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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 16 November 2024

In the 1980s, the Israeli Government declared control over a sizeable chunk of land in the southern West Bank to use as a military training site (called ‘Firing Zone 918’).  Roughly 1,200 Palestinians lived in the area, known as Masafer Yatta, and the first eviction orders were issued to them in 1999.  The residents took their battle to the courts arguing their community had existed (and been on maps) since the 19^th Century.  After decades of legal battles and appeals, the Israeli High Court of Justice sided with the Israeli Government in a final decision handed down in May 2022. 

There’s a splash of archival footage but No Other Land is a documentary which chronicles the time period between 2019 and 2023 in Masafer Yatta.  It is largely centred on two people.  The first is Basel Adra, a Palestinian who grew up in the area and is now organising protests to save his town.  They continually resist the advances of Israeli soldiers who are trying to knock down homes, schools, playgrounds, and infrastructure.  He shoots footage on a digital video recorder to record what has taken place.

The second is Yuval Abraham, as Israeli journalist who sympathises with Basel’s cause and is trying to bring it to the world’s attention.  It’s a challenge, however.  Yuval uploads his own stories and videos online but there’s minimal interest.  Given how many other problems exist across the globe, how do you make 8 billion people care about the plight of 1,200 ordinary Palestinians living in the middle of nowhere?  Without power and political clout (note the scene involving Tony Blair), little can be achieved.

No Other Land’s timeframe is interesting given the film was completed in mid-2023 – just prior to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war which began on 7 October 2023.  When asked in a CNN interview about whether the documentary takes on new meaning, Yuval answered with the affirmative.  Coverage of the conflict is now seen every day on news sites/channels – the opposite to when Yuval was trying to generate awareness.  He wants audiences to know “the world was not paying attention, almost at all, to the violent life the Palestinians are living under for decades before October.”

A few conversations feel staged and/or reenacted but for the most part, this is a powerful, eye-opening documentary where the footage does the talking.  It provides a 90-minute snapshot into the lives of an oppressed people and, just as importantly, we get to know and care about them.  One story you’ll remember is that of an elderly mum who, despite living in a cave, must care for her grown son after he is shot by as Israeli soldier and rendered a quadriplegic.

No Other Land is already regarded as one of the year’s top documentaries having been nominated at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the European Film Awards (where it also earned a nod for best film).  I expect it to receive more acclaim over the coming months.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 November 2024

Most in Australia will know the name Jelena Dokić but when it comes to the specifics of her rocky background and tennis career, awareness varies.  This documentary from directors Jessica Halloran and Ivan O’Mahoney is a “set the record straight” kind of movie.  Jelena already told her story in a 2017 autobiography (co-authored with Halloran) but, through the medium of cinema, it can now reach a wider audience.  Archival footage and interviews are used to get the messages across.

Born in Croatia in 1983, Jelena and her family fled their troubled homeland in the early 1990s (the Yugoslav Wars were underway) and emigrated to Sydney, Australia.  Jelena’s father, Damir, had become a fan of tennis on television and, with no money to pay for a coach, he started training her himself.  At the age of just 15, Jelena won the girls’ singles title at the 1998 U.S. Open and one year later, she became a teenage superstar by teaming up with Mark Philippoussis to win the Hopman Cup in Perth (the first time Australia had ever won the event).

Despite her success and bubbly disposition on the court, it was the actions of Damir which dominated talk within tennis circles and the media.  He accused Australian Open officials of rigging the draw against his daughter, he was drunkenly evicted from hospitality at the U.S. Open, and he was sentenced to a year’s prison time in Serbia for illegal weapons possession and threatening the Australian ambassador.

Damir’s outlandish behaviour made him a media darling.  He would appear on shows including A Current Affair and Burke’s Backyard, and feature in television advertisements for companies including Kia.  This film clearly has a point to make about how the growing spread of quick, clickbait-style journalism overrode the desire to dig deeper into Damir’s conduct.  Hard-hitting investigative journalism was becoming a thing of the past.

The movie relies heavily on current-day interviews and “talking heads” (not my preferred style) but it’s still a powerful documentary.  Jelena opens-up about the savage abuse, both physical and mental, dished out by her father over many years which would lead to suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety.  Some stories are startling – such as what took place after Jelena’s semi-final loss at Wimbledon in 2000.

Jelena’s words are the film’s focus but conversations with former players, officials, coaches, and staff help validate her story.  I particularly enjoyed the insight of former grand slam champion Lindsay Davenport who faced-off on court against Jelena many times (including an infamous match at the Australian Open).  We don’t hear from Damir nor Jelena’s mother, Ljiljana, as they declined involvement.   can understand why but it’s a shame we don’t hear their current-day views.  Do they have any remorse at all?

Asking questions of the audience about what we’re prepared to turn a blind eye to (so many people knew of Jelena’s troubles but did nothing), Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story is compelling viewing.  

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 November 2024

I’m old enough to remember watching Gladiator in a packed cinema in May 2000.  It was the first summer blockbuster of the season and while much was expected at the box-office, few could have predicted its critical success.  Almost a year after its release, it won 5 Academy Awards including best picture (I’d tipped Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and a career-defining best actor statuette for Russell Crowe.  It stands up on a rewatch and the iconic film score of Hans Zimmer has been played countless times across the globe.

