One of my goals for 2008 was to be writing for some kind of film publication before the year was out. I had this pipe dream of being able to swing myself a press pass for the 2009 Cannes Film Festival... hey, everyone is allowed to dream big right? I looked at a number of actual print magazines and such, of which the lefty global monthly 'New Internationalist' seemed the ideal fit for me. I sent them a couple of emails, but the time obviously wasn't right for me to be contributing for such an esteemed publication. Towards the end of the year, I did a big email-out to a variety of online culture publications. I did not get any replies. On NYE I reflected back on the year and was a bit disappointed that I hadn't achieved this goal. The next morning I woke up to find an email reply from one of the culture websites I had expressed an interest in writing for - "you are a great writer, and we would love you to contribute for us". Needless to say, I was pretty happy, and smiled to myself, 'better late than never'.
The website is www.twoflatwhites.com and they exist to provide up and coming Australian writers and artists a platform from which to express their opinions. As such, the content is specifically focused on Australian culture (film, music, fashion, art, and food).
Whatever I would chose to write about, it had to be something to do with the Australian film industry. This was a bit of a concern to me, as I had previously turned my nose up to the majority of Australian films. I am not sure why this was. But I later discovered that I was certainly not alone in this attitude. Throughout the month of January, I rented about 7 Australian DVDs each week. Much to my surprise (and joy!), I began to realise that the general ethos of Australian films contained everything that I love about cinema - just really good quality social realism movies. I watched about 25 DVDs in January, of which the following just completely blew me away: 'Lantana', 'Romulus, My Father', 'Walking On Water', '2:37', 'Beneath Clouds', and 'Somersault'. All of these were released in the last decade.
I was now starting to get a feel for Australian films. So.. what to write about? I knew that I wanted my first piece to be a bit broader than simply a film review. I remembered a quote from UK comedian Ricky Gervais, writer/star of 'The Office' and 'Extras', where he said that "it's always helpful to write about what you know." Well, I knew that no less than 3 months ago I was of the opinion that Australian cinema couldn't possibly stand up against European films. And I knew that I wasn't alone in this opinion. And I now knew that this was not the case, and that this apathy towards our film industry was a problem that needs to be addressed. Therefore, I decided to write my first article about just that - my perspective of the state of the Australian film industry. I sent it through to 'TwoFlatWhites', and they were really happy with it and are looking forward to further contributions. It feels good to once again have something of a ball rolling, so I'm pretty inspired now to get back to regularly writing about cinema.
Here is my article - I hope it may encourage you to check out some more Australian movies, if you are not already doing so!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
[Film Review] L'enfants (The Child)
Despite the opening shots of this 2005 movie, which follow young mother Sonja (Deborah Francois) and her very vocal new-born baby around the city, it is as the story unravels that you begin to realise that it is, in fact, Sonja's 19 year-old boyfriend, Bruno (Jeremie Renier) that is the child of the film's title.
Bruno, unemployed and exiled from a caring family life, refuses to work, instead choosing the 'easy' way to survive - wheeling and dealing in petty crime, feeding off the misfortune of others. It is not until one criminal act puts him in a direct position of responsibility for the safety of his very young accomplice that Bruno is forced to behave like not only an adult, but also as a responsible father-figure.
Whilst this 'coming of age' plot may, on the surface, sound like a fairly rudimentary genre-piece, what propels it to a masterpiece is the way the directors (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne) went about 'painting' the film's exterior with layers of depth and subtle poignancy.
The colour pallete they chose for the look of the film is mostly muted and neutral, but is strikingly contrasted with brush-strokes of dense primary colours (green, red, yellow, blue) - resulting in a consistent, yet wonderfully subtle, reminder of a child's nursery, or kindergarten.
The hand-held camera work is so careful not to intrude (despite constantly being on a leash with the characters) that it simply blends into it's environment: you almost forget you're watching a staged performance.
