CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

US, 2016, 118 minutes, Colour.
Viggo Mortensen, George Mac Kay, Frank Langella, Ann Dowd, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, Erin Moriarty, Missi Pyle.
Directed by Matt Ross.

Beware, the title of this film is quite misleading. It does give the indication that this is a film about a superhero. But, it is definitely not. It is a film about a family, living in the wild, living an ideology that prepares them for some of the trials of life but, could be ultimately damaging.

The setting is impressive, the camera in the opening sequence flying over thick forest, trees upon trees, a beautiful wilderness. Then there is a young man, hidden in the undergrowth, stalking a deer which he then kills, is congratulated by his father for becoming a man, anointed with the blood, consuming part of the entrails, a ritual of rites of passage to adulthood.

And so we are introduced to a family with six children, the father present but the mother hospitalised with a mental condition. This is a family, but audiences will be reminded at various times of life in a cult. The family is separated from any town, lives in a wooden house and tents, with the day started in strong discipline, physical exercises, running through the forest – and sometimes exercises climbing a mountain face and, even with an accident and a fall, the encouragement to will oneself out of the difficulty and use physical and mental ingenuity.

The training is not just physical. The children are encouraged to read extensively. and they absorb what they read, even the youngest of the children who, at a later invitation when visiting cousins in New Mexico, to be able to recite the Bill of Rights. Audiences who admire this alternative life, watch father and children sitting around a campfire, singing, communing, reading, may still wonder whether this is enough, especially for the contemporary world – or are they to be separated from it all together?
Viggo Mortensen, always a powerful screen presence, is commanding as the father, Ben. He is both benign and strict, making demands on his children but always thinking of their betterment. There are three boys and three girls, George MacKay? as the oldest initiated boy, two sisters coming after him, another boy who has the touch of the rebel and then two small children.

A situation arises as to whether they should go to their mother’s funeral – at first deciding not, especially when her father warns them off, disapproving of their way of life, of his daughter becoming part of this life, rebelliously anti-Christian in her stances and embracing Buddhist principles.

The latter part of the film raises questions about the children and their upbringing, the strengths, especially when they visit their mother’s sister, her husband and children, the children not understanding the way of life of their cousins at all, and the aunt being very disapproving of Ben’s frank straightforwardness in talking about his wife’s illness and death, of physical and sexual matters, preferring truth above all.

The crisis comes at the funeral, a Catholic funeral, the eulogising priest not having met the mother and Ben taking this as a cue to intervene in the ceremony, declaring that his wife wanted to be cremated.

Jack, Frank Langella, heartily disapproves of Ben and offers to look after the children. An accident brings the issues to a head, and Ben’s realising that what he has done is to prepare his children for any physical situation, has filled their heads with knowledge but has not trained them emotionally to deal with the world and with other people. This has been illustrated on the bus trip to New Mexico for the funeral where the oldest boy encounters an attractive teenage girl and analyses the situation, not realising what was happening to him emotionally.

Which means that the film raises a lot of issues about quality of life, of a wilderness life, but not the modern convenience life, of intellectual information, of realistic emotions, of the nature of parenting, of forming children in the parents’ likenes, of the need for children’s autonomy and, ultimately, making their own decisions.

1. The title, expectations, realism rather than fantasy?

2. The locations in Washington State, the vast opening with the forests, the waterfalls, the family hunting, the house and tent, life in the wild? Idealistic?

3. The contrast with the towns, modern situations, phones? The travel on the bus, on the roads? Moving from north to south, to New Mexico, homes, church, the modern world? The final home – in between the wild and the mansion?

4. The tone, the oldest son and his hunting, stalking the deer, killing the deer, an initiation, becoming an adult, the blessing of his father, consuming the entrails? Skinning the deer?

5. The father, his age, experience, love for his wife, the plan to live in the wild together? Her Buddhist beliefs? The staunch anti-Christian stances? Her illness, mental condition, moods, the concern, her slitting her wrists?

6. The regime at the house, early rising, exercises, the training, runs, climbing the mountain face, coping with accidents and continuing? The meals? The evening around the fire, the camp situation, playing musical instruments, the intense meeting of the drum,, reading, the amount of learning from each of the children, information and ability to recite their knowledge?

7. The oldest son, his age, leadership? Yet his application for the University, his father disappointed, the revelation that his mother helped him? The two older girls, together, martial arts, singing? The young son and his continued questioning, the touch of the rebel? Two youngest children, eccentric costumes, knowledgeable, appearing naked? Everyone and the love for their mother?

8. The news of her death, the father going to the town, the phone call? The effect on all of them, the phone call to Harper, to Jack and his wife, the reactions? Jack and his hostility?

9. Deciding not to go to the funeral, the reasons to go, the decision, in the bus, the interiors, the cabins, the bookshelves? All together in the spirit of the bus?

10. Arriving at Harper’s house, her relationship with her sister, her husband and the boys? Mod cons? The boys, such a contrast with the wild children? Their ignorance, the little girl and her knowledge of the Bill of Rights? The father, Harper and her reaction, his talking about his wife’s illness, the slitting of the wrists, Harper not wanting such talk? His Frank talk about sexuality? The reactions, his apology?

11. During the trip, the camping, the oldest son, the encounter with the young girl, her mother, attractive, his awkwardness, thinking that he was in love, the kiss, the parents’ reactions?

12. The funeral, the father in red, the children arriving, the priest of the church and his eulogy, but not knowing the dead woman, the father taking this as a cue to speak, his frankness about his wife’s attitude, the Catholic setting, her Buddhism, anti-Christian stances, fictions? The reaction of Jack, the ushers, the father being ousted? Wanting a cremation? The waiting?

13. Jack, his wealth, status, religion? Severity with his son-in-law? Harper and her husband, their reaction after the funeral?

14. In the house, the plan, going to the cemetery, digging up the corpse, taking it, the cremation, and the mother’s wish to be flushed down the toilet?

