When the Cheshire emerges...

I forgot to copy my classic review so that will be posted in the next few days.

For now, we must all rejoice, for Bond is back. Bond is classic.

THE ENGLISH have had plenty to be happy about in 2012. Their national pride and resilience, shaken in recent years through bomb attacks and civil riots, was restored with their stellar home performance at the Olympic Games. From there a ball was set rolling, which found itself in the land of fiction as the world’s smoothest spy turned 50. And haven’t they celebrated.

Rating: 4/5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 17/11/2012

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEWS? See what I thought of Breaking Dawn - Part 2.

OH no. In attempting to write a regular blog with photos tonight I'm told by Blogger that I've reached my free quota of photo storage through Picasa Web Albums.

OH NO.

Blogger accounts can apparently can use free storage from Google Drive as well so I downloaded that to perhaps solve the problem - but that didn't work.

I think that could be because Drive's a relatively new thing and I'm on an old Blogger account.

Oh dear.

I have some thinking to do in regards to my next step; whether paying for storage is the go or sussing out other options.

What a headache.

Across the border from Mildura, Wentworth (in NSW) is a quaint little town with a few big things going for it. Their jail was the first to be designed by an Australian and the model for many built later on (Dubbo's doors are a Wentworth design apparently), and it sits at the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers. A beautiful sight that is.

The steamer PS Ruby is a special monument to them, being restored by a loving team (I think of volunteers).

I can't remember which river is which, but this is from a lookout at the junction.

Now that's a drink.

The PS Ruby.

This is the tenth post in the On the road to nowhere series. Missed the last one? Catch up!

The second half of my journey began in Mildura after leaving Adelaide. Going through Renmark on the way was nice, having visited there two years ago for some work experience.

Right on the Victoria/NSW border, Mildura is a great base for surrounding areas. It also had a lot to offer for itself, not least a great major eating strip. Definitely one up on Dubbo there. To be fair, it services up to 60,000 within a close proximity.

Within Mildura and close surrounds I visited Orange World where I learnt about the wonderful produce that comes out of the Sunraysia region, the Stanley Wines factory in an attempt to see the Big Goon Box, and took notice of the cool art deco influence on their architecture.

I must mention that the hospitality I received here was great... and that they have a really good Sportsgirl. Oh how I miss that shop.

I could say this is the best fresh OJ I've ever had - and I will. Fabulous.



The Orange World experience then consists of a tractor ride through part of the orchard.

What used to be the Big Goon Box. You can imagine the Stanley logo and the pourer bit stuck on the bottom. No vomiting homages here. Devastated.

This is the ninth post of the On the road to nowhere series. Missed the last one? Catch up!

Little did I know I'd be getting my country on and going on a road trip yesterday (to the Warrumbungles, but that's a story for a later time), but something struck me when I saw this on my fridge back on Wednesday.

One of the more random Shoe of the Week choices I think, this is a shoe purely for the farming/animal enthusiast. One would hope it is not real cowhide or PETA activists would surely have something to say. I would too - but not for that...

***
So who's seen the Downton Abbey preview for Season 3 on Seven?

I feel like fistpumping every time I see it... Whoever thought of putting a montage to David Guetta is a champ. DA in da cluuuub (OK that's really lame but what else can you say, it's so random).

It's been done so well, not least because of what looks like excellent content. I can't wait until the end of January (no doubt it'll premiere after the Australian Open) - but I will; looking for this was hard enough not to read any potential spoilers.

Here you go :D

I went to Dubbo's midnight screening for this one, which I think is my first ever unless I did one for Harry Potter in Adelaide sometime first... and there were more than 200 people, a great turnout. I decided to make it a work thing too, and speak to some of those there and write a story about it being the last one and all. You can read that here.

And now, the review. I've seen a mix of good and bad, but I found myself in between. There were great elements to it but I've come to learn that doesn't make something good.

Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (M)

SOCIETY'S need for a love story is everlasting, and when a film franchise has, to date, grossed $2.5 billion the fact is ferociously confirmed. But that this love story between a human and a vampire (and then a werewolf) has come to dominate cinema on a global scale for the past four years is telling of the apparent want to also believe in the paranormal; something beyond our true understanding.

The reason why is an interesting and likely unanswerable question. But we do know that the final instalment of The Twilight Saga arrives after a tumultuous year for the leading couple. Kristen Stewart's affair with her Snow White and the Huntsman director tarnished her reputation in the eyes of some fans; and no doubt blemished the film's preluding hype.

But fans will still come in droves to see the aftermath of half-immortal Renesmee's birth. Bella (Stewart) has been turned by vampire husband Edward (Robert Pattinson), and finds motherhood suits her well. Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy) soon becomes the interest of ruling entity the Volturi, who believe she is an immortal child - once human and turned into a vampire. The Cullens aren't given much time before the Volturi make a visit to kill Renesmee, but use it to gather friends as witnesses to help in the case to spare her.

