Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 April 2024

Last year, Goodbye Julia became just the second film from Sudan to be submitted to the Oscars for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category.  It wasn’t nominated (nor did it make the shortlist) but it’s still a terrific movie which reminds us of the creative talent which exists in countries not widely known for their film industries.  It was selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival (won by the recently released How to Have Sex) which itself is a huge honour.

It’s a film to be celebrated for two main reasons.  Firstly, it raises awareness about Sudan’s politics and people.  It covers a period from 2005 to 2011 in which there was much division between the northern part of the country, largely Arabs and Muslims, and the southern part, mainly African and Christian.  Conflict between the sides had existed for decades and it led to an independence referendum where voters decided to split the nation in two.  Early scenes highlight the key themes of the time including a significant wealth disparity, and ongoing fears of violence.

The second justification is because it tells a bloody good story.  Writer-director Mohamed Kordofani frames the narrative around two families who come together under tragic circumstances.  Mona (Youstif), a wealthy Muslim from the northern half of Sudan, accidentally hits a young boy with her car while driving by an impoverished shanty town.  She panics, drives off, and is then followed by the father of the boy who angrily pursues on his motorcycle.  On arriving home, Mona’s husband is waiting out front and, not understanding the situation, sees the aggression of the father and kills him with a recently purchased gun.

What follows is a rich, complex story of lies, forgiveness and redemption.  Mona doesn’t tell her husband why she was being chased so that he’s not burdened with the guilt of killing an innocent man.  Suffering from her own remorse, she reaches out to the wife (Riak) of the deceased man and offers her a job as housemaid.  Both she and her son (who survived the accident with just minor injuries) are also offered a place to live in a shed adjoining the house.  The catch is that only Mona knows about her husband’s involvement in the shooting.

It may sound contrived but Goodbye Julia works as a riveting drama.  In telling lies while trying to atone for her own mistakes, Mona digs a metaphorical hole from which it is near impossible to extricate herself.  She makes for a riveting character study.  Mona becomes close friends with the mother and extends her a financial lifeline…  but can she be considered a good person if this connection is based on such a large deception?  Mona’s blindsided husband develops his own meritorious interpretations of his wife’s strange actions.

The acting is a touch stiff in places but that’s a minor quibble given the strength of the script and direction.  Goodbye Julia deserves your time and attention.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 March 2024

Immaculate clocks in at just 89 minutes.  That’s not because it’s a rich story told in a tight, concise manner but rather, because the storyline is wafer thin.  It’s got all the stuff you might expect from a horror film – tricks of light, spooky noises, weird characters, a creepy music score – but they’re used as stalling tactics to pad the narrative.  If you took out the superfluous scenes, this would end up being a very short film.

The story revolves around a young nun, Cecelia (Sweeney), who has left her home country and taken up a position at a busy Italian convent.  She takes her vows on the first night and promises to devote her life to God.  It’s at that point where things get a little wild.  There are sinister nuns, suspicious priests, a dubious doctor, and an unexpected pregnancy.  I’ll say this much, it keeps you guessing about how they could possibly wrap it up in a way that makes sense (won’t spoil if they actually do).

In terms of genre, writer Andrew Lobel hedges his bets and tries to offer something for everyone.  There are sequences which are brutally violent which tap into the horror label and justify the MA rating here in Australia.  These contrast with scenes where star Sydney Sweeney (Anyone but You) shows an unnecessarily large amount of “skin” which had me thinking it’s a self-aware spoof.  Other elements give off vibes of comedy, mystery, and science fiction.  These genres are not blended together in the right way, and it makes the premise even harder to engage with.

Sydney Sweeney is the film’s biggest positive.  It’s as if she knows the script is garbage but she compensates by calling on an array of emotions – from a shy, naïve newcomer through to a vengeful emotional wreck.  It’s a shame she doesn’t get more support from the underwhelming supporting cast.  Director Michael Mohan adds a splash of style in places (liked a few of the camera angles) but for the most part, it’s formula over creativity.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 March 2024

For several (largely financial) reasons, movie studios have developed an attachment to certain fictional characters.  Some are animated like Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny, some are human like James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, and some are grotesque creatures like Dracula and Frankenstein.  A long list of films and television shows have been centred around these folk.  Gotta stick with what works, right?

Godzilla and King Kong have the same history.  Wikipedia states there have been 38 Godzilla films since the original in 1954, and 13 King Kong flicks since his famed debut in 1933.  The two monsters were brought together for a Japanese feature in 1962 but it wasn’t until three years ago that they faced off in a major Hollywood movie – the obviously titled Godzilla v Kong.  The total box-office take of $470 million USD proved there’s still interest in their misadventures.

Director Adam Wingard is back for the next instalment, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and for the most part, the characters are kept separate.  Godzilla is battling monstrous reptiles in Europe while Kong has gone in search of his family in the recently discovered Hollow Earth (a rainforest-like world beneath the Earth’s surface).  The humans, headlined by returning stars Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) and Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway), don’t have much to do.  They’re keeping a close eye on the two creatures to make sure nothing “really” bad happens.  Note: Something really bad does happen.

