Displaying items by tag: Peter Malone's film Reviews

SCHEHERAZADE: TELL ME A STORY

Egypt, 2009, 135 minutes, Colour.

Mona Zakki, Mahmoud Hemeida.

Directed by Yousry Nasrallah.

This is a significant Egyptian film, especially in Egyptian film history, a long tradition, a diminishing of impact, researchers at the beginning of the 21^st-century.

The screenplay is by the veteran writer, Wahid Ahmed (hes The Yacoubian Building was seen internationally). He has a place in the tradition of the Egyptian cinema. However, the director was more associated with arthouse cinema.

The social significance of the film is in its portrayal of women in Egyptian society. A long tradition of strong female stars had declined into conventional presentations of women in Egyptian films – wives and mothers, sisters, fiancés… The director of  noted that in making his film he was very conscious of misogyny in Egyptian society.

The central character is Hebba, presenting on television, political discussion, a private network, not public. The contrast, her husband is a deputy editor of a government owned paper, with high ambitions. Political leaders indicate to him that his wife’s career could be a hindrance to his promotion, that she should stay away from politics.

At the centre of the film is a new series of talk shows that the wife develops. The comparison is made of her listening to the character from A Thousand and One Nights, Scheherazade, the women telling their stories to stay alive.

As expected, with women’s political issues, misogynistic men attack her, issues of abuse, sexual abuse, religious abuse, and repression, leading to the breakup of her marriage.

This is a film of Egyptian storytelling, Egyptian women’s storytelling, the desperation of some of the stories, their not being heard, and some dire consequences for those who tell them and listen to them.

PHIL TIPPETT: MAD DREAMS AND MONSTERS

France, 2019, 80 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Gilles Penso, Alexandre Poncet.

This is a treat for movie fans, especially those who are fascinated by special effects. It is a work of two French filmmakers who worked on the documentary about the central characters in the range of horror films, Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex, 2015, and she will pan so making a film tribute to British special effects creative genius, Ray Harry Howson.

Subject of this film is American, Phil Tippett. The main part of the film is an interview with him, in his 70s, looking back, still working in the studio that he developed along with his partner, Jules Roman, who is also interviewed.

Tippett explains his fascination with sketching, with film creatures, the film is that he saw when young, the inspiration of Ray Harry Howson, is making his own short films, learning stop-motion animation and working with experts on their films.

However, he was called to work on Star Wars with George Lucas, and the film shows his contributions to the creatures and the animation in the first three Star Wars films produced. Tippett is somewhat gruff, quite self-deprecating, not ambitious but dedicated to his visual art and creativity. A lot of detailed explanations, close-ups of the creatures, ways of filming them, the final effects in the context of the film’s narrative.

There are quite a number of talking heads throughout the film, a kind of confraternity of special effects experts, their meeting, working together, their various talents, stop-motion, creating figures and figurines, discovering how to film them effectively. One of the great aspects of the film is the warmth between all these experts, and then natural speaking well of each other. Directors Joe dainty and Paul Verhoeven also contribute.

Then came Jurassic Park, computerisation, computer graphics, the challenge to Phil Tippett, adapting, having worked with all the her benign Robocop, with Irving Kershner on the Empire strikes back and Robocop two, the transition to computer graphics was completed with Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Tippett won an Oscar for Jurassic Park and, as commented wryly in the film, some of his best work was for Starship Troopers but it was the year that Titanic was released!

Those not always aware of the creation of special effects, this film is a valuable eye-opener. And, it is a pleasure to listen to the range of experts no rivalries, but creative and enjoyable collaboration.

EAT WHEATIES!/ DEAR ELIZABETH

US, 2021, 88 minutes, Colour.

Tony Hale, Alicia Cuthbert, Danielle Brooks, David Walton, Alan Tudyk, Sarah Clarke, Paul Walter Hauser, Robbie Amell, Kylie Bunbury. With thanks to Elizabeth Banks.

Directed by Scott Abramovich.

Tony Hale is very well known to television audiences, 65 episodes of Veep, 84 episodes of Arrested Development as well as many films and other television series.

