Tag Archives: film

Review: American Hustle

Posted in Entertainment, Movies by

With the hype surrounding the now not-so-new release of American Hustle and the consequent criticism it’s acquired (though to a much lesser extent), curiosity eventually got the better of me so I decided to go and see it for myself to consider whether both the positive and negative reactions surrounding it are justifiable.

Such an attractive cast...

Such an attractive cast…

*Warning: Some mild spoilers are included here.

American Hustle is a drama film based on a true story; it begins with some onscreen text stating, “some of this actually happened.” A little surprising that the usual “based on a true story” isn’t employed but heck, it still works. It follows on with quite a few flashback scenes with alternating voice-over narration from two of the main characters; Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams). In fact, a little less than half of the film consists of some of their past moments and it gets a little tiresome at first – mainly because you just want to see what’s happening in the present, but it soon becomes clear that the flashbacks are crucial in understanding the present scenes. All in all, it starts off a little slow but soon smoothly eases into an intriguing ride.

From the flashbacks, we learn that Irving and his mistress and partner in crime, Sydney, are two con artists who cheat money out of their clients (or perhaps victims is a better word) through the ruse of a loan service business (of sorts). Having met a while back, they had decided to join as both lovers and business partners. On the sideline is Irving’s wife, Rosalyn Rosenfeld (Jennifer Lawrence) and their son (hers from a previous relationship whom Irving chose to adopt), although Irving does seem to be a doting father to the boy. To cut to the chase, one day their client/victim happens to be an FBI agent by the name of Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). He eventually finds out about the illegitimacy of their “business”, and gives them the alternative of either facing an arrest or helping him arrest others (whom he suspects of obtaining illicit money). For fear of revealing too much about the film, I’ll stop there with the plot and storyline.

As it’s set in the 70’s (1978 to be exact), there’s a lot of typical fashion of the era – and very convincing it is too. There’s also plenty of glam attire and style – bar Irving’s comb over and Richie’s perm (although I will admit Bradley Cooper looks rather cute with those tight curls – don’t judge). Apart from the glam fashion, the film itself is rather glossy and suave – and I suppose this is where some of the criticism sprouts from. For, although it ticks just about every box for me – great acting from a great cast, absorbing plot, perfect filming in terms of pace and technique, and all the finer details such as accurate depiction of the surroundings etc – it feels as though there’s a little something missing. It could be that too much attention was paid towards creating a somewhat swanky feel to the film; at times it feels like it’s a little too polished or clean-cut, which doesn’t seem to suit the more serious tones that the plot would otherwise impart, or perhaps there isn’t as much depth and/or history behind some of the characters, leading to a slight lack of substance to the film as a whole. It could also be that there are a little too many injections of humour throughout (which again somewhat detracts from the more serious tones). Although I will say that some of the humorous dialogue included is pure gold in its simplest form, and provides a refreshing dose of comic relief (although again, I’m not sure if it’s needed). Or maybe I’m just being a little too nit-picky…

Nevertheless, this is still a must-see for those who love a good old drama movie; as aforementioned, the acting from the majority of the cast is top-notch (for those who have yet to see it, watch out for Jennifer Lawrence especially, who does an excellent job of portraying an emotional, stubborn, ignorant, slightly neurotic (and sexy) wife), the filming execution is great (one of the best I’ve seen in a while), and the plot – although a little seemingly dull and slow at the start – slides and then propels with a bang into an escapade that you just can’t stop watching until you’ve reached the end (where there’s a clever, spun out twist that’s either satisfactory or unsatisfactory – it’s a matter of opinion). Because of all this, it’s a true winner with some very minor faults in my opinion, and that’s why I give it a solid 8 out of 10.

– by Rosemary Nguyen

Dating Nikki: The Do’s and Don’t’s of Movie Dating

Posted in Dating Nikki, Lifestyle by

As young adults, we have undoubtedly reached the time in our lives where we want to get to know people of the opposite/same sex in a friendly or intimate manner. For the beginnings of a budding relationship, movie dating is very popular because it gives the couple a chance to spend quality time together without the added pressures of keeping a conversation flow going.

Look at that solid hand-on-the-shoulder action.

