ALIEN

 

US, 1979, 124 minutes, Colour.
Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto.
Directed by Ridley Scott.

 

Alien was first released in 1979 and made a strong impact with its focus on space horror ('in space no one can hear your scream') just two years after the release of Star Wars.

 

Alien boasts excellent space-voyaging vehicles and effects seen in great technological detail. However, the plot is traditional horror, combining the Old Dark House, disappearing characters (a huge 7 crew spaceship has numerous eerie long corridors) and lurking monster (some ugly, scary touches and lots of ooze) and a gradually accelerating pace (after suspenseful slow tracking shots and ominous close-ups as the alien is searched for) until heroine Sigourney Weaver shows that the men, led by Tom Skerritt, don't have the monopoly on heroics. John Hurt and Ian Holm must have enjoyed themselves indulging in space horror, Holm as the android and Hurt with the famous monster exploding from his stomach.. Director Ridley Scott had made only commercials and The Duellists at this stage of his career. He went on to make some classics in other genres: Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Gladiator. This time he set out to scare and awe a vast audience and does.

 

He worked on a Director's cut in 2003, improving the soundtrack and adding about five minutes of extra footage, mainly scenes which he had originally trimmed.

 

1. Interesting, enjoyable? Overall impact? A film of 1979: space exploration, technology? Space and horror combined?

 

2. The technical impact of the film: the visualising of space, space ships, the interior in such detail of the space ship? The visual presentation of life in space, the sounds? Colour, decor? The contribution of the score and its atmospherics? The foreign planet, the visualising of the alien, its variety of appearances, blood, ooze? The contribution of the special effects?

 

3. The pace of the film: the measured introduction, the transition to ordinary life of human beings, the extraordinary exploration, the slowing of the pace with the puzzling over the alien, the build up to suspense and the long, slow tracking shots and fear? The final speeding up with the chase, the hurry for the blasting off from the space ship and its explosion? The effects for shocks,, scares? The detail in close-ups and tracking shots for audience involvement?

 

4. The horror origins of the basic plot: the old dark house with its group of guests and dark corridors, the hidden monster and the sudden deaths, the elimination of the individuals. survival? Monster movies and stories? The red herrings, especially with the cat? The adaptation of horror conventions to the space trends of the '70s?

 

5. The importance of the space ship, the Nostromo and the overtones of Joseph Conrad? The audience knowing the space ship well, its various rooms, technologies, computers? The fact that it ultimately was destroyed? The space ship as the environment in space? The background of the commercial company, the multi-national and sinister background? The ordinary mission for oil refineries and the secret mission for getting the alien back to Earth? The irony of the computer's name as 'Mother' and the feminine voice? The hierarchy in the crew? The personalities, relationships? The substitution of a man by a robot and the control during the mission? The sinister aspects of such exploration?

 

6. The opening sequences and the introduction of the audience to the space ship? The ritual of waking up? The transition to the goodfellowship of the meals, the ordinary work, the haggling about money, contracts? Each character representing a type? Dallas as the strong American leader type, the making of decisions? Ripley and the Jane Fonda-tough woman of the '70s, strength, know-how, decisive? Lambert and her skills, her capacity for being afraid? Ashe as the science officer, impersonal, ultimately revealed as a robot? Kane as the ordinary man, the leader of exploration and the volunteer, the first victim? Brett and Parker as the collaborative workers, one black, one white? Brett and his comment, "Right" to everything?

 

7. The new signals, the orders, the visit to the foreign planet, the sinister landing, the details of exploration, the strange building, the interior with its ritual-looking decoration? Fear in exploration? Kane and his volunteering? His comment on seeing the alien, its organic meat look, the sudden seizing of him? The transition to the octopus-like growth on his face? The parasite emerging from his stomach? The gradual growth and monstrous look of the alien, the devouring, huge monster, the close-up of fangs, ooze? The finale and the monster? The perfect organism with matching hostility? The continued presence of the alien, its
hiding, attacking, its attacking human beings and the audience responding like the crew to the presence of the alien?

 

8. Kane and the medical exploration, the ugliness of the alien and its acid blood? The transition to Kane's recovery, the meal and the sudden agony and the shock emerging of the parasite? The pathos of his burial in space?

 

9. The screenplay's attention to strategies, fears, the elaboration of machines to detect the alien, the long sequences of search? The focus on Brett and the long tracking sequences, the scares with the cat, his ultimately being overwhelmed by the alien?

 

10. Dallas and his leadership, courage, communication, final confrontation, all signalled by the computer with the approach of the alien? His being trapped and begging for death?

 

11. Ashe and his opening the door to let the alien in, his assistance with the medical examination, his sitting surveying in the pilot's seat, his clash with Ripley about the program? The confrontation and his being revealed as a robot, the ooze, the decapitation, the body, the plugging in of the head and his speaking from the floor, his final destruction? Audience response to Ashe as robot?

 

12. Lambert and Parker as surviving, planning to leave on the emergency ship? Their busyness? The confrontation with the alien, the menace to Lambert, the attack on Parker and their deaths?

 

13. The effect of Ripley being left alone? Her control, her rank in the hierarchy, her initial ordering the door not to be opened? Tough, feminine? Her fears, ability to think and manoeuvre? Her trying to interrogate Mother? Her decision to abandon the space ship, the detailed plans, the time element? The rescue of the cat, blast off and the exploding of the ship? The inevitability of the alien being aboard the second craft? Ripley's being relaxed, changing for hibernation, the confrontation by the alien, her getting into the space suit and her final strategies to eliminate the alien? The final tape and the completion of the mission? The choice of Ripley as the character to win and survive?

 

14. The appeal of science fiction, the imagination of science fantasy, anticipation of the future, anticipation of the present? The value of space exploration, fears, possibilities? Man and the confrontation of space, the group? The totalitarian and capitalistic use of people in the space future?

