THE ZERO THEOREM

US/UK, 2014, 107 minutes, Colour.
Christoph Walfz, Melanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges, Matt Damon, David Thewliss, Ben Wishaw, Peter Stormare, Sanjeev Basker, Rupert Friend.
Directed by Terry Gilliam.

After his introduction to British comedy in the form of the Monty Python show, and his contributions of animation to the television series as well as to the Python films, he branched out into direction with Jabberwocky. He began in the 1980s with the very entertaining Time Bandits and the exploration of tedious ordinariness, Brazil. Since then he has been making comparatively few films, but always interesting and arresting for those who been following his career.

His latest film is The Zero Theorem. And, as with some of his other films, audiences will be divided into loyal followers and the baffled who give up.

Fans of Brazil will see a number of connections with this film, the individual who is and is not part of society, working diligently – to what purpose? Here he is Qohen, living and working alone in what seems to be an empty and dilapidated church, with religious symbols and icons of including a crucifix with its head missing and substituted by a surveillance camera. He works at his computer, always answering the phone in the hopes of this being the call which will change his life. He talks to himself and to others, referring to himself as We rather than I.

When he goes out to work, he finds a bizarre city, vehicles recognisable, people in a hurry, but a world surrounded by billboards, huge hoardings, commercials which are spoken out loud, inviting customers to spend – and with the heading “enough is never enough”. Qohen goes to work where he is supervised by Joby (David Thewliss) and asks if he can work at home for his health and better productivity. He goes to see Management, Matt Damon in oddly patterned suits, who agrees. And then he spends a whole year in his hideaway, never going out.

But that does not mean he does not communicate. Those concerned about his mental health have arranged that an Online Shrink will give him advice – played by Tilda Swinton with a Scots accent. He is also caught up, virtually, with a beautiful young woman that he saw at the company party and who helped him when he was choking on a seed. She takes him away to a fantasy world, a tropical beach where he becomes more human, attracted to her, and being rescued when he sinks to the bottom of the water. Gilliam has given her the name Bainsley, odd for a character played by the French actress, Melanie Thierry. Does she really exist or, as she often appears provocatively on his computer screen, only virtual?

Qohen has a task, to investigate the Zero Theorem, dealing with the energy created at the beginning of the universe and is gradually contracting and being consumed in a black hole. He does not know exactly why he is researching this. But it gives the film time to explore some of the questions on the universe, personality, personal identity, ultimate meaning.

The other person who ventures into Qohen’s world is a teenager called Bob (Lucas Hedges), the son of Management. He is a whizzkid with computers, talks in a way that Qohen doesn’t quite always understand, listens to music that is alien to him. Bob tells Qohen that Qohen is either the chosen one, a genius, or else he is just a workaholic. The two work together, explore, have contact with Bainsley and an angry Joby who has been put out of his job because of Qohen.

As the film builds to a climax, there is tension because of an accident to Bob and the arrival of his father – who is either real or simply an image and voice on a computer. What is there left for Qohen except to retreat into the virtual world, a kind of heaven, life after death, that is the fulfilment of his imagination?

For the Gilliam enthusiasts, worth a second look.

1. The impact of the film? Likes and dislikes?

2. The vision of Terry Gilliam, fantasy and reality? The future? Science-fiction?

3. The visuals, the future, fantasy? The interiors of the church? The icons and images? The headless crucifix? The old and the new technologies? The boards, the computer screens? Dark and light, shadow?

4. The exteriors, the scenes of the city, the buses, the people walking, the vast number of commercials, the messages, the images? The words of the images? “Enough is not enough”. The people, the sweeper blocking Qohen’s way, later seeing the sex shop? The party? Management’s room?

5. Introduction to Qohen, no real story of his life, in the church, alone, using We instead of I? At the computer, the phone calls, his disappointment? His feeling sick? Going to work, in the street? At the centre, the various boosts, his working at one? Joby as his supervisor? The discussions about his illness, his doing the exercises, request to work at home, easier to answer the phone, better productivity?

6. His invitation to the party, his arrival, David and his costume, the range of people, Bainsley and her costume? Management and his sitting alone?

7. The character of Management, his suit pattern, and the seat? Reading? Listening? Qohen and his illness? Decisions? His begin to choke, Bainsley and her help?

8. The explanation of the Zero Theorem, the work in searching for entities? The various uploads, the blocks, their putting their being put on the wall, his success? Working in his room and not going out for one year?

9. His need to see a psychiatrist? The Shrink Online? The Program, talking, her face, her words and accent, her advice, the rap, appearing and disappearing, cutting her off? Her admitting that she was told not to change him?

10. Bob, Management’s son, aged 15, his style, relationship with his father, a whizz at commuters computers and research, the modern style of talking, his music? At the keyboard and screen? His explanations, the Theorem? His saying he was bored? His meeting Bainsley, going out, his illness, being put in the bath, the accusations of impropriety for Bob’s death? His father saying a miracle was needed?

