December 26th
Jojo Rabbit
Sorry We Missed You
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The Truth
Cats

A Boy Called Sailboat

So, you got my best for 2019 last week, and now it's time for the much awaited holiday releases. The days of hanging out for the next annual instalment of Lord of the Rings have long gone, but Boxing Day always brings a swag of fine films, and this year is no exception. 

Jojo Rabbit
Director: Taika Waititi
Length: 101 min

©  Fox/Disney - it's a bit suss to have an
imaginary friend like this one!

10-year-old Jojo Betzler (Roman Davis) has just joined the Hitler youth, is fanatical about Nazism, and his imaginary friend is none other than the Fuhrer himself (Taika Waititi). But Jojo is a softy at heart, and when he finds his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl  Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in the attic, he starts to examine his racist beliefs, beginning with making a book about Jews. Prepare for divisiveness with this one, as many people do not want to see Hitler or anything to do with the Holocaust as fodder for humour. That said, the film has won many audience awards at festivals, and has much critical acclaim (plus criticism). I for one laughed out loud at Waititi's audacious script, which manages to blend slapstick with a seriously intense anti-hatred message, and is  ultimately a very touching story. The two women are powerful, strong characters, Jojo is adorable, and the director's performance as Hitler is inspired. Adding to the lunacy is Sam Rockwell as Captain Klensendorf, the lackadaisical leader of the youth camp, and one of his side kicks Fraulein Rahm, played hilariously by Rebel Wilson. Blending a child's view with the realities of the ghastliness of the times works really well in a film that is smart, funny, looks great and simply leaps off the screen.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director: Celine Sciamma
Length: 119  min

©  Madman - prepare to sizzle with  this 
exquisite, erotic film. 

Set on the wild Brittany coast of France in 1760, this is the story of a painter, Marianne, (Noemie Merlant) who is commissioned to do a portrait of  Heloise (Adele Haenel) as a gift for the husband her mother (Valeria Golino) has arranged for her.  Heloise has come out of a convent, and has never agreed to pose for a portrait, but allows Marianne to paint her. The attraction between the young women is evident from the word go. By the time the portrait is complete, hearts will be broken. I haven't seen a film in a long while that is so slow, yet so exquisitely mesmerising and so lovingly shot. The physical act of sketching and painting plays a large part, but it is the slow-burn eroticism and sheer beauty of the women's relationship that will set audiences on fire. There is nothing salacious here; simply transcendent beauty. Both leads are strong female characters, as is the mother, and this brings an almost modern sensibility to a historical story. It is no surprise the film already has garnered 15 wins and 19 nominations in various festivals.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Sorry We Missed You
Director: Ken Loach
Length: 101 min

©  Icon - gritty social realism in the tough story
of a family doing it hard.

Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) and wife Abbie (Debbie Honeywood) have been doing it tough since the GFC. Ricky decides to take an opportunity to improve their lives by buying into a franchise, where he is, in theory, self-employed, delivering parcels for a larger organisation. The hope soon turns sour, as Ricky's boss is a slave-driver, the couple's working schedules conflict, and their son Seb (Rhys Stone) gets into big trouble at school, causing turmoil (and expense) for the family. Daughter Lisa (Katie Proctor) tries her best  to be a stabilising influence. Whenever I hear Loach is at the directorial helm, I prepare myself to be both impressed and depressed. I'm quite blown away by this hard-hitting, close-to-the-bone portrayal of what it means to be constantly behind the eightball and struggling. Loach is, as always, masterful at portraying the gritty realities of everyday lives, yet there is a strong thread of warmth and compassion. Honeywood, in her role as mother, wife and carer for vulnerable folk, is a revelation in her first acting role. Her character's many challenges underscore serious problems in the caring professions, just as Ricky's work situation reflects the sort of exploitation that is so endemic in many workplaces today. The film won't entertain you, but it is surely important and impressive  watching. 
4 - highly recommended!

The Truth
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Length: 106 min

©  Palace - can mother and daughter reconcile 
their conflicts?  

Fabienne (Catherine Deneuve) is a celebrated French movie star, currently shooting a sci-fi pic. Her estranged screen-writer daughter Lumir (Juliette Binoche) visits from the US with her husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) and daughter Charlotte. Conflict sets in as Lumir reads her mother's memoirs which seem riddled with untruths, and the already uncomfortable mother-daughter relationship worsens. Can it ever be repaired? I'm a huge fan of the three leads. Deneuve is terrific as the self-admiring chain-smoking grandmother, but I never seem to get a handle on Binoche's character, and Hawke has precious little to do in terms of the script. The film-within-a-film device doesn't get me in, seeming rather self-referential and indulgent. The sad fact of it is, although I wanted to love The Truth, I found it unmemorable. Kore-eda, who directed the fabulous Shoplifters, wrote the screenplay, perhaps wanting to examine family relationships in a film-world context. But he is is filming in French, a language he doesn't speak, using translators, so something I think has been lost in translation, and a great opportunity lost. However, for fans of Deneuve, it's probably worth seeing just for her.
2.5 - maybe!

