VILLAIN

UK, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.

Craig Fairbrass, George Russo, Izuka Hoyle, Mark Monero, Tomi May, Robert Glenister.

Directed by Philip Barrantini.

A British drama about criminals, some hardened, some caught up in criminal activity. Villain received good responses from critics as well as audiences.

The focus is on Eddie, Craig’s, released after 10 years in prison, hoping to make a better life. He encounters his younger brother, Sean (George Russ so who also contributed to the screenplay), tangled with drugs, in debt to gangster brothers who confront Eddie.

On the human side, and he remembers his girlfriend and visits her daughter and her little baby, a hostile reception initially, but Eddie wanting to make good with Chloe and her baby, especially at the end.

However, Sean is in debt, Eddie trying to fix the situation, confronting the two brothers, shooting, chopping the bodies (some gruesome moments), disposing of them. However, there is a complication in so far as Sean was an informant for the police. Eddie makes a final bid, organising with a friend to Rob a jewelry store, making his getaway, confrontation with the police, his death and the preview and a previous confrontation with the young woman’s boyfriend, dying in the street.

Familiar material, familiar characters from British gangster films, a blend of the tough, the humane, issues with the law.

1. The title, expectations? A 20^th-century gangsters?
2. The setting, the town, the bar, homes, the streets, jeweller’s shop? The musical score?
3. Eddie’s story, age, experience, background, crimes, 10 years in prison, freed, to make a new life, meeting with Sean, Sean and his drug issues, finance, the hotel, the visit of the brothers, the confrontation, demanding Sean’s money, the decision to hand over the hotel, the meeting with the brothers, the gun, shooting, disposing of the bodies, a new life?
4. Eddie and his visit to Chloe, the past, memories of his girlfriend, Chloe’s severe reaction, the baby, her boyfriend, Eddie challenging him, the violent interchange? Eddie and his human feelings of the baby?
5. Sean, younger, weaker, the drugs and dependence, his girlfriend and her stripping, in debt, the brothers, Eddie trying to fix the matter, signing over the hotel? The brothers, the shooting, Sean and his killing one of the brothers? The consequences, the bodies, getting rid of them?
6. The police, Shawn as an informant, the phone calls to Eddie? Eddie, robbing the shop, his friend and the getaway? The police confrontation?
7. Chloe’s boyfriend, his revenge, on the bike, the machine gun, killing Eddie?

AND TOMORROW WE WILL BE DEAD/ Und morgen seid ihr tot

Switzerland/Germany, 2021, 117 minutes, Colour.

Morgane Ferru, Svend Schelker.

Directed by Michael Steiner.

A German Swiss production. And, it is based on a true story, two young German Swiss travelling in Pakistan, abducted by the Taliban, held for more than seven months with the Taliban asking for a ransom.

The audience is invited to identify with the young couple, Daniela and David, his ambition to travel the Silk Road, their young enthusiasm, travels in Asia, rapt in their experience, the amazing scenery, encountering fellow travellers and then venturing into Pakistan, with police guards, then moving out on their own and being ambushed.

The audience is not only invited to identify with the young couple in themselves but also to share the experience of the abduction, the fear and terror, the uncertainties, the mixture of harsh and sympathetic treatment, the interactions with their captors, their being made privy to some of the details of negotiation, allowed to communicate with their families at times, David with a severe bout of malaria, Daniela becoming stronger as the months go by, their decision to escape.

And, in the background, there are scenes of both sets of parents and their concern, discussions with the Swiss authorities, phone calls and letters, a father angry with the delay in negotiations, demands for the release of Taliban prisoners, the escalating amount of ransom money demanded, his compromising the safety of the couple by his rash attempted publicity.

It is something of a shock at the end when, after the escape, they return to Switzerland for a press conference where some of the journalists question the truth of what they are saying, are critical of their going to Pakistan in the first place… As the information is given at the end, the couple did not stay together except for writing a book about their experiences on which this film is based.

