No. 35 (2022) ITHAKA April 24th.

 

Film No. 35 (2022)  April  24th.  6.00 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"The story is, I'm attempting, in my own modest way, to get Julian out of "the shit". (John Shipton, Julian Assange's father, discusses his determination to free his son).

I'm an aging lefty who believes when it comes to governments, revealing the truth is an expectation. Governments will reinforce the fact it is embedded into their DNA. That it will be a priority in how they will govern. Joe Biden emphasised the point during his January 2022 Inauguration speech. So why is Julian Assange still in a high security prison in the U.K. ?

ITHAKA takes us on an intimate journey with Assange's most loyal allies; his father, John Shipton, and his wife, Stella Moris. We spend two years "in the pockets" of John and Stella as they, visit Julian, facetime with Julian, talk with lawyers, agonise over red-tape and try to snatch snippets of recreational time as they fit other family matters into their lives.

U.K. film-maker Ben Lawrence (GHOSTHUNTER, HEARTS AND BONES) reminds us, via the people who truly care, that important questions of journalistic and human rights are simply going unanswered. The tension in the film is built via the monthly, then daily countdown to the British High Court deciding if Assange should be extradited to the U.S.  

Greek poet C.P Cavafy in his poem Ithaka asks that as we achieve our goals, we never lose awareness of the journey (life). It may be that this film's title has nothing to do with Cavafy's words, but watching Assange's wife Stella achieve each day's goals with their two small boys, one couldn't help but hope their journey will be worth it.

If there is one message in ITHAKA that makes me angriest it's that Assange sits in the U.K.'s most secure prison, with the country's most dangerous criminals. His only activity from a U.K. POV was that he sought and gained asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy for seven and a half years, thus embarrassing a government who surely had "bigger fish to fry" (Brexit and humanitarian questions relating to illegal immigration). There seems no hint of a crime here. The Americans believe that he revealed national secrets, and that is his crime. This from a country spouting the virtues of their 1st Amendment, the virtue of free speech.

Is there a more high profile "Political Football" than Julian Assange?  9GUMS.   

 

      

  

  

No. 34 (2022) HAPPENING (LEVENEMENT) April 23rd.

 

Film No. 34 (2022)  April  23rd.  4.50 PM   Cinema 5.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"There is no risk if you're already pregnant". (The last words Anne wants to hear from friend Maxime's lips).

When The Venice Film Festival concludes and announces their premier award, The Golden Lion, I take notice. THE WRESTLER (2008), ROMA (2018)and THE MAGDALENE SISTERS (2020) stand out as rich, generally intimate, thought proving films. 2021's winner, LEVENEMENT (Happening) matches the brilliance of a good many of its predecessors. This period (60's) drama is a history lesson (French abortion laws) which gives an excruciating but intimate personal journey into a world no girl should have to endure. It's film-making to make audiences squirm. And for a bloody good reason!

This event, or happening, powered into author Annie Ernaux's young life as a Rouen literature student in the early 60's. She became pregnant aged 23 and had no intention of going full term. An abortion was illegal in 1963. Aged 60, Annie wrote of the trial she endured. L'Evenement (published 2000) is the title of the short semi autobiographical novel (128 pp) Annie wrote. This film is the depiction of this life event. Ernaux, director Audrey Diwan and writer Marcia Romano collaborated with the brilliant Anamaria Vartolemei to create a film of rare intimacy. 

Weeks are marked off on screen. We are never in any doubt about the ticking clock that is Anne's pregnancy. Our admiration for her determined focus on her single objective, no matter one's personal moral views, is ongoing. Vartolemei encapsulates all the aesthetics a film of this power provides. We live with Anne through every intimate moment in HAPPENING. Anamaria never flinches with each confronting scene. It's a stunning performance. 

Finally, there are some significant male moments in HAPPENING. France, like most of society in the 60's was dominated by male influence. Two doctors, show compassion of conflicting sorts. Anne's father is loving but fades in the shadows of mother, Gabrielle's influence. Maxime (the fling that led to her pregnancy) has the maturity of many pampered young men of the time; he's an ally but not a help. Then there is Jean, a young man who becomes Anne's saviour. He thought he could truly help, so he did. 

NOWHERE SPECIAL, PIG, HIVE and HAPPENING, they tell personal, intimate stories about good, determined people who live life with great integrity. I feel privileged to have seen these films all within months of one another. 11GUMS.     

     

No. 33 (2022) EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE April 22nd.

