FRANCOPHONIA

Russia, 2016, 88 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Alexander Sukurov.

In the 19th century, Russians were great Francophiles, speaking French, admiring French culture and art. While this film is in Russian, with some French spoken, the touch of the Francophone, the Russian director is in great admiration of the French, their heritage, their art, and the suffering that this caused them in the 20th century, in the Nazi invasion of France and the occupation of Paris.

Alexander Sukurov has made notable films over the decades, often offering incisive allegories for the oppressive political regimes of the 20th century and of the past. He is also a great admirer of art and made the noteworthy film about St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum, Russian Ark (famous for the elaborate rehearsals so that the 90 minute film could be shot in one continuous take as the camera roamed through the Hermitage, looking at the works of art, and actors recreating various sequences in Russian history).

This film might well be described as a poetic cinematic essay. There is some narrative. There is a great deal of poetic representation and commentary about the art, but the overall effect of the experience of being immersed in the Louvre and in World War II history, is a reflection on the perennial importance of art and its preservation for a culture, the threats to its destruction, some heroism in preserving it.

The film begins rather idiosyncratically with the director himself speaking behind a black screen with the elaborate credits going through at the beginning, making arrangements about the filmmaking, noting difficulties, and trying to contact the captain of a ship at sea transporting art, difficult to connect with, mounting seas, and the captain rather regretting that he is transporting the art – which may seem symbolic of what was to follow.

The focus is the Louvre and its treasures. The director then takes us to the occupation of Paris by the Nazis, Hitler himself present, and quite some time given to the movement of the French government to Vichy and the leadership of Marshall Petain, World War I hero, aged 84, with his cabinet and the collaboration with the Nazi regime.

At the Louvre, the administrator, Jacques Jaudard, keeps his responsibilities and tries to preserve as much of the art as possible, many pieces being removed from Paris. At the same time, the German officer , Franz Wolff-Metternich? is also responsible for the preservation of the art – and he is able to prevent many of the artworks being plundered by the Nazis.

There is also the device of having an actress portray the French symbolic woman, Marianne, seen at various historical junctures as well as wandering through the Louvre, sometimes in the company of an imagined Napoleon, full of himself and his importance for France, especially in a long sequence of his gazing at the Mona Lisa.

Into this study of the Louvre and occupied France comes a significant Russian sequence, making a strong contrast between the Nazi siege of Leningrad which went on for months, thousands dying of starvation, people collapsing in the streets, mass graves, and the destruction of the Russian art, and the Nazis allowing Paris to live its life under occupation and preserving the art.

The film has quite an amount of actual news footage from the period but, even in the performed sequences, a device is used of presenting old stock as if it came from the period re-enacted.

Of interest is the fate of the two men responsible for the art, the French administrator and his being honoured but suddenly losing his job and his being forgotten in contrast with the German who was exonerated from his Nazi party membership, with the help of the French administrator, and lived a quiet life, fruitful life working for the German government for some decades.

While this is an opportunity to visit the Louvre, there is not a great deal of dwelling on the works of art there because the film serves as an essay on war and art.

1. The film seen as a poetic essay?

2. The director, his political works and critiques over the decades? interest in classic art?

3. The prologue, the phone calls, the questions? Arranging for the film to be made? Trying to track down the captain, on the boat, the Skype connection, breaking up, the high seas, the dangers, his carrying the art? A metaphor for the theme of the film and art during the war? The glimpses of the director himself answering calls?

4. The intention of the film: a portrait of France, in itself, its art history, the role of the Louvre, the treasures, especially the Mona Lisa? World War II, the invasion, the Nazi occupation, the details of the Vichy government, Marshall Petain and his cabinet, political issues? Hitler, arrival in Paris? The administrator of the Louvre and his keeping his position? The German responsible for the art? Their achievement?

5. France and the dramatisation of the symbolic Marianne? Imagining Marianne and Napoleon in the Louvre, Napoleon and his contemplating the Mona Lisa? His self-importance? The historical and artistic heritage?

6. The Nazis and Hitler, the Nazis wanting to transport the art works? Contrast with the siege of Leningrad, the destruction of the art?

7. The Leningrad interlude, the footage, the siege, the suffering of the population, the deaths, in the streets, the mass graves? The role of Stalin? The comparison between the destruction of Leningrad and the saving of Paris and the glimpses of its ordinary life?

8. The film providing a tour of the Louvre, the works of art – and the removal of so many works during the war and walking past the empty frames?

9. The film stock, its style, actual footage, acted material, the marks on the side of the film? The cast for the administrator and the German?

10. The fate of the administrator, his being praised, honours, new positions, falling out of favour, marriage, his son, death, the grey, unknown? Contrast with the German, his being relieved of his post because of his prevention of art going to Germany, his retirement to his home, his achievement and honours? Exonerated from Nazi party membership with the help of the French administrator?

11. The film contributing to the work of the director and his political comment? Artistic comment?

MOUNTAIN CRY

China, 2015, 107 minutes, Colour.
Yueting Lang, Ziyi Wang, Taishen Cheng, Ailei Yu.
Directed by Larry Yang.

Mountain Cry is a Chinese drama set in remote mountain locations in the middle of the 1980s.

