Director: Frank Coraci Writer: Tim Herlihy Released: February 1998 Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore and Christine Taylor
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This film is the eighties equivalent of the sixties-based The Boat That Rocked, so it is very funny and has an awesome soundtrack!
Adam Sandler plays Robbie Hart the wedding singer who is very talented and loves his job until he loses faith in love. ‘Love Stinks’ is probably the most memorable song in the entire movie, which is covered by Sandler who has a surprisingly good voice!
The Love Stinks scene is my favourite scene, not because he is at the depths of heartbreak, but because his anger becomes pretty hilarious…
I think if Sandler had carried on doing the more tasteful films like The Wedding Singer, I would be a fan of more of his movies… It’s a shame that this is the only film I own with him in it.
Julia is the sweet girl-next-door type played by Drew Barrymore. Julia is such a cool character who is marrying the wrong guy; Glenn Gulia who is arrogant and rude.
That is until she starts “spending more time with this other man… Robbie Hart” who is, to her mother’s disappointment just “the wedding singer”.
Drew Barrymore has never looked more innocent with short blonde hair, this character shows her versatility as an actress since I always imagine her to be a bolshy and over-confident person in real life.
This film is probably my favourite rom-com of all time because it has a dry sense of humour, but above all it has a soundtrack that I absolutely love! Literally the best of the eighties.
Like all classic rom-coms, stereotypes and inevitable story lines fall into place, but the incredibly accurate fashion trends and set designs – at the very least – will keep you entertained and/or reminiscing!
I am now on the hunt for blue mascara…
Jodie’s rating: 8/10
2nd June: Yes, I take every opportunity to celebrate the survival of my blog – let’s just be thankful that I’m not doing one every month… But I won’t make any promises.
So thank you for all of your support! Especially America; you guys are always reading my blog. New Zealand… I am ashamed. You’re like… Sixth on the “countries that read my blog often” list. Jeez!! Thanks a lot. I was hoping to be a Kiwi icon along with the All Blacks, Pavalova and Marmite.
…You guys would call me “our Kiwi film freak”. But then Australia would try to steel me like they tried with the Pineapple Lumps. So then both countries would fight over my personal items between the museums… Ah… I could go on…
But I won’t.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Please continue to comment, too!! I love reading the comments. Especially the criticism. I find it very entertaining. Sure, I cry inside. But, it is still very exciting to read. I shall continue to approve your criticising comments.
Unless they’re really pointless like that dude who wrote a comment saying “Harry Potter sucks” about 200 times… Yeah… Nah. I did not approve that. Because if you really hated Harry, you wouldn’t have wasted about 5 minutes of your life telling me so… THRICE! So go tell J.K Rowling. I just write about the films… But I still laughed out loud so all good! :-D
You may have noticed that we have extended my menu of film reviews, political rants and random thoughts with ‘cool-ass songs’. Yay! I hope you enjoy.
Director: Joel T. Schumacher Writers: Janice Fischer, James Jeremias and Jeffery Boam Released: 1987 Starring: Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Corey Haim, Edward Herrmann, Barnard Hughes, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest
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Want to see a real vampire film? This ain’t no glitter-in-the-sunshine crapola! This is the real deal of blood-sucking beasts who aren’t bad on the eye and have traditional vampire qualities.
It isn’t a full-out horror though. More of a black comedy similar to Shaun of the Dead in style. It includes the good lookin’ Kiefer Sutherland in his younger days (if you don’t like vampires, you will after seeing Kiefer). Plus my favourite Dianne Weist who plays the mother of a comic book enthusiast (turned vampire hunter), and his brother (turned vampire). Talk about family feuds!
I have to mention Nanook – he’s the Huskie and I have loved that name ever since I watched this film. Apparently the dog was inspired by Nana in Peter Pan.
So it goes through all of the stereotypical vampire qualities, but it’s funny because they make you aware of the stereotypes. Intolerance to garlic, growth of fangs, demon dogs to guard the vampires during the day, motorbikes and, of course, being unable to tolerate sunlight. Or they’ll burn (not sparkle).
I love the characters. Michael Emerson (Jason Patric) as the protagonist who gets caught up with the “wrong crowd” in their new neighbourhood. Plus, his brother Sam (the late Corey Haim) who makes friends with brothers Edgar and Alan Frog (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) who chase down the vampires using their extensive knowledge of comic book characters as a guide.
The vampire hunters! Armed with comic book knowledge.
I love the soundtrack! I mean, it’s certainly eighties music but it’s pretty powerful with chilling songs that I really enjoy – even for a devoted sixties fan.
A fantastic film! A classic. Not too gory or scary, not too light hearted and shallow. A fun film for a wide audience, even if it’s just for the hard-core 80’s permed hair.
I’m not planning on ruining my love of The Lost Boys by watching the sequel…
Do you want to be inspired? Lifted up? Be given a ray of hope?
Do you want to hear one of the best protest songs ever written..?
Well. This is it. This is the key to your hopes and dreams. Bob Dylan’s song is like Imagine by John Lennon and Blowin’ In The Wind by Joan Baez combined. Just as inspiring, just as awesome, just as timeless.
Depending on what mood you are in, this song could make you just totally despise what our world has come to, and make you want to make your own protest outside parliament listing all the reasons that you hate their selfish ways and that you are finally fed up with feeling fristrated and powerless against their blatant lies and flip-flops.
OR
You could feel at peace knowing that times really are changing, and that the great peace warriors are on your side.
Actually, I decided to liberate your minds with this song because Michael Moore covered it for the Occupy Movement album :) Look it up!
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: Stephen King (novel)
Released: 1990 (It seemed like late 90s though)
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It has been a long time since I felt uneasy going to bed after watching a horror film.
Actually, this psychological thriller isn’t that horrific (for the most part..), it’s just when it finishes that you realise how disturbed you feel…
I haven’t read the book, but it’s pretty common knowledge that Stephen King’s work translates to film very successfully (The Shining, The Green Mile, Secret Window…) so I knew that I was in for a spectacular treat.
