No. 86 (2022) JOYRIDE (Palace British Film Festival 2022) October 21st.

 

Film No. 86  (2022) October 21st.  4:00 PM  LUNA   Cinema 2  Essex Cinemas,  Fremantle.

"You're going to come with me and help look after the baby! In return, I won't press charges." (Joy gives Mully an ultimatum that sets the road trip to hell (or maybe from hell) in motion).

What was Olivia Colman thinking? Was this an example of "Lockdown Syndrome"? An actor, not sure when or even if cinema would hold up after COVID? Could it be her last chance to work? Surely one reading of the script might have issued warning signs.

Before I describe why I was so disappointed in JOYRIDE, I think it important to point out that director, Emer Reynolds (THE FARTHEST, HERE WAS CUBA) does make good films; documentary films. She is also a talented editor. JOYRIDE is her first fictional feature. Let it also be said that the highlight of JOYRIDE is the depiction of coastal southern Ireland. An aspect of the film that reaps the reward of her documentary film-making prowess no doubt. 

So why is JOYRIDE the antithesis of its title? Well, when it comes to films like these which are supposed to become endearing as the characters gradually feel each other out, antagonise each other, and ultimately realise they each have lessons to learn from the other, the script needs to have rhythm and a delivery pattern. JOYRIDE simply does not. So while Colman's character, Joy, is unlikeable to begin with, her continued lack of compassion for all around her, including her baby, leaves her audience disconnected.

 

Then, more importantly, Mully (competently played by Charlie Reid) never becomes the lovable teenager, of reasonable moral standards, we are supposed to believe in because he too is yelling expletives and running off for no apparent reason. His relationship with his father James (Lochlann O'Mearain) is never reconciled, and down right confusing. 

Writer Ailbhe Keogan (BAD SISTERS, 2 eps) is an up and comer. Her work on RUN & JUMP 2013 (Co Writer) is worthwhile. Here she goes it alone with only Screen Ireland there to back the script. I can't put my finger on why JOYRIDE lacks charisma. Legendary screenwriter William Goldman once said "Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what's going to work."

JOYRIDE is surely a case in point.  4GUMS.        

 

No. 85 (2022) SYDNEY October 20th.

 

Film No. 85 (2022)  October 20th.  7.35 PM   APPLE TV,  Mt. Hawthorn, West Australia.

 "I could not play that! It wasn't me." (Poitier responding to Hollywood's notion that black performers played roles that depicted their race disrespectfully).

This "tick all the boxes" documentary on one of the most influential actors in history, both in theatre and on the screen, is an important historical tribute. But the true greatness of Sidney Poitier is expressed through the words of the actors we might believe to be the black performers of most influence over time; Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey etc etc.

A true appreciation of who Sidney was is given though his recollections of arriving in Miami in the late 40's, a shy young man fresh from the Bahamas who had never before experienced racism. He never once accepted whites treating him as an inferior being. His stories (told to camera) of his introduction to racism are riveting. Sidney travelled to the U.S. for a better life, this documentary shows how he achieved that better life, but more importantly, how he achieved that life on his terms.

Sidney became an actor, responding to a call from a black actors theatre company. He began with small roles, never compromising on the fact he'd only play characters of substance. He was spotted by Joseph Mankiewicz in 1949 and cast as Dr Luther Brooks in NO WAY OUT (1950). His star was on the rise. Sidney was the first black male to win an Academy Award, for LILLIES OF THE FIELD (1963). He cut more than a path for the likes of Lee, Washington and Freeman ... it was more a freeway. 

For the moment, SIDNEY is only available on Apple TV. Be sure to stream it if you are a subscriber. This icon of the screen has a story to tell. Director Reginald Hudlin  (known more as a producer) has done what Oprah (the lady with the money) requested of him. She wished for her hero to be recognised with the dignity he deserved. This story of Sidney Poitier's adventures in Hollywood is well told.  9GUMS.      

 

   

No. 84 (2022) MONA LISA AND THE BLOOD MOON October 19th.

 

Film No. 84 (2022)  October  19th.  2.00 PM   Cinema 5.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"I knew something freaky was going to happen tonight, like is a full moon, I can feel it in my ovaries." (Bonnie gives a rendition of how she feels about acquainting herself with her new friend, Mona Lisa). 

