Displaying items by tag: Lily Sullivan

FORGIVE US ALL 

New Zealand, 2025, 93 minutes, Colour.

Lily Sullivan, Callan Mulvey, Richard Roxburgh, Lance Giles, Bree Peters.

Directed by Jordanna Stott.

The title has a very grim tone, indicating sins that need to be forgiven.

This is a New Zealand film with some quite magnificent scenery from the South Island. It is a first effort by the by the director and actor, Lance Giles. It was crowd funded.

The beginning has a drama, a family, husband and wife, daughter, father-in-law, and a sad death. It looks to be a story of survival.

Then comes the zombie theme, the post-apocalyptic world infected, cannibalistic zombies. The main drama concerns two men who have escaped the camp, have some kind of cure, on a mission – and being pursued by the relentless guards.

The main part of the drama consists of a journey to the outpost, the mission of help, the widow accompanying one of those fleeing but the continued pursuit, the howling of the zombies, the final arriving at the mission destination – but some grim aspects of the drama.

(The film was not well reviewed and if one looks at the blogging comments on the IMDb, they tend to be quite merciless on the film and the filmmakers, a lot of trotting rather than reviewing.)

1. The title, the grim tone? For what sins?
2. The resemblance to the Western genre? A New Zealand film? South Island mountainous locations? The remote homes, the countryside, the dark forest? The musical score?
3. The virus, the plague, the infections, the living dead? The visualising of the living dead, the attacks, screeching and howling, attacking the dead and devouring them?
4. The opening, measured, the measured pace of the film rather than rapid action? The introduction to Rory, isolated, her daughter, infected and attacking? The passing of four years?
5. Rory, her relationship with Otto, her dead husband, helping the infected, infected himself, the attack, his daughter, her death? Surviving, isolated? Otto, isolated, strong-minded, work?
6. The situation, futuristic, in the house, the surveillance equipment? Electricity? The story of the prison, the population confined in the camps? Two brothers, Runners, the officials from the prison, the pursuits? The brother escaping wounded? The other brother, using his hat as bait, confronted, taunted by Logan? Killed?
7. Rory, at the river, finding Noah, his injuries, her suspicions? Putting him on the horse, bringing him to the stable? The story of his son, going to the encampment, stealing the medication? His desperation, his injuries?
8. The tension between Otto and Rory, the family relationship? Her looking after Noah? Otto and the discovery? Suspicions? The story?
9. Logan, his assistants, their ideology, cruelty? The confrontation with Otto, his defying them, Rory and Noah on the horse, the escape, the shootout, Otto’s death?
10. The pursuit through the forest, Logan and the fight with Noah, no less determination, Logan’s cruelty, his death?
11. The living dead, emerging in the night, the forest, confronting Rory, her desperation? Her standing still and defying the living dead? Noah and Rory having the scent on them which repelled the living dead? Her escape?
12. Daylight, seeing the house, her own condition, going to the house, the grandmother at the door, suspicious, Rory standing back, leaving the bag with the medication, the grandmother taking it inside?
13. The end, Rory at the river, with the gun, previous thoughts of suicide, no motivation for living? The experience with the infected? Would she kill herself or make the decision to live?

MONOLITH

Australia, 2022, 94 minutes, Colour.

Lily Sullivan, Voices of: Erik Thomson, Terence Crawford, Kate Box, Damon Herriman.

Directed by Matt Vesely.

Monolith is a small budget Australian film. There is a monolith in the scenario, a small mysterious brick which appears and reappears. Memories of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 A Space Odyssey and the vast monolith which appears in the prehistoric era, in the contemporary era and in futuristic space. It was a symbol of something transcendent which many interpreted religiously.

In this film, a young journalist who makes pod casts has been criticised and is trying to defend herself, making phone calls, investigating a mysterious situation. Her contacts indicate the presence of the brick, indicate some kind of psychological infection from contact with it, a kind of infection dream scenario, with apocalyptic repercussions.

The young woman is played by Lily Sullivan. The other characters in the film make only verbal appearances, phone, television. There are some flashbacks and the film shows the surrounding scenery of the house and, at the end, ventures outside. And here, the young woman’s alter ego also appears and there is confrontation.

However, at the core of the story is a domestic situation, the young woman remembering her ninth birthday, the presence of the brick, the jealousy of a young girl, the consequences for the young girl’s family and a phone call from the grown-up young girl talking about the situation, memories, as was the phone call from the father, his justifying his behaviour in the past – and the young woman realising that she has had a false memory of the past. And, so, the need to confront her other self.

This is something of a tour de force performance by Lily Sullivan and the film is both curious and intriguing.

1. An experimental film, the drama? Single set, the house, the interiors and rooms, corridors, the countryside views out the window? Action taking place on the computer screen, the birthday party, the musical score?
2. The cast, Lily Sullivan, on screen all the time, then her double self, the struggle? The range of voices? And The Interviewer on her ninth birthday and the issue of the brick?
3. The title, echoes of 2001 and the Monolith, crafted, a significant presence? Transcendent? In this context, the presence of the brick, size, shape, historical presence, ownership, cause of conflict in ownership? Finally called and brought up by The Interviewer?
4. The character of The Interviewer, anonymous, her age, family, connections? Privileged upbringing? Journalist, in doubtful repute, saving her reputation, the pod cast, her media abilities, those listening, those intervening and phoning?
5. The contradictions of her character, the good and the bad, a conflict? Trying to redeem herself, better her reputation?
6. The issue of the brick, the various phone calls, the science background, the woman phoning in, their experiences with the brick – and speculation of it being alien, power, cause of conflict, causing an illness, causing an epidemic, global consequences?
7. The contrast with the domestic explanation of the brick, The Interviewer at nine, her birthday, the gift of the brick, it being sent to her in the office, her interactions with the brick? Continued discussions with those calling in, especially her father, his memories, not wanting it to be further discussed?
8. The friend from the past, journalist, her photo, the phone call, her not wanting to talk, the family disputes of the past, ownership of the brick, her family being ousted? The Interviewer’s father condemnatory?
9. The growing desperation, her admitting the truth about the brick, her father’s condemnation of the young friend because of carving the antique furniture, The Interviewer and the singing of symbols, remembering the carving, taking the blame?
10. The buildup to a climax, her desperation, contacting those were favourable, their offering more information?
11. The appearance of her alter ego, the confrontation, conflict, the fight between them, The Interviewer conquering?
12. The resolution? What future?