1. A contemporary theme, abduction of tourists, ransoms? Government interventions?
2. The introduction to David and Daniela, from Switzerland, their parents, the relationship, David’s dream of The Silk Road, tourists, enjoying the scenery, discussions with the family, going into Pakistan, the boarder, documents, the police escort, going on their own, the abduction?
3. The eight months of their abduction, their fright, fears, the treatment, interactions of the various Taliban and, the young drug taker, the elders, the conditions, food, being moved around, in the village, the friendly people, their supervisor, the visits from the negotiator?
4. The family’s response, the messages, phone calls, demands on the government, angers, the father and his media episode, endangering the family?
5. The government response, negotiations, secrecy, policies about negotiations, payments of ransoms? The family wanting to raise the money?
6. The effect on the couple, the phone calls, the contacts, information? The pressure from their supervisor?
7. The plan for the escape, David and his illness, recovery, the map, the plan, getting out, the pursuit, the escape?
8. The return to Switzerland, the press conference, the hostile journalists and their criticism, disbelief?
9. The couple separating, their own lives, it combining to write this book and memoir?

HYPNOTIC

US, 2023, 92 minutes, Colour.

Ben Affleck, Alice Braga, J.D. Pardo, William Fichtner, Dayo Okeniyi, Jeff Fahey, Jackie Earle Haley, Hala Finley, Ionia Olivia Nieves.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Hypnosis, being mesmerised, withdrawing from reality and being led into memories, into the past – or into an alternate reality.

This thriller opens with Ben Affleck squared-jawed, granite-jawed, as a local cop in Austin, Texas whose daughter has been abducted. He is desperate, of course, to find her. Lately, Ben Affleck has been has had great successes on screen, emerging as a talented director, appearing in Air, The Flash…) And behind the camera is significant director, Robert Rodriguez who also writes and edits his films, always making them in his home city of Austin, making them there for 30 years (from action franchises like Sin City, Machete to more popular entertainments as the Spy Kids films).

As we follow Affleck’s officer Danny Rourke in action, tipped off concerning a bank robbery about to happen, defying advice endangering himself and others, but he is confronted by a controlling stranger, who has the eye-contact capacity to control people, make them do what he wants them to do, destructively. He is a hypnotic and is played in the sinister form of William Fichtner as villain.

A settling into the familiar territory of robberies, the police, investigations and pursuits.

Further clues, however, lead to a tarot card reader, Diana, Alice Braga, who explains to Rourke – and to us the audience – that there are, from birth, powerful hypnotics with dominant control. So far, so interesting as a police thriller in the police thriller vein.

At this stage we might be tempted to Google and find out whether such a phenomenon as a hypnotic is real. (And, coming home from the cinema, this reviewer did Google only to find that the reference to hypnotics is to drugs used to control sleep, sedatives.)

But then, Rourke and Diana escape to Mexico, she using her hypnotic skills to get them through borders, out of dangerous confrontations, controlling all who meet her eye. But we also travel into the realm of science-fiction, scientific experimentation, and political repercussions. Many characters are not what they seem. Reality is not what it seems.

So the latter part of Hypnotic takes us into the world of memory, loss of memory, alternate reality, constructed reality, to discover who Diana is or might be, who Danny Rourke really is and why he is trying to track down his abducted daughter – and who she is.

There is resolution at the end, a blend of killings as well as happy family.

But, Robert Rodriguez is tantalising us with his plot. And we have to pay attention during the final credits. Hypnotic 2 is not an impossibility.

1. The title, hypnosis, mesmerising? The Hypnotics, their power, from birth, controlling? A science-fiction idea?
2. Austin, Texas? Police precincts, the bank, the streets, buildings? The tarot card shop? Mexico, the locations, the special distorted effects? The discovery of the headquarters, setting up sequences? Sequences in the imagination? The musical score?
3. The focus on Danny Rourke, Austin cop, sitting in the park, his daughter, her disappearance, the abductor, his disappearance? The court case? Eagerness to find his daughter? His partnering with Nicks? The message about the bank, the stakeout, the deposit box, Rourke going into the bank, the photo in the box, the pursuit of Delrayne? The confrontation with him, his controlling the police, the guards shooting each other? His disappearance?
4. The clue for the tarot cards, Diana, the meeting, her story, the threats, the explanation of hypnotics? Her own powers? Delrayne, the pursuit, Diana’s control, the escape to Mexico?
5. In Mexico, the crowds, the confrontations, the powers? The distortion of the locations?
6. Danny, being taken, the cell, Nicks, Diana? The revelation of the conspiracy, the science fiction aspects, the Hypnotics, the importance of Minnie, her skills as a Hypnotic? Danny and his powers, marriage to Diana? Their daughter? The issue of Minnie, the abduction, the powers wanting her? Delrayne and a different perspective on him?
7. The characters, Nick’s and his death, River?
8. The elaborate setup, the sets, the ability to create sets, the characters in uniform, their participation, the scenarios? River and Nicks in the scenarios? The revelation to Danny, Is Challenging them, urging them to follow the scenario again? The new setup, the participation, Danny’s escape?
9. The farm, the couple, caring for Minnie, Danny reunited with his daughter, the arrival of Delrayne and the squad, the role of Diana?
10. The shootouts? Danny succeeding, the couple sacrificing themselves? Then the family United?
11. Delrayne, bringing the dead couple to life?

