Last night, had dinner with Pete and Ryan at Yellow Bird. Then it rained and rained. So rather than going to Belgian Beer Garden as planned, we ended up drinking beers at the Coq. Left kinda early to make my tram. I'm tired of being tired, so it was probably a good move.
On Thursday, went to 'Screen Worlds' a free exhibition at ACMI. Went for uni. It's pretty cool. Check it out, a whole bunch of TV, film, video game, art installation stuff. I also played Quake for about an hour against Rhys, Lachlan and Eleonora. Lots of fun. Saw a few movies this week too.

'Saw VI' (2009) directed by Kevin Greutert

I'm a big fan of this franchise but now it's getting kinda old. The acting in this is pretty bad throughout and there are parts that don't make sense in the context of the previous films. There is this constant re-writing process going on in the 'Saw' films, as each new film draws on the previous ones, altering the storyline. I actually thought this was pretty cool in the previous ones, but in this one it's a bit stupid and there are parts which just seem like lazy writing. There are some pretty glaring errors in this film which don't logically make sense and are just there to provide some pretty horrific death scenes. I got the vibe that the writers were hoping the audience had paid just enough attention to the previous films to know what was going on, but not enough attention to notice mistakes. Tobin Bell, who was such a great bad guy in the early films, is relegated to bit part player and the film really suffers for it. Having said that, there is a great twist at the end of the film.

'Michael Jackson's This is It' (2009) directed by Kenny Ortega

I really enjoyed this film, although I wouldn't really call myself a fan of Michael Jackson or anything. It's a documentary of sorts, basically a whole bunch of rehearsal footage and some brief interviews. There are complete performances from Michael Jackson, performed to virtually no one, just some of the crew. The thing I took away from this film was just how profoundly talented this guy was. His singing and dancing is unbelievably good and his attention to detail in getting everything right is fascinating. The parts where you see Michael interacting with the band, pointing things out to improve, just trying to get it spot on. Interesting stuff and very entertaining.

A short story, to be developed into a sketch.

Kentucky Fried Inglourious Basterds pt. 1
They often say that it is not the battle that counts, but the war. Well of course, that depends. Colonel Sanders had edged his troops further and further into enemy territory. It was getting dangerous, he knew that. His men hadn’t showered for weeks. But the stench of sweat and blood was so firmly entrenched in their nostrils that they just didn’t care anymore. They just simply did not care. Colonel Sanders poured the last remaining water from his flask onto his lips. It was just a few drops. “Argh” he swallowed, those drops of water trickling down his dry, parched throat. “MEN!” he croaked. His band of men came scurrying around the trenches, like ferrets in a live studio taping of “Ellen”. “Men”, Colonel Sanders said again, this time a little more quietly, "you are all men, right?". The men all murmured agreement. "I thought so" said Colonel Sanders. He pointed at a farmhouse, high on the hill. It had a thatched roof and an old mud brick wall lining it. “There it is” he said. There was a gasp. Colonel Sanders surveyed his men, his head slowly turning, taking them all in. It was Lieutenant MacDonald who had gasped. “Quiet, MacDonald! Now, this is where we will find number 11.” Jack Kristofferson, otherwise known as “The Prof” said “But, well, but will it make all that much difference?” Colonel Sanders shot him on sight. “I am not a real Colonel, you know” he said.

A different, sprawling kind of blog today. My eyes are tired. What's new with me apart from watching TV? Well, not a whole lot. Except that I ate way too much Nando's the other day. What am I saying? Too much? There's no such thing as too much Nando's. Oh, actually Saturday night was rad. Went out for dinner for TQ and Mish's birthday. Followed that up by going to Murmur and drinking. Good fun.

