March 11th 2023
Till
To Leslie
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Alliance Francaise French Film Festival - two more reviews
More excellent films are released this week, with another two recommendations from the ongoing French Film Festival.
Till
Dir: Chinonye Chukwu
 |
© Universal - hatred and racism in America's south
in the 1950s |
Fiercely loving mother Mamie (Danielle Deadwyler) reluctantly sees off her only child Emmett (Jalyn Hall) to have a holiday with his cousins in Mississippi in 1955. Trouble is, Emmett has grown up in Chicago and knows nothing of how colored people are expected to behave in the deep south. The fourteen-year-old boy behaves inappropriately towards a white woman, and is brutally beaten and lynched by hate-filled racist locals. The true story of Till focuses not only upon the murder, but also Mamie's bravery in going to court to testify, hoping to get a conviction for the white murderers. (Mamie later became heavily involved in the Civil Rights movement in America.) This film concentrates, however, upon loss, grief and courage, seeing the story through the powerful lens of a mother's love and what she is prepared to do to fight for justice for her child. Deadwyler's performance is so impressive it almost steals the entire film, while her many awards prove it's a travesty that she's not up for an Oscar nomination this year. There is so much grief and emotion in this film, that too is overwhelming. Period recreation is excellent, accompanying sountrack evocative, the cast universally strong, but at times the style seems a little self-conscious and laboured with the extreme close-ups, especially of the murdered child. However, the subject matter remains ever relevant, and the film is yet another fine addition to the history of the fight for racial equality. 3.5 - well recommended
To Leslie
Dir: Michael Morris
Length: 119 mins
 |
© Kismet - how to squander a large sum - addiction
and the possiblity of redemption |
Based on a true story, the film follows Leslie (Andrea Riseborough), a West Texas single mum, who wins the lottery. But within six years she has squandered it all on booze and drugs, and is now virtually homeless. Reconnecting with her estranged, now adult son James (Owen Teague), she is offered a place to live on the condition she doesn't drink, but she both drinks and steals. So she is shunted along to an old friend Nancy (Alison Janney) who also gets fed up with her. Sleeping on the street, she is found by motel owner Sweeney (Marc Marron) who impulsively offers her a job in exchange for board. Can this hopelessly addicted woman turn her life around? Riseborough is up for an Oscar, and deservedly so. She took me on an arc of loathing of the manipulative, lying Leslie through to actually having compassion for her as the story moves on. Marron is memorable for the kindness he brings to the character of Sweeney while Janney's Nancy brings some unexpected contrition to the later scenes. Pretty much most of the film feels gritty and authentic, with a real country and western feel to it, despite the ending feeling a bit too pat. 4 - highly recommended
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Dir: Laura Poitras
Length: 122 mins
 |
© Madman - talent, activism, drug addiction -
a potent combination |
Nan Goldin is a renowned photographer and activist. She lived a fairly Bohemian and wild life during the 70s and 80s, then years later, after an injury was prescribed Oxycontin for pain. She became addicted to opioids, nearly died from an overdose and founded the group PAIN (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now). This doco chronicles her work with the group, using activism to bring to account the wealthy pharmaceutical family Sackler, who were responsible for creating and promoting Oxycontin, despite knowng its potential for addiction. Constructed in chapters, the film juxtaposes periods of Nan's life plus her photography, with current work by the group and the progress of their protest efforts, with a major focus upon having famous museums remove the name Sackler from many of their collections. There is so much content in this film it's almost too much. Both themes are so worthy, there could well have been two films, one focusing upon the artistic life of Nan Goldin, the other upon the opioid crisis. For me it became too jumbled in together. But that's only me because it was awarded a Golden Lion at Venice 2022 and is up for a Best Documentary in the forthcoming Oscars. 3.5 - well recommended
Alliance Francaise French Film Festival
March 8 - April 5
Melbourne Palace cinemas
Yes, it really starts this week! You've had the chance to take up some of my advance recommendations from last week, and here are another two, with more to come! (For lovers of intimate personal drama, One Fine Morning borders on unmissable.)
November: Another film dealing with the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015. This time it's not from the perspective of victims (as in Paris Memories), but from that of the investigators in the anti-terrorist squad. Jean Dujardin plays lead investigator Fred, who, along with Heloise (Sandrine Kiberlain) are up against the clock to find the perpetrators and prevent another attack. This is pulsating and suspenseful film making, setting a cracking pace, and though at times we don't quite know who is who (so many undercover operatives), there's barely a moment to catch one's breath. One Fine Morning (Un Beau Matin): Lea Seydoux plays Sandra, a single mother juggling her life between her child, her work, her aging father Georg (Pascal Gregory) and finally a passionate love affair with a married man, Clement (Melvil Poupard). Without a doubt this is one of the most sensitive and moving films I've seen in a long, long while. Seydoux is poignantly heart-breaking as a woman who exudes love, compassion, sadness and resilience. Everything here feels 100% authentic, and horrifically close to home for those who have known the pain of loving an unavailable partner, or of trying to decide what's best for an ailing parent.
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