THE GRINCH

Reviewed by GREG KING Directors: Yarrow Cheney, Scott Mosier Stars: voices of Benedict Cumberbatch, Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones, Kel Thompson, Angela Lansbury, Pharrell Williams, Tristan O'Hare. Under the pseudonym of Dr Seuss, Theodore Geisel (who died in 1991) is one of the best-selling authors of children’s books and he wrote over 40 books. Surprisingly he also penned the script for the bizarre 1953 film The 5,000 Fingers Of Dr T. Many of his books have provided material for a number of short films and animations, while a handful have been turned into Continue reading

PARACINEMAFEST 2018 – interview with Ben Buckingham

by GREG KING A new film festival has claimed space in Melbourne's thriving and busy film festival calendar. Paracinema Fest hopes to open the city's film lovers' eyes to new boundary-pushing genre films embracing the wonderfully weird. Embracing all forms of transgressive visual media culture, Paracinema Fest is the mutation of high and low art, conjoining cinema academia with (not) guilty pleasure  films and everything inbetween. Highlights include the Melbourne premiere of An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn starring Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement, and Craig Robinson; Continue reading

RUSSIAN RESURRECTION FILM FESTIVAL 2018 – interview with Nicholas Maximow

by GREG KING The Russian Resurrection Film Festival has established itself as an important event showcasing a rich and diverse program. This year the festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary and opens with the sports themed drama The Coach, from director and star Danila Kozlovsky. The festival is screening 16 contemporary films, as well as a retrospective of films celebrating the centenary of Lenfilm Studios in St Petersburg and a restored print of the 1958 Cannes winning drama The Cranes Are Flying. Greg speaks with the festival’s artistic director to learn more Continue reading

JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2018 – interview with Eddie Tamir

by GREG KING The Jewish International Film Festival is screening in Sydney and Melbourne. In Melbourne the festival screens at the Classic Cinema in Elsternwick, the Lido in Hawthorn and the Cameo in Belgrave. It runs until November 21, and will screen some 80 features and documentaries. The opening night film was the critically acclaimed bittersweet road movie The Interpreter. Closing the festival is The Unorthodox, a comedy inspired by the founding of Israel’s Shas party. Director Lisa D’Apolito will be in attendance during the festival ton introduce her Continue reading

ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2018 – interview with Valeria Solarino

by GREG KING The Italian Film Festival is screening at Palace Cinemas across the country throughout September. One of the special guests of the festival this year is actress Valeria Solarino, who has three films screening. She will be opening the festival in both Sydney and Melbourne before taking part in a Q&A session for her film There’s No Place Like Home, which has been directed by Gabriele Muccino. Valeria also appears in Quanto Basta (As Needed), and I Can Quit Whenever I Want 3: Ad Honorem, the third film in Sydney Sibilia’s popular comedy series. Greg Continue reading