ONE HOUR PHOTO

US, 2002, 84 minutes, Colour.
Robin Williams, Connie Neilson, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole, Dylan Smith, Eriq la Salle.
Directed by Mark Romanek.

This is an impressive psychological portrait of a suburban loner, the one hour photo guy down at the developing shop in the local shopping mall. We know that something sinister has happened right from the start when we see Robin Williams being interrogated by police officer, Eriq La Salle. The film is a flashback, narrated by Williams, with many observations about why we take photos, why we choose pleasant subjects and why we rush to save them if an accident occurs to our house.

Williams is Sy Parrish, a single middle-aged eccentric, who has a very affable manner which covers personal rage - which is finally and alarmingly revealed. He is also a stalker, not that he would see himself as such but he is obsessed with a particular family, especially the wife (Connie Neilson) who has always been friendly and courteous over the years of delivering film for developing. He also dotes on her son who is now nine. They are, literally, the family of his dreams.

Williams, who made Insomnia with his portrait of a vicious killer at the same period, acts against his usual screen persona, speaking quietly and sometimes scarcely moving. This makes Sy Parrish quite credible in an eerie kind of way and is a tribute to Williams' versatility. Audiences who think they are coming to see an action thriller will find the pace of the film too slow. Those who are prepared to watch and study the fine detail of the film and the interactions will not be disappointed.

1.A Robin Williams vehicle? Different from his comic roles? Serious, still, intense, introverted? Violent obsession?

2.The film as a suburban nightmare? Scenes in the mall, houses, streets, restaurants, hotels? Audiences identifying with the family, family life – and the threats?

3.The significance of the visuals, the visual composition of frames and scenes? The credits, the photos, the police centre and its antiseptic and clean tone? The framing of characters? The clarity of colour? The different photos, the collection? Cy and his theory photos stopping time? The comment that the family had a life out of a magazine? Giving a visual tone to the film?

4.The tension, pace, editing? The different strands, Cy's story, the family’s story? The suggestion of what was going on, especially in Cy's mind, the visualising of his dreams and nightmares?

5.The framework, Cy being interrogated? The significance of his voice-over, his calm appraisal of what was going on, his theories about family life? His comments on the family? His tone, the range of customers and their involvement: the new parents, the woman with the cats, the insurance claimer, cosmetics before and after surgery, the individual pornographer? The photos giving a true picture of people’s lives? His observation that photos are what people wanted to save if there was a fire in the house? The return to the police interrogation, audience awareness of what had happened, understanding of Cy? His courtesy towards the interrogator? Asking him questions? About family, commenting on his kindness? His finally looking at the photos – and the irony that they were not of the husband and the girlfriend but rather of aspects of the furniture in the hotel room?

6.The portrait of Cy, at work, Yoshi and their collaboration, the family coming, the photos, his making three copies, keeping one for himself? Photographing himself and its turning up in the home? His diligent work, doing favours for the family, the size of the photos, the gift of the camera? The lights going out, his leaving work, alone in the restaurant? His observing, the car window and its being smashed? At home, watching The Simpsons on television, The Day the Earth Stood Still? The wall of photos and the collection of the family over its history?

7.The portrait of the family, the birthday party, relationships, the wife going to the shop, meeting Cy, not particularly interested in him but courteous? Jake and the computer games, playing at home, by himself? The wife looking at the photos? The fight with her husband, calling him emotionally neglectful? Jake, the football game with his father? A nice family – with tension?

8.The workplace, the mall, the developing machine broken and the crankiness of the tradesman? Bill and the discussion with Cy about eruptions in the mall? Letting him know his place in the food chain? Cy, at work, reading Depak Chopra as Nina was? The market, buying the old photo and passing it off as his mother?

9.Will, the visit to the mall, the encounter with Cy, his attitude, Cy seeing Jake wanting the computer game? Later giving it to him and Jake’s refusal?

10.Cy intruding in the house, watching the television, going to the toilet, it suddenly becoming a dream? Watching the football and supporting Jake against the referee? Offering the game, the gift? The overtones of the stalker, preying on children?

11.Maya, her visit to the store, her photos, Cy's discovery of the affair? The devastating effect?

12.Nina, following her, the discussion in the cafeteria, especially about the book?

13.Bill, his anger with Cy, the discrepancy about the number of prints made, letting him go? Cy's response, inner anger, abrupt with Nina? Breaking the camera? His leaving Yoshi, Yoshi’s thanks? His stealing the knife? His changing the photos, giving them to Nina, following in the car, watching her stop the car, Nina’s anger? The consequence of his bloodstained nightmare?

14.Watching The Day the Earth Stood Still – and the alien’s comments about life on planet Earth? Relevance to Cy's world?

15.The build-up to his vengeance, his comments about snapshot coming from hunting and quick shooting? His own hunting? Returning to the mall, Bill’s anger with him? Following Will and Maya?

16.The photos of Bill’s child, Yoshi bringing them, the police, trying to get in touch with Will, Nina’s phone calls and anger?

17.Cy going to the hotel, booking in, the room, the intrusion, the device of room service, his wanting to control both Will and Maya, naked, posing, the photographs? His escaping from the hotel, the pursuit, the car ramp and his arrest?

18.Everybody safe, Will not harmed physically, Maya in the bath? His shamefaced return home – the ambiguity of the future?

19.Cy's final speech, about family and the police, the dramatic recount of parents abusing children, his own life, his being photographed? The trauma and its effect on him? His own pictures – and the ambiguity about his future?

20.A film about an obsessive recluse, a traumatised growing into a traumatised adult, the dangers for family, preying and the possibility of being a predator while stalking children?

NIGHT INTO MORNING

US, 1951, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Ray Milland, Nancy Davis, John Hodiak, Jean Hagen, Lewis Stone, Dawn Addams.
Directed by Fletcher Markle.

