Every now and then something happens in your life that makes you address the fact that some people are just broken. Sometimes we are all a bit broken, but some of us are just straight up broken dolls; fragmented and damaged beyond repair. 
No amount of superglue or rework is ever going to cover up all those cracks and holes. 
There are holes inside of some people that are so deep that it wouldn't matter how much good shit you stuffed and shoved into the space, no matter how often you tried to fill the void, the hole just wont get any smaller; it just grows bigger and bigger and everyone just stands around wondering what they will ever be able to do fix that gap. Everyone feels hopeless and useless and exhausted. 
People like that are the hardest people to please and probably the people that need our love the most and generally the people that resist that love the most. Their level of darkness is like a plague, it steals the air in a room and swallows all hope of normality along with it. 
I know people like that. 
Change for them is not an option, it's not on the menu and never will be. 
They hate for the sake of hating and they have no reason for doing the things that they do that anyone can see but them. They can't let go of their shit, they're drowning in it. They're drowning and when you try to help you get pulled under too. You can't surface, you can't breathe. 
So what do you do? Do you step off and self preserve or do you stand and fight because you can't give up. I guess that depends on how much that person means to you, how much damaged you've endured yourself and how much more of yourself you can afford to give before you too become a broken one. 
I don't have the answers. I don't know when stay the course becomes a better option than abandon ship, or vice versa. I don't know why people are so complicated, but they are and it just is what it is. 

HER
Release Date: 2013
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 126 mins
It astounds me that Spike Jonze, the same man that wrote the screenplays for the Jackass movies, can also write amazingly  emotional films like Where the Wild Things Are and his newest and most triumphant film Her. 
Set in an undisclosed future, the story is revolves around the life of Theodore, played with exquisite emotional range by Joaquin Phoenix. Theodore is a letter writer that is going through a divorce from his life partner when he purchases an artificially intelligent computer operating system (OS1) for company. But this OS, called Samantha has a consciousness that evolves with every interaction and soon Theodore finds that he has feelings for Samantha that are both powerful and real. 
This certainly steps outside of the realms of any love story that I have ever encountered before, but it is beautifully done and incredibly touching despite the fact that you never even see Samantha, only hear her. Scarlett Johansson's sexy voice is perfect for Samantha and this is easily the most pleasing I have see Joaquin Phoenix in a long time. 
FINAL SAY: A serious glitch in the system
4.5 Chili Peppers 

So, last night Craig decides to stop in at the DVD store and hire some movies. This is always scary business for me because we generally end up watching full blown blokey action movies. Craig is loud and proud about his ability to watch movies that have very little story line but loads of action and CGI. This is one area that we seriously don't see eye to eye, but I can't make all the calls on what we watch - God knows I'd like to though!  But I smiled, poured myself a whiskey and strapped in to watch some movies that only occur when it's the boys turn to choose. 

47 RONIN
Release Date: 2013
Rating: M
Running Time: 118 mins 
I was surprised that this film was actually based on a true event that occurred in 18th century Japan where 47 Ronin (masterless Samurai) stood up against a Shogun to follow their own justice and avenge the slaying of their master. But that is where the reality of this film ends. The rest of the film dips and twists in and out of fantasy and drama mode, not really giving over a decent commitment to either genre. 
The Japanese landscapes (although clearly photo-shopped) were beautiful , as were the lush costumes and fantasy creatures. But overall I found Keanu Reeve's character Kai a bit pathetic, why did the white guy have to save the Japanese warriors? Yawn, this movie was also generally too long winded. 
The director Carl Rinsch originally wanted to do the movie as an art house samurai movie, and I wish he had. 
FINAL SAY: In the end I wanted to fall on my own sword
2.5 Chili Peppers 

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE
Release Date: 2014
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 102 Mins 
The man flesh was a flowing again in this second instalment of 300. Unfortunately, no amount of sculpted abs was going to bring this film to glory. 
Clearly riding on the coat-tails of it's predecessor, 300: Rise of an Empire seriously struggled to find its own voice. The movie relied heavily upon blood splatter special effects and so many wispy fire effects that we started to wonder if the Grecian armies only burned teabags on their fires. 
Eva Green was awesome, both fierce and sexy as Artemisia. But none of us could get past Xerxes transformation from 5ft 9" white male to 8 foot black gaylord after his roll around in the sewerage run off of the hermit 'f-shack' cave. 
FINAL SAY: Stylish gore without any substance 
2.5 Chili Peppers 

