My recommendation from the Iranian FF of Australia 2023 is this sweet, inventive film, riffing off the French New Wave (Godard, Truffaut, Varda...). Set in a gorgeous port town just out of Tehran, an actor and actress are brought together during casting for a mainstream film. They don't get the roles, but decide to make their own film. The pair become a threesome when they meet cameraman and director, Ziya, and the enchanting adventure begins. There's a joyride with a heist and a celebration of friendship and film. The cinematography is always interesting and often magnificent, with the shipyards' decrepit, giant boats looming over the scenes. The soundtrack is provided by live performances on ukulele ("Shut that bloody bazouki up!"), harmonica, saxophone and recorded music from car stereos. Dark Matter is a highly contemporary piece; self-aware, nostalgic, anarchic, artful, often humourous (also pretentious and silly) but sweet, fun & sincere.
Reviews
67 Reviews
Maade tarik
(2023)
Contemporary, nostalgic, self-aware, anarchic, artful & humourous
29 November 2023
Hard Core Logo
(1996)
This film knows rock'n'roll touring like no other, but it knows life too.
17 July 2023
Hard Core Logo is a tough and witty rock'n'roll 'mockumentary' by brilliant Canadian director Bruce McDonald, known for the cult classics, 'Roadkill' and 'Highway 61'. This new film (1996) eclipses those fine achievements with a musical road movie as real as the Dylan doco 'Don't Look Back' and, when it wants to be, as funny as 'This is Spinal Tap'. It is also one of the best-looking movies I have ever seen.
Based on Michael Turner's book of the same name, the fictional, seminal, Canadian punk rock band, Hard Core Logo, reform for a five-date tour, and we are on the road with the band and a documentary film crew making the film within the film.
Lead singer, Joe Dick (Hugh Dillon) hopes to recapture and build on the band's legendary status but it's a four-way marriage that seems to have reached its use-by date. The lead guitarist (Callum Keith Rennie) is on the verge of selling-out by joining a successful mainstream band, the bassist (John Piper-Ferguson) has lost his Lithium prescription, and then of course there's a drummer (Bernie Coulson).
The film develops the individual characters through documentary devices such as one-on-one interviews, and then crashes these diverse personalities into one another in the claustrophobia of the tour van and in back-stage scenes. Packed with great music and strong performances all-round, Hard Core Logo on stage are believable as an explosively powerful rock'n'roll band.
Despite the grungy, adolescent appeal of the subject matter, this film is a mature and cleverly-told story about more universal themes such as the nature of intimate relationships, growing up, and notions of success. This film knows rock'n'roll touring like no other, but it knows life too, and has the depth to reward a second viewing. An ingenious interlude to the tour occurs when 'doco-director McDonald' is challenged to take an acid trip with the band and do something creative with the camera. The result is truly dark and weird but we are assured that no goats were harmed in the making of this movie.
Hard Core Logo frequently juxtaposes the comic and the tragic, but when you think you've seen it all, McDonald hits you with the most memorable final sequence since Truffaut's "400 Blows".
With a great script (Noel S. Baker), perfectly measured editing (Reginald Harkema) and a wonderful combination of cinematic styles (Danny Nowak), this is extreme, audacious and fun entertainment of the highest quality.
Based on Michael Turner's book of the same name, the fictional, seminal, Canadian punk rock band, Hard Core Logo, reform for a five-date tour, and we are on the road with the band and a documentary film crew making the film within the film.
Lead singer, Joe Dick (Hugh Dillon) hopes to recapture and build on the band's legendary status but it's a four-way marriage that seems to have reached its use-by date. The lead guitarist (Callum Keith Rennie) is on the verge of selling-out by joining a successful mainstream band, the bassist (John Piper-Ferguson) has lost his Lithium prescription, and then of course there's a drummer (Bernie Coulson).
The film develops the individual characters through documentary devices such as one-on-one interviews, and then crashes these diverse personalities into one another in the claustrophobia of the tour van and in back-stage scenes. Packed with great music and strong performances all-round, Hard Core Logo on stage are believable as an explosively powerful rock'n'roll band.
Despite the grungy, adolescent appeal of the subject matter, this film is a mature and cleverly-told story about more universal themes such as the nature of intimate relationships, growing up, and notions of success. This film knows rock'n'roll touring like no other, but it knows life too, and has the depth to reward a second viewing. An ingenious interlude to the tour occurs when 'doco-director McDonald' is challenged to take an acid trip with the band and do something creative with the camera. The result is truly dark and weird but we are assured that no goats were harmed in the making of this movie.
Hard Core Logo frequently juxtaposes the comic and the tragic, but when you think you've seen it all, McDonald hits you with the most memorable final sequence since Truffaut's "400 Blows".
With a great script (Noel S. Baker), perfectly measured editing (Reginald Harkema) and a wonderful combination of cinematic styles (Danny Nowak), this is extreme, audacious and fun entertainment of the highest quality.
Driving Madeleine
(2022)
A touching little gem
21 June 2023
92 year-old Madeleine is leaving her suburban home to enter an aged-care facility on the other side of Paris. Charles, a taxi driver, knows it will be a good fare and comes to pick her up. She is in no hurry to reach her new home and asks him to go via various places which have been significant in her life. As the journey goes on, she shares some of the events of her incredible life with him, as well as wisdom that is useful for his rather jaded existence. There are some flashbacks which show the changing times, including some interesting courtroom scenes. Charles, the cabdriver, in turn becomes increasingly interested, kind and generous.
On this, Madeleine's last lap of Paris, naturally the city stars with its landmarks, restaurants and general life, including separated bikelanes... if they can do it there... And all of this is set to some great songs of the 1940s.
The famous actors are superb, of course, as Madeleine, Liné Renaud (who is 94 and whose film credits go back to the 1940s) and as the cabbie, French star, Dany Boon. The story is well-paced, nicely filmed and quite a touching little gem, somewhat reminiscent of the fine Australian taxi-ride drama, 'Damage' (2022).
On this, Madeleine's last lap of Paris, naturally the city stars with its landmarks, restaurants and general life, including separated bikelanes... if they can do it there... And all of this is set to some great songs of the 1940s.
The famous actors are superb, of course, as Madeleine, Liné Renaud (who is 94 and whose film credits go back to the 1940s) and as the cabbie, French star, Dany Boon. The story is well-paced, nicely filmed and quite a touching little gem, somewhat reminiscent of the fine Australian taxi-ride drama, 'Damage' (2022).
The Last Daughter
(2022)
Two families torn apart by the Australian government
21 June 2023
This is the true story of two families of lovely, innocent people whose lives have been ruined by government policies of taking aboriginal children from their mothers. At the centre is Brenda, charged at the age of 2 years with being a neglected child, grabbed by authorities without warning, separated from her brothers and sisters and placed in foster care with a well-meaning white family. Then, after several years of inclusion with her new parents and siblings, she was abruptly separated from them without further contact and returned to her original family.
Grief, loss and separation permeate the lives of all involved, leaving it to the adult Brenda to reconcile the damaged lives of both families and herself. Brenda's first memories were of growing up in a loving white family. Decades later she feels disconnected from both halves of her life. Naturally, this is a story saturated with emotions and hurt. Hearts all round have been broken and two families torn apart.
