Displaying items by tag: Peter Malone's Movie Reviews

NUOVO OLIMPO

Italy, 2023, 113 minutes, Colour.

Damiano Gavino, Andrea de Luigi, Alvise Rego, Luisa Ranieri, Greta Scarano.

Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.

Ferzan Ozpetek came from Turkey to Italy in the 1990s and settled there, becoming a writer and director, many serious dramas for more than a quarter of a century.

The director is a gay man and homosexual relationships are central to most of his dramas. In 2019, he probed the issue of same-sexual relationships in the context of parenting.

In this film, the development of the relationship is somewhat in reverse, a young man involved in the film industry encountering a student doctor, the beginnings of an intense relationship, and then circumstances changing, a lost relationship. And the director uses the passing of time for the drama,

Time, space and distance.

The film opens in 1978 in Rome, a scene of filming near the Forum, the encounter between the two men, the context of political terror at the period, riots, stances, arrests. The film then moves forward 10 years to 1988, by this time the young man a middle-aged successful film director and the other man a successful doctor, ophthalmologist. And then the film moves to the early 1990s, focusing on the time of the death of Federico Fellini and its effect on Italian filmmakers – and the filmmaker momentarily seeing the doctor through the windows of a train.

And then the film moves to 2015. The director has had a very successful career, admired by the media and critics, an openly gay film director. The doctor has been married for many years, has a social life, a successful career in eye surgery.

Now comes the contrivance to bring the two men together again, an eye accident for the director at the studio, the surgeon operating on him. The director being bandaged, but detecting the voice. Complications at home, and a final meeting, an acknowledgement of what has happened over the decades, and, over the final credits, a reminiscence and wistfulness of what might have been.

The opening part of the film is quite explicit in its presentation of nudity and the sexual relationship, later the film reflecting on this kind of openness.

And the title? In 1978 it is a cinema which specialises in Italian classics, changing program every day, but also its corridors and toilets being used as a gay pickup centre. At the cashier’s desk is a significant character, Titti, who befriends both men and is later significant in the development of the plot. By 1988, it has become a sex cinema. So, the cinema comes symbolic of the men, for the men, issues of relationships and sexuality.

1. The career of the director, Turkish-Italian, his perspectives on Italian life? Relational issues, and the sexual relationships?
2. The title, the classic cinema, screening classics daily, and the audience, rendezvous for gay cruising, the regular men, the customers, the toilets? Titti the cashier? The usher? 1978? 1988 and the tradition to its being a sex cinema? The place for the meeting between Enea and Pietro? Memories?
3. The audience for the film, the gay audience, identifying with the characters, their experiences, the relationship? The explicit nudity and sexual encounters? These sequences for the ordinary audience? Significant for the development of the narrative, characters and relationships?
4. The character of Enea, the opening, the scene at the Forum, the woman shooting, the scene from the film, the crowd watching, Pietro watching, and his job, the gaze between the two men?
5. Enea, his age, student of cinema, working on sets, his relationship with Alice, sexual, friendship? His orientation, attending the cinema, watching the film’s and studying them, yet knowing the cruising men, antagonism with the usher, friendship with Titti? The encounter with Pietro, the toilet, his refusal, the next day, the encounter, going to the grandmother’s house, tentative, impassioned, the dance sequence, the aftermath? The effect on each of them?
6. Pietro, age, student, medicine, visiting his mother, the surgery? Gay orientation, going to the cinema, seeing Enea, the initial reluctance, the meeting, the encounter and the aftermath? The visits to the cinema?
7. The political background of 1978, antifascist demonstrations, the character of Molotov and his making the bombs, his friend and the protests, Alice and the protests, urging Enea, his declining? The meetings with Pietro, the films, the meals, the plan for Pietro to visit his mother, their meeting up for the meal, the protests, the police pursuing them, into the cinema, Enea’s escape, Pietro, the police pursuit, run over by the car, his broken arm?
8. The broken contact, 10 years passing? Enea, his career, successful director, his film topics, the media, friendships, his world? Pietro, doctor, ophthalmologist, Giulia, the marriage, his relationship with her?
9. 1993, the death of Fellini, Enea and his upset, in the train, looking across, seeing Pietro with his wife, the train drawing away? Enea and his being celebrated? The party, the relationship with Alice, Antonio, imposing presence, making the cake, the two seemingly different, the kiss, the relationship, the long relationship?
10. Enea at the supermarket, the encounter with Titti, reminiscing about the past, her ambitions, dressing like the singer, Mina, her apartment, the letter from Pietro, the conversations, finding the letter, Enea ringing but the phone number not valid, the fact that Pietro had returned to the cinema, reached out? And the sad effect for Titti as Enea other left?
11. 2015, so many years passing, Enea and his 14^th film and the celebration? At the studio, the setup, the accident, the glass in his eye? The hospital?
12. Pietro, the relationship with Julia, the many years, their social life, tensions, his career? The scene with the two couples watching the same film with Anna Magnani, memories of the past, the conversations?
13. Pietro, going out, going to the press conference, Enea a celebrity, praising Antonio, the public response?
14. Enea going to hospital, Pietro being asked to do the surgery, his hesitation, performing it, Enea and his eyes covered, recognising Pietro’s voice? The aftermath?
15. The phone call, Enea wanting Pietro to visit him, Giulia speaking on the phone, inviting him to the meal, the others not coming, his arrival, the two men looking at each other? Giulia, her comment, that Pietro had never looked at her like that, they are urging him to follow?
16. Pietro, willingly going, finding Enea, together, so m yearanys passing, Enea going home, urging Pietro to go home?
17. And the finale with the credits, tracking back to the restaurant, the meals of the past, what might have been?

