No. 46 (2018) Disobedience June 2nd.

Film No 46 (2018) June 2nd.  11:00 AM  LUNA PALACE Leederville . 

"I think he thought that marriage would cure me".(Esti explains to Ronit the reason for one of the major changes   which had taken place in her life).

Terms such as slow burn, insightful, tense then finally, heartfelt and emotionally powerful describe Disobedient. Never a relaxing watch, the film explores life where people, in this case Ronit (Rachel Weisz), Esti (Rachel McAdams) and Dovid (Alessandro Nivola) childhood friends, each brought up as orthodox Jews reunite under strained circumstances. It's evident early  why Ronit left
suddenly in search of a new life in New York city. No one has heard from her in years. Then Ronit returns after receiving word her father, a Jewish leader, had died suddenly. The film, put simply, captures the puzzle of unresolved issues lying thick in the air after her exit. Weisz and McAdams have a brooding chemistry and Nivola goes a way to stealing the show with his calm, insightful performance. Don't see Disobedience if your mood requires  a light, fun film. Sebastian Lelio's (A Fantastic Woman) film is neither fun nor light but it is very good. 10GUMS. 

  

No. 45 (2018) Gurrumul May 28th.

Film No 45 (2018) May 28th.  5:50 PM  LUNA PALACE Leederville . 

"He's making it easier for the world to understand and he's making it new". (A voice over from a family member describing Gurrumul's unique sound).

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, arguably, will be remembered as having the purest, most authentic voice Australia has produced. This riveting documentary tells a little of the story of a prodigiously talented blind boy who becomes a man as he humbly unveils his talents to the world. Darwin film maker Paul Damien Williams was given approval by Gurrumul to make the film. Williams scoured hours and hours of archival sounds and images from Gurrumul's past, he captures brilliantly how his subject came to be who he is. An unsung star of Gurrumul's is friend and closest collaborator Michael Hohnen. The film relies on Hohnen's unique  connection with Gurrumul, the people of Elcho Island and ultimately the rest of the world. Geoffrey is the star but the bond these men have is what makes this journey so watchable.  10GUMS.            

    

No. 44 (2018) Tea With The Dames (Nothing Like a Dame) May 21st.

Film No 44 (2018) May 21st.  6:30 PM  LUNA PALACE Windsor,  Nedlands . 

"I'm still hanging in for that" (Dame Maggie Smith's reaction to Joan Plowright's recollection of a director telling Smith she'd be discovered then re-discovered again during the 50's).

This fly on the wall portrait of four of Britain's most decorated artists of screen and television both entertains and enlightens in a surprising fashion. I say surprising because the thought of a film in which four octogenarian actors sit around gossiping about their past didn't set me in an anticipatory sweat. My favourite of the four, Maggie Smith, is the clown of the gaggle. Her sharp wit and impeccable timing give the film colour. The reason Joan Plowright is seen so rarely on screen now is very evident and her recollections of life with Sir Laurence are revealing. They joke about Dame Judy taking  all the available roles these days through which Dench sits, unmoved with a knowing grin on her face. And the least known internationally, Eileen Atkins (Queen Mary, The Crown), pleasantly glues many of the conversations together with her sharp recollections. This film will get its best following when released to public T.V. in nine or so months me thinks. 8GUMS.   

No. 43 (2018) Crooked House May 15th.

Film No 43 (2018) May 15th.  1:15 PM  LUNA SX  Fremantle . 

"Murderers tend to feel they are above the rules that govern mere ordinary mortals". (Charles gives his dinner party philosophy on murdering in general).

Reported as one of Agatha's personal favourites, Crooked House presents more as a sumptuous tele-movie than as big screen fare. The dysfunctional Leonides family all have something to gain after the suspicious death of patriarch Aristide (Gino Picciano), a diabetic in need of regular injections. You guessed it, he dies after a fatal dose of something other than his insulin. The dapper inspector Charles Hayward arrives to unravel the unconscionable deed. There is a whiff of The Mousetrap in Crooked House and the former, other than a Russian version, was never hoisted onto the big screen. Never the less the stars (Close, Stamp, Anderson and Hendricks) hold their own and there is plenty to mull over while you pick a killer from the numerous red herrings. It's sumptuous, fun and just a tiny bit shocking. I wonder what Agatha would have thought? Now there is a mystery never to be solved. 7GUMS. 

  

No. 42 (2018) Breath May 13th.

Film No 42 (2018) May 13th.  5:00 PM  LUNA PALACE Leederville . 

"There is fear in all of us, I know that now, how you live with it makes you who you are". (Excert of the film's introductory voiceover of Pikelet as a man).

Simon Baker's, Breath, is a formidable recreation of Tim Winton's award winning novel of the same name. Western Australia's south coast was always key to the lyrical tones of Winton's evocative life piece and Baker has captured its essence beautifully. Given Winton provides the voiceover, one assumes he has given his stamp of approval. Breath is a coming of age saga emphasizing friendship, risk taking, life choices and sexuality. Pikelet (Samson Coulter) and Loonie (Ben Spence) are energetic 14 year old mates looking for their next daring challenge. Surfing the wild ocean on their doorstep becomes their passion after meeting Sando (Simon Baker) a world class board rider and charismatic mentor. Wife Eva (Elizabeth Debecki) is bored, frustrated and sexually charged. Pikelet and Eva make for some confronting chemistry which won't sit well with everyone. Me, well I loved Breath but it's a film set in my own backyard, and I love seeing my own backyard on screen. 10GUMS.     

No. 41 (2018) Cargo May 12th.

Film No 41 (2018) May 12th.  11:00 AM  LUNA PALACE Leederville . 

"You're the first people I've seen, the first people who are real people". (Lorraine ).

A zombie thriller, but don't be turned off by the word zombie because while the genre title works, Cargo is an A Grade thriller. The Australian bushland plays a leading role here; the wide open spaces and it's indigenous population become an essential ingredient to this tense drama. We enter Andy (Martin Freeman) and Kay's (Suzie Porter) world while cruising eerily up a desolate river in isolated outback Australia. They are tense. Their infant daughter Rosie (very cute kid) an obvious priority while something very wrong is eminent in the world. I recommend you hook up with them in their desperate search for survival. The original people of the land may hold the key here to what lies ahead. I'm no fan of zombie themed cinema; Cargo got me in. Cargo has recently been released on Netflix but I recommend a big screen viewing. 9GUMS.

    

No. 40 (2018) The Mist & the Maiden (La Niebla Yla Doncella) May 6th.

Film No. 40 (2018) May 6th.  2:00 PM LUNA  Palace Northbridge. 

"Maybe they weren't the right questions" (Chamorro answers a question with an insightful observation about the puzzling case).

This B Grade cop thriller, of the best kind, should not be analysed for the holes in its narration and plot because you'll miss the point. Like the airport novel, The Mist & The Maiden is fast food of the cinema; Sydney Sheldon style. Three years after a murder on the Canary Islands remains unsolved, two detectives are dispatched from Madrid to find an answer. Bevalaqua (Quim Gutierrez) and Chamorro (Aura Garrido) are assisted on the Island by the beautiful police agent Anglado (Veronica Echedui) who was a significant investigator on the original case. The twists are clunky and the climax is slightly underwhelming. The scenery could be from a travelogue and the performers from a vogue magazine. I saw this on a cold, wet Sunday afternoon and I loved my escape into The Mist. 9GUMS.