This is his film.

He plays a genial middle-aged man, competent in his work, but rather simple in many of his approaches to life. It is one a sympathetic brother and an unsympathetic sister-in-law. He is awkward in relationships. And he has a sometimes peculiar sense of humour which irks some of his audience.

There is a reunion for his college group and he is asked to be on the coordinating committee. The key to the film and his response is that he was at college with actress and director, Elizabeth Banks, dating one of her sorority sisters. He makes a lot of this – writing to her agent for an autographed photo as a gift for his brother, sending it back when it is smudged, alienating her agent with his continued requests, her eventually getting a restraining order on him – which, of course, bewilders him.

He decides to overturn the restraining order, finding lawyers too expensive but finding one, played by Paul Walter Hauser, with an online qualification but less expensive. A lot of the enjoyment in the latter part of the film is the court case, the speeches, the antagonism of the agent, the attentive listening to the judge, and the lifting of the order.

Alan Tudyk plays a sympathetic friend who turns on him. There is the reunion, his being shunned.

But, there is a happy ending, the sister-in-law giving birth and becoming more sympathetic, his invitation to be godfather, and finally, a message from Elizabeth Banks who has been away and not privy to all the upsets, a sympathetic message.

And, the titles? Dear Elizabeth is obvious. But Eat Wheaties! is a quote from Elizabeth, encouragement, that she used in her early years.

1. The two titles, dear Elizabeth Banks, her saying, “Eat Wheaties!”?
2. Offices, homes, barbecues, hospitals, class reunions, the courts…? The musical score?
3. Tony Hale as Sid Straw? A good man, limited, work at the office, relationship with his brother, Tom, the jokes at the wedding and Jenny’s reaction? His long speeches and jokes? With people at the office, Bruce? Black joked with Sam? The meeting with Katelyn, the outing, the night together, her later reactions, the breakup? His acceptance?
4. The question of Elizabeth Banks, class reunion, his being the co-chair, the organisation, his memories, dating one of Elizabeth Banks’ sorority sisters? Asking the signed photograph for his brother’s birthday? The smudged copy? His continued appeals, agent, Frankie and her harsh reactions, the sympathetic assistant? Asking for the restraining order, its imposition, the effect on Sid, approaching the various lawyers, their costs, finding James Risk, with his family, qualifications, online degree, dodgy, less expensive? Sid going with him, the friendship, in the court, James and his speeches, awkward, his impassioned plea? And winning the case, going back to Bruce and the other managers, apologies and recompense, the previous insult at the bank, showing the tellers the cheques, going to a bank which is courteous?
5. The online posts, poetry, outpourings, his not realising they were going viral, his brother’s response, the agent’s response, the reaction in the office, Bruce giving notice, firing him? His attempts at other jobs?
6. Sid and his being friendly, his brother’s speech about him and their friendship, support, Jenny objecting, her later relenting, his speech before the guests arrived, Brandon and the jokes, Alison, the connection with Frankie? Alison in the court prosecuting for Frankie? And the birth of the baby, their asking him to be Godfather and laughing at jokes?
7. Wendy, at the diner, friendly, chatting, giving him the drinks, the final talk, at the hospital, the kiss?
8. The reunion, the various meetings with Dave Lambert, friendship, his son, the smells? Dave not wanting to mix with Sid? The guests awkward?
9. Sid, writing the children’s book, the recitation, the publication, success? Softball sequences, David and his son? Sid finally enjoying softball?
10. And the finale message from Elizabeth Banks, and the outreach to Sid?

REMEMBERING GENE WILDER

US, 2023, 92 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Ron Frank.

This is a very enjoyable documentary, especially for film buffs and, most especially, those who like and admire Gene Wilder.

Gene Wilder died in 2016. Fortunately, for his admirers, he wrote a memoir, published in 2005 Kiss Me like a Stranger with Wilder himself reading it for an audiobook. Which means then there are Wilder’s own words and commentary as background to the documentary, about his early life, his early career, his move into movies, his comedy, writing and then directing, details of his successful movie career, and then his later years. And, readily available, quite a range of interviews over the decades. And, of course, there are his films and his television appearances in Will and Grace.

