Our initial focus this month was on “Barbie”, then we went on to discuss other films screened at BPACC up until 3 September, when the cinema there closed.  The new purpose-built cinema attached to the Visitor Information Centre is now open – a new experience for our community.

“Barbie”, based around a crisis experienced by “Stereotypical Barbie”.  It was a bit fanciful in parts but has some very strong messages – no-one needs to be subservient to anyone else.  The cinematography, acting, costumes and set were very good.  It was a very popular film around the world.  Rating: 3-3.5/5.

“Chevalier”, based on the life of Joseph Bologne, a talented mixed-race composer and violinist at a time leading up to the French Revolution.  The film showed the culture of the time, including hypocritical attitudes to mixed-race people.  It

“The New Boy” is the story of a nine-year-old Indigenous Australian orphan who arrives at a remote monastery run by a renegade nun.   It explores the different approaches to spirituality between the indigenous and Christian faiths.  The performance by Aswan Reid who played the “new boy” was outstanding.  Rating: 3.5/5.

“Mission Impossible” is an action film starring Tom Cruise.   It is entertaining with good action and athleticism.  Rating: 3/5.

“Oppenheimer” is the story of Robert Oppenhemier, his talent for theoretical Physics, his role in the development of the atomic bomb, and impacts on his life.  Cillian Murphy’s performance as Oppenheimer was amazing.  Rating: 3-4/5.
 
With the opening of the new cinema, and the program released on a weekly basis, we will discuss all films that class members have seen during the month at our class in October. 

​Joy Shirley 

Our film for discussion at our August class was “Sweet As”.   This is the story of four teenagers, two indigenous, two non-indigenous, all with problems, on a road trip.  They are encouraged to take photos as part of seeing the world around them.  They were given old style cameras (non-digital) to do this.  Murra is indigenous with an alcoholic mother; Sean has attempted to take his own life; Elvis was attacked on his way home and has had problems leaving his community; and Kylie is under the influence of an older man.  During the road trip they all find themselves and learn the value of friendship.

This was an extremely good film.  The characters are all different, and the performances of the teenagers were excellent.  Murra (played by Shantae Barnes-Cowan) was able to show her thoughts and emotions by facial and body language without any words.  All four developed during the film, with language change and reduced swearing underpinning this.  There were a couple of lighter and humorous moments which helped lift the film from becoming depressing and too sad.

The cinematography was outstanding, providing various views of the Pilbara region of North-western Australia
.
Overall, a beautiful film, which may be sad in parts but is full of hope.  We provided a rating of 4/5.
 
Other films watched during the month were:

“Red, White and Brass” is loosely based on a true event.  Young people in the Tongan community in New Zealand form a marching band so they can get seats for a world cup rugby match.  This was a bit of run with lots of good music and lots of bright colours.  There were some silly scenes, but generally entertaining and worth watching.  Rated as 3.5/5.

“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” had been watched by some before our July class, with others watching it after the class.  Again this was enjoyed by members of the class, with good characterisation.   It had a good message about the importance of communication after a family tragedy, and the problems and misunderstandings that can occur if this does not happen.  Those who watched this month gave it a rating of 3.5/5.

“The Last Daughter” is a documentary about Brenda Matthews.  She had been fostered with a white family before being returned to her indigenous family.  As an adult she searches for her foster parents to whom she still felt connected.  It was eye-opening and emotional, but left Brenda and the audience with unanswered questions. Rated as 4/5

“No Hard Feelings” is a predictable and silly film about a late twenty’s employed by his parents to seduce a 19-year-old before he went to university.  Rated as 3/5.

“Maybe I Do” is about a young couple who are at a crossroads in their relationship – she believes the relationship will grow if they marry; he is fearful the relationship will fail if anything changes.  It is fun and predictable with some good performances by Susan Sarandon and William H. Macy.  And it looks like it was based on a play with the director keeping the scenes close to this.   Rated as 3/5

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is the final of the Indiana Jones films.  It included the traditional amazing chases, although not as much action as in previous films in the series.  It is also thought that there was either use of AI or clips from earlier films for the start of the film set at the end of WWII.   Rated as 3.5/5
 
Our film for discussion at our next class on 13 September is a choice between “Chevalier” and “Barbie” (or both).  And as usual, we will discuss any other films watched by members of the class.

There were fewer film screenings during July because of the Benalla Theatre Group’s performance of “The Drowsy Chaperone”.  So we decided to focus on discussing the performance by our local actors.

This was a play that was new to many, unlike the performance of “Mamma Mia!” which was so familiar to everyone.  It was a different approach from most musicals.  The story was told by a narrator, with the characters coming on stage acting according to the narration.  A lot of twists and turns created an entertaining comedy.

The show was a musical, with some good performances, accompanied by a live band.  Having live music was enjoyable but at times the music seemed to overpower the dialogue. 

Performances by some of the actors were noted during our discussion.  These include those playing the roles of Adolpho and the chaperone.  Good stage presence was a common comment from many in the group.  Of note was the performance by the narrator, who did an excellent job as he plays a recording of the fictional musical, telling the story.

The set was good, simple but effective.  And there were some positive comments about the costumes.

An entertaining live performance.  This was not a film, but we did provide a rating as around 4/5.

Films watched during the month were:

“The Last Daughter” which was found thought provoking but left some unanswered questions.  Rated as 3.5/5.

“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” which started slowly, but did involve a long walk, so this was appropriate.  Overall enjoyable and rated as 4/5.

