Category: TV

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books films popular culture TV

Indie Book Awards and film news

Indie Awards 2013

Last week the winner of the Indie Book of the Year Award was announced: The light between oceans by M.L. Stedman. Other category winners: http://www.indies.com.au/BookAwards.aspx

Looking forward to reading the YA winner – Sea hearts by Margo Lanagan, an amazing writer.

Shortlist: http://www.indies.com.au/IndieAward.aspx

I like this website. It always has interesting info. Just noticed I am currently reading #4 in the Indie Top 10 Bestsellers – Gone girl by Gillian Flynn. It is awesome! An unputdownable, intriguing psychological thriller that I blame for too many late nights!! It was highly recommended to me and I can pass that recommendation on. It’s her 3rd novel…will definitely be reading the others! We have purchased a copy for our library – it is fine for senior students, no more gruesome or explicit than the Girl with the dragon tattoo (which is studied as a text here).

http://www.amazon.com/Gone-Girl-Novel-Gillian-Flynn/dp/030758836X

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8442457-gone-girl

Yay….a film adaptation! “American actress Reese Witherspoon’s film production company and 20th Century Fox own the screen rights to Gone Girl for which they paid $1.5 million US dollars. The novel’s author Gillian Flynn has been engaged to write the screenplay. Witherspoon was drawn to the script because of its strong female character and its use of multiple perspectives and non-linear structure. She will produce, but not star, in the film”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_Girl_(novel)

The book thief

The film of the acclaimed novel by Marcus Zusak, that spent 230 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has begun shooting in Germany. Director: Brian Percival (Downton Abbey). Stars Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson as the foster parents of Liesel, the book thief. I thought Rush would have been perfect as Death, the narrator!

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/book-thief-begins-shooting-germany-427216

The secret garden

A new adaptation of the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett is being developed – to be set in southern USA at the turn of the century. Guillermo del Toro will be producer but not director.

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=36405

Doctor Who: 50th anniversary 3D special

Screens in Nov 2013. An extended episode written by Steven Moffatt – Matt Smith describes it as “epic” and “hilarious”! And maybe something to do with paintings. The new series of Doctor Who begins 31 March ABC1 – River Song will appear, there will be more answers about the Doctor’s future & the truth about the identity of his new companion Clara.

http://www.digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a466387/doctor-who-50th-special-is-epic-hilarious-says-matt-smith.html

http://www.digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a466316/doctor-who-steven-moffat-teases-river-song-return.html

Kickstarter and Veronica Mars

Another example of the power of social media: the crowdfunding website Kickstarter has raised enough funds for a film version of the Veronica Mars cult TV series. More than 30 000 fans pledged $2 million in one day (now over $3.8 million), the biggest film campaign ever on Kickstarter – which funds films, dance, comics, art, design, fashion, technology, music…

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-veronica-mars-kickstarter-20130315,0,5476074.story

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project

Australian crowdfunding site – some interesting creative projects: http://www.pozible.com/

Or maybe you prefer Brad Pitt and zombies….

Possibly the biggest zombie movie ever. Based on the bestselling novel World War Z: an oral history of the zombie war by Max Brooks (son of Mel). Directed by Marc Forster (The kite runner; Stranger than fiction; Quantum of solace). A United Nations employee traverses the world in a race against time to stop the zombie pandemic that threatens to decimate humanity. Brad plays the UN guy , not a zombie.

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/world-war-z-biggest-zombie-movie-ever-161702999.html

Fun stuff

You might have seen this short video doing the rounds recently…..iPads vs paper. Long live paper!

http://vimeo.com/61275290

 

Categories
books films TV

Cloud atlas and some good TV shows coming up

Cloud atlas

I’m loving this Booker nominated novel – don’t know why I missed reading it in 2004. It’s a great read that mixes spec fiction, dystopian fiction and realistic fiction in an intriguing pyramid-style narrative that spans generations – from the 19th to 24th centuries.
Theme: everything is connected. Cloud atlas is 6 intertwined stories in 6 time periods and genres – an 1849 diary of a Pacific Ocean voyage; letters from a composer to his friend; a thriller about a murder at a nuclear power plant; a farce about a publisher in a nursing home; an interview with a rebellious clone in futuristic Korea; and the memoirs of an old man who lived in a tribal community in post-apocalyptic Hawaii, far in the future.