One of the main impressions from this documentary is that Gene Wilder was a very nice person, genial, friendly, rather more quiet – as indicated by his tone and responses in his audiobook as well has in television interviews. There is a reference to his raising his voice in a dispute with Mel Brooks but then Brooks explaining that he was provoking Wilder to ensure that Wilder really believed in the suggestions he was making for the song, Puttin’ on the Ritz in Young Frankenstein.

Gene Wilder’s name was to Jerome Silberman, from Milwaukee, Jewish family, not devoutly practising but with the traditions. But, for his career, he wanted to do something – Wilder! The documentary offers information about Wilder himself, his family, his friendly cousin, schooling.

He began his career on stage, was a production of Mother Coverage with Anne Bancroft. It was Anne Bancroft who made the suggestion that Wilder would be suitable for the key character in her husband, Mel Brooks, planning to film Springtime for Hitler, released as The Producers.

One of the advantages of the documentary is that a good amount of time (though always room for more) given to the production of different films and of Wilder’s performance, especially those with Mel Brooks: The Producers, Blazing Saddles (he was not the first choice, coming in for an alcoholic Gig Young but making the character his own), and Wilder’s own screenplay, Young Frankenstein, fortunately taken up by Fox after Columbia executives rejected the film because it was to be in black-and-white in homage to James Whale’s 1930s films. There is quite a focus on at the Frisco Kid, the Jewish background, his working with Harrison Ford. And, there is his collaboration with Richard Pryor, combining well on screen, but not close in real life, with helpful commentary by Richard Pryor’s daughter: Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, See No Evil, Hear No Evil. And, there is Wilder’s writing and directing for Sherlock Holmes Younger Brother, The World’s Greatest Lover, and interviews with star Carol Kane.

One of the delights of the film is continued interviews with Mel Brooks, in his 90s, still genial and comic and full of praise for Wilder.

The documentary also focuses on his encounter with Gilda Radner, working with her, the clicking, partnership, their marriage, her cancer diagnosis, her strong character, the effect on Wilder, her death.

In his later life, the genial Wilder gave interviews to television hosts but retired to writing, five books, to watercolour painting. He also married the psychologist that he consulted for advice on one of the films but Karen Boyer, married to her for 25 years (there are no references to his earlier marriages and divorces).

The sad part of the documentary is Wilder’s gradual losing his memory, the touches of dementia, and footage of these later years.

This film has won several awards, audience awards, especially at it Jewish festivals. But, audiences with memories of favourite scenes from gene Wilder films, a documentary treat.

FAKE FAMOUS

US, 2021, 87 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Nick Bilton.

Do we want to have our cake – and eat it? Delicious for a time that then possible stomach troubles, even extreme indigestion.

This is one of the messages of this documentary about influencers, and people are famous simply because of their being famous.

The film opens with crowds of tourists posing against a pink wall in Los Angeles, an in-destination, apparently, by 2020, for people to come and take selfies, a peculiar manifestation of herd instinct.

Then an introduction to the writer-director, Nick Bilton, journalist with American papers and magazines, interested in social media and its effects. He and his team decide to conduct an experiment, to create three Influencers from nothing, promote them, films, advertising, investment in bolts, build up their reputations and followers of their created-from-nothing influencers. The director speaks to camera, explaining what he is doing, his intentions, progress – and his amazement at the results of the experiment.

The screenplay notes that in the past when children were asked what they wanted to be in life, it was the obvious doctors, lawyers, teachers… Now it is to be an Influencer, to be famous, to have millions of followers like celebrities, for instance, Kim Kardashian (although, there is some revelation that many of her followers are bols).

The first part of the film is auditions, plenty of them, the desire to be famous on display, often inept, generally narcissistic. Then, three are chosen, The Young woman who is not afraid to be upfront, an African-American who has the touch of the cynical, then a wide-eyed young gay man who joins in enthusiastically.

