DUCK SEASON/ TEMPORADA DE PATOS

Mexico, 2004, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Fernando Eimbcke.

A young Mexican director has opted to make a film about bored youngsters in today’s more affluent urban life. He has filmed in black and white and confined himself to an upstairs apartment: two fourteen year old boys, their sixteen year old neighbour who wants to use their oven and the pizza guy.

For audiences wanting a case study, there is something to watch as the lazy Sunday passes and the group play video games, experience power cuts and have to talk (or not), argue about whether to pay for the pizza or not, look at photo albums or just sit and doze.

For those not wanting to examine the case studies carefully, the temptation is to just sit and doze. It is a real challenge to make an interesting film about bored people. Despite admirable film-making techniques and performances and the potential for reflection, and the film winning many awards, especially in Mexico, this film makes us share the boredom.

YELLOW BIRD / Gus - petit oiseau, grand voyage

France, 2015, 90 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Seth Green, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Jim Rash, Christine Moran Ski, Brady Corbett, Yvette Nicole Brown, Richard Kind, Elliott Gould.
Directed by Christian De Vita.

Yellowbird is a small French animation film from a small studio – but, with the English language version, quite an American cast for the voices.

The film is designed for younger audiences, for family audiences, a story of an outsider bird, hatched from lost egg, cared for by a ladybug, urged to go out of his safety zone, in contact with the patriarch bird of his flock dying after an attack from vicious cats, told the directions for the family to fly to Africa.

The yellowbird takes this as an opportunity for leadership, partly diffident, challenging another bird who should have been the leader, finding some clues but actually leading the birds in the wrong direction, Holland instead of Spain, then further north – but, with an inspiration, urges them to get inside a plane which is flying south and which lands them in Africa.

A pleasant story about birds and migration, a pleasant story about an awkward young bird and his finding himself – and with a touch of romance.

1. A film for families and young audiences? Interest in birds, migration? The outsider? Adventures?

2. The animation style, the characters, realistic, touch of caricature with Sam’s appearance and voice and the cats? Layouts and background? The forests, the sea, icebergs, inside of the planes? Africa? The musical score?

3. Introduction to the yellow bird, the egg, falling out of the nest, travelling far, hatching? The odd look of the bird? The friendship of the ladybug? His diffidence, not going outside, the ladybug urging him to greater things?

4. The flock of birds, blue? The leader, his accident, pursued by the cats, his bequest to the yellow bird? His death? His wanting Carl to lead? Giving the directions to the yellow bird?

5. The cats, scary, their comeuppance?

6. The need for the birds to migrate, the range of the members of the family, the parents, the children, Delf? The touches of comedy with the bird and the feathers over his eyes?

7. The discussions about leadership, Carl, his being upset, confrontations with the yellow bird?

8. The yellow bird and his not wanting to lead, his being urged, his instinct and sixth sense, the appearances of the ladybug and her help?

9. For the trip, the pointed rock, the fireflies and the lights of Paris, the landing in Paris? The desire for Africa, to meet their friend, the need for food, being tired? Flying north, landing in Holland, the birds pretending that it was Spain? The beach, the bears and their advice?

10. Flying north, the Arctic? The upturned boat, the interiors, dangers and menace, the seals and their ghostly presence?

11. The iron birds, the planes, the stories of the fear of iron birds? The yellow bird and his urging them to go into the plane, difficulties, rescuing Carl, his gratitude?

12. Delf, the attraction, the interplay with the yellow bird, flirting, his trying to tell the truth, the upset when they found out the truth? The encouragement of the romance?

13. Landing in Africa, the gratitude of the family? The joke about the friend being called Sam O’ Cool? The yellow bird needing a name, getting it as Sam? The ladybug and her praise of him?

HEAD OVER HEELS

US, 2001, 86 minutes, Colour.
Monica Potter, Freddie Prinze Jr.
Directed by Mark Waters.

Around the year 2000 Freddie Prinze starred in several romantic comedies. This is typical of those films designed for the popular audience, especially women’s audiences. The film was directed by Mark Waters was to go on to make such films as Mean Girls and Freaky Friday. The star is Monica Potter.

For the first 30 minutes the film is romantic comedy, Monica Potter as an art restorer at the Metropolitan Gallery, chance encounter with handsome Freddie Prinze and his walking a great Dane. After 30 minutes, the film moves to a murder mystery, with Monica Potter and her model friends with whom she shares an apartment investigating after the police mock them.

What follows is something of a comedy of errors, the revelation that Freddie Prinze is an FBI agent infiltrating the fashion world, that they have encountered the criminal mastermind, with them all being under threat, the solution found about laundering money by importing diamonds from Antwerp and sewing them onto fashion garments – and it climaxes with pratfalls on the catwalk.

Unusual for someone very low in the cast list, Timothy Olyphant has an initial moment as Monica Potter’s faithless lover and was to go on to a considerable career.

Nothing to do with the intrinsic quality of the film but the Australian actress, the brunt of quite a lot of spoof comedy, accent and all, the suggestion of ignorant backwoods background, is played by Sarah O’ Hare who at this time married Lachlan Murdoch and so is the daughter-in-law of Rupert Murdoch.

