Friday, 13 November 2026

November 13th 2026

Yellow Letters
Godzilla Minus Zero
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (streaming on Mubi)
National Theatre Live: Golden Boy
Harvie Krumpet - streaming on YouTube
The Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley (streaming on Netflix)

I'm drowning in films - from brilliant, to ok, to bizarre - but all worth it in their own ways. This is definitely a totally disparate collection - monster action, horror, relationship drama, stop-motion animation, theatre on film and yet again . . . Elvis. 
 
Yellow Letters
Dir: Ilker Catak
Length: 118 min
Showing at Classic Elsternwick and Lido Hawthorn

© Rialto - powerful relationship scenes
and the devastating effects of repressive regimes
Derya Tufan (Ozgul Namal) and husband Aziz (Tansu Bicer) live full, vibrant lives in Istanbul. He is a playwright and university lecturer, she an actress. When she is seen to have snubbed a government official after a show, their lives begin to unravel. Aziz is branded as too political and outspoken against the government, and is dismissed from his post, while Derya is sacked from her theatre company. They relocate, with daughter Ezgi (Leyla Cabas) to Ankara to live with Aziz's mother, (Ipek Bilgin). From there it's all downhill.  Pressing ethical issues are central to the story; how far should one compromise one's priciples when the need to earn a living is pressing? Is dogged dedication to one's art at the risk of government punishment worth it? And of course it is all so relevant in an age where authoritarian government censorship of artists is endemic in society. While this intense film may not be for everyone, it is a worthy winner of the Berlin Golden Bear, thanks to enthralling performances from the two leads, and a cracking dialogue that is intensely and painfully real. 
4 - highly recommended

Godzilla Minus Zero
Dir: Takashi Yamazaki
Length: 135 min

© Sugoi - Grrr! He's back, for a supposedly
final showdown with an even beastlier beast
Noriko and Koichi are living relatively peaceful lives with their adopted daughter Akiko, when Japan is assailed by a new threat -  Ghidorah, an dragon-like monster possibly spawned in outer space. After failed attempts, in conjunction with the US army, to destroy the beast, a trio of scientific whizzes devise a scheme to lure Godzilla from his ocean depths, and engineer a fight to the death between the two monsters. Picking up where Godzilla Minus One left off, this follow-up is certainly entertaining, but not as absorbing as its predecessor. The earlier film felt more real, (if such fantastical stories can be) and engagement with the characters more immediate. In this sequel, there is less character development, more over-dramatisation, and indeed unnecessary melodrama involving little Akiko. However, for those dismissing it as no more than a monster/horror flick, let me assure you there are worthy themes in the film. The emphasis on post-war trauma and nuclear devastation is ever-present, along with the idea of personal sacrifice for the greater good and ambiguous hints at the use of weaponising things that should never even exist. Special effects are fabulous, monster battles are bloody and chilling, and there's enough fun to be had. 
3 - recommended

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Dir: Jane Schoenbrun
Length: 112 min
Streaming on MUBI

© Madman / MUBI - worth seeing for Anderson 
alone
What can I tell you about this bonkers film? Firstly, that I would normally keep well clear of slasher films, but here's one that's quite different, and featuring the wonderful Gillian Anderson as reclusive actress Billy Presley. Indie filmmaker Kris (Hannah Einbinder) is remaking a film that was once part of a the Camp Miasma horror slasher franchise. She heads out to the original site where the first film was shot, and meets Billy, who now lives in the remote forest lodging. Things are about to get wild! It's probably best to say no more about the plot. The film can be interepreted as a homage to, or a satire of, slasher films, with strong underlying themes of gender identity, sexual repression, desire, the link between death and sex, and no doubt many more philosophical and self-referential movie-related themes. It's shocking and ultra-bloody, at times genuinely scary, at times funny. I think you probably want to be a true horror buff to really "get" this movie, but I can't deny there was fun to be had. And, the film is obviously seriously respected by the cognoscenti, having won the Queer Palm at Cannes, and received many other nominations. 
A must for Anderson fans and horror buffs - dubious for others. 

