Sept 30th

On the Rocks - opening Oct 2 then to Apple TV

Italian Film Festival - opening Sydney Sept 29 - other states, other dates

Pacifico - Available on demand Oct 1

Sputnik - cinema release Oct 1 then to digital

My Octopus Teacher - Netflix

Big Wave Project  - Foxtel

I won't bore you with my laments over the state of film-going (and everything else!) in Victoria. Still, here are some worthy contenders, most available at home now, soon, or just after their cinema run. Some terrific comedy, nature docos, Italian cinema, and horror - something to please everyone! 

 

On the Rocks
Dir: Sofia Coppola
Length: 97 mins
Cinematic release at Palace Cinemas (Victoria to come) 

On Apple TV!+ from October 23rd

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=Xn3sK4WiviA

© A24 -  Murray at his absolute best in a
father/daughter- struggling marriage tale

Laura (Rashida Jones), is happily married to Dean (Marlon Wayans), or so she thinks, until he starts working late hours with new work colleague Felicity. She turns to her playboy father Felix (Bill Murray) for some words of wisdom on what to do. Felix decides they he and his beloved daughter should become amateur sleuths, and what ensues is a madcap romp from New York to Mexico, on the trail of Dean. You gotta love Murray; he just gets better and better with his idiosyncratic style, and his deadpan humour. This film is a true delight - the script is fresh and fun, with the quirky relationship between father and daughter beautifully drawn. It would be a mistake to view it as lightweight; all the subtly is there just below the humour, and audiences should relate strongly to the deeper themes.  The film is also a sort of love-song to New York, with splendid evocative visuals of the streets and locations. 

4 - highly recommended

St. Ali Italian Film Festival
Opening in Sydney 29th September, other states hot on the heels (except Victoria - dates to be arranged)

For all the info and program details go to www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

The Goddess of Fortune

© Italian FF - love, kids,
friendships - all in
turmoil 

A top pick and my strong recommendation for the festival is this wonderful award-winning film from director Ferzan Ozpetek (I adored his 2003 film Facing Windows). Boasting a stellar cast of Italy's top actors, it is the story of long-term partners Arturo (Stefano Accorsi) and Alessandro (Eduardo Leo), whose lives are disrupted when old friend Annamaria (Jasmine Trinca) reappears in their lives. Jealousies, disruptions, parental longings, and family secrets abound in this warm, witty delightful film that features terrific perfs from all, including the kids. 

4 - highly recommended

Among the other highlights of the festival is a new live-action version of the classic Pinocchio starring Roberto Benigni, along with centrepiece film The Traitor, which scooped the pool at Italy's Donatello awards. It is the story of a Sicilian Mafia boss and features the marvellous Pierfrancesco Favino. 

Pacifico
Dir: Andreas Geipel
Length: 72 mins

Available to rent or own worldwide from October 1 on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime Video, Vimeo on Demand.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/329729037

© Fighting Chance Films - cinematography and
views to die for

Two passionate Aussie outdoor photographers Chris and Christian headed off on a massive road trip from San Francisco to Patagonia. Originally they didn't intend to make a movie of their adventures, but hey - here it is! The doco charts their adventures as they surf, mountain climb, engage with the locals, pick up hitchhikers, and generally live in the moment, absorbing all the beauty and culture they can. I wasn't too sure as the film started how I felt about it, but soon I was totally engrossed and absorbed in the mind-blowing beauty of what the boys experienced, the brilliance of their cinematography, and their engagement with everything they saw and did. Their enthusiasm for all things natural inspired them to create Gobe, a line of camera accessories that also give profits back to environmental causes.  

For more on Gobe, visit https://au.mygobe.com

Sputnik
Dir: Egor Abramenko
Length: 113 mins

In Cinemas (not Vic) from October 1: NSW: Ritz Randwick & Dendy Newtown / ACT: Dendy Canberra / Qld: Dendy Cooparoo / SA: Wallis Cinemas

Available to rent via Foxtel and Fetch and will thereafter screen on digital home entertainment from 28 October

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-oOnZ2Di0

© Rialto - be careful who you fall in
love with. 

In Soviet Russia a spacecraft crash lands and the only survivor, Commander Veshnyakov is whisked away to a remote research facility, where he claims total amnesia as to what has happened.  Psychologist Tatiana is brought in to assess his state.  As it transpires, he's brought home an alien visitor which resides in his body and only comes out at night to feed. With strong overtones of Alien (the creature like a cross between Yoda, a cobra and the alien bitch monster), this is actually quite a gripping sci-fi/horror for those who love their creature features. Shot in gloomy threatening dark shades, and with a driving score, plenty of gore, plus the requisite Soviet cover-ups, this could provide enough thrills to jolt you out of any lock-down torpor you're feeling. Shame about the slightly schmaltzy ending.  

