CORKY ROMANO

US, 2001, 86 minutes, Colour.
Chris Kattan, Peter Falk, Vinessa Shaw, Peter Berg, Chris Penn, Fred Ward, Richard Roundtree, Matthew Glave, Roger Fan, Dave Sheridan, Vincent Pastore.
Directed by Rob Pritts.

A lot of this film is quite funny but it will very much depend on audience acceptance of comedian, Chris Kattan. He plays the youngest son of a gangster chief – played by Peter Falk. He has been sent to college and is not familiar with the family traditions, his only interest in being a vet. He is prone to the zany remarks as well as a whole lot of pratfalls, one of those comedians who is able to survive all kinds of difficulties.

With the patriarch about to die, the family wants to recover some incriminating documents from the FBI so Corky is set up as an FBI agent with an extraordinary resume and sent to get the papers. It doesn’t quite work out that way because he is caught up in some of the cases, praised by the chief, Richard Roundtree, the object of great jealousy by his assistant, Matthew Glave. He is also attracted by the female operative played by Vanessa Shaw. The jokes are that, unintentionally, he is able to provide leads on a number of cases and ingratiate himself with the FBI.

Things come to a head when the female agent goes into the house to play a nurse, Corky is at risk of being exposed, and an alternate villain is discovered, the Consigliere who is also an FBI informant but he was trying to promote his own career, played by Fred Ward.

The two brothers, one fairly illiterate, played by Peter Berg (who is to have a stronger career as an action film director) and the somewhat repressed gay brother in denial, Chris Penn.

1. A Mafia story, a family story, spoof?

2. The city, the Mafia mentions? The FBI, the bureau? The streets, crime locations, warehouse, clubs, the busts? The musical score?

3. The cast, the spirit of satire and jokes?

4. The patriarch, Peter Falk, ill, his life as a crook, his two sons, one stupid, one be gay? The illustration of stupidity and gay attention? And the final acceptance?

5. Corky, education, his being a vet, the pratfalls and tangles, his work with customers at the vet? Visit to his father, the commission, the wariness of his brothers, the advice of the Consigliere? The preparing elaborate papers, give him all kinds of qualifications and languages? His being wired? Going into the office, the encounter with the boss, with Brick, the other assistance? Agent Kate Russo?

6. His trying to get the documents, his being caught up in the activity, the murder scene, his comment about the maggots, the time of death? His becoming something of a hero? The boss supporting him? The calling each other by Christian names? Brick and his jealousy? His petulance? The crime scene, the machine gun going berserk – but the criminal having a toy gun?

7. The encounters with his brothers, tangling with them, on the street, their being searched, their pursuing him? The gay brother and his looking and photographing? The dumb brother and his inability to say what ice cream he would like?

8. Kate, the martial arts? The bond between them? Corky finding her as his father’s nurse, upset?

9. Documents, his getting them? His leaving them hurrying away, Brick finding them? The boss, believing Corky, his admission of fault and being praised for this?

10. In-house, the photo catching him entering? With the nurse? With his father, the realisation that the Consigliere had been an FBI informant but was planning his own criminal promotion, the chase, is being caught?

11. The wedding, everybody happy, the gay brother throwing the bouquet – and the man catching it?

12. Audience liking for Chris Kattan and his comic style?

ME BEFORE YOU

UK, 2016, 110 minutes, Colour.
Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet Mc Teer, Charles Dance, Brendan Coyle, Samantha Spiro, Jenna Coleman, Matthew Lewis.
Directed by Thea Sharrock.

One might say that this is a pleasingly emotional film. interestingly, some more cerebral reviewers have been harsh on the film, especially being critical of the presentation of disability. The many readers of the novel and the higher than expected success of the film, on the other hand, suggests that these reviewers were not responding to the characters, the situations and the emotions but to ideas about treatment of themes. The screenplay was written by the novelist, Jojo Moyes.

Already the title indicates that there will be interactions between two people, the me and the you. But it depends on whom we identify as the me and whom we identify as the you. One is Lou, Louisa, a cheerful young woman in her mid-20s who eventually takes a job of day-carer for Will, and up-and-coming young executive who is injured in a street accident and is now quadriplegic. In terms of the title, it is Lou who puts Will before everyone else. She is played by Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones).

There have been a number of recent novels and films about young people with terminal illness, like The Fault in Our Stars. This time the protagonists are in their mid-20s and early 30s, appealing to a more adult audience. Lou is a charmingly effervescent personality. Will, on the other hand, played by Sam Claflin (who appeared in The Hunger Games films) has become depressed and embittered because of his inability to live now the life of his former self.

We are wary of identifying Will’s psychological profile because he is not able to be his real self – although he contrasts himself with Lou in a discussion about how they handle situations. He says that he sees things, processes this and makes decisions.