National Theatre Live: Golden Boy
Dir: Sam Yates
Length: 140 min

© Sharmill - O'Connor returns from film to 
stage, showing his acting creds
Playwright Clifford Odets wrote the play Golden Boy in 1937. Set in the Great Depression, it is the story of Joe Bonaparte, (Josh O'Connor) a talented violinist, who decides to take up boxing to earn more money than he could as a musician. Managed by Tom Moody (Daniel Mays) and mobster Eddie Fuseli (Zubin Varla), Joe becomes entangled with Tom's girlfriend Lorna (Hayley Squires). Meantime Joe's Italian father (Stanley Townsend) cannot grasp how Joe could betray all his traditional values and his God-given talent. The stage production is inventive and original, with the boxing scenes portrayed in an intriguing non-conventional way. Great use is also made of a string quartet that occasionally emerges high up on the stage to remind Joe of what he's thrown away. Back on stage after 10 years of films, O'Connor gives a strong performance, as do the others, but for me this script has not aged well - it feels outdated, melodramatic and too removed from the sort of characters I can relate to. I've really been enjoying the filmed versions of National Theatre productions of late, and while I'm underwhelmed by the plot of this one, the staging and acting lead me to . . .  
3 - recommended

Harvie Krumpet
Dir: Adam Elliot
Length: 23 min
2003
© Adam Elliot - you have to see it to know
the joy, the pathos, the humor and pain of life
I loved Max and Mary (2009), and Memoirs of a Snail (2024), both stop-motion feature-length animations from Aussie genius Adam Elliott. I realised with shame I had never seen Adam's first film, the Oscar-winning short animation about a man whose life is dogged by illness and misfortune, yet who remains stoically cheerful and finds the good side of life. And here it is - free to watch on YouTube. Adam has the uncanny knack of seeing into the human soul, and translating it to his claymation figures, in such a way that we feel the depths of every emotion with and for his characters. There is so much pathos, humour and joy in this quirky, heartbreakingly sublime  story, and the measured voice-over narration by Geoffrey Rush is the icing on the cake.
5 - unmissable

Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley
Dir: Jason Hehir
Length: 90 min
Streaming on Netflix - 2024
© Netflix - he proves he's still got it
Ever since Baz Luhrmann made the 2022 film Elvis (starring Austin Butler as The King), then followed it up with the masterful doco EPiC (Elvis Presley in Concert) I've become an Elvis obsessive, captivated and enthralled by the singer, and intrigued to discover who the man underneath the icon really was. While there are no dramatic surprises in this doco, it gives a new slant to the overall story. After the usual background on the Elvis origin story, the film then hones in on how Elvis sought to break away from the repetitive cycle of B-grade movies Colonel Parker had committed him to, and rediscover who he truly was, as a performer and singer. Elvis fans and associates such as Bruce Springsteen, Conan O'Brien, Baz Luhrmann, Darlene Love and of course wife Priscilla all provide extra insights into the story, which builds up to the seminal 1968 NBC comeback special in which Elvis shows his hopes, fears, vulnerability, and ultimately who still wore the rock'n'roll crown. Needless to say, I loved it!
4 - highly recommended
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Thursday, 5 November 2026

November 6th 2026

Wild Horse Nine
Sundays 
The Policewoman
Primetime
More from British Film Festival
Japanese Film Festival

It's a bumper week, as I catch up with a couple of earlier cinematic releases, plus two of the latest. Festivals abound with JIFF and the British FF ongoing, and the Japanese FF opening in Melbourne next week. 

Wild Horse Nine
Dir: Martin McDonagh
Length: 118 min

© Searchlight - bickering friends, one-time killers,
facing an existential crisis 
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is an unlikely setting for a film about ageing CIA agents, but the very peculiarity (and spirituality) of it is a perfect complement to this brilliant plot, with its whip-sharp dialogue and tour-de-force performances from the two leads. Chris (John Malkovitch) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are CIA agents (and good friends) in Chile, just before the overthrow of the democratically elected Marxist regime of Allende. Chris is dying of cancer, addicted to morphine, and threatening to write his tell-all memoirs which may expose closely guarded CIA secrets.  Under the guise of a last-wish holiday, the pair head off to Easter Island. However CIA chief MJ (Steve Buscemi) has instructed Lee to watch the very talkative Chris carefully, and be sure no state secrets are let loose. This film works on so many levels. It's a thriller, a buddy movie, and even more, a deeply philosophical look at how one comes to grips with one's past, especially when it has involved killings, duplicity, and conspiracy. Malkovitch, who won Best Actor at the Venice FF, is magnetically mesmerising in this role, especially his idiosynchratic speech style. His character evokes so many conflicting emotions as he grapples his mortality along with the moral ambiguity of his past misdeeds. His perfect foil is Rockwell's brash Lee, and, as long as you can hack plenty of profanity, you will find their conversations at once hilarious, poignant and profound.  Additional plot points, such as the guys meeting Monica and Alicia, two Chilean feminist activists, add a delightfully unexpected twist, while Buscemi's MJ is a splendidly warped character. Then we have the glorious cinematography of the magnificent location, featuring the giant mysterious Moai (the Easter Island statues), and the almost mystical wild horses who feature so strongly in influencing Chris's dying world view. The not-so-subtle allusions to the US's history of foreign interference, along with perennial speculation about President Kennedy's death add another layer. Individual viewers can choose to focus on whichever of the themes speak most loudly, or to simply enjoy the off beat humor. For me this wonderful film (also winner of the Audience Award at Venice) will be among my top 10 for the year and is . . .
5 - unmissable

