PERFECT LIFE

China, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Emily Wang.

Perfect Life is a woman’s perspective on life in contemporary China. There are two principal characters. The first is a young woman, ambitious to leave her home town and study, embarrassed by her father, relying on help from her brother, eventually getting a job from a friend in a hotel in Hong Kong. There she meets a crippled character, rather engaging, who gets her to do a smuggling job. However, he is killed and she is stranded in the town in southern China and has to make a life for herself, making a futile and stupid marriage.

The other character, called in the translation Character, is an older woman who has had a hard life, describes what happened in her family, especially deaths and suicides, also makes a bad marriage, has three children, suffers brutality, finds herself wandering the streets.

This information is necessary and makes the plot rather more straightforward – if this is not known, the plot seems over-complex and audiences may be tempted to try to see whether the two women are really one and the same, or aspects of the same character.

The film uses the realistic style of photography in the cities of China and strives for an authentic atmosphere even as it tells the story of the two women whose life is nothing like the title of the film.

1.Chinese perspective on life? Modern life in China? The universal perspectives?

2.The cities, the mainland, Hong Kong? Modern, the old parts of the towns? The musical score and atmosphere?

3.The woman’s perspective, the writer-director, the central characters and what happens to them? The role of men?

4.The young girl, her life, going to the audition, disowning her father, the mouth organ, the failure, her going home in the train, throwing away the mouth organ, talking with her brother, his wanting money for trainers? Her work in the factory, making artificial limbs? Her going to see the woman and her brother, the woman’s anger? The brother getting her the job, the hotel, getting her photos taken?

5.The hotel, the crippled man, his interest, her putting on the clothes and being caught, his proposals to her, the meal, taking her to the show, her reaction? Continuing with the job, his persuading her to carry the painting, her travel, the promise of education money, her hopes?

6.The character of the crippled man, genial, his attention to the young woman, his double-dealing, art deals, the thugs, his phone calls and deception, his being bashed, his dying and the final photo?

7.The girl going to the city, lost, her marrying, her fate?

8.The other woman, older, the story of her family, the deaths, her hard life, marriage, children, in the market, the aerobics and the dancing?

9.The title and its irony in relationship to the two women?

JAY

Philippines, 2008, 95 minutes, Colour.
Baron Gleiser, Coco Martin.
Directed by Francis X. Pasion.

Jay is a film about media manipulation. It focuses on a murder in Manila, the presentation of a program about the murder and the response of the family for Channel 8 Television. It is a variation on a reality show. Then the film actually shows the producer of the documentary and his cameraman and assistant, and what they actually did in informing the family about the murder, filming the reactions, restaging particular events, persuading people to be interviewed when they did not want to, editing and giving a pious ending to the whole program. The film is quite telling in its presentation of the exploitation of a grief-stricken family – as well as the rather mercenary response, eventually, of the family.

The film also focuses on a theme very common in Filipino films, sexuality, more specifically, homosexuality. The character who is murdered here is a gay man in secret. However, his family knows, he was taunted about this at school, has taught and has moved to Manila with the promise of a job in Baltimore, US. However, men go to his apartment, especially masseurs, and he is found brutally murdered.

The film takes on the theme of homosexuality in the Philippines, secrecy, need for more openness.

The television producer appears as quite camp at the beginning and soon manifests his own gay orientation.

The film is also religious in its context, the family finding out the news on Ash Wednesday after going to mass, the emphasis on Lent and the Passion experience of the mother, the culmination of finding the criminal on Palm Sunday. Ceremonies are also introduced (and finally, the credits give a great number of nods to Catholic individuals and institutions and, finally, a dedication to God).

The film is basic in its presentation, small-budget. However, it is cumulatively effective in its presentation of the investigation, the making of the television program and the arch manipulation by the producer. The film is also overtly and highly emotional which may be off-putting to cultures which prefer the stiff upper lip.

1.The film, about film-making, television, reality shows, manipulation of participants, manipulation of film, editing, the point of view of the producer?

2.The locations in Bacalor, the family home, its poverty? The images of the town, the mayor, the school, the students, their activities, the teachers? A feel for a provincial town? The contrast with Manila, the victim’s apartment, the streets, the police activity, the crowded markets? The religious ceremonies? The musical score?

3.The basic situation, the audience seeing the program with the mother on television, the continued version, the edited version? The point at which the narrative went back to Ash Wednesday, the making of the program? The actual events, Channel 8, Jay and Carlo his photographer, Andrew his assistant? The arrival, giving the information, getting the consent, the waiver? Jay and his ability to manipulate people? Re-enacting the scene – especially with the mother and the bird in the window on the day of the murder? Going to church, the interviews after church, the interviews at home, going to visit the morgue, the grief at the morgue (and the repetitions of the re-enactment)? Jay and his smooth and persuasive manner, manipulating people, constructing his program? An opportunist? The phone calls to his boss, Mother? Andrew and the effects, especially with the string on the bird? Taking the victim’s place for the re-enactment of the morgue sequences?

4.The brutal death of Jay, the visuals, the wounds, the mystery, the neighbours and their comments about men’s visits, the finding of the criminal? His SIM card, being caught, the re-enactment of his capture and his running away? His explanation of the sexual motivation for the murder? Self-defence?

5.Homosexuality, in the Philippines? The religious dimension, ethics? The opening, Jay explained as a teacher, his relationship with Edwardo, his schooldays, his being taunted, his studies, his becoming a teacher, religious education, Christian character? The testimony of the teachers – and seeing what they really said in their interviews? His going to America, his supporting the family? Issues of homosexuality, overt, closeted?

