Displaying items by tag: Connie Nielson

GLADIATOR II

US, 2024, 148 minutes, Colour.

Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Neilson, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Matt Lucas, Tim McInerny.

Directed by Ridley Scott.

While sequels are often welcomed by an audience, they also often find it difficult to maintain the standard of the original film. Which is the case here. Gladiator won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2000 as well as an Oscar for Russell Crowe in his role as the strong Roman warrior, Maximus. She is one was a triumph for prolific director, Ridley Scott.

It was something of a surprise when plans were made over 20 years later for this sequel. The focus is on the son of Maximus who died in the first film, his son with Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus Aurelius. He is Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, seen first quietly living in North Africa, the Romans attacking under the leadership of General Acacius, Pedro Pascal, the North Africans defeated, taken to Rome, sold as slaves, many commandeered as gladiators.

Audiences will see the parallel scenario with the original film, the provinces, Roman warfare, prisoners, slavery, the Colosseum, gladiators, harsh life, brutality in the arena, political intrigue.

As with the original film, Gladiator II looks quite spectacular, special effects, naval battle sequences, extraordinary fights in the Colosseum especially against monstrous effect monster monkeys, and the recreation of a battle sequence in the Colosseum. Many of these scenes are very violent, and some of them exceedingly brutal in the impact. Sometimes we might wonder, as we watch the brutality of the fights and audience excitement that we are very much like these vicious Romans and their control of human life with thumbs down.

As with the Emperor, Commodus in the original film, there are two rather despicable emperors this time, the twins Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) as symbols of the decline of the Roman Empire. Returning from the original film is Connie Neilson as Lucilla, daughter of Marcus Aurelius, mother of Lucius, recognising him, trying to make contact, eventually sacrificing herself for him. She is also in a relationship with General Acacius. One of the difficulties for the impact of the drama is that while Paul Mescal is exceedingly serious and single-minded as Lucius, he is not charismatically engaging for the audience a little in here and charm, while Pedro Pascal as Acacius does have leadership charism.

But, the big difference for this drama is the presence of Denzel Washington as the former slave with political and power ambitions, based on an actual character, Macrinus, a master in buying slaves, controlling the gladiators, with entree to the Emperor’s, deals with corrupt senators, waiting for his power grab moments, unscrupulous with his violence, even with the Emperors.

Given the limitations, the repetitions in parallels with the original, and the single-minded sternness of Paul Mescal as Lucius, audiences who enjoy Roman epics, will enjoy Gladiator II as well.

1. The impact of the original film? Its legacy? So many years for a sequel? The continuity? The scenario of the first parallel scenario of the sequel?
2. The work of Ridley Scott, epics? And audience response?
3. The settings, North Africa, the city, the battles, the Navy, the Roman conquest? The road to Rome? The entry? The Colosseum, the quarters for the gladiators? The animals? The use of the Colosseum, fights, naval battles? The royal palace? Homes? The market for gladiators? The musical score?
4. The links with the original, the mentions of Maximus, the flashbacks and the appearance of Russell Crowe? Connie Neilson as Lucilla, her relationship with Maximus, with, discovering with Lucius? Derek Jacoby as the senator?
5. Africa, Lucius and his life there, relationship with his wife, warrior, silent about his identity, the local authorities, the attack of the Romans, the details of the battles, strategies, defeat? Imprisonment? The death of his wife, seeing her pass into the next life, grief?
6. The prisoners going to Rome, the entrance to the city, the legions and the triumphant entry, general Acacius, his relationship to Lucilla, his tribute to the Senate, their suspicions, their wanting him to go on further conquests? His own response, with Lucilla, his significance in the revolt against Rome, his legions at Ostia, the sending of the message, his being trapped, sparing Lucius, his own death? Lucilla’s grief?
7. The role of Macrinus, dented Washington’s presence, slave, freed, ambitions for the Senate, ruling Rome? The auctions of slaves, seeing Lucy is in action, his talents, strength, perseverance, purchase? His master of slaves and the treatment of the slaves? The training, the accommodation in the below the Colosseum? The fight in the Colosseum, the monstrous monkeys and battles, UCS and his survival? The response of the crowds, the emperors, thumbs up?
8. The personality of Lucy is, silent about his identity, his anonymity in Africa, his relationship, the defeat, the death of his wife? With the other slaves? With the master of slaves, his being tested? With Macrinus? With Lucilla, her visit, his identity, his resistance? His eventually changing, the encounter with Acacius, the fight in the arena, spared, acacias death?
9. The background of the emperors, their status, twins, effete life, games, the court, the worms? The attitude of the Senators? Acacius? Macrinus and his setting them up, the death of Geta?
10. Arrow colour, wilfulness, childish, nominating his monkey as senator?
11. Lucius, behind-the-scenes, the ex gladiator, observing, supportive Lucius, his sending him to Ostia to bring the troops?
12. The buildup, the taking of Lucilla, in the arena, her death, the many troops converging on Lucius?
13. The troops arrival, Macrinus and his control, his deals with the senators, the corrupt senator, the gambling, the meeting of the senators, Gracchus and the past, and government, decline? The death of Gracchus?
14. The troops arriving, Lucius and his a leadership, the confrontation with Macrinus? And the future?

ORIGIN

US, 2023, 141 minutes, Colour.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, John Bernthal, Niecy Nash, Emily Yancey, Finn Wittrock, Victoria Pedretti, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Isha Blaaker, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Connie Neilson, Blair Underwood, Nick Offerman, Myles Frost, Suraj Yengde.

Directed by Ava DuVernay.

