BEAUTIFUL BOY

US, 2018, 114 minutes, Colour.
Steve Carrel, Timothee Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan, Christian Convery, Oakley Bull.
Directed by Felix van Groeningen.

Watching this film is a demanding, indeed a sobering, experience. The title sounds gentle – and the familiar song is played throughout the film. However, it is a film about addictions, relapses and recovery, the relationship between a father and a son.

The film opens tellingly with a focus on David Shef, an impressive performance by Steve Carrel, proving that not only can he do comedy expertly, but he is a very serious actor as well. David Shef is talking about his bewilderment, his not understanding the son whom he thought he knew and loved so well, an 18-year-old who has become involved in drugs which have taken over his life. Audiences will immediately identify with him as a father driven to search for his son and will be remembering any friends or family in similar situations.

In fact, the film is based on books by David Shef himself as well as his son Nic. For those who do not know this, the final critical climax for Nic is all the more dramatic because the audience is uncertain as to what will happen.

The film goes back one year but, throughout the screenplay, many flashbacks are inserted, not necessarily signalled but the film leaving it to the audience to realise the shifts in time and memory for both father and son.

There are many photos of father and son, especially when he was a charming boy in his early teens. And, there are many glimpses and memories of this time throughout the film. However, during the main action, Nic is 18. He is played most convincingly by Timothee Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name, Lady Bird). The film lets the audience know that David has been long divorced from his wife, Vicki (Amy Ryan) but that he has custody of his son. There are tense moments and phone calls between mother and father as exasperation increases and there are growing awarenesses of responsibilities.

David has married again, and receives strong support from Karen (Maura Tierney) and they have children of their own who see Nic as their brother, devoted to him.

David seeks advice, researches addiction, especially crystal meth, appreciates the mood changes and their suddenness, is helped by an expert with diagrams of the brain and the effect of drugs, even prepared to experiment to appreciate what his son experiences. There is a scene where the father and son share pot, the father remembering his experimentation but not wanting his son to experiment at all.

And, as might be expected, there are many harrowing sequences, Nic at home and rebelling against his father’s control, leaving home, his father rescuing him in the rain at a dingy drug rendezvous, his going into rehab, relapsing. There are some moments of peace when Nic seems to have overcome the habit, works in the rehab, graduates from college. But, whatever the black hole that he declares is at the core of himself, his life is also one of relapse. He takes up with the girl who overdoses.

The film raises the question as to whether anyone is able to help an addict, whether it has to be the choice of the addict rather than a curer. And, by the end, David is desperate, a powerful scene where Karen pursues Nic in her car and stops angry but helpless. Nic goes into the depths.

The film is very powerful as drama. The performances are well worth seeing. Statistics are given at the end concerning the prevalence of drug suicides, the need for rehabilitation but it seeming difficult if not impossible. However, as noted, this film is based on actual stories and recovery.

1. The title? The song? The pictures of a young boy, the hopes? The story of father and son?

2. A California story, the home in the countryside and woods, the San Francisco settings, the contrast with Los Angeles? Rehabilitation centres, the drug scenes in the cities, hospitals, beach and surf? The California atmosphere?

3. The score, the variety of tones and accompaniments, moods? The songs from the past, Beautiful Boy, Sunrise- Sunset?

4. The film based on actual characters and their books? Audiences knowing this or not and the unfolding of the drama, especially Nic and his suicidal behaviour?

5. The introduction, David talking to camera, earnest and sincere, the mystery of his relationship with Nic and his change, trying to understand his son, find his son?

6. The return to the year earlier? The further flashbacks? The intercutting of momentary flashbacks and contrast throughout the film and the effect on our understanding David, his feelings and memories, Nic and his memories? The background of David and Vicky divorcing, David having custody, the visits to his mother, the hopes for the boy? David and his love for Karen, the wedding ceremony, Nic present? Their children, Daisy and her birth, Nic holding her, the bonds? Jasper and his interactions with Nic as a brother? Karen as the mother figure? Supporting Nic, hurt by his behaviour?

7. The changes in Nic, David and his concern, wanting to control and cure Nic, the range of drugs and drug taking, Nic and his lies? The scene with sharing pot in the car with his father, his father talking about past experimentation, but wanting Nic to be experimenting? Nic and his declaration that there was a black hole in him? The feeling of getting high and never feeling better? His writing, sketching, the pessimistic diary and its illustrations and comments, especially about drugs? No ambitions to go to college?

8. Steve Carrel is David, a complex character, a nice man, a good man, the effect of the divorce, the phone calls to Vicky, his anger with her, wanting her to be responsible, his own responsibilities? The growing not understanding of his son? The arguments? Blaming yet loving? Wanting to fix Nic, wanting to cure him? His going to the expert, explaining the situation, getting more information, the diagrams about drugs in the brain, his own experimenting with drugs to comprehend Nic?

9. Nic, the argument with his father, going to rehabilitation, the experience, his leaving? Motivations? The role of the rehab staff, the regimes and responsibilities on not? The theme of relapse including recovery?

