GOLD

US, 2016, 121 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Mc Conaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Bill Camp, Craig T.Nelson, Macon Blair, Rachel Taylor, Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach.
Directed by Stephen Gaghan.

A very straightforward title. It means what it says – or perhaps not! Probably best not to know anything much about the plot to be ready for the ups and downs of the exploration for gold in Indonesia and the business consequences.

The film stars Matthew Mc Conaughey who has been called to lose weight for some roles and for others, putting on weight and keeping it. But that is character he plays, Kenny Wells, son of a wealthy businessman in Reno, Nevada, 1981, and determined to prove himself to his father.

His father’s company was for prospecting and that is what enthuses Kenny Wells and drives him to go into action. The screenplay also makes use of the, literal, American dream. Kenny wakes one morning, convinced that he has seen where he will discover gold. He also hears about a prospector-geologist, Michael Acosta, played by Edgar Ramirez, who has a theory about minerals in Southeast Asia. Kenny tracks him down in Jakarta, praises him for his theories, tempts him to start prospecting for gold in the interiors.

It should be said immediately that this is not Indonesia where the film was made – Thailand is standing in.

In their explorations, they find definite traces of gold – but Kenny succumbs to malaria, looked after by Michael who assures him, when he recovers, that they have probably hit the mother lode. While there are a number of sequences in Indonesia, moving backwards and forwards to the US, most of the action takes place in the American business world.

Kenny Wells is also one of those unstoppable enthusiasts, a salesman par excellence and he gets investment for his company. He is a smiler, a talker and an inveterate smoker and, eventually, an inveterate drinker. He has a very loyal working team around, supported by his girlfriend, Kay (Bryce Dallas Howard) who doesn’t quite understand his dreams, doesn’t quite believe in them but is willing to support them as long as she can.

As successful reports come in, Wall Street becomes interested, Kenny is enthusiastic, does drive a hard bargain but moves on to further success. But he is a stubborn man and is very wary of big business interests who seem to be willing to squeeze him out.

Just as you think the film is about to end, it doesn’t. And that is why it is better to know nothing before going in to see it.

The film announces that is based on a true story – which sometimes means ‘loosely based on’ and that is certainly the case here, worth Googling afterwards to find out what actually happened to Kenny Wells and to see what actual events have been incorporated and how the events and characters have been shaped for dramatic purposes, even the final minute!

2017 has meant that we look at America in a bit of a different way from what it might have been had not Donald Trump become president – This is a film which probably would interest him considerably, though he might have handled the situation differently (though looking back at the ups and downs of his career, perhaps not).

1. The title, true, false, the revelation of fraud?

2. The claim that it was based on actual events – how true, the Canadian background of the similar case, details invented, arrange for dramatic purpose, especially the ending?

3. The world of Reno, gambling, business, the world of the prospectors? The offices? The contrast with Wall Street, the Exchange, the world of the financiers?

4. Indonesia (using Thailand locations), Jakarta and the luxury hotel? The world of government, military, the Soehartos, the wealthy playboy son? The countryside, mountains and rivers, the mines and equipment? The musical score?

5. Matthew Mc Conaughey as Kenny Wells? Personality, appearance, weight, pot-bellied, smoking and drinking? His relationship with Kay, the gift of the watch – and later pawning it for his prospects? The interviews with his father, sharing the goals? The impact of his father’s death?

6. The years passing, his ambitions, establishing his company, the range of helpers and their loyalty, Kay and her working in the bar, the office in the bar?

7. Kenny as a huckster, his enthusiasm, causes? Studying prospects? Discovering Michael Acosta, interested in his achievements, his prospecting, the search for copper, his victories? His ideas about minerals in Southeast Asia? The visit to Jakarta, their talk, offering the money, Michael turning round and accepting? Kenny and his company in Reno and their raising the money? His discussions with the company and the young men turning him down – his later meeting with the owner, the friend of his father, admiring his father, and the possibility of a comeuppance for the young advisor? The work in the bar?

8. The expedition, and the countryside, Michael, his life, the collaboration? The local workers, striking? Kenny and his bout of malaria, over several months? Michael looking after him, waking up, the invitation, the lucky strike, the joy, the samples and their being tested, payment of the workers – later no money and their walking out?

9. Going back to the US, the excitement, taking Kay to the site for the house and his promises? The partners – warning them to put money aside? The New York financiers, calling him, the interviews, the boss, hesitations, his being able to sell them on the idea? The friend of his father, the enthusiasm, the company, the prospects, employing the young man who had turned him down? Michael and his visits to America?

10. The success, the Indonesian government? Money difficulties, Soeharto’s son, the interviews, persuading him?

11. Head financier, wanting to buy out Kenny, the meeting, Kenny and his petulance, his name being excluded, turning down the deal, Michael’s disappointment?

12. The award, the ceremony, his speech, Michael leaving?

13. Kenny and his drinking, flirting with the woman from the company, Kay’s reaction, her leaving?

14. The FBI arriving, the news of Michael’s fraud and disappearance, the taking of the millions? The finances in New York, the bosses and hiring and firing? The local dismay? Kenny to the truth, the FBI believing him?

15. Kenny, his failure, going back to Kay, the letters – and the shock of the cheque from Michael and his initial serviette with the contract?

16. A fable about going the gaining whole world and losing…?

THE FAMILY

Australia, 2016, 108 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Rosie Jones.

This is an Australian story, especially from the 1970s and the 1980s, the story of a cult, The Family.

Older audiences may remember the headlines of the 1980s when a number of children from The Family were taken in a raid by the police and the head of the cult, Anne Hamilton- Byrne and her husband, Bill, fled the country. But, the older audiences may not remember the details at all, except in recent years with the stories about one of the best known of The Family children, Julian Assange. However, this documentary with some re-enactments, stays with family and does not mention Assange – the Australian film, Underground from 2012 does provide this background.

