CynthiaMargaretWebb Reviews

The Bureau (2015–2020)

Riveting human drama among spies

[9/10 · 22 June 2020]

I have just completed viewing all 10 episodes of Series Five, in French language with English Subtitles, done by the always excellent SBS TV(Australia) subtitling lab. Once I began, I had to watch about three or four episodes per night, and they seem to run for about an hour, although it certainly doesn't 'feel long'. Far from it! It is riveting viewing that puts you in danger of an all-night binge and not making it to work tomorrow! I notice that most reviews here are from people who've watched series one and two or up to series three. Well I am glad to be able to assure you that Series Four and Five are still as good, if not better! In series five the two final episodes are directed by Jacques Audiard, whose films "The Prophet" and "Rust and Bone" were major award winners. Some others by the brilliant writer, Eric Rochant himself, and by Mathieu Kassovitz, (also playing Malotru) and who is famous for his direction of the 1995 knock-out film "La Haine", which is still highly relevant now, in 2020.

There are lot of things to say about this great drama series, but in other reviews many people have explained it all fully, so please read some of the other comments too, about earlier series. However, be assured, it just gets better, so keep going.

In series five we see the quite recently developed "de-ageing" computer technology in use... when they need Mathieu Amalric to be young again. The technology is much talked about lately because it was used in Scorsese's "The Irishman". I think it can still be improved.

All of the cast are still superb. Kassovitz is the maestro of understated acting. Aleksey Gorbunov who was seen in the previous series, is very effective in his role as the FSB spy master. When he's on the screen you are captive! Another favorite screen presence, Zineb Triki, as Malotru's one true love, is still very convincing. An interesting character played by Louis Garrel has appeared in Egypt and Jordan, playing a very dangerous game, as an arms dealer to all sides. Members of the aristocracy of French cinema are involved here, and the series is as good as it gets.

"The Bureau" is one of the two best series-dramas I have ever seen from any country. (My other special favorite is "Berlin Babylon", in case you are wondering.) Both have ultra-realism, avoiding glamorizing their subject matter and the times and places where they are set.

In "The Bureau" we see a lot of the daily grind, research and pondering that is a big part of the profession of working in your national spy agency's office. It's where they are 'handling' the agents who are working in the field, and trying at all times to remain totally unsentimental and keep in mind the one and only aim - what's best for our country? If they have to sacrifice a few, so be it. It's the total opposite of the fanciful James Bond series of films.

They Call Me Babu (2019)

Empathy and respect in documentary that plays like a feature film

[8/10 · 20 June 2020]

Infused with respect and an under-current of regret, to the people of Indonesia from a Dutch female film-maker, this documentary by Sandra Beerends is a very valuable work, a gift. Ms Beerends (writer/director) and her collaborators talked with many women who had been nannies to Dutch families... called Babu by the families they worked for. They must have also spent a huge amount of time viewing archival footage and creating this artful concept for a beautiful documentary, which plays almost like a feature film. Ms Beerends has said that her own mother used to tell her stories of the babu Javanese women she remembered. Ms Beerends has written the story of Alima, a fictitious young Javanese girl/ a Babu who was embedded in a Dutch family, living and working with them for several years until 1942. That's when the Japanese invaded Indonesia, causing upheaval for the Dutch, and promising the Indonesians "liberation"/merdeka, a promise they did not fulfil. Things got worse, not better. Alima suddenly found herself alone again when all of her Dutch family were suddenly taken to prison camps and their house seized by the Japanese. Babu Alima had even returned to Holland with them during her time working for the family...On the journey she learned a lot about the world beyond Java, and marveled at how the Dutch family 'behaved the same everywhere, as if the world belonged to them.' She also learned that servants in Holland were entitled to one day off a week, something which was denied to her by the same family, when in Java - "Different rules apply here," she was told curtly upon their return. They had arrived in the Netherlands in winter, and she wore a winter coat over her batik kain (sarong) as she walked Jantje in his pram around the snowy streets, and stared in wonder at ice skaters on the canals. When they all returned to Java, she saw her homeland with new eyes. After the Japanese took control, Alima worked for a while with a wealthy Chinese family whom she found cheerful and kind, but difficult to get used to, as they had such different ways than the Dutch family. She loved little Jantje and always missed him. She left and went to Jakarta. She meets and falls in love with a young man, Ribut ( meaning noisy) who has freedom on his mind and is a follower of Sukarno. Just to see the footage of the young Sukarno speaking to his people, rousing their desire for independence, and other historic moments, including his arrival in Bogor at the Palace, to take his place as first president of Indonesia, is inspiring and worth the price of the ticket to view this wonderful film at home as part of the "all online" Sydney Film Festival of 2020. The young couple return to his (and her) hometown Yogyakarta in Central Java, when the War of Independence begins after the Japanese surrender and departure, which was followed soon after by the return of the Dutch. Just imagine the immense dismay in the hearts of the Indonesians. It's heartbreaking. Although the Dutch homeland had been occupied by the Nazis, they still hadn't understood that they were doing the same thing in Java....for 350 years. But this time the Indonesians were adamant and determined, and led by Sukarno, fought for and gained their independence in 1949, after having actually declared Indonesia a free nation on August 18th 1945. This story told with compilation footage has a very moving ending and contains some magical moments of joy for Alima and Ribut, although they lived through so much turmoil. Alima's fictious life is a blend of the lives of many young Javanese women who worked as a 'babu' but is true to the facts and rings very 'true'. The story of Alima, whose young life straddles the birth of a nation. It tells one woman's story, a part of the colonialism that was no doubt also happening in many other countries in the era of colonialism by European countries of lands in the south. The archival film is beautifully edited to complement the story and the pace is gentle and quiet in spite of the enormous historical events. It has the same 'energy' of calm and softness that is typical of the Javanese culture, so refined and delicate. The voice of the narrator and the words that Ms Beerends has written are perfect and feel 'right' to me, as someone who for 25 years has been close to the Javanese in modern times. I very much hope that Indonesians will be offered the opportunity to see this beautiful film. I think they will appreciate the recognition of their story and the empathetic and respectful way in which it has been told.

