We decided to watch a film of our own choice during the month.  During our scheduled Film as Literature class time, we will write up some thoughts about the film and share this with the rest of the class.  This worked well for our April 8 time.  There was a wide range of films watched and it was interesting to read about these.  I would be interested in watching some if I can source them, and I am sure other member of the class would also be interested in following up on some of them.  Films watched included Brassed Off, Arthur Newman, Bran Nue Dae, The Physician, The Stranger (a Netflix series), the new Phryne Fisher movie, Lion, and Shaun the Sheep.  In general, the class members enjoyed the process and are interested in continuing until we can resume our usual class sessions.
​
Joy Shirley

Our film for March was “Jojo Rabbit”, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic.  Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (played by Taika Waititi who wrote the screenplay and directed the film), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.  It was based on the book “Caging Skies” by Christine Leunens.

All members of the class agreed that the film was clever, with comments on the excellent usage of music.  This was not an easy film, and some did not enjoy it, while acknowledging it as a great film.  Others felt it was the best film they had seen this year.  There was some humour which perhaps helped relieve the blackness of the storyline.  It won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The performance by Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo was extremely good.  He showed the impact of the brainwashing of children, but also how meeting with the young Jewish girl, Elsa, changed his perception of those who he had been taught were “alien”.  One line stands out.  At Jojo’s request, Elsa draws a picture of where the Jews come from – it is a picture of Jojo’s head.  When Jojo questions this, she agrees – it is where they come from, in his head.  We were alerted to how myths and rumours can impact on how people think.  Another line worth noting is Elsa’s comment: “You’re not a Nazi, Jojo.  You’re a 10-year-old kid who likes dressing up in a funny uniform and wants to be part of a club”.

Other comments were around the performance by Jojo’s friend Yorki, played by Archie Yates, Americanisation of some of the dialogue, and some great one-liners from Rebel Wilson’s character.  Shoes played an interesting role in the film, used in one of the most challenging scenes when Jojo finds his mother has been hanged by first seeing her shoes, and later with Jojo, previously unable to tie his own shoe-laces, able to tie Elsa’s.

We felt that a younger audience may not have recognised some of the subtlety, although at one session some young people certainly appeared to enjoy the comedic aspects.  We rated this as 4 out of 5, even those who had not actually enjoyed the film, acknowledging the cleverness and performances.

To keep us in touch while we are unable to meet let’s do the following:

• Watch a film before 8 April (our scheduled class time).  This can be any film of your choice, from any source available to you
• On 8 April (our scheduled class time) write some comments on the film to share with the class.
• Send your comments to the whole of the class.

Joy Shirley

You may have seen on the website that all U3A classes have now been cancelled.  This related mainly to classes where people are together.  I have checked with Dorothy and she has agreed that on-line classes can go ahead where an approach can be worked out.  I would like to try the idea that I shared with you a few days ago.  And to make this easier, I am asking your permission to share your email address with the rest of the class.  If I do not hear from you, I will assume that you agree to this.
 
The process as I see it will be as follows:

• Watch a film before 8 April (our scheduled class time).  This can be any film of your choice, from any source available to you
• On 8 April (our scheduled class time) write some comments on the film to share with the class.
• Send your comments to the whole of the class using an email list that I will provide in my next email.

 
To help you focus your comments, you could use the following ideas:

• What genre (type of film – comedy, drama, animated, science fiction etc)
• Provide a brief idea of what the film was about (2-3 sentences)
• What did you like about the film – performances, music, cinematography, etc
• What did you not like about the film – language, weak performances etc
• Who do you think would like the film – children, adults etc
• Give the film a rating out of 5

 
Remember if you do not want me to share your email address with the rest of the class, you need to get back to me as a matter of urgency.  I will send out the complete list of class members with email addresses by Tuesday.   I hope that you will all participate in this process.  It gives us a chance to keep in touch with the rest of the class.  This is particularly important as we find ourselves more isolated over the coming weeks.
 
Joy
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You may have seen on the U3A Page that we are not able to use the Library for our classes until further notice.  With the class the size it is, it is not practical to meet in another venue unless a time slot opens up in the U3A room.  This will not be known until we know which classes will continue.