Anne Hamilton- Byrne, a yoga teacher and her husband gathered followers around them both in England and in the Dandenong ranges, at Ferny Creek, Melbourne as well as out of Melbourne at Eildon (lots of images of Eildon and the dam). Quite a lot of adults became members of the cult, co-founded by an academic from the University, Raynor Johnson.

Anne Hamilton- Byrne declared that she loved children and gathered a number of orphans as well as the children of some of the cult members, keeping them in the house at Ferny Creek or Eildon, an extraordinarily strict regime, harsh disciplines and punishment, brainwashing the children, instilling deep loyalties as well as fear of the outside (that if the policeman saw them they would be killed), and the motto: unseen, unheard, unknown.

The film has a great deal of testimony from the adults who remember their time in the family, the loyalties, the fact that most of them had to have bleached hair, look similar, wear uniforms – one headline of the time referred to the John Wyndham story and referred to them as Children of the Damned, the story of hostile alien children in an ordinary village. The audience gets to know these talking heads very well as they recur with substantial interventions throughout the film, some obviously badly damaged by their experiences, some having overcome the difficulties and taking strong and critical stances. There are also some older members, amongst them women who were referred to as “aunts�.

The story is also told from the point of view of the police inspector, Lex de Man, who joined the special task force to investigate The Family during the latter part of the 1980s. An actor is seen for situations of the 1980s but the actual officer, de Man, gives a rather impassioned account of his involvement, the effect of talking with the children, discovering the harsh regime they lived by, beatings, food deprivation, use of drugs like LSD as well as something of the madness of Anne Hamilton- Byrne, her glamour, her snobbery, her extraordinary capacity for manipulation, and belief that she was Jesus Christ.

There was encouragement in the 1970s and 80s to take home movies of the children so there is plenty of material incorporated into this documentary showing the children, pictures of the adult talking heads of what they were like when they were little. Plenty of material of Anne and her husband.

The latter part of the film is interesting in terms of the pursuit of the husband and wife, the taking refuge in England, Hawaii, going under the radar in a house in the United States, which was also investigated by the FBI. After extradition, there were hearings, a court case and a sentence, in 1993 which barely touched Anne Hamilton Byrne and her husband, suspended sentence, a small fine.

Throughout the film, we might well be wondering who this woman really is, where she came from – and the film gives a thorough explanation of her background, her family, her mental state and ambitions and their fulfilment. While her husband had died in 2001, the film informs us that as of its making in 2016, Anne Hamilton Byrne (actually not her real name) is still alive at 95 in a dementia section of an institution.

This is the kind of story we expect out of the United States – but here is a homegrown story, from Melbourne and Victoria, with real children and real adults, and the more shocking in recent times with the revelations about the sexual and physical abuse of children.

CHONGQING HOT POT

China, 2016, 94 minutes, Cover.
Baihe Bai, Kun Chen, Hao Qin.
Directed by Quin Yang.


If audiences wondered about the Chinese sense of humour, here is an example. It has comic situations, characters behaving comically, a lot of slapstick. But there is also the serious side, bank robbery, conflicts, and lots and lots of martial arts fights as well as some street brawling.

The film opens with masked bank robbers going into a bank, putting a closed sign outside, confronting the staff and customers, getting into the vault. There is a comment that the city of Chongqing (the city where the main actor, Ken Chun, actually comes from) is noted for its many subterranean tunnels and the camera goes from the bank down a hole, through the tunnels, finishing up in a Hot Pot restaurant utilising the tunnels and the walls.

Then the film story goes back, focusing on the three friends who own restaurant, one of them an inveterate gambler who is in serious debt, and the plans to sell the restaurant which go very slowly. The three friends have known each other since school days, who had a band together, one of whom is married, the other planning to move to Beijing.

When they discover the hole in the floor of the bank vault, there are many, many temptations. Meanwhile, the boss of the gang who is owed all the money begins to put pressure as well as some bashings.

One idea is to enlarge the restaurant by amplifying the tunnel space – which is against local regulations.

Then there is a brainwave that a friend from school is actually a teller in the bank, disliked by all her fellow workers and shunned. They invite her to a meal at the restaurant, she sensing something amiss, their revealing their plan for her to help them in the recovery of the money – and she agrees. There are several visualising is of what might happen if the plan goes into action.

The two timelines then coincide, with the friend amongst the prisoners of the bank robbers, offering to be some kind of hostage to let the others leave. While the three owners eventually get up into the vault, our hero is apprehended, tied up after he has actually vanquished one of the robbers. However, with the others arriving, everyone is tied up, the robbers masks put on them, including the girl even though the bank staff have been led to safety. And the police intervene.

The robbers, unmasking, pour petrol over the hapless prisoners and are about to set it alight when the leader of the gambling group turns up with his men and there is fight, brawl, lots of action – but also of the kind that leads to various people being injured and deaths.

Needless to say, a knife is found, the group cut their way to freedom, the police round up the robbers – and the leader of the gang is wounded and gives up on the debt.

Everybody is happy, the reward money enables them to buy a bigger and better restaurant, the friend does not go to Beijing and all is well.

BIG FAT LIAR

US, 2002, 88 minutes, Colour.
Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, Amanda Bynes, Amanda Detmer, Donald Faison, Sandra Oh, Russell Hornsby, John Cho.
Directed by Shawn Levy.

