Film No. 88 (2014) 5 To 7 December 27th.

Film No. 88 (2014) December 27th.  8.00 PM SOMMERVILLE Outdoor Cinema UWA Nedlands.

5 To 7

The selection of films chosen to make up the Festival of Perth program is often impressive. Usually they are independently made with an unconventional style including lingering shots and thoughtful characterizations and dialogue. 5 To 7 was a typical inclusion in the festival stable, at least this is reflected in the first half of the film.

Brian (Anton Yelchin) is a writer with more rejection slips than his wall can support. One day he is drawn to French beauty Arielle (Berenice Mariohe) standing outside the St Regis Hotel in downtown Manhattan awaiting someone to light her cigarette. From here the fairytale begins as Brian chats Arielle up, then learns she is willing to meet with him again, but only from 5pm to 7pm (French for "I'm married but available for late afternoon rendezvous").

Then for 50 minutes we are treated to some wonderful shots of our key players in various situations from walking from long-shot to close up (one take) in Central Park to a soft focus scene of our protagonists standing in the rain on a city sidewalk discussing their smoldering relationship with candid honesty. Meanwhile Sam (Frank Langella) and Arlene (Glenn Close) meld into the plot as Brian's parents; they have some of the film's best lines.

And yes, you guessed it, Brian and Arielle's feelings for one another become complicated, thus the happy ending teeters. The issue I have with the second half of the film revolves around a musical soundtrack hell bent on manipulating my feelings and scenes that repeat the intent already shown in previous takes. It's as if director Victor Levin has lost confidence in the techniques he used quite successfully to set the story in motion. A likeable romantic comedy never the less. 7GUMS              

Film No. 87 (2014) Maps To The Stars December 20th.

Film No. 87 (2014) December 20th.  8.00 PM THE PINES Outdoor Cinema Joondalup.

Maps To The Stars


A History of Violence is my favorite David Cronenberg film because it is the film that makes the most sense from his stable of cinema projects. He followed this with Eastern Promises and very nearly met the same standards. After lying under the summer sky and feasting on Maps To The Stars the other night my head is still spinning with the obscure way in which this film unfolded.

No one is spared in this take on Hollywood. Havana Segrand played superbly by Julianne Moore is an instantly unlikable actress vying for a part (initially played by her abusive mother) in an upcoming film remake. We witness her disappointment at not being cast but just when we think this is going to be the film's premise, Agatha (Mia Wasikowska) arrives with a scarred past to act as Havana's personal assistant. Agatha's family, have connections to Havana. Agatha's father (played by John Cusack) is Havana's self styled guru. He becomes the major dysfunctional force in the narrative.

There is David Lynch like obscurity (Mulholland Drive) to Altman (The Player) like realism layered from scene to scene as Cronenberg doesn't snipe at Hollywood but merely observes how disfunction may have been caused to an ordinary family in a make believe world. The barometer for all things unlikable is Agatha's brother, No.1 Hollywood child actor Benjie who could not be made more repulsive by Evan Bird.

Films like Maps To The Stars are not seen to be enjoyed. They are seen to be digested so we might gain an appreciation of the normal family life we may enjoy. Or perhaps an enjoyment comes from the interesting way a competent film maker (Cronenberg) goes about crafting a new style in telling a fractured tale from a not so original idea. He does it well, but he has done better. 7GUMS.   

  



  

Film No. 86 (2014) Mr Turner December 16th.

Film No. 86 (2014) December 16th.  6.00 PM THE BACKLOT Cinema West Perth.

Mr Turner

It's fitting that one of the UK's most accomplished film makers in Mike Leigh should create a film capturing the final years of one of England's most brilliant impressionist painters, William Turner. Leigh does his job with such breathtaking style, Mr Turner, is surely one of the most accomplished films of 2013/14.

Leigh has focused on the final 25 years of Turner's life, and what a world we share, as each scene is carefully created to depict the early 19th century with breathtaking precision. Timothy Spall plays Turner, a man who grunts his way through conversations with those who can't comprehend his artistic intentions, namely his discarded common law wife and children and his housekeeper.This contrasts sharply with the highbrow wit and knowledge he shares with his peers of The Royal Academy of the Arts.

The film is long but I can't remember a wasted frame. Leigh captures a man who travels far and wide capturing one famous scene after another, all the while scratching into his tattered notebook. So while our appetite for history is met, it is the social drama of Turner's interaction with people that is most fascinating. We experience the warmth of his relationship with his father who mixes his paints, the coldness he displays to his housekeeper who watches on longing to feel some tenderness from her master and finally, the true love he finds with his landlady (Sophia Booth) in the town of Margate, where he finds much inspiration for his painting.

Mike Leigh uses the cinema to create his own mini masterpiece in Mr Turner. He presents to us a man of passion who tramples his way over landscapes and emotions to create art. Timothy Spall won best actor at Cannes in April for good reason. Spall legitimizes each of Leigh's precise settings as if the era was part of a previous life. These men have worked together for decades, perhaps this is the ultimate culmination of a brilliant partnership. Mr Turner is a film to be enjoyed by cinema purists.  11GUMS.    

Film No. 85 (2014) Unbroken December 15th.

Film No. 85 (2014) December 15th. 7:00 PM HOYTS Extreme Screen Carousel Cannington.

Unbroken

When the Golden Globe nominations were released on the weekend I was surprised to see Unbroken was not listed for any awards. I hadn't seen the film but there has been much hype about Jolie's direction and the fact that the Louis Zamperini story had become such a legendary boys own story. After watching the preview screening last night I can understand the reason for the lack of Golden Globe acknowledgement but the film remains impressive.

Louis Zamperini grew up in dry, dusty Torrence CA, the son of Italian immigrants. Depicted as something of a "wild child" he channeled his energies into middle distance running, becoming a state champion, then Olympic qualifier in 1936. He set a new Olympic lap record in the 5,000 metre event in Berlin. Aiming for Olympic glory in 1940 his ambitions were thwarted by WWII. He joined the Air Force as a bombardier in 1941 and spent much of his time in the skies over the Pacific. And this is only the beginning of a tale so tall it really has to be true.

Zamperini, cheats death on his combat missions but is put to the test after spending 47 days in the ocean after an emergency crash landing following an aborted search mission. He and Phillips (Domhall Gleeson)survive to be plucked from the sea by the Japanese who proceeded to torture him till war's end. One particular Japanese officer, named Matsurhiro (Takamasa Ishihara), took a particular dislike to Louis so legend has it.

The two hour film focuses on his life til the end of the war so we learn nothing of the rest of his seventy years. He died just this year (2014) aged 98. Because Jolie only focuses in a linear manner on the chronological order of events with no cutting to loved ones as they must have fretted, wondering why they had heard nothing from Zamperini, we are left watching a film without a truly beating heart. The film, while exceedingly handsome, lacks an X factor. 7GUMS.      