 

15. The appeal of horror films: scares, shock, the shadow side of the human spirit?

 

HUNGER

UK/Ireland, 2008, 96 minutes, Colour.
Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Stuart Graham.
Directed by Steve Mc Queen.

A gruelling film to watch (and feel).Turner Prize-winning artist, Steve Mc Queen, has co-written and directed his first feature and drawn his audience into the Troubles of 1981 in Belfast, especially in the Maze prison at the time of the blanket and washing strike, culminating in the hunger strike and the death of activist, Bobby Sands.

The film is clearly divided into three parts. The first hour focuses on the inmates and the conditions in the Maze and their demands to be treated as political prisoners because of the IRA war rather than as criminal murderers, a plea turned down by Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, whose severe (and arrogant-sounding) words are played here.

One of the difficulties of any armed movement against a government is that, depending on where sympathies lie, participants are lauded as resistance fighters (World War II France or the opposition in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe or Begin’s Jewish fighters against the British before 1948) or condemned as terrorists (Palestinians, Tamil Tigers and any number of groups since September 11th 2001). Northern Ireand was a hotbed of terrorism and counter-terrorism by local militias – and with occupying British forces present to keep order. As this film indicates more than 2000 people were killed between 1969 and 1981.

There have been many notorious prisons. In recent times we have seen the atrocities at Abu Ghraib in Bagdad and there have been the controversies about Guantanamo Bay. Governments have been stepping up security and detention legislation. But, before that, there was the Maze.

Wise commentators have stated that one can determine the civilisation of a nation by the way it treats its prisoners. Conditions shown in Hunger are appalling: men stripped, clad in blankets (since they refused to wear criminal garb), isolated in cold cells which they have smeared with excrement in protest. The men have to wash and dress to see their visitors (where a whole lot of smuggling letters and radios goes on). Beating and kicking are rife – and we are not spared any of this detail in the film. The riot squad as well as local guards exercise a shameful brutality – which makes us wonder throughout the film where these people came from, what they were like in real life with their families. Hunger brings this home to us as it opens with a local guard having his breakfast fry, checking the roads and under his car before he goes to work. He laughs with his mates – but then he shows a brutal side with his bloodied knuckles. And anonymous killers eventually execute him as he visits his mother in a nursing home.

The second part of the film is an intense conversation between Bobby Sands and his friend Fr Dominic Moran. Much of it is in a single take, a medium shot as the two men sit at a table and argue the pros and cons of Sands’ decision to go on a hunger strike to death. This demands constant attention as the different points of view are persuasively put. Is Sands too much of an idealist, wanting to suffer, to be a martyr, expecting that history will remember him (which it does)? Should he have a broader view and be open to dialogue and negotiation so that life will be respected? This is a long sequence well performed by Michael Fassbender as Sands and Liam Cunningham as Fr Moran. Interesting to see the Catholic background of the men (although in a Eucharist sequence, the priest is frustrated as the men chat loudly over his reading of a psalm and catch up).

Before the third part there is another long single take as a cleaner mops up the urine that the men have tipped under their doors into the corridor. This gives us time to absorb some of the conversation we have listened to.

Then there is the 66 days of dying that Bobby Sands underwent, with explanations of what the hunger did to his internal organs. We can see what it was doing to his exterior, with Michael Fassbender looking frighteningly emaciated, dying with pain and an attempt at dignity.

Hunger joins a number of films about this era including In the Name of the Father and Some Mother’s Son (which was about Bobby Sands, his hunger strike and his being elected an MP during this time, something Hunger mentions only in the end information). The IRA committed atrocities. The British and the prison guards do themselves little credit in their behaviour. It is more than a blessing that matters have been able to change in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday agreement of 1997.

1.The impact of the film? Its acclaim? The experience of The Maze prison? The IRA prisoners and their conditions? The Irish background, the Troubles, the terror? The IRA seeing this as a war against England? The political background – and Bobby Sands’ election to parliament after his death?

2.The introduction: 1969-81, the rights and wrongs, the context for the hunger strike, the IRA terror, the response of the Protestant forces? The prison?

3.The structure of the film in three parts: prison, the talk with Father Moran, Sands’ death? The overall impact of these three acts and their interconnectedness?

4.The introduction, Raymond Lohan, his ordinary home life, his family, breakfast, checking the streets for security, washing, his jokes? The inscription on his knuckles? The contrast with seeing him at the prison, changing, the other guards, his brutality and torture? His visiting his mother – the ordinariness? His death?

5.The portrait of the guards, the recruits, their violence and brutality, the motivations? The stripping of the prisoners, the search, the beatings? The response to riots? The hostility – and the man weeping?

6.Dave Gillon and his arrival, the declaration, stripped, the blanket, the cell, his companion in the cell, Campbell? Life in The Maze, loneliness, solitude? Going out and brutality? The meals? The excrement on the walls? The messages, concealing them? The exchange of visits? The aftermath?

7.The visuals of the cells, the filth, painting, hosing, urinating in the corridor?

8.The sequences with Margaret Thatcher, her attitude towards Ireland, the Troubles, the prisoners, The Maze? Her finally changing some aspects – but not her policies?

9.The riot squad, the noise, the brutal beatings – and the shootings?

10.The film’s portrait of Bobby Sands: in himself, his action as an IRA gunman, the bank robberies? His personality? His leadership in The Maze? The attitude of the authorities, the guards? Visits, his parents? The importance of the conversation with Dominic Moran? Its length? The single take at the table? The background of talking, clerical etiquette, smoking, exchanging stories, Sands’ brother, the parish priest? Hard work, the seminary, homilies? The priest and negotiations? Life and values? Out of touch? The issue of hunger strike, suicide? Jesus’ death, the martyrs? Sands and his righteousness? Being challenged by Father Moran? Sands and his ego in his stance? Beliefs, convictions? His death? The overall impact of the conversation?

11.The long corridor, the mopping?