15. The rebel son, going into the house, with his grandparents, games and his grandfather teaching him how to hunt? Jack, his threats, the effect? The attempt to rescue the boy, the girl, on the roof, her falling, in hospital? A challenge to the family to come to some kind of compromise?

16. The reactions, the father’s reaction to his son going to the University? The fact that his wife supported this?

17. The reassessment, the Father, the children and their head knowledge, the need for contact with the world, realism? Jack and his wife offering to care for the children?

18. On their own, the compromise, the reality of knowledge, emotions, the world, the ideal and the real? The older son and his decision to go to Namibia for experience?

19. The effect of the experiment? Akin to something of a cult? The family at the end, their home, the meals, children going to school – in some type of normality?

DON’T BREATHE

US, 2016, 88 minutes, Colour.
Jane Levy, Dylan Minette, Stephen Lang, Daniel Zovatto.
Directed by Fede Alvarez.



Unfortunately, any thriller that seems to have a sense of menace, many fans will think of as a horror movie and, if it doesn’t have blood and gore, if it doesn’t have a lot of special effects, even a touch of the supernatural, they are very disappointed. As has happened with some audiences for this one.

However, most audiences who seek and don’t Read, I’m more than satisfied – they have accepted it not as horror but as a terror film, terror for the characters involved, and a sense of increasing tension and terror for the audience themselves.

The film runs from under 90 minutes but is quite compact and generally quite taut. the premise is quite a straightforward one. Three young people take part in a series of burglaries, grabbing what they can, with touches of vandalism, and then trying to get rid of the goods via a local fence. He urges them, if they want cash, to steal cash and that gives them agenda for the next robbery.

The background is to treat, a city in collapse, with a lot of the settings here dilapidated buildings, abandoned houses, derelict streets. It also gives each of the three something in the background story, especially the girl, Roxy (Jane Leavy) who has difficulties at home, a slatternly mother and her boyfriend, and the young sister who would love to live near the surface. one complex one the Congress, Alex (Dylan Minette) is a bit wary of the robberies, does not want to go to California as Roxy does, gets information on houses from his insurance father in the case out house, a man who has received cash in a damages case, but whom they discover is blind. What could be more straightforward than getting into his house, finding the cash and escaping?

Will, of course, it doesn’t go like that at all, and that makes the process always interesting, always tense, the three discovering that the blind man is not exactly helpless and that while they might get the money, it is not a sure thing to get out of the house. One of the interesting features of the screenplay is that there are a variety of terms and developments in the plot, some quite unforeseen, which makes the morality of the stealing as well is of the blind man much more ambiguous.

Stephen Lang is particularly effective as the blind man, using all his senses to make him alert, realising the presence of the three burglars – even though they force themselves to be quiet and obey the title of the film, Don’t Breathe.

As far as home invasion stories go, this one is pretty good, quite a moral issue being raised, unexpectedly, towards the end of the film – and leaving the audience with some uncertainties about the future.

1. A well-made terror film? taut, developing turns throughout the film? The overall impact?

2. The plausibility of the plot, even the seemingly implausible possible?

3. The Detroit settings, the deterioration, the empty buildings, the slums, the streets, ordinary homes? The film and its focus inside the house, the variety of rooms, stairs, ducts, cellar, the imprisonment of the captive? The use of the confined spaces, credible action? Atmospheric score?

4. Introduction to Roxy, Alex, Money, in the house, stealing everything, urinating on the floor, breaking the window? Conscienceless?

5. Alex, his father, researching homes and insurance? Information about the blind man’s house? Alex changing his mind, not wanting to go to California, deciding to go? Money, his name, tattoos, amoral? Roxanne, at home, the slatternly mother, the boyfriend, drinking, the little girl, Roxy and her hard life, her mother assuming that she was a prostitute? The little girl, wanting to serve, Roxy promising to take her to California? Some motivation for the robbery?

6. The initial image, the woman dragged along the street – and the repetition at the end with its entire implications?

7. Watching the house, seeing the blind man, the decision that it would be easy to rob him? The vast amount of cash? The plans to get into the house, Alex and his machine to stop the security? The difficulty in opening the door? The experience of the dog, evading it? Roxy and the breaking of the window, getting in, finding the security in time, opening the door?

8. Money, his gas machine, going upstairs, the blind man in bed, the television? The struggle? His turning on the gas? Presuming the man had been gassed?

9. The search for the cash, the locked door, Money and the gun, the others and their reaction to the gun, the danger in being arrested, armed burglary? The blind man coming in, the fight with Money, the shots, Money dead?

10. Alex wanting to go home because of the gun, not getting out, Roxy hiding in the closet, the communication by texting?

11. The tension building up in the house, the two not breathing, the board creaking, the suspicions of the blind man? Roxy seeing the safe, the number, opening it, getting the money out, putting it in her bag? Carrying the bag through the ordeal? The blind man opening it and finding the money gone?

12. The dangers in the house, from room to room, the pursuit of the dog, the attacks?

13. Going to the basement, the discovery of the captive, the newspaper and her story, the motivation of the blind man, his daughter dead in the accident, the woman pronounced not guilty of manslaughter, his capturing her? Their freeing her, the blind man coming down, the shots – and her death?

14. The attacks on Alex, wounded, yet surviving, at the window, on the glass? The irony of the shears, the audience think it was Alex but actually the corpse of Money?

15. Roxy in the ducts, climbing through, the pursuit by the dog, the dog at the window?

16. The two together, Roxie taken, bashed, tied up like the captive?

17. The blind man’s revelation about his daughter, the plan for Roxie’s pregnancy, the semen, Alex attacking, it going into the blind man’s mouth? Their tying him up?

18. The final attack Alex, his death? Roxy getting out of the house, escaping the man, finding the dog pursuing her, getting into the car, the attacks by the dog, closing up the window, the money satchel outside? Her remembering her story about the ladybug and her mother putting her in the trunk of the car, opening it up, luring the dog in, trapping the dog inside?

19. The men pursuing Roxy, her attack on him, his injuries? Running away?

20. Taking her sister to California, their bags, the terminal? The television news – the blind man surviving, the assumption that there were two burglars only, but his being able to survive and give information?