Cats
Director: Tom Hooper
Length: 110 min

©  Universal - feline friends out on the mean 
streets, in this film version of the much-loved
musical

Street cats meet on the night of the so-called Jellicle Ball, to choose one of their number who will "ascend", and be given a new cat life. Mean moggie, Macavity, wants to be chosen, and disrupts the proceedings, causing various other cats to disappear. Outcast cats Mistoffelees and Grizabella will get their time in the sun. Upfront: I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to review this one. It's amazing that a theatrical show was ever created in the first place, based on a bunch of poems that T.S. Eliot wrote about felines back in 1939. Yet this thinly plotted musical, written by iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber, wowed a world of fans, and the smash-hit song Memory refuses to fade. (It is rather lovely.) Now director Hooper (of The King's Speech fame) helms an all-dancing, all-singing film that may or may not enchant viewers, probably depending on whether they liked the stage version. The production is certainly remarkable, with impressive sets - oversized to see the world through a cat's eye -  and a great cast. British ballerina Francesca Hayward plays Victoria, a wide-eyed sweetheart, and her dance sequences are lovely. Idris Elba is suitably villainous as Macavity, while Dame Judi Dench looks most like a cat as an old ginger, Deuteronomy. Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella lends her big voice to a fine rendition of the main song. Ian McKellen is scruffy theatre cat Gus, while Taylor Swift performs a terrific burlesque type number. Add to the cast Rebel Wilson, James Corden, Ray Winstone and Jason Derulo, making for a lot of star power. Advanced digital effects impose the furry feline coverings on the actors' bodies, while a few characters have actual costumes. There is something very "naked" about these human/cat hybrids making them a little creepy, but overall, for fans of the musical and of dance, this could prove an entertaining experience.
2.5 - maybe!

A Boy Called Sailboat
Director: Cameron Nugent
Length: 92 min
Exclusive to Cinema Nova

©  Universal - quirky and sweet, the story of 
a little kid who writes "the best song in the world"

Just out of town, in a drought-stricken area of New Mexico, a family of three live in a ramshackle house propped up by a post. Meyo (Elizabeth de Razzo) and Jose (Noel Gugliemi) have a shy little boy called Sailboat (Julian Atocani Sanchez), who comes home one day with a ukelele (which he calls the little guitar). The boy promises to write a special song for his ill grandmother, and somehow that song attracts folks to come from all over to listen to Sailboat sing, and to invest the song with whatever emotions they need to. We, the audience, never hear the song, only observe the listeners' reactions, but in the context of the story, it is considered the greatest song ever written. This is a quirky and sweet film, with some remarkable child acting. As well as the mega-cute Sanchez, there is a debut from Keeanu Wilson as Peeti, a soccer-obsessed boy with eye problems and Zeyah Pearson as Mandy, a confident girl. wise beyond her years. Their teacher Bing (Gary Busey) is dumbly larger than life, while a special appearance by JK Simmons as a spruiking car salesman is a winner. There's something Wes Anderson-esque about the style, although at times it tries too hard to be ultra quirky, with some scenes and motifs becoming repetitive and a bit too much voice-over from Sailboat. Nevertheless there is a freshness to this film, some wonderfully unexpected narrative twists, impressive cinematography and an awesome soundtrack from the brilliant Aussie guitarists Slava and Leonard Grigoryan.
3.5 - well recommended!

December 19th

Star Wars
Top Films of 2019

With only one new release reviewed this week, the long-awaited Star Wars finale, I may as well go with my rundown of my top ranked films for the year. 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Director: J.J. Abrams
Length: 141 min

©  Disney - 

I am simply not the person to give you recommendations about this film. Generations of Star Wars fans, from the saga's inception in 1977, have, yesterday, either been grievously disappointed, or delighted by the conclusion. On that much-noted barometer of opinions, Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus comes in at 58% favourable, meaning the critics are almost split down the middle. The fans have had much to say on social media. As someone who must confess to seeing most, but not every, film in the nine-movie (three trilogies) series, I just don't know the ins and outs of the complex plotting and countless characters. What I can tell you is this - if you're a die hard fan you MUST see it regardless and put your two-bob's worth in. If you're not then it's a maybe. The plot thunders and zooms through space at light speed, with countless light-sabre fights, attacks and counter attacks on planets and star ships, and the usual angst as to which of our beloved characters may be obliterated. Rey (Daisy Ridley), the fearless kick-arse Jedi heroine of the Resistance, goes into the final battle against the evil First Order, accompanied by Po (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and the beloved Droids BB8 and C3PO. Adam Driver puts in a great performance as Kylo Ren, and possibly steals the show. Digitally resurrected Leia (Carrie Fisher) features, along with more familiar characters than you can shake a stick at. I was entertained, and touched by the ending, finding it very acceptable, though I doubt I will find it memorable. It must be said, the special effects are simply brilliant.
3 - recommended!

