It's that time of year again when we celebrate independent Australian filmmaking by awarding our favourite local films with individual awards. Our criteria is simple... the films must be Australian (doi), they must be independent and they must have received a festival, theatrical or home-entertainment/streaming release in 2017. All other factors are at our discretion. Congratulations to THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL, THE VIPER'S HEX and HOUNDS OF LOVE. They will each receive a personalised, signed and framed award.
It goes without saying that I am proud to award THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL with Glenn's FakeShemp.Net Award for 'Best Australian Film' and I would encourage everyone to buy it (or stream it) and watch it as soon as possible. Support an important filmmaker and our incredible local industry. - GLENN.
Its world premiere at last November’s Monster Fest left me in awe, so impressed by its balance of technical aesthetic and profound storytelling, I found myself in an hour-long conversation with the filmmakers immediately afterward. THE VIPER’S HEX is an outstanding accomplishment for both the Black Forest Films team and independent Australian cinema, as such I have awarded it with Jarret’s FakeShemp.Net Award for ‘Best Australian Film’. - JARRET.
It’s not a film for everyone but those who experience it aren’t likely to forget it any time soon and that is the mark of a great film. I am proud to award it the Shaun's FakeShemp.Net Award for .Best Aussie Film'. - SHAUN.   As another year comes to an end we are left with another batch of personally selected Top 10 films, and once again Glenn, Jarret and Shaun have proven that their individual selection criteria combines to present an eclectic and varied collection of favourites. It's the point of difference in defining their favourite films that makes FAKESHEMP.NET an unpredictable and impassioned destination for all cinematic things. Of course, as always, it should be noted that a list of "favourite films" is fundamentally different to a list of "best films". This is a place where favourites take precedence.   
This is an area of film that Scorcese is most welcome to venture into again, and I sincerely hope he does.
His work has seen him brush against the PG-rating with previous titles such as THE BIG BLUE and THE FIFTH ELEMENT proving to be suitable amongst teen audiences. But it was his random hit ARTHUR AND THE MINIMOYS and it's two direct-to-video sequels that showcased his versatility and natural ability to reach a wide demographic.
But it was his bold and visceral journey to OZ that earns him a position in this article. Met with critical division, the film marks his first attempt to reach a young audience and explores the backstory to one of Hollywood's most beloved films. Personally speaking, as a devoted L Frank Baum fan, I place a lot of merit in his OZ THE GREAT ANT POWERFUL and would have loved to see him follow it up with another. But of course more horror too!!
Of course this is an illness not to be taken lightly, yet Coppola and Co. set about making a light hearted family film that sought to bring joy to an otherwise horrible condition. Nevertheless the movie has its moments and shouldn't be taken seriously. Coppola earned himself a reprieve and his efforts in making a family film don't reflect poorly on his artistry.
Dealing with the ongoing issue of bullying the film tackles the subject with honesty and chronicles a sincere and endearing coming-of-age story that will connect with many of its susceptible young viewers. It provides a valuable point of discussion for parents to have and also presents a genuinely fun adventure in the meantime. A very underrated film to say the least.
The film explores the Celtic folklore of the selkie (a creature that is half seal and half human), and while the subject lends itself to ridicule and facetiousness, Sayles handled the material with the same dramatic urgency that he applies to everything else be makes. The result is a beautiful film suitable for all ages. Of course there are plenty more filmmakers who could be added to this list. Here's just some of the many directors who broke away from their adult audiences to make movies targeted exclusively to kids. And here lies the conversation... who are some more names you would add to this list?? And more importantly, who are some R-rated directors you would LOVE to see making kids flicks?? Quentin Tarantino perhaps? Or maybe David Cronenberg?? What about James Wan, Kimberly Peirce, David Fincher or Kathryn Bigelow? Author: Glenn Cochrane. The OSCAR! Hollywood's highest accolade. A pinnacle that all actors strive for... and the one thing that will guarantee a long and successful career.... OR WILL IT? Geoffrey Rush, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sally Field, Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Julia Roberts, and Kate Winslett... just some of the names who have reaped from their industry's highest honour, and represent those who took out the prize and used it to their advantage. They selected their subsequent projects carefully and maintained integrity in their art, and they remain amongst Hollywood's most sought after players.  But what about the others? I'm talking about that group of Oscar winners who failed to capitalise on their laurels and consequently became B-grade actors. Lets take a look at some of those people who never quite recaptured their fame (or dignity).
