TIME ADDICTS

Time Addicts is the first feature film, based on one of his short films, by writer-directors, New Zealand-born, Melbourne filmmaker, Sam Odlum. In terms of science fiction, his sides and influence from Philip K.Dick, The Scanner Darkly. In terms of style he references Korean films.

This is a small budget venture, filmed on the streets of the Melbourne suburb, St Albans, but mainly inside a deserted and dilapidated house, dark and sinister atmosphere.

The two central characters are addicts, on the streets, always looking for a fix, being refused by dealers, in debt. And they frequently bicker. At one stage, one character inevitably asks the M-rated question, here in PG terms, “what is going on?”.

They check in with a drug dealer, Kane, who is quite hostile to them, since on a mission to pick up a cache of drugs from the deserted house.

Most of the film takes place in the house, the two discovering some drugs, experimenting – with one of them disappearing. And this begins the time travel. He finds himself in 1995, the house in much better condition, encountering a woman there who invites him to a sexual liaison. On the other hand, the young woman is hesitant, take some drugs, hallucinates and sees her other self.

Ultimately, they are both back in 1995, making some discoveries about the woman there who is pregnant, and the young woman’s realisation that she herself is in the womb, but her companion is her father. Various kinds of questioning and identity crises.

There is further time travel and confusion when the dealer arrives, looking like the 2020s, active in 1995, yet his having been seen as an old man wounded in the dilapidated house. Threats, confrontations.

There is a tantalising development in the time travel at the end, one character going way back to the past and writing a letter for the future, and the young woman and the dealer and the relationship.

Very much a 21st century drama, thriller, for a younger audience rather than an older audience.

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

More info about Time Addicts

Australia, 2023, 92 minutes, Colour.
Freya Tingley, Charles Grounds, Joshua Morton, Elise Jensen.
Directed by Sam Odlum

SILENT NIGHT

Movie buffs will have great memories of Hong Kong director, John Woo. He was prolific in the 1970s, came to greater attention with his crime thrillers, violent action and stylish filmmaking in the 1980s, making his mark in the US in the 1990s, especially with Face/Off (1997 film), moving then to a range of films but many focusing on Chinese history.

Now he is back in the USA (though filming in Mexico with a Hispanic team), very much as we used to appreciate him but this time with a great difference. His title is Silent Night, and the Christmas Carol does play in the early part of the film as well as, ironically, and more forcibly in the violent climax. However, he puts the emphasis on Silent. This is very much a silent film. We hear only four words throughout the film (and, unfortunately/realistically, the perennial four letters) – but there are all the sound effects and some muted musical score. This is something of a tour de force, audiences gradually realising that they are not going to hear word spoken, but, as in the old silent days, communication by facial expression and, strongly, by body language.

John Woo turned seventy-six while he was filming Silent Night. But he does not seem to have lost any of his verve, especially in staging chases, shootouts, martial arts training, violent fights and spectacular climaxes. All here.

The action focuses very much on Brian, played by Joel Kinnaman. We see him running at first, desperate, looking at a red balloon, hurrying down streets, encountering two cars and a shootout, finally cornered, a tattooed criminal confronting him, shooting him in the throat. But, he survives, unable to speak.

While this must have been a great challenge to Kinnaman and his acting skills, he is completely convincing, recuperating, tensions with his loving wife and her leaving him, the introduction of flashbacks to his playing with his young son and the tragic revelation of what happened.

But, this is a revenge drama, Brian going into vigilante action, audiences sympathetic to the calling to justice of the criminals but also wondering about the destructive effect on the psyche and moral behaviour of a man out for vengeance. On his calendar, he marks Christmas Eve 2022 as the day of vengeance, the anniversary of the death of his son. And, for months, we see him training, using video programs, martial arts, weapons, buying and fortifying a car.

Apart from the criminals, the other main character is a local detective, played by Scott Mescudi (in no way of relying on his musical identity, Kid Scudi).

As mentioned, John Woo has not lost his pace, and this is particularly so in the violent and ultimately fiery climax, high body count, choreographed fights, and Brian turning into something like a human Robocop (and then this reviewer suddenly remembering that in the remake of Robocop, Robocop was indeed played by Joel Kinnaman).

Obviously, a film for the fans rather than for audiences who shun the sight of blood (in close-up early in the film during the throat surgery)!

