STORKS

US, 2016, 91 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Kelsey Grammar, Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Anton Starkman, Keegan -Michael Keye, Jordan Peele, Danny Trejo.
Directed by Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland.

After seeing the trailer for this animated film, the question arose as to how prevalent and popular the story about storks bringing babies to eager parents really is. Are there children today who have been told the story and believe it? Or is it one of those transitional stories, like Santa Claus, which children move on from?

Be that as it may, the story capitalises on the story of storks and shows them operating traditionally at the opening of the film. However, it then makes a nod to contemporary commerce and a new role for the storks – being employed by a CEO stork in his warehouse where people can order all kinds of goods and the storks will deliver them, an avian kind of alternate delivery.

The hero of the film is a wisecracking stork, something of a loner amongst his peers, someone to the office of the boss thinking he will be fired but is promised that he will become the new CEO. all well and good except the has the task of firing a young girl, now turning 18, who stork missed out on her address and so she was not delivered but has continued to stay in the warehouse – but is certainly accident-prone.

When Tulip, the young girl, put in charge of the letters room (who would write letters these days when email, texting… Is available?), and the young boy, wanting to have a brother, actually sends a letter and she puts it into process and the baby is produced for delivery – which our hero and Tulip go through all kinds of adventures to deliver.

The children in the audience seemed to be delighted in the action and all the mishaps and pratfalls. The father of the children pulled often enough and some funny situations and humorous dialogue.

The animation is more or less what we have become accustomed to and expect, the voice cast is very good, including Andy Sandberg as the hero.

Entertaining enough while it is there but not so memorable.

1. An entertaining fantasy?

2. The animation style, the, the factory, adventures, flight, the wolves, the boat, the mazes? Individuals, the credits? Birds, due to?

3. The audience and the tradition of the stories about storks and delivering babies? Children today and their knowledge, reactions?

4. The images of old deliveries? The transition to commerce and different deliveries, the factory, the huge space?

5. Change, the Corner store and the work of the storks? Will it work? The boss, the pigeon toady and his depiction as the yes-man?

6. Introduction to Junior, everybody too busy, not going out with him? The boss summoning him? His imagination? Being fired? Going to the boss, the boss being friendly? The potential for taking over? The issue of Tulip, the accidents, the chart with profits going up and

7. Tulip, 18 years old, Jasper and his loss of the address? Her living in the warehouse? The problems? Her ingenuity with flight and the crash?

8. Junior, dealing with Tulip, unable to tell her the truth? Her prospects?

9. His solution in giving her the job in the Letters Office? No letters?

10. The Gardner family, the story, Candidate, his parents, being busy? His interest in Ninjas? Wanting a brother, writing the letter, the visuals of the process of collecting the letter, delivering? Tulip receiving it? Junior’s reaction? Setting the baby manufacture in process?

11. The cute baby, the baby jokes, the delivery flight, Junior?

12. The wolves, appearances, characters, funny, wanting to be parents, the pursuit?

13. Tulip Junior, the hit, the chase, the wharf, being detected, Junior and the hold, being guided by Tulip through the maze, crashing into the glass, the babies?

14. Going to the house, its being closed? Tulip and Jasper, Tulip being delivered, not going in?

15. The boss, the capture?

16. The storks, difficulties in the factory, the toady, getting the help of the penguins, the bells?

17. The confrontation with the boss, the process, more babies being produced, the variety, multiracial?

18. Going to the Gardner family, the delivery of the baby, the reaction of the parents and their preparation for the baby coming, the rooms, the painting the house, the authorities wanting to prevent it? Nate being dismayed that he now had sister, pleased with ninja possibilities?

19. Tulip, discovering her family, everybody gathering round, the extended family and their excitement?

20. The credits, the range of baby pictures?

SNOWDEN

US, 2016, 134 minutes, Colour.
Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Rhys Ifans, Zachary Quinto, Melissa Leo, Tom Wilkinson, Nicolas Cage, Timothy Olyphant, Julie Richardson, Ben Schnetzer, Scott Eastwood, Ben Chaplin.
Directed by Oliver Stone.

Within a comparatively short time, Snowden has become a household name, something of a sign of contradiction – and now the subject of a film, not just a film, but one co-written and directed by Oliver Stone. With his films about Vietnam and his experience there, especially Platoon, but more with his portraits of American presidents: the conspiracies in JFK, Anthony Hopkins as Nixon, and the Bushes, father and son in W, he is one of the foremost filmmakers focusing on American politics, at the top.

Perhaps it should be said first that Snowden is one of Stone’s most straightforward films. While there is plenty of scope for conspiracy theories, Edward Snowden has emerged as a fairly straightforward person. He does not carry the personal baggage of Julian Assange, personally or politically – and there have been documentaries about Assange, especially WikiLeaks? by Alex Gibney, as well as with Benedict Cumberbatch as Assange in The Fifth Estate. Snowden has had his documentary, Citizenfour, by Laura Poitras, who is played by Melissa Leo in this film, filming her interviews with Snowden in Hong Kong.

Joseph Gordon Levitt gives a persuasive performance as Snowden, more quietly played or underplayed, nothing bombastic about him.

The film moves around in time, initially showing us Snowden’s taking his material to Hong Kong, the arrangements for the New York Times and the Guardian to interview him with a view to publication, which occurred.

As he explains himself, the film goes back to his life as a rather ordinary man, American conservative in his political views, very loyal, affected by 9/11, doing military training which made too many physical demands on him, working for the CIA, an expert on IT. The film also shows his relationship with Lindsay (Shailene Woodley), a young woman with liberal views, a photographer – and Snowden shows himself very shy about being photographed.