Book review: “A postmodern visionary who is also a master of styles of genres, David Mitchell combines flat-out adventure, a Nabokovian lore of puzzles, a keen eye for character, and a taste for mind-bending philosophical and scientific speculation in the tradition of Umberto Eco and Philip K. Dick. The result is brilliantly original fiction that reveals how disparate people connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky”.
More reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Atlas-Novel-David-Mitchell/dp/0375507256

“The novel is a series of nested dolls or Chinese boxes, a puzzle-book, and yet—not just dazzling, amusing, or clever but heartbreaking and passionate, too. I’ve never read anything quite like it, and I’m grateful to have lived, for a while, in all its many worlds.”—Michael Chabon.

Cloud atlas the movie opens 28 Feb. Directed by Tom Tykwer (Run, Lola, run) and Andy & Lana (previously Larry) Wachowski (The Matrix).

Movie review: “Cloud Atlas is profound in its reach, its visual and acoustic impact, its mesmerizing flow and its completely ground-breaking storytelling, and movie goers will see it and feel it in their guts. It is a movie that is a product of our age of internet-driven universal knowledge and vision, and the freedom we have to travel the world and jump between ages, genres, images and identities at our will. It reminds us that we are human and that we can still hear our heart beat, if we listen.” – C. Lutz

More details, trailer & reviews: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/

Positive review: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121024/REVIEWS/121029991
Negative review: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/25/entertainment/la-et-mn-cloud-atlas-review-20121026

Check the multiple characters played by stars (often unrecognisable) – Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Jim Broadbent: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_dr#directors

Can’t wait to see it! And I definitely want to read more of Mitchell’s books (all nominated for awards).

Some good TV shows also coming up this year:

Batavia – 6 hour miniseries on Ch. 10, based on the book by Peter FitzSimons, about the 1629 wreck of a Dutch ship off the W.A. coast. “The book is a sea-faring adventure full of mutiny, love, lust, criminality, slavery and the birth of the world’s first corporation.”- IMDB.

Game of thrones – series 3 starts 1 April (Pay TV). This series of fantasy books by George R.R. Martin went to the top of the best-seller lists after the TV series was aired. Readers say the first 2 TV series follow the books very closely. Many senior students watch the show – it is often rather graphic – schools would have to carefully consider viewing episodes with senior students.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/game-of-thrones/user-reviews/adult

Chris Lilley – new 6 part series to be released in 2013. Let’s hope it’s better than the disappointing Angry boys – his first 2 series were excellent! http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/chris-lilleys-new-series-begins-shooting-20130220-2eqin.html

The walking dead – series 3 starts 12 Feb (Pay TV). Graphically gruesome – not really suitable to show at school, but students are watching it. The series has been nominated for several awards. Yes there are hungry & violent zombies but people are trying to survive as best they can – with the usual social & moral questions. The humans have some success – zombies are slow & they suck at climbing & swimming. Based on the Eisner award-winning graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman and others (popular in senior high school). There is also a web series based on the novels & TV series and video games.

Paper giants: magazine wars – Stars Rachel Griffiths as Dulcie Boling (editor New Idea), Mandy McElhinney as Nene King (editor Women’s Day) and Rob Carlton (Kerry Packer). Explores the rivalry of 2 powerful women in Australian publishing. Coming to ABC.

Power games: the Packer-Murdoch story – Set in 1960-75, the story of how the epic ambitions of Rupert Murdoch and Sir Frank Packer collided as they battled for control of Australia’s newspaper and television industries. Coming to Ch. 9.

The time of our lives – Follows 3 generations of a modern Aust. family. Stars Claudia Karvan, Shane Jacobson, William McInnes & Stephen Curry. Coming to ABC.