In a remote town, the popular author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) checks out of the hotel where he stays every time he writes a novel. On the completion of his new book, he begins his drive home until he gets caught in a blizzard. His car flips out of control and lands out of sight buried in snow.
But somebody is there to save him – his biggest fan, Annie Wilkes.
She treats him at her isolated house, which is fine until Paul realisees that he is actually being held captive.
Annie Wilke’s mood swings on a dime, yet she is not easily fooled! Her use of language is so freaky… Yet sort of funny… Which makes you feel very uneasy when laughing while watching this film.
“…he didn’t get out of the COCKADOODIE CAR!”. “You’re just another lying ol’ dirty birdy.” “…you just better start showing me a little appreciation around here, Mr. MAN!”
Kathy Bates plays Annie Wilkes. This scene being the most memorable… For all of the wrong reasons…
With the famous novelist being bed-ridden in Wilke’s home, he has to find ways to reach the outside world. Still reliant on his capturer for medicine, he needs to play along to ensure she doesn’t get suspicious whilst thinking up plans to alert the outside world.
Kathy Bates will always be the Unsinkable Molly Brown (Titanic) to me. (As well as being an uncanny resemblance to my year 13 English teacher…). So to see her as a controlling, deceiving and deeply unsettling person was quite a shock. Bates really was incredible in this role!
The cool thing is that James Caan’s character is one step ahead of you, but Annie is two steps ahead of him.
The music imitates the mood very well. In fact I honestly didn’t notice the music because it added to the scenes so perfectly. In the credits “I’ll Be Seeing You” was played… I can’t listen to that song in the same way any more. So creepy.
This film is full of anticipation and anxiety – but not with the usual frustration you get when the victim is just not getting away fast enough, it’s much smarter than those gags.
“Book’s almost finished, your legs are getting better. Soon you’ll be wanting to leave… I have this gun. Sometimes I think about using it. I’d better go now. I might put bullets in it.”
– Annie Wilkes.
The shots and lighting have to be kept interesting as the film is more-or-less based in one room (King’s novel was made into a stage play first). So check out the extras on the DVD if you’re interested.
The low angles make Annie’s innocent exterior look distorted which reflects how she is on the inside, and the lighting gives you hints as to if and when to feel hopeful. Very clever when you take notice of it.
This film is not a blood-bath, but has graphic violence. But not for the sake of being graphic (like all seven Saw films…). It really keeps your attention strongly from start to finish. A fantastic watch!
Directors: Jonothan Dayton and Valerie Faris Writer: Michael Arndt Released: January 2006 Starring: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin
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If you adored the humour of Juno, you will fall madly in love with this film! It was full of that dry, black humour where you don’t know if you should laugh or cry.
It has that ‘typical family’ quality where you can relate to every character because we all know somebody like them. Sort of.
Olive (Abigail Breslin) wants to compete in a beauty pageant, which is a good one-and-a-half day’s drive away. With an unpredictably suicidal uncle (Steve Carell) who can not be left by himself, the whole family decides to go.
You automatically adore Olive, who brings an innocence to the family who are full of ‘failures’. Her brother refuses to talk, her grandfather is a heroin addict, her uncle is suicidal, and her father is a failed life coach. Meanwhile, her mother is struggling to keep the family together.
Despite me making it sound like a total downer, it’s actually a beautifully triumphant film where everyone slowly makes peace with themselves and each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures and internal conflict with a lot of deep and meaningful messages throughout the film.
A film that will make you laugh, cry, and reconsider your priorities in life.
Director: Robert Redford Writer: Nicholas Evans (Novel) Released: 1998 Starring: Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Dianne Wiest, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Cooper
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I am a sucker for any great horse film – such as Black Beauty, but unlike War Horse.
And The Horse Whisperer is certainly way up there in terms of lack of soppiness, being accurate in the training and horse terms as well as having a strong sense of realism.
So it begins in the most idyllic farm blanketed in thick snow. Grace (the young Scarlett Johansson) puts her riding boots on and tip toes out of the house. She sees he friend over in the next field and yells “HELLO!!” with steam coming from her mouth and her voice echoing. “HELLOOO!!” her friend replies and they run toward each other, then make their way to the stables.
This is my idea of paradise which is why this film starts out on an instant high.
Unfortunately during their ride, Grace’s friend and her horse get hit by a truck and die. The accident was filmed so well! And when I say that it was filmed well, I mean insatiablely exquisitely well! I can’t even put my finger on how they did it… Perhaps they really did get a horse to do all of the stunts or perhaps they got away with realistic dummies due to the many quick-edited shots. Anyway. I almost don’t want to know because it was so convincing.
The accident leaves Grace and her horse Pilgrim physically and mentally injured so Grace’s mum (Kristin Scott Thomas) takes them to a ‘horse whisperer’ called Tom Booker (Robert Redford) in order to help them both recover.
The thing that stood out for me was the acuracy in the training techniques. The Horse Whisperer is based on a training system called Natural Horsemanship where the rider asks the horse for submission, acceptance and softness.
Obviously the reactions of the horse are not always particularly realistic, nor would the lack of time spent on Pilgrim result in the horse becoming totally cured. However, I think we are all grown up to accept that this is a film that has certainly taken the horse’s reactions into consideration, without it becoming an instructional video of how to train your horse.
The epic music is as incredible as Titanic and Black Beauty. I blame the music for my constant blubbering throughout the entire film…
I remember when I last watched this and I felt like there wasn’t enough of the horse’s story in it. However, this was about ten or so years ago and I am rather thankful that a parallel storyline of how humans interact and accept each other was weaved throughout. The love story is strong and does not take from the overall story of the horse’s journey through recovery.
You kind of get to know how cruelly we treat each other, how trauma affects people differently and how we listen and communicate with each other through the recovery of the horse. It’s really quite deep.
The end of the story is unexpected… But I can’t decide if it was in a good way or not. Everything is concluded except for the love story which I was eager to know more about.