Will comes from a very wealthy family, who seem to be owners or custodians of the local ruined castle, quite an imposing presence in the town, and the setting for some of the scenes between Lou and Will. (The final credits acknowledge Pembroke Castle.) With money as no object, this is a kind of modern fairytale, a contemporary Cinderella story.

In many ways the plotline is predictable enough, the gruff patient will mellow because of the attentions of his attractive carer. However, there is a deeper underlying sub-plot, Will dissatisfied with his life and contacting a Dignity Centre in Switzerland with the prospect of assisted suicide. His parents are concerned, allowing him six months to make up his mind, his father being more rational about the situation (Charles Dance in quite a sympathetic role), his mother not wanting him to die (Janet McTeer), and growing appreciative of all the care that Lou takes of her son.

As regards points of view about assisted suicide, the screenplay presents both points of view quite strongly, Will and his previous attempt at killing himself, determined that this is the best action for himself, Lou and her love for him, wanting to stay with him, and, while she goes to him in Switzerland, is prepared to do everything she can so that he will live. Other films which offer comparisons on this theme include The Sea Within, Million Dollar Baby and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

While Will is played (eventually) quite sympathetically by Sam Claflin, it is Lou who makes the strong impression. She is a strong personality who lives in the present, cheerful and described as “chatty” (although that is the last thing that Will wants when she first arrives). Lou has lived a fairly limited life, belongs to a loving family, and is kindness personified. She does say she would have liked to study: fashion. She loves clothes, something different, bright even loud, every day.

When Will shows her the DVD of Of Gods and Men, the first one she has watched with subtitles, she is overwhelmed. Something of an intuitive challenge. While she decides to draw Will out of himself (a visit to the races where she definitely backs the wrong horse and a rapturous attendance with him at a Mozart concert), Will is broadening her horizons, giving her more of a reason to live which makes his final declaration to Lou after she has offered her unconditional love to him even sadder.

Though she is a person who lives in the present, not a decider. But her growing love and care offer a challenge, investigating and making decisions of ways and travels to bring Will out of his cocooned self.

Perhaps the title should have focused on Lou and called the film Me For You.


1. The title, the two characters, the me and the you? Love and self-sacrifice? Romance?

2. The popularity of the film, the popularity of the novel, adaptation by the novelist?

3. The themes of love, disability, care, the issue of depression and assisted suicide?

4. The UK locations, the town, the imposing presence of the castle and the visits to the castle, the ordinary homes, cafe? Shops? The contrast with the wealthy house, interiors, grounds? The musical score?

5. The introduction to, Will, Alicia as his girlfriend, his life, business, going to work, carefree (and the later video showing all his sports activities and daring)? Preoccupied, the phone, on the street, knocked over by the motorbike? Quadriplegic?

6. Lou, seeing her first at the cafe, the cakes and sugar but the two ladies eating them standing up, her packing the sandwich for the old lady? The pay packet and her being dismissed? Home, the family, father and his being out of work, but genial, the mother and her being busy, stoic about the loss of income? The daughter, her son? Grandfather?

7. Lou, looking for a job, the interview, and not being able to do some jobs, the chance offer for the Traynor family, not requiring qualifications, the willingness to learn, the good money? The family happy about this?

8. Lou and her personality, her age, cheerful, chatty, kind with everyone, outgoing? The love of clothes and fashion, the extraordinary range of what she wore throughout the film? Her ability to live in the present, to be with people?

9. Going to the interview, with Mrs Traynor, her ill-considered jokes, tearing her dress and being embarrassed, her going in to see Will, the initial reaction, his surliness and moodiness? Mrs Traynor and her advice? Seeing Mr Traynor and his welcome? Seeing Nathan, his many patients, his care with Will, explaining the routines to Lou, exercise, medication, timetables, the needs for caring for a quadriplegic?

10. The significance of the wealth of the family, money no object?

11. Lou, the initial encounters, Will not wanting to be chatty, Lou offering cups of tea, time for herself, lunch, reading? The collage of her waking up in the morning, going to work, her reaction – and possibly finding it too much? The discussions with her sister and her sister’s encouragement? And the opportunity for the sister to go away to do further studies?

12. The details of Lou’s work, turning him, adjusting the pillow, his calling her Clarke?

13. Lou, her interesting clothes, the range of clothes, talking, anxious? discussions with Nathan? The idea of the outings, going to the races, backing the wrong horse? The Mozart concert? His getting pneumonia, her being called to the hospital?

14. Inviting Will to dinner, birthday, to meet her parents, their initial awkwardness, but kindness? His pleasant response? Patrick’s response, negative? His arranging for Lou’s father to get the job at the castle?

15. Patrick, character, with Lou for seven years, continued running, Lou not able to run, trying to ride the bike? The holiday in Norway after the events? His coming to her birthday? His gift with his name? Will and his giving her the tights? Her favourite colours? Grandfather and the album?

16. The visit of Alicia and Rupert, the invitation to the wedding, the decision to go? Lou accompanying Will? And the interlude where she spoke with Joanna Lumley?

