’Memento’

A fascinating, cerebral thriller as an ex-insurance investigator looks to find who murdered his wife. But his search is compounded by a rare and untreatable form of memory loss.

The last thing Leonard (Guy Pearce) remembers is the death of his wife. But he now lives in a snapshot of repeats, aided by a Polaroid camera and notes jotted on the image or tattooed onto his body. The confusion of time is part of the quest – one part moves forward, the second part moves the narrative backwards. Where did the car and fancy suit come from? Just who is Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) – friend or foe? And waitress Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss). What is her role in his narrative?

Captivating, occasionally confusing and expansive in its ambition within a confined chronology. Only director Christopher Nolan’s second film, it’s a quiet, low-budget character piece that avoids much of the bluster and bombast of his later films.

Nominated for 2 Oscars in 2002 – original script, editing

Rating: 76%

Director: Christopher Nolan (Inception, Oppenheimer)

Writer: Christopher Nolan (Inception, Oppenheimer), Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight, TV’s Westworld)

Main cast: Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential, Holding the Man), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, TV’s Wisting), Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, Bad Boys For Life)

‘Animal Kingdom’

Before the enormously successful California-based five season TV series came the Australian crime drama film based loosely on the real life Pettinghill Melbourne family.

Having been isolated from the extended Cody family by his mother, her fatal overdose sees 17-year-old Joshua ‘J’ Cody (James Frecheville) turn to his clan. A family immersed in the world of crime and ruled by scheming grandmother, Smurf (Jacki Weaver), J is expected to be part of the lifestyle. But scared by his psychotic uncle, Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), a way out is offered by Detective Nathan Leckie (Guy Pearce).

Violence and police corruption go hand in hand in David Michôd’s powerful and ominous crime drama, his feature film debut. Low-key and nuanced performances, particularly from the serpentine Weaver, add to the sense of dread.

Nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar in 2011

Rating: 80%

Director: David Michôd (The King, The Rover)

Writer: David Michôd (The King, The Rover)

Main cast: James Frecheville (The Dry, The Drop), Guy Pearce (Memento, The Rover), Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook, Penguin Bloom)

‘The Proposition’

Violent, gruesome yet interlaced with moments of great visual beauty, The Proposition is an Australian outback tale circa 1880s as an attempt to bring an end to violence results in more bloodshed.

Looking to bring order to the outback town and surrounds, Captain Stanley (a magnificent Ray Winstone – The Departed, Sexy Beast) makes a proposition to the captured Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce – Memento, L.A. Confidential), a member of the notorious Burns gang. Kill your psychopathic brother Arthur (Danny Huston – The Constant Gardener, Hitchcock) or younger brother Mike (Richard Wilson – The Loved Ones, Birthday), currently in chains, will be executed. He’s given nine days to ride off into the remote landscape – with Stanley left to justify to the townsfolk and his wife (Emily Watson – Gosford Park, On Chesil Beach) the decision to release the outlaw.

The Proposition as directed by John Hillcoat (Lawless, Triple 9) is primal and volatile. Written by Nick Cave (who also provides with Warren Ellis the hypnotic soundtrack), malevolence begets malevolence as the characters contrast against an equally unforgiving landscape. Extreme it certainly is but also haunting, very poetic and very Nick Cave. An underrated Australian classic.

Rating: 84%

‘Mare of Easttown’

A wholly engrossing seven part miniseries, Mare of Easttown sees a small town detective investigate the death of a local teenager whilst coping with the dramas of family life.

Grieving for the recent suicide of her son, Mare Sheehan (a fearless Kate Winslet) heads the case when the body of teenage single-mum, Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) turns up in the creek. In the small Pennsylvanian blue collar town, everyone and everything is seemingly related as families, friends, colleagues are linked in some way to the victim.

Mare’s best friend Lori (Julianne Nicholson) provides support both professionally and personally as the detective emotionally struggles with the loss of her drug-addict son, the break up of the marriage to Frank (David Denman) and a distance from both daughter and mother who live in the same home. When Frank moves into the house at the back and is linked to Erin in spite of a previous denial, Mare’s world spins dangerously close to out-of-control.

Establishing an eventual close working relationship with newcomer Detective Zabel (Evan Peters) creates a degree of stability, helped by potential love interest from visiting professor (Guy Pearce). But this is Mare’s story all the way as, taking no prisoners, she delves, pushes, forces truths to the surface – even if it means alienating friends and family members.

Involving from the off, Mare of Easttown never lets go over its seven episodes with its cracking script (Brad Inglesby) and an ensemble cast that more than delivers (three acting Emmys a pointer!).

Rating: 82%

‘The Catcher Was a Spy’

Paul Rudd in a less irreverent, more dramatic role than usual as he takes on Moe Berg, a former Major League Baseball player who goes undercover in World War II Europe.

Based on true events, Berg, an enigma in life who lived in the shadows due to his hidden sexuality, is sent on a mission to assassinate physicist Werner Heisenberg (Mark Strong), head of the Nazi nuclear program. A man of many languages, Berg is to attend a conference in Zurich.

A low-key espionage thriller from director Ben Lewin with a strong supporting cast (Tom Wilkinson, Sienna Miller, Paul Giamatti, Jeff Daniels et al), The Catcher Was a Spy is unchallenging and somewhat lifeless in spite of the best intentions from the ever likeable Rudd. The film passes the time but offers little else.

Rating: 56%

Director: Ben Lewin (The Sessions, Please Stand By)

Writer: Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot) – based on the book by Nicholas Dawidoff

Main cast: Paul Rudd (Ant-Man, The Fundamentals of Caring), Mark Strong (1917, Syriana), Tom Wilkinson (The Full Monty, In the Bedroom)

‘L.A. Confidential’

Stylish 1950s crime drama as justice is dished-out, police-style, in an intricate web of deceit and corruption.

