CHERRY BOMB

Ireland, 2009, 86 minutes, Colour.
Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan, Kimberley Nixon, James Nesbitt.
Directed by Lisa Barros d'Sa and Glenn Leyburn.

Another film about disaffected young people, resenting their parents and acting out in the usual rebellious ways, sex, drugs, drinking, brawling, graffiti... but this time in Northern Ireland. So, if that sounds interesting, here it is. But, if it doesn't, then then give it a miss. They are a wearying group of teenagers, self-indulgent until they strike disaster and their regrets are too late.

One of the advertising catch-lines is that we will see the wild side of Rupert Grint, Harry Potter series Ron Weasley. Actually, he is far more wild and agreeably interesting as Ron. He is rather sombre here, a bit stolid and unbelievable as a tearaway in his attempts to behave as the script asks him to.

1. A film from Northern Ireland? Typically British scenario? Disaffected young people? Parents? Rebellious behaviour?

2. The Belfast setting, the city, the leisure centre, the riverside, the streets, the homes? Ordinary? The musical score?

3. The range of songs, the title? Popular songs for young people?

4. The focus on the three friends? Malachi, his age, background? Family and their concern? The contrast with Luke, his alcoholic father, his drug-dealing brother? Michelle and her being the daughter of the leisure centre proprietor? Their coming together for the weekend?

5. The owner of the leisure centre, his ignoring Michelle, separated from his wife? The wife in London? Michelle coming to her father? His management of the leisure club? His relationship with Donna? Luke revealing the truth? Michelle and her being upset with her father? Only when he died did she appreciate and feel for him?

6. The summer holidays, nothing to do, Malachi and his working at the centre? Luke and his being idle? Michelle wanting something to happen? The goading of each other, the more daring escapades of the weekend, their effect?

7. Malachi, his age and experience, quiet, with his family at home, his friendship with Luke? Going out, the shops, the cars, shoplifting? Leaving the Sunday dinner? Taking the taxi, the speeding, the crash, the consequences? His concern? The relationship with Michelle, the sexual relationship, interrupted? In her father’s room? The father and his angry reaction? Malachi and his discussions with Luke, Luke wanting to know the details? In character for Malachi or not?

8. Luke, his age, his alcoholic father and his resentment, the father with the gas on, turning it off, yet Luke pleading with him to stay because he was his father? Discussions with his brother, the drug deals? Luke and his chances in life? The angry personality? With Malachi, resentful of Malachi with Michelle? Accepting the relationship? The discussions, the mischief, the crashed car? The aftermath?

9. Michelle, provocative, liking Malachi and Luke, taking Malachi to her home, the father’s room, the sex?

10. The decision to have the party, going to the leisure centre, inviting everyone, the drugs and Luke’s wanting to get rid of them? The graffiti, the behaviour, the drinking? The father coming to the leisure centre, seeing the graffiti, finding the three asleep at the pool?

11. His angry reaction, the reaction of the young people, his bashing of Malachi, Malachi’s injuries? Luke and his anger, bashing the owner, killing him? The police coming? Michelle sad for her father?

12. The film opening with the interrogation of Malachi and Luke by the police, the threats to their life and their future? The reprise of this at the end – and leaving it as a question for the two young men? For the audience?

13. A typical story of youth, rebellion, consequences?

THE JONESES

US, 2009, 96 minutes, Colour.
Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, Gary Cole, Ben Hollingsworth, Glenne Hedley, Lauren Hutton.
Directed by Derrick Borte.

The Joneses is quite a smart comedy with a satirical moral perspective. It gives fuller meaning to the phrase, Keeping up with the Joneses because that is precisely what the Joneses are about. If the Russians could insert sleeper Communist cells and agents into ordinary USA, then why can't the capitalists!

The Joneses are presented and present themselves as the fulfilment of the American dream, the consumerist American dream. They have everything that opens and shuts, everything stylish that does just that bit more than other products. They are skilled in showing them off and mentioning them quite openly but discreetly so that everyone rushes out in covetous glee to buy and buy and buy.

Steve, the fake dad, is played with nonchalent charm by David Duchovny, capitalising on his past career as a car salesman with a genially chatty pitch. He was also a golf instructor. Seeing him in action makes us realise how susceptible competitive players are out on the golf course. Demi Moore fits her role perfectly, glamorous but with that bit of steel as the boss of the cell (it is actually called a cell). Amber Heard is the attractive but amoral daughter who has to learn about life's knocks the hard way. Ben Hollingworth shows a vulnerable ambiguity as Michael.

The focus on the Symonds next door becomes the counterpoint to the Joneses. The wife rehearses a spiel for selling cosmetics to her nighbours. The husband, feeling neglected by his wife, befriends Steve, especially in playing golf, but is the key character keeping up with the Joneses, vainly assuming that Steve is jealous of him, never realising how Steve is playing him, and shows how disastrous is the envious attempt to keep up, how self-destructive with tragic fallout for others. The Symonds are played very well by Glenne Headley and Gary Cole.

While it seems that these family cells are breeding success all over America (and, according to images in the final credits, on all other continents except Australia!), these Joneses have to undergo a crisis of honesty, self-worth and moral stances.

The dialogue is clever. The cast keep the satire believable. And the film, even with its 'American' happy ending, is an effective contemporary warning fable.

1. The title, keeping up with the Joneses? The title The Joneses as a market ploy?

2. The introduction, the ideal family, parents, teenage children, the car, moving, the talk in the car, the bonding? The house, the neighbours? The luxury of the house? School, the social world?

3. The family at home, the audience realising that they were not the typical family, Jen and her approaching Steve in his bedroom, Steve and Kate having separate bedrooms? The fake family, an act, for business?

