DMB - freelance film journalist

Interview with Jack Black

2011-06-29T05:03:00.000-07:00

Onitsuka trainers, Pandas and Nirvana. Just a few of the things I chatted to Jack Black about when he hit Sydney town to attend the Sydney Film Festival Australian premiere of Kung Fu Panda 2. For more Panda related awesomeness head over to Empire Online at http://www.empireonline.com.au/interviews_and_events/interview.asp?IID=1000000492.

Interview with J.J. Abrams

2011-06-29T04:52:00.000-07:00

When J.J. Abrams landed in Sydney to promote his excellent new film Super 8, I talked to the Star Trek rejuvenator about working with Steven Spielberg, casting the kids and making such a Super flick. Head over to Empire Online at http://www.empireonline.com.au/reviews/review.asp?FID=1000001655 to read my review.

What's The Frequency Kenneth?

2011-05-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I was lucky enough to chat with Kenneth Brannagh when he was in Sydney to promote Thor. I also spoke to two of the film's stars Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Jaimie Alexander (Sif). To watch the full interviews head over to http://www.empireonline.com.au/interviews_and_events/interview.asp?IID=1000000448

I Spit On Your Grave Q&A

2011-03-23T02:40:00.000-07:00

To launch this year's A Night of Horror Film Festival and celebrate the Australian release of the original I Spit On Your Grave and the 2010 remake on Blu-ray and DVD, I took part in a Q&A session with director Meir Zarchi on stage after a screening of the sparkling new print of the 1978 "classic". The film is still an ordeal to sit through but chatting with Meir certainly gave the audience a new perspective on one of the most infamous video nasties.

The A Night Of Horror festival, based at the Dendy Newtown, features a splattering of the latest horror films including the premiere of the internet funded The Tunnel, the Australian premiere of David Blyth's Wound, the 3D chiller Hybrid and the charmingly titled Dead Hooker In A Trunk and the world premiere of #12. I'm a judge at the festival along with Ozploitation producer extraordinaire Anthony I. Ginnane and Steve Kastrissios - director of the excellent The Horseman. For ticket details head to www.anightofhorror.com. See you there!

The Hobbit Press Conference

2011-02-20T03:31:00.000-08:00

Last week I was lucky enough to travel to Wellington, New Zealand to attend the press conference and unveiling of many of the cast of The Hobbit including Martin Freeeman, James Nesbitt and Richard Armitage. Here's some footage of the press conference, listen out for me...

This Weeks Radio News

2010-11-10T22:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week on the radio. I produced this weeks Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7FM. The show included my review of Robert Rodriguez's Mex-ploitaion schlock-fest Machete starring Danny Trejo, Don Johnson, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba and Steven Seagal plus chats about George Clooney in Anton Corbijn's The American and the terrors of Jackass 3D. I also reviewed Machete this morning on Campbelltown FM and will be doing the same tomorrow morning on Classic Rock FM so tune in to 95.3FM at 7:50am if you are in Sydney. I'm also on ABC Balarat 107.9FM tomorrow around 10:15am. I'll be talking once again - shock, horror! - about Machete plus The American and Jonathan Lynn's Wild Target. I was lucky enough to chat to the Yes, Minster scribe this week, the results are over at www.empireonline.com.au. You can also read my recent interviews with FX genius Greg Nicotero and The Social Network writer Aaron Sorkin.

Update time!

2010-10-05T03:49:00.000-07:00

After a long blogging silence I'm back with an update of what has been happening of late.

Things have been busy but wonderful at Empire Magazine. In recent months I've been lucky enough to interview a couple of personal heroes. As a huge fan of Halloween, TheThing, Gremlins and The Howling I was thrilled to chat to John Carpenter and Joe Dante. I also have interviewed the likes of Dolph Lundgren and Jonah Hill. To keep up-to-date with the latest movie news, reviews and interviews head to www.empireonline.com.au.

It's been a busy time on the radio. I've been appearing regularly on-air on Cinemascape on Eastside FM, the morning show on Campbelltown FM and the morning show on ABC Ballarat.

Anyone who rents discs at Blockbuster can read my DVD reviews in the monthly InterAction magazine. Even if you don't, pop in and grab a copy or head to http://www.blockbuster.com.au/extras/magazine-archive to download a copy.

Keep on reading for my news on my freelance writing and radio appearances.

The Loved Ones Poster Quote

2010-07-18T05:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the new poster for the fabulous Aussie horror film The Loved Ones with a quote from yours truly..."Pretty in Pink meets Wolf Creek. The film is out in Oz on September 30th and lucky Londoners can catch the film at a screening at this years Frightfest.

The Waiting City Review on Cinemascape

2010-07-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

After a few months off line I'm back. It may have been quiet on the internet front but there has been no sign of radio silence. As a case in point this Thursday I'll be reviewing the new Australian film The Waiting City on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. The films stars Radha Mitchell and Joel Edgerton as a feuding couple waiting in Kolkata, India to meet the child they are about to adopt. As well as Cinemascape I'm now Empire Magazine's morning show film guy on C91.3 FM so if you are in the Campbelltown area tune in on Thursdays in to hear my thoughts on the latest film releases. This week I'll be reviewing Christopher Nolan's Inception.

Kick Ass review on Cinemascape

2010-04-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

Today I graced the airwaves on two Sydney radio stations. As usual I produced this weeks Cinemascape on Eastside FM. The show featured reviews of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Mic Macs, Philippe Lioret's Welcome plus my thoughts on Matthew Vaughn's fantastic Kick Ass. Cinemascape is now broadcast Australia wide through the Community Radio Network so tune in to your local radio station and find out if they broadcast the show. I also started a new regular spot on C91.3 FM's Morning Show. Today I reviewed the 3D remake of Ray Harryhausen's Clash of the Titans and the teen comedy She's Out of Your League. Tune in every week just after 10AM.

EMPIRE Strikes Back

2010-03-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

In a bit of incredibly exciting news this week sees me take on the position of Senior Editor at Empire Magazine here in Sydney. To keep up-to-date with the latest film reviews, movie news, trailers and interviews head over to www.empireonline.com.au

How to Train Your Dragon review - Cinemascape

2010-03-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

This Thursday I'll be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show features reviews of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Five Minutes of Heaven and my thoughts on the latest 3D animated film How to Train Your Dragon. Tune in at 11:30 to hear the show. In other radio related news..Over the last few weeks I have also been reviewing films on Adelaide's leading AM breakfast show on Fiveaa and passed judgment on Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and the Oscar winning The Blind Side.

Daybreakers review on Cinemascape

2010-02-03T15:52:00.001-08:00

Today at 11:30am I'll be producing this weeks Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7fm. The show features reviews of Precious: based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, Being in Heaven plus my thoughts on the Speirig brothers Daybreakers. Set in a neon lit future where vampirism is norm, blood supplies are dwindling and the human race is on the brink of extinction. An artificial blood supply seems like the only answer but will it sate the bloodsucker's hunger for fresh plasma? The sibling's modern take on the vampire genre has attracted a stellar line up of Hollywood star power, mixed with the cream of Aussie talent, including Ethan Hawke, Wilem Dafoe and Claudia Karvan. To hear my review of the bloodiest film ever shot in Australia tune in today.

Fantastic Mr Fox review on Cinemascape

2010-01-20T22:03:00.000-08:00

Last week I reviewed Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr Fox on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7FM. Anderson's loving paean to the golden age of stop motion animation works miracles with Roald Dahl's source material and is a joy to behold from beginning to tail end. The vocal work from the likes of George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Bill Murray is top draw and Jason Schwartzman is fabulous as Mr Fox's moody teenage son Ash. His performance perfectly sums up the films delirious ethos; this is a classic Wes Anderson film that just happens to be performed by talking, animated foxes. Cussing fantastic!! The show is broadcast around Australia via the Community Radio Network so stay tuned.

A look back at 2009

2009-12-27T02:14:00.000-08:00

As 2009 draws to an end it has certainly been a crazy end to the decade. As publishers rise and fall is has been a tough time for the freelance writer so I have been thrilled with some of my recent collaborations.

The latest magazine to feature my work is InterAction; the new incarnation of the monthly Blockbuster Video magazine in which I review the latest DVD and Blu Ray releases. I have also contributed to www.rottentomatoes.com as well as continuing my affiliations with Filmink, Drum Media, www.cinephilia.net.au and www.digitalretribution.com.

I have continued to review films and act as a producer on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM and have recently passed judgment on Where the Wild Things Are and Paranormal Activity. After a couple of weeks of specials we will be back on the air in the new year so stay tuned.

I've been lucky enough to interview the likes of John Woo, Let the Right One In director Tomas Alfredson, Pusher trilogy director Nicolas Winding Refn, Jason Bateman, Christophe Waltz, Diane Kruger & Kristen Bell. The biggest thrill, however, was reserved for my chance to chat with one of my favorite directors Quentin Tarantino. In Australia for Inglourious Basterds media junket we chatted about David Bowie, German cinema and gun totting film critics. His appearance at Popcorn Taxi's Dark Age screening was one of the highlights of the year.

My favorite films of the year were Let The Right One In, The Wrestler and Inglourious Basterds so it was an absolute pleasure to talk to many of the filmmakers involved those film. What 2010 will bring, who knows, but I have a big announcement I'll be able to make soon on a very exciting project I will be involved in. Keep em peeled for more news soon. Happy New Year!

Antichrist review on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM

2009-11-22T03:46:00.000-08:00

Last week on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM I reviewed Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist. There are few films in recent memory that can match the harrowing experience of sitting in a theatre and watching Von Trier’s bloody, nauseating, disturbing nightmare. The director has claimed that the film was a guttural outpouring that screamed from his body after a period of deep depression and after watching the film clear almost half the audience at the screening I attended you do have to worry about the mental state of the director.

Telling the story of a couple who are traumatized by the death of their young child the film who dies while the couple are having sex. She, an amazing performance by Charlotte Gainsbourg, is grief stricken beyond belief. Her child killed as she was experiencing exquisite pleasure. He, played by Willem Dafoe, a physiologist by trade, takes his wife to a woodlands cottage, the place she is most terrified of to try and help her deal with the dark demons that have now overwhelmed her life.

The visuals are stunning from the over indulgent, black and white, slow motion operatic opening to the breathtaking creepy woodlands; this is one of the most visually beautiful films seen this year. This beauty, however, will be overshadowed by the unflinchingly grotesque denouement as the couples already fragile relationship turns to violence and self mutilation. For this reason Antichrist remains a very hard film to recommend. While it is a bravura piece of film making recalling Gaspar Noé’s Irréversible and Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession in terms of the effect sickening imagery; Von Trier pushes boundaries rarely scene and in one particular moment gives us a sickening cinematic first. Approach with caution, anyone easily offended stay away but if you are fascinated by cinema that takes it’s audience to the emotional limit, Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist is an extraordinary experience.

News update

2009-11-02T04:14:00.000-08:00

Here's long overdue update of what has been happening over the last month or so. I was lucky to hit the red carpet for the Australian premiere of Couples Retreat and grabbed a few words with director Peter Billingsley and two of the films stars Kristen Bell and Jason Bateman. The full report appears at www.rollcreditsonline.com.

My interview with Steven Sheil, the director of the deliciously grim Mum and Dad appears at www.anightofhorror.com as part of my regular blog. The festival team are currently running the inaugural Fantastic Planet Science Fiction Festival in Syndey. I'll be interviewing one of the festivals international guests Kurando Mitsukake, the director of Samurai Avenger: Blind Wolf.

Publication wise I have a large feature on the making of the Ozpolitation classic Turkey Shoot appearing soon in issue #162, my set report on the making of the Spierig brothers forthcoming Aussie vampire film Daybreakers will feature soon in Filmink and my first Top Ten has recently appeared at Rotten Tomatoes with a look at the Top Ten Angels and Demons in movies. Also check out the new look www.cinephilia.net.au for my cult DVD reviews.

Moon review on Cinemascape - Eastside 89.7 FM

2009-10-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

This week I produced the Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM. As well as discussion on Bruce Willis in Surrogates and Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, the show featured my review of Duncan Jones’ amazing debut feature Moon starring Sam Rockwell and the voice of Kevin Spacey. Channeling Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull’s Silent Running and Peter Hyam’s Outland, Jones shows a supremely deft hand in depicting the frailty of the human spirit when faced with the total solitude of space. Using old school FX and winning performances from Sam Rockwell as his multiple selves, the focus is on story telling and characterisation rather than pyrotechnics and showy CGI and the restraint works wonders. One of the best films of the year and the finest science fiction film in recent memory. Moon is out of this world.

