Metallica: Some Kind of Monster. A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of their new album. But not just the usual sitting in a studio, bashing power chords kind of footage — this was a warts’n’all look at the group dynamics involved. The arguments, walk-outs, the laughs, the group therapy sessions, the bits where they ... [More]
Category: Film
Donnie Darko (DVD). That ending… whoa.
Some people are having problems believing the seagulls in Finding Nemo were saying “Mine!”. Apart from issues surrounding the operation of the human ear, some have ignored the evidence of how seagulls behave and the context of the dialogue. One person insisted that since they’re Australian seagulls, they must be saying “Mate!”. Yup, ‘cos Australians ... [More]
Must… resist… online… shopping…
The problem with shopping on the Net on UK web sites is that prices in pounds make everything sound so cheap. So it was hard to resist the lure of three movies I kinda sorta wanted, at 8.97, 8.97 and 6.97 each. Bargains, every one! No, wait, that’s UKP, dammit. Multiply by three, pretty much. ... [More]
The party shirt
Friday night DVD: School Of Rock. Not at all deep, and obviously a Jack Black post-High-Fidelity star vehicle, but very funny, very enjoyable. I rang the bank to ask what happened with my alarm clock points reward thing I ordered. The lady told me it would take up to 28 days to arrive. TWENTY EIGHT ... [More]
Crisis on Friday night when a certain girlfriend lost her handbag. It hasn’t shown up yet either. Perhaps the taxi driver liked the look of the two books contained within. And the glasses. Finally watched Bowling For Columbine. I can’t think of much to say about it than probably hasn’t been said before. I’ll just ... [More]
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (DVD). Some good acting (Robert Carlyle is rarely not), some funny moments (particularly Ricky Tomlinson), some poignant moments. But ultimately there was something lacking in this movie, and I don’t think it was just because some of the dialects weren’t quite intelligible. For instance, after the punch-up at ... [More]
Having a few good chuckles watching Goodbye Lenin on Friday night. Yummy meals: Thai on Friday night, pub on Saturday night, getting served breakfast in bed on Sunday morning, and a thoroughly delicious meal in Bendigo that made up for driving all that way in the wind and rain. Trying out my new dressing gown ... [More]
Oops / Strange
Oops. This fine site was down for a couple of hours last night after my web hosting provider pointed out the bill was three weeks overdue. Nothing like downing your site to make you sit up and take notice. I found the errant bill languishing in my e-mail inbox. Full credit to them though, they ... [More]
Finding Nemo
Finally got around to watching Finding Nemo on Friday night. Great stuff. My favourite characters would have to be the seagulls. “Mine!” I think they captured them perfectly. It made me recall Andrew Bolt’s critique of the movie. It’s a terrific laugh, as Boltie usually is. I always make sure to check out what he’s ... [More]
Numbers
4 cloth bags for $72 of groceries tonight. 1 Mars Lava bar included in the aforementioned shopping, after the subject of this new flavour seemed to continually creep into the conversation over the weekend. Yum. 6 correct in the footy tips for the weekend. 103.9 cents per litre for petrol. Damn, that should be a ... [More]
Bloody, Movie, Buffy, Drivey, Greenie, Footy.
Instant movie review
The Cat In The Hat. Not many kids’ movies on at the moment, and Jeremy chose this one to while away some time on ANZAC Day afternoon. A couple of semi-amusing moments that just — just raised a smile, but otherwise it was proof that Hollywood has an uncanny ability to take a classic book ... [More]
I may never get to see Mulholland Drive. Week after week we go to Video Shop A and look for it. Sure, the case is on the shelf, but it has that little annoying “Sorry, I’m out!” tag in it. It’s been that way for months. Maybe it’s missing in action. Last night on a ... [More]
The Age’s freebie Tropfest DVD arrived during the week, and we watched it on Friday night. 16 short films, the finalists. All good, some excellent, one (“For Every Year”) heartwrenching, most funny, some (“The Money”, “Sold Out”, “Confessions of an Animation”) hilarious.
The weekend defined
Tardy: The arrival of dishes on the table in the Thai restaurant on Friday night. Superb when they arrived, but boy, you know something’s gone wrong when the entree is the last thing that turns up. Sharp: Maisie The Dog’s claws, in her enthusiasm to greet me when visiting, which went into my wrist and ... [More]