As he becomes more and more involved in his work, showing how sharp and quick he was in his wits and his working with IT, under the mentoring of the serious and intense Corbin (Rhys Ifans), appointed to Switzerland, discovering more and more about the surveillance of American citizens, he gradually begins to be alarmed at the amount of surveillance to which is contributing. He works for other firms but decides to accept an appointment to Hawaii. Again he finds even more extensive surveillance and makes a personal decision, a moral decision, that he should make this material known.

There are some dramatic tension in the sequence where he has to get the information beyond security gates in Hawaii and shrewdly uses a Rubik Cube to distract the guards.

So, unable to return home, he travelled to Russia and, to date, is still in Moscow where he has been joined by Lindsay.

Certainly an interesting drama but also very cautionary tale about privacy, secrecy, surveillance, government information about citizens…

To be continued.

1. Audience knowledge about Edward Snowden, his actions in 2013, his motivations, accusations of being a traitor? This film helping audiences with information and clarity?

2. Stances for and against Edward Snowden – the film enabling stances for possible change?

3. The Hong Kong framework, the flashbacks, from 2005 and the different stages of Snowden’s life and career, his attitudes, patriotism, conservative stances, in action, questions, the influence of Lindsay, his final decisions?

4. The impression of Snowden with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s? performance, 29, his action and decision, in the room in Hong Kong, Laura, Greenwald and MacAskill?, recounting his history, and their questions? The tension and waiting? The Rubik cube, the code for meeting the journalists, the room, putting the phones in the microwave, Laura and her filming? The nature of the questions and interview? The Guardian, the New York Times, Jeanine in New York, her associates, the hearing, having to make the decision, her making it and the follow-up?

5. The scenes of military training, the intensity, Snowden and his earnestness, his fall, the fragility of his legs, hospital?

6. Corbin, the recruitment to the CIA, the meetings, the interviews, Snowden and his motivation, the task, his achieving it in 38 minutes, Corbin’s surprise, his friendship with Snowden, going out with the rifles, assigning him to different jobs, not going to the Middle East because that was not where the future, long-term, was?

7. The assignment to Geneva, the computer jobs, programming, development, Snowden and his being highly intelligent, clever with IT, the themes of surveillance, the meeting with Gabriel, his expertise, the extent of surveillance, the visual diagrams on screen, contacts, the further contacts and networks? The banker from Pakistan, the party, Lindsay softening him, Snowden and his awkwardness in making contacts? Snowden and his agent friend, the techniques for getting at the banker, surveillance, the banker’s daughter, her relationship, the man two-timing her, getting the confidence of the banker, his drinking, his desperation, the plan to get him on drunk driving and so have power over him? Snowden and his hesitant reaction, going along with the regulations – but his later having the lie detector test about improper use of a program?

8. His decision to leave the CIA, Corbin and his reaction? Going to the National Security Council, his research, developing programs, opportunities?

9. The relationship with Lindsay, the initial contact on the website? Meeting, talking, becoming a couple, her skill in photography, his unwillingness to be photographed, the collage of photos of him? Going to Geneva, the tension, her not having a job, help with the socials, the Pakistani banker? Returning to the US, at home? The computer, the surveillance camera, Snowden’s reactions? Her being a strong liberal?

10. Snowden and his ideas, conservative, the impact of 9/11, trying to be honest, not a drinker, his work during the Bush administration, differing from Lindsay? His ideas? The Obama election, her hopes, his talk about freedom, security? Later disillusionment with Obama and his stance on surveillance – but the end and the later scenes of his enacting legislation against surveillance?

11. Invitation to go to Hawaii, the set up, the vast underground plant? Trevor and Patrick, the roles and work, surveillance, the drones and destruction? Meeting Gabriel again? Snowden, expertise, his political connections in the CIA? Snowden and the tension, with Lindsay, getting her to return to America? His going to the centre, getting the copy of all the information, his hiding it in the Rubik cube, Patrick helping, talking in sign language – and his device of having the guard trying to play with the cube and its not going through security?

12. Hong Kong, the contact with Jeanine, the long days of interviews, getting the okay to publish, the final revelation of his identity, the television crews in their pursuit? His getting out of the hotel disguised as a cameraman?

13. The local agent, helping him to get away, staying with a Hong Kong family and everybody assuming he was in a hotel? The plane, going to Moscow, Lindsay going to Moscow?

14. The final information about him, the replaying of the television show and his being interviewed from Moscow, the compere, the audience in support of him?

15. Audiences emerging from this film – those for him, those against?

EQUITY

US, 2016, 99 minutes, Colour.
Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner, Craig Bierko, Margaret Colin, Nate Corddry.
Directed by Meera Menon.

One of the most remembered and requoted lines from a film is that of Gordon Gecko from Wall Street (1987). He said that “greed is good”.Commentators of the time thought that this was something of an epitaph for the 1980s.

Almost 30 years on, the sentiment is something the same only much more politely raised, “I like money”. This is a statement from the central character in this film, Naomi, a Wall Street wheeler and dealer, working on fledgling companies, ensuring them that she will raise capital, a process that is profitable for all concerned. And, at the end of the film, one of the other central characters states the same thing, leaving us pondering its value and what has happened to Naomi, and what does it profit to gain the whole world and lose…

With the title Equity, it is clear that this is a film about money. What makes the film different is that the principal protagonists who like money are all women. Equity is a term used about finance but there is inequity in terms of the place of women in the financial professions, and inequity is close to inequality, something that this film is concerned with.

Naomi (Anna Gunn) is a self-assured woman, very capable, important in her office, yet, at the opening, one of her companies does not reach expectations and her boss criticises her, indicating that she is not going to be promoted. She is a determined woman and has an assistant who initially seems to be acquiescent and carrying out orders but who, we soon learn, is fiercely ambitious in her own right. The third character, a friend of Naomi from school days, who has been working in investigative jobs, especially in the area of drugs but has been transferred to fraud issues – which leads her to get in contact once again with Naomi.

