Recently I watched this TED talk about charity, and how to measure effectiveness of what’s being done in the not-for-profit space. There are some great ideas contained there. There’s a commonly held notion that the percentage of donation income that covers overhead the single number that you need to read, to know which charity is …
Author Archives: cafedave
Movie: Spotlight
Spotlight is a Tom McCarthy (director of The Station Agent) film with an ensemble cast of seasoned Hollywood actors. Though not passing the Bechdel test, the presence of Rachel McAdams in the reporting team helped balance out what would otherwise be a throughly male-dominated environment. This movie seems like the logical, fictional successor to the 2006 …
Stan: Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook is one of those Oscar-bait films that’s an enjoyable journey, has a rare good performance from DeNiro, and (despite some over-zealous camera work) is an engaging character study of some flawed characters and their interactions.
running before you can walk
You don’t have to look too far to find half-a-dozen tips on how to make this or that social network sing for you. A series of tips to increase engagement, or to having a more disciplined content creation schedule. Engagement is a good thing – having someone keen to read what you have to say …
Blackwood Pantry, Cronulla
The Grounds Coffee. Shop 5, 33 Surf Lane, Cronulla. I saw this one via Instagram activity, and it looked like a perfect storm of coffee and food enthusiasm. For a place that has only just opened, they’re doing spectacularly well – the front-of-house staff are courteous and efficient, the coffee-making staff are skilled and knowledgable …
movie: The Big Short
Movie: The Big Short A star-studded take on the Global Financial Crisis that’s part drama, part TED talk, and regularly breaks the fourth wall to help explain advanced financial concepts to the audience. Some needless adult content that seems to be included to push up the rating rather than help serve the plot. Perhaps its …
stan: Ernest and Celestine
Stan: Ernest and Celestine Can mice and bears ever be friends? This charming animation (voiced by Forest Whitaker) tells a story of xenophobia, prejudice, and creativity. It’s a little scary for very small children, hence the PG rating.
Movie: The Hateful Eight
Movie: The Hateful Eight Tarantino’s latest movie is part mystery, part character study of awful people, part scenes of violence that are in keeping with his usual tradition. The cinematography is strong – especially for a film that’s so often set in enclosed spaces. There’s so much objectionable content, it’s hard to know where to …
Stan: Muriel’s Wedding
Stan: Muriel’s Wedding I’m not a completist when it comes to Australian films, but a couple of people had mentioned this film in a short space of time, and I had some spare time, so I sat down to watch it. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a time capsule of 1990’s Australiana. The ABBA …
Movie: The Good Dinosaur
Movie: The Good Dinosaur Widely reported as the first bad Pixar movie, this is a beautiful looking film that lacks the spectacular quality of character and story we’ve come to expect from Pixar. There’s a set-up, an unhappy event, and then a lot of travelling, and a resolution, but not much else. A little too …