REGRETS

France, 2009, 104 minutes, Colour.
Yvan Attal, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Arly Jover, Philippe Katerine.
Directed by Cedric Kahn.

Regrets is a complex drama about relationships, betrayal, obsessions.

The film is written and directed by Cedric Kahn, actor and director.

The strength of the film is in the performances of the leads, Yvan Atall as an architect, previously in a relationship with Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, only for her to break the relationship and disappear. Years later, she returns, married, with a child and a great deal of experience. Yet, she is still able to love Atall. He is also married but is jolted when he sees his love again, becomes more and more obsessed, possessive, putting pressure on her and her husband.

The film also shows the respective spouses and the effect of the relationships and the consequences of the renewal of the affair.

Perhaps not as powerful as many of the French films with the same themes but strong, especially because of the actors.

1. A French relationship film? Love, failure, betrayal? Love over the years? The tone of the title?

2. The French settings, life in the town, the house, the countryside? Contrasting with the city, offices, workshops? The musical score by Philip Glass?

3. The focus on Mathieu, his age, background, successful architect, working with his partner, hopes, life at home, his mother being ill?

4. The focus on Mathieu, his past, the relationship with Maya, the break and her decision, not informing him? Africa, her daughter and the bond with her daughter? Her marriage, her continued life, returning to France? Seeing Mathieu in the street?

5. The effect of the street encounter on each of them, emotions, memories, love, leading to betrayal?

6. Maya, her husband, the interest in wine and vines, Mathieu welcome in the house? The effect of the relationship, the deceit? Responding to Mathieu’s obsession? His being consumed, not being able to think, erratic behaviour? Maya’s decision to leave? Going overseas, to Chile? Later, the failure of her marriage and the enterprise?

7. Mathieu, his mother, tensions with his partner, his being riddled with obsession, Maya’s leaving? His mother’s death? The aftermath of this encounter? Continuing as an architect.

8. The episode with his brother, the tension between them, the mother’s death, the possibility of selling the house, the brothers need for money, the clashes?

9. Mathieu’s partner, her work, deceived by Mathieu, the competition, entering his modern building plan?

10. The years passing, the possibility of overcoming the love, the regrets? Meeting again? Declarations of love? A future?

AVALON

Japan/Poland, 2001, 107 minutes, Colour.
Malgorzata Foremniak.
Directed by Mamoru Oshii.

This is a Japanese film, directed by , but filmed in Poland with a Polish cast. Avalon is the mythical island in the Arthurian legends where the souls of the dead finally go. Here it is the name of a computer game, played by disaffected youth, even to death. It could be described as how The Matrix might have been made if it had been directed Kieslof Kieslowski. It is Play Station meets Heidegger with a touch of Nietzsche. There is also an oratorio entitled Avalon which introduces the climax of the film.

Instead of Neo, we now have a heroic woman, Ash, who used to work with a team but is now an individualistic warrior. The world she lives in could be called Kafkaesque. The director wanted the context to be that of a communist city with echoes of totalitarianism and its dead hand. However, she tends to retreat into a sepia and white virtual world of guns, tanks and explosions where characters become two dimensional and break into pieces as they die. As Ash goes further up the hierarchy of Avalon warriors, she emerges into a perfectly normal street scene and attends the oratorio. She has to confront a spectre which may lead her to complete victory... or to Avalon.

The media kit for Avalon has pages full of detail about the technical wizardry used in the creation of the film. It has rather less on the philosophical dimensions which may be less spectacular but are crucial nonetheless. Actually, it has far more to say about identity, control and the value of human life than The Matrix.

SWEPT UNDER

Canada, 2015, 90 minutes, Colour.
Devin Kelley, Aaron Ashmore.
Directed by Michel Poulette.

Swept Under is well worth catching. It is a Canadian film masquerading as an American film with a New York setting. Devin Kelley is quite strong in the central role of the cleaner, expert on crime scenes. Aaron Ashmore, (twin brother of Shawn Ashmore) has a good role as the detective with a keen sense of justice.

