SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN Screening 7th June 2013

Pics and Flicks

presents:

Searching For Sugarman

Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music 
Director: Malik Bendjelloul
Producer: Simon Chinn
Cast: As themselves
Classification: M
Duration: 86 mins
Country: South Africa

Release date: 04/10/2012

Review by Margaret Pomeranz
This fascinating documentary begins in South Africa for a reason. The 1970's singer Rodriguez, about whom little is or was known, failed to make an impression in his own country with two admired but unsuccessful albums, but in South Africa during that time, when Apartheid was in full sway, a stray copy of his first album Cold Play found its way there and spread like wildfire in a country cut off from the world.

His songs inspired resistance to Apartheid and he became a cult hero to many, anathema to others.
Rumoured to have died on stage during a performance, either by self-immolation or by a self-inflicted gunshot, a South African journalist went in search of the truth about the Rodriguez. And that's the story of the film. It is a riveting and moving journey with major surprises along the way. And some great music. Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul creates a mysterious world for the elusive Rodriguez in his home town of Detroit, and manages to track down most of the major players in Rodriguez' life. It's a fine documentary, insightful and beautifully cathartic.

THE ANGELS' SHARE Screening 3rd May 2013

 

Pics and Flicks

is bringing you:

The Angels' Share

"The Angels' Share is a surprisingly delightful, uplifting comedy that successfully blends a charming story of redemption with bits of dark humour and a social message." [Rotten Tomatoes film website]
MA, 1 hr. 41 min.
Drama, Comedy
Directed By: Ken Loach



Review by David Stratton:

Robbie, PAUL BRANNIGAN, is a young Glaswegian, an ex-con though still in his early 20s, who is brought before the sheriff's court on an assault charge. Robbie's girlfriend, Leonie, SIOBHAN REILLY, is pregnant and he convinces the sheriff he wants to reform. As a result, he's sentenced to community service and finds himself together with gormless Albert, GARY MAITLAND, Mo, JASMIN RIGGINS, a thief, and Rhino, WILLIAM RUANE, who has an odd sense of humour, working under the command of Harry, JOHN HENSHAW, a tough but good-hearted man who senses Robbie's potential - and that potential, strange as it may seem, lies in his appreciation of prime quality whisky.

The film has a rough and ready look, but the charm of its battler characters shines through and there's plenty to relish here, even though the plot gets more and more improbable the further it proceeds.

4 STARS

FLICKERFEST 2013

22^nd INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

FLiCKERFEST presented by RENAULT is coming to Gerringong

Pics and Flicks is proudly hosting three award-winning, creative and inspiring Flickerfest programs of Australian and international short films.

 AT: Gerringong Town Hall on Fri 5th and Sat 6th April 2013 

 PROGRAM:

Friday 5th April,     8pm Best of International 1

Saturday 6th April, 5.30pm   Short Laughs Comedy

                              8pm Best Australian

                    

                              see program details below

TICKETS:

Tickets available at the door only.

$10 per session.  Pics and Flicks members free.

Festival Patrons: Baz Luhrmann, Gillian Armstrong and Claudia Karvan

Festival Director: Bronwyn Kidd

Celebrating 22 years of short film excellence Flickerfest presented by Renault, Australia’s leading short film festival will be rolling in to Gerringong, bringing its 2013 gems. Flickerfest presents another award winning programme of the best of Australia’s and the worlds best short films, Welcome to our world of shorts!

Flickerfest remains Australia’s only Academy® accredited and BAFTA recognised short film festival, ensuring that we continue to present A-list short film programmes recognised amongst the best in the world.

A record 2300 entries were received for Flickerfest 2013, and only the top 100 shorts are selected in official competition, all handpicked to represent the most innovative, creative and cutting edge short films being produced in the world today. This impressive and unprecedented number of contenders from all round the world confirms FLICKERFEST’s reputation as Australia’s largest and most respected short film competition.

 Gerringong Program Details:

Friday 5th April, 8pm Best of International 1

.

Best Of International 1 highlights include: the delightful and whimsical Route 43 Miracle from Sweden, a humorous and bittersweet tale about a lonesome Swedish mans longing for something worthwhile; hilarious UK black comedy The Day My Nan Died produced by local Adelaide producer Marion Pilowsky; charming French/Canadian film Herd Leader (Chef De Meute) winner of the audience award at Cannes film festival about Clara who is put in charge of her dead aunts pug dog. Little does she know that these are the first steps in and unlikely friendship. The beautiful and mesmerising animation Oh Willy from Belgium about Willy who when forced to return to his natural roots bungles his way into noble savagery; and Curfew from the USA - winner of Best Live Action Short at this years Academy®Awards.

 Saturday 6th April, 5.30pm Short Laughs Comedy

Short Laughs Comedy showcases the funniest films from Australia and overseas including, Spanish comedy Life Vest Under Your Seat; and the funny & topical social media film Friend Request Pending starring the Queen of stage & screen Judi Dench.

