Mothers' Instinct Film Review.

A tense psychological thriiler that studies different levels of grief experienced by five members of two families, following a tragic death. The feature debut of cinematographer turned film director Benoit Delhomme. Mothers' Instinct is a remake of the 2018 Belgian film Duelle which itself was inspired by Barbara Abel's novel.

Here, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway turn in extraordinary performances in a film that not only examines loss, but a whole range of emotions that eventually give way to extreme actions. While I  don't wish to give away any spoilers, I will say that although you may well guess the outcome, it's quite a ride to see exactly how we get there.

It's perhaps a little too Hitchcockian for many, but the performances, cinematography and composition do elevate this, making it a more than decent exercise in 2 of those ubiquitous deadly sins.

Screening at Ashbourne's Elite Cinema and Theatre.

 

All Of Us Strangers Cinema Review

 Based on the 1987 book Strangers, written by Taichi Yamada, Andrew Haigh's film is a heartbreaking British film that fully deserves the description 'award worthy'.

Essentially, it's a romantic fantasy concerning the coming together of two kindred spirits and their escalating relationship. The two men - Harry and Adam - played by Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, are neighbours in an apartment block, and as their love blossoms, Adam finds himself drawn back to his childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) look exactly the same as they did some three decades earlier.

It's perhaps unfair to single out one actor from what is a quartet of terrific performances, but Andrew Scott is quite remarkable here, and certainly gets my vote as one of the finest actors currently working. 

Probably the most emotional slice of cinema I'll see all year, All Of Us Strangers is many things but ultimately, it's perhaps a ghost story and reminds us there's nothing more powerful than love.

Madama Butterfly. Opera Review.

 The eclectic programming of my local cinema, The Ashbourne Elite Cinema and Theatre, compelled me to start reviewing Opera, plays and Ballet for this blog.

Yesterday, I was present for a Royal Opera production of Madama Butterfly, with music by the great Giacomo Puccini. This production was conducted by Kevin John Edusei, and directed for the screen by Bridget Caldwell. For this screening, Madama Butterfly was sung in Italian with English subtitles provided onscreen. 

Puccini's tragic opera was presented in 3 acts, telling the story of a marriage between Lieutenant Pinkerton (Joshua Guerrero) and Cio-Cio-San/Butterfly (Asmik Grigorian). When Pinkerton departs for America, his wife endures a long wait until she sees her beloved again,and it's his re-appearance that signals heartbreak is just around the corner.

 There's so much to enthuse about in this fine production: the music, of course, is remarkable, performed by the orchestra of The Royal Opera House to perfection. Costume and set design are impeccable and the lighting is just beautiful. The cast are also  uniformly first-rate, but a special mention for Asrik Grigorian whose rich soprano voice simply soars, bringing both joy and despair to proceedings.

Staged in 3 acts, Madama Butterfly is a triumph and well worth seeking out. 

Immaculate. Film Review.

 Directed by Michael Mohan, Immaculate is a wonderful throwback to 70s exploitation horror cinema,

boasting some positively wince-inducing moments as Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) joins an Italian convent, aiming to assist with caring for nuns facing their final days. Cecilia herself once 'died' for seven minutes, during an ordeal on a frozen lake and thus began her dedication to God.

It's not very long before Cecilia discovers the convent harbours dark secrets, and although its premise is hardly new, Immaculate breathes fresh air into the genre, and more than caters for the gorehounds amongst us with some gruelling set pieces.

Sydney Sweeney has garnered much praise for her performance, and rightly so, going through the full range of emotions, and successfully capturing the true horror behind the convent walls.

This is exactly the type of film that will reward multiple viewings, allowing better appreciation of the nuances of Sweeney's performance and further highlighting Mohan's assured direction.

With the timely release of the excellent Late Night With The Devil, Horror cinema is in a very good place.

I'm Back

 So, it's been over 3 years since I last touched base on this blog. For the first year of absence, my wife was very ill, and sadly passed away 2 years ago.

The opening of a new cinema just 5 minutes walk away was one of the factors behind restarting this blog, together with me becoming a bookworm who sets out time each day for reading.

So, this blog will feature cinema and Blu-ray reviews, together with book and audiobook reviews. I hope you will all stick around and keep my company.

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youtube Shoutout number 1. Chris Mohan

During lockdown, I've been checking out the growing number of Blu-ray video blogs by a taleted, knowledgeable bunch of people who are building up communities of film fans.
My first pick in what I intend to be a regular column is Chris Mohan.