The first part of the film looks as if it is a pilot for a series, the detective getting help from the cleaner, her ability to surmise what had happened, the interactions between the two, her becoming something of a part time partner, the repartee in interchanges between the two.

The film switches in the second half with a revelation of who was doing the murders, something of a surprise – and so definitely not a pilot for a television series.

The film raises the issues of male abuse of women, respectable citizens and their covers, the effect on the women used – and their getting revenge.

1. An above-average murder and detection story?

2. A Canadian production, New York setting? Apartments, streets, police precincts, theatre? The musical score? The use of Lully themes for the murders?

3. The title, the ambiguity of the crime scene cleaner, the police not following through clues, the deception in the murders?

4. The introduction to Morgan, with her fat assistant eating, going to work, the reaction of the police, the assistant being sick and leaving the job? Morgan, her ability, cleaning the crime scene? The clash with the detective – and her earlier having a clue for the solution for a murder? Her talking to Nick, the theories about what happened? The flashback glimpses – and the revelation at the end of what had happened?

5. Talking with Nick, offering the second clue, going out with him, the discussions, the attraction? The interactions and the repartee?

6. Morgan going home, alone, the drink, the dating site, communicating, at the bar, discussions, his data entries? To his place, the sexual encounter, leaving early? His later seeing her in the bar with Nick?

7. The second murder, cleaning? Nick and his asking Morgan for advice? At the office, Nick and his giving testimony against corruption, being given the cold shoulder, his partner rivalry, the boss and her criticisms? His talking with Morgan, her becoming an unofficial partner? Her caution about dating working partners? The leaking of information to the press?

8. The gathering of information, the criminal charges about conducting young prostitutes, going to see the perpetrator, giving him a warning, following him to meet the conductor, the confrontation? Morgan and her presence?

9. The switch in information, seeing Morgan with the perpetrator, stabbing his foot, the music, his writing the letter, the name in blood on the step, in the bathroom, her shooting through the door? His bloodied footprints on the floor?

10. Morgan and her continuing to help Nick, her going to the conductor, confronting him, her past, his defiance, hanging? Nick and his finding the body?

11. Morgan and Nick, the relationship, the sexual encounter, the morning after? The effect on Nick?

12. The murdered man’s wife, the surveillance, the revelation of Morgan’s presence?

13. Nick going to her apartment, her cleaning it out, the phone call, hearing the siren, tracking her down getting the petrol? The conversation on the phone, her explanation of her past, family, prostitution, the abduction, the rapes? Seeing the mayor on the television, the decision to do something about it?

14. Nick watching her, her driving away? His previous explanation of justice, black-and-white? His having to bring her in, but his personal feelings?

INCENDIES

Canada, 2010, 131 minutes, Colour.
Lubna Azabal, Melissa Desormeaux- Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Remy Girard.
Directed by Denis de Villeneuve.

An important film. Incendies (Scorched) takes us into the upheavals and civil wars in the Middle East and some of the human and inhuman consequences that can baffle, even frighten, those of us who live comfortable lives. While the country is not named in the film, it is based on events in Lebanon, civil wars, religious wars.

Incendies was the Canadian entry for the 2010 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film (which was won by the moving Danish film, In a Better World).

Incendies is based on a play and there are many powerful dialogue sequences. However, the play is opened up cinematically, with a great deal of location photography (Jordan standing in for Lebanon) and local cultural atmosphere.

Initially, audiences have to keep their wits about them as the drama moves between two different time zones. A mother’s will is being read to her twin children by the lawyer for whom she has been secretary for eighteen years since she arrived with her children in Montreal. She has letters for them asking them to deliver them to their father and to their brother whom they do not know.

In the present, the film shows the search, first of all by Jeanne, and then by Simon, helped by the lawyer. Modern Canadians unused to the Middle East, go on a journey of discovery and new cultural awareness.

In the meantime, we see the past, from the 1960s to the 1990s, the life of the mother which turns out to be surprising to the children as they piece together what happened to her – and to us, because it is a frightening story. It is a story of family shame and denunciation and killing in the mountains of Lebanon. It is a story of adoption and the hard and unexpected life of an orphan at the time of civil war and atrocities. It is a story of a woman who receives and education but who takes a stand in the civil unrest and acts on it leading to an atrocious prison experience.