6.The religious dimensions: Ash Wednesday, the ashes on the forehead, the church, Lent, Palm Sunday? The procession?

7.Spirit religion and superstition, the green and pink chicks, pecking the rice grains from the body, meaning to prick the conscience of the marriage? The various rituals, the wake, the funeral, lying in state? The funeral procession? The absence of the Catholic element in the funeral?

8.The portrait of Jay’s mother, in herself, her love for her son, her husband, his care for his son, working in Saudi Arabia, his death? The house and the eruptions of Mount Pinatubo? The lava, the eventual destruction of the house? The mother and her children? Their grief at the death of Jay? Her signing the waiver, her participating in the re-enactments, the repetition of the morgue sequence, insisting to Jay that the mayor be interviewed, his helping to educate Jerry? Genuine, manipulated?

9.Jennifer, her experience of her brother’s death, her memories of him, her grief, getting Edwardo’s phone number for Jay, her being persuaded to sing on camera, her grief remembering her brother’s instructing her in the song? Jerry, his grief, his future education?

10.Edwardo, partnering Jay, his being shy, not wanting to come for the interview, his being persuaded, the interview itself, Jay and his being provocatively camp? The mother not wanting so see Edwardo, but changing when he arrived? His interview, his condemnation of the killer, his declaration of love on camera? His participation in the funeral?

11.The teachers, the gay teacher and his camp behaviour, his being disguised, yet putting on makeup? The teacher weeping – and saying that’s what she had been asked to do? The mayor, the producer saying that he could not interview politicians, his allowing one sentence?

12.The real Jay, his manufactured image? As a boy, studies, gay young man, teacher, Christian living? His character? The cupboard and the pornography? His death? Lying in state, the grief of the family and the town?

13.The suspect, the re-enactment of his arrest, his running away, the chase? The mother and her outburst against him? The motivations for the murder?

14.The producer, his character, seeing him in action? His use of Carlo, Carlo and his texting? Andrew and his collaboration? The screening of the finished program – and the credits for Jay Santiago?

15.The aftermath, the producer at home, the arrival of the masseur, the sex film? Exploitation of the situation?

16.The overall impact of the film? As a film, its media theme, religious themes, emotional themes, sexual themes, violent themes?

JERICHOW

Germany, 2008, 93 minutes, Colour.
Beno Furmann, Nina Hoss, Hilmi Soszer.
Directed by Christian Petzold.

Jerichow is a town in north-eastern Germany, part of the former communist East Germany, which has not developed in the decades since reunification. Industry is scarce, people try very hard to make a living – although many migrants from Turkey and Asia have made a living there.

The film is basically a three-hander. Beno Furmann portrays a young German who has spent time in Afghanistan, been dishonourably discharged, is trying to make something of his life. Hilmi Soszer is a Turkish migrant who owns forty-five snack bars and runs a thriving business, with some severity. Nina Hoss portrays his wife whom he has bought, taken on her extensive debt, binds himself to her.

The audience will expect some kind of romantic liaison between the young man and the young woman – and they are not wrong. However, in the friendships and love there are some unexpected angles which makes the film continually interesting, makes it something of a contemporary Greek tragedy.

The film is directed by Christian Petzold who directed Ghosts as well as Yella (for which Nina Hoss won the best actress award in Berlin 2007). While the material is familiar, it is well acted, well told – and retains the interested.

1.The title, the town in East Germany, their traditions, lack of opportunity, the communist regime, united Germany? Turkish migrants in Germany?

2.The sense of place, the roads, cars, bus stops, the airport, homes, snack bars, factories? Real, authentic? The musical score?

3.The prologue: Thomas, the death of his mother, Leon and the car, the thug, Thomas’s background in Afghanistan, the dishonourable discharge, Leon questioning him, the money, Thomas’s lies, Leon’s sympathy, the Euros in the tree house, his being hit and lying all night?

4.The trains continually going past, the car and its lights, the introduction to Ali and Laura?

5.Thomas, his age, going to the employment bureau, the discussions, the cucumber-picking, the huge machine and the people working, his doing the shopping, Ali and the car wreck, his helping, lying about the driving for Ali, driving Ali home, Laura giving the money?

6.Ali coming with his offer, Ali’s marriage and his background, Turkey, the bar, Laura’s debts and his marrying her and taking them on? A Turkish man, his range of clients, the Asian clients? His toughness, Laura doing the accounts? The stacking, the deliveries? Thomas and his driving, Ali and the quiz about saving petrol? The job, the bonds between the two men? Ali and the drinks fraud, the Asian man and his pocketing the money? Thomas and the reward, the day at the beach, Ali and his drinking, the singing and the dancing, the Zorba-like atmosphere, Ali on the cliff, falling, Thomas saving him?

7.Thomas in himself, a new start, responsibilities, hard work, his following Laura, the kissing on the beach, the later meetings, the drinks fraud and Laura’s deceit, Ali bashing her?

8.Thomas and Laura, the floor, Ali calling? The continuation, in the garden, the suspicion of an animal in the garden, Ali going away, at Thomas’s house, Laura telling her story, prison, the debt? Ali’s return? The plan to kill him?

9.Ali and Turkey, his story, wanting to return? Going to Leipzig, three months to live? The scene of his heart turn with Thomas? His plan, giving the ownership to Laura, the sequences on the beach, happiness?

10.Laura and her sorrow in hearing the news, wanting to change the plan? Ali finding the cigarette lighter? The truth?

11.His death, Laura and Thomas and their dismay, their change of heart?

12.The tragedy, the tragic flaws, the limitations of the characters, their situations? Ali’s name being called in the last scene of the film?

STEP BROTHERS

US, 2008, 97 minutes, Colour.
Will Ferrell, John C. Riley, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen.
Directed by Adam Mackay.

