No. 82. (2020) THE HAPPIEST SEASON December 24th.

 

Film No. 82 (2020) December 24th.  11:00 AM  EVENT CINEMAS No. 6,  Innaloo.

"I can relate to it, being a lover. Someone who is too afraid to show who they are" (Harper's once lover Riley gives a view on what Abby might be experiencing).

The runaway Christmas hit of 2020 has been Happiest Season. It likely deserves the mantle because there hasn't been much else around this season and internationally there are only a modicum of cinemas operating. It's a shame because H.S. ticks all the feel-good boxes and shines a light on Kristin Stewart who is new to the Christmas market but excels never the less. Then there is the controversy surrounding Mackenzie Davis who plays Harper, Abby's (Stewart) lover and the fact Davis is straight. Who cares, I say, in fact Stewart a bona fide gay person has no issue with Davis's sexual preferences. Actors simply act is her common sensical view. 

So what's the schtick? Nothing ground breaking really. Harper and Abby are lovers in their anonymous city life. Abby is at a loose end over the festive season so Harper wants to show off her lover to family but only under the pretense that they are straight housemates. The time is not right to reveal the extent of their intimate relationship. What can go wrong in five days? Plenty of course, otherwise we wouldn't have the drama so important to Happiest Season. 

A highlight comes in the form of Dan Levy as John. He steals a few scenes as Abby's gay house sitter friend. But will it become the Love Actually, go to feature, lovers of the genre replay Christmas after Christmas? Maybe. Time will tell. 9GUMS.

Chris Greenwood

             

No. 81. (2020) DREAMLAND December 22nd.

 

Film No. 81 (2020)  Dec. 22nd.  1:30 PM  PALACE  Raine Square,  Perth City. 

"You know the worst thing about dying kid? It's being forgotten." (Allison talks to Eugene about another fear in her somewhat untethered life).

Margo Robbie is captivating in Dreamland. It's a testament to her star power that this arthouse film has opened in most mainstream cinemas, mind you, I am talking from an Australian view-point.

In the depression ravaged U.S. Allison (Robbie) is wounded, on the run from the law and hides out in a barn,  somewhere on the dusty, barren Texan plains. She has been wounded during her last bank robbery and the wound is gory. Finn Cole plays the naïve, teenage Eugene, who lives on the ranch housing the barn, and stumbles upon Allison. He removes the bullet from her thigh and soon becomes besotted by her wild spirited beauty. Robbie's performance has us guessing as to her true feelings for Eugene. After all there is much to be gained, freedom for one, by her attachment to this uncomplicated farm-boy.

The film is more about Bonnie working towards claiming a Clyde. The chances of this being a classic however is zero. The film looks beautiful. There is hardly a location out of place but there are plenty of scenes that are either predictable or irrelevant. There is however no denying the Cole/Robbie aesthetic. The sweeping backdrop is complemented by their chemistry and good looks. 

The last 10 minutes has us guessing to a point, but I have to admit I became ambivalent about the climax. But there may be a surprise in store for some. Let me reiterate the fact Margo Robbie is charismatic and will attract a crowd for Dreamland. She will not disappoint, but the film may. 7GUMS.

Chris Greenwood.

     

   

 

No. 80. (2020) THE FATHER December 20th.

 

Film No. 80 (2020) December 20th.  8:00 PM SOMERVILLE Outdoor U.W.A.                        

"Why do you keep looking at me as if there is something wrong? Everything is fine!" (Anthony asks his daughter a question she doesn't know how to answer).

It's rare that the creator of a play then directs an adaptation for the screen. The Father was created by Frenchman, Florian Zeller in 2014 for the stage. His deep desire to bring it to the screen (via a screenplay penned by Christopher Hampton) has now been fulfilled and it is deeply affecting audiences around the world.

Dementia is a topic dealt with effectively in Still Alice (2014) and The Savages (2007). Both are good films presenting a traditional third person view of the disease. The Father delivers a new dimension, it takes us into the mind of Anthony (Anthony Hopkins). The opening scene lulls us into a comfortable sense that we know where this narrative is headed. A caring daughter, Anne (Olivia Coleman) talks to her father about a change in her life which will alter the amount of time she she'll be around to care for him. 

When next we meet Anne, it's not the face of Olivia Coleman we see, it's Olivia Williams, which is very confusing, but it soon becomes obvious that we are viewing the world through the confused mind of Anthony. We aren't meant to understand this degenerative disease, but Zeller is delivering us a sense of how it might feel for someone grappling with their diminishing world. The power of drama, portrayed so uniquely here, will floor you. I imagine this may be an unbearable watch for those who have first hand experience.

Then there is the power of the performances. Hopkins has honed his skills over 60 years to master the magic of this role. Coleman is calm, helpless and so deeply saddened by her father's plight. Olivia Williams plays multiple roles but the 10 minutes she spends as a nurse caring for Anthony are infused with compassion and take the brilliance of The Father to its rightful end-point. It's a brilliant film but it will test you emotionally. 11GUMS.