Che review on Cinemascape - Eastside 89.7 FM

2009-09-30T05:46:00.000-07:00

This Thursday at 11:30am I'll be appearing on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show. I'll be passing judgment on Steven Soderbergh's Che Parts One & Two starring Benicio Del Toro as Che Guevara, the Argentian revolutionary whose heroics in Cuba created a counterculture icon who's visage is still adorning T-Shirts to this day. Tune in to hear my review.

Anvil: The Story of Anvil

2009-09-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

This Thursday I'll once again be producing Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show. This week will feature my review of the fabulous documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil plus discussion on Joe Wright's The Soloist starring Robert Downey Jnr and Jamie Foxx and the self proclaimed 'Rocky of our Generation' Fighting. Tune in at 11:30 am to listen to the show.

The Taking of Pelham 123

2009-09-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'll once again be appearing on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. On this weeks show I'll be reviewing Tony Scott's remake of the 70s classic The Taking of Pelham 123 starring John Travolta and Denzel Washington. The show also includes dicussion on The Young Victoria starring Emily Blunt and Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock.

Inglorious Basterds review on the airwaves

2009-08-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

This week I'll be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show will include reviews of The September Issue and Balibo, recent winner of best film at the Brisbane Film Festival, and my thoughts on Quentin Tarantino's long awaited World War II epic Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino's men on a mission adventure will confound many; gun toting film critcs, double agent actresses and German Propaganda cinema are not normally found in war films but the director's love of cinema shines through in every frame. The performances from Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Mélanie Laurent are excellent and Tarantino's use of music, in particular classic Morricone cuts and Cat People (Putting Out the Fire) by David Bowie is masterful. As he says "This ain't your daddy's World War II movie," and Tarantino's multi lingual Macaroni Combat, while paying tribute to the likes of The Dirty Dozen, Where Eagles Dare and Castellari's original Inglorious Basterds, is unlike any war movie you have seen before. The films opening scene, including a hommage to The Good, The Bad & the Ugly, and the now infamous bar scene are beautifully created steadily building tension while taking their time unfolding the plot. Inglorious Basterds may not have the instant pop culture quotability of Pulp Fiction but this is yet another brilliant addition to Tarantinos arsenal of work. To hear my review tune in this Thursday at 11:30AM.

Melbourne International Film Festival

2009-08-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend in Melbourne for MIFF; the Melbourne International Film Festival. The festival features three weeks of films including a plethora of controversial films, some that were shown and others that were pulled in a flurry of publicity.

Lars Von Triers Antichrist and Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs are almost guaranteed mass walk outs but more chaos was caused when Chinese hackers crashed the website escalating tensions over a visit here by Rebiya Kadeer, the exiled leader of the Uighur minority, who was featured in the documentary Ten Conditions of Love. Online bookings for the Melbourne International Film Festival had to be shut down after the site was bombarded with phony purchases which resulted in the entire program being sold out. This was after Looking For Eric was pulled by director Ken Loach protesting over the festival support of Israeli cinema.

Luckily I was there for a jam packed few days that kicked off with an enthralling interview with Nicolas Winding Refn; the director of the Pusher series and the film that won the prize at this year’s Sydney Film Festival, Bronson.

Duncan Jones’ Moon provided the first viewing pleasure of the trip and what a trip it was. Starring Sam Rockwell and the voice of Kevin Spacey, this is a beautifully judged piece of modern science fiction taking in elements of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Silent Running. The story of lunar loneliness and the fragility of mankind is an amazing debut feature. The performances, the script, the subtle use of FX, Clint Mansell’s excellent score; Moon is bound for top ten lists at the end of the year.

Then it was off to see the newly restored print of Richard Lowenstein's Dogs in Space starring the late Michael Hutchence. From the opening queue for Bowie tickets, the singer's 1978 Stage tour, to the final slow motion walk to the heaven bound limo, this was an entertaining blast from the past that vividly captured a moment in Australian post punk culture. The script was developed from Lowenstein's own experiences and the central character Sam is based on Sam Sejavka from the band The Ears, with whom Lowenstein lived in the 1970's. This was the only time that many of the band’s shown performing were ever captured on film and Hutchence stole every scene he was in, despite barely saying a word. After the screening Lowenstein joined star Saskia Post plus some of his original house mates including Sejavka.

The next day was Inglourious Basterds day starting with an interview with this year’s winner of best actor at the Cannes Film Festival, Christoph Waltz. After that I talked Bowie, pipes and Basterds with Tarantino himself and had a few words with Diane Kruger on the red carpet. The World War II epic, branded as Jewish revenge porn by one of the stars Eli Roth, is fantastic. Gun toting film critics, German propaganda cinema and double agent actresses don’t normally feature in your average war film but Tarantino works his script writing magic, in German and French, with his usual prowess. The opening scene and the now legendary bar meeting are perfectly judged examples of restraint as they ratchet up the tension. Waltz earned his best actor nod stealing the show as The Jew Hunter Col. Hans Landa and Brad Pitt has fun with Lt Aldo Raine, the head of the 'Basterds' on a mission to blow up a cinema frequented by the Führer and his Nazi cronies. How truthful it is to history you’ll have to see but as the director says, "My characters changed the outcome of the war, that didn't happen, because my characters didn't exist, but if they had existed, everything in the film is fairly plausible." Tarantino was interviewed on stage by comedian John Safran prior to the screening.

Finally we ended with the British ‘hoody’ horror Eden Lake starring Michael Fassbinder and Kelly Reilly. This was a fabulous little Brit horror film showing how grim it can get North of the River when the British youth push things too far.

My last day in Melbourne gave me a chance to have a chat with Jonathan Auf Der Heide, the director of Van Dieman’s Land, which I caught last month at the Sydney Film Festival. Keep posted for news of where my interviews will appear.

Public Enemies

2009-07-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

This morning at 11:30am I produced Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show featured reviews of John Woo’s epic Red Cliff, Chéri reuniting director Stephen Frears and Michelle Pfeiffer and I passed judgment on Michael Mann’s excellent Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.

Sydney Film Festival round-up

2009-07-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

Here’s my long overdue round up of this year’s Sydney Film Festival, the event may have been reduced to 12 days but they certainly packed in a plethora of entertaining films to keep even the most discerning film goer satisfied in the cold Sydney Winter.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee featured an all star cast including Robin Wright Penn as the eponymous Pippa. It’s almost impossible to imagine how director Rebecca Miller could go wrong with line up including Alan Arkin, the stunning Monica Bellucci and Julianne Moore. The film was a gentle but entertaining journey through a fascinating life that had become stagnant. The film also coaxes a decent performance out of Keanu Reeves.

A Good Man was one of the huge surprises of the festival, one of those rare life affirming films that manages to be moving, poignant and hilarious. The documentary follows the life of Chris, a down to earth Aussie farmer whose wife Rachel suffers a stroke few weeks after they discover they are pregnant. Despite the fact that she loses all control of her body apart from her eyes the couple have get married, have children and continue a loving relationship. As his farm and finances take a plunge, however, he decides to invest a new project to raise money for his farm, he builds and opens a brothel.

The Canadian shocker Pontypool opened like a vintage John Carpenter film. Claustrophobic, brooding and ominous, the atmosphere created by director Bruce McDonald ratcheted up every inch of tension but unfortunately the film didn’t manage to maintain its grip. Set in small town radio station, the film follows the gradual discovery of a horrific, unseen, event taking place while Grant Mazzy broadcasts his morning show. As the shocking truth gradually reveals itself to the DJ and his production team, their panic is palpable until you actually discover what the truth is. It’s fair to say that the plots of most horror films often lean towards the ridiculous but for Pontypool it asks a huge leap of faith from the audience that just isn’t remotely believable and the film lost any tension it had built up.

As a huge fan of the Pusher trilogy, Bronson was on my must see list the moment I read through the festival program and it most certainly did not disappoint. From its astounding central performance to the breathtaking visuals created by the director this is the prison movie that Stanley Kubrick never made. The use of overwhelming classical cues, stark stately backgrounds and shocking moments of savage violence recall A Clockwork Orange as the story of Britain’s most violent criminal unfolds before you.

Although much of its thunder had been stolen by Lucky Miles director Michael James Rowland’s ABC telemovie The Final Confessions of Alexander Pearce, there was much to enjoy in Jonathan auf der Heide’s Van Diemens Land. Taking an ultra realistic approach and benefiting greatly from the beautiful cinematography of Ellery Ryan. Talking of stunning visuals Zift, made in Bulgaria, was beautiful to behold, despite its brutal subject matter. The stunning black and white photography filled up the scope framing with beautiful image after beautiful image and definitely benefited from being viewed on the big screen.

My favourite film of the festival so far was Michael Jai White and Scott Sanders’s Black Dynamite. The loving homage to the blackploitation genre of the 70s fused Superfly, Shaft and Dolemite and stuck it to the man with a hilarious comedy full of jive talking turkeys, afros, flares, kung fu. It’s the best spoof since the Zucker’s took flight with Airplane. Another hugely entertaining surprise was Gustave de Kervern & Benoît Delépine’s Louise Michel, a pitch black tale of murder, hitmen and two very lonely and bizarre characters drawn together when a angry group of usurped staff decide to hire a hitman to kill their ex-boss. The week did, however, end with two disappointments with Catheine Breillat’s turgid Bluebeard and David Caesar uninspiring Prime Mover. The latter a particular frustration as Michael Dorman and Emily Barclay both give their all in the lead roles.

Woo’s Red Cliff, is the biggest film ever made in China. With a storyline that moulded the country as we know it, this is a bravura piece of filmmaking. The final on screen battle, lasting over 45 minutes, is breathtaking, a flaming sea of fire, hundreds of extras, explosions, flying arrows, much slow motion heroism, throat slashing mayhem, blood letting galore and a cup of tea that changed the face of the country forever. A long heart felt project. Woo looked thrilled to be introducing the edited ‘Western’ version of the film, the Eastern version came in two parts running over 5 hours. As he told us on the red carpet, “Red Cliff is about the epic battle fort in China almost two thousand years ago. It’s a heroic adventure but it also has a theme of friendship, love and courage and that’s what we really need in movies nowadays.”

Pitch black comedy came in the unlikely form of Tony Manero. A Chilean film about a middle aged man obsessed with John Travolta’s character in Saturday Night Fever. From taking part in a television look a like contest to hosting his own dance ‘spectacular’ he will stop at nothing to live his dream. When a cinema stops showing his favourite film and replaces it with Travolta’s other 70s dance sensation Grease he kills the projectionist. The film’s understated style and realistic performances only add to this off kilter comedy.

Teri Hatcher hit the red carpet to promote Henry Selick’s Coraline, working the press and keeping the hoards of autograph hunters happy. “I think it’s a classic fairy tale but at the same time it’s fresh, maybe even twisted. Coraline becomes a hero and a real role model as she has to save her family and bring them back together.” She adds, “I had a great time. Henry Selick, the director, is amazing; it was just a lot of fun. When I finally got to see it, I couldn’t believe I had a chance to be in it, I’m very proud.”

The winner of this year’s audience prize was Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Five Minutes in Heaven. Starring Liam Neeson and James Nesbit, the filmed followed two lives that were inextricably linked after a young member of the IRA cold bloodedly kills to make his name. Years later Neeson plays the murderer and Nesbit, the brother of the diseased. Both have demons to exorcise and a meeting is set up to be filmed for television. The film’s masterstroke is the exploration of how reality shows and interviews can deeply affect the subject. The performances, from both leads, are extraordinary and after the hiccup that was The Invasion, Hirschbiegel shows that Downfall was no flash in the pan.

Ted Kotcheff’s restored Wake in Fright was amazing on the big screen. Thought lost, since 1972, until it was found in a skip in Pittsburgh; the Canadian director’s harrowing look into Aussie life in the outback shows a side of the nations countrymen that most Aussies would like to forget existed. Kotcheff, the man who gave us First Blood and Weekend at Bernie’s was in attendance along with actor Jack Thompson and the films editor, the man who led a one man crusade to find the film, Tony Buckley. The trio also took part in a very entertaining interview session.

