GOOD TIME MAX

US, 2007, 79 minutes, Colour.
James Franco, Matt Bell, Vince Jolivette, Wilmer Calderon, Richard Portnow.
Directed by James Franco.

James Franco must be one of the most prolific actors, writers, directors anywhere. After establishing his film career in acting, he developed into a student, writing stories, and moving into film direction. This is one of his earliest films as director – and a credit for co-writing as well as his performance.

This is the story of two brothers – and Franco has dedicated this film to his own brother.

This is not the most interesting film ever made! And, its basic plot of two brothers, very intelligent, each going in different paths, the rivalry, betrayals, mutual help, is not unfamiliar. But Franco uses a great deal of home movie style for flashbacks and scenes between the two brothers to contribute to the atmosphere.

He himself portrays the good time Max of the title, doing drug deals, a con who is confident in himself, persuading his brother, a very serious medical intern, to take him to California. He gets a job in IT but is led into taking amphetamines, leading him into too much of a good time life. Meanwhile his brother, played by Matt Bell, is popping pills to sustain his career as a surgeon – but, eventually, is arrested and disbarred.

A film for those who want to appreciate the completeness of James Franco’s career.

1. A James Franco project? Early in his career writing and directing? His prolific output?

2. Initial New York settings, the young boys, growing up, studies, home? The transition to Los Angeles, the IT companies, the hospitals and interns, apartments, clubs, aviation? Musical score?

3. The introduction to Max and Adam, Max and his dancing as a little boy, Adam and his studies, their work at school, advanced capabilities, success?

4. Growing up, Max and his friend, the drug deal, the impure cocaine, the customer, the girl, testing the drugs, getting the money, Max and the girl, the customer coming in, the attack, the gun?

5. The contrast with Adam, his medical studies, success? His going to California? Max asking him to go as well? Their mother? The absent father?

6. Max, getting clean, getting the job, self-promotion, seeing himself as a genius, his success at work? Ingratiating himself with Bruce? Going out to the bars with Bruce? The aviation and the danger? At work? The work partner, science-fiction, the rockets, their friendship? The introduction to Ice? Max and his hesitation, agreeing, taking the drug, the other workers in the firm? The effect on Max? Concealing it from Adam? Setting up with the girlfriend? His life becoming dissipated? Deals, his being arrested, jail?

7. The contract with Adam, his work in the hospitals, his popping pills to keep going? His good work, exasperation with Max on discovering the truth, the engagement, the wedding? Discussions with Max about their father the visit of the mother and her boyfriend? Max having the hallucination that they were sexy nurses?

8. The father being ill, Adam organising the trip, Max and his going off with his friends, ignoring reality? Adam sitting with his father, death and funeral? The return? Max and his trying to be convincing about his change of heart?

9. Adam, the continued pills, malpractice, his being challenged, arrested, disbarred? Max taking him in?

10. A portrait of two brothers, abilities, crashing, failures, possibility of rehabilitation?

 

 

 

 

REGRESSION

Spain/ Canada, 2015, 106 minutes, Colour.
Ethan Hawke, Emma Watson, David Thewliss, Lothaire Bluteau, Dale Dickey, David Dencik, Devon Bostick, Aaron Ashmore, Peter Mac Neil.
Directed by Alejandro Amenebar.

Regression is a psychological term for this film and its themes, a focus on memories, repressed memories and the therapy used to recover memories, a regression into the past. However, while the film shows a psychologist and his techniques and interviews, hypnotism, for recovering memories, a lot of the practice is rejected and under suspicion.

The was written and directed by the Spanish director, Alejandro Amernbar, best known for his is films, Open Your Eyes, The Others, The Sea Inside. With the first two films, he is interested in psychological dimensions of human experience and memories and draws on them here.

The setting is the 1990s in the state of Minnesota, a spate of Satanism which the FBI investigates as do local police, especially when there are accusations of sexual abuse within a family, a father abusing his daughter and context of Satanic rituals.

Ethan Hawke portrays a detective in the town, becoming more and more emotionally obsessed with the situation, disgusted with the accusations, trying to be a saviour to the young girl victim but with a rage inside himself leading to all kinds of ultra-vivid nightmares about Satanism and the rituals.

David Thewliss portrays the psychologist who collaborates with the detective in interviewing the accused father, in speculating, as does the father, about the memories he cannot bring to surface while admitting the behaviour. Emma Watson portrays the young girl, subject of the abuse, while Devon Bostick portrays her brother whom his father had rejected because of homosexuality. Dale Dickey is the grandmother who tries to deal with the family disturbances.

There are complications within the police force, especially with the detective's partner, played by Aaron Ashmore, who is arrested for the abuse.

As the investigation becomes more intense, the young woman is shielded in a church by the local Reverend, (Lothaire Bluteau from Jesus of Montréal and Black Robe). The detective is particularly critical of religion and the focus on evil and Satanism.

There is a final twist when the reality is much more mundane, the girl angry with her family and making false accusations, being taken up by the Reverend, by the media.

The film is very similar in theme to the television movie, Forgotten Sins (1996), John Shea is a local detective accused of abusing his daughter, arrested, admitting the abuse but unable to remember it, her being shielded by the church, but the reality being conspiracy of accusations by the daughter.

1. The title, expectations? Mystery? Satanic rituals?

2. Based on actual events? The US, the 1990s? The spate of reports of Satanism?

3. The work of the director, Spanish perspective, working in Canada? His reputation and body of work?

4. The background of Satanism, audience attitudes? In the different American churches? The religious dimension? The diabolical and the presence of evil? Satan, the traditions, the visual images, Satanism? Covens? Rituals, the garb, the dark, candles, sacrificial victims, blood, Black Masses? As visualised here? The FBI and police investigations? Ultimately finding no evidence? The spate of Satanic groups dying out?