4. The contrast with the Symonds next door? Summer and her rehearsing her sales spiel for the cosmetics, Larry and his frustrations? Their being nice to the Joneses, the gift, touring the house? Becoming friends? Larry as a golfer, Steve and his golf? The Symonds and their house, the gifts for Summer, Larry’s jealousy of Steve, the rivalry with the cars, Larry’s financial collapse, thinking that Steve was jealous of him? His debts, worrying about Summer, his drinking, spoiling her presentation, his killing himself? The moral of the story of keeping up with the Joneses?

5. The family dramatising the ideal, Steve at the golf course, Kate and her going to get her hair done, meeting Billy, the contacts with all the women in the city? The friends? Jen and the girls at school, Mike and his following with the boys, their success, throwing parties?

6. The reality, Kate as boss, hard, ambitious, no hanky-panky with Steve, her attitude towards the kids, the reports to K.C., K.C’s visits, the flowcharts and the Power Point presentations, the stimulus to do better work? Steve and his lack of success, but improving, going up the scale of percentages? Jen and her affair, Mike with the girls, getting high, the approach to the boy, being bashed? The American dream – and the difference between the ideal world and the real world? The real world under the fake?

7. The examples of their products, the party, saying the brand names, speaking like television commercials, the sushi and the other food, the men and the golf clubs? The interior golf course and Steve using it? Kate not being so successful? The technology, the gadgets, the kids at school, the perfumes, the drinks? Orders and evaluation?

8. Steve at the golf course, with Larry, the background of his being a golf pro and selling cars, the almost-expose at the restaurant? Getting his coaching from the young man in the store? Persuading Larry to give gifts to Summer? The earrings? His being successful at this job?

9. The women of the city, together, making comparisons, the jogging sequence and the buying the trainers?

10. The affluent neighbourhoods of American cities, families with this kind of income? Status and reputation?

11. Jen, her being with the married man, going to the boat, the wife, sending her off, disillusionment, ringing Kate, Kate to the rescue? Learning the facts of life the hard way?

12. Mike, Naomi and the drugs, his almost telling the truth? With Naomi, her drinking, her brother, driving the car, the speed, the accident? Mike and his approach to the brother, his being hit? The police coming to the house, making a routine enquiry, believing the spiel of Steve and Kate?

13. Steve and Kate themselves, going out to a meal, its becoming a date, sharing, their stories, the relationship?

14. K.C. and her visits, wanting to recruit Steve because of his improvement, Kate wanting to become an icon, K.C. offering Steve icon status?

15. Larry, the discussions with Steve, his wanting to do right by Summer? The bankruptcy, the trail of bills, his death in the swimming pool? Steve and the impact of the truth, his speaking to the group, telling the truth, the family getting in the car and leaving, Summer slapping him?

16. Larry, the questions about money, gifts, keeping up, jealousies? The effect on Steve?

17. Kate unable to leave with Steve, the setting up of the new cell, their going through the same routines, the neighbours, the meal? Steve arriving, the plea to Kate to come with him? Mike and his talking with Steve, explaining that he was now a college student, coming out, life was better? Jen and her sympathy that Steve came?

18. Kate finally driving, picking up Steve on the highway? Credible? The Hollywood happy ending?

19. The credits sequences, the picture of cells throughout the whole world, a world of consumerism?

KUNODONTAS (DOGTOOTH)

Greece, 2009, 94 minutes, Colour.
Krystos Stergioglou, Michelle Valley, Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis, Anna Kalaitzidou.
Directed by Jorgas Lanthimos.

A festival winner (Cannes, Un Certain Regard, 2009) and a challenge to its audiences. Since the film was made, news stories have emerged about parents imprisoning children in their homes and subjecting them to physical and/or sexual abuse. So, this strange story of a wealthy Greek family may not seem as surprising as, a few years ago, it might have been.

This is a comparatively quiet drama, working its power on its audience cumulatively rather than shock tactics. In fact, the home looks quite elegant and the three children, young adults, whose life is restricted to the house and grounds and swimming pool, are generally cheerful having no idea what is happening to them. A strange clue is given as the film opens, making us wonder what is happening. It seems that the parents re-define words so that the children will not know how much of the outside ticks. They have been trained to think cats are humans and that the planes flying overhead are only toys. They behave in childish ways, playing games, playing competitions for prizes and rewards. So, this is a kind of (forced) innocent Eden supervised by a possessive father playing god (who is shown going out to work, a successful industrialist) and a passive mother.

Things change because of sexual needs. The father brings a security guard (blindfolded) for the son whoh becomes friendly with the two sisters and the family.

Needless to say, the pressures mount – and, after building audience tension with a threatening situation, the film just stops, leaving the audience to come to terms with their revulsion at such parental behaviour and its consequences for the children, and what will now happen as the circumstances have changed so drastically.

1. The impact of the film? As drama? As moral fable? As discomfiting and disturbing? Questions and issues?

2. The film and its many awards? Critical favour? Difficult for audiences?

3. The Greek setting, the Greek background? The parallel cases throughout Europe and this being a European phenomenon?

4. The house, affluent, the many rooms, the children’s rooms, the dining room? The grounds, the swimming pool? The children stopping at the edges of the property? Never seeing the factory, the industrial area for the father? The musical score?

5. The opening and its puzzle, the family and the bathroom, the focus on the individuals? The defining of popular words? The different meanings? The later showing of the family changing the meaning of words like zombie and making it mean a flower? The first indication of the parents and their deception, their power over their children?

6. The father, his age, a businessman, going out to work, his seeming success? The affluent home? His bringing Christina to the house? For his son? For the other children? His relationship with his wife? Her age, compliance with her husband, sharing in his attitude towards the children and their protection? Participating in the games?

7. The introduction to the children, the two daughters, the son in between? Their age?

8. The audience realising that they had never been out of the house and grounds? Their playing games, behaving like children, competitiveness, competitions, the rewards, the bargaining with each other? Their comfortable life, a kind of Garden of Eden? In the house, in the swimming pool, their clothes? Their personalities – indeterminate?

