May 6th
The Drover's Wife
C'mon C'mon (streaming on Amazon Prime)
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives (Streaming on Netflix)
Now we are settling into a regular flow of new releases and endless offerings are always available for streaming. This week's four films are all most worthy of a watch, whether you are venturing into cinemas or slothing out on the couch.
The Drover's Wife (The Legend of Molly Johnson)
Dir: Leah Purcell
Length: 109 mins
 |
© Roadshow - wouldn't have wanted to be
a woman back in those days! |
Molly Johnson (Leah Purcell) lives in a decrepit shack in the remote Snowy Mountains with her four children. Her husband Joe is away droving. Sergeant Klintoff (Sam Reid) and his wife Louisa (Jessica de Gouw) stumble into her yard, weary, and requesting food. He is on his way to be the face of the law in the newly developing town of Everton. Molly later discovers an indigenous man Yadaka (Rob Collins) outside her home. The law is after him for murder. He will change her life. This is certainly not the Henry Lawson short story by the same name, though no doubt loosely inspired by it. This is Leah Purcell's vision of life for a woman, back in the days when men were rough, Indigenous people were brutalised and life was cheap. Winning the Grand Jury prize at the recent Asia Pacific Screen Awards, this is a masterful piece of film-making that weaves themes that are still resonant today - treatment of Indigenous people and violence against women - into a sort of Aussie outback western with a resilient fierce mother at its centre. Cinematography captures the harshness and beauty of the Aussie landscape and performances are all pitch perfect. Youngster Malachi Dower Robers as Danny, Molly's oldest son, is a revelation. There is so much brutality, compassion, love and raw beauty in the story, it will haunt me for a long time to come. (Purcell has written, produced, directed and starred in the film - wow!)4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
Petite Maman
Dir: Celine Sciamma
Length: 73 mins
 |
© Madman - exquisite, moving,
imaginative - superb film-making. |
The beloved grandma of eight-year-old Nelly (Josephine Sanz) has just died. Nelly goes with her parents to her mother's childhood home in the woods to clear out Grandma's things. Nelly's mother (Nina Meurisse) departs abruptly without saying goodbye to her or to Nelly's father (Stephane Varupenne). Then, playing in the woods one day Nelly meets another little girl, Marion (Gabrielle Sanz), the same age and extraordinarily similar in appearance (twins play the roles). Nelly tells Marion a secret that is in many ways the linchpin of the film. What is true and what is in the realms of fantasy, time displacement or merely wishful thinking? It really doesn't matter; interpret it as you will - what matters is that the two small actresses give the most heartfelt, exquisitely touching performances, straddling childhood exuberance and near-adult perception. The story explores grief, loss, mother/daughter bonds, friendship and more - in fact most of the important aspects of life. I think the film warrants repeat viewings to grasp the depth and subtlety of its vast content, beautifully contained in a short runtime that constantly sends chills down your spine with its insight, sadness, beauty and imagination.4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
C'mon, C'mon
Dir: Mike Mills
Length: 109 mins
Streaming on Amazon Prime
 |
© Netflix - two brilliant performances - one
very engaging story |
Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) is a radio journalist who travels across America interviewing youngsters about how they see their future. When his sister Viv (Gaby Hoffman) must spend time supporting her mentally unstable husband, she asks her brother to mind her young son Jesse (Woody Norman) for a while. Johnny takes Jesse with him as he heads to New York and New Orleans for work. Phoenix taps into the truthfulness of Johnny's situation - a man unused to little kids who somehow eases into the parental role, at the same time giving rein to his own inner child. The backstory of a rift between Viv and her brother is delicately handled, and the overall outcome of this film is one of positivity and reaffirmation of the life-changing power of special child-adult relationships. Shot in black and white, this is also a spectacular film to wallow in visually; the crispness of the shots makes everything somehow more immediate and worthy of one's attention. Young Norman playing Jesse is a force to be reckoned with and an actor to watch out for as he matures.4 - highly recommended
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Dir: Chris Perkel
Length: 123 mins
Streaming on Netflix
 |
| © Netflix - |
Clive Davis was a luminary (and still is) within the record industry. The doco traces his journey, from lawyer through to head honcho of many record companies including Columbia and A&R. He was responsible for signing copious iconic names including Janis Joplin, Earth Wind and Fire, Santana, and, his favorite, Whitney Houston. As you'd expect, the doco features all the ins and outs and machinations of the industry, but front and centre is the music and the artists, all of whom seem to have great love and respect for Clive. Whitney's tragic arc is also a focus of the film, and while the narrative is predictably traditional, the story is inspiring, the soundtrack fantastic, and it's the sort of thing music lovers will really enjoy. 3.5 - well recommended
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