michaeldbirt

After WW2, hundreds, perhaps thousands of films were made to tell the story of those who took part, to celebrate the heroes and explain to those who were not there why Uncle Frank is like he is. Some concentrate on the 'big picture', others, like The Bridge At Remagen have a narrower focus on a specific incident. In this film cardboard cut-out characters, a slow-pace, and a thin script come together with lots of pyrotechnics in a cookie-cutter movie about the capture of an important bridge that will accelerate the American advance, or slow it long enough for German reinforcements to prepare for the inevitable onslaught. Some of the camera work is reminiscent of combat reportage, but otherwise this is far from outstanding because the ipportunity to focus on characters is missed. There are moments, but not too many. Unfortunately, this film has an emphasis on the bang and boom of war, but little else beyond the need toobjective of capture or defend the bridge. Have a look at A Bridge Too Far instead.

There is much to admire in Territory. The acting is very good, the scenery magnificent and the guts of the story (generally) believable. But there are silly elements which undermine the overall story about the world's largest cattle station which is under deep financial pressure, and its neighbours which are trying to take it over or steal all its cattle one by one. There's no shortage of skulduggery and with the various participants trying to screw each other commercially (and literally) it kicks along briskly as the different factions within the Lawson family with different wants and ambitions fight for suppremacy. Indigenous issues are handled clearly and sympathetically, but not too heavily, as sometimes happens. The positives in Territory greatly outweigh the negatives.

There is a need to suspend disbelief throughput The Substance which runs 2 hours 20 and seems a little long as it drifts around looking at ageism in tv and film. The Substance takes a sci-fi / horror approach and there was a fair bit of laughing in my audience, and I'm not sure that was generally because of well placed jokes. Demi Moore is very good as Elisabeth Sparkle, a mature tv aerobics instructor who is in great shape, but sacked by a revolting tv executive (Dennis Quaid) and replaced by young and perky Sue (Margaret Qualley), but whose show is basically the same. Angry and frustrated, Elisabeth takes a mysterious Substance in a bid to regain her youth and career.

Ironically Moore has had a bit of work over the years which led me to wonder if she now regrets that, or is it the price one pays for success in film snd tv or the business world in general. The Substance seems to borrow some of its imagery from 2001: A space Odyssey and Little Shop of Horrors. In the end I suspect this may garner a cult following. Its good fun in its quirky weirdness.