REDBELT

US, 2008, 99 minutes, Colour.
Chiwitel Ejiofor, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, Tim Allen, Joe Mantegna, Rodrigo Santoro, Ricky Jay, Max Martini, David Paymer, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Rebecca Pidgeon, Randy Couture, Matt Molloy, Jennifer Gray.
Directed by David Mamet.

Very mixed reactions to David Mamet's Redbelt. Audiences attracted by the belts and the martial arts may find that the film is far too philosophical and underuses martial arts sequences to satisfy them. Audiences attracted by the plays and screenplays of David Mamet may be more satisfied since the fight sequences that are in the film are at the service of the broader and more thoughtful themes. And some may not be interested in either facet of the film – or dislike Mamet's work. Mamet himself spent five years in Jiu Jitsu training, especially that of the Japanese tradition to the US via Brazil.

This is a review strongly in favour of the film.

Although the opening keeps us in the Jiu Jitsu studio for quite some time, it introduces us to a character who is exemplary in terms of being a good and principled man. It is often very difficult to dramatise integrity and decency. If they are portrayed in a context of greed, phoniness and corruption, they do stand out. That is what happens here.

Chiwitel Ejiofor is at his best as Mike Terry, former military, who now runs the studio. The initial encounter is a lesson with his friend, Joe, a policeman and a sometime bouncer at his Brazilian brother-in-law's club. They are disturbed on this rainy night by a lawyer (Emily Mortimer) crashing into Mike's car as she is desperately looking for a pharmacy for her medication. In her anxiety, she grabs a gun, fires and smashes a window. The group feels sorry for her and decide not to report this to the police. A lot of sad consequences follow from this decision.

When Mike goes to ask for a loan from his brother-in-law (Rodrigo Santoro) at the urging of his wife (Alice Braga) who runs a fabric and design company, he saves a film star (Tim Allen) in the bar during a brawl. Invited to dinner at the star's house, he is feted by the star and his wife is feted by the star's wife (Rebecca Pidgeon, Mamet's own wife) and friends. Problems over? No, only beginning.

Some years ago, Mamet made a film with a complex plot, plots within plots, deceptions and lies, The Spanish Prisoner. Redbelt goes in this direction as Mike's wife is the victim of fraud and borrows money from a loan-shark friend (David Paymer). Mike is swindled out of his ideas by an agent (Joe Mantegna) and a fight promoter (Ricky Jay). Mike's principles are tested, especially since he does not believe in competitive sports and winning. His martial arts are for defence, protection by grappling rather than hitting, deflecting an attack. Even the lawyer's attempts to help backfire because of the initial gun incident.

Mamet works out a satisfying ending, including a fight, that is not an easy way out and protects Mike's integrity.

As can be seen by the cast, Mamet is working with many actors that he has included in his plays and films.

Redbelt may not be to everyone's taste but it is well worthwhile.

1.The impact of the film as drama, multi-martial arts? Principles and integrity? California, corruption and fixing?

2.The context of ju-jitsu, training, Mix Martial Arts? The Japanese tradition, Brazilian tradition? American?

3.How satisfying the action sequences for fans? The training, the explanations, the moves, grappling, deflecting attack, strengths and weaknesses and exploiting them, the argument against competition, the preference for prevailing and deflecting? The initial fight as a demonstration and class, Mike and his struggles, defending Chet in the bar, the film sequences, the competitions, the final confrontation? The martial arts a context rather than a goal?

4.California, the studios, streets, homes, mansions, the film sets, the fights, the ring? Race and ethnic issues? The Brazilians in Los Angeles? The Japanese traditions and fighting?

5.Mike Terry as a character: strong, a man of integrity and principles, working with Joe in the training session, demonstrating the moves in the fight, his skill in lessons? The Laura situation, the gun, the broken window? The deal that they would not report her? Sonia, his relationship with her, her concern about money, paying bills, her own fabric business? Orders from Brazil? Going to Bruno, the bar, the discussions, not raising the issue of the loan? Meeting Chet, the fight in the bar, his using his skills to defend Chet? The CCTV and the record of it? Chet and the invitation, Mike and Sonia going to the meal, the discussions with Chet, the film industry, the wives and the discussions about fabrics and dresses? His being invited to the set, the gift of the watch? His giving the watch to Joe as a payment for Bruno’s non-payment? The consequences, Joe pawning it, his being suspended from the police force, his killing himself, not wanting to shame the studio? His wife’s bitterness? Mike and his friendship with George, the stunts at the set, his faxing the information, looking at the script? Meeting with Jerry in the restaurant? The wives not answering Sonia’s calls? Jerry leaving, stealing his ideas?

6.The Brazilians, the club, the bar, the customers, Bruno and his involvement in the fights, Augustine as the fighter, the plans, the promoter, trapping Mike through legal means, stealing his ideas, forcing him into the bouts? The fixing of the games?

7.The opening with the three balls, the explanation, the handicap in the match, the magician and his ability to change the colour, the ritual at the fights, the masked Japanese master, Mike discovering the truth?

8.Chet, his background, life and style, fighting in the bar, his friendship with Mike, the meal, on the set, discussions about the film? The wives and their plans, Sonia and her investing thirty thousand dollars, borrowing it from Richie?

9.Jerry and his smooth talk, his stealing the ideas, having no sympathy for Joe and the suicide?

10.The Laura situation: her driving in the rain, unable to get her medication, her anger, the car, crashing, the shooting, her fears, breaking the window, giving the cheque, the discussions with Mike, his explanations, the enrolment form, her return, the various moves, her recounting the rape and his getting her to vent her angers? Her work as a lawyer, the confrontation about the conspiracy, the stealing of intellectual property? The tables turned because of the incident in the studio? Sonia giving the information?

11.Mike, his being trapped, his attitude towards competitions, his having to go and fight, the training, the bouts?

