MINARI : Tuesday 2nd March 2021.

'MINARI' which I saw earlier this week, is a PG Rated American drama film Written and Directed by Lee Isaac Chung whose previous feature film credits are 'Munyurangabo', 'Lucky Life', 'Abigail Harm' and the documentary 'I Have Seen My Last Born'. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January 2020, winning both the US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the US Dramatic Audience Award, and in the meantime has collected sixty-seven award wins and a further 161 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit including three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, ten Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations, six Independent Spirit Award nominations, and the recently announced Golden Globe Award win for Best Foreign Language Film. Needless to say the film has been universally acclaimed, cost US$2M to produce and has so far returned US$737K since its release in the US on 12th February and here in Australia on 18th February.

Set during the 1980's the Korean American Yi family moves from California to a rural plot of fifty acres in Arkansas in search of their own American Dream. Arriving at the new home is husband and father Jacob Yi (Steven Yeun), his wife and mother Monica (Han Ye-ri), older daughter Anne (Noel Kate Cho) and younger son David (Alan Kim). Although Jacob has visited the property before, this is the first time that the other family members have clapped eyes on the place, and suffice to say there are none too pleased with the sight that greets them. There new home in the Ozarks hinterland is a mobile home propped up on wheels that seems to be a far cry from the comforts they enjoyed in California. But nonetheless Jacob is determined to make a go of it and live off the land, by cultivating Korean crops which he will sell to markets and shops in Dallas to sustain the 40,000 or so Korean immigrants to America every year. 

One of the early decisions Jacob makes is to pass on the services of a water diviner for the sum of US$300 and so he digs a well in a spot he finds on his own. Next up he enlists the help of Paul (Will Patton), a local man who sells him a tractor for US$2,000 and who is also deeply religious. While Jacob is optimistic about the family's future prospects, Monica is disappointed and worries about David's heart condition. David is constantly told not to run for fear of worsening the condition. The husband and wife team work sexing chicks at a nearby hatchery and argue a lot while David and Anne listen in from their bedrooms. 

To help mind the children throughout the day, they arrange for Monica's mother Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung) to travel from Korea to live with them. David, who only meets his grandmother for the first time, is forced to share his bedroom with her, and he goes out of his way to avoid her because she does not conform to his idea of how a grandmother should be - she swears a lot, doesn't bake cookies and smells are just some of his complaints. That said, Soon-ja attempts to adjust to life in the US and bond with her grandchildren.

In the meantime, Jacob's crops are growing well and plentiful, although one day he notices that the drip irrigation lines have stopped running. The well that Jacob dug some months earlier had run dry. He is reluctant to pay for county water, but ultimately is forced to do so. He also encounters additional challenges, such as the vendor in Dallas cancelling their order just as he was about to dispatch it. Still, he perseveres despite Monica's repeated wishes to return to California. This puts extra strain on their marriage.
  

One day Soon-ja takes David out walking on the property, and they come to a stream where she says to the young boy that they should plant minari seeds by the waters edge. She tells them of how resilient and useful the plant is, and predicts plentiful growth, using the seeds that she brought over from Korea. David gradually starts to bond with his grandmother after she teaches him card games, bandages a wound to his foot, and gently strokes him to sleep. She also encourages him to be more physical, suggesting he run more even though his parents discourage any form of physical activity that would put undue pressure on his already fragile heart, saying that he is stronger than they think he is.

Soon-ja suffers a stroke one night and whilst she survives with the aid of medical treatment, she is left with impaired speech and movement. Jacob, Monica, David, and Anne travel to Oklahoma City for David's heart appointment with a specialist doctor and to meet with a potential vendor to sell Jacob's produce. They learn that David's heart condition has dramatically improved and Jacob makes a deal to sell vegetables to a Korean grocer, although Jacob also indirectly admits to Monica that the success of his crops is more important to him than the stability of their family, and if she wants to go back to California then she is free to do so, but without him, as he needs to finish what he started. Following an emotional argument, the pair quietly agree to go their separate ways.

While the family were in Oklahoma Soon-ja was left home alone, where she decided to have a clear out of the barn and burn the garbage, as was common practice. However, that evening while stoking the fire in an old oil drum, she accidentally sets the barn containing David's recently harvested crops on fire. Driving back in the dark Soon-ja comments that she smells smoke and there is a faint glow on the horizon. Upon arriving home to the burning barn, Jacob rushes in to save his crops, and Monica soon follows. Quickly the fire grows out of control, and they decide to save each other while leaving the barn and all of its produce to burn. A distraught and confused Soon-ja starts to wander off into the night, as Anne and David call for her to come back. As she does not responding to them, David breaks into a sprint to catch up with her, blocking her path. Soon-ja appears to recognise David for a moment, and reaches for his hand and the grandchildren lead her back home. Later, Jacob and Monica are with the water diviner who locates a position for a well. They mark it with a heavy stone noting their intention to remain on the farm. Jacob and David then head to the stream to harvest the minari, which had grown plentifully, with Jacob noting that Soon-ja picked a good place to plant the seeds.