And now to my top-rated films for the 2019. 
I've created a few random categories, and my choices are not really in a hard and fast order, though generally my preferred favourites are near the start of the lists. Three of the films won't release until Boxing Day, so stay tuned for my reviews next week. 

Best film:  The Nightingale, JoJo Rabbit; Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; Portrait of a Lady on Fire; Buoyancy; Joker; Caphernaum; By the Grace of God; The Irishman, 1985

Honorable mentions: Pain and Glory; Green Book; Ford vs Ferrarri; The Hate U Give; Toy Story 4; Sorry I Missed You

Best Documentary: The Australian Dream; 2040; Be Natural - the Untold Story of Alice Guy Blache; Apollo 11; Pavarotti;  Free Solo; 

Best Australian Film: The Australian Dream, The Nightingale, Buoyancy, Judy and Punch, Hotel Mumbai

Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix (Joker); Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory); Leo de Caprio & Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Best Actress: Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale); Renee Zellweger (Judy) Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give)

Best Director: Jennifer Kent (The Nightingale); Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood); Todd Phillips (Joker); 

Best Music film: Rocketman; Amazing Grace; Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles (from JIFF); It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story (from JIFF); Amazing Grace

Best Cinematography: Wild Goose Lake; Portrait of a Lady on Fire; Ford vs Ferrarri

December 12th

The Ideal Palace
Marianne and Leonard

Not so many this week. I review a wonderful doco, fresh out of JIFF and paying homage to one of the world's most revered songwriters, is released this week, along with an unusual and touching French film, based on a most unlikely true story. 

The Ideal Palace
Director: Nils Tavernier
Length: 105 min
Exclusive to cinema Nova for 3 weeks, then screening more broadly

©  Vendetta -The true story
of a French postman, who takes up building 
as a passion. 

France 1879: Postman Joseph Cheval (Jacques Gamblin) is a quiet unassuming man (possibly he has Aspergers). He has just buried his wife and sent his small son Cyrille to live with relatives. As a rural postman he trudges countless miles each day. On his rounds two extraordinary things happen - 1) he meets widow Philomene (Laetitia Casta) and quickly marries her. 2) he stumbles upon a rock which inspires him to build a palace, which he dedicates to his new daughter Alice (Zelie Rixhon). Even more extraordinary is that this is a true story. Joseph built tirelessly for 33 years, despite being totally untrained in masonry or architecture. This is a most unusual and enchanting film, which moves slowly, building up its emotional clout, to become truly affecting by the end. The quiet relationship between the strange man, who lives in his imagination, and his faithful wife is touchingly drawn, while the progressive architectural works, reminiscent of a Hindu temple, are stunningly recreated. Cheval's initial inability to cope with children, and the changes he undergoes, will tug your heartstrings, while the cinematography of the French countryside is awe-inspiringly beautiful.

4 - highly recommended!

Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love
Director: Nick Broomfield
Length: 102 min

©  Universal -  love blooms on the 
idyllic Greek island of Hydra. Then Leonard
Cohen hits the big time as a song-writer. 

Leonard Cohen was one of the greatest poets and songwriters of his era. For eight years he was intensely involved with Norwegian woman Marianne Ihlen, and they lived on and off on the idyllic Greek island of Hydra which had a vibrant bohemian artistic scene. Later their lingering relationship became more sporadic, and crossed continents with Leonard involved with many other women between returning to Marianne. She was considered his muse, but life in that role was no bed of roses. In this warts and all doco, using the love story as its anchor, we discover Leonard in his varied guises - tortured genius, intense lover, depressive, and, according to some, at times very funny. It is also a window into a time, when authors and musicians lived the hedonistic life (don't they still??) and used everything as fodder for their creativity. Featuring some terrific footage of the great man performing live, and other singers like Judy Collins adding their insights, this is a fascinating tribute to an incredible artist, and not to be missed by Cohen lovers or indeed any music lovers.
4 - highly recommended!

December 5th

The Two Popes
Ask Doctor Ruth

The Wild Goose Lake
The Good Liar

No sooner do the last festivals for the year end, than we get into the run-up to the films for release over the holiday season. Then the run-up to the Oscars . . . and so it goes and never ends. But what fun, and as always, a whole new crop of terrific films!

