INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE

US, 2016, 120 minutes, Colour.
Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Maika Munro, Jessie T. Usher, Sela Ward, Bill Pullman, William Fichtner, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, Vivica A.Fox, Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Directed by Roland Emmerich.

Back in 1996 when the first Independence Day film was released, we were reassured that, with all the heroics led by Will Smith and urged on by President Bill Pullman and scientist Jeff Goldblum, that the world was safe after this particular example of War of the Worlds.

Little did we know – or little did the screenwriters know until they put their minds to it – that the aliens hadn’t gone at all, that they had settled here on earth, especially in North Africa with an enormous cavity in the earth and an enormous spaceship, and that they were plotting and planning and developing their technology. Which is just as well because it offers the opportunity, 20 years later, to refight Independence Day.

Needless to say, the special effects are quite spectacular, especially the spaceship – and the new one is 3000 miles across! Then there are whiz-bang battles – although the aliens themselves look stereotypically familiar, ugly looking creatures, slimy and sinister, with the Queen operating with her minions like a hive.

One of the things that we all may have missed in the 20 years since 1996 is that travel to the moon is so quick and seemingly inconsequential, up and down at will. Up on the moon, there is a crack squad of fighters, led by Liam Hemsworth, who do training, risk each other’s lives, have a sense of bravado.

Meanwhile in Africa, Jeff Goldblum is exploring the alien presence, confronting a warlord and a scientist friend from the past, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg. With the threat of an alien invasion, the moon soldiers rescue them and bring back to headquarters in Nevada, under the care of William Fichtner, and at the urgings of the new president, Sela Ward, sounding more than a little like Hillary Clinton – or via the old president, a scruffy bearded Bill Pullman, who comes to celebration and exercises more than a few heroics by the end of the film.

One of the bright pieces of the film is the character of the old scientist who has been in a coma for 20 years, played by Brent Spiner, who wakes up and immediately goes to work, encountering a friendly sphere from the galaxies, allies who have suffered under the aliens and are willing to help the humans.

So, there you have it, more or less (the more including a touch of romance between the pilot and the presidential attache, the former president’s daughter, who is no mean pilot herself). Oh, increasing the age range and interest, the scientist’s father (Judd Hirsch) gets into the act after trying vainly to publicise his biography to residents of a home for the elderly, and a group of schoolchildren trying to escape the aliens.

It is all enjoyable in the Saturday matinee kind of fashion, although the plot gets preposterouser and preposterouser as it goes on. The screenwriters have already given some consideration to a sequel, indicating at the end that the friendly sphere from space should combine with the humans who will take the attack on the aliens into the galaxies…

1. The first film, the atmosphere of 1996, popularity? The overtones of War of the Worlds? Alien invasions? Science fiction? Audience response?

2. The US president, advisers, scientists, the air force, the battles and the conquering of the aliens?

3. The sequel 20 years later, the title and Resurgence?

4. The plot, what happened during the 20 years, the ageing of the characters, the development of the technology, the alien technology, their plan, human response again?

5. Washington, the ordinary sequences? But the significance of the effects, for destruction, the cities, around the world, London…, Asia…? The battles and action? The atmospheric score?

6. The characters from the first film, familiarity, their roles? The new characters, new generation?

7. The situation, the visit to Africa, the enormous spaceship, the hole? The scientist, the encounter with the warlord and his men? The nerdish assistent? Catherine and her work, presence? The designs and her interpretation? The later sequences with Catherine and the warlord and their interpreting the signs and language?

8. 4 July, the new president, the female president and echoes of Hillary Clinton? A rousing speech? The old president, age, appearance, collapse, coming to the celebrations, the memories?

9. The news of the new attack, the spaceship 3000 miles long, the East Coast instruction, London and Asia? The spaceship spreading over the Atlantic? The issue of the earth’s core, to mine the energy? The history of this kind of ravaging of the planets and down to earth?

10. Sequences on the moon, the seeming ease of travel, the pilots, the exercises and training, their energy, personalities, the clash between Jake and Dylan, the risk in the training, Dylan punching Jake? Charlie, his work, the bond?

11. Jake, the presidential assistant as his fiance? Being a pilot? Jake’s decision to go to Africa, to rescue the scientist and the group? Taking them to Nevada?

12. Nevada, the plant, the officer in charge – and his later having to take the oath and being president? Contact with the president and her advisers? The commands in Nevada, the experience of the destruction?

13. The eccentric scientist, in a coma for 20 years, his contact with the alien Queen, his waking, the assistant in their discussions, his going into action? The shooting down of the sphere thinking it was enemy, the fact that it was friendly, the sphere, the voice, the explanation of the aliens and the other planets? Prepared to support humans? The scientist and his touching the sphere, the communication?

14. The destruction and the death of the president and her entourage? Nevada, the warlord, the nerdish assistant, their clashes, his wanting to fight, the machete, the guns?

15. The hive theory and the control of the Queen? This becoming the target? But the shrewdness of the alien Queen, drawing the fighters into the vehicle, trapping them inside,
the ingenuity and getting out? The determination to deceive the alien Queen, her wanting to destroy the friendly sphere? The old president, his wanting to go, his daughter, the plan to destroy the shield and the hive? The president, the decision to go in, his daughter protecting him? The destruction of the shield and the Queen?

16. The scientist’s father, his book, in the old people’s home, wanting sales? Buying the boat? The youngsters, the death of their parents, in the car, rescuing him? Driving
inland, Las Vegas? The bus and the petrol? Driving to the centre, in danger from the aliens?

17. In the Atlantic, the crew wanting the gold, making contact, offering to monitor the spaceship and the core, the split timing, able to report that all was safe? The millions for them?

18. Jake, his fiance, the romance, the rescue? Charlie and the Chinese pilot, romantic potential? Charlie and his friendship?

19. Catherine, the past relationship with the scientists – and to continue?

20. The collaboration between humans and the visiting alien in the sphere – and the plan to take the attack against the aliens into space?

EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT/ EL ABRAZO DEL SERPIENTE

Colombia, 2015, 125 minutes, Colour and Black and white.
Nilbio Torres, Jan Bijvoet, Antonio Bolívar, Brionne Davis, Yauenku Migue, Luigi Sciamanna, Nicolas Cancino.
Directed by Ciro Guerra.

The serpent serves as a mystical symbol in many cultures, a creative presence, sometimes devouring presence. In this film, the serpent is part of a mythology in the northern part of the South American continent, in Colombia.

This is a very powerful film, requiring attention, concentration, openness to other cultures, the power of realities beyond the rational.

The black-and-white photography shows this photographic technique at its best. At the end, there is something of an apotheosis, of art and symbols, echoes of creation, in bright and varied colours.

This is also an ethnographic film, the screenplay based on the diaries of two explorers from the West, a German in 2009, a European from Boston 30 years later. There are fragments of stories in the diaries and that is how the film proceeds, intercutting stories from each of the periods.

The common denominator is a shaman, a tribesman who has lost his tribe, isolated along the Amazon. Into his world comes the German explorer, ill, with a local Indian rowing his canoe, the Indian freed from indentured slavery in a rubber plantation. Later, this man will express his rage at the abuses and exploitation of the rubber barons. The shaman is persuaded that he can find his tribe and accompanies the voyagers, especially to find a special plant that has curative powers.

The explorer from 30 years later is then introduced, seeking the curative flower, and engaging the help of the shaman, the same man still voyaging along the Amazon.

There is an important stop in 1909, the travellers coming to a Mission, a very strict place, the Spanish missionary alone, his confreres having gone in search of others but never returning. There is a group of boys living there, dressed in robes, singing hymns, subject to severe discipline – and the visitors have to intervene to stop the whipping of one of the boys. a grim glimpse of an aspect of mission work, the imposition of beliefs on the natives, the forbidding of the use of native languages as pagan, the missionaries trying to protect their converts from pagan ways.

When the visitors arrive 30 years later, what they find is a cult, a self-proclaimed Messiah, the boys having grown up and becoming acolytes in the cult, with tonsures, with robes. The Messiah has still has some traces of Latin, words and sentences mixed up – but using them in rituals that draw on the Eucharist, some literal interpretations of consuming the body, a ceremony with a chalice. again, a corruption of Christian traditions.

The culmination of the film is the arrival of the latter group in the mountainous region of the Amazon, a betrayal by the visitor, but a mystical experience which the audience shares.

This film, from Columbia, invites its audience into an intensely different experience, an introduction to a “primitive” culture with a critique of a “civilised” culture. An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of 2015.

1. The title, the role of the serpent in Latin American myths and pre-history? The title introducing the audience to myths and symbols?

2. The ethnographic background of the film, the diaries of the two travellers, their information, their experience, limited experience? The dramatising of the two journeys, 1909 and 30 years later?

3. The impact of the black-and-white photography, its beauty, the Amazon area, the river, the jungle, isolation, the villages, the setting of rubber the plantations, the Catholic mission? The repetition in the later journey? The mission, the cult and the Messiah? The attack of the Colombians? The final mystical experience?

4. The contrast between the rational and the symbolic? The mutual challenge? Stories of creation, the world, the place of humans, their destiny? Harmony with the jungle, preserving life in the jungle preserving humans? Issues of health, plans, drugs, dreams, shared experiences, shared consciousness? The image of the journey – into the interior, into oneself?

5. The cultures of the Amazon, traditions, allegedly primitive, the Natives there, their life, memories and meaning, upholding traditions, prohibitions for food and diet, life in accord with the jungle, learning wisdom?

6. The contrast with civilisation from Europe, from the 16th century, the conquistadores, the genocides? The activity of the Natives towards the whites, not understanding them, seeing them as exploiters? The 19th century and the emergence of the South American nations, the impact on the Natives? The importance of rubber, the rubber barons, their wealth, enslaving the communities? The role of the missions, faith, yet wary of pagan customs, forbidding pagan languages, seeing their Native cultures as demonic? The children to be saved, the boys, their language, dress, discipline and the whippings?

7. The image of Christianity, the Capuchin friar, his aggressive defence of the mission, accepting the travellers, the meal, Katamakate and his not eating the fish? Hearing the sound of the whippings and the cries, the sadistic friar, rescuing the boys? The friar and his story, 10 years, his companions going out searching and never returning?

8. The later return to the mission, the corruption of Christianity, the self-proclaimed Messiah, the children growing up, serving the Messiah as disciples, their garb, ropes, torture? Their interpreting the travellers as the Magi? The use of Latin, corrupted Latin? The Eucharistic overtones, the theology of Eucharist, consuming the body and the literal cannibalism of the Messiah, the chalice and the blood? The issue of healings, the cult behaviour? The Messiah, his madness, his wife, the healing? Katamakate and his poisoning them all and their dying?

9. Theo, in himself, Manduca as his guide, Manduca and his experience in the rubber plantation, Theo freeing him, his wearing Western clothes, the canoe? Katamakate and his initially being seen contemplating, the shaman, living alone? Initially hostile, the talk, the existence of his tribe, his going on the journey, sharing, his change, the quest for the cure of the plant, Manduca upset with the rubber trees, emptying the buckets, the one-armed worker and his wanting Manduca to shoot him rather than be tortured? The visit to the mission, their experience of the friar, saving the whipped child? Theo, his diaries – and the comment that this journey would make him whole?

10. Katamakate, his dignity, 30 years later, his being employed by Evan, contrast between his experience when young and when older, his dreams? The issue of the doppelgänger, but an empty shell wandering? The repetition of the journey? The experience of the mission, the madness of the Messiah, his decision to poison the members of the cult? Finding the flowers, the dying tree, Katamakate and his burning all the flowers? Going to the mountains, the visitor betraying him, wanting the rubber because of the war?

