Short and Sweet

A few short and sweet reviews to get the ball rolling...

Genius Within- The Inner Life of Glenn Gould

An eclectic biographical documentary that delves into the life of acclaimed pianist Glenn Gould. Although I was previously unfamiliar with this eccentric man, his story, told through music, interviews and rare archival footage, was enough to keep me fascinated for the duration of the film. Hailed as a 'child prodigy', Gould was thrust into the limelight and began performing in his early teenage years. However, it didn't take him long to shy away from public sphere and retreat into the recording studio. Genius Within is a study into the human search for joy, satisfaction and a place to call home. For Gould, home was inside himself; the musical intimacy between him and his piano.

Barry Munday

After losing his ‘family jewels’ in a freak accident involving a trumpet and a protective father, wanna-be ladies man Barry Munday is forced to re-evaluate his entire sense of existence. When he is contacted by Ginger, a young woman who claims that Barry is the father of her unborn child, he is presented with one last chance at fatherhood. Carried by the terrific performance of Patrick Wilson, who transforms a seemingly loathsome character into a lovable hero, Barry Munday is a great dose of comedy and playfulness!

The Road to Las Vegas

This documentary follows the journey of Vanessa Meldon who, after receiving a message from God, packs up her life in Alaska and relocates to Las Vegas in search of work. Taking her partner Maurice and five of their kids, they spend the first year living in the car before Vanessa finds stable work. The documentary touches on a very interesting phenomenon as thousands of families make the same journey to Las Vegas every year. However, as the British director only visited this family on a yearly basis, I felt like much of their story was missed. I wanted to know more about Maurice's battle with drug addiction and life on the streets... the children's experiences. Instead, the film rests almost entirely on the perspective of Vanessa and her brave yet somewhat disillusioned approach to life.

Outcast

Ancient Celtic spells, curses and monsters take force in the urban heart of Edinburgh. This supernatural 'thriller' was hard to take seriously. James Nesbitt plays Cathal, a man on a mission to find and kill his son, a human/beast hybrid who spends his nights devouring young women on the housing estate. Outcast scores high in the gore factor, but achieves little else in my books.

Heartbreaker

Alex Lippi (Romain Duris) breaks hearts for a living. Hired by wealthy relatives, he carries out elaborate plans in order to steal the hearts of his female cases, reignite their sense of passion and inspire them to end their 'flawed' relationship. But when he is enlisted to work his magic on a beautiful and headstrong young wine dealer who is engaged to a nice yet essentially boring Englishman, surprise surprise... he falls for her. This is pure French Hollywood with a cheese factor of 10/10. In saying this, I sheepishly enjoyed every cliché ridden moment... the Duris charm never fails!

Red Hill

Seeking a simple and stress-free lifestyle, a young policeman and his pregnant wife move to a country town. But when a convicted murderer escapes from prison, the small community goes into lock-down, arming themselves in preparation for his imminent return. Hunting them down one by one, the Indigenous escapee takes his revenge and the town’s dark secrets begin to unravel. I spent the first half of Red Hill squirming; effectively chilled and manipulated by the stunning cinematography and suspense. But when the plot turned ridiculous, I copped on. This is a spoof- a ‘Western’- Aussie style.