17. Effect on Will, preparation for the holiday, the flight, the enjoyment, Lou and her love for Will?

18. The letter, assisted suicide? The decision? The parents waiting six months? His decision to go through with the suicide, talking with his parents, talking with Lou? Her being so upset?

19. Persistent, urging her to go to Switzerland, going, Will’s room, the beautiful view? With Will, her love, his parents and their reliance on her?

20. His death, his earlier meeting the lawyer, the bequest for Lou, his Paris story, his letter to her, her going to Paris, sitting where he sat, part of his life – and her walking away with his gift of the clothes?

NASTY BABY

US, 2015, 101 minutes, Colour.
Sebastian Silva, Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe, Reg E. Cathy, Mark Margolis, Agustin Silva, Alia Shawkat.
Directed by Sebastian Silva.

Nasty Baby is an odd title for this film. it is the work of Chilean director, Sébastian Silva, who made such offbeat films as The Maid as well as Magic, Magic. He has directed this film, takes the central role of installation artist, Freddie. One of his installations concerns babies, cutouts, photos, superimposing his own image on the babies – and trying to get it accepted by an art gallery.

However, Freddie actually wants a real and actual child. He lives with his partner, Mo, and they are relying on their friend Polly, Kristin Wiig, who is conscious of the running of her biological clock. Freddie’s sperm count is low and so he asks his partner, Mo, to consider supplying the sperm which he eventually does. The film raises issues of surrogacy and gay parenting.

One of the complications is a mentally disturbed man who lives in the street, accosting people, making Polly afraid as he approaches her, continually taunting the partners as faggots. When his installation is rejected, and Polly has kept the knowledge of her pregnancy to surprise him, he bursts out against the man in the street, killing him. Freddie, Mo, Polly and their friends take the body inside, transport it with the help of a neighbour, and dig a grave and bury it.

Then they forget all about it and look forward to the birth child.

1. The title, the tone? Freddie and his artwork about babies? In comparison with the real desire for conception and having a baby?

2. The director, background in Chile, the American producers? His films and the offbeat content and style? His playing Freddie in the film?

3. The American locations, apartments, the streets, medical centres, art galleries? Sense of realism?

4. The issue of surrogacy, Polly and her age, the biological clock? Gay partners, wanting to be parents?

5. Freddie, his character, age, artist? His relationship with Mo? Freddie and his own family, going to visit, taking Mo to meet them, their supporting him? Ordinary? Gay partners and surrogacy, wanting to be parents? Polly as a friend? Her telling Freddie that his sperm count was low? The attempts for conception? Asking Mo, his thinking it over, doing the test, agreement, the evening of the semen and the insertion? Success in pregnancy? Effect on each of the characters?

6. Polly, work, meetings, a situation, with each of the friends?

7. Wendy and Chino, their work, calling into the apartment, going out, meetings, support?

8. Richard, in the street, friendly?

9. Bishop, his mental condition, the attacks, on Polly, his taunting of the men as being faggots, the fights? The girl at his apartment, her aggressive calling out? Intervention of the police? Freddie’s final exasperation, attacking Bishop, the fight, Bishop falling, his death?

10. Mo and Polly, getting the body, take it inside, the decision, Richard’s help? The vehicle, taking the body to the plot, digging the grave, burying it?

11. Freddie, the discussions with the owner of the gallery, the detail of his piece, the baby, different images, his own face superimposed on the baby? The group at the gallery, the owner and his change of heart, his assistant, stern behaviour, the impact on Freddie?

12. Polly not immediately telling Freddie, wanting to surprise him – and the repercussions for his anger after the rejection of the gallery and his taking it out on Bishop?

13. The death of Bishop and his burial – and the characters and their calm, ignoring it, and moving forward to the birth of the baby?

ZIPPER

US, 2015, 103 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Wilson, Lena Headey, Ray Winstone, Richard Dreyfuss, John Cho, Dianna Agron, Christopher Mc Donald.
Directed by Mora Stephens.

Zipper is a fairly blunt and unsubtle title for this film. It is a not unfamiliar subject, a picture of an addiction and its running out of control, the dire consequences for the man himself, his family, his career. It keeps the interest all the way through even as the audience dreads the outcome of the consequences.

Patrick Wilson is Sam, an up-and-coming lawyer with the prospect of becoming district attorney. He wins a significant case against corrupt politicians and his company is targeting the mayor. the lawyer is happily married, Lena Headey playing his wife, with a child, and friends and associates interested in supporting him in his legal ambitions and even of a wheeler and dealer, played by Richard Dreyfuss, interested in promoting him for politics. Also in the mix is Ray Winstone as a journalist for a prestigious magazine who could publish an article about him that could make his career.

At the celebration party after his winning the corruption case, we see that Sam has a roving eye, one of the temporary staff is giving him the come on which he follows then breaks off, but masturbating to pornography on his return home. the signs there for his double standards and hypocrisy, He is being publicly seen as an upright character.

