FEVER PITCH

UK, 1996, 98 minutes, Colour.
Colin Firth, Ruth Gemmell, Neil Pearson, Mark Strong, Ken Stott, Stephen Rea.
Directed by David Evans.

In London, the topic is football. Nick Hornby has adapted his autobiography as an Arsenal fan (fanatic), Fever Pitch, for the screen and provided a further small budget success, showing us life in the London suburbs, at the local school and, especially, the ardour and torment of watching matches.

Colin Firth, a long way from Mr Darcy, is the teacher and coach whose life is governed by seasons rather than years. Ruth Gemmell is the somewhat prim teacher who is attracted to him but not to the football. Many audiences, no matter what their code, are going to identify with this portrait of a sporting life. The film moves between the fan's childhood and his learning to love the game and the 1989 high point when Arsenal comes close to winning the cup and ... Fans and fanatics. The film was remade a decade later, transferred to the US and baseball, called The Perfect Catch, a star vehicle for Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon.

1.The popularity of Nick Hornby's autobiography? His adapting it for the screen? Instead of speaking straight to the audience, his constructing a narrative, the portrait of Paul Ashworth, his teaching, his relationship with Sarah, his devotion to Arsenal? The contrast between his love for the game (as well as that of his friends) and Sarah's lack of interest? Communicating the spirit of the fanatic in the printed page onto the screen via a story? How effectively did Hornby communicate his devotion to Arsenal and the repercussions of his life?

2.The London settings? The neighbourhood near the Arsenal stadium? Houses and streets, the school? The contrast between the '70s and the late '80s? Costumes and decor (and the changing times)? The musical background, the selection of songs from each era giving an atmosphere of the times?

3.The particularly English tone of the film? The focus on football? Fans, fanaticism? The competition? Within England? The popularity of soccer in Europe?

4.The fans and their knowledge of the game, their support, going to matches, their barracking? The moods when winning, when losing? The effect of supporting the football team throughout the week, throughout the season? Paul and his measuring time in terms of seasons rather than years?

5. Paul, his character, Colin Firth and his style, his life, unmarried, relationship with girls, the dominance of football? The meeting with Sarah, falling in love, the possibilities of a future, their life together, her work, how accommodating him, finding it difficult, the crises, her pulling out, his self-sacrifice, her responding, love for each other?

6. Sarah, her background, work, family? Her friends? The different world from football? The encounter with Paul? What they had in common? Living with that? The progress through the season? Her finding it difficult to cope, trying to let go, the final tests? Her realisation of love for Paul, prepared to sacrifice herself? The compromise for the future?

7. A pleasant romance, an entertaining sport story, Britain and the fanaticism about soccer?

RED SKY

US, 2014, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cam Gigandet, Rachel Leigh Cook, Shane West, Bill Pullman, Troy Garity.
Directed by Mario Van Peebles.

Red Sky is the drama, with memories of Top Gun and the Iron Eagle series. It was directed and co-written by Mario Van Peebles who, since the 1990s, has directed quite a number of action adventures.

In this film he plays a key role, a CIA agent, who is rogue, involved in conspiracies in Iran but is interested only in financial gain.

The film opens with an attack on an installation which is considered an enemy installation with a powerful weapon, but is, in fact, under investigation by the Americans and the rogue agent steals the weapon. The crew of the planes are court-martialed and lose their jobs, while one of them, Troy Garity, is actually in league with the rogue and, seven years later, the hero of the film, Cam Gigandet, meets the former girlfriend, Rachel Leigh Cook in Moscow, and an investigation into the whereabouts of the co-pilot who disappeared is launched.

This leads to a series of action adventures, some action in the sky, some split-second timing, the exposure of the rogue agent and the reinstating of the pilots.

Action adventure with a good dose of conspiracy theory.


1. The tradition of films like? Top Gun? Iron Eagle? Flying, missions to foreign countries? Pilots, their skills, camaraderie, their lives?

2. The Middle East settings, the Gulf of Hormuz, the desert, the installation and the bombing? The American navy? The court, the transitions to Nevada, the plant for aircraft, Russia and air shows, the tourism of St Petersburg, Azerbaijan, Iran, Syria? The atmosphere, and audience bringing the history of these countries to bear on the plot and the conspiracy? The musical score?

3. The introduction to the characters, then names, Masters as leader, Cajun and the men putting the whiskers on his face? Tom as part of the group? The other members, comradeship, the special mission, their skills in flight, the target, Warlord and his control and commands? The Americans emerging, waving flags, the bombing, the death – and the footage of the widow and her son? The importance of Rainmaker as target?

4. The court-martial, the judges, the prosecutor and his arguments, the presence of Warlord? The judgement, Masters and his accepting responsibility for the team? The aftermath, in the bar, discharge, Tom and his seeming jealousy, the relationship with Karen?

5. Seven years passing, the members of the group, working in Nevada, on planes, Masters living in the plane, his setup, the jobs?

6. Going to Russia, St Petersburg, the air display, Karen and her photographer, the footage? The details of the aerial stunt work? The discussions, friendship, the relationship, the photo? Masters and his wanting information about Tom? Karen, her research?

7. Masters and his return from Russia, the Navy official getting in touch with him, information, Rainmaker, a new mission, the puzzle about Rainmaker and its disappearance? The background with Saddam Hussein? The prospects of the mission, destruction of Rainmaker?

