Living Out of Time

In 1971 director, Nicholas Roeg, and his young discovery, David Gulpilil dazzled the world with "Walkabout."  44 years later Gulpilil won the Best Actor nod at Cannes.  Charlie's Country was co-written by Gulpilil and covers poor aging Charlie as he attempts to connect to the "old ways" in the face of the rampant institutional racism in modern Australia.  Charlie seems to have a glib answer for everything and they all make perfect sense... in a perfect world.  My favorite exchange is during his instructions about his release from jail on parole.  He is told he cannot drink and moreover cannot associate with known drinkers or the police will put him away.  His response is that the police are known drinkers and they should be warned not to associate with him.  It's a lovely film with a lovely actor who h-is working to create that perfect world.

 Gemma Bovery is an almost perfect film [almost because someone will inevitably point outs its flaws to me, flaws that as yet I cannot find!] that I pray will get wide distribution.  It is not an important film, it is not a learning experience, it isn't trying to change the world.  It is a perfect entertainment, aptly described by one reviewer as an amuse-bouche that Francophiles will savor.  Raymond is the town baker in a small Normandy village and he is very French.  A young English couple buy the dilapidated house across the road and their first encounter rife with all the literary coincidences convinces the baker that he may be witnessing a modern version of his favorite book, Flaubert's Madame Bovary.  This ia a 19th Century farce played out of time with great humor and warmth.  I can hurl some superlatives here but best you come up with them on your own.