Brenda's efforts to repair the harm to all her loved ones unearth records that show the failings and lies of the welfare department through her sorry young life.
The Last Daughter is a documentary about Brenda's journey to find the truth of a part of our history that has been swept under the carpet. So much has been irretrievably lost by so many, all victims of the Australian government's genocidal policies to eradicate the First Nations. The further worry is that while this story starts in the 1970s, it is not even consigned to the past, with the taking of aboriginal children continuing today.
Grief, loss and separation permeate the lives of all involved, leaving it to the adult Brenda to reconcile the damaged lives of both families and herself. Brenda's first memories were of growing up in a loving white family. Decades later she feels disconnected from both halves of her life. Naturally, this is a story saturated with emotions and hurt. Hearts all round have been broken and two families torn apart.
Brenda's efforts to repair the harm to all her loved ones unearth records that show the failings and lies of the welfare department through her sorry young life.
The Last Daughter is a documentary about Brenda's journey to find the truth of a part of our history that has been swept under the carpet. So much has been irretrievably lost by so many, all victims of the Australian government's genocidal policies to eradicate the First Nations. The further worry is that while this story starts in the 1970s, it is not even consigned to the past, with the taking of aboriginal children continuing today.
The Last Rider
(2022)
A story of human resilience for anyone to marvel at
21 June 2023
This is essentially the biography of the only American ever to win the Tour de France, Greg LeMond. He overcame psychological and physical trauma to claim cycling's greatest achievement in the late 1980s. His story is intertwined with other great cyclists, especially Hinault, Delgado and Pignon so we learn a lot about the fierce rivalry that existed in the pelaton at that time and of course, at all times.
Greg LeMond was a sporty kid but discovered cycling later than most when he was preparing for a season of snow-skiing. He immediately loved being on the bike and was a natural at road racing, soon winning event after event. His passion soon had him looking towards the great European riders and races, however he was married to his highschool sweetheart in California. For her it was a no-brainer and she accompanied her husband to pursue his dreams in the big roadraces in Spain, Italy and France. His rise was meteoric but the egos of others were not easily overcome, especially as Greg LeMond was carrying the burden of a dark childhood secret. His ambitions were dealt a further, seemingly fatal blow in a family hunting accident, but again, with the unwavering support of his wife, Kathy, he battled on.
Greg is now a mature man, wisely reflecting on his career, and Kathy also contributes beautifully to the telling of his incredible story. Of course, for cycling fans this well-constructed documentary is a must-see, but it also opens up some of the mysteries of the big cycling events for those not familiar. They are taken along for the rollercoaster ride that is LeMond's story, one which couldn't be anymore gripping if it were fiction. And The Last Rider is mercifully free of US patriotism and jingoism, so it is highly recommended as a human story for anyone to marvel at. Although simply told, it is so wonderfully full of real tragedy and triumph, heroes, heroines and villains, that it atones for the Armstrong years to come.
Greg LeMond was a sporty kid but discovered cycling later than most when he was preparing for a season of snow-skiing. He immediately loved being on the bike and was a natural at road racing, soon winning event after event. His passion soon had him looking towards the great European riders and races, however he was married to his highschool sweetheart in California. For her it was a no-brainer and she accompanied her husband to pursue his dreams in the big roadraces in Spain, Italy and France. His rise was meteoric but the egos of others were not easily overcome, especially as Greg LeMond was carrying the burden of a dark childhood secret. His ambitions were dealt a further, seemingly fatal blow in a family hunting accident, but again, with the unwavering support of his wife, Kathy, he battled on.
Greg is now a mature man, wisely reflecting on his career, and Kathy also contributes beautifully to the telling of his incredible story. Of course, for cycling fans this well-constructed documentary is a must-see, but it also opens up some of the mysteries of the big cycling events for those not familiar. They are taken along for the rollercoaster ride that is LeMond's story, one which couldn't be anymore gripping if it were fiction. And The Last Rider is mercifully free of US patriotism and jingoism, so it is highly recommended as a human story for anyone to marvel at. Although simply told, it is so wonderfully full of real tragedy and triumph, heroes, heroines and villains, that it atones for the Armstrong years to come.
Damage
(2020)
A sad, fascinating and lovely story
21 June 2023
Damage
dir. Madeleine Blackwell (tv actor and sister of the late Paul Blackwell, beloved theatre actor)
Out from her aged-care home on a mission, Esther enlists the aid of a cab driver, Ali. He has a history of escape from the Middle East which haunts him as he tries to overcome the frustration of a fare who doesn't have an address to guide him. They are on the road together at night. She can't remember, and he can't forget.
These are wonderful characters, brilliantly evoked by the two low-key stars (Imelda Bourke & Ali Al Jenabi) to tell a sad, fascinating and lovely story. A good mood is created in this tender and original film exploring themes of aging, connection, seeking asylum and freedom.
Damage is a deeply humane, geriatric road movie and buddy flick with a cascade of arresting images from in and around Adelaide. The opening scene of a submerged jetty is very arresting and is actually from nearby Port Parham. For we locals, it is very 'Adelaide' (location of many fine films; Look Both Ways, Snowtown, Travelling Light, A Month of Sundays, Return Home, Wrong Side of the Road etc) but as never seen before, thanks to cinematographer Hugh Freytag.
But Damage also features harsh surveillance-quality footage from the WikiLeaks released Collateral Murder, a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people including two Reuters news staff in Iraq in 2007.
The deliberate pace stylishly tells a wise story.
Out from her aged-care home on a mission, Esther enlists the aid of a cab driver, Ali. He has a history of escape from the Middle East which haunts him as he tries to overcome the frustration of a fare who doesn't have an address to guide him. They are on the road together at night. She can't remember, and he can't forget.
These are wonderful characters, brilliantly evoked by the two low-key stars (Imelda Bourke & Ali Al Jenabi) to tell a sad, fascinating and lovely story. A good mood is created in this tender and original film exploring themes of aging, connection, seeking asylum and freedom.
Damage is a deeply humane, geriatric road movie and buddy flick with a cascade of arresting images from in and around Adelaide. The opening scene of a submerged jetty is very arresting and is actually from nearby Port Parham. For we locals, it is very 'Adelaide' (location of many fine films; Look Both Ways, Snowtown, Travelling Light, A Month of Sundays, Return Home, Wrong Side of the Road etc) but as never seen before, thanks to cinematographer Hugh Freytag.
But Damage also features harsh surveillance-quality footage from the WikiLeaks released Collateral Murder, a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people including two Reuters news staff in Iraq in 2007.
The deliberate pace stylishly tells a wise story.
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday
(1953)
Sparkling with invention and humour
8 April 2023
Genial, Monsieur Hulot (played by writer/director, Jacques Tati) drives his hilarious little car to the beach for the annual summer holidays; an ever-receding nostalgic type of retreat from the city, once known all over the western world, including here. It's the post-war boom, arguably the beginning of the end. Hulot is a humane man in a rapidly approaching post-human world.
