Novastream’s Top 5 (in no particular order, because that is too hard).
Patti Cake$
This is one of those films they call a coming of age story. The one where they find their voice, literally in this case, and with a strong close group of friends and family manage to take do what it is they were born to do. And what makes this one even better it’s not only a female lead, Danielle MacDonald, but also she is plus size and even better she’s an Aussie.
Patti is working the dead end jobs with no clear view of where she wants to be or how she’s going to get there. But with a little push from a friend she shares her rap despite her Mum giving her no support and making her feel useless. But Patti turns it all around and when people hear her rap, they go wild.
If you want a feel good film about working like a dog and making it to play with the big boys, this is the film for you. If that’s not what your after maybe you’ll like the music side to it.
Song to Song
Another music based movie, this time about a band. Song to Song is a love story between a group of 4, the old double love triangle chestnut. It’s got quite the cast with Natalie Portman, Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender and the man himself Ryan Gosling. It’s also Directed by the guy who did Tree of Life. So not only are you going to get some awesome performances, but you should also expect to see a pretty spectacular film both with its script and visually.
The film revolves around these two love triangles than seem to intertwine within each other. And since they are all part of the same band as you can imagine, they don’t end up playing to the same tune.
Expect some great music as it’s based around the Texas Music scene which has a good reputation. Visually it should be pretty, but what you might not enjoy is the heavy dialogue.
Jungle
This one is headlining the festival and it stars everyone’s favourite childhood star, Daniel Radcliffe. Despite those two things this has a jungle, romance, adventure and a little bit of WTF.
Based on a true story this thriller sees a bunch of backpacker’s head to Amazon with a guy they’ve never met only to be abandoned and left to fend for themselves for three weeks.
It’s from a memoir of Yossi Ghinsberg’s 2005 journey through the Amazon, which featured on Discovery’s “I Shouldn’t Be Alive”. It’s intense and dramatic and should be one of those films where you realise you’re sitting on the edge of the chair or squeezing your partners hand too tight.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkmMlDtYL3A
Don’t let Nicole Kidman be a reason not to see this, Kidman is like a fine bottle of wine and has improved with every film she has performed in over the last 5-10 years. Kidman’s husband in the film is Irishman, Colin Farrell a surgeon. But the film gets twisted and a little dark from here.
Farrell has a friendship with a 16-year-old boy that seems to get complicated when he requests a sacrifice or supernatural things will happen to his family. And so the story goes.
It’s from the Director of “The Lobster”, Yorgos Lanthimos. It will be full of arty camera work and a lot of dialogue though drawn out and hefty. A good one to catch if you want to watch some twisted family life.
Nocturama
This one’s a French Film, but it’s fair to say there’s never been a bad French film at a Film Festival. So that’s reason enough to see this one.
Nocurama is about a group of multicultural misfits who wreak havoc in Paris with bombs and guns. Keep in mind this was filmed before the Paris attacks in 2015. It builds up to the bombing then locks down to one location as they process their actions and the world.
The Director manages to blend some awesome shots with a kick ass soundtrack to give this film that youthful nature of right now and get out of my way.
Novastream will be getting in amongst the festival for 2017 enjoying all that is MIFF. Full reviews of the Top 5 will be posted during the festival. But if you are still stuck for something to watch, just pick something at random and enjoy what the festival has to offer. Who know you may just end up enjoying German rom coms. Not only is there more film you could watch in a lifetime, there are talks and performances throughout the festival.
You can catch the full program on the Melbourne International Film Festival website here
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