SPA NIGHT

US, 2016, 93 minutes, Colour.

Joey Seo, Haerry Kim, Tae Song.

Directed by Andrew Ahn

Spa Night it is a drama set in Los Angeles, within the Korean community, as well is in the wider city. It introduces us to a traditional family, seen at a family spa, washing. The film sketches the character of the mother and father, background traditions, interpreting them within an American context, the concern about their son, the father working hard to raise money for his son to go to college, the strong-minded mother concerned about her son’s future.

The film focuses on the son, played by actor Joey Seo, a teenager, feeling the strictures of the family traditions and his responsibility towards his parents, not committed to education as his parents hope, having interviews with the education head, accepting to study with the friend of the family is sung, but the sun leading a rather carefree and open life. While the teenager is caught up in this, he wants more.

The film is rather more subtle in its presentation of the teenager, his coming of age, his growing awareness of his sexual orientation but highly closeted.

In the chance visit to a spa, with the visuals of male nudity indicating his response, he applies for a job at the spa and is accepted. The manager of the spa is very strict, forbidding any sexual behaviour, wanting it reported.

However, there is activity, and the young man is prurient, looks, is somewhat repelled, talks to the manager – but, eventually, succumbs to the atmosphere, nudity and sexuality, and becomes involved with customers.

The story then is left to the audience to evaluate, wonder about the central character, his decisions, coming out, behaviour, his future.

SISTER DEATH/ HERMANA MUERTE

Spain, 2023, 91 minutes, Colour.

Aria Bedmar, Maru Vladivielso, Luisa Merelas, Chelo Vivares, Sar Roch, Almudena Amor, Consuela Trujillo.

Directed by Paco Plaza.

Writer-director, Paco Plaza, has a strong reputation for films which include horror touches, horror themes. He was responsible for the Rec franchise.

In 2017, he wrote and directed Veronica, set in 1991, a 15-year-old girl in a Madrid school, caring for three younger siblings, her father dead and missing him, her mother always at work. At the core of the film is Veronica is longing for her father, having a session with a Ouija board with her school friends, horror consequences.

However, while the nuns teaching at the school are in modern dress, there is a very elderly sister, old-style habit, blind, looking sinister, with the nickname from the girls, Sister Death.

This drama, popular and with critical acclaim, is a prequel, focusing on a young nun in 1949, Sister Narcisa – who, ultimately will be seen in the final sequence, 1991, as Sister Death, played by the previous actress, Consuela Trujillo. Which means that this is a prequel to Veronica.

The film opens in 1939, snippets of black-and-white photography, a visionary, pious crowds, the little girl holding up a cross. The action then moves to 1949, memories of the Civil War with bullet holes in the convent walls, the convent now catering to educate young girls. Sister Narcisa arrives, very young, sweet, the touch of the angelic, perfectly embodied by Aria Bedmar. She is welcomed by ebullient superior and by the more restrained, Sister Julia. She is to teach the girls – with a class on eclipses which reminds audiences of the classes on eclipses in Veronica.

However, there is something sinister in her room, a sense of another presence, the chair falling, a wall sketch of the gallows. The girls are fidgety in class and the suggestion that one of them sees an apparition of a girl. The superior is cheery, Sister Julia becoming stern, disciplining the girls.

But, as in Veronica, the director relies on nightmares for communicating the horror, particularly graphic in three dreams by Sister Narcisa, forced to eat treats which turn into eyeballs, being smothered by the veil for her profession ceremony, finally a confrontation with a mysterious dead sister.

There are further complications with the young girl who is seeing the apparition, her death, Sister Narcisa leaving, returning, caught up with the visual explanations of what had happened in the past, rampaging soldiers during the Civil War, the pregnancy of the mysterious none, and Sister Narcisa being the visionary.

There is an epilogue in 1991, Sister Narcisa, blind because of her experiences in the past, present in the school, Veronica in the class.

