Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

Poetry - Movies and Life

Combining two life loves: the cinema and a baby

July 28th 2011 04:26
Babies and cinemas

Well, if you’re like me, combining the two major loves in your life can be a bit tricky. Mine are films and my family. Having recently had my second boy has re-opened the Mums and Bubs door. With my first nutter, I saw a few films and made the catastrophic mistake of seeing films that were too intense and complicated for my delicate post-labour brain. As a result, I fell asleep and cannot even remember what films they were. As I can’t prove my point, you’ll just have to believe me.

This time around, I’m going to choose more carefully. And shock of horrors, I might have to see films that are more mainstream than alternative. This could mean films with a more simplistic storyline, perhaps even bordering on predictability. Hmm, this of course, goes against my cinematic core and will be a massive adjustment, but to use a cliché, beggars can’t be choosers. I’m at the mercy of a few elements: sleep deprivation, brain drain, finding a babysitter for my toddler and local cinema offerings.

My first foray into this round of Mums and Bubs was to see Bridesmaids a few weeks ago. It went well; I snorted and guffawed my way through it. I stayed awake and my baby didn’t, it was perfect. I even ate chocolate. Wiig’s witty dilemmas amused and entertained me successfully. I’ll be doing it again soon, woo hoo.



60
Vote
Comments (4)Comments (4) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


And so now a film festival can be interactive...

April 1st 2011 23:50
Tribeca Film Festival 2011


Nowadays, distance is not always the massive impediment it can be with the plethora of technology we have available to us. To highlight this occurrence, this year the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) in collaboration with American Express, is giving its USA viewers the chance to watch feature and short films without attending the festival. The online screenings will happen at the same time as the physical screenings, heightening that feeling of almost being there.

The festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, aims to support growth and culture in Manhattan after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. With its emphasis on independent films, documentaries and shorts, it has become one of the world’s most important film festivals.

There are several ways a viewer can be involved: a blog, intimate Q&A sessions and interactive filmmaker feeds. While international viewers cannot participate in the films screening, they can engage with film-makers and industry experts through its Q&A component, blogs and other social media methods.

This online experience encompasses five main areas: Festival Streaming Room, Live From..., Tribeca Q&A, Filmmaker Feed, and the Future of Film blog.

In the Festival Steaming Room, from the 12th April, American Express members can reserve a ‘virtual seat’ for online screenings of this year's features and shorts, as well as a selection of award-winning shorts from the previous nine festivals. From the 18th April, it is open to the general public.

From 20th April until 1st May, the Live Action segment will show webcams that screen twenty-four hour red carpet events. This allows interaction with other online viewers and participants as well as inside viewing.

The Q&A sessions will allow audiences to submit questions to a pool of 20-25 film and new media experts such as Tribeca’s Jane Rosenthal, Geoff Gilmore and Nancy Schafer, actors such as Whoopi Goldberg and Brian Williams, and filmmakers David Gordon Green, and Zach Braff. Community members can vote on individual questions, and top-rated queries will be submitted for official response, which will then be made public.

The Filmmaker Feed section makes use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter where viewers can read biographies, updates, video updates and genenally remain up-to-date with any developments as well as interact with other participants. Here, viewers can comment and moan away about all their filmic desires.

And lastly, The Future of Film blog involves film and technology experts commenting on the evolving media environment in featured posts. Participants will be announced in early April once the blog begins, so I guess that will happen any moment now.

So while we Aussies can’t take part in the feature and short films screenings (yet at least), we can still talk to directors, learn inside information and generally feel closer to the festival. It’s not the same as actually being there, but it’s still something and who knows what might happen in the future.


37
Vote
Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Festivals
   


Sydney's Open Air Cinemas

February 1st 2011 05:05
St George OpenAir Cinema


Combining the cinema with Sydney's long and balmy evenings has become a bit of a tradition for many people over the last few years. It really is the perfect blend: peaceful and beautiful scenery, stars, company, food and a film. Plus, the settings offer the freedom to drink wine or even recline.