1. A popular romantic comedy? From the point of view of the women characters? For a women’s audience? Men’s audience?

2. The New York setting, the Metropolitan Museum, Art Restoration? Apartments, the lavish apartments for models? The view into the windows of other apartments? The streets, outings, restaurants? The fashion show and the melodramatics? The musical score?

3. Amanda’s story, her love for restoring works, the Renaissance? Lisa and the collaboration, the old ladies and the restoration and their stories? The boss – and the touch of flirtation? Amanda and her relationship with Michael, finding him unfaithful? Her search for an apartment, the ad, the price? Finding the models? Small room, the lavish space for costumes? Her settling in? Encounter at the door with Jim, bowled over by the dog? And again? Her experience of being weak at the knees?

4. The models, looking at Jim and his apartment, his exercising, his clothes, speculating about him?

5. Jim, dapper, walking the dog, the dog attacking Amanda, his apology? His explanation, in the fashion industry?

6. The models, their personalities, their ambitions, going out for meals, the men who could pay, arriving home in the early morning? The Russian, the African- American, the white American, the Australian and all the jokes about her accent, vocabulary, and the kind of hillbilly sexual upbringing? The taking Amanda out for a meal? The plan to gatecrash the party, and designing Amanda’s make up interests?

7. The party, Amanda awkward, leaving, finding Jim on the staircase, their talking, the kiss? His having to go back in?

8. Near the window, the blind drawn, the baseball bat, the death of the girl, the disappearance of her body?

9. The police, the officer scoffing at the models and their ignorance? His later comeuppance when they get the medals?

10. Amanda, her reaction, dismay at Jim? The police, not listening to her? Their mockery of her?

11. Back at work, her drawing of Jim, incorporating his face into the restoration of the painting?

12. The decision to investigate, following Jim, his ambiguous behaviour? The models and their following? Mr Halloran, coming to the apartment, his painting and the bullet holes, looking out the window? The joke of Jim in the toilet – the later excrement joke with the models in the toilet?

13. Jim, Amanda early, the mixup, Halloran and the gun, the thugs? Jim and his being exposed? Their all being captured and tied up? The models talking about the dresses – and Antwerp and diamonds, the solution to the money-laundering, diamonds on the dresses?

14. The security guard, giving the information and entry with the gift of the dresses and his trying them out? Jim and the seeming body, baseball equipment for the Little League?

15. The escape, getting in the limousine, the fashion designer and his need for models – their all getting a job, Amanda made up, awkward on the catwalk, seeing Halloran, the pratfalls and the schmozzle – and everybody thinking it was an exciting catwalk presentation? Success for the models, the Australian and her taken up with Lisa?

16. Jim, the revelation that he was an agent, his real name of Bob Smoots, his disappearing after the event? His turning up again? Reintroducing himself – and Amanda’s acceptance of this?

VEGAS VACATION

US, 1997, 93, Colour.
Chevy Chase, Beverly D’ Angelo, Randy Quaid, Ethan Embry, Marisol Nichols, Miriam Flynn, Wayne Newton, Wallace Shawn, Sid Caesar, Siegfried and Roy.
Directed by Stephen Kessler.

The Griswold holiday films were initially sponsored by National Lampoon. The family travelled 0ver the United States as well is into Europe. This is their trip to Las Vegas.

The film has the usual ingredients designed for the continued fans of the series. Others, not familiar, may find it all rather laboured – and a touch absurd.

Chevy Chase is once again the rather carefree father, getting a lot of money as a bonus for his invention for preserving food. Beverly D’ Angelo is once again his long-suffering wife, but devoted, although with his penchant for gambling in this film, losing over $20,000, she begins to take a stand – but, we know, all will come right in the end and the whole family will be happy.

In many ways, the film is highly materialistic – as is Las Vegas. We see all the glitz of Vegas in the 1990s and its ethos of spending and risking and are meant to be in or if not admiration. While it is billed as a family vacationland, the family needs to be pretty well off.

There are many scenes in the casino, especially with Wallace Shawn as an antagonistic tables manager, exasperating Chevy Chase, his being willing to gamble more and more not only to win but to defeat the smirking and chuckling Shawn. In the meantime, Beverly D’ Angelo is a big fan of Wayne Newton and they go to one of his performances where he makes a play for her, singing with her, then buying dresses, inviting her to his mansion… Which she ultimately rejects and Chevy Chase, of course, uses strong arm tactics. Wayne Newton’s presence is, of course, Las Vegas promotion as is the family going to see Siegfried and Roy and Chevy Chase caught up to participate in one of their magic shows along with a tiger.

The Griswold have two teenage children, Ethan Embry and Marisol Nichols.She gets caught up with a country cousin who is a dancer and goes on some daring escapades, including dancing on neon signs and wearing provocative dresses.He on the other hand, tries to go gambling, is ejected from the casinos, meets someone who is able to get him a false identity card, and when he plays the tables, he wins big time, getting a special suite in the casino… But falling foul off some of the local gangster identities.

