No. 27 (2022) NOWHERE SPECIAL. MARCH 29th.

 

Film No. 27 (2022)  March 29th.  2.40 PM   Cinema 8.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"For me it is a love story. The story of a father, completely devoted to his little boy. Their relationship is trusting, uncompromising. A love story."(Director Uberto Pasolini describes the major theme of his film during an interview on Australian radio).

Here is a high calibre morality story, played out on-screen, with the potential to linger for days in your thoughts. Warning; i) If James Norton of GRANDCHESTER (BBC T.V.) fame has attracted your attention for more of the same or ii) You only go to the movies to have fun and not to cry; then give NOWHERE SPECIAL a wide berth. You'll be disappointed. 

Italian director Uberto Pasolini (STILL LIFE, THE FULL MONTY (Prod)) does not waste a frame or indulge in sub-plots to tell the heart breaking tale of John, a window cleaner dying of an incurable disease. The complication is, John is the sole parent to 4 year old Michael. His overwhelming responsibility is to find a home for Michael. Pasolini wastes none of the 95 minutes with sub-plots or asides. We learn of a father's unconditional love for his son; and make no mistake, Daniel Lamont as Michael will steal your heart, completely.

This story is inspired by the real case of a U.K. father. It's an easy story to Google but the premise of a dying father finding a family for his son is the only similarity. Pasolini read a news article about Nick Rose (40), a jovial dad who got a 9 month prognosis. That became his time limit to devote to finding a home for son, Logan. 

Norton is the star in NOWHERE. We are never in doubt about John's predicament or what his next move might be. The camera says it all: A glimpse of his medicine cabinet. A look through a window (one he is cleaning) into a family's life. Michael spreading a blanket over his sleepy dad. The look on the face of a prospective mum as she shows her real self. The dialogue is sparse. It doesn't matter. 

This film deeply affected me. I felt a thorough appreciation for a film that made no bones about how it wanted you to feel. This will not be to everyone's taste. And who did John choose as Michael's family? The four choices are diverse, so depending on how you see the world, you may be surprised with his choice; we weren't. 11GUMS.

         

       

No. 25 (2022) BETWEEN TWO WORLDS (OUISTREHAM; Palace French Film Festival, Perth) MARCH 22nd.

 

Film No. 25 (2022)  March 22nd.  1.30 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Care to explain why you are chasing after cleaning jobs? I have read your book". (Marianne is "busted" by her job seeker mentor early in her plan).

Two words came to mind when watching OUISTREHAM; Loach and Nomadland. The realism and use of untrained actors, playing themselves is a technique U.K. mastermind Ken Loach has used for years, and Frances McDormand played alongside everyday people in last year's Academy Award winner. Emmanuel Carrere (Director) and Juliette Binoche, respectively, repeat the dose here. To good effect.

The real life tale stems around journalist/author Florence Aubenas. She was not gaining publishers' attention with her writing, so she embarked on a new project. Her idea was to  get a job as a cleaner and gain an insight into the lives and conditions of a workforce (comprised of mainly women) who had few options, but made the best of their lot. She would then write the stories of these women. The book was a best seller.

Here Carrere has taken the idea and made OUISTREHAM. Using a class performer, Binoche as journo/writer Marianne Winckler (shades of NOMADLAND), then surrounding her with non-professional actors (NOMADLAND + Ken Loach style) to play hard working cleaners the film creates a wonderful sense of realistic authenticity. The theme is less of an informative working class revelations piece and more about the power of emotional attachment when it comes to meeting good people in any stage of life's journey.

There is nothing new when it comes to editorial comment here. The fact good people work hard to complete tasks the rest of us take for granted is always worth reinforcing. A reminder about lives of the less privileged is always worth telling. The film's triumph comes in the form of Binoche and her work with actors less experienced. The art and skill they show in front of camera is seamlessly convincing. Binoche convinced Aubanes that her writing would translate to screen well. Aubanes is reported to be pleased with this translation. It was a very personal journal and Binoche gave her persona the right touch. 9GUMS.         

 

     

     

No. 24 (2022) FAREWELL, MR HAFFMANN (Palace French Film Festival, Perth) MARCH 20th.

 

Film No. 24 (2022)  March 20th.  4.00 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Don't worry Mr Haffmann. Stay here till we figure something out."(Francois reassures Joseph that he will be safe with he and Blanche for the time being, until he can be on his way).

