Black Panther Review

Black Panther

Release Date: 14th February 2018 - Australia

Production Companies

Marvel Studios

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 134 minutes

Budget: $210,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,347,597,973 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

After his father's death, T'Challa returns home to the advanced kingdom of Wakanda, hidden on the African continent, and becomes its new ruler. As both king and alter ego, Black Panther, he is put to the test when drawn into a conflict that threatens his country and the whole world. Can T'Challa defend Wakanda from a challenger who wishes to assume the throne?

Cast

Chadwick Boseman -

T'Challa/Black Panther

Michael B. Jordan - Erik Killmonger

Lupita Nyong'o - Nakia

Danai Gurira - Okoye

Martin Freeman - Everett K. Ross

Letitia Wright - Shuri

Winston Duke - M'Daku

Sterling K. Brown - N'Jobu

Angela Bassett - Ramona

Forest Whitaker - Zuri

Andy Serkis - Ulysses Klaue

Florence Kasumba - Ayo

John Kani - T'Chaka

David S. Lee - Limbani

Nabiyah Be - Linda

Isaach De Bankolé - River Tribe Elder

Connie Chiume - Mining Tribe Elder

Dorothy Steel - Merchant Tribe Elder

Danny Sapani - Border Tribe Elder

Atandwa Kani - Young T'Chaka

Ashton Tyler - Young T'Challa

Denzel Whitaker - James/

Young Zuri

Francesca Faridany - Museum Director

Seth Carr - Young Killmonger

Stan Lee - Thirsty Gambler (Cameo)

Sebastian Stan - Bucky Barnes (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Writer/Director - Ryan Coogler

Based on the Marvel Comics/Executive Producer - Stan Lee

Based on the Marvel Comics - Jack Kirby

Writer - Joe Robert Cole

Executive Producers -

Victoria Alonso, Jeffrey

Chernov, Louis D'Esposito

and Nate Moore

Producer - Kevin Feige

Co-Producer - David J. Grant

Casting Director - Sarah Finn

Dialect Coach - Beth McGuire

Production Designer - Hannah Beachler

Head of Visual Development - Ryan Meinerding

Visual Development Concept Illustrators - Anthony Francisco, Rodney Fuentebella, Ian Joyner, Vance Kovacs,

