GLORIA BELL

US, 2019, 101 minutes, Colour.
Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Michael Cera, Jeanne Triplehorn, Holland Taylor, Alana Ubach, Rita Wilson, Brad Garrett, Chris Mulkey, Caren Pistorius, Barbara Sukowa Sean Astin.
Directed by Sebastian Lelio.

Some years ago director Sebastian Lelio had great success, as did his star, Paulina Garcia, with the lively drama about a middle-aged woman, dissatisfied with her life, branching out with great verve. It was called Gloria and is an illustration of some of the lyrics of the popular song, Gloria. The film won several awards. Lelio is Chilean and there was a Hispanic excitement about the whole project.

Now, the director has the opportunity to remake his film but in English and in the United States.

While the plot remains basically the same, the American locations, despite emotional outbursts, are far more laid-back than those in Santiago. This makes this version, Gloria Bell, not exactly more restrained but certainly played in a lower key. And the casting is very important. In a way, Paulina Garcia’s interpretation Gloria was rather no holds or, at least, fewer holds barred. Now here is Julianne Moore, a much more controlled performance (even when she is exuberantly dancing). Hers is a much more introverted interpretation of Gloria.

Perhaps it is the forceful impact of the original film, something of a sweeping you off your feet experience, that means that Gloria Bell is less memorable. One might say that the parts are greater than the sum.

In fact, many of the parts are most impressive. This certainly goes for Julian Moore’s performance, a range of emotions, seeing her alone, a loner, isolated among the throbbing beat of the middle-aged dancers in a club. She eventually finds men to dance with but returns to her apartment, alone, except for a cat. And upstairs, a mentally disturbed man is loudly arguing preventing her going to sleep.

We learn something of Gloria’s background, a visit to her son who is estranged from his wife away in the desert trying to find herself. She tries her best at yoga classes conducted by her daughter who is about to marry a Swedish student of whales. She has a secure job and is supportive of friends. She does love music, and seems to a great range of songs as she drives around the city. The lyrics often reveal her mind and emotional states (A Total Eclipse of the Heart, Alone again – Naturally).

One of the important parts of the screenplay is an introduction to a lonely man, divorced, recovering from surgery, his ex-wife and two idle daughters are still completely dependent on him and, it would seem as the film goes on, there is a co-dependence between him and his family. He is played with an engaging earnestness by John Turturro.

Invited to a party to celebrate a birthday, he accompanies Gloria and meets her ex-husband and his wife, the children, and they reminisce over photos which alienates him. Gloria is upset. Arnold is upset. They seem to be made for each other – is it possible that they will overcome the difficulties for a happy ending?

At the end, the song, Gloria, sung by Laura Brannigan is played over the final sequences. Whatever will become of relationships, Gloria has rediscovered some verve and vitality in her life.

1. A portrait of Gloria? American? Divorced? Middle-aged? Wanting more out of life?

2. The film as a remake, the same director, the spirit of the original? The verve of the Latin American story and character? The contrast with a North American story and character?

3. The city settings, apartments and noise, offices, homes, families? Clubs and entertainment? The visit to Las Vegas?

4. The musical score, the range of songs, Gloria singing along as she drove, revealing her personality, the lyrics? The finale with Laura Brannigan singing Gloria?

5. Julianne Moore as Gloria, her presence, appearance, styles and glasses, her age? Isolated in the club the opening, venturing out, finding partners to dance with, but going home alone, the cat? Meeting people and her verve in dancing? The noise upstairs and a complaint to the man’s mother? At work, her associates, liked, supportive? Her eyes being tested, deterioration?

6. The visit to her son, the grandchild, her son and his seeming off-handedness, his wife going into the desert to find herself?

7. The daughter, the yoga class, Gloria doing the exercises, her daughter commending her? The relationship with the Swedish man, his work with the whales?

8. The visit to the club, the encounter with Arnold? His reticence, getting enjoyment with dancing? Building up conversation with Gloria? The bond between the two, his divorce, the wife and two daughters idle and depending on him? The phone calls? To his place? The outings, his owning the theme park, the story of his being a Marine, transport, retirement? The effect of his divorce on him, loneliness?

9. Gloria and going to the party, taking Arnold, the introductions, the tension? The children? The awkwardness of her ex-husband arriving, not having seen him for years, his wife and her sympathy? The merriment, looking at photos, reminiscences, Arnold on the outer, his getting up and leaving?

10. Gloria’s reaction, anxious, annoyed with him? His explanations? Her not accepting them? Her wanting him to apologise which he did? Her not wanting to apologise?

11. The continued tension, not answering his phone calls? Her friend at work, her being sacked, Gloria helping her?

12. Gloria relenting, talking with Arnold, the decision to go to Las Vegas, the exhilaration, the flight, the hotel, Caesar’s Palace, the room, the phone call – and promising not to leave, the pressure on him, his leaving, Gloria and her disappointment?

