MONKEYBONE

US, 2001, 93 minutes, Colour.
Brendan Fraser, Bridget Fonda, John Turturro, Chris Kattan, Giancarlo Esposito, Rose Mc Gowan, Dave Foley, Megan Mullaly, Bob Odenkirk, Lisa Zane, Whoopi Goldberg,
Directed by Henry Selick.


A bizarre film, to say the least! And ordinary audience will find it too “out there�. Cult film audiences who like something beyond “out there� may become devotees.

The film was based on a graphic novel and its central character is a cartoonist, Stu, Brendan Fraser. His girlfriend is Julie, Bridget Fonda. His creation is a devilish monkey, Monkeybone, full of mischief – in cartoons and in short films.

Stu has an accident goes into coma which enables him to inhabit the world of Monkeybone. Monkeybone is certainly mischievous, and he is voiced by John Turturro. All kinds of characters are encountered in this cartoon world including Death, played by Whoopee Goldberg. Stu is in hospital, Julie trying to help as she is a doctor – and there are return sequences to the live action as people are concerned about Stu and his health.

Stu’s friend and agent, Dave Foley, is trying to exploit the situation. Stu’s sister, Megan Mullaly, antagonistic towards her brother, is determining whether to turn off the life support or not – with Stu having a mission to solve all his problems before that happens.

In his imagination, there are several characters from Greek mythology including Hypnos, Sleep, with whom he does a deal. There is also the body of a dead gymnast, Chris Kattan, with Stu inhabiting him and Monkeybone and moving in and out.

Director Henry Selick made a number of short animated films but was successful with Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. He also made a version of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach.

Fans of the film enjoy comparing it to a range of fantasies, especially those made by Tim Burton as well as mysterious worlds like Dark City.

One enthusiast called it “a beautiful nightmare�.

THE NUT JOB

US, 2014, 85 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson, Katherine Heigl, Stephen Lang, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Dunham, Gabriel Iglesias, Sarah Gadon.
Directed by Peter Lepeniotis.

With the play on words in the title, with “nut� denoting something silly, the emphasis is on real nuts for animals in the park, trying to collect food for the winter. In fact, the word “job� in the title is also important because the animals come across human criminals who are trying to rob a bank and substitute nuts for the money.

The film is rather bright and breezy. Will Arnett voices the squirrel, Surly, something of a rogue, a loner, clashing with Raccoon, the big man who oversees life in Liberty Park. Surly is on the outer although he has a friend, Buddy, a rat who does not talk, who is supportive of Surly but is sometimes betrayed by him. Also at the centre of the action is another squirrel, Andi, voiced by Katherine Heigl.

As we are introduced to life in the park, there is also an indication with two men at a nut stall casing the bank in preparation for a robbery. A most aggressive little girl wants and service and denounces them to the police and they have to move on. This aggressive little girl was so successful that she appeared in the sequel, Nut Job 2, Nutty by Nature, but this time as the daughter of the corrupt local mayor, bullying everyone while trying to get attention where she is sweetness and light.

The plan for the animals is to get as many nuts from the nut shop which is closing down and has a quite a variety in its basement. The main trouble is that this is also the way that the robbers are to get into the bank. This leads to all kinds of adventures, crossing paths with the robbers, the chief robber out of jail doing his last job but ready to betray his rather dumb henchman.

Raccoon, voiced by Liam Neeson, becomes something of a bully, apprehensive about the rivalry from Surly, relying on a rather dumb mole with limited eyesight to do a lot of his dirty work, sabotaging othe work of Surly and a group of groundhogs who squabble amongst themselves who do a lot of the work. Then there is also the vain squirrel, Grayson, voiced by Brendan Fraser, who sees himself as something of a hero but is actually quite a coward at times. Ultimately, he does get into the action with Surly – with Andi being disillusioned by Raccoon, and a whole lot of action with explosives and fire hydrants and flooding.

There is enough action in a variety of characters to entertain younger audiences. For adults, there are quite a number of jokes in the screenplay as well as the amusing voices of the stars.

The film so successful that there was a sequel incorporating most of the characters again (not Raccoon) plus the crooks’ dog, Precious (Maya Rudolph) and some explanations of the back stories, especially the relationship between Surly and Buddy. Jackie Chan was introduced as a kind of mighty mouse in the sequel – which, in many ways, was more enjoyable for its audiences both young and older.

GITARRMONGOT

Sweden, 2004, 89 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ruben Ostlund.

