SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT

CONCERT
Elton John
Review Ray Chan

Sir Elton's Perth leg of his farewell tour kicked off on a glorious Saturday night, when it seemed that even the elements conspired to ensure a memorable musical evening: fine weather, not too hot nor cold, with a balmy breeze to comfort the crowds at the open air HBF Park venue.
    The esteemed Captain Fantastic is in the midst of his long Farewell Yellow Brick Road retirement extravaganza, which began in the US on September 8, 2018, and will span five continents, hitting North America, Europe and the Middle East, Asia, South America and Australasia before reaching its conclusion in 2021.
    With such an extensive catalogue of classic songs to his credit, John was bound to leave out many favourites, but nevertheless, the journey down memory lane is a beautifully curated trip, mainly through his golden era of the 70s and 80s.
    The artist threw in some of his lesser-known compositions, enough to keep the fanatics on their toes, yet the show was so packed with hits that he’d reeled off Bennie and the Jets, Tiny Dancer, I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, Border Song and Philadelphia Freedom in the first half hour, and he’d barely scraped the surface.
    He had wind left for a beautiful version of Rocket Man, which ironically went on for a long, long time: it was the first of many in the setlist featuring an extended jam near the end, the most notable of which was a rollicking interpretation of Levon which just about transformed the ballad into a rock and roll tune.
    Each piece was deliberately embellished with specially created videos on the high-resolution giant screens, particularly impressive on the highly-personal Someone Saved My Life Tonight, which featured lively animation of John having an adventure with other characters from the sleeve of his Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy album.
    For this reviewer, it was also pleasing to see (and hear) him play songs such as Daniel and Candle In The Wind, left out of the repertoire in previous world tours, while his piano gently Roomba-ed across the stage.
    Indeed, for a 71-year-old man who’s playing three-hour sets several nights a week of the circuit, his voice is holding up remarkably well, complementing his keyboard skills which are as exceptional as ever. Obviously no longer able to twist, turn and jump as in his younger days, his energy level is still high, as he smiled, pointed and gestured to the crowd throughout the entire show, soaking up the cheers in a way that emanates gratitude far more than ego.
    There was a graciousness about Elton as he reflected on his wonderful life and how he managed to recover from his darkest days. He thanked virtually everybody, and effusively: the best band he's ever played with, which included guitarist Davey Johnstone, drummer Nigel Olsson and percussionist Ray Cooper, who's been with him for the better part of 45 years; his erstwhile lyricist Bernie Taupin; the people who work at the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which was inspired by his desire to give back after his own recovery from substance abuse; and everyone who’d ever bought a record — “or a CD or an 8-track or a cassette” — or a ticket or a piece of merchandise.
    And he clearly showed he did his homework, praising Perth audiences and reminiscing on previous venues such as the Perth Entertainment Centre, Subiaco Oval and the Burswood Dome.
    It hadn't taken long for audience members to get on their feet, and fans were already milling thick at the front of the stage when the raucous and retrospective I'm Still Standing was played, against a backdrop of John's most memorable career moments: his outrageous costumes, wigs and glasses, his appearances with the likes of the Muppets, Cher and Bette Midler, wearing an Afro wig on Soul Train, his animated form in The Simpsons and South Park, car-aoking with James Corden, his Watford football days, his friendship with Pricess Diana, his role in Kingsman, and even falling over backwards at a charity tennis match.
    The entire performance is so rigidly choreographed and staged that there is little room for flexibility. The shows you see in Australia will be the same as seen in the US and Europe and elsewhere in future concerts of the tour, apart from switching I Want Love for Believe to match a touching plea for peace, understanding, and tolerance.
    So unfortunately there was no room for two songs recorded in the past few months: I'm Gonna Love Me Again from his Rocketman biopic, and Never Too Late from The Lion King, both released long after tour proceedings got under way last year.
    Nevertheless, the ones John has chosen to illustrate his career are certainly more than enough to justify his position as one of the most endearing musical artists of the past 50 years.
    If Farewell Yellow Brick Road is indeed his last time around the block as he embarks on the next phase of his life - going back to his plough and family - then he couldn’t be leaving at a better time.
    He’s still on top of his game, his veteran band is still tight, he can still hold a tune and he still has his swagger. What he doesn’t have is anything to prove.