The bulk of the film is a picture of a new company, Naomi in charge of promotion and fund-raising, getting her assistant to do most of the legwork, the young boss of the company rather assured and self-confident in his manner.

But now Naomi’s boss is a man and is not in a rush that women should break the glass ceiling in financial companies. The head of the new company is also a man, flamboyant in his manner but demanding on Naomi. Naomi herself is in a relationship the financial hedge fund advisor (James Purefoy), a man who is not above double dealing with her, connecting with rather due head of the fund, complacent in a men’s world and prepared to sell Naomi out.

This kind of financial intrigue film has a great deal of plot and plot complications which keep the interest, some sympathy with Naomi at her doing what is best for the company as well as for herself, and even more sympathy as we see the duplicitous side of her assistant, a married woman with a husband at home who does the domestic roles, pregnant but more interested in taking a business phone call during her ultrasound than in the new baby. She becomes less likeable as the film goes on eliciting more sympathy for Naomi and we might have thought we would ever have.

And then there is the woman investigating fraud, with seeming integrity but already being headhunted by a large corporation company – who promise her more substantial salary: “I like money”.

This is very much a film made by women, the director, the writers (the women who play the assistant as well as the fraud investigator) and the performances by three central actresses. It is still a man’s world but these women are going to find their place in it, either with authentic talent and integrity or with the chauvinist male competitiveness that they have experienced themselves.

1. The title? Male and female equality in the workplace? And roles of authority? Financial equity and dealing in companies, shares? Women and their roles?

2. The feminist perspective, the humanist perspective, the director, the writers and performers? Female points of view? Characters and issues, insight and critique?

3. Wall Street, the 20th century philosophy that greed is good? 21st-century and liking money, making money, the prime aim of money? The world of deals, ambitions, betrayals, seeing finance and dealings as a game? Morality issues? Ethics?

4. Naomi as central, her age, experience, the television information about Dyna and the prospects, for the company, the news of its failure? Naomi’s boss, and not getting the promotion? Erin as her assistant, Naomi bossing her, demands, Erin fulfilling them? Her relationship with Michael, trusting him, satisfying her needs? Her prospects? The meeting with Samantha, on the panel with the alumnae, her answer about money and liking working in developing companies?

5. Meeting with Sam, their past, the social, the alumnae, the drink together, Samantha interrogating Naomi about Michael, Naomi leaving upset?

6. Erin, her back story, the househusband and his patience, pregnancy, going to the ultrasound, taking the phone call and her husband urging her to be present to the ultrasound of their child? Working with Naomi, wanting a promotion? Ambitions?

7. Sam, her background in Narcotics, moving to financial fraud, the boss, their discussions, the room, the photos, the arrows, the pad, suspicions? Ben as a target? Curious about Michael, the connection with Naomi? The investigation into Cachet? The personal life, at home, twins, parenting, her partner?

8. Cachet, Naomi and her support of the project, doing the due diligence, her boss’s supervision, getting Erin to prepare the documents? The meetings, abrasive with Ed? The urging of more gentle talk, Erin and her ability, smooth-talking Ed? The members present at the meeting, the issue of privacy in the company, social media? Ed, his background, advisor? Different meetings, Naomi chairing, $35 as the target for shares? Naomi and the arguments? Erin, Ed, the image of the party and inviting people who will then pay up? On the date with him? Getting him to sign the indemnity clause? Naomi and her meeting with Megan, the group against hacking, Megan being fired?

9. Michael and his friendship with Ben, Corey present, the jovial meetings, Michael giving Ben the hedgehog? Michael and his promises, Corey listening?, Ben, sleazy, hedge funds and deals? Your, the Hamptons?

10. Sam, her going after Corey, the social, drinking, smooth talk, the interrogations, getting him to hand over the information? Sam and her interviewing Erin? Naomi and Michael? And her job offer to move on for better salary?

11. Erin, antagonism towards Naomi, and ambitions, going to Michael’s apartment, the pretext of finding Naomi, the documents? The motivation? Michael pumping her? The phone call, the line on speaker, Naomi spelling out the phone number, Michael copying it? Her defence that she did not reveal anything and Michael not receiving any information?

12. Michael, smooth, background, financial advisor, the relationship with Naomi, intimacy, yet his wanting to get information from her, the discussions with Sam, with Erin, getting the phone number, passing it on to Ben, his friend the journalist and the revelation of the rumour, his going to Ben’s company? Stating that it was all a game?

13. Naomi, the phone call to Megan, the risk to the company? Megan giving the information, bought off financially, hanging up on Naomi?

14. The day of the shares, the preparation, tensions, everybody involved, Wall Street and the brokers all working, the different reactions, the rumour, the low price?

15. Naomi, going to her boss, his building block project and her toppling it?

16. Naomi losing out? Her future? Michael and his being invited to be a participant in the new company? Ben and his buying shares and property? Erin, her becoming an associate? Sam and her new job – and her repeating Naomi’s answer about the aim of making money and liking money?

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU

US, 1999, 97 minutes, Colour.
Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon -Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholz, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt, Gabrielle Union, Larry Miller, Alison Janney.
Directed by Gil Junger.

10 Things I Hate About You soon became something of a popular cult classic of the high school genre. It was released in 1999 and reflects a milder approach to raucous comedies which were becoming very popular – this was the year after the first American Pie film.

What made the film particularly interesting was that it derives from Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew (and a few years earlier Clueless was very successful, an adaptation and modernisation of Jane Austen’s Emma).

The setting is Seattle, an impressive high school, an eccentric counsellor, played by Alison Janney at her best, businesslike but writing a rather florid romantic novel of the same time. But, it is the students who hold the attention.