              

No. 79. (2020) DINNER IN AMERICA December 13th.

 

Film No. 79 (2020)  December 13th.  2:30 PM.  Cinema 2  LUNA SX Fremantle.

"Be careful who you recommend this movie to. Do you really know the cinematic tastes of that person?" (The question many critics are posing to those who loved Dinner In America).

The Revelation Film Festival, unique to Western Australia, does it again. It brings us films like Dinner In America, a raw, resourceful, energetic, original slice of U.S. cinema too risky to be shown as a mainstream release. 

Critics have described DIM as a sweet film, and it is, but the techniques director Adam Rehmeier uses to transport us to the sweetness of its message are anything but. Film lovers craving new adventures in the cinema are going to love DIM but be careful who you recommend it to.

So, how does a story about a nasty punk rocker like Adam (Kyle Gallner) meeting a shy, down-trodden pet shop assistant, Patty (Emily Skeggs) turn into a sweet love story? By accident mainly. Patty's love of head-banger music means she falls for petty criminal and small time drug peddler, Adam, in no time. Adam is on the run and Patty can help. The excitement of running with Adam gives her confidence and a sense of belonging. The simple scenes of them looking out for one another are touching and hilarious. 

Then there are the dinner scenes which illustrate the times America faces now. The attitudes, the care or lack of for one another, the food, the settings, the seating plans, the buzz words in conversation. It's all there in the dinners. To say I loved Dinner In America is an under-statement. To say I'd recommend it to people is something else. I have recommended it highly to those who would never dream of "taking it down a notch" when it comes to original cinema. 10GUMS. 

  

No. 78. (2020) BEE GEES; HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART November 30th.

 

Film No. 78 (2020)  Nov. 30th.  6:30 PM  LUNA  Windsor,  Nedlands. 

"Why don't we take a bar out of Night Fever and make a loop out of it?" (One of the group's sound engineers suggests a technique which would make Night Fever iconic).

The impact the Bee Gees had on pop culture through three decades (70's through 90's) meant a major feature documentary had to do justice to their legacy. Sadly only Barry Gibb lived to appreciate the brilliance of How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.

Frank Marshall is far better known as a producer, but as a director, has two major films. These films, Alive and Eight Below could not be more different to this stunning piece of real life story telling. Marshall does come with a great pedigree. Marshall's hand (production) in Boston (2017), The China Hustle (2017) and The Armstrong Lie (2013) (extremely good documentaries) cannot be underestimated. 

I came to How To Mend A Broken Heart with an appreciation of the music that has been so impactful on at least three phases of my life. How Deep Is Your Love takes me to my first job in a small country town in 1978 is an example of just one phase where my memories flow.

 

The story of how these British born Queensland boys found a magic in the harmony they could create, and the chapters of their journey, from stardom in the seventies followed by a bitter break-up, to then reforming and instigating the disco phenomenon and finally to writing music that other artists immortalized, is enthrallingly entertaining. 

Marshall never gets side tracked here. The doco gives audiences an insight into who the Bee Gees were, how each was integral to the sound they made, how they shone a light on younger brother Andy and the effect their deaths has had on Barry. The insights of band members, wives and sound wizards build the dimensions that make H.C.Y.M.A.B.H. a classic watch. One doesn't need to know or even like The Bee Gees to appreciate an interesting story well told. 11GUMS.

                    

No. 77. (2020) DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER (British Film Festival; Perth) November 26th.

 

Film No. 77 (2020)  Nov. 26th.  7:30 PM  PALACE  Raine Square,  Perth City. 

"What you said earlier about why do we bother, we're still here aren't we? We can't have mucked things up too badly." (Sue, Daniel's mum, reflects on their recent arguments and takes a philosophical view at a time when her son seems slightly receptive).

Simon Bird exploded onto the small screen then graduated to the big screen with The Inbetweeners, playing nerdish, smart mouthed Will McKenzie. There was an original quality which appealed to audiences world wide, two feature films followed. Here, Bird directs Days Of The Bagnold Summer, his debut feature film and it's a very pleasant domestic drama full of the qualities he mastered during his T.V. career. The leads, Monica Dolan and Earl Cave play mother (Sue) and son (Daniel) Bagnold who are forced to spend a summer together because Daniel's estranged dad can no longer have him for his much anticipated Miami (U.S.A) long break. Bird has great sympathy for both his leads. Sue is simply lovely and Daniel is a teenager who doesn't want to be around or nagged by his mum. But things change when a sad thing happens in their household. They see the real goodness in one another. They learn much about themselves and each other along the way. We can relate to it. It works on screen. Rob Bryden's slightly slimy Douglas isn't really developed but Bryden is good and Sue's dignity remains  intact. I'm not sure Bagnold will have a long, big screen run but it will have its fans once it streams. I was pleased to see it in a cinema. I look forward to Simon Birds' next effort. 9GUMS.