5. Psychological background of the film, sexual abuse, memories, repressed memories, false memories? Hysteria, a community creating memories, suggestions? Guilt and motivation?

6. The family, John, going to the police, praying in the car, Angela's accusations against him, confessing, but not remembering? His relationship with his daughter, his absent son? With his mother? His being interrogated by Bruce? By the psychiatrist? His bewilderment, regretting not being able to remember? His son and his homosexuality, his father alienating him? The role of the Reverend, the church?

7. Bruce, the local police, as the detective, his chief, the accusations of abuse, his determination to get to the bottom of the case, his emotional involvement, hypertension, his dreams and his becoming the victim of the Satanic rituals, the characters, the woman on the advertisement the hoarding and the soup, his being humiliated, tortured, his panic in waking? The interrogation of George, his disowning him? The other members of the force? George in jail, getting out, he and the associate bashing Bruce? Bruce and religion, the encounters with the Reverend, discussions about faith, evil, agnosticism?

8. The Reverend, his church, conscious of evil? His giving shelter to Angela?

9. Angela, her age, accusations of abuse by her father? Sheltered in the church? Her meeting with Bruce, her innocence, the attraction to Bruce? Her memories, Satanism, her father, her grandmother, her brother? Getting Bruce's help?

10. The grandmother, her relationship with the rest of the family, her becoming caught up in the Satanism, her throwing herself out the window?

11. The FBI, the investigations, the police work, the superintendent? The meetings with the police, disbelief in Satanism, the routines of police work?

12. The psychologist, his background, his personality and techniques, interest in memories, repressed memories? The use of hypnotism? The variety of interviews, with John, the discussions with Bruce?

13. The son coming back, his alienation, the clash with his father, the background of homosexuality and his being condemned?

14. The discussion with George, the reality of Angela, sexual encounters, rape, abortion? Bruce and his beginning to doubt?

15. The challenge from Angela, the fact that she resented her family, her false accusations? Her turning on Bruce? Her father still prepared to take the guilt even knowing the truth?

16. The media, books and publications, the book by the previous victim? Angela and her going on talk shows? Not being prosecuted?

17. The film's comment on Satanism, mass hysteria? Malicious accusations and the consequences? And the role of repressed memories, falls memories?

 

I, DANIEL BLAKE

UK, 2016, 101 minutes, Colour.
Dave Johns, Hayley Squires,
Directed by Ken Loach.

Seeing I, Daniel Blake, is an activity to be recommended.

This film is a moving slice of contemporary life in Britain, Newcastle upon Tyne, but a story that many audiences around the world will resonate with. It is the work of Ken Loach who, for almost 50 years, has been committed to social concern, the problems of daily living in real life, showing them with compassion – but also an undercurrent of anger. Some have commented that this film is partisan, unsubtle, lacking artistic complexity and finesse – but, that is the way Loach makes films and presents his story with a force that most audiences do respond to.

So, who is Daniel Blake? He is a 59 year old carpenter who has had heart problems, a widower, no children, but the kind of decent man that you might find in the street, or anywhere. He is played by stand-up comedian, Dave Johns, who has not appeared in many films but has made television appearances – a new face for most audiences who comes across as a very likeable character.

The film opens in darkness with Daniel heard filling in a form with a succession of bureaucratic questions that don’t necessarily meet the situations in which he finds himself as regards health, possibilities of working again, financial help from government agencies. He is frustrated – and we along with him. That is only the beginning. There is a lot more bureaucratic frustration as the film goes on – maybe exaggerated a little when he tries to make contact by phone, hears the various recorded responses, and the music played over and over – and over – with a wait of over an hour and a half. Many in the audience are really on side by this time, everyone thinking about their similar experiences.

His visits to the government offices are not much better.

Only this morning in the local paper, somebody has written a brief letter saying that all bureaucrats and those who work in such centres need to see this film. It is not as if Daniel Blake is saying that there should be no bureaucracy. Rather, it is how the rules and regulations, interviews and forms, should be handled with people as people and not as file numbers. We know this but seeing some of these officials in action, obtuse in their demands for details the client is unable to offer, insisting on forms being filled in online when the older person is not adept at using a computer let alone the online complexities…

But, Daniel Blake is a very nice man, sticking up for a young woman with two children in the office as she is ushered out because she cannot answer questions accurately. This is Katie, moved up to Newcastle from London to government accommodation which has been impossible in London. Katie is played by Hayley Squires, and creates a very believable and sympathetic character, a good woman, conscientious with her children, wanting the best for them while going hungry herself. But, with Daniel she finds a kindly friend whom the children can respond to and who does a lot of handy work around the flat.

Daniel also has an interesting neighbour who imports sneakers from China, dubiously, and sells them cut-price in the street. Daniel is a wise figure in his life as well.

So, for much of the film, we follow Daniel trying to phone, trying to answer questions in the interviews, struggling with the forms, going from place to place enquiring about job opportunities – only to be told that he has no proof to offer that he actually did this, even after he was ordered to go to a workshop on writing CVs, which he did, handing them out.

The film becomes much sadder as it goes on, especially for Katie trying to make decisions for the children, a moment of shoplifting, a seemingly kindly offer of help from a security guard that isn’t. And, it is sad for Daniel as he finally gets a date for his appeal to get some kind of financial subsidy, his doctor and physiotherapist truly angry at the way that the bureaucracy has mishandled the case.

One of the criticisms of the film is that Daniel and Katie and the next-door neighbour are engaging characters and not the kind of dole-bludgers whom it is easy to condemn. But, we know this – and do we really want to spend this time with cons and bludgers and their way of doing things or do we want to see genuine people and share their experiences? Of course. But, they (and we) are so often trapped, become the victims of people whose characters are rules and regulations focused, rigidly interpreting them instead of listening to people and trying to be sympathetic if not empathetic.