After watching this I wanted to buy a ranch in Southern America so badly! Get a horse and go out riding for days. It made horseriding look incredibly natural – which I suppose it isn’t really – with big western saddles, loose reins and calm canters over the endless hills. A fantastically jolting contrast between the uncontained farm land and the claustrophobic New York City show within the film.
A fantastic watch for any horse lover or lover of deep emotion-driven films. I enjoyed the culture of the farm in the south.
Robert Redford has style! So keep an eye out for the use of shadows and colour.
A film that is very well done.
Director: Clint Eastwood Writer: Peter Morgan Released: 2010 Starring: Matt Damon Cécile de France, Bryce Dallas Howard
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Released in 2010?? Are you kidding me? I thought we would have mastered the art of writing and making films by then… Jeez!
And Matt Damon. Matt Damon. Where is your head?? You are on my top 10 actors… And you sign yourself up for this??
So anyway, having bought this DVD on a bit of a whim I felt obliged to like it. But I found it difficult since the story line was virtually non-existent.
Don’t get me wrong, the first ten or so minutes were SO intense! A tsunami comes out of nowhere and you feel the panic under water – similar to the movie 2012. But after that, you pretty much get whip lash from the sudden decrease in pace of the movie.
You can see the Tsunami here:
George (Damon) is a psychic who denies his gift and tries to live a normal life. He eventually meets Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) who pushes him to give her a reading which abruptly ends the date… We never see Melanie for the rest of the film. Which was actually a blessing in disguise because Howard did a terrible job of acting – all hands and awkward pauses… rather jarring actually.
There are three story lines that intertwine which could have been effective if it wasn’t so damn slow and predictable. It really was obvious because after you find out George is a psychic and how he got his powers, you can fit the puzzle very quickly. Because you know that whoever dies in the film and comes back to life will have these powers, and the people who witness death will somehow find George.
I called it a ‘puzzle’ but it was literally a three-piece puzzle. Where you could figure out the picture before you had even put the pieces together…
Clint Eastwood is a master of light. But the lack of light in every scene made me squint and it ended up not making the film mysterious because it ignored the audience. Like, the lack of light shut the audience out of the scene.
The scenes of the natural disaster and the car crash scenes were very realistic though. I have to give him that.
I am selling this DVD online – I am confident that I will ever waste two hours of my life on this movie again. It was sssoooo boring!!
Unfortunately Matt Damon is in that We Bought A Zoo film so it looks as though his awesome days of Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan and The Bourne Identity are sadly over…
Matt Damon – Please pick your films more carefully next time!
Director: Gary Ross Writer: Suzanne Collins (novel) Released: March 2012 Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Willow Shields
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Imagine the over-powering control as seen in The Truman Show, the effect on the audiences’ instincts as felt in the 2010 film 127 Hours, but with the overwhelming popularity of Twilight.
Wow, chills went down my spine!
Although I haven’t read the novels, I found I got totally immersed in the storyline of the first of the series about a world of twisted priorities with little respect for life, with a brewing love story beneath the conflict.
It’s an exciting plot about Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who volunteers in place of her younger sister to be the tribute in a murderous game that is televised for public entertainment. A blood-thirsty game of physical strength and instinctive survival skills, out of 24 tributes, the final survivor will win.
The game is played in a controlled arena where the makers play God with the harsh environment – similar to that in The Truman Show.
I love the idea of the cruel business-like approach of life and death. In order to have the best chance of surviving, the tributes have to make themselves liked by the audience watching the game from home, which encourages sponsors to support the players in their plight for survival.
Gary Ross used a lot of point-of-view shots and shaky camera work which occasionally separated me from what was actually going on, but certainly added to the intensity of the importance of Katniss’ survival.
I assumed Katniss was 18 years-old, but it turns out she is supposed to be 16 which I don’t think was very convincing. However, Katniss was a strong protagonist who split from the group from the get go. She escaped the “blood bath” at the starting line and we follow her survival from there.
Jennifer Lawrence is a very talented actress who kept the character believable yet admirable and relatable. She kept Katniss neutral enough to be adored by everyone, but personable enough not to let the character become emotionless.
I was hoping the film would be a bit more realistic in regards to the fighting as it appeared a tad tame. However, I suppose the rating needed to stay low for the novel’s younger readership to be able to watch it.
With a mixture of old and future technologies it reminded me of Harry Potter (lack of guns and ammunition, yet futuristic medical potions, computers and genetically modified animals). But I think this made the land even more mystical and unknown.
This may well become the new “in” film series, except with a much wider audience who will be inspired by the strong characters rather than the submissive love-struck protagonists of Twilight.
The Hunger Games is much deeper than just another romantic fantasy story.
April 2013: Since reading the books, I can see that the adaptation was pretty decent! Of course novels and movies are different mediums so there are obviously some amazing scenes that were left out. But the way I see it, the novel is the behind the scenes of the movie, with cool details and extras to discover.
The trailer is average compared to the emotion you get from watching the whole film.
Wow! So guess what I’ve been watching and totally thought it was extremely similar to a certain film series…
That’s right! After watching the Twilight Saga films which were written by Stephanie Meyer during 2005-2008 (which has created multi-millions in recent years) I realised that it is rather similar to the Roswell series which debuted in 1999 with the final episode airing in 2002.
Let me explain further. I am no “twi-hard”, nor am I a “twilight hater”. I do not enjoy the storyline, the actors or characters within the Twilight films. However, I do watch them because I enjoy the fantasy element and the behind the scenes of how the films were made – as I believe they are made rather well.
I have also enjoyed the Roswell series… Or at least the first series when the storyline is introduced. I have recently returned to the Roswell DVDs I own (post-Twilight) and the similarities are staggering.
Not only are both series set highschool, but their characters have a remarkable likeness. Bella and Liz are both smart, biology-loving, emotion-lacking highschoolers who stumble upon a ‘being’ previously thought to be fictional.
It was quite a shock after I watched Roswell and realised that Twilight is not such a unique idea after all…
For example:
Roswell’s protagonist: Elizabeth (Liz) Parker
Twilight’s protagonist: Isabella (Bella) Swan
Both brown hair brown eyed.
Both enjoy science.
