The Film Discussion Class met while I was away, but I will focus on the films discussed at our July class rather than try to catch up on three months of films.  It was a small class, but we were still able to discuss a few films that have screened during June and early July.
 
Disclosure Day: “If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?”  It starts as a fairly ordinary action film.  As it develops, we learn more about the main characters and the government’s secrecy about some aliens and their treatment of the aliens.  It could be seen as an ordinary Science Fiction film, but there is an underlying message about treating people who are different with respect and acceptance rather than changing them to be more like “us”.  This was reinforced by the final word of the film – “LISTEN”.                                                                         Rated as 3.5/5.
 
The Sheep Detective: Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.  This film has been well received by adults and I assume by children as well.                                    Rated it as 4.5/5.
 
Masters of the universe: A young man on Earth chases his secret legacy as the prince of an alien planet and must recover a magic sword and return home to protect his kingdom.  It is a fairly entertaining but light film about magic worlds.  Lots of action with many characters having different fighting skills – a hand that can change from a hook to a gun to a battle axe to other fighting tools is just one example.                                                                                                                                                                Rated it as 2.5/5.
 
Minions and Masters: The film follows the Minions in 1920s Hollywood as they search for frightening creatures for their monster movie, partner with a green creature, and must save the planet after unleashing further monsters.  With bright colours this film provided entertainment for the young audience.  For adults there were many references to the history of film making as well as past classic films.                                                                                                                      Rated it as 3.0/5.
 
Finding Emily: When a lovesick musician is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Together, they spark an hilarious campus-wide frenzy.  This was a light-hearted film which was easy to watch.  It was well done, with a good setting and a storyline to keep the viewer guessing.

Joy Shirley

The class this month was small, but we were still able to have a good discussion on the films watched during the month.
 
Reminders of Him: Promoted as a Dark Romance, Tragic Drama, this was a little lighter than those words imply.  The literary phenomenon from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover becomes a transformative feature film about motherhood, forgiveness and the power of love to overcome even the worst mistake. After prison, a woman attempts to reconnect with her young daughter but faces resistance from everyone except a bar owner with ties to her child.  As they grow closer, she must confront her past mistakes to build a hopeful future.  The performances were good and believable.  Kenna’s accommodation appears to be a cross between apartments and motels, with monthly rental.  The residents form a community.  One of the residents has Down syndrome and shows innocence with no judgment on Kenna’s past.  Overall, a good film, but a little bit ‘soapy’ to be considered good tragic drama.
We rated it as 3.5/5.
 
Project Hail Mary: While promoted as a Space, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller film, it could have taken place anywhere.  Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth.  As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun and save Earth.  He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction.  An unexpected friendship meant he did not have to do it alone.  His new friend is Rocky, an alien from another solar system, on a similar mission to save his world.  This is a great film around learning about others, trust, and care.  The focus was the two characters in space, each trying to save their world.  Through establishing communication links, they realise their strength comes from working together.  The characters were good, particularly Rocky who was built of rocks.  There were elements of humour, with an ending that served both worlds as well as reinforcing the value of caring for others, even if they are alien to our own community.                
We rated it as 3.5-4.5/5.
 
GOAT: This is promoted as Animal Adventure, Computer Animation.  A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the professionals and play “Roarball”, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world.  It has a great message about teamwork, working together to achieve a goal.  All sorts of stereotypes are debunked, the goat is small but is still a strong player, strong players are both female and male, a single father, an ostrich who learns to fly to save the team and so on.
We rated it as 3.0/5.
 

​Joy Shrley

​The standout film discussed this month was Hamnet, although there were others some of the class saw and enjoyed.

Hamnet: After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes (Anne) and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England.  The film tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's Hamlet.  This was an amazing exploration of grief.  The performances were outstanding – all the speaking roles were great.  Hamnet had a twin sister and the connection between the two was portrayed well.  Costuming and cinematography were also very well done.  It was an interesting take on the story of the relationship & the different way in which they handled their grief.We rated it as 4.0-4.5/5.

Addition: Discussion of this film was held over from our February class to give more people a chance to see the film.  It is an Australian film set in Melbourne.  It tells the story of a woman who holds her world together by counting everything.  Things always had to be in sets of ten.  As the story unfolds, we see the cause of her mental issues: PTSD arising from the death of a brother.  We see the impacts of treatment she receives on her personality, all handled sensitively.  It was realistic, without going over the top.   We rated it as 3.0-4.0/5.
 
“Wuthering Heights”: this was not really based on the book, but more the reaction of the Director when she had read the book as a teenager.  Comments were around it being dark and based on obsession rather than a romance.
 
Send Help: An employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on an island.  She had been a fan of various survivor television series and books.  She was obsessed with her boss and worked to help them survive and keep them stranded.  The first half of the film had possibilities, but it then turned strange and brutal.  She became a psychopath in trying to keep her former boss to herself.  A disappointing film overall.  We rated it as 2.0-2.5/5.
 