(Of all film directors, Ken Loach is the director who has received the most awards from Catholic and Ecumenical juries around the world, including this film. Invited to Cannes in 2004 to receive a lifetime award from the churches, he attended, gave a speech of appreciation, saying that he grew up with an image the Catholic Church as a monolith but, over the years, especially because of his 20 year collaboration with Scots, Paul Laverty, who spent a number of years at the Scots seminary in Rome, and writes all Loach’s screenplays, he has become a great dramatist of social justice issues. Actually, at the time of the award in Cannes, the entertainment union was on strike in can’t and Loach brought in to young people on strike as a symbol of his film concerns.)

1. Acclaim for the film? The prize at Cannes? Ken Loach at 80, in the light of his whole career?

2. Loach and his 20 years plus collaboration with writer Paul Laverty? Laverty’s religious background? Social concern? The strong writing – and Loach able to elicit deep feeling from the screen plan performance?

3. A British story, a universal story? Daniel as an Everyman, of the 21st century?

4. The Newcastle setting, the north of England, the characteristics, language, accent, its not being London? The look of the city, the streets, homes and flats, offices, garages and worksites, the food bank, the supermarkets? The feel of the city? The musical score?

5. The opening, the screen black, the audience hearing the questions and Daniel’s answers, the bureaucratic questions, his wanting to explain the answers? Audiences identifying with him? Establishing the mood of the film? Partisan in terms of critique of bureaucracy?

6. The themes of work, the workplaces, injury, health and heart attacks? Social support? Legislation? Rules and regulations? Forms of their complexity? The strict interpretation of regulations? No human understanding of the clients and their questions? Harshness of interviews? Officials being definite? Phone calls to social services, the long waits, the repetitious music, the recorded voices? Forms to be completed online, older people and their lack of capacity for working on a computer? Audience expectations of bureaucracy, the bureaucratic world? Some officials – and some moments of sympathy, Anne and her concern for Daniel, in trouble with the boss?

7. Daniel, his age, 59, his life so far, his happy marriage, his love for his wife, the photos, the memories and mementos, his telling the stories about her? Her health, physical and mental condition, the hard life and so long looking after her? No children? His work as a carpenter, his skills, fixing Katie’s house, building the bookcase, his knowledge of wood and his feeling for wood and the woodwork? Going to the doctor, the visits, the physio? The documents? The forms – and his application to work again or his health benefits, his need for money, his later having to sell everything In the house? The bureaucrats and the reference to the Decision-maker, passing on the forms? The possibility for an appeal? Daniel being put down? Having to fill in forms on the computer, owing to the library, getting help, make mistakes? The help from his next-door neighbour?

8. Dave Johns, a stand-up comedian, his embodying Daniel Blake, his presence and communication, look, bald, a genial man, his flat, his worry about the litter from next-door, receiving the parcel, his neighbour, his scheme with the sneakers and explanation, the Skype link with the man in China, the enthusiasm about British football? Daniel and his having to go to the seminar on writing CVs? The tone of the instructor? His being required to seek out work, asking various bosses, no work available, his CV, the sympathetic man phoning – but his not being able to accept? The bureaucrats and the requiring proof that he had sought work?

9. The character of Katie, the argument at the office, Daniel intervening, asking the people waiting to let her go first? The guard, severity? Daniel ousted? Befriending Katie, her story, child born at 18, the second child, the two fathers, dependent on her mother, waiting years for accommodation, transferring to Newcastle? Daisy, attractive, intelligent? The boy, the experience of being confined, lack of communication, bouncing the ball – and later answering the question about coconuts and sharks? Katie phoning her mother in London? The lack of money, Katie hungry, Daniel buying food, the meals, the sharing? Repair work in the house, the various ways of heating the house, his repairs, the domestic details? Going to the food bank and Katie opening the can, so hungry? At the supermarket, the shoplifting, the kind manager letting her go, the security guard apologising, giving her the phone number – and a contact for prostitution, her going to meet him, the Madam and the setting up of the room, the Madam and her offering to take care of Katie?

10. Daniel finding the note and phone number, finding Katie, his being upset, her upset, having the money, breaking off seeing him?

11. The hearing of his appeal, her going in support, the lawyer in the wheelchair, waiting, the tribunal, the talk and his declaration about his situation and its seeming impossibility?

12. Is going to the bathroom, collapse, death?

13. The funeral, Katie and the significance of her eulogy, Daniel is a good man?

14. A comment on the film that it showed no dole bludgers but rather good people – and audiences seeing enough of those rorting the system but
seeing the story of those in genuine need?

LA DOLCE VITA

Italy, 1959, 170 minutes, Black and white.
Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aimee, Yvonne Furneaux, Nadia Gray, Alain Cuny, Lex Barker, Jacques Sernas, Magali Noel, Laura Betti.
Directed by Federico Fellini.

La Dolce Vita is a classic film of Italian cinema, winning the Palme D’ Or at Cannes in 1959, confirming the status of Federico Fellini as one of Italy’s leading directors of the 20th century. By this stage, he had made several significant films including Oscar winners La Strada and Nights of Cabiria. He was then to go on, during the 1960s to make such classics as 8 ½, Juliet of the Spirits, Fellini Satyricon, continuing into the 1970s and 1980s.

La Dolce Vita is a film about Italian society, specifically Roman society during the 1950s. Its famous opening, implying some kind of moral judgement, has a helicopter transporting a statue of Jesus over the city. In the helicopter is Marcello, a middle-aged journalist, something of a roue, hobnobbing with the social classes, attractive to women, engaged to a neurotic woman, dissatisfied with life, looking for opportunities – but ultimately looking away.

The film is in striking black-and-white, widescreen. it has a musical score by Nino Rota and incorporates many of the popular songs of the period.

