PROOF OF LIFE

US, 2000, 135 minutes, Colour.
Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe, David Morse, Pamela Reed, David Caruso, Anthony Heald, Gottfried John, Alun Armstrong, Michael Kitchen, Margo Martindale.
Directed by Taylor Hackford.

A film straight out of today's headlines: the taking of hostages by revolutionary groups in South America and the kidnapping of foreign engineers working on projects like dams and roads. The film's dialogue reminds us that many of these groups, both patriotic and terrorist, relied on Russian financial and arms funding but, after the collapse of the Soviet empire, they found that kidnap ransoms brought in more money.

The plot is very much like that of many 'airport' novels: entertaining and page-turning, larger than life action in topical modern crises. In fact, one of Dick Francis's thrillers, "The Danger", was an exciting look at kidnapping. He had obviously researched in some detail how international companies, usually linked with insurance firms, employ former army, police and retirees from such forces as the SAS and send them to hotspots around the world. He also included vivid chapters showing how negotiators work, using a blend of psychology, bargaining and bluff while trying to reassure and calm distraught families. Proof of Life is based on a well-researched article in Vanity Fair by William Prochnau, based on interviews with American kidnap victims.

Proof of Life has plenty of action in exotic settings. There is a prologue where a star negotiator (Russell Crowe playing an Australian ex-SAS officer) reporting on a successful, though very dangerous rescue in Chechnya. However, the main action of the film is in a fictitious Andean republic where an engineer (David Morse, who has a tough time in the film playing an American held by kidnappers for over four months) and his wife (Meg Ryan in a serious role) are trying to contribute to local development. He is being manipulated by an oil company. She is still trying to come to terms with a miscarriage. When the investigating company learns that the oil company has economised by not paying insurance premiums, they pull out. However, Crowe, a strong and silent type with a conscience, goes back to handle the process - which is not an overnight job but relies on intuition and luck.

The film was mainly shot in Ecuador and uses the mountain locations to full advantage, even through the final credits, as well as using the streets and squares of Quito to add an atmosphere of realism. The kidnapping sequence (an ambush at a roadblock) is alarmingly convincing. So, too, are scenes of trekking across mountains and of the kidnappers' camps. The writing and acting give audiences a better than average appreciation of the characters and their response to the crisis: the upset and angry wife, the gratingly bossy sister, the strong and silent negotiator.

Finally, as you would expect in any ransom film, there is a quickpaced rescue which is done with army precision but also with a great deal of bloodshed. This also is the reality of violent groups in the ransom business.

1.A satisfying blend of action and human drama?

2.The Ecuador settings, the atmosphere of Latin America? The City? The countryside, mountains and waterfalls? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3.The prologue in Chechnya? Setting the tone for action? Establishing Terry Thorne’s character? The action, the rescue, the dangers, skills required? SAS? The achievement? The company and the assessment of the operation?

4.Russell Crowe as Terry Thorne, strong screen presence, authoritative? In action? In the discussions with the board? His explanations, clarity? The scene with his son, the formality of the farewell – and his later explanation of his relationship to his son to Alice? The explanation of the break-up of his marriage? His going to Latin America? His assured presence, meeting Dino, Wyatt and his other friends? The advice for Alice? Explaining the way it was played? The interactions with Alice? With the others? The intrusion of Janis? His doing his job, being taken from the job, leaving? The clash with Alice? Back in London, his decision to return to Latin America?

5.Establishing the relationship between Alice and Peter, their history, marriage, pregnancy, failed pregnancy, Africa? Tensions and blame? Their place in society? The phone discussion, shopping, her reaction to the formalities of the dinner? His being upset? The job, the dam, his not being involved with the oil company? The dam and the effect on the cocaine crops? Houston, the high officials, change of policy, Ted Felner and his phoning Alice? No insurance?

6.The drama of the ambush, Peter being taken, his reactions, the terrorists, the guns, the swift movement? The details of his treatment, rough treatment but keeping him alive? Slashing his foot, the photo, the proof of life? Physically abused, verbally abused? His ability to cope? His defiance, his isolation? The young rebel and his confrontation? The shooting and his standing his ground? His defiance of the young man? His trying to get the locals to help? Their dependence on the rebels? The need for money? The priest, his background in the Foreign Legion, their talk, engineering the escape, Peter being taken again?

7.Terry Thorne, the deal with the locals and his stopping it, accusing them of potential robbing of the money? His plan, the phone, Dino and his help with the phone? Alice and her concern? Janis and her anxiety? The amounts of money, the collection? The locals? The receiving of the proof of life, examining the photo, the calculations about the weather, the information about Marco from the maid, his confronting him at the sports event? The pressure on Marco?

8.Dino and Wyatt, types, tough, the camaraderie, the excitement of the jobs, advice? Collaboration?

9.Alice, the effect of the abduction on her, the clash with Terry, his return? Her being forced to examine her life, explaining it to Terry, listening to his story? The attraction? How to handle this? Janis, her interfering, sending her to America to collect the money, her return?

10.Janis, as a character, protective of her younger brother, intruding, domineering?

11.The priest, the background of the Foreign Legion, the bible and the map, his friendship, the escape, his being injured, giving the information to Terry?

12.The decision to go in, the staging of the battle, the fights, the dangers, the risks, Terry and his rescuing Peter? The reunion?

