Displaying items by tag: Marisa Abela

BLACK BAG

US, 2025, 93 minutes, Colour.

Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Rege-Jean Paege, Naomi Harris, Pierce Brosnan, Gustaf Skarsgaard.

Directed by Steven Soderberg.

Black Bag is a film from Steven Soderberg, now a veteran director, early on the scene at a young age, winning at Cannes, 1989, with Sex, Lies and Videotape. He won an Oscar for Best Director in 2004 Traffic. Now, 35 years later, that title does describe key elements in this 21^st-century story of bureaucratic spies, agents, secrets, lies, 21^st-century surveillance technology.

Soderberg is a very hands-on filmmaker and with most of his films, as here, he uses the pseudonym, Peter Andrews, for his role as cinematographer and Mary Ann Bernard (his mother’s actual name) for his role as editor.

The writer of this film is also a veteran, David Koepp, with a range of films from Jurassic Park to Spiderman and, for Soderberg in recent years, Kimi and the ghost story, Presence.

In many ways, this film could be described as intellectual. The setting is London, the key characters generally behind the scenes in their agency. The setting is London, the screenplay takes place over a week, each day indicated. There is very little on screen action (a drone exploding a car on a Polish road), with more talk, discussion, testing, polygraph sequences, cant-and-mouse games and an eruption of truth at the end.

At the centre is top intelligence agent, George, played precisely by Michael Fassbender, meticulous in manner and order (sometimes looking like OCD touches), informed that there is a traitor, the disappearance of information which could trigger explosive results, his quest to find the traitor. And, his link indicates that that could include his wife, Katherine a surface-assured agent, Cate Blanchett. He invites for over collaborators to a dinner, playing a game to try to determine who with a traitor could be. And the game is rather intelligence intriguing, each guest voicing a resolution for the future for the person sitting to their right. Of course, quite a number of secrets and lies, and a dramatic plunging of a knife into the hand of one of the guests.

As the week goes on, we are introduced to the top administrator, played by a silver haired Pierce Brosnan. We get to know the other dinner guests will, bread, a bluff agent played by Tom Burke (Cormorant Strike from the Robert K Galbraith stories and television series), Clarissa, his partner, by Marisa Abela (TVs industry in a striking performance as Amy Winehouse in Back to Black), Bridgeton’s Rege-Jean Page as James, a Colonel and Naomie Harris, veteran of many films from Moonlighting to being Miss Moneypenny and the Daniel Craig bond films) as Zoe, the in-house psychologist.

And so the week continues, Katherine going to Zürich for a contact, George using Clarissa for deep surveillance on her meeting. There are also counselling sessions with Zoe for Katherine and Steve, more secrets and lies.

Then George tests the dinner guests with the polygraph and then organises another dinner, more games and revelations, placing a gun on the table – and, with the pressures of the discussion, the decision that whoever lunges for the game is the traitor. Yes.

So, an espionage story but an exploration of motives and actions rather than non-stop activity – no, there is quite an unexpected shootout!

1. The world of security, agents, spies? The code of secrecy, lies, cover-ups, the symbol of the black bag?
2. A story of spies rather than a thriller? Secrets, plans, betrayals, testing, unmasking? Not an action spy thriller?
3. The London setting, interiors, the home and the dinner, the official officers, meeting rooms? Zürich, the airport, the square, the road through Poland, the fishing? The atmospheric score?
4. The work of Steven Soderberg, for 35 years, the title of sex, lies and video tapes, and the reprisal of equivalent themes in the 21^st-century? His photography, his editing?
5. The introduction to George, serious, meticulous, the camera following him in the street, the club, the contact, the issue of a traitor, his commission to find the truth? His relationship with Katherine, with her on the list? At home, no lying, each prepared to life of the other, kill for the other? His cooking, detailed, the stain on the shirt, changing his clothes, the touch of OCD?
6. The arrival of the guests, the spiking of the drinks, ready and Clarissa, the initial impressions, James and Sally, the relationship? Their meeting at the cafe, Freddie late, bringing the drinks, suspects? The conversation during the meal, George playing the game, each making the resolution for the other, truth and denials, Clarissa and her anger, Freddie and his affairs and denials, the knife in his hand, the relationship between Zoe and James? The end of the dinner?
7. The structure of the film, the indication of day by day?
8. The character of Freddy, passed over, the lies about his relationships, meetings with Zoe? Yet the relationship with Clarissa? Her background, family, their skills in espionage?
9. The character of James, the relationship with Zoe, her breaking it, his anger, Zoe and her psychology role, the meeting with Katherine, their exchanges, their attitudes towards each other?
10. George, going fishing, the meal? At home with Katherine, her going to Zürich? George and the office, Clarissa and the technology to home in on Katherine, her meeting, the issues, sales, the Russian? The supervisor glancing at the screen? Katherine and her return?
11. Suspicions of James, George taking him fishing, the gun, the conversation?
12. Stiglitz, in charge, the issue of Cerberus, disappearance, sale, money? The capabilities of each character? Suspicions on Stiglitz? His manner?
13. The lie detector, the questionnaire each of the suspects, truth and lies, covers?
14. Katherine, the connection with the CIA and information?
15. The murder of Philip Meacham, Georges contact, his death, suspicions?
16. The meeting for the final game, revelations, the gun on the table, the exposes, Clarissa not lying, James grabbing the gun, his being identified as the traitor, the story of the money, the deals, the CIA and the killing of the Russian and his contact? Katherine shooting him? The disposal of the body?
17. George and Catherine, working together, Katherine and her confrontation with Stiglitz and challenging him?
18. In espionage film of words rather than action?