The film consists of a number of episodes, activities during the night and the consequences in the following dawn. Perhaps the best known is that of the paparazzi going to the airport to greet the international star, played by Anita Ekberg, and Fellini’s satire on the paparazzi, on celebrities – and the famous scene of Anita Eck Berg splashing in the Trevi Fountain.

There are some domestic sequences between Marcello and the women, reporting on children who have seen apparitions of the Virgin Mary, nightclubbing, seeking out his friend Steiner (Alain Cuny) who seems an ideal but who disappoints Marcello, a night out with his father.

Significant is the character of a young girl serving in a trattoria who disturbs Marcello as he is typing but with whom he has a conversation – and it is she, at the end of the film, who offers him some kind of hope, but he cannot make out what she is calling to him across the beach.

While the film is certainly of its period, it is most interestingly made, and is a portrait of the period as well as something of an indictment.

1. Acclaim, awards, the career of Federico Fellini? Italian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s?

2. The city of Rome, black-and-white photography, widescreen? The aerial views of the city? The Trevi Fountain, the locations for the action, The homes, the castle, the beach?

3. The musical score by Nina Rota? The incorporation of popular Italian songs?

4. The range of the cast, Italian and International?

5. The structure of the film, the series of episodes, the nights, the dawns?

6. Marcello, the screen presence of Marcello Mastroianni, Italian icon? His age, the character and his background, his absent father, his regard for his mother, his journalistic career, assignments, following the celebrities, with the paparazzi, his cameraman? His friends, associates? His relationship with Emma, love, concern? His encounters with Maddalena?

7. The statue of Jesus hovering over Rome, the visuals, modern Rome, the bathers at the pool, the old city, the Vatican? The religious and cultural significance of this presence of Jesus over Rome?

8. Marcello at the clubs, the encounter with Maddalena, her background, being bored, his going away with her, to the woman’s apartment, the affair with her?

9. His concern about Emma, his return, her taking the pills, emotional distress, the love, the later phone calls, her clinging to him, her wanting reassurance that he was not alone with Sylvia, accompanying him to the parties, his concern about her treatment?

10. The range of other women in the film and Marcella’s attraction to them, Sylvia?

11. Meeting Sylvia at the airport, the paparazzi, Anita Ekberg in the role, her presence, statuesque, language, the press conference and the range of questions, inane questions? Her relationship with Robert? Silly going to the Vatican, climbing St Peter’s, the comment on her energy? Going dancing, the Baths of Caracalla, the range of people present, the men and women, older and younger, the touch of the grotesque? Her dancing with Marcello, Robert and his drinking, drawing caricatures? In Rome, going to the Trevi Fountain, the famous sequence, Sylvia and anointing Marcello with water, going home, Robert angry, slapping her, punching Marcello?

12. The episode with the children and their visions? The children themselves, confusion? The adults all gathering, wanting to follow the children? The priest, his caution, scepticism? The media? The pilgrim with his mother, trampled by the crowd? Emma present, her prayer to the Madonna about having sole possession of Marcello’s heart?

13. The significance of Steiner? Marcello going to the church, the priest genial and lending Steiner the Sanskrit book? Steiner playing the organ? The gathering at his house, his wife and children, culture, poetry, sounds of nature, discussions about marriage and an ideal, Steiner and his being in the middle, not a specialist, not an amateur? His concerns about the world and the future for his children?

14. Marcello meeting his father, going to the club, Fanny and her relationship with Marcello, his failure to get her photo in the media, her attraction to the father? Marcello explaining to the paparazzo his relationship with his father? Going to Fanny’s place, the father having a heart attack, Marcello concerned and getting treatment?

15. Marcello at the beach, trying to write, the encounter with Paola, from Umbria, the simplicity, listening to the jukebox, talking to Marcello – and her later being the final image of the film?

16. The meeting friends on the Via Veneto, the decision to drive to the castle, with Maddalena, the party, explorations, the echo chamber, Maddalena’s proposal, the other man kissing her, the night, the American, Jane, and Marcello with her? The owner in the morning at her going to Mass, with the clergy?

17. The drive with Emma, in the car, stopping, the argument, Marcello’s complaints about her possessiveness, a reaction, pushing her out of the car, waiting by the roadside all night, Marcello returning, picking her up, going home, the scene of them in bed together?

18. The phone call, the news about Steiner, his killing himself and his children?

19. The passing of time? Marcello still in this Dolce Vita world? The party, Nadia and her divorce from Riccardo, Riccardo and his spurning the people, Nadia doing the striptease? The reaction of the men and women, old and young, the film star, the gay man and relationships? The touch of the orgy? Marcello and his getting the pillow and scattering it over the guests?

20. Dawn, going to the beach, the whale stranded, a contemporary leviathan, the reaction of everyone, the focus on the eyes?

21. Marcello on the beach, seeing Paola, her signalling, his not being able to hear her, a possibility of a change of life – but his turning and going
back to join the crowd?

22. The film seen as a morality play, observation on life in Italy in the 1950s, post-war Italy?

NIGHTMARE

Germany, 2016, 92 minutes, Colour.
Carolyn Genzkow.
Directed by Akiz.

At the beginning of the film, the makers urge the audience to accept loudness of the soundtrack, even to turn up the sound. The reason is that there are many sequences of hard rock music, instruments, dancing, partying.

The central character of this film, who has the nightmare, is a young woman, finishing her schooling, seen sometimes in class, with her girlfriends, though spending a lot of her spare time out partying, drinking, drugs, flirting.

At the opening, she and her friends are in the car, taking selfies, when they find a mysterious creature in one of the photos. And so the question arises, how much is in the young woman’s mind, especially when she goes home, hears noises downstairs, sees a creature outside the refrigerator, who is not seen by her irritated parents.

