Author: Natalie Teasdale

I want to share with other movie fans those amazing films that get under your skin and stay with you for days: the scary ones, the funny ones; the ones that get you thinking. With a background in creative writing, photography, psychology and neuroscience, I’ll be focusing on dialogue, what makes a great story, if the film has beautiful creative cinematography, the soundtrack and any movie that successfully scratches the surface of our existence. My aim is to always be searching for that ultimate movie, to share what I’ve found to be interesting (whether it be a great soundtrack, a great director or links to other information of interest) and to give an honest review without too much fluff. BAppSci in Psychology/Psychophysiology; Grad Dip Creative Arts and Post Grad Dip in Creative Writing. Founder of GoMovieReviews.

The 355

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★☆ (3.2/5)The 355

Rated: M

Directed by: Simon Kinberg

Written by: Theresa Rebeck, Simon Kinberg

Produced by: Jessica Chastain, Kelly Carmichael, Simon Kinberg

Executive Producer: Richard Hewitt

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, Sebastian Stan, Edgar Ramírez.

‘They get this?  They start WWIII,’ says ex MI6 agent Khadija (Lupita Nyong’o).

And by ‘this’, she means the bad people out there getting hold of an intricate set of algorithms designed to unlock any system, in other words: a totally untraceable Master Key.

The CIA wants it, the BND (German intelligence service) wants it.  And roped into the desperate search for this potential world changing weapon are former MI6 agent, Khadija (Lupita Nyong’o) and Colombian psychologist Graciela (Penélope Cruz).

The chase crosses the globe from Paris to Morocco to Shanghai as the agents fight against each other to then be forced to work together because as Khadija says, ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’

The 355 is more action than espionage as each side fights for the prize.

There’re some jumps and very near misses that ramp up the tension with visceral moments like hearing that small crack as a rib gets broken.

The storyline dabbles in the drama of these strong female leads: CIA agent, Mason Brown (Jessica Chastain) AKA Mace a loner, Graciela the out-of-her-depth psychologist wanting to get back to her family, Khadija making a go of a normal life, Chinese agent Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan) and German agent Marie (Diane Kruger) the ultimate badass and designated by the team as the one that’s the most messed up.

Director and writer Simon Kinberg (along with fellow writer Theresa Rebeck) skirts the line of working with the all-female cast without getting too girly.

Mace likens herself to James Bond but is reminded he always ends up alone.  So, the characters are given some depth in between all the hand-to-hand combat.

But there’re no real surprises here.

Yes, there’s some twists in the plot but the suspense fizzed when all the characters came into play, so the focus was more about the interaction than the tension of the story.

And I didn’t quite believe in this Master Key.

There’s still plenty of knife fights and shoot-ups and bombs exploding but the mystery fell away.  The rawness that had me in the beginning faded making The 355 an average action flick worth a watch without getting too excited about it.

Sing 2

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★☆ (3.7/5)

Rated: PGSing 2

Directed by: Garth Jennings

Written by: Garth Jennings

Produced by: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, Chelsea Peretti and Bono.

‘Guts, determination and faith.’

With all the goings-on at the moment, I felt like I needed some escapism.  But when Sing 2 opened to bright flowers and vegetables singing, it was all VERY bright.  Too bright.

And I’m not a fan of musicals.

I took a Panadol and braced myself.

Then Mr. Moon (Matthew McConaughey), owner of the New Moon Theatre goes and gets himself drenched.  Then proceeds to dry his koala fur with a hair dryer so he looks like a fluff ball.

It’s a bit adorable.

Because after being told his show, a local hit, isn’t good enough for the Crystal Tower Theatre in Redshore City, Buster Moon takes his new show to Redshore City anyway.

He believes he’s got a shot with cast: Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), Ash (Scarlett Johansson), Gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton, Meena (Tori Keely) and Gunter (Nick Kroll).

He’ll convince Mr. Crystal (Bobby Cannavale) they’re worth an audience.

