Film No. 14. THE LAST JOURNEY. (2025). 18th Feb.

 

Film No. 14  (2025)  February 18th.  6:30 PM  PALACE Raine Sq, Cinema 6, Perth City.

"Our retirement years were meant to be golden. But he's just sitting there!" (Tiina Hammer tells her son what life is like with her husband Lars who has lost his zest for life).

NOMINEE: Best Documentary (Filip & Fredrik) International Catholic Film Critics Association .

I liked DEN SISTA RESAN (DSR), English title, THE LAST JOURNEY), but when watching it, how do we decide what's contrived and what's real? Well, one doesn't really, but we take a guess, and then in the end, it doesn't matter.

Filip Hammer and Fredrik Wikingsson are Sweden's version of Hamish and Andy (Australia); a fun comedic duo who have grown on a nation (Sweden) and who are generally accepted as harmless, if not slightly "wet". The idea of a documentary depicting one of those comedians (Filip) connecting with his father (Lars) in a way that would move a nation (and beyond), is the idea that drives this partially contrived documentary. Is it more promotional spin for the duo's brand, or a fun vignette to warm the heart? The answer is - it's both. This very entertaining 90 minutes of feature film making is wonderfully humorous, empathetic, thought provoking and most of all, original. And while the boys are key to the road trip, Lars is the star, and they never try to steal his limelight.

We all, as we age, treasure childhood memories of good times, created, with love, by our parents. They may not be there when we'd like to thank them. DSR reminds us to "drink" in all that our parents are to us while they are still with us. 9GUMS.         

 

Film No. 13. CONCLAVE. (2025). 10th Feb.

 

Film No. 13  (2024)  February 10th.  7:00 PM  PALACE Raine Sq, Cinema 1, Perth City.

"This supervision of an election is a duty I thought I'd never have to perform." (Cardinal Lawrence is in shock as he deals with the death of The Pontiff and accepts this new role bestowed upon him).

WINNER: Best Ensemble Cast (Edward Berger) Critics Choice Awards. NOMINEE: Best Motion Picture (Edward Berger) Oscars.

Does a conclave represent the best backdrop to understanding the politics involved in electing leaders? It's hard to argue otherwise ... CONCLAVE is both insightful and beguiling in this sphere.  

British author, Robert Harris, wrote the novel of the same name. The film adaptation tells the story, entertainingly. Director Thomas Berger (ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT) using the talents of Peter Straughan (screenplay) has created a "potboiler" full of intrigue, tension and reflection, and with a fulfilling twist. The exquisite skill of Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal-Dean Lawrence leads us through the dark tunnels needing to be navigated in this forced lock-down.  All the Cardinals from around the world coming together to elect a new pope, leading to an arm-wrestle between the Progressives and the Traditionalists. Questions to be asked are: Do those who covet the job disqualify themselves because of their ambition? And, do women have a role in this process? 

This very polished film sparkles. Tucci, Lithgow, Rossellini and Fiennes buff the quality of Berger's vision, but the soundtrack  by Volker Bertelmann (VB)  rivets us to our seats. Of all it's Academy nominations (8), I hope VB gets to hold an Oscar high.  11GUMS.

      

Film No. 12. WIDOW CLICQUOT. (2025). 3rd Feb.

 

Film No. 12 (2025) February 3rd.  6.30 PM  LUNA WINDSOR, Cinema 1, Nedlands.

"I know what it requires. I've been in the fields for years!" (Barbe-Nicole states her case to the prospective investors keen to buy her fields).

"NOMINEE: Audience Award (Thomas Napper) Toronto Film Festival." (2023).

Some of the best stories being told in contemporary times relate to women overcoming male dominated business environments, to not just succeed, but to unleash new and creative leadership methods. So what of the story of a woman who revolutionised the Champagne industry in the 18th century? 

Here we have the story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, better known as Widow Cliquot, the name behind the label Veuve Clicquot attached to very expensive bottles of bubbly. If you are an historian in awe of the achievements of this madame of industry, before her time - then the film will likely disappoint. WIDOW CLICQUOT (WC) is more a double pronged love story. Widow, Barbe-Nicole, is less depicted as a steely woman of substance but more as a competent, strong, likable, even gullible female who loved and lost and then loved again as she battled adversity to achieved her goals. Director Thomas Napper (JAWBONE) is an experienced director of engaging TV series. WC  is a strong but gentle drama. It has a 'soap' quality. A quality soap, mind.

The flashback aspect to WC's "bubbly" persona wear thin. The fact her first love was a tortured soul (bipolar, perhaps) is understood. Not even love could calm his mind. We got the gist of this early on. I was keener to learn more of her empathic methods for conquering a male dominated industry, while working on mending her broken heart. It's a good yarn, never the less.  9GUMS.   

  

  

Film No. 11. SEPTEMBER 5. (2025). 2nd Feb.

 

Film No. 10  (2025) February 2nd.  5:00 PM  EVENT CINEMAS, Cine 3,  Innaloo.

"It's not about politics, it's about emotions". (Production boss Roone Arledge reacts to questions about his focus on an upcoming US v Cuba contest).

NOMINEE: Best Original Screenplay (Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David) The Oscars (2025).

There was a time, when the question was "where were you when the Olympic Village (1972) was stormed by terrorists?" Since 9/11 the aura surrounding Sept 5, '72 has diminished. SEPTEMBER 5 is a stark reminder that little seems to have changed in Palestinian/Israeli relations ...

