sydney arts guide
This folder contains reviews written by Eric Myers for the Sydney Arts Guide, edited by David Kary. Readers can click on the INDEX button for a list of reviews or articles in this folder.
Keanu Reeves
GOOD FORTUNE: THIS FILM IS A PLEASANT ROMP BUT WITH A MESSAGE
Reviewed by Eric Myers
Sydney Arts Guide, November 1, 2025
Well, Good Fortune is certainly not an art film. On one level, it’s a rather quaint romp, with has its good points, and is often mildly amusing. Certainly members of the preview audience were prompted to laugh out loud at strategic moments in the narrative, and applaud vigorously at the end. It’s a supernatural comedy which can’t be taken literally, but it has its charms. The star of this film, the Canadian actor Keanu Reeves, is best-known for his leading roles in action films. In 2020. The New York Times ranked him as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century. So he comes to this role with an impressive record of achievement. Here he plays a rather hapless guardian angel Gabriel, whose main role, presumably given to him by God, is to prevent people crashing their cars when texting while driving. He is apparently a low-ranking angel, which is why his wings are relatively small compared to the larger wings of his supervising guardian angel Martha…
Meredith O’Reilly
MEREDITH & THE MEZZANINES: AN INTIMATE JAZZ EXPERIENCE
Reviewed by Eric Myers
Sydney Arts Guide, November 6, 2025
Situated on the corner of Shepherd and Knox streets, Chippendale, one finds the Knox Street Bar. The building has been owned for over 30 years by the sculptor and photographer Bjorn Godwin, who converted what was originally a garage into a so-called neighbourhood bar in 2014. It includes a performance area which seats about 60 people. With a raised stage area, with good sightlines from wherever one might be sitting in the room, it’s perfect for a small jazz club, where the music can be experienced in all its intimacy. This has been happening for about a year, one night a month, courtesy of the jazz quartet The Mezzanines led by the singer Meredith O’Reilly. The band is full of outstanding jazz musicians: Peter Locke (electric piano); Craig Walters (tenor saxophone); and Stan Valacos (double bass). On the night I attended Jim Piesse was on drums, filling in for resident drummer Ron Lemke. They play from 8-10.15 pm…