'Minari' moves along at a slow lumbering pace with nothing really by way of story line other that what goes down in the daily lives of this immigrant family that have moved from Korea to California to rural Arkansas in search of the great American Dream - and do the get there? Well kind of I guess, but not without hardship and anguish along the way. This is hardly an uplifting film, although at the end there is some light at the end of the tunnel as the family seem to have reconciled themselves to their fate. The positives are the performances from the principle cast most notably young Alan Kim and the family matriarch Youn Yuh-jung who is not afraid to speak her mind, uses profanity, plays practical jokes and makes decisions in isolation of others no matter the consequences. The full range of human behaviour and emotions are on display here which adds depth and heart to the otherwise thin story, and a poignancy to Director Chung's autobiographical film of his own upbringing in rural Arkansas. 

'Minari' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 18th February 2021.

The 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam was held from 1st through to 7th February in various locations in and around Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental filmmaking by showcasing emerging talents and established auteurs. The festival also places a focus on presenting cutting edge media art and arthouse film, with most of the participants in the short film programme identified as artists or experimental filmmakers. 

This years opening night feature presentation was 'Riders of Justice' from Denmark and Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen and stars Mads Mikkelsen, Nicolas Bro, Lars Brygmann and Nikolaj Lie Kaas. The films tells the story of a former soldier who returns home to care for his daughter after his wife died in a tragic train accident. However, when a survivor of the wreck surfaces and claims foul play, he begins to suspect his wife was murdered and embarks on a mission to find those responsible.

IFFR's trade mark Tiger Competition celebrates the innovative and adventurous spirit of up-and-coming filmmakers from all over the world. The competition was founded in 1995 with the aim of discovering, raising the profile of and rewarding up-and-coming international film talent. The Tiger Award is accompanied by a €40K cash prize, to be shared between the Director and Producer of the winning film. Two Special Jury Awards worth €10K are also presented for exceptional artistic achievement within the competition.

This years winner of the Tiger Award was presented to P. S. Vinothraj in his Directorial debut for the Indian film 'Pebbles' about a poverty-stricken father and son who wander a southern Indian landscape where anger and frustration burn hotter than the sun. Two Special Jury Award prizes were presented to Pascal Tagnati for his Directorial debut feature film 'I Comete - A Corsican Summer' from France exploring a cross-section of life in a Corsican village where tradition is revered, observing the locals throughout one summer; and presented to Norika Sefa for her Directorial feature film debut 'Looking for Venera' from Kosovo about Kosovan teenager Venera, struggling to go her own way in a strongly patriarchal situation. All three films saw their World Premier screening at IFFR. 

The films selected for the Big Screen Competition are presented to an audience jury composed of five film lovers. Together they determine which film they think deserves to be shown in movie theatres across the Netherlands and broadcast on television after the festival. The winner of the Big Screen Award wins a cash prize of €30K, half of which goes to the distributor who decides to buy the film. And this years winner, from a line up of fourteen films, was 'El perro que no calla' ('How to Be a Man') Directed by Ana Katz from Argentina.

The Audience Award is given to the filmmaker of the film in the official selection with the highest average vote in the audience poll. The winning filmmaker will receive a €5K prize! This years winner was announced as Jasmila Zbanic for her film 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' from Bosnia and Herzegovina from a line up of thirty-five films in total. 

The Critics FIPRESCI Award is given to the best film in the Tiger Competition. The jury assembles members of the Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinematographique (FIPRESCI), which consists of international film journalists, and this years win went to 'The Edge of Daybreak' from Thailand by Director Taiki Sakpisit in his feature film making debut. The film had its World Premier screening. The Critics KNF Award is given by the 'Circle of Dutch Film Journalists' with this year the Award went to the best film in the Tiger Short Competition being the twenty-seven minute short film 'Manifesto' from Norway and Directed by Ane Hjort Guttu. This film saw its International Premier showcasing. 

