BY JOHN CAMPBELL
SHOPLIFTERS Had I discovered this earlier, it would have lobbed in at #1 with a bullet on my list of Top Ten movies. Osamu and Nobuyo Shibata live cheek by jowl with grandmother, a young woman and a ’tween boy in a cramped house that is not part of the neon-lit Tokyo we are accustomed to seeing in tourist brochures. As poor as church mice, with neither wi-fi nor iPhones, Osamu’s gift to the boy, Shota, is to train him as a shoplifter so that they might not go without regular meals. Returning home one night, Osamu and Shota come upon a neglected little girl, Yuri, to whom they give shelter and take into the family. But is it a family? Just exactly how are these people connected, if not through blood? With imperceptible sleight of hand, director Hirokazu Koreeda lets you assume that this is a typical nuclear family – the intimacies, the support for each other, the talk between them could indicate nothing else. But they are not the Brady Bunch, and as the story develops and we learn of their background, we realise that Koreeda is opening our eyes to the simple truth and beauty of our shared humanity. Slurping their noodles, watching fireworks, playing at the beach – the harmony within the group is not defined by rigid orthodoxy. Their world is threatened,
however, by the problem of Yuri, whom officialdom considers to be kidnapped. Love is blind, but ‘proper’ society’s rules are black and white. There are so many precious moments – the tackiness of daughter Aki’s job of showing her tits in a peepparlour is transformed by an encounter of overwhelming tenderness; Osamu assuring Shota, while swimming, that the sexual stirrings that he is beginning to feel are perfectly okay; grandmother comforting Aki. It’s incredibly touching. Entirely natural performances are a joy to watch, but special mention must be made of Sakura Andô as Nobuyo, a woman who would be prepared to kill for her family. Winner of this year’s Palme d’Or, it is surely a masterpiece.
PEPPERMINT I don’t know how she did it, and it’s never explained, but somehow or other Riley North (Jennifer Garner) managed to get the bodies of three thugs that she had killed hanging like bats from the spokes of a ferris wheel. She’s a resourceful gal. And what a tragedy it was that provoked such fabulous savagery. Leaving a carnival one night, her husband and tiny daughter were gunned down by tattooed guys employed as muscle for a drug cartel. The film makes it clear that the hubby had rejected an offer to be a driver for the bad guys, thus making Riley’s behaviour spotless – if you agree that murderous revenge is perfectly acceptable, that is. She would not have been forced into taking such action if the court had sentenced the assassins to the punishment they deserved, but it turns out that just about everybody in the LAPD and California judicial system are corrupt and under the thumb
of the odious Diego Garcia (Juan Pablo Raba). Devastated by the judge’s ruling, Riley went off the grid for five years, during which time she was in Europe turning herself into a female Jack Reacher. French director Pierre Morel gave us Taken (2008), one of those Liam Neeson flicks in which he has the world against him but, with a sympathetic audience willing him on, triumphs over the villains through superior brutality. This is in the same vein and, again, Morel relies heavily on our most primitive need to exact vengeance on those who have wronged us. The last time I saw Garner she was an understanding mom to her gay son in Love, Simon, so this is an extreme turnaround for her, but she handles the physicality and ruthlessness of the part well. Rough justice is the American way and it is endlessly sanctioned by Hollywood – if only there weren’t a market for it. The ending suggests that Riley won’t be out of sight for too THURSDAY 3RD JANUARY K9LMJ<9Q ;GFL& TUESDAY 8TH JANUARY long, so we should fasten 10:30am The Grinch ,&*-he Second act )(&((Ye Wheely our seat belts in readiness for )*&)-he Kha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] .&+(he Climax ))&,-Ye Kha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] more lustful slaughter. Kha\]j n]jk]
FILM SCHEDULE 3 JANUARY 9 JANUARY 2019 ..0- -0*0 ooo&ha_`gmk]Û a[ck&[ge&Ym 1 Skinners Shoot Rd, Byron Bay
0&*-he Mortal Engines *&+(he The old man and the gun SUNDAY 6TH JANUARY ,&*-he CmkYeY2 AfÚ falq )(&((Ye K ha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] .&((he Creed 2 Kha\]j n]jk] 0&+(he Climax )*&)-he Kha\]jeYf2 Aflg L`] >JA<9Q ,L@ B9FM9JQ Kha\]j N]jk] )(&((Ye Wheely *&+(he The old man and the gun ))&-(Ye Kha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] ,&*-he Second act Kha\]j n]jk] .&+(he Climax *&(-he Mortal Engines 0&+(he CmkYeY2 AfÚ falq ,&+-he CmkYeY2 AfÚ falq .&(-he Creed 2 MONDAY 7TH JANUARY 0&+-he Climax )(&((Ye Wheely ))2,-Ye Kha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] K9LMJ<9Q -L@ B9FM9JQ Kha\]j n]jk] )(&((Ye K ha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] *&((he CmkYeY2 AfÚ falq Kha\]j n]jk] )*&)-he The old man and the gun +&+-he The old man and the gun *&)(he Kha\]jeYf2 Aflg L`] -&+(he Mortal Engines 0&((he Climax Kha\]j N]jk]
