May 23rd
The Reports on Sarah and Saleem
2040
Peterloo
Aladdin
German Film Festival

Another big week with everything from enviro-doco, to thriller, historical tale, remake of a kids' favorite, and another festival. 

The Reports on Sarah and Saleem
Director: Muayad Alayan
Length: 127  min

© HiGloss  - strong thriller with serious
political overtones 

Sarah (Sivane Kretchner) is a Jewish Israeli cafe owner in Jerusalem. Though married to David (Ishai Golan) she is having a torrid affair with her delivery man Saleem (Adeeb Safadi) who is Palestinian, and has a pregnant wife (Hanan Hillo). After unwisely stopping off at a bar in the West Bank one night, a brawl ensues which threatens to expose the affair. Authorities get involved believing that Sarah is a spy and in their attempts to hide everything, Sarah and Saleem push matters from bad to worse.  This award-winning film works wonderfully well on several levels. As a thriller it is ultra-tense and as a relationship study it is very strong. Of course no film dealing with Israeli/Palestinian matters could escape a strong undercurrent of politics. It seems, while having extra-marital affairs is normally fraught, crossing the unwritten boundaries with a Jewish/Arab affair makes it even more so (especially since Sarah's husband works for the Secret Service!) Scripting is strong and utterly credible, performances are compelling, tension is maintained throughout, and one is left with plenty of food for thought regarding personal deception, prejudice, and near insoluble political situations.
4 - highly recommended!

2040
Director: Damon Gameau
Length: 92 min

© Madman - essential viewing in a world
threatened with destruction

Aussie director Damon Gameau introduces us to his family, and speculates on what life could be like in 2040 for his 4-year-old daughter, Velvet. But, surprisingly, this is not a doom-and-gloom story. His mission is to take technologies already in use in today's world, and extrapolate on how these could be wisely used to reverse climate change and make the world ultimately more sustainable and livable by 2040. He visits a number of countries, starting with Bangladesh where an innovative solar electricity grid is making a dramatic difference to the peoples' lives. He interviews some of the best minds around the world, economists, engineers, academics, and including farmers in Australia who are pioneering inspiring ideas in agricultural techniques. But this is no boring talking heads show; Gameau peppers his thesis with his own globe-trotting adventures, his personal life, quirky humour, and amazingly creative visuals that get his point across to people of all generations. Damon Gameau is positively inspirational and  this film should be compulsory viewing, especially for pessimists, politicians, and folks who think it is all too overwhelming to even make an effort. He proves to us that solutions are nearer than we think.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended! (but everyone should see it)

Peterloo
Director: Mike Leigh
Length: 154 min

© Transmission - gruelling historical reenactment 
in an important story that lacks 
an emotional clout

In Manchester in 1819 life is tough for workers. 60,000 of them, including women from the Women's Reform movement, along with children,  gather in St Peter's Field to stage a peaceful protest, and listen to orator Henry Hunt (Rory Kinear). What is intended as a peaceful gathering turns violent when British troops attack the unarmed crowd, killing many and injuring even more. I've usually been a big fan of Mike Leigh films (Mr Turner, Secrets and Lies), as he has a good feel for the working class person. This film has his trademark concern for social justice, and has been awarded for production and costume design. While I can see it is a well-made film it simply hasn't engaged me as I would hope. The subject matter is important - oppression and workers' rights - but despite introducing us to various characters (the family of returned soldier Joseph, the men who work for the local paper, and women protesting for their rights), I find myself mainly disengaged with the characters. With such a powerful story I should have felt passionately moved. Whether the film is too long (it is!!), lacks a personalised focus, or whether it is just me, I remain disappointed. (Most critics are far more in favor than I am.)
2.5 - maybe

Aladdin
Director: Guy Ritchie
Length: 128 min

© Disney - three charismatic leads and more color
than you can shake a stick at make for
a fun ride

With more color and movement than a Bollywood festival, this remake of the classic Disney animation uses real actors (most of whom I don't know) blended with fabulous CGI effects. Will Smith plays Genie, Naomi Scott the gorgeous Princess Jasmine, handsome Mena Massoud is Aladdin and Marwan Kenzari the evil Jafar, plotting to take over the empire. All the actors do their own singing, in true musical comedy style, and using the original songs. I can't remember the original so won't make the sorts of negative comparisons many critics are making. I enjoyed it thoroughly on its own terms, albeit it's a tad long, and redefines the meaning of over-the-top in lavish set design, saturated color, and Will Smith's hyperactive performance. With exciting and exotic shooting locations like Jordan and Morocco, a cute monkey, sumptuousness of costumes and good synergy between the characters, it's simply good old-fashioned entertainment. 
3.5 - well recommended

German Film Festival
23 May - 9 June in Melbourne - ther states, other dates
Palace Balwyn, Brighton Bay, Kino, Como, Astor
For all the details and session times, visit www.germanfilmfestival.com.au

This year's festival features 12 new German feature films, plus three films in "Tear Down the Walls" sidebar to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are also six films specially for kids, plus two Austrian films and two Swiss films. Among four other features are two centring around the Threepenny Opera by iconic German writer Bertold Brecht. So, the two I've previewed are comedies. "What!!" I hear you gasp - "Germans and comedy." Well these two have been winners for me. 

©  German FF

25 km/h: Two estranged brothers meet up at the funeral of their father. Christian (Lars Eidinger) left home years ago to take a corporate job while Georg (Bjarne Madel) worked a trade in their home town, and then cared for their father until he died. In a drunken fit, the two decide to realise a childhood dream of riding on their mopeds across Germany to the Baltic Sea, with a number of required tasks to be achieved along the way. This is a truly lovely film, at once very funny, and also deeply moving. It is great to view a film which is totally entertaining, and yet has themes so many of us can relate to. Eidinger and Madel are wonderful together. 

©  German FF

How About Adolf: Stephan and Elisabeth invite family and friends for dinner. When Thomas arrives he announces that his girlfriend is pregnant and initiates a guessing game as to the name of the baby. When the gathering hears it is Adolf, all hell breaks loose and the dinner takes a downward trajectory. I love this style of comedy, where people get progressively outraged, argue and say things they never mean to, with huge recrimination sessions setting in. All the cast are terrific in their serio-comic roles and many interesting philosophies on the ramifications of names are bandied around. I see the heart of the film as the deep-seated resentments people harbor, which when articulated, create relationship chaos.
Both these films are highly recommended