  

Film No. 84 (2014) Birdman. December 13th.

Film No. 84 (2014) December 13th.  10.30 AM LUNA Leederville.

Birdman


Birdman is very definitely one of the most unique film experiences people will have in their cinema going lifetime. It's a big call I know but I'm confident of my prediction. The seamless movement from scene to scene in what seems like a single two hour take is masterful. The theme of one man proving to the world that he is not washed up takes us into the world of theatre. Therefore the original techniques of recreating live drama on stage via film must be convincing and Birdman achieves its objective in spades.

I'm reminded of Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler (2009) as we meet Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), a character who wants to break the shackles of his franchised career path as a superhero actor. Like Rourke, Keaton (Batman) tasted major success briefly before fading as the roles dried up and aging process took its toll. Keaton is not as weathered as Rourke was but the reinvigoration of a career via a masterful film is definitely worth comparing. Both actors dared to put their talents on the line, both were courageous and more importantly both succeeded.

To explain the narrative of Birdman is pointless. We simply need to know a famous actor needs to prove he is talented beyond the narrow range of the Birdman franchise he's known for. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel) seems to enjoy the chance to innovate on film as he assembles a cast including Edward Norton, Naomi Watts and Emma Stone who all bring convincing characters to the screen, the sum of whom will either make or break Thomson in his quest to succeed. 

The premise that Riggan Thompson needs to prove himself using live theatre as his vehicle will only work if we suffer the anxieties of previews, opening nights, unreliable cast members, an anxious agent, critics and his own perceived powers. We do, and we are manipulated around this claustrophobic environment with such precision that we are left breathless. I have just one criticism; the ending left me flat but I may be to blame. I need  a repeat viewing, I'm loath to have any criticism of this film. 11GUMS.     



   

Film No.83 (2014) The Water Diviner. December 8th.

Film No. 83 (2014) December 10th.  6:30 PM READING Cinemas Belmont.

The Water Diviner

The BLOCKBUSTER movie based on a significant historical event has rarely been a contributor to the Australian cinema landscape. Australia (staring Jackman & Kidman) is likely to be the only contemporary example of such a contribution to the BIG MOVIE release and this film could best be described as huge but a difficult; difficult to make but more importantly it was a film which had difficulty finding an audience.

The Water Diviner very definitely fits into the BIG MOVIE category and by all accounts it was made without the difficulties Australia endured. Russell Crow brings to the screen the story, based loosely on a true event, of Joshua Conner (Crowe) a father tormented by the loss of his 3 sons on the battle fields of Gallipoli four years prior. After suffering yet another tragedy he decides to take his gift as a water diviner to those fields, in the hope he'll locate the exact location where his boys perished.

Programmed for a huge Boxing Day release, The Water Diviner is an important contribution to a year of commemoration ahead. 2015 signifies 100 years since our nation's worst wartime disaster and  credit is due to Crowe for mounting this handsome film; a film he both starred in and directed. Big business (Stokes and Packer) were attracted to the project due to Crowe's commitment and the quality of the production reflects a budget of huge proportions.

The film has flaws but it will work for all ages. The outback landscape, the gentle romance, the immaculate costuming and the big soundtrack add up to a clever entertainment. A comfortable seat in a dark cinema will suit a majority of popcorn munching film goers this Christmas, a film of the calibre of The Water Diviner will fulfill their needs perfectly. 8GUMS 

  

    

Film No.82 (2014) Wild. December 9th.

Film No. 82 (2014) December 9th. 6:30 PM VMAX Innaloo.

Wild

"Honestly, I'm lonelier in my real life than I am out here", are the words spoken by Cheryl Strayed in a scene part way through Wild. While the scene is typical in look to what we've become used to as we've accompanied this woman along the famous Pacific Crest Trail, the words best sum up our key character's predicament. For me it is why the film succeeds. Barring the sudden and convenient ending, Wild is inspiring and entertaining.    

Wild is based loosely on the Cheryl Strayed memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. I say loosely because much of the heartfelt drama we view on screen via flashbacks have been embellished for purposes of more convenient story telling. The key to the journey however is the fact Strayed (nee Nyland) walked the PCT and documented her 3 month journey. The real life walk was possibly underwhelming but Strayed's ability to write made the story worth telling. 

So why does the film gel with such a narrow premise? Part of the reason for its success is due to the clever scripting provided by Nick Hornby. The reason Strayed is walking a trail we give her no chance of finishing, is because she is damaged. The clever method Hornby uses to narrate her story using light moments on the walk to juxtapose the heartfelt scenes told in flashback from her prior life builds a magic balance. We soon believe she has the strength to succeed. 

More importantly Reece Witherspoon is entirely convincing. Like most films that surprise, they are often films where the expectations were never high. Ms Witherspoon bought the rights to Strayed's story just prior to publication 3 years ago. Hornby was employed immediately to write the narrative, so her vision was real. The word is Witherspoon is in line for an Academy nomination and to my mind she probably deserves it.  9GUMS

     

Film No. 81 (2014) The Judge December 7th.

Film No. 81 (2014) December 7th. 8:15 PM Luna Outdoor Camelot.

The Judge

Father / son relationships have formed the backbone of many well made movies through the years. Surprisingly The Judge is a mediocre addition to that list. I say surprisingly because the cast assembled for this film is of the highest quality. Names including Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duvall, Vera Farmega and Billy Bob Thornton will draw a crowd but unfortunately the script left them bereft.

The Godfather, one of the greatest films ever made, can be compared in some way with The Judge. The father (The Don, Marlon Brando and The Judge, Robert Duvall) in both cases has a fractured relationship with his son who returns home due to family circumstance. Al Pacino's Michael is brooding and underplayed, Robert Downey's Hank Palmer is a brash lawyer but we never get to really understand why there is such a rift between his character and his father, The Judge. In both films there are other brothers, more loyal, who are important to the story but once again The Judge flounders because there's not the chemistry or the quality of Don Corleone's lads. I wonder if the presence of Duvall was not coincidental.

The Judge is the keeper of the moral compass in a wheat belt town in central US. He holds secrets however and all is not what it seems as seen through the eyes of son Hank when he returns from his city highlife to mourn the death of his mother. We learn that father and son are not close but after an incident involving The Judge, his car and a former criminal, you guessed it, Hank becomes his fathers defense attorney.

Then there is Sam (Vera Farmiga), Hank's high school sweetheart who has a teenage daughter (Carla Powell). There is silliness in this sidelight to the story. Warner Brothers' films often delve into cliched moments which do the film no justice. The real disappointment, however, is Billy Bob Thornton as Dwight Dickham. It's not Billy's fault, the script fails him miserably. His band of fans who paid their money to watch his work would have hoped for a refund. The Judge is tepid and clunky. 6GUMS

Film No.80 (2014) Serena. November 26th.

Film No.80 (2014) November 26th. 6:30 PM VMAX Innaloo.

