Wednesday, 24 June 2026

 June 25th 2026

The Death of Robin Hood
Glenrothan
The Ice Tower
Remarkably Bright Creatures (streaming on Netflix)
A Gorilla Story (streaming on Netflix)

I've pondered greatly this week on the dubious nature of my scoring system for the films I review. Sometimes I'm aware that a movie is a seriously good piece of film-making, great use of the cinematic medium, creative, ground-breaking etc. But . . . I haven't really found it particularly enjoyable. So how can I tell you it's a must-see? Other times I'm well aware that a B-grade film, perhaps trite, predictable, formulaic and sentimental, has given me much enjoyment, laughter, tears and entertainment - it may even has me reflecting on life. That has to be a recommendation from me. All so subjective and related to what the individual brings to the viewing experience! After that rave, let's go to the movies!!

The Death of Robin Hood
Dir: Michael Sarnowski

© Madman/A24 - get through the initial violence
for a surprisingly strong and unexpected story
It's generally agreed by historians that there was no one person Robin Hood, as so many of us believed when watching the TV series back in the 1960s. Rather, he was a composite of the many outlaws of the time, back in the medieval days, when life was harsh and the lowly common folk resented the rich. But in Sarnowski's reimagining of the myth, built around the noble outlaw who "robbed from the rich and gave to the poor", this Robin (Hugh Jackman) has lived a violent and cruel life, full of senselesss killing. Now, after a near mortal wounding, he is taken by Little John (Bill Skarsgard) to spend his final days on an island, where a gentle prioress, Brigid (Jodie Comer) tends to his wounds, and shows him a different way of life. For the first 30 minutes of the film I thought I wouldn't be able to sit through another brutal scene, but then things change; the story becomes one of the possibility of redemption. The dark, blood-soaked madness gives way to the peace of the island priory, and Robin's growing relationship with a little girl, Mary (Faith Delaney), to whom he teaches the art of the bow and arrow. Despite the bleakness and early ultra-violence, there is something quite hauntingly beautiful about this film, with its sweeping cinematography, thoughtful script, and intriguing subversion of a much-loved legend. The brilliant use of medieval-style folksongs works perfectly, but it is ultimately the highly movng performances from Jackman, Comer and Delaney, along with the timeless theme of redemption, that give the film a real heart.
4 - highly recommended

Glenrothan
Dir: Brian Cox

© Rialto - warring brothers, whisky, and
a shot a mending old wounds
Two estranged brothers and deep unresolved issues from the past are all set against the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Sandy (Brian Cox) has been running the family whisky distillery ever since his brother Donal (Alan Cumming) departed dramatically on the day of their mother's funeral 40 years before. Jess (Shirley Henderson) is his very able right-hand gal. After Donal's nightclub in Chicago burns down, and he hears that Sandy is ill, he reluctantly agrees to pay a visit, accompanied by his daughter Amy (Alexander Schipp) and her feisty 12-year-old daughter Sasha (Alexandra Wilkie). Cox (immortalised for his role as Logan Roy in Succession) plays a far more sympathetic character here. Despite having a level of predictability to the plot, the film features very engaging characters who are grappling with the concept of family legacy, exploring truths and lies of the past, and working through old resentments, all of which are so relatable. In many ways this is an old-fashioned style of film, but that helps its appeal, along with tenderness, some gentle humour and the resonant theme of the human desire for forgiveness and reconciliation. The musical thread that runs throughout, be it blues or traditional folk, adds to the charm.
3 - recommended

The Ice Tower
Dir: Lucile Hadzihalilovic
Length: 117 mins
© Plainwater Films - icy beauty - stone-cold heart
A nominee for the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear last year, this mesmerising but challenging French film is loosely inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Snow Queen. 15-year-old orphan Jeanne (Clara Pacini) runs away from her stifling existence in a foster home, where her only real human connection is with a little girl to whom she reads her favorite fairytale most nights. Jeanne takes refuge in a building which, when she wakes, turns out to be a film set, where none other than The Snow Queen is being shot. Lead actress Cristina (Marion Cotillard) notices Jeanne, and soon the teen has a role as an extra, and is somehow singled out for special treatment by the haughty and temperamental Cristina. This is not a film for impatient viewers; it is at times glacially slow, and is dense with metaphor, imagery and evocative, almost kaleidoscopic scenes. Lofty ideas abound: seeing oneself reflected through others, the blurred line between fantasy and reality, the self-delusional worship of stardom, along with more down-to-earth, but still challenging themes of grief, loss, and exploitation by the powerful of the innocent. Cotillard is sensational in her role, as is Pacini, waiflike and wonderingly wide-eyed, as her attempts to reconcile her fantasies with reality bring cruel shocks. Not a film for everyone, but a work that makes great use of the art of film.
3.5 well recommended

