The 2013 Raymo awards

Another year at the movies is done and dusted and this year I saw a slightly below average 33 films at the cinema (thanks Reading and the JAFFA club).
Overall I think the quality was a little below average as well - I had 13 score an 8/10 or more (no 10s this years) and another seven score 7/10 or more - but it did pick up towards the end. I also had a frighteningly lowest ever score awarded in 2013.

So here's the top 5 of 2013:

1. Trance (9/10)
With not a huge expectation this film blew me away. Starring James McAvoy as Simon, an art dealer, who has misplaced a stolen painting after suffering a blow to the head in the process of stealing it. He is forced to undergo hypnotherapy by his cohorts and therapist Elizabeth (an excellent Rosario Dawson) becomes entangled in the mess. You have to really pay attention and, having now seen it twice, I'm still not sure you can pick what's going on even when you know. I left the cinema a little exhilarated after seeing this and since then has been the benchmark for the year.
2. The Spectacular Now (9/10)
Not a major release, I came across this one a little by chance but I'm glad I did. It helped that it's a little in the vein of last year's top film The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and, like Perks, has an engaging lead actor. I'd never heard of Miles Teller before but he played teenager Sutter Keely who parties his way through life always intoxicated and taking little responsibility - and he was mesmerising. The morning after one of his benders he meets Amiee (Shailene Woodley), the 'nice girl' who nobody really knows or likes, and his world is rocked. Also like Perks this doesn't sound awesome as a summary but it is all in the charm of the actors and the characters. Loved it.
3. Prisoners (9/10)
It was great to see Hugh Jackman not playing a superhero and if Prisoners is any guide he should play less of them and more 'real people'. Jackman is Keller Dover, a small town father whose world is shaken when his daughter Anna and her friend Joy are abducted. Frustrated by what he sees as the assigned detective (Jake Gyllenhaal) not doing his job Keller takes it upon himself to find the missing children. He drags Joy's father Franklin (Terrence Howard) into it when the police fail to detain the prime suspect, a mentally disabled man Alex (Paul Dano) and the lengths he goes to reach scary heights. This was a gripping film, much better than the trailer made it look, and even at over two and a half hours it didn't feel too long. That's the sign of a very good movie.
4. Rush (9/10)
Yes it is a car racing movie but one that completely surprised me. Though it looked good in the trailer the story of the rivalry between 1970s Formula 1 drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruel) was riveting. I must admit I wasn't aware of the story behind it so that contributed to the pleasant surprise and it is definitely not all about car racing - there's a human tale here about how far you would go to win. Hemsworth was pretty good but Bruel was awesome as Lauda, a man so bent on being the best he almost kills himself. The racing scenes are superb and, given it is a Ron Howard film, you wouldn't expect less. A must see if you haven't already.
5. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (8.5/10)
A sequel that was better than the original. While I found the book a little hard to get into the movie is much more engaging, though still a little slow to kick off. Now that they are winners of the Hunger Games, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) become targets of the Capital. Their rebellion in forcing the Capital to declare them winners by not killing themselves as seen an uprising brewing in the Districts and it is something President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is hell bent on controlling. A new game maker (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is brought in and all the living winners of the games are thrown back into the arena in an effort to kill off their 'species'. Now I have to read Mockingjay, the final book, in preparation for the next film which, frustratingly, has been cut in half. Thanks Harry Potter and Twilight!

Honourable mentions: Lincoln, Gravity, Fast & Furious 6 (who would have thought the franchise could get better!), Star Trek Into Darkness, Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise did a good job even though he looks nothing like Reacher)!
Surprise of the year: We're The Millers. Totally inappropriate but very, very funny and I loved the bloopers at the end as well (particularly the Friends one).
Flop of the year: Only God Forgives. Setting a new low with a 1/10 (largely out of sympathy for Ryan Gosling who I quite like) I can't believe how bad this was. I almost walked out but suffered through to the end. Can't believe the same team behind the awesome Drive could make something so boring.
Movies I wanted to like more: The Place Beyond The Pines had everything going for it cast and story wise but it just didn't quite gel; American Hustle was really hyped and it did have some very good bits but felt very long and again didn't quite come together for mine.