Night Into Morning is a small-budget black and white feature from MGM in the early 50s, a time when supporting films for double programs had strong casts. Oscar winner Ray Milland is the focus of this film, playing a professor whose wife and child are accidentally killed and who cannot cope, refuses to grieve, continues to work stoically, begins to drink. Nancy Davis (Nancy Reagan) is a good friend, a war widow who helps him in his grief. Jean Hagen has a small role as the woman next door.

The film is of its time, shows middle America – but is strong on issues of grief and grief counselling.

1.Interesting film? Entertaining? Of its time?

2.Middle America, homes, hotels, universities? Black and white photography? Musical score?

3.The credibility of the plot, the title and its focus on Philip’s journey of grief?

4.Death, the quotation from Richard II about grief and death, the sadness of death, the war widows from World War Two, accidental deaths, the inability to grieve, the stoic lack of emotion, emphasis on intellect rather than emotions, the need for weeping, the consequences in life, aggression, drinking? How well did the film illustrate the pathology of someone unable to grieve?

5.The focus on the young boy at the beginning, in the flower garden, the complaints of the neighbour, Philip and Timmy, Anne? The happy family? The explosion, death, the funeral?

6.Philip, married twelve years, devoted to his son? Love for his wife? Going to work, the lecture on Shakespeare, Richard II, the students? The impact of the news, his grief at home? Not weeping? The funeral, going to work? Going to the hotel, drinking, Edith and her friendship, buying him the bottle? In his room, lonely? His friendship with Katherine, knowing her grief, her attempts to help him? Tom and his help, his inability to understand at times? The sympathy of the head of department, the faculty? The possibility of a holiday? His refusal, his severity with the students, inquisition in class, severity of exams, failing Chuck? The appeal by Dottie? The continued intervention by Katherine? His signing his goods away to them, the attempt at suicide, Katherine sensing it, saving him? The breakdown and weeping? His return to Tom, to the class, his final speech to them about the interconnectedness of their lives?

7.Katherine, war widow, working at the university, her love for Tom? Her continued interest in Philip, devotion to him, intervening, trying to help, getting Tom to follow to the hotel, sensing that he was going to commit suicide? The tension of her relationship with Tom?

8.Tom, at the university, not having suffered such grief, love for Katherine, trying to help Philip, Philip’s refusal, Katherine’s continual help, his jealousy, anger at her? The reconciliation?

9.The minor characters in Philip’s grief, the neighbouring boy and giving him the bike yet frightening him, the final gift? The girl next door, her advances? Dottie and her coming to plead with him, the driving, the accident, the humiliation of his being in court, fined? Chuck and his sport, baby sitting for Phil, his failure in the exam, the discussions about Richard II? The kindly waitress at the hotel?

10.University life, the atmosphere, support? Philip and his saying all the right things about coping – yet not coping?

SHARK TALE

US, 2004, 90 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Will Smith, Rene Zellwegger, Angelina Jolie, Robert de Niro, Martin Scorsese, Jack Black, Peter Falk.
Directed by Bibo Bergeron, Vicki Jenson.

This is one of those films where you wish you could review more enthusiastically, but can’t. Having seen it with an audience of children, I am conscious that they did not laugh very much and the littlies were restless. While there is plenty of colour and movement on the screen, the tale is really geared for grown-ups, as is the smart dialogue and the movie references and parodies. This means that it is quite entertaining, but (as many of the children said, it is not Finding Nemo).

The idea of having a sub-marine New York City, complete with shops, TV, traffic and the Mafia (the sharks) is an amusing one. Much of the enjoyment comes from life in the sea being a parody of land life. With the Mafia, there is a plot of standover tactics by the Don (Robert de Niro), his younger son being unable to be a killer (Jack Black) and a hero fish who is believed to be a shark killer, fosters the legend and enjoys the celebrity (Will Smith) much to the disgust of his girlfriend (Renee Zellwegger). Martin Scorsese voices his agent and Angelina Jolie is the fish fatale. You will notice Peter Falk’s voice as well as a consigliere.

All this is very clever, especially with the animation figures looking like Smith, Scorsese and de Niro. But, it is more of a pastime than a classic animation film.

1.The popularity of the film? Not a total success?

2.The impact for children? Enough action and humour? For adults – and their knowing their movies, for film buffs?

3.The animation style, computer graphics, traditional animation? The drawing of the city under the sea, the anthropomorphising of the fish? The blend of comedy, action, pathos? The songs?

4.The quality of the voices, the characters looking like the actors voicing them? The sound, the tone, the jokes?

5.The underwater city, the parallels with American cities, especially New York? Audiences enjoying the detail and the parallels, the style, the dwellings, TV reporters, whale wash…?

6.The movies associated with the stars and the film drawing on these: the work of Will Smith and his kinetic style, Renee Zellwegger as heroine, Angelina Jolie as villain, Robert de Niro as Godfather, Jack Black and his comic voice, Martin Scorsese as the agent, Peter Falk as the counsellor? The blend?

7.The work of Don Lino, the sharks, Lino and his sons, the parallels with the Godfather? Lennie, soft, a vegetarian? The contrast with Frankie? The expectations of Don Lino? The tension for Lennie and his failure to be a proper shark?

8.Oscar’s story, the voice of Will Smith, his girlfriend, Renee Zellwegger? Working at the whale wash, the owner, the Martin Scorsese clipped enunciation? His ambitions, wanting to become a hero, love for Angie, love for gambling, the races? Sykes and his character, domination, sending Oscar out to sea?

9.Lennie and Frankie, Lennie having to learn to kill, his not wanting to eat Oscar? Frankie and his being killed by the anchor? An opportunity for Oscar, the celebrity, the shark slayer, the response of Lola coming on to him, Angie?

