Ja'mie: Private School Girl

the 23rd of October marked the premiere of Ja'mie: Private school girl. This Australian series is created by Chris Lilley, creator of Summer Heights High, Big Bite and Angry Boys. The series brings back Ja'mie king, star of Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heros. The series is filmed in the familiar mockumentary style that has been used for all of Lilley's projects to date. The film features some of the cast previously used in SHH and We Can Be Heroes, such as Hilford Girls Grammar Headmistress.

The series stars 17 year old Ja'mie King, who is revealed to previously have been called Jamie, but who added the apostrophe in year eight, after leaving Summer Heights High and going back to Hilford Girls Grammar. The series details her last year at school; 'and the events that changed her life forever!' The series is a direct continuation of the character, and people who were mentioned in other series are also mentioned, such as Ja'mie's former best friend Brianna.

I really liked the premiere of this series, Lilley doesn't rest on his laurels, and despite already having created a well rounded character, Lilley adds characterizations previously unseen, such as the word 'Quiche' (meaning more that hot, like really really hot) a box gap (the gap batween your thight, because no one want's their thighs to be rubbing together) and vag-aterians (lesbians). This shows how Lilley doesn't simply want to show us more of this character, but also to add to this character, and to update it.


I really really like the series, Lilley doesn't hold back in giving us bitchiness and meanness, Ja'mie is shown as being vacuous, shallow, cruel, and supremely entertaining, what can i say, i laughed a lot! Rating: A

My Names Ja'mie, and I'm a private school girl

I Love You Mommie Dearest

Mommie Dearest is a 1981biopic, detailing the later years of famed screen siren Joan Crawford, and her troubled relationship with her adopted daughter, actress Christina Crawford. The film is an adaptation of Christina Crawfords memoir of the same name. The film stars Faye Dunaway as Crawford, in a truly chameleonic performance. The film received mixed reviews upon release and won the razzie award for worst picture, the film has since however gone one to become a cult classic.

The film, much like the novel, uses a cinematic form of first person narrative. The novel is a memoir, and is thus neither a factual account nor an unbiased documentary, the film is instead a work of fiction which is based upon one persons account of events, which do not claim to be unbiased or balanced. The problem with this is that it makes the film seem over the top and a little camp, whereas in the novel, the scene of Joan attacking her daughter for using a wire hanger and morphing into a complete monster may work in a novel using first person narrative. In film, despite many attempts to subvert this, narrative is nearly always third person, as most of the time we are watching the film as an outsider, and thus the gloriously over the top performance by Faye Dunaway whilst perhaps being appropriate to the character described in the novel, needed to be toned down for the film.

The film describes the period from Crawford's adoption of Christina, until Crawford's death. The film shows Crawford to be a rigorous and almost pathologically disciplined person, she rises at dawn to perform a precise beauty regimen, has a crippling exercise regime and peruses scripts with a highlighter, the character's career is shown to be steadily on the decline, and her companion notes that she is getting older. Her films are grossing less and less money and she is becoming known as box office poison, she is released from her contract at metro, a grievance which she unabashedly takes out on her children, who are now about ten. She then attempts to make a comeback, campaigning and auditioning for the part of Mildred Pearce, the role that would eventually win her an Oscar.

The latter part of the film details her declining relationship with her daughter, now a young woman, and aspiring actress, and her declining health, this part of the film is considerably less camp than the first part, and despite being perhaps less salacious, it is considerably more interesting, as it is an intense study of the terse relationship between mother and daughter, and offers much more in the way of real information than the shrill first half of the film.

Faye Dunaway is fantastic as Joan Crawford, it is never easy to impersonate another, particularly someone as iconic and beloved as Joan Crawford, what is impressive is not only her metamorphosis into Crawford, but the way she manages to present a rounded view of a truly horrific woman. Despite Crawford being unabashedly the villain in this film, Dunaway plays her in such a way that we understand her as a person, and she does not become two-dimensional.