13. Gloria’s visit to the house, Arnold coming out, seeing the wife and the daughters? The driving away?

14. Gloria, overcoming her sense of being alone, building on the experience with Arnold, singing her songs, with her friends, the man approaching, her being able to let him go? The future and the tone of the song, Gloria?

KILL ME TWICE/ HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT


US, 2018, 87 minutes, Colour.
Victoria Barabas, Gino Anthony Pesi, Deborah Van Valkenburg, Jessica Miraz, Jake Allyn, Stacia Crawford, Jack Fisher, Eve Sigall.
Directed by Stacia Crawford.

Kill Me Twice is familiar kind of material but presented in an entertaining way from undemanding audience.

Victoria Barabas plays a young woman who marries a man who is violent in extortion and kills an intruder in their home. She is shocked. He goes to prison. She is able to get forged documents and stage a suicide, moving away and beginning a new life with her son.

She is a pleasant woman, concerned about her son, working at the diner, her friend organising her to go on dates with a man who visits the diner.

The drama is that the husband gets out of prison, goes to his mother-in-law and threatens her, finding out about his son, getting the address, going to the house, abducting his son from the school and visiting a motel. The film builds up to the expected confrontation, the mother, her new friend helping, the pursuit in the woods, a shooting.

While there is happy ending, the woman is fearful to go to the police because of her suicide fraud, forged documents, unpaid debts. While she was conscious of them – there is no mention of these consequences in the happy ending.

1. The title? Melodrama? Mother protecting her son? Violent husband?

2. The American settings, homes, dinors, school, offices, motels, the countryside? The musical score?

3. Katie’s story, work, prospects, relationship with her mother? Meeting Nick? Attractive? The past advice? The relationship? Marrying? The attack on the house, the masked man, Nick killing him? Katie’s reaction? Finding about Nick, his extortions, violence, deaths? His going to prison? Katie’s decision, to disappear, pregnant, giving birth? The advice for forging papers, becoming Anna Jones? A new life, with her son, working in the diner, Chloe as a friend, the encounter with Lucas, wary, outings?

4. Danny, age, wanting to know about his father?

5. The mother, the phone calls, keeping her distance? Nick’s arrival, confronting her, in the house, the photos, his working out about his son, demanding the address?

6. Anna, her life, friends, Danny, thinking about moving? The outing with Lucas, Chloe minding Danny? Chloe and her relationship with her boyfriend and his roving eye?

7. Nick, watching the house, picking Danny up from school? To the motel, the suspicions of the woman at reception? Nick and his explanations to Danny, Danny cautious, the toothbrush, ringing his mother?

8. Her going to the police, the help of Lucas, the difficulties of her fraud, name change, the flashbacks to her bogus suicide, unpaid debts, the finance for the search for her body?

9. The address of the motel, Danny and shrewdness, hiding the rooms, the help of Maggie? Nick’s threats, the gun?

10. Anna, to the motel, Lucas driving, at home, Nicks’ pursuit, the chase in the woods, the axe, the fight with Lucas? And the shooting?

11. The reconciliation, a happy future – but the whole legal issues of her disappearance and debts not resolved?

MERCY

US, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
James Wolk, Tom Lipinski, Caitlin Fitz Gerald, Mike Donovan, Dan Ziskie, Michael Godere, Dion Graham.
Directed by Chris Sparling.

Mercy is a dramatic melodrama.

The initial focus is on a woman upstairs in her house, ill and in pain, dying. A doctor arrives with a bag with medication but her husband is unwilling to give it. It is experimental. Will she die or get better?
The complication is her will, her having two children from her first husband who was brutal and died mysteriously, having two children from her present husband. The sons are interested in their mother’s death and their inheritance which is considerable. The present husband wants to inherit and make decisions about the inheritance. This leads to scenes of conflict between the various contenders.

Then the film veers towards home invasion of masked intruders. It emerges that they come from the local church where the mother had been a considerable presence, one of the sons looking at a video of her campaigning. They set fire outside the house creating huge letters with the word Mercy.

Where the film becomes complicated and audiences have to pay attention is that the episodes are repeated, from two different points of view, of the different brothers. The main focus is on the older brothers (who look actually younger), one coming out of prison and concerned about his mother, the other bringing his girlfriend and concerned about inheritance.

In many ways, this is an experimental horror film with complex underlying themes, requiring close attention from the audience to combine the two perspectives on the events.

1. A complex melodrama, family and inheritance, home invasion, consequences of religious cults, different perspectives on the events?