The film introduces us to two characters, a young woman who is seen to be brutally raped by her husband, then cradling a baby, as they come up the mountains to a remote village. the other character is a young man from the village, rather earnest, somewhat carefree, who sets detonators to trap badgers. The location photography of the vast mountains is often breathtaking.

These two stories collide when the husband of the young woman, who is mute, is asked by his daughter to go out into the forest to collect some berries. He finds them but steps into the badger trap, his foot separated from his leg, the people from the village taking him back to his house where he dies.

There is an irony because we know of the tensions between husband and wife but the people in the village, accusing the young man of being responsible for the death, have some compassion so that the widow and children will be cared for. With a meeting of the elders, a document is drawn up to which the woman agrees that the young man will provide for the family until he is able to pay compensation.

What the audience anticipates comes to pass, that the young man is earnest in his support of the woman, that she is grateful, that they become attracted to each other, that meals are shared, work in the fields, a visit to a travelling opera company.

This performance provides the occasion for flashbacks where we see the actual story of the mute woman, of her being abducted from the opera as a child, the cruelty of the Master and his cutting her tongue, and the fact that he had murdered his wife. This gives a stronger context to what was happening in the village.

The people in the village want to cover up the situation from the police, to preserve their reputation, but it emerges that the dead man was on the run from the police and the villagers want the young woman to be expelled from their village. The initial compassion turns into crowd-mentality for ousting her.

The young man defends her. His father, from whom he was estranged, intervenes in the situation. The police do come to arrest the young man and he is willing to undergo this to save the woman.

At which stage, there is a dramatic twist in the plot, looking again at the situation of the dead man and a change of anticipated ending, an ending of pathos with issues of guilt, responsibility – although there is a final image of hope with a woman on the mountaintop banging a basin with exhilaration.

1. A Chinese drama, the 1980s, the remote village, life in the village, petty aspects, humanity?

2. The title? Han and his cry to the woman, to trap the badgers? The Mute woman at the end?

3. The location photography, the overviews of the mountains, the forests, the village? The musical score?

4. The story of The Mute, her husband and his vicious rape, the birth of the child? The story of the village, Han and his work? The flirtatious woman calling across the mountain? The trap, the detonator, the search for the berries, death?

5. The village and its response, the role of the elders, Fatboy, Han’s father, the crowd mentality, the role of the police, the decision to cover up the situation, concerned about their reputation? The hearing for Han, the discussion, the compensation, the documents, the support, The Mute signing?

6. The Mute and her children? Her husband, insulting her on his deathbed? Poverty, accepting the support at home, the meals, inviting him to share them? His response, bringing the cot, their travelling on the wagon together, working together in the fields, the possibilities?

7. The theatre, enjoying the Opera? The occasion for the flashbacks, The Mute and her childhood, with her family and Nanny, enjoying the opera, the abduction, the master, cutting her tongue? ordering her to be mute? The background to his killing his wife? On the run, the context for the life of The Mute and her children?

8. The case, the police, Han and the detailing of his caring for The Mute? The little girl and her fondness for him?

9. The flirting girl, coming to the village, her look and style, dress? Overhearing the details, gossiping? The news about the murder? Leading the group to oust The Mute?

10. The women in the group, their outcry? The men, the elders, Fatboy and his changing his position?

11. The father, the relationship with his son, tension, the past and his drinking? The son asking his favour? His going to the police and bringing them? Bringing the ailing chief of the village? Finally to care for the children?

12. The Mute, her defiance?

13. The arrival of the police, Han and his arrest? The Mute and her decision to confess, writing the document? Revisiting the situation, her knowing about the berries, urging the daughter to ask her father? Watching in the woods? The trap, the explosion, his limb, his insulting her, smothering him?

14. Han in the van, kicking the door, the mystery of his release, chasing the police car? The Mute and her looking back?

15. The pathos of the story, issues of responsibility, guilt, crowd mentality? The final image of the woman banging the basin on the top of the mountain?

EXTRACTION

US, 2015, 100 minutes, Colour.
Kellan Lutz, Bruce Willis, Gina Carano, D.B.Sweeney.
Directed by Steven C. Miller.

Extraction is not a film that needs to go on anyone’s must see list – probably, on the contrary.

This is the kind of action material that goes straight to DVD. However, it is somewhat enhanced by the presence of Bruce Willis, though his role is fairly small even if crucial. He is billed after Kellan Lutz, who plays his son.

The film opens with Willis being interrogated, his family threatened, his breaking loose but assassins going into his house, killing his wife, frightening his young son who is unable to pull the trigger on the assailants.Years later, the son is now in training with the CIA and assigned to Prague where there is an investigation going on about a technological spy program.

News come that the father has been kidnapped again but that the CIA is not mounting a rescue plan – so that the son decides to take matters into his own hands, becoming involved with a former romantic partner during training days, played by action star, Gina Carano, with a whole lot of complications, especially with the father manipulating the situation to get back at corrupt officials, threatening to sell the project to the enemy.

While there are some exotic scenes in Prague, most of the action takes place in a rather dingy New Jersey. The basics of the plot are fairly familiar and conventional, especially intrigues, betrayals and twists, and the young man trying to prove himself to his father.

