Hursto's five minute films: March 2017

Thursday, 30 March 2017

March 30 2017:
A Man Called Ove
Clash
Land of Mine
Ghost in the Shell
Zach's Ceremony

Suddenly we've gone from famine to feast again. Five new films this week! Two are very intense, one dealing with the aftermath of World War 2 in Denmark, the other with revolution in the streets of Cairo. But don't despair, there's a delightful Swedish comedy to keep the balance, along with an action sci-fi starring Scarlett Johansson! Not to mention a Nova exclusive about an Indigenous boy coming to terms with his place in the world.

A Man Called Ove
Director: Hannes Holm
Length: 116 min

I love the word curmudgeon! It sums up Ove, a grumpy old bloke who enforces the rules at the group of units where he has lived alone since the death of his beloved wife. Depressed and lonesome, Ove attempts to kill himself, but each time is interrupted by something to do with the new neighbours - pregnant Parvaneh from Iran, and Patrick, her Swedish husband. When they move in with their two lively daughters, life changes for Ove. The film's black Scandinavian humour is a pleasant change from mainstream comedies, and while there is an element of predictability, there are plenty of funny and heartfelt moments in which we see the softening influence of the new upon the old. The interwoven story of Ove's former life with wife Sonja will tug at the heartstrings. This year's Oscar contender for Best Foreign Film is a lot of fun, with a serious undercurrent, always the best comedy recipe.
4 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Clash
Director: Mohamed Diab
Length: 97 min
Limited season exclusive to ACMI

A Cannes nominee in Un Certain Regard section, Clash is almost unmissable, if it weren't so gruelling to watch. The setting is Cairo, in the wake of the election of a new president, Mohamed Morsi from the Islamist party, The Muslim Brotherhood. The army has just forced him from power. Millions take to the streets to demonstrate and clashes ensue between the army, pro MB people, and citizens wanting democracy in their country. A group of demonstrators from divergent political and religious backgrounds is arrested, along with a pair of journalists, and detained in a police truck. The truck gets caught up in the heat and chaos in the streets, but similar mayhem reigns inside the truck. This is an almost nightmare vision of modern Egypt, and what happens when irrationality overwhelms reason. The film builds the tension to an unbearable level in which we wonder if humanity can ever prevail. The style of film-making is about as visceral and in the moment as you can get, and if you can hack it, this is a most worthwhile movie to see.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Land of Mine
Director: Martin Zandvliet
Length: 101 min

The centrepiece of last year's Scandinavian Film Festival is, fortunately, now out on general release. This is a gripping film based upon true events at the end of World War 2. In Denmark, after the surrender of Nazi Germany, a Danish sergeant is put in charge of a group of young German POWs, who are ordered to find and defuse thousands of landmines littering the beaches. The boys are treated harshly, and the sergeant is bitter and vengeful. But as he gets to know his charges, most of them barely out of their teens, he starts to have conflicting feelings. The film is suspenseful to the max, extremely moving, and raises challenging moral issues about what the aftermath of war means, and ultimately what it means to show humanity.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Zach's Ceremony
Director: Aaron Peterson
Length: 101 min
Exclusive to Cinema Nova

Filmed over more than six years, this impressive documentary traces the teen years of Zach Doomadgee, as he battles to find his identity and moves towards the important ceremony which will give him the status of a man in his Aboriginal culture. Living with his dad, Alec, who also produced the film, Zach has the usual troubles of rebellious teenage years, along with the conflict of growing up in a racist culture where he feels caught between the world of urban Sydney, and his traditional culture in the north of Australia. There is much to like and to learn in this important film, which gives a new and optimistic, view of Indigenous Australians, reconciling modern life with their traditional heritage. Audiences are also treated to a seldom seen insight into the actual initiation ceremony.
4 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Ghost in the Shell
Director: Rupert Sanders
Length: 101 min

cyborg bodies.