2. The home setting, the grounds, the buildings, the home interiors? The church? The countryside? The musical score?

3. The situation, Grace and her dying, her pain? Cared for by her husband, George? The memories of her first husband, brutal? His death? The place in the church, the video, the appeal for the church, the collapse, the violence? Her being confined to her bed? The doctor, the visit, the experimental drugs, the possibility of ending her pain, or recovery? George and his unwillingness to use the drugs, taking the bag and its staying in the room?

4. The inheritance, George and his expectations? The four sons? The two from the previous father (although looking younger than the other two)? George’s sons?

5. The machinations about Grace and her illness, her death, the personalities of the sons, conflict with their father, wanting their inheritance?

6. Travis, his coming from jail, violent reactions? Brad, coming with his girlfriend? Their intentions about their mother, the inheritance? Travis and bike?

7. The shift of the focus to the masked intruders, the doctor sitting in the church, the connection with the congregation? The increasing number of masked invaders?

8. Audience alert to be watching the two versions of the events? Deaths, survivors? The intruders, some reluctant to kill, mask coming off, the increasing pressures from the group? Their identities, from the Church? The word Mercy in flames outside the house? The meaning of Mercy – for Grace?

9. The younger brothers, their story, the attacks, violence?

10. Travis and Brad, Brad in the room, his girlfriend, waking, the suspicions in the house? The girlfriend, the glass, her injuries, being pursued in the woods? Brad, his watching the video, understanding the mission of his mother?

11. The two perspectives on what happened to all the brothers and the girlfriend?

12. The intruders, the attack on George, his defence, falling down the stairs, his death?

13. The medicine given to Grace, her being carried out, recovery?

14. The repercussions on the characters, dead in survivors, the inheritance?

TWO GRAVES

UK, 2019, 80 minutes, Colour.
David Hayman, Josh Herdman, Katie Jarvis, Kedar Williams- Stirling, Cathy Tyson, Danielle Harold, Dave Johns, Neal Ward, Shantelle Rochester, Jonathan Rhodes.
Directed by Gary Young.

Two Graves takes place in an ugly area of a British city. The film focuses on the streets, a warehouse, a pub…

At the centre of the film is a doctor, Margaret, a rare performance by British actress, Cathy Tyson (who made such an impact in Mona Lisa, who also appeared in Priest). Her son, a recovering addict, has been killed. She is informed by another addict, Zoe, reformed, that the son of a local gangster tycoon has been responsible. They carry out a plan to abduct the son, injecting him to get the truth from him. It does not work out that way at all.

There are complications in so far as it is revealed that the son was the gay partner of Margaret’s son, did not kill her son, but, rather, it was his homophobic and disgusted father.

Zoe has a plan to extort money from the gangster by abducting his son and uses Margaret and her grief. There is a further complication with Zoe’s boyfriend who wants to be in on the money, treats her brutally, injects her with heroin again after her being drug-free for some years, having followed a 12 steps program.

The film also focuses on two security guards at the warehouse, especially an older man, genial, George, played by Dave Johns – who was notable in the title role of Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake.

David Hayman is the gangster. Katie Jarvis is Zoe.

This is an immersion in an ugly world – and, more than two graves will be needed.

1. The title? British grim drama? The drug world, dealers, users and addicts? 12-step meetings? The world of prostitutes and customers?

2. The city, the streets, pubs, warehouses? The ugly aspects of the city? Musical score?

3. The opening, the introduction to the characters, the 12 steps, addiction? The text of the steps being repeated throughout the film? Especially at the end and Zoe’s death?

4. The focus on the drugs, Margaret, her son and his addiction, treatment, his death? The son of the gangster lord being with him? Zoe testifying against him, urging on Margaret? The plan, to get the truth, abducting him, holding him in the warehouse, demanding the truth, the injection, the cutting off of his finger? Zoe forcing Margaret? Her being urged on by Teddy, eventually tying up both the son and Margaret? The truth, the gay relationship, the intervention of the father, the murder? Margaret and the son getting free?

5. Zoe, her addiction, her past life? Unscrupulous? Setting up Margaret? Setting up the son? The full story? Phoning for the ransom? Teddy wanting into it, his treatment of her?

6. Tom, gangster tycoon, in the pub, his racist outburst and violence? The phone call, Zoe’s demands, contacting his wife, going to the suppliers for the money, the fact that they were the police, the deal and interest? His wife collecting the money, going in the car, making the contact with Zoe? Showing the money? her being urged to go round the corner to wait? Her husband following, with his gun? The shooting in danger? Getting back his son, his disgust at his son, gay issues? His son’s death? Teddy and his being shot? Zoe and her being shot, the money with the blood blowing in the wind?

7. Margaret, her story, serving in the military, her pregnancy, her son, his addictions, the gay relationship? Her wanting the truth, the treatment of the gangster’s son, the interrogation, his finger? Roles reversed? Her disillusionment about what had happened?

8. The security guard, George, genial, Barry, lazy, seeing the prostitute, bringing her in, the encounter, the payment? His being out of contact? George, hearing the shots, on surveillance, the confrontation, his being killed?

