I TELL YOU WHAT I THINK
First on Entertainment

Acclaimed Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton’s latest movie, Wolfram is another disturbing representation of the country’s colonial past. It is set in the early 1930s in and around the fictional outback mining town of Henry (named after a grumpy cat Thorton used to have). It is a time of cruelty and exploitation to try to make it rich by mining Wolfram (an old term for Tungsten, which hardens steel). A couple of reprehensible types, the entitled and arrogant Casey (Er

A cute Babe-like (1995) whodunnit with some good humour and sight gags. That is what you are in for with The Sheep Detectives. Nothing to think about too deeply and some of the comedy hits the mark better than other attempts, but overall, it is a most enjoyable romp. George Hardy (Hugh Jackman), who lives in a long, silver caravan on his farm in the small village of Denbrook, is totally besotted with his flock of sheep. He fervently believes all are special and knows eac

Twenty tracks, some deliberately discordant, others melodic, written to one of history’s greatest literary figures – that is the inventiveness of The Juliet Letters. The changes in tempo reflect significant mood shifts – from bitterness, disillusion and despair to vulnerability, cynicism and obsession. It is the work of an unlikely pairing, English rock singer/songwriter Elvis Costello and classical, contemporary chamber ensemble The Brodsky Quartet. Costello first saw T

A spirited, elderly woman who lives alone in Tangier in Morocco refuses to leave her home, even when prevailed upon to do so by her daughter. Calle Malaga is a dramatic, romance that features a delightful performance by Carmen Maura in the lead role as 79-year-old Maria Angeles Munoz. To Maria Angeles, home is where the heart is and that is in her comfortable apartment overlooking the hustle and bustle of market vendors. She knows them and they know her, because she has

It is a privilege to see great actors Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci together again two decades on. Here they are still carping and carrying on in their respective roles. Streep remains the hard-nosed boss Miranda Priestly, at fashion magazine Runway, that Hathaway, as her second assistant Andy Sachs, knew and feared. Since then, Sachs has moved on to become a highly regarded mainstream journalist. Only, at an awards ceremony where she is lau

Mozart’s delicious tale of skulduggery from inveterate womaniser Don Giovanni is given life anew by Melbourne Opera. This is a man who can’t help himself when it comes to the fairer sex. Large or small, pretty or plain, attached or single, from noble stock or otherwise, with the help of his hapless servant Leporello he readily collects notches on his belt. In his mind, all women are fair game. Photos by Robin Halls His conquests in Europe literally read like a report ca

Bringing a story to life with poise, polish, precision and pizzazz is a fine art that few can master to the extent that they figuratively hold a room in the palm of their hand. But such is the craftsmanship of writer and performer Ralph McCubbin Howell, who has more than the odd trick up his sleeve. With stacked bookshelves as a backdrop, a man is slumped over a wooden desk in the foreground, on which a printed sign reads “Apprentice Sought”. Such is the sight that greet

Four clean cut young lads who met at school in South Australia and were influenced by their music teacher, cabaret performer Michael Griffiths, have come a long way. Eleven years on, The 60 Four, as they are known, now tour Australia regularly and appear on cruise ships, playing hits of the ‘60s and ‘70s to appreciative audiences. And in August 2026, they will be entertaining at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the first time. I speak of 26-year-old Ben Francis, Jack C

Adult entertainment at its glorious, risqué, musical and side-splitting best. That is what you are in for when you enter the house of debauchery that is Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett. Leaving little to the imagination, it is slick, sexy, salacious and oh so much fun. It is a superbly orchestrated show for the broad minded. I refer to a series of cabaret acts with a live band and original songs and anthems performed by the mistress of ceremonies Bernie Dieter. In fact