Movie Review: Ladies in Black

Director Bruce Beresford doesn’t put a foot wrong in this movie adaptation of Madeleine St John’s best-selling novel.

This is a joyous exploration of Sydney’s and Australia’s cultural landscape in the late 1950s as the Ladies in Black discover life, love, themselves … and olives.

Magda is the cultivated “reffo” who takes unsophisticated Lisa under her wing and, with the help of a belt and some lippie, helps her blossom into a young lady. Along with her refugees friends, Magda adds a little European colour to the lives of those she meets, and beyond.

And where, might you ask, is Melbourne in this movie? It’s humourously relegated to 2nd place – although its coffee does get a mention.

5/5 stars. I’ll be watching it again.

Film review: Crazy Rich Asians

You know the story. You know how it ends. There’s no weird twists; nothing to strain your brain. Just a great excuse to relax and eat some popcorn.

It’s a RomCom.

Fun, funny, predictable, entertaining.

Sometimes that’s all you need.

Great to see this classic story line played out by different faces and in a different location. A great way to showcase Singapore, even if most of us will never enter the crazy, rich world of the movie.

4/5 stars for being an enjoyable interpretation of a classic theme.