Author: Natalie Teasdale

I want to share with other movie fans those amazing films that get under your skin and stay with you for days: the scary ones, the funny ones; the ones that get you thinking. With a background in creative writing, photography, psychology and neuroscience, I’ll be focusing on dialogue, what makes a great story, if the film has beautiful creative cinematography, the soundtrack and any movie that successfully scratches the surface of our existence. My aim is to always be searching for that ultimate movie, to share what I’ve found to be interesting (whether it be a great soundtrack, a great director or links to other information of interest) and to give an honest review without too much fluff. BAppSci in Psychology/Psychophysiology; Grad Dip Creative Arts and Post Grad Dip in Creative Writing. Founder of GoMovieReviews.

Rainbow Video

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★☆ (3.8/5)

Directed by: Jessie Scott

Featuring: Philip Brophy, Ian Haig, Cassandra Tytler, Xanthe Dobbie, Jean Lizza, Diego Ramirez and Spiro Economopoulos.

Released as part of the 2023 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival

Rainbow Video is a deep dive documentary about what is fast becoming a myth, the video store.

This is a discussion, a conversation with locals who work in stores (or worked in stores), curators, film lovers, collectors, distributors and artists all talking about movies, about the ‘video logic’ of choosing a movie to watch based on a cool cover, or a cult book recommendation that can only be found, in store.

It’s about ‘opportunities of discovery,’ and ‘organised hording.’ And I loved watching it.

The conversation is told through the view of a hand-held camera with cuts to the rainbow vision of titles to shop front displays and opening hours to watching a customer rent a DVD that was so simple yet somehow riveting.

In rare moments, you can hear the crew of the film ask a question off mike, which adds to the inclusive feel of the documentary, but the voice of the director, first time film maker, Jessie Scott, is heard through the video cuts added to the discussion – those moments of Melbourne, of seeing people walk down the street, a tram whooshing by setting the scene for the introduction to a local video store that until recently, used to be a weekly, even bi-weekly journey.

I kept smiling as I got caught up in the joy of the contributors talking about all things video: the search, the conversation, the recommendations and the culture of the video store.

The artists talk of their own projects and creative process as they stand on a ream of blue paper or while sitting to have a friendly black dog come into view with tail wagging – all to a peppy soundtrack.

It’s like the audience is invited into the conversation.

And what an interesting conversation – it gets philosophical and creative and inspiring, a little political and a little sad as the credits show the video stores featured in the documentary are mostly closed.

It’s about transition and the idea of the tangible to the weightlessness of digital and what that means in the context of watching a film.

I recently went to my local library and decided to spend some time looking through their CD collection. I felt like finding something new. Something I might not think of listening to and found 15 disks to take home. I was chuffed so took a photo of the CDs all laid out to post on Facebook, to get the reply – ‘Ever heard of Spotify?’ And was sad that someone just didn’t understand the spirit of finding something new and unexpected.

Watching this documentary made me feel like meeting my people because it taps into that fun of discovery.

It’s an interview of people who really know what they’re talking about, who are genuine film lovers and fascinating which says a lot about Scott as a film maker because she’s framed the discussion so well.

Barbie

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★☆ (3.7/5)

Rated: PG

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Written by: Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach

Produced by: Tom Ackerley, Robbie Brenner, David Heyman, Margot Robbie

Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Dupa Lipa and Helen Mirren.

Because Barbie can be anything, women can be anything – right?

Set in a world where every day is the ‘best day ever,’ Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) wakes up every morning with a smile on her face and tiptoes.

It’s all hanging out with the girls, impromptu musical numbers, Ken (Ryan Gosling) obsessed and only alive in the gaze of Barbie and Barbies’ ruling the world and perfect sunny weather with nothing but blue skies day, after day, after day…

Until those irrepressible thoughts of death invade Stereotypical Barbie’s peace of mind.

It’s time to go visit. Weird Barbie, AKA Gymnast Barbie (Kate McKinnon).

An outcast in Barbie Land, Weird Barbie is forever doing the splits and keeps a dog that pooh’s hard plastic pellets (this is an actual creation where you lever the tail and the dog pooh’s – tee hee).

