better – from To Sir With Love through to Lean on Me, Dangerous Minds, and Dead Poet’s Society – and there have also been a few that have depicted the jaded…