This expose of would-be influences is surprisingly interesting. But, when the audience sees the efforts of the staff to provide images, most of them fake, set ups in very ordinary situations or lavish locations which are hired less expensively for the hour, snapshots, poses, some awkward in reality but looking attractive on camera, the beginning of likes, the bots increasing the volume of followers, the appeal to companies to use these young influences to promote their businesses…

Two things happen. With the two men, they find it too much after some time, inauthentic, having an effect on their sense of integrity, moving out. The young woman is highly delighted, getting all kinds of boosts from her followers (real or not) and being pursued by companies even to fully paid holidays and spending grants.

The other thing that happens is Covid. With the deserted streets and lockdown, the cheery scenes of influencers out and about, on the beach, on holidays, is revealed as phony.

While this is a quick portrait of a 21^st-century phenomenon, it could also serve as an alert, even as a warning, to those who think that fulfilment in life is to be an influencer.

ASTEROID CITY

US, 2023, 108 minutes, Colour.

Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Steve Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan and Jeff Goldblum.

Directed by Wes Anderson.

For almost 30 years, writer-director, Wes Anderson has been making very personalised, idiosyncratic films. And he has won quite a reputation. Even when his drama/comedies seem realistic, there is so much about the characters, the situations, the dialogue which seems quite surreal. And this has been a strength, fascinating, intriguing. Fans of Anderson will have their own favourites, this reviewer will quote The Royal Tennenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Difficulties with some of the other films, The Fantastic Mr Fox, The French Dispatch.

While most of Anderson’s films have been live-action, he has made to animated films, Mr Fox as well as Isle of Dogs. With Asteroid City, he has combined both talents. The pastel backgrounds for locations belong to animation. And the cast, performing in front of these locations more often resemble characters in animation. And, even more tantalisingly, Anderson has created quite a theatrical background to his staging of these events of 1955 in the Nevada desert. In black-and-white scenes, he shows the discussions about putting on the play, interviews with the producer, the director, the continued commentary from Bryan Cranston, seeing the actors and their interactions with writer and director, discussions about their roles, even actors discussing a sequence omitted from the final cut but spoken by them. So, a moving backwards and forwards, from colour to black and white, from Asteroid City to the theatre. It is all very clever and can be admired (though those frustrated by the complexities have commented that it is too clever for its own good).

As mentioned, Bryan Cranston is the TV host/commentator throughout, with Edward Furlong as the writer, Adrien Brody as the director, Willem Dafoe as the acting coach, Margot Robbie is the actress whose scene was cut.

However, out in the desert with echoes of the testing of atomic bombs, there is a convention for up-and-coming scientists to receive awards. Asteroid City is where an asteroid landed 3700 BC. There is a service station, Matt Dillon alone at the pump. There is a motel, managed by Steve Carell. The principal dramatic focus is a war-photographer father with his son and three daughters whose wife has just died and he can’t tell his children (Jason Schwartzman), his sometimes irascible father-in-law (Tom Hanks). General Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) is presiding, Tilda Swinton as the local astronomer, a teacher (Maya Hawke) with a bus full of children, a musical band, the families of the candidate children, and a famous movie star with her daughter (Scarlett Johansson). One might say: who could ask for anything more!

While there is the central core of the Convention, the awards, interactions in the town, the screenplay is more or less a succession of sketches (including a close encounter of the third kind and a cartoon alien who steals the local asteroid). The father and the movie star bond. The youngsters bond even more. The general is in touch with Washington and everyone is quarantined in Asteroid City.

So, if those ingredients sound attractive, Asteroid City will be an enjoyable Wes Anderson entertainment.

1.     A Wes Anderson film? His reputation, style?

2.     The structure of the film, the background, the theatre, putting on a play, discussions between director and cast, between writer and cast (and a relationship with one of the stars), the drama coach, complexities behind the scene, logistics, the actor and actress whose scene was cut and their reciting it? The commentating by Bryan Cranston, entering into scenes, sometimes wrongly and exiting? The effect of this theatricality and its relationship to the drama of the film?

3.     The structure of the film, the desert, the pastel and artificial backgrounds, Convention Centre, motel, gas station, the streets, the motel, people looking out windows…? The equivalent of animation?

