JENNY’S WEDDING

US, 2015, 93 minutes, Colour.
Katherine Heigl, Tom Wilkinson, Linda Emond, Alexis Bledel, Grace Gummer, Diana Hardcastle, Sam Mc Murray.
Directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue.

Jenny’s Wedding is not what we might have imagined it to be.

Tom Wilkinson and Linda Emond are very good as Jenny’s parents, he a fireman, she working at home, their older son married with children, the younger daughter married with children, their waiting for Jenny, a social worker, to meet the right man, to become engaged and be married. Time is running out.

Jenny is quite a vivacious character, as Katherine Heigl usually is in Gray’s Anatomy and the various Romcoms she acted in over 10 years. She is happy with her life except for her secret, that people think her girlfriend and partner is just her roommate.

This is a story of coming out, of Jenny finding the right time to tell her parents the truth. When she does finally tell the truth, her mother is surprised but is able to deal with the revelation so much better than Jenny’s father. They both decide that they should keep up the pretence about the roommate. However, the truth catches up with them. an exasperated Jenny verbally attacks her father. He is in denial and wants nothing to do with her. It seems her older brother has always known the truth. but her sister, played by Grace Gummer, a dowdy housewife who eschews make up and is married to a wastrel, is shocked at first but comes to some understanding, as well as a freedom to oust her husband. When some of the parents’ old friends find out, the mother is censorious but the husband, also a fireman, is instrumental in persuading Jenny’s father to go to the wedding.

The plot outline parallels an equivalent heterosexual story, the preparation for the wedding, the planning for the dress, the seating arrangements… And, there are many at the ceremony, and a happy celebration afterwards. The roommate does not feature particularly strongly – and it seems strange that the screenplay doesn’t have any scene when Jenny’s father contacts or discusses anything with the roommate. It is only in a photo during the final credits that the two are seen standing together.

The film takes for granted same-sex marriage legislation in the United States. It also offers a more human opportunity for audiences to understand and appreciate the nature of same-sex relationships and marriage.

1. in the tradition of romantic comedies? Male-female? Lesbian romantic comedy and similarities? For the couple? Family? For friends?

2. An American mainstream film tackling this subject in 2015? Past issues of coming out? American legislation on same-sex marriages? Activities of conservative and religious groups and opposition? Challenge?

3. Katherine Heigl, her status as a comedienne? The cast?

4. The Cleveland settings, the city, homes and apartments, shops, the streets, the fire department? The wedding celebration? The musical score?

5. The screenplay, keeping the central theme back for some time and audience response to Jenny’s relationships, people trying to set her up? Her roommate? Heterosexual expectations of her? The revelation of the truth, shifts in perspective or not? Opening up the theme?

6. Jenny, in herself, strong character, age, social work and concerns? Five years with Kitty? Concealing this from everyone? her wanting a wedding, discussions with Kitty, the plans, buying the dresses? The decision to tell her parents? Their past comments on partnerships, her father talking about finding the right one and staying the distance? Her mother’s support? The impact of telling lies?

7. The opening baptism, the religious tone, Jenny forced to say I do concerning the questions? The party, Michael, her brother, setting her up – and his later admitting that he knew about her from high school days? Anne, dowdy, her work, husband and children, fostering the gossip about relationships? Introduction to the parents, ordinary, their friends?

8. The range of stories, the speculation about Jenny and engagement, married men…?

9. Jenny telling her mother, her mother literally being stunned, trying to cope, trying to understand, not succeeding? In denial? The issue of lies, secrecy and cover, the continuing to support the lies? Her father, his reaction, knowing times had changed? His going out to the meal with her? His understanding, but not wanting to talk? The issues of blame, each blaming themselves for her orientation, upbringing?

10. Different at work, the workmates and their sex talk, the episode referring to the lesbians and dykes and Ed’s reaction? His friend changing the work shift? Their having been friends for years? The end, his intervention with Ed, talking about the problem of getting out of oneself, urging him to the wedding? His wife, long friendship with Rose, her concerns about Jenny, the disapproval, gossiping with other women about the issue?

11. Shopping for the dress, trying them on? The kissing – and Anne seeing them? Going to talk to her mother, finding out that her mother knew? Her outbursts about favouritism and her being unloved?

12. Jenny, phone calls, answering, not answering?

13. Anne, Jenny’s visit to the house, looking at the dead grass, her continued reference to dead grass and being unloved? Her husband, lout, going out? Her hosing the grass, its coming to life – and her ousting him and his not understanding the image of the grass?

14. Discussions with Michael, asking him to walk her up the aisle?

15. The gathering, the people present, her blunt speaking out the truth, everybody’s reaction, harsh words at her father?

16. At home, Ed, the bedroom, the clashes with Rose, not talking, her feeling more desperate, her love for her daughter growing support?

17. Rose coming across her friends, the gossiping, her strong outburst of support?

18. The wedding, everybody gathered, her mother offering to help her with buying the dress? Discussions with Kitty and the places at the meal?

19. Everybody assembling, Ed turning up, his apology, his love for his daughter, explaining his hurt? Mother and father walking her up the aisle? The ceremony itself, the consent, the ring?

20. The celebration, the dancing?

21. The final photo, family and children, and Ed standing next to Kitty?

LOST IN PARADISE

US, 2015, 100 minutes, Colour.
Tom Selleck, Kyle Suddoth, William Sadler, William Devane, Gloria Reuben, Leslie Hope, John Michael Higgins.
Directed by Robert Harmon.

Lost in Paradise is the ninth film in the Jesse Stone series, based on the novels by Robert Parker and directed by Robert Harmon. It comes after the two year hiatus.