The other complication is the country cousins who live rather primitively outside Las Vegas. Randy Quaid appears again, embodying the hillbilly style, accompanying Griswold at the casinos, eventually lending him some money which Griswold immediately gambles again, and is a good friend. His wife and family are presented quite genially.

VEGAS VACATION

US, 1997, 93, Colour.
Chevy Chase, Beverly D’ Angelo, Randy Quaid, Ethan Embry, Marisol Nichols, Miriam Flynn, Wayne Newton, Wallace Shawn, Sid Caesar, Siegfried and Roy.
Directed by Stephen Kessler.

The Griswold holiday films were initially sponsored by National Lampoon. The family travelled 0ver the United States as well is into Europe. This is their trip to Las Vegas.

The film has the usual ingredients designed for the continued fans of the series. Others, not familiar, may find it all rather laboured – and a touch absurd.

Chevy Chase is once again the rather carefree father, getting a lot of money as a bonus for his invention for preserving food. Beverly D’ Angelo is once again his long-suffering wife, but devoted, although with his penchant for gambling in this film, losing over $20,000, she begins to take a stand – but, we know, all will come right in the end and the whole family will be happy.

In many ways, the film is highly materialistic – as is Las Vegas. We see all the glitz of Vegas in the 1990s and its ethos of spending and risking and are meant to be in or if not admiration. While it is billed as a family vacationland, the family needs to be pretty well off.

There are many scenes in the casino, especially with Wallace Shawn as an antagonistic tables manager, exasperating Chevy Chase, his being willing to gamble more and more not only to win but to defeat the smirking and chuckling Shawn. In the meantime, Beverly D’ Angelo is a big fan of Wayne Newton and they go to one of his performances where he makes a play for her, singing with her, then buying dresses, inviting her to his mansion… Which she ultimately rejects and Chevy Chase, of course, uses strong arm tactics. Wayne Newton’s presence is, of course, Las Vegas promotion as is the family going to see Siegfried and Roy and Chevy Chase caught up to participate in one of their magic shows along with a tiger.

The Griswold have two teenage children, Ethan Embry and Marisol Nichols.She gets caught up with a country cousin who is a dancer and goes on some daring escapades, including dancing on neon signs and wearing provocative dresses.He on the other hand, tries to go gambling, is ejected from the casinos, meets someone who is able to get him a false identity card, and when he plays the tables, he wins big time, getting a special suite in the casino… But falling foul off some of the local gangster identities.

The other complication is the country cousins who live rather primitively outside Las Vegas. Randy Quaid appears again, embodying the hillbilly style, accompanying Griswold at the casinos, eventually lending him some money which Griswold immediately gambles again, and is a good friend. His wife and family are presented quite genially.

At the end, Sid Caesar appears as a lonely old man who never wins – but who does win, collapses, but lets the Griswold have his money.

One of the aims of the trip to Las Vegas was for husband-and-wife to renew their vows – which, ultimately they do, and all is well – mainly in terms of the script rather than what might happen in real life.

THE REWRITE

US, 2014, 107 minutes, Colour.
Hugh Grant, Marisa Tomei, J. K. Simmons, Chris Elliott, Bella Heathcote, Alison Janney, Caroline Aaron.
Directed by Marc Lawrence.

Somehow or, Hugh Grant is always the same in all his films. This did not matter to his fans, especially during the 1980s and 1990s. He could be the same Englishman in British films as well is in American films.

As he grew older, he appeared in fewer films, several of them directed by Marc Lawrence, Two Weeks Notice and Music and Lyrics. This is another Marc Lawrence film and another typical Hugh Grant comedy drama.

He plays a screenwriter who has won an award and enormous reputation for a film called Paradise Misplaced. Many years later, his wife has left him, his son lives away from him, he has not been able to write a sequel, his agent hounds him – and he takes up a temporary position at a small University in upstate New York. Even the weather is glum.

He makes several mistakes, begins a liaison with a student, Bella Heathcote, insults the professor of literature and expert on Jane Austen, Alison Janney, at a social, drinks, has to be reprimanded by the Dean, J. K. Simmons. He befriends his next-door neighbour, a Shakespearean expert, Chris Elliott.

As for his course, he does not know what to present, chooses candidates because of their good looks rather than their scripts, decides to ask them to meet a month later. Is he redeemable? The agent of redemption is a single mother, Marisa Tomei, who acts as a sort of challenge, conscience, mentor, guide. And, after several complications, all’s well that ends well.


1. An entertaining romantic comedy – for middle-aged audiences?

2. A Hugh Grant film, his screen presence over the decades? His type, manner, speaking, British – and variations on the style? Likeable?

3. The Los Angeles settings, Hollywood, filmmaking, agents? The contrast with the university town, New York State, the overcast weather, neighbours and the college, his rooms, social events, bookshop, restaurant? The musical school?

4. Keith in midlife, his initial success, Paradise Misplaced, his award – and looking at it on Youtube? Failures, down, the breakup of his marriage, distance from his son? His need for money? Consideration of the sequel but writers block?