Other thoughts: Man Of Steel came close to ruining Superman and the fact they are doing a Vs Batman movie next (and dragging Wonder Woman into it as well) isn't encouraging for either franchise. Hansel & Gretel was awful as well and Disney is doing its best to damage the Pixar name by releasing pedestrian movies like Monsters University and Planes (they weren't bad just not up to standard).
So that's it. What will 2014 hold? Looking forward to Captain America's next outing and I'm sure there will be some surprises along the way.
See you at the movies!

A new me in 2014

We all make meaningless resolutions around New Year's and I sincerely hope that this doesn't fall into that category.

Things are going to change for me in 2014.

I am making a concerted effort to live a healthier lifestyle, not just physically but overall.

I have set a goal of losing 5kg by my birthday, which is three months away, and I think that is an achievable goal. Ideally that number should be closer to 10 but I want to be realistic given the trepidation I have had about weight loss in recent years (and that is a completely different story).

So somewhere between those two numbers would be great, it would make me feel a bit more comfortable and give me encouragement.

To do this I must commit to the gym. I don't for a second think that I could become what society sees as 'buff' but the only way is up, really.

To make this change I must take a different approach to food and exercise.

Eat less, move more. It is a simple philosophy. I don't think I need to eat too much less, though, it is more what I am eating. So I am changing what I eat, ditching snacks like biscuits, and making fruit my friend.

To be realistic I will allow myself the occasional indulgence, such as dinner with the guys once a week.

It's not because I am closing on 40, which isn't next year by the way, but I do realise that as you get older you need to look after yourself more.

I also vow to enjoy myself, instead of feeling bad when I do things I perceive as bad for me. I know that it is fun, and I enjoy it for the most part.

No empty promises here, this is something that has to happen.

Wish me luck!

I'm bad at commitment

I've been looking back at what I've written here previously and I've concluded that I'm bad when it comes to committing to things.

It's almost ironic, for reasons that I know but am not going to put out there into the world.

Old habits die hard. Amen.

I thought I was going along nicely and then I allow one or two little slip ups to occur and I just flip back into the problem I was trying to beat. I will beat it, make no mistake.

I've seen clearly enough what it can do to a person to know I won't let it happen to me. At the same time that knowledge should have been enough to help more significantlly to this point.

Simplify

I know it must sound like I'm all talk and no action.

While there may be an element of truth to that, some of the tasks I have set seem to be easier said than done, I do have a genuine desire to change.

I think the best way to change is to simplify life.

Exactly how life became so complicated I'm not entirely certain, but moving to a simpler life seems logical.

Key to this is deciding on what are distractions, particularly unhelpful ones, that are complicating things, making me feel bad or like I've made an avoidable mistake.

From what I can gather there are a few activities that I must look at.

One is a distraction that I should be avoiding, no question. Another distraction comes to mind but I'm not sure at this stage whether it is something I enjoy or not.

Trying to simplify life also involves simplifying your attitude and doing things on a basic level.

For example, I need to exercise more. It's something I have said for a while but every now and then I have to stop going to the gym because I do some kind of injury.

Instead of trying to be this buff adonis that you often see at the gym (which I'm not really trying to do given where I am starting from but it is hard not to notice - they are the ones looking at themselves in the mirror all the time. I don't blame them though, I probably would too!) I have to concentrate on going and exercising and improvement will come.

I don't think being an adonis is realistic but improving my fitness is.

Step one - go to the gym and exercise.

(I have something of a magpie phobia so that stops me from being outdoorsy in spring - not completely but enough to prevent long walks outside).

I've come across a few people this year who describe themselves as living a 'simple life' and I admire that. They seem fairly content with where they are at and that lifestyle seems very attractive,

I hope it is as easy as it sounds. I'm not suggesting that I will wake up tomorrow with a brand new attitude and lifestyle but I think I can start.

Wish me luck!

It's all about choice

During my weekend away it occurred to me that I quite often make poor choices.

And having given it a little thought I have decided that I might have stumbled upon the meaning of life.

It has nothing to do with higher powers, not that I don't believe there is one, making contributions or good deeds, being a 'better person' or anything like that.

It's all about choice.

Now I know it is not a very well thought out argument and it is sure to be easily dismissed. But think about it.

Everything we do comes down to what we choose.

It's a little like one of those 'choose your own adventure' books you used to read as a kid. You reach a point in the story then you have to make a choice and that choice then leads in a certain direction and set of consequences.

Do you believe in fate or destiny? You should, because you are largely in control of that.

I don't buy the 'Sliding Doors' example so much because that allows too many 'what ifs' to come into the equation.

