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Reviews
In the Loop (2009)
Complex, biting, rich with British and American humor
Fast paced blend of close-to-truth political intrigue, satire, clever banter and intensity, with enough simplified and goofy humor to keep American audiences shrieking with laughter. The LA festival audience was blessedly quiet through the more subtle and deeply clever humor, so if you have a pan-Atlantic sensibility you can laugh at the cleverly done but obvious stuff, as well as the richer humor that requires attention.
The cast - American, English and Scottish all did an amazing job with high synergy.
There is quite a lot of both obvious and subtle political and cultural allegory, homages, and oblique references.
It was great to see it in a packed theater, and get that immersive social experience one does not get with a DVD.
Australia (2008)
Stylistic Epic - O.T.T. and GREAT
This was actually many stories end to end. If you have trouble sitting still and paying attention, then maybe go see an action flick. But there is a huge richness woven into it. Maybe a classic epic at times with the music and heavy romance, but it draws you in.
And it does introduce a little known (outside Australia) piece of history out of WW2, namely that that Japanese planes bombed Darwin on the Australian mainland. Australia had its own Pearl Harbor. And the conservative wartime Prime Minister of Australia, Menzies (not mentioned in the movie) was prepared to give away the top half of Australia to somehow gain favor with England.
So go see it. Give yourself over to it as a visually rich stage play with stunning scenery, heroes and villains, and lots of redemption.
The Riddle (2007)
Tedious and patchy
What a shame that some good talent was wasted. This is a tedious and overly self-conscious movie, that could tell its story in half the time. Is that Derek Jacobi under that beard doing two roles? Gosh, who would have guessed.
The emotional payoff a the end was weak and unsatisfying. Certainly not worth enduring the padded length of the movie for. I felt quite let down.
The sound was dreadful. First, they used stock music. Second, it was so loud during some of the dialog, that the words were hard to make out. Only three sound crew, and a trainee? There were more people listed in the credits for either the accounting or the legal.
Some of the camera work was quite good though, and the actors did a good job with a mediocre script.
Not a good use of viewing time, at least for me.