5. The title, rewriting Keith’s life?

6. University, the reputation, the staff, the Dean, the professor and her love for Jane Austen, his neighbour and expertise on Shakespeare? The staff, the social, classes, the students, enrolling in his course? His having to read the script – and his avoiding this?

7. Keith, travelling to the town, hailed by the security guards for his film, his inappropriate joke? The meal, meeting the girls, drinking, taking Karen home, the sexual relationship, his neighbour seeing it? The repercussions, the rules, the Dean and his imposing the rules, the professor and her place on the Ethics Committee? The interactions with Karen, her strong stances, going to the restaurant, Holly asking Karen for the identification, her leaving? Her petulant behaviour in class? Holly and her insight about Karen and the need for affection from a father figure? Her incorporating this into her screenplay?

8. Keith, not teaching cancelling classes for a month? The professor urging him to go back to class? Is taking the role? Holly asking a question, its leading to his talking, his lies about the screenplay with Matt Damon, the phone calls from his agent? The professor accusing him of having chosen his students as if it were beauty contest? His apology to her, buying all the Jane Austen memorabilia?

9. Her character, dominance, alone, not liked, discussing brusquely with students about their work? Not liking cinema?

10. The Dean, friendly, his having been a Marine, his wife and four daughters, watching the chick flicks on television, the bets about his eyes watering when discussing his daughters? His being a stickler for the rules, his demands on Keith?

11. Holly, her studies, psychology, writing the script, her relationship with her children, the discussions with Keith, her verve, her being invited to the class after his reading of her screenplay, her question in the class, his beginning to talk, telling the story about Paradise Misplaced? Her story, Jerry? Her work at the shop, work at the restaurant and the encounter with Karen? His drinking, driving him home after taking him to the carousel and the location for Rod Serling’s Twilight episode? Later watching it in class? His seeing her dancing with the children?

12. Keith, beginning to explain screenwriting, the interactions with the students? The range of students, the boy and his obsession with Star Wars and his later being in hospital? The sullen Asian girl? The enthusiastic girl about Dirty Dancing? Karen and her southern presence? The other girls? The boy and his screenplay – and Keith telling this to his agent?

13. The visit to Los Angeles, taking the boy, presentation to the producers, his leaving the boy alone to fend for himself?

14. His decision to leave, discussions with the Dean, Holly urging him to stay, to explain? His visit to the professor, his plea, her accepting it, giving him her memoir – and for Meryl Streep to play her?

15. Holly, influencing him to leave a phone message for his son – and the final image of the son ringing back?

16. The enthusiasm of the class, affirmation, his future in Hollywood, the status of his sequel, the story the teacher for Matt Damon to play? His wanting to produce the boy’s screenplay?

17. The decision to stay, his telling the story to Holly – and his future in the town?

18. An enjoyable story for older audiences, crisis, getting the better of people, overcoming them? Recognising their abilities?

IS THIS THE REAL WORLD

Australia, 2015, 91 minutes, Colour.
Sean Keenan, Greg Stone, Susie Porter, Julia Blake, Matt Colwell, Charlotte Best.
Directed by Martin Mc Kenna.

Is This the Real World is a small budget Australian film, set in a city suburbs, the story of a teenager and his trying to cope with his family and at school.

Sean Keenan portrays Mark Glazeby, and the audience initially sees him in a very long opening shot, the camera behind him, walking along the high school pathways and eventually into the office of the Vice- Principal. He is being asked why he has left his previous school and given up a scholarship, the reasons for his bad behaviour, for which Mark has very few answers except to say that he was young. He is to be given a chance in his new high school.

While he seems something of a confident young man, we soon find him put to the test by some bullying, forced to take some football marks but each time being pushed out of the way by hefty fellow-student. He tries to stick it out. He does get some chance for comeuppance, his brother taking the bullies on a car ride and driving fairly recklessly.

A strong part of Mark’s life is his relationships with his brother, Matt Colwell, who also had problems with school and is about to go to prison, with his very busy mother, Susie Porter, and her exasperations, with his younger sister. But, there is also his sympathetic grandmother, played by Julia Blake, and he is very affected by her illness.

Meanwhile, at school, he becomes the target of the Vice- Principal, who makes extraordinary demands on him, including forcing him sit in his office during breaks, and then wanting him to sit there during all classes, audiences not sure why the animosity is so deep. One of the contributing factors is that the Vice- Principal’s daughter is attracted to Mark. When they abscond for the weekend, a somewhat casual sexual attraction emphasised and taken for granted, which leads to dramatic confrontation between Mark and the Vice- Principal.

The film ends with the same tracking shot, the camera following Mark down the same pathway but then into a classroom – Mark and the audience hopeful for his future.

Parents could watch the film with interest, checking the behaviour of their children. teenagers might identify with Mark, with his girlfriend Kim, and check their own behaviour and attitudes. And this kind of film is always a challenge to teachers and those in authority in schools, checking their own behaviour and attitudes.

