Sam Cleveland
Sam Cleveland is a professional writer with an arts degree and near-perfect manners.
Gold Coast-born and based, Sam nurses a pre-occupation for films directed by Michael Mann and Brian DePalma, comics written by Alan Moore and Mark Millar and music made by (mostly deceased) black folk.
For years he was an entertainment reporter for News Limited, where on various stints at the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals he picked up several mildly diverting anecdotes about his brushes with various marquee-name eccentrics.
Closer to home, Sam reviews films for ABC Radio and produces great volumes of advertising copy, corporate submissions and tender documents.
Articles by Sam Cleveland
Playing with nature - the ethics of sex selection
A Melbourne couple’s decision to abort twin boys conceived through IVF – the weekend’s flashpoint news story – is a…... Read more
Festival booze: Australia’s most expensive drug
On a simple buzz-for-bucks basis, booze on sale at the wildly popular Summafieldayze festival is the most expensive drug on…... Read more
There will be a winner and a loser in the Wikileaks saga
Julian Assange’s extradition to Sweden for alleged sex crimes is destined to become an ugly, inconsequential sideshow to history. Wikileaks’…... Read more
Lohan stitched up by patriarchal virgin worship
Am I the only one a little queasy over the underlying public gloat at the jailing of master criminal Lindsay…... Read more
Plenty of romance, pity about the comedy
Rove sidekick Peter Helliar’s debut film is out today and whoever cut the trailer has seriously let the side down.…... Read more
Three-dimensional films a one-dimensional rip-off
If you don’t want to be ripped off this weekend, don’t watch Clash of the Titans or Alice in Wonderland…... Read more
Hottest act at the Big Day Out is an innocent criminal
According to the letter of the law, the hottest act on this year’s Big Day Out roadshow is a criminal.…... Read more
A blokes guide to the best chick flicks
Curators of obscure movie history will, if they’ve had their eyes open, likely record 2009 as the year the ‘chick…... Read more
Why Avatar just might make its money back
There’s a very good reason why James Cameron’s Avatar, also known as The Most Expensive Movie Ever Made, stars a…... Read more
Let’s not give Britney another nervous breakdown
Whoa whoa whoa! Australia, hold up. Let’s tread carefully here… do we really want to induce another Britney Spears meltdown?…... Read more
Kanye’s rant exposes the stupidity of awards nights
Kanye West has once again shown up off his guts to an award show and gotten all boisterous about who…... Read more
You’ve never heard of the best film of the noughties
With only four months left until we leave the awkward-to-say noughties behind, why is no-one yet talking about the annointment…... Read more
Too many poofs spoil the broth for Bruno
Is it playing up to stereotypes to put Bruno’s failure at the Australian box office down to the same more-than-lingering…... Read more
Time to pronounce the death of the newspaper ... movie
That’s all she wrote for ‘newspaper movies’, with the fruitful subgenre to breathe its last once the Russell Crowe thriller…... Read more
Public Enemies and the top 5 guy movies of all time
I just saw Public Enemies, the upcoming Johnny Depp-as-John Dillinger gangster flick, and boy oh boy did it get me…... Read more
Bruno cuts Jackson scene - who’s the biggest loser?
Gifted comic Sacha Baron Cohen has shown misplaced restraint by snipping an inoffensive Michael Jackson joke from his upcoming moneymaker…... Read more
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The Punch is moving house
Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…
Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?
I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…
Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”
In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…
Nosebleed Section
choice ringside rantings
From: Hasbro, go straight to gaol, do not pass go
Tim says:
They should update other things in the game too. Instead of a get out of jail free card, they should have a Dodgy Lawyer card that not only gets you out of jail straight away but also gives you a fat payout in compensation for daring to arrest you in the first place. Instead of getting a hotel when you… [read more]From: A guide to summer festivals especially if you wouldn’t go
Kel says:
If you want a festival for older people or for families alike, get amongst the respectable punters at Bluesfest. A truly amazing festival experience to be had of ALL AGES. And all the young "festivalgoers" usually write themselves off on the first night, only to never hear from them again the rest of… [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
Superman needs saving
Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more
