PHILOMENA

Loved this film. One of my favourites for the year I reckon.

Based on a true story, it follows a woman's (Philmomena, played spectacularly by Judy Dench) quest to find the child that was taken from her when she gave birth out of wedlock in Ireland in the early 1950s.

'Taken' is perhaps not the right word - it's much more complex than that and this film explores it all with the help of a journalist who's been commissioned by a newspaper to publish her story, played by Steve Coogan.

I've never been much of a fan of Coogan but this has changed that. He's brilliant in it.

Some parts are heart-breaking but there's funny and poignant moments too. I, and everyone else in the cinema it seemed, laughed and cried.

Go and see this, it's fabulous!

Here's a four star review from the Sydney Morning Herald with some interesting details about the background to Philomena's story and the film itself. "It's an immensely moving film, because of her capacity for forgiveness" the critic says, of Philomena. And boy, he's right.

Trailer here.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY - film

I'd seen the previews for this film and quite liked the look of it. It's about a guy played by Ben Stiller (more dramatic than comedic) who's a bit of a day dreamer and in his day dreams he's a lot more interesting and heroic than he is in real life. This film follows the adventure he goes on to solve a problem at work (he manages the photographs at the fictional 'Life' magazine) that gets him out of that unadventurous rut. There's also a bit of a love interest story running through it featuring Kristen Wiig, who I love.

I was a bit disappointed. It's not bad, but it's not fantastic. If you're lucky enough to get to the movies often perhaps you'd include it in your wish list but if not, I'd give it a miss.

To provide you with an alternative view, there's this four star review in the UK Mirror. Certainly more glowing than I'd give it.

Get the downlow on the story line in the trailer here.

ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES - film

There's a hell of a lot of hype and expectation weighing on this film. The original Anchorman film is a modern, oft-quoted classic. I mean, you still hear people say "Milk was a bad choice" despite the film coming out almost 10 years ago. And with good reason! It's a hilarious film which I and so many others loved.

So, how does Anchorman 2 weigh up? Well, the news on this is good. But not great.

The film goes for two hours and for about the first half the laughs just come flying at you. Hilarious, fantastic laughs that are just as good as in the first film. I was thinking to myself 'the storyline's a bit lame but it was in the first one too really' so you just roll with it and enjoy the wise cracks. But then the storyline gets, well, just a bit too ridiculous and the laughs dry up a little. Not completely though, don't get me wrong. The poor guy sitting next to me could easily be telling his friends "well the lady sitting next to me with a loud and annoying laugh certainly enjoyed it!" and that would be true. There's some killer, hilarious lines & I think my favourite was when, in celebration of a victory, Ron Burgundy says "perms for everyone!"... That and a shout out to Olivia Newton John which I won't spoil, really made me cack myself!

It's not as good as the first one and the two mates who I saw it with agreed. That said, definitely plenty of laughs and still worth the ticket price to go & see it, particularly if you liked the first Anchorman film. 

I think this three star review in the Fairfax press is about right for me.

Trailer here.

AMERICAN HUSTLE - film

I nodded my head knowingly when reading this review of American Hustle, in particular the line "How to best describe the irrepressibly convoluted plot? That takes some doing (as well). Let's go with Argo meets GoodFellas meets The Sting, with all three getting on like a house on fire." ... True that it's a hard one to explain but there's no need to label it, all you need to know is that it's excellent and you should definitely go and see it!

Fantastic cast and Christian Bale in particular impressed me. He is brilliant in this and has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his trouble. It also stars Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner and Bradley Cooper who are all excellent also. There is one rather alarming scene where Cooper has his hair in teeny tight rollers, briefly making him less worthy of the 'hubba hubba' label I'd usually attach to him but hey, the man takes his craft seriously.

Only downer for me would be the length - at 129 minutes, it's longer than I usually like my flicks.

However, five stars from the New York Times, 4.5 stars from both Margaret and David (I love it when mum & dad see eye to eye!)and 4 stars from The Telegraph UK makes a compelling case. If you need more, it's from the same director behind Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, two great films. You know what to do, folks.

Trailer here.

ONE CHANCE - film

This one is based on the true story of Britain's Got Talent winner, Paul Potts.

If you haven't heard of him, watch this clip to get a sense of his story but to cut a long story short, we're talking about a really nervous guy with dodgy teeth and one hell of a singing voice. Truly, watch the clip! I remember having it emailed to me back in the day. Remember when we had to email stuff like that around instead of sharing it on Facebook or Twitter? Ah, the good ol' days.