Tom Selleck, almost 70, is once again Jesse Stone, police chief in Paradise, a loner, living with his dog who has now died, drinking, phoning his wife which he should not, relating in different ways to people in the town. the only character recurring from Paradise is Suit, played by Kyle Suddoth.

He does go to seek advice from the retired police counsellor played by William Devane.

Jesse travels to Boston and makes re-acquaintance with a police chief with whom he has had a liaison and who gives him some cases which he can follow-up. He chooses the Boston Ripper who has murdered three women but denies murdering the fourth. Jesse is suspicious, makes contact with the dead woman’s husband, finds that she was acting as a prostitute, visits the Madam, watches called girl videos of the victim and her friend, checks with the police investigator, also visits an old acquaintance, Gino Fish, William Sadler, a Mafia chief.

There is a subplot to the film involving a 13-year-old girl with an alcoholic mother, Jesse befriending her, offering the mother money to dry out, checking with his nun friend in Boston for possible accommodation for the girl.

Jesse draws the right conclusion about who the killer is and narrowly saves the former prostitute from attack.

A tenth Jesse Stone feature is promised.

1. The popularity of the Jesse Stone series? Stone as a person, his police work, detection, his clashes, his ex-wife, drinking, relationships, his age?

2. The town of Paradise, his home in seclusion, the cliffs, the streets, houses? The musical score? The sequences in Boston?

3. The title, literal, Jesse and his being lost in his life and in his work in the town?

4. Two years away from the screen, the opening with his visits to the doctor, their shared interests, the past, therapy, questions? The impact of the death of his dog, his work? Going to the club and listening to the singer, memories of that past? The visit from Suit, talk, memories?

5. Going to Boston, the talk with the police chief, the past relationship with her? His visit to his friend, the nun? His visit to Gino Fish? To the madame and the brothel? Discussion with the police inspector?

6. In Paradise, the girl on the street, 13, her alcoholic mother, befriending the girl, visit to the mother, the threats, giving finance for her drying out? Suit and his help?

7. The documents, the cold cases, his choosing the Boston Ripper? The three similar deaths? The fourth death and the difference?

8. His visit to the killer, the discussions, the killer saying he was not guilty of this killing?

9. The death of the woman, her prostitution, the visit to her husband?

10. The visit to the coroner, the information, the killing method not publicised?

11. The encounters with the policeman investigating the case, his being transferred?

12. The brothel madam, giving the videos, the murdered woman and her come on, Charlotte? Tracking down Charlotte, her work, the restaurant? The interview? Giving the information, about the dog and its name, the threat to her life and the attack?

13. Investigating the case, the companionship of the dog, the dog looking at the video of the dead woman? Mulling the information? Going to save
Charlotte?

14. Solving the case? His future work?

KILL ME THREE TIMES

Australia, 2015, 90 minutes, Colour.
Simon Peggy, Sullivan Stapleton, Alice Braga, Teresa Palmer, Luke Hemsworth, Callum Mulvey, Bryan Brown, Steve Le Marquand.
Directed by Kriv Stenders.

Director Kriv Stenders gained a great reputation for his dog film, the extremely popular, Red Dog. He then went on to another dog film, Blue Dog.

In the meantime, he stayed in Western Australia, into the desert, into country towns, close to the coast and the sea. This is not a dog film. It is a murder story and quite a convoluted one at that as one thinks about the title and the various threads interconnecting the central characters.

Simon Pegg is a hitman reflecting on his life and that he is about to die – with ironic ending in seeing the way that he will die! We see him going into the desert, pursuing a victim, shooting him and then taking a call on his mobile phone before firing the final fatal shot. Then we see him stalking a couple, a dentist and his assistant, Sullivan Stapleton and Teresa Palmer, who are, in fact, husband-and-wife and are up to no good. He also takes photos.

Then there is the owner of a bar, Callum Mulvey, jealous about his wife, Alice Braga, suspecting her of having an affair with the storekeeper, Luke Hemsworth. Also in the picture is the local police officer, not above threatening people, not abovve financial corruption – played by Bryan Brown.

There are plans for killings, plans for car accidents and crashes over cliffs, plans for insurance money recovery… But it all gets tangled up when a car has a flat tire, when the car doesn’t quite go over the cliff as anticipated, when the hitman thinks that a victim is dead when she isn’t – and then there is a whole lot of shooting going on, not many survivors at all.

The film is really a black comedy, some serious undertones, but an ironic presentation of a crime thriller.

1. Australian thriller, twists and ironies?

2. The title, the caption for each of the killing events?

3. The work of the director – and filming in Western Australia?

4. The Western Australian locations, the desert, the coast, the town, homes and mansions, the club, the store, police? A feeling for the area? Musical score?

5. Introduction, Charlie Wolfe and his waiting to die, the flashback, the end and the irony of his being pierced through?

6. His killing, the pursuit of the victim, the desert, the hill, the machinery, the rifle shots, shooting at close-up, but answering his mobile phone?

7. Charlie, his watching the events with Nathan and Lucy, the revelation of his being employed, tracking Alice and Bill, the photos, going to Jack, being hired, the high payment? Alice and the car crash, his presumption? Confronting Nathan, killing him? The irony of his relationship with Lucy, hired by her, the affair? The confrontation with the police, shooting? His visit to the store and being seen as a tourist?

8. The screenplay keeping the twists hidden, gradually revealing the connections and twists?

9. Jack, married to Alice, running the bar, the cash in the safe, her affair with Bill, contact with Charlie Wolfe, spying on Alice, the photos, his seeing them? Anger, hiring Charlie Wolfe to kill Alice? Charlie’s return, assured that the job was done, the money stolen from the safe? Charlie threatening to return? Confrontation with Bill about his affair, Bill shooting him? The role of the police?