Khang Le, Alexander Mandradjiev,

Fausto De Martini, Jerad Marantz,

Josh Nizzi, Andy Park,

Constantine Sekeris, Tully Summers,

Jackson Sze and Henrik Tamm

Supervision Art Director - Alan Hook

Art Directors - Jason T. Clark,

Joseph Hiura, Alex McCarroll,

Jay Pelissier, Jesse Rosenthal and

Dominic Silverstri

Set Decorator - Jay Hart

Property Master - Andrew Petrotta

Costume Designer - Ruth E. Carter

Specialty Costumes Supervisor - Russell Shinkle

Hair Department Head - Camille Friend

Makeup Department Head - Joel Harlow

Director of Photography - Rachel Morrison

Director of Photography: South Korea Unit -

Igor Meglic

Director of Photography: Atlantis Second Unit -

Bruce McCleery

"A" Camera/Steadicam Operator - P. Scott Sakamoto

Camera Operators: South Korea Unit -

Onofrio Pansini, Jacques Hatkin,

Maurice McGuire and Chris Duskin

Second Assistant Camera: South Korea Unit -

Andrew Crankshaw, Chris Burket,

Harry Jamieson, Jimin & Ted Lee and

Michael Luntzel

First Assistant Directors: South Korea Unit -

Marvin Williams and Jigwang 'Jerry' Ko

Second Unit Director - Darrin Prescott

Second Unit Director (Uncredited)/Stunt

Coordinator - Andy Gill

Supervising Location Manager - Ilt Jones

Stunt Coordinator - Jonathan Eusebio

Stunt Coordinators: South Korea Unit -

R.A. Rondell, Yoohun Chung, Wonjong Song

and Hank Amos

Supervising Stunt Coordinator: Additional

Photography - George Cottle

Stunt Coordinator: Additional Photography -

Brycen Counts

Co-Stunt Coordinator: Additional Photography -

Dan Brown

Fight Choreographer: Additional Photography/

Stunts - Chris Brewster

Picture Car Coordinator - Dennis McCarthy

Special Effects Supervisor - Daniel Sudick

Special Effects Coordinator - Jesse Noel

Visual Effects Supervisor - Geoffrey Baumann

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Craig Hammack

Visual Effects Supervisor: Cantina Creative -

Stephen Lawes

Visual Effects Supervisor: Lola - Edson Williams

Visual Effects Supervisor: Additional -

Jesse James Chisholm

VFX Supervisor: Scanline VFX - Bryan Grill

Visual Effects Producer - Lisa Beroud

Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Lee Briggs

Visual Effects Producer: RISE Visual Effects

Studios - Florian Gellinger

Visual Effects Consultant: Scanline VFX -

Stephan Trojansky

Visual Effects Art Director: Scanline VFX -

Claas Henke

Lead Visual Effects Editor - Kevin J. Jolly

Animation Supervisors: Method Studios -

Matt Kowaliszyn and Daryl Sawchuk

Animation Supervisor: ILM - Matthew Cowie

Animation Supervisor: Luma Pictures -

Raphael A. Pimentel

Motion Capture Supervisor - Simon Kay

Visualisation Supervisor - Scott Meadows

Previs Supervisor: The Third Floor - Kyle Robinson

Stereoscopic Supervisor - Evan Jacobs

Editors - Debbie Berman and

Michael P. Shawver

Additional Editor - Claudio Castello

Sound Designer - David C. Hughes

Re-Recording Mixer/Supervising Sound

Editor/Sound Designer (Uncredited) - Steve Boedekker

Supervising Sound Editor - Benjamin A. Burtt

Dialogue/ADR Editors - Cheryl Nardi

and Chris Gridley

Sound Mixer - Peter J. Devlin

Re-Recording Mixer - Brandon Proctor

Foley Artists - Shelley Roden and

John Roesch

Music - Ludwig Göransson

Original Songs - Kendrick Lamar

Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan

Review

Audiences and fans have quickly rejoiced for the Black Panther. Now he's got a movie named after him. Thanks to Marvel for its ongoing cinematic franchise. The Black Panther character makes his screen debut in Captain America: Civil War. Because of this, Marvel planned a spin-off feature, cementing Black Panther's transition from the comic-book world to the big screen. Many viewers waited patiently for this movie until it opened in cinemas in 2018. BLACK PANTHER precedes the upcoming film Avengers: Infinity War, which will follow up on the former flick, at least in a few months.

BLACK PANTHER reminds me of The Lion King because it incorporates mystical elements into its futuristic theme. The CGI was an absolute work of art, and the city of Wakanda was incredibly detailed, thanks to the many visual effects. The CGI artists have brought this production element to a new level of creativity. Director Ryan Coogler of Creed was involved in making this feature, and it is not the first black superhero movie to receive widespread attention. Fewer films have tried that (with the semi-exception of Blade). None could even come close to achieving the positive response from its intended audience, which Coogler's films have.

Having looked into Civil War, I didn't mention Chadwick Boseman, who plays the eponymous hero, as I did when I first critiqued the previous film. He was terrific in his performance, which made him a household name. He doesn't disappoint in this spin-off. Michael B. Jordan delivers a definitive portrayal as Killmonger, a would-be usurper whose troubled backstory has earned him empathy from fans and viewers. Among the all-star cast was Andy Serkis as the mercenary Ulysses Klaus, whom he reprised. In BLACK PANTHER, Serkis' character is supposedly the main villain, only to be bumped off by Jordan's standout role. Forest Whitaker and Lupita Nyong'o also appeared in this prominent feature.

I enjoyed this movie for its style and visuals. I appreciated that BLACK PANTHER didn't go unnoticed, for it was the worthy middle child of Phase 3 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before the session times are over, this could be your last chance to see the film in cinemas. It is suited to all Marvel fans familiar with the character from the comics.

Star rating: (9/10) Excellent Movie

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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Review

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Release Date: 26th December 2017 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures (presents)

Matt Tolmach Productions

Radar Pictures

Seven Bucks Productions

Distribution

Sony Pictures Releasing Australia

Genre: Adventure/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 111 minutes

Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $962,544,585 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

When four high school teens discover an old video game console they've never seen before, they are transported into the game's jungle setting and assume the adult avatars they chose. With their newfound skills, they'll have to put them to good use as they embark on the most dangerous adventure of their lives. The only way to get back home is to finish the game or be stuck in it forever.

They soon discover that you are not just playing Jumanji–Jumanji plays you.

