amyrourke56 Reviews

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2019)

This is Hilarious

[8/10 · 13 January 2017]

I usually take a dim view of comedies, but as always, there are the exceptions. Arrested Development & Flight of the Conchords take out my highest honours, along with anything that has John Clarke in it ( this will only mean something to Australasian audiences). I like 30 Rock a lot & love to watch Tina Fey do anything, so I rented 'Unbreakable' yesterday, and have been chuckling, ha ha ing & belly laughing my way through season 1.

The opening credits are a hoot too & the song is almost like a workout/cheer up video clip, with sly and mocking undertones. Humour is a delicate thing & is often not transferable, like being ticklish. It is grand to see Carol Kane as the empath landlady ~ she kind of steals every scene. This is what the best people do, they create & steal like crazy.

Paper Towns (2015)

This Movie is Just What I Needed ~ When I needed it Most.

[8/10 · 4 August 2015]

I'll jump right in and say, I'd heard a review on the radio, in my car. I wanted to stay in the car & listen more, but, as I was having, a bad, bad, day, this was not to be. I do love a teen-coming-of age-movie too, but not sappy ones, not 'heartfelt' ones, I like quirky, but not stupid, as I'm easily annoyed. The genre is so ripe for manipulation and product placement, that any offerings can be sacked on the spot, for violations of my 'fussiness factor'. I got lucky, as I had both motive & opportunity. The film was playing locally on Monday morning and I only told one person I was going, so as not to jinx the experience. I packed some sandwiches & jumped in the car. I had the cinema to myself, even more delightful, so it was like a private viewing.

This film has a lot going for it : maps, always a plus; the high school experience, in summer; good looking young people ~ who are intelligent and funny; the almost, complete, absence of adults ~ so the universe remains teen-focused, and, the climbing in & out of bedroom windows ~ the guarantee of a secret society ! The icing was the road trip, with strict, time & space restrictions. Yes, the youngsters are busy, hectic, even. All so true, if you can 'remember when', remove all the layers of 21st century tech & fashion, and you'll get the teenlife, in all the gory, glory you can imagine.

Enough has already been said about the protagonists, the source material & adaptation. Things can often go wrong when delivering book to movie material, but this seems about right. The lighting and sense of place, is excellent also ~ with North Carolina doubling for Florida. This is a movie for easterners - a place where the sun rises over the water. The film also uses the contrasts of night & day, the city vs the country, the school vs the road, the rules vs spontaneous action & best of all propinquity... ( for those of y'all that remember Dobie Gillis ). This film also has wonderful buildings and food, from the slickest to the most dilapidated, and features Public Transport.

Life was like this when I was 17, but that was in another century & in another country. La plus, ca change... ps: The Best Australian film ever is 'The Year My Voice Broke'. That's how we do it down under , so check it out & NB: some of those teen actors are still in the biz, older & wiser now, and still GORGEOUS after all these years.

Lilting (2014)

Love & the Art of Lilting

[9/10 · 10 June 2015]

I loved every minute of this very rare jewel. It works so well on each degree of perception, from the base camp and practicality of needing a translator, to the use of fine photography in capturing the stillness and stultifying grief of both Jun and Richard, and on to the more complex tones and notes of dealing Kai's 'coming out' posthumously.

The notion of aged care homes being decorated in retro style is charming and works well with the contrasted scenes in Richard's flat. I note that Jun hates the wallpaper ~ the ghost of Oscar Wilde whispering in the hallway? It is great to see the Mandarin language use in an English film ~ another rarity?, along with the gorgeous use of the song 'Sway' and Jun's longing to hear it, the repeated promise from her son broken until Richard delivers the goods.

Warning: this film contains dancing.

Bound (2015 Video)

50 Shades of Hype Answered with Action Movie

[4/10 · 3 June 2015]

So much Cinema is Psychotherapy ~ especially in America, where the puritan streak meets with capitalism every nanosecond, where the human stain of sexism and racism runs through every frame. Let's face it folks, this is a comic book/look at the zillions spent on promoting the utter dross that is 50 shades ( yes, they are doing 50 Shades 2 ~ the marketing masterpiece ).