Tati uses visual, physical humour, but subtle and rarely slapstick. This film is so precise in every way that it's a seemingly effortless delight and always technically brilliant. Tati has created his comic cinema character, M Hulot, in a way similar to the silent greats, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. But Tati is also noted for his creative use of sound, especially of dubbed or 'foley' sound, and for eschewing almost all dialogue. What replaces the chatter are delightful, lilting, original musical themes.
Sparkling with invention and humour, along with Mon Oncle (or "My Uncle") by Jaques Tati which won the 1959 oscar for best film, M Hulot's Holiday is a masterpiece of cinema which was also Oscar nominated. A sweet portrait of a 1950s beach holiday from a humanist, anarchic libertarian, and a film that repays return visits to reveal even more beauty, insights and tiny tickles.
Tati uses visual, physical humour, but subtle and rarely slapstick. This film is so precise in every way that it's a seemingly effortless delight and always technically brilliant. Tati has created his comic cinema character, M Hulot, in a way similar to the silent greats, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. But Tati is also noted for his creative use of sound, especially of dubbed or 'foley' sound, and for eschewing almost all dialogue. What replaces the chatter are delightful, lilting, original musical themes.
Sparkling with invention and humour, along with Mon Oncle (or "My Uncle") by Jaques Tati which won the 1959 oscar for best film, M Hulot's Holiday is a masterpiece of cinema which was also Oscar nominated. A sweet portrait of a 1950s beach holiday from a humanist, anarchic libertarian, and a film that repays return visits to reveal even more beauty, insights and tiny tickles.
Look Both Ways
(2005)
Uplifting film about everyday suburban heroism
8 April 2023
This is a gem that tells a wonderful story, making universal observations about modern life. 'Look Both Ways' is a film intimately about us (Adelaide), now, shot entirely on location in Adelaide (including at the Norwood Pool and the Karrawirra Pari Linear Park).
When one young man is hit by a train and another is diagnosed with cancer, repercussions spread through a group of Adelaidians over a scorchingly hot weekend. Nick visits a doctor for a routine medical and is given devastating news but has to wait until Monday for specialist advice. Meryl, returning from a funeral, has until Monday to finish her art project or lose her job. Journalist, Andy is thrown by his girlfriend's pregnancy, and then there's the train driver, his punk son, the newspaper editor and sundry members of the families of all of them.
Successful multicharacter films are rare aside from Robert Altman's masterpieces, but here Watt has Anthony Hayes, Lisa Flanagan, Andrew S. Gilbert, Daniela Farinacci, Sacha Horler, Maggie Dence, Edwin Hodgman and Andreas Sobik all creating authentic characters, and playing naturally off each other. At the centre are the endearing couple played by Justine Clarke & William McInnes. I will love them both for ever.
In this her feature debut, writer-director Sarah Watt uses a daring mix, interspersing the live action with segments of the painterly animations of her celebrated short-films and also exhilarating photographic montages. She exquisitely combines hilarious moments with darker comedy and unbearable poignancy. Fortunately it is fathers that have to die to propel this film for a change.
Themes of illness, loneliness and loss weave through the pitch-perfect, dense dialogue, amongst motifs of trains, cricket and water, all beautifully shown by cinematographer, Ray Argall (director of another Adelaide classic, Return Home). Andrew Plain's soundscape is superb, from background suburban noises to clear conversations, well-matched songs and original music by Amanda Brown.
The result is an uplifting film about everyday suburban heroism, with characters learning to relate warmly. Chiming with truth, 'Look Both Ways' is a gift rich for grown-ups.
When one young man is hit by a train and another is diagnosed with cancer, repercussions spread through a group of Adelaidians over a scorchingly hot weekend. Nick visits a doctor for a routine medical and is given devastating news but has to wait until Monday for specialist advice. Meryl, returning from a funeral, has until Monday to finish her art project or lose her job. Journalist, Andy is thrown by his girlfriend's pregnancy, and then there's the train driver, his punk son, the newspaper editor and sundry members of the families of all of them.
Successful multicharacter films are rare aside from Robert Altman's masterpieces, but here Watt has Anthony Hayes, Lisa Flanagan, Andrew S. Gilbert, Daniela Farinacci, Sacha Horler, Maggie Dence, Edwin Hodgman and Andreas Sobik all creating authentic characters, and playing naturally off each other. At the centre are the endearing couple played by Justine Clarke & William McInnes. I will love them both for ever.
In this her feature debut, writer-director Sarah Watt uses a daring mix, interspersing the live action with segments of the painterly animations of her celebrated short-films and also exhilarating photographic montages. She exquisitely combines hilarious moments with darker comedy and unbearable poignancy. Fortunately it is fathers that have to die to propel this film for a change.
Themes of illness, loneliness and loss weave through the pitch-perfect, dense dialogue, amongst motifs of trains, cricket and water, all beautifully shown by cinematographer, Ray Argall (director of another Adelaide classic, Return Home). Andrew Plain's soundscape is superb, from background suburban noises to clear conversations, well-matched songs and original music by Amanda Brown.
The result is an uplifting film about everyday suburban heroism, with characters learning to relate warmly. Chiming with truth, 'Look Both Ways' is a gift rich for grown-ups.
Merkel
(2022)
Weak compared to 'Looking For Merkel' by Marion Van Renterghem (2022)
8 April 2023
Angela Merkel is a great subject. But her background story is so glossed-over in this new film that after last year's 'Looking For Merkel' by Marion Van Renterghem, it's such a disappointment.
This film is more interested in American Presidents Trump and Obama, rather than how and why a woman could come from behind the Iron Curtain and inspire the 'Free World'.
Significant to Merkel's story is that she came from East Berlin where under communism, women had much greater equality than in the so-called free west. It's a fantastic story that gives a great perspective on East Germany where the young Angela's father moved to from the west. (One reason was that protestants were more accepted in the East than in catholic West Germany, which was dominated by men and corporate capitalism which stifled the role of women.)
A highly political young woman (not covered in 'Merkel'), she was shocked that despite being an eminent physicist, she became a second-class citizen in the west and was judged on her hair and clothing (again, omitted in Merkel).
'Looking For Merkel' by Marion Van Renterghem is available on Kanopy, Vimeo and other platforms and I rate it 9.
This film is more interested in American Presidents Trump and Obama, rather than how and why a woman could come from behind the Iron Curtain and inspire the 'Free World'.
Significant to Merkel's story is that she came from East Berlin where under communism, women had much greater equality than in the so-called free west. It's a fantastic story that gives a great perspective on East Germany where the young Angela's father moved to from the west. (One reason was that protestants were more accepted in the East than in catholic West Germany, which was dominated by men and corporate capitalism which stifled the role of women.)
A highly political young woman (not covered in 'Merkel'), she was shocked that despite being an eminent physicist, she became a second-class citizen in the west and was judged on her hair and clothing (again, omitted in Merkel).
'Looking For Merkel' by Marion Van Renterghem is available on Kanopy, Vimeo and other platforms and I rate it 9.
