Following the Canberra Raiders would have to be one of the toughest hobbies in the world of sport.
Every season begins with unlimited promise: a young, exciting roster that has had the previous 12 months to develop as a close-knit first grade team. The first few rounds are little disheartening, before some kind of turmoil threatens to tear the team apart from about round 10.
The most recent seasons have seen a Canberra junior leave the club (and end up in the Red V) not long after, leaving them one star player short and in the lurch as far as the table is concerned.
They still manage to finish with a bang and either sneak into the finals (6th-8th), or just miss out.
With the Josh Dugan-Blake Ferguson problems now in their past, do the Raiders have the roster to trouble the top teams in 2014?
FULLBACKS
With Blake Ferguson well out of the picture the fullback position has fallen in Reece Robinson's lap. Robinson took over the role when Dugan and Ferguson were getting up to mischief, stringing together several sensational performances that should have put Canberra fans' minds at ease of the future.
Unfortunately for the Raiders their proven fullback stocks end there, unless boom rookie Anthony Milford is moved to the custodian's role by Ricky Stuart. Milford is more than capable of playing fullback, but the only way he will play there is if Terry Campese is injured. The other solution is to move Jack Wighton to fullback but he has only proven himself at centre and on the wing so far.
CENTRES
Goalkicking centre Jarrod Croker earns himself one of the centre spots not only by his solid performances, but by virtue of his accurate goalkicking.
It leaves the question of who will play on the other side wide open.
Jordan Rapana and Haydon Hodge are two players who could step up, while Brenko Lee is only an injury away from getting the nod. You cannot go past speedster Jack Wighton however, who, when fit, is one of the more exciting players on the roster.
WINGERS
This depends on whether Milford finds his home as custodian or in the halves.
If he is moved to fullback, Reece Robinson should shift to one wing leaving Edrick Lee and Bill Tupou to fight for the other jersey.
Depending on who Stuart throws in the centres, the remaining players all come into consideration for the flanks, but the first four to be considered will be Robinson, Lee, Wighton and Tupou.
If you haven't noticed already there seems to be a severe lack of depth in Canberra's outside backs. None of them are "spectacular" nor are they household names, but all contenders are solid in their positions. You can argue that to make the finals you have to be more than solid, so a lot will depend on the injury ward and how their under-20s perform.
HALVES
With Sam Williams out of the picture (released to the Red V), Jack McCrone could have been forgiven for getting his name stencilled onto the back of the halfback jersey. That would have been the case had Mitch Cornish and Anthony Milford not rocked up.
McCrone could find himself back in the NSW Cup depending on who Stuart entrusts with the responsibility of steering the side around. Cornish and Milford are arguably more exciting footballers to watch but McCrone's experience makes him an ideal candidate, especially given the white elephant in the room - Terry Campese.
Campese's injury woes have been well documented over recent years, going from State of Origin halfback to little more than an afterthought as he battled through several injuries. He was supposed to play in the Rugby League World Cup last year but pulled out due to injury, and his availability is still cloudy ahead of the first weekend of competition. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he elected to hand up the boots.
HOOKERS
Recruiting underrated former Brisbane Bronco Kurt Baptiste to the nation's capital gives the Raiders cover for the position likely to be filled by Glen Buttriss.
Both solid, handy hookers, Buttriss will most likely start the season with the nine on his back given he is the incumbent, but more importantly he has never let the green machine down in the past. Baptiste will have some work to do to dislodge Buttriss.
FRONT-ROWERS
When you look at the Raiders' depth in the forwards it is the only time you can seriously think have depth at all.
Led by State of Origin props David Shillington, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and Brett White, the powerhouse front row have a lot of pressure to show the fans, and their teammates, why they are leaders of the team. The State of Origin trio are backed up Dane Tilse and Paul Vaughan, the latter of whom shone at the World Cup.
Keep an eye on Josh Papalii and Sam Mataora to support their front-row comrades in a way similar way to how the Broncos use Sam Thaiday.
SECOND-ROW/LOCK
Josh Papalii is the most exciting talent in Canberra (in the forward pack at least).
