Hotel Lux - Movie Poster

Hotel Lux

3.5 Anne Murphy

Hans Zeisig, an apolitical comedian, impersonator and cabaret actor, flees with a Russian passport from Nazi-Berlin, and finds himself in Moscow staying in the legendary Hotel Lux.

Valuing humour over politics, this a comedic romp in a wartime setting. Elements of the story are grounded in fact, and the political caricatures are obviously drawn from fiction, but work well as parody. "Hotel Lux" is interesting because it centres on a part of WWII not often seen on the big screen, the relationship between Hitler and Stalin. Employing comic antics of another era, this is irreverent and entertaining... make a reservation.


This Way of Life - Movie Poster

This Way of Life

3.5 Anne Murphy

A lionhearted father struggles valiantly to create a life of idyllic simplicity for his family.

The central character in this engrossing documentary tells us that he lives for a living and we learn that trying to lead a simple life is not so simple. Even so, the contentment revealed when idealistic parents speak from the heart touches a yearning for a different way of life. Creating interest are plenty of children and animals, not to mention the stormy New Zealand coastal setting, which is simply stunning. You mightn't choose this way of life, but don't let that stop you from watching it.


Snowtown - Movie Poster

Snowtown

3.5 Anne Murphy

A look at the life of serial killer John Bunting.

The world looks like a more sinister place after watching "Snowtown". The story, which recounts real events, is chilling and shows life as you wish it wasn't. The setting is a colourless and unsettling suburban landscape, all the more terrifying for its ordinariness. It's sometimes hard to tell the relationships between the characters, not that it's possible to care for any of them. The dramatic build is slow and we squirm at what's coming and, unsurprisingly, the audience becomes enmeshed in scenes so sickening that they're almost unwatchable. Snowtown is no town to be.


The Burning Plain - Movie Poster

The Burning Plain

3.5 Anne Murphy

The past and the present have a curious way of affecting one another as several people separated by time and space are about to discover.

This gripping tale is revealed as slowly as a building storm while tension builds. The movie is laden with foreboding, even if you anticipate the outcome before it's played out. The threads involving various characters weave together to reveal the anguish filled origins of the story. "Burning Plain" is moody and filled with loss and remorse, filmed against scenic backdrops that create realism and tension. The plains burn with a slow fuse to create an unforgettable movie.


Julia's Disappearance - Movie Poster

Julia's Disappearance

3.5 Anne Murphy

A comedy about aging, youth and other eternal truths.

"Julia's Disappearance" is a sophisticated and diverting exploration about growing older. The central characters are old enough to dread those once-a-decade 'milestone' Birthdays, events that are funny to everyone but the guest of honour. The cast are congenial and witty, so it is a pleasure to be in their company, or at least experience their on screen banter. The plot is threaded with charming short stories, all themed around aging, and thankfully told with enough heart and humour to prevent the topic becoming tiresome. It's well crafted and sophisticated, but where is Julia?


Corpo Celeste - Movie Poster

Corpo Celeste

3.5 Anne Murphy

Thirteen year-old Marta restlessly tests the boundaries of the catechism of the Catholic Church when her family move from Switzerland to a city in southern Italy.

The protagonist is a stranger in a strange land as she prepares for her confirmation ceremony. A naive view of the Church and the various characters that support the institution are used to question the traditions and rites of its teachings. "Corpo Celeste" gently mocks using symbolism and religious iconography rather than overtly criticising any practice. The movie is effective in that it does plant questions about socially accepted values. You'll never get to heaven...


The Window - Movie Poster

The Window

3.5 Anne Murphy

An ill and aged author has his housekeeper preparing for the visit of his estranged son.

Related as a simple tale, this film is a gently paced contemplation of life and death. Scenes are deftly painted with an aesthetic eye. The cinema screen becomes an artist's canvas coloured with the haze of summer and reminiscences. It is a rare pleasure for the audience to be credited with the intelligence to sketch sub-plots, rather than having it all spelled out. A melancholic but unsentimental study of mortality; pausing for a view through this window is recommended.


Amelia - Movie Poster

Amelia

3.5 Anne Murphy

A look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.