We follow the past story step by step as the younger generation pursue it, Jeanne with intensity, Simon unwillingly. Where it leads we did not anticipate at all though as it unfolds, we might suspect what happened – and hope that it didn’t. But it did.

The performances are persuasive. The writing of the play (the author collaborating with the film) has great intensity. The issues are important and raise our consciousness of events still being played out in the Middle East in a harrowing way.

1. Critical acclaim? Awards? A significant film?

2. The title? English translation: Scorched?

3. Lebanon, Jordan standing in for location photography? The 1960s to the 1990s? Audience information about war, civil war, clashes of religion? The transition to the 21st century?

4. The Lebanon on settings, the villages, the city, homes, prisons, orphanages, the devastation of war, universities? The 21st century, return and change? The musical score?

5. Use of chapter headings, the focus, people, places, situations?

6. The prologue with the boy, the tattoo on his foot, being shaved, prepared for military action? At such a young age?

7. The prologue, the twins, their lawyer? Memories of their mother, her being a secretary to the lawyer, her will, the conditions, the letters? Jeanne and her response favourably to the project? Simon against?

8. Their love for their mother, her work, the esteem people had for her, her hard life, keeping it secret?

9. The prologue in the 1970s, life in the village, in the hut, the rendezvous with her lover, the meeting, the family and their response, the brothers, the honour killing, the violence? Upset? Condemnation by her grandmother? Her pregnancy? Themes of honour, religious and cultural clash?

10. The birth of the son, the tattoo on his foot, his being taken to the orphanage?

11. Nawal at the University, activist, the range of students, their courses, Christians and Muslims, the warlords, exercises of power? The war and the consequences for the students?

12. Nawal’s work in publications, the war, the closing of the University, her work as a tutor, the child, her mission, the dramatic sequence of the meeting and the weapon, the sudden assassination, the surprise, the guests, the death?

13. The twins and the task of search for their mother, Jeanne and her going to Lebanon on, her inquiries, the visit to the village, the women against her and her mother’s memory? Her being puzzled?

14. Simon, unwilling, disbelieving? The discussions with the lawyer, his decision to go to search for his sister, the lawyer accompanying him, arriving in Lebanon, the variety of contacts? The character of Simon?

15. The discovery of the prison, the flashbacks, Nawal’s arrest, the small cell, her guilt and the assassination? The years passing? Being known as the woman who sings? The years of torture, rape, the torturer? Her pregnancy, the birth of the twins, the nurse and Jeanne finding her, and the other leads courtesy of the hospital? The saving of the twins? The audience knowing who was responsible?

16. Jeanne, the information about the past and the appointment with the warlord, Simon and his contacts, travelling, the revelation by the warlord? Sharing with Jeanne?

17. The letters, the task to find their brother and their father? The shock discovery?

18. The flashback, Nawal at the pool, seeing her torturer, recognising him, seeing the tattoo on his foot? His not recognising her? Her reaction, collapse, hospital, her death?

19. The delivery of the letters, the man reading each letter, the tone of each letter, blame yet love, the hope for peace? Niwal and the writing on the headstone for her grave?

20. The twins, the realisation about their heritage?

21. A worst possible solution for their search, having to live with it, the consequences?

UTOPIA

Afghanistan/ UK, 2015, 85 minutes, Colour.
Martine Malalai Nikria, Andrew Shaver, Arun Bali, Hannah Spearritt.
Directed by Hassan Nazer.

Utopia is described by one of the characters in this film as a place where everyone is at peace, where war and prejudice have been eliminated. This is a very difficult concept because the film is in Afghanistan/UK production with some of the sequences in characters in war-torn Afghanistan.

There are three streams in this story, sometimes with great space between the episodes, but ultimately they do come together.

One strand concerns an Afghan woman whose husband has been injured in the war and is now paralysed and cannot communicate. She has remained faithful to him and now has the idea that she should bear a child by artificial insemination in his memory. She has to go to Scotland for the procedure, discussing with the doctors, encountering a medical student, David, whose story is the second strand.