1. The title, expectations, content and nuns, Catholic themes, horror?
2. The film is a prequel to the 2018 film, Veronica? The story of Sister Narcisa?
3. The prologue, the black-and-white photography, handheld, 1939, the apparitions, the visionary, the little girl and her cross, the crowds?
4. 10 years later, the convent, reopened, for the training of girls, the bullet holes in the walls, memories of the war? The atmosphere of the convent? Surface normal?
5. Narcisa, her age, in temporary vows, arriving at the convent, her appointment, her case, meeting Sister Julia, the introduction to the Superior, the welcome, her room, her tasks, in the classroom? A surprise about final vows?
6. Narcisa, her mysterious background, her being the visionary? The welcome to the convent? Her room, the noises, the falling chair, the noose sketch? Her searching? Going to the basement, the relics, the hand of St Martha? Sinister aspects?
7. The classroom, the girls, not responding, rose, the reference to the Girl? The sketch of the hanging and its reappearing? Rosa, seeing the Girl, fear of the name being written on the board, see the death? The return to seeming ordinariness, the class, the eclipse, the response of the girls, the dormitory, Narcisa and teaching the dancing?
8. The horror touches, via Narcisa’s nightmares, the cook, the eyes, the treats, chewing, vomiting, blood? The measurements for her profession dress, the veil, her being strangled? The final nightmares concerning Sister Socorro? The story of Sister Ines and her becoming a victim?
9. Narcisa, wanting to leave, Rosa and her death, the return?
10. The contingent mysterious behaviour, the box in Narcisa’s room, Rosa and the sisters, the hair in the bath, the mystery? The photos? Absent in the album? Sister Socorro?
11. The buildup to the climax, Narcisa and investigations, hearing presence, sister Socorro coming to her, the exchange of flowers, the memories of the past, sister Julia in the past, the present, the Superior, sister Socorro and the child, the impact of the war, the child in the bath, hitting its head, death? Sister Socorro hanging herself?
12. Narcisa being possessed by Sister Socorro, the reversal of the death, the confrontation was a two elderly nuns, the furniture falling on Julia, the Superior in the bath? Narcisa and her realisation of who she was? Surviving? Socorro as her mother?
13. The transition to 1991, Veronica, the classroom, the enthusiastic none, the introduction of Sister Death, blind, old? And the realisation that this film was a prequel to Veronica?

STREET FLOW/ BANLIEUSARDS

France, 2019, 96 minutes, Colour.

Kery James, Jammeh Diangana, Bakary Diombera, Chloe Jouannet, Matthieu Kassovita..

Directed by Kery James, Leila Sy.

Street Flow, with its French title the slaying for those who live in the suburbs of Paris, is a project from celebrated singer/actor, Kery James. He has written the screenplay, co-directed and appears as the oldest of three brothers. He has a strong screen presence.

This film is one of a number of films from the 1990s which focus on issues in the outer suburbs of Paris, the enclaves, regions separated by rivers and highways, the poverty of the inhabitants and, especially, racial issues and violence, especially with the presence of migrants from Africa.

A pioneer in this kind of film was the 1995, La Haine, which starred Matthieu Kassovitz – and memories of that film with his appearing in a cameo here as a boxing coach. Another striking example was that by Romain governess, the highly stylised Athena. Street Flow was so successful that in 2022, there was Street Flow 2.

The basic story is not unfamiliar and there was some criticism of the film because of its obvious characters, treatment. However, there is still some power in the story of a widow and her three sons, the oldest gone wild, a thug, in prison, emerging as a leader in drug dealing and violence, the second son the good son, starting to be a lawyer, and the third son, younger, at first opting for following his older brother, suspended from school, robberies…

The film gives attention to each of the three brothers in the context of the suburbs, complexities with the need for help from the oldest brother to warn the youngest against a life of violence. In the meantime, the middle brother, studying law, is preparing for a public debate for credit, working with his rival, the touch of romance, personal difficulties, the long sequence of the debate about the responsibility of the state for the suburbs, his mother and his brothers all attending the debate.

Because the problems in suburban Paris continue, the film has relevance – so much so that there was the sequel.