SETLIST

Bennie and the Jets
All the Girls Love Alice
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
Border Song
Tiny Dancer
Philadelphia Freedom
Indian Sunset
Rocket Man
Take Me to the Pilot
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Levon
Candle in the Wind
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Burn Down the Mission
Daniel
I Want Love
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
The Bitch Is Back
I’m Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
Your Song
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

#eltonjohn

SHARP AS A KNIFE

MOVIE
Knives Out
Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director Rian Johnson
Review Ray Chan

Renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead under suspicious circumstances, after a family gathering to celebrate his 85th birthday.
    Everyone present, including Harlan’s personal carer and nurse Marta (Arna de Armas), are possible suspects, with local police officers joined on the case by famed sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), who, as it turns out, was hired by an anonymous client to solve the crime, just to add more mystery to proceedings.
    The incredible ensemble of respectable actors inhabit their characters snugly, who all have a motive for murder and something to hide.
    The most interesting personality is immigrant Marta, who has a condition which causes her to throw up whenever she tells a lie, a virtue appreciated by Blanc, who enlists her to help lead the hunt for the evildoer.
    Personally, this reviewer found the big reveal a little underwhelming and perhaps a tad unsatisfactory, and the denoument quite drawn out as Craig delivers a lengthy soliloquy about the culprit in a weird Texan twang that irritates more than engages.
    But while his performance occasionally teeters under the weight of its contrivance, the momentum created by the multiple plot twists and turns corrects his balance each time.
    Ultimately, that really doesn’t matter, because the main enjoyment from the movie is being part of the case and wondering how to solve it. It’s not about the ending, it’s about the journey and soaking up every little detail, every foible, every clue and red herring.
    Director Rian Johnson has made no secret of his admiration of Agatha Christie-esque murder mysteries, and his script is almost a tribute to the traditions and elements that make up this genre.
    He even throws in some potent moments of contemporary political commentary, notably focusing on how the US treats immigrants.
    Tellingly, a recurring punchline is the fact that none of the Thrombeys know what country Marta hails from, while Harlan’s son-in-law (Don Johnson) makes an agst-fed speech about government policy.
    Social analysis aside though, this unpredictable briskly-paced 130 minutes serves as a nicely-constructed modern reinvention of the whodunnit, and, despite the odd gripe mentioned above, is by far the sharpest movie puzzle of the year.


#knivesout

GOOD TIME CHARLIES

MOVIE
Charlie's Angels
Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska
Director Elizabeth Banks
Review Ray Chan

The newest revival of Charlie’s Angels seems an unnecessary commodity, one no-one really asked for.

    Barrymore, Diaz and Liu did it exceedingly well with the first run of reboots, so there seems little reason for this remake, apart from refreshing it for modern audiences (and no doubt hoping to make a pretty penny in the process).
    That being said, the movie pleasantly surprises and entertains, and is notable for being the first of the female-fronting crime drama series (on TV or in the movies) to be directed by a woman, Elizabeth Banks, who stars as one of the agency’s management team of Bosleys.
    The plot, unfortunately, is a trite hackneyed, involving once again some eager scientist developing modern technology which will be used against humanity. But we can forgive that for the rollicking romp that follows.
    Lead scientist of The Calisto project, Elena Houghlin (Scott), has serious concerns about a flaw that could weaponise the self-contained energy source that was aimed at revolutionising clean energy.
    After being disappointed that her superiors are more interested in profits than caution, she contacts the Charlie Townsend Spy Agency, soon realising the severity of the situation as she becomes the target of assassination.
    With former MI-6 Angel Jane Kano (Balinska) and deadly ditz Sabina Wilson (Stewart) assigned for her protection, and introduced to a world of secret weapons and spies with elite combat skills, Elena soon moves from fear to fascination as she joins the duo in tracking down the now-missing Calisto device in an attempt to recover and disarm, before sinister hands take hold.
    Along the way, a double cross occurs – perhaps predictably – but one that probably takes too long to reveal.
    Of all the girls, Stewart steals the show, partly because she has been given the most interesting character to work with.
    The charm and comedic timing of the Twilight star even improves on what Diaz and Barrymore were aiming for between their two characters.
    But really, everyone impresses. Overall, Charlie’s Angels is relentless in its effort to enjoy itself, as Banks injects the entire film with playfulness: the situations are absurd, the characters are over the top, the action scenes ludicrous (for example shooting upside down while hanging off a wildly careering vehicle) while the costumes are mostly fabulous.
    Watching Balinska and Stewart dance effortlessly to Donna Summer’s Bad Girls or goof around in a photo booth is uproarious fun, and even Banks rocks her pair of oversized sunglasses.
    The payoff at the end of the movie is worth waiting for. I won’t say how they are involved, but see if you can identify a number of sporting stars, celebrities and even former Angels.
    This movie rates a D: for being delightful yet derivative, but definitely one that delivers.