Rezo (2018)

Memories of childhood

[9/10 · 30 January 2019]

At the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, (November 2018) I had the opportunity to view this film, which was in the nominations and finally won the award as Best Animated Feature film. I loved the film, and watched it a second time the following day. The structure is that an old man is being interviewed on camera by his son, and telling his childhood memories of growing up in rural Georgia USSR at the end of World War Two or The Great Patriotic War. From time to time we see the old gentle man on screen, smiling affectionately and telling with such immense charm and humour, the story of his youth, until he left to go to Moscow, where he later became famous in the creative arts. The animation is particularly unique in style, charming and the story is told always as though time were 'wound back' ---observations and interpretations of a very young child, then a teenager, then young man. The director of the film is his own son. What a superb tribute to a great and beautiful man. I cannot praise this film enough

The Seen and Unseen (2017)

Twin children must part as one returns to the Unseen world

[8/10 · 28 November 2017]

"Sekala, Niskala" (The Seen and Unseen)

The Javanese film maker, Kamila Andini comes from a mainly Muslim culture in Java, however she has been raised by a father who is also a film director, and one who appreciates and makes films about all of the varied ethnic groups on the many islands of this archipelago that the Dutch called 'the emerald necklace', when they were the colonial power there. So Kamila has a rich inner life and wide understanding of her country.

She has now won two major awards at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In 2012, her film about the Bajo people, or "Sea Gypsies" of the Wakatobi region of South Suluwesi won the Best Youth Feature Film Award. Now she has done it again, by winning the same award category, with her film about Balinese twins, entitled "Sekala, Niskala". "The Seen and Unseen", is the best English translation. For the Balinese, the Unseen is just as real and relevant as is the material world. (For those who would like to know more about it, refer to the book "Bali – Sekala and Niskala" by Fred B. Eiseman, Jr which was first published in 1990, by Periplus.)

At Tokyo Filmex, two days after the APSA Award was announced, (23 Nov 2017) the Jury couldn't choose between Kamila's film and the film of Mouly Sourya, ( also from Indonesia), entitled "Marlina the Murder, in Four Acts", so they awarded both films the Jury Grand Prize. Rare films from Indonesia showing the richness of the ethnic cultures, the variations from island to island, are often new to the eyes of Westerners. Mysticism and spiritual power that runs strong beneath the visible world of Bali. It comes from a mixture of Hindu/Buddhism and Mysticism. Seen through the eyes of the young, still pure and undamaged by the tourism aspect of life in Bali and the realities of adulthood, that world is revealed to us in Kamila's film.

We meet village-dwelling twins, a boy, Putra and a girl, Putri, aged about 10. The names are the male and female version of the same name. Their village is in close proximity to the holy mountain, Gunung Agung, which is thought of as "the navel of the world". They run freely in the rice paddies, and play imaginative games, and can read each other's heart and soul. But, catastrophe strikes. The boy becomes ill with a brain tumor and must go to hospital. His sister is quite terrified at this turn of events, and is afraid to even enter the strange white and sterile room, where he has been settled on a high bed and attached to a drip.

Putri finds a way of coping by removing herself into the world of Niskala, where she puts on self-made costumes and dances with him, she plays games with him and is often accompanied on her night time walks by the ghost-children. Her dreams of happier times together when he was well, wake her. The ghost children are also waiting for Putra in this between-worlds place, the hospital. He is in the slow process of leaving the real world, he is not yet in the Unseen world. The passing of the months is communicated to us via the phases of the moon in the night sky.

There is very little dialogue between them. It's not needed. Putri does everything she can to hold her twin to her, as he is her other half. She tells him, after one of their duo dances, in wonderful bird costumes that she has created from grass and paint, that she would trade places with him, if she could. She collapses to the floor, and he collapses to the bed – their bird dance has been his final effort in this life. He soon descends into a coma.

Balinese spiritual life is linked to the Saka Luna calendar that came from Java, with the migration to the island of Hindu people from Java's Majapahit culture, in the fourteenth century. The calendar is organized around the moon's cycles.

Duality (represented by the male and female twins) is potent in Balinese culture. Balinese religious activities, offerings, ceremonies are directed at attempting to keep the balance of good and evil. Their traditional black and white checked "poleng" cloth represents the two opposites. The symbol of eggs, that appear several times, during the film, tell us that these two are really 'one'-- an egg that divided in the womb.