11. The image of the Jaguar, the close-ups, his eye?

12. The second traveller, following the old path, wanting to follow Theo, the quest for the plant? The experience of the Messiah, the poison, the burning of the plants? Going into the mountains? The betrayal, wanting the rubber, his drawing the knife, not killing Katamakate, the experience?

13. The film turning into colour, images of the snake, creation, the mystical journey?

14. The aftermath of the journey, Katamakate and the achievement of his mission? The traveller and his diaries?

15. The impact for different audiences, for South Americans, the world audiences especially Europeans?

INTERSECTIONS

US, 2013, 101 minutes, Colour.
Scott Grillo, Jamie Alexander, Roschdy Zem, Marie -Josee Croze, Moussa Maaskri, Charlie Bewley.
Directed by David Marconi.

Intersections is a Moroccan desert melodrama, a French production with an international cast. writer-director, David Marconi, wrote scripts for the Will Smith drama, Enemy of the State, as well as one of the Dire Hard films.

One of the main advantages of the film is its sweeping desert scenery and locations. the film opens with a helicopter ride over the desert to an isolated resort. But the main action concerns a car chase and an unexpected crash which destroys some vehicles and kills some people out in the middle of the desert.

The members of the group are not what they seem and the film spend some time unmasking them, all with some criminal connections, an Interpol criminal, businessman and his unfaithful wife, her Australian boyfriend, a young woman with a baby and a local who is able to repair the vehicle so that the group can make its way back to a city and a final resolution.

More than a bit implausible – but that is the nature of this kind of melodrama.

1. An action melodrama? Exotic settings, Morocco? Characters – and their not seeming to be what they allege?

2. Morocco, locations, the desert, helicopter rides, the vistas of the desert, the luxury resort, the ruins in the desert? Contrast with the city, hotels, the streets? The musical score?

3. The introduction to Scott and Taylor? The helicopter ride, the luxury hotel, newly married, honeymoon, his taking the business call, her wanting a cigarette? Her rendezvous with the co-worker? Their plan against Scott?

4. Scott, character, businessman, successful, in love? Taylor, sophisticated in manner, yet her duplicity? Interest in wealth and possessions?

5. The trip in the desert, planning to see the ruins, her plan for Travis to kill Scott? Their arguments, tensions? Seeing the car, the dangerous race, pursuit, the crash over the hill and the killing of the people, the destruction of the vehicles? Scott not wanting to take the blame?

6. The cross-section of people, the response to the accident and the destruction? The prisoner, killing his guard, taking off the handcuffs, pretending to help? His killing of the man in the car? His having shot the other guard, in the body bag? The man burning in the car and his killing him, allegedly to save him suffering?

7. The woman with the baby, the care of the baby, getting out of the car?

8. Travis, unconscious, the reaction of Scott and Taylor? Putting him in shelter? His coming to consciousness? Taylor talking to him, Scott discovering them together? The irony
of Travis wearing the wire and Scott knowing all about the plan his being an Australian, slurring New York?

9. Saleh and his watching, the bike, walking to the crash site? Saying that he repaired things? His contribution to fixing the car, plugging the holes, the tire? His seeming subservience?

10. The group coping, interactions, the prisoner and his eye on Taylor, knowing that she did not love her husband? His gun? The use of the water, the getting of the chickens? The group spending the night?

11. The morning, preparing to go, Saleh and his control over the car? The prisoner, the attack by Travis, his shooting him? Saleh shooting the prisoner?

12. The drive, the various stories, the flashbacks, especially for the kidnapping of the baby?

13. The prisoner, the documents, wanted by Interpol, the diamonds?

14. The clash between Scott and Taylor, going to the hotel, Scott pursuing Taylor, killing her?

15. Saleh and the woman, the contact, the attack on Saleh, the taking of the diamonds, the pursuit, shooting, the revelation of the truth about Saleh and the woman and the baby, phoning? Letting the abductor go?

16. The end, Saleh and Scott seeming to be free? The irony of the quick scene during the final credits – and the police finding the camera and the card?

THE ENFIELD HAUNTING

UK, 2015, 150 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Spall, Matthew Mc Fadyen, Juliet Stevenson, Eleanor Worthington- Cox, Fern Deacon, Rosie Cavaliero.
Directed by Kristoffer Nyholm.

The 1977 story of poltergeists and haunting in the outer London suburb of Enfield is one of the most allegedly documented story of hauntings, in the media at the time as well as in a book. it is also the subject of the 2016 film by James Wan, The Conjuring 2.

The two films overlap in many ways while retaining the identities of the principal characters, especially the Hodgson family in Enfield.

This film is broadcast as a television miniseries. It is presented in a rather plain British style – though it breaks into expected haunting sequences and exorcism sequences.

Timothy Spall plays a man whose daughter has been killed and he is on a quest to make contact with his daughter. He belongs to a British Association involved in hauntings. He moves into the house, makes observations. In the meantime, there is a strained relationship between himself and his wife, played by Juliet Stevenson, even though he loves her, both preoccupied with the death of their daughter.

Another expert arrives, Playfair, played by Matthew McFadyen?, who is to write the book about the Enfield hauntings. He is suspicious, not believing the stories – until he is involved and suffers poltergeist activity. One of the attempts to solve the case is to invite a medium in to discover who was responsible for the poltergeists. Later, there was to be a secular exorcism.

The focus is on the younger daughter who is the focus of the experiences, speaks in different voices, especially the man who owned the house and died in the armchair there and, later, the voice of the investigator’s dead daughter.

Those who do not believe in poltergeists will find the film an interesting drama. Those who do believe in hauntings should be quite entertained and experience some apprehensions.

1. The story being well known? Reported in the 1970s? This British interpretation? Comparisons with the American version, The Conjuring 2?

2. The British style, matter-of-fact, quiet drama – with exorcist-like episodes? Musical score?

3. The actual events, the records, recordings, the book? Dramatised 40 years later?

4. Audience attitudes towards ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists? The need for evidence? The credibility of these experiences?