INFINITY POOL

Canada/Croatia/Hungary, 2023, 118 minutes, Colour.

Alexandrer Skarsgaaard, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, Jalil Lespert, Thomas Kretschmann.

Directed by Brandon Cronenberg.

Infinity Pool is not a film that one can recommend for every audience. By the end of the film, we realise we have witnessed something of a descent into depravity. While there is reference to descent construction of a pool at the resort, Infinity Pool, which has had some disastrous accidents, the title might refer to an infinity pool of drowning in exploitative behaviour Which means that this is a moral parable, an allegory, a story that is a comment on contemporary living, values, and amorality.

The film has been written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg. While he stands on his own as a film writer and director, he is always considered in the light of his father, David Cronenberg, who has made films in his native Canada for over 40 years. In many ways, with his initial small-budget science fiction films, with strong elements of violence, sometimes shock for audiences, then moving into bigger budget and having a world reputation, David Cronenberg extended audience tolerance for more explicit presentation of themes as in his 1997 drama, Crash. Brandon Cronenberg, making films in the 21^st-century, goes further in some explicit treatment of sexual behaviour as well is of violence and blood.

The setting is a fictional island, La Toqua, a luxury resort with exclusive visitors, staff, treatment, contrasting with the inhabitants of the island who are looked down on by the guests, a pool, fenced off. Initially, the seems rather ordinary but when the central couple, James and M Foster (Alexander Skarsgaard and Cleopatra Coleman) start talking with another couple who seem exotically international (Mia Goth, using her own British accent after being persuasively American in X and Pearl, with Jalil Lespert) and are persuaded to go outside the guarded limits of the resort for a picnic.

Then, something which does happen in a lot of films, drunken driving, failing lights, a hit run death of a local. And the moral issues begin to emerge. James was driving and has to take responsibility of the friends say the police are corrupt and merciless and so the decide to leave the dead man on the Road.

As might be expected, James is arrested, taking with his wife to the police station, isolated, interrogated by the Detective who offers a solution used for revenges justice. Guests pay the Detective and he finds a citizen, a process of James going into liquids to provide a mould and the citizen transformed into a double who is executed. The scene of the execution, with James and his wife compelled to view, is graphic and disturbing.

At the beginning of this review, reference is made to “a descent into depravity”. His wife leaving, James can’t find his passport and is confined to the island, taken up by his friends, and their coterie of associates, whose behaviour becomes more and more care-less, more self-indulgent, violent, sexual, seeming to invite James into their values-less way of life, but also turning him into a victim. They have survived on their annual holiday on the island, being able to be as amoral, immoral as they wish, relying on payment and the execution of doubles.

And, yet, the group can go home at the end of their holiday each year, chatting about ordinary things, seemingly normal, promising to come the following year.

But, for James, the winter coming in, no guests, stormy seas, alone, sitting in drenching rain, and we the audience, our values having been tested, are wondering whether he is in anyway repentant, self-conscious, and the rains possibly cleansing – or not.

