Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Courtney Love Modern Day Soap Star? What?


In recent weeks Courtney Love showed us her musical talents and dusted off her acting skills in the hit show of 2015 Empire, but last night she entered the trash zone, Revenge.


Yes Courtney Love is now a trained assassin on the failing drama. Her one scene could lead to future roles but I am not holding my breathe as the show is seriously on the decline in the US. Adding more characters and killing of minor roles from time to time has been it's down fall, it's long winded break heavy season has also (in my mind) help shed millions of viewers.

I was wanting more from Love in Empire but we only got that one killer track.


I am now just waiting for Love to turn up on the other trashy ABC (US) drama Mistresses (a UK remake).

Oh Courtney I love you, but Revenge, LOL, however they did also give Calvin Harris/Haim a bit of a spin in the latest episode too.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Another Day Closer to Easter


I can hardly believe next weekend is a dreamy four day weekend. A Weekend where you eat as many hot cross buns as humanly possible or Cream Eggs, a weekend where business shut their doors no matter their faith and generally Sydney city slows right down.

I love the idea of four days off but the pre Easter cunt fest of this is due now, that was due yesterday bores the pants of me. Come on people get yo shit together.

That said today is the day after having an extremely gruelling day yesterday I am flicking my weave and moving on. Life is too short, really at the end of the day I am healthy, have an amazing family, the greatest of friends and live in a wonderful part of town. I talked to some many people yesterday who were also having shitty days/weeks/this year. And I want you all to join me in turning shit round.

So I am done with negative people once and for all, I have said this before but today I am taking my fear of conflict to a new level. If you say something negative today to me look out. You might cop one of these:

1. Do you live in a war torn country?
2. Are you terminally ill?
3. Will someone be hurt or potentially die by a choice you make today?

So people let's stop complaining, move on and if something isn't your passion or you are sick of being in a dead end job, don't project your hate, move on. Life is too short.

On a happier note, happy Friday for those who don't have to work on the weekend or if you like your job all the better.

So if someone tries to bring the negative Nancy today, flip it on them, could you get out of bed this morning without physically struggling? Answer yes, well shut the fuck up. Randy Andy out?

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

SYD to MEL, SYD to NEW


Yes it's on the road time again for the old BLOG this time nice local travel. Stay tuned for posts from regional NSW (Newcastle) and Melbourne city. With the Easter Show rolling into town I could not think of a better time to escape all the power prams and vile school holiday crowd.

There is a certain thing as you get older, you care less about children if you don't have them. The thought of being around a bunch of them whilst there parents try and have a "normal" adult existence and let them run wild throughout my beloved Broadway shops is enough to drive me back to the drink.

My other pet hate is hearing friends who are on Facebook (I am not and will never cross over to the dark side of Facebook) complain all their friends post is kid pics, kid shit and general dribble. Well I have news for your people, life without Facebook is fucking tops. And life with a new Netflix series (Bloodline - from the creators of Damages) is oh so good.

Life can be simple and amazing if you make it, if you want to avoid hearing about things you detest (i.e. Liberal campaigns for the NSW election) life without Facebook is bliss. I love people, don't get me wrong, I love kids as long as they are not fucking me off but I don't want it in my face 24/7.

So please dear people who complain to me about Facebook, the time is now, live a stress free (or a less stressful) life and care less what others do/say. It's your own personal race with your own goals, so learn to enjoy your own time, or as Kylie said Enjoy Yourself. Full Stop.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

#I'mNotDavidNorMargaret, Film Reviews My Way 2015


Liam Neeson returns after the god awful cash grab Taken 3, this time with RUN ALL NIGHT.



Action films don't get much better than this, easy to follow plot, a car chase, some shot outs and men with voices like gravel.

Liam Neeson is perfect in this film and should have substituted Taken 3 for just another generic film like this where he has a son instead of a daughter, he tries to save his sons family in place of rescuing his daughter or saving his ex wife.