Sing 2 is the second instalment of Sing (2016), with director and writer Garth Jennings returning with familiar characters and some new (Bono is in this one as recluse rock legend, Clay Calloway).

Sing 2 is about over coming fear with Rosita given the lead role of the new show only to freak out so her new found responsibility is taken from her and given to Mr. Crystal’s daughter, Porsha (Halsey).

There’s Meena’s terror of the over-confident and hair award winning, Elwood (Eric Andre): how can she act like she’s in love for the show when she has no idea what it feels like?

However, Miss Crawly (Garth Jennings) with the glass eye (my favourite) is fearless.  Until she tries to convince recluse super star, Clay Calloway to come back into the spotlight only to be shot at with paint balls: pew, pew.

Along with some laughs, there’s an almost overwhelming wealth of emotion bursting from the screen, with the songs seamlessly complimenting the storyline; the voices so pure, I literally had tears spring to my eyes.

The music is fantastic as these characters learn to overcome their fear.

I attended a public screening for this one, and kids were literally dancing in front of their seats.

There’s a couple of scary moments (particularly if you’re scared of heights), but this is a sweet and adorable escape for a family viewing that will leave songs playing in your head for hours after the credits roll.

I’m still humming, You’ve got to get yourself together, you got stuck in a moment, and you can’t get out of it…  Touché.

Red Rocket

Rated: MA15+Red Rocket

Directed by: Sean Baker

Screenplay Written by: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch

Produced by: Sean Baker, Shih-Chihg Tsou, Alex Saks

Starring: Simon Rex, Bree Elrod, Suzanna Son, Shih-Ching Tsou, Parker Bigham, Brenda Deiss, Ethan Darbone, Brittany Rodriguez, Judy Hill, Marion Lambert.

‘Why are you here?’

Bruised and sleeping on a bus, Mikey Saber (Simon Rex) is back in Texas.

He fronts up at his ex’s mum’s house – ‘What are you doing here?’ asks Lexi (Bree Elrod).  Because she knows Mikey way too well.

But Mikey knows which buttons to press.  He’s a fast talking, ex-porn star who’s ‘been blessed’ with a decent package and good looks.  And no moral compass.

He’ll say and do anything to survive.

He’ll f*#k his ex-wife just to sleep in a bed, deal pot to make money.  And seduce a seventeen-year-old girl because she’s smoke’n hot.

Meet, Strawberry (Suzanna Son).  Sweet and not-so-innocent, she’s a young girl who ‘likes men not boys.’

She doesn’t stand a chance.  Because Mikey has decided he likes her.  He’s going to make her famous.

‘What did the donuts do on their first date?’ Mikey asks Strawberry – she works at a donut shop.

‘They glazed into each other’s eyes,’ he smiles.

I could kinda get behind this guy down-on-his-luck.  But when he starts to charm this young girl, I started to cringe.

There’s a glib lightness to the film but underneath there’s a dark reality.

‘Your mother hates me.’

‘She hated you.  She died,’ says Lonnie (Ethan Darbone).  He’s the nextdoor neighbour.

It’s a sad place, with smoke stacks of oil refineries blowing pollution into the air virtually in the backyard.  The emergency test announcement can be heard in the bedroom.

It’s like this chancer brings light into the lives of these people because they have so little and he’s so nice and polite.  They don’t see what’s happening at first because he lifts them up, shines a light.  Until suddenly they see how much he takes.  When it’s too late.

I didn’t find the film funny or light.  Like Mikey, there’s a dark layer underneath shown in a-day-in-a-life style of filming that’s really about prostitution, drugs, sickness, poverty, betrayal, fake valour, selfishness and complete blindness and lack of empathy.

Not that Red Rocket is a badly made film.  The casting is brilliant.  But it was like it was up to the audience to decide how things were going to work out, depending if you’re an optimist, meaning, Strawberry will be OK.  She’ll be discovered as a musician.  Someone aside from Mikey will see her worth.  Or not, only the worst is to come.  And I lean towards the cynical these days making me see only bad things to then realise how dangerous and blind this character Mikey is as he continues to politely destroy.