This is a Will Ferrell comedy so that you know what you are in for when you buy your ticket. If you don't like it or find some of the crass jokes too crude, you will know to leave Will Ferrell comedies alone.

Even though many of the jokes and routines are childish, corny, bodily-function-oriented (with few inhibitions about naming body parts), many of the jokes can be very funny and Ferrell at his best and John C. Reilly who is good at both serious roles and comedy (they clicked well in Talladega Nights) are good comedy performers. Blades of Glory was very funny.

However, the premise of Step -Brothers, while funny in itself, is a risky undertaking.

These days we are used to the phrase, especially from the American television series, 'Arrested Development'. The problem is: when did the development become arrested, at what age and at what stage of mature growth. The two step-brothers here are certainly ultra-arrested but, one suspects, there has been minimal development. Though they are both 40ish, they haven't left home, have never really had a job and their behaviour veers from that of a 6 year old to that of a 13 year old (at their worst!). While the stars do their utmost (crass and not-crass), such behaviour is so childish that it is too often too stupid rather than funny. The film is like a collection of sketches of dopey doings.

On the other hand, Mary Steenburgen and, especially, Richard Jenkins, veterans of many films and television shows who are very good actors prove themselves to be very good sports here for taking the role of the parents who fall in love and marry and inherit the other's son. Adam Scott is also convincing as Ferrell's smarmy younger brother.

Ferrell devotees will want to see it and gauge its place in the hierarchy of his comedies. Sensitive viewers check in your sensibilities at the ticket office.

1.A slacker comedy? The stars, the jokes, the crudity, the parody?

2.The title, Brennan and Dale, each in their own life, with each parent, pampered, childish, their age? Arrested development – at what stage? The behaviour at the wedding, together in the house, the resentment, suspicion of each other, the fights, the bond with the singing, doing everything together, the plans, the disaster with the boat, their parents’ divorce, their work, clashes, final success?

3.Will Ferrell and John C. Riley and their comic styles, screen presence? Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins as serious? The satisfactory blend of both for comedy?

4.The tone of the film, the adults as children, childlike, childish, stupid, funny?

5.Nancy and Robert: in themselves, the meeting, the work, Robert’s speech, the marriage – and the boys’ interruptions? Moving in, Brennan in the car? Nancy with Brennan, soft with him? Robert and Dale, their life together as men, Dale’s description of men’s behaviour and Robert saying they had never done that? The blend of hard and soft? The increasing ultimatums, the bunk, the permissions? Demanding the interviews for work? The boat, Robert’s anger? The tension between Robert and Nancy, Robert going down to the bar? The separation? Together at the function, dancing, Robert encouraging Dale and his gift, his own story about the dinosaur?

6.Brennan, Will Ferrell and his softer style, the mummy’s boy, no jobs, childish, the way of talking, blurting things out, activities, his singing in private, the flashback to Derek humiliating him, the clashes with Derek, Derek’s visits, playing Dale’s drums, denial, the fight, sexual behaviour, singing and the bond with Dale, like-mindedness, activities together, the bunking, the preparation for the interviews, the stupidity of the interviews, the plan, the video and the crashing of the boat, the sleepwalking, Christmas, the fights? The parents separating and their blaming each other? Brennan asking Derek for a job, his becoming more adult, organising the party, the crisis, his singing – and the beauty of the singing?

7.Dale, self-image, at home, with his father, not working, his drums, his office, sexual activity, the tree house, the magazines, sleepwalking, the issue of the bunk, his tantrums? His going for the catering job?

8.Derek, the past, his smarmy manner, relating well to Robert, talking about sport and fishing, calling him Dad? Nancy’s surprise? The clashes with Brennan? His wife and children, the singing in the car? Giving Brennan the job, the possibility of failure, success? His underlings and their reactions? The final awkwardness with the hug?

9.His wife, singing in the car, off-key, her come-on to Dale, the spoof of the sex, the break-up at the cliff edge?

10.Brennan and the therapist, his advances, her resistance – and the ending?

11.A funny idea – the blend of the funny and the stupid?

GOLDFINGER

UK, 1964, 110 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Frobe, Shirley Eaton, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Cec Linder.
Directed by Guy Hamilton.

Goldfinger was the third in the James Bond franchise, coming after Dr No and From Russia with Love and preceding Thunderball (also directed by Guy Hamilton).

Commentators say that this scenario remains closest to Ian Fleming’s novel. By this time Sean Connery had been established as Bond, the suave manner, appearance, clothes, cocktails shaken not stirred, announcing his name. He had become something of an icon.

Gert Frobe is Auric (from the Latin word for gold) Goldfinger, a more genial villain than usual but also most ruthless. He has his henchman, Oddjob, with his lethal steel hat which he throws towards his victims. There is also Pussy Galore, played by Honor Blackman, with her squad of women pilots who finally succumbs to Bond’s charms and helps him solve the problems. Bernard Lee is once again M, Lois Maxwell Miss Moneypenny and Desmond Llewellyn Emerges more strongly as Q with his armory, his special Aston Martin car – and he was to continue until 1999 in The World is Not Enough. Cec Linder takes over from Jack Lord as Felix Leiter.

The plot is fairly straightforward. Goldfinger cheats at cards to get money, MI6 puts Bond on his trail. He encounters Bond, keeps him alive so that he can observe his plan: to rob Fort Knox. However, his main aim is to make the gold radioactive and therefore unusable. He has a nuclear reactor from the Chinese (a change in Cold War enmity from the previous film, the Russians). However, Dr No was also of Chinese origin.

