TRACKS

 True life drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Mia Wasikowska: 25-year-old Australian naturalist Robyn Davidson

Adam Driver: National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan

Roly Mintuma: Eddy, an aboriginal elder

REVIEW

Based on a true story that took place in the 70’s, it is left to the viewer to decide why someone would undertake such an adventure on their own. Her solo walk across the desert of Australia with four camels and a dog as her only companions will seem to some as a waste of time.

However it is lovely to look at and plays out with very little melodrama, much like a documentary. 

CLASSIFICATION

 for thematic elements, some partial nudity, disturbing images and brief strong language.

THE GRAND SEDUCTION

F.Y.I.

Since the 16th century European fishermen have been fishing for cod in the waters off Newfoundland along with the locals in the area known as the Grand Banks. Approximately 8 million tons of cod were caught in the 100 years from 1647 to 1750. With the introduction of factory fishing in the early 1950’s that amount of cod was caught in just 15 years.

The Atlantic coast fishing industry collapsed entirely in 1992 owing to this overfishing coupled with a lack of oversight and poor fishery administration. The Canadian government declared a moratorium but even after 20 years the cod population has not returned. The effect on the local economy has been disastrous since fishing represented their livelihood. Most now live on Government welfare cheques.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Brendan Gleeson: Murray French

Gordon Pinsent: his buddy Simon

Mark Critch: bank teller Joe

Liane Balaban: Kathleen, the postmistress

Cathy Jones: Murray’s wife

Taylor Kitsch: Dr. Paul Lewis

Mary Walsh: telephone operator

REVIEW

This is something of a rarity: a feel-good movie with no violence, no swear words, heart-warming and wholesome with only mildly suggestive situations done in good taste.

I was smiling the whole time while the laughs just kept coming. The acting is uniformly good and the cinemaphotography beautifully show-casing the rugged beauty of the area.

CLASSIFICATION

 for some suggestive material and drug references.

THE IMMIGRANT

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Marion Cotillard: Ewa Cybulski, a young Polish woman

Angela Sarafyan: her younger sister Magda

Joaquin Phoenix: Bruno Weiss

Jeremy Renner: Bruno’s cousin Emil

Yelena Solovey: Bruno’s boss Rosie Hertz

Maja Wampuszc: Ewa’s aunt Edyta

Ilia Volok: Ewa’s uncle Voytek

REVIEW

The more mature discerning viewer will appreciate that this is a reflection on how things were for some immigrants back in the 1920’s. Not only starting a new life, in many cases it was starting a life they had not foreseen. Unscrupulous people are everywhere of course but seeing how one innocent person is exploited is difficult to watch.

It is a sad story characterized by excellent performances all around (Cotillard especially) and with great attention to detail that gives this period piece a feeling of authenticity.

CLASSIFICATION

 for sexual content, nudity and some language.

THE RAILWAY MAN

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Colin Firth: WWII veteran Eric Lomax

Nicole Kidman: Patti Wallace, a retired nurse

Stellan Skarsgård: Eric’s best friend Finlay

Jeremy Irvine: the younger Eric

Sam Reif: the younger Finlay

Tanroh Ishida: Japanese army translator Takashi Nagase

REVIEW

Based on a true story, it hammers home the dreadful after-effect the war had on some people and the difficulty they had in dealing with it. Both Firth and Kidman put in terrific performances (you could add Irvine to that list too) as the story unfolds in gripping detail using the flashback technique.

CLASSIFICATION

for disturbing war scenes.

P.S.

The Burma Railway crossed over the infamous bridge on the River Kwai.

FED UP

REVIEW

Much of what is presented is not new in this documentary about the problem of growing obesity rates. However it does raise the awareness of the influence the processed food industry has with setting health guidelines in the United States.

Case in point: sugar is the only ingredient with no indication of the recommended % of total daily intake. Some of the other statistics are worth noting: for example the % of the half-million processed food items that contain sugar and the % of people considered obese in the USA.

Certainly food for thought.

CLASSIFICATION

 for thematic elements including smoking images and brief language.

THE GERMAN DOCTOR

 In German and Spanish with English subtitles

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Alex Brendemühl: the German doctor Helmut Gregor

Diego Peretti: Enzo

Natalia Oreiro: his wife Eva

Florencia Bado: their 12-year-old daughter Lilith

Elena Roger: librarian Nora

REVIEW

Based on a true story it is not really a thriller as the promotional material would have you believe because the identity of the German doctor is revealed during the opening credits. Apart from the musical sound track that hints at pending doom from time to time, there is no sense of suspense. Instead it is a straight forward telling of how someone can meld in with others and live a normal life while harbouring awful secrets.

CLASSIFICATION

for thematic material and brief nudity.

FINDING VIVIAN MAIER

F.Y.I.

Vivian Dorothea Maier: February 1, 1926 – April 21, 2009

REVIEW

A fascinating documentary about a nanny who had a private side to her which only came to light after her death: she was an accomplished photographer who did not exhibit her work.

Although the question of “why not?” is not really answered we are provided some insight to the woman from people she cared for or those who employed her. Interspersed with these interviews are many of the 100,000 still photographs and snippets of 8-mm home movies she took over the years.

As one movie-goer has so succinctly put it “Interesting photos from a most unusual/troubled woman. Interesting film.” I agree.

CLASSIFICATION