SOME VELVET MORNING

US, 2013, 88 minutes, Colour.
Stanley Tucci, Alice Eve.
Directed by Neil La Bute.


Writer-director, Neal La Bute, had a strong reputation in theatre, which continues, before his first scarifying film dramatising macho attitudes, In the Company of Men (1997), which was followed by Your Friends and Neighbors. La Bute has made many short films and written for television series, but also branched out into broader narratives like Possession, The Wicker Man, Nurse Betty.

This film is two-hander, played expertly by Stanley Tucci, reminding audiences of how versatile an actor he is, and English Alice Eve (who appears in the director’s Dirty Weekend). She uses her British accent in the film.

The location is a suburban house, an interior, downstairs room, staircase and upstairs room and bathroom. Some moments the camera goes outside the house, most especially in an outside garden patio.

The basic plot is that a middle-aged man leaves his wife, arrives at the doorstep of his mistress intending to move in. While she welcomes him, she is taken aback at his decision. A further irony is that she is in a relationship with the man’s married son. The dialogue goes back and forth, changing moods with each of the characters, eliciting some dramatic interactions.

There is a need to warn audiences that there is a significant twist at the end of the film which makes a difference and it would be better not to know anything and to discover the twist at the end which gives the audience much to reflect on the film in retrospect.


1. The impact of the film, drama, personal interaction?

2. The dialogue, the two-hander, locations within the house, rooms, upstairs, on the outside garden? Musical score?

3. The work of the director, his works in the theatre, his screenplays, his sense of staging, drama, action confined to the house? The effect? Like watching a play – or like watching a television drama?

4. The title, the song? The nickname for the woman?

5. The importance of seeing the film without knowing the final twist? Taking the drama as realistic? Discovering that it was realistic only in style?

6. Velvet, lying down during the credits, on the bed, her red dress, listening to the music, the doorbell, opening the door, discovering Fred with his suitcases, her handling of the situation, surprise, the gradual revelation of the past relationship, after four years? Her reaction to his leaving his wife? Her relationship with his son, ongoing, despite his marriage? The interactions, her wanting to go out, getting ready? Fred and his impositions? The glass of water, going out into the garden, on the seat? A sense of humour, yet his sense of realism? A sense of uneasiness? Going upstairs, make up, ready to go out? The phone call? Chris, sitting on the steps and Fred hearing? The build-up of the interactions, Fred and his moods, his leaving his wife, wanting to stay with Velvet, seeing this was not possible? The build-up in emotional interactions, the sexual encounter, her tear in the aftermath?

7. Fred, arriving at the door, leaving his wife, with his luggage, coming in, wanting to stay, his response to Velvet? Their past relationship? Her suggestion that he ring his wife? The discovery that Velvet was still in relationship with his son? Going outside, the glass of water, the talk, returning inside, the confrontations, his moods going up and down, the revelation of himself, his demands, his seeming frustration, the puzzles? Listening to Velvet on the phone, the build-up to the sexual encounter? His dominance?

8. The discovery of the truth, the role play, realising the significance of the actions in retrospect? Velvet as a call girl, the games that she and Fred played,
the plans for next time? His concern about the episode being too rough, the payment of the extra, the plans to come again?

9. The effect for Fred, sexual encounter, sexual release, the importance of role play? The effect on Velvet, alone again?

PRICE CHECK

US, 2012, 92 minutes, Colour.
Parker Posey, Erich Mabius, Annie Parisse, Finn Donoghue, Edward Herrman, Josh Pais.
Directed by Michael Walker.

Price Check is a drama set in the business world, at executive level, the running of the company, local managers, strategies, interactions with the managers of stores, competitiveness, renewal of effectiveness in the company.

The title could also referred to the central character, Peter Cozy (Eric Mabius) and his dissatisfaction with his career, his being offered a handsome promotion, his involvement in the work of strategies for stores, his interaction with the new manager, and affirmation of him, her seeming dependence, the sexual encounter with her, affair and her wanting to become pregnant, her letting him go after she realised he had not been entirely honest about his education. Definitely price check for him.

Parker Posey is very effective as the outgoing but introspective new manager, the dealings with the staff as a team, the dependence on particular people, especially Pete, and her having an affair with him, wanting a child.

The film moves between the office and scenes at home and Pete dealing with his loving wife and child and his behaviour at the office and his involvement in his work. Edward Herrman appears as the national director of the company.

The film was written and directed by Michael Walker who also wrote and directed the Jeff Daniels vehicle, Chasing Sleep.

1. A film about the world of business, marketing, sales? A film about interactions in an office? Ambitions, relationships, manipulation, the trials?

2. The title, the focus on the company, the board, the new manager, the style, getting the staff to work together after humiliating them, their dependence on her? Prices and sales in the supermarket? The price for success within the structure of the company?

3. The town, homes, schools, concerts? The office? The head office, meetings? A sense of the business world?

4. The focus on Pete Cozy, his story? His age, his past, the music business, not enjoying his work, further ambitions? His relationship with his wife, son, her pregnancy? His being singled out by Susan, her praise, relying on him? Coming to his home, the meal in the restaurant, her interest in his son, the concert, toys and playing with him? Her asking Pete’s advice about sacking? Her not following it? The reliance on him, the promise of a huge raise, the consequence for him and his mortgage, his wife’s support? His going to the national meeting, making good impression on the head? promise of further promotion? The plans, the strategies, interactions with the team, working on the strategies, some wanting to give up, his pushing forward? His relationship with Susan, the sexual encounter, his dependence on her, her wanting to get pregnant? The visit of the head, showing him round the office? Susan discovering the truth about his resume, his not being honest about his education and its not being completed, Susan dismissing him? His return home, with his wife, her knowing the truth?

5. Susan, her personality, arrival, outgoing, meeting the group, teamwork, her commenting on their limitations, sacking a man on principle? The reliance on Pete, the meal, the home, relating to his son? The advance in salary? Going to head office? Her own ambitions, manipulation, moods? The sexual encounter with Pete, wanting to become pregnant? Pressing ahead with the strategies? The demands? Pete and his education, letting him go?

