THE GOOD NIGHT

US, 2007, 93 minutes, Colour.
Martin Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Penelope Cruz, Simon Pegg.
Directed by Jake Paltrow.

An odd kind of film. More than a bit of the glums. Some dashes of glamour. A mid-life crisis fantasy.

During the final credits, a man in our audience stood up and yelled at the screen, several times, ‘Rubbish’. He was wrong but he was certainly making the point that if anyone was wanting a nice light night out, The Good Night was not a good night for them. It has a frowning, serious tone, the characteristic of its leading man, Martin Freeman.

The basic plot is quite familiar. A middle-aged musician who has greater hopes for his life is stuck composing jingles for commercials. This kind of thing does not worry his money-oriented womanising agent and friend (played by Simon Pegg). It does worry his girlfriend who has ambitions of her own in mounting an art exhibition – and she feels that they should take time out. She is played quite unglamorously by Gwynneth Paltrow.

In compensation, the musician starts having a series of dreams in which glamour personified by Penelope Cruz appears, communicating without words (while we have subtitles) and leading our hero on and on to compensatory fantasies. Then he meets her in real life and discovers that reality is more down to earth and ordinary than exotic dreams.

The film is well acted and mounted. It is just that it is all rather downcast – and could be mistaken for a European film which might get it a larger audience prepared to take it seriously. It was written and directed by Jake Paltrow, Gwynneth’s brother.

1.The impact of the drama, focus on relationships, midlife crises, dreams, fantasy and reality?

2.The title, Tom and his nights, dreams?

3.The New York settings, the world of commercials and scoring for commercials, agents, apartments, restaurants, models and shooting sets, the contrast with the beach and the fantasy world? Musical score – especially for Tom and his compositions?

4.The opening interviews, the comments, the former girlfriend, the musicians, the agents – their perspective on Tom, his character, behaviour, work, the band, going to the United States, relationship with Dora?

5.Tom, British, going to America, the relationship with Dora, seeing him at home, their lifestyle, reading, at nights, lights out, Dora saying that she loved Tom, his response? The ordinariness? His works, hopes, the commercials, the scenes in the studio, the recording? The past with the band? The agent, his friendship, push? Issues of money? Tom and his drab life, frustrated?

6.The character of Dora, plain, her life with Tom, the exhibition, the nightly ritual of saying she loved him? The meals, her friendship with the agent’s wife, the shock about the affair? Her personal tensions? Arguments, going to live with her friend? Going to Venice, the exhibition, her return? Not coming back to Tom?

7.Tom and his dreams, Penelope Cruz as the ideal fantasy? Not talking, the subtitles expressing what she was thinking, the lure, seductive, beautiful, the kiss? Tom and his other self? Waking?

8.The agent, his friendship, British, attitudes, his wife, affairs, seductive with women, his anger at his wife, reacting like a spoilt child? The recordings? Discussions with Tom, his insensitivity?

9.Dora’s return, meeting Tom, the exhibition, his going to the exhibition, the bond between them?

10.Tom meeting the Penelope Cruz fantasy as a real model, his reactions, the set-up, the agent’s interventions, the restaurant, his coming on, her resistance, her behaviour and leaving him stranded? His seeing the posters on the bus? Realism and fantasy?

11.The effect on him, his decision to compose something special, playing it for Dora during the exhibition, following her into the street, the accident? Hospital?

12.The post-accident situation, the reality of his life, the limits, reconciled with Dora, his agent? Showing the possibilities for his future life?

HAKASE NO AISHITA SUSHIKI (THE PROFESSOR AND HIS BELOVED EQUATION)

Japan, 2006, 117 minutes, Colour.
Akria Terao, Takanari Saito, Eri Fukatso.
Directed by Takashi Koizomi

Please do not be put off by the title.

If you had heard that a film with a title like this was about numbers, mathematics, equations, memory loss and baseball, you might well be puzzled. But it is – and it has to be one of the nicest films (in the best sense) in a long time.

The film opens with students settling down to a maths class with a new teacher. He introduces himself and proceeds to entrance the class and the audience with the story of how he came to be a maths teacher. It involves his single mother who worked for a housekeeping agency and was given the task to look after a maths professor who had been in a car accident and had lost the memory of all that happens after the accident (except for 80 minutes’ retention before it goes and he has to start again). She is a good woman, devout, devoted, listens eagerly to the professor’s theories about amicable numbers, prime numbers, perfect numbers and how maths is interior and is a revelation of truth.

She also brings her ten year old son who is coached by the professor in maths – and then in baseball, which is the sport the professor played when young and which he loves (and remembers all the pre-accident statistics). His sister-in-law, who was made lame by the same accident, is an embittered woman and tries to sabotage the friendships.