I needed a little light relief and as a big fan of Charisma Carpenter from the Buffy/Angel years, I was willing to spend $1.95 Australian ~ American cousins can 'do the math', to have a look at her as she is now. Cordelia was always a sexpot, so it makes sense for grown up 'Cordy' to be revisited.

I laughed, did not take it seriously and was as pleased as punch when Supermichelle got to sock it to the villain of the piece. Some message board mentioned 'Venus in Furs' ~ an admirable compare & contrast study. If anyone is really interested ~ do a triple feature, in any order, of this title, 50 Shades & Roman Polanski's ' Venus in Fur'. Then write a short poem, thesis, review or what you will.

Lilyhammer (2012–2014)

It Cuts My Ice !

[8/10 · 11 January 2014]

I was given the first series as a gift from my sister and finished viewing last night. I had no great expectations and had seen a glimpse on someone else's TV, but was not paying that much attention and was told it was okay but not that good. My experience was one of delight and laughter, and it just got better. I note that Steven Van Zandt also gets writing credits along with being executive producer ~ making it a well crafted romp in the snow. So refreshing ! It owes quite a bit to the fabulous Coen Brothers film 'Fargo' as well as the other ingredients ( Mob/Nordic Culture/Comic Violence/Love Story ). I will say it again for other reviewers ~ THIS IS A NORWEGIAN PRODUCTION. A few have had the blinkers on or don't bother with reading credits and have made comments about stereotypes and so on. One is allowed to make fun of one's own culture, or is there a law against that now? In Australia, we had great Television hits with 'Seachange' and 'Kath & Kim', both contained elements of pure self mockery, which made both shows all the better. So, it begs the question ~ What is Comedy ?

The Second Coming (2003)

Still Brilliant After all These Years

[8/10 · 6 January 2014]

I had seen this on television ~ ABC probably, but at a friend's house, at the time of release. We talked about that time a few years ago and I was saying remember that Dr Who episode ?..." I've never seen Dr Who." My pal replied and this set of a chain reaction of thinking about it further and consulting IMDb. I'd got it wrong, but thematically right. I realised that I'd only seen episode one and had subsequently devoted myself to the new Dr Who along with great fondness for Christopher Eccleston in his role in 'Cracker' back in the 90s. Add to the mix, the Russell T Davies connection and the crossed wire was well sorted! I found the DVD version in my local library and decided to revisit the experience, solo. Ah ~ the Eureka moment, I'd never seen the ending.

All the performances shine and the writing is fantastic. Lesley Sharp amazes and delights as the voice and face of reason ~ the woman who has to make the toughest decision and live with it. She is the one can see down the road ahead and has a handle on the concept of consequences. It is a post 9/11 piece as well, so that places it in great context also. So much international frenzy and fear that still sits in every airport to this day. The Second Coming ~ the title also a famous poem by Yeats ("And what rough beast, ... Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? "), stirs the pot something delicious. What do people really believe ? How do they react in a crisis ? What/Who matters most if you think there are only 5 days left ? The fact that it all takes place in Manchester, England, England, makes it all the more potent and powerful.

The Last Outlaw (1980)

Television Can Do it Better ~ Our Local Hero

[9/10 · 23 December 2013]

I found this true gem at my local library last week during a random roam around the shelves. I had never heard of it before ~ I was away that year. Each episode ( there are 4 ) is feature film length, so it covers the story with magnificent detail and great craft. It is the great Australian pastoral of truth and myth, politics and personalities, murder and mayhem. All the seeds of our current crises are here, for all to see, class distinction and factionalism and race relations ~ the English and the Scotch ganging up against the Irish. Cops who are two-faced or easily bribed, or are Irish themselves, but need to suck up to the Crown. The whole ecosystem of White Australia marking out territory of the stolen and colonised land.