1. The work of the director, the influence of his father, going beyond his father in themes and in treatment, breaking barriers, psychology, sexuality, violence?
2. The story perceived as realism? As surrealism? As a parable? As an allegory for contemporary life?
3. The setting, the island, the resort, comfortable, rooms and accommodation, dining, the coast and scenery, the mountains, the water? Luxury? The guests?
4. The contrast with the life of ordinary people on the island, poor, looked down on by the guests, the role of the police, the guards, gates and fences, separation?
5. The introduction to James, reputation as a writer, writer’s block? Self-questioning about his talent? Relationship to his wife, her father, the publisher, her father disliking James? His dependence on her wealth? Her story and explanation, rebelling against her father, marrying the first man who came along? The strength of their marriage? Brittle?
6. The other guests, Gabi and Albin, their story, international backgrounds, the focus on Paris, their work, talents? Their friends at the resort?
7. The introduction of subversive themes, Gabi, her interactions with James, sexual behaviour (visually explicit)? The effect on James?
8. The conversations, the relationship between the couples, the proposal to go for the picnic, the drive, the swimming? Drinking? The return, the joking, hitting the man on the road? The moral dilemmas, information about the police and the strictness, the decision to leave the man on the road? The consequences for James, for his wife?
9. The police, arriving, the arrest, taking James and his wife, the police station, the separation, putting him in the cell, the white garment, the interrogation? James, the admission of guilt, excusing himself?
10. The twist in the plot, the idea of the double, of a citizen being taken, transformed into the likeness of the offender? James, the hallucinatory experience, the liquids, the immersion, the immersion of the double? And the money paid to the detective?
11. The buildup to the execution scene, James present, his wife, Gabi and Alban and the others? The victim, identical to James? The son of the victim, the explanation of laws of retaliation and vengeance, his age, with the knife, the visual violence of the stabbing and the close-ups of the wound?
12. The effect on James, wanting to get out, his wife and leaving, his not being able to find his passport, staying? The return of his wife, their discussions, her eventual leaving?
13. James, staying at the resort, Gabi and the friends? The coming every year to the resort? Their behaviour, drinking, daring James to other actions? To raid the house and steal? Their being taken by the police, and the repetition of the doubles, each having their double, the execution of the doubles, all kneeling to be executed? Their enjoyment of the execution, having experienced it many times?
14. The close-ups on each of the friends, the characters, behaviour, seemingly respectable, that evil?
15. The moral issues, the James, joining in, participating? No morality with the others, their behaviour, reckless? The attack on the detective, humiliating him, brutal? His being corrupt?
16. The glimpse of the people on the island, behind the fences, the family, the death, the women, helping James?
17. The moral dilemma for James, the audience? The sinking into depravity?
18. The group and then making fun of James, his trying to leave, their stopping the bus, making him walk ahead, Gabi and her continued mockery, lying on the car, condemning him?
19. The group, the departure after the holiday, their seemingly normal chatter, ordinary, promising to come next year? The jolt for the audience in seeing each side of their characters?
20. And the finale, James, left at the resort, alone, the rain – drenching him or a possibility of cleansing?,

LOVE AGAIN

US, 2023, 104 minutes, Colour.

Pryanka Chopra Jones, Sam Heughan, Celine Dion, Sofia Barclay, Russell Tovey, Lydia West, Steve Oram, Omid Djalili, Nick Jonas, Celia Imre, Arinze Kene.

Directed by Jim Strouse.

Definitely a date film – and the film whose plot is dating.

So, this, again definitely, is a film for Romantics Anonymous (and this reviewer realising that he should be making applications for meetings and whatever 12 steps are necessary). But, of course, it is a film for those who are proud and unashamed of their love for romance stories. There will be a lot of smiles as we watch Love Again – and, perhaps an alert, probably a tear or two.

Which means that this is not a film for the cynical, those who are prone to label this kind of story as predictable, sentimental. But, once again a reminder that W Somerset Maugham said that sentimentality is only sentiment that we don’t approve of!

The first few minutes are definitely sweetness and light, Mira who draws sketches for her children’s books, Johnny who has an engagement ring and intends to propose to her – and suddenly killed in a hit run. There will be a lot of sweetness and light throughout the film but there will also be a pervasive grief.

Then two years later… Mira is played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, an actress in India, educated in the United States, a prolific career in Indian Cinema but who moved to the US in 2017 and who is having a prolific career there. Many audiences will realise that she is married to Nick Jonas and we will enjoy the sequence in the middle of the film where Mira is set up by her sister for a first date to break through her grief. She meets Joel, weightlifter and gym enthusiast who talks about having a brain but has sex only on it, a spoof of apps and dates – and, in fact, he is played by her husband, Nick Jonas.

Then to the other side of the romance to be, a Scotsman in America with the perhaps-homage name, Rob Burns. He is played by Sam Heughan, who has appeared in several films but is best known for 87 episodes of televisions Outlander. While there are some Brits in the supporting cast, Russell Tovey, Celia Imre, Sam Oram, Omid Djalili (filming began in the UK in Covid times), they are asked to play with American accents but Sam Heughan keeps his own British/Scots accent.