The last day was jam packed including the excellent Roman Polanski documentary Wanted & Desired and a complete screening of Steven Soderbegh’s Ché which has just been reviewed on this site. On the big screen the epic production thrills, exasperates, stuns and bores. Soderberg has to be commended for this mammoth undertaking and the scenes of guerrilla warfare are expertly executed. Del Toro was fabulous as the titular hero but you left the film feeling you still didn’t really know much about the man behind the face that launched a million T-Shirts in the 70s. A valiant effort but no Cuban cigar!

Dead Snow was a joy from beginning to end. Harking back to the gory days of early Sam Raimi and Pete Jackson; the film took a group of Norwegian twenty somethings and introduced them to a platoon of defrosted Nazi zombies. The juxtaposition of the bloody attacks and gratuitous plasma against the icy mountains and brilliant white snow was beautifully judged and with severed tongue firmly in cheek this was the perfect way to end the festival. Those not in the know headed to the State Theatre for the closing gala screening of An Education.

Quentin Tarantino heads down under

2009-07-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

The arrival of Quentin Tarantino to Australian shores just gets more exciting by the minute. If the Australian premiere of Inglourious Basterds at MIFF wasn’t enough he has now joined forces with Popcorn Taxi for a very special event. He is bringing over his own print, in fact the only known in existence, of the Ozploitation killer crocodile classic Dark Age. He will introduce the screening and conduct a Q&A after the film with stars John Jarratt and Nikki Coghill. The event takes place on Tuesday August 4th in the art deco surroundings of the Cremorne Orpheum, for ticket details head to www.popcorntaxi.com.au. Talking of Melbourne International Film Festival I’ll be heading down to the city for the Inglourious Basterds premiere and will be having a few words with the great man as well as interviewing one of the film’s stars Christoph Waltz. Come back soon for lots more MIFF interview news.

Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince

2009-07-21T04:36:00.000-07:00

This week on Cinemascape I'll be reviewing Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince; not that my opinion will have much effect in this instance as the film has been smashing box office records where ever it opens. The show also features reviews of My Life in Ruins with Nia Valdalos and The Escapist starring Brian Cox. Tune in to Eastside 89.7 fm at 11:30am this Thursday to listen to the show.

Brüno

2009-07-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today on Eastside 89.7fm I produced Cinemascape and reviewed Sasha Baron Cohen's Brüno. Once again delving into his comedic past, he now plays the flamboyant gay fashionista Brüno who aims to become the most famous Austrian since Hitler. As in Borat, Cohen is at his best when testing the often shocking views and values of those around him and despite myself I must admit I laughed all the way through. To go into anymore detail would spoil much of the humour, it is definitely one of those films you do not want to hear anything about before you see it. The show also featured reviews of documentary Every Little Step and Last Ride starring Hugo Weaving. It's been a busy few weeks and last week I forgot to post that I also reviewed the marvellous Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs on the show.

Land of the Lost

2009-06-11T04:14:00.000-07:00

Today marks the Australian release of Land of the Lost. A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be part of the Land of the Lost press frenzy that took place before the film’s World Premiere in Sydney. In the afternoon I interviewed director Brad Silberling about the film and his previous work on Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events and Casper. He had only handed over the final film days before and was in high spirits prior to the main event. Then in the evening I walked the red carpet and entered the press pit to have a chat with the film’s star Will Ferrell who seemed thrilled to be part of the film, a remake of the old 70s TV show. “When I heard the premise that they were going to ignore the kitsch style special effects and go for the realistic ones and play the comedy off of those it sounded like a lot of fun to me.”

“It was Will,” pipes in Silberling. “At some point Will was talking to a couple of friends and he, like I, was an original viewer of the show. His manager and producing partner Jimmy Miller tried to sort out how to get the rights to the show to potentially adapt it. It was just circumstance that I got involved; Will and I have known each other for a very long time but have never worked together. I was writing a piece and had a role in mind for Will, we were just having lunch. He said OK, I want to talk to you about Land of the Lost. He wanted to make the movie and there was also a threatened SAG strike. I had been an avid watcher but hadn’t set eyes on the show for thirty five years. It was fantastic when he told me, I just started cracking up. My memory bank immediately refilled with the images that stayed with me. The concept of taking a comedic sensibility and then selfishly harnessing the elements of the show that we remembered was kind of fantastic.”

It’s obvious the pair have an innate love for the source material but after last weeks US box office results it seems that the money paying public are not wearing the same rose tinted glasses. It will be interesting to see if the casting of Ferrell had a detrimental effect on viewers but it seems that those who loved the show do not want to see the Old School comic messing with their childhood memories. Ferrell does, however, finish by talking about his proposed Sherlock Holmes project with Sasha Baron Cohen that you would have though would have run out of steam following the soon to be released escapades of Robert Downey Jr and Guy Ritchie, “We just met a couple of weeks ago, just trying to figure out if we can still do it. We have both been so busy so we probably wouldn’t have a chance to do something until next year.”

I also reviewed the film today on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM for anyone living in the Sydney area.

Check out www.rollcreditsonline.com & www.cinemaretro.com for more Land of the Lost.

Eternal Sunshine of the Academic Mind: Essays on Religion and Film

2009-06-03T05:15:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember I chaired a Q & A last year at the University of Sydney symposium entitled Eternal Sunshine of the Academic Mind. I was asked to write the epilogue for the recently published journal for the event on religion and cult films and it is now online at http://escholarship.usyd.edu.au/journals/index.php/SSR/index so please head to the site and check it out.

Gomorrah

2009-05-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

This Thursday at 11:30am I'll be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7FM. This weeks show includes my review of the highly acclaimed Gomorrah along with discussion on Seth Rogan's Observe & Report and Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York. Tune in if you are the Sydney area.

Popcorn Taxi - Acolytes Photos

2009-05-19T04:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photographs from the Popcorn Taxi Acolytes screening I hosted in March this year. I conducted an on stage Q&A with the films director Jon Hewitt and one of the stars of Acolytes, Michael Dorman. Anyone with an interest in cinema based in Sydney or Melbourne should keep on checking www.popcorntaxi.com.au for forthcoming events. Newly announced screenings include State of Play with a Q&A with director Kevin McDonald and Bananz with a chat with director Ceri Levy.

All photographs (c) Popcorn Taxi & Will Reichelt.

Angels & Demons

2009-05-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning at 11:30 I will be appearing on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. This week the show will feature reviews of J.J. Abram's Star Trek, Defiance starring Daniel Craig and my thoughts on Angels & Demons, the sequel to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code; once again directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks. Tune in!

The Baader Meinhof Complex

2009-05-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

At 11:30am today I’ll be reviewing Uli Edel’s amazing The Baader Meinhof Complex on Cinemascape. Harking back to the gritty political thrillers of the Seventies the film tells the story of the rise and fall of the infamous Red Army Faction which rose against the German Government in the late Sixties organizing bombings, robberies, kidnappings and assassinations. The action is expertly handled, in particular a recreation of the riot that welcomed the Shah of Iran on the streets of Berlin; an event in history that marked the moment that the Baader-Meinhof gang truly united . Spanning a decade, this is a film of breathtaking vision and scope that doesn’t pull any punches. It's a pleasure to see Edel return to the sort of form he showed with his earlier film's like Christiane F and Last Exit to Brooklyn. To hear my full review along with discussion of John Polson’s Tenderness and Christophe Barratier’s Paris 36 tune in to Eastside 89.7 FM.

Latest news

2009-05-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few weeks so here's a round up of what's been happening. The last issue of Filmink Magazine featured my set report on Jon Hewitt's Acolytes along with my interview and profile of one the film's young Hanna Mangan-Lawrence. The next issue will also feature my in depth chat with Ted. V. Mikels, the idiosyncratic director of The Astro Zombies and The Doll Squad, about his films, his bizarre life living in a castle with seven wives and how he maintains his extraordinary moustache.

Drum Media will soon be featuring my interviews with actor Garry Waddell about his debut performance in the infamous Pure S**t, the Australian feature that was banned in 1975 for it's graphic depictions of heroin abuse and Natalie Basingthwaighte, the ex lead singer of Rogue Traders and host of So You Think You Can Dance about her own chainsaw weilding feature debut in the horror film Prey. It will be interesting to see how the actress's family friendly image will deal with the much rumored lesbian shower scene and excessive gore. Check out www.prey-thefilm.com for more details regarding the film's release.

I have also started writing for the new UK website Roll Credits, the new site edited by my old Film Review editor Nikki Baughan, my first article being a preview of this years SFF. This years festival is already shaping up nicely with screenings of Henry Selick's Coraline, John Woo's Red Cliff, the Canadian horror flick Pontypool and Armando Iannucci's In the Loop. The full line up will be announed on May 13th.

Keep on checking www.cinephilia.net.au and www.digital-retribution.com for my DVD reviews.

Dragonball Evolution

2009-04-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

This morning I will be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show features reviews of Fast & Furious, once again starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, the genre bending JCVD and my thoughts on the live action adaptation of the hugely popular Japanese manga Dragonball Evolution starring Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun Fat, James Marsters and Eriko Tamura. Tune in at 11:30am to hear the show.

The Boat That Rocked

2009-04-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'll be once again gracing the airwaves on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. This weeks show includes discussion on Adam Elliot's stop motion feature Mary & Max, the latest Dreamworks animated epic Monsters Vs Aliens and my review of the new Richard Curtis comedy The Boat That Rocked. The film follows the trials and tribulations of 1966 pirate radio station Radio Rock and features a huge cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Rhys Darby, Kenneth Brannagh and Nick Frost. Tune in at 11:30am to hear if the film sinks or swims on the strengths of the talent involved.

Mike Patton sings Danger Diabolik

2009-04-10T02:57:00.000-07:00

As a huge fan of Mario Bava's Danger: Diabolik I just had to share this You Tube clip of Mike Patton performing the Ennio Morricone penned theme tune Deep Deep Down, originally sung by Christy. The track, seen here played in concert in Amsterdam with a full choir and orchestra, will form part of Mondo Cane, an upcoming album by Patton, Aldo Sisillo and Roy Paci, featuring live and studio recordings of Italian pop covers from the 50s & 60s. After the fabulous Fantômas The Director's Cut album, I must admit I'm looking forward to this one.

A Night of Horror Film Festival

2009-03-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

This Thursday marks the opening night of Sydney’s A Night of Horror festival. The event runs for just over a week concluding on Friday April 3^rd with a screening of Toby Wilkins’ much heralded Splinter. The opening night features Brøken, the sophomore effort from Sean Ellis, followed by the Green Carpet Sydney premiere of I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer. I will be hosting a Q&A on stage with the creative force behind the film Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds so please come along for a bit of gory cricketing fun. The festival also includes an extensive short film programme and a wealth of full bloodied features including Mum and Dad, Family Demons, Midnight Movies and Reel Zombies. For full screening details and ticket information please head to www.anightofhorror.com. Don’t forget to check out my festival blog while you’re there.

POPCORN TAXI - STOP PRESS

2009-03-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

Actor Michael Dorman has been added to the line up for the Popcorn Taxi screening of Jon Hewitt's Acolytes. The actor, best known for his performances in West and Suburban Mayhem, has a busy year ahead in the horror genre with Acolytes, the Spierig brother's Daybreakers and Christopher Smith's Triangle all being released in the coming months. The actor will be joining the director on stage for some, hopefully, lively discussion with yours truely. Tickets are available at www.popcorntaxi.com.au and the event kicks off at 7pm at the Greater Union Bondi Junction.

Acolytes - Popcorn Taxi screening

2009-03-04T03:24:00.000-08:00

On Monday 16^th March I will be hosting the Popcorn Taxi screening of Jon Hewitt’s Acolytes. I'll be interviewing Jon, live on stage, after the film along with a few yet to be announced special guests. For ticket details please head to www.popcorntaxi.com.au. The screening takes place at the Greater Union Bondi Junction and things kick off at 7pm. Hewitt's career has given us such low budget classics as Bloodlust (the only Australian film to be banned in the UK) and Redball. Having visited the set and already seen the film I can promise that the audience is in for a treat and Jon is always a fabulously irreverent interview. Please come along and say hello.

Cinemascape changes timeslot

2009-03-02T02:50:00.000-08:00

If you were tuned in to Eastside 89.7 FM last Friday you would have heard the final Cinemascape to be broadcast on Friday afternoons before the show chances timeslot. I produced the show and reviewed My Bloody Valentine in 3D, the film that brings a new dimension to the 80s slasher film. We also discussed Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Last Chance Harvey. The show will be now be aired every Thursday at 11:30am so please tune in and keep on listening.