6. The people in the office, in themselves, their interactions, the dowdy woman accused of being fat, yet her enthusiasm for Susan? The others in their plans, sexual innuendo? Feeling the work was too much, the woman urging them ahead?

7. Pete’s wife, at home, her parents, the dependence for finance? The son, the performance? Her love for Pete, realising that he had had an affair?

8. Pete trying to get another job, his meeting with the musician, the job being filled, calling on favours, not succeeding?

9. The passing of the year, the birth of the child, everything seeming normal, at the supermarket, meeting Susan and her husband, her having a child?

10. His wife and the children, going out, his staying at home on pretence of work, his return, wanting to see Susan, to find out who was the father of her child? Renewing the relationship or not? The end as open-ended and audiences supplying their speculations?

WHILE WE’RE YOUNG

US, 2014, 97 minutes, Colour.
Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried, Maria Dizzia, Adam Horowitz, Charles Grodin, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Yarrow.
Directed by Noah Baumbach.

It would be very interesting to interview audiences as they came out from the screening of this film.

While the principal focus is on a married couple in their 40s, used to life, regretting that they had no children even though they had tried, would the 40s and overs identify with the couple, criticise them, learn from their experience throughout the film? It is a look at these two in comparison with a couple who is 25. If those coming out of the cinema were in their 20s, how would they react to the couple who are their peers, their attitudes towards life, their attitudes towards their elders, their reaction to living in a world of technology, often avoiding it and liking what is natural and real. And for those who are of older, there is veteran actor, Charles Grodin, playing a documentary filmmaker in his 70s.

For just over ten years, Noah Baumbach has been writing and directing films which try to go beneath their surfaces. He was particularly successful in 2006 with his family study, The Squid and the Whale. There was the portrait of people assembling for Margot at the Wedding, then the story of a middle-aged man trying to find his place in life, Greenburg, and after that the more light-hearted portrait of a young woman trying to find her place, Frances Ha.

He opens the film with quotes from Ibsen, The Master Builder, and opening the doors to the younger generation.

Here we are introduced to Josh and Cornelia, very fine performances from Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts. Their peers and friends had become preoccupied with young children, which tends to alienate Josh and Cornelia who have experienced miscarriages. Josh is lecturing on documentary film when he encounters a young couple, Jamie and Darby (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried), in their midtwenties, he an enthusiastic documentary maker, she a maker of ice cream. They keep inviting the older couple out, taking Cornelia to Hip-hop lessons, Jamie getting Josh involved in his experimental documentary, and their both agreeing to attend to a New Age mescaline-meditation-vomiting-out-of-old-attitudes weekend.

The experience has a transforming effect on the older couple, going back almost 20 years to what it was like when they were young, the experience re-invigorating them but puzzling peer friends. The experience also seen seems to transform of the younger couple, with Jamie becoming very involved in his documentary, Josh acting as cameraman, letting Jamie interview the elderly guru from his own film (played by Peter Yarrow, the Peter in Peter, Paul, Mary). There is a particularly strong sequence where an Afghanistan veteran (Brady Corbett) who has attempted to kill himself is interviewed for the documentary.

Just as the audience may be feeling really satisfied, or perhaps wondering, there are shifts in the revelations of characters and audience emotional response, everybody not quite being actually what they seem. But is it all Josh’s problem – he is rather paranoid, about his documentary, about his father-in-law, about his reputation. And is Jamie trying to exploit Josh? And how will Cornelia ultimately deal with all the changes and challenges?

There are a lot of nice things going on despite the difficulties, and there is a pleasantly hopeful ending.

1. The response of different age groups? In the 20s? In their 40s? Older?

2. The director, his body of work, sardonic surfaces, the main themes, taking audiences deeper?

3. New York City, the apartments, the effect, the cafes, interviews, documentary filmmaking, the focus on babies, the New Age weekend? New York life?

4. The range of songs, the classical music?

5. The end, the graffiti of the title and its focus?

6. Josh and Cornelia, their age, backgrounds, their friends with their baby, the difficulties for conception, their attempts? Their interests and focus? Cornelia with the mothers and the singing with the children? Cornelia getting? Not invited to their friends party, but staying and is? The characters – and the critique?

7. Josh and Cornelia at home, Josh lecturing on documentaries, his theoretical language and approach, his film, 10 years, his associate editor, not paying him? The footage and the interviews? His father-in-law and his influence? Josh and his hostility, a touch paranoid about criticism?

8. Jamie and Darby, at the lecture, stopping to talk, words of admiration, inviting Josh to eat, the discussions, the visits, vinyl disks? People in their mid-twenties, nice manner, the bikes, Jamie getting Josh a hat? The effect on Josh and on Cornelia?

9. Darby and Cornelia, discussion about babies, going to the hip-hop lesson, their friendship?

10. Josh, his film, going to see his father-in-law, watching the footage, his comments?

11. Jamie, his film, and admiring Josh’s first film, wanting help, the story, the Facebook connection, singling out Kent, communication, arrival at the house, his wife and her reaction? The children? Afghanistan, slitting his wrists, the interview? Josh filming, on Jamie’s face as he told the story about his mother’s death?

12. The New Age weekend, the and his talk, the range of people present, the woman discussing with Josh, the drugs, the trances, vomiting attitudes? Cornelia kissing Jamie, thinking it was Josh?

13. Jamie and Darby, her making the ice cream, her friendship Kent, making the contact, the attraction to other men, confiding in Cornelia, in Josh, her leaving?

14. Josh is editor and his comments, not being paid, liking working with Jamie, more work with Josh? Editing out material?

15. The clash between Josh and Cornelia, swearing at each other, his not coming home?

16. The tribute for Leslie, the speeches, the preparation, Cornelia present, Leslie’s speech, explanations about documentaries, about truth?