It was disconcerting because the film is from the point of view of Mikey.  So I could see what he’s doing is wrong but he can’t see the damage, so I got angry at this douche bag and wanted to yell and kick him in the guts.  He turned up

He turned up with bruises and you get to know why, well pretty much straight away.

I get the layers of the film, but it annoyed me and in the end, I was left feeling angry.

Nat’s Top 10 Movies for 2021

The gritty crime thriller is still my favourite genre, taking out the number one spot for 2021.

This year has also been about soundtrack and not just music but the use of silence, drawing the audience in.

I’ve included movies with high exposure and many hidden gems that push the boundaries of cinema or simply warm the heart.  Enjoy!

10. High Ground

It’s bringing the land into the story that makes this film unique.

I am Gutjuk, meaning hawk.

The totem of the hawk a constant presence, a forever watchful eye.  High above, everything.

9. Alien On Stage

A light-hearted good fun documentary that delivers.

8.  White Lie

An absorbing psychological thriller.

7. Black Box (Boîte Noire)

A finely tuned and balanced suspense-thriller that had me hanging on every turn.

6. The Worst Person In The World

A journey that ended up in places unexpected – sexy, clever, sad and poetic.

If you’re not usually a fan of romance, this is one of the good ones.

5. Little Joe

It’s clever.  But the tone of film isn’t about being clever; it’s just different.  And interesting, with a subtle flavour of the disconcerting.

4. Dune

I was awed by this film, with mouth dropping open at the scenery, the use of light, the pattern of rock, the flowing yellow fabric of Lady Jessica’s dress in the desert wind, the explosive bombs dropping from spaceships, desecrating the landscape below and the story of betrayal, political play and intrigue.

3. A Quiet Place II

There’s that absolute silence that again invites the audience to lean in, to then jump (there are so many jumps!) with explosive action, the audience gasping and twittering as the monsters prowl, purr and claw people apart.

Jumping forward to Day 474.  It gets tense.

2. Those Who Wish Me Dead

Edge-of-your-seat suspense hits from the opening scene.

 

1. Deliver Us From Evil (Daman Ak-ehseo Guhasoseo)

If you’re a fan of a gritty crime-thriller, you’re in for a treat.

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Rated: PGClifford the Big Red Dog

Directed by: Walt Becker

Story by: Justin Malen, Ellen Rapoport

Based on the Book Written by: Norman Bridwell

Music by: Justin Malen, Ellen Rapoport

Starring: Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, Izaac Wang, David Alan Grier, John Cleese, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Sienna Guillory, Russell Wong.

Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) has just moved to New York with her mother, Maggie (Sienna Guillory).  Emily’s the new girl at a posh school.  On a scholarship.  The last thing she wants is to stand out.

When her mother has to leave town for work, she leaves Emily with her Uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall).  A happy-to-lucky individual now living out of his van who, ‘thinks green M&Ms are a vegetable.’

When uncle and niece see an Animal Rescue tent, Uncle Casey’s instinct is it’s a great idea to go in.  So they probably shouldn’t.

And that’s when the magical and lovely Mr. Bridwell (John Cleese) introduces Emily to a small red puppy.

He’s so cute and tiny.

But they’re not looking for a pet and Emily’s mum would not be happy.  And neither would the super of the building – No dogs!

To which Mr Bridwell replies, ‘Best time to find them is when you’re not looking for them.’

It’s all a bit lovely.

I didn’t think I’d be taken with this animated red dog.  But the way his tail keeps wagging happiness and those expressive brown eyes kinda got me.

Emily really needs a friend, but Uncle Casey is adamant, ‘I’m not going to fall for your little girl powers!’

But somehow, the little red dog makes it into their hearts.  And home.  Because it’s magic, right?