The hope of restoring peace amongst the ranks seems thwarted as Volturi leader Aro (Michael Sheen) goes about destroying those who are uncooperative. Combined with the disappearance of family members Alice (Ashley Greene) and Jasper (Jackson Rathbone), Bella and Edward are fearful.

While the saga has always been very much a family affair, this instalment heaps on a lot more seriousness. The small amount of physical romance that remains is, although annoyingly scripted, surprisingly tasteful, and it takes a back seat to the emotional turmoil they face. Bella finally grows up.

But the first half an hour in particular suggests a concession in defeat that the love triangle, in particular Taylor Lautner as Jacob, has truly become a parody of itself. Director Bill Condon has embraced the fact with humour, be it intentional or not, to alleviate some of the tension we all knew was coming.

Condon, known for diversity among his films including Dreamgirls and Kinsey, treats the adaptation as adult - but at the same time understands the need to balance darker and lighter moments for the young fan base. This is best shown in a final showdown which differs from the book, proving extremely effective for those in the know.

Frustratingly, something the franchise has never done right is special effects; the final film is no different. That loss of credibility has regularly been shared with the cast performances, which are a mixed bag. Here, Lautner plays Jacob with a bit of schtick but Stewart and Pattinson's chemistry drops dramatically, seemingly for the lack of romantic content.

For minimal plot, it holds steady over the course of two hours, and over the course of the films this gains points for the twist, as well as intense Amazonian vampires. But like previous instalments, the final chapter is one that will be impressive mostly to fans.

Rating: 2.5/5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 17/11/2012

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEWS? See what I thought of Seven Psychopaths and The English Patient.

How cool was this morning's total solar eclipse?

I watched it all on Sunrise and it gave me goosebumps. It was beautiful!

Dubbo was meant to get it partial, with the peak of about 65 per cent coverage coming to us about 20 minutes or so later. I went outside a few minutes ahead, but soon realised it didn't appear any darker.

It was half hiding behind a building and with my sunnies on (which I know doesn't help if trying to look at it, don't worry), accidentally looked up that way for a second or two. But it was as if it was just a bright sunny morning, and as soon as I did I looked straight at the ground again and sought refuge under a tree.

I'm under the tree researching again to find out the peak time and it was right then according to one website. No visible darkness at all. Great.

Did I miss it?

I had no idea, and heard afterwards that partial ones may be harder to see - but 65 per cent should have made some sort of visible difference even looking the other way.

I took a photo to see if that made any difference, looking down and pointing my camera up to the sky from hip height.




Not really.

Nice photo though, if not a bit bright.

I then tried the pinhole thing for a second, trying to do it through the safety of the tree. But obviously the ground was shadowy from said tree and that idea failed. As did this whole experiment.

***

Late in the day at work I discover the partial eclipse actually happened around 7.30 - AT THE SAME TIME AS CAIRNS, which makes complete sense. However, I refuse to blame myself for the fact that I was incorrectly informed from multiple resources. For the record I had just stepped out of the shower at that time.

major. fail.
And after all that faliure, I'm now really paranoid about my brief glimpse at the sky. It's not like I actively stared at all, more like being caught without sunnies for a second. I'm sure it won't blind me, but I do worry. Just a bit. My left eye's been a bit sore today, but I have been known to have eye strain in recent months from using computers etc. And psychology could have much to do with that also.

WRITER’S block is a creative mind’s greatest fear. Knowing that those flowing juices in the brain have disappeared in place of a general void is usually a worrying sign for many, and then usually followed by the conclusion it comes down to a lack of artistic stimulation around them. It can come from anywhere and affect anyone whether it be for the purpose of words, a painting, or a performance. But as Hollywood tells us, it’s those who live in Tinseltown that are the ones under the most pressure in this life.

Rating: 4/5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 10/11/2012

***

The English Patient (1996)

Michael Ondaatje’s sweeping lustful romance amid World War II is one of cinema’s modern classics, the Booker Prize-winning novel’s adaptation realised to widespread acclaim by critics and fans.

We come to know Count Laszlo de Almasy (Ralph Fiennes) after a plane crash renders him badly burned and transported to Italy. There, nurse Hana (Juliette Binoche) cares for him as the war comes to an end.

The film is a feast for the senses as the story of his time in Egypt as a mapmaker for England’s Royal Geographical Society unravels. He falls in love with married woman Katherine (Kristen Scott Thomas), doomed from the earliest day, but director Anthony Minghella treats it with sensitivity. That should be obvious – he wrote 20 drafts of the screenplay.

With an original running time of four hours and 10 minutes, two and a half hours seems a pittance. But the steady story lets us in to an indescribable world; a vivid faraway land where love is hesitant because of outlying circumstance. Fiennes leads a strong cast, all of balanced importance who come out with Minghella strong in having made a thought-provoking and satisfying film.

*Published in the Mailbox Shopper (Dubbo) on Wednesday 7/11/2012

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEWS? See what I thought of Bachelorette and The Age of Innocence.

