The 33rd Wedding

Just viewed this Australian feature on Vimeo, and it was a muddled piece of nothingness. I wish it was so bad that it was good fun, just like an Edward D. Wood Jr. movie, or a work of trash art, just like an Andy Warhol production. Unfortunately it was just pretty bland with self-centered characters going, BLAH, BLAH ,BLAH!

I love classic movies with rapid machine gun dialogue that worked so brilliantly in Howard Hawks' HIS GIRL Friday (1940), but in this film the machine gun dialogue was just shooting blanks with a bad sense of timing and nothing of interest to say. There were times when it slowed down and the actors seemed more comfortable, enabling the audience to make some connection with the characters. But that never lasted long, and it was a shame, because deep down I'm sure this film had something to say about love, sharing and understanding.

I noticed that this is the director's directorial debut, and they have never made a short film, just jumped straight into the deep end of the sewer. The direction was too theatrical, and lacked any creative flare. And then it seemed it was just thrown together in the edit, with no image grading, and without even a decent sound mix. Maybe this would be perfect for the stage, but a painful cringing experience on the screen.

A little bit Love Actually, a little bit Woody Allen, a little bit Tokyo Love Story, a tiny bit Tarantino and yet utterly original all at the same time. This film is a real surprise package. Although it is low budget and certainly there are no frills from a technical point of view, it delivers refreshingly sophisticated and intelligent content. The film is quirky but also warm and real. The dialogue is snappy and the plot is thick, peppered with humour, challenging concepts and interesting observations. In fact, it is so layered that this viewer plans to see it again to appreciate and explore those concepts some more. A great first film, set in beautiful Bondi Beach, Sydney. This film is a gem.

I love small films with unknown casts and crews. They are discoveries. I always approach them nervously not knowing what to expect.

This film delivers all that I love about small films, plus a smart script that really talks about the dilemma of the modern relationship.

The acting was fine and the dialog kept popping, much of it hilarious, some quite touching. People I was with laughed and cried.

Being filmed and set in Bondi Beach, Sydney (an amazing city and beach) with an Australian cast and director make this the kind of local film people should get behind and support. Hope there is a follow up.

On a technical note, it seems like it a low budget film, but that gives me a rush of raw excitement. Raw art. Pounding through my eye veins into my head at 100km/hr.

10/10 would see again.

I liked it. Music is often described as 'easy listening', the sort of art that washes over you and is pleasant wallpaper as you go about doing other things. This film isn't that, in fact it requires a concerted effort to appreciate the gravitas of messaging underneath the surface. Beautiful and poignant themes around love, mental health and connection emerge when you invest in staying with it. The best things in life take effort, and if you give this debut film your attention, you'll be rewarded with ideas that occupy your mind for weeks.

The characters are dense with layers, their dialogue heavy with messaging. This density and intensity of dialogue takes some concentration, but it's worth it. Occasional sound variances and production inconsistencies could worry some, but if you're tuned into the story they'll become minor intrusions, ultimately settling in your mind as by-products of a debut film that has the courage to stuff a smorgasbord of humanity into the experience. If you really love film, particularly breakthrough Australian content full of authentic texture, see The 33rd Wedding.