Wednesday, 5 August 2026

August 6th 2026

Young Washington
Holy Days

Two new offerings this week. While neither is in shoot-the-lights-out territory, both are entertaining in very diffrent genres. 


Young Washington 
Dir: Jon Erwon
© Rialto - a president in the making
George Washington (Willliam Franklyn-Miller), founding father of the USA and its first president, had a modest start in life.  In 1743, at age 11, after the death of his father, young George meets his much older half-brother Lawrence (John Foss), who is responsible for homeschooling the boy, and training him to be a land surveyor. Because George comes from a colonial family he is denied the commissioned role he so desires with the British army, but through persuasion, he gets himself a job surveying the lands of wealthy Lord Fairfax (Kelsey Grammer). His big break comes when British governor Dinwiddie (Ben Kingsley) assigns George the leadership of the Virginia militia and sends him off to deliver an ultimatum to the French army to leave the lands the Brits claim are theirs. History tells the rest of the story, and this film tells it in a way that elevates George to hero status, though not without his facing obstacles along the way. One major strength of this film is the excellent recreation of the era, both in sets and action scenes: the hardships faced by adventurous men slogging through snow and mud, encountering hostile indigenous tribes, and enduring ghastly conditions on the battlefields. All this is stirringly portrayed, especially the brutal and bloody battle scenes. Franklyn-Miller's impressive performance depicts a confident, measured young man, who, despite some catastrophic mistakes, is ready to learn from them. All the cast play their parts with authenticity (note Mary Louise Parker as George's loving and pious mother). Where the film lets itself down is with an overly patriotic gung-ho-ness that escalates in some of the latter scenes to a point of near unbelievability. At other times it feels a bit like it's skimming the surface, with insufficient originality or depth. But as an overview of the ambition and dedication that led to greatness, and of a pivotal era in history, it works well, not to mention remains pretty entertaining for most of its runtime.
3 - recommended

Holy Days
Dir: Nat Boltt
© Kismet - nuns on a mission with
a young friend in tow
Three ageing nuns, a small boy pining for his dead mother, a crumbling convent, and a greedy property developer - all the ingredients for a whacky New Zealand comedy. Sister Mary Clare (Jacki Weaver), Sister Luke (Miriam Margolyes) and Sister Agnes (Judy Davis) are the last occupants of a convent that has been earmarked for demolition by a property developer, in cahoots with the gambling, drinking priest, Father Findlay (Jonny Brugh). Young Brian (Elijah Tamati), whose widowed Dad (Craig Hall) has a new girlfriend, grieves for his mum and hangs out with the nuns for comfort. He hates step-mother-to-be Liz (played by the film's director), and when the nuns head off on a mission to retrieve the rightful deed to the convent, he goes along for the ride. Though predictable in parts, this film is rather delightful, with the three leads bringing plenty of fun and blasphemy to their roles, along with a true compassion and caring for Brian and for each other. Tamati is a revelation in his role, and the NZ countryside is absolutely splendid. The gentle blending of Christian tradition with that of the Maori is beautifully achieved. Brian's dead mother Paula is played by his real mother Renaye Tamati, making for some very tear-jerking scenes, all tinged with a spiritual/supernatural edge, that adds a little extra intrigue to the plot. It's the sort of old-fashioned entertainment that is a panacea to today's troubling world.
3.5 - well recommended

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Thursday, 30 July 2026

July 30th 2026

Bon Voyage Marie
The Blue Trail
Puzzle (streaming on Netflix)

Again this week, three highly recommended films. One French, one Brazilian, and one set in the USA. Two of the three deal heavily with issues of ageing, but more in an uplifting than depressing way! 