Cast

Dwayne Johnson - Spencer

Kevin Hart - Fridge

Jack Black - Bethany

Karen Gillan - Martha

Nick Jonas - Alex

Alex Wolff - Young Spencer

Bobby Canavale - Van Pelt

Ser'Darius Blain - Young
Fridge

Madison Iseman - Young
Bethany

Morgan Turner - Young
Martha

Rhys Darby - Nigel

William Tokarsky - Bread
Vendor

Rohan Chand - Boy at
Bazaar

Colin Hanks - Adult Alex
(Uncredited)

Marc Evan Jackson - Principal Bentley

Sean Buxton - Alex's Father/
Jogger

Tim Matheson - Older Alex's
Father/Old Man Vreeke
(Uncredited)

Missi Pyle - Coach Webb

Michael Shacket - Fussfeld

Maribeth Monroe - Teacher
Marin Hinkle - Spencer's Mom
Tracey Bonner - Fridge's Mom
Natasha Charles Parker -
Bethany's Mom

Mason Guccione - Gamer

Jamie Renell - Male Gym Teacher

Marc Evan Jackson - Principal Bentley

Kat Atman - Lucinda

Carlease Burke - Miss Mathers

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Jake Kasdan

Based on the Book "Jumanji"/
Film "Jumanji" Screen Story - Chris Van Allsburg

Based on the Film "Jumanji" Screen Story/
Screenplay - Greg Taylor and Jim Strain

Based on the Film "Jumanji" Screenplay -

Jonathan Hensleigh

Screen Story/Screenplay - Chris McKenna

Screenplay - Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg
and Jeff Pinkner

Executive Producers - Ted Field, Dany Garcia,
Dwayne Johnson and Mike Weber

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

David B. Householter

Producers - William Teitler and Matt Tolmach

Co-Producers - Hiram Garcia and Melvin Mar

Production Designer - Owen Paterson
Art Director - Steve Cooper
Art Director/Assistant Art Director: Hawaii -

Hugo Santiago

Set Decorators - Ronald R. Reiss

and Ken Chocolate (Uncredited)

Property Master - Josh Roth

Costume Designer - Laura Dean Shannon

Assistant Costume Designer - Carrie Grace

Director of Photography - Gyula Pados

Helicopter Technical Advisor - Doug Scroggins III

(Uncredited)

Location Manager - Laura Sode-Matteson

Unit Production Manager - Basil Grillo
Second Unit Director - Jack Gill

Stunt Coordinators - Gary Hymes
and Oakley Lehman

Motorcycle Coordinator - Justin Kell (Uncredited)

Dance Fight Coordinator - Nito Larioza

Special Effects Supervisor - J.D. Schwalm
Special Effects Coordinators - Eric Cook and
Eric Frazier

Visual Effects Supervisor - Jerome Chen

Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Robert Winter

Editors - Steve Edwards and Mark Helfrich

Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Designer/

Supervising Sound Editor - Julian Slater

Supervising Sound Editor - Joel Shryack

Sound Designer - Jon Title

Foley Artists - Gary A. Hecker and

Michael Broomberg

Production Mixer - John Pritchett

Re-Recording Mixer - Kevin O'Connell

Music - Henry Jackman

Music Supervisors - Manish Raval

and Tom Rolfe

Score Recordist and Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Review

Most people saw the original 1995 film adaptation of Jumanji as children and may be understandably biased toward the latest release in the Jumanji story. A supposed reboot could feel distasteful to readers who grew up with the previous cinematic version. This would be especially true if the reboot revolved around a video game rather than a board game. Moreover, for some Jumanji fans, the film's lead actor, Dwayne Johnson, wouldn't save it or live up to the standards set by the late Robin Williams. However, I was surprised it was an actual continuation rather than a senseless remake born of pure egotism. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE is a cleverly updated version that adds a video game/body switch premise. Its lighthearted tone proves this sequel is entertaining even for the most nostalgic viewers.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE's comedy is over-the-top but gets outrageously funny at an accelerated pace. The film delivers innuendo unsuitable for children under 6. The cast is terrific, with the four leads, Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan, having fun as teenagers trapped in their avatar bodies. Black portrays a teenage girl in her male avatar, which adds to the outrageous humour. This isn't the first time Johnson has visited the genre, as he did with Journey 2 several years ago. His macho persona hasn't kept Johnson from handling the role better than he did in his ill-fated Baywatch role. Karen Gillan looks much brighter than she was in her early years in Doctor Who. She is very remarkable in her role. One of the younger Jonas Brothers plays a pilot and does okay, and I liked Kevin Hart as the other source of comic relief.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE honours Williams' dying wish and is a literal game-changer. It eventually continues the classic 1995 movie's lost spirit, buried beneath the family category. I recommend this movie to audiences like you - or wait until it comes out on DVD, Blu-ray, and online streaming.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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Winners of the 90th Academy Awards

