SKIN

(South Africa, 2008, d. Anthony Fabian)

South African films continue to explore the apartheid years. This film takes a case which has been the subject of TV programs and news and articles in the press, the story of Sandra Laing who was born to white parents and, in the 1960s for going to school, was classified as white despite her black appearance and then was re-classified as coloured, re-classified as white but, when she had her own children, wanted to be classified as coloured so that there would be no legal danger of her losing them.

The film opens in 1994 with Sandra and her adult children going to vote in the first free elections that year. We are then taken back to the 1960s. Her parents (Sam Neill and Alice Krige) are storekeepers. He is proud of his Afrikaaner background and is at pains to make sure his daughter whom he loves is officially white so that she can go to a whites only school with her white brother. Needless to say, parents and students complain and the headmaster takes action. This angers her father (who can be quite authoritarian with his black employees) who takes the matter to the courts.

Arguments are made about genetic information – and the suggestion (which does not go down well at the time) that most Afrikaaners may have some black African blood.

Sandra (Sophie Oekanado, who has to portray Sandra as a teenager and in her forties) is strong-minded and feels constrained by her father's dictates but is devoted to her kindly and loving mother. The crisis occurs when she falls in love with the young man who supplies the store. Her father expels her from the home and there follow years of estrangement from both her parents.

This family tension is sad in itself but, in the context of apartheid and the treatment of black Africans in the 1970s and 1980s, clearing of townships and setting up of alternate townships, it is even sadder.

Because the apartheid issue is so personalised in the Laing family story and in Sandra's hard life, audiences will respond quite emotionally to the injustices of that aberration in South African society and law.

VILLA JASMIN

France, 2008, 95 minutes, Colour.
Arnaud Giovaninetti, Clement Sibony, Judith Davis, Elsa Mollien.
Directed by Ferid Boughedir.

It will probably depend on your mood whether you are beguiled into being drawn into this film or you feel it too low-key and find yourself observing rather than empathising. This review is based on a beguiling experience.

Ferid Boughedir displays fine craft and a sensitivity which is both light and tender as he portrays deeply felt relationships, especially between husbands and wives. He also displays an ease in moving between one era and another and unobtrusively bringing characters from each period together to converse and help each to understand the other, particularly son and his dead father.

The setting is Tunisia in the 1970s when a young man returns to his country with his pregnant wife after being away for 20 years. He is on a quest to re-discover his father, creating a legend about him as a true patriot and a resistance hero in France during World War II. He finds his mother's and father's grave and this initiates flashbacks and a present quest to meet people who knew his father.

The family is Jewish so there is a great deal of Jewish background as well as Nazi persecution and the camps.

The young man's father was a charmer, directing theatre, a journalist and a patriotic socialist who wanted French cultural values in an independent Tunisia. He marries, has a daughter, is arrested and tortured for his outspoken views and his criticism of the representatives of Vichy France at the outbreak of war. He suffers for his beliefs but is reunited with his wife at the end of the war. The son, who is on his quest, is born after the war.

A scene showing the little boy petulant at his father's death indicates that the boy did not really know his father and suffers from regrets.

This is not an impassioned patriotic story though the passion is implicit. Rather, it takes the audience on a journey into the lives of people and a country, loves, suffering and lost opportunties.

1.A personal story? A national story? Tunisian history?

2.The Tunisian setting: the 1930s, World War Two period, the Vichy representatives, post-war Tunisia, the passing of twenty years? The beauty of the city, the old theatre, offices, homes, hospitals, hotels? An authentic feel?

3.The period, the locations, costumes and décor, the score, the songs?

4.The past and the present? The flashbacks, the uniting of the flashbacks with the present? The presence of characters in both past and present? The dialogue between the father and son? Insights for each character, the effect on the son?

5.Serge and his quest? The ship at the opening and closing? His pregnant wife, the twenty years since he had been in Tunisia? Going to the hotel, retracing steps, going to the old theatre, the interiors, finding the associates? The meeting with Rachel? Going to the cemetery, the boy, pointing out his parents’ grave? The legends about his father? The truth about his father? His father as real and authentic?

6.The Jewish background, devout Jews in Tunisia, practice, rituals? The class distinction amongst the groups? Its effect? The war, the arrests, Serge and his going to the concentration camp? The background of the family coming from Italy, Livorno, the grandmother and her aristocratic notions?

7.Serge’s memory, of him as a boy, his father’s dying, his petulance about his gift and birthday, his mother’s death soon after? His sister? Leaving Tunisia?

8.The scene at the cemetery, the boy, his revealing the headstone? The effect on Serge?

9.His father, in the theatre, the man singing, the girls in the chorus, Odette coming to visit, his attraction, talking with her, the bond, the marriage? Her pregnancy and the birth of the daughter? Her love for her husband? Serge as a writer, popular? His collaboration with Raul? As a socialist, his concerns, the demonstrations, his reputation?

10.His love for France, French culture in Tunisia? Yet wanting independence? The Vichy representative and the fascist government? The anti-Semitic tone? Germany and Vichy France, collaborating for independent Tunisia? The French occupation, its effect? Serge and his insulting the representative? His arrest, the torture? His soliloquy on being in the concentration camp? Glimpsed in the newsreel, in Paris, his return, his story about the Resistance?

11.Odette, the interrogation, the insults?

12.Serge’s return, Odette and the family, the family at the beach, their criticisms of her? Seeing the newsreel? Her joy, Claudine and her fear? Rachel’s arrival, her help, a nanny for the children?

13.Henri, his father’s illness, the deaths, going to boarding school?