As I said I have developed a habit of making some poor choices. I know they are poor choices because of the way I feel afterwards. When you learn a lesson it is quite often done the hard way, come at some cost.

So given that I am responsible for my choices, and that means you are responsible for yours, then I only have myself to blame.

I concede it is a short sighted argument in some ways but it also makes a bit of sense. If I choose to gamble I should accept that I could lose, if I lose and choose to gamble more.....you get the idea.

It goes with all sorts of things, who you choose to associate with, what job you choose, who you choose to love, who you choose to sleep with, what you choose to believe, how you choose to live, what you choose to do with your time, what you choose to do with your money, etc.

For me, I have to start making choices conducive to a better life.

It means I have to commit to making sensible decisions about things like gambling, to ensure my lifestyle is healthy and limit the distractions from the responsibilities I have.

To have fun too.

I don't think it's about finding whatever you see as happiness. That's a flowery, somewhat indescribable, aim that never seems achievable. 

I think if you can be content with the choices you make then you're on the right track.

After all, isn't that what Dr Brown said at the end of the Back To The Future trilogy? 'Your future isn't written yet, no ones is. The future is what you make of it, so make yours a good one'.....

Surely that is the meaning of life, right?

Generation i - surprise CD of 2013

I must admit that I had never entertained the thought that there could be a new album by 1927 given it has been 21 years since the last one.

But a few days ago I bought Generation i and I've hardly been able to put it down.

For those overseas who may not know what I'm talking about, 1927 is an Australian band that were massive in the late 1980s largely due to the debut album called ...ish.

They released three albums  - ...ish in 1988, The Other Side a couple of years later and a self-titled album in 1992.

I was 13 when ...ish came out and it was one of those albums you could listen to the whole way through and not skip any songs. 'That's When I Think Of You', 'If I Could', 'Compulsory Hero' and 'You'll Never Know' were the hits and they are still great songs today IMO.

The second album is pretty good as well, the title track 'The Other Side' remains my favourite 1927 song and it also has some special meaning attached to it. I remember a mate of mine in high school telling me a story about how that song reminds him of a girlfriend he had who passed away a few years later.

The third release wasn't as remarkable and only has a couple of memorable songs and that's probably a good part of the reason why the band essentially parted ways.

I recall seeing 1927 in a pub in Sydney in about 1999 or so and they kind of disappeared after that until about 2008 when a 20th anniversary tour of the ...ish album happened. Then they supported Roxette in concert and formed part of what was my ultimate high school concert given they were my two favourite bands during school.

Back to Generation i.

As a fan I was always going to buy it but I didn't really have high expectations given I hadn't really heard anything new for 20 years.

On first listen it was strange but a good experience and I had the feeling it would be a 'grower' It certainly is. I haven't stopped listening to it either in the car on the ipod/ipad.

A sign of a quality album is the number of songs you transfer onto other devices and I moved eight of the 11 songs straight over, with another to come when I get around to removing it from the CD player in the car.

The stand out is definitely 'The Story Never Ends' but I'm very much liking 'City Talks', 'Nobody Knows', 'Fright Of Your Life' and 'Where You Are'.

The shame of this album is that it is likely to be largely ignored because of the amount of crap music out there that seems to be popular and clogging the airways. Hopefully some radio picks it up.

If you aren't familiar with 1927 then YouTube is your friend. If you look up any of the songs I mentioned earlier then you won't be disappointed.

Given the surprise nature of Generation i I wouldn't mind if they don't record another album, it is almost as good as ...ish I reckon.

What do I want?

So what do I want?

It is a question that has been on my mind for a while now and I don't seem to be any closer to coming up with an answer.

In the past couple of years not a lot has changed. Same job, same home, same activities. Not that any of these things are bad by any means. Some stability is a very good thing.

I don't necessarily crave change but am opening up more and more to the idea that it is a good thing. Maybe Sheryl Crow is onto something - 'A Change Would Do You Good'?

If that is the case then what do I change?

My outlook varies from time to time. There are periods where I just want everything to be different, though I can't forget that there are areas in life that need consistency.

There are times when I wonder what I'm doing. Am I mixing with the right people?

A friend of mine observed a while back that I tend to gravitate towards things that are bad for me, as if I want to punish myself for something. How much truth is in that?

I know there are occasions when I have felt very much like beating myself up. Usually it is following a personal mistake of some kind.