17. Josh, the rollerblades, the subway, confronting Jamie, going to the table, hysterical, wanting Jamie to confess? The issue of authenticity in
documentaries, contrived documentaries, emotional?

18. One year passing, the possibility of adoption, their friends again?

19. The surface, comedy, challenge, going deeper, audiences identifying with the characters and their crises?

SAMBA

France, 2014, 118 minutes, Colour.
Omar Sy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tahar Rahim, Izia Higilin.
Directed by Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano.

It is reported that Les Intouchables/The Intouchables has sold over 50 million tickets around the world. Audiences responded to the story of the prisoner, I had to take care of a wheelchair-bound cranky wealthy man. The film was both sad and funny, but had pleasing emotional appeal. The directors have said there is no plan for a sequel but were content that there was going to be an American remake (seemingly the validation of the success of a French film!).

After the success of Les Intouchables, the directors did waited some years for their next film. But here it is, Samba. And they have invited their star, Omar Sy to come back and team with Charlotte Gainsbourg.

The setting is Paris and the story is that of an illegal migrant, Samba, who came 10 years earlier from Senegal and has been able to survive, living with his uncle, working in a restaurant kitchen, taking on labouring jobs, hoping to become a chef. He has been very careful and has avoided arrest but is attacked in the street, fights back and is arrested. He is detained in the internment centre – difficult and confined, but far less enclosed and repressed than contemporary Australian and off-shore detention centres.

Charlotte Gainsbourg, one of France’s leading actresses, plays Alice, who has suffered a breakdown from her high-powered job and is assisting at a clearing centre for the detainees. She accompanies an earnest young woman and interviews Samba. Alice has been warned to keep a distance, not become involved, but Samba is pleasant in the discussions so that she actually gives him her number. It comes in handy, as we might expect, when he needs some further help.

Omar Sy is quite different from his character in Les Intouchables. He is a physically big man and can take care of himself when attacked, but has a rather gentle spirit, has been working the years in France and sending home money to his mother and upset when he is detained and can’t get work to earn the money. His uncle, a rather stoic old man, works in the kitchen, gives advice to his nephew but thinks it is time for him to return home.

Over the weeks, Samba and Alice cross paths, Alice confiding in Samba the difficulties she has experienced, gaining some confidence again, prepared to go to interviews for getting the job back. Samba has been working on building sites and odd jobs and becomes friendly with Wilson, a cheerful Brazilian worker who thinks that women are attracted to the exuberant Latin American temperament. He doesn’t really look Brazilian and has to confess that his real name is one Walid and that he is from Algeria. But he is so cheerful, that nothing stops him and he sets his eyes on Alice’s companion from the office.

The film slows down a little in the middle, especially when the main characters turn up at a dance for the staff of the detention interviews, some comedy with several of the interviewers, elderly women who have struggled with foreign languages, accents, yet still try to do their best for the detainees.

There is some drama towards the end when Samba encounters a friend that he made in the detention centre, promising to track down his fiancee, which he does but has a one night stand with her and he cannot face his friend. The police pursue, they hang onto a rail over the river but both fall in – but there is still hope, the audience realising what has happened in terms of coats, but Alice and Samba’s uncle do not. Ultimately, Samba makes a decision to do the right thing.

There is a great deal of warmth in the film, a most sympathetic portrait of an illegal worker in France and the continued edge in avoiding police and discovery. With the enormous flow of migrants and refugees, legal and illegal, throughout the world, it is quite important that audiences put faces on these migrants and discover and identify with their stories.

1. An entertaining film? Humane? Serious? Social issues? In France, in Africa?

2. The impact for audiences worldwide, especially for refugee issues?

3. Paris, the locations, familiar scenes, restaurants, kitchens, the detention centre, offices, homes, job sites, the river? The musical score?

4. The title, the tone of the name? Omar Sy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tahar Rahim, the work of the directors?

5. Samba’s story, from Senegal, 10 years in Paris, his mother at home, illegal, staying with his uncle, working in the kitchen, wanting to be a chef, sending money to his mother, his mother’s pleas and demands? Avoiding the police, the issue of documents? His being caught, the detention centre and its effect? Meeting the man from Congo, the story of his fiancee? Meeting the social workers, the young woman, Alice?

6. The young woman, her verve, her studies, interviews, with the detainees, advice to keep a distance? Taking Alice? Alice’s breakdown, nervous, talking, the phone number, responding to Samba and his pleasantness? The later interviews? Wanting to talk to him, the building site, meeting Wilson, the discussions? Going to get forged documents, the cost?

7. The visits to the detention centre, the staff, the older women, the range of detainees, language issues? Wilson as translator? Setting his sights on the young social worker, her rejection, acceptance, going to the dance, the exuberance, the further relationship? His true story, not Brazilian, coming from Algeria?

8. Samba, going to find the fiancee, the discussions, the night with her, his shame, avoiding his friend, the phone call?

9. Alice, the character, reactions, helping Samba, shelter, the social, getting better, going to the interview for her job?

10. Samba, whether to return to Senegal or not, the advice of his uncle, the documents, meeting the friend from the detention centre, going to meet Alice, his not turning up? The truth, the fight? The clash, the police, running away, holding onto the railing, the two going into the water?

11. The change of coats, the false identity, the consequences, his wanting to leave, Alice seeking him out, staying, becoming a chef, the menus?

12. A look at contemporary social issues, illegals and refugees in France, the comparison with treatments in other countries?

BLACK SEA

UK, 2014, 114 minutes, Colour
Jude Law, Tobias Menzies, Jackie Whitaker, Scoot Mc Nairy, David Threlfall, Grigoriy Dobrygin, Ben Mendelsohn, Michael Smiley, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Bobby Schofield.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald.

While the Black Sea, especially out of Sebastopol, is the realistic location for this thriller, the title also means the dark depths of the sea. This is a submarine film.

Over the years there have been many fine dramas and thrillers, from 1950’s Morning Departure, with John Mills and a stiff upper lip British cast, to Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October as well is The Crimson Tide. There was also the fine German film, Das Boot. This film is not quite in the same class as these undersea thrillers but it will do as a piece of underwater entertainment.

