Film No. 46 (2016) Land of Mine July 24th.

Film No. 46 (2016) July 24th.  4.15 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge. 

"I told you so, he may as well line us up and shoot us" (the words of a frightened young POW about to play his role as a sweeper on a Danish beach).

The fact that Denmark and more particularly its western coastline was such a strategic point, if somewhat misguidedly, for the German army during World War II is a fact often lost on many of we amateur historians. During Germany's 5 year occupation, 1.5 million land mines were set along the Danish beaches in anticipation of a D Day style allied invasion. Come wars end, 2,000 germans were rounded up to complete the dangerous chore of "cleaning up their mess". Over half of those ordered to disarm and remove the mines either died or were severely injured.


Many of those soldiers were boys of 17 to 19 years of age; a part of Hitler's youth rushed into battle when all was lost. Land of Mine tells a gripping human tale of a small battalion of these boys, under the command of their Sergeant, as they embark on the task of clearing a windswept beach of 45,000 disc and box mines. In the mold of Joyeux Noel a powerful human force glues us to our seats in a way only deeply affecting cinema can.


The boys have a charm from the very first time we meet them. Our empathy for the lads is given air early on. In a tense, crash course on mine disarmament, each boy disarms their canister with a style which becomes as unique as each personality we are about to take to heart. Enter sergeant Rasmussen (Rolan Moller) and his dog, Rasmussen is an iron fisted loner ordered to oversee these young unknowing "lions".


We are manipulated, if clumsily at times, however our compliance is whole hearted because technically the film is edited with precision. Sgt Rasmussen becomes a father figure of sorts to the boys as inevitable tragedy strikes, often suddenly and without warning. His mood swings confuse, especially as prior trust and loyalty scenes were seemingly set in stone. But the ending is brilliantly timed and never laboured. Land of Mine is a treat! 10GUMS.            


    

Film No. 45 (2016) Love & Friendship July 14th.

Film No. 45 (2016) July 14th.  6.30 PM LUNA WINDSOR Nedlands.

"No I've known him for years, I'd never speak to someone I didn't know like that" (Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) gives the reason for her caustic words to a passerby making an attempt to greet her).

I feel confident that if Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) was to comment on Love & Friendship she would describe it as a "delightful amusement". I dare say she would also have no hesitation in describing Lady Vernon herself a "wonderfully outstanding success". And while I'm rarely taken to reinforcing the comments of someone so self indulged, I'd have to agree with Lady Susan. Love & Friendship is an absolute delight.


This very slick film could easily have fallen flat given the checkered careers of Director Stillman and actor Beckinsale, however their talents are put on show in the very best of light here. The material, a Jane Austen novella titled Lady Susan, provided Stillman with the springboard for crafting the clever script, from which Beckinsale was the greatest benefactor. 


  The novella, Lady Susan, was written in 1871 as a series of letters between the characters each so richly etched into Austen's imagination. Stillman has interpreted the good Lady Susan perfectly as a confident, brash, unashamed, manipulative and yet likeable widow. The sharply brilliant writing reflects the meeting of a couple of brilliant minds, those of Austen and Stillman. Stillman continues his fascination with the classes (Metropolitan and The Last Days of Disco) while adapting his tone, this time a 19th century costume drama/comedy.


But as one luxuriates in this entertaining comedy of manners and high farce it's Beckinsale who commands our attention. She's Lady Bracknell but three times as clever. Our journey is dependent on her every move as she manipulates a couple of younger, naive men, smitten by her beauty and aura into "domestic bliss" which will suit her every need perfectly. Enjoy the high farce from Tom Bennett as Sir James Martin. He's got a touch of Ricky Gerveis as David Brent, in a series of funny scenes.  11GUMS. 

   

Film No. 44 (2016) Bridgend July 13th.

Film No. 44 (2016) July 13th.  9.00 PM LUNA Leederville. 

"We keep ourselves to ourselves round here" (Sara (Hannah Murray) receives this mysterious answer to a question she asks about the reason why so many young people were killing themselves).

It wasn't until I researched the facts surrounding this fictional tale about an actual region of Wales and the town at the centre of the region that I got a grasp of all that was shown on screen in this extremely grim tale. Bridgend was made in 2012 but only released in 2015, a mystery in itself perhaps. 


The facts are these. There have been 79 reported suicides in the region of Bridgend (pop over 100,000) since 2007. An alarming number considering the population of this depressed region. The ages of the victims range between 16 to 45 and research has never uncovered any answers to the epidemic of suicides which seems to have gripped this small area of the U.K.


Director Jeppe Ronde did his research on Bridgend and the strange and disturbing statistics. This film, Bridgend, is the fictionalised depiction of his discussions with the people most effected by the suicides. The shortcuts Ronde takes in his narrative suggest the suicides occurred only in a specific peer group in a village named Bridgend. This is not a criticism but it did effect the impact Bridgend had on me.


After the death of her mother, teenage Sara arrives in Bridgened with her dad Dave, to begin a new life. At first Sara is reclusive and shy soon however she accepts an invitation to hang out with others of her own age but there is something disturbing about the peer group chemistry. Sara becomes mesmerised by the antics of her new "friends" and gradually gains her own security by becoming an active participant herself. And so the grim mystery is given air to breathe. It's grim, but the background to all that is Bridgend is fascinating.  7GUMS.