8. Warlord, his presence at the court-martial, at the discussions at the Pentagon, his CIA background? The discussions with the prosecutor? His going to the Kurdish contact, his being an agent, his son, fighting for freedom, Warlord’s promises, wanting obedience? The mission control? In St Petersburg and his assassinating the scientist? The plan, the mission, his observing, controlling the son, Tom, his demanding the cash? The truth about Rainmaker and its nuclear fallout and destruction?

9. The motivation, money, the disintegration of the oil, getting stocks cheaply, the reconstituting of the oil and the making of money? Irrespective of the nuclear fallout and destruction?

10. Karen, in Russia, planning to meet the Professor, his information, the assassination? Her contact, his phone call, supplying the information about Rainmaker? Her going to Syria?

11. The group, the men deciding whether to be in or out, the flights, Anna and her expertise with the bomb, the plan to going to Iran, destroy Rainmaker, return to freedom, no documentation? The irony of the plan going wrong, the group being detained, imprisoned? The guards, and her standing on the shoulders to see the situation, the cigarette, getting the keys, getting out, the military attack, the deaths, taking the small plane, flying out? Going to Syria and the difficult landing? The Russian presence? Collaboration?

12. The attack, the plans and the destruction, the elaborate scenes of the manoeuvres in the sky? Hits and deaths?

13. Resolving the situation, Karen and Masters, the Navy prosecutor and the truth, the honourable discharges?

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

US, 2015, 147 minutes, Colour.
O’ Shea Jackson, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Paul Giamatti, Neill Brown Jr, Aldis Hodge, R. Marcos Taylor.
Directed by F. Gary Gray.

It would help a great deal to have some knowledge of the ghetto music of the 1980s and 1990s, the development of rap music, especially the lyrics of the gangster rap which emerged in Los Angeles, much of it as an anti-authoritarian reaction, especially to the treatment of African- Americans by the police. The Rodney King incident occurs in the middle of this story, giving a great deal of objective criticism to the implications in the rap lyrics.

Straight Outta Compton has been very successful at the American box office. The guess would be that it is extremely popular with African- American audiences. Which means that it plays well to its target audience. Audiences outside the United States will find that they are observers to this culture, to this music, to the social crises – although, with the release in 2015 of the film, there have been so many headlines in the US, read about outside the US, of police violence towards African-Americans?, and a number of police shootings of unarmed black men.

There is a prologue in a house in Compton, and the clash between drug dealers and the police, invading the house and destroying it with the tank like vehicle. Later, the musicians themselves are harassed by the police, made to lie down on the sidewalk – and then Rodney King incident, the riots, the charges against the police, the heightened feelings and rioting, the police officers being found it not guilty. We, the audience are now caught up in this atmosphere of injustice.

There are also the musicians who soon became, especially Ice Cube, Dr Dre, Eazy E… These men came from the streets, with a love of music, way a with words, who developed what became known as gangster rap, with its frank lyrics, the accusations against the police, the taunts. With the help of the producer, a white man, Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti), a businessman but ambiguous in his deals, they record the songs, producing a record, Straight Outta Compton, and go on a national tour with enormous audiences identifying with the musicians and the songs, enthusiastically embracing lyrics. the policing threatening the singers. In Detroit, a shot rings out, panic, chases, arrests – and still defiant musicians during their press conferences.

The cast is quite convincing in its representing the different singers, and audiences who are not familiar, may be surprised to find O’ Shea Jackson Jr in the role of Ice Cube, bearing quite a physical resemblance to the original. He ought to. Ice Cube’s actual name is O’ Shea Jackson and this is his son playing him.

Cinema buffs amongst the audience may remember the films about the gangster clashes between recording studios and personalities from the East Coast and the West Coast, especially the stories of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, ending with murders. This is reflected here as the original group NFW breaks up, Ice Cube going out on his own, successful as a singer, and beginning a career as a screenwriter and film star. Dr Dre was also a success as a musician and moved on from his Death Row Records which was being controlled by thugs. Eazy E died early, having contracted AIDS.

The film is long, almost two and a half hours, but it creates it atmosphere, shows the personalities involved in the movement, the music and the lyrics and the popular repercussions as well as the social repercussions. Perhaps it is not surprising to find in the final credits that two of the producers for this film were Ice Cube and Dr Dre.

This film contributes to the popular musical history of the US in the late 20th century.

1. The title, the record and its origins, NWA? An American story of the 80s and 90s, an African- American story?

2. The response of the American public, the African- American public? The impact for those who know the music? For outsiders who don’t know the music and have vague knowledge of the characters and gangster rap?

3. The rhythms, raps, the gangster rap and the lyrics, its origins in the African- American community, Los Angeles, Compton, treatment by the police? The development of the music, the different characters, lyrics, recording, the success of the record, the response of the audiences?

4. The presentation of the American police, the treatment of African- Americans, the opening, the group, Eric’s arrival, the drugs, the confrontation, the raid on the house, the tank, the police and the treatment? Setting the tone?

5. The experience of the young men, Ice Cube and his background, Andre and his mother and brother? Eric? The others, poor families, the brutal police? Yet the love of music, the hopes?

6. Jerry Heller, the producer, white, his personality, business sense, gathering the young men, as producer, the work and the studios, the contribution of each member, the success, the record, the lyrics, the energy? The response to the record? And yet the incident of the brutality, the police making the men lie down?

