October 3rd 2024
Joker: Folie a Deux
The Critic
It Ends With Us
Federer: Twelve Final Days (streaming on Amazon Prime)
More from St. Ali Italian Film Festival
My first two films this week feature exceptional performances from their lead men. The Italian festival continues, Federer fans can revel in a streamed doco, and domestic abuse is tackled.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Dir: Todd Phillips
Length: 138 mins
 |
© Universal - inventive, unexpected, with
a top perf from Joaquin Phoenix |
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is in an institution awaiting trial for six murders. When he meets fellow inmate Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga), they fall for each other and embark upon a musical romance. I've never been some huge fan of the Batman franchise, nor have I seen the 2019 film Joker. So I come to this sequel cold-turkey, and have viewed it almost as a stand-alone film. Up front: its considerable runtime held me enthralled throughout - largely thanks to Phoenix's mesmerising performance as a man stricken with any number of psychological disorders - multiple personality? schizophrenia? sociopathic disorder? Does it matter? For me this is a story of identity, love and betrayal, creatively presented with a big musical component, in which Phoenix and Gaga sing and dance their way through what is actually quite a sad tale. Phillips takes a swipe at society's obsession with fame and megastar villainy, and yet at heart we really feel the tragic humanity of the man inside the mask - Arthur Fleck - once an abused kid, now on trial for his life. And the gal he loves only seems to love the side of him under the clown mask, not the real man within. There's good support from Catherine Keener as Arthur's lawyer, Brendan Gleeson as a prison guard and Steve Coogan as a TV host. Although long and at times a little self-indulgent, there's much to be commended in this unusual film. Notweworthy is that it was a nominee for Golden Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival.3.5 - well recommended
The Critic
Dir: Anand Tucker
Length: 101 mins
 |
© Transmission - McKellen
reigns supreme - again!
|
The setting is London, 1934. Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen) has been the head theatre critic for The Daily Chronicle for about 40 years. He is ruthless if he dislikes a play, and currently he has it in for lead actress Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), condemning her every performance. When Jimmy and his secretary/lover Stephen (Ben Barnes) are arrested for homosexuality, Jimmy loses his job. He then decides upon a devious scheme involving a Faustian bargain with Nina, and his old boss Viscount Brooke (Mark Strong), who he knows is in love with Nina. I say no more! The plot becomes a cleverly convoluted one of blackmail and deception, which perhaps oversteps its credibility towards the end. Regardless, this is a most handsome production, which beautifully captures the era and the ethos of theatre life of the day. If you ever need a masterclass in acting, look no further than McKellen's striking performance as the ascerbic, conniving curmudgeon who we love to hate. For lovers of fine acting, all things theatre, and a lovely old-fashioned sensibility, this is a film for you. 3.5 - well recommended
It Ends With Us
Dir: Justin Baldoni
Length: 130 mins
 |
© Sony - women beware of handsome,
controlling men! |
Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) comes from a dysfunctional family in which her father was emotionally and physically abusive to her mother. When she moves to Boston to set up her own flower shop, she meets a handsome neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) and falls head over heels in love with him. But as the relationship progresses, she starts to see a side of him that has disturbing echoes of her parents' relationship. Where my previous two reviews are of films made in a decidedly non-mainstream way, this is an almost pedestrian approach to an important topic. While I commend it for addressing the hot-button issue of domestic abuse and coercive control, it presents in a way that allows the romantic/sexual elements to overwhelm the seriousness of the subject matter, and at times the dialogue seems clunky. Nevertheless there is enough in it, in particular a lovely Lively, that makes it worth watching (just!)3 - recommended
Federer: Twelve Final Days
Dir: Asif Kapadia & Joe Sabia
Length: 88 mins
Streaming on Prime
 |
| © Prime - Federer is so watchable! |
Kapadia is known for some excellent biopics of the likes of racing driver Ayrton Senna, soccer star Diego Maradonna and singer Amy Winehouse. Now he takes on the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), tennis champ Roger Federer, in a doco focused around the final twelve days of the man's tennis career, as he prepares for his last ever match, the Laver Cup. Keeping Roger company in this tournament are some of the best-loved and greatest names in modern tennis - Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Borg and more. Roger is of course the star and is presented in an engagingly casual and intimate manner, as he chats, laughs, cries (of course), and generally reflects upon his life and career. We sense the classiness and the reserve of Federer, his devotion to his family and to the sport, but never get any new and deep insights into the depths of his psyche. Excellent use of archival footage is made, from Roger's boyhood, right through, every shot showcasing his grace and skill. It's certainly fun to see the camaraderie between the tennis friends/rivals, lovely to briefly meet Roger's wife Mirka, and overall this doco is an enjoyable farewell tribute to an extraordinary person. It should have great appeal to fans of the sport and of the Fed (which I am, so I really enjoyed it!) 3.5 - well recommended
St. Ali Italian Film Festival
Melbourne until 17th October
Palace Cinemas
I hope those of you who are getting along to this fine festival are enjoying it. I've caught one more, and with another couple of weeks to go, you've still got time to indulge in some great Italian films.
The Beautiful Summer: Ginia is a young woman who has moved from a rural area to Turin, in the pre-war years. She works as a dressmaker, showing a lot of talent, but is searching for a more adventurous life. When she meets artist's model Amelia, she steps into a Bohemian world unlike anything she's experienced before. Although some familiar themes are revisited - finding one's identity, first affairs, same sex attraction - there is something very appealing about this sensuous and delicately-tackled film. Notably Amelia is played by the stunning Deva Cassell, daughter of Vincent Cassell and Monica Belluci. The chemistry between the two women is perfect, and the sense of the era is powerfully portrayed in the production values.
The Italian film festival is, as always, highly recommended!
The Beautiful Summer: Ginia is a young woman who has moved from a rural area to Turin, in the pre-war years. She works as a dressmaker, showing a lot of talent, but is searching for a more adventurous life. When she meets artist's model Amelia, she steps into a Bohemian world unlike anything she's experienced before. Although some familiar themes are revisited - finding one's identity, first affairs, same sex attraction - there is something very appealing about this sensuous and delicately-tackled film. Notably Amelia is played by the stunning Deva Cassell, daughter of Vincent Cassell and Monica Belluci. The chemistry between the two women is perfect, and the sense of the era is powerfully portrayed in the production values. 
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