10. Nic becoming clean, going to college, his studies, friends, success, at home?

11. His falls, his father on the phone calls, going out in the car, finding him, bringing him come, Nic said, despair?

12. The long period without drugs, his speech, his job at the rehab centre, his sponsor, Spencer? Vicky and her participation in his rehabilitation?

13. At home, things improving, going to the surf with his father, going to the beach with the family, the rough surf and Karen forbidding Jasper to go in? His suddenly leaving, his motivations, the encounter with the girl, the consequences, sharing the drugs, the sexual relationship? The coming to the house, breaking the door and getting in? Karen and her reaction, pursuing him in the car? Her stopping, desperate?

14. The girl, the overdose, Nic contacting the hospital, the ambulance, left by himself? His phoning his father? His father admitting that he could not do anything to help? His father’s grief?

15. The reality of responsibility, parents and others not being able to cure, the role of the experts, opportunities for experts and yet the addicts walking out? Nic, the desperation, going to the toilet, the overdose, his wounded arm?

16. His surviving, with his family, with his father, walking with his father, sitting with him – hope?

17. The final information about addiction, overdose suicides, possibilities for help? The story about Nic and his rehabilitation, writing the books?

McKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART

UK, 2017, 92 minutes, Colour and black and white.
Directed by Joe Stephenson.

Ian Mc Kellen had a life before Gandalf. He had a life before Magneto and the X-Men?. In fact, he was praised in the late 1960s as being a great British Shakespearean actor.

This documentary is most interesting and entertaining. It is basically in Mc Kellen sitting in a chair, genially talking with his director, Joe Stephenson, taking him and the audience back to his childhood in Wigan, growing up, discovering his delight in theatre, auditioning for Cambridge with a Henry V speech, his studies and early performances. What makes it more interesting is that these episodes are re-enacted, dramatised, in black-and-white, incorporating documentary footage of the times, the 1940s and the 1950s. McKellen? was born in 1939.

His delight was in theatre. He performed with the stars at the old Vic under Laurence Olivier. He moved to smaller companies, was acclaimed for his performances in Henry II and Marlowe’s Edward II, getting praising reviews and consolidating his choice for life. Mc Kellen also liked going on tour, the response of the audiences around the British countryside.

One of the points that Ian Mc Kellen makes is that he is always playing the part – even in interviews, deciding which aspect of his persona he wants to communicate, to reveal or conceal, adapting to the interviewer and the situation. Yet, there is always his underlying self making itself known.

His career might have continued in the theatre had he not decided in the early 1990s to film his version of Richard III, set during the Third Reich. The film was successful, received good reviews and led Mc Kellen to making films, the example in this documentary is his portrayal of James Whale in Gods and Monsters.

Then came the franchises, his serious discussion about graphic novels and their adaptation, the serious themes in X-Men?. He obviously delighted in playing Gandalf and there are scenes where he luxuriated in the beauty of the New Zealand countryside.

But, many of Mc Kellen’s fans will be wondering how he handles the issue of his sexual orientation in this documentary. He is quite frank. He lived a privately gay life until he was in his late 40s. At this time, the late 1980s, there was a move against homosexuality, this film quoting a clip of denunciation from Margaret Thatcher, the introduction of section 28 and its discrimination, the demonstrations against it. Mc Kellen outed himself in a television interview, discovering that his family and friends were well aware of this and it did not matter. He threw himself into campaigns, interviews, television debates. He remarks that it was if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

In more recent times, he visits schools, discussing these issues with the students, discovering that he belongs to a very older generation and that students today are not always burdened with sorting out their orientation. However, one of the things that Mc Kellen is rueful about is that he has no family and therefore feels a responsibility to hand on something worthwhile to the coming generation. He also says that is preoccupied with death – though he has organised his funeral and memorial service, featuring a song from A Chorus Line, One Singular Sensation.

1. The title, Ian Mc Kellen and the interviews, talking, choosing which persona to communicate, his acting on stage, television, films? Playing a variety of parts?

2. Audience interest in Mc Kellen, knowledge of him and his career? His elaboration of his story, Wigan, the town, his parents, the sequences in black-and-white, the boy playing his part, at home, school, not in sport, love of the theatre, putting on plays? The fair, the market, the performances with the sales pitches? His growing up, the actor portraying him as older, the audition for Cambridge, Henry V, his studies, friendships?

3. The black-and-white re-enactments of his past? Bringing the actor and his family to life?

4. The range of clips from his stage performances, from the 60s with Olivier’s company, joining a smaller company, Richard II and Marlowe? His performances with Judi Dench and other well-known actors? His love of touring? The favourable review and his making his decisions? The acclaim for him in the 1960s and 70s?

5. His comments on life in the theatre, the preparation, connecting with the audience, the contribution to improving society?