Julia Stiles is very effective as the shrewish high school girl, burnt by a liaison in the past, condemnatory of boys, caught up in her studies, acerbic in her comments in class, tough in sports practices. Her sister loves being popular and is resentful when their father, whose wife had abandoned him, is very strict in his discipline and will only allow the younger sister to go on a date if the older sister goes. What follows is a whole lot of plotting to get her to go out.

Heath Ledger is the high school student, something of a free spirit, who is paid money to flirt with the shrewish girl and take her out. this leads to a number of comic situations, including her getting drunk and making a fool of herself and, later, his doing a grandstand (literally) song version of Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.

Also in the background is an earnest young student played by Joseph Gordon Levitt who is attracted to the younger sister, takes part, along with his friend played by David Krumholz, in the intrigues to organise the dates.

The film has many amusing moments, has good leads, and is an interesting tribute to Shakespeare’s characters and plots.

1. The popularity of this film over time? In the late 1990s? High school comedy, relationships, romance?

2. The Seattle settings, the fine weather, homes and streets, comfortable suburbs, the high school and the imposing building, classrooms, sports fields, home parties, the prom?

3. The musical score, songs, Patrick singing Can’t Take My Eyes off of You? The music at the prom? The final performance on the building roof?

4. The basis of the film in Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew? Kat as shrew, the surname Stratford, the shrewish behaviour, taming, the family background, the two sisters? The variations on Shakespeare’s plot?

5. The school setting, the teacher and the reading of poems, his being critical of Kat, complaining, ousting her? His reaction to the other students, critical? The final homework, the poem, Kat reading it? The role of the counsellor, the comic scenes with Patrick, Cam, Kat – her writing the novel, her imagination, taking up verbal descriptions and incorporating them – and the final comic scene during the credits? The sports master, Kat and her flashing herself to get Patrick out of detention?

6. Kat, her manner, her father’s tough attitudes, her mother leaving? Tensions with Bianca, yet love for her? Bianca and her popularity? Kat seen in class, on the sports field, tough, spurning men – and her later revelation to Bianca about her sexual encounter with Joey? Her not being subject to others’ opinions? The encounter with Patrick, talking, going out with him for Bianca’s sake, the party, the drinking, the performance, the aftermath? Music, looking at the guitar? The issue of going to college on the East Coast, her father’s reaction? Bianca critical of her? Patrick singing and performing the song at the sports field? Her going to the prom, dancing, Patrick promising there was nothing in it for him, Joey and the revelation, her anger? Her poem in class, Patrick’s gift of the guitar and her response?

7. Bianca, the younger sister, lively, popular, her girlfriend always agreeing with her? The interest in Joey, his wanting to date her? The problem that the father would let Bianca go out only if Kat had a date? Her interest in Cam, the French lessons, his jealousy of Joey, her kissing him in the car, going to the prom with him? Her going to Kats room, complaining, Kat telling her about the past?

8. Patrick, his look, time in Australia, tough, time away from school tending the sick? The encounter with the counsellor? In class, Joey and the proposition about the money, his decision, upping the ante? Talking with Cameron and Michael? Going out, the party, his reaction to Kats and drinking, the performance of the song? Going to the prom, the tuxedo, dancing, Joey unmasking him? The gift of the guitar, listening to her poem?

9. Cam, his arrival, age, with the counsellor, meeting Michael, their friendship, working together? Infatuation with Bianca? Wanting a date? Supporting Patrick and the plan for Joey? Cam learning French, the encounters with Bianca and talking French, her responses? Bianca upset, Cam upset, Bianca kissing him, the relief, his taking her to the prom?

10. Joey, vain, in class, the model, the deal with Patrick, the money, the past with Kat, arriving to take Bianca to the prom? His comeuppance?

11. Michael, gawky, quoting Shakespeare, attracted to the girl, quoting the poetry, providing the dress, happiness and dance at the prom?

12. The father, the mother leaving, his being careful about his daughter, humour, no dates? His being a gynaecologist and his comments about behaviour? Kat wanting to go to Sarah Lawrence? Finally allowing it? Reactions?

13. The film is genial, funny, the range of characters and the final score on the roof?

BOYS

US, 1996, 89 minutes, Colour.
Winona Ryder, Lukas Haas, John C. Reilly, James Le Gros, Skeet Ulrich, Charlie Hofheimer, Bill Sage, Catherine Keener.
Directed by Stacey Cochran.


Boys is rather brief film about high school students and their encounter with a young woman who had fallen from a horse and whom they found and brought to the school to look after.There are complications with the police looking for the young woman.

The original title the film was The Girl You Want but was changed, apparently to the chagrin of the director, to Boys.

Winona Ryder plays the young woman who had been involved in partying the night before the main action of the film, involved with a star sportsman played by Skeet Ulrich who has drowned in a car crash into the river.

John C.Reilly plays the policeman wanting to question her. Lukas Haas plays the high school student who finds her, with the help of some of the younger boys, but is harassed by his peers wanting to know what is going on, and his reputation being spoiled in the school. Word gets to his parents, Jessica Harper and Chris Cooper, the latter being particularly severe.

The whole experience is liberating for the young man and he is able to defy his father – and, perhaps in a nod to The Graduate, the young man and the young woman elude the police and escape to…

Director is Stacey Cochran who also made My New Gun.

1. Title, the focus?

2. High School, the town, school, parties, the carnival and fair, police precincts? The musical score?

3. Patty, in the house, the inspector questioning her, going to the horse ride, the fall, found, her collapse, John Baker caring for her, the young boy assisting, in his room, his care, the boys and their comments, the older boys and their being understood, their curiosity? The young boy getting the food? In the bathroom, the shelf collapsing? John Baker taking her out in the car, going to the fair, enjoyment, the sexual encounter, the effect on John, the repercussions?

