yo
April 2nd 2009 23:01
a ghost!
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Luke
Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Joined April 27th 2006
Number of Posts:
943
Number of Comments:
1308
Karma:
10
Hello I am Luke and I am in the real world!
- About Me
- I live in a house opposite a shopping centre and battle against the hordes of undead that plague my doorstep. Sometimes we burn tires to warn them off.
Recent Posts MilkDecember 19th 2008 08:59
It's been a while since I wrote a movie review on here but Oscar Season has got me all abuzz with excitement once again. This year I'm trying to anticipate what will get nominated so that I can ensure I manage to see everything before the ceremony. Milk is one such film, and I thought I'd chuck something up in reference to it. Now, being a hetero Australian male born in the 80s, I can't say that I'm overly familiar with gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk (the figure whose life the film Milk is based around). So watching this film was very much a history lesson of sorts. Director Gus Van Sant (thankfully not in his artsy mode) presents a fairly straightforward biopic of the first openly gay man to be elected to office in the United States of America. It's a rollercoaster of a ride, following the rise of the gay civil rights movement in San Francisco and Milk's fight against the democracy-killing Proposition 6 - a christian-backed attempt to legalise the discrimination against homosexuals in the workplace (especially the education system). Like I said, I came into this film largely unaware of the story behind it, so I found the whole thing to be quite fascinating. Over the years Hollywood has given us many stories about the struggle for equal rights for women, african-americans, people in wheelchairs, etc, etc. But seldom has that other civil rights movement - the gay one - been drummed into the collective consciousness of the mainstream filmgoing public in the way that the black civil rights movement has. Now that America is sitting comfortably under it's first black president, well, there's no better time for the media to address and chronicle the ongoing fight for widespread public acceptance for gays. The race civil rights war has been fought and won, now it's time for the western world to address the remaining bigotry that still infects our legislation, entertainment and workplaces. In short, it's the perfect time for a film like Milk. It's been an uphill battle for the depiction of the gay man in film. Much like the mammy-singin', chicken-eatin', mister-suh yes-suh black characters from the early days of cinema, the gays in Hollywood films have long been relegated to the 'safe' role of comic relief. It was high time that a proper, mainstream film dealing with gay rights and issues was made. One that wasn't made for a gay audience and had big name actors in it - a movie that could be for everyone. Not Andy Warhol crap where we watch a closeup of a guy's face for 30 minutes while he gets a blowjob, not a 3 hour movie that consists of just a blue screen, and not some navel-gazing indie talk piece full of graphic unsimulated man-on-man sex. Gus Van Sant has wisely opted to make this film as very much the gay version of Malcolm X. And Sean Penn delivers a three-dimensional and uncharacteristically-energetic performance worthy of the important subject matter. I realise I haven't really talked about the movie much, but rest assured that it's a good one. Harvey Milk is an inspiring figure, regardless of his sexual orientation, and I came out of the film wanting to know more about the story behind it. I don't really have anything else to say other than that you should check it out.
A Voyage Long and StrangeNovember 19th 2008 23:53
A bit of a change of pace today from the fantasy and teen-aimed books I've been mostly reviewing this year. I have an endless stack of books in my home that are marked 'to be read', in my mind I constantly imagine what the next 3 to 4 books I am going to read will be, and I slowly nibble away at this endless stack. Every now and again during my work as a bookseller my eye will be caught by something that intrigues me and I will throw caution into the wind and buy a new book and fasttrack it to the front of my endless stack. This book is one such book, which I would never have even known about had I not seen a copy that a customer had ordered in. I read the back of their copy and decided that I would order myself a copy as well
The Youngest TemplarOctober 10th 2008 05:14
This is a new kids-aimed fantasy/historical novel and from what I understand it is the first volume in what will probably be a trilogy if not a series of novels (novellas). I went into this book not really expecting anything, it was sent to me from over the seas (okay, from America) and I found it to be a rollicking and pleasant read
Admit OneOctober 3rd 2008 06:25
I don't think I really ever reviewed a memoir before. At least, not one written by someone who wasn't so famous my nuts would shrink upon meeting them (okay, shrink more). This rather slight and slender tome is the memoir of up-and-coming British actor Emmett James. I was approached via email by someone representing the book who had no doubt stumbled across this much esteemed blog (haw haw haw) and wanted to know if I was interested in reading this book. Taking it to be some kind of analysis of films or a fictional novel heavily influenced by film-geekdom I replied - yes, of course I am interested, please send it along and I will read and review
Monster Blood Tattoo: LamplighterSeptember 26th 2008 23:23
I'd like to preface this review with a disclaimer/acknowledgement of sorts... I've been away from orble for well over 6 months. My intention was to review every book I read this year but time collapsed around me and sooner or later I found myself participating all too much in the meat world (that curious thing outside of cyberspace). Nevertheless, here I am today, finally contributing another review to this blog. I must admit that my hand was forced a litte, I recieved several reviewers copies of books by mail, and so I feel obligated to write some reviews - so hopefully more reviews will follow shortly (fear not Emmett James, you are next
OkeydokesApril 23rd 2008 11:55
I realise I haven't been doing much on this blog lately. I have a friend interested in taking Old Movies.net.au for a spin, so maybe I'll let him post in it for a while. Just thought I better post something about it so people don't think it's me! (especially as he has appalling taste in movies)
I'll probably be back at some point but life has been cuntish lately so breaths shouldn't be held.
There Will Be BloodMarch 1st 2008 05:05
I just watched There Will Be Blood... fuuuuuuuuck. Daniel Day-Lewis is like a massive dick in everyone's arse, that's how good he is. Should this film have beaten No Country for Old Men to the best picture gong in the Oscars? I'm not sure, but if there was ever cause for a tie, this was it. Here, let me sum up the movie for you
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