“The Book Club: The Next Chapter” a piece of whimsical and frivolous entertainment with a feel-good ending.  It was also a great travelogue, being set in Italy.  Rated as 3/5
 
Our film for discussion at our next class on 8 August is “Sweet As”.  And as usual, we will discuss any other films watched by members of the class.

​
NOTE: The film class will move to the U3A room from August

Joy Shirley

Our film for discussion this month was “Polite Society”.  This was promoted as a comedy action film.  Ria Khan believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends' help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.  Members of the class had seen other films during the month.

“Polite Society”: many of the class found this a ridiculous film.  The storyline was unbelievable, but the action might appeal to teenagers.  There was some discussion around depiction of stereotypes and whether showing a young girl trying to act out of the stereotypes is good or bad – does this reinforce stereotypes as a result?  Most commented positively about the costuming, colour and photography.  A strong positive was an underlying message to not give up on your dreams.  Ratings ranged between 0.5/5 and 4/5, averaging as a round 2/5.

“80 for Brady” is a comedy about a group of friends (all seniors) achieving their life-long mission to go to the Super Bowl and meet NFL superstar Tom Brady.  It is a bit American, but has some great underlying messages around sexism, ageism and friendship.  Not an award winner, but a bit of fun rated around 2-3/5.

“Love Again” is a romantic comedy about a young woman trying to overcome the grief of her boyfriend’s death.  She sends texts to his old mobile number which has been reassigned.  It is a light, feel good movies as the young woman meets the man who had been given the mobile number. It is a film with some realistic aspects around grief, but with a happy ending.  Ratings from 2.5/5 to 4/5.

“Limbo” is not an easy film to watch.  A jaded detective arrives in an outback town to investigate the murder of teenage indigenous girl 20 years earlier.  It is filmed in black and white which does help create the atmosphere.  Relationships between the indigenous population and the police is the major theme of the film.  The murder is not overtly solved, with just an implication as to what might have happened as the detective is called back home.  There is no ending to the story, which relates to there being no satisfactory ending to solving the murder.  An excellent film, but not for everyone.

“John Farnham: Finding the Voice”, a documentary on the life of John Farnham.  This consisted of old footage plus interviews with current people.  It gave a good view of his struggles to be recognised for more than “Sadie the Cleaning Lady’ as well as his close relationship with his manager, Glenn Wheatley.  Recommended viewing.

After looking at the June program, we decided a good option for our discussion in July (12 July) would be the live performance 'The Drowsy Chaperone' by the Benalla Theatre Company.  This was to support our local theatre company, as well as the reduced number of film screenings.  For anyone attending one of the films during the month we will also make time to discuss any at the class.

​
​Joy Shirley

We had no specific film to discuss this month.  Instead class members talked about a film they had watched during the month.  When more than one person had seen the same film, this added to the depth of the discussion.

“Living” is a drama, starring Bill Nighy.  In 1950s London, a humourless bureaucrat decides to take time off work to experience life after receiving a grim diagnosis. 

Everyone who had seen the film found it excellent and worth seeing.  Bill Nighy came across as living the part, not just acting.  There is more dialogue than acting.  The film gives a good impression of London in the 1950s.  One of the other characters, Aimee (played by Margaret Harris), came across as charming and pleasant.  Her role was as an ordinary young girl and which was appreciated.

One member of the class was able to catch up with “Fabelmans” which had been screened last year.  It is a well-made film, with a useful message for teens – you can do this.

“Allelujah” is a drama, set in the geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital threatened with closure.  Some believe it a little confronting for an older demographic.  The story has a bit of a twist towards the end.  Jennifer Saunders takes on a much more serious role than she is often known for and plays a major character in the storyline.  Others include Derek Jacobi and Judi Dench.

Performances were good, and it was an interesting depiction of an aging hospital.  It is unclear as to when it is set, although after the closure of the hospital, one of the characters is seen in a more modern setting during the COVID period.

“Fisherman’s Friends 2: One and All” is a comedy and drama. Following the success of their first album, the Fisherman's Friends struggle to adjust to their new-found fame and work towards a second album.  It was a good entertaining film, with some great singing.

Finally, “80 for Brady” is a comedy that will screen at BPACC at the end of May and early June.  It is light entertainment with some relevant messages.  Stars are Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field, so it cannot be all bad.

There are several films members of the class are interested in during May.  These include “AIR”, the story of the development by Nike of the Air Jordan brand; “John Farnham: Finding the Voice”, a documentary; and “Polite Society”, a comedy about Ria Khan who believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. 

Our focus for our June class will be “Polite Society”, although we will also discuss any other films watched by members of the class.

Joy Shirley
​May 2023

As Joy was overseas for the April class, the decision was made by class members to each talk about any films they had seen during the month, rather than focus on a specific film.  A reminder to members that this will also be the process for the May class.

​(Joy Shirley)

The main film for discussion at our March class was “A Man Called Otto”.  But we also discussed other films members of the class had seen during the month.  These include “Banshees if Inisherin”, “What’s Love got to do with it”, “Babylon” and “TÁR”.

“A Man Called Otto” is a dramatic comedy.  Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all.  When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.  It is based on the Swedish novel 'A Man Called Ove' by Fredrik Backman.
 
