January 23rd 2026
Marty Supreme
Somebody to Love
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Surviving Malka Leifer (streaming on Stan)
The pinnacle of awards season, the Oscars, is on its way. And "awards" seems to be a prominent word in many of the films reviewed this week. It's a spectacular week for movie going, with so many fine films in a variety of genres.
 |
© A24 - never was table tennis so exciting
in this tale of a driven young man |
Nominated just yesterday for nine Oscars, Marty Supreme is film-making at its best, story telling at its most compelling, acting that feels like reality, and entertainment to the max. The setting is 1950s' New York. Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) reluctantly works at his uncle's shoestore, only to get enough money to pursue his passion - table tennis. His ambition is to be the best in the world, and put a sport on the map that until then was generally unrecognised in the USA. Marty's story (inspired by actual player Marty Reisman), is that of a young man who is at once charming, a rogue, a hustler, arrogant, likeable, infuriating, driven and supremely confident. I could rave on ad infinitum about Chalamet's extraordinary performance, yet every aspect of this film combines to make it a powerhouse, energy driven tale. The filming of every match is amazing, and more so because Chalamet actually trained for about seven years and really can play! Never was table tennis so exciting. Settings recreate a bygone, lower-class side of New York, with its memorable characters and ping-pong halls, while the choice of music, mixing eras to create emotion, is inspired. Superclose up shots make everything feels gritty and real, while the pace of the action (both at the tables, and in every other mad-cap adventure Marty finds himself caught up in), makes for an adrenalin-fuelled ride. Gwyneth Paltrow makes an impressive return as ageing glamorous movie star Kay Stone, but every single character from major to minor leaps off the screen. The arc of Marty's journey is rivetting, and ultimately very moving. A wonderful film.5 - unmissable
Somebody to Love (FolleMente)
 |
© Palace - cute, funny, and hits the mark
for those on the dating scene |
The Italian title of this film, meaning "crazy mind", says a lot more about it, in some ways, than the English. Lara (Pilar Fogliati) is preparing dinner at her home for her blind date Piero (Eduardo Leo). He is en route, stopping to buy a bunch of flowers. We are soon confronted with the inner workings of each character's mind, with their emotions and inner voices represented by actual characters, who debate incessantly the right way to handle this date. So Lara and Piero each have four inner "selves", ranging from romantic, to logical, sexually impulsive and cautious, controlling their hearts and minds throughout what feels a very authentic, at times awkward, first date between people anxious to find love. The film is warm-hearted, funny, at times poignant, and overall rather clever conceptually. Despite a confined setting, muted lighting, and endless dialogue, the film shows Genovese's talent for writing a script that actually feels very real for those who've been through this dating scene. (The film is also the winner of several awards within its own country.)4 - highly recommended
 |
© Madman - darkly funny with underlying
comment upon society, employment,
and moral ambivalence |
Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) has just been made redundant at his job with a paper company, where he has taken pride in his work for 25 years. Wife Miri (Son Yi-jin) instructs the family to cut back on everything, while Man-su hatches a plot to get himself a new job. He selects several other high ranking candidates for the same position, and decides he has no choice but to eliminate them in order to save his family and his lifestyle. Park, known for black humour, violence and blending genres, goes for moments of near slapstick, as our bumbling protagonist lurches from one funny catastrophe to another. But there's a deeper side to the film, as corporate culture and ambition, plus the desperation of becoming jobless, underscores much of the plot. This is a real entertainment, with fast pacing, thrills and laughs, and a very unexpected surprise at the end. Though no Oscar nominations, this film has plenty of other awards and nominations from major festivals and critics groups.
Dir: Kleber Mendonca Filho
 |
© Rialto - dense with plot points, this is a
real indictment of corrupt authortaian regimes |
Yet another film with countless wins and nominations to its name including five huge awards at Cannes, along with Best Drama and Best Male Actor at the recent Golden Globes, and four Oscar nominations. Brazil in 1977 is run by a military dictatorship. Dismissed professor Armando (Wagner Moura), under the alias of Marcelo, flees to his home town of Recife during Carneval time. He has run foul of authorities and is being hunted by hitmen, thanks to a businessman with government connections wanting a patent Armando refuses to give up. In the present day, two young researchers are trying to find out as much as they can about Armando and his young son, as well as what went on in Brazil in that repressive era. This film is more dense and layered, with more plots, subplots, and merely hinted-at plots than my feeble brain can absorb. I recognise the cleverness, the originality and the skilled film-making, but there is simply too much for me to absorb in a single viewing. This is definitely a reflection upon me, rather than the film itself, as it has obviously blown the critical world away, as a commentary on corruption, memory, identity and much, much more! With so many plot threads and characters, I found it simply too hard to emotionally engage, and feel a second viewing could well be in order for me to fully appreciate this one.3.5 - well recommended
 |
© Sony - a post-apocalyptic world in which
survival necessitates killing |
Alex Garland, the writer/director of Civil War and Warfare has plenty to say about the nature of war. This film picks up 23 years after 28 Days Later, when a mysterious rage virus decimates Britain, killing many, leaving hordes of rabid infected to roam the wilderness, while a few lucky survivors hunker down in small uninfected communities, guarding the perimeter. Jamie (Aaron Taylor Johnson), his 12-year-old son Spike (Alfie Willliams), and unwell mother Isla (Jodie Comer) live on an island off the British mainland. Jamie takes Spike on his first hunting expedition, to kill infected people, and there Spike learns that an uninfected man, Dr Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) survives on the mainland. He becomes determined to get his mother over there for treatment. There is so much material here - thought-provoking, repugnant, exciting, and surprisingly moving at times. The thrill is in the many near escapes from the infected, while the human male as an aggressive hunter is celebrated as part of the coming of age rituals of the post-apocalyptic society. The infected are downright terrifying and gross - both the fat slug-like ones, and the rapidly evolving fast, huge alphas. But it is Spike's tender relationship with Isla that stands out, along with Dr Kelson's philosophical approach to life and death, building his temple of human bones to honor the dead and remind us all that we will die. A little too much graphic blood and gore for many people's tastes, but an intriguing sequel, non-the-less.3.5 - well recommended
Surviving Malka Leifer
Dir: Adam Kamien
Length: 95 mins
Streaming on Stan
 |
© Stan - a real life horror story of abuse, and the bravery
of three sisters seeking justice |
Anyone who hasn't heard of Malka Leifer must have been hiding under a rock. Principal of an ultra-orthodox Jewish school, she fled to Israel after being acccused of sexual abuse of several of her female students. Three sisters, Elly, Nicole and Dassi all accused Leifer of abuse, and spent 13 years working on getting her extradited from Israel to stand trial. This is a story of trauma, persistence and ultimately a level of justice. Told from the very personal viewpont of the three sisters, the doco follows the case, and the emotional toll it took on the women. But it is also about resilience and extreme courage, as the women, must constantly revisit and relive their childhoods, abused not only by Leifer but also victims of neglectful and abusive parents. Though not an easy watch, this is important viewing.3.5 - well recommended
No comments:
Post a Comment