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I came close to walking out of this documentary by Marco Del Fiol, about performance artist Marina Abramović, within the first 15 minutes. If I had, I would’ve missed an interesting meditation on ritual, spirituality and performance. Continue reading
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Based on the autobiography of Peter Turner, who had a relationship with Hollywood star Gloria Grahame in the last years of her life, this serviceable biopic showcases Annette Bening’s fine acting skills, which mostly distracts us from the rose-tinted clichés. Continue reading
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You expect a film with Daniel Day-Lewis in it is going to be substantial, meticulously crafted and have him squarely in the centre of the story. Phantom Thread certainly showcases his skills as a method actor but lacks drama and substance. Continue reading
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I could hear the fanboys (and some girls) wailing from across the globe as I left the cinema. Absolute garbage! The worst Star Wars movie ever! Such a joke! I quite liked it and perhaps for all the reasons they didn’t. Continue reading
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It was the topic that drew me to this documentary. Natsuki grew up in Japan, assigned a boy at birth but always feeling like a girl. As an adult, she narrates her early life at school and the challenges of admitting, and being accepted for, who she really is. Interspersed with reenacted drama, this is an engaging story that teaches us about gender identity and expression in Japan, and leaves us pondering about gender roles in relationships. Continue reading
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It was a feelgood Sunday for me at the Japanese Film Festival with two charmers – My Uncle and this animation that also showed at MIFF this year. Aimed at kids, it is a two-layered story about Kokone (voiced by Mitsuki Takahata), whose father Momo (Yôsuke Eguchi) repairs cars, and Princess Ancien, whose magic tablet allows her to give life to objects in the beleaguered kingdom of Heartland. Continue reading
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This slightly oddball, feel good film is formulaic in many ways but with idiosyncratic styling that lends it an off-kilter, other-worldliness. Beginning with a fairy tale realism, we see Bella Brown (Jessica Brown Findlay) abandoned as a baby in a park. Watched over by ducks until she is found, she grows up without a family and with a fear and loathing of nature. Continue reading
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Faced with a choice of only three films that I could see and none of them ones that I would particularly choose (the kind of first world problem you have when your car is being serviced in a country town), I took the advice of the guy selling tickets at the cinema. He warned me off American Made (“It’s crap) and Dunkirk (“It’s boring) so The Hitman’s Bodyguard won the prize. Skimming reviews on IMDb, I expected an illogical but diverting shallow crime caper with two charismatic male leads and a few token women as love interests. And that’s exactly what I got. Continue reading
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A nostalgic trip to the 90s, Strange Days reminds us of a time when we thought that Y2K would end the world. Continue reading
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I think we are supposed to feel sympathy for Polish artist Wladyslaw Strzeminski (Boguslaw Linda) whose avant-garde art saw him fall out of favour under socialism in the 40s. Continue reading
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