 

Categories
books ed tech human rights news popular culture sociology TV websites

Human rights, sociology and top tech news

Human Rights Day was 10 December and the Australian Human Rights Commission presented its awards in 10 categories, including those below. Great to see Ian Thorpe recognised, and also the excellent online news & issues resource The conversation and TV’s informative The project.

 

Human Rights Medal Winner 2012

Ian Thorpe

“Fighting for better services for Indigenous children in remote communities across Australia has delivered the prestigious Human Rights Medal for 2012 to Ian Thorpe OAM. For over a decade, Ian has worked as a passionate advocate for Indigenous people with his Fountain for Youth charity, which works with twenty-one remote communities in the Northern Territory.” He began this charity in 2000 when he was only 18 years old. He is also Co-Patron of Close the Gap campaign.

http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/news/2012/131_12.html

Thorpe’s recent autobiography This is me: the autobiography reveals how he has coped with depression and would be a valuable addition to high school collections.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/nov/12/ian-thorpe-swimming-depression

Print and Online Media Award
Professor Sharon Pickering and The Conversation Academic Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers series – Series of 14 articles published in The Conversation between June and August 2012 (details below).

Saving lives at sea: The Conversation’s asylum seeker expert panel makes its findings and states what it believes to be a fair, humane and workable policy approach. Includes links to the award-winning articles – good authoritative resources for social science & “issues” courses: http://theconversation.edu.au/saving-lives-at-sea-the-asylum-seeker-expert-panel-reports-8601

Includes:

Asylum seekers & Aust: http://theconversation.edu.au/asylum-seekers-and-australia-the-evidence-8173

Infographic displaying global populations of refugees from 1975-2010. Using UNHCR data, every population the UNHCR has counted over 35 years is charted on this spinning globe, highlighting where refugees settled, and where they came from:  http://theconversation.edu.au/infographic-global-refugee-populations-1975-2010-8443

Global refugee facts: http://theconversation.edu.au/refugee-populations-across-the-globe-the-facts-7557

All asylum seeker links: http://theconversation.edu.au/pages/asylum-seekers

Literature (non-fiction) Award
The people smuggler by Robin de Crespigny – Penguin Australia, May 2012.

“The story of one man’s epic struggle to find a safe place in the world. When Ali Al Jenabi flees Saddam Hussein’s torture chambers, he is forced to leave his family behind in Iraq. What follows is an incredible international odyssey through the shadow world of fake passports, crowded camps and illegal border crossings, living every day with excruciating uncertainty about what the next will bring….Eventually he must confront what he has been forced to become.”  http://www.thepeoplesmuggler.com/

Television Award
Age of Uncertainty – The Project – Network Ten – Produced by Hamish MacDonald and Sam Clark – Screened over April and May 2012.

The Human Rights Day Oration was delivered by James Spigelman, Chairman of the ABC and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW: ‘Where do we draw the line between hate speech and free speech?’ (audio & transcript):   http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/news/2012/132_12.html

Some more resources ….useful for sociology, geography, popular culture…

Australia Street

If Australia was a street of 100 households, what would it look like and who would live there? What about employment, religion, education, births, deaths and marriages? All these stats and more are included in this animation:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzAtaZg6ljo&feature=youtu.be

Aust. St explained: http://blog.mccrindle.com.au/_blog/The_McCrindle_Blog/post/Mark_McCrindle_explains_Australia_Street_VIDEO

Julia and the “mummy” bloggers

It was another morning tea this week for Julia Gillard and 25 the country’s most influential female bloggers, whose sites reach 2.5 million people (similar sites were important in the Obama campaign).

“Sites represented included:

Eden Riley (Sydney Writers’ Centre award Best Aust. Blog 2012); Mrs Woog (Woogsworld); Nicole Avery (tips for organising the chaos of family life); the writer of My Mummy Daze (juggling motherhood and a family business); the mother of four boys, one with special needs, who writes allconsuming .com.au; Fairfax’s EssentialBaby (largest online parenting site in Aust.); iVillage (Mia Freedman –Mamamia -has the local licence); Women’s Agenda (created by Crikey journalist Angela Priestley); Kidspot (News Ltd site that aims to simplify parenting and offer mothers a place to talk to each other); and the Fairfax site Daily Life.”