You Can Go Now
(2022)
Entertaining portrait of a brilliant character
25 January 2023
Richard Bell is an internationally acclaimed painter and installation artist. His work, 'Embassy' has been mounted internationally, stoking sovereignty arguments for First Nations people all over the world. Richard is a provocateur from Queensland with a long history in activism which he brings to his sophisticated and philosophical paintings. But his method is bold and brash, with bright paintings containing slogans that take the piss out of colonialism. His work shouts, 'Free Black Australia', 'Pardon Me For Being Born Into A Nation Of Racists', 'Australia: Drive It You Stole It', and 'Give It All Back'. Richard is funny, smart and disrespectful.
He turned the art world on its head by winning the $40,000 Telstra Art Prize in 2003 with his painting, "Aboriginal Art; It's A White Thing", and then set off a storm by collecting the prize in a t-shirt that read 'White Girls Can't Hump'. He laughed gleefully at the outrage and accusations of racial stereotyping, of course.
Although he claims to be an activist masquerading as an artist, his post-modern art thievery and galloping practice have elevated his naïve, art brut style to the pinnacle of modern art. Reflecting on his work in this film are international gallerists and artists, and homegrown contributors like Linda Burney (Minister for First Nations people), and Gary Foley.
Underpinning the art career, we get a background history lesson from the constitutional referendum in 1967, through the 1972 Tent Embassy, Redfern and on up to the present day. The film is directed by the outstanding broadcaster, Larissa Behrendt.
He turned the art world on its head by winning the $40,000 Telstra Art Prize in 2003 with his painting, "Aboriginal Art; It's A White Thing", and then set off a storm by collecting the prize in a t-shirt that read 'White Girls Can't Hump'. He laughed gleefully at the outrage and accusations of racial stereotyping, of course.
Although he claims to be an activist masquerading as an artist, his post-modern art thievery and galloping practice have elevated his naïve, art brut style to the pinnacle of modern art. Reflecting on his work in this film are international gallerists and artists, and homegrown contributors like Linda Burney (Minister for First Nations people), and Gary Foley.
Underpinning the art career, we get a background history lesson from the constitutional referendum in 1967, through the 1972 Tent Embassy, Redfern and on up to the present day. The film is directed by the outstanding broadcaster, Larissa Behrendt.
The Fabelmans
(2022)
Self-indulgent drivel
28 December 2022
The Fabelmans is bland, lacklustre, shallow, flat, & phony, with very long takes. Right from the start you're wondering why these scenes aren't edited.
And as for the story content, I found myself saying, 'As if!', every couple of minutes.
Poor Michelle Williams (Manchester By The Sea), directed here so that she looks like she can't act.
This is trowelled-on Americana, initially from the 50s (big fin cars). It's shows a hermetically sealed life in a large Jewish family, sidelining the girls in the family completely, as the young lad (Spielberg) spends his time and money on improved movie equipment. This allows for a great deal of 'tech talk'.
No doubt it eventually moves on from the 60s, but so slowly, I'll never know.
And as for the story content, I found myself saying, 'As if!', every couple of minutes.
Poor Michelle Williams (Manchester By The Sea), directed here so that she looks like she can't act.
This is trowelled-on Americana, initially from the 50s (big fin cars). It's shows a hermetically sealed life in a large Jewish family, sidelining the girls in the family completely, as the young lad (Spielberg) spends his time and money on improved movie equipment. This allows for a great deal of 'tech talk'.
No doubt it eventually moves on from the 60s, but so slowly, I'll never know.
Millie Lies Low
(2021)
Funny, sweet and sincere, and one of the best films of the year
30 November 2022
Despite her fear of flying, Millie is smart and resourceful, making her a wonderful modern heroine. As Millie, Ana Scotney is a revelation. She has the most expressive face I have ever seen. The subtlety of her performance is increasingly captivating as are her physical, very human, comic moments. I could watch this young woman all day.
It treads a beautiful line of comedy and thoughtful reflection on being a young adult. I found the film entertaining throughout and I laughed frequently. With the action magnificently and thoughtfully photographed, this is a rare gem.
The wicked scene that the film's climax pivots on is audacious and exquisitely painful to share with Millie. This deft film earns its unique resolution.
It treads a beautiful line of comedy and thoughtful reflection on being a young adult. I found the film entertaining throughout and I laughed frequently. With the action magnificently and thoughtfully photographed, this is a rare gem.
The wicked scene that the film's climax pivots on is audacious and exquisitely painful to share with Millie. This deft film earns its unique resolution.
Everything in Between
(2022)
Great for young people who are wondering what is worth living for
20 October 2022
This is the tender and engrossing story of a lonely teenager who has a chance meeting with a young woman with whom he immediately bonds.
It opens with a scene of 20 something Liz having a bad trip. She is a world traveller who has landed in Sydney and is soon seeking medical attention for her skin rash. Meanwhile, depressed 18-year-old student, Jay, is soon standing on a cliff contemplating an end to his privileged but meaningless existence. When the two meet in a hospital waiting room, there is a chemistry that sets this briskly-moving, black comedy in motion.
We meet Jay's jaded socialite parents and this film really takes the piss out of them while the youngsters become a lovely couple. It's a touching story of love, life and death with great performances from Freyja Benjamin debuting as Liz, and from Jordan Dulieu as Jay.
This film shows so much talent from the writing and direction of Nadi Sha to the stylish production. It reminded me a little of the wonderful US film, Dream With The Fishes, in its themes and trajectory. It is an Australian script of uncommon quality that tells an original story that would be especially good for teens & twenty-somethings who are wondering about what is worth living for. I laughed and cried.
It opens with a scene of 20 something Liz having a bad trip. She is a world traveller who has landed in Sydney and is soon seeking medical attention for her skin rash. Meanwhile, depressed 18-year-old student, Jay, is soon standing on a cliff contemplating an end to his privileged but meaningless existence. When the two meet in a hospital waiting room, there is a chemistry that sets this briskly-moving, black comedy in motion.
We meet Jay's jaded socialite parents and this film really takes the piss out of them while the youngsters become a lovely couple. It's a touching story of love, life and death with great performances from Freyja Benjamin debuting as Liz, and from Jordan Dulieu as Jay.
This film shows so much talent from the writing and direction of Nadi Sha to the stylish production. It reminded me a little of the wonderful US film, Dream With The Fishes, in its themes and trajectory. It is an Australian script of uncommon quality that tells an original story that would be especially good for teens & twenty-somethings who are wondering about what is worth living for. I laughed and cried.
Countryman
(2022)
Impeccable story of country and culture
13 October 2022
This is a superb documentary that turns on the discovery of a fellow man of Croatian heritage by the film maker, Peter Pecotic. Retracing his late father's footsteps from Sydney to Cairns in the 1950s, Peter meets some migrants and their descendants. We see the emotional connection that Australians from Croatia still feel for the Dalmation coast.
Also on his travels he meets artist, Joseph Williams, a Warumungu man in Tenant Creek with a Croatian father. That is, a first Nations man whose Yugoslavian father left him and his mother when Joseph was a lad.
Peter connects Joseph to his Croatian heritage and his family. Country and culture is important to all the characters in this film. The sociology and psychology are explored and Joseph's art comes into sharp focus and his affinity for homeland and ancestry blossoms in a new direction.
