August 12th
The Ice Road - showing where no lockdown - coming to other cinemas upon end of lockdowns
Naomi Osaka - Netflix
Simone Biles Story - Courage to Soar - Netflix
Fantastic Fungi - Netflix
MIFF - going 100% online
Indian Film Festival - slightly delayed - going online - register now
Life is rapidly turning into an apocalyptic sci-fi film. But we are stuck with what is happening, so movie lovers, make the most of it. I've gone post-Olympics nutty, and include a couple of worthwhile shows on two amazing athletes. Plus one of my top docos from last year has also turned up so I rerun my review from Jan 2020. But wait . . . there's more. Ongoing MIFF reviews are here (the entire festival in now online) , plus a heads-up for the forthcoming Indian Film Festival. an extra edition will come in a few days giving you some ideas for this one.
Length: 109 mins
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I0g2YyLJ3E  |
| © Rialto - here's the Liam we know and love |
In a remote wilderness area in northern Canada, a diamond mine collapses after a methane explosion. Three drivers in massive trucks are employed to bring in mine heads to save the buried miners before oxygen runs out. The trouble is they have to navigate a frozen road that is starting to thaw. The drivers are Mike McKann (Liam Neeson) who has to bring along his PTSD ex-veteran brother Gurty (Marcus Thomas), tough First Nations chick Tatoo (Amber Midthunder), and Jim Goldenrod (Laurence Fishburne), an old hand at driving ice roads. The mysterious presence of the insurance agent becomes gradually clear. Well, at times I could actually predict the dialogue, and I certainly know the template of this type of plot. But, it actually does what it sets out to do and delivers in spades. There is high tension and nail-biting moments, non-stop action, predictable events and things that you know simply couldn't happen, but with Liam Neeson heading it all up in his inimitable tough guy reliable way, hey, what's not to enjoy! The acting by Midthunder and Thomas is actually pretty good too, and there is even the takeout of corporations behaving badly (what a surprise!) This is the sort of film many critics love to sink the boots into, but for me this was just the sort of distraction and fun film I needed in today's fraught times. (and what a showcase for Kenworth trucks!) 3.5 - well recommended
Naomi Osaka
Dir: Garrett Bradley
Length: 3 x 45 mins
Streaming on Netflix
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZRls7B7uzY  |
| © Netflix - a winning and insightful doco |
No, you don't need to be a tennis tragic to get a heap out of this wonderful 3-part doco series on an incredible young woman, Naomi Osaka. This is an in-depth portrait of what it means to be a top athlete, with all the physical and psychological stresses, but it is also a delightfully intimate look at Naomi the person. Surprisingly she comes across as a regular gal, only more driven and self-analytical than most of us. Of late her star is moving into other areas, particularly fashion, in both modelling and designing clothes that combine modern influences with her Japanese heritage. Wonderful and inspirational viewing.4 - wholeheartedly recommended
The Simone Biles Story: The Courage to Soar
Dir: Vanessa Parise
Length: 86 mins
Streaming on Netflix
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzG_IMh7lgE  |
© Netflix - being a gymnast
takes grit and determination |
While I'm wallowing in post-Olympics awe, let's look at another athlete, this time the subject of a feature film. Jeante Godlock plays the role of the world's number one gymnast. Simone's story is told in standard biopic fashion, from her poor childhood, her time in a foster home, and her then stable upbringing by her grandparents who adopted her and encouraged her career every inch of the way. The gruelling training program for an gymnast is well depicted, the arc of Simone's career inspiring, making the film both uplifting and well worth watching.3.5 - well recommended
Fantastic Fungi
Dir: Louis Schwartzberg
Length: 82 mins
Streaming on Netflix
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzG_IMh7lgE
 |
© Reconsider - a doco to change your view of
fungi and the world! |
Who'd have ever thought a
film about mushrooms could be so engaging? Well, it's actually about much more
than mushrooms per se. I've learnt that Fungi is an entire kingdom in
the world of living things, and that this kingdom contains 1.5 million species,
six times more than the plant kingdom. Fungi are the oldest living organisms,
and what we learn from this film about their interconnection with all life on
earth is mind-blowing. Mycelium (of which mushrooms are the fruit) are of
course critical to death and decomposition, in turn giving rise to new life. In
the medical field, their possibilities remain still largely under-utilised and
the film examines this too, (think magic mushrooms and more) along with ways of
using fungi to help clear up pollution and save the bees. With important
insights from leading mycologists (mushroom experts) and mycophiles (mushroom
lovers), along with the most beautiful time-lapse cinematography, this film is
an eye-opening education, that both entertains and changes one's view of how we
can, in fact should, relate to our natural world.4 - highly recommended
Melbourne International Film Festival
5-22 August ONLINE
MIFF alert!!! Again, and heartbreakingly so for the organisers, MIFF is forced to go 100% online, cancelling all cinema screenings. But the good news is that 30 new films have been added, so head to the website (note change of address) to read all about it and get yourself some top-notch films streamed straight to your home!
Many are already available with more coming over the next week or so. I've added a couple more to my reviews from the last two weeks. (I already reviewed six that you can catch as we speak - check the last three weeks' blogs):
Aurora
Azor
Come Back Anytime
The Girl and the Spider
Pebbles
Souad
A couple more for you this week:
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.
The Inheritance: Director Ephraim Asili has crafted a tribute to black revolutionary politics in this bold and imaginative film, which is a mix of history and fiction. When a young man inherits his grandma's home, he invites his girlfriend to live in, and soon the place becomes a sort of collective where the members read literature, poetry and historical texts all relating to Black liberation. They also negotiate the nitty-gritty of share-house living! There is a dense tapestry of ideas and history here, and while some of it is done with readings, other scenes involve archival footage, with a focus upon a ghastly incident in 1985 in which the police bombed the house of a revolutionary group MOVE. While not an easy watch, it becomes progressively rewarding, and is enhanced by brilliant performances, and a colorful set that makes serious issues feel a little lighter. It's a must for students of Afro-American issues.
Indian Film Festival
August 15th - 30th - stay tuned
Another in-cinema casualty of the Covid crisis, but never despair - great films are heading your way online in a few days time.
Register now to start making your wishlist:
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