AUTHOR: GLENN COCHRANE   When we see a knock-out performance from a child we tend to latch on to them with a sense of awe and we look upon their careers with a morbid fascination, curious as to whether their lives will go off the rails or not. And when we think about child actors in Hollywood, names like Shirley Temple, Mickey Rooney and Roddy McDowall come to mind. Of course, some of today’s A-list players also graduated from that La-La Land kindergarten, such as Kurt Russell, Drew Barrymore, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Gosling, amongst others. Believe it or not, once upon a time the Academy recognised child performers with a distinction of their own, and in 1934 the ‘Juvenile Award’ was established. Following Jackie Cooper’s youngest-ever Best Actor nomination for his role in Skippy way back in 1931, the Academy took it upon themselves to create a special award that identified exceptional talent from child actors. It was an attempt to create a level and just playing field – perhaps as not to humiliate any adults who came up against the precocious little sods. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE.   Following previous rounds of selections - as voted by members - the Australian Film Critics Association has finalised its nominations for the annual AFCA AWARDS. Last year's awards were populated by an impressive line up of local films, and dominated by MAD MAX FURY ROAD and THE DRESSMAKER. This year's line up looks to be as equally tough whereby the selectors have their work cut out for them. It's an honor to be part of the selection process and we are thrilled to share the nominations with you. The awards will be held in March at the Astor Theatre. THE NOMINATIONS ARE: BEST FILM 
 Without further ado, we present the winners of our annual 2016 FAKESHEMP AWARDS!!! These are, of course, the films that each of us has selected as our favourite Australian films of the year (with a budget of $5M or less). They are Girl Asleep (The Glenn Award) ... Dead Hands Dig Deep (The Jarret Award)... and Mystery Road - Goldstone (The Shaun Award). CONGRATULATIONS to the three winning films. Well deserved and we encourage all of our readers to see them as soon as possible!
We are celebrating Christmas with our own Advent Calendar. Over the next few weeks we will each be watching a different Christmas related film every night and sharing our thoughts on Facebook. You can keep up with our festive marathon by following us on Facebook and using the hashtag #Shempmas . Every night we will each share a new poster and discuss why we've chosen it, and we invite you to join the conversation. Merry Christmas to you and we'll see you on Facebook!!  John Lee is eyeing a Summer shoot in Oregon. With the success of Netflix's Pee-wee's Big Holiday last month director John Lee has been selected to helm the upcoming Caddyshack remake, which is slated for a 2017 release. The all-new cast is here. George Clooney was the first on board and will be co-producing the film alongside Ghostbusters creator Ivan Reitman. Clooney will be stepping into the role of the prudish Judge Smails (originally played by Ted Knight) with former SNL great Jon Lovitz assuming the role of Al Czervik (the looney millionaire played by Rodney Dangerfield). For the lead role of Danny Noonan (the caddy originally played by Michael O'Keefe) the producers turned to Dylan Sprouse whose most notable roles have been alongside Adam Sandler in Big Daddy and Disney's The Suit Life of Zack and Cody. Kentucky-born comedian Billy Crank beat a multitude of hopefuls at a recent nation-wide audition process for the role of Carl Spackler, the dopey ex-military groundskeeper character made famous by Bill Murray. Reitman stated in a recent press release "Replacing Bill (Murray) is a tall order and we strongly felt that whoever plays Spackler would need to be a newcomer with nothing to lose". Crank is well known in his home state of Kentucky for his Ernie Worrell character (the son of Ernest P Worrell) but he is relatively unknown to the rest of the world. Warner Brothers are currently in discussion with Kevin Hart, who they hope will take on Chevy Chase's beloved Ty Webb character. Although negotiations are still ongoing reports coming from the Warner camp suggest that Hart is expected to sign. The Caddyshack remake has endured a long development process. Original director Harold Ramis passed away in 2014 leaving the project in limbo until long-time friend Reitman stepped in. While it is yet to be confirmed, original cast members Michael O'Keefe, Chevy Chase and Brian Doyle-Murray are rumoured to have cameo appearances. No word yet on whether Bill Murray will have any involvement with the remake. We reached out to Warner for further comment and were told that more announcements will be made in the coming weeks. April Fools!
by GLENN COCHRANE | FAKESHEMP.NET
Anyone who follows FAKESHEMP.NET, or listens to our podcast, will know that we have a strong affection for filmmaker Albert Pyun. You will also know that he has struggled with a degenerative condition for the past several years. Today that condition got the better of Albert and he has released the following statement.
