From the drama-filled mind of a pre-teen girl to the homes of former Indonesian death-squad members; from a day in the life of a transgender sex-worker to a grim and sublime new rendition of one of Shakespeare's most famous plays; from one actor's immense ego to another's fading relevance to an allegedly doomed writer's captivating self-effacement, Eureka Street's resident film buff Tim Kroenert revisits the characters and themes of some of the best and most conversation-worthy films of 2015.
Inside Out (PG). Directors: Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen. 102 minutes
One of the best films in Pixar's remarkable catalogue, Inside Out takes viewers inside the mind of a preteen girl named Riley, and personifies aspects of her personality as characters vying for control. Up until now, Riley's life and temperament have been largely guided by Joy (voiced by the irrepressible Amy Poehler). But when her family moves from the small town she grew up in to San Francisco, other emotions, notably Sadness (Phyllis Smith) begin to (literally) colour her world view. In a manner that perhaps only Pixar could pull off, the film manages to be both endlessly inventive and entertaining, while simultaneously providing a sophisticated and devestating exploration of loss and change, and pain's place in it.
Full review
Clouds of Sils Maria (MA). Director: Olivier Assayas. 124 minutes
Theater and film star Maria (Juliet Binoche) is cast in a new production of the play that kick-started her career 20 years ago. But where she originally portrayed the play's young female lead, this time she is playing her older counterpart. French director Assayas' masterpiece psychological drama contains numerous scenes in which Maria and her intensely intelligent assistant Valentine (the ever more impressive Kristen Stewart) run lines, and in which it is not always clear where the rehearsal ends and conversation resumes. The blurred lines between reality and performance heighten the ambiguities of the characters and their relationship, as the film explores the experience and psychology of women in an industry where youth and beauty is frequently seen as a commodity.
Full review
Ex Machina (MA). Director: Alex Garland. 108 minutes
Ex Machina explores timeless questions about the essence of humanity, and the ethical and moral implications when humankind adopts the mantle of Creator, in a highly contemporary context. Programming genius Nathan (Oscar Isaac) enlists one of his employees, Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), to assist with the final stages of his latest, top-secret project — the development of an artificial intelligence that approximates