Gymnast Barbie knows what’s wrong because that’s how she became, weird. Once upon a time her owner, a young girl going through a punk phase, decided her Barbie should have her hair hacked and face… changed.

Stereotypical Barbie’s human must be doing something similar but instead of angry, this human’s world is falling apart and the emotions are starting to influence the Barbie.

The only way to stop the dark thoughts and get Barbie’s feet where they should be is to find the person who’s having the thoughts. It’s time to leave Barbie Land and enter the human world.

But Barbie? In the real world? It’s not going to end well.

‘It’s a repeat of Skipper in Key West,’ says CEO (Will Farrell) of Mattel (which for some reason still cracks me up).

It’s not long before Barbie is arrested and of course Ken’s along for the ride because he can’t be without Barbie.

And she might need someone who specialises in ‘Beach’.

Instead of the idealised matriarchal world they expected, Barbie and Ken soon realise that men are raised to a far higher level of power than in Barbie Land.

And Ken loves it. If only he was qualified to do anything more than stand on the ‘Beach’.

At its foundation, Barbie the movie is a feminist comedy – a strong description, but the script doesn’t pull punches as Barbie tackles the patriarchal society of the real world.

One of the all-male Mattel executives says, ‘I’m a man without power – does that make me a woman?’

So Barbie is faced with the idea of death and a world dominated by men.

The discussion of the awkward position of women in society is refreshing.

I get the, damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’t scenario.

And I’ve never heard the difficulties declared in the way the real human woman character, Gloria (America Ferrera) who’s a Mattel employee and mum of teenage-full-of-angst Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), describes to Barbie: what it’s like to be a woman who can’t be fat, can’t be too skinny, has to say, ‘healthy’, while actually be skinny. Has be assertive but grateful. Be a sexy partner but caring like a mother but not a replacement for a mother. Has to have a career but not be selfish. Has to be successful but not so successful to make other people uncomfortable. And it goes on. And it all has the ring of truth about it.

It’s almost like the Barbies are the women born in the 50s who opened up the world in the 70s so women could become career women, and have babies – but in reality, there’s still a cage built of expectation.

Sometimes the message of the movie is a little dated like the idea of construction workers all being men. And the only-alive-when-you-look-at-me-Barbie, Ken is an unbalance in the other direction.

But there’s a fresh outlook here. That has genuinely funny moments.

The film was well-cast with Ryan Gosling as Ken helping keep it endearing as he too tries to understand his position in a patriarchal society versus a matriarchal society, then to find a place that understands the individual.

Then the message gets deeper as the idea of patriarch and the creation of Barbie is a construct created to intellectualise a confusing world; to try to control or understand, before we die.

As if I wasn’t already depressed in the middle of a Melbourne winter.

But then, it’s about girls and women, mothers and sisters and daughters all just being themselves.

So I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the message, with the added funny moments and a lasting feeling that tapped into a space unexpected – to feel good about myself and other women.

The Flash

GoMovieReview Rating: ★★★1/2

Rated: M

Directed by: Andy Muschietti

Screenplay by: Christina Hodson

Story by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, Joby Harold

Based on Characters from: DC

Produced by: Barbara Muschietti, Michael Disco

Starring: Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue and Michael Keaton.

The Flash (Ezra Miller) naming himself, ‘The janitor of the Justice League’ feels like he’s always cleaning up after Batman.

But Batman’s his besty.

So when the latest disaster hits Gotham City and the Justice League are busy elsewhere, it’s up to The Flash AKA Barry Allen, who’s in the middle of trying to buy a sandwich from a server who isn’t his usual server and he’s going to be late AND he’s hungry and trying to feed himself because if he doesn’t his body will literally run out of fuel… Well, Barry steps up, or rather, steps forward with arms bent at the ready.

It’s a silly beginning – think falling babies from a collapsing skyscraper while The Flash breaks into a falling vending machine to eat.

The film takes a moment to get traction (ha, ha).

Then the film shifts gear, cue the strings of the soundtrack, pan to dad in jail for the murder of his wife and mother of Barry:

‘I loved you first’.

It’s an unsubtle shift but leads to a poignant moment with Batman (Ben Affleck) – he’s a character who can relate.