So I was watching 'Glee' yesterday and there was this bit in it where Jane Lynch's character is writing in her journal and there's this voiceover monologue as she ponders her life. At one point she says:
"I'll lose my endorsements. And without those endorsements, I won't be able to buy my hovercraft."
I love stuff like that. Why? Because it isn't explained. At no point in the series as far as I can remember has she mentioned wanting a hovercraft. There's no reason for it. And that's why it's funny. Yet so often in writing, editors will often ask "Why? What's the character's motivation here? How does this serve the plot? You need to explain this."
Yes, in writing straight narratives, those are all valid points. But if the sole reason that the line is there is cos it's funny, not because it serves plot, character or whatever, then leave it in. Cos funny rules. There's a lot to be said for things that make you go "Huh?".
A similar example happened when I was watching the latest ep of 'Peep Show'. A bunch of characters are sitting around talking about one of them becoming a father. Mark says something about being the first one of them to have a child before Super Hans mentions that he has twins. Never in six seasons has there been any mention that Super Hans has twins. That's awesome.
I also wanted to mention that the latest episode of 'The Office' was truly great. It wasn't particularly funny (not that funny at all really) but it was great, just really dark, edgy stuff. One of the finest shows going around.

So, it's been a little while. This was a strange week for me. I was filled with nervous energy making it hard for me to sleep. Hopefully that passes soon, though it doesn't seem like it will. Did much happen this week? Aside from work and uni, on Tuesday night I went to Brunswick for Tom's birthday. It was dinner with a bunch of Tom's friends at a pizza restaurant. Good food, good fun. Afterwards we went back to Tom's place for beer and ice cream, a curious combination that somehow worked.

You know, lately I've been noticing that there are actually quite a few TV shows that I'm regularly watching on Australian TV.

'Glee' is just great fun, it's very cleverly written in that it deliberately employs a lot of stereotypical characters (the jocks, the cheerleaders, the nerds) but often plays them against type with great comic effect. It's funny, it has musical numbers that break up the show nicely and it has Jane Lynch. Jane Lynch is awesome.

'Man vs Wild' is a show I just discovered recently and I find it totally engrossing. Bear Grylls takes you through various environments, illustrating what to do in survival situations. The thing is, Grylls is quite a believable guy and despite the fact that many of the situations are probably orchestrated or set up with a team of researchers and experts behind them, it's still good viewing. A similar show that I used to watch is 'Survivorman' which is pretty much the same idea except with no crew, the guy in 'Survivorman' is genuinely all by himself with a camera.

'John Safran's Race Relations' is probably the best show I've seen in ages. The first episode was so entertaining and it's largely because the show is very much centred around Safran. His personality is what really drives the show. I also recommend you check out Safran's old audition tape for 'Race Around the World', it's great.

I've continued to watch 'Hungry Beast'. It has improved, I reckon. It's still not compulsive viewing by any stretch, but it's gotten better. This may be largely due to the fact that the hosts are more consistent, there doesn't appear to be so much of a revolving door of individuals, although maybe it's just that the regular hosts are now more familiar to me. The sketches are where this show could be improved, I'd love it if they were a bit more edgy. There's still this weird blend of comedy and current affairs style segments. Also, some segments are a bit misguided, the point is a bit unclear sometimes.

'Ten' (2002) directed by Abbas Kiarostami

I thought this was pretty cool. The film is basically set in a car, as an Iranian woman drives around, picking up passengers. It's divided into ten chapters, hence the title. The thing about this film is that the camera stays static, focusing in on either the passenger in the car, or the driver. This allows performance to remain the most significant element in the piece, giving the film a sense of realism. The static camera is a little unsettling at first, as you're almost sitting there waiting for the camera to move or for an edit, but once I realised that that was how the film was structured, it allowed me to just settle into it and take in the characters. It's very effective.

Last week was a bit stressful. A lot of work to do plus I had some car problems. But then the weekend came around and things relaxed. Pretty quiet weekend. On Saturday night I went down to some bars in St. Kilda with a few of the guys. Good night. Also, a brief respite from homework meant that I got to watch some movies.

