December 12th
The French Dispatch - cinema
The Last Duel - cinema and Foxtel
The Power of the Dog - Netflix
Memory: Origins of Alien - DocPlay
More top-shelf cinema abounds this week with a mix of in-cinema and streaming. The long awaited Wes Anderson film has arrived, while Jane Campion proves she's still on top of her game. With silly season upon us, prepare to be inundated with movies.
The French Dispatch
Dir: Wes Anderson
Length: 107 mins
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcPk2p0Zaw4  |
| © Searchlight - a classic Wes Anderson tableau |
Set in France in the 1960s, this is the story of a newspaper editor and his staff, as they prepare three stories for the final edition of the eponymous newspaper, headquartered in the fictional town of Ennui-sur-Blase. No, it's not true, but is inspired by director Anderson's love of the paper The New Yorker. And yes, it has the trademark Wes Anderson quirkiness, and a stellar cast to die for. There's hardly any point giving you a HUGE list of all the wonderful actors in this crazy romp of a film. The movie is structured in three parts, each representing a feature article that is being written. The first story is of an artist (Benicio del Toro) incarcerated in a prison asylum. He's supported by Tilda Swinton as an art historian, Lera Seydoux as his model, and Adrien Brody as a potential buyer. Next is a a story focusing on the student protests of 1968, and stars Timothee Chalamet and Frances McDormand (all shot in evocative black and white). Finally a tale about the police dining room, its gourmet chef, and a kidnapping stars Jeffrey Wright and Matthieu Amalric. Anderson's long-time favorite Bill Murray is the esteemed editor. Most of the stars from Anderson's prior 15 films make some sort of appearance. I find it impossible to "sum up" this film. My one gripe is that there is little emotional engagement for me with the characters; the film is more an aesthetic, witty, intellectual exercise. If you're an Anderson fan you will revel in it. The visual references, the trademark tableaux, the funny one liners, and so much more are packed in, making it hard to absorb upon first viewing, but it is a tour-de-force of film-making.4 - wholeheartedly recommended
The Last Duel
Dir: Ridley Scott
Length: 152 mins
Still at some cinemas - also streaming on Foxtel
 |
© medieval tale with modern
resonance for women |
Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a well-respected battle-hardened soldier in medieval France. Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver) is a smooth-talking womanising noble who collects taxes for Count Pierre d'Alencon (Ben Affleck). Jacques also happened to have saved Jean's life once in battle, and the two consider each other friends. Jean marries the high-bred Marguerite (Jodie Comer) expecting certain lands as part of the dowry, but they are given to Jacques, and the two fall out. When Marguerite reports that Jacques has raped her, the two men end up in a jousting duel. This is no ordinary knights-in-armour tale; it has resonance for contemporary issues concerning women speaking up about rape, and for how the courts deal with them. In those times women were considered the chattels of men and rape was more a slight on the husband's honor than an offence against a woman. The story is told from the viewpoints of the three main protagonists, so certain episodes are repeated, making the film lengthy, but fascinating nonetheless to examine the differing perspectives. Marguerite is an educated, intelligent woman, who will not be silenced, and yet her treatment at the hands of both the men is pretty shoddy. This is a thought-provoking film with grisly recreation of the battle scenes, the duel itself, and the harsh living conditions of the day.4 - highly recommended
The Power of the Dog
Dir: Jane Campion
Length: 127 mins
At selected cinemas and streaming on Netflix
 |
| © Netflix - powerful film-making |
Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his brother George (Jesse Plemons) are wealthy Montana cattle ranchers in the mid 1920s. Phil is a "man's man", taciturn, hard living and somewhat intimidating while George is more the gentlemanly type. The closeness of the brothers is threatened when they meet restaurant proprietress Rose (Kirsten Dunst) and her effeminate son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). George marries Rose, and Phil spends his days tormenting Rose and her son. But when, in a sudden turn of events, Phil takes Peter under his wing, even more tension and suspicion ramps up. This is a film about what it means to be a man, with an interesting plot thread about the intersection between cowboy life and encroaching modernity. The narrative arc of the three men's journeys is unexpected, especially Peter, aiming to be a doctor, and harboring dark secrets some of which also dwell within Phil. The acting is consummate; you haven't seen Cumberbatch like this before. The cinematography, featuring broad sweeping vistas and internal settings of wealth and privilege, is magnificent, and Campion's Silver Lion win for best director at Venice 2021 (among 17 other wins and 40 nominations) is richly deserved.4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
Memory: Origins of Alien
Dir: Alexandre O Phillipe
Length: 95 mins
Streaming on DocPlay
 |
© DocPlay - confronting art
the basis of iconic film |
Who can ever forget the nightmarish scene in the 1979 sci-fi horror Alien, where a creature bursts out of a man's chest? Or the bizarre strangely organic world that the atronauts discover on a far-flung planet? Or the horrific creature that then terrorises everyone in their spaceship and in all the sequels to come? This intriguing doco examines how the concepts and the visual look of the film evolved - from a collaboration between director, scriptwriters, and most importantly graphic artist HR Giger, who was drawing similar concepts long before the film was even a germ of an idea. The doco also looks at ancient mythologies that have given rise to such a memorable story that taps into centuries-old human fears. There is more complexity, visual content and food for thought than you can imagine here, and it is must-see viewing for Alien buffs, and fascinating viewing for everyone else.4 - wholeheartedly recommended