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/pm-cosies-up-to-mummy-bloggers-20121209-2b3gm.html

Eden Riley was crowned Australia’s Best Blogger at the 2012 Sydney Writers Centre Blog Awards. Her blog is called Edenland. She writes of spirit, redemption, addiction, and truth. Eden has been blogging for five years and has been named as a Voice of the Year at America’s largest social media conference for women, BlogHer. http://www.edenriley.com/

CNET: the 100 biggest tech stories of 2012

Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask….iPad mini, Windows 8, Apple maps, MakerBot, Instagram, Google Glass, Zuckerberg, Assange..…

http://www.cnet.com/cnet100/

CNET: the 10 best & most influential tech products of 2012

Galaxy S3 (best device); iPhone 5; Google Nexus 7; iPad Mini; Motorola Razr; Windows 8; Microsoft Surface; the MakerBot 3D Replicator (3D printer that prints whatever you design – toys, jewellery, models etc).

http://www.cnet.com/8301-33506_1-57557848-306/galaxy-s3-beats-iphone-5-for-best-device-of-2012/

Categories
films Indigenous resources popular culture TV

Great films coming up!

If you’ve been to the movies lately you may have seen some exciting previews for some great films that support many curriculum areas. Can’t wait to see Life of Pi, Les Mis, The hobbit…

 

Life of Pi (opens 1 Jan 2013)

Based on one of the best books EVER. Directed in 3D by Ang Lee. Stars Suraj Sharma. “An inspiring and visually stunning tale of faith, hope and discovery” (R. Perez). Previews look awesome….tiger power J

Trailer: http://www.lifeofpimovie.com/#!/watch-trailer

http://www.lifeofpimovie.com/

Reviews: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117948443?refcatid=31

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/28/life-of-pi-reviews-ang-lee_n_1923891.html

 

Les Miserables (opens 26 Dec 2012)

Directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s speech). Stars Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the innkeepers. All songs were recorded live on set. Boublil and Schonberg have composed a new song just for Hugh Jackman J

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_(2012_film)

http://www.lesmiserablesmovie.com.au/

Clips and info: http://www.movienewz.com/les-miserables/

 

The hobbit: an unexpected journey (opens 26 Dec 2012)

Directed by Peter Jackson. Now in 3 parts! Is that more…or less…hobbit for your money? Apparently there was a lot of extra material in Tolkien’s appendices. Stars Martin Freeman as Bilbo.  Includes Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, Stephen Fry as an unsavoury town leader , Billy Connolly as a dwarf warrior and Dame Edna as the Great Goblin. Or should that be Barry Humphries?

Part 1: An unexpected journey (2012)   Pt 2: The desolation of Smaug (Dec 2013)    Pt 3: There and back again (mid 2014).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit_(2012_film)

Trailer: http://www.thehobbit.com/index.html#content=trailer-playing&media=trailer_1

 

The great Gatsby (now due to open mid 2013)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Stars Leonardo Di Caprio. Rumour says it will have an ultra-modern soundtrack, a bit of Luhrmann’s signature style – possibilities include Lady Gaga, Prince, Kanye West, Jay-Z…

http://www.news.com.au/national/superstars-go-gaga-for-gatsby/story-fndo4bst-1226497266331

Trailer: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/first-trailer-for-baz-luhrmanns-the-great-gatsby-to-make-stylish-debut/story-e6frfmvr-1226364289175

 

On the road (out now)

Directed by Walter Salles (The motorcycle diaries). Stars Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart. Based on the book by Jack Kerouac (his manuscript was typed on a 120 foot roll of paper). Should be good for senior students of American literature and the postwar Beat Generation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Road_(film)

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9vsE0llyBM

 

Redfern Now (ABC 1 Nov at 8.30pm; 6 x 60 min.)