Bon Voyage Marie 
Dir: Enya Baroux
© Potential - heatwarming, heartbreaking 
and ultimately joyous and uplifting
80-year old Marie is played by veteran French actress Helene Vincent, who is 83. An authentic start! We meet Marie as she discovers her cancer has returned. She decides to travel to Switzerland for an assisted suicide, but hasn't the courage to tell the truth to her son Bruno (David Ayala) and 15-year-old grand-daughter Anna (Juliette Gasquet), pretending she is going to collect an unexpected inheritance. Caregiver Rudy (Pierre Lottin) is the reluctant driver of the battered old campervan that takes them on their chaotic adventure. The basic underlying theme of assisted dying is naturally heavy, but the director manages to give the film a lightness, plenty of humourous moments, yet all infused with poignancy and deep emotion. Although it is essentially Marie's story, each character in the quartet reveals their own personal struggles; we care about them all, and the four individual performances are strong and memorable. A story like this could have descended into mawkishness, but it never does - it remains a homage to family,  connectedness, and the small, important joys in life, as well as the need for people to be able to make their own decisions about how their lives will end.
4 - highly recommended

The Blue Trail
Dir: Gabriel Mascaro
© Palace - never too late to learn to
drive a boat
Winner of many awards and nominations, including the Ecumenical Jury Prize and Silver Bear at last year's Berlin Film Festival, this quirky Brazilian film is an odd mish-mash of genres, but one that works really well. In a near-futuristic Brazil, the government demands that all people over the age of 75 be removed from their homes and sent to colonies where they will, supposedly happily, live out their final years. (Some are carted off ignominously in the "wrinkle wagon".) 77-year-old Tereza (Denise Weinberg) is fit, active and still working, but the government catches up with her and prepares to ship her out. Through a few devious tricks Tereza escapes and makes her way to the river, where she pays a boat captain Cadu (Rogrigo Santoro) to take her down the Amazon to a village where she hopes to catch a ride in a plane, something she's always wanted to do. Her adventures along the way are unexpected, yet uplifting - ranging from discovering dodgy casinos, a snail whose blue slime creates halluncinations, to an independent woman captaining her own boat and selling digital bibles. Tereza is anything but the typical "old fogey" of so many films about ageing. She is determined to age on her own terms, and to stick it to the oppressive government.Weinberg gives her character a quiet resolve, compassion for others, and a willingness to make new discoveries late in life. Cinematographer  Guillermo Garza honors the vast beauty of the Amazon waters and forests with his sublime sweeping shots. Between the beauty of the surrounds, the captivating nature of the main character, and the salutory message about resisting ageism, this is an intriguing and uplifting gem of a film.
4 - highly recommended

Puzzle
Dir: Marc Turteltaub
Length: 103 min
Streaming on Netflix - 2018 
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl_SoMNi0rw
© Who thought a jigsaw puzzle could
change your life?
I reviewed this excellent film eight years ago, when it showed only at Cinema Nova. Now you can all see it from the comfort of your couch, and I re-run my review. Agnes (Kelly McDonald) lives life the way her European parents taught her - be a good wife and mother, go to church meetings, and put the needs of your husband and two sons above yours. When she is given a jigsaw puzzle as a gift, Agnes discovers she is really good at it, travels to New York to buy another, and answers an ad for a partner to enter into the National Jigsaw Championships. Her partner is wealthy, reclusive inventor Robert (Irrfan Khan, known to western audiences from Life of Pi and The Lunchbox). Agnes begins to discover there is another side to life from what she is used to. I love this film, not the least because I love jigsaws. No, really, it is insightfully scripted, careful to avoid cliches, and simply  beautiful in a way that avoids demonising any of the characters. David Denman as Agnes' husband Louie is particularly noted as the redneck husband also trapped in the only stereotyped role he knows, but it is McDonald and Khan who steal the show.
4 - highly recommended! 

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Thursday, 23 July 2026

 July 23rd 2026

Colours of Time
Tenor: My Name is Pati
National Theatre Live: Dangerous Liaisons
Apex (streaming on Netflix)

This week has three wonderful new releases. There's family connection combined with Parisian history, unlikely opera stars, and the sizzling theatrical version of  a film we all remember. Oh, plus a popcorn thriller to stream. 