​BPACC is still operating, but the program of films screening is changing – it has already changed twice.  As I let you know earlier this week, the two films we nominated for our April discussion have both been  dropped from the program – mainly because the distributors want to hold them until they can be sure of a reasonable audience level.  In other words they do not want to lose money.  You can see the latest program at http://bpacc.com.au/benalla-cinema/#coming-soon.  There are extra screenings of “Call of the Wild” and “Onward” is now screening from 26 March.  Both of these are on the list I handed out at the March class.
 
I have been thinking about how we can still watch a film and share our thoughts without meeting face to face.  My best idea so far is the following:
 

• Watch a film of your choice anywhere – BPACC, another cinema, DVD or TV (SBS World Movies, streaming service such as Netflix) – there are number of options
• Send your comments on the film you choose and send it to me by the scheduled class date – I will send you some generic questions you can consider to help you prepare the comments
• I will forward the comments to the rest of the class.  OR I could share the email addresses and you can send to the rest of the class yourself.

 
So my question now is whether you like this approach for keeping the class going.  Please respond and let me know, or if you have a different idea for keeping our involvement in Film going while we are having problems meeting as a group.  It is essential that you let me know your thoughts or I will not be able to proceed.
 
Thanks
 
Joy
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We welcomed some new members to our first 2020 Film as Literature class.  It is always good to have some different perspectives on the various films we watch.

Between us we had seen a range of different films over the Summer break – “Little Women”, “Jumanji”, “Bombshell”, and some of the great oldies such as “On Golden Pond”.  And while most people enjoy a range of different genre of film, it seems that Science Fiction was the least favoured.  Maybe there is an opportunity to challenge those who are not in favour of these to attend one and then contribute an alternative view to the discussion. 

We also had a brief discussion about the role of language in films, with many not liking the tendency for bad language that seems to be the fashion in some current films.  It was suggested though that in some cases it can be appropriate to the story or character. 

Overall, a great start to the new U3A year.

The film we chose for our March class (11 March) is “JoJo Rabbit” – a satire set during the Second World War.  The full March program listing the screening times for “JoJo Rabbit” should be available soon, at http://bpacc.com.au/benalla-cinema/#coming-soon.

​Looking forward to our next class on 11 March.

​Joy Shirley

We discussed the film ‘Judy’ at our last 2019 class.  This was the story of Judy Garland’s English performance tour towards the end of her life.

The film included background to Judy Garland’s rise to fame, with the treatment she received as Dorothy in “Wizard of Oz” and as a rising star.  This provided an understanding of her behaviour and problems in her later life with her addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol.  She did not lead the life of a normal teenager and started to realise what she had missed towards the end of her life.  In many ways it was a sad film, so in that sense not enjoyable, but we enjoyed the insights into her life and some excellent performances.

We are looking forward to returning in February 2020, with a new name for the class – “Film AS Literature”.  As it will be the first class for the year and we may be welcoming new members, our discussion will be for everyone to talk about a film they have watched over the summer break.  This could be at BPACC, Swanpool, on television or DVD.  This will be a great way to introduce everyone & learn about a range of different films.
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Joy Shirley

We discussed the film “Downton Abbey” at our November class.  Some of the group had watched the television series that is the basis for the film.

We found this a feel-good film that tied up several loose ends from the television series, with a happy ever after ending.  It was not a deep film, but pleasant with some great costuming and picture of the cars and the era (it was set in the late 1920s).  A favourite character was the one played by Maggie Smith – a classic quote from her was “I don’t argue, I inform”.  Others also appreciated the cook – Mrs Patmore played by Lesley Nicol – a down to earth well-rounded character.  The film included a homosexual relationship which some critics found unnecessary (stating is was influenced by the ‘liberal left’) and could not see why it was included.  In discussing this view we decided that it was relevant as it tied up the loose end around one of the characters – Barrow whose character had developed from a nasty schemer to a man who eventually found himself.

The class generally agreed on a rating between 3 and 4 out of 5.

Several class members had also seen “Ride Like a Girl” – the story of Michelle Paine’s battles to end up as the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.  We found the family story amazing – a single father bringing up 10 children.  Michelle’s persistence in the face of the many barriers she met was seen by some as inspirational.  The rating was again mixed but was generally around 4 out of 5.