12.The fights, the rituals, the audience, the radio and television commentators? His finding out the truth, opting out? The variety of reactions, the promoter? Bruno? Augustine? Flynn and his watching? Sonia, Chet and his wife? Their bringing the master from Brazil and his watching?

13.The fight with Augustine, the television cameras, everybody watching?

14.The culmination: Mike and his preserving his principles, the Japanese champion presenting his belt, his giving it to Laura, his going to the microphone? The master presenting him with the red belt?

15.Themes of greed versus decency and integrity?

DEATH RACE

US, 2008, 103 minutes, Colour.
Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian Mc Shane, Tyrese Gibson, Natalie Martinez, Max Ryan.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.

Bing, bang, bam, boom, bash... And that's just the pre-credits' prologue! Depending on where you see Death Race (that is presuming you want to see it), then you will experience cinematic assault and battery. It is an assault on the eyes with its wide screen format and pounding pacing and editing. And it's loud. Very loud.

Which makes one wonder who is the target audience. Those of us who felt that the 1975 Death Race 2000 on which this film was based (with David Carradine and a pre -Rocky Sylvester Stallone) was a guilty pleasure may just feel guilty without the pleasure. But, in the words of Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon films, we are probably to old for this kind of... Those who are not into cars and violent death races, which means a large percentage of the population, will not want to see it. Which leaves us with those younger macho boys at heart with their testosterone-fuelled sensibilities. It will be adrenalin-pumping. On the other hand, such high octane crash-bam-wallop shenanigans are just numbing.

It is 2012 and we are told that the American economy has collapsed (which makes the film more current than it might have imagined). Unemployment is rife. Our hero, Jason Statham, in a variation of his Transporter driver roles, is let go with not enough money to support his wife and daughter. When his wife is murdered and he is framed, he finds himself in a prison where the warden (Joan Allen of all people) runs drivers and cars in a death race series which the avid public can subscribe to watch on television and on line. Tyrese Gibson is around as a rival driver. Ian Mc Shane is the coach and mechanic.

While the races are loud and fast-paced, with no holds barred brutality, they do not seem to be all that interesting.

Ultimately, this is a battle of wits and the underdogs defying the bosses. The producers must have thought they were on to something when they have Joan Allen mouthe some words that she normally doesn't say in films. They might not, as in the words of My Fair Lady, make a sailor blush, but the sailor might well be shocked to hear Joan Allen saying them. At the end of the final credits, she says them again!

The whole thing is gruelling – which is what director Paul W.S.Anderson (who made Resident Evil and Alien Versus Predator) exactly wants.

1.The impact of the film? Visual? Sound? Editing and pace? Violence and brutality?

2.A remake of the 1975 small-budget classic? Using the same plot and characters? The transfer from 2000 to 2012?

3.The stunt work, the machines, the races, the editing and pace? Explosions? Gunfire? The special effects?

4.The title, society in 2012, the US economy collapsed, the full jails? The nature of the prisons? The wardens? Exploitation? Brutality?

5.Death Race and the internet, the subscribers, the millions watching the races to the death? Hennessy and her exploiting this situation? Her exploiting the drivers?

6.The prologue, Jensen Ames and his skill as a driver, his disqualifications? His working in the factory? His relationship with his wife? Daughter? The redundancy, the payment, the complaints, the police brutality? His finding his wife dead? His being framed for the murder? Imprisoned?

7.Jensen Ames in prison, his meeting up with Coach and his assistance? Their friendship? Machine Gun Joe? The life in prison?

8.Hennessy, her ruthlessness, her assistance? Her discussions with Ames, making the proposal? The issue of Frankenstein, his death? The mask and the death race? Her wanting Ames to take his place? Promising him his freedom? Her manipulation of the murder of his wife, Pachenko and his being the killer? Ames discovering this? Animosity?

9.The preparation for the races? Coach and his team, the preparation of the cars? Their continued support, the explosives?

10.Machine Gun Joe, his sidekicks, his wanting to win, get his freedom? As a character, person?

11.The three races, the way they were filmed? No hold barred? Guns, explosions, the huge lorry tank? The skill in destroying it? The deaths of the various participants? The X on their photos eliminating them? The increased subscribers watching the races?

12.The build-up to the final race? Hennessy and her plans? Giving Ames the documents? Case, her participation in the races, explaining to Ames about the death of Frankenstein? Joe and his not realising that Ames was Frankenstein under the mask?

13.Their plans for the final race? Their outwitting Hennessy? Their escaping across the bridge, the pursuit of the guards, crashing through, the helicopters? Case and her wearing the Frankenstein mask? Her being taken?

14.Joe and Ames, their escape, going to Florida? Case joining them? Ames and his baby? His final comment that this was the only thing that mattered?

15.Coach, his team? The gift to Hennessy after her success with the subscribers? The bomb and her death? (Joan Allen using swearing language – and it being repeated after the credits?)

16.The overall impact of this kind of film? For a majority of audiences? For its niche audiences of young men? The issue of the writer-director’s moral responsibility? Incitement to violence? Adrenalin-pumping or numbing?

TAKEN

France, 2008, 93 minutes, Colour.
Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Jansson, Xander Berkeley, Katie Cassidy.
Directed by Pierre Morell.

It is nothing new to see an action film where someone takes the law into their own hands to effect justice. There is always a worrying dimension to this kind of story. Our emotions are caught up in the issue of the crime and the brutality of the perpetrators: we feel vengeful. On the other hand, our heads tell us that there are procedures and processes, a right and legal way of doing things and to go outside the law runs the danger of collateral damage (at least) as well as turning the avenger into an instrument of violence.

Not that Taken gives its audience all that much time to think these thoughts. It is 93 minutes in motion, especially when the 17 year old daughter of a former government espionage agent (who describes his work and his skills as 'a Preventer') is abducted from a Paris apartment. Once her father arrives in Paris to rescue her, it is fairly non-stop mayhem despite his French colleague's plea with him not to make a mess. Our hero has surveillance resources to identify those responsible very quickly and the energy (without any evidence of time for sleep,meals or even rest room stops) to confront his enemies, gather more information by torture and bring the whole exercise to a satisfactory conclusion.

