52 Tuesdays

(Sophie Hyde/2014/Australia)

A film that combines the narratives of a mother transitioning gender and her daughters awakening sexuality and the effect each has on the other and the relationship between them, 52 Tuesdays exudes an air of aplomb. It is casually deliberate in its pacing; seeming to meander but each scene is crafted, sequenced and delivered with an attention and detail that belies its controlled, cool observation of events on screen. With excellent performances from Del Herbert-Jane as James and in particular Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Billie, the story, acting and production combine to form a very adept and polished first feature film for Sophie Hyde. She is one to watch, has since worked on some more documentaries, which were her main fare prior to this drama, and has recently premiered Animals, a second feature based on the book of the same name and filmed in Dublin. 52 Tuesdays presents a situation, an upset and a resolution in a 90 minute arc; it is a blessed breeze of fresh air amid the current trend to stretch narrative arcs to two hours and beyond and an incredibly mature film dealing with its subject matter with ease and objectivity.

(3/5)

Drowning by Numbers

(Peter Greenaway/1988/UK and Netherlands)

Presenting a story roughly hewn from the template of a fable or fairytale whereby the same thing happens three times with differing effect or meaning, Drowning by Numbers is part fantasy, part surreal structuralism and 100% Peter Greenaway. Three generations of women with the same name bump off their husbands/partners and inveigle the help of the local coroner in hiding the murders with promises of sexual favours in return. The promises aren’t kept and the inevitability of the closing scene becomes increasingly apparent.

But there is so much more going on above and below the surface in this film. A visual and vocal count from one to a hundred occurs throughout, referenced early on by a girl skipping in the street as she names off stars in the night sky, stating a hundred is enough. Every scene is laden with the bizarre and surreal, whether it is fruit, abundant and rotting or bugs and slugs permeating the decor. There is movement and noise everywhere as the story rumbles on in the foreground. It is a cinematic exuberance, a celebration of sorts, championing storytelling, myth and imagination. But there are deeper intimations also, the male characters are a weak and flawed, none of them can swim, water is a huge presence, a visual motif for the adeptness of women for living in the natural world. The men are ogres of sorts, base, lecherous and disposable.

This is a layered film, dense with meaning, red herrings, cues, clues and intellectual trickeries and absolutely prone to numerous viewings, once will not do it justice. Michael Nyman’s score is an absolute treat too.

(3.5/5) 

Ready Player One

(Steven Spielberg/2018/USA)

Here is a fine example of taking a great book and transforming it into a mediocre film. Spielberg must have been on autopilot here, the nuance and excitement of the novel is reduced to cinematic trope and bland, box ticking Hollywood script fare.  Disappointing on many levels but it is Spielberg and even a run of the mill effort elicits a few decent action sequences.

(2/5)