THE LAST FACE

US, 2017, 130 minutes, Colour.
Charlize Theron, Javier Bardem.
Directed by Sean Penn.

The Last Face had quite a mixed response, screening at festivals but not so popular with the public.

It is a strange blend of an unfulfilled romance with social action, especially in Africa, highlighting revolutions and wars and dangers to local populations as well as to those coming in to help as doctors and UN representatives.

The film was directed by Sean Penn who has shown significant interest in social issues. The star is Charlize Theron who has shown similar interests and was in a relationship with Penn at the time of the making of this film.

Javier Bardem makes an interesting contribution as a Spanish doctor involved with the local Africans, especially in a long escape journey, along with Charlize Theron, and then in a relationship with her which she suddenly stops. He later visits Geneva where she is in expert advisor and fundraiser to try to understand what had happened.

There are some criticism that this was another film showing white people coming in to save black people – but, while there are some grounds in this criticism in general, it is too much for this film.

Mixed responses.

1. The title? Relevance to global situations? Social concern? Social action?

2. The film by Sean Penn, dramatising his concern for social issues?

3. The impact of the film? Praised by some? Condemned by others? The motivations?

4. The wide perspective on issues in Latin America and Africa? But respect for Latin Americans and Africans in their struggles?

5. The structure of the film, the background of Africa and Latin America, her father, the influence? Her work in Africa, bureaucracy in Europe and Geneva? Interactions with Miguel? The time shifts and intersections?

6. The visuals of Bolivia, the 1980s? The contrast with Africa in the 21st-century? The range of peoples, indigenous, outsiders? The experience of wars, refugees, vital needs, food, medical help?

7. The focus on Miguel, his Spanish background, his work, interaction with his colleagues, his skill in surgery, the details of operations, the harsh conditions? The personal life, his relationship with Wren? Sharing the escape experience of the journey? The break between the two, his remaining working, her going to Europe, lack of communication? The years passing? His going to Europe, the message and her reaction? The helicopter and his death?

8. Wren, in herself, the influence of her father, her work, the visit to Africa, sharing the harsh experiences, the effect on her consciousness, the relationship with Miguel, the long journey on the hardships and dangers, her decision to return to Geneva, working for governments, her policies, the funding, the gala and art shows and the elaborate art background?

9. Wren, work with her staff? Miguel’s return, her reaction, not contacting him for years, the explanations?

10. The overall impact of the film and as a romance, as a drama, social concern and challenge?

THE TALE

US, 2018, 114 minutes, Colour.
Laura Dern, Isabelle Nelisse, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Debicki, Frances Conroy, Jason Ritter, John Heard, Common, Laura Allen, Tina Parker, Isabella Amara, Jodi Long.
Directed by Jennifer Fox.

The Tale makes quite an impact.

In the early decades of the 21st-century, there was a much greater consciousness of sexual abuse, in families, in institutions, and a revelation about grooming victims.

This film was written and directed by Jennifer Fox, drawing on personal experiences. At the centre of the film is Jennifer, played persuasively by Laura Dern as an adult, Isabelle Nelisse as a teenager. The screenplay intersects Jennifer’s life as an adult, challenged by a story that she wrote when she was 13 and her mother (Ellen Burstyn) has found and is questioning with the sequences of Jennifer as a 13-year-old and her grooming and sexual experiences.

In many ways, Jennifer has forgotten the past experiences, seeing herself as the hero of her story, making her own decisions, rather than as a victim and as a survivor. However, the revelation of the story stirs all kinds of memories, her being challenged by her mother, memories of her mother in the past and clashes with her father, her going to a summer camp where she was under the supervision of a champion horsewoman, Mrs G (Elisabeth Debicki). There was also an athletics instructor, a champion athlete, Bill Allens (Jason Ritter).

Jennifer is also being challenged by her boyfriend, Martin (Common) and she resists his seeming interference.

The film is strong in its presentation of Jennifer’s story at age 13, the role of Mrs G and her selection of victims and the sinister smoothness of Bill and his dialogue of flattery leading to sexual assault.

Ultimately, Jennifer has to make a decision, discovering Bill’s address, going to visit Mrs G (Frances Conroy) and other women who were girls with her at the summer camp. Bill is being honoured and she goes to the ceremony, openly denouncing him.

The final sequence has a room in which the older Jennifer is sitting reflecting on her life with the younger Jennifer.

A very topical film with a significant story and impact.