A Gorilla Story
Dir: James Reed and Callum Webster
Length: 90 mins
Streaming on Netflix

© Netflix - an unforgettable scene from the vault
Gorilla fans rejoice! Just released is this enchanting documentary narrated by the iconic David Attenborough. In 1978, while shooting an episode for the BBC's Life on Earth, Attenborough made history, as a young gorilla named Pablo unexpectedly climbed all over him, resulting in a glorious and spontaneous human/gorilla interaction that is now legendary. In this latest doco, Attenborough interweaves archival footage with current-day footage of the troops of gorillas who are Pablo's descendants. There is so much here to learn about gorilla societies, their family bonds and leadership struggles, while the enchanting close-up camera work takes us into their world. Attenborough also explains how conservation efforts over the last couple of decades have been successful. The playful infants are beyond adorable, and the near-human nature of these magnificent beasts is awe-inspiring. This is definitely a must-see for nature lovers.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Remarkably Bright Creatures
Dir: Olivia Newman
Length: 111 mins
Streaming on Netflix

© Netflix - two lost humans, eight
tentacles - recipe for a great tale
Tova (Sally Field) works as a cleaning lady in an aquarium in Washington State. She is dogged by grief ever since the disappearance, presumedly through drowning, of her son 30 years ago. To pass time and vent her feelings, she chats constantly to a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina). When Tova injures her ankle a new cleaner is employed - a young itinerant musician, Cameron (Lewis Pullman), who is down on his luck, and searching for the father he had never known. After a prickly start to their relationship, Tova and Cameron draw closer, and Marcellus is instrumental in solving the mysteries that haunt both Cameron and Tova. Though some may find the film too fantastical and even schmaltzy, for me it is an utter delight. The story is seen for some of the time through the cynical but amusing voice-over of Marcellus, who has contempt for human stupidity, and longs to escape captivity to return to his home in the depths of the ocean. There is so much heart to this story - real tear-jerking stuff - and the CGI work in creating the octopus is extraordinary. Overall the film is a visual treat. Field and Pullman work so well together, and a lovely smaller role by Colm Meaney as the owner of the local store (and secret admirer of Tova) adds another layer to what is an uplifting and gorgeous story.
4 - highly recommended 
(Watch this terrific clip to get an insight into the digital wizardry that created Marcellus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax-ziaf9DQ4&t=15s)

Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, 10 June 2026

June 11th 2026

Disclosure Day
H is for Hawk
The Sound of Falling
Primavera
Tuner
CHIFF - Children's International Film Festival
HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival

This week sees a host of wonderful films, plus two new festivals. All worth catching.   

Disclosure Day
Dir: Steven Spielberg
© Universal - Spielberg shows us why he's one
of the world's top directors. 
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Now that I've got that off my chest, I tackle the challenge of saying enough to get you to see it, without revealing too much. The teaser gives the bare bones: If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? Spielberg returns to some of his favorite themes, but with a very modern spin. The world is on the brink of major war. A quasi-governmental agency, WRDEX,  headed up by Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), is on the hunt for an ex-employee, Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor) who has escaped with a trove of archival footage (along with a powerful technological device) that he intends to disclose to the world; something that will blow the minds of every being on the planet. In parallel time, weather presenter Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), has a meltdown on TV, suddenly speaking in a strange click-like language. Margaret and Daniel are eventually drawn together, giving rise to an action-packed, heart-stopping chase that drives the film along at breakneck speed, as Scanlon's agency desperately tries to prevent the disclosure of the information in Daniel's possession. Other ex-employees of WRDEX, sympathetic to Daniel's cause and led by Hugo (Colman Domingo), race against time to get Daniel to safety. Meantime we are treated to extraordinary happenings, as Scanlon repeatedly employs the secret futuristic technology to get into the heads, the very beings, of others he wants to influence. For those who claim they don't like sci-fi or action films, there is so much more to this stunning film. Underlying themes include the possiblity of a huge conspiratorial cover-up at the highest levels, the function of religion, humans' place in the universe, and above all the concept of compassion as a vital means to rescue humans from self-destruction. With gloriously revisited motifs from ET, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Minority Report, Spielberg proves his directorial dominance, combining thrills, entertainment, cerebral stimulation, and a plot that feels believable, no matter what you do or don't believe! Thrillingly-crafted action sequences include new and creative twists to well-loved scenarios, the clever recreating of purported archival footage feels authentic, and John Williams' score is, as always, just right. The entire cast is impressive, with Blunt giving a career-defining performance. Her Margaret literally has the last word in the movie, and this word will leave audiences either mystified, or coming to a realisation of how Spielberg's lifelong obsession with extra-terrestrial life could point the way to humanity's salvation. Disclosure Day has just about every positive element you could want from an intelligently scripted, top-notch film, as well as being Entertainment with a capital E!
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