7. The tour, the different venues, the huge audiences, the spectacle, the attacks on the police in the lyrics, Fuck the Police? Jerry and his management? Present all the time? The police in Detroit, the threats, watching in the audience? The group and the defiance, despite Jerry’s warnings? The shots, the chase in the arena, the arrest, the responses, unrepentant, the press conferences?

8. On the road, the parties, the women, sex, drinking, drugs, nudity, guns? Andre and his brother, the story of his death, going to the funeral, with his mother? Ice Cube and his marrying? Dre and Nicole? Eric and his wife, AIDS, her pregnancy?

9. Jerry, the business, his work with the lawyers, the documents and contracts? Ice Cube finding Jerry and Eric, the lobster dinner, the discussion about money, Jerry’s explanation of all the expenses, Ice Cube and his reaction, the decision to leave, to go out on his own?

10. The character of Ice Cube, played by his son, audiences knowing him in succeeding decades, music, his film career? Success on his own, the strong lyrics, clever, vengeance on the others?

11. The Ruthless Company, Eric and Jerry, the differences, the difficulties? Eric and the break with Jerry?

12. Dre, the setting up of Death Row Records, the associates, their size, Suge and hi brutality, pressure on Dre? The background of the 1990s, the killings in the music industry, the rivalries between the coasts? Exemplified by these experiences?

13. The Rodney King incident, the police, the television footage, the commentary, the atmosphere, the trial, the police and their freedom?

14. Dre, the change, with Nicole, confronting the thuggish producers at Death Row, his leaving the money, leaving them?

15. The introduction of Snoop Dogg, personality, singing, with the others, the soundtrack to the movies?

16. Ice Cube, his success, renewing his career, The Boyz in the Hood, films, his script for Friday?

17. Eric, his collapse, AIDS, everyone visiting him in hospital, his wife and concern, her pregnancy, the thousands of messages at his death?

18. The impact of the group, and NWA, Straight Outta Compton? The different men and their characters, potential, what they actually achieved? Looking at them in retrospect and their success?

GIRLHOOD/ BANDE DES FILLES

France, 2014, 113 minutes, Colour.
Karidja Toure, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Idriss Diabate, Djibril Gueye.
Directed by Celine Sciamma.

Director’s Celine Sciamma has made a number of interesting films with female themes, Water Lilies and Tomboy. She continues with this film, somewhat more ambitious than her previous films, a wider scope.

The setting is France, the outer rim of Paris, the neighbourhood with many migrants, especially from Africa. Most of the girls in the film are black with this background. The central character is first seen playing football in the mud, audiences probably expecting to see boys, but the girls are celebrating their play and their victory, then walking home through the housing estate.

The principal focus is on the teenage girl, Marieme (Karidja Toure). She seems an agreeable young girl, but audiences will begin to understand the complexity of her life, at home with younger sisters, caring for a little one, bonding with the other, but generally intimidated by their brother and his strict injunctions. Marieme wants to go to high school but is already repeating a year and the careers’ adviser suggests she go to a training school rather than high school.

But, it is the summer vacation, Marieme decides to join with a group of girls, mixing with the boys, but she is really attracted to a young man, Ismael.

After some severity from her brother, Marieme is sitting alone in a restaurant and is approached by a local leader, Abou, who invites her to become one of his girls. At first reluctant, she decides to accept his invitation, packs up and leaves home. Abou is involved in local crime, especially drugs, and uses Marieme as a deliverer, bright red dress, white wig, moving sleekly among younger society and doing her job. However, she still values some independence and when Abou tries to kiss her, she reacts hostilely and decides to leave.

And, of course, this is where the film ends, leaving her future open. Audiences have got to know her but will continue wondering about what will happen, hoping for the best for her. But, in this kind of world…

1. A French story? Africans in France, adolescent girls, African, French, from adolescence to adult world?

2. The director, her interest in female stories?

3. The atmosphere, Paris, the housing estate, the football game, homes, school, shops, clubs, the drug world and its context, the adult word world, escorts? The musical score?

4. The initial tone, the girls playing football, the camaraderie, walking home? The girls with African backgrounds? White?

5. Marieme, in herself, playing football, her age, going home, the little sister and care for her, the other sister, trust, the bond between the two, in their bedroom, holding hands? The brother, stern? Severity on the girls? Their hopes?

6. At high school, Marieme and the interview with the teacher, wanting her to repeat, her wanting to get high school, her plea and hopes?

7. The holidays, summer, Marieme and the group of girls, joining the boys, her brother and his tough stances? The friendship with Ismael? The tough men, the world of drugs, escorts? The boss and his coming on to Marieme? The girls and the clique, her joining, going to Paris, sharing, rebuking her sister and sending her home?

8. The impact of her brother, her eating alone, the encounter with Abou, his approach, her decision, leaving home? With the girls in Paris, the work situation, the drug deliveries, dresses and wigs, the deliveries of the drugs, the parties and society? Abou and his approach, the kiss, her reaction, leaving?

9. Ismael, his character, falling in love, going to his apartment, the sexual relationship? Trust in him? The news of his death?

10. The character of the girls, the girlfriends, their way of life? Marieme and her sister, family?

11. Abou’s world, society, drugs, deliveries, escorts?

12. Marieme’s experience, what she would learn from this experience, her future?

A WALK IN THE WOODS

US, 2015, 104 minutes, Colour.
Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson, Mary Steenburgen, Nick Offerman, Kristin Schaal.
Directed by Ken Kwapis.