9. Tom, his role, confronting his son, his death?

10. Barry and Leanne, looking for George, finding the bodies in the street, gathering up the money, warning it?

11. The irony of the police arriving, their being moneylenders, taking in Barry and Leanne?

12. Two graves – and many more?

DISMISSED

US, 2018, 87 minutes, Colour.
Kent Osborne, Dylan Sprouse, Rae Gray, Alycia Delmore, Mitchell Edwards, Chris Bauer, Leslie Thurston, Matthew J. Evans.
Directed by Benjamin Arffman.

Dismissed is well worth looking at. It is a familiar story, though a regrettable one, but this one is well acted and well written.

Kent Osborne, a veteran of providing voices for many animated characters, is Mr Butler, an ordinary teacher at a high school, English literature, loving his work but not getting through to the students. He has some ambitions for tenure but has writer’s block as regards writing his application. He is seen teaching Othello as well as Crime and Punishment. He is married and has a regular home life.

Into his class comes Lucas, played with intensity and smouldering malice by Dylan Sprouse. Lucas seems to be the perfect gentleman, very well educated, deferential, showing something of his talent for his paper on Othello, critical of a Othello himself and siding with Iago. There are also discussions about the central character of Crime and Punishment, a loner and his moral status.

The teacher is also head of the chess club and Lucas defeats the leader, expecting to be the number one for the school team but he is not promoted. The teacher also gives him a lesser mark for his assignment.

Lucas resents being thwarted at any cost. It emerges that he has undermined the reputation of a teacher at a former school and had him dismissed. Mr Butler contacts the teacher and learns about Lucas and his malice. Lucas also injures his chess rival during an experiment in chemistry in the laboratory. Lucas also begins to undermine Mr Butler’s reputation, a failing marriage, encouraging one of the students to believe that Mr Butler is in love with her. When she is rebuffed, Lucas gives her advice but also kills her. However, he has always been interested in recording and photography and, in the search in his room, incriminating evidence is found.

The film is interesting in its portrayal of the power of a ruthless student and the seeming helplessness of an ordinary teacher – but who, here, uses some ingenuity and is able to defend himself.

1. The title? The school? Teacher and pupil? Pupil undermining teacher? Dismissal?

2. The American city, homes, the focus on school, classrooms, corridors, laboratories, principal’s office? The school campus? The tower? Diners and meetings? The musical score?

3. The English literature course, the focus on Othello, the character of the Iago and his sinister machinations? The references to Crime and Punishment and the morality of Raskolnikov? Audiences responding to the basic plot and characters while not knowing anything about the literary references?

4. Mr Butler, and ordinary teacher, dedicated, enthusiastic, the notes on the whiteboard, the lack of enthusiasm of the students? The discussions about Othello, Iago? The assignments? Discussions about Crime and punishment? Mr Butler and his degree at University, his plan for a promotion, writer’s block in writing the letter of application? His relationship with his wife? An ordinary teacher who loved his work and had ambitions?

5. The arrival of Lucas? Age, manner? Perfectly polite? Answering questions? His lengthy paper? The discussions about Shakespeare, Lucas’s dislike of Othello, identifying with Iago? Mr Butler and his enthusiasm for Lucas, reading the paper, the limited mark? Lucas and his being offended? Malicious?

6. The chess club, Mr Butler in charge, Lucas ingratiating himself, playing with the leading student, suddenly beating him, not being made the leader of the team? The laboratory, the experiment, the warnings, Lucas and the chemical and the boy being injured?

7. Lucas and his wanting revenge on Mr Butler, his dismissal? Using Becca, her enthusiasm, attraction to Lucas, his telling her that Mr Butler was in love with her, encouraging her, her going to the classroom, the videotape, Mr Butler urging her away, her bewilderment, talking with Lucas, his filming her at the top of the building, his killing her?

8. The principal, her enthusiasm for Lucas, not giving enough attention to Mr Butler, Becca’s death, the detective, Mr Butler under suspicion, his being dismissed? Not confiding in his wife?

9. Mr Butler writing his application, posting it, his being called in, his application being rejected, read out, his harsh comments and boasting about himself – all written by Lucas? Mr Butler unable to defend himself?

10. The story of Lucas’s father, changing towns, his work, Mr Butler’s visit, the rejection, his being called by another name? Mr Butler’s research, contacting the teacher, their meeting, the teacher and his drinking, the grade for Lucas, Lucas’s machinations to get rid of him?

11. Mr Butler going to the house, Lucas’s father and his regrets, the searching of the room, the finding of the video?

12. Lucas, going to the classroom, the confrontation with Mr Butler, Mr Butler’s anger, trying to choke Lucas, his being pulled off by the detective? Lucas and his arrest? The evidence of the videotapes?