Pride makes people stupid! 
Really stupid!
It makes them hang onto shit that they should've dumped years ago, it gives them justification for all of their bullshit and gives assholes a neat spot to hang their hats upon. 
It is true that love makes even the most rational people idiotic, but pride makes them intolerable. Pride makes people believe they are more qualified, more important and all too often makes them completely ignorant of their own short comings. 
Stupid pride! 
What is it about that feeling? Is it really that dignified to be so wrapped up in your own achievements and self satisfaction? Is it ever wise to make decisions based on the upholding of tradition or self made honor? Too much pride is really just ego and narcissism wrapped up in a package labelled pride, but maybe it should just be labelled self-glorification or snobbery. 
Pride, it can blind you. 
Pride stops people from saying "I made a mistake" or "I need help" or God forbid "I don't know." It's a deadly sin for a reason, because pride will make you an A grade dick if you let it. 
Screw stupid pride, who needs it? Not me. I hardly know anything, I fuck up constantly and need loads of help....loads. 
If only I could bring myself to ask for it.........AHHHH - fuck off pride!

BLUE JASMINE
Release Date: 2013
Rating: M
Running Time: 98 mins
Woody Allen raises the bar again for himself with Blue Jasmine. Love him or hate him, he knows how to capture the dramatics of the feminine mystique perfectly and there is loads of drama to be had here. 
When Jasmine's marriage breaks down and her husband is uncovered to be a crook, she has a nervous breakdown and turns to her estranged sister for support. Arriving in San Fransisco with her Vuitton luggage and immaculate grooming, but not a penny to her name; Jasmine is looking to reinvent herself and quickly land back on her feet by leaving the past behind her. 
Cate Blanchett is mesmerising as Jasmine French, the vile and delusional Park Avenue socialite. Alec Baldwin is strong as husband Hal, Andrew Dice Clay was perfectly cast as Augie and Sally Hawkins stole some hard to catch limelight as Jasmine's sister Ginger.  
FINAL SAY: Grab a stoli with a twist of lemon.
4 Chili Peppers

Naturally, being an avid viewer of all things movie related, I have watched my fair share of TV series. I almost put in a category just for TV but then I thought that I would just be punishing myself to review hundreds of episodes of my favourites. 
I sometimes actually get a bit obsessed with TV shows, making it an almost ritualistic routine to watch and catch up on episodes, and I must admit that I have been known to get so hooked that I have viewed entire series in a weekend on DVD. I'm not proud of that, but some series are really just that good. 
It would be really unfair of me to not share my best recommendations with you, so here they are, my faves in no particular order and yes, if you're going to go there you need to start at season one and watch them all (or at least catch up because some are still going)

• The Sopranos (crime/drama)
  
• True Detective (crime/drama)
  
• Arrested Development (comedy)
  
• Madmen (period drama)
  
• The Community (comedy)
  
• Breaking Bad (crime/drama)
  
• Firefly (sci-fi)
  
• Game of Thrones (fantasy)
  
• Vikings (period drama)
  
• Six Feet Under (drama)
  
• Orange is the New Black (drama)
  
• Call the Midwife (period drama)
  
• American Horror Story (horror)
  
• Girls (drama)
  
• Episodes (comedy)
  
• Derek (drama)
  
• The Returned (sci -fi)
  
• Hello Ladies (comedy)
  
• The IT crowd (comedy)
  
• Psychoville (comedy)
  
• Life's Too Short (comedy)
  
• Nighty Night (comedy)
  
• Nurse Jackie (drama)
  
• Extras (comedy)
  
• Love My Way (drama)
  
• Top of the Lake (drama)
  
• The Slap (drama)
  
• The Inbetweeners  (comedy)
  
• Flight of the Concords (comedy)
  
• Summer Heights High (comedy)
  
• The Big C (drama)
  
• The No. 1 Ladies Detective (crime/drama)
  
• Black Books (comedy)
  