Handed his State of Origin debut last season, Papalii has earned a reputation as a softly spoken, hard hitting machine, who made his mark hammering Cronulla Shark Paul Gallen. Papalii's impact is well noted, but he is only as good as those around him - which does lead to some problems.
Sam Mataora is solid but hasn't been a consistent performer in the top grade, while the results of Paul Vaughan's World Cup campaign will show when they hit the park next weekend. Joel Edwards is a hard-hitting but inconsistent second-rower, while Jarrad Kennedy, Lagi Setu and Jake Foster have to impress.
Last but not least you have workhorse Sam Fensom, who will continue making a thousand tackles per game at lock. New South Wales coach Laurie Daley could do no harm in tapping Fensom on the shoulder and giving him a chance at Origin this year.
THE COACH
There is not much you can say about Ricky Stuart than what has already been said.
Stuart started well taking over Graham Murray's Sydney Roosters in 2002, winning the premiership and helping revolutionise the game. The Roosters slid steadily from that point and he evetually found himself out the door, where he joined the Cronulla Sharks. Another finals appearance followed (they choked) before the slide kicked in; the Sharks dropping like an anchor to the bottom where they remained for two to three years. His stint at Parramatta Eels last year was nothing to crow about, winning the wooden spoon and tearing up 14 contracts midway through the season before jumping ship.
The change in scenery and time away from the spotlight has to work wonders for Stuart if the Canberra board want to keep their jobs.
Starting lineup: Reece Robinson, Bill Tupou, Jarrod Croker, Jack Wighton, Edrick Lee, Anthony Milford, Josh McCrone, Brett White, Glen Buttriss, David Shillington, Josh Papalii, Paul Vaughan. Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Kurt Baptiste, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Sam Mataora, Dane Tilse
Friday, February 28, 2014
NRL 2014 season previews: Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos are in the midst of the leanest period in their short, but successful history. Their last premiership came in 2006, with rabid fans north of the border tasting only State of Origin success since.
The Sunshine State's capital city is crying out for another reason to hang the maroon and gold decorations from the city streets and shower confetti over Queen Street Mall, with the blowtorch well and truly applied to the backsides of the Ben Barba-fuelled Broncos in 2014.
FULLBACKS
The acquisition of excitement machine Ben Barba from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs boosts the Broncos' solid depth of custodians despite revelations he may not even play at the back of the field. The form and ability of number one rival for the number one jersey Josh Hoffman has opened the possibility of Barba shifting to five-eighth, allowing the Broncos to utilise Hoffman's ability at the back while getting the ball in Barba's hands more often.
The main problem with that scenario is even though it allows the Broncos to field the two atacking weapons, the more Barba uses the ball the less dangerous he will become. It gives opposition players and coaches more of a chance to catch on to the way he plays and can minimise his impact, and he will have less room to move when in possession.
In addition to the big two, Jake Granville, Marmin Barba, and Justin Hodges can also cover fullback. Hodges would make an interesting choice who could benefit from extra ball, but he will have to wait for both Barbas and Hoffman to go down while still ensuring he keeps his injury-prone body in prime condition.
It will be interesting to see which way Anthony Griffin goes when the whistle blows next week.
CENTRES
Provided he stays fit, Hodges has a mortgage on one of the centre jerseys, provided Griffin doesn't experiment with throwing him into fullback when he returns from injury.
The other centre spot is not as clear cut.
England international Jack Reed would have to be considered the early favourite to play centre on the other side of the field, but there are plenty of players who can put their hand up. Alex Glenn and Matt Gillett can swap between centre and second-row comfortably, while former Cronulla Shark Stewart Mills and Dale Copley could also impress even though they have been used more on the wing. Young superstar Jordan Kahu will start behind the eight-ball with yet another knee injury, though he most likely would have played five-eighth, while fellow youngster Jordan Drew will also push for a start.
Daniel Vidot and David Stagg can also play centre but should only come into consideration if there are a plethora of injuries.