Was a sequel required?  Probably not… and yet here we are.  Gladiator II takes place 16 years after its predecessor and, with Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) having met his demise, the responsibility for liberating Rome from its corrupt emperors has fallen on the shoulders of his son, Lucius (Mescal).  The film opens with Lucius’s wife killed (an arrow to the heart) while defending their hometown of Numidia from conquering Roman soldiers led by Marcus Acacius (Pascal).  He is subsequently captured and sold to a wealthy “Master of Gladiators” (Washington) to be exploited in epic fights.

Lucius knows the best gladiators can earn their freedom by winning the public’s affections and so he channels his “rage”, puts in the hard work, and survives a series of life-threatening battles (although I wasn’t convinced by the CGI monkeys).  A newfound friend asks why he’s so greedy for pain in this life, given how much is waiting in the next one, but Lucius is undeterred and seeks bloody vengeance against those who have wronged him.

The film leans too heavily into nostalgia, and I lost track of all the references to earlier quotes and plot points from the original Gladiator.  It’s as if writers David Scarpa (All the Money in the World) and Peter Craig (Top Gun: Maverick) have taken a risk-free approach when it comes to themes and tone.  I’d have preferred a more adventurous (said metaphorically) outing but that’s just a personal preference.

Almost everything else deserves praise.  It’s hard to believe an 86-year-old, Sir Ridley Scott, has the energy to churn out a film this good.  Paul Mescal (Aftersun) is terrific as the reluctant hero, and I loved the contrast of his intense passion inside the area versus the softly spoken tiredness outside of it.  It’s also Denzel Washington’s (Training Day) best performance in years as he steps into the shoes of a cunning manipulator playing one side against the other in pursuit of his own agenda.

The production values are credible, the music of Harry Gregson-Williams is stirring (it uses a few riffs from Zimmer’s score), the sound effects are thunderous, and the action sequences will get the heart pumping.  It was never going to live up to the achievement of the first movie, but I’m impressed by what Gladiator II has to offer.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 November 2024

I’ve never swum there myself but every time I get down to Bondi Beach in Sydney, I take a look at the famous Icebergs pool.  With the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop and the pool filled with fresh saltwater, it’s described as “the most photographed swimming pool in the world.”  Once you’ve been there in person, it’s easy to see why.  The swimming club was founded in 1929 and the iconic spot will soon celebrate its centennial.

Directed by documentary filmmaker Ian Darling (The Final Quarter, The Oasis), The Pool is a motivational, uplifting film that takes us inside the world of the Bondi Icebergs.  We meet the swimmers, varying widely in age, for whom it is an intricate part of their life.  Some swim socially on a regular basis with friends… while others train hard and seek competitive glory.  We also observe the hard-working staff – from the administrators and cleaners through to the lifesavers and trainers.  It’s a pretty cool place to work!

It may not sound like riveting cinema (a doco about a swimming pool???) but Darling is to be commended for finding so many interesting people to film and interview.  They all have great backstories.  I couldn’t help but smile as I listened to them talk about how much the Icebergs means to them.  With so much tragedy in the world (the subject of many other documentaries), it’s nice to be reminded of life’s positives – beautiful views, great friends, and outdoor exercise (amongst others).

Darling doesn’t want the film to be just an interview-fest and so there are times when he dispenses with dialogue and just lets the sights and sounds do the talking.  We watch excited swimmers go about their day while listening to waves crashing against the shoreline, seagulls squawking above, and storms rolling in.  If this doesn’t generate the inspiration to travel to Sydney and swim there (well, maybe not in winter), you’re a tough person to please.

Shot over 100 days, with the crew getting wet themselves, The Pool captures the essence of Australian people and culture and showcases it to the world.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 November 2024

Sylvia (Chastain) is a recovered alcoholic (sober 13 years) and sexual abuse survivor who lives with her only daughter, Anna (Timber).  Reluctantly attending her high school reunion, she falsely accuses as attendee, Saul (Sarsgaard), of abusing her as a teenager.  Once the “mix up” is cleared, Sylvia learns that Saul has early onset dementia.  His wealthy family provides Sylvia some much-needed cash in return for looking after Saul during the day and as they spend more time together, romance ensues.

Memory is difficult to believe.  It comes across as a strange, contrived story that you struggle to think could ever happen in the real world (perhaps I’m wrong).  While the narrative is a battle, it’s filled with a bunch of great individual scenes which help compensate.  The three headline performances of Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Peter Sarsgaard (Shattered Glass), and Meritt Weaver (Nurse Jackie), as Sylvia’s younger sister, also boost the material.

There’s a moment when Sylvia’s young niece asks why she doesn’t drink alcohol, and it starts a discussion about what age it’s appropriate to be talking about alcoholism and one’s troubled past.  Sylvia’s brother-in-law (Charles) quickly shuts the conversation down.  While Sylvia talks about her troubles with booze, she’s less open about the sexual abuse she experienced during her childhood.  It leads to conflict with her own daughter who can’t understand why her mum is so guarded and protective.  The situation becomes more complicated when Sylvia’s estranged mother (Harper) forces her way back into their lives.

It’s these sequences about parenting, honesty, and dealing with trauma which resonate most strongly.  I was less sold on the romantic interplay between Sylvia and Saul which is too much of a focus.  Winner of best actor at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival for Sarsgaard and nominated for best actress at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards for Chastain, it’s taken over a year for it to reach Australian shores.  Written and directed by Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco (After Lucia, Sundown), Memory is well-intentioned but a little unfulfilling.