5. The situation for the Hodgson family, living in suburban Enfield, the ordinary street, the father leaving and living with his girlfriend, the wife and children being upset? The girls at school, Janet being bullied? The brother with his stammer, the other brother in the institution? The house, the view from the street, the interiors?

6. Margaret and Janet, the telling stories, Margaret and the exaggerations? The bedroom, hearing the noises, reactions, the writing on the wall, objects moving? The journalists arriving and the write-up?

7. Morris, in himself, his love for Betty? His work, the society, his being called in? Meeting the family, staying? His dreams and the wounded girl? The effect on him? The flashbacks to his own daughter, the name of Janet, the bike, riding, the death, identifying her, in the hospital? Betty, her search for medium, trying to make contact? Morris, the job, to answer his questions, in the house, the variety of experiences, his decision to stay, the girls’ reaction, their mother, collaborating? The talk with the journalists, the article in the paper, the mockery, and Janet mocked at school?

8. Playfair, his membership of the Society, his reputation on poltergeists in Brazil, his writings? Arriving, his attitude towards Morris? Not believing the experiences? His seeming superior, bringing the investigation to a close – his being flung against the wall and the roof, his change?

9. Bringing in the medium, the supervisor, the eerie experience of her communication, the voice, information about the house? Her warning about not going too far in contacting the other world?

10. The authorities from the society, their visits, examining the evidence, Janet, the light in the roof, burning her, her reticence in answering their questions?

11. The relationship between the two girls, touches of jealousy?

12. The family, intervention of the neighbours, Janet coming back home?

13. The interactions between Playfair and Morris, differing attitudes, Playfair wanting Morris to leave, Morris discovering that he was writing the book?

14. The decision to have a secular exorcism, the voice, Deism, the sense of meaning in the universe?

15. The information about the man who lived in the house, his death in the chair, the consultation with his son and information? The boys, the denunciations? The voice of Morris’s daughter? The return of the medium and her participation? The effect of the exorcism and peace?

16. Betty, meeting Janet and the family, the visits, her feeling neglected by her husband, needing, the packing, the tension? Her final understanding?

17. Janet, her age, the medium for the poltergeists and voices, her being hurt, the hospital, her experiences in hospital, the dismay of the staff? Playfair and Morris, the return, the voice, ousting Joe? The voice of Morris’s Janet, her father speaking with her, her forgiving?

18. The calm, the family, the visit to Janet’s grave? A future for all?

THE ENTITLED

Canada, 2011, 91 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Zegers, Victor Garber, Laura Vandevoort, Dustin Milligan, Devon Bostick, Ray Liotta, Stephen Mc Hattie, Tatiana Masiany, Anthony Ulc.
Directed by Aaron Woodley.

The Entitled is an offbeat psychological drama with twists and violence.

Kevin Zegers portrays a young student who is upset about his mother’s health and property, upset at his father’s absence, finding himself unable to get a job though he is intelligent.He concocts a master plan to abduct three fellow students whom he considers arrogant and snobs. He enlists the help of two psychopathic friends and demands a ransom from the fathers of the three students abducted.

There are scenes with the students, blindfolded, one of them killed by the psychopathic girl. There are scenes with the three fathers, finding the money, one arriving late, one having difficulties in finding the money.

What finally emerges is a master plan for the young student to get the money and not be detected at all while getting rid of his accomplices.

An interesting, if alarming, portrait of a sociopathic young man. The film also has a strong cast for the three fathers.

1. Thriller? Psychological? Twists?

2. The title, the focus on wealthy students and families, on poorer resentful students?

3. The campus, the students, campus life, outsiders, homes, lifestyle? The musical score?

4. Paul as the focus, his character, background, his mother and her hardships, the bank, his father absent (and the later revelation that he was the butler)? His attitude, seemingly normal, applying for jobs, being turned down, his research in the library? His not being normal? His association with Jenna and Dean? As leader? Fomenting their antisocial attitudes? His powers of persuasion?

5. The wealthy students, snobbish, attitudes towards Paul? The contrast with Jenna and Dean, their being outsiders, self-absorbed, aggressive? Motivations?

6. The abduction plan, the three students, the blindfold, the basement, in a family house? The students, tied and taunted, especially by Jenna?

7. Dean and his attitude, antisocial? Jenna, Goth clothing, behaviour, aggression? Paul and his relationship with each, the buildup, Jenna and her killing the hostage, Paul and his reaction? The scene at the service station, Jenna and the attack by Nick and his strangling her to death, Dean, aggressive, the gun, not having blanks, real bullets? Paul killing him?

8. The plan, the fathers, their meeting, their characters, attitudes towards their children? The business backgrounds, finance, difficulties? Bob, his being late, the two keeping the information from him? His dead child?

9. The phone calls, handling the situation, Bob’s son and his death, the fathers’ fears, getting the money, their plan?

10. The two hostages, getting loose, the escape, finding themselves in the house, the puzzle, hiding?

11. The pursuit, Jenna and Dean and their violence, the attack? Paul and their deaths?

12. Paul, his planning, covering himself completely, the blame on Jenna and Dean, his voice never having been heard? His coming to the house, his father as the butler?

13. Paul, constructing the whole affair, keeping his cover, the phone calls, the police, his innocence? The aftermath?

THE GOOD GUY

US, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
Scott Porter, Alexis Bledel Bryan Greenburg, Andrew Mc Carthy.
Directed by Julio De Prieto.

The Good Guy is something of a minor film, a variation on romantic comedy as well as a variation on the young up-and-coming businessmen on Wall Street.

The film opens with a focus on one character whom we assume is the good guy, then flashing back to see him at work in the office, his ability to make money, with his pals going to bars, preoccupied with sex, attempting to pick up girls. However, there is another character working in the office who is a retiring plain-spoken type who is in line for a promotion.

Scott Porter, who appears mainly on television, plays the initial seeming good guy while Bryan Greenburg plays the retiring type. The Gilmore Girls, Alexis Bledel, is in the middle of the triangle.

