Saturday, March 31, 2012
I've stupidly left my USB with my finished review at work, so unfortunately you guys will have to wait until Monday night for my thoughts on Mirror Mirror. Cue sad face.
But Dubbo has gone film-mad this weekend anyway, so I wanted to give the Travelling Film Festival a mention. Organised by those crazy cool people at the Sydney Film Festival, it's been here eight times already. Last night's opener was said to be the strongest turnout ever with a sold-out show for French film The Women on the 6th Floor.
It was a charmer, and everyone walked out of that cinema pretty satisfied. I certainly did, it was the first foreign film I've seen in six months here.
It's a pretty diverse lineup, with Indigenous film Toomelah and the Danish Happy Happy screening earlier today before The Ides of March tonight. Yes, Clooney and Gosling's double trouble affair never got here before now, what shame.
Tomorrow is Italian The Salt of Life before the big punchline Melancholia. Now I've seen the film (this was heavily chopped btw, please ignore the incorrect edit of Dunst's name), but fatigue was a huge factor and I'm so keen to try and get through it again. Although slightly apprehensive of the chance I may be wasting two hours of my life.
Oh, and have a read of my brief preview of the festival. It's times like these when I really love my job.
Friday, March 30, 2012
I thought I would be cheeky and incorporate part of the New Zealand series into my Friday night shoe blog. Did you see the first entry of how I tested my limits? You should.
This week's calendar shoe of choice first of all. There was the Eiffel Tower first some weeks ago and now they've tarred the reputation of that other European monument (oh fine, the UK's separate if you're PC about it) - Big Ben. WHY is it necessary to put a structure in the heel of a shoe? To be frank, it's not. It's sacrilege.
To NZ now, and I saw a pair of shoes from a cute Asian store in Auckland which took my fancy. With all intentions to go back if I had enough money I never did. They were closed-toe wedges, checkered pattern in colours of grey, bottle green and mauve in a felt-like material, very wintery. Do regret not at least trying them on.
I didn't really try shoes on much while over there. And I realised only when returning to Sydney that I had failed, for the first time, to buy shoes from overseas. Compared to Europe trip #2 I felt like a failure.
But I bought plenty of clothes nonetheless, seeing as Australians effectively have a 25 per cent discount with the handy exchange rate. I began to splurge when I got to Wellington and got sucked in to the amazing vintage stores that rock the capital. I was blown away.
And so to segue into: the NZ purchases! Oh and Australian purchases too, they're just as important. Bum bum buuuuuum (dramatic drum roll)...
All local prices.
NZ: pink mohair handmade knitted jumper - $45, grey fitted mid-length coat - $35 (same store), Reiss flowy patterned skirt - $12, Paper Bag Princess. All Wellington.
Australia: orange/blue checked long-sleeve winter top - $15, camel woolen shorts - $45, queen justine vintage. Both Bondi Markets.
NZ: Chic A Booti tights - $10, Valleygirl, pink/blue 90s tie-up collared tank top - $10, Mighty Mighty vintage, Paper Scissors black 'Dracula' long-sleeved dress - $19.95, Temt. All Wellington. Cotton On bikini top and bottoms - $5, $5 (Auckland).
Australia: Zimmerman silk floral frilled collar top - $25, Some Like It Hot (Melbourne).
The chocolates are for another time.
NZ: MNG Suit pink woolen button cardigan - $6, River Island stars and stripes scarf - free. Both Paper Bag Princess, Wellington.
Australia: Shava Dress Indian print pleated dress - $15(Bondi Markets), Tokito cream and black lace dress top - $30, Ruby Rose for milkandhoney tiedye casual dress - $40 from $119. Both The Basement, Myer Melbourne.
NZ: two-for-one sunnies - $25, Pagani (Christchurch), stud earrings - $4.95 (Queenstown Mall), plastic Tikis - $1.20 (Rotorua).
Moral of the story: I couldn't resist Wellington's vintage charm. I may not have bought shoes but there are other ways to spoil yourself. I'll do a Europe and buy bigger on shoes for NZ trip #2.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
I've decided to write a small series of blogs about my two weeks in NZ and why it was so freakin' amazing. The first topic is a pretty obvious one.
I wanted to scare the pants off myself.
Okay, so maybe not that dramatic. But I'd set my sights on doing a skydive in Queenstown, as a follow-up to July 2010's first dive in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.
I'd heard while still on the North Island that doing it over Lake Taupo is better and cheaper, but that wasn't part of the itinerary so had to give it a miss.
Hanging out for Queenstown, I got there with such excitement. I got off the plane and thought I was in the Swiss Alps or Austria all over again. Salzburg more particularly as I also flew in there at the time (2011).
I got to my hostel, put the baggage in storage, then went straight to the travel desk. There was a skydive group going in fifteen minutes and clouds emerging meant it could be my only chance for the day. With rain forecast for the next day I didn't take my chances.