THE DELTA

US, 1996, 85 minutes, Colour.

Shayne Gray, Tang Chan.

Directed by Ira Sachs.

This is the first feature film by writer-director, Ira Sachs. He had made some short films but this was the beginning of his career, for the next 25 years, at least, in filmmaking. His hometown was Memphis, Tennessee, and he uses this location for The Delta, the town and its various neighbourhoods, the vastly flowing river.

Ira Sachs is noted for his exploration in all his films of relationships, with a special focus on exploring homosexual relationships. This is very much the case in this film, focusing initially on an 18-year-old young man, from a comfortable family, with a girlfriend and local friends, gathering together, especially fur drink and drugs. We also see him cruising, sexual encounters with anonymous men. Some tension with his girlfriend, he goes to an adult movie arcade, encountering one of the men he has previously met, who states that he was here hoping that the young man would turn up.

The young man is played by Shayne Gray, his only feature film. For those interested in the background of the filmmaking as well as Shayne Gray himself and his subsequent career, he has a very long blog entry under his own name in the IMDb, informative about the making of the film, Ira Sachs, and his own personal life. The other central character is Vietnamese, Vietnamese mother, black American father who had left the family, John. He is gay, cruises, has a local backup community. This is the only film for the actor, Tang Chan.

The film focuses on an evening that the two spend together on the boat owned by the young man’s father, buying fireworks and setting them off illegally, pursued by the police, talking, swimming together, the hopes of John, and an ultimate rejection by the young man who returns to his family.

The rest of the film focuses on John, his friends and family, ordinary life, going into bars, picking up a large man who is flattered, happy to spend the night with John Dan who, to the surprise of the audience, strangles his client. A dramatic conclusion, insight into the character of John, sexuality, emotional needs, sense of betrayal, vengeance.

While the film made some impact in its time, some awards for its 16mm grainy photography, it can now be seen as a prelude to the more significant films made by Ira Sachs.

REVOLT OF THE ZOMBIES

US, 1936, 64 minutes, Black and white.

Dean Jagger, Roy Darcy, Robert Noland, Dorothy Stone, Carl Stockdale.

Directed by Victor Halperin.

A historical curio, available on YouTube.

Victor Halperin had made the film, White Zombie, in 1932, with Bela Lugosi. He intended this film is a follow-up, with Lugosi. There were various difficulties, and using the title with zombie, with Lugosi’s presence. Finally, Lugosi’s eyes from the first film are used extensively and atmospherically, superimposed on the action, for the exercise of sinister power.

The 1930s had so many small-budget variations on horror themes. This one seems more eccentric than usual in retrospect.

The opening premise was that there was a group of Cambodian soldiers fighting on the Austrian front for France in World War I. Accompanying them was a priest with a statue for worship and with a painted document, corresponding to an architectural frieze. The premise is that whoever had this power could control others, zombie-like behaviour.

For those expecting zombie sequences (memories of George A.Romero), there is nothing really like this at all.

The priest is murdered while worshipping by a sinister Asian -looking general, Roy Darcy.

The war sequences also introduced to friends, the archaeologist, Armand, an early role for ultimate Oscar-winner, Dean Jagger, earnest in his trying to explain to the generals about the power of the priest. And there is his friend, Robert Noland, urging him to be more forthright and to “ride roughshod” over others.

After the war, there is an expedition to Cambodia, to Angkor Wat, action studio bound but with some authentic backdrops filmed in Cambodia. There is a lot of expected action, exploration on the site, some mysterious accidents, the sinister general reappearing.

