Film Screening 26th May, 2007

Poster for The Last King of Scotland

The Last King of Scotland 

8:00 PM, 26th May, 2007
No Guests

  • MA
  • 118 mins
  • 2006
  • Kevin Macdonald
  • Jeremy Brock and Peter Morgan
  • Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington and David Oyelowo

A young Scottish doctor (McAvoy) is working in Uganda on a medical mission - as much in search of cheap thrills as for humanitarian motives. When hes called upon to treat Uganda's dictatorial leader Idi Amin (Whitaker), he finds himself drawn into Amin's inner circle - a very dangerous place to be.Yes, this is a well-scripted thriller, tensely directed, with a lot of insight into all-too-recent history. But there's one key reason why you shouldn't miss this film - the performance of Forrest Whitaker, who shows both Amin's immense personal charm, and the mass-murdering lunatic bubbling just under the surface. After a long career of being the quiet, brooding type in films like Ghost Dog and Panic Room, it's a surprising turnaround, but a welcome one. Meanwhile, McAvoy brings his boyish charm, as deployed on TV in stuff like "Shameless" and "State of Play", and allows it to slowly disintegrate into mortal panic as he's exposed to more and more of Amin's evil. If you want to know about a dangerous period of history, if you're a lover of fine acting, or if you simply want to know what on earth the title has to do with a movie about Uganda, then you need to see this movie.'

Simon Tolhurst

Poster for Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal 

10:58 PM, 26th May, 2007

  • MA
  • 92 mins
  • 2006
  • Richard Eyre
  • Patrick Marber (novel by Zoe Heller)
  • Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Bill Nighy

As I write this review, the film is yet to be released in Australia. However, reviews and plot descriptions that Ive read make the film sound intriguing and definitely worth seeing!Sheba Hart (Blanchett) is the new art teacher at St. George's, a mother who has spent much of her recent life devoted to her children and older husband. Upper class and provocative, she is a direct contrast to most of her colleagues at the school. Barbara Covett (Dench) forms an obsession with Sheba and is fascinated by her actions from afar. At one point, Barbara assists Sheba, and a friendship forms. Therefore, when Sheba begins an affair with 15-year-old Steven, Barbara is ever present, watching over Sheba. Barbara uses the affair to her advantage, forcing Sheba to trust in Barbara to keep her secret. Reviews indicate that the story line is so powerful that you remain more engrossed in the story than judging the situation. The characters appear rich, and the relationships between Sheba and various characters (Steven, Barbara and even her husband) seem to be worth exploring. I've seen this movie described as a 'case study on obsessive relationships', and the acting is also meant to be excellent. See you there!'

Raechel Johns