Colours of Time (La Venue d'avenir)
Dir: Cedric Klapisch

© StudioCanal - past and present converge
in a loving portrayal of history, love and family
This delightful French film is set between the modern era and France of the 1890s, the Belle Epoque. The film's French title literally means "the coming of the future", and future and past entwine inextricably when four cousins inherit an old house in the countryside of Normandy. There they discover old photos and paintings, which set them on a quest to discover their ancestry. They learn of a young woman, Adele, (Suzanne Lindon) who went to Paris in search of the mother who abandoned her as a baby. There Adele became involved with the romanticism and Bohemian, artistic life that defined Paris in the day. One of the young modern-day heirs Seb (Abraham Wapler) seems almost to walk between the two eras, and his connection with artist Claude Monet, as well as Adele's connection with the ground-breaking artist forms one of the delicious and mysterious threads in the plot. Ultimately it's a story of love, belonging and connection, of one's heritage, and of people who create the future (like the Impressionist painters did). The iconic Parisian era is recreated with stunning costumes and sets, and the scenes filmed in the real-life setting of Monet's garden had me gasping with delight as I saw shots which are in my own photo album from my travels there! Unusually, all the characters in this film are extremely likeable, and though there is a touch of saccharine-sweetness in parts, it is a true joy to watch.
4 - highly recommended 

Tenor: My Name is Pati
Dir: Rebecca Tansley
Length: 104 mins

© Rialto - two Samoan brothers make
their names in an unexpected field
Pene Pati was once told by a singing coach he wouldn't be able to sing opera, because he is Samoan and it's not in his blood. Now he is one of the most celebrated young operatic stars in the world, sometimes compared to Pavarotti. I'm not a great opera fan, but I just loved this documentary, so full of warmth, heart, and some very beautiful music, both operatic and Pacific island. It traces Pene's journey from his birth in Samoa, to his family's move to New Zealand, where Pene and his equally talented brother Amitai sang with their family group for 15 years, entertaining residents of old age homes. The doco employs fabulous old family footage of the brothers from their young years and early musical exploits, especially their hugely popular opera/pop crossover group Sole Mio, who took New Zealand by storm in 2017. Many scenes highlight their current highly successful operatic careers, with reflection and commentary from them and other notable musicians on their remarkable rise in that elite opera world. Through it all, the vital importance of family and Samoan culture remains embedded in their approach to everything they do. When Pene sings Nessun Dorma chills run down the spine, yet it is the lasting sense of the man's humility and devotion to his traditional core values that remains. This is a definite watch for music lovers. 
4 - highly recommended

National Theatre Live: Dangerous Liaisons
Dir: Marianne Elliott
Length: 180 mins

© Rialto - wow! oozing schemes,
sex and decadence
Those familiar with the 1988 Oscar-winning film of this tale, may be intrigued to see a bold new theatrical production starring Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner, as scheming ex-lovers who set out to destroy lives for the sheer fun of it. Manville's Marquise de Merteuil and Turner's Vicomte de Valmont are about as amoral as it gets, and both actors bring their characters to life with unforgettable performances and chemistry. I won't go into convoluted plot details, but suffice to say Hannah Van der Westhuysen as virginal Cecile, and Valmont's prey, is a stand-out as is Monica Barbaro as Madame de Tourvel, another hapless female in Valmont's sights. An unforgettable feature of this production is the remarkable use of choreography, music and sets. The many highly-charged dance numbers reek of sensuality and lasciviousness, while the constantly shunted-about minimalistic sets maintain a sense of restless and ceaseless action and scheming. Costumes for the women are lavish and decadent, musical backing highly evocative. There is a waft of modern sensibility related to the #metoo era, along with a vague sense of female sexual emancipation. The politics of all the characters' war of the sexes is serious food for thought, and overall this is a delicous, and at times, malicious pleasure.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Apex
Dir: Balthasar Kormakur
Length: 95 mins
Streaming on Netflix