10.The character of Angie, nice, the relationship with Oscar, at the whale wash, feeling betrayed? Saving Oscar? Lola, the contrast with Angelina Jolie’s style, the vamp, exploiting Oscar?

11.Lennie hiding, Oscar and his pretending to kill Lennie? The bond between the two? His helping Lennie to survive?

12.Lola, her attitude towards Angie, her vengeance on being rejected by Oscar? Going to Don Lino? Taking Angie, using her for bait?

13.Lennie and his saving Angie, the dolphin disguise?

14.Don Lino, his pursuit, his attitude towards Oscar, going to the whale wash?

15.Oscar, Sykes, their being hauled before Don Lino, the counsellors, the meeting, the judgments? Oscar’s confession?

16.The happy reconciliation – and the reef being safe?

17.Oscar and his final celebrity after his honesty? Sykes and his being opportunistic?

18.The range of supporting characters, Peter Falk as the counsellor, the television interviewer and the style of interviews under the sea? Friends? The social background? The world of the sharks? The city world of the fish?

EXTREME OPS

US, 2003, 93 minutes, Colour.
Devon Sawa, Brigitte Wilson- Sampras, Rufus Sewell, Rupert Graves, Joe Absolom.
Directed by Christian Duguay.

Extreme Ops is a rather mindless action adventure. It is an occasion for a whole deal of stunt works, firstly at a waterfall and rapids, mainly in the Austrian Alps.

The film focuses on a brash group making a commercial. Rupert Graves is (with an American accent) the producer, Rufus Sewell the director – a surprise with both of them in this kind of film. Devon Sawa (Final Destination films) is an innocuous hero. Mrs Sampras, Brigitte Wilson, is a ski champion. Joe Absolom has an opportunity to do all kinds of stunt work.

The film shows the group, without much characterisation, daring the rapids, squabbling amongst themselves, going to Austria to film a commercial for a Japanese camera manufacturer. There is a great deal of stunt work in the Alps, especially with skiing, with avalanches, with a helicopter pursuing the hapless group. This is because they encounter a group of Serbs who are taking refuge in a mountaintop eyrie. There is the inevitable shoot-out, a helicopter explosion – and a happy ending in New York. Christian Duguay has directed a number of action films including The Assignment.

1.The popularity of this kind of action film? On the big screen? Straight to video and DVD?

2.The title, expectations? Extreme operations in film-making, commercials, stunt work? Extreme operations in the Balkans and the aftermath of the 90s civil war?

3.The special effects, the action sequences, skydiving, the rapids, skateboarding, skiing, the avalanches?

4.The locations, the Canadian rapids, the Austrian mountains? The aerial shots (Steadicam by the director himself who also directed second unit)? The visual impact of the film? Musical score?

5.The commercials group: Will, self-indulgent, fearful on the plane, his parachute, his camera work? His interaction with Kitty, with Chloe? In the sauna? With the criminals? Skiing down the mountain, the parachuting, photographing? Ian as the director, trying to talk on the mobile phone, the clashes with Jeffrey? On the mountain, his antagonism towards Chloe, the final avalanche and his skiing with her, the success of the commercial? Jeffrey as the American producer, something of an idiot, prone to accidents, spoilt, people ridiculing him, the Serbs and their taking him? His achievement? Chloe, the ski champion, her fearfulness on the mountain, eventually skiing? Sylo and Kitty, the band, the daredevil work, Kitty and the drugs, the attraction towards Will, his getting her to promise a date? Sylo and his skills, stunts, the sauna? Being left on the mountain with Kitty, her trying to shoot the helicopter? The achievement of surviving and making the commercial?

6.The Serbs, the newspapers, the woman on the train – and her relationship with the refugee, with Jeffrey, going to New York and working with him? The plane crash, the parallels with the Bosnian and Serb leaders from the 90s, hiding in the mountains? Their henchmen, loyalties, clashes, shoot-outs, the helicopter? Desperation? The destruction of the helicopter?

7.The two strands of the plot combining – credibly or not?

8.The popularity of this kind of action adventure – mindless entertainment?

OCEAN’S TWELVE

US, 2004, 120 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Vincent Cassell, Elliot Gould, Don Cheadle, Carl Reiner, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Bernie Mac, Eddie Jemeson, Cherry Jones, Eddie Izzard, Robbie Coltrane, Jeroen Krabbe, Bruce Willis, Albert Finney.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

It's more of the same. If you enjoyed Oceans Eleven, then why not the sequel?

All the crew are back again. After all, casino owner, Andy Garcia, who was robbed last time, wants his money back – with interest. How can they get the money when so many of them have spent a great deal of it? Another robbery, of course. However, this is not so meticulously planned as the first time. In fact, the screenplay leaves quite a number of holes until the end and I am not sure whether we could all accurately given an account of what happened chronologically if we were interviewed as we came out of the cinema.

The action takes place in more exotic locations than in Las Vegas. There are episodes in Amsterdam, northern Italy, Spain and the main action in Rome. It all looks postcard-attractive.

George Clooney leads the new rat pack with Brad Pitt as his loyal lieutenant (though not as funny as the first time). The funny bits are left to Matt Damon who plays shrewd dimwit very amusingly. Elliot Gould has some good lines too. Pity that Don Cheadle brought his faux London accent back.

There is glamour aplenty with Catherine Zeta Jones. There is glamour lacking with Julia Roberts who looks quite terribly gaunt. However, she has an enjoyable time as her character, Tess, has to facilitate the robbery by pretending to be - Julia Roberts on a visit to Rome. Good fun satirising the cult of celebrities, especially with Bruce Willis there as himself trying to chat up Julia/Tess. Vincent Cassell has a substantial role as their rival cat burglar.

And that's about it.