This is a remake of a Japanese anime film from 1995. This time it's all live action and luscious Scarlett Johansson as a cyborg, who has the brain of a one-time human, now housed in a completely robotic body. She is employed by a counter-terrorism unit, in a futuristic world where most people have some level of electronic enhancement to their brains and bodies, and terrorism may involve hacking into those brains. With ideas we've seen before in Existenz, Total Recall and Blade Runner, this is a surprisingly thought-provoking film, which raises disturbing ideas about where the interface between robotics and biology may be heading. The visual world created is simply breath-taking, with special effects to die for. An added bonus is strong performances from the likes of Michael Pitt, Beat Takeshi and Juliette Binoche. Where the film falls down is in the gratuitous use of protracted "shoot-em-out" scenes, and a later silly sequence involving transformer type tanks that seem to have invaded from another movie. However, if you overlook the flaws, there is much to thrill and entertain in this troubling vision of an AI world run amok.
3.5 - recommended!

Thursday, 23 March 2017

March 23 2017:
Beauty and the Beast
Life

After a frenzied few weeks, things have quietened down a little (or perhaps I'm giving more films the big miss!) This week's offerings are diametrically opposed - one is a romantic fantasy and the other a gut-wrenching space horror.

Beauty and the Beast
Director: Bill Condon
Length: 129 min

Beautiful, romantic, sumptuous, imaginative, heart-warming and beyond my expectations - this is the glorious live action remake of the 1991 animation by Disney studios. It's a cross between a musical (with terrific songs), a Gothic tale, an adventure and an all-out romantic love story. The set design is extraordinary depicting a French provincial village, an enchanted forest, and a sinister castle in which lives a prince, who has been turned into a beast by a spell. Emma Watson (of Harry Potter fame) is a perfect Belle, with Kevin Kline as her eccentric father Maurice. Dan Stevens makes the Beast a compassionate figure, while Luke Evans is a suitably horrid Gaston, suitor for Belle's hand. But the real treat is the royalty of British acting in the roles of those people turned to inanimate objects by the spell - Ian McKellen as Cogsworth the clock, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere the candelabra, and Emma Thompson as Mrs Potts, the teapot. With fabulous special effects, and a strong director (he also helmed Dream Girls and Gods and Monsters), B&B is a total winner.

4 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Life
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Length: 103 min

A team of six astronauts and scientists are in an International Space Station near Mars. When their space probe brings back samples, they realise they may have the first incontrovertible proof of extra-terrestrial life. As the sample they bring on board the ship begins to grow and show signs of intelligence, not to mention aggression, they realise they may have discovered more than they bargained for! I always enjoy a film with Jake Gyllenhaal, but enjoy is not quite the word for this terrifying, gut-wrenching, blood-filled white knuckle ride. As far as genre films go, Life does what it sets out to do - terrify and repulse you! The setting is claustrophobic, and the sense of horror all too immediate, but this is not everyone's bag, and indeed I find the film's plot too derivative of Alien. I felt at times that I had seen it all before, but I must admit I was suitably entertained in a seat-squirming way.
3 - recommended (if you like that genre!)

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

March 16 2017:
Loving
The Death and Life of Otto Bloom
Melbourne Queer Film Festival
The Eagle Huntress

More major entertainment is to be had this week. The important civil rights historical drama Loving is a winner, Otto Bloom a mind-bending challenge, The Eagle Huntress takes you to the Mongolian steppes, and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival brings you the best from LGBTIQ film-makers worldwide.

Loving
Director: Jeff Nichols
Length: 123 min

In 1958, Richard Loving, a white man, and Mildred Jeter, a colored woman, were expecting a child. Unable to wed in their home state of Virginia, they tied the knot in Washington DC, then returned home where they were promptly arrested for miscegenation. The harrowing legal battle they fought up until 1967 was ultimately a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. This beautifully understated film deals with its dramatic subject matter in a way that brings home the human element, as against focussing too much on the legalities of the case. Joel Edgerton gives one of his finest performances to date (why on earth he was overlooked for a Best Actor I'll never know), while Ruth Negga as his gently spoken but resolute wife is a revelation. I loved Loving!
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

The Death and Life of Otto Bloom
Director: Cris Jones
Length: 84 min
Exclusive to Cinema Nova

addle your brain!