Chris has a nicely varied selection of casts to work your way through, with solid recommendations for Blu-ray purchases from Arrow, Criterion, Indicator and other labels.
This is clearly a man who knows his films and loves his films, armed with real insight into what makes a great film tick.
Chris is a genuinely nice guy, and happily engages with his subscribers in the comments section below each video.

Enter Chris Mohan in the youtube search engine, and please subscribe to his channel for the lowdown on those valuable Blu-ray releases. Don't forget to tell him who sent you. Thank you.

I'll give details of another must-see channel in the next youtube post.


https://www.youtube.com/user/chrismohan/videos

Blu-ray Review: Walkabout (Second Sight)

Possibly the pinnacle of Nicolas Roeg's golden period of filmmaking, "Walkabout" is based on a novel by James Vance Marshall, and concerns a young brother and sister who find themselves stranded in the Australian outback. The female (played by Jenny Agutter) is a 16 year old schoolgirl whose younger brother ( played by the director's 7 year old son Luc) initially seems to take their new surroundings in his stride. Soon, the siblings encounter a young Aboriginal boy (David Gulpilil), sent out by his tribe on'walkabout'; a ritual that dictates an individual must leave his home and attempt to live off the land. The difference in cultures is somewhat offset by Luc Roeg's character who uses the international language of sings and gestures to communicate an urgent need for water, and a pattern emerges.

In essence, this is a coming-of-age tale, embroidered by themes of identity, dislocation of time and decay, mixed in with growing sexual tension between the two elders. Accompanied by a gorgeous John Barry score, Roeg's film is quite beautifully shot, taking in harsh terrain and beautiful scenery to stunning effect. There are so many iconic scenes and images here, and the script is equally as strong, leading us on an unforgettable journey that ends exquisitely. The 16 year old Agutter - chosen for the role 2 years earlier - is perfect as the youngster on the verge of adulthood, while Gulpilil cuts and imposing, haunting figure whoser mating ritual late in the film leads to tragedy. Of course, Roeg's son must also take credit as the young boy who must face a trial that many adults would find beyond them. Roeg's masterly use of editing, zooms, fades and painterly eye for capturing the great outdoors so beautifully make this a veritable feast for the eyes, and the themes employed here add a vast amount to the lasting appeal of this film.

Second Sight's Blu-ray presentation employs a brand new 4K scan and restoration that delivers sumptuous image quality, with glorious orange sunsets, verdant greens and vivid skintones. The supplemental features begin with a new audio commentary track with Luc Roeg and David Thomson. David takes the mic for the lion's share of the talk, recalling the film received a AA rating for its UK release; discusses the source novel (which may have been written by Donald Payne, rather than Marshall); compares "Walkabout" with Nicolas Roeg's "The Man Who Fell To Earth"; tlaks about the movie-going experience then and now and turns the spotlight on Nic's inspirations from various works of art. Overall, Luc has excellent recall of the shoot and talks about how his late father evolved with technology. I think Luc was enjoying watching this film again, admiring his father's craft while at the same time feeling emotional at seeing his younger self all those years ago

Producing Walkabout: an interview with Si Litvinoff (10m 7s) Si shares fond memories of what he terms Nic Roeg's "masterpiece", recalling how he met the director and became involved and talks about "A Clockwork Orange".

Luc's Walkabout: an interview with Luc Roeg (11m 9s) Luc discusses the shoot and talks about his admiration for David and Jenny.

Jenny And The Outback: an interview with Jenny Agutter (19m 20s) Jenny recalls her first meeting with Nicolas Roeg when she was 14, and how she joined the cast 2 years later, and goes into the ingredients that make Roeg's films so enduring.

Remembering Roeg: an interview with Danny Boyle (18m 31s) Danny explains why he has such a very high regard for the late director; how Roeg employed the unused potential of cinema and why "Walkabout" still comes across as a radical, modern film.

011 BFI Q&A with Nicolas Roeg, Jenny Agutter and Luc Roeg (16m 55s) Recorded at London's NFT on 5th March 2011, Nic talks about how he raised the finance for his film; Jenny recalls how she got the role and the trio remember the considerable contribution of David Gulpilil.

Archive Introdction By Nicolas Roeg (3m 54s) The director discusses the initial short script and how it evolved. Second Sight's Blu-ray package also includes the source novel, with cover art exclusive to this release. There's also a soft cover book featuring facsimilie copy of the original 65 page script with a preface by Daniel Bird, and a soft cover book with new essays by Sophie Monks Kaufman, Simon Abrahams and Daniel Bird, plus stills and lobby card images(none of which I've seen to date). Second Sight's disc is Region B, and will be released on 27th July. An essential purchase for Roeg buffs and indeed for newcomers to his work who like to be challenged by a director at the top of his game.