Our film for discussion in December is “Judy”.  This is about Judy Garland and according to the web site Rotten Tomatoes, “Led by a deeply committed performance from Renée Zellweger, Judy captures the waning days of a beloved performer with clear-eyed compassion.”  For those of us who saw or heard Judy Garland in our younger days it could be an interesting film to view.
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Joy Shirley

Our movie for discussion this month was “Abominable”.

The film was a challenge as it was a children’s’ animated film.  Many had not seen an animated children’s film and were surprised to find it enjoyable and entertaining.

When teenage Yi encounters a young Yeti on the roof of her apartment building in Shanghai, she and her mischievous friends, Jin and Peng name him "Everest" and embark on a quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth.

The film was advertised as Animation, Adventure, Comedy.  It certainly was an adventure story for the children involved but we did not agree that it is a comedy.  There are a couple of humorous moments worthy of a chuckle, but these did not turn the film into a comedy.

In talking about the film we thought about it like an old style “goodies and baddies” film.  There were the children trying to save the yet – the goodies – and a scientist and a collector of unique things, both of whom wanted to capture the yeti for their own less than worthy purposes – the baddies.  As part of the quest, almost all the characters grew – Yi grew to understand that her dead father was always with her, Jin learns that there is more to life than clothes and girls.  Even the selfish collector learns that the yeti needs to return to his own home.  And the children as a group learn about persistence.

Most of the class rated it as either 3 or 4 out of 5.

Our film for discussion in November is “Downton Abbey”.  There are also a couple of other films screening at BPACC that could be of interest – “The Australian Dream” which is the Adam Goodes documentary, and “Ride Like a Girl” Michelle Paine’s story and we may have time to talk about these if any of the group have seen them.  Anyone who has watched any of these films is welcome to join us on 13 November at 1:30 in the library to join in the discussion.
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Joy Shirley

​Our movie for discussion this month was “Late Night”.

The film was a piece of light entertainment.  There were a couple of excellent performances, with the three most appreciated were Emma Thompson (Katherine), as the bitchy late night television presenter, Mindy Kaling (Molly) as the new writer recruited as she was female and from the sub-continent, and a smaller part by John Lithgow (Walter) who played Katherine’s husband.

The film was promoted as a comedy, but mostly we found just a few chuckles, rather than lots of laughter.  It did reflect some real-life scenarios which many of us had encountered during our professional lives.  And it did remind us of the film “The Devil Wears Prada”.

There were a lot of different relationships developed during the film, ranging from Katherine’s relationship with her team of writers (all white males, and whose names she did not know, so she gave them numbers), her relationship with Molly as the new token writer, Molly’s relationship with her co-writers (who did not welcome her as an interloper) and Katherine’s relationship with her husband.

Most of the class rated it as 3 out of 5, although a couple rated it lower.

With the school holidays, films in September and early October are predominately aimed at children.  Apart from these, the most interesting for most of the group is “An Australian Dream.”  This documentary, based on Adam Goodes, does not start screening until just prior to our class, so we decided that we would focus on attending one of the animated films screening towards the end of September.  So our film for discussion at the 9 October class is “Abominable”, a children’s animated film which screens at BPACC between 20 September and 4 October.
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Joy Shirley

Our movie for discussion this month was “Red Joan”.

Everyone enjoyed the film, although some did not think it was worth a second viewing.  It is loosely based on the life of Melita Norwood, a Cold War Spy.  It was originally a book by Jennie Rooney who took Melita Norwood’s life story and turned it into a spy novel of the Cold War.  A statement made by Norwood that she hoped her actions would help "Russia to keep abreast of Britain, America and Germany" was slightly reflected at the end of the film, although perhaps not quite the same intent.  Addressing the media Joan Stanley said that her actions had been influenced by the Hiroshima nuclear bomb and her desire to keep the major countries equal and so help keep peace in the world.  This is perhaps the closest the film comes the real life of Melita Norwood.

The film was more about the people than being a spy film which made it more enjoyable than had been expected.  The story hung together well with perhaps one exception where at the end Joan’s son, who had previously rejected his mother, suddenly came out in her support.  The performances by the key characters were solid, with Judi Dench performing strongly in her role as the older Joan Stanley.  We were left wanting to know more of the story as to how Joan came back to England as the story (not the real life Melita) had her migrating to Australia with her husband.

