The Greek Film Festival goes into its second week in Melbourne and the opening night film, Alex and Eve, is now on mainstream release. 

Bridge of Spies 

Director: Steven Spielberg

Length: 123 mins

Top scripting, directing and acting go into making this fine thriller about the Cold War era. Based on a true story taking place in 1957 BoS tells of New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks), who is hired to defend a Soviet spy, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance). When a US spy plane is shot down over Soviet territory, Donovan is co-opted by the CIA to go negotiate a prisoner swap with the Soviets.  Hanks, in his inimitable way, plays a decent man who stands for justice, and Rylance is downright brilliant as the so-called enemy, who is also a good human being who just happens to be on the "wrong" side. Production values of the film are top-notch and it is also fascinating to revisit this period of history, especially the segments concerning the building of the Berlin Wall. 

Definitely go see it!

For a full review from Bernard Hemingway:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5895

Alex and Eve

Director: Peter Andrikidis

Length: 90 mins

Hot on the heels of last week's unIndian, comes another ethnic comedy of multi-cultural lovers, this time a Greek schoolteacher Alex falling for a Muslim Lebanese lawyer Eve.  Of course the parents want any marriage to be within the community, and the usual family conflicts ensue. Humour derives from the depiction of the stereotyped behaviours of both cultures. Some of it is very funny; other bits feel to me forced and cliched. I have a few problems with certain plot and character points that just don't ring true, but for a light weight experience it could be ok. 

Maybe worth a look!

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5894

I am constantly in awe of the number of new films released each week. It's almost like an assembly line, and it's not possible to see them all (well, maybe it is if one chooses to forgo doing other things in one's life!) Sometimes I only manage to catch films a little while after they have released, but if I think they are worth seeing, I'll try to report in on them anyway!

The Walk 

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Length: 123 mins

In 1974, shortly after the Twin Towers of the ill-fated World Trade Centre were completed, a French high-wire walker named Philippe Petit decided to string his cable between them and walk above New York, about 102 storeys up! The daring tale was told in a 2008 documentary, Man on Wire, but this time it comes as a feature film, starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, who narrates in a cheesy French accent how he and his band of accomplices went about performing the illegal, daring and thrilling walk, which he refers to as "the Coup". If you loathe heights, you may be disturbed by this film, especially as it is in stunning and ultra-realistic 3D. I found it entertaining, thrilling, magnificently shot, and ultimately a wonderful homage to the enterprising spirit of daredevils, the city of New York, and the towers themselves. 

Well worth a look!

For a full review from Bernard Hemingway:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5885


Macbeth

Director: Justin Kurzel

Length: 123 mins

I'm a Shakespeare klutz! Apart from Romeo and Juliet, I don't think there has ever been a play by the bard which I have felt I really understood. Hence, having me report in on Macbeth is a tad dodgy, but I have to say this is a strong and in-your-face film with top-shelf performances by Michael Fassbender as the ambitious usurper, and Marion Cotillard as his pushy wife. Production design and cinematography are both strong, with the bleakness of the Scottish landscape dominating all.  
Purists be warned - apparently the text is not totally true to the original. And squeamish souls also beware - the first part of the film is devoted to Macbeth's prowess on the battlefield, with its attendant extreme blood and gore, and towards the end there are also some highly disturbing and cruel scenes.      

Well worth a look!

For a full review from Chris Thompson:
http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5888
For some enlightening and educational notes go to the SBS cheat sheet.

Crimson Peak

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Length: 119 mins

Edith (Mia Wasikowska), the feisty daughter of a wealthy American businessman, falls head over heels for a mysterious Englishman, Thomas Sharpe, (Tom Hiddleston), who whisks her away to his gloomy crumbling mansion which he shares with his mysterious and menacing sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain). 
Gothic horror is not everyone's cup of tea, but del Toro totally nails the look of it in this archetypal haunted house tale. I say look, because it really is a case of style over substance - costumes and sets are lavish, the ghostly visitations (though not super scary) are graphic, and there are all manner of classic horror moments from creaking doors, to crimson oozing mud flecking the snow. But plot wise, there is much we are asked to believe that I simply couldn't accept. The chemistry between Edith and Thomas is well handled, but there are some rather brutally violent moments that seem gratuitously included for shock value, and overall the plot and character development are simply not up to the superb quality of the film's production design. 

