The film is beautifully crafted with an amazing visual aesthetic. The drone shots are particularly impressive at establishing the out in the wilderness feel. The sound design is also noteworthy, as no matter how lush and green the visuals are, there is an edginess imparted through the music used as the film score. It is noisey post-rock in nature and emanates almost entirely from the side speakers in the cinema. This acts to never lets you relax into mere travelogue mode.

The story revolves around themes of family, duty, guilt and the awful misuse of power by the church (you know which one). It is also an acting tour de force with Daniel as Ray Stoker going toe-to-toe with Sean Bean as his brother Jem. When they reunite after years apart, they dance around the awful facts that make up their past as they head towards the inevitable clash. This brutal brawl erupts near the film’s end. All of their life details are revealed conversationally, and you hang on every word and physical nuance. There are also a number of fantasy scenes where you are left alone to find meaning.

There is a mastery at work here that requires attention and empathy and rewards those who look for more than surface entertainment in their film-going ethos. The technical aspects are sublime, as are the acting chops on display and the solid writing through out. This is not a work that you can casually approach; you need to be all in, and if you are, it is one of this young year’s most rewarding pleasures.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/UniversalPicturesAU/

Anemone explores the intricate relationships between fathers, sons and brothers, and the dynamics of familial bonds. 

Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley and Safia Oakley-Green, Anemone will be released in Aussie cinemas this November!
www.facebook.com/UniversalPicturesAU/

Daniel Day-Lewis in his reportedly last ever role, goes out in fine style with an incredibly nuanced performance that also floods you with different emotions. One minute you see this dressmaker’s genius, then the next all his flaws come flooding out.

Those that live in this rarified world of money and fashion (even in the fifties) have a aura of unreality that suits this story well. Daniel Day-Lewis’ character Reynolds Woodcock is so far removed from the lives of the average man that it never really strikes him the absurdity of having so many people to look after his every whim.

The film’s sumptuous look and finely detailed script put the onus on the viewer to dig deep to get the most out of the experience. Things are told with subtlety and require attention. Also to be commended is Jonny Greenwood’s outstanding film score that also comes way out of left field considering his day job as the guitarist in Radiohead.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/PhantomThread

Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock.

Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love.

Phantom Thread is in cinemas February 1!
www.phantomthread.com.au

To enter this great competition just fill in the entry form below. Please note – these tickets are for a specific screening only and can not be exchanged or refunded. The winners will need to be available on January 29 at 6:30pm in Brisbane to be able to attend this screening at New Farm Cinemas.

Competition will be drawn 23 January 2018, winners will be notified by email.