11. The Theorem, the universe and its destiny, the big bang, swallowed up in a black hole? The need to prove the Theorem? Bob and his putting the formulae on the pictures in the church? The contraction of the universe, from chaos to chaos?

12. Bainsley, her age, beauty, at the party, helping Qohen? On the screen, the “enter here”, a product of the imagination, her changing? The images at the beach, the play with Qohen, affirming him, rescuing him from the water? Qohen and his hair, content on the beach? How much reality, imagination, virtual? The images of chaos, the pictures scattering through space?

13. Qohen, the transformation, wearing the wig? naked in space, being swallowed?

14. Bainsley, the visitor, her plea, the screen, access denied, confessing, her plea?

15. Qohen and his change, Bob urging him to use I instead of we, wearing the red suit in the church? The pizza meal? With Bob, the possibilities?

16. The bath, Bob and the accident, the monitors, the crucifix and no head, the camera as substitute? Qohen smashing things, their immediate repair?
Joby and his visit, losing his job?

17. The arrival of Management, talking, criticising, dismissing, denouncing? Being seen only on the screen? Qohen and the smash and immediate repairs of the pipes and connections?

18. The end, the black hole, the island, peace, the song, the ball? Qohen and death? This kind of heaven? Heaven is living in the imagination?

19. The iconography, information technology, the city, the church and religious? The final image of the camera crucifix?

20. Terry Gilliam, his love of words, his imagination and animation? Visionary and/or questioning?

JEUNE ET JOLIE/ YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL

France, 2013, 95 minutes, Colour.
Marine Vacht, Geraldine Pailhas, Fantin Ravat, Charlotte Rampling.
Directed by François Ozon.

The title is very direct and it refers to the daughter of a family, Isabelle, played by the young and beautiful Marine Vacht.
The film is the work of director François Ozon, a versatile director, considered one of the foremost of French directors, noted for his ability to work with female actors and with female themes. There is a cameo at the end of this film with Charlotte Rampling who appeared in his films, Under the Sand and The Swimming Pool.

At the beginning of the film, Isabelle is at the coast with her family on holidays. The audience sees that she has some preoccupation with sexuality, experimenting, and arranging for a tourist on holidays for an encounter where she can lose her virginity. She seems quite precocious for her age – as does her much younger brother in whom she confides.

With the transition to going back after the holidays, we see her at home and at school, but we also see her going to hotel, going up to a room, and meeting with a very elderly man. She has conversation and then a sexual encounter. In fact, she has quite a number of clients, not having any relationship with them, just the sexual behaviour and the money, including some rough treatment which does not give her any pause in this work as a prostitute.

Later, there is a crisis with the old man and he dies. The inexperienced Isabelle is at a loss as to what to do, tries to revive him but leaves him, neglecting to remember that she appears on the hotel surveillance cameras. This brings the police, and shock, especially to her mother, who does not know how to deal with the situation, relying on her calm husband, Isabelle’s stepfather.

It is only then that the audience finds out how Isabelle became involved in the prostitution, watching a television program that gave her the idea, setting up a website and her clients finding her online. The police urge her to go to a psychiatrist, which she does, but we would wonder whether she would get much benefit from these meetings and whether her behaviour would change. She says it would, but the audience is still in doubt.

With the change in sexual mores in the 21st century, this scenario does not seem as implausible as it might have seemed even 50 years ago. To that extent, the film dramatises for an audience who may be wondering about sexuality and behaviour in the young, a story of that both emphasises the sexuality as well as the risks and consequences of such behaviour.

1. The title? The focus on Isabelle? Her age, experience? Audience response to her, to her as young and beautiful, to her behaviour, her crises, her psychological state?

2. The work of François Ozon? His skills in directing women and women’s stories?

3. The summer holiday, the coast, the house, the family on holidays? The contrast with the city, home, school? The hotels? Psychologist rooms? Police precincts? The musical score?

4. The film as a psychosexual portrait of Isabelle? 16, turning 17? Her relationship with her parents? With her stepfather (in the several occasions when he comes across her naked)? The younger brother, friendship with him, talk, getting him to cover for her going out unbeknownst to her parents? Her being frank with him? Her own sexuality, the masturbation sequence? The effect on her? Her friendship with the boys, discussing them with her brother? Coming to visit the house? From other countries of Europe, language and accents? Going to the party? Propositioning the young man, the sexual encounter, his consideration but also his being casual? The effect on Isabelle? Her return home? Discussions with her brother?

5. At home after the holiday, introduction to her behaviour – and the explanation left to later? Her encounter with the old man, going to the room at the hotel, the sexual experience, her prostitution? Dress, behaviour? The portrait of the other clients, no relationship with them? Lying about her age? Rough treatment and its effect? Going home, the cash, hiding it at home? Not wanting to go to the theatre, the chance meeting with the older man, meeting later, his explanation about himself, at the theatre with his daughter? The conversation? The sexual experience, his death and its effect on her, trying to revive him, leaving the corpse in the hotel? Her being seen on the hotel surveillance cameras?

