SOMEWHERE IN SONORA

US, 1933, 59 minutes, Black and white.
John Wayne, Henry B. Wrathall, Shirley Palmer, Paul Fix.
Directed by Mack V. Wright.

This is one of 11 films that John Wayne made in 1933. This time it is a Western but a contemporary western, with settings on a range, scenes of a rodeo, a visit to a mine in Sonora, riding through rocky desert and a confrontation with an arch-villain.

While all this takes place in just about an hour, there are action sequences with the rodeo, in John Wayne having to prove his expertise with a knife and a gun when the villain is contemplating hiring him, then fighting the villain – although, as he is lined up for execution, the Mexican cavalry arrive having been alerted by Wayne’s horse, Duke, ringing the bell at the mining village to alert everyone to the attack.

John Wayne is still rather stilted in his screen presence and acting performance. The son of the rancher is played by a young Paul Fix who was to act with Wayne in many westerns over the next 40 years.

There are two offsiders at the ranch who serve as a comic duo – often rather more silly than funny. The quick romance is not as credible as intended. Nevertheless, interesting as another small milestone in John Wayne’s career – 36 years before his Oscar in True Grit.

HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS

US, 2015, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Tyne Daly, Stephen Root, Caroline Aaron.
Directed by Michael Showalter.

A star vehicle for Sally Field at almost 70. 1946 seems to have been a very good year for the births of Oscar-winning actresses: Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Cher, and Sally Field. These actresses are still prominent in their field, Susan Sarandon at the top of her form in the comedy, The Meddler. And now Sally Field in a comedy that has many quite sad aspects to it.

She plays an older woman who has lived for many years looking after her demanding mother, has lost opportunities for bettering herself in life, allowing her brother to have education and business chances. She is a rather lonely person, although she does have two friends much her own age with whom she can share her thoughts and feelings. She was engaged once but had to stay at home for her mother when the fiance got a job interstate.

She works in an office, putting data into computers. Has she any future?

Than the comic touches come as a young executive arrives at the company and she fantasises about his romantic attentions to her. This becomes an obsession and she begins to stalk him at the office and in creating a false Facebook page, intruding into his life in a cruel way. She has the help of the 13-year-old granddaughter of her close friend, Tyne Daly. She goes to a rock concert, gaudily dressed, because John (Max Greenfield) will be there and gets an opportunity to pose for an album cover .

The film raises the issues of loneliness, compensation before it is too late, the possibility of genuine love between a younger man and an older woman. For John it is something of a shock. For her friends it seems an impossibility. And Doris has to come to terms with her attraction to John and her real life, seeing a psychiatrist, letting go of the past, clearing the family house of accumulated junk.

For a moment this reviewer was deceived by a fantasy scene towards the end of the film – but, then the film asks, is this really fantasy?

The film is very much geared to an older women’s audience, much less a to an older men’s audience since there are really no older men in the film except Doris’s brother. Younger men’s audiences may identify with John but, perhaps, not strongly.

Sally Field does her best, a character of pathos, then becoming exceedingly ditsy, and reminds us how she has been a top liner for practically 50 years – from Gidget to The Flying Nun to 2 Oscars and a strong screen presence.

1. The title? Sally Field? In her late 60s?

2. New York settings, Staten Island, the ferry? Manhattan? Homes, neighbours, workplaces, pop concerts, diners, psychiatrist office? The musical score and the range of songs?

3. Sally Field and her portrait of Doris, age, looking after her mother for so many years, the mother’s death, her dowdy appearance, lack of opportunities for life? Relationship with Todd, the criticisms by Cynthia? Pressures on her? Roz and her friends? Teenager Vivianne? Anne, her work, and being hard? The big ball instead of seats? The fellow workers? Visits to the psychologist? The house, full of junk, to be got rid of? Her clothes, her hair? Prospects?

4. In the elevator, John and the crush, her imagination, her gawping, the relationship with John? The introduction in the office? The pursuit? The bicycle pump and the chair? Her stalking him? Imagining scenarios? The false Facebook page? Lilith Primrose? Information about the band? Cups of coffee in the office? Talking? The CD, the decision to go to the concert, her clothes and appearance? Meeting John? The enjoyment, going to the leader of the band, the photographer, the poses, the cover and the credits?