4.     The 1955 setting, the Eisenhower era, UFOs and aliens, the testing of bombs? Remote desert communities and their livelihoods, tourists, conventions? The family driving in with the car, the breakdown, the mechanic and his trying to help? The motel and the manager, selling plots of land in the desert, investments…? The busload of children? The children as aspiring scientists and the Convention, awards? The various families, domestic incidents, meals, showers, conversations? The movie star?

5.     Audience response to the various characters, the episodes, the interactions?

6.     The family, the father of the war photographer, the death of his wife, unable to tell his children, his young son, scientist, for the award, the three little daughter’s, precocious, the issue of burying the with their mother? The grandfather, his clash with his son-in-law, fostering his children?

7.     The other families, parents, children, quarantined in Asteroid City? The film star, her reputation, the woman’s criticism of her role not being liked, her interactions with the father, the motel, the windows? With her daughter and her relationship?

8.     The general, his speech, his assistant, the awards, the history of the city, the UFO, the alien, the stealing of the asteroid, checking with Washington, imposing quarantine, his being lifted, re-imposed…?

9.     The children, science, knowledgeable, compared with the adults? The visit with the astronomer, the scientific background? The awards?

10.  The teacher, the bus full of children, precocious comments, the lessons, the interrupted, experiencing the alien?

11.  The band, travelling, Montana, attraction to the teacher? The dancing?

12.  The alien, close encounters, cartoon alien, taking the asteroid, the later return of the asteroid? The alien embodied in Jeff Goldblum at the end?

13.  The aftermath, the general’s death in the accident, the dispersing of the people, the father and the film star and the address, the future?

ABOUT MY FATHER

US, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.

Robert De Niro, Sebastian Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb, Kim Cattrall, David Rasche, Anders Holm, Brett Dier.

Directed by Laura Teruso.

American television audiences may well be familiar with Sebastian Maniscalco. Perhaps not so widely known outside the US. But, this is his film, co-writing, the main star, keeping his own name, a story based on his own father and his growing up. It runs for 90 minutes. It can be described as a light comedy. And it works happily within this framework.

This is a film about family with an oft quoted Italian saying that family is all. In fact, this is a film about two families, quite contrasting, Sicilian migrants in the 1950s, a wealthy family descended from the Mayflower pilgrims.

Sebastian narrates the story, from the vantage point of middle age, growing up with his father, Salvo, his mother sadly dying, his father a renowned hairdresser in Chicago, Sicilian to the core but coming to America to live the American dream, the migrant experience, serving in Vietnam, making a success of his life, a hard work ethos, happy within his limited world and suspicions about wealthy American families.

The great advantage of the film is that he is played by Robert De Niro, clearly enjoying himself, variation on various performances over the more than 50 years he has been top lining the movies. And, Sebastian Maniscalco and De Niro play well off each other.

But, the complication is that Sebastian is in love with Ellie, Leslie Bibb. Salvo is wary, Ellie is not the kind of Italian fiancee that Salvo expects. Come 4th July holiday, Ellie invites Sebastian to her parents’ luxurious home and the local country club. Sebastian, tormented, worrying one way or the other, persuades his father to come. What follows, of course, is a whole lot of comedy, some slapstick, some farcical, Salvo as the fish out of water with the wealthy, the wealthy parents indulging their eccentric sons, the father an owner of a string of top-class hotels, the mother an aggressive Senator for Maryland (played by veterans David Rasche and Kim Cattrall).

On the one hand, the point is just to sit back and enjoy the comedy of errors. On the other hand, we are asked to give serious attention to the role of parents, protective, wanting the best for their children, but holding on to them for too long, the need for independence for children and to fulfil their own dreams rather than their parents’ dreams.

One might say that a lot of the comedy is fairly silly but, given the cast, enjoyably silly. (We have never seen Robert De Niro participating in an egg and spoon race before!) Things do get serious towards the end but there is a happy and proper ending. (Those who know Italian will get the joke about the peacocks when they hear that De Niro’s dinner recipe mentions Pavone – and we have seen the strutting peacocks in the grounds. And the final humorous joke about the peacocks pays off!)

