Intermission

Off on a break and I've decided to ignore my blog until I get back.
It's just nice to get away from things from time to time.

Brothers

Any movie with Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman in it is going to come with pretty high expectations from me.

Sadly, despite it having some excellent moments, Brothers doesn't meet those expectations.

Sam Cahill (Maguire) is sent to Afghanistan leaving his wife Grace (Portman) and two young daughters and recently paroled brother Tommy (Gyllenhaal). When Sam is assumed dead Tommy takes over the role of father figure to his nieces, quite against his character.

In doing so Tommy earns the respect of his father Hank (Sam Shepard) and gets pretty close with Grace, so much so they share a kiss.

When Sam is found and returns home he's overcome with suspicion that Tommy has usurped him and is haunted by what happened in Afghanistan.

This all sounds really gripping and a good basis for a film but, for me, something went wrong.

It lacked tension for one thing.

When Sam and another soldier were held captive in Afghanistan there were some very amazingly harrowing scenes, in a bizarre way the highlight of the movie. It didn't transfer to the time when Sam came home and couldn't cope.

There were a few scenes depicting his struggle but you never really got into his mind. Tommy's transition to the perfect brother was a bit too easy and Grace was a bit too strong for my liking.

I know I'm being pretty critical here but with the three aforementioned actors all very capable, it's a shame that the story wasn't fleshed out more. It was far too slow for no reason, they took a long time to get where they were going then it ended abruptly and unsatisfyingly.

As much as I like Maguire as an actor I feel he may have been miscast. I couldn't buy him as an army captain.

Given I expected to be blown away by this movie I have to say I'm very let down. There were moments but not enough to have me captivated and moved, which is what the makers were going for I'm sure. A 6 out of 10.

A bit of a stretch

There was a moment yesterday when I seriously thought I was, at best, going to throw up and at worst maybe pass out.
It was shortly after completing a pilates class, my first ever, something I think I seriously underestimated in terms of what it takes out of you if you haven't done anything like that in a very long time.
It took a little bit of time before I started to feel better but actually I was surprised how quickly I bounced back, especially after feeling quite shaky when the class finished.
So this morning I have fairly sore hamstrings but otherwise feel pretty good.
I'm not rushing out to do another class tomorrow but next time, which will probably be in a couple of weeks, I'll not only know what I'm in for but will be able to pace myself better.
I guess, as my friend Simon (who I do thank for encouraging me to go) pointed out, I did push myself a little bit more than I should have.
I do have to say that I find gyms pretty intimidating and that doesn't help!
Then last night I had an unexpected run in with the fuzz.
Driving home from dinner in Parramatta, I was trying to work my way through a few side streets when the lights began flashing above the car behind me.
For a few seconds there I was thinking, 'I didn't indicate at my last turn' and 'I hope this isn't a one way street'. Then I was randomly breath tested, my licence checked and I was on my way.
As someone who doesn't drink alcohol I've got to be careful what I say when they ask 'have you had anything to drink tonight' because I don't want to come across as smug even though I'm pretty sure I'm thinking that they're wasting their time testing me.
Anyway, a bit of R&R today after an eventful Saturday.

Eight and out

It's great news that One Tree Hill will get the chance to wrap up properly with a season eight.

Whether it is a 12/13 episode season or a full 22 doesn't really matter to me. I'd just like the show, which has been exceptional over the seven seasons so far, to end well and in a way that can be planned - not like the shooting of two season finals for this year just in case it was cancelled.

SPOILER ALERT

So the shooting scene at the end was one that I certainly didn't see coming. It was one of those special 'oh my God' moments.

But it's pretty easy to see that both Clay and Quinn will survive.

After what Haley has been through, the death of either character would just about destroy her so I think it's a safe bet.

Plus, Clay must have the opportunity to deal with his stalker who thinks she's his dead wife.

I'd like to see them get Lucas and Peyton back for an episode or two at the end, though their storyline was pretty well wrapped up in season six.

While I'm having a wish list, I'd like to see the return of the theme song for the final year.

Anyway, bring on season eight!

Circles

Ever get the feeling you're going around in circles?
For me, it happens just when I think I've got something worked out.
I performed a test today on a particular theory I have. Turns out there has been no progress.
Anyway, as far as things I might be able to change go I decided to take a break from my punting habits until I go to Melbourne in a month's time.
I think I need to do it to prove to myself again that I can. I also don't like the feeling I get if I've had a bad day.
I definitely need less negatives in life at the moment. Less negative relationships, less negative actions, less negative energy.
That's one thing I am positive about.

I Love You Too

One thing I can say about the Aussie romantic comedy I Love You Too is that it was a damn good try.

Without being too critical, it was the film's Aussie-ness that was its downfall as a successful film of the genre. The rom-com is not a genre attempted in Australia very much and what this film proves is that it can be done.

I'd just like to see the next attempt.

That out of the way there are some excellent things about I Love You Too, which was written by local comedian Peter Helliar.

Brendan Cowell is always good (I'm not just saying that because we were in the same year at uni) though he did look a bit uncomfortable at times. He plays Jim, a 30-something guy who has been dating Alice (Yvonne Strahovski) for over three years but can't say those three little words.

Of course, they break up and Jim sets out to try and get the magic words out of him before it's too late.

This leads him to Charlie (Peter Dinklage - easily the best thing about the movie), a short statured man who, despite Jim stealing his car, strikes up a friendship that ultimately helps them both.

Then there's Jim's best mate Blake (Helliar). A guy who seems to always be the wingman but who knows that Alice was the best girl Jim has ever been with.

Being a rom-com we all know where it's going to end but along the way there are some fantastic moments, again largely due to Dinklage (who was showstopping in Death At A Funeral).

I must admit to a soft spot for Yvonne Strahovski, who does a pretty good English accent as Alice. But to me she'll always be Sarah Walker, the CIA agent from the US series Chuck.

Megan Gale has a small role as an Italian supermodel and a touching scene with Dinklage, and even Hamish Blake (from Hamish & Andy fame) has a cameo.

You probably don't need to rush out to the movies to see this, it will transfer very nicely to the small screen, but it is worth a watch.

Just a shade too long, they didn't tie things up quickly enough, but it was a good effort for a rarely made type of film in Australia.

However, there was some crudeness there that I thought was unnecessary and didn't add to the movie, hence my comment about it being too Aussie. But, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

A 7 out of 10.

Go and jump

I'm getting tired of the anti-jumps racing people getting such a big run in the media, particularly on TV shows that don't understand racing.
Despite their vocality, these activists are very much in the minority yet because they are so loud they are getting far too much air time from everyone concerned.
Sure, I am naturally pro jumps racing.
The people who think it is cruel are being ignorant of the fact that this form of racing is saving horse's lives, not costing them.
Unfortunately, and I don't want to be negative, like most things in the world these days the minority will probably get its way. I sincerely hope it doesn't but if you scream for long enough someone is going to listen.