Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: potentially great movie struggling under weak sub-text and sketchy plot
Tomas Alfredsson, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” (2011) I’m too young to know the 1979 BBC TV
The Fall of the House of Usher / The Pit, the Pendulum and Hope (dir. Jan Svankmajer): two film shorts of fear, terror and oppression
Jan Svankmajer, “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1981), “The Pit, the Pendulum and
An exceedingly demeaning portrait of a significant feminist / anarchist figure in “Emma Goldman – An exceedingly dangerous woman”
Mel Bucklin, “Emma Goldman – An Exceedingly Dangerous Woman” (2003) This portrait of Emma Goldman,
A is for Atom (dir. Carl Urbano): educational propaganda film presents a mildly benevolent view of nuclear energy
Carl Urbano, “A is for Atom” (1952) Created and produced by John Sutherland and sponsored
Australian and New Zealand Films | Multi-media Presentations
Xerox Missive 1977 / 2011: investigation of alternative, intersecting views of reality from historical archives
Ms&Mr, “Xerox Missive 1977 / 2011”, multi-channel video installation (2011) Technically not a film but a
Arrietty: disheartening social conservatism and narrow prospects for a plucky heroine mar a charming film
Hiromasa Yonebayashi, “Arrietty / Karu-gurashi no Arrietti” (2010) A charming offering from Studio Ghibli, based
Primer: a hit-and-miss film about causality, consequences and a road of good intentions leading to hell
Shane Carruth, “Primer” (2004) A low-budget film (it cost about US$7,000 to make) about four
Guy Maddin quartet of short films: a unique style and vision at work
Guy Maddin, “Fancy, Fancy Being Rich” (2002), “My Dad is 100 Years Old” (2005), “Spanky:
French and French-language Films
Orpheus: visually lovely meditation on triumph of love over death, the role of the artist and life in Vichy France
Jean Cocteau, “Orpheus / Orphée” (1950) Intriguing re-telling of the famous ancient Greek legend set
Satan Rides the Media: how media sensationalism helped create a legend and a cult
Torstein Grude, “Satan Rides the Media” / “Satan rir media” (1998) Focussing on the sensational