As i mentioned before, this film is incredibly camp, Dunaways performance is, at times gloriously over the top and sometimes plain daft, she has emotional depth and manages to steal every scene in which she sets foot. The film also suffers from pacing issues, and various moments in the film (mostly when Dunaway is offscreen) can seem a little dull, the film also feels the need at times to resort to bitchy salaciousness, which does often feel unnecessary, and cheapens the whole film.

Overall Mommie Dearest is a perfectly enjoyable, and rether watchable film, featuring a strong lead performance from Dunaway as Crawford. Despite the film not providing any real insight into the private life of such a regimented woman, it is an entertaining watch none the less. Rating: B

Joan Crawford: No wire hangers, EVER!

Five Favorite Disney Films

It should come as no surprise to anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis that i am a huge disney fan, in fact this is the third post in a row on disney, i really should find another subject or i may have to rename this blog, however i finished an exam today, and decided to relax by watching one of my favorite disney films 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians'. Disney has the longest history and the largest back catalogue of animated films, and produced the first ever full length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Disney successfully parlayed into making computer animated movies, and acquired PIXAR in 2007, securing their role as the top animation studio. I decided to compile a list of my favorite Disney films, a list i compiled in my head last night, as i was unable to sleep! So in no particular order, here goes!

1. Tangled: This might seem like an odd choice, but this film really is fantastic, catchy songs, and modern animation make this film a contemporary classic. The film is somewhat of a game changer for disney, and was the first non PIXAR computer animated film to show real beauty, the film manages to successfully blend computer animation with traditional animation to create something truly beautiful, and bears no resemblance to generic Dreamworks computer animated films. A modern reworking of a classic fairytale makes for fabulous viewing, and a modern classic.

2. Meet the Robinsons: Again, might seem like an odd choice, this computer animated film was the first computer animated film released by disney that really made the studio a true competitor for PIXAR. The film has a fun engaging script, an interesting and intelligent plot involving time travel, that could rival Doctor Who, and features some beautiful animation. The film is different from most disney features, in that it appeals more to boys than girls and is not a musical, it also takes place in no particular time frame, and the time travel element means that it could take place in any era, this is a fun animated feature, where actions have direct consequences and the future may not be as rosy as we would like to believe, and which manages to successfully bring disney animated features into the modern era.

3. One Hundred and One Dalmatians: I have often talked about my love for this film, and have seen it a great number of times, the first film to use the xerox process and the start of the modern era. The first film not to be inked by hand, the xerox process gave the film a modern, cartoon look. The backgrounds were painted by hand and then had ink cells put over the top, giving the backgrounds a modern art look, given that the outlines don't quite match up with the watercolors. This is also one of the few films in which the backgrounds are drawn in the same style as the characters, giving the film true coherence, the iconic voice of Rod Taylor as Pongo make this film an entertaining and artistic film.

2. Fantasia 200: The first animated film to be screened in IMAX, this followup to Walt Disney's 1940's anthology has more coherence than the original, and is a half step between hand drawn animation and computer animation, parlaying disney into the new millennium. Well known and iconic recordings make this more entertaining and beautiful than the original, the highlight is the outstanding Rhapsody In Blue, a daringly different piece of animation with real style depicting a construction worker in 1920's Manhattan, and The Carnival of the Animals, a funny piece about a flock of flamingos, and a yo-yo.

1. The Lion King: I know i said that this list was 'in no particular order' but i lied, The Lion King takes the bait as the best animated feature of all time. Fantastic music by Sir Elton John and Tim Rice, and beautiful vistas make this a fun ride. A daringly original story and iconic voice actors help make this film a fantastically fun ride. I guess it also helps that it was released a year after i was born, and thus summons up feelings of nostalgia from anyone who grew up during the ninties.

Any comments? Which Disney films are your favorites?

Computer generated VS Hand Drawn

In april 2013, Disney gutted their entire hand-drawn animation staff, firing all of their animators. All of Disney's upcoming announced films are computer animated, and many films previously announced as being traditionally animated were subsequently re-announced as being computer animated. The last traditionally animated films to be released by Disney were 2009's The Princess and the Frog and 2011's Winnie the Pooh.