And, as with this kind of film the 30s, there are the Americans walking into other cultures with supreme confidence. And, as expected, there is a romance, the archaeologist falling in love with the general’s daughter and she accepting him but provoking his friend. While they become engaged, there is an accident sequence where she takes refuge in the friend in the archaeologist gives her her freedom.

The archaeologist returns to Angkor Wat because the expedition, after the accidents, had returned to Phnom Penh. By accident, in his investigations, he falls down into a subterranean religious maze, confronting the general, killing him, getting the power – and, perhaps to the audience’s surprise, he becomes all controlling, riding roughshod, controlling his servant, controlling the troops, even controlling his friend, the generals, and the wise archaeologist who had given him advice.

How to end all this – true love! The archaeologist continues to declare his love, promising to give up everything for her, but with the servants and troops regaining their power, they all turn on him and destroy him.

An interesting opportunity to look at some of the horror themes of the 1930s moviemaking.

NEXT GOAL WINS

U/US, 2023, 104 minutes, Colour.

Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale,Taika Waititi, Will Arnett, Rhys Darby, Luke Hemsworth, Angus Sampson.

Directed by Taika Waititi.

It’s true. Decades ago, in an international football match (“soccer” to many) Australia played American Samoa and won, 31-0. This has become part of football folklore and was the subject of a documentary also called Goal Wins.

So, what if writer-director, Taika Waititi, with his wry sense of humour (his rock character in Thor, vampires living in Wellington, What We Do in the Shadows) decided to write a movie treatment? He did, and here it is. And he filmed it on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

There is love of football codes in the Pacific Islands as well as in New Zealand and Australia, more rugby is than soccer. The American Samoans, saddened by their loss to Australia, still want to field a team. So, there is a lot of comedy potential in showing the ragtag team, their inept play, the great desire to score and International match just one goal.

In the meantime, this film also becomes a story of Tom Rongen, an easily irascible coach who is fired and reluctantly takes the option of coaching American Samoa. He is played by Michael Fassbender with quite some intensity.

There have been a number of complaints about the film, that it is a step down for the director, especially after his big-time Marvel movies with Thor. But, we remember Boy and Hunt for the Will to people, and he has always had that enjoyably low-key humour, turn of phrase, the touch of the sly which generally tickles an audience sense of humour and keeps them smiling if not laughing out loud. And, this is what happens here, all throughout the film, enjoyable dialogue touches, like the scene with a Samoan police officer chasing a speeding car (well, the speed limit is 30 mph) and warning him to drive carefully with the comment, “Heaven’s full!”. (waitit was very successful with this kind of screenwriting with JoJo Rabbit, Oscar-winning, and his clever sendup of Hitler.)

Another funny sequence is the football boards firing of the coach and predicting that he will go through Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s five stages – and he does!

Lots of some on characters, players, sometimes successful, often not, all kinds of training and exercises (pauses for prayer, never on Sunday), the standout character is being Oscar Kightley more as the President of the football club, also press photographer, restaurant owner, everybody trying to make some money to keep the club going. He is a fine counterbalance to the coach, and engaging screen presence. And there is Kaimana as the champion transgender player, Jaiyah,challenging the coach, succeeding in the end.

There is an enjoyable cameo appearances from Rhys Darby, Rachel House, Elisabeth Moss, and obnoxious Will Arnett and loud-mouth talkers, Luke Hemsworth and Angus Sampson.

So, this is a modest feel-good movie, and there is no law against enjoying the obvious!

As with so many films, the final credits show the real Thomas Rongen,, coach and sports commentator, and the actual Jaiyah, coach and FIFA official.

PS. Please sit through the rather long final credits, listening to the music if you don’t read them fully, because who should turn up right at the end but Waititi himself as the Samoan priest from the beginning of the film and a funny joke so that we leave the cinema laughing.