A lot of people have read Bill Bryson’s books, his travel, his observations of nature and history, his sense of humour as he encounters people, especially in the United Kingdom where he lived for many years, his return to his roots in the United States, other travels including Australia. Fans of his books may be interested to see how well they translate on to the screen. Of course, opinion is divided, some happy to share in Bryson’s experiences, others highlighting the limitations of a 104 minutes adaptation.

Many will appreciate Robert Redford’s presence as Bill Bryson. Again, on the other hand, Redford is decades is older than the real Bryson. In fact, Robert Redford at 78 when he made this film and, despite the dyed hair, generally looks his age or a touch beyond. But, he looks reasonably good in comparison with his companion on the Trail, Stephen Katz, the fictitious name for a real character from Bryson’s past who accepts invitation to do the walk (after so many friends him turned down, reasonably, especially one who had died sometime earlier!). Katz is played by Nick Nolte, looking larger than life, unkempt, lumbering around, certainly not a likely candidate to do this long hike.

As with Wild, the 2014 film about walking the Pacific Trail with Reese Witherspoon, there is activity, a long hike, expending energy, and looking at a lot of attractive scenery – perhaps enticing sitting-down audiences to venture out to see more of the US.

There is a great deal of humour in the repartee between the two (and more than a touch of compensation as they reminisce about sexual experiences and enjoy quite a bit of innuendo). It is inevitable that there are funny sequences as two old men, at times with the touch of the grumpies, pitch their tents, are enveloped in a snowstorm, fall into a river, gingerly walk along a ledge to little avail is over they go, try to frighten away huge bears…

There are also the people they meet along the way, generally friendly and helpful, although there is single-minded hiker called Mary Ellen (Kristen Schaal) who is absolutely full of herself, talks incessantly, is critical of the old men, praises herself for her achievement and is not plagued for a second by self-doubt. While irritating to them and to us, she stands out as one of the livelier characters of the film.

This is an opportunity to see something of the countryside of the United States, along the eastern rim, the Appalachian Trail. But, as maybe with the book, it is really a series of anecdotes any one of which could be eliminated, and any other one substituted in its place. While this does make the film enjoyable in its way, the anecdotal overcomes any of the more serious possible themes.

A great plus for the film, at the beginning and at the end, is the presence of Emma Thompson as Catherine Bryson.

A film night out rather than any deeper exploration of characters and their motivations.

1. The popularity of Bill Bryson as a writer, traveller, observer of history and nature, humourist?

2. The adaptation of the book, the context for the walk, the establishing of characters, pricing himself, his wife and family, Stephen Katz, the trail, the scenery and beauty, the dangers? The range of people on the Trail? The musical score?

3. The achievement, the motivation, the age of the walkers, their experience, intimations of death?

4. The picture of Catherine, her life with Bill Bryson, the long marriage, the children, her control, allowing him his travels, supporting his writing? English background, Bryson’s time in the UK? His books? The initial funeral, intimations of death? Her wanting him to mingle? The arguments, whether he should
go on the walk or not?

5. The interview on television, the awkwardness of the questions, his hesitance? The funeral and its impact? Seeing the information about the Appalachian Trail, the decision to go, discussing with his family, with Catherine, going to the shop, the salesman and his recommendations for the equipment? The variety of phone calls to his friends? Their all turning him down? Stephen Katz saying yes?

6. Robert Redford, so much older than Bryson, nearing 80, the credibility of his character, the walk? Stephen Katz, age, experience of life, drinking, debts, motivation for the walk? Nick Nolte in their past? His womanising, in prison, the photos and the family looking at them, his wild stories?

7. Going, the taxi, the wariness of the driver? Registering? The first steps and the effort? People passing them? The other travellers on the Trail? Young, men and women, vigorous?

8. The story of their progress and experience, carrying the tents, setting up, carrying the baggage, getting tired? The encounter with Mary Ellen, her incessant talk, not making a mistake, trying to avoid her? The men, the offer to help, crossing the water, falling in, drying out? The episode with the bears and fending them off, trying to frighten them? The motel, Stephen and his encounter with Beulah, her laundry, flirting, her husband on the lookout for him, their having to run away? The proprietor of the motel, her mother and Alzheimers, the rooms, no towels, the encounter and Stephen’s interpretation? Warned about the snow, the shelter? On the edge, talking, the views of the valley, climbing along the path, slipping, falling, the attempt to tie the clothes to make a rope, stuck on the branch, being rescued? A series of episodes? And the repartee and sexual reminiscences and innuendo?

9. The strength of the interlude with Mary Ellen, her age, determination, attitudes towards the men, incessant talk, something people up, star signs, self-confidence?

10. The past friendship, the different characters, the shared experiences, the bond, whether to stop the walk, Stephen and his wanting to hire the vehicle, Bill against it? The final decision after seeing the map, finding how much there was yet to walk, going home?

11. The achievement, the postcards, the memories of the trip?

THE VISIT

US, 2015, 94 minutes, Colour.
Olivia De Jonge, Ed Oxenbould, Kathryn Hahn, Peter Mc Robbie, Deanna Dunagan.
Directed by M. Night Shayamalan.

M. Night Shayamalan, born in India, reared in the Philadelphia, has become something of a sign of contradiction in film critical circles. He was critically lauded for his first film, The Sixth Sense, an intriguing psychological drama with something of a supernatural twist. It has been the “something of a supernatural twist” which has been at the core of all the directors of films, including this one.