13.The action sequences blending with the drama? The predominance of abductions in Latin America, the past and the demands for money, the stopping of support from the Soviet Union, the need for financial transactions to help the rebels, anti-government stances, the cocoa crops?

THE LAKE HOUSE

US, 2006, 105 minutes, Colour.
Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Shohrer Aghdashloo, Christopher Plummer, Evon Moss- Bachrach, Willeke van Ammelrooy, Dylan Walsh, Lyn Collins.
Directed by Alejandro Agresti.

Time travel romances make no logical sense (nor scientific sense) but, of course, that is not the point. Romantics enjoy what if…? scenarios.

What if a man moved into a house by a lake and found a note in his letter box from the previous tenant asking him to forward her mail? No problem there. But, if it emerges that he is living in 2004 and she is living in 2006 and that they cannot see each other but can see the letterbox opening and shutting as they begin to correspond with each other, enjoy writing and reading the letters which turn into love letters…? Well, that is what we have at the Lake House.

Plus the charm of the stars. Sandra Bullock is a melancholic doctor who is waiting for something to happen in her life besides her dedication to her work. Jane Austen’s Persuasion features in the dialogue with its inopportune meeting between the romantic couple and their having to wait for the right time to meet again is a key to this story. Keanu Reeves at his most charming (you would never dream that this nice architect could ever have been in The Matrix or Constantine) helps us believe in this unbelievable love story. Having turned 40, the two stars are very comfortable in their roles and their characters. Twelve years ago they worked together in a high adrenalin way in Speed.

I am not sure I can explain the finale in terms of dates – well it is Valentine’s Day -or, rather, what year it is. Of course, it doesn’t really matter. It offers smiles, but tears as well.

Christopher Plummer is on hand as Keanu’s father and gives a characteristically strong cameo performance. Direction, which brings the best out of its stars, immerses us in emotions with some tenderness without wallowing in it, is by noted Argentinian director, Alejandro Agresti.

1.A popular romance? For older audiences? Middle-aged audiences? A love story of the 21st century?

2.The writer and his Pulitzer Prize-winning play Proof? The film based on a South Korean story? The work of Alejandro Agresti in Argentina? His Argentinian perspective? His living in Europe? The popularity of remakes in Hollywood of overseas films? An appropriate adaptation?

3.The response of the audience, men, women?

4.A time travel story? The lack of logic in time travel stories? Two co-existent times? The emotional response? The difficulty for audiences in identifying the different times for each of the central characters?

5.The title, the house and its symbolism? Alex and his response to the house, his father’s gift to his mother? The father’s designing the house for her? His buying the house, renovating it? His moving out, Kate moving in? The glass house – and the interiors being able to be seen into?

6.The 2004 and 2006 stories? Indications of different times, dates? Communication from each time? Watching the letterbox and its signal? The pragmatic correspondence, the puzzle about the times and dates, the growing communication, falling in love?

7.A film about love letters and their effect? The text of the letters? The actors reciting their letters?

8.The portrait of Kate, Sandra Bullock’s style, reticent? Her age, her relationship with her father? Memories of him? Jane Austen? Her visits with her mother, talking with her mother? Her work as a doctor, intern, moving to the city, her friendship with Anna, her hard work in the hospital, her being a comfort to the patients? Her personal loneliness? The memories of the relationship with Morgan? The past, the losing the Jane Austen book, the surprise birthday party, the meeting with Alex and Mona, the kiss, Dylan’s reaction? Alex’s not arriving in 2006? Her disappointment? Her going to the house, finding the copy of the Jane Austen book? The renovations? Going to see Alex’s brother? The 14th of February, her knowledge of the accident, her rushing away, trying to warn Alex? Sadness at his death? Her having been present at his death? The joy of the change in time and his living?

9.The portrait of Alex, his being away for many years, alienation from his father, meeting his brother on his return, meeting his father? The tension? His father’s attitude towards him and his work? The heart attack, his visiting the hospital, getting his father coffee, being shown the plans? His own work, pragmatic? Friendship with Mona, her work on the building sites? The difficulties with industrial unrest? Solving them? The completion of the house? His decision to buy the lake house, his work on it, reading the letter from Kate, the dog and its disappearance, the footprints? The exchange of letters, the puzzle about the date? Falling in love? His going to the station and finding the copy of Jane Austen? His glimpse of Kate? The meeting with Morgan? Morgan inviting Alex and Mona to the party? Meeting Kate, the dance, her talking with him? The kiss? The accident? His going to the house, checking the documents – and living?

10.Simon Wyler, his reputation, seeing him with students, the plans? His alienation from his son? Alex’s version of what happened to his father, becoming a celebrity, his mother not being able to cope and leaving? His arrogance? His love for his brother? Their meetings? The fatal day, the renovations for the house, the meeting?

11.Kate’s mother, her support, listening to Kate, being present on the day of the accident?

12.Mona, her love for Alex, the work, meeting Dylan?

13.Anna, at the hospital, her efficiency, her friendship with Kate and helping her?

14.Morgan, his friendship with Kate, his ambitions, the party, his jealousy about the kiss, the separation, getting together again with Kate, in the house?

15.The background of Jane Austen, persuasion, the explanation of the plot, the lovers meeting, having to wait? The film as a variation on the persuasion theme?