Recently I watched the movie 'Shame' again because I felt like being kicked in the guts. And if you have seen the film in question you will know why it succeeds in achieving that goal.

I'd really like to go back and enlighten the me of 10 years ago about the direction I am heading at that time. How much different could things be?

I realise it isn't overly productive to think like that, if any of us could go back in time I'm sure it wouldn't just be to give ourselves advice. I know I would definitely be looking to profit from it.

There's a line, or a song I guess you would say, from the Buffy TV series - 'where do we go from here?'. At the moment there are a few paths in front of me.

The straight & narrow would be appropriate for one of them. Rolling the dice sounds right for another. The garden of good & evil could well be a third.

In 10 years time where would I like to be? Married? Children? It is hard to see that far ahead and I can say I'm not often focused on those things.

I seem to be just going along day by day and there's nothing wrong with that except I seem to end up in the same place.

The Pros and Cons of slipping up

So I was trucking along very well with 18 days of no playing the machines.

While on holidays I slipped up, I have to admit deliberately, and spent time playing them. On the plus side, I won quite a bit.

On the minus side, today I did it again and lost quite a bit.

I am we'll and truly in front for the weekend but today's events have proven to me that I must return to banning myself from the machines.

It makes sense. I was going great for the almost three weeks and that proves to me that I can do it. I'm best to stick to the races when it comes to gambling.

I learnt a lesson that could have been a lot more costly.

Seventeen and counting

I'm almost up to three weeks now on the Challenge and all is going well.
I find it amazing and awesome that something as simple as a little 'challenge' has been enough to get me out of the habit that had been troubling me.
I don't pretend I have won the battle yet but after 17 days I'd have to say I'm getting on top.
I've been away a bit and am going away again shortly but after that I should get a bit more consistent with posting and resume the movie reviews.

One week down

So it has been seven days since I undertook the challenge to go 100 days without playing the machines.

So far so good.

It hasn't been easy but it also hasn't been super hard. Occasionally I'll consider it then i'll correct myself and think about better ways to use my money.

The 100 Day Challenge

It's time to get serious and beat this troubling habit I've developed when it comes to the poker machines.
How and why it started doesn't matter, it was pretty innocuous, but what does matter is that is has reached a stage where it could be a big problem if I continue down the path I seem to be headed.
So I came across the 100 Day Challenge - a goal to set and commit to not gambling on the machines for 100 days.
By then the habit should be broken and while I don't pretend it will be easy it's great to have a goal to work towards.
100 days is a long time and it isn't a long time - if you know what I mean.
It's important to me to be able to win the mental battle here because there are bigger battles up ahead.
Yes, I have a problem. This is the first step on the way to beating it.
Wish me luck.

Easier said than done

It seems that instigating change isn't so easy.
I failed badly at trying to curb the gambling issue that I was having and it cost me a bit more than I'd like to admit publicly. But, if there is a positive, it has forced me into a retreat and I've stopped all forms of gambling for the time being.
That should right that ship.
Other areas are now at the forefront, most alarmingly my battle with health related anxiety.
Even though I thought I'd learned how to deal with things it seems that I haven't. If anything I've reacted worse to some issues than ever before and it is a real concern.
There are other activities that I'm not sure are doing me any good, long term, either but I reckon they are replacements for 'real life' things that either I'm not ready for or am too scared to have a shot at.
Is that what it all comes down to - fear?