Stars Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair (director of The Sapphires), Jimi Bani (Mabo), Leah Purcell. A rich and diverse series of 6 stories about 6 indigenous families living in Redfern, Sydney, whose lives are changed by extraordinary events. Directors include Rachel Perkins, Wayne Blair, Leah Purcell. This is the first drama project developed by the ABC Indigenous Dept, with more programs to come from indigenous writers, filmmakers and actors.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/redfernnow/about/ http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/seeing-redfern-as-it-really-is/

 

Better man (SBS 2013)

Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Khoa Do (brother of Anh Do). 4 part mini-series about 25 year Vietnamese-Australian Van Nguyen, who was convicted of drug trafficking and executed in Singapore in 2005 after a 3 year legal battle. The series has been described as compelling, inspiring and thought-provoking.

http://if.com.au/2012/07/26/article/SBS-commissions-new-drama-series-Better-Man/PEBSSTSTMB.html

 

Ender’s game (end 2013)

Directed by Gavin Hood. Based on the scifi books Ender’s game and Ender’s shadow by Orson Scott Card. Stars Asa Butterfied (from Hugo) Abigail Breslin, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley. An unusually gifted youth is sent to a military space school to prepare for an alien invasion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender’s_Game_(film)

 

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

Directed in 3D by Sam Raimi. Stars James Franco, Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis. Prequel to The Wizard of Oz. A small-time conniving Kansas circus magician gets blown to Oz (yes by a twister), where he meets several witches, gets involved in the problems of Oz and transforms himself into a better man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oz:_The_Great_and_Powerful

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyywumlnhdw

 

Madam Bovary (2014)

Based on the book by Gustave Flaubert. Directed by Sophie Barthes. Stars Mia Wasikowska. The film, set in the present, will attempt to explore more youthful and contemporary themes as it depicts the life of the doctor’s wife who seeks excitement and status outside the bonds of marriage.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Mia-Wasikowska-Madame-Bovary-30223.html

 

More superheroes!

Coming up soon: Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: the dark world (2013), Man of Steel (2013) (a misunderstood Superman), Captain America 2 (2014), 300: rise of an empire (2014) (prequel to 300, Xerxes and Themistocles battle it out; based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller).

 

Lots to look forward to!

Categories
books films Indigenous resources TV websites

Indigenous resources & Indigenous Literacy Day

Today is Indigenous Literacy Day – Wed 5 Sept. Many schools raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which donates books and funds literacy programs in remote indigenous communities. $340 000 has been donated so far in 2012 with 85 000 books supplied to 230 remote indigenous communities. Some children’s books are also translated into indigenous languages. It is a very successful and worthwhile program.
http://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/

 

The Sapphires

The highly acclaimed film continues its success at the box office, the soundtrack is #1, the weekly free podcast on iTunes is popular as is the iPhone app where Jessica Mauboy helps you sing like a diva!

http://www.hopscotchfilms.com.au/home/

 

The black list: film and TV projects since 1970 with indigenous Australians in key creative roles

Published in June 2010, Screen Australia’s comprehensive reference book The black list catalogued the work of 257 Indigenous Australians with credits since 1970 as producer, director, writer or director of photography. Includes details of the film and TV projects and availability.

Search the Find a Film database: http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/research/prod_industry_indig.aspx

PDF of the book: http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/documents/SA_publications/BlackList.pdf

Updated chronology of indigenous film and TV 1970 – 2012

http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/documents/SA_publications/BlackListChronology.pdf

 

Creative Spirits

http://www.creativespirits.info/

This comprehensive website has excellent links for  indigenous culture and resources. It is curated by a non indigenous person who has received acclaim for the information provided (part of NLA’s Pandora).