H is for Hawk
Dir: Phillippa Lowthorpe

© Kismet - tackling grief in a very
unusual way
Helen McDonald (Claire Foy) was an academic, lecturing at Cambridge. Her father Alisdair (Brendan Gleeson) was a well-respected photographer who worked for years on the Daily Mirror. When Alisdair died suddenly in 2007, Helen was grief stricken, and wrote a memoir about how she coped, by immersing herself totally in the training of a young goshawk that she named Mabel. This film is the cinematic adaptation of that memoir. It's a slow, contemplative film, that is ultimately a study of grief and depression. Foy gives a remarkable performance, as she portrays Helen progressively withdrawing from the human world and increasingly relating to the wild bird she is training. There is a lot of silence in the film, but this is made up for with beautifully-shot scenes of the bird, in glorious flight, or displaying close-up its magnificent plumage. The training of the animal also makes for intriguing viewing, and apparently Foy had to overcome her initial fear and learn to relate to five birds who plated Mabel! Flash-backs of Helen's relationship with her Dad also gives us insight into her very special bond with the man she felt was the only person in the world who understood her. Excellent support is given by Denise Gough as Helen's Aussie colleague and friend Christina, and Lindsay Duncan as her mother. Low key but lovely viewing.
3.5 - well recommended

The Sound of Falling
Dir: Mascha Schilinski
Length: 155 min mins
© Transmission - beautifully-made, at times
mystifying film
Set in one farmhouse in Germany over the course of a century, with four distinctly different time periods, this is the story (if you can call it that) of several families, young women and girls who have lived there. The film is more like an impressionist piece, that jumps about in time and intertwines characters' lives, such that, at times, I had no idea who was who! Young Alma lives among severe relatives back in the 1910s, and observes death, leading to an array of questions. In the 1940s, Erika is obsessed with Uncle Fritz, whose parents deliberately caused his leg to be amputated to prevent him from serving in the war. In the 1980s, teen Angelika behaves with gay abandon, pushing the boundaries that restrict her, while in the present era pre-adolescent Lenka is besotted with her new friend Kaya. The film has 22 prestigious wins to its name, perhaps because the director really makes great use of the filmic medium. Repetitive leitmotifs, to do with death, warmth, flies, family portraits, and intimate moments help blend and blur time. There is a dreamlike quality to the look and story, and for patient viewers it will reward, despite certain difficulties. Perhaps a second viewing will reveal more?
3.5 - well recommended

Primavera
Dir: Damiano Michialetto

© Rialto Distribution - elegant, heartbreaking 
story of Vivaldi and an orphan violinist
Abandoned baby girls spending their early lives in an orphanage in Venice in the early 1700s, and a music teacher/composer who achieved acclaim then faded into obscurity for the next 200 years. What do they have in common? Antonio Vivaldi taught for 40 years of his life in the Ospedale della Pieta, a real life convent and orphanage. There, the most talented girls learned music, and performed for the Venetian upper class, but always behind a grille or with masked  faces. Based upon an acclaimed historical novel, this elegant and moving film blends the two historical threads, while introducing a fictional element. For his lead violinist, Vivaldi (Michele Riondino) chooses talented and headstrong Cecilia (Tecla Insolia), a girl permanently heartbroken at being abandoned by her mother. And although Cecilia is devoted to music, society of the day  and the money-grabbing orphanage, have other plans for her: marriage to a wealthy man, and becoming forever relegated to the role of wife. Primavera means spring, and is one of the movements in Vivaldi's immortal composition The Four Seasons. Both main characters have a sort of spring revival in their lives, and this beautiful relationship between teacher and pupil is subtly portrayed in deeply emotional performances. Recreation of the era is outstanding, and the Vivaldi pieces, along with divine violin playing and an impressive original soundtrack, all enhance a historical story, that has much modern resonance for the role of women in society. Music lovers won't want to miss this one. 
4 - wholeheartedly recommended