Oz The Great and Powerful

I'm not a fan of unnecessary sequels, so imagine how I feel about unnecessary prequels! Well, Oz The Great and Powerful is definitely an unnecessary predecessor to a timeless classic, The Wizard Of Oz.
Before I discuss the film, it's worth thinking about the merits of it first.
Consider this, Oz and all its characters exist only in the imagination of Dorothy Gale thanks to being knocked out during a tornado. Only then was she transported to this wonderful, colourful land.
So then, how can we have a prequel to a dream when Oz is only a figment of Dorothy's imagination. What they are asking you to do is buy that the Wizard was transported to Oz well before Dorothy was born by a similar tornado journey. Please.
That aside, we have Oscar Diggs (James Franco) who is a small time Kansas magician and con man. He's sent to Oz in a balloon trying to escape from carnival people who have caught up on his dallying with women.
When he arrives he is met by Theodora (Mila Kunis), a witch whose motives are unclear but who falls for the man she proclaims the wizard who was prophesied to arrive and save Oz.
Along the way to the Emerald City, Oz comes across Finley (Zach Braff) a monkey (who looks a lot more like the winged monkeys in the Wiazard of Oz than the actual bad monkeys in this one) who pledges himself to a life of servitude for being saved.
On arrival at the city we meet Evanora (Rachel Weisz), Theodora's sister, who quickly shows her evil side in sending Oz to kill the 'wicked witch' after promising all the riches of Oz to him when he takes the throne as Wizard.
This wicked witch is Glinda (Michelle Williams) who we all know to be the good witch of the north.
Anyway, there's also a china doll character that comes along for the ride in one of a few tie ins between Kansas and Oz similar to what you see in the original.
The first thing you notice about Oz is that its been given an overdose of CGI. It just looks far too over the top. Also, we don't see any ruby slippers (apparently due to a copyright issue) that the wicked witch of the east possess.
There's pretty much just one song and Oz cuts the munchkins off half way through, the makers obviously weren't looking for a musical, and as much as I like him James Franco might have been miscast.
The witches are excellent, Finley is great comic relief at times but overall it has all the hallmarks of an unnecessary prequel, particularly since it is not allowed to be linked to the original.
Probably because The Wizard Of Oz is such a great film it's hard to get into this overproduced, overly long and virtually soulless movie. Ironically, it's saved by the witches and that's largely why I went 6 out of 10.
Maybe they should have done a movie version of Wicked instead, I didn't need to know how an imaginary wizard, who couldn't have been in Oz in a world without Dorothy, made it to an imaginary land.
But maybe I overthought it...

Psychobabble

It's been a while since I last posted anything but that's largely from a desire to take a break and decide whether I want to keep doing this.
I've decided that I do.
In the past couple of months I've given a lot of thought to where I'm heading in life.
I know it's a big question to ask yourself, I don't know how many people consciously do it though I suspect many do.
Aside from the larger topics of work, happiness or contentment, relationships I've decided that I must place a larger emphasis on health, specifically, exercise and fitness.
I don't think I'm ever going to reach the stage where I'm considered 'buff, athletic or even toned' but so long as I feel comfortable (as opposed to uncomfortable at the moment) with my physical appearance then I'll be happy.
In many ways I am more comfortable with myself than I have ever been but what has crept up on me, and I have alluded to it now and then, is the fact that a bit of weight has crept on and I have reached a stage where it is noticeable and uncomfortable. (You know, your clothes don't fit quite as well etc).
For other health reasons, I have always feared losing weight. As silly as that may sound it is completely true.
I've paid little attention to the fact that I've put on weight in the past 12 months or so because it has never worried me, whereas losing it has.
(If you really want to know why feel free to ask but trust me it's a legitimate, if not completely logical, fear).
Now I must push past the psychobabble and actually drop some weight. And that, if you've ever had weight issues, is something that is not as easy as it sounds, despite the prevalence of weight loss shows and fad diets these days.
I should know, I've done it once before and it is as simple as this - move more, eat less.
While the philosophy is simple, the practice isn't because it involves changing habits that you have slipped into. It means making sure you go for a decent walk every day and being more conscious about the amounts of food you eat as well as what you eat.
I can't just go running to the gym because whenever I go there I tend to wind up injuring myself of overdoing it. So the plan at the moment is to make the lighter exercise a habit, a consistent part of life, again and start to feel the difference. Then I'll know it is time to start going to the gym again to build on it.
For my height, a weight of around 90-95kg would be considered pretty well in the healthy range. It will take a while to reach that I think - while I won't divulge my current weight here I'll say that I certainly don't need to lose 20kg to make that mark.
I actually must stay off the scales for a little while, and you shouldn't weigh yourself every day anyway.
I have made a start. I had a good walk on Saturday and Tuesday and today (Wednesday). I was out out of town on Sunday and Monday but I spent a good portion of that on my feet (though did attend a dinner and lunch so that probably cancels itself out).
Hopefully within a couple of months I'll start to see a difference. A few weeks would be a good encouragement but it is something that takes time. Wish me luck!