And with a single tear of love and a wish for the small red puppy to become big and strong so the world can’t hurt them, what was small and cute becomes enormous and, Clifford, The Big Red Dog.

This is a film about growing up, with a little magical help to stand up and be confident mixed in with the funny antics of a big red puppy knocking over everything, chasing large balls with people running inside them and the asides from Uncle Casey who sees the sloth as his spirit animal.

The film’s a blend of the animated dog with human characters in real world settings with, sneezes-in-the-face reactions and well-delivered lines that I found surprisingly funny.

I enjoyed, Clifford the Big Red Dog more than I thought I would, originally thinking the humour would be targeted at a much younger audience.  But there’s some ticklish humour here for the adults (the uncle saying he doesn’t wear deodorant because why mask our natural musk?!) and some mad, nasty sheep that’s just funny for everyone.

It’s not all rainbows and butterflies.  There’s a big corporation trying to invent big food to feed the world so of course they want to pull apart the magic that is Clifford to find out what makes him so big.

They can’t win though.  Because it’s love that makes him big.

It’s just one of those kind of movies.

And there’s a nice message there for the young kids as well, ‘The people who are unique?  They’re the ones who will change the world.’  Good fun.

The Worst Person In The World (Verdens Verste Menneske)

Rated: MA15+The Worst Person In The World

Directed by: Joachim Trier

Screenplay Written by: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier

Produced by: Thomas Robsahm, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar

Executive Producers: Dyveke Bjøkly Graver, Tom Erik Kjeseth, Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier

Starring: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner, Helene Bjørneby.

Viewed in Norwegian with English Subtitles

“You need to be completely free.”

Julie (Renate Reinsve) stands smoking in a black cocktail dress with the city in the background.

The Worst Person In the World follows Julie as she figures out life.

She starts off studying to be a surgeon, then psychology then photography.

Moving from one thing to the next, she never quite finishes anything.  But she lives and loves.

The film is set out in 12 chapters, with a prologue and epilogue.  This is the analytical part of the film and something the character Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie) would appreciate.  He’s a comic creator that analyses everything.

Julie loves him.

But doesn’t love him.

Aksel tells her, You need to be completely free.’

That’s the first time she realises that she loves him.

Until she meets Eivind (Herbert Nordrum).

In an interview with director and screenwriter Joachim Trier, he’s asked to talk, “more about the very literary way the film is broken into chapters?”

“We had this idea early on when writing: to show fragments of a life and that the space between the chapters was as important as what we actually see. This is a coming-of-age film but for grownups who feel like they still haven’t grown up. To find a structure of covering several years in a life, from when Julie is in her mid-twenties to her early thirties, we found the humour of a “literary” framework to help us tell that story. The almost novelistic form also reflects Julie’s longing for a grand literary destiny, almost as if she unconsciously wishes her life to have a literary form.”

I’m trying not to think too deeply about the explanation of, coming-of-age film but for grownups who feel like they still haven’t grown up.  I related to this character, Julie, as she tried to figure out what she wants or why she feels the way she does.

But more than relating to the feelings of how to navigate love while remaining independent and free (yes, am still thinking about the film a week later), the way the film’s put together adds to that feeling of running towards what’s right.

That moment when everything else ceases (literally frozen in the film) as Julie runs through the streets to imagine that feeling of being in the right place.  And then going for it.  It’s hard not to get swept up into it all.

There’s something refreshing about seeing all those silent thoughts shown in a clever way so the film is more than a romance or a drama, there’s a quiet that’s absorbing.  Like the silence is there to allow reflection.

Colours are used to introduce the film: yellow and blue to black and are then circled back to later so there’s this sense of completion, like Julie reaches another layer, like it’s that layer she’s been searching for all along.

And the dialogue adds another element, the, ‘Intellectual Viagra,’ comment.

And, ‘She’s just shy.’

‘That’s what you say about boring people.’

Again, silence used when Aksel says, ‘Kids are intense.’

To which Julie replies by taking a large sip of red wine.

