December 16th
They Shall Not Grow Old
My Generation

In this end-of-school, pre-festive season week, I've  given the kiddy films a miss and caught up with a couple of films that are worth being tracked down on their limited release. 

They Shall Not Grow Old
Dir: Peter Jackson
Length: 99 min 
At selected cinemas (Nova, Lido, Cameo, Classic, Palace Balwyn)

© Roadshow - Remarkable, harrowing,
 a feat of film-making. 

It's a challenge to sum this one up briefly. The film was commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One, and Jackson (Lord of Rings fame) is the perfect director for it. He has taken grainy old archival footage that was shot on the Western Front, and used digital wizardry to colorise it and seamlessly blend the black and white footage with the upgraded images. Using voice recordings from almost 100 men who fought in the so-called "Great War", all done back in the 1970s, he overlays the visuals with their story - a story that is at once stirring, horrific, inspiring and ultimately an anti-war testament. This is not about the politics of the war, but the human face of it - lads as young as 16 going off on what they thought was an adventure, only to discover the grim realities of a war that reduced soldiers almost to animals. No detail of the trench living conditions are spared, nor is the blood, gore, and human devastation on both sides. Although I found the film's content deeply distressing, I marvel at the craft that has created a film like nothing I've seen before, in giving people an authentic vision of what being in a war is like. The faces of these men will haunt me for some time, but it's a film we probably all should see. Catch it while you can. 
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended! (probably unmisssable, if you can watch such human devastation).  

My Generation
Dir: David Batty
Length: 85 min 
Exclusive to Cinema Nova

He's 80 now - Michael Caine reflects on the
Swinging Sixties and how they
changed the world

Acting royalty, Sir Michael Caine takes audiences to the Britain of his youth (and the youth of many viewers I'd imagine). He leads us through the story of the British pop culture explosion of the 1960s, as Brit society changed from something a tad boring, to a vibrant world of music, fashion and youth culture. The film has a soundtrack to die for - Beatles, Kinks, Stones, Animals and more. Carnaby Street gets another run with models and fashion icons like Twiggy and Mary Quant. Along with fabulous archival footage and interviews from the day, those who were young then reflect on the era and their youth. This is a wonderful nostalgia for those who remember the 60s, or want to understand the era better.
3.5 - well recommended! 

Stay tuned for the lists of my favourite films for 2018! Coming soon.