6. The importance of his contribution to critique of legislation against gay people, his decision to come out at the age of 49, his campaigning, the television clash supervised by David Frost, Margaret Thatcher and her condemnation of homosexuality? His personal relationships and keeping quiet, his declaration about Kurt, his testimony for Sean Mathias? The protests, the campaigns, his being articulate? His saying the weight was lifted from his shoulders?

7. Films, not so interested? The decision to film Richard III, the focus on the production, his role, the favourable reviews? Moving to other films, portraying James Whale in Gods and Monsters? Glimpses of other films? His comment about awards for Mr Holmes – and not getting them?

8. The serious discussion about the franchises? His praising of the X Men, the role of Magneto, the character, his interpretations? Going to New Zealand, the delight in the New Zealand scenery, creating the character of Gandalf? The scenes and special effects and green screen for the making of the Hobbit?

9. The decision to visit schools, the variety of classes, his talking frankly, his realising he was the older generation, the new generation and the different perspectives? The scenes with the children, the teachers – and his imitating goal Gandalf and “thou shalt not pass� !

10. His later performances, with Patrick Stewart in Waiting for Godot? The aftermath of the final performance and his weeping?

11. His comments about having no family, no family ties, the loneliness, yet the compulsion to do something to contribute to society? His family of teachers and preachers?

12. His reflections on death, specifying the nature of his funeral and memorial?

13. Ian Mc Kellen as a person, character, tailoring the interviews to the situation, playing the part – but an authentic person underneath?

NIGHT SCHOOL

US, 2018, 111 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Taran Killam, Keith David, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Ben Schwartz, Anne Winters, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Rob Riggle, Romany Malco, Jakob Batalon, Fat Joe, Al Madrigal.
Directed by Malcolm Lee.

In recent years, Kevin Hart’s star has been in quite an ascendant. He makes several films a year and has his own company Hartbeat. At times Hart can be entertaining. At times Hart can be quite irritating. And, at many times, he can be both.

This is the case with Night School.

Once again, he plays a little (literally) man, Teddy (Theodore), a hustler, cheeky, presumptuous, flexible with the truth, but able to be a plausible salesman along with his good friend Marv (comedian Ben Schwartz). But, in a flashback, we see that he was hopeless at school, dropping out, clashing with the tall white student, Stewart (Saturday Night Live comedian Taran Killam), continually being criticised at home by his demanding father (Keith David). But, that was back at the turn-of-the-century.

But, present day, Teddy is in love with a high-powered executive, Lisa (Megalyn Echikunwoke), is offered the chance of promotion if only he could get his high school qualifications. With his patter, he thinks they can put it over the authorities and get the certificate without any work.

But, this description of the film omits the powerhouse presence of Tiffany Haddish, sparring with Teddy as they stop at red lights, only for him to discover that she is the night school teacher – and, worse, that Stewart is the principal of the school.

In many ways, what happens is predictable enough but also entertaining enough as a group of eccentric characters form part of the class, a Hispanic waiter that Teddy had caused to be fired and who wants to be a singer, an outspoken Muslim character, the put upon housewife and mother, a young girl with a dropout mentality, and unimaginative 50 year old who wants to move up from driving to something executive – and a prisoner in prison who studies via Skype.

When she comes into the film, Tiffany Haddish certainly dominates everything and everyone, including Teddy, challenging him at every moment, diagnosing his disabilities, literally using martial arts to force him to focus, trying to teach and deal with the group, even when they break into the principal’s office and steal the mid-term test questions.

For those who liked Tiffany Haddish in her forceful performance in Girls Night, there may be some disappointment insofar as that film was exceedingly raunchy, many moments of crass. Night School is not particularly raunchy at all (it does have, as the Office of Classification indicates, some sexual references/crude humour), but in terms of coarse language, it is generally absent, giving the audience a bit of a rest.

In fact, ultimately, this is a highly moralising film, the value of night school, older people reassessing their lives, regretting the waste of time in the past, ambitious for better things and better relationships, culminating in graduation, speeches, reconciliation all round, including the principal apologising, but Teddy getting in some public pokes in the eye, pokes in the conscience of his authoritarian father.

Night School will appeal to a more general audience than many of the African-American? comedyies – but, it could well find its place in the curriculum for the motivation and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.

1. The title? The role of the school? Students and teacher? Hopes? The moralising tone about the benefit of night school and thoughts recovering their ambitions?

2. The turn-of-the-century, the family home, Ted, young, his parents, school, bullied by Stewart? His dropping out? The later discovery of dyslexia and other disabilities? Their effect?

3. 2018, his working with Marvin, his skill with smooth talk and sales, smart, his life, the relationship with Lisa, proposing to her, not telling the truth? The scene in the restaurant, not having any money, the pubic hair, the sacking of the waiter? The waiter calling him out?

4. Marv and his advice, to graduate, his thinking he could smooth-talk the teacher and get his degree easily? Discovering Stewart was the school principal? Stewart ousting him? The initial encounter with Carrie at the red light, the arguments, discovering her as the teacher?