Common is hardly recognisable as a trained assassin and I remember back to the day I just loved his music. Ed Harris is the generic bad guy with a bad son and so the story goes on.

Look this covers NO new ground what so ever but when one worked all weekend, a Monday film was a fucking treat!

This will not be everyone's cup of tea and nor will it be at the cinema for long but I give it 3 solid Neeson Stars.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Fucking Hell, is it almost Logies time again...


My picks in red but boy O boy the TV Week readers (Most Popular categories are piss weak):


TV WEEK GOLD LOGIE — Most Popular Personality on Australian TV
• Andy Lee (Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year South America, Nine
Network)
• Asher Keddie (Offspring/Party Tricks, Network Ten)
• Carrie Bickmore (The Project, Network Ten)
• Hamish Blake (Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year South America, Nine
Network)
• Scott Cam (The Block, Nine Network)
• Stephen Peacocke (Home And Away, Channel Seven)

Most Popular Actor
• Chris Lilley (Jonah From Tonga, ABC)
• Craig McLachlan (The Doctor Blake Mysteries, ABC)
• Josh Thomas (Please Like Me, ABC 2)
• Luke Arnold (INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Channel Seven)
• Stephen Peacocke (Home And Away, Channel Seven)

Most Popular Actress
• Asher Keddie (Offspring/Party Tricks, Network Ten)
• Bonnie Sveen (Home And Away, Channel Seven)
• Jessica Marais (Carlotta/Love Child, ABC/Nine Network)
• Julia Morris (House Husbands, Nine Network)
• Mandy McElhinney (Love Child, Nine Network)

Most Popular Presenter
• Amanda Keller (The Living Room, Network Ten)
• Andy Lee (Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year South America, Nine
Network)
• Carrie Bickmore (The Project, Network Ten)
• Grant Denyer (Family Feud, Network Ten)
• Karl Stefanovic (Today, Nine Network)

Most Popular New Talent
• Harriet Dyer (Love Child, Nine Network)
• Laura Brent (ANZAC Girls/INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, ABC/Channel
Seven)
• Miranda Tapsell (Love Child, Nine Network)
• Olympia Valance (Neighbours, Network Ten)
• Samantha Jade (INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Channel Seven)

Most Popular Drama Program
• Home And Away (Channel Seven)
• House Husbands (Nine Network)
• INXS: Never Tear Us Apart (Channel Seven)
• Love Child (Nine Network)
• Offspring (Network Ten)

Most Popular Entertainment Program
 Family Feud (Network Ten)
• Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year South America (Nine Network)
• Sunrise (Channel Seven)
• The Project (Network Ten)
• The Voice Australia (Nine Network)

Most Popular Reality Program
• Big Brother (Nine Network)
• Bondi Rescue (Network Ten)
• Bondi Vet (Network Ten)
• My Kitchen Rules (Channel Seven)
• The Block (Nine Network)

Most Popular Sports Program
• Marngrook Footy Show (NITV)
• The AFL Footy Show (Nine Network)
• The Cricket Show (Nine Network)
• The NRL Footy Show (Nine Network)
• Wide World Of Sport (Nine Network)

Most Popular Lifestyle Program
• Better Homes And Gardens (Channel Seven)
• Getaway (Nine Network)
• Grand Designs Australia (FOXTEL/LifeStyle Channel)
• Selling Houses Australia (FOXTEL/LifeStyle Channel)
• The Living Room (Network Ten)

Most Outstanding Drama Series
• Janet King (ABC)
• Puberty Blues (Network Ten)
• Rake (ABC)
• The Code (ABC)
• Wentworth (FOXTEL/SoHo)

Most Outstanding Miniseries Or Telemovie
• ANZAC Girls (ABC)
• Carlotta (ABC)
• Devil’s Playground (FOXTEL/Showcase)
• INXS: Never Tear Us Apart (Channel Seven)
• The Broken Shore (ABC)

