100 Word Reviews

Movie Review – Avatar (2009) – 4.5 Stars

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Every so often, a movie comes along to further define the ‘Epic’ genre. These are films like ‘The Godfather’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘Terminator 2’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’. And with ‘Avatar’, James Cameron has booked himself a second seat at that table. The scale of this film is majestical, and it’s clear that no expense has been spared; not just with the CGI, but with props, costumes, and sets. The animation is fantastic and blends seamlessly with the live action shots and characters. And most importantly of all, the story is powerful and moving, with a strong and positive message.

TV Review – Dead Like Me (Season 1) – 3 Stars

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Death can be a hard topic for a TV show to deal with, so you credit is due for a show that’s found a unique way to deal with death every episode. The main characters, themselves, are dead. They’re Grim Reapers (though, without the cloak and scythe), assigned the task of removing souls from bodies prior to their deaths. The material is handled with a darkly comic touch and, though the opportunity is there, they’ve wisely steered clear of religious postulation about the afterlife. Reasonably strong performances throughout and the interesting take on the subject matter make this worth watching.

Restaurant Review – Domanis (Main Beach QLD) – 2 Stars

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

You have to worry when, even with only half a dozen tables filled at a 150-cover restaurant, it still takes 45 minutes to bring your breakfast. This could be forgiven if the food was outstanding, but with fairly basic bacon and eggs, and the only slightly more exotic ‘ranch’ style eggs on a cardboard tortilla, there wasn’t too much positive to say about the meal itself. The location, though, makes up for some of it – with the restaurant sitting on Tedder Avenue at the north end of the Gold Coast. Worth walking past, but not worth stopping for a meal.

Movie Review – 9 (2009) – 2.5 Stars

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

This movie does have appeal, but not if you value coherent and structured storytelling over visual impact. The plot jumps all over the place – admitting or ignoring various story points without explanation. The animation is impressive, though; and the bleak, post-apocalyptic world is nothing if not starkly detailed. I think my biggest issue with this film is the lost potential. There was a lot of space that could have been used to flesh out the characters’ motivations or give the film a clear take-home message, and give you a reason to remember it and recommend it to family and friends.

TV Review – Californication (Season 2) – 3 Stars

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

For a show that I’m surprised even made it past the first preliminary briefing meeting, I’m impressed that it’s made it to its second (and now slated for a third) season. This second season re-hashes many of the themes from the first (it’s hard not to when the entire premise is built around one characters philandering ways), but the performances remain strong, even if some episodes blur into each other. The writing for Duchovny’s ‘Hank Moody’ character is what really drives the appeal of the show, but it wouldn’t surprise me if a fair bit of his dialogue were improvised.

Event Review – Pearl Jam (Etihad Stadium) – 4 Stars

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Every so often we all need a lesson in the modern history of Rock and Roll, and even at 44 years of age, Eddie Vedder is a fantastic teacher. Sure some things have changed – he now swigs red wine, rather than beer, on stage; but the passion, the attitude, and the music remain the same. Touring their new album, ‘Backspacer’ (which I’m forced to admit I’m yet to buy), they mixed new with old (though, to the disappointment of many, avoiding ‘Daughter’), and even at one stage prompted a sing-along of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in The Wall’. Thoroughly enjoyable.

TV Review – Andy Richter Controls The Universe (Season 2) – 1.5 Stars

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

I must have been expecting too much from the second season of ‘Andy Richter Controls The Universe’. I’d figured that Fox must have had some inside information to renew this show out for a second season despite the lacklustre first season, but I guess not. And the fact that five of the thirteen second season episodes were produced but never originally screened would seem to suggest that they learnt their lesson relatively early into this season. This time around, the plotlines get more and more absurd, and the characters feel even less appealing than they were in the first season.

Movie Review – Jackass: The Lost Tapes (2009) – 2.5 Stars

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

There’s very little to say about ‘Jackass: The Lost Tapes’ aside from that if you enjoyed the original show and subsequent movies, you’ll probably enjoy this; and if not, it’s certainly not going to change your mind. I was surprised to see how much of this footage was recycled, and how much of the rest of it may well have been. There aren’t any new ideas, and it seems somewhat self-referential when Wee Man (dressed in a nappy and refusing to be pushed down stairs in a pram) looks at the cameraman and says, “Why are we even doing this?”

Restaurant Review – The Quarter (Melbourne VIC) – 3 Stars

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Much like a fancy sports car, the loud chatter and buzz means that you usually hear The Quarter before you see it. And, sticking with the sports car metaphor, it plays on the attention it gets as more and more people look over to see what the fuss is about. That fuss is over decent food and great coffee, in a café environment that defines the laneways of Melbourne. Make sure you’re comfortable with close-quarter seating arrangements, as even though the tables aren’t officially communal, you’ll know all the details of your neighbours’ lunch before you know about your own.

TV Review – Dog Bites Man – 1.5 Stars

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

When a show has to tell you explicitly how it’s trying to be funny, you know there’s a problem. Two episodes into this season about a faux news team, the title sequence was changes to include a caption detailing that the members of the public being interviewed were, in fact, not actors. Maybe this was necessary due to how bad the rest of the acting was, or maybe early audiences simply weren’t sure when to laugh. Personally, I didn’t laugh much at all when watching ‘Dog Bites Man’ – regardless of what I was told at the start of the show.