While the shy man is spruced up, hairstyle change, new clothes, encouraged to be out and about, relating well to girls, it emerges that he is the good guy, especially in his relationship with the girl at the centre.

Andrew Mc Carthy appears as the money-making boss.

1. A variation on American romantic comedies? A Wall Street finance story?

2. The title, the initial focus on Tommy? The transition to Daniel?

3. New York City, Wall Street, apartments, bars and restaurants, socials? Business offices? The musical score?

4. The opening, Tommy, the title, the taxi, at the door, rejection by Beth? Daniel’s presence suggested? Assuming who was the good guy?

5. The flashbacks, Tommy, the focus, his age, experience, fellow workers and their talk, discussions about sex, availability of women, chatting them up? The boss, his wanting to make money? At work, the scene of Tommy on the phones, everybody listening, the multi-million-dollar deals? His supervising the fellow workers? In action, congratulations?

6. Tommy and his assistant, leaving the company for a better paid job? The reaction of the boss? The interest in Daniel? The boss and his hesitations?

7. Daniel, a good guy, age, military service, engineer, his moving into finance, at his job, Tommy liking him, the promotion?

8. Daniel going out with the boys, the talk, his inabilities? Shyness with girls? The reaction of the others and Tommy saving the day? Tommy taking Daniel out, changing his hair,
buying the clothes, giving him style? The dinner with the other businessmen and his poor conversation, the poor joke? Potential customers being dissatisfied?

9. Daniel in the shop, seeing Beth, his reaction?

10. The social, meeting Beth, the attraction?

11. Tommy, his relationship with Beth, her personality, her discussions with her girlfriends? The revelation of Tommy’s past girlfriends, the contrasts? The revelation about his liaison with others, fickle, sexual relationships, picking up women? Beth and her talking to the girlfriend? Disillusionment?

12. Tommy, picking up the woman, demanding money, his not having enough, the taxi, asking Beth for money?

13. Daniel, at work, getting the job done, showing his skills with the phones and the deals?

14. Beth bullying him, his going to see her – and the background of what was happening upstairs with Tommy arriving at the door?

15. A morality tale for the 30 somethings?

MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES

US, 2016, 97 minutes, Colour.
Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Stephen Root, Stefanie Faracy, Sugar Lyn Beard, Sam Richardson.
Directed by Jake Szymanski.

You’re right. The title gives the tone away. Well, it is not exactly Wedding Crashers because the two destructive characters, Mike and Dave, are actually the brothers of the bride. This doesn’t stop them crashing too many disasters on the way.

Every three months or so, Hollywood seems to release yet another raucous and crass comedy (and quite a number of them with Zac Efron, 2016 alone with Dirty Grandpa and Bad Neighbours 2).

At various times while watching the film, the word that seemed to emerge was “stupid” or “stupidity”. Admittedly, Mike and Dave (allegedly based on real-life characters!) are meant to be stupid and for quite a while we watch how stupid they can be. Perhaps this is something of a compliment to Zac Efron but he is not necessarily convincing as being stupid – he has a talent for drawing - despite what the screenplay asks him to do. There are some elements of sense below the surface. On the other hand, and this is something of a backhanded compliment to Adam Devine, he is completely persuasive as the stupid older brother, Mike, who pressurises bar owners to buy his alcohol, and admits that people use words he does not know the meaning of.

The boys’ parents have become so exasperated with the behaviour of their sons that they summon them to a summit, along with their daughter and her fiance, to lay down the law – that if they are going to come to the wedding in Honolulu, they have to find wedding dates, very sensible and good mannered girls.

Cut to Tatiana and Alicia, who are not to be underestimated in the stupid stakes. Alicia is played by Anna Kendrick, who seems to be going through the raunchy phase of her career after Mr Right, as well as Aubrey Plaza, Tatiana, who is just as raucous in Dirty Grandpa. After the boys have interviewed all kinds of women wanting to go with them to Hawaii and have appeared on a television talk show, the girls decide they need a holiday and will try to put on a convincing act, starting with Tatiana being knocked over by a car as soon as the boys come out of a restaurant and they rescue her.

There is plenty of raunch for the millions who do enjoy this kind of thing, especially with the bride being set up with a no clothes barred masseur to loosen her up – followed by an ecstasy and other substances naked folly. The boys’ cousin comes on to Tatiana in a sauna.

And, as if that isn’t bad enough, during the rehearsal dinner, Mike and Dave, behind the screen, are accidentally connected to the microphone and all their squabbles and activities revealed to all and sundry.

As with so many of these comedies, all the rough and coarseness comes at the beginning and then there is a moral moment and some kind of reform – and this does happen here.

Which means that there are some moments, some episodes and dialogue where the characters actually do take stock of themselves, admit their stupidities, acknowledge the covering over their low self-esteem with their carry on. Whether this redeems the whole film can be discussed – but, at least, amongst the dross, there are some shining moments.

GHOSTBUSTERS

US, 2016, 115 minutes, Colour.
Melissa Mc Carthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mac Kinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Ed Begley Jr, Andy Garcia, Cecily Strong, Michael Kenneth Williams, Matt Walsh, Charles Dance, Neil Casey, Ozzy Osbourne.
Directed by Paul Feig.

Ghostbusters was a very popular hit of the 1980s so there is no reason why Ghostbusters should not be a very popular hit of 2016. While there was a sequel in the 1980s, there have been thoughts of another sequel or a remake for quite some time. Now it is here – and, before its release, subject to a great deal of misogynistic comment.Female Ghostbusters? The normal response should have been, why not? But some seem to be offended by the very idea!

There was also some comment that those involved with the original film were not too pleased originally with a remake – however, the original director Ivan Reitman is an executive producer, Bill Murray has an amusing cameo, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson show up in brief spots and Sigourney Weaver turns up during the final credits.

A report has come from China that Ghostbusters is being banned because any film that fosters superstitions should not be shown in the People’s Republic. That certainly misunderstands Ghostbusters. If anybody takes the film literally, the range of ghosts cavorting on the screen, the tactics of the Ghostbusters themselves, they are certainly misinterpreting what is a big budget, special effects entertainment.