21. The different moral perspectives, changes of sympathies, issues of truth and justice – and are sufficiently moral ambiguity at the end for the man and for Roxy?

THE INFILTRATOR

US, 2016, 126 minutes, Colour.
Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt, Diane Kruger, Juliet Aubrey, Olympia Dukakis, Amy Ryan, Jason Isaacs, Yul Vazquez, Art Malik, Michael Pare, Elena Anaya, Said Taghmaoui.
Directed by Brad Furman.

How can they do it? And why?

These are two questions that this film raises. How can men and women go undercover, the deception that they have created, no matter how significant the motivation, the perennial risks and dangers, the false relationships that they have to establish and maintain which involve betrayal and emotional damage?

As can be seen from the title, this is a story about such undercover work. it is based on the memoir of Robert Mazur, the protagonist of the story, his memories of his undercover work on behalf of American agencies, especially in the 1980s and the spread of cocaine smuggling, the huge importations to the US, the traffic from Colombia and the influence of Pablo Escobar. Bryan Cranston gives a strong performance as Mazur, though, despite the darkened hair and moustache, he does seem too old for the role and the character.

It is 1985, in Florida. The film recreates the period, the look, clothing, the music and songs of the period. It opens with Mazur, in disguise, involved in an exchange of drugs and money followed by a raid. He is suffering from a wound and is entitled to retire, the authorities offering him the possibility but his refusing. He has connections with another officer, Hispanic, Abreu, played with a cheeky bravura by John Leguizamo. He has some local informants and the point is made that the agents should follow the money trails rather than the drug trails. The two set up a project, false names and documents, a dummy bank, making connections with some of the local drug dealers, especially those in the Escobar organisation, overcoming suspicions, beginning to launder money and gaining a reputation that leads them to crooked bankers in Panama and, eventually in France and England.

In the meantime, Robert Mazur has a loving wife, Evelyn, and two children. There are a number of domestic sequences and Mazur’s wife’s support for him in his work.

And the difficulty arises when one of the locals hosts Bob at a bar and procures a prostitute for him – Bob improvising with an excuse that he has a fiancee. This means that the agency head, played by Amy Ryan, has to organise an agent who can join Bob as his fiance, Kathy. She is played by Diane Kruger, a professional agent, who is challenged also in her undercover work, keeping up the facade of the happy engaged couple even when it leads them to New York City and friendship with a significant dealer, played by Benjamin Bratt, and his wife.

The audience is constantly tense along with Bob and Kathy as they live their dangerous second life.

The engagement become significant and authorities decide that the wedding date should go ahead and that all their contacts should be invited to the wedding, the deception being so convincing that everyone accepts. Then the raid.

As with so many true stories, there are photos of the principal characters during the final credits, information about those arrested and their sentences, as well as of Bob Mazur and his family – and the surprise that he has continued his undercover work in succeeding decades.

1. A true story? The 1980s? The drug situation? Columbia, Escobar? The American agencies? Undercover work?

2. The re-creation of the period, Florida, costumes and decor? The musical score, the songs? Home, bars, clubs, offices, Panama and the banks, sequences in Paris?

3. The title, the author and his memoir, his life, character, work, family, dangers, risks, achievement?

4. Robert Mazur, Bryan Cranston’s performance? The introduction, in the bar, undercover, flirting with the waitress, drug currency, the exchange of drugs, the bust and the arrests?

5. At home, with his wife, children, normal, his wife’s acceptance of his work, yet the tensions, love, family life, his being wounded, the possibility for him to retire, the interviews with the authorities, his not retiring?

6. Abreu, intruding into the house, his ideas, undercover work, out jogging, the idea of following the cash rather than the drugs?

7. Bonni Tischler, the other authorities, local, Washington, agreement with Robert’s principles, the details of changing his identity, the banker? Abreu and the informants, the cash, the contacts? The meetings? The Colombians and their testing out Bob, Bob as a banker, Abreu and his role, cultivating friends, jovial, making the project credible? The Colombians
tentative, the cheques, the amounts, the money-laundering? Bob and success, getting a name?

8. Introduction to Espinosa, his manner, the tattooed assistant, effete, his role, the sexual innuendo, Bob’s reaction?

9. Further talks, meetings, clubs, the informants and their sexual behaviour, organising the prostitute for Bob, his explanation that he had a fiancee?

10. Bonni Tischler and her reaction, choosing Kathy as the fiancee, in herself, her work, living up to her role, keeping up the impressions, effective? A later visit to Evelyn to get Bob’s suit for the wedding? Her reassuring Evelyn?

11. The toll on Bob, the deceptions, undercover, the personal contacts, the emotional consequences? Abreu with the informants, mixing with them, sleazy situations, holding the man who was shot, the effect on him, yet his bravura?

12. Bob, the Panama contacts, the phone calls, the visit, explaining the benefits, the personalities of the men in Panama, testing, their acceptance, the meetings? The nature of the deals?

13. Bob and the contact with Roberto, his importance in the organisation? Pleasant but able to profit from the drug situation? The visit to New York, Roberto and Gloria, the daughter, the apartment, their life, the friendship, socialising, the shopping, the gift of the jewels, Roberto and his comment on previous betrayals?

14. The consequences for Bob and Kathy, putting forward the wedding, inviting all the contacts to the wedding?

15. The build-up, Bob and his visit to Paris, the money-laundering in Paris, the contacts? The meetings, the decision to go to London? The importance of the British connection, the bank – and its ultimate exposure, collapse?

16. The contacts from Washington, the plan, the wedding, the invitations, the arrangements?

17. The date of the wedding, getting ready, Kathy and her dress, the crowd, all the visitors, including Roberto? The beginning of the ceremony, the priest?

18. The signal, the detail of the raids, the arrests, Gloria and her anger, Roberto and his sense of betrayal? The bankers and their shock? Having to hand in the profits, Kathy giving up the pearls? The success of the project?

