Friday 13 May 2022

 May 14th

Everything Everywhere All At Once
Little Tornadoes
Bigger Than Us

Three strong films - all totally different.  Action combined with intellectual stimulation, relationship and migrant stories and a doco on young people changing the world. Something for everyone. 

Everything Everywhere All At Once
Dir: Daniel Scheinert, Dan Kwan
© Roadshow - want to blow your mind?
Chinese-American immigrant Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) and her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) lead an uninspiring life running a laundromat. They live with daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) and grandpa Gong Gong (James Hong). When called into the tax office for an audit, they must wrangle with Deidre (Jamie Lee Curtis), but during that meeting Evelyn experiences for the first time the possibility of other universes and versions of herself that could have been, had she chosen different paths in life. She must learn to jump from one universe to another and hone her skills in a battle to stop Alpha Joy (an alternate version of her daughter) from destroying everything via her giant black hole bagel. If ever a film could do your head in while delivering the most extraordinary ideas blended with all manner of warp-speed action, it's this one. Every viewer can possibly make their own interpretation, and glean their own delights from this amazing film. Martial arts action is delivered in spades, as is the philosophy of "sliding doors" - different versions of how your life might have been. The mother/daughter relationship and issues of familial acceptance also underlie the plot, along with concepts of nihilism vs simply embracing life. As a showcase for editing it's a total winner, with mind-blowing visuals. Yeoh is fabulous, blending her various personae, while Curtis has never been so funny and impressive as the threatening taxation officer. If you want sheer entertainment plus deep philosophical stimulation, don't miss this crazy ride of a film.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Little Tornadoes
Dir: Aaron Wilson
Length: 90 mins
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asqut30qZFA
© Fanforce - wonderful Aussie drama
A rural town in Australia in 1971: Leo (Mark Leonard Winter) has been abandoned by his wife and left to juggle his factory work with caring for his two small children. Tony, (Fabio Motta) his co-worker, recently arrived from Italy, suggests his sister Maria (Silvia Colloca) could be employed as a home help with cooking and childcare. Meantime Leo tries desperately to connect with his dad (Robert Menzies), a war veteran suffering PTSD and unable to connect with the world. Shot in Tocumwal, the film perfectly captures the era visually. It also nails the Zeitgeist - a time where men found it hard to speak of their feelings and where anyone not Aussie was given a hard time. There is so much pain and loss in this film, moments of joy too, and all is handled in a beautifully understated manner. Author Christos Tsiolkas (one of my faves) is the co-writer and his experience of coming from a migrant background informs the authenticity of the script. The voice-over is captivating, as Maria speaks both English and Italian to narrate her poetic impressions of her new homeland. A beautiful story, exceptionally well told.
4 - highly recommended

Bigger Than Us
Dir: Flore Vasseur
© Kismet - inspiring young people 
going in to bat for causes worldwide
At only 12 years old Melati Wijsen decided to campaign to abolish plastic on her home island of Bali. Now at age 18 she is meeting other dedicated campaigners from around the world, and this film showcases seven young campaigners who fight for what they believe in. One that really stands out for me is a young woman working for women's rights in Malawi, where so many girls are denied an education because they are forced to marry too young. The film is a salutary lesson for apathetic folk who seem to be leaving it up to the youngsters to "fix the world", but unfortunately those people seldom see films of this nature. For those already on board with this type of activism, the film is inspiring and uplifting, and gives renewed hope that just maybe the youth of today can fix the problems the adults have bequeathed them.
3.5 - well recommended



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