Wednesday 24 May 2023

May 25th 2023

The Little Mermaid
The Narrow Bridge- special Q&A screening may 28th
CHIFF - Children's International Film Festival
St Omer
Renfield
Audrey Napanangka
Olga (limited screenings)

More films than ever this week, with a huge variety of genres and a terrific children's film festival thrown in! Note that Olga and The Narrow Bridge have limited screenings, so plan your time carefully.
 
The Little Mermaid
Dir: Rob Marshall
Length: 135 mins
© Disney - sweet, romantic and visually gorgeous
Ariel (Halle Bailey) is one of seven beautiful mermaid daughters of King Triton (Javier Bardem). She is fascinated by humans and life beyond the sea, and ventures where her father forbids her to go. She witnesses a shipwreck and helps save the life of a handsome human, Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer King). Then the evil octopus sea-witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) offers Ariel an irresistible Faustian trade - swap her siren voice for becoming human with legs to walk upon the land. But the condition is she must kiss the prince within three days or ... disaster! Disney made the wholly animated The Little Mermaid in 1989, but now it's been taken to a whole new level with human actors and CGI animation. This is a beautifully reimagined story, with Bailey shining in the lead role. The color, music and movement is spectacular, and more so on the giant screen, especially in a glorious sequence with a song called Under the Sea, set to a Caribbean beat. Much is what you'd expect of Disney: the usual trio of fun friends (a fish, a crab and a bird), an evil sorceress (Ursula), death (and resurrection!) and a plot that has romance, tension and a level of predictability. Perhaps it's a tad long, but it's just so sweet and enjoyable.
3.5 - well recommended

The Narrow Bridge
Dir: Esther Takac
Length: 66 mins
Special Q&A screening Sunday 28th May, Elsternwick Classic
© Bonsai Films - a ray of hope as enemies
befriend each other through shared grief
Israel, Palestine - will the hatred, bloodshed and warfare ever end? If you feel that this is an insoluble problem, there just may be a ray of hope coming from the people who are part of this inspiring documentary. Bushra and Rami are Palestinian; Meytal and Bassam are Israeli Jews. All four have lost a child or parent at the hands of "the other side". As they tell their stories of loss and heartbreak, it's hard to imagine they could ever find a meeting ground, let alone friendship. Yet this is what has happened, as they join the Israeli Palestinian Bereaved Families group to share their loss and work towards grassroots change. There are intimate close-ups as each bares their soul, and some incredibly moving contributions from Leonard Cohen. Very important film-making. Bassam and Rami will talk at the Q&A. 
4 - highly recommended

Children's International Film Festival (CHIFF)
27th May - 12th June
Classic Elsternwick , Cameo Belgrave, Lido Hawthorn, Sydney Ritz
For all session times and information visit www.chiff.com.au

Back for its fifth year, CHIFF brings wonderful stories from all over the world. As an adult used to watching too many serious and traumatic films, I find it a delight to engage in some of these movies, so well curated by Thomas Caldwell. Never dismiss a kid's flick; there will almost certainly be something to entertain and enlighten for all age groups! And what a great opportunity for kids to see films outside the scope of the usual Hollywood offerings. 
The Dragon Princess
74 mins with French Subtitles, ages 7+
This cute animation is the story of Bristle, a human born from a dragon's egg. Deep in a cave in the forest, Papa Dragon fiercely guards his treasure, and there is mutual hatred between  the beast and the local humans. When Bristle befriends a feisty princess, daughter of the King, the pair must battle prejudice and opposition to their friendship. This is a fun adventure, that looks simply glorious in its painterly style, and there are subtle messages beneath the surface: females may be the only hope of stopping war, and don't judge your enemies before you meet them.

The Island of Lost Girls
104 mins, English, ages 8+
Scarlett Autumn and Avila are three little girls having a day at the beach, when they are somehow swept away to a remote island. There they battle death-defying odds to climb to a remote lighthouse, hoping to be rescued. Elephant seals, crashing waves, sea caves and vertical cliffs must all be confronted. The incredible thing about this film is a little family has made it, using their three children, who play versions of themselves in a fictional setting. Remarkably (and probably against all OHS laws)  they do their own terrifying stunts. The film is a little long, but in parts certainly had me on the edge of my seat, scared, but quite charmed by the sisters and in awe of the quality of the film-making. Could be frightening for very small children.