• Carnivale (horror)
  
• The Office (UK) (comedy)
  
• Problems (comedy)
  
• Moone Boy (comedy)
  
• Enlightened (drama)
  
• An Idiot Abroad (reality)
  
• Weeds (crime/drama)
  
• United States of Tara (drama)
  
• The Mighty Boosh (art house)
  
• The Walking Dead (horror)
  
• The Misfits (comedy)
  
• Absolutely Fabulous (comedy)
  

However, if you don't like series and feel like watching a movie about the dark side of TV, then I recommend:

THE TRUMAN SHOW 
Release Date: 1998
Rating: M
Running Time: 103 mins
What would life really be like under the microscope? The Truman Show sets out to answer that question by creating a movie that looks at reality TV on overload. Another brilliant offering from director Andrew Niccol, this movie was a clear stab at the influx of reality TV programs that shot up around the late 1980's and had viewers obsessing over the trivialities of peoples everyday lives. 
By following the life of Truman Baker from his birth through to maturity the general public get to watch every voyeuristic moment of Truman's existence, because Truman is on TV 24/7! The only problem is that everything in Truman's life is fabricated, acted and set up for the public's entertainment. Poor Truman is the only one oblivious to the charade, but as he gets older he starts to piece together the damaging truth about his own fake reality. 
Jim Carrey is utterly amazing as Truman, with an exceptionally strong support from Laura Linney as his fake wife and Ed Harris as the inventor of The Truman Show. 
FINAL SAY: On the Air...but unaware!
4 Chili Peppers

We are all just trying to be better versions of ourselves. 
Well, most of us are anyway. 
Some of us can rise above the everyday stench and the ghosts of our own trodden pathways to find a better way to be, and some of us are doomed to tread the same sad ground forever and ever. 
From my experience of people it seems to make very little difference whether you are wealthy or poor, whether you got screwed up as a kid or not, whether or not shit went wrong for you as an adult; you either have the minerals or you don't. 
You get to choose everyday, you either let life destroy you or you don't. You either rise up to the surface or drown in the shit pile, your choice. 
And not all of us have a helping hand waiting at the top of that shit pile to drag us out. For some there is no one standing in their corner cheering them on, there is no light guiding the way. No, for some people it's just fight or give up and that is the only choice that they have. They just have to muster up something from somewhere that makes them be that better person. 
Sometimes being a better version is so hard, and wanting to be one is even harder. Sometimes being a crappy version seems good enough when you run out of minerals. But you just can't do that, because someone, no matter how much you may not think it, someone out there is rooting for you, someone that pulled themselves out of the shit pile is wanting you to win. 
I want you all to win. I want you all to beat the shit out of life and ride out all of its trials and ugliness and find a better way to be. I want you to be a better version of yourself. 
I am in your corner.
I AM IN YOUR CORNER.

SHORT TERM 12
Release Date: 2013
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 96 mins
I was just so incredibly moved by this film. When I wasn't laughing I was crying, because this is a film about the very best people and also the very worst people in the world. After a massive 29 wins across many film festivals; this film is destined to win a place in the hearts of all that view it as well. 
Brie Larson plays Grace, a supervising staff member at a short term hostel for troubled and homeless youths. Grace is a caring and genuinely delightful character that keeps damaged teens on track every day. But Grace is also a deeply complicated individual and is seriously struggling with her own set of demons. 
Brie Larson is utterly amazing as Grace and John Gallagher Jr. is equally adorable as her work and life partner Mason. This is a movie that subtly goes for your throat and leaves a big lump in there, get your tissue box out before you watch this one. 
FINAL SAY: We're on each other's team.
4.5 Chili Peppers 

