The aim of my reviews are to provide my thoughts on whether films are good or not, I also like to get into analysing these films too. I'd like to think that this is the only place on the web that offers in-depth critical analysis on films such as Dimboola or The Wedding Party. These aren't great or even particularly well-known films but I think there are things about them that can be said, stuff that doesn't neccessarily concern what you immediately see in them. Too many film reviewers (especially bloggers) spend paragraphs talking about the plots of the film... do we really need someone to tell us what is happening in a film? Isn't it better that we actually watch the film for that? I try not to ever write more than a paragraph about a film's storyline. I do tend to get a bit bogged down in talking about actors though, and I am a fanatical adherent of the cult of the actor... I tend to watch films more for actors than directors. I guess it's to do with my interest in iconography.
Most of my film-watching choices are parts of journeys... I'm working my way through certain groups of films, often with the goal of 'completing' a set of films so that I can then write about them. So far I've only completed a filmography on Marlon Brando, but by the end of 2011 I should have another Actors Guide ready to go up. By the way, if anyone reading this wants to publish a book about Marlon Brando's films as written by me, I have a lot of other material to expand on and I am bang up for it.
It's early days yet, but I hope for this site to also eventually specialise in Australian and New Zealander cinema.
I am currently working my way through my back catalogue of reviews to bring them in line with a certain standard. This standard includes:
- Review and analysis of film.
- Trivia/highlights/lowlights if applicable (this is information that I find worth mentioning that doesn't otherwise fit in the review)
- Information on the director, writer and actors. I am currently working on a database of Academy Award-nominated actors, when you click on an actors name (if it is hyperlinked) it will take you to a filmography of that actor with some information on their life and further hyperlinks to other reviews. So far I only have plans to do this for actors who have gotten nominated for Oscars, but in time I may expand on this in other ways (nominated directors, AFI-nominated actors, actors who were never nominated for Oscars, etc, etc)
- Related texts. This section details the source of a film (if applicable) and information on sequels, prequels, remakes, TV adaptations, etc. It can also be a place where I might highlight similar films that deal with the same subject matter or themes, or films made by the same creative team.
- Awards. At the moment I only have plans to list awards and nominations in relation to: the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes, the AFIs, NZ Film Awards, Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Venice Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Awards.
