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Don's Party
Australia, 1976
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: Bruce Beresford
Starring: John Hargreaves, Graham Kennedy, Ray Barrett, Clare Binney, Pat Bishop, Graeme Blundell
What's it about?
A bona fide Australian classic, David Williamson's stage play is directed for the screen by Bruce Beresford. Die-hard Labor supporter Don Henderson (John Hargreaves) invites his friends over to watch the federal election results. When it becomes apparent that Labor is heading for defeat, the drinks flow more freely and and the party starts to spiral out of control.
In the Loop
UK, 2009
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: Armando Iannucci
Starring: Peter Capaldi, Gina McKee, Tom Hollander, James Gandolfini
What's it about?
In the lead up to sanctioning American and British military action in the Middle East, a gaffe by a minor British government minister gives hope to anti-war supporters. The politician and a staffer are sent to Washington to appease Britain’s ally, but they soon become pawns in the backroom dealings that are seemingly at odds with the reality of what is about to occur.
[link title="In the Loop Review" url="node/4933"]Having a movie character named after you ain't all it's cracked up to be
Il Divo
MA15+
Italy, 2008
Genre: Biography, Drama
Language: Italian
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Starring: Toni Servillo
What's it about?
Paolo Sorrentino takes you inside the corridors of power in this engrossing story of the man who served as Italy's Prime Minister on three occasions, Giulio Andreotti, whose 'bland bureaucrat' demeanour concealed rumoured links to a vast web of shady deals and unsavoury characters. Toni Servillo is mesmerising as the drab politician, and his performance demonstrates why he and Sorrentino make such a formidable team..
The Unknown Known
USA, 2013
Genre: Documentary
Language: English
Director: Errol Morris
Starring: Kenn Medeiros, Donald Rumsfeld, Errol Morris
What's it about?
Get to the bottom of things you didn't know you didn't know, as Errol Morris squares off with the master of political doublespeak, former US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld. During the 'War on Terror' , Rumsfeld's press conferences were lopsided battles where he controlled the flow of information and rarely left time for follow-up questions.
[link title="'The Unknown Known tries to decipher a 'sea of words'" url="node/15483"]
[link title="The Unknown Known Review " url="node/16741"]
Charlie Chaplin: The Great Dictator
PG
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: Charles Chaplin
Starring: Charles Chaplin, Paulette Goddard
What's it about?
In 1938, the world's most famous movie star set out to make a film about the dictator who sported similar facial hair. Charlie Chaplin capitalised on his resemblance to Adolf Hitler, with the story of a Jewish WWI war veteran and barber, who looks an awful lot like an anti-semitic leader. A bold move, which resulted in an hilarious film.
Secret Ballot
Iran, 2001
Genre: Comedy
Language: Persian
Director: Babak Payami
Starring: Nassim Abdi, Cyrus Abidi
What's it about?
An election agent and a gun-toting soldier try to collect votes among the local islanders with mixed success, in this wry Iranian film. A soldier is stationed on a deserted beach when an electoral urn lands via parachute from the sky and a young woman turns up to collect it. As they spend the day together and get through absurd situations, the soldier realises that the urn contains much more than he imagined.
Three Monkeys
Turkey, 2008
Genre: Drama
Language: Turkish
Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Starring: Gürkan Aydin, Cafer Köse, Ercan Kesal, Ahmet Rifat Sungar, Hatice Aslan, Yavuz Bingol
What's it about?
A twisty, noirish tale that opens with an ambitious politician fleeing a hit-and-run accident. Afraid of hurting his election chances, he pays off his chauffeur to take the rap. The film concerns the effects of this devil’s bargain on his family as simmering tensions and sexual intrigue wreak havoc in a household already haunted by hidden ghosts.
Lemon Tree
PG
Israel, 2009
Genre: Drama
Language: Arabic, Hebrew, English
Director: Eran Riklis
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory
What's it about?
A Palestinian woman enters into a fight with the Israeli defence minster, when the latter moves in next door. As Salma takes her fight to Israel’s highest court, she also develops a friendship with the government official’s frustrated wife.
[link title="Lemon Tree Review" url="node/4633"]
The Admiral
MA15+
Russia, 2008
Genre: Drama, History, War
Language: Russian
Director: Andrey Kravchuk
Starring: Konstantin Khabenskiy, Anna Kovalchuk, Elizaveta Boyarskaya
What's it about?
A sweeping historical epic about the story of Alexander Kolchak (Konstantin Khabenskiy), who briefly became the supreme ruler of Russia during the Russian Civil War. The married Kolchak falls in love with Anna, the wife of a friend and fellow officer. Although Kolchak and Anna initially try to resist their passion and are separated in the chaos of the Revolution, they eventually unite in Siberia, where Kolchak is fighting the Bolsheviks.
The Gatekeepers
M
Israel, France 2012
Genre: Documentary
Language: Hebrew
Director: Dror Moreh
Starring: Ami Ayalon
What's it about?
Since its stunning military victory in 1967, Israel has hoped to achieve a long-lasting peace. Forty-five years later, this has yet to happen. Six former heads of Israel’s Secret Service reflect on the successes and failures of the 'peace process."
[link title="The Gatekeepers: Dror Moreh interview" url="node/1705"]
[link title="The Gatekeepers Review" url="node/6369"]