Tuner
Dir: Daniel Roher

© VVS - a heist movie with a difference. Piano
tuning and safe cracking - how do they link?
Niki (Leo Woodall) is a young man with perfect musical pitch, but who suffers from a hearing malady known as hyperacusis. This causes him extreme sensistivity to sound, sometimes occasioning pain, but also making him very suited to his profession, piano tuning. He works with lifelong tuner Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), who is also his mentor and friend. On a late-night tuning job, he runs into some men from a security company headed up by Uri (the excellent Lior Raz of Fauda fame), and is co-opted into using his exceptional hearing to open a safe. When Harry gets ill, and his medical bills become unaffordable, Niki decides he can earn a bit extra employing his talent for nefarious purposes, but is soon drawn into a vicious, criminal underworld. This quickly threatens the budding relationship he has developed with up and coming pianist Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu). This is an original and fun spin on the heist movie. Woodall is an actor to watch, bringing a tense and charismatic feel to his character, while Hoffman is, as ever, a delight, as the quirky, empathetic Harry. The intricacies of piano-tuning (and safe-cracking) are fascinating to observe, and the film moves along at a terrific pace, with tension, emotion and an underlying theme about artists' relationships with their talents and passions.
4 - highly recommended

CHIFF - Children's International Film Festival
June 6 - July 10
Classic Elsternwick, Lido Hawrhorn, Cameo Belgrave and Ritz Sydney
For everything you need to know visit: www.chiff.com.au

Curated totally with children in mind, CHIFF features 30 films from around the world. Noteworthy are the screenings of Academy Award-nominated Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, also  the acclaimed underwater adventure The Last Whale Rider, and a Family Fun 
Day screening of Disney & Pixar’s Toy Story 5. Two classics also feature:  Flight of the Navigator, celebrating its 40th anniversary, and Fly Away Home, celebrating its 30th anniversary. As I say every year, these films are not only for kids; there is so much adults and viewers of all ages can glean from these powerful stories. The two I've previewed so far are testament to that.

My Grandfather is a Nihonjin: In the early 1900s, many Japanese went to Brazil to work on the coffee plantations. In this lovely animation, set in Sao Paulo, 10-year-old Nobo (born and raised in Brazil) is given a school assignment to learn about his family's origins. He interviews his grumpy Japanese grandfather, and begins to discover his cultural heritage. Depictions of Nobo's interactions with his schoolfriends from varied backgrounds feel very real, as does his anguish at trying to come to terms with exactly where he belongs in life. Lovely painterly scenes, and very relateable characters make this a powerful story for all age groups.
 
My Life at Versailles: The Movie:  Here's another sweet animation about family and fitting in. Violet's parents are killed in an accident and she is sent to live with her large, gruff uncle Regis, who works as a handyman and gardener at the Palace of Versailles. Pragmatic but caring Regis makes for a lovely contrast to the small, grieving girl. Adapted from a graphic novel, the film employs a simple colorful style, and gives insight into one of France's iconic treasures. The film is a good way to tackle deep and possibly challenging themes with youngsters, being a gentle exploration of grief, and coming to terms with death, life, its challenges, and making new relationships. 
CHIFF is, as always, highly recommended

HSBC Spanish Film Festival
Until July 6
Palace Cinemas
For everything you need to know visit: https://spanishfilmfestival.com/
The festival features more than 30 films from Spain, Columbia, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and more. Thrillers, romances, documentaries, culinary adventures and the exciting rhythm of Latin dance - it's all here!  

The Captive (Il Cautivo): Acclaimed director Alejandro Amenabar has come up with a ripper tale, in this story of Miguel Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. Part is based upon truth, and another (large) part, has apparently been fictionalised. In 1575,Cervantes (a very handsome Julio Pena), a Spanish soldier has been captured, along with a host of other high ranking Spaniards, by Ottomans. All are being held prisoner in Algiers until their ransoms are paid. Cervantes discovers that, by telling stories to his fellow prisoners, life within the prison is made more tolerable. He soon attracts the attention of the ruler, or bey, of Algiers, Hasan (Alessando Borghi), who delights in Cervante's tales. Despite prisoner and master growing closer, Cervantes is constantly hatching a plot to escape. Production values and cinematography are impressive, but it is the two leads who really mesmerise, as their homoerotic relationship deepens. The Ottoman way of life is depicted as lush, decadent and sensual, while their cruelty, brutality and the harsh conditions in the prison are in stark contrast. With plenty of Goya nominations and awards, this is a majorly entertaining film, even if it takes very modern liberties with the truth. 

The Tigers (Los Tigres): Two siblings, Antonio and Estrella, work in a dangerous profession as industrial divers performing repairs on petroleum ships and tankers. When financial hardship strikes and Antonio discovers one of the ships to be smuggling drugs, the temptation to make some quick money looms. But when you enter the murky world of drug criminals, your life is at risk. This taut thriller reveals much about the profession of industrial diving, and Antonio is already at risk with a deteriorating heart condition. As well as the many fraught, tension-inducing plot moments, the film is also a good exploration of sibling bonds and loyalty. 






Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)