By 2006, especially with his Lady in the Water, Shayamalan had become a critical target, compounded with his successive, rather than successful, films, The Happening, the fantasy, Last Airbender and a rather doomed interplanetary adventure After Earth, with Will Smith and his son, Jaden. The Visit will probably not fare any better.

On the other hand, there is a public that goes to see his films, quite enjoys them without raving about them. They probably say that they didn’t mind seeing the films – which is the perspective of this reviewer. No great claims for the films, but not minding seeing them.

The film’s title is fairly straightforward. Two teenagers, wanting to give their mother, whose husband had abandoned her and the children several years earlier, some space to make something of her life. They decide to go to visit their grandparents, their mother’s parents, who had cut her off when she left home at the age of 19 and whom she has not seen since. So far, so ordinary.

However, the director has immediately introduced the making of a documentary, the daughter, aged 15, interviewing her mother and planning, quite efficiently at times, to film all that happens to her and to her brother, during the visit to the grandparents. The brother is younger and has quite a way with words, knowing his film vocabulary – and priding himself on his capacity for rap words and singing (twice during the film and once during the final credits).

What the director is also doing is following in the line of the “found footage” films, the seemingly amateur footage that is discovered, edited together, with some eerie scenes and some eerie results. This makes more sense in this film because the hand-held camera footage as well as the fixed camera are all part of the documentary which the audience more readily accepts.

One doesn’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to suspect that there will be some strange happenings during the visit. While the grandparents are welcoming, the grandfather seems somewhat aloof, a farmer who seems a bit old for his work, and the surprising news that he and his wife act as counsellors at the local hospital. Nana is more welcoming and is a dab hand at cooking. But, Nana also exhibits quite some odd behaviour, especially after lights out at 9:30 pm. However, the children take it more or less in their stride but documenting it all in their film.

The days go by. They Skype their mother who is enjoying her time off. They go to town where the grandfather suddenly turns on a young man violently accusing him of stalking them. Some characters turn up at the door with information. Clues and strange events compound the eerieness of the household and the visit.

Of course, it has to build up to a more than eerie climax, the audience realising that the grandparents went off the deep end long since and are more than menacing (with a nice Hansel and Gretel episode with Nana enticing the daughter to get into the oven to clean it, twice, but this is just a distraction).

Deanna Dunagan’s Nana is a combination of the charming and nice with sudden mood changes. Peter Mc Robbie is just suspiciously sinister. Kathryn Hahn is the mother, quite effective in her scenes talking straight to camera about her life and the conclusions at the end of the visit. Surprisingly, the teenagers are played by Australian actors, believable as American children, Olivia De Jonge as the daughter and Ed Oxenbould as the brother (so effective in Paper Planes as well as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day).

This reviewer didn’t mind it.

1. The premise to the film? The visit? Sinister clues? Eerie atmosphere? The buildup to the climax?

2. The work of the director? His success with The Sixth Sense? Critical disapproval afterwards? Fans? His dealing with mysterious themes?

3. The title: straightforward story, the mornings and the nights, the sinister clues, and indications of trouble, change, the climax to the visit?

4. The device of the documentary? The effect of Loretta talking immediately to the camera, her personality, the information, leaving her parents at 19, her anger, her marriage, its failure, abandoned by her husband, with her children? The decision to film the documentary on the train? Meeting the grandparents, in the house, the variety of angles, placement of the camera, indication of days, moving in and out of camera range, the specific interviews, the glimpses of madness? Editing, the computer, looking at the footage? The climax? The aftermath with Loretta’s final interview?

5. The hand-held camera, the now tradition of ‘found footage’, and effective use of the devices? In terms of plot? In terms of scenes?

6. Becca and Tyler, the ages, life together, relationship with their mother, filming her, the idea of the visit, to give their mother’s freedom? Their experiences, coping? The language of filmmaking, documentary, Becca and her skills, Tyler and his knowledge?

7. Becca, her age, with the camera, the narration, her explanations? Her personality, with her mother, with Tyler, with each of the grandparents?

8. Tyler, younger, his ability at rap songs, his demonstrations, on the train, with his grandmother, the final credits? His not being good at sports, his story of play, freezing, its effect? His later freezing during the climax?

9. The grandparents, their appearance, seemingly nice, yet the sense of each? Meeting the train? The welcome? The house? Cooking the meals? The irony of Hansel and Gretel and Becca having to get into the oven, twice? the grandfather baling the hay? With the shotgun in his mouth? The grandfather being a touch aloof, everybody in bed at 930, the grandmother crawling, vomiting, her bizarre behaviour? The changes? In town, the man allegedly following and the grandfather’s accosting him? Stacey, her visit – increased hanging from the tree? The doctor’s visit and the stories about the grandparents and their counselling?

10. Becca and her attempts to get discussions about the past, manner and her going berserk? Becca telling the parallel story, the manner and her story of the aliens? Grandmother identifying with Becca’s story, offering forgiveness?

11. The grandfather, the last night, the board game, manic play? The grandmother eating the cookies?

12. Becca going to the basement, the search, the photos, the bodies? The grandfather trapping her?

13. Skype, communication with their mother, her enjoying herself, the exercise and dancing? The fears, the mother phoning the police?

14. The grandfather in the basement, confronting Becca, Tyler freezing? Becca in the room, with her grandmother, the mad struggle and the mirror glass?

15. Tyler, the background of his fear of germs, the grandfather and his nappies, in Tyler’s face, Tyler bashing him?

16. The rescue? Reunited with their mother?

17. Loretta’s final telling the story about leaving, having the capacity to ask forgiveness, advising her children not to hold the angers?