1.The popularity of the 1960s film, the Rat Pack? The 2000 remake? Entertainment, flair, the strong cast, the ingenious plot? The repetitions and the style of the sequel?

2.The work of the director, popular as well as art style? The strong cast, the fun guests, Julia Roberts’s character impersonating Julia Roberts?

3.The various settings, Terry Benedict and his character, memories of the first film, his henchmen, his visiting all the members of the team, their diverse locations? The American atmosphere, the transition to Amsterdam, Lake Como, Rome? The musical score?

4.The convolutions of the plot, clarity or not, the confidence tricks, the twists, the gaps in the plot, filled in by the flashbacks? Everything clear by the end?

5.The camaraderie in the group, meeting and discussing paying back the money to Terry Benedict, the jokes about each of the characters, Benedict’s confrontations with each of them? The members, their expertise? Not stealing money, the art thefts, the Faberge egg?

6.The audience, response to their robberies, the amoral tone? Breezy and comic?

7.The title, the focus on Danny Ocean, his character, his marriage to Tess, Terry Benedict and the confrontation with Tess, her phone call, buying the jewels, rushing home? The bond between himself and Tess? The bond with the members of the team? Collecting them, acting as leader, the plan, the interactions with Rusty – and Rusty finishing his sentences? The plans, the arch-thief, Lamarck? The transition to Amsterdam, the comic discussion with Robbie Coltrane and Linus not understanding? The artist in Amsterdam, the recluse? The master thief, his home at Lake Como, the stealing of the paintings? The competitiveness, bet with him about stealing the egg? The plan, their lining up at the gallery, their being arrested, in prison? Linus escaping? Their getting out? Tess and her being persuaded to come to Italy, to pretend to be Julia Roberts, the effect of the scam? The flashbacks to what really happened, the substitution of the egg, the plans with the computer expert and the hologram of the egg? Isabella reunited with her father?

8.Rusty and Isabel, their relationship, her talking about catching the thieves, his trying to get away? His being caught by Benedict, running the hotels, glad to be back with the team? His being the deputy? His character, asleep in the plane and Linus talking with him, waking him up? His relationship with Ocean? The relationship with Isabel, the plot, the thefts? Isabel and her work, the police, forging the document, trying to catch the criminals, the confrontation with Tess and getting the autograph, the information about where Julia Roberts really was? Her discovering her father and the reconciliation?

9.Linus, a nice person, a bit slow on the uptake? Ocean and Rusty leading him on? The jokes with Robbie Coltrane and his not comprehending? Trying out? Talking with Rusty on the plane, feeling that he should be promoted? His not being arrested, the plan with Tess as Julia Roberts, his arranging it, posing as the agent? Having to deal with Bruce Willis, the police, getting Tess into the museum, the display, the hurry, the robbery? His being arrested, the others in the group, in jail, the interview with the policewoman – and the irony of it being his mother and the plan for escape?

10.The Englishman, his English patter, his contribution to the team? Virgil and his friend, the wedding, Terry Benedict finding them? Their friendship, on the job, missing the master thief scaling the wall?

11.Frank, his character, early in prison?

12.Sol, old, too old for the scam, Terry Benedict accosting him in the club? His not wanting to participate, his feeling out of it, turning up, his participation in the Julia Roberts scam?

13.Elliot Gould as the accountant, saving his money, participating in the plan, his being arrested?

14.The gymnastic Asian, his participation, the other members of the team?

15.Their all being caught at the gallery, in prison, a cover, their getting out?

16.The activity in Amsterdam, the robbery in Lake Como?

17.The master thief, French, his character, vanity, skills, the bet, disguises and discussions with Isabel, scaling the wall, his acrobatics through the laser beams? His triumph at the end, the irony when Ocean explained what happened, his paying up?

18.Tess and the past relationship with Terry Benedict? Her staying at home, her being tricked to come to Rome, getting her to pose as Julia Roberts, the comic tone, the poking fun at the image of Julia Roberts, pregnant, the celebrity in the hotel, the autograph and her being unmasked?

19.Bruce Willis’s cameo, his friendship with Julia Roberts, his tagging along?

20.Albert Finney as Isabel’s father, the reunion?

21.A 21st century Rat Pack kind of movie – keeping the mood, even more Rat Pack than the original 60s film?

KINSEY

US, 2004, 120 minutes, Colour.
Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris O’ Donnell, Timothy Hutton, John Lithgow, Tim Currie, Oliver Platt, Veronica Cartwright, Dylan Baker, Lynn Redgrave.
Directed by Bill Condon.

Kinsey is a well-written, intelligent biopic of the renowned sexologist. Clearly its subject matter is a minefield: the sexual behaviour of American men and women in the 20th century. Kinsey published his book on men in 1948 and his book on women in the early 50s. He was dead by 1956. He belongs to an era when the subject matter was not spoken about publicly in the United States, where research was limited and research and interviewing techniques still in development. It was also the era of the Depression, World War II, the Cold War and hearings into Un- American activities. Looking at Kinsey at the beginning of the 21st century, listening to its quite frank screenplay, looking at some of its images, this is a film that Kinsey might have only imagined and never believed would be made.

Bill Condon wrote and directed the biography of director, James Whale, Gods and Monsters. He also wrote the screenplay for the film version of Chicago. His writing skills are in evidence in the way that he has structured this biography, how he has evoked Kinsey's very strict household, Kinsey’s early career studying insects and producing research on thousands of specimens, his move from insects to studying the variety in human beings to the limited courses on sexuality in Indiana universities in the 1930s, to his move towards his famous research.

Kinsey has been blamed for everything that followed in the decades after his death from the pill to gay marriages and all kinds of permissiveness. In retrospect, it is clear that psychologists from Freud, to sexologists from Havelock Ellis, were moving the study of human sexuality to centre focus. Kinsey was articulating this, uncovering taboos and enabling doctors, philosophers, moralists to probe more deeply into normal and aberrant behaviour.