Most Outstanding Actor
• Ashley Zukerman (The Code, ABC)
• John Noble (Devil’s Playground, FOXTEL/Showcase)
• Luke Arnold (INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Channel Seven)
• Martin Henderson (Secrets & Lies, Network Ten)
• Richard Roxburgh (Rake, ABC)

Most Outstanding Actress
• Danielle Cormack (Wentworth, FOXTEL/SoHo)
• Denise Roberts (Schapelle, Nine Network)
• Jessica Marais (Carlotta, ABC)
• Marta Dusseldorp (Janet King, ABC)
• Nicole da Silva (Wentworth, FOXTEL/SoHo)

Graham Kennedy Award For Most Outstanding Newcomer
• Brandon McClelland (ANZAC Girls, ABC)
• Harriet Dyer (Love Child, Nine Network)
• Miranda Tapsell (Love Child, Nine Network)
• Silvia Colloca (Made In Italy With Silvia Colloca, SBS ONE)
• Troy Kinne (Kinne, 7mate)

Most Outstanding Entertainment Program
• Bogan Hunters (7mate)
• Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell (ABC)
• The Chaser’s Media Circus (ABC)
• The Checkout (ABC)
• The Voice Australia (Nine Network)

Most Outstanding Comedy Program
• Black Comedy (ABC)
• Legally Brown (SBS ONE)
• Please Like Me (ABC 2)
• Upper Middle Bogan (ABC)
• Utopia (ABC)

Most Outstanding News Coverage
• “Lindt Café Siege” (Seven News, Channel Seven)
• “Moree” (NITV News, NITV)
• “Peter Greste Trial” (7pm News, ABC)
• “Sydney Siege” (Nine News, Nine Network)
• “What Is Metadata” (Sky News, Foxtel)

Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report
• “Banking Bad” (Four Corners, ABC)
• “Ian Thorpe — The Parkinson Interview” (Ian Thorpe — The Parkinson
Interview, Network Ten)
• “Ice Towns” (The Feed, SBS2)
• “Joining the Fight” (Insight, SBS One)
• “Searching for C11” (Australian Story, ABC)

Most Outstanding Factual Program
• Brilliant Creatures (ABC)
• Changing Minds (ABC)
• Coast Australia (FOXTEL/The History Channel)
• First Contact (SBS ONE)
• The War That Changed Us (ABC)

Most Outstanding Sports Coverage
• 2014 FIFA World Cup (SBS ONE)
• 2014 Emirates Melbourne Cup Carnival (Channel Seven)
• KFC T20 Big Bash League (Network Ten)
• Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 (Channel Seven)
• 2014 Toyota AFL Grand Final (Channel Seven)

Most Outstanding Children’s Program
• Bushwhacked! (ABC3)
• Move It Mob Style (NITV)
• Nowhere Boys (ABC3)
• Tashi (7Two)
• The Worst Year Of My Life, Again! (ABC3)

Sunday, March 22, 2015

#I'mNotDavidNorMargaret, Film Reviews My Way 2015


The teen book to film market is PACKED, and Hunger Games really is the new king now Twilight is done & dusted. However here is my take on the second instalment of the Divergent Series - INSURGENT.

Packed with action and TV and film stars and that dreamy Jai Courtney, Insurgent seems to well lack something and next to Hunger Games it seems like it's the poor cousin of the popular franchise.



Other than Jai Courtney, that pair from The Fault of All Stars are in their, Miles Teller in a less serious role than Whiplash and Kate Winslet are the main focus points of this film. Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii 5-0 & Lost fame) shows how hot some older Korean men can be whilst Naomi Watts is almost unrecognisable. Well to be honest I didn't recognise her.

To be 100% honest I was a little bored with this film and more bored that the 3rd book (like Twilight & Hunger Games) would be separated into 2 cash grab films. Please studios stop being so fucking greedy.