Here is the definition of what is affecting me. I have been fighting it to with my drive to make movies but yesterday it was clear to me I have degraded to far, and I could not overcome the disease. My dementia had progressed to the point I have lost to much brain, to much of me. The definition:
Cerebral atrophy is a common feature of many of the diseases that affect the brain. Atrophy of any tissue means loss of cells. In brain tissue, atrophy describes a loss of neurons and the connections between them. Atrophy can be generalized, which means that all of the brain has shrunk; or it can be focal, affecting only a limited area of the brain and resulting in a decrease of the functions that area of the brain controls. If the cerebral hemispheres (the two lobes of the brain that form the cerebrum) are affected, conscious thought and voluntary processes may be impaired. He continues... Even I cannot make any more films because the Dementia progressed quicker than I thought possible. I will always consider it my final creative effort as a filmmaker. I know all of you are disappointed, none more than I. I so wanted to bring the talented cast and crew to the world's attention. They made my last days as a filmmaker so satisfying and a joy. But they diseased has truly dimmed my brain to the point I can no longer fight it. It's robbed me of everything. My ability to think, walk and even 
My poster design went through at least 20 versions before we settled on the final one, and a few months later I found myself flying to Las Vegas to attend the world premiere at the Pollygrind Film Festival. Being picked up at the airport by Cynthia was a surreal experience, although not nearly as surreal as sitting in Albert's living room and discussing cinema with him. He invited me to ride-along on a cinema sound check with him and composer Tony Riparetti. I regret declining that offer but I was going on 40+ hours sleep deprived and was desperate to hit my hotel bed.
A few days later and we were seeing the film for the first time. It was a well-attended screening and the audience response was great. Unbeknownst to me I was included in the festival's awards ceremony. I received an award for 'Best Key-Art' for my poster design. To receive such acknowledgement for work associated with the legendary Albert Pyun is insane!!
And there it is folks - LEGENDARY! I could go on and on about my own experience with Albert, but lets focus on him. What a legend! Albert is the man who gave us THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER, CYBORG, RADIOACTIVE DREAMS, NEMESIS and MEAN GUNS, amongst others.... MANY others. In fact he has over fifty films to his name (in thirty years, I might add). He is a filmmaking renegade of independent cinema. He has worked with the best in Hollywood, and he is responsible for countless success stories. Of all the directors I have known, few are as focused, determined and passionate as Albert. I might add that few are as open with their fans, which for better or worse, was one of Albert's foibles. He let everyone in on his creative process and he would vet his ideas to fans. Sadly a lot of people misunderstood this process and Albert put himself in a position to be criticised. Nevertheless he is a resilient man and took all opinions on board. That's just the way he did things and he was passionate about using social media to engage with the people he had been working for - the audience.
FAKESHEMP.NET moderates Albert's official website and I invite you to pay a visit. Take a look at the incredible work that he has churned out over the past three decades and read his story. The 'about' section chronicles a fascinating career and provides a compelling window into his life.
And of course there are the wonderful videos that Albert recorded for FAKESHEMP.NET. We were proud to present a six-month-long series of Pyun screenings in Melbourne, which featured twelve of Albert's films. For each screening he provided a video presentation, along with several of his various cast members, and gave insight into the film's productions and their back stories. You can find these videos in our Videos/Pics section or our YouTube Channel, as well as on Albert's website. Here are two of my favourites.
