CINEMA REVIEWS SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER ‘Letting go’ is never easy. No matter how traumatic an experience, how heartbreaking a loss, some find it virtually impossible to be free of its torment. Alan (Bill Nighy with a Scouse accent) is one such person. Obsessed with finding Michael, the son who has vanished from his life, he is untroubled by the corrosive effect his quest has had on his other son, Peter (Sam Riley). The film starts bleakly, with the pair having met to identify a body which might be that of the missing boy. In a hotel the night before, over a game of Scrabble – it provides the leitmotif of the movie – they befriend a couple who turn out to be in town for the same reason. And it’s at this point that you become aware of the off-beat humour that director Carl Hunter insinuates into so many scenes – the tale of the old lady who sold coal is a classic. It is visually jokey too, as Alan and Peter drive a little red Triumph through the countryside, but with the back-projection of passing trees accentuated for its fakery. Likewise, there are numerous shots where Hunter seems to have gone out of his way to unbalance or even discomfit the viewer through off-centre framing. Once you have adjusted to the visual style, which perfectly complements Nighy’s uniquely skewed delivery, you find that you have
BY JOHN CAMPBELL
BY LILITH
been drawn deeply into the story’s intimacy. Alan wins you over, as he does Peter’s wife Sue (Alice Lowe) and their teenage son, Jack (Louis Healy), whom he helps overcome shyness to woo the cute girl at the bus-stop. But the rift with Peter only widens. After Scrabbling online with an opponent whom he is convinced is Michael, Alan arranges a rendezvous. The ending, in which Alan belatedly discovers that he has not seen the forest for the trees, is a beautiful lesson for us all to be reminded of. With Nighy in top form and the ageless Jenny Agutter making a welcome return to the screen, this one is a beauty.
HOTEL MUMBAI Until Friday in Christchurch, many of us dismissed the ‘war on terror’ as just another political construct used to win votes. Last week’s horrific attack has inevitably cast this movie in a more coruscating light. ‘Jihad’ and its murderous mindset is not exclusive to Islam. This bruising, exhausting recreation of the events of 2008 in Mumbai, when ten gunmen laid siege to the iconic Taj Hotel and other points in the city, is a gruesome portrayal of fanatics and their blind determination to destroy everything that is not embraced by their world view. Australian director Anthony Maras does not beat around the bush in his condemnation of Islamic extremism, but nor does he tar all Muslims with the same brush – the central female character who has our strong sympathy (Nazanin Boniadi) is a Muslim. And
he is keen to make the point that many of the killers are uneducated, brainwashed boys who themselves are at the mercy of hateful, unseen manipulators who never go near the coal face of the operations they oversee. The violence is shocking, but necessarily so, and unlike in most blockbuster adventures and gangster flicks, there is absolutely no sense of ‘isn’t this fun’, and no rejoicing in the carnage. Most of the COLD characters are fictional, but PURSUIT the efforts of the head chef Free Parking (played with pukka solidity by Anupam Kher) are not only factual but downright amazing. Dev Patel (‘Lion’) is Arjun, the Sikh waiter around whom the narrative is constructed, and he grows into the role of unlikely th hero as the desperate hours pass. Indeed, it is his very BF Baby Friendly EGF<9Q *- E9J;@ ordinariness as the young SP Kh][aYd Hj]k]flYlagf BABY FRIENDLY SCREENINGS EACH MORNING 12,-Ye BF Maria By Callas PS HjanYl] K[j]]faf_ father with a pregnant wife, THE MAP TO PARADISE 1ST SESSION SOLD OUT ))&-(Ye Green Book struggling to make ends *&)(he Stan And Ollie 2ND SCREENING ON SALE NOW meet in one of the city’s ,&((he Maria By Callas GUEST SPEAKERS: SEE WEBSITE FOR TICKETS .&)-he Free Solo crowded slums, which gives 0&((he ;Yh`YjfYme the movie its humanity – as NOW SHOWING: MARIA BY CALLAS, does the terrorist who cries STAN AND OLLIE, A DOGS WAY HOME TUESDAY 26 MARCH )(&((Ye BF A Dogs Way Home on the phone to his father ))&,-Ye Maria By Callas THURSDAY 21 MARCH SATURDAY 23 MARCH in Pakistan. Archival footage * ((he Stan And Ollie 10:00am BF Dogs Way Home )(&((Ye BF A Dogs Way Home +&-(he Green Book is seamlessly interspersed, ))&-(Ye Stan and Ollie ))&-(Ye BF A Dogs Way Home .&)(he KlYf 9f\ Gdda]& )&,-he Maria by Callas providing chilling realism )&,(he Stan And Ollie 0&((he ;Yh`YjfYme ,&((he ;Yh`YjfYme +&+(he If Beale St Could Talk as the almost unbearable .&*(he Stan and Ollie WEDNESDAY 27 MARCH -&,-he Green Book FILM SCHEDULE tension mounts. 0&)-he Green Book 1&,-Ye BF A Dogs Way Home 0&)(he Maria By Callas THURS 21 MARCH – This is not a FRIDAY 22 MARCH ))&+(Ye Maria By Callas KMF<9Q *, E9J;@ WED 27 MARCH 2019 movie for the )&,(he Green Book 12,-Ye BF A Dogs Way Home 12,-Ye BF A Dogs Way Home ,&((he Free Solo 11:30am Green Book faint-hearted, ))&+(Ye Green Book -&,-he SP2EYh Lg HYjY\ak] ..0- -0*0 )&-(he Free Solo but it is also *&((he Stan and Ollie ?m]kl kh]Yc]jk2 +&,-he ;Yh`YjfYme ooo&ha_`gmk]Û a[ck&[ge&Ym incredibly +&-(he Maria By Callas See website for tickets .&((he Maria By Callas 1 Skinners Shoot Rd, Byron Bay 0&)-he Stan And Ollie 0&)-he Stan And Ollie .&((he PS Closed moving. A must see, Adults $15 Concession & Kids $10 Tuesdays all tix $10 and horribly La[c]lk YnYadYZd] gfdaf] gj Yl l`] Zgp g^Ú []& relevant.