5. The members of the group, Bob in prison, doing the course by Skype? The 50-year-old, unimaginative, lacking humour, his relationship with his son, wanting to move from driving to executive? The protester, his antagonism towards robots taking jobs? The mother, her brutal partner, her children, her fears, yet saying she was blessed? The girl, wanting to dropout? The interactions during the class? Ted and his leadership? The escapade and climbing the building, stealing the exam questions?

6. Carrie, strong personality, her classes, supporting disabled children, her diagnosis of Ted? Taking on night school, the clashes with Stewart? Handling the situations, her disappointment with their stealing the questions? The diagnosis, and the encounters with Ted and the martial arts focus on concentration?

7. Ted, going out of the school, getting the job with Christian Chicken, his experience and interviews, the workers, prayer moments, serving the meals, in the chicken suit?

8. Ted giving up, with his parents, his father’s criticisms?

9. His return, the group working together, the exams, the visuals of the figures and symbols floating before Ted’s eyes? Success, the graduation?

10. Stewart, his arranging for Lisa to discover the truth about Ted? Carrie and her pressure on Stewart to apologise to Ted? His explanation of envying Ted when they were at school?

11. Ted’s graduation speech, the criticisms of his father and his father listening? The joy of the rest of the group? The mother and her reconciliation with her husband?

12. The future for all of them? The film is a morale booster for some kind of rehabilitation of life and succeeding?

CUSTODY/ JUSQU'A LA GARDE

France, 2017, 93 minutes, Colour.
Lea Drucker, Dennis Menochet, Thomas Gioria.
Directed by Xavier Legrand.

The original French title is not exactly the same as custody. It translates with an overtone of duelling and fight, “to the hilt�.

The English title, Custody, is to the fore right from the beginning of the film, lawyers representing and divorcing husband-and-wife, mediating the case before a judge who is to have custody of the children. Initially, the husband seems somewhat sympathetic, steady job, saying he has reformed. The wife does look the worse for wear. They have a daughter, Josephine, turning 18, a boy aged about 12. The decision for the case is made when a lawyer reads out a letter from the boy, Julian, stating his dislike for his father, not wanting to be with him, upset with his father’s violent treatment of his mother.

The audience sees something of the background of the family, especially the daughter and her boyfriend, her skipping classes, the preparation for her birthday party. But, Antoine, the father, makes an appearance. There is a very upsetting sequence where Antoine virtually abducts his son, travels in the car, demands that his son look at him, the son refusing and weeping. While Antoine has some momentary relenting, he shows that he does not understand why his wife has left him, why she would stop contact with him, prevent his children seeing him.

There is a rather long scene of the birthday party, exuberant friends and relatives, loud music with a beat, Josephine singing a song. Julian is enjoying the party. However, Antoine turns up outside in the car park, stating that he has a gift for his daughter, badgering his wife, declaring his love for her, jealous on hearing that she is seeing someone else, violent.

In fact, the screenplay is fairly straightforward, offering some key sequences in the interactions, culminating in an alarming, frightening episode where mother and son are in their apartment, Antoine continually rings the bell in the middle of the night, breaks in, with a rifle, bellowing and bashing the doors. Interestingly, the neighbour rings the police and, while a squad is on the way to the apartment block, an officer keeps online with the mother, giving directions, telling them to hide in the bath tub, locking and blockading the door…

In an English play on words the film ends with a different meaning for Custody. Antoine is in custody.

A harrowing French illustration of universal domestic violence, violence against women, wives and mothers.


1. The title, the focus? Custody of children? Parenting? The theme of domestic violence?

2. Domestic violence in the 21st century? The role of men, women, children? The courts and decisions?

3. A French story, Paris settings, the streets, the suburbs, apartments, the courts, party scene? The musical score?

4. The opening, the court and the speeches? The different lawyers and their perspectives? For and against? The judge and the role? Custody, Julian’s letter condemning his father, defending his mother? The decision?

5. Antoine, in himself, his work, security, his declaration of reform? His manner in the hearing? His angers, past violence, the reasons? The clashes with his wife, physical violence? The custody issue? The search for his wife and children? Finding Julian, the sequence in the car, his intimidating his son, his son weeping, the issue of the key, the deception about the apartment? Julian running, returning? Going to the home, confronting Miriam? His promises? Going to his parents, shifting his stuff, the invitation to the meal, he is refusing? Outside the party, his gift for Josephine, talking with Miriam, the jealousy of her having a boyfriend, Cyril’s approach? The violence towards Miriam, Miriam’s sister coming and attacking him? Coming to the apartment in the night, the continued ringing of the bell, the rifle, the shots in the door, bashing the door in, the threats, his arrest and protest?

6. Miriam, the long marriage, experiencing violence, her two children, the court, the decision, cutting the contact with her husband? His finding her, his appeal to her, outside the party, the gift for his daughter, her reaction? The support for her daughter, turning 18, her boyfriend, Josephine singing? Cyril and his intervention, her relationship with him? The experience of the attack in the house, the night, the bell, the gun, the police advising her to take refuge in the bath?