Both meet their freaky boyfriends in BIOLOGY CLASS.
Bella (Kristen Stewart)Liz (Shiri Appleby)
Freaky alien boyfriend: Max Evans
Freaky vampire boyfriend: Edward Cullen
Both monotone, intense and emotionless.
Both have brown hair and brown eyes.
Edward (Robert Pattinson)Max (Jason Behr)
Max Evans has a blonde ‘sister’ named Isabel Evans
Edward Cullen has a blonde ‘sister’ named Rosalie Hale. Both have a chilly disposition against the protagonist. Both are sassy, strong and take care of their looks.
Rosalie Hale (Nikki Reed)Isabel Evans (Katherine Heigl)
Both have a family or clan of similar beings.
Vampire clan of teenagers Edward, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper
Alien family of teenagers Max, Michael and Isabel
All of whom are not believed to be blood related and each have individual powers.
Twilight charactersRoswell characters
So, what am I saying? I am saying that there are similarities. I’m saying that a lot of money has been made out of something that is not wholly original. I’m not saying Twilight is bad. Just unoriginal. Which is a little disappointing considering the amount of money that has been made from it.
But will there be original work anymore? Really.
I mean Harry Potter is remarkably like Star Wars. I’m sure you can think of more.
But perhaps I’ll blog about that one another day.
Potter Wars
Is this worth getting worked up about? Or should we just enjoy it?
Just because you can’t be first at something, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Otherwise you’ll never do anything. (Wise words… Thanks Dad.)
So more and more films are either being made and released as 3D, or re-made in 3D… Is this a necessary evil to keep the industry on its feet? Or are they just doing it because they can?
I’m guessing it is just another money-making scheme.
I honestly enjoy 2D films better than 3D with very few exceptions. VERY few exceptions. In fact, I will name them for you right now:
I think both of these films benefit from 3D because they are animated, the genre is ‘fantasy’ and they are both set in ficticious lands. So the environment is more fantastical without pointless objects being thrown at you for no apparent reason.
Titanic – a step too far? I mean the fact that the sinking of the Titanic was an actual occurence where many died… So by making another, but in 3D, are the production companies simply taking advantage? Then again, thank God it’s not a sequal!!
Having said that, Titanic is a fantastic film that James Cameron did very well on. And it is essentially a love story that happened to be based during a tragic, historical happening…
I just don’t think 3D is needed for good films… (ie: Titanic) But, maybe that’s why. Bad films that would not sell originally, sell very well if they are in 3D. But, you’re paying more for it too. It’s like… $3 extra for watching a crap film that hurts your eyes while using glasses that dig into your face. It’s even worse if you wear prescription glasses.
It’s true. I am not a supporter of this fad. Man, I sure hope it is a fad. I can’t see it becoming a permanent way of watching films to be honest.
I don’t know anybody – who is not under 11 years-old – who actually prefers 3D so… Yeah… Film companies: make sure you keep the 3D films away from the PG rated films and over.
Directors: Chris and Paul Weitz Writer: Nick Hornby Released: 2002 Starring: Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult
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I am in no way a fan of Hugh Grant. He seems to only play one character and that character appears to be exactly what he is like in real life. Having said that…
He is in some pretty wicked films like Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, but the most impressive being this one: About A Boy.
It’s about Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) who has never needed to work and is a professional womanizer. The parallel story is about poor Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) and how he deals with his mother (Toni Collette) who is suffering from depression, all the while having a tough time at school.
Will thinks that having no family and friends is liberating until he meets the friendless Marcus who is looking for family.
It’s such a breath of fresh air because Hugh Grant keeps his typecast role of the ‘handsome’ Englishman yet it is intermingled with Toni Collette’s role as an incredibly sad and hopeless character.
After watching this scene (tango scene in Scent of a Woman) I wanted to take tango lessons! Yet, I don’t think it was the visuals, but the song that made me fall in love with the scene.
Por una Cabeza (“By a Head”) was written in 1935 by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera. Originally with lyrics, it tells a story about a gambler who compares his love of women with his addiction of betting on race horses.
I think it’s the whining instruments that makes the piece sound like it’s yearning for something, like the song is telling a story of losing somebody… I don’t know. It’s awfully touching though!
This is the best version I have found, I think it’s the French accordion that completes it.
I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do!
You can read my review to Scent of a Woman here. Including the trailer.
Director: Martin Brest Writer: Based on Ibuio e il miele by Giovanni Arpino Released: 1992 Featuring: Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell
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Getting this film in a “two for $20” sale I was cautious, particularly because the front cover showed a rather dated looking image and the title sounded a tad creepy. However, the name ‘Al Pacino’ gave me hope.
Scent of a Woman is an incredibly fascinating film to watch repeatedly because of the script, which is deep and meaningful to say the least.
Al Pacino’s character – referred frequently to as The Colonel – is a blind man who appears to be as mad as a dog at his first screen appearance. But he is such an interesting character I almost wish he were real. He is an experienced soldier and a wise man, who has a story or two to tell.
Chris O’Donnell’s character is Charlie who is hired as Colonel Slade’s aid for a thanksgiving weekend. He is dragged to New York with him, but learns a lot along the way.
There are a couple of incredibly memorable scenes. One is where Colonel does a very moving speech at Charlie’s school. I wrote all about it here. There are some brilliant quotes, and by the end you have total respect for this flawed character.
Colonel: There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these. Their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. There’s no prosthetic for that.
The other memorable scene is the tango scene. Colonel and Charlie are sitting in a restaurant when Colonel senses a woman sat by herself behind them and he asks her to dance the tango with him. It sounds creepy, but it’s actually beautiful.
Colonel: There are no mistakes in the tango. If you get all tangled up, you just tango on!
Scent of a Woman reminds me a lot of Driving Lessons(and many other films including The Intouchables and You’re Not You): Where an old person drags a young person somewhere. The young person doesn’t know jack about life, and learns a lot from the old, wise person. Then, the young person finds out that the old person has big secrets. So they help each other out. I’ve written about this in my post One Story, Six Movies.