9. The audience response to the attitude of the parents, imprisoning their children, their motivation, alleged protection of their children? Making the outside world fearful? The episodes with the cat, the children thinking a cat was a person? Their reacting accordingly? The incident with the plane, the mother throwing the toy plane and the children thinking planes were toys? Their having the video player – but watching it or not? Except for their own home videos, and the video of the family with Christina?

10. The son, his age, Christina coming to him, the sexual encounter and its effect? The effect on Christina, her personality, her reasons for coming? Blindfolded? Her encounters with the daughters? Her coming under suspicion – especially with the daughter asking for the videos? The daughter not seen watching them but just sitting, the end, had she watched them or not?

11. The daughters amongst themselves, the games, with their brother? The parents and their decisions about their son and sexuality? The choice of the older daughter? The encounters? The younger daughter and her licking? The encounter with Christina? The beginning of disruption?

12. The older daughter, her curiosity? Trying out the phone and being afraid? Her decision to leave? Getting in the boot of the car?

13. The search for the daughter, the panic, the son and daughter staying off the road, the father and his searching everywhere? His finally driving to the factory? His younger daughter in the boot – could she have survived?

14. The surrealism in this presentation? Yet the sundrenched tone of realism? The revelations in the press of parents and their abuse of children? This film and its more restrained approach – but nevertheless disturbing audiences about the power of parents over children and the effect? The family as a symbol of contemporary societies?

DATE NIGHT

US, 2010, 88 minutes, Colour.
Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson, Common, William Fichtner, Kristen Wiig, Mark Ruffalo, James Franco, Milla Kunis.
Directed by Shawn Levy.

One of the great advantages of seeing film previews is that we often don't know a lot of details about a film or its plotline. That was the case here – and very enjoyable to discover what the date night was really like. But, advertising and trailers have let many audiences know something of what they are going to see, so there are some plot details mentioned here – but not to spoil enjoyment, rather to boost it.

Part of the attraction is the pairing of two fine comedians, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey, as Phil and Claire, a husband and wife with two bumptious children. They live in suburban New Jersey, rather conventional but comfortable, with good jobs and good friends and neighbours. There is the usual tension with their being so busy and the kids being energy-draining. They are often too tired for love and intimacy. And Claire is a controller and doesn't give Phil enough credit for initiatives.

So, it looks like a romantic comedy for 40 year old suburban couples with humour and some serious points.

Then Phil and Claire go on a date night in Manhattan, to a new seafood restaurant, Claw, and claim a free table that isn't theirs. Then the night goes beyond their wildest fantasies as they a confronted by two standover men with guns.

Watching Phil and Claire cope with a continuingly deranged night, which involves them eluding the pursuers, contacting police, enlisting the aid of Claire's former client, a shirtless Mark Wahlberg (who irks Phil), using wits and phony voices to discover the phone number and the address of the actual couple (amusing turns by James Franco and Mila Kunis), a Manhattan car chase with a taxi locked on to their car, a visit to a sleazy club and attempt to mingle as pole dancers where they try to make contact with the DA (William Fichtner) and fall foul of a gangster (Ray Liotta).

So, a different kind of romantic comedy! Which shows that date nights have the potential to enhance marriages!!

1. A romantic comedy plus? A romantic comedy for middle-aged audiences? Humour, serious touches, fantasy?

2. The New Jersey world, jobs and homes, restaurants, the contrast with Manhattan, the Claw, the police precincts, the lavish apartments, dingy apartments, seedy clubs, the roofs, the streets? The stunt work, especially the car chase? The musical score? The songs?

3. The title, for middle-aged couples, the weekly date night, eating out, talking, following the same routine, a bit of free time away from the family?

4. Phil and Claire, waking up at home, the kids and their bounciness, the meals, Phil at the office, explaining money deals to the couple who wanted to waste it all, Claire and the real estate agent, the clients waiting for the price to go down? Tired, the sexual relationship, the mouthguard? Agreeing with each other all the time? Claire and her bossiness, Phil feeling not appreciated, not allowed to make decisions? The meal out, the guessing about the stories of the couples they watched in the restaurant? The babysitter? Phil and his going to the women’s book club, reading the books, the discussions, the menstruation issues…?

5. The book club, the story, the issues, Phil reading the whole book, Claire not reading it all? The talk with Brad in the kitchen, Brad and Hailey breaking up, the reasons for the break-up, their seemingly a settled couple? Hailey and her explaining the situation to Claire, feeling free to do what she liked? Phil and Claire having to question themselves after this experience?

6. The date night, the decision to go into New York, the reputation of the Claw, the crowd at the restaurant, the desk and their being nothing available, their waiting, taking the table when the couple didn’t turn up? Enjoying themselves, the meal, the wine, the chat? The thugs and their arrival, the argument, having to leave the restaurant, the puzzle, the guns? The issue of the flash? Their resourcefulness in making up the stories, going to the boathouse, pretending the flash was hidden under the floorboards, hitting the thugs, the slowness of the boat, getting out, rushing through Central Park? Going to the police precinct – and seeing that the thugs were police?

7. The preparation for the issues, the DA on television, his broom, sweeping the city clean?

8. Claire, resourceful, going to the Claw, the performance to get the phone number of the couple? The plans, the fantasies and seeing the other side of their characters?

9. Going to find the address, setting the alarm off? Going to Holbrook’s apartment, the comedy with Mark Wahlberg, without his shirt, his Israeli girlfriend, the subtitles? His equipment, electronics, finding the address for them? Their later return to him for help, taking his car, the urging to put his shirt on? The police arriving to interrogate him?

10. Their taking the car, going to the Feltons’, going up the fire escape, caught by the couple, the couple in themselves, the blackmail, their arguing about their relationship, paralleling the discussions of Claire and Phil, the gun, their packing up and leaving?