Big Fat Liar is a comedy concoction for the family, a film to take advantage of the popularity of Frankie Muniz, star of the television show Malcolm in the Middle. He has a strong screen personality, seems to be enjoying all the adventures that he finds himself in. Paul Giamatti enjoys himself even more as the most crooked and exploitative of Hollywood producers. In fact, he steals Frankie's essay from school and builds it up into a film property. This means that Frankie goes to Hollywood along with his friend Kaylee, not supported by his anxious parents who think that he never tells the truth.

This is a shaggy dog story, with the hero as a big fat liar, as well as the producer being an even bigger and fatter liar. There are all kinds of chases, misunderstandings, double-deals. It is the junior version of such Hollywood films as the portrayal of producers in Swimming with Sharks (with Kevin Spacey as the unscrupulous producer). The film also shows Hollywood, the tourist attractions, the studios with Lee Majors doing a guest spot to remind audiences of their favourite television shows of the past.

Most of the comedy comes from the hero seeing a trailer for a film called Big Fat Liar based on his story. In Hollywood, the young man makes life a misery for the agent, he becomes the butt of all kinds of practical jokes, and the disgruntled staff whom he has alienated join in making life a misery. Eventually, of course, he has to admit his plagiarism. Life ends as a misery for the producer as the audience all hoped.


1. A film for a young audience? For parents?

2. The midwest setting, home, school, streets and activities? The comparison with Los Angeles, airport, limousine, Hollywood, officers, studios, the California countryside, mountains and desert? The musical score?

3. The title, Jason and his lies and stories, getting himself into trouble, his homework, writing the story, losing it, Marty Wolfe and his stealing it, the consequences, the final successful film?

4. Jason, his age, the opening and all the lies to his parents, the bullies and taking his skateboard, locked out of school, phoning Kaylee, getting in the window, the teacher’s reaction, not doing his homework, the sad story about his father and his choking, the vigil in hospital? The class and their attentive listening to his stories? His being found out, the teacher phoning his parents, their presence, the pleading not to go to summer school, time limit to finish his essay? His enthusiasm in writing Big That Liar?

5. His being hit by the limousine, the encounter with the driver, with Marty Wolfe, the lift, spilling his papers, losing the essay, his parents not believing him?

6. Marty Wolfe, the satire on the Hollywood producer, being objectionable to everybody, verbal abuse, humiliation, completely unpleasant? His reading the story, taking it as his own, on television, the interviews, the promise about the film, taking all the credit for himself?

7. Jason and Kaylee, class, her resistance but his always persuading her to help him? The window, the phone call and his pretending to be his father? Jason suffering summer school in the satire on the boring teacher? Asking her to go to Hollywood with him? The problem about her grandmother, the bully with the skateboard, his being persuaded to impersonate Kaylee, the comic sequences with the grandmother, the muscles, the exercises…?

8. At the airport, Frank and the limousine, Jason pretending to be the fur salesman? The later encounter with Frank, almost losing his job, his having been insulted by Marty Wolfe, his decision to help the two?

9. At the office, the secretary, not interested, the pretend phone call about her car parking on a dog? Jason and his getting into Marty’s office, Monty and her reaction? Marty trying to cover, Jason and the plea to ring his father, his burning the story? Getting the guards to oust Jason? Kaylee and her work at the desk?

10. On the set, the discovery of the room with all the goods, toys, settling there? The decision to get Frank to help them?

11. The president of the company, demanding Marty’s presence? The importance?

12. The various steps of the strategy, Jason and Kaylee and their success, Frank’s help, getting the help of everyone else, Monty at her exasperation with Marty, the stuntman and the presence of Lee Majors, the birthday party for his grandchild, the security guard, the associate producer – and all the scenes of Marty being rude to them? Jason being present at the party, the announcement about the film, Jason talking into his earpiece, glued to his ear, Marty pulling it out, the enormous peel and the appeal to people’s hearts?
The president relenting?

13. The comedy with Marty and his shower, blue after the swim in the pool, the orange hair? The wrong address for the meeting and his being beset by the children at the party? His ability to make good with the situation? Demanding the limousine, Frank and the breakdown of the car, his being picked up by the actor he insulted, the side road, being abandoned in the desert, calling for help, the helicopter with the stuntman, the fake emergency, leaping out of the helicopter?

14. The confrontation between Jason and Marty, on the roof, Marty boasting about stealing the story – and it being film from all the different angles? Jason leaping over the building? Marty stranded? Everybody leaving?

15. Marty and his having to become the clown for children’s parties – and the children on attacking him? The happy ending for Jason, his parents believing him, Kaylee and her help, everybody at the premiere of the film? And comeuppance for Marty?

THE MODEL

Denmark, 2016, 105 minutes, Colour.
Maria Palm, Ed Skrein, Yvonnick Muller, Charlotte Tomasewiska.
Directed by Mads Mathiessen.

The plot of The Model is not entirely unexpected, portrait of a young girl living in Denmark, an international opportunity to model in France, the support of her parents, their questions. There is also the relationship with her boyfriend, a student.

In France, she is nervous, shares a room with another model who is initially hostile but becomes her support, and the ambivalent behaviour of the landlord.

At first, she fails at the photo shoot, very awkward, her age and ready to give up on her. However, she returns, is successful, begins a relationship with the British photographer – which ultimately leads to further betrayal, her disillusionment, her returning home to Denmark. She has also deceived her boyfriend and he abandons her.

Model Maria Palm portrays Emma, the model, and British Ed Skrein is the photographer.

The ending is open-ended, the model being offered another job, to pose for Chanel, which was her dream – but the screenplay does not give the ending but, judging on her past behaviour, she will most likely accept.