Kellan Lutz has been a model, has played the role of Hercules, voiced Tarzan. This film might seem to be his calling card for his career and he is given fight after fight after fight to impress with his screen presence, his fighting abilities far stronger than his acting abilities.

The director, Steven C. Miller, went on to direct Bruce Willis into succeeding films, Marauders, First Kill.

THIS IS MY FATHER

US, 1998, 115 minutes, Colour.
Aidan Quinn, James Caan, Jacob Tierney, Colum Meany, Moya Farrelly, Maria Mc Dermottroe, Donal Donnelly, Eamon Morrisey, Stephen Rea, John Cusack, Brendan Gleeson, Pat Shortt.
Directed by Paul Quinn.

This is My Father is a little seen drama which is well worth seeing. and written and directed by Paul Quinn, which features his brother as the central character, Aidan Quinn.

The film opens in the 1990s featuring James Caan as a world-weary teacher in a high school, pessimistic about the prospect of his students, burdened at home by his mother who has had a stroke and does not communicate. There is also his sister and her teenage son.

In discovering something about his mother and his father, whom he does not know or know about, he decides that he and the nephew will travel to Ireland, meeting a gypsy woman who knows the story, and her garrulous son, Colm Meany. This provides the commission for flashbacks to the 1930s, to the character of Kieran who is in love with the 17-year-old Fiona, has been adopted from an orphanage, is a serious young man working on the farm, influenced by the local priest and a visiting priest and going to confession about his love for Fiona and being urged to give her up.

The story from the 1930 gradually unfold towards a tragic ending, influence of a very harsh church (with a significant sermon by the parish priest against dances as well as a harsh sermon and confession experience from a visiting priest, Stephen Rea). John Cusack has an entertaining cameo role as a pilot, taking photos for an American magazine.

The film has the feel for Ireland both in the 1990s but especially in the 1930s.

1. A memoir? A 20th-century story? The 1990s back to the 1930s? From the US to Ireland?

2. The 1990s, the city of Chicago, Apartments, school and classrooms? The musical score?

3. Ireland in the 1990s, the village, the bed-and-breakfast, the streets, the schoolgirls, the cemetery? The tone of the musical score?

4. Ireland, the 1930s, the village, the farm and work with peat, homes, the church, the dance hall, the funeral? The contemporary score?

5. Kieran, working, his age, his mother and the stroke, living with his sister, with Jack? Going to class, the biographies, his not listening, the reaction of the students, his critique of their prospects and forecast of their poor lives? The end and his return to the classroom and showing them the photo?

6. His books, finding the dedication, photo, trying to communicate with his mother, nothing? His sister, her exasperation, arguing with Jack?

7. The decision to go to Ireland, his taking Jack? In the car, arrival, Mrs Kearny and her son, the chatter, telling the story in instalments, the framework for the flashbacks? The sad story and sad ending? Jack, on his bike, the encounter with the schoolgirls, phoning his mother and grandmother, the two girls being cheeky, the farewell and the final kiss?

8. The 1930s, Kieran and his story, the orphanage, adoption, growing up on the farm, his parents, the hard life, love, providing home? His work, digging the peat? The friendship with Fiona? The meetings? His shyness, awkwardness? The dance, the twins, picking the fight, his fighting, taking Fiona home, learning the dance? Listening to Father Morrisey’s sermon? The camera on him and the references? The mission priest and his inappropriate probing about sexuality?

9. Fiona’s mother, the twins and their mother and her curse, Fiona’s mother and her fears, every illness and upset a result of the curse? Fiona and her talking to the Gypsy – and the decision to use the curse for leverage?

10. The denunciations of Kieran, the two young police coming to him, sent by the mother, later coming to say there was no worry?

11. Kieran’s parents, his mother deciding that he would have to leave, so that they would not be ousted from the farm? The father and his later grief and denunciation about his son? The mother’s grief?

12. Fiona, writing the letter, it never reaching Kieran, her putting it in his coat pocket as he lay in state?

13. The American, the plane, taking photos, the enthusiasm, on the beach, American football, fixing the car, later sending the photo?

14. Kieran and the visiting mission priest, fire and brimstone, hell? Kieran going to confession, the interrogation, explicit about masturbation, imagination, about Fiona, his love, her age? The happy scenes with Fiona? The car, the breakdown, going to the beach, the plane, playing football with the pilot? His fixing the car? Later sending the photo? The result of the confession, his wanting to break from Fiona, finding it hard, her arguments?

15. Fiona, age 17, her father and his strong reputation, her mother, harsh, drinking, looking at her daughter during the sermon?

16. Fiona, in love, her being hurt, persuading Kieran, spending the night, the alarm from her mother? Her pregnancy? Her mother’s reaction? The mother denouncing Kieran and his poverty?

17. The role of the parish priest in Irish society, in the 1930s? Authoritarian, puritanical? The warnings, the criticism of the young people, the dance, the fight, of the police being inactive? The pilgrimage to CroaghPatrick? for penance? The mission priest, preaching in the church, the severity? The confession, the effect on Kieran, the issue of the photos, the message on the back, Kieran being blamed? His hanging himself?

18. The discovery, the priest and his comments about the body to lie in the barn, not in the religious part of the cemetery? The grief of his parents? Fiona’s mother asking God’s forgiveness?