11. The car chase, Holbrook’s car, Phil in Holbrook’s clothes? The elaborate chase, the two cars locking together, the reaction of the taxi driver? Going into the river?

12. The decision to go to the club, bluffing for their entry, changing the clothes, the pole-dancing, getting in to see the DA, his lascivious behaviour and talk, the reaction, going up on the roof? The gangster on the roof?

13. The gangsters, the club, Ray Liotta as the gangster, the police ringing him, his ringing his crooked cops, the reaction on the roof?

14. Phil asking Claire to trust him, counting to three, the helicopter arriving? The plan with the police woman? The arrests?

15. Happy going home, the reprising of the jokes during the credits – and the final joke with their alternate performances in going to the restaurant to get the phone number?

PAPER HEART

US, 2009, 88 minutes, Colour.
Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake M. Johnson, Seth Rogan, Dimitri Martin, Luciano Yi, Lydia Yi.
Directed by Nicholas Jasenovec.

Paper Heart is a mockumentary. It is the work of Charlyne Yi, a stand-up comic – who may have limited appeal. She is a young American of Chinese-Italian? background, prone to giggles as well as making stand-up comic jokes. She decides that she doesn’t know anything about love and will interview a range of people on the topic.

The success of the film depends on Charlyne Yi’s charm, her ability with interviews, any insights into love and relationships. They are slight, much as would be expected from the various people interviewed. She herself feels that she cannot love and cannot be loved.

The director, played by actor Jake M. Johnson, introduces her to his friend, actor Michael Cera. Michael Cera has a particular screen personality (Juno, Superbad, Year One, Youth in Revolt). He is much the same in this fictional real life as he is on screen in most of his films. He is wary of the relationship though goes along with meeting and dating Charlyne. Eventually he feels the camera is too intrusive and he goes back home to Toronto.

The director wants to build a climax with everybody going to Paris, an atmosphere of romance. Michael Cera doesn’t go. Charlyne finds herself rather desolate in Paris and decides to return home and visit Toronto.

The interviewees, who range all over the United States, the film being a road film to various states, offer more interesting comments than Charlyne Yi does. Seth Rogan and Dimitri Martin, comedians, also offer their few cents worth.

A hit-and-miss mockumentary.

1. A fictional film, documentary, humour, themes?

2. Charlyne Yi and her personality, as a comic, her family, their reactions to her work, talking about her? The director (played by an actor) and his interest in her, making the documentary, setting up the dating with Michael Cera?

3. The range of interviews, her questions, feelings, love, sceptic? Her asking ordinary people, getting ordinary reactions? Seth Rogan and Dimitri Martin?

4. The film as a road film, going on the trip, with the director and camera operator, going around the US, the range of people, eccentrics, ordinary? Couples, broken marriages, talk about the love of their lives? Ideas and testimonies?

5. Michael Cera, the fiction, his film persona, in this film, his manner of speaking, Canadian background? Coming to the zoo, meeting Charlyne, going out to the dates, the meal, feeling the camera too intrusive, his not wanting to go to Paris, returning to Toronto? His surprise when Charlyne arrives at Toronto?

6. Charlyne and the effect of the experience on her, thinking, questioning her own attitudes, talking, thinking, disappointment?

7. The director and the Paris plan, Charlyne Yi not wanting to go, the arrival, the hotel, the failure of the enterprise?

8. The return to Toronto – and the fictional future?

BOOGIE NIGHTS

US, 1997, 155 minutes, Colour.
Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Luis Guzman, John C. Reilley, Nicole Ari Parker, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, William H. Macy, Joanna Gleason, Robert Ridgley, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mellora Walters, Philip Baker Hall, Thomas Jane, Alfred Molina, Robert Downey Sr.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Both emotive and thoughtful. 1996 saw Larry Flynt, the crass founder of 'Hustler' magazine given large screen treatment involving issues of free speech and censorship. 1997 a look at the Los Angeles porn movie world of the late 70s, early 80s, an unfamiliar world that makes most audiences uncomfortable. However, director Paul Thomas Anderson avoids the prurient gaze and shows us characters who live by a code, value the family closeness in their chosen industry and search for some meaning in their lives. It is a bizarre and amoral world.

Very well acted, especially by Mark Wahlberg as the 17 year old would-be star journeying to the 23 year old almost burnt-out has-been. Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore, both Oscar-nominated, give us more than easily dismissed caricatures. The screenplay (also Oscar-nominated) and performances help us understand while being alienated from their world. Of course, not everybody will want to go to Boogie Nights. Insights into a sordid world.

1. The impact of the film? Critical acclaim? The place of this film in the career of its director?

2. A 90s perspective on the 70s and 80s, film, Los Angeles, the pornography industry, the transition from film to video, changes in attitudes?

3. The film and its multi-story structure, its length, the interweaving of the stories and characters?

4. The strong cast – and the reappearance of many in the films of the director?

5. Pornography as a reality, the people involved, their background lives, behaviour? Directors and stars, producers? Distributors? Audiences? An amoral/immoral world?

6. Sex and the exploitation, the American industry, the role of the law, morality, community standards? The consequences of involvement in the industry?

7. Los Angeles in the 1970s, the disco look, the clothes, the clubs, hair? Their transition from the opening up and the permissiveness of the 60s? Sexuality, sexual violence, the increase of drug-taking? The effect on individual lives? Families? Health? Collapses? The cycle of success, failure – and complete failure or recovery?

8. The focus on Jack, his studio, his staff? The company? Working as a team, a sense of family, the bonds between them, loyalties and relationships, difficulties leading to differences, change?

9. The opening with the club, Rodriguez and his management, life, his brother? The Hispanic presence in Los Angeles? His being host, talking, finally appearing in the films, prospering and his brother joining him?

10. The range of customers, Jack, Amber Waves (and her real name as Maggie)? The club as a refuge? A meeting place? Jack and his companions, rivals? Reed and his naivety, Roller Girl and her gliding around? Jack and his watching Eddie, Eddie at work, seventeen, Jack going to the kitchen, the chat, the offer?