16.The atmosphere of tenderness, colour and design, architecture? Nature, animals? Voice-overs? Seeing the couple seated together on-screen – but in their different times?

REEKER

US, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Devon Gummersall, Tina Payne, Derek Richardson, Tina Illman, Scott Whyte, Arielle Kebbel, Michael Ironside, Eric Mabeus, Marcia Strassman.
Directed by Dave Payne.

The director has humorously pre-empted reviewers making snide reviews by including in the end credits a comment about saying that his film is a ‘stinker’. Sight and Sound were wittier in a caption for a still, ‘Smellsville’.

The Reeker here is an updated version of the Grim Reaper. His tools are far more power driven than a mere scythe. And his smell is, of course, the stench of death.

It’s a pity in so many of these films that the central characters are so unpleasant/hedonistic/amoral that it is very hard to care whether the Reeker gets them or not or in what order they go (usually in a rather Puritanical way, the most permissive gets it first). That said, there is an eerie atmosphere here as most of the action takes place at night in a deserted desert motel, ominously named ‘Halfway’ and five twentysomethings are bamboozled by mysterious sounds and part bodies and then terrorised by the Reeker. Michael Ironside who can be counted on as a regular movie heavy is in fact a pleasant character who deserves more interest and sympathy than the main group even though one of them is blind and a girl from Johannesburg (therefore, she says, it takes a lot to scare her) are more congenial.

Just when you thought the ending was going to be more than a bit flat, there is a twist that turns the whole thing into a rather grim purgatorial kind of story.

1.The tradition of the horror film? An isolated group? Menaced by the unknown? How interesting a variation on the theme?

2.The locations, the California desert? The motel? Realistic atmosphere? Eerie atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The theme of death? Death and the pursuit of its victims? The realism of the plot – and the twist at the end? The experience of death?

4.The focus on young people, an amoral group, hedonistic? Selfish? Deserving of their fate – or not? Jack and Gretchen and their being saved?

5.The prologue: the family, the mother and son playing “I Spy” in the car, the father asleep, the deer, the crash? The death? The father being savaged? Indication of themes to come?

6.Nelson and Tripp? Going on the journey? Meeting up with Gretchen and Cookie? Jack and his blindness? Tripp and his callous attitudes, the drugs, dealing with Radford? Gretchen and her severity? Allowing Tripp on, his inane comments, obtuse about Jack’s blindness? His being put out?

7.The characters: Gretchen, South African, straightforward? Cookie, out for a good time? Tripp, obtuse? Nelson, friendly, the relationship with Cookie? Jack and the story of his blindness? The journey? The motel, running out of petrol, the return? Finding it abandoned?

8.The devices of the group wandering around during the night, the empty motel, the sense of presence? The gradual attacks? The killings? How well did the film create an eerie atmosphere? Frights and shocks?

9.Radford, his pursuit of Tripp, the confrontations, his appearing and disappearing within the experience?

10.Tripp and his meeting Henry, the van, his searching for his wife? His illness? In the van? The people afraid of him, his being gentle? His death?

11.The appearance of death, eerie? The machines? The killings? The pursuit, appearance and disappearance?

12.Tripp, his death, losing his arm? Cookie and the lavatory? Nelson and his relationship with Cookie? His death?

13.Gretchen and Jack, trying to survive on the top of the van, Jack and his death?

14.The revelation of the truth? The accident? Gretchen and her driving with Jack, being prepared to risk death for life?

15.The aftermath, Gretchen and Jack surviving? The truth about the accident?

16.The title – the smell, the stench of death? A variation on the Grim Reaper?

VON RYAN’S EXPRESS

US, 1965, 117 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, Raffaella Carra, Brad Dexter, Sergio Fantoni, John Leyton, Edward Mulhare, Wolfgang Preiss, James Brolin, Adolfo Celi, Vito Scotti, Michael Goodliffe.
Directed by Mark Robson.

The mid-1960s was a time for re-creations, on a very large scale, of significant events of World War Two, both truth and fiction. 1963 saw The Great Escape. 1965 saw The Blue Max as well as The Battle of the Bulge. Von Ryan’s Express fits into this group – with more than a number of plot similarities to The Great Escape.

The film is set in Italy, a prisoner-of-war camp with mainly British officers. However, with the death of the chief British officer, an American is put in charge. There are the usual characters, the stiff upper lipped British, the American who swaggers but makes mistakes, loyal Italians, traitors. The film has the end of the war for Italy and trials for commandants of prisoner-of-war camps.

However, the main action is in the escape, the leadership shown by the American, his having to learn from his mistakes.

It is surprising to see Frank Sinatra in the central role of Ryan. However, the other actors, British, German and Italian, have been in these kinds of films before.

The film was directed by Mark Robson, a veteran director who in his thirty-five year career of directing moved from small-budget horror films for Val Lewton (Seventh Victim, Ghost Ship, Isle of the Dead, Bedlam) to smaller dramas like Champion and My Foolish Heart to action adventures in the 1950s including The Bridges at Toko-Richard? and The Inn of the Sixth Happiness to potboilers like Peyton Place and From the Terrace and finally Valley of the Dolls and Earthquake. The film was written by Wendell Mayes who had a long career in writing, many westerns like From Hell to Texas, The Hanging Tree but also distinguished dramas like Anatomy of a Murder, Advise and Consent, In Harm’s Way (all for Otto Preminger). He also wrote the screenplay for The Poseidon Adventure.

