Amateur Hour

9 Mar 2016

FILM PROFILE – “SPEAR”

Spear (M) Directed by Stephen Page Writer: Jessica Craig-Piper Director Stephen Page’s ambitious, unconventional debut feature Spear is an arresting synthesis of cinema and modern dance. A journey into impending manhood, the film approaches thematically familiar terrain with a fresh eye, and contemplates what it means to be a young Indigenous man coming of age in contemporary Australia. Visually spectacular, the project’s aesthetic finesse is as much a result of the superior technical team assembled by Page

15 Jul 2016

FILM PROFILE: SWISS ARMY MAN

By Laura Imbruglia

Swiss Army Man (MA 15+) Directors: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert Review by: Jessica Craig-Piper Stranded alone on a desolate island, bereft protagonist Hank (Paul Dano) is distracted from his noose-fitting suicide preparations by the sight of a man (Daniel Radcliffe) washed up on the beach below. Initially disappointed by the obvious lack of life upon reaching the body, Hank is nonetheless intrigued by the loud, insistent farting noises emanating from the corpse. The gas is

2 Aug 2016

FILM PROFILE: THE CLAN (EL CLAN)

By Laura Imbruglia

The Clan (El Clan) Director: Pablo Trapero Review by Clem Wetherall From out of Argentina comes The Clan, an unflinching examination of state-sanctioned crime continuing to thrive in the aftermath of war in the 1980s. Directed and produced by Pablo Trapero, The Clan hones in on the true-crime story of the Puccio family and explores the conditions in which they became the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde of wealthy Argentinian society. Indeed, the Puccios story

31 Aug 2016

FILM PROFILE: CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

By Jules Musgrove

Captain Fantastic (M) Director: Matt Ross Review by: Jessica Craig-Piper Easily in the upper echelon of films released this year, Captain Fantastic is a radiant, singular beacon in the sea of sci-fi sequels and superhero blockbusters currently swamping the silver screen. This second feature from writer-director Matt Ross is a heartfelt exploration of unconventional parenting and the implications of choosing a life divergent from social norms. The visually resplendent story shot by French cinematographer Stéphane

8 Sep 2016

GO SEE: STANLEY KUBRICK FILM FESTIVAL

By Jules Musgrove

Writer: Jules Musgrove Cinema Nova is launching a new film festival this October and it's going to be fantastic! The complete features of Stanley Kubrick presents a world first opportunity to see all 13 feature films by the legendary filmmaker on the big-screen. Do you pick your favourite, choose one you haven't seen, or just go to the lot? Whatever you do, don't miss your chance to see some Kubrick classics, such as A Clockwork

17 Oct 2016

FILM PROFILE: HELL OR HIGH WATER

By Jules Musgrove

Hell or High Water Director: David Mackenzie Film review by Brett Champion It’s a well worn cliché that the heart, the ‘real’ content of a film, lies in the relationships between its characters, their interactions, and their by-plays. Hell or High Water is the latest release for idiosyncratic director David MacKenzie, detailing the exploits of bank-robbing brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) as they seek to evade the clutches of cheerfully racist Ranger