12.Bobby Sands and the hunger strike, thin, ill, his body? The sores? The treatment? The role of the doctor? Not eating meals? The examinations, the bath? His collapse? The visit of his parents, conversation with them? His death? The importance of the flashbacks, Sands as a boy, his joy, in the forest, the foal, putting it to death? Belfast, the running?

13.The images of forests and birds?

14.The reality of Bobby Sands’ hunger strike, the sixty-six days?

15.The aftermath, his being elected as an MP, the role of the government?

16.The director, how objective his presentation of both aspects of the Troubles? Sympathy towards Bobby Sands? Making him a martyr? The critique of Sands? The critique of the IRA and their activities – and the various victims of their brutality? A film inviting audiences to reflect on a more immediate past?

BANGKOK DANGEROUS

US, 2007, 99 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Charlie Young.
Directed by Oxide Pang, Danny Pang.

It's a bit of a surprise to find that this film actually opens in Prague. However, it is an introduction to a hitman, a meticulously ruthless and unemotional professional played by Nicolas Cage in his sombre mode.

Soon we are in Bangkok where the killer has a contract to dispose of four targets. There is a young go-between who is in admiration of the killer who has told us his unchangeable rules include not forming any attachments. But, he does, and starts to train the eager young man. By chance, he visits a pharmacy and is attracted by one of the staff who turns out to be a mute woman. She is attracted by him – and he shows a charming side of his impersonal character. Finally, as we know, he will have to face his conscience. One of his targets is an honest politician who does good for his constituents. Will he kill him or not?

The film, though dark, is full of local colour – though of those parts of Bangkok which tourists don't normally visit.

The Pang Brothers originally made this film in 1999. This remake for an American and worldwide audience is really much as action fans would expect: a brutal killer, some brutal killings, some action sequences, a touch of romance and a challenge to conscience and to his feelings.

1.A hit-man story, a story of evil, assassinations, the possibilities for redemption?

2.A remake of the Pang brothers’ original film? The continued Thai emphases? The change with an American character, for American and world audiences? A serious treatment of the hit-men – with the possibilities of comic touches?

3.The Thai settings, Bangkok, the city, dangerous, the world of killers, the world of crime? The business world, politics? Violence and weapons? The ordinary life of Bangkok, the pharmacy, the restaurants, outings? The two faces of the city? The musical score?

4.The prologue in Prague, the introduction to Joe, seeing him at work as a hit-man? His voice-over, the four cardinal rules that he worked on: don’t ask questions, there is no right and wrong, trust no-one, know when to quit? Seeing him put these in action in Thailand? The beauty of the visuals of Prague? The contrast with Bangkok?

5.Joe, his reputation as a hit-man, international? Coming to Bangkok? His intention for the last job? The local gangsters, four murders?

6.Kong, petty thief, bagman? Kong and his relationship with Joe, the apprentice? His personality, his attraction towards Aom, her being a dancer at the nightclub?

7.Joe, the pharmacy, Fon, deaf mute, at the pharmacist’s?

8.Kong, Joe, the training as an assassin? Joe and his opposition? His past and killing assistants after their helping him? Change of heart?

9.Joe, the hits? The relationship with Kong and his friendship? Fon?

10.The gangsters, their wanting to know who Joe was? Fon and her reaction to Joe being a violent man?

11.Joe, the effect on his mood, the assassinations, his changing of heart about Kong? The commission from the gangsters for a political assassination? Its being his absolutely final hit?

12.The gangsters, their discussions amongst themselves, their wealth, influence, power? The decision to kill Kong, to kill Aom? As a cover-up?

13.The target, the popular politician, the cavalcade, Kong and his admiration? Joe and the set-up, his change of heart, leaving?

14.Kong and Aom being tortured? The location of Joe’s base? The gunmen pursuing Joe? His killing them?

15.Joe, the search for Kong, the final gunfight?

16.The background of Bangkok, Fon and her sister, the lyrical scenes with Joe and Fon together? Her reaction to the truth?

17.Joe, the final confrontation, the boss, the single bullet, killing himself and the boss?

18.A perspective on assassins? In the Asian context?

BIGGA THAN BEN

UK, 2008, 84 minutes, Colour.
Ben Barnes, Andrei Chadov, Ovidiu Mateson, Andrew Byron.
Directed by S.A. Halewood.

Any prospective migrant to the UK, especially if they are contemplating a less than honest approach to their new country of adoption, will want to see Bigga than Ben. It is something of a handbook of how to defraud the British government and people. Anybody working in Social Services, the banking system (when it recovers from the worse deals made to its overpaid executives) or the police may well want to see the film to see what they are up against.

However, it is all done with the light touch, although 'touch' is a sensitive word to describe what our two 'heroes', Cobakka (Ben Barnes – who was Prince Caspian) and Spiker (Andrei Chadov) get up to. It is based on the memoirs of the two young men who leave Russia in the 1990s to come to 'foggy Albion' and make their fortune and live off the fat of the land.

Needless to say it does not work out that way. They get into all kinds of scrapes, have to deal with far shadier characters than themselves, fall into the world of addicts and, ultimately, have to make some choices for better or worse.

This is a brief film, a series of anecdotes, some of which are hit and miss, or more like hit, miss, miss. But, it does touch on the realities of movements around Europe as well as the rest of the world and the hard lives that so many migrants experience.

1.The film for UK audience? Russian and eastern European audience? Worldwide?

2.The small budget, sixteen millimetre filming, handheld camera, style? Semi-documentary style?

3.Based on a true story, the 1990s, eastern Europeans and their dreams? The UK and the visualising of England, of London – and the continued reference to Albion? The story from the Russian perspective? UK perspective?

4.The UK since the 1990s, eastern European migrations, work, permits, illegals, the legislation, the police, agents, schemes, money, the Russian Mafia, fraud, the banks, credit fraud?

5.The illegals, entry into the UK, the lack of documentation, the agents in England helping, the crime networks? Gambling, the risks, drugs?