 

Film No. 33 (2022)  April  22nd.  4.00 PM   Cinema 5.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Now you may only see a pile of receipts, but I see a story. I can see where this story is going." (Federal tax auditor Deirdre enlightens the Wangs' on their book keeping short comings ... there is hidden meaning indeed).

Do you remember when Spike Jonze (Director) and writer Charlie Kaufman took our imaginations into a new realm with the ground-breaking BEING JOHN MALKOVICH? Well, Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, better known as The Daniels (SWISS ARMY MAN), bring another high concept film to the screen in the form of, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME. So, do they get it right? Yes, reasonably so, but when the message is one of goodwill and kindness to all considering all the strange vagaries of life, the 130 minute run time is long and intensely exhausting. Twenty-five minutes too long for me!

This short review could never tie all the strands of this tangled web of storylines together. The common thread however is Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), the matriarch of the family business; a Laundromat under heavy scrutiny from the Internal Revenue (Tax) Office. Triggered by the stress of family (pending divorce and daughter bonding) and finance (receipt mayhem) pressures, Evelyn's imagination unleashes into new worlds of what might have been. Each dimension depicting a life path she could be experiencing if decision making and circumstances had been different. 

Ultimately we are asked the question; should we appreciate life as it is and make the best of what we have by being simply a kinder and better person? But the chaos and violent (purely bloodless) screen-work, no matter which life strand Evelyn pursued, was unrelenting and a little lost on me. My understanding of The Martial Arts and its power over mind and matter (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) was definitely a factor in some of what was lost on me here.

Jamie Lee Curtis continues her resurgence back to the big screen. Considering the glamour roles of her past (PERFECT, A FISH CALLED WANDA), Curtis gives us Deirdre, a dowdy tax agent from hell. With no particular explanation, sausage fingers and all, Deirdre appears in most of Evelyn's alternative lives. Curtis is brilliant. Possibly one of her best ever roles.

If you like living on the edge when it comes to cinema experience and love strong message from film, don't miss EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. It won't disappoint on any of those markers.  9GUMS.

                

 

No. 32 (2022) THE NORTHMAN April 20th.

 

Film No. 32  (2022)  April 20th.  6:45 PM  HOYTS CINEMAS,  VMax 1   Karrinyup.

"Your strength breaks men's bones. I have the cunning to break their minds" (Olga solidifies her allegiance to, and love for, Amleth. Together they are a force).

Director Robert Eggers (THE WITCH, THE LIGHTHOUSE), has surprisingly, never before made a film of the epic complexity of the likes of THE NORTHMAN. Which makes it all the more surprising how competently this body of work comes to the screen. The film is a tour de force. A powerhouse of a film. A film I won't be recommending to my mum, but will be recommending to anyone who likes their films big, brilliantly designed, dramatic, legitimate and ultimately, BLOODTHIRSTY. Yes, it is very bloodthirsty, they were bloodthirsty times. My mum does not like Blood Thirstiness.

Who better to cast as our hero Amleth than a Skarsgard, Alexander in this case. We are talking serious Viking times 800AD ish. We meet young Amleth, the son of King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), a son who craves to be around his dad. The king spends way too much time (6 months at a time) away from his wife Queen Gudrun, son and kingdom. On his return (where this story begins) he's in for a rude shock.  The King's very nasty brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang) decides that he should rule this kingdom and so begins the first of many bloodthirsty scenes. Amleth escapes across the seas to grow up and return to seek revenge. 

Well, the words "Years Later" appear on screen 15 minutes into THE NORTHMAN and, sure enough, a powerhouse of a man in the form of Skarsgard as Amleth  is seen contriving his  return to his homeland to fulfil his mission. Other than a few twists along the way in relation to his target, Fjolnir and his mother, Queen Gudren (plus the meeting of love interest Olga of the Birch Forest perfectly played by Anya Taylor-Joy) things go 85% to plan.

Storyline to this fable is inconsequential. The fantasy elements are distracting, a passing reminder that we are dealing with a mythical fable. The characters and their chemistry (disregard Kidman's accent) hit the mark, but more importantly the scenery, effects and design make THE NORTHMAN a triumph. See it soon. I suggest you try to find the best large popcorn and fizzy drink deal aligned with the biggest screen complex. Remember, however, it is very BLOOD THIRSTY!  10GUMS.           

    

 

  

No. 31 (2022) AFTER YANG April 9th.

 

Film No. 31 (2022)  April  9th.  11.00 AM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Did Yang want to be human?" (Jake asks Ada, a person from Yang's past, a question she describes as "such a human thing to ask").

