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Breath
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| tigglewink01 |
Date: Saturday, 21-Apr-18, 3:30 PM | Message # 796 |
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I've re watched it again. Oh how do I get your link to someone else so they can enjoy this forum too. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Sunday, 22-Apr-18, 9:12 AM | Message # 797 |
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Quote tigglewink01 (  ) I've re watched it again. Oh how do I get your link to someone else so they can enjoy this forum too.
Tell them to register to this forum! It's esy, free, and so they would be able to enjoy pics and videos!  |
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| tigglewink01 |
Date: Sunday, 22-Apr-18, 10:04 AM | Message # 798 |
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Ok will do as its a very good forum and nice people too. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Sunday, 22-Apr-18, 1:18 PM | Message # 799 |
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Letterboxtype:
Happy to see the posters out for Simon Baker’s new feature film ‘Breath’, along with our typographic titling and identity. Based on the Tim Winton novel, the film is really worth a look.
https://web.stagram.com/p/Bh3kFQbj1jy
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| tigglewink01 |
Date: Sunday, 22-Apr-18, 2:21 PM | Message # 800 |
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Thanks I have found out that the opening night in cinemas is Australia May 3rd and US June other countries not listed yet. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Monday, 23-Apr-18, 10:52 AM | Message # 801 |
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FILMINK REVIEW https://www.filmink.com.au/reviews/breath/
Breath
Travis Johnson
Year: 2018 Rating: M
Director: Simon Baker
Cast: Samson Coulter, Ben Spence, Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake
Distributor: Roadshow
Released: May 3, 2018
Running Time: 115 minutes
" an excellent, thematically complex,
emotionally truthful coming of age story,
and a truly impressive directorial debut "
In a small country town in the South West of Western Australia in the 1970s, two best mates navigate the choppy waters
of adolescence. Thoughtful and introspective Bruce “Pikelet” Pike (Samson Coulter) and reckless, larrikin Ivan “Loonie”
Loon (Ben Spence) might seem to have little in common, but they are united by a shared obsession with increasingly
dangerous risk-taking, and a growing fascination with surfing. Those two drives are combined and exacerbated when
they come into the orbit of Sando (Simon Baker), a reclusive former world champion surfer who urges them to join
him in riding bigger waves and riskier breaks.
For his elegiac, closely observed first feature film as director, Simon Baker adapts Western Australian author Tim Winton’s
2008 novel of the same name to excellent effect. Baker’s film evokes both Winton’s unparalleled grasp of place and
his astute sense of the rites and habits of Australian masculinity. In other words, when it comes to capturing the joys
and traumas associated with coming of age in that particular time and place, Breath absolutely nails it.
Perhaps we can chalk that up partly to Winton’s own hand in the screenplay, which is also credited to Baker and Gerard Lee
(Top of the Lake, Sweetie), but the directorial choices are all Baker’s own, and he draws excellent performances from his
young cast. As our point of view character and narrator (Winton himself provides the adult Pikelet’s voice), Coulter does
most of the dramatic heavy lifting, giving a truly impressive performance.
Admirably, Breath avoids the common pitfalls of literary adaptations by never over-explaining itself. Voice over is deployed
when necessary to fill in narrative gaps or to comment poetically on the action, but the film definitely shows rather than tells,
trusting the audience to read the emotional transactions being carried out. Coulter is given the challenging task of growing
older before our eyes, and his path from reactive boy to proactive, self-determining man (or at least youth – Breath‘s temporal
span is short, though its emotional journey is epic) is wholly convincing.
By contrast, Ben Spence’s Loonie is a more archetypal character who doesn’t grow so much as become who he was always
going to be: aggressive, rebellious, wounded and, though he would never admit it, broken on a fundamental and secret level.
There’s a Loonie or six in every country town: products of violent homes willing to risk life and limb for even the slightest sliver
of affection because they have nothing else to offer, fiercely loyal and almost certainly doomed. Spence will remind you of
every one you’ve ever met.
Baker is solid in support as a character who could have been unbearable in less dexterous hands. There’s a touch of the guru
to Sando (the obvious cinematic reference point would be Patrick Swayze’s Bodhi in Point Break) and he clearly delights in being
mentor to the boys, dispensing advice and coveted wetsuits alike, but there’s a sad and wounded quality that grounds him.