John Jarratt is an amazing Ned. His eyes through the iconic armour are captivating. Previous reviewers refer to Mick and Heath ~ well each of those performances had their time and place. Remember the restricting corset of the feature film and the need to edit and make an action adventure or moody muck with a foreign 'star' ~ such were our lives back then ~ last century ! There will be other Neds, like Sherlock Holmes or Hamlet, Mr Kelly is not going to fade away any time soon.

Not only great television but a great history lesson. My particular favourite piece of costume design was the tin of Keen's Mustard Powder bolted on to the right hand side of his outfit ~ I'll have to fact check that.

Starstruck (1982)

Still the Best & Brightest & Prettiest Star

[10/10 · 9 December 2013]

Am I the only Australian to review this on IMDb? A rapid scroll through the offerings would seem that this is true. Unbelievable ! I saw this film on first release at the cinema in true-blue Sydney fashion. It is still a haunting favourite after all these years and is, in fact a love song to a city and her people and places. Stephen MacLean was a boy from Melbourne, who later wrote the famous 'The Boy from Oz' ~ a bio of Peter Allen - later to become a musical stage sensation. But that's another story...

This movie is absolutely fabulous Sydney in all her early 80s glory. A time of innocence and fun, ridiculous clothes, a special cousinhood, 'wannabe-in-show-biz', Mickey Rooney & Judy Garlandesque tribute to the talents and humour of our own people. Who needs Hollywood? Features include, singin', dancin' and horsing around in a variety of great Sydney locations. Every song is wonderful and every star shines. A Classic ~ oft overlooked but remembered well and often, by me, Anne-Maree.

The Circuit (2007–2010)

Fantastic Series ~ Location, Location, Location

[9/10 · 26 November 2013]

I've only just viewed a few episodes of this show on DVD that I borrowed from my local library. I was aware of it but as I don't get broadcast television in my regional area, I haven't had the opportunity to see it. First, I can't believe that it hasn't been reviewed on IMDb. A serious oversight, as so many Australian films, actors & television shows now have so much international appeal. This series is a gem ~ filmed in Broome, Western Australia, our multicultural capital if you will. It reminded me a lot of 'Seachange', only more drama than comedy and with the added bonus of real Australians ~ Blackfellas strutting their stuff! The show stars the lovely and talented and very handsome Aaron Pedersen as a city solicitor chucked in the deep end of family, love and the law in the gorgeous Kimberley region of North West Australia. The writers have gone for the real deal with the problems of the community there. All the mixed bag of lollies found in shows like 'The Wire', the stories and language are true, funny, tragic and fascinating. I will mos def be getting into more of it ~ highly recommended.

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

Postscript from Australia ~ What Rodriguez did Next

[10/10 · 2 April 2013]

I was desperate to get my hands, eyes and ears on this film. It was the talk of my town as a best buddy has just seen it and was RAVING ( in life he is THE toughest critic) ~ so 'Searching for Sugarman' could not come more highly recommended. I had to wait for days as it was out on DVD but the single copy was out/not yet returned over the Easter week. My friend had the soundtrack or a version on his iTunes or had the original 'Cold Fact' on constant repeat at his house and we were singing and dancing in his kitchen and back verandah. We knew every word, got goosebumps & tears in the eyes just remembering our flaming youth. These songs were in our heads and we hadn't heard them in decades, just as one of the film makers remarked, these records were in the lounge rooms of all our friends back in the 1970s.

The story that unfolds on the screen will tell a tale of an amazing quest from the tip of the Southern Hemisphere to the streets of Detroit and back again. Art finds a way, just as love does. " Some things are simple, some things take ages " ~ another poet, who is not looking for fame either. A seed of an idea was planted and By-Golly-Miss-Molly did it take off. The brilliance of the film is that it looks fantastic, great art design and pace - it has a niggling sense of dread that it's going to turn out badly ( I was getting "worried sick" about the fate of Rodriguez), but something in me knew it was going to be alright. I can't really go on, as the film will take the viewer along for the ride of a lifetime. Words on a page can not convey the rich music and images that are offered ~ so feast up, do yourselves a favour. My thanks to the Academy for voting this one up & giving it an international audience.

