REVIEWS BY ANTHONY MORRIS
THE WHITE CROW
MIDSOMMAR
In 1961, Rudolf Nureyev (Oleg Ivenko) was the Soviet Union’s top dancer. His technique wasn’t flawless, but he had a relentless drive and desire to consume and experience all forms of art – and make what he consumed part of his own art. So a rare chance to tour Paris and London was a dream come true, a chance to soak up a whole new world of experiences. But the more he experienced – and, as this film makes clear, he had already experienced plenty back in the Soviet Union, sleeping with men and having an affair with the wife of his teacher – the more of a threat his free thinking became to his minders. Director Ralph Fiennes (who also stars as Nureyev’s teacher) tells a compact, well-observed story around a pivotal moment in Nureyev’s life; dancer Ivenko gives a powerfully physical performance, underlining the arrogance and drive that made him such a force in global dance.
In case you hadn’t heard – or seen a bunch of creepy runes carved into a local tree – folk horror (think the original Wicker Man; strange cults and weird beliefs) is coming back, and Midsommar is leading the way. It’s the story of a bunch of universityage frat boys who decide to go on a trip to an isolated commune in Sweden, partly for study, largely in the hope of hooking up with hot Swedish babes. The only problem is that one of the dudes (Jack Reynor) has brought along his girlfriend Dani (Florence Pugh) entirely out of guilt (she’s been a mess ever since her entire family died), and his thinly concealed desire to get her out of his life is basically the only human element in what is otherwise a mechanically straightforward plot. It’s folk horror: when someone goes to a mysterious community with strange and ancient beliefs, we all know how it’s going to end. Unfortunately, that makes this a 145 minute film that’s largely about creepy visuals and an unnerving soundtrack designed to leave viewers unsettled about exactly what’s wrong‌ except that it’s about a clearly sinister cult so no mystery there. It’s definitely unsettling, but it’s so drawn out that even some extreme gore can’t liven things up.
FAST & FURIOUS: HOBBS & SHAW When a deadly programmable virus that could turn billions of people into puddles goes missing, it’s time for a lot of hacking into mainframes and listening to chatter on the dark web. It’s also time for the weightlifting Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson, who’s entertaining) and the sharpdressing Shaw (Jason Statham, even more entertaining) to get involved. Supercop Hobbs is the best tracker in the world; unfortunately his prey is Hattie (Vanessa Kirby), a MI6 agent who just happens to be ex-spy Shaw’s sister. She injected herself with the virus to prevent it being stolen by Brixton (Idris Elba), a cyborg with a very cool motorbike that pretty much comes when he calls it, and now she’s on the run. Things explode, thugs are smacked about, the good guys are framed, the bad guys are a cult that wants to kill off the weak so the strong can evolve, and family is, as always in the Fast & Furious world, paramount. It’s hard to argue this is a more grounded entry in the Fast & Furious franchise when the bad guy is part robot, Samoa is somehow the centre of a global market in hotting up cars and Hobbs (briefly) prevents a helicopter from flying away by using a chain as a giant leash; big dumb fun is back in town.
PALM BEACH
LATE NIGHT
There’s a certain kind of film that feels like it’ll vanish from our screens the second someone figures out how to make virtual reality work. While stories and dramatic characters probably aren’t ever going to go away, movies where the whole point is that we get to spend time with nice people in fancy locations – often with a bunch of delicious food being served – feel a lot closer to an idea of a virtual reality holiday than a story that can only be told on the big screen. And so it proves to be with Palm Beach, a movie where a bunch of oldish folks go to a very nice looking beach town, stay at a very fancy mansion, take a bit of a stroll around the neighbourhood, soak up the sun, and just generally have a good old time. Ok, yes, there is a bit of a story – actually, there’s a bit of four or five stories early on, but a lot of plot threads between these old friends with unfinished business are dropped or just fizzle out (it feels like there could possibly be a three hour directors cut somewhere). Still, Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Richard E Grant, Jacqueline McKenzie and Greta Scacchi (amongst others) make for entertaining beachside company to hang out with.
Stung by accusations that her late night talk show has become stale, boring and pretentious, award-wining host and blatant snob Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) demands a female writer be added to her staff. Good news! There’s one waiting in the lobby – Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling), chemical plant safety manager and big comedy buff hoping to break into the business. Despite being completely unqualified, she’s hired and thrown into the all-white, all-male writers room. Can one person save a show that’s been sinking in the ratings for the last decade? A workplace comedy with a few nice twists (and also some predictable ones), this has plenty of energy but often seems unsure exactly how to direct it. Surprisingly, the talk show setting is thinly sketched (this really could be set anywhere with a charismatic female boss) and Molly’s role isn’t as central as it seems – this turns out to really be Newbury’s story, which makes a few of the later developments a little shaky. But both Thompson and Kaling give great performances playing characters at opposite ends when it comes to human warmth and they turn out to be a fun double act. Fingers crossed they’ll appear together again sooner rather than later.