Elvis: Elvis Presley in Concert: Footage of concerts and comments by Elvis Presley were brought together in this documentary.  The footage was well restored and showed Elvis during his good times.  We received insights into his personality and behind the scenes activities.  We rated it as 3.0-4.0/5.
 
How to Make a Killing: With his mother disowned by her obscenely rich family before his birth, Becket sets out to reclaim his inheritance, even if it means killing all those who stood in his way.  We hear his story while he waits for execution for the one murder he did not commit.  Some humour with a few twists that make it interesting.  The only likable characters are Becket and his fiancé. We rated it as 3.0/5.

Joy Shirley

​A new year and new films to discuss.  We welcomed some new members to the class and spent time talking about what type of films we enjoy.  This was varied, but the least popular remains Science Fiction. 
​
The standout film discussed was Nuremburg.

Nuremburg: A WWII psychiatrist evaluates Nazi leaders before the Nuremberg trials, growing increasingly obsessed with understanding evil as he forms a disturbing bond with Hermann Göring.  The acting and story were amazing.  Comments particularly on Russell Crowe’s performance were very positive.  Perhaps some editing could have made the film even more powerful.  The messaging was relevant to today (maybe other eras as well) depicting the rise to power via manipulation.
We rated it as 4.5/5.
 
Song Sung Blues: Lightning and Thunder, a Milwaukee husband and wife Neil Diamond tribute act, experience soaring success and devastating heartbreak in their musical journey together. This film was screened during January and proved very popular with Benalla audiences.  Members of the class who had seen it found it enjoyable.  The performances were very good, showing the struggles of a family and how they move forward. 
We rated it as 4/5.
 
The Choral: A choral society's male members enlist in World War I, leaving the demanding Dr. Guthrie to recruit teenagers and returned injured servicemen. Together, they experience the joy of singing while the young boys grapple with their impending conscription into the army.  This film was visually dreary, fitting for the era and emotions of the time.  There were many good voices, but perhaps not enough of the choir singing in the film.  It covered Issues around conscription, conscientious objection and the avoidance of music composed by German and Austrian composers.
We rated it as around 3.0/5.
 
Other films discussed were:
Mercy, rated as 3.0/5.  It was not as violent as expected and gave an interesting insight in the positives and negatives of AI.  Positive was the range of information made available; negative was there was no human evaluation, just facts that can be manipulated.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, rated as 2.5.  It was rated marginally higher because of the issue around mental health.

Jane Austen Wrecked my Life, rating averaged as 3.0/5.  This was not an action film, with much of the emotion and action coming from performances and body language, typical of French films.  Why it was titled Jane Austen Wrecked my Life is still a mystery.

​Joy Shirley

We had our last class for 2025 on Wednesday.  We talked about a range of films, with very different genre and plots.

Regretting You: This film centres on the strained relationship between young mother Morgan Grant and her teenage daughter Clara, exacerbated by Morgan's husband tragic death, that forces them to navigate life's challenges together.  This is classified a “rom-com”, but beneath its heartfelt romance lies a deeper story about growth, forgiveness, and the evolving relationship between parent and child.  The screenplay did not do the story justice – quite light.  There were some good characters and performances with some underlying messages – what should be kept secret and what should be told.  This was rated as 3.0/5.

Springsteen: This is a bold, introspective portrait that dives deep into Bruce Springsteen's psyche during the creation of his haunting 1982 album Nebraska.  The film strips away the myth and focuses on the man - his solitude, his trauma, and his artistic reckoning.  It is a character-driven study of Springsteen as a man grappling with depression, legacy, and the weight of his own voice.  Because of the performances and the value accepting help when needed, this was rated as 3.0/5.

Now You see Me: Now you Don’t: This is a sequel film, this reunites retired Horsemen illusionists with new performers Greenblatt, Smith and Sessa as they target dangerous criminals.  The plan is a diamond heist from the criminals.  Some comedy, and also a message of “comeuppance” against the criminals.  While reasonably entertaining, this is not an award winner.  With a good message underlying the story, it was rated as 3.0/5.

Wicked: For Good: This is the second of the two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.  As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they truly see each other, with honesty and empathy as they change themselves and Oz, for good.  Great costuming and some good performances, it was rated as 3.5/5.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2: Another sequel. One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a local legend, inspiring the town's first ever Fazfest.  It is a Super Natural
Teen Horror which has been popular with a particular audience, but not necessarily for everyone.  It has been rated as 2.0/5.
​
We wish all our U3A colleagues a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.  We are looking forward to 2026 and more films to watch.

​Joy Shirley
 
 

One Battle After Another: When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue one of their own's daughter.  Stars included Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.  It was promoted as a dark comedy and political thriller.  It certainly had some comedic moments with lots of action.  The female star, Teyana Taylor, was excellent as the daughter.  It is a long film, but the constant action meant it did not drag.  This was rated as 3.0/5.

