matthewdenby

I was initially drawn to this film after stumbling across the director's previous documentary, Grizzly Man, which won me over to his eccentric and off-beat style. But despite his attempts to find and showcase more engaging weirdos to frame his narrative, nothing can outshine the amazing visuals of the Chauvet Cave. I was fortunate enough to see this film in its intended 3D cinematic presentation, and some of the shots were breathtaking. Herzog gives us the opportunity to take in the stunning paleolithic art in a way once impossible for most of us - with real life access to the cave strictly controlled. Some of the cave art inspires a real sense of awe and wonder. Which is just as well because there are no stand out human characters here to push things along ala Grizzly Man. There are a few relatively gentle 'Herzogian' moments to raise giggles though; the professional 'sniffer', the scientist dressed up in his imagined stone age finery... The final 'post script' scene set in a crocodile-infested biosphere, though, was just too silly, convoluted and clumsy for my liking. Overall, though, an excellent film for those interested in the subject, and well worth seeing in 3D. I give it 7.5/10

I strongly recommend this documentary, which focuses on the life and gruesome death of self-appointment grizzly bear "protector" Timothy Treadwell. It is a fascinating character study of a passionate but tragically deluded man, and the cast of oddball characters attached to his story -from the people who supported his delusions, to the bizarre coroner who talks us through the state of his remains. Treadwell clearly was a big fan of that other irresponsible and deluded individual, The Crocodile Hunter; obsessively filming himself in often contrived situations with dangerous wild animals. We see much of Treadwell's work in this film, and it reveals a lot more about him than his purported subjects, the bears. His camera was still running, recording audio, the day he and his girlfriend were horrifically eaten alive by a hungry bear. While we are thankfully spared the tape, we are given a gruesome insight into the consequences. Despite Treadwell's gross irresponsibility, we are left feeling pity and sadness for this passionate and strangely likable man and the woman who he took with him. The flick is also a fascinating nature documentary, with some great Alaskan vistas thrown in for the bargain. Go see it. 9/10

An interesting portrayal of how heroin addiction impacts a cross section of people in suburban Sydney. The "little fish" in the multi-million dollar heroin trade swim around in circles, trying to escape the lives they are stuck with – some with more success than others. Tracy (Cate Blanchett) lives with the legacy of her former addiction, faced with temptation to fall back to her old ways, and constantly hitting a brick wall in her attempts to start her own business and escape her stagnant existence. Blanchett is, of course, strong in her portrayal, which was apparently inspired by her real-life interviews with addicts. The moment when she is tempted to return to her old ways is genuinely disturbing. Noni Hazelhurst is particularly excellent as tormented mum Janelle, desperate to keep her family from sinking, once again, into the mire. Hugo Weaving is convincing in his role has a drug-addled former football hero. His strong performance is boosted by his startling physical transformation. Watch out for Dustin Nguyen, who you might remember from '80s teen cop show 21 Jump Street. His accent is a little confused, which we can probably write off as the result of his character's multi-national background. Although the pic meanders a bit to begin with, taking some time to build up pace, it's a generally satisfying exploration of the underside of life in Sydney suburbia. Some sub-plots work much better than others, but the film is well worth a look, especially if you are a fan of the talented cast who generally shine here.