PS: at the time of posting Rodriguez's name is 11th on a poster advertising the Byron Bay BLUESFEST over the holiday just ended ~ I saw it in a copy of Rolling Stone ( Australia ). I had seen the ad, but I hadn't really looked until now, then it sunk in, I'd read out his name, along with the other performers, to my house mate when I'd bought the magazine, but that was weeks ago & we were occupied with our lives, so it was filed away, waiting for the right moment to grab my attention again. The headlining name is Paul Simon, so I guess that's the $$$MusicBiz$$$ ~ as usual.

Much Ado About Nothing (I) (2012)

As Long As I Have a Soul or Thoughts...

[10/10 · 10 March 2013]

...I will follow him through oceans of time and to the ends of the earth and other places. I must add that I've only seen the trailer, so how much do I anticipate all manner of divine delights? A LOT. Happily I can do delayed gratification these days and will spend many hours just THINKING about it.

Most Whedon fans will know that he & his wife Kai hosted Shakespeare readings at the house of a Sunday with cast and crew during the Buffy/Angel/Firefly years ~ their 'fin de siecle' mode of relaxing, showing off and mutually loving each other and words (on their only day off ~ that in itself speaks volumes, for those who have ears to hear it).

Hopelessly devoted to William & Joss, your most, humble scribe, etc,etc, etc.

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Not Brilliant But Very Good

[7/10 · 3 March 2013]

I heard about it on the grapevine and the cast alone was enough to whet my appetite. I hadn't read or heard any reviews either but when I was told that a lot of people walked out of this movie, I knew I needed to see it. There should be a list of the ten best 'walked-out-of' pictures, I can only guess at what makes the grade: Salo; The Excorcist; The Devils; Women in Love; The Last Temptation of Christ; Ken Park? Readers may add if they wish.

What's good about this film is the place and time. What's really happening on the screen is a document about the unseen underbelly of global finance and the flesh trade, it happens to be set in America 2008 but the story would work in Bangkok, Moscow or London. Big to medium size crooks employ small time & desperado types to monster money out of card game profits or to kill those responsible for pissing on their territory. These themes are all explored in delectable detail on the smaller screen in shows like the Sopranos, The Wire & Boardwalk Empire.

But! Brad Pitt strutting his stuff in a Scorsesse-style-art-house picture with the colour turned down & the sound turned up. WTF, the usual suspects howl, we are mad as hell etc. I guess this is the James Bond/Guy Ritchie audience crying all the way to the automatic teller machine and wishing they had rented some Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang thingo. What we get to see is NOT Tony Soprano ( although fans of the show will recognise many of it's players) but a bitter & twisted hit-man called in by Brad's middle-management fixer to do the job. The problem is, he can't do two hits - too risky, as he's up on a gun charge. The rest is the negotiations, the 'proper' clean-up & the shooting in the head of any loose ends. BUSINESS as usual- nothing new here, happens all the time.

Ben Mendelsohn's junkie with a grand plan is an outstanding performance, I guess he's got USA street cred since "Animal Kingdom", expect to see more of him folks. His character is the only light touch, if you can call it that, the dog-napping scheme and subsequent troubles are hilarious. I could almost smell him, plus he got to live, the option 2 for so many people who have to eek out their existences in that fashion, jail is better than dead. The final scene between Richard Jenkins and Brad is inspired, it's just another day in America, and he wants to get paid! His career won't suffer one iota.