'Pretty In Pink' (1986) directed by Howard Deutch

It's a little slow to get going, some of the relationships between characters don't quite work and the main character Andie, well, I didn't find her particularly likeable. The story of this film is built around this idea of quite strict segregation between groups at a high school, an idea that seems pretty dated now. Having said that, there are some great performances in this movie. Jon Cryer is great as a kind of lovestruck joker, adding a real depth to a character that could perhaps have become simply comic relief. I thought James Spader played a really interesting role too.

'W.' (2008) directed by Oliver Stone

A biopic, detailing the life of George W. Bush. It's a strange viewing experience because it came out so recently so I found it very difficult to divorce my perception of the real Bush with the Bush portrayed in the film. It also made me think of the Matt Stone and Trey Parker show 'That's My Bush!' although 'W.' is not a parody. Anyway, it was a little hard to know how to take this film, although it's quite good. For the most part, it's played pretty straight and Josh Brolin is convincing as George W. The film really focuses on George W's life, his relationship with his father and his entry into politics. Interestingly, it has a pretty light tone throughout. Politically, the film feels fairly impartial, although the focus here doesn't seem to be the politics so much, but the title character. I think this film would be really interesting to watch in about ten years time.

'Whip It' (2009) directed by Drew Barrymore

I didn't expect this to be great but I was actually pleasantly surprised. It's a solid film and I really enjoyed it. It has a great cast, some really nice moments plus Ellen Page is always very watchable. The dynamic between the characters is always interesting too. I think this is a really important element in movies that often gets overlooked. When you see two or more characters on screen, it has to work, there has to be something interesting going on between them. Not only that, but I reckon there should be a number of different dynamics going on between a variety of characters. This is what really works in 'Whip It' and makes it engaging throughout. Plus the subject of roller derby is interesting and good to watch.

'Bronson' (2008) directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

When I was pretty young, I remember watching some Refn films on SBS, the 'Pusher' films and also 'Bleeder'. There was something about them that really captivated me at the time. They were dark, violent but they had this amazing visual quality to them. These are the things that I noticed in 'Bronson' too. It's an incredibly visual film, shots are extremely well thought out and are kept still, allowing the viewer to really take them in. At one point, I paused the film and just by chance it had paused in the middle of a transition fade. I noticed the colours, the overlapping images; just stunning stuff. Also, the central perfomance of Tom Hardy as Bronson is intense, it is at once theatrical and menacing, brooding and violent. It definitely keeps you watching.

Haven't been doing much except filmed another doco with Rhys last night. Went well. Today I worked. Just finished an essay. Exciting stuff. You know what's terrific though? Every week there's a new episode of 'The Office', 'Peep Show' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' to watch. So good. Here's something I wrote. Short and silly.

A Most Peculiar Day
One morning Alexander woke up and thought, today is one of those different sorts of day. He put on his dressing gown, wandered downstairs and proudly proclaimed at the breakfast table “You know, I've been reading an awful lot about cults!” His wife Carol was a little bemused. She poured a glass of orange juice, hoping that he would unwrap and then invest himself in his morning paper. Instead, she felt his eyes resting on her, waiting eagerly for her response. “Yes, Alexander” she eventually replied. Alexander spoke excitedly at once. “And that is why, well, I have signed us, all of us, up for this!” Alexander produced a glossy brochure. On the front was an island, white sand kissing the deep blue water, palm trees casting fine silhouettes. Words in bold font read “Fairweather Meadows.” Carol, sassy as she was, said “Well the weather may be fair, but those sure don’t look like meadows.” Alexander cuddled Carol and said “Oh dear, you’ll love it, you’ll simply love it.” He sipped his orange juice and Carol smiled. “That orange juice is poisoned, you know” she said. Alexander gulped. This really was turning out to be a different sort of day.