Maybe worth a look!

For a full review from Chris Thompson:
http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5889

unIndian

Director: Anupam Sharma

Length: 102 mins

I'm pleasantly surprised by this cross-cultural love story in which gorgeous independent single mum Meera (Tannishtha Chatterjee) falls for English teacher Will (Brett Lee - test cricketer who proves a light-weight but charming screen presence). She's from an Indian heritage; he's Aussie through and through. Of course her parents are horrified and want to make an arranged match. There's plenty of good-natured fun poked at Indian customs, but never offensively. Acting is strong, Will's teaching of Aussie-style English to migrants makes for good laughs, and all the support cast have their own individual charm. It's not Bollywood, but there are a couple of moments where the director sneaks a colorful dance or two in.   

Worth a look!

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5890

 

Learning to Drive 

Director: Isabelle Coixet

Length: 105 mins

Any film with Ben Kingsley and Patricia Clarkson has got to be good in my book. Sir Ben puts on his Sikh turban to play Darwan, an Indian-born, New York cab driver with an arranged bride about to arrive. With his driving instructor hat on, Darwan gives lessons to Wendy, a writer whose husband has just left her - with no driving licence! Despite dramatic differences in background and world view, teacher and pupil develop a beautiful friendship, in which they discover how much there is to be learned from each other.  This is a charming and uplifting film, beautifully acted, and with the added bonus of a peek into the world of the Sikh!

Really good!

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5882

The Martian 

Director: Ridley Scott

Length: 130 mins

Imagine recovering from concussion only to find you are on the planet Mars, and the rest of your astronaut team has shipped out without you, assuming you are dead! This is the fate of Mark Watney (Matt Damon), as he prepares to figure out a way to survive until the next mission arrives four years later. Luckily he's a scientist and a crash-hot botanist, so survival is a possibility! The scenes on Mars are informative, exciting and entertaining, with Watney's constant chat to his video camera generating some  humour. But when the action is back on Earth with NASA scientists on the job, things feel a bit formulaic, and at well over two hours it gets a tad tedious.

Maybe worth a look!

For Bernard Hemingway's full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5867

Miss you Already 

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Length: 112 mins

Millie (Toni Collette)  and Jess (Drew Barrymore)  are lifelong friends. At the same time as Jess is desperately trying for a baby with partner Jago, Millie is diagnosed with breast cancer. 
Anything with Toni Collette for me is worth a look, and her performance here doesn't disappoint. The film is strong on the issues surrounding cancer, its treatment, and the effect upon a woman's self-image. There are even strong moments of humour, but at other times the film feels a bit formulaic and mawkish. Didn't stop me shedding a tear or two though!  

Maybe worth a look!

For my full review:
http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5881

Legend 

Director: Brian Helgeland

Length: 131mins

The Swinging Sixties in London gave rise to wonderful music, wild fashion, and a pair of notorious gangster twins, Ronnie and Reggie Kray. Based upon a true crime story, Legend takes us into the violent world of these two kings of crime. There's a lot of seediness and a bit of nasty violence, but the truly impressive thing here is the performance of Tom Hardy who plays both twins - Reggie, a smooth operator, and Ronnie a psychopathic ticking time bomb.  The "twin" special effects are awesome, and the radical difference between the characters is testament to Hardy's skill. Aussie Emily Browning plays Frances, wife of Reggie. For fans of the gangster genre, it should make for a good watch.  

Worth a look! 