The office has a case concerning escort agencies with a provocative witness catching Sam’s roving eye again, leading him to go online, to look up websites of the agencies, eventually phoning under a false name, making appointment, being wary about going through with it but succumbing. This leads to an indulgence of frequent visits, a different girl every time, his wife becoming suspicious of his behaviour and his trying to buy her off, the magazine writer following him and showing him compromising pictures.

In an interview with the political promoter, he promises this is all in the past – but the final image is of him going down a hotel corridor, knocking and going into yet another appointment.

There have been many films about the double standards of people in the public eye – but this is a narrower focus on one man and his sexual addiction, his being unable to change and audiences imagining what the consequences will be.
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1. The title, the term, the theme?

2. The American legal and political worlds? City life, offices, homes, hotels, escort agencies? The musical score?

3. Patrick Wilson as Sam, as a person, age, wife and child, home life, practice of the law, the initial waiting for the verdict, prosecuting the corrupt, winning the case, the celebration? His roving eye at the party? Kissing the girl – drinking, breaking it off?

4. The family man, phoning his wife, at the party, the encounter with the girl, her come on, smoking, his going home, masturbating, the pornography? Indication of what was to come?

5. The legal meetings, his boss and his relationship with him, discussion of the cases, his ambitions, the witness a model, the escort agency and her story?

6. The reasons for his searching the computer site, looking at the models, curiosity, sex drive? Leading to the development of his addiction – there already? His home, his wife having an affair before they were married, his mentioning this as an excuse?

7. The possibility of his becoming DA? The political mover and shaker, meeting him at the party, discussion of the possibilities, politics? And yet his roving eye distractions?

8. Making a phone call to the agency, calling himself Bob Fuller, the receptionist, the answers? Nervous for the first time, studying the site, asking for a specific girl? To the hotel, the room number, meeting the girl, wary, the shower, her being provocative, resistance, giving in, the beginning of the affairs?

9. Returning to the site, the phone calls, the different girls, seeing each only once, listening to the recommendation by the girls? The collage of his visits, the buildup of his addiction? Saying he was at meetings, his lies, his wife, suspicions, taking her to buy the expensive sunglasses? Her questioning him?

10. Journalist, friend of Sam’s wife, the meeting, the interview, talk? The possibility of a long article promoting him, to law or to politics?

11. The case of the company, escort agencies, the police involvement, his assistant and his using him as a source for information? The boss, discussions, the emergence of hypocrisy and double standards?

12. The closing of the agency, prospect of crime and money laundering? The visit of the FBI agents to the office, Sam’s denials? The agent leaving him and giving him a warning?

13. Going to the hotel, the collapse, hospital? Confession to his wife, her reaction, disgust?

14. The journalist, having him followed, the meeting with him, showing all the compromising photos?

15. Going to meet the prostitute, meeting her mother at the apartment, talking in the car, her offering sex, his indulging himself again?

16. The mover and shaker, the interview, his knowing all about Sam’s failures? Appealing to Sam’s ambition? His promise that this would not happen again?

17. The promise, seeing Sam going down the corridor in the hotel, the door and entering?

18. Realism? Public expectations of politicians to be better? But their not being better?

STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE

US, 2015, 128 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Alex Gibney.

Steve Jobs, computer expert, founder of Apple, initiator of the iPod and other devices, died at the age of 55. There have been two feature films about him, the first, Jobs, where he is played by Ashton Kutcher who physically resembles the young Jobs. The second film was Steve Jobs, where he is played by Oscar-nominated Michael Fassbender. While the former gives some kind of biography, the latter focuses on three particular launches and explores the character of Jobs as well as indicating aspects of his life focusing on these events.

In the same year, prolific documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney, Oscar-winner for Taxi to the Darkside and celebrated for his explorations of Lance Armstrong, Scientology, Enron…, released this study of Jobs with Gibney himself during the narration.

This film fills in more background about Jobs’ life, his initial education, precocity, his love for Japan, his work with Steve Wozniak, their work in the garage, the founding of Apple, his falling out with Wozniak, his role in Apple, his being separated from the company, the invitation for him to return, his new success, the development of the iPod, his collaboration with other workers.

Gibney is critical of Jobs as a person, his general lack of empathy for people, his perfectionism and relentless demands, his touches of ruthlessness and brutality, especially in personal relationships, wife and children, and the issue of his daughter Lisa. Gibney also highlights some ethical difficulties in his financial arrangements, offshore investments, establishing of the firm in Ireland, his treatment of Chinese workers and their conditions and salaries – which means that, although he had an extraordinary influence on all our lives and technology, and was mourned by so many at his death, on the personal level he is legitimately open to critique.

1. The films of Alex Gibney? His talent, observation, critique? Admiring Jobs or not? His assessment? His doing the narration?

2. The use of footage, of Jobs over the years, his early appearance, late appearance? Interviews with his associates? He assessment of his work, his character? The excerpt from his daughter, Lisa? The assembling of all the interview material, editing, comparisons and contrasts?