7. Josephine, her age, studies, the boyfriend, relationship with her mother, singing at the party? Cleaning up the hall afterwards?

8. Miriam’s family, the support from her sister, condemnation of Antoine by her parents? Support and threats?

9. The police, the intervention, on the phone, in the apartment? Her future? Antoine in custody?

I, TONYA

US, 2017, 120 minutes, Colour.
Margot Robbie, Sebastien Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Cannavale, Bogdana Novakovitz, Caitlin Carver, Maizie Smith, Mckenna Grace.
Directed by Craig Gillespie.


This is a strongly autobiographical title. And the Tonya is champion ice skater, Tonya Harding – who, in the 1990s, was known as a determined competitor and who was responsible for paying injury to her main rival, Nancy Kerrigan. With this film, this aspect of the reputation will happen all over again.

With the I in the title, Tonya is telling her own story, and she does it straight to camera, sitting in her kitchen in later years, confiding in the audience, reminiscing, becoming angry, and always insisting that anything that happened to her was not her fault. At other times, during the film, she will also turn to camera tell us all about it.

In fact, other characters also talk to camera. The main person in her life was her mother, an embittered woman, taking out her angers on her daughter, living through her daughter and her skating talent but always undermining, often physically violent, badmouthing her daughter. Allison Janney, whom audiences have admired for decades, notably for her performance in the television series, The West Wing, has already won the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress and the same award from the Screen Actors Guild. It is an extraordinarily intense portrait of a monstrous woman, absorbed in herself, seeing everything in connection with herself, but also absorbed, up close or at a distance, with her daughter. It is a performance worth watching.

But also, well worth watching, is the performance of Margot Robbie as Tonya. Two talented little girls portray her when she was small, determined, and outskilling girls at her skating who are older. She tells us that she always loved skating, that she knew nothing else, that this was her life. Margot Robbie has to portray Tonya as a teenager, as a young adult, the crisis in her life and the attack on Nancy Kerrigan coming when she was only 23. Margot Robbie embodies Tonya, as a character, as a redneck, which she claims she is, as a moody young woman, and as a competitive performer, Margot Robbie doing a great deal of the skating herself.

The other person in Tonya’s life was Jeff Gilhooly. He is played here by Sebastian Stan, another strong performance, a friendly young man, in a relationship with the teenage Tonya, ambitious for her, but also prone to irrational and violent outbursts. This is a tempestuous relationship, a fierce example of domestic violence. And her mother continually declares she never liked him.

Jeff Gilhooly has a friend, Shawn (Paul Walter Hauser), a large and oafish young man, not too many brains to bless himself with, who acts as Tonya’s bodyguard and is the brains (or lack of brains) in going beyond Jeff Gilhooly’s aim to frighten Nancy Kerrigan but employing an ignorant friend who bashes the skater’s knee.

The action after the event of the bashing reveals Jeff Is Becoming more and more desperate, the police investigation, Shawn’s ignorant denials, the arrest of the actual basher, Shawn setting up Jeff at midnight at a diner to get him to confess… It is hard to tell how much Tonya actually knew or discovered after the event. Nevertheless, she perseveres in competitive skating, preparing for the 1992 Winter Olympics, making impression with her skills, though always alienating the team of judges by her personality, by her presentation, by her attitudes.

Comes the moment at the Olympics…

In the epilogue to the film, it is revealed that Tonya became a boxer, another violent sport. A postscript indicates that she has settled down somewhat and, in fact, accompanied Margot Robbie to the Golden globes.

The credits images are worth seeing, impressive scenes of the actual Tonya Harding and her skating – and a glimpse her actual mother looking exactly the way Allison Janney portrays her in the film

A slice of American life – with many bitter tastes.

1. The title? Focus on? Tonya speaking to camera? Of the characters? Her story, her testimony?

2. Audience knowledge of Tonya Harding? In the 1990s? The incident with Nancy Kerrigan? Later?

3. The picture of the early years, Tonya as a child, living in the city, a home, the 1970s and 1980s? The skating rink’s? Shops? Diners? Competitions and training? The musical score? The music for the skating events?

4. The portrait of Tonya, sitting in the kitchen years later, Frank and blunt comments, her being a redneck? As a little girl, her ability to skate better than others, winning competitions, her mother’s demands on coaches? Her relationship with her mother, the hard mother, supervising her, controlling, her bitterness? Pushy, with the coaches, judges? The effect on Tonya?

5. The mother, Allison Janney’s performance, her appearance, hair, glasses, hard aspect, the bird on her shoulder? Her clothes? With Tonya, at home, bitterness, yet active in promoting Tonya, with the coaches, the demands? Cigarettes? Work her work as a waitress? Pushing Tonya, physically violent, the effect? Are watching the competitions?