Jude Law, who has been doing some excellent roles in recent years from his grim and quiet Karenin in the recent Anna Karenina to his boasting bluff Dom Hemingway. Here he looks strong and sturdy, shaven head, Scots accent, a man who has spent 30 years in submarines and working in salvage who is let go with a pittance by his company. His life has been l dedicated to the sea to the neglect of his wife and child who are glimpsed in a number of flashbacks. There doesn’t seem to be much else to do but drown his sorrows.

When he hears of an interesting operation, the salvage of a submarine with gold that Russia through Stalin had paid to Hitler at the beginning of World War II. This episode is visualised in surreal black and red colour during the opening credits. The captain goes to an interview, agrees to the task, collects his own crew from Britain and half the crew from Russia (played by actual Russian actors) and a quite psychotic diver from Australia, played by Ben Mendelsohn.

The film doesn’t waste much time in going into the depths and precipitating a crisis, killing and an explosion with more deaths. This does not enhance the credibility of the plot where the crew in an old Russian rust bucket submarine dive into the depths and locate the vessel. There are the usual anxieties, especially through Daniels, an executive imposed on the crew by the company (Scoot Mc Nairy in a constantly whining and whingeing performance or, rather, trying to do his best with whining and whingeing lines, irritating nonetheless).

With damage to the submarine because of the explosion, they have to find a different way to the surface, but there are also revelations of double dealing in the setup of the contract. The trek by the divers to the submarine and the discovery of corpses and of the gold, increases the motivation to succeed, despite the difficulties in transporting a piston and the gold to the submarine.

The captain decides to go to another port to surface and get away with the gold, some for everyone, but they come across a deep sea canyon which they decide to navigate.

There is quite some dissent, some violence and mayhem before a partly happy ending.

The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald, a prolific maker of documentaries, especially his Oscar-winning One Day in September about the Munich Olympics. He has also made a number of feature films including directing Forrest Whitaker to his Oscar in The Last King of Scotland. This means that his eye for effective detail makes the action in the submarine rather documentary-like. But he is quite melodramatic with the narrative fiction.

1. The title? Geographical reference? Historical reference as seen during the credits? Symbolic, in the depths of the water in the sea and the experience, life and death?

2. The UK sequences, Scotland, offices, pubs, school – all things normal?

3. Crimea, Sebastopol, the atmosphere, the wharf, the sea, the submarine?

4. The credits, the glimpses of World War II, Hitler and Stalin, the submarines, the gold? The explanation of the Nazi gold and receiving it from Russia? The sinking of the submarine? The discussions about the deal, who would profit from the salvage, the sharing? Hopes? On the map, location of the submarine? Crimea, Russian, Georgia and the authorities?

5. Submarine, old, the cost? Daniels and his being present at the discussions, persuading Robinson?

6. Robinson, Scottish, the discussions and his being fired, the small payout? His losing his wife and son, the glimpses in flashbacks, the photos, his happy life with them? The long experience with submarines, salvage? In the pub, his friend, getting information, the contact, the irony of the actor presiding at the meeting, the nature of the deal? Daniels and his being an intermediary?

7. The crew, their experience, those from Britain, those from Russia (actual Russian actors)? The variety of skills?

8. The detail of the running of the submarine, each person with skill, jobs, personalities or not? Language? Daniels and his being present as well?

9. The explosion, the cause, the effect, the deaths, Robinson knocked out, coming to, assessing the situation?

10. The plan, the engine, the old submarine? Fraser, his background, Australian accent, daring? Diving, Tobin and his being young, brought on board by Robinson? His going out? Peters, his age, falling and death? Walking along the sea-bed, thinking there was a cliff and hill, the sand covering the swastika, the corpses inside the boat, echoes of cannibalism, the discovery of the gold? Loading it with the piston? The difficulties in bringing it back, the ultimate success?

11. The character of Daniels, his continually whingeing, wanting to go to the surface? His eventually explaining the doublecross to Robinson, the scheme to get all the gold and imprison the men?

12. Fraser, his personality, his doubts, Peters’ death, Daniels and his influence, resisting? The confrontation with Robinson?

13. The plan, to sail across the Black Sea, the skills needed, making progress, estimating the gold and its value?

14. Striking the canyon, the effect? Daniels persuading Fraser to kill the man? The explanation to Robinson? The men in the hold, Daniels closing the door, their drowning? His own death by drowning?

15. Three survivors, Robinson and his obsession about the gold, how correct the accusations? His saying he was against “them” and the challenge to explain who these people were and his explanation of exploitative wealthy people and authorities?

16. Only three diving suits for survival? The sending up Tobin and the sympathetic Russian? Surfacing, the third suit, the gold and the photo?

17. Robinson, his memories, preparing for death?

18. The moral of the story about greed, gold, obsessions, risking life, the desire for life?

RUN ALL NIGHT

US, 2015, 112 minutes, Colour.
Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, Boyd Holbrook, Bruce Mc Gill, Genesis Rodriguez, Vincent D' Onofrio, Lois Smith,. Common.
Directed by Jaume Collet- Serra.

For the last six years there has been a Liam Neeson action thriller every year, sometimes two per year. He has been the lead in the three Taken films, in A Walk among the Tombstones and three films from the present director, Unknown and Non-stop. He clearly likes working with Jaume Collet- Serra.

This time he is not particularly heroic. He portrays, Jimmy, a retired hitman, working for New York gangsters. He is now alcoholic, getting old, alienated from his son, not having much to do or to hope for. His close friend from the past and into the present is also a hitman, Shawn, played by Ed Harris. He is still on the upper, doing business, while not always agree with his crooked son and his proposals for deals, especially when they involve Eastern European thugs.

Jimmy’s son is a good man, married with daughters, coaching young African- Americans to box, and driving for a limousine service. By one of those strokes of fate or screenwriters’ contrivance, he and a young man witness some killings by Sean’s son who proceeds to track him down to kill him. His father has come to warn him and shoots the killer before he can shoot his son.