He is the son of a British military man killed in Afghanistan, initially seen at a celebration for his dead father, talking with his girlfriend who cannot support his ideas of utopia. The main part of his story is his desire to have a child, persuading the doctors to have his semen for the implantation in the Afghan woman, with professional standards preventing him from revealing this to the woman herself. On the contrary, he persuades himself after an accident that he will reveal it, urges her to meet him in India, starts telling his story – to the alarm of the woman who declares to a counsellor that she feels that she has been virtually raped.

She has met a taxi driver in India, who strand is the third story, an old man, drinking and fighting in bars, in prison, persuaded by his children to drive a taxi – encountering the woman, driving her out into the countryside near the border with Pakistan where she wants to cross the river, even though pregnant.

The final images are of her giving birth to the child, its being stranded on rocks, and her dying.

By no means Utopia.

1. An Afghan- British coproduction? Characters, themes? Historical interplay between Britain and Afghanistan?

2. The Afghan locations, Scottish locations and the hospital, countryside, travelling to India, the Indian city, streets, hotel, restaurant? The musical score?

3. The title of the film, William’s explanation to Lucy? Hopes?

4. The three stories, each introduced, the gaps between each chapter of the story, eventually coming together?

5. The songs about love at the beginning, the motorbike and the Give Way sign, the accident, the drowning at the border?

6. Janan’s story, Afghan, Muslim, prayer and God, her marriage, the injuries to her husband, complete paralysis, the eight years, caring for him? His passive condition and no communication? His being looked after, the carer, Janan and her trust? The decision to have a child, the investigations in Afghanistan, the recommendation to Aberdeen, her travelling there, the interviews with the doctor, meeting with William, the process, her pregnancy, returning home, awaiting the birth of the child? The message from William, the dangers of her travel to India, the rendezvous, her puzzle at listening to his story, a realisation of what it happened, the old man as the taxi driver and his friendship, talking with the counsellor, the saying that she felt that she had been raped? The taxi ride, the old man and his family, going to the border, the river, floating and drowning, the child being born and stranded on the rocks?

7. William, the memorial for his father, killed in Afghanistan, the long lineage of fighters there? His relationship with Lucy, the conversations, the meaning of life, utopia? Her leaving him? His accident, the Skype contact with her? Medical student, his ideals, peace? Utopia? His interview with the doctor, wanting to supply the semen? Accepted? The
confidentiality, his decision to break it, phoning Janan, meeting in India, his life story? Her response? His responsibility?

8. The old man, drinking, fighting in the bar, in prison, his children wanting to help, his release, the taxi, his not wanting help, his driving, meeting Janan – the repetition of the opening sequence of the border and her drowning?

9. The film about East and West, about Western values and religion, Eastern religions, issues of destiny and fate? Issues of war and suffering?

CLEAR HISTORY

US, 2013, 101 minutes, Colour.
Larry David, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Kate Hudson, Danny Mc Bride, Bill Hader, Philip Baker Hall, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Amy Ryan.
Directed by Greg Mottola.

A lot of the success of this comedy will depend on audience response to Larry David. His style of humour is very acerbic, often with blunt, seemingly insensitive summing up of characters as well as interactions. This can be seen in his starring role in Woody Allen’s Whatever Works. His extensive writing career includes Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Saturday Night Live.

Here, with a full head of hair and a long beard, he is Nathan, a marketing expert, who mocks his employer, Jon Hamm, when the electric car he is to promote is called Howard, after the boss’s son, after the central character in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. A huge huff and he walks out, selling off his shares – which suddenly are worth millions and he is humiliated by everyone including the media.

10 years later, bald and shaven, he is living under an assumed name in a quiet town, having had a relationship with a waitress, Amy Ryan, playing cards with a group who support him. The boss builds a huge mansion in the town, Nathan is upset, gets in league with an eccentric character, played eccentrically by Michael Keaton with his offsider, Bill Hader, so that they will wire the house and blow it up. In the meantime, his old boss has a new wife, Kate Hudson, and Nathan takes a shine to her, even foolishly imagining that he can take her from the boss and marry her.