14.Serge and his father, the intermingling of past and present, their dialogue, at the office, the discussions about the concentration camp, the finale, discussions about whether the father was a Resistance hero or not? The effect on Serge?

15.The background of the grandmother, her hostility towards Odette, Odette winning her over? Breaking through the prejudices, her death?

16.Serge and the gift from Rachel, the completion of his search for the past, his memories? Leaving?

SERAPHINE

France, 2008, 125 minutes, Colour.
Yolande Moreau, Ulrich Tukur, Anne Bennent, Adelaide Leroux.
Directed by Martin Provost.

This is the kind of film that we say is typically French and that the French do so well. It re-creates the period just before World War I in rural France and then moves to 1927. It is well-paced, with elegance and dignity. The performances are excellent, with Yolande Moreau winning the Cesar as Seraphine and Ulrich Turkur (so fine in John Rabe) as an art dealer, and the visuals, the period music just right.

We first see Seraphine as a middle-aged woman, devout, simple, not quite right in the head, who cleans and cooks and has an old-style peasant bluff and brusque manner. The film spends quite some time establishing her character and her behaviour and attitudes. We also see that she keeps to herself – and communes with nature in the woods when she is sad.

For those audiences who were not in the know, it soon becomes clear that Seraphine paints, creating her materials from all kinds of local ingredients which are her secret. A German art dealer comes to live in the town and Seraphine works for him. He discovers a painting after a dinner with the locals who fancy themselves as artistic and who look down on Seraphine. He is entranced and encourages Seraphine with her distinctive style of painting flowers and fruit. But, war breaks out and he has to flee with his sister. For Seraphine, life continues as before.

Until 1927 when the dealer returns and finds that Seraphine is still alive and painting. This is her heyday and she is exhilarated. With the Wall St crash and the consequences in Europe, the dream comes to an end and Seraphine has a mental breakdown spending years in an institution.

The film informs us at the end that Seraphine is recognised as a key artist of the first half of the 20th century.

Not only does the film offer a biography well drawn in the social contexts of the time, it communicates something of the artistic processes of the unschooled and intuitive Seraphine – told to paint by her guardian angel, singing hymns as she works, dissatisfied with her work but, while unworldly and simple, not averse to success and material benefits. Once again, the artist is caught up in madness and creativity.

1.An interesting French-style biography? The period? The calm and elegant style?

2.The awards, performance, writing, film?

3.Audience knowledge of Seraphine or not? Her art? The artists of France in the early 20th century? The movements? The work of the dealers?

4.The 1914 setting, the detail of the village, the river, the streets, the shops and homes, the woods? The transition to 1927? The development in the towns, shops, mansions? The asylum? The final scene of Seraphine in the field, the tree?

5.The location photography, the set design, the musical score – and the historical instruments giving a particular tone?

6.World War One, 1914, the tensions in France, the towns, in the German path, the outbreak of war, the Germans resident in France fleeing, the background of explosions, refugees?

7.The opening: Seraphine, in the river, getting material for her paints? The strong attention to detail of her servant work, cleaning, scrubbing, making beds, preparing tea? The way that she was treated, as a common servant, as a peasant? Her singing hymns, her love for the church, her presence in church? Her devotion? The getting of the wax from the candles, the soil, making paints? Her painting and its style? The reaction of her landlady, wanting the rent? The importance of money, getting the paints? The river and the laundry? Her meeting with Wilhelm Uhde, his sister? As their servant? Hearing him sob? Leaving him be? His friendliness towards her?

8.The character of Wilhelm Uhde, German background, his age, the support of his sister? Taking up residence? The enigmatic reasons for this – later explained? His getting tea from Seraphine? The landlady and her snobbishness? Seeing Seraphine’s painting, the landlady having bought it and put it aside? Seraphine and her knowing what was going on with the landlady’s son? Uke(*?) Uhde and his buying the painting? Going to see Seraphine, seeing her paintings, buying them? Her reaction?

9.Seraphine and her simplicity, the visit of the nuns, her being with them, their concern about her mental condition? The information that voices told her to paint? Her guardian angel?

10.Uhde, his not marrying, his sister going to Paris? Seraphine not understanding?

11.Uhde’s work as a dealer, the paintings, the Germans advancing, his having to flee?

12.Post-war, Seraphine and her watching the Germans advance, in the town, continuing her painting, the years passing, everything being the same?

13.The focus on Uhde and his return? Another village? The war and his loss of his collection, wanting to recoup it? The newspaper interview? Rudi as his companion? Rudi’s illness? Rudi as a painter, painting Wilhelm’s sister?

14.Seraphine and her paintings over the years, the change in her work, her ageing, being tired, still working as a servant, the greater ambition of her art, devoting herself to it, her friendship with Minouche and Minouche’s help?

15.Uhde coming to the town, seeing Seraphine’s painting, going to meet her, his praise, her returning his diary to him and his delight?

16.Seraphine and the change, becoming more prolific? The support of Uhde? Her visit to the mansion, to the shop for her bridal gown? Money, celebrity? The secret of her paints?

17.Growing extravagance, the phone call to Uhde, the difficulties, the Wall Street crash? The repercussions of lack of finance in Europe?

18.Her collapse, going to the asylum, her losing her gift, the voices not telling her to paint? The reaction of the other people in the town? Uhde and his concern, financing a better room for her?

19.The finale, the information about the years passing, Seraphine in the institution, the more comfortable room? Her going out into the field, under the tree? Her previous comments about peace of mind, communing with nature and its beauty, her sitting in the tree?

20.The period, its ethos? Art and art history? Between the wars? The film exploring creative processes, talent, madness, creativity?