This was a well-received film.  Performances by the main characters were well established and interesting.  Standouts were Tom Hanks as Otto and Mariana Treviño as his neighbour Marisol.  Comedy was woven in at critical times when Otto tried to end his life, with something humorous happening to destroy his attempt each time.  Those who had read the book found it did not come up to the standard, but still managed to enjoy the film.
Comments from the class include “brilliant” and “delightful”, and could be summed up as “great tale of life ending well”.  It was generally rated as 4/5.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” is classed as a dramatic comedy.  Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences.
The cinematography, music and depiction of poverty in early Ireland were well established.  The narrative was quite confronting and quite slow and disappointing.  There were good performances by the main characters, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.  Even with these positives, the film was generally rated as only 2-3/5.

“What’s Love got to do with it” is a romantic comedy.  It is the story of different cultures and the approach to love and marriage.  Zoe is a documentary maker and dating app addict.  Kaz is from a Pakistan background and decides to follow his parents’ example and opt for “assisted” marriage.

This was a fun film, starring Lily James (Zoe), Emma Thompson (her mother) and Shazad Latif (Kaz).  It was generally enjoyed by those who saw it as a light happy film and rated as around 3/5.

“Babylon” and “TÁR” were not seen by many in the class.  Comments on “Babylon” included it as a believable engaging story of the era and may in the future be seen as a cinema classic.  It was confronting with some rather dark and some unsavoury scenes.  “TÁR” was an interesting and amazing film in retrospect, with different people seeing different things.  It was brilliantly acted though slow to start.  It is interesting that the community at large are often puzzled by the storyline and so some external reviews are not complimentary.

As I will be away for the April class, the decision was made to each talk about any films they had seen during the month, rather than focus on a specific film.  This will also be the process for the May class.
​

Joy Shirley

This was our first class for the year, with several new members joining.

As it was the first class for the year, we spent the time introducing ourselves and talking about the films we enjoy.  Sci-Fi was not a popular choice for many of the class, along with loud car chase and violent films.  It seems that films with a story and depth are popular, along with musicals and comedies.  Some people also mentioned biopics as enjoyable.  Some favourite actors were mentioned, with some choosing films that involve these actors.

I also spoke about the process for future classes, describing a document I prepare each month giving details about the films screening at BPACC.  It is this document we will use to select a film (or maybe two) for discussion at the following class.
​
For discussion at our March class we have selected “A Man Called Otto”.  This start Tom Hanks and is the story of Otto who has given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all.  When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.  It is a comedy drama.  Some in the class have already seen the film and highly recommend it.

​Joy Shirley

At our December class we discussed the film “Mrs Harris Goes to Paris”.  This was a comedy, drama about a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress and decides that she must have one of her own.
 
There are a range of different characters, but Ada Harris played by Lesley Manville was the main character in the film.  Her performance was excellent.  Even though the remaining characters were subsidiary, it was her interactions with them and their performances that made the film.  Isabelle Huppert is fantastic as Claudine Colbert; her uppity character is the perfect foil to Lesley Manville's kindly approach.  Lambert Wilson is great as Marquis de Chassagne, who helps Ada when she first arrives at Dior.  Alba Baptista is outstanding as Natasha, a Dior model. Lucas Bravo is excellent as Andre Fauvel, the company accountant.  Ellen Thomas (Violet), Rose Williams (Pamela) and Jason Isaacs (archie) are superb.

There were some scenes that were a bit unbelievable, such as Mrs Harris marching into Dior’s office and telling him to listen to his accountant’s advice as to how to save the company.  But there were underlying moments of kindness and compassion.  And there were some interesting contrasts brought out between the working and upper classes of the 1950s.
 
It was rated as 4/5.  It was an entertaining down to earth film that we all enjoyed.
 
We look forward to watching and discussing more films in 2023, with our first class on 8 February.


​Joy Shirley

It was good to be back together to discuss the film for this month – “Ticket to Paradise”.
 
David and Georgia, two divorced parents who can't stand each other, head to Bali after their daughter, Lily, announces her plans to marry a local islander she just met while on holiday. They decide to put aside their differences and work together to stop the wedding, believing that doing so will keep Lily from making a dreadful mistake similar to their own.
 
The main characters are David Cotton (George Clooney), Georgia Cotton (Julia Roberts), his ex-wife and Lily Cotton (Kaitlyn Dever), their daughter.   Maxime Bouttier played Lily’s fiancé, Gede.  Lily meets Gede on her holiday between finishing her legal studies and starting her first job.  She decides her life belongs on the island with him rather than in a big city but is suspicious her parents would try to prevent the wedding.  Her parents’ plan to stop the wedding fall apart.  They eventually realise they cannot live their daughter’s life and so support her marriage.  When leaving the island after the wedding, they realise their mistake had not been getting married, but divorcing and jump off the boat taking them to the mainland to catch their flight home, heading back to the island.  This was a scene some of the class thought did not make sense.
 
The film was nice light-hearted entertainment.  There was no need for concentration.  The interaction between the main characters worked well.  The setting (mostly filmed in Queensland) was perfect for the storyline.  Our conversation went on to the current concept of “helicopter parenting” where parents try to control the lives of their children.
 
It was rated as 3-4/5.  A fun film, with nothing too deep.
 
Our next film class is on 14 December.  We will be discussing the film “Mrs Harris Goes to Paris”.  A widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress and decides that she must have one of her own.

Joy Shirley

With many of the class out of town (and I was one of them), and others put off by the weather, the class was very small this month.  Still a small number did manage to have a conversation about the film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and I have been sent a few comments.  Thank you to the people who attended.
 