10. Lucy, Jack’s sister, working in the bar, married to Nathan, the dental surgery, her role as an assistant, making the booking for Alice, changing the dental records? Attacking Alice, the body in the car, the flat tire, Nathan and his distraction, the accident? In the store, buying the petrol? The different cars, the transferring of the body? Lucy confronting Alice? The car over the cliff, the explosion? Lucy and Nathan in the mansion? The issue of the insurance? Charlie’s arrival, the relationship with Lucy, the confrontation, Bill, the shootings?

11. Bill, the store, his affair with Alice, confronting Jack, shooting him? Confronting Lucy and Charlie – his being wounded, the accidental death of Lucy?

12. Alice, the affair, relationship with Jack, taking the money, going to the dentist, being attacked, in the boot, over the cliff, surviving, saving Bill – and a future?

13. The police officer, corrupt, stand-over tactics, his death?

14. The range of relationships, money issues, debts, insurance policy, murder?

15. And the final irony with Charlie Wolfe pierced through?

DARK PLACES

US, 2015, 113 minutes, Colour.
Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks, Chloe Grace Moretz, Tye Sheridan, Sean Bridgers.
Directed by Gilles Pacquet- Brenner.

Dark Places is a very interesting film which did not receive as much release as might have been expected given the fact that Charlize Theron is the star.

This is very similar to one of those true crime stories, echoes of such investigative films as In Cold Blood. The setting of the crime is Kansas in 1986 the killing of a woman in her house and the death of two of her daughters. Her older son, Ben, Tye Sheridan, is considered strange and he is blamed for the killings and imprisoned for 28 years. The youngest daughter, Libby, who survived has grown up, Charlize Theron as the older Libby, has had a ghost-written story of the crime published but has fallen on hard times.

She is approached by an earnest young man, Nicholas Hoult, who invites her to a meeting of a group in his house, ardent fans of true crime, including some lawyers and police investigators. One of the members does not believe that the brother was guilty of the crimes. Libby, needing the money, is persuaded to spend some weeks helping them investigate the case.

This leads her to visit her brother Corey Stoll, in prison for the first time and hear his side of the story. This raises some doubts, and takes her to further leads, including finding the father who had abandoned his family, a young woman who is a girl had accused her brother of sexual molestation and who now works as a stripper, as well as finding the woman who used to be her brother’s girlfriend.

The film is not quite as straightforward as might have been expected, some extra information coming up concerning the behaviour of the mother, a sympathetic performance from Christina Hendricks, her love for her farm, financial difficulties, and desperate need to provide for her children. More information surfaces about the brother, his volunteer work, his fascination with satanic rituals, including a mad slashing of cattle, the accusations about sexual molestation, his relationship with the young girl from school and their presence in the house at the time of the killings.

Audiences will find the characters and their complexities continually interesting and will be fascinated by the twists in the plot which they may well not have been anticipating.

1. Crime story, investigation? The work of Gillian Flynn?


2. 1986, Kansas, the black-and-white sequences, the final moments before the murder? The colour flashbacks, the house, the interiors, the farm work in the fields, the open roads? The clubs and bars, the satanic rituals?

3. The present, the city, laundromat, drab apartments, strip clubs, the prison, homes? Musical score?

4. The title, the reference to crime, satanic rituals, dark places in human nature, in individuals, in Ben, in Libby?

5. The gradual revelation of the twists? Seeing the crime, the mother’s death, the children, the assumption that Ben did the murders, to be interrogated by the police, going to court, his being found guilty? Scenes of Ben at home, his hair, the table, going to see his friends, posters in his room, the satanic ritual, the relationship with Diondra, sexual, her pregnancy, the cult ritual, the massacre of the cattle? The plan, the escape, Michelle and her gossip at school? The deaths?

6. Ben, 28 years in prison, his appearance, not making any appeal, the tattoos, the name of Polly, his silence? Libby’s visit? The tension between them? Her not visiting for 28 years? The discussion about the yellow horse, the need of each to relate as brother and sister?

7. Libby as an adult, tough, growing up, hard life, writing the book, the income? The financier and his warning her of the dire situation? The letter from Lyle, going to talk with him, going to the meeting, the money, the strange crowd there, eccentrics and preoccupation about 86 record low interest rates/I crime, the woman fighting for Ben’s innocence, the former legal and police personnel and the maps and investigations? Lyle offering her work, money, her agreement? Going to the prison, discussions with Ben, the effect on her? Phone calls, information from Ben, discovery of the accusations about his sexual molestation, the name of the girl, going to the bar with Lyle, the stripper, the money, and her paying it back, and the explanation of the lies that she told? Diondra missing for 28 years, tracking her down, the clues, finding her with her daughter, their expecting her, in the bathroom, finding her mother’s necklace, their attacking her, the basement, her escape, rescue by Lyle?

8. The effect of this experience on her, going to see Ben again, the truth, his silence about the reasons? But never having seen his daughter? Wondering whether she was bad like her mother?

9. The flashback to Ben, his voluntary work, the girls, flirting, the kiss, the parents, the lies, the police? The girl growing up and becoming a stripper?

10. Diondra, the truth, the flashback and deeing her strangling Michelle? Telling the truth to her daughter, their both attacking Libby?