I could cut and paste my review notes from the 2021 movie, and you wouldn’t know the difference.  I didn’t like that film for the same reasons as this one.  The visual effects are terrific, and the monster battles are cool to watch… but the rest is underwhelming.  The human characters are a boring bunch who magically solve any problem (spouting a bunch of technical jargon) in a matter of seconds.  Further, the ongoing destruction of major cities across the globe is treated as an unnecessary triviality.  What was the death toll?  Why does no one seem to care?

The film’s biggest problem is tone.  There are moments where characters are pushing for laughs as if in a contest to see who can come up the funniest reference about a particular situation.  Minutes later, the film is asking us to feel emotion and compassion for subplots like a displaced tribe, or a mum trying to connect with her adopted daughter.  I’d have preferred the writing team to go with a full action-comedy approach like last year’s sleeper hit, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves.

Given the similarities of approach, I can say if you liked Godzilla v Kong you’re probably going to like this too.  The converse also applies.  Shot at Village Roadshow Studios here on the Gold Coast, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire safely keeps the franchise kicking along but lacks a memorable “wow” factor to get people talking.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 March 2024

Last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their first new Oscars category in over two decades.  The details are still being finalised but in 2026, a statuette will be awarded to recognise the year’s best casting directors.  They’re the folk who scout around, watch tapes, hold auditions, and find the ideal actor for each role.

Wicked Little Letters is a wonderful example of just how importing casting directors can be.  It’s not a particularly deep or complicated screenplay (there’s a lot of repetition) but the actors elevate the material and make it all worthwhile.  Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley, who starred together two years ago in The Lost Daughter, are superb as the two leads.  The supporting players are terrific also!

Set in 1920s England and loosely based on a true story, Wicked Little Letters is the tale of a town engulfed in scandal.  A series of filthy, profanity-laden letters have been sent to the home of Edith Swan (Colman), a middle-aged religious woman who still lives with her domineering father (Spall) and quiet mother (Jones).  The household suspects the author is Rose Gooding (Buckley), a free-spirited single mum who lives next door with her young daughter.  The pair recently had a falling out, hence the motive.

It’s not long before police get involved and the situation escalates.  Rose is arrested, despite protesting her innocence, and is put on trial for libel.  It’s the kind of bizarre case where everyone in town is talking about it.  Newspaper journalists add more fuel to the fire with their interviews and salacious stories.  Most members of the public believe Rose is guilty but a handful of acquaintances have doubts and are doing some off-the-record policing to validate her innocence.

Framed as a dark comedy, this latest effort from English director Thea Sharrock (Me Before You) is fun.  It succeeds as an interesting whodunit and also offers perspective on a patriarchal society.  Several of the villainous characters, such as Timothy Spall as the father, get deep under your skin.  You want to see him get what he deserves!  The friendlier individuals, played by the likes of Joanna Scanlan (After Love) and Eileen Atkins (Gosford Park), steal scenes at any opportunity with their endearing wit and charm.

The narrative may not always make sense but if looking to be moved and entertained, Wicked Little Letters is a good choice.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 March 2024

Since their creation in 2007, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards have helped shine a light on the great cinema emanating from the region.  Winners of best picture have included Samson & Delilah, A Separation, Parasite, and Drive My Car.  Last year’s top prize recipient was the Japanese-German co-production Perfect Days, a film which premiered at Cannes and since earned a nod at the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film (losing to The Zone of Interest).

I’ll describe it as a wacky cross between Kenny, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Groundhog Day.  Set in downtown Tokyo, it follows the day-to-day existence of a simple man named Hirayama (Yakusho).  He lives alone in a rundown flat and works as a public toilet cleaner.  Hirayama wakes up at dawn, brushes his teeth, grabs a coffee from a vending machine, then drives across town in a small blue van.  He’s armed with an array of cleaning products and a jangling chain of keys which he uses to access storerooms.

I don’t think I’ve seen a film which features so many toilets!  As strange as it may sound, I think it’s a positive for the image of Japan because we see the artistic design which has gone into several of their public restrooms.  Another interesting plot is the pride and passion which Hirayama has for his work.  There is no cutting of corners.  He scrubs every toilet, sink and mirror until they are shiny and spotless.  He even uses a small mirror to help see behind corners where his head can’t reach.

I’ve always liked the line “the world is what we make of it.”  Hirayama’s profession may not be glamorous but he’s found, for the most part, an inner peace which allows him to value life’s beauties.  During his lunch breaks, he sits quietly in a shady park, eats a sandwich, and admires the trees above.  While driving around, he listens to upbeat Western music on scratchy cassette tapes.  Of an evening, he visits a small café where he enjoys a simple meal while watching baseball on television.  His happiness asks us, as the audience, to reflect on our own life and whether we are appreciating the many positives we often take for granted.

He’s not a big talker but over the course of the film, Hirayama interacts with a small number of people including an annoying co-worker, a restaurant manager, and his teenage niece.  These scenes allow us to see a beyond Hirayama’s smiling exterior and show not everything is as “happy” as it appears.  They trigger moments of deliberation about his work, his status as a bachelor, and the estranged relationship he has with certain family members.

I’d have preferred the pace to be a touch quicker, but I still admire what acclaimed German Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Buena Vista Social Club) has achieved here.  Perfect Days is a chill, mellow filmgoing experience with a great leading character.