Sunday, January 22, 2006

It's bronze, bronze, bronze, for Reiner

The casting of Rumour has it seems to bring together an odd assortment of Hollywood personalities who don't seem to gel quite as well as the producers probably hoped they would for their delerious Hollywood pay packets.

While it's refreshing to see Jennifer Anniston taking on more challenging leads, the delivery of some of the more complex dialogue was a little laboured, although she exhibits mastery and great range over her expression and appears to be developing a strong on-screen identity and presence. Her interaction with Costner seemed awkward and Ruffalo should just stop doing romantic leads altogether.

While I might be just a little biased, Costner's easy, laid-back delivery proved credible and the strong persona he brings to the role of Beau Burroughs, amazingly, doesn't detract from the codes established by the iconic Hoffman in The Graduate. He seems to be able to capture a slightly unorthodox, slightly sleazy vibe which could be expected from the character of Braddock decades later. His looks were a peculiar casting choice to follow Hoffman's characterization and it does leave some worrying questions about marketing ethics over artistic integrity.

The star performance of the movie is of course the MacLaine, whose performance is what you would expect of an Hollywood career icon, every line is a quote that will last till eternity delivered with crispness and accuracy that frankly was more than the script writers deserved, and she sets the film alight from her first scene to her last.

Shirley MacLaine's performance effectively gels the odd casting together and pulls the pieces of this otherwise banal vehicle together to create a framework upon which the other actors can hang lesser, but still quite solid, performances.

Ruffalo does himself an injustice by continually doing stereotypical American romantic leads, his performance suggests he could be quite sensational given a decent script and more challenging themes, but in this film, he is the weakest link.

The mis-en-scen and setting references some very interesting and complex parallels between the era of The Graduate and the present and was probably one of the more notable achievements of Reiner. The camera work covered a multitude of sins in the performances and the stars' characterizations.

The premise of the movie was always going to be a difficult one to live up to, with absolutely iconic performances in the original narrative - The Graduate, producer - Reiner (of When Harry Met Sally) was giving himself a challenge no Hollywood producer would be able to live up to, and may well have worked better and grossed more at the box office given a less 'American mainstream' treatment.

That said, it doesn't stink, it has funny lines which do work, it has poignant moments with withering looks provided by the impossibly beautiful Jennifer Aniston.

It is however, just a light piece of US escapism which will not change the world, nor go down in history next to the epic, The Graduate, as a memorable work.

While the Pitt-meister will be wondering what on earth he was thinking when he left Aniston for the 'I don't like adulterous men - Angelina Jolie,' it is blatantly unethical that US actresses are not considered seriously for female leads like this, unless they have ridiculously thin bodies(which detracts from their relevance and credibility), as is also evident in Drew Barrymore's latest romantic comedy, 'Fever Pitch,' Only a short time later, Barrymore was considerably heavier once again, at the Golden Globes last week.

For their trouble thinning down to the US film industry's female-lead protocol adolescent size, these two actors have really just got themselves a lead role in mediocre films which do not pay their loss of self-worth, ambitions or their efforts justice.

Friday, January 20, 2006

In the midnight hour...

Wilson Pickett, soul music legend, at the age of 64, has gone to the big jam-session in the sky.

'Wikkid' Pickett, inspired generation after generation after generation with songs like In the Midnight Hour, 634 5789, Try a Little Tenderness, and Everybody needs somebody to Love, that gave even the least musically inclined a glimpse of the rhythm within.

Born in Alabama, Pickett developed his unique, honest style of soul vocalization singing harmony in a gospel choir before launching himself on the burgeoning U.S. soul scene of the sixties.

The singer worked until last year when he started experiencing difficulties with his health and died of heart failure yesterday in Virginia.

There are great photos here of some of his career highlights - make sure to press play to watch the slide show and a discography here.

