June 2009
29 posts
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Movie Review – Ratatouille (2007) – 3 Stars
Light-hearted and eminently likeable, ‘Ratatouille’ is a nice Pixar film for relaxing to, but it doesn’t quite live up to the standards they set themselves with films like ‘The Incredibles’, ‘Finding Nemo’ and ‘WALL·E’. The story is passable, with a good-natured message of accepting differences, and the characters have a classic cartoon warmth. But the pacing seems a little off, and you’re...
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Restaurant Review – Trellis Bar & Café (Swansea...
It seems out of place, to have such a trendy little café right in the middle of a quaint town like Swansea. It’s slightly explained when you know that it’s a new venture by the folks as Spring Vale vineyard nearby – you can even taste their stuff there on days when the cellar door is closed. But we were there to sample their very limited breakfast menu (your choices are ham or salmon eggs...
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TV Review – Chuck (Season 1) – 3.5 Stars
Here’s another example of a premise revolving around a normal guy singled out for greatness – and it’s another one that I like. Chuck (Zachary Levi) is a very likeable nerd, and you know he’s capable of much more than he thinks. His government handlers CIA agent Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski – and it’s great to see a young Aussie actress making such a break into mainstream US TV) and NSA...
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Restaurant Review – The Banc (Swansea TAS) – 3.5...
Called ‘The Banc’ due to it’s location in the old Bank building in Swansea, it features an interesting design feature of listing around the walls the dates, people and functions that the building has had over its 150 year history. The Banc shows off the local cuisine well, with all ingredients sourced from around Tasmania (or the nearby islands – as for my wonderful Flinders Island lamb rack...
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Park Review – Freycinet National Park (TAS) – 4...
I certainly wouldn’t call myself an expert in national parks, but I can say that I really enjoyed my time in Freycinet National Park. The roads and signpostings are fantastic, and the visitors centre is well set out and staffed by guides with lots of interesting information and advice. The walking tracks are great – they still have an organic feel whilst being comfortable and safe. They’ve...
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Restaurant Review – Bark Mill Bakery Café (Swansea...
The Bark Mill Bakery Café in Swansea is a step up in professionalism for your normal small town bakery – and I still can’t work out whether that’s a positive or a negative. On one hand, they’ve got a very elaborate kitchen, and manage to put out a huge variety of really great food. On the other hand, it’s lost that rustic feel of some smaller bakeries, where you know that the lady serving...
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Beer Review – Hazards Ale (Wineglass Bay Brewing)...
With a good amount of malty sediment sitting in the bottle, you know you’ve got a nice meaty drink ahead of you. Hazards Ale, micro-brewed at the Freycinet Vineyard on the East coast of Tasmania, has a great combination of a crisp taste without feeling like it’s lacking any flavours. In fact, it’s got a good citrusy smell and nice floral tones over the malt base. The biggest problem that...
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Hotel Review – Piermont Retreat (Swansea TAS) –...
As far as relaxing locations go, it doesn’t get much more relaxing than Piermont Retreat. Situated right on the beach, looking over Great Oyster Bay to Freycinet National Park, you’ll see no cars, hear no phones and be able to spend your days taking in the natural beauty and enjoying the local food and wine. The rooms are more than comfortable (and surprisingly well fitted out with TV, DVD...
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Restaurant Review – The Basin Café (Launceston...
With fog rolling down Cataract Gorge, allowing quickly snuck peeks at the scenery before it’s once again shrouded, the Basin Café offers a great place to sit and enjoy the view, or grab a quick lunch before you walk over the suspension bridge or ride the chairlift. The food is good value and tasty, exemplified by creamy seafood chowder and nicely stacked burgers (though they homemade beef...
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Movie Review – Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned...
If there’s a better example of synergy between director and actor than Stanley Kubrick and Peter Sellers in ‘Dr. Strangelove’, than I haven’t seen it yet. This film is the perfect example of the right way to do political satire. It’s gritty, it’s dark, it’s hilarious, and it’s visually outstanding. And don’t think that this was only a Kubrick and Sellers show. Scott, Hayden, Wynn, and...