5. The effect on Doris? Going to the psychologist? Responding? Vivianne and her encouragement? Roz, the clash? The mutual taunting? The preparation of Thanksgiving, the dinner, Doris missing?

6. The dates, the restaurant? Following John and seeing his date with Brooklyn? Following, caught, the excuse of the shop, going to hear Brooklyn sing? Witnessing the clash between Brooklyn and John? Lilith to blame? Brooklyn talking with her, inviting her to the knitting party, talking about the break with John?

7. Thanksgiving, dressing up, baking the pie, coming to the group, drinking, John’s uncle on the possible date, the talk in the bedroom, confessing the truth, her disillusionment and disappointment, John’s reaction?

8. Going back to see Roz, eating, talking?

9. The first attempt to get rid of the junk, the psychologist, Todd helping, Cynthia and her acid comments and intrusion? Doris’s anger? The confrontation with Todd, his progress in life, prosperity, her lost opportunities? The final clearing of the house?

10. Her future, giving up her job, the farewell at the office, John and the imagination, going to the lift – and his coming at the end? What if?

11. Target audiences, older women, older men, younger audiences?

HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE.

US, 2004, 83 minutes, Colour.
John Cho, Kal Penn, Fred Willard, Paula Garces, David Krumholz, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Neal Patrick Harris, Anthony Anderson, Christopher Meloni, Mila Kunis, Ethan Embry.
Directed by Danny Leiner.

Harold and Kumar are characters in two films, they go to the White Castle takeaway and they go to Guantánamo. The two characters were played by John Cho and Kal Penn, the former an accountant working conscientiously in an office, the latter trying to break through Indian stereotypes and not wanting to follow his doctor father into his profession.

The films have become something off cult entertainments, “Stoner Films”. There are quite a lot of drugs throughout the film, recreational drugs for Harold and Kumar, at home with marijuana, dealers, trying to get stashes from hospitals…

It is the weekend, Harold has been given extra work by his two bosses who go off on a trip of their own – with some comeuppance from Harold at the end. We see glimpses of the life of the two in the apartment, their going on the road, Harold and his shyness with Maria who lives in the apartment block, Kumar and his extroversion.

The film become something of a road movie, with a range of adventures including seeing gangs beating up young people, a visit to Harold’s Korean friends and sitting with them but later going to see them perform in a club, going to hospital where Kumar has to step in and is successful in his surgery (with Ryan Reynolds as the orderly), their encounter with an odd-bod truckie (Christopher Maloney) and his attractively permissive wife (Mila Kunis). They also crash the car and get the lift from the truckie.

They finally arrive at White Castle to indulge their cravings for big burgers.

This was the kind of stoner film that was popular in the first decade of the 21st century, lots of drug episodes and jokes, sexual references, coarse bodily function jokes – that were to become part of this kind of raucous comedy.

KNOCK, KNOCK

US/Chile, 2015, 99 minutes, Colour.
Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp.
Directed by Eli Roth.

Knock, Knock is a rather ugly cinema experience – not entirely surprising from Eli Roth, a director noted for his sense of the macabre, from his Cabin Fever to his two Hostel films and The Green Inferno.

The film is a remake of a 1977 thriller, Deathly Game, with Sondra Locke and Colleen Camp, who are producers along with Keanu Reeves. Part of the finance comes from Chile where the film was made.

On the phrases associated with the Hostel films was ”torture porn”. This phrase was used to describe a number of films emphasising the visuals of physical torture – and this is the case in Knock, Knock.

It starts peaceably enough, the picture of very happy family, waking up on Father’s Day, love between husband and wife, the two children bringing in gifts before they go off to a holiday at the beach, the father having to stay behind to finish his architectural work. His wife is an artist and is about to have a show.

That night, two young girls arrived at the door, drenched, looking for an address and wanting to come in. Reluctant, Evan lets them in, offers them some hospitality, towels, robes, cup of tea, and a taxi to pick them up.