Fron Disney's Tangled

Concept art for Tangled's Rapunzel

Disneys upcoming musical film 'Frozen', a loose adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, was previously announced as a traditionally animated film, before being retooled to use the same technique and visual style as 2010's Tangled. An upcoming film detailing the story of the Easter Island Idols was originally believed to be traditionally animated, however was subsequently announced as a computer animated film. All is not lost however, short films are still being traditionally animated, Frozen is being preceded by a Mickey Mouse short, which is being traditionally animated, and which is being projected in 3D. At the most recent Academy Awards, the award for best animated feature, went to Paperman, this black and white Disney short managed to blend 3D computer animation and 2D traditional animation effectively, creating something modern and timeless.

Will computer animation ever be as good as traditional animation? I think yes, i feel that in the past, computer animation was clunky and unrefined, and attempted to translate live action films directly to animation, and these films often failed to bridge the uncanny valley and ended up looking ugly and hyper-real. This changed with Tangled however, Tangled combined methods of computer animation with traditional animation, using non-photorealistic animation, and creating vistas akin to pre-raphelite paintings. This represented a huge turning point for computer animated films, with computer animation finally being as textured, layered and beautiful as some traditional animation.

Don't get me wrong, traditional animation is wonderful, however the bean counters at Disney aren't happy, Winnie the Pooh barely made back it's meager 30 million budget, and The Princess and the Frog's 300 million gross pales in comparison to the 550 million made by Tangled. 3D has only been used with hand drawn animation experimentally, and only the 3D re-release of The Lion King made any real money for Disney, with disney subsequently cancelling re-releases of Aladdin and Tarzan.

Still from Dinsey's Paperman

Overall i think we will see a return to hand-drawn animation, but only when animators have figured out how to use it successfully in conjunction with 3D. Both techniques can be beautiful when used correctly, and Tangled ushered in a new era of computer animation. Until the return of traditional animation on our screens, we will have to console ourselves by just watching Sleeping Beauty over and over again!

Notre Dame de Paris

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a film released by Walt Disney Pictures during the disney renaissance. The film is loosely adapted from Victor Hugo's acclaimed 1831 novel. The film focuses of the bellringer of Notre Dame cathedral on the Ile De la Cité, and his relationship with Judge Claude Frollo, a man who he refers to as 'Master', who rescued him when he was a baby, and who teaches him that the world is a cruel place. The film tones down the characters religious undertones, in the book he is an archdeacon, whereas in the film he is a Judge, with clear religious affiliations. The film is darker in tone than most disney films, and liberally uses gothic and religious undertones.

The film is stunning, and uses computer animation to create fantastic animated backgrounds, traditionally on hand drawn animated film the backing plates are hand painted and never move, on Hunchback, the backings are computer animated, and thus the film turns into a beautiful living painting. The backing plates still look hand painted, but they move, and the bells actually swing, a rarity in hand-drawn animated films. The look of the film is also much darker than other traditional disney films, ironically with light being used to great effect. This is one of the first times that actual rays of light were used on animated films, an, with Quasimodo showing Esmeralda the sunset over the city of Paris, and Notre Dame Cathedral peeking through the clouds and being lit by the morning sun, Notre Dame cathedral is also show looming ominously over the city of Paris, with the people and the houses being miniscule in comparison.

The film is highly critical of organized religion, whilst also being a commentary on faith and belief. The films villain, Judge Frollo has clear religious affiliation, with hig wearing a high collared shirt, much like a priest, and black robes like a Franciscan monk. Frollo believes that it is his job to purge the world of sinners, and all those he considers unworthy and evil. He believes that his work is all supported by gods will, and thus that he is fundamentally right. His views are often those supported by fundamentalist christian groups, as he is racist, bigoted and arrogant, and believes that he is above all laws, even gods law, as he frequently breaks the 10 commandments. The character acts as a symbol of religious hypocrisy, preaching about good and lust, yet having deeply lustful feelings towards Esmeralda, asking her to 'choose him or the fire', architecturally the cathedral looms ominously over the city, dwarfing all and sending a message about the oppressiveness of organized religion.