3. Audience knowledge of Jobs and his achievement, his life? His being so widely mourned at death?

4. Gibney’s perspective of significant 20th-century world leaders and their capacity for change? Admiration? Einstein, Gandhi…? Jobs as a lesser mortal?

5. The technical history, his education, the garage, the early work, the collaboration with Steve Wozniak, the forming of the company? His clashes, falling out with people, with Wozniak? HIs being excluded from his company, the years away? His business sense, ideas, obsessions, the invitation to return, CEO, his emphasis on computers, the development of the iPod and its effect?

6. The scenes illustrating Jobs as a showman, the launches, the glamour, the style, the push?

7. News clips, comments about Apple? The interviews, the range? Seeing him in retrospect?

8. Jobs as a person, his education, his family, his marriage, his neglect of Lisa, his children, lack of support, keeping a distance? The visits to Japan, his continued fascination with Japan, perfection? Taking Lisa to Japan and the effect on her, diet…? Finance, his deals, back taxes, setting up the company in Ireland, offshore cover, the Chinese in the factories, their not being paid well…? Ruthless? Money?

9. Jobs, and dying at 55, and death, his achievement, his influence on the world?

10. Yet the underlying obsession, brutality and ruthlessness?

11. This film in comparison with the fiction feature films with Ashton Kutcher and with Michael Fassbender?

ON BORROWED TIME


US, 1939, 99 minutes, Black and white dot
Lionel Barrymore, Cedric Hardwicke, Beulah Bondi, Una Merkel, Bobs Watson, Nat Pendleton, Henry Travers, Grant Mitchell, Eily Malyon, James Burke, Ian Wolfe, Philip Terry.
Directed by Harold S. Bucquet.

On Borrowed Time is in the vein of the popular Death Takes a Holiday, filmed in 1941 with Fredric March and later as a television film with Melvyn Douglas.

Lionel Barrymore, already in his wheelchair with arthritis though standing at the end, portrays a genial but crusty old grandfather, caring for his grandson Pud, played with emotional conviction by Bobs Watson. Beulah Bondi is the kindly grandmother.There is quite a strong supporting cast including Henry Travers and Grant Mitchell with Eily Malyon, looking somewhat like Margaret Hamilton, as the censorious and avaricious aunt. Una Merkel plays a nice role as the maid.

Death is played by Sir Cedric Hardwicke, the same year that he played the villain in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.He is a gentlemanly death, suit and tie and hat, getting a lift with people on the highway and their crashing, coming to a house to take the grandparents, but being trapped up a tree by the grandfather’s wish.

Eventually, the local lawyer, doctor, sheriff, aid from a mental hospital, all become involved when the grandfather and everyone thinks he is gone mad and he tells them that the tree where they have trapped Death will cause them all to die. And the solution? Gramps and Pud dying and going to meet their grandmother.
The film was directed by Harold S. Bouquet who directed a great number of the doctor kill death films, Lionel Barrymore, at this time.

1. A 1930s fantasy? Folksy? The introduction and the relation to the tales of Geoffrey Chaucer?

2. MGM production values, the 1930s, black-and-white photography, country town, home, Church, the countryside? The musical score?

3. Blend of realism and fantasy? Cedric Hardwicke as Mr Brink? Death, stone, gentleman? Hitching a ride, refusing the driver as not ready, waiting for the doctor and his wife, the crash and deaths? His arrival at the house, wanting grandma? The interchange with Gramps, with Pud, their trapping him in the tree with the wish? Keeping him there? Discussions, letting him down, the bargain and his taking them in death?

4. The family story, the doctor and his wife, their death? Pud, his age, his always been with Gramps, with nearly? His dislike of his aunt? His life at home, mimicking his grandfather, emotional, life in the house, outside, playing, saying his aunt was a pismire? Love of his dog? The prospect of his aunt adopting him? The effect of Nellie’s death? Meeting Mr Brink, his dog’s death, his wanting to run away, Mr Brink persuading him to stay? The discussion with Gramps, their deaths?

5. Lionel Barrymore as Gramps, crusty, in his wheelchair, his pipe and his tonic, his love for Ms Nellie, Pud? His dislike of the aunt? Bringing up Pud, care for him? Making a wish to trap unwanted people in the tree? Going to visit the lawyer, the documents? The doctor and his health? The sheriff? Meeting Mr Brink, the discussions? Building the fence? The argument with Mr Brink? Relying on Marcie? The sheriff, the doctor, fear of the tree? The bargain with Mr Brink? Going to death with Pud, meeting Nellie?

6. Nellie, a nice grandmother? Loving wife? Discussions with the aunt?

7. Marcie, work, the aunt disapproving, love for her fiance? Saying that she could see Mr Brink?

8. The aunt, comic, prim, censorious, hearing about the inheritance, wanting to adopt Pud, pushy, being ousted?

9. A film which was able to name death – with hope?

EASY MONEY III: LIFE DELUXE

Sweden, 2013, 127 minutes, Colour.
Matias Varela, Joel Kinnaman, Depan Cukic.
Directed by Jens Jonsson.

