Hursto's five minute films

Tuesday, 18 June 2019

June 20th
Surprise - no new reviews - DVD releases and SBS on demand screenings

A couple of (reputedly) wonderful films release this week: Never Look Away and Toy Story 4. The sad truth is that sometimes real life interferes with film previews and I just don't get out to see them in advance. Now that I am taking a small break, this means I have absolutely nothing new for you this week. Aghast!!! But . . . I didn't want to leave you empty-handed. There are several fabulous films just releasing on DVD, plus a number of terrific offerings from SBS (no they are not bribing me to mention this), so I thought, rather than give you nothing, I'd rerun a couple of past reviews of recent releases that you may be able to get your mitts on this week.

Vice

Dir: Adam McKay

Length: 132 min

Already nominated for SIX Golden Globes, Vice is the story of President George W Bush's 2-IC - Dick Cheney. From Wyoming boy, to major White House power broker, Cheney was definitely the war-mongering power behind the throne, taking the US into Iraq while heading up large armaments company Halliburton. (That's integrity for you eh?) The film is billed as a comedy, and in many ways it is - if the scurrilous doings were not so serious. McKay uses fabulous editing devices to create visual metaphors for what is going on, but the truly impressive aspect of the film is just how well the lead actors inhabit their roles. Bale, behind a pile of prosthetics and weight, has been subsumed by his character, while Sam Rockwell as Bush captures every nuance of the idiosycratic president's style. Steve Carell, who just gets better with every role he plays, is Donald Rumsfeld while Amy Adams plays Lynne Cheney. Dick's wife was definitely a force behind him, and the whole concept of a little power going to people's heads is amply displayed by both Cheneys. You don't have to be vitally interested in US politics to get a lot out of this film, both informationally, satirically and entertainment wise. For me, it's a winner.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

At Eternity's Gate

Director: Julian Schnabel

Length: 111 min

Quite simply, this film traces the life of painter Vincent Van Gogh (Willem Dafoe), during the time he lived in the southern French town of Arles near the end of his life. Schnabel is trying to get inside the artist's head - to use film as a medium for expressing the intensity of Van Gogh's need to paint, and his amazing perception of color. The camera work is remarkable, swirling around the subject matter in the way Vincent's thick paint swirled on the canvas. Scenes of natural beauty within the film are as beautiful as paintings themselves. It's really something that needs to be seen, as did Loving Vincent, the film that animated Van Gogh's paintings to tell a similar story. Dafoe virtually inhabits his character and is nominated for a Best Actor award. Some people judge films like this as too slow - I see them as something to be relished - almost frame by frame - a true celebration of the life of a misunderstood, somewhat unstable genius.

4 - highly recommended!

Available on SBS On Demand

All three come wholeheartedly recommended from me.

Brooklyn
Director: John Crowley
Length: 112 mins
Released 2015

Romantic and simply beautiful!

This exquisite film tells the story of Irish lass Eilis (Saiorse Ronan) who emigrates to New York in search of a better life. After initial homesickness, things take a turn for the better when she meets Italian-American Tony (Emory Cohen). But when circumstances lead her to return home for a while she finds herself caught between two possible lives and two men. Everything about Brooklyn works - from the spot-on period recreations and glorious cinematography, through to the heart-wrenching story which seems as fresh today as in the 1950s where it is set. Ronan's central performance is a revelation, and every small role sits perfectly around her. There's romance, sadness, social history, humour - and a calm, measured beauty about every aspect of this stunning film.

Beginners

Dir: Mike Mills
Length: 105 mins
Released 2010

A tender father son story, with a great
doggy performance

Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is shocked when, after the death of his mother, his father Hal (Christopher Plummer), now 70 years old, comes out as gay. Somehow I remember this film so fondly from nearly a decade ago, mostly because of the tenderness of the father-son relationship, and the film's overall felling of love and loss, then a coming to terms. Both men give terrific performances (Plummer is always a joy to watch) while Melanie Laurent is a sweet love interest for Oliver. It's nice to have a coming out film from so far back, before the theme became very mainstream, and to see older people in the limelight instead of always the young gorgeous ones.