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

More info about SILENT NIGHT (2023)

US, 2023, 104 minutes, Colour.
Joel Kinnaman, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres.
Directed by John Woo.

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND

The title is to be taken more literally than we might initially have been expecting. At first, it is used to explain an enjoyable weekend away on Long Island, the family renting a beautiful house, comfortable, swimming pool, access to the beach… And it it has been arranged efficiently by the mother, Amanda, a rather tough Julia Roberts, sales consultant, harshly sour view of clients and human nature. By contrast, Ethan Hawke is Clay, her husband, Professor of literature and media. And there are two children, Archie, 16, and Rose, 13, obsessed, even in the drive to the holiday house, with finishing all the episodes of Friends.

It all seems happy enough and off they go to the beach. Then the first sign – an oil tanker glimpsed out at sea, getting closer, finally barging ashore on the sand. All is not well. The familiar world will have to be left behind.

There are various ominous signs, some deer in the back garden appearing, phones and Wi-Fi going out, no television. Then, mysterious noises at night – and a father and daughter knocking at the door in the early hours, claiming that this was their house, that there were blackouts in New York and they decided to come back home.

…Which means then that the audience has got to know the family first, is suspicious of the newcomers, but being asked to identify with the harsh treatment interrogation by Amanda or with the more genial approach by Clay. As it turns out, the owners of the house are GH, a talented financial adviser, played by two-time Oscar winner, Mahershala Ali, and his teenage daughter, Ruth (who can match Amanda in clashes, suspicions and invective) played by Myha’la Herrold.

During the rest of this rather long film, there are more ominous signs, even more deer gathering, flamingos swooping into the swimming pool, brief phone messages to say that there is a blackout and perhaps services being hacked. And, there are scenes of dialogue and interaction, GH and Amanda being able to settle some of their differences, Ruth asking Clay embarrassing questions about his life. And the two teenagers puzzled, exploring the surrounding woods, Archie getting an infection with dire consequences for his teeth; Rose, wandering, watching the deer.

When GH goes to try to get some help and information from neighbours, he discovers chaos, bodies, and an airliner crashing. Clay has tried to drive to town to find help but encountered a frantic Spanish-speaking woman he cannot understand. And a drone follows him dropping leaflets, in Arabic, Death to America.

The audience is invited to share the suspicions, the uncertainties, the growing paranoia. And there is a dramatic scene when GH and Clay take Archie for some medical help from a neighbour, played by Kevin Bacon. Tension, confrontation, defensive…

Is this the end of the world? Who knows? Suggestions of the Russians, Koreans, the Pentagon, finances and deals, creating wariness, hostilities, a destructive civil war, and images of nuclear bombs. Some have been very critical of the final sequence, too laid back all–in-a-well-stocked bunker, a quiet scene, Rose discovering final episode of Friends…

Older audiences and movie buffs may be reminded of the film and/or television series based on Nevil Shute’s end of the world novel, On the Beach (and the film’s Melbourne ending).

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

More info about Leave the World Behind

US, 2023, 140 minutes, Colour.
Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la Herreld, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans, Kevin Bacon.
Directed by Sam Esmail.

JAWAN

For audiences who have seen nothing or very little of Bollywood film-making, here is a strong opportunity, a film seen in many cinemas but then released by Netflix.

The important thing about Bollywood films is that Indians surrender to their style, colourful, often melodramatic, heightened emotions, and song and dance introduced on many occasions. If a non-Indian audience is to appreciate a Bollywood film, then they have to be willing to surrender to it, not bringing personal/national presuppositions, cultural sensibilities, because the Indian/Bollywood sensibility is very different.

India has a long tradition of visual art, statuary, religious significance, bright visual styles. And that is very evident in their films. The films require more than a very willing suspension of disbelief.

And, the film is a very long – and there is a great tradition in India of the enjoyment of Intermission.

This film opens in a traditional border village, simple life, work, statuary and religious leaders, and a military invasion which is brutal, merciless in killing women and children. However, a strange character appears, the audience having seen his body floating in the river and his rescue, who takes off his bandages, and does extraordinary battle, an Indian superhero. It looks as if we are into an excursion into Indian history or into Indian fantasy-land storytelling – which was popularised worldwide in such films as RRR.