The short story (set in the near future) Saying Goodbye to Yang (written by Alexander Weinstein) is an easy and worthwhile 10 minute read. The premise of humanoids becoming integral family members is a fascination. The fact electronic retailers are the sources of the acquisitions adds to that fascination. The short story deals with issues of deception, warranty and racism. In this, his latest feature, innovative Korean director, Kogonada (COLUMBUS) takes this seed of an idea to new levels in AFTER YANG.

AFTER YANG is a mood piece. On the surface, nothing much happens, but when the film is done, there is plenty to ponder. And I mean plenty to ponder. That is of course if this meditative approach of Kogonada's grabs your attention.

Yang is the property of Jake (Colin Farrell), Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja), a loving family. Yang is a reconditioned android, purchased in good faith and certified as near new. His purpose is to be Mika's older brother and philosophical mentor. The film's opening stanza gives us only a brief sense of the gentle environment this "devised" (Mika is adopted) family live in. So what happens when Yang fails and is found collapsed on the kitchen bench of this neat, compact, modern home?

Imagine you've bought a re-conditioned, refurbished washing machine. It dies on you within 18 months. You extract the chip from its function centre and you find it has been re-calibrated many time more than you were told. You'd likely be angry and require an explanation. Here, Yang is that washing machine, but the way Kogonada guides us on this path of discovery, via Jake's gentle methods of enquiry means you'll get new emotional insights into how love and attachment can happen on varying levels. 

Yang was a machine; an android. He had a past. Unlike a washing machine Yang was programmed to connect with Jake, Kyra and Mika. He did. His exhausted hard-drive has a multitude of information about his past. What effect will investigating the content of this piece of hardware have on these gentle people? You might want a repeat viewing of AFTER YANG soon after you first see it. There is much to ponder.  10GUMS.          

 

 

No. 30 (2022) X April 7th.

 

Film No. 30 (2022)  April  7th.  12.20 PM   Cinema 8.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Their eyes are going to pop out of their damn skulls when they see this" (Producer Wayne predicts the audience reaction to his low-budget film, it turns out to be a look into the future he was not planning on).

In the precise vein of a 70's slasher / thriller comes X. The backdrop has no surprises; a mid-Texas rural backwater with a humid atmosphere and dark, dank pallet. The "lambs to the slaughter" are visiting "Dankville" to shoot a low budget (with big ideas) porno titled THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER, a likely porno tale indeed. A 70's porno of the style copied onto VHS tapes now sitting in cardboard boxes covered in dust somewhere. 

The talented Ti West (THE INNKEEPERS, IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE) has recreated everything films like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and FRIDAY THE 13th brought to cinemas in the 70's and 80's. There is no façade. He has simply recreated a 70's design, thanks to Thomas S. Hammock (BLAIR WITCH), as if it has come from the vaults of the VHS era (excerpts of the inane porno storyline included). It's clever work indeed, I must say.

What more do you need to know? Slasher buffs have seen it all before. From the opening prequel scenes of Sheriff Dentler (James Gaylyn) stepping over maimed and mutilated bodies just prior to the 24 Hours Earlier fade up, to the dirty tropical pond shown sometimes from the POV of an Alligator through to the twist emanating from the vision and voice of a religious zealot blaring from a retro T.V. unit,  X does the genre proud. But don't take my word for it, seek out an aficionado of the genre who's watched X, they'll set you straight. 9GUMS.

   

 

 

 

  

    

No. 29 (2022) AMBULANCE April 5th.

 

Film No. 29  (2022)  April 5th.  6:45 PM  EVENT CINEMAS,  VMax 1   Whitfords.

"Does your wife know you rob banks?" (Paramedic Cam asks a pertinent question of her new ally, Will. A question that makes him feel particularly vulnerable).

I have a list of mates who are just going to love AMBULANCE. They won't have to think. They can strap themselves in and escape into a world where their post pandemic thoughts abate for 135 minutes as they go on an adrenaline trip. For them it's the reason they love to go and see big screen cinema. I will text them and recommend it, but there are other friends to whom, if asked, I will suggest that they should not waist their time or money!. It's a loud, chaotic, messy of a film!

Most importantly, if you are a Jake G fan, and I am, definitely don't go to see it. Michael Bay (TRANSFORMERS, ARMAGEDDON) has never paid too much attention to what his actors might be able to bring to the screen. So why, I mean why with a capital W does Michael Bay take a small Danish film AMBULANCEN; a film of 80 minutes, with a big heart, and turn it into a story that, if it were true, would rate as the biggest bank heist, come murder mayhem ever committed in the history of the world? 