Then flash again (ha, ha, sorry, can’t seem to help myself with this one), the film flashes back to a time when Barry’s mother was alive. Back to a time when he can save her, because if he can run faster than the speed of light, the theory runs, he can turn back time.

Enter, The Chrono Ball.

This is where most of the effects come into play: the surrounding faces of the past nightmarish as The Flash runs in the Ball’s centre, making time warp backwards.

But of course, changing the course of the past will always lead to changes to the future and added to the risk of changing the world forever, General Zod (Michael Shannon) returns to the past. To a past that no longer has metahumans.

Until Supergirl (Sasha Calle) is rescued.

They need all the hero’s they can muster to beat the Kryptonian general from destroying the Earth completely this time. In the past.

The film gets entertaining once Barry meets his past self so that verging on the silly overacting tones down to an overly enthusiastic Barry who meets older and wiser future Barry.

The effects also help off-set some of the silliness – The Flash quoting himself as a Barbie Girl in a Barbie world, well, that was one of the OK funny bits, but you get where I’m going. The humour just did not hit until The Flash meets his younger self – the chemistry better and more balanced.

And then there’s the return of Michael Keaton as the hermit Batman of the past (who is somehow older and yet explained so well with a bowl of spaghetti by said hermit Batman).

Really, I can’t believe how good it was to see Michael Keaton as Batman again.

Once the balance got going with the characters, there were some genuinely funny moments – seeing The Flash run around without being able to flash around did tickle.

And there’s some themes running (ha, ha) through the storyline so it’s not all superficial flashy trash – ‘not every problem has a solution,’ etc.

The future self, teaching the past self, worked better than expected.

And the film felt full, with every second of every frame brimming with as much dialogue and effects as possible.

Didn’t always hit the mark, but there’s enough of a foundation here to enjoy the entertainment.

You Hurt My Feelings

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★

Rated: MA15+

Directed by: Nicole Holofcener

Written by: Nicole Holofcener

Produced by: Anthony Bregman, Stefanie Azpiazu, Nicole Holofcener, Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, Owen Teague, Jeannie Berlin.

‘We’re so lucky.’

You Hurt My Feelings finds Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) finishing her second book; a work of fiction in follow-up to her somewhat, ‘it-should-have-done-better,’ lamented by her mother (Jeannie Berlin), memoir.

It’s Beth’s wedding anniversary. Having dinner with her husband Don (Tobias Menzies), a therapist, it’s obvious that husband and wife have a loving, solid relationship.

‘You’re a good kisser,’ Beth tells him.

It’s sweet. Too sweet for son, Elliott (Owen Teague) who works as a manager, selling marijuana while finishing writing his first play.

Beth is desperate to get her hands on the script but he’s not sharing, just yet.

Elliott feels his mother has lied to him, overestimating his talents growing up.

And finds his parents’ sharing their food a ridiculous habit.

You Hurt My Feelings is a film about family and how each individual fits into that dynamic.

Beth and sister, Sarah (Michaela Watkins) spend a lot of time together, discussing the important things in life, ‘Should I be buying better socks?’

It’s a deceptively simple film.

Then the sisters overhear Don telling Mark, husband to Sarah, how he doesn’t like the second book.

Beth is devastated.

It’s like the worst lie has been told to her face about what is her foundation of self: if Don doesn’t like her book, how can he respect her?

The style of the film allows the characters space, as they each struggle to overcome the obstacles of every-day life: Don second guessing his ability as a therapist leads to some of the rare funny moments in the film, ‘for some reason he doesn’t want me pointing at him,’ says one client about her husband partnering her in therapy but seemingly, not in life; arguments the never-ending melody of their relationship.

Beth’s brother-in-law, Mark (played by Arian Moayed) is another point of light as an actor who wonders if he still has what it takes, only remembered for his supporting role in, ‘a movie about pumpkins.’

Interior designer sister Sarah wonders what’s the point when a client doesn’t understand her taste, or more that she doesn’t understand her client’s taste.

It’s a film about the individual’s struggles in life and how Beth processes the deception of Don constantly telling her he likes the book, when he really doesn’t.

There’s a lot of space here, for the characters to be themselves, the expansion and growth of each character the foundation of the narrative.

But that space is created with mundane dialogue, ‘Wait mum. Do we have bagels?’