Because of the Yugoslavian coincidence, we get a new perspective on the Indigenous connection to home; to country. It is quite a paradox we witness in the unfolding of this true story on-screen. It connects Croatia to Tenant Creek, Joseph's mother's country, through the very perceptive perspective of the lovely and humane Peter Pecotic, and his openness to the material that miraculously comes to him. Peter has a good eye for landscape and characters, and a nose for a great story, the telling of which is impeccable.
Also on his travels he meets artist, Joseph Williams, a Warumungu man in Tenant Creek with a Croatian father. That is, a first Nations man whose Yugoslavian father left him and his mother when Joseph was a lad.
Peter connects Joseph to his Croatian heritage and his family. Country and culture is important to all the characters in this film. The sociology and psychology are explored and Joseph's art comes into sharp focus and his affinity for homeland and ancestry blossoms in a new direction.
Because of the Yugoslavian coincidence, we get a new perspective on the Indigenous connection to home; to country. It is quite a paradox we witness in the unfolding of this true story on-screen. It connects Croatia to Tenant Creek, Joseph's mother's country, through the very perceptive perspective of the lovely and humane Peter Pecotic, and his openness to the material that miraculously comes to him. Peter has a good eye for landscape and characters, and a nose for a great story, the telling of which is impeccable.
Embrace: Kids
(2022)
Empowering for kids and their parents
31 August 2022
From body positivity champion Taryn Brumfitt, who gave us Embrace (2016), comes Embrace: Kids, an exploration of body image, bullying, gender identity, advocacy, representation and more. It's all about self-acceptance and rejecting the bullying from commercial pedophiles (corporations who exploit children's bodies for their own satisfaction), social media (including corporate manipulation) and peers.
But Taryn's focus is on the society-wide tolerance of shaming people for their unique bodies. She exposes the industries involved in a conscious game to give kids depression. People are making money out of making you feel bad about yourself.
Taryn is as shocked as we all should be, as governments should be. It's abusive behaviour and Taryn and her kids collective are calling it out right now. In this film the kids tell the story of their experience and make the case for self-acceptance of difference. And they are a wonderfully diverse bunch.
Celeste Barber is a brilliant character in this film along with footballer Erin Phillips and music duo Electric Fields. There's a lot of ground to cover and Taryn knows the territory. It is a well-organised and watchable revelation, filled with fun and joy. This film shows kids how to respect and embrace their bodies, ultimately saying that we're all pretty similar really, so be as you are.
This film should be the beginning of a much better world for the next generation of kids than the hideously exploitative circumstances that young people are currently caught up in. It's a great message and empowering for kids and their parents.
But Taryn's focus is on the society-wide tolerance of shaming people for their unique bodies. She exposes the industries involved in a conscious game to give kids depression. People are making money out of making you feel bad about yourself.
Taryn is as shocked as we all should be, as governments should be. It's abusive behaviour and Taryn and her kids collective are calling it out right now. In this film the kids tell the story of their experience and make the case for self-acceptance of difference. And they are a wonderfully diverse bunch.
Celeste Barber is a brilliant character in this film along with footballer Erin Phillips and music duo Electric Fields. There's a lot of ground to cover and Taryn knows the territory. It is a well-organised and watchable revelation, filled with fun and joy. This film shows kids how to respect and embrace their bodies, ultimately saying that we're all pretty similar really, so be as you are.
This film should be the beginning of a much better world for the next generation of kids than the hideously exploitative circumstances that young people are currently caught up in. It's a great message and empowering for kids and their parents.
So Vam
(2021)
Drag vampires bent on revenge
31 August 2022
Kurt is an outcast in a conservative town (Adelaide, Australia!!) who dreams of moving to the city to be a famous drag queen. We see him bullied and beaten on the street and at school, but he is proud, not cowed. When he is kidnapped by a predatory old vampire and killed, he is resurrected by a gang of rebellious vampires who feed on bigots and abusers. In his new condition, he finds empowerment and belonging, but his killer is still out there. Kurt must face the monster, but this time he is not alone.
So Vam also takes us into gay & trans nightlife culture with lots of high-camp glamour and outrageous dress-ups. It deals playfully with a lot of very serious issues using topical scenarios. The plot is convoluted but always fun, and some of the acting is pretty good. The music is keyboardy, 80s 'New Wave', notably from the excellent Alter Boy.
This is a well-photographed, drag fantasy by director, Alice Maio Mackay. Edited by Dan Vink (bassist in local Ramones tribute band, Kosher Salami), So Vam has some nice special effects and surreal, dream sequences. Not quite 'What We Do In The Shadows' or 'Warm Bodies', but It is a brave and often-entertaining labour of love, certainly with its heart and fangs in the right place.
So Vam also takes us into gay & trans nightlife culture with lots of high-camp glamour and outrageous dress-ups. It deals playfully with a lot of very serious issues using topical scenarios. The plot is convoluted but always fun, and some of the acting is pretty good. The music is keyboardy, 80s 'New Wave', notably from the excellent Alter Boy.
This is a well-photographed, drag fantasy by director, Alice Maio Mackay. Edited by Dan Vink (bassist in local Ramones tribute band, Kosher Salami), So Vam has some nice special effects and surreal, dream sequences. Not quite 'What We Do In The Shadows' or 'Warm Bodies', but It is a brave and often-entertaining labour of love, certainly with its heart and fangs in the right place.
Nowhere Special
(2020)
Cringeworthy patriarchal cliches
23 March 2022
John is a 34-year-old Irish window cleaner with a 4-year-old son, Michael. The child's Russian mother left them soon after giving birth.
John is now dying, so through the department of adoptions, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for Michael, at the same time shielding him from the reality of the situation. The film is necessarily episodic as we lurch from would-be-adopter auditions to meetings with social workers. But how can he judge a family from a brief encounter (although we as viewers are clearly expected to from the caricatures offered)?
Dad is a very tatty guy, and the kid for all his cuteness is bratty. Tatty has very limited emotional resources, intelligence and maturity. Bratty really wants a puppy so that has to be in the deal. They both wear baseball caps though they are in Ireland. We naturally wonder how the Russian mother arrived on the scene and why she left without her kid, but that is not for us to know. A scene which calls into question the quality of John's window cleaning work and response to a dissatisfied customer gives a clue. Of course, we can understand that Bratty has had a confusing time of his young life and is bound to be spoiled and indulged by Tatty, but that doesn't make him engaging or attractive so that you'd want to spend an hour and a half with him. The young actor's skills are not overwhelming, either.
In fact, it's all a bit blokey with the man and the 'wee-man', who is also a 'good man', as Tatty calls Bratty. It's not a big deal, but it made me wanna puke. The funfair montage was such a surprise (just kidding). Can you believe dodgem cars, fairy floss, a mirror maze even? Tatty actually doesn't have any symptoms of his impending death by whatever affliction he has (not for us to know).
And the broad Irish accents make some of the dialogue hard to follow. A really awful idea for a film, and the tattooed man/boy dad and his little man thing is such a patriarchal cliché.
Uberto Pasolini previously directed the excellent 2013 film Still Life, starring Eddie Marsan and Joanne Froggatt, but Nowhere Special is cringeworthy and uninteresting.