13. Lucas arrested? Mr Butler and reconciliation with his wife who had doubted him?

14. A film about the real difficulties for teachers and plots against them by students?

THE LAND OF STEADY HABITS

US, 2019, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ben Mendelsohn, Thomas Mann, Edie Falco, Elizabeth Marvell, Charlie Tahan, Michael Gaston, Bill Camp, Josh Pais, Connie Britton.
Directed by Nicole Holfcener.

This is a rather grim contemporary drama, rather the opposite of what the film’s title would suggest.

The adaptation of the novel and the screenplay were written by Nicole Holofcener who made some notable small budget films, Walking and Talking, Lovely and Amazing, of human nature. As this is. It is also a portrait of dysfunctional human nature.

Ben Mendelsohn, once again, has a significant role in an American film. He is Anders, divorced from his wife, though still owning the family home, aimless in his middle age. Edie Falco plays his estranged wife and Bill Camp, her partner. They have local friends, played by Elizabeth Marvell and Michael Gaston, with a special focus on their son, Charlie, played by Charlie Tahan. This young man is a close friend of Anders’ son, Preston (Thomas Mann) who also is somewhat aimless, taking drugs, evicted from home, living in his car. However, he still has a bond with his father.

Anders has some one night stands but meets a woman in a bar, Connie Britton, and begins a relationship with her. He is friendly with Charlie, being asked to mind his turtle – doing some drugs with Charlie but Charlie later being found dead. Anders wanders into a party at his former home, learns some secrets from the past. The question is, whether he will continue on his aimless way or there is some possible redemption and his taking stock of his life.

1. The title? As applied to into the central characters? The comment on American life, 21st-century?

2. The city, homes, condominiums, hotels? Socials and parties, dinners? Shops? The surrounding woods? The musical score?

3. The focus on Anders, Ben Mendelssohn’s performance? Age, career, getting out, the divorce, his feelings towards his wife? Shopping and searching for the rental for his apartment? A lonely and isolated man? Not seeing the truth, not understanding his wife and her two years? Friends, husbands and wives? His son, expectations for him, drug rehabilitation, his local jobs, going to college? His love for his father and mother? Living out of his car? The friendship with Charlie, his parents, the party and the drugs, the dead turtle? With Anders? His death, running away? And his finding Charlie’s body?

4. The reactions, telling the truth? Anders and his future, bewildered?

5. His son, his life, age, rehabilitation and its effect, bond with his parents, living with his mother, visits to his father, living in the car? His jobs and deliveries? The encounter with Charlie’s mother?

6. Ander’s wife, her life, Angus, the divorce, not wanting anything to do with Anders? Her reaction to his visits? Her partner and his presence, more passive?

7. Charlie, as a character, his age, experience, friends on drugs, giving Anders the drugs, laughing? Running away from his parents? Their expectations and disappointment? Anders and his final time with Charlie, looking after the turtle?

8. Charlie, his age, friends, the drugs – and his not wanting rehabilitation? The final visits with Anders, the tent, the drugs, the player and his death? Being found, his parents’ reactions?? Anders going away not being the?

9. The nature of the cities, the irony in the title? Relationships, sexuality, the generations? Human nature?

ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES

US, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, Xiaoming Huang, Jesse Metcalf, 50 Cent, Wes Chatham, Chen Tang, Titus Welliver, Jaime King, Lydia Hull.
Directed by Stephen C.Miller.

Sylvester Stallone was successful in the original action thriller, Escape Plan. He resumed his character here in the sequel, freed from the prison using his techniques for studying methods for escapes, now runs a business and a staff which is quite extensive. He operates from Atlanta Georgia.

This is a film which went straight to video. It has the look and cinematic style of straight to video films of such stars as Jean- Claude Van Damme or Stephen Seagal. The action is for devotees of hard and tough thriller films. The plot pausing at various times for battles and confrontations.

The film opens in Chechnya with an escape plan gone wrong and one of the participants, played by Wes Chatham, is expelled from the company. Later, action moved to Shanghai and Bangkok and Asian members of the company are abducted, confined to a high technology impenetrable prison called Hades, presided over by total Titus Welliver.

Some of Stallone staff also find themselves in the prison, especially the Asian characters who are working on logarithms and methods for escape. Needless to say, the expelled member of Stallone’s team is the villain behind the imprisonment and the promotion of the new company.

Stallone contacts in all friend, Dave Bautista, who also investigates how to break into the prison. Stallone allows himself to be arrested but has a recording device in his tooth, rallies his collaborators, faces off with the villain, the company escape – into a third film, Escape Plan: The Extraction.

While the characterisations and action are somewhat low-budget, nevertheless the film has a very strong glossy look in terms of the technical side, computerisation, and special effects to indicate the repressive nature of Hades.