Finished last week on a high note with dinner out at a local Thai restaurant. Hit up some high end eating with a fabulous group of ladies, and managed to devour the best Thai food I have had since Thailand. The prices though.....hmmm....certainly paid a shit load more than I would've in Thailand; and $16 for a cocktail, well that just sucks a fat one really. That said, I think that the fabulous female company and a chance to sip a good wine on a Winters night far out weighed the expense. 
But now the honeymoon comes to an end and I spend the final day of the June/July holidays contemplating what my daughter is going to study at University now that her preferred campus is no longer offering Strategic Communications anymore. 
There is a lot on offer in Melbourne, but she doesn't like that idea, so back to the drawing board we go and look at the possibility of Geelong. This is pretty stressful stuff, choices at this point will dictate where Zoe will live and study in the future. She was so devastated when her first choice was pulled, I thought she was going to have a heart attack! She has had her eye on that course for the last 2 years, choosing all of her subjects based solely on it; so it is only natural that she had a freak out. It's never easy watching your kids have a melt down and not being able to do anything about it, but we still have some time and a lot of other options, it's not the end of the world, it just feels like that for Zoe. 
So to distract me from my thoughts and concerns I took advantage of the morning sunshine and hit the road with Seth as we cycled around the neighbourhood standing on our pedals, feeling the wind at our heels and attracting the attentions of every stray hound on the block with our shouts and carry on. With the weather fast on the decline, we headed home to bake a big batch of choc-chip cookies for lunchboxes. Then it was time to settle in and knit Dib's Gryffindor scarf in front of the heater with a cuppa and a decent arvo flick. 

SISTER
Release Date: 2012
Rating: M
Running Time: 97 mins
This movie gained lots of attention when it was released, winning the Silver Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival and being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. It is a French language film, set at the base of the Swiss Alps and showcasing some of the most majestic and beautiful landscapes.
We follow the life of twelve year old Simon who is supporting his wayward sister by stealing from wealthy skiers on the mountain. Simon takes on all of the responsibilities for his sister and is forced into the role of the adult; but he soon realizes that there is still a child inside of him that needs to be loved. 
Kacey Mottiet Klein is incredible as Simon, easily one of the saddest child roles of recent times; and Lea Seydoux (best known for Blue is the Warmest Color) portrays all of the patchiness of Louise perfectly. Really confronting and utterly heart wrenching, it is impossible to not feel for both of the characters as they struggle to define themselves in the face of adversity. 
FINAL SAY: Everyone is just a product
3.5 Chili Peppers 

Finally, a snow day! 
Unfortunately we got our snow between Mt Warrenheip and Ballan on our way to the Melbourne Museum. Not ideal, especially since I just crap myself when I have to drive in snow, so it was a slow trip to say the least. However, all things considered, it was pretty spectacular being caught in a snow globe for 20 minutes.
I was kicking myself that I didn't get to the optometrist earlier because I really could've used my glasses on the highway for extra visibility. Yeah, that's new too - I now need to wear glasses for driving and long distance viewing. Had a test on Tuesday, blind as a bloody bat these days, getting old is so depressing! Things just start going wrong or worse heading South. Gross; getting older is gross! I must find a way to put to a stop to it immediately! 

On a lighter and far less funky note I have had some stellar encounters this week. Here is the stuff that made me smile the most:

• Got to see a work colleagues amazing new property, full of dark Gothic woods and stained glass features- drool!
• Got my zen on at Body Balance.
• Played the Lego Movie Game on PS3 and it was awesome!
• Caught up with my folks and had a lovely Ukrainian lunch - yummy!
  
• Kick started Seth's need for braces by tackling the orthodontist and found out that I have a couple of years before I need to freak out - yay!
• Had churros at my fave Spanish Restaurant in Ballarat.
• Got a foot and a head rub off hubby - oh yeah! 
• Saw the amazing First People's exhibition and dinosaurs at the Melbourne Museum.
• Went to the Experience Latrobe University Day with Zoe in Bendigo.
• Had a mid-week dinner with my best bud Helen (thanks for cooking Helen x) 
• Helped put together 40 capes for the PBIS launch day at work and scored a tasty morning tea as reward.
• Started watching Call the Midwife series one, good viewing. 

I have seen a variety of movies this week, here is the worst and the best that I saw. 