The Easy Money films are based on novels by Jens Lapidus.

The first film introduced the key characters, Jorge with his Latin American background, a drug chief who finds himself in prison and released; the first film focuses on J W, a young man from a successful family who gets caught up with money and drugs; and a group of Eastern European gangsters, living in Sweden, involved in drug rackets.

With the second film, one sympathetic character is, unfortunately, dead, after making friends with JW in prison. Jorge is still active. Radovan, from Eastern Europe is also active.

In this third episode, the film focuses principally on Jorge, his planning of an ultimate robbery, his attraction towards a young woman and wanting to provide for her. The robbery is an elaborate set piece. JW does not feature so much but is concerned about his sister and her death, goes to Los Angeles in pursuit of her. Radovan wants to move out of Sweden back home, is working with his strong-minded daughter and a young man who is part of the team, but is actually an undercover policeman.

Suffice it to say that the daughter wins out at the end while Jorge achieves his dream. JW is dead.

1. The impact of the first films? This film bringing the trilogy to a conclusion? Drawing on the plot, the characters, previous interactions? Complexity?

2. Swedish settings, the criminal world, the drug world, the drug gangs at their headquarters? Kitchens, apartments? The elaborate heist sequence? Contrast with Los Angeles, the clubs, the desert? The luxury resorts at the end? The musical score?

3. Jorge‘s story, his past, background, his sister, pregnancy, being in prison, getting out, pensions, the camaraderie with the Eastern European criminal, his death? The plans for the heist, his motivation? Working in the kitchen, the new girlfriend, together, the promise of retirement? The elaborate heist, the confusion? His seeming death? Ultimate success? At the resort?

4. Radovan, Eastern European criminals, gangs, in Sweden, wanting to move? His daughter? The presence of Martin, his cover, police? Relationship of Martin to Radovan, his daughter? Radovan’s death?

5. JW, his past story and its complications, in Los Angeles, searching for his sister, meeting her friend, the story, Radovan, the drugs, Los Angeles, ambitions, sexual relationships? The death? JW in the desert, his being shot?

6. The character of Radovan’s daughter, strong? With her father, with Martin? With the gangster associates? The discovery of the truth – and her ultimately being in control?

THREE

China/Hong Kong, 2016, 88 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Johnny To.

Audiences who have been following Hong Kong films over several decades would be very familiar with the name of Johnny To. He has specialised in a wide variety of gangster films, efficiently made, complex stories about police and interaction with Hong Kong’s criminal gangs, from Hong Kong itself to Macau and to the mainland.

While this particular film – giving the audience some difficulty in deciding who are the three – does have a gangster, the crime recounted is off-camera. And all the action takes place in a hospital, surgery in the operating theatre, recovery, main ward, the stairwell, all interiors except from some moments of looking out of the windows and part of a finale hanging from sheets from an upper window.

There is quite a deal of surgery in the film, in close-up. We see the medical staff, the doctor making decisions, tensions, cutting, blood spurting, haemorrhaging, threads for sewing up wounds… And these recur throughout the film with several operations.

After operations, in between operations, the screenplay returns to the ward, concentrating on several patients: a large man, jovial, with mental problems, which does not interfere at all with his capacity for eating, getting out of bed, wandering down to the canteen, stealing keys and other mischief; a young man who is angry about the failure of his operation, paralysed, spitting at the doctor, attempting to slit his wrists; and someone new in the ward, and gangster brought from the scene of a robbery with a wound to his head and the need to extract a bullet.

Along with the gangster is the police force, a stern officer and his team, keeping guard, surveillance, but with a vested interest as regards the gun used for the wounding of the gangster. And then there is the doctor, a middle-aged woman with ambitions which have been generally achieved, yet somewhat on the edge, especially in connection with the extraction of the bullet.

This then provides an atmosphere for police alert, medical action, cynical barbs from the gangster who is rather literate quoting Greek philosophers as well as a story from Bertrand Russell, and the arrival of assassins to control the situation.

It does build to a rather grim climax, bombs in various wastepaper receptacles throughout the hospital, the entry of assassins with guns firing, mayhem on the ward, and the attempted escape of the gangster with the doctor and police chief in pursuit.

And all under 90 minutes, a different Johnny To story.

1. The films of Johnny To, Hong Kong-based, the extension to China? His police stories? Gangster stories? The addition of the medical story here?

2. Everything happening in the hospital, the theatre, surgery? The ward? Staircases? Looking outside, hanging outside? The mood of the score?

3. The impact of the details of the operations, the doctor, her skills, the medical staff, the place of each during surgery, cutting, blood, threading, haemorrhage? Successes and failures? Decisions about life and death? The challenges, fatigue, anxiety? The impact of Three as a hospital film?