Then follows some graphic seduction sequences where the girls turn on Evan (Reeves) and he succumbs, after resistance, to a vivid sexual encounter. In the morning, the girls began to create mayhem in the house, making a mess in the kitchen for breakfast, then beginning to deface the artworks. When the shock disturbs, he orders them to get out and threatens the police, they tell him that they are under age, that he is a pervert, that he faces long jail sentences if he is found out.

The film become something of a cat and mouse pursuit, with the girls generally dominating, defacing the whole house, embarrassing Evan when kindly neighbour (Colleen Camp) comes to visit and offer a massage. They are again sexually provocative, interrogating him about his opinion of his behaviour with the underage girls. They take the wife’s agent who arrives to collect the artworks, causing him to fall and hit his head, dying. They tie Evan up, humiliating, stabbing him, ultimately taking him out into the grounds, getting him to dig a grave, burying him up to his neck, continually taunting him – revealing that they had listened in to his conversation with his wife, with the use of Facebook, have only been joking and that they are not underage at all.

While this part of the film is hard watching and often very distasteful, audience curiosity as to what happens when his wife and family find out continues to gain momentum.At the end of the film, they do arrive home, open the door, discover that the defaced artworks – and the final credits come up.

Which means that the audience has to imagine what the consequences for Evan and his wife will be. (And a blogger suggests that there should be a sequel where Evan pursues the girls to reach his revenge.)

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BED

Spain, 2003, 114 minutes, Colour.
Ernesto Alterio, Paz Vega, Guillermo Toledo, Natalie Verbeke.
Directed by Emilio Martinez- Lazaro.

A Spanish musical about two couples, their uncoupling, their cross-coupling and deceptions, their re-coupling - along with a few more eccentric characters caught up in this emotional merry-go-round.

It comes with the backing of the Sundance Festival, awards in Spain, rave reviews from Spain as well.

This highlights just how vastly different sensibilities can be. I found myself wishing the film would end and then agreeing with the British critics who used such words as 'gruelling' and 'avoid'.

PAS SUR LA BOUCHE

France, 2003, 115 minutes, Colour.

Sabine Azema, Audrey Tautou, Isabeele Nanty, Daniel Prevost, Lambert Wilson, Pierre Arditi.
Directed by Alain Resnais.

Alain Resnais is always remembered for his powerful documentary, Night and Fog, almost 50 years old now, as well as his contributions to Hiroshima, Mon Amour and Last Year at Marienbad. He has, in recent decades, had a soft spot for music and song and now he has brought to the screen a forgotten1925 operetta, Pas Sur La Bouche (Not on the mouth) by Andre Bard and Maurice Yvain.

Does it work? You would need a French reviewer to give the answer to that question. The French public received it well in cinemas. It is highly stylised, has a cast of actors (including Sabine Azema, Lambert Wilson, Audrey Tautou), who do their own singing, and uses the devices of French farce with marital mix-ups, ill-timed rendezvous and a landlady who is played by a man.

Sometimes the English channel is like a gulf when it comes to differences in taste. This one is probably (more than probably) not an Anglophone taste.

DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR?

US, 2002, 83 minutes, Colour.
Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Kristy Swanson, Jennifer Garner.
Directed by Danny Leiner.

On the debit side, the central 'characters' are two of the biggest drips that ever strode the screen. Not only intellectually-challenged, they are also common-sense challenged and let themselves get into all kinds of absurd situations, especially as victims of aliens who are searching for a gismo that they might have. They are descendants of Bill and Ted of ten years ago having excellent adventures. But American Pie and Road Trip (in both of which one of the stars Seann William Scott has appeared) have happened in the meantime, so the IQ level has plunged.

On the credit side, there must be something... Some of the situations are so silly that they evoke some laughter so that it is a rung or two above a dead loss.

VAN WILDER: PARTY LIAISON

2002, 92 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn, Tim Matheson.
Directed by Walt Becker.