19. Fiona, going to the US, confiding in the Gypsy as she left – and Mrs Kearny then able to tell the story to Kieran’s son in the 1990s?

SOLACE

US, 2015, 101 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Abbie Cornish, Colin Farrell, Marley Shelton, Xander Berkely.
Directed by Afonso Poyart.

Solace is a police and detective investigation story, focusing on a serial killer who seems to be murdering victims who have no relationship with one another.

The detective team is led by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish, the latter as a psychology expert. Morgan has previously worked with a psychic, played by Anthony Hopkins, and goes to visit him to persuade him to be involved. He is reluctant because of the death of his daughter from leukaemia and his wife leaving him.

However, he does, and the film offers quite some visual flair in portraying his psychic visions, flashes, quick editing, different objects suddenly in the frame like an artwork… The link between the victims is established, they had all been suffering from a terminal illness.

Which means that the serial killer is offering solace to these victims, so that they will not have to have prolonged suffering.

The killer finally appears, in the form of Colin Farrell, in the last 20 minutes or so of the film, also a psychic who has decided that his killings are mercy killings. He is confronted idealogically by Hopkins and there is a build up to a finale between the two – and an ultimate revelation of the fact that Hopkins had mercy-killed his own daughter.

Strong cast, of the serial killer, mercy killings, making this an interesting mystery thriller.

1. The title? The dictionary meanings given? As a noun, verb? And mercy killing?

2. The American city, the countryside, homes, police precincts, hospitals, school? The musical score?

3. A series of killings, the wound to the neck, what the victims had in common, not? The discovery of the illness? The old woman, the woman in the bath and HIV, the child and his brain tumour? The nature of the wound and sudden death?

4. Joe and Katherine, working as detectives, the background, her studies, forensic investigations, attitude towards theories, demand for facts?

5. Joe, a good man, wife and family, his work, his past experience with John, going to visit him, the persuasion? John coming to help, the information, the reality of his own illness? His not telling anyone?

6. John, psychic, living in seclusion, his past help with police work, articles and headlines? His daughter, as a child, growing up, leukaemia, in hospital, death? His wife leaving? Alone?

7. The film visualising the psychic experiences and visions? Of people, events, blood, details like a work of art? His relationship with Joe? The interactions with Katherine?

8. Following the clues, Katherine as a sceptic? The clue about the artist, going to the apartment, his drawing a gun, out the window, his escape, the pursuit in the car, John and his psychic giving directions, the crash, injuries? Information from the fleeing man?

9. Joe, his family, the confrontation with the criminal, his being shot, his death? Asking John for help for his wife and family? His being a target of the killer? To relieve him of misery?

10. The child dead, the parents of the child, unwilling to accept the truth? The autopsy and the result? The old lady and the information? The girl in the bath, her husband, the interrogation, the note, his wanting to leave with another man?

11. The switch in theme, the introduction of Charles, the star, Colin Farrell, being introduced towards the end of the film?

12. The meeting between the two, the exercise of psychic powers, Charles’s vision? Shared visions? The challenge? Charles and his work, his explanation, the mercy killings, relieving people of suffering? The exchange of wits? The effect on John? His valuing life, people not necessarily wanting to die?

13. Charles foreseeing the finale, the setup, the trains on the station, the building, the detectives, Katherine coming in, the confrontation, the guns, the shots, Charles are dying, Katherine wounded, John and his going to hospital?

14. The final revelation about John, his daughter, her illness, suffering and his administering the fatal dose? In the park and his wife reconciling?

15. An interesting blend of detection and the psychic?

SETUP

US, 2011, 85 minutes, Colour.
Curtis 50 Cents Jackson, Ryan Philippe, Bruce Willis, Jenna Dewan Tatum, James Remar.
Directed by Mike Gunther.

Setup is a rather brutal thriller set in Detroit. 50 Cent Jackson and Ryan Philippe play two friends from school days who joined with another friend in staging a diamond robbery in the middle of the city streets. When delivering the diamonds to the dealer, Philippe suddenly shoots his two friends, Jackson surviving and then bent on revenge – even though he tells us that he intended to be a priest, to save the world, but the world needs to save him, and visiting a church and speaking to a priest twice.

Bruce Willis is the gangster chief of the city, a lot of henchmen, brutal in his methods, though finally getting a comeuppance. James Remar plays Philippe’s rather vicious father in prison.

1. A Detroit gangster film? Background of gangster dealings, small-time thugs, international groups?

2. The Detroit settings, the city and the streets, robberies in the street, gangsters meeting places? Musical score?

3. Sonny, telling his story, his comment about thinking of being a priest, redeeming the world, the world needing to redeem him? His faith, prayers? His visit to the church, the comment by the priest, inviting him to open up, talking about free will and choices?

4. His friendship with Vince, with Dave, their meeting, at the house, the wife and saying goodbye? Waiting for the robbery, the van, the crashes in the street, the driver, taking the man with the case, escaping? Waiting for the delivery of the diamonds? Vince, suddenly shooting Dave, shooting Sonny?

5. Sonny surviving, with his friend, the cross stopping the bullet? His going to the church? His decision for revenge? The past with Vince, growing up together? Vince later saying that Sonny depended on him, that anything he had was from Vince? The sadness that Dave was killed?