The soundtrack, apart from one short scene in the car with a radio playing, is completely void of music, instead just picking up the aural ambiance of inner-city life.
All these exterior choices add to the authenticity of the film, and really just allow the focus to rest with the superb screenplay and acting performances. This is a definite sign of self-assured, mature, and masterful direction.
In the closing scene of the movie, vibrant colours are etched onto the walls and onto Sonja's clothing, yet Bruno is stripped of this playfulness, instead being dressed in a stark grey/white uniform. This is a brilliant use of metaphor to show Bruno's transition from an immature child into a blank canvas from which to transform into adulthood. The couple's emotional embrace - mirroring, yet directly contrasting, the opening scenes carefree, youthful embrace - reflects their understanding of the difficult task it is to be responsible parents. They are scared, but they are not alone.
As critic Margaret Pomeranz sighed; L'enfants is an "exquisite film", and one of a very very subtle and understated brilliance.
L'enfants (The Child) was released in 2005, and is now available on DVD
Bruno, unemployed and exiled from a caring family life, refuses to work, instead choosing the 'easy' way to survive - wheeling and dealing in petty crime, feeding off the misfortune of others. It is not until one criminal act puts him in a direct position of responsibility for the safety of his very young accomplice that Bruno is forced to behave like not only an adult, but also as a responsible father-figure.
Whilst this 'coming of age' plot may, on the surface, sound like a fairly rudimentary genre-piece, what propels it to a masterpiece is the way the directors (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne) went about 'painting' the film's exterior with layers of depth and subtle poignancy.
The colour pallete they chose for the look of the film is mostly muted and neutral, but is strikingly contrasted with brush-strokes of dense primary colours (green, red, yellow, blue) - resulting in a consistent, yet wonderfully subtle, reminder of a child's nursery, or kindergarten.
The hand-held camera work is so careful not to intrude (despite constantly being on a leash with the characters) that it simply blends into it's environment: you almost forget you're watching a staged performance.
The soundtrack, apart from one short scene in the car with a radio playing, is completely void of music, instead just picking up the aural ambiance of inner-city life.
All these exterior choices add to the authenticity of the film, and really just allow the focus to rest with the superb screenplay and acting performances. This is a definite sign of self-assured, mature, and masterful direction.
In the closing scene of the movie, vibrant colours are etched onto the walls and onto Sonja's clothing, yet Bruno is stripped of this playfulness, instead being dressed in a stark grey/white uniform. This is a brilliant use of metaphor to show Bruno's transition from an immature child into a blank canvas from which to transform into adulthood. The couple's emotional embrace - mirroring, yet directly contrasting, the opening scenes carefree, youthful embrace - reflects their understanding of the difficult task it is to be responsible parents. They are scared, but they are not alone.
As critic Margaret Pomeranz sighed; L'enfants is an "exquisite film", and one of a very very subtle and understated brilliance.
L'enfants (The Child) was released in 2005, and is now available on DVD
Monday, December 8, 2008
[Review] 2008: A Year With Music
Similar to my film viewing habits, this year I have broadened my horizons in regards to the music that I have been buying/listening to. However, unlike my experiences with film, where I went out of my way to seek out non-commercial screenings, my journey with music has been much more organic.
For the majority of my youth, I was holistically enraptured by electronic dance music, to the point where I had no inkling to explore other genres. The tide began to change in March of 2007, when I bought myself vinyl turntables and hit Sydney's 2nd-hand record shops. Simply by spending many hours digging through crate after crate, I slowly yet surely began exiting with a wide range of different sounds and styles.
This growing curiosity for new sounds became an unquenchable thirst when, in February of this year, I started a new job and made 2 new friends, with whom I discussed music at any available opportunity. Increasingly, I would hereafter walk into record shops with a much more educated awareness of what 'important' artists and albums I should be looking out for.