The main reason for seeing this film is that it is one of the earliest films by now celebrated director, Ruben Ostlund.

This film is a rather meandering wander around a Swedish city, looking at a variety of people, seemingly at random although one of the links is a boy playing guitar who turns up frequently.

It is hard to describe the film so the note from the IMDb Is as useful as any: A 12 year old boy making basic punk songs, grown up men playing with guns, a neurotic woman with euphoric happiness targeting self-destruction. A Swedish everyday life you've never seen before.

For those who like narrative, there is nothing much to attract their attention.

For those who like films which are the equivalent of an art installation, a succession of moving images, episodes, with the attention on the photography, the artistic eye on the characters and their situations, then this film is more something of an experience.

As has been said, is the first feature of Ruben Ostlund who went on to make arresting films, often drawing on this “observational style�, Involuntary and his story of children, thieving and bullying in Gotherberg in Play. However, Ostlund was able to gather his visual interests and style with a narrative set in a ski resort with an avalanche, Force Majeure. He then went on to win the Palme d’Or in Cannes for The Square.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN

US, 2016, 93 minutes, Colour.
Laverne Cox, Ryan Mc Cartan, Victoria Justice, Ben Vereen, Staz Nair, Christina Milian, Reeve Carney, Tim Curry, Adam Lambert, Annaleigh Ashford.
Directed by Kenny Ortega.

The immediate response to this film is that it is for devotees of Richard O’ Brien’s famous musical theatre theatre production and film of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975, directed by Jim Sharman with Richard O’ Brien himself playing Riffraff. Tim Curry had a breakthrough role as Dr Frank N Furter.

However, many of the bloggers commenting on this film version are extremely dissatisfied, almost having the original film on a pedestal and its being unable to be knocked off, not even imitated, not even to be remade.

The film was rather small-budget in origin, was popular on stage – and then became a cult item for the next 40 years and more, audiences gathering to sing along with the film, reciting lines of dialogue, bringing many of the props and using them as actors performed on screen.

The director, Kenny Ortega, is a choreographer, who made the High School Musical series. There is a great emphasis on the staging of the songs, and the design and choreography of the dancing.

The film uses a range of devices because, basically, this is a filmed stage version, elaborate stage sets and transitions. However, some of the action is opened out, especially the introduction to Brad and Janet, their drive, the car breaking down, the rain, going to the mansion. There is a further device where these scenes and others are actually framed as if part of the film on stage and the camera turns to the audience watching, with them singing along at times as well as a lot of the actions with the props. This highlights the theatricality of the whole venture, its status as cult movie, its extraordinary popularity and participation.

Those familiar with the original will be able to comment on the detail of how the plotline, the music and interpretation of the songs, have developed and changed over 40 years.

The main change for the whole project is in the performer playing Dr Frank N Furter. Originally, it was Tim Curry, an extraordinarily flamboyant performance which led to Curry having a strong career on stage and film. There was a 1970s kinkiness in the appearance and performance, a male, female characteristics and costume, gay implications. While times have changed in terms of gender equality, it is surprising to see a woman in the role. In fact, the performer, Laverne Cox is a transgender person. But it means that Dr Frank N Furter is visually female, bustilly so, male characteristics not particularly evident, which diminishes the impact of the kinkiness of the character.

Brad and Janet here are the equivalent of Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick. Reeve Carney actually resembles Richard O’ Brien physically and makes quite an impression as Riffraff, as O’ Brien did in the original. The rest of the crew at the castle resemble many of the original characters in look and style.

There is a major difference in the presentation of the narrator. And this is particularly true of not only the commentary but of the lyrics for the Time Warp. In the original it was the very, very British Charles Gray, giving an almost professorial tone. This time it is Tim Curry himself with an extraordinary quiet, very laid-back commentary and Time Warp Lyrics.

For those who know the score, there is the wide range of songs, the transformation of the rather prim Brad and Janet by their encounters with Dr Frank N Furter and Rocky (Staz Nair) and, the Time Warp.

The film has all kinds of strange themes of Elvis, of aliens, of sex and transgender…

Which means that a remake or another staging is always possible.

LE GUETTEUR/ THE LOOKOUT

France, 2012, 89 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Auteuil, Mathieu Kassovitz, Olivier Gourmet, Francis Renaud, Nicholas Briancon, Jerome Pouly, Violante Placido, Luca Argentero, Michele Placido, Fanny Ardant.
Directed by Michele Placido.

There have been many French police films, many standards of the 1970s, often with a lane Their long, many directed by Jean-Pierre? Melville. There is quite a tradition.

