Blog

    

Four weeks ago, I put together a blog revealing the nominations for the 2012 Toomey Awards.

 

I’m the only one who votes (I’m such a dictator) and it’s my way of honouring my favourite films and performances.  I started doing this back in 2000 and you can view the results of past awards by clicking here.

 

It wasn’t an easy choice in some categories but I’ve finally decided on the year’s best.  You can check out the results by clicking here.

 

  

Just a quick blog this week but it’s a cool one from my perspective.

 

I was approached a couple of weeks ago by Channel 7 News to give a quick interview in regards to movie ratings.  It was for a story they were putting together on the downgrading of Prometheus’s rating from MA to M.

 

Report Angie Asimus popped out to UQ with a camera guy and we shot a 5 minute piece in my office.  It was enough to get a few sound bytes from me which they could use in their story which aired a couple of nights later in Brisbane and Sydney.

 

It’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” appearance but hey, at least I can now say that I’ve been on the news in my capacity as a film critic.  Puts a smile on my face!

 

Anyway, you can check it out by clicking here...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-_IXnpIgj0

 

   

After hitting up the 2012 Sydney Film Festival back in June, I’ll be making my first visit to the Melbourne Film Festival next month.

 

The Festival (which runs for more than 2 weeks) announced its line up last week and you can check it out online at http://miff.com.au.

 

PJ Hogan’s new comedy, Mental, is closing the Festival – a worthy choice.  I was lucky enough to see a sneak preview and it features some wonderfully dark comedy.  It’s a real crowd pleaser.

 

I’ve decided to attend 3 days early in the Festival and will be seeing 11 films in all.  I’m also hoping to line up interviews with a couple of directors (but I’ll say more about that once confirmed).

 

Melbourne is my favourite Australian city and I can’t wait to spend some time there.  Hopefully I’ll be able to do a little sightseeing in addition to spending time inside a packed movie theatre.

 

On that note, here’s a look at the films I’ve booked in to see.  I’ve included the quick plot overview from the IMDB…

 

Into The Abyss

Saturday, August 4 – 1:30pm

Documentary - Conversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.

 

Monsieur Lazhar

Saturday, August 4 – 4:00pm

Drama - At a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed.

 

Just The Wind

Saturday, August 4 – 6:30pm

Drama - Unknown racist murderers have already attacked four families. Some of them died. Who will be the next on this ordinary day? Inspired by a true story.

 

The Legend Of Kasper Hauser

Saturday, August 4 – 9:00pm

Drama - Arriving on a deserted beach in the Mediterranean sea, in a time and a place unspecified, Kaspar Hauser is forced to confront the evil of a Grand Duchess who feels threatened by the power she exercises over the community.

 

Facing Mirrors

Sunday, August 5 – 11:00am

Drama - Rana has chosen a path in order to save her simple and traditional life while Adineh has fled her home and city to escape her complicated situation as a transsexual.

 

Chicken With Plums

Sunday, August 5 – 1:30pm

Drama - Nasser-Ali, a talented musician, loses the will to live after his wife breaks his beloved violin during an argument. He searches for a replacement, and finding none that sounds quite the same, he vows to die.

 

Your Sister’s Sister

Sunday, August 5 – 4:00pm

Comedy - Iris invites her friend Jack to stay at her family's island getaway after the death of his brother. At their remote cabin, Jack's drunken encounter with Hannah, Iris' sister, kicks off a revealing stretch of days.

 

The Sessions

Sunday, August 5 – 6:30pm

Drama - A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.

 

V/H/S

Sunday, August 5 – 9:00pm

Horror - When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.

 

Searching For Sugar Man

Monday, August 6 – 6:30pm

Documentary - Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock 'n' roller, Rodriguez.

 

Sound Of My Voice

Monday, August 6 – 9:00pm

Thriller - A journalist and his girlfriend get pulled in while they investigate a cult whose leader claims to be from the future.

 

For those in Melbourne, I hope to see you there!  For everyone else, I’ll have a full wrap on my website and will be discussing the Festival on my ABC Digital show airing on Sunday, August 12.

 

 

Sarah Snook

I saw Not Suitable For Children at the Sydney Film Festival, walked out of the film, turned to a fellow critic and said – “Who was that amazing actress? She steals the whole movie!”  He’d done his homework and told me it was Sarah Snook.

 

She's a wonderful actress and has the potential to become an international superstar (without putting too much pressure on her).  I was lucky to speak with her about Not Suitable For Children which is about to be released in Australian cinemas.

 

You can download a 2 minute audio extract by clicking here.

 

Matt:  I’ve pulled a few strings and it’s a pleasure to be speaking with you.  You’ll have to help me out with your back story and tell me a little about yourself.  Where exactly are you from?

 

Sarah:  I grew up in Adelaide, actually in Belair.  I then moved to Sydney in 2006 to go to NIDA.  I was fresh out of high school, only 18 years old and a bit green.  On graduating from NIDA, I started working my way through the industry trying to get more experience.

