How quickly is time flying? My children have been back at school for three weeks now, and my feet haven't touched the ground. In between their activities, film watching, and book reading, I have been madly editing my next book MESSENGERS.
It's turned into quite the thriller, and next week it wings it's way to my editor in the USA. If you love a free book, sign up for my newsletter, because every person on there will be receiving an early eCopy for absolutely FREE. Expected release date is early April. Click here to join.
Now on to why you are here... films. I only saw a couple this last week, but they were goodies. Enjoy my film friends.
REVIEWS
Rosewater ✪✪✪✪ (opened 18th Feb) – Limited Screening
at Luna Cinemas
FOR MORE
DETAILS: www.lunapalace.com.au
My thoughts
Rosewater is a topical film with the recent release of Australian journalist Peter Greste after 400 days in a Cairo prison after being accused of spreading propaganda for the Muslim Brotherhood. It seems
every time you open a newspaper or watch the news, a journalist or aid worker has
been captured in the Middle East and is held prisoner. This is based on a true
story and is quite an incredible look at the terror behind the headlines of these captures and imprisonments.
In 2009 journalist, Maziar Bahari,
was in Tehran, his home city, reporting on the elections. He was, at the time, living in London with his wife and was a Canadian citizen. After sending back to the BBC footage of the street riots, he comes to the notice of the Iranian government.
While being interviewed in Iran, at the same time, by comedian and satirist Jon Stewart of
the “Daily Show,” Stewart jokingly asserts they are spies. Bahari is, subsequently, arrested by a man calling himself "Rosewater." For the next 3 ½ months he is
tortured and interrogated and believes he is going to die, and has no idea what is happening in the outside world or if his wife even knows where he is.
This is an impressive directional debut by Jon Stewart, who also co-wrote the screenplay and co-produced. It’s a
compelling drama, with a strong performance by Gael Garcia Bernal and
supporting cast. A drama well worth seeing. It also gives you a greater
insight into the horrors of these international political prisoners.
Film Blurb
Rosewater is based on The New York
Times best-selling memoir "Then They Came for Me: A Family's Story of
Love, Captivity, and Survival," written by Maziar Bahari. The film marks
the directorial debut of "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, and stars
Gael García Bernal.
Rosewater follows the Tehran-born
Bahari, a broadcast journalist with Canadian citizenship. In June 2009, Bahari
returned to Iran to interview Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who was the prime challenger
to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As Mousavi's supporters rose up to protest
Ahmadinejad's victory declaration hours before the polls closed, Bahari endured
personal risk by sending footage of the street riots to the BBC. Bahari was
arrested by police, led by a man identifying himself only as
"Rosewater," who tortured and interrogated him over the next 118
days. With Bahari's wife leading an international campaign to have her husband
freed, and Western media outlets keeping the story alive, Iranian authorities
released Bahari on $300,000 bail and the promise he would act as a spy for the
government. (C) Open Road Films
’71 ✪✪✪✪ (opening
23rd Feb)
Showing Somerville: 23rd Feb to
28th Feb
ECU Joondalup Pines: Not showing
My Thoughts
The Hollywood Reporter has touted ’71 as the best British film of last
year, and I tend to agree. It’s also a bit of a history lesson on the sheer
horror of the political conflict in Belfast between the loyalists (the
Protestants) wanting to remain within the United Kingdom and the Irish nationalists (mostly Catholics) wanting to join a National Ireland. It’s another film that walks us into the ugly territory of
war and plonks us in the middle of IRA homeland.
Jack O’Connell, who has recently
been seen in Unbroken and 300: Rise of an Empire, (and just one the
2015 BAFTA Rising Star Award) is
terrific as the young soldier, Gary Hook, who is accidentally left by his squad
behind enemy lines. He can’t even open his mouth to speak for fear his English
accent will give him away.
It is a real
edge-of-your-seat thriller. There are some confronting violent scenes and it
certainly brings home what a tumultuous time this was in the history of Ireland
with the IRA. ’71 is one of the best films that I’ve seen on the subject. Don’t miss
it, especially under the stars at Somerville.
Film Blurb
Accidentally abandoned by his unit
on the hostile streets of Belfast, a young soldier (Jack O'Connell, 300,
Skins, This is England) must survive a long night in
the riot-torn city at the height of the Troubles in 1971.
Bruising and brilliant, this
highly acclaimed thriller captures the deceptions, power abuses and errors
committed by all sides, leaving you breathless as the young private’s fate
hangs in the balance.
SPECIAL EVENT CINEMA
Art
on Screen: Girl with a Pearl Earring
Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 Mar at Cinema Paradiso
My Thoughts

Next up in April is Van Gogh.
Film Blurb
Discover the secrets behind one of
the world’s most enigmatic masterpieces. After its world tour, the ‘Girl with a
Pearl Earring’ returned to the much-loved Mauritshuis in The Hague,
Netherlands, which has just completed extensive renovations. Enjoying
unparalleled exclusive access to this historical exhibition, the film takes the
audience on a journey as it seeks to answer many of the questions surrounding
this enigmatic painting and its mysterious creator, Vermeer. Using the recently
completed and highly complex makeover of the museum as its starting point, the
film goes on a behind the scenes detective journey to seek out the answers that
lie within the other masterpieces housed in in the collection.
OUTDOOR CINEMA
BEACHSIDE
CINEMA COMING TO PERTH
A beachside cinema has been
approved at Scarborough and Matisse Beach Club confirmed via social media
overnight it has received approval to screen movies every Tuesday night for 12
weeks, with headphones distributed to patrons to render the cinema effectively
silent. Two more are under submission. CLICK HERE FOR
INFO:
Lotterywest
Festival Films Somerville & Joondalup Pines
CURRENTLY SHOWING:
Salt of the Earth 16th Feb to 1st
March Documentary: Moving
portrait of great Brazilian photographer, Sebastião Salgado, following his
fascinating life across war-torn countries to the ends of the earth.
’71 (UK/Irish) 23rd Feb to 28th
Feb See Review above.
LUNA Outdoor Cinema (opened Thursday) Visit: http://camelot.lunapalace.com.au
RoseWater See Review above
CAMELOT Outdoor Cinema)
http://camelot.lunapalace.com.au
Grand Budapest Hotel
Unbroken
Wild
The Theory of Everything
McDonalds
Community Cinema Burswood
www.communitycinemas.com.au
CINEMAS
are also at Mandurah, Murdoch, Bassendean and Curtin
Highlights showing at Curtin:
Pitch Perfect starring Rebel Wilson
Water Diviner
Highlights
showing at Burswood:

Dirty
Dancing starring Patrick Swayzee and Jennifer Gray
Chinese New Year Fireworks
Screening Saturday 21st
Feb
Chinese New Year fireworks presented by Crown
Casino just after their special family screening of BIG HERO 6. The fireworks commence after the screening.
CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY'RE
GONE...
This weekend, you might like to catch. Every other
screen is showing Fifty Shades of Grey
THE GAMBLER
THE IMITATION GAME
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
If you
find value in my reviews and film guides, then buying an ecopy of any of my
books is a great way to say thanks and keep me in coffee. My latest Back Again
is only $3.99, less than a coffee. Click here to choose.