russ-40 Reviews

Stickmen (2001)

Highly recommended

[9/10 · 10 February 2001]

Stickmen is a very funny film about three NZ lads who spend their nights at a run down pool hall, drink to get very drunk, and have varying degrees of success with the women they encounter. One of the main characters and the star pool player, Jack, has a running gag of never remembering the names of the women he is sleeping with even after he has known them for a week. There is also the token stupid but funny character who plays pool WITH his appartment and wakes up the next day to exclaim that his place was trashed by someone the previous night and somehow he has scratches on his pool cue. PS if you are a catholic priest you may or may not find humour in one of his scenes. (If you aren't a catholic priest you will find it very funny).

Through their friendship with the owner of the pool hall they find themselves in an underground pool tournament, run by a sinister barber (yes I mean that), where the stakes rise as the film goes on.

I usually go to NZ films because I figure, someone has to! In our few successes we are known for such films as "The Piano" and "Once Were Warriors", which are powerful dramas that do the art-house theatres around the world. Stickmen is not an art-house drama. It is a rollicking good film with lots of humour, some violence, some Simone Kessell nudity, and a few tricks to watch out for (including the guy in the pink shirt).

This is highly recommended.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Surprisingly understandable Kubrick

[9/10 · 12 August 1999]

I went into this movie thinking it had better not be as confusing as 2001. Thankfully, it was understandable and enjoyable.

Unlike viewers in America, New Zealand audiences are not so prudish about sexual matters. That is probably why we saw the "whole" movie. For those who haven't, I assume it was a short scene involving a lesbian 69 that was obscured. This seemed out of place given all the other women (and men) wore masks during that fateful evening.

The only other criticism I would have is that there should have been more of the Australian Kidman. A good movie, none the less.

Good Morning (1997– )

Morning talk show - able to be seen on the Internet

[16 April 1999]

How on earth did this find its way onto the Internet Movie Database? This is a 10am to 12pm weekday hodge podge of chats with New Zealand "celebrities", yoga instruction, and cooking lessons for those with too much time on their hands. Plus, it has inbuilt advertorials AND commercials. I don't want to down play its importance, but when an actor, currently on screen in the movie "The Matrix", has "Good Morning" down as a notable guest appearance, things have gone too far.