1. The straightforward title? The focus on “my” and the autobiography aspects from comedian Sebastian Maniscalco? The Sicilian origins, his father a migrant, the American dream, the effect on the next generation and independence, parental expectations?
2. Sebastian Maniscalco and his comic talent, his career, cowriting the screenplay? Robert de Niro, his career in comedies, meeting Maniscalco’s father for his performance?
3. The Italian migrant background, Cicely and its reputation, memories of The Godfather? The generation coming in the 1950s? Salvo, hairdresser, his reputation, his clientele, admired? The death of his wife? Pride and his son? His expectations for his son? The narrow culture and perspectives? Wary of WASP culture?
4. The contrast with the descendants from the Mayflower pilgrims? American pride, wealth, business, mansions, manners, country clubs?
5. The situation, Sebastian, his work and skills, his relationship with Ellie, the scenes together, a middle-aged couple, marriage plans? Living in Chicago? Wanting to stay there? Sebastian and his work at the hotel? Ellie and her art, the exhibitions, her paintings, so similar, all being bought?
6. The comic touches with Salvo, the scenes in the hairdressers? At home?
7. The introduction to Ellie’s family, her mother the senator, aggressive? The father, his owning all the hotels, expansion? The older son, unreliable, drugs? The younger son, new age obsessions and behaviour?
8. 4th July, holiday and ethos, the plan, Sebastian’s dilemma, eventually inviting his father? The contrast between Salvo and Ellie’s parents and family? The comedy of the helicopter ride – and the later acceptance?
9. The visual and verbal comedy with the clashes of culture? The country club style, meals, connections, conversation, the touch of patronising, dealing with the sons? Ellie, her reaction, wanting the families to unite? Her dismay when she discovers that her father had organised the buying of all her paintings and putting them in the hotels?
10. The ups and downs of the visit, the comedy, the sports and the egg and spoon race, Sebastian and his desperation, the meal, the pastor, Pavone and the audience seeing the peacocks? The realisation of the peacocks in the pastor? The senator, the need for the interview and hairdo, Salvo and the effect on her hair, her explosion, the media and aggressive interview, social media liking the hairdo and her change of heart?
11. Confrontation between father and son, the father leaving early? The son desperate, going to the airport, getting his father to return?
12. Ellie, the same issue of independence, the pressures from her father?
13. The resolving the crisis, mutual understanding, the change in the parents, Ellie’s two brothers and the effect on them? A future?

THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG/ LA PUNTA DEL ICEBERG

Spain, 2016, 91 minutes, Colour.

Maribel Verdu, Carmelo Gomez, Fernando Cayo, Barbara Goenaga.

Directed by David Canovas.

This is a comparatively brief but very interesting film, especially for those concerned about business, management, pressures on executives, on staff.

The film opens with pressure on an executive who then kills himself. It is revealed that two other executives have killed themselves in the office building. One of the rare female executives, Sofia, played by Maribel Verdu, tough in herself, even to firing her sister-in-law for not being effective in her job, her commission to go to the office to examine the situation, do interviews and write a report.

The bulk of the film is Sofia and her interviews, with a range of people, the overall executive in that office being very dominating, further revelations about his bullying, having videos (surveillance cameras in all the major rooms), blackmail and pressurising for better results. As she listens, especially to Gabriella, revealing aspects of liaisons in the office, pregnancies, further pressures, she visualises the suicides and the effect on her.

Ultimately, she writes a report but looks at the USB stick, with many videos from the surveillance cameras, used for bullying, for blackmail and pressurising. She then confronts the board, their refusing to act, her being fired, her going home and facing the moral issues and making a decision to make contact with the press who had initially asked for an interview with her.

Quite intense at times, but raising significant issues of business management and human resources.