Indeed, his wound is externalised in the form of his American wife, Ava (Elizabeth Debicki), sullen and withdrawn after her
ski-jumping career was ended by a catastrophic knee injury and, it is hinted, the reason he has withdrawn from public life.
If Sando is mysterious, Ava is all but unknowable, but in the way that mature, complex women are unknowable to adolescent boys
– it’s worth keeping in mind whose point of view we’re seeing these events from. When Sando and Loonie take off on a surfing
safari and Ava becomes the focus of Pikelet’s awakening sexuality, the film moves into murky and uncomfortable territory that
contrasts with the potentially dangerous but jocular adventures of its first half. Drowning is always a possibility, and a broken
arm might be the price of admission into the ranks of manhood, but sex, infidelity, secrecy and betrayal are much harder things
to deal with than the possibility that you might break your damn neck in the course of some foolhardy stunt.
For her part, Debicki is tasked with the difficult job of giving a distant character a sense of inner life, but not letting us
see exactly what that life is. For much of the film, Ava is either an obstacle or an enigma – a wan figure that limps around
Sando’s rustic bush hut, drawing the boys’ gaze and rebuffing their attentions with icy disdain. The character could have
been a misstep. Ava is not the focus here, for all that she is an object of fascination and obsession for several characters,
but Debicki is able to elevate the character into something more than just a plot point or trophy, imbuing her with a weird
alchemy of pain, wisdom, and self-destructiveness that both makes her a whole character and all the more alluring to
young Pikelet.
That’s indicative of the messiness in Breath that is both refreshing and discomfiting. This is a literary adaptation that retains
the sometimes woolly plotting of literature, rather than eliding away the rough edges and tightening up the loose reveries.
Not every loose end is tied up, not every sin is paid for and forgiven, nor is every rift mended. A happy ending is impossible
not because the film is pessimistic, but because it acknowledges that things don’t really end the way stories say they do
– we just learn what lessons we can and keep on keeping on. That’s a bitter pill to swallow at any age, and a difficult theme
to communicate effectively; that Breath does so is a testament to Baker’s directorial skill.
Still, the other key theme borrowed from Winton’s novel – the importance and addictive nature of risk-taking – is somewhat
muted here. The film’s deliberate pacing and somewhat painterly visual style don’t communicate the adrenal thrill of danger
that is inherent in the lifestyle depicted here. In focusing on the more cerebral and philosophical elements in play, Baker has
pulled a little too far back from the visceral, and you’ve got to wonder what a more concerted attempt to marry the two might
have delivered (Rick Rifici’s surf photography, however, is absolutely stunning).
That’s a minor negative, though, in the face of what has been achieved here. In Breath, we can hear two voices – Winton the
writer’s and Baker the director’s – working in concert to a rare degree. This is an excellent, thematically complex, emotionally
truthful coming of age story, and a truly impressive directorial debut. |
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| tigglewink01 |
Date: Monday, 23-Apr-18, 11:03 AM | Message # 802 |
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Thanks fot that nice read PS and I hope you have a nice Monday |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Monday, 23-Apr-18, 10:19 PM | Message # 803 |
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THE NORTHEN STAR REVIEW:
Breath, does it live up to the hype?
by Javier Encalada - 23rd Apr 2018 2:00 PM
https://www.northernstar.com.au/news....3394566
DESPITE living all my life in coastal towns in South America and Australia,
I have never been a lover of the ocean;
I never needed to get chest deep in the water in the middle of winter or travel around
deserted beaches lookingfor the perfect wave to surf.
Over the years I've watched many surf movies, but none of them explained this 'ocean love' to me - until Breath.
Admittedly, Breath is way more than just a surf movie. A quintessential Australian story, it's a coming-of-age tale
that is framed by the life aquatic - a cornerstone of the Aussie lifestyle.
Based on Tim Winton's book of the same title, Breath follows Sando, a former pro surfer in the mid-1970s who
decides to go out of his way to mentor two teens who are obsessed with surfing.
