Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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  • Review – Deadpool

     

    Released: 12 February 2016
    Seen: 19 February 2016
    Cinema: Hoyts Melbourne Central
    Director:  Tim Miller
    Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Karan Soni, Morena Bacarrin, TJ Miller, Ed Skein, Michael Benyaer, Stefan Kapicic
    Gene: Action
    Rating: 8.5 / 10

    Synopsis
    A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool.

    Review (warning spoilers)
    Super hero movies are everywhere in particular Marvel related properties that split with Fox (X-Men and Fantastic Four), Sony (Spider-man) and Disney (everything else Marvel) so it takes a lot to stand out.

    Most super hero movies play it safe, go for a PG rating, have an uplifting story, good always wins and wins the right way (not unnecessary deaths, don’t kill the villain if at all possible), the hero is someone everyone can look up to, and the hero is in a better place than the start of the movie.  That’s not the case here.

    Deadpool is a balls to the wall movie, Wade / Deadpool is not exactly a nice guy he mostly seems okay because of the asses he tracks downs and kills.  He isn’t motivated by doing the right thing but instead revenge and doesn’t care a great deal about the destruction he causes in bringing it.

    The movie is hilarious with cross references to other movies and I don’t mean just Fox Marvel movies, Ryan Reynolds makes fun of himself as former sexist man and the god awful Green Lantern movie he starred in.  There are two minor X-Men characters used to show how this links to the Fox Universe but even that is made fun of (“A big house but only two mutants, it’s almost like we didn’t have enough money to hire anyone else!”).

    The movie doesn’t the origin story well, in flash backs at the right times (and even makes fun fast forwarding at one point).   This is an R rated Super Hero movie which the fans deserved.  Not every blockbuster movie needs to be aimed at 8 year olds who will drag their parents along.

    Ryan Reynolds obviously was having fun.  The stunning Morena Bacarrin plays the love interest who is just as messed up as Deadpool in that they have the same weird sense of humour and view on life.  In fact it appears as if everyone was having a ton of fun making this movie that took 10 years to get approved and need the fans to demand this crazy assed character get an R rate movie that was as meta and four wall breaking as the comics and video games.  It is a great ride.

    Recommendation: A movie aimed a adults, mostly males but hardcore female gamers would love it as well, instead of your typical family super hero movie, if you love action, blood, coarse comedy and meta references you are in heaven with this movie.

     

  • Review – Fiddler on the Roof

     Seen: 11 February 2016
    Theatre: Princess Theatre, Melbourne
    Cast: Anthony Warlow, Teagan Wouters, Monica Swayne, Jessica Vickers, Madeline Perrone, Sara Reed, Blake Bowden, Andrew Kroenert, Jensen Overend, Sara Grenfell, Derek Taylor, Prue Bell, Jared Bryan, Zoe Coppenger, Zach Curran, Mark Doggett, Matt Douglass Brett Fisher, David Hammond, Glen Hogstrom, Jennifer Peers, Matthew Predney, Annie Stanford, Darren Tyler and David Whitney.
    Gene: Musical
    Rating: 9 / 10

    Synopsis
    The story centres on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his Jewish religious and cultural traditions as outside influences encroach upon the family’s lives. He must cope both with the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters, who wish to marry for love – each one’s choice of a husband moves further away from the customs of his faith – and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village.

    Review (warning spoilers)
    A great birthday present saw me attending a presentation of Fiddler on the Roof. An amazing story with an interesting story that stands the test of time. A traditional community, and in particular a father, deals with rapid changes in society and from his daughters breaking those traditions.

    This issues is seen in all conservative religions and how they integrate, or don’t, in western societies. Anthony Warlow is magnificent as the lead character Tevye as he struggles with the changing world. While I hadn’t seen Fiddler in the Roof I quickly realised I had experienced the songs in one form of another once Anthony Warlow started with “If I Were a Rich Man”.

    Tevye always tries to do the right thing and is happy enough with his life even if it is a struggle. Even when his first two oldest daughters Tzeitel (who wants to marry a poor tailor not the arrangement marriage to the rich butcher) and Hodel (who wants to marry Perchik who is poor and mixes in politics and a revolution outside of the village) make choices against tradition Tevye finds a way to agree as he talks to god / the audience.

    Tevye can’t find a way to allow Chava marry the non-Jewish Fyedka but you can see the struggle in his words and actions. Eventually when things get their darkest and the Jewish community his expelled he makes a quiet “God be with you” to his estranged daughter who he had vowed never to speak to when she elopes against his wishes.

    The undercurrent of racial hate in the background plays nicely along with a community that doesn’t want to integrate with the wider community. Unfortunately whenever a small community keeps to itself amongst a wider community human history tells us there will be problems, it’s a sad reflection on humanity.

    Still I loved the performance and understand why the Fiddler on the Roof is such a beloved classic. I need to see more of this classics in live performances.

    Recommendation: A must, see it whenever you get a chance.

    Songs:

    “Prologue: Tradition” – Tevye and the Company
    “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” – Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava
    “If I Were a Rich Man” – Tevye
    “Sabbath Prayer” – Tevye, Golde and the Company
    “To Life” – Tevye, Lazar Wolf and the Company
    “Tevye’s Monologue” – Tevye
    “Miracle of Miracles” – Motel
    “Tevye’s Dream” – Tevye, Golde, Grandma Tzeitel, Fruma-Sarah and the Company
    “Sunrise, Sunset” – Tevye, Golde, Perchik, Hodel and the Company
    “The Bottle Dance” – Instrumental
    “Entr’acte” – Orchestra
    “Now I Have Everything” – Perchik and Hodel
    “Tevye’s Rebuttal” – Tevye
    “Do You Love Me?” – Tevye and Golde
    “The Rumor/I Just Heard”§ – Yente and villagers
    “Far From the Home I Love” – Hodel
    “Chavaleh (Little Bird)” – Tevye
    “Anatevka” – The Company

  • Review – The Hateful Eight

    Review – The Hateful Eight

    Released: December 2015
    Seen: 23 January 2016
    Cinema: Astor (70mm version)
    Director: Quentin Tarantino
    cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Walton Goggins
    Gene: Western
    Rating: 7.5 / 10

    Synopsis
    While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover located on a mountain pass. Greeted there by four strangers, the eight travellers soon learn that they may not make it to their destination after all.