1. An Australian slice of life? City life? Family? School?

2. The settings and authentic feel? Homes, the streets? School, classes, football field, schoolyard, corridors? Vice-Principal’s? office? Bike riding and the surroundings? The water? The holiday town, hotel? The musical score?

3. The title? For Mark Glazeby? For Kim, for her father, for Mark’s family?

4. The opening shot, the long walk along the corridors and pathways, to the office? The camera at Mark’s back? The repeat of this sequence at the end and the audience knowing all that had gone on in between?

5. Mark, discussions with the Vice- Principal? His leaving the previous school, loss of the scholarship, his saying that he was young, not giving any further reason? The mixture of self-assertion and diffidence? The situation at home, his love for his mother, her being busy, exasperated? His younger sister? The dog? In the classroom, the teachers? The fellow students? On the football field, the kicks, the big student pushing him out of the way, his getting back up again? The sports master looking on? The effect on Mark? His later being with those students, the lift in the car and his brother and his reckless driving and the apprehension of the bully? Their joining the cross-country run? The Vice- Principal watching?

6. The character of the Vice- Principal, his pride in his reputation at the school and its improvement, his interrogation of Mark, not wanting to see him much again, yet preoccupied with him, in the office, Mark writing his name, sitting in the chair during the breaks, his being told to come during all classes? Mark going outside and the repercussions? The irony of the Vice- Principal being Kim’s father?

7. Kim, seeing Mark lying on the ground, the interest, talking to him, their discussions and encounters, the eventual sexual relationship and its credibility, remarking that she wanted to get pregnant and leave school? The decision to go away for the weekend, Mark and his insistence, the airport, the town, the motel, the differences between them, Kim not wanting to ruin her life? Her fear of her father? Later moving to live with her mother?

8. The grandmother, in the house, supporting everyone, especially the boy going to prison, her being ill, hospital, death? The funeral and Mark missing it? His love for his grandmother and the effect of her death?

9. His return, his sister and the dog being sick? Symbolism of the dog recovering? Reconciliation with his mother?

10. Riding his bike, the confrontation by the Vice- Principal, the fight, anger, drowning Mark? Take them out of the water, the resuscitation? The effect on Mark, on the Vice- Principal?

11. Mark, his age, the experience, teenage issues, self-image, self-confidence, family life, school experience? His future?

IS THIS THE REAL WORLD

Australia, 2015, 91 minutes, Colour.
Sean Keenan, Greg Stone, Susie Porter, Julia Blake, Matt Colwell, Charlotte Best.
Directed by Martin Mc Kenna.

Is This the Real World is a small budget Australian film, set in a city suburbs, the story of a teenager and his trying to cope with his family and at school.

Sean Keenan portrays Mark Glazeby, and the audience initially sees him in a very long opening shot, the camera behind him, walking along the high school pathways and eventually into the office of the Vice- Principal. He is being asked why he has left his previous school and given up a scholarship, the reasons for his bad behaviour, for which Mark has very few answers except to say that he was young. He is to be given a chance in his new high school.

While he seems something of a confident young man, we soon find him put to the test by some bullying, forced to take some football marks but each time being pushed out of the way by hefty fellow-student. He tries to stick it out. He does get some chance for comeuppance, his brother taking the bullies on a car ride and driving fairly recklessly.

A strong part of Mark’s life is his relationships with his brother, Matt Colwell, who also had problems with school and is about to go to prison, with his very busy mother, Susie Porter, and her exasperations, with his younger sister. But, there is also his sympathetic grandmother, played by Julia Blake, and he is very affected by her illness.

Meanwhile, at school, he becomes the target of the Vice- Principal, who makes extraordinary demands on him, including forcing him sit in his office during breaks, and then wanting him to sit there during all classes, audiences not sure why the animosity is so deep. One of the contributing factors is that the Vice- Principal’s daughter is attracted to Mark. When they abscond for the weekend, a somewhat casual sexual attraction emphasised and taken for granted, which leads to dramatic confrontation between Mark and the Vice- Principal.

The film ends with the same tracking shot, the camera following Mark down the same pathway but then into a classroom – Mark and the audience hopeful for his future.

Parents could watch the film with interest, checking the behaviour of their children. teenagers might identify with Mark, with his girlfriend Kim, and check their own behaviour and attitudes. And this kind of film is always a challenge to teachers and those in authority in schools, checking their own behaviour and attitudes.

1. An Australian slice of life? City life? Family? School?

2. The settings and authentic feel? Homes, the streets? School, classes, football field, schoolyard, corridors? Vice-Principal’s? office? Bike riding and the surroundings? The water? The holiday town, hotel? The musical score?

3. The title? For Mark Glazeby? For Kim, for her father, for Mark’s family?

4. The opening shot, the long walk along the corridors and pathways, to the office? The camera at Mark’s back? The repeat of this sequence at the end and the audience knowing all that had gone on in between?