18. The final credits and Tyler’s rap?

CUT SNAKE

Australia, 2015, 94 minutes, Colour.

Sullivan Stapleton, Alex Russell, Jessica De Gouw, Kerry Walker.
Directed by Tony Ayres.

Cut Snake is a psychological crime thriller, opening in New South Wales but most of the action taking place in Victoria. It was directed by Tony Ayres, who directed a number of interesting films including the semi-autobiographical Home Song Stories and the film on homosexuality, Walking on Water. In later times, he has worked on television, especially in production and direction of The Slap.

The initial focus of the film is an ex-convict, Jimmy (Sullivan Stapleton), nickname Pommy, walking along the streets, hitching a ride, trying to track down a friend from prison days, visiting friend’s mother, getting the address, finding his friend, Merv, working in a factory. At first, it just seems to be making re-acquaintance – but there is a certain look and expression on Jimmy’s face.

In the meantime, Merv (Alex Russell), has settled down after his prison sentence, working in a factory, engaged to an attractive young woman, Paula (Jessica De Gouw). At which stage, audiences become wary of Jimmy and his presence in the house, seemingly friendly, doing the washing up, yet with something of a sense of menace.

Which seems to be a catalyst for some kind of action is the fact that Paula and her friend, Yvonne, take Merv and Jimmy to a club, with performances by drag queens, which seems to upset Jimmy. In fact, he still has robberies on his mind and really wants Merv to take part in the jobs.

While there is some activity, especially some bashings, and Merv, losing his cool as a reformed X-prisoner, indulges in the brutality, the film becomes more of a psychological drama, the conflict escalating between Jimmy and Merv, Paula learning more about her fiance’s past which, of course, upsets her.

As might be expected, there is a buildup to a showdown, the crisis between Merv and Paula and her shock and his taste and whether it will be resolved, and how will Jimmy fare in his persuading Merv to go on a job with the but also to continue a relationship that began in prison.

This kind of psychological interaction, with crime background, always has some interest but, on the whole, this is something of an average entertainment.

1. Crime thriller? Australian tone? Universal story?

2. 1974, the look, cars, clothes, style? Sydney? The country? Victoria? Homes, clubs, factories, the streets? The songs of the period?

3. The title, the reference?

4. The focus on Jimmy, his nickname Pommy, walking the roads, hitching? The visit to Mervyn’s mother? Ominous, getting the address? The factory? The initial interaction with Merv? Going to the house, meeting Paula, the meal, washing up? Settling into his room? The outing with Yvonne, going to the club, the drag queens, performance, sitting on his lap, his negative reaction, anger? Robbing the club? His hold over Merv? The revelation of the past, prison, sexual relationship, his making advances? Merv’s response and kissing? Finding the house trashed? The return to the club, persuading Merv, breaking the lock, bashing the men, pulling off the owner’s wig? His telling Paula the truth? The visit to Yvonne, her flirting, Paula's arrival? The plea to Merv? Going to the prostitute, his violent reaction? The setup, the meal and being taken notice of at the restaurant? Going to the club, Merv locking him in the room, his setting the fire? Using Paula as a hostage? His love for Merv, letting himself be shot – for the sake of Merv?

5. The focus on Merv? Seen at work, the broom factory, the relationship with the boss, the workers? The 30th anniversary party, his playing with the kids? The relationship with Paula, happy, at the house? His secrets? Jimmy’s arrival, his reaction, the meal, washing up? Settling in his room? Going to the club, his concern about Jimmy, the robbery? His love for Paula? The background of prison, the flashbacks, the sexual relationships? Four years? His response to Jimmy? The trashed house, his deal in buying the gun? The threats? The return to the club, his anger and his bashing the men? Paula’s reaction, his plea to her? The idea for setting up Jimmy, rudeness at the restaurant, the phone call, setting up the trap, into the club, locking Jimmy in, saying he was sorry? Paula’s arrival, Paula as hostage? The two together? The police, Jimmy and the threats with the gun? His memories, in the cell with Jimmy, Jimmy’s death?

6. Paula, in herself, her parents, love for Merv, together, the friendship with Yvonne, work together, hopes? Jim’s arrival, friendly, the wash up? Going to the club, her puzzled reaction? Jimmy telling her the secrets, the prison issue, her being upset, yet the love for Merv, the sexual encounter? Moving out, going to Yvonne’s? The police interrogating her? The phone call, going to the club, held hostage?

7. Yvonne, friend, at work, the drag queens, flirting with Jimmy?

8. The club, the drag queens in performance, the owners, the types?

9. The police, interrogations, investigations, the siege?

10. An average crime thriller?

TWO O'CLOCK COURAGE

US, 1945, 68 minutes, black and white.
Tom Conway, Ann Rutherford, Richard Lane, Lester Matthews, Roland Drew, Emory Parnell, Bettejane Greer, Jean Brooks.
Directed by Anthony Mann.

Two O’ Clock Courage is a very entertaining supporting feature, the touch of comedy with smart repartee and something of the emerging film noir. It was made at the time that Tom Conway was appearing in the The Falcon series – and he is much the same in this film as he plays a very suave gentlemen adrift on a street corner early in the morning with a gash on his forehead. He has amnesia.