The Travellers: Stephen Seary, a stage designer, returns to Australia to say goodbye to his dying mother. A quick trip descends into drama and funny moments as he juggles family tension, past lovers, and returning to Europe for an opera contract.  The main characters are played by Bryan Brown, Susie Porter and Luke Bracey.  It was in general a pleasant film, with a feel-good ending.  There was an underlying message around the arts and possible conflict between those involved in the arts and those who have no interest or understanding.  It was rated as between 3.0 and 3.5/5.

Regretting You: The film centres on the strained relationship between young mother Morgan Grant and her teenage daughter Clara, exacerbated by Morgan's husband Chris's tragic death, that forces them to navigate life's challenges together.  Stars are Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco.  It is promoted as a romantic drama.  Based on a book, the dramatization was disappointing lacking the depth that could have made it a great film.  This was rated as 2.5/5.
 
This month also included the Benalla Short Film Festival.  Standouts were an international film from Iran (Pomegranate) and comedic look at the dangers in the Australian bush (Koala-fied to Survive).  Pomegranate was around a young boy whose mother is in prison for poisoning his father.  Koala-fied focussed on pointing out that many of the tourist fears around the dangerous animals in Australia overlook the dangers of sun, lack of water and falling tree limbs.  It is certainly worth attending when screened in Swanpool.
 
Two series recommended for viewing are Berlin Station (on SBS OnDemand) and Portrait Artist of the Year (ABC iView).

​Joy Shirley

There were some good films this month that are recommended for viewing.  These included Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale and Kangaroo.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale: This is a period drama, and as usual done well by the British.  For people who had not seen any previous episodes of “Downton Abbey”, it was easy to follow the story.  Set in 1930’s the costuming was superb. The film captured London town at the height of the traditional “season" when all the wealthy headed to their city house.  There is a variety of characters - all acted well.  It was obvious that the actors enjoyed themselves as the major characters were all still playing the same roles.  One of the outstanding characters in the television series and earlier films was the late Maggie Smith, and they included cameos of her at the end of the film and occasional glimpses of paintings.  The plot wound up the stories of the key players very well.  This was rated as 3.5/5.

Kangaroo: This is an excellent movie, inspired by the work of Chris 'Brolga' Barns caring for injured kangaroos.  It is a tale of a self-centred TV presenter stranded in a small town near Alice Springs.  He is transformed through having to relate to the townspeople and a young girl and her mother, grieving the loss of their father/husband.  There are many cultural references around respect and care for the land and an insight into Aboriginal spirituality.  It is a family movie, suiting children and adults.  It was beautifully filmed to show off the magnificent outback.  There was a good balance of humour and drama, with a positive message of what is important in life.  Lily Whiteley, the young indigenous actor has a bright future ahead of her.  Deborah Mailman was excellent as usual.  It was rated as 3.5/5.

The Roses: Starting out as the ideal couple, Ivy (Olivia Coleman) and Theo (Benedict Cumberbach) were madly in love, had successful careers as a chef and architect, a great marriage and two lovely children. Throughout the movie, it all disintegrated.  The film was quite dark at times but also had many comical moments in true British humour style.  The two leads seemed to be enjoying their roles and acting was effortless.  Supporting actors provided a good balance.  Beautiful scenery and loved the music.  A criticism was too much swearing.  A lot of fun.  This was rated as 4.0/5.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey: This movie may not be for everyone.  There are elements of fantasy used as a mechanism for two young people revisiting their past experiences, coming to terms with impacts on their lives.  On a cross-country trip, they come to various doors standing in the middle of nowhere.  Walking through the door leads to reliving the experiences.  It could be worthwhile concentrating on the soundtrack as there were times when the songs related to the experience of the young couple.  This was rated a 3.5/5.

One of our members attended the Korean Film Festival screened in Benalla over the weekend of 13/14 September.  The two films seen were well received, with ratings of 3.5/5 and 4.0/5.  Keep an eye out for the 2026 Korean Film Festival if we are lucky enough to screen it in Benalla.

There were also two screenings of the Andre Rieu's 2025 Maastricht Concert: Waltz the Night Away!.  These are generally well received so two screenings were arranged as requested by the Benalla community.  Look out for his Christmas concert in December.


Joy Shirley

It was good to be back in routine for our August class.

Films discussed this month are:

Materialist: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.  This was expected to be an American Rom-com, but it was not how it turned out.  There were some humorous moments, but it was more a depiction of the life of rich and privileged in New York society, treating marriage as a transaction.  The acting was variable with characters underdeveloped.  It did provide an insight into a different world.  It was rated it as 3/5.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps: A Marvel action movie.  Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.  A bit slow in places, but the main message was around preserving family.  This was rated as 2.5/5.