6. The police, coming to home, the enquiry, the discussion with Isabelle’s mother, her shock, with Isabelle herself, talking with her husband? Her daughter’s surly response? Her brother in the know? Her being a minor and therefore to be considered a victim rather than as a prostitute?

7. The portrait of Isabelle’s mother, who relate with her husband, her former husband, the ups and downs in her relationship with her daughter? The stepfather and his reaction, trying to give wise advice? His wife and her continued upset, his attempts to become?

8. Victor and the effect of Isabelle’s behaviour on him? His own sexual curiosity?

9. The explanations, the flashbacks, the TV programs and Isabelle seeing them, the idea about prostitution, going online, creating a name and website?
Her clients through the website?

10. The police, taking things seriously, wanting her to get treatment?

11. Going to the psychiatrist, the discussions with him, his shrewd questions, her fending him off, how much effect?

12. Isabelle going once more to the hotel, to the same room, meeting the old man’s wife, her character, relationship with her husband, wanting to meet Isabelle, not upbraiding her for her behaviour or her husband’s death, lying on the bed with Isabelle, Isabelle going to sleep, the woman disappearing?

13. Isabelle waking, going back to her family, her future?

LES GEANTS/ THE GIANTS

Belgium, 2011, 84 minutes, Colour.
Paul Bartel, Zachary Chasseriaud, Marthe Keller, Martin Nissen, Karim Leklou.
Directed by Bouli Lanners.

Les Geants is a small film from Belgium, directed by actor turned director, Bolle Lanners.

It is a story of two brothers, left to their own devices during the summer, their mother not coming to help them. They idle the time away, especially with the smoking of drugs. They encounter another 15-year-old who is being bullied by his brother and the three become friends, driving with their grandfather’s car, being helped by an old lady with food, deciding that they should rent out the house to drug dealers to bring and in some income. This is partly what happens but the boys are left to their own devices…

Some bloggers, trying to understand the film and the boys, indicate links to Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer or to the film version of Stephen King’s Stand by Me. While there may be some comparisons, this film as a reminder that the 21st century is far different from life in the 19th century and the 20th century.

1. A small Belgian film about adolescents, parental neglect, children idle and having to make do for themselves, bad choices and consequences?

2. The beautiful countryside, the photography highlighting its beauty? The grandfather’s country house? The roads, the fields? The home of the woman who sheltered them? The drug dealers’ house? On the road with the car? The musical score?

3. The title, how appropriate for the children?

4. The screenplay, the meandering story of the children, their friendships, drugs, running out of money, being helped by an old lady, the decision about renting the house to drug dealers, their having to move everything out, on the road and indeed? The friend and the brutal treatment by his older brother?

5. The situation, the two boys, brothers, their ages, all the summer by themselves, the phone call to their mother, and not coming to help, the lack of money? Smoking? Stealing the food? Idle? Their encounter with their friend, and his treatment by his brother? The three bonding?

6. How well did the film delineate the character of each of the boys, especially the younger boy and his strength of character and influence?

7. Running out of money, getting help from the lady? The decision about the house, approaching the drug dealers, the interviews, the test? Boeuf and his acceptance of the deal? His associate? The visit to the house?

8. The dealers, wanting everything cleared out of the house, the boys helping? And then being stranded?

9. Comparisons to classics of boys and their friendships – Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, Stand by Me?

KILL FOR ME

US, 2013, 95 minutes, Colour.
Katie Cassidy, Tracy Spiradakos, Donal Logue, Adam Di Marco, Torrance Coombs, Leah Gibson.
Directed by Michael Greenspan.

Kill for Me is something of a melodramatic potboiler with an attempt to explore psychological relationships.

A young woman, Natalie, goes missing and her roommates, with whom she was close, need to find a replacement for her for financial purposes. There is an application and interview by a young woman, Hayley (Tracy Spiradakos), from the country, doing studies, and acceptable to the two young women.

The central character, Amanda (Katie Cassidy, daughter of pop star David Cassidy) is somewhat introverted, a jogger, menaced by a former boyfriend who is sinister and violent. She is saved during an attack by Hayley who kills the aggressor.

Amanda is upset by the experience and still is anxious about Natalie but is comforted by Hayley, making sexual advances to her to which Amanda responds. This mutual dependence leads to a plot development which may remind cinemagoers of the pact between the two friends in Alfred Hitchcock’s version of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train. Hayley has killed for Amanda. She now proposes that Amanda kill her abusive father who is the cause of her mother’s death. Hayley visits her father with whom she clashes – and Amanda sees Hayley’s back in the shower with all kinds of welts and wounds.