WINGERS
Mills, Barba, Hoffman, Copley, Vidot, Drew, Lachlan Maranta, Corey Oates and the returning Jharal Yow Yeh - the Broncos have a long list of proven wingers. What they have in numbers they lack in experience however, with most players specialising in other positions.
If Barba wins the fullback jersey, Hoffman will play on one wing with Copley most likely to return to the first grade setup following his injury woes of previous seasons.
If Hoffman gets the nod at fullback and Barba at five-eighth, I won't be surprised to see Oates and Copley on the flanks. Vidot and Mills will also go close, while one eye will permanently be fixed on Yow Yeh's return through the Intrust Super Cup ranks.
HALVES
Say whatever you want about the Auckland Nines - the emergence of young half Kodi Nikorima is one of the great success stories of the concept. Nikorima was a relatively unknown half before his sizzling performances at the Nines put his name on everybody's lips.
His chances of getting a start improved significantly following Kahu's injury, and should wear the number six jersey in round one if Griffin sticks with Ben Barba as fullback.
There he will pair Ben Hunt, who the Broncos are relying on making the jersey his own after spending the first few years of the post-Darren Lockyer era locked in a battle for a spot in the halves with Scott Prince (retired), Peter Wallace (Penrith Panthers) and Corey Norman (Parramatta Eels).
Young Redcliffe Dolphins half Zach Strasser has impressed in his runs with the team, but the lack of a genuine established half may severely impact the Broncos' chances of making the eight.
HOOKERS
You can not go past Andrew McCullough as starter, with a severe injury likely the only way he temporarily relax his grip on the jersey.Wynnum-Manly utility Jake Granville had his first taste of first grade last year, and should lock down the utility spot on the bench now Ben Hunt is starting at halfback.
There is still a chance Hunt could end up as the interchange utility player but that is unlikely.
FRONT-ROWERS
If the Broncos are to be any chance of success this year Sam Thaiday has to stay in the second-row.
Thaiday spent a lot of minutes in the front-row last season, leaving the rest of the Broncos' pack to be exposed and destroyed by the opposition every week. When Thaiday plays second-row, his minutes, but more importantly his impact, are drastically increased, as he acts as a "third prop" for the pack to work with.
The recruitment of Martin Kennedy from the Sydney Roosters will allow Thaiday to move back to his more favoured position, and lessen the burden on the first Broncos player to be stripped/relieved of the captaincy in the last decade.
A fully fit Ben Hannant in the other start's jersey will give the Broncos a fearsome forward pack, which becomes one of the more rounded and versatile when you take the rest of the roster into account.
Man-giant David Hala will add extra size and power from the bench but that spot is most likely to be filled by Josh McGuire - who could even start in place of Hannant. Jarrod Wallace and former Cronulla Shark Jon Green are more than worthy backups.
SECOND-ROW/LOCK
Thaiday has a mortgage on one spot in the second row while Supercoach favourite Corey Parker will start at lock until he loses a leg. That leaves just one more starting jersey for the rest of the roster to fight over.
Alex Glenn and Matt Gillett should end up trading starting and bench jerseys throughout the season depending on form and injuries. Both players have proven themselves in the Broncos setup in recent seasons and work just as well as other as impact players. Neither player has impressed enough to secure the starting jersey, with both men at risk of losing the chance to Corey Oates or former Melbourne Storm player Todd Lowrie.
Veteran David Stagg will not be too far from calculations providing he is fit, but it will not be easy for the 30-year-old to fight his way back in.
THE COACH
Anthony Griffin will be out the door quicksmart if Brisbane start the season with a series of losses. The Broncos head coaching role is one of the toughest in the NRL at the moment, with whoever picks up the clipboard struggling under the weight of expectation (remember Ivan Henjak?). The Broncos fanbase is unforgiving, and they are only growing hungrier for a breakthrough premiership.