As the title indicates, the action of the film runs over one night and into the morning, opening with Jimmy wounded, lying in the woods, reflecting on the meaning of his life. It then goes into flashback.

Shawn breaks the news to his grieving wife, gathers his henchmen, meets with Jimmy and vows revenge. This pits the two old men against each other both psychologically and physically. Jimmy’s son, still detesting his father, makes decisions to help him, risking murder from a hired assassin. The plot also involves the son’s wife and children, their having to go into the country to hide, but nevertheless being tracked down and threatened.

Run All Night is set in a world of violence, a world of brutality, a world where those who involve themselves in violence come to violent actions.

The film relies on the strength of the performances of the two leads and of Joel Kinnaman as Jimmy’s son. Music star, Common, has an unusual role as a single-minded killer for hire.

Grim stuff for fans of this kind of action thriller.

1. Tough action thriller?

2. Liam Neeson as an icon for this kind of film? His working with this director in three films?

3. The title, the characters, deaths, vengeance? The action taking place over one night?

4. The opening, Jimmy lying dying on the ground, commenting on his life, not going before his eyes? His regrets?

5. The situation, Liam Neeson as an action man? Ed Harris as the villain? The violence, deaths? The past friendship, sharing? The contrast between the sons?

6. Shawn, his empire, killer, friendship with Jimmy? A base in New York? His men, and their loyalty? The deals? The Eastern Europeans? Drug dealers? Shawn not wanting to participate? Danny and his eagerness, smug, his loyal friend? The deals, the confrontation, Danny and his murders? Michael and the young boxer, in the limousine, witnesses? Danny and his pursuit of Michael?

7. Michael, different, his disdain for his father’s career, treatment of his mother? His marriage, wife, the girls? His training of the boy boxing? Driving limousines? The witness, the boy and the filming?

8. Jimmy, his age, experience, older, a drunk? The contacts with Shawn? His concern about Danny, his violence, his worry about Michael? The pursuit, Michael in the house, talking with his father, animosity? Jimmy leaving, seeing Danny arriving, Danny threatening Michael, Jimmy shooting Danny dead?

9. Contacting Shawn, Shawn knowing, Danny’s friend coming to confess and Shawn violently stabbing him? Communicating to his wife, her grief? His pledge to avenge Danny by killing Michael?

10. Michael, warning his wife, his brother-in-law, at the house, the thugs searching, being called away, the family saved, going to take refuge in the holiday house?

11. Detective Harding, pursuing Jimmy the years, the threats? The phone call, Jimmy offering the information, Harding wanting the lists of his victims?

12. The crooked police, being paid off by Shawn? Arresting Michael, the false charges, the guns? Jimmy and the shooting? His discussions with Michael, urging him not to be a shooter like himself?

13. Andrew Price, the phone call, the commission, his eagerness? Going to the apartment, the shooting, Jimmy burning his face against the heater? Not killing him?

14. The confrontation between Jimmy and Shawn, in the old restaurant? The pursuit of Shawn, in the railway yards, the shooting and death?

15. The family, in the country, Price and his arrival, Michael out in the woods, the family hiding in the rocks? Jimmy’s arriving? Michael’s leading Price away, Price and the confrontation, Jimmy shooting him?

16. The aftermath, Jimmy and the pathos of his death, yet a reconciliation with his son, meeting his daughter-in-law, meeting the children? Satisfied in dying?

17. Michael, continuing his work, the young boxer who had given the film to the police? His winning a bout? Prospects of a happy life?

FAST AND FURIOUS 7

US, 2015, 137 minutes, Colour.
Vin diesel, Paul Walker, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Dwayne Johnson, Kurt Russell, Natalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky, Lucas Black, Tony Jaa.
Directed by James Wan.

Would audiences and reviewers have thought back in 2001 that the original The Fast and the Furious would have had a sequel? Possibly, because it was one of those films described as high-octane, but appealing to petrol heads, drag car racing fans and adrenaline junkies. Well, not only did it have a sequel, the present film is the seventh in the series. Not all the cast have appeared in each of the seven films but star Vin Diesel and star Paul Walker appeared in six of them – and for the fans, there is the sad feeling about seeing Paul Walker in his last film and appreciating the dedication of the film to him as well is the final, collage of scenes that he appeared in during the series.

This one, with extraordinary stunts, special effects and action, is something beyond James Bond and even beyond Mission Impossible. There are quite some impossible missions here, in a film that goes for well over two hours.

At the end of the sixth film, a British criminal was killed and there was a final scene where his brother visited him and pledged revenge. This film has a moment at the opening showing the dead brother and placing an emphasis on the promised revenge. Since the brother is played by Jason Statham, we know that it is going to be very, very tough. Almost immediately, he is sitting in the office of the policeman, Hobbs (Wayne Johnson again) and searching for information as to who was responsible for’s brother’s death. A brutal and bruising fight ensues with Hobbs being taken to hospital. This is one of the many fights throughout the film, not least with Vin Diesel taking on all types and finally confronting Jason Statham. Paul Walker has fights with Thai martial arts star, Tony Jaa. Michelle Rodriguez has a fight with the tough security woman in a luxury apartment in Abu Dabi, reminding us that she began her career with Girlfight.

In fact, during the many fights - which may be too much and too many for reviewers to focus on, there is plenty of time to think about the 14 years of these films. One wonders how it is possible that Vin Diesel has been able to star for so long, being so generally expressionless, smiling here a couple of times, and with the deadest of deadpan delivery. He has some scenes with Jason Statham who knows how to deliver a tough line, seeming something like Daniel Day Lewis compared with Vin Diesel. And then there are the scenes between Dwayne Johnson and Diesel. Over the same period, Dwayne Johnson has moved from being just an action star, The Rock, (which he still is) into quite a comedian with a fine line of delivering wisecracks, showing up the impassive Diesel.