6.Cobakka and his character, the voice-over, life in Russia with Spiker, considering themselves Russian scum, wanting to go to Los Angeles, make money, the elaborate plans? The hopes and the journey, having to go to London? The friendship between the two men? Cobakka and his band? Spiker and his engagement?

7.The contacts, need for accommodation, finding the shed, living there, hiding? The dingy apartment, renting for a month? The need for an address? The landlord and his attitude? Their vengeance – urinating on the furniture …? The lifestyle?

8.The attempts to get jobs, the needs for documents, an address, for bank accounts? The interviews?

9.The jobs, building sites, arguing, the English turning a blind eye to illegals? Unreliability? Getting the sack?

10.The details of the financial scams, the interviews, the plans, the accounts, the credit cards?

11.Spiker, finding London difficult, his fiancée breaking off the engagement? His going into depression, drugs and addiction? The effect on him?

12.Cobakka, his experiences, the contacts? The decisions? His change of heart? Staying?

13.The Russian Mafia, Sergei, the contacts with Atash, the man-about-town, unreliable, crime, drug distribution? Taking the percentage of the money? The critique of these exploitative Russians?

14.The British, British lifestyle, so different from eastern Europe? The different types, some helping, some not?

15.The racist attitudes of the two Russians? The explicit language in the film? Their not realising how racist they were? The presentation of the ethic groups in England – and the fact that they helped the Russians?

16.The title, the handbook for fraud? The later restrictions and changes in legislation in the 21st century? So many eastern countries joining the European Union? Continued suspicious relationships with Russia?

FEAR(S) OF THE DARK

France/Belgium, 2007, 83 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Voices of: Aure Atika, Arthur H., Guillaume Depardieu.
Directors: Blutch, Charles Burns, Marie Caillou, Pierre de Sciullo, Lorenzo Mattotti, Richard Mc Guire.

1.The impact of this episodic film? For fans of animation? For avant-garde animation? For short stories? An ensemble film?

2.The Charter: a short film, animation, black and white (and allowing splashes of red for blood)?

3.The impact of the different styles?

4.The motif of fear, the motif of the dark?

5.The woman, the interviewer, the interviewer and her responses, her fears, their being intercut throughout the whole film? The question whether the man and woman were alive or dead? The abstract style?

6.Blutch and his woodcut style, the 18th century aristocratic man, his wigs, the walk, the dogs, his setting the dogs on people, their prey, the viciousness of the dogs, the blood? The irony of his being devoured? Fear of dogs?

7.Eric, the young student, in his room, his love for science, etymology, the details of his study, school, his friendship with the girl, her giving him confidence, in his room, feeding him, his becoming fat, the eggs, turning into a praying mantis?

8.Sumako, Japanese, in therapy, at school, the bullies? Near the cemetery, the cruelty of the classmates? The fearful monsters – in the Japanese tradition?

9.The man visiting the isolated house, the terrain, his memories, childhood? His friend, the crocodile and being devoured?

10.The dark and the isolated house, the man, the interiors, finding the light, the scrapbook, the images, the woman coming alive, the pursuit with the axe?

11.The overall effect of the films themselves and their variety of style? Evocation of fears, evocation of the dark?

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR

US, 2008, 108 minutes, Colour.
Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens.
Directed by Kenny Ortega.

At this high school they don't seem to do many school room subjects. They play basketball and are cheerleaders (and win against all the odds). They spend a lot of time in rehearsal for the 'musicale' to celebrate graduation. They sing a lot and do some dancing. But, that is what has touched the teenage audiences of the US ($42 million on opening weekend) and of the rest of the world (one North London complex had it on five screens during the day with 13 sessions each day in the complex). And then there is Zac Efron who at twenty finds himself a worldwide hearththrob. And there is Vanessa Hudgens who is popular as well but this is a film that is popular with girls and so the attention is on Zac.

What began as a pleasant movie for the Disney Channel surprised the powers that be with its popularity. A second television movie was commissioned and did very well. Then it was adapted for the stage with tours all over the US and elsewhere. This has led to the present sequel which was made for cinemas rather than television. And the young and the very young are flocking to see it. It is G rated.

As a film, it is pleasantly ordinary for adults in a tolerant mood. It's the show must go on. It's final year and the prospects of college. It's teenagers behaving wholesomely. It's teenagers having difficulties with their parents' expectations and their feeling the need for some independent choices.

Troy and Gabriella have become important for the High School Musical audiences. Sharpay, who is really a nasty piece of work embodying all the hiss characteristics of the villain, becomes nicer at the end of each film – but relapses for the next one. Her twin, Ryan, is still doing choreography. And the bespectacled composer is still churning out the tunes. A nice touch is that Julliard is offering college scholarships so there is an incentive for potential candidates.

It's all rather old-fashioned in a contemporary way – and an unexpected series phenomenon.

1.The popularity of the High School Musical films? Stage performances around the world? The characters, the school, the music, sport, relationships, family? The wholesome tone?

2.The Alberqurque settings, the school and its interiors, sports arena, the theatre? The University of Stanford campus?

3.The musical score, the range of songs, as expressing the characters, situations, the groups?

4.The basketball opening, the team losing, the cheerleaders, the verve, in the locker room, the coach, Troy and his urging the team on, Chad and his collaboration? The support, the final basket and the awkward young man coming in and winning the game? Troy and his generosity? Chad and Troy and the expectations that they would have basketball scholarships in Alberqurque?

5.Senior year, the absence of classes in the film, the focus on theatre? The students saying they were busy? Gabriella and her influence, Sharpay and her presence, self-centred? Ryan and his choreography? The composer and her music? Troy and his being the hero, getting everyone involved? The personality of the school theatre director, her interest, the rehearsals, her putting in the applications to Juilliard College?

6.Juilliard, its reputation, the applications? Troy and his father confronting him about it? The composer and her opportunities? Ryan and his choreography? Sharpay wanting to win? The representatives coming to the performance, their allotting the two scholarships?