1. A Danish story, a universal story? Internationality, France, Britain?

2. The title, expectations, fulfilled?

3. The opening with Danish life, an ordinary family, studies, relationships? The musical score?

4. The Paris locations, the studios, apartments, clubs?

5. Introduction to Emma, at home, her ambitions, her relationship with her parents, her boyfriend, the bond, the promises? Family support, the opportunity, going to Paris? Her being nervous, the later revelation of her young age, her lies? The apartment, the landlord and his behaviour towards her? The roommate, initial hostility, sharing, friendship, talk, confidante and advice?

6. The photo shoots, the make-up, the staff, the photographers, the agents? Discussions about deals? Emma and the interaction with the agent, his giving up on her, a favourable response, his promoting her? Her return to the photo shoot? Her trying? Her success, the range of costumes, poses, the range of photos with the group? Her desire to pose for Chanel?

7. Shane, criticism, change of heart, at the dance, her response, the sexual attraction, the liaison? The photo shoots, his style, success?

8. The weekend, travelling, the guests, the talk, the experience, Shane and liaisons, Emma and her behaviour with the man seducing her, upset? The clashes, the parting?

9. Her boyfriend coming to Paris, her lies, putting him off, his reactions?

10. The break, the effect on Emma, her going home?

11. Life back at home, the phone call – and the offer, Chanel and the screenplay leaving it to the audience to decide whether she would accept or not? Judging on her past
experiences, a probable acceptance?

A STREET CAT NAMED BOB

UK, 2016, 103 minutes, Colour.
Luke Treadaway, Bob the Cat, Joanne Froggatt, Ruta Gedmintas, Anthony Head, Darren Evans, Caroline Goodall, Ruth Sheen.
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode.


Anyone who is unfamiliar with the books on which this film is based may perceive the title as one of those life on the streets, cool and mod, in an American city. Not in the least!

The Bob of the title is actually a cat, a London cat, a ginger cat, whose destiny seems to be to charm absolutely everyone, even those who are a bit averse to cats.

The film is based on books by a drug addict, James Bowen, who overcame his problems, especially with the friendship and support of Bob the cat. It should be mentioned that Bob appears as himself although there are quite a number of stand ins as well. There are quite a few photos of the real James and actual Bob during the final credits of the film – enabling an emotional response for a final time. Luke Treadaway is convincing in the role.

Actually, the film is doing two things. By focusing on Bob, it invites the ordinary audience to watch the film, to enjoy watching Bob and his behaviour, his bonding with James. James tried to raise some money by busking in the city of London, especially around Covent Garden. After he discovers Bob as an intruder in his house, Bob bonds with him, especially after visits to the vet and care for him, and plenty of food – but not the mouse who lurks behind the wall! He follows James out of the house, onto a bus which leads to James carrying Bob on his shoulders everywhere and Bob sitting, being attentive, as James sings. When the crowds gather, listening to James but looking at Bob, there are quite a lot of donations – and umpteen photos.

When James loses his job, unjustly, he is able to get more work by selling The Big Issue, the heads realising that Bob is a wonderful marketing opportunity, that for all those who want to have a photo with Bob, the payment is buying an issue of The Big Issue.

There are some jealousies and poor James finds himself again in a fix, a month with no income, his pile of coins steadily going down, himself hungry, and Bob pacing also hungry. Eventually, there is another scuffle in the city and Bob is chased by a dog, absent for days, James pining…

For those engrossed by the cat, they are introduced to another story, a story of emotions, a broken family, a young boy becoming an addict, desperation of life on the streets, attempted busking, encounters with his father who has merit again and has a family, the trust of a social worker and entry into a methadone program, the risks of failure, the agony and days of withdrawal from methadone.

While Bob is a support, a neighbour who works as a vet, Betty Ruta Gedmintas, is also a great help to James, though shocked when she discovers that he is part of the methadone program, upset because her addict brother had died. There are glimpses of other addicts, an overdose in the streets, the dealers who stand on street corners in the suburbs.

The aim of the books on which the film is based was to attract readers who like a feelgood story as well as their experiencing of what it felt for an addict to feel bad. Audiences who may not be all that keen on cats will appreciate it but sit back and try to emphasise with the cat lovers who become absolutely absorbed.

1. A true story? The popularity of the books? The popularity of Bob the Cat? The presence of Bob himself in action? The final photos of James and Bob?

2. A drug story: family, difficult emotions, family problems, parental separation, addiction, teenage and adult, the drugs, the street, busking, the cat, people responding to the cat, companion to James, his change, the methadone program, his going through withdrawal? The experience?

3. The film as a cat story, audience response to cats? The stray, ginger, strong minded, making a noise like a thief, bonding with James, his looking for an owner, Bob at home, food, chasing the mouse, going out with James, James carrying him, present at the busking, the cash, the photo opportunities? People attracted by the cat?

4. Audiences, attracted by cats – with the dogs seen as the enemy! The cuteness of cats?

5. Val, social work, James and his trust, for getting the favour for the house, his settling in, his program, the visits to Val and her assessment? Taking Bob to the vet, his concern, the long wait, the money for the medicine, failing to turn up? His apology, continuing, finally ready for the withdrawal after the emergency methadone at the pharmacist, his success?

6. His father, the background story, staying in England, saying he did not want to fly to Australia, the separation, in London, watching James at Covent Garden, the talking, the insistence of his wife, his father slipping him the money, not wanted at the Christmas celebration, James going to the New Year party, the chaos with the cat, the girl with the allergy, breaking the vase? James as clean, coming to apologise, his father explaining, apologising, saying he was talking to his son?

7. Betty, walking the dogs, working at the vet, helping James with Bob, the story of her brother, his art, his death and its effect on her? Vegan, the meals, the jokes about tofu? Caring for Bob at the vet? The bond, talking, James relying on Betty, liking her, her discovering him with the methadone, her being hurt?