And The Oscar Goes To... (90th Academy Award Winners)

In the last two weeks, I’ve been busy. I apologise because I haven’t had time to publish any reviews or news updates. Now, without further ado, here are the winners of the 90th Academy Awards.

It was better than last year’s ceremony, where there had been a mix-up with the envelope announcing the winner of Best Picture. Thankfully this didn’t happen again in this ceremony! I was slightly disappointed that Dunkirk didn’t win Best Picture or Best Director. Then again, it would’ve been the proudest moment for Chris Nolan to receive this award instead of coming out empty-handed without a gold trophy.

Best Visual Effects
Blade Runner 2049 - John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover

Best Film Editing

Dunkirk - Lee Smith

Best Costume Design

Phantom Thread - Mark Bridges

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Darkest Hour - Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick

Best Cinematography
Blade Runner 2049 - Roger Deakins

Best Production Design

The Shape of Water - Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin

Best Sound Mixing

Dunkirk - Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker and Gary A. Rizzo

Best Sound Editing

Dunkirk - Richard King and Alex Gibson

Best Original Song

"Remember Me" from Coco - Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez

Best Original Score

The Shape of Water - Alexandre Desplat

Best Animated Short Film
Dear Basketball - Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant

Best Live Action Short Film

The Silent Child - Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton

Best Documentary - Short Subject

Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 - Frank Stiefel

Best Documentary - Feature

Icarus - Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan

Best Foreign Language Film
A Fantastic Woman (Chile) in Spanish - Directed by Sebastián Lelio

Best Animated Feature Film

Coco - Lee Unkrich and Darin K. Anderson

Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay
Call Me by Your Name - James Ivory based on the novel by André Aciman

Best Writing - Original Screenplay

Get Out - Written by Jordan Peele

Best Supporting Actress

Allison Janney - I, Tonya as LaVona Golden

Best Supporting Actor

Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as Officer Jason Dixon

Best Actress

Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as Mildred Hayes

Best Actor

Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour as Winston Churchill

Best Director

Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water

Best Picture

The Shape of Water - Guillermo del Toro and J. Miles Dale

Academy Honorary Awards
Agnès Varda

Charles Burnett

Donald Sutherland

Owen Roizman

Special Achievement Academy Award

Alejandro González Iñárritu for his virtual reality project Carne y Arena

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Shane Review

Shane

Release Date: 2nd October 1953 - Australia

Production Companies

Paramount Pictures

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Western

Rating: G

Runtime: 118 minutes

Budget: $3,100,000

Box Office Gross: $20,000,000 (USA)

Plot Summary

A mysterious gunslinger
named Shane arrives in a

small Wyoming town,

hoping to settle down as

a farmhand on home- 

steader Joe Starrett's
farm. Meanwhile, Shane

becomes caught up in 
a conflict between the
townsfolk and the ruthless
cattle baron Rufus Ryker.
His growing interest in
Starrett's wife, Marian, and
his affection for her son,
Joey, who idolises Shane,
lead Shane to realise he
must thwart Ryker's plan.

Cast

Alan Ladd - Shane

Jean Arthur - Marian Starrett

Van Heflin - Joe Starrett

Brandon deWilde - Joey
Starrett

Emile Meyer - Rufus Ryker

Jack Palance - Jack Wilson

Ben Johnson - Chris
Calloway

Edgar Buchanan - Fred
Lewis

Elisha Cook Jr. - Stonewall
Torrey

Douglas Spencer - Axel
'Swede' Shipstead

John Dierkes - Morgan Ryker

Ellen Corby - Mrs. Liz Torrey

Paul McVey - Sam Grafton

John Miller - Will Atkey -
Bartender

Edith Evanson - Mrs. Shipstead

Leonard Strong - Ernie Wright

Ray Spiker - Axel Johnson -
Homesteader

Janice Carroll - Susan Lewis

Martin Mason - Ed Howells

Helen Brown - Martha Lewis

Nancy Kulp - Mrs. Howells

Alana Ladd - Little Girl (Uncredited)

David Ladd - Little Boy (Uncredited)

Crew

Producer/Director - George Stevens

Based on the Novel - Jack Schaefer 

Screenplay - A.B. Guthrie Jr.