Kinsey himself was a strong man who was not above being caught up in the dangers that his investigations could lead to, permissiveness in relationships, his own and those of his interviewers, to same sex encounters. He was open to attacks concerning his own moral stances - many of which were resurrected by American groups and boycott movements on the release of this film.

With a respected actor like Liam Neeson playing Kinsey, there is a gravity in the treatment and in the character study. Laura Linney leads a wide-ranging supporting cast as his wife, John Lithgow as his father and Peter Sarsgaard as his chief researcher and confidant.

We all probably take a prurient curiosity into watching this film. That is natural. What the film offers in the space of two hours is an opportunity to understand Kinsey better in his context and to evaluate what has happened in sex research, writing and discussion in the ensuing fifty years.

1.Kinsey’s reputation, studies, influence? Audience interest in sexology in the 20th century? Relevance for the 21st century?

2.Differing moral attitude towards Kinsey and his work? The subject, the treatment, methodology, consequences for society? Awareness of sexuality? Every person being different? Insight, permissiveness?

3.Kinsey as a strict scientist, gathering data, statistics, measurements, quantity and quality? Issues of reliability? The veracity of those interviewed?

4.The re-creation of the period, the early 20th century and its look, homes, small towns, shops, the developing century and universities, lifestyles? Costumes and décor? From 1900 to the television age? The exterior shots? The woods, the animals? The credits at the end and Kinsey’s own animal sequences?

5.The structure: Clyde and his interviewing Kinsey, Pomeroy and Gephardt and their questions? Clyde and his particular perspective? Kinsey and his answering all the questions on the questionnaire, his giving advice to his proteges about how to ask the questions?

6.The black and white scenes of the questioning and the advice? The three proteges, their research, the questionnaire techniques, ease, the issue of multiple questions, not judging (and Pomeroy later walking out of the interview with the older man and his sexual prowess?

7.The early biography of Kinsey, the facts about his background, childhood, illnesses, relationship with his mother, siblings, his father – and his reaction to mention of his father?

8.His going to the woods as a boy, observation, the animals, study and learning? His scouts’ experience, the discussions about sexuality, prayer and the young man praying with him in the woods? His father, the domestic humiliations?

9.The influence of his father, his reaction to him, his imitating him in later life, wanting his approval, a final reconciliation of sorts? His father’s character? The preaching scene, the denunciation of everything permissive and new? At the college, his despising his son’s career course? The shop and the cigarettes and Alfred defying him? His leaving home, his return with Mac and his wanting her to meet and understand his father, his father’s domination at the table, ridiculing his wife? His brother? The transition to the funeral, the father’s bitterness? His despising his son, Alfred confronting him in front of the visitors? His going to answer the questions, his explanation about his childhood and the strap, his son’s compassion for him?

10.The world of insects, Kinsey’s research, zoology? The months alone collecting samples? His study, the collection, his identifying and pinning them? His lecture and enthusiasm, the students, the women, Mac and her devotion? Meeting him on the picnic lawn? Their shared interests? The gift of the shoes, the kiss? Mac not sure about marrying him, another proposal, his studying and her agreeing to marry him? The first night, the sexual difficulties, the strain on each of them? The visit to the Kinsey family? The voice-over and the story about family, the arrival of the children, their growing up?

11.The 20th century and their sexual attitudes, virgins, the difficulty of the first night, consulting the doctor, the physiology difficulties and their cure, the bond between them, sexual experience, laughter?

12.Kinsey’s preoccupations, sexual problems, discussions, his concern, wanting better information? The decision to have the class, the discussion with the principal of the college, the professor and his teaching sexuality and hygiene, the opposition to Kinsey’s ideas? The president, the party concerning his book – and few people reading his tomes? The agreement for the lectures, the limitation of those able to attend, Clyde and his presence, Mac and her presence? The explicit language, frank language, the frank slides? Students and some embarrassment, the discussions about sexual stimulation etc?

13.His beginning his research, the people coming to him for counselling, the young couple and their being no research available? The meeting with Clyde in the rain, inviting him to be a researcher? The interviews with the other two? Mac and her support? The building up of the questionnaire, the range of interviews?

14.Chicago, going to the gay bar, accosting the clients, the mixed reactions? Their stories, the young man and his story? Rooming with Clyde, Clyde and his going to the shower, sitting on the bed, the discussion about where men stood, one to six, about homosexual leanings, Clyde’s approach, the effect on Kinsey, the kiss? His talking it over frankly with Mac? Her reaction, her language concerning feelings, love rather than statistics? The issues of feeling, hurt, truth? Kinsey and his focus on scientific evidence and people’s case histories rather than morality or expectations of society? Mac and her later friendship with Clyde, discussions, the sexual encounter?

15.The dangers for the personnel, Clyde and his marriage, Alice and Gephardt, the marriage break-up, adultery, the consequences? Kinsey’s disapproval and telling Gephardt to break off the affair? The danger of prurience, observation of sexual behaviour, filming? The proteges and their participation in the experiments – the older lady and her being filmed?

16.The interviews, the collage, the map of the US, the range of stories, the links, the data?

17.The Rockefeller Foundation, the president and the board, his persuading the board to approve Kinsey’s book? The representative of the Rockefeller Foundation, Kinsey’s full-on asking for money, explaining things, the meal, Mac trying to be diplomatic? The reaction of the representative, the enthusiasm for Kinsey’s work? The atmosphere around 1950, the anti-Communist investigations, J. Edgar Hoover and homosexuals in departments, the suspicion of Kinsey’s work, the Rockefeller Foundation severing links? Kinsey and Mac watching, the researchers watching?

