Thursday, 29 July 2021

 July 30th

Rosa's Wedding
The Toll
Get ready for MIFF! - 5 films for you to consider
Elvis The Searcher (streaming Netflix)
I Care a Lot (streaming Amazon Prime)


Cinemas in Melbourne are again open, so here are a couple for you to head off to. But if you're not yet brave enough, catch up with some good stuff on the streaming platforms. More importantly, those planning to catch up with MIFF this year (a mix of in-cinema and online), now is the time to study the form guide and figure out which films you need to book for. I preview five for your consideration. 
 

Rosa's Wedding
Dir: Iciar Bollain
Length: 97 mins
© Palace - lightweight and sweet
Rosa (Candela Pena), a 45-year-old movie costume dressmaker, is sick of putting everyone else's needs before her own. She's a movie costume dressmaker, has an aging demanding father, a daughter raising twins, a brother needing his kids babysat, and numerous other people making demands on her life. Impulsively she returns to the town of her youth hoping to revive the old family dressmaking business. Even more unusually, she decides to have a wedding - but she intends to publicly marry herself, swearing allegiance and care for her own well-being. To the many relatives who turn up (uninvited) this is a perplexing situation. While this feel-good film may be a bit too "cute" for some, it really strikes a blow for women and is anchored by such a terrific performance from its lead, that you quickly invest in the success of Rosa's project. Add a terrific perf from Sergei Lopez as Armando her brother and you have a good diverting entertainment.
3.5 - well recommended

The Toll
Dir: Ryan Andrew Hooper
Length: 97 mins
© Monster Pictures - the past catches up 
with the man in the toll booth
Michael Smiley plays the unnamed operator of a Welsh toll booth in the middle of nowhere. He  calls in local cop Catrin (Annes Elwy) to report that he has been robbed of his watch, drink and sandwich at gunpoint. But his convoluted story, told in various flashbacks, reveals a hidden past that has finally caught up with him. This is black humour at its Welsh best - quirky, clever, and rather reminiscent of the Coen Brothers style of film, where comedy meets crime caper. The naivete of Catrin is beautifully juxtaposed with the odd assortment of deadbeats and crims that come in and out of the tale - some so idiotic that when they try to organise a heist on a shipment of I-Pads, they end up with cartons of medical eye pads! Iwan Rheon (renowned as the sadistic Bolton in Game of Thrones) is wonderful in his role; in fact all the characters are terrifically drawn, and the excellent quasi-western soundtrack is a great foil for the often deadpan happenings, that are interspersed with sudden bouts of bloodshed. For lovers of offbeat fare, this should be a treat.
4 - highly recommended

Melbourne International Film Festival
5-15 August - in cinemas
14-22 August- online

Wonderful, iconic MIFF is almost back! Time to bone up on the program and organise what you want to see, as many sessions are selling out fast. No point my reiterating all the info you can check out online - suffice to say this year's festival will be a hybrid of in-cinema and online screenings. There are 199 feature films, 84 shorts, and 10 immersive digital online experiences. As usual, I'm on the go, reviewing some pretty interesting films, all of which I recommend highly.

Come Back Anytime 
Fans of foodie films, and Japan-o-philes will find this delightful doco almost unmissable. It features Taisho, who runs a ramen shop in Tokyo. This type of story, when well done, is always about much more than food. Here we meet a man who is immersed not only in creating the soup, but also a safe and welcoming environment for his customers. So much Japanese tradition is on show here, in a humble and back-to-nature way, as Taisho and his friends till the land, hunt for fresh bamboo shoots, make glutinous rice dishes, pick nashi pears, and generally hang out communing with nature, when they are not communing with each other over noodles. Many of his clientele speak to camera of just what the place (and the soup) have done for their lives, and the esteem in which Taisho is held is evident. The film is uplifting, absorbing, and has a magnificent soundtrack of jazz and classical music. Warning: Don't Go Hungry to this movie!

Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful:
Anyone with knowledge of the world of photography knows the name Helmut Newton, photographer extraordinaire, renowned for his erotic, off-beat and sometimes confronting photos. In this wonderfully engaging doco we meet the man, look at his work, and hear from many of his subjects, while we try to decide if he really was a misogynist, or a champion of women. The film is chock-full of intriguing reminiscences with the likes of model/singer Grace Jones, actors Charlotte Rampling and Isabella Rossellini, vogue editor Anna Wintour, and many more who have been the subject of Newton's iconoclastic way of recording the world, with particular focus on the female body. Newton comes across as such an entertaining and self-confident man, and his ground-breaking photography has influenced the art-form forever.    