1. The title, life in the streets, the suburbs of Paris, divisions, enclaves, race issues, gangsters, drug issues, poverty?
2. The locations, the suburbs, homes, streets, school, college, debating halls? Drug deals, centres? The musical score?
3. A story of three brothers, the bad, the good, the young man in the middle? Absent father? Caring mother? The moral dilemma for the teenager and his future, for the good brother and his professional future?
4. The mother, racial background, husband, the children, said history, her care at home, the domestic sequences?
5. The focus on the older brother, place in the family, absent father, alienation from his mother, the drugs, his leadership, henchman, relationships, violence? Time in prison? Personality?
6. The middle brother, age, studies, decisions, support of his mother, concerned about his younger brother? Study, qualifications and ambitions? The rivalry in studies, preparing the debate, going out with the girl, the relationship? The theme of the debate, the responsibility of the state, the suburbs, poverty, law and order? The ups and downs of the relationship, some alienation?
7. The youngest brother, age, experience, the models provided by his two brothers, the opting for trouble, his mother’s reaction, the support of the older brother, yet concern about him? Getting into trouble, crime, stealing? The older brother and his interventions?
8. Killings, in the street, the rivalries, gangs?
9. The middle brother, the symbolic encounters, on the bus, the thugs? And his being held up on suspicions by the police?
10. The boxing gym, the coach and his support?
11. The finale with the debate, rhetoric, political issues, the audience, his brothers been present?
12. The finale for the youngest brother, and the change of relationship to the older brother?
13. The tradition of French films since the 1990s to show racial and crime issues in the suburbs of Paris?

SLY

US, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.

Sylvester Stallone, Frank Stallone, Quentin Tarantino, Henry Winkler, John hurt’s felt, Talia Shire, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Morris.

Directed by Thom Zimny.

This documentary on Sylvester Stallone and his career was made when the cinema icon was in his mid-70s, born 1946. Although only 95 minutes, it offers quite a comprehensive look at Stallone and his life, the various stages of his career.

What makes the difference is that the bulk of the documentary is Sylvester Stallone talking, his confiding in his interview in a variety of locations, where He grew up, studios, in cars… (And it would make an effective audiobook with the words and intonations of the star). There is quite a lot of commentary on many of Stallone’s films and many clips.

The principal commentator on the Stallone family is Sly’s younger brother, Frank. Significant people in his career include Henry Winkler with whom he appeared in The Lords of The Bush, his co-star in the Rocky films, Talia Shire, Arnold Schwarzenegger reminiscing about previous rivalry and getting over it. Critic Wesley Morris makes frequent comment. And, there is plenty of exuberant commentary by Quentin Tarantino.

Some commentators have said that there is not enough of Stallone’s private life, his first marriage, his second marriage, his children, and his son’s age who died in his 30s from illness – although, there are some sequences from Rocky V where the actor interact with his son. Stallone’s wife of 25 years plus, Jennifer Flavin, is seen with their children.

Stallone is very Frank about his growing up, revisiting the New York locations, the harshness of his upbringing, not being interested in school, the severity of his father, discipline and expectations, the absence of his mother – all supported by commentary from Frank Stallone. There are memories of his auditioning for Death of a salesman and the agent urging him to a career in theatre.

While Stallone is often considered to be monosyllabic mumble, thinking of his character, Rocky, in fact he is very articulate in commentary, in press conferences, quite a range of vocabulary during this film. Plus the fact that he was a writer. It is great emphasis in the film on his writing, visuals of his written manuscript, crossings out, revisions.

But, as expected, a lot of attention is given to the emergence of rocky, his writing the screenplay, small budget, collaboration with the director, the choosing of the cast, the parallels with his own life, the decision that Rocky should be a boxer, initial indifference cinema patrons reactions, but the surprise of audible cheers during the initial release in New York. A claim, Oscars.

Attention is given to the immediate aftermath, Stallone’s attempt to be serious in FIST, directing Paradise Alley, the attention given to the sequels and some critical expectations, the very personal nature of Rocky V. While some attention is given to the sixth film, Rocky Balboa, almost 20 years later, there is no inclusion of the Creed franchise.

Which leads, of course, to Rambo, the effect of the Rambo films in the 1980s (which is where Schwarzenegger’s commentary comes in about his action films of the 80s), the personal investment Stallone made, and his dispute with the filmmakers, his philosophy of cinema that audiences don’t watch want unhappy ending is – and his final statement that he believes in a cinema of hope.

There are the various ups and downs of the 90s, his attempted comedy, not particularly successful, his continued career and the launching of The Expendables.

The audience feels that it gets to know Stallone quite well during the 95 minutes, his talking to his audience, confiding in them, being very Frank, ups and downs. Whatever the future as he nears 80, he has had a career for half a century.

THE KILLER

US, 2023, 118 minutes, Colour.

Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Kerry O'Malley, Sophie Charlotte, Sala Baker.

Directed by David Fincher.

A David Fincher film, an alert to his many fans for almost 30 years. We remember Seven, Fight Club, Social Contract – and we anticipate some tough content and style. And that is what we get.

The screenplay is based on a graphic novel, with six chapters, focusing on the work of the central character, targets, experts, lawyers… The title is very plain, straightforward. Hitman would have been better but this has been taken already in a number of films. And The Killer has no personal name – but a plethora of passports with a range of false identities, enabling him to move from country to country with ease, tracking his targets, confronting his controller, seeking out personal vengeance.

But, for the audience, The Killer is very personal. Michael Fassbender is an actor whom the camera loves, always interesting, always fascinating, and here the audience goes along with him, sharing his experiences (though always with a sense of dread and some touches of feeling guilty complicity), but, particularly, The Killer with voice-over, confiding in the audience, explaining what he is doing, why he is doing it. And he repeats his mantra: " Stick to the plan. Anticipate, don't improvise. Trust no one. Yield no advantage. Forbid empathy."

The film opens in Paris, The Killer in a hotel room, preparing his weapon, surveillance of the apartment where his target will appear. And, despite a meticulous record, the assassination attempt fails. He is sighted, pursued, but with his extraordinary chameleon-like ability to blend in the crowd, change clothes for disguise, draw on his many passports with names from earlier television programs, is able to get back to his retreat in the Dominican Republic, only to find an attempt and vengeance on him, but brutalising his companion. He is merciless in pursuit, tracking down local taxi drivers and his companions brother to get further information, and shooting potential witnesses without qualm.

From then on, The Killer is on his own vengeance track, taking him to the corrupt lawyer who turned him from legal studies into a hitman (Charles Parnell), mercilessly getting information from his fearful assistant (Kerry O’Malley), then to Florida for the first step in vengeance on the attackers in Santo Domingo, trips to New York, to Chicago, and the completing of his merciless mission. And, at the end, there are excellent cameos from Arliss Howard and, particularly, from Tilda Swinton who is given significantly interesting dialogue reflecting on executions, targets, motivations, money, greed.

In the background are questions of values, meaning of life, The Killer living in the hell of his own, creating hells, only momentary signs of possible redemption in his relationship with his companion. Which means that we have experienced a thriller, a screenplay with wry and ironic dialogue, a story of emotionless and ruthless violence.

1. The title? Based on a graphic novel? The influence of French gangster films?
2. The locations, the city of Paris, the apartments, airports, the Dominican Republic, the countryside, the mansion, the taxi service headquarters, New Orleans, the lawyer’s office, Florida, the scenery and the assessment, New York, the restaurant and Riverside, Chicago and the business office? The dividing of the structure into chapters and titles?
3. The anonymity of the killer, his many passports and identities?
4. The voice-over, the Killer and his explaining his philosophy, a continued mantra, reciting it in action? The temptations to improvise, to stay with the plan, no empathy? Consequences of empathy?
5. Michael Fassbender as the Killer, performance, screen presence, attractive to the audience, yet alienating them? His regime, exercise, fitness, alert, contact with his minder in New Orleans? Surveillance, patients, seeing the target? His weapons, sites, aiming? The arrival of the dominatrix, the episode, his failure? The effect, being seen, the escape, disguises, the airport?
6. The situation in the Dominican Republic, the mansion, his companion, her being brutalised, hospital, her giving the information about the assailants? The interrogation of her brother, the taxi driver and his being shot?
7. The lawyer, in New Orleans, law professor, tempting the Killer away from his legal studies? Control? His assistant, her fears? The confrontation, shooting the lawyer? Taking the assistant, the files, the information, at home, killing her?
8. The information, going to Florida, stalking the assailant, the brutal fight, killing him?
9. Going to New York, the description of the partner, following her, the restaurant, the discussions with her, the waiter on the menu, her philosophising about her life, the inevitability of her death, issues of money and greed? The interactions between the two, his suddenly killing her?
10. The visit to Chicago, the identity of the employer, in his office, his ruthlessness, money, confrontation with the killer?
11. The end, his return to the Dominican Republic, his companion?
12. Morality, amoral attitudes, wilfully, creating hells for people, the killer creating a hell for himself? Any possibility for redemption?

