November was another month of watching and writing about films we have seen during the month.
 
The Sapphires (2012):  a musical/comedy/drama telling the story of four Aboriginal girls from a mission who managed to sing their way to fame as the Sapphires who entertained American troops in Vietnam.  This was fitting as our class was during NAIDOC week.  Rated as 4/5.  (one of the singers retired to Rumbalara, the Yorta Yorta co-op just out of Shepparton. She died a few years ago.)
Tinker Sailor Soldier Spy (2011):  This is a drama, mystery and thriller, based on John le Carré's novel.  In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.  Rated as 3.5/5.
The Passionate Stranger (1957): This is a story within a story, with the real story shot in black-and-white and the imagined story shot in colour, to help keep you on track.  A chauffeur gets the wrong idea when he reads his lady boss's erotic novel and believes the novel is telling a “real life” story and that she is in love with him.  Rated as 3-3.5/5
A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood (2019):  Based on the real life story of Fred Rogers it offers a message about acceptance and understanding, of a man living a story of kindness triumphing over cynicism.  It was less interesting as it was based on the American children’s TV presenter who was little known in Australia.  Rated as 2.5/3.
63 Up (2020): Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults he has been interviewing every seven years since they were 7 years old.  They are now 63.  The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years. Rated as 5/5 as it is a favourite series.
 
We are continuing with this approach for the class as the group is enjoying the variety of films and comments.  We would welcome anyone who wishes to participate by sharing thoughts about films they have watched and interested in hearing comments about films others have watched.  You can send me a message on [email protected].  Contributions are due by 9 December for our next “class”.  We will continue this approach for 2021 until we are able access a film at BPACC.

​Joy Shirley

We watched another wide range of films during October, although a couple of themes are apparent.  Many of them are biographical with two relevant to recent occurrences – the deaths of Helen Reddy and Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  And there are a couple of Australian films included. 

​I have included the ratings that members of the group have given for the films, although not everyone may agree with these as each of us looks for different things from the films we are watching.

Skin (2008): a biographical drama, a fictionalised retelling of the life of Sandra Laing, born to white Afrikaner parents, but classed as black in the apartheid era because of her dark skin.  Rated as 3-4/5.
I am Woman (2019): This is a biographical drama, telling the story of Helen Reddy’s life as she moves to the US to start her recording career.  Rated as 3 out of 5.
Julie & Julia (2009) Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book.  Rated as 4/5.
Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020): Australian mystery adventure film based on the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries television series and the series of Phryne Fisher novels written by Kerry Greenwood.  Rated as 3/5.
Two hands (1999): a 1999 Australian Comedy/Crime movie starring Heath Ledger, Bryan Brown, Rose Byrne, David Field and Susie Porter.  A 19-year-old finds himself in debt to a local gangster when some gang loot disappears and sets him on the run from thugs.  Rated as 3/5.
On the Basis of Sex (2018): The true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her struggles for equal rights, and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice. Rated as 3.5/5.

And one member of the class provided some comments on a book read recently – “The French Photographer”, the story of a war correspondent during WW2.   A great read.
​
We are continuing with this approach for the class as the group is enjoying the variety of films and comments.  We would welcome anyone who wishes to participate by sharing thoughts about films they have watched and interested in hearing comments about films others have watched.  You can send me a message on [email protected].  Contributions are due by 11 November for our next “class”.

Joy Shirley