Thursday, 9 July 2026

 July 10th 2026

Silent Friend
The Invite 
First Light 
Romeria
The Photographer of Mauthausen (streaming on Netflix)

It's a very strong week of recommended films. Nothing under four stars from me. From Germany, to the US, the Philippines, Spain and Austria, so many diverse settings and genres of film-making should entice you into the cinema.


Silent Friend 
Dir: Ildiko Enyedi

© HiGloss - mysterious, original, contemplative
and so much more
So original and so beautiful, Silent Friend has as its main star a tree - a huge 100-year-old gingko, one of the Earth's truly ancient and special trees. It stands in the grounds of Marburg University in Germany. Over the course of 100 years the tree is witness to the lives of three people, who are each as individual and lonely as it is. In 1908 Grete (Luna Wedler) becomes the first female to be accepted into the university to study botany. She must run the gauntlet of sexist professors, and disapproving landladies. She takes a job with a photographer where she learns how to capture the soul and sensuality of plants through her work. In the 1970s Hannes (Enzo Brumm) is besotted with fellow student Gundula (Marlene Burow) who is conducting a weird experiment on a geranium, wiring it up to sensors that record its reactions and "mood". Then in 2020,  neurologist Tony Wong (a magnificent Tony Leung) travels to the university to further his studies on the brain reaction of infants to certain stimuli. When his work is interrupted by the COVID lockdown, and he is stranded almost alone on campus, he decides to research what reactions the gingko tree has, and connects it to all manner of sensors. He shares his work online with fellow researcher Alice (Lea Seydoux).  You need to surrender youself to this remarkable movie - allow yourself to ponder the mysteries of life, the isolation as well as the connection between all living things. Three totally different shooting styles for the three eras are extremely effective, each contributing to the overall sublime beauty and the capturing of nature in all its glory. The storytelling, though slow and gentle, has hidden depths, that will lead you to ponder this film long after its over. A truly magnificent cinematic experience and something that nature lovers and philosphers of life will relish.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

The Invite
Dir: Olivia Wilde
© VVS - sexy, funny, touching, and wildly
entertaining
Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) are at loggerheads in their marriage, constantly bickering and sniping. They haven't had sex for a year, and things come to a head when she invites the upstairs neighbors Pina (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) to come over for dinner. Pina is a sex therapist and psychologist, Hawk a retired fireman, and they have caused Joe great distress by their noisy love-making at night. I won't reveal what happens when the four meet up; that's all part of this intelligent, witty script, which is based upon the 2020 Spanish film, The People Upstairs. Suffice to say there are laughs aplenty, but some viewers may cringe as they see aspects of their own relationships portrayed on the big screen. Rogen shows his versatility as a serious actor, not just a funny man. Cruz positively sizzles off the screen, with Norton fabulous as the calm, collected and rational foil to her. Sometimes Wilde (who directs strongly) seems to overplay her role, but as a look at the foibles of marriage, relationships, and attitudes to sex, this film is a real winner. It could also be a great date night movie, especially if you want to kickstart challenging coversation (or some even livelier hijinks!)  
4 - highly recommended

First Light
Dir: James J Robinson
© Bonsai Films - tranquil, provoking 
contemplation on religion, grace and corruption
Philippino/Australian director Robinson garnered strong buzz at the last Melbourne FF, winning Best Australian Director. In a remote convent in the Philippine mountains, Sister Yolanda (Ruby Ruiz) lives a quietly dedicated life, always helping, tending the sick and mentoring a nun-to-be, Sister Arlene (Kare Adea). When a young construction working has an accident and is hospitalised, Yolanda is asked to give the last rites. She feels the boy could have been saved, and that he has been deliberately left to die. Heading up the construction business is the Dela Cruz family who have a dying mother to whom Yolanda tends. The more Yolanda discovers about the young man's accident, and how political power and corruption have played a role in the outcome, the more her faith is tested. This is understated and beautiful film-making. The character of Yolanda is never judgmental, carries herself with quiet grace yet speaks her mind. Wide-angled cinematography gives the film a sweeping feel, yet it is in fact very intimate. The setting of the crumbling old convent is in stark contrast to the lovely outdoor scenery, with light and shade powerfully used. The narrative makes for a great starting point to examine attitudes to the church and its rituals, as opposed to embodying its teachings through simple humanity. 
4 - highly recommended