‘I don’t know, I’ll check.’

Yes, the honesty is sweet, the psychology of the family subtle, leaving a feeling of the authentic, the performances making the most of the dry every-day. And there’s a feeling of completion, a resolving and growth when the pieces of drama click into place.

But I thought it would be funnier.

You Hurt My Feelings is a bit New York, more drama than comedy and more about socks than expected.

‘Adorable?’ as sister Susan keeps exclaiming?

It grew on me.

Cairo Conspiracy

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★★

Directed by: Tarik Saleh

Written by: Tarik Saleh

Produced by: Kristina Åberg and Fredrik Zander

Starring: Tawfeek Barhom, Fares Fares, Mohammad Bakri, Makram J. Khoury, Sherwan Haji, Mehdi Dehbi.

WINNER – BEST SCREENPLAY
Cannes Film Festival 2022

‘Don’t forget where you’re from.’

When Adam (Tawfeek Barhom) is granted a scholarship to study at the Al-Azhar in Cairo, he’s worried his father won’t approve.

But his father, a fisherman who is a strict disciplinarian, says not even a father can stand in the way of God’s will.

Al-Azhar is the centre of power in Sunni Islam, and it is here that Adam arrives to open his world to the teachings of the Qur’an. Instead the fisherman’s son becomes the centre of a power struggle between the State and religious leaders when the Grand Imam passes away.

Director and writer Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident (2017)) states, ‘One of the Egyptian revolutions, the one that brought Field Marshal Sisi to power, was seen as a military coup, although it was actually supported by the people. Once he became President, Sisi, who has ruled Egypt for eight years, decided to confront the Al-Azhar institution directly. His first decision was to visit the University on the Prophet’s birthday. His speech said in essence: “Either you contribute to the problem or you contribute to the solution. We need to fight terrorism, which you have not done so far. There are even books in your institution that promote terrorism and this must stop.”’

What surprised Tarik Saleh as he was writing the script for, Conspiracy in Cairo is that what he had written started to happen in reality.

The conflict between state and religion is the driving narrative of the film when the State decides it will do anything in their power for the replacement of the Grand Imam to be on the side of the president.

Enter State Security Colonel Ibrahim (Fares Fares).

At the behest of his boss, Ibrahim uses the students as informants within the Al-Azhar, known as Angels, to pass back information to influence the decision making in favour of the State’s priorities.

Echoing the implied statement of President Sisi in real-life Egypt, “I am the new leader of Egypt, you had better fall in line”.

And the then Grand Imam, Sheikh el-Tayeb: “I am only the Grand Imam, my only privilege is to give recommendations from the Qur’an. You, Sissi, make the law and I do not interfere with that.” The President wanted the Qur’an to support his proposed laws. The Grand Imam replied that he could not because it is impossible to change the Qur’an.”

What we see in the film is how Adam, once recruited as an Angel, navigates the power struggle while staying hidden from those he’s informing on and also keeping alive by passing information to State Security that, as his predecessor and fellow student, Zizo (Mehdi Dehbi) found out – being a loose end is just as dangerous.

Weaved through-out the delicate yet deadly politics are the teachings of the Qur’an, where, ‘right is right, sin is sin. God will guide you.’

It’s a quietly menacing film about ‘books that scare tyrants and kings,’ and scholars who quote the words of the Qur’an to find their way to a Truth.

This is a political intrigue set in the modern-day world of Islam in Egypt so the tone is unique as the familiar politics of State seek to control the power of religion, where Adam has to decide if the obstacles put in front of him come from God, or fate or man.

‘This life is but a game.’

It’s a struggle, finding that balance of power between, ‘Two Pharaoh’s in the land,’ because one false step detected by the people of Egypt could very likely lead to civil war.

Conspiracy in Cairo is an absorbing story (there’s a reason the film won Best Screenplay at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival), quietly told, from the cold but honest work of a fisherman working from a small boat on the sea, to panning to a flock of birds drifting between the spires of the Al-Azhar, to the weave of Brothers snaking their way to find and punish any against them.

Thought-provoking, intriguing with moments of beauty – this is a balanced film that gets you thinking.

