Displaying items by tag: Danielle Deadwyler

THE PIANO LESSON

US, 2024, 127 minutes, Colour.

Samuel L.Jackson, John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins, Michael Potts, Stephan James.

Directed by Malcolm Washington.

The film version of one of the several plays by August Wilson tracing the history of African Americans and the exploration of their culture – Fences, Ma Rainey’s Bottom… It has been adapted for the screen with Malcolm Washington directing.

Producer Denzel Washington, father of Malcolm and of the star, John David, with his wife Paulette and daughter Olivia having cameo roles as mother and daughter, when asked what audiences would get out of the film, replied that it depended what audiences brought to the film.

To this extent, it is very much a film for African-Americans, the background of slavery, the domination of the South, emancipation, racism, African-American culture and traditions, moving into the conflicts and freedoms of the 20^th century.

The film opens in 1911, celebration of Independence Day, a white celebration while, at the same time, a group of black men are taking a piano from a landowner’s house and sending it to Pittsburgh. The father of the family is pursued and killed.

The action takes place mainly in Pittsburgh in 1936, one of the sons, Boy Willie, John David Washington, coming with his friend Lyman, Ray Fisher, with a truckload of watermelons to sell to get money to buy a property of the landowner who has died falling down a well. He hopes to sell the piano to raise the rest of the money for the sale. However, he experiences the clash with his sister, Berneice, a widow with a daughter, Danielle Deadwyler. The patriarch of the house is played by Samuel L.J ackson. Also in the cast are one of his brothers who is visiting as well as the local pastor who aims at building a church.

This is very much filmed theatre but with a number of exterior sequences. However, it is very much a film of words and performance. Central to the drama of the family is the sense of ghosts and spirits haunting, the effect on families, the need for some kind of exorcism.

The wider audience will be interested in this exploration of African-American themes but may often feel that they are observing from the outside.

1. The work of August Wilson? Theatre? Cinema? African-American themes in history?
2. 1911, July 4, the south, the White celebration, patriotism, colour and song? The contrast with the African-Americans, the situation, Mississippi, work, owners, the piano, the stealing, pushing and carrying it, the escape, with Boy Willie, Boy Charlie, the fire, the pursuit, his death?
3. 1936, the desert, the city, the neighbourhoods, the black area? Homes, the streets, nightclubs, church? The musical score, the songs and their lyrics, atmosphere?
4. The theatricality of the piece, on stage, most of the action within the house, the external scenes, Mississippi, the pursuit of Boy Charlie, the drive, the sales of the watermelons? The visual equivalence of the words?
5. The focus on Boy Willie, his age, his mother and father, the memories of 1911, the piano? The death of Sutter, falling down the well, huge man, suspicions, the Yellow Ghost, Berneice asserting that Boy Willie pushed him? The visuals? His friendship with Lyman, the truck, driving to Pittsburgh, the watermelons, the sale, hopes for the money for a for the land?
6. Doaker, the uncle, his brothers, his work, settling in the North, his personality, observing, intervening? Berneice, her experience in the south, the death of her husband, mourning for him, her daughter? Her bitter attitudes? Antagonism towards Boy Willie? Her bitter words, the relationship with Avery? Raising the funds? Avery’s proposal, her harsh response? The scenes of antagonism with Boy Willie? Her nerves, the apparition of Sutter, Boy Willie’s sceptical reaction? The conversations about his appearing, Joker, the daughter? The ominous presence?
7. Lyman, more simple, from the South, wanting to stay in the North, accompanying Boy Willie, their shared experiences, his conversation, the watermelons, in the house, Boy Wining and the bargaining with the suit, shirt, shoes? His going out, at the club, the music, the conversation, his return, the encounter with Berneice, the perfume, the kiss, her response?
8. Boy Wining, his past, one of the brothers, the news of his wife’s death, the music, his drinking, in the house, cheerful, contribution to the controversies?
9. The buildup to a climax, Berneice, the anxieties, Avery’s coming to exorcise the ghosts, the quoting of the scripture, Boy Willie and his experience, the struggle with the ghost, his return downstairs? The reconciliation with Berneice?
10. Love and tensions within the family? The future?
11. And the symbolism of the piano, stolen from Sutter, transfer to the North, the mother playing it, the flashbacks of mother and daughter, Berneice playing it, stopping when her mother died, the carvings on the piano, the family heritage, not selling it, Avery wanting to start the Church, Boy Willie wanting to sell it for buying the property?

CARRY-ON

US, 2024, 190 minutes, Colour.

Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Tonatiu, Logan Marshall-Green, Dean Norris, 'SinquaWalls, Curtiss Cook, Gill Peres-Abraham.

Directed by Jaume Collett-Serra.

Most audiences would be thinking of Carry-on luggage on planes. However, some British critics raised the objection that “Carry on” was sacrosanct with the series of broad comedies from the 1970s on with Sid James and the Carry on cast…!

This is an action story is set on Christmas Eve, reminding audiences that one of the most popular Christmas films was, in fact, Bruce Willis in .  Die Hard. This is very much in the Die Hard vein.

There is a violent opening, Russian drug dealers, confrontations and killings, and an abduction. Expectations are set. And, with Jaume Collett Serra as the director, with quite a number of action films during his career, especially with Liam Neeson (Non-stop, Run all Night, The Commuter), there are quite some complications and confrontations.

Then the focus is on the main character, Ethan, Taron Egerton (The King’s Man, also playing Elton John in Rocketman), working on security at LAX with his pregnant girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson) as an executive job. This gives the basis for the human element during all the dangers at the airport.

The film spends some time showing the workings of security and the staff at Los Angeles vast airport. Then Ethan finds himself pushing for a promotion, given a different desk which, it emerges, upsets the careful plan of the arch criminal, called The Traveller (heard at first, then seen as Jason Bateman calmly and relentlessly and implacably sinister). The aim is to get a bag with nerve gas through security without examination.

The film maintains its tension throughout, the focus on Ethan, the pressures, the threats to kill Nora, his racing through the airport many times, using his wits, the face-to-face with The Traveller, the passenger with the case…

In fact, the film builds up tension with the arrival of the LA police, Homeland security, suspension of security action, flights delayed, the locating of the case, the threat that the nerve gas could pervade the whole airport.

We hope that the scenario would be impossible in real life, but! In the meantime, for those who have celebrated Christmas too often with Die Hard, here is its successor.

1. Christmas crime and potential disaster movie? Action, characters, tension?
2. Los Angeles setting, LAX, outside, arrivals and parking, the interiors of the terminals, the offices? The van, communications with The Traveller? The musical score?
3. The introduction, the Russians, the money, the nerve gas, the killings, the reports? The abduction of the hostage, being held in the van?
4. Ethan and Nora, together, age, relationship, the stories of the backgrounds, police Academy, application and rejection, lying, about his father? Father’s career? Life together, travel to the airport, respective jobs? Nora and her challenger about the police Academy?
5. Ethan, character, hurrying, late, the head and his comments, preparations for Christmas Eve, Ethan asking for a promotion, friendship with Jason, Jason offering the change? The rest of the staff, Eddie, his music, his jobs? The security desks and monitors, the line of travellers, security, the baggage, the collage of personal criticisms and crankiness passengers?
6. The setup, The Traveller, first hearing his voice, the woman and the tray, the earpiece? The situation, The Watcher and everything under surveillance, the connections? Jason as the target, his home watched, the threats to his family? The transition to Nora, getting all the information about her? The Traveller using it?
7. The situation, airport security, Christmas Eve crowds, the threats? Audiences identifying with Ethan, listening, conversations, challenges, the threats to Nora, the phone and the message, cancelled and its later being checked? Unease, the information about the Traveller? The bag, the red tag, the mystery of the contents, its being let through?
8. The cat and mouse with The Traveller, personalities, his calm, control, eventually being seen, meeting with Ethan, their discussions, the threats?
9. Elena, police, the murders and investigation, the burning of the building, the recording, getting some information, deciphering the nerve gas name, googling? Her contacting the agent, his working with her, the revelation of his being a phony, the driving, the crash? Elena, the contact with Homeland, getting to the airport, taking control, the airport manager of the shutdown? List of 50 suspects?
10. Ethan, running through the airport, the lunch with Nora, tension, his hurting her, reconciliation? His changing the name on the list? His finding the case, the instructions for disabling the nerve gas?
11. The interviews, the threat to the chief, the passenger killing him? The deaths, his passing the ticket and message to Lionel, Lionel’s death? Jason, believing Ethan was wanting a promotion, the change of the drink, collapse?
12. The buildup to the tension in the airport, Elena and her control, the encounter with Ethan, his pushing her? With the passenger, the passenger and the earpiece, the fight, his death? Ethan and the swapping of the bags?
13. The passenger, controlled by The Traveller, care for his husband, killing the supervisor, collaboration, The Traveller urging him to kill Ethan, his death?
14. The change of plan, the different flight, Ethan with Nora, the plan, whether the plane should go or not, his getting to the plane, the baggage area, dismantling the nerve gas, The Traveller and his phone, going down, the fight, Ethan and his shrewdness, the final confrontation, the nerve gas in the freezer, The Traveller and his death?
15. The background of the politics, the politician and her move, companies and wanting contracts, a scenario of the nerve gas, her being killed by the Russians, no matter how many deaths – and the threat for the deaths in the airport itself?
16. Nora, the pregnancy, talk about the baby, later, happy baby, going to Tahiti, Jason and his family?