1.An enjoyable adventure film? For what audience? Expectations for a war film and adventure?

2.A successful war film? Pros and cons of war? Audience expectations about war? Explicit moralising?

3.A successful war spectacular, wide screen, colour, score? The Italian locations? The train itself? The ultimate battle?

4.How well did the film set its scene, World War Two atmosphere, the role of the Americans, British? Italy in 1943, confronted by the Germans and the Allies? The place of the prisoner-of-war camps? The invasions?

5.How well did the film set the scene in the camp? The commander’s death, defiance of the commandant? The Italian commander and his lack of interest in the camp? Oriani and his sympathy for the prisoners? The British attitude to being prisoners and escape? Harassing the Italians, storing supplies that were needed, the rights and wrongs of this? British stiff upper lip?

6.How did this contrast with the Americans in with Ryan? Ryan as the hero? Entry into the film? Frank Sinatra’s personality and style? Was Ryan credible and sympathetic? His role in the camp, being fair, the meeting about the supplies, his being called Von Ryan?

7.The importance of the changes in war and the invasion, the liberation for the Italians? The effect on the prisoners?

8.How exciting was the takeover of the train? As action films go, excitement of the journey, the reality of the deaths?

9.How well did the film progress as an adventure film, the drama at the stations, impersonation of the Germans, the chaplain and his success in impersonating the commander (and his fainting), the imprisonment of the German officer and the girl, the hostility of the Italians as the train passed?

10.Comment on the moral implications of the adventure: the German wanting to escape, the girl and her being with the Germans, trying to survive? The shooting and its effect on Fincham and Ryan? The Gestapo and investigations, black market? Tension of this sequence, Ryan not understanding German?

11.The clever plan for bypassing Milan station, outwitting the Germans?

12.The sequences in the mountains, the chasing of the train, the planes and their strafing, the ripping up of the tracks, the pursuit of the soldiers and their being shot? The impact of so many deaths? Freedom versus imprisonment and death?

13.Was it appropriate that Ryan should be killed, so dramatically? What if he had survived – for emotional response?

14.What did the film have to say about war, heroism, courage, wisdom, prudence, freedom? Excitement in war and glamour?

HALF LIGHT

UK, 2005, 110 minutes, Colour.
Demi Moore, Hans Matheson, James Cosmo, Henry Ian Cusick, Kate Isitt, Therese Bradley.
Directed by Craig Rosenberg.

These days ghost stories tend to be of the slasher variety. This one is not. It is rather an old-fashioned ghost story (though the references in the press kit to Hitchcock seem a little too ambitious) which most audiences could sit through. It has the romantic touches as well.

However, there is a nice twist at the end (shades of Gaslight and some of those golden oldies with tormented heroines) and the ghost story we think we are watching is not the ghost story we should be concentrating on! (that doesn’t reveal the twist or the ending).

Demi Moore came over to the UK to star as an award-winning best-seller novelist (though she does her own stunts with typing on an old typewriter which would mean at her slow rate producing one novel every ten years!). She carries the film quite well, a bereaved mother who retreats to the Scottish coast and meets a charming lighthouse keeper. Then the complications come as her best friend, her husband and her doctor are all concerned about her, let alone the puzzled locals.

The film is beautiful to look at, the Welsh coast standing in for Scotland. It is not a swift-paced thriller. Rather, it ambles along most of the time, an easy entertainment, a kind of neo Daphne Du Maurier drama.

1.An old-fashioned style ghost story? The audience focusing on one ghost story – getting the explanation rationally and then noticing the other ghost story? A satisfying old-time romance thriller?

2.The London settings, Primrose Hill and the fashionable house? The newspaper offices? Restaurants? The contrast with the Scottish coast, the cottage, the lighthouse, the town? The old-style musical score?

3.The title? Half light and half dark? The coast, the symbol for the experience of Rachel Carlson?

4.The opening: the collage of information about Rachel’s career, her success, the awards? Her moving to England with her husband? The photos of herself with her son? Brian not being the boy’s father? Her working at home – slow typewriting? At home, writing, the bond with her son, preparing the meal, the tension with Brian and his rejection letters? His thinking that he ought to be a success?

5.The boy, playing, the bond with his mother? Going outside, to the canal, his death? Rachel’s grief?

6.Eight months later, Rachel and her decision to go and live alone? Putting the divorce papers aside? Brian and his concern? Sharon as Rachel’s best friend, finding the house for her? Her doctor and his concern, the pills? Her driving to Scotland? Finding Finlay Murray and Mary? Friendship? Finding the cottage, adjusting the typewriter and chairs for the view? The lighthouse?

7.Her travel to the lighthouse, meeting Angus, his kindliness? Friendship, talk? The visits? His showing her over the lighthouse? Explaining about his absent wife? His not leaving the island? The sexual relationship? Her coming to depend on him? His character? His promising to come to the birthday party?

8.The birthday party, Rachel and her tension, the welcome by Finlay and Mary? The townspeople enjoying the party? Rachel’s concern, talking out loud about Angus, the Murrays’ reaction, the people’s reaction, the local priest? Her bewilderment?