Nancy Stokes (played by Emma Thompson), a retired schoolteacher, is yearning for some adventure, and some sex.  And she has a plan, which involves hiring a young sex worker named Leo Grande (played by Daryl McCormack).
 
This was an unusual film which in the bulk of the film involved only two characters, Nancy and Leo.  There was one short scene in a café with a former student of Nancy’s.  Nancy felt she had had a dull marriage and had missed out on excitement and romance in her life.  She hired the services of Leo to spice up her life. 

It was certainly a “different” type of film, but one could find some good points in it.  The actors were excellent in their demanding roles, there was a lot of humour, and nudity was part of the story (though rather explicit at times).  

This odd couple did form a friendship eventually.  Leo confided in her of his estranged relationship with his mother and brother, and how he told people he worked on an oil rig, not as a sex worker.  Nancy gradually gained confidence in herself, and a better understanding of her children. 

​The name of the film came from one of the final statements of the film where Nancy says to Leo “Good luck to you, Leo Grande”.
 
It was rated as 3/5.  Thought provoking whilst still be being very funny.
 
Our next film class is on 9 November.  We will be discussing the film “Ticket to Paradise” starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney.

​


​Joy Shirley

This month we discussed Falling for Figaro and Where the Crawdads Sing.
 
Where the Crawdads Sing is a Drama, taking the form of a mystery thriller.  A woman, Kya, raised herself in the marshes of the deep South and later becomes a suspect in the murder of a man she was once involved with.
 
Kya (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones) is deserted first by her mother, then her siblings and eventually by her father.  As she grows older, two local boys, Tate (Taylor John Smith) and Chase (Harris Dickinson) become interested in her.  When Chase is killed, Kya is suspected of his murder, but found not guilty at trial.  The film shows her life learning more about nature as she lives in the wetlands, giving great opportunities for cinematography.  The performances are good with the tensions between Kya and the community, as well as between the community and coloured shopkeepers (he is called “boy” at one stage).  A telling comment made by Kya “sometimes the prey needs to kill to survive”.
 
This was a compelling film that was liked and rated as 3.5-4.0/5.
 
Falling for Figaro is a romantic comedy.  A brilliant young fund manager, Millie (played by Danielle Macdonald) leaves her unfulfilling job and long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer.  The teacher she finds, Meghan (Joanna Lumley) works in the Scottish Highlands.  She has only one other student, Charlie (Shazad Latif). 
 
The film plays around with the relationships between Meghan with her two students, as well as Millie and Charlie as they change from rivals to partners.  The cinematography was great, taking me back to travelling in the Scottish Highlands.  Performances were excellent showing the tensions between the two young singers.  There were two notable aspects of the soundtrack – there were often variations on the theme of “I can’t Help Falling in Love with you” and for her first public performance, Millie sings “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.  The underlying message was around following your passion.
 
This was a delightful, feel-good film.  It was rated as 4.0-4.5/5.
 
Our next film class is on 12 October.  The films which were thought to be most interesting are Bosch & Rockit and Good luck to You, Leo Grande.  Overall, the focus is to be on Good Luck to You, Leo Grande for our October class discussion.

Joy Shirley

We discussed two films in August.  These were Mothering Sunday and To Olivia.
 
To Olivia is the story of Roald Dahl after the loss of his older daughter, and how this affected his relationship with his wife, Patricia Neal, and his other children, particularly his second daughter.  The performances were excellent, with particular comments on the performance of Isabella Jonsson who played the younger sister, Tessa.  It did show some background to Roald Dahl’s life and writing, but as a person he was not liked.  Overall, the film was liked and rated as 3.5-4.5/5.
 
Mothering Sunday is based on a book by Graham Swift.  The performances and cinematography were thought to be excellent.  In general the characters were not likable.  There was a significant discussion around the nudity used, which did not really add to the story, although it was in the original book.  We did have a short discussion about how our enjoyment of the story as compared to the performances and other aspects of a film impact how we rate a film.  Basically, this is not a film that members of the class would recommend.  Ratings were between 2.5-3.5/5.
 
Our next film class is on 14 September.  The films which were thought to be most interesting are Falling for Figaro, Where the Crawdads Sing and The Phantom of the Open.

​Joy Shirley

With Winter on us, the numbers in the class were down this month.  We discussed the film Operation Mincemeat.  This is based on a WWII operation to outwit German troops.
 
Operation Mincemeat was a successful British deception operation of the Second World War to disguise the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.  Two members of British intelligence obtained the body of a tramp, dressed him as an officer of the Royal Marines and placed personal items on him identifying him as a fictitious Captain.  Correspondence between two British generals which suggested that the Allies planned to invade Greece and Sardinia, with Sicily as merely the target of a feint, was placed on the body.  Consequently German reinforcements were shifted to Greece and Sardinia before the invasion of Sicily.
 
This was a marvellous piece of history.  In general it was close to accurate.  There were a couple of characters that were introduced that were not part of the actual history.  These provided some extra tension opportunities, including one to provide some romantic tension.
 
We found it a good production with complex relationships.  Tensions between the various characters and around the issues that needed resolution were well handled.  All the main characters were well played, and even the more minor characters fitted well into the story.  Favourite scenes were towards the end.  One of these was the waiting to hear whether the Sicily landing was successful with the Germans believing the plan had been to invade Greece instead.  And the final scene rounded the film well with the two main characters (played by Colin Firth and Matthew MacFadyen) having resolved the tensions between them.
 