Serena

Serena offers so much. A cast of Hollywood A listers, sumptuous costumes and sets, a screenplay based on a best selling novel and arguably the best Danish director currently working. Perhaps, as William Goldman outlined in Adventures in the Screen Trade, there is no such thing as a sure thing because Serena is a flop. Unfortunately, echoes of things to come could be heard early in the screening I attended. We laughed when we really should have been moved or shocked.

Serena (Jennifer Lawrence) marries George Pemberton (Brad Cooper)because he asks her, in their first meeting, with the second sentence he utters to her. In the next five minutes of screen time we are asked to be convinced of a special love they have for one another based on some vigorous horse riding and sensuous lovemaking. With all of that done they are soon on a train to George's timber cutting empire in North Carolina. All of this narrative is fed to us in 10 minutes.

Next we are presented with a few cliched scenes depicting Serena as one tough lady who knows her timber and needs to be respected by George's workforce. Meanwhile she becomes pregnant but not before she has paid close attention to an ex-servant of Georges who is the mother of a boy he fathered before they were married. And so it goes, she has complications during child birth etc etc.

My previous paragraphs are written slightly offhandedly, I apologize for that. It is a spin off of the manner in which the film presented itself to me. We are never attached emotionally to the characters or their emotional plights. There are however some picture postcard settings. If that is your thing then go see Serena. 3GUMS 

Film No. 79 (2014) The Drop November 24th.

Film No. 79 (2014) November 24th. 6.15 PM LUNA SX Fremantle. 

The Drop

I did enjoy The Drop. It's one of those quality thrillers where piece by piece each scene fits to form a three dimensional puzzle. Like all good films, there are some pieces more significant than others and so one is left to ponder the significance of each careful placement well after the screen has faded to black. For me however there is a flaw, it's with Marv (James Gandolfini), he lacks a credibility which I feel sure was not director Roskam's intention.

There were qualities only De Niro has previously exhibited to Tom Hardy's, Bob, the linchpin to all that The Drop stands for. The brooding bartender becomes our hero early and while he's not everything he seems, we root for him to the end. It's all to do with his commitment to the downtrodden; there's Nadia (Noomi Repace) a lady with both physical and mental scars and then  Rocco, the pooch he rescues from Nadia's garbage bin. These are simple but effective scenes to get us onside.

Cousin Marv used to own the bar where drops are made. The drops take the form of illicit money paid to the new Chechnyan owner Chovka (Michael Avonov)for services rendered. The Drop evolved from a short story Animal Rescue (Dennis Lehane). The story goes that the title of the film was to be Animal Rescue however because there was less of a focus on the human/animal relationship and more on the bar, The Drop was chosen. It's the muddled cues about cousin Marv's past and  the real connection he has with Bob, leading to the subsequent climax, that bothers me.

Don't get me wrong, I repeat, I enjoyed The Drop. I wanted it to be better, that's my issue. I haven't read the short story. As Dennis Lehane also wrote the screenplay I dare say there may be some enlightenment in the written version. Maybe I just wanted James Gandolfini to be better defined in his final role. I, like many others who continue to luxuriate in The Sopranos will miss him ..... Oh, and don't take my criticisms to heart, don't miss The Drop. 9GUMS   

  

 

Film No.78 (2014) Nightcrawler. November 17th.

Film No.78 (2014) November 17th. 6:30 PM VMAX Innaloo.

Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal emerged as a character actor of quality with the cult figure Donnie Darko thirteen years ago. Since then many a film buff has been waiting for another strange fellow to creep from our screens with Gyllenhaal wearing his skin. For me the time has come, Lou Bloom is the creep and Nightcrawler is the film.

We meet Bloom as a down and out thief working the L.A. streets accumulating steel and metal junk for cash so that he can maintain a semblance of a nocturnal existence. Suddenly he finds himself amongst the chaos of a traffic accident on a freeway. We observe him taking in every detail of a camera crew working the scene to film fresh fodder to sell to the highest bidding network keen to fill their breakfast television schedule. This gives him the seed of an idea for making fast cash.

Bloom is a psychopath of the Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) order, but without the misguided moral foundation De Niro gave Bickle. Gyllenhaal as Bloom takes us on a twisted journey of entrepreneurial genius as he becomes a major player in the news collection industry. But he then delivers us into evil as we stare into his single minded persona via his dark eyes. His autistic tendencies mean the people who mean most to him, Nina (Rene Russo) and Rick (Riz Ahmed), don't mean much to him at all. So, what happens when he decides to manipulate the news?

Many a movie goer may revile this film. The subject matter may bring issues about our world too close to their own doorstep. For me Dan Gilroy found a wonderful narrative to create a new cult character to be remembered. Lou may not quite meet the standards of Donnie but he goes mighty close. Bloom will certainly creep under your skin and we have Gyllenhaal to thank or detest, which ever you prefer. 10GUMS.   

     

 

 

Film No. 77 (2014) Fury 3rd November

Film No. 77 (2014) November 3rd. 4:10 PM MILLENIUM Fremantle.

Fury

War is Hell. It's an over used cliche, I know, but after watching Fury I found myself subconsciously turning the phrase over in my mind until well after the final credits disappeared. The mud, the blood and the corpses mount as we roll along with Fury, the Sherman tank which gives this film its gritty traction. 

"Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt)commands Fury. It is nine months after the D Day landings. His men and their tank are battle hardened and tired. We meet them immediately after a field battle which has left one of the crew dead. In stunned silence they drive with the body of their comrade, covered and seated in his normal position, to their next control point. There is a real dignity in the way their comrade is lifted and taken from their fortress; Fury.

Enter Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) a "wet behind the ears" solder. The replacement for their fallen buddy. Norman is frightened and poses a threat to the safety of his new "brothers". Collier needs to exert his authority immediately by forcing a hard lesson upon Norman. There is chemistry in the Pitt and Lerman connection. The glue which holds Fury together is seen in the charisma Wardaddy and Norman bring to the action. A long scene set in the dining area of a German house brings the two characters together in a unique, tense then tender series of events.

Written and directed by David Ayer, Fury represents his most accomplished film so far. End of Watch showed flashes of what Fury accomplishes. To write and direct a war film which gives an audience a sense of what war might have been like is a big shift from Ayer's usual US city street dramas. Fury is slightly predictable and a little cliched in it's conclusion. So was Saving Private Ryan but for me Fury is a better film.  10GUMS.       

Film No. 76 (2014) The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet October 22nd.

Film No. 76 (2014) October 22nd. 6:30 PM PARADISO Northbridge.

The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is a unique book. Reif Larson's novel is presented as a journal come scrapbook, making any attempt to translate the story to the screen, tempered with risk. The film doesn't quite live up to the spirit of adventure depicted in the book however it is very entertaining and well worth seeing in 3D format.