The Girl and the Spider 
Lisa is moving into her new apartment, leaving her ex-flatmates behind. Mara is especially bereft. Imagine that new apartment crammed full of people, among them Lisa's mother.  Some are helping, others are in the way - add a couple of playful kids, a mother, neighbors, a couple of dogs and a few tradies fixing things, and you have a very different psychological relationship drama from Germany. Here's one for lovers of long meaningful looks, and bucketloads of emotion - much of it never articulated. Even though little happens, this feels totally in-your-face authentic, in terms of the characters' disappointments and longings, and the basic dynamic of human inter-connectedness. Great acting, a lean and spare look to the settings contribute to unusual but fascinating viewing. 
 
Azor 
Argentina 1980: the ruthless regime of the military Junta is taking over, and people of wealth and privilege are scared for their lives and their money. Swiss private banker Yvan De Wiels and his wife Ines head to Buenos Aires after his colleague from the private bank mysteriously disappears. You don't have to have any interest in private banking to become instantly engrossed in this fine film and the tension of the times. The look is elegant and moneyed, and the performances are all stand-out. As Yvan becomes progressively drawn into the web of the strongmen, including corrupt clergy, we feel the simmering sense of menace, and question constantly where people involved will draw their moral boundaries. 

Pebbles
In a relatively short run time (75 mins) the director manages to convey so much more than the basic story of a father and son heading home to their village. The father is a vile man - violent, physically and verbally abusive, and a drunk. As the hapless but defiant child is towed along, we fall to wondering about the sort of toxic masculinity that pervades some of Indian society, and the role model it gives. Set in the arid regions of Tamil Nadu, we witness the devastating poverty many villagers live in, and the way that the women manage somehow to hold things together. This is powerful film-making, that, by saying less, and showing more, says so much. The cinematography, with its broad sweeping vision, is memorable. 

Elvis Presley: The Searcher
Dir: Thom Zimny
Length: 205 mins - in two episodes 
Streaming on Netflix

© Netflix - how can you not love this face?
Going behind the legend, and the commonly known facts of Elvis's life, this wonderful, in-depth documentary is a treat for fans and music historians alike. Starting with the 1968 come-back concert, the film moves all around the time line of the iconic singer's life, including much about his personal life as well as his battle to find his true musical passion, hampered as he often was by his manager Col. Parker. There's lots of archival footage I certainly have never seen and the music is magnificent. Elvis comes over as a really decent human being, making the sad arc of his life all the more tragic.
4 - highly recommended

I Care a Lot
Dir: J blakeson
Length: 118 mins
Streaming on Amazon Prime

© Amazon Prime - worthy adversaries
Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) is a high-flying executive who runs a guardianship business - i.e. folks considered unable to care for themselves and manage their own affairs are put by the courts under her care in one of her residential homes. Once she has full control over their assets, she milks them for all they're worth. But when she takes over the care of Jennifer Peterson (Barbara Wiest), she has no idea what she is up against.  Pike won the Golden Globe for an actress in a comedy, and deservedly so. Wiest is terrific too, as she goes from seeming scatty old woman, to a major force to be reckoned with. Equally impressive is Peter Dinklage (who can forget him as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones?) as Roman, an unexpected spoke in Marla's wheel, and with connections to the Russian mafia. I really got a kick out of this film - funny, pacy and well-scripted with a great twist at the end.
4 - highly recommended

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Wednesday, 21 July 2021

 July 22nd

Monet (streaming DocPlay)
Envoy: Shark Cull - in cinemas briefly but also ONLINE
Old
Laundromat (streaming Netflix)
Virunga (streaming Netflix)

Here we are with half the country in lockdown again. So we need lots of films available online, and the good news is that 4/5 of this week's films reviewed are just that! So, happy streaming. 
 
