Tag Archives: L

Drama

The Last Showgirl

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Date watched: February 26, 2025
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2025

Review

Wednesday night I hosted a private screening of ‘The Last Showgirl’ as a fundraiser to raise money for a charity walk that I am doing with a group of friends later in April.

When selecting a film for these fundraisers (this has now become an annual event) I try to look for something that is likely to be popular at the box office (i.e. an Oscar nominated film) and/or something that I think people will like and is interesting.

While it was tempting to try and sway my friends to request for a screening of ‘Wicked’, when I searched for upcoming films and saw the trailer for ‘The Last Showgirl’ I knew that this would be the one. Second choice would have been ‘The Brutalist’ but with a runtime of over 3 hours, it would not have been a wise selection.

For the event we had an audience of 39 people (myself included) and I’ll have to go by people being honest with me, as I must acknowledge that saying you didn’t like the film to the organiser of the event might have been uncomfortable. While I didn’t run a poll, I would say on the most part people did enjoy the film. There were a few that I heard from that weren’t too sure about it or on the fence.

Considering that I liked the film, and a lot of the audience were friends of mine, perhaps it also skews to being in a bubble of like minded people!

‘The Last Showgirl’ is a film directed by Gia Coppola and written by Kate Gersten and tells the story of Shelly, a showgirl who has been in a 30-year run of a Las Vegas show which is coming to an end. To Shelly this comes as a deep shock as she still appears to be ‘stuck’ in the days when the show first started and hasn’t been able to move along with the times easily.

It’s the type of story that I am craving to see in cinema. Something that reflects on real life, that shows the rough and hard parts of life. That features ‘older’ women (I don’t think I like that phrase, but I’ll use it for lack of an alternative.)

Women over the age of 55 are at great risk of financial and housing insecurity and are over represented on the poverty line. That’s something that this film is highlighting. Yes, the characters are living in Las Vegas, performing in a show but it’s not the typical glitz and glamour that might normally be portrayed on screen. The film uses the lives of its characters to reflect on the issues of this demographic and what they often face – not having the superannuation they need or getting by without a house. When a lot of people think of someone who is homeless, they often think of the person living rough out of the streets as they walk past. But there are many forms of homelessness and one of those is featured in this film – someone sleeping in their car and using the showers at work.

To quote Shelly, “Feeling seen, feeling beautiful, that is powerful.” It’s a film about this demographic being visible and relevant.

To also have a film with so much female representation from the director, writer, cinematographer, and actresses fills me with much joy. Miley Cirrus also features on the soundtrack with the closing song, which she performers and cowrote.

Pamela Anderson, who plays Shelly, pours so much emotion into her performance and she is just a joy to watch on screen. Shelly isn’t a perfect character, but who is a perfect person in real life? She has her flaws, but she is out there trying her best and living her dream.

Admittingly I am a fan of Pamela Anderson. While I didn’t really watch Baywatch as I was probably that bit to young for it while it was on air, I remember her in the series ‘Stacked’ while I found her comic acting brilliant. I haven’t seen that show since it was on air so no idea how it rates nowadays – so don’t judge me for that!

While this film isn’t a comedy, Anderson gets to flex her dramatic skills and gives a very worthy performance. And if it’s ok to say so, she certainly has still got it! I uttered a verbal ‘wow’ when she appeared in her sparkly dinner outfit.

The film also features Jamie Lee Curtis, another actress whom I am very much a fan of. She features as Annette, an ex-dancer who worked in the same company as Shelly and is also a friend. Without it being established in words, they are probably best friends. Her performance in this film is also very good. The sequence which features her dancing to ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ shines and really establish who Annette is. Funny to hear that the scene was improvised.

The two together (Anderson and Curtis) have a brilliant chemistry that reflects well on screen. The film also features a well assembled cast but I can’t go on naming everyone individually!

While I enjoyed the film, I felt that there was certainly a potential to dig a little deeper and flesh it out more. I just felt like there was more space available and something was missing. I would have liked to have seen more from some of the supporting cast and their relationship with Shelly, although there is something fun about creating a backstory for some of the other characters yourself and filling in what might have been.

I say give this film a go, even if it may not be your usual cup of tea. There are some great acting performances and I really did find it a charming and emotional story.

Rating:  Good

 

If you’d like to support our efforts for the walk, you can donate here: https://www.surfcoasttrek.com.au/t/one-trek-to-rule-them-all

Comedy, Drama

Love Actually

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Date watched: December 11, 2022
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2022

Review

Love Actually is another of those ‘modern classic’ films that is universally much loved and for whatever reason, I haven’t gotten around to seeing yet. I did know about some of the storylines and scenes due to the film’s mass appeal and it being nearly a couple of decades on! I had just never taken the time to sit down and watch it.

So in Christmas 2021 all that was going to change. I was committed to setting time aside to finally watch the film…then stuff happened. I got busy, other films popped up, and then Christmas passed. Therefore, I was adamant to try again in 2022 but still having to find time amongst a busy schedule.

Luckily, I noticed that my local cinema had a special Christmas screening of the film playing that also happened to be on a weekend with nothing planning. Seeing as I was already committed to watching the film, why not see it at the cinema?

I reached out to a friend who was distressed to recently hear that I hadn’t seen Love Actually before and she excitedly agreed to come along with me.

The cinema was filled with many people who had seen the film before, and it was clearly a favourite (particularly of the person sitting in front of us) but I did spot a couple others in a similar position to myself. I always love seeing films at the cinema, there is something about sharing reactions as well as seeing how others respond that enhances the experience. Much better than sitting home alone laughing out loud, or worse, pointing at the screen remarking “that’s funny”.