7.Sharpay, in the previous films, the English girl as her understudy, servant, the takeover by the English girl, the rivalry? Sharpay ousting her?

8.Sharpay and her personality, narcissistic, attitude towards Ryan, stealing Gabriella’s songs, her preening herself, the performance, her giving the gossip to Troy, the rivalry, the ending and her being agreeable?

9.Ryan, choreography, personality, winning the scholarship?

10.The composer, her versatility, getting the scholarship?

11.Chad, his friendship with Taylor, the build-up to asking her to the prom, the prom performance?

12.Gabriella, her mother, Stanford? Sharpay and the gossip? Troy, self-sacrifice, Gabriella going to Stanford, wanting to stay? Troy driving there, the dance, the return, intervening in the performance just in time? The solution for Troy to go to Berkeley, studying sport and theatre and near to Stanford?

13.Troy as the hero, his family, sport, friendship with Chad, his father’s influence? Love for Gabriella, letting her go, dancing and singing with her? The solution and the happy ending?

14.The reason for the film’s and stage performance’s popularity, wholesome – US 2008?

QUANTUM OF SOLACE

UK/US, 2008, 106 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Craig, Olga Kuryenko, Judi Dench, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Gemma Arterton.
Directed by Marc Forster.

Quantum of Solace is a multiplex mouthful but it is taken from the title of an Ian Fleming story. The plot is made up for this occasion, beginning immediately after the end of Casino Royale and the effect of Vespa Lynd's death on James Bond.

While there are convolutions in the plot, this must be one of the most straightforward of all the Bond films. Most audiences accepted Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, so it is much easier now to take to a Bond who is not dapper, though he does get to wear dinner dress at one stage, who does not have a whole lot of Connery/Moore/Brosnan repartee, who is pretty single-minded and talks to M about doing his duty.

Quantum also allows Bond to be a little more feeling than last time, acknowledging that there are emotional moments in life, especially the death of a friend. Quantum also allows a bit more conscience in the film in discussion and in points made by M about violence and revenge. Not that there isn't a rising body count but there is a bit more context than usual.

Actually, it is fairly non-stop action which has given plenty of work to the film editors who have made it adrenalin-pumping and fast and flashily paced. It opens with a car chase on an Italian autostrada (much briefer than the stunt-filled prologues of more recent decades), moves into Siena for the Palio and the horses and the introduction of the conspiracy, followed by a breathless chase on foot over the roofs of Siena and through the buildings. As in Casino Royale, Bond is very fit and does a lot of running. With the expected interludes in London (M's office is very technologically slick as is her home bedroom with communications equipment), we move to Haiti where there is a boat chase. And, then in Bolivia (after excursions to Austria and Italy again) there is a plane chase.

It all ends up in the middle of Bolivia - quite literally explosively.

So, Daniel Craig is Bond (though he doesn't do the famous introduction, but his drink is shaken). Olga Kurylenko is not really a Bond girl but a character in the plot. Gemma Arterton is, almost momentarily, a Bond girl but she evokes memories of Shirley Eaton in Goldfinger, this time with oil. Judi Dench's M features more frequently and gives some gravitas to the proceedings. And, just when you feared we weren't going to hear the familiar theme, there it is in the final credits.

Bond villains have often been larger than life but Matthieu Amalric (start of numerous French films including his masterful performance in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) is small of stature with something of a manic look but sinister and ruthless nonetheless.

Audiences may be so caught up in the action and chases that they miss the topical political references in the Quantum conspiracy: the references to Aristide in Haiti, the planned upsetting of society to pave the way for coups, the hostility of the US administration to more left-leaning leaders in Venezuela and, especially in this case, Bolivia. And, maybe the film is prophetic. While authorities assume at first that the object of greed and of national interests is oil, the precious and scarce commodity that threatens peace and which avaricious entrepreneurs want to get hold of is water.

Director Marc Forster went from directing The Kite Runner to Quantum. He obviously is interested in a wide range of genres as previous films include titles so diverse as Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland and Stay.

1.The James Bond tradition? The similarities for this film, the differences?

2.James Bond’s background, agent, licensed to kill, MI6, under M’s command, the background to world conspiracies?

3.Daniel Craig as James Bond, serious, not dapper, fit, ruthless, the touch of emotion?

4.The title, an Ian Fleming story, a new plot, continuation from the film of Casino Royale?

5.The range of locations: Italy and the mountains, Sienna and the Palio, London and MI6 as well as the domestic sequences in M’s home? The technology in the headquarters and in the home? Haiti? Italy and the house of Mathis? Austria, the concert hall? Bolivia, the city, the desert, the resort? Exotic and ordinary? The musical score, the theme song, the James Bond theme during the final credits?

6.The background of James Bond and Vespa Lynd, his anger, rage at Vespa, the revenge, having to forgive her? The pursuit of the truth? The chase in Italy, the explosions – and the setting of the scene?

7.Sienna, the Palio and the horses, intercutting with M, the interrogation of Mr White, his taunts, Mitchell and his being the bodyguard, his being a traitor, his action, the long foot-chase over the roofs and the buildings? The investigation into Mitchell? No leads? The information about Slater, Haiti and the money?

8.Bond going to Haiti, the confrontation with Slater, his room, Slater’s death, Bond assuming his identity? Meeting Camille? The shooting confrontation, the escape? Seeing her go to Dominic Greene, with the general? Bond going into action, taking Camille, the water chase? The truth about the general and Camille’s family background? His taunting her?

9.London, M, her attitude, urging Bond not to be vengeful, the rules, the information about the conspiracy, her going to the minister and his disapproval?

10.The transition to Austria, Bregenz, the performance of Tosca? Bond seeing the man with the phone, taking his connections? Listening in to the discussion during the opera? His intervening? The social and the background, Greene and his anger?