Winner : Soundtrack (Daniele Luppi) and Director (Ana Lily Amirpour) Venice Film Festival.

Available for streaming in December 2022.

Ana Lily Amirpour (A GIRL WALK HOME ALONE AT NIGHT) makes her much awaited second feature about a long term, institutionalised girl, Mona Lisa (Jeon Jong-So), who escapes using her unique powers of hypnosis. Her entry into the real world, a world she knows nothing about is laced with many moments that has us hoping she'll find her way. Mona meets good people, bad people and people who seem good but are ultimately driven by greed and selfishness; enter Kate Hudson's Bonnie Belle, the vehicle through which we take this entertaining ride, that being MONA LISA AND THE BLOOD MOON. It's a morality tale, which is suddenly earthed by a couple of good guys. Charlie, brilliantly played by Evan Whitten and Fuzz (Ed Skrein) become the people she can rely on as she desperately seeks freedom after being robbed of her childhood. Here, the twists and turns are never predictable and while Jong-So's performance is not strong, all around her are, which makes BLOOD MOON worthwhile. 9GUMS.

    

No. 83 (2022) THE STRANGER October 16th.

 

Film No. 83 (2022)  October  16th.  12.40 PM   Cinema 6.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"Imagine that you are breathing in the clear air and when you breath out, you breathe out the black, dark, bad air." (Mark teaches his son breathing technique when lying in a quiet place to relieve tension). 

Nominee: Cannes, Melbourne and Brussels  (Thomas M Wright) Director Awards.

Opening on NETFLIX in late October 2022.

This powerful film pays tribute to the combined operation between the Western Australian, Victorian and Queensland police forces that helped solve one of Australia's highest profile abduction and homicide cases. But the tribute is dark, bleak, depressing and ultimately harrowing. Think long and hard about why you enjoy cinema and, if watching naturalistic scenes depicting a low-life criminal being brought to justice is not on your list of nourishing cinema experiences, then THE STRANGER is not for you.

The story is simply a depiction of "the sting" that lured low-life Henry (Sean Harris) into the police net. Mark (Joel Edgerton) sacrificed a slab of his life to befriend  Henry and allow him to believe he could be protected for life by joining a crime ring. The film's foundation is built on the unnerving energy generated by Edgerton and Harris. Edgerton admits that the method acting techniques employed by each of them, led to them physically coming to blows on the odd occasion.

Perhaps from an art POV director Thomas M Wright has been both admired and despised for creating THE STRANGER. Admired by his peers and despised by those most affected by the crime. For those most affected, being reminded of their trauma is simply unnecessary. I understand their viewpoint even though names, locations and references have all been altered. I have no intention of discussing the true events on which this story is based but I encourage those who wish to experience brilliantly depicted naturalism on the screen to watch THE STRANGER, appreciating it as high-art and forgetting the research. 

I hate the thought that people are upset with THE STRANGER. I have a greater appreciation of what good policing means because of it. I feel sure those most affected were also appreciative of the chance to have some closure to their heartache. The police succeeded in attaining that closure. THE STRANGER is a story worth telling. Edgerton and Harris are compelling.   10GUMS

     

No. 82 (2022) BELLI CIAO; Palace Italian Film Festival 2022 October 13th.

 

Film No. 82 (2022)  October  13th.  6.30 PM   Cinema 1.  LUNA WINDSOR,  Nedlands.

 

"It's an endless brain-drain. We only have one left, Pottito" (A local complains to The Mayor that if the councillors don't do something, all the young minds of the village will have left for the riches promised in the north).

Nominee; Best Comedy (Gennaro Nunziante). Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists. 

What a clever idea is BELLI CIAO!

In this post pandemic period(crossed fingers), Italy's most popular comic duo, depict a simple morality tale using friendship, and life comparisons between urban Milan in the north and the regional life of Puglia in the south. 

Duo Pio (Pio D'Antini) and Amedeo (Amedeo Grieco) have co-written BELLI CAIO as a love letter to their people (Italians) in the hope they will all combine to celebrate 2022 as the dawning of a new era. There are no new ideas as far as the screenplay goes. The premise (told in simplistic flashback) is that two childhood friends (bosom buddies) part as young adults, only to reunite in their early thirties to assist each other to find greater meaning and happiness in life.