This film has been directed by Michele Placido, Italian actor and director – who has a small role the end of the film with a cameo by Fanny Ardant.

At the centre of the investigation is Mattei, played by Daniel Auteuil, whose son has been killed on active service in the Middle East. The police have been tipped off about a robbery and close in on the robbers only to be prevented from apprehension because of the sniper.

The sniper is played by Mathieu Kassovitz, the man who killed the inspector’s son, but with a complex back story, military service, crime, a relationship with the lawyer, his skill as a marksman, putting together the group to the robbery. He is apprehended, jailed. His lawyer associate is cruelly butchered. An arrangement is made whereby he escaped from prison to track down the person responsible.

The villain of the story is played by Olivier Gourmet, a doctor who has been disbarred, was able to operate on one of the wounded robbers. It emerges that he has informed the police, has killed off other members of the gang, is, in fact, the sexual deviant holding women, torturing and killing them, photographing them.

The film builds up to a climax with the three central characters, the inspector disillusioned about his son and his behaviour as a soldier, the wounding and death of the doctor, the lookout going free.

1. French police thriller? Armed robberies? Investigations? Military background? Sexual deviancy?

2. The Paris settings, the city, the bank, the surrounding streets, the car pursuits? The countryside? The doctor’s house and interiors? The woods beyond? An Italian director and perspective? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Vincent Kaminski?

4. The interrogation, Mattei, his role, his subordinate? Mattei and his intensity? Knowing about Vincent? Vincent and his responses?

5. Going back in time, the information about the robbery, Mattei and the police in readiness? The getaway cars, the thieves emerging from the bank, the money? The police moving into action? The sniper, the lookout, his shooting, his accuracy? The robbers getting away?

6. Vincent Kaminski, his being taken in, surrounded? The interrogation? His lack of answers? His going to jail? In jail, the setup, the groups, the fight, the method of the escape, the pursuit, the death of his accomplices?

7. Kaminski and his lawyer, the past relationship, getting him off, the same modus operandi? The violence of her death and torture? Mattei bringing the photos to the prison, Kaminski studying them? Further motivation?

8. The robbers? Nico wounded, his being taken to the doctor? Franck and his not being in practice? The surgery? Nico remaining with him? Nico’s wife, the interrogations and visits, her anxiety, the phone call? Vincent coming to see her?

9. David, his being followed, his throat cut? Eric, drug dependence, with the dealer? Kaminski confronting Frank, driving to the bar, Franck and his being beaten up, a decoy, his escape? Eric, the confrontation with the dealers, the shooting? Kaminski and his killing Eric?

10. The background story of Vincent, the documents as top-secret, the official revealing them to Mattei? Mattei’s son and his death? Kaminski responsible? The true story, Mattei’s son, becoming violent, killing civilians, Kaminski turning against him and killing him?

11. The information giving to get into the police, the setup? Nico and his friend from the circus, following? Finding Franck?

12. The truth about Franck, the plot, his informing the police, the surgery? The woman interned? Nico releasing her, the running through the forest? Franck and his pursuit? Nico’s death – and Mattei coming with Nico’s wife? Franck and his deviancy, the photographs, torture?

13. Franck, apprehended, self-confidence, Mattei and the setup, for Kaminski to kill him? Franck getting out of the car, walking along the streets, the bridge, being shot, his foot, going into the alley, Mattei confronting him, leaving him to Kaminski?

14. The aftermath? The criminals and their deaths? Kaminski and his freedom?

RIGHT NOW, WRONG THEN

Korea, 2015, 121 minutes, Colour.
Jae-yeong Jeong, Min-hee Kim.
Directed by Sang- soo Hong.

There have been a number of films which have told the same story twice: Divorce His, Divorce Hers, Sliding Doors – and the three films of The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Him, Her, Them.

This Korean film tells the same story twice.

A film director travels to a city for a screening and a Q&A session. He arrives early, encounters a young woman who is a painter, becomes interested in her, talking with her, having coffee with her, listening to her story, telling his own. He falls in love with her. He has a screening but the Q&A is not successful as the chair focuses on himself and the film director walks out.

The film has the title a second time in the middle of the film and then repeats the story with more subtle variations, in the treatment of the characters, in the details of their encounter, more subtleties in the presentation of the painter.

The film moves at a very measured pace, giving the audience time to contemplate the characters, their emotions, the moral situations.

The film director himself has a strong reputation – although, in the early 21st century he made a film with a rather challenging title, especially for female audiences, Woman is the Future of Man.