Here is a 30 minute mix of some of the music which has been making a deep connection with me this year. 2008 was a year in which my passion for music and film took a giant surge forward, although it was also a year that saw a number of close friendships slowly begin drifting away with the changing tides of life. The reason I seem to be drawn to the melancholic and bittersweet emotions within this music is no doubt a reflection of the experiences this year has provided me with.
'White & Blue'
01 Brian Eno - Aragon (1978)
02 Radiohead - All I Need (2007)
03 Earl Grant - Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (1961)
04 Art Garfunkel - Ragdoll (1975)
05 The Brian Jonestown Massacre - We Are... (2007)
06 Kerri Chandler - I Think Of You (Reprise) (2006)
07 The Cure - All Cat's Are Grey (1980)
08 Louis Armstrong - Black And Blue (1929)
Download link (right-click, save as...)
For the majority of my youth, I was holistically enraptured by electronic dance music, to the point where I had no inkling to explore other genres. The tide began to change in March of 2007, when I bought myself vinyl turntables and hit Sydney's 2nd-hand record shops. Simply by spending many hours digging through crate after crate, I slowly yet surely began exiting with a wide range of different sounds and styles.
This growing curiosity for new sounds became an unquenchable thirst when, in February of this year, I started a new job and made 2 new friends, with whom I discussed music at any available opportunity. Increasingly, I would hereafter walk into record shops with a much more educated awareness of what 'important' artists and albums I should be looking out for.
Here is a 30 minute mix of some of the music which has been making a deep connection with me this year. 2008 was a year in which my passion for music and film took a giant surge forward, although it was also a year that saw a number of close friendships slowly begin drifting away with the changing tides of life. The reason I seem to be drawn to the melancholic and bittersweet emotions within this music is no doubt a reflection of the experiences this year has provided me with.
'White & Blue'
01 Brian Eno - Aragon (1978)
02 Radiohead - All I Need (2007)
03 Earl Grant - Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (1961)
04 Art Garfunkel - Ragdoll (1975)
05 The Brian Jonestown Massacre - We Are... (2007)
06 Kerri Chandler - I Think Of You (Reprise) (2006)
07 The Cure - All Cat's Are Grey (1980)
08 Louis Armstrong - Black And Blue (1929)
Download link (right-click, save as...)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
[Review] 2008: A Year Of Film
Film - 2008 was a year in which I made a concerted effort to attend more film festivals, with the aim of broadening my awareness of world cinema (as opposed to simply the cinema from big American studios). In brief, I managed to attend film festivals from Mexico, Germany, Israel, and Italy, as well as Sydney (both the International and Underground festival), along with a trek down to Melbourne for their International film festival. It was great to not only see some brilliant movies, but to also be amongst the community-based, film-appreciation astmosphere of such festivals.
I have completed 2 short courses at Sydney University in International Film History. The first of which was taught by Andrew Urban (Urbancinefile). This course was particularly beneficial, because Andrew consistently had guest speakers from each of the countries we focused on (e.g. the director of the German Film Festival, and the Minister for Culture of Argentina). The second course was with David Stratton ('At The Movies'), where we focused on international films from the 1980's era. Whilst overall the 80's wasn't really a period of huge inspiration for me (although i particularly took interest in the British realist cinema of that time), simply listening to David talk about movies was inspiring in itself - as my bulging notepad attests to! Luminary guests such as director Jane Campion ('The Piano') and actress Rachel Ward ('Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid') also heavily inspired. Both courses were great in the sense of contextualising what was happening in film with what was happening in society. As Greek director Costa Gavras ('Missing') said; "film should act as a mirror to society, it should make people think".
Always a nice way to round off the year is to vote in the online 'Best Of' poll' for the 'At The Movies' film review show, hosted by Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton. After some consideration, these are my top 5 films from 2008 that were commerically released in Australian cinemas. The consistent theme amongst these 5 films is that I always exited the theatre a changed person; these films all had a heavy impact on me, and they all served as a very clear mirror to society.
1. Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
2. The Diving Bell & The Butterfly (France)
3. Hunger (UK)
4. Towelhead (USA)
5. Ten Empty (Australia)
I have completed 2 short courses at Sydney University in International Film History. The first of which was taught by Andrew Urban (Urbancinefile). This course was particularly beneficial, because Andrew consistently had guest speakers from each of the countries we focused on (e.g. the director of the German Film Festival, and the Minister for Culture of Argentina). The second course was with David Stratton ('At The Movies'), where we focused on international films from the 1980's era. Whilst overall the 80's wasn't really a period of huge inspiration for me (although i particularly took interest in the British realist cinema of that time), simply listening to David talk about movies was inspiring in itself - as my bulging notepad attests to! Luminary guests such as director Jane Campion ('The Piano') and actress Rachel Ward ('Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid') also heavily inspired. Both courses were great in the sense of contextualising what was happening in film with what was happening in society. As Greek director Costa Gavras ('Missing') said; "film should act as a mirror to society, it should make people think".
Always a nice way to round off the year is to vote in the online 'Best Of' poll' for the 'At The Movies' film review show, hosted by Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton. After some consideration, these are my top 5 films from 2008 that were commerically released in Australian cinemas. The consistent theme amongst these 5 films is that I always exited the theatre a changed person; these films all had a heavy impact on me, and they all served as a very clear mirror to society.
1. Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
2. The Diving Bell & The Butterfly (France)
3. Hunger (UK)
4. Towelhead (USA)
5. Ten Empty (Australia)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
[Film Review] '4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days'
After the success of Canadian film 'Juno' last year, this exceptional and confronting Romanian film hit international cinemas at a pitch-perfect time. Both films deal with the issue of teenage pregnancy, though whilst 'Juno' is set in an advantaged, middle-class family environment, '4 Months, 3 Weeks And 3 Days' finds it's protagonists in communist Romania, with not nearly as many choices.
The contrasts further reveal themselves as Juno, with her family in tow, patiently shops around for the perfect couple to adopt her baby... a world away from Gabita, the pregnant lead of '4 Months', and her friend Otilia, whom, alone, are desperately trying to arrange an illegal, and very dangerous, abortion.
I think we know where I'm going with this: 'Juno' is a cute comedy; '4 Months' is a raw tragedy.
The catch-phrase slogan of '4 Months' reads, 'How far would you go for a friend?', but I feel the subtext in this movie reflect a wider struggle, a struggle that asks the question; 'How far must a woman go because of a man?' How marginalised is the destiny of a woman under a patriarchal legal system?
Before seeing this film, I had felt that the most powerful movie I had seen in recent years was undoubtedly 'Hunger' (2008), which covers the IRA hunger strikes in Belfast's Maze Prison during the early 80's. After viewing '4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days' though, it is clear to me that for all it's gritty courage and bloody persecution, what gave 'Hunger' a weighted sense of poignancy was, in fact, just that: pathetic and pointless testosterone-fueled madness; flawed males rebelling against a flawed male system. '4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days' strips itself of all that ego, and what remains is an uphill battle against patriarchal oppression, defiantly pushed along with the love, self-determination, and quiet intelligence inherent in femininity.
'4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days' was released in Australia in 2007, and is now available to rent on DVD.
The contrasts further reveal themselves as Juno, with her family in tow, patiently shops around for the perfect couple to adopt her baby... a world away from Gabita, the pregnant lead of '4 Months', and her friend Otilia, whom, alone, are desperately trying to arrange an illegal, and very dangerous, abortion.
I think we know where I'm going with this: 'Juno' is a cute comedy; '4 Months' is a raw tragedy.
The catch-phrase slogan of '4 Months' reads, 'How far would you go for a friend?', but I feel the subtext in this movie reflect a wider struggle, a struggle that asks the question; 'How far must a woman go because of a man?' How marginalised is the destiny of a woman under a patriarchal legal system?