John Wick: Chapter 4

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.3/5)

Rated: MA15+

Directed by: Chad Stahelski

Written by: Shay Hatten and Michael Finch

Based on Characters Created by: Derek Kolstad

Produced by: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski

Executive Producers: Keanu Reeves, Louise Rosner, David Leitch, Michael Paseornek

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown and Ian McShane, Marko Zaror, Natalia Tena.

‘Such is life,’ is the playful yet deadly theme in this forth chapter of John Wick, spoken by Winston (Ian McShane), New York manager in explanation of another sour turn of events surrounding the ever-increasing reward for the fulfilment of the Kill Contract for the unstoppable, John Wick (Keanu Reeves).

This time, the Marquis (Bill Skarsgård) of The High Table has been granted the power to do anything necessary to bring John Wick down.

‘Why won’t you die!’

German assassin Killa (Scott Adkins) exclaims through his bloody, gold capped teeth.

Because fueled by his need for revenge, Wick continues to kill anyone in his way towards freedom.

There’re 14 action sequences in this forth chapter, which is four times more than any previous John Wick film.

I didn’t relish the idea of sitting through nothing but fight scenes but the film draws you into the story before the action kicks in. And it’s this attention to the story as well as the mind-blowing action that sets the John Wick franchise apart.

I had massively high expectations after being blown away by John Wick 3, but returning Keanu Reeves in the lead role (he’s also an executive producer here) and director, Chad Stahelski, did not disappoint.

Producer Erica Lee notes, it’s, ‘the “bond and trust” between Reeves and Stahelski that has defined the John Wick franchise. “Chad has given so much to the films for the better part of a decade. Keanu loves the series so much – he’s in every script meeting and casting discussion and has come up with some amazing story ideas. Very few franchises have the consistency we’ve enjoyed with our core team.”

Chapter 4 opens in Jordan, with John riding horseback, riffle in hand, to Japan, Berlin and Paris, so there’s some interesting sets for those explosive action scenes here. And the inventive fights just get more intense from knives, num-chuks, exploding bullets of fire, to cars in traffic used like dodgem cars, where the would-be assassins don’t dodge so much. And neither does John.

Adding to the fight scenes is the additional body armour of the suits worn by John and The Table killers so weapons get added just to make an opening for a kill: thump with a num-chuk to expose a neck for the kill shot.

There are so many moments of cringe and ouch all the while grinning my face off. Particularly the last quarter of the movie – the grin just got wider as the action got ridiculous. In a good way.

The choreography is fast and brutal and smooth like a dance – the sheer number of stunt people in the credits understandable. “Reeves also did precision driving training and horseback riding training, in addition to instruction in many other disciplines. “Over the course of these films, Wick can sign, speak Russian, and, in CHAPTER 4, speak a little Japanese. So, I’m always picking up different skills,” says Reeves.

There’s also a play of light with John’s reintroduction set with a backing of red light so even the cherry blossoms in the background took on a sinister aspect. And that red light continues to follow Wick through-out the film, like an illustration of his unrelenting need for revenge.

In addition there’s thoughtful one-liners thrown in, strangely enough from the villain, the deadly Marquis, like: ‘A man’s ambition should never exceed his worth.’

Has to be said, Bill Skarsgård as the Marquis is genius casting and just one of the worthy additions to the story – The Tracker (Shamier Anderson) with his partner killer dog was a little obvious. But then ended up being one of my favourite characters. There’s also The Harbinger (Clancy Brown) that adds another layer to the story that is The High Table.

If you’re already a fan of the John Wick franchise, Chapter 4 is obviously a must-see and in my opinion, as good as the previous JW3: the detail, the humour, the dogs, the camera work, those shots from above a seriously successful device to show more of the action… Action at its very best.

What a journey.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

GoMovieReview Rating: ★★★1/2

Rated: M

Directed by: David F. Sandberg

Written by: Henry Gayden, Chris Morgan

Shazam Created by: Bill Parker, C. C. Beck

Produced by: Peter Safran

Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, Rachel Zegler, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, Meagan Good, D. J. Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, Haithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews and Djimon Hounsou.

‘The most powerful thing about you, is you.’

Yes, there’s the expected underlying message that goes with any teen-starring superhero movie.