Lots of Larry David kind of humour, the completely self-preoccupied type who walk through situations assuming that his perspective is right – but, he always overreaches himself…

1. A Larry David comedy, his writing, acting? Is initial disclose – and in prison? The bulk of the film and his normal appearance?

2. The world of business, cars, marketing, success? The passing of 10 years? The western town, Nathan becoming Rolley, his history, relationships, Wendy? The friends in the town? Concealing his identity? The threat to the revelation of who he was?

3. The cast, the range of comic cameos?

4. Nathan, pig-headed, his trophy wife, his work in marketing, his being employed, the discussion with Will, Will’s son and his being pulled Howard, the car being called Howard? The background of Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead? His tantrum, refusing to market, his being fired? Arguments, stubborn, leaving, the media capturing him, the reports, everybody knowing about his failure?

5. Larry David and his style, acerbic, blunt comedy?

6. Will, pride in his son, the car, making billions? His wife, the building of the new house, pool and bowling? His vaunting it? His mistaking Rolley as a workman?

7. Mc Kenzie in the diner? Working on the building, wanting a job? The bargain and the threats? Rolley and his carefree/ careless attitude, the swing and its collapse, the other calamities? Rhonda liking him and defending him against Mc Kenzie?

8. Will, his wife, love? His son? The house? Rhonda and her personality, her being helped by Rolley, attracted to him, Rowley and his self-deception, her love for Will and his illness, rejection of Rolley?

9. Rolley watching The Fountainhead and getting the idea for the demolition?

10. Will, being sick, wanting to do good, reparation for Nathan?

11. The date, the fair, happy day, Rolley and his intentions for Rhonda? Completely unrealistic?

12. Joe Stumpo, Rags as his associate, eccentricities, antagonism to the house, Rolley and his propositions, the plans, the enthusiasm, Rolley taking Rhonda to the fair, their wiring the house?

13. Will, his offer of help and reparation to Nathan, too late to stop the explosion?

14. Rolley and Joe and Rags in jail?

15. The Larry David American satire?

SUGAR & SPICE

US, 2001, 81 minutes, Colour.
Marla Sokolow, Marley Shelton, Melissa George, Mena Suvari, Rachel Blanchard, Alexandra Holden, James Marsden, Sean Young.
Directed by Francine Mc Dougall.

If little girls are made of sugar and spice, then the exception is the group of cheerleaders in this slight film.

The film makes a great deal of the cheerleaders, their friendship, their practices, their performances, and other girls rather jealous, wanting to become cheerleaders.

One of the girls, Diane, Marley Shelton, is infatuated with Jack, one of the star sportsmen, played by James Marsden with an incessant smile and seemingly incurable optimism (something he brought to his performance in Enchantment). The other girls are somewhat tougher, especially Mena Suvari as Kansas, Melissa George is something of a sexpot, Rachel Blanchard is a young girl who belongs to a very religious family.
The gist of the story is that Diane thinks she is poor, Jack losing jobs, and while the group are watching Keanu Reeves in Point Blank, the bank robbery with masks, they get the idea that they should rob a bank, prepare, get girly masks and costumes, make contact with Kansas’ mother in prison to get some hints, go to a gun dealer who wants his daughter to become a cheerleader…

Despite everything, they carry it off – but they are dependent on the rival girl who tells the story to the police then gives them an alibi on condition that she can become a cheerleader!

1. A teen comedy? The touches of satire?

2. The cast, cheerleaders, sportsmen, teenagers, pregnancy? A robbery film?

3. The familiar American town, homes, school, dysfunctional families, cheerleaders and their roles in sports matches, friendships, cliques? The musical score?

4. Lindsey, the narration, talking to the police, her attitude to the other girls, telling the story, delineating their characters, some barbed comments, her recounting the events, jealousy, not successful as a cheerleader, her attraction to Jack? The robbery, her presence? The pressure on her, giving them an alibi? Able to join the clique and become a cheerleader?

