November 8th

Boy Erased
Journey's End
Suspiria
Russian Film Festival
Alliance Francaise Classic Film Festival

It's a week of totally contrasting films - horror, war, social commentary. Thinking about it, all are horror in their own ways. And what would movie-going be without two more festivals?

Boy Erased
Dir: Joel Edgerton
Length: 114 min 

© Universal -  great performances, 
important themes in an increasingly
right-wing world

This disturbing true story is based upon the memoir of Garrard Conley, who wrote a memoir of his time in "gay conversion therapy". Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) is the son of a smalltown Baptist pastor (Russell Crowe) and loving mother (Nicole Kidman). When a schoolmate outs Jared to his parents, they convince him to go to a gay conversion centre, or suffer ostracism from his family, community and church. The centre, Love in Action, is run by Sykes, himself a "gay convert" (played by director Edgerton). There attendees are "encouraged" to see the evil of their ways and renounce homosexuality. The film takes an understated approach, which helps the audience feel even more abhorrence of the so-called conversion methodology, with its judgmentalism, guilt and suicide-inducing philosophies. Although the subject matter is similar to the recent Miseducation of Cameron Post, this feels easier to relate to, and is underpinned by a riveting performance from young Hedges. Kidman is in peak form in this role. It goes without saying this sort of film is critical in changing archaic right-wing social attitudes and throwing a lifeline to the LGBTQI community.
4 - highly recommended! 

Journey's End
Dir: Saul Dibb
Length: 107  min 

© Icon - life in the trenches was worse
than most soldiers imagined

Based on a play written 90 years ago, this World War One story has been filmed several times, but comes up trumps in this modern version. It's not your typical war film, in which  "the men" and their bravery are glorified. This is an honest look at the conditions in the trenches and in the living quarters below the trenches, as a group of men await their possible deaths in an anticipated enemy attack. The men are not afraid to show their emotional vulnerability and moments of tenderness. Paul Bettany is splendid as Lt Osborne, who attempts to keep the morale up, while Sam Claflin gives an astonishing performance as Cptn Stanhope, full of fear, despair, and a rampant alcoholic. Notable too is Toby Jones as the cook, and young Asa Butterfield as the newly arrived Raleigh, full of misplaced enthusiasm. The endless mud, pathetic rations, daily privations, and constant fear are palpable. It's such a sad film with the soldiers portrayed as merely unfortunate human beings caught up in something beyond their control, and doing the best they can to get through by being supportive of each other. This is ultimately a very humane anti-war story, focusing on emotional bravery (or lack of it) as opposed to battlefield heroics.
3.5 - well recommended! 

Suspiria
Dir: Luca Guadagnino
Length: 152 min 

© Transmission - ghastly, mesmerising, 
creative, superb - watch at your own risk!

Yet again I'm guilty of not having seen the original 1977 iconic horror film directed by Dario Argento. Too bad - this one packs such a wallop I wonder if I could stand another version of the story. Briefly, dancer Susie Bannon (Dakota Johnson of Fifty Shades infamy) comes from Ohio to join the prestigious Markos dance company in Berlin. Head choreographer Mme Blanc (Tilda Swinton) takes Susie under her wing. Meantime, ex-company member Patrizia appears to have gone paranoid, claiming all manner of unholy doings among the many women who run the company. Hidden areas of the building are gradually discovered by Susie's new friend Sara, along with a demonic plot to use a chosen dancer as a vessel to reinstate an ancient witch. It's impossible to detail here the many thematic threads of this extraordinary film - motherhood, witches, German Holocaust guilt, the abuse of power, female brutality and more. I can't imagine a more divisive film, with its visceral, sickeningly violent scenes involving extreme body horror. The choreography is dramatically brilliant; but some dance sequences are  inextricably interwoven with the violence which is almost impossible to watch. Johnson is surprisingly strong in her role, and Swinton simply sublime, especially since she also plays (unrecognisably) psychologist Josef Klemperer. The relentless build up of tension gives way to a final grotesque sequence which borders on overkill. Whatever, the film is unforgettable (unfortunately!)
Beware; avoid (or is it 4 - highly recommended?) You be the judge! 

Russian Resurrection Film Festival
Melbourne ACMI - 9-18 Nov
Some films also at Elsternwick Classic until 18 Nov
For times, films, other states visit www.russianresurrection.com

It's the 15th year for RRFF, and this year 16 new films will screen, as well as a retrospective featuring a selection of award-winning Soviet films. Much-awarded actor Konstantin Khabensky stars in two high profile films, Sobibor and Selfie. As usual, I've been lucky to preview a few.

Sobibor: Sobibor was a Nazi death camp famous for a mass escape of prisoners, led by Russian/Jewish POW Alexander Perchersky. In 1987 a film was made starring Rutger Hauer. This version of the film virtually a blockbuster, full of drama, violence, graphic detail and heroism. Like so many films of this nature, it shows the best and absolute worst of human beings. Ghastliness of camp life is front and centre, but so are hope and courage. A very strong film.
Pagans: Natalia, estranged mother of Oleg, turns up on his doorstep bearing gifts from a religious pilgrimage. Discovering that Oleg and his family hold little faith, and her grand-daughter is running off the rails, she sets about trying to win them over to her devoutness. This is in parts humorous, and no doubt a fairly negative view on the power the Orthodox church can hold over its devotees.  
Jump Man: Denis is abandoned as a baby because he has a condition in which he feels no pain. His mother, Oksana,  returns and hooks him up with a gang who make him jump in front of cars to then scam money out of the drivers. The police, courts, lawyers are all complicit. This is a disturbing and scathing commentary upon corruption in Russian society and the disintegration of family values. 

© RRFF -  Russian superstar Khabensky stars in 

Selfie and Sobibor.

Selfie: A stylish thriller about a man who discovers he has been replaced by a doppelganger (double). When he is institutionalised by his disbelieving friends, only his daughter seems to see the truth. The film looks great, is well acted, but aspects of the plot don't hang together for me, with several illogicalities that I simply can't get my head around.

Alliance Francaise Classic Film Festival
8-11 November
Astor Cinema, Melbourne
www.afclassicfilmfestival.org

© Palace  -  don't mess with this woman

This short and sweet festival pays tribute to legendary actress Jeanne Moreau, who died last year, aged 89. Six of her most renowned films from 1958 - 1991 will screen. I caught up with Eva (1962), set in Venice, where a manipulative woman sets her sights on an arrogant writer (Stanley Baker), who is engaged to someone else. The game of cat and mouse, seduction, rejection, humiliation and deception must be seen to be believed. The film employs atmospheric black and white cinematography, and is a great opportunity to catch the sort of movie they don't make any more.