Displaying items by tag: Robbie Amell

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?

SIMULANT

US, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.

Robbie Amell, Jordana Brewster, Simu Liu, Sam Worthington, Alicia Sanz.

Directed by April Mullen.

Stimulants is in the tradition of films with the pursuit of robots in control, Blade Runner being the archetypal film. It is suggested that this story is a variation on the writings of Isaac Asimov.

This is a Canadian production, an interesting cast including Australian Sam Worthington, set in the near future, the vistas of a vast industrial plant as well as of a thriving city.

The film begins with two stories, the marriage of Evan and Faye, his nightmares, a crash, some alienation between the couple, the wife finally revealing that after the accident he became a simulant. Faye cannot relate well with him and urges him to some treatment, a connection with a hacker, Casey.

The other story is that of Kessler, Sam Worthington, officially pursuing simulants, an opening sequence in pursuing a simulant called Esme who is then taken to the laboratories for research and reconstruction.

There are further emotional complications as Evan discovers more of the truth about himself, the Evan inside him but also the simulant and his affinity with the other AI creatures, working with Casey, confronting Kessler, killing Faye, and a sign of the uprising of AI against the humans.

1. The near future? Artificial intelligence? Robotics? Simulants?
2. Canadian production, the settings, the overview of the industrial plants, interiors, modern, laboratories, apartments, swimming pool? The musical score?
3. Two stories in one, Evan and Faye, Kessler and his pursuits? Combining them? Through Casey?
4. Tradition of science-fiction and simulants, Asimov stories, Blade Runner…?
5. Evan and Faye, the marriage, life together, his waking from nightmares, the crash? Puzzling about himself? Faye’s treatment of him? Sense of alienation, the question about the accident, the consequences, the revelation that he was a simulant? The consequences, his relationship, Faye not feeling that he was the same person, the revelation, taking him to Casey? The elimination of memories? The effect on Evan, with Casey, learning the truth, becoming embittered, the escape with Casey, the confrontations, his killing Faye?
6. Faye, the marriage, the crash, her husband coming a simulant, not being able to relate to him, yet the care and concern, the sexual encounter, her swimming, sending him away, his return and her death?
7. Kessler, hunting the simulants, the pursuit of Esme, his powers, the control, capturing her, the laboratory, reworking her, her link with Casey, Kessler and the doctor leaving, Esme ringing, Casey and his escape? Kessler in pursuit? The fight, the shootout?
8. The attitude of the humans, making the simulants, the auction sequence, the robots serving in the house?
9. Casey, hacker, changing people, with Kessler in the apartment, with Evan, with his double? The escape?
10. The change in society, the uprising of AI, the revolution?