OK so overall this wasn't the best out there for teens, there is a lot more on offer I could strongly recommend but for some wonderful action scenes I will pass this at 2.5 Teenagers Still Read Books, What? Stars...

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Judith Lucy is...


A vision and a visionary. Her latest series which wrapped on the ABC last night was truly sensational, and she stuck to my six is the new black.

Judith Lucy is All Woman was a wonderful little six week series which made me proud of my mum and all the wonderful women in my life. And trust me there are many.

So this post goes out to you ladies.



If that's not enough girl power for ya, well on International Women's Day I did a sick play list for a few wonderful women in the music biz, it lives HERE.

Laters....

Sunday, March 15, 2015

#I'mNotDavidNorMargaret, Film Reviews My Way 2015


I am not a celebrity and DO NOT want to be nor do I have social media or care what others think. I wear tracksuit pants most places for fucks sake! So TOP FIVE actually spoke to me in a weird way..


Can I just say first Rosario Dawson is fierce and rocks that Skrillex haircut like no ones business!

I am not a huge fan of Chris Rock but this film was simply excellent. I hear you Chris being harassed to be a former you (we all grow and change, so being asked to be the me I was when I was 14, I would say fuck you) and always referred to as Hammy. Loved every minute of this film, the Jay Z/Kanye drops of "Niggas in Paris" and did I say Rosario Dawson is banging?

I laughed out loud, had fun and found myself thinking why this is not showing at my cinemas. To be honest I was cranky as this was only on at certain cinemas and not others, is this an art house film? Nope.

Top Five, actually could be one of my top five films, I enjoyed this enough to strong recommend it to folks who like comedy or folks who just like "celebrity" in 2015.

Top Five rates 3.5 Stars...

Saturday, March 14, 2015

#I'mNotDavidNorMargaret, Film Reviews My Way 2015


What happens when a film is a surprise hit, strikes a cord with an unlikely film going demographic? a sequel is green lit and we say hello to THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL.


Sequels can sometimes be a hard pill to swallow, but this was a sweet and cut little film aimed way above my age group.

The Second Best exotic Marigold Hotel collects a strong group of English actors (plus Richard Gere for this instalment) and really makes nice seem easy. It dealt and spoke of passing on a lot and also on the other extreme spoke about it never being too late to try something new.

It is a little long and drawn out in parts but the wedding and lead up party scenes are fun, the scenery is great and Richard Gere is a good addition to an already strong cast.

Maggie Smith really stands out in this film as does Dench who is looking a little more frail than the last film. Dev Patel is very different to the role I have grown to associate him to in the Newsroom & at times slightly irritating.

This film is most enjoyable and an easy Saturday afternoon watch. I am going to give this a solid 3 Stars.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday the 13th Take Two


With the first Friday the 13th last month, it's time for take two and I believe two Friday the 13th have put a few people on edge.

This year never really had the usually Summer Slack January it just started with a bang! Since then we seem to be on a quick countdown to Easter and a rush to Anzac Day/June Long Weekend and before we know it NSW October Labor Day weekend.

Time is travelling fast and this week I got to take some time out and enjoy the wonderful Thriller Live at Sydney's Lyric & First Aid Kit @ Sydney's Enmore Theatre.

Thriller Live was such a wonderful fun filled show and most probably one of the best things I have seen there since Miss Saigon back in 2004/2005.

First Aid Kit were also extremely awesome and had a great light show as well as their perfect sound worked so well at the Enmore.

It's hard to keep up with all the gigs and all the live entertainment in Sydney at present but these two were top notch.

I also heard on the grapevine the Spectrum Now  events are amazing and definitely worth catching. It's a shame they are only doing online programs and advertising in a Fairfax paper as I am sure this would get more attention if they had a wider reach.