As the film goes on, she sees the creature more and more, sometimes placid, sometimes aggressive, always rather mysterious. It so affects her that her parents advise her to see a counsellor, who tries to be sympathetic as well as positive. She also alerts her poetry teacher who tries to have a conversation with her.

So, where is this to go? The continued nightmare? Some kind of waking up and healing? This is not the kind of film that offers clear-cut solutions and endings.

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER

US, 1997, 84 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Mc Donald, Cameron Finley, Janine Turner, Eric von Detten, Adam Zolotin, Barbara Billingsley, Ken Osmond.
Directed by Andy Cadiff.

Leave it to Beaver began its life on television in 1957, lasting for six seasons with 235 episodes. It was extremely popular for family entertainment, focusing on a family in Ohio, the ups and downs in family life, at school, in the neighbourhood.

In the 1990s, Hollywood decided to make movie versions of many of the popular television shows, Sgt Bilko, Mr Magoo, The Brady Bunch… This is the version of Leave it to Beaver, which pleased a number of audiences but also put off many who remembered the television series.

It is very American in its presentation of family, affirmation in the family, yet highlighting the difficulties, especially in parenting and the reactions of young boys. It may be life in the American midwest but it is a sweetened version.

The interesting feature of the film is the presentation of Theodore “Beaver� Cleaver. He is played by Cameron Finley, a very little kid, sometimes in the shadow of his older brother, Wally, always messing things up – as is illustrated in the farcical pratfalls in the opening credits with the boys delivering papers and everything going wrong, a catalogue of comic errors.

Christopher McDonald? plays the father and Janine Turner are somewhat glamorous suburban mother. Beaver is always wanting to please his father and interpreters his look as being judgemental. When he wants a bike for his birthday, he is advised by the mutual no-it-all friend, Eddie, to suck up to his father and make a good impression. Beaver then carries his case, decides to sign up for football, with his father remembering his career at college. there are quite a number of football sequences with the tiny beaver, and the harangues of the coach.

Interspersed are some flirtatious moments for Wally and his friend, Eddie, who is looked down on by the girls.

There are also some bullies, especially after Beaver has a happy birthday party and is given the gift of a bike. The bullies steal the bike and dare Beaver to climb up into an advertisement hoarding with a coffee cup to see whether there is coffee actually in it – he does so and then refuses to come out, his father finally coming with the fire brigade to get him, taking the opportunity to have a talk to his son and listen to Beaver’s comments about his stern look (something which Beaver’s father did for him).

Happy endings all round as would be expected in this middle American town.

HAEMOO/ SEA FOG

Korea, 2014, 111 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Sung-bo Shim.

Haemoo was in consideration for Oscar nomination from Korea. It won many local and Asian awards.

The film is quite an intense piece, a story of poor fishermen on an old boat finding diminishing returns in the sea, the boat needing repair and causing accidents, the pressure on the captain and other members of the crew.

The captain is approached by a and persuaded to take on some, refugees from China making for Korea. The crew go along with the captain’s decision although the youngest member of the crew, Dong-sik, is cautious.

There is drama as the refugees are transferred to the fishing boat, leaping from the other boat, one falling into the sea and having to be rescued by Dong-sik. The refugees are hidden in the hold where the fish were kept but, after the inspection and payoff of the inspector, the hatches open and all the refugees are dead, gassed. To conceal the event, the captain quarters all the bodies to be hacked to pieces and thrown into the sea.

After this, there is some mayhem, especially when one sailor wants to report the events to the police and is killed, and when Dong-sik has sheltered the young girl he rescued, lustful envy crops up.
There is a rather rueful ending six years later.

1. Contemporary issues? Refugees? People-smuggling? Economy issues?

2. The Korean perspective, the fishermen and their difficulties, the old boats, the lack of fish, law and enforcement, refugees from China, the prospect of cash, working with the people-smugglers?

3. Audience response to issues of people-smuggling? Refugees, asylum seekers? The smugglers, money issues, motivations? The boats, the conditions, disasters?

4. The introduction, the boat, the details of all the activity, each of the sailors, the feel of life on the boat, the captain and his crew, the young Dong-sik? The port, the fishing, the difficulties, the accident at physical dangers? The captain going home, conditions at home? Dong-sik and going to see his grandmother? The men, in port, sexual relationships? A cross-section of the sailors?

5. The difficulties, the boat, the motor crisis, the people-smuggler approaching the captain, persuasive, the cash, making the decision? Telling the crew only after the event? Their agreement?

6. Putting to sea, the conditions, the night, the boat coming closer, the light of the signal? The dangers of boarding, jumping from the ship, the girl falling into the sea, Dong-sik and his rescue?

7. The authorities, the inspector, hiding the refugees, the inspector hearing the sounds, his being paid off?

8. The refugees on deck, the night, the crowd, cold, their being given the food, the men and their lustful approaches? Dong-sik and his taking the girl into the engine room? Her searching for her brother, self-consciousness? Going back on deck, being hidden in the engine room again?

9. The deaths of the refugees, their being gassed? The captain, his decision to chop up the victims and dispose of them in the ocean?

10. The increasing mayhem amongst the crew, the sexual advances, chasing the young woman? One threatening to report to the police? The captain and killing him? The fights, Dong-sik and his relationship with the girl, the sexual encounter? Others’ envy?

11. Six years passing, Dong-sik and his work, leaving, seeing the girl in the family? No contact?

12. A comment on the increasing issues of boat people, their treatment, people-smugglers?

AMERICAN HONEY

UK/US, 2016, 163 minutes, Colour.
Sasha Lane, Shia La Boeuf.
Directed by Andrea Arnold.