Hayley holds matters over Amanda, especially with the burying of the aggressor’s body on her father’s property. It the becomes somewhat far-fetched as Amanda prepares herself as something of a vamp and tries seductive chat with Hayley’s father at a bar. He confides in her and, just as Amanda is about to poison the father, he explains about Hayley and her self-destructive attitudes, cutting herself and having clashed with her mother.

Amanda then pretends that she has killed the father and takes Hayley to him but he is feigning and there is a violent encounter between the three, the father suddenly turning violent and, to everyone’s surprise, we find that he has abducted their friend, Natalie, and has been keeping her prisoner in his barn.

This more than surprise ending rather undercuts the plot developments up till then as well as the psychological developments, especially with a more sympathetic view of the father and discovering the truth about Hayley – which rather spoils the merits of what has gone before.

The film was co-written by director, Michael Greenspan, and Christopher Dodd. They had collaborated previously on the melodramatic drama with Adrien Brody, Wrecked.

LE PLAN PARFAIT/A PERFECT PLAN/FLY ME TO THE MOON

France, 2012, 104 minutes, Colour.
Diane Kruger, Dany Boon.
Directed by Pascal Chaumeil.

A Perfect Plan might have seemed a perfect plan as a screenplay idea – but it does not quite work out so well in this film. Perhaps Diane Kruger is the wrong choice for the central role, though she tries her best at comedy. On the other hand, Dany Boon, who made an impression on French audiences and worldwide with Welcome to the Sticks, brings the right kind of comic personality, part realistic and part zany, to the role of the patsy who is supposed to be a candidate for a quick marriage and divorce for the heroine.

The setting is a meal where a 36-year-old official whose partner has left her bores the family to tears at the Christmas dinner and they decide to tell her the story of Isabelle, and her encounter with the Jean-Yves?, because the family is cursed that first marriages do not work but second marriages do. Isabelle is, therefore, after 10 years in partnership with a dentist, wanting a quick first marriage and then she can settle down with the dentist. Needless to say, this is not how it works out.

A lot of the film is farcical – but there are attractive sequences in Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro as well as in Moscow.

The director did much better with his film, Heartbreakers, with Romain Duris, and the English-language A Long Way Down, with Pierce Brosnan and Toni Collette.

1. French comedy style, characters, situations – and a touch of the more than far-fetched?

2. The locations, France, the city, homes, dentists, bowling alleys? The international sequences, Denmark, Kenya, Russia and Moscow? The musical score?

3. The title – and the English translations?

4. The situation: the Christmas dinner, the family gathered, the visitor and her incessant talking, the family’s boredom, the father playing chess, the mother critical, the husband and wife more sympathetic? Typical French comedy and drama centring on a meal? The decision to tell the story?

5. The telling of the story, the various members becoming involved, the effect on the visitor, her attentive listening, her appreciating the story whether it was true or not?

6. The family curse, the first marriage not working, divorce, the second marriage being successful? Going back to many generations?

7. The story of Isabelle? Her place in the family, her sister telling the story, her mother? Her stepfather? Her brother-in-law? The background, her not wanting to be affected by the curse, her studies, dentistry, falling in love with the dentist, their being in partnership, her not wanting to marry him, yet her desire to have children with him? The years passing, the routine, the meals, at bowls…?

8. The perfect plan, Isabelle going to Denmark, meeting a man, marrying, within hours getting a divorce, breaking the curse of the first marriage?

9. On the plane, meeting Jean- Yves, his listening to her, her glossing over the story? Encountering him in Denmark? His going to Kenya? Her alleged fiance being a no-show? The decision to latch onto Jean- Yves and persuade him to marry her, then get a divorce?

10. The continually turning up, his surprise at meeting her, at the hotel, his going to a lesser hotel and her following?

11. The adventures in Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro, the lion and their fear, bonding them?

12. The Massai tribe, the rituals, the decision to marry? Jean-Yves? and his happiness? Isabelle and the ambiguity?

13. Travelling to Russia, the experiences and adventures? Isabelle and her doing idiotic things so that Jean- Yves would want to divorce her? The issue with his hair and getting the cap? The dancing, the stupid talk?

14. Isabelle in contact with her sister, giving the progress or lack of progress? Jean- Yves and his listening to her conversation, his dismay, going to the restaurant, giving her the divorce papers? Her feeling bad?

15. Her return home, telling the story, laughing and Jean- Yves yet yearning for him? Meeting Pierre, unable to marry him, finding him humdrum, the same routine, the bowling…?

16. Jean- Yves turning up, with the divorce document, Isabelle and wanting to be with him? Wanting adventure, unpredictability? Happy ending?

BIRTHDAY GIRL

UK, 2001, 93 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, Ben Chaplin, Matthieu Kassowitz, Vincent Cassel.
Directed by Jez Butterworth.

Birthday Girl was written by playwright Jez Butterworth with his brother Tom. He had previously made a film of his play, Mojo.