5. Mark, discussions with the Vice- Principal? His leaving the previous school, loss of the scholarship, his saying that he was young, not giving any further reason? The mixture of self-assertion and diffidence? The situation at home, his love for his mother, her being busy, exasperated? His younger sister? The dog? In the classroom, the teachers? The fellow students? On the football field, the kicks, the big student pushing him out of the way, his getting back up again? The sports master looking on? The effect on Mark? His later being with those students, the lift in the car and his brother and his reckless driving and the apprehension of the bully? Their joining the cross-country run? The Vice- Principal watching?

6. The character of the Vice- Principal, his pride in his reputation at the school and its improvement, his interrogation of Mark, not wanting to see him much again, yet preoccupied with him, in the office, Mark writing his name, sitting in the chair during the breaks, his being told to come during all classes? Mark going outside and the repercussions? The irony of the Vice -Principal being Kim’s father?

7. Kim, seeing Mark lying on the ground, the interest, talking to him, their discussions and encounters, the eventual sexual relationship and its credibility, remarking that she wanted to get pregnant and leave school? The decision to go away for the weekend, Mark and his insistence, the airport, the town, the motel, the differences between them, Kim not wanting to ruin her life? Her fear of her father? Later moving to live with her mother?

8. The grandmother, in the house, supporting everyone, especially the boy going to prison, her being ill, hospital, death? The funeral and Mark missing it? His love for his grandmother and the effect of her death?

9. His return, his sister and the dog being sick? Symbolism of the dog recovering? Reconciliation with his mother?

10. Riding his bike, the confrontation by the Vice- Principal, the fight, anger, drowning Mark? Take them out of the water, the resuscitation? The effect on Mark, on the Vice- Principal?

11. Mark, his age, the experience, teenage issues, self-image, self-confidence, family life, school experience? His future?

THE NICE GUYS

US, 2016, 117 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Kim Basinger, Margaret Qualley, Yaya Da Costa, Keith David, Beau Knapp, Lois Smith, Muriel Terrio, Daisy Tahan, Jack Kilmer, Gil Gerard.
Directed by Shane Black.

The first thing to observe, obviously, is that our two heroes are not exactly Nice Guys. But, they are much nicer than some of the other characters.

Back in the 80s, writer Shane Black created Lethal Weapon with the odd coupling of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, one brash, one more considered but getting too old for this kind of… 20 years later he made a very entertaining spoof of this kind of buddy film with Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. in the meantime, he has written and directed Iron Man 3. While there is entertainment in The Nice Guys, it does not come across as effectively as the previous films.

Not that Shane Black doesn’t know the 1970s very well and is able to recreate the atmosphere, a post-Nixon America where fraud and financial doubledealing is still prevalent. One of the other areas of corruption is that of pornography and pornographic films, something which was going to spread more extensively in the coming decades. And, there are the inevitable private investigators, still doing the same old work that Humphrey Bogart and co did back in the old days, although one of the special talents for Russell Crowe’s Jack Healy is that he is commissioned by angry parents to confront older men who have been abusing their underage daughters – and punching them out. On the other hand, while not against a punch out, Ryan Gosling’s Holland March is not as forthright.

So, Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, one getting larger and the other remaining thinner!, become entangled (often literally) in their trying to track down a young woman who wants to disappear. The plot development has the overtones of the 1940s film noir, those private eyes films with Humphrey Bogart or Dick Powell, blended with the buddy police comedies of the 1970s and 1980s, think Eddie Murphy and Beverly Hills Cop or 48 hours. While the underlying search and the reasons for it and the girl wanting to disappear, are all very serious, there are lots of farcical interactions, a lot of comedy patter, some physical pratfalls and some episodes which have the touch of the dumb and dumber.

In the background, as we see from the beginning, there is the Detroit car show coming up in Los Angeles – with suggestions of fraud.Further complications come when the investigators find that the missing girl is the daughter of one of the top police investigators of fraud – and, echoes of LA Confidential, she is played by Kim Basinger. When the pornography comes in, it is also rather complicated and linked with social protest, the film to be screened with damning information during the automobile show.

There are several murders along the way, some rather brutal attacks on Healy and March (who, generally but not always, are able to fight back). There are also always some tough and sleazy criminals on hand in LA, especially the sinister Johnboy played by Matt Bomer.

There is quite a serious anchor to the proceedings, a touch of a common sense and conscience. It comes in the form of March’s 13-year-old daughter, Holly, who observes shrewdly and can be challenging. She is played expertly by Australian Angourie Rice (who featured in These Final Hours and The Nowhere Boys. If this isn’t a credible entry into international film career…

Many amusing moments, but not quite.


1. The title, expectations, ironies? A buddy investigation drama? Echoes of film noir? Comic patter? Serious themes and social corruption?

2. The 1970s, the setting of, Los Angeles, costumes and decor? Private investigations? The porn world? The commercial world, Detroit and cars, deals, fraud, Justice? Post-Nixon? Americana? The musical score and the times?

3. The film noir plot, the search for a young woman, involvement in the pornography industry, involvement in political process? The hiring of the investigators, their search? Tough, violence? The atmosphere of murders?

