November 19th 

The Burnt Orange Heresy

Fatman

MQFF Interrupted

IMAX reopens - review of Great Bear Rainforest

It's a huge time for film in Melbourne, with cinemas screening so many new films and those whose season was interrupted or never got off the ground. The choice is enormous. Catching up on them all is near to impossible. Not to mention a couple more film festivals coming online in the next few weeks: the Children's International Film Festival and the Japanese Film Festival. Stay tuned. 

The Burnt Orange Heresy
Dir: Giuseppe Capotondi

Length: 99 mins

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PMAlfrdQNI

Showing at various Melbourne locations - Google it!

© Sony - terrific cast in this taut thriller set
in the art world (shady part thereof)

Art dealer James Figueras (Claes Bang) visits the home of wealthy collector Joseph Cassidy (Mick Jagger) in Lake Como. His assignment is to acquire (think steal) a painting from reclusive artist Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland). Taking his recent new squeeze Berenice (Elizabeth Debicki), James embarks upon a major deception. With a wonderful cast and terrific settings this is an entertaining thriller, which also has a bit to say about the less than legal side of the art world. Fans of Mick Jagger should relish his weird performance.  

3.5 - well recommended

Fatman
Dir: Eshon Nelms, Ian Nelms

Length: 100 mins

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z64XvPERZ50

© Icon - gun-toting Santa - what do you
expect from Mel?

A nasty spoiled brat Billy (Chance Hurstfield) is so disgruntled with his Christmas present he hires a hitman (Walter Goggins) to kill Santa (Mel Gibson). That's the plot in a nutshell, with a few extra twists added in: Santa is known only to locals in his North Pole town as Chris (think Kringle) and his wife is a gentle-natured, cookie-baking person of color (Marianne Jean Baptiste). As the hitman wends his way north, the US army co-opts Chris and his hardworking elves to do some (unspecified) secret job, with a lucrative contract promised. It's all rather nonsensical, but those who need a hit of Gibson as a gun toting, surly, unjovial man without a red suit, and not especially fat, may get something out of this.   

2.5 - maybe

MQFF Interrupted 
November 19th-30th online (mostly)

https://mqff.com.au/

17 feature films, 6 short film packages and a special event at the Coburg drive-in. All that and more is on offer as the Melbourne Queer Film Festival returns online, after it was rudely curtailed back in March. Check out the website for packages, films, and the entire program. The great thing this year is, you don't have to be in Melbourne to enjoy this fabulous festival, with the absolute best of queer film. 

IMAX reopens 

https://imaxmelbourne.com.au/

It's back - the world's largest and most immersive screen experience. IMAX is showing Oceans 3D: Blue Planet and Great Bear Rainforest. Coming very soon - Christopher Nolan's new film Tenet. 

Great Bear Rainforest
Dir: Ian Mcalister

Length: 41 mins

©  IMAX - don't try this at home! Getting up
close and personal with a white spirit bear

The Great Bear Rainforest on Canada's Pacific coast is one of the wildest places on earth, and the last intact temperate rain forest. Grizzlies, wolves and otters are there in abundance, as well as a bear sacred to the indigenous people of the area - known as the spirit bear (a sub-species of the American Black Bear). Local native Americans, appearing on film for the first time ever, protect the animals. As with most IMAX films this is all too short - I want to see much more of this inspiring area and its fascinating inhabitants, human and animal, but it's over almost as soon as it starts. Still, it's a great treat for nature lovers, especially bear buffs, though we don't see as much of the furry fellows as I'd have wished for.

3 - recommended