As much as I LOATHE the Daily/Sunday Telegraph and it's poor excuse for journalism their reach and coverage of live events in this city is second to none. Without their support, you're basically fucked. No matter if you agree with the bullshit they publish on the same page as your ad.

But anyway it's the weekend (THANK FUCK) so after boot camp this morning and when I clock off at 6pm, it's hello weekend, hello Misty from Perth and it's two days of heaven, pure heaven xo

Monday, March 9, 2015

SPEAK SENSE


I was mortified when I brought the Sunday papers on my morning Sunday shop to discover the Sunday Telegraph again trying to create fear in the community. SPEAK ENGLISH the headline reads re: speaking Arabic in jails in NSW.

Now don't get me wrong I am not about to start supporting terrorist but come on, not allowing people to speak their 1st chosen language? So no Chinese, no Spanish, no Greek, no Italian also?

This is ending a week of hilarious columns from Bolt, Devine and even today Devine was outraged a family first style ad was not to run on SBS during the Mardi Gras broadcast. Come on lady diversity is fine but alright campaigns like saying we are right and gay families are wrong. Nick off.

And labelling Miriam Margolyes a potty mouthed lefty and having yet ANOTHER crack at the ABC, was just a treat, what to read it and die laughing, here is the link. Now Miranda I have a large number of lady friends and tit is a word that rarely comes out of their mouths, fuck, the C bomb and other rather strong words, yes and guess what it's 2015 not 1950. Women don't stay at home and do housework they have careers, and some are even comedians and guess what swearing at times (if used well) is actually funny.

The problem with being conservative and having "traditional values" is that the world are life are ever changing, if everything was to remain in 1950, we wouldn't have the internet, we wouldn't be able to travel as easily, cheaply and freely as we can now and education would still be less inclusion.

For the educated newspaper/online news reading folk, the Daily Telegraph/Sunday Telegraph is more like a car crash, it's hard not too have a look into the shit they are pedalling or what Rupert thinks is important. And that's the other problem Rupert Murdoch is 83 and should be in a nursing home, instead some dill set him up on Twitter.

And back to my initial line of attack at the Sunday Telegraph, racism is alive and kicking in Australia, all you need to do is YouTube Australian Public Transport Racism. Fucking frightful. And headlines like this do not help. The simplistic nature of the Daily/Sunday Telegraph means this reaches the less educated and fortunate in our society creating a brain washed and frightening group of Murdoch followers.

So read this rag but also get online, find the real story and hell even watch the ABC news, I know it's "left leaning" but they sure as fuck report the real stories and not the beat up of the month. To News Limited staff again, shame on you.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

#I'mNotDavidNorMargaret, Film Reviews My Way 2015


Can I start by saying Will Smith has not made a good film in ages. Remember I am Legend, Hancock, Men in Black 3, The Pursuit of Happyness and the list could go on, believe me I am being kind. However now FOCUS has come along and he has been paired with the wonder Margot Robbie, Will Smith could be on a comeback.



Margot Robbie is electric in this role and always divine, dressed to the nines and looking simply stunning. Will Smith at 46 is still as fuckable as ever. Man that man works his chest, hard!

The two leads work extremely well together (almost to well at times) and this film (although a little drawn out and long towards the end game) does have some neat twists.

I was surprised how much by the end of this film I enjoyed the ride, falling in love with these two criminals and thinking, if it was this easy to make a load of cash why don't I just become a criminal? Sometimes glorifying crime and showing extreme wealth is maybe not the best for the young and impressionable but hey when we have Tony Abbott for a leader any influence is better than his.

This film rides along at a steady pace and shows 50 Shades of Grey how easy sexy could be. Will Smith and that smoking chest, Margot Robbie and some sexy swimsuits. It's easy team Fifty Shades and NO whipping in sight.