Generally the class found this a good story with ratings between 3.5/5 and 4/5.
 
Our next film class is on 10 August.  We will be discussing the film To Olivia (the story of the relationship between Roald Dahl and Patricia Neal) and possibly Mothering Sunday (based on a book by Graham Swift). 

​Joy Shirley

With Winter on us, the numbers in the class were down this month.  We discussed only one film – Downton Abbey: A new Era.
 
Generally we found the film watchable.  This was a feel-good film with no bad actor or character.  Not everyone had seen the television series or the previous film.  Because of the range of underlying stories that were based on previous events it did not stand alone well.  For others who had seen the earlier film, this was thought to be superior.
 
The main actors are Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary), Maggie Smith (Dowager Violet Grantham), Hugh Bonneville (Robert Grantham) and Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Grantham).   As the Dowager, Maggie Smith, was a real presence, although her physical appearances were not as frequent as in previous shows.  It was her story that dominated some of the scenes even though she was not present.  One of her classic and true to character statements was “do I look like someone who would turn down a Villa in France?”
 
The more minor characters were all important to the story as it unfolded.  The actors maintained their characters well, with appropriate growth in maturity.  The film did provide some tidying up of stories for some of the characters.
 
The cinematography at the start seemed to be over the top, with a wedding that did not mean much for anyone who was not familiar with the background to the characters.  There were a couple of scenes that were not quite as expected.  For example, while on a motorboat, there was no indication of wind, with hats not moving and hair not blowing as would be expected.  In discussing the soundtrack we decided it was fitting, with no intrusion and not particularly notable.

Our next film class is on 13 July.  We will be discussing the film Operation Mincemeat.  This is based on a true operation that that took place in World War II.


Joy Shirley

Our film for discussion this month was The Duke.
 
The Duke stars Jim Broadbent as Kempton Bunton and Helen Mirren as Dorothy Bunton.  In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60 year old taxi driver, steals Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.  He is on a mission to remove BBC television licences for aged pensioners and returned servicemen.  What happened next became the stuff of legend, with an interesting twist towards the end. 
 
Performances were excellent.  Many people who have seen the film did not realise Dorothy Bunton was played by Helen Mirren – a indication of a great actor.  There were several smaller parts, all going to show Kempton’s character as he tried to help the underprivileged.  The cinematography incorporated some split screen work that showed Kempton’s visit to parts of London to attempt to have some writing published and to lobby the government on his cause.  There were some court scenes that were particularly noteworthy and humorous. 
 
An uplifting true story about a good man who set out to change the world and managed to save his marriage.  This was enjoyable, funny and heart-warming.  Ratings of the film varied from 4/5 to 5/5.
 
Other films screened at BPACC during April/May were predominantly animated films as the period included school holidays.  These films are fun to watch and have valuable messages for both the children and adults.  For example:
Sonic the Hedgehog 2:   theme – you will find your time to use your talents
Rabbit Academy:             theme – trust; not just “I”
The Bad Guys:                 theme – there is some good in everyone (perhaps)

​Our next film is on 8 June.  For those who have been hanging out for the next Downton Abbey film, Downton Abbey: A New Era is screening from 26 May and will be our film for discussion at the class.

Joy Shirley

​Our films for discussion this month were Marry Me and Death on the Nile.  Most of the people attending the class had managed to see one and many had seen both the films.  We also had a quick discussion around Off the Rails. 
 
Death on the Nile stars Kenneth Branagh, playing the Agatha Christie sleuth Hercule Poirot.  When Poirot holidays aboard a river steamer, his holiday turns into a search for a murderer when a couple's honeymoon is tragically cut short.  Set in Egypt against a landscape of sweeping desert and pyramids, this is a tale of passion and jealousy, with twists and turns that can leave audiences guessing – unless you have seen earlier versions or read the book.  The scenery impressed, although it was not filmed on location. 
 
There were several interesting characters with lovely costuming.  Included were several well-known actors including Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.  In the main, performances were reasonable.  The bride’s role was not demanding and seemed to be overacted.  Branagh’s performance as Poirot was better than in Murder on the Orient Express.  It is always hard to see him as Poirot though as David Suchet’s interpretation has been around for so long.  The opening scenes were a bit of a puzzle.  We were introduced to Poirot in the trenches during World War I, then in hospital with injuries to his face – hence the moustache to hide the scars.  And there is a scene at the end where he has shaved off his moustache which seemed to have no relevance to the film.
 
Overall a watchable but not outstanding film.  Ratings of the film varied from 3/5 to 4/5.
 
A few people had seen Marry Me.  Music superstars Kat Valdez and Bastian are getting married before a global audience of fans.  When Kat learns, seconds before her vows, that Bastian has been unfaithful, she decides to marry Charlie, a stranger in the crowd.  Starring as Kat is Jennifer Lopez.  It was a fun light-hearted film.  Charlie and Kat both learn a bit more about themselves as the film progresses.  There are a couple of messages that come through.  Perhaps key of these is the theme ‘all that glitter is not gold’.  The acting was average, with the best performance by Chloe Coleman who plays Charlie’s daughter, Lou.
 
Generally it was well received as a light happy film, with most of the class rating it as 3/5, with one giving it only 2/5.
 
We also briefly discussed Off the Rails.  Three fifty-something women set out to repeat the European inter-railing adventures of their youth, after their close friend passes away leaving them rail tickets, and a final request: to take her teenage daughter with them.  Many of the events were totally implausible, but if able to overlook these it was an entertaining way to spend 90 minutes.  We rated it around 3/5.
 