But there’s a balance in this sequel to Shazam!, released back in 2019 (see review here)

There’s the delightful humour of Zachary Levi returning as the superhero Shazam; his alter ego (or is it the other way around?), Billy Batson (Asher Angel) now turning 18, an older teen to his previous 14-year-old character, still revelling in his superhero’s man-body, his adoptive family, mum (Marta Milans) and dad (Cooper Andrews) blissfully oblivious to their adopted children’s superpowers:

Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) superhero Freddy (Adam Brody)

Eugene (Ian Chen) superhero Eugene (Ross Butler)

Mary and superhero (Grace Caroline Currey)

Pedro (Jovan Armand) superhero Pedro (D. J. Cotrona)

Darla (Faithe Herman) superhero Darla (Meagan Good).

The superhero powers don’t always go to plan though, hence being nicknamed by The Tribune – that no-one reads, it’s fake news! – the, Philly Fiascos.

There’s some genuinely funny moments here, with Shazam seeing a paediatrician, lying on a couch like he’s seeing a psychiatrist to unpack his issues – the doctor recommended by a friend, a youngish friend around Billy’s age because the doctor has dolls in the corner of his office.

Shazam has understandable issues. He doesn’t think he deserves his powers because he’s been rejected A LOT: his parents, the foster homes. Then of course The Tribune with front page, ‘Rejected by City.’

The main difference between the sequel to the original is the team aren’t kids anymore, so those jokes about the disparity of a child in a man’s body doesn’t have as much punch. But seeing Shazam rapidly chewing a mint to seal the deal on his Wonder Woman crush… I found myself laughing out loud at Zachary Levi’s antics as Shazam once again.

Has to be noted that Billy the superhero was less mature than Billy Batson the teen turning 18. But the idea of the school kids turning into fit superheros still worked and was a lot of fun.

And there’s blue fire-breathing dragons and the Staff of the Gods, the opening of the film above Athens. Spartan’s appear: Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu). Gods who have lost their power because of Shazam breaking the Staff in the previous film.

I like a bit of fantasy in a superhero movie. And director David F. Sandberg has handled the balance of humour, fantasy and drama well.

The young Darla felt, well, a bit young, at times. To appeal to a younger audience, no doubt. I could hear the response in the audience to her doe-eyed antics.

Didn’t always hit for me.

But, ‘I’m an idiot,’ Shazam is just as funny as the first film, even as he fights his growing pains while forever wondering, what is my superhero name?

It drags a bit, getting to the growing up moment, but overall, I was Shazam! entertained by this sequel, Sandberg getting the timing of the jokes just right.

Pearl

GoMovieReview Rating: ★★★1/2

Rated: MA15+

Directed by: Ti West

Written by: Ti West & Mia Goth

Produced by: Jacob Jaffke, p.g.a, Ti West, p.g.a, Kevin Turen, Harrison Kreiss

Executive Producers: Mia Goth, Peter Phok, Sam Levinson, Ashley Levinson, Scott Mescudi, Dennis Cummings, Karina Manashill

Starring: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland, Emma Jenkins-Purro.

‘I do like a good audience.’

Pearl, the prequel to X (2022) is the origin story of the voyeur who stalks the crew of X, especially porn star, Maxine Minx.

See movie review of X here: X Review

There’s parallels between the two characters, emphasised by the characters, Maxine and Pearl both played by Mia Goth.

Took me a while to figure that here Mia was playing the old woman from X, now young on the same farm.

The opening is an idyllic scene, the barn doors opening to a farmyard with chooks and clothes flapping in the breeze while the sun shines on the green grass.

There’s an emphasis on the brightness of mid-century technicolor with an orchestral score by Tyler Bates; the brightness adding another dimension to the sinister as what is all goodness in the world is splattered with the blood of Pearl’s broken dreams.

There’s a room full of dolls and a girl looking the mirror, Pearl.

She stretches out her arms, like a dancer.

Her mother, Ruth (Tandi Wright) speaks to Pearl in German, chastising her and her silly fantasies.

‘I’m special,‘ Pearl says.

Set in 1918, Pearl’s husband is at war and she is trapped on the farm with her mother and dependent father (Matthew Sunderland).

She acts out.

It gets bloody.