Four Letters of Love: Based on Niall Williams' best-selling novel. Nicholas and Isabel were made for each other, but how will they ever know it? As ghosts, fate and the sheer power of true love pull them together, so too does life threaten to tear them apart.  Some excellent cinematography as well as a picture of the life on an island off the west coast of Ireland.  The ghost is not a spectre haunting, rather a deceased father assisting his son.  There are some big names (Pierce Brosnan, Helena Bonham Carter), but it is more about the life of Nicholas and Isabel, played by Fionn O'Shea and Ann Skelly.  This was rated as 3.5/5

Small Things Like These: In 1985 devoted father Bill Furlong discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and uncovers shocking truths of his own.  It was slow paced, which suited the story. It shows a dark and bleak Ireland, using atmospheric cinematography.  The acting was brilliant, with powerful performances relying on facial expressions and body language rather than dialogue. This was rated as 4/5.

Wilding: This is a documentary around a dying landscape that is healed against all odds, going on to thrive in astonishing ways.  It showed how a young couple encourage the landscape back to its original glory.  This was rated as 4/5.

Salt Path: A couple lose their home and later discover the husband has been diagnosed with a terminal illness as they embark on a year-long coastal trek around Devon and Cornwall.  It is based on the book written by the wife of the trials and healing along the way.  One class member was disappointed that there was not enough of the scenery, with the focus more on the couple and their interactions with others along the way.  Still, the film was rated as 4/5.
 
Coming soon are the final “Downton Abbey” (early September) and “Mr Burton”, a biopic around the life of Richard Burton (28 August).


​Joy Shirley

There was no class this month as most class members were not able to attend.  However, there were some films recommended for viewing.  These are “Small Things Like These” and “The Salt Path”.  There were also some environmental documentary films screened in Benalla and Swanpool.  These included “Wilding” and “Oceans”.
 
There will be no class again in July, with classes recommencing in August.

Joy Shirley​

Not many films were viewed this month.  There are a couple of films still screening in May that are of interest.

Films discussed this month are:

Penguin Lessons: In 1976, as Argentina descends into violence and chaos, a world-weary English teacher regains his compassion for others thanks to an unlikely friendship with a rescued penguin.  For all it covers the Argentinian issues and related chaos and violence, this is pretty much a gentle film about relationships and how they can help mental problems.  There is some good character development and contrasts.  It made for pleasant watching with moments of tension and humour.  We rated it as 3.5/5.

The Correspondent: Award-winning journalist Peter Greste reports on the Arab Spring uprising, becoming entangled in a deadly game of rivalries. Imprisoned for seven years despite his innocence, he survives before release in 2015.  Peter Greste was played by Richard Roxburgh whose performance was excellent.  A sign of a good performance is when you are not constantly seeing the actor’s character from previous films or series.  In “The Correspondent” there was no sign of any earlier characters played by Roxburgh.  From a historical perspective, there were some interesting insights as to what was being played out that were not evident to the public at the time.  It did though at times seem a bit flat.  This was rated as 2.5/5.

Sinners: Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.  The twins were played Michael B Jordan, who did well showing the different characters of each of the twins.  It was a vampire film but also showed 1930s issues around Southern black culture.  It blended music, vampire attacks, comedy, but most of all music.  Music was a main point of the film and possibly made the film.  A good film when looking at things like performance, screenplay, even script, all brought together around music, but could not be considered a fun or pleasant film.  This was rated as 3.5/5

Some police series screening on television services are “Sherwood”, “Bergerac” and “Chelsea Detective”.  “Sherwood” and “Chelsea Detective” are in many ways similar, but contrast as to the communities involved.  One was of a poor working class area with many unemployed; the other was set in a more upper class environment.  “Bergerac” is in some ways a remake of a police series set on Jersey, but so far the Bergerac character is very different, and his colleagues find him difficult to work with.

A film coming soon is “The Salt Path”.  It is a biographical drama based on the experience of a married couple.  After receiving a bad health diagnosis and left homeless after legal problems, they embark on the 630-mile (1,010 km) South West Coast Path, the longest uninterrupted path in England, around the coast of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset.

Please note - the Film Discussion Group class will not be running in June and July.

Joy Shirley
​May 2025

We discussed several films this month.  These were watched variously at Benalla, Swanpool, or on a streaming service -

Maria: Maria Callas, the world's greatest opera singer, lives the last days of her life in 1970s Paris, as she confronts her identity.  Angelina Jolie did a good job portraying Maria.  The film was well structured with some interesting relationships.  It was rated as 3/5.

Widow Clicquot: After her husband's untimely death, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot flouts convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured together.  One more member of the class saw this film during the month.  Her reaction to the film was different from other members who had previously seen the film.  She felt the relationship of the widow with her husband was underplayed.  Also, information about what happened with the daughter was not provided.  The scenery was good.  It was rated this time as 2/5.

Anora: This film won several Academy Awards.  It was re-screened at Benalla as “After Credits Convo” – re-screening of a film people may have missed, with an opportunity after the film to discuss reactions.  One member of the class was able to attend to see why it had won so many awards.  Her reaction was muted.  Could see some good things, but with some things overplayed.  It did not gloss over things.  Some reviews had suggested it as a “Cinderella story”.  This was not the case as there was no real happy ending.  It was rated as 3/5 being not thought as good as some other films that missed out.

