August 5th
The Rosemaker
Fanny Lye Deliver'd
Shiva Baby
MIFF opens - more reviews!
SCinema - attention teachers, students and science lovers - a FREE festival
I nervously present you with these films, seeing on my news feed that yet again Covid cases are breaking out in Victoria, and we never know from one moment to the next what is going to happen. Anyway, as I always say, there is plenty to be accessed online, and anything that gets postponed in the cinemas can be put on your "to see" list when life settles down. All in all, there is so much exceptionally great stuff to watch, we should (in theory) never get bored - so many films, so little time!
Dir: Pierre Pinaud
Length: 95mins
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as5dDkh6k1U  |
| © Madman - how a new rose breed is "born" |
Eve Vernet (Catherine Frot) has run her family rose business since the death of her father. Once a respected rose breeder, she is now steadily going down the financial gurgler, and is contemplating selling out. To boot, she lacks enough staff to run the business, until her secretary hires three no-hopers, with no knowledge of horticulture, from a back-to-work program. This film reminds me of the recent Perfumes, with the central ideas of how a fragrance is "born" and here how a new rose breed is "born'. It is a lightweight and sweet film, sometimes a bit too simplified in its plotting, but for lovers of roses, French scenery, and feel-good films, it is a sure-fire winner. And of course Frot is always a delight to watch. 3 - recommended
Fanny Lye Deliver'd
Dir: Thomas Clay
Length: 112 mins
Exclusive to Cinema Nova
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3daLm5a1Pec
 |
| © Life in the bad old days |
Fanny Lye (Maxine Peake) lives in a farmhouse in rural England in the 1600s, with her husband John (Charles Dance) and young son Arthur. When Thomas (Freddie Fox) and Rebecca (Tanya Reynolds) turn up unexpectedly, naked, and pursued by the law, the conservative, Puritan lives of Fanny and John are turned upside down. It's not in a viewer's interest for me to reveal too much about this intense and unusual film (which has won several awards). It is a fascinating look at a time when oppression of women ruled (hmm, doesn't it still?), and the radical changes brought about by the appearance of the strangers brings perhaps a modicum of hope for change. With an impressive blend of musical score, fine cinematography, an unusual and engaging plot, plus several shockingly violent moments, this is a challenging but memorable film with outstanding performances by all.4 - highly recommended
Shiva Baby
Dir: Emma Seligman
Length: 77 mins
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uT1M9WfqYA  |
| © Kismet - what an awkward situation! |
Danielle (Rachel Sennott) is part of a tight-knit Jewish community. When she
attends a shiva (a Jewish get-together for mourning) with her family, she runs
into Max (Danny Deferrari), her sugar daddy, an older married man with whom she has been having sex, in exchange
for money. He's there with his elegant wife and screeching child. There is something so strong about this film, in the way it
encapsulates uncomfortability for all concerned - Max, Danielle, nagging
parents and prying, judgmental friends . . . There is also something very stereotyped about its portrayal of a defined segment of society, always pushy, always prying, which makes some of the characters very aggravating! Danielle is constantly surly and socially inept, so she's not a likable character, but depending upon your sense of humour, you will
either greatly enjoy, or be heavily annoyed by this black comedy. (The latter was me!) The film has won copious awards. 3 - recommended
Melbourne International Film Festival
5-22 August - streaming
13-22 August- in cinemas
MIFF alert!!! The streaming vs online programming has been quite flipped, thanks to the ongoing dramas from Covid. I suggest you read all about it at the MIFF website, to keep abreast of latest developments and rescheduled programming.
Note too that if you want the big screen, but also the super-safety of your own car, a number of films will be screening at the Coburg Drive-in: https://miff.com.au/drive-in I recommended several films to you last week, and have a couple more for you this week, both featuring young women grappling with their lives. Both are well worth catching.
Aurora:
From Costa Rica comes this moving story of Giuliana, who finds herself pregnant at age 17. Helped by 40-year-old Luisa, a teacher at her brother's school, she grapples with the decisions she must make. The film is subtle, understated, and is a gentle examination of a friendship between two unlikely women, in a conservative society that makes women feel reluctant to confide their problems even to their own mothers. A powerfully acted and moving narrative. Souad:
Souad is the story of an Egyptian teenager, torn between her repressive home life in a Muslim family, and her life on social media. She constantly pretends things are something other than reality, especially with her older so-called boyfriend Ahmed who lives in Alexandria. When things are dramatically derailed, Souad's younger sister Rabab heads off to Alexandria to find the truth. This is an intriguing look at typical life for a young Muslim girl, but it is also a salutary commentary upon the negative effects of social media upon young people's lives. Beautifully shot and acted, this is definitely a slow-burn film to catch.
SCinema
Here's something to pique the interest of teachers, students and any lovers of science-based films. All you need to do is register, and then you'll get access to wonderful science-based films for FREE!
In their own words: SCINEMA is an international science film festival providing a platform for filmmakers, professional, amateur and student, to showcase their science films, from dramas to documentaries, animations or epic natural history.
Established in 2000, SCINEMA attracts hundreds of entries from across the world, including some of the world’s most respected science factual producers and directors.
Each year, thousands of film lovers across Australia get to see science differently through our Community Festival screenings.
SCINEMA is presented by The Royal Institution of Australia.
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