Just shot a doco with Rhys at Duy's place. I reckon it went really well. Tomorrow we start shooting a different doco too. I like doco because it's raw, it's real, the action just happens and it's unpredictable. You can get some really nice moments.

Saturday night was nice. Went to Sam and Manisha's engagement party at Arcadia in South Yarra. It was cool, drank some beers, ate some mini-pizzas and some jelly beans. Most enjoyable.

Last night went down to the Corner Hotel to see 'The Middle East' play. Great gig. Drank some cider, watched some bands. I quite liked the first band who were called 'Dragging Pianos', I think. Nice one.

On Friday night I had burgers with Michelle and we watched a movie. Which movie? This one.

'Up' (2009) directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson

Wow. This film is amazing. My first thought at the conclusion of the film was: faultless. Possibly the best film I've seen this year. Definitely my favourite Pixar film. The script is just incredible, it's a film that would be enjoyed by people of any age. It runs the full range of emotions, it's exciting, full of adventure and pathos and it's also very funny. I watched it in 3D and it was really cool. The 3D didn't feel cheap or gimmicky, it just served the story. The great thing about this is the way the characters are written, they all have a great deal of depth, their personalities are motivated by clear plot elements. In short, they all exist in the film for a reason, they're not just there to be "comic sidekick" or "evil bad guy". Loved it.

I watched another movie this week, 'The Magician' (2005) directed by Scott Ryan. I won't do a review of it because I've watched it a heap of times and I tend not to review things I've already seen. I also have to write an essay on it in the next few days. However, I recommend you check it out. It's an Australian film, shot for a tiny sum of money. It's a feature but it's shot like a documentary and damn it's good. A real achievement. There's some excellent dialogue in it, the narrative is short but it works really well and it's very funny. Scott Ryan is excellent as the lead actor, actually he's the reason this film works so well.

I thought I'd do an update to my article of last week about 'Hey Hey' and 'Hungry Beast'. I watched both of these shows again this week and here are some general thoughts.

'Hey Hey It's Saturday'

• Obviously the whole blackface 'Red Faces' thing has been all over the press, even making it's way onto 'The View' in the U.S. I don't want to comment on the skit too much, though when I saw it, my main thought was "What the hell were they thinking?". I was surprised that the producers of the show hadn't picked up on the potential that the skit had to cause offense.
• The show is pretty daggy. I mean, even the sets are the same as they were ten years ago. That's part of the appeal I suppose, but it's not really a step forward. A lot of the jokes are quite lame, but then, I was keeping in mind that it's a family show so it's aiming for all ages.
  
• The pacing of the show is quite slow and the graphics and titles are pretty raw, particularly compared to shows such as 'Rove'. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly is bucking the contemporary trend.
• Daryl is a very competent host but he's also quite annoying.
  
• The presence of Ossie Ostrich was excellent, a real highlight. I love the way Ossie just makes these quiet, subversive but very witty comments off to the side.

I definitely think a show like 'Hey Hey' has a place in the contemporary Australian television landscape. The main reason that I think it works is because it has a really wide cast who all contribute in some way. The people that make up the show aren't just people either, they're characters and they are all different. This keeps the show moving along, it's consistently quite funny mainly because at any moment any one of Ossie, Dickie Knee, John Blackman, Red, Wilbur, Russell Gilbert or the many others can chime in with a joke. The audience never knows where or when the next joke will come from and the fact that it's live means that anything can happen. Add to that the regular segments such as 'Red Faces', 'Plucka Duck' and 'Molly's Melodrama' and the show has a real structure that can be played with.