While devouring this sumptuous film it occurred to me that there must be a plethora of intriguing stories still waiting to be told emanating from the folk so affected by the German occupation across Europe during WWII. While FAREWELL, MR HAFFMAN, adapted from the much adored play of the same name by Jean-Philippe Daguerre, is fiction, the premise could come from any number of desperate measures taken by Jews as they exited their everyday lives to escape persecution.

Director Fred Caveye (AbOUT PORTANT) is a friend of Daguerre's, and after viewing the play in 2016, Caveye was determined to bring the story of talented Parisian jeweller Joseph Haffmann and the desperate plight he and his family faced in trying to survive German occupation. Friend or not I feel sure Daguerre must have been chuffed with Caveye's interpretation. The film is a triumph.

Haffmann (Daniel Auteuil) and family live a comfortable life in the business district of Paris in 1941. Joseph's jewellery business sits below his residence. He watches fellow Jews being extracted from the city at gun point. He hurriedly concocts a plan to send his family to safety, then, before he follows them, organises with newly appointed assistant Francois (Gilles Lellouche) to buy the business with the caveat to return the enterprise back to Haffmann when war ended. How uncomplicated could all that be?    

Daniel Auteuil (Haffmann), Gilles Lellouche (Francois) and Sara Giraudeau (Blanche) carry this period drama with wonderful poise. Three of France's most talented performers bring themes of good-will, greed, jealousy, loyalty, lust and finally cruelty, starkly to the screen. Those who love theatre and film equally will luxuriate in FAREWELL, MR HAFFMANN. 11GUMS.

  

             

No. 22 (2022) GOLIATH (Palace, French Film Festival. PERTH) March 10th.

 

Film No. 22 (2022)  March 10th.  1.30 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"I just want my words to be heard. I have no strength to go on"(cancer patient Margot's partner records her last words before sending a copy to lawyer Patrick).

This dense film tells the story of the injustices meted out to people who accept the necessity of using strong chemicals to increase crop yields, only to be struck by the true devastation of corporate moral bankruptcy when loved ones are affected. But it is not based on a true story as the opening credits suggest ... it is an idea based on a new law devised, or better still, proposed by the French government.

In 1917, Emmanuel Macron gave his "presidential word" that cancer causing glyphosate, the deadly chemical used in herbicides would be banned within three years. This is a promise that has never been kept. Director Frederic Tellier (SK1), along with his fellow writers Ballan and Moutairou have created a drama illustrating what the repercussions of that decision might look like.

It's a solid drama, but there are too many clichéd moments for GOLIATH to be an excellent film. Entertaining and worth a look, it certainly is.

Lawyer Patrick Fameau is a man of the people. His client (a physical education teacher) is the sister of a cancer patient who died. They desperately seek answers from Phytosanis, the corporate giant that produces Tetrazine, a weed killer used mainly in agriculture. The story gathers momentum as more and more people join the quest to bring the Goliath (Phytosanis) to it's knees. The face of "evil" comes in the form of executive Mathias, brilliantly played by Pierre Niney.

So, is justice served? Do the people, through weight of numbers bring "Goliath" to a moral standard more akin to life in a civilized society?  The films strength comes from not getting bogged down in courtroom melodrama. There are twists along the way but nothing too unpredictable. More importantly, we are reminded that when pushed, the vulnerable have a voice.  8GUMS.

  

         

No. 23 (2022) LET IT BE MORNING (Jewish Film Festival, Perth) MARCH. 15th.

 

Film No. 23 (2022)  March 15th.  6.30 PM   Cinema 8.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Is everything okay with Mira?"(Sami's mother Zahera asks a question of her son, a question she already knows the answer to, but she is looking for Sami to own his problem).

Israeli, official entry @ Cannes (Un Certain Regard) 2021.

Director Eran Kolirin has a way of bringing gentle, thoughtful drama to his films. THE BAND'S VISIT (2007) placed a group of good people (musicians) in a place they shouldn't have been (Egyptians in Israel). We got to know the band via a series of quirky character studies. With LET IT BE MORNING, Kolirin uses a similar style, but with a more intimate story.

We meet Sami (Alex Bakri), an Arab working in Jerusalem, at his brother's wedding in his home village an hour by car from his new life. He's there with his wife, Mira (Juna Suleiman) and young son. He's distracted. He's aloof and disdainful of those around him, who obviously once played a role in his life. There is an air of arrogance about Sami. He initiates a call on his cell phone which gives clues to his state of mind. He's busting to get back down the road to his his life as a Tech Manager in Jerusalem. 

The drama begins when he and his family are stopped on their way out of town. The Israeli forces have placed the village in lockdown, indefinitely. Sami is forced to retreat and confront unresolved issues from his former life. 

