Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Second IF Mag Article

Check it out - IF Magazine article number two!
I think this film looks far more promising!
Andrew Ryan and Will Howarth wrote a film trailer for the Optus One80 Project called The Sellers, which looks like it'd make a good film or series.
It's HERE at the IF website! Yay, front page!

Monday, March 15, 2010

First Article for Inside Film Magazine

Hello loyal and numerous followers (har har)! I have just has my first article published on the Inside Film Magazine website and if y'all want to head on over by clicking on that there link, I'd sure appreciate it! Hell, you might even enjoy it!

It's a write up on a new and upcoming Australian film called Needle. Mahalo.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Bluejuice "Ain't Telling the Truth" Tour!

Hey everyone. So you may all remember my heartfelt rant about having seen a band named Bluejuice at Sydney University a week or two ago. Well I've been in touch with someone from their publicity group, and I've gotten information about the upcoming tour - so take note all ye faithful, as I will be there on April 1st at the Metro! This is the press release that was sent to me:

Media Partners Nova, Video Hits and Myspace

with Brag, Beat, Rave, DB, Drum Perth, Forte and Sauce

Proudly Present:

Bluejuice_Revised Logo [Converted].jpg

bluejuice-300.jpg

“AIN'T TELLING THE TRUTH TOUR”

With special guest The Holidays

Bluejuice are dainty fellows. They know how to set a dining table, and they know the call of a rainbow lorikeet when they hear one. They’re too polite to take the last hors d’oeuvre, and they walk on the outside of a footpath to protect their lady-friends from a vehicular drenching on a rainy day. Bluejuice are your seats down, coats around, and doors open type of guys.

It’s a shame then that these suggestions of good manners boil away to nothing in the face of a deep-seated psychological need to lie. They lie to their grandmothers. They lie to their Chihuahuas. They lie to their manager about writing relevant press releases.

Bluejuice’s new single Ain’t Telling The Truth is an homage to their passion for the lie. The only thing truthful about the song is the title that it ain’t telling the truth. It’s one of those songs with a descriptive title (much like Stevie Winwood’s Valerie was most likely about someone named Valerie). It is the second single from their second album Head Of The Hawk.

But the real truth is that the single follows the giant success of ‘Broken Leg’ which picked up an ARIA nomination for ‘Breakthrough Song of the Year’ and hit the #5 slot on the world’s biggest music poll ‘Triple J’s Hottest 100’. The video scored ‘Video of the Year’ nods from Rage, Myspace and iTunes and it has sold more than a whopping 50,000 copies and still going strong.

And from March 31st through to until May 9th the band will take that mix of manners and miss-truths and The Holidays on the road with the “Ain’t Telling The Truth Tour” proudly presented by Nova, Video Hits, and Myspace.

Ain’t Telling The Truth Tour Dates
Tickets on sale 9:00am Monday 22nd February


WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH – ARMIDALE UNI, ARMIDALE

Tickets available from www.bigtix.com.au and UNE Services Retail Shop.

THURSDAY 1 APRIL – METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY

Tickets available from www.metrotheatre.com.au or the Metro Theatre Box Office – 02 9550 3666

FRIDAY 2 APRIL – NEWCASTLE PANTHERS, NEWCASTLE

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets


SATURDAY 3 APRIL – DOYALSON RSL, DOYALSON

Tickets available from DOYALSON RSL Reception or by calling 02 4390 0622

WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL – ROI BAR, ALBURY

Tickets available from Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

THURSDAY 8 APRIL – EUREKA HOTEL, GEELONG

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

FRIDAY 9 APRIL – PRINCE OF WALES, MELBOURNE

Tickets available from www.princebandroom.com.au, venue box office or phone the venue on 03 9536 1168 (10am - 6pm, Monday to Friday). Also available from Greville Records (Prahran 03 9510 3012), Missing Link (City 03 9650 8208) and Polyester Records (Fitzroy 03 9419 5137).

SATURDAY 10 APRIL – KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT

Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545 and New Generation


SUNDAY 11 APRIL – THE SOUNDS LOUD ALL AGES FESTIVAL, MOONEE VALLEY

THURSDAY 15 APRIL – ANU BAR, CANBERRA

Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 and via ANU Ticketek Box Office – Level 1, Administration Office, Union Building (above the Bar).

