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Cult Fiction - November 2006

Starship Troopers

November 30th 2006 09:23

Director Paul Verhoeven is probably best-known for 'Robocop'.

Like 'Robocop', 'Starship Troopers' is a deft mix of satire and futuristic violence, low on big-name actors but high on special effects.

Interspersed with retro-styled propaganda, 'Starship Troopers' tells the story of five hometown youths who enlist to fight an interplanetary war with the aptly nicknamed alien race, 'The Bugs'. The film chronicles the start of full-scale war to the turning of the tide, intertwining each character's stories (each one showing a different aspect of the war) and the development of their personalities as affected by the horrors they find themselves facing.


It's not as dark and depressing as it sounds. The film has a very wry, satirical feel to it (highlighted by the cheesy propaganda), and whilst it's extremely violent (and even quite gory in parts) it offsets this with high adventure and purposely stereotyped characters, much like the old 'join up now!' war films of the early 40s. There's a disturbing undercurrent in the presentation of Earth's future culture/mindset - an almost fascist/Nazi-styled version of America. In light of recent events it even seems a fairly logical extension of where the U.S. seems to be heading. The attitudes of the characters (and Earth) to the war with the Bugs seems so out-of-step and backwards to our 'enlightened' learnings of today that it's nearly frightening, if only for the fact that it seems so plausible.


So, if you like your films full of action and special effects and fast-paced, or if you like science-fiction with a theme relevant to today, then this is for you. It's a glossy, tongue-in-cheek, balls-out shoot 'em up. The only kind if you ask me.

HIGHLIGHTS: My favourite character would've had to have been Carl Jenkins, as played by Neil Patrick Harris - better known to most as good old Doogie Howser, M.D. It's a pity he wasn't in it more, but had a cool, gestapo-ish role.
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Posted By: Luke - Category: Movies
   


Wonderboys

November 29th 2006 08:47


'Wonderboys' may escape your attention due to various other similar movies that have become a staple of cinema in the last decade or two; namely films like 'Dead Poets Society', 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Finding Forrester'. 'Wonderboys' looks like one of these films, but it isn't.

The story concerns Grady Tripp (Douglas, in a different role to the types he usually plays), a university professor and successful writer who has been working on his latest novel for no less than 7 years. Over the course of a particularly hectic weekend he finds himself hounded by his editor (Downey Jr) and saddled with one of his students; the enigmatic James Leer (Maguire).

Michael Douglas' character is engaging and fascinating, Robert Downey Jr reminds us how sad it is that he can't keep himself out of gaol long enough to do more movies and Tobey Maguire does his usual weird kid schtick with a few twists thrown in. This isn't one of those mentor/disadvantaged genius films. This is a story about a writer coming to terms with events around him, and taking control. In this respect, and many others, it's a far more interesting film than something like 'Finding Forrestor'. It's funny, unpredictable and exceptionally acted by all involved.

And that's pretty much all I have to say about this film! It's entertaining, what else do you need to know?
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Let's Get Skase

November 28th 2006 09:05


Oh dear. This film showed a lot of promise. I mean, come on - a film about a crack squad trying to kidnap Christopher Skase? This could've been gold!. But it's not.

The plot is a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Basically, it's a heist film. There are characters who try to prevent the heist from happening, and some who want to take it over, but for all it's worth it never amounts to anything much of interest for the viewer. The comedy is displaced by drama at times, and this film should've aimed to be more of an outright laugh-fest.

Lachy Hume, the writer/star of the film, is pretty good as the opportunist heading up the kidnap plan. The team itself is an opportunity missed though - some of the characters (the driver and the ops guy particularly) are drastically underdeveloped, which is a shame considering that the driver's all too few lines are probably some of the funniest in the film. Craig McLachlan is surprisingly good, and does the best he can with an aggravating character. The direction though, well, it's a complete mess - at times looking very low budget and straight-to-pay-TV.

I can't stress enough how much of a disappointment this film was to me, it seemed like such a great idea. The Australianisms (eg. the description of Skase as a 'bullshit artist') had the potential for brilliance, but fall prey to the film's uneven nature. Better luck next time, I guess.
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For Your Consideration trailer

November 26th 2006 07:06

For Your Consideration trailer - click!

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Old School

November 24th 2006 04:25


Whilst not quite as old school as I had hoped it to be (the presence of a fun-hating Dean was good, but where were the nerds dammit?!) this is still a great stab at 80s-style college comedy


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Supernova 2006 (with pics)

November 23rd 2006 11:00
Anime girls!