11. Eddie as an ordinary young man, naïve, quite nice, his work, his going home by bus, his nagging mother, weak father, the arguments, his mother putting him down all the time, his room and the posters, his decision to leave? His friends, sexual relationships, girlfriend, his mother’s criticism of the girl? The discussion about gifts, achievement, his ambitions? Saying yes to Jack, the contract?

12. Little Bill, his role in the team, his wife and her blatant sexuality, partners, in the open, the parties, people watching, Little Bill and his desperation? His work, lighting the scenes? Naïve and weak? His coming with the gun, shooting his wife, killing himself?

13. Kurt, the camera, the matter-of-fact observer of everything and everyone?

14. Scotty, naïve young man, at work with the team, chatting, his friendship with Dirk, infatuation, the new car, the New Year’s Eve party, drinking, the kiss, ashamed? Yet continuing in the job?

15. Roller Girl and her background, in the films, uninhibited, testing Eddie for Jack, her being comfortable with this world? Relationships, surviving over the years?

16. Amber, as Maggie, having a son, leaving her husband and son, the drugs, her acting, wanting to be the mother of the family at the studio, her friendship with Dirk, love, the taking of the drugs with the women? Her documentary, praising Dirk? Going to the court, with the judge, her husband and his condemnation, her wanting custody of her son, the visits, her failures?

17. Reed, friendly, being a magician, in the films, straightforward attitude, his partnership with Dirk, the series of films, the action shows? Uninhibited? The interviews, on Amber’s film? His keeping the peace? The friendship with Todd? Their being down-and-out, Dirk and the lack of money? Their going to the house of Rahad Jackson, the swindle, the shooting, running away? His resuming his magic shows?

18. Eddie, his name, Dirk Diggler? The films, his eager to film, the sex scenes, the detail? The verbal details? More prominent than visual? His success, the awards ceremonies, the years, his speeches? His taking the drugs? The friendship with Todd, with Reed? The film series with Reed, the interviews, justifying his work, the sexual violence? His saying that he was saving marriages with these films?

19. The passing of the years, his getting older, his vanity, dependence on drugs, his outbursts, at the pool party, wanting to film, his fearing his rival, Jack and his halting him, his firing him?

20. The pickup, the sex scene in the car, the homophobic bashing?

21. The drugs, with Todd, going to Rahad Jackson, the five thousand dollar swindle, Jackson and his bodyguards, the shooting and the fireworks, the music, Jackson’s eccentric behaviour, the guns? The shooting, running away, Dirk driving, Reed being left?

22. The way of life in the 70s, the way of life in the 80s? The parties, yet people becoming older, their inability or ability to sustain this life?

23. The character of Floyd Gondolli, the rival, the discussions with Jack, the introduction of video, the discussions about video and film? Money-making? The sinister character? Jack and his finally having to accept that video was coming and that there was a change in filming, marketing and distribution?

24. The finale, the focus on each of the characters, success or failure?

25. The value of this kind of film in learning about such an industry and assessing it?

FIRELIGHT

UK, 1997, 103 minutes, Colour.
Sophie Marceau, Stephen Dillane, Dominique Belcourt, Kevin Anderson, Lia Williams, Joss Ackland.
Directed by William Nicholson.

Firelight was written and directed by William Nicholson (Nicholson’s only direction of a film). Nicholson was writer of a range of films including Shadowlands and Grey Owl for Richard Attenborough as well as First Knight, Gladiator and Elizabeth the Golden Age.

The film has echoes of Jane Eyre, the story of a governess, a husband who has a wife injured who is kept in a room upstairs, a staff who are very loyal… Sophie Marceau is Elisabeth Laurier, a Swiss woman who has agreed to bear a child in surrogacy for Stephen Delane, whose wife was injured in the accident. She agrees to give up the child and takes the money for her bankrupt father. However, she tracks down the child and applies for the job of governess. The little girl (Dominique Belcourt) has been spoilt and is antagonistic to all governesses. However, Elisabeth takes a firm stand and there is a bond developing between the two. Kevin Anderson plays a friend from America who gets advice about sheep-breeding. Lia Williams portrays the sister of the ill wife. Joss Ackland is the irresponsible father.

The film looks beautiful in its re-creation of rural England in the 1830s and 40s. In many ways, it is a derivative piece, reminiscent of 19th century novels. However, for audiences who are fond of those stories, it is very enjoyable.

1. 19th century period, costume drama? Quality?

2. The links with the literature of the 19th century? Especially Jane Eyre? The governess, the owner of the house, his sick wife…?

3. 1838, the atmosphere, Victorian England? The resort and hotel? The mansion? The countryside? The fields and the sheep? A sense of realism?

4. The basic premise: Charles Godwin and his needing a child, the contract with Elisabeth? Elisabeth and her background, Switzerland, her father in debt? Her memories of her family and her father? Repaying him? The encounter with Charles, her personal feelings, the conceiving of the child? The birth of the child? The child taken away?

5. Charles, a good man, principles? The situation in which he found himself? The demands of his father? Meeting Elisabeth, the contract, the encounter, the taking of the child?

6. The passing of the years, Elisabeth and her diary, the inquiries about where her child was? Charles, his marriage, his wife’s accident, her being kept in the room, his talking with her? The family situation? Her sister and her presence in the house? Her love for Charles?

7. Elisabeth, the application for the job of governess? The interviews? The meeting with Constance? Her friendliness? Louisa and her cantankerousness? Elisabeth’s response to seeing her child? Charles and his return, his shock at finding Elisabeth, wanting her to leave, the month’s contract?

8. John Taylor, his visit, the discussions about sheep, Charles and his expertise? John and his attraction towards Elisabeth, the proposal, her courteous refusal?