The screenplay is sometimes witty, sometimes ironic and corny. It has its usual quota of action, chases, confrontations, explosion, last-minute solutions to problems.

1.The early James Bond, close to Ian Fleming?

2.The 1960s, the popularity of James Bond, Sean Connery as an icon, his style, language, dry irony, announcing his name, cocktails shaken not stirred, his relationship with women, espionage, his technical skills? Timing?

3.The credibility of the plot? Farfetched? The credits and the introduction by Shirley Bassey, the lyrics of the song, its mood? The images? Auric Goldfinger as the villain? His plan, love of power, English officials after him, Bond and the confrontations?

4.Bond and the discussions with M, flirting with Miss Moneypenny, the mission, the other officials? Q and the apparatus and the car? The friendship with Felix Leiter, contact with him, Leiter coming to the rescue at the end?

5.Goldfinger cheating at cards, his hearing aid, Jill and her giving him the information, Bond following the lead, confronting Jill, asking Goldfinger to lose? The liaison with Jill, his being attacked, finding her covered with gold? Oddjob and his hat? Goldfinger and his personality, affable as well as megalomaniac?

6.The plan, the gold, the Chinese with the nuclear reactor, his own army, advisers? Pussy Galore and the girls, their planes? Keeping Bond alive?

7.Bond and the various conflicts, chases, car explosions, the planes, at Fort Knox, Pussy Galore and the fights with her?

8.The plan, radioactivity of the gold, Goldfinger’s power?

9.Bond contacting Felix, getting the backup, romance with Pussy, changing her mind? Helping?

10.The planes flying over, the girl pilots (and the bizarre sexuality)? The gas, the troops collapsing – and later coming to life again?

11.The bomb, James Bond chained to it, the timer, the confrontation with Oddjob, defusing the bomb, the attack by the troops, the physicist at the last moment and the bomb not going off?

12.Oddjob, the final fight, his being electrified? Goldfinger, the military disguise, shooting the troops?

13.Bond to go to Washington, to see the president, Goldfinger on the plane, the shooting, Goldfinger being sucked out? Pussy as pilot, the crash?

14.Mission accomplished? The blend of the serious and the jokey?

THE STRANGERS

US, 2008, 85 minutes, Colour.
Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Kip Weekes.
Directed by Bryan Bertino.

Nothing supernatural here, just a straightforward terror thriller, eerie in its way, inviting audiences to identify with its quite ordinary characters who find themselves menaced by masked intruders in their house at 4.00 am. For those who don't see many of these films, it could be quite nervewracking - but goes for a brief 80 minutes.

Information is given at the opening by a deep movie-trailer voice on how many crimes of violence there are a year in the US, over a million. Then we are told that the film is based on true events even though the details are somewhat of a mystery. Then there are some fright scenes which will come back at the end of the film.

After that it seems it is going to be a rather quiet film for a while. Jimmy and Kristen come back from a wedding reception where he has proposed and she has declined. The mood is somewhat tense between them though it is obvious that they love each other. A mysterious woman knocks at the door asking for Trudi. She goes away. Jimmy goes for a drive...

Then three masked people, a man and two women, who remain anonymous throughout begin to terrorise Kristen and then Jimmy when he returns.

There are gruesome moments and the final confrontation is dismaying. Liv Tyler has to bear the brunt of the terror as Kristen and she does it effectively, afraid and bewildered. Scott Speedman is Jimmy, a more gentle type who is shocked by the violence.

A mood piece for terror fans rather than horror fans.

1.A terror film? Straightforward story, characters? Brevity?

2.American suburbia, the house, its interiors, the details of the room, the exteriors, the woods?

3.The atmosphere, the musical score, chords, drumbeats? The rumble with the sound engineering?

4.The title, literal strangers, people fearful of strangers?

5.The initial information, the voice-over, the tone, the statistics for crime in America, the two events, the mystery of what actually happened?

6.The opening with the young boys, finding the blood, the phone call, the recapitulation later?

7.Kristen and Jimmy, audience sympathy for them, their arrival, the tension, four o’clock in the morning, their talking, her declining the proposal, the ring? His eating the ice cream, her taking a bath, her flashback to the wedding scene, the proposal, her rejection? Their talking, Jimmy going for a drive?

8.The woman at the door, asking for Trudy? Jimmy going out? Her standing in the street, staring? The eerie atmosphere?

9.The noises in the house, the effect on Kristen, the record playing – and later the record getting stuck, the attempts at phone calls, recharging the battery? The man with the mask behind her? Asking for Trudy at the door again? Ringing Jimmy, getting cut off? The axe in the door? Jimmy and his return, putting the furniture against the front door? The search through the house? The elusive strangers?

10.Getting the gun, his not knowing how to use it, his phone call to Michael, Michael arriving, the car getting smashed, going into the house, his dread, Jimmy shooting him by accident? Their grief?

11.Jimmy and the car, smashed, the phone inside, later in the house, his having built the fire, Kristen’s phone inside? Blockading themselves in the room? With the gun? Going outside, the car and the crash? Kristen running to the barn? Her tripping and spraining her ankle? Trying to contact by radio, the woman smashing it?

12.The three in the masks, ominous, their eyes, appearance? Their disappearing, playing games with Kristen and Jimmy? Entering the house, going to the cupboard where Kristen was hiding?

13.The couple being caught, tied up, the masks taken off – but the audience not seeing their faces? The brutality of the people killing the couple?

14.The boys, on the road in the morning, the seeming peace and sunlight of the morning, the religious leaflet, the woman taking it, saying she was a sinner sometimes, the remark that it would be easier next time?

15.The boys going in, the blood, the corpses?

16.Kristen still alive and her scream? The sudden ending?