While Switzerland was 12,000ft out of a helicopter (special, yes) I chose 9,000 this time. Partly for difference, partly for affordability to also get the photos. Not a cheap exercise. I was the only one to get photos out of eight, which I thought really weird.
But as you can see, totally worth it.
I was calm, I had trouble breathing properly with all the wind during the freefall as with the first time, but it was sweet. Exactly as it should've been. Excellent.
What I DIDN'T see coming was my decision on day two. Enticed by March's offer of 'do a tandem swing, get one free' I was accompanied by new friend Laura and we went to swing across Shotover Canyon.
Swing #1 was okay. Talked shit a lot to calm any nerves because they suspended us so freakin' long it was ridiculous. But it was fun and a great experience with Laura.
Then it was time to go solo.
Choosing a forward jump, I thought I was harnessed from the top and then realised there was still the element of jumping off a cliff. It nearly didn't end well.
I was helped off in the end, and I have no shame. This was still a HUGE step for me because while skydives don't scare me, this whole flinging yourself off a cliff by yourself does. I screamed that canyon DOWN.
Moral of the story: Queenstown rules for making crazy dares look awesome and living up to that. I tested myself and won. I keep thinking about where I'm going to do my next skydive at least. After all, I do need to get the breathing thing under control :)
Friday, March 23, 2012
Not that I'll be scoring many goals - I never have in my time as a football (soccer) player. But playing for the first time in three seasons is exciting me a bit, and even before I found a team I went out and invested in my latest pair of boots.
Nike T90s. These are the most flashy boots I've ever had colour wise, how exciting. And only $73! Win. Don't really like supporting Nike because I saw a doco once exposing their Asian sweatshops, but paying a lower price makes me feel a tiny bit better. Plus I'll wear these until they fall apart. First game's on Thursday, can't wait.
***
Now, I've been absent from here for a bit and so have neglected the Shoe of the Week columns like everything else. Basically most were shite in the last month. Including these.
Enough said.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
For anyone who noticed I've had a bit of a hiatus, I'm back! A holiday come and gone and now back to reality. You will read a bit about that in due course, but I thought I would give you guys an earlier look at my review of the week. While you normally have to wait until Saturday night, because of the big hype surrounding The Hunger Games I thought I'd be nice.
The Hunger Games (M)
Living in a post-apocalyptic world is something this planet
does not know. It’s often portrayed through the likes of novels and films, but
never truly understood. So in the year that some believe the world as we know
it might end, the idea of post-apocalyptic and unaffected communities
essentially living side by side is intriguing in its own right.
It’s not the first time this idea has been presented, nor bringing
teens into it as the heroes. But when the kids have to kill each other to
survive primarily for viewing pleasure, the idea becomes a little more
sickening. And so creates the Hunger Games, played for 74 years by 12 districts
that rebelled in war as a reminder that sacrifice is the ultimate reparation.
Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) lives on the outskirts of
newly-formed Panem in North America in district 12. She becomes their first
volunteer after swapping places with unluckily selected sister Primrose (Willow
Shields), and leaves the special Gale (Liam Hemsworth) behind to fight for her
life with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) against 22 others from the 11 districts.
With training and guidance from Haymitch (Woody Harrelson)
and Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), Katniss is a strong contender going into the games.
But as soon as they’re all on the field everything she thought she knew is
sorely tested.
Clearly, no-one is thinking of the children.
Suzanne Collins’ beginning to this trilogy is not for the
faint-hearted. The adaptation of her first novel moves quickly once it’s every
boy or girl for themselves, but a lot of the potential gore, or horror in
general, is left out in focusing on a friendlier rating to catch a younger
audience.
Watching Katniss’ strategies is entertaining as Lawrence is
extraordinary as she learns to comprehend her thoughts. But as she and Peeta
continue to survive they seem to become more obvious; changing circumstances
alter her position.
There are great performances from Harrelson, Stanley Tucci
as television host Caesar Flickerman and Donald Sutherland as the Capitol’s
unlikable president. Third-time director Gary Ross has a lot of big names to
handle but still very much brings the focus to the underdogs in their fight for
district glory. Oh and life.
Cato (Alexander Ludwig) of district 2 appears menacing at
first but isn’t allowed time to develop as any sort of real Hunger Games
villain. That title is given to both Snow and show manager Seneca Crane (Wes
Bentley, sporting a most devilishly wicked beard). But while they call the
shots on the conditions of the game, that also comes across as slightly unsatisfying.
That could be because the entire notion of the plot is a bit inhumane.
Immaturity may get the better of some younger viewers, but
the film really does its best to include a bit of everything. There are laughs
here and there, a scare or two and an opportunity for tears. It’s another
instance of whether die-hard fans of the novel trilogy will accept it as
faithful, but regardless it’s definitely an entertaining watch that will leave
viewers anticipating film number two.
Rating: 3.5
*To be published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 24/3/2012
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