It's an excellent model for a variety show and it's the reason that the show can consistently provide two hours of entertainment regularly. However, there are aspects that are a little tired, 'Hey Hey' can't go on forever. Perhaps we need a new show that kind of combines the formats of 'Hey Hey' and 'Rove'. 'Rove' could definitely be longer, it would give it more room to breathe. 'Rove' would also work better if there were more people involved that had defined roles, that could provide jokes so as to support and also subvert the host (like Ossie Ostrich or Dickie Knee, though not necessarily a puppet). I guess one of the big things that came out of watching 'Hey Hey' is that a show tends to work better if the host isn't the one and only thing that the show revolves around. For instance, 'Hey Hey' is hosted by Daryl Somers but it's definitely not 'The Daryl Somers Show'. 'Rove' would benefit from this kind of approach.

'Hungry Beast'

This show just doesn't really work. Why?

• Way too many hosts. 19? What the hell. They all just kind of blur into each other and their personalities don't really shine through. Some of them are genuinely quite charismatic though, such as Dan Ilic.
• It feels like the television version of a uni newspaper. I read this description on Twitter somewhere and it pinpointed exactly what I was feeling about it. It's just a little too earnest, dare I say a little too tryhard.
• It's not consistent. It's very hard to get a grasp on the show because the hosts and segments vary constantly. A comedy sketch followed by a piece to camera followed by an interview with a grieving widow followed by some graphics about... who cares?
• Yeah, the graphics. Not a very interesting or effective device to link the segments.
• I keep drawing comparisons with 'Race Around The World'. The reason that 'Race' worked was because it had a structure. There would be the video made by a racer and then some judging. Was the judging necessary? Probably not, but it gave the show structure. It's the same reason that Tom Gleisner has a presence on 'Thank God You're Here'. He gives the show structure. Structure is really lacking in 'Hungry Beast'. You need a unifying presence.
  

I'm quite disappointed with it overall. Mainly because the concept is great but the execution is so average. I think it basically comes down to a lack of structure and cohesion. Without that, the show looks like a bunch of random clips strung together. I was initially reluctant to criticise 'Hungry Beast' because I reckon there should be more shows giving newcomers in the media industry a chance. But, as a show, I'm really struggling with it. It could just be a classic case of too many cooks in the kitchen.

Last night was quite cool. Pete and I met up after uni and hung around his place for a little while, watching 'The Fast Show' and eating garlic bread. Then we headed to Malvern. In Malvern, we went to Jeffrey's Books, a store where Tony Martin was appearing for a reading/signing session for his new book 'A Nest Of Occasionals'. It was great. Tony read from the book, answered questions and signed stuff. I got two copies of his book signed, one for me and one for Michelle. Briefly chatted to him too, asked him whether he was watching the latest 'Curb' season (he's waiting for the DVD release) and Pete asked him about an upcoming project with Shaun Micallef (some sort of New Year's Eve variety show- sounds cool). So that was all very interesting, meeting someone a bit famous that I really admire. Afterwards, I was starving so Pete and I headed to a Chinese restaurant in the city, I can't remember the name but it was good.

'Strikebound' (1984) directed by Richard Lowenstein

An Australian film about a miners strike in the 1930s. It was interesting and worth watching, largely because I haven't seen an Australian film like it before. It had a kind of British sensibility, in the sense that it examined the working class and was quite gritty and political. Given that this was Lowenstein's first feature film, it's a hell of an achievement.

Well, everything's going to be ok, isn't it? I think so. What's new with me? Well, on Monday night I was part of a film shoot. My role was to be boom operator, a role that turned out to be far more complex than I first envisaged. The film was all shot in one take, a really long take covering a vast distance along Chapel St. Very tricky. However, it was a fun shoot, hard work but good people to work with. Finished at 2am.
This whole "sleep" thing is becoming quite a bother. Quite a bother indeed. And it was only made worse by Mr. Daylight Savings getting involved. Now I'm not falling asleep until somewhere between 2am and 3am every night. But, as the French might say "Such is life" (although they would say it in French).

Some more (fiction, obviously) writing. This one's quite old.