MAITRESSE (SERVANT AND MISTRESS)

France, 1977, 90 minutes, Colour.
Andrea Ferreol, Victor Lanoux.
Directed by Bruno Gantillon.

As indicated by the title, this is a film about roles, role-reversal, class distinctions, sexual roles. Popular French actor of the period, Victor Lanoux and Andrea Ferreol (La Grande Bouche) portray the servant and master. The film focuses on the difference between their classes and the consequences in the society in which they live. The film moves into the area of sexuality, especially of sexual dominance and domination.

The film serves as something of a parable, even an allegory, about human relationships, society and class.

1. The impact of this presentation of French life, reversal of masculine sexual roles, humiliation? A morality fable?

2. The French production, a French view of life, manners and morals? Universal impact? Particularly French atmosphere: times, places? A French tone?

3. Technical credits: colour photography, the decor of the house, the general restriction of the action to interiors and the environment of the house? The tone of the musical score?

4. The structure of the film: opening and closing sequences and the presentation of Maria and Jerome? The irony of the reversal of roles, death and survival, humiliation? The placing of each of the characters in the class structure, the power relationship? The expectations of male dominance and female subservience? The ironies of the reversal of roles and exercise of power? The episodes illustrating this? The cumulative effect for the audience, the cumulative effect for Maria and her being depressed, for Jerome and his survival?

5. The opening of the film and the establishing of the uncle's death, the atmosphere of mourning, Maria and her place in the household? The servant of the title soon to become mistress?

6. Jerome's arrival - his personality, his lack of finance, his relationship with his uncle, his arrogance, sexual liaison and humiliation of Maria?

7. The irony of Maria's revealing the financial situation? Jerome and his desperation, borrowing money from Maria and her refusal? Her making him servant, the various games she played with him, her expectations of his work within the house? His manner and playing the game, his motivation? His diplomatic response, his loss of temper and the losing of diplomacy? His being humiliated?

8. Maria and her enjoying the games, having her revenge, the vindication of her class? The effect of the games on her - the exercise of power and its corruption?

9. The decision to bring Christine into the house? Her sharing in the humiliation of Jerome? Her brutality, her feeling that she was being brutalised, her decision to leave?

10. Jerome and his service of the old man, the humiliation for the old man of having his shoes cleaned, his being dismissed by Maria?

11. The episode with the gigolo - the phone call, the meal, the sexual liaison, the return to the house, Maria's involvement of Jerome in sexual satisfaction? The sexual humiliation of Jerome?

12. His decision to participate, his exercise of control?

13. Maria's growing lack of control, the taking of the pills, her boredom, depression, death?

14. The patterns in the structure of the film? The film as a patterned work analogous to the movements of a musical composition? The performances and their skill and the persuasiveness of the themes? The exploration in fable form of masculine-feminine relationships, love-hate, dependence, power, corruption, humiliation? Class traditions and the exercise of manners? Themes of sexuality and death and their relationship?

SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS

US, 1999, 126 minutes, Colour.
Ethan Hawke, James Cromwell, Richard Jenkins, James Rebhorn, Max Von Sydow, Sam Shepard, Youki Kudoh, Rick Yune, Eric Thal, Caroline Kava.
Directed by Scott Hicks.

The prolific writer Ron Bass adapted David Guterson's very popular novel of life in the US northwest and its heritage of antagonism to the local Japanese during World War II. The script was also worked on by Australian director, Scott Hicks. This was his first movie after his international success with Shine. The writers have tried to retain the feel of the novel, especially in its land and seascapes and the climate and seasons of the region. The result is that the film looks and feels authentic.

As with the novel, they have combined a nostalgic story of young love with the hardships of the war experience and the symbolising of racial hatred in a murder trial.

Ethan Hawke is credible as the young journalist who loves and respects his father but feels he is being measured according to his father's reputation. He has suffered during the war, losing an arm. Kazuo has also fought as an American soldier. Ishmael is also mystified by Hatsue's breaking off of their relationship. He proves himself honourable by forgetting personal feelings and offering the evidence that proves Kazuo's innocence.

A strong cast of character actors, led by Max Von Sydow who has the significant speech in court about prejudice, makes for a substantial drama, a moving movie, that, because of its measured pace, requires the attention of its audience.

1. The adaptation of a very popular novel? Novel into film? A cinema experience of the novel, of the plot, characters?

2. The title, its focus, the place, the mood? Visuals? Colour photography, locations, the change of seasons? Water, rain and snow? Fog, sea and land? Bleak locations, yet fruitful (the Strawberry Fair)?

3. The re-creation of the period, 1940 to 1950, the change in the United States because of World War II, the internment of the Japanese? North-west United States, the status of citizens, the status of the Japanese, background of their migration, internment? The lifestyle at the period? The symbolism and reality of the Strawberry Festival, the queen? The bonds between American-born and Japanese? The United States as united?

4. The musical score, its range of moods?

5. The United States, the 1930s, the effect of the Depression? The migrants all over the United States, settlers? Those coming from Asia, from Europe? The Japanese? The outbreak of the war, the Japanese seen as scapegoats, the innate prejudice? Bitterness, protectiveness? The transporting of the Japanese to Manzanar? The aftermath?

6. The structure of the film: the boats leading to the trial, Ishmael as the focus, as a reporter, as reporting the trial? The situation in 1950, prejudice and justice? The return of the structure to the boats, to the childhood memories, to Ishmael's father, to the Strawberry Fair, to the experience of the war, to Manzanar, to action? The cumulative effect of this structure? The editing and the juxtaposing of sequences and times?

7. The incident on the boat, Carl and Katzuo, the boats, the batteries, land? Light and the crash? The discovery of the body, the injuries? The boats, the sheriff's arrival, his stern attitude? His having to tell the wife and children? The role and judgment of the coroner?