Romantic stories sometimes need an audience suspension of disbelief, especially how the lovers will actually meet – and here, based on a German film about texting, this is a device to bring the two together, plus some coincidences, Gluck’s opera, Orpheus and Euridyce, basketball, cheeseburgers…

Perhaps Celine Dion should have been introduced in this reviewer earlier. In fact, she is a producer, contributes six new songs as well as singing some favourites, and appears as herself, the singer that she is, memories of her husband and family, her experiences of love as expressed in her lyrics. So, a treat for Celine Dion fans. And, what is she doing in a love story? – Something of a fairy godmother as well as a marriage counsellor, and singing her songs

“What the world needs now is love sweet love” and here is a 2020s version.

1. The title? The focus on love? Second possibilities? But the permeation of grief?
2. An American story, a British lead, initial filming in the UK, the British supporting cast?
3. New York City, the views, the atmosphere, cafes and restaurants, newspaper offices, apartments? The Park? The Opera? The musical score?
4. Celine Dion, producer, Acting, the creation of her persona, her old songs, the original songs? The tour, the interviews, the reaction of the press, her intervening in people’s lives? The touch of the fairy godmother for Mira, for Rob, marriage counsellor? The appeal to her fans?
5. The setting, Mira, her books, her sketches, her love for John, phone and texts, his presence, the intention of proposing, having the ring, the suddenness of his death? The impact for Mira, for the audience?
6. Two years passing, Mira, her grief, seclusion, counselling, her relationship with her sister, her sister being a tough case, pushing Mira? Continuing her books, their themes, for children, writer’s block? Trying to deal with her grief, the suggestion that she talked to John with the glass of wine? Her alternate, texting him? The details of the texts, her emotions, her love, and the encounter with Rob?
7. Rob, Scots background, his name, in New York, interactions with his boss, the commissioned to write on Celine Dion, his unwillingness, the press conference, the interruption, his question, Celine Dion suggesting that he grow up? His later encounters with her, standing up straight, the conversation, her counselling and support? The discussion about Mira, the poster for her tour, Mira getting the commission?
8. Rob, his colleagues in the office, their banter, the texts, Rob thinking it was Lisa? Her being put off? Discussions with Billy, going to the restaurant, Billy and the pickup? Their working in the office, working with Rob, bouncing ideas and reactions? The boss, his demands, his reaction to Rob’s article, liking it, but the angry tantrum for show?
9. Mirror, going on the date, meeting with Joel, his talk about exercise and brains, pushing him out of the cab? Her memories of John, their predominating, the texts? Her sister forcing her to open John’s box after two years, the ring? Her love for the Opera, Orpheus and Your idiocy, the visit to the opera, the chance passings by Rob?
10. Rob, intrigued, receiving the texts, going to the restaurant, alert to Mira? Going to the opera, many times, the encounter with her? The bonding, the meetings, the meal and his being late, the burgers? The night, walking, the Park, the accordion player? Continuing, the night together, the discovery about the texts, his delay in telling her the truth, the consequences?
11. Mira, upset, imagining John in talking with him, his telling her to let go?
12. Rob, the article, personal, Celine Dion liking it?
13. Mira, the meeting with Celine Dion, Celine Dion not liking the poster, wanting something brighter, knowing Mira’s books? The final poster?
14. Mira relenting, the message from Ron, the meeting set up, his going to the park with flowers, her not being there, his realisation about the opera, the winter scene, the reconciliation? Love again?

NOVEMBRE

France, 2022, 106 minutes, Colour.

Jean Dujardin, Anais Demoustier, Sandrine Kiberlain, Jeremie Renier, Lyna Khoudri, Cedric Kahn, Hugo Dillon.

Directed by Cedric Jimenez.

The terrorist attack on a concert venue in Paris in November 2015, 130 dead, many injured, made a powerful impact in France. And, with the release of Novembre, it would seem that it still does. However, for those outside France, memories may be receding.

This thriller does not focus on the terrorist attack in any detail. Rather, it is the story of five days in November 2015 where the police investigated and pursued the perpetrators of the atrocity.