6. Jeff Gilhooly in himself, talking to camera, with Tonya, in love, the sexual relationship, her age, living together? His violent outbursts, physical, emotional? The effect on Tonya? Her mother disliking him? The decision to marry?

7. Their married life, Tonya and her skating, Jeff and his work, the continued violence, Tonya’s reaction, leading to the divorce? If his presence in her life?

8. Shawn, friendly with Jeff, being Tonya’s bodyguard? Self-promotion, lacking brains?

9. Diana, her skill as a coach, the mother confronting her, her helping Tonya, through the years, her being fired, her returning at the Olympics?

10. Nancy Kerrigan, personality, skills, friendship with Tonya, sharing accommodation with her? The contrast with Tonya not being light, the judges severe on her, low scores, criticisms of her presentation? The rivalry?

11. The death threat to Tonya? Her reaction? Jeff and the threats? As engineered by Jeff? Shawn and his thug, bashing Nancy Kerrigan, the reaction? The police interrogations? Shawn and his initiative, Jeff not knowing? His lack of savvy? The thug, ignorant? The police interrogating Jeff, the midnight run to the rendezvous at the diner? Jeff and his being cautious?

12. The media response, to Tonya, to her mother?

13. Tonya and the alienation from her mother, her mother at the competition and paying the Heckler? Work as a waitress, watching on the TV? The visit to her daughter, expressions of love, her wanting the truth wearing a wire?

14. The competition, Tonya and her practice, her skills and manoeuvres beyond other Americans? The new coach? Returning to Diana? The possibility for the Olympics, training, exercise? The squad?

15. The Olympic moment, her nervousness, the laces and tying them up, the time pressure, her nerves? Appeal to the judges? Her performance, stopping?

16. Her skills, the only American performer for special manoeuvres?

17. The court, the judge in his sentence, that she was not to skate? A desperate appeal? Taking on boxing?

18. The further information about her life and activities?

19. The sequences of the real Tanya and her skating, competition? The visuals of Jeff, her mother?

20. Truth or interpretation?

 

 

 

LOOKING GLASS

US, 2018, 103 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Robin Tunney, Mark Blucas, Ernie Lively, Jacque Gray.
Directed by Tim Hunter.

For more than a decade, Nicolas Cage made a substantial number of films each year. This is one scheduled out of six for 2018. If one looks at the variety of Cage films, he does offer a variety of performances as well as variation of hair and lack of hair!

Robin Tunney portrays his wife here, their daughter having died in an accident, he drunk, she high on drugs, both blameworthy but deciding on a new venture in life, taking on the management of a motel in a desert town.

The film is something of a slow-burner. Cage, Ray, cannot sleep, wanders, is curious, finds a basement in the tunnel behind the motel rooms with mirrors looking into them. Ray looks at the truckie, Tommy, who brings different women. He also sees an enigmatic woman visitor and some sexual encounters.

There is something eerie about the atmosphere of the motel, the proprietor of the shop opposite watching, young men around the town also watching. The sheriff, Mark Blucas, also visits, asks questions, wants to get in touch with the previous owner. There has been a murder, the night when Ray visited to look over the motel. Then a dead pig is tossed into the swimming pool with a note with the name of the dead woman. Another dead woman is found floating in the river.

The film builds up to something of attention, suspicions on the sheriff, contact with the previous owner but his being shot, the threat to his wife, and cabaret looking through the looking glass and bursting in to confront the villain.

The direction is by Tim Hunter who had early prospects with Tex, Rivers Edge, The Saint of Fort Washington, but his career has been extensive in television series.

1. Thriller? Murder mystery?

2. The desert town, the surrounding countryside, the motel, the garage? Life at the motel? The musical score?

3. Nicolas Cage and his prolific career? Range of characters?

4. The mystery about the couple, Ray and Maggie, the flashbacks to their daughter, her death? The later explanations? Driving through the desert, the relationship, tensions, the pitstop, arriving at night?

5. The mystery of the motel, the key under the door, their going in, inspecting? The phone call to the previous owner? His suddenly leaving town? The previous visit to inspect the motel, Ray and his decision to branch out?

6. The town, the proprietor of the shop, the young men at the garage, the visits to the motel, the mysterious women, Tommy the truck driver? Ray and his dealings with the clients? Maggie meeting them?

7. Ray and his tensions, wandering around, examining all the rooms? Discovering the basement, buying the wire cutters, the corridor, the mirrors into each of the rooms? Ray returning, the sequences of the women and their sexual encounters? Tommy and the range of women he brought? Especially for room 10? The effect on Ray, the voyeur curiosity, his dreams about the large woman in bed, the sexual provocation by the women, the sexual relationship with Maggie?

8. Tommy, his character, the truckie, married, bringing women to the room? Ray letting him be?

9. Ray following the woman, the mysterious death, the newsreel information, the previous woman'sdeath, the pig in the swimming pool, the note, Chrissy, removing the pig, burning it? Finding the woman at the diner, talking with her, the man bashing Ray?