11. The portrait of the mother, doing her best, for her children, her husband abandoning her, a wastrel, his turning up with doughnuts for the children, but wanting her money, not believing she didn’t have money? Her desperation, having to sell the equipment, the visitor and his contract, her signing it? The pact, her writing the letter to her children, her being killed, saying she loved Libby? The twist with the role of the serial killer and his arrest and exposure? The death of the daughter, being shot, and Diondra killing Michelle?

12. The portrait of the father, in the past, money, betting, the Indian and his debts, selling drugs, drinking? The confrontation with his wife, taking the money? Libby tracking him down, talking with him, the truth?

13. The film’s venturing into dark places and exploring human nature?

WAR ROOM

US, 2015, 120 minutes, Colour.
Karen Abercrombie, Priscilla C. Shirer, T. C. Stallings.
Directed by Alex Kendrick.

In the last decade, the Kendrick brothers have become very successful filmmakers. The more recent films have appeared on the US box office 10 best on their release and had wide circulation in the United States, especially in church circles. The films have been well received overseas, especially by churches and religious groups. Titles include Facing the Giants, fireproof, Fireproof, Courageous.
The film opens with some Pentagon footage, our expected images of war rooms. But this is simply meant to be a symbol, of our own personal war rooms, our personal struggles and a conflict between good and evil.

The setting for War Room is South Carolina and some extension to Atlanta. While there have been African- American characters in the Kendricks’ films, all the principal characters here are African- American.

There is an old lady, Clara, Karen Abercrombie, whose husband died at the time of the Vietnam war. She has always regretted that there was not a greater peace between herself and her husband at the time of his death, so has made a resolution, something like “payit forward” of contacting a wife who was having marital difficulties and persuade her to look deep within herself, to be prayerful, to belief in Jesus.

This time the wife is Elizabeth, Priscilla C. Shirer, a very successful real estate agent, even employed to sell Clara’s house.She is devoted to her young daughter, loves her husband but he is caught up in his busy salesman work, taking him away from home, getting him involved in some fraudulent aspects of his work, some temptation to his roving eye.

The war room of the title for Clara is a room, a secluded place in her house, where she can retreat, be recollected, pray, contemplate the Scriptures. Elizabeth agrees to listen to Clara and be guided by her, initially finding the praying difficult, but, along with the audience, listening to the wise advice seeing the practice, learning something of how to pray. She cleans out a closet at home and makes that her war room, a small place for prayer, the Scripture texts on the wall, her reading them and reflecting on them – and denouncing Satan, shouting for Satan to get out of her life and relying on the fact that Jesus has already conquered him.

Faced with a crisis, the husband begins to come to his senses, expects his wife to be angry with him but gradually begins to understand what has happened to her, her faith and prayer, and his attempts to follow her lead. Part of the enjoyment of his conversion is his criticism of his little daughter doing rope-jumping but then his entering into it wholeheartedly – and the portrayal of a local rope-jumping competition. No surprise who wins.

This is certainly an evangelical film, with Alex Kendrick, the writer-director, taking on a significant role of the businessman who is challenged to think about his own values, especially that of forgiveness.

The film will serve as an inspiration to its target audience, encouraging them to prayer, instructing them in ways of praying. It also serves as encouragement to married couples for faith to help them in their difficulties. Interestingly, there are very few church scenes in this film. It will have very little appeal to non-believers or secular audiences since it is storytelling for evangelisation and preaching.

1. A faith-film? A film about prayer? A film about God? About Jesus and the answer to prayer?

2. The target audience, the faith-audience, American, African- American? White? For non-American audiences? For non-faith audiences?

3. The work of the Kendrick Brothers, their success in making films, religious success, box-office success in the US? The wide reach for their films? Men of faith, writing, producing, directing, Alex Kendrick and his sympathetic role as the company boss? A scene of understanding and forgiveness?

4. The North Carolina settings, the scenes in Atlanta? Homes, middle-class, comfortable, African- American, white? The pharmaceutical company and its offices? The real estate agency and its offices? School? The rope-jumping rehearsals and competition? The musical score and its religious atmosphere?

5. The focus on African- American characters? In the South? Comfortably-off people? The contrast with the history of the South, even in the 1970s? Not so much emphasis on church and pastors – although the focus on the community centre? The background of the Vietnam war and veterans being killed, the aftermath?

6. The focus on the Jordan family? Centring on Elizabeth? A strong presence, love for her husband, 13 years of marriage, growing exasperation, her love for her daughter yet discovering that she had been too busy to follow what was happening to her daughter? Tony, his pharmaceutical work, his reputation, interactions with the bosses, his travelling in sales, his weariness with his marriage, meeting the woman in Atlanta? The possibility for betrayal? The little girl, sensitive to her parents fighting, her girlfriend and stayovers?

7. The introduction to Clara, at the cemetery, her memories of her husband, dying in the Vietnam war? Her later explanation to Elizabeth, the tensions with her husband before his death, his dying without their being reconciled? The effect on her faith, to reach out to someone else, to save them from the same experience that she had?

8. Clara, selling the house, going to stay with her son – the later revelation that he was a City Manager – befriending Elizabeth, the discussions, the meetings, Elizabeth between faith and non-faith, the image of the hot coffee and the cool coffee and its mediocrity? Clara, her war room, the room for prayer, for scriptural texts? The various meetings with Elizabeth, the discussions about her situation, Clara urging her to faith in Jesus? Clara at home, exuberant, exhilarated about her faith and the experience with Elizabeth?

9. Elizabeth at work, dissatisfied, irritated with Tony, the criticisms, his expecting caustic remarks, the effect on her daughter?

10. Elizabeth being touched by Clara, beginning to pray, clearing out her closet, making her own war room, prayer, the initial effort, subsequent ease, her praying the scriptural texts?

