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March 28, 2024

Cinema Review: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

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Making Lismore Showground accessible to everyone

The Lismore Showground isn’t just a critical local community asset that plays host to a number of major events each year, but has also been used as an evacuation centre during past natural disasters in the region. 

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Richmond Valley Rail Trail grand opening

The latest leg of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail opened in style on Saturday, with hundreds of two-wheeled travel enthusiasts spinning along the newly opened 13.4 kilometre section from Casino to Bentley.

Mayoral casting vote gets Lismore’s Affordable Housing Strategy over the line

At the recent Lismore City Council meeting former Mayor Vanessa Ekins and councillor Elly Bird moved the motion to introduce an Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme and submit it to the state government for a gateway determination. 

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Save Wallum finalist in NSW 2024 environment awards

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These are not days for wandering too far from the beaten path, are they. The humble cinema-goer, seeking shelter from the storm outside, is perfectly justified in finding solace in the blandness of a movie such as this. It’s safe, predictable and reassuring in a soppy but true sort of way.

All of the players from 2002’s original instalment are back, but with the addition of Toula and Ian’s daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris) – who, at seventeen, is a tad older than strict chronology might allow for. After graduating from school, Paris (to be pedantic – in ancient Greece, Paris was a bloke) wants to leave home in Chicago and attend college in New York. This is the serious issue underpinning a script that is constructed around the wedding of Gus and Maria (Paris’s grandparents). The elderly couple have discovered that because their marriage certificate was not signed by the presiding priest, they have officially remained unmarried for all these years. One lame, culturally clichéd joke follows the other as the family – they all live in the same street in houses with kitsch columns etc – get together to prepare for the big day. Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan are terribly irritating as the oldies, but Nia Vardalos as Toula is warm and ‘real’ in a way that most of the other gesticulating stereotypes are not. Though given less of the spotlight, Kampouris is quite lovely as the rebellious child who is determined to break the shackles of a tradition that she finds stifling but which you know she will come to treasure.

Australia’s Gia Carides gets to flaunt her specky cleavage as one of the feisty aunties; there is a tender scene in which everybody welcomes a gay rel’s coming out of the closet, and the reunion of Gus and his brother Panos is surprisingly touching.

It is an easy film to watch and one that might even grow on you as it bubbles along to the reception’s happy song and dance at the end.


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Iconic Lennox beach shed upgraded –  not demolished

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Govt cost-shifting ‘erodes financially sustainable local government’

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