19. The information given at the end, the success of the undercover work, the blow to Escobar and the Colombians, the information about the CIA and its dealings and building up of funds, the breakup of banking institutions?

20. The photos of the actual characters at the end – and the information that Robert continued with his undercover work?

WEINER

US, 2016, 96 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg.

There is plenty in this documentary to fascinate its audiences. The film has a solid reputation, winning awards, including Grand Jury Prize, Sundance 2016. It is a fly-on-the-wall documentary, access being allowed to the filmmakers to be present to the subject, Anthony Weiner, and his wife, Huma, allowed into their privacy, even intimacy. The director of the film previously served as a chief-of-staff to Anthony Weiner.

Anthony Weiner has been a politician, American, Jewish, married to an Arab, having a son – and with enormous potential for political success. However, audiences going into the film will know what happened to him, the sex scandals, his having to resign from the Senate, his 2013 campaign to be mayor of New York City and the new round of scandals which emerged, and his losing the election.

In the early part of the film there are several clips of his giving speeches in the American Congress, his role as a senator, the importance of financial aid to be given to veterans of wars and his impassioned pleas, challenging the opposition, ridiculing the stances of some politicians and engaging a great deal of media support.

He was also strong on communications, a locally personality, his lean look, his brashness, touches of narcissism, his relationship with his wife and son then the revelations about his sexual communications, photos, and the emergence of some kind of addiction – which led to television interviewers asking what was wrong with him.
there is a certain audience prurience and curiosity on the issue of the emergence of the photos, seeing them, wondering about them – and the effect that it would have on his wife. There was a great deal of media commentary, in the press, on television – and the comedians making a great deal of satiric fun at his expense.
The film spends a lot of time on his campaign to be elected mayor 2013, to overcome the previous scandals, to show himself as a sincere and honest politician, supported by his wife, an aide for Hillary Clinton – with the irony that Bill Clinton had presided over Anthony Weiner’s marriage to Huma (and the scandals attached to Bill Clinton).

Weiner’s supporters and campaign staff are shown to be young, enthusiastic, active. They are shown in action, in meetings, and strategy talks, for the causes that Weiner was supporting.

The new scandals are rather devastating on the morale of the campaign staff. This is compounded when there were revelations about the woman with whom Weiner was in contact in Las Vegas, Sydney Leathers, young woman, her sexual bravado, her interviews and her declaration about expectations of him, and media appearances, social media, and her trying to get into the hotel at the end of the election, not being allowed in – with information about her later career in adult films.

A great deal of the interest of the latter part of the film is looking at Weiner’s handling of the situation – in close-up, warts and all. Many of his staff are seen in meetings, trying to develop strategies. And then there are the television interviews – and asking “what’s wrong with you?”.

Of particular interest, is the portrait of Huma, her political savvy, the marriage, her pregnancy and birth, care for her son, the continued support of her husband – although looking less and less enthusiastic as the campaign goes on.

Nevertheless, Weiner continues to go out campaigning, meeting happily with supporters, kissing babies… However, it is an unexpected loud skirmish with a Jewish man, the confrontation in a shop, the man continuingly posing questions to Weiner and Weiner losing his cool, hitting back, insults, all for the onlooking journalists and their cameras.

Weiner loses the election, getting the lowest percentage vote. He goes to the hotel, decides to send his wife home instead of facing the waiting media. The directors have continued access in these dire situations, Weiner willing and self-centredly ruminating, Huma becoming more detached.

There is a postscript with Weiner and a photo opportunity with a young boy in the street realising who the celebrity is, getting excited, phoning home and wanting a photograph with Weiner - granted.

At the time of the film’s general release, August 2016, Huma and Anthony Weiner separated, a crucial time in Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the US presidency.

FREE STATE OF JONES

US, 2016, 139 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Mc Conaughey, Gugu Mbatha Raw, Keri Russell, Sean Bridgers.
Directed by Gary Ross.

Unless you are an expert on the Civil War, you may not be familiar at all with the title of this film, the episode of the Free State of Jones, in Jones County and neighbouring counties in Mississippi in the 1860s.

The film opens with a vivid portrayal of a Civil War battle, a troop of Confederate soldiers, flag-waving, commander in front, to the beat of the drum, marching up a hill – and then the camera showing the audience amassed troop of Union soldiers. The mowing down of the Confederates who keep marching, someone taking up the flag, is shocking and bloody. Bloody is also the word to describe the scenes with doctors at work on the wounded, the numbers, the pain, the limbs, the implements like saws, no anaesthetic. And the nurses continually carrying the wounded from the field to the tents.

It is in this context that we are introduced to Newton Knight, a Mississippi farmer who is serving as a nurse, trying to cheer those he was carrying, removing their private’s jacket so that they might appear as an officer and be tended to quickly. But, it is too much for him and when he is escorting a young lad from his town who is shot in the trenches, he decides to desert, take the body home, resume his life in Mississippi.

As it turned out, ordinary life was not for him. Reunited with his wife, and a black slave from the nearby plantation coming to help his son recover from fever, he then realises that he will be tracked down as a deserter. He goes out into the swamps, his league wounded from pursuing dogs, finds a group of black slaves who have escaped and lives with them.

In the town, a commander has the task of commandeering supplies from the local farms, reducing many of them to poverty. It is here that Newton Knight takes a stand, first confronting a lieutenant with a woman and her two daughters which encourages the group in the swamp to take further stands. More deserters join the group in the swamp, a small army which leads to a confrontation with the Confederacy leading to an appeal to General Sherman, marching through Georgia, to send some reinforcements. Newton Knight and his leadership led to the announcing of the Free State of Jones and the writing of a charter.

It is here that many audiences will be expecting the film to end, but it does not. The latter part of the film is about the aftermath of the war, the unsteady reuniting of the South with the North, the freedom of the slaves, often more in principle than in reality, the twisting of legislation in some Southern states to keep the former slaves oppressed, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the racist burnings and hangings. During the war, Newt’s wife and son had left him but return after the war where they find him with Rachel, the young woman who saved the son, who is now pregnant.