10. Howard, the sheriff, personality, the visits, the drinking coffee, even in the heat, changing to tea? The conversations? His wanting to get in touch with the previous owner, Ray trying to contact him, the severed phone connection? The sheriff and the discussions about the dead woman, interrogating Ray, the woman killed the night that Ray had visited the motel first?

11. Maggie, her being upset, not understanding Ray, his confession about voyeurism? Her wanting to leave?

12. The explanation of what happened to their daughter, Ray and his drinking, Maggie and her drugtaking?

13. Ray making contact with the owner, the rendezvous for meeting, the old man and his warnings, his being shot?

14. Howard and his tying up Maggie, with the gun, the sexual threat? Ray breaking through the looking glass, the fight, Howards death?

15. The effect on the couple and their future?

 

DEAD MEN TELL

US, 1941, 61 minutes, Black-and-white.
Sidney Toler, Sen Yung, Sheila Ryan, Robert Weldon, Donald Douglas, George Reeves, Truman Bradley, Ethel Griffies, Milton Parsons.
Directed by Harry Lachmann.

Another entertaining Charlie Chan mystery, this time set on a treasure hunting boat, Charlie called in after his son, Jimmy, is found on the boat and reported.

At the centre is an elderly lady, allegedly descended from pirates, who has a map to find a treasure – but to keep the secret safe, she has divided the map into four pieces. Then she is killed.

As usual, there is a range of suspects on board, a man posing as a journalist, a neurotic man and his psychologist, there is also the captain who acts suspiciously. There is a touch of romance. There is also a talking parrot and suggestions of the ghostly presence of the pirate ancestor.

Charlie Chan has to do the interrogations, discover the lies, discover who is searching for the missing piece of the map – uncovering a past difficulty where a man was left to die by his partner.

And the solution, the solving of the mystery, as usual with Charlie confronting all the suspects.

BLACK MAGIC

US, 1944, 67 minutes, Black and white.
Sydney Toler. Marntan Moreland, Frances Chan, Joseph Crehan, Jacqueline De Wit.
Directed by Phil Rosen.

By this stage all the Charlie Chan films with Sidney Toler, the material was rather familiar as well as the method.

Charlie Chan's daughter, Frances, is present at a seance where the chief medium is shot with a bullet of frozen blood. Those present have heard a voice asking a question about an event in London in 1935. The police arrive, and Frances mentions her father.

There are various interrogations, examinations of the house and finding how the seances were conducted. The medium's wife is under suspicion, goes out of the house, seems to walk in a trance and is persuaded by voice to step over the edge of the roof of the building. Later, the same will happen to Charlie Chan himself – although he has provided himself with an antidote to the pill which put him in a trance.

A number of those present have motives for the killing but it turns out to be the revenge of a magician who had been in an accident and had recovered but had plastic surgery becoming unrecognisable.

It can be noted that Mantan Moreland has the same kind of role as ever, but probably more prominent in this one than many others, bug eyed, nervous, the kind of comedy that was popular at the time but is now not so politically correct.

The direction was by Phil Rosen who worked with Edison, directed quite a number of small-budget supporting features and several of the Charlie Chan films.

BRIMSTONE

US, 2016, 148 minutes, Colour.
Guy Pearce, Dakota Fanning, Kit Harrington, Clarice van Houten, Paul Anderson, Carla Juri, Emilia Jones, Vera Vitale.
Directed by Martin Koolhoven.

Brimstone is a disturbing and pessimistic film. It is a different perspective on the American West, coming from a Dutch director.

The title indicates fire and brimstone, a focus on Hell. And this is the religion of the central character, the Reverend, coming from Europe to the American West, setting up a church, his preaching and singing Abide with Me. He is played with extraordinary intensity, viciousness and violence by Guy Pearce (who also played the most vicious character in Lawless).
This is a long film. And it has an interesting screenplay, rather than having flashbacks, it has four acts, with biblical titles: Revelation, Exodus, Genesis, Retribution. The first three acts are presented in reverse time, the fourth act leading us into the future.

Also at the centre of the film is the character of Liz, a mature and wide-ranging performance from Dakota Fanning. She is first seen as a mute wife of a farmer, a midwife for the local community. She tries to avoid the Reverend. But the Reverend kills her husband forcing her to flee with the children.

The film then goes back to the story of Joanna, a mysterious young woman who was sold into prostitution in the town saloon. The film is particularly brutal and blunt in its presentation of the men's sexual and physical violence towards the women, cruelty, with the women being threatened with punishment if they do not please their clients. It is here that the audience sees Liz as one of the prostitutes, with an explanation of why her tongue is cut out and why she should be present at the farm.

The film then goes further back, the Revelation of the life of the Reverend and his brutal domination of his wife, even to whipping her, putting a mask on her mouth. Then there is his daughter, Joanna, and his treatment of her, lusting after her. Two mysterious riders take refuge in the barn, Joanna reacting against her father's treatment of her with a sexual liaison with one of them (Kit Harrington). Her mother hangs herself in the church, Joanna fleeing after her father shoots the stranger.