At this point you’re probably thinking, spare me the build-up, what did you think of it? So here it goes…

My initial reaction to Love Actually is that there were a lot of laugh out loud moments and that it was well written. All the independent stories which are running concurrently have a good pace to them, switch focus at the right time to give enough coverage between stories, and by the end all the stories wove together, what feels to be, seamlessly. No easy feat to achieve with such a large ensemble cast.

My favourite storyline of the couples from the film would be the relationship between Jamie (Colin Firth) and Aurelia (Lucia Moniz). Despite the language barrier between the two and the clear attraction, the fact they are on the same wavelength I just found adorable. They were practically having a conversation together or saying the same things to each other but just didn’t understand. And while I wasn’t a fan of the hasty marriage (come on guys just go on a few dates first) I do find it pretty romantic they both started to learn each other’s primary spoken language. Urgh that made me sick to admit!

I’d be here forever if I started to comment on each of the cast but before I make a quick couple of mentions, this is my blanket statement to say that I thought the cast was really well put together and all delivered equally good performances. By not making a specific comment, is in no way a negative reflection.

All the American actors that were chosen were a perfect fit. From Billy Bob Thornton as the American President to the girls the character Colin brings back home, Shannon Elizabeth and Denise Richards.

Then there is Rowan Atkinson as the jewellery salesman, who for me stole the scenes he was in. This just gave an extra lift to the film that I really enjoyed. Especially his distraction tactic at the airport towards the end of the film.

Hugh Grant has a typical performance from the time the film was released, that bumbling romantic fool. It works for him and it works for the film. I now live for the scene of him talking to a picture of Margaret Thatcher on the wall and calling her a saucy minx!

There is a scene however where his character as the UK Prime Minister takes action to speak out against the American President at a press conference, after a rather grotesque display of power against the girl he fancies. I would have hoped that the Prime Minister would have down the same thing for anyone who found themselves in that situation, not just the girl he likes.

That’s sort of when you think about a few of the stories having similar things that are a little uncomfortable or cringey that I didn’t much enjoy. While some of those moments have a place within the film, there is also quite a lot of questionable behaviour that doesn’t. For example, I found there to be a lot of fat shaming which really felt out of place. This might be something that just hasn’t aged well, like the sitcom Friends.

Putting aside some of the negatives I experienced, I found myself enjoying the film. And while it hasn’t become my favourite Christmas film, I can see it being added to the rotation of movies that I have playing in the background while putting up the Christmas tree in years to come.

Rating:  Good

Australian, Drama

Looking for Alibrandi

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: July 29, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2022

Review

Warning: This review contains SPOILERS.

A couple of weeks ago I went to see a stage production of Looking for Alibrandi and decided to rewatch the film first, for a bit of a refresher. It was such a pleasure going down this trip of memory lane, one that I haven’t been on for at least a decade.

While I never studied the book for school, I am pretty sure that we did watch the movie. Looking for Alibrandi is the story of three generations of Alibrandi women and was one of the pivotal coming of age movies for my generation. It was the breakout film for Pia Miranda, who stars as Josie (short for Josephine) the 17-year-old whose eyes this film is presented through.

Unsurprisingly most of what has stuck with me from this film are key events that happen with Josie, as that is the character I most related to. She is smart and funny, which is what I aspired to and think I ended up with a very similar sarcastic sense of humour.

I remember very clearly John’s suicide and I think that this may have been the first film that exposed me to that topic. I still struggle to connect with why Josie rips apart what turns out to be his suicide note.

Oddly I had no memory of Kick Gurry being in this film! I remember both he and Pia Miranda being in Garage Days together but not sure why I had forgotten him in this film (sorry Kick!).

Back when this was first released, I was more a fan or at least related to the crush which Josie has on John, rather than the character of Jacob. I find that a bit weird now, as Jacob is a great character, with his own complexities. Watching it now, I really love his school captain speech.

Additionally, when I found myself rewatching the film this time around, I am now the same age as Josie’s mum; Christina (ironic, huh?). I found it really interesting that one of the quotes which really stood out this time around came from Christina. While having a disagreement with her mother and in response to Katia saying she is old and tired of fighting, Christina says:

“And I’m a young woman, I’m tired of being old.”

It’s not that I have a personal connection with that quote to my life, but it just gave me more of an appreciation of the character of Christina that I never really thought about when I was a teenager myself. The sacrifices she had to make, the difficult family life she has and continued strain on her relationship with her mother. She had to grow up very quickly without any support. Now she just wants her daughter to have a better life than she did and has to struggle with Josie having a relationship with her father after it being just the two of them for so long. It’s a lot to take.

I feel that I had a better appreciation that every character is doing it tough in some shape or manner. Just because from the outside someone’s life seems better than yours, you can’t tell what challenges they might be battling.

The film tackles many subjects from the final year of high school (which at the time, feels like the most important year of your life), multi-generational family relationships, the father-daughter relationship, tradition and heritage, and expectations. It also explores growing up with a different heritage through the Australian lens.

While being a moving and complex story, it’s also incredibly funny. A film that produces so many great lines. I especially love the nonna’s spy ring scene! It’s a fantastic cast which brings all these characters to life and the soundtrack that accompanies is a perfect reflection of who Josie is with a balance between traditional Italian and Australian modern music.

While I could go on and on, this isn’t a school essay, and we need to wrap things up.

I very much enjoyed revisiting this film. I found it to be a beautifully told story that many different nationalities will be able to relate to, not just Italians. For so many reasons, it continues to be a relevant story, which if you haven’t seen, you simply must!

Rating:  A Must See