BEYOND THE WASTELAND

Australia, 2022, 92 minutes, Colour.

Bertrand Cadert.

Directed by Eddie Berouthy.

The Wasteland of the title is Mad Max territory.

This is a documentary about fandom, international fandom, not only at the time of the initial release of the film but a celebration 40 years later.

The film focuses particularly on the first Mad Max film, 1979, interviews with George Miller himself, with various actors from the original including Steve Bisley, Roger Ward, Joanne Samuel, and various people who portrayed the idiosyncratic supporting characters. There is commentary by Luke Buckmaster who wrote a book about the films. There is commentary by Alan Finney, publicist at the time.

And there are sequences from the original film, reference to the second film, The Road Warrior, a nod in the direction of the third film only, and reference to the later films focusing on Furiosa.

However, the main thrust of the documentary is a pilgrimage! The audience is introduced to Frenchman, Bertrand Cadert, who came to Australia in the 70s, found himself with a role in the original film, kept in touch, fostered the memory of the film, collected all kinds of souvenirs. Suffering from leukaemia, he decides, the doctor encouraging him, to go on this pilgrimage. With the aid of a screen map, the audience sees him drive from Queensland through western and central New South Wales to Victoria, to the town of Clunes, where many of the fans, the actors, technicians, have come to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Mad Max. Those who gather our young and old, a re-creation of some of the stunts, especially a car crashing through a trailer, and enthusiasts gathering up relics to keep.

The busy camera, roaming the streets, capturing people, interviews, stunts, reminiscences… And, not forgetting the elaborate costumes and their re-creation, fans proudly wearing them.

On the way back, Bertrand visits Silverton, used for Mad Max 2. We are introduced to the owners of the pub, reminiscing about the time of the filmmaking, of other crews coming to the town, of the range of pilgrimages.

And, throughout the film, there are lengthy interviews with international fans, from France, from the US, from Italy, from Japan, seeing them in their home countries, rules and conventions, but also seeing them coming to Australia, some of them amazed at the vastness, but relishing their Mad Max experiences.

Who would have thought? Back in 1979?

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

US, 2023, 206 minutes, Colour.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Martin Scorsese, Cara Jade Myers, Janae Collins, Jillian Dion, Jason Isbell, Scott Shepherd, Tatanka Means.

Directed by Martin Scorsese.

By 1918, when this film opens, Native Americans were something of a lost minority in their own land, in reservations, or wandering from place to place in the Oklahoma Badlands, as is with the Osage Nation here. In silent film style, the situation is dramatised, poverty and on the move, the sudden gushers of oil on Osage Land, unexpected wealth and affluent lifestyle, befriended by Whites, patronised by Whites, and the targets for intermarriage and inheriting land and oil rights. It is not yet 40 years since Cochise and Custer’s Last Stand at Little Big Horn.

There is also a preface to the film where Osage Elders gather, talk about their traditions, and regrets that the next generation is being taught by white teachers, their learning other ways and forgetting their own.

Into this world comes Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio), returning from being a cook on the French battlefields. Not the smartest, he is welcomed by his highly reputed uncle, King (Robert De Niro), and his brother Byron (Scott Shepherd). King seems to be benign personified, promoting the welfare of everyone in the town of Fairfax, whatever their origins. Ernest runs a taxi, and is eager to drive Mollie (a dignified and quietly passionate Lily Gladstone) to her mother’s house. She has several sisters, who are involved with white men. And then the visual information that many Osage die. King encourages Ernest’s interest in Mollie for marriage, children and inheritance reasons and, while Ernest continually smiles and gloats that he loves money, he does fall in love with Mollie.

Martin Scorsese has made films for over 50 years, so many of them about American crime, especially gangsters. And this time, he takes up the cause of the Native Americans, and their being victimised by criminal greed and violence.

And this is a very long film, 3 ½ hours. And, to make a comparison with the film, Oppenheimer, it presents itself in three parts. The first part introduces the characters and issues, immerses the audience in the life of the town, part frontier, part stable, and the interaction between white and Native American. Once this is established, the second part focuses on the characters, the events, the violence, the exploitation, King, continually smiling, yet a Machiavellian influence, Bible quoting, especially on Ernest for whom greed and loyalty to King affect his love for his wife, who is suffering from diabetes, the beginnings of the availability of insulin. The third part, like the third part of Oppenheimer, might seem something of anti-climax to those very much involved in the action. The third part is the legal part, the arrival of FBI agents, investigations, prison, court sequences. But a necessary third part to evaluate the rights and wrongs, mainly wrongs, of what we have seen.

