My blog
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Cedar Boys
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009 5:25AM / Standard Entry
If you read my earlier post about the Australian film industry, you know where I stand with it's commercial ability and how it is so sad to see films not able to recoup the cost of producing it. With this trend, it won't be long till what's left of the industry becomes extinct.
We stole some pills that are tagged... but that's fine, we'll still make money from them, no one will know...Along comes Cedar Boys to give some spark to this heart beat that's near death. A big thanks to Luke from Cinetology for passing on a double pass to see the film! Or else I would've had to watch it alone or wait until the DVD comes out. 1. I think it's sad to watch a movie by yourself, movies should be enjoyed together and 2. My girlfriend does not watch movies at the cinema unless there's big names attached... she loves her Bradgelina!
Exclusive Sydney Clubs are such the rage now. There's not an Asian in sight!Anyway, onto the review.
Cedar Boys is not your average sentimental Aussie comedy film fluff, at least, not the kind that most viewers are used to. It follows the journey of young Lebanese Tarek, portrayed by Les Chantery, trying to impress the girl (Rachael Taylor) and to raise enough money to obtain a retrial for his imprisoned brother, Jamal (Bren Foster). And as you know, he and some friends score some drugs and starts living the high life. Predictably, they get found out and the rest is pretty much text book crime doesn't pay storyline that is straight to the point.
Some people might like this, however, with Hollywood and Pan-Asian crime genre films full of twists and turns and double crossing, Cedar Boys feels a bit toned down.
From our fully sick faces, you can tell this movie is err... fully sick.I believe that Director and Writer, Serhat Caradee did a good job at getting the film together, but it just needed that bit more conflict to it. Some parts were quite tense and it's great that he showed what Tarek thought he'd do, but in the end, the opposite happens, just like how normal people think. The big reveal of Rachael Taylor's character was unexpected but really wasn't that necessary. If Caradee wanted a more powerful ending, she should've been to the end of the picture. Though, I wouldn't mind visiting a private session at 88 Pitt St
Michael Bay didn't want me in T2:RotF, so I work at 88 Pitt St now.Even though this film wasn't as great as I'd hope for, I still want people to see it. Locally and Internationally, I was actually really surprised to see the film's trailer on Apple Trailers: Here any exposure that an Australian film can make is definitely a plus to our industry.
This is a fantastic start for Caradee as features go in Aus and I hope he win some awards with this film on the festival circuit (if it's going that route), or at least some recognition. Hopefully the next project he does will be something with a bit more oomph to it. Maybe a prequel to Cedar Boys? I'm more interested in Jamal's story on how he got into prison than Tarek's journey of tears.
Once I get out of the slammer, the prequel is mine.On a side note, watching Cedar Boys definitely makes me really want to push for my own crime genre film set in Sydney, White and Black. And coincidentally, the bouncer in Cedar Boys have sent me his headshot and CV earlier this year... If only I had more people backing me up... as in supporting you sickos!
I feel kinda low, got any pilllllz?
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Monday, August 17, 2009
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009 5:25AM / Standard Entry
If you read my earlier post about the Australian film industry, you know where I stand with it's commercial ability and how it is so sad to see films not able to recoup the cost of producing it. With this trend, it won't be long till what's left of the industry becomes extinct.
We stole some pills that are tagged... but that's fine, we'll still make money from them, no one will know...Along comes Cedar Boys to give some spark to this heart beat that's near death. A big thanks to Luke from Cinetology for passing on a double pass to see the film! Or else I would've had to watch it alone or wait until the DVD comes out. 1. I think it's sad to watch a movie by yourself, movies should be enjoyed together and 2. My girlfriend does not watch movies at the cinema unless there's big names attached... she loves her Bradgelina!
Exclusive Sydney Clubs are such the rage now. There's not an Asian in sight!Anyway, onto the review.
Cedar Boys is not your average sentimental Aussie comedy film fluff, at least, not the kind that most viewers are used to. It follows the journey of young Lebanese Tarek, portrayed by Les Chantery, trying to impress the girl (Rachael Taylor) and to raise enough money to obtain a retrial for his imprisoned brother, Jamal (Bren Foster). And as you know, he and some friends score some drugs and starts living the high life. Predictably, they get found out and the rest is pretty much text book crime doesn't pay storyline that is straight to the point.
