A Life in the Theatre, by David Mamet, is an early play (1977) and considerably out of the usual area and style of his more well known genre – of the ‘Mamet-speak’ with macho, foulmouthed men squabbling over the way to make money; epitomised in his famous Pulitzer Prize winning, Glengarry Glen Ross, of 1984,…
This new film from three time Oscar winning director Ang Lee is a bit of a disappointment given his impressive resume that includes Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the heartbreaking gay romance Brokeback Mountain, and the visually impressive Life of Pi. Based on the acclaimed 2012 novel written by Ben Fountain, and adapted by first time…
Based on fact comes The Fencer, a story about a man trying to escape his past. Fleeing from Stalin’s secret police in the early 1950s, an ambitious young fencer finds himself teaching small town children in a godforsaken Estonian coastal village. Endel Nelis (Mart Avandi) arrives in Haapsalu having fled from Leningrad. His riding instructions…
Stunning, finely rendered and detailed animation in the Japanese anime style is the hallmark of Your Name, a youth fantasy written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, who also wrote a novel of the same name. It concerns a mysterious connection between two pupils – strangers – living different lives in disparate parts of Japan. Mitsuha…
Australia’s bushranger history is rich material for filmmakers. Ned Kelly’s rebellious spirit is embedded in our national psyche and he still hogs much of the limelight from that period. There have been two major films exploring Kelly’s life, and we’ve had a number of other films about famous bushrangers and that whole period of history,…
Without fear of contradiction, you could safely say that The Family Fang is different to any other clans you have come across. You see, the parents are on a lifelong artistic quest, which may – and probably will – cost them their children. Let me explain … Though they live on opposite sides of the…
Rarely does a superbly staged and executed film have the impact I, Daniel Blake had on me. The 59-year-old titular character (played by Dave Johns) has worked as a carpenter most of his life in Newcastle in the UK. He is a man who enjoys and takes pride in what he does. He is honest,…
Korea’s official entry into the Best Foreign Language film category for the 2017 Oscars, The Age of Shadows is a mix of spy thriller and action movie that was inspired by the real life 1923 bombing of Seoul’s police headquarters by the resistance movement. The Age of Shadows is set in Seoul in the 1920’s,…
British filmmaker Andrea Arnold has given us a sometimes bleak view on listless British youth with films like Fish Tank, but with her latest film she has turns her discerning view on America. We are introduced to a motley crew of youngsters who travel around America’s Midwest selling magazine subscriptions door to door. It is…
This co-production from Brazil, Uruguay and Holland is a slice of life drama set against the backdrop of the rodeo circuit, and gives us some insights into this little known macho world of the Vaquejada, a world populated by nomadic rodeo riders. Unlike the bigger and better known rodeos of America where cowboys riding bucking…