Eye in the Sky

Director: Gavin Hood
Length: 102 mins

Released 2015

Helen Mirren is wonderful, as usual

This vision of modern warfare, though fictional, is totally relevant to today's fraught world of war-torn countries and terrorist attacks. Helen Mirren plays Colonel Katherine Powell who has been tracking a cell of Kenyan-based terrorists affiliated with Al Shebab.Among them is a Britishwoman who has converted to radical Islam, whom Powell hopes to capture alive. Through drone surveillance, Powell sees that a suicide attack is imminent and orders a missile strike. Land-based drone pilots Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) and Lucy Galvez (Kim Engelbrecht) are set to go, when a small girl selling bread parks herself outside the target house throwing the mission into chaos. So ensues a nightmare of administrative chains of command from England to the USA to Africa, with no-one wanting to take responsibility.

The film explores the serious moral issue of killing by remote control, and making fraught decisions as to who should die in the interests of the greater good. The film is flawlessly executed and is a nail-baiting movie experience.Sadly, this is the last screen performance of Alan Rickman as General Frank Benson.

Wednesday, 12 June 2019

June 13th
Tolkien
Wild Rose

Two worthy offerings this week. For those who've wondered where Tolkien came up with some of his amazing writing ideas, the new film may have some answers. For fans of a meaty Glaswegian story of a mother, a daughter, her kids, and her love of country music, Wild Rose will satisfy.

Tolkien
Director: Dome Karukosi
Length: 112 min

The director asks, "How do you express the mind of a genius visually?" The answer is with a film like this, which tries to fathom the mind of a genius writer who gave readers The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. We meet JRR Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) as a young and already imaginative child. When his beloved mother dies, he is sent to boarding school where he meets a group of supportive and like-minded fellow students. Later, during his university years, war breaks out and Tolkien enrols in the army. During horrific and traumatic trench warfare at the Somme he hallucinates and envisages many of the concepts that he later weaves into his brilliant novels. Meantime he pursues the love of his life, Edith Bratt (Lily Collins), but must make serious choices when he is forbidden by his stern guardian to see her. There's an old-fashioned sensibility to this film, but not in a bad way - just good solid story-telling that is insightful, moving and entertaining. The feel of the "frightfully British" boys club is reminiscent of Dead Poet's Society, while the war scenes are visceral and disturbing. The love affair is beautifully portrayed with strong chemistry between Collins and Hault. A cameo appearance by Derek Jacobi as a linguistics professor who recognises the young Tolkien's genius in constructing new languages is a welcome surprise. Again, many critics are unkind, but I really enjoyed it.
3.5 - well recommended!

Wild Rose
Director: Tom Harper
Length: 101 min

class gal with big aspirations

Rose-Lynn (Jessie Buckley) is a young mother of two. Upon her release from a year in prison she reconnects with her two kids who have been cared for by her mother Marion (Julie Walters). Highly talented, Rose has previously worked successfully as a country singer in a Glasgow venue, but now takes work as a cleaner at the home of wealthy Susannah (an excellent Sophie Okonedo). But her deepest ambition is to go to Nashville and try her fortunes, but at every turn she is beset by the fraught decision of how to balance her life's aspiration with her duties as a mother. This is stirring stuff, feeling a bit like a Ken Loach working class, social commentary crossed with a Hollywood genre like A Star is Born. The plot is meaty and chock full of important themes from personal ambitions, to mother daughter relationships, general parenting and risk-taking in life. Buckley is a major talent who simply soars off the screen with a brilliant voice, and mesmerising screen presence. If you didn't like country music before, this film could convert you.
4 - highly recommended!

Friday, 7 June 2019

June 6th
Red Joan
My Big Gay Italian Wedding

With a looming long weekend I would have hoped for more inspiring musical fare. Stick with Rocketman (reviewed last week) if you still haven't seen it.

Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Length: 101 min

No still picture will show both actresses who play this role, as the film toggles between two time periods. Sophie Cookson plays Joan Stanley, a young scientist who gets involved with communists at university in the 1930s, and who is arrested in her old age as having been a former spy who passed nuclear secrets to the Russians. Judi Dench plays the aging Joan. I love Dench and had high hopes for this film but find myself somewhat disappointed. Sure, the actual plot (loosely based on a true story) is intriguing, and both the lead women give strong performances, but we see so little of the great Dench who spends most of her time looking sad and vaguely regretful. Yes, the recreation of the 30s is fine, but the formulaic way of telling this tale prevents it from ever soaring and actually feeling like a thriller. The rather naive excuses Joan gives for doing what she did sound trite, and her two boyfriends, committed commie Leo (Tom Hughes) and her employer Max (Stephen Campbell Moore) are a bit like cardboard cut-out characters. If you're a die-hard Dench fan it cold be worth a look.
2.5 - maybe!

My Big Gay Italian Wedding
Director: Alessandro Genovesi
Length: 90 min

Antonio (Cristiano Caccamo) and his boyfriend Paolo (Salvatore Esposito) live in Berlin. When Antonio proposes to Paolo, they travel back to Italy to meet the parents and hopefully marry in the quaint village of Antonio's birth. Tagging along is their long-term flatmate Bernadetta and new aspiring flatmate, the totally insecure Donato, who likes to dress as a woman. While Antonio's Mum (Monica Guerritore) is accepting, his Dad, the town mayor (Diego Abatantuomo) takes some convincing. Trying to put a spoke in it all is Antonio's one-time girlfriend Camilla. This is super-light fare, not unpleasant, but not incisively witty. It has a good heart and some fun gender-bending attitudes (especially from the priest, who is unexpectedly pro-same-sex marriage.) Sudden changes of heart of certain characters are all too abrupt and unexplained, as is the silly musical ending. Its biggest recommendation is its setting - a stunning medieval village high on a clifftop.
2.5 - maybe!

Thursday, 30 May 2019

May 30th
Rocketman
D-Day 3D: Normandy 1944
The Heiresses

What a varied batch of releases. The high-profile film about Elton John's rise to fame is so mainstream and sooooo entertaining, D-day is a worthy (if short) war doco, while The Heiresses is true art-house fare hailing from Paraguay.

Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Length: 121 min

as the flamboyant Elton John

Born Reggie Dwight, the little boy insufficiently loved by his parents became singing sensation Elton John (Taron Egerton). The movie traces the singer's career from childhood, through to the time he finally emerged from rehab, swapping self-loathing for self-esteem. The film takes the form of a fantasy/musical, with songs re-interepreted and scattered throughout the narrative. Fans wanting a straight biopic may not enjoy this, but I loved it. Egerton is a singer par-excellence, and his particular take on Elton's music is both gifted and moving. At times the narrative arc follows the tried and true formula (montages and all), but overall the vibrancy, pathos, joy and sheer brilliant musicality of it all overwhelms any reservations I may have. (Not to mention the knock-out costumes!) Jamie Bell plays Elton's lyricist Bernie Taupin, and the abiding friendship between the two is beautifully portrayed. Richard Madden (fresh from Game of Thrones) is wonderfully obnoxious as lover/manager John Reid. Egerton captures the conflicting aspects of Elton's personality - showmanship, shyness, self-destructiveness, insecurity, kindness - in a way that really makes you feel for him as a high-profile, talented but vulnerable human being. This is thoroughly first-class entertainment.
4 - highly recommended!

D-Day 3D: Normandy 1944
Director: Pascal Vuong
Length: 43 min
See it at IMAX for 2 weeks only from June 1

You don't have to be a fan of war films to get a lot from this film event which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the historic D-Day landings. The film explains, in a way which can be understood by all age groups, the where, when, how and why of the historic event which changed the course of World War II. Aside from the impressive 3D, there are an imaginative variety of film techniques used, from animation (involving fabulous pop-up picture books), to evocative charcoal sketches, archival footage and stunning CGI effects. As a short and sweet overview of this monumental event, this is a film worth seeing.
3 - recommended!