We went on to discuss the issue around seeing films either based on real life or on books.  It was generally agreed that seeing a film when knowing the real story can detract from enjoyment as there is always a tendency to compare the film with previous knowledge.

Our film for discussion at the 11 September August class is a Late Night, (with Emma Thompson,) which screens at BPACC between 16 to 23 August.
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Joy Shirley

We had two films for discussion at our July class.  These were Poms and Men in Black: International.

Poms is a comedy about a group of women who form a cheer leading squad at their retirement community, proving that you're never too old to 'bring it!'  It starts with Martha, terminally ill, moving to the retirement village with the intention of dying without joining any activities.  Her neighbour is the total opposite, always looking to have good time.  Martha is the one who ends up establishing the squad.  There are many contrasting characters, reflecting the range of people we come across in life – downtrodden wife, elderly mother whose son has control of her finances, women who want to live their dreams.  These are in contrast with some who want everyone to toe the line in a prescribed way.  There is also the contrast between the older women and the teenage cheer leading squad.  Some good performances and an entertaining film showing that you are never too old to find yourself, and that family is not necessarily those related by blood.  It is a fun film, generally well liked.  We could not agree a rating with opinion ranging from 2.5 to 5 out of 5.

Only two people were able to see the second film – Men in Black: International.  This is the latest film in the Men in Black franchise.  For the genre it was a reasonable film with some good performances.  It started slowly, but once things started happening it improved, even though there were holes in the plot.  In hearing the comments about the film, it sounded very much like the old style “Goodies and Baddies” films of an earlier era, brought into the future.  Science fiction, with good use of CGI.  It was rated as 3 out of 5.

Our film for discussion at the 14 August class is a Red Joan, (with Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson and Stephen Campbell Moore) which screens at BPACC between 18 July and 30 July
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Joy Shirley

​At our April class we discussed the film “Top End Wedding”.  This genre is publicised as Comedy, Romance.  We thought it could also be classified as a tourism film with some great scenery of the northern parts of Australia.  

Lauren and Ned are engaged, they are in love, and they have just ten days to find Lauren's mother who has gone AWOL somewhere in the remote far north of Australia, reunite her parents and pull off their dream wedding.

Generally everyone enjoyed the film.  As a romantic comedy it was predictable but was entertaining.  It was a family story, emphasising the importance of family, and living without regrets, rather than slapstick comedy.  It was typically Australian in many ways, with the depiction of the indigenous community positive.  Some of the characters were fun.  Lauren’s father, upset about his wife’s absence, often retreats to the pantry with 1980’s music to cry.  Ned’s dog was very cute.  And the development of Lauren’s boss from “boss lady” to an important part of the extended family was well covered.  The use of TIWI island songs was a bonus.   And we enjoyed the quirky approach to the end where the screen displayed a warning that it was not the end, showed some still photos of the “wedding”, then confirmed the “real end”.  Overall, an enjoyable although light film.

In comparing the film with other films, the group thought of “Crocodile Dundee”.  The story is different but had a similar approach to the Australian humour.  We rated it as 3-3.5 out of 5.

Our film for discussion at the 10 July class is a choice between “POMS” currently screening at BPACC OR “Men in Black: International” which screens from 4 July.
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Joy Shirley

At our May class we discussed the film “Swimming with Men”.  This has been promoted as a Comedy, Drama, Romance.

Some of the group were a little dubious about how interesting the film would be, but everyone ended up enjoying the film.  A man who is suffering a mid-life crisis finds new meaning in his life as part of an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronised swimming team.  He had left his wife, believing she was having an affair and had rejected him.  As his relationship with the team evolved, he realised the problem was his own fear of growing old; his wife had not rejected him. 

The relationships within the team also evolved as they all learnt the value of working together and the importance of supporting each other in their different needs.  Our group did not see it as a romance in a traditional sense, but it does fit a wider definition of the term to include relationships and feelings.  There was an element of drama, and some humorous moments.

The film was reasonably light and enjoyable, with some thought-provoking moments.  Performances were good, including several actors who are more often seen in television series, including Ron Brydon (Would I lie to You, A Cock and Bull Story), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Nathaniel Parker (Inspector Lynley).

We rated it as 3.5 out of 5.

Our film for discussion at the 12 June class is “Top End Wedding” screening at BPACC from 30 May.  It is an Australian film set in the “Top End” of the country and looks to have some spectacular scenery from this area.
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Joy Shirley

For our April class we had a choice between “A Dog’s Way Home” and “Captain Marvel”.