9. Elisabeth and her work with Louisa, Louisa and her tantrums, being spoilt, relying on her father? Elisabeth and her discipline, not letting Louisa eat, not eating herself? Throwing the colours over herself and Louisa? Training her to read, the cards and the images? Her father gradually taking Elisabeth’s side? Louisa and her beginning to learn?

10. The month passing, the effect on Louisa? The effect on Charles? The attraction, Elisabeth and Charles in love? Constance and her devotion?

11. The visit of Lord Clare, his mistress? His attitudes to life, libertine? His explanations to Elisabeth? His concern about his son, his son being very different from him? His insight into what was happening in the house? The dancing, Constance and her dancing with Charles, his dancing with Elisabeth?

12. The selling of the house, impoverishment? Constance and her realising what was happening, her graciously stepping back? Elisabeth and Charles and the marriage? Louisa looking into Elisabeth’s diary and finding the truth, loving her mother?

13. A film with romantic themes, moral issues of surrogacy, society in the 19th century?

DARK BLUE

US, 2002, 118 minutes, Colour.
Kurt Russell, Scott Speedman, Michael Michele, Brendan Gleeson, Ving Rhames, Kurupt, Dash Mihok, Jonathan Banks, Lolita Davidovich.
Directed by Ron Shelton.

Hard action, hard hitting and hard sounding, this is a very interesting film about police work and police corruption in Los Angeles. The setting is 1991. The film opens with footage of the Rodney King beatings by a group of police. The action of the film takes place during the trial of these police and their subsequently being found not guilty. This acquittal sparked off riots and looting as the African American population expressed anger at the verdict.

The story is by James Ellroy, author of another book about police corruption, LA Confidential, which was made into a very successful and Oscar-winning film. Dark Blue is even more gritty, focussing as it does on a staunch, 'redneck' officer played by Kurt Russell in one of his best performances. His grandfather was a plicman when Los Angeles was a frontier town. His father was a respected officer. He has tried to live up to his father's expectations but his views and his disgust at criminals have taken him into a dangerous vigilante path, especially under directions from his father's partner, a bent chief of police, played all to believably by Brendan Gleeson.

Things come to a head when his apprentice partner (Scott Speedman) is investigated for a fatal shooting during a surveillance. Ramrodly upright officer, Ving Rhames, who has ambitions to be the first African American police chief, is unrelenting in his pursuit of corruption, especially in the context of the King incident.

This makes for strong courtroom style drama as well as the portrayal of violence in the streets and the manipulation of evidence to frame known criminals and their cold-blooded execution. When it becomes too much for his partner and he himself becomes a target (as well as his wife leaving him), Russell has to reassess his life and values and make a decision with integrity.

Impressive direction from Ron Shelton, better known for his sports films including Bull Durham and The Tin Cup.

1. The writings of James Elroy? On Los Angeles? On the police from the 40s to the 90s? Police corruption?

2. The background of the Rodney King riots in the 1990s, race issues, the background of the Watts riots in 1966, danger in Los Angeles? The use of news footage? The tone, sense of realism, picture of the police?

3. The title, police uniforms, pride in the uniform? The opening, the cars, the chase, the police voices?

4. The special squads, Jack Van Meter? His role, accountability, his selection of Eldon and Bobby? The meetings with them, his hold over them, his orders? The informants? His hold over Darryl Orchard and Gary Sidwell? Using them for the robbery? His treatment of them? Standover tactics? Taking the money?

5. The inquiry, Bobby and his role in the shooting, young, presentable, the members of the panel, the attitudes of sympathy towards him, especially by James Barcomb? The stance of Arthur Holland, hostile? The disagreement in the verdict, the white men congratulating Bobby, the cover-up? Internal Affairs? Eldon, his intervention, the news of his promotion, the celebration with Jack Van Meter? The truth?

6. The robbery, the attack on Kim’s shop, the assistant and his death, Sidwell and Orchard, their callous behaviour, their chatter, black and white, the killing of the shoppers, the robbery, the safe, the bystander and his being wounded, their reporting to Jack Van Meter?

7. The character of Eldon, his father and grandfather as policemen, the LA frontier, his reminiscences about them and what they taught him? The memory of Watts and the riots? The attitudes passed on? His relationship with Sally, her drinking, watching the TV, his meal to be heated up, the loss of love? His son? Sally’s decision to leave, the packing of the boxes, the men transporting them? The accusations? Eldon deciding to leave? Sally and the son coming to the medal ceremony, her love for him, his statement that he would not pass on his father’s and grandfather’s attitude towards his son? Sally and her phoning the lawyer to help Eldon?

8. Bobby, his affair with Beth? The anonymity? The discovery of the truth, spying on each other? Beth’s relationship to Holland, the past, its being brought up, Holland as a strong character, his relationship with his wife, the possibility of divorce, her saying she would support him? His going to the church, his fervent speech, his ambitions, the community supporting him? His being upset, Bobby and Beth and the visit, the effect on his wife? Holland listening to the truth, his decisiveness?

9. Eldon, his suspicions, yet following Jack’s orders, the stakeout on the alternate criminals that Jack indicated instead of Orchard and Sidwell? His argument with the attorney about signing the search warrant? His going to the judge, the judge’s drinking? The build-up to the raid, Bobby and the use of force, Eldon pressurising him to shoot, the effect? Bobby and his dismay at killing someone – and his decision to inform Beth?

10. The medal ceremony, Eldon preparing, Jack and his contacting his informants, that they stake out Eldon and kill him? Eldon and his going to their apartment? Bobby and Beth also going? The counterpoint? The shooting, Bobby’s death? The arrest?

11. The speeches, the praise of the police, the background of the riots and loss of control by the police in Los Angeles? Eldon’s arrival, his long speech, the various reactions, Jack and his trying to smooth things over, the authorities? Eldon and his telling the truth, for the benefit of his son and wife? The arrest? Eldon and the media, his previous meeting with the reporter and his swearing at him, the reporter now saying he would publicise Eldon’s speech exactly?