Another message of the film is that of acceptance and equality, the film teaches us to accept people who may be different to them, Frollo wishes to eradicate paris of gypsies, feeling them to be evil and impure. This situation mirrors what is happening in western europe at the moment, as local governments attempt to eradicate gypsies presence, trying to flush them out by depriving them of water, sanitation and electricity, and making them feel like vermin. The film eventually teaches tolerance, and justice, and although Frollo is a judge, he preached his own, narrow form of justice, and had no respect for true equality.

The film also teaches the message that people are inherently good. Frollo tells Quasimodo that the world is a cruel dark place, and that he must stay inside the cathedral for his own protection. Quasimodo eventually learns that the world is a place that is inherently good, and that people are generally good, this is illustrated when a young girl hugs his, in spite of his hideous appearance. Esmeralda treats Quasimodo without judgement of pity, despite how he looks, and he in return provides her with protection.

The film can also be seen as a commentary on faith, as opposed to religion. Characters who are encouraged to believe in damnation and hell, find god through beauty. The beauty of the sunset above the streets of Paris and the beauty, inside and out, of the character of Esmeralda. The film is a critique of the way religion divides people, and how it encourages people to fear damnation, Frollo tells Esmeralda that he will smite her into the fires of hell, right as he falls off the parapet into the molten lava below. It also states that what you see isn't what you get, and the audience is encouraged to divine 'who is the monster and who is the man'.

Overall 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' is a fantastically rich and complex tale which does justice to Hugo's original tale, whilst altering it to make it appropriate for a younger, modern audience, and while diluting some of the more overtly provocative themes. The music is also fantastic, and a chorus is heavily featured in this film, inkeeping with the films religious undertones. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a forgotten classic, which has been unfairly overshadowed by other films of the Disney Renaissance. I guess it helps that the film agrees with my personal political beliefs. Rating: A-

Frollo: The time has come, Gypsy. You stand upon the brink of the abyss. Yet even now it is not too late. I can save you from the flames of this world, and the next. Choose me, or the fire.

An English Rose

Diana is a 2013 english language film detailing the final years of The Princess Of Wales' life, focusing mainly on her relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan. The film stars Naomi Watts as Lady Di, and begins with her split from Charles, The Prince of Wales. The film focuses exclusively on Diana, and the royal family is never featured, save for a single shot of the princes, though they are discussed extensively.

The film does have a rather melodramatic tone, which led many reviewers to write the film of as being histrionic melodrama, however given that the film is unabashedly from Diana's point of view, and that we do tend to dramatize events in our life, seeing the film entirely through her eyes, allows some dramatization of events, we believe entirely in her actions, and her actions require no justification. Part of what makes this film so successful is that whilst watching the movie, we never doubt our heroine's actions, and the film never attempts to justify them, it is only upon reflection that we realize how painfully flawed she is.

Naomi Watts is fantastic in the title role, and really is a doppleganger for Lady Di herself, Watts has to carry the entire bulk of the film, and is literally in every scene, she has to be respectful of the beloved princess, whilst also presenting her as a real person. What angered the british public about this film is that it shows the Princess' flaws, which some found tacky, what makes this film a success is conversely that it refuses to place it's lead on a pedestal, and that instead of giving us a cardboard-cutout for a heroine, we are given a real human being. This film does have a lot of flaws, but Watts isn't one of them.

The film doesn't have quite enough storyline for it's two hour running time, the film really could be a half hour shorter. After a while the film does start to feel a little episodic, and Diana and Khan break up so many times that the film does start to feel a little been there, done that. The film does however do a great job of showing the person behind the legend.

Overall Diana, despite not being perfect, is simply not the turkey that many wrote it off as, Watts gives a fantastic and complex performance of a complicated and troubled princess. The film gives us an interesting insight into the life of a woman everyone thought they knew, and who was loved intensely by the British public. The film is an emotional roller-coaster, yet is sometimes painfully flawed, much like the princess herself. Rating: B