Additional Dialogue - Jack Sher

Associate Producer - Ivan Moffat

Art Directors - Hal Pereria and Walter H. Tyler

Set Decorator - Emile Kuri

Costumes - Edith Head

Makeup Supervisor - Wally Westmore

Director of Photography - Loyal Griggs

Production Assistant - George Stevens Jr. (Uncredited)

Special Photographic Effects - Gordon Jennings

Editors - William Hornbeck and Tom McAdoo

Sound Recordists - Gene Garvin

and Harry Lindgren

Music Score - Victor Young

Awards

1953 Academy Awards

Best Cinematography, Color - Loyal Griggs (Won)

-----------------------

Best Picture - George Stevens (Nominated)

Best Supporting Actor - Brandon deWilde (Nominated)

Best Supporting Actor - Jack Palance (Nominated)

Best Director - George Stevens (Nominated)

Best Screenplay - A.B. Guthrie Jr. (Nominated)

Review

One of the great Western classics of the 20th century, SHANE was a product of old-fashioned Hollywood. The cast and crew, including director George Stevens, put in a commendable effort. He worked tirelessly to produce a film that showcases the American frontier. Most importantly, it influenced later movies, such as the non-Western flick Logan, and is referenced numerous times in pop culture. SHANE's ending is ambiguous but could rival any scene in other classic westerns, many of which don't evoke the same closing mood as SHANE did.

Alan Ladd gave a well-deserved performance as the strong titular protagonist. Jean Arthur was lovely in her last role as the gorgeous Marian. Jack Palance displays menace and arrogance in his star-making role as the notorious hitman Jack Wilson. Brandon DeWilde was a child star and delivered an outstanding performance as the hero-worshipping young son who wants to be a heroic gunslinger like Shane when he grows up. Although DeWilde had a dozen mostly minor film roles after SHANE, his career was cut short by his untimely death in a fatal car crash at age 30.

I have nothing more to say about the other qualities that made SHANE great. I consider this film a timeless classic that audiences of all ages enjoy. Even modern viewers unfamiliar with this feature will appreciate it, as their parents and grandparents saw the movie and fondly remember it from their youth.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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500th Review!! Pitch Perfect 3

Pitch Perfect 3


Release Date: 1st January 2018 - Australia

Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Perfect World Pictures (in association with)
Gold Circle Films

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 93 minutes


Budget: $45,000,000

Box Office Gross: $185,380,677 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After the highs of winning the World Championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this awesome group of nerds will come together to make some music -  and some questionable decisions - one last time. (Source - Metro Cinemas)


Cast
Anna Kendrick - Beca
Rebel Wilson - Fat Amy
Hailee Steinfeld - Emily
Brittany Snow - Chloe
Anna Camp - Aubrey
Hana Mae Lee - Lily
Ester Dean - Cynthia Rose
Alexis Knapp - Stacie
Chrissie Fit - Flo
Kelley Jakle - Jessica
Shelley Regner - Ashley
Ruby Rose - Calamity
Andy Allo - Serenity
Venzella Joy - Charity
Hannah Fairlight - Veracity
John Lithgow - Fergus
Matt Lanter - Chicago
John Michael Higgins - John
Guy Burnet - Theo
Elizabeth Banks - Gail
DJ Khaled - Himself
Troy Ian Hall - Zeke
Jessica Chaffin - Evan
Moises Arias - Pimp-Lo
Derek Mehn - Sunburst
Kismet Collaco - Little Fat Amy
Michael Rose - Aubrey's Father
Trinidad James - Young Sparrow
D.J. Looney - DJ Dragon Nutz
Niko Nedyalkov - Mikhael

Crew
Director - Trish Sie
Based on Book - Mickey Rapkin
Story/Screenplay/Co-Producer - Kay Cannon
Screenplay - Mike White
Executive Producers - Jason Moore,
David Nicksay and Scott Niemeyer
Producers - Elizabeth Banks, Paul Brooks
and Max Handelman
Production Designer - Tony Corbett
Costume Designer - Salvador Perez Jr.
Director of Photography - Matthew Clark
Film Editors - Craig Alpert and Colin Patton
Score - Christopher Lennertz