4. Patty and flashbacks, but he Valentine, the party, drinking, going in the car, speeding, the crash? In the water, his death? Patty getting out? In the park, meeting a friend and his girlfriend, their curiosity, persuading them to take her home?

5. The police, the inspector waiting for Patty? On the bridge, retrieving the car? Taking John? The interrogation? John and his parents? Being let go – the two escaping of the elevator?

6. John Baker, at school, creative writing, the teacher and his severity? His friends, with him, in his room? The young boys, taking the car, fighting Patty, bringing her to the room, his care for her, being beguiled by, getting the young boy to get the food, getting the other boys out, they’re telling him his reputation was tarnished, is going out with Patty, fair, enjoyment, the evening? The policeman seeing him, his phone call to his parents, being taken, his being allowed to go to the Spanish quiz, his behaviour in the clients, punching the boy? Going to the station, with his parents, the reaction of his father, of his mother? Escaping with Patty?

7. The small boys, the sympathetic boy, the cantankerous boy?

8. The older boys, friends, curious about the room, the Spanish test, the punch? The reaction of the teacher?

9. John’s parents, the severe father, his mother anxious, is phone call, meeting them, at the police precinct?

10. The police, the detective, the interrogations?

11. The situation with Buddy Valentine, his reputation, the party, Patty and her behaviour at the party, going with him, his death?

12. The overall impact of this film about I school students?

RENOIR

France, 2012, 111 minutes, Colour.
Michel Bouquet, Christa Theret, Vincent Rottiers.
Directed by Gilles Bourdos.

Renoir is a celebrated name in French history, especially of the arts. For those who appreciate the paintings of the older Renoir as well as the films of the younger Renoir, this partial biography will be of interest and aspects of it, fascinating.

This is a leisurely film, capturing the mood of rural France in 1915. There are references to the war and the realisation that it is being waged not far away. In fact, two of the painter’s sons, including the later director, Jean, have served on the front line. But, for the film and its plot, we are in a beautiful French village, a lovely French countryside, a world of visual beauty.

Beauty is an important theme for the film. The artist is surrounded by nature, but is drawn more to portraying the human form, of painting women, and, as he says, his appreciation of flesh. By 1915 Renoir had painted a great number of pictures, and some of them are seen hanging on his wall. There is also the reminder that he painted scenes of ‘lunch on the grass’, with a sequence in the film where the family are at the river, he is painting, and gusts of wind come up tossing cloths and other aspects of the picnic into the water. We also see the artist painting in his studio, especially with his models.

The models have always been important. Renoir has memories of Gabrielle who chose to leave him - but does reappear and joins the family at the end. Renoir has also many memories and paintings of his late wife, the mother of his children, the model to whom he was most devoted.

As the film opens, we see a young girl, Andree cycling towards the Renoir villa. The artist’s wife had recommended her to apply for modelling. She does. She is accepted. Renoir delights in painting her. It is a happy existence except that the rather snobbish staff have a contempt for her.

And then Jean, wounded in the leg, comes back from the war. He is played by the young and versatile actor, Vincent Rottiers years. A patriot, he wants to go back to the front when his wound begins to heal. His father certainly does not want this. Dede (Andree) has fallen in love with him, and he with her, which complicates his emotional life, and the discovery of the possibilities in a relationship with a woman. This leads to some difficulties in the household, the father wanting Dede to return after she has left the house. Jean goes to find her.

This means that for the audience it is principally a portrait of father and son. But it is also a cinema essay in exploration of French art, impressionism, the artist driven to paint.

The family watches cinema, especially Intolerance, released in 1915. The audience is caught up with the magic of cinema and we are given glimpses of the response of Jean who does finally make up his mind that he wants to work in film.

The performances are very strong. 86 year-old Michel Bouquet certainly conveys the character, the genius, aspects of the tortured life of an artist. Vincent Rottiers portrays Jean before he discovers his vocation in life.

There are notes at the end of the film indicating that within four years the older Renoir had died. Jean worked with Dede in film until they parted in 1931. But from the 1930s, with such films as a Marseillaise, The Rules of the Game, the great war, and into the forties when he went to Hollywood and made a number of specialised features, then into the fifties when he returned to France and continued to make masterpieces including his Lola Montez, The Golden Coach and The River. He was to die, celebrated as one of the 20th century’s great directors, in 1979.

1. An entertaining portrait of the painter? French perspective? French pride? Art and heritage?

2. 1916, the countryside, peacefulness, light and beauty, household, the mansion? Glimpses of the war, soldiers on the road? Injuries? The consequences of the war?

3. The importance of the light or the photography? Renoir -like? Painting, posing settings, inside and outside, light and shade, postures, the skin and its tone? The paintings and the paintings in progress? The musical score?

4. Renoir, his reputation, his painting style, with a focus on women, beauty, his models, his wife, models becoming companions? His age – and three more years of his life? His illness, his legs, treatment by doctors? His sons, his perspective on the war? Their injuries? Claude as the young boy around the house and his father’s treatment?

5. Andree, the audience entering the film through her, the bike ride, on the property, the initial encounter with Claude, saying Renoir’s wife had sent her? Meeting the household, the servants and their work? The routines of the household?

6. The interview with Renoir, his decision to hire her, the many sequences posing, natural, naked? Her comment about the money and payment? Interactions with Claude? Clashes with servants, eating in the kitchen, their attitude? Jean’s return from the war, the attraction, concern, the talk? His showing the movie and her being enthralled? And films being part of her
future?

7. Jean, soldier, his wound, return and usefulness, helping his father with the paint, with the paintings? The attraction to Dede? Together, the film, the relationship, his decision to return to the war? The information about what happened later to them?