1. The impact of this film? Issues and characters? The background of sexual abuse, of girls and women? The atmosphere of Me#Too? Exposure of abuses?

2. The contemporary story, Jennifer, her work in India, the documentary, the interviews with the women, sexual abuse? Her work, editing? The university lectures and rapport with the students? Her relationships, with Martin? With her mother? Her age, involvement in life, the challenge to her memories? Coping and not coping?

3. The story from her childhood, age 13, her letters and her mother finding them, her mother puzzled? The mother’s memories? The challenge to Jennifer?

4. Her past, as a girl, the rest of the family, relationship with her mother, her father, her parents’ clashes? Going to the farm, the summer camp? The personality of Mrs G, working with her, the coaching, the riding? Winning the equestrian performance? The introduction to Bill, the athletics? Brenda and Fran and their presence? The later memories of Iris? The dramatising of this past, the scenes, the farm, riding…?

5. The action of the film in Jennifer’s mind and memory? Her dialogues with the range of characters, especially her younger self?

6. The story, her reading it, the teacher’s response, the good assessment? Going back to the story, the provocation of her mother, looking again at the experiences, trusting her memories, distrusting her memories? Audience suspicions about what happened to her?

7. Mrs G, in herself, pleasant, her age, skill with the horses, the equestrian show and her encouraging Jennifer? The background of Mr G? The presence of Bill, the relationship with Mrs G, declaring the affair? Audiences looking at Mrs G’s behaviour, realising that she was grooming the girls for Bill? Her own sexual involvement? Jennifer’s later visits to Mrs G, as a personality, old, defensive, the memories, unwilling to look at the truth, her admissions?

8. Bill, his background, athletics, achievement, at the camp, with Mrs G, the attraction to Jennifer, praising her, admiring her, at his home, the talks with her mother, the gifts, and her mother being satisfied his explanations? With Mrs G, the affair? Jennifer staying over, the night, the reading of the poems, the way that Bill saw her, leading up to the sexual encounter, her experience, a rape sequence, the sickness afterwards?

9. Martin, his character, his work, living with Jennifer? His concern? The letters, his interpretation of Bill’s behaviour as rape? Her reaction, ousting him? Wanting to make her own decisions, explorations?

10. The relationship with her mother, her mother’s character? Her mother’s presence in the flashbacks, with her husband, with Bill, with Jennifer herself? Not knowing what was going on and not able to admit it? Bill and the gifts, her mother remembering and puzzling?

11. Jennifer, her decision to probe, remembering, the detail of the affair, her ability to give consent or not, her determination that she had made a decision, at 13, the experience of sex, her bleeding, vomiting? Yet seeing herself as a heroine rather than as a victim?

12. The visits to Mrs G, the questioning of Iris, remembering, the issue of the threesome? The revelations of Mrs G? The visit to Iris, the discussions, the truth?

13. Visiting Fran and Becky, their memories of the life, giving the information to Jennifer?

14. Phone calls, the detective, getting Bill’s address, calls and messages, his not answering?

15. Her decision concerning Bill, the freedom to go to confronting him, moving beyond the past, going to the ceremony, her hesitation, Martin outside, Bill and the speeches, the medals, his changing over the years, acclamation of the community? Jennifer meeting Bill’s wife, talking, the guests at the party, speaking aloud, denunciation, Bill and his denial, a sense of freedom by the confrontation?

16. The flashback of the young Jennifer, reading in the class, stating to the teacher that this was a fiction?

17. Her talking with a younger self, the process of dealing with the past, conversations with her inner child? The finale with the two dialoguing?

18. The consciousness of sexual abuse, the impact on people, memories, the abuses? The effect of watching this film?

SMALLFOOT

US, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Channing Tatum, James Corden, Zendaya, Common, LeBron? James, Danny DeVito?, Gina Rodriguez, Yara Shaidi.
Directed by Carrie Kirkpatrick and Jason Reisig.

Of course, Smallfoot is the opposite of Bigfoot.

There has long been belief in the Abominable Snowman, a Yeti, who lives in the snow and ice of the Himalayas. This is one of his stories! An animation film for younger audiences.

This is an entertaining animation film but with several points of view, especially an allegory of human prejudices, racism and bigotry, the need for mutual understanding and reconciliation.

