Two quiet achievers
Veronica Guerin
Stars Cate Blanchett, Gerard McSorely, Ciaran Hinds and Brenda Fricker. Rated M15+
Reviewer :: Lt Simone Heyer

About 350 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in the past 10 years. These are the people who are bringing us reports and images from hotspots such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Goodbye Lenin!

Stars Daniel Bruhl, Kathrin Sass and Maria Simon. Rated M
Reviewer :: Lt Simone Heyer

The ticket man openly scorned me for not having reviewed Goodbye Lenin! sooner, sure we were all on leave - some of us out of the country, so it's being done now. There's no need to ignore a good film, just because it's a little old.

TaskForce Dagger: The hunt for Bin Laden
By Robin Moore.
Pan MacMillan. 392pp. $33

Reviewer :: Capt Jason Logue

Robin Moore had amazing access to US Special Forces personnel in order to write this book. On face value it is a great story, not great in the Black Hawk Down sense, but more of a collection of adventures as the author unravels the activities of each of the teams in the 5th Special Forces Group.

Through Fire and Ice with Napolean
By Eugene Labaume.
Helion and Co. 200pp. $75

Reviewer :: Pte John Wellfare

What interested me most about this book was the idea of reading about the experiences of an individual, fighting in one of the most infamous campaigns in history.

Underworld

Soundtrack
Roadrunner Records
Reviewer: Ellen Rees

A heavyweight line-up of groups and artists join to collaborate on the soundtrack to the motion picture Underworld.
Danny Lohner (NIN) was the main composer and producer of the album, containing collaborations between Maynard Keenan (Tool front man) and Danny Lohner in the form of new project Puscifier. Other artists include Wes Borland (ex Limp Bizkit), Richard Patrick (Filter), David Bowie and Milla Jovovich.
A typically dark cult movie, with a dark cult movie soundtrack - moody, dramatic, hard and alternative.

Singles

Suede
Sony Music
Reviewer: Cpl Tony Luchterhand

Bursting on to the UK music scene in 1992 at the height of the Britpop phenomenom, Suede left an indelible mark on the alternative music soundscape. Their songs echoed the dreariness of London with its smacked up/cracked up youth, forever longing for the love of the sun and someone to share it with.
This compilation of 21 singles spans 11 years and six albums, from the muscular sound of The Drowners to the spacious Attitude. If you haven't yet heard any of these songs, go out and get this album.

Blue in the Face

DoubleDrive
Roadrunner Records
Reviewer: Gaelian Ditchburn

From the web page of DoubleDrive: "... it is refreshing to see a band break from the doldrums that bind their peers and revel in the pure redemptive power of rock'n'roll ..." I thought the whole idea behind rock'n'roll was anything but redemption.
While competent musicians, they still could be one of any any number of bands that come in under the moniker of Indie Rock or whatever the record companies are marketing it as this year.
DoubleDrive is one of those bands where parts of some of their songs I can appreciate but never quite get to the point of saying, "DoubleDrive? Yeah, They redeem rock'n'roll."

The Cat Empire

The Cat Empire
EMI
Reviewer: Lt Simone Heyer

Remember how the first Mighty Mighty Boss Tones song sort of got in your head? Think MMBT, then think Aussie band and then think 100 per cent better. That's The Cat Empire's new self-titled album.
Band-member Ollie McGill says that playing with TCE is like playing in eight different bands - which gives you some idea of the vast musical flavours in which listeners indulge.
TCE was voted sixth on TripleJ's hottest 100 - after releasing their album in October last year, they've quickly managed to get under alternative music fan's skin.
This is a really fun CD with all the necessary makings for an Aussie summer soundtrack.