“A Dog’s Way Home” is the story of Bella who is confused when sent away from the ones she loved – Lucas, his mother and Olivia.  She did not understand that this was only temporary and escaped to try to find her way back.  It was shown from the dog’s perspective of her adventures in finding her way back home.  She met many different animals as well as people on the way, but it was only Bella’s voice that was dubbed.  The story was lovely, with pleasant and believable characters and magnificent scenery.  We gave it a rating of 4 out of 5.

“Captain Marvel” was a totally different film.  Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.  There is an unexpected twist around the mid-point of the film which possibly makes it more interesting.  Performances by the stars were excellent, and the computer graphics is getting better as the technology evolves.  It led to discussions around the introduction of female super heroes (Marvel has done it before) and the comparison between super hero and science fiction films. Overall it was reasonably interesting, a typical Marvel story.  We rated it as 3.5 out of 5.

Our film for discussion at the May class is “Swimming with Men” 

​Joy Shirley

​Our film for discussion at our March class was “Green Book”.  Everyone enjoyed watching the film, with some strong reactions to the treatment of African-American people in the south of the USA in the 60s – and questions as to how much has or has not changed in the 50 years since.
This film was the winner of the Best Movie at the Academy Awards (although there was some controversy) and Mahershala Ali who played an African-American classical pianist won the award for Best Supporting Actor.  We agreed that it was a great film, and Ali’s performance was worthy of the award.

The film is based on a true story.  Tony Lip, a working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for Dr Donald Shirley, the classical pianist, on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.  The title of the film comes from the Green Book that listed accommodation available for African-Americans.  The film was full of contrasts – Tony a racist Italian bouncer: Dr Shirley an African American; Tony with a close Italian family: Dr Shirley a lonely man; treatment of African-Americans in the north of the USA: treatment in the south.  It follows how both the men grow and appreciate the other’s strengths.  While there were some disturbing scenes as the men face the problems of an African-American in the south of the country, the film had a happy ending with the men becoming close friends until their death, both dying in 2013 within a few months of one another.

Reviews have compared the film with “Driving Miss Daisy” (friendship between an African-American driver with an upper-class employer), but we thought it was closer to “The Help” (showing the difficulties experienced by African-Americans).  A very enjoyable movie that we rated as around 3-4 out of 5.

It was decided to select two films for our April class – “Captain Marvel” and “A Dog’s Way Home”.  Everyone is invited to watch at least one of these movies for our April class on 10 April. 
​
Possible discussion points could be around the use of the computer graphics in “Captain Marvel” or comparisons of “A Dog’s Way Home” with the lost animal films we have seen in the past.
​ 
Joy Shirley

We are now watching movies at BPACC, then meeting on the 2nd Wednesday to discuss the movie. 

Our February movie was the remake of “Storm Boy”.  We met in the library to discuss the movie where we welcomed several new members to our Film and Literature group.  Some of our members had seen the earlier version filmed in 1976.

In general, people enjoyed the movie.  In comparison with the earlier release it was not as bleak.  The scenery was beautiful with more colour.  And Storm Boy’s father was not as distant as in the earlier release.  There were some changes to the original story, with Michael Kingley as a grandfather (Geoffrey Rush) telling his granddaughter (Morgan Davies) of his early life as Storm Boy.

Overall, it was a lovely story, with some good performances.  The sounds of the ocean and the storms were realistic.  Some good scenes showed the relationship between the grandfather and his granddaughter as he told the story of his life as Storm Boy.  A couple of outstanding scenes showed the grandfather sitting beside his younger self, both contemplating the water and birdlife around them.  The relationship with the aboriginal (Fingerbone) who helped Storm Boy nurture three pelicans was sensitively handled.

As with many films there is a message in the story – as Michael shows regret that he never forgave his father for sending him away to school, he is encouraging his granddaughter to talk with her father with whom she is in conflict.