Unexpectedly, some sequences are interpolated into the narrative moving it to 1947, 85 years later, and a trial with a descendant of Newt and Rachel being brought into court for trying to marry a white woman, guilty because he has some black blood. The sequences show the audience that there may have been victory, there may have been peace, but for decades, the heritage from the war and the antagonism still remained with blatant racism.

In recent years, especially with his winning an Oscar for the Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew Mc Conaughey has become a serious actor and embodies Newton Knight with some force and authority. Gugu Mbatha Raw (so persuasive in the British film about race, Belle) portrays Rachel.

This film should make an impression in the United States, but is interesting and often powerful for a non-American audience.

1. Audience interest in the American Civil War? Its impact? Post-war? For American audiences, world audiences, in the 21st century?

2. Audience knowledge of the Civil War, the issues, the role of the South, the Union? Issues of slavery, work on the plantations, cotton and economy? Lincoln, Johnson succeeding him? The role of the Blacks after the war, opportunities? The Ku Klux Klan? Manipulation of legislation in Southern states?

3. The re-creation of the war and the period, the Confederacy, the details of the battles, wounding and deaths, the doctors and nurses, the trenches, orders, soldiers dying with honour? The musical score, the music of the 19th century, Stephen Foster songs, John Brown’s Body…?

4. The film based on the true story? Newton Knight, Matthew Mc Conaughey’s presence, his character, a man from the South, his action during the battles, carrying the victims, helping them to get doctor’s attention, the young boy, knowing him, wanting to leave with him, the trenches, his being shot, the decision to desert, taking the body back to the family, to the farm? The soldier giving him provisions? The issues of the Confederate forces and their stealing from the local farmers? Exemptions from service depending on the number of Negroes on the plantation? Newton, his organisation, the deserters, creating a community, more people joining, the revolution, against the South, the violence, the proclaiming of the charter, asking General Sherman for help?

5. Newton Knight, his age, his experience, farm, his wife and son, his work in the field, taking the body of the boy home, the decision to leave, the support from Jasper and Jasper’s later help?

6. The picture of the war, the opening, the march of the Confederates, up the hill, the Union soldiers, the shooting, mowing the opposition down? Hospitals, the blood and the bloodthirsty mess of the woundings? Newt and his understanding, his reaction to the war, the issues, the principle of desertion?

7. At home, his wife, harsh conditions, his son being ill? Going to the woman at the bar, her advice, Rachel coming to help, the black woman, her reputation, helping the boy recover, Newt and his response, his thanks? His decision to leave? The woman at the bar and her assistant taking him into the swamp, rowing through the swamp? Finding the settlement, Moses and the others? Living, Newt having been bitten by the dog, healing his leg? Listening to the stories? The issue of the law and the slaves and exemptions?

8. Newt’s wife, finding the situation hard, leaving with her son?

9. Rachel, in the context of the mansion, the visit for the boy, the owner of the mansion, sexual abuse? The children learning to read and her watching? Becoming part of the community? The attraction to Newt? His finding the writing book and giving it to her?

10. The Confederate forces and the crops, taking them from the families, emptying the warehouses? Newt and the opposition, with the mother, the girls, training them with the guns, confronting the command? The commanding officer, his life of ease, the lieutenant and his attitude, the commander organising the attacks, the plundering of the farms? Newt and his community, taking the corn, the ambush? Ward, the young boys, their place in the community? The documents offering pardon? Newt giving the option? The commander and his visit to the bar, the issue of whiskey? Ward and the boys leaving, the decision to hang them? The funeral, the troops present, the mothers in mourning, producing their guns, Newt and his men hidden, under the church, the gun battle? Commander being wounded, going to the church, Newt talking with him, strangling him? Audience reaction to the use of violence? The morality and the ambiguities of war, oppression, violence and revolt?

11. The Free State of Jones, becoming a force, an army, going to the town, present in the bar, Will and the message from Sherman, some rifles but no support? Will and his asking permission to take those leaving? The build up to the fight in the town?

12. The Free State, the charter?

13. The war ending, the next 10 years, Lincoln and his role, President Johnson, the laws in Mississippi, the issue of the vote for the Blacks? The law and apprenticeships and young children being forced to work in the cotton fields? Newt, confrontation with the owner, the owner and his swearing to uphold the law and his returning to his mansion, with his family? Newt rescuing Moses’ son? In the court, Newt paying the owner off? The irony of the lieutenant as Judge?

14. The glimpses of the Ku Klux Klan, riding, the hood, the racism? Burning the church? Moses, the pursuit, his being hanged? Newt finding him? The funeral and the grief – and the reminder of Newt as a religious man?

15. His wife’s return with his son, their living with Rachel and Newton? Assisting the birth of the son?

16. The effect of the interpolation of the story from 1947, 85 years later, the case, miscegenation, the percentage of black blood, forbidden to marry white? The search in the documents, Newt recording the birth in the register, the production of the Bible? The sentence, the appeal?

17. A picture of the war and its issues? Focusing on issues of race and freedom? The aftermath of war, not for victory, not a perfect peace and the inheriting in the United States of this aftermath?

FADO

Germany/Portugal, 2016, 101 minutes, Colour.
Golo Euler, Luise Heyer, Albano Jeronimo.
Directed by Jonas Rothlander.

Fado is a film about jealousy, jealousy becoming a consuming obsession. It is fairly straightforward in its presentation of its central character, his life, his love, his jealousy, its overpowering him, the consequences for the object of his obsession, rivals, and for himself.

The film is set in Lisbon, taking great advantage of the sights of the city, its daily life and work, construction, medical care for street people as well is for nightlife. It has views of the countryside and local beaches.

The central character is Fabian, a young doctor working in Germany who attends a wounded woman who reminds him of Doro, who has broken up with him and gone to work in Portugal. He tries to save the wounded woman but fails and is so consumed with the effect that he travels to Lisbon to track down Doro, first seeing her with a co-worker, Francisco.

Fabian is an ordinary kind of person, not tall dark and handsome (as is his rival, Francisco) presentable but plain-looking with more touches of awkwardness – even though he likes to surf and has dreams of enormous and boiling surf and waves.