DocPlay - get into it!
www.docplay.com
Let me again urge you to take up a subscription to DocPlay, possibly the best documentary streaming service you'll ever find. There are countless magnificent docos to be had, the best from all over the world, with topics of interest to everyone. For a measly $7.99 a month, you will never be bored again, and you can even have a free trial! I've wanted to watch this doco on the painter Monet for several years now, and it absolutely lived up to, if not exceeded, my expectations. And having been lucky enough to stroll through Monet's garden back in 2016, it was even more special. 
Water Lilies of Monet
Dir: Giovani Troilo
Length: 80 mins
Streaming at www.docplay.com
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6bD9BOZhB0

© DOCPlay/Sharmill - exquisite
It's not always easy to make a film about artworks that spring to life, but this one literally leaps off the screen. Mixing footage of the painter's exquisite garden in Giverney, with shots of his prolific artwork, and an outline of key aspects of his life, this doco absolutely immerses you in the world of a genius. The historical backdrop of France in the era also adds interest. And of course simply gazing at the screen is enough to have you gasping in sheer awe at the wonder of it all, both Monet's artwork and the real-life natural world that inspired it.
4 - highly recommended

Envoy: Shark Cull
Dir: Andre Borell
Length: 90 min 
In cinemas where no lockdown - until 25th
For cinemas in your (open) state and online access : https://watch.envoyfilm.com.au/#events
© Heritage Films - they've got more reason
to be scared than we do.
One of the world's most ancient creatures is in grave danger of extinction, and that would have dire consequences for our marine ecological balance. That's the message of this excellent doco, which examines shark control measures in New South Wales and Queensland. As Eric Bana narrates, he explains how the use of nets and drum lines since 1962 has been proven to be basically ineffective, and results in the deaths of much more than just sharks, including whales, dolphins and turtles. And with increasing technological innovations there are many other ways of protecting  both sharks and swimmers at the same time. There are more and more people speaking up as advocates for the great animals, including surfer Laine Beachley, and even a fellow who lost an arm and a leg to a shark attack. The doco attempts to dispel people's irrational fears of sharks, and educate us as to their critical importance in the balance of marine life, and in protecting things as iconic as the Great Barrier Reef. This important doco is a worthy addition to the body of ecological films, pleading with us to wake up before we destroy the things that make our planet both beautiful and liveable. 
4 - highly recommended

Old
Dir: M Night Shyamalan
Length: 108 min 
In cinemas where no lockdown
 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4U2pMRV9_k
© Universal - freaky!
Prisca (Vicky Krieps) and husband Guy (Gael Garcia Bernal), are taking a last family holiday  before they separate. To add to the stress, Prisca has a tumor, and both these facts have not been revealed to the kids, Trent aged 6 and Maddox aged 11. The idyllic holiday resort (found online) seems all one could dream of. When the hotel manager arranges for a special day's outing to a secluded beach, the trouble sets in. A motley crew of guests on the excursion includes Charles (Rufus Sewell), a doctor suffering from a weird hallucinatory derangement, his wife Chrystal (Abbey Lee, a blonde bimbo obsessed with her body), their daughter Kara (Eliza Scanlen), Charles' ageing mother, plus an epileptic psychologist and her husband, and a mysterious reclusive writer suffering mysterious nosebleeds. From the get-go, the seemingly pristine beach is not what it seems, and soon takes a life-threatening twist, as the youngsters seem to visibly get older by the hour, and tensions flare among the gathered assembly, as the true nature of the horror surrounding them becomes evident. The film is based upon a graphic novel, and comes from the director lauded for 1999's marvellous thriller, The Sixth Sense. The premise for this film is very promising - much to be gleaned from the idea of making each moment of life a precious one, but there is too much clunkiness in the way it has been handled, not to mention some pretty wooden acting and scripting. Even the always wonderful Bernal seems to struggle with what he's given to work with. One can almost predict many of the plot points, as they come like clockwork. The film doesn't seem to quite know if it wants to be a thriller or a horror. That said, the effects in ageing the characters are well done, and there is a pretty nifty twist at the very end, but it's disappointing that such a strong premise hasn't been more creatively and subtlely handled.
2.5 - maybe

Laundromat
Dir: Steven Soderbergh
Length: 95 mins
Streaming on Netflix
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuBRcfe4bSo