Star is a young girl, 18, with a partner, looking after her brother and sister for her mother who doesn’t seem interested, trying to survive – and we see her with the kids on the road, trying to get a lift, cars passing by, her going to the supermarket, seeing a van load of young people boisterously coming in, allowing the children to have a drink in the supermarket, fascinated by one of the young men who dances on the checkout counter, following him out where he offers her a job in door-to-door sales. That’s the beginning.

As to the title, Crystal, who is in charge of the group, asks Star whether she is an American Honey, sweet and attractive? This is also the title of the song which contributes to the finale of the film, the group of young people, including Star, singing the song as they drive into the future.

This is a road movie. This is a piece of Americana. What makes it more interesting is that it has been written and directed by Andrea Arnold from Britain (Red Road, Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights).

The way that Andrea Arnold looks at Americans and the United States along the roads of the midwest and into Texas is by using a handheld camera (somewhat irritating for those who prefer classic modes and not the jerking, “realistic� style of photography) as well as the old-style box framing on the screen. This has touches of the home movie, the capturing of life as it is in a documentary style while creating a fiction.

Sasha Lane is persuasive as Star. It is principally Star that we are watching, whom we are invited to identify with – which may be easier for a younger audience but may at times try the patience of an older audience. What she has got herself into is something of a commune group on the road, travelling in a van, a great deal of camaraderie. If we are feeling a touch censorious, we might be tempted to think that these are idle young people, judging them by their look, their clothes, their freewheeling attitudes.

But, on the contrary, they are participating in the American capitalist dream. They do actually do door-to-door sales and our highly organised by Crystal. She controls the timetables, the plans, knows the various districts they are working in, has receipts for magazine subscriptions all printed out – and, at the end of each day, she collects the money, giving the young people not such a high percentage and keeping the rest for paying for food and accommodation and travel.

So, this is a rather sympathetic picture of contemporary young people, seemingly aimless at times, yet with some purpose, but no great long term planning. Star is surprised at one stage when she is asked what her dreams are, never having been asked that before. She is not the dreamy type, initially reacting rather negatively to the spiels that are created to entice people to subscribe to the magazines, bluntly criticising. However, she moves into the vein of the work, some strange experiences, especially with a group of good old boys who take her to a ranch where she shows off, drinking too much, their all finishing up in the pool, but in fact they all take out subscriptions.

There are at truck stops, quite some encounters with a variety of truck drivers, some friendly, some overtly sexual. They are trained to be shrewd in assessing people’s characters, the context, matching their stories for sympathy and sales.

While Star becomes emotionally entangled with Crystal’s man, Jake (Shia LaBoeuf), her kindliness is also drawn out, especially when she encounters some kids in a “trailer-trash� situation, listening to them seem, buying them groceries.

Many critics have found this film quite powerful. It won the Ecumenical award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. On the other hand, it is very long, almost 3 hours and, if the characters and their situations do not draw the audience in, it could be something of an endurance.

1. The title, Crystal and Star and the discussion? American woman? Sweet and attractive? The song in its lyrics, the group singing at the end?

2. The director, her British background, a perspective on the United States, comparisons of young people in different countries?

3. Road movie, the towns, the highways, the countryside, ordinary and flat, crops, digging for oil, the canyons? The affluent cities, the trailer locations? The cross-section of America?

4. The director and his style, the classic box frame, the handheld camera, close-ups and intimacy, a documentary style, yet creating the fiction? The effect? The very long running time?

5. Songs, the range, popular, group singing, dancing, the use for motivations, creating a common spirit? The lyrics and their meaning?

6. The focus on Star, audiences identifying with her on not? First impression, her age, with the children, something for the lift, the cars passing by? Going to the supermarket? Jake and the van and the crowd? Inside, flirting? His attraction, the dense on the counter? Following him out, his invitation, her taking the kids home? At home, the house, her preparing the meal, her partner being amorous? The decision to leave, out through the window, taking the children? Going to the dance hall, her mother and the line dancing, her father? The reaction of her mother? Leaving the children, running away? The group, the impression on the audience, their ages, male and female, there look, clothes, family backgrounds, the puzzle about why they were on the road at this age, the use of drugs, sexual relationships, an atmosphere of freedom? Their interactions, some loud, some quiet, the man exposing himself? Their spirit?

7. Audience response to the purpose of there being together? American capitalism? Crystal, her character, age, control, her brains of the plans, well prepared, documents?

8. Jake, his recruiting Star, meeting Crystal, Crystal’s decision, her being partnered with Jake, the manual, the rules, learning them? The emphasis on money, her hopes?

9. The going out, the affluent house, the variety of plans, the Speigel’s, performance, the variety of scenarios to appeal to people, the techniques of talking to people in the context, homes? Collecting the money? The subscriptions for the magazines? The receipts? Crystal collecting the money, they’re handing it in, the details of the percentage they would receive?

10. The first home, affluent, the young girl had her birthday, her mother, inviting them in, the welcome, Jake and his story, his studies, the woman laughing, Start upset, taunting the woman, swearing, being ousted? Taunting the woman about her daughter and the devil?

11. The range of people and the range of homes, the encounters, the beginning of the stories, the different scenarios that Jake would spin? Not necessarily seen whether they were successful or not? But the handing in of the money?

12. Going to the truck stops, the drivers, the discussions, personal, the friendly drivers? The overtly sexual drivers? The effect on Star?

13. Star being picked up by the men, the good old boys, the barbecue, the drink, Started drinking too much, in the pool, pulling the many in? The subscriptions, getting the money? The wolf sounds and Jake arriving? The escape in the car? The effect on the two of them, the sexual encounters? The further sexual encounters, explicit? With the background of Jake and his relationship with Crystal? The moods of each?

14. The other characters, they’re introducing themselves, but not always making an impact with the audience? The long time spent in driving, in the audience looking at the characters, getting to know them better?