Look at that solid hand-on-the-shoulder action.

With everything, however, there are some general guidelines that one must follow if they hope to achieve a successful movie date and further dates down the track, especially in the beginning of a budding relationship.

Do’s
“We got there, paid for our tickets, and found a seat. The movie got started and we were really excited (excited enough to have an awkward kiss). As it went on, and the dinosaurs got all angry… she got scared, leaped into my arms, and I laughed. But when she leaped into my arms, the chemistry that was there, came back. We looked into each others eyes and kissed. And then a dinosaur ate a dude in half. It was epic.”
Sean Jensen, 20 years old

– Organise transportation to and from the movie venue. If this is a first date, it is generally acceptable and preferred that both daters meet at the movie venue. Further down the track, when both daters feel more comfortable and at ease with each other, a pick-up would be appropriate.
– Arrive to the movie venue at least 10 minutes earlier than the agreed time. This shows great punctuality and it is a good sign for further relationship development. If the date is running late, go and grab a coffee or something to help you feel at ease if you have enough time.
– Plan to meet at least 15 minutes before the movie so you can have a conversation with your date without the pressure of being in a quiet movie theater.
– Greet your date appropriately; do not push past your limits because you feel pressured to. If you don’t feel comfortable kissing the other on the cheek, settle with a hug. Chances are that the other person is as nervous as you are and they will respect your boundaries.
– Breath mints were invented for a reason. Utilise them.
– In some circumstances, physical contact in a movie date is generally acceptable. If the other person is feeling emotional after a romantic scene in a movie, put your arm around them or hold their hand; it will make them feel more secure and is a considerate, warm gesture.
– If you feel as if the moment is right and it is appropriate to, you can kiss your date. Generally speaking, the initiation of a kiss is important: mutual eye contact is a must for a successful kiss. This depends on how comfortable the daters are around each other.
– After the movie is finished, talk about it. It can give you the opportunity for a positive flow of conversation and it can also give you an insight on how the other person thinks.
– Farewell your date in an appropriate manner; the same guideline applies from the greeting – if you don’t feel comfortable kissing them on the cheek, don’t. You can kiss them on the cheek, hug them or simply give them a polite wave. Don’t forget to thank them for the date!

Don’t’s
“For our first date, it was meant to be me and him but he invited [others] along… but with both couples acting like they didn’t know each other… we sat apart from our accompanying party. We were kissing… it was unpleasant and awkward, and everyone in the cinema were staring at us… I wanted to stop but I couldn’t because he wasn’t stopping and I was too uncomfortable making him stop and to this day I do not know what movie we were watching.”
Rebecca Syed, 21 years old

– Don’t talk during the movie, at all. It is common courtesy to those around you to keep quiet so even if you feel the need to make a comment about a scene in the movie, save it for after. Not only will pointless chatter disturb people around you, it may also annoy your date who may be trying to focus on the movie.
– Unless it’s an emergency, refrain from using your mobile phone, especially during the movie. If it’s not annoying your date, it is certainly annoying someone around you. It is also common courtesy to your date as unnecessary phone usage shows a certain level of disinterest in the other person and it may offend them.
– While it is the standard cinema snack, avoid purchasing popcorn as a snack. If the occurrence of a mid-movie kiss happens, nothing is more off-putting than a nice piece of popcorn wedged in your tooth. This can also be said for chocolate and other tooth-colouring snack items.
– Do not go in for an unexpected or seemingly random kiss: it will catch the other person off guard and may scare them off potential future dates. When the moment is right and the intimacy is there, you will know when it is an appropriate time.
– Heavy making out is a no go. It will make others around you very uncomfortable; leave that kind of thing for the bedroom.
– Do not just sit there and have no form of communication with your date whatsoever during the movie. While I’m not talking about chatter, a smile or some other form of appropriate gesture would be lovely. If you keep a stoneface until the end of the movie, it’ll give your date the impression that you are indeed stonefaced.

If you follow these simple guidelines, your movie date should run smoothly and successfully and you will definitely be in for another shot at a date. Who wouldn’t want to date you if you’ve become an expert movie dater after reading this?

– by The Black Widow