6. The assassin arriving, threatening Sonny, wanting the diamonds? His later confronting Vince – his smugness and Vince with his hidden gun?

7. Sonny, the contacts, going to see the Mafia head, his task, the associate, snatching the money from the Russians? Going to his friends, the associate fiddling with the gun, shooting himself? Taking the body to the butcher, cutting it up, mincing it?

8. Sonny, using his shrewdness, the money and putting it into the bear, sending it to Dave’s wife? His visit to Vince’s father in prison – and the viciousness of the father, bashing people, Vince paying protection, the protection running out and the threat to Vince, the brutality of his death?

9. With the Mafia chief, his using his influence with the Russians and with other gangsters, getting Vince? Vince, his relationship with his girlfriend, the driver, planning the setup for the robbery? Her urging him to destroy Sonny? The hitman coming and killing her?

10. The confrontation, the shootouts, the many deaths, Sonny escaping, the money with the bear? Confronting Vince, their talk about the past? Sonny deciding to let Vince live?

LOUIS THEROUX: MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE

UK, 2015, 99 minutes, Colour.
Louis Theroux, Marty Rathbun, Tom de Vocht, Marc Headley, Andrew Perez
Directed by John Dower.

Scientology is a church of contradictions. Established in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard, with his navy background, science-fiction writings, writing on Dianetics, his creation of an organisation of self-awareness, knowledge, world and cosmic view, his speculations about existences, Thetans and his elaborate structure of the church and its steps and stages, seem to be the matter for science-fiction material but with his leadership, despite a lot of legal cases, especially about finances and the status of the organisation, the church, under the leadership of David Miscavige for almost 30 years, has flourished and drawn many thousands of people, especially in the United States and especially wealthy members and high profile film stars, with Tom Cruise as the best-known.

Alex Gibney made a very insightful film about Scientology: Getting Clear. It would be very helpful to have seen this film before looking at My Scientology Movie.

Louis Theroux has a great reputation for television programs, travelling to different parts of the world, often exotic parts, discovering unusual situations, unusual characters, and offering interpretations of these different worlds and interviewing the characters.

With BBC backing, he goes with a cameraman and director, John Dower, to Los Angeles to make his own Scientology movie. Because he has little encouragement, or none, from the church itself, he decides to go it alone, finding that he receives several letters from the legal advisors of Scientology, is followed by car on several occasions and while he himself is filming for his documentary, Scientology has hired a cameraman to film him and some sent some of the high profile members to move him on, especially a very dominating Katherine Fraser. Scientology also blocks some of the roads, claiming that they own the roads and the property and that the camera crew is trespassing.

This film does show several public domain scenes of Scientology rallies, especially with its leader David Miscavige and with the star member, Tom Cruise. Theroux decides that he will recreate some scenes, using the public footage dialogue for the actors to interpret, the cinema audience hearing the same words repeated in a variety of ways during auditions, Miscavige and his domination, Cruise and his loyalty as well his self-assertion.

Theroux contacts Marty Rathbun, who was with Scientology for several decades, acting as their enforcer. Rathbun assists with the film, though is put out with some of Theroux’s comments at the end, but supervises a lot of the re-creation of sequences, especially the one-on-one self-assertion training as well as the domination and brutality in The Hole. There are several interviews with other disillusioned ex-members, including Katherine Fraser’s husband.

At the end, in a studio, the actors chosen for interpretation do their stuff, leaving the audience in little doubt about the style, philosophy, secrecy of the Church of Scientology. Despite the enthusiastic membership at various rallies and dinners, Scientology mainly defies belief.

1. Audience knowledge of and attitude towards Scientology? In favour? Not in favour?

2. Audience knowledge of David Miscavige, of high profile Scientologists like Tom Cruise?

3. Scientology itself, the founder L. Ron Hubbard, his background, science fiction, Dianetics, creating Scientology, as a system, technology, worldview, cosmic view, a church, finance?

4. Previous films and exposes of Scientology?

5. Louis Theroux, his background, television, journalism, his touring the world, opening up issues, interviews? his personal involvement?

6. The decision to do a film on Scientology? His director, cameraman? Going to Los Angeles? Going to Hollywood, the Scientology building? The atmosphere of Los Angeles, the streets, buildings, homes, the studio? The roads and the ownership of the Scientologists? The musical score?

7. Louis Theroux, his personality, the touch of the deadpan, his long pauses and looking at his interviewees, thinking through his perspective? His decisions about people, interviews, takes?

8. The title, his decision to do a film on Scientology? Lack of cooperation from the church? Lawyers and their letters? His being followed, being filmed? The officials, warning him off, harassment, his going on the roads and being accused of trespassing, the role of the police? Scientology members ‘ harassment at the airport?

9. His decision to recreate scenes? Showing David Miscavige and the various rallies, the role of Tom Cruise, interviews with Tom Cruise?

10. The range of auditions, using the words of Miscavige and Cruise, interpretations by the various actors? The impact of the words on the film audience, hearing them so often and in different ways? Choice for the man to be Miscavige? For Tom Cruise? The other actors, their scenes – especially in the one-to-one tutorials on assertion? For the scenes in The Hole? Theroux himself participating?