17.The overall effect on the audience, identifying with fear? An ordinary couple, in ordinary suburbia, in ordinary life? Terror?

BIRDWATCHERS

Italy, 2008, 108 minutes, Colour.
Abrezio Da Silva Pedro, Ambrozio Vilhalva, Claudio Santamaria, Matheus Nachtergale, Fabiane Perera Da Silva, Chiara Caselli, Leonardo Medeiros.
Directed by Marco Bechis.

Birdwatchers is a film about the Guarani (the tribal group who featured in Roland Joffe’s The Mission). This time the Guarani are centre-screen.

The film, in Portuguese and Guarani, was written and directed by Marco Bechis. Born in Chile but educated in San Paolo and Buenos Aires, he was exiled for political reasons from Argentina in 1977 to Italy. He based his film, Garage Olympo, on the experiences of the Disappeared during the political upheaval in Argentina.

The film goes into the Amazon jungle, shows initially Guarani as the object of tourist curiosity – and then suddenly has them being paid off and going back to their ordinary lives. However, this time they decide to squat outside the farmlands of an owner who has had the property in his family for sixty years. The film highlights the antagonism and clashes between the Indians and the landowners who have cleared the forests for cattle and for crops. The owner puts a guard, called the Scarecrow, in a caravan near the Guarani so that they can be observed.

The film shows the wealthy and indolent lifestyle of the rich families. The film focuses on the daughter, teenage, pot-smoking, wealthy and arrogant. However, she encounters the young shaman-in-training of the Guarani and falls in love with him. He is forbidden to have relationships with women while he is in training. He has dreams which see the future and is being trained to pray to the gods, to eliminate the spirits of evil.

While the film does come to a head and there is some violence, the film shows the two parties in discussion, the role of the law and the government – but no easy solution.

The film is interesting in its portrait of the life of the Guarani, dispossessed, trying to claim some land with their sense of belonging. It is also intriguing in the religious customs of the Indians.

While the film focuses on the Indians of Brazil, the story has been repeated all over the world in different cultures. This film is a contribution to understanding.

1.The Brazilian background, the Guarani, the landowners, the clash about land, the cultivation of the forests, the clash of cultures, law and government intervention?

2.The particular indigenous issues, their universal application?

3.The jungle locations, the town, the shops, the sites for development, the land and the forests, the cultivation, the river? Authentic atmosphere?

4.The musical score, the tones of Brazil, the classical music background? The feel, the mystical, prayers and chants?

5.The reality of the landowners, the government, hard-headed and rational? The shopkeeper as the intermediary? Getting jobs for the Guarani? Giving them credit? Making demands on them? Making contact so that an assassin can be found? The contrast with the mystical, the spirits, prayers to the gods, the talking about the evil spirit in the forest, the sense of evil, dreams and fulfilment? Knowledge, the shaman, the training of Osvaldo, the regulations, Osvaldo and his breaking them? His final screams?

6.The introduction, the tourists, the Indians standing, firing the arrows, audience response in sympathy with the Indians? Their leaving, getting dressed, getting the payment, going back home in the truck?

7.Nadio as the leader, his character, age, dignity? His moving his family, buying the goods, needing credit, selling his horse and cart, bargaining? Getting a lift with the shop owner, squatting outside the land, the confrontation with the owner? Building shelter, setting up camp? Inviting others to join? The shaman and his interpretations? Going to the river to get water across the land, the Scarecrow? The shop owner and his offer of work, Nadio’s refusal, his drinking, his relationship with his son, the son going to work, buying the sneakers, his father disowning him, his hanging himself? The funeral, Nadio’s grief? The gathering of the peoples, the confrontations, the law? Nadio and his being murdered?

8.Indian rights, the land, the role of government, the owners and the 60 years’ occupation, lawyers, the squatters?

9.Osvaldo and his dreams, the people watching him, waking him? Going into training with the shaman, involved in the move, learning the chants, seeing Maria, the swimming, the talking, the taunts, learning to ride the motorbike, the swim, the sexual attraction, the rules, celibacy? His life, his disowning Maria when the move was made? His final screams and the ending?

10.Osvaldo and Iraneu, their friendship, going hunting, coming across the hanged girls, their funerals, the parents disowning the girls, the transition, Iraneu and his father, going to work despite his father, buying the sneakers, coming back home, his father’s anger, his death, the sneakers and the burial?

11.The Indians, the men in the group, the shaman and his getting old, their going to work on the sites, buying the goods, the women and the camp, the sex and the Scarecrow (and his swimming), going to the trailer, getting his gun?

12.The landowners and their easy life, the owner and his attitudes, land in the family? The birdwatchers from Europe, their place in the property, giving the money for work? The young girls, swimming, sunbaking, smoking pot, taunting the Indians, Maria and her showing Osvaldo how to ride the bike, the swimming, the sexual relationship, learning about the Indians – and her leaving after the death of Nadio?

13.The gathering of the great number of people, the confrontation, the lawyers, politicians and speeches, the discussions?

14.The law, arranging for the killer of Nadio, the betrayal, the fate of the traitor?

15.Insight, to peoples and their traditions, their relationship with the land? Justice and the issues not yet settled?

NUIT DE CHIEN (TONIGHT)

Germany, 2008, 120 minutes, Colour.
Pascal Greggory, Bruno Todeschini, Amira Casa, Eric Caravaca, Natalie Delon, Jean- Francois Stevenin, Bulle Ogier, Laura Martin, Sami Frey, Elsa Zylberstein.
Directed by Werner Schroeter.