As expected, the performances are excellent – and, in the third part, some welcome cameos from Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser and, in a tantalising finale to the whole film, the audience taken to a 1940s radio studio and participating in the dramatising of this story, led by the show’s producer, Scorsese himself.

The film is an important piece of Americana, a conscience-jolting exploration of the defeat and exploitation of the Native Americans.

1. The title, and the American killers, the season of beauty, the fields and the flower moon vistas?
2. American history, first Nations Americans, the opening, the silent film style, the situation of the Osage Nation, migrations, minority, the discovery of oil, the vista of the gushers, the ownership of the oil, the scenes of exploitative wealth, cars, clothes, jewellery, and the succession of murders, bodies lying in state?
3. The scenes with the Osage nation, assessing the present, the next-generation being taught by Whites, the white ways, the changes, the 1920s and this coming into fulfilment? The various dignitaries, their leadership? Henry, his role in leadership, his drinking, ultimate collapse, his death?
4. The structure of the film, the first part the introduction, the second part, the murders and exploitation, the third part justice and legal issues?
5. The locations, Fairfax, the railway and the trains, the streets, the bars, homes, mansions? The interiors? The prison, the courts? And the finale on the radio station? The musical score?
6. Ernest returning home, the American situation, 1918, serving over there, the reputation of the troops, Ernest as a cook? Not the brightest? Coming home to his uncle, to Byron? Agreeable, naive? Believing in his uncle? Promotion? Driving the taxi, the encounter with Mollie, his uncle’s plan, marriage and murder, inheritance? Interaction between Mollie and Ernest, making her laugh, her inviting him in, the meals, the mother, the sisters?
7. The character of William King Hale, Robert De Niro’s performance, quietly sinister, the smile, the smooth talk, quoting the Bible, relationship with the Osage, bringing the benefits to the town, prosperity, but his overall plan? At home, meeting people, always smiling? Machiavellian? Scheming, plotting, advising? His role in the deaths of the Indian women, the inheritance of the oil wealth?
8. The moral climate of Fairfax, attitudes towards the First Nations, the oil, wealth, Ernest and his love for money, almost equal to his wife? The men in the bar, Byron and his contacts, the murders, colours, planned, the set-ups, Anna, her wild life, Byron, her pregnancy, the visuals of her drunkenness, her murder? The autopsy, cutting up the body, the search for the bullet? Anna and her relationship with his mother, her mother’s favourite?
9. Smith, his relationship with his wife, her illness, the picnic scenes of the sisters together, her death? His reaction, hiring the detective? Relationship with Reta, marrying, her being a comfort to him? His becoming the target?
10. Ernest, the revelation of his motivations, connections, setting up the killings, the loan of the car, the insurance scheme? The killers, their backgrounds, prison? Their characters, callous? Byron and his role, with the women, with King, with Ernest?
11. Mollie, at home, with her mother, her mother favouring Anna? Life-and-death, traditions, the vision of the owl? Her death?
12. Mollie, the diabetes, her health, in love with Ernest, the marriage, the ceremonies and joy, her pregnancy, over the years, the children? The doctors, the insulin? The brothers and their medical expertise, exploitation? Ernest and the injections, a means for Mollie’s death and the inheritance? Mollie and the vision of the old?
13. The murder of Henry, the killer, his change of heart, meant to look like suicide? The hiring of detectives, their being brutalised, the visit to Washington, the representation of the Osage, Mollie and her talking with President Coolidge?
14. The FBI investigator, White, his arrival, interrogations, Ernest putting him off because of Mollie’s health, King and his smooth talk? The further investigations, the variety of agents arriving, uncovering the truth?
15. Ernest, his being arrested, his complicity in the planning of the murders, the bombing of the house and its destruction? The old man who witnessed Anna’s death and his giving testimony? The arrest of King? King, the signed deal with Ernest, his being observed?
16. Ernest and the interrogation, keeping him standing, holding his relationship with Mollie over him, his children? The news of the youngest child to death, the hooping cough, the Coffin?
17. King, arrested, agreeable, in prison, the pressure on Ernest? His threats to Ernest in prison, holding Mollie’s health over him? Ernest being freed, talking with Mollie, the funeral, promising to tell the truth, his admissions – but the question of his injections for Mollie? Her being in court, her walking away from him – and the final information about the divorce?
18. Ernest, his change of heart, his testimony, condemning King? The callous murderer and his offhand testimony in court, telling the truth?
19. The lawyers, the defence, speeches in court, dominating Ernest? The prosecutor and his rhetoric?
20. The very American ending, the radio program, the announcers, the actors and two voices, the white man and the Osage voice, the special effects and sounds? The information about the case, Ernest, imprisonment, release, with Byron, the divorce, Mollie and her new life, her death? King, jail, release, his death?
21. The final visuals of the Osage Nation, the rising drone shot, the pageantry?