John is now dying, so through the department of adoptions, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for Michael, at the same time shielding him from the reality of the situation. The film is necessarily episodic as we lurch from would-be-adopter auditions to meetings with social workers. But how can he judge a family from a brief encounter (although we as viewers are clearly expected to from the caricatures offered)?
Dad is a very tatty guy, and the kid for all his cuteness is bratty. Tatty has very limited emotional resources, intelligence and maturity. Bratty really wants a puppy so that has to be in the deal. They both wear baseball caps though they are in Ireland. We naturally wonder how the Russian mother arrived on the scene and why she left without her kid, but that is not for us to know. A scene which calls into question the quality of John's window cleaning work and response to a dissatisfied customer gives a clue. Of course, we can understand that Bratty has had a confusing time of his young life and is bound to be spoiled and indulged by Tatty, but that doesn't make him engaging or attractive so that you'd want to spend an hour and a half with him. The young actor's skills are not overwhelming, either.
In fact, it's all a bit blokey with the man and the 'wee-man', who is also a 'good man', as Tatty calls Bratty. It's not a big deal, but it made me wanna puke. The funfair montage was such a surprise (just kidding). Can you believe dodgem cars, fairy floss, a mirror maze even? Tatty actually doesn't have any symptoms of his impending death by whatever affliction he has (not for us to know).
And the broad Irish accents make some of the dialogue hard to follow. A really awful idea for a film, and the tattooed man/boy dad and his little man thing is such a patriarchal cliché.
Uberto Pasolini previously directed the excellent 2013 film Still Life, starring Eddie Marsan and Joanne Froggatt, but Nowhere Special is cringeworthy and uninteresting.
Magnificent musical storytelling; You are invited to watch and listen, but it should be compulsory.
12 March 2022
This movie is many things. It is foremost a wonderful music film centring on the mighty River Murray as presented in songs written by First Nations artists Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach.
It describes their life-long love affair after finding each other in the Salvation Army shelter. Both were homeless and drinking heavily after suffering the trauma of being stolen from their parents.
Centring on a concert in Melbourne in 2004, Kura Tungar - Songs from the River, which was a collaboration between Archie and Ruby, working with pianist Paul Grabowsky and the 22-piece Australian Art Orchestra, it combines footage of conversations with Archie and Ruby, rehearsals of the songs, the opening night, and breathtaking images of Hunter's Ngarrindjeri country in South Australia.
The opening scenes are of a sunset over the Coorong and there are many arresting aerial and other vistas of the banks and cliffs of the river accompanying the musical storytelling. Rather than Hunter's and Roach's usual spare guitar work, the music for the concert and film is provided by the Australian Art Orchestra which comprises trumpet, trombone, clarinet, strings and percussion, and is brilliantly embellished by Paul Grabowsky's keyboard flourishes. The songs tend to be in jazz stylings, but there are also symphonic soundscapes.
Centre stage, of course, are the haunting voices of the two outstanding artists; Archie's high vibrato and Ruby's low register resonance. They are heroic characters who have emerged from trauma through homelessness to achieve the status of respected elders and beloved celebrities. The film is an exquisite portrait of them at the peak of their powers, shortly before Ruby's death, and is a profoundly moving story of loss, love and the meanings of coming 'home'. There are many touching and heartrending moments along with plenty of giggles. The film will resonate globally, though it's deeply connected to South Australia.
You are invited to watch and listen, but it should be compulsory. The film has many songs including outstanding and triumphant renditions of 'They Took The Children Away', 'Ngarrendjeri Woman' and 'Into The Bloodstream'.
It describes their life-long love affair after finding each other in the Salvation Army shelter. Both were homeless and drinking heavily after suffering the trauma of being stolen from their parents.
Centring on a concert in Melbourne in 2004, Kura Tungar - Songs from the River, which was a collaboration between Archie and Ruby, working with pianist Paul Grabowsky and the 22-piece Australian Art Orchestra, it combines footage of conversations with Archie and Ruby, rehearsals of the songs, the opening night, and breathtaking images of Hunter's Ngarrindjeri country in South Australia.
The opening scenes are of a sunset over the Coorong and there are many arresting aerial and other vistas of the banks and cliffs of the river accompanying the musical storytelling. Rather than Hunter's and Roach's usual spare guitar work, the music for the concert and film is provided by the Australian Art Orchestra which comprises trumpet, trombone, clarinet, strings and percussion, and is brilliantly embellished by Paul Grabowsky's keyboard flourishes. The songs tend to be in jazz stylings, but there are also symphonic soundscapes.
Centre stage, of course, are the haunting voices of the two outstanding artists; Archie's high vibrato and Ruby's low register resonance. They are heroic characters who have emerged from trauma through homelessness to achieve the status of respected elders and beloved celebrities. The film is an exquisite portrait of them at the peak of their powers, shortly before Ruby's death, and is a profoundly moving story of loss, love and the meanings of coming 'home'. There are many touching and heartrending moments along with plenty of giggles. The film will resonate globally, though it's deeply connected to South Australia.
You are invited to watch and listen, but it should be compulsory. The film has many songs including outstanding and triumphant renditions of 'They Took The Children Away', 'Ngarrendjeri Woman' and 'Into The Bloodstream'.
India Sweets and Spices
(I) (2021)
Wise, lovely, original with a stunning lead performance
2 February 2022
Home from college, Alia (Sophia Ali), returns to her family's swank suburban New Jersey home. Smitten by Varun (Rish Shah), the handsome son of the new owners of the local Indian grocery, she invites his family to a dinner gathering with her parents' wealthy friends. Snobbery ensues but Alia is surprised to learn of her conservative mother's radical past with Varun's mother. But there are more secrets still, turning on the idea of women's place in Indian society and also on the custom of arranged marriage.
This is a smart, modern film with sharp dialogue exploring both universal themes including hypocrisy and those relating to Indian culture. The soundtrack is excellent too, including modern music. It's about family, truth-telling and hopes of reconciliation. Writer and director Geeta Malik is a powerful artist and her star, Sophia Ali is a dominating and compelling presence, creating a charismatic character.
Wise, lovely, original with a stunning lead performance, India Sweets and Spices is outstanding storytelling.
This is a smart, modern film with sharp dialogue exploring both universal themes including hypocrisy and those relating to Indian culture. The soundtrack is excellent too, including modern music. It's about family, truth-telling and hopes of reconciliation. Writer and director Geeta Malik is a powerful artist and her star, Sophia Ali is a dominating and compelling presence, creating a charismatic character.
Wise, lovely, original with a stunning lead performance, India Sweets and Spices is outstanding storytelling.
A Fire Inside
(2021)
PM ScoMo doesn't hold a hose...
1 December 2021
This is a great Australian documentary about the effect of the massive and unprecedented 2019 bushfires on a small community in NSW. There are vivid images, both hectic footage and grand still photos of the firestorm approaching the towns of Balmoral and Cobargo, and the response, and the inevitable tragedy of loss of life and property. But the real focus is on the aftermath.
The town's ordeal is set in the context of the many fires that devastated the east coast of Australia that summer. There is also the context of the preceding drought, the changing climate and then the Covid 19 pandemic which too quickly pushed the fire damage into history and stymied reconstruction.
