On this page: A BUNCH OF AMATEURS | HIDDEN LETTERS | LYNCH/OZ

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All of this is revealed in such a matter-of-fact way that it seems unthinkable that this club could ever cease to operate. Their busy clubhouse is essentially a kitchen and a screening room, and it needs a lot of work that they can't afford to carry out. Until that happens, it will be difficult to attract potential members. But each of these people has a wonderfully dry Northern sense of humour, taking things as they come while remaining loyal to each other.

Fans of bickering melodrama might be disappointed that everyone on-screen gets on so well. Two members lose their spouses over the course of the production, and one has a fall that puts him out of commission for several weeks, so everyone steps up to support each other, keeping things ticking right along. This low-key storytelling may make the film feel a bit thin, lacking a major thematic kick, but it's a remarkably astute look at a vital group of cineastes and the moviegoing world that's shifting around them. And the final twist is exhilarating.

themes, language

22.Sep.22

Expanding to discuss the nature of gender in China, where women are still often seen as needing a male to help them, the film is full of gorgeous footage of families going about their daily routines. This includes these three women teaching the secrets of Nushu in sessions at a "princess camp" for young girls. Through these kinds of courses, they are gently revealing how men continue to control women. Shockingly, even the man who formerly managed the Nushu museum says the most important quality for women to have is obedience.

It's jolting to see scenes in which men still try to control each situation. This extends to how they have attempted to commercialise Nushu, pushing it out of context. By contrast, Xin speaks of how the language helped her cope with her violently abusive ex-husband. Simu says that Nushu is like a lighthouse helping her see a way forward. This is an inspiring and ultimately hopeful film, noting the progress and also that there's much work still to do.

themes, violence

6.Oct.22

Amid his fabulous observations, Waters talks about Oz like a drug that gets kids hooked on movies for life. It certainly echoes through all of his own films, and he adores the reality Lynch is living in. Ascher discusses how Lynch's films so often follow innocent people who leave their everyday lives and travel somewhere frightening. Kusama looks at how Lynch echoes Oz's extended dream sequence story structure, and the fantasies that emerge. And of course Judy Garland's own life story adds another layer of meaning.

David Lynch notoriously hates explaining his work, preferring to let audiences find whatever they will as they follow him down each rabbit hole. Never take things at surface value; there are dangers lurking in this beautiful place. Nothing is what it is. This is a bracing exploration of how certain movies burn themselves into our DNA so indelibly that they can't help but find themselves woven into the fabric of cinema. And Lynch's films and TV series locate Oz within our subconscious.

themes, language, violence, nudity

8.Oct.22