18.The difficulties of money grants, the dinner with the Hartfords and the conversation, their unwillingness to be associated with sexology? The reactions of the press, interviews, the magazine stories, negative reactions, negative phone calls?

19.Kinsey as a person, relentless and thorough, even obsessed, getting the data, the questionnaires, workaholic – his lecture, people walking out, his collapse? His hardness on the staff? Reliance on Mac?

20.The final interviews, the man with the long data about his sexual activity, his prowess, the details, Pomeroy and his walking out? The elderly lady, the discussion of her lesbian leanings, her suicidal approach, Kinsey saving her life, her gratitude?

21.Mac, a good woman, supporting her husband, loving him, bringing up the children, patient when her husband was like his own father with his children? With Clyde? The finale – in the woods?

22.The moral perspective on Kinsey’s work, on the role of sexuality, in American discussions about sexuality, the Puritan tradition, permissiveness in fact? The reaction of government, churches? The case of the pornography being imported and the Customs case? The role of science, the separation of science from moral issues? The need for mutual interaction – Kinsey’s own behaviour, stricter attitudes, Mac’s contribution to the discussion?

23.The finale in the forest, the wonder at the trees, his rekindled enthusiasm and dedication? His achievement despite his limitations

ELLA ENCHANTED

US, 2004, 103 minutes, Colour.
Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancey, Carey Elwes, Patrick Bergen, Joanna Lumley, Steve Coogan, Aiden Mc Ardle, Viveca A. Fox, Lucy Punch.
Directed by Tommy O’ Haver.

2004 seems to have been a year for a Hollywood obsession with royalty and Cinderella stories. Not only was there The Prince and Me, The Princess Diaries 2, there was A Cinderella Story. And Ella Enchanted (with Anne Hathaway of The Princess Diaries having another bout with fairy tales).

This Cinderella variation is quite good fun. It is in the vein of that very amusing spoof of fairy tales, The Princess Bride. This one is not so sharp or smart but, taken with a grain of salt, it is good fun.

Poor Ella starts life with a blessing (or curse) that she will obey every order she is given. This proves difficult at school, but is worse when her mother dies and father (Patrick Bergin) brings home an ugly stepmother (Joanna Lumley in her Patsy, Ab Fab, style) and two stepsisters (Lucy Punch is excellent as the older, presumptuous one). Hugh Dancey is Char – Prince Charmont – who has to learn to be a humane prince, especially when his wicked uncle wants the kingdom with its singing elves, worker giants and ugly ogres. Who should be the wicked uncle but Cary Elwes, who all those years ago was Westley who married the princess bride. One can grow old and smile (said Hamlet) and then be a villain.

Sets are enjoyable though the special effects look like smaller budget work. Still, there is Eric Idle as the narrator, Steve Coogan as the evil adviser, Aiden Mc Ardle who wants to be a lawyer instead of an elf that sings, Jimi Mistry as a face in a mirror and Minnie Driver as Ella’s aunt. Speaking of singing, there is a musical turn as Ella sings ‘Somebody to Love’ and there is an old-fashioned finale with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’.

It has all the makings of being turned into a stage pantomime for Christmas.

1.The Princess Bride tradition, the fairy tale, the modern take on the fairy tale, the comic tone, ironies, parallels, fun? The quality of this film in this tradition – but not quite as sharp?

2.The intended audience, children, girls, parents? Characters and incidents and comedy for each?

3.The title, the Cinderella story, audience expectations, the parallels, the breaking of the parallels? The enchanted and spell?

4.The voice-over, Eric Idle as the Common Man, his verse, his tongue-in-cheek approach, the humour, the various jobs and his various appearances?

5.The mediaeval setting, the fairy tale, nobility, the commoners, the prince, the bad uncle? The elves, the giants and ogres? Wars, tyrants, magic? Social justice issues? And all treated in an up-to-date style with historical fans, malls and moving escalators…?

6.The range of songs, the musical score, the modern tone, Ella’s song, the grand finale with ‘Don't Go Breaking My Heart’?

7.Ella, her birth, the fairy coming and giving her the gift of obedience, her mother and aunt, in attendance, their not wanting the gift? The father, his poverty, having to travel to make ends meet? Ella growing up, obedient to everything, the spell taking her over despite her mind and heart? At school, with her friends? The fairy disappearing and needing to be found? Her mother dying, bequeathing her the wisdom that her own personality was within? The father going on his work, marrying again, the ugly stepmother and her daughters?

8.The marriage, the character of the father, the ugly stepmother, Joanna Lumley’s style, the sisters and their ugliness, taking the closet space, throwing things out, wanting everything? Their being fans of Prince Char? The mother and the plan, their being anti-Ella? The stepmother and her fostering her daughters, condemning Ella – and the comedy of her final facelift?

9.Ella, nice, her friendship and the girls getting rid of the friendship and forcing her to be sent away? Her aunt, her devotion to her niece? Hattie and using the obedience? The awkwardness for Ella, doing the opposite of what she wanted – and the comic style – freezing in mid-air…?

10.The uncle as the villain, Char and his coming home from education, his going to be crowned, the girls as hysterical fans as of a rock star, his approach, not wanting the adulation? The sisters and their being the biggest fans, Hattie and her throwing herself at Char?

11.The character of the uncle, the snake in his voice, the sinister plans, the revelation of the past, his killing Char’s father, bringing up Char, welcoming him home, intending to kill him, take the crown? Learning from Hattie about Ella’s spell? Using her, giving her the knife? His poisoning the crown – and the irony of his outburst and putting it on his own head?

12.Char, his type, the handsome young prince, wanting to have his feet on the ground, with Ella, and his saving her several times, going riding with her, her giving him ideas? Ella and his change of heart, her changing her mind? The encounters with the ogres and the giants, the elves, the elf wanting to study law and Char ready to change the laws? The plans for the coronation, the dance and his proposing to Ella, her refusal, Ella coming with the knife, her finding strength within herself not to kill him? The crown, the uncle putting it on his head? Ella saving Char? The happy marriage?