#charlie'sangels @sonypicturesaus

SLEEPY SEQUEL SHINES

MOVIE
Doctor Sleep
Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson
Director Mike Flanagan
Review Ray Chan


HERE’S something you may not know: reviewers are often given production notes for the movies they’re casting judgement on.
    Of course, they’re handy for providing the names of the actors, directors, screenplay writers and characters in the story, but many times they also play an essential part in helping said reviewers understand what the hell is going on in particularly obfuscating films.
    So thank goodness for the explanatory information about Doctor Sleep, the sequel to the 1977 adaptation of The Shining, famously directed by Stanley Kubrick yet dissed by its author Stephen King.
    As the plot starts to unravel, I imagine it’s not easy for viewers to get a grip on events, as the protagonists and antagonists are established without a clear indication of how they are connected.
    In fact, if you watched the original more than 40 years ago, you probably don’t even recall the finer details of what transpired; so pity the confusing experience of first-time audiences.
    You really need to know The Shining to fully appreciate this follow-up, which focuses on Dan Torrance, a 30-something alcoholic who remains traumatised by the sinister events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was a child.
    In particular, new viewers may not recognise the many references to the original story, whether it’s the appearance of recurring ghosts, fellow Shiners, or the infamous Redrum cue.
    Mind you, once the setup is complete and there’s a fair inkling of the movie’s premise, you’re taken on a long (the film lasts two and a half hours) journey into suspense and horror that’s ultimately more satisfying than the first 45 minutes appear to indicate.
    Briefly recapping, at the end of the first chapter, the caretaker of the hotel in the Colorado Rockies – Dan’s father Jack (memorably played by Jack Nicholson) – ended up frozen solid in the snow.
    His wife Wendy and young son Danny, both of whom he had tried to murder after losing his mind, survived. The title referred to the little boy, whose extra-sensory ability to ‘shine’ enabled him to read minds and connect with ghosts.
    So now we fast forward to 2011, when Dan gets a job at a hospice where he uses his psychic abilities to comfort dying patients, who give him the nickname "Doctor Sleep".
    Meanwhile, a psychopath known as Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and her macabre mob of devoted followers have deduced that they can become immortal by murdering children gifted with the Shine, and feeding on the psychic steam exhaled at the moment of death.
    After killing several such youngsters, Rose and her thorns are especially interested in a teenage girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who they have discovered possesses a more powerful dose of the ability than anyone.
    She makes telepathic contact with Dan, and together they try to overcome the psychic vampires, a struggle which leads them to the long-abandoned Overlook, where Dan hopes to harness the powers of its mystic inhabitants.
    The result is a more supernatural offering than Kubrick’s picture, which was arguably a psychological thriller focusing on Jack’s descent into homicidal madness as the main event.
    It has to be said that the movie also stands out for the accomplished performances of the three main actors.
    Newcomer Curran – precocious, pleasing and powerful – is terrific as the kid coping with her new-found talent and using it for good.
    Ferguson, meanwhile, exudes pure evil and is intensely watchable, seductive in one scene and frighteningly violent in the next.
    And McGregor, ever so stoic but with a hint of expression here and there, is convincing as a man struggling to deal with childhood grief.
    Right from conception, the film had faced the challenge of balancing both King’s novel and Kubrick’s adaptation.
    But director Mike Flanagan shows he understands the elements of both and it’s a testament to his skills that the sequel has already received kudos from King.
    Improving on the source material but remaining respectful to the themes the writer explored in his novel, Flanagan utilises echoes from Kubrick’s landmark classic (a deluge of blood, the twins, the woman in room 327, and even flashbacks to Jack’s manic rampage) to further the story at the centre of the horror, with Danny and Abra’s growing friendship the key element around which everything revolves.
    Interestingly, the conclusion of the adventure doesn't exactly match the novel's version. But it does set up the possibility of a third instalment, whether scripted by King or someone else.
    If this movie's standard is an indication of what we can expect, then let the legacy shine on.



#doctorsleep