The Scientists – Not For Sale: Live 1978/79 (Grown Up Wrong)
STAFF PICKS
The Scientists were there at the dawn of a new era in music. At the beginning
TALIA THE TESKEY BROTHERS - RUN HOME SLOW
RECORD WATCH
of punk from the most isolated capital city in the world, Perth. Only excerpts of some of these live recordings had seen the light of day before and appear to have the full “RMIT Storey Hall� gig that was broadcast on 3RRR
NATHAN ANDY MCKEE - FOR MY FATHER
FM at the end of the 70s and more recordings from that period. Features Kim Salmon (Beasts Of Bourbon/Surrealists) & James Baker (Victims/ Hoodoo Gurus) Well written liner notes and pressed on Hot Pink Vinyl. For fans of the Saints, Beasts Of Bourbon, Flamin’ Groovies
Available from Prehistoric Sounds in Warrnambool & The Amazing Mill Market Newcomb
GLENN GRAVELAND - IN THE GLARE OF BURNING CHURCHES
SESSION TIMES
MATT MUSE - ORIGIN OF SYMMETRY
WE HAVE MOVED TO 99 KEPLER STREET, WARRNAMBOOL
!UGUST TH TH pivotcinema.com.au
THE WHITE CROW
THE LION KING
Thu 15th 11am Fri 16th 1.30pm & 8.30pm S a t 1 7 t h 3.30pm & 6pm S u n 1 8 t h 8.20pm Mon 19th 11am & 8.30pm Tue 20th 1.30pm & 6.15pm Wed 21st 12.40pm & 8.15pm Thu 22nd 11am Sat 24th 3.30pm Sun 25th 6pm Mon 26th 3.45pm Tu e 2 7 t h 1 . 1 5 p m Wed 28th 11am & 3.40pm Thu 29th 6pm Fri 30th 3.45pm
Fri 16th 4pm Sat 17th 1pm Sun 18th 11am Mon 19th 6.15pm Tu e 2 0 t h 4 p m Wed 21st 6 p m OPEN CAPTIONS Fri 23rd 6pm S a t 2 4 t h 1 1 a m OPEN CAPTIONS Sun 25th 1.15pm
NE W U K / S E R B I A N D r a m a 1 1 8 m i n s P G
DANGER CLOSE: BATTLE OF LONG TAN NE W A U S T R A L I A V i e t n a m W a r 9 9 m i n s M A
Januuy 11th - 30th August 15th - 29th
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Thu 22nd 1.20pm & 8.40pm Fri 23rd 11am, 3.45pm & 8.30pm Sat 24th 1.15pm & 8.30pm Sun 25th 11am, 3.45pm & 8.30pm Mon 26th 1.30pm & 8.30pm Tue 27th 11am, 3.45pm & 8.30pm Wed 28th 1.20pm & 7.40pm Thu 29th 11am, 3.45pm & 8.30pm Fri 30th 1.30pm Sat 31st 11am
U N I T E D S TAT E S F a m i l y 1 0 8 m i n s P G
AN UNEXPECTED LOVE ARGENTINA Romantic Comedy 98mins M
Thu 15th 1.30pm Fri 16th 11am Mon 19th 3.45pm Tu e 2 0 t h 1 1 a m Wed 21st 3pm Fri 23rd 1.15pm Tu e 2 7 t h 6 p m Thu 29th 1.15pm
PARASITE
SOUTH KOREA Drama 107mins MA
Thu 15th 4pm Sat 17th 8.30pm Mon 19th 1.20pm Thu 22nd 3.40pm Mon 26th 11am Fri 30th 11am
( d Y § &INAL 3ESSI…S 2040
AUSTRALIA. 89mins Doco G
Sun 18th 1.30pm
FINAL
APOLLO 11
USA Documentary 98mins G
Fri 16th 6.30pm Sat 17th 11am S u n 1 8 t h 6 . 1 5 p m FINAL
DEFEND CONSERVE PROTECT U S A / A U S T. D o c u m e n t a r y 8 0 m i n s M A
Tu e 2 0 t h 8 . 4 0 p m Wed 21st 11am W e d 2 8 t h 6 p m FINAL
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5th AUSTRALIAN DREAM UPON A TIME 5th ONCE IN HOLLYWOOD 12th AMAZING GRACE 19th DOGMAN
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