© Netflix - Charlize heads for
action downunder
The 2024 film Touch by this director was one of my faves of that year, gentle, introspective and moving. His latest spans such different genres: survival, action, thriller with a bit of psychological horror thrown in. Sasha (the ever-gorgeous Charlize Theron) is an adventurer. We meet her in the opening scenes climbing a sheer rock face somewhere in Norway with her Aussie boyfriend Tommy (Eric Bana), who is soon out of the picture after a horrific accident. Sasha heads to Australia for some serious soul-searching and more adventure. She meets Ben (Taron Egerton), a friendly local, who gives her advice on good spots to go kayaking. But Ben isn't what he seems and soon Sasha is fighting for her life as Ben pursues her with a particularly nasty agenda. There are a lot of familiar tropes in this film, and sequences that really defy credibility. Major drawcards are the stunning cinematography set in the Blue Mountains, and of course Theron, tough, sexy and a true heroine. There's nothing really new here, but for those wanting some nail-biting moments,and a bit of old-style adventure (with a dash of new-style nastiness), it's a reasonably diverting watch.
3 - recommended



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Wednesday, 15 July 2026

 July 16th 2026

The Odyssey
Tycho! Beyond the Baton - one only screening - Sat 18th 
In the Hand of Dante (streaming on Netflix)
Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (streaming on MUBI) 
Dead Again (streaming on Netflix)

A huge release this week: Christopher Nolan's three-hour version of Homer's Odyssey. And it's a winner! Actors playing dual roles feature in two of the Netflix streamers. Those who remember the variety shows in the early days of TV should catch the doco on Tommy Tycho, while lovers of alternative arthouse films may enjoy the latest MUBI offering. 


The Odyssey
Dir: Christopher Nolan

© Universal - Odysseus hears words of 
wisdom from the goddess Athena
Military commander and king, Odysseus (Matt Damon) leaves his island home in Ithaca to wage war and lay siege to rival city Troy. Returning home is no easy feat, as he encounters monstrous challenges along the way. His loyal wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) waits 20 years for his homecoming, all the while fending off suitors aiming to seize the throne. The challenge of turning such an epic story, full of gods, monsters, battle, blood and grief, into a coherent film has been superbly achieved by director Nolan. He has seamlessly blended  Greek legend and mythology with heart-stopping action as well as deep psychological introspection and a hero's journey. The audience thrills and cowers as Odysseus and his men battle the Cyclops, cannibal giants, the six-headed sea monster Scylla, souls of the dead, and the enchantress Circe who turns them into swine. These are only some of the daunting adventures which are part of an interwoven tapestry that moves around in time and place. Odysseus, holed up for seven years on his return journey with the goddess Calypso (Charlize Theron), gradually regains his memory and we see these memories played out in epic scenes, interspersed with the dastardly plotting back in the palace. The suitors to Penelope endlessly feast and threaten the life of Odysseus' son Telemachus (Tom Holland). Chief among them, is viperous, duplicitous Antinous (Robert Pattinson). Behind all this fast-paced, mythological action is another deeper thread, one we can relate to in today's world; that of one man's quest, followed by longing for home, and then soul-searching as to the ethics of what he has set in train through his war-mongering: not only vast destruction but the loss of his men and years of his life. Casting is impressive (although lacking Greeks!), with Damon striking the perfect balance of heroism and self-doubt. Editing of the unforgettable action scenes is genius, while Ludwig Goransson's pounding score builds the tension to a near unbearable climax in one of the film's later scenes. To create a three-hour movie that not only thrills, but gives us universal truths, is a feat Nolan has admirably achieved.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Tycho! Beyond the Baton
Dir: Stephan Wellink
Length: 95 mins
(part of Melbourne Documentary FF, July 18, one screening only @ Cinema Nova) 
© Inkwell Films - Tommy in action.
Maestro extraordinaire.
Fresh from the Jewish International Film Festival, 2025, here's a surprisingly impressive documentary about a well-known man you may vaguely know, but not know! Tommy Tycho became Channel 7's first musical director in the 1950s, then for six decades led orchestras, composed, backed world-famous artists and, notably, arranged the version on our national anthem that we sing today. Through archival footage and interviews with notable performers and musicians, we learn of Tommy's traumatic background, beginning in Hungary, where as a five-year-old he begged to learn piano. Then he amazingly survived the Holocaust, and headed to an adventurous and intriguing life in exotic lands, finally emigrating to Australia. The film really gets to the heart of this talented and kind man who was possibly never given the appreciation he really deserved for his contribution to our musical culture. Not to mention his ability to straddle all musical genres from light to classical. A must-see for music lovers. 
4 - wholeheartedly recommended