Anyway, according to this article in The Telegraph (UK), they've certainly taken some creative licence with the story, for what it's worth. You know, Hollywood-ed it up a bit.

One of the big draw cards on this one for me was the lead actor - James Corden who plays Smithy in Gavin & Stacey, possibly my favourite comedy TV show ever. He's great in this but not amazing. It's a pretty Smithy-esque performance to be honest.

The film is a nice one, easy to watch. It covers Paul's life leading up to the BGT performance and that's about where it ends, it doesn't give you a sense of what his life became after he won the show. It did drag a bit, felt longer than it actually was. Good but not great. Maybe wait for it on DVD.

Trailer here.

As an aside, I would like to make the following observation about the rather spectacular behaviour of a fellow patron in the cinema. She hobbled in on crutches with her leg in one of those long moon boot kind of things that goes right up your leg. She sat quietly through the trailers and ads and then WHEN THE FILM STARTED, she proceeded to tear apart the 385 pieces of lycra holding the leg brace on. Well it felt like 385, who knows how many there actually was. And you know why it felt like so many more than there was? You know what would be more annoying than someone swiftly undoing lycra all the way down their leg? SOMEONE DOING IT SLOWLY BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT WILL BE QUIETER AND BETTER. LADY, IT WAS NOT QUIETER OR BETTER, IT WAS SPECTACULARLY ANNOYING & YOU SHOULD TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT YOURSELF.

ADORATION - film

I've seen the trailer for this film many times and each time made me more sure I wanted to see it.

The premise is intriguing - two Australian women, childhood friends played by Robin Wright and Naomi Watts, hook up with each other's buff teenage (late teens, at least!) son.

I did enjoy this, but just not quite as much as I hoped I would.

There's some lines in the script that are actually laughable (interesting take on that particular issue here) and the two sons are so laconic that they verge on comatose! It's particularly so with one of the sons, played by James Frecheville who you might recognise from Animal Kingdom.

I read one review that described Robin Wright's Australian accent as "perfect"... Sorry, what?! I'm afraid I don't agree and her frequent use of the word 'Harold' in reference to her husband (Ben Mendelsohn) is a regular reminder. It comes out as 'Hair-old' in that American way and despite the fact that she's an excellent actor and her performance in this is good, it kept me wondering why they didn't just cast another Aussie beside Naomi Watts.

All that said, in spite of a few 'cons' with this one, it still remains a really interesting premise and Watts' and Wright's performances are excellent. I'd probably put this in the 'see it on DVD' category, don't rush out to the cinema and pay a lobster to see it. Good but not amazing.

Trailer here.

ENOUGH SAID - film

I really enjoyed this one, would happily recommend it.

It's a rom-com starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus & James Gandolfini (in the last movie role filmed before he died) but not a super cheesy rom com, one with a bit of intellect.
Margaret & David gave it 4 and 3.5 stars respectively on 'At the movies' & I concur.

Oh and Toni Collette plays a supporting role with her Australian accent and no one felt the need to give some naff explanation for it... Yay!

Trailer here.

ABOUT TIME - film

This film is by British writer/director Richard Curtis, the man behind Love Actually and the Bridget Jones flicks, so we're talking pretty high 'rom com' credibility there.

It involves time travel so you do need to get over the implausibility of it all early on to be able to just go with it and enjoy it. And I did enjoy this one to a degree but it doesn't live up to the standard of Love Actually, a film which has a lot going for it in the rom com stakes.

Despite not really loving it, I did get pretty weepy at a sad moment towards the end of the film which made me realise I was perhaps a bit more entrenched in the story than I'd been aware of.

I've not seen the leading man Domhnall Gleeson in anything before and he's really delightful. Hopefully we see a lot more of him. He's paired with Rachel McAdams who, as always, is also lovely to watch.

Let me put it this way, if you generally love a rom com and can suspend reality to enjoy one, you'll dig this but otherwise, perhaps wait for it on DVD.

For more on the plot, cast etc, read this review in Crikey which I think wraps it all up well & in particular captures my feelings about the MANY unanswered questions in this flick. Like I said, you've really got to be willing to just roll with this one!

Trailer here.

FRUITVALE STATION - film

This film is amazing.