The early part of the film shows life in the community of the Abominable Snowman – an enjoyable pastiche of paralleling this with familiar human society and interactions. However, there is a certain “primitive� set of beliefs amongst the people. Interestingly, and should we suggest, critically, promulgated by the religious leader of the Yeti, the Stonekeeper (Common), a sacred person, entrusted with stones with commandments on them, holding the people under his control and the teaching of the stones, standing above the people with a look of Moses.

It should be said that the perspective of the filmmakers on the Stonekeeper is extremely critical, visuals of drawings of sacred myths about the creation of the people, the world resting on two giant creatures, which are ridiculed. The stones with their messages carved on them are not to be questioned but, eventually, they, and found to be false, a means of population control. They need to be exposed – and are. (Some of the visuals and thematics relate to the Hebrew tradition, the behaviour of the strict community more like that of a fundamentalist American society.)

The hero of the film is a bit of a dope, and engaging dope (voiced by Channing Tatum), Migo. His father is the Gongringer (catapulted headfirst towards the gong) who signals the shiny snail rising in the east like the sun. Migo is to take over. However, he ventures down through the clouds, something forbidden, and encounters an American television group filming a nature series, led by British Percy (James Corden) who has had theories about the yeti and then encounters Migo, afraid, his voice to shrill to be understood while Migo’s is too loud to make communication. Nevertheless, they begin to communicate and Percy is introduced to a group of rebels who believe in human existence, proving to the group, including the Stonekeeper’s daughter, Meechee (Zenaya).

They try to persuade the Stonekeeper but he reveals art carvings indicating past battles between humans and Yeti. He also dominates Migo, persuading him to lie about what he has seen.

The film certainly picks up pace with the encounter between Migo and Percy and with Percy being taken up the mountain, the reactions of the people, the reactions of the Stonekeeper, Migo being exiled but returning triumphant.

The Stonekeeper’s daughter persuades her father to listen and, finally, the humans are confronted by the Yeti, but, of course, are able to be reconciled. Peace and love all round – and Percy getting a solid television contract!

1. An animation film for a children’s audience? Adults?

2. The style of animation, the mountains, ice and snow, the Yeti village? The contrast with the contemporary town? The television crew?

3. The voice talent and comic characters? Romantic? The musical score?

4. Audience interest in the Abominable Snowman, the possibility of the existence of the Yeti?

5. The Yeti village, the way of life paralleling contemporary life? The Stonekeeper and his control, character? Religious leader, keeper of the stones, the commandments carved on stone, the dress of the Stonekeeper with added stones?

6. The religious background, the myths of creation, of the earth standing on creatures? Forbidden to venture out? The stones, the commandments, their proclamation? The gong, the snail rising like the sun? The carvings on the rocks of the conflict between Yeti and humans?

7. The questioning of the religious orders? Leading to rebellion? Leading to a breaking of the myths?

8. Migo, genial, his life in the village, his father and the catapulting to the gong? His attempts to succeed his father, practice, failure? His attraction to Meechee? His discovery of the humans, his delight, the encounter with Percy, his booming voice, Percy too shrill, learning to communicate? His return to the village and telling everyone about the humans?

9. The humans, Percy, British, his vanity, his television series, Brenda and his working with her, the theories about the Yeti, the Yeti suit? His camera and time? His reaction to Migo, fear, learning to communicate, freezing, in the rug, his misunderstanding some of the customs, his being thawed by roasting over the fire with the apple in his mouth! Encountering Meechee and her group, their theories, rebellion, secret society? The delight in seeing Percy?

10. Migo, his return to the village, his being discredited, disbelieved? The Stonekeeper and his speeches, showing Migo the carvings? Dominating Migo and forcing him to lie to the people, his exiled?

11. Meechee and the group, going to the humans, the revelation of Percy?

12. Meechee persuading her father to listen, his coming down the mountain, the encounter of the humans with the Yeti? The lining up in hostility? The breakthrough in communication, peace and reconciliation? The happy Yeti? Percy and his television program?

MURDER OVER NEW YORK

US, 1940, 65 minutes, Black-and-white.
Sidney Toler, Marjorie Weaver, Robert Lowery, Ricardo Cortez, Donald Mac Bride, Melville Cooper, Kane Richmond, Sen Yung, John Sutton, Leyland Hodgson, Clarence Muse.
Directed by Harry Lachmann.

This is an interesting Charlie Chan mystery, released in 1940 just after the outbreak of World War II but before American participation after Pearl Harbour. While the setting is New York, the theme is international espionage and the testing of new aircraft.