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Concert Review – Bliss n Eso (Festival Hall VIC) –...
Aside from feeling like I was about the oldest person in the place, this concert was lots of fun. It was geared as a promo for their latest album ‘Flying Colours’ and as a result, most of the songs came from this release – not a problem, as I thought that album was one of the best of 2008. They were also using this performance to film footage for an upcoming DVD which meant that all the...
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Movie Review - King Kong (2005) - 1.5 Stars
I can only assume that Peter Jackson thought that by spending loads of money on CGI he wouldn’t have to worry about quality writing, acting or directing. It’s an inexcusable mistake considering that he was paid $20 million upfront to direct this. And don’t think that I’m automatically dismissing this based on the fact that it’s a remake. There are plenty of high quality remakes out there...
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Restaurant Review – Damask (Fitzroy VIC) – 4 Stars
I’ve been eating out on Brunswick St the whole time that Damask has been around, and I never knew it existed. It was only when The Fitz was full that we were told about the Middle-Eastern tapas bar upstairs. There’s fantastic red mood lighting, over wonderfully elaborate décor. The seats are comfortable and the abundance of velvet makes you feel like royalty. The tapas is delicious, and...
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Game Review – Need For Speed: Undercover (Nintendo...
A good racing simulator should have a have a suitable learning curve – Need for Speed: Undercover doesn’t. It’s not like Gran Turismo which can take months to get your head around. But rather, you steadily work through the entire game without once having to consciously improve technique or practice. In fact, the only reason you can’t beat the final race the first time you open the game is...
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Restaurant Review – Gurkhas Kitchen (North Fitzroy...
I find it quite enjoyable to be eating dinner somewhere, with no idea exactly what it is that’s on the plate (within reason). And there was more than a little of that with our set menu dining at Gurkhas (especially the ‘Gurkha’s Special’ entrée – even the menu didn’t help with that one!). But it’s a great feeling when the food feels so genuine. The goat curry is supremely tender, the chilli...
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Music Review – Hilltop Hoods ‘State of the Art’ –...
While this album isn’t going to change the face of Australian hip-hop in the same way ‘The Calling’ did in 2003; that’s because, for the Hilltop Hoods, changing the face of Australian hip-hop is a case of ‘been there, done that’. Now it’s evident they’ve had more time to refine their sound, and the freedom to work on what they want. And you can see, with ‘State of the Art’ that this works for...
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TV Review – Carpoolers – 4 Stars
It’s a real shame to see quality television like Carpoolers being axed in favour of some of the rubbish that gets renewed for season after season. But I suppose, in one way, you’re left with a British-style season of comedy television, with just thirteen high quality episodes. The writing and directing are brilliant, and some of the camera work is a lot higher than you’d expect for a sit-com...
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Restaurant Review – Little Peninsula (Melbourne...
I’m certainly going to have to go back to Little Peninsula to make the most of my lunchtime dining experience. They’re menu lists items grouped on price, $7.50, $13 or $16. We went with gourmet pizzas in the $13 section, assuming they’d be lunchtime sized. In fact, they were much bigger than that, and very tasty. The problem was that Little Peninsula doesn’t offer doggy bags for the other...
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TV Review – Little Mosque on the Prairie (Season...
Whilst it’s still good to see that this kind of TV is getting aired, it’s a shame to see the quality of the productions slipping. I still feel endeared to the characters and I’m following the plot with interest, but I can’t help feel that the writing’s getting a bit stale and some of the jokes are recycled. A couple of episodes seemed to have lost the vibe that was so appealing in the earlier...
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Movie Review – Manhattan (1979) – 3.5 Stars
It’s hard to believe that ‘Manhattan’ is Woody Allen’s least favourite film out of all of his works. It seems to fit his style of filmmaking so well. Perhaps it has something to do with how close the themes are to Allen’s real life (in the film, Allen’s character dates a girl 25 years his junior). The characters have appeal, but you’d never want them as friends in real life. I like use of...