Our movie for next month’s discussion is “Green Book”.  This film has had some good reviews and is based on a true story set in the still racially divided southern states of America in the 60s.  You can find out more about the movie on IMDb.  The opening screening is at 10:30 on Friday, 22 February, and the final screening is on 5 March at 7:30pm.  We will be meeting on 13 March at 1:30 in the library to discuss the film.
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Joy Shirley

Do you enjoy watching movies?  Do you find discussing movies adds to your enjoyment?  Do you find that you can better understand a movie by hearing and sharing thoughts about the movie?  Then come along to our Film and Literature class. 

In the class we discuss a movie we have watched, treating the movie as a form of literature.   

In 2019 we will be attending current movies chosen from BPACC’s program at a time which suits our individual commitments. 

A ‘Movie Money’ voucher from BPACC will enable group members to watch each movie at a cost of $9.50.   

We will then catch up at the library or one of Benalla’s wonderful coffee shops at 1:30pm on the second Wednesday of the month to discuss the movie.

Joy Shirley

​We spent our final session for the year discussing movies we had seen.  Each member had an opportunity to talk about movies they liked or was memorable in some way.  The majority were movies watched during the year, although there was mention of movies from the past.  We covered a wide range of movies from The Leisure Seekers, which was appreciated by many who had seen it to the recent release of Halloween (a bit of a nothing movie).  One of our members talked about the recent release of A Star is Born, with some comparison with previous releases of the same movie.
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For 2019 we will be focussing on movies being screened at BPACC, and then meeting on the second Wednesday at a café to discuss the movie.  The first movie for the year will be a remake of the movie Storm Boy which will be screened at BPACC from the end of January. We will then be meeting at 1:30 on the 2nd Wednesday to discuss the movie.  It is likely that the venue for our first session will be the library.


​Joy Shirley

Our October film was Christopher Robin, screened at BPACC from late September.  Then we met in our normal time slot to discuss the movie.

The movie is based on the adult Christopher Robin, played by Ewan McGregor, and his self-discovery in revisiting his life with Pooh and his friends.  A working-class family man, Christopher Robin, encounters his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh, who helps him to rediscover the joys of life.

Some of us were familiar with the AA Milne stories around Christopher Robin and his friends, and it was fun to revisit the stories and poems during our discussion.  Included was reading the poems Buckingham Palace and The King’s Breakfast.

It was good to see Christopher Robin’s friends, his stuffed toys, represented as stuffed toys rather than animated characters.  This created a great contrast between the actors and the toys.  Another contrast was between the business world and a balanced and joyful approach to life.

Another topic for discussion was the issue of sending children to boarding school – or other institutions; it was planned to send Christopher Robin’s daughter to boarding school.

Performances of the actors were good, with people enjoying the portrayal of Christopher Robin by Ewan McGregor, and of his boss, Giles Winslow, played by Mark Gatiss.

Our November movie will again be at BPACC to watch The Wife (screening from 25 October), starring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce.  A wife questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm with her husband, where he is slated to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.  We will discuss the movie at our 14 November class.
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Joy Shirley

There were some problems with the computer this month.  While this was addressed we discussed the program for the remainder of the year (more of this later).  We watched Ladies in Lavender so that anyone who needed to leave before the end given the late start, could borrow the DVD to watch in their own time.

The main characters were two sisters, Ursula (played by Judi Dench) and Janet (played by Maggie Smith).  With two such talented actors, it was no surprise that everyone enjoyed the movie, rating it as 5 out of 5.

The story is set in Cornwall where the two sisters live by the coast, during the period between the two World Wars.  After a violent storm they discover a young Polish man washed up on the beach.  They nurse him back to health, discovering that he is a very talented violinist.  We thought if the movie as a study of relationships.

The movie is filmed in the UK, predominantly in Cornwall.  As a result, there is great scenery, with views of the cottage and garden where the sisters live, as well as waves breaking over the rocks.  The music was good, with the violin often being the focus.  From a point of view of the characters, there is a contrast between the sisters, with occasional tensions, but also closeness.  Ursula longs for some sort of companionship and a close relationship with Andrea.  Janet lost her love during the First World War.   Another interesting character was their cook and maid Dorcas, played by Miriam Margolyes, who provided a bit of comic relief.

Apart from the main characters, Ursula, Janet, Dorcas, Andrea and Olga (a Russian artist who recognises his talent) most of the supporting roles were predominantly male.
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Our October movie will be a visit to BPACC to see Christopher Robin (screening until 9 October).  This is based on the adult Christopher Robin and his self-discovery in revisiting his life with Pooh and his friends.  It should not be confused with the story of AA Milne’s life, Goodbye Christopher Robin, which was released last year.  We will discuss the movie at our scheduled 10 October session.

