oliyoung Reviews

The Dish (2000)

Uniquely Australian - Funny, Poignant and Honest

[8/10 · 15 October 2000]

Although before seeing the film, I had never realised the part the Parkes receiving station had to play in the scheme of the Apollo 11 landings, it wasn't the story that I think 'The Dish' truly tells.

Produced by a group of people (Working Dog) that many young Australians feel like they have known personally for years, through such shows as 'The Late Show (1993)' and 'The Panel (1998)', this intimacy with the audience has been fostered in telling a very uniquely Australian version of the events in July, 1969.

Somehow, Rob, Santo, Tom and Jane, have managed to take the single greatest scientific achievement in the twentith-century, and make it a back story in the context of the film. The characters, their relationships and the informality of every Australian burns bright in this funny and beautiful film that every single Australian should see, let alone the rest of the world,

Forget the Olympic games, The Dish is the how the world should see Australia.

Hope Floats (1998)

seriously under-achieving drama

[4/10 · 26 September 1999]

Although normally my preference is not for romantic dramas, seeing this film left me a little short.

It had promise, the characters and relationships could have been explored much deeper than they did, yet the story seemed not to understand the direction it wanted to take.

The comparisions and parallels within the story, especially the three generations of women in the family, had a lot of potential, but somehow didn't fully extend itself. It could have made the film much easier to relate to and attach to which is the aim of any film about lost-love and life regained.

IMHO, I think the film suffered from a lack of direction in the writing, although Harry Connick Jnr and Sandra Bullock did try desperatly to breath a little life into otherwise flat character outlines.

It's not that this is a bad film, some parts leave you understanding the reasons for various plot developments, its just that this film is underdone, and a little flat overall.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Avoid at all costs

[7/10 · 24 August 1999]

The only thing that this film had that could be considered as any kind of legacy to culture is the spawning of the much cleverer and funnier television show. Kind of strange considering that the crew responsible for this, is the same writer/directer combination used primarily in the Television version.

This is the poor cousin to BTVS, and hopefully the rumoured feature length television cast movie will repair the damaged caused by Luke Perry and Christie Swanson. Wouldn't a fight between Swanson and Gellar be fun...