 
April is school holiday period and many of the films screening at BPACC are animated children’s films.  This is not to say these are unwatchable.  Many of these films are fun to watch and have valuable messages for both the children and adults.  There is one film that is not animated that looks to be interesting and fun.  This is The Duke and is the primary film for our next class on 11 May.

Joy Shirley

Our films for discussion this month were Belfast and King Richard
 
All the class had seen Belfast.  It was based on the troubles in Belfast at the end of 1969.  Filmed predominantly in B&W, it fitted the era well.  It did show some of the violence, but this was not in your face and was necessary to bring our what was happening at the time.  Performances were excellent.  Themes brought out were the living conditions, the importance of family, difficulties around migration and that religious differences did not matter if the people were caring and good.
 
Everyone found it a film worth seeing, rating mainly around 4/5 to - 4.5/5, although there was one 5/5.
 
A few people had seen King Richard.  It is the story of how Richard Williams coached Serena and Venus to bring them to top ranked tennis players.  We were given a new picture of Richard Williams.  Media have over the years made him out to be an ogre when it came to their training (he might not have always been a very pleasant person outside the era covered).  The film showed a different side.  He was certainly single minded about their coaching, but also wanted the girls to have a childhood and education.  As a result he did not allow them to join the junior tennis circuit as young as some other tennis players.  For example he saw how Jennifer Capriati who struggled after her initial entry into professional tennis and he did not want this for his daughters.  Performances were good.
 
Generally it was well received, with a rating of 3/5.
 
We also briefly discussed Spencer.  It covered just three days at Sandringham as the marriage between Prince Charles and Diana finally broke.  It was not sympathetic towards Diana, focussing more on her mental and physical problems.  The character of Diana seemed to be overplayed, with some of her mannerisms too repetitive.  The only redeeming feature was the comparison between Diana and Anne Boleyn when her marriage with Henry VIII came to an end.
 
We are again looking at two films for our April class.  These are Marry Me, a light romantic comedy, and Death on the Nile, a new version of the Agatha Christie book starring Kenneth Branagh as Poirot.  Class members can watch either of both the films for discussion on 13 April.

​Joy Shirley

This was our first class for the year, with some new members joining.

The focus for our discussion was the film “House of Gucci”.  The class enjoyed the film.  It is based on the life of the Gucci family.  When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel their legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately...murder.  There was not any one villain or victim.  They were all a victim or villain at different stages during the film.

Most of the performances were excellent.  Lady Gaga’s performance as Patrizia was outstanding – you saw the character she was playing, rather than the actor, which is an indication of a strong performance.  One character that did not sit well for us was played as a bit of a buffoon.  I am not sure whether this was true to the family, the script or poor interpretation.
Costuming was excellent, and the soundtrack seemed to move with the era.  Cars in the film were all fancy sports cars, which reflected the lifestyle of the family. 

Simple phrases used to summarise the film included poisonous family, shared disintegration, best action film, emotional, excellent performances.   We rated it as 4/5.

Other films watched during the Christmas break were:
“West Side Story”:  A remake of the film from the 1960s.  The performances were good with excellent photography, sets and dancing.
“Julia”:  A documentary on the life of Julia Child.  An interesting story of how she became a chef and where it took her.
“Kingsman”: A prequel to the Kingsman films and set in the leadup to the First World War. An enjoyable film, but some of the fight scenes were too long.

There are two films the class members are interested in seeing for discussion at our March class.  These are “Belfast”, based on growing up in Belfast in the 1960s and “King Richard”, based on the story of how Richard Williams coached Serena and Venus to bring them to top ranked tennis players.
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Joy Shirley

A small group of film watchers met and discussed two films this month.  The films were “The Last Duel” and “No Time to Die” – the recent James Bond release which is last one starring Daniel Craig.
 
“The Last Duel”: The film was about the last Royal sanctioned duel in France in the 14th century.  It was fight to the death, and the philosophy was that the one to die was the one in the wrong – that God would save the one in the right.  The duel was between Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), two former friends who had fallen out at some time in the past.  De Carrouges’s wife, Marguerite (Jodie Corner), had accused Le Gris of rape while her husband was away.  It also transpired that if Marguerite has wrongly accused Le Gris, she would also be killed.
 
We found the film confronting, thought provoking and boring.  There was a scene with Marguerite’s mother-in-law where she was told to put up with it and get on with life.  All women were raped and they had to accept that it was a fact of life.  It really brought home that in many ways, the world has not changed for many women.  Because the film showed the story from three different perspectives, meaning lots of repetition, it did become a bit boring.  This repetition idea was not bad, it just did not come off on this occasion, as the differences were very subtle. For example in the rape scene (a bit confronting in itself), from Le Gris’s perspective there was little screaming; from Marguerite’s perspective, there was a lot more, but everything else was identical.  Every scene was identical except for the screaming.  We rated it as 2.5/5.
 
“No time to Die”:  In this new James Bond film, James had retired, and a new agent had been assigned as 007 – this time a female agent.  James is contacted by his old friend from the CIA to help track down a kidnapped scientist, Obruchev.  James was pitted up against the new 007, Nomi, in trying to find Obruchev.  He had developed a new biological weapon that targeted people with specific DNA.  Theoretically this meant only the selected people would die.  Of course, James finds the final villain, destroys the weapon and the world is saved.  But there were several differences from previous James Bond films.