In the fourth act, the Reverend finally catches up with his daughter, Liz being Joanna. They travel through the snow, the Reverend pursuing, finally entering the house and murdering her father-in-law, threatening the little girl, even whipping her, before Liz is able to throw flames at her father, consuming him in a kind of hellfire.

The pessimism continues when the mother is arrested in mistake for the original Liz and her killing of the saloon manager. There are some glimpses of hope with the voice-over of the daughter and her memory of her mother.


1. The title? The tone? Religious overtones? In the words of the Reverend and his preaching?

2. A western, the Dutch director, a European perspective?

3. Location photography, the western town, the farms, the church, saloons and brothels, the seasons and the isolation? The musical score?

4.The structure of the film, Revelation, Exodus, Genesis, Retribution? The first three chapters moving in reverse time? The effect, the gradual understanding?

5. Revelation, the focus on Liz, mute, the antagonistic attitude of her son, love for her husband, her daughter helping her with the midwife work, bringing life into the world?

6. The church, the congregation, the Reverend and his appearance, hat, dressed in black? His sermon, fire and brimstone? Pessimistic theology? Liz and her seemingly wanting to avoid the gaze of the preacher?

7. The pregnant woman, collapse, Liz in the cart, going to help, transferring the woman into the church, the severity of the childbirth, the forceps? The death of the baby, Liz’s mysterious reaction? Her daughter, the woman helping? The reaction of the Reverend and his presence?

8. Liz and her fear, the Reverend and his presence in the house, sinister, his attack on the husband, violent, the husband dying, the reaction of his son, the father urging Liz to escape, the Reverend burning down the house and barn?

9 Exodus. Joanna, in the wagon, the Chinese, into the town, her being sold to the saloon owner? Frank and the girls? The brothel? The girls, the sexual encounters, Joanna forced to watch Sally? Sally and her friendship, killing the client, condemned, hanged? The audience seeing Liz amongst the prostitutes? The way of life, Frank dominating?

10. The men, brutal attitudes, the harshness towards the women, the women urged to please or else be punished? The violence of the punishment? Liz and her reaction the cutting out of her tongue? The plan for her to find a husband, getting the documents? Frank, the attack, her killing him? Her dying?

11. Liz assuming her friend’s identity? Getting the doctor to cut out her tongue, her doing it herself, leaving?

12. Genesis. The origins of the story? The background of the Reverend? European, the religious sect, the church, his authority, his sermons? His control over the congregation? Over his family? The character of his wife, subservient, cruel to her, whipping her? His daughter, making her work, her experience of menstruation, the support of her mother, the lust of her father?

13. Sam and his story, the dead men, the shooting? His riding with his companion, refuge in the barn? The bond with Joanna? The viciousness of his hanging his companion from the roof of the toilet?

14. The wife, the mask on her mouth, in church? The humiliation? Her hanging herself in the church? Joanna's reaction, the sexual encounter with Sam? Sam confronting the Reverend, the Reverend shooting him? Joanna and her fleeing?

15. Retribution. Liz and the children, travelling through the snow, the Reverend and his pursuit? Her stopping, with the rifle, the Reverend shooting the son, his death? Going to the father-in-law, his welcome, his being killed?

16. The Reverend in the house, his threatening Liz, threatening her daughter, his wanting vengeance, the long years of pursuit? The audience realising that Liz was Joanna? The confrontation between father and daughter? The Reverend whipping the little girl? His daughter tied up, her raising her arms and getting free, throwing the fire, consuming the Reverend, an image of hellfire?

17. Liz and her settling with her daughter, the arrival of the sheriff, the notice, wrongly identifying Liz, arresting her? On the float in the water? Her throwing herself into the water, drowning?

18. The daughter, the voice-over throughout the film and her comments on her mother? The mother-figure emerging from the water, the spirit of Liz to protect her daughter?

THE SON OF BIGFOOT

France/Belgium, 2017, 93 minutes, Colour.
Voice of: Pappy Faulkner.
Directed by Jeremie Degruson, Ben Stassen.

This is an unusual mixture of science-fiction and a family story.

The film opens with the father being pursued by a chemical company which has experimented on him, especially with growing hair, leading to other superpowers.

12 years later, his son thinks he is dead but discovers that his mother is in correspondence with him and he with her, following the development of his son. The boy is bullied at school – with a number of scenes illustrating this.

The boy, disappointed with his mother, leaves home and hitchhikes to find his father, finding him in the forest. He is disappointed but, gradually, he begins to admire his father while he himself finds greater powers, especially big feet. The hair has always been a problem, growing rapidly after its being cut.

In the meantime, the audience has seen the experiments at Hair Co, the special growth of hair, making of wigs, the executive quite manic, showing around Japanese visitors. The company then goes into the forest to pursue the father and son.

There may be sufficient action for the younger audiences, identification with the teenager, and, perhaps, some disbelief for the adult audience.