© Netflix - Streep is amazing - yet again!
Ellen Martin (Meryl Streep) tries to claim from insurance after the death of her husband in a freak holiday accident. What she discovers takes her down a rabbit hole of shelf companies, corporate fraud and more, leading all the way to Panama. This bizarre but entertaining movie is based upon the real-life exploits of corporate law firm Mossack Fonseca, who were the world's fourth-largest offshore law firm, until the Panama Papers scandal shut them down in 2018. Gary Oldman plays Jurgen Mossack with an over-the-top German accent, while Antonio Banderas is Ramon Fonseca; both decked out in glitzy sequined tuxes, as they speak to camera, taking the audience through a funny, if near-incomprehensible, crash course on the world of dodgy finance, and why wealth will always win out. The film has an erratic tonality, using comedy to examine what is actually a very serious issue, along with many episodic segments to illustrate its points. Interesting that it was nominated for one of cinema's most prestigious awards, the Venice Golden Lion, and also for a Worst Film award. So, you be the judge - I got plenty of enjoyment, despite its shortcomings, and anything with Streep is well worth a look, not to mention the big Streep-Surprise at the end.
3.5 - well recommended

Virunga
Dir: Orlando von Einsiedel
Length: 100 mins
Streaming on Netflix
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxXf2Vxj_EU

© Netflix - a job to die for
A nominee for Best Documentary Oscar in 2015, this is still timely watching, as yet another important doco with continuing resonance for the parlous state of the world, in exploiting poor nations and natural resources, and all with blatant disregard for the environment. Working on a number of levels the doco examines the Virunga National Park in Congo, home to the last outpost of the endangered mountain gorillas.  When oil company SOCO decided to move in on the park, tensions rose between the Congolese army and rebel groups, a band of valiant rangers risking their lives to protect the park. Even though I find the intricacies of the politics sometimes hard to follow, the messages are clear and still relevant, with some excellent footage from inside the conflict zones. There is also plenty of great footage of other African animals. Using the backdrop of the gorilla orphanage makes for an intensely poignant and personal side to the story, with gorilla "mother" Andre declaring he will give his life up for the creatures.
4 - highly recommended





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Friday, 16 July 2021

 July 17th

Sir (Is Love Enough, Sir)  (Netflix streaming)
Trial by Fire (Netflix streaming)
More from Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
More from Scandinavian Film Festival


So dear readers, from day to day we don't know what we can watch on the big screen and where, and now that Melbourne is in Lockdown 5.0 I've included a couple of Netflix films I recommend. Plus I keep you in the loop of the ongoing Scandi Film Festival, and the Melbourne Doco Film Festival which you can still catch online. 
 
Is Love Enough, Sir?
Dir: Rohena Gera
Length: 99  mins
Streaming on Netflix
© Netflix - moving and beautiful
Numerous wins and nominations accompany this exquisite Indian film, telling of wealthy Mumbai businessman Ashwin (Vivek Gomber), who calls off his marriage in the USA, and returns home where he is waited on hand and foot by his maid Ratna (Tillotama Shome). She is a village girl working in the big city, hoping to get an entry into the world of tailoring and fashion design, but her lowly status makes it hard. I don't wish to reveal too much here plot wise, except to say the film deftly and sensitively handles so many of the class-based issues that still plague Indian society today. Performances are spot on, cinematography brings India alive (in a non-Bollywood way), and the narrative arc is so moving and meaningful, it's a winner all round. 
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Trial by Fire
Dir: Edward Zwick
Length: 127 mins
Streaming on Netflix
© Netflix - justice - what
justice? 
Todd Willingham (Jack O'Connell) was executed by the state of Texas in 2004, after being found guilty of the murder of his three children in an arson attack in 1991. The jury took barely an hour to convict him, based on flimsy evidence. Elizabeth Gilbert (Laura Dern) is a writer and mother to two teen kids. She connects with Willingham through a prisoner outreach program, and becomes convinced of his innocence. Dern is, as always, just wonderful to watch, and although some critics have sunk the boots into the film, I found this disturbing and compelling watching, a potent case for abolition of the death penalty.
4 - highly recommended

More from . . . 
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Until 31 July online
21-31 July select films in cinemas

Who knows whether lockdown will end in time for this fabulous festival to step up to the big screen as planned, but hey, if you have to be locked down, what better thing to do with your time than get onto the online offerings from the festival? I've already reviewed several over the last two weeks (check 'em out), and here are a couple more excellent docos for your delectation.  