11. His contact with Marty Rathbun? Rathbun’s reputation, his career with Scientology, enforcer, his use of dirty tricks? Disillusionment? Leaving Scientology? Scientologists and their criticisms of him? His role in the film, talking with the Theroux, accompanying him on various situations, supervising the scenes, the auditions, especially The Hole? His feeling insulted by Louis Theroux, the apology?

12. The contact with the other former Scientologists, their experience, Katherine Fraser’s husband, seeing her in her confrontations with Theroux, explanations, Miscavige and his brutality? The credibility of these witnesses?

13. The recreation of the scenes, audience insight into Miscavige? Especially his brutality with The Hole? Insights into Tom Cruise? His manner, domination, assertion?

14. The assertion training, shouting people down, reaching a level of self-identification? Seeing this in action with those confronting Theroux?

15. The impact of the dramatic reconstructions, Marty Rathbun and his supervision?

16. The completion of film, editing it, Louis Theroux documentary, commentary, personal involvement?

BRIDGET JONES’S BABY

UK, 2016, 122 minutes, Colour.
René Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson, Ed Sheeran, Julian Rhind- Tutt, Sarah Solemani, Joanna Scanlon, Neil Pearson, Patrick Malahide, Kate O' Flynn.
Directed by Sharon Maguire.

The original film with Bridget Jones, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was very, very popular, not only in the UK but around the world. Somehow or other, Bridget embodied a lot of the lifestyle in the UK, in London, at the time of the millennium. She was a modern young woman, she had a professional career, she worked in the media, and she had several suitors. She was personified by René Zellweger, effectively making a transition from an American actress to a British character. And she was supported by Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.

The original film that to a sequel, audiences enjoying a second opportunity to share her life with Bridget. and then, again, almost 12 years later. Which means that for this film, Bridget is now in her 40s, celebrating her 43rd birthday to be exact, still professional, still not married, and not particularly aware of the ticking of the biological clock – though this is something, as audiences will see from the title, that she becomes much more conscious of.

Actually, the film opens with a memorial service for Hugh Grant’s character, his photo up there at the front of the church, people giving testimonies, lots of middle-European models in the congregation, Bridget and her giving a short address but then seeing old flame, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) in the church with his wife. Bridget finds this very awkward – and this happens again when they both turn up at the christening of the child of one of their mutual friends. (Shazza and Jude are back with husbands and children).

At work, Miranda (Sarah Solemani is concerned about Bridget and her sex life, taking her to a music festival where Bridget is rescued, after she falls flat on her face in the mud, by friendly American, Jack (Patrick Dempsey) and later, stumbling into his tent instead of hers, spends the night there. Within the week, she has spent a night with Mark Darcy. At work one day, she and Miranda pop into the toilet and do a pregnancy test – yes, but, as the film spins it out, who is the father?

There are quite a lot of scenes in the television studio, some of which are quite funny, Bridget on the phone and giving a completely wrong feed to Miranda in her interview with a government minister, an actual interview with Jack when they discover that he is a guru with books about love and an algorithm to discover it, and Bridget mistakenly identifying the chauffeur with the Chinese general who is to be interviewed, quite a muck-up, as is the presentation she has to offer, when her job is on the line with a brash young new producer, and the technology goes wrong, with some visually embarrassing consequences.

But, as the title reminds us, we are concerned about Bridget Jones’s baby. It takes a long time for her to tell each of the men that they are potential father and each is delighted. They both participate in the birth preparation – which is under the care of a very sharp-tongued doctor, played by Emma Thompson (who co-wrote the script and probably wrote her own smart lines). Various ups and downs, various tensions, the birth of the baby – the screenplay suggesting to us that we think that the father will be Jack and then that it will be Mark, leaving the results of the DNA test to the very end of the film, and a wedding (and don’t miss the final Hugh Grant joke with the final credits).

It is more or less what one might expect given the previous films except that the target audience is now 15 years older, and with something of a different age sensibility.

1. The popularity of the first two films? The novels? Bridget, the other characters, romance?

2. 16 years later, Bridget and her age, René Zellweger’s presence? Bridget’s life, relationships with Mark? With Daniel? Her professional work, television?

3. The British style of the film, tone, characters, dialogue, humour? The cast? The musical score?

4. Bridget as a character, very British, from London, the insertion of flashbacks for when she and Mark with young? At 43, one candle, getting up, the phone call from her mother, at work, everybody celebrating, the 43 candles, her accepting her age?

5. The photo at the funeral, Hugh Grant and his presence in the previous films? The speeches, the range of women present, models? Bridget’s short speech? Mark present, his wife? Bridget and her friends, Shazza, Jude, their husbands, families? Their changes over the years?

6. Bridget at work, her friendship with Miranda, sharing with her, talk about pregnancy and sex? The interview with the Foreign Secretary? Bridget on the phone and the wrong feed, the wrong questions? Richard as her boss, his friendship, puzzled?

7. Miranda persuading Bridget to go out, the music festival, packing and clothes, her suitcase, the sex advice? Her falling in the mud? Jack helping her up? Fitting the shoe? Going back stage, not recognising Ed Sheeran, the request of the selfie in the photo? Miranda in the ball with Ed Sheeran? Bridget, going to the wrong tent, talking, the light going on, the experience of Jack? The night together?

