What to see at the movies in September 2018

This month sees the return of a comedic crime fighter, a designer doco, a teddy bear from your childhood, and no fewer than three Aussie films.

The Merger

September 6

Runtime: 103 minutes

Director:  Mark Grentell.

This Australian-made production screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival, and now gets a wider cinema release.   The best Australian Rules Football movies are the ones that focus on the off-field rather than the on-field (mainly because it’s incredibly hard to replicate believable match footage with actors).  However, The Merger is slightly different, as a key story arc is the determination of refugees, who have never kicked a football in their life, to save a dwindling football club. Spend your money and go see an Aussie film.

McQueen

September 6

Runtime: 111 minutes

Director: Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui

Even those with the barest knowledge of fashion (ie: me) has heard of the name Alexander McQueen.  This documentary traces the British fashion designer’s humble beginnings in a working-class family to his tragic early death in 2010.  Combining present day interviews with archival footage, it paints a portrait of the divide between isolation and fame.

Wayne

September 6

Runtime: 95 mins

Director:  Jeremy Sims

The Wollongong Whiz was one of the great motorcycling nicknames, and Wayne Gardner finally gets the deserved documentary treatment.  It is a true rags-to-riches story of his rise to the top of his sport in 1987. The film is directed by Jeremy Sims, who gave us Last Cab to Darwin, and upon making this doco realised it’s not just about Wayne, but also his then-wife Donna.  

“They were absolutely Macbeth and Lady Macbeth”, he said. This one is not just for the hardcore racing fans.

Christopher Robin

September 13

Runtime: 104 mins

Director: Marc Forster

Bring your tissues as this looks like a rather sweet melancholy adventure, in the similar vein to Paddington Bear.   Ewan McGregor always delivers on screen, even in lighter roles like this, and hearing long-time Winnie-the-Pooh (and Tigger!) voice artist Jim Cummings makes me oh-so-happy!  The G rating means you can bring the whole family.

Ladies in Black

September 20

Director: Bruce Beresford

A new Aussie film by the iconic director Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy), is set in Sydney in 1959 in a department store.  Adapted from the novel of the same name by Australian writer Madeleine St John, this film version has a very impressive cast in Rachael Taylor, Noni Hazelhurst, Ryan Corr, Alison McGirr and Shane Jacobson.

Johnny English Strikes Again

September 20

Director:  David Kerry

Bumbling spy films have been around for decades, so not sure this third film in the Johnny English series is going to offer up anything new.  However, if you are a fan of Rowan Atkinson, you’ll not want to pass up seeing him once more as the MI7 agent; after all it has been seven years since the last installment.

It may be worth checking it out for the performance of Emma Thompson, who is playing the UK Prime Minister, and can often deliver great comedic performances (she is a bit zany in real life too).