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Minimalism: A documentary about the important things Watched this while on holidays, after reading Nathan’s review of it. I was on holidays mostly to stay home and tidy up the house – something we’ve been aiming to do for weeks – and so I was lifting boxes of things while listening to how people have …
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Stan: Elf We watched this 2003 Will Ferrell movie with the kids. It’s G-rated, though has a few scary moments in it. Many laughs, though. Ferrell was in fine form, and Jon Favreau did a solid job on the direction.
Netflix: Killer Elite I was looking for a simple popcorn flick, and lured in by knowing this was a Jason Statham film, and by Clive Owen’s terrible moustache on the poster. It was actually more nuanced and interesting as an action/drama. Lots of well-composed frames, and oddly lots of Australian actors.
I’m back, yet again, to rewatching the West Wing now that there’s a podcast about it from Josh Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway (who I had heard of from his other podcast Song Exploder (try this episode about a Long Winters song “The Commander Thinks Aloud”). This watch has been another level of insights. For a show made and …
Ponyo (dubbed in English) was a surreal, beautifully animated kids story of magic, oceans, and growing up. Watched with my 5-year-old, who loved it.
Stan: The Bridge I’ve watched two seasons of Bron/Broen, a 10-episodes-per-season Danish/Swedish police procedural where the overall story runs for the whole season, and the crimes take place on a spectacular scale. It’s a story (in the European style) of murder and betrayal, complex relationships and some fascinating characters. The subtitles were working so well …
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.
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.
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 …
Netflix: Cinderella Director Kenneth Bramagh has made an earnest, good-and-evil adaptation of the classic fairy tale, and kept it G-rated throughout, despite the deep unhappiness that is the expected trajectory of Ella’s life.