Displaying items by tag: Anna Kendrick

WOMAN OF THE HOUR

US, 2024, 93 minutes, Colour.

Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatti, Tony Hale, Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes, Autumn Best, Matt Visser, Jedediah Goodacre.

Directed by Anna Kendrick.

Anna Kendrick as established herself as a significant star of many American films. She stars in this one but has been acknowledged strongly because it is her first film as director. She has been generally praised for her work – and encouragement for her to continue as a director.

Audiences will feel disturbed at many moments of this film, sometimes a bit disoriented.

It is based on actual characters and events. And, it is a film about a serial killer. The film introduces him, 1977, charming, a photographer, taking photos in a remote spot of a woman who has just been through some trauma. Then he brutally kills her. In fact, the screenplay is something of a jigsaw puzzle, moving around in time the audience having to do the piecing together. Especially with the time shifts. There is a murder scene from 1971. There is an attempted murder scene from 1979.

But, at the centre, is an event which rather defies belief. It is an episode of the television popular show, The Dating Game. This is the program where three men are concealed from the woman who interrogates them and who has to choose one of them for a date. (There have been favourable comments about the recreation of this event except to say that the murderer was contestant number one rather than in the film, contestant number three!).

Anna Kendrick herself plays a young woman who has come to Los Angeles, experiences a put down at an audition, exploited by her neighbour at the apartment block, given the opportunity for some exposure by being the young woman on The Dating Game. The screenplay is highly satirical of the show, the efforts of the compere, the dimwitted answers of the first contestant, the innuendo and explicit comments of the second contestant, and, the audience knowing who and what the third contestant is, fascinated by his skill in answering the questions and being charming. There is a tense episode after the filming where the young actress is in fear of the contestant.

There is also an episode where a member of the audience recognises contestant number three in connection with the death of a friend, going to the television authorities and being fobbed off, going to the police without their following up. At the end of the film, there is adverse comment on the investigations and how long it took to arrest the killer.

Ultimately, the killer makes a mistaken decision and is arrested.

And the title? A focus on women, in the 1970s, discovering their power and value, put upon by men embodied by the compere and the contestants and their approaches and the violence embodied in the vicious killer.

1. Based on actual characters and a true story? The US, the 1970s? The serial killer? The television episode?
2. The atmosphere of the 70s, the variety of locations, the desert, small towns, Los Angeles, television studio? Police precincts? The musical score?
3. The title? The focus on women? Victims of the serial killer? Women taking a stance? Sheryl symbolic of this? Laura and her interventions?
4. The structure, the opening with the murder of the young woman, Rodney, charm, photography, vicious? The moving about in time, the focus on 1978 and the television show, the return to 1971 in the murder of the flight attendant and his interactions with her, the shift to 1979, the encounter with Amy, travelling with her, the attack, her calling the police? The overall effect of the structure, jigsaw pieces, together?
5. The story of Rodney, little background, his appearance, charm, photography, the initial murder? 1971, helping with the furniture, charming, turning the tables, vicious? With Amy, seeing her in the streets, flattery, photography, the driving, out into the country, the brutality and tying her up, his not killing her, travelling with her, his going to the toilet, her escape, watching him, phoning the police, his waiting their arrival? The arrest, his denials?
6. The portrait of the women, their stories, difficulties, charmed, their fate?
7. The introduction to Sheryl, her story, coming to Los Angeles, the sexism of the audition, the producers and the low bar for the auditions, her apartment, her neighbour, his attentions, the outing, his approach, expectations, going home with him, the night, her discussed with herself, the later encounter with the neighbour, his walking past? The phone call, the possibility for The Dating game? The decision to go? Some exposure?
8. Audience responded to The Dating Game, the contestants, the audience and their expectations, the woman for the dating? And, of the compere, in charge, sweeping around, criticisms, the manner of the show, his disagreeing with Cheryl and her approach, the aftermath? The members of the staff, the producer picking her on, make-up and hair, support? Joel, being urged to charge, writing alternate questions after the platitudinous questions, the reactions?
9. The three contestants, the first and his background, but playing dumb? The second a furniture designer, playing the sexy games and innuendo? Rodney is the third, self-confidence, his answers? Sheryl changing the question is, more intellectual and philosophical, the reactions of the of the two, Rodney and his charm about women and their expectations? Sheryl and her choice of Rodney, the whispering warning from the second contestant?
10. The aftermath, walking with Sheryl, the coffee, Sheryl apprehensive, I signal to the waitress, Rodney and his talk, her being uncomfortable, running away from him, in the car, his pursuit?
11. Laura and her friend, and the audience, seeing Rodney, the flashbacks to her friend, for friends death? Leaving, knocking over the equipment, the guard and his popping her off? Going to the police, their not listening, her desperation? Her snapping her boyfriend, his return with the flowers, the attempt was the police?
12. The tone of the film and its title, the importance for women, women and dignity and rights, men and their attitudes, sexism, violence and brutality?

