No. 40 (2019) Campeones "Champions". April 24th.

Film No. 40 (2019) April 24th.  6:45 PM  PALACE CINEMAS  Northbridge. 

"I wouldn't like to have a son like us either. But I would like to have a father like you." (Marco receives a startlingly heartfelt statement from Marin; a statement key to Marco making a decision about his future with wife Sonia).

An uneven but wonderfully thoughtful comedy. I say thoughtful because Campeones is, at times, purposely  politically incorrect, but director Javier Fesser has us laughing with, not at, our star performers from the outset. So, while disgraced (forced community service), big time, basketball coach Marco (Javier Gutierrez) glues this motley crew together to form a reasonably competitive team Fesser gives us time to become friends with each of the nine combatants. A balance of back story, Marco's neglected love-life,  subtle camera work, and the detail of each players unique personality culminate in an ending we know is coming. Campeones does not try to reinvent the "feel good" wheel but it does enhance it. The story has taken liberties, but the legend does come from an actual team. The actors (basketballers) are first time performers and all have faced real-life difficulties. It's worth sitting through the titles so you get another intimate tribute for each of the actors. Spanish audiences have flocked to Campeones. It's meagre budget ($4.5M) has earned nearly five times that worldwide in the last year. This is surely what feel-good cinema is all about. 9GUMS.

               

No. 39 (2019) Back Of The Net. April 17th.

Film No 39 (2019) April 17th.  7:35 PM Private Preview Screening @ Home via Vimeo link . 

"You don't belong here; you're terrible at soccer, so why don't you just do everyone a favour and go home?" (Edie, Cory's key adversary lays it on the line).

With women's sport gaining the international profile it has long deserved, here is a simple, feel-good feature film to warm the hearts of cinema goers. Back Of The Net does not try to be anything it is not, it has a Disney feel hence U.S. teenage star Sofia Wylie of the Andi Mack (Disney Channel) series plays Cory an accidental soccer star in this clean-cut Australian production. Through an odd quirk of fate, science nerd Cory flies to Australia to study oceanic phenomena, but gets on the wrong transfer bus on exiting Sydney airport. Her new destiny is a soccer academy in the regions. Now's the time to let the fantasy that is Back Of The Net wash over you. Cory has no option but to grin and bear her new plight. Making friends and proving herself, learning key life lessons while taking risks and helping others along the way form the foundation for this narrative. And yes there is a winner take all game to climax our hero's journey. Sport loving juniors will love this 90 minute dramedy. 8GUMS.

    

No. 38 (2019) Todos lo saben, "Everybody Knows" April 20th.

Film No 38 (2019) April 20th.  11:00 AM  LUNA PALACE Leederville. 

"It's not a stranger who has done this". (Paco decides on the most obvious deduction he can make about the abduction).

This Spanish mystery has done great business in every corner of the globe. A second cut would make this puzzle piece tauter without doubt but it's easy to figure why it has drawn an audience. Iranian Asghar Farhadi (A Separation) directs his first internationally acclaimed cast including real life couple Penelope Cruz (Laura) and Javier Barden (Paco). While Laura and Paco are not a couple here, everybody (their village) knows they were once lovers. The repercussions of their past actions form the body of this mysterious tale steeped in themes of family, jealousy and most of all, greed. The real skill of Farhadi is the uneasy intimacy he brings to the family set pieces. This kidnap drama has an undertow of unrevealed secrets. Farhadi has us sitting uneasily within the confines of those settings. It's a tribute to his talent. I'm sure he'd rebuff my assertion that Everybody Knows needs a tighter cut. Nevertheless I'm a fan. 9GUMS.

          

     

No. 37 (2019) Gloria Bell. April 18th.

Film No 37 (2019) April. 18th.  6:30 PM  LUNA PALACE Windsor,  Nedlands . 

"I know, you tell me the same thing every ten years". (Gloria responds to her mother's assertion that life disappears in a trice).