Charlie Chan, working for the government, encounters a friend from Scotland Yard who is found murdered. The host is an aircraft designer, played by Ricardo Cortez, who is also murdered. The suspects are all guests at a reception by the host.

One of those present at the invitation of the inspector was an actress who gives information about the wife of an international spy who travelled with him internationally but then separated.

The main suspect is the international spy whom the Scotland Yard inspector was tracking. His briefcase is stolen.

Quite a number of guests at the party, including a very irritating Englishman, Melville Cooper, who continually objects to being interrogated – and who turns out to be in the pay of the spy.

Charlie Chan does a lot of investigating behind the scenes, with his son, Jimmy getting into all kinds of trouble and false conclusions. There is a lot of revelation of what was going on and Charlie Chan suspicions at the final meeting but there is a great deal of suspense is the audience sees a sinister ball planted on the plane before its test flight. Charlie and his son as well as all the suspects are on the plane which will explode as it makes its descent.

All is explained when the international spy is unmasked, having had plastic surgery and voice change – but not his fingerprints. His wife does not recognise him. At first there is suspicion of the butler who has had a criminal record. There is also a suspect, a chemical expert but he has worked with Charlie to provide a harmless ball instead of the dangerous explosive.

The film reminds audiences of why this Charlie Chan films were so popular.

GHOSTHUNTER

Australia, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ben Lawrence.

This is not quite the documentary that might have been imagined from the title.

In fact, there is an introduction to Jason King, a Sydney man in his 40s, who has set himself up to hunt ghosts, fielding applications to visit homes, sensing a strange presence, even hostile presence, and ridding the house of it. Clients are grateful. Jason is proud of his work, the title appearing on his T-shirt as well as on the side of his car.

But, this is something like a Mc Guffin in an Alfred Hitchcock movie – a focus of attention while the real story is elsewhere. Or, perhaps, not exactly like a Mc Guffin but a metaphor for what the film is really doing.

British-born director, Ben Lawrence, saw an advertisement for the Ghosthunter and rang Jason. Jason agreed to an interview – and interviews continued for the next six years, from 2010 to 2016. There are also many interviews with Jason’s sister, friends from childhood days, social workers, a policewoman.

This is the kind of film where a reviewer needs to note Spoiler alert. As happened with this reviewer’s viewing of the film, knowing nothing, it proved to be an intriguing detective story, step-by-step unfolding a mystery. It is sharing Ben Lawrence’s quest through his interviews with Jason. It is sharing Jason’s discovery about himself and about his family, recovering memories, disturbing memories, even most disturbing memories.

In that sense, the film is a psychological case study. Ben Lawrence asks many questions, take steps on behalf of Jason to delve into his past. He also advises him, ultimately, to seek out counselling because, as some of the memories surface, as Jason revisits locations from the past, is involved with a childhood friend, a forthright woman called Cathy, an abusive past emerges. Jason has not always been direct with Ben Lawrence either, and has some of his own inner ghosts or demons to encounter.

What begins like a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at, even exposure, of the ghosthunter at work with his hand-picked team, soon becomes far more intriguing and well worth a visit.

1. The impact of the film as a documentary? As a psychological case study?

2. The Sydney settings, the suburbs, homes, streets, the outer areas of Sydney? The New South Wales countryside? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The title, Jason and his using the title for his work, T-shirts? On his car? His setting himself up as a ghost hunter? The director’s curiosity, phoning him? Following him and interviewing him, relatives and friends for six years?

4. Jason, the seriousness of his interviews, his work as a ghost hunter, the particular episodes of seeing him in action, going to houses, sensing presences, confronting the presence, reassuring the inhabitants, their satisfaction? His working alone? His team, hiring them, friendships, clashes?

5. The literal ghost hunting and as a symbol of the deeper meaning of the film?

6. The mystery of Peter, Jason’s brother, admiration for him? His death in an accident? Jason always sensing his presence?

7. Jason, hunting the ghosts of his past? The role of the interviewer? The interviewer and his trust? Jason and his trust? The revelation that Jason concealed a great deal from the director?

8. Jason, in himself, age, appearance, weight, tattoos? His changes over the years, hair, shaved head…?

9. The case study as the equivalent of a detective story, gradually uncovering facts, characters, mysteries?

10. Jason, as a child, his sister, their mother, drugs and drinking, treatment, disappearance? (And her unwillingness to be interviewed for the film, the insulting note to the director?) Jason and his not being able to remember much detail? Photos, the different ages, the fish and chip shop? Upstairs? Revisiting and the recovery of memories?