Director Nunziante (WHERE AM I GOING?) creates a silly caper film full of slapstick comedy and fanciful scenes, sketches even! And although there is an "arm-wrestle" over which lifestyle is best for the soul, both Milan and the Puglia region will reap tourist benefits for years to come. The glossy images on show make the travelogue angle of BELLI CAIO undeniable.

A compact, easy to watch, fun 90 minutes of cinema is hard to come by these days. This one ticks all the boxes. Remember though, it is very silly. Your mood will need to guide you to this offering. 9GUMS.

      

 

No. 81 (2022) DON'T WORRY DARLING October 11th.

 

Film No. 81  (2022)  October 11th.  4:00 PM  EVENT CINEMAS,  Cine 4,  Innaloo.

"Frank has built something special out here, something truly special. What he has created out here is a different way, a better way" (Shelly calls the gathering together before introducing her husband Frank).

WINNER; Fanheart3 / Graffetta d'Oro  Olivier Wilde for Best Film. Venice Film Festival.

 

With so much hype, anticipation, glare and rumour attached, one never knows quite what to expect with a film like DON'T WORRY DARLING. Not that it should matter, it's whether we enter the darkened cinema in a prejudicial frame of mind. I didn't and enjoyed the DON'T WORRY DARLING experience. But it's a pity I can't rave about it. I want to, but storytelling is so important when it comes to films like this.

In summary the story revolves around a '50s house wife, (Florence Pugh playing Alice Chambers), faithfully serving her husband Jack (Harry Styles) in an experimental society where living the dream is never in question. The question is, why is she living this dream? or, conversely, is it a dream she is actually living in? The plot is not original. THE TRUMAN SHOW, THE STEPFORD WIVES and THE VANISHING have already cut DARLING'S path. So what's new and why does it fizzle out?

What's new? Well other than MAD MEN, the era, visually, has never looked more authentic. The sets, the costumes and the design, matched with a cast that makes everything around them sparkle, can't be faulted. Pugh, while not new, is captivating in all her scenes; she'd want to be, she's in them all. But so much of the story they try to thrill us with just does not add up, even if the utopian tropes scream at us to "free our minds"!

And then there is the finale! My Oh My, what a let down. For a film so invested in creating so much mystery (the rumbling, the red overall wearing minders, the Jim Jones-esque leader (Chris Pine)) the payoff is best compared to a damp fire cracker burning, then fizzing! A shame indeed.

But I'm recommending the film to all and sundry. It is so worth seeing. Olivia Wilde (BOOKSMART) is a director worth following. Her role as Bunny, Alice's neighbour, underlines her power as a performer in front of the camera. The sum of Wilde's imagination doesn't completely add up, but the currency she shuffles around in front of us is absolutely captivating.  9GUMS.   

  

 

   

No. 80 (2022) ON THE COUNT OF THREE Oct. 2nd.

 

Film No. 80 (2022)  October  2nd.  2.50 PM   Cinema 7.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"I don't listen to Alanis Morrisette when I'm going through a break up, and I'm not listening to Pappa Roach on the day I'm going to kill myself." (Val lays it on Kevin that his music, blaring through the car stereo is not going to help).

Winner; Waldo Salt Screen writing award.  Ari Katcher & Ryan Welch. Nominee Grand Jury Prize Sundance 2022. 

Part way through watching ON THE COUNT I got to thinking of the importance of an audience being alerted to the fact that suicide themes will be presented, no matter the context. So be warned. I liked ON THE COUNT but it is not an easy watch because of its theme. 

Jerrod Carmichael directs and stars (Val) here. He does a brilliant job of building  tension with co-star Chris Abbott (Kevin) considering the time he occupies in front of the camera. And while there are some dark, comic moments, for a film lined with such pessimism, he never loses sight of the "curl in the tail" this film has.

We begin our journey with Val and Kevin at the rear of a shopping lot; both are pointing guns at the other, from close range. They've made a pact. Their lives aren't worth living so on the count of three they are to pull their triggers. Suddenly they postpone the deed. Kevin needs a day to confront and resolve an issue or two. The clever script by first time feature writers Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch allows us an intimate look at why V & K have chosen suicide to full-stop their lives. 