It's here Kolirin goes to work. It's through Sami's past and the quiet, kind eyes of his mother, he grows on us. He grows on us because, through family and friends, he remembers what it means to be loyal. The film doesn't waste a minute. There is tragedy and sadness along the way but it is all for a purpose. Life for Sami is reinvigorated. The ending leaves us hanging, but it works. You'll be thinking about Sami and his family for a day or two afterwards.  10GUMS.      

 

No. 21 (2022) BENEDETTA MARCH. 8th.

 

Film No. 21 (2022)  March 8th.  4.30 PM   Cinema 4.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"We don't always understand the instruments God uses" (Soeur Felicita l'abbesse advises Benedetta  life as a nun in the convent ).

Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy by Judith C Brown is a little known non-fiction book that details the life of sister Benedetta Carlini and the romantic affair she had with fellow nun Bartolomea in the 17th century. BENEDETTA is the film adapted for screen by Paul Verhoeven (TOTAL RECALL, ELLE) and David Birke (13 SINS) based on this J.C. Brown book. So what do I think?

For starters this film is arguably Verhoeven's most critically acclaimed film (Palme d'Or nominee). There is a lot to like about a film that tells the story of an iconic nun, devoted to Jesus, and feeling uninhibited by being a woman who leads a life dictated to her by the man (Jesus) himself. Legend has it Benedetta would have us believe he lived aspects to his life through her. The film takes us through this depiction including her blood being spilled.

Verhoeven has often been accused of using sex gratuitously  in his films. I have found his interpretations of sex on screen more akin to women having sex on their terms. Benedetta and her lover Bertolomea, based on Brown's research, pleased each other with an intimacy that enhanced the bond they had formed. The wooden aid carved from an effigy of Jesus has caused a stir, but it is a spice that colours the film as we would expect from an art (film).

Let's face it, the Judith C Brown book, painstakingly researched is crying out out to be re-interpreted on film. There have been many theories on the behaviour of Benedetta during her life as a nun. But Brown wanted to reveal the story of an ambitious young woman who was introduced to a lesbian relationship in a time and place in the 17th century. She had the strength of mind to enjoy her sexual awakening in the most unlikely place and time. She nearly paid the ultimate price because of it. 

BENEDETTA is a story of courage. A French production telling an Italian story. The performances are strong, as strong as the metre thick stone walls that formed the backdrop (Perugia, Umbria region, Italy) to most scenes. For me, yes, this is Verhoeven's best film. He has controlled this unique story from history with skill, at times with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, as is his style. And after all BENEDETTA is all about entertainment. 10GUMS.       

 

         

        

No. 19 (2022) THE BATMAN March 1st.

 

Film No. 19  (2022)  March 1st.  6:45 PM  EVENT CINEMAS,  VMax 1   Whitfords.

"Maybe we're not so different. Who are you under there? Can I see?" (Catwoman has one of a few intimate moments with The Batman).

Lets get something straight, immediately. I'm no Batman aficionado! I've seen three (BATMAN, BATMAN BEGINS & THE DARK KNIGHT) and enjoyed the original with Michael Keeton most. There you go, that may explain my review. THE BATMAN comes in as my 4th favourite, but it is by far the most brilliantly staged of all. So why then the convoluted storyline, the irrelevant scenes (every Penguin scene needs re-cut) and the 3 hour run time? My initial feelings of exhilaration eventually turned to exhaustion!

But what do I know? I feel like a fraud even commenting on how The Batman considering my lack of Batman acumen. . 

This version of Gotham is a down and out greasy city trapped in a crime-wave. It is lead by individuals so corrupt they'll stop at nothing to remain greedy and without conscience. Director Matt Reeves (LET ME IN) struck gold in the casting of Robert Pattinson as his hero. Pattinson gives THE BATMAN the vulnerable touch which separates our comic book original (1939) from this superhero with a conscience. His scenes with Zoe Kravitz (Catwoman) are tender and their chemistry works.

So why the negative rumblings in my opening paragraph? For me, really good films are all about script. So while the puzzles layered through the plot by major antagonist, The Riddler (Paul Dano) worked and were thought provoking, The Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) is not. It's as though The Penguin has to be a part of this script because there is a studio triggered contractual obligation. He has a series of monologues that seem irrelevant to the actual storyline. Maybe that's the point, The P is becoming irrelevant in Batman's heavy program of crime-fighting. I've missed the point? Well it won't be the first time. A re-cut without The P would have given this version a more palatable 150 minute run-time.