8. James in himself, the hurt as a child, the impact of his father and his absence, emotions, drugs, friendship with Baz, Baz following him after seeing the money, asking for the money, promising to use it for food, Baz collapsed on the street and James calling an ambulance, Betty helping to revive him? James and his down period, busking, his songs, the different venues around London, the poor amount of money? His work with Val? Bob in the house, care for him, the injury and taking him to the vet, the long wait, the payment for the medicine? The relationship with Betty, the bond? Emotions? Bob on the bus, people’s reaction, James singing, the crowds, the attraction of Bob, the increase in the cash, James thanking people, the range of photos? The dog urinating and the fight, James arrested, Val bailing him out, the ban on busking? The desperation, hungry, the amount of coins going down, Bob and hunger? The opportunity with The Big Issue, the special patch at Angel Station? People responding, the photo opportunities, selling the magazine, the American couple, the jealous opposition and his complaining to the authorities, James banned for a month? The return, the woman wanting to buy the dog for her boy, the dog chasing Bob, James and his pursuit? James pining, waiting, Bob’s return? The methadone, the anguishing experience? Clean again? Betty leaving, the bond between them?

9. The publisher, seeing James and Bob, giving money, the article about them in the local paper, the idea for the book, tracking James down, the discussions, the computer – and Bob with the fish on the screen?

10. The characters who liked James and Bob, the old lady and her knitting the scarf, often present? All the people wanting photos, the children?

11. Baz, money, food, death, the dealers across the street?

12. The book launch, people present, Betty, James’s father, his stepmother, the people from the street?

13. The impact of this film on cat lovers – and the opportunity to become more acquainted with addiction and its consequences and rehabilitation?

UN ET UNE

France, 2015, 115 minutes, Colour.
Jean Dujardin, Elsa Zylberstein, Christopher Lambert, Alice Pol, Rahul Vohra.
Directed by Claude Lelouch.

Writer-director Claude Lelouch came into prominence in the 1960s, winning an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, A Man and a Woman in 1966. It had the added advantage of a popular theme song and musical score by composer, Francis Lai, whose music also contributes to this film.

It is very French, in tone, characters, emotions, and sexual relationships.

Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) plays a very successful composer of film scores, in a casual relationship with the pianist, Alice (Alice Pol) when he goes off to India to score for a local film, Juliette and Romeo. Very early in the film the audience sees the two central characters, the Romeo a hold-up thief who gets away but whose car knocks down the Juliette, who is morose after being harshly corrected at her dance classes. This is incorporated into the Romeo and Juliet story – though the audience sees comparatively little of this.

The film, rather, the film focuses on Antoine, his career, the story of his father and his mother revealing him just before her death, his search for his father, making himself known and the father becoming a strong fixture in his life. Antoine likes to keep busy but suffers from headaches. On his arrival in India, he is invited to dinner by the French ambassador (Christopher Lambert) and seated next to his wife (Elsa Zylberstein) with long and intense discussions on the meaning of life, transcendence and spirituality and mention of a woman who is the centre of pilgrimage for devotees searching for hope and cure is.

Antoine then accompanies the wife on her pilgrimage, travelling by train through India – and this journey as well as the opening sequences provide a feast of images of contemporary India for the audience – and experience the embrace of the holy woman.

As might be expected, there is a sexual liaison between the wife and the composer, Antoine’s fiancee coming to India, the ambassador turning up anonymously as her driver, phone calls not answered and a confrontation with different secrets and lies.

The film ends four years later, Antoine a great success, Alice a performer – and a glimpse of the wife…

1. The work of the director and his long career? An older perspective on life and love?

2. The French tone of the film, characters, emotions, relationships? The world of cinema, the media, music?

3. The contrast with India, the opening credits and views, the range of images of exotic India, India in the 21st century, pilgrims and rituals, gurus? In the world of diplomacy?

4. The theme of music throughout the film, classical music and performance, music written for films? Throughout the film?

5. The title, relationships?

6. Antoine, his character, his musical talent, the background of his life, his mother bringing him up, the absent father, her revelation before her dying, his tracking down his father, meeting him, the photo, the father and his new awareness, the encounter, the years passing, the father as a stable presence in his son’s life, rehabilitation?

7. Antoine, the affair, introduction to Alice, casual? The effect, his going to India, her phone call and proposal, her arriving in India, the deceits, her breaking with him?

8. The initial aspect of India, the story of the thief and his robbery, the getaway, hitting the girl, his going back to rescue her, the hospital, his arrest? The young woman, at the dance, the instructions, her failure? The film director, wanting to make a film of Romeo and Juliet with these characters, in this setting, using the story, the black-and-white episodes? And the title emphasising Juliette before Romeo?

9. The director, welcoming Antoine to India, his writing of the score, the director’s reputation, his ambitions, Antoine’s arrival, the details of the flight, his headaches? The dinner with the ambassador, talking to his wife?

10. The sequences in the studio, the sequences of the film, the orchestra playing, Antoine and his advice?

11. The ambassador’s wife, the world of diplomacy, her talking at the dinner, serious matters, the meaning of life, of spirituality? The reaction of her husband? His accusation afterwards that she was flirting? Her background, life with the ambassador, his helping her? Her wanting a child? Her interest in Amma, the visuals of Amma, the crowds of pilgrimages, the embraces? The hopes, her travelling by train, Antoine accompanying her?

12. The Amma experience, waiting, the embrace, the effect of the woman, the effect on Antoine – the woman in peace, Antoine and his headaches? The consequent sexual encounter, the effect on the woman, on Antoine? The deceit? Alice and her waiting?

