By Rama Gaind
Mother (Madman Entertainment)
Stars: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin
Director: Bong Joon-ho
From the director of such classics as The Host and Memories of Murder, this gripping Korean mystery has a slow start and a shocking end.
How far would you go to prove the innocence of your child if he was accused of a horrific crime? Hye-ja is one single mother who leaves no stone unturned.
After a teenage girl is found dead in an abandoned building, 27-year-old Do-joon is accused of her murder.
Hye-ja is horrified when her son is arrested. Do-joon is mentally slow, but she is convinced of his innocence, and sets about finding evidence to set him free, regardless of the cost.
Delivering an excellent performance, Hye-ja treads a fine line between being emotionally delicate and tough.
Stick with the action and you will be suitably surprised.
As well, you will enjoy the special DVD features including the making of Mother, a look at behind the scenes, during the shooting, interview with the film’s director, main and other characters and the first and last days of shooting.
Genova (Madman Entertainment)
Cast: Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, Willa Holland, Perla Haney-Jardine, Hope Davis
Director: Michael Winterbottom
A well-directed drama with passive emotions, this film sees brilliant performances from Firth, Holland and Haney-Jardine.
Firth is Joe, who after the tragic death of his wife, goes to Genoa with his two daughters – Kelly (Holland) and Mary (Haney-Jardine). He has accepted a 12-month university position and meets up with a former colleague Barbara (Keener).
While Mary is haunted with guilt over her mother’s death, Kelly is quite the opposite and wastes no time in joining the social set.
As the family gets around the city, we see a never-ending stretch of Genoa streets but the story is devoid of required sentiments.
British director Michael Winterbottom certainly provides variety: three of his films — Welcome to Sarajevo, Wonderland and 24 Hour Party People — were nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Noodle (Madman Entertainment)
Cast: Mili Avital, BaoQi Chen, Alon Abutbul, Sinaya Ben-Dor, Yiftach Klein, Daphna Shpigelman, Sarit Vino-Elad, Anat Waxman and Roni Yuria
Director: Ayelet Menahemi
BaoQi Chen is lovable in the title role – even though he doesn’t speak English or Hebrew.
Avital plays flight attendant Miri in this Israeli film who unexpectedly finds herself looking after her Chinese cleaner’s six-year-old son. She had only left him with her for an hour, but she hasn’t returned.
Miri carries her own grief and lives with her sister, Gila, who has recently separated from her husband.
Frustration at being saddled with Noodle gives way to a fiercely maternal love and the realisation that she must track down his mother.
It proves to be a heart-wrenching journey with a satisfactory ending.