But, back to the action, there is a drag car race at the beginning, there is a bomb blowing up Paul Walker’s house, there is a shady US official who calls himself Mr Nobody (a rugged-looking Kurt Russell) who wants the team to go on a mission which has them flying to Azerbaijan, each of the team driving a car which then sky dives out of the plane, parachutes finally open, landing on freeways to begin the pursuit of a terrorists entourage and a bus holding an IT expert (Nathalie Emanuel) and a top-class technology piece, called God’s Eye, which can locate anyone anywhere in the world, hacking into everyone’s computers and phones (thus eliminating the need for storing a great deal of metadata).

Action in Azerbaijan, a lot of it on the edge of cliffs or over cliffs. Then transferring to Abu Dabi and its skyscrapers, luxury hotels (and, for a Muslim country, lots of very skimpily-clad women would send IS zealots into paroxysms of jihad fury). The advertising of the film has highlighted the stunt work as Vin Diesel and Paul Walker drive from the top of one skyscraper across the air space to the next and through it and out into the air into the third.

What to do for an encore? The answer is to take the action to the streets of Los Angeles, car chase after car chase, send in the terrorist with a helicopter and guns firing, sending out and drone using God’s Eye to target everyone. Not spoiling the ending but our fast and furious team do actually win out!

The box office alone in its first week of release, over $400 million around the world, will probably serve as the classic motivation for Episode 8!

1. The continuing popularity of the series, for 14 years? Interest, excitement, changes, cars, crime, international investigations in action?

2. The title, the tone? International locations? The musical score?

3. The scope: cars and speed, races, stunts and flights, sky diving cars, chases, vehicles going over cliffs? Azerbaijan? Abu Dabi? Los Angeles and the fights in the streets, cars, drones and rockets? Fistfights and action amongst the characters? The special effects? The stance and impossible effects?

4. The cast, over 14 years, the tribute at the end to Paul Walker?

5. Audiences, familiarity with the characters, the development? Dom as leader, Brian and the move from crime to the FBI, retirement? Letty and her loss of memory? The British brothers and the motivation for Shaw’s revenge?

6. Dom, the relationship with Letty, the marriage, the initial race, her loss of memory, her achievement?

7. The brothers, Deckard and his pledge to his dead brother? Revenge? Jason Statham and his presence in the film? Going to the police office, getting the information from the computers? The fight with Hobbs, Hobbs going to hospital? The bomb and Brian’s house and the explosion? His background in special Special Ops? Governments and their disavowal of Shaw, the American government interested? In Azerbaijan? The link with the Somali terrorist? The fight between him and Dom? The final confrontation?

8. Vin Diesel as Dom, serious and po-faced, a couple of smiles? His continued friendship with Brian? Mia as his sister, his interest in his nephew? The deaths of the driver friends, Tokyo? the bomb at his house, the explosion, Dom swearing revenge?

9. Hobbs, his work with the police, Elena and her work and devotion? The computer, stamping documents? Fighting Shaw? The vicious fight, in hospital, summoning Dom, the discussions about revenge, his official police stance, the warning not to miss next time? His daughter? The end, the television news, getting into uniform, his guns, confronting the drone? Imprisoning Shaw at the end?

10. Brian, retired, the relationship with Mia, playing with Jack, her pregnancy and unwilling to tell her husband? The house, the explosion? Her not wanting to hold Brian back, his missing the bullets? Brian in the team, with Mr Nobody, cars, the sky dive, landing, the chase on the Azerbaijan highway, the fights, recovering the technology? Rescuing Ramsay? In the bus, on the top, leaping, Letty collecting him? In Abu Dabi, searching for the equipment? Driving through the buildings? Los Angeles, his involvement, the chases, the confrontation in the tower, the happy ending? At the beach, Mia and her pregnancy and support?

11. Letty, her past, the race, visiting the cemetery, on-the-job, in the cars, the sky diving, the car chases, Abu Dabi, the fight with the security woman? Dom being shot, her regaining her memory? His not dying? The memories of the wedding?

12. Mr Nobody, his job, his henchmen? Wanting Ramsay? Security? The force, Azerbaijan, the surveillance, getting God’ Eye back? In the desert, his being shot, his death?

13. Roman and Tej, their place in the team, Roman and his MC style, at the Abu Dabi party? Tej, his skills with’s IT, security, working with Ramsay?

14. The terrorist, Somali background, wanting the technology, his confronting Dom, Dom and his making the dust, swirling, over the cliff with Ramsay, survival and people picking him up at the bottom of the cliff? The terrorist, in LA, helicopter and the pilot, pinpointing people’s positions, the confrontation between Shaw and Dom, shelling the street, the collapse of the street? The attack on Dom? Hobbs and his shooting down the helicopter after the car attempt to down it?

15. Happy ending, the collage of Paul Walker in the films – and beyond James Bond and Mission Impossible?

THE CHEROKEE STRIP

US, 1937, 55 minutes, Black-and-white.
Dick Foran, Jane Bryan, David Carlisle, Edmond Cobb.
Directed by Noel Smith.

The Cherokee Strip is a small 1937 Western of historical interest. The subject is the 1889 rush in Oklahoma Territory, the lineup of wagons and men and women on horseback racing to take possession of government land. There are some scenes of the race as well as the accidents that could occur and the desperate search for land.

However, it is a star vehicle for Dick Foran, billed as the singing cowboy, who appeared in a great number of this kind of film in the 1930s and 40s, with the same billing. He gets the chance to sing several songs. He is a pleasant enough screen personality, this time portraying a lawyer who has had difficulties in a western town with a greedy boss, Link Carter, played by Edmond Cobb.

The lawyer comes across a family, a serious father, an enthusiastic young brother, who actually has fired on the lawyer and his feisty sister comes to his defence. While he makes friends with the family, they are connected with Link Carter who has gone ahead, violating the rules for the rush. The lawyers horse has also been hobbled – as it turns out, not by Carter but by the girl who didn’t want the lawyer to be injured. He arrives late, but sets up his lawyer shingle.