Kha\]j n]jk] *&((he CmkYeY2 AfÚ falq +&+-he Mortal Engines .&(-he Creed 2 0&+-he Climax
WEDNESDAY 9TH JANUARY )(&((Ye K ha\]jeYf2 Aflg l`] Kha\]j n]jk] )*&)-he CmkYeY2 AfÚ falq )&-(he K ha\]jeYf2 Aflg L`] Kha\]j n]jk]& ,&(-he Creed 2 .&+-he The old man and the gun 0&+(he Mortal Engines
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Adults $15 Concession & Kids $10 Tuesdays 2 for 1 & singles $9 La[c]lk YnYadYZd] gfdaf] gj Yl l`] Zgp g^Ú []&
46 The Byron Shire Echo `ëŕƖëſƷ ǩǽ ǩǧǨǰ
BY LILITH
2019 KICKS OFF WITH A RARE STARMAP OF FOUR PLANETS IN THEIR RULING SIGNS: MARS IN ARIES, JUPITER IN SAGITTARIUS, SATURN IN CAPRICORN AND NEPTUNE IN PISCES, SUGGESTING THIS YEAR’S ARCHETYPE IS A WISE WARRIOR WITH DISCIPLINED IMAGINATION…
ARIES: Could there be a more welcome start to the year than the dynamic duo of motivating Mars and spontaneous Uranus in your sign blessing professional initiatives, while Jupiter illuminates your fun-loving, creative side? Communications improve and admirers flock like moths to your flame, making this year’s mandate Follow Your Bliss. TAURUS: When habitbreaking Uranus hits your sign early in 2019 for the next seven years, why fight the turquoise planet’s waves of change when you can reframe them as an exciting makeover you haven’t had to pay for? With expansive Jupiter broadening ideas, lives and also appetites, diet and exercise are especially important this year. GEMINI: This year a working balance between inner and outer you, yourself and others, the material and mystic, romantic and realistic, sensible and spiritual, what you want to do and what you need to seem easier to achieve. Just as well, with genial Jupiter ushering a magnificent influx of new partners into all areas of your life. CANCER: 2019 launches a relationship feng shui initiative which sees Cancerians reassessing the company they keep. This year makes it clear why you need to cull the contacts list of time vampires, space invaders, drama queens, frenemies and lost causes so your garden of supporters and inspiring allies can flourish. LEO: With Jupiter in your house of play and entertainment, if your work or relationships aren’t making you smile, Uranus the planet of seven-year itch will propel you to fresh pastures where your personal artistry can flourish. This year’s mantra? Don’t do it unless it’s fun. If you have to do it, make it fun. MAKE IT FUN. VIRGO: Jupiter pitching his party marquee in Virgo’s home zone places your base of operations and those in it into prime focus this year. Relationships formed during 2019, personal and professional, have a way better-than-average chance of being long- term and supportive, so you can relax knowing that someone has your back.
LIBRA: As Jupiter visits your communications sector this year, others want what you’ve got. On and offline, screen and face time, you’ll find it easier to speak your mind without compromising your principles to make others comfortable. Greatest challenge? Distinguishing faux info from the real deal and sorting rascals from reliables. SCORPIO: Where Jupiter lands it expands, and this year it blesses your house of worldly wealth – though you’re still expected to check balance sheets and hedge economic bets. Scorpios are powerfully passionate persuaders, and 2019 brings ongoing opportunities to reprogram and refine the way you interact with others in increasingly positive and rewarding ways. SAGITTARIUS: This year superpower Jupiter makes its once-everytwelve-years tour of the zodiac sign it most influences: yours. As your gypsy spirit rises like a fiery phoenix on incandescent wings, carpe diem, Archers: go wild and enjoy your astrological sabbatical to the max before Jupiter sobers up again in November. CAPRICORN: As the quintet of Sun, Saturn, Pluto, Mercury, and weekend new moon all in Capricorn slot huge chunks of life’s jigsaw into place, Uranus moving into your play and pleasure zone this year invites you to let your hair down, kick your hooves up and share with others the best of all health and beauty treatments: laughter. AQUARIUS: Happy planet Jupiter visits your friendship sector every twelve years, and during 2019 offers enjoyable opportunities for organising community and group gettogethers to share your unconventional ideas. Though new business startups aren’t especially recommended for Aquarians this year, which is better suited to longterm planning strategies and road-testing potential partnerships. PISCES: Uranus zapping your mental sector this year stimulates a slew of inspired ideas. If this disrupts regular rhythms, shakes up routines and turns entrenched beliefs upside down, that’s a good thing. With the workplace one of this year’s best addresses, invest in some techno-upgrades and a professional wardrobe revamp.
North Coast news daily in Echonetdaily www.echo.net.au