8. The result of the festival, the effect, going to the christening, arriving late, the traffic jam, being godmother, Mark at the christening? Going to the house, the night together, her leaving the note?

9. Back at work, the role of Alice, her tight manner, young, appearance, accent? The policy for Hard News? Bridget and the presentation? The discovery of who Jack was, his reputation, the video, his book, love, the algorithm? Inviting him on television? Alice happy, but not with the algorithm? Miranda, the questions, the personal questions? His seeing Bridget? The confrontation in the foyer?

10. Miranda and Bridget in the toilet, the pregnancy test? The visiting the doctor, the doctor and her edgy comments, the scan, fear of the needle? The issue of the father, the two fathers?

11. The secret, reluctant to reveal it? The visit from her father, his confidence in her? Her mother, the campaign, discovering she was pregnant, hiding her behind the notice? Her mother’s change of heart, the social, her chatty friend, all the marginalised? The meeting, her election – but hurrying away to be a grandmother?

12. Jack coming to the presentation, Mark turning up? The presentation, the aims, media, connections, the fiasco, the men and their bottoms, the photos of the men?

13. Bridget talking with the visitor with the difficult name, with Jack and Mark, asking them to come, in the restaurant, the explanation of the situation? Their reactions?

14. Jack, American, his type, happy, talking, the sessions, diving into the pool to save Bridget?

15. The contrast with Mark, the affection in the past? His career, the law, getting off the singers with their free speech like Pussy Riot? Going to the birthing classes? Jack and Mark being mistaken for a gay couple? Bridget’s gay couple friends and their adopting? His reaction to Jack’s comments about not using a condom? The breach between the two and his avoiding
Bridget?

16. Time passing, Bridget managing, the mistaken identity of the Chinese general in the foyer, the farce of Miranda’s interview with him, the discussions with Alice, her resigning? In the rain, locked out? Seeing Mark with his wife? Her sitting in the rain?

17. Mark’s arrival, in the flat, the water breaking, throwing away his phone, no taxi, the Italians and the pizza delivery van, his carrying her to the hospital, Jack arriving on his bike, the comedy of the two men carrying her into the hospital, on the desk? In labour, too late for drugs, hitting Jack in the face, biting Mark on the arm? Ousting them? The doctor and her covering about the paternity – relieved they knew the truth?

18. The baby, Bridget and fondness? The two men going for the test?

19. One year later, the wedding, everybody there including her mother and the constituents? Jack holding the baby? Mark as the groom? Everybody happy together, Bridget wandering to the marquee with the baby?

20. The final joke, the headline, Daniel still alive!

FORTUNE HUNTERS/ THE MILLION DOLLAR KID

US, 2000, 91 minutes, Colour.
Richard Thomas, Maureen Mc Cormick, C. Thomas Howell, Corey Feldman, Alison Lohman, Andrew Sandler, Ron Colson, Neil Mandt, Randy Travis, Estelle Getty, Kaye Ballard, Clint Howard, Mark Metcalf.
Directed by Neil Mandt.

Fortune Hunters is an American-style family entertainment – about a family and a lottery ticket and the need to regain it. To appeal to the family audience, it was retitled The Million Dollar Kid.

The Fortune Family where father, Richard Thomas, is an upright somewhat stern type, dedicated to his work, and a waste not want not attitude, where mother, Maureen McCormick?, loves her husband but feels a need for some kind of relaxation, where the older daughter, Alison Lohman, is a starstruck teenager, feeling she is affirmed by a bandleader and wanting to be in his band, while the younger son, Andrew Sandler, has a thing about money, about gambling and speculation, and a hard, shrewd sense of reality.

The son takes the family heirloom, the first dollar made by their industrious grandfather, and buys a ticket in the lottery with his significant age numbers. Father gives lectures about not needing lotteries…

A week later, the numbers come up, father has thrown the ticket in the rubbish, has to pursue the rubbish man to forage the tickets – and, on his way to the lottery office, he covets a car and listens to the spiel of the salesman, Corey Feldman. He leaves the ticket in the car by mistake, a new customer coming in for the ride, trying to recover the ticket, the customer taking it, it finding its way to a tray for a delivery service. Pursuit, the car running out of petrol because of father’s strictness, the visit to the delivery service and tracking down where the parcel might have gone.

Since there are four delivery places, each of the family goes to one – although it is father, in the first visit, who tracks down the ticket, is pursued by the salesman and his customer, causes mayhem in a garden business, get into all kinds of tangles, is arrested by the police as a terrorist, is bailed out by the salesman – only for further struggles.

Mother goes to a library where she meets fashion model, Valentino, C. Thomas Howell who takes a shine to her and she responds momentarily to a vision of romance. The daughter goes to a nursing home where she encounters a cranky old lady, Kaye Ballard, and makes friends with her. The son goes to Parish Hall, meets an elderly nun, Estelle Getty, goes to the bingo hall, has great success, but loses and realises the happiness of those who win.