© MDFF
My Rembetika Blues: As a card-carrying Greek-in-Training, I am especially partial to  films about Greece and its music. This fine doco looks at the origins of a form of Greek music often referred to as "the Greek Blues", born out of exile and poverty. Sydney-based filmmaker Mary Zournazi traces the journey of her ancestors, as they escaped from Smyrna in Turkey at the end of the Greco-Turkish war in 1922. In discovering that story, she also learns much about the musicians who have made rembetika their lives and how the music bonded a diaspora community. She gets in touch with her own Greek heritage, and also draws a salient comparison with the refugee experience then, and what is happening today throughout the world. Much great music and information in a compact run-time.   
 
© MDFF
Batoor A Refugee Journey: Barat Ali Batoor once worked as a highly regarded photographer for the US Embassy in Kabul. After a series of photos he published (about dancing boys in the sex-slave trade) caused his life to be in danger, he fled to Pakistan, and from there embarked upon the perilous journey to Australia. This gripping and gruelling doco traces not just his journey, but that of several young men also seeking asylum. Batoor's documentation of the journey through video and photos is harrowing and unique. He is so articulate, insightful and  compassionate in his narration, and the hardships of the refugees so heart-breaking, I defy anyone not to be enthralled by this story, which again highlights the perilous position of so many refugees, and the immorality of those taking advantage of them. 

More from . . . 
Scandinavian Film Festival
Continuing in Melbourne until 28th (when we open up)
Palace cinemas
For other states, bookings, film synopses visit www.scandinavianfilmfestival.com

Two more from the Scandis for when we open up (and for those lucky enough not to be in Vic or NSW). The films are chalk and cheese, one relatively light and breezy, the other quite an intense drama.   
© Scandi FF
Tove: Tove Jansson (Almo Poysti) will be known to lovers of the Moomin children's books as their author. But her rich life involved so much more, both personally and artistically. This wonderful Finnish/Swedish co-production begins in 1945 in Helsinki, where Tove aspires to be a painter, lives a Bohemian life, takes a married lover, and subsequently has a passionate lesbian love affair with theatre director Vivica. All the while her Moomin books are developing, as is her need to discover her independence and her true self. Fine dramatic fare, deserving of its many awards and nominations.   

© Scandi FF
Diana's Wedding: Liv and Terje marry on the same day as Princess Di and Charles. They name their baby daughter Diana. Like the Royals they have a turbulent relationship; unlike Charles and Di they battle on through the years with a seemingly undying love. The little family endures a lot of dysfunction, with Liv and Terje behaving mostly like overgrown kids, while Diana and her best friend look on disapprovingly. Despite some serious undercurrents, I find the film amusing and a light relief from dark times. 

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Wednesday, 7 July 2021

July 9th

Steelers
Scandinavian Film Festival
Iranian Film Festival

It seems to be a week of festivals, with most of my previewing centreing around two festivals opening today. Plus I continue adding to my reviews for Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, which runs for several more weeks. 
Steelers
Dir: Eammon Ashton Atkinson
Length: 80 mins
Available on: Apple TV - Google Play -  Amazon Prime Video - Fetch – YouTube – Foxtel Store – PlayStation Store - Microsoft
© The Reset Collective - men, mud and 
finding your place in the world
As the director says at the film's conclusion, this is not a film about being gay, or about rugby, but about never giving up and searching for that place where you belong and can find happiness. That said it is about the Steelers, the world's first gay rugby team, formed in London's Kings Cross in 1995. Now there are 60 gay rugby clubs worldwide. The doco focuses upon different personalities:  Drew, who doubles as a drag queen, Simon who reflects upon the agony of coming out, his endless depression and how rugby saved him, and the team's gay female coach, Nic, fighting misogyny in a "man's world". Uplifting, life-affirming and very entertaining, this is nevertheless a film with a vitally important message of self-acceptance, and the need for ongoing battle in the sporting arena (all arenas in fact) to wipe out gender discrimination. 
3.5 - well recommended

Scandinavian Film Festival
Melbourne July 8th - 28th
Palace cinemas
For other states, bookings, film synopses visit www.scandinavianfilmfestival.com

Often I discover a sensibility in Scandinavian films that I don't find in many mainstream western films. I find a subtlety and strong sense of realism that I really relate to. This year, with 10 films from women directors, the festival will be even more powerful. No point outlining what the website will tell you, but here's my take on a couple I've been lucky enough to preview so far. Note: The closing night film will be the epic (191 minutes) 1971 film The Emigrants, which was nominated for, and won, many awards. 