With Birthday Girl, it is a mixture of romance, screwball comedy and financial scam. Nicole Kidman, looking at first very demure, plays Nadia, the birthday girl, who answers a Personals on-line advertisement and comes to a meek clerk John who lives in St Albans and who wants some excitement in his life. Nadia certainly brings it. However, on her birthday her two friends, Alexei and Uri, also turn up. John is then forced to help them rob a bank.

When he is finally tied up and Nadia explains to Alexei and Uri that she really loves him, she also is tied up and after their escape, they are able to better the associates and live happily ever after. What makes the film different is that Nadia, allegedly a bride coming from Russia and not speaking English, speaks English very well and has played this kind of scam with Alexi and Uri on businessmen all over Europe.

Nicole Kidman enjoys the opportunity for some light comedy. Ben Chaplin is the earnest bank clerk. For the Russians, two prominent French actors have been cast, Vincent Cassel and Mathieu Kassovitz. While there are some funny moments, the film is sometimes flat, especially in its portrait of John. In fact, part of the film seems like the typical sex fantasy of a bank clerk like John.

1. The work of the director as writer, writer of plays, director of theatre? Transition to the screen?

2. A contemporary British story, the lonely man, going online, seeking a partner, running the risks, being deceived by Eastern Europeans? The effect on him? Vengeance, change of heart, falling in love? A fantasy ending?

3. The British settings, the city of St Albans, the homes, the streets, the countryside, the bank? Motels, motorways, airport? Musical score?

4. The focus on John, talking to camera on his computer, his searching for a partner, the Russian candidates, the collage of women? His choice? Not checking out details? Going to the airport, waiting for Nadia, finally seeing her standing alone? Chatting in the car, her replies, realising she did not speak English? Smoking in the car? At home, the room, seeing her lying on the bed? The meals, the attempted communication? His repeated phone calls about the problem, not answered? Her sexual advances and his succumbing? Going to work, his routines, the girl standing next to him? His sitting in the manager’s office, the manager reading the report, very straightforward, humdrum, his accepting this, getting the key to the safe? Returning home, going through Nadia’s things, the gun as cigarette lighter? Her communicating that it was her birthday?

5. Nadia, at the airport, not speaking English, in her room, the meals, cooking? Going through John’s things, discovering the bondage pornography, her offering the same kind of experience? Her binoculars memories and flashbacks? Communicating her birthday?

6. The birthday celebration, party, the birthday cake and candles? The arrival of Yuri and Alexei, Yuri speaking English, Alexei.? The exuberance, the takeover? The celebration, Nadia’s response? John and his bewilderment? The explanation about the band, and Alexei as a musician, meeting up with Nadia? Their staying the night?

7. John, the confrontation, ousting them? The changing situation, began, taking over? Persuading him to give them the money? Their behaviour, raucous?

8. John, the musical instrument cases, going to the bank, the visit of the Inspector, the manager, praise of John? The background of the tutor with the fall and trust program? Their becoming involved? John and his stealing the money, the return home? Driving away?

9. Nadia, pregnant, her relationship with Alexei, behaviour in the car, John’s bewilderment? Their leaving her tied up? John freeing her? The ditching of the car? Walking? John and his anger, wanting vengeance? Going to the motel, realising she was pregnant?

10. Going to the police station, Nadia being sick, John and his changing his mind?

11. In the fields, the fire, communication? Falling in love despite his anger?

12. Nadia being taken? After the gift of the binoculars? John using them as a sign to Nadia that he was there? The confrontation with Yuri and Alexei, the
fight, tying up Alexei, taking his passport? The decision to go to the airport, to put Nadia on the plane? Yuri and Alexei and pursuit at the airport? John and his
using Alexei’s passport, going through control, going on the plane?

13. From realism to fantasy?

RATIONING

US, 1944, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main, Dorothy Morris, Donald Meek, Gloria Dickson, Connie Gilchrist, Howard Freeman, Morris Ankrum.
Directed by Willis Goldbeck.

Rationing is of interest for historical reasons – although, fans of Wallace Beery and Marjorie Main will enjoy seeing them together, their clashes and the touch of romance.

As indicated by the title, it is a film about rationing, especially in the war years 1943 – 1944. Beery plays a storekeeper in a small town, a veteran of World War I, wanting to help people in the town with the limited goods available. Marjorie Main portrays the supervisor of rationing in the town, very strict in the letter of the law, even having three different windows for particular enquiries in her post office.

There are various troubles, especially with Beery and his roving eye, towards Gloria Dickson as the local hairdresser, offering her gifts which Marjorie Main checks on. There is a further complication where her daughter is in love with the adopted son of Wallace Beery, who goes off to fight in the war much to his girlfriend’s grief. It is only when Beery arranges for money to be put in his son’s account that Margery Main approves – and, there is a wedding at the end, but it is interrupted because of the other sub-plot.