Django Unchained (2012)

Django Unchained - The New American Masterpiece

[10/10 · 23 February 2013]

I saw this with a friend who was equally psyched up to see this. We were the last to leave the cinema, as we paid proper respect and sat until the very final credits finished - we were rewarded for same ( unlike those other people with ants in their pants, who had to check their phones & depart immediately the film proper ended - more fool them, but hey it was nearly midnight on a rainy night in Katoomba). When we eventually left our seats and stood outside, my mate said "I think we've just seen 5 movies". My reply was "...it's probably more like 10". I began to list the various narratives: the Seigfried saga; the Spaghetti Western; the Deadwoodish muddy, bloody realism; the essay on sadism & cruelty - with artefacts ( not just the usual ankle chains but the hideous devices placed around people's necks - this I might add is the common or garden, public display of how the bodies of slaves were paraded & transported, what lurks in the dark corners of private property is even more disturbing); the power politics of small town snapshots; the comedy; the horror movie; the ode to the American landscape; the performing horse movie; the Downton Abbeyesque gaze on the Candyland dining room; the buddy movie - I could go on and ever on.

What I had witnessed was a movie so carefully crafted by a writer/director at the top of his game, that it's left me with indelible marks on my soul and I like that in a movie. It's one of the ones that stays with you, the images that haunt, the lines that make you laugh out loud, the horror that makes you put your hands over your eyes and put fingers to keyboard in praise. I note that other reviewers have found it messy, long, unfocused etc. Maybe they just don't get it. Perhaps they have no knowledge of Gilgamesh, Homer or Virgil, but that's life you can't read everything, see everything, know about everything. When I was a kid, movies were often 3 hours long - with intermissions, especially the epics. If you want a 90 minute action movie - go watch T Cruise, but will remember a word he says? Maybe, the cinema is a broad church and everyone has their own devotions & ideas about entertainment or art or both.

The film is so rich in stories and characters that it's practically impossible to select a favourite - it's like reading Dickens, there's a whole body of other work that supports what we've been offered to think about. Django is undoubtedly the coolest hero but he's got his buddy Doctor S to inspire him. It's a chicken and egg thing. Has Leonardo ever displayed more villainous instincts? Did I ever think I'd see Franco Nero on screen again? How 'bout Don J as Big Daddy? These are just fragments of delight. The real gems are Kerry Washington's face when she knows that Samuel L Jackson's Evil Stephen is on to her (the tension is unbearable) or when Jamie Foxx gets to pick out his own clothes for the first time - that electric blue outfit is still slaying me, or those fools with the bags on their heads - a beautiful portrait of white supremacists at their idiotic best.

Christoph Waltz stole so many scenes, it's impossible not to love every minute of his performance and for his character's ultimate sacrifice - it made me feel complete. The German doctor decided on a fitting departure because he couldn't resist. I must congratulate Quentin on his Oz accent - I was worried for a moment that he was going to slide down the Seth Efrican side of things but happily he'd chosen John Jarratt to play against, which lifted his game considerably, classic screwball comedy - downunder style! A hoot. All the other categories of the film: art direction; casting; costumes; cinematography; editing; sound; writing and directing are sublime. It's my BEST PICTURE of the year - so who gives a fat rat's what the Academy decides?

The Oranges (2011)

5 Star Cast and Performances in Light Entertainment

[7/10 · 11 February 2013]

I was keen to view this picture after seeing the trailer as I've seen all these actors in various roles over the years. There is such a great range of talent here and they all looked like they were having fun in a comedy with darker moments. This is a film about consequences after all and is not really a romcom romp nor a morality tale. It reminds me of a suburban memoir and the writing reflects this. The short season between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been done to death in American cinema, with all of the inherent conflicts, compulsory traditions and conspicuous consumption. The writers have used this backdrop to do something ever-so-slightly subversive.

Leighton Meester and Alia Shawkat are wonderful in their respective roles as the lifelong neighbours/friends who are further entangled in a world they really want to leave behind. I hope this becomes a Christmas classic. Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Catherine Keener & Oliver Platt - who could ask for anything more?