He makes contact with Doro, goes out to a meal with Francisco and another co-worker, and the audience is able to see the simmering suspicions which will lead to open jealousy. While the two do make contact and resume their relationship, there is an unease with both, she exasperated with his suspicions in the past and finding tension with his suspicions in the present.He is in love with her but cannot rid himself of suspecting Francisco, who is married with children, and even the manager of a bar.

There is discussion at a meal about fidelity, deliberate choosing of an affair to test relationship.

While they try to live together, go on holiday together, Fabian cannot contain himself eventually driving away Doro who has some involvement with Francisco (who plans to go surfing with Fabian but the waves are too timid) and is then involved with the proprietor of bar.

Fabian also lets down the voluntary association he has joined to provide medical help for street people and he is dismissed from the work.

Ultimately, this leads to frenzy, his being bashed on the street and he’s going to the bar and frenzied dancing.

The film serves as a contemporary parable about the destructive elements in jealousy.

PETE'S DRAGON

US, 2016, 104 minutes, Colour.
Oakes Fedgley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oona Lawrence, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Directed by David Lowery.

Back in 1977, Disney produced a family film, with some special effects and starring Helen Reddy, Pete’s Dragon. Almost 40 years on, Disney have reworked the story and produced a film that will have strong appeal to family audiences – although there is a disturbing sequence at the beginning involving a car accident which may be a bit much for younger audiences, the little boy involved, Pete, being only five.

The setting is the forests of Northwest America, some rather remote territory (filmed in New Zealand) although the film shows the timber industry making incursions and cutting down a lot of trees. But, in the trees, six years after the accident, Pete is living in a tree hut, which may remind audiences who know The Jungle Book, of young Mowgli out in the jungle. But, instead of friendly bears and threatening tigers, Pete’s main friend, who rescued him after the accident, is a rather genial Dragon called Elliot.

Children will enjoy Elliot, a very friendly Dragon, not one of those menacingly flying around and breathing smoke and fire monsters. Pete and Elliott have been companions over the years, enjoying each other’s company, flying through and over the trees, with Elliot having a great talent of camouflage, seeming to disappear into the forests.

Then we see the adults. Meacham, Robert Redford, is a very friendly man, who tells the local children stories about having seen a dragon in the forest which they take with something of a grain of salt. So does his daughter, Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, who works as a ranger in the forest and whose fiance, Jack, Wes Bentley, has a bright young daughter, Natalie, Oona Lawrence,

For a while, Pete watches the humans and puzzles over what they are doing, since Jack owns a lumber mill and his brother, Gavin, Karl Urban, is cutting down more trees than he should. Eventually, Pete lets himself be found, Grace is all attention, Natalie has climbed a tree with Pete – and fallen down quite a long way – with Pete in hospital but escaping back to the forest.

Of course, there is the question of Elliot. Gavin becomes the baddy and goes to great lengths to capture Elliot and bring him back to the town.

After this, with a lot of effects, Pete and Meacham, who really has seen a dragon in the past, drive to the forest to free Elliot with Gavin, other workers, and the sheriff all in pursuit. It all looks a bit dangerous as Gavin blocks a bridge, Grace and Jack are in danger, and Elliott has to do his Dragon thing.

While Pete’s Dragon is an average kind of film for most audiences, families will probably be glad that it is one that most of them can watch with enjoyment, the children able to identify with both Pete and Natalie – and perhaps wishing they had a dragon friend like Elliot.

1. An entertaining Disney film for the family audience? Remake of the 1977 film? Differences?

2. The settings in the forest, filmed in New Zealand, homes, towns, the timber industry, clearing the forest? The musical score?

3. The animation, the creation of the Dragon, look, emotions, eyes, activities, flying? And some final fire and smoke?

4. Pete and his family, going on the adventure, in the forest, five years old, the book, his parents’ reassurance – and the crash? His wandering alone, with the book, going into the forest, his fears, encountering Elliott, Elliot leading him to safety, flying away?

5. Meacham telling the story about dragons to the children, their eagerness, the later revelation that he had seen the Dragon? His work, place in the community, Grace as his daughter, his love for her, his concern about her work? Her reaction to the Dragon stories?

6. Grace, her work in the forest, Jack and his timber company, and his ambitions? Natalie as Jack’s daughter? The engagement, the prospective family?

7. Pete, six years later, like a young Mowgli, his life with Elliot? Elliott, genial, games, camouflage? Pete and his seeing Grace, the timber vehicles? Grace seeing him? The chase? His finding her compass?

8. Grace, her concern about the boy, going to find him? Gavin in the search, Jack and the search? Not Natalie and her involvement? Finding Pete, the pursuit? Natalie chasing him, climbing the tree, her fall, Pete and the hospital? His escaping back to the forest? Reunited with Elliot?

9. The difficulties with the firm, Gavin felling too many trees, Jack and his reaction? Gavin and his desire to get the Dragon, pursuing him, capturing him, transporting him back to the shed, Elliot and camouflage? Meacham driving the truck, the other cars in pursuit? Gavin and his eagerness, overtaking, blocking the bridge? Elliott, escaping, flying, breathing fire? Jack and Grace trapped, the truck going over the bridge, Elliot rescuing them?

10. The sheriff, disbelief, belief, the pursuit?

11. Pete and his story, Grace finding out about the accident? Pete going back into the forest, the farewell to Elliott, Elliot pushing the book towards him?

12. Pete finding a family, the marriage, the extended family, the trips to the forest – and finding the whole colony of dragons?

GIRL, INTERRUPTED

US, 1998, 127 minutes, Colour.
Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg, Vanessa Redgrave, Brittany Murphy, Jared Leto, Elisabeth Moss, Clea Du Val, Jeffrey Tambor, Mary Kay Place, Joanna Kerns, Bruce Altman.
Directed by James Mangold.