Film No. 43 (2016) Hello, My Name is Doris July 12th

Film No. 43 (2016) July 12th.  10.20 AM NOVA  Cinemas, Carlton, Melbourne.

"You are a little green dynamo of energy Doris and don't let anyone tell you any different" (Observes a motivational guru (Peter Gallagher) to a wide eyed Doris)

 

The chance to visit my favourite cinema complex in Melbourne (Nova Carlton)was slipping away. A small window of opportunity arose on the day before departure and so a chance to lounge back in the most comfortable cine seats in Australia was taken. The fare however was a tad disappointing.


Sally Field reminds us of how charismatic a performer she is in this disjointed yet charming film. Doris (Field),is a sixty something spinster coming to terms with the death of her mother after years of care and commitment in the family home. This oddball tale of an older gal punching above her weight in the romance stakes is a light fairy tale of the independent variety.


Doris works in accounts for a company run by hipsters and wanna bees. A new consultant, John (Max Greenfield) arrives in the workplace and Doris is smitten by his charms. At the same time Doris's brother and sister-in-law are pushing Doris to sell the family home divide the proceeds. Our Doris is also a hoarder who has difficulty letting go of things, including memories, possessions and people. There are a plethora of issues mostly related to aging on show, perhaps too many.


Basically Sally is a one trick pony in this. The narrative has more holes in it than a sieve. If, however, you have fond memories of that warm and engaging look, the fingerprint of Sally's work, then I doubt you'll be disappointed with Hello, My Name is Doris. However, like the silly title, you'll soon forget the film. I have better memories of the plushness of my seat in cine 13 at Nova Carlton.  6GUMS.


  

Film No. 42 (2016) The Mine (Jattilainen) July 7th

Film No. 42 (2016) July 7th.  6.30 PM PALACE  Como, South Yarra Melbourne. 

"Your sauna buddies keep secrets from you" (Jussi (Joonas Saartamo) receives a warning from a compatriot).

The chance to visit Melbourne's plushest film house (The Palace, Como, South Yarra) was tantalising and on this occasion The Scandinavian Festival was on offer; The Mine (Jattilainen), a fictionalised version of the unnerving events surrounding the environmental catastrophes at a mine established in Lapland. A first class cinema and a chance to see a story from Lapland on screen, another first for me, what could be better?

Well, The Mine, in my view could have been a story told more effectively but that's film making for you. There are some risks taken in telling the tale, but The Mine falls short from both an impact and entertainment POV. 

We are taken on a 2 dimensional journey which doesn't take into account the people of Lapland and the human drama endured by the folk most impacted by the corrupt process whereby their drinking water becomes contaminated. Our story is told through the eyes of an environmental scientist Jussi (Joonas Saartamo)  who is employed by a company who have "sweetheart" deals already in place with both the Government and the mining company in relation to the granting of environmental permissions. 

Jussi (Joonas Saartamo) is hoodwinked at first into making sure his decisions are more aligned with his employee than with what is right until finally, after wrestling with his moral dilemmas, he decides which way to turn. So while the events surrounding this travesty of justice are real the convenient methods director Salmenpera and writer Pesonen take to manipulate us are at times cumbersome and far too convenient. It is, however, an important story and one worth telling.  7GUMS.     

Film No. 41 (2016) Sing Street June 29th.

Film No. 41 (2016) June 29th.  6.30 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge. 

"Do you want to be in a video for my band? (The line on which the film spins on its axis).

It's been two days since I watched my preview showing of Sing Street and I have sung it's praises to everyone I know who loves the movies. This is an easy film to recommend. The simplest description is that Sing Street is an adolescent version of The Commitments, only better. High praise I know but John Carney (Once, Begin Again) is a master of blending real love and original song making; he's the best in the business.

I'm reluctant to summarise the plot of Sing Street due to the high praise I have heaped upon the film. The plot is simple and has all been done before. Boy meets girl, both deal with speed bumps of the family variety along the way before they take the risks required to consummate their love. Simple doesn't have to mean lacking in quality, Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest stories ever told. Sing Street rivals R & J for the charismatic charm it uses to tell another simple fairytale. 

The actors who bring this tale to life form a list of future stars. Bend it Like Beckham introduced us to Kiera Knightley. Lucy Boynton plays the mysterious Raphina who may well get offers of a comparative kind. Conor, the focus of most of our attention is played by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo a young actor who locks us to his every move and song in Sing Sreet. Never heard of him? Me neither and for good reason this is his debut feature film. Jack Reynor, the most experienced of the cast, plays Brendan (Conor's older brother), a stoner but highly insightful. His performance is the glue which holds everything that Sing Street is together.

After the relative, undeserved, failure of Begin Again, Carney has returned to his roots. While the risks he takes in making Sing Street match the risks his characters take to consummate ambition and love, he never the less brings us a film of the highest quality. Sing Street is full of original sound, ideas, personalities and yet, we've seen it before. It mesmerises us in the same way that Once did. I'm hoping it will have the same view and re-view qualities for adolescents that Mean Girls enjoyed. But because it's lessons are more for boys (brothers even) I'm not optimistic. Don't miss Sing Street  11GUMS.      