The Heiresses
Director: Marcello Martinessi
Length: 95 min

Chela (Anna Brun) and Chiquita (Margarita Irun) are two women from wealthy families in Ascension, Paraguay. They have lived together for 30 years, but now their debts are mounting and they are selling off family heirlooms to raise money. Chiqui's debts lead to her arrest for fraud and the usually shy retiring Chela finds herself earning money driving rich old ladies around. When she meets the younger and vibrant Angy (Ana Ivanova), Chela starts to rediscover long buried feelings. This film has won truckloads of awards, including Best Actress for Brun. The critic consensus loves it to bits; the audiences not quite so much. I recognise it is a subtle and beautifully executed film, yet something about Chela's character exasperates me beyond measure. That aside, it is the sort of film that leads one to reflection afterwards about the nature of long-term relationships and how they can kill passion, along with a rare glimpse into a society, and its unusual prison system, that is seldom seen. Fans of the slow-burn relationship film should be rewarded.
3.5 - well recommended!

Thursday, 23 May 2019

May 23rd
The Reports on Sarah and Saleem
2040
Peterloo
Aladdin
German Film Festival

Another big week with everything from enviro-doco, to thriller, historical tale, remake of a kids' favorite, and another festival.

The Reports on Sarah and Saleem
Director: Muayad Alayan
Length: 127 min

Sarah (Sivane Kretchner) is a Jewish Israeli cafe owner in Jerusalem. Though married to David (Ishai Golan) she is having a torrid affair with her delivery man Saleem (Adeeb Safadi) who is Palestinian, and has a pregnant wife (Hanan Hillo). After unwisely stopping off at a bar in the West Bank one night, a brawl ensues which threatens to expose the affair. Authorities get involved believing that Sarah is a spy and in their attempts to hide everything, Sarah and Saleem push matters from bad to worse. This award-winning film works wonderfully well on several levels. As a thriller it is ultra-tense and as a relationship study it is very strong. Of course no film dealing with Israeli/Palestinian matters could escape a strong undercurrent of politics. It seems, while having extra-marital affairs is normally fraught, crossing the unwritten boundaries with a Jewish/Arab affair makes it even more so (especially since Sarah's husband works for the Secret Service!) Scripting is strong and utterly credible, performances are compelling, tension is maintained throughout, and one is left with plenty of food for thought regarding personal deception, prejudice, and near insoluble political situations.
4 - highly recommended!

2040
Director: Damon Gameau
Length: 92 min

Aussie director Damon Gameau introduces us to his family, and speculates on what life could be like in 2040 for his 4-year-old daughter, Velvet. But, surprisingly, this is not a doom-and-gloom story. His mission is to take technologies already in use in today's world, and extrapolate on how these could be wisely used to reverse climate change and make the world ultimately more sustainable and livable by 2040. He visits a number of countries, starting with Bangladesh where an innovative solar electricity grid is making a dramatic difference to the peoples' lives. He interviews some of the best minds around the world, economists, engineers, academics, and including farmers in Australia who are pioneering inspiring ideas in agricultural techniques. But this is no boring talking heads show; Gameau peppers his thesis with his own globe-trotting adventures, his personal life, quirky humour, and amazingly creative visuals that get his point across to people of all generations. Damon Gameau is positively inspirational and this film should be compulsory viewing, especially for pessimists, politicians, and folks who think it is all too overwhelming to even make an effort. He proves to us that solutions are nearer than we think.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended! (but everyone should see it)

Peterloo
Director: Mike Leigh
Length: 154 min

In Manchester in 1819 life is tough for workers. 60,000 of them, including women from the Women's Reform movement, along with children, gather in St Peter's Field to stage a peaceful protest, and listen to orator Henry Hunt (Rory Kinear). What is intended as a peaceful gathering turns violent when British troops attack the unarmed crowd, killing many and injuring even more. I've usually been a big fan of Mike Leigh films (Mr Turner, Secrets and Lies), as he has a good feel for the working class person. This film has his trademark concern for social justice, and has been awarded for production and costume design. While I can see it is a well-made film it simply hasn't engaged me as I would hope. The subject matter is important - oppression and workers' rights - but despite introducing us to various characters (the family of returned soldier Joseph, the men who work for the local paper, and women protesting for their rights), I find myself mainly disengaged with the characters. With such a powerful story I should have felt passionately moved. Whether the film is too long (it is!!), lacks a personalised focus, or whether it is just me, I remain disappointed. (Most critics are far more in favor than I am.)
2.5 - maybe