Girl, Interrupted was a successful book of the early 90s, ready by many women and teenage girls who empathised with the author, Susanna Kaysen, who recounted her experiences of two years in an institution in the late 60s. Star and co-executive producer had also had an experience of going into an institution at about the age of 20. Winona Ryder brings an intensity and a fragility to her performance as Susanna.

The movie was co-written and directed by James Mangold who had made Heavy and the police corruption drama, Copland. He has a very strong cast for his movie, with Angelina Jolie winning Golden Globe and Oscar for her Supporting Actress performance as the temperamental Lisa. Whoopi Goldberg is the tough but sympathetic nurse, Valerie, and Vanessa Redgrave is Dr Wick.

The movie shows us a small group of dysfunctional women, their illnesses and the consequences, their erratic behaviour as well as their happy moments, their dependence on one another as well as the antagonisms. It also shows us a comfortable enough environment for the women but it also shows the regular checks on the women, the hydrotherapy treatment, the psychiatric sessions and the difficulties for privacy in an institution. The other aspect of the film is the glimpse of social-climbing parents, embarrassed by their daughter, and now knowing how to cope with her.

Girl, Interrupted is in a long line of movies about women in institutions: The Snake Pit, The Bell Jar, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.

1. The film based on the memoir? Autobiographical, the 1960s from the perspective of the 1990s?

2. The title, Susanna, the pause between a girl and a woman? Life interrupted?

3. Audience response to films about mental illness? Borderline personality, schizophrenia, paranoia, suicidal tendencies? The nature of care, personal, institutional? Supervision? Counselling? Medication?

4. The 1960s, affluent Americans, families, home, lifestyle, friendships, ability and inability to cope? Doctors, referrals, institutions, parental visits and their effect?

5. Susanna, Winona Ryder’s performance, age, her life to this point, school, family, sexual relationships, with a friend of the family? With Toby? The Vietnam war, the draft? The coping and not coping, borderline performance, taking the pills, discussions with the doctor and the flashbacks, his recommendation for the institution, going in the taxi and later seeing the taxi driver at the end, at the institution, her arrival, the reception, signing herself in, Valerie looking after her, her room, sharing with Georgina, the tour of the institution, the different young women, older women? Her attitudes, defensive and aggressive?

6. Valerie, strong woman, family woman, African- American in the 1960s? Her regimes, rules, yet considerate, handling each girl in a different way? Susanna’s response, the bath, shaving her legs – and the savage racist outburst, the latter apology and embracing Valerie? Valerie encouraging the young women, but realistic?

7. The picture of the other members of the staff, the strict nurses, on the wards, the young man and his sexual involvement, dispensing of the tablets?

8. Marvin, psychiatrist, Susanna’s sessions with him, any breakthroughs? With Dr Wick, the initial antagonism, Dr Wick’s method, encouraging Susanna?

9. Life in an institution, the routines, Polly and her facial disfigurement, remaining childlike? Georgina and her lies? Daisy, her room, the food, the relationship with her father, provoked by the others, especially Lisa? Meeting, the activities in the store room? The taking of the pills, sleeping through the night, being woken, meals, baths?

10. Lisa and Angelina Jolie’s Oscar-winning performance, strong, her arriving back, attention-seeking, cheeky, blunt, being subdued, the pills, even being tied down? The impact of the death of the girl? Each of the young women with her? Her being a leader, taunting Daisy, the critique? Polly and staying up and singing all night, the encounter with the wardsman? The meetings in the store room and the girls together? Her influence on Susanna? The decision to leave, Susanna following, the cab, going to Daisy’s apartment?

11. The conscription draft, Toby and his date, the time with Susanna, is visiting her in the institution, the sexual encounter, Valerie finding them? Susanna unable to go away with Toby and his intention to go to Canada?

12. Daisy, her reaction, wanting the Valium, Lisa’s promises, staying the night, Lisa taunting Daisy, about her relationship with her father, her going upstairs, hanging herself, the non-effect on Lisa, the effect on Susanna and her return?

13. Lisa, the time away, eventually returning, having spent eight years at the institution?

14. Susanna seeing Dr Wick, help from Valerie, getting back to normal, her voice over describing the process?

15. The effect of Lisa returning, the confrontation, the storeroom, Susanna running away from her, being lost, the showdown? The goodbye to Lisa?

16. Susanna, going back home, there will to Valerie, reminiscing about her experience, her mental condition, a reaction to being borderline, recovering from borderline, and memories of these young women in her future?

CAN’T HARDLY WAIT

US, 1998, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, Jerry O' Connell, Breckin Meyer, Selma Blair, Jason Segal, Sean Patrick Thomas, Donald Faison.
Directed by Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan.

Maybe the bad grammar of the title is a bit offputting – but it may be the kind of grammar used by quite a number of the characters in this high school comedy romance.

This film comes at the end of the 1990s when this kind of comedy was beginning to become more prevalent – 1998 was the year of American Pie. This film is quite restrained in comparison with American Pie. but, many adults may find it very difficult to identify with the characters – except, as people grow older, they might have memories of this time in their life.

It is also interesting to see so many of the performers who developed as actors in a variety of films, here appearing either in guest roles or in supporting student roles, Jerry O’ Connell, Selma Blair, Jason Segal. By this time, Jennifer Love Hewitt was a more prominent name as was Seth Green (especially with his role in the Austin Powers films) and Ethan Embry had been a child actor.

The film takes place over one evening, at an end of year party where everybody turns up. The sympathetic central character is Preston, played by a wide-eyed Ethan Embry, about to go away to college, infatuated with Amanda, Jennifer Love Hewitt, for the previous four years while she has been the date for the local jock, Mike, Peter Facinelli. Mike has broken up with Amanda and she is coming to her senses realising that the only meaning in her life was as his girlfriend and now she wants to assert herself but, at the party, finds it very difficult, especially when some of the boys knowing she is available try to impose on her.

Mike is presented as an unsympathetic jock, macho with his entourage, but finally upset in being humiliated by Amanda not wanting him back. He is the intended target of William, a nerd and talk who also has disciples and a plan to humiliate Mike and photograph him in compromising situations. This backfires pretty well as Mike is rather sympathetic to William who had drunk too much and wins over everyone by a live performance at the microphone and his two friends eventually photograph Mike and William with some embarrassment.