It's a little tough going at times in the emotional sense - perhaps not one for when you're feeling a bit down in the dumps but otherwise, it's a highly recommend from me.

It's based on a true story & is winning awards and getting great reviews. I agree with this review from The Guardian which gave it 4 stars. Like all of the reviews and articles, it reveals the ending which I did not know when I saw this film - if you can go in blind, I'd recommend it but either way, it's a pretty compelling story.

Definitely recommend this one. Go & see it!

Trailer here.

PRISONERS - film

This movie is fantastic.

But sometimes the external factors in a cinema-going experience are so ridiculous that they detract from the movie in a way that leaves you just plain grumpy. I hope for your sake that the following things do not happen...

- Two old women sit behind you and talk constantly. The talking is particularly vigorous following a toilet break for one during which a great deal of important things happen in the story which her friend must then catch her up on upon her return which included a trip up the stairs.

- You move seats to get away from them.

- It doesn't help because the cinema is actually full of groups of people who feel the need to make observations and guesses about the more mysterious parts of the film. You know the types - the ones who say out loud "oh it was him!" out loud when everyone else can just THINK IT IN THEIR HEAD LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.

- The cinema (hat tip to cinema 2, Hoyts Northland) is so unbelievably cold that you stare with envy at any warm clothes being worn on screen and unconsciously imagine being cloaked in them.

- An old man in the cinema on his own hollers "That was a terrible ending" at the end of the film. And I mean HOLLERS. In his defence, he did have a point. The ending was so blunt that I actually thought to myself 'oh that would just top this damn experience off for the equipment to break down right near the end of the film' but alas, that no, that was the actual end.

Whilst my own experience of this one was a bit annoying, don't let it stop you seeing the film. It is really well done and stars Hugh Jackman, whose performance is unlike anything I've seen him do before. Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano are also terrific in this children-gone-missing, 'whodunit' flick. That description doesn't do it justice, so read the link below if you are thinking about going to see it!

A proper (& glowing) review from Crikey including more on the plot here and the trailer here.

DIANA - film

Based on the terrible reviews this film about Princess Di has been getting (you can read about them here), I was expecting this to be a dud and sadly it was.

I refuse to believe Diana was that insipid and whilst there was good chemistry between her and the leading man (a post-Charles love who most probably haven't even heard of), it wasn't enough to carry this film and certainly not enough to make up for the lame repeated reference to her being "the most famous woman in the world"... we get it, ok?

Give this one a miss.

Trailer here if you can be bothered...

GRAVITY - film

I'd seen the trailers for this sci fi flick and filed it under 'not my kind of film'. But then as the release approached the reviews started rolling in and wow, they were full of very high praise... 96% on Metacritic and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes for a start but also 4.5 & 4 stars from Margaret and David respectively, 4 stars in The Age, 5 stars from the UK Telegraph and 5 stars from the New York Times.

So I was already swaying a little and then I got a free ticket. Sold!

Described on Wikipedia as a "3D science fiction thriller and space drama", I went off to this Alfonso Cuarón film with very, very high expectations that were ultimately unmet. Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic, edge-of-your-seat stuff, but it wasn't knock-it-out-of-the-ballpark, best-film-I've-seen-in-ages stuff. 

OK, I'll stop hyphenating now.

In the interests of fairness I present the opinion of my viewing companion, Jo, for whom this film is very much 'my kind of film'...

“Wow, if you love space, technics and rollercoasters, you’ll love Gravity. I enjoyed it enormously. Apart from some technical errors (you figure it out) and lots of referencing of other sci-fi movies (you figure it out), Gravity is definitely worth a look, even a second look!” 

If you're going to see this film, do see it in 3D to do the amazing effects justice.

Trailer here.

RUSH - film

I'm going to level with you.

I saw this film because I had a Village Cinemas movie pass that was about to expire and it was the only thing on at the right time. I'd seen the previews and not taken an interest as it seemed to be about Formula 1 racing, in which I have nil interest. Talk about striking it lucky!

This film is fantastic! Sure, it's about Formula 1 in a sense but it's much more than that. I wasn't around to see the rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt unfold in the late 1970s so I had no idea how the story ended which meant I was totally caught up in it, desperate to know how it all finished up.

This film is directed by Ron Howard and I just can't help but think, wow, that Richie Cunningham's gone a hell of a long way.

More info about the film in this review from The Vine which I reckon is right on the money...