However, once antipathetic male audiences get over their problem with female Ghostbusters, they have to tackle the issue of whether they like Melissa Mc Carthy or not (and there have been some male male grouches about her as well). She is a bit lower key here than usual, working in the laboratory for developing formulas and machines to discover and combat the ghosts, working with her zany partner, Holtzmann (stand-up comedian Kate Mac Kinnon who is pretty good in her role). The other main Ghostbusters is Erin, played by Kristen Wiig, who had written about ghosts in the past but has since left that part of her life behind, concentrating on science and obtaining tenure in a university (from superior, Charles Dance).

The fourth Ghostbusters is Patty, an African- American actress in the larger-than-life vein of Queen Latifah, who works in the New York subway, discovers ghosts and joins the team.

The ghosts themselves are comic creatures, many of whom might be found in a carnival, and a Ghost Train ride. However, there is a mad villain who is able to capture ghosts with his machine and intends to release them for apocalyptic mayhem.

One of the very entertaining aspects of the new Ghostbusters is the presence of the receptionist for the team. It is a role reversal of the dim young woman who finds office work challenging, rather oblivious to her shortcomings. This time it is the dim young man who certainly finds office work challenging, even answering the phone, and certainly oblivious to his shortcomings.He is played with exceeding good spirits by Chris Hemsworth, very un-Thor-like, and, during the final credits, very Saturday Night Fever like in his dancing.

Andy Garcia turns up as the mayor of New York City.

In many ways, the original Ghostbusters was fairly ordinary in its way but brought to life by the verve of its stars. It is the same here, although there are huge advances in special effects since the 1980s. so, undemanding entertainment.

1. The popularity of the original film? 30 years later? Similarities of plot, ghosts, special effects, comic style, the camaraderie of the Ghostbusters, going into action? The musical score?

2. Popular response to the Ghostbusters being women? And their comic style?

3. New York City, the cityscapes, the skyscrapers, the streets, mansions, colleges, laboratories, the subway? The feel of New York City?

4. The introduction, the tour of the mansion, the guide, setting an eerie feeling, his being attacked? The historian and his going to see Erin and asking her help?

5. Erin, her background in science, the head of the college, discussions about tenure, her past book about ghosts going on the Internet? Her going to visit Abby, her meeting Holtzmann, their equipment, the experiments? The memories of past, their shared childhood, enterprises, the writing of the book, the parting of the ways, Abby and her exploiting Erin?

6. The invitation to go to the mansion, from the mansion’s historian, their visit, taking all their equipment, the searching of the house, the emergence of the ghost, the daughter of the owner, her pursuit and disappearance into the city? Their photographing the experience, the social media, the variety of responses?

7. The subway, the character of Rowan, going into the tunnel, with the ghosts? Betty, her job in the subway, going down into the tunnel, experience of the ghosts? Her going to visit the team? Their all going to check the subway, the experience of the ghosts?

8. The issue of a receptionist, advertising, Kevin and Chris Hemsworth and his comic performance, nice and handsome, a touch dumb, not knowing how to answer the phones, his drawing the logo, inefficient – but Erin attracted?

9. Rowan himself, his job in the hotel, his sense of the apocalyptic, his machines, capturing the ghosts, waiting for the time to unleash them?

10. Bill Murray as the doubting scientist, the television interview, his visit, scorning them, Erin letting the ghost free, the attack and his going out the window?

11. The mayor, his assistant, smooth talk, wanting to cover the situation, not wanting any panic, the interview with the women, their reputation, his asking them to be seen as fakes?

12. The estate agent, Abby and Holtzmann being ousted, needing new accommodation, but taking the equipment? The expensive warehouse, going above the Chinese takeaway, and the jokes about the attendant and his slowness, the weakness of the soup, his bike later being destroyed?

13. The concert, the manager of the venue, Ozzy Osbourne and the performance, the ghosts appearing, the Ghostbusters doing their work, below, the ghost in the auditorium, the audience thinking it was part of the performance? Betty and her being taken over momentarily by the ghost?

14. The group finding Rowan’s headquarters, the ghosts, the attack? Unleashing the ghosts, Rowan and his escape?

15. Rowan and his taking over Kevin, Kevin’s weird behaviour? Taking over Abby, her vindictiveness, against Holtzmann, hanging out the window, the rescue?

16. The increasing mayhem, Erin going to find the mayor and interrupting the dinner? Her finding the three Ghostbusters? The equipment? Kevin’s behaviour and Rowan enjoying using Kevin’s body and physique? The taxi ride – and Dan Ackroyd’s cameo? The hotel and Annie Potts’s cameo?

17. The buildup to the fights, enormous range of ghosts, the parade, the ghosts getting bigger and bigger?

18. Rowan, leaving Kevin, the limo, everything going into the abyss? Abby being taken, Erin going in and rescuing her?

19. The jokes about the limousine, for funerals, Betty and her uncle? His turning up at the end and wanting the limousine?

20. The importance of the credits, humorous scenes from the making? The cameo of Sigourney Weaver? Chris Hemsworth and his continued dancing during the credits? And the post-credits and the view of the four women and their working together?

SING STREET

Ireland, 2016, 106 minutes, Colour.
Ferdia Walsh Peelo, Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton, Kelly Thornton, Ben Carolan, Mark Mc Kenna, Percy Chamburuka, Ian Kenny, Don Wycherley
Directed by John Carney.

Audiences will find this a generally cheerful film, a story about five young adolescents and their desire to make music. The setting is the 1980s and there are plenty of songs from the popular groups of that period and a number of new songs – in the vein of those times. The writer-director of Sing Street, John Carney, aspired to be a musician when he was young. He then played in a band and once he became a film director, also concentrated on films with music and song, the very popular Once (which became an award-winning theatre piece) and Begin Again. It would not be surprising to find Sing Street on theatre stages in years to come.