I saw this at MIFF's opening night last year, and simply had to revisit it to see if I could make any more sense out of its central premise - namely a man experiencing time backwards. He moves through time and ages normally, but his memories are only of the future; of what has already been. I simply cannot get my head around such timewarp stuff. Nevertheless this is an intriguing entertainment, presented in the form of a faux-documentary. Various friends of Otto speak to camera with their memories - describing Bloom as a messiah, a genius, an artist, a recluse, while each "chapter" of the film tracks a different part of Otto's life as he rises to celebrity status then plummets to fallen idol. (Plenty of underhand digs at the media here!) A central theme plays with Einstein's theory of relativity and the idea that all moments in time have always existed simultaneously and always will. The "live in the moment" mantra is also stressed! Xavier Samuel is excellent in the lead role, and especially noteworthy are Rachel Ward as the adult Ada who reflects upon her love affair with Otto, and her real life daughter Matilda Brown playing the young Ada. Despite having some unfathomable plot paradoxes, this is a lot of fun, and will leave you mulling for days afterwards.
3 - recommended!

Melbourne Queer Film Festival
March 16-27
mqff.com.au

Once again top queer films from around the world, both documentary and feature, are coming to the big screen. Among them are the Teddy-award winning films Kiki and Paris 05:59 Theo & Hugo (Teddy is given to the best LGBT films at the Berlin Film Festival). This is a glorious film festival with something for everyone, regardless of your sexual orientation! I've managed to preview a few. Check out the website (above) to make your selections.

Out of Iraq: How could anyone find the love of their life in the midst of war-torn Iraq? This sweet and inspirational doco about the unwavering passionate love affair between two Iraqi soldiers shows us how. Along with being incredibly and almost naively romantic, this story is a timely one for today, when brave individuals and countries are standing up for refugees' rights. (Note: Oscar-winning Aussie director Eva Orner, who directed the excellent Seeking Asylum, is at the helm here.)

Below Her Mouth: This is a very hot lesbian film that absolutely sizzles with sexual attraction. Jasmine, soon to be married, meets Dallas, a roofing tradie, and the two embark upon a passionate affair which ultimately forces Jasmine to decide where her preferences lie.

Being 17: Also showing at the French Film Festival, this is a sensitive story of two schoolboys who start as enemies, but slowly develop a closeness. Add in themes of family alienation, death, adoption, self esteem, along with a stunning Pyrenees mountain setting, and you have a winner from acclaimed director Andre Techine.

Memories of a Penitent Heart: Revealing hidden truths can be both a liberating and educational experience. So it is with this fine doco on the life and death of Miguel Aldarondo who was brought up in an extreme Christian society where it was commonplace to make “deals” with God to heal sicknesses of loved ones and yet ostracize, in the name of that same God, anyone whose sexual preference was different. Within this devout family were those living a lie while Miguel lived and loved honestly. I applaud the filmmaker, niece of Miguel, for bringing the truth to light and allowing those left to have some closure through the grieving and healing process. (4 stars from guest reviewer Peter Levy)

Fursonas: This is a fascinating topic - folk who dress up in big furry animal suits and go to special conventions for like minded "furries". Unfortunately it is done in a fairly dreary film-making style which doesn't show the subject matter to best advantage and concentrates too much on the in-fighting within the group rather than what motivates folks to get into it.

The Eagle Huntress
Director: Otto Bell
Length: 89 min

Aisholpan, a 13-year-old Mongolian girl, is trained by her father to become an eagle hunter, a role traditionally only occupied by men. This documentary has created controversy as to whether it really is a doco, or whether it has been scripted and re-enacted. Regardless, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of a visually exquisite film, shot in the wilds of the Mongolian mountains. It could easily have been a TV documentary, but seeing it on the big screen is mighty impressive. It's wonderful, as always, to see a female protagonist overcome patriarchal oppression, and the father-daughter relationship is beautifully depicted. Despite moments that feel too good to be true, this is a sweet yet strong story that also gives great insight into a culture that is possibly at risk of dying out.
3.5 - recommended!