The 3D format is often reserved for animated films. Up is an example of a film I loved because of it's 3D dimension. In The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet, 3D elevates the story to new levels as we grow to enjoy the company of T.S. while he imagines, invents, dreams and predicts all manner of ideas. The pop out inserts (3D) give us extra insight into the prodigious mind of our new friend. 

Put simply, T.S. is primary school genius who lives with his eccentric mid western farming family. He is a scientist of note, inventing a perpetual motion machine and having that achievement recognized by the Smithsonian Institute. He accepts the invitation to attend the awards presentation in Washington without his family's knowledge and then proceeds, with over-sized suitcase in hand, to take the daunting road-trip cross country; via a goods train.

Kyle Catlett is wonderfully charismatic as T.S.  He captures our heart as he avoids the pitfalls and challenges served up on his journey, all the time coming to terms with the tragedy embedded in his past. His family, led by his mum (Helen Bonham Carter) are colourful and help us to better understand our traveling friend, T.S.  With the advancement of 3D to the latest T.V. units this film may become a real icon of the family movie genre. 8GUMS       

Film No. 75 (2014) Kill The Messenger October 18th.

Film No. 75 (2014) October 18th. 11.00 AM LUNA Leederville.

Kill the Messenger

While I enjoyed Kill the Messenger, I wonder if the story could have been better told as a mini series. Gary Webb's character was so multi dimensional that I would have preferred to have gotten to know him over a longer period of time. Given that, there were three definitive aspects to Webb's investigation of drug importation into the US, there was a connection between that importation and the Nicaraguan war of the time and the CIA was closely involved in all of this, I'd like to have known more.

The down side to a mini series production may have been Jeremy Renner declining the key role of Webb. Renner's work in the film is legitimate and gives the character a rugged naivety which is key to director Michael Cuesta's intention. Here is a family man so embroiled in his job that he has no care about the CIA buttons he is prepared to push, we sit knowing there will be repercussions.

Webb wrote a series of articles titled Dark Alliance for his newspaper The San Jose Mercury News. His articles exposed the CIA as being complicit in their knowledge of crack cocaine being transported into California in the 1980's and sold in vast quantities. Web was named journalist of the year (Pulitzer Prize) in 1996 for his articles. The CIA eventually owned up to some of Webbs factual analysis but not before they had discredited him using the forces likely to inflict most harm; his own and other newspapers.

Because this relatively complex tale is told in 112 minutes, Cuesta glosses over elements such as Webb's obvious commitment to his family, the thoroughness of his work in Nicaragua and the relationships he must have melded with key informers. There is even the cliqued CIA "baddies" looking dark eyed and stoney faced when staring him down. Never the less Kill The Messenger tells an important story which may have you theorizing especially after reading the mandatory summary paragraphs when the screen goes black. 8GUMS 

Film No. 74 (2014) Whiplash October 16th.

Film No. 74 (2014) October 16th. 6:30 PM PARADISO Northbridge.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a good film. It's a definite for an editing nomination from The Academy. It's uncompromising in its portrayal of human endeavour, to the point where we can't take our eyes off the screen, but we want to. The teacher / student relationship between Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) and Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons)has a touch of the Karate Kid about it but its Mr Miagi you'd be inviting over to babysit your kids not Terrence Fletcher.

Shaffer Conservatorium of Music, is the most prestigious post grad music school in New York. Neyman is a student battling away down the grades but he has great ambition to become a drummer of the highest standard. To reach that standard he needs to be noticed by Fletcher, who conducts the flagship jazz orchestra of the college. You guessed it, he's noticed and the war of attrition begins. If you've seen the trailer then you have some idea of what you are about to experience.

The film asks the age old question of those who seek to be the best. What are you prepared to sacrifice to get to the top? But this film takes the premise one step further, Fletcher breaks boundaries because his philosophy incorporates brutality, both of a mental and physical nature. He makes no excuses and we just have to watch on, hoping he'll get what's coming. Finally, there is a payoff and it may surprise many.

Whiplash has flaws. They are only minor but they are slightly annoying. The trailer would suggest that Nicole (Melissa Benoist)as Neyman's love interest is integral to the story, not so because their relationship isn't explored in any great detail. The same could be said for Paul Reiser playing Neyman's dad. There is a lack of true depth to their bond. Only one relationship counts in this film; hopefully it won't break you! 
10GUMS    

   

Film No.73 (2014) Pride. October 14th.

Film No.73 (2014) October 14th. 7:00 PM VMAX Innaloo.

Pride

Films from the UK depicting the grim times of Margaret Thatcher's reign of power during the 70's and 80's are many and varied. Most of this cinema reflected working class people struggling as they adapted to the repressive social landscape of the time. Pride takes us back to that time, and to arguably the most torturous struggle of them all; the miner's strike of 1984/5, and then lightens our load through humour.

That's not to say the film doesn't have its serious moments. It's because of the the affinity we build for most of its characters during the films quick witted, lighter scenes that we are reduced to tears on a number of occasions in the heavier scenes. 

The real story of what happened in the Dulais Valley in South Wales during the strike became big news when the strike ended. The humble donations made to the small mining community by an unlikely source (LGSM: Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners)  were at the time newsworthy but soon forgotten. Perhaps because overcoming homophobia takes time and one event isn't likely to have sudden effects. Pride however comes at a time when societies views have softened, more people are accepting and this film is going to assist the cause even further.    

I've not used a paragraph to summarize the film because there are too many strands to this very entertaining log of history. Bill Nighy, unaccustomed as he is to smaller roles, is brilliant as Cliff. Academy nominee brilliant in my opinion. But the character of most interest, the fresh faced Irish boy Mark Ashton, played brilliantly by Ben Schnetzer, is the key to the story. He's worth researching further once the titles have finished rolling.  10GUMS.

Film No. 72 (2014) I Can Quit When Ever I Want October 10th .

Film No. 72 (2014) October 10th. 8:45 PM LUNA SX Fremantle. 

I Can Quit When Ever I Want (Smetto quango vogilo) [Italian]

On reading the premise to this Italian film you might be lulled into believing that the creators had condensed the six seasons of the award winning US series Breaking Bad into a movie. Not so, and thankfully it has a style and delivery of its own.

Pietre Zinni (Edoardo Leo) is a science lecturer at his local university and like so many of his academic kind is employed on yearly contracts. We meet Pietre on the termination and non renewal of his latest contract. He can't tell his partner Giulia, the beautiful Valeria Solarino so he lies but needs to supplement his income in a hurry.

Director Sydney Sibilla encourages Jacques Tati like performances as Pietre forms a band of ex lecturer colleagues,  all with specific skills, to produce synthetic tablets for the lucrative recreational drug scene. There are some quite disturbing themes here but the characters are all so likable, naive, self-effacing and generally bumbling that the theme becomes a sidelight.

Made as a regional comedy this small film is the reason festivals at home are such a delight. Leo is excellent as the "key bumbler" and reminds us that the French and Italian comedies outdo the bigger budget western efforts regularly because their central characters are funny without resorting to vulgarity or star power. 8GUMS   

Film No. 71 (2014) Obvious Child October 4th.

