Tonight my sister and I were lucky enough to go to the Rivoli, in Melbourne, and see the Melbourne premiere of the Golden Compass.  We were standing side by side on the roof of the Rivoli with many beautiful people and some famous Aussie celebrities as well.  Included amongst them was Magda Szubanski who plays Mrs Lonsdale in the film, (and as she admits, it’s a blink it and miss her role… she”s in three very short scenes).  Canapes and champagne were served (ooo la la… though I didn’t partake) and so were chocolates from Coco Black (yum).  There was even popcorn waiting for us on our seats.  And the Rivoli is a great place to see a film, so beautiful and art deco.

I liked the film.  I know critics in the UK and elsewhere have been harsh, but I thought it was an entertaining bit of cinema.  Yes, it’s far to truncated, yes some of the magic from Pullman’s work has been lost, yes religion has basically been squeezed (screaming and kicking) out of the film and yes bits of it don’t make that much sense unless you’ve read the book.  But, the acting is superb – Nicole Kidman and Dakota Blue Richard (who really brings Lyra alive) are fantastic.  And though Daniel Craig is wasted and Ian McShane doesn’t sound like Ian McShane, it’s got Sam Elliot in it being cool and Ian McKellen who plays Iorek, the warrior polar bear, brilliantly.

The CGI is also very nice indeed.  Some of the best I’ve seen on the big screen.

For all the controversy surrounding both the film and the books, Golden Compass could have been and should have been a disaster.  And while what get is no-where near perfect, it’s still an entertaining and worthwhile film.  So go and see it on Boxing Day.