This is a different style of horror to X. This is a character study, a slow reveal of Pearl’s dark soul.

Ti West returns as director, this time focussing not on the erotic Maxine, but the deranged Pearl, with Mia Goth again, the highlight.

Mia Goth says, “One of the core elements that I came to understand with Ti during preparation is that Maxine and Pearl are not the same women, but they are the same character. They are polar opposites in terms of their life experiences, and their choices and courage—or lack of it—have shaped them to be who they are. I always saw Pearl as the embodiment of Maxine Minx’s fears.”

West focusses up close to Pearl, as an imagined dancer and star, to her doe-eyed innocent want, to the crazed smile like the flip-side of the mask of comedy and tragedy.

When Pearl meets a cinema projectionist (David Corenswet), he seems to understand her: “…You only get one take at this life. If you don’t make the most of it while you’re young, you may never get the chance again.”

He seems to understand her. Until he doesn’t.

It’s like a mix of comedy and tragic, so it’s more than her wanting and the tragedy of her life, it’s a technicolor twist of her beauty hiding the darkness underneath.

And the horror delivers, the effects better here in Pearl than the fake monstrous elderly of X – the burnt skin and limbs being cut-off look oh so very real.

Along with the bright aspect of the farm, there’s some play in the presentation, the slow motion of nerves before performance, the stop-frame highlighting Pearl with pitchfolk in hand, a goose impaled about to be devoured by an alligator.

So there’s a circle back, a reflection, a revelation of the character before she becomes the elderly murderous monster: the farmhouse, the gator, Pearl.

We see the character Pearl wanting her dreams to be a dancer more than anything, just like Maxine wanting nothing more than to be famous.

You can understand my confusion about the two characters.

But the prequel is more psychological horror than slasher, so the audience is given a background understanding of the murderous Pearl with more realistic gory bits.

Not recommended to watch in the morning, just after breakfast.

AKA, the horror delivers.

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★★

Rated: R18+ (High impact sexualised imagery)

Directed by: Laura Poitras

Produced by: Laura Poitras, Nan Goldin, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Yoni Golijov

Composer: Soundwalk Collective

Photography: Nan Goldin

Featuring: Nan Goldin

“Droll thing life is – – that mysterious arrangement of merciless logic for a futile purpose. The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself – – that comes too late – – a crop of inextinguishable regrets.”

‘Heart of Darkness’, by Joseph Conrad

Nan Goldin was born into, ‘the banality and grip of suburbia.’

After her sister, Barbara, was institutionalised by her parents, where Barbara eventually committed suicide, leaving behind in her notebook the quote from Joseph Conrad, written above, Nan began to understand what denial was.

Nan was also sent to an orphanage when her mother couldn’t cope.

It was the beginning of losing trust in herself and what that means.

All The Beauty And The Bloodshed is about Nan’s life, as an artist and world renowned photographer, and her activism as a founding member of P.A.I.N (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now); her mission to remove the Sackler family from the art world, for galleries to refuse their donations and to take their family name from the walls.

The Sackler family made their fortune from prescription drugs like Diazepine and later, OxyContin – a drug that provoked an opioid crisis and a drug Nan herself become addicted to after being prescribed OxyContin after surgery. Like so many others.

Nan’s fight against the Sackler Family and their company, Purdue Pharma, becomes the cumulation of her life’s work and a focus of the documentary.

The documentary was filmed over two years as director Laura Poitras (Citizen Four (2014)) visited Nan at home.

The film is made up of voice over from Nan herself and the images her life’s work in slideshows.

An exhibit that repeats throughout the documentary is, ‘The Ballad of Sexual Dependency.’

Nan says, ‘The wrong things are kept private in society, and that destroys people. All my work is about stigma, whether it’s suicide, mental illness, gender.’

The link back to her childhood and loss of her sister shown to be foundational in Nan’s work.

Her photographs are of her friends, her early work of drag queens in the early seventies, in Boston. And that’s what really grabbed me about this film, her amazing work: the artistry in the blur, the highlights, the eyes and coy smile. It’s like the very atmosphere is captured in a photograph.

Her vision is described in the film as her taking photos from, ‘our side.’

Because her people were the ones who only felt safe coming out at night.