The "Best Of Australian Shorts" programme provides a platform that showcases our amazing Australian filmmaking talents. 

Saturday 6th April, 8pm Best of Australian Shorts

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Best Of Australian Shorts highlights include: Lois - starring Academy®Award nominated acting legend Jackie Weaver, which takes an ordinary women’s story into the realms of greek myth, the quirky and highly crafted animation A Cautionary Tale about a little girl born with a peculiar quirk who must choose between conformity and self expression, starring the voices of David Wenham, Cate Blanchett and Barry Otto and the funny; a slightly twisted black comedy The Captain by award winning filmmaker and stunt man Nash Edgerton and Yardbird winner Of Best Australian Short winner of Best Australian Film at Flickerfest 2013 & In exciting news the Flickerfest Best Australian Short Film Award has just become Accredited to the Academy ®Awards joining our international competition, providing exceptional opportunities for Australian film makers on the world stage.

Don't miss this special opportunity to see an entertaining, inspiring and award winning range of shorts, many of which are world or Australian premieres, and presenting the hottest short films in the world today.

'Ride The Short Film Wave' with Flickerfest presented by Renault.

TOMBOY Screening Friday 1st March 2013

Review by Margaret Pomeranz  on ABC Film Show
Gender identity at the cusp of adolescence is explored in Celine Sciamma’s TOMBOY. Laure, ZOE HERAN, is 10 years old, her family have just moved to a new neighbourhood with her six year old sister Jeanne, MALONN LEVANA. Her mother, SOPHIE CATTANI, is very pregnant, her father, MATTIEU DEMY, works with computers. It is a very loving family. When Laure meets up with Lisa, JEANNE DISSON, she’s mistaken for a boy and she goes along with it. She calls herself Mikael.

The mistaken identity can’t go on forever, school is looming at the end of the idyllic summer holidays. But even Jeanne is talked into going along with the deception.

This exquisite film is as pure as you can get, it’s observational, it’s minimalist, there’s no intrusive music except where it is part of the action. That fragility of a young girl, despite her boyish behaviour, is so painful, it’s been really beautifully and compassionately presented by writer/director Celine Sciamma. The performances are a knockout, they’re truly believably naturalistic. All the kids are great but Zoe Heran is just stunning, as is Malonn Levana as her little sister. This is just a wonderful gem of a film. Makes you glad some people make movies.

INTOUCHABLES, screening Fri Feb 1, 2013

Join us for our first film for 2013

INTOUCHABLES (2011)    

screening FRIDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2013 at 7.30 for 8pm

French with subtitles

Directors: 

Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano

Writers: 

Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano

Stars:

 François Cluzet, Omar Sy and Anne Le Ny | See full cast and crew


Storyline

In Paris, the aristocratic and intellectual Philippe is a quadriplegic millionaire that is interviewing candidates for the position of his caretaker with his red-haired secretary Magalie. Out of the blue, the rude African Driss cuts the line of candidates and brings a document from the Social Security and asks to Phillipe to sign it to prove that he is seeking a job position to receive his unemployment insurance. Philippe challenges Driss and offers a period of adaptation of one week to him to gain experience helping him. Then Driss would decide whether he would like to stay with him or not. Driss accepts the bet and moves to the mansion, changing the boring life of Phillipe and his employees.Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  

"The two heartfelt central performances from François Cluzet and Omar Sy will inject you with happiness" says Matthew Toomey, ABC Radio Brisbane

"Oscar-nominated, lauded at festivals overseas and now, one of the most successful French pictures of all time, The Intouchables is simply irresistible." Ed Gibbs in the Sun Herald

"This pleasant, predictable, fact-based tale of an unlikely friendship between a quadriplegic and his carer hits all the sweet spots a feel-good movie must." Jim Schembri 3AW

(Reviews from RottenTomatoes)

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN: November film

Next Film:   FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN

 Review by David Stratton

Jonah, RYAN KWANTEN, lives in an inner-city house with friends Stevie, SARAH SNOOK, and Gus, RYAN CORR. They earn spare cash by hosting parties at weekends and Jonah, particularly, lives a hedonistic lifestyle, though he misses ex girlfriend Ava, BOJANA NOVAKOVIC.

One night his latest girlfriend, KATHRYN BECK, discovers a lump the size of a pea in a very intimate place - it's diagnosed as testicular cancer, and requires treatment as soon as possible. But that means Jonah will be sterile and he suddenly decides he needs to be a father.

What lifts this Australian romantic-comedy above the level of most of its Hollywood counterparts is the reality of the characters and the situations and the honesty of the film's approach. Once you accept the fact that Jonah has this strong desire for parenthood, everything falls into place. Based on a screenplay by Michael Lucas, based in part on his own experiences, the film adroitly mixes intimate drama and comedy. It's a fine job from first-time feature director Peter Templeman whose short film, THE SAVIOUR, was an Oscar nominee a while back.