This film won the main prize at the 2015 Locarno Festival and also won an Ecumenical Award.

THE SHADOW

UK, 1933, 63 minutes, Black and white.
Henry Kendall, Felix Aylmer, Elizabeth Allen, Cyril Raymond, Ralph Truman.
Directed by George A. Cooper.

This is a British film, not related to the American version of the crime detector, radio personality in many films, The Shadow.

Instead, the film opens with a number of suicides of prominent people, being blackmailed by an unknown hat and cloak character. Scotland Yard is investigating, under the supervision of Sir Henry Bryant (Felix Aylmer in an early role). One of his chief investigators almost captures The Shadow but is killed. He is played by Ralph Truman, to be a character actor in British films over the coming decades.

The action goes to Sir Henry’s country estate, a focus on his daughter, played by Elizabeth Allen, her eccentric and self-centred aunt, Sir Henry’s secretary, a number of police, infiltration by a mysterious man and his wife, turning out to be a famous jewel thief having escaped from Dartmoor, and, distracting audiences with PG Wodehouse kind of silly-ass humour and puns, Henry Kendall as a guest, a writer of crime novels, looking for clues everywhere, getting in the way, tiring everyone all the time.

The Shadow is in the house, fires shots at various people, another inspector being killed.

The audience will have many his suspicions – but it does turn out to be the silly-ass who uses that is a cover for his blackmailing attempts.

The film works reasonably well as a murder mystery, as a focus on British class and differences, police investigations – and the unmasking of a seemingly unlikely villain.

THE SHADOW STRIKES

US, 1937, 61 minutes, Black-and-white.
Rod La Rocque, Agnes Anderson, James Blakely, Walter Mc Grail, Walter Kellogg.
Directed by Lynn Shores.


The caption has had quite a number of incarnations. This small-budget supporting feature had Rod La Rocque as Lamont Granston, criminologist, investigator. The next year he appeared in International Crime but the surname had been changed to Cranston instead of Granston.

Cranston is investigating the death of his father at the hands of the mob. He is assisted by a non-descript Henry who dries for him as well as various other odd jobs. While two men are robbing a safe in the office of a lawyer, Cranston surprises them, rings the police and then pretends to be the lawyer when the police arrive.

His son into the house of a wealthy man in order to go over a will. While at the table writing, the wealthy man is shot. Cranston is able to cover himself in terms of identity as well is Henry disconnecting the phone when his ringing the lawyer’s secretary.

The record some complications with the potential areas. One of the young men is an inveterate gambler, under the thumb of the owner of the casino and his associates. Another is rather absent-minded, wandering off for walks. Then there is the daughter, attracted to Cranston, falling out with her boyfriend who seems to be after her money. There are lawyers, police investigating, complicated meetings including Cranston going to see the gambling syndicate and setting up a surveillance microphone in the office.

Eventually, the actual lawyer returns but is grateful for Cranston preserving his reputation.

In the background, there was always the butler – and, the butler did it, because he was the father of the young man that the daughter had been engaged to.

The next year there was International Crime, with the plot more extensive with international overtones.

VOICE FROM THE STONE

Italy/US, 2017, 94 minutes, Colour.
Emilia Clarke, Marton Csokas, Caterina Murino, Remo Girone, Lisa Gastoni, Edward George Dring.
Directed by Eric Dennis Howell.

Voice from the Stone is based on an Italian novel, with a 1950s setting. It could be classified as a ghost story with some mild touches of horror.

At the opening of the film, a woman is dying and asks her son to call her back to him. From the time of his mother’s death, the boy does not speak. His father is concerned and has been hiring governesses. The latest governess is Verena, played by Emilia Clarke (Me Before You, Game of Thrones). She is confident, rationalist in her approach, especially when it emerges that the boy listens to the walls, holes in the walls, and he is voices. His concerned father, Martin Csokas, is a sculptor.

This is a rather slow-burning film, the governess gradually settling into the house, assisted in her room by the dead wife’s dresser (who later is revealed to be a ghost). The boy is wilful but gradually the governess begins to pretend to listen to the wall, then hearing sounds, voices – is she possessed by the voices, can she do her work, can she connect with the boy? She rushes away but collapses and is returned to the house.

The film is able to have to endings – the sinister ending where she is buried alive, lying next to the dead wife, but this turns out to be a nightmare. Recovering, she connects with the boy who speaks to her, plays the piano with her – and she is the reincarnation of his mother.