While this is an overview of ‘what happens’, it does not do justice to the ‘how it happens’. The performances are rich and rewarding, perfectly credible. The deep humanity and joy that pervades the film has a wonderful effect on the audience’s sense of goodness. There is enough dialogue to suggest the transcendent and the infinite in our world, with the quotation from Blake about the world in a grain of sand and the professor noting that he has been ‘allowed to peep into God’s notebook’.

The film, beautiful to look at, especially with ocean, water, mountains and blossoms, is in the classic tradition of contemplative naturalistic filming of Ozu.

Well-worth seeing and reflecting on.

1.The impact of the film? Charm? Beauty, truth, humanity, spirituality?

2.The Japanese perspective on relationships, courtesy, study, sport? The beautiful landscapes, mountains, sea, water, the house, the baseball, the blossoms? The schoolroom?

3.The musical score, the songs, Bach, the quotation from Blake, the singer?

4.The theme of numbers, mathematics, philosophy, metaphysics? Theology? The tradition of Pythagoras, Descartes, Napier, Euland?

5.The title and its tone, the professor himself? Mathematics, the equation, the perfect equation? Mathematics as a reflection of reality? Underlying reality? Numbers existing before people? People finding language to recognise numbers and their mystery?

6.The boys and girls in class, the discussion about Pi equalling three, Root and his arrival, courtesy, his presenting himself, the class on himself and mathematics, his character, influenced by his mother, the professor, his visual aids on the blackboard, numbers, letters, the Japanese characters and their explanations, images and meanings? Maths, baseball? The attention of the children? Their thanking him?

7.The voice-over, his talking about his mother, her situation, unmarried, bringing up her son, going to the agency, riding the bike, the job, the interview with the sister-in-law, her explanation about her brother-in-law, the accident, the separate house, her work? Her arrival, the brother asking about the shoe size, the factorial of four, her birthday, two-twenty and two-eighty-four – and the sum of the divisors of each of these numbers, and their equalling each other? The background of Descartes? The posting of the letter for the competition, her work, the meals, urging the professor to eat, giving him the spoon, his lack of memory? Her service, her being nice to him, starting over again with his new memory?

8.The background story, the sister-in-law, the factory, the widow, selling the factory, the building of the apartments, the houses, the Noh play, the accident (and later seeing the Noh performance)? Her later confession, her not having the child, whose child? The path her life might have taken? Giving up on her family? No visitors for her brother-in-law? Her watching the young woman, her suspicions, reporting her to the agency for staying over, firing her?

9.The young woman’s life, the discussions about maths, her learning, the explanation of the line and infinity, prime numbers, amicable numbers, perfect numbers, the nature of number twenty-eight, her service, her going to the shrine, devout? A good woman?

10.Root, his name, aged ten, the visit to the professor, learning maths with him, allowing the professor to start over, how this all related to his adult career, studies, classes? Love of baseball, the professor’s knowledge, the statistics, twenty-eight as the perfect number, going to coach the children, over and over and the children not complaining, the play, the accident, going to hospital with the mother, her angry reaction, apologising to her son, the reconciliation? The match, jersey number twenty-eight, the professor happy, he and the mother and their enthusiastic support of the game, the birthday, the gift of the jersey, the professor and his gift of the glove, his sister-in-law bringing it over?

11.The shock when she was fired, the agency director talking with her, the sister-in-law firing her, getting the new job, serving people, the prime number 2311, meeting Root, his visit to the professor, the sister-in-law demanding to see her, their talk, her finally relenting, the celebration of the prize, Root’s birthday, the sister-in-law not coming in?

12.The end, the professor at the sea, the young man coming to see him? The two women sitting on the shore? Images of reconciliation?

13.The motif of sea, water, flowers, mountains, blossoms? The quotation from William Blake? The world and a grain of sand?

14.The themes of the meaning of the universe, abstraction and mathematics, metaphysical principles? God? The professor and his speaking of peeping into God’s notebook?

THE LAND GIRLS

UK, 1996, 111 minutes, Colour.
Catherine Mc Cormack, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel, Steven Mackintosh.
Directed by David Leland.

The Land Girls is a memoir of World War Two, fifty years later. It focuses on the young women who enlisted in order to do the men’s work as they were away fighting the war. These women worked on the land, as did so many others in the munitions factories. This changed the face of the workplace after World War Two with the role of women and their proving that they could work in any situation.

This film takes place on the land in Dorset. Three girls are the focus of the film: Catherine Mc Cormack (who had just been Mel Gibson’s ill-fated wife in Braveheart), Rachel Weisz at the beginning of her career (Oscar winner 2005 for The Constant Gardener) and Anna Friel was appearing in soap operas before moving into film.