Journey to Yourland
85 minutes, Czech film in English language, ages 8+
Imagine Howl's Moving Castle, Transformers, Wall-E and The Birds rolled into one crazy animated story. 10-year-old Riki gets a mysterious stone implanted in his chest, and ends up in a parallel world, Yourland,  where everyone is eager to retrieve the stone, the source of energy in that land. Riki meets Emma, daughter of Yourland's president, as well as a talking monkey, huge metallic machines and robots, evil-looking ravens and more. Who can he trust and how can he get home? Lots of action and adventure here, and a sweet human story of friendship and family under it all. 
The festival comes, as expected, highly recommended

St Omer
Dir: Alice Diop
Length: 122 mins
© Palace - a courtroom drama with a
difference. 
Rama (Kayije Kagame), a literature professor, is from a Senegalese background, and is four months pregnant to her white husband. She travels to Saint Omer to observe a trial, that of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), also Senegalese, who is accused of leaving her infant daughter on the beach to be swept into the sea. Rama finds herself dramatically affected by what she witnesses. This unusual film is based faithfully upon a true case in 2016. The trial is intensely, slowly and deliberate, with long, lingering shots on the faces of the judge and the two Senegalese women. Arguments centre around Coly's weird defence that she was bewitched by evil spirits, but much of the trial is also about the mother's overall mental state. The film gives us a lot to mull over, in the realms of mother/daughter relationships, attitudes to immigrants on trial, and women's fears of how good a parent they will be. While this is a fine example of compellingly authentic courtroom procedure and of mental anguish, there is (for me) an alienation for some of the time, as the two women seem emotionally shutdown until near the movie's conclusion. The film has copious awards, not the least being four big wins at Venice. Probably critics will like it more than audiences will. 
3.5 - well recommended

Renfield
Dir: Chris McKay
Length: 99 mins
© Universal - smile for the camera! 
Dracula and his sidekick reimagined. 
For decades Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) has been trusty servant and gopher to the evil vampire Dracula (Nicolas Cage). Now he's sick of that life and hopes to break free and live a semblance of normality. He realises he is co-dependent and attends a self-help group, with the ulterior motive of delivering the members to Dracula as prey. Now the plot convolutions really start: enter drug king pin Teddy Lobo (Ben Schwarz), and local cop Rebecca (Awkwafina), to whom Renfield is attracted. There is more blood, gore, exploded bodies and and crazed fighting action than you can shake a stick at; it is all supposed to done in a humorous vein, and I must confess to having a few laughs at all the outrageous gruesomeness. The film tries for a serious underbelly, laboring the theme of narcissism (Dracula) and co-dependency (Renfield), but the plot developments are too silly for words. However, there is something intrinsically wonderful here, and that is Nic Cage! He's a perfect Dracula and a fitting foil for the English properness of Renfield. Cage fans should not miss it.   
2.5 - maybe

Audrey Napanangka
Dir: Penelope McDonald
Length: 84 mins
© Chilli Films/Brindle Films - timely story
of racial harmony, caring and inculcating
traditional First Nations values

This revealing doco is the culmination of ten years of filming. Audrey is a 70 year old Walpiri woman married for 30 years to Sicilian husband Santo. She tells her story in a matter-of-fact way, detailing how both her babies were taken from her, and she could never have another. Despite that she has raised maybe 30 kids, schooling them in the ways of her culture, and encouraging them to navigate their traditional world and the complexities of the colonial world. Audrey's balancing of these two lifestyles is quite an eye-opener, and the fact that director McDonald has known Audrey all her life brings a great intimacy to the film. This doco is especially relevant at this time when First Nations people are in the spotlight, trying to find a Voice. It is also testament to the power of family, love and care in everyone's life. 
3.5 - well recommended

Olga
Dir: Elie Grappe
Length: 85 mins
Limited special screenings: 30/31 May (Thornbury Picture House), 10/11 June, Sun Theatre Yarraville
© Screen Inc - set against a true backdrop
of Ukrainian revolution, Olga goes
into the world of competitive gymnastics
Among umpteen awards, including Critics Week Grand Prize in 2021 at Cannes, Olga is the story of a talented 15-year-old Ukrainian gymnast (Anastasia Budiashkina, in an impressive performance). When violence and threats against her mother, an investigative journalist, engulf her family, Olga flees to Switzerland where she joins the Swiss national squad. It's hard for her to fit in and, to exacerbate matters, a pro democracy uprising against the government takes place in Ukraine, and people she loves are in danger. This is a strong film on several levels. Firstly the obvious - the story is set against true Ukrainian history, all the more relevant with what's happening today. Olga is also a rare insight into the world of competitive gymnastics and the rigorous, sometimes brutal training, aspiring athletes must go through. The film is a compelling examination of how the political and the personal often intersect, and how finding identity and following dreams are not always easy.
4 - highly recommended

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