GreatnessequalsNicole Reviews

Gone with the Wind (1939)

The greatest film ever made!

[10/10 · 10 March 2009]

This film is a masterpiece made by:

1.) The great performances by the beautiful Vivien Leigh and ever so handsome Clark Gable.

2.) The outstanding production design and the emotions the settings invoke.

3.) The sheer scale of the production and the magnificence of producer David O. Sekznick.

4.) The music score by Max Steiner

5.) The wonderful characters and compelling story.

6.) The fact that it has been loved for seventy years and that it will be loved for countless more years!

GONE WITH THE WIND IS A MASTERPIECE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.

Packed to the Rafters (2008–2013)

Fictional yet so real

[10/10 · 16 February 2009]

Packed To The Rafters is a perfect example of Australia's fantastic television industry. The show is not fake, although it is fictional, it deals with characters, relationships and experiences that everyone can relate to.

Packed To The Rafters focuses on the lives of the Rafter family made up of father, Dave (Erik Thomson), mother (Rebecca Gibney), the eldest, Rachel (Jessica Marais), middle child, Ben (Hugh Sheridan) and youngest, Nathan (Angus McLaren). Each episode is narrated by a different family member giving each episode an exciting new take on each characters life. Almost always Packed To The Rafters is full of happiness, joy and laughter. However, darker issues are covered especially when dealing with Rachel and her troubled life and relationships.

Packed To The Rafters is a rare show where the viewer is transported into a different family, which is so like their own, dealing with everyday issues that are exciting and often extremely funny.

The best show on Australian television since the ABC's hit drama, SeaChange.

SeaChange (1998–2019)

The best Australian TV show ever!!!

[10/10 · 6 February 2009]

SeaChange is a rare and wonderful show that takes the viewer into the fictional, yet oddly familiar, town of Pearl Bay, where once you are there you never want to leave. The characters in the show are very real and are not unlike people you would meet in your everyday life. This is due to the fantastic casting of each of the characters, especially the leads, (Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham and William McInnes). With each new problem, and it always is a problem with Laura, Thornton plays the part wonderfully with alternating waves of pure joy and crippling sadness. McInnes also does a fabulous job as Max. Although I doubted whether McInnes and the character of Max would be anywhere near as good as Diver Dan, I am happy to say however, that my doubts were not at all an issue. He was fantastic! McInnes was a delight to watch whilst acting Max's character with his skeptic, hard exterior to his very soft and caring interior. Diver Dan however, played by Wenham, was a perfect character who was terribly hard not to fall in love with. From his great humour to raw emotional scenes Wenham is extremely compelling as the laid-back Diver Dan.

The brilliance of SeaChange however is owed to the excellent and flawless writing, principally by Andrew Knight and Deb Cox. With memorable lines in every episode to the exciting and hilarious structure of each episode, SeaChange makes for incredibly enjoyable viewing. The Kevin and Trevor scenes are often so ridiculous they are funny. This is especially the case in the Season 3 episode with Kevin's anecdote about his fear of ping-pong balls. It sent me into fits of uncontrollable laughter. The magic of the writing in SeaChange is also evident in many episodes when the character story relates to the court case Laura is currently judging.

SeaChange has a mysterious quality that makes the viewer feel as if they are part of the abstract town and that also it matters to them what is going on with Laura's relationships with Dan and Max.

The best TV-show ever made in Australia and it is highly likely nothing will ever rival this absolute golden series.

Answered by Fire (2006 TV Movie)

Unlike anything I've seen before

[10/10 · 29 January 2009]

"Answered by Fire" is a rare wonder which showcases the unbreakable human spirit. David Wenham heads the cast in this beautiful yet harsh TV-mini-series. His performance is truly magnificent as he exudes raw emotion whilst acting during Mark's time at East Timor and also once he returns home, racked with guilt.

The direction given by Jessica Hobbs is flawless as she takes the audience on a journey showing the strength of the East Timorese people as well as the fear. Also the beauty of the country is shown by Hobbs however she lets the audience see the brutality of it at the same time.

Never before have I seen such a well-crafted TV-mini-series like "Answered By Fire". It swept me away with the fantastic character stories set against the canvas of the violent, epic and beautiful backdrop of East Timor.