The film was written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen (who wrote The Karate Kid but who in recent years has been writing Besson-produced action shows like The Transporter series). The director is Pierre Morel who made one of these shows, District 13.

The team have gone quite upmarket this time with the opening sequences in an affluent California but most of the action taking place in Paris. And they have Liam Neeson as the former agent. He is big enough, strong enough and able to create a powerful character to make the story and his actions credible while on screen. Famke Janssen plays his wife and Maggie Grace his daughter.

However, as you watch, you realise that to apply criteria of natural realism would be to misunderstand the search and rescue genre. Yes, there is a chase and chaos outside the airport. Yes, Neeson destroys a building site that is used for drugging girls abducted for prostitution. But, this is a genre picture where you have to suspend realistic belief and go for the ride, so to speak, and enter into the action.

The themes are topical: trafficking for prostitution and police payoffs and corruption. The villains are those who have emerged on screens in recent times, thugs and gangsters from Eastern Europe, in this case, Albanians. And some of the customers at auctions in expensive hotels are Arab sheikhs.

And, yet, all the time there is this nagging feeling about American gung-ho, going everywhere in the world where they feel they have been wronged and take the higher moral position, using every means at hand, including torture, to get the information they need in the name of righting the wrongs.

Neeson is good, the action is fast-paced, the brutality quotient is quite high. And there is a warning for teenagers who think they know everything and are naively secure: Father knows best!

1.A satisfying action film? Vengeance film? Violence and the law? Issues of justice?

2.The Californian families and their lifestyle, homes and wealth? The contrast with Paris, the airport, streets, apartments, police precincts, the squalid areas of prostitution, the warehouse and the building site, the chases and the special effects, explosions? The musical score? The editing for fast pace?

3.The title, a clear title, the consequences?

4.Establishing Brian as a person: as a father, the film of his daughter, the photo album, his love for her, looking over the gift, buying it, going to the party, Kim at seventeen, his relationship with Lenore? Her husband? His gift and the gift of the horse? His disappointment? Playing cards with his friends, their reminiscences about their work, the Middle East, espionage, his seeing his work as a Preventer? Working for the government, giving his life for the government? His absences during his marriage, Kim feeling his absences? His retiring, wanting to be near Kim? The security job, his success? The lunch, Lenore’s arriving, pleading for permission to go to France, his being protective, Lenore challenging him, his change of heart, going to the house and giving the document?

5.The music star, the security job, the four men, their skills, after the concert, saving the girl? Brian talking to her, explaining about his daughter? The star and her warning against the career? Her gratitude, giving her card? His bringing Kim to her at the end?

6.The drive to the airport, his warnings, seeing Kim off? Discovering the plan for following U2? Kim’s lies? The phone, his waiting for her call, ringing Lenore during the night?

7.Kim and Amanda, their age, excitement, arrival in Paris, the meeting with Peter, his charm, the photos, sharing the cab, the apartment, the cousins being in Spain, Amanda and her attitude towards sex, the loud music? Missing the phone call? Talking with her father, seeing Amanda abducted while she was on the phone, Brian’s advice, recording everything, telling her to go under the bed, her being taken? Brian and the record, Marco and his saying good luck? Brian’s threats? Checking with his friends, getting the information about the Albanians, their accent, town of origin? His going to Stuart? Getting the plane, ninety-six hours to recover Kim?

8.The apartment, his visit, the clues, the photos, seeing the reflection of Peter, going to the airport, the work of the spotters, the black spotter, Peter and his talking with the Scandinavian girl? Brian’s intervention, his chase, the fight, the cars, Brian’s recklessness in the traffic, Peter jumping, being hit by the car?

9.Going to the French police, Jean-Claude? and the past friendship? Information about the Albanians? His being tailed by the police? Told not to make a mess? The Albanian translator, his work in the car, Brian accosting the girl, getting her pimp to come to save her, planting the microphone, following him, the building site, the stalls with the various girls, their being drugged? The traffic in prostitution? Seeing the jacket, rescuing the girl? The shootings, the explosions, the car chase? The hotel and his helping the girl with the intravenous fluid? Her clue about the red door? His visit, pretending to be an inspector, information about the crooked police? Asking the group to say good luck? The confrontation, the shootout, his torturing of Marco and his relentlessness, his past methods? Getting the information? The discussion with Jean-Claude?, arranging the phones to be misleading?

10.Going to Jean-Claude’s?, the meal, the information about the crooked police, the welcome from Jean-Claude’s? wife, shooting her in the arm, going to the computer, getting the name?

11.Going to the prostitution auction, infiltrating the party, going upstairs, getting the Arab buyer to buy his daughter, the violence, the methods, rescuing his daughter? On the boat, the confrontation with the guards, the sheikh, the attack and the rescue?

12.American agents, their methods, violence, gung-ho? The attitude of Americans around the world?

13.The finale, the reunion of the family?

14.Difficult situations and it being easy to criticise from an armchair? Trafficking, eastern Europe, France? The violence, the perspective of somebody involved immediately in the crisis requiring action?

POLLOCK

US, 2000, 132 minutes, Colour.
Ed Harris, Marcia Gaye Harden, Jennifer Connolly, Amy Madigan, Tom Bower, Bud Court, John Heard, Val Kilmer, Sada Thompson, Jeffrey Tambor.
Directed by Ed Harris.

Pollock is a fine portrait of the American artist, Jackson Pollock. Films about American artists of the 20th century include Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat and several films about Andy Warhol including I Shot Andy Warhol and The Factory. Warhol also appears in Basquiat.

Jackson Pollock was a New York artist, working in the 1930s and 40s, influenced by the modern trends of the period. However, with the encouragement of Lee Krasner whom he married, he was able to make a breakthrough into the art establishment of the city. This was especially through the influence of art entrepreneur and dealer, Peggy Guggenheim (played in the film by Harris’s wife, Amy Madigan). Marcia Gaye Harden as Lee Krasner won the Oscar for best supporting actress.