1. A true story? American Samoa, football, ambitions? Realistic look? Humorous look?
2. The American Samoa setting, filmed in Hawaii, small, township, meeting places, the mountains and tracks? The football sequences in Samoa, the stadium? Atmosphere?
3. The opening, the replay of the Australia versus American Samoa match, 31-0? The response of the people, hopes, continuing with the team, the members, practices, comic presentation of errors? Tavita, the president, his son playing, the pep talks, the hopes, searching for a coach? The local coach, agreeable, submissive, sacked? Yet still helpful?
4. Tom Rongen and his situation, the board, his explanations, hired, the panel, the joke with Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s five stages illustrated, Tom’s wife present, the smug Chairman, the option to go to American Samoa? His taking it, the flight, arrival, the TV press, Tavita as the cameraman, his accommodation, basic, his resentments?
5. The characters in American Samoa, Tavita being genial, his enterprising wife and her interventions, disguised as an oracle on the beach, tin cans? The younger members? The large goalkeeper? The police official, his strong kick? Jaiyah and the transition situation, identifying legally for the match as male, the transition? Football skills? The former goalkeeper, his losses, being recruited? The other players returning? But the player run over by the truck?
6. The meetings with the coach, exercises, slack, improving, stopping for prayer, no practice on Sundays? The religious atmosphere? The introduction to the situation by the Samoan priest, and the director’s comic dialogue and style?
7. The short time span, Tom Rongen, his drinking, at the store, phone calls, his wife, their separation, the revelation of the death of his daughter and its effect on him? His wife and her relationship with the chair of the board? The practice sessions, giving up, illustrating moves, the interactions with Jaiyah, his being punched out, skills?
8. The bond between Tom and Jaya, animosity initially, stories, respect, friendship?
9. Tom eventually telling his story, his angers, his daughter, the bond, playing football, the drive, the crash and death?
10. The great desire to kick one goal? The meetings, prayer? Going to Samoa, the flight, touch of jetlag after 35 minutes! Settling in, the encounter with the Tongan team, their aggressive tactics?
11. The buildup to the match, hopeless, Tom and the previous illustrations of his angry behaviour, repeating it, leaving? Tavita and the conversation, prevailing? Change of heart, Jaiyah as captain, the strategy, the player tripping the opposition, the penalty, the goal? Tavita and his collapse?
12. The device of Tavita in hospital with his wife, his son coming to explain what happened, the flashbacks, the tactics, and the second goal?
13. The interlude with the Australians remembering the big defeat of the past, loud-mouths, friendly?
14. Happy ending, the achievement, Tom and his decision, with his wife, the members of the board?
15. Footage of the actual Tom Rongen, his career, commentator? Of Jaiyah, the transition, continuing to play, coach, FIFA official?
16. Important not to miss the final sequence after the credits, the Minister, Taika Waititi, the final joke, not walking on water!

WISH

US, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Evan Peters, Ramy Youssef.

Directed by Chris Buck, Fawn Veersunthorn.

A Disney animation feature to celebrate 100 years of Disney. Sadly, critics were harsh on the film as were blogs and comments from the public.

The intention was to continue with the line of Disney heroines, thinking Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and, of course, the heritage from Frozen. (And, during the final credits, there are sketched characters from all the celebrated Disney films.)

The film has a strong voice cast, led by Chris Pine as the malicious King, Magnifico, Ariana DeBose, Oscar winner for West Side Story, as Asha, the 17-year-old who wants to audition to be an apprentice to the King. She is attractive. She is feisty. She is certainly in the tradition – but not exactly a Princess until the end. She is active, she has cared for everyone, she confronts the King, wishes upon a star who materialises, leads the strategy against the King.

The film starts with storybook visuals on pages and narrative – and ends with a happy ever after with the book.

In the meantime, there are a number of supporting characters including a three weeks old goat with a fine accent, there is Asha’s hundred-year-old grandfather and her mother, a number of friends and servants as well as the population of this island community, which had welcomed everyone from everywhere, in the Mediterranean.

With her audition, Asha discovers the malice of Magnifico, starting benign, resorting to sorcery, becoming ever more powerful, and even more avaricious of greater power. His main song lyric is “I get what I want”. But, ultimately Asha, with the help of the disillusioned queen, finds a strategy with the help of the star she has twist upon and appears to overcome Magnifico, but not without great dangers to herself.

The young audience will be taken with the story, the eccentric and funny characters, the heroine, and the evil King. An older audience might spend some time thinking that it is all an allegory about fascist dictators, initially charming, subjects loyal, becoming more and more evil and possessive, exercising power ruthlessly, wanting complete domination.

So, in comparison with other Disney films, it is rather slight, but quietly enjoyable in its limited way.

PS. It was not only this reviewer thinking of the allegory of fascism but a shrewd blogger takes it all further…Fascinating cultural study on capitalism

TopTenJesus200025 November 2023

So what I believe Disney was doing with Wish was to tell kids not to spend their time wishing away their lives by consuming Disney products and movies. When you place your hopes and dreams into the hands of a power greater than you, such as corporate Disney, you become a slave to what they want serving only to make them more powerful and you weaker.