FRIDAY 16 APRIL – UNI OF TASMANIA, TASMAINIA

Tickets available from TUU Contact Centre 03 6226 2495 and www.moshtix.com.au

SATURDAY 17 APRIL – HOTEL NEW YORK, LAUNCESTON

Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and Mojo Music, 81 Brisbane Street Launceston 03 6334 5677

FRIDAY 23 APRIL – HI FI, BRISBANE

Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and all Oztix Outlets and http://tickets.thehifi.com.au

SATURDAY 24 APRIL – COOLANGATTA HOTEL, COOLANGATTA

Tickets available from Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

SUNDAY 25 APRIL – GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL, BYRON BAY
Tickets available from Hotel Great Northern Mon - Fri 9-5PM (Jonson St, Byron Bay), on 02 6685 6454 and Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545


THURSDAY 29 APRIL – WOLLONGONG UNI, WOLLONGONG
Tickets available from www.bigtix.com.au / UNISHOP (42218050) / REDBACK MUSIC (422961169)


FRIDAY 30 APRIL – KATOOMBA RSL, KATOOMBA

Tickets available from the venue and Oztix www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545

SATURDAY 1 MAY – PANTHERS, BATHURST

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

WEDNESDAY 5 MAY – THE GOV, ADELAIDE (ALL AGES)

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets, www.venuetix.com.au, over the bar at The Gov (11am-9pm Mon-Sat) or phone 08 8340 0744 (11am-9pm Mon-Sat)

THURSDAY 6 MAY – NEWPORT HOTEL, FREMANTLE

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or Moshtix Outlets

FRIDAY 7 MAY – PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au 1300 GET TIX or www.heatseeker.com.au

SATURDAY 8 MAY – CAPITOL, PERTH

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au or Moshtix Outlet

Bluejuice_Aint Tell#15959B1.jpg

Jesse Parent

Just a small note to inform you all about a folk/acoustic musician I found through Facebook who really is something worthwhile from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada!
This is his new video from the song "Blood Red Skies" and I recommend you all check it out!
Mahalo.

Monday, March 8, 2010

A Note on Alice in Wonderland

It has come to my attention that Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" film only really makes sense, and is really of any consequence, when you have the background knowledge of the Jabberwocky poem from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (1872) by Lewis Carroll. Here is a link to the Wikipedia page explaining the poem, and I have reprinted the poem below.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.


`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


The image is an image of the Jabberwock illustrated by John Tenniel.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Alice in Blunderland

Those of you who know me know that I am a great lover of Tim Burton's films. I find that he can practically do no wrong. Even though I was a massive fan of the original "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", I find Burton's was still good and as the two were so different, were practically incomparable. However, this is not the case with his new film "Alice in Wonderland".

The story is basically what happens if bad stuff happened after Alice left Wonderland, and so the various characters plot to bring her back to be their 'champion' against the Red Queen - or more famously known as the Queen of Hearts. But, alas, Alice has no recollection of ever being in Wonderland and she must relearn her lessons all over again. The film had promise to be an interesting follow up story to the events after the original "Alice in Wonderland" - the definitive version, I find, to be the Disney animated classic, but that's just me. Unfortunately what ended up happening was Alice was turned into an annoying teenage leading character who did nothing but complain and the plot may as well have been The Narnia Chronicles...in Wonderland.

Mia Wasikowska (Alice) can not be blamed I find for the poorness of the character, as she was mutated into a traditional misunderstood youth. Wasikowska first dealt performed in the Australian television show "All Saints", an episode directed by Robert Marchand. The role I find her best so far was in the short film "I Love Sarah Jane", in which she plays a young girl in a zombie apocalypse setting. Definitely worth a watch, it's available here.
Johnny Depp's performance as the Mad Hatter was clearly the best in the film. Though I am generally hard pressed to find a Johnny Depp performance I have disliked, this one was once again something new for the actor. The costume, voice and general physical movement of the character was so well carried out that simply watching him on screen was the saving grace of the film.
Anne Hathaway's performance as The White Queen was amusing in its own right because of her freedom to do with the character what she wanted, "When I was trying to work her out, I kept saying to myself, ‘She is a punk-rock, vegan pacifist.’" the actress said in an interview for Azrael Merrylan's blog.
What disappointed me most was by far the lackluster performance by Helena Bohnam Carter as The Red Queen. Now, normally, I am an incredible fan of the actress - I find she was practically flawless in "Fight Club" and "Sweeney Todd" - but this performance was simply not up to scratch. Albeit her subtle comedy in the role was well done, the screaming and general foolishness became frustrating to watch.
Voice work by Alan Rickman and Steven Fry in (respectively) the Blue Caterpillar and Cheshire Cat were very much up to scratch.

What annoyed me first about this film was that it did NOT need to be in 3D. Not at all. This is not "Avatar" where its only saving grace was the 3D used to make it and was basically just an exhibition of the possibilities of 3D animation. "Alice and Wonderland" and Tim Burton are a perfect match because ANYTHING is possible in both of their worlds (to paraphrase Anne Hathaway from the aforementioned interview) but Burton seems to have simply made a blockbuster film for the sake of it, not including the traditional Burton feel into it like in any of his other classic films. All in all, a massive let down. Mahalo.