TROLLS  

US, 2016, 92 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Christine Baranski, Russell Brand, Gwen Stephanie, John Cleese, James Cordon, Jeffrey Tambor.

Directed by Walt Dorhn, Mike Mitchell.

This is a very cheerful show, despite an important part of the plot having the ugly giant Bergens eat a Troll to make them happy!

The target audience for the film seems to be the very littlies, up to about the age of six or seven (perhaps a little beyond but the eights and others might think themselves a bit too sophisticated for this kind of entertainment!).This is one that the parents will have to sit through with their littlies – though they might enjoy the range of songs, variations on Greig’s Peer Gynt and the Mountain King, Simon and Garfunkel’s The Sounds of Silence, True Colours and other romantic songs, courtesy of the voices of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake.

One of the reasons for the success of the film for its young audiences is the fact that it is full of movement, full of music, full of colour. And the Trolls, unlike the monsters of Nordic tradition, are variations of little dolls, especially Princess Poppy, the heroine of the piece. Most of them have very long colourful hair – which can be quite elastic at times, especially for tricks and rescues!

The Bergens are rather bigger, lacking colour, ugly faces, lopsided teeth, ruled over by a king who want his little son to be happy and eat a Troll. However, the King of the Trolls is alerted, leads them all through underground tunnels to safety, risking his life to save Poppy. 20 years later, Poppy is a live wire, wanting a 20 year celebration, loud, singing and dancing (which she is prone to move into at any moment) as well as hugging. The sad sack of the Trolls, Branch, warns them against being too loud – and, of course, they are, with the Chef of the Bergens searching for them for 20 years and, at last, finding and capturing them!

So, Poppy to the rescue, though she herself needs rescuing by Branch.

One of the enjoyable features of the search for the Trolls of the rescue is the discovery of the Bergen scullery made, Brigid, who longs to be noticed by the king. The Trolls do a transformation on her and send her on the date with the King who is entranced by her – and when she hurries away, she drops one of her rollerskates in Cinderella fashion!

The next day is Trollstice, the traditional day for eating a troll – but, the Chef captures the Trolls but Brigid does the right thing – with Poppy rushing back to help her and for the king to notice her – so that everybody will be happy (without the eating), colour will return to everyone, music and singing, hugs all round, and the little audience leaving the theatre cheered and very happy.