Review

This is it, everyone! This is the 500th review for my blog! Be sure to write any comments when you’re done looking at this milestone review. Meanwhile, I didn’t really care much for the 'Pitch Perfect' series so have not seen the first two installments about an all-female group of singers competing in musical conventions. This setting reminded me of a chorus group where my mum was one of the members and they all participate in acapella singing. There’s an equivalent of the fictional Barden Bellas convention in Australia where they compete to sing in America. Its called Sweet Adelines International. Though not quite revolutionary, 'PITCH PERFECT 3' did however convince me there are some surprises added to this sequel as rare bonuses. The humour is productive and funny and there is some unexpected action involved near end of the storyline.

The actors and actresses are doing great in keeping the plot of the sequel intact, especially because the old cast from the previous 'Pitch Perfect' movies are back in the spotlight. There is also terrific singing by the actresses in their cover songs. In fact,  I considered one of these covers to be the best and was instantly better than the original when it was performed in the film's climax.

Good but not great, 'PITCH PERFECT 3' is at least an entertaining film that was meant for the huge crowd. I could at least expect some more of the sequels of this kind when I re-watch it on home video. Happy 500!!

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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The Dish Review (Australia Day 2018)

The Dish

Release Date: 19th October 2000 - Australia

Production Companies

Working Dog Productions (presents)

Distant Horizon

Dish Film Ltd.

The Dish Film Productions

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Rating: M

Runtime: 101 minutes 


Box Office Gross: $17,999,473 (Australia)

Plot Summary

July 20th, 1969, was the
moment that history will
never forget. The day man
first stepped on the moon.
A television audience of

600 million people
worldwide witnessed
that one glorious moment.
Remarkably, these timeless
emerged through a "dish" 
in the Australian outback.

It may have been one

small step for man, but a
giant leap for a handful
of Australian scientists.

And this nearly wouldn't

have happened without a

series of mishaps.

Cast

Sam Neill - Cliff Buxton

Kevin Harrington - Ross

'Mitch' Mitchell

Tom Long - Glenn Latham

Patrick Warburton - Al Burnett

Genevieve Mooy - May
McIntyre

Tayler Kane - Rudi Kellerman

Billy Mitchell - Cameron

Roz Hammond - Miss Nolan

Christopher-Robin Street - Damien

Luke Keltie - Graeme

Naomi Wright - Melanie

Ben Wright-Smith - Nicholas

Beverly Dunn - Secretary v/o (Voice)

Grant Thompson - Mr. Callen

Bille Brown - Prime Minister

Bernard Curry - Newspaper Reporter  

Roy Billing - Mayor Robert
'Bob' McIntyre

Andrew S. Gilbert - Len Purvis

Lenka Kripac - Marie McIntrye

Neil Pigot - Journalist

Frank Bennett - Barry Steele

Matthew Moore - Keith Morrison

Eliza Szonert - Janine Kellerman

Kerry Walker - Pearl

Denise Roberts - Bronwyn

Jeff Keogh - Ray

Jason Ritterman - Adrian Hobbs

Alexander Zest - Lead Guitarist

Rowan Macartney - Trumpet

Aidan Macartney - Trombone

Jarrod Factor - Drummer

Oliver McGill - Pianist

Marilyn O'Donnell - Melva

Jane Menelaus - Gwen

John Flaus - Ron

John McMartin - U.S. Ambassador Howard

Carl Snell - Billy McIntyre

Charles 'Bud' Tingwell - Reverend Lotus

Darren Davidson - Camera Person

Simon Donaldson - Sound Person

Randall Berger - Ambassador's Aide

Mal Walden - ABC Journalist v/o (Voice)

Rod McNeil - Radio Newsreader v/o (Voice)