One precinct, one hot-bed of individual approaches to policing. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is brutal – violence first, question later. Smooth-talking Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) loves the limelight and Tinsel-Town offers plenty of opportunities. But ambitious Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) looks to rain on their parade with his uncorruptable point to prove. With a power vacuum in the city’s underworld, LA is ripe for new blood. But old hands have plenty to say on that score.

Adapted from the James Ellroy novel, there’s twists and turns aplenty from director Curtis Hanson in a hugely entertaining ‘old-fashioned’ narrative of organised crime, police corruption and femme fatales (Kim Basinger).

Nominated for 9 Oscars in 1998 including best film, director, cinematography, won 2 (best supporting actress – Basinger – and adpated screenplay). (Overshadowed by the behemoth that was Titanic)

Rating: 80%

Director: Curtis Hanson (8 Miles, Wonder Boys)

Writer: Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, 42), Curtis Hanson (Lucky You, White Dog) – adapted from the James Ellroy novel

Main cast: Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Boy Erased), Guy Pearce (Memento, Holding the Man), Kevin Spacey (American Beauty, The Usual Suspects)

‘The King’s Speech’

A deeply human story in the depths of the 1930s British royal family, The King’s Speech sees the Duke of York (Colin Firth) battle with his debilitating stutter – and turn to the unconventional methods of Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.

Logue (Geoffrey Rush) is anything but a fawning royalist – my way or no way – and gradually wins over the trust of the initially reluctant Bertie and gratitude of the Duchess of York (Helena Bonham Carter). It proves to be fortuitous as York’s brother Edward (Guy Pearce) abdicates from the throne and Bertie becomes King George VI.

Shot through with warmth and humour, the absorbing film, set in the decade leading up to the outbreak of World War II, pivots on the wholly convincing relationship between the two men. It’s a pleasure to watch as a cracking script (David Seidler) and in-depth performances are perfectly marshalled by director Tom Hooper.

Nominated for 11 Oscars in 2011 including best supporting actor (Rush), supporting actress, costume design, original score – won 4 for best film, director, actor, original script.

Rating: 75%

Director: Tom Hooper (Les Miserables, Cats)

Writer: David Seidler (Tucker: the Man & His Dream, The Queen of Spades)

Main cast: Colin Firth (A Single Man, Kingsman), Geoffrey Rush (Shine, Pirates of the Caribbean), Helena Bonham Carter (Ocean’s 8, Howards End)

‘Iron Man 3’ (Marvel #8)

Stark’s world is torn apart by the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), a terrorist who, responding to the challenge of public arrogance of Stark, destroys the billionaire’s home and laboratory. But it’s not all that it seems as a rejected scientist from the past (Guy Pearce) reappears in his life.

Bombast and tedium reunite as a potentially interesting narrative is given the MCU OTT treatment. But at least it is the best of the three Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr) movies – although that’s not saying a great deal.

Nominated for visual effects Oscar in 2014.

Rating: 46%

Director: Shane Black (The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)

Writer: Drew Pearce (Hotel Artemis, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), Shane Black (The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)

Main cast: Robert Downey Jnr (Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes), Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Sexy Beast), Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential, The King’s Speech)

‘Genius’

A somewhat unheralded feature considering its cast, Genius is the period of time in the life of renowned book editor Maxwell Perkins (Colin Firth) as he edited the first book by Thomas Wolfe (Jude Law) in readiness for publication.

A close and supportive friendship developed between the two, in spite of the best efforts by Wolfe’s muse, patron and (older) lover, Aline Bernstein (Nicole Kidman) to drive a wedge between the two men. Look Homeward, Angel was a best seller and, during his short career (he died at the age of 38), the verbose, larger-than-life eccentric Wolfe became more successful than many of Perkins’ other writers, including Scott Fitzgerald (Guy Pearce).

Stagey, wordy and character driven, Genius is a chamber piece of a film, adapted from the book by A.Scott Berg and directed by theatre director Michael Grandage. It does, admittedly, verge on staid and pedantic but with a rock solid, quietly introspective Firth guiding the unpredictable Wolfe, the narrative draws you in to its telling.

Rating: 61%

Director: Michael Grandage (Red)

Writer: John Logan (Skyfall, Gladiator) – based on the book by A. Scott Berg

Main cast: Colin Firth (A Single Man, The King’s Speech), Jude Law (The Talented Mr Ripley, Fantastic Beasts), Nicole Kidman (Destroyer, The Hours)

‘Without Remorse’

Overblown revenge drama as elite Navy SEAL looks to identify responsibility for his wife’s death – only to find himself involved in an international conspiracy.

With a simultaneous hit of military colleagues and the mistaken murder of his pregnant wife, John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) looks to the Russian hit squad out for revenge on a Middle East black op. Teaming up with high-ranking Jodie Turner-Smith, Kelly is out to kill. With the less-than transparent CIA agent, Jamie Bell along for the ride, things take many an unexpected turn.

Based on the novel with Tom Clancy’s fervent American conservative patriotism ever-present, Without Remorse, directed by Stefano Sollima, is brutal, unpleasant and plain tedious.

Rating: 30%

Director: Stefano Sollima (Sicario: Day of the Soldado, TV’s Gomorrah)

Writer: Taylor Sheridan (Wind River, Hell or High Water), Will Staples (The Tiger Mafia, TV’s The Right Stuff) – based on the book by Tom Clancy

Main cast: Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim, After Yang), Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Rocketman)