PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

A film that packs a punch, Promising Young Woman is the clever, thrilling and at times, darkly humorous tale of Cassandra (Carey Mulligan); a barista by day and a femme fatale on a quest for vengeance by night. This social commentary about all of the ‘good guys’ who prey on vulnerable, incapacitated women isn’t afraid to make its audience uncomfortable and is wholly confident in its ability to buck convention whilst still creating an engaging film. Mulligan is in career best form here, and is already a red hot favourite to score an Oscar nom for her efforts (and to date is my personal tip to win). 

AMMONITE 

Perhaps it’s not by accident that the title ‘Ammonite’ is in reference to a fossil, because by the time story gets to its point, that’s the general state the audience is in. It’s the vaguely true story of the British paleontologist Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) and her supposed romantic relationship with the married Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), who is left in Anning’s care by her husband due to her depressive state following the death of their child. The grey, bleakness of the film is inescapable and becomes hard to engage with for the most part.  This is really one for the fans of very slow, very quiet, Regency era lesbian romances (niche market that one). It’s basically the British equivalent of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, only this time with a MUCH greater pay off when the two leads finally succumb to their sapphic urges. 

MUSIC 

This flashy directorial debut from acclaimed singer/songwriter Sia had all the promise to be something memorable, but unfortunately was mired in controversy even before its release due to its casting of a neurotypical actor to portray a neurodiverse character. This story of a struggling, alcoholic drug dealer (Kate Hudson) who is made guardian of her autistic teenage sister (Maddie Ziegler) wants to be What’s Eating Gilbert Grape meets MTV (although that’s another film that wouldn’t pass the ‘woke test’ in 2021), but instead delivers a midday movie on acid. Sia tries too hard here to bring her musical savvy onto the silver screen, and perhaps should have just picked a lane and stuck to it, as there’s way too much going on here to make a meaningful impact. 

PENGUIN BLOOM

One of the three mainstream Aussie films to hit cinemas in January, Penguin Bloom is certainly the most heartwarming of the solid trio. It’s the true to life story of a woman who becomes paralysed in a freak balcony accident in Thailand, and her journey of acceptance of her fate with the help of her family and a rescued Magpie. Naomi Watts and Andrew Lincoln (with a decent Aussie accent I might add) are terrific as a couple learning to navigate the greatest challenge of their lives, but it’s newcomer Griffin Murray-Johnston who plays the couples eldest son that really steals each scene he’s in. A solid, uplifting affair, this one is good fodder for the soul.