| By Lauren Mitchell - Bendigo Life
email: lauren@bendigoweekly.com.au
BOOK review
Title: Audrey of the Outback
Author: Christine Harris
Illustrator: Ann James
ISBN: 9781921272189
Price: $14.99
Readership age: 8 years +
Audrey of the Outback celebrates the young girl, and feisty hero – Audrey Barlow.
Living in one of Australia’s most desolate regions, Audrey has time to think deeply about life, and about the questions that matter to her – for example: whether life would be less lonely and more fulfilling had she lived elsewhere, or had been born someone else?
As “growing up” beckons, and more questions evolve, Audrey makes the beautiful and timely discovery, that friends are never truly far away when needed most (even in the outback).
Young readers will become inspired by the warmth, wonderings and beauty of young Audrey, as she attempts to make sense of her changing world.
– Jacqueline Perryman
CD review
Artist: Abby Dobson
Title: Rise up
Genre: Pop
Publisher: Mushroom Music
Abby Dobson has one of those voices that you'd recognise, even if she were belting abuse at an umpire at the MCG.
Abby and band have shed the name Leonardo's Bride and allowed the front woman to well and truly take the stage, but it was always all about her anyway.
This latest CD, Rise Up, is classified pop, but it's a little more sedate than what's expected from the genre, a little quirky even.
The first track, You Will Find Your Way, starts out a little sleepy, lullaby-like even, then finds it's groove a little way in, such is the theme of this album.
The songs are mostly breezy, pleasant tunes, so if you were to
put the CD on with a room full of haphazard friends, they'd all be happy.
It's downright likable, and thanks to that gorgeous voice of Abby's, downright memorable.
You can see Abby and co in the flesh this Sunday at Hepburn Springs' Palais.
– Lauren Mitchell
FILM review
Title: 2 Days in Paris
Rated: M
Genre: Romantic comedy
Main cast: Julie Delpy, Adam Goldberg
Director: Julie Delpy
The film 2 Days in Paris is a masterful project by Julie Delpy who wrote, produced, directed and starred in the movie.
This French romantic drama is a charming piece of cinematography with all the ingredients for success.
Making the film even more of a one-person project, Delpy has cast her real parents playing the lead’s parents – which as I said, is Julie Delpy.
The film centres on Marion and her totally neurotic American boyfriend Jack (played well by Adam Goldberg).
The couple come to Paris in the hope of re-igniting their relationship.
Jack is a hypochondriac fearing germs in every corner of Paris; he is paranoid that terrorists lurk everywhere and is jealous of Marion’s ex-partners he meets along the way.
Admittedly, Jack faces some daunting challenges, like Marion’s parents, who are a mixture of ex-hippy come uncouth bohemians.
The stable, sensible character in the whole story is Marion’s sister who flirts with Jack and creates angst with Marion.
Paris is the perfect backdrop to the story and Jack personifies all that the world is currently angry at the US for – chiefly their collective arrogance and intolerance of other cultures.
The rest of the world has had an opportunity to see this gem since it premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February last year and the rest of the world has progressively followed.
8 out of 10
– Robert Gibson
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