Sundays
Dir: Alauda Ruiz de Azua
Length: 117 min 

© Palace - a young girl responds to 
the call of her faith
Ainara (Blance Soroa) is a 17-year-old student at a Bilbao Catholic boarding school. Her widowed father Inaki (Miguel Garces) runs a restaurant and is largely distracted by financial worries. On her visits home, Ainara's most loving relatives are her aunt Maite (Patricia Lopez Arnaiz) and her grandmother Lila (Mabel Rivera). Over Sunday lunch Ainara shocks the family, especially her atheist aunt, announcing she wants to abandon her plans to go to university and become a nun. Major family rifts ensue. Whether you are an atheist, a believer or somewhere in between, you cannot help but be moved by this sublime film, in which the concept of religious calling and true faith in a modern secular world is so respectfully handled. Additional plot threads such as Inaki's new relationship, family disputes over money and inheritance, Maite's rocky marriage and Ainara's typical teen friendships, including flirtation with a boy blend seamlessly into the main story. Soroa gives a restrained performance, full of beauty and grace, and even if we as an audience feel she is too young to cloister herself away for life, she manages to convince us of what her faith means to her. Everything about this film is intelligent, with no easy answers, and plenty of room for debate. The music is divine, with much lovely choir singing, and noteworthy is the use of Nick Cave's song Into My Arms. This is an unexpectedly moving and transcendent film.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

The Policewoman
Dir: Claire Pasvolsky
Length: 75 min 

© Bonsai Films - in her own words - the
challenges of half a lifetime in the policeforce 
 
At age 27 Narelle Fraser joined Victoria Police, motivated by noble intentions - to help people. But after 27 years of battling a male dominated workplace, and ultimately rising through the ranks to Detective, she finally left the force with PTSD. In her own words, and with the help of dioramas to recreate personal and criminal scenarios, she shows us the toll taken upon her mental health from working on rape, homicide and missing persons cases. Because she approached her work with empathy, getting close to both victims and those she was investigating, eventually the stress became too much for her. Hearing the story told so openly and honestly really gives a deep insight into the profession, and helps viewers take a more compassionate role to policing, seeing the very human side of being a law enforcer. Narelle is a likeable character, entertaining, if at times her stories are very disturbing. Her podcasts, along with lectures she now gives to police, help remove the stigma from mental trauma. An insightful documentary.
3.5 - well recommended

Primetime
Dir: Lance Oppenheim
Length: 109 min 

© A24 - a Pattinson performance is the
major drawcard of this film
In the USA, a popular TV reality show To Catch a Predator was hosted by Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) from 2004-2007. In conjunction with a vigilante group called Perverted Justice, child predators were set up to connect with seeming minors over the internet. When the aspiring paedophile turned up for a meet, he would soon be confronted by Hansen, an NBC TV crew would emerge, and the predator would be arrested for the viewing delight of television audiences. This film has me conflicted. There's no denying it's a terrific performance from Pattinson, who just gets better with each role. The film showcases the moral bankruptcy of the TV industry which puts ratings above anything else, and revels in trauma as entertainment. Ambition looms large, with Hansen, and his producer Andie (an excellent Merrit Wever) more concerned with personal success than with purported "good deeds" in catching perverts.  And no one seems to care about the possible psychological damage incurred by the over-18 actors Danny (Skyler Gisondo) and Del (Phoebe Bridgers) who are hired to be 13-year-olds to lure the degenerates in. Furthermore the film's self-conscious stylisation had me constantly feeling it tries too hard to be artistic, a distraction from the actual subject matter and an impediment to engaging with the characters. As a window into Hansen himself the film could go deeper, and if it wants to condemn the dark side of its subject matter, it becomes itself voyeuristic and exploitative in its style. So, weigh up excellent performances and a nomination for a Golden Lion at Venice, with aggravating style, and I end up wanting to recommend it but for me it's . . .
2.5 - maybe