Ryan Kwanten has already proved in the underrated RED HILL and GRIFF THE INVISIBLE that he's a talented young actor, but the revelation here is Sarah Snook who is radiant as Stevie, the loyal and helpful house-mate. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

Further comments

DAVID: Did you, Margaret?

MARGARET: I did and it's a genre that Australians do attempt but very rarely succeed at.

DAVID: That's true, yes.

MARGARET: And funnily enough, when I talked to Peter Templeman, I said it's basically a romcom and he went, well, no, I think it's far more based in reality than that and, in fact, that comes through, I think, really nicely. I agree with you about Sarah Snook. I think she is so talented, that girl. She's a real Emma Stone lookalike.

DAVID: Yes. Yes.

MARGARET: She's got that same presence on screen. Not classically beautiful but the camera adores her.

DAVID: Yes. Yes.

MARGARET: And she just knows how to treat it.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: I think this is a lovely debut feature. I think Ryan Kwanten is fabulous in his loyalty to filmmaking in this country after establishing such a success for himself in America in TRUE BLOOD.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: And, as you say, with RED HILL and GRIFF THE INVISIBLE and this is the third film he's made back here.

DAVID: And he's doing another one, I think.

MARGARET: And he's lovely onscreen playing this loser slacker.

DAVID: Yes. It's an unlikely sort of hero because he's not the most obvious protagonist that you could warm to.

MARGARET: No.

DAVID: And yet you do because it's such a lovely performance.

MARGARET: Yes. And the party scenes are done well too.

DAVID: Yes, they really are.

MARGARET: And the music's great.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: No, there's a real sense of achievement with this film that I responded to. I'm giving it four stars.

DAVID: I'm with you, Margaret. I'm giving it four as well. 

SCREENING FRIDAY OCTOBER 5, 2012

Pics and Flicks

presents

A ROYAL AFFAIR

4 Star- Margaret Pomeranz

Review by ABC At The Movies Margaret Pomeranz

The Danes are riding high on the international film scene at the moment with MADS MIKKELSEN winning best actor in Cannes recently. He stars in a new release here, A ROYAL AFFAIR, about a possibly little-known historical event in Denmark in the 18th Century. A young English princess, Caroline - ALICIA VIKANDER - travels to Copenhagen to be married to the Danish king Christian - MIKKEL BOE FOELSGAARD.She's horrified to discover that her young husband is mentally unstable. When Johann Struensee, Mikkelsen, is appointed to be his personal physician, a dangerous closeness develops between the young Queen and the doctor.

When the Queen and Struensee become involved in politics, trying to reform some of iniquities in Danish society, they enter even more dangerous territory.This has been beautifully directed by Nikolai Arcel from a screenplay he wrote with Rasmus Heisterberg, the duo that brought us the first and the best of the Stieg Larsson adaptations, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. It's not only a grand romance, it's also an insight into the dangers of personal and political hubris. MADS MIKKELSEN is wonderful as Struensee as is ALICIA VIKANDER as the Queen, but it's the performance of MIKKEL BOE FOELSGAARD as the King that is stunning, he brings a beautiful pathos to his demanding role. It is quite a conventional film in many ways, but it's been done intelligently, it is an engrossing work.

R, 2 hr. 13 min.

Art House & International, Drama

Directed By: Nikolaj Arcel

Written By: Lars von Trier

Further comments

MARGARET: David?

DAVID: Isn’t it interesting? You see I didn’t know this story from Danish history.

MARGARET: No.

DAVID: But at almost the same time, certainly in the same century, the 18th century, exactly the same thing was happening in Russia with Catherine The Great, who was, I think, an Austrian princess, who married the czar only to discover that he was bonkers and...

MARGARET: It’s all this inbreeding in European royalty.

DAVID: It is, isn’t it? That’s right and how fascinating that this is another story. I don’t think - this is not done as well as Josef von Sternberg did THE SCARLET EMPRESS, I must say.

MARGARET: Oh, David.

DAVID: It’s a sumptuously made, attractive people, all of that, but quite a conventional film, I think. It’s got an interesting subtext, this hubris thing, as you said. That is interesting and it told me some things about Danish history that I didn’t know so that was interesting too but I don’t think it’s a great film particularly.

MARGARET: But it’s also interesting to see how far we’ve come in not a very great period of time. The censorship issues then.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: The treatment of the poor, of prisoners.

DAVID: Oh, yes, sure.

MARGARET: Torture was sanctioned by the state.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: All of this horrible stuff that he tried to reform with her.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: He was an enlightened human being.

DAVID: Absolutely, yes.

MARGARET: But politically not very astute.

DAVID: Just a bit up himself really.

MARGARET: Oh, David, I wish you wouldn’t do that. No, he’s not but I actually was really impressed by this and interested. I’m giving it four stars.

DAVID: I’m giving it three and a half.