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STARS
EQUINOX FULL MOON IN THE SIGN OF BALANCE, WHEN DAY AND NIGHT, DARK AND LIGHT ARE EQUAL, OFFER POSSIBILITIES FOR EQUILIBRIUM IN THE MIDST OF FLUX…
ARIES: Happy birthday Rams, as your month in the sun delivers superfood to the Aries spirit. As you take the lead, inspiring others and making a difference, this week suggests tempering firm determination with a light touch, honesty with sensitivity, enthusiasm with strategy, impatience with humour and outrageousness with respect. TAURUS: Argumentative Mars and Uranus, planet of unexpected events, could activate some fiery exchanges this week, especially around finances. Given the added aggravation of retro Mercury’s irritating glitches, miscommunications and delays, the most rewarding course of action is to reconnect with others, rework plans and above all, relax. GEMINI: Lasting connections need more than passing heart sparks and momentary mind melds, so tune into this week’s relationship full moon by writing down a master plan of what you want to happen or change. Research, reflect, reassess, review. Don’t push. Let things unfold organically – they’ll take off soon enough next week. CANCER: If this turbocharged week’s full moon/ reverse-Mercury combo starts veering towards the cathartic, you might need to call time out for a quiet analysis of events, and your feelings about those events. Follow your inner prompts to whatever’s most nourishing: silence, loving company, food, music, water, or all of the above. LEO: This week kicks off with full moon activating your inner efficiency expert, but egos are sensitive and offering unsolicited advice could attract unwelcome feedback. Mercury doing its retrograde dance tests trust issues, so press pause on anything you’re not 100% sure about, but be aware that misunderstandings and missed messages are clouding clarity. VIRGO: You can’t micromanage what’s beyond your control, but this week there’s plenty you can work with. Financial, personal and professional futures might all seem foggy with Mercury retrograde in Pisces, but annual full moon in Libra offers a potent blend of analysis and intuition: a clear vision you have the discipline to manifest.
LIBRA: While Mercury in retro-mode and love planets Mars and Venus in stubborn fixed signs aren’t the ideal cosmic cocktail recipe for togetherness, fortunately this week’s annual full moon in Libra helps navigate differences of opinion, give aired grievances a sympathetic ear and make a break with something that’s no longer sustainable. SCORPIO: As moods swing through a push-pull between sensational and sensible, cautious or go for broke, all or nothing, this week recommends less diving in, more watching body language, listening for what people aren’t saying, reading between the lines, resurrecting ideas on the back burner, clearing the pending folder and ticking off the to-do list. SAGITTARIUS: Don’t expect straight answers to direct questions because this week they won’t be forthcoming. With communications haywire, even if someone asks your opinion, be careful when giving it. Pause before speaking, look before leaping and work off frustration with something physical or else creative play time. Keep your mind a drama-free zone. CAPRICORN: With Venus in your work and money zone this week, expect interesting connections at industry events or on the job. Though be advised that with Mercury retrograde playing reruns for another go at getting it right, last minute changes are on the star cards, so check details, back up data, confirm everything. AQUARIUS: This ambivalent, ambiguous week’s people are talking at cross purposes. Plus your ruling planet Uranus, that merry prankster, is subject to changing the goal posts without prior notice. No need to make rush decisions though: approach new situations with your signature blend of vision and practicality and hey presto – new adventure! PISCES: Venus is in the mood to mix and mingle, but Mercury retrograde in your sign brings communication confusion, conflicting opinions, clashing agendas. Are the people and institutions you’re dealing with really trustworthy? Listen to your intuition, but definitely do due-diligence. This week needs background checks, homework, research and feasibility studies.
lëſĈIJ ǩǧǽ ǩǧǨǰ The Byron Shire Echo 45