It's a bizarrely subversive hit on themselves

1. The celebration of the Disney centenary? A succession of animation features? Princesses and of enterprising and lively heroines?
2. The title, the theme of ordinary people’s wishes, their being collected, the king promising to fulfil them but then collecting them, refusing to grant them, but the heroine freeing the wishes and their being absorbed, and creative fulfilment?
3. The visual style, the characters, traditional Disney, the heroine, the king and queen, the Palace, the island in the Mediterranean, the forests? The voice cast? And the singing?
4. The insertion of the songs, Asha, with her hundred-year-old grandfather, her mother, the memories, singing with them, singing with all the servants, Magnifico and his song, the Queen joining in, the happy songs?
5. The opening, the book, the fairytale, the voice-over, the King, Magnifico, his rule, becoming a sorcerer, more and more powerful, auditioning Asha, the apprentices, his being defied, not granting wishes, Asha and the star, his reaction, relying on his wife, her turning against him, Asha and the stars seeing the grandfather’s wish? Magnifico, more and more angry, to destroy Asha, his public appearances and acclaim?
6. Asha, aged 17, with the range of servants, serious, comic, the foolish, the grumpy, tired, the sewing friend? Magnifico using the tired friend as a decoy, fulfilling his wishes? His betraying his friends? The confrontation in the woods?
7. The plan, the group of servants, trying to open the roof, letting the wishes go free? Asha going into the woods, the horse, the star, the magic wand and its exercise? Magnifico in pursuit, with Simon in his place? Staying in the Palace, gathering the people, getting all the wishes, capturing them?
8. The combined efforts of everyone to overcome the King, the little star, confronting Asha, his being confined to his staff – and the Queen relegating him to the dungeon?
9. The comic touches with the goat, the star not speaking but twinkling, the range of supporting characters and voices?
10. An allegory of fascist leaders and their love for power? And the need for rebellion – and, in this case, a female-led rebellion?

HOME, SWEET HOMICIDE

US, 1946, 89 minutes, Black-and-white.

Peggy Ann Garner, Randolph Scott, Lynn Bari, Dean Stockwell, Connie Marshall, James Gleason, Anabel Shaw, Barbara Whiting, Shepherd Strudwick.

Directed by Lloyd Bacon.

Home, Sweet Homicide is a light entertainment from 1946, post-war cheerfulness, a look at family, and much in the vein of the television family programs to come, and a murder mystery.

The film has an interesting cast, child actor Peggy Ann Garner in the lead, an early role for Dean Stockwell showing that he was very comfortable in front of the camera, Lynn Bari as the mother, James Gleason is an irascible cop, Shepherd Strudwick as a suspect, and, very surprising, Randolph Scott, not in the saddle or anything like his Western persona, but a quietly gentlemanly police officer.

Mother writes crime novels and the three children, the journalist father now dead, are very well-informed about detective investigations, clues, suspects… When the lady next door is shot dead, and they have accurate information as regards the time of the shots, they decide that their mother should investigate which will be a big boost to her for sales of her novels when she solves the crime. But, mother is busy about her own novel.

The three children love one another but there is continuing bickering, especially young Dean Stockwell resenting being called baby! The older daughter, Dinah, Peggy Ann Garner, has a local friend Joe-ell who is in on some of the action.

Mother’s detective character in her novels is Bill Smith. The chief police officer investigating, the quietly urbane Randolph Scott, happens to be Bill Smith. Signal for the happy ending!

So, there is comedy, tension, the children invading the house next door to find important documents, which they do, which reveal that the murdered woman was blackmailing a lot of her clients, concealing some information from the police, being interrogated, being shrewd in evading answers.

However, the main suspect from audience point of view turns out, of course, to be the killer with some dramatic turns and dangers for the children.

Very slight but a pleasant reminder of 20^th Century Fox and its family-oriented entertainments of the mid 1940s.

HAMAM

Italy, 1997, 95 minutes, Colour.

Alessandro  Gassmann, Francesca D'Aloja,Carlo Cecchi, Halil Ergun, Serif Sezer, Mehmet Gunsur, Basak Kokluka, Alberto Molinari, Zozo Toledo.

Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.

Hamam is the Turkish word for steam baths, a strong Turkish tradition.

This is a first feature film by Turkish director, Ferzan Ozpetek, who obviously has a great affection for Istanbul as it becomes a character in this film, the familiar vistas, the waterways, the neighbourhoods, the streets, the baths… However, he left Turkey and settled in Italy and remained there, making films for the next decades.

Over the decades, the director has had a strong interest in dramatising gay themes, sometimes the characters, sometimes the issues, very strongly and more openly from the late 2010s, Goddess of Fortune and the issue of gay fathers adopting and bringing up children, Nuovo Olympo, more visually explicit, the study of a relationship that begins intensely separation in space and time.

Alessandro Gassman plays Francesco, an architect designer, married, the relationship as seen somewhat brittle, and the discovery that the wife was having an affair with a partner. Scenes in Rome.

However, an old lady dies in Istanbul, Francesco’s aunt, leaving him the Hamam that she began and which has now lost its popularity and is in a state of disrepair. Francesco has to come to terms with this, his relationship with his aunt, finding letters she had written to his mother which had been returned unread, explaining the attraction and the delight of living in Istanbul. The local family, strong personalities, welcome him.