Anyway, THE BATMAN does his stuff. He does it well in the confines of a Gotham worth experiencing on the biggest screen available. Batman franchise lovers are devouring this version and that says much. Their attendance in numbers counts. Three hours may well be too short for THE BATMAN devotees!! 8GUMS.

   

                  

No. 20 (2022) A STITCH IN TIME MARCH. 6th.

 

Film No. 20 (2022)  March 6th.  10.30 PM   Cinema 3.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"It's hard to find someone who can make a good pattern. It's seriously impossible" (Hamish comments to Liebe on one of the dilemmas he faces as a serious fashion designer).

A STITCH IN TIME is a sweet melodrama. The film has a heart the size of the old sewing machine our key character, Leibe uses to help change her life. It's not a great film but it's a good film with a great message. A message, hopefully, that might have an impact on older folk who are toying with the idea of giving up on their dreams.

In Maggie Blinco (Liebe) and Glenn Shorrock (Duncan), first time feature director Sasha Hadden found leads who generate the emotion his film deserved. Liebe is lacking in self esteem and we soon see why. Partner of 50 years, Duncan, is a frustrated singer/ musician with a narcissistic streak that suffocates Liebe. In her twenties she was a talented dress maker, so when Duncan is sacked from his local RSL gig, Liebe cranks up her old Singer sewing machine. Her idea is to make one off  pieces of clothing and sell them at a weekend market.

While Hadden's script is at times overly earnest, messages of compassion, community, resilience and risk-taking are reinforced in most scenes. Liebe's two key friendships, those with "blast from the past" Christine (Belinda Giblin) and "market mentor" Hamish (Hoa Xuande) give her the material and emotional help Liebe needs to sew and realise her talents. 

We are never under the impression Liebe is going to be a designer to the stars. Hadden keeps the feet of his film firmly on the ground. His script, while earnest, has substance, with a surprising turn or two along the way.

Liebe has to separate herself from family and friends, in a key twist, as she truly changes her life. How does she become truly independent? Well, she risks all, embraces a new sociological challenge and becomes even more whole! Catch a showing of A STITCH IN TIME, you'll see what I mean.  9GUMS.

      

 

 

No. 17 (2022) NIGHTMARE ALLEY Feb. 27th.

 

Film No. 17 (2021)  February 27th.  3.20 PM   Cinema 8.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"We've had our share of snake charmers in the past; we deal with them". (Ezra Grindle explains his view on those who have been dishonest with him through the years).

I've been a long time getting to this rich melodrama. And I found that this film noir thriller is of exceptional quality. When I heard of director Guillermo del Toro's determination to re-release NIGHTMARE ALLEY in black and white format I thought I'd wait and I'm pleased I did. The image of the seedy sideshow (a carnival littered with the talents of Rooney, Dafoe, Strathairn, Blanchette, Collette, Jenkins and Steenburgen) comes alive in a simple story, rich in detail. 

It's always nerve-wracking when one talks friends into coming to a flick you trust they'll like. I needn't have worried. All four of us walked from the cinema glowing in our praise of a wonderfully crafted film.

Guillermo del Toro (THE SHAPE OF WATER, CRIMSON PEAK) is the master of mood and image. Here, based on the original novel by William Gresham, he has created a minor masterpiece. I say minor because crowds have kept their distance for the most part, but mainly because of COVID fears, and partly because of its ill-timed release date; within days of SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME. Hopefully this black and white re-boot (the way del Toro originally hoped it would be seen) will give Nightmare Alley the box-office boost it deserves. 

It is the story of grifter Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) trapped in a cycle of life where he makes bad decisions as if it is an artform he has mastered. We meet him as he begins a new cycle of deceit. He walks into a grimy sideshow where his fast talking and new ideas give the second rate carnival a boost. Mara's, Molly, provides him with the ammunition he needs to rise to new challenges. Molly is in love with Carlisle, she's blind to the fact he's bad news. He's "the break" she's been looking for. 

But there's another dame; Dr Lilith Ritter (Blanchette) who calls his bluff. She's a professional shrink. She has an idea about how to rip-off the wealthy. The ultimate grift in the eyes of Carlisle. They form a team. Molly's out of her depth, but she is an essential extra.

These types of stories filled picture screens as matinee fodder all over the world from the 30's to the 60s. del Toro has captured the art of the noir classic perfectly here. In shades of Black and White if you can find it.  11GUMS.  