8. The wounded brother, his father’s attitude? The importance of the three brothers in French cultural history?

9. The situations for the painting, everybody going out, dressing up for the picnics, the water, forest, idyllic – yet the war?

10. The audience sharing the experience of the artist, his work and his vision?

GINGER AND ROSA

UK, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt, Annette Bening, Jodhi May, Oliver Milburn.
Directed by Sally Potter.

Ginger and Rosa is a story about two teenagers in the 1960s, the film going back to 1945 and the end of the war when they were born, the friendship between their mothers, the reactions of the two different fathers.

In the early 1960s, after the austerity of the post-war period, there is an easy life for the teenage girls in the beginning of a more permissive era. It is also the period of nuclear fears and protests against the bomb.

Ginger is the clever girl. She is Played by American Elle Fanning, convincingly British. the Australian Alice Englert, also convincing. There are also other Americans in the cast, including Christina Hendricks as Ginger’s mother and Alessandro Nivola as her father and Annette Bening, involved in the protest movement. Oliver Platt plays a friend, partner of Timothy Spall.

While the two girls support each other, Rosa is not as politically involved as Ginger, and when the girls accept an invitation to go on Ginger’s father’s boat, the rather promiscuous university lecturer begins an affair with Rosa, she becoming pregnant, which serves as a catalyst for Ginger to reconsider her life, becoming more involved with protest, finding herself arrested, her mental condition tested. At the end, Ginger who wants to be a writer, composes a poem which reaches out to Rosa and offer some kind of forgiveness.

1. The title, the focus on the two girls? Girls growing up, teenagers, friendship, changes in situation, betrayal?

2. The director, her serious dramas? The two girls, an American actress, Australian actress? Convincing?

3. The opening, 1945, the war, London, the two mothers, giving birth, reaching out, continued friendship? The births? Fathers? Rosa’s father disappearing? The girls and their bonding, the scenes of themselves as children, getting older?

4. Teenagers, from 1945 to 1962? The experience of post-war Britain, rations, hardships? The change in the 1960s? Post-austerity? On the move towards a greater permissiveness?

5. Each of the two girls: Ginger, dominant, her personality, her hair, clever, at school? Rosa, the different school, difficulties with studies? The anti-nuclear protests and meetings?

6. Rosa, touch of promiscuity, the boys? Nat and her disapproval, warning Ginger? The contrast with the advice from Roland? Supporting the friendship? Roland, at home, the professor, studies, infidelities? Nat and her bringing up Ginger? Sacrificing herself?

7. Rosa, her mother, the Catholic background, going to the church to pray? Rosa moving out and becoming free?

8. Ginger, relationship with her mother, her mother and concern about domestic courses, expecting Ginger to be a housewife? The effect of Ginger, her moving out? Her going to stay with her father?

9. Ginger and Rosa on the boat with Roland? Rosa beginning the relationship? Believing in everlasting love? The effect on Ginger, wanting to move out, but her mother beginning to paint again?

10. Ginger warning Rosa about Roland’s infidelity? The pregnancy?

11. Ginger, the effect, going to the rally, the protests, the causes? The arrest? In prison? The psychologist? her mental state? The fear that the world was about to end? Roland and his comments? Bella, her interactions with Ginger, advice?

12. The two Marks, characters, friendships, advice?

13. Confronting Roland, Nat and her taking the overdose, going to hospital, the concern?

14. Ginger, the final problem, for Rosa, acknowledging the difficulties, but hope the future – and possibilities for forgiveness?

HEIST

US, 2015, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Robert De Niro, Gina Carano, Dave Bautista, Morris Chestnut, Kate Bosworth.
Directed by Scott Mann.

The subject of heist is what the title suggests, a robbery of a casino, money which had been laundered by an Asian criminal organisation and which could not be revealed to the police.

Audiences who enjoyed the bus chase in Speed will be remembering it when the criminals take over a bus and there is a similar chase along the highway – but nothing to compare with Speed.

Robert De Niro, making so many films each year in his 70s, is the manager of a casino which he has built up, fosters the money-laundering. but, he has terminal cancer, wants to reconcile with his estranged daughter, goes to meet her, offering to leave everything to her. She refuses.

But the main focus is on Jeffrey Dean Morgan as former employee of the casino, who has had a change of heart, married, has child is very sick and needs a large amount of money for surgery. He works again at the casino, asks De Niro for a loan which refuses. Morgan is approached to participate in the heist, he finally agrees, but with an exit plan if everything goes wrong – which does provide an unexpected twist at the end.

The film’s action spends a lot of time on the bus, the reaction of the passengers, Morgan taking charge, in contact with a detective pursuing, making phone contact, persuading her to help him with the safety of the bus passengers. There is also a crooked detective, in the pay of De Niro.

The film is brisk, has a good cast, makes its point through the thriller and the chase.