THE HANGOVER PART 3
Release Date: 2013
Rating: MA 15+ 
Running Time: 100 mins
Okay, first just let me say that I am not proud of this, but in my defense it was after midnight and free to watch on Foxtel.
This is clearly below average viewing; following the same ridiculous formula as the other Hangover installments, but not nearly as watchable as the first one, which I did enjoy. 
That said, Chow's karaoke version of Nine Inch Nails 'Hurt'' earned this movie a chili pepper straight off the bat, I was in tears! But the laughs were too sporadic and there were far too few of them. It is slightly better than the 2nd but this just has to stop now please!
FINAL SAY: An empire of dirt
1.5 Chili Peppers 

THE DEAD GIRL 
Release Date: 2006
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 85 mins
This was an interesting movie, told from the perspective of five different women that were all impacted by the death of a girl. These five short stories intersect each other and each character has their own unique set of struggles to deal with.
We meet the stranger, the sister, the mother, the wife and the dead girl over the short span of this film, making the pace fast but still reasonably fleshed out in character development.
Ironically the role of the dead girl is played by Brittany Murphy, who herself had an untimely death only 3 years later. Brittany does a fabulous job of her role, as does the rest of the extremely strong cast including Josh Brolin, James Franco, Toni Collette, Giovanni Ribisi and Rose Byrne. 
FINAL SAY: Thought provoking
3 Chili Peppers

Had a really great day making Perogi and Gyoza with Shane and the girls on Friday. We traipsed across the globe from Ukraine to Japan making a delicious assortment of dumplings that managed to fill the best part of the entire day. I was stuffed better than a Christmas turkey in the end, but what a great feast we had!
Headed into Melbourne on Saturday morning to check out the latest ACMI offering - The Dreamworks Animation exhibition. All manner of information regarding Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda to name but a few. The art work was dazzling, the story boards fascinating and the dragon riding simulator had me so excited that I very nearly shrieked out loud with joy! This was an exhibition for the big kids at heart and a bit lighter on than previous exhibitions that I have been to at ACMI, but I still loved it and so did Zoe and Seth. I think that taking anyone under the age of 7 would probably be a bit of a waste of money though, as it was more gallery than action and the interactive stuff was clearly designed to be handled by older and wiser fingers. 
After bento-box lunches, I knew that a visit to Melbourne wouldn't be complete without a stop in at the Block Arcade on Collins Street. I always feel like a child again when I peer into the front window of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms at the decadent cakes and delights. It always makes me think of the times that my mum would take me into the city to cash in her Lipton's tea coupons and we would get a treat of some sort.
And who can pass up a stop at Haigh's chocolate shop? Not me, that's for sure! Came home with an utterly unnecessary block of coconut and macadamia chocolate and a tin of supreme drinking chocolate. God these holidays have fattened me up like a prize sow ready for the agricultural show!
We all spent the evening playing a board game. Seth found an old and yet complete version of the Scene It board game when we were Op shopping the other day; stung us a whole $5. Well the questions were pretty dated, and the clips were retro to say the least, but we played it anyway. Seth, Craig and Zoe against me because apparently I know too much about movies! Really? - that seems unfair! Anyway, turns out that I don't really know enough at all and they hung me out to dry, bastards! I will get 'em next time! 
But all of that retro movie talk did get me thinking about an oldie and a goody that I do highly recommend that everyone sees, which was also being played on a TV monitor at ACMI interestingly enough. 

eXistenZ
Release Date: 1999
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 97 mins
David Cronenberg (aka the King of Venereal Horror/ Baron of Blood) steps into the Science Fiction/Thriller realms with this walk on the wild side movie about an organic gaming system called eXistenZ. 
We are plunged into a future where interactive gaming is biological, people literally 'plug into' their video games after being fitted with a bio-port. Once you are in eXistenz the world alters, it is both usual and unusual all at once - organic and in-organic. Objects can be manipulated in new and inventive ways and opportunities to bend reality seem endless; it is an eerie and highly interesting existence indeed.  
Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh are fabulous as the couple on the run in a strange foreign landscape, and this is truly a breakthrough body of work from Cronenberg. Considering the limited technology in gaming when it was released, eXistenZ was a fresh perspective in its day.
FINAL SAY: Get fitted for a port
3.5 Chili Peppers 

So much for having a quiet holiday break, today is the first day that I haven't had anything on. Not that I want to complain because it's not like I'm doing it hard, shopping and family time is hardly a chore! 
I spent a good part of the weekend in the kitchen prepping for Zoe's seventeenth birthday. It is a tradition in our home that on your birthday you get to have whatever you want for dinner. Usually I opt to go out since I generally do most of the cooking, which I clearly must be pretty good at since everyone else chooses a three course extravaganza that I get lumbered with cooking. It can be an adventure for me, often I am cooking things for the first time, which can be very risky, but I am always up for the challenge. 