A chance experience at the baths changes his attitude, clashes with his agent who wants the property sold for setting up a shopping centre, his entering wholeheartedly into the renovation of the baths. At the same time, he is attracted towards the young man of the family. His wife then arrives, intending to divorce him, discovering his relationship, a melodramatic scene at the dinner table. However, the wife comes to understand her husband a bit more.

The ending is quite unexpected and unexplained, Francesco stabbed by a visitor front door and dying in the street. A sad effect on the family. A sobering effect on his wife – and her wandering Istanbul, having read the letters of the aunt and how liberating it has been to live in that city.

1. The films of the director, his first film, his Turkish origin, settling in Italy? His relationship themes, gay themes?
2. The Italian locations, Rome, homes, business, interior restorations? The Turkish locations, the views of Istanbul, affection for Istanbul, the noted sites, the vistas, the streets, the homes, the baths? The musical score?
3. Introduction to Marta and Francesco, the marriage, brittle, business association, interior decorations, contracts, absences from home, Marta and her relationship with Paolo?
4. The Istanbul story, the house, the maid, the death of the old lady, grief in the street? The neighbourhood, so many people gathering, the bonding? Her will, leaving the baths to her nephew? The further elaboration of her story, her letters to her sister, returned unread, her moving from Italy, at home in Istanbul, kindness, love, settling, freedom of spirit, the baths?
5. Francesco, the news of his inheritance, his going to Turkey, meeting Zozo, Zozo and his agency, the contract for the baths, transformed into a shopping centre, the discussions, the hard lady dealing? Francesco, being welcomed, getting to know the family, to appeciate his aunt, his memories of her when he was a boy? His wanting to get back home, contact with Marta, wanting the sale to go through, in a hurry?
6. The family, the kindly mother, the dignified father, the daughter studying, the son as cameraman? The bonding, the meals? Oscar as family friend, confidant?
7. Francesco, wandering, in the rain, the baths, his being invited in, the experience of the baths?
8. His change of heart, deciding to renovate the baths, their state of disrepair? The plans, the work, decoration, design, his involvement? The support of the family, the spirit of the family and neighbourhood? Francesco and his being attracted to Mehmet?
9. Marta, her arrival, her manner, her relationship with Paolo, bringing the documents? Being welcomed by the family, accommodation, her manner, wandering the city and enjoying it, the rain, giving her ring to the old lady?
10. The night, the relationship between Francesco and Mehmet? The eruption at the dinner table? The argument, the effect on each of them? Taunts? But a certain understanding, Marta wanting to move out, the discussions with Oscar, some affection for Francesco?
11. The shock of the ending, the assault on the street, Francesco stabbed, Mehmet and blood, everyone at the hospital, his death? Marta visiting?
12. Francesco giving Marta the letters of his aunt, her reading them, her looking at Istanbul through this perspective, and her future and Istanbul?

COUP DE CHANCE/ STROKE OF LUCK

France, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Lou de Laage, Neils Schneider, Melville Poupaud, Valerie Lemeercier

Directed by Woody Allen.

This Paris-set film is tres francaise. But, as always, his films are always tres Woody Allen. We find here that French situations and characters and Woody Allen situations and characters are very compatible. The French dialogue and the opening and closing credits en Francais look as they do in all of his films. Plus a characteristic jazz soundtrack.

Woody Allen was filming Coup de Chance in Paris as he turned 87, with more than 50 years as a stand-up comic, talented writer, prolific film and television director.

Even though we are in Paris and the locations in tone are authentic, we might as well be in New York City with the characters and themes – and the subtitles offering us the Woody Allen humour and turn of phrase.

And here are the perennial Woody Allen themes that we have responded to for decades. There is enthusiastic love. There is infidelity and consequences. Initially, there are hints of crimes and misdemeanours. And it certainly comes to a climax that way.

Woody Allen is served well by his French cast, Lou de Laage (luminous in so many films like The Innocents) is Fanny, the wife of fashionable wealthy counsellor to the rich (to make them richer) Jean, revealed as more and more controlling (Melvil Poupaud).

And Neils Schneider is a genial writer who, Cpoup de Chance, sees his schooldays sweetheart, Fanny, in the Paris Street. A stroke of luck. But, Woody Allen keeps reminding us that life is so often unlucky, while Jean declares frequently that we make our own luck.

There is a strong presence by Valerie Lemercier as Camille, Fanny’s mother, intervening and leading the plot to its conclusion.

Woody Allen fans will be very pleased.