The film is an interesting look at the work of the land girls. However, it is something of a dramatic soap opera in the focus on their relationships. There is a melancholic tone underlying the film, especially with the men who are killed in war as well as relationships which were not fulfilled.

The film was directed by David Leland, better known for his comedies, Personal Services and Wish You Were Here.

1.A memoir? Fifty years after the war? A tribute to the land girls?

2.The re-creation of period, the British countryside, beauty, the farms, farming, the town, the dances? Period atmosphere? Musical score, songs?

3.The title, the girls in the War Service, the role of women, the changing role of women, doing men’s work during the war? A change of attitude towards women and work after World War Two?

4.The focus on the three women, their differences, backgrounds, differences in class, manners, moral perspective? The backgrounds of relationships or lack of relationships? The arrival, the farmer meeting them, his negative attitude, his wife and the welcome, settling into the room?

5.The attitude of the farmer, the contrast with his wife, with his son? His being sullen, the meals, silence, the demands, not giving Stella any leave, his wife becoming ill, the arguments with his son, Stella and the ploughing of the field and his change of attitude?

6.The son, his attitude, wanting to get away from the farm, joining up, hopes to be a pilot? At work in the fields, the meals? The meeting with Prudence, the sexual encounter? The tension with Stella? Negative? Ag, her interest, asking about the sexual encounter? His changing, the dance, drinking? His test for the air force, his failure, his anger? Stella and the visits of his fiancée, hoping for the wedding? His farewell to Stella, waiting at the station for her return? The years passing, marrying his girlfriend, the children? His life – what it was, what it might have been?

7.Stella, the focus on the film, her engagement to Philip, a serious young woman, at work, the way she spoke, with the farmer, with his wife, with Prudence and Ag? The clashes with the son? Her visit to her fiancé, lying about her period? Her falling in love with the son, hopes for marriage? Philip, his being wounded, going to see him, her reaction, loss of his limbs? Her not returning? The marriage, the divorce, revisiting the family? What her life might have been?

8.Prudence, chatter, bold, relationship with men, the liaison with the son, dancing, flirting, marrying the young man, his sudden death and her grief? Settling down, marriage, family?

9.Ag and her reserve, snobbishness, at work, looking at the son, meeting the Canadian at the dance, charmed by him, asking the son about the sexual encounter, the reaction? Her finally marrying – and the aftermath? Settled?

10.The portraits of ordinary people, the situation in the war, change?

TIME TO DIE

Poland, 2007, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Directed by Dorota Kedzierzawska.

Here is a fine film about ageing and dying. The director has dedicated the film to her grandmother so one presumes that this is something of a memoir and a tribute.

Shot in expressive black and white, most of the film is confined to the old home in which the 91 year old old lady lives. We get to know the rooms, look out through the framing of the windows, go out into the grounds now and again and visit the adjacent old house on her property. What might seem a limited plot and viewpoint becomes a fine film.

The impressive performance of Danuta Szaflarska holds the film together as well as holding audience attention throughout the film. Supporting characters appear only briefly. However, the other principal character is the dog who serves as a companion, something of a guardian angel and the surrogate for the audience as it listens to the old lady’s reminiscences and the manifestations of her thoughts and feelings. The dog is superbly photographed, limpid eyes, licking lips, soulful looks. Some have suggested a worthy candidate for a Best Supporting Actor award!

As the old lady looks back at her life, she feels more alone and disappointed. Her son is a negligible presence, dominated by his wife and saddled with an overweight, surly daughter whom her grandmother tries to like and help but who gives up (long after we the audience have given up on this greedy, bored, self-centred eight year old). The house which she loves is in need of repair, something which is not likely. While she has a spirited attitude towards life (especially invigorated by going out into a storm and relishing the beating rain), she is tempted to give up and literally lie down and die. Her reflections on her life at this stage are sadly pessimistic.

But, there is more to the film. There is some hope and the exhilaration of the last part of the film as the old lady decides how she can give meaning to her long life reminds us that life is worth living.

1.The impact of the film? Themes of age, life, death, meaning of life? The Polish tone of the film? Universal appeal and meaning?

2.The black and white photography, its effect? The house, the grounds, the framing of the outside through the windows and the old lady looking out? The detail of the house, the grounds? The audience confined within the house and grounds? The end and the camera moving towards the sky and openness, Heaven?

3.The title, the old lady, born in 1915, aged ninety-one, the span of her life, the experience of the war, the Russian era, her relationship with her son, her ungrateful granddaughter? The importance of Philadelphia, the dog, the bond, alone?