Before seeing this film, I had felt that the most powerful movie I had seen in recent years was undoubtedly 'Hunger' (2008), which covers the IRA hunger strikes in Belfast's Maze Prison during the early 80's. After viewing '4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days' though, it is clear to me that for all it's gritty courage and bloody persecution, what gave 'Hunger' a weighted sense of poignancy was, in fact, just that: pathetic and pointless testosterone-fueled madness; flawed males rebelling against a flawed male system. '4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days' strips itself of all that ego, and what remains is an uphill battle against patriarchal oppression, defiantly pushed along with the love, self-determination, and quiet intelligence inherent in femininity.
'4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days' was released in Australia in 2007, and is now available to rent on DVD.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
[Course Impression] International Film History
Wow, had a great class tonight for my international film history course. David Stratton took us through a selection of Australian films of the 1980's, until we arrived at the feature film for the evening, which we watch in its entirety. Tonight it was a movie made in 1989 called 'Sweetie', by director Jane Campion (of 'The Piano' fame). Anyways, as a special treat, David had brought in Jane to watch the film with us and then chat about it afterwards. Long story short, the film was really bloody impressive (particularly as i have rather ignorantly kinda shunned the Australian film industry up until quite recently), and Jane was really lovely and more than willing to share her thought-processes. She discussed the cinematography, the casting, the themes, and the poetic nature of the subtext.. but just when i had closed my notebook thinking it was pack up time, this was her answer in regards to the thinking behind her choices of soundtrack music:
"Look.. the thing is... some of the best art is done without philosophy.. and instead by just connecting with what is human"
I dove back into my bag and jotted that quote down, cos i reckon it's a really important point. Cos whilst educating yourself on the various philosophies within the art realm is great to develop a sense of history, and therefore a foundation from which to grow from... at the end of the day, if you don't connect with your true human side, all that you are going to express is simply textbook and derivative.
"Look.. the thing is... some of the best art is done without philosophy.. and instead by just connecting with what is human"
I dove back into my bag and jotted that quote down, cos i reckon it's a really important point. Cos whilst educating yourself on the various philosophies within the art realm is great to develop a sense of history, and therefore a foundation from which to grow from... at the end of the day, if you don't connect with your true human side, all that you are going to express is simply textbook and derivative.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
[Film Impression] Waltz With Bashir
In today's modern era of 'shock & awe' media coverage of global wars, perhaps it is necessary to now use animation in any attempt to pierce audience's general apathy towards realities atrocities. Ari Folman explores this idea in his personal recollections of his time spent as an Israeli soldier in the early 80's conflict in Lebanon - a conflict which culminated in the massacre of thousands of Palestinian civilians by Christian Lebanese forces; under the watch of the Israeli military.
What gives this movie heavy impact is an interesting cinematic twist in the final few minutes: Folman cuts to real-life footage. This is a ploy which suggests his idea was to bring back the startling truth's contained in such real-life footage.
I believe this idea was achieved with haunting omnipotence. During the silence of the rolling credits, all that could be heard in the cinema were the shocking wails of a distraught woman in the 3rd aisle. The affect on the rest of the audience was an undeniable parallel between film, and it's purveyance of reality. A result I dare say was also knowingly orchestrated by Folman.
Waltz With Bashir was released in 2008, and is screening in selected cinemas nationally.
What gives this movie heavy impact is an interesting cinematic twist in the final few minutes: Folman cuts to real-life footage. This is a ploy which suggests his idea was to bring back the startling truth's contained in such real-life footage.
I believe this idea was achieved with haunting omnipotence. During the silence of the rolling credits, all that could be heard in the cinema were the shocking wails of a distraught woman in the 3rd aisle. The affect on the rest of the audience was an undeniable parallel between film, and it's purveyance of reality. A result I dare say was also knowingly orchestrated by Folman.
Waltz With Bashir was released in 2008, and is screening in selected cinemas nationally.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