ON THE COUNT is rough, low budget and episodic. These are not criticisms, but there is a rawness that doesn't do it real justice. However these young film makers created a buzz at Sundance because of ON THE COUNT'S message. The writers won a gong for their words. Younger audience are raving about ON THE COUNT OF THREE. I can see why.  9GUMS.

     

  

No. 79 (2022) SEE HOW THEY RUN Sept 29th.

 

Film No. 79 (2022)  September 29th.  4:00 PM  PALACE Cinema 6,  Raine Square,  Perth City.

 

"It seems he was killed in the costume store. Then he was deposited here, sir" (Constable Stalker outlines the brief for Inspector Stoppard before the investigation begins).

Are you keen to head to the pictures to eat some popcorn, unwrap a toffee and have some fun? Notice I used the terms pictures and toffee? Go catch, SEE HOW THEY RUN, at your nearest movie-house; you'll get what I'm alluding to!

There are a lot of reasons why, SEE HOW THEY RUN, is all that entertainment in the cinema should be. Old fashioned films using actors as skilled as Saoirse Ronan (Stalker) and Sam Rockwell (Stoppard) is one. The colour pallet of every shot, depicting an era when most films were released in black and white, is another. Then there is the subtle fun emanating from a script portrayed with a straighter face than Leslie Nielsen; Ronan, in particular, is very Nielsen-esque!

So, while giving nothing away, you get a "who done it", of a film within a play (THE MOUSE TRAP), within the confines of a set and surrounds from which even Wes Anderson might steal an idea or two (little blue car). The other lead, Rockwell, plays Ronan's straight man, who shows her the ropes, but he's a "D" with an emotional issue or two.

Then there's the rest of the cast. Adrien Brody, Reece Shearsmith, David Oyelowo, Harris Dickinson, Ruth Wilson and Charlie Cooper. Writer Mark Chappell (FLAKED) and Tom George, predominantly a T.V. director (THIS COUNTRY), have collaborated to create 98 minutes of crowd-pleasing fun.   

Most of all, for all that fun, SEE HOW THEY RUN, sticks its landing with a nice twist. There is even hope that the leads might share a romantic moment (without any sugar or spice). They've won us over in spades (not Sam) by film's end. Like a tasty, fulfilling meal (not an ounce of over-eating) SEE HOW THEY RUN will satisfy.  10GUMS.

               

  

No. 78 (2022) CLEAN Sept 26th.

 

Film No. 78 (2022)  September  26th.  2.50 PM   Cinema 7.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"How do I want to be remembered? It's a good question. As a good person, pure and simple." (Sandra answers the ultimate question). 

Nominee: Grand Jury Prize (Lachlan McLeod) SXSW Awards.

 

Sandra Pankhurst is the subject of this thoughtful, impactful film made by Lachlan McLeod (BIG IN JAPAN). 

Who is Sandra Pankhurst some of you ask, others will know Pankhurst as a street-wise, resilient, sensible, empathetic, highly astute business woman who has a riveting story to tell. 

CLEAN does a good job in telling the story of this good person. A person who was given up at birth, abused by adoptive parents, married, had a family, then transitioned to become a woman. Sandra then became a sex worker, endured a horrendous rape, became a funeral director and finally, built the biggest Trauma Cleaning business in Victoria. Unfortunately the chemicals she was exposed to prior to the wearing PPL became a must, meant Sandra paid a painful price.

It's all well and good to focus on Sandra and hold a camera to her in various locations while discussing her thoughts and feelings. But a greater understanding of who she really is and what she espouses comes when we travel with, and spend time amongst her employees on a plethora of clean-ups. We visit sites of murder and suicide, hoarder abodes and State Housing evictions. Many of the jobs at first glance look impossible to reconcile. It's the compassion instilled in these workers that emphasises the genuine love Sandra has for the workplace she has built. She is held in the highest regard by employees and clients alike. 

I'm looking forward to McLeod's next project. He has a smart eye for people. Sandra has told her story in a book (THE TRAUMA CLEANER) by Sarah Krasnostein). I've not read it, but there is detail, I'm sure, told though words. CLEAN is also detailed in an "every scene tells a thousand words" way.  10GUMS.