A lot of "Sekala, Niskala" is filmed at night by Anggi Frisca, who captures the shadows against a sky often lit up by a full moon, and the silhouettes of mysterious ghost children in the long grass. The sounds of nature are also evocative in experiencing this unique film. The scene of Putri dancing for the moon silhouetted against the night sky, is particularly beautiful.

Kamila Andini's primary achievement is in the concept, and her realization that this tale can be told visually. Only the scenes with the adults have dialogue… Putri's mother talks to her a reassuringly, and she witnesses one scene where the village men discuss the crucial to life matters of planting the rice paddies, and sharing the water. We see Putri making an offering to Dewi Sri, on whom all of Balinese life depends - Rice and Water. In a film about death, these scenes about life show duality and balance, so important to the Balinese life.

Kamila does everything to keep the subtlety, and sweetness. There is no plot, except that a fateful time is passing in the timeless pace of Balinese life, so closely linked to the sacred world and to nature. We are privileged to be watching through the eyes of the brave little Putri.

Loving Vincent (2017)

Van Gogh's art comes alive

[9/10 · 20 September 2017]

This beautiful work has made history in the genre of Animation cinema - a precious gift from devoted film-makers. The story is well known - a matter of history. Vincent painted the portrait of Joseph Roulin, Postmaster of Arles. The film tells us the story of Vincent's life and last months before his death on 29 July, 1890 (aged 37) from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound, via the device of the postmaster's son being sent on a mission to deliver a letter from Vincent to his brother, which has been returned. Vincent and his brother Theo were very close, and Theo supported Vincent with regular gifts of money, and painting canvas and tubes of paint. The postmaster Roulin knew and loved Vincent, because these two loving brothers kept up a very frequent correspondence. These letters have been published elsewhere and make very moving reading. The son of Roulin goes to Paris, and to Auvers-sur-Oise where Vincent had been in care after he had an emotional breakdown, and talks to people who knew him. He is at first unwilling, but becomes interested, then passionate to find out the truth of the man whom he is now starting to fully appreciate. The remarkable aspect of this film is that the entire story, 95 minutes of it, is told in hand-painted oil paintings, done in the style of Vincent's own work. Scenes begin with an image that Vincent himself painted and if viewers are familiar with all his works, they will recognize the people and the places. But now they are moving, they are speaking, they are telling their stories, and their impressions of Vincent, the man. Some were fond of him, some ridiculed him. There are various points of view.

Technically the film "Loving Vincent" is a wonder of animation. One hundred artists in two countries, (Poland and Greece) working in Vincent's own style contributed full colour paintings for "the present" and black and white paintings for "the past" as the story is being told by the people who knew Vincent.

The film is made up of 853 'shots', and each one began with a first frame of a full painting on canvas board. As the animation photography was done in 12 frames per second, the first painting, would then be photographed, then painted over, with each gradual change to certain details or all of it, until the last frame of the shot. (This is in place of the use of animation cels, which could not be applied in this style of work.) At the end of the 'shot' the film-makers were left with an oil-painting on canvas board, of the last frame. So at the end of filming 853 paintings remained, and 200 are being auctioned off, and many have already sold, (as can be seen from the films own website) although at the time of writing the film has not yet premiered in the USA. The size of the works was usually 67cm by 49cm. Bear in mind that for one hour of film, 43,200 paintings were required, and you will begin to see the extraordinary ambition of this project. Additionally 90 design paintings were created in the planning stages during the year before shooting started. The purpose of these was to define the style in which the artists would all re-create Vincent's style of painting and make it move, live and breathe. 65,000 painted frames in oils were made for the whole film. The story moves along briskly and is full of wonderful characters (the people in Vincent's life). The dialogue of the characters is full of expression, as are the faces, and the characters have been created to really "live" for us. This was done by casting well known and excellent actors in the main roles, and filming them in live-action, then using those 'normal' cinematic images for a basis of the key paintings for each 'shot'. As the film went on, I recognized (from other films) certain of the painted faces of the real actors, who are also giving voice to the painted characters on the soundtrack. This type of animation has never been done before, and as it took seven years to make the film, it might never be done again. The ingenious planning of how to actually do it is brilliant and has been a great success.

Vincent, who suffered, from what we now call bi-polar disease, was an intelligent, deeply sensitive man, who had a sad childhood in a strict bourgeouis family, and was something of a misfit. He showed immense natural art talent. This can be seen clearly and unmistakably by looking at his early drawing. Later he used brush techniques that imitated the 'signature marks' in his pen and ink works. He was understood and saw visual texture.

From Paris Vincent went to Provence, and lived in Arles. He begged his friend Gaugin to come and join him. Vincent was over-joyed but after a few months, things went wrong between them, and Vincent seemed to become very distressed. When Gaugin departed, he was inconsolable. After the famous incident of cutting of his own ear in his distress, he went into care of Dr Gachet in Auvers, where he found a kindred spirit in Gachet, who loved art, and recovered. There he did quite a few more strong drawings and paintings. Vincent saw the world in a kind of almost violent motion and most of his works, drawings and paintings show this. It's as if the wind was visible to him in the air itself, not only in the resulting movements of trees, and fields of grain, or the moving sea.

He never sold a painting in his own lifetime, but gave away some, and sent many to his brother Theo who attempted to sell them in his Paris art gallery. And yet now his works hold the record as being the most expensive ever sold – which happened in modern times.