1. Title? Business management? Mismanagement, power and domination?
2. The Spanish setting, the visuals of significant buildings, externals, interiors, offices, interview rooms…? Homes? The musical score?
3. The introduction, Marcello, the discussion, threats, his manner, suicide? The revelation of the other suicides? The executive shooting himself in his office? The executive cutting his throat and the bathroom? The final suicide of Gabriella, falling from the roof?
4. The exploration of pressure in big business, command and control, exploiting, blackmail, suicides?
5. The introduction to Sofia, the interview with Enzo, the influence of the head, the internal investigation, her being sent to do the report? Her background, ruthless, firing her sister-in-law and the reasons? Her reputation?
6. Travelling to the office, the interview with the director, his attitudes, controlling, treatment of severe? her being given the office of Marcella? Her personality, control, stern, the interviews, handling different people, Gabriella, the discussions, the truth, the USB stick? The visualising of the suicides of the men and her contemplating them? The interview with Alejandro, the past contact, his being in Germany, womanising, the return, the unions, the interactions between them? The encounters with Jaime, his attitudes, in a hurry, the vending machine, the later meetings, the effect of the meetings on her?
7. The writing of the report, Gabriella, the videos, her reaction, confrontation with the head? Her return home, tearing up her report, the impact of the videos? Integrity?
8. Going to the meeting, entering without invitation, handing out the reports, the men, exclusively men, reading the reports, Enzo and his reactions, the head, the indication that nothing would happen, business interests? Sofia and her denunciation, her exclusion, firing? Going to see her sister-in-law, the apology?
9. The moral dilemma, reassessing her own attitudes, integrity, the phone call to Jaime, the future and the media, investigations?

THE MATCHMAKER

Saudi Arabia, 2023, 81 minutes, Colour.

Husam AlHarthi, Reem AlHabib, Nour Alkhadra.

Directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan.

The Matchmaker offers an opportunity for reflection on the status of women, the dominance of men, in Saudi Arabian society – memories of women being forbidden to drive, have business opportunities…

However, this film may be quite surprising to some audiences – perhaps for Saudi Arabian men.

It is brief, but rather unhurried in its treatment of its theme, a number of audiences finding it boring. However, the theme is important, relationships between men and women, assumptions of male superiority, the response and revenge of women. It is something of a moral fable for our times.

The film opens with a narrative about a woman, oppressed, going into the desert, a voice hearing her, her husband coming, finding a ring, it setting him on fire, his returning as his wife’s servant, at beck and call. Then there is a transition to the contemporary city, an IT worker coming home, his wife and daughter, their enjoying each other’s company, the husband always late, having his meal, sleepless during the night, spying on his neighbours, going to work, the attraction towards Salma, secretary, warning her about harassment, yet his obsession with her. She resigns from the company and goes to a distant resort, he goes on a flight following her.

The dry mountainous rocky scenery of the resort is fascinating.

The resort is comfortable, men in uniforms functioning, an audience with the Matchmaker, promises of further weddings… However, gradually the man becomes alert, feeling he is in prison, unable to move freely, escaping and meeting the father of Salma who wants his daughter back again, observing the ceremonies of marriage, the husband leading the bride in wedding dress on a camel, a scarf-masked red uniform band playing. Ultimately, he tries to escape, is trapped. And, throughout the experience of the resort he has some strange dreams, imagining himself at home, playing the game with his wife and daughter.

There is a complication at the end, somewhat difficult to follow, Salma confronting the man, removing the gift of the ring which he has not been able to remove, seemingly freeing him – but, ultimately, like the Matchmaker, she sits and observes a slow motion troupe of red garbed men, servant/slaves, trekking through the desert.

PARADISE WAR: THE STORY OF BRUNO MANSER/ DIE STIMME DES REGENWALDES.

Sweden, 2019, 122 minutes, Colour.

Sven Schelker, Nick Keleslau, Elizabeth Ballang, Mullane, Matthew Crowley, David K.S. Tse, Benjamin Mathis.

Directed by Nicklaus Hilber.

A film to be recommended, a film about environmental issues on a local scale, on a world scale. It is the story of Bruno Manser, a Swiss activist, rebellious in his young days, in prison at 19, following Gandhi’s nonviolence principles, studious, visiting Malaysia and Indonesia, deciding to try to find the nomadic tribes, the Penan, in the jungles of Sarawak, finding them, accepted by them (a scene reminiscent of Jeremy Irons in The Mission, playing a recorder/flute), joining them completely in their hunting (some humour at his learning), dress, moving around, details of their way of life, and the attraction of the young girl, Ubung. But he also wears his glasses and spends a great deal of his time writing in his notebooks (well illustrated and later published).