BALLERINA

Korea, 2023, 92 minutes, Colour.

Kim Ji-Hoon, Jeon Jong-seo, Park Yu-rim.

Directed by Chung-Hyun Lee.

Revenge/vigilante action thriller from Korea. As soon as the film appeared on Netflix, bloggers were referring to Kill Bill, to the John Wick series, to Denzel Washington and the Equaliser series and to Liam Neeson action shows. In this review will refer to the precedent for women action hero is, especially Jennifer Lopez in

This is very much a film for female audiences, the central characters, for the action, detection, heroics, and the confrontation of male predators and exploiters. And, with this type of film, the action is often quite graphic, the body count (male) is very high with quite a climactic sequence where the central character confronts the chief villain, human traffic, in the context of a huge complex for drug growth and production, no survivors.

We are introduced to the central character, formerly a security guard, stepping in to pay for her groceries while a young man at the counter is being attacked by punks thugs. She make short work of them. Then we see a ballet dancer, her falling during a production, her phone call to the security guard asking for help, killing herself but leaving a note with a clue and asking to be avenged.

Following the clue leads to a range of discoveries, but especially an encounter with a suave and handsome young man whose name responds to the clue. She goes home with him, he tries to drug her, thinking that he has succeeded, proceeding to film sadomasochistic behaviour but her turning on him, fighting, slashing his cheek, helped by a girl in the premises which turns out to be the headquarters for human trafficking and the man himself having a catalogue of videos of his sexual activity.

The leader of the trafficking business commands the young man to eliminate the security guard and there is a confrontation but she escapes. The young man pretends that he has killed her.

As the security guard makes friends with the young woman she rescued, she decides not to go to the police, but does some training at a rifle range, gets a contact for buying a gun – and the slightly comic scene with a rather benign elderly couple arriving with a van full of weapons, eager on sales and demonstrations.

Which leads then to the ultimate confrontation, no holds barred, the destruction of the drug plantation, the elimination of the boss and the crew, and the final judgement on the beach (there have been flashbacks of the friendship with the two women throughout the film and the beach is the ballerina’s favourite secret Place), the man brought to judgement, his pleas, his defiance, death, and a flamethrower.

For action fans it is quite well done. For many audiences, the vigilante violence might be too much. But, ballerina, is a competent Korean version of this kind of revenge thriller.

THE DARKNESS WITHIN LA LUZ DEL MUNDO

Mexico, 2023, 113 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Carlos Perez Osorio.

A powerful documentary from Mexico – with a story which will be well-known in Mexico and in Central and Latin America but less well-known in the English-speaking world although its culminating trials took place in Los Angeles.

La Luz del Mundo is an evangelical church which was founded in Mexico in 1926 and soon developed, spread, became powerful and wealthy by the end of the 20^th century, and was established in many countries throughout the world, even with a branch in Sydney.

Audiences familiar with the development of evangelical churches in the 20^th century in the south of the United States, will be interested in the similarities with Mexico. Audiences wary of the leadership of this kind of church, the possibilities for cult leadership and indoctrination, the possibilities for exploitation by the leaders, will find this film even more interesting. Audiences with a variety of attitudes towards the tele-evangelists, their methods, their preaching, their money collection, their affluent lifestyles, will also be eager to watch this story.