Books and reviews about indigenous culture – art, autobiography, children’s, novels, history, sport, teaching resources etc:   http://www.creativespirits.info/resources/books

Films dealing with indigenous issues – indigenous and non indigenous directors. Includes synopsis of each: http://www.creativespirits.info/resources/movies/

 

Magabala Books

Based in Broome; publishes works which have major Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or South Sea Islander involvement (indigenous author, editor or illustrator). Browse categories – new releases, children’s, social history, biography etc

http://www.magabala.com/catalog_new/index.php

 

IAD Press

Based in Alice Springs; a rich catalogue of publications celebrating Central Australian language, art, culture and biographies. All publications represent an authentic indigenous perspective. Includes fiction, children’s, biography, art, land and culture, Aboriginal languages.

http://iadpress.com/

 

Aboriginal Studies Press

Australia’s leading publisher of indigenous studies – the publishing arm of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the world’s premier research and collecting institute of Australian indigenous studies. Publish up to ten new titles annually and choose outstanding writing that promotes an understanding of Australian indigenous cultures.

http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/asp/welcome.html

 

Little red yellow black book: an introduction to indigenous Australia – Bruce Pascoe & AIATSIS (ASP, Canberra, 2008)

Best-selling guide to indigenous history and contemporary culture.

Online teaching resources and links: http://lryb.aiatsis.gov.au/

 

ABC indigenous portal

Excellent links to news, TV programs, online videos, arts reviews, community stories.

http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/

 

Categories
TV websites

Refugees in Australia

Many schools are probably recording the Go back to where you came from TV series.    http://www.sbs.com.au/goback/

 Lots of teaching resources available here, including video clips after each episode & factsheets.    www.sbs.com.au/goback/schools.

GetUp! have developed an interesting infographic that helps explains where asylum seekers come from and why:

http://www.getup.org.au/gobacksbs

Factsheet on global refugee statistics:

http://media.sbs.com.au/goback/upload_media/site_555_rand_759144309_fact_sheet_3_global_refugee_statistics.pdf

From GetUp!: “Dr. Martin Luther King once said that ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.’ History shows us that policy and laws become more just when a tipping point of hearts and minds is opened, and the differences we’ve used to justify denying the humanity of another no longer seem that vast. That’s where sharing stories & culture are so important”.

 National Anti-Racism Strategy

Launched on 23 August and developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission & the government. It aims to raise awareness of racism and the harm it causes, and empower individuals and communities to take action against it. It will focus on 5 key priority areas over the next 3 years: schools/higher ed, media, govt services, workplaces & the internet. The first step is the public awareness campaign Racism. It stops with me.

http://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/

 

 

 

 

Categories
films popular culture TV

New films and TV shows

Puberty blues
The new 8 part series begins Wed 15 Aug 2012 at 8.30, Ch. 10. Stars Claudia Karvan and Susie Porter.
The 1979 coming-of-age novel by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey about two teenage girls growing up near Cronulla  has been expanded to offer a wider look at Australian society and issues in the lives of the parents. There is also more of a young male perspective. The first episode was released in full on Channel 10’s Facebook page as a preview, showing the increasing importance of social media for creating social buzz. The series appears to be of a much higher quality than the awful 1981 film by Bruce Beresford and thankfully the girls’ ages have been increased from 13 to 16 ish! Lette and Carey were consultants.
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/behind-the-teens-20120810-23xq8.html
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/channel-10-turns-to-facebook-to-lure-viewers-into-puberty-blues-remake/story-e6frfmyi-1226445033647

Kath and Kimderella
At last…more Kath, Kim , Kel and Sharon. A ritzy fairytale of love, lust and revolution as the girls head overseas. Great for comedy, satire and bad clothes. Oh and Trude and Prue. Thankfully bananas are no longer $14/kg. Opens 6 Sept.
Trailer: http://www.kathandkimderella.com/
Chill the cardonnay! Kath and Kim: the souvenir editions will also air soon on Ch. 7 – favourite episodes with new introductions and extra footage.

