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MyEdge961
Reviews
Under the Radar (2004)
Popcorn anyone?
Well- let me just start off by saying that this film doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a drama, a thriller, a comedy, an action flick!? And if it is meant to be a melding of all those genres- it didn't pull it off at all! This film was a rip-off of so many other films just thrown into one... and then spewed out!
The only thing that saved this film were the performances of most actors, particularly Steady Eddy, Clayton Watson and Nathan Phillips... They all did a good job with the plastic dialogue. The most intriguing character was Clayton Watson as Adrian. The film could have been a straight thriller and it would have been more appealing...
A lot of people have classified this film as "Popcorn" and "Candy"- just a light entertainment piece that audiences will enjoy with their popcorn and coke... Hmmmmmmmmm. Well, let me tell you- no amount of popcorn in the world could change my mind about this film! I can't believe people/companies/funding bodies invested $4.5 million in this film! It's beyond me...!
Bad direction... bad script... bad cinematography... Even on a "comic/popcorn" level this film was uninspiring. Couldn't they see this when reading the script?! No character development! And a predictable/dull plot! I walked out of "Legally Blonde" more inspired! No wonder Australian film is floundering!
But credit MUST be given to most of the actors, who really did do their best with the weak material.
Can we please invest MORE money into interesting and original films like "Lantana" and "Sommersault", and LESS on to these supposed 'new wave' popcorn flicks...!
Rating: 4/10
Broken (2003)
A great short documentary... I want more!!! :)
I saw "Broken" at a the Reelife Film Festival 2003 @ Valhalla cinema in Glebe, and I have to say that it really moved me.
It explores the complicated relationship between a Macedonian family's struggle with having a gay son.
The father hasn't spoken to his son for 15 years! 15 years!!!!! And the mother is caught in the middle of this (although she still has her own opinion about the whole thing!)... You can really see the pain and anguish in the father, torn between upholding his cultural/personal values and loving his son.
The ending was a really big shock for me... Not what I expected from the father at all!!!! (But I won't give it away) ;)
This family is so passionate and you can feel the love and the hate and all of this embroiled emotion.
I recommend you see it at an upcoming screening... Most people will relate to in some way, if not, will LEARN from it. I've been told it will screen in upcoming festivals around Australia at the beginning of 2004! :)
Shauna.