"Amelia" is an adventurer's biopic with a central character who broke stereotypes, records, and hearts, while viewing borders as horizons. This well told story reflects all of that, and will inspire dreams bigger than the sky. The cinematography is fabulous, whether the landscape is seen looking down from a flying altitude or viewed gazing upward from the ground. The movie soars with Amelia in the pilot's seat.


Gnomeo & Juliet - Movie Poster

Gnomeo & Juliet

3.5 Anne Murphy

Garden gnomes Gnomeo and Juliet have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbours.

"Gnomeo and Juliet" is an animated frolic up the garden path. The concept is cute, and the plot adaptation of the classic tale of star crossed lovers is kitsch. This quality children's production is hobbled by its adult storyline. Still, there's much for young audiences to enjoy, a colorful and dramatic build, fabulous soundtrack and a jolly ending that transforms the original story of woe. Beyond the title the pun is fun but limited. Wherefore art thou Romeo?


The Hollywood Complex - Movie Poster

The Hollywood Complex

3.5 Anne Murphy

Spring heralds pilot season in Hollywood, and that means audition time as aspiring actors come to town with their Moms, desperately seeking that elusive call back from casting.

The scale of the 'wanna-be' industry is surprising, teeming with agents, drama-teachers and photographers, all fed by the sheer numbers of kids hoping to be discovered. While we can chuckle and scoff at the onscreen antics of the children and their parents, there is something very unsettling beneath the 'fun'. The opportunistic nature that all of the parties have in common suggests that many do not come away unscathed. Certainly no-one sings "Hooray for..."


Declaration of War - Movie Poster

Declaration of War

3.5 Anne Murphy

When their young son is diagnosed with a brain tumor, young parents Roméo and Juliette unite in the fight for his survival.

Despite its heart wrenching content "A Declaration of War" is lively and energetic. The movie is based on the experience of the director and her co-writer; part autobiography, part love story and part challenging medical drama. A story of desperately holding to hope is imbibed with familial love and delivered without pathos, and the result is a very moving account of navigating adversity while giddy with grief for what might happen. War, this is what it's good for.


Brothers - Movie Poster

Brothers

3.5 Anne Murphy

A young man comforts his older brother's wife and children after he goes missing in Afghanistan.

"Brothers" is as compelling as it is emotional, a powerful combination. As the title suggests, the focus is our most important relationships, the ones with family. The story navigates some difficult political and ethical terrain and is all the better for doing so without judgement. The audience is treated as intelligent, and almost everything is pared back except the strong performance from the entire cast. The overall tone and simple background setting are downplayed for realism, and the lingering memories are heart wrenching. He ain't heavy...


World's Greatest Dad - Movie Poster

World's Greatest Dad

3.5 Anne Murphy

A comedy about a man who learns that the things you want most may not be the things that make you happy, and that being lonely is not necessarily the same as being alone.

"World's Greatest Dad" is uncomfortable viewing centered on an unlikable teenage misfit and his apologetic, underachieving Dad. This movie is so dark it's pitch black, not to mention creepy - a parent's nightmare. Low key but high impact viewing that will stay with you. The messages about popularity and hollow celebrity will skulk at the back of your mind even if you are the world's greatest someone.


Easy Virtue - Movie Poster

Easy Virtue

3.5 Anne Murphy

An Englishman marries a glamorous American. When he brings her home to meet the parents, she arrives like a blast from the future - blowing their entrenched stuffiness out the window.

Set on a magnificent English country estate just after the First World War, this archetypal comedy of manners counterbalances predictable stereotypes with effervescent dialogue, and the result is captivating. Battle lines are drawn up and spirited repartee is fired between the pretentious and the sassy. The movie's salacious undertone is irresistible, particularly as the niceties don't mask the loathing. Virtue versus vice, and vice versa.


Cheri - Movie Poster

Cheri

3.5 Anne Murphy

The son of a courtesan retreats into a fantasy world after being forced to end his relationship with the older woman who educated him in the ways of love.

Visually impressive with sumptuous settings and costumes, this movie indulges with viewing pleasure. The characters are free of social mores in a gilded era. The central theme is love spanning a generational divide. A fading beauty contrasted with a beatified youth. Despite the setting and the situation, the pace is indolent, without the exuberance of emotional highs or troughs of despair. "Cheri" manages to be glorious, even if wistfully restrained.