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This slow and absorbing Israeli allegory of the futility of war and the inevitability of fate isn’t quite what it seems. The synopsis – “a troubled family must face the facts when something goes terribly wrong at their son’s desolate military post” – somehow undersells a story that is much richer and more poignant than this. Continue reading
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A shameless pleasure, this warm adaptation by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) of the book of the same name by Mary Ann Shaffer hits all the right notes. Continue reading
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The Room is a must-see Melbourne cinematic experience. Two cinemas are packed out at 11.30pm on a Saturday night and the audience is armed with plastic spoons. Beginning with a montage of dated ‘candy bar’ ads and images of frolicking puppies and kittens, the noise from the audience reaches a crescendo until the lights go down and a Cinema Nova employee exhorts everyone, in the words of The Room director Tommy Wiseau, “You can laugh, you can cry, you can express yourself, but please don’t hurt each other.” Continue reading
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I had a few micro naps in this well-meaning but ham-fisted Spanish thriller, screening as part of the Spanish Film Festival. The synopsis likened it to V for Vendetta, which was what convinced me to choose it. And yes it had political activists wearing masks to hide their identity but it felt like a film school version; with drama and action substituted with endless exposition, a convoluted plot and a score straight from a bad TV-movie. Continue reading
Image by Nic Duncan via http://www.embankmentfilms.com
This lyrical and literary rumination on masculinity is like diving deep under a wave with a long slow rising to the top amidst dim light and soundless pressure. Director Simon Baker allows Tim Winton’s story to slowly unfold and brings a bleak and beautiful landscape to the fore as an integral character. Continue reading
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Get it? And if you love dogs AND Wes Anderson movies, it’s likely that you’ll find more enjoyment in this clever and quirky but ultimately disappointing animation than I did. Continue reading
Image from The Great Dictator via filmforum.org
Two hours with Barry Jones is not enough. As the credits rolled, I felt tears prick my eyes as if a dear friend was leaving; I didn’t want this warm, engaging conversation to end. If you live in Melbourne, make sure you catch this at the Cinema Nova before it disappears.
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Aki Kaurismäki masterfully tells a gentle fable that holds a profound and contemporary moral message. Continue reading
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Like a time capsule of white Australian society in the 50s, They’re a Weird Mob shows the challenges faced by immigrants in a culture that will give anyone go, as long as they’re a good bloke. Continue reading
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What if you’re a decent man, with an affinity for children, and you are accused of being a paedophile? This is the dilemma that faces Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen) when a misinterpreted remark by a young pupil at the kindergarten where he teaches sparks a flawed investigation. Continue reading
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