Please Give
Anne Murphy
In New York City, a husband and wife butt heads with the granddaughters of the elderly woman who lives in apartment the couple owns.
Manhattan films about nothing should be a genre of their own. Equal parts smart drama-comedy and introspective reflection on the human condition, "Please Give" is grounded in the angst of reality and near perfect. This is a chick flick populated with grown-ups who are still growing up. The city dwellers dealing with the everyday while struggling with life's big issues like guilt and insecurity are imperfect as well as sharp and funny. Nothing to give just breathe it in.
Persepolis
Anthony Macali
Poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution.
It's surprising how touching this black and white animation is. With sharp contours and pale gradients, the film looks astounding, but also portrays a "dark" period of Marjane's life. Her narrative provides earnest accounts of Iran's history, family and moving out of home; growing into an acute perspective of life in these times of revolution. You leave the cinema in a wake of colours, realising the splendour of freedom.
Catfish
Anthony Macali
Filmmakers Ariel and Henry document a story involving Ariel's brother, Nev, a 24-year-old photographer, and Abby, an 8-year-old girl contacts Nev via Facebook.
Never has a film captured the simple day-to-day tidings of social networks as well as "Catfish". Through pure happenstance, the film monitors a new relationship form, brilliantly blending the interaction of modern media in a series of clever montages. As characters delve deeper the tension builds, gradually creating a sense of dread as we ponder what could only amount to be a frightening conclusion. This documentary will astound everyone online and confirm the fears of many others.
- Genre » Documentary
- Festival » MIFF 2010
The Guard
Anne Murphy
An unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is teamed up with an uptight FBI agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.
"The Guard" is a comedy threaded with some serious themes. The genre is an original police-buddy action combination delivered in a lilting Irish style which proves delightful. The central character is a foul-mouthed modern masterpiece, politically incorrect, big hearted, world weary and honourable, as well as disrespectful, again a little bit of everything in the mix. This is a very funny movie but not so much laugh out loud as wryly observed and darkly humorous. Many unguarded moments.
Tyrannosaur
Anne Murphy
The story of Joseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction.
"Tyrannosaur" is harrowing viewing. Filmed with an uncompromising eye for realism, there’s an intensity to this movie that’s rarely captured with such bruising effect. Anger, rage and torment are central to the story and expressed without inhibition. Expect a confronting experience, one that will leave audiences wrung out, if not reeling from the relentless blows landed. The cast are credible and the performances delivered are absolutely convincing, particularly when somewhere from the depths of hopelessness something transformative is glimpsed. As riveting as it is grim.
Mother
Anne Murphy
A mother desperately searches for the killer that framed her son for an horrific murder.
"Mother" is a suspenseful thriller filmed with an eye for the comedic realities of serious situations. There's plenty of intrigue within a small Korean town, and a dark mood is masterfully painted onto the screen. The story is riveting to watch and delivered with faultless performances; the emotional elements are strong and powerfully expressed. As the gripping story-line is unfurled and the truth behind the crime is revealed, you can't help but admire just how well crafted this film is. A testament to the remarkable tenacity of maternal love.
How to Die in Oregon
Anne Murphy
In 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide.
"How to Die in Oregon" is not an easy documentary to watch, and that is good reason to watch it. Death with dignity is a complex ethical concept to bring to the screen, and this film is an intimate exploration of life and planned death. The film maker is respectful and unobtrusive. The sensitivity is appreciated... he doesn't add his own narrative, the subjects do all the talking. No other voice is needed - their stories are incredibly moving. Choice allows us to die well.
- Genre » Documentary
- Festival » MIFF 2011
Red Dog
Wendy Slevison
Based on the true story of Red Dog, who united an outback community while in search of his master.
Watching this movie feels a bit like sitting around a camp fire listening to your mates tell a darn good yarn. It's a quintessentially Aussie experience with wonderfully personal characterisations and a truly incredible story. The first-class cinematography brings the mining area of Western Australia gloriously to life in a visual feast of red and turquoise. The human actors do a fine job of portraying the mateship that forms in the small mining towns, but of course the dog steals every scene he's in - what a talented boy! A blue ribbon for "Red Dog".