Trailer here

LOVELACE - film

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THANKS FOR SHARING - film

I enjoyed this one. It's not amazing but it's a nice enough way to pass a couple of hours!
A great cast including familiar faces Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as the singer Pink who is actually pretty good too.

There's a lot going on which results in some characters not being explored too deeply but there's some fun and some poignancy too so I can happily but not highly recommend this one.

Here's a review from Fairfax which also outlines the plot if you're after some more detail but to cut to the chase, this is a film about s-x addiction and it actually gave me some insight into something I'd never really thought about.

I did wince a little when I noticed that the 'hopeless guy' character had the same phone cover as me. IS THAT THE PHONE COVER OF HOPELESS PEOPLE?! 
He comes good though... phew.

Trailer here

THE TURNING - film

I saw this one at the Melbourne International Film Festival a few weeks back and excitement levels peaked early as Noni Hazelhurst joined the queue just behind me! This film is three hours long and was presented all in one hit at MIFF but I gather that in the general release it’s being shown in two parts with an interval. Phew, no restricting fluids for you! In a further break with tradition, this film includes a program with your (higher than usual) ticket price and if you’re anything like me, you will definitely need it. At my MIFF screening, in what can only be described as a major event fail, we were given the program AFTER the screening and with just a quick glance, the film suddenly made a lot more sense. I thought my lack of understanding was at least in part because I hadn’t read the book but speaking to my cousin’s wife recently I felt relieved – she’s read the book and said that was pretty confusing too! And she’s a very smart woman.

I’m confident that if I’d had the opportunity to read the program before the movie I’d have loved it a lot more but to be frank I spent too large a portion of the three hours trying to work out the connections between the characters in the 17 separate short films that make up this film overall. Yes, a highly unusual and ambitious format!

That said, some of the 17 segments are, in and of themselves, visually stunning to watch and include some amazing performances. For example you will see Rose Byrne like you never have before – she’s always excellent but this character is unlike anything I’ve seen her do before. It also features Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, Cate Blanchett, Dan Wyllie (who I always love & this is no exception), Susie Porter & Robyn Nevin.

This one isn’t for everyone but if you’re a bit of a film buff, lover of cinematography or of great Australian actors and directors, then check it out. It is unlike any cinema experience I’ve ever had and really quite beautiful. But, you know, read the flippin’ program. 

Trailer here and a couple of reviews here and here.

STORIES WE TELL - film

To my mind, this film can be summarised in one word: boring. I literally fell asleep. And I wasn't that tired.

I feel compelled to present a defense of some sort though... I saw a 4.5 star review in The Age yesterday and the friend I saw it with also enjoyed it.

Trailer here.

BLUE JASMINE - film

This Woody Allen film starring Cate Blanchett has definitely earned the hype it's getting. (It's getting hype, trust me! For example, this review in Crikey...)

Blanchett plays a socialite who's fallen on bad times and ends up living with her sister on 'the wrong side of town' while she gets back on her feet. She is fantastic, probably the best I've ever seen her.

Towards the end of the film it feels like it's heading in a certain tie-it-all-up-neatly-in-a-bow direction but then bam! Things take a different turn and the ending is strangely satisfying.

Loved this one. Go see it.

Trailer here.

JOBS - film

This biopic about the man behind the Apple computers empire, Steve Jobs, is disappointing.
Though interesting to know the story behind said empire, there's too many problems with this one. Ashton Kutcher plays Jobs and whilst I have a new appreciation for his beautiful face, the performance is ho hum. In dramatic moments you don't buy the shouty, angry dialogue and the moments where he's trying to emulate the real Jobs' unique walk made me giggle. It just came across as silly.
By the end of the film I think we're supposed to see him as more human and feel some sympathy for him but I just spent the entire film thinking 'this guy was a massive jerk'. 

Crikey's film reviewer Luke Buckmaster & I are on the same page about this one. Read his take-down of the film here.

And The Age's critic gave it one lonely star which I think is a tad harsh, maybe 1.5 or 2 for me. So, you know, still crap.

Definitely not worth getting yourself to the cinema for in my view.

Trailer here.

THE ROCKET - film

This Lao/Australian film is just superb. I absolutely loved it.

Some of you may know that I have a personal connection to Laos which I guess did heighten the warmth I felt towards this film (the fact I was drinking a Beerlao as I watched probably also helped) but even those with no interest in or knowledge of the country will enjoy this.