4. The ward, the different patients, the fat man with mental problems, his continued eating, his escape, in the canteen, taking all the keys, jovial? The young man, his paralysis, anger, wanting to sue, spitting at the doctor, slitting his wrists, falling down the steps, able to walk? Husband, dying, tensions with his wife moving, the surgery, his quiet death? The details of life in the ward, the nurses, aides, the caterers?

5. Dr Tong, the background story and success, ambitions, skills, in surgery? The doctor confronting her, wanting her to rest? A feeling of failure, going, returning?

6. Her attempts to retrieve the bullet? The issue of the gun? His waiting for a phone call? His contacts, criminals, robberies? The phone call and the ordering of deaths? The assassins, well dressed, coming to the hospital, whistling the melody?

7. The prisoner’s behaviour, the police, their supervision, the doctor ringing the phone number, Chan’s being upset with her? Chan, his presence? The patient quoting Hippocratic oaths, Bertrand Russell stories, his fluency, smart? The situation with the police? The gun, accusations, cover?

8. Chan, serious, working with his staff, supervision, the conspiracy about the situation, the plan? His angers, confronting the doctor, slapping her, her slapping him later? The fat officer, lunch, his whistling the tune? Phone calls to the superiors and apologies?

9. The doctor, switching the medication, the patient shrewd and not injecting, his pretences?

10. The climax scenario, the assassins and their arrival, the bombs in the bins, guns and shooting, wounding, mayhem? The patient, escape, the sheets, hanging from the window, the doctor and Chan and their pulling him up, the fall?

11. The story as a crime episode, leaving the follow-up to after the film? The importance for the audience just being there and experiencing this?

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!

US, 2016, 117 minutes, Colour.
Blake Jenner, Zoe Deutch.
Directed by Richard Linklater.

Part of the attraction for going to see this film is that it was written and directed by Richard Linklater. Many appreciated his slacker films in the early 1990s, especially Dazed and Confused. But, many remember his cap before Sunset, Before Sunrise, Before Midnight series with his portrait of a man and woman over almost 20 years, and the strength of the dialogue in their conversations. His range has been particularly strong, some social dramas, the interesting portion of Bernie, and the animation of A Scanner Darkly and the philosophical-theological hundred minutes of existential and metaphysical reflections in Waking Life.

This film is almost the opposite of Waking Life. After completing Boyhood, the film he made over a period of 12 years, he has returned to his own memories of his past, college days.

One reviewer said that to enjoy this film you needed to have been there – and, after viewing the film, that is absolutely right. Otherwise, especially if the characters and their behaviour do not arouse interest, this film can be something of an endurance.

It takes place over the three days before the opening of school at the end of August 1980. Plot -wise, not a great deal happens. We are drawn into the film with Jake (Blake Jenner) a freshman with a baseball scholarship. Even though he is not yet 20, he looks the All-American? type – as do a number of the other jocks whom he meets at their dilapidated house. He is quite outgoing and despite the rather initial off-hand reception, he easily makes friends. Actually, on his first day at college, off they all go to a bar, plenty of noise, plenty of music, plenty of drinking, plenty of girls, plenty of dancing…

As a group of them cruise the parking lot, they are attracted to girls who snap at them – although one of them, Beverly (Zoe Deutch) has a shot at the others by praising Jake, quiet in the backseat. This will have good consequences when Jake leaves flowers at her door, when she phones, when they go out and talk, when he goes to a party at the arts-dance student house where she lives. In fact, Beverly is the only female character in the film – Although there are other females around but they are for the men and for the camera to ogle. There are some moments of dialogue about objectification.

On the Sunday, all the baseball players assemble for practice – which does give a bit more interest to the plot in terms of pitching, batting, fielding as well as some locker room pranks.

Some commentators have linked it to National Lampoons Animal House of 1978. There may be some resemblance but this one is far, far milder, a bit more humane even though the whole atmosphere is particularly, as Australians would say, blokey.

1. In memory of the 1980s? College? Southeast Texas?

2. The films of Richard Linklater? The beginnings with slacker comedies, his expansion into witty comedies and dramas? The philosophy of Waking Life? Remembering his own younger days?

3. The three-day setting, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and the beginning of classes on Monday?

4. The college setting, South-eastern Texas, the house or the jocks, falling apart, the clubs and bars, the locker room and the baseball field, the party for the arts students? The ending with the lecture room?

5. The range of songs from the period, atmosphere?

6. The focus on Blake, his background high school, baseball champion, coming to college, his age, manner, car, getting to the house, meeting the odd characters? Their taking to him? Going out, driving, seeing the girls, getting Beverly’s room number, the parties, the jocks and their behaviour, conversation, language, the drinking, the girls? The phone
call from Beverly, the bonding, going to see her? The baseball play, Jake as a pitcher, interactions with the other members of the team? Their being taped to the wall and the team hitting them with the baseballs? The interaction with the other jocks, being persuaded to invite them to the party, everybody going, Jake agreeing to go into the Alice in Wonderland role play, the swim with Beverly, talking, having a rest before going to class, the wave goodbye? The taunts of Finn and the others? The professor coming in, his writing comments about frontiers on the board, Jake nodding off, smiling? His future?