There are further shenanigans when the pursuers all conspire to watch the family, all wearing sombreros – and the daughter then rashly gives the ticket to the musician, promising to buy him equipment. the action transfers to the lottery building, false information about which floor the office is on, the client having the ticket, the family having extra envelopes to substitute for the real thing – and the businessman taking the son and threatening him, with all the envelopes blowing over the building. Fortunately, for a happy ending, the main envelope sticks to a railing and is recovered – and the family then go on holiday to Monte Carlo, with the old lady from the nursing home who has helped them curse their pursuers, as has the nun in threatening them with hell!

Light and easy entertainment with a touch of moralising!

LA BELLE SAISON/ SUMMERTIME

France, 2015, 104 minutes, Colour.
Cecile de France, izia Higelin, Naomie Lvovsky.
Directed by Catherine Corsini.

As can be seen from the title, this is a French film – a very French film. There is something characteristic about the way that French filmmakers show us a town and countryside, loving glimpses of the countryside, herds and crops, characters in these situations – and usually a meal or two.

This particular beautiful season is summer and the audience is immersed in the warmth of summer time, especially on a farm in the Limoges area, getting in the harvest, herding the cattle, assisting in the birth of a calf, on the tractor and ploughing the ground. but, we remember that after summer comes autumn, some chill in the air, matters not so warm as had been thought.

Which means that the title serves as an image and symbol for the experience of the two central characters. It is the 1970s.

First we are introduced to Delphine, izia Higelin, who lives with her parents on the farm, loves farming and helping her family. But, she decides to leave the farm and go to Paris where she is caught up with a group of young women activists whom she encounters on the street, exuberantly ticking off passing men. Curious and attracted, she goes to their meetings, listens to their causes, their songs and exuberance, especially that of Carole, Cecile de France, a vivacious older woman who lives with her boyfriend, Marius.

This is a film about same-sex attraction. Delphine, who has lived quietly at home, disappointed when a young woman she likes goes off to be married, is drawn to Carole who first resists but who then responds quite passionately.

A great deal of the film is taken up with the developing relationship but it all takes place on the farm where Carole goes to visit, joins in all the work on the farm, charms Delphine’s mother, is supportive of the father who has had a stroke and who sits upstairs unable to communicate. All seems to be going well – except that the two women are very secretive about the relationship.

Inevitably, they are seen together, there are some gossip in the town, the mother is shocked at such a perverse relationship and demands that Carole leave. This facilitates an emotional crisis for each of the women, Carole wanting to go back to Paris, Delphine loving the farm and having to make a decision.

The film ends in 1976 with a glimpse of what has happened to each of the women.

1. The French style and atmosphere of the film, characters, countryside, the farm, the people?

2. Limoges, the farm, the town, homes, the contrast with Paris, the streets, the buildings? The musical score?

3. The title, the emphasis on summer, the activities during the summer, especially on the farm? Sunny but Autumn approaching?

4. A film about relationships, same-sex relationships? Lesbian relationships? In the 1970s, in those times, attitudes, homophobia, attitudes about perversion, relationships being hidden, fear of coming out, sense of shame, the consequences? The film offering a 21st-century critique of this behaviour and attitudes?

5. Delphine, her age, stories of her childhood, relationships with the young girl, self-aware, heartbroken with the girl getting married, sole child, relationship with boys, knowing Antoine since she was a girl, her relationship with her parents, the hard work on the farm, driving the tractor, ploughing the fields, collecting the hay, milking and the birth of the calf? Her prospects?

6. Delphine and her decision to leave the farm at home, going to Paris, in the street, the group of girls taunting the angry man, the abortion protests, criticising the male image, getting on the bus, the laughter, the spirit, the decision to go to the meeting, the shrill behaviour, the enthusiasm, the songs, exhilaration? Talking with Carol, attracted to her? The guessing game that what she did, paying the penalty, Carole resisting, the kiss, the beginning of the affair, its effect?

7. Carole herself, her life, age, commitment to causes, feminist? Her relationship with Manuel, liking him, loving him, leaving him? His attitudes towards her, the relationship, praising her independence?

8. Her going to the country, her vivacious personality, keeping the relationship secret, her room, playing the music, Delphine going to the room, their intimacy? Delphine’s father, the stroke, going to hospital? Carole going to work on the farm, the meals, the music, dancing with Delphine’s mother, the exhilaration?

9. The father, the mother, hopes for Delphine, for her to marry? The work on the farm? The stroke, hospital, the father coming home, carrying him up the stairs, his sitting silent, the mother washing him, Carole talking with him, Delphine with him? His moving his finger with her?

10. Antoine, work in the town, seeing the two girls together, at the gathering, his hostility towards Carole? The farmer seeing the two, the gathering with the machines? The whispers? Delphine kissing Antoine and his angrily leaving?

11. Talking with Carole, her sense of freedom, the work on the farm, witnessing the birth of the calf? Her finding it oppressive? Wanting the truth to come out?

12. The mother, fighting out, ousting Carole, branding her as perverted? Delphine deciding to leave with her, their going to the station, Delphine and her decision to stay? Carole on the train, looking for Delphine?

13. The transition to 1976, Carole working for the abortion clinic, dealing with the client? Receiving the letter, reading it, the effect? Delphine, moving out of home, her own farm in the south of France, her independence?

14. 70s story in the light of the 21st-century?