11.Going to see Mathis, Mathis and his girlfriend, the past, his forgiving Bond, going on the adventure, to Bolivia, his police contact? In Bolivia, socialising? His being in the boot of the car? His death? Bond and his concern? The later confrontation with the police chief and Bond killing him?

12.Quantum, the amount of money available? Dominic and his assistant, the plan, getting the money for the general? Seeding revolutions in countries like Haiti, the criticism, the overthrow of governments?

13.Bolivia, the meeting, the general, the issue of the ownership of water? Greene and his blackmailing of the general?

14.Bond, Strawberry Fields and her presence in Bogota, the relationship, her help, her being killed, covered in oil? The contact with Felix Leiter? The information? The collaboration between the Americans and Greene? And the general? The political right-wing attitudes of America, stirring up revolutions in Latin America, wanting friendly governments?

15.The resort, its being in the desert, the meeting, Camille and her presence, the general taking the waitress to his room, Camille and her confronting the general? The explosions, Bond saving Camille?

16.Greene, the confrontation, his being put out into the desert, the report of his death, oil in his body? Bond giving him the tin of oil?

17.Bond, the solution, Mathis and his story about Vespa? Forgiveness? Bond and his feeling, towards Mathis, towards Camille?

18.A 21st century James Bond?

KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL

US, 2008, 100 minutes, Colour.
Abigail Bresland, Julia Ormond, Chris O’ Donnell, Stanley Tucci, Joan Cusack, Glenne Headley, Jane Krakowski, Max Theriot.
Directed by Patricia Rozema.

If you are not in the know about the American stories of Kit Kittredge by Valerie Tripp, you might well wonder what you are in for if you decided to try out this film – after all the Canadian director has made some interesting films including I Heard the Mermaids Singing and Mansfield Park. Who is Kit Kittredge? Is she a superheroine in the tradition of Spiderman...? Is this a piece of US propaganda and public relations? Actually not.

This is a Depression story for a girls' audience (and for families where the boys might prefer to stay home or go into another cinema at the multiplex). However, it is very nicely told, has a very strong cast and, while sweet in an American way, it is a good story about values and learning values.

It is Cincinnati, 1934, the Depression still hurting with banks foreclosing on homes, even of the relatively well-off, and people taking snobbish attitudes to the increasing number of hobos on the trains and in their own townships on the edge of the city. Those with money have little tolerance: the attitude that people should be able to find jobs themselves, keep them or pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

Kit is 10, a Pulitzer Prize winner in the making as she types out topical stories and hounds the editor of the local paper. She is played by that very versatile of child actors, Abigail Breslin, which means that this quite precocious Kit is more than credible. Her charming and kind mother is played by Julia Ormond and Chris O' Donnell is her father. The family falls on hard unemployment times and mother takes in a range of boarders (played by Glenne Headley, Jane Krakowski, Stanley Tucci and Joan Cusack). This is not how Kit imagined life to be and she has to learn about poverty and soup kitchens, about kindness to hobo children looking for jobs, about sharing her house and possessions.

The drama steps up when there are some robberies and the young boy is accused because the hobos are easy scapegoats. But reporter Kit becomes a new Nancy Drew and the robberies are solved and the hobos absolved.

It is a surprisingly nice and nicely told story.

1.A piece of Americana, American history, the depression, the social past, racism, snobbery? A clash of good and evil?

2.The title, the focus on Kit, ten years, enterprising, in the family, her friends, ambitions, her disappointments, learning, achievement?

3.The target audience for the film – readers of the stories, a young girls’ audience, family audience, adults?

4.Cincinnati in 1934? Kit’s voice-over, the introduction to the city, the suburbs, the effects of the depression, the wealthy and their snobbery, the hobos? School, banks, homes? Hobo Town? The surrounding woods? The musical score, the 30s songs, the focus on the depression, ‘Money’, ‘Side by Side’, ‘Ain’t We Got Fun’?

5.Kit and her typewriter, the article, the Chicago World’s Fair? Going to the Register, the assistant and his chatting with her, his imitating Mr Gibson, reactions? Mr Gibson and his temper? Kit’s visits, wanting to write fresh articles, forcing Mr Gibson to read? The final hobo story, being in print? Mr Gibson coming to the house? Grumpiness turning to cheer?

6.Kit’s parents, her father, his job selling cars, prosperous, losing his job, at the soup kitchen, going to Chicago to search for work, the farewell to Kit, promise to return, his absence, not writing? Kit demanding a promise? Kit’s mother, good woman, with the society women, their chatter? Their wealth? Seeing Will and the little boy, giving them the job, giving them food, welcoming them into the house? Kit and wanting the dog, her resistance but agreeing? The increasing poverty, dividing the house, taking in boarders, the continual hard work, saving money, having to sell eggs, the dresses from the sacks? The prospect of moving? Losing their money because of the robbery? Giving the boots to Will? The relief when the money was found?

7.The children at school, their harshness? The reaction of the teacher? The soup kitchen and the visit, Kit seeing her father? The attitude of Stanley’s mother, her snobbery? Stanley and the influence? His absent father? The children and their storytelling, imagination? Ruthie and her rich family, intervening for the Kittredges?

8.Will, the background of his Texas story, his family going to California, his riding the rails? The little child, audiences thinking it was a boy, their work together? Will and the boots? Their being used against him? The friendship between the two young people, Will and his protection? The visit to the hobo township? Later Will being accused, his disappearance? The revelation of the little boy as a little girl? Will’s being vindicated?

9.The hobos, their language, the main American snobbery towards them? The visitor to the Kittredges’ table? Stanley’s mother? The attitude that the poverty was their own fault, that they should help themselves? The effect of the sequence of the visit to the hobo village? The symbols on people’s fences and the language? The sharing in the village? Jeffrey and his pursuit into the village? Their banding together to protect the children? Their coming for the Thanksgiving Dinner, the mother inviting them to stay?

