28.10.09
You know what I hate? This;
well hate is rather a strong word, but the blandness of the generic 'meat and three veg' Australian classic is rather overwhelming.
H.
28.10.09
I need some critical review.. if you wouldn't mind. :)
‘At the end of Look Both Ways, the film-maker convinces viewers that the characters are capable of looking at their lives in new ways.’ Do you agree?
The film ‘Look Both Ways’ directed by Sarah Watt, although heavily absorbed in themes of death, and to an extent fate, ensues a degree of life affirmation in viewers towards the end of the screenplay, by showing that the characters being portrayed are not only capable of looking at their lives in new ways, but ultimately end up doing so. Most notable in Meryl and Nick, both overcome the sense of impending doom inflicted upon them to realise that although life is fragile, the human spirit deserves worthy backing. Andy also enables viewers to see that the characters are capable of re-evaluating their life-goals, by the slow progression throughout the film from complete self-centredness to eventually displaying a sense of care towards others, as the movie draws to a close. These characters however, only display this capability, when spurred on by either other characters, both purposefully and unintentionally, or when confronted by the idea of life’s purpose.
From the very beginning of the film, viewers are confronted with death, and in particular the way it appears to consume every thought of Meryl’s. With her dad’s death and subsequent funeral the trigger, the audience watches her demise into constant obsession and fear of death and dying, culminating in several morbid illusions depicting and abrupt end to her life at every turn. Made worse by the train accident, and further accentuated by the news coverage of the Arnow Hill tunnel collapse, death and destruction seems to be metaphorically on her doorstep. Although physically too when she meets Nick who is dying of cancer, he becomes the beacon to guide her out of the fate she had accepted; ‘maybe it was meant to be’. The unfolding relationship between the two gives hope in an otherwise dismal state of mind, and ultimately enables her to envisage a new aspect on her life.
Nick’s struggle with his newly found cancer ensures he displays similar irrational thoughts to which Meryl endured. Although on a far more personal level, as he is forced to confront not only surrounding death, but indeed his own demise, he displays the similar dismal emotional outlook on life, only really beginning to change with the affection Meryl provides, despite his illness. Aided by his mother Joan’s words of wisdom regarding his father’s own battle with cancer; ‘death is not the sum of your life’, he begins to realise that ‘everyone has to find a way to face death, and life’ and ultimately accepts him for who and what he has become, and his newly found regard for his life can be seen depicted in the final montage, where he can be seen looking genuinely happy.
Although not truly faced with a fear of death or anything as morbid, Andy’s overly self-centred nature seen towards the beginning of the film, begins to diminish as he learns a few valuable life lessons over that weekend. This attitude turn-around can be interpreted as a new take on his life, and such further demonstrates Sarah Watts’ ability to convince viewers that characters are capable of looking at their lives in new ways. Faced with the drama of his unfolding personal relationships, both with his ex-wife [and children] and his newly pregnant girlfriend, he displays the classic ‘why me’ symptoms, and curtly telling the gospel singers to ‘shut up’. Further exacerbated by the news of Nick’s cancer, he realises that although life might not always be fair to him, people are in worse positions, and that he should accept what fate has given him, and once again in the final montage, he can be seen smiling, looking overjoyed with his new son/daughter.
Sarah Watt’s ‘Look Both Ways’ cleverly intertwines the unfolding events of characters connected through a single occurrence; the train accident. Although Meryl, Nick and Andy all seemed at odds to the world, viewers are quite clearly convinced that characters are capable of gaining a new perspective on their lives, although this usually requires outside input from other character’s opinions and affections. However, the realisation of the want for something more, as in Andy’s case, also shows that sometimes a new perspective can be achieved for just the want of one.
word count; 722
H.
We built this city.
27.10.09
I'm not sure if you'll agree, but despite my somewhat nostalgic view of Melbourne, in the back of my mind I know its just a city of the many. This is now. What about then?.
Would it surprise you to know, that 35 years after being declared a city by the queen in 1837, it had become the wealthiest in the entire British Empire, and second in population only to London? Population; 1837- 177, 1891- 490,000. What changed?
Greed
A tale of greed, wealth, over investment, and ultimately an economic bubble waiting to burst ensured the depression Melbourne never recovered from. Seems almost a shame really, to think that if the decade of the 1890's didn't occur, I could be sitting in the capital of Australia.
But even then, like the most recent economic crisis, we recovered, and once again Marvellous Melbourne was back in the spotlight. Flinders-street station 1927, was the busiest in the world. Tokyo-Central[JPN]? Kings Cross[LDN]? Grand Central[NY]? Flinders Street. The palatial grandeur, wide tree-lined boulevards and one of the most advanced rail networks continued once more. The roaring twenties it seems, were not just 'roaring' for the United States. So what changed? Was it greed again? Maybe. Exact reasons cannot be accurately pinpointed as to why our 'Marvellous' city became mediocre once more.