Film No. 71 (2014) October 4th. 11.00 AM LUNA Leederville.

Obvious Child

In the concluding scene of Obvious Child, Donna (Jenny Slate) comments "I don't connect with romantic comedies" which is interesting considering we've just connected very successfully to her brilliant 85 minute performance. It was an ironic twist in a film full of small moments; moments which add up to a very serious comedy of the romantic variety.

Now just because I've mentioned romantic comedy please don't jump to Ashton Kucher or Jennifer Anniston conclusions. Obvious Child deals with the issue of abortion through the persona of Donna Stern a young stand up comic who loves life but because of a break up she didn't see coming and a one night stand of the energetic kind, has to take a more serious approach to decision making. She turns to friends and family for support and it is the uniquness of these relationships which gives the film its substance.

Her best friend in the world, Nellie (Gaby Hoffman) exclaims; "You're dizzy because you played russian roulette with your vagina," when commenting on Donna's bout of morning sickness. In the same scene Donna responds with "I remember seeing a condom; I just don't know exactly what it did". Then there is the warm scene between Donna and her dad Jacob (Richard Kind) where he uses the puppet he is painting to cheer her up. All the while Max (Jake Lacy), her one night standee,  is attracted to Donna and we feel for him as Donna contemplates telling him.

Then finally, in the brilliantly handled sedation before abortion scene we focus on Donna coming to terms with the decision she's made and because of the clever work of director/writer Gillian Robespierre we are now part of her circle. We know she'll be fine but more importantly it was nice to be there to help her through it. 9GUMS 

 

Film No.70 (2014) Gone Girl. September 30th.

Film No.70 (2014) September 30th. 6:30 PM VMAX Innaloo.

Gone Girl

I'm told Gone Girl, the film, slides nicely into the narrative groove of Gillian Flynn's book of the same name. Ms. Flynn wrote the screenplay so I dare say she paid particular attention to including details essential to the original story. Both Flynn and proven director David Fincher have done a great job; Gone Girl is a riveting, if not slightly long, melodramatic thriller.

So without spoiling a single minute of your Gone Girl experience the story unfolds like this: Nick Dunne (Ben Afflick) lives a knock about life in the suburbs of North Carthage, Missouri, running a bar with his sister Margo (Carrie Coon). He's blissfully married (or so it would seem) to Amy (Rosamund Pike). In an early scene he takes a call from his neighbour; the cat is out and the front door is ajar. All is not what it would seem on the domestic front; cut to a close up of a pen on the page of a diary. Amy scribbles down the story of her first meeting with Nick; the beginnings of her ambition to live a perfect life.

Afflick and Pike play the fractured couple perfectly; their ability to manipulate our feelings towards them from one fluctuating scene to another succeeds splendidly. Coon along with Tyler Perry as "flagshot" lawyer Tanner Bolt deliver sharp performances. Typically Fincher layers his film with a soundtrack which weaves just the right amount of uneasiness into its demeanor.

I've not read any of Flynn's novels so I'm no expert but on reflection I can't help but wonder if she made it a stipulation that she, and she alone had narrative control over this big studio film, so her female characters maintained their intellectual stamina. The female characters in Gone Girl have more dimension and are a step ahead of their more predictable male counterparts at all times. Detective Boney (Kim Dickens) is the measuring stick on this matter; with the less said about her cliched offsider Officer Gilpin (Patrick Fugil) the better. 8GUMS.

Film No. 69 (2014) The Skeleton Twins September 29th .

Film No. 69 (2014) September 29th. 4.30 PM LUNA SX Fremantle. 

The Skeleton Twins

Mark and brother Jay Duplass worked as executive producers on The Skeleton Twins. Mark, in particular, is gaining a reputation for involving himself in interesting projects in both film and television. Duplass (Mark) played Jack in another accomplished relationship drama, Your Sister's Sister. If you liked Sister then you'll enjoy The Skeleton Twins.

This is a film of substance. It is well acted, in fact it is exceedingly well acted with the theme of sibling relationship under repair the focus of our attention. The fulfillment for an audience in this drama comes in the delicate mix of its ingredients. The humour is layered perfectly throughout the reflective and insightful dialogue; dialogue so legitimate we enjoy the company of all the characters.

Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig) are twins with issues. We meet them as they contemplate suicide on precisely the same day. Milo attempts first and just as Maggie makes her move she receives a call from the hospital to which Milo has been admitted. Maggie flies from New York to L.A. to be with her brother, a brother she brings back to NY to re-connect after 10 years of being apart.

Any film dealing with themes of depression and suicide, not to mention adolescent rape (a past experience of Milo's)takes a risk with what sort of audience it might attract. Twins prevails because of the accomplished work of Hader and Wiig who never take us to the depths of negative emotion because they have each other and their support of one another is genuine. But most likable of all is Lance (Luke Wilson), Maggie's lovable husband. Wilson has set new teddy bear like standards in his ever smiling, non-judgmental character. I thoroughly enjoyed The Skeleton Twins.  9GUMS.          

Film No. 68 (2014) Siddharth September 22nd.

Film No. 68 (2014) September 22nd. 6:30 PM PARADISO Northbridge.

Siddharth

We hear so much about Bollywood, India's bigger than big film industry. It's Hollywood to this vast population of film lovers all vying to escape to another world of imaginative dazzle. Then there comes a film like Siddharth, a film so powerful in its depiction of the real agonies faced by some of India's inhabitants you'll sit in stunned silence as the credits roll, thankful in the knowledge life's lottery has been kinder to you.

When Mehendra (Rajesh Tailang) cannot even produce the simplest of memories of his son Siddharth, a photograph for the authorities, we know his plight to find his boy will be unimaginably difficult. This tale is based on a true story; a story told too often by families in the poor quarters of cities throughout India. 

The story is simple; we meet a humble chain-wallah Mehendra and his family, wife Suman (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and cheeky daughter Pinky (Khushi Mathur)living hand to mouth from day to day in a room the size of a small bedroom (without a door) in the back streets of Delhi. They have recently sent their 12 year old son off to work in a larger town some distance away so that he might earn added income so the family may raise their fortunes from the dirt poor to merely just poor. He is expected home after a month but he does not return. Racked with guilt and remorse Mehendra takes us from one frustrating dead end to another as we accompany him on his search for his son.

Cinema is such an adventure. We take a risk by paying our money to be taken on an emotional ride whenever we venture into these theatres. The emotional ride that Siddharth offers is excruciatingly painful but it also offers us the opportunity to feel true compassion towards others. Not all film goers seek this experience, it is not for everyone. But if you'd like the opportunity to journey with strong and courageous people who live with stress that we cannot imagine then go see Siddharth. You will walk away with a greater appreciation of all you have.  9GUMS  

Film No. 67 (2014) Son of a Gun September 20th.