The Promise (II) (2016)

"The Promise" (Terry George, 2016) Points of view from both sides of this tragic piece of history

[7/10 · 20 May 2017]

It's a political hot-potato between Turkey and the rest of the world. There have been quite a number of films about these same events, many of them made by Armenians. Recently leading international directors have joined the Armenian, Atom Egoyan ("Ararat"). The Taviani Brothers (Italy) made "The Lark Farm", and Turkish- German director Faith Akin, made "The Cut". Now an Irishman, Terry George has given us "The Promise".

In the first years of the First World War, the Turks entered the war on the side of the Germans and thereby made enemies of the nations that had formerly been long term friends of the Ottomans. The choice led them into a tragic war which included an attack on their own Western shores, by the Allies, and on their Eastern borders, by Russia. The director/co-screen-writer, has attempted to tell the Armenians' truth, but the truth is far more complex than shown here. The Armenian people had lived among the Turks for the entire history of the Ottoman Empire (600 years) as friends and good citizens. The situation prevailing in Turkey at the time was incredibly 'byzantine' (to use an appropriate word in it's modern expression. From 1894 to 1920 the Armenians had been fighting against the Turks, as separatists. (The Armenian Revolt 1894-96.) Terry George's "Hotel Rwanda" is also about genocide, and there is dialogue in "The Promise", reminding us, of a later genocide. Talaat Pasha, Minister of the Interior, is speaking to the American Ambassador, and reminds him that he is a Jew, and asks him why he is so interested in the fate of the Christian Armenians. The scenes between the American Ambassador Henry Morgenthau and Talaat Pasha actually happened, and are reported in Morgenthau's book. Morgenthau also wrote that Enver Pasha told him at the time that he had warned the Armenian Patriarch at the start of Turkey's participation in World War One, that if they attempted to start a revolution again, or help the Russians, he'd be unable to save them. He then referred to their taking of the city of Van and bombing and killing there, this while Turkey was fighting for its life in the Dardanelles.

"We cannot permit people in our own country to attack us in the back," said Enver Pasha.

"The Promise" is woven around a love story between an Armenian couple who meet in Istanbul, during the days just before the Turks enter the First World War on what turned out to be the losing side. The story-telling is rather one-sided, however, does try to tell us through one character only, that there were also Turks who cared about the Armenians. In attempting not to sensationalize the telling of the story, the director has made a film in which we are kept at arm's length emotionally, while the terrible tale unfolds. We never feel the grief in the way that Steven Spielberg made us feel, when watching "Schindler's List, for example. Shot mainly in Sintra, and Lisbon, Portugal… and seemingly using CGI backdrops to show Istanbul views across the Bosphorus, it comes to us in a filtered golden light.

Oscar Isaac is a fine actor playing Mikhael Boghosian. Christian Bale, plays an American journalist from Associated Press witnessing and reporting the events. (There actually was an American journalist there, named Damon Theron.) Charlotte Le Bon plays the Paris educated Armenian nanny who is in a relationship with the American journalist. She is now working in Istanbul with a family to whom she is related.

If you look on IMDb.com you will see some interesting facts. This film had its world premiere at TIFF 2016. The director and lead actors were there and the audience was told that there were 1400 seats at the first screenings and yet already there were 4,000 negative reviews on IMDb. One month later a viewer wrote that 4 or 5 months later there were 84,000 negative reviews for this film that hadn't yet had a general distribution opening.

Thanks to Trump's spokeswoman for the useful expression, 'Alternative facts', which unfortunately have always existed, and always will, as both sides write their version, and fail to mention or recognize the motives of the other. However, it seems clear to me that there was a deliberate action by the Turks to destroy the Armenians. They just don't like the word 'genocide'. However that's what it adds up to. It was horrific, but they did have strong reasons. They couldn't subdue the Armenians, and they couldn't allow them to continue with what they were doing. It's time for all the facts to be revealed, and accepted, and everyone to admit their crimes, and express sorrow for them too. Over one hundred years have passed.

Unfortunately this film doesn't tell us anything about the reasons the Turks had in mind, (perhaps there is just no time in a film already over 2 hours long), however these reasons were told to Ambassador Morgenthau, by Enver Pasha (Minister of War) and this is what the Ambassador recorded:

1. "They have enriched themselves at the expense of the Turks. 2. They are determined to domineer over us and to establish a separate state. 3. They have openly encouraged our enemies, assisted the Russians in the Caucasus, and our failure there is largely explained by their actions. 4. Three-quarters of them are already disposed of, and now there's such hatred that we must finish the job or they'll plan their revenge. 5. We are involved in a war for our survival in the Western part of Turkey, and we have no time to deal with the Armenians at the same time."

Have we learned ANYTHING yet? It doesn't look like it, glancing across to the Middle East today.

"The Promise" is that the Armenians, and their culture and their memories must survive. More power to them, I wish them well.

Gold (I) (2016)

Gold crazed white men in the jungle, Borneo and concrete jungle

[4 February 2017]

"GOLD" (2016, directed by Steven Gaghan) is currently doing the rounds of multi-plexes in Australia and might turn up in Indonesia too. ( A note to my friends there.) This is because it's loosely ( very loosely) based on the true story of the Bre-X Mining scam during the Nineteen-nineties, in which a small Canadian mining company claimed to have found possibly the richest or second richest goldmine in the world, in the jungle of Kalimantan…at Busang, 360 km from the nearest airport in Samarinda and 1400 km from Jakarta. It's a story worthy of Joseph Conrad, and contains echoes of his book "Almayer's Folly", set in Malaysia.

