April 7th 2024
Goodbye Julia
Monkey Man
Before Dawn
The First Omen
Ferrari (streaming on Amazon Prime)
Another fabulous week for film. One stand-out beautiful film from Sudan, a new Aussie war film, a streaming surprise, plus a couple of big-ticket releases that may wow many and underwhelm others.
Goodbye Julia
Dir: Mohamed Kordofani
Length: 120 mins
 |
© Potential - delicate and nuanced filmmaking
in a story the personal amid politics |
Mona (Eiman Yusif) and Akram (Nazar Goma) are a childless Sudanese couple in a tense marriage. She used to be a singer but has given it up at the demand of her jealous overbearing husband. When Mona's carelessness leads to the death of a man, guilt-ridden, she tracks down the man's widow, Julia (Siran Riak) and gives her a job as a maid. Amid a web of lies and cover-ups, the women develop a friendship, despite Mona coming from the elite Arab echelons of society, and Julia being a "southerner", the oppressed people who were originally in Sudan before all manner of colonisation. Mona adores Daniel, Julia's son, and Akram trains the lad in woodworking. But Sudan is a conflict-ridden country, and eventually the conflict, along with the deception, threaten everything the women have built. Goodbye Julia had me running to Google to read up on the history of this part of Africa. Again, a story grounded in circumstances I only ever see on the news goes ultra-personal and puts human faces to a fraught geo-political situation. How exquisitely Kordofani has handled his story. He has a deep humanity and compassion for his characters, however flawed they are, and the performance of every cast member is nothing short of superb. Thematically, there is so much to ponder here: patriarchy, hatred, war, redemption, forgiveness, all beautifully bound up with the intimate: the need to be oneself, to have friends, and to simply survive the cruel vicissitudes of never-ending war-mongering and power battles (as witnessed 24/7 in today's world!) This glorious film shines a light on lives and a history I knew so little about. It is a gem. 4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
Monkey Man
Dir: Dev Patel
Length: 120 mins
 |
© Universal - mythology and mayhem
in a bloody tale of revenge |
If you know your Indian myths and legends, you know the story of Hanuman, the monkey god who represents courage and strength. It is this tale that inspires a young Indian man of lowly birth, The Kid (Dev Patel). Now grown, he has spent his life tormented by the memory of the savage murder of his mother at the hands of police chief Rana (Sikandar Kher). He earns money in hand-to-hand combat (fighting as The Beast) in a seedy den in the slums of a fictional Indian city. But with a greater plan in mind, he lands a job as a waiter at a wealthy nightclub cum brothel, to be near those members of the corrupt elite he wishes to take revenge on. This is an amazing directorial debut from writer, director and lead man, Patel. Amazing on many levels, both good and questionable. Visually the film is a shining example of how to use the medium - full of breathtaking camera work, atmospheric settings and high adrenaline action sequences unlike those usually seen in Hollywood films. It is not your usual action film, in that it takes aim squarely at the issues of political corruption and social injustice in India. It smartly incorporates in its plot the cultural core of Indian mythology and beliefs, while also highlighting marginalised groups such as the transgender hejra people who feature strongly as they support The Kid in his quest. But somehow for me the combination doesn't totally work, partly because the level of violence in the revenge scenes is relentless and gruesomely over the top (a good 15-minute edit may have helped) and the social issues are scantily addressed (including some oddly chosen archival footage). This detracts from a unified feeling of the film as a whole. That said, for those seeking something different in the action sphere, Monkey Man will deliver a spectacular punch that you won't forget in a hurry.3 - recommended
Before Dawn
Dir: Jordon Prince Wright
Length: 95mins
 |
© Umbrella - mateship and growing up
in the trenches of World War One |
World War One and the origins of mateship are not new themes in films. Sometimes movies try to glamorise war, and elevate the heroic qualities of fighting side by side with your mates for the greater glory of one's country. Fortunately not so in this story of a farmer's son. Jim Collins (Levi Miller), who heads off in 1915 with his mates to the trenches of the Somme, thinking anything is better than life on the farm and imagining the war will soon end. We follow Jim's harrowing journey and emotional growth as he risks his life for his fellow diggers, and trudges through inordinate amounts of mud in the trenches. In as much as any film can put viewers into the scene, this one tries hard to put you knee-deep into the ghastliness of trench warfare. The horrific conditions are recreated, not using CGI, but through actual pyrotechnic effects, and the digging of kilometres of trenches in Esperance, Western Australia. The fresh-faced cast reinforces the tragedy of the loss of young life in war. But for me not enough happens plot-wise, and there is a feeling of lack of authenticity in the settings, even from the opening scenes of farm life in the early 1900s. I came away feeling this was someone's passion project that, however commendable, possibly couldn't raise a big enough budget for what he wanted to convey on screen.2.5 - maybe
The First Omen
Dir: Arkasha Stevenson
Length: 120 mins
 |
© 20th Century Studios - nasty goings-on
under the guise of religion. |
I have a memory like a sieve! I do remember that I saw The Omen back in the mid-70s, and was genuinely scared by it. I remember little else, so whether this prequel does justice to the original is not for me to say. But, standing on its own two feet, it is a slick film with all the requisite ingredients for lovers of devilish doings and body horror to enjoy. Seventeen-year-old orphan Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) travels from America to Rome to become a nun, Her old benefactor Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy) is there to welcome her and settle her into her new job in an orphanage, under the strict eye of Sister Silva (Sonia Braga). Margaret quickly bonds with orphan Carlita (Nicole Sorace), an outcast who is often locked up as punishment, but soon it becomes apparent that fiendish plots are afoot in this not-so-pious establishment. You can take this film on a couple of levels - as a classic horror, or perhaps as a vague metaphor for scandalous sexual abuse within the Catholic church. With a deliciously sacreligious and demonic conspiracy theory at its heart, the plot lurches from moderate scares, to outright ghastliness near the conclusion. (You'll need to steel your stomach for some scenes.) Free gives a strong, convincing performance, while Braga shines as the evil Mother Superior. A neat ending ties the film in to the iconic original, and perhaps gives a glimmer of hope that evil does not always win out, (along with the strong possiblity for yet another sequel/prequel.) 3 - recommended
Ferrari
Dir: Michael Mann
Length: 130 mins
Streaming on Amazon Prime
 |
© Roadshow - Adam Driver is excellent
as Enzo Ferrari in a story of more than cars |
Rev-heads, start your engines! And strap in for an octane-charged ride with the racing drivers of 1957, competing in the gruelling Mille Miglia race in Italy. Actually the film is about much more than racing cars. Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) is in crisis. He and his wife and business partner Laura (Penelope Cruz) are mourning the death of their son, and struggling to keep their marriage and their car business afloat. Meantime Enzo is hiding the fact that he has another son with his mistress Lina (Shailene Woodley) who is pushing to know if the child will ever be acknowledged. This slick film-making from the esteemed director Mann, coupled with powerful performances from the leads, elevates the story into a true personal drama of ambition and love. Production values are splendid, with all the period cars having been purpose built for the movie, the Ferrari factory meticulously recreated, and the costumes perfect for the era. Many of the race scenes are breathlessly tense, with the inherent danger of the sport, especially back then, front and centre. Driver's portrayal of Ferrari is terrific; restrained and elegant with a simmering drive to win, while the two women in his life, along with the illegitimate boy Piero, comes across as real, relatable human beings. A very engaging watch.4 - well recommended
No comments:
Post a Comment