The Sapphires [2012] - A Review

If you're looking for an easy, feel-good movie on a Friday night, this movie is for you. It's a musical romantic-comedy set during the Vietnam war. 

Dave Lovelace (played by one of my favourite actors ever Chris O'Dowd) and four super-talented Aborigine girls; Gail (Deborah Mailman), Kay (Shari Sebens), Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) and Julie (Jessica Mauboy) tour around Vietnam singing for the US troops.

The girls originally sing Country music, and Lovelace has to convince them that Soul music would be better suited to their... skin tone. It's quite a blunt suggestion, but one that I certainly feel would have been pressed upon any man or woman of colour wanting to succeed in music during that time (in fact, not that much has changed even now).

Unfortunately Lovelace is right, and they ace the audition singing Motown. The Sapphires are then promptly recruited as entertainment for the US soldiers and are catapulted out of their small town and out in to a war zone. 

Be aware that this film is certainly not an original one, but it is easy to forgive it its trespasses because there is enough sass, jokes, sarcasm and joy to make you forget that you've seen this type of movie before.

The story has its ups and downs, and gives a sensitive focus to the much marginalised Aboriginal community. The film not only discusses race, but also dips in to the way the Australian government, quite literally, used to go in to Aborigine villages and steal their children. The children would end up adopted by white families. This piece of history is explored very well indeed, and the implications are exposed very gently to the audience without preaching. The film is loosely based upon a true story, and you're shown a photograph of the four ladies now as older women.

The film has had terrific reviews over on Rotten Tomatoes, but has not done so well on IMDB (no surprise right? lol).

I really recommend this movie. It was refreshing! Get hold of it, invite your friends round, and enjoy something light and charming! Oh, and please, once you watch it, let me know what you thought! I'd love to know!!

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Tucker & Dale Vs Evil - A Review

Oh me, oh my! This is another film from our most recent movie nights; and what a movie night it was! I've had this on my to-watch pile for quite a while but I could never seem to get around to it, but finally, I did - and this is what I thought...

This. Was. So. Refreshing.

I really enjoyed it. It features the classic horror line up... college kids, off to West Virginia to go camping in hillbilly territory, to have a good time. Oddly, two guys (Tucker and Dale... who are hillbillies) have bought a cabin in the woods as a holiday home, and are also travelling up to the forest to relax. Unfortunately, there is miscommunication when one of the college girls falls off a rock in to a pond, and Tucker and Dale rescue her; but the college kids believe them to be kidnapping their friend. What ensues is a comedy of errors where both parties believe the other to be stalking, threatening and killing the other. 

It is awesome.

I really enjoyed this. It was in the same vein as Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, although it is a Canadian/American film. It made fun of the horror genre without being as blasé as the Scary Movie franchise - and not so obscure that you don't really get it. It was nice to watch something from the other perspective... instead of crazy hillbillies hunting college kids, it was pretty much the other way round. According to Tucker and Dale, the college kids just surrounded their cabin and started killing themselves (it is very funny!). The great thing is, is that the film has also tried to inject a mystery in the plot that Dale (the not so smart one) unravels with the college girl he was thought to have kidnapped.

I believe we see crazy hillbillies in Wrong Turn, CSI and even in Criminal Minds. It seems to be a recurring theme that pops up in American films and so seems to be a part of the public consciousness. The film won four awards in a variety of categories. 

It stars the pirate guy from Dodgeball... if you remember him at all? He was also in Knocked Up - he was the boss I think! 

Anywho, I recommend this film for those getting together with their friends. For those who believe that hillbillies are just plain misunderstood, and of course for those who like to see college kids die in horrific ways. It's all very awesome.

The trailer is below - enjoy!

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Attack the Block - A Review

Put your hand up if you've seen this movie?
No? Well, you're missing out... big time!

This comes from the fabulous Joe Cornish and produced by the same company as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. I love it. I can't help it. I just do. A gem from 2011 as far as I'm concerned.

A council estate in London is suddenly invaded by a bunch of scary aliens - they're as black as black and have scary glow in the dark teeth. It comes down to a bunch of yobs to defend their council estate. It's full of scares, laughs, thrills and aliens.


We've all seen the endless films of aliens attacking America, and Americans defending the world against invasion. The film turned the genre on its head. Instead of super brave American heroes defending the planet, in this movie it is a gang of thieves that stand up to the aliens. This film was truly a breath of fresh air, and I enjoyed it not only because it was set in Britain but that the humour was quintessentially British. It didn't take itself seriously - and that is imperative. But don't get me wrong, it's not a Hollywood blockbuster, but as I said, it is refreshing, enjoyable and well thought out. 

It stars Nick Frost, y'know, that guy from Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, but the rest of the cast features relatively unknown actors, especially the boys in the gang. Apparently these boys were selected from drama schools around London and had to audition a number of times before even getting the role.

For those of you outside of the UK, the boys are using real London slang, so it may be necessary to maybe put on the subtitles if needed.

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack, it was pretty much just a load of electronic noises, over remixed music and it suited the whole feel of the movie (haha, that was a very smart way of describing music!)

So, if you're going to watch it, please let me know what you think, I'd love to know! You'll find the trailer below! I really enjoyed it, and in fact it'll probably be in my top 20 favourite movies. Enjoy!

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