Aladdin
Director: Guy Ritchie
Length: 128 min

With more color and movement than a Bollywood festival, this remake of the classic Disney animation uses real actors (most of whom I don't know) blended with fabulous CGI effects. Will Smith plays Genie, Naomi Scott the gorgeous Princess Jasmine, handsome Mena Massoud is Aladdin and Marwan Kenzari the evil Jafar, plotting to take over the empire. All the actors do their own singing, in true musical comedy style, and using the original songs. I can't remember the original so won't make the sorts of negative comparisons many critics are making. I enjoyed it thoroughly on its own terms, albeit it's a tad long, and redefines the meaning of over-the-top in lavish set design, saturated color, and Will Smith's hyperactive performance. With exciting and exotic shooting locations like Jordan and Morocco, a cute monkey, sumptuousness of costumes and good synergy between the characters, it's simply good old-fashioned entertainment.
3.5 - well recommended

German Film Festival
23 May - 9 June in Melbourne - ther states, other dates
Palace Balwyn, Brighton Bay, Kino, Como, Astor
For all the details and session times, visit www.germanfilmfestival.com.au

This year's festival features 12 new German feature films, plus three films in "Tear Down the Walls" sidebar to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are also six films specially for kids, plus two Austrian films and two Swiss films. Among four other features are two centring around the Threepenny Opera by iconic German writer Bertold Brecht. So, the two I've previewed are comedies. "What!!" I hear you gasp - "Germans and comedy." Well these two have been winners for me.

25 km/h: Two estranged brothers meet up at the funeral of their father. Christian (Lars Eidinger) left home years ago to take a corporate job while Georg (Bjarne Madel) worked a trade in their home town, and then cared for their father until he died. In a drunken fit, the two decide to realise a childhood dream of riding on their mopeds across Germany to the Baltic Sea, with a number of required tasks to be achieved along the way. This is a truly lovely film, at once very funny, and also deeply moving. It is great to view a film which is totally entertaining, and yet has themes so many of us can relate to. Eidinger and Madel are wonderful together.

How About Adolf: Stephan and Elisabeth invite family and friends for dinner. When Thomas arrives he announces that his girlfriend is pregnant and initiates a guessing game as to the name of the baby. When the gathering hears it is Adolf, all hell breaks loose and the dinner takes a downward trajectory. I love this style of comedy, where people get progressively outraged, argue and say things they never mean to, with huge recrimination sessions setting in. All the cast are terrific in their serio-comic roles and many interesting philosophies on the ramifications of names are bandied around. I see the heart of the film as the deep-seated resentments people harbor, which when articulated, create relationship chaos.
Both these films are highly recommended

Wednesday, 15 May 2019

May 16th
Aga
The Realm

Apologies! I ran my review of The Realm one week too early, so here it is again. This week there's not a lot that I've yet managed to catch up with, but the one I have reviewed is a beauty: a film about an Inuit couple living in the middle of nowhere, and exclusive to Cinema Nova.

Aga

Director: Milko Lazarov

Length: 96 min
Exclusive to Cinema Nova

The gem of a film is set in the frozen northern wilderness where aging Inuit couple Nanook and Sedna live a traditional life, in the style of their ancestors. The daily grind is bleak, challenging, lonely and remote. Each year less food is caught, and Sedna's health is rapidly deteriorating. It is the woman's wish that the couple can reconcile with estranged daughter Aga who works in a far-off mine. Bulgarian director Lazarov has crafted a sublime film, that has won many awards, and which sneaks up on you, after initial ponderings as to whether anything substantial is going to happen. This is an eye-opening insight into a lifestyle that is fading fast, and almost unimaginable to us city-slickers. The deliberately slow pace, the endless whiteness, and the gradual unfolding of the tale all make for a mesmerising cinematic experience. I can't imagine ever experiencing that culture so it is a privilege to get an insight via this gentle, surprisingly moving film.
4 - highly recommended!