13. Alice, coming to India, the ambassador meeting her and driving her, waiting, their being together, the phone calls and no answer – leading to the confrontation, truth and lies? The consequences?

14. The years passing, Antoine and his career, fame, the airport, the encounter with the wife, her assistant, the child, the cars passing on the road – and the rendezvous and their meeting again? A future?

PERFECT STRANGERS/ SCONOSCIUTI PERFETTI

Italy, 2016, 97 minutes, Colour.
Giuseppe Battiston, Anna Foglietta, Marco Giallini, Edoardo Leo, Alba Rohrwacher, Valerio Mastandrea, Kasia Smutniak, Benedetta Porcaroli.
Directed by Paulo Genovese.

Any film with the title, Perfect Strangers, is more than likely to be about people who think that they know each other, who are friends, but discover, as with the Italian title of the film, they are completely unknown to each other, even if they have been part of each other’s lives since childhood.

The main part of this comedy drama is a meal, the hosts, Rocco and Eva, he a surgeon, specialising in mammary operations, she a psychiatrist – though failing dismally with her teenage daughter with whom she angrily clashes; a newly married couple, Cosimo and Bianca, he a taxi driver after failing in many jobs, she feeling initially an outsider to the group but at last feeling part of it; long married couple with two children at home plus the mother-in-law, he seen sitting morosely on the toilet before leaving, she fussy and taking off her panties before setting out, something of significance later in the film; the last guest is Peppe, who turns up late without his partner.

Having introduced the characters, the film spends almost all of its time at the dinner. This is a good ensemble piece, the ensemble cast working very well together and off each other. All seems happy and chatty at first. Then Eva, perhaps from some deep psychological motivation, suggests they play a game, everyone putting their mobile phone on the dinner table and, allowing everybody to listen in to the call on speaker. Potential for jokes and for some serious trouble – the potential from secrets and lies.

There are some ordinary calls but things get more difficult as the meal progresses. One of the moving calls is from the angry daughter phoning her father about her date, about the possibility of a sexual encounter with her boyfriend, condoms – and the father giving some sage advice for her to make her own decision but offering many factors for her to take into consideration. The problem with the mother-in-law arises, a nursing home ringing to offer a place, much to the upset of her son.

One of the biggest complications comes when Lele confides in Peppe that he is expecting a call at 10 o’clock, a provocative photo from a woman friend and he asks Peppe to change phones with him, and claim the photo. One of the consequences is that there is more embarrassment for Lele in answering the phone calls for Pepe, a relationship that no one at the table was expecting and Lele becoming more and more awkward in covering for Peppe.

Cosimo has seen something of a man about town and that is certainly true of the phone calls that he receives, upsetting Bianca and mystifying one or other of the guests.

Dialogue, of course, is most important for the film, and it is very well written, sharp, humorous, sometimes biting, with much underlying seriousness. One of the difficulties is that as the film closes, fairly rapidly, one has to pay quite a deal of attention to work out whether there is any forgiveness, understanding, further deception… The other advantage of the film is the editing so that there is a judicious focus on the person talking and then judicious focus on the listeners, which means that the audience is comfortable, having been given enough opportunity to understand the characters speaking as well as gauge reactions.

The film has won many awards, especially in Italy, but the troubles of an ordinary range of 40-somethings will resonate with many audiences around the world.

1. The title, the ironies of friendship, secrets and lies?

2. An ensemble film, the cast, the situation of the meal, the interactions?

3. The Italian flavour of the characters, the situations, the interactions? Ordinary? Universal?

4. The strength of the dialogue, communicating each character, the interactions, the editing and focus on each, the responses? The flow of the conversations? The musical score?

5. The introductions, Cosimo and Bianca, in love, sex, young?

6. Lele and Carlotta, his sitting on the toilet, the children, the television, the mother-in-law, the children going to bed, Carlotta slipping off her panties and their driving to the dinner?

7. Rocco and Eva, at home, Rocco cooking, the clash between mother and daughter, Sophia and her age, her wrangle with her mother, the appeal to her father, going out, the boyfriend, the condoms, her lies?

8. Peppe, late, Lucilla being sick?

9. Eva and the flow of the meal, talking, knowing each other for years, Bianca feeling at home rather than out of the group?

10. The suggestion about the mobile phones, the reactions, secrets and lies, reluctance, agreement, the different reactions for each one putting the phone on the table?

11. The phone calls, the initial jokes, becoming more serious? Mobile phones, intrusive, boxes and their contents, the different reactions, honesty, fears?

12. Eva as a psychiatrist, her inability to deal well with her daughter, interactions with her husband? His being a surgeon, the phone call about the breast enhancement, Eva’s intentions? Her father and his wanting a better surgeon than her husband? The revelation that Rocco was having therapy – his telling one person, their passing it on? Rocco on the phone tour from Sophia, his earnest response to her, considerate, his having given her the condoms, his wise advice about time, her consideration and decision-making? The irony of Cosimo and the phone call and the earings and Eva’s reaction? Her despising of Cosimo?

13. Carlotta, phone call from the nursing home, the surfacing of her irritation with her mother-in-law, everybody’s reaction – more supportive of her?

14. Lele, expecting the phone call and the picture from the woman at 10 o’clock, the cigarette, discussion with Peppe, asking him to change and to pretend?

15. Peppe receiving the picture, everybody’s reaction? Lele, the phone calls from Lucio, his stating that it was a friend from work, the lies, the emergence of the gay relationship and kisses, his reaction? Carlotta, her questioning of her husband? The friends and their shock about homosexuality? Peppe finally admitting that he was gay, the use of language, names, his reaction?

