These two documentaries opened on 31 October 2019 in limited release. Both are worth searching out. Happy Sad Man An empathetic look at a number of ordinary Australians struggling with mental health issues, Happy Sad Man is a beautifully composed and moving documentary. The focus is on five men aged from their 30s to 70s,…
The story made world news. On 15 May 2010, 16-year-old Jessica Watson became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo, non-stop and unassisted. It was just her, a 10-metre-long boat named Ella’s Pink Lady and the elements. In the Netflix movie True Spirit, Teagan Croft plays Watson. Her mentor is a Ben Bryant (Cliff…
Ryan Adams live used to be “watch and see” because Adams might do something nuts like kick someone out of the show, walk off the stage, go into a rant and then go into another rant. Basically, the music would be absolutely spot on but you were always a little scared to shout out a…
A sensitive and endearing tale that links three unlikely people – a student, a baker and an elderly woman – this Japanese movie was a selection for Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival. The title, An, refers to a sweet red bean paste, which is a favourite in Japan. Taciturn Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase)…
Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds’ fourth album for In The Red Records, La Araña Es La Vida summons the Mexican muse of The Great Spider Goddess of Teoticuhan, who sprouts hallucinogenic morning glories and protects the underworld, or in Kid’s eyes, the world of underground music. Recorded in a high school gym in Kansas, guitar slinger and…
The French tend to make fine films about food, family and fashion. While Haute Couture is set against the backdrop of the high-end fashion industry it primarily deals with complex mother/daughter relationships and class issues in contemporary France. Ester (Cesar winning actress Nathalie Baye) is the head seamstress at Dior Avenue Montaigne workshop in Paris,…
– Bad Santa 2 – Only in cinemas from 24 November 2016 We have 5 double in-season passes thanks to Madman Entertainment. *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE BAD SANTA 2 returns Billy Bob Thornton to the screen as everyone’s favourite anti-hero, Willie Soke. Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie…
Those who know the story behind The Laramie Project won’t be surprised by the clearly western-themed staging that sees Ad Astra’s intimate theatre space turned into a saloon-style bar. The cowboy country aesthetic extends to the flannelette, denim and cowboy boots of the beer drinkers. There is even a cowboy-hat-clad musician (Andrew Palmer) to add…
Quite the epic, Little Women – directed by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) – is a moving adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s award-winning novel. The story unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March (Saoirse Ronan), reflects on her fictional life. It is the tale of four young women – sisters Jo, a writer, Meg…
Every generation is gifted with its own take on Count Dracula and vampire lore. You may think it near impossible to put a new spin on such an iconic horror tale, so we’re pleased to report that Dracula, the 2020 Netflix version, manages to do just this. The vampire generally receives his or her best…