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5883

Simshar 

Director:Rebecca Cremona

Length: 101 mins

Some films are simply too important to be missed! Simshar, based on true events, deals with today's ultra-relevant issue of refugee migration. The story of the dispute between Malta and Italy as to who should take the latest boatload of arrivals is set against the personal tragedy of a boating accident involving a local fishing family. The film is beautifully scripted and acted, never feeling forced, and giving us plenty of issues to contemplate upon - family values, over-fishing, Europeans feeling overwhelmed by immigration, compassion - these are just some of the ideas raised by this excellent film that also has its moments of extreme tension, light-heartedness, unbearable heartbreak, and truly heartwarming human connectedness. 

Really good!

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5886

And now for an oldie . . . 

To the Wonder (2012)

Director: Terence Malick

Length: 112 mins

An oldie, but unfortunately, for me, not a goodie. With such fine films as The Thin Red Line, and Tree of Life to his name, Malick has made a self-consciously artistic film. While stunning in its cinematography, (winning several awards) it is too arty for its own good. Ben Affleck (Neil)  and Olga Kurylenko (Marina) play lovers who meet in Paris then move to Oklahoma, where it all goes wrong. How many meaningful looks, doe-eyed glances, and child-like prances and twirls can we take from Marina,  not to mention the endless taciturn mumbles and mutterings from Neil. I understand that Malick is trying to capture some visual sense of what love, longing, and sadness look like, but it doesn't work!  

You've got better things to do with your time!

For a full review from Bernard Hemingway (who felt much as I do):

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_movie.php?movieid=5432

The five minute reviews are here for the weekend of the AFL Grand Final. So if you're not of a mind to watch the game, there's plenty worth seeing at the cinema!  Just a reminder for any new readers, the brief to myself is not to spend more than five minutes on any one review. (Think I've broken that rule already!) 

 

Wrecking Crew 

Director: Denny Tedesco

Length: 98 mins

If you're a tragic for the music of the 60s and 70s this film is one you won't want to miss! The session musicians for so many of the big name artists of the era were known as the Wrecking Crew, and this film is a loving homage to those often uncredited musos, but especially to the director's father, Tommy Tedesco. There are wonderful interviews and reminiscences with absolutely top musicians, and of course bucket-loads of the music and artists of the era. Sometimes the timeline hops around a little erratically, but overall it's a music-lover's treat.

Definitely worth a look!!

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5870

The Intern 

Director: Nancy Meyers

Length: 121 mins

One of cinemas top rom-com directors brings us the story of a young wife and mother, Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway), who is juggling work and motherhood. Her highly successful internet start-up fashion company sets up a Senior Intern program employing older folks, hoping to benefit from their experience and wisdom. 70 year old widower Ben (Robert De Niro) takes up a position, and is an instant hit with the young trendies in the company. Don't imagine you know where the film is heading - fortunately the story is more touching, interesting and unexpected than one might imagine. The chemistry of friendship between the two leads is lovely, and, being a huge De Niro fan, I came out pleasantly surprised by this mainstream film.

Worth a look!

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5878

Diary of a Teenage Girl 

Director: Marielle Heller

Length: 102 mins

Much deeper and more disturbing than the title would have you believe, DOaTG goes into some dark places, counterbalanced with the naivete and precociousness of being a teen in San Francisco of the mid-70s. Minnie (Bel Powley) lives with her  single mother Charlotte (Kristin Wiig) and Charlotte's boyfriend Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard). When Charlotte starts up an affair with Monroe things can only become complicated! 
Totally ignoring any legalities, this film explores the  irresponsibility of an adult when he comes up against the raging hormones and sexual experimentation of youth. In fact all the adults are happily into 70s San Fran  counter-culture. There is something unsettling about the content, and yet the powerful acting, especially by young Powley makes it an absorbing film that reminds us how much some aspects of the world have changed, yet how youth will always be flirting with danger. 

Really good!

For a full review by Chris Thompson:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5857