13.Ella and the fairy world, the spell, the talking book, going on the journey with her, the elves and their having to sing songs, the elf wanting to study the law? The ogres and their meanness? Their saving Ella? The giants and their being oppressed, working in the concentration camp and the vegetable garden? The role of the uncle, Ella in love, the knife, the control and her heart winning over her spell?

14.The talking book, his character, being released? In love with Ella’s aunt and her giving her the book? The comedy of his opening, showing where people were?

15.The elf who wanted to study law?

16.The grand finale, the crown, the marriage?

17.Hattie, her disagreeable character, using Ella, making her obey? Her dim-witted sister?

18.The wit, the jokes, the satire, the enjoyable modern parallels with the world of the fairy story? A satisfying and entertaining romantic comedy?

SLEEPOVER

US, 2004, 89 minutes, Colour.
Alex Vega, Mika Boorem, Jane Lynch, Sara Paxton.
Directed by Joe Nussbaum.

Sleepover is aimed at its target audience, younger teenage girls, very squarely – but perhaps not fairly.

Four friends, looked down on by the rest of the class, decide to have a sleepover at Julie’s house but go out on the town. They have a series of adventures which include deciding to go on a scavenger hunt throughout the night against their popular rivals. Their activity involves hijacking one of their fathers’ cars. They also go into some clubs, have to escape Julie’s mother. There is even a touch of romance.

However, more adult audiences may find these kinds of high jinks rather hard to sit through.

Alexa Vega is Julie. She made an impact in the Spy Kids series. The other leader is Mika Boorem who had some good roles from 2000 on in such films as The Patriot, Along Came a Spider, Hearts in Atlantis and Riding in Cars with Boys. She also appeared in a number of episodes of Dawson’s Creek.

The film was directed by Joe Nussbaum who had made only a short film prior to this but was in pre-preparation for American Pie 5. (Some compensation for adults is the appearance of comedian Jane Lynch as well as an appearance by Steve Carell as Officer Sherman.)

1.The niche audience for the film? Girls, parents? Fourteen-year-old girls? Dreams and fantasies?

2.The high school film tradition, the PG rating, the focus on fourteen-year-olds and their worlds and problems?

3.The title, the American custom, the girls, the sleepover, end of school year, their parents, rules, disobeying them? Consequences?

4.The atmosphere of the mean girls films? The ordinary girls, the so-called aristocratic and snobby girls, their presumptions, looking down on the ordinary girls?

5.Julie and her friend going to leave for Vancouver, school over, coming out of classes, the discussions with Stacey, her pulling out of the slumber party to go to the dance, her picking on Yancey for her size, their inviting Yancey to the sleepover – and the friend later admitting that she was there to fill up the gap? Her being hurt?

6.Stacey, meanness, going to the dance, her boyfriend ditching her, her inability to cope, her plan, going to Julie’s place, the treasure hunt, the snobbish girl and her being in league with her? The rules?

7.Julie, her relationship with her mother, her mother’s directness, her going out, at the dance and seeming young, to Julie’s shock? Dad, practical, the water in the house, fixing the pipes – and the disasters with the hole in the roof etc? Julie’s brother, back from college, lazy, wanting money? His covering for her?

8.Julie forced to go on the treasure hunt, the noise, the policeman at the door, later meeting him with the small car, his trying to take her in? The escape? The different tasks, getting the scarf, going to the dance, seeing her mother, dropping her scarf? On the skateboard and getting home to answer her mother’s phone call? Steve seeing her and her being the girl of his dreams? Getting into his house, the shower, taking his boxer shorts? The policeman and his security, taking the plaque from the door of the car? Going to the dance, persuading the plain girl at the door that she would be like her in four years’ time and therefore should let her in? The dance, the need to get the crown, the bet with the girls? Steve, his speech, calling her up, giving her the crown, dancing with her? Going home, the trellis being broken, the tree-house crashing against the house, talking to her mother, the girls pretending to sleep? Her mother realising what had gone on? Steve, his arrival, the crown – and the kiss? The farewell to her friend?

9.The other girls, the friendship, helping Julie, Yancey and the car, all together, crashing the car, getting the power again? Going to the dance, Yancey hurt? Her being invited to dance and her happiness with the dance? Their all being back at the end, the sleepover?

10.The smug boy with Stacey, ditching her, lying to her, the other girl(s?) and their cattiness, the fight? Steve and his friend, skateboarding, seeing Julie, wanting to meet her, crowned, and giving her the crown, dancing with her, the kiss? The yob group, the champion dancer, with Stacey, not continuing the date, the photo of himself in a coma?

11.The parents, their relationship with their daughter, nice, the gawky brother, his going back to college?

12.The policeman, the oddball character, the comedy of his seriousness – and ringing his mother to pick him up?

13.Innocence, rites of passage – as if…?

AFTER THE SUNSET

US, 2004, 98 minutes, Colour.
Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, Don Cheadle, Naomi Harris, Chris Penn, Mykelti Williamson.
Directed by Brett Ratner.

Even Pierce Brosnan referred to After the Sunset as a popcorn movie. It has plenty of pop and plenty of corn.

After his James Bond films, Brosnan tries to do films that seems the antithesis of Bond. This is one of those caper stories. Despite his scruffy appearance, Brosnan is still, underneath, the suave well-spoken gentleman. Even if he is a famous jewel thief trying to live it down in the Caribbean, it doesn't matter. He is much the same.

Obviously, he is relaxing in this film. Salma Hayek is laying it on as a sex symbol and Woody Harrelson is laying it back as an FBI agent who is pursuing his quarry. Don Cheadle is a local nasty.