The Impossible

Based on the story of one family's battle to survive following the devastating Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, The Impossible is not an easy watch but definitely a worthwhile one.
Naomi Watts and Ewen McGregor are English couple Maria and Henry Bennett who head to Thailand for their Christmas holiday with their three sons Lucas (Tom Hollan), Simon and Thomas.
It all seems like a normal fun holiday until that fateful morning when the ocean swallowed up the resort and most of the inland area for miles and miles.
Maria and Lucas emerge from the wave and eventually manage to find each other and make it to safer ground. Maria suffers a badly cut leg in the process. They rescue a young boy, Daniel, and are saved by a group of locals who take them to the nearest hospital, believing the rest of the family had died.
I don't really need to go into the finer points of the story, they unfold in time.
I know Naomi Watts is nominated for an Oscar for her role and she is very good but it surprises me that Tom Holland, who plays young Lucas, didn't get some recognition. He's stunning and really is the heart of the story. The lessons he learns from the ordeal are so poignant and the main lesson is something we should all pay more attention to. I'll let you figure that one out for yourself but is should stand out.
It really is amazing how detailed the re-enactment of the tsunami is. I know technology continues to forge ahead but it almost looks like they really staged one.
As I have said, this isn't an easy film to watch. It is heartbreaking at times, shocking to watch given we know it really happened just over eight years ago, though you will find it strangely uplifting in hindsight.
Definitely a well made, well told film with a delicate topic given its reality.
An 8 out of 10.

Jack Reacher

Being a massive fan of the books I was always going to be very critical of the Jack Reacher movie.
The ninth book in the series, One Shot, is the book that has been adapted and while it may seem strange to start at book nine it's one of the books that always seemed like it would make a good film.
And it does.
First to the casting of Tom Cruise. I was against him as Reacher and I still am. I would have thought someone like Adam Baldwin would have made an ideal Reacher but we're stuck with Cruise.
To give him some credit, Cruise plays Reacher very well but he just simply isn't Reacher. He's not imposing enough and he doesn't have the presence that Reacher commands.
One Shot, or Jack Reacher as the movie is called, opens with five people being randomly slain by a sniper.
Very quickly James Barr (Joseph Sikora) is arrested in a seemingly open and shut case. Except that he won't admit to the crime and has one simple request - 'get Jack Reacher'.
As it happens, Reacher sees his arrest on television and sets straight off to find him. When he arrives, much to the relief of Barr's lawyer, he says he's not there to save him he's there to bury him.
If you've read One Shot you'll know they have left out two major characters from the movie and at least one of them, Rosemary Barr, I think was necessary to have in the film. She's the one that appeals to Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike) to take on her brother's case when nobody else will and she is also crucial to uncovering the link between her brother and other major characters in the movie.
Without her it seems all a bit too disjointed as far as narrative goes.
I know movies and books are different and while Lee Child, who has a cameo in the movie, has said he writes the books and others can write the movies I think he should have insisted on Rosemary's inclusion.Having said all of this I do think this is an excellent adaptation of the book, it unfolded as I imagined when I was reading it and while the ending is a fair bit different it still didn't leave me unsatisfied.
Australian actor Jai Courtney is pretty good in his role as Charlie, the right hand man as it were to The Zec (Werner Herzog), the book/film's villain who is poorly explained in the movie.
If you're a fan of the Jack Reacher book series then you've probably already seen the movie and have an opinion on Tom Cruise - probably similar to mine. If you haven't read them, I'd recommend the books as they are easy reads and are never dull. Start with Killing Floor, the first book.
A comment on something I read in a newspaper review regarding the timing of the release of this film not long after the school shooting in America. Shame on the reviewer for connecting the tragic events there with the release of Jack Reacher.
As for the film, an 8 out of 10, and I hope they do more but Cruise will NEVER be Reacher.