This was a fun, popcorn film where I left my brain at the door, Focus is mostly focused and mostly fun, 3 Stars and well done to Aussie Margot Robbie, you go GIRL on International Women's Day xo

Saturday, March 7, 2015

#I'mNotDavidNorMargaret, Film Reviews My Way 2015


So let me be clear, the Awards season is a distant memory and it's time for the films to be released which just would have failed up against Still Alice, Wild, Foxcatcher etc, so they open later and today I had the pleasure of catching.... UNFINISHED BUSINESS



So I didn't see the trailer to this film until I saw it appear on my session times page of my local cinema. Problem! Were was the advance trailers at the movies? I have seen multiple movies and NEVER seen the trailer for Unfinished Business not did I know one of the most handsome men in hollywood was in this film. No not Vince Vaughn or Tom Wilkinson, the DREAMY Dave Franco.

Dave Franco is almost 30 and one of the most handsome and dreamy things to appear on the big screen. I have said dreamy a lot, but fuck man, he is HOT, he is a dreamboat, he is a vision and not as controversial as his older brother James but just as delightful and a damn good little actor too.

So three paragraphs in and I am yet to talk about the film, however not seeing the trailer or any marketing prior to this week, not a good start distributors.

Anyway this is your run of the mill gross out film and Vince Vaughn just does not have it. I'm sorry he has done some shit films:

* Anchorman (I know it was loved by the masses, but it was SHIT)
* The Break Up
* Zoolander (Like Anchorman, I don't give a fuck, BORING)
* Dodgeball
* Couples Retreat
* The Break Up

I could go on, trust I could.

But with Dave Franco and James Marsden on the screen in front of me it's hard to hate on this film. Their is also a scene where they discuss bullying and social media whilst being young and being bullied that really touched me. It must be so hard being young in 2015, life was actually easier without technology and social media, believe it or not. There was a time you could just, sounds silly but be a carefree kid.

This doesn't make up for the fact that the film is largely not funny and poorly written, the jokes never really land well and Vaughn is just wrong for this role. Dave Franco on the other hand is great as a naive and cute younger, new employee for Vaughn.

It's not all bad news, there is a bit of fun in amongst the shit.

I will pass this for Franco and the fact I hope some young bullies see this film squarely aimed at young shits who might think, hey bullying is fucked, people are different let me flick my hair and move on, on that note I give this 2.5 Stars.

Happy Mardi Gras (whatever that means) one and all xo

Friday, March 6, 2015

Six Episode Series are the New Black


Why over stay you're welcome I always say and TV shows are like one night stands sometimes, they linger like a fart in a lift. Take a look at Revenge 23 episodes this season when the show is already a sinking ship, this makes this the longest and most drawn out season yet. In years past Glee was pushing it with 22 episodes the first 4 years and how on Earth can folk keep up with 13 episode Netflix ordered shows that all drop on the one day.

I was pleased however to read (like yesterday's blogged about Aussie piece Secrets & Lies) Winter is only a six episode run. Winter is slightly strange it follows the normal crime/thriller checklist but seems to be missing something. Rebecca Gibney is now the Queen of Aussie Commercial TV but it seems even Bec can't help this one. Again like Secrets & Lies not over staying it's welcome and also being decent Aussie Drama but since it's first airing has shed 500,000 viewers to well under the magic million.

Will Seven bring this back a third time? Remember this was a spin off (and really a smart way to launch a new series) from the tele movie The Killing Field.

I can't see this one returning to be honest I feel it's done it's dash and after the tele movie and this mystery it might be best again like Secrets & Lies for this to be a one time wonder.

It's no wonder (despite me and others interested in challenging, engaging and confronting TV) that Australia will continue to trot out reality, reality & more reality as it's cheap, rates (and if it doesn't they sure sell it to potential advertisers that it does) and it covers a lot of air time. Look at I'm a Celebrity, Sun to Thu, that's five nights of easy content.

So unfortunately as much as six episodes get a massive thumbs up from and Aussie drama is seemingly trying hard I think we are a way off removing all the reality rubbish from our screens anytime soon...