Ed Harris gives an intelligent performance as Pollock, even mimicking in many scenes, Pollock’s method of painting, with brush, with splashing, which became his characteristic trait. Pollock himself is presented as an egotistical man with temperament, an alcoholic, relying very much on the support of Lee Krasner but eventually tiring of it and wanting to break out on his own. He has an affair with Peggy Guggenheim and finally leaves his wife for a younger woman (played by Jennifer Connolly).

While the film shows the ups and downs of Pollock’s life and his temperament as well as portraying a great deal of his art, the film also shows something of the art world of the mid-1950s in the United States, especially in New York City.

Ed Harris directed the film himself, a labour of love. Harris’s other film that he directed was the western, Appaloosa, 2008.

1.Audience knowledge of Jackson Pollock? Interest in him? His life, his artwork, his temperament? The film offering insight into him? Ed Harris and his commitment to the film and to the portrait of Pollock?

2.The framework, Pollock and the celebration, autographs, the flashbacks, his life, career, his success, his self-destructiveness?

3.The New York settings, the 1940s and 50s, studios, family homes, galleries, Long Island, the house, the garden and the countryside?

4.The score, the period and atmosphere?

5.Audiences and their response to the lives of artists, their temperaments, gifts, being driven, self-centred, relationship with family, loving relationships, sexual, betrayal? Reputation, jealousy? Being hurtful? Achievement, never enough? Destruction?

6.The portrait of Jackson Pollock? In his family, his brothers, their families, nieces and nephews, the meetings, the meals? His love for his mother, her coming to the opening? His work in the 1940s, the art influences, his friends and critics, his judgments on other artists including Picasso, condemnation? Lee, her arrival at his apartment, her enthusiasm, encouraging him? The relationship, love? Connecting? The various art representatives? Howard Putzel? The friendship of Tony Smith, Willem De Kooning? Peggy Guggenheim? His drinking, keeping her waiting, the exhibition, the sales, her commission for the foyer, success, his relationship with her? His marriage to Lee, going to Long Island, two years off the alcohol, Lee not wanting a baby and its effect on him? His struggle, the vegetables, the deliveries, the bike? Finding his stride, his characteristic work, distinctive? Lee and her travel, tensions, his taking up with Ruth Kligman? The sexual relationship, hurting Lee, saying that he owed her something for what she had done? His drinking, the phone call, his driving, recklessness, Ruth and the passenger and their fears, the crash?

7.Pollock’s distinctive style, modern, American, the influences, abstract? His use of paint, colours? Meanings? His change? His contribution to world art?

8.The character of Lee, her arrival, her approach, the relationship, living with Pollock, encouraging him? Her place in the art world? At home, meals? His drinking and putting up with it? Going to Long Island, the garden, her not wanting a baby, Pollock’s anger? Her friendship with the critics, the reviewers? The growing alienation, her travelling, Pollock leaving her, her being hurt? The subsequent twenty-eight years and her curating his work?

9.Ruth, in love with him, her friend, her not having any regard for Lee, the drive, her fear, the deaths?

10.Peggy Guggenheim, as a character, her demands?

11.Clem Greenberg, Lee persuading him to look at the art, becoming a friend, his visits, his comments?

12.The range of friends, Dan Miller, the agents?

13.Pollock’s death – and the questions of what might have been had he lived and been more positive and constructive?

ANNAPOLIS

US, 2006, 108 minutes, Colour.
James Franco, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordana Brewster, Vicellous Shannon, Tyrese Gibson.
Directed by Justin Lim.

Annapolis takes us to familiar material. A young man from the wrong side of the tracks (James Franco) is accepted for the naval academy in Annapolis. It is hard going for him, lacking the support of his boatbuilding father, trying to fulfil the wishes of his dead mother. He also encounters one of the officers and forms a romantic attachment to her even though she is his superior. The film also shows his relationships with his roommates, clashes as well as friendships, especially his support of a heavyweight candidate who is very self-conscious about his abilities.

The film treads all the familiar ground of recruitment, training, clashes with superiors, wanting to opt out, deciding to go back no matter what the cost. The other aspect of the film is that it is a boxing film, the young recruit is a champion in his own area, trains, clashes with one of his superior officers (Tyrese Gibson) and ultimately is made to fight in unfair circumstances. However, he acquits himself well and is allowed to stay at the academy even though he incurs some penalties.

Direction is by Justin Lim who directed some of the sequels to The Fast and the Furious.

1.The familiarity of military and naval training films? This film following the standard formula? The introduction of the boxing theme?

2.The aspects of Maryland, Annapolis itself, the buildings, the yards, the training centres? The boxing atmosphere and the rings? The musical score?

3.The focus on Jake, his skill at boxing, his relationship with his father, not wanting to stay in boatbuilding? His friends, celebrations, their joke about Ali being an escort? Her playing along? His acceptance into Annapolis, the support of the officers including Lieutenant Burton? His going, his arrival, the checking in? His roommates and relationships with them? Estrada, the lies and his being reported by Loo? Loo and his uprightness? Twins and his weight, his being insulted by the trainers? The mutual support? Jake and the training, meeting Ali? His getting into difficulties, the clashes with authorities, especially Cole? The holiday, his not wanting to go back, discussions with his father? His late return? Continuing on? The boxing training, the build-up to the fight, his being put in an unfair situation? His fight, acquitting himself well? His support? His graduation? People being proud of him?

4.The training at Annapolis, the background of such films as An Officer and a Gentleman, Full Metal Jacket? The humiliation technique? The rigorous physical training? The skills required for naval officers?

5.Ali, her role as an officer, the joke at the beginning? The friendship with Jake? Fraternising? Her support, the ending?

