Perthians, it’s the last week of March and there is still great cinema to enjoy in the evenings at the Luna Outdoor Cinema in Leederville. This week’s movies include the dark comedy of WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, Aussie horror classic THE BABADOOK and Wim Wenders’ new slice-of-life drama PERFECT DAYS. Screenings commence at 7:30 PM. Here are this week’s films .
WICKED LITTLE LETTERS (SUN-TUE, 24-26 MAR)
A truly scandalous tale from the 1920s. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley reunite playing neighbours who get on each other’s nerves in this pitch-dark comedy following a small English town where residents start receiving anonymous, expletive-laden letters!
Edith Swan (Colman), a pious pillar of the community, just so happens to be on the receiving end of these character assassination mail drops. Law enforcement reluctantly investigateds but Edith harbours a theory that her neighbour Rose (Buckley) might be the culprit. Rose is the opposite of Edith, loud and brash, and when police arrest Edith assuming guilt due to her “loose moral character,” it does not sit well with Police Officer Gladys Moss. With superiors unwilling to listen, she gathers a group of resourceful female volunteers to get to the bottom of this mailout mystery.
This post marked whodunnit is fuelled by the stellar cast, including razor sharp turns from Colman and Buckley with support by Timothy Spall. The narrative offers astute commentary on misogyny, hypocrisy, and repression, while delivering a profoundly stifling social commentary that is brimming with blush worthy curse words and purse-clutching performances.
THE HORROR: BABADOOK (WED, 27 MAR)
Six years after the death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) struggles to discipline her “out-of-control” six-year-old Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called “The Babadook” turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. And when Amelia begins to see glimpses of the creature herself, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may well be real.
Indiewire at Sundance declared it had seen “an unknown filmmaker make her debut with a flat-out masterpiece”, adding that The Babadook establishes first-time writer-director Jennifer Kent “as a major voice in the field”.
PERFECT DAYS (THU, 28 MAR )
After several years away from the silver screen, Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Paris, Texas) is back with a poignant character study and a deeply moving, poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.
Set in Tokyo, Perfect Days follows Hirayama (Kôji Yakusho in a Cannes Best Actor Award-winning role), a meticulous man of routine who seems to find joy in his job as a toilet cleaner. He speaks very little but has a great passion for music, books and the trees he loves to photograph. He drives to work in his minivan, fully equipped with his cleaning gear, while The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith or Lou Reed ring in ageless, husky hums from a tape player. As if in search of a new cinema on the road, Wenders follows his protagonist and instead discovers new places of the heart. Through Yakusho/Hirayama, Wenders captures the poetry of the everyday with intimacy and stunning simplicity.
Filled with surprising delight, and with a soaring lead performance by Yakusho, Perfect Days is a gentle, inspirational ode to simple but profound pleasures. An absorbing slice-of-life drama led by a remarkable Kôji Yakusho performance, Perfect Days adds a quietly soaring gem to director/co-writer Wim Wenders’ estimable filmography.
Japanese with English subtitles
THE PRESIDENT’s WIFE (FRI, 29 MAR )
Legendary French actress Catherine Deneuve plays Bernadette Chirac in this uproarious comedy based on actual events.
1995, Jacques Chirac is elected President of the French Republic. When Bernadette Chirac steps into the Elysée, she’s ready for the recognition she’s earned, having tirelessly supported her husband’s journey to the presidency. Instead, she finds herself set aside and brushed off as old-fashioned, cold and sour-tempered. With the help of her chief of staff, Bernard Niquet (Denis Podalydès, Rise ) Bernadette embarks on a campaign to restore her reputation and assert her role as first lady.
In her debut film, documentarian Léa Domenach skilfully blurs the lines between fact and fiction, presenting a captivating portrait of an unexpected feminist icon. The President’s Wife is a delightful tapestry of satire, whimsical musical numbers, and vibrant visuals, offering a heart-warming celebration of Bernadette Chirac’s resilience and wit.
You will find yourself smiling, laughing, and empathising with this delightful character, flawlessly personified by the wonderful Deneuve. Part of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival 2024.
French with English subtitles
PERFECT DAYS (SAT, 30 MAR )
See description above.
MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN (SUN, 31 MAR )
What better way to celebrate Easter than with the hilarious and irreverent second coming, or the we-welease, of The Life of Brian. From 6.30pm join the crew at Luna Outdoor for zany tunes from DJ Matty G, a complimentary tasty Siena’s pizza slice on entry, Easter-egg chucking (while stocks last) and, host James Palm guiding you along with a sing-along to ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ .
Highly controversial upon its original release and banned in several countries, the film is now frequently ranked as the greatest comedy feature of all time by magazines and media outlets around the world. As Monty Python member Terry Gilliam said, “It rips bare and makes you laugh at the world we’ve created for ourselves.”
Set in 33 A.D. Judea, where exasperated Romans are trying to impose some order, it is a time of chaos and change with no shortage of messiahs and followers willing to believe in them. At its centre is Brian Cohen, a reluctant would-be messiah who rises to prominence as a result of a series of absurd circumstances providing ample opportunity for the entire Monty Python ensemble (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin) to shine in multiple roles as they question everyone and everything from ex-lepers, Pontius Pilate and the art of haggling, to revolutionaries, crazy prophets, religious fanaticism, Roman centurions and crucifixion.
If you want further details of the Luna Outdoor program scan the QR code below or hit this link