11. The photo of his father, the father disappeared? The fish and chip shop? Jason and his felt need to find his father?

12. The process over the years, the role of the director and his getting information? Going to visit the various social workers, their interviews with Jason, helping him to remember?

13. The emerging truth about his father, sex offender, the young girls, friends with Jason when young? The father moving to Western Australia, further offending? The detective, her continued information about tracking the father, his arrest, trials, imprisonment?

14. Cathy, a strong character, the information from the interviews, re-creating the past? Her being careful with Jason, gradually giving more information? Her own experiences, the experiences of the friends, the sexual abuse?

15. The arrest of the father, coming to New South Wales? Jason and the various attempts to see his father, going to the courts? Writing him a letter? The eventual reply from his father from jail, Jason not believing it?

16. Jason and his relatives, the interviews with his sister, uncovering the darker side of Jason and his angers? His girlfriends, the revelation that he had orders against his contacting the women? His not telling the director?

17. The gradual revelation, Jason admitting the truth, his angers, violence? His finding Julia, her being able to assess him, supporting, the possibility of marriage?

18. Jason coming to the stage where he needed to talk to a counsellor, the effect, the male social worker and his being able to help Jason?

19. The future for Jason, the process of recovering his past, admitting the truth about himself?

20. The director as director of the film as well as facilitator of Jason’s transformation?

JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN

UK, 2018, 88 minutes, Colour.
Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Emma Thompson, Jake Lacey, Edward Fox, Charles Dance, Michael Gambon, Pippa Bennett- Warner.
Directed by David Kerr.

Is Johnny English the alter ego of Mr Bean or vice versa? At times it is hard to distinguish between the two in their presumptions, ignorance, displays of miming, misadventures.

And, of course, they are all Blackadder himself, Rowan Atkinson. After three films for television playing George Simenon’s Inspector Maigret, Atkinson returns to comedy, taking up the character of the inept British secret agent, Johnny English from the two previous films, Johnny English and Johnny English Reborn.

Success through ineptitude might be a slogan to promote this film!

We are in the 21st-century world of cyber espionage with attacks on British communication, air travel, London traffic control. And the film opens with all the secret agents being exposed, faces names and dates all coming up on the screen. Is there anyone from the past who could step into the breach and thwart the cyber-attacks? Three old codgers are called in – a humorous sequence with Michael Gambon, Edward Fox, Charles Dance, reminiscing about their past, but not surviving long enough to go into action. Which leaves Johnny English who has been busy at a high school instructing the students in all the techniques of espionage, forming the future generation.

The British Prime Minister is desperate. She is played in a kind of angry schoolmarm headmistress mode by Emma Thompson, channelling some of Margaret Thatcher and her reliance on American know-how and, in a more contemporary vein, some of the bewilderment and misjudgments of Teresa May.

Johnny calls up his old friend Bough, Ben Miller, genially serving Johnny English but, in fact, infinitely more competent! They receive clues that the sabotage is coming from the south of France, so off they go after visiting the modern equivalent of James Bond’s Q where English rejects all the newfangled stuff and, to the surprise of the new Q who is very young, wants a gun which they don’t stock and chooses an old-style sports car.

There are lots of jokes at Johnny English’s expense, preening with his car but neglecting to get petrol, wanting to get past a group of cyclists and firing rockets at them, encountering the main spy from Russia, a glamorous Olga Kuryenko, and avoiding her attempts to shoot him by taking some pills and getting on the highest of high, and extended dancing routine on the disco floor.

In the meantime, the Prime Minister has sought the help of a young American IT expert, Jack Lacey, who is fairly quickly revealed as the archvillain though the Prime Minister has no clue and invites him to a G 12 meeting where ends of all the nations will sign away their security rights to the villain.

There is an amusing scene where English is introduced to virtual reality, his walking through the villain’s mansion but he steps off the platform in the laboratory and goes out into the street causing mayhem in real life while he succeeds in the virtual.

Discredited in the eyes of the Prime Minister, there is nothing left to do but for English and Bough (who turns out to be married to the commander of a nuclear submarine!) to go to Scotland to the G 12 meeting and confront the villain. Again, a number of amusing scenes and English succeeding despite increasing ineptitude. One supposes that that there is a message there that British, this time MI 7, can overcome all obstacles despite…

Not a film for guffawing with laughter but continuous smiles and quite a lot of giggles.