It's won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival which speaks volumes.
The film is about a young Lao boy Ahlo whose family believe he is cursed and his quest to break free from that. The kid who plays Ahlo, Sitthiphon Disamoe (a former 'street kid' I gather), is really delightful and his young female sidekick is also really great. The growth of their relationship on the screen feels really authentic, it's lovely to watch.

This really great article in The Guardian will give you some background on the film if you want to read more, including the insights of the Australian writer & director Kim Mordaunt. Mordaunt was also featured on At the Movies from ABC TV which you can see here.

Go and see this one, it's fantastic! Trailer here.

WE'RE THE MILLERS - film

Sorry I'm a bit slow out of the blocks with 'We're the Millers'. If you haven't seen it already, don't bother.
This one is just ok. A handful of laugh out loud moments but by and large pretty ordinary. Even Jason Sudeikis who I rather like couldn't save this one. Jennifer Aniston is also in it and frankly all I thought of her in this was, she must be short on cash to have said yes to it.

Trailer here.

FRANCES HA - film

I have seen loads of four star reviews for this one which is usually a good sign. 
(eg this in The Age and this from David & Margaret on At the Movies on ABC TV)

But this isn't a four star film for me. 
It's fine. It's charming enough. 
But frankly, it didn't delight me. It was just a bit *meh*. Viewing companion agreed.

Can't say I'd encourage you to rush out and watch it. Maybe on DVD some time if the opportunity arises.

Trailer here  or the reviews about if you want a look at what it's about.

NOW YOU SEE ME - film

I wasn't sure I would, but I actually quite liked this. It's a film about four magicians (or maybe 'illusionist' is the correct term?!) who get caught up in a series of heists that become larger and more complex each time. It opens with an impressive magic trick that reminded me that magic really can be pretty cool. And there's a tricky ol' conclusion to the story which made me want to watch it all over again, armed with this fresh knowledge! That said, it's not the kind of film I'd pay to see twice but would happily watch it on DVD.

One of the four magicians is played by Jesse Eisenberg who you might remember from the film 'The Social Network'. He's fantastic in this, I'm now a big fan. It also stars Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Isla Fisher and Michael Caine - an impressive line up.

Get along to this one if you have the luxury of being able to see a few films but if it's a rarity, perhaps wait for the DVD.

Official trailer here.

THE WAY, WAY BACK - film

This movie is such a delight. It’s a ‘coming of age’ kind of story about a young guy Duncan whose mum Pam (played by Toni Collette) has hooked up with a bit of a douche bag, Trent (played by Steve Carrell… I know, he’s never the bad guy!) and he’s struggling with the new family dynamic.

 

The blended family head to a seaside town for a summer holiday and the film starts with the car journey in which Trent asks Duncan to rate himself out of ten. The excruciating exchange really sets the tone beautifully but it’s interesting to note that this is based on the real life experience of one of the creators of the film! If you want that full story and a great background to the film and it’s makers who also wrote the screen play of The Descendants, read here. (Fans of the TV show Community, note that this is Jim Rash!)

 

Duncan finds his way to the local water park on one of his many solo excursions to escape the family holiday and that’s where the fun begins. Sam Rockwell plays the owner of the park Owen and his character is just so fantastic to watch, so quirky and full of good humour. Other staff at the park make great bit players including Maya Rudolph who you may know from Bridesmaids and Jim Rash mentioned earlier.

 

Allison Janney is also in this one as the always-tipsy neighbour at the beach house and her interactions with her own kids including a son with a literally not metaphorically wandering eye are pretty hilarious.

 

Go see this one, I really, really enjoyed it. You’ll walk out happy!

 

Preview screenings 26-28 July then opens Thursday 1 August.

 

Trailer here.

 

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA - film

Loved this film. Absolutely loved it.

It's all about Liberace, played by Michael Douglas (if you're too young to know who he is, have a quick squiz at his Wiki but the short version is that he was the campest of camp entertainers in America in the 1950s-70s) and his relationship with a guy called Scott Thorson, played by Matt Damon.

Michael Douglas is amazing in this. Absolutely amazing. Certainly the best I've ever seen him personally. And Matt Damon is pretty great too.

Scott grew up in a foster home and met Liberace as an adult and this film tracks that relationship which is fascinating. Sometimes the relationship of lovers, but more father/son at other times, the movie reveals the complexity of it and the demons of each of the men but in a way that's very easy to watch.

