Entertainment Mondays: Crackerjack (23 January 2017)

Crackerjack is an Australian film starring Mick Molloy as Jack Simpson. Jack has been a member of the Cityside Bowls Club for many years but has never played a game. He rents out his bowls parking space to workers for some extra money on the side. One day, he gets a call that he must participate in lawn bowls otherwise his membership will be cancelled.  So Jack plays a game of bowls and quickly comes to enjoy the game.

source

The other club members begrudgingly accept Jack’s presence as they need him to help win a tournament which will save their club. The club is in financial difficulties and at risk of being sold to Bernie Fowler (John Clarke). Bernie wants to buy the property and put in pokey machines to add more revenue. The club members hate the idea of the club turning into a cash cow. Meanwhile, Nancy Brown (Judith Lucy ) a reporter for the small time news reports on the tournament and is the love interest for Jack Simpson.

Lawn bowls clubs are a common sight in Australia and this is the first movie that I have watched where it was featured. I haven’t played lawn bowls before. While the story of a greedy business man taking over a struggling place has been done before, I still found this movie to be delightful. In the movie, the bowls members are sticklers to the rules and it reminded me of being on school committees. There was this funny scene where refreshments have been laid out and Jack cuts a hunk of cheese and makes a sandwich. Usually people are supposed to cut a thin slice of cheese and eat it with a cracker or its own.

source

 The action is disapproved by some of the members and they have a meeting about it. Someone says that an incident happened with the cheese and they want no cheese to be served next time pending on an investigation. Someone else says that there should be a subcommittee to handle the case.

I didn’t find the lawn bowls part interesting; I rather liked the characters instead. Jack is a likeable guy although he’s a loudmouth; he’s got a good heart. The senior citizens in the movie are like sweet grandparents.

source

This movie might be a bit niche for some, as it features Australian comedy and it’s about lawn bowls which is a not a popular sport in some countries. However, I recommend viewers give this film a go particularly if you are looking for a movie to watch with older people.  I will caution that there is a bit of swearing in the movie so it’s up to the viewer discretion. 

Entertainment Monday: Sheppard (18 August, 2014)

I no longer follow bands like I use to when I was younger. I don’t watch the music video shows and I’m usually the last to know when it comes to the music industry. I first learnt about Sheppard when they were interviewed on a few Australian breakfast television shows and heard them on the radio.

source

 Sheppard is an Australian Indie pop band whose song Geronimo has launched them to success. They are the first indie band to make it to number one in the Australian charts. The band is from Brisbane and comprises of six members. It originally started with two siblings Amy and George Sheppard who then included their musically talented friends and their sister Emma.

                                     (International music video of Geronimo ) 

I like their quirky video clips and I love singing the chorus of Geronimo.  I think it’s the chorus that really sells the song as it’s so catchy. I think the song is about two lovers who have been separated after a misunderstanding and the guy wants to get the girl back.

Personally, I like the Australian video clip because it has a story and it's so creative. They make a monster out of cardboard boxes. 

I also wanted to share the cover that Sheppard did of Say something by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera. I think it’s just as good as the original. 

Entertainment Monday: Bonnie Anderson (August 8th, 2014)

Bonnie Anderson won the first Australia’s Got Talent in 2012 with her beautiful voice. 

Many thought that soon after the competition she would start a singing career but she did not. Her family decided that she would focus on enjoying her childhood. I think that it was an admirable decision and quite unusual. I think it also shows the faith they have in Bonnie’s talent to breakthrough when she is ready. At the age of nineteen, Bonnie is back in the spotlight to start her music career. Here are two of her songs so far:

Raise the Bar (2013)

Raise the Bar is Bonnie’s debut single. I like it because a fun summer song and makes me think about being young and hanging out with friends during the school holidays.

Blackout (2014)

Blackout  has a more edgy club sound. Bonnie is fierce in a black cat suit and plays a femme fatale in the video clip. Personally I don’t like this clip as much as Raise the Bar. I think she’s trying a little too hard on this one and it’s not very original.

I hope to see more of her music and it seems that she’s still in the experimenting stage of her music career. Usually I get a feeling about who will breakthrough in music but I’m not sure about Bonnie. Her songs haven’t done so well in the music charts but not all artists have instant success with their first singles.  Australian artist Delta Goodrem, didn’t have much luck with her first song I don’t care but her second attempt Born to Try was a huge hit.