The International

2009-02-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

Later today at 6pm on Eastside 89.7 FMs Cinemascape show I’ll be reviewing Tom Tykwer’s new Hollywood thriller The International. Starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts; the film attempts to fuse the 70s Political thriller and the director’s hyper kinetic style he developed on his breakthrough feature Run Lola Run. A timely condemnation of the banking system and how far the huge corporations will go to make money, this intriguing plotting device takes Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Watts) on a whirlwind trip around the globe, stopping of in Berlin, Madrid, Istanbul and NYC and the film’s use of locations assures the film is always visually arresting. In fact, despite the potential boredom of number crunching and banking procedures, when the film works, as in a sensational shoot out in New Yorks Guggenheim, it’s breathtaking. When it doesn’t, however, it falls father flat. The two leads try hard but are not given much to work with. Owen has played the dishevelled everyman fighting for the truth one too many times now and Watts character is given nothing to do except follow Owen’s lead. Saying that the actors are always watchable and there is enough going on to elevate The International above your standard Hollywood thriller, it’s just a shame that more of Tykwer’s Euro aesthetic didn’t shine through. For more of my thoughts tune in this evening.

Latest News

2009-02-09T03:55:00.000-08:00

A lot has been happening over the last couple of weeks so here's an update...

I hosted the running commentary for the forthcoming DVD release of I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer. I was joined by the creative team behind the film Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds to discuss the joys of filming a cricket themed slasher movie. More news on the DVD release date soon.

My interview with actor Crispin Glover, star of Back to the Future, Wild at Heart and Willard, will appear in the next issue of Smoke & Mirrors magazine and my chat with Diary of the Dead director George. A. Romero will be featured in a forthcoming issue of Drum Media.

In terms of new interviews I recently spoke to Philippe Mora, the director of Mad Dog Morgan, The Beast Within and The Howling 3: The Marsupials and Anthony. I. Ginnane, the producer of Patrick, Turkey Shoot and Fantasm.

Lastly, all you horror fans out there should check out the new Frightfest website at www.frightfest.co.uk. The new improved layout includes plenty of new features and, of course, my regular Dave Down Under blog.

Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans

2009-01-28T19:13:00.001-08:00

To close the week I'll be producing this Friday's Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7FM. The show features lively discussion on two Oscar contenders: Doubt starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour-Hoffman and Gus Van Sant's fabulous Milk, along with my review of a film that won't be making too many appearances during the award season; Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans. Tune in at 6pm to hear my thoughts.

The Wrestler

2009-01-21T23:12:00.000-08:00

This Friday I'll be reviewing Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show. I was always a fan of Mickey Rourke's earlier work, in particular Diner, Rumble Fish, Angel Heart and Year of the Dragon so when the buzz started that this was his great comeback picture my interest was aroused. Playing Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, the actor gives the performance of a lifetime. The role was made for him. A down on his luck star who's career reached huge heights but now is in the doldrums. One minute he was headlining Madison Square Garden, the next his local town hall. The parallels with his own acting career are obvious and it takes the film to heart wrenchingly emotional levels. Anyone expecting the poster boy looks that launched the career of the 'next Brando' will be in for a shock, his physical transformation is shocking, his body ravaged by age, steroids and peroxide abuse. This is a sport movie that doesn't rely on the sport. It relies on the frailty of the human spirit when it is at it's lowest ebb and the desperation people feel when they are totally alone. Aronofsky, using hand held camera work and indie film aesthetic, has made a modern masterpiece. To hear my full review tune in at 6pm.

Let the Right One In

2009-01-08T04:26:00.000-08:00

This Friday I’ll once again be appearing on Eastside 89.7 FM’s Cinemascape show. As well as discussing the new Wil Smith film Seven Pounds and the animated tale of mice and soup The Tale of Despereaux I’ll be passing judgement on the fabulous Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist the film portrays the trials and tribulations of a twelve year old boy dealing with bullies, his parents divorce, school and living next door to a vampire. Subtlety using ideas and motifs from many classics of the genre, in particular Salem’s Lot, but redefining them against the chilling, snow covered vistas of the Swedish countryside. The film brings fresh blood to the often staid and predictable vampire genre. Visually the film is stunning, from the nocturnal vampiric attacks to the final swimming pool massacre, director Thomas Alfredson shows a sure hand during even the most uncomfortable moments. The fact that it is two twelve year olds discovering love and dealing with an uncontrollable thirst for plasma only adds to the frisson and the two young leads are outstanding. One of the best horror films of recent times and terrifyingly enough already lined up for the dreaded Hollywood remake. One shudders to think who would be cast in the lead roles. Tune in at 6pm to hear my thoughts.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2008-12-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

At 6pm today I'll be producing this weeks Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show will feature lively discussion on Ron Howard's Frost/ Nixon, City of Ember as well as my review of David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I've also pre-recorded two shows being broadcast over the Christmas break so listen out for the Cinemascape review of 2008 and our preview of the film's coming out in the months during the build up to next year's Oscars ceremony. In the meantime, Happy Christmas to everyone and here's to a fabulous 2009.

Twilight

2008-12-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

Later today I'll be returning to the airwaves on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape. The show features discussion on Rob Schneider's dire Big Stan, Quarantine the US shot for shot remake of the Spanish chiller REC and I'll be reviewing the long awaited big screen adaptation of Stephenie Myers hugely successful novel Twilight. As a huge fan of bloodsuckers on screen I found the film a rather toothless affair. The film is blatantly aimed at the books original readership; these vampires are 'vegetarians' who sparkle in the sunlight, nothing there that could scare a 14 year old girl. Putting cynicism aside, this isn't aimed at the horror purest and director Catherine Hardwicke certainly brings the romance elements of the film to the fore with her tale of teenage bloodlust. It's love at first bite and Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) and the OC with fangs stylings will have it's youthful audience swooning. The inherent sensual tensions and lustful yearnings are nicely played by the leads although Pattinson's awkward opening scenes did raise many a unintended titter at the screening I attended. The filmmakers, however, do seem more intent on concentrating on the romantic aspects of the storyline, this is more Pretty in Pink than the Horror of Dracula, so the nocturnal activities of these MTV Nosferatu's seem like a tagged on afterthought. It's almost a shame they used the 'V' word at all. At least then your average cinema goer can leave their expectations, and fake fangs, at the door. To hear my review tune in tonight at 6pm.

Quantum of Solace - Sydney Premiere

2008-11-15T23:51:00.000-08:00

As dark storm clouds loom and the heavens open, nothing can dampen the spirits of the hundreds of Bond fans gathered at the Hoyts cinema deep in the heart of Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter. The city is awash with Hollywood talent this week, Ben Stiller and Chris Rock are attending the premiere of Madagascar 2 and Aussie royalty Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman will be strutting their stuff down the red carpet for the world premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s long awaited Australia but for those in the know, all eyes are on the world’s most famous spy and the Australian premiere of Quantum of Solace. The soggy contingent were not disappointed as Daniel Craig, new Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, director Marc Forster and producer Barbara Broccoli posed for photos, pressed flesh, and in Craig’s case signed body parts. If there was any uncertainty that Craig had what it takes to follow Bond’s previous incarnations there is no doubt now judging by the response he was given by his shaken and most definitely stirred fans. I was lucky enough to have a position in the press pit to witness the event and have a chat with some of the stars.

"This was a Bond for our times but I was inspired by those early Bonds,” explains director Forster as he talks about working on the film. “I did a lot of pre production to create the Bond film that I always wanted to see. We took some key moments from the early Bond films and paid homage to them or what I loved about the early Bond films and then added my vision of how I thought the Bond franchise should go forward in the future.” Not that it was only the early Bond films that influenced the helmsman, “I love action movies from the Seventies and the conspiracy thrillers of the Sixties. I also think James Cameron created some great action moments especially in Alien and The Terminator.” At first glance at Forster’s resume, Monster’s Ball and The Kite Runner, he doesn’t look like an obvious choice for a Bond film director, “It’s been an interesting journey. I like switching genres, I wouldn’t like to do these big films all of the time,” although he is rumoured to be taking the directorial reigns on the forthcoming Brad Pitt produced World War Z, “I approached the Bond film more like a character study than anything else. It was all about Daniel and Bond and his character so I tried to approach the big films in almost the same way.” You can certainly begin to see why Broccoli picked Forster to inject new blood to constantly challenge the series and keep every new film fresh. “I treated it more like an independent film, in a sense that I had to work with the Bond framework but still create my own vision which was very important to me.”

“Bond is a sexy man” purrs actress Olga Kurylenko “who has success with women.” Not that her character, Camille, succumbs to the charms of young blue eyes. This isn’t your typical Bond girl. “Well she’s a very different Bond girl. She’s very independent from Bond, she doesn’t really need him. She also not a perfect person, she’s not just a beautiful doll, she’s a real woman. It’s not about the beauty, its not about getting Bond into her bed, I think she is much more real, she’s has her own story.” Camille may seem to have a love hate relationship with Bond but Kurylenko has nothing but praise for her co star, “It was great, he was amazing, he works so hard. He really inspires you. It was a great lesson to watch him in the role of Bond.”

Finally we meet Bond himself and first thoughts are about living up to the Bond legend. This is his second Bond. After the pressures of following Monsieurs Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton and Brosnan… with Casino Royale, how does Craig think Quantum of Solace will go down with audiences? “Well time will tell won’t it?” he grins, “We’re doing well at the moment. I’m very happy with the movie. Mark Forster has crafted a beautiful film so we’ll see, that’s a question for audiences to answer, that’s not my job.” Now with Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace under his belt, "It is very rare to make a movie of this size. It was the chance to be at the top of my game," what does Craig want to bring to melting pot to make his Bond different? “It’s not that I want to make him deeply emotional. It’s just I think it is interesting to find out who he is and what he’s about. I feel it’s much more entertaining, as a movie goer, that’s what I would want to see.” Rest assured that despite this talk of emotional torment, all of the usual Bond trappings are present and correct. When asked Is there any romance left in Bond Craig gives a hint of his devilish grin, “yes,” he says with a glint in his dazzling blue eyes, “of course there is.”

Sex Drive on the radio

2008-11-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the week again. At 18:00 tonight I'll be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. This week the show includes reviews of The Wackness featuring another fabulous performance from Ben Kingsley and veteran French director Claude La Louche's new film Roman de Gare. I'll be reviewing the US teen comedy Sex Drive starring Josh Zuckerman and Amanda Crew and deciding whether the film will become the new American Pie for the Facebook generation. Tune in tonight to find out!

Watchmen in Sydney

2008-11-11T05:04:00.000-08:00

Last week proved to be a busy one; the day after my Dying Breed interviews I attended an exclusive preview of 25 minutes of Watchmen introduced by director Zack Snyder. Even after his sterling efforts on the Dawn of the Dead and 300 there has been much consternation amongst the comic book crowd over his placement as helmsman on arguably the most long awaited comic book adaptation of them all, Alan Moore’s Watchmen.

Well he proved to be both the perfect host, and on the strength of the footage we were shown, the perfect choice of director. The attention to detail is breathtaking and the comic book aesthetic created by Moore and artist David Gibbons has been painstakingly recreated, even in the unfinished state we witnessed. He waxed lyrical about each clip he showed us, setting up its position in the film. He even took time out to answer all of the audience’s questions. We started, funnily enough, at the beginning with the first 10 minutes of the film including the extraordinary opening credits showing the superheroes lives through an alternative history that shows the likes of JFK, Andy Warhol, David Bowie and The Village People brushing shoulders with our caped heroes to the dulcet tones of Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are a-Changin. We were also taken on a trip to Mars and witnessed a prison break out. If they are not already; Dr Manhattan, The Comedian, Night-Owl, Ozymandias and Rorschach will be household names come March 2009.

When questioned how the film would sell to the non comic book fanatics out there, he even managed a dig at the Hollywood studios. “Well, Iron Man, Batman and Superman had man in the title which is cool and we do too, sort of,” he laughed, “so we’re gonna go with that for one thing, people are gonna go, ‘Boom, look at that!!!’” he exclaims, “Men…..we should go see that!”