He is almost knocked down by a taxi, driven by Ann Rutherford, quite engaging as the young woman who assists him in his search for his identity, pretending to be his wife, pretending that both of them are journalists from Dayton, doing a bit of investigation herself while, of course, falling for the mysterious man.

They are about to go to the police when they see the headlines that an entrepreneur has been murdered and the mysterious man fits the description of an intruder. They go to a shop to get a new suit to disguise him and they decide to go to the home of the chauffeur who might have been the murderer. While there, they encounter the rather humourless police inspector as well as a journalist, Richard Lane, who is forever developing theories, ringing his editor, changing the identity of the murderer from one moment to another.

The story has a theatrical background with the title of the film coming from a play whose title has been changed to Menace to hide the authorship, written by a man who is dead, with his mother writing a letter to the mysterious gentleman for people to acknowledge her son’s work.

There are all kinds of suspects. At one stage it is thought that the chauffeur is the killer. Then there is the English butler who heard mysterious words and who himself comes under suspicion. There is an actor who wants to marry the leading lady and is about to expose the authorship of the play. There is also a co-writer, claiming royalties, who is carrying on with the socialite, an early role for Jane Greer.

The action keeps moving around from the mansion, to the taxi driver’s apartment and the suspicions of her landlady, to The Blue Room full of socialites, to various apartments in hotels.

Since the action moves fairly quickly and there is a lot of smart dialogue, the audience, within the brief running time, will be trying to work out who the murderer is – and, after a seeming suicide, the real murderer is revealed as the actress.

This is a remake of the 1936, Two in the Dark.

The film was directed by Anthony Mann, an early film before he moved into a series of thrillers, a series of significant westerns during the 1950s from Winchester 73 and other films with Jane Stewart, as well as The Glenn Miller story, and then moving into big spectacles including the The Fall of the Roman Empire.

THE TRANSPORTER REFUELLED

France, 2015, 96 minutes, Colour.
Ed Skrein, Ray Stevenson, Loan Chabanol.
Directed by Camille Delamarre.


Well, that’s not a bad title for a rebooting of the Transporter franchise. And, at least given the car chases in this one, the re-fuelling title is quite fitting.

The new transporter is Frank Martin, played by British actor Ed Skrein, tall, a bit gaunt though muscular, fashionable stubble, taking his dark glasses on and off… And his accent is a bit more upmarket than that of his predecessor, Jason Statham. One of the things with Jason Statham is that he could play everything straight but, with slight tongue in cheek and, often, more than a touch of irony. The new transporter is not so much into irony but into a relationship with his father who keeps calling him Junior.

For those who like car chases, there are two big ones – and in the first, it is the police who need better stunt drivers because all of their cars crash quite spectacularly. So that when the time comes for the second chase, this time on the tarmac at Nice Airport, a pilotless plane moving towards crashing, when we see the cars with the label Gendarmes, we know that the worst will happen, that is for the police and their cars. And so it happens. For those who enjoy the chases, lots of glimpses of the French coast, the Riviera, the beaches and mountains. And for those who do not enjoy the chases, lots of glimpses of the French coast, the Riviera, the beaches and mountains – which may bring back memories of visiting these locations. But nothing like the potential crash at Nice airport!

The new transporter, looking like a model in an advertisement on a billboard, has been something of a mercenary and eventually falls foul of fellow soldiers from Eastern Europe who are now controlling prostitution on the Riviera, having promptly massacred the previous African pimps. One of the girls sold into prostitution has decided to get revenge and involves Frank in driving her associates but, to make sure, she and abducts his father who, on retiring from being a spy, is living a life of luxury. He is liberated but very soon after he is abducted again - by the pimps.

Which means a lot of action, the girls getting Frank into all kinds of trouble, Anna, the ringleader setting up a scheme to transfer all the pimp’s finances and causing trouble amongst the men which leads, of course, to a shootout. Except for the main villain who makes a run to escape, to the top of the cliff, the venue, of course, for a spectacular fall after he is shot!

But there is a fair deal of plot, quick editing and pace, a touch of romance, Frank still needing to develop some more humane acting skills to be a romantical lead. And there are some comic touches in the repartee between dad (a genial Ray Stevenson) and Junior.

The film was directed by Camille Delamarre who directed the third of the transporter films as well as Taken 3. The Transporter Refuelled is designed for transporter fans – and, apart from getting over the loss of Jason Statham, they probably won’t be disappointed.

1. The title, the re-booting of the franchise, re-fuelled?

2. The settings, the beauty of the Riviera, the towns, the coast, water, mountains?

3. The emphasis on action, car chases, the crisis of the plane, the stunt work, confrontations and shootouts? The musical score?

4. 1990, prostitution on the Riviera? The Africans in charge? The Eastern Europeans, coming in, the massacre?

5. 2010, the Eastern Europeans and the rackets, running them, the boss, his assistants, the tougher henchman?

6. The girls, their stories, Anna and her wanting revenge?

7. Frank, his past in Eastern Europe, a driver, available jobs, his skill in driving, cars, his methods, no questions? The encounter with his father, the pension, the job and meeting the girl at the restaurant, their taking his father, his precision in time, the girls all looking like, the plan, the rescue with his father? The gas, the deliveries?

8. Anna, the story of her life, her being sold by her mother, the killing of the accountant in his hotel room, meeting Frank, her other girlfriends, the job, Frank’s father, the tanks, flight, the white headed criminal on board, drugging him, the father and the plane, the danger, getting off, Frank and his picking them up in the car under the hold, the chase and the police? The police and the previous chase and crashes?