4. The tongue-in-cheek tone of the opening, the boy, looking at the magazine, Misty Mountains and her picture, the car coming through the house, his going out, Misty Mountain’s death? Introduction to Jack Healy, Russell Crowe, as large as life or larger, his job, the man and the young girl, her willingness, leaving, Healy arriving and punching him out? Amelia, warning him off, the note? Holland March and his commission to find Amelia? Healy arriving at the door, punching him, damaging his arm? Healy encountering Holly, offering the drink?
Then making the links and joining forces?

5. March and his life, the death of his wife, the house burned, the building site, Holly reading you the night, his card and advertising, the lady wanting him to find her husband – while his ashes were on the mantelpiece? Apt and inept, verbal, discovery of clues? Touch of the dumb? Interactions with Jack?

6. Amelia, the protests, the visuals of people demonstrating on the government steps, the clue from one of the demonstrators, the projectionalilst, her boyfriend, making the film, the house burned down, the death of the producer? The dead star? The note and the disputes about the address and interpretations?

7. The older criminal, Blueface, tough, fight, the banknotes and the blue explosion? The later return, the confrontation, the older criminal and his falling to his death? Blueface, the confrontation on the road, hit by the car?

8. Holly, sensible, the antagonism with Janet and asking Healy about how much to hit her? Her age, good, conscience, asking Healy whether he had killed the man on the road? Her friendship with Jessica, hiding in the car, going to the party, seeing Amelia and warning her, the car chase, the accident? Her observations? The reading and the site, Jack’s visit? With Amelia, the arrival of Johnboy – Jessica on the phone, patter, Jessica thrown out the window?

9. Judith Kuttner, Kim Basinger, the job, her assistant, the interviews, at the office, hiring the two find her daughter, her explanations about her daughter, the cheque and the amount? The assistant ringing to collect the money, March driving, going to sleep at the wheel, the monster in the back of the car, the crash, the bag opening and it being full of paper, not money? The assistant, a change of tone, her being a killer, the confrontation?

10. Going to the hotel, to the airport, tracking Amelia, going to the penthouse after the interrogations, the shootings? Amelia landing on their car? Helping, the revelation about her mother, the making of the film, Detroit fraud? Johnboy’s arrival, the fleeing house, asking for the lift, being killed?

11. The auto show, the importance of the film, the pornography within the advertising? The projectionalist and his being assaulted? The attack, the older criminal, Johnboy, on the roof, March falling, in the pool? The shootouts? The film, its rolling along the floor, the chase, retrieving it?

12. The Detroit officials upset? Judith and her arrest, her explanation?

13. The continued action, the patter between the two – with Holly being the anchor?

CHASING ASYLUM

Australia, 2016, 97 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Eva Orner.

Although this sounds something like an understatement, Chasing Asylum is a documentary that should be seen by every Australian, especially by every politician. It is a film of special pleading rather than bias (as it has been accused of), cinema documentation of the plight of asylum seekers and refugees in the Detention Centres on Nauru and Manus Island.

The writer-director, Eva Orner, has credible credentials. She spent a decade overseas producing documentaries, most notably Alex Gibney’s Taxi to the Darkside which won her a producer’s Oscar.

Concerned about the asylum issues, especially after the Tampa incident in 2001 and the coalition government’s response, issues about which all Australians are concerned (although in different ways in their support or non-support of the asylum seekers), Eve Orner began this project, filming in 2014, able to film footage secretly on both Nauru and Manus, striking images, shocking images which are reminders of the extraordinary inhumanity experienced by those detained. The point is made that those in Australian prisons who have committed crimes know the length of their sentence and possibilities for parole – but that the asylum seekers and refugees are detained indefinitely. And what is that condition responsible for in terms of mental apprehension a deterioration, let alone all the other repressions and harsh conditions that they experience?

The film gives some outline of the history of dealing with asylum seekers and refugees, Nauru after 2001, the people smuggling, the boats arriving or being lost at sea with large loss of life, the concerns about border protection, the Sovereign Borders policy, the stopping boats policy as well as the turning back of the boats, the 2014 decision that no boat person would ever settle in Australia. The film also indicates the physical and mental deterioration of so many men and women, also children, the sexual abuse, the deaths of the Iranians in riots or by Coalition or Labor.

But, some whistleblowers have been interviewed, some identified and seen by face, others just by suggestion and voice. Of these, some were employed by the Salvation Army. The manager of one of the centres is also interviewed, expressing his dismay. And the appointee, who had worked in prisons, expresses his revulsion about conditions, about death threats to him were he to speak publicly, and his resigning in disgust, unable to help. One of the young women, who is motivated by selflessness to go to Nauru but not realising what it was like, the repercussions for the people as well as for herself, is very direct and has a lot to say which needs listening to.

The film does not try to find any solutions for coping with people smugglers, turning back the boats or not, or other political stances. What it does do is to show the inhumanity to men, to women, to children, in putting them indefinitely into sub-standard, often unsanitary, conditions, tents and huts, communal facilities, that could alarm an audience watching this film and trying to imagine how they would deal with being put in similar situations.