HOTEL SORRENTO

Australia, 1995, 112 minutes, Colour.
Caroline Goodall, Caroline Gilmer, Tara Morice, Joan Plowright, Ray Barrett, Nicholas Bell, Ben Thomas, John Hargreaves.
Directed by Richard Franklin.

Playwright Hannie Rayson wrote Hotel Sorrento. It has been adapted for the screen by director, Richard Franklin, who was part of the Australian Renaissance of the 1970s, initially focusing on horror films, including Patrick and Road Games. He was a devotee of Alfred Hitchcock and moved to the United States and made a sequel to Psych, as well is The Link and FX/2. He directed a number of television series. After returning to Australia he also directed Brilliant Lies.

While Ray Barrett won a Best Supporting Actor award from the Australian Film Institute, this is very much an ensemble drama for four women, three sisters who grew up in the Bayside town of Sorrento in Victoria. Caroline Gilmer is the stalwart of the family who stayed at home. Tara Morice went to the United States and worked for fashion. Caroline Goodall spent ten years in England and has written a novel which seems to be a memoir of the sisters growing up. She is accompanied back home by her partner, Nicholas Bell. Also in the cast is John Hargreaves as a rather cynical local and Ben Thomas as Caroline Gilmer’s son. There is a mystery about his father. Rounding out the cast is Joan Plowright as a visitor from England.

The film dramatises the complexity of the relationships between the sisters, some secrets are uncovered, especially about the relationship of the son to his father.

The film is one of dialogue, well-articulated and well-dramatised, in the Australian idiom.

1. Acclaim, nominations for awards? The transition from theatre to screen? The use of strong dialogue, establishing characters and interactions? The use of locations?

2. The title, the title of the family home, the town of Sorrento itself, the film filmed there, the views, the town of the buildings, homes, streets, the shopping centre, the pier, the beach, the cliffs? The realism? The musical score?

3. Themes of Australian culture, issues of culture, changes during the 20th century, the broadening of perspectives? Opening up Australia, multicultural? Politics, culture, the arts? Issues of the street in character and identity?

4. The setting, Marge reading the book, identifying the locations in Sorrento? The discussions with Dick? Marking the book, the response to Sorrento? Her views of the book, characters, situations? The British past and later explanation about marriage and children, from Australia, teaching at Footscray, Dick as a student? Friendship with him, arguments, sharing ideas? Dick as a character, as a writer, editing the paper? His views on Australia?

5. Meg, writing the book Melancholy, a fiction based on reality, her life as an expatriate, memories of home, attitudes towards Australia, the ten years in the UK, her relationship with her partner, discussions with him, disdain for Australia, nominated for the Booker Prize, the critiques against the book, accusations of plagiarism?

6. The Sorrento setting, the home, the focus on Hillary and her life, her character? Her relationship with her father, her dead mother, with her sisters? The behaviour of her husband – and the revelation of the true nature of his affair, his death in the car accident? Her love for Troy, bringing up her son? The father in the house, his chauvinism and old Australian attitudes, not fishing, and dominance? Hillary and the domestic life, her goodness, preserving the home?

7. The portrait of Pippa, growing up with her sisters, her father and mother, going to the US, the issue of the franchise, her coming home, business interests? Her relationship with Hillary, the father? With Troy? And the later revelation about the affair with Troy’s father? The reading the book, the discussions with Hillary, the discussions about Meg, Meg returning home?

8. The father and his history in the family? Dominating them, his relationship with his wife? Brusque manner, with each of his daughters, with his grandson? Love of fishing, his sudden death? Troy and his blaming himself? Troy reading the novel to his grandfather?

9. Meg and her partner, the decision to return to Australia, the effect on her, with her sisters again, with Troy? The meeting with Marge and Dick, the pros and cons of positions about identity and Australian culture, the talk at the dinner? Later meetings?

10. Marge, her past experience, British and being in Australia, her perspective on men, the sisters, the story?

11. Hillary, the challenge, the father’s death, reading the book, the truth about her husband, the encounter with Dick and Marge, on the wall, inviting them to dinner, the presence? Dick and the attraction? A new life possible for Hillary?

12. Meg, the discussion with Troy, telling the truth, especially about her attraction to Gary, it is there? His death in the car crash?

13. Talk, reconciliation, for each of the central characters?

14. An Australian story, 20th century Australian themes?

THE REPORTS ON SARAH AND SALEEM

Palestine, 2018, 132 minutes, Colour.
Adeeb Safadi, Sivane Kerchner, Maisa Abd Elhadi, Ishar Golan.
Directed by Muayad Alayan.

In a way, the title tells or, at least, indicates all. That is a useful device to rouse audience curiosity – what is the connection between the Hebrew name, Sarah, and the Palestinian name, Saleem? And, what is the meaning of reports, sinister-sounding in the context of Jerusalem? Which means then that the audience watches this film with expectations and questions.