Earlier films started with James Bond wrapping up an assignment.  This time the opening scene was of a man dressed in white crossing the snow to a house where there was a child and mother alone.  It was not James; it was a man in a mask (Phantom of the Opera style) who proceeded to kill the mother and chase the child.  And then we had a different 007.  The regular characters M and Q where played by different actors, and particularly M had a different approach to his job.  James has a new love in his life but is tricked into not trusting her and leaves.  When they finally reunite, he discovers she has a child (was it his?).  Villains from former films are destroyed along the way.

Overall, an entertaining film with lots of action.  It is a long film, but generally does not drag.  Few of the scenes could have been shortened.  Sub stories could have been removed, but this would have changed the dynamic of the film.  We rated it as 3/5.
 
This was the last class for 2021, and we are looking forward to meeting again in February to discuss some new films, with the class under a new name – “Film Discussion group” which better reflects the way the class works.
 

​Joy Shirley

The main film for discussion this month was “Shiva Baby”, but we also shared comments on “Red Notice”, “Eiffel”, “Respect” and “The Rose Maker”. 
 
“Shiva Baby”: While at a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student has an awkward encounter with her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend.  It was different from many other films we have watched.  It was primarily a “real time” film, based on an event rather than a story.  Apart from the first scene, all the action took place in or around the house where the Shiva (Jewish mourning period) was taking place.  The main characters are Danielle, her mother (Debbie), her sugar daddy (Max), Max’s Wife (Kim) and Danielle’s ex-girlfriend (Maya).  The film explores the relationships between these key people, but also Danielle’s relationship with the Jewish culture and money.  It was the first film for director Emma Seligmann who also wrote the script.  The film was promoted as a comedy, but we did not find it particularly humorous.  Some of the characters were not very likable, and Max was certainly not seen as a very nice person.  There was a degree of stereotyping the Jewish culture but this was consistent with experiences some have had with Jewish friends.  The cinematography used lots of close ups, but I am not sure whether this was a good or a bad thing.  Overall perhaps a well-directed film, but the film itself was frustrating and unenlightening.  We rated it as 2.5/5.
 
“Red Notice”: When an Interpol-issued Red Notice (the highest-level warrant to hunt and capture the world's most wanted) goes out, the FBI's top profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) is on the case. His global pursuit finds him in the middle of a daring heist where he is forced to partner with the world's greatest art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) in order to catch the world's most wanted art thief, "The Bishop" (Gal Gadot). The high-flying adventure that ensues takes the trio around the world, across the dance floor, trapped in a secluded prison, into the jungle and, worst of all for them, constantly into each other's company.  It is full of twists and turns, and you can never be sure who were the “goodies” and who are the “baddies”.  It is totally implausible, but a piece of enjoyable escapism with references to James Bond, Indiana Jones etc.  Rated as 3.5/5.

“Eiffel”: The story behind the building of the Eiffel Tower. The government is asking Eiffel to design something spectacular for the 1889 Paris World Fair, but Eiffel simply wants to design the subway. Suddenly, everything changes when Eiffel crosses paths with a mysterious woman from his past.  It is in French, with subtitles, needing a lot of concentration to keep across all that was happening. Intriguing, informative and stimulating, rated as 3.5/5.
 
“Respect”: the story of Aretha Franklin’s life.  An interesting film, with a sound focus on her music.  Perhaps a little long, but this could be because they include large excerpts of her songs, not just a few lines which is often the case with documentaries.  An inspiring film rated as 4/5.
 
“The Rose Maker”: another sub-titled French film.  A gentle film, light and easy to watch.  It included some magnificent roses, fostering talents and with a message that the process of growth (people or plants) is more about the nurturing than the actual steps.  Light and easy to watch rated as 3.5/5.
 
For our December class discussion, we have a choice of two films – “No Time to Die”, the new James Bond film, and “The Last Duel”, an historical drama based on the final judiciary duel in France in the 14th century. 
 
 Joy Shirley

It was a small gathering of the Film group in October.  We were able to discuss the film selected for the month – “Buckley’s Chance”. 

A year after the loss of his father, 12-year-old Ridley and his mother, Gloria, move from New York City to Western Australian to live with Ridley's estranged grandfather, Spencer.  In an attempt to establish a relationship with Ridley, Spencer takes him camping.  While there Ridley comes across a wild dog entangled in an old barbed-wire fence and saves the dingo from certain death.  This was against all that his grandfather believed and he tried to convince Ridley of his foolishness.

Ridley discovers some intruders planning to burn down his grandfather’s barn and hides in the tray of their vehicle and ends up lost deep in the outback.  Here he again comes across the dingo who saves him this time from an attack by a snake.  The two develop a bond and both boy and dog work to survive the elements to get Ridley back home.

This was a watchable film, with some elements of tension and humour.  There were some errors made in the filming and dialogue.  The story was set in Western Australia, but the airport showed a sign “Silver City” which many know is in fact Broken Hill.  Editing should have noted this and removed it.  And there were several American terms used by rough Australian farmers.  Why would a couple of outback farmers use the terms bathroom (toilet or bog), hog (pig) or gas (petrol)?  This led us to question if the film was targeted at an American audience
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The lead characters were Bill Nighy (Spencer), Victoria Hill (Gloria), Milan Burch (Ridley) and Kelton Pell (Jules, a farmhand working for Spencer).  Performances were reasonable, with a stark contrast between characters of Spencer and Jules.  Spencer was hard on Ridley, trying to discipline him, while Jules was more inclined to help him find his own way.