11. Elizabeth raging against the devil, confronting him, inside the house, outside the house, saying that she wanted to save her marriage? Her faith in Jesus who had conquered the devil?

12. The discovery about Tony and his stealing the pharmaceuticals, cooking his books? The interview, his being fired? His coming home, expecting a reaction, Elizabeth being calm, understanding, hoping to manage? His being disconcerted? His consciousness about the past, Elizabeth sending money to her sister and his condemnation of the husband as wastrel? Issues of incomes? His ignoring his daughter? The meeting with the woman at Atlanta, the dinner, her proposition, his hesitation, sick in the toilet, coming home?

13. His confession to Elizabeth, the money, the pharmaceuticals, struggling? His decision to return them, going to the office, the condemnation by the boss who was always critical of him? The background of their shock at his behaviour, summoning him, firing him? The more sympathetic boss, accepting the pharmaceuticals, asking for the money back? Taking two days to consider? Visiting the house, amazed at Tony’s behaviour, not prosecuting him?

14. Elizabeth, the visits to Clara, their both being happy? The retired pastor and his wife, to buy the house, the discovery of the war room, clinching the sale, the daughter texting and Clara knowing the result?

15. Tony, going to the school, his previous criticisms of rope jumping, apologising to his daughter? Her skills, his acrobatic skills seen in the visits to the gym? His joining in, the rehearsals, the competition and their skills and winning?

16. Tony and the offer of the job of director at the community centre, Elizabeth agreeing and his accepting?

17. Clara happy, the spirituality of contact, communication and “pay it forward”? A Christian and prayerful solution to problems finishing in hope?

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

US, 2016, 108 minutes, Colour.
Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Rhys Ifans, Matt Lucas, Lindsay Duncan, Leo Bill, Geraldine James, Andrew Scott, Richard Armitage, Ed Speelers.
Voices of: Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Stephen Fry, Martin Sheen, Paul Whitehouse, Meera Syal.
Directed by James Bobin.

It is probably not a good idea to reread Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass before you go to see this film – otherwise you will find that it bears practically no resemblance to the novel. As the credits indicate, the screenplay is based on characters created by Lewis Carroll.

In 2009, director Tim Burton produced a lavish presentation of Alice in Wonderland, drawing on his long career of imaginative storytelling (and a touch of emphasis on the dark side). Mia Wasakowska played Alice and has had quite an extraordinary international career since then. She is Alice again, seven years later, seven years older. How do the filmmakers cope?

At the opening of the film, we have a young adult Alice, captain of a sailing ship in the 1870s, pursued by pirates on the Straits of Malacca, using her courage and skills to tip the boat at an angle to enable it to get through the shallow reefs and so evade the pirates. On her return to London, she is determined to take out a ship again. The family who had employed her, also have the documents to her home and have decided that it would be best if she simply worked as a clerk in their London office.

Surely time to go through the Looking Glass! Which she does, finding herself for a short time in Wonderland, meeting old friends, especially the Mad Hatter, Johnny Depp again, and the March Hare, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the butterfly Absalom, the White Rabbit, the dormouse, the lumbering dog. But she doesn’t stay long because she finds that the Mad Hatter is pining for his family who have either disappeared or died. The White Queen, Anne Hathaway again, is concerned for him and urges Alice to travel back into the past.

This she does, finding Time, a creature with human exterior and clockwork interior, played in a more subdued fashion by Sacha Barron Cohen. He and Alice clash but she takes his time travelling capsule and goes back to the day of the coronation of the new Queen, the Red Queen, Helena Bonham Carter again, and the Mad Hatter laughing at the proceedings – with the angry Red Queen threatening him and his family, sending the Dragon to destroy them.

Alice realises that she cannot change history yet she decides to go back even further, to see the two young princesses, their clashes and the moment when the Red Queen hits her head and develops an angry persona. Alice has to get back to Time because the Red Queen is in vindictive mode and wants to take control of all time which means that every living thing will be transformed into stone unless Alice is able to rescue the world – in time.

Not exactly Lewis Carroll material.

However, this is quite an entertaining piece, with enjoyable performances and with rather overwhelming extraordinary special effects. Perhaps too frightening for young audiences, perhaps not absorbing for older children, but maybe something for those audiences who have a love for Alice in Wonderland.

1. The popularity of Tim Burton’s original film? Its style, fantasy, dark? Cast, voices? Glimpses of Wonderland, the more eerie setting in time travel in the past?

2. The human characters, the animated characters, the backgrounds, the musical score?

3. The plot, based on Lewis Carroll’s characters, different from the original novel? The continuing of Alice’s experiences in Wonderland, her mother, her being the captain of the ship, her skills, return to London?

4. The focus on Alice, the glass and going into Wonderland, time travel, history? The focus on the Madcap Hatter, his friends and their behaviour, chatter? His loss of his family? The possibility for changing history?

5. The animation, the action, colourful, the sets, costumes and decor, an imaginary world?

6. Alice, the Straits of Malacca, the pirates, the 1870s? Alice as the captain? Her crew, the orders and skills, the manoeuvre in slanting the ship, getting through the rocks? Success?

7. The return to London, meeting her mother, her mother selling the home, the plans, the ship, going to visit the family, the rejected suitor and his meanness, his mother? Taking back the ship, offering Alice a job as a clerk in the office, her refusing?

8. Absolom the butterfly, appearance, leading Alice to the looking glass, her meeting her old friends again, the Hatter, upset, his house, his grieving over the loss of his family? The White Queen and her skills, the future? The Red Queen and her anger?

9. Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the March Hare, the dog, the dormouse, the patter and chatter, the tea-party and it always being a minute before teatime?

10. Alice, her task, the journey to time and the clocks, Time and his comedy routines? The philosophy of time, the phrases about time, the clocks, the crew, Alice and the capsule, travelling through space and time?

11. The coronation, the two daughters? Pomp and circumstance, the king and queen? The Red Queen as the heir? The Hatter, his family, costumes? The Hatter laughing? The reaction of the Red Queen? Punishing him, punishing the family, believed to be dead, caught in the miniature?

12. The flashbacks and the two princesses, the girls and the eating of the tarts, the White Queen and her lie, The Red Queen being blamed? Running away, the accident, hitting her head? And the White Queen and Alice unable to change history?

13. Alice going to change history on the day of the Dragon, the Red Queen and her mayhem, the dragon and destruction? Alice unable to change time and history? The discovery of the parents? The return, the Hatter and his feebleness, yet alive?

14. Alice, the Hatter, Time, the capsule, to save the family?

15. The Red Queen, her control, reversing the processes, everybody dying and preserved? Alice, her race to the top, the quest to insert the drop? the electric spark, the drop, the reversal of the death process?

16. The reconciliation, Time and his acceptance? The Hatter and his friends?

17. Alice, the interlude where she woke up and was in the institution, getting out? The final decision to go back?

18. Her mother, not signing the document, the shock of the wealthy family? The new company, the ships and the enterprise?

19. Alice and her future?

BREATHE

France, 2014, 91 minutes, Colour.
Josephine Japy, Lou de Laage, Isabelle Carre.
Directed by Melanie Laurent.

Melanie Laurent has had a successful career as an actress both in her native France, The Roundup, in Canada, Beginners, and internationally as in Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.

She has also tried her hand at directing and does so here, the story that she has written, a story about teenage girls, friendships, family, relationship with mothers, falling out…

Josephine Japy is Charlene, who lives with her mother and her prone-to-violence father. We see her at school, listening to a class on the nature of passion. And, into the class comes Sarah, Lou de Laage, something of a free spirit, extroverted, with a mother who works in an NGO in Nigeria, her own international experiences, making herway into the life of her new school. She and Charlene become friends, Sarah bringing Charlene out of herself, introducing her to the rather raucous life of clubs, dancing, drinking and drugs.

But, Charlene is rather introspective and a distance comes between herself and Sarah. Then the truth about Sarah comes out and a clash between the two girls. This becomes very serious at the end, with an outburst of violence by Charlene and the film ending with her looking straight to camera, leaving reflection and judgement to the audience.

1. The title, breathing space for Charlene, for Sarah, for Vanessa?

2. The French setting, the town, homes, school, the streets, the holiday house, the beach, the farm? The musical score?

3. A film of female sensibilities, the director and writer, her film career, the lead actresses?

4. A sensitive film about female adolescence, self-consciousness, self-image, relationships, friendship, love, sexuality?

5. The portrait of Charlene, her age, getting up in the morning, touch of sullenness, the presence of her father, his increasing brutality, yet his love for his daughter, her mother upset, wanting the father to leave? Charlene going by bus to school? Her friendship with Victoire, their being together, in class, the teacher and the discussion about passion and excess – and its relationship to Charlene’s experiences with Sarah?

6. Sarah, arriving in class, giving the answer to the maths problem to the boy at the board, seated next to Charlene? Asking her help for history? Sarah, her personality, her criticisms of people who told exaggerated stories? Her own story about her mother in Nigeria, the NGO?

7. The development of the friendship between Charlene and Sarah, shared interests, the nights out, the clubs, drinking, drugs, boys, dancing? Back at home, Sarah’s relationship with Vanessa? At home with Charlene? Going on holiday, the car ride, the meals, Sarah going with the boy, sexual encounter? The intimacy of their discussions, Charlene and Lucas, attempts at sex, Sarah later revealing this? The tension growing
between the two? The place of Victoire – on the outer? Vanessa and her support?

8. Charlene following Sarah home, discovering the truth about her mother, alcoholism? Sarah’s reaction?

9. Things resuming at school, Sarah going off with others, the effect on Charlene, emotionally, by herself, Victoire and her support, Victoire urging her to be independent?

10. The increasing effect on Charlene? Sarah coming to the house, the confrontation – and Charlene, the suppressed violence coming out, choking Sarah? Her mother arriving?

11. The impact of Charlene staring into the camera and leaving the audience to wonder about her and her future?

MOTHER’S DAY

US, 2016, 118 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Jack Whitesell, Timothy Olyphant, Aasiv Mandvi, Shay Mitchell, Margo Martindale, Robert Pine, Hector Elizondo, Jon Lovitz,.
Directed by Garry Marshall.

Garry Marshall has had a good reputation for making popular and very entertaining films, this coming to some kind of peak in 1990 with Pretty Woman and the emergence of Julia Roberts as a star. She has appeared in some of his other films including this one.

In recent years, Garry Marshall has made some films with celebration day titles, New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. Though, for fans, it is not surprising for him to make Mother’s Day. And, as the fans would expect, there are some popular stars in the central roles and there are various stories, interconnected, and the theme of mothers, wives, marriage, separation, adoption…

The central story focuses on Sandy, Jennifer Aniston, with two sons, married for 13 years but her husband leaving her for a younger woman. She still has a hankering for him and is rather taken aback at his news about his new wedding, as well as the issues of custody of the two boys, her irritation with him and, especially, a wariness of the new young stepmother. This leads to serious scenes as well some comic scenes, especially at a family party with the ex-husband trapped in a waterslide.