Film No. 40 (2016) Goldstone June 25th.

Film No. 40 (2016) June 25th.  10.45 PM LUNA Leederville. 

"Here we are being civilised to one another, but you and I know things are going to change sooner or later, because that's how life is Jay" (Maureen (Jacki Weaver) issues a warning dripping with saccharine to her nemesis Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen).

Mystery Road was my favourite Australian film in 2015. It showed that Ivan Sen has a seriously good eye for our golden land and for infiltrating that barren sparseness with a lone wolf character experiencing more problems than the early settlers. Goldstone, his sequel, brings back Jay Swan in similar fashion without the credibility but with precisely the same genre quality.

Aaron Pederson (Jay Swan) the city trained cop who brought a semblance of morality and justice to the screen in Mystery Road returns to the screen to set things right in Goldstone, another outpost riddled with cruelty and corruption. Sen sacrifices storyline for golden, outback images a little too much this time but even the classic westerns of Howard Hawkes did the sameand they weren't any less engrossing for it.

Goldstone doesn't rattle along with any speed but Sen has a good sense of pace as scenes smoulder then gradually ignite. Josh (Alex Russell) is the young, lone, impressionable cop overseeing law enforcement in Goldstone. He's corruptable but there is innocence in his eyes, he knows his moral compass needs resetting. Local mayor Maureen (Jacki Weaver) bakes apple cakes for Josh to remind him about when and where he needs to turn a blind eye. Mining and illegal immigration for prostitution purposes are at the seat of the corruption.

As with High Noon or Rio Bravo there is a deadline by which good must conquer evil. Jay and the lovely May (Michelle Lim Davidson) guide Josh to his senses. Jay now has his ally for the all important "shootout", a scene Sen has made integral to both movies. Weaver set her mark as the malevolent Janine Cody in Animal Kingdom, her Maureen character lacks the same bite, which detracts from the conclusion. Critics are already rating Goldstone to be superior both visually and narratively to Mystery Road. From a visual POV I agree but I think the story could have been less simplistic. 9GUMS.        

Film No. 39 (2016) Independence Day: Resurgence. June 22nd.

Film No. 39 (2016) June 22nd.  6.45 PM GREATER UNION Innaloo.

"Our survival is only possible, when we stand together" (U.S. President Lanford (Sela Ward) speaks to her nation).

I didn't see Independence Day (1996) and it wouldn't have mattered if I had. There is a 4.46 min trailer of this latest release, I.D. Resurgence. Find a 3D smart T.V. some glasses and watch the trailer; you'll get the storyline and a sense of the effects which are continually repeated and are the reason the film was made. The script writers are named but I find it hard to believe they have used their real names. In fact I find it hard to believe contemporary cinema audiences will be able to stomach the banality of this film.  2GUMS. 

Film No. 38 (2016) Maggie's Plan June 1th.

Film No. 38 (2016) June 15th.  6.30 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge. 

"I couldn't help overhearing this young lady, she says she has two cheques and I don't have any". (John (Ethan Hawke) meets Maggie (Greta Gerwig) for the first time in the campus finance department).

While Woody Allen is taking a break until the release of Cafe Society (July release), and you find you have the need for a quirky, smart comedy with a bunch of actors who have mastered the art of playing out unselfconscious characters, then Maggies Plan may fill that void. Greta Gerwig, for starters, could be a reincarnation of Diane Keaton in all her Annie Hall glory. Rebecca Miller, daughter of Arthur, writes and directs in a way Woody would surely be proud.


So why the comparison? Well Maggie (Gerwig) has a plan to have a baby without the complications of a man. She approaches Guy (Travis Fimmel) a dude who sees Maggie as being out of his league but who is happy to provide Maggie with the necessary seed to impregnate herself. Enter John (Ethan Hawke) a married man who seduces Maggie in the same time frame. Who's baby is this going to be? Suddenly we move forward three years. It's quirky remember, a little Woody like and may I say slightly more entertaining than most of his most recent fodder.


 Move forward three years, Maggie and John are living together and have had a gorgeous little girl Lily (Ida Rohatyn, who steals a scene or two) but their love for each other is losing its lustre. Georgette (Julianne Moore), John's ex-wife represents Maggie's best bet for exiting her union with John. This leads Maggie to hatch her second plan but it is trumped by a plan Georgette has dreamt up. Other than Moore's forced accent (Danish) the light and quirky comedy succeeds. Gerwig has her fans, I'm one, and she carries MP because everything revolves around Maggie.


Unlike Allen, Miller is not prolific. Some say the weight of expectation because of her famous father has laid heavy, but I doubt it. All her projects are completed with a great thoroughness and bear her stamp. Proof as a writer and The Private Lives of Pipa Lee as both writer and director attest to this. Maggie's Plan is less serious than her other projects but no less thorough; it's an excellent example quality cinema. It's also very amusing.  9GUMS.