© Scandi FF 
Beware of Children: This multi-award-winning Norwegian drama deals with the aftermath of a tragic event which takes place in a school. Was it accidental? Was it deliberate? With the kids involved being so young, the situation is fraught, and the tentacle-like, flow-on effect through the families, the school and the town is devastating. The many ambiguous moral issues raised will get you thinking; shades of grey are ever present. Brilliantly acted, intelligently scripted and gripping throughout, this film will totally reward your 2hr 37 min viewing time. (Notably the film has won a top international jury prize, as well as countless Norwegian awards.)

© Scandi FF 
Agnes Joy: This Icelandic drama is the story of a troubled family: Rannveig is suffering mid-life work and marriage burnout, and clashing with her 19-year-old adopted daughter Agnes. When well known actor Hreinn turns up as their neighbour, the family will face yet more turmoil. Again, the fine level of totally credible scripting and strong acting makes this a film so many will relate to, from the rebellious teen, through to those going through their own mid-life crisis (not to mention a spotlight on sleazy, exploitative men).  

Iranian Film Festival
Melbourne July 8th - 15th
Exclusive to Cinema Nova
Online in other states until 30th July
For all info, bookings, film synopses visit www.iffa.net.au

With the ever-changing locations of outbreaks of Covid, and associated lockdowns, the scheduling of festivals must be a nightmare for organisers. Lucky for Melburnians (so far!) this time they are the recipients of this festival on the big screen. Other states will be able to watch online. (Well, that's the story as of today.) Ranging from narrative features, to docos showcasing the culture and music of southern Iran, there is a fine range of films from which to choose, and as always, seeing films about such divergent cultures from our own, is always a great eye-opener. Not to mention, Iran has a proud history of award-winning revered directors and films. I've just previewed three totally diverse, mind-broadening and mind-blowing films!

© IFF  
Wasteland: With some major awards to its name, this beautifully crafted black and white film is set in a brickworks somewhere in the godforsaken wilderness of the Iranian desert. Different ethnic groups work here and conflict is ever-present. When the boss announces that the factory will close down, it is hardest on Lotfollah, who was born into the job 40 years ago, and knows no other life. He loves Sarvar, who carries deep secrets, but everyone has their own issues. This is reminiscent of classic Euro-films from the 50s, with its careful attention to minute detail, and its slow-burn revelation of where the truth lies. A real treat for lovers of art-house film. 

© IFF 
TiTi: Ibrahim, a professor on the verge of a ground-breaking discovery, falls ill in hospital and his important papers disappear. TiTi is a young woman, raised by Iranian gypsies, who cleans in the hospital, as well as earns money by being a surrogate mother. She rescues the papers, and when she finally meets the physicist, their lives are irrevocably changed. So many issues are at stake here - the treatment of women in Iranian society, personal sacrifice vs self-centred pursuits, surrogacy, mental stability and more. Beautifully shot, with stunning central performances, this is a strong narrative to be relished. 
 
© IFF 
Careless Crime: This remarkable film, which has seriously done my head in, uses a past crime as its inspirational heart. 40 years ago, as protesters attempted to overthrow the Shah's regime, four men set fire to a cinema, killing hundreds. Now in 2020, another four decide to perpetrate the same crime, as people in the cinema are watching a movie about an unexploded missile and some girls camping nearby, who also happen to be watching a film about the cinema fire! Time folds upon itself, certain scenes and dialogues repeat on a strange time loop, and people with a passion for film are everywhere. For folks with a solid background in Iranian history and cinema, there will be much to be gleaned from this unusual film. Despite it being challenging to get one's head around, it is strangely compelling. 

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Until 31 July online
21-31 July select films in cinemas

I began my reviews for this festival last week, and this week have added a most timely documentary, about the history of Chinese unionism in Melbourne, but also with resonance for the parlous treatment of immigrants ongoing in Australia today. Plus a doco that will not be for the squeamish among you. 