5. Diane, her age, bright, cheerful, the cheerleader, the leader of the friends, her attitude towards her parents? Attraction to Jack, the Ouija board and his choice of her? Jack and being together, pregnant, the house, moving in, the ideals – and Jack always cheery and loving? Jack and his jobs? The girls, Diane thinking she was poor, watching Point Break on television, the idea of the robbery? Watching the other films, Reservoir Dogs, masks? Her studying the techniques of the robbery, the advice from the prisoners, going to get the guns, the dealer and his daughter and her becoming a cheerleader? The preparation?

6. Jack, all smiles, sport, attracted to Diane, successful at his jobs, the two young men admiring him, working with them? Diane, the house, the shopping, everything ideal and cheerful?

7. Girls, Chloe and the sex appeal, going to Hollywood? Lucy and Harvard? Hannah and the Church? Kansas and her aggression, her grandmother, visiting her mother in prison, the tough mother, the mother’s friend, the discussions about robberies?

8. The gun dealer, his daughter wanting to be a cheerleader? The guns, scrap, putting them together?

9. The masks, the blonde doll, the Nixon mask, the uniforms, the initial attempt, the repeat, the people in the bank, the assistant, Lindsey and her watching?

10. The money, happy, the gift of the pram? Lindsey giving them the alibi? Diane telling Jack that they won the lottery?

11. Happy ending and Lindsey as a cheerleader?

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

US, 2001, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Andi Mc Dowell, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette.
Directed by Norman Jewison.

Dinner with Friends is a very interesting drama about two married couples, one in the reflections on the long marriage, the other in the middle of a breakup with memories of their coming together in the ups and downs of their marriage.

The screenplay, for television, was adapted by the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Donald Margulies. The director is the long-experienced, Norman Jewison, one of his last films after his career began in the 1960s, a highlight being the Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night. He also directed Jesus Christ Superstar. The cast is also very good, each of them contributing fine performances and Toni Collette standing out.

As the film had theatre origins, most of the action takes place in the homes of the couples and in restaurants – although there is a flashback scene, opening the action, to a summer holiday at Martha’s Vineyard.

While the film highlights the happiness and stresses of a marriage that has lasted for over a decade, husband-and-wife being professional cooks, travelling together, writing articles together. The film also highlights a marriage that began, more whims than love, that made the husband feel lonely while superior to his wife and she both controlling and resentful.

The film also raises the question about the breakup of the marriage where husband-and-wife, close friends of the other couple, feel the effect on the married couple in learning truths they were not aware of and the breaking of friendships and the consequent hurt.

1. A picture of marriage, fidelity, infidelity, crisis, coping with crises?

2. The origin of the film as a play, winning the Pulitzer Prize? The author adapting it to the screen? The reputation of the director and his long career?

3. The strong cast, screen presence, performances?

4. The settings: the interiors of each of the homes, dining room, bedroom? The flashback to Martha’s Vineyard and the holiday and the coast? Dining out, the two restaurants? The musical score?

5. The introduction to Gabe and Karen, seeing them at work with their cooking, their skills, tastes, writing? Publications? The years of marriage? The children?

6. The opening dinner, Beth arriving alone, tension during the meal, Gabe and Karen wondering, telling all the stories of their Italian trip, the children making noise upstairs and irritating their parents? Beth saying all was well? The bursting into tears? Her telling the whole story, Tom leaving her, taking up with Nancy, Beth calling her a stewardess when she was a travel agent? Her weeping, pouring out the truth, the bewilderment for each of the listeners? Interventions, putting their foot in it, sensitivity and insensitivity? Beth and her eating the desert, calming down? Leaving with the children? Karen and Gabe, their bewilderment, Gabe saying they wanted to hear both sides, Karen and her immediate dislike of Tom even though he had beat been a great friend? The tension between the couple?

7. Beth, at home, with the children, reading in bed, Tom arriving home, the cancellation of the plane, not getting accommodation, talking with Beth, his aggressive manner, her defensiveness, denying that she had told the story? Tom pressing her, and with the details of what they had to eat? The bitterness about the past? The anger, rage, sexual encounter – and Tom later explaining to Gabe that this was a sexual motivation?

8. The version of the past, Beth, marrying, love, her artwork, Tom mocking it, not supporting her, yet building her the studio? His saying that she was cold, would not allow him to touch her, his being lonely, exasperation, finding sympathy with Nancy?

9. Tom, going to visit late at night, the rain, Karen and her distant reaction, Tom and his plea to be listened to, Gabe and his long friendship, trying to be fair, providing the meal? Tom accusing Gabe of having his agenda and giving opinions, not listening to him?

10. The flashback to the days Vineyard? Setting up Tom with Beth? Beth, her appearance, on the beach, her painting, Gabe and his rude remarks about it, Tom having seen Beth at the wedding, the dancing? His arrival, at home with Karen and Gabe? Hospitality, the meal? Beth coming in, the talking with Tom, the flirting, Tom thinking he should settle down, Beth and her art? The marriage?

11. The passing of time, the marriage, the tensions, the children?

12. The final sequences with Gabe and Karen and the meals with Tom and Beth? Karen, with Beth, the meal, Beth looking glamorous, revealing the relationship with David, Tom’s partner, previous knowledge (and the question whether there had been an affair)? Beth and her decision to get married? Karen and her reaction, Beth turning against her, saying that Karen had an imperfect family and she wanted to escape, trying to create the perfect family with her friends? Karen surprised and upset about the resentment? The shift in friendship? Gabe and Tom, the meal, Tom looking well, exercising with Nancy, being happy, sexual fulfilment? His recounting the past, the loneliness? Gabe, the feeling of alienation, reassessing the past friendship, the friendship being broken?

13. At home, Gabe and Karen, the night, and older couple, the children, reading the bedtime story? Karen and her dream, of herself and Gabe as an old couple, present couple, wanting Gabe to talk, some explanation? His beginning the explanation about growing old, the practicalities of life, distance – but the attraction and the beginning of a sexual encounter and the film ending there?

K-PAX

US, 2001, 120 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary Mc Cormack, Alfre Woodard, David Patrick Kelly, Saul Williams, Peter Gerety, Celia Weston, AJ Naidu, Conchata Ferrell Vincent Laresca.
Directed by Iain Softley.

K-PAX is a psychological drama with overtones of alien visits and other planets. It is a tour de force for Kevin Spacey as Prot, a man who is found in a busy railway station, accused of begging and taken in by the police where he bewilders them with his strange answers to interrogation, claiming to be a visitor from another planet.

It is not surprising that he is then referred to a psychiatric institution – where his engaging personality makes contact with quite a wide range of inmates, including David Patrick Kelly and Celia Weston. He is supported by one of the staff, Conchata Ferrell, but is considered with great suspicion by the doctor, Alfre Woodard.

Prot also astounds physicists with his scientific knowledge.

He is eventually referred to a specialist, played by Jeff Bridges, who uses the techniques of sympathy to elicit responses from the patient. Prot is quite persuasive with the inmates, even promising to take them to the planet if they write an essay about why they would like to go – something which they enthusiastically subscribe to.

However, the specialist is more concerned and gets his staff to try to track down Prot’s identity and where he came from. He finds the location, find Prot’s identity and that he worked in an abattoir, and experienced trauma in the death of his wife which had the devastating psychological effects on him.

Meanwhile at the institution, the competition for travelling with Prot is over, he alleges that he has to go on travels – but, is finally seen sedated in something of a catatonic state, still with a smile of happiness.

There is a subplot about the psychiatrist, tensions with his wife and his son being alienated – but being reunited with his father at the end.

The film was directed by British director, Ian Softley, who made such films as Backbeat, Hackers, Skeleton Key, Inkheart and Wings of the Dove.

1. A psychological drama? Exploring themes of aliens? Different consciousnesses? Trauma and schizophrenia?

2. The theme of aliens, the screenplay opening up possibilities, what if…? Descriptions of alien cultures, comparisons with human culture, the critique of human culture?

3. The variety of clues, the possibilities and impossibilities? The screenplay highlighting contradictions?

4. The introduction, Prot, the railway station, the aura of light, the beggar, the robbery, the police, their reactions, And his being agreeable, going to the station, interrogations?