It’s a journey that ended up in places unexpected – sexy, clever, sad and poetic.

If you’re not usually a fan of romance, this is one of the good ones.

The Matrix Resurrections

Rated: MThe Matrix Resurrections

Directed by: Lana Wachowski

Produced by: Grant Hill, James McTeigue, Lana Wachowski

Executive Producers: Bruce Berman, Garrett Grant, Terry Needham, Michael Salven, Karin Wachowski

Based on the Characters Created by: The Wachowskis

Screenplay Written by: Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell, Aleksandar Hemon

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Priyanka Chopra, Jessica Henwick, Yahya Adbul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Daniel Bernhardt, Neil Patrick Harris, Jada Pinkett Smith, Christina Ricci, Lambert Wilson, Daniela Harpaz, Eréndira Ibarra, Max Riemelt, Ellen Hollman, Brian J. Smith.

The Matrix Resurrection introduces this sequel (forth in the series) with a 90s monitor: a square cursor flashing.  The code begins scrawling across the screen.  In green, of course.

Welcome to The Matrix 2.0.

There’re new characters resurrecting old ones: Mr. Smith (Jonathan Groff) is now Neo’s partner in a gaming company; Morpheus (Yahya Adbul-Mateen II) is back in a new form.

But Neo remains the same (Keanu Reeves).  Trinity, now Tiffany (Carrie-Anne Moss), remains.  They’re just a little older.

But non-the-wiser.

Ha, ha.

It’s that kind of movie.

There are many puns thrown through-out the film – sometimes heavy-handed like the cat with a tinkling collar named: déjà vu.

Mostly, there’s references to the original Matrix (1999) as the film layers the past into the present, so Resurrections becomes self-referential not only to the original film but also to itself.  To the extent that if a moment felt twee, the twee would then be made into a joke like a self-parody.

I noticed the silence at one point only for the silence to be commented on as an indicator of real living outside the Matrix.

It’s a cerebral film asking questions about the concept of choice: the blue or red pill?

Or is it free will versus destiny?

Or is life about fear and desire?

It becomes binary, one or the other – ones and zeros, like the program, The Matrix. Like reality is made up of ones and zeros.  Like… The Matrix. Ah!

All mind bending moments aside, it took me a while to invest in Resurrections.  Neo was somewhat lacklustre, with the repeated response, ‘yeah.’

But with the rest of the film being so clever, I guess that’s the nature of Neo.  Not Neo.  Mr. Andrews, still stuck in The Matrix.  Even so, the re-layered moments I wasn’t convinced about, like the annoying self-professed ‘geek’ colleague of Mr Anderson remained, annoying.

The film does ramp up and yes there’s a ‘fresh’ take here that will get you thinking.  I just wasn’t as convinced as the original because the characters spent so much time making fun of themselves to cover the forced sentiment that would have otherwise been too cheesy.

Dune

Part OneDune

Rated: M

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

Based on the novel written by: Frank Herbert

Screenplay written by: Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts

Produced by: Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Joe Caracciolo and Villeneuve

Executive Producers: Tanya Lapointe, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, Thomas Tull, Jon Spaihts, Richard P. Rubinstein, John Harrison and Herbert W. Gains

Director of Photography: Greig Fraser

Costume Designer: Jacqueline West

Composer: Hans Zimmer

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Stephen Henderson, Charlotte Rampling, with Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem.

The film opens with, “Dreams are messages from the deep,” written across the screen.  A thread that flows through-out the film lending that magical touch to a film that at its foundation, is political intrigue.

Based on the novel written by Frank Herbert, Dune (Part One) is a story of the desert, greed, vengeance, witches and blood.

I was reminded at times of the previous adaptation directed by David Lynch, Dune (1984), immediately taken back with the spit scene, the device used so well then and used again here like a nod of respect to the previous film.  There’s also John Harrison’s 2000 miniseries, “Frank Herbert’s Dune.” And the 2003 sequel miniseries titled “Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune,” starring James McAvoy. However, I’m reviewing Dune (2021) without comparison, preferring to take the film as it stands.