9.Her interpretation of what had happened? Her return to the island? His disappearance? Everything tidy? The story of what really happened, its being visualised? The death of Angus’s wife, the hooking of the lover? Angus’s killing himself? Her visit to the cemetery, the priest, the gravestones?

10.Her contacting Sharon, her anguish, Sharon coming to visit? Her going to the lighthouse, Sharon’s presence, denying Angus’s presence, her being stabbed?

11.The revelation of the truth, Sharon and her schemes, Brian and his wanting to kill his wife? Get her four million dollars? Using Patrick to act as Angus? The phone calls to the doctor, the doctor contacting Brian? The build-up to the killing of Rachel?

12.Rachel, the chains, the key, her trying to get the key, Brian and Sharon throwing her overboard? Hearing her son’s ghostly voice, his message to look behind, her getting the key, her emerging?

13.Patrick, going to the station, the memories of Rachel, his falling in love with her? His going back, finding the shell? The music playing? The hook and his killing Brian? Brian and the struggle with Rachel, Sharon hitting her head and dying? Rachel following Patrick up to the top of the lighthouse, his killing himself?

14.The aftermath, the papers, her innocence? People’s support?

15.Her going to Morag, Morag and her second-sight, the early explanations about her son and the swing, Rachel consulting her, her warnings? Morag and her going to Finlay and persuading him to go to the island? Saving Rachel?

16.The happy ending, a satisfying ghost story as well as an old-style plot and menace of an innocent woman?

ULTRA VIOLET

US/China, 2005, 87 minutes, Colour.
Milla Jovovich, Cameron Bright, Nick Chinlund, William Fichtner.
Directed by Kurt Wimmer.

A computer game transferred from a small screen to a big screen with all the style and action, plus pounding music – and the player becoming an active watcher rather than making choices at a console. This means that Ultraviolet is aimed solely at videogame players.

The opening credits highlight the comic book nature of the enterprise, with Milla Jovovich (used to this kind of thing from the Resident Evil films, though required here to be extraordinarily fit and gymnastically able) as Violet. She makes Aeon Flux look relaxed. She then explains the future world where humanity has been ravaged by a contaminated blood virus – and that we, the audience might not understand. Her mission is to retrieve a case from the government for the rebels. The contents of the case turns out to be a young boy (Cameron Bright) who may have a solution for the virus problem. Apart from Nick Chinlund as a dastardly government scientist and William Fichtner as a compassionate scientist, that’s about all the plot there is. The rest is chases and elaborately choreographed fights to a pastiche of Carmina Burana music and chant.

But, production design and photography (on quality high digital cameras) must have been a dream for the technicians. The sets (and some of the characters) look like video games rather than reality, so that the film always looks elaborately artificial so that we know we are in a game. This eye-popping design is combined with top line computer graphics so that even the non-player has to be in admiration with the look and sound of the film while trying to bypass the body count.

1.The intended audience? Young audience? Men? Women? Fans of graphic comics?

2.The technical side of the film: the elaborate production design, costume design? Sets? Computer graphics? Cinema techniques – high digital photography? Colour schemes and design? The semi-classic musical score? The combination to give the impression of a video game on a big screen?

3.The credits, the covers of the various comics? The introduction to the character of Violet?

4.Violet and her comment about the future, the society, people not understanding it? The visuals of the future? Cities, buildings? The use of Shanghai for much of the design?

5.The situation as explained: the history of the virus, people being contaminated, those with the virus being exiled? The government and its attack on those infected?

6.Violet, her pregnancy, her being infected, her being terminated? Her escape? Joining the underground? Twelve years passing?

7.Violet, on the motorbike, her passing the entry tests for the laboratory? Her getting in, claiming the case, discovering that the child was inside? The choreography for her fights? Gymnastics? Swords, rhythmic gymnastics? The opposition – human, robots? The confrontation with Daxus? The real courier coming? Violet and her escape?

8.Six, in the case, the code on the case? His age, experience, a special child, human? Violet and her maternal instincts? Wanting to protect him? Taking him to Garth? Garth wanting to do the experiments? The pursuits and chases with Six? Her inability to save him? His being taken? Her realisation that he was still alive?

9.The interactions with Garth, his tenderness towards Violet? Wanting to do something, to save her? Her return, the dangers, the blood, her transformations, the fights? The final confrontation with Daxus? The darkness, the fire, her defeat of him? The rescue of Six?

10.Daxus, the villain, government, phobic about germs? His methods, his henchmen? Experimentation? The irony that he himself was infected? The flashbacks? The final fight with Violet? Garth, the scientist, his support of the rebels?

11.The background of the future? The army, the militants? The contrast with ordinary people in the streets? Television programs? The scientists, the laboratories? The hospitals? The sick patients?

12.An exciting presentation of a video game – it being displayed on a big screen without the audience having to make their choices or fight the fights?

AQUAMARINE

US, 2006, 104 minutes, Colour.
Emma Roberts, Jo Jo, Sarah Paxton, Jake Mc Dorman, Arielle Kabbel, Claudia Karvan, Bruce Spence, Roy Billing, Julia Blake, Shaun Micallef.
Directed by Elizabeth Allen.