6.Loo, efficient, conscientious, reporting Estrada and his lie? Estrada, his being insulted about his smell, the discipline of the showers, his missing one, his fight with Loo, his being dismissed? Twins, the insults, his weight, his hard work, looking at the photos on his computer? The support of Jake, cleaning up the mess for him? The mutual friendship?

7.The officers, standard characterisations?

8.The familiar material, particularly American – and its serving as a kind of recruiting poster?

GRAVES END

US, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Eric Roberts, Steven Williams, Daniel Roebuck, Valerie Mikita, Fairlie Tull, Skye Soleil.
Directed by James Marlowe.

Graves End is a low-budget thriller, the kind that goes straight to television or DVD. It is the kind of film that its star, Eric Roberts, has made for over twenty years, a great number of them.

Here Roberts plays a wealthy man whose baby was kidnapped and then found dead. His killer is freed on technicalities. He himself had gone with the ransom money and failed to stop the kidnappers. In the meantime, an FBI agent, played by Steven Williams, comes to investigate. He had been in charge of the kidnapping proceedings. He recognises that the local sheriff is a man who was involved in an anger incident as a policeman and relegated to this town.

The agent seems to be a model of upright justice. However, halfway through the film, it emerges that he is the mastermind of the kidnapping and the failure of the court case. His psychotic accomplice, Skye Soleil, comes to join him in the search for the ransom money which was buried. In the meantime, the people of Graves End welcome criminals after they have been released from the justice system – and then they disappear. They had killed the kidnapper when he returned to the town.

The plotline is interesting in itself, with the touch of intrigue, especially with the revelation of the agent as the villain. However, there is rather a great deal of indulgence in some brutal and violent sequences and some irrelevant sexual scenes involving the wife of Eric Roberts.

However, this is one of those undemanding films that people can let their brains go and just simply relax and enjoy.

1.The popularity of this kind of thriller? For television? For DVD release?

2.The mystery, the kidnapping, the town and its killing of criminals? The blackmailing schemes? Murders, vengeance, violence?

3.The town, remote? The mansion owned by the Graves family? The sheriff’s office? The downbeat motel and Maudie in charge, her flirtatious behaviour, her contact with Tag and giving information?

4.The kidnapping, the visualising of it? Tag and his wife, tag going with the money, his being beaten, the money disappearing? His wife not forgiving him? The finding of the child dead and tortured?

5.The sheriff, his background, telling his story, his friendship with the doctor? His meeting Rickman, Rickman recognising him? His trying to do the right thing? To intervene? The threats to Tag, his going out to the mansion, his being welcomed? His final interventions?

6.Rickman, his arrival, the dapper FBI agent? Maudie and her behaviour? His visiting the family, the clash with Tag? His investigations? Coming to the house, the phone call to Tadesco, linking up with Billy? The revelation that he was the mastermind? His cruelty? His killing of Tadesco? The search for the money, Tag and his being wounded, his failing, his death?

7.Krissi, her relationship with the worker, going into town, the note giving him permission to spend money, it being found by Billy and his using it? Her involvement in the final confrontations?

8.Billy, mad, his killing the repair workers, coming to the house, infiltrating? Linking up with Rickman? His being wounded, his pursuing Krissi throughout the house, her using her wits against him? His death?

9.The kidnapper, his being let off the charge because of technicalities, his return to the town, the sequences with the town people confronting him, the assumption that Tag killed him the revelation about the doctor? His burial?

10.The doctor, friendly with the sheriff, friendly with Tag – and his role in the lynch-law behaviour of the people?

11.Tadesco, the lawyer, double-dealings, his part in the plot, his death?

12.The character of Tag, wealthy, his place in the town, audiences assuming that he was the mastermind of the killings? His being wounded, almost dying? The revelation that he was not the leader?

13.The brutality of some of the sequences – too visual and visceral for this kind of film or not?

14.The popular ingredients for an easy thriller entertainment?

DIE WELLE (THE WAVE)

Germany, 2008, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jurgen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt, Jennifer Ulrich, Christiane Paul, Lyas M’ Barek, Christina Dorego, Jacob Matschenz, Maximillian Vollmar, Max Mauff, Ferdinand Schmidt -Modrow.
Directed by Denis Gansel.

Our potential for being or becoming fascists. That is what this film is about.

While the experience on which it is based occurred in Palo Alto, California, and a 1981 44- minute film was made for television on the experiment, the story of a school where a week is devoted to a project to teach the realities of anarchy or autocracy to the students seems very Germanic indeed.

Initially, the students voice their opinion on the topic by saying that fascism is something from the past. They say they know that Hitler and the Nazis were fascists. Some want to leave it there. Others are concerned about guilt, others about responsibility. The class has to make an option on which project to enrol for. It is the popular teacher, Rainer, who gets the most students. He had wanted to teach anarchy – and remembered what he did in his student days. However, he loses out and has to teach autocracy, putting together a plan at short notice.

As the film takes us through the project day by day, we and Rainer soon realise that he has been more than successful. His autocratic discipline (standing when speaking, breathing deeply, referring to him respectfully, marching in step to reinforce unison) soon gives energy to the students and then it enthuses them. What starts as role play soon becomes quite real: uniforms, logo, rally cry, exclusive partying and sports support, as well as hostility towards those who refuse to conform and seeking out of 'the enemy'.

Rainer himself is caught up in the excitement despite warnings from his wife and is accused of manipulation.

However, the film is strong in its portrayal of quite a wide range of students and showing the effect that the experience of fascism has on them without their quite realising it. Before the experiment they would have been shocked to know what was happening to them. Some of them become quite fanatic, especially the loner who designs the logo, has not family so becomes totally dependent on Rainer and the group, The Wave, as they decide to call themselves. There are a few rebels but they are relegated to the periphery of the class. It builds up to quite a frightening climax.

The actors who portray the students are quite convincing – that this could happen within such a short time, the potential for Rainer becoming a new Hitler and they being devout Nazis.