Alister Paterson - ABC TV Newsreader

Colette Mann - Betty the Bush Poet

Susan Ward - Female Print Journalist

Roger Crisp - Male Reporter

Crew

Writer/Conceiver/Producer/Director -

Rob Sitch

Writers/Conceivers/Producers - Santo Cilauro,
Tom Gleisner and Jane Kennedy

Producer - Michael Hirsh

Production Designer - Carrie Kennedy

Art Director - Ben Morieson

Costume Designer - Kitty Stuckey

Director of Photography - Graeme Wood

Film Editor - Jill Bilcock

Sound Mixer - Roger Savage

Foley Artists - Francis Ward Lindsay

and Gerry Long

Music - Edmund Choi

Review

On New Year's Eve of 2017, I visited the landmark Parkes Radio Telescope, one of the few stations that received live-transmitted images of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. On my recent trip, I purchased the movie THE DISH from the Visitors Centre, intending to review it for this year's Australia Day. THE DISH presented itself as a historical comedy-drama with humour similar to the director's previous film, The Castle. While the movie maintains some historical accuracy, it makes noticeable changes to create a coherent, straightforward plot. The humour is broad, so nothing else upsets the film's noteworthy balance of elements.

While each actor plays a substantial role, Sam Neill and Patrick Warburton stand out. The latter portrays a NASA scientific advisor and is the only American performer prominently featured in this Australian-esque picture. Though Warburton hasn't ventured much into dramatic territory, this picture was an exception, showcasing his great acting skills. Sam Neill is a seasoned veteran actor from big-budget movies like Dead Calm and Jurassic Park, and now shines as a recently widowed chief supervisor.

THE DISH is an impressive Australian film that offers gentle comedy and beautiful local scenery. It went to extraordinary lengths to capture the spirit of Parkes (where some scenes took place) and the secrets behind the lunar landing. I recommend this movie to all audiences interested in the history of space exploration, especially those who have lived in or visited the same town and seen the telescope or dish themselves.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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90th Academy Awards

90th Academy Awards


Broadcast Date: 5th March 2018 - Australia


Hello everyone, and let's make this quick. There is some breaking news, the announcement of the nominations for this year's Oscar ceremony. This year's host will be Jimmy Kimmel, who previously hosted the last Oscar presentation. One particular film I'm hoping will be qualified to win most of the awards, including Best Picture, is the historical war drama Dunkirk. I prefer this picture over Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, which has the most Oscar nominations in the ceremony.

Here is the list of nominees for each category as they are selected to win each award.

Best Visual Effects

Blade Runner 2049 - John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner and Dan Sudick

Kong: Skull Island - Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza and Mike Meinardus

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould

War for the Planet of the Apes - Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon and Joel Whist


Best Film Editing

Baby Driver - Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos

Dunkirk - Lee Smith

I, Tonya - Tatiana S. Riegel

The Shape of Water - Sidney Wolinsky

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Jon Gregory


Best Costume Design

Beauty and the Beast - Jacqueline Durran

Darkest Hour - Jacqueline Durran

Phantom Thread - Mark Bridges

The Shape of Water - Luis Sequeira 

Victoria & Abdul - Consolata Boyle

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Darkest Hour - Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick

Victoria & Abdul - Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard

Wonder - Arjen Tuiten

Best Cinematography

Blade Runner 2049 - Roger Deakins

Darkest Hour - Bruno Delbonnel

Dunkirk - Hoyte van Hoytema

Mudbound - Rachel Morrison

The Shape of Water - Dan Laustsen

Best Production Design

Beauty and the Beast - Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Blade Runner 2049 - Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Alessandra Querzola

Darkest Hour - Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Dunkirk - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis

The Shape of Water - Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau 

and Jeff Melvin

Best Sound Mixing

Baby Driver - Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin and Mary H. Ellis

Blade Runner 2049 - Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill and Mac Ruth

Dunkirk - Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker and Gary A. Rizzo

The Shape of Water - Christian Cooke, Brad Zoem and Glen Gauthier

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Stuart Wilson

Best Sound Editing

Baby Driver - Julian Slater

Blade Runner 2049 - Mark Mangini and Theo Green

Dunkirk - Richard King and Alex Gibson

The Shape of Water - Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Matthew Wood and Ren Klyce

Best Original Song

"Mighty River" from Mudbound - Music and Lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq & Taura Stinson

"Mystery of Love" from Call Me by Your Name - Music and Lyrics by Sufjan Stevens
"Remember Me" from Coco - Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
"Stand Up for Something" from Marshall - Music by Diane Warren; Lyrics by Lonnie Lynn and Diane Warren
"This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman - Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul


Best Original Score

Dunkirk - Hans Zimmer

Phantom Thread - Johnny Greenwood 

The Shape of Water - Alexandre Desplat

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - John Williams

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Carter Burwell


Best Animated Short Film

Dear Basketball - Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant

Garden Party - Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon

Lou - Dave Mullins and Dana Murray

Negative Space - Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata

Revolting Rhymes - Jakob Schuh and Jan Lachauer


Best Live Action Short Film

DeKalb Elementary - Reed Van Dyk

The Eleven O’Clock - Derin Seale and Josh Lawson

My Nephew Emmett - Kevin Wilson, Jr.