15. The stop at the Canyon and their amazement? The oil fields? Going to the trailer park, they’re looking at the variety of houses as they passed, poor, the kids playing? Getting out, Star going to the house, the children, the little girl and her singing the song about killing children, precocious and friendly, the boy? The mother and her drugs, passed out? Seeing Star in the supermarket, her buying the groceries, going to the door and leaving them for the children?

16. Crystal and her clash with Star, talk about Jake, her taunting Star, Jake of the recruits, payment? His going off on the motorbike? The effect on Start?

17. Crystal, wondering whether she would get rid of Start?

18. The singing on the bus, Jake returning, this Start looking, quiet? The group spirit, American Honey? The future?

19. A portrait of young people, their having some vitality, sense of freedom, but caught up in survival, poverty – the film as reflection on young people, present and future?

ELLE

France, 2016, 130 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny, Charles Berling, Virginie Efira, Judith Magre, Christian Berkel, Jonas Bloquet, Alice Isaaz,
Directed by Paul Verhoeven.

Elle is a very uncomfortable film to watch. It has many characters and plot strands, quite complex and complicated. And the characters are ambiguous. And the situations provide moral, immoral and amoral questions.

Isabelle Huppert has been toplining films for almost 40 years, one of the world’s significant actresses, and her performance here is very striking, and she has never shied away from difficult roles and difficult interpretations (remembering such films as The Piano Teacher). And the director is the Dutch Paul Verhoeven who has never shied away from difficult themes either – audiences tend to remember that he was the director of Basic Instinct and of Showgirls (unfortunately forgetting his powerful Dutch war drama, The Black Book).

Of the many themes, it seems best to state first that is a film about rape, the film opening with a brief sequence, made all the more telling because of the camera most of the time focused on the pet cat, but later shown in more graphic detail, and even a sequence where Isabelle Huppert as Michelle imagines her violently vanquishing the masked man assaulting her.

This means that Elle is the kind of film that Pope John Paul II wrote of: ‘…even when they explore the darkest depths of the soul or the most unsettling aspects of evil, artists give voice in a way to the universal desire for redemption.’ (John Paul II, Letter to Artists, 1999.)

This is also a film where audience sympathies for each of the characters can veer sharply from sympathy to antipathy. This is especially the case with Michelle herself, victim of the rape but then shown in her workplace, manager of a company which produces violent and sexually aggressive computer games, urging her team to make them even more vividly confronting. She has a son, rather ineffectual but devoted to his pregnant girlfriend whom Michelle disdains, but trying her best to help her son. She has a friendly but often vindictive relationship with her ex-husband.

Perhaps the most sympathetic character in the film is her partner, Anne, a friend since each gave birth to their children at the same time, but unaware that her callow husband is having an affair with Michelle.

And then there is Michelle’s mother, even having Botox treatment which makes her look grotesque in her 70s, with her toyboy and her intending to get married again. More traumatising is the character of Michelle’s father, whom we know was something of a monster and is in jail, the extent of the horror of his crimes and Michelle’s presence as a young child at the time is revealed later. Michelle, as we eventually see, has some propensity for violent sexuality.

Redemption doesn’t seem to be at the fore in this screenplay, although it must be said that Pope Francis makes two appearances via television news, once as he is celebrating Christmas midnight mass in the Vatican, something that the young devout neighbour, who has set up her own large crib at her house, wants to view; and a glimpse of him going to Compostella, participating in the Camino, a sign of some astonishment to Michelle’s son who sees the Pope as an august figure and cannot imagine him with his shoes off… An interesting use of a moral reference in the film.

There does seem to be some kind of peacemaking with a number of the characters, although Michelle does get a last, unexpected, revenge on her father, as well as a grim revenge on her assailant.

This is a strong film, some intense drama with comic moments, but one which asks for a great deal of reflection about good and evil, right and wrong, morality, immorality and amorality.

1. The title, the focus on Michelle, female, her point of view, the writer and the director and their male point of view?

2. The reputation of the director, controversy and challenge? Sexual and psychological issues? The strong cast, especially Isabelle Huppert?

3. The French city and its setting, homes, workplaces, socials, fast food outlets? A contemporary feel?

4. Ambiguous characters, situations, moral, immoral, amoral?

5. Rape as a theme, assault and power, male over female, the attack, the victim, suffering, sadomasochistic aspects?

6. The opening, introduction to Michelle, the masked man and his attack, the focus on the cat watching, the glimpse of the brutality, Michelle, the blood, cleaning herself, cleaning up the broken crockery? Going to the doctor and being commonsensed? But not going to the police? The past and her antipathy towards the police?

7. Audience sympathy for Michelle in this situation? Her going to work, her relationship with Anne, the team, her being boss of the company, the videogames, the violence and sexual aggression? Audiences challenged in their sympathy for Michelle? The plans, the program, Kurt’s disagreement, Kevin and his support? Her wanting the game to be intensified? Consideration of the target audience, making money? Audience response to the nature of computer games, the impact, the players and the effect on them? Violence? Sexual aggression?

8. Vincent, his visit, issues of money, his relations with Josie, her pregnancy, the photos, Michelle’s comment on Josie’s mental condition? The issue of the apartment, covering the rent? His job at Quick? Love for Josie, his work, support of Josie?

9. Josie, various boyfriends? The tattoo of Eric? Pregnant, Vincent and his promises, her being demanding? The drama of the birth, in hospital, the parents present, the colour of the baby, the father, the various reactions? Vincent and his absolute devotion? Eric present?

10. Michelle and Richard, the marriage, separation, the relationship to Vincent? Michelle crashing Richard’s fender? The dinner, her telling the group about her ordeal, the various reactions? Urging her to go to the police? Richard as a writer, his relationship with Helene, the yoga instructor, Michelle going to her workplace, the meeting, inviting her to dinner at home, the toothpick in the food, the discovery that she had made a mistake about Richard’s book, the breakup? Michelle having pity on Richard, as a writer, his idea for a game, finally setting him up with Kurt to give him some temporary occupation?