John Carney is Irish which gives a particular flavour to the film. In his screenplay, he is reminiscing about his times at Catholic school in the mid-1980s, at a Christian Brothers school. It is easy to see that there were many aspects of the school that he did not like and had a very dim view of the Brother Principal of the school who becomes a target of his dislike, his satire, and his culminating song and demonstration in protest against the Brother.

Times were difficult in Ireland. the opening focuses on how many people, young and old, were leaving Ireland, especially for the UK. Conor (Ferdia Walsh Peelo) has been at a Jesuit high school but his father is out of work, times are hard, and Conor has to go to the local Christian Brothers’ high School. Almost immediately, the humourless and rather heartless Principal demands that Conor wear black shoes (which his family can’t afford). The principal reads the letter of the law, the hundred plus pages of regulations, insisting on complete obedience to rules. Later, when Conor wear some make up like members of the bands of the time, he demands the removal, using physical violence against Conor.

Catholic audiences will be more than a bit sensitive to this presentation of the Brothers – while most audiences will take the severity for granted.

So, audiences can concentrate on Conor, his infatuation with a girl who lives in an institutional house near the school, Raphina (Lucy Boynton), deciding to form a band so that she can appear in music videos. He does form a band, a cheeky young boy at school promoting himself as a fixer and as a manager. They do make several music videos. And there is a sympathetic boy who is a master of many musical instruments with a talent for composition and improvisation. They go for multicultural with an African-Irish? young boy, also a good musician, and two other young lads who read the advertisement and more than fulfil the requirements.

Lots of rehearsal scenes, plenty of verve in the playing, Conor deciding that he will be the lead singer, writing the lyrics, testing out his songs with Raphina, and with a collage of the styles of so many of the popular bands, the variety of clothes, hairstyles, make up, that the boys take on.

Conor’s family background is also played well, with Aidan Gillett and Maria Doyle Kennedy as his squabbling parents, and Jack Raynor, very sympathetic, as his stoner brother who has opted out of life despite his expensive Jesuit education.

There are two climactic sequences, one in Conor’s imagination, the other at the final school dance. In the former, everybody is there, the band playing, everyone dancing, his parents happy, Raphina coming in, and even the Brother Principal full of zest doing cartwheels across the floor. However, while the final gig is very successful for Conor and his band, he does have a plan to confront the Brother, attack and humiliate him with everybody wearing masks of his face and singing some pungent lyrics criticising him.

What is left for Conor and Raphina but for Conor to commandeer his grandfather’s speedboat and take to the high seas for a future in Britain? It seems more than a bit far-fetched, but it is based on John Carney story and his success.

1. An Irish story? A youth story? A musical story?

2. The director, his Irish background, his schooling in the 1980s, attitude towards the Christian Brothers, his love of music, his work in a band, his film direction, his musical themes?

3. The blend of nostalgia and memories of discontent? Ireland, the ferries to the UK, 1985, life in Dublin, difficulties with money, unemployment, families, education?

4. The look of the period, the homes, streets, schools? The band and practice? Making the videos in the streets, at the wharf, the water, at school? Costumes and decor? The costumes adapting to the bands of the period and their style?

5. The 1980s, bands, the significant groups, MTV and its style, music, instruments, lyrics? The look and changes? Popularity? Fast songs, slow songs? The excerpts from the classics of the time?

6. The new songs, their spirit, writing for Raphina? Autobiographical songs? The song attacking the Brother?

7. Conor, aged 15, his background at the Jesuit College, transferring to the local high school, the Christian Brothers? His place in the family, his squabbling parents? Their love for him? His older brother, Anne her studies, his uniform for the school, the brown shoes? The Principal, the rule for black shoes, the book of regulations, Conor, taking his shoes off, walking in the puddle? Later blackening them himself?

8. Barry, the scenes of bullying, punching,? Later seeing Barry with his father, his father’s brutality towards him? The positive element – inviting Barry after his being humiliated to be their roadie? Seeing him in action when they played?

9. Conor seeing Rufino, talking, saying she wanted to be a model, the invitation to be in the videos, his having to form a band? Her living in the home, her absent parents? Coming to the filming, comments on make up, her performance, her coming again, her talking to her boyfriend, Conor’s infatuation? The plan to go to London, and not going? Trying to pretend she was her younger sister? Conor taking her on the boat trip? Her being stranded, listening to Conor’s music, going to the performance? Their talking, the bond, the kiss, the decision to go to England, his brother’s help, taking the boat, onto the high seas and a future?

10. The boy as manager, short, brash, his style? Solving problems? Their finding the musician, his extraordinary talent, the instruments, at his home, his mother and her support?

11. Finding the black boy, his mother, his joining the band, playing the instruments? The two boys looking at the notice, their being accepted, their skills? Conor, his creating the lyrics, the musical arrangements with the musician? Singing, the tapes, videos? The change of clothes, hairstyles, his look? the make up, the Principal attacking him, offering him his toilet to take the make up off – and the information to the audience of the Brothers and sexual abuse? His washing off the make up?

12. The brothers, the Christian Brothers, the old man and his teaching Latin, younger Brother supervising at the dance?

13. Conor’s home, the parents squabbling, his mother’s affair, their splitting, talking with the children? Where they should live? The plan to sell the house, the repairs, the advertisement? The personalities?

14. The older brother, his age, Jesuit education, a slacker, pot smoking, composition, at home, his records, discussions with Conor, partly educating him in music, encouraging him? The discussions about music? His depression? The final help, farewelling him at the wharf?

15. Conor, his age, achievement, assertiveness, going to the UK? Important scene of his imagination, everybody happy, everybody dancing, his mother and father, Raphina, even the Principal and his doing cartwheels? The contrast with the final performance, the range of songs, the students and their response, his getting the masks from the photocopier, cutting them out, distributing them to everyone? Everyone putting them on, the humiliation of the Principal, the words of the lyrics attacking him?