They raised vast sums by convincing no less than the J P Morgan merchant bankers, and floating their company on the Canadian stock exchange. Greedy gold-crazed investors bought into it and the value of the shares sky-rocketed. They duped executives of a major gold mining company already working in Indonesia, and they even got the family of military dictator, President Suharto (starting with the eldest son. Sigit Harjoyudanto, then daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana) to buy into it. (This gave the project "clout" seeming to be bankrolled by the Indonesian government.) Later those shares were transferred to Bob Hasan, the multi-millionaire forestry magnate and best pal/golfing buddy of President Suharto! He lost all of it (nothing) when the whole scam finally collapsed. It was eventually proved there was no gold, just faked core-samples which had been "salted", in mining jargon. He said, "It's good propaganda – Now everyone in the world knows where Indonesia is."

The geologist from whom it all started, a Filipino named Michael de Guzman, fell (thought by pilot and co-pilot to have jumped) from a helicopter into the jungle below, and he left a suicide note and four wives.(In the film they show it was forced, by members of military, but that isn't necessarily true to the facts.) In fact the film-makers have changed most of the facts and details. When the Indonesian military are shown in the film, they are wearing the red berets of Kopassus, who may or may not have been involved and which may be a dangerous implication.(They are the serious tough-guys of the Indonesian military, then led by Prabowo Subianto, who several years ago was beaten in the Presidential race, by Joko Widodo.)

These are some of the known facts of the real events. However, the film is rather underwhelming... with nothing much of interest, just creating a bit of 'background' which could have been done much more quickly, for about the first hour. Then it only picks up marginally.

To add to the disappointment, the film was shot in Thailand, and the only authentic Indonesian things were two authentic Javanese Batik textiles, and one woman in the background of a cafe, wearing a headscarf/jilbab as it's known there. The Indonesian actors were played by Thais and no Indonesian names seemed to appear in the final credits. The background of the scenes claiming to be in a Jakarta luxury hotel, were beside a wide river with obviously Thai buildings and boats in the background. No such thing exists in Jakarta. Very poor attempts at authenticity in this film, working on the assumption that no-one will notice, I guess. But that isn't good enough in film-making these days, when many production companies and directors make a great effort towards authenticity. There wouldn't have been anything to prevent them shooting in Indonesia, and several Hollywood films have already done so. Maybe they were afraid of revenge from still living Suharto family members depicted? An Indonesian writer/investigator reported more recently that de Guzman is alive and well and living in South America. The TIME magazine investigative report of 19 May 1997 says that the body was severely damaged probably by wild boars and identification was very difficult.

Stephen Gaghan also directed "Syriana" which was a better film. Matthew McConnaughy has gained lots of weight for the part of the miner, who plays an "innocent" victim of the real bad-guy, de Guzman ( played by Edgar Ramirez).Even this character is redeemed by a sort of final 'twist'.

This version of a story which proves again that truth is stranger than fiction, is weak and dull and should and could have been a whole lot more exciting. The protagonist, Kenny Wells ( McConnaughy) is such an average and sloppy sort of guy, and only Edgar Ramirez' as the geologist/scammer saves the picture, but even he is struggling. Note: my information about the actual events that inspired the film, have come from a TIME magazine feature article, from edition of May 19th 1997, and from my other reading at the time of these events. There's a novel based on the same events, by Kerry B. Collison,Pub. January 2002, "Indonesian Gold", which has recently been translated into Bahasa Indonesia, by my friend Rossie Indira. I'm not sure if it's in publication as yet ( as of February 2107)

Landscape in the Mist (1988)

A poetic Odyssey of two Greek children

[10/10 · 15 January 2017]

LANDSCAPE IN THE MIST (1988) Directed by Theo Angelopoulos Today I watched this 1988 masterpiece from the late Theo Angelopoulos. (January, 2017). It won the Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival, and many other awards.(see list on IMDb). It's an exquisite allegorical tale and perhaps knowledge, or lack of it, about modern Greek history could determine what you think it might be about. I have my own ideas as do reviewers before me,here on IMDb.

I love the way this maestro director has used a sort of Odyssey (what could be more appropriate?) by two young siblings, (Voula, aged 14 and her brother Alexander, aged 5) traveling Greece in search of someone (or something) they want to believe exists, just to "understand and know but not to stay," the older girl says. This is a film that is not about what it appears to be about, but is an allegory and a poem, a work of visual art, and profound emotional truth. The visual power and beauty, the gorgeous music (by Eleni Karaindrou), every frame on screen, are all spell-binding. To me, each scene and episode in their young lives on this journey through Greece to find the landscape in the mist, can be linked to the story of the Greek nation and its people. The landscape in the mist is tellingly, first seen on a few frames of 35mm movie film found in the muddy street by their young motor-cyclist mentor... a kind of guiding angel travelling with them for a time. Perhaps he can only see it on the celluloid because he is searching for this mythic landscape (or condition) too. This piece of "found film" serves to link the director himself into the collective experience of all the Greeks. Perhaps it's the modern day "Golden Fleece"? What a gorgeous and poetic film. Almost as beautiful as the same director's "The Weeping Meadow" - one of my all time most admired works of art in cinema.