Director: Jeremy Brock
Writer: Jeremy Brock
Released: 2006
Featuring: Julie Walters, Rupert Grint, Laura Linney
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Okay, so this film has been HUGELY underrated. Despite being aware that everybody has their right to their own opinion, I, as New Zealand’s official Freak of Film, would like to say:
YOU ARE ALL INCORRECT.
Driving Lessons is a slower-than-usual paced film with a script as philosophical as Forrest Gump, but with humour as dry as Napoleon Dynamite (in some parts).
It’s about a boy named Ben (the gorgeous Rupert Grint… He’s so cool… *sigh*) who is born into a devoted Christian family, which becomes an oppressive and controlled lifestyle that batters Ben down into an emotionally-absent teenager.
Until he meets Evie.
This film has my favourite actress, Julie Walters playing an eccentric elderly woman named Evie who has been “…married and divorced three times. Once to an actor, once to an English Lord and once to a Californian” and is far from the ‘saved’ friends Ben usually acquaints himself with.
She shows him the ropes of life – with the moral being more-or-less that you can learn about how the world should be and the theory of how life works, but you don’t know a thing until you LIVE it.
She has had such a colourful life and is so liberal, which influences Ben to shake the strong reliance his controlling mother (Laura Linney) has over him.
I LOVE Walter’s interpretation of Evie who is a filthy-mouthed but very warm woman who anybody would wish was their nan in real life!
Ben’s mother, Laura Marshall, was played incredibly well by Linney who showed the character to be an insecure and controlling woman who appears almost like a puppeteer behind the mask of a wholesome church-goer. Laura Linney does such a great job, you begin to dislike the character very quickly!
The religious undertone isn’t something that should put non-religious watchers off, as it is an approach that is refreshing and open-minded. The story does very well keeping a non-bias view of beliefs, that do not suffocate the plot with pre-set ideas.
I have got the soundtrack which I absolutely enjoy! However, a few more like Ben Fold’s song “Jesusland” would have been cool.
I can’t help wondering what a TOTALLY different film this would have been if the old woman was an old man and the young boy was a young girl. Even if the plot remained the same… Just found that peculiar…
This is a film that is deep enough to watch repeatedly, yet, light enough for a social viewing. The humour is fantastic and Rupert Grint shows his versatility. A must see!
Jodie’s rating: 8/10
Fave line:
“Evie, you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Then I shall cling to the edge of somewhere!”
Director: Edgar Wright Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg Released: April 2004 Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton
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The best black comedy of all time.
I have a weakness for zombie apocalypse movies anyway. However, this film has taken every zombie cliche` in the book and ends up pointing fun at themselves, which is hilarious!
The creators called it a “Rom Zom Com” aka a “Romantic Zombie Comedy” and the “perfect date film” because it has a heart line of a romantic comedy that happens to be set in a time where zombies are attacking the world.
It starts out with Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Shaun’s girlfriend Lizz (Kate Ashfield) at a bar on yet another date at the Winchester Pub, as Lizz bickers about how they never do anything different. The shot slowly widens to show, Lizz’s friends David and Di (Dylan Moran and Lucy Davis) and Shaun’s foul-mouthed best friend, Ed (Nick Frost). Of course, what better to change the monotonous situation than have their lives bombarded with the living dead!?
That’s what I like about the Wright-Pegg-Frost trio. Their ideas are crazy!
Yet they always work.
These zombies are the classic, lazy walker-types where unless you got trapped or are a really slow walker, you would probably not get caught, unlike the kind that is on the TV series The Walking Dead where they run when they are desperate. But these zombies imitate the world we live in – we wake up, go to work, come home again, miserable. So it does have a bit of a wake-up call feeling to it.
Edgar Wright’s signature fast pans, quick cuts and cut always were present which definitely suited the shocking humour and gruesome occurrences.
Another of my favourite things about this film is the parallels between the start and the ending. Such as the trolley boy collecting stray trolleys in the car park of a shopping centre with little enthusiasm. By the end, the remaining zombies are trained and take over the chore in an equally unenthusiastic way… I don’t know. I just find it amusing…
This is the best black comedy because, unlike some others I’ve seen of the same genre *cough* Zombieland*cough*, the comedy element runs through the entire film, not just random crucial parts. Shaun of the Dead make fun of the terrifying situation at every turn.
This is a must-have item in every film-watcher’s collection.
Director: Jason Reitman Writer: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner (based on novel by Walter Kirn) Released: December 2009 Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
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At face value, this may seem like just another shallow idea with a typical love story. But this is far from it.
It’s an incredible story that has a very serious undertone, indeed. It is actually documenting the effects of the start of the financial downfall that we are now experiencing globally.
The movie is not told from the perspective of an employee being let go and the inevitable family and financial problems that would accompany it, but from the point of view of the man that is hired by the boss to tell their employers they no longer have a job.
This is a song that a man named Kevin Renick wrote after losing his job. He sent it to Jason Reitman after hearing about the film and the song is played on the credits. Shows how real this film is, I think.
It’s a fantastic – yet heartbreaking – perspective, because we also see how technology is ruining human connection. For example, it is proposed that instead of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) flying from city to city letting these people go face to face, that he could actually tell them online via a camera which would be more ‘efficient’, but obviously much less personal. This proposition doesn’t work for Bingham whatsoever. Let alone the people getting told they’re losing a job.
It’s a sad story of how people’s worlds collapse, how in many respects the odds are against us and that people can no longer rely on each other since it is predominately all about profit. It addresses how we have stopped being personal, only professional, and how a job can become somebody’s life. How it can be their only reliable thing.
Of course, being the director of Juno, Jason Reitman has created another fantastic comedy with very quirky lines. I love this kind of humour, particularly in the scene showed in the photo above.
Ryan: I’m not a shrink, Bob. I’m a wake-up call. You know why kids love athletes? Bob (JK Simmons): I don’t know. Cause they screw lingerie models? Ryan: No, that’s why we love athletes. Kids love athletes because they follow their dreams… Your resume` says that you minored in French culinary arts. Most students, they work on the fryer at KFC, but you bussed tables at Il Picador to support yourself. Then you get out of college and then you come and you work here. How much did they first pay you to give up on your dreams? Bob: 27 grand a year. Ryan: And when were you going to stop and come back and do what makes you happy? Bob: Good point.