Some audiences may find the film and its structure and its detail of fascism a bit obvious, almost like an allegory rather than a parable. However, most will be caught up in the enthusiasm or the increasing horror that the students are behaving in this way.

For an alarming deadly variation on this theme, try the Japanese film, Battle Royale,

1.The impact of the film? In view of society, history, autocracy, anarchy? Contemporary education? German schools? (And the fact that the original experiment took place in Palo Alto, California?)

2.The German background, the town, homes, lifestyles? The schools, classes, the project? The pool, sports, training? The play, theatre? Credible?

3.The credibility of the project, the experiment and one week’s classes for anarchy and autocracy? The teachers? The students? Learning processes? Identifying with their subject? The consequences?

4.The title, the name of the group, Community? With its logo, bonds? Symbols? The rallying cry? Opponents?

5.The setting, Rainer and his swimming, home, his relationship with his wife? Sports teacher, politics teacher? His feeling that people criticised him? His appeal to the principal? The clash with the rival teacher? His wanting to teach anarchy? His having to prepare the course on autocracy quickly?

6.The members of the class: Marco, sport? Sinan and sport? Denis and his directing the play? Ferdie and his acting, changing the lines, troublemaker? Caro as the lead in the play? Maja as her stand-in? Lisa and her feeling on the outer? Kevin and the background of East Germany? Dropping out? Bomber as his friend? Tim as the loner? Jens as the earnest student? The other students and their backgrounds?

7.The group opting for autocracy because of the teacher? The end of the day, others joining from anarchy? The students and their behaviour in class, answers, questions?

8.Rainer as intelligent, his initial questions for the students, listening to them, putting material on the blackboard, the lists, the definition of autocracy? Getting the information, discussing the causes, the bonds between the students, the effect of the lessons on them?

9.The comments that this could not happen in Germany again, the attitude towards Hitler, the past, Nazism? Responsibilities, guilt? Discussions of contemporary skinheads? Groups from East Germany?

10.The structure of the film, day by day with the project? The rousing of enthusiasm, the gaining of energy, having to stand up and answer questions, Rainer urging them to breathe better, the gaining in confidence? The issue of the uniform, going out to buy the white shirts? Tim and the development of the logo, spreading it around the town as graffiti? All feeling equal? Prejudices lessening? The meetings, the party, the supporting of the sports team?

11.Caro, her home life, her relationship with Marco, her brattish younger brother? Her being in the play, upset with Ferdie’s interruptions? Her love for Marco, the relationship with him? Her deciding to wear red in class, Mona and her support? Preparing the emails, denouncing the group, the leaflets, photocopying them, her apprehension at night in the school? The clash with Marco, going to the pool, the distribution of the leaflets? Standing up to Marco and his hitting her?

12.Tim, drug dealings, the loner? Designing the logo? Buying the gun on the internet? His enthusiasm, dependence on the group, dependence on Rainer, going to his home, sharing the meal, Rainer’s wife and her edginess? The disbanding of the group, his feeling abandoned, producing the gun, wounding Bomber, killing himself?

13.Denis, the play, the changes, people not obeying him, giving orders? The rehearsals, the substitute for Caro, Lisa and her reporting back to Caro?

14.The families, the background of Marco and his mother and her affairs? The Turkish background of Sinan? Kevin and the hippies? East Germany?

15.The sports practices, not working as a team, the improvements, different moves, the match itself, the brawl and the fights? Rainer having to intervene?

16.Rainer as teacher, his plans, the good ideas, his changing his approach, moving to manipulation? The march steps and being in time, on the roof of the anarchy class? Rousing enthusiasm? Anke, her warnings? His harshness towards her, his feeling inferior? Accusing her about taking tablets before classes? Her leaving?

17.Marco, his worry about the group, his visit to Rainer?

18.The background of the activities of the Wave, the enthusiasm of the students? Their turning into fascists? The attitude towards opposition? The needs for the group? The wearing of the uniform?

19.The final lecture, Rainer and his rousing the students, revealing to them what had happened? Tim seeing him as a traitor, the confrontation? His death?

20.Rainer’s arrest, Anke going with him, the students and their dismay, the principal and her looking? How much was Rainer’s responsibility? The future of the young people?

ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN

Austria/Germany/US, 2001, 84 minutes, Colour.
Matt Le Blanc, Eddie Izzard, James Cosmo, Nicolette Krebitz, David Burkin, Edward Fox, Udo Keir, Karl Markovics, Pip Torrens.
Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky.

All the Queen’s Men is a very moderate comedy-drama about espionage in World War Two. It goes over some of the familiar ground of those espionage and war thrillers of the 1950s.

However, this film has a different twist. A group of men are recruited to steal an Enigma machine from a factory outside Berlin. The difficulty is that it is staffed entirely by women.

Matt Le Blanc plays (not quite convincingly but more intelligently than might have been expected from his role as Joey in Friends) an OSS crack espionage leader. The film opens with him escaping with an Enigma machine only to meet a British officer twit who insists on regulations that all non-army equipment should be destroyed and so destroys the machine. Le Blanc finds himself in a prison, playing rugby in the mud, so welcomes this opportunity for a new mission. However, they have to be trained to appear as women. This task falls to Eddie Izzard, able to indulge his alleged penchant for cross-dressing in this film. James Cosmo, not likely to deceive anyone as a woman in disguise, is also present as the leader of the mission. An Enigma expert, David Burkin, much more recognisable as a woman, completes the group. They meet their contact, a librarian, Nicolette Krebitz, in Berlin. They also meet Eddie Izzard’s former lover and former wife.

The film also stars Edward Fox, embodying all that is pompous about British officers.

The film was directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky. Audiences and critics would have been very surprised in the time that he made the film to know that within six years he would have won the Oscar for best foreign language film with The Counterfeiters (and the star of the film, Karl Markovics, appears here as the German officer).