10.The background of Stanley and his mother, the absent father, the aristocracy, their having to board? The young woman, her dancing lessons, her continually dancing, her friendliness? The attraction to Mr Gibson? on his visit? The librarian, her seeming absent-mindedness, her reckless driving? Her being part of the magic trick and levitation with Jeffrey? Jeffrey and his cousin coming, the monkey? Her giving the books to people, Robin Hood, helping the little girl to read? Will and Robin Hood and his adventures – and audiences thinking that he might have been robbing the rich to help the poor?

11.The robberies, the discussions about wealth, the information for Jeffrey, the flashbacks showing the truth, the revelation about the people to blame?

12.Kit, the adventure, her hiding in the car? Ruthie and Stanley and the others coming with the librarian? Jeffrey and his cousin searching for the box, digging it up? The children taking the box, the chase?

13.The explanation, the flashbacks? The librarian and her being sorry, her change of heart, turning against Jeffrey? Their being arrested?

14.The importance of the money, the treasures, the poor being exploited? The hobos as the scapegoat?

15.Kit, ten years old, mature, yet her childish ways, sensible, learning from experience, the good example of her mother?

16.The happy reunion with her father, Thanksgiving?

17.A feelgood piece of Americana? Sentiment? The best of American optimism?

FAINTHEART

UK, 2008, 84 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Marsan, Jessica Hynes, Ewen Bremner, Paul Nicholls, Anne Reid, Bronagh Gallagher.
Directed by Vito Rocco.

When one is not quite sure what to say about a brief film that offers an oddball view of human nature and human behaviour, one relies on the description, 'a quirky little film'. And that is quite appropriate for Faintheart. It runs for under 90 minutes, is set in a contemporary English village, has humorous touches as well as some serious themes treated in a comic way. It stars that very versatile British character actor, Eddie Marsan (Happy Go Lucky, Sixty Six, Pierrepoint) with Ewan Bremner and Jessica Hynes.

The opening momentarily takes us aback as a medieval battle begins – then a mobile phone rings and Richard (Marsan) has to run to his car to hurry to a funeral. A mood is set. His wife is not at all happy with Richard and wants a separation.

The trouble is that Richard and his mates have never quite grown up and like to get together to re-create Viking battles. Richard does not want a separation and does his best to reconcile (which is a bit difficult because his wife has taken up with the phys ed teacher (Paul Nichols) and his bullied son is ashamed of him). He has a dead end job and a sneering boss.

But, if you keep the title in mind and remember your Gilbert and Sullivan, you know that faint heart never won fair lady. So Richard has to change his attitudes and his life and fight for his family.

It is all quite slight but offers a slice of British complicated life.

1.A quirky British comedy? Serious?

2.The title, Gilbert and Sullivan: Faint heart never won fair lady? Richard and his pursuit of Kath? Nick and Kim’s mother?

3.The prologue, the set-up of the Vikings and the battles, audience expectations? Names and dates? The mobile phone going off, the car, Richard and his driving to the funeral? Arriving late, in the Viking gear, Kath and her being upset?

4.The English tone, the castle, the Viking sports, homes, school, ovals, the restaurants? Authentic? The musical score?

5.Richard’s story: the introduction to Richard in the re-enactments, his age? His marriage to Kath? Going to the funeral? His being ousted? Disbelieving? Pleading? His relationship with Martin, taking him to the re-enactments? Martin being ashamed? His dead-end job, the boss, his friends, the re-creation of games at work, the boss’s threats? His later wanting overtime? Nick and his bunking with him? His being upset, his wanting to woo Kath again, the visits, her rejecting him? His recreating the first time, the restaurant, the band, the music? The failure? Gary and the confrontation? His being late for the play? The re-enactments? Going to his father-in-law’s grave, talking to him, his mother-in-law and her listening, her wise advice? Martin and his being bullied, going with Kath to the principal, standing up to the principal? Self-assertion? Getting the haircut, becoming normal, the confrontation with his boss? Throwing away the sword – and later searching for it on the tip? Martin wanting a final battle? Martin and his pride? Kath and the reuniting?

6.Martin, his age, his relationship with his father, bullied at school? Gary and the advice at school, the self-defence lessons? Ashamed of his father? The girl, the drawing, liking her, going in to the play, the outings with her? Excalibur and the play? His father not being there? His being humiliated in front of the kids? Talking to his father? The end and his pride?

7.The girl, in class, eccentric, the play, liking Martin, out with him, the kiss? Liking the re-enactments?

8.Nick, his age, living with his mother? The re-enactments? At the shop, his love for Star Trek? The computer dating, Kim – and his being a boy, out, the boy eating a lot, his mother coming to rescue him? Her coming to the shop, talking about Star Trek, going out, the flashy restaurant and leaving, the discussions, the Klingon talk, sharing – and romance?

9.Kath, exasperated, ousting Richard, her love for Martin? Taking up with Gary? Talking to Richard, going to the restaurant, the failure of the date? Going to the principal? Appreciating Richard’s change?

10.Gary, slick, his reputation as a womaniser, his advice to Martin, the self-defence lessons, moving in, the clashes with Richard?

11.Richard’s friends, their jobs in the town, their lives focused on the Vikings, their expertise and knowledge?

12.The themes of growing up, responsibility, relationships, fathering, being a husband, change?

HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE

UK, 2008, 111 minutes, Colour.
Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges, Miriam Margolyes, Bill Paterson, Max Minghella, Janette Scott, Thandie Newton.
Directed by Robert Weide.

This satirical film has been adapted (or based on without reproducing the plot and themes exactly) from a book by Toby Young about his journalistic ambitions in London and his opportunity to fulfil them in New York. Actually, his ambitions are far less exalted. He wanted it all: the easy good time, the wealth, the glamour and the glitter, being seen with celebrities in the public eye and writing, mainly gossip (and invention) in a glossy magazine. He does all this, of course, but at what price? And, can it last? In real life, with bluff and no shame, it probably could, but this kind of film is one of those morality stories where you have your cake, eat it and then move to a higher plain where such cake can be looked down on.