The Monkey: When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father's old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start.  This as seen as a terrible and weird film.  There was not much of a plot with a lot of killing and blood everywhere.  The twins had very different personalities, and Theo James, who played both roles, did a good job showing the differences.  It was rated as 1/5.

Black Bag: When intelligence agent Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation her husband is tasked to find the truth.  There were lots of cliches with all characters (all agents) portrayed as killers and liars.  The film was well produced.  It was a complex plot with some confusion for the viewer.  Perhaps it is a film to see more than once to fully understand all the twists and turns.  Ratings averaged out as around 3.5/5.

A Working Man: Levon Cade left his profession behind to work in construction.  When a local girl vanishes, he is asked to return to his skills in the world of counterterrorism.  It was a one-man show with over-the-top constant action.  The acting was not always good, with stereotypical characters.  It was rated as 2/5

Other films watched were Snow White, rated 3/5; Dogman, rated 2.5/5; and A Minecraft Movie, rated 3/5.  All these were aimed a younger audience but can also be entertaining for adults.

​Joy Shirley

​There were two films screened at the Benalla Cinema this month that were highly recommended:

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy: Bridget Jones navigates life as a widow and single mom with the help of her family, friends, and former lover, Daniel. Back to work, she's pursued by a younger man and maybe - just maybe - her son's science teacher.  It is not an action film but does close off the Bridget Jones stories.  She is the same loveable mess, but with many more mature moments.  It is a light enjoyable film with some good laughs with some emotional scenes that make the film.        We rated it as 3.0/5.

​Widow Clicquot: After her husband's untimely death, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot flouts convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured together. Steering the company through dizzying political and financial reversals, she defies her critics and revolutionises the champagne industry to become one of the world's first great businesswomen.  The cinematography, costuming, mood lighting, and atmosphere were excellent, with the story moving between Barbe Clicquot as a young wife and her life as a widow.  It is set in the time of Napolean and the strictures placed on women – they were not supposed to run a business.  Certainly worth watching as good cinema and interesting history.  This was rated as 4.0/5.

If either of these films are screened ether locally or on a streaming service, they are worth watching.
 
Other films watched either at the cinema or via a streaming service included:

September 5: the story of how the sports media covered the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage situation.  It is told from the perspective of the media, so did not cover hostage negotiations. Rated as 3.0/5.

Mickey 17: Mickey 17 is and “expendable”.  He is used for experimental purposes, and each time he dies, they use 3D printing to recreate him – hence Mickey 17.  Some interesting political and ethical topics are raised, along with issues around greed and desire.  Rated as 3.0/5, mainly because of the ethical and political topics.

Rogue Heroes (SBS OnDemand series): British series looking at the mistakes made by the British Command during WWII, and how one man came up with a new strategy to fight the war.  There are two series, but it was thought the first series was best.


​Joy Shirley

​A new year and new films to discuss.  We spent time talking about what type of films we enjoy.  This was varied, but the least popular was Science Fiction.  There were a few films that stood out either as worth seeing or not recommended.

Conclave: When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.  An interesting film that gave a picture of the process for electing a new pope.  It also showed there are no organisations clear of factions and politics.  Ther were scenes that showed the differences in the roles of the nuns compared to that of the cardinals brought together for the election of the new pope.  Good performances and interesting settings.      We rated it as 4.5/5.

We Live in Time: A talented chef and a recent divorcée fall in love and build the home and family they've always dreamed of, until a painful truth puts their love story to the test.  They met when he is knocked over by Almut crossing the road.  She is the chef and has won competitions.  When she is diagnosed with a return of cancer, she wants to enter the top European competition before she dies.  The end is quite poignant with a more gentle coverage of her departure rather than the traditional bed side farewell.    This was rated as 3.5/5.

Another film discussed was not rated very highly

Companion: Two couples visit the property of a Russian billionaire along with his mistress.  His death sets off a chain of events for Iris and her friends during the weekend trip to his lakeside estate.  It appears during the film that Iris and Patrick are in fact robots whose personality, actions and memories can be controlled by a phone app.  During the film everyone is killed except for Iris.  Sophie Thatcher as Iris does a good job of mixing robotic and human actions and emotions.  Otherwise, a film that may be more for people interested in the technologies of robotics and Artificial Intelligence.    This was rated as 2.5/5.


​Joy Shirley

​It was a short class this month with some members away, and only two films discussed.

The Critic: A powerful London theatre critic becomes entangled in a web of deceit and murder. Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellan) is a gay theatre critic for the Daily Chronicle, which is undergoing drastic changes since its leader passed away, giving the reigns to the son. Worried about the old guard being fired, Jimmy does everything he can to keep his job. The film was dark but had some very good performances.  Ian McKellen’s performance was flamboyant and over the top but suited the character he played.  It would rate around 3.5/5.

Venom: The Last Dance: Eddie and Venom, on the run, face pursuit from both worlds. As circumstances tighten, they're compelled to make a heart-wrenching choice that could mark the end of their symbiotic partnership.  This was a little slow, and not very memorable.  It took reading some of the reviews to remember the film sufficiently to comment.  It would rate around 2.5/5.