12. Los Angeles on fire, Eldon being freed, the story of a man who had to come to terms with his conscience? Elroy’s insights into the corruption in the Los Angeles police?

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

US, 1958, 58 minutes, Colour.
Richard Kiley, Jon Shepodd, Charles Maxwell.
Directed by Harold D. Schuster.

The Power of the Resurrection is a brief film, similar in style to those made by Father Peyton and Family Theatre as well as many Protestant Jesus films of the time like I Beheld His Glory. The film was directed by Harold D. Schuster, the editor of the classic Sunrise and director of such films as My Friend Flicka. At this time he made the western Dragoon Wells Massacre.

The film focuses on Richard Kiley as Peter, about to go to his death, and explaining to a young disciple what had happened to him. The flashbacks go as far back as the entry into Jerusalem, Judas’ betrayal, the investigator from the Sanhedrin interrogating Judas and Peter, the last supper, brief agony in the garden, the trial, a very brief crucifixion scene and then a focus on the resurrection and its consequences. Richard Kiley always had a strong sonorous voice and brings dignity to Peter. He was the narrator in the 1990s film, The Gospel of Matthew.

Jon Shepodd portrays Jesus, in the vein of the very reverent films made by Protestants at this time.

The film is rather conventional, traditional in its presentation of some of the famous scenes from the Gospel. However, audiences in the 1950s had not seen the Jesus films and so this kind of film stood out more than it does today.

1. The impact of the film? A Jesus film of the 1950s? When audiences hadn’t experienced this kind of film? In the hindsight of the other Jesus films?

2. The production values: the Roman prison, Jerusalem, the city, the Sanhedrin, the upper room, the crucifixion, the garden and the tomb? The musical score?

3. The popular art tradition? The portrayal of Jesus, his appearance? His voice? His reverent speaking of the classic Gospel lines at the last supper, at the trial, at the crucifixion, after the resurrection?

4. The character of Peter, dignified in old age, talking with the young man? The flashbacks, his brashness, his eagerness as a disciple, explaining to the investigator the miracles of Jesus and his enthusiasm? The clashes with Judas, friendship with John? The last supper and his declarations, following Jesus into the Praetorium, his denials and the cock crowing? His shame and weeping? His watching the crucifixion? The resurrection, John running to the tomb? The build-up to the coming of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, his preaching and the reaction of the authorities?

5. Judas, his ambitions, political? The discussions with the investigator? His going to the high priest? The betrayal?

6. John and the other disciples, the preparation for the last supper, the entry into Jerusalem, the sitting arrangements at the last supper, sleeping in the garden? After the resurrection? The renewed enthusiasm of the spirit and their preaching?

7. The investigator, interrogating Peter, Judas, reporting back to the authorities?

8. The high priests, the plotting against Jesus, Judas’ betrayal? The trial?

9. Mary the sister of Lazarus, her being equated with Mary Magdalene, her friendship with Jesus, support, witness to him? At Calvary? Witness to the resurrection?

10. Mary the mother of Jesus, her presence at the cross, after the resurrection?

11. The popular ingredients of a biblical story?

CEMETERY JUNCTION

UK, 2010, 95 minutes, Colour.
Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan, Felicity Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, Matthew Goode, Ricky Gervaise, Julia Davis, Steve Speirs, Anne Reid.
Directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

Ricky Gervais and his comic style are an acquired taste – and many audiences of the television programs, The Office (UK version) and Extras, have acquired it. He usually does obnoxious deadpan (the Museum director in the Night at the Museum films) but did dentist-victim-ghost nicely in Ghost Town. He tried more variety in The Invention of Lying. While he does have a smaller role in Cemetery Junction, he and writing partner, Stephen Merchant, have something more ambitious in mind here. It is a visit to the working class Britain of the 1970s, the narrow outlooks of populations stuck in towns where their families have always been, which expresses itself in bigoted and racist comments as well as disbelief that anybody in the family would want to get out of there.

It is a film of episodes more than a developing narrative, although the central young characters do move emotionally and decisively in their lives. Of course, it is a somewhat dangerous ploy to characterise a culture and a community with a type, but it can be a useful generalisation to highlight particular features of the culture and explore how different characters are shaped by them, either accepting them or rebelling against them.

It is possible to do this for the town of Cemetery Junction (near Reading) in 1973. Gervais himself was born in Reading in June 1961, so he was a little younger than the central characters he writes about. Stephen Merchant, however, was born in Bristol in 1974.

Cemetery Junction as a town? And its population? Despite the changes of the 1960s, Cemetery Junction does not seem to have changed much in essence (although there are clubs, music and more permissive sex). The culture can still be described as combinations of sensing and thinking (though with some of the narrow observations made by the Taylor family, ‘thinking’ is a kind of euphemism). It is a conformist culture. The strengths are in reliability and preserving the best of the British traditions. The weaknesses, from an inability to exercise much Intuition, consist of narrow-mindedness, fixed ideas and wariness of change, xenophobia, smothering initiatives and discounting possibilities.

This is definitely the case with the adults. The Taylor family, anchored in work at a local factory, are mouthpieces for the bigotry. Ralph Fiennes (after chewing the scenery and more as Hades in Clash of the Titans and then doing the most impassive, stiff upper lip military office in Nanny McPhee? and the Big Bang) is excellent as the self-absorbed, self-made chauvinist insurance manager who has imposed his rigid routine on his wife, Emily Watson also excellent, and has dominated and ignored her into submission. Matthew Goode is persuasively and unscrupulously go-getting as an imitator of his boss and engaged to the boss's vivacious daughter, Julie (Felicity Jones), who could be in danger of eventually becoming a replica of her repressed mother. Julie finally asks her mother when her father last thanked her for getting the cups of tea he frequently and absent-mindedly demands, she replies, ‘1964’. This may seem something of a caricature, but it also seems quite real.