Starting lineup: Ben Barba, Josh Hoffman, Jack Reed, Dale Copley, Dan Vidot, Kodi Nikorima, Ben Hunt, Josh McGuire, Andrew McCullough, Martin Kennedy, Alex Glenn, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Interchange: Jake Granville, Matt Gillett, Ben Hannant, David Hala
The Sunshine State's capital city is crying out for another reason to hang the maroon and gold decorations from the city streets and shower confetti over Queen Street Mall, with the blowtorch well and truly applied to the backsides of the Ben Barba-fuelled Broncos in 2014.
FULLBACKS
The acquisition of excitement machine Ben Barba from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs boosts the Broncos' solid depth of custodians despite revelations he may not even play at the back of the field. The form and ability of number one rival for the number one jersey Josh Hoffman has opened the possibility of Barba shifting to five-eighth, allowing the Broncos to utilise Hoffman's ability at the back while getting the ball in Barba's hands more often.
The main problem with that scenario is even though it allows the Broncos to field the two atacking weapons, the more Barba uses the ball the less dangerous he will become. It gives opposition players and coaches more of a chance to catch on to the way he plays and can minimise his impact, and he will have less room to move when in possession.
In addition to the big two, Jake Granville, Marmin Barba, and Justin Hodges can also cover fullback. Hodges would make an interesting choice who could benefit from extra ball, but he will have to wait for both Barbas and Hoffman to go down while still ensuring he keeps his injury-prone body in prime condition.
It will be interesting to see which way Anthony Griffin goes when the whistle blows next week.
CENTRES
Provided he stays fit, Hodges has a mortgage on one of the centre jerseys, provided Griffin doesn't experiment with throwing him into fullback when he returns from injury.
The other centre spot is not as clear cut.
England international Jack Reed would have to be considered the early favourite to play centre on the other side of the field, but there are plenty of players who can put their hand up. Alex Glenn and Matt Gillett can swap between centre and second-row comfortably, while former Cronulla Shark Stewart Mills and Dale Copley could also impress even though they have been used more on the wing. Young superstar Jordan Kahu will start behind the eight-ball with yet another knee injury, though he most likely would have played five-eighth, while fellow youngster Jordan Drew will also push for a start.
Daniel Vidot and David Stagg can also play centre but should only come into consideration if there are a plethora of injuries.
WINGERS
Mills, Barba, Hoffman, Copley, Vidot, Drew, Lachlan Maranta, Corey Oates and the returning Jharal Yow Yeh - the Broncos have a long list of proven wingers. What they have in numbers they lack in experience however, with most players specialising in other positions.
If Barba wins the fullback jersey, Hoffman will play on one wing with Copley most likely to return to the first grade setup following his injury woes of previous seasons.
If Hoffman gets the nod at fullback and Barba at five-eighth, I won't be surprised to see Oates and Copley on the flanks. Vidot and Mills will also go close, while one eye will permanently be fixed on Yow Yeh's return through the Intrust Super Cup ranks.
HALVES
Say whatever you want about the Auckland Nines - the emergence of young half Kodi Nikorima is one of the great success stories of the concept. Nikorima was a relatively unknown half before his sizzling performances at the Nines put his name on everybody's lips.
His chances of getting a start improved significantly following Kahu's injury, and should wear the number six jersey in round one if Griffin sticks with Ben Barba as fullback.
There he will pair Ben Hunt, who the Broncos are relying on making the jersey his own after spending the first few years of the post-Darren Lockyer era locked in a battle for a spot in the halves with Scott Prince (retired), Peter Wallace (Penrith Panthers) and Corey Norman (Parramatta Eels).
Young Redcliffe Dolphins half Zach Strasser has impressed in his runs with the team, but the lack of a genuine established half may severely impact the Broncos' chances of making the eight.
HOOKERS
You can not go past Andrew McCullough as starter, with a severe injury likely the only way he temporarily relax his grip on the jersey.Wynnum-Manly utility Jake Granville had his first taste of first grade last year, and should lock down the utility spot on the bench now Ben Hunt is starting at halfback.
There is still a chance Hunt could end up as the interchange utility player but that is unlikely.
FRONT-ROWERS
If the Broncos are to be any chance of success this year Sam Thaiday has to stay in the second-row.