Some people might like this, however, with Hollywood and Pan-Asian crime genre films full of twists and turns and double crossing, Cedar Boys feels a bit toned down.
From our fully sick faces, you can tell this movie is err... fully sick.I believe that Director and Writer, Serhat Caradee did a good job at getting the film together, but it just needed that bit more conflict to it. Some parts were quite tense and it's great that he showed what Tarek thought he'd do, but in the end, the opposite happens, just like how normal people think. The big reveal of Rachael Taylor's character was unexpected but really wasn't that necessary. If Caradee wanted a more powerful ending, she should've been to the end of the picture. Though, I wouldn't mind visiting a private session at 88 Pitt St
Michael Bay didn't want me in T2:RotF, so I work at 88 Pitt St now.Even though this film wasn't as great as I'd hope for, I still want people to see it. Locally and Internationally, I was actually really surprised to see the film's trailer on Apple Trailers: Here any exposure that an Australian film can make is definitely a plus to our industry.
This is a fantastic start for Caradee as features go in Aus and I hope he win some awards with this film on the festival circuit (if it's going that route), or at least some recognition. Hopefully the next project he does will be something with a bit more oomph to it. Maybe a prequel to Cedar Boys? I'm more interested in Jamal's story on how he got into prison than Tarek's journey of tears.
Once I get out of the slammer, the prequel is mine.On a side note, watching Cedar Boys definitely makes me really want to push for my own crime genre film set in Sydney, White and Black. And coincidentally, the bouncer in Cedar Boys have sent me his headshot and CV earlier this year... If only I had more people backing me up... as in supporting you sickos!
I feel kinda low, got any pilllllz?
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District 9
Sunday, Aug 16, 2009 11:22AM / Standard Entry
Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9 is one of the new breed of film makers that are inspired by the great sci fi genre of the 70s-90s and the age of video games.
Watching District 9, I couldn’t help myself by seeing so many references to past films and video games. Just to name a few, the most obvious being ET The Extraterrestrial and Half Life even a bit of HALO, which Blomkamp was chosen to direct before the film went over budget in it’s pre-production phase.
This movie might be about stranded Aliens on Earth… but that’s where the similarities end. Oh, but there might be some fingering if you look closely.
I’m actually glad that Blomkamp didn’t have Halo as his first feature film. The weight of all the pressure of headlining Microsoft’s big seller and a $300M budget would be too much for the then 27 year old.
I think Sharlto would’ve preferred being Master Chief than pussy Wikus Van De Merwe
Now 29, he’s able to make a film based on a short he made which got him noticed in the first place (besides the dancing Citreon C4 commercials). District 9 is a feature adaptation of his short, Alive in Joburg.
With the same concept, aliens living amongst humans as refugees, Blomkamp is able to fill the screen with issues on prejudice, racism, specism and the inhumane actions that people do to each other. Most disturbing to me in the film was a scene during the Mockumentary section of the film where the MNU (some sorta weapons and alien-humanitarium group) were extraditing the aliens and they found a lava nest. I felt sick hearing people in the cinema laugh at how they’re killing these lavas. (They’re not HUGGERS you sickos!)
They told me if I kept quiet, I get some human loving
The tone of the film actually starts off quite light hearted and comedic with the semi-documentary of District 9. Within a span of 10 minutes, the audience is drawn into the world of aliens living in South Africa for 20 years. Effective… but also a cheat and also I feel throws the momentum of the film a bit as it jumps from mockumentary to narrative to news reports.
Star Power for the WIN!
Blomkamp throws in all these different film techniques and angles that I felt was also a bit too much at one stage. There was even a DOOM style FPS view in a few frames and the angle that I don’t particularly like, the camera that points at the person’s face and follows them around, which I’ll call “Drunk Cam”, as that’s when it’s usually used.
Sign here and get a free cheeseburger
The film’s pacing was perfect, (besides the mocumentary section) I was on the edge of my seats for the nearly 2 hr movie with a bit of The Dark Knight nostalgia at one point. It was especially entertaining when they factor in inter-species sex which people at the cinema had a great time laughing (or secretly fantasizing about).
This was as far as they could go with inter-species sex jokes in the 80s.
Bottom line. Go watch the movie. And with Peter Jackson’s name on the poster, I’m sure it will get quite a lot of non-sci fi goers to see it too. I know it got my girlfriend to go.