A point is made that the two Iranians who died seem to be economic migrants, especially when the families of both men are interviewed in Iran – but, of course, there are economic migrants everywhere (including many who came in past decades to Australia). Their claims have to be considered along with others but there is no need for them to be dehumanised along the way. We are reminded that there are Conventions about migrants and refugees that Australia has signed up to.

While the following points are not made in the film, watching the film makes an audience realise that the asylum seekers have come from different cultures, communities, colder geographical climates, dietary differences and makes them ask whether any acknowledgement is made by the authorities at the Centres, for language, for religious traditions, for the roles of men and women in these societies, in the need for children to grow as children with play and education.

This is a documentary for this particular time – and its release during the very long election campaign of 2016. It is a cinema document that will be important in decades to come as later generations look back and ask questions about policies and humanity in the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

There is a dedication of the film to Malcolm Fraser who, at the time was not considered to be left-wing or a bleeding heart, was able to deal with large migrations of Vietnamese in the aftermath of the Vietnam war, setting up offshore processing which moved comparatively rapidly and then bringing those approved to Australia by air and settling them. And the question is asked why this cannot be done now.

CLIFFORD

US, 1991/1994, 90 minutes, Colour.
Martin Short, Charles Grodin, Mary Steenburgen, Dabney Coleman, Richard Kind.
Directed by Paul Flaherty.

Clifford is an odd comedy, originally made in 1991 but held up for release by Orion’s financial problems. The director, Paul Flaherty, worked extensively with Martin Short on his television shows.

A major surprise is the opening of the film, set in 2050, with Martin Short as a priest supervising an orphanage and stopping a young boy from running away by telling him his story.

Martin Short, with special effects, appears as the diminutive Clifford, obsessed with dinosaurs and tormenting people with his toy dinosaur. He is absolutely wilful, no sensitivity towards anyone, wholly self-absorbed but able to put on a good show. When his uncle, Charles Grodin, agrees to take care of him, there is an initial warmth but then Clifford turns against him, especially when his uncle is pressured by business and cannot take him to Dinosaur World.

There are various pranks that he performs, especially at a social party, embarrassing the boss, Dabney Coleman, spiking a drink with Tabasco, substituting lipstick for lipgloss, making a fake tape about a bomb and getting his uncle arrested. He also tricks him in going to San Francisco while he has a party at home.While Clifford gets some comeuppance when his uncle takes him to Dinosaur World and puts him on the rollercoaster ride, speeding it up until the whole thing crashes.

Clifford thinks that he has been forgiven when he attends the marriage of his uncle and his girlfriend, Mary Steenburgen, but the look in Charles Grodin’s eye would seem to indicate that he doesn’t forgive him.

The advertising tagline is worth quoting: What's the difference between Clifford and a pit bull? One will tear your heart out, scare your friends and wreck your house. The other one is a dog.

1. A film about a monstrous child – how funny, how irritating?

2. The opening in 2050, Clifford as the priest, the orphanage, the boy running away, his tricks to keep him, the fake heart attack, his telling the boy the story, the effect on the boy? Clifford as a priest with his memories? The credibility of Clifford as a priest after such a background?

3. Back to the 1980s and 1990s, the familiar world of the audience, the city of Los Angeles, home, business offices, socials, Dinosaur World?

4. Clifford and his parents, Martin Short and the special effects for him to be a child? Precocious, his pet toy, the dinosaur, his delight in frightening people with it? His wanting to go to Dinosaur World, his parents going to Hawaii, the business conference, the reactions of his father and his irritation, his mother looking sad? Clifford’s going into the cockpit, the pilot, causing mischief, an emergency, landing in Los Angeles, his getting his way?

5. The father ringing his brother, the estrangement, his request, Martin agreeing, coming to the airport, the initial pleasure of meeting Clifford, taking him home, frightening Sarah in the show, his sweet talking to her? The beginning of the alienation from Martin, up watching television, all hours, the family ring and his wanting it, breakfast and Martin pushing his face in the cereal?

6. Martin at work, the boss with his eye on Sarah, taking her to San Francisco, Martin in the taxi, seeing them together in the restaurant, the boss and his advances, Sarah’s rejection? The issue of his wig, Clifford commenting on it, it coming off in the taxi? Martin and the preparation of the plan for the city, its exploding?

7. At the social, Clifford charming everyone, spiking Martin’s drink and getting him to make the toast, the lipstick instead of the lipgloss, everybody laughing? Martin holding Clifford to account, Clifford’s excuses, yet his laughing?

8. Martin’s arrest, the bomb threat, Clifford making the tape?

9. Clifford tricking Martin, getting him to go on the train, Clifford and his holding the party at home?

10. Martin’s final exasperation, taking Clifford to Dinosaur World, putting him on the rollercoaster, getting faster and faster, the collapse,
the mayhem, Martin rescuing him – but not forgiving him?

11. The letters of apology, his being invited to the wedding – and his saying that he had reformed, written all the letters of apology – and with the kiss from Sarah and Martin, changing his attitude? But his still having the toy dinosaur 50 years later?