Dying Breed interviews

2008-11-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

Last week I was lucky enough to interview Leigh Whannell (Saw) and Nathan Philips (Wolf Creek) about their work in the new Australian horror film Dying Breed. Already in hot water over the film’s promotional poster; Dying Breed has caused quite a stir with its fusion of the Alexander “The Pieman” Pearce legend, the tried and trusted clichés of life in rural Tasmania and bloody cannabalistic grue. The actors obviously enjoyed coming back down under to make a good, old-fashioned gory thriller. Keep posted for news of the interviews publication in Shivers magazine.

Hunger on Cinemascape

2008-11-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

Tune in to Eastside 89.7 FM at 6pm tonight if you are in Sydney to hear me appear on the Cinemascape show. This week I'll be reviewing Steve McQueen's harrowing Hunger; the story of hunger striker Bobby Sands and his life incarcerated in the 'H' Block of the Maze Prison in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The film is a stunning piece of work; emotionally draining, beautifully shot, defiantly political and fantastically played by all of the cast, in particular Michael Fassbinder as Sands. McQueen has taken his back ground in art and used his visual aesthetic to create one of the finest examples of cinema in recent years. A masterpiece and a must see. Listen in to hear my full review.

Rocknrolla on Air!

2008-11-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

Anyone in the Sydney area who tuned into Eastside 89.7 FM last Friday at 6pm would have heard me produce the Cinemascape show. I reviewed Guy Ritchie's Rocknrolla and the program also featured discussion on Choke starring Sam Rockwell and Mirrors, the new horror film by Alexandre Aja starring Kiefer Sutherland.

Interview with Crispin Glover

2008-10-29T03:55:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Crispin Glover arrived in Sydney for two evenings of book readings, signings and screenings of his two films What is It? and It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE! at the Chauvel Cinema. I was lucky enough to interview the actor about his life and films. Here is a taster of our chat.

What was your inspiration for your films What is It? and It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE! I have heard mention of the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky?

There are four filmmakers that I was very consciously thinking a lot about while I was making What is it? These four were Luis Buñuel, Werner Herzog, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Stanley Kubrick. That is not to say there are no other filmmakers that I thought about as I am sure there were, but those four very much. I should also mention that David Lynch had agreed years ago to executive produce what will now be part three of the “IT” trilogy entitled IT IS MINE. So he also was very important in this trilogy of films and I am very grateful to him for that. On top of which Eraserhead was an extremely important film to me when I was 16 years old and I still hold that film in the highest regard.

Of all the directors you have worked with who did you learn from when making your own films?

I have enjoyed working with many directors such as David Lynch, Milos Forman, Oliver Stone, and Lasse Hallstrom, Jim Jarmusch. I always watch how directors I admire work and glean what I can from them and I have seen many other directors not listed do interesting things as well. But I certainly have learned things from watching directors that are not as renowned as the above and I have worked with directors who I will not mention by name that I have seen clearly making mistakes. I hope to have learned of things not to do from those directors not mentioned.

You’ve worked with David Lynch twice now, on Wild at Heart and Hotel Room, what was he like as an actor’s director?

David Lynch is the most specific director I have worked with in terms of psychological underpinnings of a character. This to me is the most important thing and so he a therefore a great actors director!

Did you have much input into the character of Cousin Dell?

I did, but that performance is probably the most specifically directed performance by a director I have performed, and because it was directed by such an excellent director it is one of my favourite performances of myself and I get a lot of compliments on it.

You have made a couple of excursions into the horror genre with Willard and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and have now returned to the genre with Wizard of Gore, do you enjoy horror films?

As a viewer I do not seek out the horror genre. As a performer sometimes the roles are very enjoyable roles to play. I enjoyed playing both Willard and Montag the Magnificent in the Wizard of Gore.

What was Friday the 13th like to film, especially your death scene?

I knew that in the future there would be some humor in having appeared in that film. I did not know it would have as much of a following as it still does. I remember working with Tom Savini and acting in reverse for the effect of having my face hacked with a cleaver. The cleaver was shaped like my face and pulled out. In the film it is played back in reverse. I have used reverse shots a lot in my own films for various reasons. It can be very helpful.

I loved the video to Ben, was there ever any doubt that you would rerecord the track? Do you know what Michael Jackson thinks of your version?

I do not know if Michael Jackson has heard my version of the song or not. I have not met him. The way my singing the song came about was from discussing it with Glenn Morgan the writer/director of the film. I think he sort of mentioned it in passing, but I still do not know how much he meant it at the time, but I had a record out years before called “The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution = Let It Be. I thought it was something that could work and I ended up producing the song with one of the producers from that record.

What was it like playing Andy Warhol in Oliver Stone’s The Doors?

I met and spoke with Andy Warhol at the wedding of Madonna and Sean Penn. It was right after Back to the Future had come out which he had apparently seen. I did not speak with him for so long but definitely enough to get an idea about him. He was quite nice to me. I stood back and looked at him and watched how he held himself and thought he would be an interesting person to play. I pursued the role when I heard there was an Andy Warhol role in the Doors movie. I had met Oliver Stone previously for Platoon which I was not in, but we had a good meeting and I auditioned for the role and got it. I liked working with him and it was a role which I asked for less lines than were in the script and he was OK with that. I am glad to have played that role.

You are renowned for playing eclectic characters; Layne in Rivers Edge, George McFly in Back to the Future, The Thin Man in Charlie's Angels, what attracts you to these different characters?

I have always enjoyed playing more unusual characters. Now more than me pursuing them they often are roles that are offered to me.

Body of Lies

2008-10-23T22:28:00.001-07:00

Later on today at 18.00pm on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show I'll be reviewing Ridley Scott's latest thriller Body of Lies starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Tune in to here my thoughts. The show also features discussion of the Coen brothers Burn After Reading and the new documentary about a choir of senior citizens singing numbers by The Clash and Sonic Youth, Young @ Heart.

News Update

2008-10-08T20:26:00.001-07:00

Well I’ve been off the radar for a few weeks after taking some time off to marry my beautiful bride Milli so here’s a round up of the last month or so.

Shivers Magazine featured my set reports on The Ruins and I’m presently writing up a large feature on Australian Exploitation cinema tying in with the recent release of Not Quite Hollywood. I'll also be reporting on Mark Hartley's fantastic documentary for Cinema Retro.

Talking of The Ruins, The latest Filmink features my interview with actress Jena Malone following last months preview from the set of Acolytes.

Smoke & Mirrors latest issue features my interviews with the Double Negative FX team on Guileramo Del Tor’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army and the next issue includes my interview with Keanu Reeves discussing his career, Street Kings and the forthcoming remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still.

Drum Media has featured my interview with Benjamin Gibson; the creative force and ambulance medic turned director of Son of a Lion, a preview of the recent Sydney Underground Film Festival.

I have also recently interviewed Crispin Glover about the Sydney screenings of his two directorial efforts What Is It? and It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. We also discussed his work in Wild at Heart, Friday the 13^th Part 4: The Final Chapter, Willard and his love of Werner Herzog.

As always my DVD reviews are online on www.cinephilia.net.au and www.digital-retribution.com and check out www.frightfest.co.uk for my Dave Down Under blog.

Funny Games

2008-09-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

It's Friday again and that means I'm on Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7FM. This week I'm producing the show and reviewing Michael Haneke's Funny Games. The show also features discussion on The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emporer and Ari Folman's extraordinary Waltz with Bashir. Tune in at 18.00pm.

Son of Rambow

2008-09-04T23:14:00.000-07:00

Later today I'll be reviewing the fabulous Son of Rambow on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show. Tune in at 6pm to hear my review along with discussion on In Bruges and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Talking of the big red hero, this month's Smoke & Mirrors magazine features my interview with British FX house Double Negative regarding their extensive effects work on Guilermo Del Toro's sequel.

On the air

2008-08-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

Those in the Sydney area who tuned in to Eastside 89.7 FM last Friday would have heard me on the Cinemascape show reviewing Morgan Spurlock's Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden. This week I'm producing the show as well as reviewing Marjane Satrapi's animated feature Persepolis. The show will also feature reviews of Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder and Roy Andersson's You, The Living.

Triangle set visit

2008-08-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

Filming has just wrapped in Queensland on Triangle; the latest film from producer Chris Brown. I was lucky enough to be invited up to the Sunshine State to visit the set and interview many of the cast and crew. Brown, the producer of classics like The Company of Wolves, Mona Lisa and The Proposition is becoming a one man film studio in the State having previously produced the Spierig brothers Daybreakers and it was a pleasure, as always, to chat to him about the film. Triangle is being directed by Brit Christopher Smith of Creep and Severence fame and from what we saw on set, he has another intriguing take on the horror genre in the making. Brown showed us around the set of the liner, built on The Spit on Surfers Paradise but as you can see from the picture of the producer and myself, the Sunshine State certainly didn’t live up to its name. My coverage on the making of the film will appear in Shivers near the time of the film’s release next year.

George. A. Romero at MIFF

2008-07-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

The main reason for heading down to Melbourne this past weekend was to interview one of my favourite directors George. A. Romero. The man who gave us, arguably, two of the finest horror films of all time in Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, attended the festival for a career retrospective including rare big screen outings for Martin - one of my personal favourites, Season of the Witch, The Crazies and a whole bloody load of his zombie classics. The gut munchers on display also included the long overdue Australian premiere of Diary of the Dead which the great man introduced as the front few rows of the audience looked on adoringly, caked in fake blood in their finest zombie regalia. Romero was a charming encyclopedia of horror knowledge and an absolute pleasure to meet.

I also interviewed Rusty Nails about his documentary Dead On: The Life and Cinema of George. A. Romero which was an eye opening look into the perils of low budget filmmaking and Olly Blackburn, the director of Donkey Punch, which is very much a cause celebre in the UK at present. I also attended some screenings tied in with the premiere of Not Quite Hollywood including Turkey Shoot introduced by director Brian Trenchard Smith and producer Anthony. I. Ginnane and Long Weekend with appearances by writer Everett De Roche and executive producer Richard Brennan. The afore mentioned also appeared on the Focus on Ozploitation Panel along with stuntman Grant Page and Stone producer David Hannay. Threnchard-Smith and Ginnane in particular were marvellously entertaining company reminiscing on the making of their exploitation classics while passing judgement on modern day Australian cinema…. ‘Ten Empty, more like Ten Empty cinemas!”

On a similar theme I advise all of you horror fans to head to http://www.frightfest.co.uk/ to check out my ‘Dave Down Under’ blog and also to see the incredible line up of films that Messeurs Jones, Rattray and McEvoy have lined up for this years Frightfest Festival taking place at the Odeon West End over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Tickets are on sale now but be quick, they get snapped up fast. Great to see the festival is showing the world premiere of Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer which I have championed on this site. As always, Sydney is just too far away from London!

Not Quite Hollywood

2008-07-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting Australian cinema releases this year will be Mark Hartley’s Not Quite Hollywood. A rose tinted paean back to the halcyon days of the Aussie exploitation film and an era of 'boobs, tubes and pubes...and a bit of kung fu' as the poster charmingly proclaims. Hartley has pulled together a startling array of bizarre clips from the darkest depths of Australian film history, many being seen for the first time since their original release in the 70s, especially Wake in Fright which Hartley excitedly told me is being given a deluxe restoration job by the AFI. It is also the first time in many a year that a lot of the directors and actors on show have talked about their experiences. Barry Humphries is hysterical and uber fan Quentin Tarantino shows a fan credentials coining the phrase Ozploitation for good measure. A fabulous benefit of being in Australia means I have been able to interview many of the people involved including the aforementioned Hartley, co-editor and director in his own right Jamie Blanks, Brian Trenchard Smith – director of The Man From Hong Kong, Turkey Shoot and BMX Bandits, Everett De Roche – writer of Patrick, Road Games and Long Weekend and Rod Hay – producer of Night of Fear and Inn of the Damned. I’m also arranging an interview with Hugh Keays-Byrne who starred in the classic biker movie Stone and also played Toecutter in the original Mad Max.