But the film moves forward 30 years (only) to 2022 and a long modern action segment, a kind of Mumbai The Taking of Pelham 123, the introduction to significant women, their all boarding a train and its being held up by a mysterious character, supported by the women, holding the passengers as hostages. This moves very fast, full of action, tension, the killing of a woman hostage, the tying up of the police officer on board, the scenes at railway control, especially the police leader.

It soon emerges that this is a social protest against the huge number of suicides of Indian farmers unable to repay loans – with dramatic flashback story sequences to illustrate this. (There is some relief when we see that this is a kind of Indian Robin Hood activity is not fully life-threatening.)

We have seen the leader of the situation, played by long-time Indian popular star, Shah Rukh Khan, whom we see as warden of a prison, women’s prison – and realise that they are a team leading the social protests. And, the next episode, highly dramatic and melodramatic again, is a demonstration against corruption and politics, hospitals without equipment, trapped by bureaucratic requirements, deaths of children.

We are also introduced to a financial tycoon, Kalee, ruthless villain with an array of tough henchman – and his visit to Russia looking for a loans and becoming indebted to the Russian Mafia.

Almost enough so far for two movies. But, the mood changes, a little girl liking the warden and trying to set him up to marry her mother. No spoiler here but it makes the rest of the film emotionally very complex!

And not to forget that there have been already several very elaborate song and dance episodes, cast of hundreds, at least.

Surprisingly, then the narrative goes back to the 1980s, full background of what it happened in the past, the mysterious stranger, the connection with the prison warden, and with the arch-villain. It all builds up to an even more spectacular climax, in the James Bond vein.

At almost 3 hours, the action doesn’t really lag, Bollywood style sweeps up its audience, taking it in so many different directions, colourful entertainment – but, in this case, with very serious critique of political and social corruption.

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

More info re the film JAWAN

India, 2023, 168 minutes, Colour.
Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Depika Padukone.
Directed by Attlee.

FOE

From a novel by Iain Reid who collaborated with the director on the screenplay. It is a slow-burn drama, (some bloggers complaining that the fire took a long time even to kindle). However, for those who enjoy intriguing dramas, elements of the unknown, the probing of relationships, there is much to commend a careful watching of Foe.

Foe has a global theme, the continued destruction of planet Earth, ambitious moves towards settlements on other planets, preparations for work on space stations. It is 2065, frighteningly close to the present, the continuing barrenness of the planet and it should be so close. There are sequences of devastated countryside (filmed in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia). However, as with global film-making these days, the setting for the story is the mid-west of the US (and with an Australian director, Garth Davis (who directed Lion, Mary Magdalene) two Irish leads, and a British lead).

While it is important to focus on the futuristic, science-fiction aspects of the scenario, in many ways, they are quite secondary, simply offering the opportunity for the main theme–the exploration of a marriage. We see a couple who have been married for seven years, he on the property and in the house owned by his family for centuries, working in a large chicken processing plant, she working as a local waitress in a diner. Saoirse Ronan is Hen. Paul Mescal is Junior. The marriage is not always easy, Hen wondering about the affection of her husband, dreaming of something better. Junior seems to be satisfied where he is. Quite a lot of scenes between the two leads dramatising the tensions, ups and downs of the marriage. No children.

Then the science enters in the form of a government agent, Terrance, played by Aaron Pierre, very British in his delivery. The government has investigated the couple, wants Junior to spend a year on a space station, a sign of the future. He lets the couple ponder this for a year, then returning, the plan to go into action, and the proposal, definitely science-fiction here with artificial intelligence, robotics, and plans to create exact replicas, physical, mental, emotional, some company for Hen during her husband’s absence.

While the initial part of the film has been a probing of the marriage, this intensifies with Terrance’s presence, interrogations, tests, trying to understand each of the characters, the relationship, so that the substitute will be a proper companion.

While there is scientific success, there are some emotional complications, building up to quite a dramatic conclusion, surprising dramatics, and the final solution which we may have been anticipating.

There is very little futuristic technology seen in the film, that being kept to the very end. Rather, this is a psychological study of two people in a futuristic setting and challenge. And a slow-burn.

(Recently, with the same time sitting, a more elaborate conflict between humans and AI creations was seen in The Creator.)

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

More Info from wikipedia on FOE

Australia, 2023, 110 minutes, Colour.
Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, Aaron Pierre.
Directed by Garth Davis

CAT PERSON

It would seem that in 2017, a short story in the New Yorker, by Kristen Roupenian, was an immediate runaway success. It has now been turned into a film – although, commentators note that the final 30-40 minutes of the film are an addition to the original short story.