The other subplot involves Denise, Lauren Ambrose, Preston’s best friend who does not want to go to the party, encounters Kenny, Seth Green, who is something of an yobbo, again with disciples, he deceives himself about his being attractive finds himself locked in the bathroom with Denise whom he has known for many years – and theirs is the only actual sexual encounter.

Preston has written a letter to Amanda four years earlier but has not delivered it, throws it away but by a series of accidents, somebody rummaging through the rubbish, the letter attached to a shoe, it finally ending up in a crackers bowl with Amanda finding it but not knowing who Preston is attacks him as one of the many others who are accosting her.

Preston goes off to the station, Amanda looks in the yearbook to see who he is, finds him at the railway station – and he delay seven hours before he goes off to college.

Information is given about the future of each of these characters.

Maybe filmgoers of the same age as the characters will enjoy it and see themselves in one of the characters (not in all of them) – though as time goes on, it may seem a little outdated.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

US, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Dyna Carvey, Steve Coogan.
Directed by Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney.

What Toy Story did for children and toys, this film does for adults and pets – the revelation of what goes on behind closed doors when humans are not looking!

Do films influence our behaviour? On a personal note, while out walking the morning after seeing this film, I saw a big dog approaching me with his owner at the end of the leash and the question arose: what does this dog get up to, who are his friends, where does he go as soon as the master leaves for work…?

This is a very amusing animated film, much better than the highlights picked out for the trailer, a film which should amuse youngsters as they watch the liberated antics of the pets and which should amuse adults with some smart dialogue, some funny situations, and, of course, wondering about the behaviour of their own pets.

This is the story of Max, found by Katie in a box outside a store, taken home, growing up, a devoted pet who is prepared to sit all day at the door waiting for Katie to come home. He is not the brightest. But, there are a whole lot of pets in the surrounding apartments who are his friends, Gidget, a fluffy white dog who is infatuated with Max, Chloe, a literally fat cat who cannot resist temptations of chicken in the fridge, a Chihuahua who turns on the mixer in order to scratch his long back, a hamster running around all the ventilation trying to find home, a little bird… They all seem to get on well and are amusingly introduced.

But then, Katie finds a new dog, a very big fellow called Duke, from the pound, he begins to take over from Max, his bedding, his food, affection by Katie.

When Duke and Max go out for a walk, they end up in an unsavoury neighbourhood (a lot of scrawny cats) and they have to run for their lives. The adventures begin, the posse from home all going in search for Max, Max and Duke sharing a lot of adventures, the introduction of a pattering rabbit who fancies himself as a rebel, Pops, an old dog resting his tail on wheels, chases within the sewers of New York, in the harbour, and a changed Duke going to find his previous home only to find a new family – and an aggressive cat.

And the adventures don’t finish there, but there is a dog-pound truck crash into the harbour from the bridge, underwater heroics, the rabbit undergoing something of a conversion experience, and everybody getting home just in time as if nothing had happened!

There is a very entertaining voice cast with Louis CK as Max, Eric Stonestreet as Duke, Jenny Slate as Digit, Lake Bell as Chloe the fat cat, an unmistakable Kevin Hart (unless you think it is Chris Rock) as the rabbit.

A reviewer friend sitting next to me chuckled out loud the whole way through so it was a bit of a surprise to find that some other reviewers weren’t so enamoured of the film, some complaining that there were too many characters to keep focused on or that they’d seen it all before…

Maybe, but this reviewer, rather more quietly, shared the chuckles all the way through.

1. A film for all ages, children and adults? And for pet lovers?

2. The title, the idea from Toy Story, the transition to pets and adults?

3. The animation, bright, New York City, views of the city, lanmarks, apartments and streets, the sewers, the river and the bay? Action, chases? Van, crashes? The fall from the bridge? The musical score, the songs, the references to film scores, plots, Staying Alive, the song from Grease, the party songs…?

4. The voice talent and the range of voices?

5. Max the central character, his story, the dog, Katie finding him, growing up with her, the bond between them, playing together, and his fondness, his tricks and performance, waiting at the door? Then Katie bringing Duke, his size, at the pound, tough, his communication with Max, taking over his bed, eating his food, the mess in the house, and Max getting back on Duke – and Katie’s later forgiveness?

6. The neighbouring animals, the humour on cats, dogs, rodents, birds, fish? Gidget and her devotion to Max, Chloe and the temptation of the fridge, the chicken, eating it, becoming fat? The thin dog, a blender and scratching him? The bird, the rescue from Chloe? The lost hamster searching through the ventilation? The hawk later joining?

7. Max and Duke, going out, the clash, in the difficult, scrawny cats? Duke catching Max, his being taken, everybody gathering to rescue him?

8. The sewers, the bunny, the characters in the sewers, seeing themselves as rebels? The diversity? The bunny and Kevin Hart’s voice? The cats and dogs, the cave, the snake and Max confronting it?

9. The escape, the adventures, everybody going to see Pops, the club and the music, the fancy dog and the dance moves? Pops and his wheels? Their getting out of the building, going down tubes, on cranes?

10. Gidget, the pep talk, stories, Pops and disagreement, the hawk flying, getting to the sewer, the pursuit chase? The adventures?

11. Max and Duke hungry, the reconciliation, the scent of the sausages, the song from Grease with sausages, the manufacture, the boxes, their being caught by the dog catchers, the escape? Duke going to his old home, the story of the old owner, African- American, his death? The new owners, the cat, the family, the dog catchers again? Max’s escape?

12. The pursuit through the sewers, the bunny, collaborating, the truck, falling off the bridge, the underwater scenes, the bunny and the key, the release, coming to the surface?

13. The bunny, the little girl seen him, wanting him as a pet?

14. Everybody at home, Max and Duke reconciled, all the owners arriving thinking that it had been a very peaceful day and no awareness of the secret life of pets?