4.The actress’s performance, centre screen, expressive, her appearance, action, talking to herself, talking to the dog? Creating a rounded character? Communicating the interior life? Holding the audience attention?

5.The filming of the dog, Philadelphia, the nickname Phila? The dog as companion, guardian angel, listening to the old lady, sharing, the eyes, the licking of the lips, movement, barking? The dog becoming a significant character? The pervading presence in the film? Grief at the end?

6.The character of the old lady, alone, the looking back on her life, the death of her companion, the issue of moving the piano, moving, inviting her son and his family to come in, the daughter-in-law and her criticisms? The granddaughter and her ingratitude? Their moving in or not? The negotiations? The band, her listening to the practice? The kids, the swing, their commenting adversely on her? The granddaughter on the swing, unable to swing, the old lady showing her the house, her being bored? The discussions with her son? The house, her cherishing it, the infrequent memories of her husband? Drinking the liqueur, the storm and her vitality and going out in the rain, sitting, watching, the binoculars?

7.The opening, her going to the doctor, the rudeness of the doctor? Her reaction? Her final decision to die, getting out the black dress, lighting the candle, closing the curtains, lying on the bed, reciting Shakespeare’s Sonnet? And suddenly getting up and deciding not to die?

8.Her reaction to coming to life again, watching the band, visiting the couple, moving the piano, getting the jewels, calling the notary, listening to the bequest, the band moving in, the noise, the kids, curious, going upstairs, the smashing of the cup? Her going upstairs?

9.The portrait of her son, the negotiations, the strained relationship with his mother? Her memories of him, cherishing the memories, on the swing, the photos of him?

10.The granddaughter, people calling her fat, her petulance, on the swing, bored in the house, the walnuts, greedy, wanting the ring, refusing to call her grandmother Grandma? The final decision about the ring going to her mother?

11.The piano, the jewels, the condition of the house being renewed?

12.The meaning of life, the God talk, the picture of the Sacred Heart, the rosary beads? The old lady thinking over the point of her life? Its seeming futility? Her decision to make a point of her life in the bequest?

13.Going upstairs, ready to die, her talk about Heaven, wanting the companionship of the dog, not having to drink tea out of a mug …?

14.The overall impact of the film? Humanity? A sense of the transcendent?

KOKODA

Australia, 2006, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jack Finister, Travis Mc Mahon, Luke Ford.
Directed by Alistair Grierson.

Kokoda is not a name known much beyond Papua New Guinea and Australia. Yet, it holds for Australians, an importance and significance that places it alongside Gallipoli. The Kokoda trail in the highlands of New Guinea is where the Australians fought during World War II, many of them volunteer workers, reservists rather than fully trained soldiers (who did eventually arrive) and, with the help of the locals (called gratefully for their carrying the wounded to safety, the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’) and stopped the Japanese advance on Port Moresby and an invasion of Australia.

Clearly, Kokoda is a story that demanded to be turned into a film. Hopes might have been for an equivalent of Peter Weir’s Gallipoli.

However, the film-makers have made a different option. They have stayed with a small group of men, confined the action to the muddy jungle and the continually falling tropical rain, to the unrelenting pressures of an unseen enemy and the continual physical discomfort of weather, lack of shelter, lack of food and perennial dysentery. In 90 minutes, the audience is taken into the experience in so much of its hardship so that they could say they had become aware of what that action meant in terms of pain and endurance.

However, this is at the cost of a clarity of plot and the clear identification and delineation of characters. We have a fair idea of what is happening but are not always certain. We see the characters but it is a bit hard to know who is who. We see the action, have the motivation explained to us but this is not always easy to feel dramatically. William McInnes? delivers a fine laudatory tribute at the end.

In fact, the film is frequently quite gruelling to watch and it would not be surprising if many, even though wanting to watch and sympathetic to the enterprise, gave up on the experience.

It means that this version of Kokoda is most worthy but too demanding.

1.The impact of the film? Immersing the audience in the experience of Kokoda? The hardships?

2.The place of Kokoda in the Australian consciousness, Papua -New Guinea, World War Two, the heroism, the stopping of the Japanese invasion?

3.The jungle settings, wet, the mountains, the tracks, the mud, the conditions? The illness and dysentery? The musical score? Atmospheric?

4.The focus on the group, the individuals within the group, the work of the group?

5.The Reservists, their volunteering, their work in Port Moresby? The lack of training? The camaraderie, the collaboration, the mateship, helping others when they were wounded, ill?

6.The Japanese, their strategy in the mountains, unseen, the patrols, killing, the bayoneting, their cruelty? The enemy?

7.The portrait of the men, the individuals, relationships? Together, the camp, the limitations, the food, lack of cigarettes, no medicine, the work of the doctor? Orders, holding the ground, the difficulties, the rain, the illness?