His heart-felt contribution to the world will live on in his music and in his fans, who will always carry a little bit of the 'Wikkid' one's soul with them.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Galloping off

Master of the marketable enigma, it is questionable whether Geoff Gallop ever actually felt threatened by the state's media monopoly campaign to oust him from office, sadly the likes of Canal Colin wasn't ever going to give Gallop an opportunity to discover what he was really made of on the election trail.

Those who condemned him during his lengthy time as premier would probably stop short of smugness today, in the knowledge that it just won't make their circulation figures any higher.

It is little wonder Geoff Gallop cited depression as the reason for his resignation, with pressure from public broadcasters and mass media monopolies alike, vying to further their own corporate and political interests.

While it's commendable that Geoff Gallop in his openness has helped to break down stigmas about depression, it would indeed be more constructive if it was not considered an expiry date on his usefulness to the state and the Labor Party.


One thing I think Geoff will miss is the opportunity to make one liners like this & watch certain persons squirm in their seats,
" When the West Australian newspaper invited me here to speak this morning, I did wonder for a moment whether I was being invited to breakfast or as breakfast." (Geoff Gallop, Leadership Matters: 1000 days in office)

It is both sad and refreshing to see the human aspect of those whom society considers public property and it is through frank and open discussion of issues such as workplace stress and depression, we're afforded glimpses of our leaders having frailty and vulnerability - just like anyone else and makes one question the constant political battering mass-media editorials dole out so eagerly to these public figures, seldom with the maturity of real-life behind them.

The Muriels offer this effective summary.

So the chook raffle is on as to who will take the Premier's seat, with Eric Ripper taking control until a new leader is elected by the caucus next week sometime, some suggested front-runners are Michelle Roberts, Jim McGinty, Eric Ripper and Alan Carpenter.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Don't grumble give a whistle (just remember...)

The Saint has been busted out.

Workplace difficulties can reek havoc, & in the event of whistleblowing in the workplace you'd better watch out for your health & hired guns.

Workplace issues(ta Red Rag), blogging (cheers to the Dragon) & privacy have been topical this week in the 'Sphere, & for some more traumatic than others.

The balance between one's career and the 'Sphere can be tenuous, without the added pressure of harassment on your homepage by trolls.

Community cohesion is a difficult concept for some career notables at the best of times & cyber communities seem to provide even more of a challenge to people's preconceptions.

Clearly, one of the utopian attractions of the Blogosphere is that all bloggers are created equal, be they lawyer, literary babboon, football commentator, or Chairman of the Kitty Litter, it can take a little while to dawn on some, but ultimately the 'Sphere is where all those spooky & intangible rules of karma and equality collide with reality, sometimes with devastating impact.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Book burning, witch burning - common culprits?

George Orwell is destined to headline any potential government list of books to burn, this has got to have them pondering it... bad publicity in anybody's book - so how do you spindoctor a publicity catastrophe, and who on Earth would swap places with DIMIA's media officer anyway? They'd have to offer a hell of a Christmas bonus wouldn't they?

It is all bad news for DIMIA who just don't seem to be able to find any copies or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (which Australia was central in drafting) to refer to, in making those delicate, 'could-go-either-way' type decisions.

CORRECTION: The title of this post should also have Christian-burning in there somewhere. Along with many other persecuters of Christians both before and after him, Emporer Nero was said to have burnt Christians as human candles to light up his gardens :{{{{{ But I think you will begin to see a common theme occurring in the title which is of course meant to have some sort of relevance to the post.

Drivers behaving badly

In a move which will please Sr Mary Cileo (the Cycling Nun) and cyclists, and basically anyone without a V8 or 4WD, South Australians now have the opportunity to give the big finger to badly behaved or downright dangerous motorists.

The slight tinges of Big Brotherdom are of course countered by the multitudinous times everyone has encountered drivers with no inherent concept of courtesy or self preservation, lets hope they don't create a similar initiative for those who oppose John Howard - oops, they already have - go figure!