But they didn’t feel like the marginalised, they thought everyone else was.

There’s parties and drugs and love. Nan does anything to buy film. And documents it all.

Set to the background of this provocative work is Nan describing her life, her fascinating and sometimes dark journey and she’s very candid, opening up about times in her life she’s never spoken about, like her time as a sex worker – ‘it’s very hard work’ – but feels now is the time.

It’s an emotive film.

There’s nothing flashy and there’s no layering over the focus of the film because Nan’s life is a powerful story. There’s just more of her in the music, many songs her suggestion while also bringing NYC group Soundwalk Collective to create the score.

I found her powerful because she’s able to say, ‘I’m nervous.’

Nan has a tremor at times, but her voice remains measured because what she has to say is important.

The film shows a difficult upbringing, that essentially stole her voice that was then given back to her in the form of a camera, to capture her life, to give her a reason to be there.

And then, her art giving voice to others, to save lives.

For me, I was captured by those slide shows, the people in the photos like characters in the movie of Nan’s life.

It’s a heavy story, but the telling is simple, measured and driven not by the production, but what felt like Nan herself.

Women Talking

Star Rating: ★★★★

Rated: M

Directed by: Sarah Polley

Screenplay by: Sarah Polley

Based on the Book by: Miriam Toews

Starring: Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara, Frances McDormand, Ben Whishaw, Judith Ivey, Michelle Mcleod, Sheila McCarthy, Kate Hallett, Kira Gulolen, August Winter, Abigail Winter.

When is forgiveness giving permission?

Being tranquilised and raped and beaten and told it’s just a women’s wild imagination. That it’s ghosts, that it’s Satan, that it’s…

Until they catch one.

One of the men from their village, who then tells of the others so they’re arrested. But now, they are being freed and the women told to forgive and forget.

Leaving the women faced with a decision: Do nothing, stay and fight or leave.

Based on the book written by Miriam Toews, Women Talking is inspired by the story of the Manitoba Colony. Miriam is quoted describing her book as an, ‘imagined response to real events.’

See article here: The shocking true story behind new film Women Talking (harpersbazaar.com)

But rather than focus on the abuse the women have suffered at the hands of the men they have spent their entire lives looking after, this is a film about the discussion surrounding their decision of what is the best way forward.

They’ve never been taught to read or write, they’ve never been allowed to think because they were brought up to believe no one cared about what they thought.

But they know what crimes have been committed against them.

Now, they must weigh-up the pros and cons of each path.

There are many bitter-sweet moments in this film, the patience of old mother Agata (Judith Ivey), the righteous anger of Salome (Claire Foy), the wanting what’s best from Greta (Sheila McCarthy), the tolerance of Ona (Rooney Mara), Mariche’s (Jessie Buckley) need to forgive because of fear.

I liked the balance, the analyses, the discussion.

They believe if they fight or leave, they won’t be forgiven by God. If they leave, they leave their sons, their husbands.

It’s women talking, yes, but there’s the addition of August (Ben Whishaw) taking the minutes of the discussion. He loves Ona. His family was exiled. He went to college. He’s returned and now teaches the children. His mother spoke against the power dynamic of the community. He’s passive. Like the women have been taught the goodness of being passive.

But what is the misuse of forgiveness? When is forgiveness, permission?

This is a thoughtful film that wasn’t as expected, that wasn’t the traumatic film I thought I was walking into. I related to the characters in this film.

It was refreshing to hear a woman explain if she was married she would no longer be the woman he wanted to marry. She would be no longer be her. And I liked the wilfulness of these trapped women, the sometimes off-kilter humour where some wonder why some cope and keep moving forward while others, don’t.

There are moments of beauty, with a soundtrack opening the door to insights shared, but what a strange soundtrack to finish such a poignant film. Which highlighted the slightly off-tone at times, like the strangeness of the outsiders driving with music blasting through the community in an attempt to take the census of the population.

How strange to hide. To not want to be counted.

A thoughtful and bittersweet film that I hope will lead to a wider discussion. To lead to a better understanding of the soul searching required to take oneself out of an abusive situation caused by those who are supposed to care and love. To decide to continue being trapped by a society that has led to abuse. Or risk being unforgiven. And what it means, to forgive.

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