Living in the ‘70s — Samson Coulter, Simon Baker and Ben Spence star in Breath. Picture: David Dare Parker/Supplied.
The book was first published in 2008, and won the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2009.
Sando is played by Ballina actor and The Mentalist star Simon Baker, with Australian Elizabeth Debicki as his
wife Eva.
Two newcomers with zero acting experience, young surfers Samson Coulter and Ben Spence, were cast as the
iconic young men.
It was a bet that really paid off.
The film works on many levels but the first one is how true it is to the book, thanks to Winton's involvement in the
project from its inception.
It was an American producer, not an Australian, who got the project going in the first place.
Veteran Hollywood producer Mark Johnson (Rain Man, The Notebook, the Narnia trilogy) secured the rights to the
book from Winton, and then engaged Baker and Australian producer Jamie Hilton to be part of the project.
Young actors Spence and Coulter are both so good. They're possibly playing themselves, but they offer insights of
comedy, drama and emotion that out-stage Baker as the driving force of the film.
As Loonie, Spence is a natural comedic force that could sparkle into a bright future for the young surfer.
As Pikelet, Coulter is dignified, clear and elegant but at the same time awkward and unsure - as a regular teenager
should be.
Baker is great as Sando in an understated performance.
Simon Baker in director mode. Photo: David Dare Parker
But the star's real shine this time is not on screen, but behind the camera.
Although he has directed episodes of The Mentalist and The Guardian, this is Baker's first directing job in a feature film.
He had to wait for the right time and for The Mentalist to end, but it was a wise choice.
The surfing sequences are brilliant, the film's rhythm works and the story is told with nuance and elegance.
Breath made me understand why people are so attached to the sea, why they really need to be near it, and in it, often.
The coming-of-age story, the unfolding of drama and emotional upheavals are often only explained in dialogue-free scenes.
Furtive glances and long silences, in true Aussie male communication style, mark this film.
It works, and it will work not only for Australian audiences but for movie lovers (and surfers) internationally,
because the emotions are clearly visible, and the story flows well.
Simon Baker, Samson Coulter and Ben Spence in a scene from the movie Breath. Supplied by Screen Australia.
Breath is an instant Australian classic done brilliantly by Baker, the reluctant Hollywood star turned successful director.
The bet was high but the payout should be exponential.
Simon Baker will offer two advance screenings and Q&A at Ballina fair cinemas tomorrow Tuesday (both sold out).
Breath opens in cinemas May 3.
Verdict: 5 / 5 |
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| tigglewink01 |
Date: Tuesday, 24-Apr-18, 7:07 AM | Message # 804 |
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Thanks for that DS I enjoyed the read and the pics. Thanks for posting it too. |
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| Wand6122360 |
Date: Tuesday, 24-Apr-18, 12:40 PM | Message # 805 |
Bee's Knees
Messages: 517
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Thanks DSP. Beautiful photos. Nice articles. |
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| Tassie |
Date: Tuesday, 24-Apr-18, 4:34 PM | Message # 806 |
Bee's Knees
Messages: 517
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Another great review-I'm so happy for Simon and all concerned in the making of 'Breath.' Thanks for posting DSP. |
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| bee |
Date: Tuesday, 24-Apr-18, 7:33 PM | Message # 807 |
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Yet another great review, so pleased for Simon. |
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| Deedee |
Date: Tuesday, 24-Apr-18, 7:40 PM | Message # 808 |
 Bee's Knees
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Such a great review and a pleasure to read. So happy for Simon. Thanks for posting. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Wednesday, 25-Apr-18, 8:34 PM | Message # 809 |
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Messages: 1979
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So overall, reviews are great, and the film is receiving a very good reception from the public.
I'm really happy for him and for all the people who worked with him on this film. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Wednesday, 25-Apr-18, 9:24 PM | Message # 810 |
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Article from Student Edege
https://studentedge.org/article....-breath
Act, Surf, Study: Samson Coulter Talks Making
Tim Winton and Simon Baker’s "Breath"
By Simon Miraudo in News › Movies Apr 26, 2018
Act, Surf, Study: Samson Coulter Talks Making Tim Winton and Simon Baker’s "Breath"
"Oh, s***… I don’t actually know how to act."