8. The focus on the trial, Katzuo in the dock, his relationship with Hatsue, as his wife, his family? His not speaking? The prejudice and circumstantial evidence? Childhood memories? Carl's mother in the court - and her memories?

9. Ishmael, his age and experience, the war, the loss of his arm? As a reporter? In the gallery, looking at Hatsue? His memories, their growing up together, the childhood incidents, sharing, the lyrical aspects, the beach, the cave? Hatsue's mother and her not wanting her to associate with the white Americans? The school bus, her being Strawberry Queen? The contrast with Ishmael's father, publishing, printing, justice, the photos? His mother? The growing up, the hopes - and their being changed by the war?

10. The arrest of Hatsue's father, the possessions gone, the rounding up of the people, being put on the buses, going to California? The accommodation in Manzanar, the lifestyle? Hatsue's letters? Ishmael's letters? Hatsue, the influence of her mother, the breaking off of the relationship? Her marrying Tatzuo ?

11. Ishmael, the experience of war, the dead fish, drowning like Carl, the loss of his arm, having to cope - and the aftermath?

12. The land deal, Katzuo's father, Kendo, the payments for the land, the war, war action? Carl's mother and her denial of the evidence? The feelings of bitterness?

13. The role of the judge, his conduct of the case, his fairness? The people in the court, the testimony, the witnesses? His comments about shame? The night scenes, his reflections, justice?

14. The issue of the hook, the witnesses and their testimony, the coroner, Carl's mother? The Japanese and the experience of bigotry? Their sitting in the court together? The reconstruction of the events not tallying with the evidence? The judge and his comments?

15. The character of Nils, the old man, his place in society, his sense of justice, humanity, the range of questions and their being incisive? The significance of his speech about prejudice to the jury, its effect on the jury, the people of the town - and its effect on the audience?

16. Ishmael, his investigations, the lighthouse, the light, his realising the truth about the evidence, his not speaking, his mother? His looking at the editorials, remembering his father, the glasses? His change of heart, the sheriff and the examination, his evidence in the court, the Japanese and their respect for him in giving the testimony, their turning to bow? The embrace with Hatsue?

17. The theme of losing and saving lives? Prejudice and justice? A chapter in United States history?

SHREK 2

US, 2004, 94 minutes, Colour.
Voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, Jennifer Saunders, Antonio Banderas.
Directed by Al Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon.

A pleasure to say how enjoyable this sequel is. Shrek had the element of surprise as well as delight which made it such a success. Now we have the element of pleasant familiarity as well as delight.

The animation is as good as ever, the details of the characters, the backgrounds, the city of Far Far Away. The range of characters, the welcome return of the old as well as some exciting new, is large. The songs, however, are not particularly memorable and are usually subdued by the action.

As before, the fairytale element is the opposite of what we might expect: the romance of the ogre and the large, green princess, the ever-chattering donkey, a completely narcissistic Prince Charming and a scheming fairy godmother. That, of course, is part of the entertainment and charm.

The actors have made the characters their own and voice them perfectly. Mike Myers can be forgiven The Cat in the Hat for his Shrek voice. Eddie Murphy reminds us of how funny he can be. Cameron Diaz is charming (and tough) as Fiona. This time round, Julie Andrews and John Cleese are the king and queen. Jennifer Saunders tries some absolutely fabulous querulousness as the vampish and scheming Fairy Godmother while Rupert Everett is excellently self-absorbed. However, they are often upstaged by the brilliant creation of Puss in Boots, both visually as a latter-day Zorro and as playfully voiced by Antonio Banderas.

It was a pleasure and a surprise to hear a theatre full of critics actually enjoying themselves!

1. Enjoyment for adults and children? The popularity of the original film?

2. The impact of the animation, the figures, movement, human characteristics, the landscapes, the castles, Far Far Away? The characters and action? The range of songs?

3. The voices and their skills, humour, jokes and parody, ogres, beauty? Prince Charming and his vanity? Godmother and her Hollywood ad? Hollywood and Far Far Away? The sign, Farbucks, Burger Prince? The parody of the Oscars with Joan Rivers commenting?

4. The use of the fairy tales - and their opposite? The wolf in bed, the pigs, Pinocchio and his lies, the Gingerbread Man, the monstrous gingerbread King Kong, the Three Blind Mice, Tinkerbell in a jar? The reference and parallels with Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Cinderella? The jokes about the fairy tales - and Pretty Woman? The movie parodies - The Fabulous Baker Boys and the piano scene, the parody of Mission Impossible?

5. The introduction and the recapitulation of the plot of part one? Ogres and being ogres? Fiona and the tower? Prince Charming and his wanting to rescue? Her being kissed and rescued by Shrek? The collage sequence of the honeymoon, Shrek and Fiona in love, on the beach - and her throwing the mermaid back in the water? Going home, wanting to be alone, Donkey and his continued presence? The skill of the three central voices?

6. The invitation to the palace, the pomposity with which it was delivered, Fiona and Shrek arguing, his packing? Donkey continually asking whether they were there yet, their wanting him to be silent, his making the mouth noise? The humour along the journey?

7. Far Far Away, the entrance like Paramount Studios? Harold and Lillian (and the voices of Julie Andrews and John Cleese)? The reception, being aghast at Fiona, their meal, the manners, Fiona burping? The failure of the meal, the clashing during the night, Shrek reading Fiona's diary and her dreams of meeting Prince Charming?