My favourite part is when George Clooney’s character is deliberating which line to join for security screening in an airport:
This fantastic film is pretty much about all the different ways somebody can feel ‘up in the air’ with little substance and solidarity in their life.
It is a sad film if you look beyond its face value, with not much of a happy ending which I think is very appropriate since we are not quite out of the dark yet. However, it’s strong, underlying current of humour keeps us afloat and captured throughout the whole film.
Director: Gus Van Sant Writers: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Released: December 1997 Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck and Minnie Driver
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This film is fantastic because it achieves thought provoking material without loosing the audience in a deep, meaningful and philosophical black hole. The film is able to do this by keeping the humour, which seems loyal to the culture that the story is based around.
Chuckie (Ben Affleck): You’re sitting on a winning lottery ticket, but too much of a pussy to cash it in
I love these kinds of films. The protagonist, Will (Matt Damon), at face value is a screwed up kid worthy of little sympathy. Yet, his mathematical intelligence is beyond compare, even though he refuses to acknowledge it. Through countless councillors, he finally finds somebody Sean (Robin Williams) who can do more than scratch the surface of his dark past.
Sean: [during a therapy session] You’re not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you’ve met, she’s not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other.
The only way you could tell this film was made on a tighter budget was the repeated songs and the slightly over and under-exposed shots. However, depending on the experience and reputation of the director, this will either be classed as a ‘mistake’ or as ‘art’.
The movie is perfectly cast. Their performances are so totally real and credible that you become immune to the repetitive swearing, which stutters the overall flow of the film until you get to know the characters. I also have a new found respect for Affleck and Damon who wrote the script. Incredible.
This film will either leave you contented with life and excited about your prospects for the future, or, leave you feeling hopeless that you don’t have an obvious talent that could give you a secure future.
But for the most part, you will realise that the script is about how, despite society’s expectations and despite everybody having baggage and fears, everyone has a choice to start again, if only they have the courage to do so. Also, despite all of this we all have the same shot of achieving happiness.
A tremendous film that you can really read into. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters telling their stories too.
So I absolutely idolise Coldplay. Their albums are spectacular, their songs are well written and Chris Martin seems like a genuine guy with a great voice – especially live.
So when I got Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s latest album, I was expecting to find many hits that I would put on repeat for hours. But I felt they were pushing their usually faithful audience just a little too far.
It didn’t take long before I lost all confidence and enjoyment in the music by the time I reached the second song on the CD “Hurts Like Heaven” with lyrics sounding like they were being sung to pre-school children:
Written in graffiti on a bridge in a park
‘Do you ever get the feeling that you’re missing the mark?’
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
Written up in marker on a factory sign
‘I struggle with the feeling that my life isn’t mine’
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
It’s so cold, it’s so cold…
…Yes, I feel a little bit nervous,
Yes, I feel nervous and I cannot relax,
How come they’re out to get us?
How come they’re out when they don’t know the facts?
Cold, is it? These lyrics really did not fit with the tune which was disappointing when you compare their new shallow and electronic-sounding music to their older songs that are richer sounding and more emotional.
But I suppose if I’m honest, these kind of lyrics did begin on the previous album with the song Violet Hill:
It was a long and dark December,
One the roof tops I remember,
There was snow,
White snow…
Yeah… All joking aside, snow is typically white. If you need to fill in a line, maybe try something a little more adventurous.
The most famous song on the new album ‘Paradise’ was a good song until my Uncle pointed out that it sounds as if Chris is saying “Pair of Tights” not “Paradise”… Yeah, try getting those lyrics out of your head when you next listen to it. Also, despite the deep and meaningful nature of the lyrics not really being carried through with Chris Martin’s short notes, which didn’t quite fit the bill.
(Dreaming of a pair-of, pair-of, pair of tights)
With my favourite album being Parachute which I still listen to often, Mylo Xyloto (and to some extent Viva La Vida) was a gigantic flop which I hope this ground breaking band will be able to make a come-back from.
I have always loved Coldplay albums before I even hear the first single. But usually I’m not disappointed. Now I will not make that impulse purchase of their newest album with new fears that Coldplay is seeing how ridiculous they can make their music before their devoted fans realise.
I’m not turning into a music reviewer, but I did want to point out this massive flaw in this usually talented band, despite still being a huge fan of the band’s old music.
Verdict: Don’t waste your money, watch the parodies for free on YouTube.
Director: Michel Gondry Writers: Michel Gondry, Charlie Kaufman and Pierre Bismuth Released: March 2004 Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson
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My Valentine’s Day post. Why? Because of this line that Joel delivers in the film about Valentine’s Day:
Joel: Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap.
Which I found amusing.
It’s still one of my favourite movies after multiple viewings. I discovered this film in English class at high school and (admittedly not actually getting it the first time I watched it) I have loved it ever since!
Believe you me, the people who said they got it after the first viewing were either lying or they read the plot on Wikipedia.
It explores the idea of erasing painful memories and the implications of this. Imagine being able to erase the memory of an embarrassing moment. More seriously, imagine being so distraught with losing a loved one that you choose to erase the memory of them ever existing.
Mary (Kirsten Dunst): Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.
But is erasing difficult memories enabling one to make the same mistakes again? Is never meeting a true love better than enduring the loss?
It follows two main characters Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) whose difficult relationship leads them down the road of removing the memory of each other. They are polar opposite. It shows how two people can complete each other, but also how much they can clash.
Clementine: This is it, Joel. It’s going to be gone soon. Joel: I know. Clementine: What do we do? Joel: Enjoy it.
I love how the story explores relationships. How sometimes the things you love about someone becomes the very reason you fall out of love with them.
Joel: [on tape recording] And the whole thing with the hair – it’s all bullshit. Joel: I really like your hair. Clementine: Thank you.