THE RECALL

Canada, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Wesley Snipes, RJ Mitte, Jedediah Goodacre, Laura Bilgeri, Niko Pepaj, Hannah Rose May, Scott Nettleton.
Directed by Mauro Borelli.

There has been a long interest in alien invasions from the time of War of the Worlds. There were small budget features in the 1950s, but becoming bigger and films more ambitious during the 1970s, especially with Close Encounters of the Third Kind. However, there were many films with antagonistic aliens. Probably the most popular of these was the 1985 thriller, Predator, which had a sequel, a spin-off with Jason versus Predator, and a 2018 thriller bringing the issues into the present.

This is a Canadian film, initially showing disasters in space, the officials supervising the disaster, the coming of a gigantic storm, the experience of the aliens and their taking people into the spacecraft and returning them to earth.

The film focuses on Wesley Snipes as someone who had experienced the aliens in the 1990s and has survived in the woods as a Hunter, preparing for the time to confront the aliens and get his revenge. Into this world come a group of teenagers who look as if they were going on one of those camps in the Friday the 13th horror films. They are caught up in all the action, affected by the aliens, fearing the Hunter but then helped by him, eventually taken up into the spacecraft and returned – two of them surviving to go into the forest like the Hunter (and potential sequels).

The story was created and directed by Mauro Borelli who had a long career as a member of the arts departments of action films.

1. An alien invasion thriller? The long tradition? Close Encounters? And the Predator variations?

2. Canadian production? The forest locations? The holiday huts? Space? Official monitoring headquarters? The musical score?

3. Theories about aliens, wanting to take out the humans, hybridisation? The visits, the spaceships, the vast storms? Beaming up characters into the spacecraft? The interiors of the spacecraft? The visualising of the aliens? The red jellyfish style? The parallel with human characteristics and structures? The plausibility of the plot?

4. The opening information, space, the accident, deaths? The scenes with the supervision, the screens, the equipment, calling in survivors? The prediction of the storm and the vastness of the storm? The effect on humans of the alien influence? The red lights, the creatures, the invasion?

5. The presentation of the Hunter, the Wesley Snipes type character, his story of his past, space exploration, being taken by the aliens, the experience, the recovery of memory, his going into the woods, surviving to fight them? His threats to the young people? Their learning his reputation, his equipment in his hut? His life as a hunter, as a survivor? His helping the young man caught in the trap? The young people in his hut, their wanting to escape but his warnings? His capturing the alien, shooting, bringing the creature into his hut to? His letting the young people go? welcoming the couple into the forest at the end?

6. The young people, reminiscent of the group going on holidays in such films as Friday the 13th? Their interactions, the service station, going into the woods? At the hut? The relationships? At the service station? In the woods? Television news, the reaction to the storm, the young woman and her being affected by the aliens? Elated death? The encounter with the Hunter?

7. The threats, the aliens, the years, the young man being struck down, reviving? The young man and his foot caught in the trap? Being helped by the Hunter? The young couple in the hut, interactions, telling their stories, wanting to escape, the warnings from the Hunter, going to the boat, the girl being attacked, drawn into the spacecraft with the young man?

8. In the spacecraft, the strange experience, the visuals, but escaping but their all being landed back on earth? The paralleling experience with the Hunter, no memories, gradual recognition?

9. The space monitors, the roundup of all those who had been affected, the military roadblocks – the young people, confrontation with the military, the guns, deaths, the role of the Hunter? Two deaths on the road, the young couple going into the woods to parallel the life of the Hunter until the alien return?

MISCONDUCT

US, 2016, 106 minutes, Colour.
Josh Duhamel, Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Alice Eve, Malin Akerman, Byung - Hun Lee, Julia Stiles, Glenn Powell.
Directed by Shintaro Shimosawa.

Misconduct has a very strong cast, Anthony Hopkins as a billionaire cynical industrialist, Al Pacino is the veteran head of a legal firm. The hero of the piece, an ambiguous hero given his ambitions and behaviour, is played by Josh Duhamel with Alice Eve as his wife. Malin Akerman is the femme fatale with by Byung -Hun Lee as a mysterious Accountant in the employ of the lawyer, stating that he wants only the truth. Julia Stiles and Glenn Powell play a couple of experts in the handling of abductions and ransoms. The director’s first film that he has had a career as a screenwriter.

The ingredients are quite interesting, the exposure of the industrialist, the role of the legal firm, information given by the mistress of the industrialist who wants revenge on him.