It is too late, because Carter has established a mayor for the town, sheriff, other officials, all in his pay. He has control over those trying to buy land and is able to manipulate the market. He also attacks the lawyer and puts him out of business – but the lawyer teams up with an old friend and his wife who have set up a trading company.

There are a lot of complications, especially when Carter and his men try to steal the cattle.

The old father realises that he has been duped and sides with the lawyer and the cattle company, is under threat from Carter and his men, which, of course, leads to a shootout and happy ending as well as some romance.

The director’s novel Smith he directed many B-budget films in the 1930s and 1940s.

A LITTLE CHAOS

UK, 2015, 118 minutes, Colour.
Kate Winslet, Mathias Schoenhaerts, Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci, Helen Mc Crory, Steve Waddington, Jennifer Ehle, Rupert Penry-Jones?, Phylida Law.
Directed by Alan Rickman.

A Little Chaos might be a title for a Marvel Comics action show. But that is not its meaning here at all – and it is a rather misleading title for what we actually see.

We are back in the 17th century, location Versailles. It is the era of Louis XIV, the Sun King, who is doing his utmost to make the Palace of Versailles and its grounds a shining example of architecture and design. This means that the film is quite sumptuous to look at, architecture, gardens, stately interiors, costumes and decor, with the musical score to match.

The use of the word chaos in the title is meant to indicate that there are different ways of and styles for beautiful designs, some very traditional in manner, recognisable by everyone, others that are not quite what is expected, perhaps what we might see as disturbingly beautiful, with a little chaos.

The central character, a fictitious character, Sabine, is a widow who has a reputation for her gardens, her nonconformist attitudes and taste, who is a candidate for developing a particular section of the Versailles Gardens. She is played by Kate Winslet (in between her stints as Jeanine, the rather fascist leader of the government, in the Insurgent series). She plays a strong woman here, determined, a figurehead of female accomplishment in this age.

The film was directed by actor Alan Rickman (probably best known for being Severus Snape, in the Harry Potter series). He also plays Louis XIV, a complex character, an absolute monarch, yet caught in some of the emotional tangles at his court, especially with his wife and mistresses. He is somewhat sardonic, expecting his whims to be fulfilled, but challenged in thinking and attitudes by his encounter with his new gardener.

The other central character is a designer, played by Belgian actor Mathias Schoenaarts, who has often portrayed larger than life bullish characters (Bullhead, Rust and Bone). He seems to be of the traditional school of design and supervises a lot of the changes at Versailles but is intrigued by his interview with Sabine and offers her the position. He is locked in a rather formal marriage, his dominant wife (Helen Mc Crory) does what she likes even while she wants to keep her husband under some control. And she is not impressed by Sabine let alone the emotional response of her husband to Kate and attempts to destroy the project.

While the film offers an interesting insight into the period, the formality of the several thousand people who live at Versailles and work in the court, especially the women in their sequestered area, it is also an interesting drama on the personal interaction level.

The action for some audiences will seem well-paced and measured (or might be called slow). It has been described as a painterly film, one which gives audiences opportunity at some length to gaze and contemplate both the simple and the complex beauty of architecture and design, of trees flowers and landscapes.

1. 17th-century France, Versailles, Fontainebleau, the buildings, gardens, a film about beauty?

2. The title, the King and his sense of order, the state, ambitions, design, buildings, sabotage? Creative chaos and the contrast with traditional order?

3. The 17th century, the French court, the palaces of Versailles and Fontainebleau? The interiors, exteriors, the land, the landscaping the quarry, the garden? Costumes, decor, the importance of externals, clothes, wigs? Manners?

4. Louis XIV, the king, Alan Rickman in the role, is also directing? The opening? Waking, breakfast, the children, his loving wife, the courtiers, his personal manner, dressing, the wig?

5. The contrast with Sabine, at home, at work, the garden? Poor? Summoned to the Interview? Buying the hat? Her plans, hopes, the meeting with her rivals and their later sabotage? Andre, the interview, success in his career, design, the importance of order? His seeming to reject Sabine, the disappointment? Throwing away the hat? Andre, his adviser, suggesting another look at Sabine’s plans, combining his ideas with the design?

6. Andre, his character, his role, serious, his reputation, his relationship with his wife, the arrangement about relationships and failures?

7. Andre and his visit to Sabine, the invitation, the plains, the amphitheatre? The detailed scenes of building, the lazy workers, Duras as rival, yet his family life, need for payment, his respect for Sabine, his becoming the foreman?

8. The work, the terrain, adapting, the soil, the underlying water, the need for the aqueduct, the dam? The wood and the workers abandoning it, Duras and his new workers, their progress? The film showing the credibility of the buildings and progress of the time?

9. Andre and his wife, the arrangement, her affairs, her control, her jealousy of Sabine, seeing her in court? The confrontation with her husband, his repeating her lines about the arrangement? The decision for sabotage, losing and her glove, his finding it, presenting it to her in the box, her appreciation of
her downfall?

10. Sabine and her work, hard work, physical? The flowers? The visit to the gardener who loved pears and wrote the book? Her encountering the King by mistake, his helping her, her realisation, sharing the jobs with the flowers, the sequence offering insight into the King? The sabotage, unleashing the water, it is overwhelming effect, the flood? Sabine trying to close the gate? Andre and his help? The King and his visit to the site, commenting on the mud? Sabine at court, his listening to her, the allegory about the rose and human life, his accepting this?

11. Andre and his character, tender, the relationship with Sabine, the brief touch, his wife, the sexual encounter with Sabine, the flashback about her previous life inserted at this stage? Explaining Sabine and her caution?

12. The flashback, the child, hearing her voice after the child was dead? Philippe, the marriage, his mistress, going on the journey, the daughter with little doll, the dangerous wheel, the husband’s decision, Sabine stopping the carriage, its overturning, the death of her daughter, blaming herself?