(Cleverly, Clementine has ever-changing hair, which helps viewers keep track of the order of the plot, which jumps between past and present.)
The actors appear to be playing the opposite of the sort of characters they’ve been typecast to play. Winslet and Carrey both nail it though.
This film is thought provoking to say the least. Mind boggling too. But it’s ultimately about accepting that pain is part of growing, and loss is a part of life.
Joel: I can’t see anything that I don’t like about you. Clementine: But you will! But you will. You know, you will think of things. And I’ll get bored with you and feel trapped because that’s what happens with me. Joel: Okay. Clementine: [pauses] Okay.
It’s sort of like Inception meets The Matrix, but that’s just because it’s the exploration of a different perspective of life.
At the end of The Matrix we all asked ourselves ‘is this world virtual?’. At the end of Inception we all asked ourselves ‘am I in a dream?’.
At the end of Eternal Sunshine, you’ll ask yourselves ‘have I done this before?’.
You’ll be sure to pick up a few funny sayings and dwell over the small touches that you would never notice the first three times of watching this layered film.
Clementine: You’re not a stalker, or anything, right? Joel: I’m not a stalker. YOU’RE the one that talked to me, remember? Clementine: That is the oldest trick in the stalker book. Joel: Really? There’s a stalker book? Great, I gotta read that one.
This is an absolutely awesome film that will have you thinking for hours. I thoroughly enjoyed it as it is a fantastic break from the monotonous love stories out there. The technology used and tricks done on set by the camera and the actors is old school, but very cool.
Eternal Sunshine is a film that not everybody could relate to or fully appreciate. I think it is because this is not a spoon-fed love story Fedexed from Hollywood to a cinema near you!
Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10
This trailer really makes this film very light and fluffy… Which isn’t accurate.
I have recently re-discovered a song from the seventies.
This song is by a dude named Don McLean,
and the song is named American Pie.
“…Something touched me deep inside, The day the music died So bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey in Rye Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die…”
This emotionally-charged blog is being written post-viewing of the film I recently reviewed named “The Boat That Rocked“, where rock and roll, as we knew it in the sixties, came to an abrupt end. When the music died.
It seems many of the most incredible talents die a premature death.
Buddy Holly
Anything from plane crashes such as Buddy Holly who was a great loss to music.
Along with two fellow stars as passengers, Ritchie Valens (who had boarded the plane as a result of winning a coin toss) and Jile Perry Richardson/The Big Popper in 1959. This crash inspired the writing of the song American Pie.
“…Everyday seems a little longer Every way love’s a little stronger Come what may Do you ever long for, true love from me Everyday it’s a-gettin’ closer Goin’ faster than a roller coaster…”
(“Everyday”)
“I don’t like that surfin’ shit. Rock and roll’s been going down hill ever since Buddy Holly died”- American Graffiti
Jimi Hendrix
There were also drug-related deaths, such as Jimi Hendrix in 1970. I think, due to his outstanding guitar skills, his unbelievable singing voice was not recognised quite as much as it should have been.
“…A broom is drearily sweeping Up the broken pieces of yesterday’s life… ‘Cause the life that lived is,
Is dead. And the wind screams Mary…” (“The Wind Cries Mary”)
“You see the thing that makes sense in this crazy world is Rock and Roll.” – The Boat That Rocked (deleted scene)
Elvis Presley
A heart attack got The King, Elvis Presley in 1977 who had the looks, style, talent and personality. I have three photos of him on my wall, even though I wasn’t alive when he was. That’s how influential he was.
“…Please don’t ask me what’s on my mind
I’m a little mixed up,
But I’m feelin’ fine.
When I’m near that girl that I love best
My heart beats so it scares me to death…” (“All Shook Up”)
Wolfman Jack
Wolfman Jack passed away in the arms of his wife, Lou, due to a heart attack in 1995. He was a legendary pop music radio host in the sixties and has appeared in films such as American Graffiti.
Somehow the Rock and Roll stars of our world don’t seem to last.
The Beatles
Sometimes the music dies because it’s simply not created any more. With the most heart-breaking tragedy occurring in 1970, when The Beatles split up.
“…Life is very short
and there’s no time, For fussing and fighting my friend, I have always thought that it’s a crime, So I will ask you once again Try to see it my way…” (“Try To See It My Way”)
By 1980, John Lennon is shot and in 2001 cancer takes George Harrison.
George HarrisonJohn LennonBob Marley
In 1981, the legendary Bob Marley also died of cancer. With his final words being “money can’t buy life”
“…Rise up this mornin’, Smiled with the risin’ sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin’ sweet songs Of melodies pure and true, Sayin’: “This is my message to you Singin’: “Don’t worry ’bout a thing, ‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right…” (“Three Little Birds”)
Michael Jackson
Despite not really being a fan, I can’t deny the incredible influence Michael Jackson has had on other musicians and, of course, his unmeasurable talent as a performer and musician. He died under suspicious circumstances in 2009. This death is a memorable one for me due to its recent occurrence (I was in maths class, and this shocking news put an end to that lesson… Which was the light in the darkness I guess).
“…It’s close to midnight Something evil’s lurkin’ in the dark Under the moonlight You see a sight that almost stops your heart You try to scream But terror takes the sound before you make it You start to freeze As horror looks you right between the eyes You’re paralyzed ‘Cause this is thriller…” (“Thriller”)
Whitney HoustonAmy Winehouse
Of course, this is just a pinch from the endless realm of musical talent that we know of today. Amy Winehouse (2010) and just yesterday, Whitney Houston are a couple of others that have checked-out much too soon. However, they have still influenced our popular culture and, more importantly, inspired future musicians.
We’ve had many sad days when “the music died”. American Pie is a song that represents the importance of our favourite music and artists. This song is for every time a star has fallen.
Give peace a chance, and keep listening to good music! Especially by the musicians I have mentioned – to keep them alive. They represent the better parts of music because they are talented – unlike many of the ridiculous acts the money-grabbing producers are finding today. Just because we have computers that can sing for these “posers”, doesn’t mean that’s what we should be doing. We need to inspire people today more than ever.