In the Last Days of the City (2016)

A poetic portrait of Cairo in the time of revolution.

[8/10 · 8 December 2016]

IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE CITY directed by Tamer el Said (Egypt) (Nominated in Asia Pacific Screen Award's(APSA) Cultural Diversity Award, under patronage of UNESCO)

There is an experience of immersion while watching this melancholy and poetic film. A young film-maker , 35 year old Khalid, living in Cairo, is struggling with all that is happening in his world, and with finding a way to convey the situation in his beloved city. He collaborates sometimes with several artist friends, who have already left the city. One has gone to Berlin, one to Beirut and another to Baghdad He has an ex-girlfriend, Laila, who is about to leave too. And he is looking for a new apartment, but his real-estate agent is frustrated, because no place is ever suitable. This works as a metaphor for the fact that not only is he not comfortable in his apartment any more, - he is not comfortable in Cairo any more, although it's his beloved home. He wanders in the yellow-tinged world of the decaying and suffering city. The yellow tinge, is from the desert dust that often blows over the city. Tamer el Said says, 'I don't know where the film starts and my life ends. I see the yellow colour in Cairo all the time. This colour goes with a sense of loneliness.' Old Ottoman era houses are being demolished, there is unrest in the streets…and everything feels wrong, wrong, wrong. The film is clearly autobiographical, and Tamer reveals his soul via his alter-ego, Khalid. Tamer el Said explained, "The process of making the film is also the process of trying to understand himself, reflecting on many things. My main project is myself, although the film's main "character" is the City. I call Cairo the city that made me who I am. I live in the flat seen in the film, and that is my local neighbourhood. The people in the streets and cafes are my actual neighbours. The filming took place over two years and ended in 2010, only six weeks before the Revolution. I wanted to be part of this change. The editing process was a kind of battle with a beast – 250 hours of footage. Then I worked for a year doing the sound and post production, with collaborators, my amazing crew. Sometimes I spent the whole day editing one scene, then walked in the streets and saw the same people who had been in the footage I'd been editing that day, although four years may have passed. Then I asked myself, 'did something really change? How can we change anything without changing everything?' He continued: 'We grew up, used to experiencing loss and war around us. It shaped our lives and made us different from other people who grew up in Europe, for example. When travelling I realized that I get nervous when I see a police-man, because of my life-experience in Cairo. We cannot carry on like this – things have to change. The situation is no better under our new government, in terms of freedom of expression.' Tamer is disillusioned with the results of the "change he wanted to be part of." He was hoping for freedom and social justice. Tamer el Said graduated in 1998, and has been making short films and documentaries. "In The Last Days of the City" is his first feature film. It has been a slow process and low budget too, because there is no funding for film-making from the government, and there is strict control over freedom of expression in Egypt. However the end result of his labour is one of the most profoundly moving and poetic films I have seen in many years. Better than all the news bulletins and articles we read about what's happening to people in Egypt and other countries in the area around the Middle East, this film expresses the wounds, the disappointment, the eternal hope for a better life for everyone in the surrounding region. It is so tragic to see such ancient lands and cultures, that have had rich cultures and days of glory, now feeling this endless pain. A study of history will show that a lot of this turmoil today, was actually caused by events at the end of the First World War… when the victorious Allies sat over maps deciding on how to carve up among themselves, the former lands of the recently collapsed Ottoman Empire, and beyond. Also, by more recent political actions from modern powers too, but that's another story.

Beatriz's War (2013)

A secret war, little known by the world depicted in "Beatriz's War"

[6/10 · 29 December 2014]

I have ticked the "Contains Spoiler" box because it seems necessary to mention that the plot-line in the second half of the film starts to be a repeat of the 1982 French film, starring Gerard Depardieu and Nathalie Baye... "The Return of Martin Guerre". Audiences watching who've seen that film, or the American re-make starring Richard Gear and Jodie Foster,will realize this, once Beatriz's husband comes home from the mountains, half way through the film. However, this doesn't much matter, because this is the point at which the film starts to gain a good deal of interest, and drama.

Up until that point, the horrific times that the people of East Timor actually suffered under the occupation of the Indonesian army, (TNI) 1975--1999, is portrayed in quite a curiously non-confronting way, and the scenes involving rape and violence are handled "off-screen". We are told what happened in an oblique kind of way. Perhaps this is the Timorese way of approaching such things, or perhaps it is inexperience in film-making. The first half of the film is somewhat 'plodding' and lacks drama, although the events happening should feel very powerful.

The real drama begins when Beatriz's husband Tomas returns. Now the situations become truly complex and fascinating, and the drama is in our minds, while we identify with the protagonists in their complex emotional as well as practical situation . A very long time has passed, and they have all endured much and changed from very young adults, to be adults who have faced every tough reality war can bring.

During that past time, the women, led by Beatriz, realized collaboration was their only remaining course of action, because their primary responsibility, in their own eyes, was to survive. When the "Martin Guerre" figure comes into their lives,they suspect him,and yet also want to believe in him. As time passes new facts are revealed and they call him a traitor it's interesting because they too have crossed boundaries and nothing is simple anymore.. perhaps they too have been traitors?