I SAW THE TV GLOW

US, 2024, 100 minutes, Colour.

Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Lindsey Jordan, Danielle Deadwyler, Fred Durst.

Directed by Jane Schoenbrun.

Certainly a provocative title. And, alluring for those who love television and are caught up in its worlds. It has been billed as a horror film but that sets up expectations which may not be fulfilled and distracts an audience from trying to discern what kind of film it actually is.

The first comment is that it has divided opinions, right down the middle, many declaring it is one of the most boring films they have ever seen, finding it incomprehensible, many, on the other hand, praising its originality, its insight into youth and absorption into fantasy with consequences on real life.

Another approach would be that young audiences who are on its wavelength, identify with the characters, not only their response to the glow of television and television series, but in their personal issues, especially of family and parental experiences, loneliness and isolation, identity, gender and sexual identity. Older audiences may find themselves in a state of observing with interest, rather than identifying with the characters and the action.

The film was the work of writer-director, Jane Schoenbrun, who has given the number of interviews about their perspective on the film and its creation, its relationship to the director’s own life, awareness and decisions about gender identity and transitions.

The story opens in 1996, two high schoolers, Maddy (Brigitte Lundy-Paine), morose but strong minded, who lives with an abusive father, Owen (Justice Smith who tells the story and is the focal character) who lives with his parents, a stern father, she two years older than he. What brings them together is an interest in a television series, The Pink Opaque (with reference to the series, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer). Two loners meet and discuss their experiences and lives, Maddy attracted to girls, Owen unsure, attracted to the television series. The possibility arises that they could run away from home, Maddy doing so, Owen staying.

There are two time lapses during the action which jolt the audience, Maddy’s return after eight years, absorbed in the series, partly living the fantasy, the audience seeing some of the fantasy characters. Owen, on the other hand, has a humdrum life, works in the theatre which now closes down and he has to move to a fun fair.

Then a gap of 20 years, Owen, the same but visibly older, adapting his life, trapped in the memories, and a literal scream of desperation.

Which means then that the director offers a story and treatment and then it is over to us make of it what we will, what we can.

1. The title, television and its impact, American audiences, younger audiences, teenage audiences, the 1990s setting, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its influence? The repercussions as protagonists grew older? The Pink Opaque?
2. The time settings, the mid-1990s, advancing two years, the gap of eight years, then 20 years and the sudden jolt for audience attention? The later years?
3. The perspective of the writer-director, her comments about her own life experience, gender and transgender, growing awareness, consequences?
4. The story of Owen, quiet, character, physical and psychological conditions? His age, at school, observing Maddy, her reading the book about The Pink Opaque, the discussions, friendship, his wanting to see the episodes, his curfew at home, going to her house, the excuse of the sleepovers, later visiting the mother of his former friend for her support? The effect of watching the episodes, their coming to life, the various characters, the girls, the villains each week, Mr Melancholy and appearances, Owen absorbed?
5. Maddy’s story, family, abusive stepfather, wanting to leave, her age, befriending Owen, her disappearance? The sexual orientation, conscious, choices, to leave family in town?
6. Maddy giving Owen the VHS cassettes, his watching them, absorbed, the characters, the stories, the mythology? Effect on him?
7. Owen, relationship with his mother, African-American family, severe father, dismissing The Pink Opaque as for girls, remaining in the town, getting the jobs, quiet, his appearance, hair, slender, looking at himself in the mirror, the issue of relationships, girls, identity, male/female?
8. Maddy’s return after eight years, her story about her jobs, her life, and living within the episodes of the show, the characters, their behaviour? Revealing this to Owen? His reactions, watching the show, smashing his head in the television set, his father saving him?
9. Owen, staying at home, reticent, working in the movie theatre? The closure of the theatre, going to work in the Fun Park?
10. The passing of time, Owen getting older, grey hair, stooped, nondescriptive existence? 2026, the outburst at the fair, the desperate screaming, no response from people, his returning home, cutting his chest, the television set glowing within? His return and apology? Whatever his future?
11. The effect on the audience in the style of storytelling, events, long conversations, realism, fantasy, intermingling of both, personal identity, gender and sexual identity, isolation?