1. The title, the issue of luck, ransom luck, controlled like?
2. Woody Allen, his career, writing and directing in his mid-80s? In France?
3. Woody Allen’s American sensibility, corresponding to French sensibility, his writing, conversations, remarks, ironies, humour?
4. The situation, Fanny, her first husband and his addiction, divorce, Jean and his attraction, the party, the proposal, the marriage, happiness? Her work at the auction, and details sequences of artwork, business, auctions? Jean, his age, personality, devoted husband, social life, friends, going hunting, travels, helping the rich to get richer? The happy marriage?
5. Alain, his stroke of luck, encountering Fanny, memories of school years, his crush on her, her memories? His marriage and divorce? His being a writer? Away from friends, returning, the encounter in the street, the conversation, his following up, phone calls, lunches, the attraction, the beginning of the affair, his devotion, his apartment, Fanny becoming more involved, happy, moody?
6. Fanny’s life, at work? The transformation with Alain? The hunting weekends, the friends, her being bored, not liking the friends, not going hunting? A greater dependence on the rendezvous with Alain, in love, the issue of honesty and her husband? His noting her moodiness?
7. Jean, his reputation, the story of the suicide of his partner, suspicions? His being a controller,, socialise…? His suspicions?
8. The detective agency, the boss, the severe detective, the details, the quick solution of the case, following Fanny, Alain is identity, the two together, the photo and the recording? Jean and his reaction?
9. Jean and his contact with the Eastern European criminals, the rendezvous, the past and the death of his partner, the arrangement for taking Alain, the apartment, his body in the bag, the plane, dropped over the ocean? Reporting back to Jean?
10. The character of Camille? Fanny’s mother, in America, coming to help her sister? Getting on well with Jean? Her style, manner, forthright? Coming back, suspicions about Fanny, her daughter confiding in her? The story of the missing partner, the joke about alien abductions? Her search of Jean’s room, the agency card, her going, her pretence, confirming her suspicions?
11. Jean, the phone call from the agency, his plans for Camille, calling his associates, the plan for the hunting, the rifle, the accident? Persuading Camille to go, Fanny, the issue of the tablets, her returning to Paris to get them, going back to Alain’s apartment, finding the manuscript, phoning her mother?
12. The hunting, the setup, the deal with the shooter, not having used a rifle, using his own, and explaining that it be all interpreted as an accident? Jean leading Camille through the forest, teaming up with his associate, his suddenly being shot – and the hunters mistaking him for an animal, his being the victim of an accident, his colleague running away, Camille standing amazed?
13. Fanny, coming to terms with the affair, the disappearance of Alain, the renewal of vows at the party with Jean, upset at her mother’s accusations, the suspicion, following through?
14. Woody Allen themes, relationships, betrayals, crimes and misdemeanours.

ANYONE ABOUT YOU

US, 2023, 103 minutes, Colour.

Sydney Sweeney, Glenn Powell, Gata. Alexandra Shipp, Hadley Robinson, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, Michelle Hurd, Charlee Fraser, Joe Davidson, Darren Barnett.

Directed by Will Gluck.

Romcoms! Their success depends on whether we want more romance or more comedy.

Shakespeare, over 400 years ago, offered a title, perhaps a definition: Much Ado about Nothing. (But he also offered a comedy of errors and stated that all’s well that ends well.) And, despite appearances and less than Shakespearian dialogue, Anyone but You is a contemporary, slight re-working of Much Ado, a Shakespeare quote to begin with and quotes turning up in all kinds of places to keep us on track.

Actually, Shakespeare had tried the basic plot but seems to have awarded the winner of the battle of the sexes with the less than equal macho title, The Taming of the Shrew. And there was a nine updated version called To Things I Hate about You, which it also serves as a title here.

It all starts in New York City and an amusing toilet-seeking disaster, one way of bringing Bea and Ben (as we remember Beatrice and Benedict of old) together, a quick bonding, then misunderstandings and hostility, or, rather, enmity. They are played with enthusiasm by Sidney Sweeney and Glenn Powell.

In fact, most of the action takes place in Sydney, all the characters are gathering for Bea’s sister, Halle and her wedding to Claudia. But Bea is something of a disappointment and her parents always intervening, making suggestions, wanting to control. So, in Sydney, multiple glossy appearances by the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the harbour and ferries – and a koala! And, heavens, there are Bryan Brown and Rachel Griffiths, he Claudia’s father, she Halle’s mother, with Gilbert Mulroney as her husband..

Writer-director, Will Gluck (comedies from Easy A to Peter Rabbit) tries to make the comedy broad enough for everyone (and does) but there are many jibes of antagonism hoping that this will be as you like it.

At one stage, a character remarks that something is “stupid but nice”. Yes, more or less.