Now the story is a web of twists and turns, of ethics and empathy, forgiveness and still about survival too. All this has to be balanced with traditional "old ways", which the returned soldier claims to no longer believe in. He says that he found God in the mountains, wherehe was with the Falantil (Freedom fighter).

There are some interesting traditional rituals shown or mentioned, and the cast is made up of Timorese people, often wearing their superb traditional hand-woven ikat textiles. The locations in Timor-Leste are beautiful, and give a lush look to the film, which makes it appear to have a much bigger budget than it actually had. (I read in a Sydney Morning Herald review that it was made for only about $200,000.- Thanks to their reviewer.)

Congratulations to the film-makers, and all involved for bringing to the screen, a personal story of one family, and village, that gives audiences an indication of what those twenty-four long years of suffering were like.

Apart from the Portuguese, ( whose colony this little country was, for 450 years,) most people in the world probably don't even know where it is).

The East-Timorese were at last offered a Referendum. They could choose either, Autonomy within Indonesia, ( a big compromise for the Indonesian government, in view of their terror of their relatively new nation going the way of the old Yugoslavia), OR freedom to form their own nation. Although it would be the weakest and poorest nation on earth, they overwhelmingly voted for freedom, of course. This opportunity only came about because President Suharto's military dictatorship was at last over-thrown in 1998 and the new President Habibie had so many problems,it appeared that this was one problem he decided to just get rid of by permitting the Referendum.

The Catholic people of East-Timor couldn't imagine being part of majority Islamic Indonesia, not after their 24 year experience with the TNI. During the occupation,the Indonesian people mostly had no idea what was happening in the distant far east of their island nation, where the army was a law unto itself.There was no freedom of the press back then.

(Although this historical information isn't a "film review" it's helpful to understand something about the situation, when watching the film.)

"Beatriz's War" is the first full length feature film made in Timor-Leste. There was a very good and interesting documentary film a few years ago, by Victor de Sousa Pereira.... called "Uma Lulik - a Casa Sagrada". As with everything in East-Timor, (a nation of brave people that began from the ashes after the aforementioned referendum,) the film-makers have had a lot of help and support. Before the Indonesian army departed, they destroyed everything they could.

I might mention that the name of General Prabowo Subianto was mentioned not once but three times in the film's dialogue, and in July 2014 that same man was one of the two candidates who ran for President of Indonesia. (He did not win.) Many Indonesians and others too, were of the opinion that he was an un-tried war criminal, and a relic of the "bad old days under the Suharto regime, whose son-in-law he once was, as well as being Head of Kopassus, (TNI elites.) It would seem that the people of Timor-Leste haven't forgotten him and never will.

The film is not any kind of masterpiece, but please watch it if you get the chance because it is well worth your time - especially in the second half.It is always interesting, and we owe it to the people of Timor-Leste to learn about their experience in such recent times, when the world abandoned them, in favour of"political expediency".

Theeb (2014)

A Bedouin boy's coming of age

[28 November 2014]

This film tells the story of a young boy's awakening to the dangers and treachery in the adult world. He lives in a time of change, during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, and the coming of a railway has already changed the lives of the tribesmen of the area. There are bigger things going on around them, than these tribesmen, living out their traditional lives, actually realize. One day Theeb's older brother is approached by another Arab who is guiding an Englishman, in a desert crossing. The stranger wants Hussein, older brother of Theeb to escort them through an area that he's not familiar with. Theeb tags along, and from events that take place on this journey comes his rapid advancement into manhood. The desert settings shot in wide-screen ratio are superb. It's the dawn of a new age, unbeknown to Theeb and his brothers, sons of a departed but highly respected Sheik. The performances are excellent, particularly the intelligent wariness tinged with fear, that young Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat shows, playing Theeb (Wolf). You can read in his eyes,and face that his sharp mind is calculating the risks of alternative courses of action during the several scenes when events reach crisis points.From watching this young man, we understand that the life of desert tribesmen involved strong traditions, a strong sense of hospitality to other travelers (once identified and shown not to be a threat), and the sharp sense of self protection that must always be at 100% efficiency.

It's always wonderful to see a well-made film like this, but it's a special treat when the events are happening in a place and time, that is unfamiliar to us on screens of today. "Theeb" reminds us of Lawrence of Arabia, because of it's setting, but the film is on a much more modest scale than that Epic masterpiece. However, it is very well worth our attention. Highly recommended, this is a very good film for young adults as well as for their parents.

The Bomber (2001)

Fascinating office politics and modern life challenges

[7/10 · 12 September 2012]

I watched this film on TV eleven years after it was made, with absolutely no background knowledge of the book or the stars. I live on the other side of the world.

I found it very interesting - the office politics, and the portrayal of a couple of professionals with young children, trying to balance all the demands of modern life. These things were more interesting to me, than the plot about the death of the public figure and the matter of who was responsible for her death and the following attacks. The performances were very good, and I thought Helena Bergstrom's performance was excellent. I've read in other 'reviews' on IMDb that the author of the book is a similar person -( journalist with a leading newspaper,) to the role that she played - Annika. No doubt this is why the realistic portrayal of the daily challenges at the office was so interesting to me. I was not bothered that the author may have written about herself, not knowing about that at the time of watching the film. Therefore, I was free to appreciate the film for what it is - with no background baggage. And all the hype mentioned which took place at the time of release, - well - I missed it! I don't understand how people found it boring - maybe they don't enjoy dialog and observing human nature.