Movie Review – Falling Down (1993) – 4 Stars

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Having originally seen this movie when I was about 12, it was a very different experience watching it again this week. At the time, I’d appreciated the humour and juxtaposition of a man in a shirt and tie shooting up fast food restaurant. This time, however, what stuck me was how well Ebbe Roe Smith, Joel Schumacher and Michael Douglas have captured William’s nothing-to-lose desperation and subtle shift to becoming the “bad guy” in his own story. At once, his behaviour can seem so outlandish and extreme; whilst at the same time can seem completely justified and understandable.

Restaurant Review – Michel’s Patisserie (Melbourne VIC) – 1 Star

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

As a disclaimer, this is not a review of Michel’s Patisserie in their capacity as a provider of cakes and pastries, rather their ability to furnish me with a light, café-style breakfast, as their sign suggests they can. If you can provide fancy tarts, flans, and friands; fruit toast should be easy. I can’t say I’ve ever made a gateau, but I’ve baked raisin toast. That’s why, when I ordered my breakfast, I was very disappointed to pay $3 for two slices of Tip Top Cafe Bread Raisin Loaf, a whole loaf of which costs under $4.50 at the supermarket.

Movie Review – Star Trek (2009) – 3.5 Stars

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

The fanboy culture is so ingrained in the concept of ‘Star Trek’ that it mush have been very hard for J.J. Abrams to put together an incarnation as accessible as this. But accessible, it is; and a very entertaining sci-fi action adventure at that. Zachary Quinto seems perfect as a new generation of Spock, with his years as the pseudo-human Sylar in ‘Heroes’ standing him in good stead. There’s also impressive work by relative newcomer Chris Pine. And Daniel Mindel’s space cinematography (including the infamous lens flares) has an organic feel, somewhat reminiscent of Whedon’s CGI handi-cam approach in ‘Firefly’.

Product Review – Dorco Platinum ST300 Razor Blades – 1 Star

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

I recently bought a sample pack of blades to try out in my safety razor. The first set of blades to be sampled were the Dorco Platinum ST300s. Honestly, the only reason I’m glad I started here is that everything will fell good in comparison. The blades suffer from an uneven sharpness that leaves you feeling a pull even when it’s sharp. They’re too rough on first shave, and though they do smoothen out, they quickly become too dull. You do get one half-decent shave per blade, but unfortunately, it’s not the first one. I won’t be using these again.

Movie Trailer Review – Tucker and Dale Versus Evil (2009) – 4 Stars

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Movies are usually told from one angle, but did you ever want to hear the other side of the story? Maybe it’s just a big misunderstanding? That’s the premise of ‘Tucker and Dale Versus Evil’, an independent film by Eli Craig, just waiting to be picked up by a studio. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are two country boys who accidentally scare some city campers, but get a surprise themselves when the campers start dying. Who’s out to get whom, and who’s just there to help; provides the backbone for what looks like it could be a very funny movie.

Product Review – Western Digital Elements 1.5TB USB2 External Hard Drive – 4 Stars

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Taking lots of digital photos, and backing up an extensive CD and DVD collection can quickly burn through the gigabytes, so when you’re looking for a simple way to add digital storage to your computer, it’s hard to beat the simplicity of a Western Digital Elements USB2 External Hard Drive. It’s the simplest form of plug-and-play, and at a little over 10c per gigabyte it’s very cheap. The trade off comes between speed and simplicity, but for the majority of applications USB2 speeds are enough. If you’re not currently backing-up, this is a very easy way to start.

Movie Review – Sleep Dealer (2008) – 4 Stars

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

The sci-fi genre has become saturated with fast paced action recently, so it’s good to see Alex Rivera take a slow paced approach to tell a beautiful story. The advanced technology, despite playing a major role in the film’s plot, takes a back seat to character development and social commentary as we see Memo and Luz’s relationship develop and understand the implications of living in the shadow of a nation doing everything it can to restrict outside usage of its natural resources. If this is the quality of the new generation of Mexican filmmakers, then I look forward to more.

Restaurant Review - Fuji Teppanyaki (Moonee Ponds) – 3.5 Stars

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Food and entertainment often go hand in hand, but rarely as they do at Fuji Teppanyaki. A personal chef juggling knives and forks is a great way to whet the appetite, as is simply being able to see the plates of fresh meat and vegetables just waiting to be cooked. It was a great introduction for someone like me who hasn’t eaten teppanyaki before, with our friendly chef cooking exactly to our likings and recommending appropriate condiments throughout. It is a little on the expensive side, but then again, it’s not every meal that someone throws fried egg at you!

TV Review – Important Things With Demitri Martin – 2 Stars

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

Demitri Martin is a smart bloke – his stand up comedy speaks for that. It’s also good to see someone trying a new format of TV show. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end with ‘Important Things’. The format is repetitive, and the content is bland. The theme of each episode of the show is built around one ‘important thing’ (eg, power, coolness, or chairs), and jokes, sketches pranks are shoehorned into that theme. The only highlights come through Martin’s talent for wordplay, which is featured through one segment using an oversized notepad, and another using magnetic poetry style word cutouts.

Restaurant Review – Patee Thai (Fitzroy VIC) – 4 Stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +1100

In the last week, I’ve eaten from Patee Thai twice, both for take-away and dine-in. And I’ll let you know that it has surpassed Sala Thai as my favourite Thai place in Fitzroy (and the full house at an early Sunday dinner sitting would seem to indicate that a fair few people agree). The décor and staff seem very authentic, and the food is wonderful. Sweet creamy curries (my favourite being the red duck variety) feature tender meat and still crisp vegetables, and the stir-fries are nicely varied and not too heavy on sauce, as can often be the case.