It’s 10191.  The House of Harkonnen has been mining spice from the desert sands of Arrakis for the last 80 years getting obscenely rich, while the people of Arrakis are given nothing by the Outsiders but violence and pain in return.

It’s a system that has worked well.  So why does the Emperor decide to give The House of Atreides the right to move into the desert city and take over the mining?

House of Atreides is powerful.  Too powerful.

‘When is a gift not a gift?’

The Duke’s son, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) has to learn about the politics of the Empire quickly.  He’s been trained to fight by Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), he’s been counselled by his father, The Duke (Oscar Isaac), he has been shown The Path by his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson).

So he trains, he listens to his father.  And he dreams.

I liked the serious tone of, Dune, offset by the warmth of Paul’s friend, Duncan (Jason Momoa) and his father.

‘What do they say of Arrakis?’

‘To shower, you scrub your arse with sand.’

But mostly, Dune is a dark film.  The waking life of Paul sometimes the stuff of nightmares with giant worms shifting the sand from beneath like the waves of an ocean, their massive mouths filled with teeth to suck anything that makes sound into their abyss; and the cruelty as the innocent are beheaded without actually seeing the gore – you don’t need to see the dead to know the deed is being done.

This is more about the foreboding build of tension that Denis Villeneuve does so well.

The film begins with the sound of a thudding heartbeat.

And here, Villeneuve’s trademark usage of the soundtrack is layered with the sound of different languages spoken and the silence of hands moving in sign language like the thread of the story pulled together into this web of intrigue from the Emperor and his games, the brutal Harkonnen made rich from mining spice, the mystery of the people of Arrakis and the dangerous power passed from Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica to her son.

What threw me was the introduction of hope into the film.

I enjoyed the desert aesthetic and tribal feel of the Arrakis people, but the hope of the people was pushed into dramatic territory and the build of tension began to fade.

But wow, I was awed by this film, with mouth dropping open at the scenery, the use of light, the pattern of rock, the flowing yellow fabric of Lady Jessica’s dress in the desert wind, the explosive bombs dropping from spaceships, desecrating the landscape below and the story of betrayal, political play and intrigue.

Definitely worth seeing on the big screen.

Best Sellers

Rated: MBest Sellers

Directed by: Lina Roessler

Written by: Anthony Grieco

Director of Photography: Claudine Sauvé

Editor: Arthur Tarnowski

Produced by: Jonathan Vanger, Pierre Even, Cassian Elwes, Arielle Elwes, Wayne Marc Godfrey

Executive Produced by: Petr Jakl, Martin J Barab

Starring: Sir Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza, Scott Speedman and Rachel Spence.

Best Sellers is a film about a crotchety recluse writer (he has, ‘Piss off’ taped to his front door), and a failing publisher, Lucy Skinner (Aubrey Plaza).

Lucy’s boutique publishing house is about to go under if she doesn’t find a relevant writer fast.

Enter, Harris Shaw (Sir Michael Caine).

The introduction of Harris Shaw, follows his ginger cat as it makes its way into his study to find him coughing and typing.   The phone rings, ‘He’s dead.  Bugger off,’ he says.

Harris is the classic Johnny Walker, Black Label, cigar smoking recluse writer Sir Michael Caine was made for.

Swipe to classical music: the city, a clean office and publisher Lucy Skinner getting the latest review of her recent Young Adult publication being read by side kick and assistant, Rachel Spence (Elle Wong).  It’s bad.

She needs a writer that will save the publishing house.

She needs Harris Shaw.

He could be dead,’ says Rachel.

Owing the publishing house a manuscript, on the proviso there’s no editing as long as he agrees to go on a book tour, Harris and Lucy set off in Shaw’s green Jag where he starts trending after introducing his book by reading an excerpt from Penthouse.

His favourite way to describe the book tour: ‘It’s all bullshite.’