Nuit de Chien is based on a novel by the Argentinian Juan Carlos Onetti. The setting is a night in an unnamed town, with Hispanic or Portuguese overtones. (In fact it was filmed in Porto in Portugal.) The action takes place from eight o’clock in the evening to six o’clock the next morning.

Pascal Greggory portrays a surgeon who has been caught up in the revolution for years and is returning to the town in order to reconnect with his former partner and the two of them escape in a boat away from the revolution. However, he finds that his partner has disappeared. His journey during the night is a kind of odyssey, taking him to the leader of the rebels, a confrontation with the leader of the powers that have taken over from the government which has fled, to various individuals, to a seedy club which shows something of the decadence that the town has fallen into. He then discovers the whereabouts of the former leader and confronts him. Later he finds his daughter and she accompanies him on the journey. He also encounters a woman who has had surgery from him twenty years earlier as well as a friend with whom he has a sexual encounter.

In the background, however, is a glimpse of the head of the Secret Police who wants to take over, his visit to the club, his arrest of some of the women, the interrogations and tortures, an assassination attempt on his life by one of the waiters.

The film is baroque in its style, sometimes lurid – with a touch of the florid. However, it also shows the background of so many of the revolutions, especially in Latin American countries, the individuals caught up, the loss of idealism, the deals that are made, the violence and the betrayals. The film ends quite pessimistically. At beginning and end there is a rhetorical question about death and why people should fear death because it is inevitable.

The film has a somewhat apocalyptic tone, uses classic art in the opening credits to show dogs present in crisis situations. It returns to the modern when it uses the voice of Orson Welles in his famous 1938 broadcast of The War of the Worlds.

A cinema oddity.

1.A picture of society, revolution and war, the apocalyptic tone?

2.The title, the initial art, the dogs, the end and the animals in the home of the head of the Secret Police? The voice-over beginning and end and the fear of death?

3.The town of Porto, the night photography, the tower and the lights? The streets, the taxis and the jeeps, the wharf and the boat, the club and the performers, apartments? The facilities like phones and electricity generally working, the television going off?

4.The musical score, the club and the songs, the classics: Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Bach? And the voice of Orson Welles and The War of the Worlds?

5.The structure of the film: Ossorio and his arriving, his journey throughout the night, his quest, the failure of his quest?

6.The city and the introduction, the bridge, the trains, the citadel, the war planes flying over, the atmosphere of civil unrest, people disappearing – Clara’s disappearance and the cigarettes? The deception about cholera? The plans of the government and the revolutionaries?

7.General Frago’s attack, the defence of the city, Martins and the rebels, Masseran and the Secret Police, Barcella and his past, corruption, the combination of betrayal, deals, deaths?

8.Ossorio and the gradual revelation about him, as a surgeon, his friends, fighting, rebel, leaving the city, fighting Fraga? The relationship with Clara, his return, motivation? To get the tickets? Going to the club, to meet Manou for the tickets, his death, suicide? The proprietor of the club, its style? The songs and the music? The discussion with Martins? The visit to Baccala, the confrontation, giving the information to Masseran? Going to the house at of Inez, for some sleep, meeting Victoria, Baccala’s daughter? The visit to Maria, the information about Gronowski, the sexual liaison with Maria? Gronowski and the information, Martins’ death and his presence, going to Masseran’s house, finding everybody dead, the stuffed animals? Meeting Max, going to the wharf, Max’s fear, Vila and his alleged help, going onto the wharf with Victoria, his death? As a possible leader? The futility of his last day?

9.Clara, her absence, Ossorio’s love for her, publishing the paper, with Baccala, the alleged alcohol problem, Gronowski’s information, the object of Ossorio’s quest?

10.The club, the types, the proprietor and her relationships, Rosaria and Manou’s death, her arrest, her mother? Irene and her being taken by Masseran? Juan and his propositioning Ossorio? Max and the variety of guests?

11.Irene, her being taken, tortured? Rosaria and her help? Irene being beaten, her injuries, her death?

12.Masseran and his interrogations in the abandoned church? The significance of the crucifix, the focus on the face of Jesus, the continual return to the crucifix when people were tortured, especially Irene?

13.Juan, at the club, coming to Masseran, offering the information, asking to be exposed, his attempt to shoot Masseran, his death? His relationship with Maria, her waiting for him, her phone calls?

14.Masseran and his arrival in the club, the Secret Police, the search, arresting Rosaria, taking Irene? The drink with the proprietor? Masseran in the church, Vila as his assistant, the torture, Juan and the confrontation, his death, Max and his offer for a deal, the police and support of Masseran? Masseran and his deals, especially with Martins, his killing his family and suicide?

15.Martins, old brigade, at the club, with Ossorio, his headquarters, the deal with Masseran, his injuries and death?

16.Max, Masseran, going to the cellar, free, offering to help Ossorio, driving, his fear?

17.Victoria, her age, with Inez, Inez and the reading, Inez and her hospitality?

18.Victoria, young, daughter of Baccala, her mistaking Ossorio’s identity, accompanying him, the young boy, the shower, the end, not afraid, death?

19.The various people who are tortured, their screams, their mad behaviour, the young boy, the shower?

20.The taxi drivers, wanting tickets to leave, their fares, the dangers?

21.Ordinary people, like Inez and her home, continuing, the facilities still going, the lights, electricity, phones? The television going off?

22.The ending, revolution, power struggles, active rebels, victims? Latin American politics and the reference to other dictatorships?

THE SKY CRAWLERS

Japan, 2008, 122 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Mamoru Oshii.

The Sky Crawlers is based on a Japanese novel but is set in a futuristic world. There is worldwide battle in the northern hemisphere, especially between two companies who are involved in armaments.