 

Matt:  You always wanted to be an actress from a young age?

 

Sarah:  Yeah.  I got the bug when I played the understudy to the understudy in Big Chief Red Feather when I was in year 2 and just 7 years old.  One of the people above me got the measles and the other one broke their arm so in the end I got to play Big Chief Red Feather.

 

Matt:  Ah, so it was fate?

 

Sarah:  Absolutely (laughs).

 

Matt:  In 2011, you were one of the runner ups for the Heath Ledger Scholarship.  Do prizes like that help open up some doors for you?

 

Sarah:  Yeah, they certainly do.  The calibre of the name lends itself to opening those doors.  It gives you an opportunity to go over to the States and open the doors yourself.  Definitely having that behind you helps people recognise you and has something attributed to your name.

 

Matt:  I’ve since learned that you were shortlisted for the lead role in David Fincher’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  You obviously got someone’s attention in Hollywood early on.  How did that come about?

 

Sarah:  Again, it was just of those random twists of fate.  A woman named Jenny Rawlings, who is now my manager, was in Adelaide and had heard my name and had managed to get me an audition.  I kept getting further and further along in that process.  It was a really fortunate situation because David Fincher was looking for someone completely unknown and that helped me get a foot in the door.

 

Matt:  We’ll should talk about the film Not Suitable For Children.  How did you become involved?

 

Sarah:  It was a similar, simple kind of audition process.  It was quite protracted and went over about 5 months.  I'd come in, two weeks would pass and I’d think “well that’s done” and then I’d get a call telling me to come back in and then yeah, I finally got the role.

 

Matt:  This character you play – she’s a strong, funny, opinionated young woman.  I’m curious to know how much of you is in this character?  I’m hoping you’re going to say a lot because I love this person.

 

Sarah:  (Laughs) Definitely a lot.  I think I got to live a vicariously through her.  She’s a little more opinionated and far wittier than I am.  You have this image of what you’d like to be and I was lucky enough to get to play this character that represents that a little bit.  It was really fun.

 

Matt:  You’re working alongside Ryan Kwanten – a fact that will make many people I know insanely jealous.  You’ll have to tell us – what was he like to work with?

 

Sarah:  He was terrible (laughs).  He’s a lovely man.  Very generous and just a super guy.  He was calming for me given it was my first feature film and to have someone who has had international experience and a real passion for the Australian film industry was great.  I was able to learn a lot from him.

 

Matt:  Now there are some love making scenes in this film which you guys manage to make as awkward looking as possible.  How uncomfortable was it on the set?

 

Sarah:  They were terribly awkward!  It’s such an unnatural thing to be doing that in front of a crew and knowing that millions of people are going to watch it forever and a day.  Those scenes are meant to be awkward anyway as their relationship up until that point has been as brother and sister.  To step over that boundary is very awkward in itself.

 

Matt:  Some of the dialogue between you two looks so relaxed.  Was it scripted or did you have the chance to add your own dynamic to the character?

 

Sarah:  It was thoroughly scripted and we had two weeks of rehearsals prior to the shoot where we went through things and made sure that they seemed natural.  When we got to the shoot itself, we’d make sure that the scene was absolutely to the letter and then if there was time, we’d do a few other takes and try to throw a few different things in.

 

Matt:  And what can you tell us about Peter Templeman who has stepped up to the plate and directing his first feature film.  What was his style?

 

Sarah:  I love Peter.  He made sure that the script was to the letter whilst also allowing an element of freedom.  He’s a keen “truth teller” I suppose.  He can tell when you’re “phoning it in” or you’re faking it.  He’ll go “no no no.”  He’s a good guy and very relaxed.  You’d be forgiven for thinking that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about sometimes but trust me, he does!

 

Matt:  It’s tough trying to sell any Australian films.  We had The Amazing Spider-Man released last week and The Dark Knight Rises out next week.  What have we got to do to get people to go and see this film?  How do we sell this?

 

Sarah:  Well, it’s a damn good film actually!  You’re going to want to see it.  People somehow have this icky, irky thing about seeing an Australian film but to be honest, this doesn’t feel like an “Australian film”.  It could be set in Berlin or Milan or London or anywhere.  It just happens to be Sydney which features a little bit.  It has a lot of heart which translates universally.

 

Matt:  I’ll finish up by asking what’s in the pipeline?  I’m hoping you’ve got a bunch of projects we’re going to see you in soon.

 

Sarah:  I just finished wrapping a horror film in the United States called Jessabelle which was exciting to do.  Kevin Greutert was the director and he was an editor on many of the Saw films.  I star alongside Mark Webber who is the self-proclaimed king of American independent cinema apparently (laughs).  He’s one of those names where people in America go “Mark Webber, oh I love Mark Webber!”  I’d never heard of him beforehand but I do now and he’s a good friend.

 

Matt:  Well best of luck with all your future endeavours and it’s been a pleasure talking with you today.  Thank you!

 

Sarah:  Thank you Matt!

 

You can read my review of Not Suitable For Children by clicking here.