However prepared, dedicated and even gung-ho the Rural Fire Service volunteers were, this fire left psychological trauma that had no precedent and still requires close attention. Generations of firefighters from one family are a focus, as are the other stoic but shaken diverse characters of the township; the Asian late arrivals, the First Nations fire expert, the mothers and the grandparents. There are many good stories from different threads.
It is a tale of bravery, destruction, trauma, resilience and gradual recovery, told through the microcosm of one small community. Sometimes they are understandably inarticulate but other times guilelessly nail the issues faced by so many. This is true life & death drama and everyday, death-defying heroism. Lingering are survivor guilt, depression, financial hardship and family breakdown.
But resilience is slowly fostered through talking, tears and psychological support, making the viewing experience ultimately upbeat and feelgood.
(This film could well have featured the Australian Prime Minister holidaying in Hawaii at the time and saying he doesn't hold a hose. Chilling.)
The town's ordeal is set in the context of the many fires that devastated the east coast of Australia that summer. There is also the context of the preceding drought, the changing climate and then the Covid 19 pandemic which too quickly pushed the fire damage into history and stymied reconstruction.
However prepared, dedicated and even gung-ho the Rural Fire Service volunteers were, this fire left psychological trauma that had no precedent and still requires close attention. Generations of firefighters from one family are a focus, as are the other stoic but shaken diverse characters of the township; the Asian late arrivals, the First Nations fire expert, the mothers and the grandparents. There are many good stories from different threads.
It is a tale of bravery, destruction, trauma, resilience and gradual recovery, told through the microcosm of one small community. Sometimes they are understandably inarticulate but other times guilelessly nail the issues faced by so many. This is true life & death drama and everyday, death-defying heroism. Lingering are survivor guilt, depression, financial hardship and family breakdown.
But resilience is slowly fostered through talking, tears and psychological support, making the viewing experience ultimately upbeat and feelgood.
(This film could well have featured the Australian Prime Minister holidaying in Hawaii at the time and saying he doesn't hold a hose. Chilling.)
The Witch of Kings Cross
(2020)
Another brilliant and creative woman repressed in her time and her output neglected
1 December 2021
Rosaleen Norton was a precocious young girl, revelling in thunderstorms and not scared of the dark. She was bent on becoming a visual artist, drawing and writing prolifically, as well as studying and collaborating with other artists.
She had an interest in the unconscious and understood the human psyche in the terms espoused by Carl Jung, including taking inspiration from dreams and myth, and exploring the collective and her personal shadow. The paintings and drawings are impressive and show a unique vision and talent. Full of sensuality, sexuality, almost surreal.
Upon arrival in Sydney for her first show, her work was met with police and mainstream press outrage, particularly at her depiction of nude women and mythical beings. The Catholic Church piled on too. She soon became notorious as the Witch of Kings Cross. She openly worshipped the twin deities Pan and Lilith and practiced trances and sex magic, inspired by the work of Aleister Crowley. Eventually the relentless scandals led to the downfall of her high society lover, Sir Eugene Goossens, conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A court also even ordered the police to incinerate two of her paintings.
Her life and work are portrayed through a rich montage of elements including audacious recreations stylised drama (Rosaleen is played by actress Kate Elizabeth Laxton). The film weaves archival footage of Sydney & Melbourne in the 50s & 60s, modern dance performance and interviews with fellow travelers and art experts.
What emerges is a really great character; a fearless artist and an unapologetic liberated woman.
This is the fascinating portrait of a fearless woman outlaw butting up against conservative forces. Another brilliant and creative woman repressed in her time and her output neglected, Rosaleen Norton has been saved from obscurity by this thoroughly engaging and entertaining documentary.
She had an interest in the unconscious and understood the human psyche in the terms espoused by Carl Jung, including taking inspiration from dreams and myth, and exploring the collective and her personal shadow. The paintings and drawings are impressive and show a unique vision and talent. Full of sensuality, sexuality, almost surreal.
Upon arrival in Sydney for her first show, her work was met with police and mainstream press outrage, particularly at her depiction of nude women and mythical beings. The Catholic Church piled on too. She soon became notorious as the Witch of Kings Cross. She openly worshipped the twin deities Pan and Lilith and practiced trances and sex magic, inspired by the work of Aleister Crowley. Eventually the relentless scandals led to the downfall of her high society lover, Sir Eugene Goossens, conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A court also even ordered the police to incinerate two of her paintings.
Her life and work are portrayed through a rich montage of elements including audacious recreations stylised drama (Rosaleen is played by actress Kate Elizabeth Laxton). The film weaves archival footage of Sydney & Melbourne in the 50s & 60s, modern dance performance and interviews with fellow travelers and art experts.
What emerges is a really great character; a fearless artist and an unapologetic liberated woman.
This is the fascinating portrait of a fearless woman outlaw butting up against conservative forces. Another brilliant and creative woman repressed in her time and her output neglected, Rosaleen Norton has been saved from obscurity by this thoroughly engaging and entertaining documentary.
Unsound
(2020)
Touching coming-of-age drama with Deaf culture
1 December 2021
When the film opens, we are at 2 small music gigs; contrasting in style and volume. One features pop diva Moniqua, crooning though her past hits with her guitarist, Noah in the UK. The other is in a community centre with the drums and bass thundering from the small distorting PA at volume 11. At this gig, it's all about music you can feel because it's the deaf club weekly dance run by Finn.
When Noah quits his band to visit his mother in Australia, he soon stumbles into the deaf community club nearby and meets Finn. Noah finds himself swept up in the vibrant, passionate life of the young, emerging trans-man, Finn (Yiana Pandelis). He is a proud, Auslan-only speaker who, with his father played by AUSLAN ambassador and Australian entertainer Todd McKenney.
Noah and Finn work together sound-proofing the club. They are two lovely characters who soon form a bond. The otherworldly and completely adorable Finn jokes that in sign language, boyfriend and girlfriend are the same sign.
Through the polished and intelligent original script written by Ally Burnham, the story is told in English, Auslan sign language and English subtitles. The quality of the acting and performances is exemplary from the leads, Yiana Pandelis & Reece Noi, ably supported by Christine Anu & Paula Duncan.
Reflective of today's diverse, progressive and inclusive world, this is a great story, well told.
When Noah quits his band to visit his mother in Australia, he soon stumbles into the deaf community club nearby and meets Finn. Noah finds himself swept up in the vibrant, passionate life of the young, emerging trans-man, Finn (Yiana Pandelis). He is a proud, Auslan-only speaker who, with his father played by AUSLAN ambassador and Australian entertainer Todd McKenney.
Noah and Finn work together sound-proofing the club. They are two lovely characters who soon form a bond. The otherworldly and completely adorable Finn jokes that in sign language, boyfriend and girlfriend are the same sign.
Through the polished and intelligent original script written by Ally Burnham, the story is told in English, Auslan sign language and English subtitles. The quality of the acting and performances is exemplary from the leads, Yiana Pandelis & Reece Noi, ably supported by Christine Anu & Paula Duncan.
Reflective of today's diverse, progressive and inclusive world, this is a great story, well told.