5. Props story, K-PAX, the description of light travel, instant in time, the information about himself, the planet, his variety of visits, learning, liking humans, loving fruit, the bananas? The tests, his going to the institution, the month passing?

6. Prot and the staff, Dr Vilars and her harshness, Betty Mc Allister and her friendship? The variety of inmates, their behaviour, the effect on Prot? The issue of smelling or not? Bess and her silence? Doris Archer and her being haughty? Howie and his earnestness? Ernie and the mask? In himself?

7. The introduction to Mark, his work, his abilities, the secretary and help, the request about Prot? Dealing with people, his professional manner, treatment? The discussions, the interview, listening to Prot, his responses, being agreeable, playing along?

8. Mark, at home, tired, his wife talking with him, his preoccupation and not listening? Rachel, the girls, Michael and the tension? Friends, the meal, the celebration of 4th July, easy, Prot and his presence, the swing, with the daughter? The hose and the calm?

9. Steve, consultation, physicists, the diagrams, Prot and his ease, his comment about common knowledge?

10. The sessions, the revelations, the experiences, calm and peace? With each of the inmates, the promise to travel, their being transformed, Doris, sense of smell, their having to write essays, Prot’s disappearance and his alleged visit to the North? Dr Vilars and her severe reaction?

11. Prot’s saying that had to leave, giving the date? Mark, the assistant, the research? Trying to find time and place? The hypnosis experience, the date?

12. Mike discovering the location, the identity, the story of the wife and daughter, the records, his visit, the police and the information, the photostory? The flashbacks and the trauma of the death?

13. Prot, the farewell, genuine? The reaction of the inmates, then not travelling – but their being transformed?

14. The authorities, upset, Mark and his reaction? Prot and his collapse, catatonic, the report – and his talking?

15. The background of Mark and his son, the alienation, the visit at the station, the reconciliation?

16. Prot and his traumatic experience, his life at the abattoir, his wife and death? Living inside himself – but the possibility of being open to worlds beyond? His life as a mission?

BEFORE MORNING

US, 1933, 67 minutes, Black-and-white.
Leo Carrillo, Lora Baxter, Taylor Holmes, Louise Prussing, Russell Hicks.
Directed by Arthur Hoerl.

Before Morning is based on a successful Broadway play, adapted by the director, Arthur Hoerl. He directed only four films but was celebrated as a screenwriter from the early 1920s to the late 1960s.

Perhaps because the director is better as a writer than as a director, the film was more interesting in its plot and twists rather than in its execution.

This is early sound filmmaking, small-budget, featuring character actor Leo Carrillo as a seeming doctor, specialising in blackmail, but ultimately revealed to be a police inspector testing out the suspects.

The focus of the film is on an actress, Lora Baxter (a screenwriter, performing vaudeville and in theatre whose only film this was) retiring, about to get married, with a daughter in hospital for whom she sings over the phone, who is visited by an older man who wanted to marry her after getting a divorce from his wife. He feels unwell, goes into the bedroom and dies. To avoid any scandal, the actress’s friends all band together to remove the body from the apartment and take it to a special clinic.

The alleged head of the clinic arrives and rather browbeat is the actress, accusing her of murder, the fact that the man had died of nicotine poisoning. She is given a legacy in the dead man’s will and the doctor pressurises the actress to sign over the money so that he can give a false report that the man died of natural causes. He also contacts the dead man’s wife who arrives, dismayed. However, she is open to the hushing up of any scandal, she planning to get married, and is willing to cede the money to the doctor.

A bit desperate, the wife having taken the box of pills of her dead husband, the actress decides that she wants to do the right thing no matter what. When some friends of the actress arrive, they reveal that the doctor is not the doctor and the wife then tries to throw herself from the balcony… The friends reveal that he is a police inspector, he apologising for what he put the actress through, she then happy to be with the man she intends to marry…

While the plot is interesting, the pace of the film is very slow, the cast pausing before delivering their lines, Leo Carrillo is not exactly the person you would hire to impersonate the specialist – and all the men involved, quite suddenly, appear in the apartment at the end of the film.

A curiosity item with a better plot than performance and production.