The press corps was remarkably self-controlled during the preview of Aquamarine, a film that was definitely not made for them. Perhaps they were thinking of their daughters (or granddaughters) and realising that this was the niche market. Aquamarine is a film for those younger girls who love Hilary Duff movies, some of the Lindsay Lohan movies and, definitely, those for whom The Princess Diaries movies were the best of the year.

This is a giggly-squealy show. And Emma Roberts and Joanna (JoJo) Levesque (last seen as Robin Williams’ daughter in RV) as best friends 13 year-olds do more than their share of giggling and squealing. But they also get the chance to match-make for the life guard that they tend to swoon over. Since he is too old for them and since his girl-friend is what they describe on the beach as a ‘sand witch’, they are overjoyed when Aquamarine, a mermaid, turns up one morning after a tremendous storm in their swimming pool. She is a giggly Barbie type (Jessica Simpson was offered the role so that gives some idea, though Sarah Paxton has an enormous IQ edge over Jessica judging be her (limited) conversation).

There are some minor crises because Aquamarine is keeping this all secret – she does have legs as well as a tail but her legs disappear when the sun sets so she has to get back to water in time, or else. And so on.

Filmed in Australia’s Gold Coast standing in for Florida, the film has a number of serious locals like Julia Blake, Roy Billing, Bruce Spence, Shaun Micaleff and Claudia Karvan as JoJo’s? mother all doing a half-hearted best at American accents.

This is the kind of film that our two heroines would love to take Aquamarine to see.

1.The niche audience for this film? Young girls? A male audience? Adult audience?

2.The Florida settings (filmed in Australia)? The beachfront, the ocean? Life in this Florida town? The youth? The musical score, songs?

3.The focus on Claire and Hailey? Their age? Friendship? Their always being together? Claire and her grief over her parents killed in an accident, her fear of going in the water? Hailey as the tomboy, the prospect of moving to Australia? The tense relationship with her mother? The mother deserted by her husband? The friendliness in the homes? The grandparents? Leonard and his working around the place? Marjorie? The setting for a film of giggles and squeals? Discovery of a mermaid? Matchmaking?

4.Emma and Claire, their characters, their time together, their confidences in each other? Their experience of the storm? Making a wish that Hailey did not have to go to Australia? The discovery of Aquamarine?

5.Popular stories about mermaids? The tradition? The tongue-in-cheek dialogue about mermaids and their reputation? Their qualities? Aquamarine and her being stranded, escaping from the fixed marriage, from her father, wanting to prove that love exists? Her travel, her coming on land, having legs? Having to go into water by sunset? Her friendship with Claire and Hailey? The t-shirt, her look? Their pushing her towards Raymond? Their own attitude towards Raymond, the other girls, Cecilia? Raymond as the lifeguard?

6.Aquamarine and her personality? Able to speak languages, travelling around the world? Fashion and the shopping? The meeting with Raymond, the attraction? On the pedal boat? Her having to run away? Claire and Hailey hiding her in the tank? Her going to the dance – her disappointment, thinking that Raymond did not love her? Her finally going, the dancing, her having to escape to the water tank again?

7.Raymond, the lifeguard, attractive to the girls, Claire and Hailey? Cecilia and her friends? The jokes with Grandpa and Grandma? His attraction towards Aquamarine, discussions, on the pedal boat? Cecilia and her machinations? His going to the dance?

8.Cecilia, her friends, catty, presumptuous? Her watching Aquamarine, discovering her in the tank, her friends not believing her? Going to her father, the TV – and her being exposed?

9.Hailey and Claire, their falling out, telling the truth to each other? Their concern about Aquamarine, the irony of Leonard reading the books about mermaids and rescuing her? Her going with Raymond on the pier, Cecilia pushing her over, the truth? Claire going into the water to rescue her? Hailey in the water?

10.The happy ending, Raymond and Aquamarine and the farewell? Claire and Hailey and their friendship despite going separate ways? Leonard with Marjorie? The happy ending for all concerned?

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT

US, 2006, 104 minutes, Colour.
Lucas Black, Natalie Kelley, Bow Wow, Brian Tee, Sung Kang.
Directed by Justin Lin.

‘I’m a guy. It’s in my genes.’

This is the hero’s reply when asked why he likes bigger engines in cars. It would be a good tagline for advertising the film. The appeal is to testosterone and adrenalin. Unlike the previous Fast and Furious films where there were female drivers, the young women here are simply (skimpily) appendages to male posturing and ego.

Lucas Black has played a number of surly juveniles up till now. Here he plays a surly almost 18 year old, a rebel without a cause (except for big engines and driving to win) who finds himself sent to his father in Japan where, before you could say ‘fast’ let alone ‘furious’, he is at the wheel. But, he doesn’t know Tokyo Drift which, we learn, is mainly accurate skidding with shrieking tires. Ultimately, of course, he masters this, defeating a loathsome Yakuza Jr who would be considered extreme caricature as a Japanese guard in a prisoner of war camp. And, of course, the winsome girl belongs to this villain but is won over by something or other in our hero. He does smile broadly at times with his accentuated southern drawl.

So, it is stunts and speed, sound and fury (well, signifying very little) although there are some texts on responsibility now and again. Bow Wow appears as an African American in Japan hustling as if he was back home – which means that all the characters are really stereotypes. But the Americans are the best, as always.

1.The popularity of the previous films? For what audience? Testosterone and adrenalin? Male audiences? Female audiences? Young? Old?