I should kill all you humans for back stabbing me. Especially that jerk Wikus!
Man my hair smells - just like em’ prawns.
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Australian Film Earnings
Friday, Jul 24, 2009 1:43PM / Standard Entry
I’m not that big of an Aussie Film fan, but The Black Balloon that come out a few years ago was pretty good.
The film was a coming of age story about a boy who has to deal with a new school, picking up Gemma Ward and also his family… oh, and his autistic brother. But this post isn’t about that movie, but it did gross $500,000 in it’s opening week end.
I was on the Inside Film website reading about film festivals when I stumbled across an article about the Aussie film, Lucky Country opening with $13K.
That’s a measly figure compared to the usual film opening ticket sales that you hear about from American summer films. Like how Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opened with the highest intake yet from a Harry Potter film.
Looking at the table below, it’s pretty sad to see how badly Australian films are doing. Even films with large budgets (anything over $1M) are not making much money at all. Only one film has made profit and that’s most likely due to the fact that it won an award at Cannes.
The total box office for local 2009 releases has now reached $8,517,713.
Film Budget Distributor Opening w/e WIR Box Office Samson and Delilah $1.6m Para/Trans/Footprint $ 199,163 11 $ 2,738,888 Mary and Max $8m Icon $ 217,176 15 $ 1,444,046 My Year Without Sex $3.8m Para/Trans/Footprint $ 177,461 8 $ 991,583 Love the Beast Madman $ 241,982 9 $ 777,351 The Combination $1.169m AFS $ 188,054 11 $ 727,586 Disgrace $10m Icon $ 209,014 5 $ 896,600 Two Fists, One Heart $8.5m BVI $ 96,999 2 $ 295,500 Wake in Fright Madman $ 25,446 4 $ 168,859 Beautiful $2m Kojo/Jump Street $ 22,406 6 $ 55,619 Closed for Winter $2m Omnilab Media $ 19,449 6 $ 48,197 Shadows of the Past $ 820,000 Summer Night $ 13,927 10 $ 44,050 Bastardy $260,000 Film Camp $ 7,822 4 $ 31,772 The Chifleys of Busby St Ronin $ 3,760 1 $ 13,123 Crush $2m Filmscope/Odin’s Eye $ 8,304 1 $ 13,051 Lucky Country Est, $2m Para/Trans/Footprint $ 11,413 1 $ 13,041 The Burning Season Gil Scrine/Freshwater $ 2 $ 4,865 Salvation Hopscotch $ 2,262 1 $ 3,182 Prey $4m Damage Releasing $ 1,089 1 $ 1,089 Bastardy $250,000 Palace 1 $ 31,772 Total $ 8,517,713 I haven’t seen any of these films, but if they’re being distributed, I hope that they’re actually good enough to be shown on a cinema screen. What really needs to be done I believe is that they should put more effort in the marking of these films.
These films need more commercial advertising so that it gets the exposure they deserve. They need to be shown at the big 3 cinemas to get the public watching as you can only make so much money from Aussie Film Lovers.
The general public don’t even know these film exist, I know, because I consider myself to be one of the general public audience.
Probably in the long run, these film will break even in DVD sales or rental. But that’s a thin margin to get the Australian film industry going.
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Empire Rising
Monday, Jul 6, 2009 6:15PM / Standard Entry
Some interesting news/rumour last week about the Star Wars TV series from Australia’s Sci Fi TV.
Rumours about the pre-production of Star Wars, the live action series, to be shot in Australia, have been confirmed by several inside sources.
The quality and style of writing that will be used will be of the highest quality, and local, and writers will be sourced from outside traditional Science Fiction shows. Several big names within the Australian industry (including writers from the Award-winning Love My Way and the Award-winning Secret Life of Us) have been approached by Star Wars uber-producer, Rick McCallum.
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More solidification of rumour into fact will come as soon as possible.
SourceI’ve never watched Love My Way or Secret Life of Us, but I’m all up for some character driven Star Wars as long as they keep it Sci Fi! What they would really need in the show is some great heroes and villians that are memorable and would form what would be, A New Hope.
Stats
- Unlike many directors, Bernard did not grow up with a Super 8mm in the basement and filming cheesy C-grade horror flicks at the backyard with his younger brothers...
- Age: 26
- Gender: Male
- Total visits: 6,760