For the full line up of awards presented, plus all the news, views and reviews from this years 50th IFFR, you can visit the official website at : https://iffr.com/en

And so turning attention back to this week, we have six latest release new movies coming to your local Odeon. And we start off with a drama offering about a Korean American family who move to rural Arkansas in the '80's in search of a new life and the American Dream. This is followed by an American crime thriller about a Deputy Sheriff sent to Los Angeles who becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorising the city. Next up is an English film about a teenage lad who spends his summer listening to heavy metal music and trying to get along with his librarian mum, and we then close out the week with three documentaries, the first of which concerns a handful of men who search for the rare, expensive and delicious white Alba truffles deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy. Then the second is an in depth exploration of the life and work of an acclaimed musician who never shied away from the political and social turbulence of his era. And we wrap up the week with an Aussie doco charting the first thirty years of an influential and acclaimed dance company that has its roots firmly set in Aboriginal culture. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'MINARI' (Rated PG) - is an American drama film Written and Directed by Lee Isaac Chung whose previous feature film credits are 'Munyurangabo', 'Lucky Life', 'Abigail Harm' and the documentary 'I Have Seen My Last Born'. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January 2020, winning both the US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the US Dramatic Audience Award, and in the meantime has collected fifty-four award wins and a further 142 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit including three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, ten Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations, six Independent Spirit Award nominations, and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Needless to say the film has been universally acclaimed, and was released theatrically in the US last week. 

Set during the 1980's a Korean American family moves from California to a rural plot of land in Arkansas in search of its own American Dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. Starring Steven Yeun as the father Jacob Yi, Han Ye-ri as mother Monica, Alan Kim as their son David, Noel Kate Cho as daughter Anne and Youn Yuh-jung as Monica's mother Soon-ja who travels from Korea to help out the struggling new farmers with their children. Also starring Will Patton. 

'THE LITTLE THINGS' (Rated M) - is an American crime thriller Directed, Written and Co-Produced by John Lee Hancock who previous film making outings include 'The Rookie', 'The Alamo', 'The Blind Side', 'Saving Mr. Banks', 'The Founder' and 'The Highwaymen'. The film cost US$30M to make, has so far generated mixed or average Reviews and has recouped US$13M of that initial budget investment since its release Stateside at the end of January. Here, Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe 'Deke' Deacon (Denzel Washington) joins forces with Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) to search for a serial killer who's terrorising Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, suspect #1 Albert Sparma (Jared Leto), Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case. For his performance, Leto received Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

'DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER' (Rated M) - this British film is Directed by 'The Inbetweeners' star Simon Bird in his feature film making debut. It saw its World Premier screening at the Locarno Film Festival back in August 2019, went on release in the UK in early June last year and only now does it arrive at Australian cinemas. The film is based on the graphic novel by Jeff Winterhart, features a soundtrack by Belle & Sebastian, and has garnered positive Press so far. The film centres around the somewhat precarious relationship between well-meaning single librarian mother Sue Bagnold (Monica Dolan) and her black-clad teenage son Daniel (Earl Cave), who'd rather listen to the death metal sounds of Metallica than his mother. Daniel was meant to spend the summer in Florida visiting his Dad, but is now stuck with Mum following the trip's cancellation. Over the course of the six week summer break, will mother and son be able to find some common ground from which they can begin to relate to each other and reignite the fun times they used to have together? Also starring Rob Bryden, Tamsin Greig and Alice Lowe.

'THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS' (Rated M) - this Italian documentary film is Directed and Written by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw who also take on the roles of Cinematographers here too. The film has garnered universal critical acclaim since its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January 2020. This week it gets its release in Australia and in the US on 5th March. Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years of age, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle—which so far has resisted all of modern science's efforts at cultivation. They're guided by a secret culture and training handed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly trained dogs. They live a simpler, slower pace of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture perfect country-side, that seemingly comes straight out of the pages of a fairy tale. 

'ZAPPA' (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Co-Produced by Alex Winter - the Actor, film maker, Producer and Writer who has thirty-seven directorial, twenty-eight acting, sixteen Producer and eleven writing credits to his name including as Bill, in three 'Bill & Ted' films, here brings us this highly acclaimed documentary exploring the life of musician Frank Zappa. He died in 1993 at the age of 52, but during his career as a rock guitarist, orchestral composer, music producer, innovative filmmaker, businessman, and social and political commentator he left an indelible mark on his chosen path in life that continues to amaze with over sixty albums of music from rock to orchestral, in addition to innumerable films, concerts and other accomplishments. With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, this film explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time.

'FIRESTARTER : THE STORY OF BANGARA' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Directed and Written by Wayne Blair and Nel Minchin and charts the birth and spectacular growth to where this Australian dance company is today as it enters its fourth decade. It recognises Bangarra’s early founders and tells the story of how three young Aboriginal brothers – Stephen, David and Russell Page – turned the newly born dance group into one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies. Through the eyes of the Page brothers and company alumni, 'Firestarter' explores the loss and reclaiming of culture, the burden of intergenerational trauma and crucially, the extraordinary power of art as a messenger for social change and healing.

With six new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-