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?

THE BOY

Canada/ China/ US, 2016, 97 minutes, Colour.
Lauren Cowan, Rupert Evans, James Russell, Jim Norton, Diana Hardcastle, Ben Robson.
Directed by William Brent Bell.

The Boy seems a rather innocuous title for this film. One of the central characters is a boy but not quite in the way that we anticipated.

The film opens with a young woman from the United States, Greta (Lauren Cohen) answering an advertisement to look after a young boy at a country estate while his parents go off on a holiday. The location is England but all was filmed in Canada, including the country mansion and its interiors, rooms, staircases, attics, basement… As Greta looks through the house, she sees a portrait of the parents with their young son. She is ready for her task.

But, she is really not prepared, not knowing the truth about the boy – and neither does the audience who share her shock when she is first introduced to him. This makes for an interesting twist – and Greta is introduced to the boy’s routine, his name is Brahms and the lullaby does recur during the film, to his meals, dressing, going to bed, listening to music, reading.

Greta does get a shock when the young man doing grocery deliveries comes to the house (Rupert Evans). He is supportive as Greta tries to cope with the boy after the parents leave. A romantic touch, of course. She is a bit neglectful of Brahms but the boy asserts himself.

Which means that the film is something of a terror story with touches of horror, Greta trying to cope, and trapped at one stage in the attic, trying to decide how she will fulfil all the requirements of her task. her back story also catches up with her with a vengeful boyfriend turning up at the mansion.

Then there is another twist which Greta and the audience had not anticipated which builds up to confrontation, fights, escapes, and some tension.

This review has been written in the spirit of the film – and in such a way as not to reveal any of the twists. Audiences need to discover those for themselves.

1. The blend of horror and terror? The focus on a mysterious doll? Mystery?

2. The title, the boy in the portrait with his parents, his name of Brahms? His appearances the doll? Mysterious behaviour? His final appearance as a person?

3. The setting, the mansion, the grounds? British atmosphere? The interiors of the mansion, staircase, rooms, attic, basement? The musical score?

4. Greta arriving, an American in England, sleeping in the car, arrival, her shoes and their disappearance, looking around the house, hearing sounds? Studying the portraits? Seeing the dolls in the room? The encounter with the parents, her job, the rules and timetables? The story of her past, contact with her sister, the brutality from Cole? The phone calls?

5. Malcolm, scaring Greta, bringing the groceries, knowing Brahms, his playacting and shaking the dolls hand? Winking? Telling Greta the story? Thinking that Brahms was odd? His visits, attraction, in the bedroom, the plan for the night out, his not hearing Greta in the attic, returning, Greta proving to him with the chalk outline that the doll had moved?

6. Greta the parents, their rituals and rules, taking everything seriously? Meals, clothes, going to bed, the language of affection, reading, loud music? Brahms as a doll but treated as a person?

7. Greta alone, careless about the doll? The chair and covering him? Hearing noises, getting trapped in the attic, being let out, the accumulation of fears?

8. Brahms, moving, with the list of rules, Greta and her following the rules?

9. The parents, leaving for the holiday, writing the letter, going into the water and drowning, leaving Greta to Brahms?

10. The story of Cole, his arrival, brutality, treatment of Greta, the clash and fight with Malcolm?

11. The doll, Cole’s anger, smashing it, the attack, his death?

12. The revelation of Brahms as a person, odd, the mask, the adult, his beard under the mask? His manner of speaking? The clash, pursuit of Malcolm and Greta, the fight in the basement, Greta escaping, her decision to return, obeying the rules, stabbing Brahms, his pinning her against
the wall, her stabbing him again, his death? Her going to rescue Malcolm? Their driving to safety?

13. The image of someone rebuilding the doll?

THE WEEPING WILLOW

Iran, 2005, 95 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Majid Majidi.

Majid Majidi is one of the Iranian directors who has a good reputation outside his own country. He has won numerous awards with his films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise and Baran (all of which won awards from OCIC in 1997, 1999, 2001). His portrayal of children has been memorable.

While there is a child in Weeping Willow, the focus is on a middle-aged man who has been blind since the age of eight. He is a professor, leading a comfortable life, with a devoted wife, a little girl and a loving mother. What if his life were to change? How would he change? What would he change about his life. These are the questions the film asks. These are the questions the film offers some answers which can be both pleasing and disturbing.

SeTtings? are in affluent modern Tehran, with a trip to Paris early in the film. While the film is immersed in its culture, it is accessible to audiences around the world.

The film is beautifully crafted and boasts a superb performance by one of Iran's leading actors, Parviz Parastouie, a restrained performance which has moments of anguished outbursts. This is a complete contrast to his 2004 performance in the delightful comedy, The Lizard, where he is a petty criminal who has the chance to escape from prison in Mullah's dress and (like Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act) is mistaken for a genuine holy man.

Underlying the film is a deep spiritual dimension and raises issues of prayer and answers to prayer and what we do in our choices with the answers to our prayers.

1. The title, reference, symbol? Luck, accident, blessing, misfortune?

2. The Teheran settings, the affluent suburbs? The streets? The transition to Paris, the hospital? The musical score and its emotion?

3. Majidi and his awards, the technical craft of his films?

4. The opening, the dark, the audience hearing voices only, Maryam and Yusef playing, the stick race, seeing them together, discovering that Yusef was blind? The significance of his voice-over, especially his secret, the revelation, the direct speech – and at the end the specific reference to God? His accident, blessings?

