August 10th 2023

Asteroid City

The Deepest Breath (streaming on Netflix) 

Indian Film Festival 

The big release this week is Wes Anderson's latest quirky film. I recommend another terrfic new release streaming on Netflix, along with two strongly recommended films from the Indian Film Festival. 

 

Asteroid City

Dir: Wes Anderson

Length: 105 mins

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FXCSXuGTF4

© Universal - a collor pallette extraordinaire - 
a cast to die for!

Wes Anderson may well be an acquired taste. His films are so idiosyncratic and distinctive. My favorites are definitely Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs. Just loved them. After seeing the shorts for this I was very excited: the cast is to die for, the incredible pastel color pallette simply dreamy, and the plot looked intriguing. Out in the Arizona desert a group of junior stargazers gather for a convention, but when an alien pays them a visit, things are somewhat disrupted. Parents of the small fry have their own issues to grapple with, especially a father who has failed to tell his kids that their mother is dead! Ultimately I find myself disappointed in the film. Maybe it's squarely aimed at those already die-hard Wes fans, but I find it just a bit too clever for its own good. The device of framing the main story as a movie version of a play (we get to see its theatrical genesis in black and white) is simply too convoluted and unnecessary for my tastes. And that huge cast is magnificent, but one never really gets to connect with any of the characters. There are some very funny set pieces here and there, especially when the kids are playing an intellectual memory game. But somehow Anderson's trademark style of dry delivery of lines falls short of very funny for me. All that said, the film looks simply magnificent; such creative art direction, and again, that cast: Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzmann (and a gazillion more iconic names). Furthermore, the film was nominated for a Palme D'Or at Cannes this year, so it must be doing something right, but maybe it just doesn't speak to me. So, Wes-o-philes get along to it, and for thse not au fait with his work, you'll sure get a strong introduction to this quirky film-maker's style.

3 - recommended

The Deepest Breath

Dir: Laura McGann

Length: 108 mins

Streaming on Netflix

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzH6BI6P4Uo

© Netflix - freediving is not for the faint-hearted

Alessia Zechhini knew from an early age what she wanted to do with her life - to break the world record for freediving - that is where you take a breath, descend, then come back up. Sounds easy? Not so when you are defying all the laws of nature and diving to depths of more than 100 metres. This gripping documentary feels like a thriller; the divers are holding their breath, but so is the viewer! The story is not only one of the determination and courage of those who participate in this extreme sport, but also a love story. Alessia meets Stephen Keenan, a freediver who becomes a safety diver, those who help the competitors on their quest, sometimes saving their lives when they surface and can barely breathe. The underwater photography is simply stunning, and the tension never lets up, as you are constantly on edge wondering when or if disaster will strike. An inspiring (and terrifying) look at an extreme sport I wouldn't try if you paid me!

4 - highly recommended

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

August 11-20th

Various Melbourne cinemas plus NGV

For all information visit: www.iffm.com.au

Too many people labour under the misconception that Indian cinema is all about Bollywood - colorful saris, melodramatic love stories and driving music and dance. Sure that's a part of it, but as this festival proves, there is so much more. The festival features 120 films in about 20 different languages that are spoken throughout the sub-continent. Gripping documentaries encourage lively debate on social issues, while feature narratives showcase diverse cultural groups and tell stories that are of universal relevance. The festival also features talks, a dance competition, a flag-hoisting ceremony and an awards night in Hamer Hall.

I've previewed a couple which come highly recommended:

Joram:  Basru, a tribal migrant worker, works on a construction site in Mumbai. When violence comes to his doorstep, he flees with his 3-month old daughter in his arms. A policeman from Mumbai is hot on his trail. He heads back to his homeland, the region of Jharkhand, where his past connections have been the cause of his current woes. The film's taut direction ensures the tension is constant, the emotion and fear for Basru and his tiny daughter ever present, but it is also a very interesting insight into the persecution that tribal people in India still face. They are low in society's pecking order and government and industry try to take their lands without paying. It all resonates with what is a similar problem for indigenous groups worldwide. With three nominations for awards in this year's IFFM (Best actor, director and Best Indie Film), this is well worth seeing. 

While We Watched: Here's another much awarded film that is so relevant in the age of disinformation and increasingly polarised societies. The disturbing documentary follows news broadcaster Ravish Kumar, as he champions the cause of  independent reporting in a country where the rising tide of nationalism is creating a country divided - in which Hindus are setting themselves against Muslims and hate speech proliferates. Along with this comes hostility to journalists who either criticise the government, or even try to impartially report. One can't help but admire a man like Kumar who sticks to his aim of  speaking truth to power, despite the death threats he receives.