With plenty of panoramas of tropical islands, palm trees and sea sunsets, there is a diamond robbery, some chases, shootouts and double crosses. The innovative aspect is that Brosnan has the technology to trap people in cars and drive them by remote control.

Director, Brett Ratner, has shown he can direct a range of genres: Rush Hour, Family Man, the Hannibal Lecter drama, Red Dragon. It is all matinee stuff for the adult audience where film-makers and audiences are all on auto-pilot.

1.An entertaining confection? Caper and its consequences? Tropical romantic comedy? Cons and double-crosses? How entertaining – and forgettable or memorable?

2.The film as a Pierce Brosnan vehicle, the contrast with his image of James Bond, slouching around the tropics, the romance, the skill in his ability to steal jewels?

3.The film as a Woody Harrelson vehicle, the FBI agent, failing in his job, bonding with the criminal, the double-cross?

4.The Los Angeles setting, the opening robbery? The stunt work with the cars? The moving to the tropics? The beauty of the landscapes, the beaches? The luxury hotels? The homes? The musical score and songs?

5.The amoral tone of the film? Jewel thieves? The ingenuity of Max? the frustrations of Stanley Lloyd? Max and his working with Lola? The last job?

6.Stan, his being arrested when he came to the island, his being an FBI agent – and the irony that he was suspended from duty after his failure in the first robbery?

7.Max and Lola, the idyllic existence on the island, the romantic comedy?

8.The Napoleon Diamond, Stanley and his suspicions? Max and his putting Stan in the hotel? Going fishing with Stan? Sophie arresting Stan – and then having an affair with him?

9.Henri Moore as the local gangster, tough, Max and the arrangement for the robbery of the diamond, Max photographing the ship, the plans, giving them to Moore, advising him?

10.Lola, her wanting Max to settle down, her discovering the plan, her anger with him? Max and his spending the night at the hotel, with Stan, the homophobic jokes? The fighting?

11.The reconciliation with the two women, the scuba diving, persuading him that he has no intention of robbing, and his being absent during the scuba diving, undetected? Lola knowing what had happened? Her deciding to leave him?

12.Stan and Sophie, the discovery of the theft, Moore and his anger at Max and the double-cross? Moore and his wanting to shoot Max, Stan and Sophie killing him?

13.Max, the proposal?

14.Stan, the irony of his trying to con Max, his stealing the diamond? The irony as he drove away, the car, Max controlling the car and getting the diamond back?

15.A caper confection with tropical romance added in?

AALTRA

Belgium, 2004, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Benoit Delepine, Gustave K/vern.
Directed by Benoit Delepine, Gustave K/vern.

Aaltra is an offbeat black comedy (filmed in black and white). It comes from Belgium – and might be called a Belgian wheelchair road movie. When an owner and his farmhand continually clash and each loses a hand, they take to wheelchairs determined to go to Finland to find the factory where the equipment and machinery were built. They encounter various people on the roads – a Flemish family taking them to the beach (and their having to be rescued from the beach), Ben, an old man with his own wheelchair. They become involved in a motorbike rally. They go to a German family to recharge the batteries of their wheelchairs and impose on the family, eating them out of house and home. They finally arrive at the factory to find that it is staffed by wheelchair paraplegics.

The film won the Fipresci award at the London Film Festival. An amusing, wry comedy.

1.The impact of the film? Black comedy? Sardonic comedy from continental Europe? From Belgium?

2.The wide-screen black and white photography, grainy? Small budget? Sense of realism? The range of countries and the journey to Finland?

3.The European tone of the film, the humour, the characters, the black humour – without relief? The sequences in France, Belgium and Namur and the racetrack, Germany and the highways, the family homes, the ferry, Finland and the countryside, winter, the factories? Musical score?

4.The introduction to Benoit and Gustave? Gustave and his work in the fields, the tractor, going to sleep, his being rebuked? His wife leaving him? His despair, the attempted suicide? The introduction to Benoit, on the train, the commuter, the company, the demands made on him, expectations, his being sacked? His suspicions about his wife? In the spare room, the affair? His despair, attempted suicide? The irony of the two of them clashing on the road, the car and the tractor, the commuter being in a hurry, being prevented from getting to his destination by the tractor?

5.The antagonism of the two as they find themselves in hospital, the injuries, the visits? Their being released? The fighting, the tip-up trailer, their being caught in it? The discharge from hospital, the wheelchairs? Paralysed?

6.Their being of the station, waiting for the train, their money being stolen?

7.A wheelchair road movie? Hitchhiking on the roads, the motorcycle race in Namur, Ben and his delight in the racing? The decision to go to Finland, find the manufacturer of the trailer and sue them? This motivation, vengeance?

8.The Flemish family, taking them to the beach, their friendliness, their drinking, sitting of the seashore, the tide coming in, their having to be rescued?

9.Ben, the old man with the motorised wheelchair, his own manual wheelchair, no compunction in taking it?

10.The motorbike rally, Ben and his liking the bike, persuading the English owner to let him ride for three minutes? His going off, Gustave and the owner having to pursue them through the night, finding him crashed, the reaction of the owner?

11.Needing electricity, the chair and its need for recharging, the German family, their courtesy, the meal, their continued eating, the demands, ringing the bell during the night? The family getting rid of them?

12.The further hitchhiking, the ferry to Finland? The journey through Finland, the town? The demands in the factory, the compensation request? The manager, the explanation of the name of the firm? His sending them across town?

13.The arrival at Aaltra? Imitating the trailers and tractors? Staffed by wheelchair paraplegics? The discussion with the manager? His ironic comment about their familiarity with his work? Wanting to sue – but his offering them jobs instead?

14.The overall effect of this kind of austere black comedy, without relief, unsympathetic characters, disliking each other? Comments on human nature?