Not Quite Hollywood is the opening film of the Melbounre International Film Festival and I’ll be heading down for the opening weekend to catch screenings of Long Weekend and Turkey Shoot, attend the Aussie Exploitation seminar featuring many of the names mentioned above and interview Australian stuntman extraordinaire Grant Page who made many of these action packed thrillers look so good. The Australian Centre for the Moving Image will be screening a slew of Ozploitation classics throughout the festival so for the brave among you, check out http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/

Meet Dave

2008-07-23T04:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you in Sydney I’ll be producing the Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM at 6pm. This week the show includes reviews of The X- Files: I Want to Believe, Up the Yangtze and my review of the Eddie Murphy comedy Meet Dave. Murphy plays the miniature alien captain of a spaceship, also played by a giant Eddie Murphy. He is visiting earth to recover a strange device that will drain earth of it's oceans but will save his own planet. I was always a huge fan of Murphy’s early career including Delirious, Raw and Trading Places. To be honest his last great comedy performance was Bowfinger with Steve Martin and he was worth the praise he garnered in Dreamgirls but his career has taken a nose dive with rubbish like Norbit, Daddy Day Care and The Nutty Professor 2. In Meet Dave he shows a glint of the comedy genius of his early years while still maintaining the overly saccharin family values that have blighted his recent work. Tune in to hear my full review.

The Dark Knight on air review

2008-07-16T02:17:00.000-07:00

This week on Cinemascape I’ll be reviewing one of the years most anticipated releases; Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Obviously the untimely demise of Heath Ledger has brought the film much unwanted attention but for once, all the talk of the posthumous Oscar nomination is completely grounded. Believe the hype! Ledger’s Joker is one of the most mesmerising celluloid villains of all time. He commands your attention and repulses your senses every time he appears on screen. Not that The Dark Knight is a one man show. Aaron Eckhart is fantastic as Gotham City’s new Knight in shining armour DA Harvey Dent and Christian Bale more than holds his own as the titular superhero. Nolan has put together a Summer movie masterpiece that not only knocks its seasonal contemporaries out of the park but will almost definitely be haled as one of the years best. The multi layered, enthralling plot twists in all the right places and cinematographer Wally Pfister has shot a deliciously gloomy landscape for Batman to duke it out with the bad guys. For anyone lucky enough to live near an IMAX cinema, make the effort and see it there, you will not be disappointed. Tune in to Eastside FM 89.7 FM at 6pm this Friday to hear my review.

Sydney Film Festival round up Part 2

2008-07-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

As the dust settles in the State Theatre and the last ticket has been scanned here are my final thoughts on the Sydney Film Festival in my second round up. The final weekend of the festival brought some of my favourite film’s of the event.

Michael Haneke’s shot for shot remake of his own Funny Games was a brilliant piece of audience manipulation that frequently broke the fourth wall, often cruelly taking away the viewers few moments of joy. Naomi Watt’s gave an amazing performance as the beleaguered victim of a very strange home invasion. Tim Roth also made a welcome return to the big screen as her husband but unfortunately spent most of the film with a broken leg. The brilliance of the film was that no explanation is given for the horrendous events that occur; much like real life people’s lives are shattered and destroyed, often at the whim of someone they don’t know. The film divided the audience and created the most verbose response of the festival.

Somers Town; Shane Meadow’s low key follow up to his fantastic This is England was a hugely enjoyable glimpse into the friendship of a young midlands lad and a Polish immigrant. Shot in black and white, once again This is England star Thomas Turgoose enters Meadow’s world as the loner hitting the streets of London and the director brings his customary gritty realism to a surprisingly good natured and entertaining diversion.

American Teen took the template of John Hughes The Breakfast Club and recreated a heart warming and life affirming documentary about the trials and tribulations of being a teen in America. They were all there; the jock, the prom queen, the geek, the rebel and the basket case. The really interesting thing about the documentary is the footage they managed to get, often catching the teens at their most vulnerable. Hilarious, uplifting and moving, one of the feel good hits of the festival.

Brian DePalma’s Redacted has come in for a lot of criticism since it began the festival trail. Returning to the themes visited in the director’s previous excursion into the darker side of war Casualties of War; Redacted takes a very modern approach to tell its story using footage from video cameras, news reels, even Arabic You Tube. Based on true stories, he film is just as much a condemnation of the media as a look at the horrific depths that the armies of young men will go in the face of war. It’s unfortunate that DePalma’s vision is hindered by the often amateur performances but even these do add a certain resonance to some scenes, recommended with reservations. In a similar vein was the new Errol Morris documentary Standard Operating Procedure which looked at the stories behind the infamous photographs taken by American troops at Saddam Hussein’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison.

A definite surprise highlight was the Icelandic murder mystery Jar City directed by Baltasar Kormáku. Never taking the easy path, the beautifully shot film is a gripping examination of how a murder touches everyone, no matter how slight the persons connection to the departed. Excellent performances from the entire cast firmly ground this gritty thriller that is as shocking for the Icelandic diet as it is for its twist plot. The closing film was the Oscar nominated animated feature Persepolis which was a beautifully crafted adaptation of Iranian born Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel featuring the voices of Catherine Deneuve and Iggy Pop.

Well that about wraps it up for Sydney, all roads now lead to the Melbourne International Film Festival at the end of July. Tune in soon for more news on the festival line up and some legendary interviews I’ll be conducting.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan

2008-06-26T05:27:00.000-07:00

This Friday I'll be producing the Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7FM. The show will feature reviews of Kung Fu Panda, Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky as well as my thoughts on the comedy You Don't Mess With the Zohan. Adam Sandler stars as Zohan; an all fighting, all killing one man Israelii army. He dreams of becoming a hair stylist in New York so he fakes his own death during an epic battle with his arch nemesis The Phantom, John Turturro, and heads to NYC, scissors in hand. After a few set backs he swallows his pride and gets a job in a Palestinian hairdressers. He romances his clients by giving them "special services" in the back room. As his prowess makes him more and more popular, he is inevitably recognized, and risks losing his newfound life and career as his past comes back to haunt him. To hear me pass judgment on the latest Sandler comedy tune in at 18.00.

Sydney Film Festival round up Part 1

2008-06-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Well we’re over half way through this years Sydney Film Festival and we’re already witnessed some wonderful cinema within the walls of the State Theatre, the Dendy Opera Quays and the George Street cinemas. It’s still a glorious sight watching festival regulars bolting between screenings, festival pass blowing in the wind.

My favourite film thus far has been the fabulous Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist the film portrays the trials and tribulations of a twelve year old boy dealing with bullies, his parents divorce, school and living next door to a vampire. Subtlety using ideas and motifs from many classics of the genre, in particular Salem’s Lot, but redefining them against the chilling, snow covered vistas of the Swedish countryside. The film brings fresh blood to often staid and predictable vampire genre. Visually the film is stunning, from the nocturnal vampiric attacks to the final swimming pool massacre, director Thomas Alfredson shows a show hand during even the most uncomfortable moments. The fact that it is two twelve years olds discovering love and dealing with an uncontrollable thirst for plasma only adds to the frisson and the two young leads are outstanding. One of the best horror films of recent times.

Running a close second was In Bruges, the tale of two hitmen hiding out in the small Belgium town of Bruges. Colin Firth and Brendan Gleeson star as the killers and both give career best performances in the hilarious, moving and beautifully played film that twists and turns whilst always giving our heroes a human side, despite the horrific nature of their chosen career. The script is razor sharp; written and directed by Martin McDonagh, the playwright has an audacious turn of phrase and Firth revels at the opportunity to spit out some wicked one-liners. Ralph Fiennes appears at the films blood soaked finale as a cockney gangster who would make Sexy Beast’s Ben Kingsley proud.

Guy Maddin made a welcome return to the festival after Brand Upon the Brain astounded viewers at last years festival, despite the fact that his The Saddest Music in the World was voted last place by the audience a few years ago. A point brought up, much to the directors amusement and festival director Clare Stewarts embarrassment, during Maddin’s hilarious Q&A session after his latest film My Winnpeg was shown. The gala screening of his hilarious travelogue featured a live on stage narration. Two thumbs up must also go to the trashy Donkey Punch, love that outboard motor in the face scene…(best since Dr Butcher MD!) and the high school nightmares of Class. Another nice surprise was the quirky Russian fairy tale Mermaid. I also very much enjoyed Steve McQueen’s Hunger, a beautifully shot retelling of the hunger strikers of the early Eighties, in particular Bobby Sands. The director used his artistic background to stunning effect and was aided by some fabulous performances. The unusual structure of the storytelling was slightly unsettling and there was an assumption that the audience had some prior knowledge of the subject but this warts and this expose definitely lived up to its Cannes hype.

I missed out on Takashi Miike’s Sukiyaki Western Django but did manage to catch the director’s Crows: Episode 0 which was enjoyable but to be honest, we’d seen it all before. You, the Living also showed initial promise but descended into an episodic mess that when it worked certainly raised a smile, but come the films conclusion it garnered little more than a shrug of the shoulders.

The retrospective season this year is the amusingly From Kerr to Eternity gave me another chance to revisit Jack Clayton’s The Innocents. Last time I saw this classic was at London’s then National Film Theatre as a prelude to the Q&A with the legendary Freddie Francis and the film still looks wonderful. The black and white photography is beautiful to behold giving the film a sense of ominous foreboding way before the film’s startling conclusion and Debora Kerr gives a fabulous performance as the Governess who has to deal with the young tearaways of the title.

That’s it for now, there are plenty more movies to see so I’ll be back with a final round up next week.

RIP Stan Winston

2008-06-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

I was very sad to hear of the recent death of make up and special FX legend Stan Winston. Ever since I started reading Starburst and Fangoria he was a name that constantly popping up in articles about films like The Monster Squad, Invaders from Mars and The Exterminator. Hey I even remember reading a review of his work on Dead & Buried that said his make up effects were too realistic, you can't get better praise than that. He won visual effects Oscars for 1986's Aliens, 1992's Terminator 2: Judgment Day and 1993's Jurassic Park and a makeup Oscar for 1992's Batman Returns. What can you say about the man who gave us Edward Scissorhands, the Predator, the Terminator and the T-Rex? The work he produced for director's like Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Tim Burton will live on forever.

What's Happening?

2008-06-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

This Friday I'll be producing the Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM. This week the show features reviews of Sex & The City and Prince Caspian along with my thoughts on M. Knight Shyamalan's The Happening. A huge fan of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable it seems that the director has unfortunately lost his mojo of late. Lady in the Water just didn't work on any level and while The Happening revolves around a fabulous idea as the people of New York City decides on mass to commit suicide, leading to some astonishing scenes that hark back to the real life tragedies of September 11th, it fails on almost every level. Unfortunately the script, performances and a limp environmental message that is forced down the viewers throat mean that Shyamalan's latest isn't happening at all.

RIP Diabolik!

2008-05-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me will know that Danger Diabolik is one of my favourite films so I was very sad to here that the film's star John Philip Law passed away this week at the age of 70. As well as the Mario Bava classic; Law is best known for his roles in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad and Roger Vadim's Barbarella. The world of international espionage will never be the same!

Sydney Film Festival 2008 line-up announced

2008-05-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend the announcement of this year’s line up of the Sydney Film Festival.

Once again it looks like an entertaining and enthralling line up. Of the films announced by the festival’s director Claire Stewart, there were definitely a few stand outs. The new Official Competition brings twelve Australian premieres, three of which are world premieres. Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky has been widely acclaimed for a fabulous performance by Sally Hawkins and is the Opening Film of the Festival. Steve McQueen’s Hunger tells the story of hunger striker Bobby Sands and the ever reliable Guy Maddin will be narrating his latest film My Winnipeg live on stage at a Gala screening.

Of the clips shown Samuel Bencheritrit’s I Always Wanted to be a Gangster and Roy Andersson’s hilarious looking You, The Living both brought the house down. The Aussie documentary Salute looks fabulous; telling the story of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico and the politic statement that changed three athletes’ lives forever. The style of the film recalls Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary story of the New York Cosmos, one of my favourite documentaries of recent times, with its use of vintage archival footage. Other documentaries include American Teen (The Breakfast Club made flesh) Glass: A Portrait of Philip Glass in Twelve Parts (happy, happy, happy!) and Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter. S. Thompson. The trailer for Michael Haneke’s remake of his own 1997 Funny Games looked incredibly disturbing and will hopefully match the originals harrowing storyline. Having Naomi Watts and Tim Roth in the film will certainly help but it remains to seen whether the curse of the Hollywood remake continues…fingers crossed.

Music will once again play a major part of the festival at the Metro Theatre. Special nights are planned around many of the films. Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story and Anvil: The Story of Anvil (a true life Spinal Tap) in particular have themed nights with DJs and live bands to enhance your viewing pleasure.

