Some works of art are meant to be appreciated for their engagement in serious. You are meant to linger over their apparent eternal verities like they are revelatory morsels of magic that compel you to examine the human condition. Sure. But after watching Lars von Trier's claustrophobic and heavy going Melancholia (2011) twice (once to … Continue reading Review: Wellington Paranormal vs Melancholia
Review
Rewatch: The Fifth Element
I rewatched Luc Besson's The Fifth Element from 1997. For no reason. Here are some of my thoughts. Ah, hahahaha. Totally forgotten Luke Perry's cameo as the inattentive sketch artist in Egypt. The Platonic idea of Luke Perry over-rides whatever his character is called. Had to look it up: Billy. Could've been anything. Casting includes … Continue reading Rewatch: The Fifth Element
Review: Ant-Man & the Wasp
Some spoilers. Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp is an energetic romp. It's fun, family centric, and well-intentioned. There were laughs thanks to Luis (Michael Pena) and his side kicks. Really Luis stole the show from Paul Rudd's Scott Lang and Evangeline Lilly, as Hope Van Dyne, even with the ant-puns. Having said that Michael Douglas … Continue reading Review: Ant-Man & the Wasp
Review: Dark Imaginings
Gothic literature can be dramatic, macabre, and weirdly insightful. To my tired eyes some examples of Gothic, like Castle of Otranto are also unintentionally and refreshingly hilarious. Yet Gothic tropes persist in popular culture even as they were interrogated centuries ago, and continue to be. Since it is Rare Book Week in Melbourne I took … Continue reading Review: Dark Imaginings
Review: A mammoth undertaking
One of my favourite places growing up was the Adelaide Museum. I didn't get to visit very often, but the gigantic whale skeleton in the front window is seared into my memory, as are the painted walls of the quiet Egyptian room. Part of the attraction of museums is the melancholy. The dead live again … Continue reading Review: A mammoth undertaking
Gettin’ twitchy
The streaming service Twitch is delivering ancient episodes of Doctor Who for free. So far I have caught a Three Doctors episode featuring Jo Grant in a blue outfit that looks like she butchered a Smurf community, Jon Pertwee's Doctor in full velvet pre-New Romantic costume wandering a Welsh quarry, and the Brigadier getting peevish. … Continue reading Gettin’ twitchy
Review: Dead Pool 2
If you liked Deadpool but wanted more, with Deadpool 2 there's exponentially more of everything. I mean more filmic reflexivity, more in-jokes, more Marvel-DC cross references, more explosions, more X-Men, more un-sighted gags, more cameos, 100 per cent more New Zealanders, more Dopinder, more violence with maximum effort, and pathos too, as well as more … Continue reading Review: Dead Pool 2
Review: Infinity War
Obviously, some spoilers, ok? A couple of years ago, I jokingly mentioned that Marvel's heroes don't feature in films that address issues of import, because they largely fight self-created problems (like Stark raving police bots gone bad in Age of Ultron, or themselves in Civil War, or the son of exiled long-lost relatives in Black … Continue reading Review: Infinity War
Review: Black Panther and the past
Just saw Avengers: Infinity War, but it's too much to take in right now, and if I review raw I'll spoil it. I'll wait, but you can read my thoughts about Black Panther instead. I liked it when I saw it, but unlike other MCU films I wasn't quick to review it. This is for a variety of … Continue reading Review: Black Panther and the past
Review: Eyewitness Mythology
First published in 1999 and updated last year, DK's Eyewitness Mythology is but one of a number of Eyewitness books for children/youth about literature, animals, weather and other natural phenomena, historical events and aspects of science. I am not in their target audience but I am interested in how myths and the people they belong … Continue reading Review: Eyewitness Mythology
Writing Bec 