Javanese Opera (2006)

A visual feast of traditional Javanese music, dance and contemporary art.

[9/10 · 18 June 2008]

"OPERA JAWA"

Garin Nugroho, the director of the feature film "Opera Jawa" says that for him it is "not only a film, but a library", meaning that it is a valuable historical record of Javanese culture, both ancient and modern. It is Garin's fourteenth film, and he is probably the best-known film director of Indonesia.

It is a re-telling of a section of the Ramayana Story, (The Abduction of Sinta) - the same story that you can see performed at Prambanan, Yogyakarta. In the film it is told through traditional Javanese dance, song and Gamelan music, composed by musician Rahayu Supanggah, of Surakarta, Java. It's an opera, and has no spoken dialog. It also features a singing storyteller, Slamet Gundono, who helps to move the story along. And there is a quartet of men in a roadside food stall talking (in song) about political and social matters, who also serve that purpose.

The dances include the sacred Bedoyo, performed by nine female dancers which depicts the encounter of Senopati, with Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, the Queen of the South Sea. Tradition says that if you watch very carefully you can sometimes see a tenth dancer, when the Queen herself joins the dancers.

"Opera Jawa" uses spectacular sets of art installations, designed by some of Indonesia's leading contemporary artists, Agus Suwage, Nindityo Adipurnomo, S.Teddy D, Hendro Suseno, Titarubi, Sunaryo, and Entang Wiharso.

The story has been translated to a setting around 1997/98 as the nation of Indonesia arose in popular demonstration against the Suharto dictatorship after the financial crisis.

Sinta is now Siti, and Rama is now Setyo, a couple who earn their living as potters. However in the past they have both been performers in the Ramayana Ballet. It is customary that when a Javanese female dancer marries, she retires from performing, out of respect to her husband.

The fiery Ludiro represents Rahwana, the abductor. He too once danced with them in the role of Rahwana, and has always desired the lovely Siti. Now he pulls out all stops to seduce her. Meantime her husband's fortunes are sinking and so are his spirits, as he loses his money, his business fails, and he realizes that he's losing his wife's heart as well.

No wonder Siti is tempted by the exciting, dangerous Ludiro, since he's wealthy and powerful and her husband is moping and seems to be at the end of his tether. The confident Ludiro insults her, caressing her face with his foot and flicking his endless lengths of red cloth in her face, yet still she is fascinated. Eko Supriyanto (Ludiro) is one hell of a dancer, and steals the show with his dance scene in the abattoir, several sequences featuring the stunning art installations, and dancing on the table in the food stall).

Eventually Setyo has nothing left to lose, and joins the angry demonstrators leading troops of his own, mounted on a symbolic stallion emblazoned "Viva la Muerte". The troops are angrily chanting about being tired of being taken for granted, treated like oxen under the dictatorship which had prevailed for so long.

The costumes and locations are stunning, and the re-telling of this tale uses many metaphors taken from ancient Javanese tradition. Siti represents the earth itself, as she is fought over, and torn by the conflicts of men. She sings, " I am the earth, tilled by the plow, I am replete with blessings. I, Siti, am praised. In me grow flowers and crops."

In Java the Kraton's traditions endure and provide emotional/spiritual security in a rapidly changing world. While all the political turmoil outside unfolds, in the ancient Sultan's Palace stillness is maintained, the singers chant, in rhythm with a beating heart - "When comes the time of fallow earth, of death and dust and barren land, Just as it was for Rama and Sinta, who no longer recognized their world, what remains is fidelity. Praises and prayers, woven with life. And yet one may as well wait for stones to float on water. Only God is almighty."

At the real Ramayana performance at Prambanan, Yogyakarta, there is a happy ending, with Rahwana killed and the lovers reunited, Sinta's purity proved. However, here Siti's final 'test of fidelity' is a fatal revenge and Setyo sings, as he is led away, "In my heart lies justice. You are the setting of a dispute, an object without boundaries, Oh heart, heart, scream, speak". Rice sprouts in the sand on the beach where Siti's blood was spilled, confirming her status as a symbol of the fecundity of the earth.

The final scene shows a Labuhan procession on the beach south of Yogyakarta, as is still seen twice a year, when the Sultan and the people give thanks and elaborate offerings to Ratu Kidul, the Queen of the South Sea, guardian of the city.

Funding to make this gorgeous film came as part of The Vienna Mozart Year 2006, the 250th anniversary of Mozart, who was Austrian. Part of this massive celebration was The New Crowned Hope Festival, and the artistic director Peter Sellars decided to commission entirely new works from contemporary international artists, in the fields of music, theater, dance, architecture, visual arts and film. All that was required was to use Mozart's themes as both inspiration and a springboard.

"Opera Jawa" is like nothing you've ever seen on screen before - a tremendous visual feast. Garin Nugroho has indeed created a valuable document of Javanese traditional story, music and dance and blended it with modern Indonesia's period of social reform, and with her contemporary arts, in a wonderful way. It's a must-see movie for art and music, and film lovers and if you know and love Yogyakarta, you will lose yourself in it and never want to come out.

It certainly helps to come to it with prior knowledge of Javanese culture.