This week my calendar offered a few doozies, so a pretty steady week. This was the worst of them though, a homage to a city that I've never been to but sounds amazing.

As the Big Brother winner for 2012 was announced last night, I apparently upset a fair amount of people on Central Standard Time by briefly sharing my happiness on Facebook. Unbeknownst to me - as Dubbo, like Adelaide, regularly gets the show on a half-hour delay - we actually got the result live, whereas they unfortunately did not.

As far as I'm aware it's my first boo-boo since being on NSW time, resulting from my incorrect logic. I've made my apology, but this episode (no pun intended) brings a timely reminder that there's one simple rule to follow: if you don't want to know, don't log on.

Living in a non-live time zone's hard in the days of mass social media. It's not like I haven't done it, and like most I've had my monumental stuff ups.

A particularly big one was finding out the Eurovision winner in 2009 (I think, or 2008) the hard way just before going to my friend's to watch the delayed final. Now, for those outside Europe, avoiding the result every year is REALLY HARD. A total media blackout for an entire day is usually required, but it can be done. Disappointingly in 2009, I found out not through the TV or radio reports, or even Facebook (because it most certainly would've been discussed there), but Google. Google is not even safe.

But ultimately, it was my fault for turning the computer on.

***

I wrote at the beginning of the season about my thoughts of the return of the series as well as the housemates in contention for the crown. I hadn't warmed to anyone then, and while I really liked the group as a whole entity I don't think I ever did cement a favourite in my mind. But the season was fantastic for a number of reasons, namely a rollercoaster of emotional drama, inventive tasks, and a back-to-basics approach.

In the end, I'm impressed that Benjamin won. Why? Well yes, he was a bit of a bully and a lot of people hated that. But he didn't try and hide his dislike of people all that much, and the girls weren't exactly perfect. Layla dumped George to go with Sam (debate for or against that all you like), while Estelle ended up kissing three of the guys: Bradley (to help him out yes, but still, there was an almost romance there), Ryan and finally Michael. So you could judge and point fingers at all of them about something really.

Benjamin had different sides to him that made for very good television. And that's what it comes down to really. He was excellent at dishing out constructive advice, good at taking on challenges in a number of questionable outfits and OK, a bit of a gossip. Does it matter that he's gay? Yes, on the point that in a country not officially accepting of gay marriage we were acceptant of his personality and preferences.

The Big Brother finale was very well programmed; impressive from Nine. I look forward to watching again in 2013 - oh hang on, no, I plan to try and be ON THERE... The show was fun, and not without a huge surprise from the winner to his partner. For me it was a huge deal - it was a marked statement not seen before on Australian television before; a defiant stance that marriage is not a dirty word.

At least I left that for everyone to discover themselves.

A town of the choo-choos for decades, Peterborough was interesting in that it was my first SA Outback destination ever in taking a second detour off the Barrier Highway. It delivered more than I expected.

The hours flew by during my short stay, accompanied by a father-daughter duo I had met in Broken Hill on my walking tour who were coincidentally ahead of me on the road and had the same idea.

We took in their train museum, the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre, where I felt like I had been plonked in the middle of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (subconscious childhood dream realised right there). Lunch followed at a place which combined three of my favourite things - retroness, film and good food.

From here I would continue to Adelaide to see family and friends, and attend a beautiful wedding. I felt I had already done so much in just five and a half days.

Thomas' roundhouse.

This thing on the back of the car is a means of mobile communication. Funny how that's changed...

Toby was a pretty cool train.

If someone had told me earlier I'd fine this on the main street I would've laughed. Fabulous.

This is the eighth post of the On the road to nowhere series. Missed the last one? Catch up!

Silverton: the Hollywood of the Outback. Parts of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and just about all of Mad Max 2 were filmed there, a ghost town previously inhabited with those working in the mines. There's not much around, but what is is excellent. It's a great place.

I met the most enthusiastic person possibly ever in the creator of the Mad Max museum, an Englishman who moved his family out to start the pilgrimage after discovering on holiday that was nothing to support Silverton's moniker.

I also went to the lookout point at the Mundi Mundi Plains, a vast expanse of greenery in the desert and beautiful in its stillness. Much like White Cliffs, I felt I was in a different world. And only a simple but bumpy 25 minutes or so from Broken Hill.
*Mad Max Museum indoor photos taken with owner permission

The famous (replica) car that sits outside the Silverton Hotel.

The souvenir shop had pictures...

Donkey were not something I expected to see!

Legendary.

Dame Mary Gilmore of our $10 note taught at Silverton School.

That museum had the most random assortment of items ever. Here are awards from the Pal Pedigree and Rinso companies...

I felt it was appropriate to get a jumping shot on the Mundi Mundi Plains out of anywhere. The photo doesn't do the landscape justice.

This is the seventh post of the On the road to nowhere series. Missed the last one? Catch up!