9. The criminals abducting Frank’s father, the confrontation, and organising the meeting, the transferring of the accounts, creating discord amongst the criminals, leading to the confrontation and shootout? The pursuit of the boss, on the cliff, and Anna shooting him?

10. The details of Frank, his character, life, his relationship with his father? The father, in the trouble spots, a spy, his pension, the comfortable life? With the girls?

11. The postscript and Anna putting money into the accounts of the girls in prostitution?

AMERICAN ULTRA

US, 2015, 96 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton, Topher Grace, Bill Pullman, Walter Goggins, Tony Hale, John Leguizamo.
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh.

Somebody in Hollywood may have made a bet that it would be impossible to write a screenplay for Jesse Eisenberg (always on edge and nerdy), when he would play an action hero. This could be the result of the bet - and everyone has their cake as well as eating it because Jesse Eisenberg plays a slacker-stoner as well as an action hero, all in one character!
Another famous use of the word ultra is by droog, Alex, the clockwork thug of A Clockwork Orange, indulging in a little bit of the “ultra-violence”. We may not think that this would be true of this film in the first part, but, once Eisenberg’s character, Mike, is seen like one of the killers elite, it is a bit full-on - amazing what he can do with a simple spoon as well as the technique of holding up a frying pan to deflect a bullet and its ricocheting into the attacker!

Michael lives in a small town in West Virginia, enjoys getting high, works at a store with specials on Monday (and is taking out on mon and putting intues for Tuesday). He lives with his stoner girlfriend, Phoebe, who works in a bail bond office, Phoebe, Kristin Stewart.

Then we are introduced to Langley, spy satellites, agents, program of mind altering and character ordering, placing sleepers in a community, taking mentally ill characters and transforming them into “assets”. When agent Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) comes to town to see Mike, so does her rival, Topher Grace, and his squad of agents and assets.

Poor Mike doesn’t know what is going on, finds he has no memories of his past, and wonders whether he is a robot. Even when the armed agents attack and Mike dispatches them, he is still bewildered, is taken to prison, handcuffed, in a cell with Phoebe only to discover that the whole town is sealed off and everyone is after him.

So, what begins as a slacker comedy, with poor Mike subject to panic attacks, even about getting on a plane to go to Hawaii with Phoebe, becomes a high-powered action show, to borrow a phrase from another series, “Kick-ass”.

Absurd and weird are two words that do come to mind as we watch all these goings on and the ultimately triumphant Mike and Phoebe, his kneeling to propose to her in the middle of all the chaos…

Mike also indulges in creating a graphic comic himself, the Astronaut Monkey (who appears in great detail during the final credits). So, what we have is a kind of pleasant backwoods story turning into a graphic novel and indulging in plenty of the conspiracy theories and activities.

1. The background of graphic novels, cartoons and sketches? Meeting CIA conspiracies?

2. The contrast between West Virginia and Langley? The ordinary town, in West Virginia, the store, homes, the streets, the airport? Langley and its offices? The town under siege, the tents and headquarters, the drones and equipment?

3. The style, real and stylised? The animation, especially during the final credits? The score?

4. The prologue, Mike and his being interrogated? The flashbacks, the overview of what had happened?

5. Mike, Jesse Eisenberg and his screen presence, nerdish, nervy? In the town, a stoner, his loving relationship with Phoebe, the routine of his life, drugs together, going to the store, the specials on Monday and Tuesday? The ring, preparing for the proposal at the right time, getting the fireworks from Rose? The plan for Hawaii, his panic attack, sickness, return, held up by the police, Phoebe’s support?

6. The introduction to Langley, Victoria Lasseter, Adrian Yates, Peter Douglas? The clashes, the programs and suppression, the agents, the mentally ill and their being trained as assets, rivalries? The satellite and identifying Mike? Victoria, the visits, the purpose, activating him, the talk over-the-counter? The arrival of the agents, Mike’s response, the deaths with the spoon? His bewilderment? Phoning Phoebe?

7. The police, stopping Mike, the arrest, in jail, the interrogation, Mike’s bewilderment? Phoebe with him, in prison?

8. Yates, the activation, Peter and his support of Victoria, orders, especially for the drone, threats from Yates, the screen and details, the military commander, Peter and his crisis, closing the computer? The sealing of the town, the further agents attacking, the further attempts on Mike, their deaths?

9. The cuffs, the escape, going to see Rose, his friends, their fear, the basement, psychedelic, the gas? Rose and the deaths?

10. Phoebe revealed as an agent, Mike hurt, fearing that he was a robot, yet the mutual love, his wanting to save her, her wanting to save him?

11. Lasseter, the explanation, Mike as a third time offender and his volunteering for the agency, his being trained, dormant, loss of memories – and the suggestions in his flashbacks and imagination? Part of the program? The only agent who succeeded?

12. Victoria Lasseter and all her efforts to save Mike? The confrontation of Yates, his vanity, clashes, a coward, the agents? Kruger as the boss, confronting Yates, shooting him?

13. Kruger, the programs, his reliance on Victoria?

14. The comic drama, the fights, Jesse Eisenberg as an action hero? The bullet and the frying pan? Proposing in the midst of the crisis?

15. The Postscript, the Philippines, Mike is secret agent, going up in the lift, the confrontation of the Chinese – and intimations of disaster?

16. The tone of the final credits – Mike’s cartoon, the monkey astronaut, animated in detail?