The film moves quickly, sometimes elliptically with the audience having to fill in some of the detail of the transitions.

The screenplay becomes more complicated, especially when the industrialist agrees to a settlement – but his mistress is also found dead. The young lawyer who brought the case with the help of the mistress is being framed, especially for her death.

In terms of realism, the film seems to go into the realm of aspects of pulp fiction, especially with the twist concerning the lawyer played by Al Pacino.

Promising more than it delivers.

1. The title, indication of themes, behaviour, character?

2. The American city setting, big business and pharmaceuticals, the legal profession, offices? Apartments, homes? Socials and parties? The streets, darkness, lanes, clubs? The musical score?

3. The strong cast, the criticisms of the screenplay and dialogue? The credibility of the plot?

4. The introduction, Arthur Denning, Emily, his reputation, pharmaceuticals, wealth? The clashes with Emily? The buildup to her disappearance? The experts called in? The plan, the gallery, the conversation with Denning, his punching the art historian, self-assertion?

5. The flashback to a week earlier? The introduction to Ben? Lawyer, ambitions? His company? The tension of his relationship with Charlotte? Her work as a nurse, the personality? The home arrangements? The message from Emily, Is Meeting her, memories of the past, the relationship 10 years earlier, her plan, seductive behaviour, his response? Her wanting revenge on Arthur? The information, the accounts, the swindles? The USB stick and giving it to Ben? His return home, the interactions with Charlotte?

6. His friend and his advice, Ben not taking it? The visits to Emily? Her friend to be club, Emily and her secret apartment, the friend and her keeping silent, the later testimony, the motorcyclist and his enjoying her, in hospital, Charlotte’s role with the injection?

7. Ben and his proposition to Charles, Charles and his comments, the expensive pen, the challenge? The decision to take on the case? The meetings, the information? The summons to Arthur, the discussions, his agreement to the settlement, the conditions, the return of the USB stick? Ben and his being puzzled?

8. Emily, getting the man to bash her? Revenge on Arthur? Ben finding her dead, his puzzle, the body being moved, his being framed? The final truth that Charlotte confronted Emily after meeting her at the social? The clash, her death? Framed with the tablets?

9. Ben, going into hiding, the threat at the club from the Accountant, the Accountant and his motorbike, his wanting the truth, warning Ben, the attack on the woman in the street? His taking Ben and Charlotte, imprisoning them, shooting Charlotte, then Ben cutting himself loose, the fight, his death?

10. The IT friend and getting him to investigate the accounts? The lawyer friend and his helping?

11. Ben and his confrontation of Arthur, with the gun? Arthur and his supreme confidence, smugness? His working out what had happened, his domination of Emily, her revenge?

12. Ben working out the connection with Charles, the buildup to the confrontation, challenging him in the restaurant, the story of the Accountant and his death? The police arriving? The abduction experts? Charles and his argument and innocence, pulling the gun, shooting himself?

13. The future for Ben and Charlotte, her confessing to killing Emily – did they have a future together?

CHRISTMAS TRADE

US, 2015, 99 minutes, Colour.
William Baldwin, Denise Richards, Michael Campion, Tom Arnold.
Directed by Joel Sousa.

This Christmas film is in the tradition of those stories where characters change, bodies incorporating the soul in character of their opposites. There was a British film in this vein in the 1940s, Vice Versa. The theme became rather more popular in the 1970s with such films as Freaky Friday, Like Father Like Son and in later decades a remake of Freaky Friday and 17 Again.

Father, Mitch (William Baldwin) and son, Robbie (Michael Campion) are still grieving for the death of wife and mother. There is a certain amount of tension, the father very busy at work, the son acting his age with some carry on. The early part of the film, of course, shows the two characters in the intensity of their personalities, readying audiences for the exchange.

The device for the exchanges is more than a little bit odd, a parcel at the door, unwrapping it and finding an old, rather scruffy Teddy bear. And, the exchange is awkward, because dad is at the wheel of the car and suddenly the boy, in his father’s form, has to drive.

Mitch is very popular at school where he leaves Robbie, especially with the mothers. However, he has a girlfriend at the office, Chloe (Denise Richards) who is more sensible. Of course, she is going to have a lot of sequences with Robbie looking like Mitch and having to cope with an adult relational situation. And this is even more the case at work where Mitch is in the middle of an important case, dominated by a harridan of a superior, also to organise a Christmas party where the main client will be present. Robbie/Mitch makes an absolute hash of the meetings, is helped by his secretary to remedy situations, gives up and gives orders for a kind of children’s party for the office celebration. The client, who has children of his own, feels rather delighted with the party, so all is well there.