However, while this resembles the imagination of George Orwell and 1984, the technology is of both the future and of the past. The atmosphere of the film, especially with the pilots and their free time, is very much like the old World War Two films from Britain and the US in the 1940s and 50s. The planes themselves are creative, also a blend of the old, the present and the future.

The animation design of the film is a blend of realistic backgrounds, the countryside seen from the air, realistic buildings and room interiors, blended with animation vehicles, especially the planes. The characters are also quite stylised – with jerky, silent film-style movement, with rather inexpressive faces with slight drawing and characterisation.

The film is something of a boys’ own adventure type, especially with the battle sequences in the air. These also are reminiscent of the World War One battles with the Red Baron, the villain this time being The Teacher, a former employee and star pilot who has gone over to the other side.

The women in the film are very strong, a pilot, a maintenance worker and the commander-in-chief. The commander is a complex character and moves the film into the mystical and the mysterious – especially in her relationship with a pilot whom she has killed and who is transformed into a new pilot, the hero of the film. There is the challenge then of who is to kill whom because of passion, depression, hope for the future.

There is, however, the stereotype woman, the giddy woman who turns up at a diner as well as a prostitute in a brothel.

This is an animation film for adults, in the tradition of the anime and the manga, designed for an adult audience.

Interspersed throughout the film are some more existential reflections and conversations about the meaning of life, about the meaning of war, the central characters being children who are never allowed to grow up and whose attitude towards the war is quite cavalier – but, being challenged to think more deeply.

The film is very strong on smoking, as the Americans would say, what’s with all the lighting up, and the emphasis on cigarettes and the discussion about smoking?

1.The impact of the film? An animation film for adults? Men’s responses? Women’s responses? Japanese? Worldwide?

2.The animation style, the use of naturalistic backgrounds, the countryside, the buildings, the rooms? The contrast with the animation for the characters, their movements, expression and lack of expression?

3.The issue of language: the Japanese names and speaking in Japanese? Speaking in English? The English names, the signs, the bar? The TV commentary and the English accent? The tourists of the base and the English accents? The universal situation of the world?

4.The conflict in Europe: the newspapers, the headlines about Donegal? The two war companies, their being involved in warfare, battles in the air? Financial and economic situations?

5.The battles, the vivid animation, flight, fight, explosions? The maintenance of the planes?

6.The characters: the Kildren, never growing up? Yet their being pilots, relationships, sexuality? Smoking and drinking? The character of the young pilot, his new assignment, wanting to meet the previous pilot and take over the plane? The fellow pilots and their discussions? The air of mystery about his predecessor? Going to the commanding officer, her manner, refusing to talk? His sharing the room, going out to the diner, the women, the prostitute and the brothel? His trying to find out the truth? His going into action? The Teacher? The interactions with the commander, finding her daughter, talking with her? Her depression, her moods? Going out, drinking? The advances? The build-up to the flights, the dangers, the attack? The final discussions with the commander, his admiring her because she smoked? The guns, her wanting to kill herself? His shooting the window? The future?

7.The other pilots, the echoes of the camaraderie of the British and American films of World War Two?

8.The mechanic, her challenging about her gender? Her work, her support?

9.The local girls, the brothel, the stereotypes?

10.The battles, the invasion, the loss of life?

11.The attitude towards war, the Kildren? The discussions about war, its meaning? Having to take more responsibility?

12.The significance of the television commentaries, the man at the bar and his congratulations (and appearing Jewish)? The tourists and their jingoism? The hero and his having to look after the tourists and put on a smiling face for them?

13.The overall effect of the film, adventure, a future world, links with the past and the images and stereotypes of the past?

THE HURT LOCKER

US, 2008, 131 minutes, Colour.
Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

Another film about Iraq, stong films (like Redacted, Rendition, Lions for Lambs (Afghanistan), In the Valley of Elah, The Battle of Haditha, Stop-Loss) which were not popular with the US public in 2007-2008. Too close to the bone? Too critical of American involvement in the invasion of Iraq, government policy, the waging of the war and the destructive and devastating consequences?

The Hurt Locker is one of the most critical of these films. It is based on articles written by Mark Boas (also the basis for In the Valley of Elah) after he spent time as an embedded journalist with a specialist
bomb-diffusing squad. As plots go, the film is generally a succession of missions to defuse, so detailed that the audience will feel that they have almost been embedded as well. The dangers and the risks are palpable. As one of the squad, with obsessive pessimism continually gnawing at him, states: that to be in Iraq is to be dead.

There is a quotation at the opening of the film which tells us that war is a drug. This is illustrated by the central character William James (Jeremy Renner) who is described by an officer as a Wild Man, whose actions are reminiscent of the cowboys (or, rather, the gunslingers). A young boy who sells fake DVDs and plays soccer with James and calls himself 'Beckham', asks him if he is a gangster. He kind of agrees.

The opening of the film shows a fatal incident - and will remind audiences of science-fction films from 2001 to Star Wars as the leader puts on the protective gear reminiscent of a space walk and uses robots for discovery - until a wheel literally falls off. The tension is always intense, the support officer is on the alert for hostile movement, the crowds look on, the huge bomb is in the middle of a Bagdad street and a bystander detonates the device.

With the cumulative effect of the missions, and the reminder that there are lessening numbers of days for the squad's tour, we realise we would want to be out of there. Yet James is a gunslinger, does not seem to
have any fear, takes off his protective gear, removes his earphones and takes all kinds of risks, even when the clean-up squad is ready to move in. We see a car parked at the UN headquarters with a cunningly concealed bomb. We see a cluster of bombs buried in a street. A boy is in a warhouse, a bomb inside his body. An innocent man is set up with explosives bound to him by steel and with a short timer. His assistant (Anthony Mackie) is angry with him and the other member (Brian Gerraghty) fears that James' recklessness will get him killed.