For me, at first glance of the program, I was also very happy to see two new film’s from Takashi Miike – Crows: Episode 0 and Sukiyuki Western Django, the prolific director’s tribute to Sergio Corbucci’s classic spaghetti western Django, Brian DePalma’s Redacted and Son of Rambow – the story of two young boys remaking Rambo in their backyard. The horror genre is somewhat lacking this year round but two film’s do show promise. Oliver Blackburn’s UK low budget thriller Donkey Punch takes terror from Leeds to Mallorca as three brash young girls go on holiday for a good time and rather predictably…don’t get it when they head out on a cruise (Ladettes to Ladies meets Dead Calm anyone?) and the Icelandic murder mystery Jar City just looks grim, the scene when the film’s ‘hero’ tucks into a sheep’s head are not want you want to see over coffee on a Thursday morning!

And the fact that Jack Black will be introducing the Australian premiere of Kung Fu Panda is just the icing on the cake! This is only a very small selection of the huge amount of films showing between June 4^th and 22^nd. Check out www.sydneyfilmfestival.org and check back here for my reviews and interviews as the festival gets under way. Happy Viewing!

Captive thoughts!

2008-05-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

Later today I’ll be producing this weeks Cinemascape show at 6pm on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show will feature reviews of Iron Man, Mrs Pettigrew Lives for the Day and my review of Roland Joffe’s Captivity starring 24’s Elisha Cuthbert. Tune in to hear my thoughts!

Keanu Reeves interview

2008-04-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

For those of you in Sydney; you’ll be able to read my interview with Keanu Reeves in Drum Media this week. In town to promote his new film Street Kings, the actor waxed lyrical about Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Point Break and having mud thrown at him at the Glastonbury Festival. He also talked about his next film; a remake of Robert Wise’s The Day the Earth Stood Still. “It’s looking great,” he exclaimed, “I just finished filming that. It’s a great cast; Jennifer Connelly, Cathy Bates, myself, John Cleese and Jaden Smith. I think we did a good job; knock on wood. I didn’t jump in to make a remake of a classic, I worked with the writer and director almost two months and trying to get the script. I think we found a reason why to make it; we needed that story to tell our story. We’ve linked them up in a really good way. What Klatu is in the first film, what Klaatu is in the second and what gets spoken about?….and Gort’s around” he reassured me, “Klaatu Barada Nikto! he had to be, It would be like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without any peanut butter!”

London to Brighton interviews

2008-04-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

Any regular readers of my blog may well remember how much I loved London to Brighton when it screened at the Sydney Film Festival last year. So obviously I was delighted to be asked by Siren Visual, the film’s

Australia

distributor, if I wanted to interview the film’s director Paul Andrew Williams and star Georgia Groome. I’m even more thrilled that the interviews are now appearing at www.empireonline.com.au.

U2 3D

2008-04-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

After a very busy week; deadlines and Keanu Reeves interviews abound (more news soon), I realized I did not update you on my appearance on Cinemascape last week. I produced the show and reviewed U2 3D at the IMAX. As a U2 fan I must admit I was mightily impressed and to use that worn out cliché, it was just like being there. Saying that if are not fond of the bands often outspoken singer; then I’m sure the prospect of having a 30 ft tall Bono sitting in your lap may not be high on your cinema going agenda. One day all concert films will be like this.

Latest News

2008-04-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of an update; these are the latest articles of mine hitting the newsagents shelves soon. Issue #137 of Shivers includes my set report from Shane Abbess' Gabriel which has just received its DVD release in the States. The issue also includes my interview with director Jamie Blanks about his new horror film Storm Warning. The next issue marks the beginning of lots of coverage from my set visit on The Ruins.

The latest issue of Smoke and Mirrors includes further scrawlings from my set on The Ruins including interviews with Jena Malone, director Carter Smith and Joe Anderson. I also contributed a NZ Report on the making of Roland Emmerich’s 10,000BC including an interview with the film’s CG Supervisor Alex Wuttke.

The next issue of Filmink will feature an interview with Jena Malone conducted on The Ruins Queensland set along with a preview of Jon Hewitt’s Acolytes including an interview with Joel Edgerton.

In web based news, as well as my blog on the London Frightfest website www.frightfest.co.uk I now am contributing a blog to the Sydney based horror festival taking place this week. The A Night of Horror line up and my blog can be found at www.anightofhorror.com.

The Eye

2008-03-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

This Friday I’m on producer duty again on Cinemascape. The show features reviews of Gus Van Sant’s Paranoid Park, the space travel documentary In the Shadow of the Moon and my thoughts on the latest Hollywood remake of a J Horror classic The Eye. Despite the best efforts of Jessica Alba and some striking visuals, The Eye is a pointless, almost carbon copy of the Pang Brothers excellent original, that is derailed by a few ridiculous changes to the plot and some terrible narration. Where the Pang's film featured a sombre downbeat denouement that left the audience shattered after a massive calamity; the anodyne Hollywood happy ending that directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud have given us destroys any of the creepy effect that the film may have had. A shame as by all accounts their debut feature ILS is one to watch. Something was definitely lost in translation. Tune in to Eastside 89.7 FM at 6pm.

DVD liner notes

2008-03-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

In a fun piece of news I’ll be providing the DVD liner notes for a couple of Samuel Arkoff classics from the Fifties..Reform School Girl and Sorority Girl. The films are being released by DVD label DV1 as part of their Dark Horse sub label and will be part of a collection of Arkoff’s film’s released by American international Pictures (A.I.P) More news as the project progresses and keep checking http://www.dv1.com.au/ for release dates.

The King of Kong

2008-02-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

This Friday at 6pm I'll once again be gracing the airwaves on 89.7 for Eastside FM's Cinemascape. This week I'll be producing the show and reviewing one of my favourite films of the year so far The King of Kong. This David and Goliath tale to become the world's Donkey Kong champion has it all. The filmmakers must have been thanking the God's of the film world when they met the duo making battle to become the king of Donkey Kong. Billy Mitchell, the self proclaimed Video Game champion of the Universe, is the sort of character that documentaries are made for. An egotistical, arrogant megalomaniac with a penchant for BBQ sauce and voluminous hair do's is the antithesis of his competitor, Steve Weibe, the down on his luck family man who just wants to be good at something.
Mitchell on the other hand wants to be the King of the world. The supporting cast of arcade dwellers are a delightfully eccentric bunch and this clash of the video gaming titans has an hilarious effect on this retro clique who are more at at home playing Space Invaders and Pac-Man, than dealing with the real world. Whether you are an arcade junky or not; there is plenty to enjoy. The King of Kong, against the odds, is less a film about mustachioed Italian plumbers and pixelated monkeys and more a heartwarming story about the strength of the human spirit. Tune in to hear my review.

Priceless DVD Review

2008-02-11T04:23:00.000-08:00

From the moment that the world set eyes on Audrey Tautou in Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amélie they fell in love. Her elfin beauty led to further cute performances in the likes of A Very Long Engagement and The Spanish Apartment but she was always a little pixie rather than a vision of lust. That has all changed with Pascal Bonnet’s Priceless.

Tautou plays Irene a gold digger with her eyes on the wallets of the rich. She becomes a trophy on their arm in exchange for diamonds, dresses and a decadent life style. Whilst in a hotel bar she drunkenly mistakes barman and waiter Jean, a hilarious performance by The Valet’s Gad Elmaleh, for a millionaire playboy and he is quite content to perpetuate the deception and lure her into bed. Before you can say volia, the hapless Jean is head over heels in love and Irene is on the streets after her previous benefactor found out about her discretion with the barman and cancelled her credit cards. The pair both head to the French Riviera where Irene bleeds the besotted Jean dry and he is left to follow in Irene’s footsteps and becomes a plaything of a rich French businesswoman. As Irene tutors Jean into the dark ways of the gold digger and how to get the most from your partner; her previously hard veneer softens and she realises that she is falling in love with Jean.

The Breakfast at Tiffany's comparisons are spot on. Much like Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly; Tautou’s Irene is a beautiful and mischievous character that everyone can’t help but fall in love with but beneath the charm is a sad lonely sole who basically sells herself for money. This potentially sad tale is given a delightful French twist by a spot on script and fabulous performances from the two leads. You just can’t help but love with Irene, with the possible exception of the scenes when she pushes Jean to spend every Euro to his name.

Visually the film recalls Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief and shares that film’s eye for the rich and beautiful. Priceless is a frothy, light concoction that will melt most hearts. Perfectly cast, Elmaleh is a revelation and Tautou proves, once again, what a captivating actress she is. Let’s hope she stays in France to make more films like Priceless, she doesn’t need any more films like The Da Vinci Code blemishing her record.

Extras include the Making of Priceless, deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage and the original theatrical trailer.

DVD available at www.madman.com.au

We're Going to Need a Bigger Boat

2008-02-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

Very sad to hear of the passing of actor Roy Scheider, the star of one of my favourite films Jaws, on February the 10th last week. He also put in fabulous performances in Marathon Man, Klute, Cronenberg's Naked Lunch, 2010 and was nominated for an Oscar for his work in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz. He also got to utter one of the greatest lines in modern cinema; he'll be sorely missed.

Happy New Year

2008-01-17T17:11:00.000-08:00

The New Year has marked flourish of activity on the Cinemascape Show. I appeared on the end of year round up show and in recent weeks I have reviewed the Coen brother’s fabulous No Country for Old Men and Julie Delpi’s 2 Days in Paris. Next week I’ll be producing the show and reviewing Juno. One of my film's of 2008 already, Jason Reitman's tale of teenage pregnancy builds on the promise of his earlier effort Thank You For Smoking and gives us one of the finest teen films since The Breakfast Club! The cast is extraordinary; Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Gardner all give career bests. The dialogue is witty and sharp, even bringing in discussions on who is the best horror director? Dario Argento or Herschell Gordon Lewis! The script by Diablo Cody marks her as a talent to watch. Everything about the film is effortlessly cool, even though they tried really hard.

The team will also be discussing Cloverfield which I also loved. Despite its derivative premise and the laboured use of the discovered video tape motif this 'Blair Witch meets Godzilla meets The OC' is fantastic. Yes the cast are all far too good looking and that camera’s battery life is supercharged to say the least but when that monster strikes and Manhattan is under siege this is a truly astonishing cinematic experience. For a pure adrenaline rush Cloverfield cannot be beaten and despite the hand held, shaky imagery this film just has to be seen in a cinema with a massice screen and huge sound system. To hear full reviews tune in on Friday 25th of January at 6pm on 89.7 FM.

In magazine news the next issue of Smoke & Mirrors will feature some of the interviews conducted on the set of The Ruins last year including director Carter Smith and stars Joe Anderson, Jena Malone and Laura Ramsey. The magazine also includes a chat I had with Alex Wuttke; CG Supervisor on Roland Emmerich’s forthcoming 10,000BC. The issue will hit the shelves in March.

Issue #136 of Shivers features more of my coverage of the Australian horror comedy I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer and the next issue of Starburst will include my interview with director Jamie Blanks about his latest film Storm Warning.

Review of 2007

2007-12-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

As we reach the end of 2007 I thought I’d look back at a few of my professional highlights.

I’ve been lucky enough to interview some amazing talent over the year; Jessica Alba and the cast of Fantastic Four, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, Franka Potente, Joe Anderson, Jena Malone, Claudia Karvan and director Jamie Blanks among many more have all made wonderful company. Set visit wise I’ve headed to Queensland to visit some amazing locations; in particular the beautiful mountain ranges of Carter Smith’s The Ruins. The filmmakers of Acolytes and Daybreakers both also made me extremely welcome and the film’s themselves show incredible promise so I’m very much looking forward to seeing those next year.

My ties with Shivers and Smoke & Mirrors magazines have gone from strength to strength and I still regularly contribute to Filmink and Film Review magazines aswell as reviewing DVDs for http://www.cinephilia.net.au/ and http://www.digital-retribution.com/. I’m particularly proud of my recent Danger Diabolik article in the wonderful Cinema Retro and my regular blog at http://www.frightfest.co.uk/.

I became a producer on Eastside 89.7FMs Cinemascape Show and have loved the challenge of putting the show together on a regular basis. The show has also put me in that wonderful position of seeing far too many movies this year.

Talking of which my top ten of the year is; in no particular order…..

No Country For Old Men
Pan’s Labyrinth
This is England
Eastern Promises
Priceless
Control
Black Sheep
Lucky Miles
Little Children
Death Proof

A special mention to Juno and The King of Kong which aren’t released down under until next year but will surely be in my top ten of 2008.