The director, Eric Dennis Howell, had a career working in stunts and making short films.

1. The title, the literal manifestations, for Jakob, for Verena?

2. The 1950 setting, Italy, the beauty of the Italian countryside, the woods, pools? The ancient buildings? Exteriors and interiors? Atmosphere? The musical score, the final song?

3. The introduction to Verena, who work with children, helping them, moving on? Parents and gratitude? Coming to the new house? The overwhelming atmosphere? Her age, experience, earnestness? Handling children?

4. The introduction to the house, the servants with the touch of the sinister? The father, the interview, his warning about past governesses, her confidence? The room, settling in? The task with Jakob? His mother’s death and his not speaking?

5. Jakob, the opening sequence with his mother dying, her asking him to call her back? Not speaking since her death? The daily life and routines, his relationship with his father? Surly, disobedient? At the table? Wandering in the woods? The Cliff, the cave, his floating in the water?

6. Verena, the black clothes, the room, encountering the dresser, combing her hair, the advice, the memories, the story of the dead wife, pianist, her to bring? Her death?

7. The father, the sculptor, taciturn, concerned about his son? The discussions with the Verena? The beginning of the attraction, his imagination, her imagination, sexual encounters? Her posing for the wife’s sculpture?

8. Verena and her attempts to work with Jakob? Activities, in the woods, the top of the cliff, in the water? The piano? His disappearances, the shooting of the rabbit? And eating at the meal?

9. The issue of his listening to the voices on the wall? Her scepticism? Explanations to his father? Who beginning to listen, the variety of sounds, Jakob and the different places where he listened? The hole in the wall? Verena and her gradually hearing sounds, voices, being transformed?

10. Her dependence on Jakob, his dependence on her? To save him in the water? The voices, her decision to leave, the escape, collapse?

11. The screenplay and the double ending: her having the nightmare being buried alive, in the tomb with Jakob’s mother? Her waking, staying, part of the household, the servants more friendly, but her discovery that the dresser was a ghost?

12. Verena, the different personality, playing the piano with Jakob – and his mother being reincarnated in Verena?

MARLINA THE MURDERER IN FOUR ACTS


Indonesia, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Marsha Timothy, Dea Panendra, Egy Fedly.
Directed by Mouly Suriya

Western audiences will not be familiar with films from Indonesia. The most successful, internationally, have been the crime and police thrillers, The Raid series.

The title gives an indication here of the structure of the film. There are four headings for the different acts, Robbery, Journey, Confession, Birth. And at the centre is a middle-aged woman, a widow living alone, Marlina, played by Marsha Timothy.

The action is set in the Indonesian countryside, something like the Western frontier for a Western audience but somebody commenting that this Indonesian setting is like an Eastern frontier.

However, the principal focus is on the issues of women in Indonesia. The men are generally presented as violent and brutal, exploiting the women, not hesitating in physical violence and sexual violence.

In the first act, Marlina is at home, a stranger Markus arrives, telling her that his friends are coming and will steal her cattle and animals, which they do, and then gang rape her. In the meantime, she is to prepare a meal for him and for his friends, demanding chicken soup. When the friends arrive, they are boisterous, looking forward to the sexual violence. However, she is able to put poison in the soup and four of them die. Markus then attempts the rape and, in the middle of it, Marlina gets a machete and beheads him. She has to flee before two others arrive on motorbikes).

The tone is set and one commentator, probably correctly, reminds us of the style of Quentin Tarantino in such films as the Kill Bill series and The Hateful Eight.

In the second act, Marlina a takes the head of Markus in a box, intending to go to the police, explaining the situation to them and getting help. She meets a pregnant friend on the road and they catch the bus to go to the town, Marlina with her machete to the driver’s throat and the other passengers scurrying away.

The third act is the confession. In the town, she encounters a little girl at a restaurant, has a meal, entrusts the head to the little girl warning her against looking inside and goes to the police. The officer takes down notes, has an old typewriter, does not have enough staff to pursue the case, says that Marlina must be examined by a doctor but, again, no one is available.

The title of the fourth act focuses on the pregnant woman who also has become a victim of the surviving men, her being brutally treated, thrown to the ground and hit. But, in this Eastern frontier, there are mobile phones and there is a lot of connection. Ultimately, Marlina is reunited with the pregnant woman, some violence against the men who hold them, then giving birth – and the possibility of new life (as well is the cycle continuing).

A significant film from a predominantly Muslim country, a feminist assertion of the value of women, a condemnation of the brutality of men and their presumption.