by GREG KING James Bond is the most famous cinematic spy. And we know the story about how Ian Fleming appropriated the name of a birdwatcher for his iconic character. But what happens to other people who share that iconic name? How do they cope with the gags about martinis, etc? Filmmaker Matt Bauer was intrigued enough to seek out a number of men all over the world who share that name and he learns about their experiences. Amongst the many people he meets during the course of this fascinating documentary are a gay theatre director, a prisoner in an Indiana jail, Continue reading
ELIZABETH: A PORTRAIT IN PART(S)
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Roger Michell The final film from director Roger Michell (whose drama The Duke is currently screening in cinemas) is a documentary about Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch. The documentary has been released to coincide with her platinum jubilee. While this may not be the definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II it will please monarchists as it gives us a glimpse into her personality. Michell and his team have sifted through hours of archival and news reel footage to arrive at this rather Continue reading
BLIND AMBITION
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Directors: Warrick Ross, Robert Coe. This documentary is a feelgood and uplifting and underdog story. Blind Ambition follows four Zimbabwean refugees - Pardon, Joseph, Marlvin and Tinashe - who fled Robert Mugabe's repressive and corrupt regime to start a new life in South Africa. Some three million people fled Mugabe's regime, many of them settling in South Africa. Archival footage woven into the film shows the horrors of Zimbabwe during the Mugabe regime, when violence and poverty were rife. Although the Continue reading
A FIRE INSIDE
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Directors: Luke Mazzaferro, Justin Krook. As we approach another hot, dry summer here in Australia, this inspiring documentary is both timely and relevant. A Fire Inside was filmed largely during the bushfires that devastated much of Australia’ east coast in the so-called “Black Summer” of 2019-20, the worst fire season ever recorded. An area the size of the UK was burnt out and the smoke cloud caused by the fires circled around the globe. Some 3000 homes were destroyed, a massive amount of wildlife was killed, Continue reading
KING OTTO
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Christopher Andre Marks. Some of the best sports documentaries include Leon Gast’s Oscar winning 1997 film When We Were Kings, which told of the famous 1974 Rumble in the Jungle, the heavyweight championship bout between Ali and George Foreman held in Zaire; 2010’s Senna, and the Oscar winning 2018 film Free Solo. While Christopher Andre Marks’ documentary King Otto is a fascinating underdog story it is not quite in the same league as those mentioned above. The film tells of how the Greek soccer team, rank Continue reading