Romeria
Dir: Carla Simon
© Palace - a quest for understanding one's
past and present
This impressive Spanish film was nominated for many Goyas and Gaudis (awarded in Spain) last year, and was a Palm d'or nominee at Cannes. Director Simon has crafted a semi-autobiographical movie about 18-year old Marina (Llucia Garcia - winner of a Best Actor award), who, in 2004, goes on the trail of her family history. An orphan, Marina has been raised by her aunt, and has never met the countless relatives that she now lands up with in the seaside town of Vigo, on the Galician coast. She is especially drawn to cousin Nuno (Mitch Martin).  Each relative has a different, and often conflicting, tale to tell about her parents' past, and their deaths in the mid 1980s. Time toggles back and forth and as the film progresses we see the hedonistic, drug-fuelled lives her parents lived. There is even a touch of magical realism when Marina "meets" them. (The same actors who play Marina and Nuno play her parents.) The film is slow moving, but so realistic in its portrayal of family relationships, and quite alarming in its ultimate revelations of her parents' deaths and how the family handled it. Garcia brings a naivete yet quiet strength to her character, and the luminosity of the Spanish coastal town is somehow reflected in her inquiring, innocent face. Despite the deep subject matter, there is no ultra-heavy drama, and for lovers of relationship, family/self-discovery stories, this is a winner.
4 - highly recommended

The Photographer of Mauthausen
Dir: Mar Targarona
Length: 110 mins
Streaming on Netflix - 2018
© Netflix - Nazi atrocities from a 
Spanish viewpoint
Another powerful Spanish film, this one also garnered many nominations for Goya and Gaudi awards when it released. It is a powerful depiction of the horrors of World War Two, and the atrocities committed by the Nazis. This lesser known true story is that of Francesc Boix (Mario Casas), a Spaniard imprisoned in Mauthausen concentration camp for his anti-Fascist activities. There he gets a job in the camp's photography department, where the Nazis documented every last detail of their vile activities. Boix is determined to smuggle negatives out from camp, so that one day the world will know what was done and hold those responsible accountable. Yes the subject matter is bleak, but Taragona injects the story with much tension and suspense, perfectly augmented by the violin soundtrack. As a story of endurance, brutality and bravery, this is another worthy addition to the pantheon of Holocaust films. 
4 - highly recommended


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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)

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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. 






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Thursday, 21 May 2026

May 22nd 2026

The Richest Woman in the World
Becoming Kafka
Mother Mary
The Sheep Detectives
Life Could be a Dream

This week's films are a very diverse lot with my faves being the latest French film starring the wonderful Isabelle Huppert, along with a zany, beautiful story of a flock of sheep who have more brains than one would ever imagine.


The Richest Woman in the World
Dir: Thierry Klifa

© Palace - based upon a true French scandal
Marianne Farrere (Isabelle Huppert) is a billionaire heiress to a vast cosmetics company. A magazine photo-shoot sees her meeting larger-than-life photographer Pierre Alain Fantin (Laurent Lafitte) who suddenly injects a hefty dose of joie-de-vivre and irreverence into her regimented life with staid husband Guy (Andre Marcon). Pierre quickly charms his way into Marianne's affections, and she is soon gifting him vast amounts of money to prop up his life and career. Marianne's daughter, Frederique (Marina Fois), legal heir to her mother's fortune, is horrified, as is her husband Jean-Marc (Mathieu Demy) along with the family's loyal butler Jerome (Raphael Personnaz). What they all decide to do about the situation will have far-reaching ramifications. This story is a free adaptation of a true scandalous case which captivated all of France back in 2007, known as the Bettencourt Case, and revolving around the L'Oreal cosmetics empire. While I recoil at the character of Pierre, with his boorishness and vulgarity, I'm blown over by Lafitte's blustering performance which still manages to make us see his appeal to the stitched-up Marianne. And of course Huppert is simply perfect in this role, as she goes from ice-queen elegance to a woman besotted by this "charmer", and rediscovering her inner devil. This film has been much loved in France and thoroughly enjoyed by yours truly.
4 - highly recommended 