Anyway, that’s it for 2007 so Happy Christmas to everyone reading and see you in 2008!

Evel Knievel makes his last jump

2007-12-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

Very sad to hear that Evel Knievel, the man who inspired the Seventies greatest toy has passed away. The death defying stuntman, renowned for his taste for adventure took motorcycle jumping to the masses; he tried to jump the Grand Canyon, headlined London’s Wembley Stadium and crashed into the fountains of Caesar’s Palace after flying 45 metres through the air. He broke almost every bone in his body, had 15 operations and starred in the motion picture Viva Knievel with Gene Kelly! Stars like Evel Knievel just don’t exist anymore, he’ll be missed. Here's some incredible footage of the great man's visit to Wembley.

Beowulf bears all

2007-11-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

This Friday at 18:00 I’ll be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. On the show this week we’ll be discussing Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Balls of Fury and I’ll be reviewing Beowulf. There is only one way to watch Robert Zemeckis’s latest excursion into performance capture animation and that’s in 3D at the IMAX. As a visual extravaganza it’s astonishing; as an engaging fantasy it’s a bit lacking but is does feature some unintentionally hilarious Austin Powers style placement of objects to hide the eponymous hero’s nether regions and Angelina Jolie as a naked water demon; what more could you ask for? To hear the rest of my thoughts, tune in later in the week

Rogue on the radio

2007-11-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

This Friday I'll be producing the Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM at 6pm. The films being reviewed this week are David Slade's 30 Days on Night, Tell No One and I'll be passing judgment on Greg McLean's Rogue. Tune in if you're in Sydney!

Latest News

2007-10-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

It’s been a busy few weeks so here’s a long overdue update…..
For any Sydneysiders listening you would have heard me produce last weeks Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM. I reviewed Anton Corbijn’s fabulous Control. This coming Friday I’ll be on the show again reviewing Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof. Most will know that Death Proof was Tarantino’s half of his failed double bill experiment with Robert Rodriguez Grindhouse and much has been said that this is a lesser work by the director but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed his petroleum fuelled schlock fest. A tribute to the films of Monte Hellman and the fleapits on 42nd Street, peppered with Tarantino’s trademark dialogue throughout; Death Proof, despite its failings, fits perfectly into the director’s oeuvre. Tune in at 18.00 to hear my review.

In the printed world, the last two issues of Shivers magazine have featured my work. Issue #134 includes my interview with Greg McLean about directing Rogue and Issue #135, the bumper Halloween issue, features my chat with Dave & Lou Elsey about creating the woolly terrors of Black Sheep. Both issues are available at http://www.visimag.com/. The December issue of Filmink will feature my interview with Franka Potente about her work in Richard Roxburgh’s Romulus, My Father. Finally the next issue of Smoke & Mirrors magazine will feature my interview with the makers of The Devil Dared Me To, the nearly semi true movie of New Zealand's most dangerous stuntman.

It's shaping up to be a busy time for major film’s shooting down under with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Justice League of America, Mad Max 4 and Underworld 3 all being announced. I’ll be endeavouring to cover the making of these films in the coming months so I’ll keep you posted on progress.

A Mighty Heart

2007-10-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

I have a mixed past with director Michael Winterbottom; I loved 24 Party People but hated 9 Songs so it was with excitement and trepidation that I approached his first major studio film A Mighty Heart. Starring Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl, wife of kidnapped Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl; I'm happy to report that A Mighty Heart is an emotionally charged experience that holds the attention from beginning to end, despite the inevitability of their plight. Wonderful performances, combine with bravaura editing and location shooting in Karachi to produce a thrilling and moving look at the other side of the headlines. Listen to my thoughts on the film on Cinemascape tonight at 6pm on Eastside 89.7 FM.

Forbidden Lie$ on the radio

2007-09-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

Later today, in about 15 minutes in fact! on Eastside 89.7 FM i'll be appearing on Cinemascape, the station's weekly show about the movies. This week I'll be passing judgement on Anna Broinowski's fabulous documentary Forbidden Lie$. The film attempts to discover the truth about the best selling book Forbidden Love and its author Norma Khouri. Whether fact or fiction, the film tries to uncover one of the biggest litary cons of this generation. If Khouri's best friend was murdered in an honour killing in Jordan or if her friend ever really existed. If you are reading this now and living in Sydney...tune in!

Hidden DVD review

2007-09-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

As the film opens on its bleak static opening image, Hidden (Cache) immediately puts the audience on edge. But then Michael Haneke continuingly confounding thriller delights in not giving the audience what it wants. Seemingly taking its inspiration from David Lynch’s Teutonic nightmare Lost Highway; Hidden follows the Laurent family as they begin to receive videocassettes and childish, yet gruesome messages, through their post box. The tapes show footage of their daily routines, secretly filmed without their consent. Georges, a television celebrity, is obviously alarmed by this invasion of his families’ privacy and starts to investigate where these packages have come from. Little does he know that a dark secret that he has kept from his wife Anne and family may well be the clue to who is harassing his family.

Shot with minimal camera movement and a complete disregard for the principals of the thriller genre; Hidden is a refreshing change from the usual Hollywood fodder we are spoon fed in the name of entertainment. To reveal the film’s conclusion would do Haneke’s masterpiece a great disservice. Some viewers will be enthralled, some will feel cheated, some will be angry but everyone is made to think.

The performances are excellent; Auteuil was fabulous last year in the thriller 36 Quai des Orfèvres and he excels here in the role of Georges. His wife Anne is played by Juliette Binoche; best known for her work in Kieslowski’s Three Colours trilogy and Chocolat. This is serious adult entertainment, the underlying political agenda, a discussion on immigration in French society shows that Haneke small family portrait has the big picture in mind. Viewing his early work like Benny’s Video and Funny Games it’s obvious that Haneke revels in expanding the limits of cinematic art. Born in Germany, Hidden is the third of his films shot in France following Code Inconnu (Code Unknown), also starring Binoche and the critically acclaimed La Pianiste (The Piano Teacher.)

In an unnerving touch the film has no music giving the effect that the audience is also watching a home video of the Laurent families’ life. We are accomplice to the sinister figure who has been filming them. Not that the viewer knows who the villain of the piece is. In Haneke’s Hidden, the truth is there to be discovered, you’re just not going to find it quickly.

For full review check out www.digital-retribution.com

Lady Chatterley

2007-09-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

Later today, Friday 14th, at the new time of 6pm I'll producing the latest Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM. This week I'll be reviewing Pascale Ferran's ponderous Lady Chatterely. Starring Marina Hands and Jean-Louis Coullo'ch; this French twist on DH Lawrence's classic English tome failed to create any spark between the two leads. A fatal mistake when the film revolves around their ensuing relationship. Tune in to hear the rest of my thoughts.

Latest News

2007-08-29T03:01:00.000-07:00

In some very exciting news to kick things off, I’ll be heading to Queensland next week to visit the set of the Spierig brothers new film Daybreakers. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill and Claudia Karvan. Hopefully I’ll be chatting to most of the cast about working in what promises to be an intriguing entry into the vampire genre.

With the release of Black Sheep my interview with director Jonathan King has appeared in the latest issue of Filmink. I also previewed the film’s UK Premiere at this year’s Frightfest Festival on my regular blog interviewing Dave & Lou Elsey about their make-up work on the film.

The latest issue of Smoke & Mirrors has hit the shelves and as reported before features my articles on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the Kiwi horror film The Tattooist.

This Friday I’ll on the air again producing this weeks Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7FM. This time around I’ll be reviewing Once; a wonderful film about falling in love and making beautiful music. If you are a fan of The Frames you are in for a treat as lead singer Glen Hansard gives his all in an amazingly raw and natural performance. Tune in at 17:30.

This is England

2007-08-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

After a couple of years of reviewing films on Cinemascape, I have now donned headphones to become one of the shows producers. This Friday marks my debut as the shows host and I’ll be honouring the occasion by reviewing one of the film’s of the year thus far, Shane Meadows semi autobiographical This in England. Set in 1983, the film tells the story of a young boy called Shaun whose life is changed during his school holidays when he befriends a gang of skinheads. The film is beautifully played by the entire ensemble, especially Thomas Turgoose as Shaun. Roland Rat, Margaret Thatcher, Rubik's Cubes, the Royal Wedding, aerobics, Keith Chegwin; Meadows has filled his film with 1980s minutiae that gives this often grim tale an authenticity that is only heightened by the terrific soundtrack. The best British film about disenchanted youth since Tim Roth’s Trevor smashed his way through Alan Clarke’s Made in Britain; be prepared to be entertained, disturbed and shocked. The show will also feature reviews of Susan Bier’s After the Wedding and Jonathan King’s fabulous Black Sheep. Tune in to Eastside 89.7 FM this Friday at 17:30 to hear the show.

Mr Brooks

2007-08-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Tune in this Friday at 17:30 to Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show to hear my thoughts on the new Kevin Costner serial killer film, Mr Brooks. Against all the odds this is an enjoyable little chiller. Also starring Demi Moore and William Hurt; the film probably bites off slighty more than it can chew but at the centre of it all is an excellent performance by Costner as the eponymous Mr Brooks. Listen to the show to hear the rest!

As a footnote, the film has just been added to the line up for this years Filmfest Xtra at The Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley on September 2nd. Go to www.frightfest.co.uk for details and to check out my latest "Dave Down Under" column.

The Simpsons Movie

2007-07-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

For anyone in the Sydney area I'll once again be appearing on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape Show. This week i'll be reviewing the long awaited The Simpsons Movie and I'm happy to say I loved it. The film is great fun; Homer and family deliver laughs a plenty as only the world's favourite disfunctional family can and I'm sure even the most die hard Simpsons obssessive will come out of the experience a happy camper. The show will also feature reviews of Michael James Rowland's fabulous debut feature Lucky Miles and Sean Ellis' less than successful adaptation of his own short film Cashback. Tune in at 17:30 for some lively cinematic debate.

Latest News

2007-07-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for interviews. I had the pleasure of heading up to Queensland to visit the set of The Ruins; a new horror film based on the novel by Scott Smith, the man who wrote A Simple Plan. I chatted to first time director Carter Smith, make up man Jason Baird and the films stars including Jena Malone, better known to many as Donnie Darko’s girlfriend and Joe Anderson who played Peter Hook in the forthcoming Control. Anderson was heavily involved in the scene we saw being shot which involved a large rock, a saw and a frying pan. Anyone who has read the excellent source novel will know what I’m talking about.

The next issue of Smoke & Mirrors will include my interviews with Mark Coulier discussing his work on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and director Peter Burger on his new Kiwi horror film The Tattooist.

Next week I will be interviewing some of the team behind the forthcoming Australian horror film Prey. I’ll be talking to the films two leads; Nathalie Bassingthwaighte, lead singer of band Rogue Traders, in her first film role and Jesse Johnson….son of Don! I’ll also be having a few words with the films effects producers at Sharp FX and director George Miller.

Finally I’ll be talking to Aussie director Jamie Blanks about his new film Storm Warning which I’ve been hearing very good word on from the guys over at Frightfest. Having hit the Hollywood trail directing Urban Legend, Cherry Falls and Valentine is great to see Blanks returning to his roots. He has some great things lined up in the future so I look forward to writing about those project soon.

The Dead Girl

2007-07-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

I'll be on air today in Sydney on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show. Things kick off at 17:30 and I'll be reviewing The Dead Girl starring Brittany Murphy, Rose Byrne, Giovanni Ribisi and James Franco. The film, split into five stories, relates to the lives of 5 woman who are somehow linked to the titular dead girl. We follow the lives of the stranger, the sister, the wife, the mother and the dead girl herself. Brittany Murphy is wonderful in the lead role and in an interesting twist of fate, her character is more alive than the rest of the women's sad lives. Highly recommended, if depressing, viewing; director Karen Moncrieff is definitely a name to look out for in the future.

Frightfest

2007-07-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

This week marks my first regular blog on the Film 4 Frightfest website. I'll be keeping you up to date with the latest gossip on the horror film scene down under. Check out http://www.frightfest.co.uk/ to read my blog and to see the amazing line up for this years event taking place at London's Odeon West End on the August Bank holiday weekend August 23rd - August 27th. This year's film's include Black Sheep, Storm Warning, Disturbia, Black Water, The Orphanage and many many more. Tickets have already gone on sale so if you live anywhere near London, you have no excuses. It's the horror event of the year.