And if you need a couple more quickies . . .

My Octopus Teacher

Doco - Netflix

I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it. Craig Foster, a free-diver, spends a year chronicling his daily forays swimming in the Atlantic off the coast of Sth Africa. There he meets a wild octopus and forges an unbelievable bond with the creature. The visuals are beyond beautiful, with the underwater world a kaleidoscope of amazing colors and life-forms. The film gives great insight into octopuses, along with one human being's incredible relationship to nature and how it changed his life. An absolute winner.

Big Wave Project

Doco - Foxtel

Even if you've never surfed in your life, or think you have no interest in surfing, I challenge you not to be overawed by the magnificence of these waves, and the courage and skill of those daredevil athletes who go out there to challenge themselves and the forces of nature. Watching the giant waves curl and crash is breathtaking. As with so many of these types of doco, I endlessly speculate as to how on earth they achieved the shots which almost put the viewer in the pipeline. As the surfers chase ever more treacherous and death-defying locations all over the world, so the tension ramps up, making for riveting viewing.  

Sept 20th

The Secrets We Keep
The Fight - DocPlay
Our Little sister (SBS On Demand)

Keeping sane with movies is one way of coping with these crazy days. The three I've chosen to review this week are all well worth watching and come highly recommended from me.

 

The Secrets We Keep
Dir: Yuval Adler
Length: 97 mins
Cinematic release (Victoria to come) 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jv6f59Z4Y8

© Rialto -  Rapace gives a strong perf in this
intriguing psychological thriller

Romanian Maja (Noomi Rapace) is a 1950s mother, of gypsy descent, now living in the USA and  married to a  doctor, Lewis (Chris Messina). One day Maja sees a man who, she is sure, she recognises from her time in a concentration camp during WW2. Suffice to say this dude ends up tied to a chair in her basement, while she tries to extract a confession from him. (It's all in the trailer, so no spoilers here). Thomas (Joel Kinnaman) swears he is Swiss, was never in the war, and he has an American wife and two kids to support his case of innocence. Maja is sure he was a Nazi officer, involved in her rape and the murder of her sister and other Roma people. This powerful psychological drama hooks the viewer in, never knowing whether Thomas is who he says he is, or whether he's an expert liar. Has Maja nabbed the wrong man, and are her memories of the past even accurate? Despite a few plot holes and ethical questions, strong performances and plenty of tension make this a good thriller, with the ever topical thematic thread of the mistreatment of women.

The Fight
Dir: Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg
Length: 96 mins

Streaming on DocPlay 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK8Pj4kN0YQ

© Docplay -  lawyers at their best

It's always been hard for the lawyers of the not-for-profit ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), but it's even harder under the right-wing Trump administration. The inner workings of this group is highlighted in four cases involving abortion rights, transgender military service, removal of kids from immigrant parents, and a controversial question in the census. I didn't expect to become so engaged in these legal preparations, but the film is powerfully constructed in a way that not only highlights the extreme dedication of the group's lawyers to their battles, but also the progressively repressive trajectory the current US government has taken. This is a strong doco for anyone concerned with issues of social justice and wanting a hitherto unseen insight into the work of the group.

Our Little Sister
Dir: Kore-eda Hirokazu 
Length: 127 mins

2015

Streaming on SBS On Demand

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtTeSQFce2A

Heartfelt, beautiful family story

If you know the films I Wish, Shoplifters, and Like Father, Like Son, you'll appreciate what an empathetic, humanistic film-maker Kore-eda is. Catching up with this much awarded film was a delight. On the day of their estranged father's funeral, three adult sisters, Sachi,  Yoshino and Chika meet their 15-year old half sister Suzu, and invite her to come and live with them. Not a lot of conventional action happens at all - the film simply traces the passing of the days, the building of bonds between the girls, the changing of seasons, and the reconciliation and acceptance of issues from the past. The four lead performances are blisteringly good, and even every minor role is pitch perfect. The film-making is low key, yet so lyrical - beautifully shot capturing a certain delicacy of Japanese culture, but with a modern sensibility, and above all a depth of emotion and human connectedness that should speak to all viewers. 

Sept 10th

Fatima

DNA

Becky

Fauda

Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti
Trailer - forthcoming James Bond movie No Time To Die

Still all the lucky ducks everywhere but Victoria are making forays into their local cinemas. We hapless Victorians must content ourselves with series, re-watches, and (lucky me), previewing a couple of feature films that will show interstate. It could be a whole lot worse, as there is so much wonderful content available. 

