watch

The Sweet Hereafter (Atom Egoyan) Ian Holm, Sarah Polley, Bruce Greenwood. 1997

Adapted from Russel Banks American novel of the same name, Egoyan relocates the action to small town British Colombia on Canada’s west coast. The plot concerns a fatal school bus accident and the ensuing class action lawsuit which causes disharmony amongst a tight knit community. Egoyan’s movie is primarily about grief though, and the different ways people adapt and deal with it. The script is airtight, leaving not much dialogue on the page that doesn’t need to be spoken and creating an air of mystery and chilling unease. Mychael Danna’s compelling score similarly invokes a medieval ambience which both forewarns the viewer and complements the use of the pied piper fairy tale that drives the narrative. Holm, as the straitlaced but inwardly suffering hired gun lawyer, and Polley as the teenage wheelchair-bound survivor carrying a terrible secret are mesmerising. 4/5

stream@: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUZmgpJLpMA

The Stories We Tell (Sarah Polley) 2012

Shortly after The Sweet Hereafter Polley shone in late 90’s counter culture classic Go. It was a performance that should’ve made her a star but the budding muse turned auteur largely consciously avoided the limelight in the years that followed. In this, her third directorial project she turned to documentary and shone the lens on her own family. Polley traces her own origins through a series of informal interviews with her siblings and the man she’d always thought to be her father as well as friends of her late free spirited mother. Along the way she employs a story-telling technique which is unique, surprising and better left for the viewer to discover. The result is a warmhearted if slightly unremarkable tale of family ties and true identity. Early on, Polley’s elder sister is asked what she thinks of the proposed film and she replies with words to the effect of, “I don’t know, why should anyone care about our boring family?” Perhaps there’s something in that, but the accomplished young director, and her unmistakable affection for her subject matter make this a story worth telling. 3.5/5

stream@: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/stories-we-tell

Goon (Michael Dowse) Sean William Scott, Liev Schrieber, Jay Baruchel. 2011

Largely dopey comedy concerning a boofhead nightclub bouncer who earns a pro ice hockey contract despite a complete lack of playing talent off the back of handing a local loudmouthed player a thorough beating in the stands. It’s a premise akin to Eric Cantona’s fly-kick victim getting a run-out for Arsenal because he was a good wind-up merchant. Baruchel, such a revelation a year earlier in stoner favourite ‘She’s out of my league’, scripted this and it’s presumably something of a passion project. He packs in not one but two Pacino homages (coffee shop meeting in Heat, inches speech in Any given Sunday) but has nothing profound to say beyond Ice hockey is an exceptionally violent game. Not that he seems remotely concerned by the fact. None of this would really matter if ‘Goon’ was packed with the kind of laughs that distract from glaring plot holes or lack of ambition. Unfortunately though, this fight club on ice offers precious little in the way of even the guiltiest pleasures. 1.5/5.

stream@: https://play.stan.com.au/programs/1327267

listen

The Dead South: ‘Good Company’ 2018

Oft referred to as Mumford and Son’s evil twin, The Dead South are thankfully a bit less pretentious than their cockney kinfolk. Attempting to bring bluegrass to the masses in a landscape dominated by house and mumble rap is an ambitious enough move for starters, but this Saskatchewan four piece go and complicate things further by marrying elements of folk, rock and punk to their aggressive sound. TDS straddle the fine line between accomplished homage and novelty band, occasionally stumbling over the wrong side of the divide (The Manly Way), but when they get it right they’re pretty hard to resist. Lead single “In hell I’ll be in good company’ is rollicking good fun, Cellist Danny Kenyon lending his vocals to the hook to help lessen the burden on front man David Hilt and his at times jarring delivery. Album cuts like ‘Ballad for Janowski’ and ‘The Recap’ showcase the group’s immense instrumental talents whilst depicting a decadent and desolate old west. An uneven but enjoyably eventful ride.

The Dead South’s albums are available for download on Spotify.

Read

The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood. 1985

• 

Atwood’s now classic depiction of a dystopian present is the inspiration for a juggernaut TV series and a feminist calling card. Whilst Atwood is undeniably an exceptional feminist author, Handmaids is really about class ism and unchecked capitalism. In a military state America ruled by WASP fascists (sound familiar?), we never actually learn our protagonists name, she is merely Offred, as in owned by Fred, the oligarch she’s been assigned to for child bearing purposes. A bleak future awaits pretty much everyone as this first person nightmare hurtles toward its murky denouement. Atwood gives us an unconventional, highly inventive final chapter that feels like a cop out at first but grows more satisfying as it sinks in. The icy detachment and economy with emotion she gives to Offred is emblematic of a novel which is neither sentimental nor particularly optimistic, but is undeniably powerful and thought provoking.

eat and drink

The Stuffed Beaver

271 Bondi Rd, Bondi

Lumberjack Poutine

• 

Bloody Caesar Cocktail

• 

Dark, dingy Canuck themed bar which is all the more affable for its lack of sheen. The national Canadian dish is Poutine which is essentially chips with cheese and gravy and well, it does what is says on the tin. You can stodge it up a bit for an extra $2 with added bacon though whether this is really necessary is open to interpretation. Probably good hangover food. Speaking of which, treat yourself to more than a couple of Bloody Caesars and you might be back at the Beaver the following morning for a soothing Poutine! The Caesar is Canada’s answer to the Bloody Mary and its variants are clamato juice, chilli vodka, pickles and celery salt. Most enjoyable though: make sure you’ve got enough time to do it justice. After a day on the beach you could do plenty worse than stopping by the Beaver.

goal of the month

Ok, so it was actually late December but in a fairly desolate field this was too good to pass up. Junior Hoilett hits the most consoling of consolations in Cardiff’s loss to Watford.