8. The Fairy Godmother, Jennifer Saunders' comic style? The ad in Hollywood Boulevard style? Being the mother of Prince Charming, her ambitions? Charm, rudeness? Her responding to tears, appearing in tears? Her pressuring Harold about his deal with her and Prince Charming's prospects for the throne?

9. Harold, his antipathy towards Shrek? Going to the club to hire the killer, the transsexual bartender, the voice of Larry King? Captain Hook playing the piano - with a hooked hand? Going to the assassin, seeing only the eyes - and the later irony of Puss in Boots? His pretending to be reconciled to Shrek, bonding with him, the plan for going hunting? Donkey and Shrek being lost, the confrontation with Puss in Boots, the wounding of Shrek, the clash, the fight, the change of heart in Puss in Boots?

10. The humour of Puss in Boots and Antonio Banderas' voice, his parody of Zorro? The wit, purring, the plaintive look in the cat's eyes and winning over everyone, his skill in fighting? Singing and dancing? Especially with Donkey?

11. The room of the potions, the staff, the laboratories, going into the room, Puss finding the Happy Ever After potion? The decision to take the potion, the transformation, Donkey into a stallion, Shrek as handsome? The Godmother and her advice about love and giving up on Fiona? Their being trapped, the fairytale characters watching on TV, their coming to the rescue - and Pinocchio and the Mission Impossible parody, telling lies about his underwear, the Gingerbread Man and the Blind Mice all helping to unlock Shrek and get them to the palace?

12. Prince Charming, Rupert Everett's sardonic voice? His performing at the beginning, his hair, narcissistic? Pretending to be Shrek, trying to charm Fiona, his awkward manner, his dancing with Fiona? The continuity of the plan, Harold and the pressure from the Fairy Godmother, Lilian and her not wanting anything to happen? The tea potion - and the irony of Harold finally not giving it? His own turning into a frog?

13. The group hurrying to the palace, to confront the Fairy Godmother, their going to the bakery, the giant Gingerbread Man like a mixture of King Kong and Godzilla - but melting at the palace walls?

14. The people arriving at the ball, the parody of the Oscars, Joan Rivers herself commenting? All the fairytale characters - and Tom Thumb and Thumbelina being swept up in the rubbish? Prince Charming and his preening?

15. The ball, the dancing? Shrek arriving, the revelation of the truth? The build-up to midnight, Shrek and Fiona's choice, their opting to be ogre and ugly? Midnight and the change? The defeat of the Fairy Godmother?

16. The happy ever after ending? That beauty was only skin-deep, that people's depth of personality was important? Donkey and the scene during the credits and discovering he and the dragon had a whole lot of children? Audiences looking forward to a third part?

SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, WINTER AND SPRING

Korea, 2003, 103 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Kim Ki -Duk.

For anyone following the growth of recent Korean cinema, the name of Kim Ki -Duk will mean tough stuff, worlds of sadism (The Isle) or sleazy underworlds of pimps, prostitutes and prisons (Bad Guy). This is a different kind of film altogether, although there are some plot details that remind us the urban jungle of Seoul and other cities is within reach of the peaceful countryside.

This is a Buddhist film, a film that can communicate some of the key Buddhist beliefs to non-Buddhists through images and story: meditation and prayer, harmony with nature, reincarnation, passion and detachment, repentance and retribution, redemption and peace.

The setting is an isolated lake surrounded by mountains. At the edge of the lake are painted doors which open for us at the beginning of each season. They reveal a floating hermitage where a wise Old Monk lives, instructing disciples or receiving visitors who want prayer and healing.

With each season and its beautiful environmental changes, the second character in the hermitage grows, develops and fails. In Spring, he is a young boy who has to learn not to be cruel to and destructive of nature. In Summer, a teenager, he learns sexual arousal and love but has to learn what lust is and detachment. In Autumn, an adult of thirty, he has to repent of his violent mistakes. In Winter, in middle age, he has to return to his origins to learn wisdom and be redeemed.

If the audience surrenders to the lake, the mountains and the hermitage, there is a great deal of wise entertainment and glimpses of a spirituality that has sustained Asian cultures for centuries.

1. The impact of the film as Korean, Buddhist?

2. The location, the floating monastery, the lake, the surrounding countryside, the mountains? The close-ups of the scenery, the long shots, especially the monastery from the mountain? The four seasons and the changing foliage, rain, ice? The beauty of the location? The monastery itself, interiors and exteriors? The gate, opening and shutting?

3. The title, the indication of the seasons, Spring as new birth, new life with its overtones of reincarnation? Winter as an ending - leading once again into Spring?

4. The Buddhist contemplation, the statues of the Buddha, the monk, commitment, the detail of daily life, prayer, wisdom, reading, documents? The monastery as a shrine, visitors for healing? Instruction?

5. The Spring story: the beauty, the little child, waking up, listening wisely to the old monk, the old monk and his personality, praying, guiding the boy? Rowing, collecting herbs, sorting the good herbs from the poisonous? Watching the little boy and his delight in tying the stone on the fish, the frog, the snake? The old monk tying the stone on the boy during the night, giving him the lesson, telling him to take the stones from the frog and the fish and the snake and if they die, to carry them in his heart? The dead fish, the live frog, the dead snake? The wisdom learnt by the boy?

6. The Summer story: the monk at seventeen, the summer weather, sunshine and rain? The work of the young monk around the monastery, rowing? The girl and her mother? The prayer for healing? The boy and his touching the girl, her reaction? His approach to her, her pushing him in the water? Taking her away to the rocks, the sexual encounter, during the night? The two in love? Their being together, playing, the grasshopper? The old monk and his watching? His comment about nature taking its course? His talking about lust, lust leading to possession and murder? The girl healed and sent away? The grief of the young monk, his taking the Buddhist statue and leaving?