Special mention to Rob Lowe who plays the plastic surgeon employed by Liberace to make Scott look more like him. He is spectacular.

I completely agree with what Judith & Jason had to say about it on ABC TV's The Movie Show. You can see that here.

It opens on Thursday 25 July. Watch the trailer here.

THIS IS THE END - film

All I knew about this one before I saw it was what I saw on ABC TV's 'At the movies'. Given one star and two stars by stand-in presenters Judith Lucy and Jason Di Rosso, it was not looking good.

So I was pleasantly surprised that at first, this film presented a lot to laugh at and enjoy. It stars a bunch of Hollywood types playing versions of themselves and until the major plot line starts to unfold, I was actually enjoying it. Early scenes involving Michael Cera are actually really funny - the highlight of the film in fact.

But then bang, a stupid disaster struck and the story followed how the group (James Franco, Seth Rogan, Emma Watson, Jonah Hill etc) dealt with the fall out. I won't bore you with the details because they are dull, stupid and not funny.

And just when you think the film can't get worse, it does. And then worse again. And then worse again. In that sense at least, it's quite a triumph.

Definitely give it a miss.

Trailer here. But don't bother.

DESPICABLE ME 2 - film

So last night I went to a 4.45pm session of Despicable Me 2.

If you don’t know me, you won’t realise what a dilemma this created. I’m a bit of a politics and media nerd and the Gillard/Rudd spill was unfolding just as the lights went down and the movie started.

There wasn’t heaps of people in the cinema so I jumped up at sat in the back row in the far corner, the furthest I could be from anyone else in the cinema. I turned the brightness on my iPhone down to the lowest possible setting and figured I could keep an eye on how the spill was unfolding on Twitter by checking my phone under my coat.

So what did I think of the movie?

Nothing on account of the fact I barely watched it.

I pretty much just looked at Twitter the whole time to see the turmoil unfolding in Canberra.

I kept an eye on the other people in the cinema to make sure the light from my phone wasn’t disturbing anyone. I’m an ardent believer that if you can’t not look at your phone for two hours while you watch a movie YOU’RE A SELF-ABSORBED IDIOT.

Guilty, your honour.

With hindsight I should have just got up and left but if we all started living Kevin-Rudd-carpe-diem style the world would be a crazy place & Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales would be exhausted.

For what it’s worth, as I left the cinema with the other patrons, adults and kids, they seemed to have enjoyed it.

Trailer here.

HELLENIC REPUBLIC - take away lunch special

My posts on here are usually about things in the entertainment world but I'm taking a break from usual programming to let you know about a great discovery I've made in the world of food. ('Cause there just isn't enough people blogging about food these days.)

I found out via Twitter that Hellenic Republic, a fantastic Greek restaurant owned by George Calombaris in East Brunswick, do a take away lunch special on weekends. It changes each week and they spread the word via Twitter what it is with a pic. A few recent examples...

• char-grilled swordfish and chips, grain salad and risogalo
• fasolatha soup, olive and feta bread and chocolate baklava
• braised lamb & onion pie with feta & mint, cucumber yoghurt salad & salted caramel risogalo
• chicken from the spit & chips, Hellenic slaw & salted caramel risogalo

I've only tried the lunch special once so I certainly haven't tasted all of the above but when I tried it I got chicken from the spit & chips, grain salad and the risogalo and it was all so delicious! I love the grain salad at Hellenic Republic so that was a no-brainer and the risogalo is an unbelievably tasty creamy rice pudding kind of thing with salted caramel, pistachios and yummy crumbly biscuit on top. And the chicken and chips are of course up to Hellenic Republic's usual excellent standard. Simple but fantastic.

The really great part is the value - all of that for just $12! As a sucker who can easily spend up to $30 on a weekend brunch, this is a truly great find.

You don't have to be on Twitter yourself to get the lowdown, just visit https://twitter.com/Hellenic434 and you can see it all there including the photos they post of the special. You call to order (their phone number is in the tweets) and then bam, it's yours on arrival to take home or wherever you like.

You. Are. Welcome.

MOVIES ON THE CHEAP - my tips

I’ve been meaning to write this for ages but finally got my act into gear after reading this by comedian Cal Wilson in The Age. It’d been a while between drinks for Cal and she was shocked to learn that a movie ticket these days is $19. A trip to the movies can be a bloody expensive outing! I’ve gathered up some tips to do it on the cheap and in a break from my usual style of posts, I thought I’d share them. They’re not rocket science and you’ll be familiar with many of them but can’t hurt to have them all here in the same place as a handy reminder...