Sydney’s most popular outdoor cinemas are the St George OpenAir Cinema and Moonlight Cinema. They have become an entrenched annual highlight for many dedicated viewers who scour the timetable buying their tickets well ahead of time. The most popular and well-known is the OpenAir Cinema, understandably so with its transcendent setting of Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge glowing beyond the screen. It really isn’t a wonder much of its season sells out the day tickets go on sale. Many viewers arrive early to have to have a drink and chat and to make the most of the striking scenery and surroundings.

The OpenAir Cinema’s summer partner, the Moonlight Cinema is another annual event held in Sydney’s’ Centennial park also running over the summer season. Its appeal is a little different. This experience allows viewers to choose their spots and lie on the grass rather than being allocated seats. Additionally, unlike the OpenAir cinema which has a bar that serves both food and drinks, including alcohol and coffee, at Moonlight you can bring your own food and even have a picnic. If you’re not keen on bringing your own food, they have a stall that sells snacks and drinks. Moonlight maintains its yearly dedication to showing new or recent releases intermingled with old cult classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Pulp Fiction and Zoolander.

Moonlight Cinema


It seems that the popular trend of outdoor films might have superseded the old drive-in experience. Perhaps, it’s that feeling of being outside in the summer air with the added advantage of catching up with friends in a relaxed social environmental.

But even though the environment is different, the same celluloid unwritten rules apply: switch off your phone, don’t yabber loudly and keep the crunching and shuffling to a minimum.

Other Sydney outdoor cinemas include:
Starlight Cinema at North Sydney Oval in February each year.
Open Air Cinema at Bondi Beach also in February each year.
TropFest at The Domain in February each year.



62
Vote
Comments (9)Comments (9) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Festivals
   


Christmas films, why oh why?

December 2nd 2010 22:19
Christmas films
Christmas films

It’s that time of year again. Christmas is looming and inevitably the usual tatty array of predictable festive tales are looming. Now I know I’m sounding Grinch-like but there seems to be a theme or assumption that these are the main kinds of films people want to see in this season. Well, what about me? Yes, I think it’s reasonable to assume that a massive corporation such as Hoyts or Greater Union will be concerned about the little folk like me. I understand the odd festive film, but to be continually and cinematically flooded with its tedious themes? Hmm, it’s a big ask.

[ Click here to read more ]
99
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (12)Comments (12) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


Under construction

October 1st 2010 00:30
Under construction.


My blog needs an overhaul and a facelift.

[ Click here to read more ]
120
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (18)Comments (18) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


The Welsh Connection

November 9th 2009 06:45


It occurred to me earlier that one aspect of my life I only intermittently embrace is my half-Welshness. And why is that? Perhaps it’s something to do with their comedic lilting accent or society’s obsession to connecting them with sheep. Or perhaps it’s the robust urban myth that Welshies are a bit dim? I’m not sure, but I do know there are some good bits that are often not noticed such as, Welsh cakes, serene countryside, strong rugby skills and their ability to create and use a language without vowels and much spitting


[ Click here to read more ]
148
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (12)Comments (12) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


Possible Worlds Canadian Film Festival 2008

November 25th 2008 21:28
Possible Worlds Canadian Film Festival 2008

The rolling around of the Possible Worlds festival each year reminds me how fast time plods along. Especially this year...I can’t believe it’s already time for the mass marketing frenzy of Christmas. Anyway, enough of my blabbering, I should get back to the facts.

[ Click here to read more ]
113
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (6)Comments (6) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Festivals
   


Alba does election

October 3rd 2008 08:02
Only you can silence yourself - Alba


This is Alba’s poignant attempt at alerting American people to the importance of voting in ‘the election


[ Click here to read more ]
221
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (29)Comments (29) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


Eddie Izzard - British films verses American films

August 17th 2008 00:50
Eddie Izzard articulates the differences between American and British films. As always he does it with flamboyant zest and contagious humour:


[ Click here to read more ]
166
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (17)Comments (17) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


What could have been...?

