Doc Corner: A 'Mayor' in Palestine

By Glenn Dunks

Documentaries about bureaucracy can be tricky. Not everybody has the luxury of being Frederick Wiseman and be given over four hours to luxuriate in the minutiae of a major city’s political processes like he did in this year’s City Hall. And if nothing particularly interesting happens then all you’re left with is a movie about people pushing paper around for 90 minutes, which would thrill me by doubtful many others. American director David Osit is at something of an advantage with Mayor, however; set in the city of Ramallah in the Palestinian West Bank.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Osit has missed the obvious story right in front of his face. For the opening stretches of Mayor, about Ramallah’s Mayor Musa Hadid, the director is seemingly content to focus on administrative nonsense including an amusing, extended narrative strand around Hadid’s inability to grasp the concept of city branding (as a public servant myself, I related). I was beginning to think that this film would be just a curious diversion showing how life in the Palestinian National Authority does carry on.

But Osit proves to be much smarter than that in how he has structured Mayor...

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The Spy Who Crunched Me

by Jason Adams

Hey! Eyes down here! Thank you. Yesterday came news that the long-rumored sequel-of-sorts to David Cronenberg's 2007 film Eastern Promises was gaining some momentum... and that momentum was taking it straight towards the above-splayed abdominal muscles of one Jason Statham. Should we all be so lucky. And I think you can tell already that I'm hoping this film exists solely for a re-do of Viggo's balls-out sauna-brawl, just subbing in Jason, so we'll just go ahead and get that out of the way upfront. Say hello to our upfront business! 

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Ludovico Einaudi on the big screen

by Cláudio Alves

After its premiere in Venice and the Golden Lion victory, Chloé Zhao's Nomadland has quickly become one of the most talked-about and most critically acclaimed films of 2020. Personally, I can't wait to watch the nomadic drama starring Frances McDormand, though I'm uncertain when the picture will be coming to Portugal. For the cinephiles of the USA, however, Nomadland is being theatrically released tomorrow, December 4th. If you feel safe enough to do so and it's playing nearby, you can venture into the cinema and experience Zhao's new film.

Meanwhile, I'll wait and let my expectations ferment and grow like some metaphorical sourdough starter. While much has been written about the picture's sweeping landscapes, intriguing narrative, and applause-worthy performances, I confess the singular element I'm most excitingly anticipating is its music. Specifically, Ludovico Einaudi's latest film score…

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"Babyteeth" and "Invisible Man" win at the AACTAs

by Travis Cragg

Eliza Scanlen (21) and Toby Wallace (24) won the lead acting trophies for "Babyteeth"

The AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) awards were handed out over two COVID-normal ceremonies in the past week. Kudos to the Film Experience commenter last month who correctly predicted that Babyteeth (streaming on Hulu) would win all the “above the line” awards – it went home with Best Film, Direction, Screenplay and all four acting prizes, as well as Original Score and Casting. The rest of the craft categories were split between The Invisible Man (streaming on HBO Max) and True History Of The Kelly Gang (available to rent online). A full list of cinema winners (and a little commentary) after the jump...

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The Furniture: The Nest and Its Not-Haunted House

"The Furniture," by Daniel Walber. (Click on the images for magnified detail)

Don’t marry an investment banker!

This, as far as I can tell, is the central message of Sean Durkin’s The Nest. And it’s good advice! Rory O’Hara (Jude Law) is a Gordon Gekko without any of the charm, a stiff Englishman determined to perform his financial success in front of a vaguely imagined audience of the rich and powerful. His wife, Allison (Carrie Coon), is miserably along for the ride. It’s a period piece, but it’s laser focused on toxic aspects of our culture that certainly haven’t gone away. The ‘80s never ended, not really.

And so we watch as Allison and her two children are dragged from their house in the US, already their third home in 10 years, and across the pond to an enormous old mansion in Surrey. Rory’s determination to make it big back in the UK upends everything, from Allison’s equestrian interests to their daughter’s gymnastics. I bring this up because it’s one of our few glimpses at the life before, represented in wide spaces like the sun-dappled walls of the stable and the well-lit, colorful gym...

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