Film No. 67 (2014) September 20th. 11.00 AM LUNA Leederville.

Son of a Gun

I can't recall a more exciting time in Western Australia with regard to feature film making. These Final Hours and The Reckoning have shown the Perth and Western Australian surrounds proudly as backdrops to these well made, tightly shot films. The much anticipated Son of a Gun is the latest to show off the same landscape and like The Reckoning's John Soto, the director, Julius Avery,is a local, so there is a legitimacy about each shot.

I say much anticipated because Ewan McGregor stars in this prison break-out come gold heist thriller. The state government threw its weight behind this project once it knew McGregor had signed on, even though he shared the billing with Home and Away star Brendon Thwaites. So far the film has competed at festivals and while the reviews have been mixed, distributers across many countries have been buying the rights without hesitation. American company A24 has bought the rights and they have very high hopes for its success and I must say I can see why.

We meet JR (Thwaites), a fresh faced prison inmate about to serve 6 months for a crime we're never informed of. Most importantly, mainly due to his chess prowess, he is befriended by Brendan Lynch (McGregor). JR is protected inside by Lynch for good reason. With JR so close to release there is much to be done on the outside before a daring escape leading to the inevitable Kalgoorlie gold heist. The action is abundant and the speed with which plot-lines develop are furiously quick, if just a little too convenient at times. It is however a rollicking yarn of B Grade proportions; it makes no excuses about its brashness.

Director Julius Avery won both a Cannes and AFI award for his short film Jerrycan which had an earthy, Ken Loach feel. Son of a Gun definitely depicts its characters from the world of hard knocks with a real authenticity. My reservations are that some of the most interesting characters aren't given time to develop, particularly considering the talent of the cast. I'm keen to see what Avery does after Gun; I hope it is a character driven drama with a splash of realism. Son of a Gun proves he is a young film maker who can work with the best (McGregor).  7GUMS       

Film No. 66 (2014) The Little Death September 13th.

Film No. 66 (2014) September 13th. 10.45 AM LUNA Leederville.

The Little Death (la petite mort)

The delight of previewing a film which has been promoted with little to no fanfare but stuns you with its brilliance is a delight indeed. The Little Death tells the extremely funny story of the behind closed doors sexual desires and fantasies of 4 couples. Right, so while this might sound slightly sordid, you couldn't be more wrong. The film is hilarious, belly laugh funny in parts.

Every nation has its own self effacing style of comedy; Death is a fine example of our Australian brand. While the film spends time building on the frailties of each couple as they communicate with varying degrees of success, the humour overflows when the actors find the straight faced timing for each key moment in every scene. Layered through all of this is the fact there is some link between each as we learn that they live up the street from one another.

From the very first scene where Maeve (Bojana Novakovic) rolls over in bed and reveals to her man Paul (writer / director Josh Lawson) she needs to tell him of her secret sexual fantasy, we know we are in for something fresh. We are taken aback by her revelation but are soon in fits of laughter at his misinterpretation of it. Fresh because while some of the themes could have fallen into the realms of smut, but they don't, in fact they give new life to the theme of sexual secrets.

But there is more. Just when we think that all the avenues of the film's narrative are covered, two new characters are introduced with an even fresher idea. Monica (Erin James) and Sam (TJ Power) become acquainted via a skype hook up whereby Monica is employed as a video relay interpreter to assist Sam with his fantasy. The long scene is both funny and moving. I'll be looking out for the work of Josh Lawson from now on. I hope he can maintain the standards he has set with The Little Death. 10GUMS.        

Film No. 65 (2014) The Infinite Man September 11th.

Film No. 65 (2014) September 11th. 6:30 PM PARADISO Northbridge.

The Infinite Man

The Infinite Man is yet another product from The South Australian Film Corporation. Films backed by this Corporation are often packed with fresh ideas and images. This low budget effort is no exception as it explores the Rom Com genre through the Sci Fi device of time travel.

Dean (Josh McConville) is in love with Lana (Hannah Marshall), but their relationship is teetering. We meet them in the oddest of circumstance, at an isolated motel complex in a barren land. The relationship has gone flat, Dean has in his mind, through meticulous planning, a series of activities to rekindle the magic of love. Unfortunately a "fly in the ointment" turns up in the form of Lana's ex, Terry played brilliantly by Alex Dimitriades.

The weekend is a disaster, Lana exits but Dean will not give up. He stays on at this soulless complex, for a year, using his inventiveness (a time travel gismo) to recreate the fateful weekend we have just witnessed in the hope of getting Lana back.

Lana has a line late in the film, which goes "Why do you have to make things so complicated?" I couldn't help but feel the need to ask writer director Hugh Sullivan the same question. But then again with time travel films there is always a puzzle to ponder and The Infinite Man is no exception. The film is fresh, new and well cast; I just got confused. But hey, sometimes you strike a smart film but your mindset is all wrong. Perhaps that was me on this occasion. 6GUMS.   

Film No. 64 (2014) Wish I Was Here September 8th.

Film No. 64 (2014) September 8th. 6:30 PM PARADISO Northbridge.

Wish I Was Here

There has been a good deal of publicity prior to the release of Zac Braff's latest film Wish I Was Here. The reason being that his first film Garden State, released 10 years ago, gained such cult status, his next effort was certain to be greeted with some hype. So with all that said, I have to say I loved Garden State and I quite enjoyed Wish I Was Here. I'm wondering however whether my opinion would have been different if I'd never experienced the Garden State phenomena.

Expectation is all important when it comes to movie going. It's like we invest (the price of our ticket) in a new idea and a new talent (Braff) and we are so impressed with the product (Garden State) we can't wait for the next instalment. Then when it takes 10 years to arrive maybe we should lower our expectations. Anyway, it is what it is. Never the less, Wish is an entertaining light weight film which tries a little hard in its endeavours to enlighten middle aged parentsto the idea that along with responsibilities comes new revelations and a time to say enough is enough.

Braff's thirty-something Aiden Bloom is a good guy following a dream to be an actor. His wife Sarah (Kate Hudson) supports him through thick and thin and while he's frustrated (a full family swear jar) he continues to wade through his claustrophobic suburban life. Gabe (Mandy Patinkin), Aiden's dad becomes ill and can no longer pay for his grandchildren's school tuition. There is much levity as we get to know the Bloom family. Both Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon) are likeable pawns in the new dramas which unfold, depicting home schooling and dealing with the imminent death of their grandfather.

While the life lessons Braff taught us in Garden State were uncomplicated and delivered in the confines of just three characters, Wish I Was Here trips up on its own earnestness. In trying to tie his characters into a neat bundle of happily ever after-ness he loses some story telling technique. If you were a fan of Garden State then you are sure to spot those defects. Meanwhile if you've never heard of Braff's first film, go see this one. You are sure to enjoy the light manner in which he broaches serious aspects to life and then blends an appropriate soundtrack over the vision. He's particularly good at choosing music to suit his images.  7GUMS     







  

Film No. 63 (2014) Into The Storm September 4th.