The early part of this film moves very rapidly, lots of action, lots of police, details of leads, investigations, swift pacing, swift editing, the audience caught up in the urgency of the investigation. In many ways, the action is quite frantic.

But, the focus begins to narrow, the screenplay concentrating on some of the chief investigators. At the head is Fred, Jean Dujardin, intelligent, sometimes too quick to fly off the handle, persevering, coordinating, showing skills at interrogation but then drastically losing his cool. While he is something of a hero in his pursuit of the investigations, he has his limitations, is not a superhero. Meanwhile, there is another coordinator, Heloise (Sandrine Kimberlain), reminding audiences that police investigations are carried out by both women and men. The expectations from the public, from government officials who turn up, are immediately demanding.

There are also some next-rung investigators, especially in his (Anais Deamoustier) who has come in from the country, takes a private initiative in pursuit of a criminal, makes a huge strategic mistake which could jeopardise the investigation. However, she perseveres, especially in working with an informant who comes forward, Samia (Lyna Khoudri) who phones in some details, is interrogated, initially treated with suspicion, but is intricately involved in the whereabouts of the terrorists and the police trapping them.

In the background is ISIS, Jihad leaders, locally, in Belgium, in Syria, connections in Morocco who need to be interrogated, and the intensity of the jihadist-terrorist mentality, symbolised in the arrest of one suspect who sits, arrogantly surly, defying the interrogation, reminding audiences of the relentlessness and intensity of ideologies.

The film also shows various police, undercover agents, details of surveillance, techniques to avoid discovery, difficulties, losing those under surveillance.

Each of the five days is highlighted by name and number on the screen, the impact of the terrorist attack, the pressure of investigations, the uncertainty of outcomes, and final information as to arrests, trials, punishments.

Interesting, of course, because of its relationship to events. But, in itself, a top police investigation film.

1. The impact of this film for French audiences? Memories of the terrorist attack and its consequences? The pursuit of the perpetrators?
2. Audience knowledge of the events of 2015, memories, fading of memories? Their being brought back?
3. The title, November 2015, the five days, the month and dates large on the screen? The cumulative effect of the investigation over these days?
4. Information about the terrorist attack, the concert venue, the number of dead and injured, the other bombings? Jihad mentality? Terrorists in France itself, their affiliations, Belgium, Syria? The film communicating the mentality of Jihad?
5. The early part of the film, the aftermath of the explosions, the number of dead, phone calls, police, political intervention? The swift pace and editing? The overall search and investigation?
6. Then the narrowing of the focus, the concentration on the leading investigators, the next-rung, the police, undercover and skills in surveillance? Yet the difficulties and losing those under surveillance?
7. Fred, his role, personality, dedication to his job, relationship with Heloise, information, clues, leads, connections, his role as an interrogator, losing his cool and attacking the suspect? No rest, continually on the job, connections, going to Morocco to interview the uncle? The buildup to the information about the whereabouts, coordinating the attack? Success?
8. Heloise, coordinating, her dedication, intensity, connections? Clues, leads? The political presence and pressure? Marco, his role, coordinating, interactions with Inez?
9. Inez, from the country, her skills, phone calls, enquiries, checking identities, research, following the lead, the arrest, exposing an undercover agent? The reprimands? Her continued work, the pressure on her, the phone call from Samia, meeting, interrogation, the role of Marco, devil’s advocate? Suspicions, wary? The decision as to whether she was trustworthy?
10. The pursuit of the young terrorist, the interrogation of the arms supplier, his alibi, his arrogance and smirking during the interrogation, Fred angry with him, violence? Pressure on him?
11. Samia, inviting the friend to stay with her, the information about the cousin, in the car, stopping under the bridge, identifying the leader? The phone call, the dangers for her, her motivation, being called in, questioning, under suspicion? The pressure on her at home? The surveillance of her friend through the market, losing her? The pressure on Samia to find out the location, the bugging of the house, finding the pressure of the information?
12. The raid, coordination of the police, the dangers, explosives, the confrontation, the explosion in the room after the battering of the door, the deaths?
13. Samia, kept under surveillance, arrested, the law not protecting her as an informant?
14. The aftermath, the success of the raid, the political intervention?
15. The information about the suspects, arrests, trials, imprisonments? And the freeing of Samia?

THE NARROW BRIDGE

Australia, 2022, 76 minutes, Colour.

Rami Elhanan, Bassam Aramin, Bushra Awad, Meytal Oferl.