She has a best friend, Jessie, Kate Hudson, who has some problems of her own. She is supportive of her sister, who is a lesbian and lives with her partner. They have not told their mother and father who hail from Texas – and who suddenly land in Atlanta to see their daughters and to discover what has been happening. Jessie has her own secret. her mother being particularly antipathetic to her marrying a man of Indian background – but she has and has a son. When mother and father, in their caravan, arrive for Mother’s Day, needless to say there are quite some problems, though this is the kind of film in which they will be, perhaps easily, resolved.

Sandy is a set designer and later hurries to an interview with the celebrity who appears on the shopping channel, Julia Roberts. Because Sandy is plucky, she is hired. But, Julia Roberts has concerns of her own – which the audience will click on to fairly quickly when there is a young couple with a child, working in a club where the young man is auditioning as a stand-up comedian. His partner has a secret about her adoption and wants to track down her birth mother. We know who.

There is also a story about a Marine who is a widower, Brad, Jason Sudeikis, whose wife has been killed in action. He looks after two daughters, a bit over-protective, who chances upon Sandy in confusion in a supermarket, sees her rather hysterical in her car, sees her coming into the gym where he works – and finally, when he falls on the roof performing karaoke at his children’s party, he encounters her once again at the hospital where she has had to take her asthmatic son.

This is the kind of film that is very popular with audiences, undemanding audiences, the kind of film which irritates art-house audiences who feel there is not enough depth in the characterisations or situations. But, for popular storytelling and raising serious issues at this entertainment level, Mother’s Day will fit the bill.

1. The title? The range of stories and emotions? The work of Garry Marshall, his similar compendium films?

2. The cast, in an enjoyable film, savagery from many critics?

3. The locations, with middle-class Americans, Atlanta, Georgia? The city, homes? The musical score?

4. The themes for Mother’s Day film, the role of mothers, marriage, husbands, children, commitment, separation, divorce, remarriage,
pregnancy?

5. Sandy’s story, Jennifer Aniston, 13 years of marriage, the two boys, the asthmatic boy, the bonds between the two brothers, Henry, divorce, custody, his visits, his seeming to flirt with Sandy, his news about remarriage? Sandy as a designer, her friendship with Jessie, her other friends, phone calls and conversations? Going to the gym? Her work as a designer, being late for the interview, causing the upset, Miranda and her reaction, Sandy getting the job? Her being upset about Tina, as stepmother, comparisons? The boys going to stay with their father and Tina, reactions, phone calls? Her providing for the party, the llamas, the clown and the disaster for Henry getting caught in the waterslide? Her blaming herself? The chance meeting with Bradley at the supermarket, her tantrum, in the car, the crisis, her son at the hospital, Henry and Tina, the chance meeting with Bradley and his girls?

6. Henry, 13 years married, leaving, still friendly with Sandy, visiting the kids, bringing them junk food? The announcement about his marriage? Tina, her age, character, glamour? The house, custody issues? In the waterslide? Tina, her concern, checking with Sandy, going to the hospital? The bonds?

7. Jesse in herself, Gabe as her sister, her lesbian partner? The parents not knowing, the Skype contacts? The float with the vagina? Jessie married to Russell, his Indian background, their son? The secret from the family? The parents and the surprise visit, hearing the truth, upset, going out into the caravan? Russell and his being upset with his wife’s lies, moving out? The phone call from Russell’s mother, Las Vegas? Flo and Russell’s mother, the talk, the bonding, a different attitude towards her grandchild? The return? In the van, no brakes, careering down the street – and everything contrived by Earl to resolve the situation? The jokes about the float? The happy ending?

8. Gabe, her partner, the float, her parents, sisterly and supporting Jessi, the comedy with the float? Coming out, acceptance?

9. Kristin and Zach, working in the club, the comic performances, the competition, Zach and his performances? Their daughter? Kristin unwilling to marry, Zach’s puzzle? The baby, Zach having to hold it during the performance – and its winning the cheque? Secrets?

10. Miranda, glamour, on the show, TV shopping and people ringing in, buying the pendants changing colour according to moods, Flo having one? Miranda’s work with her producer? The long years – and his being from Brooklyn? The issue of the design for the set, the interaction with Sandy, signing photos? Kristin coming to see her, their meeting in the Café, Kristin’s story of adoption, Miranda’s story, giving up the child, the arrangements with the parents, their sending the photo album, but keeping her away? Supporting Kristin for the wedding – and giving her away at the ceremony?

11. Bradley, the death of his wife, seeing her appear in the video, the karaoke, their life in the Marines? The two girls, their age, the father being protective, at home, strictness, the boy, at school, Bradley suspicions? Seeing Sandy at the supermarket and puzzling about her, seeing her in the car, seeing her at the gym but avoiding being seen by her? The girls, quoting Shakespeare, concerned about their father? The visits to the cemetery? Bradley in his performance, accepting the boyfriend, karaoke, falling at the window, in hospital, the encounter with Sandy?

12. Popular stories, emotional stories – for the mainstream audience?

ONLY YESTERDAY

Japan, 1991, 118 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Isao Takahata.

Only Yesterday is a film of 1991, rereleased in 2016. It can be seen in its original Japanese version or in an English-dubbed version, with Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, The Man Who Knew Infinity).

This film comes from the celebrated Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghiblil. The present director made the very striking Grave of the Fireflies film in 1988. Many of the films were directed by the head of the studio, Hayai Miyazaki who won an Oscar for Spirited Away.

Ordinarily, the films from Studio Ghibli lead the audience into a fantasy world. This is not the case here. Rather, for 1991 it was a comparatively contemporary story, the main setting in 1986, with flashbacks to childhood sequences in 1966.