 © MDFF 
Doing Nothing and Doing It Well: In its very short runtime, this doco packs so much information about early Chinese immigration to Melbourne, and the horrendously racist attitudes of white colonialists to anyone non-white, especially Chinese and Indigenous people. The filmmaker is a descendant of a Chinese cabinet-maker who came to the city in the mid-1800s. Using newspaper clippings, old photos, a voice-over (in Cantonese) of the long-dead ancestor, and his own insights, he paints a most unsettling picture. He examines the early militant unionism of the Chinese artisans, and how their strikes actually changed labour laws. More than that, his film reminds us of the battle still being fought for humanity and compassion towards people who come to this land in search of better lives, and the ongoing need to reconcile with our First Nations people.
 

 © MDFF 

Wanting to Fly: You may have seen pictures of Indian fakirs pulling carts along by means of hooks piercing the flesh of their back. Well, human suspension, whereby people feel the need to put huge hooks through their flesh and then have themselves hoisted up and suspended in the air, is actually a thing! And this doco (thankfully short!) explores it, interviewing several people who, as they explain it,  get psychological benefit from this practice. Neil, suspending for the first time, is front and centre. As well as devotees of the practice, we hear from a  psychologist who examines theories as to why, and the director concludes that we all could do well to better understand other humans, and why they do the things they do. All in all, I found it compellingly fascinating, but somewhat hard to grasp. 
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Thursday, 1 July 2021

July 2nd

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Herself
Perfumes
Cruella
Little Joe

For lovers of documentaries, the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival should be the highlight this week. Mind you, finally catching up with Cruella really gave me a buzz. Three other very diverse films, one Irish, one semi sci-fi and one French comedy, are in the mix this week. 
  
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
1-31 July online
21-31 July select films in cinemas

MDFF is now in its sixth year, and is the leading showcase for documentary film-making, with films that are local, as well as others sourced from many of the leading doco festivals throughout the world. Many of the films will be exclusively available online with a variety of ticketing packages to choose from. Later in the festival, selected films will be on the big screen at Cinema Nova. Among them are fascinating docos on the Beatles in India, Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lecter, the resurgence of vinyl records, cryptocurrency and heaps more fascinating subjects. As always I've previewed several, and hope to add a few more over the next weeks. This selection of reviews focuses mainly upon environmental films critical to our understanding the danger our ecosystems are in. 
  
© MDFF
Australia Burns . . . Silence of the Land: This is a disturbing overview of the horrific bushfire season of 2019-2020, with focus upon the NSW fires and their devastating affects upon the environment, people's lives, and the local wildlife. The film examines not only the nightmarish experiences of the firefighters and locals, but also the role climate change has played in creating this havoc. Many people speak compellingly in support of the critical importance of our unique wildlife, and why something must be done on a governmental level to protect our country better. This is an excellently made doco, and all climate change deniers should see it. 

© Potential - MDFF 
Wild Things: This doco traces a year on the front line of environmental activism in Australia. Among other campaigns, it focuses on the fight to oppose logging and save the Tarkine wilderness in Tasmania, the efforts to stop Adani from building a coalmine in Queensland, and the school strikes aimed at getting government to take action against climate change. The film features excellent archival footage that retraces Bob Brown's successful opposition to the damming of the Franklin River, combined with profiles of those dedicated people who today are putting their freedom on the line to oppose Adani and Tassie loggers. I hope this film will not just preach to the converted, but be seen by skeptics who need a wake-up call.

©  MDFF 
Cry of the Forests: Yet another hugely important and disturbing film, looking at the magnificent forests of in the south of Western Australia, where the old growth jarrah and karri trees are being demolished for wood chips, firewood and charcoal. We meet traditional owners, farmers, and other activists all trying desperately to stop this senseless destruction, which of course only contributes to global warming and environmental degradation. The visual contrast of the magnificent forests and the post-logging destruction may well bring you to tears.

© MDFF 
Finding Creativity: The film-maker interviews four people about what it is that inspires their creativity: the chef at Melbourne Turkish restaurant Tulim, a successful glass artist, a young singer songwriter, and a social entrepreneur. All talk in depth about their art, especially the work required beyond the light-bulb moments. Creativity researcher Dr Tim Patston adds his viewpoint that creativity is not innate but can be taught and learned. Despite the talking heads, much of the  film itself is beautifully creative with some splendid cinematography, showing well known parts of Melbourne from a new angle.  