This reminds me of the time I met famous Shakespearean actor Kenneth Jones. I was walking down the street one day and Kenneth Jones came up to me and asked me if I would like some cake. Of course I said “Yes please Kenneth Jones sir” and took a piece of cake and started to eat it. What follows is the exchange that followed as recorded by the courts.
Me: Excuse me Mr. Jones but what sort of cake is this?
Kenneth Jones: Why, it’s cheese-cake.
Me: Oh really? It sure doesn’t taste like any cheese-cake I’ve ever eaten, Mr. Jones.
It was at this point that the bees started stinging my face.
Kenneth Jones: No, no, no. Not cheese-cake. Bees-cake!
You’ll notice that these sound quite similar.
Me (bees stinging face quite severely now): But Mr. Jones, these bees are stinging my face! Quite severely now!
Kenneth Jones: Why are you calling me Mr. Jones? That’s not my name. And I’m glad you’re enjoying my bees-cake.
And that is the time that I met Kenneth Jones.

Some more writing.

The Experiment
Two men decided to conduct an experiment entitled “Do plants have feelings?”
They each bought a plant and for a period of one week they each conducted the following experiment. The first man (Emmanuel) was to be particularly nasty to his plant. The second man (Hooch) was to be particularly nice (to his plant). The aim was to determine whether plants do in fact have feelings. Here is what happened.

Emmanuel’s diary:
Day 1
“You are not a very nice plant at all. All of the other plants think that you are a ferret with leaves.”
Day 2
“You are inferior, plant.”
Day 3
“Get out of here. Why do you just sit there, foolish plant.”
Day 4
Today Emmanuel pointed a pistol at the plant for a period of two hours. He watered the plant but added sugar-free cordial to the water.
Day 5
Today Emmanuel held up his rude finger to the plant and randomly jeered it.
Day 6
“Did you take my wallet, plant? I can no longer trust you. You are untrustworthy and clearly a member of the criminal class.”
Day 7
Today Emmanuel pretended to punch the plant on more than one occasion. He would frequently sneak up on it and shout “Boo”.

Results: Plant shows signs of fatigue.

Hooch’s diary:
Day 1
“You are a better than average, plant. Well done.”
Day 2
Today Hooch gives the plant a Playstation 3 game. Unfortunately, the plant does not own a Playstation 3, but it is a nice gesture.
Day 3
“Nice stamen.”
Day 4
“Plant, you are looking very nice day. Does anyone ever tell you that? I probably do not tell you enough.”
Day 5
Today Hooch dresses up real nice, buys a box of chocolates and a bunch of flowers. Upon presenting these gifts, Hooch realises with much horror that the bunch of flowers are possibly relatives of the plant, but it is too late. The damage has been done.
Day 6
Today Hooch pats the plant.
Day 7
Today Hooch read the plant “The Magic Faraway Tree”. Twice.

Results: Plant shows signs of fatigue.

Conclusions: Inconclusive data.

Wednesday night was a very interesting TV night. On Channel 9, you had the return of a classic Australian show, 'Hey Hey It's Saturday', a show that hasn't been seen on our screens for ten years. It was presented in exactly the same format as when we last saw it, featuring the same veteran performers. On the other hand, on the ABC was the premiere episode of a brand new show from Zapruder's Other Films called 'Hungry Beast'.

These two shows present an interesting contrast within the Australian TV landscape at the moment. Australian television seems to be in an interesting period currently as commercial networks look towards finding the next 'Masterchef', basically a show that everyone in society might be drawn to, that all members of the family will watch. 'Masterchef' worked essentially because it was a show that was geared toward a whole range of demographics. A big reason that people watch television is so that they have something to talk about with other people at school or work. It works as a unifier. It's similar to what 'Talkin' About Your Generation' has successfully achieved recently and it's also one reason why 'Hey Hey It's Saturday' was so successful in the past. It's interesting then that 'Hey Hey' has returned, placed on Wednesday night against 'Celebrity Masterchef' and this new show 'Hungry Beast'.