The films spends a lot of time in the store, especially with the customers and their trying to buy various goods. Beery takes on a partner, played by Howard Freeman, who has shady connections but his money goes towards Beery’s son’s account. What is revealed is black market activity in the supplying of meat, allegedly going to the troops, but put on sale. For a while, the people in the town suspect Beery of being involved, especially after he has made a special trip to Washington DC to meet his old war commander, now a senator (Henry O’Neill) who does not re-enlist him but appoints into the rationing board of the area.

When Beery become suspicious, and the Senator visits, he works out where the illegal proceedings were going on and goes to visit, being trapped by the Mr Big of the organisation as well as the thugs. However, all those waiting at the wedding are stirred up and go en masse to rescue Beery and close down the operation.

The film makers were shrewd in making this an entertainment about rationing and the appeal to the American public by the sympathetic stars, their sparring, relying on their previous screen presence – and incorporating a story about illegal operations and the vindication of Beery.

The director, Willis Goldbeck, had made several of the Dr Kildare films.

FREE BIRDS

US, 2013, 91 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, George Takei, Colm Meaney, Keith David, Dan Vogler,
Directed by Jimmy Hayward.

Once upon a time - actually in 1995 - children around the world were entranced by Farmer Hoggart’s sheep-pig, Babe. And many made resolutions that they would not eat any pork!

Unfortunately, Free Birds has not had the popularity of Babe. Which may be a pity, because this is the equivalent story of turkeys, of turkey liberation. How the film was made in the United States, with its annual menu of Turkey and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, is something of a mystery – the film is a plea for the safety and lives of turkeys.

This is an animation film which may not appeal so much to the littlies, except, perhaps, in its visuals. It is a film that young boys might enjoy. And, if this reviewer is someone to go by, it is a film that might appeal more to adults watching it in a relaxed vein.

A blue Turkey, Reggie, is the hero of this film. He is the outsider, always has been since he was young, the other turkeys ganging up against him. He tries to tell them that they are being fattened in order to be killed for Thanksgiving dinners – but they have a flock-like mentality and eat up whatever the farmers give them. But then Reggie encounters an odd Turkey, Jake, who says he has a mission from The Great Turkey but does not know what it is – but has a belief that he has to travel in a time capsule. The capsule appears and Jake and Reggie find themselves in the 17th century, with the Settlers and the Indians, and many turkeys, of course, preparing for the first Thanksgiving.

Reggie and Jake are turkeys on a mission and are persuasive with the 17th century turkeys, the chief, and the plucky (that’s not quite the right word) daughter, Jenny. The settlers seem a tough lot, especially their defender, Miles Standish.

This leads to quite a lot of comedy, but also a sense of dread in the turkeys, and battlelines being drawn up as the turkeys face the Indians and the settlers. Part of the action involves flashbacks to Jake’s unhappy background and his vision of The Great Turkey. Part of the action also involves Reggie going backwards and forwards in the time capsule, inviting Jenny to come with him to the 21st century, and in another flashback, discovering who The Great Turkey actually is.

Looking back at that paragraph, it might seem that the film is a whole lot of nonsense. However, the screenplay is well written, has many witty lines, and is perhaps a bit daring for an American audience to suggest that the turkeys are really a symbolic equivalent of the Native Americans and that the settlers seem to be rather ruthless aggressors. The points are made, but this is an animation film for the family, and so there is some kind of happy ending, symbolised by the Indians and settlers sitting down to the Thanksgiving dinner.

The voices are particularly good with Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson bringing their vocal style of comedy to Reggie and Jake. And Amy Poehler is a strong-minded Jenny.

1. An entertaining animation film? American themes? American history?

2. The film not so popular at the box office? The theme of turkeys? For Thanksgiving dinners? The revolt of the turkeys – and, perhaps, an analogy with the clash of the Settlers with the Native Americans?

3. The animation style, the backgrounds, contemporary and historical, the design of the characters, the birds, the settlers, the Native Americans? Colourful? Action sequences? The musical score?

4. The voice talent and bringing the characters to life, humour, drama?

5. The plausibility of the plot, the time travel, the Great Turkey?

6. Reggie, blue, his place in the flock of turkeys? On the outer? The other turkeys and their treatment, their being part of the flock and single-minded, Reggie’s warnings and their disdain?

7. Jake, the eccentric Turkey, his kidnapping Reggie? Explanation of the situation? The need to go back into the past? The Time Machine? Revelation of the Great Turkey?

8. The return to 1621, the aim of saving the turkeys?

9. The wild turkey flock, Reggie and his meeting Jenny, her being a strong-minded Turkey, his falling in love?

10. The settlers, their way of life, building the Fort, protecting themselves?

11. Jake and his attack on the Fort, the failure? The human hunters coming to the fort? Jenny’s father and his being killed? Her decision to attack the Fort, rescue the other birds?

12. Reggie, coming back to the present, discovering that there were other Reggie’s from other times? Their urging him to go back?