The unwary viewer, not familiar with the short story, probably expects a horror film in the vein of Cat People or memories of Batman’s foe, Catwoman. But, this is not the case. A cat person is someone who likes/has cats whether they will admit it or not!

But, this is a story for the younger generation, very much in the contemporary social media world, dating and, especially self-revelation, communication by text.

In reflecting on this film, this reviewer came across an IMD blog which more succinctly expressed the key elements and response to the film: Exploration of Why Romance Fails by Feczo, 25 November 2023.

Romance, both sides seek it, but often there are very different ideas about what that means.

The movie explores pitfalls of idealisation of the other person, placing looks above genuine connection and feelings as well as double standards and jumping to conclusions without trying to deeply understand another person.

It is also accurately portrayed how people read more into text messages than the sender intends, both positively and other times negatively perceiving a neutral or opposite intent, or just making it wildly colourful.

Although the characters are somewhat stereotypical and extreme, the situations are not far from everyday life. So they are relatable.

Cat Person is about the thorny complications of male-female courtship rituals, riddled with misunderstandings, unspoken misgivings, and ignored red flags.

Very well put, only to add that the performances are strong, Emilia Jones (British, star of the Oscar-winning CODA) as Margot, Geraldine Viswanathan (Australian) as Margot’s protective friend, Taylor, and Nicholas Braun (American) as the sometimes bewildered, often clumsy, movie fan, Robert.

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

US, 2023, 118 minutes, Colour.
Emilia Jones, Nicholas Braun, Geraldine Viswanathan, Isabella Rossellini, Hope Davis.
Directed by Susanna Fogel.

TAU

Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC

US, 2018, 97 minutes, Colour.
Maika Monroe, Ed Skrein, Gary Oldman.
Directed by Federico D’Alessandro.

While Tau is the 17th letter of the Greek alphabet, the film’s title is also based on the initials of the young millionaire scientist, experimenting with artificial intelligence, a latter-day Dr Frankenstein, Thomas Alex Unger.

This is an American production, made in Serbia.

Initially, the audience is introduced to a redheaded young woman walking through darkened streets, pickpocketing her way to the pawn shop. The audience sees that she is probably being stalked by an anonymous man. She returns to apartment but is then seized and abducted.

She wakes to find herself bound and gagged in the most elaborate building, luxurious, multi-rooms, laboratories, living spaces, and a glance at a cover of Forbes to explain the sinister character, Alex (Ed Skrein), an inventor working on extracting knowledge from subjects and developing lucrative international contracts. There have been several failed experiments.

The young woman, Julia (Maika Monroe), becomes the subject of experimentation, finally seeing Alex who is a young man, dapper in his manner, living in isolation, self-contained, dining well but abstemiously, no relaxation to be seen. Julia at times gets free, enlists the aid of some of the other victims but they are killed and she is re-imprisoned.

The audience is also introduced to a master computer, Tau, voiced by Gary Oldman, at times sinister, at other times subservient to Alex, gradually mellowing as he engages in conversation with Julia. Tau manages Alex’s life completely, greeting him, providing meals, giving information. He is also the instrument for Alex’s administering punishment – and, as Tau’s attitude changes when he and Julia engage in conversation, his learning what a person is, becoming friendly with Julia, her reading books to him and their exchanging knowledge about prehistoric times, and his drawing on his computer file of music that Alex has given him, his voice becomes more humane.

The production values of this film are very high, a very expensive look for the layout of Alex’s mansion and laboratories.

Alex is put under pressure, daily reminded of the deadline by Tau, under pressure, making demands of Julia with tasks which will give him information, Julia resisting, attempting escapes. Alex also has a mechanically constructed monstrous creature to put down any rebellion on Julia’s part.

As expected, there is a buildup to a strong climax, Julia with Tau helping her to escape, the confrontation with Alex and her severing his hand to use as a code to escape, the control taken from his building and the literal collapse and downfall of Alex and the building, and the screenplay reminding us of humanity with Tau and his confusion in the crisis, the removal of his memory, his powers surviving in a small grenade-like mechanism – and the question as to whether Julia will survive, whether Tau will survive – and will he recover his memory and have a future?

An above-average contribution to science-fiction about artificial intelligence.

See also: Cast/Production/etc. (Wikipedia)

Questions for film discussions