From all reports, 'Hey Hey' rated really well although whether this is due largely to the curiosity factor will remain to be seen. I watched most of it and enjoyed it, it seemed to retain the same spirit that it used to have, the performers all have that great chemistry and it was pretty funny overall. Some elements felt a bit tired and definitely the John Farnham cross was a laughable misstep because the delay was so extreme. Overall though, the show was good family viewing. It seemed to fill a void that has been lacking in Australian television of late, that of live variety. It's a domain that hasn't ever been filled since 'Hey Hey' left our screens, the closest approximations that haven't been axed within a season have probably been 'Rove' and sadly 'The Footy Show'. There have been some attempts such as the ill-fated 'Micallef Tonight', a very funny show that didn't get much of a run, but there has been nothing as sustained as 'Hey Hey' was. Can 'Hey Hey' come back permanently? I don't see why not, it still works as a show. But ultimately, it can only be a temporary fill-in. Australian television still needs to develop something new, fresh and exciting. Live television, particularly the variety format, is important because it exposes new talent on our screens.

While 'Hey Hey' represents an old favourite, re-booted for a new generation; 'Hungry Beast' on ABC represents an entirely new concept, an untried format. The premise of the show is that nineteen young media newcomers (sort of) are given pretty much free reign to create a half-hour weekly show. The emphasis seems to be on news and current affairs but the tone is light and features comedy sketches and pranks as well. Did it work? It is very hard to judge a show based on the first episode but my reaction was basically disappointment. I was expecting this show to be like a new 'Race Around The World', a show that was fresh and exciting and really allowed the individuals in it to create whatever they wanted. It was a brilliant show that should be brought back, it introduced us to such talents as John Safran and Tony Wilson. I think 'Hungry Beast' is the sort of show that could be quite up and down from week to week, such is the nature of the experiment. I found the first episode quite patchy overall and there seemed to be a struggle to link the various segments together. It was also heavily stylised which seemed to undermine the premise of the show- to present raw talent producing raw material. Perhaps, I've misinterpreted the idea behind the whole thing but it seemed way too flashy at times for what they were trying to convey. The comedy sketches were disappointing, one in particular I'm pretty sure was based on a 'Hamish and Andy' thing from a few years ago. Having said all that, the show is an interesting experiment and will no doubt produce some great moments in the coming weeks. It certainly presented a contrast with 'Hey Hey' on Channel 9. In the same Wednesday evening, the ABC was exhibiting what might be considered the future of Australian television while on Channel 9, it was the past re-booted.

Last night was nice, went to Comme Bar, had some beers, caught up with some people. Here's some movie reviews.

'Strange Fits of Passion' (1999) directed by Elise McCredie

Not bad. A light comedy-drama focusing on the romantic life of a twenty-something Australian woman. It had some nice moments but overall felt a bit patchy, as though some scenes didn't quite work together. The ending in particular is quite abrupt, introducing some totally new themes and this isn't explored enough.

'Wisconsin Death Trip' (1999) directed by James Marsh

A documentary film about the town of Black River Falls, a town that seems to have a history filled with murder, insanity and suicide. The film uses reenactments as it's main device but also features old photographs and modern day footage. It's shot really well, the film looks great and it's not like any documentary I'd seen before. Having said that, it pretty much stayed at the same pace all the way through, giving it something of a monotonous feel. Interesting in parts, though.

'The Soloist' (2009) directed by Joe Wright

A quiet drama about the relationship between a journalist and a street musician. It's okay, although not much happens in the story. This film is chiefly about the performances of Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx and as such, it feels like the kind of film that has been made to generate Oscar buzz. They're both quite good, particularly Foxx, but by the end of the film I felt a bit dissatisfied. Overall, it seemed to be lacking depth. I never felt like I was ever really that intrigued by the two characters and the dynamic between them was at times difficult to gauge. Also, the use of flashbacks gave the film an unneccesarily cheesy melodramatic feel.