A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to go to Supernova 2006 in Sydney. Or should that be, they were fortunate enough to have me there? Anyway, I've never been to any kind of convention of any sort, so this was my first


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The Parole Officer

November 22nd 2006 06:44


So, it is possible. A film can actually be funny and feature a clever and satisfying plot. Surprisingly, as these things usually are, 'The Parole Officer' is one of those lesser-known films you see hanging around the weeklies, sordidly mixing with films of a lower-standing... y'know, films that feature Hulk Hogan or the Olsen twins


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Cube

November 21st 2006 06:15


Say what you like, but no one can deny that 'Cube' is unoriginal. It's by no means a perfect film, but it's definitely different (and not in a 'look at the old Ukrainian woman masturbate' arty-farty kind of way


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Torchwood - Small Worlds

November 19th 2006 12:16


Last week’s Torchwood featured some spooky faeries… half-seen murderous little buggers that choked their victims to death, leaving their mouth filled with rose-petals. They looked Gollum-esque – green and thoroughly vile – and unfortunately, completely CGI. The idea was cool, the rose petals were a good idea – but I think it could’ve been done better. It should’ve been more over-the-top – rose petals everywhere, like spewed blood hahahaha, and the faeries were okay but I dunno... felt a bit too Buffy and they looked a bit too cartoony


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Gettin' Square

November 17th 2006 05:27


One of the best Australian films of 2003, and easily the best Australian film I've seen in ages. The story is tight (though it perhaps borrows a little too much from a film I won't name [in fear of spoiling either], narratively-speaking), the characters and performances are an absolute cack to behold, and the direction is punchy and to-the-point


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League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

November 15th 2006 05:23


Biggest disappointment of the cinematic year of 2003? Yes, I think so. I'm glad I was let down by other people before I went to see this, as going in with expectations as high as they would've been could've been dangerous. I would've been hella angry. It's not the shittest film I've ever seen, but it's just aggravating knowing how good this might have been


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Pirates of the Caribbean

November 13th 2006 08:56
Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)


I'll spare you the now mandatory 'ahars' and various other pirate-related exclamations, but I will chime in on what everyone is saying at the moment - pirates are the 'new' cool, and they're back in full force. Just how long this so-called craze will last is anyone's guess, but with Peter Weir's 'Master and Commander' and this film’s own two sequels, it's a fair bet to say that naval battles and the like are proving themselves to be a bankable commodity once again, so it won't be too surprising to see a few more ventures into pirate territory over the next few years


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Gods and Monsters

November 12th 2006 10:35
Gods and Monsters (1999)


'Gods and Monsters' is a biopic (of sorts) of James Whale; the colourful director of 1930s horror classics 'Frankenstein' and 'The Bride of Frankenstein'. Taking it's lead from the latter days of his life, it explores his increasingly frailty of mind and a relationship he strikes up with his groundskeeper


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Terminator 3

November 10th 2006 11:11


Oh dear... I kind of knew what to expect right from the outset. I can't say I was surprised in any way with how this turned out, so I'll try and keep my gripes to a minimum - or well-balanced at the very least


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Lost Season 1

November 9th 2006 10:40


Recently I decided to get into the show 'Lost'. It was a fairly mammoth undertaking, but I hoed straight into the first season and devoured it all in around a week or two. It was very good! And now I'm hooked


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Death to Smoochy

November 8th 2006 09:42
Death to Smoochy (2002)


I watched this movie with little expectation other than that I knew Robin Williams was in it and would be playing a comically villainous role. As I watched it it became clear to me that this was satire, a genre I don't usually like. 'Death to Smoochy' pulls it off though, and shows how a satire should be done. It's very funny, blackly so, and treads all over children’s television. I loved it


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Requiem For a Dream

November 7th 2006 05:59
Requiem For a Dream (2000)


Drugs are bad, mmmkay? It's an old message but, as evidenced in 'Traffic', it's still relevant in an ever downward-spiralling drugs-soaked culture. 'Requiem for a Dream' complements a film like 'Traffic' perfectly... whereas 'Traffic' showed how people on different levels of society attempt to deal with the 'war on drugs', 'Requiem for a Dream' shows the effect of drugs in a more personal and familial way


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Chicken Run

November 5th 2006 23:56
Chicken Run (2000)


'Chicken Run' is an oddity in the animation world... in a time filled with CGI-extravaganzas someone decided to bring out a stop-motion clay animation movie. Brought to us by the award winning Aardman team ('Wallace and Gromit'), 'Chicken Run' is a film for adults and kids alike


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Austin Powers: Goldmember

November 3rd 2006 10:24
Austin Powers: Goldmember (2002)


Austin Powers, everyone's favourite swinging superspy, returns again in 'Goldmember'. Not content with playing three roles in the last film, Mike Myers opts for four in this one


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Animal Factory

November 2nd 2006 10:20
Animal Factory (2001)


Steve Buscemi's directorial follow-up to 'Trees Lounge' sees a naturalistic exploration of life in gaol, based on the book by real-life convict Edward Bunker, and as seen through the eyes of Ron Decker (Edward Furlong), a small-time drug dealer who must learn to adapt to a new lifestyle


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Amelie

November 1st 2006 10:05
Amelie (2001)


I knew that this film would be good, I just didn't expect it to be that good. It should be obvious from my many reviews that I tend to enjoy films a lot, but films rarely touch me in the way that this one did - it made me feel so much


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