7. The Autumn story: the monk and the newspaper, the story of the murder? The young man returning to the monastery, with the statue? His confession, the old monk listening, talking? The attempted suicide and the old monk whipping him? The old monk ordering him to etch the Buddhist teaching onto the floor, his grinding the paint, painting? The detectives, their idling away the time, the comment of the old monk in throwing the stone at the can? The guns? The man going to sleep, the detectives taking him away, not handcuffing him? His going to his fate, purged of his angers after his shouting in the rocks and the pool, obeying the command of getting out all the etchings with his knife? The weather, the autumn leaves?

8. The Winter story: ice and snow? The old monk having sacrificed his life at the end of the autumn story, setting himself alight in the boat, returning as the snake? The mature man returning, walking across the ice, seeing the abandoned monastery, setting it up again, returning the statue of the Buddha? The woman wearing the veil, the baby? Her prayer, her despair, her falling into the hole in the ice and dying? The baby left behind, its crawling out on the ice and being rescued by the monk? His tying the stone to his back, climbing the mountain with the statue of the Buddha, setting it on the height and looking over the monastery? His keeping the baby? His performing the rituals as the old monk did?

9. And Spring: the change in the weather, the monk and his ritual, the young boy, his sketching him, life starting over again?

10. Buddhist cycles of life, passion and detachment, contemplation and prayer, healing the soul and the body, retribution for sin, passion and lust, possession and cruelty? The film dramatising these themes?

11. The portrait of the monk at different stages of his life? Growth, failure, redemption? The old monk and his achievement, yet his suicide, despair at failing the young man? The mother and the young girl, the girl and her illness, the reaction to the monk's flirtation, succumbing, love? The detectives, the modern world, the mobile phone, the guns and handcuffs? Yet their being affected by the old monk? The woman veiled, her baby, her death?

12. A film portraying Korean and Buddhist culture for Korea itself - and for the wider world?

SHATTERED GLASS

US, 2003, 95 minutes, Colour.
Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Lynskey, Hank Azaria, Mark Blum, Steve Zahn, Ted Kotcheff.
Directed by Billy Ray.

There is a play on words in this title. The subject is Stephen Glass, ace young journalist in the 1990s with the prestigious The New Republic magazine in Washington DC. Over several years, he came up with dazzling suggestions for articles, carried out top interviews and produced over forty featured articles.

In recent times, there have been several scandals in the world of the press, of people plagiarising stories, of journalists inventing stories and creating their alleged sources. This was what Stephen Glass did.

The film is fascinating as it takes us inside a popular and respected magazine office, to see the working journalists, the editorial conferences and decisions, the particular roles of staff to ensure that a quality magazine appears with every issue. Hayden Christiansen (abandoning the surliness he does so expertly as Annakin in the Star Wars prequels and in such films as Life as a House) is all smiles, boyish charm, bespectacled intelligence and inventive vitality as Stephen Glass. We are as fascinated by him as the staff are, believe the convincing stories he proposes and see, through his imagination, what he eventually writes. We are also fascinated as it all begins to unravel and we see him pathetically pleading to be liked while astutely covering his tracks.

The rest of the cast blend well into the world of the magazine. Hank Azariah is the editor, Mike Kelly, who employed Glass as well as advising him (and who, before his untimely death in Iraq in 2002, acted as technical adviser for the film). Peter Saarsgard is the new editor, less charismatic, but faced to deal with the scandal. Chloe Sevigny is the assistant. Steve Zahn has a very good role as an investigator with a media watch website.

The war in Iraq raised all kinds of media questions in challenges, what was actual reporting, what was censored, what was 'reconstructed'. This film offers intriguing background into the media reporting world.

1. A true story, the perspective of the New Republic, the perspective of Stephen Glass, the crisis in journalism in the late 90s and early 21st century? The picture of Washington, DC?

2. The insight into publications, into the life of a magazine, the strong collage of all the detail of work going into the production of a magazine, the staff, the office itself and its layout, the editor, editorial meetings, plans and discussions, features, journalists at work, loyalties, the work of editing (and the pernickety demands for punctuation at times), different jobs, the regularity of the magazine coming out, its continued reputation? The audience invited into the office and made to feel at home there?

3. The title, intimations of fragility, Stephen's name and the ending of his career?

4. Journalism, issues of truth and lies, reporting (the art of capturing behaviour), sources, verifying facts, private lies, the need for photos (but their being able to be manipulated as well)? Inept control from management? Website investigators, investigative journalism? The role of the public arena, the public's demand for knowing the truth and knowing it immediately, imposing a morality on the media? Public righteousness? Expectations of truth?

5. The portrait of Stephen Glass, Hayden Christensen's screen presence, appearance? The initial lecture, the lecturer and her support of him, the glowing introduction, his charming speaking to the students, their telling him of their ambitions, his giving advice - the later reprise and this happening in his head? His training, his jobs, his part-time studies (was he actually studying or not?), his kindness and thoughtfulness to fellow workers, the Coca-Cola? bottle? His relationship with Mike Kelly? His appearance, large clothes, awkward, his glasses, his emotional needs? Personable, the meetings, his charm and stories, the laughter? His working well with Caitlin, her admiration for him? Amy, her support, her own personal hopes? Working with Chuck but not particularly liking him? Seeing him in action, with the Young Republicans, at the computer convention, the hackers? His interviews, the sources, his success and notoriety? Everything before him? The cracks in the stories, his personal fragility, his aiming to please, Mike and the long discussion about honesty in his work? The owner and the demand for change, Marty Peretz and his policy, Mike Kelly going, Chuck coming? Chuck receiving the information, the staff loyal to Stephen, the phone calls from Adam Penenberg, the confrontations, going to the site of the hackers' convention, Chuck confronting Stephen about the truth? His defensiveness, his brother and his reference for sources? Reality and unreality? His being fired, desperation? The postscript about his having written a novel about these experiences?