13. The irony of Reggie providing pizza for the Thanksgiving meal, humans and turkeys both sharing the meal?

14. The identity of the Great Turkey, Jake and the introduction, Reggie and the discovery?

15. Reggie and Jenny staying in the past, happy union? Jake and his decision to continue with the time travel and his battles for justice?

MORSE: SERVICE OF ALL THE DEAD

UK, 1987, 100 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whateley, Angela Morant, John Normington, Michael Hordern, Karl Francis.
Directed by Peter Hammond.

This is the third of 33 Inspector Morse telemovies. It was directed by Peter Hammond who also directed the episode, The Settling of the Sun.
This story is more in the vein of Murder on the Orient Express, a conspiracy in the death of one man. It has a church setting, the focus on the vicar, his wastrel brother, the woman who cleaned the church, the organist, the alleged dead man and his wife.

The film has a great deal of High Anglican ritual and imagery.

At this stage of the series, Morse is settling into his character, a loner, fond of his music, of his beer, and often impatient with Inspector Lewis (Kevin Whateley also settling into his role), especially his ignorance of music and literature. As with some other episodes early in the series, Morse has something of a romantic attachment – nothing permanent, but here important for helping the woman in her facing trial.

Interestingly, the film has overtones of paedophilia before this crime became so public.

There is a case of mistaken identity, action on the rooftop of the church with several people falling to their deaths – and Morse experiencing vertigo.

As always, the case is brought together effectively at the end.

1. The popularity of the long-running series? Television movies? With style? The popularity of Morse and his personality, enigmatic and mannered style? The personality of Lewis? Their relationship? The solving of the crimes? Intricacy of the plot? The psychological dimensions, the mystery and clues? Police work and solving the mysteries with their own abilities? The work of Colin Dexter?

2. The Oxford settings, the city and landscapes, the cityscapes, the buildings? Comments about Oxford and Oxford society? The ironies about Oxford and the dons? The university city? Ordinary people? Their interconnections? So much beauty – and so much crime?

3. The quality of the mysteries, character-driven? Sufficient information, sufficient clues? The exploration of character and clues?

4. John Thaw as Morse, his personality, the changes over the years, yet remaining the same? The mystery of his name? His crusty manner, the bachelor (but romantic at times)? His own authority – exercised over Lewis – and his reaction to authorities? Promotion or not? The changing of his attitudes towards Lewis, bossing him, patronising him about education and culture? The issue of music? Drinking ale? His car? Quietly at home, at work? With Lewis, understanding the situations and characters, the deductions? His being a good listener – but critical?

5. The contrast with Lewis, the family man, the ordinary policeman, education and lack of education, his being put down by Morse – but enjoying his comeuppance now and again? Music and his ignorance? The first reactions, Lewis being patient? His admiration for Morse, having to do so much leg work, to formulate hypotheses? Working under pressure? Collaborator and partner of Morse?

6. The police authorities in Oxford? The medical examiners – and Morse and his attitude towards the female authorities? Sexist and patronising? Changing?

7. The quality of the film as a crime thriller, a thriller with intelligence and demands on the audience?

8. The introduction to the crime, the credits, the background in Oxford, beyond?

9. The range of personalities, motives? Truth and concealment? Jealousies? Deceits and angers? The academic and religious backgrounds?

10. The title, religious tone, the images, the church, the crucifix, candles and altar, the Sacred Heart? a sense of the sacred, joy – with a touch of morbidity? Ceremonies? The high mass, Communion, High Anglican tones? – And Morse having distaste and suspicion?

11. The church, the beggar, the cemetery, the wake, the disappearance? The death and the various theories?

12. The group in the church, Paul at the organ, Beth standing near him, her husband as the wardenr? Ruth, her look? The cleaning of the church? Lionel and his presiding as vicar? The body, the morphine, the knife?

13. Morse and his work, in the church, his dislike of the religious atmosphere? The puzzle, his style, morose, loner, beer, listening to the music, his personality, relationship with Lewis? Interest in Ruth, the kiss, suggesting the meal? Seeing her with the other man? His warning her, helping her in the final accusations and arrests?

14. Lewis, earnest, his ideas, ignorance of literature and music, comfortable on the roof, finding the cellar, at work with Morse?

15. The victim, the warden, gambling, the betting, his wife?

16. Assumptions about the case, discovering the inconsistencies?

17. The brother, his disrepute, relationship with Lionel? Behaviour? The little boy and the suspicions of abuse? Morse making the enquiries, the Anglican authorities, no case to answer? Lionel killing himself, jumping from the roof?

18. Ruth, the cleaning of the church, relationships, with the alleged dead man, the attraction to Morse? Her fears and cover-up?

19. Beth, leaving, the news of her death?

20. Paul, his relationship with Beth, his death, little boy and his being hidden in the basement?

21. The search, going to the roof, Morse and his vertigo, Liionel falling? The alleged victim, the final confrontation, his fall?