Lots of great dance shows on now or soon: Everybody dance now;  I will survive.
Smash
Drama, airs Aug/Sept on Ch. 7. Glee for grown-ups – the saga of a Broadway musical in the making. Characters vie to be included in a musical about Marilyn Monroe. Stars Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston. Has already aired on pay TV – great for fans of musicals. http://www.toronto.com/article/712310

Categories
films Indigenous resources TV

Mabo and Rachel Perkins

Mabo

If you missed this excellent & powerful film directed by Rachel Perkins, it is available on iView, along with other good Mabo resources. The performances of Jimi Bani and Deborah Mailman were exceptional. It will be a very useful resource for high schools – history, human rights, indigenous perspectives, legal studies, biography…

Watch Mabo film: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/movie/?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=Corp_TV-Mabo|Mabo_AdWords_:abc+mabo_b_g_19619852599_

Other Mabo videos: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/videos/

Timeline of Native Title: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/timeline/

Rachel Perkins directing episodes of Redfern Now

The 6 part ABC series from Perkins’ Blackfella Films (Mabo, First Australians) has begun filming with 4 directors (Perkins, Wayne Blair, Leah Purcell, Catriona McKenzie). It tells the story of 6 inner city households whose lives are changed by a seemingly insignificant incident. Cast includes Deborah Mailman, Jimi Bani, Miranda Tapsell. The series is co-written by indigenous writers and UK scriptwriter Jimmy McGovern.

If you haven’t yet seen Bran Nue Dae (2010), directed by Rachel Perkins, it’s wonderful – a very entertaining, coming-of-age, road movie, comedy, musical about a young Aboriginal man and his return home. Rated PG and very suitable for high schools. She has also directed a “prequel” to her First Australians series, which only started from 1788. The prequel documents the first contact between Cook and Aboriginal people at Botany Bay, NSW. The film can be seen in the Discovery Centre at Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell.

Looking forward to seeing The Sapphires (directed by Wayne Blair) when it opens in August!

http://mumbrella.com.au/the-sapphires-to-open-melbourne-international-film-festival-91950

 

Categories
films popular culture TV

Good films and TV

Some good resources for literature & “fiction to film” classes and just good entertainment!

Once upon a time TV series (7.30 Tuesdays, Prime)

This fantasy drama series is a great reworking of the Snow White tale – full of intrigue, sorcery, love, suspense and the usual battles between good and evil, with great visual effects & good performances. A woman who works as a bail bonds officer is taken by a young boy to the town of Storybooke, where uncanny parallels exist between the townsfolk and the world of fairy tales. Could the fairytale characters be trapped in time in Storybrooke? The backstories are intriguing and mostly non-linear (from the creators of Lost!) – the characters’ traits and motivations could all be compared with characters from the traditional book versions of the tales.

The first series was 22 episodes – probably a few too many to show at school, but definitely worth watching a few from the start. Stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White (and her alter-ego schoolteacher in Storybrooke) and Robert Carlyle as the malevolent Rumplestiltskin/Mr Gold….well, anything with Robert Carlyle is going to be good!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_(TV_series) and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843230/reviews

Snow White and the huntsman (opens 21 June)   http://www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com/

Stars Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron (Queen) & Chris Hemsworth (huntsman). In this reimagining / Disney deconstruction of the Snow White tale, the huntsman who is forced to take Snow White into the woods to kill her becomes her mentor and protector, training her in the art of war as they try to vanquish the evil Queen. Visually spectacular, an awesome mirror, medieval battles and – for a while – 8 dwarves! Review:http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120530/REVIEWS/120539992  Trailer: http://www.metacritic.com/movie/snow-white-and-the-huntsman/trailers

Maleficent (release date March 2014)

Another revisionist version of a fairy tale – this time Sleeping Beauty. Told from the point of view of the evil fairy godmother Maleficent, it is the backstory of why she cursed Aurora to a permanent sleep on her 16th birthday. Stars Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora and Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. http://www.movies.ie/movie20news/Imelda_Staunton_Miranda_Richardson_Juno_Temple_Sam_Riley__More_Join_MALEFICENT