7. A Jock film, the focus on men, the range of characters, the blokey talk, jokes, pranks, ambitions, forbidden to have alcohol in the house, girls upstairs – a signal for them to disobey? The sexist attitudes of the period? Objectifying the girls? Finn and the other characters, Dale and his being African- American?

8. Dale and his being singular as the African -American? The only other black man the receptionist at the club?

9. Beverly as the only female character, the two girls being chatted up, a comment favouring the quiet one in the back seat, Jake leaving the flowers, the phone call, her explanation of her past, at school, arts and dance, ambitions for New York? At the party, who ruled playing as Alice in Wonderland? The evening with Jake at the pool? Getting ready for class?

10. The other girls in the film, targets for the jocks, objectified?

11. The baseball, the coach, his warnings, the men assembling, the locker room pranks, especially for the country boy, his awkwardness, not giving the room to Blake, the comment about his girlfriend being pregnant? His becoming one with the group?

12. A film for the male audience which can identify with the characters, college, the sport? And those who were there at the time?

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE

US, 2016, 93 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Simon Pegg, John Leguiazamo, Nick Offerman, Seann William Scott, Max Greenfield, Josh Peck, Keke Palmer, Adam De Vine, Wanda Sykes.
Directed by Mike Thurmeier, Galen T. Chu.

This is the fifth film in the Ice Age series. It follows much the same pattern as the previous films and has most of the same characters. It also means that the formula is running down and that this is probably the best place to stop. In the meantime, it is enjoyable in its slight way but reminiscent of the better ice ages of the past.

Of course, Scrat is still there, still pursuing his acorn. He has been the start of the past films and his antics in trying to retain the acorn or searching for it are amusing. However, his scenes are rather futuristic as he gets trapped in a spacecraft (presumably left there by aliens) and does a lot of hurtling around space, messing with spacecraft controls, and creating a certain amount of mayhem in the galaxies including turning the Earth-like luxuriant planet, Mars, into the red planet in one stroke.

The other thing that script does up there in the ionosphere is to set off all kinds of meteor collisions and the hurtling of many of them towards Earth. They interrupt the now rather placid life of all those prehistoric animals that we have got to know, providing fireworks in the sky for our friend Manny, the Mammoth, who has forgotten his wife’s wedding anniversary.

After reminding all our memories of Manny and his wife, his daughter, Peaches, who now has a beau of whom Manny is rather jealous, Sid the Sloth carrying on but, of all things, acquiring a girlfriend! Diego and his fiancee from the previous film are happily content, though still scaring some of the smaller creatures.

Neil, the weasel, returns, pursued by prehistoric flying creatures, who is able to help them avert the meteor that is heading straight towards Earth, getting a whole lot of crystals which have emerged from eruptions and feeding them into a volcano so that, with all other outlets of the earth’s energy covered, there can be an enormous explosion to blow the meteor off course. So, we have the benefit of a rather big physics lesson and successful experiment to make sure that the ice age continues in peace.

The same voice cast entertains us again, zany characters, comic situations – but, unless a screenwriter gets an extraordinary and different inspiration, the end of an era.

1. The popularity of the series? The characters, situations, interactions? Talking animals? Comedy? Crises?

2. The Ice Age? Prehistoric? The landmasses, instability, cracks in the earth? The prehistoric animals? The familiar animals? Survival?

3. The animation and its style, familiar? The opening with Scrat? His perennial search for the acorn? Ups and downs, losing, finding, chasing? The irony of the spacecraft?
The comedy within the craft, the controls, flying through space? The effect on the meteors? Crashing to earth?

4. The visuals, the familiar characters, the voice cast? The musical score?

5. The animals, the community? Manny and his wife, Peaches, Julian as her fiance? Sid and his zany comedy? His finding a girlfriend? Diego, his partner, their peaceful life, yet frightening the smaller animals? The rabbits, the small animals? The prehistoric creatures? The weasel coming to the rescue?

6. Manny, Playing ball with the son-in-law? The jealousies? Peaches wanting to leave with Julian? His unwillingness to let his daughter go? Her mother and the more open attitude? Crises, Julian coming to the rescue, his being accepted into the family?

7. Manny forgetting the anniversary? Covering? The fireworks in the sky? The realisation of the danger? The meteors? Hiding in the cave?

8. The weasel, pursued by the prehistoric creatures? His intelligence, his claim, covering the energy holes? The crystals, piling them into the volcano? The split second activities, dangers?

9. Everybody involved? The huge explosion? The meteor going off course? Community saved?

10. Scrat and his continued adventures, turning Mars into the red planet?