22. The complexity of the truth?

PAYCHECK

US, 2003, 119 minutes, Colour.
Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti, Colm Feore, Joe Morton, Michael C. Hall, Kathryn Morris.
Directed by John Woo.

There are probably two potential audience groups for this futuristic thriller, approaching from opposite angles. The first are those who have the writer, Philip K.Dick, on a pedestal and admire some of the film versions made of his stories. The best known are Blade Runner and Minority Report. Imposter is much less well-known. They will be looking forward to what the film has to say about the future, how significant the developments of technology will be and how we will control them or they will control us, or be exploited by the greedy and the powerful (themes obvious in Minority Report). While Dick wrote the story, Paycheck, in 1953 and he died in 1982, his awareness of the manipulation of the human brain and the memory are quite up-to-date. The other group will be those attracted by the director, John Woo. They will have his Hong Kong action shows in mind and be recalling Face/Off and Mission Impossible 2; they will be anticipating stunts, chases and special effects.

What will they find? The answer is, 'both'. And this answer may satisy neither. The first part of the film is intriguing science fantasy. What if memories could be erased (in order to help national security and the theft of ideas) and the subject of experimentation (or espionage) could be cleaned, ready to return to normal life or be used again. Ben Affleck brings his square jaw and determination to this kind of character. The moral issue is: what if he sees something unethical during his work and knows that this will be erased? How can he ensure that when he remembers nothing, he will be able to combat the evil. This is the science fantasy of induced amnesia and its dangerous consequences.

Once Affleck starts to probe what it is he wanted to destroy, the film takes on a more Woo-oriented actin mode. Once the chases start, the explosions follow and the utter mayhem takes over the film, the Dick afficionados will be feeling let down by an action exploitation of their interests. The Woo fans will be excited that at last the movie is getting going.

Aaron Eckhart and Colm Feore are deceitfully smiling villains. Uma Thurman has learnt an action move or two from Kill Bill and is a vigorous lead. Paul Giammati gives another of his versatile supporting performances as the hero's friend.

My preference was for the Dick insights rather than the action which seemed too much, too silly at times, for the more interesting and serious themes.

1. The popularity of the stories by Philip K. Dick, his themes, the future? Science fiction? The many film versions of his stories? This film in that tradition?

2. The work of John Woo, his treatment of the story, the emphasis on action?

3. The title, the reference to the money, motivation? Power? The invention, foreseeing the future? The issues of war, knowing the future and manipulation, money markets? Pessimism? The comment on human nature?

4. Seattle, the American city, the visuals? The interiors, the offices, the laboratories? Michael and his life and style, ideas, the 3D process, his working with it, succeeding in a few months? The past with Jimmy, friendship? The company? The demonstration, his agreeing to the process of giving three years to investigations?

5. The press conference, the 3D woman? Rita, meeting Michael, the kiss? His being taken to the laboratory, the stealing of his memories, the blocking out of memories? Shorty, supervising the work, the dangers of the transformation, temperatures? Jimmy and his observations, Wolfe and his role?

6. Michael and his agreement, going to the laboratory, Wolfe and the needle, the injection? The three years suddenly passing? His having no memory? His waking, discovering the time, going to search for his payment, going to the bank, the official refusing, the envelope, the signed document renouncing the money, the mysterious 20 items in the envelope?

7. Michael, realising that he had been deceived? The items as clues to what he was to do? Calling Shorty, then meeting, the restaurant? The threats and attacks? From the company? From the FBI?

8. The FBI, the goals, the weapons, the chase? The interrogation of Michael, the agent believing him? The superiors and secrecy and wanting to get the information about the machine? The agents themselves? The action of the car chases? The bike? Eluding pursuers?

9. Michael and the items, pondering them, the snatching of the ring and his pursuit of the thief, finding the building, entering? The realisation that he had been working on a machine to see the future?

10. The previous encounter with Rachel, the attraction, her biological work? The false Rachel coming to meet him at the cafe, trying to trap him, controlled by the machine in her ear from Jimmy and Wolfe?

11. The true Rachel, realising what it happened, going to meet Michael, warning him, the pursuit, the bike, the ride? Her helping him? The video and Michael not knowing anything of the relationship for the past three years? And his working with Rachel?

12. Michael and his determination to close down the machine? The visuals of what the machine could do, war in the future?

13. The confrontation with Jimmy, megalomaniac, Wolfe and his looking at the machine, wanting to take it over?

14. Michael in the building, the help of Rachel, the pursuit, the dangers, the action sequences and stunts? Rachel being cut off, attacked? Michael, the machine, the confrontation with Wolfe? With Jimmy? Closing it down?

15. The details of the items in the envelope, subway passes, keys, paperclip and its use to close down the subway while Wolfe was pursuing them? The lottery ticket, the winnings – and finding the actual ticket and Michael, Rachel and Shorty being able to share the money?

16. A new way of life Rachel and the garden plants, Michael working with her?