Art & About Sydney - 2014

Art & About Sydney 2014 (19 Sept - 12 Oct) is in its' final week and once again has made impressive creative use of many of the city's outdoor spaces and a few indoor ones as well. The theme this year of 'endangered' is well captured and contextually positioned in the urban settings chosen for performances, art exhibitions, eye-catching installations and the ever-present use of banners. A favourite each year has been the photographic Sydney Life on the St James walkway of  Hyde Park North. This year the range of work has been expanded to encompass all of Australia represented by 22 large scale type C reproductions. Neon Nomads in Hyde Park South has a series of ti pees with visual images projected on their exteriors. For those who prefer some more vibrant action, Shaun Parker & Co present a dance routine with shopping trolleys in the Pitt Steet Mall, Martin Place or Customs House Square. It wouldn't be Spring in Sydney without Art & About.

Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - Wish I was here

Kate Hudson and Zach Branff in a still from "Wish I was here"

Wish I was here is an odd, quirky film produced, written and directed by Zach Branff who also acts in one of the lead roles. The film's production was funded through a Kickstarter campaign which is probably not surprising as it's difficult to see a commercial studio or indie film company taking up this story. A one man show it does appear in many respects with some very Jewish middle class angst underpinning the main story.  Branff's role is an actor named Aidan, aged in his thirties, largely unsuccessful and financially supported together with the rest of the family by his wife (Kate Hudson) in a tedious office job. When Aidan's father announces he is seriously ill and can no longer support the expensive education of Aidan's two children in an exclusive Jewish school, Aidan decides to homeschool them. Mixed in the family relationships is Aidan's reclusive brother (Josh Gadd) who prefers to attend Comic-Con conventions dressed as a spaceman than engaging with their ailing father.

The storyline and plotting for this film are annoyingly introverted and the hapless Aidan seems to stumble his way through the film in an almost slapstick manner which is conveniently wound-up nicely at the end. A small almost cameo appearance is made by Jim Parsons (from CBS television's The Big Bang Theory) who also plays a struggling actor trying to secure a break in the acting industry. Wait for the DVD or Blu-Ray edition for this film.

Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - Fell

Matt Nable in a still - Fell

Over the past twenty years Australian films have achieved a hard earned reputation for excellent production values but often with dark, depressing storylines and exceptional, emotionally damaged main characters - mostly seeking redemption or closure. Fell, the debut feature film for Australian director Kasimir Burgess falls within this genre. The storyline follows Thomas, (Matt Nable) whose young daughter, Lara is killed by a logging truck in a hit-and-run accident while the two of them are camping in a forest. The driver of the truck, Chris (Dan Henshall) is sent to prison but the grief stricken Thomas quietly sheds his urban life and moves to the remote town near where Lara was killed. Re-establishing himself with a new identity he moves to an isolated ruined cabin in the forest and finds work for the same logging company that employed Chris. When Chris is released from prison and returns to logging, Thomas connives to be his partner in high tree-logging work seemingly bent on revenge.

This is a film with strong atmospherics centred around the forest with minimal dialogue between the characters. The actors are well cast, centred on the two main male characters however there is excessive images of Thomas' brooding face and forest scenery. While the slow moving tension is built through the plot, it eventuates into nothing leaving the audience with an unresolved inconclusive result.

Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - Boyhood

(L to R) Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater

Boyhood has been described by reviewers as a "groundbreaking cinematic experience" and ".. a singular film that will be watched and admired for years to come..". Precisely why someone, having seen it screened once would revisit it again is something of a mystery. Director Richard Linklater shot this film in small parts over a ten period to depict the 12 years in the life of an American family. He used the same cast members for the roles of the children (Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater) and their parents (Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette) to ensure authenticity given the passage of time. The intention is to faithfully depict the joys, sadnesses, mistakes and changing relationships for a family and to share those experiences with the audience.

