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On this page: ELLIS PARK | MEGADOC

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 17.Sep.25

Ellis Park
Review by Rich Cline | 4/5

dir Justin Kurzel
scr Justin Kurzel, Nick Fenton
prd Nick Batzias, Charlotte Wheaton
with Warren Ellis, Femke den Haas, John Ellis, Diane Ellis, Rio Kaj den Haas, Monique Kauffmann, Agus Andri, Achmad Hasan Sahani, Nursalim, Benfika, Elisabeth Rose Rahayu B Hutabarat, Pak Ismail
release Aus Aug.24 miff,
UK 26.Sep.25
24/Australia 1h44

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Filmmaker Justin Kurzel takes a loose, observational approach as he documents the life of musician Warren Ellis, following him as he revisits his youthful inspirations as well as his involvement in helping wild animals recover from trauma. It's an earthy, warm-humoured film that rolls along at Ellis' offhanded pace. And along with his running commentary, he gets the chance to score his own life, playing live in various locations.

In Australia, Ellis retraces his early life and school days, inspired by his musician father and brothers while devouring movies, magazines and of course records. He recalls his brief stint as a teacher, years playing in local bands and then his indelible collaboration with Nick Cave, which has continued for three decades and counting. In a Paris studio, he lays down tracks for a new album. And he also makes his first journey to Indonesia, where he has helped den Haas open Ellis Park, a sanctuary for distressed wild animals rescued from the illegal trade.

Gorgeously shot and edited, the film is packed with beautiful imagery, mixing scenes of artistic creation with emotional footage of animals that have found peace after surviving horrific abuse. Ellis strolls through all of this with his woolly beard and easy physicality, ruminating honestly about significant issues from his childhood and throughout his life. It's intriguing to see how Ellis' father helped him through his own trauma, which is paralleled in moving anecdotes from the sanctuary. And he can see animal rescue and rehabilitation as an important part of his legacy.

Terrific archival footage and photos accompany Ellis' reminiscences, including the legendary story of Nina Simone's chewing gum. He speaks about the joy of creating art as a leap of faith, starting with a germ of an idea and letting it flow. He also acknowledges the importance of Cage encouraging him to continually take risks in his work. So it's natural that he encourages Kurzel to revisit his own history with the violin. He also feels that the animal sanctuary has helped him put his whole life and career into perspective, because this practical compassion shows us how people should be.

themes, language, animal cruelty 22.Sep.25

Megadoc: The Making of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis
Review by Rich Cline | 4/5

dir Mike Figgis
prd Tara Li-An, James Mockoski
with Francis Ford Coppola, Mike Figgis,George Lucas, Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Eleanor Coppola
release US 19.Sep.25
25/US 1h47

VENICE FILM FEST

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This documentary is a fascinating look at the workings of a legendary filmmaker, as seen through the eyes of another established director. Mike Figgis assembles this from terrific fly-on-the-wall footage shot during the production of Megalopolis, including unusually open-handed interviews. This amazing collection of scenes explores the many aspects of a movie in a way rarely shown on-screen. And it's a wonderful portrait of icon Francis Ford Coppola.

Understandably, after working on this movie for four decades, 82-year-old Coppola is feeling excited and scared as he finally starts filming his passion project Megalopolis, an epic packed with huge ideas. To tell this monumental story, Coppola experiments with filmmaking techniques that include outrageously playful sets and complex in-camera effects. The entire cast and crew is equally involved in finding a way to put Coppola's ideas onto the screen. And Figgis has full access to the cast and crew throughout the shoot. He also intersperses scenes of a starry table read some 20 years earlier.

Coppola sold a large stake in his vineyard to finance the film and personally asked Figgis to document the production. It's unsurprising that Figgis was curious to see how someone would spend $120 million of their own money to make a movie. So the cameras are there from day 1, documenting how Coppola encourages actors to play games to discover their characters. Scenes reveal Coppola's more demanding side, especially as he is repeatedly pestered by LaBeouf's questions. And he also reminisces about how this compares to making his previous films, which offers remarkable insight into Coppola's creative process.

Peppered throughout are archival clips of Coppola from his earliest projects, revealing a dreamer who, as Lucas says, would jump off a cliff in an effort to make something extraordinary. Driver talks about how working on a Coppola set is about making art that's alive, never taking the safe route. And several wonderful behind-the-scenes moments that reveal these ideas in entertaining ways. It's clear that Coppola likes to be in the moment, instinctively moving through production based on how he is feeling. "Moviemaking isn't work, it's play," he says. "Toil gives you nothing."

themes, language 14.Sep.25

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL