jeremy.id.au

Last night I was bored and flicking through channels on the television, a few Christmas movies were on, most of them not worth watching. Though fairly late in the evening, Crackers came on.

It’s not the first time I’ve watched it, certainly it has even been on TV a few times before now, yet after all these years it is still hilarious. The story is about a dysfunctional family at Christmas time and it certainly has a number of intense moments. I’d have to say that the best thing though, is the way it portrays Australian culture, almost putting it in the same boat as The Castle. Nearly everything about it is Australian, there is even one point where Joey is eating Barbecue Shapes! The local aspect certainly makes it easier to relate to and it is certainly a film with moments that can be related to. Even some of the intense moments I can relate to my own childhood, of course, not to mention our family at Christmas as well. Because let’s face it, not everything is perfect on Christmas day, though it still usually ends up being a good day and one of the few times when we have most of the family under one roof.

Although filmed in Melbourne, there aren’t many recognisable landmarks, although a few scenes around Port Phillip Bay. So most of the familiarity is in the culture. Definitely a classic that has to be seen, I may even get it on DVD sometime if ever released.

Some other reviews:

• SBS: The Movie Show
• In Film Australia

A few days ago when I was in the city, I picked up a copy of Spellbinder which finally came out on DVD. The television show which was first broadcasted in 1995, I must admit, is a kids series. Though I was 11 years old at the time and it soon became one of my favourite TV shows of all time. For great periods of my early teenage years, I would race home from school to watch it, which meant I had to be home by 4 o’clock. Also the same thing later on when the sequel, Spellbinder II: Land of the Dragon Lord went to air.

Though what is the series (the original that is) actually about? Well when Paul goes away on a school camp, a prank goes wrong and he accidentally becomes stuck in a parallel world. It is a world where people live simple lives and society takes on a hierarchical structure, much like you’d expect in medieval times. Though at the top of society there is a powerful group called the Spellbinders. The Spellbinders managed to use their limited knowledge of science to rule society, through which the population believed was magic. Paul was a smart kid with quite a good knowledge of science so he was able to pick this deception. While he is there, he became friends this girl named Riana who is pretty much the same age as him. Through Riana he learns that the people are actually quite happy the way they live.

Certainly there is a contrast between this world that Paul stumbled into and our modern technological world. This is no doubt the thing that I liked best about this series. Throughout the series, scenes switch between Riana’s world and our modern world (known as Paul’s world) where his family and friends are searching for him. Most of all, however, it’s the way they depict chaotic modern city life that I like best. Especially the way it’s based in an Australian city that I’m somewhat familiar with, though not to mention that even the scenes of Australian bush have a sense of familiarity where I can instantly recognise our world. This is especially true for the second half of the series, though unfortunately it’s only the first half that has been released so far.

To a large extent there is probably a lot of sentimental value with re-watching it again now. Though how is it from an adult perspective? Certainly, there is a tiny bit of quirkiness that is typical of children’s programs. Overall, however, it has quite a good sci-fi and adventure story line and it can almost become addictive. Definitely a good choice if you happened to have a younger audience to entertain (which I certainly don’t). After all these years I certainly still enjoy watching it. Evidently, I’m not the oldest fan either.

Paul (Zbych Trofimiuk) and Riana (Gosia Piotrowska) at the market place

Ashka (Heather Mitchell), the evil spellbinder

Our world

We’ve had a good few days of decent weather, about 20°C each day. It doesn’t end here either, it’ll be 21° tomorrow and warming up to 23° during the week. None the less, this afternoon instead of letting the day waste away into nothing I decided to go for another bike ride. It’s the first ride I’ve done for a while since having the sniffles put me off for a while. I clocked up almost 34km riding alongside the railway line to Hawthorn then ducking down Kooyongkoot Road, along the Yarra up to Dights Falls, before taking the Outer Circle back down to Whitehorse Road which I finally road along to return home.

Other stuff that’s been going on lately include Barnaby Joyce crossing the floor in the Senate during the week to vote with the ALP and minor parties this week (the first time it’s happened in 19 years). It is always reassuring to know that despite the Libs/Nats having control over both house of parliament that some form of democracy remains. Hopefully he’ll block some of the crazy upcoming legislation from getting through.

Another interesting thing that I saw on the 7.30 Report the other night was that they almost have propagation of the Wollemi Pine to a level where they’ll be able to sell it to people around the world. I remember seeing something about the Wollemi Pine on TV almost ten years ago, though the amazing thing is that it was believed to be extinct for 200 million years until an adventurer/rock climber came across a grove growing in a secluded canyon in the Wollemi National Park, just out of Sydney. Another freaky thing is that out of all groves found in the wild, the tree showed absolutely no genetic diversity.