February 23rd 2023
Aftersun
Cocaine Bear
Lonesome
Knowing the Score
Georgetown (streaming on Netflix)
This weeks brings a hugely varied grab-bag of films, from mainstream bear-on-the-rampage lunacy, to a doco on being a conductor, to gay romance, to a sublime father/daughter relationship story. And for the stay-at-homes, another good Netflix offering.
Aftersun
Dir: Charlotte Wells
Length: 102 mins
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© Kismet - so understated and so beautiful -
a father daughter story to impress |
So subtle and delicate, this tiny slice of real life is a remarkable film that is so much more than it appears on the surface. Calum (Paul Mescal) is separated from the mother of his 11-year-old daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio). The father and daughter go on a holiday to a modest resort on Turkey, just to hang out, make some memories and bond together. Not a lot happens, but it is all about what we don't explicitly see. Sophie, somewhere between childhood and teen years, loves her father but is also vaguely aware that something is amiss; he is not a happy man. We never really know why; maybe because of the separation, the lack of his daughter in his daily life, or just deep depression. The unusually naturalistic performances from the two leads make you feel as if you are intruding upon real lives - tiny gestures, rapport, love, fun, and occasional moments of conflict shared by father and daughter. Several "flash forwards" to Sophie's adult years, seemingly infused with a deep sadness, add to the poignancy, and the overall feeling we may have that our childhood memories are not always what we thought, nor are our parents really the people we remember them as. Effective use is made of a handheld camcorder to document the memories, setting in stone one perceived version of our past. 4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
Cocaine Bear
Dir: Elizabeth Banks
Length: 95 mins
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© Universal - not so cuddly! Bears, drugs
and lots of humans are a recipe for trouble. |
Bears can be threatening enough at the best of times, but a bear that's just consumed several blocks of cocaine? You may scoff, but this is inspired (loosely) by the true story of a huge black bear found dead in 1985 in a forest in Georgia, with its system stuffed to the gills with cocaine. The film version opens with a drug smuggler tossing blocks of cocaine out of a light aircraft then parachuting out himself, a duffel bag loaded with coke strapped to his body. But his chute fails to open and the duffel bag is found by the huge lumbering bear, who takes a major liking to the white substance. Let the drug-fuelled rampage begin. The forest is also hosting wandering European hikers, young kids heading to a waterfall, and park rangers. All in all, a bad combination. When some grisly deaths are called in to the police, a motley crew of more people join the mayhem, including law enforcement officers and drug dealers trying to retrieve the duffel bag. Add to the mix a gang of young hooligans hellbent on causing trouble. Touted as a comedy/thriller, it works really well as a black comedy, with witty lines, sly asides, zany characters, and a lot of hilarious (albeit super gory!) goings on with the bear, not to mention with the ambulance that comes to the rescue. Great (and sad) to see Ray Liotta, in his last role, as the head drug dealer. In fact the whole cast is terrific and it's one of those really classic cinema experiences that will have you gasping with fright one moment and laughing uproariously the next.3.5 - well recommended
Lonesome
Dir: Craig Boreham
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© Umbrella - broody, at times disturbing, highly
explicit - loneliness meets hope |
Casey (Josh Lavery) is fleeing a small town scandal where he had an affair with a married man. Homeless and alone in Sydney he hooks up with Tib (Daniel Gabriel), and together the two do some odd jobs together and form a relationship. But nothing is smooth sailing, and the two men are slow to recognise that their bond may be something more than just lust-based. This film has just taken out the AACTA award for best independent film. It is beautifully shot, and relentlessly evocative of the loneliness Casey must endure as he navigates the tough world of being gay and homeless in Sydney. The two leads have brilliant chemistry together, and their relationship feels very real. However, it will not be to everyone's taste as the very explicit sex scenes, including a rather sordid S&M dungeon, may be shocking for some viewers. A fine film, a definite no-no for prudish audiences, probably highly recommended for more broad-minded viewers
Knowing the Score
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© Sharmill - a woman at the top
of her game |
Hot on the heels of Cate Blanchett's incredible performance in Tar, comes another film about an orchestra conductor, also a woman. This one is a documentary, and for my taste more accessible than Tar. We learn about the career of renowned conductor Simone Young, who rose up through the ranks at a time when there were no female conductors of orchestra. Simone got gigs at world-renowned opera houses and orchestras throughout Europe, before heading back to Australia. Here it has been an uphill battle in a world that couldn't seem to cope with a female conductor. As we speak, finally she is now head conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Interviews with Simone are eye-opening and frank and her lack of ego is endearing; others who talk about her add their accolades. Simone explains very clearly what it means to be a conductor, in a technical sense and to her personally. The selection of music is wonderful, as are the sneak peeks into famous concert halls of the world. All in all this is a memorable doco about a very grounded woman, doing what she loves, balancing work and family, and making it to the top. 4 - highly recommended
Georgetown
Dir: C. Waltz
Length: 99 mins
Streaming on Netflix
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© Paramount/Netflix - sleazy, smarmy, charming
- just what's needed to be a con artist |
Ulrich Mott (Christoph Waltz) has just been fired from an internship in Washington politics. Stealing an ID card, he insinuates himself into an important dinner, starts making connections, and then big-noting himself as a mover and shaker with access to all sorts of powerful people. Basically he is a conman and his biggest con is to woo and marry journalist Elsa Brecht (Vanessa Redgrave), a massive 44 years his senior. She is (initially) his biggest fan, encouraging him in all sorts of opaque schemes. Her daughter Amanda (Annette Bening) is not so sure, seeing through the slippery Mott. Waltz is perfect for this sort of role; his smarm and charm is cringeworthy if sometimes over the top. Washington social climbing and power broking is well satirised, and even though Mott's schemes are at times incomprehensible, we go along for the ride. Redgrave and Bening are terrific in their respective roles. Critics have been mixed on this one, but I had a lot of fun with it, even more so knowing it's actually based upon a real-life character Albrecht Muth (look him up!). 3.5 - well recommended
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