The original Spanish feature simply titled Gloria (2013) was a hoot, so I had my reservations sitting through this, a U.S., remake. Well, Gloria Bell matches the original most wholeheartedly. Given her production involvement, Julianne Moore  gets an opportunity to fulfill an ambition to play a character written to give her complete flight to display her abilities as a thoroughly accomplished actor. Gloria (Moore), divorced for twelve years and still single,(discounting the odd one night stand) has a passion for dancing in clubs after dark. She meets a complicated man, Arnold (John Turtorro). Gloria steals his heart, but, I reiterate, Arnold is complicated. Gloria hopes more than thinks she has found some grounding. Moore gives Gloria a free spiritedness that has us willing her to gain emotional fulfillment. This is no Hollywood fairytale, just a slice of a good person's life. The ending has divided audiences, but for me, it's real and perfect. 10GUMS.

No. 35 (2019) Woman at War. April 15th.

Film No 35 (2019) April 15th.  6:45 AM  LUNA PALACE Leederville. 

"We are the last generation that can stop the war against the earth". (Hanna expounds just one view as part of one of her speeches to the masses).

A quirkier little Icelandic morality tale I'm yet to see. But don't let the word quirky get in the way of being also thoroughly entertaining and engaging. Sometimes a poster is enough to prick one's interest, and one depicting the image of an archer taking aim at high tensile power lines certainly had my attention. Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) is an unabated ecoterrorist but we are on her side from the outset, and it's the little things which capture our hearts. She is at one with the harsh but beautiful countryside. The soundtrack is superb and presented with such originality it's nearly a show stealer. Then there is the emotional twist which proves how huge the size of the heart of Woman At War is. 101 Reykjavik is my only other foray into Icelandic cinema and I enjoyed that tender, emotional drama. I'm a fan, their approach to serious material is both intriguing and original. Woman At War is all of that.  10GUMS.  

 

     

No. 36 (2019) Long Shot. April 16th.

Film No. 36 (2018) April 16th.  6:45 PM EVENT CINEMAS Innaloo.                        

"Nobody wants to follow me around the world and then want to know if I have five minutes to be affectionate." (Secretary of State Charlotte Field explains the reason for her current dating situation).

Yet another take on Notting Hill, Pretty Woman, and maybe a little of Shrek. But don't get me wrong, Long Shot does have a unique quality which suddenly catches us with a belly laugh or two via the script. So the fairy tale goes like this, the beautiful Secretary of State, Charlotte Field (Theron), is advised by her egocentric president that he wants to pursue a career in acting (gives him a higher profile) and he would therefore endorse her for election as President in 2020. It's all her dreams come true, but before that happens, we need to accompany her on a road trip (world tour) to sell her three point environmental initiative to the world. To do that she needs to choose a speech writer, a writer to give her ideals some punch! Enter ugly duckling Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogan) and, small world moment; Charlotte was Fred's babysitter, and boy, did he have the hots for her. It's a long shot that he'll ever be able to hook up with the Sec of State but gee - did Will woo Anna Scott in Notting Hill? Silly, funny at times, likable enough but the F*ck's and Mother F's as punctuation for a majority of the script wear thin. Enjoyable but like heavily packaged fast-food, easily forgotten. 8GUMS.

          

No. 33 (2019) Celeste. April 13th.

Film No 33 (2019) April 13th.  11:00 AM  LUNA PALACE Leederville. 

"He wasn't perfect Jack but he loved us and he didn't run when things got tough". (Cel describes her husband to his son Jack, in an emotional outburst).

The beauty of northern Queensland (Paronella Park) stars in this slightly elongated story of Jack (Thomas Cocquerel) and Celeste (Rahda Mitchell). The sheer tranquility of the backdrop adds to the stewing story surrounding the relationship these two characters have. There are side stories and flashbacks which battle to legitimise the reasons they care for each other. Or maybe it's just that Cocquerel looks the part but can't pull off a quality performance. Mitchell, and Nadine Garner as Grace, Celeste's closests companion, are terrific and give a slightly clunky script more bite. Celeste is an emotional mystery piece, with a couple of twists, all shot in a setting which steals the show. Plenty to like - but not quite there!! 7GUMS.