The opening of the posting in Wikipedia about him as helpful as background:

Bruno Manser (25 August 1954 – presumed dead 10 March 2005) was a Swiss environmentalist and human rights activist. From 1984 to 1990, he stayed with the Penan tribe in Sarawak, Malaysia, organising several blockades against timber companies. After he emerged from the forests in 1990, he engaged in public activism for rainforest preservation and the human rights of indigenous peoples, especially the Penan, which brought him into conflict with the Malaysian government. He also founded the Swiss non-governmental organization (NGO) Bruno Manser Fonds in 1991. Manser disappeared during his last journey to Sarawak in May 2000 and is presumed dead.

He finds the Penan in 1984 and experiences the inroads of logging industries, the incursions into the jungle, the demolition of the trees, the wasted open spaces. Working with the various nomad tribes who are being driven back into the forest, losing the animals for food, he organises protests, non-violent, barriers on the road, confrontations with the drivers, with the bosses, with the police, condemned by the local governments and authorities in Malaysia (denounced and ridiculed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad). This goes on for a long while, assisted by the media who publicise his story – but the criticism of a middle-class white man coming in as a saviour for local tribes.

The government supported the logging, and also of incorporating the nomads into settlements, including the young woman, Ubung. Ultimately, Manser returns to Europe, spends many years organising protests against logging, demonstrating, hanging huge posters from buildings, interviews with officials of trade, a meeting with UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, achieving some aims, but not preventing the settlements and the modernising of the nomads.

Eventually, Manser returns to Malaysia, meets the older Along Sega, who had accepted him and had become a father figure. He also encounters Ubung, now married with a child, adapted to the settlement. He is still pursued – escaping from the authorities, but lost in the jungle, never found.

Manser made a documentary, SAGO, 1997 and several documentaries also made about him.

1. Audience knowledge of Bruno Manser? This film providing his life story, his work, his character, his ambitions, his campaigns?
2. The narrative filling in his background, Switzerland, his parents, their criticisms of him, the later scenes of his parents when he returned to Switzerland, his devoted mother, his critical father? His coming to Sarawak, searching for the Penan, the trek through the mountains, writing in his notebooks, always wearing his glasses, finding the tribe, watching them hunt, the lifestyle, family, on the move, his playing the flute, the music, his being accepted, joining them, dressed like them, the scenes of learning to hunt, the boar, this celebrating his success, Along Sega as his father figure and friend?
3. 1984, logging, in the jungles, the felling of the trees, the processes for logging, the companies, the workers, the drivers? The encroachment on the nomads hunting lands? Business, government, police?
4. Bruno, the plan of protest, non-violent, the barriers on the roads, the confrontation with the drivers, the threats, government officials, the police? Over a long period?
5. The journalist, supporting Bruno, the media arriving, the interviews, television coverage? Praise? Criticism of him as a middle-class white man? The journalist ultimately selling out, the government of the companies and their payments?
6. Bruno as part of the nomad tribes, the sequence of the snake biting him and his cutting his wound, healing?
7. The buildup to the confrontations, the offers of money, his refusal, the confrontations, the police, withdrawing, returning, the potential for violence?
8. Bruno, the authorities, his being expelled? Returning to Switzerland?
9. The 1990s, his return, with his family, with those in the office, the protests, the foundation, the hard work, appeals, protests and the hanging of the banner, the interview with the trade chief, going to New York, the UN, Boutros Boutros-Ghali and the support?
10. Gradual progress against logging? But the disappointment about the settlement of the nomads, the arguments that nomad tribes should be modernised, “civilised”?
11. His return to Sarawak, the reunion with Along Sega, Bruno’s disappearance, never found?
12. An interesting film, a reminder of the campaigns from the 1980s and environmental awareness, anti-logging…?