Directed by Esther Takac.

There is always an important place for strong documentaries like this. And, currently, an important place for this strong documentary.

This is a film about Palestinians and Israelis. It shows the impact of the aftermath of the establishing of the state of Israel as well as what the Palestinians call Nakba, the catastrophe. 75 years. Will there ever be peace between Israelis and Palestinians? Can there be peace? This film is optimistic.

The film opens with a concert gathering on Israel’s Memorial Day, memories, minute’s silence for fallen soldiers. However, this concert gathers together people from both sides. And, alarmingly, as they gather in peace, there are rabid protests, demonstrators viciously branding the concertgoers as traitors, lefties.

With this opening, demonstration of conflict, the film then moves on to introducing audiences to 4 people, two men, two women, two Palestinians, two Israelis. Each of the four has suffered from the violence, from the hatred, a close member of their family, even two little girls, killed because of the conflict.

This film is a labour of love as well as a labour of peace-seeking by writer-director, Esther Takac. And she constructs this documentary very skilfully. The four central characters, personalities in their own way, are introduced very gradually, seeing them in their day-by day context, family life, speaking frankly to the interviewer. The important thing is that we are invited to share their pain. And, as they give their backgrounds, Rami the son of concentration camp victims, Bassam, militant Palestinian serving seven years in jail when he was younger, Bushra raising her family in Palestine, her son killed in the uprisings, the younger Meytal and her father murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

We get to know these four quite personally within a short space of time. We are being led to discover what they have in common. And that is membership of a community of Bereaved Families, a meeting place for both sides. With meeting, dialogue, expressions of the bitterness of pain, the realisation that each of these parents and children share the same kind of pain, enabling them to listen to one another, to feel support, to discover friendship.

There is a motto shown throughout the film that it will not happen until we talk. And the talk has to take each side beyond reactions of retaliation, unending retaliation.

The meetings, the talking, even through translators, the bonding, shared experiences despite much local hostility, the meetings of the Bereaved are encouraging.

In fact, the impact on these four is so strong and we, the audience, discover to our surprise that they become international representatives of the Bereaved, travelling to the United States and speaking, travelling to a range of countries, Palestinian and Israeli standing on the one platform, demonstrating that shared pain can lead to shared peace.

The running time of this film is quite brief – but it shows, as did the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa after Apartheid, means that peace is possible, transcending revenge is possible. But, as we look at news reports from Israel and Palestine, we wonder how long this will take. The path to peace is on a narrow bridge.

MANEATER

US, 2022, 87 minutes, Colour.

Trace Adkins, Nicky Whelan, Shane West, Jeff Fahey.

Directed by Justin Lee.

This is a small budget shark film. One commentator noted that it is really for shark film completists!

The setting is Maui, a holiday resort, a location for fishing. Early in the film, a young woman goes out on her surfboard and is attacked, mauled, killed by the shark of the title. Her angry father, fisherman, Trace Adkins, is determined to hunt down the shark even if it is against local legislation. A professor, Jeff Fahey, explains who the shark is and why it is behaving like this.

In the meantime, there is a group of tourists, a young woman, Nicky Whelan, marriage disappointment, on a holiday paid for by her large number of friends. They go out on a boat, camp on the beach. A lot of discussion about their stories.

However, there is quite a deal of shark action, including the deaths of those on the supervising boat, then most of the holidaymakers, finally a confrontation where the young woman acts as a bait and Trace Adkins shoots at the shark. Not entirely successful, and the need for a further confrontation.

There have been lots of shark films of varying quality – this is just another one of very average quality.

Vince Carroll MSC, Diocese of Tzaneen, new book

Vince Carroll writes: 

               I received a book last week of 280 pages on the Diocese of Tzaneen where I used to work. It is excellent production, edited by Elizabeth Mc Donald.I had begun to write such a book, and had amassed a lot of materials, which I gave to her two years ago as I left it secure in South Africa. I have not read the book as yet, but its very thorough and beautifully presented with excellent photos and maps.

Maybe only in the latter (the maps) is my influence as a cartographer to be seen. I did a lot of work there for Bishop Slattery MSC in mapping the diocese, as there was nothing really in existence of any use at that time shortly after apartheid.  I have also helped with maps in one other South African Missionary book, edited by Mick Crowley MSC. I think it was called  To Cape Town and Back.  I am not proud of those maps that appear in his book as they are very clumsy.