Thaiday spent a lot of minutes in the front-row last season, leaving the rest of the Broncos' pack to be exposed and destroyed by the opposition every week. When Thaiday plays second-row, his minutes, but more importantly his impact, are drastically increased, as he acts as a "third prop" for the pack to work with.
The recruitment of Martin Kennedy from the Sydney Roosters will allow Thaiday to move back to his more favoured position, and lessen the burden on the first Broncos player to be stripped/relieved of the captaincy in the last decade.
A fully fit Ben Hannant in the other start's jersey will give the Broncos a fearsome forward pack, which becomes one of the more rounded and versatile when you take the rest of the roster into account.
Man-giant David Hala will add extra size and power from the bench but that spot is most likely to be filled by Josh McGuire - who could even start in place of Hannant. Jarrod Wallace and former Cronulla Shark Jon Green are more than worthy backups.
SECOND-ROW/LOCK
Thaiday has a mortgage on one spot in the second row while Supercoach favourite Corey Parker will start at lock until he loses a leg. That leaves just one more starting jersey for the rest of the roster to fight over.
Alex Glenn and Matt Gillett should end up trading starting and bench jerseys throughout the season depending on form and injuries. Both players have proven themselves in the Broncos setup in recent seasons and work just as well as other as impact players. Neither player has impressed enough to secure the starting jersey, with both men at risk of losing the chance to Corey Oates or former Melbourne Storm player Todd Lowrie.
Veteran David Stagg will not be too far from calculations providing he is fit, but it will not be easy for the 30-year-old to fight his way back in.
THE COACH
Anthony Griffin will be out the door quicksmart if Brisbane start the season with a series of losses. The Broncos head coaching role is one of the toughest in the NRL at the moment, with whoever picks up the clipboard struggling under the weight of expectation (remember Ivan Henjak?). The Broncos fanbase is unforgiving, and they are only growing hungrier for a breakthrough premiership.
Starting lineup: Ben Barba, Josh Hoffman, Jack Reed, Dale Copley, Dan Vidot, Kodi Nikorima, Ben Hunt, Josh McGuire, Andrew McCullough, Martin Kennedy, Alex Glenn, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Interchange: Jake Granville, Matt Gillett, Ben Hannant, David Hala
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Wolf of Wall Street
HAS THERE been a more wildly inappropriate film than Wolf of Wall Street?
The latest collaboration between Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese is a three hour marathon of sex, drugs and crime as we follow the apparently true story of Jordan Belfort.
The film is based on Belfort’s memoir of the same name, a stockbroker who hit headlines in the early 1990s after the brokerage firm he founded, Stratton Oakmont, shot to the top of Wall Street through a combination of fraud and stock swindling.
He was investigated by the FBI for some time before finally being indicted in 1998 on charges including fraud and money laundering, and served only 22 months of a four year sentence for cooperating with the investigation.
Throughout his career he grew a love for drugs, starting off with cocaine before developing a serious addiction to quaalades.
As you can imagine it sounds like a pretty full-on life DiCaprio’s previous role as Gatsby in The Great Gatsby could only dream of, and it certainly earns its R18+ rating.
Scorsese’s film captures everything – the drug-fuelled parties, the angry outbursts, the fast cars, the ridiculously good-looking women and of course, the sex – no stone is left unturned in revealing Belfort’s rock star lifestyle.
DiCaprio continues his steller run of brilliant performances in universally popular films, a run that extends back as far as 2002 (with the exception of IMAX production Hubble).
He is the go-to man of big-ticket films, and his performance in Wolf of Wall Street perfectly encapsulates why.
Whether he is wooing a female character, taking another hit of drugs, blowing up at his wife after another drug-fuelled night or being brought down to size by the FBI, you believe everything you see.
His interaction with Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey) as we are led through a mini biography narrated by Belfort at the beginning of the film is hilariously inappropriate.
Jonah Hill jumps into the supporting role as Donnie Azoff, a child furniture salesman living in the same apartment as Belfort who he decides to go into business with after noticing the latter’s lavish car.
