AT ETERNITY'S GATE
Watchable. The movie's been made by painter Julian Schnabel (the 80 paintings in the film are his) which explains the love of art permeating the picture. It's an enaction of part of van Gogh's life faithful to what we know from the paintings. The landscapes presented in the film let me understand why his early paintings were grey-brown and subdued - that was the light he dealt with in the Netherlands. Visually, it's very painting-like but it drags and I'm not convinced by Julian Schnabel's music choice. There's a mid-credit with a quote from Paul Gauguin.
Van Gogh died at 37 but was so damaged by his life he's played by William Dafoe, 63.
RIDE LIKE A GIRL
Recommended. I know little about horses or Australian pastimes but it's such an amazing movie about winning I immediately got drawn in. Michelle Payne has got an incredible spirit. In 3200 races she fell 7 times and broke 16 bones. Yet it never put her off riding and she just kept on winning, including the Melbourne Race which is every joker's dream. Based on facts. Heart-wrenching - she struggled to make her name in a men's discipline - and funny, e.g. the scene of women placing bets or a race horse named Who Shot the Barman. A family movie. Real Michelle and her brother Stevie appear in the finale.
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