16. Cosimo, his different jobs, marrying Bianca, driving the taxi? The phone call, the revelation about the pregnancy, the dealer ringing about the rings and the earings, his being unmasked, Bianca and her reaction, Carlotta helping her, being sick? Eva and the situation with the earings?

17. Friends, listening to one another, the revelations, their presuppositions? The possibility of overcoming these experiences, forgiveness, hope or not? And the finale of Pepe’s call and his stopping his car and doing his weight loss exercises on the bridge?

REIGN OF FIRE

UK/US, 2002, 101 minutes, Colour.
Christian Bale, Matthew Mc Connaughhey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler, Alice Kriege, Alexander Siddig.
Directed by Rob Bowman.

After all the holiday films with space heroes, spidermen and crocodile hunters comes a more serious action adventure for older children and their parents. It is set in 2020 in an isolated survival community in Northumbria who are being besieged by dragons. When we unexpectedly glimpse the first dragon in a tunnel below London, we jump out of our seats as it flame-throws.

According to the screenwriters and the director, Rob Bowman, who directed The X Files, from time immemorial, earth has been inhabited by dragons. It was they who wiped out the dinosaurs. But succeeding generations of St George's, Hercules and other mythological heroes have always driven them underground - where they live as archetypes, anyway. When humans in recurring eras become weak, the dragons emerge and assert themselves. The screenplay tells us that only one species can dominate the earth, so the dragons continue to try to destroy us humans.

Dragons are evil. Biblical evidence in the Book of Daniel, chapter 14:23-30, which offers Daniel as a predecessor of St George except that he feeds the dragon, the 'big dragon' who was worshipped in Babylon, balls of pitch, fat and hair which the dragon swallowed and burst asunder; and the Book of Revelation, chapter 12:1-17, especially verse 9 where the red dragon is described as 'the great dragon, the serpent, known as the devil or Satan. These stories have condemned dragons to being seen as perennially evil.

They serve as symbols of indiscriminate evil (like The Birds or Jaws. According to our movie, the reign of dragons' fire is to begin any minute.

Borrowing the isolated community trying to survive from the Mad Max movies, Reign of Fire has a small English group besieged in castle ruins and living like medieval monks. They are led by Quinn (Christian Bale) who discovered the dragon's lair in London tunnels when he was a boy in late 2002. Suddenly, the Yanks arrive, with a helicopter, tanks and computer wizardry. They are led by Van Zan (Matthew Mc Connaughey) who said he studied General Patton for his performance.

Van Zan sees himself as a leader with manifest destiny. He put it simply and straightforwardly to Quinn, "I lead, you follow". He is a strategy man, big picture, calculated target, a range of weaponry to draw on. His strategy and assessment of the situation were correct, a march on London to destroy the sole male dragon - but he had to turn back, his forces victims of the dragons' literal scorched earth policy.

Van Zan needs a practical tactician, Quinn. He graciously (for him) acknowledged this with a blunt direction to Quinn, "You lead. I follow". Quinn knew the route to London, where the lair was, the way to get into the tunnels and out of them. While Van Zan makes the supreme (and rather spectacular) self-sacrifice, it is Quinn who kills the dragon and survives to live another day (without, one hopes, another dragon).

Star Wars and other adventures can easily be seen as fables about human existence and struggles. Reign of Fire is a more sombre fable of humans beset by evil and trying to conquer it.

1. A fable with overtones of fairytales and epics? An apocalyptic story?

2. The title, the role of the dragons, their traditions of fire, sweeping through the air, destroying humans, destroying cities? Oppression and the need for a revolution?

3. The settings, a British story, ordinary London in the 21st century? The excavations for tunnels? The tunnel with the Dragon, fire? The excavations and lifts? The transition to Northumberland, the isolation, the countryside, the castle, the interiors, the shelters from the dragons, the fields and the crops? The musical score?

4. London, the millennium, ordinary life, Quinn and his coming from school, coming to the excavation, friendship with the workers, the encounter with mother, the note, his failure to get a scholarship, the financial difficulties, his going down the hole, the opening, his going through, the encounter with the Dragon, the fire, his mother rescuing him, going up in the lift, her death?

5. The transition to 2020, Northumberland, the isolation? The collage of images of the destruction of the cities, Time magazine? A post-apocalyptic setting?

6. Quinn, the leader, his strength, Creedy as his offsider, the adults, their work, the teenagers in future leadership, the children, Quinn and Creedy entertaining them with the play of Star Wars? Ordinary life and survival? Hunger?

7. The dragons, flying the skies, the Dragon eggs? Discovering that there was only one male, the rest female, the male passing over the females and creating all the eggs and more dragons?

8. Eddie, his group, wanting to move out, Quinn forbidding it, this surreptitious leaving, with the crops, the tomatoes, their hunger? The Dragon, breathing fire, destruction,
Quinn and Creedy coming to the rescue, fireproof clothes, the water wagons?

9. The tanks, the lookout, the guards, the operator with the radio? Quinn and suspicions, questioning?

10. Van Zan, the Americans, their presence in England, hunting the dragons? Alex and her presence, scientific knowledge?

11. Van Zan, his character, tough, American dominance, he leading and everybody following? The presence of the helicopter?

12. His plan, to track down the dragons, taking the men, Quinn unwilling? The volunteers? Out in the countryside, the travel, trying to evade the dragons? The attack of the dragons, the fire and the deaths?

13. Van Zan returning, Quinn and his dismay? Quinn and his knowledge of London, agreeing to go with Van Sant and Alex? The helicopter, the return to London, the dragons in the air, Quinn knowing the ground? Going back to the lair? The strategies for getting to the Dragon, the weapons, the arrow? Pursuit, Quinn losing his arrow, Alex acting as a decoy?