The death that has affected my iPod playlists the most, it’s the death of The Beatles. And with that, I will leave you with John Lennon‘s solo tune, Imagine. Which is about how it could be.
“All you need is love”. And when you feel bad, “take a sad song and make it better”.
Jodie.
Director: James Cameron
Writer: James Cameron Released: 2009 Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver
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When I watched this film in 3D, my review would have been very different to what this review of my second watch is. At first, I would have said that it’s a storyline we’ve seen before, that the characters were typical and that it was all about the technology.
However, this is not exactly what I think now.
Having seen the first hour of Avatar on TV recently, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it compared to how I felt about it roughly two years earlier. After the adverts interrupting my good time a few too many times, I just had to get the DVD. Which I did. And here’s my verdict:
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I think it is mostly because it is very easy – too easy – to compare what happened to Pandora to what is happening everyday on Earth. At least in New Zealand, we’re struggling to prevent businesses fracking the rocks below the surface to collect gas/oil which has massive effects on the environment and the people living nearby.
James Cameron made this before there was the amount of struggle between the value of the environment versus the financial value of the environment, that there is today. So Avatar hit home pretty hard the more realistic the story became.
Beyond the deep and meaningful, the technological advances of this film are at a level that will take a long time for anybody to measure up to. It’s all motion capture – so that’s all green screens and dots – but you would never be able to tell that the actors have no Pandora environments to work with.
The designs of the people (Na’vi) and the intrepid creatures that roam the strange planet and how they all share a similar colour palette to show the interdependence between the environment and it’s inhabitants. With the main message being that it is all about balance.
It is a film of action, adventure, fantasy and science-fiction. It’s kind of like exploring Wonderland, but Wonderland from the future. So it’s not at all boring for a second. Which is why after buying the DVD (and finding it had no special features -_- not cool James, not cool) I had to go back out and buy the 3-disc version to get the ins and outs of the story.
It’s got everything that would make you wish that you were there. Riding on flying dragons, galloping through the jungle on six-legged horses, exploring a land rich in life and colour. Pandora is the land you’ll soon want to exist.
Because although it is a ridiculously long film (although it is actually a lot easier to handle than any of Peter Jacksons epically exhausting creations) I found there was still a lot I wanted to know about Pandora and the tribe of Na’vi. Plus, Jake Sully’s (Sam Worthington) back story is quite an eventful one.
I mean, come on, this is James Cameron we’re talking about. The writer and director of Titanic! So of course this is a film worth watching. In fact, I think Cameron should be famous for his writing more than his directing.
I think this film is one of very few that is very beneficial in 3D! The landscape designs look idyllic and the creatures are so intriguing. I am weary of the sequels, however, that are meant to be on its way…
So depending on what ‘filter’ you’re going to watch this film through, whether it’s from a political point of view, an environmental or religious point of view or, just watching it for plain entertainment, you will find something to take away from Avatar. It’s all about values, balance, the circle of life and appreciation.
Director: Richard Curtis Writers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Hilary Bevan Jones Released: 2009 Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson
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If you love groovylicious music and cool fashion from the 1960s, then you are going to LOVE this film!
It’s a film about the pirate radio stars during the sixties who played rockin’ music, whilst trying to keep the government off their backs who didn’t like the kind of influence the radio stations had.
It’s the kind of film where its characters are used to target the typical main-stream movie audience who are in their twenties, but it’s ‘historical’ enough to capture the reminiscing kids of the sixties, yet, unique enough to entice the indie teens, and overall AWESOMENESS to be absolutely: Way. Cool.
It’s an exciting film about each radio host’s personal triumphs as well as the overall capturing story of essentially giving the middle finger to society. The contrast between the conservative government workers versus the wild rock and roll supporters from the boats in the North Sea was drawn which was great to see two sides.
You can also see the same sort of contrast being drawn between the children and their parents. The children being the rebellious worshippers of the DJs who hide radios in their bedrooms, and the parents being the BBC listeners who frown upon the culture of pop and rock and roll music.
The humour was a bit hit-and-miss for me occasionally, but that’s probably because I have a dry sense of humour… As in, I find Napoleon Dynamite hilarious. The majority of the audience would enjoy it very much, I’m sure.
Fantastic music OBVIOUSLY, which compelled me to buy the double-disc album which was incredible! Think of your favourite artist from the sixties, and it’ll be on there… Except for The Beatles… That was a bit of a disappointment, actually…
A loud, crazy, colourful and hilarious depiction of the sixties’ uprising which was almost successful. I felt quite upset at the end when I saw the ship sink and I went into a deep daydream of how the Government should have let the ships be, how it could have been, how they should never have made laws against them and how spectacular the sixties was… and the WAY COOL music… The ending was a bit of a downer, but accurate nevertheless. (Reinforcing my ‘Golden Age Thinking’ as explained in Midnight in Paris)
The Boat That Rocked is an entertaining film where anybody could pick out a favourite bit, moment or character, making it a movie that’s easy to talk about. It is a perfectly orchestrated story with fewer stereotypes than I expected.
The wardrobe was absolutely stupendous (I wish there was a “The Boat That Rocked Shop”) and the cut-aways to the everyday listeners was probably one of my favourite bits, because it gave you a huge scope of the world they lived in – since it could have been very isolated to the life on the boat.
This isn’t just a film worth watching, this is a film worth buying and then replaying. You will finish watching the film and feel an urge to carry a stereo around with you, liberating the boring and monotonous people of the 2000s with epic sounds of the sixties.
You will feel the need to stick it to the man and be rebellious… But you’ll probably just put the film on repeat instead, and that’s cool too.
If American Graffiti represents America in the 60s, The Boat that Rocked represents the UK in the 60s.
This film is probably my favourite rom-com of all time because it has a dry sense of humour, but above all it has a soundtrack that I absolutely love! Literally the best of the eighties.
It’s about Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) who has never needed to work and is a professional womanizer. The parallel story is about poor Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) and how he deals with his mother (Toni Collette) who is suffering from depression, all the while having a tough time at school.
NZ Film Freak 