A lot of the film is bright and breezy and there some very funny bits.

However, we are taken into the world of gossip columnists and paparazzi where the pinnacle of achievement is to have written a cover story of about 2000 words that remains in the public eye until the next issue is published. This is the ephemeral achievement of having done that and, therefore, been there, with the strong possibility that that is it.

Simon Pegg is quite convincing as Sidney Young, the well-educated (but that does not matter) son of a prominent philosopher (but that is far too serious) who behaves like a magazine world Austin Powers (manic, say whatever comes into your head - his analysis of the art of Con Air is worth hearing - dance as vigorously as you can and presume that you are absolutely right about everything and there is no need to worry about tomorrow). We see him trying to gatecrash parties, talk to Thandie Newton herself as if he were a top producer, spy on the well-known and then, almost inexplicably, be invited to New York to work on the magazine of his dreams by its editor, Jeff Bridges, doing his executive variation of Lebowski.

Danny Huston is very effective and all too credible as his smarmy boss. Gillian Anderson is also good as a dominating, no holds-barred-if-it-promotes-my-client agent. Megan Fox is the star she manages who is up to doing anything required for publicity. (She is up for an award in a highly-fictionalised (!) film of Mother Teresa's vocation, The Making of a Saint which we see glimpses and posters of and, if we stay for the final credits, see the complete hilariously irreverent trailer!)

But, it is Kirsten Dunst as Sidney's co-worker who brings an element of reality into his life even though she herself has her own problems. She is quietly charming and reminds us of how pleasing an actress she can be.

If you want to risk spending time in this phony world and its worldliness, there is enough humour and good performances to see you through. But, as the Danny Huston character reminds us, not everybody sees the light to do the good and right thing.

1.An entertaining comedy, satire, introduction to the world of journalism, gossip, celebrity?

2.The UK origins of the film, the real-life experiences of Toby Young and his book? British humour? Transported to the US?

3.The contrast between London and New York, the two capital cities of gossip and information? Similarities, contrast? The world of magazines, the modest British Post Modern Review, the contrast with American Sharps? The offices, lavish, hotels? The contrast with dingy apartments? The range of parties and functions, awards ceremonies?

4.The musical score, the songs?

5.The title, its reference to Sidney and his dreams being dashed? Success and failure?

6.The British magazine, small, the bickering staff, Sidney and his gatecrashing parties, his interviews, behaviour, the agents getting rid of him? Continually being unmasked? Ousted? His talk, patter, crass?

7.The framework of the film: the awards, the actress and her hopes, the table with the guests, Sidney’s voice-over and the seeming fulfilment? The flashbacks? The experience in London, in the US, his faux pas, mistakes? The ceremony and the visual parody of the film about Mother Teresa? With the Hollywood bimbo?

8.Sidney in himself, his background, his father’s arrival and the revelation that he was a philosopher and a professor? Sidney’s academic background – but his squandering his education? Sidney and his relationships? The call from Clayton Harding, the opportunity to go to Sharps? The possibilities? His agenda – living it up, parties, gossip, meeting celebrities? His interview with Clayton Harding, overestimating himself, Harding putting him in his place? The dingy apartment, the noise, the landlady and her attitudes, discussions? Settling in – after going out dancing?

9.Sidney as a party animal, forever going out, meeting people, drinking, dancing? The encounter with the transvestite – and the consequences in inviting him as a striptease for the office party – on Children’s Day? His lacking in self-consciousness and awareness?

10.Clayton Harding, modelled on editors of Vanity Fair and magazines? His look, authority, yet his past in his anti-authoritarian behaviour? His putting Sidney in his place? Talking about the rungs in the workplace? Letting Sidney research? His relationship with the staff? With Lawrence Maddox? People excusing Sidney’s behaviour because he was British? Eleanor and her relationship with the editor, getting approval, setting up interviews, reading the copy? Sidney and his antagonism towards this attitude? His wanting to interview the director – changing his mind, accommodating him? The finale and the fight with Sophie Maes and the ring? Harding laughing?

11.Alison, in the bar, waiting, writing her novel, Sidney chatting her up? Her exasperation? Seeing him in the office? Her levelheadedness, her jobs, doing her work, keeping out of the limelight? Her helping Sidney, excusing him for being British? The continued help, the ease with which they worked together yet her criticisms, her thinking that Sidney was a fool? Her relationship with Lawrence Maddox, Sidney’s being aghast? The break? Her fondness for Sidney? Changing and supporting him?

12.The other members of the staff, Sidney’s behaviour, at staff meetings, his suggestions, lack of self-awareness?

13.Lawrence Maddox, Danny Huston’s style? His wife and her position? His place in the company? His attitudes, at meetings, his arrogance? The relationship with Alison, credible? The break? Sidney and his taunting him? His moving to the other company? His wife and her reaction? The satire and portrait of this kind of executive and his self-importance?

14.Eleanor, the haughty agent, with Sophie Maes? Pressures, control, in the magazine, her personality, her controlling the actress? Her disdain for Sidney? The change of mind, discussions with him? The interview with the director – and Sidney’s attitude, her censoring the work? Finally relating well to Sidney – at the table for the awards?

15.The young director, pretentious, the interview – and the film’s poking fun at this kind of self-confident arrogant young man?

16.The bimbo, her interest in Sidney, his lust for her – and giving her his mother’s ring? Her career, interviews, empty-headed? Controlled by Eleanor? Waiting for the award? Mother Teresa? Sidney grabbing the ring back from her and creating chaos?

17.Sidney and a bit of self-awareness, discovery of the truth about people’s behaviour, setting himself up for celebrities and dishonesty? A possible future? Dancing with Alison – and the background of La Dolce Vita?

18.The satire, the spoof, the caricatures of people in the publishing business, of celebrities, of agents? Yet the film relishing all of these: having its cake and eating it at the same time?