We missed the Shorts Film Festival, but will keep an eye open for repeat screening/s.  It is often screened at Swanpool.

A December class had been scheduled, but we have decided to cancel with people becoming busy as Christmas approaches.


Joy Shirley

Many of the films screened locally over the last month did not appeal to many, although some did challenge themselves with a film from different genre.  The films we discussed were:

Blink Twice: It appears to have been cheaply produced with only a few different settings.  The acting was barely credible.  Basically pointless American trash.  This was rated as around 1/5.

It Ends with Us: This was about a young lady’s attempt to escape her traumatic childhood with an abusive father.  After marrying she starts to see another side of her husband who reminds her of her parents’ relationship.  At the end when she has just given birth to their daughter, she tells him she wants a divorce.  When he pleads to give him another chance, she asks him a poignant question, listing the way he had abused her and what he would say to their daughter if she was treated the same way.  He realises that he would tell his daughter to leave her partner and that is just what his wife had to do.  This is possibly the best scene of the film.   This was rated as 3.5/5.

Alien: Romulus: This was presented as a sequel to the 1970’s film.  Yes, there were some rather nasty aliens, but in many ways it was another space saga.   Rated as 2.0/5.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: This was a type of “Rocky Horror Show” genre film.  It was true to the 70’s humour and narrative type.  The narrative held together well.  Only one person had seen the film and it was rated it as around 1.5/5.

Thelma: This was the pick of the films viewed this month, light and funny slapdash humour.  It is around an elderly widow who is scammed of $10,000.  She sets off to find the scammers and get her money back.  In doing so themes relating to older years are covered – care, loneliness, and the loss of their friends and partners.  Perhaps the strongest part of the film was around relationships and friendships, as well as acknowledging issues of growing older.    We rated it as around 4/5.

​

​Joy Shirley

We discussed films watched over the last two months, both at the cinema and online.  Those watched at the cinema were:
 
Garfield Movie: This was colourful and well produced.  The story was quite complex, covering issues around revenge, friendship and family that were perhaps not for children under 5 years old.  We rated as around 3/5.

Inside Out 2: This was another animated film.  It was based around the emotions impacting the behaviour of a young girl as she entered puberty.  Good animation and character development.  This was a good coming of age film.   We rate it as around 4-4.5/5.
​
The Way, My Way This was the story of a stubborn self-centred Australian who decides to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.  The scenery was good, but the storyline was slim.  The character did not develop, and although it was supposed to change him, he did not seem to be very different at the end.  It was rated as 2.5/5.
 
Films available on-line that were recommended were:

The Ipcress File is a 1965 British spy film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Michael Caine.

Under the Banner of Heaven screening on SBS On Demand.  A devout detective's faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family's spiral into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.

Joy Shirley

Two films stood out this month, “The Taste of Things” and “Freud’s Last Session”.

The Taste of Things is a French film, with sub-titles.  The storyline is around Eugenie and her boss Dodin, both chefs who have worked together for 20 years.  Although fond of one another, Eugenie refuses to commit to Dodin.  The chemistry between the two is great, whether in the kitchen or personally with Dodin starting to cook for her.  There was not a lot of dialogue, with the story told through action.  The work in the kitchen was a master of choreography with four main characters moving around each other without problems.  The performances of these four were all excellent – Eugenie, Dodin, Violette (the maid) and Pauline (apprentice chef).  It was a sensory film.  All we heard were kitchen sounds – sizzling, utensils – and outdoor sounds – barking dog, birdsong – the sounds of life not background music.  For fans of French films it is worth seeing.  We rated the film between 4/5 and 4.5/5.

Freud’s Last Session is around a possible meeting between Freud and CS Lewis.  It is not an action film, but held the viewer’s attention as the relationship between the two men develops.  It was very much an intellectual debate between the two men, with no winner.  It was an interesting storyline, bringing in some of the war scenes and the impact on Freud and his daughter.  There was a focus on various relationships – Freud and Lewis, Freud and his daughter, his daughter and her friend. The performances by the lead characters were excellent, with great cinematography around Freud’s study and garden. It was enjoyed by all who saw it and was rated as between 3.5/5 and 4/5.

Other films discussed this month were:

The Fall Guy: This is a feel-good film around a stunt man, with many twists and turns.  The chemistry between the two main characters was good.  With the various stunts performed we gained a good feel for the role of the stunt artist.  A relaxing and fun film, rated as around 3/5.

Golda: An interesting film on the 19 days of Yom Kippur War in 1973 and the role of Golda Meir.  Golda is shown with a strong personality, but with a compassionate side.  Helen Mirren’s performance as Golda was brilliant, carrying the film.  We rate it as around 3.5/5.