More from Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
Melbourne: 28 Oct - 6 December - check website for all other states
Palace Cinemas
Find all you need to know at:  britishfilmfestival.com.au

Bad Apples
Saiorse Ronan plays rookie teacher Maria. Keeping discipline is a struggle for her, made all the worse by the presence of Danny (Eddie Waller), an aggressive and disruptive hooligan of a kid. When Maria has a confrontation with Danny she makes some questionable choices, which end up being bad for Danny, but fantastic for the welfare and progress of the rest of the class. This low-key satire is a lot of wicked fun, with Ronan delivering, as always, a sterling performance. 

The Uprising
Director Paul Greengrass has made some thrilling films (United 93, The Lost Bus, Captain Phillips), and here he brings his sense of drama to the story of the Peasant's Revolt which took place in Britain in 1381. It's the story of the oppressed small people going up against the power, wealth and might of royalty, corrupt counsellors and the aristocracy. There's much tragedy and courage in this sweeping and bloody tale of resistance, with Andrew Garfield in the lead as Ploughman, a brave farmer who has lost everything and has nothing more to lose. 

Hill
This excellent doco on Formula 1 driver Damon Hill goes well beyond his stunning races, crashes and victories on the circuit. It is also a story of childhood trauma, as Hill's beloved father, himself a top racing driver, was killed in  a plane crash when Damon was only 15. There's much old super-8 footage from Damon's happy childhood, intertwined with the examination of the grown man's self-doubts, his determination to make his father proud, and the mental trauma that happens when teammates around you die. There's a raw honesty to this film, with Damon's psychological turmoil offset by his devoted and pragmatic wife Georgie.
PS: True F1 junkies may like to also watch the doco Schumacher (2021) on Netflix. The rivalry between him and Hill is dealt with, from quite a different persepctive, in both docos.  

Japanese Film Festival
Melbourne: November 9 - November 17 in Melbourne - check website for all other states
Venues: Palace Kino and ACMI
Find all you need to know at:  https://jffau.jpf.go.jp/

Celebrating 30 years of Japanese films in Australia, this is a great opportunity to immerse in movies from one of the world's most fascinating cultures. From the latest box-office hits, to Samurai epics, to comedies and dramas, along with terrific animated features, there's something for everyone. There is also a special restrospective featuring films whose soundtrack is from leading composer Toru Takemitsu. The opening night film on November 9 is Look Back from multi-award winning director Hirokazu Koreeda. I've previewed a couple in advance.  

Sham
Dir: Takashi Miike
Length: 129 min
Inspired by an actual court case in 2003, Sham tells of a teacher who is accused of brutally harassing one of his young students. The story is told from two differing perspectives; in the first section we see the viewpoint and assertions of the distraught and vengeful mother; in the second we get the teacher's side. Where the truth lies is not categorically revealed, but what is on show is the terrifying fact that, once the media gets its hands on a story, people can easily be condemned simply through public opinion.  With a couple of awards under its belt, Sham leaves one wondering and pondering the moral ambiguities of the case. 

AnyMart
Dir: Yusuke Iwasaki
Length: 88 min
A cross between horror and satire, this film is set in a convenience store or konbini, which is a ubiquitous part of Japanese society. What starts off as a seemingly mundane tale of the tedium of working in such a place, gradually builds up pace to a devastating (if unrealistic!) finale. In many ways the film is a commentary upon conformity, and the rigidity of corporate rules in the Japanese service culture. The characters are mostly bleak, and the film's style reflects the dreariness of the employees' lives, up until the sudden dramatic, unsettling shift in tone at the end. AnyMart is the winner of a jury prize at the Berlin FF. 

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Wednesday, 28 October 2026

 October 29th 2026

Pressure
Tenzing
Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
My Dearest Senorita (streaming on Netflix)

Wonderful films yet again this week! Not to mention the ever-popular British Film Festival, with its plethora of top-notch latest release movies. 