8.The patrols, in the jungle, listening for the enemy, the dangers, unseen, the deaths, the wounds? The stretcher-bearers?

9.The characters, the brothers and their bond, leaving people to die or not, carrying them away? The heroism?

10.The basic strategies on the Australian side, Japanese side, holding the pass, waiting for the army to come?

11.The military arrival, the difference, the effect on the Reservists?

12.The Papua -New Guineans, the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, their help, carrying the sick in the mud along the tracks?

13.The achievement, holding back the Japanese? The officer, his speech of tribute?

14.The film as a memento of a significant part of Australian history?

FOOTY LEGENDS

Australia, 2007, 90 minutes, Colour.
Ahn Do, Claudia Karvan, Peter Phelps.
Directed by Khoan Do.

The fact that this film was made and distributed is itself a tribute to the two brothers, Khoa Do and Anh Do, born in Vietnam but who have become part of Australian culture, Anh Do the comedian and writer, Koah Do, the writer and director (born 1979, who was named the 2005 Young Australian of the Year).

This is a small film with a Sydney feel, about a football code which is limited to a few states but which has an international following, Rugby League. But, with all feelgood films about underdogs and competitive sports, you don’t have to know much about the game to enjoy the film.

And, that is what Footy Legends is. A group of outsiders who went to school in the Sydney suburb of Yagoona and showed some potential at footy band together some years later to win a competition. This will give them self-respect but also some money so that our talented hero (played by Anh Do) will have some money to look after his little sister and save her from going to social welfare (embodied by Claudia Karvan). Needless to say, he is tempted along the way to play for a superior team (embodied by Peter Phelps). But, the ragtag team keep trying – and get a mighty suburban response at the grounds and, especially, down at the pub.

The Do brothers made two films about Cabramatta in Sydney, a Vietnamese centre (see Little Fish, for instance), a short, Delivery Day and a feature with three stories about Vietnamese, Forgotten People.

While it is all predictable – and nice – the performances give a greater warmth and comic touch to a collection of funny situations, some sentiment and, what everyone hopes for, the underdogs to win.

A more serious look at Rugby League is in The Final Winter (2007).

1.A Sydney story? Rugby League? Universal appeal?

2.The suburbs, homes, pubs, sports ovals, shops? The musical score?

3.The title, irony? The truth about the team, their self-image? Underdogs?

4.The predictability of the basic plot: the past, the players as friends at school, their skill in playing, their talents, not continuing, the bonds continuing? The present, ten years passed, the drug addict and his reform, the nerd, the heavyweight, the islanders etc? The Vietnamese man and his sister? The relationships, women in their lives, children? Coping or not?

5.Luc and his sister, his care for her? The memory of their dead mother? The grandfather, hospital, going to visit him, the man in the accompanying bed, the stories, the war, his heroics? The friend in the other bed revealing that this was all made up? Luc and his wanting to get jobs, the social welfare visits, the pressures on him, wanting to take his sister away?

6.The football, their skills, the decision to form a team, discussions, practice, talent, going into the competition, the various matches, draws, wins, hopes? The prize money? Gowings – and the possibility of advertising the clothes?

7.The social background of the suburb, the pressure, social welfare and severity, the inspector, her relationship with the young girl, Luc and his love, her running away, being in hospital, his going to visit her?

8.The team, the personalities, their getting on well together? The slick agent, the offers to Luc, the money, tempting? His own team?

9.Playing together, the games, the precarious nature of the competition?

10.The radio commentators, their comic observations?

11.The public, at the grounds, the audience in the pub, their being on-side, local heroes?

12.The final competition, playing hard, Luc’s sister allowing him to go, the hospital, the crisis, the temptation of the money, his packing up, going out, seeing the agent, going back?

13.His sister coming to the oval, the grandfather on the bike, the social worker? Playing and winning?

14.The multicultural and multi-social background? Multicultural Australia and its effect? The humour of the final images with all the members of the team modelling the clothes?

MARGOT AT THE WEDDING

US, 2007, 93 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Lee, Jack Black, John Turturro, Zane Pais, Flora Cross, Ciaran Hinds.
Directed by Noah Bambauch.

Margot at the Wedding is a puzzling film. Not that there is anything wrong with that. However, between puzzle and satisfaction, the swing is much more towards puzzle.

Noah Baumbach made that very good film about a dysfunctional family, The Squid and the Whale. Margot at the Wedding is something in the same vein, except that a principal focus is on a mother (Margot) and a son (Claude) about to move into adolescence. This film also focuses on the relationship between the mother and her previously estranged sister whose wedding she decides to attend. In the foreground is her sister’s intended and her pre-teenage daughter. In the background is Margot’s husband and a writer with whom she is having an affair. There are also some cantankerous neighbours.