In its almost 100 years history, the church has had only three leaders, Aarón (Eusebio) Joaquín González, Samuel Joaquín Flores, and Naasón Joaquín García. There are some flashbacks and photo visual material on the founder, but the first part of the film focuses on his son, Samuel, and his leadership of the church and its extraordinary growth, visuals of the disciples, their intense faith, the enthusiasm, their belief in the leader as “the Apostle of Jesus Christ”. Samuel died in the 1990s and the leadership was assumed, a process of religious discernment decided that he was also The Apostle, by Naason, who, to all appearances, did not look as if  fulfhe could fulfil the requirements of this kind of leadership.

So, this documentary takes its place as a portrayal of a religious group, Christian aspects, clashes with the Catholic Church and leaders in Mexico, a building program, a communal program, and thousands of avid and devoted disciples, old and young, men and women.

However, it is also a story of cult leaders and sexual exploitation. For audiences who are connected in any way to organisations whose leaders and members have been arrested, tried and condemned for sexual abuse, especially of minors, this is an important film because it is looking, from their point of view, very objectively at abuses, at offenders, at victims, at survivors, listening to their testimony.

Eventually, a number of women were prepared to speak openly about their sexual experiences, especially young women, young teenagers, who were chosen by the leaders, especially Samuel and then his son, with the aid of female members who were the equivalents of pimps, grooming these young women, leading them into sexual behaviour, the loss of their virginity, the bewilderment of their experiences.

As always, it is very moving to listen to these testimonies and the saddest of memories, of abusive and destructive experiences.

There is a great deal of information and visuals about Naason, he is arrested, in the United States, on trial in Los Angeles. This documentary covers the various trials, his pleas, denials, compromises, imprisonment, deals, right up to decisions by the end of 2022, the judge listening, sentencing, but bound by limitations for which he apologises, especially to survivors, making the documentary very up-to-date at the time of its release to Netflix.

Clearly, this kind of story, this factual documentary, often stark and direct, can be very disturbing viewing. With this caution, it is a documentary that should be seen widely, contributing a Latin American perspective, unfamiliar to many audiences, to the exposure of organisational sexual abuse, especially in the latter part of the 20^th century and into the 21^st-century.

ROTTING IN THE SUN

US/Mexico, 2023, 113 minutes, Colour.

Jordan Firstman, Catalina Saavedra, Sebastian Silva, Matteo Riestra, Juan Silva.

Directed by Sebastian Silva.

This is a small-budget, independent film, introduced at the Sundance Film Festival. It is not a mainstream film, distributed in the arthouse circuit.

Sebastian Silver is a prominent musician, artist, film writer and director, from Chile but also working internationally. Prominent amongst his feature films are The Maid, Magic Magic, Crystal Fairy and the Magical Cactus.

This is a gay film, a gay culture film, Silva himself openly gay. With his long-time writing partner, Pedro Peirano, he has created a character, with his name, but a variation on his persona. He is joined in the film by comic writer, producer and comedian, Jordan Firstman, also doing a variation on his persona and career.

The setting is Mexico City, the screenplay making some comments on how Americanised Mexico has become, the presence of visitors from the US, poverty, wealth, holiday resorts… And, with the depressed Silva urged to go to a resort, the film goes to a gay nude beach, frank and direct nudity and sexual activity. At the resort, Silva rescues Firstman caught in a rip. Firstman gets the idea of using Silva to work on a television series, personal and encounters with people.

This strand of the film continues, pressure from Firstman, reluctance from Silva, but contact with HBO who like the idea and meetings are set up.

Then comes the main part of the film, Silva with the maid (played by Catalina Saavedra, his star in The Maid), are working in a house being repaired by a friend who continually eggs on Silva. Carrying a sofa from upstairs, there is an accident, Silva falling to his death, the maid anxious, contacting her brother, hiding the body, planning to remove it, and lying about the situation, especially with Firstman interrogating her, his phone doing translations, the situation becoming more and more dire.

Firstman then calls Silva’s brother to visit (played by Silva’s actual brother).

And, interspersed throughout this narrative there are various characters shown in the house and elsewhere, gay men involved in sexual activity.

The film won awards from its target audience – many audiences may be put off by its explicitness. However, in terms of drama and comedy, the story of Silva’s death and his body being moved about seems something of a very laboured variation on the Weekend at Bernie’s comedy farce.