The film reflects a more permissive time in view of sexual orientation. However, Matt Le Blanc’s character seems to be at pains to uphold traditional views – with some macho edge.

1.Entertaining, interesting, comedy-drama? World War Two and espionage?

2.The Continental settings, Berlin and Germany? England? The atmosphere of World War Two? Action sequences? The period, costumes and décor? The musical score, the songs, the Marlene Dietrich tradition? The operatic excerpts, from Carmen?

3.The title, the theme, the cross-dressing, for the sake of espionage? Eddie Izzard and cross-dressing, his character, performance, songs, relationships, wife, lover?

4.The opening, World War Two, O’Rourke? and the pursuit, his derring-do, the tank, escape over the wire? The confrontation with the British officer, the idiotic conversation, the officer, the regulations, shooting the Enigma machine? O’Rourke? and his insults, finding himself playing rugby in the prison?

5.Aitken, the British official? Summoning O’Rourke? The explanation of the mission, the Enigma machine, the need for decoding the German messages? Johnno and his skills and languages? Meeting Tony, past army service, life in Berlin? Cross-dressing? Archie and his being big and burly, the secretary? Put in charge of the mission? Aitken and his explanations?

6.The collage of training, Tony helping them to be feminine? The contrast with O’ Rourke training them to be macho soldiers? Going into Germany, the parachuting? Assembling, donning the women’s clothes, the hitch-hike? Getting to the library, the wrong lead, the contact from Romy? The haupsturmfuehrer and his relationship with Romy? The pursuit, Romy feigning being attacked, helping them escape? Assembling at her house?

7.The poor information from England? O’ Rourke and the rooftop communicating with them? How to find the factory? The various theories? The fairy tales, the children and toys, Romy looking up documents in the library?

8.The characters, O’ Rourke and the very American OSS style? Archie and the Scot, his embarrassment in being disguised as a woman, unconvincing? The little girl following him around calling ‘Mother’? Johnno, adapting – and the difficulties with the toilet and the toilet seat, getting them into difficulties? Tony, his Berlin contacts, meeting Franz again, meeting Paloma?

9.The Germans, the touch of caricature? The haupsturmfuehrer? The general? His fascination with Gina, the sadomasochism, O’ Rourke and his raiding the safe? The general at the performance by Tony?

10.The various adventures in Germany, the dangers? The plan? Archie and the little girl, getting into the car? Tony and his performance in the club, taking Franz with him for the escape? Johnno and his being wounded, having to be carried? O’ Rourke, in the factory, with the women, with the guards, getting the machine, the escape? Getting to the plane? Going back, rescuing Archie who had given himself up and was being tortured, saving Romy?

11.The realisation of the plan, that they were merely decoys, that they were to be caught? The plane and the escape, the debriefing with Aitken? Archie attacking him?

12.The humorous touches, the serious touches, the 21st century perspective yet the 1950s style of film-making?

MORGAN’S FERRY

US, 1999, 91 minutes, Colour.
Billy Zane, Kelly Mc Gillis, Henry Rowlands, Johnny Galecki, Roscoe Lee Browne.
Directed by Sam Pillsbury.

Morgan’s Ferry is a routine thriller with a humane touch. It is the type of film that generally goes straight to television and DVD. It was directed by Sam Pillsbury, a veteran director of television movies as well as the New Zealand film, Scarecrow.

Billy Zane shot to fame with his role in Dead Calm and appeared in many films including Titanic. Kelly Mc Gillis made an impact in Top Gun and The Accused. Roscoe Lee Browne is the veteran of many films, especially The Liberation of L.B. Jones.

The film is a story about three escaped convicts who go into the home of a woman recluse. One is a murderer (Henry Rowlands), the other is manic (Johnny Galecki) and the third, we realise, will be the hero of the film (Billy Zane). The woman is unafraid, deals with the escapees, allows them to stay at her home, falls in love with the Billy Zane character and allows him to escape. Roscoe Lee Browne portrays a blind traveller who also assists. The film has the mystical touch in a wild horse which reappears many times – and ultimately runs into the sheriff’s car just in time for the hero to escape.

The film was written by producer Kathy Mc Cormick, a prolific writer and producer for television – the early scenes of the convicts have the macho touch but the development of the relationship between the reclusive woman and the convict are very much presented with the feminine touch.

1.Popular entertainment? Drama? Romance?

2.The southern settings, the river, the farm, the town? The woods? Authentic feel? The musical score? The title and the focus on the ferry, especially for Munro’s death and the climax of the film?

3.The convicts, their escape, the credits and their fleeing through the countryside? Arrival at Vonnie’s house? The confrontation? Their settling in? Vonnie and her resistance, escaping from the closet, working on her vegetable patch? Getting their meals, making them behave, manners?

4.The convicts in themselves: Munro, the killer, brutal, leader, tough? Attitude towards Vonnie? Attempting to assault her? The contrast with Darcy, young, his relationship with Sam, guiding him? His angers, prejudice? His dislike of Vonnie? Her cutting his foot? His becoming ill, the gangrene? His death? Their behaviour, rough? The confrontation with the parson, his preaching to Vonnie, coming in, Munro killing him? The burial? Darcy being buried in the same grave?

5.Sam, his going along with the robbery, his dependence on Darcy? His courtesy towards Vonnie? The room? The work? His falling in love with her, his staying after the deaths of the other two, working on the roof? The sexual encounter and its effect on Vonnie? Her cousin's passing by, seeing him on the roof? Reporting him?

6.The attempted escapes, the arrival of Peabo, the mule and the wagon? Munro and his going, the mule returning to the house? The second attempt, his being pursued by the rednecks, his being killed? The sheriff and his seeing that Vonnie’s father’s clothes were on him?

7.Peabo, friendly, the wise man? Religious? His helping? The return, the burial of Darcy, his words about God and Heaven? His finally taking Sam to the wharf?