This means that there is plenty of plot. But, it is plot by way of a succession of episodes rather than any dynamic character-driven or situation-driven narrative. Which means that the film could just stop whether issues are shown to have been resolved or not (and it does). Margot is described as often changing her mind – and this happens to the other characters as well. It means we leave the cinema thinking about the characters – or not - depending on how interesting and engaging they are (or not).

Nicole Kidman gives another strong performance as the capricious Margot. She is in turns mollycoddling her son or humiliating and embarrassing him. She is self-absorbed, a writer who has exploited all the family traumas in her stories. She dominates and then pouts at criticism accusing everyone of picking on her. Kidman makes Margot believable but not someone you would not like to know in real life.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is her sister, less moody and with her feet more firmly on the ground. She wants the friendship of her sister after years of non-speaking but she also has her distraught moments. Jack Black gives another variation on his large slob with potential performance as he prepares to marry but is off-put by Margot. John Turturro is sympathetic in his short screen time. Ciaran Hinds is the writer whose interview with Margot in a bookshop precipitates the final emotional crisis.

Baumbach has an ear for dialogue, especially the dialogue of conflict. This gives a literate quality to the film and the performances. But, these characters, their antagonisms and their emotions are still a big puzzle.

1.A slice of American life? Portrait of Margot, Pauline, the other characters? Dysfunctional family?

2.The New England settings, the home on the water, the grounds, the neighbours, the island, the beach, the roads, the town, the shops? Credible atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The title, the focus on Margot, the focus on the others, in relationship to Margot?

4.The initial train ride, Claude and Margot, the introduction to them, Claude and his age, Margot’s criticisms, mollycoddling him, his scream in the toilet, his relationship to his mother? Margot in herself, Jim and his absence?

5.The arrival, waiting, Malcolm coming, Jack Black’s style, rough and ready? Margot and Pauline not having talked to each other for a long time? Pauline’s welcoming them, Ingrid? The situation of the wedding? The house, the ownership, their mother, Pauline owning it? The house and its memories? Margot’s room? The talk, the tensions? The marriage, Pauline’s past marriages?

6.Margot, Nicole Kidman’s style, age, the writer, using family stories for her publications? Claude and his age, her possessiveness, yet her criticisms and humiliation? The phone calls to Jim? Her leaving Jim? Dick and the affair? Her manner, control, criticisms, personal hypersensitivity? At meals, at the beach, talking, being persuaded to climb the tree, stuck, rescued? The meal out, Roger and staying with him? Claude and his reaction?

7.Pauline in herself, her past, the relationship with Margot, their friendship? As a teacher, mother to Ingrid? Knowing Malcolm for a year? Pregnant? Telling Margot, Margot telling all the others, the information getting back to Ingrid? Pauline’s explanation? Her freedom, her neighbours, moodiness, the trees, arguing with the neighbours? The wedding tent? The cutting down of the tree – and the falling on the tent?

8.Malcolm, Jack Black’s style, his art, music, talk, rough and ready? Looking at Margot? Her looking down on him? His looking at Maisie, the tension, the kiss, his confession? Dick, the reaction, the kicking on the beach? Cutting down the tree? Its fall? Margot to blame for the tension between himself and Pauline? Possible reconciliation?

9.Jim and his arrival, pleasant, talking with Claude, his life with Margot, care for Claude? His stopping for the wounded animal, paying? Margot saying she would not stop or pay?

10.The planned talk, Dick asking the questions? Not inviting Pauline? Claude and Pauline going? The questions, her answers, his embarrassing question about her father? Her having to leave, her being upset? The crisis?

11.Claude, playing with Ingrid, their getting on well together? The neighbouring boy and his bashing Claude? The neighbours, the invitation to the wedding, their reaction?

12.Maisie, her relationship with Dick, coming over to baby-sit, flirtatious, with Malcolm? Her apologies?

13.Margot, her decisiveness, changing her mind, taking Claude to the bus, her staying, chasing the bus, getting on the bus? A future?

14.The puzzling aspects of the plot, the characters, the cumulation of episodes? The future for each of the characters?

JUMANJI

US, 1995, 104 minutes, Colour.
Robin Williams, Jonathan Hyde, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pearce, Bonnie Hunt, Bebe Neuwirth, David Alan Grier, Patricia Clarkson, Adam Hann -Byrd.
Directed by Joe Johnston.

Jumanji was a very popular film in its time and continues popular with young audiences. It is based on a novel by Chris Van Allsburg who also wrote the books on which Polar Express and Zathura were based.