On the other hand, Robbie/Mitch overcomes a number of bullies, finds one of the girls at school sympathetic and attractive, gives adult-sounding lectures to the bullies and others and, finally, performs well in the pageant.

While a lot of this has been seen before, this is a reasonable variation, Michael Campion being quite effective as the adult and William Baldwin, not an immediate choice for this kind of role, rather enjoying the comedy sides of it.

MEAN DREAMS

Canada, 2016, 108 minutes, Colour.
Sophie Nelisse, Josh Wiggins, Bill Paxton, Joe Cobden, Colm Feore.
Directed by Nathan Morlando.

Mean Dreams is quite an effective drama.

It focuses on two young adults, older teenagers. Jonas is a local, works hard on his father’s poor farm. He encounters Casey in the woods, searching for her dog. Both are attracted towards each other, become friends, he showing her around the town. However, he discovers that she is physically abused by her dominating father, a policeman on the move and settling into the area.

The policeman is played by Bill Paxton in one of his final roles. Canadian actors Josh Wiggins and Sophie Nelisse play the young couple. Sophie Nellise won awards for her performance in Monsieur Lazhar and appeared also in Pawn Sacrifice as well as The Book Thief. (A younger sister, Isabelle Nelissse, appeared in Mama and had a very strong role with Laura Dern in The Tale.)

Jonas, spying on Casey’s father, discovers that he does money deals – and shoots the helmeted bikies he meets with. Jonas takes an opportunity to take the bag with the money, and urge Casey to escape with him. The film shows their coping, buying a gun, escaping on a bus which is stopped by the police, and discovering that the Chief of police (Colm Feore) is in partnership with Casey’s father.

Some action sequences, a finale involving Casey confronting her father – and the young couple going into, one hopes, a better future.

The film takes advantage of the Canadian countryside, fields and crops, the woods, the lakes.

1. An interesting and well-made drama? The young adults? Their flight? Family abuse? Police and criminals and corruption?

2. The Canadian settings, the emphasis on the open fields, the countryside, the forests? The lakes? The contrast with the homes, the barns, warehouses? Gas stations? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The introduction to Jonas, walking through the woods, his age, the encounter with the dog, with Casey, the immediate friendship, cycling with her, showing her the town? The attraction? His work on the farm, poverty conditions, his suspicious mother, his hard-working father and his expectations? Jonas and the encounter with Casey’s father, seemingly friendly, the later warning off, his return to the house, attacking the father, his being bashed?

4. Casey and her father, the death of her mother and its effect, talking about it with Jonas? With her father and his saying she was like a mother? Police, upholding the law, yet his brutality at home? The revelation about his deals and the money?

5. The Chief, his role in the town, Jonas making the complaint, the Chief fending it off, warning Jonas? The later revelation that he was in partnership with Wayne Carraway?

6. Jonas, the scenes at home, the mother and the television, his trying to talk frankly with his father, his father apprehensive, Jonas calling him a coward, his father warning him off? The later phone call and the father wanting reconciliation?

7. Jonas spying on Carraway? In the back of the truck, hiding, the deal with the bikies, Carraway shooting them? Stopping at the petrol station, Jonas seeing the bag with the money, taking it, urging Casey to go with him, the pursuit by Wayne? Going through the fields, camping out in the open, the tarpaulin and the rain, the personal conversation during the rain? Going to the motel? Their intimacy? Jonas going to the gun shop, persuading the owner to sell the gun, the bullets, teaching him how to shoot? The amount of money? The police tracking him down through the selling of the gun at a pawnshop?

8. The burying of the money? Casey not wanting to use the gun? Jonas upset? The irony that she buried it with the money and was able to dig it up and confronts her father?

9. The pursuit by the Chief, Carraway catching up with them? Their travelling on the bus, the police stopping the bus? Jonas being shot? In the car? The chief and his putting the Valium in the drinks, taking the money and leaving?

10. Jonas, his being shot, Casey pulling the gun at the pharmacy, tending his wound?

11. Carraway, wanting the money, Jonas tied up in the car, Casey digging up the money, the confrontation with the gun – and this being against her principles and hopes – her father trying to be persuasive, her shooting him?

12. The two, getting a lift, their future?