   

      

  

     

   

  

No. 16 (2022) THE LAST MOUNTAIN: THE STORY OF TOM BALLARD Feb. 25th.

 

Film No. 16 (2022)  February 25th.  7:30 PM  LUNA LEEDERVILLE  Outdoor .                        

"I'm happy Tom and my mother are here. It is the most beautiful place in the world" (In a voice-over as the film concludes Kate speaks of The Himalayas and their beauty in terms of how she will always remember her mother Alison and brother Tom.) 

The title of this fascinating film is misleading. While Tom Ballard and his unfortunate death fill a large chunk of this documentary, the story of the whole Ballard Family forms a greater  part of the narrative of THE LAST MOUNTAIN. And while Tom's exploits are mind boggling, the influence his mum, Alison Hargreaves, had on who he became is tantamount to this story.

Director Chris Terrill had been filming the Ballard family for some 25 years. It's easy to see why. In 1995 Alison was the first woman to conquer Everest unaided and without supplementary oxygen. She achieved this feat only to die months later, in Pakistan, while descending K2. Terrill's filming began in earnest after that tragic event. He followed husband Jim and the two children Tom (6) and Kate (4) making their way to K2 base camp to pay homage to their lost wife and mother. Alison's body remains unrecovered. This wonderful archival footage forms the foundation for what's to come.

Terrill became a most trusted family companion. Tom was obviously a highly skilled climber from an early age and Terrill filmed his every move. While the film lacks the fluid narrative of FREE SOLO or TORN we are taken into the worlds of Jim, Kate and Tom's fiancée Stefania, as the final tragedy to bedevil these good people unfolds. The death of Tom is not too dissimilar in circumstance to that of his mum. Tom's was in Pakistan on Nanga Parbat in 2019.

The final 40 minutes of THE LAST MOUNTAIN is disjointed but very intimate and heartfelt. We are there with Jim and Kate as they deal with yet another heart breaking loss. Kate decides to repeat the vigil she experienced in 1996, but this time for Tom. She does this with the help of an old friend, the sherpa who carried her on his back when she was four, during her family's pilgrimage to the K2 basecamp. Their reunion will bring you to tears. And Jim? .... well in Jim we get to meet one of the most pragmatic, resilient men there is.

THE LAST MOUNTAIN is a tribute film. It lets us into the lives of an extraordinary family. The intimacy with which we get to experience exhilaration, wonder, athleticism, heartbreak, bravery and resilience makes it worth watching. Try not to pull at the upholstery of your seat as you watch THE LAST MOUNTAIN.   9GUMS.

 

                 

 

No. 18 (2022) HIVE Feb. 28th.

Film No. 18 (2022)  February 28th.  10.30 PM   Cinema 6.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"We've been making ajvar all our lives. We know how to do it better than anyone"(Fahrije makes a statement she hopes will convince others that she has an idea for making money that is worth pursuing).

Like QUO VADIS, ADA?  HIVE tells the story of an ordinary woman who displays extraordinary courage and resilience in the face of extreme adversity, during the former Yugoslavia War of the 90's. With one major difference. Fahrije Hoti is a real person who, to this day, continues to work for her family and the women of her village, in the enterprise she created.

This concise, succinct film deserves all the praise heaped upon it (the most awarded film at Sundance 2021). Kosovo born director Blerta Basholli has created, in her first feature, a story that will inspire people (mainly women) to create their own path, even if circumstances and people press hard against their endeavours. It's likely a western audience may be disbelieving of the sorts of behaviours shown towards Fahrije (Yllka Gashi), in 1999. Basholli places the behaviour of people of Fahrije's village on notice. Let the rest of the world sit in judgement (via her film) of such diabolical behaviour.

We meet Fahrije at home trying to cope with the loss of her husband, one of 3000 men who went missing in a massacre during the Kosovo war of 1999. Coping is at the cornerstone of Fahrije's existence. To cope she needs to know where her husband is. She needs to create an income for her family. She needs to care for her invalid father in law, (Cun Lajci). Her life is difficult, but for 85 minutes we learn that her real hardship, the repression of the community, a community she had hoped she could rely on, forces her to fight even harder; thus becoming a saint of optimism. 

And HIVE; the significance of the title? Doing the job of her missing husband, Fahrije now gathers the honey from the home-made hives, just like the antagonists of her village, some bees get inside her suit and sting and mark her. Those actions only make her stronger. The rest of the bees are like the women she convinces to work with her. They produce "honey" (ajvar). The universal message displayed in HIVE should be seen by so many more people than have seen it so far.  11GUMS.