Pressure
Dir: Anthony Maras
Length: 100 min

© StudioCanal - I never imagined weather forecasting
could be so thrilling! 
So many films have been made about D-Day, but here's one with a very different slant. It's 72 hours before the Allies' planned invasion of the beaches of northern France. It's do-or-die; this military operation will probably decide the fate of the free world and be a turning point in the Second World War. After careful planning and a proposed date, the operation is threatened by deteriorating weather. General Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) calls upon two meteorologists to advise him on when the invasion is good to go, but they cannot agree. Irving Krick (Chris Messina) bases his forecasts solely upon historical data, but newly-appointed James Stagg (Andrew Scott) takes a completely different approach, saying one must use modern methods to read the pressure systems. Never has weather forecasting been made so exciting!! The director (previously of the gripping Hotel Mumbai) knows how to inject great tension into a story that could have been dull. Scott is so impressive in his portrayal of Stagg's steely determination, and Fraser gives another great performance as Eisenhower. With actual meteorologists overseeing the scientific details of the film, everything feels authentic, and the details of weather systems become surprisingly engaging. Strong support from Kerry Condon and Damien Lewis in smaller roles fill out a rivetting story that will surprise and captivate.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Tenzing
Dir: Jennifer Peedom
Length: 125 min

© Apple TV - two of climbing history's
greats - with the emphasis on the local!
Acclaimed Aussie filmmaker Peedom has garnered plenty of awards for her excellent documentaries, Sherpa, Mountain and River. Now she directs a narrative feature about a seminal event, when Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston) and Tenzing Norgay first set foot on the summit of Mt Everest. Although New Zealand-born Hillary got the main credit, this lovely film focuses on the Tibetan man's story. We learn about Tenzing at three stages in his life: the nine-year old boy (Samdrup Dorje Lama), who dreams of one day being in a team that climbs "his" mountain; the 20-year old (Tenzin Dalha), who joins an expedition as a porter, and finally the adult (Genden Phuntsok) who becomes head of the Sherpa team for the British expedition headed up by John Hunt (Willem Dafoe). The film jumps back and forth through the different periods of Tenzing's life; including meeting his beloved first wife Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), and his later determination to stand up for the rights of the Sherpas and his own recognition as an official climbing team member.  Although told in a fairly conventional narrative style, the film is full of glorious scenery, with New Zealand's southern alps a stand-in for Everest;  further footage was shot in Nepal. There are many heart-stopping moments, and despite having seen many Everest films, this one is a terrific homage to a man who has never quite received the credit he deserves, and who fulfilled his childhood dream.
3.5 - well recommended

Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
Melbourne: 28 Oct - 6 December - check website for all other states
Palace Cinemas
Find all you need to know at:  britishfilmfestival.com.au

The festival this year has 36 new films featuring the cream of British acting and directing talent. No point my itemising them here - you can check it all out on the website. But I will draw your attention to a retrospective of five incredible films, celebrating their various anniversaries: Hamlet, Last Orders, The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Man who Fell to Earth and Shirley Valentine. My initial reviews:

Extra Geography
Dir: Molly Manners
Length: 93 min
Flic (Marnie Duggan) and Minna (Galaxie Clear) atttend an English girls' boarding school. They are best of friends, doing everything in tandem. Deciding they must become more "worldly", they make a pact to fall in love with the next person they see. This happens to be their geography teacher, a New Zealander, the naive Miss Delavigne (Alice Englert). At the same time the school is putting on a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in conjunction with a boy's school. As the two projects proceed, the girls' friendship starts to fray at the edges. Coming of age films risk being twee, sentimental or predictable, but this one is a winner, combining droll humour with a story that is poignant and totally engaging. The two leads are stunning in their debut performances - although the girls can be exasperating, they are also charming, and a vibrant reminder of the challenges faced in growing up. The story gives insight into teen female friendships, with their intense bonds as well as the anguish of discovering you are not in fact twins, but quite different individuals. The director chooses to leave aspects of the girls' emerging sexuality subtle and somewhat ambiguous, making for speculation and lively post-movie discussion!  A thoroughly endearing and stimulating watch.   