• If you’re a Telstra customer you can get $10 movie tickets! Check with your own carrier to see if they have a deal or if you’re keen you could just buy a cheap Telstra SIM – a small investment for long term savings if you see a few movies.
• You know those member reward brochures they give you when you renew your health insurance, car insurance etc? They actually contain genuine discounts! For example, Bupa members can get 25% off movie ticket prices at Village and Hoyts and other companies are bound to have offers too so have a dig around on their website if you’re not sure.
• Cinemas usually have a cheap day where tickets are considerably discounted. For the big chains it’s Tuesday but some of the smaller joints do their own thing so check out their website. Go to the movies on cheap day!
• More and more movies are 3D these days and the cost of buying the stupid glasses every time is ridiculous so take them with you when you leave the cinema and leave them in your glove box or something for next time.
• Cinema Nova in Carlton have the best cheap day offer - $6 for sessions before 4pm and $9 for evening sessions.
• For the love of God, do not buy anything from the candy bar. If you do need to snack during the movie, swing by the supermarket on your way & boldly ignore the ‘request’ signs in the cinema asking you not to bring in food purchased outside. If you’re particularly nervous or self-conscious about it, bring along a bag of some kind to conceal it.
• Lots of workplaces, especially big ones with large numbers of employees, have special offers for staff including cheap movie tickets. If you hear someone mention getting cheap movie tickets through their work, ask them if they can buy them for friends... ie YOU.
• If you can afford a bigger initial outlay or have a bit of time to arrange going to the movies with a group, buy tickets in bulk. Chains often have deals such as this one from Village Cinemas where adult tickets are $13.90 if you buy a book of five and slightly less again if you buy a book of 10.

So there's my tips to save a few pennies... Happy movie-going, folks!

THE GREAT GATSBY - film

So much has been said and written about this film by Australian Baz Luhrmann, some of it pretty negative. Australians have a propensity to hate on Australian films and I think Baz attracts more than his share of the tall poppy syndrome.

So, is this film as much of a stinker as some of the critics are saying? (For example... here from Crikey and here from The New Yorker)

Whilst I wouldn't quite give it the 4.5 stars The Age did, I did really enjoy this film. It's bloody good fun and really easy to watch. You don't need to have read the book or know anything of the story, it stands alone well. It goes for almost 3 hours (including the ridiculously long trailer/ad part of the sessions these days) but you don't feel it, it all moves pretty quickly. I saw it in 3D but it wasn't overwhelming 3D like Avatar which managed to give me motion sickness!

The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio ('The Great Gatsby' himself), Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan as well as two Aussies in fairly large roles, Joel Edgerton and Isla Fisher, who are both excellent. The cast more broadly is full of familiar faces as it was filmed in Australia - Jack Thompson, Steve Bisley and that guy who played Stan on Hey Dad! who now does voiceover on Media Watch, to name a few. (Yes I've been tracking his career, what's it to you?)

The costumes are stunning - I gather Carey Mulligan's dresses are a result of a collaboration between the film's costume designer Catherine Martin (who is also Baz's wife) and Prada.

I was a bit disappointed that the dance and party scenes shown in the trailers weren't longer in the film. Considering how much work has clearly gone into them - they are spectacular - I wish there'd been more to watch. I was also disappointed that the soundtrack wasn't showcased more. The executive producer of the soundtrack is Jay Z and it looks amazing on paper. It's a shame it wasn't allowed to steal a little more of the show in the film.

There was a couple of super cheesy moments that had my sympathising with the Baz-is-too-over-the-top critics. For example, in one scene Gatsby (DiCaprio) points to the starry sky and says "my life has to go like this" and a shooting star flies through the air. Urgh. Too much. But in spite of my few criticisms, I loved seeing this and would happily watch it again. A 3.5-4 star film for me.

Plot summary here and trailer here.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP - film

Went into this one knowing nothing at all about the film. (Hello, last minute freebie!)

It started out well and I was really enjoying it but it did start to drag and by the end it felt like it had gone for four hours! (It actually went for two.)

Robert Redford is the leading man in the film and while he's undeniably an excellent actor, it's absurd to me that he was cast, at the age of 77, as the father of an 11 year old girl. It just didn't work. But guess who the director of the film is, the person who made this silly choice?... Robert Redford. Yes, the man couldn't help but give himself the lead role. 