Mariah Carey concert

It's been a long wait, almost 15 years, but Mariah Carey finally performed shows in Australia this week and I was fortunate enough to get in early to get a ticket.
I was never going to miss the opportunity to see my favourite singer in concert again.
I can't fault the performance, she absolutely nailed every one of the songs in the show, but it has to be said that a lot has changed in 15 years.
It seems that the shows are more about her than about those who paid to see her. There's a fair bit of fussing and vanity going on on-stage - there was quite a long segment with her meeting a six year old girl called Mariah plus three dress changes and an embarrassing bit where she was going to eat Vegemite on stage as well - and all that vanity certainly wasn't apparent last time she played in Australia.
I don't care what her demands or requirements are backstage, but when she's on the stage it's all about the people who have shelled out (and tickets weren't cheap) to see her and, if I wasn't such a huge fan, I'd almost say it wasn't value for money.
Having said that her performance of Hero was absolutely stunning and almost worth the price for that alone. (I'm aware of the contradiction there by the way).
When I went to the Roxette show last year they played for two solid hours with one small break before the encore where they belted out another three or four songs.
Mariah's show went for about 90 minutes and she would have been off stage for at least 15 of those, her encore consisted of one song. (In 1998 her encore was three songs).
The set list, from memory, went something like this - Can't Take That Away, Touch My Body, Shake It Off, My All, Emotions, Always Be My Baby, Can't Let Go/Love Takes Time (medley), I'll Be There, Obsessed, Don't Forget About Us, It's Like That, Close My Eyes, Hero, We Belong Together.
I would have thought she could have included songs like Anytime You Need A Friend, Vision Of Love, Through The Rain and even her version of I Want To Know What Love Is. But that's me being picky.
So what I'd say to Mariah Carey would be - have a little more humility.
Other than that, it was great to see her live again. There are few around with a voice like hers (she even hit the high notes in Emotions) and she should use it more instead of wasting time judging singers whose careers, if they have any, will peter out after a year when they aren't flavour of the month any more.

The 2012 Raymo Awards

It's that time again when we look back at the films of the previous year and 2012 was an interesting one with highlights scattered throughout the year.
All up I saw 40 movies at the cinema, on par with 2011, although only 11 managed a score of 8/10 or more but a total of 23 scored 7/10 or above. So it's been a reasonably good quality year.

Here's the top 5:

1. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (10/10).
Setting a new standard is my first ever 10 and as it was pointed out to me 'if you can't fault it you have to give it a 10'. Charlie is a 'wallflower', a quiet, unassuming and somewhat closed off teen who begins freshman year in high school having recovered from the suicide of his best friend. He eventually strikes up a friendship with Patrick and Sam, two seniors who open Charlie's eyes to the world. It doesn't sound a 10 on the surface but it's a much deeper story than that, delicately told and is led by a stunning performance from Logan Lerman as Charlie. Couldn't fault it one bit and is easily the movie of the year.
2. The Iron Lady (9/10)
While overall not the most accessible movie given the flashback method, it is the absolute performance of the year by Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher that not only saves the film but makes it memorable. You have to pinch yourself at times to remember that it is actually Streep in the title role, she's that good. The movie tells the story of the rise of Thatcher in a male dominated political world and while it could have done a better job of making it engaging it was still outstanding and a worthy runner-up.
3. The Avengers (9/10)
Say what you like about Batman but Joss Whedon set a new standard for superhero movies when he, finally, joined Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, the Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow to form The Avengers. Proving a superhero movie can have action and intelligence, this was a great ride giving each character a significant role and not pushing one into the background. We knew Joss Whedon would do a great job - you just have to look at Buffy - and all I can say is bring on the sequel.
4. Shame (8.5/10)
Being about addiction, this is far from everyone's cup of tea but it is definitely a highlight from 2012. Brandon is a successful New York businessman whose life outside of work is dedicated to servicing his addiction for sex. He goes to great lengths, even shutting out his family, to satisfy himself. His world is turned upside down when his sister arrives unannounced (though we do hear her call him a number of times, he ignores it). Michael Fassbender is amazing in his role and while it is disturbing, with a shattering end scene, Shame is in many ways an important film.
5. The Hunger Games (8.5/10)
Somewhat of a surprise inclusion in the top five, the first of the trilogy by Suzanne Collins was thoroughly enjoyable and had me eager to read the books (sadly the second one isn't so great but let's hope the movie is better). Katniss and Peter are chosen to represent District 12 in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death of 24 teens with only one winner staged by the Capital as a way of keeping the peace following the downfall of America. Not knowing much about it helped, I guess, but it is a very well put together action, of sorts, film and certainly a better introduction to its series than Twilight was.

Honourable mentions: Argo (outstanding), Looper (intelligent sci-fi), The Intouchables, The Dark Knight Rises (good series finish, bad villain choice), Margin Call, Arbitrage and Ted.
Surprise of the year: Pitch Perfect. Wow, who would have thought a Glee-like musical could have been so much fun and so well written and performed. One of the more fun experiences at the movies in years. Runner-up Rock Of Ages - ditto.
Flop of the year: Killing Them Sotfly. Overhyped, disjointed, somewhat dull.

Other thoughts: James Bond is going downhill with Skyfall definitely not up to scratch and unnecessary remakes/adaptations were far too common (Spiderman, Total Recall and Snow White).