Herself
Dir: Phyllida Lloyd
Length: 97 mins
© Madman - domestic violence and rebuilding
a life in the spotlight
Sandra (Claire Dunne) is the mother of two small children, and the wife of an abusive man Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson). When she manages to escape the marriage she finds herself at the mercy of the Irish public housing system, until she gets the idea to self-build a small house, with the help of a compassionate builder, Aido (Conleth Hill) and a crew of willing volunteers. Could this be the answer to rebuilding her life? Among its sometimes predictable feel-good moments, this modest but moving film tackles a most prescient topic - that of domestic violence and its horrendous effect upon women and children, and how "the system" so often stands in the way, along with courts which compound the trauma of custody disputes. Dunne and Anderson really make the conflict feel real, while the little girls playing the daughters are pitch perfect. Veteran actor Harriet Walter shines as no-nonsense Peggy who is instrumental in extending a helping hand to Sandra, while the character of Aido is the perfect gruff guy with a heart of gold.
4 - highly recommended 

Perfumes
Dir: Gregory Magne
Length: 100 mins
Releasing in Sydney July 29th
© Arcadia - what happens when
"the nose" loses it?
Anne Walberg (Emmanuelle Devos) was once a leading creator of top-shelf French perfumes, but after suffering a temporary loss of her sense of smell, her reputation is damaged. Now she does more prosaic jobs like masking factory odours. Furthermore, she is troublesome, haughty, and lacks people skills. Chauffeur Guillaume Favre (Gregory Montel) is desperate for work, a requisite for custody of his daughter. When he is allotted to Anne, an unlikely friendship is formed, one that may solve both their problems. This is a delightful film on many levels. The platonic chemistry between Anne and Guillaume follows an engagingly unexpected arc, while the scenes featuring the process of creating perfumes lends the film a fascinating technical frisson.
3.5 - well recommended 

Cruella
Dir: Craig Gillespie
Length: 134 mins
© Disney - fun and fine acting
by the bucketload
Those familiar with the 1961 animation 101 Dalmatians know the leading bad lady, fashion obsessed Cruella de Vil, who kidnaps dozens of the spotted pups, hoping to turn them into a coat. So this "prequel" looks at what turned the once wilful, but sweet, Estella (Emma Stone), into what she is today. After the tragic death of her mother, orphaned Estella lands up with a pair of warm-hearted Dickensian type crims Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser), running scams. But her obsession with fashion leads her to land a job at the house of The Baroness (Emma Thompson), an overbearing, autocratic, thoroughly obnoxious woman. When Estella discovers some shocking truths from the past, she brings the Cruella side of her personality to the fore, making it her mission to destroy The Baroness. This is fun with a capital F! Stylish, witty, fabulously designed, with stunning fashions from go to whoa. But the absolute drawcard is the two Emmas who give mesmerising performances, and the scenes of them together are nothing less than brilliant. Though a trifle long, this is a film to delight everyone.      
4 - highly recommended 

Little Joe
Dir: Jessica Hausner
Length: 105 mins
© Rialto - not the pretty things they seem!
Alice (Emily Beecham) and her team of botanical scientists have genetically engineered a plant which has the ability to make its owner happy. But when she gives one to her teenage son Joe (Kit Connor), she starts to notice odd changes in the lad. Soon, other scientists at the lab who have inhaled the pollen begin to display personality changes. This film starts off with great promise in its opening scenes, grabbing attention with its intense color palette, and the creepy percussive music generating an increasingly ominous feeling. Unfortunately for me it never lives up to its start, although the plot premise is rich with possibility. Interestingly it has won a best actress for Beecham at prestigious Cannes, plus a host of other awards. It seems viewers and critics who love their sci-fi to be mannered and off-kilter have also perceived social commentary in the idea of the fast-fix for happiness, along with the hazards of genetic tampering. Maybe I've missed something, but I experienced the film as stiltedly theatrical, lacking punch, and despite a terrific perf from the young lead, along with a great visual styling, it ultimately left me unconvinced.  
2.5 - maybe






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