10 other upcoming fairy tale movies

Seems like a renaissance for the fairy tale genre. Includes: Hansel & Gretel: witch-hunters (Will Ferrell); Pan (Sean Bean); The little mermaid (director Joe Wright); Jack the giant killer (director Bryan Singer); Enchanted 2; Arabian Nights (Liam Hemsworth); Pinocchio (director Guillermo del Toro). Stories and themes that have stood the test of time!    http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/fairy-tale-movies-in-development/

Prometheus (now screening)

Directed by Ridley Scott (Alien; Blade Runner). Stars Noomi Rapace (Dragon Tattoo) & Michael Fassbender. Sci fi / action / horror film set in the late 21st century. The crew of the spaceship Prometheus follow an ancient map to a distant world where they seek the origins of humanity – but find instead a threat that could wipe out the human race. Precedes the story of Alien, but is not directly connected to the series. The film has its own mythology and ideas.

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137119

And the most anticipated movie of the year?

The Dark Knight rises (in cinemas 19 July)

Directed by Christopher Nolan – the last in his Batman trilogy. Sequel to Batman begins & The Dark Knight. Stars Christian Bale & Anne Hathaway. Nolan sees the film as an epic war movie or historical epic rather than another superhero blockbuster. Set 8 years after the last film, a new terrorist leader comes to Gotham and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Rises

 

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Horizon Report 2012 & 10 mega-trends for learning

Some people asked for the websites on my Mod Day presentation – What’s new in ICT, Media & Popular Culture? Here is the link to the Powerpoint. I hope the info is useful.

http://dckclib.wikispaces.com/Technology%2C+media+%26+popular+culture+updates

 Corning Glass released their first video in Feb 2011 about the future of glass technologies in ICT, education, work & life and how glass will help shape our world. It’s had over 18 million views:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38

 A day made of glass 2 (Feb 2012)

5 min. video of Corning Glass’ expanded vision for the future of glass technologies in ICT, education, work & life and how glass will help shape our world: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkHpNnXLB0

Info about the glass technology: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-GXO_urMow

 Horizon Reports

The Horizon Reports are issued annually by the New Media Consortium. They identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on global education. 

10 mega-trends impacting learning: Horizon Project 10th Anniversary Report (coming soon)
1. The world of work is increasingly global & increasingly collaborative.
2. People expect to work, learn, socialize & play whenever and wherever they want to.
3. The internet is becoming a global mobile network.

4. The technologies we use are increasingly cloud-based & delivered over utility networks, facilitating the rapid growth of online videos & rich media.
5. Openness – concepts such as open content, open data & open resources, along with notions of transparency & easy access to data & information – is moving from a trend to a value for much of the world.
6. Legal notions of ownership & privacy lag behind the practices common in society.
7. Real challenges of access, efficiency & scale are redefining what we mean by quality & success.
8. The internet is constantly challenging us to rethink learning & education, while refining our notion of literacy.
9. There is a rise in informal learning as individual needs are redefining schools, universities & training.
10. Business models across the education ecosystem are changing.
http://www.nmc.org/ & Judy O’Connell

Just released: The Horizon Report 2012 – Higher Education

http://www.educause.edu/Resources/2012HorizonReport/246056

The K-12 edition will be available later in the year.  

Key trends:
1. People expect to be able to work, learn, and study whenever and wherever they want to.
2. The technologies we use are increasingly cloud-based, and our notions of IT support are decentralized.
3. The world of work is increasingly collaborative, driving changes in the way student projects are structured.
4. The abundance of resources and relationships made easily accessible via the internet is increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators.
5. Education paradigms are shifting to include online learning, hybrid learning and collaborative models.
6. There is a new emphasis in the classroom on more challenge-based and active learning.

The areas of emerging technology to watch :
Time to adoption: One Year or Less

Mobile Apps
Tablet Computing

Time to adoption: Two to Three Years

Game-based Learning
Learning Analytics

Time to adoption: Four to Five Years

Gesture-based Computing
Internet of Things (all kinds of devices will be connected to the internet to receive/generate info)