The cinematography showing the deserted outback of Australia provided a good view.  There was an element of stereotyping of the Australian outback characters, but this was not as exaggerated as sometimes.  In some ways the story was a bit farfetched, but overall it was a watchable film that we rated as 3 out of 5.

With BPACC and other cinemas in regional Victoria open, the film for our November class will be “Shiva Baby”, a comedy starring Rachel Sennott, Danny Deferrari and Fred Melamed.  And for anyone interested, the latest James bond film, “No Time to Die” opens at BPACC on 25 November.  We will need to consider whether this could be the film for discussion for our December class.
​
Joy Shirley

Once again, the lockdown prevented us from meeting face to face in September.  Some members of the class were able to watch at least one the two films we had chosen for discussion this month.  They shared their thoughts with the class via email.

The following are the films that some of the class members talked about:

“Dream Horse”:
Based on fact, the film revolves around a decaying Welsh mining town and the need for locals to have some hope in their lives. They form an alliance to buy a horse (Dream Alliance) and the plot follows the horse’s rise to fame, with the various problems needed to be overcome.  It was a very pleasant film and the ending credits are a must – don’t miss them.  Overall, the class rated it as 3 out of 5.

“From the Vine”:
A man who was born in Italy experiences an ethical crisis when he is asked to change the focus of a manufacturing company which had previously been focussing on sustainability.  He travels back to his hometown in rural Italy.  With a few locals he tries to reinvigorate his grandfather’s old vineyard to produce wine.  It was a light drama with a touch of romance and a hint of comedy.  There were talking leaves and gargoyles which in retrospect could have been a mechanism for the lead character’s internal thoughts and conflicts.  It was a feel-good film that most of the class enjoyed and was rated at around 3 out of 5.

With BPACC and other cinemas in regional Victoria again open, the film for our October class will be “Buckley’s Chance”.  This is an Australian film set in Western Australia.  A year after the loss of his father, Ridley and his mother, Gloria, move to Western Australian to live with Ridley's estranged grandfather Spencer.  Ridley ends up lost deep in the outback on a quest to try to get home.  A second film for people who are unable to see “Buckley’s Chance” is “The Rose Maker”.
​
Joy Shirley

The regional lockdown was lifted the day before our class, and so we were spoilt in being able to meet for our August class.  BUT with the four-day lockdown leading up to this time, not many were able to see “From the Vine”, the film we had selected to discuss at the class.  So, each class member was invited to talk about a film they had seen recently, or a favourite film, or perhaps a film they had not liked.  This meant we had a wide range of films to share.

The following are the films that some of the class members talked about:

Dream Horse: A family drama based on a true story.  There were moments of comedy with some good performances and cinematography.  While formulaic, it was a very watchable film, with those who had seen it rating it as 3-4/5.  If you have a chance to see it, do not rush off before the end credits.
From the Vine: A drama, with touches of humour.  There was good development of characters.  It was set in Italy and had some great cinematography showing the Italian countryside.  There was some historical scenes and some animation which may not appeal to all, but which in retrospect were used for a purpose.  Rated between 3.5 and 4.5/5.
Man in a Hat: basically a comedy, but elements of a travelogue.  There was no dialogue, with only an occasional word or grunt.  Good usage of facial expression, cinematography and music created the story.
The Wipers Times: A comedy drama based on the true story of a satirical newspaper published on the front lines of World War One.  Generally good performances though there were some overdone stereotypes.  The cinematography did a good job representing the front line though at times it was rather dim and dark and hard to see1 what was going on.  Rated as 4/5.
The Bookshop: An excellent – exquisite – film.
A Quiet Place Pt 2: This is a horror film.  It provides a precis of the first film in the series, but from a different perspective.  The music helped build the tension.  It was watchable, with quality actors and rated as 3/5.
Little Women (recent remake): Those who had seen this new version were not impressed and would not recommend it for viewing.

Looking at the upcoming films, there were a two that some class members were interested in seeing, but which one or more members of the class had seen.  As there were some screenings of “From the Vine” later in the week, and “Dream Horse” was again screening later in August, we decided that we would each watch one or both for discussion at our next class on 8 September.
​
Joy Shirley

We are back in lockdown!  So now we need to think about the class for Wednesday as we cannot meet.  I am concerned that many people would not yet have been able to see “From the Vine”, the film we would have been discussing on Wednesday.  But if anyone has seen it, please share your thoughts and rating with the rest of the class via email.  For those of you who have not seen “From the Vine”, share your thoughts and rating for any other film you have seen recently.  As you already have (I hope) Wednesday afternoon allocated to the class, you could use this time to prepare your thoughts and then share with the rest of the class.
 
And as a reminder, your thoughts could include:
 

• What do you think was the genre?  Is it a good representative of the genre?  Is it a genre you generally watch?
• What did you think of the storyline?
• Did you enjoy the film?  What did you like?
• Was there anything that you did not like?
• What did you think of the performances?  Any that you found strong?  Any that you found weak?  Why?
• What did you think about the cinematography?
• What did you think of the sound?  Music?  Why?
• Finish your ideas with a rating out of 5.

 
I am being optimistic that we will be out of lockdown in another week, so I suggest that the films for discussion for our September class be one of “the Rose Maker” and “Dream Horse” both of which are screening at the end of August.
 
Looking forward to seeing you all again in September (8 September is the date to put in your diary).
 
Joy