Interesting fact; during the 1940's, Melburnians were more likely to catch public transport than any other person. How's that for environmental credentials. Oh but then, we can't forget the Bolte-era of government; progression, they called it. Maybe it was, but in what direction? After all it is possible to progress backwards. Ever wondered why the top-end of Collins street is called the Parisian Corner? Once upon a time, this was due the type of architecture dominating the so called golden-mile. Some bright spark in the department of planning and regulation decided that these buildings had to go.
Then along came the infamous transport plan of `69. And the freeway city we know today was born. The plan proposed a budget of $1.675 billion for freeways, $64 million for divided arterial roads, $28 million on new arterial Roads, $359 million on widening existing roads and bridges, $95 million for road/rail grade separations.
- Tullamarine Freeway
- Eastern Freeway
- Southeastern Freeway – now known as the Monash Freeway
- Lower Yarra Freeway – now known as the West Gate Freeway
- Dingley Freeway
- Mornington Peninsula Freeway
- Frankston Freeway
- Greensborough Freeway
- Southern Bypass – now known as CityLink
- Western Bypass – now known as CityLink
- Western Ring Road
- Northern Ring Road – now known as the Metropolitan Ring Road
- Eastern Ring Road – now known as Eastlink
No, I wasn't just listing any freeway I could think of, plans for every one of these were detailed in the plan, some of which are still being completed.
Ah, but we had the biggest tram network in the world, and originally the largest train network too, so what does it matter?
Interesting fact #2; this is the proposed rail map of the plan.
Notice none of the proposed new lines have been completed? The city loop was however, Kudos to them. The St. Kilda line is now closed, the 'outer loop' originally stretching from Oakleigh, to Camberwell, remains now as the Alamein line. The south-gippsland line now goes as far as Cranbourne, and the Healsville/Maryborough line terminates at Lilydale.
The city has changed, for the better is anyone's guess, but beneath the grimy surface there is potential. There always has been, from the Batman-Fawkner origins, this great city has had its up's and downs. This cyclical nature lends to the possibility our cosmopolitan metropolis is on the cusp of greatness once more.
27.10.09
Rediscovered love. Isn't it quaint.
Summer. Sun. Tan. Brown. Outside. Beach. Backyard. Lazy Days.
H.
27.10.09
So today on twitter I decided to start complaining about my internet, followed 3 hours later by an @reply from my ISP wanting to know if they could fix the problem.
Am I supposed to feel like my privacy is invaded, or grateful that they're offering to help?
Yet another reminder of how public the internet is really becoming. Sure, my twitter account is on public, but it never really occurs to me who might be reading it.
This leads me to think about this. I don't put any PI on this, but then sometimes I feel like I reveal more than what my address or phone number ever could.
H.
25.10.09
Have you ever lost your mind finding streets you couldn't find? Have you ever been so scared in your life? Yeah, the town was alive, good luck on no one's side and the trip lasted long, like we were trekking for days.
But I recall, we ran, we ran away. Along the streets in the rain, streets in the rain.You took my hands, we found a place and we got away from them, away from them and our day was based on fantasy, but we never knew.
Oh, I love how we complain. How our stomachs were in pain and the only thing that you could do was call for your Mum. Yeah, we started to shout and we walked on the docks and started flowing away.
All I know, is that we were lost, just trying to find our way back home.I'm a crazy boy just trying to, just trying to, just trying to be someone.
We're trying to be someone, and so I ran, we ran away and we got away from them, away from them. Our day was based on fantasy. But we never knew...
H.
25.10.09
If you read, you'll judge.
time. life. choices. snailmail. could. regret. waste. next? favourite. suitable. dressing. family. friEND. guilt. remorse. happiness. façade. illusion. delusion. end. end. end. converse. lost. union. unionised. ion. unionised. francis. 7.11. walking. @xxx.日本語。 会話。明日。友達。終る。memories. forgetting. effort. essential. 51%. 09. 74.25.
you did, didn't you.
H.
21.10.09
You know what; I resent the people accusing me of 'adding randoms' on facebook. Yes thats right; I have 450 friends AND I know every one of them. Get over your jealousy already.
H.
Life.
19.10.09
Why must there always be a balance?
Seems like things are good. :) auspicious moment, we actually got to see INSIDE his house. Yeah beat that. :P
but also;
'monash university understands that based on your VTAC application, you wished to undertake study in the field of medicine. We regret to inform you however, that based on your UMAT score, you were unsuccessful in obtaining an interview, and will not be considered for the undergraduate degree. '
when your life plays out some unexpected turns i guess you just have to make the most of it. After all, should you take a dive, and head to the vally, consider the money matters.
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