There are certain rules, known only to a select few, by which it is possible to predict the quality of movies. The origin of these rules is often obscure and difficult to explain. One of the oldest rules is Rule 9: All Our Greatest Heroes Arrive Fully Formed. In fact this rule is so old … Continue reading Rule 9: All Our Greatest Heroes Arrive Fully Formed
A Fantastic Woman (2017) Directed by Sebastián Lelio; Featuring Daniela Vega and Francisco Reyes Una Mujer Fantástica or A Fantastic Woman is a Chilean film set in Santiago. It had a staggered release in 2017 and opened in Australia in 2018. It might be described as an LGBT movie, but I think it is better … Continue reading The Two Reviews: A Fantastic Woman and Aquarius
Lady Bird (2017, Universal Pictures) Directed by Greta Gerwig, featuring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf and Lucas Hedges Lady Bird is a classic coming of age movie that explores what it means to be a teenager in small town America. Subtly exploring teenage angst, the film manages to visit religion, virginity, sexuality, class, depression and friendship. … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Lady Bird and Mute
This film has only had a limited release but has been showing at special screenings across Australia. Language: Bengali (narrated in local Chittagonian dialect) – with English subtitles This film is a powerful tragi-romance about the struggle between power and love, a metaphor for life and death on the river Halda in southeast Bangladesh. The … Continue reading Review Special: Haldaa হালদা (2017 Tauquir Ahmed)
Sweet Country Directed by Warwick Thornton. Featuring Hamilton Morris, Bryan Brown and Sam Neill "...the scenery of the central Australian outback is not only overwhelmingly beautiful, it is scintillating..." Prior to the ironic use of Johnny Cash’s song 'Peace in the Valley' on the closing credits, the Christian preacher Fred Smith (played by Sam Neill) … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Sweet Country (2018 Warwick Thornton)
The Movie Franchise: Alien The Game: Alien: Isolation (2014) Not content with the beating it took at the hands of the Predator franchise, the Alien franchise is being gradually kicked to death by prequels which undermine the best qualities of the originals while bolting on elements of bigger and better sci-fi like 2001 A Space … Continue reading Digital Reign: When the computers out-cinema the cinema
Australiana, noun - items relating to or characteristic of Australia. As the Australian film critic Luke Buckmaster pointed out recently, the madly popular 1980s blockbuster Crocodile Dundee not only gave the world a less than flattering impression of Australians, it was also racist, sexist and homophobic. As fun as it may have seemed when I … Continue reading A Slice of Australiana in Five Films
"...several scenes are improvised and have a beautiful natural quality..." The Florida Project is a warm but sometimes poignant drama of poorer citizens who live a day to day existence on a drab estate on the outskirts of Disney World, Orlando. It depicts a slice of life of Orlando’s under-class through the eyes and adventures … Continue reading The Two Reviews: The Florida Project (2017 Sean Baker)
'...a vehicle for comedy and for showing character flaws...' This dark comedy was filmed in 33 days on a relatively small budget, released in late 2017 in the US and had a world release in January 2018. It has already picked up numerous awards. This doesn’t automatically qualify it as a great film, but to … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017 Martin McDonagh)
Murder on the Orient Express (Director, Kenneth Branagh. Featuring Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Willem Dafoe, Daisy Ridley, Penelope Cruz, Lesley Odom, Derek Jacobi and Sergei Polunin) Everyone is on the same train i.e. The Orient Express. There is a murder most hideous and everyone is a suspect. I enjoyed this movie … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Murder on the Orient Express and Loving Vincent
Momentary Cinema 