11. Michelle, receiving the texts from the assailant? Changing the locks? Her fear? Rebecca and Patrick across the street, friendship? Patrick saying he had chased the assailant? The invitation to dinner, Michelle flirting with Patrick under the table? The storm, his return to close the shutters, touching Michelle? Leaving?

12. Patrick and Rebecca, a happy couple, neighbours, helping, the invitation? Rebecca and her faith, the statues for the crib and setting it up? At the dinner? Wanting to look at the television, the papal mass? Her faith, her absences from home, the effect on Patrick? The final words with Michelle and her indicating that she understood Patrick and thanked Michelle for her support?

13. Patrick, as a banker, neighbour, the dinner, closing the shutters, Michelle and Vincent going home, the drinking, going down into the basement, Patrick and his attack, the sadomasochistic behaviour? Michelle, her agreement and pleasure? The relationship? Coming back with Patrick, the mask, the further attack, Vincent arriving, hitting Patrick, his death? Michelle’s revenge?

14. Michelle is mother, age, the Botox, trying to be glamorous? The toy boy, Ralf? His presence, Michelle’s reaction to him? Threatening her mother if she announced her engagement? The issue of her father, her mother urging Michelle to visit him in prison? Coming to the dinner, the announcement of the proposal, her collapse, hospital, coma, the funeral?

15. Michelle’s father, her hatred, never visiting him in prison, her mother’s suggestion? The television and the explanation of the case, his brutality, the picture of her as a little girl, audience assuming that she participated in the killings? Her telling Patrick the story? The decision to visit, finding that her father had hanged himself, the glimpses on television at him having his parole refused? The prison authorities, the time of his hanging – and Michelle looking at his body and assuring him that she had killed him and got her revenge?

16. Vincent, the break with Josie, seeming hopeless, giving up his job, Michelle giving him the job to organise the reception, the success of the event, the videogame as a hit, finance? His following his mother, hitting Patrick? And reunited with Josie?

17. Michelle, the mock video game, her suspicions of Kurt antagonistic towards her, asking Kevin to spy, promising him money, her looking at his computer, finding that he had created the video – and refusing the payment?

18. The significance and symbolism of the scenes with the Pope, midnight mass, his going to walk the Camino, Vincent’s comment on his dignity, imagining him barefooted?

19. Anne, a good woman, her friend, her husband, his relationship with Michelle? Michelle telling and the truth, and anger, ousting Robert?

20. The final sense of friendship, Michelle calmer, reconciled with Anne, some good coming out of all the conflicts and ambiguity?

YELLOW FLOWERS ON THE GREEN GRASS

Vietnam, 2015, 103 minutes, Colour.
Khang Trong, Thinh Vinh.
Directed by Victor Vu.

A Vietnamese film with great charm as well as seriousness.

It is set in the late 1980s, over a decade after the fall of Saigon and before the current modernisation. The location is a small village, in attractive countryside, the opening credits having great vistas from the air of the land and the sea.

It is the story of two brothers, one aged twelve, the other seven, devoted to each other, yet with a friendly rivalry – although the older brother has a touch of envy for his younger brother’s strength of personality. We glimpse their parents as well as a local uncle who gets the younger boy to be his messenger to woo a local girl, the son of the schoolteacher. There is also a young girl with whom the older boy is infatuated but who is equally at home with the younger brother – which leads to a touch of viciousness on the part of the older brother, an injury to the young boy, the parents having to sell their cow, but the young boy somewhat miraculously helped in his recovery because of a fable about a tiger and a princess in the forest.

For film for universal audiences.

1. A Vietnamese story? Idyllic? Family? Siblings? Life in the village?

2. The location photography, the opening credits, the details of landscapes, sea, crops? Jungle? The village? The homes and interiors? The musical score?

3. The setting in the 1980s, a memory with the touch of nostalgia?

4. The story of two brothers, twelve and seven, the relationship, love for each other, respect, the older boy and his dominance, yet in some ways reticent, the younger boy and his strong character? The details of their life, the fights, the reconciliation, throwing stones at the wounds, fake surrender? The older boy and his studies? The younger boy and his books? With their parents, with the uncle? Their prospects in life?

5. At school, the boys, the other children – and some bullying, the fights, the younger boy and the knife, in reality nail clippers? The brothers supporting each other?

6. Moon, her mother, the story of the father in the shed, leprosy, the burning down of the shed, the mother going to the city, the diagnosis that it was not leprosy? The mother coming back and taking Moon to a new future?

7. The younger boy, taking messages to Vinh, the meetings with the uncle? The romance? Her father, the schoolteacher?

8. The older boy, the infatuation with Moon, the younger brother getting on well with her, with the frog, going fishing, the younger boy catching the fish, the older boy and his growing jealousy? His sulking? His letting the man take his brothers frog? His brother upset? His overhearing the talk about the meal and the chicken, his hitting his brother, the fact that they were playing, the injury to his brother, the acupuncture, the need for the doctor, the younger boy saying he fell from the tree, his father’s reaction? Their having to sell the cow and other goods? The older boy and his diligent care for his brother?

9. The mystical aspect, the story of the Princess, the Tiger, the threats? The older boy and his wariness of the magic tree? Glimpses? The younger boy and his believing the story, wanting the Princess?

10. The younger boy and his recovery, talking about the Princess? His getting up, moving? The older boy and the discovery of the circus man, the story of the riding act, the little girl the flower, the accident, withdrawing to the woods? The old man confiding his story? The condition of his younger daughter – a princess?

11. A glimpse of life in rural Vietnam in the 1980s, after the war, before the modernisation?