8.Vonnie, her background, her oppressive father, her low self-esteem because of him, the open grave ready for her? Living alone, her cousins passing by? Friendship with Peabo? The vegetable garden? Not afraid, confronting the convicts? Helping with their escape? Not giving them away? Sam remaining, working, the relationship with him? Her inability to leave the farm? Taking him in the cart, with Peabo? The discussion with Caleb at the ferry? His not ringing the sheriff?

9.The rednecks, the ferry master? The sheriff and his ticking them off about killing Munro? Caleb and his not betraying Sam?

10.The sheriff, his skills, his second-in-charge, the report by Carleen and her husband? The sheriff and his pursuit, the search of the house? His realising what had happened? The horse crashing into the car?

11.The symbolism of the horse, wild, tame with Vonnie and Sam? Helping Sam escape?

12.Popular themes? The tough style of the convict story? The softer romantic style of Vonnie and Sam’s romance?

PLUNKETT AND MACLEANE

UK, 1999, 99 minutes, Colour.
Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Liv Tyler, Alan Cumming, Michael Gambon, Ken Stott, Terence Rigby, Matt Lucas, David Walliam, Claire Rushbrook, Nicholas Farrell.
Directed by Jake Scott.

Plunkett and Macleane is a story about highwaymen in the middle of the 18th century. This is the Hogarth time and the film revels in the Hogarthian atmosphere of prisons, low life in the streets, the highways. It also goes into high society of the period – as targets for the highwaymen. There are allusions to the police, government.

The film can be looked at along with films about the period such as Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews, Mistress Pamela and, to the point, Where’s Jack with Stanley Baker and Tommy Steele in a story about criminals in London at the time?

This film is meant to be a rather up-to-date look at the 18th century with 20th century dialogue and with some anachronistic techno-music, especially for the ballroom sequence. (But it is quite effective – and interesting to see the 18th century steps to 20th century music.)

The film also revels in its squalid atmosphere. Jonny Lee Miller is Captain Macleane, imprisoned but unexpectedly freed, who joins up with a former apothecary-turned-highwayman, Plunkett, played by Robert Carlyle. When they escape from prison, they set up as master and servant, infiltrate high society in order to get information for their robberies.

Michael Gambon is the Lord Chief Justice and Liv Tyler is his niece, attracted to Captain Macleane. Ken Stott is suitably sinister as Mr Chance, the disreputable head of the police force. In supporting roles are Matt Lucas and David Walliam of Little Britain. Alan Cumming enjoys himself as an extremely flamboyant bisexual Lord Rochester.

The film promises more than it actually delivers but, if expectations are set a bit lower, it is an opportunity to enter into this strange to us 18th century world. The film was directed by Jake Scott, son of Ridley Scott.

1.A period piece? The middle of the 18th century? A modern perspective with language and music?

2.Hogarth’s London, the prisons, low life, high society, pageantry? The re-creation of the period, costumes and makeup?

3.The musical score, the songs, the dance, the 20th century techno-music style?

4.Highwaymen and the period, the criminals, the robberies, the hold-ups, the coaches and the passengers? The contrast with society, gambling, the banquets? The police, serious, corrupt? The role of the government, the judiciary, parliament?

5.The introduction to Macleane, the captain, in the debtors’ prison, the coach crashing into the wall, his observing the robbery, the young man and his death, swallowing the ruby? Getting out, going to the graveyard, digging up the corpse, caught by Plunkett?

6.Plunkett as a past apothecary, the story of his wife, her death? His becoming a highwayman? The release, partnership with Macleane? Their getting out of prison through the ruby? Using Plunkett’s money, setting up for society? Chance and his pursuit of the highwaymen? The death of his partner?

7.Plunkett and Macleane and their surrender, the warden of the jail, using the jewel to get out, Plunkett swallowing it, retrieving it?

8.The plan, setting up in society, Plunkett’s hope to go to America for a new life, Macleane and his love of clothes, going into society, his gambling, taking Plunkett’s money? Getting the information, the robberies?

9.Rochester, flamboyant, bisexual, observing, gambling, admiring Macleane? An 18th century rake, the end, his helping them to escape – and his going back to ‘real life’?

10.Gibson, the Lord Justice, socialising, his speech of antagonism towards Macleane, his control of Rebecca? The robbery, taking Gibson’s money and Rebecca’s? Rebecca hitting Macleane – and knowing that he was the robber? Chance and his threatening Gibson, the government warnings, the messenger? Gibson’s dislike of Macleane? Gibson and Chance, the threats, Gibson’s failure to apprehend the criminals, pelted in the parliament, the decision to leave, Chase and his minions watching, the plan, Rebecca and her revealing it to Plunkett and Macleane, Chance and his brutal attack on Rebecca, taking possession of her? The coach, the police, his killing Gibson?

11.Macleane and his life, the gambling, Plunkett’s money, attracted towards Rebecca, the woman with the pox, the sexual encounter, Plunkett and his apothecary cure? The robbery at the wedding banquet? The confrontation with Chance, the robberies? Plunkett saving his life? His being arrested, going to prison, preparing to die, the journey to the scaffold, his hanging, his being rescued? Chance and Rebecca watching the execution?

12.Plunkett, his anger, the brothel sequence, the confrontation with Chance and his violent behaviour towards the women? Demanding satisfaction, the duel, the shooting, Plunkett being wounded? His saving Macleane and then discovering the money gone? Getting the tickets for America? His leaving Macleane, seeing the notice about the execution, returning, saving Macleane, fleeing with Macleane and Rebecca? The sewers, the police, deceiving Chance that he was wounded and killing him?

13.Chance, his past, his character, antagonism towards Gibson, biding his time, in charge of the police, the pursuit of the highwaymen, his killing the young man at the opening of the film, his anger at his men, in himself, with the government liaison, the confrontations with Gibson, his behaviour in the brothel, the attack on Rebecca, watching the execution, the final pursuit and his death?

14.The amoral tone of this period of British history? The comparisons of villainy between Plunkett and

15.Macleane, high society, the police and the justice?