Movies

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday May 19, 2008

Doug Anderson

Get Ready To Be Boyzvoiced

(2000) SBS, 11pm

If you enjoyed Spinal Tap - and who didn't? - this take on a similar scenario should appeal. Spoofs of cultural phenomena frequently prove more alluring than the real thing, given the hype and self-importance that invariably attend the real thing. Look no further than This Sporting Life or any of Roy & HG's endeavours for proof positive, or sample any breakfast program on commercial radio for self-parody overkill. Here, three Norwegian comedians, taking the piss out of Boy Bands of the day, form their own group, Boyzvoice, for satirical interludes on a popular television program. A chartbusting CD is released followed by a video. Suddenly they're as big and as popular as the bands they set out to mock. Art imitates life and life imitates itself in a fluid symbiosis of fads and trends.

Spies Like Us

(1985) Nine, 12.30am (Sat)

A shambling revival of the shabby old Hope-Crosby-Lamour Road movies in which Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd stumble about Asia through scenes so dull they need enlivening by a host of famous directors and star celebrities wafting their way through cameos. At 104 minutes it's far too long - by about 100 minutes.

Duets

(2000) Seven, noon

Three unusual - call them odd - couples vie for a $5000 prize at a Nebraskan karaoke competition: Huey Lewis (of The News) sings with Gwyneth Paltrow; an ineffectual taxi driver with a stroppy waitress; and a disillusioned business type with an ex-jailbird. The results are industrial-grade ick. Lewis can sing but not act, Paltrow manages somehow and Andre Braugher, as the ex-con, is all at sea. Unnecessary and unedifying cinematic stain remover ... and not particularly entertaining either.

Mrs Harris

(2005) Nine, noon

Based on a 1980s media celebrity frenzy, this drama revisits the unedifying events that brought the life of upscale cardiologist and Scarsdale Diet author, Dr Herman Tarnower (Ben Kingsley), to a close. It appears the good doctor was an enthusiastic ladies' man and when he suddenly withdrew his marriage proposal to divorced schoolteacher Jean Harris (Annette Bening), she lost the plot and, as a consequence, Tarnower his life. Struggling with depression and mental illness, the spurned Jean popped the doc. Ellen Burstyn, who played Mrs Harris in a 1980 telemovie, returns as one of the cardiologist's girlfriends in this remake, which is well acted.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home