14. Van Zan, going to the top of the buildings, with his weapons, the attack of the Dragon – and his desperate leap to vanquish the Dragon, his death? Quinn, the ultimate confrontation, the Dragon, looming, Quinn firing, destruction?

15. A more secure future – and the possibility of rebuilding?

THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - THE TOURING YEARS

US, 2016, 100 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ron Howard.

This is a must for those who remember the Beatle years and lived through them, as teenagers enthusiastic or as young adults admiring them and their music. It will be of historical interest for younger audiences and those who have got to know the Beatles’ music.

This is something of a labour of love for director Ron Howard, best known for his range of entertainments and his Oscar for A Beautiful Mind. He has the support of Paul Mc Cartney and Ringo Starr as well as the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison. He has said that he wanted to make this film for his children.

The film includes quite a number of the Beatles songs, not complete but enough to remind audiences of whether they enjoy them or not. They range from the early years, going through the first half of the 1960s, leading to Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club.

The film is particularly well edited, most of the material coming from archival footage, official newsreel coverage, amateur photography, clips from their films A Hard Day’s Night and Help. There are also a number of interesting interviewees including Whoopi Goldberg remembering her going to Shea Stadium, a glimpse of Sigourney Weaver as a young girl and then her comments, Eddie Izzard reminiscing, writer-director Richard Curtis, Richard Lester reminiscing about his directing the films and their performance, Elvis Costello… They performed in 265 concerts in these years.

For those not entirely familiar with the Beatles themselves and their careers, there is enough material taking us back to Liverpool in the 1950s, the young men, the bands, Paul and John meeting and having a rapport because both of them composed songs, the forming of the Beatles, the concerts in Liverpool, the experiences in Hamburg, Ringo Starr joining the four.

The personality of each of the Beatles comes through very strongly throughout the film, John Lennon as the leader, his humour, his singing, his compositions, the offhand remarks, the interviews – and the looking again at the situation of his offhand remark about the Beatles’ popularity being more than Jesus and the American negative reactions and destroying Beatles records. Paul Mc Cartney emerges as a very agreeable man, in his reminiscences as older, in his enjoyment of composing songs, working with John, working with the band, performances, the wonder of travel and the audience reactions. George Harrison is the quietest of the four, more reticent, showing enthusiasm, but interested in music which was to develop after the group broke up. He is frequently seen with a cigarette, so not surprising at his early death. Ringo Starr, looking quite modern in his old age and enthusing in his memories, is full of verve when he is young, the other three admiring his percussion skills, his enthusiasm, performance, the travels.

The film shows their success in Britain, making the initial records, their popularity, and then the unexpected success in the United States. There are glimpses of the manager, Brian Epstein, his work in the record shop in Liverpool, his strategies in promoting the Beatles, his travelling with them, the interviews. Another strong presence in the film is music producer George Martin, who died in 2016, but who was skilful in recognising what the Beatles were doing, even when John was wanting to become more avant-garde in the mid-60s, playing the records backwards and incorporating this into performance. There are various roadies who appear and the journalist Larry Kane, initially reluctant to travel with the Beatles on their American tours but sent by his paper and sending continual reports. He also reminisces from the vantage point of 50 years later.

There are quite a lot of interviews and concerts – and especially the presentation by Ed Sullivan.

While Larry Kane mentions that the Beatles were smoking marijuana and there is a comment that at some stage, in the making of Help, they were stoned, the film keeps a respectable public image for the four, no further investigation of drugs, and certainly no sexual behaviour.

One of the film’s strength is bringing home the buildup of the success of the Beatles during the four years of their touring, not only in the United States where they continually return and perform concerts, sometimes 25 in 30 days, throughout the rest of the world, from Scandinavia to Australia, to Manila, to New Zealand… Capital is quite extraordinary how their reputation flourished in the what seems now limited media of the day. It is also amazing how sports arenas were used to house the many thousands of fans for the concerts. Later there is the tour to Japan where there is far less hullabaloo, more respect, and many inhabitants not wanting them to perform in a venue dedicated to the martial arts.

The performances are very genial, consistent over the period of four years even when they were becoming very weary, feeling pressurised, often with dangers of the pressing crowds. And, speaking of the crowds, there is the continual frenzy, the mass hysteria, the girls screaming, the Beatles shaking their heads as they sang and the corresponding frantic results, the police trying to control, the surging crowds, the expressions of love, the mass response – everywhere and continuous over the four years of tours.

And, of course, the film is asking the question why they should have been so popular, in themselves, Brian Epstein grooming them in suits and ties, the records, the humour, the youthfulness, the continued creativity in songs and performance.

Throughout the film there is a background of what was happening in the 1960s, especially with their going to the United States at the time of the Kennedy assassination. What comes to the fore is the concert in Jacksonville Florida where they refused to play to a segregated audience, 1960s declarations that they played to people.

They proceeded flower power and a lot of the other movements of the mid-1960s – but their subsequent careers are all linked to the development of music from the late 60s, flower power, drugs, the Indian influence…

The film also makes a very good case as to showing the pressures on the Beatles, the strangeness of the experience over such an extent time, the fact that they enjoyed working in the studios best, working off each other and being creative, that they made the decisions together and that by the mid-1960s it was very clear that they should stop their touring, concentrate on their music, which led, as they were turning 30, to their going on to their own individual careers. George Harrison succeeded, Ringo Starr has had a happy life, Paul Mc Cartney has been at the forefront of popular music for more than 50 years – and then there is the tragedy of the assassination of John Lennon.

With some screenings of this documentary, the 20 minutes or more of the Shea Stadium concert footage is added.