There is an interlude out in the desert but the group are pinned down under fire.

There seems virtually no relief, except some horsing around, drinking or the fake DVDs.

As with most of the Iraq films, the American soldiers are shown as automatically suspicious of every 'Hajji' and very limited in their knowledge of the language, relying on shouting, swearing, gun threats and intimidation.

At the end, we do get some relief as we go back to the US, but James is addicted, overwhelmed by shopping in the supermarket by endless rows of cereal choices (like Oliver Stone's sequence in Heaven and Earth), and wants to return.

The point is being made that for the average soldier and, perhaps for commanders as well, is that they are not fighting for a cause or ideals but just fighting and, for some, that is an addiction.

There are very brief cameos from Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse. The Hurt Locker is suprisingly from a woman director, Kathryn Bigelow, although she has made some strong male bonding and conflicting films like Point Break and K9 - the Widowmaker.

Winner of the SIGNIS award in Venice 2008 (as was In the Valley of Elah in 2007).

1.The impact of the film? Awards? Critique? The war, war in itself, Iraq? US presence, policy, aggression? The quotation about war being an addiction?

2.Baghdad, the city, streets, buildings, the UN, the bomb sites, the desert and the attack? The musical score?

3.The screenplay based on a journalist and his living in with the bomb experts, his reports? Authentic?

4.The audience and the stances on the war in Iraq, pro and con, pro-US or not? The experience of the invasion, the war? The consequences in terms of human life, suffering? Suicide bombers? The insurgents?

5.The films on the Iraq war, contemporary – and the poor box-office in the United States?

6.The initial mission, Thompson and his character, leadership, competence, the robot, uncovering the cloth, the accident with the wheel, donning the special clothing, Sanborn and his cover, wary of snipers, the crowds, watching, the bomb itself, the timing, the butcher exploding the device? Thompson’s death?

7.The introduction to the squad, their specialist work, their skills in defusing bombs, the risks they ran, the dangers, the aftermath, packing up Thompson’s clothes, relaxing, fighting and drinking?

8.Eldridge and the voice of fear, paranoia, ‘everyone in Iraq is dead’? Talking with the doctor, insulting him about his being behind a desk? The doctor going on patrol, talking with the people with the cart, killed by the bomb?

9.The American attitude towards the Iraqis, calling them Hajis, not knowing their language, the brusque and brutal orders? Suspicions of any Iraqi? The boys, the selling of the DVDs, the boy calling himself Beckham? The boy with the bomb inside him?

10.William James, his arrival, the cowboy attitude, the gunslinger, Beckham calling him Gangster? His relationship with Sanborn, Sanborn questioning him, his explanation of himself, the attack of trailer trash? The clashes? Going on the mission, going alone? The UN, the evacuations, the car, the search for the bomb and his inability to find it in the expected places? Finding it, dismantling it? Keeping the parts as souvenirs under his bed? The dangers, the bombs in the street, the man with the camera, the signals, friendly waving or not? The multi-stranded bombs? The insights into James’s character, going out on his own, the search in the streets, his leading Eldridge into danger? The boy with the bomb inside him, his concern, going further than was required, ignoring the fact that the professional squads were coming? In the desert, encounter with the British, their being under siege, his patience in the sun, his sights, advising Sanborn when to fire? Sacrificing the drink? His meeting the commanding officer, the officer calling him a wild man, asking how many bombs he had defused, praising him? Sanborn and his punching him because of not obeying? The later drinking and the wrestling? His going out searching for the killer of Beckham? Discovering that it was not Beckham? His suspicions with the DVD seller? Going to the house, intruding, the professor, his welcoming him, his wife and her attack, his running away, the return to base, the harsh treatment, the sentry asking about the brothel? His mission to the man with the timer, gung-ho attitude, trying to help him, failing, the explosion? The aftermath? Phoning his wife but not speaking to her? The discussion with Sanborn about having a son? Going home, his wife, the boy, playing with the games, peeling and preparing the vegetables? Going to the supermarket, getting the goods, the vast array of cereals – when everything is the same? Going back, his year of service? War as a drug?

11.Sanborn, his work in intelligence, black man, his service with Thompson, helping him, the grief? Meeting James, the questions? Going on the mission, on guard, the snipers, watching the people with suspicion? Eldridge and his pessimism? James and his taking off his headphones, anger, orders, punching him? The other missions, out in the desert, his firing, the men on the roof, at the window? His getting a drink? The risks? The search beyond the call of duty? Eldridge wounded and taking him back? His change, wanting to leave, wanting a son?

12.Eldridge, his age, experience, fears, obsession about dying? Talks with the doctor, the casual talks while he fixed cars? His worry about James and the risks? In the desert, firing, asking permission? His being injured, the helicopter and his anger as he left? His grief at the doctor’s death? The doctor’s help, his shaming him to go out on action?

13.The British, the siege, their captives, important captives with a bounty? The commander, the discussions, firing on the attackers, their deaths? The captives escaping? The Americans shooting the snipers on the building, the roof, the window? On the rail line with the cattle?

14.The Iraqis, the jibes, the Americans not learning the language, everybody suspect? The Iraqis not obeying orders instantly, the taxi driver and his stubbornness, being backed out? The man asking about California? The threats, the friendly waves? The butcher and the explosion? The onlookers, the men with the timer which was dismantled? Their escape? The man with the camera? Beckham, playing, selling DVDs, the man with the cart? The boy as a bomb?

15.The anti-war stance of the film, critique of American policy, war as a drug, the difference between fighting and ideology and ideals? The consequences of the war?