The film focuses on imagination – but imagination for terror. However, after all the terror and the struggles, the film opts for a happy ending, the restoration of everything – and the righting of everything that had gone wrong.

The film opens in 1969 in a mysterious house with a young boy playing the Jumanji game and being swallowed up by it. The little girl playing with him suffers mental problems for the next twenty-five years. In 1995, two young children who were having difficulties of their own after the death of their parents in an accident, come with their aunt to live in the house. They are caught up by the game – unleashing all kinds of strange animals from the jungle and then finally, the young boy of 1969, returning as an adult – in the form of Robin Williams.

The only way to put everything right is for all the players to continue and end the game. This leads to all kinds of mayhem in the town, dangers for themselves from animals and a great white hunter.

The film moves with a rapid pace, the central characters playing the game in all different kinds of places, especially to avoid the disasters. The special effects people have done very well with the creatures – but also with the amount of destruction in the town as well as the collapse of the house.

The film was directed by special effects Oscar-winner Joe Johnston, for Raiders of the Lost Ark. His own films include Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, the more quiet October Sky, Jurassic Park 3, The Rocketeer, Wolf Man.

1.The popularity of the film? For younger audiences? For adults?

2.The 1969 settings, the contrast with 1995? The house? The town and the streets, the supermarkets, parking lots? The countryside? The musical score?

3.The importance of the action, the stunts? The special effects for all the animals and for the destruction?

4.The 1969 segment: Alan, his being bullied, his friend Sarah, his father’s stern attitude, his mother’s concern, his father being busy? The shoe factory? Carl and Alan being responsible for his dismissal because of the shoe on the assembly line? The parents deciding to send him to boarding school, his reaction, saying that he hated his father? Sarah coming to talk with him, playing the game, his disappearing into the game?

5.1995, Judy and Peter, the death of their parents, their Aunt Norah bringing them to the house, their reactions? Settling in? The noises, the drum? Aunt Norah and her exasperation, going to work?

6.The children finding the game, playing the game? The effect on them? Fears, dangers, hiding?

7.The range of creatures and their effect: the mosquitoes, the monkeys and their destruction in the kitchen, the lion and its being trapped in the bedroom? The vines all over the house, the poisoned flowers, the darts, snakes, the herd and the stampede throughout the town? The monsoon, the quicksand, the earthquake? The hunter and his pursuit of Alan?

8.Alan’s reappearance, his still being a child after twenty-six years, trying to find his parents, the grave? His befriending the children? His meeting Carl? His being pursued by the hunter? Going to find Sarah, bringing her back to the game? Sarah, her seclusion, her psychological difficulties, reluctance?

9.The playing of the game, the dangers, all around the town, the parking lot, the supermarket, the hunter firing in the market? The cars, the monkeys driving, the bikes, the destruction of Carl’s car?

10.The cumulative effect of the adventures? On the children, on Alan, on Sarah?

11.Sarah, her love for Alan, the quicksand, her being caught, their being saved? Judy reversing the process?

12.The final throw of the dice, finishing the game? Alan and Sarah in 1969? The reconciliation with his father, the affection?

13. Everything restored in 1995? Alan, Sarah pregnant? His parents? The facgtory? Judy and Peter for Christmas, their father employed - and not going on the Rockies' holiday?

13.The use of the same actor for the father and the hunter – in the line of Peter Pan and the father and Captain Hook.

THE STARS FELL ON HENRIETTA

US, 1995, 107 minutes, Colour.
Robert Duvall, Aiden Quinn, Frances Fisher, Brian Dennehy, Francesca Ruth Eastwood, Billy Bob Thornton, Victor Wong.
Directed by James Keach.

The Stars Fell on Henrietta is a little-known film, produced by Clint Eastwood’s company, Malpaso, photographed by his photographer Bruce Surtees and designed by Henry Bumstead who worked on so many of Eastwood’s films. Frances Fisher was his wife at the time and their daughter appears as Frances Fisher’s daughter in the film.

The film was directed by actor James Keach, who appeared in a lot of films as well as directing many films for television.

The film was little-seen, a pity because it has a strong sense of humanity. It also is interesting in terms of the history of Texas, the oil boom, the kinds of characters involved, the ordinary people who are told that oil is under their property and who invest their money only to suffer hardships and loss. Robert Duvall is very good as the optimistic prospector who talks more than his skills and experience would allow. Aiden Quinn and Frances Fisher are the couple, she hostile to what he is doing. Brian Dennehy is the local authority who throws his weight around.

This is a small-budget but humane film – and might be compared in theme with Daniel Day Lewis and his exploits in There Will Be Blood.

1.A little-seen film, audience appeal, a piece of Americana?