BACK TO BLACK

UK, 2024, 122 minutes, Colour.

Marisa Abella, Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville, Juliet Cowan, Sam Buchanan.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson.

Back to Black is the title of one of Amy Winehouse’s best-known songs.

There is a television series titled Too Young to Die. Certainly a title for a film portrait of singer, Amy Winehouse, dying in 2011 at the age of 27, it already a five-time Grammy winner, awards in the UK, popularity in the United States.

For audiences who are familiar with Amy Winehouse and her career, this is a two-hour overview portrait of her life and and musical success. Fans of the film are enthusiastic. Critics less so, delving into the film and its screenplay and criticisms of simplification – which is always the case in two-hour film which does not intend to give a full life story. For those fans, there is a documentary by celebrated director, Asif Kapadia, Amy, 2015, which also runs for over two hours.

One of the difficulties in a film about Amy Winehouse is that, while she had enormous popularity with her career songs, many people did not respond well to her as a person, as a personality. Again, for those who are fans, there is plenty to see and reflect on in this film. For those who do not respond well to her, the screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh, who had been tuned into British music history with his portrait of Ian Curtis of Joy Division, Control, 2007, biography of the young John Lennon, Nowhere Boy (2009), the portrait of the London entrepreneur, Paul Raymond, The Look of Love, 2013, works well. Within the first 10 minutes of the film, there is a sequence of the older Amy rushing headlong down the street, then situating Amy and her family, the Jewish background, her ability to sing, relationship with her fatherNan, Eddie Marsan, who is separated from her mother, and her loving man, Lesley Manville.

While there are many of the songs, and star Marisa Abella, who offers what is often called a powerhouse performance, singing herself, there is also a musical score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

The film shows the ability of Amy Winehouse and her powerful voice, her love of jazz, and not wanting to be seen as another Spice Girl, the steps of her rising fame, singing in the pubs, the attention of producers, companies, records, popularity, awards, finding the right time for being inserted into the US musical consciousness, the tours, and, ultimately, five Grammy awards.

On the other hand, Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27 alcoholic poisoning. She is a wilful personality, ambitious, violent outbursts, especially towards the video producer, Blake (Jack O’Connell), an addict, who becomes the object of her love and infatuation, an up-and-down relationship, her violence towards him, his prison term, a divorce – yet, as the screenplay highlights, the continual reference to him in her songs, and during their time together, his presence at her concerts.

Which means that this is also a very sad story of a young woman, alcoholic, suffering from bulimia, anti-drug yet introduced to them, unwilling to go to rehab but finally agreeing (and the hit song Rehab), the deep desire for family and children, sober for a time, yet relapsing and dying.

The film has been directed by Sam Taylor Johnson who also directed Nowhere Boy, the film about John Lennon.

1. The title? Amy Winehouse and her career, hit songs?
2. The London settings, the 1990s, the 2000s? London suburbs, streets and homes, Camden, the pubs, the concert venues, offices and studios, rehab? The scenes in the US, the concerts, Florida, the wedding? The background of Amy Winehouse’s life?
3. The music, the songs, the lyrics, the performance, throughout the film, songs at home, background, award occasions?
4. The opening, Amy running, symbolic? At home, the Jewish background and songs, her singing Fly me to the Moon? Mitch joining in? Family atmosphere, living with her mother, her parents separated, the importance of her relationship with her Nan? The box of photos? At home with her mother, her father taxi driving? Nan and her career, her vision for Amy?
5. Amy, drinking, her attitude towards drugs? The wilful personality, drinking? The contact from Nick, performances, contracts, manager? The companies? Her records, the British public, popularity, her continuing success? The issue of America? Her reluctance? A new manager, the company board, their attitude towards the right time for America? Eventually going, performances? Her return to America, marrying Blake in Florida?
6. Amy and her age, experience, the encounter with Blake, playing pool, his singing, his discovering who she was? The bonding, competition, his girlfriend? The invitation for a cup of tea, his arrival, the relationship, the jealousy of the girlfriend? The rocky relationship, Amy and her devotion to Blake, the drinking, the outbursts, hitting him, his reactions? The up-and-down relationship? Her father’s disapproval? Nan and her support? The reaction to the wedding?
7. Mitch, his background, the divorce, supporting Amy, her success, his pride, his reprimands?
8. The ups and downs of the marriage, violence, Blake and his arrest, going to jail, background of his drugs, cocaine, Amy’s reactions? The visit to jail, his wanting a divorce?
9. Amy, her wanting a family, wanting a family with Blake? Disappointment at not being pregnant?
10. The joy of the Grammy awards, Tony Bennett, family, friends, the speech?
11. Amy and her drinking, the consequences? The pressure of the paparazzi, always there, the photographs, calling out to her? In the media, photos, the magazines?
12. The issue of rehab, talking with her father, going to the rehab – and the later success of the Rehab song?
13. Lee Mia, alcohol, relationships, her young age, disappointment about pregnancy, her death?
14. Age 27, achievements, yet a whole life before her? Her place in British popular music?