13. Sabine and her personal journey in achieving her design and vision, starting at home, her work, the interviews, the job, being in court, her bewilderment on the steps with all the courtiers, the encounter with the King, see the of despair, joining all the women, their women’s talk, especially about the deaths of children?

14. The character of Philippe, the brother of the King, his German wife and her friendliness towards Sabine, his children? His manner? His lover? His attitude towards the countryside? Relationship with his brother?

15. The court, the King and his wife, her death, children, mistresses, Antoine and his comment about 2000 people confined in the court, manners and style, jealousy and curiosities?

16. The audience drawn into this 17th-century experience?

x & y

UK, 2014, 111 minutes, Colour.
Asa Butterfield, Sally Hawkins, Rafe Spall, Eddie Marsan, Jo Yang.
Directed by Morgan Matthews.

x & y might remind audiences of chromosome symbols. Others might recognise algebra, mathematics and equations and formulas. And this is correct. This is the focus in this film – but much more.

Morgan Matthews, a prolific documentary filmmaker, directed a documentary in 2007 about the international Mathematics Olympiad and the students involved. The story stayed with him and he decided to experiment with turning the documentary material into a fiction narrative.

The centre of the film is, at first, a little boy, and then his growing into a teenager. The boy is shy, has little relationship with his mother, but bonds strongly with his father who plays with him, affirms him, lovingly encourages him. When the father is suddenly killed in a car accident, the boy seems to withdraw into himself. Audiences familiar with stories of children with autistic behaviour, will recognise that the little boy, Nathan, seems to be autistic but with a great talent for mathematics and solving puzzles.

His devoted mother, Julie (Sally Hawkins) tries to reach out the boy lacks empathy for her. When she approaches the authorities at school, they recommend that special tuition from one of the teachers who had a strong maths academic record, suffers from a form of palsy, but works with special students, Martin (Reith Spall). Nathan works with him for several years, making progress with Martin’s care and attention.

When Nathan becomes a teenager, he is played by the talented British, Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Hugo, Ender’s Game). Martin is keen that Nathan participate in the Mathematics Olympiad. Nathan agrees and goes, for the first time in a plane, to Taiwan with the British candidates for the competition. Chaperoning them is Richard (Eddie Marsan, who worked so effectively with Sally Hawkins in Mike Leigh’s Happy-go-lucky). The Chinese official has a niece who is a candidate in the competition and who makes some kind of connection with Nathan. The students are very bright, some genial and friendly, others, possibly autistic, tend to be focused on themselves and communicate arrogantly. This is all very new to Nathan, reticent during the classes, just managing to get himself as one of the chosen ones for the Olympiad.

These aspects of the film will be of interest to parents and teachers, students who are interested, particularly in mathematics, as well as anyone working with autistic children.

While Julie and Martin become very friendly, Julie feeling the need of some affection after the death of her husband and with her son’s seeming indifference, and not able to connect by touch, not even telephoning her from Taiwan – something which never occurs to him. But it is the Chinese girl who also comes to England who begins something of an emotional breakthrough for him, teenage interest in girls but autistic reticence and awkwardness in responding.

The ending is not quite what it might have been anticipated, especially as regards the competition. Not every problem is solved but it seems there is some recognition by Nathan of his mother and her love for him, some moments of incipient empathy.

The British know how to make this kind of film, quite modest in scope, a very effective cast, a low-key treatment of emotion. But hopeful.

1. The title? Suggestion of chromosomes? Mathematics, equations?

2. The director, his previously making the documentary on the same theme? His decision to work in fiction?

3. The story of a child genius, talent, mathematics? Issues of autism? Origins – in nature, trauma after an accident? The personality, lacking emotional expression, lacking empathy? Training, participation, achievements?

4. The British setting, Yorkshire, the town, homes, schools? The atmosphere of competition?

5. The comparison with Taiwan, the locations, the visuals of Taipei? Flight, the group, living together, working together, the classrooms, the dormitories? Training and tests?

6. The picture of Nathan, as a little boy, his being questioned, his interest and achievement in maths, liking puzzles? not close to his mother? Close to his father, the bonding, being together, the activities, affirmation?

7. The suddenness of the accident, its effect on Nathan, his mother? At the funeral?

8. Nathan as a child, going to school, the authorities, with his mother, trying to find the best for him? The introduction to Martin? Martin’s background, his abilities, as a person, his suffering from policy? Skill in maths? The past and the Olympiad? Interacting with Nathan, the details, the each relying on each other?

9. The Olympiad, prospects, the test, Nathan and his achievement? Being chosen?

10. The trip to Taiwan, the awkwardness, in the plane, communicating with people, the effects of autism, taking things literally, sharing the room, Isaac and his pleasant communication, Luke, his arrogant manner, his talk? The meeting with Mei?

11. Richard, the chaperone, his background, his putting down of Martin? Travelling with the students, active in their training, laying down the rules, exhortations? With each of the students? His friendship with the Chinese mathematician? The discussions, plans, training? The Chinese niece and her help?

12. Nathan, reticent, being drawn out, not speaking in the classes, Richard questioning him, his knowledge, but not speaking out? The test, his awkwardness, the final question and his being chosen, the contrast with the Luke and his reactions and disappointment? Nathan’s finally getting a place in the Olympiad?

13. Going home, his experiences, with Martin, distant from his mother, the preparations?

14. The portrait of Julie, her love for her son, her feeling badly about him, his lack of physical contact, his not telephoning, his not being aware of his lack of empathy? The effect on her, having to accept it, the bond with Martin, emotional?

15. Mei, the motives, thinking their place was because of her being the niece of the expert, her place depending on it? Going to England, response to Nathan, his awkwardness with her, in the bed, the kiss, their being discovered? Her being sent home?

16. The examination, Nathan not doing anything, the decision to leave, with Martin, with his mother, going to the station? Finding Mei?

17. The ending and not everything solved? Bonding with his mother, the beginnings of an appreciation for her? Mei and bringing him a little out of himself? His possibilities for a future, personally, with mathematics?