Movie Monkeys

Departures (out 10 May 10, Cert. 12)

Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamasaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kasuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano, dir Yojiro Takita, 2008, cert. 12, in Japanese with subtitles

Monkey Score: 85%

Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) loses his job as a cellist when his orchestra is dissolved. Moving back to his hometown with his wife to start over, he replies to a job ad entitled 'Departures' thinking 'travel agency', only to find out the job is actually that of a 'nokanshi' (or 'encoffineer'), a traditional Japanese funeral professional who prepare the dead for burial. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living.

What a breath of fresh air. Departures somehow portrays the world of "NK Agents" as a gentle, humane service to both the living and the dead - Daigo's boss sums it up when hiring him as an assistant: "You don't look depressing." From job to job Daigo discovers that you can take pride in performing this role, seen as "unclean" by most: the families involved need closure, and a chance to make their peace with both each other and the deceased. The nokanshi is central to this: in preparing for the part Masahiro Motoki learnt the beautiful and silent ritual that looks and feels almost like a dance. His performance is nothing short of brilliant. He brings nuance and humanity to the role, as Daigo goes from shame to pride, realising that one cannot lead a full life without acknowledging death. Director Yojiro Takita navigates the difficulties of dealing with death with mastery, without ever crossing the bad taste, depressing or morbid lines. He also brings his comedy background to Departures: there's a great sense of timing throughout, with each scene perfectly choreographed and even a few funny moments to lighten the mood. The small town where the film takes place contributes to giving Departures grounding: as Daigo and his wife leave the neon lights of Tokyo behind, they have a chance to regroup and rediscover what drives them. Japanese cultural traditions such as nokanshi are eroded by big cities life but Yojiro Takita shows that those age-old rituals can help us make sense of modern life. Departures will probably go down in film history manuals as a very important piece: audiences where the film has already come out agreed to the tune of over 80 awards and a 40-million dollar + box office. This is no surprise as the moving story is told with beautiful cinematography, exceptional performances and a most stunning score. Departures is a treat for the heart and soul.

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The Unloved (out 10 May 10, Cert. 15)

Molly Windsor, Robert Carlisle, Lauren Socha, Susan Lynch, dir. Samantha Morton, 2009, cert. 15

MonkeyScore: TBC%

Following years of abuse by her violent dad (Robert Carlisle), 11 year-old Lucy (Molly Windsor) arrives at Crop's Row Children's Home, where she has to sharesa room with 16 year-old Lauren (Lauren Socha.) After being initially rather hostile to the youngster, Lauren takes Lucy under her wing.

REVIEW COMING SOON

Mugabe And The White African (out 10 May 10, Exempt from Certification)

Documentary directed by Lucy Bailey and Andrew Thompson, 2009, cert. 15

Monkey Score: 88%

Mugabe And The White African tells the story of Mike and his family in their struggle to keep their farm. Mike is white but first and foremost African - his love for Zimbabwe fuels his legal fight against the Mugabe regime. When Mike and his wife bought their farm over 20 years ago, Mugabe had already started his notorious land reform programme, seizing land in the hands of private white farmers to redistribute to poor black farmers. Or so goes the theory. Filmmakers Lucy Bailey and Andrew Thompson managed to film - mostly covertly - a harrowing account of what really goes on in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's rule: intimidation tactics, violent beatings, blatant racism and constant threats are the norm. Mike was granted permission to buy the farm by Mugabe's government, who waived rights to the piece of land. In Zimbabwe, however, this is worth about as much as the country's currency, or courts rulings for that matter - as Mike and his family find out.

Mugabe And The White African is a very powerful account of the daily struggle faced by white farmers in Zimbabwe. Mugabe's electoral promises of the 1980s may have appealed to the masses who elected him, but 30 years after he came into power his track record leaves a bloody trail. The Robin Hood 'take from the rich to give to the poor' policy is exposed in the film as a cover for nepotism of the most sinister kind. Mugabe And The White African makes no apologies for imperial rule, and certainly one may wonder if all farmland in white hands was acquired on the up and up, but the film does a stellar job at showing just how Mugabe's regime treats its citizens. The government's own legal rulings are not enforced - watching Mike and his son-in-law attempts to fight the dictator through the courts is quite painful. They fly to neighbouring Namibia on several occasions to get heard in court and you can't help to wonder why they bother such is the contempt with which they are treated by the country they call home. Mugabe And The White African is an important piece of film that makes for uncomfortable yet necessary viewing. One hopes that is does for Mugabe's regime what Farhenheit 911 did for the Bush administration.