5. Yusef’s life, aged forty-six, his writing in braille, the attentiveness of his wife, his love for his child, his mother? The concern of his uncle? The house and his seeing it as a Paradise? His lecturing, being able to cope?

6. His collapse, the wind blowing the pages around the house and garden? Hospital, his wife and her remembering her first meeting, helping him find his ring? The back-story of his accident, eight, the fireworks? His going to Paris? His uncle and his help? Arrival, the friend, his room, the doctor and the result of the tests? The information about the possibility of recovery? The preparation, the operation?

7. His meeting Mortezza, the friendship, his broken tape after listening to his daughter, Mortezza offering to fix it, their walk, the trees, the search for the willow, the discussions about seeing and not seeing, Mortezza’s story, the shrapnel injury in the war, his gradually going blind? The photo of Yusef at the willow? His helping him?

8. The night, his wanting to take off the bandages, blood from his eyes, his joy in being able to see, the long corridor, his cautious steps, exultation and dance, being discovered by the nurses, back to bed? His going to Iran, the possibility for a new life?

9. On the plane, the arrival, the crowds greeting him, trying to identify his family, his mother not waving and her nodding, seeing his wife and Maryam, seeing Pari, looking at her, the impact? His being silent on his return, his uncle talking, the celebration and the meal, meeting the family and friends? Silent with his wife, the way he looked at her, walking to the house, the key, going inside, sleeping?

10. His being listless, not wanting to go back to the university, his wife persuading him to go to the school for the blind, his seeing the boys carrying the pots, opening the classroom door, their not knowing who was there, remembering his childhood? His wife and daughter and planting the flowers, their growth, his still not doing anything? The coloured pencils and Maryam teaching him? Looking at the photos, the photo of Pari? His being in the train, watching the pickpocket – not doing anything and the thief winking at him?

11. His reflecting on his life, the growing angers, the photo, his wife’s disappointment, her leaving – and visiting his mother and the compassion for the two women? His mother’s visit to him, his rage, throwing everything out, burning everything? The case into the pool – with his manuscript and prayer? His declaration to his mother, wanting a new life, suffering so much without complaint, saying that he deserved a new life?

12. His being alone, looking at Mortezza’s photo, reading his letter, the sudden loss of sight, his anguish?

13. The hospital, his losing his sight, his shouting and his anger, getting out of his uncle’s car, lost in the traffic, in the rain, with the stick and falling down in the mud?

14. Finding himself at home, going to the pool, finding his briefcase – but missing Mortezza’s photo of him? Getting out his document, reading it in braille, his prayer of asking God for the blessing and the possibility of a new life? The appropriate ending of the film at this moment?

15. The spiritual theme of a person with a disability, praying for a new life, getting it, failing? The role of God, blessing and providence?

QUINCEANERA/ ECHO PARK LA.

US, 2006, 90 minutes, Colour.
Emily Rios, Jesse Garcia, J. R. Cruz, David W. Ross, Jason L. Wood.

Directed by Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland.

On the whole, this is a very cheerful film, though not without its sad moments and its wry comments on life.

Quinceanera is a Hispanic custom, celebrated with pomp and relish in Los Angeles, especially in the Echo Park neighbourhood. It is a rite of passage, a coming of age when a girl turns fifteen. The community celebrates it. It is an important and status reinforcing event for the family and the girl. The film opens with a celebration: the formal dresses, the religious rituals, the formal dances, the meal – and then letting hair down with a more modern take on the music and dancing.

It is interesting to see that the families in the film come from the Catholic tradition, with plenty of images and icons, but they belong to an evangelical iglesia, the type of church which proliferates in American cities.

The centre of the film is Magdalena (a vivacious Emily Rios) who is about to have her Quinceanera but her family do not have quite enough money for the expected big splash. Her father is the preacher at the iglesia, a bible reading pastor who soon has to learn that what God wants is mercy not sacrifice. Magdalena is pregnant but claims it is physically impossible. The putative father is also amazed. Magdalena becomes the focus of gossip and disdain, especially from her school friends.

She moves out of home to her great uncle Tomas, a kindly and genial man who has also taken in another outcast, another great nephew, Carlos (Jesse Garcia) who is gay. Carlos and Magdalena relate well and bond because of their outcast status in the tightly-knit community.

The film is often funny, sometimes full of pathos, and always humane rather than judgmental.

1. An enjoyable film? For American audiences? Hispanic audiences? Worldwide?

2. The title, its meaning, the celebration, turning 15? Its place in Hispanic traditions?

3. The Los Angeles settings, Echo Park, the homes, the parks? The extensive celebrations? The musical score and spirit?

4. The work of the directors, their home in Echo Park, the gay theme?

5. The focus on Magdalena, her age, her relationship with Eileen, with the family, with Carlos? Eileen, her celebration? Magdalena’s participation? Family values, moral stances? Carlos and his homosexuality? His being ousted? The preparations for the feast, Eileen and her pregnancy, her relationship with Hermano? Non-sexual conception, later proven by the doctors? Her father’s stances, his rigidity about virginity? Sending her away? His later relaxation with the truth?

6. Uncle Thomas, Carlos and Magdalena going to stay with him, Hermano being sent away?

7. Carlos and his story, gay, the two men, the affair? His finding money for Magdalena, offering to be the surrogate father? James and his ousting Carlos after the relationship with Gary?

8. Having to find new accommodation, the costs, Thomas and dying?

9. Magdalena, her mother, going to the doctor, her still being a virgin?

10. The spirit of the film and the celebration, all the trappings, participation, singing and dancing, food? The transition for Magdalena and her
future life?
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