The events of September 5 are made more remarkable because 900 million people watched the drama unfold in their own living-rooms. In most western nations, colour images flickered. This tightly bound feature tells the story behind how, and why, so many people were able to sit and view the barely believable reality of what was unfolding. Swiss film-maker Tim Fehldaum (THE COLONY) brilliantly balances file footage with dramatic theatrical re-enactment. The ABC network, via its on-site sports unit led by Roone Arledge (Peter Sarasgaad), Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin) and producer Geoff Mason (John Magaro) brought the tragedy of Sept 5 to the world. This is how they did it. Even when we know the outcome, the tension is electric. 

I was 14 on September 5, 1972. Television was an invention new to our family lounge room. Watching these men with guns, doing as they pleased, was frightening. It was a coming of age moment for me. SEPTEMBER 5 shines a light on how journalism revealed a hard-truth, responsibly, but not without risk. 11GUMS.

   

     

Film No. 10. QUEER. (2025). 1st Feb.

 

Film No. 10 (2025) February 1st.  11.00 AM  LUNA CINEMA, Cinema 1,  Leederville.

"I was looking for meaning and depth and finished with dullness and self indulgence!" (The words of a film critic, who shall remain nameless, as she sought to sum up her QUEER experience).

WINNER: Best Actor (Daniel Craig) National Board of Review (2024).

Why did I attend this screening of QUEER, when I promised myself, 33 years ago (NAKED LUNCH), I would never waste my time in front of another William H Burroughs tale? Well I didn't actually know it was a Burroughs' tale until I'd settled in the dark of the cinema.

I'm a heterosexual male who has enjoyed many films depicting gay lust and love on screen, MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, LOVE LIES BLEEDING, CAROL, and PRIEST, to name a few. While the lustfulness in certain scenes of QUEER are confronting, they fit with the voraciousness of Daniel Craig's, William Lee. It was the loose ended, classic "Burroughs tripping" scenes with which I could not connect. There was squirming, and walk-outs in our preview. If we (my wife and I) hadn't been with friends, (who it turned out, thought the same as us) we would have walked back into sunlight. I could not warm to QUEER. Self indulgent and plain boring was my take.

Most of the accolades (80% of its award nominations and wins) for QUEER are for the performance of Craig. For an actor of his stature, this could have been a risky career move, but he wholly succeeds in the role.  6GUMS.

 

      

Film No. 9. SING SING. (2025). 26th Jan.

 

Film No. 9 (2025)  January 26th.  8:00 PM SOMERVILLE Outdoor U.W.A.                       

"So are you acting at all during this interview?." (John is dumbfounded when asked this question by the parole board chairperson).

WINNER: BSFC Award; Best Ensemble Cast (Greg Kwedar) Boston Society of Film Critics (2024).

Would Donald Trump be empathetically inclined to fund theatre programs, like that depicted in SING SING, for those doing time in the repressive, US prison system? Likely not. The term, empathically inclined, is the key to answering that question.

This quiet film, based in Sing Sing, an old Gothic style prison on the Hudson River, New York, will fill you with hope. A hope that real life prison programs like this one - Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), might spread through other detention centres, world wide. Thus giving hope that troubled people may find redemption. One day in 1996 Katherine Vockins accompanied her husband, an interfaith minister, to his  work. He helped in the rehabilitation of prisoners through reading. She was inspired to do the same through theatre, founding a program called, RTA. This uneven, but profound film tells the story of what followed, through the eyes of Clarence "Devine Eye" Maclin (Colman Domingo) a founding member, and one of the few characters played by an actor. Yes,  the majority of the other actors are former inmates of Sing Sing. 

The heart of this story, however, comes via Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin. This is who we get, the real Clarence and he is divine! This is film at it best, where a real story takes us into a real world, with the real people (baring a couple) who made the magic happen.  11GUMS.      

  

Film No. 8. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. (2025). 25th Jan.

 

Film No. 5 (2025) January 25th.  10.30 AM  LUNA CINEMA, Cinema 1,  Leederville.

"Your songs are like oil paintings at the dentists office." (Dylan describes his interpretation of Baez's music to Joan herself) "You're kind of an arsehole, Bob" (responds Baez).

 WINNER: NBR Award, 10 Best Films. (James Mangold) National Board of Review; USA (2024). NOMINEE: Best Actor (Timothee Chalamet) Oscars.

Do you have to be a Dylan devotee to appreciate A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (ACU)? Definitely not, but in my case, I thought the film was strong until it lagged around the period when he was being obnoxious, and "going electric".

But how do you make a film, summarising an artist who created 55 albums, won a Nobel peace prize and is still alive? Being Director James Mangold (WALK THE LINE) would be a good start. Then you have to find the perfect actor to pull off someone as secretive and as uniquely iconic as Dylan (likely the hardest task of all). Mangold has a gift. Focusing on Dylan's early life and first transition (electric) plus recruiting Timothee Chalamet meant he'd created the bedrock for what is becoming the most highly acclaimed film of 2024. Chalamet brings Dylan to life, as possibly, no one else could. This film would not excel, as it does, without Chalamet.

For every legend there are mentors and lovers. And so the choices by Mangold of Edward Norton as Dylan's "rock", Pete Seeger, then Elle Fanning (Sylvie) and finally, Monica Barbaro (Joan Baez) as people who love him, then leave him, forms a special recipe. Here, we have an entertaining slice of history. 10GUMS.