The central character is Taeka, a young working woman who decides to go back to the country and to work on a farm. The scenes of her childhood show her as one of three sisters, the youngest, with a rather stern father who does not want her to become an actress, even though she had only one line in the school play but did some histrionic variations on the line. The girls at school are going on a holiday but she is able to go only with her grandmother to a spa where she enjoys the baths.

There is a funny scene from 1966 where the family buys a pineapple but has no idea how to cut it open or to eat it – and, when they do, they dislike it, finding it rather bitter compared with the sweet tinned pineapple they were used to. Pineapples were not available in Japan like this in 1966.

The young woman really enjoys working in the country, in the fields, the exhilaration. There is a young man from the family where she is staying, who has been disappointed in not being able to study at the University, his father wanting him to work on the farm where he has become an expert. The two communicate, and an attraction forms between them. The young woman is rather resistant, especially when the grandmother of the house begins some matchmaking.

The young girl leaves but gets off the train and begins writing in the cafe, deciding to return – and a payoff for the audience with a happy ending.

The animation style of Studio Ghibli is quite distinctive, wash-colour, facial features really suggested rather than given in detail, beautiful scenic backgrounds. This is the case here – in a film which many consider one of the best to have come from Studio Ghibli.

1. A 1990s film from Studio Ghibli? A 2016 re-release? Style of animation, humans, human features, actions? Landscapes? The humane stories from the studio?

2. Impact for a Japanese audience, world audience? Memories of the 1960s and 1980s? Nostalgia? The changes in Japanese society?

3. 1966, 1986? Comparisons, changes, influences?

4. The humorous sequence of the puzzle about the pineapple, cutting it open, the family not liking it, bitter taste, compared with the canned
pineapple? Pineapples not available to families in 1966?

5. Taeka, her age, 27, the work, on leave, a desire to go to the country, the journey, the affinity with the countryside, memories of her childhood, work on the farm, with the family?

6. Taeka as little, her family, her sisters, a tough-minded father, a supportive mother, the scenes at the table, hopes, her father’s criticism? The children and the prospective holiday, the holiday destination, with her grandmother, her admiration for the baths? Boys, liking and disliking? Play? The offer of the play? Performance and her one line and adding the drama? Her father’s reaction? Taeka’s sensitivity to the other girl, acceptance?

7. The only boy, hatred, not shaking, spitting? The interpretation?

8. Toshio, in himself, the past, his work on the farm, disappointment in not going to the University? Admiration, his father, work, nature, helping, creativity and being together with Taeka? The crops, the work, the old people, the sister, sharing?

9. Discussions about marriage and prospects? The grandmother and her match-making, the reaction of the other members of the family?

10. Taeka upset, going for the walk in the rain, talking to Toshio?

11. Leaving, the secret, the train ride, the children – her getting out of the train, writing, the return?

12. The interconnection between past and present, the influences? Taeka and her decision, her future with Toshio? On the farm?

13. The playing of The Rose as the climax of the film and over the final credits?

DEMON

Israel/ Poland, 2015, 94 minutes, Colour.
Italy Tiran, Agnieszka Zulewska, Andrzej Grabowski.
Directed by Marcin Wrona.

Demon is an Israeli-financed film but set in Poland. It takes place over two days, a young engineer coming from England for a wedding ceremony. He is working for his prospective father-in-law and prospective brother-in-law. The night before, he is in the house and contemplating the building of a swimming pool. He discovers some dead bones and is reassured that they are from a dog.

The next day the ceremony is held. It is a Catholic ceremony, presided over by a priest who comes to the reception. However, during the reception, the groom is possessed by the spirit of a dead woman, whose remains are in the pool.

The intriguing aspect is that this is a Catholic setting up of the woman who is dead is Jewish, and a Dybbuk, and takes possession of the groom, leading to strange experiences, the priest unable to exorcise only to say prayers, the in-laws covering the episode and getting people to eat, drink and dance, with the Jewish doctor explaining what is happening.

The film offers no further explanations and leaves everything to the audience to ponder.

1. A Polish film? Finance from Israel? Jewish themes? the languages, Polish, English, Yiddish?

2. The Polish setting, the isolation, the river, Peter travelling on the punt? The locations, the building? The equipment? The wedding, ceremony, the wedding night and reception? The musical score?

3. The title, and Dybbuk’s story, the traditions of the Dybbuk, the dead Jewish person taking possession of another to get a life?

4. The Catholic context, the ceremony, the priest at the ceremony, at the reception, seeking his advice, his prayer, invocation of St Michael? The discussions about the possession?

5. The situation, Peter, the engineer, his fiance, her father, the prospects for business, his brother-in-law and his friend? The plans? His living in England, the wedding and the return to England?

6. The night, the rain, Peter falling into the hole, discovering the skeleton?

7. The wedding, the ceremony, the reception, Peter and his wife and the sexual encounter, the guests, the drinking, the dancing, the speeches?

8. Peter, his becoming possessed, calling the tractor Hana, the continued appearances, his position? Her presence at the dance?

9. His father-in-law and the others going out, site of the swimming pool, finding the skeleton, the skeleton of a dog, Peter insisting it was human?

10. The teacher and his reminiscing about the past?

11. The doctor, his drinking, Jewish, his knowing the folklore? Treating Peter? The explanations of what was happening?

12. The bride, her reaction, concern, her father and mother, keeping the guests occupied and covering for what was happening?

13. Peter, his behaviour, the confrontation, the spirit? Asking the priest for advice?

14. The film stopping, questions about the future?