Padrenostro
(2020)
One of the best films of the year
1 December 2021
Rome, 1976. 10-year-old Vale & his mother witnesses, an assassination attack on his father by a terrorist group, his innocence is challenged. From that moment on, fear and a sense of vulnerability affect the whole family. Then young Vale gets to know Christian, a boy not much older than him. Solitary, rebellious and bold, he seems to have appeared out of nowhere.
It's a story that shifts from Rome to Calabria and we are treated to cinematography that does justice to the grandeur, beauty and colours of the locations. The heroic characters, with their secrets, are interesting and handsomely portrayed; Valerio (Mattia Garaci), Father is Alfonso (Pierfrancesco Favino in his Venice Film Festival Best Actor-winning role.
Claudio Noce's very personal political thriller, inspired by his own family drama. Because it is not a fiction, this film leads us unexpectedly into unknown territory. But there is fun, magic and poetry in this story's authenticity. Original, well acted, well-filmed, a taut, low-key thriller with great music and images. Padrenostro (our father), one of the best films of the year.
It's a story that shifts from Rome to Calabria and we are treated to cinematography that does justice to the grandeur, beauty and colours of the locations. The heroic characters, with their secrets, are interesting and handsomely portrayed; Valerio (Mattia Garaci), Father is Alfonso (Pierfrancesco Favino in his Venice Film Festival Best Actor-winning role.
Claudio Noce's very personal political thriller, inspired by his own family drama. Because it is not a fiction, this film leads us unexpectedly into unknown territory. But there is fun, magic and poetry in this story's authenticity. Original, well acted, well-filmed, a taut, low-key thriller with great music and images. Padrenostro (our father), one of the best films of the year.
The Children in the Pictures
(2021)
Parents who haven't seen this have no idea what is happening to their children.
1 December 2021
Task Force Argos is a highly specialised branch of the Queensland Police Service recruited from around the globe. Their primary focus is on child protection, making forensic and exhaustive inquiries into child sexual exploitation material on the web to track down and save the victims. This film tells the story of how these detectives infiltrate global criminal networks, catching the predators and rescuing the victims.
This film, The Children in the Pictures, outlines the history of this internationally renowned Australian-based unit and it takes us inside the Task Force as they go undercover, infiltrating global criminal networks. The film makers join with the Argos team to shine a light on the dark reality of child sexual abuse and the online exploitation that drives it.
Like me, you will be reluctant and wary of viewing this film, however you will be impressed with how the shocking situation is portrayed without brutalising the viewer. Though the ideas are confronting, the images are pixilated. One thing that becomes clear is that this is not pornography. The material that is being investigated is evidence of serious crime; the documentation of the violent rape of children. These crimes happen in real life with real babies and children as their victims. The clear focus is of the task force is on finding the victims and saving them. And the true-crime thriller nature of this story is enhanced by an international cast of wonderful crime-fighting characters.
Operating beyond the edge of the legal envelope, the detectives assume the identities of online pedophiles to infiltrate and take over websites or boards to snare perpetrators and find victims. One line of investigation led to a heinous abuser who supplied material and encouraged offending internationally. Dutch police forwarded material to Argos which helped direct them to a house in Oaklands Park. This led to the arrest of psychopath and global kingpin Shannon Grant McCoole a Families SA and Nannies SA carer. He was a world leader, extolling the virtues of raping pre-verbal children for ones own protection. In 2015 he was sentenced to 35 years.
While this was a major success, there is a tsunami of material appearing daily on the web. Another villain is Mark Zuckerbeg and his Facebook organization which publishes this material for profit and benefits from the production and free flow of child exploitation images. It is the internet which has provided a massive market that didn't previously exist. Parents particularly will find this chilling film useful in understanding the ever-present danger to their children from their mobile devices and online quote friends unquote. Other citizens need to see this film to properly understand the modern world.
This film, The Children in the Pictures, outlines the history of this internationally renowned Australian-based unit and it takes us inside the Task Force as they go undercover, infiltrating global criminal networks. The film makers join with the Argos team to shine a light on the dark reality of child sexual abuse and the online exploitation that drives it.
Like me, you will be reluctant and wary of viewing this film, however you will be impressed with how the shocking situation is portrayed without brutalising the viewer. Though the ideas are confronting, the images are pixilated. One thing that becomes clear is that this is not pornography. The material that is being investigated is evidence of serious crime; the documentation of the violent rape of children. These crimes happen in real life with real babies and children as their victims. The clear focus is of the task force is on finding the victims and saving them. And the true-crime thriller nature of this story is enhanced by an international cast of wonderful crime-fighting characters.
Operating beyond the edge of the legal envelope, the detectives assume the identities of online pedophiles to infiltrate and take over websites or boards to snare perpetrators and find victims. One line of investigation led to a heinous abuser who supplied material and encouraged offending internationally. Dutch police forwarded material to Argos which helped direct them to a house in Oaklands Park. This led to the arrest of psychopath and global kingpin Shannon Grant McCoole a Families SA and Nannies SA carer. He was a world leader, extolling the virtues of raping pre-verbal children for ones own protection. In 2015 he was sentenced to 35 years.
While this was a major success, there is a tsunami of material appearing daily on the web. Another villain is Mark Zuckerbeg and his Facebook organization which publishes this material for profit and benefits from the production and free flow of child exploitation images. It is the internet which has provided a massive market that didn't previously exist. Parents particularly will find this chilling film useful in understanding the ever-present danger to their children from their mobile devices and online quote friends unquote. Other citizens need to see this film to properly understand the modern world.
Boiling Point
(I) (2021)
One night, one restaurant, one chef, one shot; one relentless nightmare
17 November 2021
Set in and around a restaurant during a single evening, we are following a London chef struggling to keep it together. He has problems in his family life, he owes money, and he hasn't been keeping up with the paperwork at his chic, upmarket restaurant. On the evening we meet him, the restaurant has been over-booked and understaffed, none of which the maitre de wants to accept responsibility for. And the health inspector has just arrived to go over the kitchen very thoroughly, and he quickly finds plenty of room for improvements. The chef is doing his best in the very difficult circumstances. It's Fawlty Towers without the laughs, just the relentless, grinding, pathetically-human tragedy; every cook's nightmare.
And when I say relentless, this film puts you continuously in the kitchen and around the restaurant without a break and without any musical accompaniment. The whole film is made as one continuous, evolving scenario without edits for the actors or crew. And no break for the audience, either.
(One shot films (or continuous take): Russian Ark (The Hermitage), 1917, Birdman, Timecode, Hitchcock's Rope are generally failures and cheats. The only good one I've seen before this is La Tarea (Homework- sp).
This movie though, is a brilliantly engaging ride, and Stephen Graham is heroic, leading an excellent ensemble cast. A jaw-dropping achievement.
And when I say relentless, this film puts you continuously in the kitchen and around the restaurant without a break and without any musical accompaniment. The whole film is made as one continuous, evolving scenario without edits for the actors or crew. And no break for the audience, either.
(One shot films (or continuous take): Russian Ark (The Hermitage), 1917, Birdman, Timecode, Hitchcock's Rope are generally failures and cheats. The only good one I've seen before this is La Tarea (Homework- sp).
This movie though, is a brilliantly engaging ride, and Stephen Graham is heroic, leading an excellent ensemble cast. A jaw-dropping achievement.
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