Sunday Arts Magazine

9 Aug 2015

Trainwreck, Mr Holmes, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Picnic & Downriver

Arts, Business, Music, Performing Arts, TV & Film

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Brendan reviews Trainwreck Amy Schumer’s semi-autobiographical feature. Because of the hype around the film he was slightly disappointed but definitely considers it worth seeing. He feels the director should have cut some unnecessary scenes to make a stronger narrative. An A minus or 3.5 stars.

David and Brendan discuss Mr Holmes starring Sir Ian McKellan as a retired Sherlock Holmes who is losing his memory but must solve one last case . It is a quality production with beautiful scenery and excellent performances from McKellan, Laura Linney, and child actor Milo Parker. An A or 4 to 4.5 stars.

Our hosts also discuss the timeless Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) which is having its 40th Anniversary. It is a superb film which is an Australian and world classic. The director Peter Weir, became world famous as did Gheorghe Zamfir who was responsible for the Pan Flute music which created the atmosphere for the film.

Special Guests today are:

Gerard Van Dyck is co-founder and Creative Director of KAGE a Dance-Theatre Company. He talks about his dance background and interest in acting and how he wanted to use dance to play a character and in storytelling. His Company brings together dance, theatre and music and their latest production is called Picnic 18th to 30th August at Fortyfive Downstairs. Gerard describes it as a ‘metaphor about being alone’ with a picnic representing happiness. It is also about an artist’s role in society. This is Gerard’s 2nd solo work and has a script written by Marieke Hardy. After the performance on Sunday 23rd August, Gerard and Marieke will do a Q and A session about writing for dance (as part of the Writer’s festival).

Grant Scicluna is writer/director of the film Downriver which made its debut at MIFF this month. Although this is his first feature-length film, Grant has been making short films for about 15 years, 2 of which played at MIFF in the past and one, The Wilding, had played at The Berlin Film Festival. Grant talks about the funding for the film, the film-making process, being a filmmaker vs queer filmmaker and what he plans to do with the film after MIFF.
The story is about a newly paroled young man who’d been sent to prison as a boy for drowning another boy whose body was never found. The boy’s mother asks him to find the body and as he tries to redeem himself and do the right thing, he slowly unearths a bigger story and secrets within a small town. The film has been sold out in every session and has been selling well in added sessions. At the session on 14th August at Hoyts at 9pm, cast member Tom Green will be a guest at the screening.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:35 — 40.8MB)

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