‘Bullshite’ becomes a hash tag.

And of course the publisher and writer don’t get along, but along the journey bond while Lucy vomits in the toilet.

I like crotchety characters and movies about writers, so I enjoyed the banter between, ‘Silver spoon’ Lucy and, ‘It’s all Bullshite,’ Harris Shaw.

There’s tension and obstacles to overcome, getting to the heart of this abrasive yet brilliant man that got me cheering and quietly chuckling as Shaw declares his hatred for critics – it really does suck to be a critic sometimes.

But I have to say (speaking of being a critic) the soundtrack with that 70s jangle of music to try to lift the film into old-man-cheek, cheapened the sentiment.  Shaw’s like a Hemingway character with his ginger cat and cigar smoking from his mouth while typing the next, Best Seller.  The character deserved something more deliberate.  More… blunt.  Not, dandy grandfather music.

So there’s discord between the thoughtful and funny script writing from Anthony Grieco and the underlying tone built by the soundtrack.

The script includes snippets of poignant sentences like, ‘Art is not propaganda.  It’s an expression of truth,’ giving the usual drama of, I’m-here-because-this-happened, a little more.

So when the character asks the question, ‘Who put a collar on you?’  Dandy guitars aren’t going to reflect the truth of the character.

Best Sellers is a good movie.  Could be been a great movie.

Becoming Cousteau

Rated: MBecoming Cousteau

Directed by: Liz Garbus

Produced by: Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Mridu Chandra, Evan Hayes

Written by: Mark Monroe & Pax Wasserman

Executive Producers: Julie Gaither, Carolyn Bernstein, Ryan Harrington.

Becoming Cousteau is an inspiring documentary about the man who showed the world what lies below the surface of the sea.

With eyes staring through goggles, Captain Cousteau is quoted, ‘Diving under water is the greatest distraction.’

On land we’re constantly fighting gravity.

When asked what it’s like under the surface, he replies, ‘It’s fantastic.  Imagine having no weight.’

In the beginning it was his curiosity that led him to dive deeper under water, to a place where he could dream.

When Germany invaded France in WWII he was able to forget what was happening on land.  He was able to escape into another world.  Where, for a time, he envisaged people living under the water.

The documentary is a linear biography of Cousteau’s life, from 1935 as a pilot for the Navy, to the end of his life in 1997.  His life an evolution from an underwater explorer to inventor, film maker, philosopher, husband and father to environmentalist.

Universally respected as a scientist and explorer, his voice opened people’s eyes to the beauty of the underwater world, and the danger of losing it.

Through newspaper articles and interviews, footage from Cousteau’s many films, including Oscar Best Documentary winner and winner of the Palme d’Or award, The Silent World (1956), Cousteau showed the world life under the sea and even made an impression on Picasso who was amazed by the unexpected colours and held onto a piece of coral given to him by Cousteau until he died.

Thoughts written in journals are read of Cousteau’s experiences while sailing the seas on the explorer vessel, The Calypso.

Cousteau invents the Aqualung out of necessity, technology that allows him to dive deeper into the depths.  And seeing more, discovering more he wants to take a camera with him so invents a case, so he can film underwater.

Inventor turned film maker, he created 52 TV shows as he satisfied his curiosity to explore the ocean.

His notebook was his camera.

The documentary paints a picture of a truly amazing and brave man.  Yet there’s balance in the telling with the risk of diving further than before requiring, ‘a strong head and cold heart.’

He admits his curiosity ruling his life while he neglected his family.

And with the discovery of the sea in distress from all the pollution, there’re years of pessimism and grief for the passing of his son, Philippe.

Like the black and white film made bright with splashes of fluorescent colour, the film brightens with hope – The Cousteau Society still strong today in its efforts to conserve the environment.

But I don’t think the intention of the documentary is to share a message of conservation, although this was important to Cousteau in the later years of his life.  The feeling is more a biography of a man whose curiosity led to fascination to then love and the want to protect.