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Dorothy (out 10 May 10, Cert. 15)

Carice Van Houten, Jenn Murray, Gary Lewis, dir. Agnes Merlet, 2008, cert. 15

MonkeyScore: TBC%

Psychotherapist Jane Morton (Carice van Houten) is summoned to a small island community off the coast of Ireland to investigate the case of a profoundly disturbed young woman. Dorothy Mills (Jenn Murray) is a teenager who strangled a young girl outside a church for no apparent reason. Jane soon diagnoses Dorothy as suffering from multiple personality disorder and attempts to sort out the various anti-social identities that battle for control of her mind. But Pastor Ross (Gary Lewis), head of the local church, has a different view of Dorothy's problem - he's convinced Dorothy has been possessed by the devil, and believes an exorcism is the cure.

REVIEW COMING SOON

44 Inch Chest (out 10 May 10, Cert. 18)

Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Tom Wilkinson, Ian McShane, Joanne Whalley, Stephen Berkoff, dir. Malcolm Venville, 2009, cert. 18

MonkeyScore: 44%

Colin Diamond (Winstone) comes home to his beloved wife Liz (Whalley) to hear that she's met someone else. Grief-stricken the hard-man ropes up friends Meredith (McShane), Archie (Wilkinson) and Old Man Peanut (Hurt) to help him take revenge and kidnap his wife's lover.

There is a certain level of expectation when such a cast as that of 44 Inch Chest is assembled. Unfortunately such expectation is blown to smithereens in Malcolm Venville's film. The acting is tremendous throughout - particularly John Hurt as Old Man Peanut and Ian McShane as Meredith - and the direction is competent enough, yet somehow it didn't work for us. There are some great scenes here and there, one in particular where Ray Winstone is lying on the floor of his freshly trashed home listening to PMT music on repeat, but it doesn't add up. What really bothered us throughout is that the gang don't go all medieval on the wife's lover, which is what you are in right to expect with such gangster pedigree.In the end it's like the film spends most of its length setting up something that just isn't there. Oh well.

Where The Wild Things Are (out 10 May 10, Cert. PG)

Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara,Forest Whitaker, dir. Spike Jonze, 2009, cert. PG

MonkeyScore: TBC%

9-year-old Max (Max Records) stomps around the house in his wolf suit, feeling neglected. When his mom (Catherine Keener) sends him to bed without supper, Max runs away. He finds a boat and sails to a distant land where fuzzy monsters are raising a rumpus in the forest. Since his wolf suit allows him to fit right in, he joins the fray, catching the eye of Carol (James Gandolfini.)The Wild Things pronounce Max king, hoping he can bring cohesion to their fractured family. While young Max has the time of his life, he starts to realise he has to make a choice: stay with the Wild Things or return home.

REVIEW COMING SOON

It's Complicated (out 10 May 10, Cert. 15)

Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, dir. Nancy Meyers, 2009, cert. 15

MonkeyScore: TBC%

Jane Adler (Streep) has her life all figured out. Her bakery is thriving, things are going well with new boyfriend Adam (Martin) and her divorce is finally behind her - until ex-husband Jake (Baldwin) comes back into her life determined to get her back.

REVIEW COMING SOON

Margaret (out 10 May 10, Cert. 15)

Lindsay Duncan, James Fox, Robert Hardy, Ian McDiarmid, dir. James Kent, 2009, cert. 15

MonkeyScore: TBC%

1990. Margaret Thatcher (Lindsay Duncan) sees her support within the government wavering. Then, long-serving politician Sir Geoffrey Howe resigns over her attitude to Europe. His resignation speech sparks a chain of events that leads to the downfall of Britain's first woman prime minister.

REVIEW COMING SOON

Delgo (out 10 May 10, Cert. 12)

Voices of Freddie Prinze Jr, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anne Bancroft, Val Kilmer, Chris Kattan, Eric Idle, dir. Marc F. Adler / Jason Maurer, 2008, cert. 12

MonkeyScore: 23%

Delgo, an adventurous but naive teenager, must rally his group of friends to protect their world from conflict between the Lockni and Nohrin people.

Despite the impressive talent rounded up to give voices to the characters, Delgo is an inconsistent animated film. The animation is most definitely not up to the standard we have come to expect from major studios. This is possibly the coup de grace for this underwhelming effort as neither the characters nor the storyline have enough substance to carry it through either. Indeed one is left wondering what the studio bosses where thinking when they green-lit the project: it's to basic and dull to interest anyone whose age contains more than a single digit, while the degree of violence throughout precludes Delgo from being suitable for them. Missing its point.