Film No. 63 (2014) September 4th. 12.30 PM CRONULLA CINEMAS Cronulla NSW.

Into The Storm

My, how the disaster, come blockbuster movie has changed. Into The Storm is the latest film of this genre to blow onto our screens, quite literally. Unlike the blockbuster of the past, this film has no big name stars, the effects are CGI generated and the narrative is told in a less conventional manner.

It was not as if I was seeking out a more Poseidon Adventure 
style of film; I wasn't concerned in the least although I noted that inane dialogue remains the norm for this genre of film. After all, most film goers are there for the tension caused by the extraordinary effects rather than the spoken word. Never the less I found it a little irritating that Into The Storm did not attempt to try any new methods for character development. 

So what's it all about? Well a group of storm chasers prowl the landscape under the guidance of Pete (Matt Walsh); Pete bickers with Allison (Sarah Wayne Callies), his weather analyst, about the fact she is unable to guide them to his perfect storm. Early in the film Allison predicts that a small town, Silverton, will be the centre of something windy; they head in that direction. Enter Silverton High Deputy Principal Gary (Richard Armitage) who is at logger heads with his teenage sons as they strive to please him, all the while unaware of the nasty clouds approaching.

Well, the wind comes, the chasers and the Deputy and his family meet and there are resolutions aplenty. The C G Images take the film to new breathtaking levels in the final stanza as unlikely heroes emerge to save lives. I'm told it is Twister from 1996 retold. I haven't seen Twister so perhaps that is why my criticism is not scathing. But looking at the business Twister did those 18 years ago I now understand why Into The Storm was made. Twister grossed over half a billion dollars. I'm not so sure this film will achieve the same return.   6GUMS  

Film No. 62 (2014) Boyhood August 31st.

Film No. 62 (2014) August 31st. 11 AM LUNA Leederville.

Boyhood

I watched Boyhood open mouthed. I did laugh a few times, mainly because some scenes brought home a truth or two. The reason for my open mouth was that I felt in awe of Richard Linklater and the original method by which he has created this film. A truly excellent film.

To watch the actors Linklater chose for this brilliant project age over twelve years as he subtly melded the time changes from year to year gave me a greater sense of my own childhood and the observations, sometimes similar, I made as I matured over time. It is a clever film maker who can capture an audience using total fiction but with such realism we recognise ourselves and others via the flickering image. Every exchange of dialogue by the film's characters has a future bearing on what comes next. We certainly ponder that future but have a pretty good idea of what's to come.

We meet Mason (Ellar Coltrane) in the first scene. From the moment we set eyes upon him we know we are going to like him. It's just we don't realise how much. He lives with his sister Samantha (Loreiei Linklater) and his Mom (Patricia Arquette) in a run down rental property. Dad (Ethan Hawke) is no longer part of the family unit as he wrestles with accepting responsibility and loving his kids at the same time. The early scenes set a solid foundation for the path each character will follow over twelve years.

Mason grows into the young man we say farewell to in the final scene. We say it sadly because of the things he's seen, the battles he's fought, the advice he's listened to, the love he's shared and the quiet way he has dealt with his anxiety about life and what it all means. Arquette's final scene with her son is heartfelt and sums up a journey we have all experienced as parents. Boyhood is not to be missed; but only if you are in the mood to experience all your emotions in a film so unique I can't stop thinking about it.  11GUMS  

Film No. 61 (2014) The Reckoning August 26th.

Film No. 61 (2014) August 26th. 10:30 AM THE JAFFA ROOM Claisebrook.

The Reckoning

Sitting next to the writer / director of this taut thriller at this screening was a great privilege. John Soto is a friendly, easy going chap who was viewing his film for the 40th time and was keen to get a feel for how yet another audience would react to his work. Having him so close, and knowing how keen he was for feedback, I was hoping the film would live up to it's high energy trailer and tight production notes. Well, it did and I was pleased to talk with him about how well he'd layered and paced The Reckoning.

More about our conversation later. The film itself tells the story of a young girl Rachel (Hanna Mangan Lawrence) who seeks retribution after her best friend Abbie (Chelsea Williamson)is killed in a hit and run accident. Now while the premise of this story has been used before it's the techniques Soto employs to unravel the layers of this sometimes violent film that leads to a thought provoking and satisfying experience. The streets of Perth have never looked more familiar and at the same time menacing. 

The Reckoning is layered because the investigation is told in real time, with another dimension added. An SD card (No.1) is found on a victim early in the film. The card is used to electronically transfer evidence to the detectives Robbie Green (Jonathan LaPaglia) and Jane Lambert (Viva Bianca) working in the field. Green is grappling emotionally with something, his closet drinking is a clue to something running deeply in his psyche. Of course we find out, with just the right amount of cleverness.

Once the credits began to roll I congratulated John Soto on the subtlety with which he allowed his story to unfold. Each scene gradually built on the next and he asked us to figure out some of the earlier issues which may have helped to shape the characters and their relationships. If I had a criticism it was that the initial incident which triggered the drama had a coincidental connection.I put this to Soto who responded that coincidental incidents happened in Perth all the time. I couldn't argue.  9GUMS. 



     





  

Film No. 60 (2014) Felony August 25th.

Film No. 60 (2014) August 25th. 6:30 PM LUNA Leederville.

Felony

The first 50 minutes of Felony is gripping. The premise that an up-standing, respected cop, only recently recognised for his bravery, is led into corrupt behaviour when he should know better is familiar crime thriller fodder. The methods Joel Edgerton and Matthew Saville use through their writing and direction techniques respectively is thoughtful, clever but then slightly disappointing. 

Edgerton plays Mal Toohey, a cop who overplays his hand when he accidentally knocks a young paper boy from his bike on a deserted suburban street in the early hours of one morning. Toohey is over-tired and has been drinking. Detective Carl Summer (Tom Wilkinson) and partner Jim Melic (Jai Courtney) arrive on the scene to investigate. Summer observes Toohey's fear and leads him by the nose through a maze of deception thus keeping intact his career and a family. Melic is purposely removed from the road side discussion thus becoming the view point for the audience, a technique which adds to that gripping 50 minutes I mentioned earlier.

To specifically reveal my disappointments would be to spoil some key elements of the movie. I won't do that, but for me, some of the plot twists did not add up. They all made sense but although the likes of Wilkinson, Edgerton and George build great belief for us through the early stages, some of the key confrontations which rear up later in the film don't work. There is a love interest for Melic which makes no sense, then George's Julie makes a behavioral shift which is puzzling.   Given these criticisms the film is still very good.