2.The re-creation of Texas in the 1930s, the town, the countryside, the dustbowl, the search for oil, finding oil, struggles, the rich and the poor?

3.The narrative of the little girl, commenting on Mr Cox, her perspective?

4.The history of oil in Texas, the search, the discoveries, the prospectors made rich, the conmen and their advice, the strugglers and their investment? The background of the Depression? The gushers of oil? The possibility of equipment and prospecting going wrong?

5.Robert Duvall as Mr Cox, his age, experience and lack of experience? A gentleman? His pet cat? With the partners? The failures, the oil running out? His being known around Texas? The touch of the conman? Don Day and his family, the divining of the oil, the smell? The prospecting? The reaction of Don, his wife and her hostility, the children, her taking the children?

6.The oil business, arrests, prison? Big Dave Mc Dermott and his restaurant? Mr Cox with the owner, washing the dishes? His sense of failure, Mc Dermott being vengeful?

7.The return, the money, the plan and its success? The fire? The desperation, the injured? With the children?

8.Don and his wife, the hopes, his believing Mr Cox, the issue of the money, struggling on the farm, the children, hungry, corn bread? The clashes between the husband and wife? Hurts? The decision to go ahead?

9.The daughter, the young man, the romance? The fall, hospital after the climb? The father and his angers?

10.Mc Dermott, the claim, the thugs? The final joy of the gusher?

11.A portrait of ordinary people, dreams, the American dream and its failure and fulfilment?

HUMAN NATURE

France/US, 2001, 96 minutes, Colour.
Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans, Tim Robbins, Sy Richardson, Hilary Duff, Peter Dinklage, Mary Kay Place, Miranda Otto.
Directed by Michel Gondry.

Human Nature is an unusual comedy. Somebody described it as a philosophical burlesque, an insightful comedy about human nature, human behaviour, meanings in life.

This is understandable because the screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman, the author of such offbeat comedies as being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Then it was directed by by Michel Gondry, director of a number of music videos who moved into feature film-making with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (written by Kaufman), The Science of Sleep and Be Kind Rewind.

Tim Robbins is the ordinary character in this comedy. He is a research scientist. Patricia Arquette is unusual insofar as she was born covered in hair, lived in the jungle writing books about nature, decided to shave her hair and try to rejoin the human race, especially in terms of sexuality and love. Together with the researcher, they find a man who has lived in the jungle thinking that he was a monkey (Rhys Ifans).

The film combines dialogue about research, biology, anthropology as well as featuring the eccentricities of human relationships. Miranda Otto, in love with the research scientist, complicates the interactions.

The film was an early film for Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent, Death at a Funeral) and the first film for Hilary Duff. She plays the younger Patricia Arquette character.

The film did not appeal to the audience mainstream – but, for those who like eccentric comedies with some thought, Human Nature is certainly very interesting.

1.A blend of the serious, the comic, the satiric, the philosophical, anthropological? How well did they combine?

2.The title, humans and their humanity, the animal component, intelligence, intuition? Human institutions, culture, rules? Issues of human freedom, liberty and libertarianism?

3.The style of the film, the witty dialogue by Charlie Kaufman, the music video background of Michel Gondry?

4.The structure: death, confessions, witnesses, the court? Progressive stories, angles? The cumulative effect?

5.The laboratory, the rats, the other animals, their behaviour, being observed?

6.Lila’s story: bored, the confession, as a young girl, her mother, the hair, ridiculed as a freak? Going into the forest, her writing and publishing? The hairdresser’s? Issues of sexuality? The depilation process? Louise? The introduction to the ordinary world? The wild child?

7.Nathan, dead, no guilt? A boy and manners? Going to his room, the zoo, parents, his mother? The visits of Lila and Gabrielle? The psychologist, excuses, dreams?

8.Puff, elegant? Father, wild, sharing, growing up, thinking he was a monkey, captured, the cage, recorded on video, reactions, shock treatment, the lessons on manners? Sexuality? Learning, reading, emerging as a cultured gentleman?

9.Gabrielle, French, flirtatious, seductive, her effect on Nathan, Lila at home? Drinking, pretending?

10.Lila’s ideas, for Nathan, the shaving, Nathan and his reaction, Gabrielle’s comments? Puff’s name? Out and about, the city, restaurant, sexuality, shock? Left to herself, the pocket money?

11.The confrontation with Nathan, the lies, packing, the forest, freedom, being with Puff?

12.The gun, the shooting? The Senate, jail? The applause? Her mother, television? Gabrielle, corrupt as the rest?

13.How well did the characters and themes come together, the various genres, movie references, exaggerated comic touches? A satisfying and provocative comedy?