Fatima
Dir: Marco Pontecorvo
Length: 113 mins
Cinematic release (Victoria to come) 

© Rialto -  young, earnest, and full of adoration

Our spiritual tale starts off in modern-day Portugal where Professor Nichols (Harvey Keitel) visits nun Sister Lucia, now old, who recounts to him events that took place in 1917. As a 10-year-old girl, Lucia and her two cousins witnessed multiple appearances of the Virgin Mary, who tells them only prayer and suffering will end the First World War. Church and state officials try to get the kids to recant, but eventually news of the "miracle" spreads, and people flock to the town hoping to see for themselves. I've been to the town of Fatima, so it's interesting to see the "backstory" of how it became such a focal point for pilgrims (many of whom walk on their knees up to the main church). The film is a believable recreation of an era and nicely shot, if muted in its pallette. For me though it lacks the feel of magic and awe that such an event would be expected to hold. Nevertheless, it provides insight into issues of faith and should please devotees. 

DNA

8-part series of approx 45 mins (not including ads)

Streaming on SBS On Demand

© SBS - strong Danish drama 

If you like your Nordic police procedurals, this one's for you. I got captured from the first episode, by both the intrigue of the plot and the great acting, scripting and production. Danish Policeman Rolf Larsen loses his infant daughter, supposedly washed overboard on a ferry as he is en route to Poland to investigate a child kidnapping. The story then toggles constantly between past and present, with investigations involving dodgy adoption agencies, baby trafficking, Polish convents for unwed mothers, lies, betrayals and major doses of parental grief. The series strikes a great balance between the police investigative aspect, and the personal and highly emotional side of the story. Strongly recommended watching. 

Becky

Dir: Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion
Length: 93 mins

Cinematic release (Victoria to come) 

© Rialto - what happened to this
sweet-faced young gal?

Becky (Lulu Wilson) is one angry young kid. Her beloved mother has died, and her Dad (Joel McHale)  takes her to the family holiday home, to introduce his fiance and her kid to the surly young 13-year-old. As if things aren't going badly enough, a group of escaped convicts turns up, looking for a mysterious key they believe is on the property. Think Home Alone crossed with every blood-splattering mode of murder imaginable and you've got this one - a gore-fest for lovers of the genre.  Definitely not everyone's cup of tea (or bucket of blood), but it actually provides a perverse level of entertainment, (well, for some of us!) especially since we all love to see the baddies get their just desserts - and from a sweet-faced, justifiably angry teen at that! 

Fauda

Series 1: 11 episodes each  approx 35-45 mins (not including ads)

Streaming on Netflix

© Netflix: adrenalin-fuelled political thriller

You may well have already watched this show, now heading into Series 3, and I'll be preaching to the converted. Upon the recommendation  of a friend, I binged it. Series 1 tells of an elite task force of Israeli operatives hunting for a Hamas leader known as The Panther. Criss-crossing from Israel into the Palestinian territories, the story focuses on Doron (Lior Raz) coming out of retirement to rejoin his crack team of anti-terrorists. The plot is action and suspense from go to whoa, with plenty of undercover dealings and disguises. There are deeper undercurrents, exploring the fraught relationship between Israel and Palestine, and to some extent trying to demonstrate the human aspect on both sides of the conflict. The series has raised controversy, especially among Palestinian viewers, but you be the judge. If a high-octane level of smartly produced, well scripted, acted and directed drama of this nature is your bag, this one's well worth a watch.  
  

Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti

Dir: Edouard Deluc
Length: 104 min
2017

Streaming on SBS On Demand

© SBS: artistic torment and obsession

French painter Paul Gauguin (Vincent Casell) felt under-appreciated in Paris, so in 1891 took himself off to commune and paint with nature in the exotic location of Tahiti. There he hooked up with a (very!) young girl, and spent most of his days painting her and other Polynesian subjects, the works later becoming renowned the world over. This is a strangely hypnotic film, mainly due to Casell's brilliant immersive performance as the emaciated, unwell, obsessional artist. We never really get much of an overview of his life - more a narrow focus on this one era, nor do we understand anything about him, other than his passion for his craft. However, as a window into that artistic mind-set, the film is fascinating, and it also gives an insightful look at paternalistic French colonial life in the islands at the time.  The otherwise unknown Tuhei Adams  as Tehura, Gauguin's muse, is a major drawcard.   

No Time To Die: coming on Nov 12th

Ever suave and cool, never
shaken or stirred, Daniel Craig
reprises 007
in No Time to Die

From the look of the trailer, fans of James Bond will not be disappointed by this latest, soon to be released, blockbuster. The to-die-for cast includes Daniel Craig (naturalement!), along with Christoph Waltz, Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes and many more wonderful faces. Every scene in the trailer looks action-packed (what do you expect from a Bond film?), slick, sexy and dangerous. Check it out, and start preparing the popcorn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBMY2rTz_VM