I count myself very lucky that just over a quarter of my published work for Scenestr magazine has been film reviews. The work continues a little over two years since I first submitted my Hidden Figures review and it was accepted. The latest film I got to review was the romantic comedy Long Shot starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen.
You can read my review here http://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/long-shot-review-20190423 Charlize Theron is absolutely crushing it as a movie star at the moment elevating everything she is in. Consider in just the past couple of years she has given us Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, Tully and now this.
Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.
My father is the greatest man I know, strong, dependable and smart. He is the rock of our family and a giant I stand in awe of. Long ago I came of age and saw that he was just a man like us all but he remains someone I deeply admire and cherish. He will turn 75 this December and as a family we savour the time left together, it gives me some peace to know that my parents became grandparents last October, they have earned that milestone and time was running out.
Time ran out for author John Birmingham and his family a little while back and the result for John was six months of depression. When he came out of it he wrote On Father and knowing him by reputation I sought a chance to see him talk about On Father at the Brisbane Powerhouse as part of the series Writers+Ideas. Scenestr made it possible and you can read my review of what I saw here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/john-birmingham-on-father-in-conversation-with-paul-barclay-review-brisbane-powerhouse-20190417
Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.
-Lloyd Marken
Making out way to the Brisbane Powerhouse. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
A moonlit night. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Going to our first event here since the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Wearing a tie my father gave me. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
At one of our regular haunts after a gig, the New Farm Pig’n’Whistle for dinner. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
It was a privilege to be on assignment for Scenestr again to review a movie. This time Karen and I went to a critic’s screening in Gold Class at Chermside cinemas. We were given complimentary drinks and popcorn as well and I got to write a film review.
I saw the original in 2004 with Ron Perlman and was fairly blasé about it, having enjoyed the previous film from Guillermo del Toro – Blade II. I’ve heard good things but never got around to the sequel The Golden Army or reading any of the comics but they’re quite admired. I suspect true fans will be elated and disappointed in equal measure by this reboot. You can read my review here http://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/hellboy-review-20190411
Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.
Queensland Ballet’s Dangerous Liaisons is sexy and not for the brief simulations of fornication on stage although that certainly proves inspiring, nor is it the sensual costumes made out of rich fabrics in royal colours, and nor is it the finely toned physiques of the dancers present some of them wearing pants so tight you would see less definition if their legs had been painted instead. All these things are sexy as hell but the sexiest thing of all is the attitude present in this text and those who have adapted it.
Queensland Ballet‘s mantra for the 2019 Season is “Move Boldly” and in this production they have. In the first five minutes we are introduced to widow Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil getting busy with a lover on the coffin of her late husband. From there we meet a wealth of characters from the French aristocracy of the late 1700s living in decadence and luxury. It seems there’s not a lot to do except have your way with people one way or another as per the original novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.
The text has been adapted previously most famously in 1988 with Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer a film I’ve seen but can’t remember a lot about. My memories of the modern day set Cruel Intentions of 1999 (one of the best years of my life) which moved the setting to New York and high school served me far better although there seemed to be some extra characters I couldn’t recall here.
Knowing the plot will serve you well in order to keep track of things, after all there’s no dialogue in ballet but the important stuff is clear. Isabelle challenges Vicomete Sebastien de Valmount to win over virginal Cecile Volanges as revenge for the fact that coffin boy Comte de Gercourt is now engaged to her. Well actually that might not be so clear but you get a good sense of who is a decent type, who’s in love, who’s innocent and who’s depraved and how that might change. There’s some sneaky humour and a tragic outcome. You might even surprise yourself with where your sympathies lie.
Artistic Associate of the Royal Ballet continues his association with Queensland Ballet in choreographing this ballet. Beyond all the bold statements and sexy themes is some first rate dancing. I won’t pretend to know I’m an expert on such things but Cecille’s solo was breathtaking of a fragile unjaded soul expressing the joy of first love. Two couplings in particular were very evocative and on the night we went, Laura Hidalgo as Isabelle utterly owned the world as she strutted across stage in her underwear completely beating down the will of Valmount. Some of the lifts in the partnerships were breathtaking in their fluidity and strength.
Under the stewardship of Artistic Director Li Cunxin continues to go from strength to strength with the entire team he has with him. If I was not as moved as I was two years earlier with their program Raw the sexiness of their Dangerous Liaisons certainly left me stirred.
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 