1. The title? Expectations? The background of the heist, the execution, things going wrong? Commandeering the bus? Police, detectives?
2. The American city, the casino, the hospital, meeting places? The bus, the highway? The musical score?
3. The opening, the heist, the chase, the bus? Going back in time? The introduction to Vaughan, his work at the casino, information about his past, relationship with Pope, conversion, Army? His return? His marriage? His daughter and her illness? The visit, the $300,000 required for the surgery? His promise to have it? Desperate? The response of his wife? His daughter, the doctor, the medical staff? His going to Pope, asking for a loan, Pope’s treatment of him, Derek, the violence, the inhumanity? Principles?
4. Cox, his approach to Vaughan, suggesting the heist? The background of the casino, his work there? The clients? The Asians? The fat Asian and his losing? Money-laundering? The cash kept in the casino, millions? Vaughan reluctant? The pressure from hospital, his agreement?
5. The planning, Cox and his domination, his partner, Vaughan and his plan if things were to go wrong? Visualising the possibilities?
6. Contact, the robbery, the amount of cash, Derek and his presence, the confrontation, the shooting, running down the road? Boarding the bus?
7. The bus, the pregnant woman, the little boy, the other passengers? The driver and his keeping his head, his skills? The progress of the bus?
8. The pursuit by the policewoman, the contact with Vaughan, the phone, her believing him, breaking through the roadblock, crashing the car? The continued phone calls?
9. Her boss, his taking her off the case, the detective arriving, his reversing the orders? Going to the bus? The irony that he was working for Pope? Vaughan challenging him? The passenger with a weapon, Vaughan threatening him, his backing down?
10. The pregnant girl, the boy, the vet and her looking after the wounded man, the phone call to bring in medication, the detective bringing it? Its being poisoned and his death? Cox and his anger, boyhood friend, emotional, with the driver, threatening to shoot, Vaughan shooting him?
11. Stopping the bus, the confrontation with the detective, his being shot?
12. The hostess hostages getting off, the irony of Vaughan getting off, the phone call to the pilot, Cox and his previous contact? The possibility flying anywhere? Vaughan arriving, Derek present? The arrival of Pope?
13. Pope wanting his money, his going to visit his estranged daughter, her working in the restaurant, discussion about her mother, her alienation? His wanting to give everything to her? Her condemning him about the way that he made money? Not wanting anything from him?
14. Vaughan, beaten, talking about his daughter, Pope thinking this over – and his shooting Derek? Letting Vaughan go? His cigarettes – and smoking the real one, his cancer and imminent death? Trying to do something right?
15. The detective, interviewing the pregnant girl, the irony that she was Vaughan’s sister, concealing the money, going to hospital, the detective letting her be?
16. Vaughan, the previous phone call, his daughter and his wife, bringing the money, the surgery?
17. Satisfying robbery thriller, with the bus chase, and the twist about the money going to the hospital, Pope changing his mind?

THE RED TURTLE/ LE TORTUE ROUGE

France, Belgium, Japan, 2016, 80 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Michael Dudok de Wit.

The Red Turtle is an animation film for a wide range of audience – the children will need some patience because of the lack of dialogue, the measured pace of the storytelling. The film is something of a gentle fable about the world, about life, about relationships.

The film is the work of a Dutch writer and filmmaker, Michael Dudok de Wit, who won an Academy award in 2000 for his short animated film, Father and Daughter. This is his first feature film. While it is a European story and production, it has been made in collaboration with the great Studio Ghibli of Japan, with its co-founder, Isao Takahata, having the credit of Executive Producer of animation. The Japanese the director free rein – and he has fashioned a story, a style of animation, characters and values that permeate the Studio Ghibli films.

The film opens with turmoil at sea, a young man seemingly surviving a wreck, thrown onto a beach of an isolated tropical island. He does find a barrel in the water later but it is empty. Like Robinson Crusoe, he is on his own. He explores the island, the beaches, the forests with the thin trees and the fallen logs, the rock top, the cliffs, and falling into a hole and having to use his ingenuity to squeeze his way through a thin crevice.

But he is also enterprising, using the logs to build a raft with branches for shade and ventures out and to the sea. However he does not get very far when a mysterious shudder goes through the raft and it falls to pieces – and this happens again, and again.

It is here that the Turtle is introduced, destroying the raft, landing on the beach with the frustrated would-be sailor. In his mood, he turns the turtle on its back and leaves it exposed to the sun. Gradually, some humanity returns and he provides water to the turtle and builds a shelter – but then something extraordinary happens.

The other island parallel to this story is that of The Blue Lagoon, the young man and woman stranded on the island, their love and companionship, their baby, the child growing over the years.

The atmosphere of the island is beautifully created, not only the forest and cliffs and the beaches, but also the range of birds continually flying around and a group of crabs who start to observe the man, provide some comic touches as they share his food and spend a lot of time watching him. There is also an extraordinary tsunami which sweeps over the island in devastation.

There is a pleasing humanity pervading this story – a story of continued hope, of love, a little fable about the meaning of life, love and death.

1. The title, the turtle itself, its look, size, and the transformation? And the final transformation at the end?

2. The animation style, the landscapes, seascapes, colours? Characters, situations, interactions? The musical score?

3. A collaboration between Europe and Japan? The tradition of Studio Ghibli and this film in that tradition?

4. The style of storytelling, within the context of the sea, the island, sounds and laughter but virtually wordless?

5. The images of the sea, the storm, placid and calm, beautiful, the waves? The island, the beaches, the forest, the trees, the logs? The top of the island? The cliffs? The waterhole?

6. Overtones of the story of Robinson Crusoe, of the Blue Lagoon, even of the television series, Lost?

7. The man in the sea, the turmoil, getting to land, exhausted on the beach, the exploration through the forest, the cliff, the waterhole and swimming through the crevice? Minimum of words? His sounds? Collecting the logs, building the raft? The several attempts, the bumps and destruction of the rafts? Finally encountering the Red Turtle?

8. The background of the birds, flying, their sounds? The huge numbers before the tsunami? The crabs, the comic touches, their watching, participating, the food? The waves, the hole, squeezing through the rocks? And later this happening for the baby boy?

9. Encountering the turtle, on shore, his anger, turning the turtle on its back, his bad mood, his continuing his work, the beating down of the sun, his feeling sorry, building the shelter for the turtle, getting the water?

10. The Red Turtle transforming into a woman? His companion, their sharing, life together, the baby, the child growing up, its falling down the cliff, squeezing through the crevice? The idyllic life?

11. The birds, the sound, the warning of the tsunami, its breaking over the beach, into the forests, the trail of destruction? The father, out to sea, on the log, the mother exhausted on the beach, the son rescuing his father?

