Over the last few weeks I have frequented the local video store and caught up on a few ‘wait for the dvd’ movies. Here’s a brief summary of those movie experiences.

Strange Bedfellows

Two fair dinkum Aussie blokes (Michael Caton and Paul Hogan) in the bush, one with a major tax problem pretend to be gay companions when a law change allows for a same sex partner rebate. They have to re-arrange their lives and educate themselves in the way of the “friends of Dorothy” for the tax department while dodging the prying townsfolk.

It’s a an ok kind of movie that mostly appeals to the baby boomer generation with it’s message of gay tolerance. If only Paul Hogan could act. Thank god Michael Caton’s talent can carry him.

stickfly.com rating: 6/10

Getting Square

Gettin Square’ is about starting over, keeping clean and going straight.

Barry Wirth (Sam Worthington from THE GREAT RAID and DIRTY DEEDS) is fresh out of prison and determined to stay on the straight and narrow. But like his mate Johnny “Spit” Spiteri and reformed gangstar turned restaurateur Dabba, he finds out the hard way that there are old scores and a few new ones that’ll make getting square a lot harder than he thought.

This movie is a true Australian masterpiece. Excellent script, acting, production and soundtrack. David Wenham as Johnny Spiteri is at his finest.

stickfly.com rating: 9/10

Sweet November

It stars Keanu Reeves as an arrogant and egotistical workaholic who has no time for friends or relationships, and Charlize Theron as Sara Deever, an unconventional, seemingly happy-go-lucky free spirit (read flaky) with a dark secret which compels her to devote every month to a new man, changing him for the better and then relentlessly dump them and release them into society as a more balanced individual when they have fallen hopelessly in love with her. Predictably Keanu’s character Nelson is chosen by Sara to be Mr November and it all goes downhill from there.

The premise is totally ridiculous, Keanu’s lack of acting talent is highlighted at its best, and the fact that this film is a remake made for one ‘Not So Sweet January Night’. I can only think of two worse movies I have seen in my life – “Hudson Hawk” and “Under a Tuscan Sun”. Yes, that’s right. “Dude, Where’s My Car” is even better than this drivel.

stickfly.com rating: 5/10

Closer

Mike Nichols’ “Closer” is a movie about four people who richly deserve one another. Fascinated by the game of love, seduced by seduction itself, they play at sincere, truthful relationships which are lies in almost every respect, except their desire to sleep with each other. All four are smart and ferociously articulate, adept at seeming forthright and sincere even in their most shameless deceptions.

It deals with the issues of truth and how truth is used to help alleviate feelings of guilt and how it can be used to inflict pain.

An edgy film that left me thinking about all the horrible feelings that we as humans suffer in the name of love. Apart from some rather amateur acting from Clive Owen, and a feeling that the production of this movie didn’t seperate much from the play from which it was adapted, this film is highly watchable.

NOTE: We saw this film at the cinemas. It’s not yet out on DVD/VHS.

stickfly.com rating: 8/10