And with that I encourage you to drop by Albert's Facebook Page to send him your well-wishes. He is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker who's been dealt a shitty hand. Send your love to Cynthia too, because she is Albert's rock. The illness has taken an almighty toll on her and she could really use your love. And finally... lets talk. Drop us a line in the comments section below and lets talk about the films of Albert Pyun. WE LOVE YOU ALBERT. Look after yourself, mate. xx   All good things must come to an end, and so the time has come to say goodbye to another stellar year of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. And what a year it’s been. It has easily been one of their best years yet with a program of boasting outstanding and provocative independent cinema. Jarret and I arrived nice and early, in time for the closing night trivia. Being so early in the evening the attendance for this competition was reasonably low, but that bared no relevance to the fun that was had. Talk about “FakeShemp represent”. After two rounds of trivia, which lasted about an hour, Jarret and I swept up the accolades by coming first (myself) and second (Jarret) with only a hair’s breadth between our scores. A few more people filtered into the theatre and it was time to watch the first feature for the night. We were treated to a strange Turkish documentary called REMAKE REMIX RIPOFF, which served as a retrospective look at the copy-cat films of the Turkish film industry throughout the 70s and 80s and how they cloned everything that was popular in Hollywood. It was a strangely compelling and highly amusing look at an industry of cinema that I knew existed once upon a time but never gave much thought to.  Following that film the doors opened and the room filled up quickly. Everyone was along for the world premier of Tim Spanos’ latest opus SIZZLER 77. It was a buzzing atmosphere with the sound of bottles clinking and the hum of people talking. Spirits were high and all of the faces from throughout the festival had grouped together to send the festival out with a bang. And then there was SIZZLER 77, an outrageous and hysterical comedy set in the back streets of Melbourne during the late 70s. The crowd response was great and the film’s humour hit all of the right spots. It was brilliantly written, fully self-aware and acted with the right amount of insanity. It tells the story of a new pimp in town and the two detectives determined to bring him down. With every conceivable retro centric pop-reference thrown in to the mix it also serves as a nostalgic and edgy satire with a huge amount of appeal. Stay tuned for my review. And so with the MUFF16 program at a close there was only one thing left to do and that was to announce the winners of the MUFF Awards. Festival director Richard Wolstencroft graced the stage alongside Hussein Khoder and Reilly Archer-Whelan to announce the MINI MUFF winners. Richard then called filmmaker Jon Hewitt to the stage to announce the various feature length winners. These awards included best screenplay, best director, best cinematography, and of course best film (amongst others). Amongst the winners was FakeShemp.Net's Jarret Gahan who took out the tied award for BEST DOCUMENTARY. This is where I take a moment to indulge in some personal acknowledgement. To see my brother-from-another-mother scoop up this award was a sincerely amazing moment. I've witnessed the hard work he has put into the film and watched it come to life over the past couple of years. I honestly couldn't be prouder. Jarret has been a fundamental asset to FakeShemp.Net and he can now proudly call himself an award winning film maker. Congratulations brother. "Outstanding!". 
A massive congratulations to all of the winners from the three of us here at FakeShemp.Net. We've attended the festival for many years and we feel strongly about 2015 being the most solid year yet. There was a greater focus and overall cohesiveness to this year's event and the quality of selection was outstanding. The festival boasted a vibrant collection of films with some being edgy and provocative and others that edged their way towards the mainstream without spilling over into a pool of wankery. Following the awards Richard was taken off guard and told to halt the proceedings. Actress Kristen Condon then took the stage and surprised him with an award for Best Festival Director. Unbeknownst to him, a collective of festival supporters (us included) had planned to bestow this upon him to recognise his contributions to independent cinema. Over the past sixteen years he has provided an invaluable platform for indie filmmakers (new and old) to exhibit their work to audiences. He has given them an opportunity to showcase their work, where other festivals have denied them. MUFF represents the TRUE essence of indie cinema and has, in turn, served as a springboard to help propel a whole lot of notable filmmakers to success. The MUFF alumni include directors such as James Wan (Saw, Insidious, Furious 7), Patrick Hughes (Red Hill, Expendables 3) and Zak Hilditch (These Final Hours) amongst others. A bunch of filmmakers from present and past took to the stage to congratulate Richard and share their own stories and thoughts on the festival. It was a stunning way to close the 16th Melbourne Underground Film Festival (the festivities continued in the VIP room for a raucous after-party. But what happens behind closed doors, stays behind closed doors).  A massive thanks to Richard and MUFF for inviting us along as media partners and allowing us to curate our own evening. It has been an honour and we are proud to have provided a running commentary to the whole damn thing. On to MUFF 17! |
Archives
February 2018
|