6. The audience sharing the perspective of the staff on Stephen? The shock of the truth? The issue of how to deal with a person like Stephen, personally, for the good of the magazine, public opinion?

7. The portrait of management, Mike Kelly and his running of the magazine, loyalties of the staff, sympathy for Stephen, the long talk with him about honesty? His being fired? Marty Peretz, the demands, the staff working at detailed proofreading and punctuation? His tough attitude, the decision of hiring Chuck Lane?

8. Caitlin, personality, at work, her loyalty towards Stephen, defending him? Her being forced to see the truth, the final support of Chuck? Amy, her ambitions, wanting to write columns, Caitlin's comments about her abilities and inabilities? The other members of the staff, suspicions of Chuck, the final signatures and their loyalty?

9. Chuck, co-worker, solid, less imaginative? His being given the job of editor, the staff resentment? His mechanisms for coping? The scenes of his family life? Sympathetic, understanding what was going on after his investigations, the information, going to the convention site, the files? The magazine's reputation? His talks with Stephen, his firing him? His self-confidence in what he had done, meeting the staff, expecting their resentment, getting their loyalty?

10. Stephen and the visualising of his fantasies, the lecture to the students, the visit to the Young Republicans and their raucous behaviour, the drinking, the mini-bars etc? The boy genius and his hacking, the hackers' convention, the parents? The return to the scene with Chuck, his believing that he was there, the reality and there being no convention?

11. Adam Penenberg, his boss criticising him for not getting the story, his assistant? His research, phone calls, discussions with Glass, with his references, with Chuck? His detective work, the expose? The work of Forbes' digital website?

12. A film about the media in the 90s and the beginning of the 21st century, life of the media, scrutinising the media, its accountability?

SIX WEEKS

US, 1982, 107 minutes, Colour.
Dudley Moore, Mary Tyler Moore.
Directed by Tony Bill.

Six Weeks is a romantic film about illness and death. It features Mary Tyler Moore as a cosmetics tycoon whose young daughter is dying of leukaemia. Dudley Moore portrays a politician who befriends them. The gist of the film is a visit to New York where the young girl has all her hopes and dreams fulfilled including skating in the Rockefeller Centre and leading in the Nutcracker Suite.

Mary Tyler Moore had had a successful career in television and had appeared just prior to this in Ordinary People. Dudley Moore had been a stand-up comedian, especially with Peter Cook, but moved to the United States and appeared in quite a number of films at this time including Foul Play and 10.

The film was directed by actor Tony Bill who also wrote the film, Table for Five, which again was a film of great sentiment. He directed a number of other films including My Bodyguard as well as the portrait of Lafayette Escadrille in The Flyboys (2006).

1. An entertaining tearjerker? The elements of soap opera and love story, death? The perennial appeal of the ingredients? The quality of the film? It was almost universally critically condemned when released ?with justice?

2. The pairing of the stars and their particular styles? Comedy background? Katherine Healy and her strength of character as Nicole? The background of affluent California, Los Angeles, Sacramento, politics, society, the perfume industry, the arts, ballet? The New York sequences, ballet, the city itself, the subway? An authentic atmosphere? The contribution for mood and sentiment of Dudley Moore's score?

3. The elements of soap opera, melodrama? The blend of laughs and tears? Sentiment or cuteness and sentimentality? How predictable was the plot? The depth of characters? Pleasant, emotional manipulation? The intentions of the film as popular entertainment, how well did they work?

4. The significance of the title, the reference to the life of the butterfly, Nicole as the butterfly? The focus on life, fullness of life and experience? What was experienced or not? Values and what was worthwhile? Brevity? Not shirking the reality of death, being ready? Her six weeks compared with subjecting herself to hospital and medical treatment?

5. The focus on Nicole: young girl, precocious, talented? Spoilt? The possibility of having what she wanted ? why? Why not? The introduction to heron the road, the neighbour against her coming in to the party? Her presence at the party, devotion to Patrick, listening to causes? Charlotte and the bargain with Patrick? Her training for the ballet, her straight talk to Patrick about his marriage, about extra-marital affairs, about death? Helping him in his campaign? The joy for Charlotte? The political socials? Her outspokenness? Her hints to her mother and Patrick about an affair? The encounter with Peg and Patrick's son at the party? Listening in to the discussion on the phone? The trip to New York. her joy, the dancing., the mock marriage, the carriage ride, the subway and the suddenness of her death? Her testament? The sadness of the ending and the upbeat tone of her attitude towards death?

6. Patrick and Charlotte meeting through her? Initial antagonism? Drawn to each other, falling in love, concern about hurt, responsibilities, sharing? Common sense? The grief at the ending? In view of the staged marriage ceremony? The effect of Charlotte getting the telegram about Patrick's political success?

7. Dudley Moore as Patrick: the television talk show behind the credits, television personality, style, focus on issues, English background, living in California. reputation of a buffoon? Dudley Moore credible as a would-be politician? Insight, quip style? As a politician: platitudes or honesty? His aides, the parties, the speeches? His integrity, advertisements, wanting to win? Getting to know him as a person in his encounter with Nicole? The audience sharing this experience? The host and Charlotte and Nicole coming to the party? The summons by Charlotte, discovering the truth about Nicole,' watching her at the ballet? Talking honestly with her, her help., sharing? The summons by Charlotte and his not wanting to be part of the bargain? The breaking down of the barriers between them? Sharing the experience. staying over, the meals? Staying the night? The phone call breaking off the encounter, especially in the light of Peg and his son coming to the party? His relationship with his wife - fondness, tensions? Her reaction to his absences? The son's injury? School nights etc.? The pressures on the politician in commuting? His decision to go to New York? The exhilaration, the marriage, the carriage ride, his pulling strings with the ballet, Nicole's success? Her death? His decision to move away from Charlotte? His winning of the election? The final telegram? The skills in Dudley Moore's performance: serious, comic?