Tuesday, 7 March 2017

March 8 2017:
French Film Festival
David Stratton: A Cinematic Life
The Salesman

The Alliance France French Film Festival opens in Melbourne tonight (Wed 8 March). Cinephiles are treated to a splendid insight into the Aussie film industry and into the life of iconic critic David Stratton, while the worthy Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film, The Salesman also releases.

David Stratton: A Cinematic Life
Director: Sally Aitken
Length: 100 min

I was always more aligned with the film reviews of David rather than Margaret! So I am absolutely delighted to get a rare insight into this man's life, and to be taken on his personal journey through Aussie film history, learning how it has shaped his view of his adopted country. David started writing reviews at age 7, then emigrated to Oz, where he later became director of the Sydney Film Festival, and then spent 30 years co-hosting the iconic shows At the Movies and The Movie Show with Margaret Pomeranz. His depth of knowledge and passion shine, as he guides us through his love affair with our country's film industry. There are excerpts from almost 100 films, along with almost as many interviews with notables of Aussie film, all of whom have unflinching respect for David. Not only is the film astonishingly educational (making me want to revisit every single movie he discussed!), it is also a personal and surprisingly touching look at one man's devotion to his life-long passion. (He sees at least one film every day of his life!)
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

The Salesman
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Length: 123 min

from Asghar Farhadi

Director Farhadi won Best Foreign Language film with A Separation at the 2011 Oscars. Now he has done it again with this film, this year. The Salesman tells the story of Emad and Rana, who are appearing in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman at a theatre in Teheran. When forced to vacate their flat which has become unsafe, they move into an apartment where a previous tenant seems to have attracted unsavoury visitors. When Rana is attacked by an unseen person, Emad takes matters into his own hands and decides upon a course of revenge. This is nuanced film-making, that never takes a black and white approach. The shades of grey in the moral dilemmas and gender issues, along with the subtle political implications of life under a repressive regime, are all finely handled in this intense film that shows us people, life and situations are seldom how we initially judge them.
4 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival
Melbourne 8-30 March
Palace Brighton Bay, Balwyn, Como, Westgarth, Astor
Other states, visit the website!

Francophiles rejoice, as the FFF is upon us once more with 43 new features and 2 docos, including opening night's fabulous biopic The Odyssey, about legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.
Fans of the art of dance should delight this year with Monsieur Chocolat, Polina and The Dancer. The Dardenne brothers are back with the award-winning The Unknown Girl, and Bertrand Tavernier offers cinephiles the 3-hour treat, A Journey Through French Cinema.
What can I tell you, when in fact I only ever manage to preview a handful of these enticing films. A couple really impressed me:
Tomorrow: Cesar-winning documentary in which actor/director Melanie Laurent explores how ecologically-minded communities are solving some of the world's direst problems. Think growing veggies in the main streets of Detroit, cities that use more bicycles than cars, along with such challenging concepts as totally changing the world's economic, educational and democratic models.
Being 17: Also showing at the Queer Film Festival, this is a sensitive story of two schoolboys who start as enemies, but slowly develop a closeness. Add in themes of family alienation, death, adoption, self esteem, along with a stunning Pyrenees mountain setting, and you have a winner from acclaimed director Andre Techine.
I also previewed Moka, a revenge drama about a woman whose child is killed and who believes she knows who did it and insinuates her way into their lives. Excellent performance from Nathalie Baye.
Saint Amour is a light comedy featuring Gerard Depardieu and Benoit Poelvoorde as father and son cattle farmers who travel to the wine regions with a private driver, determined to drink away their various sorrows.
Kalinka stars ever popular Danile Auteuil, and tells the true story of a case that spanned almost 30 years, in which a father sought justice for his daughter who was found dead in her step-father's home.
Check out the website and make yourself a list of films that take your fancy:
http://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

March 2 2017:
Jasper Jones
Miss Sloane
Logan
Alone in Berlin

Yep, Oscar has come and gone! And what an amazing result it was! I am delighted that Moonlight won Best Film, but disappointed that it happened the way it did. And so now it's back to business as usual (though a couple of Oscar contenders are still to release over the next couple of weeks).

