After caning the majority of Australian releases recently, I am delighted to be able to sing the praises of the slow-burn thriller Berlin Syndrome. Unease permeates almost every scene. Clare (Teresa Palmer), a twenty-something Australian photojournalist, arrives in Germany on a sabbatical from work. She intends to photograph Soviet-designed architecture in the hope of publishing…
Kate Bush – what did I know about the English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer before I attended An Evening Without Kate Bush? Very little, apart from appreciating her high-pitched tone, having listened repeatedly to her hits, such as Wuthering Heights, Babooshka and Running Up That Hill. And, of course, I had noted her…
Based on a true story this drama about industrial pollution and environmental damage caused by giant chemical companies. Minamata explores their greed, corruption and refusal to accept responsibility or take action. This puts the film in the same wheelhouse as films like Erin Brokovich and Dark Waters, although it is nowhere near as provocative or…
4 Minutes 12 Seconds is a British play, by James Fritz, written in 2013. This is the story of a mother, Di (Danielle King), with a husband, David (Jeremy Waters) and their son, Jack – who we never meet. The son has had a Facebook post that has gone viral. The content is not pleasant,…
One thing I’ve always admired about Liz Byrski is the way she tackles themes like friendship and ageing in a realistic, but warm, manner. After hearing good things about The Woman Next Door, I welcomed the chance to read a friend’s copy. Over the years, the residents of Emerald Street have become more than just…
Speculative fiction often lives and dies by its premise. So long as the author can sell the premise and hold it together, speculative fiction has the capacity to open minds and deeply explore issues. Guy Morpuss’s debut novel Five Minds has what can only be described as a double speculative premise. On top of this…
Regular readers of The Blurb will be familiar with the film reviews of our friend and long-time contributor, John Bale. We’re sad to advise that John passed away this week in Melbourne after a long battle with illness. Through the years, John contributed close to 400 reviews for The Blurb. His last was the Jennifer…
The name Dalton Trumbo is little known outside of those with an interest in Hollywood history, but this hugely successful (as in Oscar winning) writer is the subject of Jay Roach’s detailled and compelling biopic, Trumbo. For a little background, Trumbo was a prolific and celebrated screenwriter during the “Golden Age” of Hollywood. His many…
“I really love the story and I can’t wait to see what they’ve done with it,” I overheard in the pre-show audience at Brisbane Arts Theatre’s take of the Australian cult classic Picnic at Hanging Rock. It’s hardly a surprising expectation; the story of the disappearance of three boarding schoolgirls and a teacher during a picnic…
Australian director Craig Gillespie continues his successful foray into American film with Dumb Money. The film showcases Gillespie’s fast-paced directorial style in a David vs Goliath story that replaces slingshots with sub-Reddits. For whatever reason, Gillespie seems to be attracted to stories that say something about America and its people. That was certainly the case…