What About Sal: This is an Australian film written and directed by John Jarratt (he also played one of the roles).  It was a special screening followed by a question-and-answer session with John Jarratt.  It tells the story of Sal, an autistic man whose mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Sal sets off to find his father.  It was very Australian, with some serious aspects.  Gerard O’Dwyer played Sal well.  He is an actor with Downs Syndrome (NOT a Downs Syndrome actor).  It was rated as 4/5 and worth seeing – it is possible it will be occasionally screened in Benalla so watch future cinema programs.

Joy Shirley

The favourite film for this month was “Wicked Little Letters”.  When people in Littlehampton--including conservative local Edith--begin to receive letters full of hilarious profanities, rowdy Irish migrant Rose is charged with the crime.  Suspecting that something is amiss, the town's women investigate.  The story’s main characters were Rose, an Irish single mother played by Jessie Buckley, Edith Swan, a single woman still living with her parents played by Olivia Colman, and Edward Swan, Edith’s father played by Timothy Spall. 

It was a “fabulously hilarious feel good” film that the whole class enjoyed.  Performances by the three main characters were excellent, but this does not discount great performances by some of the other characters.

This was set in the 1920s when there was still a patriarchal society and there was a racial issue with the Irish.  Given the era, and that it was the language used in the letters that formed the basis of the story, the use of the language was acceptable although some words did grate.

The average rating for the film was 4/5.  Definitely worth seeing.

​Back to Black: This is the story of Amy Winehouse's early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black. Told from Amy's perspective and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film follows the remarkable woman behind the phenomenon and the tumultuous relationship at the centre of one of her most legendary albums. 

The film was raw, emotional, tragic, powerful and sad.  Members of the class who were fans thought the film and performance by Marisa Abela playing Amy was very good.  She did a great job portraying Amy’s character and did all the singing rather than miming the songs.  There were some parts of the story that were perhaps not quite true, but overall the film was satisfying.  The rating was around 3.5-4/5.

Freud’s Last Session: On the eve of the Second World War, two of the greatest minds on the twentieth century, C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud converge for their own personal battle over the existence of God.  The film interweaves the lives of Freud and Lewis, past, present, and through fantasy, bursting from the confines of Freud's study on a dynamic journey.

This is not an action film, more a philosophical discussion in parts that is worth seeing.  Members of the class who had not yet seen the film are hoping to see it and there may be more discussion at the next class.

Joy Shirley

Films discussed this month were:

The Rooster: When the body of his oldest friend is found buried in a shallow grave, Dan, a small-town cop, seeks answers from a volatile Hermit who may have been the last person to see his friend alive.  The cinematography and setting in the forest were stunning.  The soundtrack was eery in parts, with times of silence or just the sound of the birds adding to this eeriness.  This correctly fitted the story.  Performances by the two main actors, Phoenix Raei (as Dan) and Hugo Weaving (as the Hermit) were excellent.  The film was rated as 4/5.
Force of Nature: Five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out the other side. Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper head into the mountains hoping to find their informant still alive.  This was covered in March, but one of the class members had since seen the film.  She did not agree with the earlier assessment of Eric Bana’s performance as being wooden. She saw it more as displaying his meditative state.  She agreed strongly with earlier positive comments around the cinematography and setting. 
The Great Escaper: Bernard Jordan escapes from his care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France.  The key actors in the film were Michael Caine as Bernard and Glenda Jackson as his wife.  Their performances were excellent, with little snippets of humour which helped take away the disturbing aspects of the story.  One of the aspects of the film was the impact of war on the young men involved.  Underpinning the story was the development of relationships of the various characters.  We rated the film as 4/5.
Just a Farmer: A newly widowed mother is left with the care of an alcoholic father-in-law and a failing farm.  She is forced to forge a new path for her family, all while struggling to pick up the pieces of her life.  This is an important film, covering the issue of mental health in rural communities.  Cinematography was excellent, set around the Macedon Ranges.  The performances were good, bringing out the pressures on farming communities.  A powerful film, this was rated as 4/5.
Wicked Little Letters: As only one member of the class had seen the film and others hoped to see it in the coming week, we held over the discussion until our next class in May.
 
Other films and television series mentioned were:

Vanishing Triangle (SBS OnDemand) which did not have a satisfying end, but otherwise was good.
Boiling Point (Possibly SBS On Demand) was also recommended as a good film.

​Joy Shirley

Several films were discussed this month, with The Holdovers being the pick.  The film earned an Academy Award for Da'Vine Joy Randolph as best Supporting actress.
 
Priscilla: Based on Priscilla Beaulieu’s own story around her relationship with Elvis Presley.  The film was slow, with scenes where Priscilla wanders around an empty Gracelands, perhaps used to show her loneliness when Elvis was on tour but did not make for interesting viewing.  Elvis was badly cast.  It was rated as 2-3/5.

The Beekeeper: One man's brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as "Beekeepers".  This was an action thriller with generic action and lots of great stunt work.  Rated as 3/5.

Argylle: A reclusive author, who writes espionage novels about a secret agent and a global spy syndicate, realizes the plot of the new book she is writing starts to mirror real-world events.  It was a light-hearted satire on spy films, with lots of twists and turns.  It was rated as 3/5.