It is a big role for Hill, who reportedly only earnt the minimum $60,000 for his work so he could work with Scorsese, but for the most part he is the Jonah Hill we have watched for the past decade – doing drugs, being drunk, and dropping hilarious lines.
Australian actress Margot Robbie plays the role of Naomi Lapaglia, Belfort’s second wife.
The jaw-dropping Queenslander spends most of her on-screen time wearing tight-fitting or no clothing at all and being overtly sexual, but she is just comfortable when she is called upon to be an angry, unhappy wife or the concerned mother later in the film.
Wolf of Wall Street comes in at a tick under three hours, but the frenetic pace and outrageous story hooks you in and makes the time fly.
It is also my favourite for at least three Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor), but will face stiff competition from 12 Years A Slave and Gravity ina ll three categories.
If you are a very conservative person and do not like the "f-bomb" I would suggest avoiding Wolf of Wall Street – it is dropped 569 times.
For everybody else, Scorsese really did all he could to earn that R rating, and it will be an experience you will not forget.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Robocop (2014)
WHY DOES Hollywood insist on producing new versions of originally successful films?
Producers are out of favour with fans from the get-go, with immeasurable pressure to deliver a film that will not only pay tribute to its original incarnation, but be even better.
In 2012 we had the total failure of Total Recall, which itself was an Arnold Shwarzenegger-led cult favourite when released in 1990.
For the last few weeks at the Saraton Theatre we have been able to digest the reimagining of Robocop, and it fairs a lot better than Total Recall’s remake did.
In fact, it almost better than the original.
Gone is the somewhat satirical feel of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 Robocop, replaced with a darker Hollywood action-style flick we have grown accustomed to in recent years.
Jose Padilha’s reimagining follows a similar plot to the Verhoeven’s classic: a corporation wants to remove crime with robotic help, a leading police officer suffers a debilitating injury by a criminal’s hand, said corporation turns him into the first half man-half machine Robocop who solves his own murder and unveils a conspiracy.
Joel Kinnaman is the leading man as policeman Alex Murphy, who is investigating crime boss Antoine Vallon (Patrick Garrow) in his spare time. He gets on the wrong side of Vallon who takes revenge, having a car bomb planted on Murphy’s car which explodes outside his home, severely injuring him.
This is when Murphy becomes Robocop, thanks to a program led by Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) and financed by OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton).
Samuel L. Jackson appears in his first of seven roles for 2014 as Pat Novak, a television host who uses his program to show his support for robotic crime control and to guide us through stages of the film.
Robcop’s move away from the satiric feel of the original is an inspired and wise one, presenting Padilha’s film as a completely different film, not just a reboot.
Improved technology gives Robocop an edge the original didn’t, from Novak’s fully digital television program, to Robocop’s famous motorbike and OmniCorp’s machines.
Fans of the original may avoid Padilha’s version on principle, but science fiction and action fans should enjoy it.
It should also appreciated by fellow Hollywood producers and directors, with Padilha showing how to successfully reimagine an old film and breathe new life into a franchise.
The acting will not earn any awards, nor will it be in running for the Best Picture, but it is a rare case of a remake being a little better than the original.
Definitely worth a dollar.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
American Hustle
Is there anything better than timepiece films about con men, mobsters, and the FBI?
When they are produced as spectacularly as American Hustle, the answer is no.
American Hustle is one of the best films of 2014, proven by its 10 nominations at this year's Academy Awards.
Set in Camden, New Jersey, American Hustle is loosely based on the ABSCAM sting of the 1970s and 80s. We follow the life of con artists Irving Rosenfield, played by an unrecognisable but brilliant Christian Bale (The Dark Knight), and "girlfriend" Sydney Prosser, played by the always enchanting Amy Adams (Enchanted).
Rosenfield owns a series of dry cleaning stores across Camden, one outlet of which acts as his base for loan scamming.
One day his victim is none other than FBI agent Richard "Richie" DiMaso, played by the show-stealing Bradley Cooper (Limitless). Copper's performance is top notch, perfectly portraying the erratic control freak while keeping the charm we know him to have.