In the Hand of Dante
Dir: Julian Schnabel
Length: 110 mins
Streaming on Netflix - 2018
© Netflix - Martin Scorsese lurks behind
a huge beard in this odd tale of modern crime
and literary history
New York author Nick Tosches (Oscar Isaac) is recruited by a group of mobsters who have got their hands on an old manuscript, purportedly a handwritten version of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Nick is tasked with verifying the authenticity of the work. That's the plot thread in the present day. In the past, Dante himself (Oscar Isaac) is wandering around medieval Italy, agonising over his own spirituality and spouting lines from the book he is attempting to laboriously write. There is much to enjoy in this film, and plenty to dislike. What's to enjoy is the stellar cast starting with Isaac in his dual role, with another dual timezone role from Gal Gadot as Gemma, Dante's wife, as well as Giulietta, secretary and love interest to Nick. Then we have Al Pacino, uncle to the young Nick, a questionable man who teaches the small boy his first lessons in amorality. John Malkovitch is a mobster who is at once evil yet sophisticatedly knowledgable in the art world. Gerard Butler is Louie, a NY hitman, and he also plays Pope Boniface. (Butler and Malkovitch are terrific.) Then we have the iconic Martin Scorsese as Isaiah, a wise man, mentor to Dante, and sporting an impossibly huge beard. Add Mr Muscles, Jason Momoa for good measure and the cast is awesome. But . . . the whole film somehow overreaches, attempting to be ultra-violent, and at the same time philosophical and quasi-spiritual. The constant quoting of lines from Dante's writings become tedious, and something about the attempt to draw a parallel between the present characters and the past ones falls short. Nevertheless, I found myself enjoying the acting, along with the stylised switching from black and white to color, depending upon the era, and overall, I was mildly entertained. Ultimately, it's possibly a pretentious crock, but you decide for yourself.  
2.5 - maybe

Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo
Dir: Diego Cespedes
Length: 109 mins
Streaming on MUBI - 2025
© MUBI - lovely sympathetic performances
in an allegory of the AIDS era
The Cannes Film Festival award Un Certain Regard highlights innovative and unusual film-making. Last year this Chilean film won, and certainly it is unusual, yet hauntingly lovely. Set in a remote desert mining town in 1982 it is the story of orphaned 11-year-old Lidia (Tamara Cortes) who lives with a family of tranvestis or transvestites, who are used, but reviled, by the local miners. Lidia's adoptive "mother" Flamingo (Matias Catalan) is suffering from AIDS, which the locals refer to as the plague. With its magic realism and allegorical approach to its subject matter, this is a powerful exploration of resilience, love and adoptive family as a basis for overcoming fear, homophobia and general prejudice. Young Cortes' performance as Lidia is superb, while the director's compassionate approach to the characters draws us in emotionally.
4 - highly recommended

Dead Again
Dir: Kenneth Branagh
Length: 107 mins
Streaming on Netflix - 1991
© Paramount/ Netflix - two icons of Brit cinema
in early career peformances
Fancy a bit of light, old-fashioned mystery and fun? Well, here's an oldie but a goodie from the vault, and (as in Dante) featuring the same actors in dual roles. In 1990s LA, private detective Mike Church (Kenneth Branagh) is called to an orphanage where a mute woman (Emma Thompson) with amnesia and suffering nightmares has mysteriously turned up. In attempting to discover her identity, Mike names her Grace and takes her to a hypnotist, Franklyn Madsen (Derek Jacobi). Gradually recovering her voice, Grace talks animatedly of a glamorous couple back in the mid 1940s, wealthy musician Roman Strauss and his wife Margaret (both played by Branagh and Thompson). Strauss had been convicted of murdering Margaret. No more said! The plot becomes progressively convoluted as the film progresses, but the whole thing is entertainment plus. And seeing a young Branagh in his second directorial role and acting opposite his then wife is a delight, with Jacobi being a delicous screen presence. Funny that I watched two similarly themes films in the one week, but compared to Dante, this one is way more fun.
3.5 - well recommended
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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 worker 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 the 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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