The character of Mason is so annoying and opaque in the film that the old Victorian adage of 'children should be seen and not heard' would not be out of place. As the central character of the film, he is no more lovable at the beginning than at the end in the final scenes. Patricia Arquette's character drifts between relationships while the character portrayed by Ethan Hawke moves from an unstable day-to-day existence to one of more certainty. The only consistency in the film is the absolute dedication of the parents to their children. Boyhood is more of an experiment in film-making technique and method, beyond which it does not merit further attention.

Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Princess Kaguya with her attendants

The Tale of Princess Kaguya is an exquisite animation mixing simple watercolour and coal drawings with soft hues, delicate lines, and minimalist storybook imagery. The masterpiece of 78-year-old Isao Takahata, co-founder of the renowned Studio Ghibli, this film once again demonstrates the supremacy of Japanese animation in this art form and fable-telling, often overlooked due to the populist anime genre. The story is based on the 10th Century folklore story 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' and follows the life of a mysterious golden princess discovered as a baby by a woodcutter within a random bamboo shoot. Kaguya, as she is named, revels in the natural beauty of the world around her in the isolated wood where she is raised by the woodcutter and his wife. The woodcutter is again gifted by the bamboo with an abundance of gold and fine silks which he interprets as being a sign of Kaguya's 'divine royalty'. With this wealth her adoptive parents proceed to transform her into a princess and provide the life for which they feel she is destined. Many suitors including the Emperor himself try to win Kaguya's hand but she is interested in none of them, thinking only of her childhood sweetheart back in the woods.

Princess Kaguya's time on Earth is limited and in her despondency she sings to the Moon and thus summons the celestial host of which she is a part realising only too late that her attachment to Earth and her adoptive parents is strong. Alas on the fifteenth night of the lunar month, the celestial delegation descends from the Moon to collect her. The Tale of Princess Kaguya has a moral lesson which transcends time, culture and society and is effectively portrayed in a emotionally evocative animation.

Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - In Order of Disappearance

Shoot-out at the snowplow shed - In Order of Disappearance

Scandinavian films, particularly from Norway, Sweden and Denmark often use satire, irony and unpredictable extreme violence to great effect in dark humoured storylines leaving audiences unsure as to whether to laugh or be shocked. Thus it is with In Order of Disappearance from Director Hans Petter Moland, a film which moves a fast pace with drastic results. The storyline follows Nils, (Stellan Skarsgard) who runs a snowplough through the mountain roads of Norway in Winter and his quest to avenge the murder of his son by drug dealers. Nils uncovers the trail of his son's murderers leading to the vegan drug-gangster 'The Count' and along the way various members of the Count's gang are dispatched by Nils by different creative methods with the advantage of heavy machinery and beginners luck. Unaware of Nil's quest, The Count assumes the other local crime group run by the Serbian mafia are responsible and a turf war breaks out between the two groups until it becomes obvious that another party is involved. Bruno Ganz is 'Papa', head of the Serbian mafia, Pål Sverre Hagen is hilarious as 'The Count' and together with Nils form the three protagonists in the plot. A film for those who appreciate Norwegian humour.

Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - Begin Again - Keira Knightly

Keira Knightly (guitar) Mark Ruffalo (headphones) Begin Again

As far as a feel good, light, fluffy film, Begin Again falls within that category of story and genre. Is it a music drama film or a music comedy film ? At various times it could be either or neither. Or perhaps it's just meant to showcase Keira Knightly's ability as a singer with an acoustic guitar. Screenwriter and director John Carney has provided the perfect 'lost souls find direction with each other' theme with this story: Gretta (Knightly) has flown to New York with her songwriting partner and boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) when a major label offers him a contract. Soon after he abandons her for the trappings of fame and a friend convinces Gretta to do a live performance in a small down market music bar. Enter disgraced record executive Dan (Ruffalo) who, down on his luck, happens to chance upon her in the bar and is captivated by her musical ability.  With his music industry contacts, Dan manages to record a demo album with Gretta in the open air which embraces New York's sounds and environment. The two of them rediscover their direction through the experience. If nothing else this film demonstrates that Keira Knightly has quite a lovely melodic singing voice.