So, Saturday and Sunday I shopped and prepped what I could. Zoe had asked for a pecan pie instead of a cake, which was a different choice, but pie is the best comfort food in Winter and I do make a mean pie. Pil Pil prawns for starters and an assortment of beef and chicken tacos in hard and soft shells for the main course. Quite possibly the weirdest combination of foods in history, but that's what you get with teens - weirdness. 
The big day was Monday and after opening an assortment of beautiful and insanely generous gifts, my parents came over to celebrate with Zoe. We had a homemade soup for lunch and a giant cream filled chocolate sponge which my mum purchased from Rosehart's bakery, I can't claim that one. By the time they left, Zoe was so cashed up with birthday money that it had started to make her edgy, the shops were calling! So she spent the arvo shopping with her boyfriend and we all spent the evening eating too much food and all hanging out together. I am so lucky to have Zoe, she is a constant source of pride for me, smart and lovely.....and 17! I can hardly believe that she sits on the brink of adulthood now, where did that time go? 

Off to Geelong for the day on Tuesday, I had a date with my nemesis the Periodontist and Zoe still had shopping fever so the day was a mixture of agony and ecstasy. But I do the love the sea and the salty air, even on the coldest of days, which we have bad plenty of. 

Yesterday we cleaned out all of our clothes cupboards and headed to the Salvos for donating and perusing the second hand goodies. I am a sucker for other peoples trash, I adore markets, second hand shops and Op shops. I can look at clothes, books, dishes, ornaments and any assortment of crap for hours, happily. Poor Seth finds this process most boring, and after being dragged around to various shops for two days he was getting the shits. There was much foot tapping and eye rolling, he had his own shopping agenda, he was in search of the Lego Movie PS3 game. He had saved up for weeks to get it and all of this other shopping stuff was just standing in his way. So the hunt began. Turns out that 99% of the population in Ballarat also had saved to buy this game on the holidays because it was hard to find. After many dramatic departures from various stores - I thought I was going have to resus him on the street; we finally found it at JB Hi-Fi for a price higher than expected, of course! Anyway, we got it. Trouble and strife averted! 

I thought that I would settle in last night to watch some catch up TV, only to discover that all of my series have now ended! In the last two months I have lost Mad Men, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story: Coven, Vikings, the Walking Dead and Girls!  Leaving me with nothing to watch, what can be done? Go to the movies, there was nothing else for it, so off I went to a 9.30pm horror movie with Zoe. Only 4 other people had the guts ( or sense?) to join us! 

 THE BABADOOK
Release Date: 2014
Rating: M 
Running Time: 92 mins
This is a low-budget Australian movie; filmed in Adelaide and a debut offering from director Jennifer Kent. The Babadook cleverly encompasses all of the confusion and edge of your seat discomfort that quality psychological horror should offer. It is not reliant on blood n' gore to tells its story but instead takes us deeply into the disturbed and paranoid minds of its damaged characters. 
Amelia (Essie Davies) is a grieving widow that is struggling to control her eccentric and insomniac six year old son Samuel. Plagued with insecurities, Samuel believes a demonic presence called The Babadook is going to kill them, and begins to make life increasingly difficult when he starts acting irrationally in public; forcing them to stay at home and comfront their demons head on. 
This movie has all of the obligatory horror themes; the spooky and grim house, the scary cellar, the squeaky stairs and even the bad flickering lighting. But beyond that there is a sophistication in this story that is reminiscent of early Kubrick and Polanski horror movies that leave you wondering if the nightmares are just external manifestations of the delusional characters. 
Noah Wiseman is an amazing young talent, embodying the cute and the creepy elements of Samuel perfectly and Essie Davies is at her best as the pale and exhausted Amelia. This is a really terrifying movie and a feather in Australian cinema's cap for sure, prepare to be disturbed. 
FINAL SAY: You can't get rid of the Babadook
4 Chili Peppers