    Review (warning spoilers)
    It was with some excitement I went to the Astor to see Quentin Tarantino’s latest film ‘The Hateful Eight’ in extreme widescreen. Tanatino was aiming for an old style film format with the movie having an extended opening scene with live music (at least for this special event version at the Astor), old style/font credits and 70 mm version. Sitting in the historic Astor Theatre it was easy to recall an era without the multiplex especially as I was sitting in a balcony view.

    Tarantino movies almost always have great dialogue, rapid fire conversations that usually go in directions you can’t pick. In this film Tarantino again brings the dialogue but as also can happen struggles with the conclusion of the film without having to go to crazy lengths to resolve the issues, usually only through extreme violence.

    The movie bought back several actors who obviously love working with Tarantino (Samuel L Jackson, Michael Madsen) and lots of great landscape scenery during a winter in Wyoming which causes our cast to have to at first travel together and later take refuge at “Minnie’s” for a few days.

    There is a lot of misdirection during the film. Samuel L Jackson’s character has issues with racism he has experienced in his life and has no problems getting an old Confederate General draw first so Jackson can claim a ‘legal’ kill. The flashbacks of when Jackson explains to the General what happened to his son are intense which causes us to miss the plots happening around Minnie’s.

    If you blink you will miss key details that on reflection reveal the different players agendas, nothing is what it seems and the story in front of you is mostly used to hide the main plot. As is the want of Tarantino movies unexpected violence is suddenly used to move the story forward. The are no real heroes here, no one is safe or pure. The love of a brother to save his sister might be a pure good but attempted by the most evil characters.

    The racism and segregation of the era makes you think that a self-proclaimed red neck former Confederate officer now Sheriff Chris Mannix (a fun Walton Goggins) would never team up with a black bounty hunter (Jackson) but in the end the harsh environment makes their alignment make sense. These are the two characters who are the most honest with each other (they hate each other based on race) meaning they have the most honest relationship and in the end can trust each other.

    The main surprise for me was the violence ‘The Hangman’ (Kurt Russell) inflicted on his fugitive Daisy (Jennifer Jason Leigh). I guess a Tarantino movie can get away with non-politically correct actions in violence against females but then again Daisy is no rose and has killed many men herself.

    Recommendation: While not the best Tarantino movie if you like his style or you like Samuel L Jackson you will find this a very enjoyable movie.

  • 2016 Australian Open Experience

    Photos

    Each year since the Australian Open moved to Melbourne Park (formerly Flinders Park) in 1988 I’ve attended at least one day with the exceptions being 2000, 2010, and 2013 when I was travelling overseas.  Living in Melbourne means I get to see the best players in the world playing in the first Grand Slam Tournament of the year.  In fact the venue is only about a 20 minute walk from my apartment in Southbank and day passes are extremely cheap (currently $30-$45 depending on which day) and you get to see 10-12 hours of some of the best players in the world.

    (more…)

  • Short Trip – Wilsons Promontory National Park

    Photos

    On my birthday my best friend suggested we head out to Wilsons Promontory the next day.  For Jon it was a chance to try his new camera and for me the new Fitbit and daypack.  For both of us it was a chance to experience nature at it’s best.

    Wilsons Promontory – view from Mount Bishop
     
    It took over 2.5 hours to drive to Wilsons Promontory which is really at the outer limit for a day trip but gave me a good chance to catch up with Jon.  It’s strange how you can travel the world but not explore your own country or local area.  I have a long term plan to when I retire to get into a car and explore Eastern Australia for 6 months to a year but I feel I should do more local areas like this now.

    Entry to the National Park is free and they hand you out an information sheet on the best walks.  There is a central camping site near a beach that looked like an ideal place to take a young family.  Watching young kids play beach cricket and others building sand castles helped me feel young again.  Laugher is a great energy boaster.

    After a 3.3 km hike around the forest area and beach near the camping site we headed off to the main event – a hike at Lilly Pilly.  

    Despite the length of the Lilly Pilly Hike Jon was keen to complete all sections.  The first part was extremely easy, I mean it was pram accessible so like a 40 minute stroll.  However that sets up the wrong idea of the hike, ie after that point the path gets rougher and you start heading up.

    The views made the hike well worth the visit.  The 1 litre water bottle was a must item which I fully used over at next few hours.  The only risky part of the walk was a brown snake (extremely dangerous) that crossed our path.  Wasps were also a pain at one of the lookout points.  I felt the years a near the end of the hike, reminds ,e to get fitter before next overseas trip.

    Nature can be extraordinary.  We live in cities and suburbs and yes we see some trees here and there but real nature, as it grows and strives to survive and works with all creatures for balance, is really amazing.

    I’d recommend a visit to any national park and especially this one.  A chance to get away from the culture of fear we live in with terrorism everyday on the news and changing our lives but instead to see people and especially children having fun.  An impromptu idea turned out to be a great birthday present. 

    Fitbit GPS Hike Map – Lilly Pilly Hike