My Duchess
Dir: Mike Newell
Length: 95 mins
The term "elder abuse" is much bandied around these days but there could be no worse case of this than what happened to Wallis Simpson, the wife of Edward, Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the British throne to marry the woman he loved, and to live in France. After Edward's death in 1972, Wallis (Joan Collins) takes on formidable French lawyer Susanne Blum (Isabella Rossellini) to manage her affairs. Blum gradually takes over the Duchess's life, isolating her from friends,  taking power of attorney over Wallis's  finances, and eventually selling off many of the royal possessions. Collins, now 93 years old, shows she's still got what it takes in the acting department, and is not afraid to be seen at her physical worst as the Duchess gradually sinks into a sad and sorry old age. Rossellini is chilling as the conniving lawyer, who gives an excellent lesson in coercive control. The film is a very handsome production, with the lavish royal life on full display: jewels, gowns, furnishings, and artworks.  The supporting cast are impressive, notably Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten, Miranda Richardson as Lady Mosley, and Laurent Lafitte as Montalban, a loyal (but fictional) friend of Wallis. Not strictly true to historical fact, this is nevertheless a disturbing portrayal of what can happen if you give over control to the wrong person! 

My Dearest Senorita
Dir: Fernando Gonzalez Molina
Length: 113 min
Streaming on Netflix  - 2026
© Netflix - compassionate film about finding one's
true identity
Adela (Elisabeth Martinez) is a conservative 25-year-old, living with her parents and teaching catechism in Pamplona, Spain. She is tall and ill at ease in her body, perplexed as to why she must take oestrogen and is told she can never have children. Finally a visit to a gynaecologist reveals to her the truth that she was born intersex, and her parents had made the decision to operate on the baby, such that her designated sex would be female.  After the shock news, Adela moves to Madrid, sheds her female identity and takes on a masculine identity and name, A.D. Sharing Adela/AD's gender identity journey are queer physiotherapist Isabel (Anna Castillo) and gay priest Father Jose (Paco Leon), along with a colorful and sympathetic collection of Madrid misfits. This is a remake of a 1972 film, which was the first queer film in a post-Franco Spain. The modern version is a compassionate and often heartbreaking journey with our main character; an exploration of the torment of fitting into and coming to terms with a new and confronting sexual identity. Martinez, themselves an intersex actor, brings a complete truthfulness and credibility to their character. This moving and enlightening film is almost a lovesong to those who don't fit the stereotype, and is a testament to the power of self-acceptance. 
4 - highly recommended
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Wednesday, 21 October 2026

October 22nd 2026

Holy Cannoli
NAZA
More from JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival 
Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (Streaming)

Two new feature films grace our screens, plus more excellent viewing from JIFF, and a surprising streamer which I highly recommend. 
Holy Cannoli
Dir: Pif
Length: 113 min

© Palace - pastry, the Pope and love
in an amusing Italian comedy
Successful Palermo real estate agent Arturo (played by director Pif) has such an intense craving for sweet pastries it is almost a religion for him. He actually has no religous beliefs, that is until he meets gorgeous Flora (Giusi Buscemi), daughter of a famed Sicilian pastry chef. She is a devout Catholic and Arturo thinks, to win her heart, he will pretend to also be religious. But he goes overboard, and starts taking Christian practice to extremes, causing havoc to his new love affair, his work, and alienating himself from those around him. To add to it all, his sugar spikes from over-indulgence in pastries cause him to hallucinate encounters with the Pope himself (Carlos Hipolito), a wise and worldly man with plenty of advice to dish out. There's a lot to enjoy about this over-the-top approach to religion, love and cannoli. Pif manages to criticise those who espouse their faith while hypocritically doing things counter to its tenets. He also shows that anything taken to extremes will not work. The delightful character of the Pope presents a forgiving and moderate version of God and the Church. I've never been a big fan Italian comedies, so I bring my prejudices to the film, which I find too silly in parts, and definitely somewhat repetitive: a good 20-minute edit would have helped. The basic premise of the film is fun, as is the not so subtle marriage of erotica and creamy pastry. The characters are appealing, which makes for amiable watching.
3 - recommended