I was going to write a review of this film when I received the review from Cinema, the organisation for classifications of the Office for Women of the Bishops Conference of the Philippines. I thought they summed it up perfectly:

Van Wilder: Party Liaison is yet another teen movie done in the tradition of American Pie with a dash of Dumb and Dumber look. The film features a number of physical gags that seems to be the standard "gross scenes" of contemporary teen movies (e.g. the dog semen stuffed in éclairs). But this type of comedy approach is starting to be more annoying than funny; in fact, the audience apparently gets tired of this toilet humors. The movie as a whole has nothing new to offer (it only maintains some popular myths like a bad boy changing his ways as he meets the girl of his dreams) and it lacks substance as it fails in so many ways on the technical side.

If action and crime movies are accused of glorifying criminals, Van Wilder: Party Liaison is no different as it glorifies an easy-go-lucky and bum character. Notwithstanding the offensive scenes that insult the viewing public's sensitivities, Van Wilder's personification of a cool contemporary student will not inspire today's youth to value education and the importance of learning. Students who would see this film may think that Van's indecent and carefree behavior is acceptable as long as you can get away with it, and that the most important thing in life is partying and having fun.

Although it may be true that life to be fully lived should not be taken too seriously, this should not be an excuse to waste it irresponsibly. At the end of it all, humans are created to be stewards of life to take care of it, not as "party liaisons" to put it to waste. ( CINEMA. Date reviewed: September 20, 2002)

NOW YOU SEE ME 2

US, 2016, 129 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzie Kaplan, Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Saana Lathan.
Directed by Jon M. Chu.

First, a friendly piece of initial advice: in order to appreciate who’s who, what’s what, why’s why, it might be best to see the first film again or at least read a synopsis. You may well be wondering as the film goes on just why various situations are occurring and where people stand.

The old team is back again with the addition of Lizzie Kaplan (instead of Isla Fisher), no blushing violet, joining Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson as The Horseman, the team of famous magicians from the first film, along with Mark Ruffalo as the FBI connection.

If you want to see some magic and sleight of hand, then there are quite some stunts in this film, especially concerning the robbery of a chip from a giant computer and the skills in which each of The Horsemen conceal the card from security and forget from one to the other. And there is a big, big climax set in London on New Year’s Eve, some street smarts as well as a dramatic combination which has us asking how could this possibly be – but, as in the first film, as well as early in the film, some rational explanations are given.

The Horseman have been out of action for some time but make a stand at the New York promotion event, but then disappear down a chute – to Macau! Though the first part of the film takes place in rather exotic settings, hotels, casinos, local markets, and the site of the giant computer in Macau, for various reasons which emerge during the film and relate to Daniel Radcliffe as a complacently sinister little villain and to Michael Caine, everybody goes to London for the finale. And that includes the FBI agents who are still in pursuit.

If you like the cast, you will be very pleased, Michael Caine being coldly arrogant this time, Morgan Freeman becoming more and more benign as the film goes on and, for the price of one ticket, we get to Woody Harrelson’s, a twin brother, with an abundant wig, with a manic smile and villainy.

While there was plenty of novelty and surprise in the initial film, the sequel still has all the ingredients for a friendly audience to enjoy itself.

1. An entertainment with magic, illusions, and the story of the illusionists?

2. The first film, the introduction of The Horsemen, their characters, their skills, exercise? Dylan and his role? The FBI? Crimes, vengeance, prison?

3. New York City, the FBI offices, city locations, the big show? The transition to Macao, the shop, the markets, hotels, the science plant? The transition to London, New Years Eve? The city lit? The Thames? Light in the darkness? The musical score?

4. The gathering of the group, the introduction of Lula, strong personality, her skills, exercising them? Jack and the scenes with flicking the cards? Mc Kinney, not good at cards, his skill in hypnosis? Lula and her past, the hats and rabbits? Her ambitions? Atlas, in the subterranean room, hearing the voice? The mystery of The Eye?

5. Focus on Dylan, 1984, his father as an escape artist, with Bradley, the watch for his son, his son waiting, his death? The blame? Bradley in prison? The switching of the plot to more sympathy for him?