2.The presuppositions about the audience? Interest in cars, competitiveness, racing and winning? Danger and crashes? Icons? Heroes? Good versus evil? The male drivers? The women as attending the men?

3.The California opening? The race? The special effects for the race? The continued special effects for the Drift races in Tokyo, in the city? On the mountain at the end?

4.The Tokyo locations, the glimpses of the city? Apartments, streets, schools, clubs? The world of American expatriates? The world of Tokyo gangsters? The Yakuza?

5.The title – Tokyo Drift, the screeches of tyres as the cars rounded corners, put on the brakes, skidded?

6.Sean Boswell, Lucas Black’s style and presence, serious, grinning? The rebel? With his car, love of machines? His saying that he was a guy and it was in his DNA? The race with the surly Californian, proving himself, his crashing? His being in court, reaction to the police? His mother and her exasperation? Sending him to his father? Arrival in Japan, his father’s rules, putting him in the room? His going to school, his attraction to Neela? The clashes with the young Japanese students, Drift King? His meeting with Twinkie and his hustling? His getting into the swing of things, the clash with Drift King, his working with Han? Driving his car, the smashing of the car? His involvement with Drift King and Han, the money deals, Drift King and his Yakuza uncle, Neela as his girlfriend? Postures and posing? His father’s laying down the law? Han and his death? Sean and his feeling responsibility? Defying his father, getting his father’s help, building up the car? His going to see Mr Kamata?, his courage, challenging Drift King to a race, returning the money? The preparation of the car, his support? The up and down relationship with Neela, listening to her story, explaining his own? The final race, his winning? The defeat of Drift King? The happy ending? The discussions about a sense of responsibility?

7.Twinkie, army brat, in Japan, hustling and dealing, and the stereotype of the African American? His support of Sean, the buddy, warning him, helping him?

8.Neela, from Australia, her presence in Japan, tied in with Drift King? Her interest in Sean, the difficulties, at the clubs? Supporting him at the end?

9.Han, Japan being his Mexico and his avoiding the US? Money? Giving Sean the car, getting the recompense, training him? His own race, the clash with Drift King, his death?

10.Drift King, place in the school, with Neela, his Yakuza uncle? His sneers, posturing against Sean? The challenges, the races? The finale and his losing?

11.The world of the school, the teachers, Sean arriving, having to change his shoes? Continuing at school?

12.The background of the Tokyo Drift racing, the young men and women, American-style posturing, clothes? The girls as hangers-on?

13.The Boswells, the mother’s exasperation, the father avoiding the family, in Japan, laying down the law, eventually helping his son?

14.The Yakuza, the gangsters, the toughs, the posers? Kamata and the final deal?

15.The warning at the end against imitating the stunts? The film’s dialogue about responsibility, dangers? The film having its cake and eating in terms of vicarious thrills as well as moral warnings?

COYOTE UGLY

US, 2000, 100 minutes, Colour.
Piper Perabo, Adam Garcia, Maria Bello, Melanie Lynskey, John Goodman, Bridget Moynahan, Bud Court.
Directed by David Mc Nally.

The answer to the immediate question is that it is a raucous bar in New York City where crowds go to ogle the dancers and drink and shout the night away! Even if you would not go there yourself, still the film is more enjoyable than anticipated, the story of a would-be songwriter (Piper Perabo) who leaves home and Dad (John Goodman), gets ripped off in the city and finds herself succeeding as a Coyote. She meets a pleasant Australian (Adam Garcia), asserts herself and, of course... It may remind movie buffs of Flashdance - though definitely more raucous. It is from the same producer.

1.The popularity of this film? For men? For women?

2.The New Jersey settings? Homes, clubs? The bridges and the tolls? The New York settings, the apartments, restaurants, the streets, the nightclub?

3.The music, the songs? Popular, mimed, performed in Coyote Ugly? Violet’s original songs and their performance?

4.The popular story of the would-be composer? Her home life, from New Jersey, going to New York, naivety, hoping to get a big break? Being taken in? Having to get a rough job? Threats? The exposure to her father? The break? Personal shyness, falling in love, support? Achievement? A popular urban fairy tale?

5.Violet, her relationship with her father, looking after him? Her dead mother and the happy memories of her singing? Her friendship with her school friends, especially with Gloria? The decision to go to New York, her father not wanting her to go, his wry comments? Gloria and the night with the girls, the song, ‘I Will Survive’? Her going, talking with her father, her father relenting? In New York, the apartment, Gloria giving her the money, Gloria’s pride in her achievement in actually moving away from home?

6.Violet, in herself, shy? Her trying to get the attention of the music industry? The various visits, the offhand secretaries? In the bar, the joke about Kevin O’Donnell? Meeting Kevin, his playing the game, being exposed, her being upset with him? His following her, her going around in circles? Her going to see him to get the tape back? His listening to her songs? Her desperation, having the cup of coffee, hearing Cammie and the other girls from Coyote Ugly, their song? Finding out about the place? Her going, wanting a job? The meeting with Lil, Lil and her tough attitudes? Allowing Violet to have an audition?