If the script has a redeeming feature then paramedic Cam Thompson, astutely played by Eiza Gonzalez (a Jolie lookalike), comes away with a beating heart (no pun intended). She may not have entered this chaotic mix-master of chaos as the key player, but she exits as the star. Her  transition into a make-shift emergency trauma surgeon(via zoom instruction), is a minor highlight. 

Look, Bay has tried to capture the violent choreographic essence of JOHN WICK, the tarmac tenseness of SPEED, the brotherly love trope of WARRIOR and a final stanza reminiscent of any of Angelina Jolie's action efforts. I'm looking for something more original. Plenty of punters will line up for AMBULANCE, popcorn and choc-top in hand, brain (and phone) in flight mode. I hope they love it, I didn't.  5GUMS.           

  

 

   

No. 28 (2022) THE GOOD BOSS (El buen Patron) APRIL 4th.

 

Film No. 28 (2022)  April  4th.  6.40 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"My wife says she needs air. What should I do? Go and buy her a bottle of Fu*king oxygen? "(Boss Blanco listens to trusted employee and friend Miralles talk of his marriage problems).

Is there an actor with a more assured presence on screen than Javier Bardem? For me he is in the top echelon of international performers. He draws a crowd and this goes a long way to why The Good Boss is such an engaging, if slightly long, morality tale. It was in fact Spain's first choice, in front of Almodóvar's PARRALELL MOTHERS, for the 2022 Oscars.

In LOVING PABLO (2017), Writer/Director Fernando Leon de Aranoa never quite found the vehicle to unleash all of Bardem's talents. Here, in Julio Blanco (Bardem), the owner of a world reputed scales producing company, he has created a man that grows on us like a ticklish skin irritation which soon becomes a full body rash. Aranoa has written a film that shines a light on the Blancos' of the world. He is warning us to be on the look out.

Blanco has power. On the surface we meet a man who uses his power to create a work environment all his employees can be proud of. He sells scales, Aranoa alerts us that something is slightly askew via the model scales at the factory entrance. Blanco inherited this shiny company, he didn't build it. His focus is on winning shiny things (awards of excellence) to prove his worth. THE GOOD BOSS gives us the opportunity to spend a week with him (each day is a chapter) to prove how dangerously superficial Blanco really is. Maybe we are encountering or have previously encountered a Blanco, you'll soon know!

So did Aranoa get the balance right here? Initially I thought not. His script, to my eyes, played lightly on themes of lying, adultery and violence (to name a few), considering the impact of the concluding themes. But on reflection (2 days of gestation) Fernando Leon got it just right. The final 20 seconds tip the scales perfectly. 10GUMS.

  

  

No. 26 (2022) EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH (IRREDUCTIBLE; Palace French Film Festival, Perth) MARCH 28th.

 

Film No. 26 (2022)  March 28th.  4.00 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"Did you fall for how scared I was as he came charging back at us?". (Vincent covers for the sheer fear he felt as a Polar Bear got riled after being shot by Vincent and his tranquilizer gun).

Most countries would be embarrassed to put their name to a film as silly as IRREDUCTIBLE. Not the French. And for good reason. The film, most aligned to a Norman Wisden farce, has a handful of major laugh out loud moments. But the stamp of French approval seems to make it all the more funny. It's the vibe! It's the vibe!

Jerome Commandeur is fast becoming the most marketable cinema commodity in France. Here he directs, writes and plays the starring role. He has created Vincent, a public servant (for life) hiding in the bowels of some unproductive department. When job cuts come, redundancy is offered, but he knows no other life. Vincent is not interested. His up-line Inger (Karina Beuthe Orr) has to find him a job. An Arctic posting should surely see him quit. 

All of this story is being told  by Vincent, in the present, via flashback in front of a Chief of a primitive South American tribe who have just captured him (and off-sider). So what is he doing there and why does he have to tell his life story in these circumstances?

 

Well, while he is completing his Arctic tasks he falls for the beautiful scientist he is guarding, Eva. On his first outing with her, he completes the task of tranquilizing a polar bear and then extracting a semen sample! He surprises himself with the ridiculousness of it all. From here Vincent takes us on his journey of love with Eva. Eva has 3 kids from 3 separate fathers. She is wonderfully uncomplicated considering the complicated domestic predicament Vincent falls into. Will Vincent become father number 4? It's a silly, fun frolic. 8GUMS.