A flawless mini-series 10/10.

Australia (2008)

A masterpiece!

[10/10 · 25 November 2008]

Australia is a magnificent film crafted to perfection by director, Baz Luhrmann. The film definitely lives up to all the hype stimulated by the media and also met my own very high expectations.

Australia has everything in it to make a great film. The visuals of outback Australia are truly awe-inspiring and Luhrmann's decision to make an epic using the Australian landscape as his backdrop is genius. The acting also is absolutely superb. Nicole Kidman although many doubt her ability to act shows that she is a great actress as she played her role in the film wonderfully. Hugh Jackman also plays a great role as "The Drover". He evoked emotion into the audience with his performance. The real star of the film however is Brandon Walters who plays the young boy Nullah. Walters played a role that is a challenging test for any youngster however, he passed this test with flying colours.

Australia is a masterpiece. Baz Luhrmann has done a fantastic job with creating and writing such an engaging story and turning it into a magnificent film.

My advice: go and watch it!

Casino Royale (2006)

The best Bond and Bond film ever

[10/10 · 25 November 2008]

Casino Royale is my favourite Bond film and I do believe it to be one of the best ever made. The reason lies behind one man: Daniel Craig. Craig gives an absolutely compelling and entirely believable performance as a Bond who is bruised and not quite happy with killing people.

The opening sequence of the film is fantastic as it draws you in as it throws you into the title credits. Chris Cornell's song is perfect as it suits Craig's style. Eva Green is also cast perfectly as Vesper Lynd and Craig and Green's on screen chemistry is fantastic. The scene where Bond comes to comfort Vesper in the shower is one my favourite in the film as the audience is left with a feeling of sadness yet an overwhelming sense of how Craig's Bond is broken himself and how he is comforting and loving. Craig at the end of the film as he realises Vesper is dead gives an entirely believable portrayal of Bond's inconsolable grief. Showing his astounding ability as an actor. The poker scenes are also great in the film as they do raise tension with the audience as do the perfect action sequences.

A great film, definitely one I will never forget.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Wasted opportunity

[3/10 · 25 November 2008]

Quantum of Solace had a great story leading into it. In execution however, the film was not so great.

The action scenes were too hard to take in as they were edited too quickly and the camera work too close. The result of this was a mess of not being able to see what way is up, sure Bond might be feeling like this but as an audience member I would like to take in the the stunts. The action sequences detracted from Daniel Craig's wonderful acting ability. The scenes however where Craig acted were exceptional and I felt myself being absorbed into the film, something that didn't really happen during the action sequences.

I didn't think the plot was fantastic it was complex and hard to follow. The ending of the film, in my opinion was a bit too sudden. I would have liked to see Bond interrogate Vesper's boyfriend. The last shot however, was a great way to show that Bond had found his "solace".

I know that this film was never going to be as good as Casino Royale however, I was still expecting more. It was a wasted opportunity.

Still, even though I have criticised it, it is still one of the better Bond films I have seen.

The Misfits (1961)

Hauntily beautiful

[9/10 · 27 October 2008]

The Misfits is an intruguing film that is both haunting and beautiful, a film that will stay with you forever.

Clark Gable and Marilyn Munroe play their final film roles to perfection, possibly giving the greatest performances of their careers. Gable screaming out in pure emotional agony, is the highlight of his performance in the film.

The final scene as Gable and Munroe begin to drive home is amazing. To have two huge stars drive off into the distance together is like they are leaving the world and going to heaven.

A film that will become etched in your mind for days, weeks and perhaps, for years to come.

It Happened One Night (1934)

An entertaining, enduring classic

[10/10 · 26 October 2008]

It Happened One Night, is a truly great film that deserves its classic status. The King Of Hollywood, Clark Gable, shows why he is the King, talented and sexy, Gable plays his comedic role to perfection. Claudette Colbert also plays her character well. The chemistry is excellent between them, despite rumours saying that they did not get along well off camera.

It Happened One Night is a film that has heart warming comedy from one scene to the next. Crafted to perfection by legendary director, Frank Capra, It Happened One Night is a film that deserved receiving all "big five" Academy Awards.

A must to all who love their romantic comedies.