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Restaurant Review – Liquid (Docklands VIC) – 3...
Having not eaten at Docklands before, it was nice to get down there and see what was on offer. Liquid is in a great position with views over the water, but at night you can’t see much. Maybe lunch, next time. We went with tapas, and four share plates were the perfect size for our quick dinner. The food is bright and unassuming, and don’t be surprised if the dish doesn’t look quite like you...
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Circus Review – Dralion (Cirque du Soleil) – 4...
‘Dralion’ is a fantastic contemporary circus performance with a few minor faults. The acts themselves are breathtaking - from frantic hoop jumping leaving you gasping at every trick, to the graceful danger of the trampoline act, to the extremely technical and dizzying juggling. My concern is that Guy Caron has taken focus off these acts and onto the overly artistic choreography and support...
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Product Review – Jila Mints – 2.5 Stars
Here’s a clear example of me being directly influenced by TV advertising. I saw the Jila ads, and learnt about the new packaging (a tin, now) and that they’re Australian. And my choice was as simple as that. I’ve got mixed feelings about the tin. It looks cool, but you could never carry it around in your pocket because of the rattling noise. I’m also mixed about the flavour. On one hand,...
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Music Review – ‘Ultra396’ We Used to Be...
Recently, artists like Girl Talk have attempted to convince people that the goal of a mash-up is to fit as many songs into the timeframe as possible. Ultra396, on the other hand, follows the more original definition. We Used to Be Intergalactic is an effort to seamlessly combine two distinct pieces of music to create a separate third work. And he’s done it better than just about all the...
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Product Review – Bazaar Gourmet Pizza Bases – 4...
I don’t know whether I’d call myself a ‘connoisseur’ of pre-made pizza bases, but I’ve certainly made quite a few home made pizzas in my time. Often, pre-made bases will end up doughy and too soggy, or will be too thin and crisp to the point of crumbling. The Bazaar bases, on the other hand, manage to be both thin, so you can fully appreciate the toppings, whilst also holding in the moisture...
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Movie Review – Dan in Real Life (2007) – 3 Stars
As much as I never like to see an actor pigeon-hole themselves to the extent that Steve Carell has, you have to admit that he’s very good at looking awkward on screen. This movie is funnier than it seems at first, and the ensemble cast clearly have a lot of chemistry between them. Juliette Binoche weaves ‘Marie’ into the Burns family with ease, and is a great foil to Dan’s conflict of love and...
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Restaurant Review – Alice’s Thai Restaurant...
It’s always a little surprising to read the menu at a Thai restaurant and see “Steak and Chips” next to “Pad Se-Ew” on there. But that’s what Alice’s is all about – making a quick and easy lunch about what you want, not just what they want to serve. It’s also quick, cheap and tasty, with $10.50 (unfortunately, recently increased from $9.50) buying you a solid sized stir-fry and a drink. The...
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Theatre Review – August: Osage County (MTC) – 4.5...
With the stage set as an elaborate, sprawling, three-story family home, it’s hard not to be impressed with this show before the actors even walk out on stage. But then they do, and suddenly it’s clear that Simon Phillips has put forward one of MTC’s greatest ensemble pieces. Letts’ darkly comic family circus is instantly identifiable, and is given perfect place by the outstanding cast –...
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Restaurant Review – Madame SouSou (Fitzroy VIC) –...
With dark painted wood, and shaded windows, you’d never know how thoroughly pretty Madame SouSou is. Leather bench seats, art all over the walls, and very friendly staff make this an extremely comfortable restaurant. Then you add the wonderful flavour combinations of the beautiful French cuisine and you’ve got a great night out. My chicken balantine with sweet onion puree was a perfectly...
May 2009
31 posts
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Movie Review – Milk (2008) – 4.5 Stars
Of course, with the best actor Oscar and all, I knew that Sean Penn was going to be good in this film, but I really wasn’t quite prepared for just how brilliant his portrayal of Harvey Milk was. There was very little to fault in this movie. The writing and directing were great, and the editing perfectly blended the performance footage with the archival footage from the 70s. And as far as...