December 5th

The Two Popes
Ask Doctor Ruth

The Wild Goose Lake
The Good Liar

No sooner do the last festivals for the year end, than we get into the run-up to the films for release over the holiday season. Then the run-up to the Oscars . . . and so it goes and never ends. But what fun, and as always, a whole new crop of terrific films!

The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Length: 125 min
Elsternwick Classic, Lido Hawthorn and Cameo Belgrave - then to Netflix

©  Netflix -  top performances from two 
powerhouse actors. 

Jorge Bergoglio (better known as Pope Francis, and played by Jonathan Pryce) went from being a superior in the Jesuit order in Argentina in the mid-1970s, to the position of cardinal, and ultimately Pope in 2013. This extraordinary film looks at Jorge's story, with the focus upon his meetings with his predecessor, Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Together the men discuss the future of the church, and reveal their misgivings to each other. A dark part of Jorge's past is revealed, concerning the time of the military dictators in Argentina, and Jorge's alleged complicity with them. I didn't expect to love this film as much as I do, but with searing performances from two brilliant actors, and a story full of compassion, many moments of humour, and important moral questions, what's not to love? There's no stuffiness or stodginess here; the true story encompasses several time periods, maintaining interest, giving intriguing insights into Argentinian history, its poverty and brutality, as well as a sneak peak into the interior of the Vatican. Even if you eschew religion, you cannot help but be impressed by the basic humanity, (even moments of ordinariness), displayed by the popes, along with great humility and wisdom. This is a rare insight into the inner workings of a faith followed by 1.2 billion of the world's people, and how its leaders are trying to keep it modern and relevant.
4 - highly recommended!

Ask Dr Ruth
Director: Ryan White
Length: 100 min

©  Rialto - how could you not love her? She loves life . . .
and talking about sex

This spritely, diminutive 91-year-old  German woman is an unlikely candidate to be America's most well-known celebrity sex therapist. Through her TV and radio shows, Ruth Westheimer, aka Dr Ruth, totally changed the conversation around every aspect of sexuality. This uplifting doco tracks her life and her amazing career. Her privileged childhood in Frankfurt was cut short by the rise of Nazism. Sent by her parents to Switzerland to escape, she never saw them again. After emigrating to Palestine and then America, Ruth studied psychology and started speaking out about the need for education on issues of contraception and abortion. The rest is history. With excerpts from her many TV and radio shows, as well as some beautifully crafted sketches that illustrate her sad childhood in Germany, this is both entertaining, uplifting and absolutely inspiring watching. Ruth hasn't lost an iota of enthusiasm for life, (and talking about sex), and her bubbly approach to all things, especially sex, is infectious.
4 - highly recommended!

The Wild Goose Lake
Director: Diao Yinan
Length: 117 min

© Umbrella - Chinese noir? A most unusual and 
rewarding gangster tale, with stunning cinmatography

It's raining and dark, and a young woman Liu Aiai asks a beaten up Zhou Zenon (Hue Ge) for a light. This classic noir scene precedes the flashback in which Zhou, a gang boss just out of prison, tells her the reasons he is being hunted by both the police and other criminals. Gang brawls, a dead cop, squalid tenement dwellings, grimy noodle shops, motor cycle chases, and "bathing beauties" (the pseudonym for the prostitutes who work down by the lake) - all the ingredients are there for a film that is thrilling, stylishly violent, and at times frustrating. The plot feels in parts murky and obscure, but the tension never abates. But what really impresses is the extraordinary cinematography which employs color and lighting like I've never seen in any nighttime shots. It is sheer beauty, despite the sordid subject matter. Under all the sleaze, there is a softer element; that of sacrifice, as Zhou makes some hard decisions to protect his wife. It won't be to everyone's taste, but this is certainly a very different film gangster experience from the American mainstream one, and a film that has already won several awards for its audacious approach.
3.5 - well recommended!

The Good Liar
Director: Bill Condon
Length: 109 min

© Roadshow - another two members of acting
royalty strut their stuff in a fun thriller. 

With a deliciously devious plot (no it is not totally as you would expect from the shorts), this is a chance to watch yet more of the finest actors today strut their stuff. Helen Mirren plays Betty, a gentle-natured widow who goes on a dating site where she meets Roy (Ian McKellen), also widowed. The relationship takes off pretty quickly, much to the alarm of Betty's grandson Stephen (Russell Tovey), who smells a rat and suspects Roy is not what he seems. Most women viewers may well squirm and fear for the seemingly gullible Betty. Mirren is her usual fabulous screen presence. McKellen, so well known and loved as the kindly wizard Gandalf, shows his brilliance yet again. He lurches from sweet old codger Roy, loving and paternal, to steeling conniving conman - and worse! Just the change of expression in his eyes and his demeanour make him a treat to watch. The less said of the plot the better, but it's a good fun ride, even if the premise relies on some very circumstantial events to make it at all credible.
3.5 - well recommended!