The Realm
Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Length: 132 min
Limited Release: Palace Como, Balwyn, Kino, Cinema Nova and Classic Elsternwick

Manuel Lopez Vidal (Antonio de la Torre) is a Spanish politician in a regional area, living a lavish lifestyle largely funded by political corruption. When leaked information threatens to expose the dastardly doings of Manuel and his cronies, the cover-up, distancing and scapegoat games begin. From the fantastic opening long tracking shot to the explosive final two monologues, this is a smart and challenging film, that really exposes the sort of political corruption familiar to parts of Europe (and no doubt many places). Manuel's situation becomes more dire by the moment as his once-loyal pals seek to save their own skins using progressively threatening measures. This is not an easy film and I needed quite some effort following the characters, who's who and who does what. But I became gradually lured into the suspenseful plot, that doesn't let up for a minute. The film has won copious awards (mostly in Spain) for its acting, scripting and more. It's a salutary lesson for us all to keep those pesky pollies honest!
3.5 - well recommended!

Thursday, 9 May 2019

May 10th
All is True
The Realm
Rockabul
The Hustle

An interesting week as usual with such a varied grab-bag of movies. From a Spanish politico-thriller, to insightful doco, women behaving badly, and the Bard himself there is plenty to choose from.

All is True

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Length: 101 min

In 1613 William Shakespeare (Kenneth Branagh) is the greatest writer of his era. When his renowned Globe Theatre burns down he returns to his familial home in Stratford. There he takes to gardening, and repairing estranged relationships with his wife Anne Hathaway (Judi Dench) and daughters Judith and Susanna. Scandals ensue, and much soul searching takes place, as Will tries to come to terms with the death of his beloved son, Hamnet, years before. Experts love to debate how much of this interpretation of the Bard's last days is true, but for me it isn't overly important. This is an exquisitely realised portrait of an era, a man, and a group of people trying to make some sense of the most important things in life, much as Shakespeare himself did in all his works. The dialogue feels real and immediate, so easy to relate to in this modern day, and yet still in keeping with the sensibility of the time. A near-unrecognisable Branagh (complete with prosthetic nose) pays absolute homage to his hero, and with a bonus appearance by Ian McKellen as the Earl of Southampton, this is a memorable film with superb performances by all. (Dench is sublime, as always.) It is also visually magnificent and has a richly lyrical soundtrack. It left me in tears thanks to its poignant handling of essential truths and sadnesses in life.

4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

The Realm
Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Length: 132 min
Limited Release: Palace Como, Balwyn, Kino, Cinema Nova and Classic Elsternwick

Imagine living where you could be jailed or killed for simply playing rock music in a band. Director Beard is an Aussie who has lived in Kabul, Afghanistan, for 8 years, and he's focused his film on a group of fearless young fellas who have formed a band, not just any band, but a heavy metal one, determined to bring music to the youth of their country. Beard follows the group, District Unknown, as they play a few tentative gigs, headline the first music festival in Afghanistan for more than thirty years, then end up travelling to a festival in neighboring India. I loathe metal music, so for me the musical side of this is a bit confronting, but the story is one that really needs telling. Vilely repressive segments of conservative societies need to be constantly challenged, and what better way than with a brave doco of this nature. The boys themselves are entertaining to watch and it's inspiring to hear their progressive views on life. (All are really fluent in English, especially swearing!) The real strength of Rockabul is the opportunity to get a glimpse into a life we seldom see from a perspective other than the Taliban, the US troops or suicide bombers (though they all feature minimally).
3.5 - well recommended!

The Hustle

Director: Chris Addison

Length: 93 min

Josephine (Ann Hathaway) is a cool, elegant up-market con artist working in a French Riviera town. When loud, crude Aussie gal Lonnie (Rebel Wilson) turns up, plying the same trade, it's obvious the two will butt heads. Or is it possible they could team up to create double trouble for the unsuspecting men they are ripping off? Much is made of this being a female-based remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and even with a gender reversal, no-one will do it better than Michael Caine and Steve Martin. But these diametrically opposed women give it a good shot, and I do like seeing women play men at their own tricks. I confess to having several laughs, but something falls short, possibly because of Wilson being such a type-cast bogan, always presenting herself in the same tired mould. Hathaway, by contrast, is rather impressive in her role. Nevertheless, and depending upon your style of humour, there could be some mildly diverting viewing here.

2.5 - maybe! (good for a total veg-out)