6. The gathering, the performance, Owen, his ego, hypnotising, giving him his speech at the show? The crowds applauding? The power going off, the, the escape of The Horseman, escaping down the chute? Arriving in Macao?

7. The shop, magic, the proprietor, her son? The visits? The gear, illusions, Dylan’s father’s safe? Bradley, his disappearing? Dylan put in the safe, into the water, the watch, finding the switch, rescued by Atlas?

8. Walter, his gathering The Horseman? His explanation of the illusion and their arriving in Macao, drugged, transported? His being the son of Arthur Tressler? His arrogance, the task, getting the chip, his motivations, power and money?

9. Gathering at the site, each with their different function, the site manager, the security checks, Jack and the destruction and his retrieving the chip, the four flicking the chip to one another during the searches? Getting out?

10. The focus on the FBI, the agents, the suspicions of Dylan and his connection with The Horseman? The doors locked and the show? Confronting Dylan, dismissing him? His going to Macao?

11. Dylan, visiting Bradley in prison, his comforts, the escape together, going to Macao? The sleight of hand, the motivations? His presence in the shop, the safe, his disappearing act?

12. Tressler, his wealth, the insurance issue about Dylan’s father, the losses, prison, his son, the plan?

13. Mc Kinney, his twin, manic laughter, his role with the billionaires? The stories of past rivalry and their growing up? His role in the finale, hypnotised?

14. In the shop, the fight, Dylan, the chip, slipping it to Atlas and pushing in out the door?

15. Everybody in London, the plan? Walter and Tressler, Bradley, the FBI?

16. New Years Eve, the lights, the distractions in the street, Jack and the cards and the tricks, Lula and the birds, Mc Kinney and his brother, Atlas and the encounter with twin? Executing the plan?

17. The group being captured, put on the plane, the confrontation, the issue of the chip, the group being thrown out of the plane, appearing at the windows? Landing on the Thames, the television coverage, the expose of the villains, the explanation of the illusions? The crowds cheering?

18. Bradley, the true story of his relationship with Dylan’s father, their being friends? His sense of responsibility and guilt? Revealing this to Dylan when he was ready?

19. And the audience ready for more Now You See Me?

THE TELEGRAPH TRAIL

US, 1933, 54 minutes, Black and white.
John Wayne, Duke, Frank Mc Hugh, Marceline Day, Otis Harlen, Albert J. Smith, Yakima Cannut.
Directed by Tinny Wright.

The Telegraph Trail is the first of 11 films with John Wayne released during 1933. He was in his mid--20s and was continue to make the short B-budget westerns that he had been making for some years – until his presence in the Oscar-winning John Ford Western, Stagecoach. He was to be a regular in so many of John Ford’s films, especially cavalry films. He was to win an Oscar 36 years later for True Grit and his last film was over 40 years later, The Shootist.

In many ways, it is surprising how much plot and variety of entertainment can be packed into these very brief westerns.

The basic plot concerns the continuing of the Telegraph line across the United States in the 1860s. It is placed in the tradition of the wagons and the Stagecoach and continued communications and the opening up of the West. While townspeople and traders welcomed the Telegraph, some of those who had exclusive rights on trade were against it and teamed up with Indian raiders to attack.

John Wayne belongs to the military and is set to find out who the white man is aiding the Indians. He is accompanied by Frank Mc Hugh, later in so many comedies and Bing Crosby’s priest buddy in Going My Way. His comedy is a bit laboured, more than a touch anti-women, and he shares comic routines with the heroine’s bigoted but cowardly storekeeper uncle.

There is also time for some guitar playing and songs.

The film moves pretty rapidly, the villain encourages an attack on the Telegraph, the heroine has been asked to deliver papers to Wayne and pretends to love him when the villain proposes to her. She keeps writing notes, giving information, saving them from a massacre, and, of course, happy romantic ending.

It is interesting to see the portrayal of the Indians and the traditional cowboys and Indians conflict – but the screenplay has some positives in favour of the Indians and highlighting how they were manipulated by rogue whites. Indian is played by actor and stuntman, Yakima Cannut who was significant for the chariot race in the 1959 Ben Hur.