May 25th 2008 23:39
I missed out on being at the Indiana Jones premiere and red carpet experience (I was sick, but appreciated the invite from Paramount Pictures) last week, so I’m a bit miffed. But I am heartened at finding out that I’m not alone, there are others that were not involved either:

Tom ‘Moustache’ Selleck was almost Indiana. He was offered the role at the same time that CBS picked up the Magnum PI pilot Selleck had just made. Unfortunately the Magnum producers would not release him and he had to pass on the film role. In one of those awful ironic life twists, an actor's strike delayed the start of Magnum's filming. As Raiders was being shot in Europe far away from Union regulations, Selleck could have done the role after all. Selleck, showing generous sportsmanship, appeared in an episode of Magnum that parodied Raiders with the trademark accessories, riffs on the hat, the whip and booby traps


[ Click here to read more ]
298
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (31)Comments (31) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


Cannes Film Festival 2008 begins tomorrow

May 13th 2008 06:56
Cannes 2008 Film Festival
Photograph by David Lynch, adapted by Pierre Collier. Image courtesy of http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/festival/officalposter.html.

After celebrating its sixtieth birthday in 2007, Cannes Film Festival begins tomorrow. This year, the visual feast will feature 57 full-length films from 31 countries. Offerings include the new Indiana Jones movie, director Clint Eastwood's Changeling and the DreamWorks animated comedy Kung Fu Panda.

[ Click here to read more ]
158
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (3)Comments (3) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Festivals
   


Who should’ve kept their clothes on?

April 10th 2008 23:53
Before the devil knows you're dead

Having seen Before the Devil Knows You're Dead on the weekend, I feel more drawn to talk about my discovery of Paper magazine's 10 Worst Nude Film Scenes of all time.

[ Click here to read more ]
186
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (25)Comments (25) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Lists
   


You should be dancing

March 27th 2008 21:10
After talking about the impending Fame remake over on Filmpeek, I started thinking about the combination of music and dancing in films. Costumes, music, vibrancy all mixed together can form a vivid, visual feast that sets those tootsies tapping. It’s a tenuous affair though; one dodgy pirouette and Cheese-Ville can call.

For me, when characters spontaneously cut a rug, it's more delectable if the film wasn't actually a musical. So, here are some films that sport an iconic, memorable dance sequence


[ Click here to read more ]
152
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (14)Comments (14) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Film thoughts
   


Top box office couples

March 1st 2008 05:23
Following the theme of my last post, films and predictability, I found an article on Forbes.com outlining Hollywood’s top box office film couples. Success is measured soley on the tangible element of how much money a film grossed, rather than film quality, characterisation, direction or any of those other ingredients that make up a fine film.

As you would imagine there are not many surprises in this list. In the drama genre we have Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in Spiderman. You know the scene, where Maguire's unmasked Spider-Man kissed Dunst's Mary Jane Watson upside down in the rain. Isn’t that the one where her headlights are on? Interesting coincidence


[ Click here to read more ]
221
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (32)Comments (32) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Lists
   


Gus Van Sant Festival at Dendy Cinemas

February 26th 2008 05:30
Gus Van Sant Festival at Dendy Cinemas

Film festivals give viewers the chance to indulge and immerse themselves in the world that is being offered. A Gus Van Sant visual feast is coming to Dendy cinemas from February 29 – March 12, 2008 and I’ll be there. I’m no Van Sant expert but from the films I’ve already seen, My Own Private Idaho, Gerry, Drugstore Cowboy and Elephant, I’m hoping to expand my experiences. It is also our first opportunity in Australia to see Van Sant’s latest piece, Paranoid Park.

[ Click here to read more ]
140
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (12)Comments (12) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Festivals
   


Empire Magazine’s Top 10 Movie Haircuts

February 3rd 2008 21:57
Empire Magazine’s Top 10 Movie Haircuts

I finally saw No Country for Old Men on the weekend and I was mesmerised by Javier Bardem’s immovable bowl cut. Hair isn’t usually a topic I’d normally write about but the combination of reading Empire Magazine’s Top 10 Film Haircuts article and Bardem’s dedicated tresses, made me think further about the role of hair in films.

[ Click here to read more ]
265
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (46)Comments (46) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Tracy - Category: Lists
   




[ Movies and Life Home ] [ Create A New Post ]

Tracy's Blogs

305 Vote(s)
9 Comment(s)
3 Post(s)
0 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
0 Post(s)
Moderated by Tracy
Copyright © 2012 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]