The pair are offered a deal by the FBI: provide four more arrests for the FBI or be arrested and locked up in jail.
Here is where the film really takes off, as we watch how the trio (Rosenfield, Prosser and DiMaso) plan to entrap several politicians.
We meet Camden Mayor Carmine Polito, who claims his only dream is to see the city prosper. Polito is campaigning to revitalise gambling Mecca Atlantic City, but is struggling to come up with the money. As such, he becomes the first target.
Jeremy Renner, who I am used to seeing in action roles like The Avengers and The Hurt Locker, is sensational as Polito, portraying the proud, happy man as easily as the one whose world crumbles around him towards the end.
The way the whole film is put together is a marvel, and credit must go to director David O. Russell (who also directed Silver Linings Playbook), cinematographer Linus Sandgren and the rest of the production crew. The colours, clothes and sets are just how I imagine late 19702 to have looked; even Polito's Elvis Pressley-style hair cut and sideburns seemed to fit.
What lifts this film even higher is the soundtrack.
It is an often-neglected part of the film but it can make a huge difference. The soundtrack for American Hustle are a myriad of popular songs from the time, including Elton John's Yellow Brick Road, The Bee Gees' How Can You Mend A Broken Heart and Tom Jones' Delilah. Wings' Live and Let Die even gets a run. They are all great songs in their own right, but the timing of which they are used in American Hustle only amplifies what you see on screen.
American Hustle has already won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and it has a strong chance to take the Academy Award in the same section. It is up against the likes of Philomena (now showing at the Saraton Theatre) and 12 Years A Slave (showing from February 13), so take advantage of your local cinema and make up your own mind.
When they are produced as spectacularly as American Hustle, the answer is no.
American Hustle is one of the best films of 2014, proven by its 10 nominations at this year's Academy Awards.
Set in Camden, New Jersey, American Hustle is loosely based on the ABSCAM sting of the 1970s and 80s. We follow the life of con artists Irving Rosenfield, played by an unrecognisable but brilliant Christian Bale (The Dark Knight), and "girlfriend" Sydney Prosser, played by the always enchanting Amy Adams (Enchanted).
Rosenfield owns a series of dry cleaning stores across Camden, one outlet of which acts as his base for loan scamming.
One day his victim is none other than FBI agent Richard "Richie" DiMaso, played by the show-stealing Bradley Cooper (Limitless). Copper's performance is top notch, perfectly portraying the erratic control freak while keeping the charm we know him to have.
The pair are offered a deal by the FBI: provide four more arrests for the FBI or be arrested and locked up in jail.
Here is where the film really takes off, as we watch how the trio (Rosenfield, Prosser and DiMaso) plan to entrap several politicians.
We meet Camden Mayor Carmine Polito, who claims his only dream is to see the city prosper. Polito is campaigning to revitalise gambling Mecca Atlantic City, but is struggling to come up with the money. As such, he becomes the first target.
Jeremy Renner, who I am used to seeing in action roles like The Avengers and The Hurt Locker, is sensational as Polito, portraying the proud, happy man as easily as the one whose world crumbles around him towards the end.
The way the whole film is put together is a marvel, and credit must go to director David O. Russell (who also directed Silver Linings Playbook), cinematographer Linus Sandgren and the rest of the production crew. The colours, clothes and sets are just how I imagine late 19702 to have looked; even Polito's Elvis Pressley-style hair cut and sideburns seemed to fit.
What lifts this film even higher is the soundtrack.
It is an often-neglected part of the film but it can make a huge difference. The soundtrack for American Hustle are a myriad of popular songs from the time, including Elton John's Yellow Brick Road, The Bee Gees' How Can You Mend A Broken Heart and Tom Jones' Delilah. Wings' Live and Let Die even gets a run. They are all great songs in their own right, but the timing of which they are used in American Hustle only amplifies what you see on screen.
American Hustle has already won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and it has a strong chance to take the Academy Award in the same section. It is up against the likes of Philomena (now showing at the Saraton Theatre) and 12 Years A Slave (showing from February 13), so take advantage of your local cinema and make up your own mind.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