Force of Nature: Five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out the other side. Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper head into the mountains hoping to find their informant still alive.  This was promoted as “Dry 2” which was probably for marketing purposes as it was not a sequel, but a film around Aaron Falk.  Some great scenery of Australian rain forest which created atmosphere around the mystery.  The performance by Eric Bana who plays Falk was a bit wooden with little emotion except when angry.  It was rated as 3/5.

Bob Marley: One Love: The story celebrates the life and music of the icon who inspired generations through his message of love and peace.  It depicts Bob's powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.  This was an interesting documentary with some worthwhile performances and great music.   It was rated as 3/5.

The Holdovers: THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly history and classics teacher at a New England prep school during Christmas break caring for a damaged, brainy student and with the school's head cook, who lost a son in Vietnam.  The atmosphere of the era (pre technology) where people talked was well created.  The development of the relationships between the three people was well covered, with each of the characters also developing in their own way.  This was rated as 3.5-4/5.


​Joy Shirley

​As this was the first class for the year, we spent time talking about what type of films we enjoy.  This was varied, but the least popular was Science Fiction.

For this class, given it was two months since we had met, we looked at all the films from the beginning of January.  There were a few films that stood out and had been seen by more than one member of the class.

​One Life: This was the inspiring true story of how Sir Nicholas ’Nicky’ Winton (played by Anthony Hopkins) on the eve of World War II saved nearly 700 children from their doom.  He was haunted by the 250 children he was not able to save when war was declared.  An excellent and uplifting film with a strong performance by Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn who played the young Nicholas Winton.  We rated it as 4.5/5.

Boys in the Boat: This is another film based on a true event.  It is set during the depression era and leading up to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.  Washington University’s junior rowing team is brought together including some students who are provided with accommodation and money to pay their fees.  The team works so well they are selected for competition ahead of the senior team, winning a place in the Olympics where they won beating the German team (Hitler was not pleased).  

​It was an interesting story with a message about teamwork and mental as well as physical strength needed to succeed.  They were not a team of eight rowers, they were one.  The depression era was well depicted, but the characters were a bit wooden.  Ratings varied from 3.5/5 to 4.5/5.  A film worth seeing.

​Other films enjoyed were Wonka, colourful, rated as 4.5/5; Migration, bright and colourful, rated as 4/5; Next Goal Wins, uplifting and colourful, rated as 3.5/5.


​Joy Shirley

For our last film discussion for 2023 we briefly discussed two films.

Saltburn sounded similar to Brideshead Revisited, so was of interest.  The summary talked about a relationship between a “lower class” student with an aristocrat while studying at Oxford.  The film ended up being very different.  The “lower class” student was really from a middle class family and after some untimely deaths ended up living in the property previously owned by the aristocrat family.

The second film discussed was Napoleon.  The history of Napoleon’s rise and fall was covered with scenes depicting some of his major battles.  Some publicly published reviews suggest some important events were missed.  A major focus though was on his relationship with Josephine.  Interestingly in the film his fall seemed to coincide with his divorce from Josephine.  Was this really the case, or used in the film to add extra interest?

We also looked briefly at the two new films that were due to start screening in Benalla in December.  These are Journey to Bethlehem and The Old Oak.  The information had only just been released, but from the description it sounded as if they may be of interest.  It will be interesting to discuss these at the first class in 2024 if any class members have seen them.

Joy Shirley

​We discussed three films this month.  The films were:

The Miracle Club: Set in the 1960’s in a hard-knocks community in Dublin.  A group of women head to Lourdes, each of them looking for some sort of healing.  It was a mixture of serious and humorous.  Each of the women achieve healing, mostly around relationships rather than what they thought needed healing.  With stars like Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates, this was a film enjoyed by all who attended.  Rating: 4/5

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3: Toula, the key character in previous films in the series, travels to Greece to track down her late father’s childhood friends.  It was a delightful and easy film to watch.  It was colourful and refreshing with no swearing and fighting.  Rating: 3-5/5

A Haunting in Venice: This is the latest Kenneth Branagh portrayal of Hercule Poirot.  Poirot is enticed out of retirement to attend a séance.  When a series of murders occur, he needs to unravel the mystery.  The atmosphere created was excellent and fitted the “haunting” aspect of the story, with many twists and turns.   Being set in Venice, the scenery was excellent.  Rating: 3-5/5

We plan to meet again in December to discuss further films screened at the Benalla Cinema or perhaps Swanpool.

Joy Shirley

With the opening of the new cinema, and the program released on a weekly basis, the current format for the class does not work as well. It is difficult to select only one or two films for discussion when we do not know which films will be screened. As in recent classes we will continue to discuss the different films members of the class have watched recently.

At our next class on 8 November we will be discussing the format of the program for 2024. Anyone who is interested in joining the class in 2024, whether enrolled in 2023 or just thinking about 2024, is invited to join us.   We meet at 2:00pm in the large U3A room.

​Joy Shirley