NAZA
Dir: Yuval Abraham & Rachel Szor
Length: 80 min

© Madman - this film is stirring up
huge divisiveness
Short and not-so-sweet, this hard-hitting doco from the filmmakers who helmed No Man's Land, will cause plenty of outrage in the camps of those who unconditionally support Israel's actions in Gaza. Whatever your political stance, there is no denying this is an impressive work of investigative journalism. 24 military insiders from the IDF go on the record (anonymously), detailing how the army uses AI programs to pinpoint Hamas operatives they wish to kill, and how an algorithm is used to calculate the "acceptable" ratio of civilian deaths (termed NAZA, and often exorbitantly high). The film's style is deceptively simple, as the director interviews his subjects on a balcony overlooking the glitter of Tel Aviv by night. Views through windows show ordinary Israelis going about their daily business. In contrast, ordinary Palestinians doing the same may instantly be obliterated.  To see such calculated destruction makes for disturbing viewing. There is no sensationalism; just a calm and deliberate approach to the questions, the replies to which speak for themselves. The Israeli government is outraged by the film and claims it distorts the facts. Who can ever know the real truth? I guess you have to see it for yourself and make up your own mind. 
4 - highly recommended

More from JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne: Until 25 November - check website for other cities
Classic and Lido Cinemas
To scour the program visit https://www.jiff.com.au/films

JIFF is off and running, after a fabulous opening night last Sunday. I loved the choice of opening night film (reviewed first here), and the watching continues apace! 


Just an Illusion: With so many heavy themes (albeit it excellent ones!) it was nice to have a light-hearted engaging French comedy as the festival's opening night film, with many more opportunities to view it. Yve Dayan and his wife Sandrine live in 1985 Paris. They bicker endlessly: he's lost his job, she's going for a promotion, and their 12-year-old son Vincent (Simon Boublil) is brawling with his older brother, preparing for his upcoming barmitzvah, and falling in love for the first time. While the film avoids delving ultra-deeply into any of its issues (marital discord, anti-Semitism, joblessness), it is an excellent entertainment, with a collection of characters one can really enjoy spending time with. Young Boublil is a physically beautiful boy, and he brings such warmth and delight to the young lad on the cusp of manhood. Definitely a crowd-pleaser!

The Soundman: I haven't seen many WWII films from Belgium. This one, set on the cusp of the Nazi invasion in 1940, centres around Berre, a young creative sound engineer who gets an internship  with Belgium's national broadcaster. He's a master at hearing sounds and creating foley effects for the radio plays that are broadcast. Young Elza has fled Germany with her Jewish family, is living illegally in Belgium, but gets a job with the cast of the radio plays. This is a bitter-sweet film about anti-Semitism, impending tragedy, young love, and the magic of sound engineering. With gorgeous period detail and an absorbing storyline, this is fine viewing. 

The Sea: Khaled is a 12-year-old Arab boy from Ramallah. When his class is taken on an excursion to the seaside in Tel Aviv, he is refused entry at the checkpoint due to a permit mix-up. Desperate to see the sea, but without speaking a word of Hebrew, Khaled heads off alone, landing up in the streets of Tel Aviv and trying to fulfill his dream. Meantime his increasingly desperate father sets out to try to find his son. The Sea has won Best Film at the Ophir awards, with Mohammad Ghazawi who plays Khaled the youngest ever winner of a Best Actor award. A crew of Jews and Arabs worked together on this film and it reflects in the humanity displayed in the film's approach to its subject matter. Again, the contrasts between life in the big smoke and Khaled's less salubrious life is wrought large, and the treatment of the Arab family by the Israeli authorities is further cause for reflection on better ways of handling the never-ending problems in this region. This is a truly beautiful, but deeply saddening film. 

Sinatra: All or Nothing at All
Dir: Alex Gibney
Length: 2 x 2 hour episodes
Streaming on Netflix - 2015
© Netflix/MUBI/HBO - a definitive look
at the live and times of Ol' Blue Eyes
Though not strictly a feature film, this two-part doco from famed documentarian Alex Gibney, will give you a deep insight into the life of America's favorite crooner. In 1971 Frank Sinatra performed a farewell concert of 11 songs which are used by Gibney to frame the narrative of the singer's life. We see the ageing Sinatra on stage, revel in his seamlessly relaxed performance, then are taken back into each stage of his extraordinary life, from the rough New Jersey suburb of Hoboken, through his early musical forays, his rise to fame, his fall from grace then resurrection, his endless affairs and marriages, and the controversy that surrounded his links to the Mob, along with his legendary bad boy stunts. The doco is comprised of that concert, along with countless archival clips spanning 60 years. Any voice-overs are in the background; the only talking head is Sinatra himself reflecting openly on his life! I had never realised what a consummate performer the man was until I watched this doco. It won me over, and made for four hours of mesmerising viewing. Give it a go and see what all the fuss has been about!
4 - highly recommended

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