With several possibly interesting movies screening during October, we have decided that we should again visit BPACC.  The movie we will discuss at our November session will be The Wife (screening from 25 October) which is receiving good reviews.

Joy Shirley

We had a change of plan for our August Film and Literature session.  We were a very small group as several people were unable to attend.  Instead we watched an episode of an Agatha Christie short story, The Case of the Missing Woman.

This was an entertaining movie, which we decided was a satirical comedy rather than a traditional Christie crime movie.  There was an element of mystery as the main characters, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, seek to locate a missing woman at the request of her fiancée, Gabriel Stavansson.   She had been staying with her aunt, Lady Susan Clonray while Stavenssen was away for two years.   Stavansson did not get on with Lady Susan who he thought of as fat, and she was evasive about her niece’s whereabouts.  Tommy and Tuppence eventually located the missing woman only to find that she was undergoing radical treatment to lose the weight she had put on while her fiancée was away.

Costuming was great, with Tuppence wearing matching dress and hat in one scene.  Lady Susan’s portrayal as a fat lady did not work as well as we would have liked, with a thinner person’s head on a supposedly fat body.  Her costume though was bright and impressive.  We did discuss the current issues around obesity, and what is considered fat or obese.  Finally, we enjoyed the butler who was serving Lady Susan as he was portrayed as old and doddery, one of many comical scenes in the movie.

Our September movie will be either Belle or Ladies in Lavender.  Belle is based loosely on the story of Dido Belle, the illegitimate daughter of a Royal Navy captain and a slave woman in the 18th century.  This will be the movie if the internet behaves well for streaming the movie.  If we have internet problems we will watch Ladies in Lavender, starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

With all the movies we watch, our aim is to focus our discussion, covering ideas around genre, characters, plot, but also adding the aspects that relate to film, such as cinemascope, music and atmosphere.  We aim to start promptly at 1:00pm to allow time to discuss the movie.
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Joy Shirley

​In July we watched A Room With a View 
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Genre: Romantic satire

Plot: Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman, is touring Italy with her older cousin. Lucy meets the charming and free-spirited George Emerson. Although intrigued by George, once she's back in England Lucy ponders settling down with the wealthy, staid Cecil Vyse. When George reappears in her life, Lucy must decide between him and Cecil.

Key Characters:   Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter), Charlotte Bartlett (Maggie Smith), George Emerson (Julian Sands), Reverend Mr Beebe (Simon Callow), Eleanor Lavish (Judi Dench), Cecil Vyse (Daniel Day-Lewis)

Review: we rated the movie as 4.5 out of 5.

This was a gentle movie, with some wry humour.  The key roles were caricatures of early 20th century characters.  For example, Charlotte Bartlett as Lucy’s chaperon was portrayed as the poor cousin spinster, and Cecil was very much rich and idle.  It is also a movie of contrasting characters…George as the passionate and brooding young man and Cecil as passionless and arrogant.  All enjoyed the movie, which is not surprising given the quality of the cast.  Many of the cast were top actors, having either won or been nominated for Academy Awards.  And the movie won three Academy Awards.

Further: Our August movie will be Belle based loosely on the story of Dido Belle, the illegitimate daughter of a Royal Navy captain and a slave woman in the 18th century.

With all the movies we watch, our aim is to focus our discussion, covering ideas around genre, characters, plot, but also adding the aspects that relate to film, such as cinemascope, music and atmosphere.  We aim to start promptly at 1:00 pm to allow time to discuss the movie.

Joy Shirley

On a dreary Benalla afternoon, we watched “Little Miss Sunshine.” Essentially a road movie with a fractured, somewhat dysfunctional family uniting to get seven-year-old Olive to the “Little Miss Sunshine.” Pageant in far off California, the rusted-out VW being just one of their many problems.

With lots of laugh out loud incidents, cringe and shudder reactions and “this could only happen in America” moments we had lots to talk about – winners verses losers, family values, happiness, ageing, philosophy, shattered dreams, mental health and body image. Add in six unique and complex characters and we had a film that, whilst not appealing to every viewer, certainly gave us things to think about.

​Pat Treleaven