12. Time passing, the son and his decision to leave, going out on his own? The couple growing old, white hair, lying on the beach, the death of the man, the sadness of his wife, her returning to the sea and becoming the turtle again?

13. A fable about life, existence, love and nurturing? Death?

ALL THAT REMAINS

UK, 2016, 119 minutes, Colour.
Leo Ashizawa.
Directed by Ian Higgins, Dominic Higgins.

The evocative title of this film could will refer to the August 8th, 1945, bombing of Nagasaki, the second atomic bomb, after Hiroshima on August 6th, dropped on a Japanese city.After the bombing and the almost annihilation of the city and so many of its inhabitants, what remains?

This film is the work of two British brothers, Ian and Dominic Higgins. They have made several short films and the feature about the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, The 13th Day.

One of the characteristics of the film is that they do so much of the work themselves, from writing, directing and producing, photography, editing and the special effects. The special effects are quite elaborate, blends of photography and animation, often giving a surreal impressionistic perspective on characters and events. The first part of the film is quite realistic. There are suggestions in the storytelling with this impressionistic mode, but it comes into full force in the second part of the film, the extended and quite harrowing portrayal of the destruction by the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Many (most) audiences will not be familiar with the central character of this film, a Japanese scientist, Takashi Nagai. By the end of the film, the filmmakers have drawn a portrait of a significant Japanese character and someone who could one day be called a saint. The film introduces him in 1932, a young man, studying, interested in medicine and atomic research. We see him and his family, his friends, but we also see him have a religious experience at Christmas, going to a Catholic Church, the celebration, Silent Night, and his own declaration of the effect that it had on him – which leads him to meet a priest and to be received into the Church.

(Nagasaki was the venue for the crucifixion of 26 martyrs in 1597, the subject of the Higgins Brothers’ animation short, The Martyrs of Nagasaki.)

During the 1930s, he was employed at a university, conducting research. He also married and had children.

Nagai continued his work at the University into and throughout the Japanese war in China and the experience of World War II, sending his family sometimes to the country for safety. While the film focuses on him, there are glimpses of the war, the Japanese imperialism, the beginnings of the Japanese defeat, the clash with the United States – and the dropping of the bomb.

Nagai’s wife is killed in the dropping of the bomb and he himself is injured. The latter part of the film is about his reaction to the experience – and asking what remains? In his slow recovery, he draws on his own personal integrity, his faith, ruminating on what the devastating experience means, the sadness for those who died, the impact of those who survived.

He is encouraged to tell his story, to write. His work is published, including The Bells of Nagasaki.he becomes well-known, takes a hope-filled view – including a perspective on the survivors in Japan. While the Americans always said that the dropping of the bomb was to save lives, American lives, Nagai suggests that it also saved many more lives of Japanese in the final months of the war. He advocates for the nuclear research for progress.

In the "Atomic=c-bomb rescue and relieve report" of October 1945 he has stated: "Everything was finished. Our mother land was defeated. Our university had collapsed and classrooms were reduced to ashes. We, one by one, were wounded and fell. The houses we lived in were burned down, the clothes we wore were blown up, and our families were either dead or injured. What are we going to say? We only wish to repeat this tragedy with the human race. We should use the principle of the atomic atom (sic). Go forward in the research of atomic energy contributing to the progress of civilization. A misfortune will be then transformed to a good fortune. The world civilization will change with the utilization of atomic energy. If a new and fortunate world can be made, the souls of so many victims will rest in peace."

His work was recognised by authorities and he became a significant figurehead for hope after the war. The film also indicates that he is being considered by the Catholic Church as a possible saint.

1. The story of Takashi Nagai? The target audience? Japanese audience? Catholics, Christians? World audiences?

2. Audience knowledge of Nagai? The film opening up his life, his career, his impact?

3. The filmmaking, the British directors, the Catholic perspective, the Japanese connection, the performers? The aim of the directors in communicating this story?

4. The significance of the technical style, the realism, the surreal aspects, impressionistic? Special effects? The blend of the real and the surreal? The importance of the visuals especially for the long sequence of the dropping of the atomic bomb? The musical score, the range of songs, different styles of accompaniment, the effect?

5. The three parts, the different styles? The ultimate impact?

6. The introduction to Takashi Nagai, in himself, his age, his family, the 1930s, his study, medical interests, due to? His friends, associates at the University? The Catholic experience, Christmas, Silent Night? The church? Religion in Japan? The place of Catholicism? The priest, his words and encouragement? The reception of Nagai?

7. In himself, over the years, a good man, his marriage, love for his wife, the children, their growth?

8. The experience of the Sino- Japanese war?

9. The importance of studies, his associates, the University, atomic research, nuclear research? The parallels in the United States? The 1930s and 1940s, atomic developments, the possibilities for progress, for destruction?

10. World War II, his staying in Japan, the military stances, the leaders? The United States, the bombing of Pearl Harbor? The development of the war, moving the family to the country, the effect of the war? His continuing his work?

11. The atomic bomb? Hiroshima? August 8th, 1945? Nagasaki? An ordinary day, the Americans, the planes, the dropping of the bomb? The American perspective? The long sequence, the visuals, audience sharing the experience of the inhabitants of Nagasaki, fire and burning, instant annihilation, the variety of circumstances for people? His family?

12. The effect on Takashi Nagai, his injuries, his family and death, the associates, medical, his illness, the slow recuperation?

13. The Americans, the Japanese, the end of the war, the Emperor? The repercussions?

14. Nagai’s personal journey, the experience of deaths, the bomb, the telling of the stories, his writing and its effect, the publication, the wider audience, his sense of responsibility, his being a delegate for peace, the impact?

15. The film’s presentation of his holiness? The move towards sainthood? Heroism? Another perspective on 20th-century possibilities for sainthood?