Techniques such as the car mounted camera, the interior to exterior car shots and the flashbacks all built tension in perfect doses. Edgerton was in attendance at the screening I viewed and gave a fantastic insight into his screenplay and the mental wrestle his character has when confronted with making the decision to behave morally or otherwise because of the stress of his consciousness and situation. So while I was a little disappointed, the film has much to say and it is a story well told. Look for the extra coffee cup in the final scene. Joel asked our saudience to make up our own mind about what it meant. 8GUMS





  

Film No. 59 (2014) Snowpiercer August 23rd.

Film No. 59 (2014) August 23rd. 4:30 PM LUNA Leederville.

Snowpiercer

The Snowpiercer is a train in constant motion. It circles the earth on tracks which can't be maintained because there is no one left alive on earth to care for them. So why has this train been raging around our planet at hundreds of kilometres an hour for 17 years? Because it forms the back drop to talented Korean film maker Joon-ho Bong's first English language film.

One has to forget the implausible situation I have described because Bong is no Ken Loach when it comes to film making. Like Loach however he does like to comment on the human condition and if you imagine the Snowpiercer in the same light as The Ark, minus the animals, then you have the premise for this movie.

Chris Evans is Curtis a strong young man who lives in the back end of the Snowpiercer with the rest of the lower class citizens. Gilliam (John Hurt) is the elder statesman of the group who mentors Curtis as our repressed hero becomes restless. A young child is snatched from the group by the upper class. Outraged by this Curtis and his troops decide to force their way through the train, comprised of one surreal carriage after another, to retrieve the child. With every carriage traveled, Curtis comes across occupants who are representative of where they are stationed in the "food chain".

Okay so I'm not making much sense so far in describing this comic book drama. I'm not sure that I need to. If you like your films to be so fantastic that you are always looking for new cinematic stimulation then this film is for you. Bong does what he usually does in his films, he depicts "man in a mess". This time the mess is a metaphor for life's inequalities and someone needing to be held to account. You'll either love the film or be disappointed, perhaps because of the hype. I loved my ride on the Snowpiercer  10GUMS       

Film No. 58 (2014) What We Do In The Shadows August 22nd.

Film No. 57 (2014) August 20th. 6:45 PM HOYTS Carousel Cannington.

What We Do In The Shadows

I nearly made a major mistake in my film going life recently. I very nearly wasn't bothered about going to see this small but very funny film What We Do In The Shadows. I'd seen the shorts so I knew it was another effort at the mockumentary genre; a genre which has had little success in recent years partially because of the standard set by This Is Spinal Tap all those years ago.

The film is even promoted under the guise of The New Zealand Documentary Board; a name they've added as part of their production company. Let me tell you, there is no official documentary funding body that would fund a "real life" depiction of how four vampire flatmates take their audience on a journey of murder, mayhem and blood sucking. All in jest of course, as we chuckle away at how difficult it is for the flatmates to get on if one or two are not pulling their weight around the house.

Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh) and Petyr (Ben Fransham) share a house in the suburbs of Wellington. We spend a good part of 48 hours with these "slackers" as they argue about house chores and how they are going to lure the next human into their lair. It's all silly but the lads are so loveable it doesn't matter. Using the camera as their tool, each tries to outperform the other using skills from erotic dance to levitation. Then there are the one liners like "That didn't go so great, I think I hit the main artery", as Viago's one night stand turns into a bloody mess.

The narrative is not strong and this is where the film has a weakness. One of their victims, Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) becomes one of their own but he has trouble abiding by their code of confidentiality. The idea is great but the execution doesn't quite work. This is a minor triviality however; this film is a hoot. Rhys Darby (Flight of the Concords) turns up as the rival Werewolf pack leader trying all the time to be as polite as possible. There is much to be said for this variety of New Zealand deadpan humour.    10GUMS.

     

Film No. 57 (2014) Predestination August 20th.

Film No. 57 (2014) August 20th. 6:45 PM HOYTS Carousel Cannington.

Predestination

It seems that with any film using time travel as the key device to tell its story, your mind needs to be prepared for a series of sessions of mind gymnastics. Looper was my last foray into this genre of fantasyland and I enjoyed the mental challenges of that film. I did figure Looper out I must admit. Predestination on the other hand has been harder to ponder but that's not the reason I like it less.

In many respects they are very different films but Looper tended to stay within the bounds of complication. Predestination begins brilliantly; we meet a bartender (Ethan Hawke) who in turn meets a very bitter and twisted drinking client played brilliantly by Australian new comer Sarah Snook. The wonderful story told by Snook's character sets the foundation for the puzzle which lies ahead. Put simply the bartender is a time traveler (violin case in hand)who is obliged to prevent a crime which devastated New York in 1975.

So there you have it; I know I sound evasive but there are too many opportunities to reveal spoilers in this review. Hawke's character is an employee of the government; called a Temporal Agent. He is overseen by a bloke in a hat (Noah Taylor) and its their task to find The Fizzle Bomber before the key moment in history. So what has the mixed up Sarah Snook character got in common with these two gentlemen. Well quite a deal as it turns out but it is all a puzzle. I'm short a few pieces and it's been 48 hours since I saw the film.

The film is a handsome fantasy told a little too longwindedly for me. Sarah Snook is nearly worth the ticket price in itself for her testing role as a gender bender but it is because of her character that the story becomes less plausible thus the puzzle becomes more complicated. Hawke and Taylor are both fine in their roles while the make up and effects are excellent. If you love movies where time is manipulated then don't miss this one. I bet you'll have the puzzle solved within minutes of the titles rolling. 7GUMS.     

Film No. 56 (2014) Magic in the Moonlight August 13th.

Film No. 56 (2014) August 13th. 6:30 PM THE WINDSOR Nedlands.

Magic in the Moonlight

In Magic in the Moonlight we get some of the same from Woody Allen; in fact the first 40 minutes is vintage Allen. His script is tight, clever and seemed to be heading towards the fulfilling conclusion he so often delivers. Unfortunately the magic fades as we are asked to believe in a non existent chemistry between the lead characters played by Colin Firth and Emma Stone.

Firth plays Stanley, better known on stage as Wei Ling Soo a legendary magician whose sideline is unmasking fake psychics making money from believers. His friend and colleague, Howard (Simon McBurney) talks him out of a well earned vacation and into debunking the psychic prowess of Sophie (Emma Stone). A clever scenario on the face of it with a sharp little twist to finish; there's just no magic on the flickering screen.

In years gone by Allen would write a script with only himself in mind for the lead role. Perhaps with the knowledge that he physically no longer fits the bill, his writing changes to fit the mold of other actors who line up for the privilege of working with Mr Allen. In this case Firth plays Stanley with a thread of arrogance which is not a trait a Woody Allen played character would have.

I'm loathed to suggest Woody is past it. His demise has been predicted so often and then gems like Midnight in Paris and Blue Jasmine appear. Match Point remains one of my favorites and it is not typically Allen. Magic in the Moonlight continues the Allen tradition of quirky characters and elegant costuming and introduces a new favourite in Emma Stone. It's an easy watch but a miss never the less.  6GUMS.