             I would have never finished the book, like several others I have half done! So I am very pleased it has seen the light of day.

             Elizabeth gave me due credit in correspondence with her, but it is surely 99.99% her work. She has authored several other books. She used to be an OLSH, and has been visiting Tzaneen for many years to my knowledge. I commend her on the book.

            There are 74 MSC mentioned in that page and the following. I notice Russ Anderson and Joe Ensing do not get a mention there, as they spent shorter time in South Africa. Neither of course did travelling MSC such as Harry Jordan, and probably numerous others I do not know off*. For my 18 years I was mentioned 9 times! I am very pleased with that.

Other MSC  visitors I know of to have visited are Adrian Meaney, Brian Boyle, Brian Gallagher, Paul Duffy, Phil Malone, Peter Malone, Phil Hicks, Ben Fleming, John Walker. Frank Andersen. Alex O’Neill, a boy from Downlands, took part of his “ Schoolies week” with me in Tzaneen.

Both my brothers – Mick and Dom visited me there at different times for a month or so each, as did two nieces Angela and Leone  and one of their future husbands - Lee. An unknown but fascinating fact is that about the turn of the Century the Mayor of Brisbane went to South Africa and became the Mayor of Cape Town! A cousin of mine, Fr Lex Carroll  - one time professor of Scripture at Banyo seminary also migrated to SA after retirement and lived his final years with his sister Bernice there, and is buried there in the Jesuit section of the biggest Cemetery in Johannesburg.

The MSC Missions Office has supported, in my time, many projects in South Africa, usually of a water securing variety, as also regularly the Home for orphans in Ofcolaco, Limpopo Province - called holy Family Care centre. My last visit there in 2018 was with Sean from the Missions office.

It should be said that the OLSH sisters, whose feast day occurs in 2 weeks or less, have had daughters in Limpopo/Zimbabwe from Australia from the beginning in 1951. They are still there in the person of Sally Duigan, who is a long term combatant in that area.

Tzaneen diocese has one Martyr to its credit, educated by our MSC: Benedict Tshimagadzo (Wonder/ Miracle) Daswa – killed the day Mandela was released from Jail in 1992 for opposition to Witchcraft, which is common there.  Two MSC Bishops were ordained for Tzaneen – Hugh Slattery and John Durkin – they laid the foundations. Both Hugh and Mick Crowley (above) have visited Australia. Some MSC may have met our Irish MSC from SA on furlough in Ireland or on studies in Rome. Martin Morrissey – a giant of a man - who worked there most of his life is a cousin of our diminutive Harry Morrissey (RIP).

 Limpopo Province is the site of the dastardly deeds of Breaker Morant, who has been glorified in the movie of that name.  He was certainly not glorious. I used to run Mini-tours to visit the many skirmish sites there, and became something of a battle Field Buff in that land. Lovely People, beautiful landscape, horrible politics.

Many South Africans who have migrated to Australia find its all too tame here, and return.  The several young men we have at Downlands working in Dorms are quality class – having been brought up in a school of very hard knocks. It was an extraordinary privilege to work in South Africa, and I think I did my best Mission work there and enjoyed it the most of my life. Thee especially, and among other things,  I learn to sing and dance the Liturgy with joy and lengthily. I also learn the word and practise of Mutual Empowerment in mission work in a situation of dis-empowerment. The people prayed for the Power to be given them all the time.

RIP, Archbishop Karl Hesse MSC, German Province, Emeritus Archbishop of Rabaul

Announcement, Archdiocese of Rabaul:

Archbishop emeritus Karl Hesse MSC died this afternoon at Vunapope Hospital. We thank the Lord for his life and commitment to the Catholic Archdiocese of Rabaul and Kimbe diocese as priest and Bishop, and Kavieng and Bougainville dioceses as Bishop and Administrator respectively. At the time of his passing, he celebrated 60 years as a priest and 65 years as MSC religious. He died at the age of 87. May the Lord recieve you into his eternal banquet.

Jim Miller MSC remembers:

Archbishop emeritus Karl Hesse, MSC was our Bishop in Kavieng for 10 years. He helped us obtain a grant to rebuild our vocational school, St Joseph Training Center at Fissoa. May he now rest in the arms of the Sacred Heart.