8. Mary Tyler Moore as Charlotte? Wealthy, no mention of her husband, devotion to Nicole? Patrick's not knowing who she was? The initial disdain? The summons, the discussion, her breaking down? Her pleading and Patrick's allowing Nicole to work? Her joy, continued presence, attraction towards Patrick, falling in love? Sharing experiences together? The encounter with Peg and the son at the party? The importance of the phone call breaking off the friendship? Her joy in Patrick's going to New York, the marriage, sharing the experience of the ballet, the impact of Nicole's death? Her going off by herself?

9. The sketch of Peg and the politician's wife, getting older, tension, their warmth together, concern about her son, going to the party and the tension? The future? An importance balance to Charlotte and Nicole?

10. The background of politics, the aides, the wheeler-dealing, parties, campaigns, television interviews, the pressure of politics?

11. The contrast with Charlotte's involvement in her perfume industry, the laboratories, Charlotte's involvement in the production? The picture of the American businesswoman?

12. The sketch of the neighbour and his hostility towards Nicole? Allowing Charlotte and Nicole to the party?

13. The New York holiday sequence - the pressure of the getting of the tickets, the flight, the carriage ride in New York with its sentiment, the pulling of strings at the ballet, the rehearsals, The Nutcracker Suite performance and the children? Nicole and her skill in dancing? The attractiveness of the insertion of ballet at this point of the film? The suddenness of Nicole's death?

14. The satisfactory resolution of the film?

15. Satisfying entertainment? Stylish soap opera? How moving a portrait of human beings and problems?

THE SNIPER

US, 1952, 87 minutes, Black and white.
Adolphe Menjou, Arthur Franz, Gerald Mohr, Richard Kiley, Frank Faylen, Marie Windsor.
Directed by Edward Dmytryk.

The Sniper is a very impressive film of 1952. It is not frequently seen, which is a pity, especially in an era where so many films are devoted to serial killers.

Arthur Franz is a young criminal, released from jail for assault. However, he develops a compulsion to kill women, with a stolen military rifle. The film focuses on him, his personality, the experience of aiming his rifle at couples and at women. The two police tracking him down are played by Adolphe Menjou and Richard Kiley (with Menjou’s character called Frank Kafka).

The film also introduces some psychological themes, an analysis of the psyche of the killer – which is very much of the 50s rather than the more sophisticated explanations of later decades. However, in its straightforwardness and simplicity, it stands comparison with such films as Seven, The Silence of the Lambs.

The film was an early production by Stanley Kramer (The Men, Streetcar Named Desire) who moved into direction himself with Not as a Stranger and directed a number of big-budget films and blockbusters in the 1960s and 70s. This film was directed by Edward Dmytryk, one of the Hollywood Ten, noted for a number of very strong film noir including Murder My Sweet and Crossfire. After his rehabilitation, he made The Caine Mutiny, Raintree County and moved again into bigger-budget and spectacular films.

1. Interesting thriller of the early 1950s? Portrait of social and mental illness? Police work? The tradition of social documentary style dramas? Comparisons? The introduction and its explanations - later insights into psychological disorder? The moralising of the film? Its validity? The value of the case study and its portrait of a human being in torment? With disastrous consequences?

2. The small budget, brevity of running time? The black and white photography and the documentary style? The quality of the B budget thriller? The strength of the cast? The strong screenplay by Harry Brown, Edward and Edna Anhalt? The direction?

3. The straightforwardness of the plot and the portrait of Eddie? His point of view? Understanding him? The gun and the release from prison? His fighting against the compulsion to kill? The burning of his hand and his pleading? His not understanding his feelings? The mystery of his motives? The drive to act? To continue? To want to be caught? The young man, his appearance, presence? The intercutting of his background and the investigation for the dramatic development of the thriller?

4. The film as a police thriller and investigation? Documentary style? The presentation of the police - sympathetically? The detail of Sergeant Ferris' work? Lieutenant Kafka and his influence?

5. The stance of the film for psychological treatment of the mentally ill? How much would a film like this have contributed in the '50s?

6. The stance of the screenplay against the papers, their harsh judgments, their pressures, political influence, hysteria and sensationalism?

7. The portrait of the victims: Jean and her story, Mary? Mrs. Fitzpatrick? The girl in the park? How well were the characters delineated? Audience sympathy for them as victims? The man and his brutalising women?

8. The portrait of Lieutenant Kafka? Understanding? Control of the investigation? Final confrontation?

9. Was sufficient explanation given for Eddie's mental state? His past, convictions, his not being helped? His torment? The burn and his plea, setting the sights against the women? Seeking them out?

10. Eddie at work? Jean and her companionship? The bar and his story? Wandering the carnival? The shooting of the wife of the influential citizen?

11. The line between sanity and insanity? Right and wrong? Self-image? Sex and sexuality? The influence of parents? Social education?

12. Violence and the control of violence? Firearms?

13. The sad climax of the film? The build-up for the dramatic police thriller and the pathetic image of Eddie - glad to be caught?

14. The film's insight into social situations, human beings? Later versions of this kind of thriller?