Franz: Becoming Kafka
Dir: Agnieszka Holland

© Sharmill - very original film-making style
for a very original writer
Most people know the name Kafka, but not all have read him or understand his philosophical world view. And that includes me, making it hard for me to review this much-awarded film by an iconic director. The film is described as a "kaleidoscopic mosaic" of the writer's life, and that certainly sums up the daring and innovative style of the filmmaking. We meet Franz at age 7 (Daniel Dongres), dominated by his overbearing father Hermann (Peter Kurth). Then we are introduced to the life and writings of the adult Franz (Idan Weiss). Absurdism, surrealism and existentialism are translated into many of the visuals employed, these scenes transmitting the feeling  of the man and his unconventional take on life. And of course we also get the actuality of his life, especially his fraught relationships with significant women, and his early death from tuberculosis. The film is visually excellent, and every performance feels real. I have the suspicion that this is a seriously good attempt to filmically capture something almost unfathomable, but without having read him, I'm left a little bewildered and less enlightened about the man than I would wish. 
3.5 - well recommended

Mother Mary
Dir: David Lowery

© VVS - some strong acting but a
scattered plot
Gaga-style pop icon Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) has a new song, and to perform it she needs a new dress. For some years she's been estranged from her loyal costume designer and former closest friend Sam (Michaela Coel), but now she comes back to ask Sam to make the dress for her. Rain-bedraggled, almost plain without her stage makeup, and totally at Sam's mercy, Mary is subjected to all Sam's hurt and wrath over having been sidelined and rejected. There is a ton of strong psychological fodder to be mined in this story, and that's where it works best - an examination of artistic insecurities, the cult of fame worship, but mostly the dynamics of friendship. However, after an impressive start, which features a couple of glitzy set pieces of Mother Mary's stage performances, the film veers off into an irrelevant, contrived, quasi-supernatural nonsense involving a seance - and that's where it lost me. Yes, Hathaway impresses in that she does her own singing, but her performance lacks the power of a real-life diva. Coel is full-on impressive as the spurned friend, but the argy-bargy talk fest that ensues, followed by the pseudo exorcism of Mary's inner demons feels contrived and plain silly. The film doesn't know what is wants to be, and, while I enjoyed it in parts, I didn't ultimately care about the characters! 
2.5 - maybe

The Sheep Detectives
Dir: Kyle Balda

© Sony - so lovely - for all ages
George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) is a caring shepherd who lives in the quaint English village of Denbrook. Every night he gathers his flock around him and reads aloud to them from murder mystery books. Little does he know they understand everything and discuss the cases among themselves! When George is found dead, the distraught sheep decide to solve the mystery themselves. Before you go dimissing this radical idea, let me tell you, within minutes I was drawn into the plot wholeheartedly, so appealing are the sheep characters, and so cleverly written is the script. Using a mix of real sheep, computer-generated imagery and animatronic puppets, the film brings its woolly stars to life with humour, philosophy,  and sheer delight. While there is plenty of fun, underneath it all are wonderful life lessons for children and indeed all ages: moving beyond one's comfort zone, accepting others' differences, even coping with the concept of death. The film boasts a top-notch role call of actors. Among the live action cast are Nicholas Braun (who played Greg in Succession) as the local bumbling police officer, Molly Gordon (Claire in The Bear) as Rebecca, George's daughter, and the ever-splendid Emma Thomson as George's lawyer.  The sheep are voiced by such well known actors as Bryan Cranson, Rhys Derby, Bella Ramsey and more. Despite some levels of predictability, this is a gorgeous film everyone can enjoy and is much-needed in today's fraught world.
4 - highly recommended

Life Could Be a Dream
Dir: Jasmin Tarasin

© Maslow - good theme not given
serious enough treatment
Sarah (Maeve Dermody) is a real estate agent and mother of 40, with a 13-year-old son Otis (Sonny McGee). Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that she has been enduring an abusive marriage involving financial coercive control. She decides to flee with Otis, taking refuge in an opulent mansion that she is in charge of selling. Together the pair hang out and strengthen their bond, with Otis being a vital support for his mother. The issue of domestic violence is such a serious one, and yet the film's style is too languid, its cinematography too beautiful, to reflect any of the horror and fear. Plot-wise my credibility is totally stretched being asked to believe that the pair would be able to move into this home, let alone that it is still a fully functioning liveable house! Performances are fine, but again the sweet interlude of Otis meeting local lass Sati (Noam Sen-Gupta) seems to detract from the main intended theme. Unfortunately, despite all the good intentions of tackling a relevant and important issue, the film ends up being too flimsy for its purported subject matter. 
2.5 - maybe





 

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