Jasper Jones
Director: Rachel Perkins
Length: 101 min

This wonderful film is based on a best-selling novel, set in the small West Australian town of Corrigan in 1969. Don't be deluded into thinking it's a kid's flick, although youngsters steal the limelight. Bookish 14-year-old Charlie (Levi Miller) is asked for help by Aboriginal outcast Jasper Jones (Aaron McGrath), when a girl goes missing and JJ fears the blame will be pinned on him. What happens as Charlie and Jasper try to solve the mystery will change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone in that small-minded, bigoted town. Deep secrets are unearthed and everyone is forced to confront the reality of their lives. The film sports a fabulous cast - Toni Collette, Dan Wyllie, Hugo Weaving, Matt Nagel, and Angourie Rice as Charlie's potential love interest. On one level it's a coming of age story, but that's to short-sell it. Perkins has done a splendid job directing a thriller that includes themes of racism, young love, bravery, parental and marital conflict, dark family secrets and more.
4 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Miss Sloane
Director: John Madden
Length: 132 min

Jessica Chastain plays Elizabeth Sloane, a cool, ruthless Washington lobbyist, who works herself to the limit. When approached by the gun lobby to influence women to their point of view, she defects to the opposition, joining a smaller company to do battle which will involve her in pushing the boundaries and breaking the law. Ultimately her self-assurance and "win at all costs" mentality will be challenged. I began the movie (politico-klutz that I am!) thinking I would never be able to follow the intricacies of the political machinations, but suddenly it took a hold of me and I was hooked. It's always a pleasure to watch Jessica Chastain on the big screen. In this role she absolutely dominates, and is ably supported by Gugu Mbatha Raw, John Lithgow and Mark Strong.
3.5 - highly recommended!

Logan
Director: James Mangold
Length: 137 min

I'm no superhero buff, but Logan really got me in. You don't have to have seen all the prior X-Men films to enjoy this latest film featuring the Clawed One - Wolverine - now known as Logan. It's the story of a tired (theoretically immortal) man, sick of life, and with his powers to heal weakening. A reason to live emerges in the form of Laura (Dafne Keen), a child mutant who needs his help and protection. At first reluctant, Logan (of course) relents. There are many interesting layers to this story - themes of family, belonging, isolation, sacrifice, genetic engineering - all lurking under an incredible overload of violence that is both cartoon-like, but also a tad disturbing. Overall the impressive thoughtful scripting, and Jackman's mastery of and empathy for his character make it a fascinating and entertaining cinematic outing.
3 - recommended!

Alone in Berlin
Director: Vincent Perez
Length: 98 min

In 1947 Hans Fallada wrote a novel called Every Man Dies Alone. 52 years later the book was published in English and became an international bestseller. Fallada based his novel upon the true tale of an ordinary German couple, who made their own small but highly personal protest against the Nazis by writing seditious messages on cards and leaving them in public spots in Berlin. Brendan Gleeson plays Otto Quangel, a factory foreman, and Emma Thompson his wife Anna. Daniel Bruhl is the police inspector charged with tracking down the culprits. The film's design nicely captures the look and mood of the era, while all the leads play their roles with tolerably authentic German accents. (Well, Bruhl IS German!) But here's where the problems begin - a Spanish director takes on a German story, shoots in English, and it ends up feeling somehow unconvincing. To add, there is simply insufficient dramatic tension for what should be a much more compelling tale. There are many stronger Nazi films than this turgid story.
2 - maybe!

PS: If you are wanting an excellent rundown on why Moonlight is a must-see film, check out this article by my colleague Stephen Russell.
http://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/fast-lane/article/2017/02/28/comment-dont-let-glow-moonlight-be-eclipsed