16. The film with touches of nostalgia attached – and some exorcism of the past?

SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ

US, 2015, 110 minutes, Colour.
Adrien Brody, Salma Hayak, Shohreh Aghadashloo.
Directed by Wayne Blair.

It is almost 40 years since the toppling of the Shah in Iran, the Revolution of February 1979, the return of Ayatollah Khomeini and the imposition of Sharia Law. This film takes us back to that time.

The film tells its story of social change via the focus on a Jewish family who have lived for decades in Tehran, an expert jeweller and his wife, having built up a reputable company, employing many locals, having made jewellery for the Shah’s wife, enlarging his clientele of the fashionable women of the city. The film sets the tone at the opening with a fashionable party to farewell the couple’s teenage son who is going to study at an Academy in the United States. The Bee Gee’s Stayin’ Alive plays at the party, the women wear fashionable dresses and there is no sign of a scarf, except for the servant.

This society was to go, resentments against the Shah and the affluent and secular way of life boiling up, especially in many of the young men, so that they turn to Revolution, with the formation of the Revolutionary Guard.

Western audiences will be basically in sympathy with the family and not with the Ayatollah, the brutal treatment of prisoners and executions, the plundering of the wealthy. However, the screenplay does have an undertone of criticism of these wealthy families, their taking their position for granted, an exploitation of the poor and, especially, and often unwitting but taken-for-granted superior attitude towards those beneath them.

Adrien Brody portrays Isaac, the jeweller, a man of position and competence, sympathetic employer, who is suddenly arrested, interrogated by a hooded official, flung into a fetid cell, questioned, humiliated, tortured, experiencing so many others being selected for execution – and guards playing with him, standing him against a wall and firing all around him. He is Jewish and there is a suggestion that on his visits to Israel he was linked with some kind of spying. His brother is under suspicion (rightly) for smuggling vodka from Russia.

Salma Hayak plays Isaac’s wife, a strong performance especially in her scenes with the maid, Shohreh Aghadashloo, part of the family for 20 years, whose son is one of the revolutionaries and has planted doubts in his mother’s mind, makes her realise that for years she often been put down by her employer and never invited to share a meal. This is something of a shock for the wife.

While the film focuses on the family, there are glimpses of what is happening in the city, the role of the revolutionaries, the ideology – and it would have been interesting for further development of these themes.We do see the employees ransacking the business offices and taking possession of everything as well as the officials coming to the home and stripping it of furniture, artwork as well as jewellery.

So much pressure and torture makes Isaac willing to forfeit all his wealth for freedom. The final sequences offer familiar plotlines and escape, sympathetic gestures for the maid, but they fit the dynamic of the film for the fate of the family.

The film is very critical of the imposition of Sharia Law as well as its indiscriminate applications. While this may not be so urgent in contemporary Iran (although this is important for surface living in the Islamic Republic though it covers much secular behaviour), it is still relevant to situations in the Middle East, in Africa, in Indonesia…

A big surprise is that the film was directed by Australian, Wayne Blair, actor and director of The Sapphires and Redfern Now, and was photographed by Warwick Thornton, director of the award-winning Samson and Delilah.

1. Title? The history of Iran in the 20th century? Nostalgia for the past? Critique?

2. The atmosphere of Iran in the 1970s, the city of Teheran, the vistas, the homes, the streets, prisons, torture rooms and execution? The musical score?

3. Audience knowledge of the era of the Shah? Of the revolution of 1979? Of Ayatollah Khomeini? The subsequent years?

4. The focus on the family? The opening, a sense of freedom, the party, the son going to study in America, the Bee Gees and the music? The women, freedom of dress, no scarves? The westernised style? The fact that this was to disappear?

5. Isaac and Farnaz, their life, 20 years married, son and daughter? The comfortable life, their home, touch of luxury? Their maid? Isaac and his company, diamonds, prosperity, visits to Israel? His large staff and his giving them opportunities?

6. Isaac, the suddenness of the arrest? Taken by hooded men? Interrogations, the cell and the other inmates there for so long? Hardship? Meeting other prisoners, the violin teacher, musician? The selection of men for execution? The torture of Isaac by having him against the firing squad, the bullets around him? The continued interrogations, implications of espionage, work for the Shah? The long time in prison?

7. Farnaz, at home, driving her daughter to school, going through the revolutionary people in the street? At home, a comfortable life for so long? Her relationship with the maid? Unaware of her sense of superiority, being challenged by putting the maid down? Never inviting her to a meal over 20 years? Their going to the prison, the confrontation, not being allowed to see her husband? The anxiety, the phone calls from her son?

8. The pressure on Isaac, his wealth, his decision to give all his wealth to the government in exchange for freedom? The interrogator and his agreeing? The issue of identity with all the documents gone? Going home, the surprise for his wife, searching for the documents? Going to the bank, the officials, his signing away all his money?

9. His brother, relationship, smuggling vodka, the stealing of the ring and returning it, Farnaz and her suspicion of her maid?

10. Isaac and his being put on the street, the sense of freedom, breathing the air? The return home, the reunion? His daughter and her happiness? The plan to leave, going to the group for documents, using the diamonds which he had hidden in the house? The preparations, packing, the final meal and inviting the maid? Giving her the key for the documents to the house?

11. The revolutionaries, at the work, taking everything, furniture…? Coming to the house, taking all the artwork, the jewellery, the significance of the maid’s son, his work for Isaac, his ideology, resentment, poor, opportunities, taking everything from the house, his coming back to get the diamonds, Isaac and his speech condemning the man? The
young men having the document from the Shah, the rich clients? His taking it to the authority, the authority imprisoning him, burning the document?

12. The escape, the pursuit by the soldiers, the car, the fear when the soldiers asked for directions, driving out of the city, to the mountains, to the border, the men helping the crossing, the border guards, the phone call, the interrogator and his decision to let them go? To freedom?

13. Focus on 20th-century history? Iran? Revolutions? Revolution movements? Islam, Sharia Law? Persecution, torture? The background of the family as Jewish?