The title, Origin, is significant. However, more significant is the word, Caste. In fact the film is based on the book by Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: the Origins of our Discontent. And, checking on the general meaning of caste: any class or group of people who inherit exclusive privileges or are perceived as socially distinct. We note that the word “socially” is underlined and the film will show that this is a key understanding of differences rather than racism, remembering the unity of race in India and the classic example of a caste system.

This sounds as if this film is something of a seminar on social issues. And, in many ways, it is. However, there is also a strong narrative, the story of Isabel Wilkerson herself and a powerful performance by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, her background, African-American, her family, especially her relationship to her mother who is going into care, a loving relationship with her husband, white, played by John Bernthal. And it is a film about her career as a Pulitzer prize-winning author, urged by a friend to explore race issues in the United States but this leading her to her exploration of the meaning of, significance of, living of, caste.

There are quite a lot of discussion scenes but the film also uses the device of telling stories within stories. We receive a shock when Isabel looks at a photo in a gallery, Nazi authorities gathered for a meeting and then this is dramatised, the dialogue is about ridding Aryan society of the Jews, but looking at American legislation, Jim Crow laws, which they think of incorporating into 1930s German law. And this is illustrated by a mass rally, everybody with the Nazi salute except one, a young man who wants to marry a Jewish girl. And the consequences of this relationship and the authorities is shown brutally.

Another illustration is the story of two couples going undercover in the southern states, one black, one white, academics who are investigating and writing reports. One telling sequence has the sheriff driving through the white area to smiles and applause, then driving through the black area, scowling and the residents with impassive, blank faces.

And, towards the end of the film, a very moving anecdote, an old man reminiscing about 1951, an African-American boy in the Little League, not allowed into the swimming pool, the guard declaring it would have to be decontaminated if he touched the water.

There are also some palpable interviews, compounded by the grief at the death of her husband, the needs of her mother, discussions with her sympathetic cousin, terminally ill, and a telling sequence with star Audra McDonald as Miss Hale, remembering the school principal condemning her for looking him in the eye and rebuking her for demanding to be called Miss at her trying to explain that this was her actually given name.

Isabel Wilkerson also goes to India, visual images of the caste system, a very jolting sequence about the Dalits and their having to clean sewers by hand for the privileged castes.

This is a long film, serious-mindedly directed by Ava DuVernay (Selma), interesting in its storytelling but demanding in its challenge to the audience to acknowledge racism but to explore the idea of caste, and the sad and sometimes savage effects of this kind of privilege superiority over those considered lesser mortals.

1. A challenging film, narrative, portrait of the author, the story? But a film of issues?
2. The writing-director the film career, experience, African-American, race issues?
3. The period, the 2010s, the range of flashbacks? Isabel as a character, journalist, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author, relationship with Brett, life with him, his being white? Her relationship with her mother? Her mother in care? Institution? Her career, the publishers and challengers? The details of her life with Brett, the relationship? The details of her relationship with her mother? With her cousin? The clash with Brett, the suddenness of his death, the funeral and sadness? Her mother, advice, her mother’s death?
4. The publishers, contact with her, at the social, the interview with the journalist, his urging her for further research? Pause after the deaths of Brett and her mother, going back to writing, beginning her research, the various visits and testimonies, their being visualised? Her visit to India, the discussion with the professor about caste? The aspect of selling the house, her memories there, the house repairs and the visit of the plumber, discussions with him? And the resumption of this theme at the end and her walking through the renovated house?
5. The character Brett, White, the marriage to Isabelle, supporting her, the discussions, the challenge? The suddenness of his death?
6. The mother, her wisdom, the relationship, care, her death?
7. Marion, the bond with Isabelle, the discussions, her advice, the terminal illness, Isabel in India, communicating with her, the phone calls?
8. The interview with Miss, telling her story, her name being Miss, the principal not believing it, looking in the eye, and his reaction to her direct approach? The contribution of her story?
9. The visualising of the couple who went undercover, black and white, their personalities, relationship, their expertise, their decisions on research? The south, the visuals, the scene with the sheriff driving through the white community and waving, smiles, kowtowing? The contrast with his drive-through the black area, the silent faces, no response, his sternness? The couple being embedded, their experiences, their writing, the achievement, the photos at the end?
10. Germany, the 1930s, the picture, the dramatising of the picture, issues of the Nazis, superiority, the Jews, looking at American legislation and racism embodied in law, their motivations, race, the humiliation of the Jews, the visualising of the couple, his not saluting, her being Jewish, their time together, the attempt to escape, the arrest, the consequences?
11. The old man reminiscing, 1951, the little league game, the African-American boy, shared triumph, not allowed in the pool area, not in the water or it would have to be decontaminated, the pressure from the coach, laughed on the water, the Ranger, the boy not being allowed to touch the water, outside again, and the people passing him food? The old man and the regrets and his memory?
12. The theme of caste, the explanations, common humanity of the possibilities of being superior to others, the example of caste in India, Isabelle and her visit, the discussions with the professor, her observations of life in India? The visuals of the delegates, the humiliation, use of cleaning the toilets with their hands and visuals of this as an overpowering example for the film audience?
13. The challenge to the audience, expectations about race, racism, the visuals of American slavery, India, and Martin Luther King’s visit to India in the 1950s?
14. Isabel and her writing, ultimate success, the support of the editors, the publication?
15. The challenge to the audience to understand this idea of caste versus racism, the discussions, the speeches, the clarifications, and the elaboration of the pillars of caste?
16. The impact of the film for an American audience? For audiences outside the US?