1. Romantic comedy? American style? 2023? And action in Sydney? The Australian tone?
2. Based on Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing, the quotes and signs of themes throughout the film? Bea and Ben?
3. The introduction to Bea and Ben, Shakespearian expectations, New York in the 2020s? The situation, Bea and the toilet, at the counter, Ben and his intervention, smooth talking, their walking, going home, his cooking, chatting, the night, her stealing away, returning, overhearing Ben’s derogatory remarks, upset? Her contacting her sister and friends?
4. Six months later, the club, the party, the prospective marriage, Claudia and Halle, Halle as Bea’s sister, Peter and the connection, Bea and Ben meeting, immediate hostilities?
5. The marriage in Australia, the flight, the two on the plane, Bea getting the cake, tangled in the seat? At the airport, Peter driving? Taken to the mansion, Sydney’s northern beaches?
6. The insertion of location photography, the harbour bridge, the Opera house, the harbour, even the koala? Attraction for American tourists? But the difficulty of Beau, the rather dumb Australian hunk!
7. The introduction to Claudia’s family, her genial father, her mother, family relationships, Australian? The introduction to Bea and Halle’s parents, very American, concerned about their daughter, their ambitions, controlling and interfering, law, not certain, secretly withdrawing? Her relationship with Jonathan, the break, her parents inviting him to the wedding, his awkwardness, the parents pressure?
8. The sequences of tension between Bea and Ben, the taunts, the wisecracks, animosity? The plans to bring them together, Peter and Roger and their drama for Ben? Claudia and Halle for Bea? The couple realising what was being planned?
9. The decisions, to appear as a couple? Conversations, pretence and then back to reality? The expedition to the country, the koala, the spider in Ben’s pants, the naked episode? The contrivance about the sunglasses on the yacht, swimming out? Issues of swimming?
10. The portrait of the parents, the Australian laid-back, the interfering Americans? And Jonathan in the middle?
11. Margaret, the past relationship with Ben, her being with Beau, provocative, wanting to rekindle the friendship, the various interventions, her being cautious, kissing Ben and Bea seeing it and misinterpreting?
12. Beau, Australian slang, the shower sequence, uninhibited, sports, immoral not to go for the best wave to surf!
13. Preparations for the wedding, travelling to the boat, the party, the Titanic joke, Bea in the water, Ben diving in, the helicopter rescue?
14. The buying of the cake, returning home, the dog, the ribbon, the upset with the cake? The impact on Claudia and Halle?
15. The buildup to the wedding, Roger presiding, his words about love, the declarations? The celebrations?
16. Bea and Ben, getting closer, the kiss, the realisation, the night together, his sudden leaving, her misinterpretation? Hostility, leaving and going for a walk?
17. Ben, the promise of meeting at the Opera House, going into the water, the rescue, deliver to the Opera House, the various proposals, his proposing?
18. A happy ending all round, all’s well that ends well, Shakespearian ending, and many comedy of errors along the way, parents behaving well, the finale of a Romcom?

VIDHAN/ WRIT

India, 2020, 84 minutes, Colour.

Ranojoy Bishnu, Rohan Verma, Anuj Jain.

Directed by Manoj Rai.

This brief film comes with all kinds of acknowledgements, screenings at festivals, awards. It caused some surprise for audiences who did not expect an Indian film with gay themes.

The film focuses on a group of gay men who gathered together every so often, comparing notes, arranging partners, taking their orientation for granted, alert to gossip, but confident in themselves.

The central character is a financial chief in a business, paid well, seen often in his office, chatting with a co-worker, female, who also is a guest at the parties. At one of the meetings, he encounters a young man who says he is an IT programmer but also earns more as a male escort. He goes home with the financier, they begin a relationship, always well paid.

This is a very wordy film – and it is about words. There is an initial discussion about the nuances of a Hindu word, the two men discussing the issue, the financial taking it to work for a solution. And, this kind of conversation continues throughout the film, especially in the bedroom sequence with the pillow talk is all about words, their origins, in Hindi, in English… Unless one is a philologist or a linguist, these conversations, very long, will test the patience and attention of many audiences. But, the precision of language and meaning is a key metaphor for the depth of the relationship.

There are ups and downs in the relationship between the two men, the sex worker going on various designations, the financial finding this difficult. And, there are more discussions at the parties, especially with the key organiser of the parties and a range of partnerships.

There is an unusual device where the financier who has a moustache – and the sex worker who doesn’t, are seen alternately in sequences where the financier has shaved and the sex worker has the moustache.

Finally, the two together, there is a visit from a masseur who was in a previous relationship with the financier, and they sit down to a meal – and discussion.

Frank in its presentation of men of homosexual orientation and the relationships but very reserved in the visual presentation of the encounters between the men.