7.Violet at Coyote Ugly, her awkwardness, her tryout, Lil tearing her t-shirt, giving her the name Jersey? The patrons, not serving water, hosing the patrons down? Her mistake with the fire superintendent? Her owing Lil two hundred and fifty dollars? Kevin’s arrival, her persuading him to be auctioned? Lil getting her the job? Her handling of difficult situations, especially the fights, her experience in New Jersey?

8.The meetings with Kevin, going to the fish market and working with him, falling in love? The sexual relationship? His wanting to help her with her self-confidence and the singing? His buying the comic? His selling his comic in order to get her an audition? Lil refusing to let her go? His being upset, the challenge, their falling out?

9.Lil, strong personality, from the Midwest, running of Coyote Ugly, her rules? The girls looking available but not available? Her relationship with her customers, the fire department, the police? The customers, buying the girls drinks, fights and pacification? Her dealings with Violet, supporting her, not letting her go to the audition? Violet’s leaving, the more polite job? Lil coming to see her, supporting her, getting everybody to go to her performance? Everybody at the end at Coyote Ugly – with Violet’s father there?

10.The girls, their dancing, getting money for their studies? Relating with the men? Going to the shops, buying fashions, the friendship of the girls with Violet? Rachel and her stand-offishness? Their relenting, coming to her performance? The new girl and Rachel’s same behaviour?

11.Kevin, genial, from Australia, reserved in his story? Working, pretending to be an entrepreneur? The relationship with Violet, falling in love, taking her out, the meals, going to work in the fish market? The relationship? Helping her with her nervousness? Getting her the audition, selling his comic book? His truth and harsh challenge to her? His coming to the performance, turning out the lights, her success, the happy ending?

12.Bill Sandford, widower, working on the tolls on the bridge? Not wanting his daughter to go? At the wedding, his liking for Gloria? Seeing the picture of Violet in the paper, his upset, disowning her? His gradually coming round? At the performance, getting the camera? His being auctioned at Coyote Ugly?

13.The background of the music industry and its harshness? The cafes and bars and the bartenders and their advice? The Coyote Ugly staff? The customers and their raucousness?

14.Violet coming out of herself, her song, success? An urban fairy tale?

HUNGRY HILL

UK, 1946, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret Lockwood, Dennis Price, Cecil Parker, Michael Dennison, F.J. Mc Cormick, Dermot Walsh, Jean Simmons, Eileen Herlie, Siobhan Mc? Kenna, Eileen Crowe, Dan O’ Herlihy.
Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst.

Hungry Hill is a melodrama set in Ireland amongst the British aristocracy during the 19th century. Filmed in black and white, when a number of similar films from the British industry were made in colour, it is a very sombre affair. The screenplay was a collaboration between Daphne du Maurier and writer-director Terence Young (who moved from small-budget British films to action adventures including the early James Bond films.

The film was a saga of generations, the saga of a family with fatal flaws. Cecil Parker is very good as the patriarch. Margaret Lockwood is somewhat subdued as the Irish belle. Dennis Price also seems miscast as the melancholy son. There is a very strong supporting cast. Of interest – but the subject has been treated much better in other films.

1.An entertaining Irish melodrama? Saga of a family? 19th century?

2.Production values: the cast, quality and strength? The black and white photography, the atmosphere of the 19th century, Ireland, the mines? Special effects for disasters? The musical score?

3.The credits and the focus on Hungry Hill? The tone of the title, the mine, the hill devouring the family and the townspeople? The saga of the generations around Hungry Hill? The focus on the Broderick family? Anglo-Irish? The resentment of the locals? The link with England? The family considered alien and resented? The ambitions of the elder Broderick? The disasters, the death of his son Henry? His disappointment in John? His liking for Fanny Rosa? His place in society, his daughters? Antagonism with the Donovans? His heroism in saving the miners – but his still not being accepted? His doting on his grandson, yet the fear of his being spoilt? His death? His grandson greedily taking his possessions? The futility of his empire-building?

4.John Junior and Henry, the contrast in attitudes, their father’s regard for each? Henry and his agreement with his father, concern for the mines? His death? John and his disdain, study of the law, sympathy for the people? His infatuation with Fanny Rosa? Her chasing Henry? His going to England, returning home, his passion for Fanny Rosa, the marriage, the children? His sympathy for the Donovans? The mine collapse and his heroism? His visiting the family, contracting the illness, Fanny Rosa’s upset, nursing him? His death? The daughters of the family – Jane and her vitality, the spinster sisters?

5.Fanny Rosa as the Irish belle, her passion, accepted by the gentry, flirting, the outings? Her marrying into the Brodericks? Her love for John, giving him strength, the illness, her resentment and nursing him? Her love for her son, spoiling him? His resentment as he grew older? Throwing off her possessiveness, her going to London, her gambling debts? His bringing her back home? The faded belle?

6.The portrait of John Junior, his being spoilt as a youngster, his greed, dislike for his grandfather? The army, his being spoilt, jealousy with the Donovans? With Kate? Katherine and her passion? The death of Sam Donovan? His coming to his senses, rescuing his mother?

7.The portrait of the locals, the miners, their resentments, strikes? The Donovans and their feuds? Kate, Sam Donovan and his hostility? The violent melodrama and misunderstandings? Katherine’s involvement?

8.High-flown romance, manners of the 19th century, styles, surface elegance, passions beneath the surface?

9.The popularity of this kind of British melodrama in the 1940s? In the miniseries of later decades?