The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Length: 125 min
Elsternwick Classic, Lido Hawthorn and Cameo Belgrave - then to Netflix

©  Netflix -  top performances from two 
powerhouse actors. 

Jorge Bergoglio (better known as Pope Francis, and played by Jonathan Pryce) went from being a superior in the Jesuit order in Argentina in the mid-1970s, to the position of cardinal, and ultimately Pope in 2013. This extraordinary film looks at Jorge's story, with the focus upon his meetings with his predecessor, Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Together the men discuss the future of the church, and reveal their misgivings to each other. A dark part of Jorge's past is revealed, concerning the time of the military dictators in Argentina, and Jorge's alleged complicity with them. I didn't expect to love this film as much as I do, but with searing performances from two brilliant actors, and a story full of compassion, many moments of humour, and important moral questions, what's not to love? There's no stuffiness or stodginess here; the true story encompasses several time periods, maintaining interest, giving intriguing insights into Argentinian history, its poverty and brutality, as well as a sneak peak into the interior of the Vatican. Even if you eschew religion, you cannot help but be impressed by the basic humanity, (even moments of ordinariness), displayed by the popes, along with great humility and wisdom. This is a rare insight into the inner workings of a faith followed by 1.2 billion of the world's people, and how its leaders are trying to keep it modern and relevant.
4 - highly recommended!

Ask Dr Ruth
Director: Ryan White
Length: 100 min

©  Rialto - how could you not love her? She loves life . . .
and talking about sex

This spritely, diminutive 91-year-old  German woman is an unlikely candidate to be America's most well-known celebrity sex therapist. Through her TV and radio shows, Ruth Westheimer, aka Dr Ruth, totally changed the conversation around every aspect of sexuality. This uplifting doco tracks her life and her amazing career. Her privileged childhood in Frankfurt was cut short by the rise of Nazism. Sent by her parents to Switzerland to escape, she never saw them again. After emigrating to Palestine and then America, Ruth studied psychology and started speaking out about the need for education on issues of contraception and abortion. The rest is history. With excerpts from her many TV and radio shows, as well as some beautifully crafted sketches that illustrate her sad childhood in Germany, this is both entertaining, uplifting and absolutely inspiring watching. Ruth hasn't lost an iota of enthusiasm for life, (and talking about sex), and her bubbly approach to all things, especially sex, is infectious.
4 - highly recommended!

The Wild Goose Lake
Director: Diao Yinan
Length: 117 min

© Umbrella - Chinese noir? A most unusual and 
rewarding gangster tale, with stunning cinmatography

It's raining and dark, and a young woman Liu Aiai asks a beaten up Zhou Zenon (Hue Ge) for a light. This classic noir scene precedes the flashback in which Zhou, a gang boss just out of prison, tells her the reasons he is being hunted by both the police and other criminals. Gang brawls, a dead cop, squalid tenement dwellings, grimy noodle shops, motor cycle chases, and "bathing beauties" (the pseudonym for the prostitutes who work down by the lake) - all the ingredients are there for a film that is thrilling, stylishly violent, and at times frustrating. The plot feels in parts murky and obscure, but the tension never abates. But what really impresses is the extraordinary cinematography which employs color and lighting like I've never seen in any nighttime shots. It is sheer beauty, despite the sordid subject matter. Under all the sleaze, there is a softer element; that of sacrifice, as Zhou makes some hard decisions to protect his wife. It won't be to everyone's taste, but this is certainly a very different film gangster experience from the American mainstream one, and a film that has already won several awards for its audacious approach.
3.5 - well recommended!

The Good Liar
Director: Bill Condon
Length: 109 min

© Roadshow - another two members of acting
royalty strut their stuff in a fun thriller. 

With a deliciously devious plot (no it is not totally as you would expect from the shorts), this is a chance to watch yet more of the finest actors today strut their stuff. Helen Mirren plays Betty, a gentle-natured widow who goes on a dating site where she meets Roy (Ian McKellen), also widowed. The relationship takes off pretty quickly, much to the alarm of Betty's grandson Stephen (Russell Tovey), who smells a rat and suspects Roy is not what he seems. Most women viewers may well squirm and fear for the seemingly gullible Betty. Mirren is her usual fabulous screen presence. McKellen, so well known and loved as the kindly wizard Gandalf, shows his brilliance yet again. He lurches from sweet old codger Roy, loving and paternal, to steeling conniving conman - and worse! Just the change of expression in his eyes and his demeanour make him a treat to watch. The less said of the plot the better, but it's a good fun ride, even if the premise relies on some very circumstantial events to make it at all credible.
3.5 - well recommended!