And, this is a Palestinian film, the action taking place in Jerusalem – and, many sun-filled vistas of the city, its streets, its buildings and hills, the surrounding countryside, as well as a visit to Bethlehem, which enables the audience to strongly the atmosphere of the city.

In a way, the title makes the audience complicit in what is to follow. And this is reinforced by the opening collage of sequences, introducing each of the central characters briefly but in significant action which does explain initially who they are and what are their connections. And, as the film progresses, the audience is even more complicit because it knows far more about each of the characters than they know about each other. This is an interesting dynamic. We see what happens and know why it happens even though the character themselves are often bewildered.

After the collage, the audience sees Saleem arrested in his house and taken to be interrogated. We have seen his pregnant wife looking at cot in a shop window and she is shocked at his arrest. We also see Saleem involved in an affair, an affair with a Jewish woman who runs a café/shop – and we have seen her husband, a military official, in action. So, what are the grounds for Saleem’s arrest?

This takes us into a range of flashbacks, the nature of the adultery, Saleem delivering bread to the cafe, his passion for Sarah, and yet his love for his pregnant wife. We see Sarah at home, playing with her little daughter, but we sense the tension with her husband and his aiming for promotion which means that she might have to close the cafe and go with him into the desert. We see Saleem being encouraged to do business with Palestinians outside the wall.

The highly dramatic moment of the film involves Saleem persuading Sarah to accompany him on a visit to Bethlehem, her hesitation, his persuasion, a drink in a nightclub, an altercation with a local – with dire results.

And then back to Saleem being arrested and the complication of the reactions of each of the central characters, their lawyers, the military authorities, interrogations, time in prison, trials. And, while we are complicit in our knowledge, we are more than complicit in our emotional responses to each of the characters, how sympathetic to Saleem and Sarah, how concerned about the pregnant wife, more revelations about the role of the military.

Which means then that this is a combination of what is a familiar story of adultery and betrayals, and unforeseen consequences in the antagonistic society, Jewish and Palestinian, in contemporary Jerusalem.

The film has screened in quite a number of international festivals and received many awards.

1. The title? Expectations? The focus on reports and all that that implies? Surveillance? Sarah, the Israeli woman? Saleem, the Palestinian man?

2. The Israeli settings, the city of Jerusalem, the sunlit vistas, streets, homes, interiors? Military officers? Bethlehem, the nightclub? Prison, interrogations? The musical score?

3. The opening collage, the brief introduction to each character, situating them, the two in their relationship, Saleem’s wife and her pregnancy, David and his military action?

4. The scene with the arrest of Saleem, at home, the glasses for the tea, the sudden intrusion? Officials, interrogations?

5. The filling in the background? The bakery and Saleem’s deliveries, the group with their trucks? His need for money, jobs, deliveries, the deal for contact with Palestinians outside the wall? His relationship with Sarah? Deliveries to her cafe? Surreptitious? In his van? The contrast with Sarah, affluence, the cafe, love for her daughter and the games with her, tensions with her husband? David and his ambitions, the secrecy about his service, Sarah not wanting to move? Bisan, pregnant, the buying of the cot? Her studies?

6. Saleem and his suggesting Sarah go with him to Bethlehem? Reluctance? Her daring? The delivery? Going to the nightclub, the drink, the dancing? At the bar, Sarah being accosted, Saleem’s violent reaction? The consequences?

7. Saleem’s arrest, the interrogation? The information from the man in Bethlehem? Indications that Saleem was a spy? He was trying to recruit Sarah? The complainant assuming that Sarah was an Israeli prostitute?

8. Bisan’s brother, his deals, getting the Palestinian leader, the discussions, Saleem signing papers? The later attack, the death of the Palestinian leader?

9. The pressure on Saleem, his denials about espionage, the documents, implications for confessions? Whether to name Sarah or not? The personalities of the interrogators, ruthless? Involving David, his visit to Saleem?

10. Sarah, concealing the truth, the lawyer visiting her, her being under surveillance? Her work at the cafe, Ronit and her help? The interactions with Bisann? David, coming to know the truth, the tension between the couple, his wanting custody of their daughter?

11. The role of the lawyer, trying to help Saleem, interviews with Bisan, interviews with Sarah?

12. The proceedings, the possible sentence, Saleem in jail? Visits?

13. Bisan, her being upset, following Sarah, the discussions between them? The visits to her husband, wanting a divorce? The legal situation? Her giving birth?

14. The bonding between the two women, waiting at the court, the baby? Saleem, going to the court, his passing each of them?

15. David, the denunciation by the military officials, the presumption that he had given information to his wife, playing the recording? Sarah warning Saleem? His future career?

16. The story of marital infidelity, a not infrequent story, but the setting in Jerusalem, uprisings, espionage, and the combining of the two? The unexpected consequences of the infidelity?

THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT

Canada, 2018, 111 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skarsgaard, Salma Hayek, Michael Mando, Johan Heldenberch, Auisha Issa, Sarah Goldberg, Frank Schorpion.
Directed by Kim Nguyen.

At an ambitious moment in this film, two cousins, working on communication of data by fibre to get information to finance deals in increasingly brief time, discuss miliseconds and the flapping of a hummingbird’s wings.

The project in the title concerns the laying of fibre, from Kansas direct to New York, to get information to Wall Street, as rapidly as possible. The idea is from a young entrepreneur who works in IT and finance, Vincent (Jesse Eisenberg once again in one of his nervous and edgy roles). He persuades his rather nerdy cousin, Anton (Alexander Skarsgaard almost unrecognisable, bald, stooped, heavier in weight, bespectacled) who works with his computers and algorithms – non-stop.

The initial difficulty is to persuade a finance company to support the project. This is done (although supplementary grants have to be made during the working on the project). There is surveillance of the territory of the direct line to New York, involving burrowing through different terrains, discussions with householders so that they can go under the house, the issue of rivers and lakes, the enormous barriers of mountain rock, the rights to parkland and wilderness, even and encounter with the Amish who are quite unwilling to give permission. There is also the energy that has to be put into planning, engineering, the hiring of experts, the importing of specialist machinery. Rather exhausting in its way.

One of the great barriers to this project is the cousin’s former boss, (a dominating an aggressive performance by Salma Hayek) who also has the financial resources, the determination, the ingenuity to thwart the project.

But, the film is also a portrait of the two men. Vincent is intense, determined, ruthless in his own way, certainly dominating Anton. Anton, on the other hand, enthusiastic about the project, dreaming that it will enable him to find a home for himself and his family, works night and day at his computer, trying to achieve what seems the impossible for the fibre speed.

The film certainly shows the risk dangers in such projects – as well as the unexpected, Vincent having to cope with more than he ever realised, making him more determined. By the end, he is ragingly racing towards one of the towers that Eva has set up in rivalry, almost out of his mind trying to destroy it.

The theme is certainly topical, the picture of our contemporary world, relying on technology and its continued demands and developments, the repercussions on the world of finance and of ambitions and greed. But it is also a reminder that there is such a thing as luck, as bad luck, that can thwart even the most well-prepared projects.

1. The title? The flapping of the hummingbird’s wings and the brief time? The IT application? The ambition of the project of laying the fibre?

2. Contemporary issues, research, development, IT projects, business enterprise, financial issues, contemporary technology and experimentation, personal ambition? Engineering, finance, the credibility of the enterprise, the politics involved, the exercise of power?

3. The themes of risk, luck, circumstances, unanticipated developments?

4. The project, from cancers to New York? The line, straight-line, underground, short depth underground, the challenges of the two rain, homes, properties, water, mountains?

5. The aim of the project – and the lessening of time by Millie second?

6. Vincent, his age, character, his career, in technology, hopes and ambitions? Talking finance? The company, the bosses, listening, wanting reassurances? Vincent and his confidence?

7. Anton, cousin, persuaded to leave his employment, the clash with the boss, opportunities, his being hustled by Vincent, his love of research,, his appearance, nerdy, walking out on the consequences, his wife and family, his privacy, his dream house on the hill, the tests, results, his continuously working at his desk? With Vincent, Vincent’s pressures? The legal issues, the pursuing of Anton, literally his being chased by the authorities, his arrest, his interrogations, in prison, deals?

8. Eva, the boss, her assistant, powerful woman, exercising pressure on Anton? Her dislike of Vincent? Uncovering the plan, building towers, trying to waylay the process?

9. Vincent, intense, fast talking, hustling, with the financiers, returning to them to ask for more money, their suspicions? His going to the doctor, his illness, the diagnosis, the limited time to live? His going into action, pushing, the negotiations with engineers, discussions with Mark, the experts coming in, the hiring of the machinery? Dealing with ordinary people and their houses, companies, properties and rights under the mountains, the clashes with the Amish family? The Amish not interested in the project, and their spirituality behind this?

10. The presentation of the Amish, issues of machines, God’s providence, Vincent and Anton later visiting, the helping with the stacking of the crops? Vincent’s apology?

11. Eva, her visits, the confrontations with Vincent, the towers, the confrontation, issues of law?

12. Vincent and his engineer, Mark, loyalty, and his character, the deals, the prospects, the planning, the difficulties but following through? Especially in the forest? Vincent collapsing as he ran towards the tower to destroy the tower?

13. Vincent with the financiers, their threats, disowning him as a fraud?

14. The range of supervisors, the machines and importation, their expertise, expenses?

15. Vincent, his drive, his illness, his death?

16. Success and failure?