That aside, this is an interesting thriller of sorts with all sorts of underlying mysteries playing out as it goes along. (Plot summary here.) Susan Sarandon and Brendan Gleeson are great in the film which also stars Shia LaBoeuf (or Shia The Beef as I prefer to call him) and Nick Nolte whose voice is as weird as ever.

Margaret and David from The Movie Show both gave this four stars (it's always nice when mum and dad don't fight) but it wasn't quite up there for me, more like three or three and a half.

If you are lucky to be a regular cinema-goer, check this one out but if it's a rare outing, I can recommend better flicks for your night out.

Trailer here.

THE HANGOVER PART III - film

If you saw and enjoyed the first two films, you'll enjoy this. Some really implausible plot twists but this is Hollywood, what's new?

It's good fun and plenty of laughs, mostly from Zach Galifianakis as hopeless Alan and Ken Jeong as crazy drug-addled Mr Chow. Also stars Bradley Cooper looking pretty damn hot... what can I say, I call it as I see it.

Important note: Stay for the credits!

Trailer here.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES - film

Really enjoyed this one. Caught wind of it when I saw two film critics talking about it on Twitter, saying that they were surprised it wasn't released in 'awards season', meaning they thought it would've been in the running for Oscars, Golden Globes etc. High praise! Apart from an absolute clanger of a coincidence that the plot hangs on, the story is excellent.

The film stars Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes and Bradley Cooper & regular readers of this blog will know I'm very fond of the latter! He's great in this. The whole cast is actually with, for me, the exception of the young bloke who plays Cooper's son. Really wished they chosen someone with a remote resemblance, it just didn't quite work for me and others who I know who've seen it agree.

More of an art house one so look out at Nova, Palace and those kind of joints. Worth the trip.

Trailer here.

THE BIG WEDDING - film

Great cast that could never quite lift this out of firm *meh* territory.

I was the only one in the cinema and like everyone else seems to be, I'd say give this one a miss.

Trailer here.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL - various shows PART 4

Adam Rozenbachs in Eurodad - Plenty of laughs in this stand-up show which tells some hilarious tales about Adam's trip to Europe with his old man. My own old man travelled to Europe for the first time in his life at the age of 69 last year and even though I wasn't there, this all felt incredibly familiar. His dad actually steals the show with the closer - it's superb. This show is stand-up done well, a good combo of laughs and narrative but doesn't knock it out of the park like a few other shows I've seen.

Joel Creasey in The Drama Captain - this show is hilarious. Tales of a painful relationship break-up and school days as an overbearing drama captain somehow gel nicely to create this super funny show. Went with two friends to this one straight after Adam Rozenbachs and we all agreed that we preferred this one, definitely more laughs. This show got five stars in the Herald Sun & it is definitely great but maybe more like 4-4.5 for me.

Judith Lucy & Denise Scott in The Spiral - I'm a big Judith Lucy fan and I also love Denise Scott so this was a no brainer for me and I wasn't disappointed. It was an unusual format, a combination of random stand-up bits from each woman, some readings from their respective books and some dancing that words cannot describe. I'd pay $47 to see this again just for the dancing. I had tears streaming down my face. Spectacular!

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL - various shows PART 3

Lessons with Luis in Famoucity! - Got my first dud of the Festival! I was baffled by this show and hardly laughed at all. To be fair, the woman next to me was cacking herself so something in it for some obviously, but nothing in it for me. It's an unusual style, check it out here if you want to make up your own mind whether it's for you. The person who posted this video to YouTube agrees with me if their caption on it is anything to go by!

David O'Doherty in Sieze the David O'Doherty (Carpe DO'Diem) - New favourite show of the Festival! I've seen David every year for the last 4 or 5 years I think it is now and there's a reason I keep coming back. Love, love, loved this show. Consistently laughed throughout, his style is just an absolute delight to watch. I enjoyed this even more than Wil Anderson which is interesting since the Herald Sun's reviewers gave Wil 5 stars and David 3.5 - a reminder that it's horses for courses with such things. Interestingly, I saw this show with two of the friends I also saw Wil with and they both preferred David's show too. The Herald Sun review of David's show notes the absence of narrative running through it and that's true but you know what, he made me cack myself again and again, more than any show I've seen so far, and that's why I go and see shows at the Festival.