1. A film for smaller children? Characters, doll like presence, small, clothes, long and colourful air? A colourful film, with movement, songs and dances?
2. The title, traditional understanding of trolls, this time different? Their look, size, colour? The contrast with the giant Bergens, ugly, lacking colour, faces, teeth? The clash between trolls and Bergens?
3. The animation style, full of colour and movement? The voice cast, some British, some American? Singing, comic touches?
4. The songs, the range of songs, from Greig and the Mountain Kings to True Colours to The Sounds of Silence, romantic songs? The range of trolls singing? And Brigid?
5. The trolls, happy, their king, Poppy as a little girl, Princess? The story about the tradition, Bergens and their wanting to eat a troll to make them happy? The trollstice?
6. The Bergens, the day, the King, his son, preparing to eat the troll, the chef, everybody wanting to be happy?
7. The chase, the King, all the trolls going through the underground passage, his wanting to save everyone, his return, saving Poppy, getting his trousers caught! And all the trolls saved? 20 years of peace?
8. 20 years later, Poppy, full of enthusiasm, singing, dancing, hugging? Brash, bright? Her friendship with Creek? The range of other trolls, shapes and sizes, voices? The contrast with Branch, lacking colour, pessimistic? Warning about the loudness of the big party? The chef, banished from the Bergen town, alert, wanting revenge? Hearing the music, seeing the fireworks, capturing the trolls?
9. Poppy, determined to save the other trolls, embarrassed by the loud party? The discussions with Branch, his hideaway, his storing supplies? Not singing, not hugging? Her going off to the rescue, in danger, the large creatures, capture, Branch coming to release her?
10. The Bergens, the King, the preparation for the feast? The role of Brigid, scullery maid, not noticed by the king? The trolls finding her room, her waking, their talking, their transforming her and her date with the King, the trolls in her hair, giving her the information of what to say? The king enraptured? The skating, the pizza? Her escaping, leaving the rollerskate behind, the Cinderella story?
11. The trolls, the escape? The chef, the container and them all being taken? Creek, the flashback, his being bought off, the betrayal?
12. The chef, with all the trolls, preparing the meal, Brigid arriving, having to serve, her decision to let them go for all they had done for her?
13. Poppy, the decision to return, helping Brigid, transforming her again, the reaction of the chef, the king, delighted?
14. Everybody singing, colour returning to the town of the Bergens, the music, shoulder tapping, everyone transformed – except the chef, her exile with Creek?
15. Peace and harmony – and the postscript about the chef and Creek being swallowed by the bigger creatures?

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER

US, 2023, 91 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Kenan Thomson, Walter Dohrn, Ron Funches, Eric Andre, Daveed Diggs, Kid Cudi, Troye Sivan, Amy Schumer, Andrew Rannels, Zoe Deschanel, Christopher Mintz Plasse, RuPaul.

Directed by Walter Dohrn, Tim Heitz.

The first Trolls animation film was released in 2016 and was immediately popular. Four years later, there was a sequel, Trolls World Tour, also popular.

In the post-Covid recovery, here is a third film, capitalising on the characters and style of the previous films. The animation is bright, colourful. The Trolls are small, each with the different characteristic, and all of them with a voice cast of popular singers, led by Justin Timberlake, but supported by Eric Andre as John Dory, Daveed Diggs, Kid Cudi and, from Australia, Troye Sivan. The villains of the piece, too ambitious teenagers who are draining the singing essence of one of the brothers whom they are captured, are played by Amy Schumer and Andrew Rannles.

And, a number of the supporting cast previously appeared in trolls films, including Zoe Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and a guest appearance from RuPaul.

The focus is on the music, on performance, and ultimate success with the family of brothers coming together, overcoming the perfectionism of their leader, John Dory, and a final performance with Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick.

Walter Dohrn continues as director and performs a number of roles. As does the other director, Tim Heitz.

1. The popularity of the earlier films, the trolls, their size, history, interactions, song? This film relying on their singing as a group, their singing essence stolen, reuniting, perfect harmony?
2. The colourful style of animation, bright colours, the characters, the situations, Bergen, the kingdoms, the dwellings, the concerts?
3. The voice cast, so many from the original films? The music, the songs?
4. Audience liking the trolls, liking John Dory, Justin Timberlake, liking Poppy, an often strident and aggressive Anna Kendrick? The singers taking the supporting roles?
5. The focus on the brothers, singing as a group, John Dory and his leadership, wanting perfection, the breaking up of the group, the brothers going the different ways, Branch being looked after by his grandmother?
6. The years passing, John Dory returning, trying to track down the other brothers, the quest? The role of Branch, growing up, his making demands? The support of Poppy?
7. The situation with Velvet and Veneer? Their ambitions, teens, singing, capturing the brothers, especially Floyd, draining the essence for their own singing, the shoulder pads? Their performances, the crowds and applause?
8. The quest for meeting all the older brothers, finding them in their situations, settled, being persuaded to come together again?
9. The background characters, the kingdoms, Poppy discovering her sister, old enmities forgotten?
10. The buildup to the confrontation, the brother still squabbling, Poppy assertive, Branch and his leadership, saving Floyd? The confrontation with Velvet and Veneer, taking them down?
11. The harmony of the brothers, working together, a different kind of working perfectly together?