Senna (2011)

A good documentary should engage the audience regardless of whether they have a knowledge or passion for its subject matter. Senna is a classic example of this, as your interest in Formula One racing or Senna himself is not a prerequisite to find this excellently crafted film absorbing, compelling and moving. With the blessing of the Senna family, director Asif Kapadia gives us an entertaining insight into the man, the drama and politics of the sport exclusively through on and off track archival footage (some extremely rare) supported by various voice over with out a talking head in sight. The structure of the film is not an overly conventional and traditional one, but in hindsight, was the best possible presentation to allow us to be transfixed at the saga that was Ayrton Senna’s F1 career up until his death in 1994.

RocknRolla (2008)

Guy Ritchie’s first two films can arguably be called instant classics with his unique flair and (some what) originality earning him titles such as “the British Tarantino”. Though both Lock, Stock & Smoking Barrels and Snatch remain an acquired taste (and strictly “boys club” filmmaking), it’s hard to deny they gave a shot in the arm to mainstream cinema and made gangsters cool again. Unfortunately, Ritchie lost his way slightly after the success of these films; becoming a family man possibly changed his perspective slightly, but a woeful decision to make a film with his then-wife, the acting deprived Madonna, had him labelled as quickly as the “king of cool” to having lost it. Coming to his senses, Ritchie went back to the well and gave us (the hardly seen and critically paned) Revolver. However bad it may have been, that film seem to provide the director with renewed passion and he followed with RocknRolla before helming the entertaining blockbuster, Sherlock Holmes.

Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2011)

Mark Hartley, director of Not Quite Hollywood, presents us with a companion piece written, edited and presented almost the exact same way as his outstanding Aussie doco. As with NQH, he delves into B-grade exploitation, this time focusing on the Pilipino industry during the late 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The country's pioneers of the extremely low budget drive-in efforts are showcased respectfully, but ultimately it focuses from when legendary shlock-king Roger Corman’s New World Pictures got involved early on.

Black Swan (2010)

Director Darren Aronofsky is a unique beast in Hollywood. A filmmaking auteur, his five films have been wildly different but always exceptionally challenging and distinctive. With Black Swan, a remarkable experience in psychological horror, his work continues to evolve in this way. In short, a young New York ballet dancer, Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), is given the chance to live her dream portraying the “Swan Queen” in a performance of Swan Lake under the demanding, watchful eye of revered director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel). Overwhelming pressure from the ever growingly closer performance, her obsessive mother and guilt of stepping into the place of Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder), a once beloved performer now shunned by Leroy, takes its toll and Nina slowly descends into hallucination and extreme behaviour. What becomes clear early on is that the film’s narrative is Swan Lake, making Black Swan, the movie, an achievement perhaps to overwhelming to comprehend after just one viewing.

Retrospective #2: Dirty Harry (1971)

Dir. Don Siegel

"When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher's knife and a hard on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross"

Blue Valentine (2010)

Set in an unknown, unimportant time and place, Blue Valentine is the story of a couple, Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams). As well as their young daughter, Frankie (Faith Wladyka). The story, in the direct sense is about their first meeting, their falling in love, marriage and eventual divorce. However, the film never plays it that straight. And it doesn’t always limit itself to questioning only their relationship. It goes beyond one couple's existence, inevitably analysing the notion of what love can mean between any two people.

Green Zone (2010)

Set almost directly after the US invaded Iraq in the search of WMDs in 2003, Green Zone follows Military Chief Roy Miller (Matt Damon) as he leads his squad through an anarchic Middle East environment heroically looking for said weapons. Constantly coming up with “a donut” at the end of his missions, he becomes increasingly suspicious of how the intelligence he is receiving is leading him to dead ends. With the help of a paranoid Iraq citizen, a CIA agent (Brendan Gleeson) and a strong desire to make a difference in the face of war, he takes on a risky path to the truth.