It is with the younger generation that there is critique and the possibilities of broadening the culture – or of leaving it behind.

Freddy Taylor (Christian Cooke) goes for an interview for a job in the insurance company, kow-towing to the manager (Fiennes) and his on-the-rise salesman (Goode). While he does get the job, he has to put up with the taunts of his friends, their antics and family criticism (Gervais plays his factory-working dad). When Freddy attends the company’s monthly dinner at which an old employee retires and is ‘honoured’ with a crystal vase and a peremptory speech of thanks, Freddy’s concerns increase because he has not been successful in his early bids for selling policies.

He meets a school friend, Julie, the boss’s daughter, who is engaged to his assistant but is more than restless and talks about leaving, about developing a career in photography, in travelling. She puts it to Freddy who, being caught in the narrow cultural outlook, is more hesitant to follow what he knows to be right for him, to leave. This is complicated because of his relationship to his friends who are really stuck in their lives.
Freddy’s best friend, Bruce (Tom Hughes), works at the factory and goes home to his alcoholic father whose wife left them long since. He despises his father, suppresses his rage until he lashes out violently and finds himself in jail. Snork (Jack Doolan) is the local dork with self-designed inane tattoos on back and front and who puts his foot in it as soon as he opens his mouth. Local dead-endism looms for Bruce and Snork. One catalyst for seeing things differently is the local policeman who keeps arresting Bruce and tries to keep Freddy and Snork out of trouble because of their pranks and brawls. He has lived in the town a long time, but he has enough empathy with people to know that their lives could be better. His telling Bruce about his father being a good man before his wife left and he took refuge in drink shows how compassion can change lives.

When the film opens, and we either laugh at the lads or are irritated by them, it may seem that the film is not going to go too far either. But, it grows on you, and the range of characters is well observed and written. The sequences towards the end when both Bruce and Snork, despite Freddy’s urgings, realise and decide that they are going to stay have some moving moments. Even Julie finally seems to lack the courage to break free. It is her mother who urges her to go, not to be trapped as she has been.

The film is not presented as exact realism. The characters are just that bit caricatured, the situations heightened. However, with the sharp dialogue (particularly from a shrewish, obliviously bigoted Anne Reid as Freddy's grandmother) and some emotional interactions, especially from the policeman who defends Bruce's father and tries to knock some sense into Bruce, there is a sufficient sense of realism below the surface. Cultures can have a generic type which confines some who identify with it so that they cannot develop or change – but which those of other types and temperaments need to challenge or oppose in order to be themselves – to go beyond simply acceptance.

And the relevance? Although the story and characters are from another time, almost four decades ago, each generation has to face the same issues but in their own time and place.

Gervais fans should not be expecting a funny comedy but, rather, a wry serious comedy with some funny and some wise moments.


1. A serious comedy? A memoir of the 1970s?

2. The work of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, their television shows, their films?

3. The re-creation of the 1970s in Reading, nostalgia or not? The United Kingdom and the times? The town, its appearance, the clubs, the shops, insurance? Homes? The music of the times?

4. The title, the tone for the town – and everybody wanting to get out?

5. The location, the town, the factory, homes and offices, the different classes, the clubs and the hotels?

6. The musical score and the music of the times?

7. Freddie’s story, at home, his father working in the factory, his mother and her attitudes and expressing them, the racist attitudes, xenophobic, the grandmother and her unashamed declarations? His interview with Mr Kendrick, his flattering him? His talking of his aims, of overcoming difficulties, wealth? Mike Ramsay as his role model? His being employed, the reaction of his friends, their criticism? His accompanying Mike Ramsay on his rounds, the visit to the couple, saving their money for the holiday, Ramsay taking him aside, persuading them to invest, Freddie later visiting them – and the husband having died, the wife regretting not having the holiday?

8. Bruce’s story, work in the factory, his clashes with his father, the mother leaving the family when he was young, the father and his drinking? Bruce as angry, surly at home, prone to violence outside, getting into scrapes?

9. Snork, his appearance, working at the railway? Awkward with women? Saying crass things without realising it? The three friends, their time together, the various pranks? The bonds between them, the police and Sergeant Davies and his help, getting them out of trouble? The warnings?

10. Freddie and his meeting Julie, the memories of the past, Mr Kendrick’s daughter, engaged to Mike Ramsay? Her wanting to be a photographer, her plans? Yet the way she was treated at home? Her mother, downtrodden and silent, the pattern for the future? Whether she would become like her mother with Mike Ramsay? The monthly dinner, the thank-you to the man retiring, the gift of the vase and Mr Kendrick’s question about whether it was crystal or glass? Mike Ramsay being the same as Kendrick? Freddie and his observations at the dinner, his questioning whether he wanted to work in insurance? Julie and her dilemma, her wanting to travel, opening up Freddie’s horizons? Freddie going to Julie’s room, the discussion about leaving, her mother coming and urging her daughter to leave, hurrying to the train, Freddie in the train, getting out, yet their going off finally together?

11. Bruce, his violence, the bashing, going to jail, the police, Davies telling him the true story about his mother, about his father, his having to face the truth, going home, the ugly things he said about his father and his treatment of him, his reconciliation with his father, not leaving the town?

12. The group going to the diner, the owner and his egging Snork on, Snork and his crass expressions of himself, his tattoos and his own design? The girl attracted to him, his thinking her ugly? The final visit, her liking the tattoos, talking with him, his decision to stay?

13. Mr Kendrick as his character, hardened? The ungrateful treatment of his wife? Her silence yet her shrewdness? Support of her daughter, Freddie dancing with her? The possibility of change? Mike Ramsay and his being the Kendrick of the next generation?

14. The screenplay and its shrewd observation of characters, verbal wit, colloquial? A film of nostalgia and insight with light comedy?