13 Assassins
Andrew O'Dea
In feudal Japan, a group of Samurai assassins come together on a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.
This period action flick is a tale of vengeance and honour, combining 'old-school' Japanese heroics with genuinely poetic sentiment. The story and electricity builds slowly as we're introduced to the '13', before exploding into one of the greatest extended battle sequences of all time. Blood flows, limbs fly, and heads roll in what is quite simply a ballet of brutality. Yet the film still carries direction and purpose behind the gore, through the nobility of our heroes' cause. A near-flawless, classic Samurai movie. Both incredibly stylish and graphically violent, "13 Assassins" never misses its mark.
Four Lions
Andrew O'Dea
The story of a group of British jihadists who push their fantastical and abstract dreams of glory to the breaking point...
This film is a witty, riotously funny, and undeniably unique comedy. At no stage does it resort to extracting cheap laughs from its volatile subject matter as is the case with so many other movies that pose as "outrageous". Brilliantly written, the hilariously farcical tone generates a constant supply of laughter, yet there is also an underlying intelligence that presents a very real and relevant message. All those involved in the making of "Four Lions" should most definitely take pride in it.
Rescue Dawn
Anthony Macali
A US Fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission during the Vietnam War.
This film combines two of my favourite things: jungle and escaping prison. The jungle is captured beautifully: green, luscious and dense, impossible to penetrate without a machete. Escaping prison is slow, and painful. But this movie goes as far as showing many negligible details, from a crash-course in picking locks to converging the guards. The prisoners are a colourful bunch, the interplay in their state of delirium is very amusing. This is an exceptional war movie of survival and the jungle.
Submarine
Andrew O'Dea
15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.
There is an underlying idealism and sentimentality to "Submarine" that is tenderly masked by moments of genuine hilarity. Just like sonar, you can't see it, but you can feel it there. The humour is oddball and quirky, but never to the point where it's self-aware. With a soundtrack that is simply sublime, and whimsical visuals to match, this is a stylish and funny story told with great affinity by a clearly talented first-time director. Submarine down. Periscopes, emotion, and laughter up.
Cedar Rapids
Anne Murphy
Tim Lippe has no idea what he's in for when he's sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to represent his company at an annual insurance convention.
"Cedar Rapids" is a surprising and heart-stealing comedy, thanks mostly to the nuanced portrayal of the central character, as a naive and amiable man. This hearty movie is rude and rambunctious while managing to be emotionally earnest. In line with the indie tradition the result is disarming despite the morally dubious convention setting. Movie goers will take away a genial glow even as what happens in Cedar Rapids stays in Cedar Rapids…
Tyson
Wendy Slevison
A mixture of original interviews and archival footage sheds light on the life of Mike Tyson.
This documentary is an extraordinary account of the life of Mike Tyson, told entirely by Tyson himself. No topic is off-limits, and Tyson had no say over what footage made the final cut. It is an astonishingly honest insight into a man often seen as simply a brute. He is surprisingly humble, astute, compassionate and endearingly unsophisticated. The boy from Brooklyn - child criminal, brilliant boxer, convicted rapist, recovering addict - hides nothing, takes responsibility for everything, and unexpectedly inspires admiration, empathy and emotion.
- Genre » Documentary Biography
- Festival » MIFF 2009
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Andrew O'Dea
Two men fortify a nondescript apartment so it can serve as a prison before kidnapping a woman.
"The Disappearance of Alice Creed" sets the tone from the outset, with a dialogue-free opening act that is as methodical and gripping as the film itself. Shot almost entirely in a confined space, excellent camera work and direction help to maintain its claustrophobic nature and sustain an air of tension. It moves from confrontation to revelation with doses of dry humour in just the right places to lace the suspense. With superb acting performances from the cast (all three of them) and a tight focus, you won't need to search any further than this if you're looking for a smart, engaging thriller.