The Silent Child - Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton

Watu Wole/All of Us - Katja Benrath and Tobias Rosen

Best Documentary - Short Subject

Edith+Eddie - Laura Chekoway and Thomas Lee Wright

Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 - Frank Stiefel

Heroin(e) - Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Kerrin Sheldon

Knife Skills - Thomas Lennon

Traffic Stop - Kate Davis and David Heilbroner 

Best Documentary - Feature

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail - Steve James, Mark Mitten and Julie Goldman

Faces Places - Agnès Varda, JR and Rosalie Varda

Icarus - Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan

Last Men in Aleppo - Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed and Søren Steen Jespersen 

Strong Island - Yance Ford and Joslyn Barnes


Best Foreign Language Film

A Fantastic Woman (Chile) in Spanish - Directed by Sebastián Lelio

The Insult (Lebanon) in Arabic - Directed by Ziad Doueiri

Loveless (Russia) in Russian - Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev 

On Body and Soul (Hungary) in Hungarian - Directed by Ildikó Enyedi

The Square (Sweden) in Swedish - Directed by Ruben Östlund

Best Animated Feature Film

The Boss Baby - Tom McGrath and Ramsey Ann Naito

The Breadwinner - Nora Twomey and Anthony Leo

Coco - Lee Unkrich and Darin K. Anderson

Ferdinand - Carlos Saldanha

Loving Vincent - Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman and Ivan Mactaggart


Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay

Call Me by Your Name - James Ivory based on the novel by André Aciman

The Disaster Artist - Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber based on the book by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell

Logan - Screenplay by Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green; Story by James Mangold based on characters from the 'X-Men' comic books and theatrical motion pictures  

Molly’s Game - Aaron Sorkin based on a memoir by Molly Bloom

Mudbound - Virgil Williams and Dee Rees based on the novel by Hilary Jordan

Best Writing - Original Screenplay

The Big Sick - Written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani 

Get Out - Written by Jordan Peele

Lady Bird - Written by Greta Gerwig

The Shape of Water - Written by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor; Story by Guillermo del Toro

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Written by Martin McDonagh


Best Supporting Actress

Mary J. Blige - Mudbound as Florence Jackson

Allison Janney - I, Tonya as LaVona Golden

Lesley Manville - Phantom Thread as Cyril Woodcock

Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird as Marion McPherson

Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water as Zelda Fuller

Best Supporting Actor

Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project as Bobby Hicks

Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as Chief Bill Willoughby 

Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water as Giles

Christopher Plummer - All the Money in the World as J. Paul Getty

Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as Officer Jason Dixon


Best Actress

Sally Hawkins - The Shape of Water as Elisa Esposito

Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as Mildred Hayes

Margot Robbie - I, Tonya as Tonya Harding 

Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird as Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson

Meryl Streep - The Post as Katharine Graham


Best Actor

Timotheé Chalamet - Call Me by Your Name as Elio Perlman 

Daniel Day-Lewis - Phantom Thread as Reynolds Woodcock

Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out as Chris Washington

Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour as Winston Churchill

Denzel Washington - Roman J. Israel, Esq. as Roman J. Israel


Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson - Phantom Thread

Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water

Greta Gerwig - Lady Bird

Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk

Jordan Peele - Get Out

Best Picture

Call Me by Your Name - Peter Spears, Luca Guadagnino, Emile Georges and Marco Morabito 

Darkest Hour - Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten and Douglas Urbanski

Dunkirk - Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan

Get Out - Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr. and Jordan Peele

Lady Bird - Scott Rudin, Eli Bush and Evelyn O’Neill

Phantom Thread - JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison and Daniel Lupin

The Post - Amy Pascal, Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger 

The Shape of Water - Guillermo del Toro and J. Miles Dale

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh


Academy Honorary Awards

Agnès Varda

Charles Burnett

Donald Sutherland 

Owen Roizman

Special Achievement Academy Award

Alejandro González Iñárritu for his virtual reality project Carne y Arena

Make sure you cast your vote at the polls for each film that is sure to win an Academy Award. Good luck!

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