'Surfer' and 'actor' are two dream careers, equally unattainable. For most.
But Samson Coulter, one year out of high school, is already trying to find a way to balance both.
"Surfing has always been my main goal," he tells Student Edge.
"That’s always been what I love doing and I still love doing it. I’m competing all through this year. I’m
heading to Chile in May for a couple of competitions."
Before then, he just has the minor business of promoting Breath, the Tim Winton adaptation he stars in.
It’s directed by The Mentalist himself, Simon Baker, who handpicked the amateur actor after specifically
seeking someone who could handle themselves on a surfboard to play the coming-of-age tale’s fearful hero,
Pikelet. The similarly inexperienced Ben Spence was cast as Pikelet’s
troublemaking mate, Loonie.
"I’ve always been a bit too scared to ask [Baker why]," Samson laughed.
"I’ve just always accepted that he knows what he’s doing, and he’s obviously got a clear vision of what
he wants to achieve; of how he wants the film to play out."
That meant Coulter, who already knew his way around the board but had never actually tread the boards,
would be thrown into the deep end, learning through rehearsals and opposite established actors like Baker,
Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh and Rachael Blake.
(Baker plays Sando, Pike and Loonie’s Zen surfing master in 1970s Western Australia, while Debicki,
armed with an American accent, is Sando's depressed, live-in girlfriend, Eva. Roxburgh and Blake star
as Pike’s parents.)
"Simon would always tell me to stop acting, which didn’t really make any sense until the end of the shoot,"
he says.
"I think he just wanted me to be myself and he wanted the relationship between me and Loonie as natural
as possible, because off camera we were just mucking around anyway. He didn’t want either of us to get
too serious when the camera was rolling, because he wanted that same energy we had when we were
off the set."
The journey to the role of Pikelet was an unlikely one for Coulter, who initially dismissed the idea when his
mum and dad brought up the open audition callout at the dinner table.
"You know what it’s like with your parents," he laughed.
"It’s kind of funny, because I never sort of sat down and contemplated that I might actually get the part.
The whole journey was just a bit of fun. Every time I would make it to another audition, me and mum and
dad would laugh and say, 'At least we made it this far.'
"It wasn’t really until that last audition, I actually went, 'Oh, s***, I don’t know what I’m actually gonna do
if I get the part, because I don’t actually know how to act.'"
(Pictured: Baker, Coulter and Spence.)
It took Samson a while to feel comfortable inside Pikelet’s… well, not shoes, exactly, because the character
spends most of his time in the surf. Let’s say: wetsuit.
"Realistically, it probably wasn’t until the very end of the shoot that I was completely confident that I knew
exactly who that person was and felt comfortable playing that role," he says.
"The thing that I found [hard] was maintaining the energy and finding those emotions within myself, because
they were places I don’t usually go to.
"That’s all part of the fun, and that’s what’s rewarding when you do finish a scene and you go, 'Yeah, I think
I felt the feelings that I should’ve.'"
His character, Pikelet, not only endures the life-risking, sometimes paralysing terror of facing heavy waves
in shark-infested waters, but also the emotional torment of a disastrous, dangerous romantic relationship and
the splintering of his friendship with Loonie.
"I sort of thought that actors had it pretty good there for a while, but I was getting home from work and
just collapsing," he said.
And he did all this while still at school.
"I was in those last two terms of Year 11, so it was a bit of a setback [to my studies], but I tried to catch up
as best I could and ended up fine," he explains.
Now, however, he worries about kids being forced to watch his performance over and over again, when Breath,
the film, inevitably becomes a “related text” on the curriculum, where many of Winton's books and adaptations
already sit.
"I’m just going, 'Oh, no,'" he laughs.
"I just remember, when I was in school, every text that we studied, you overanalyse so much to the point
where you don’t enjoy the film anymore. So, I’m just going, 'Don’t do it.'"
Still, Samson enjoyed the acting experience enough to want another opportunity to try it all again, while also
continuing to surf.
"I figured, why not give them both a crack and hopefully I can stumble along something similar in the future
where I can try and do both in front of the camera," he says.
Breath arrives in Australian cinemas 3 May. |
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