​It was a short class this month with some members away, and only two films discussed.

The Critic: A powerful London theatre critic becomes entangled in a web of deceit and murder. Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellan) is a gay theatre critic for the Daily Chronicle, which is undergoing drastic changes since its leader passed away, giving the reigns to the son. Worried about the old guard being fired, Jimmy does everything he can to keep his job. The film was dark but had some very good performances.  Ian McKellen’s performance was flamboyant and over the top but suited the character he played.  It would rate around 3.5/5.

Venom: The Last Dance: Eddie and Venom, on the run, face pursuit from both worlds. As circumstances tighten, they're compelled to make a heart-wrenching choice that could mark the end of their symbiotic partnership.  This was a little slow, and not very memorable.  It took reading some of the reviews to remember the film sufficiently to comment.  It would rate around 2.5/5.

We missed the Shorts Film Festival, but will keep an eye open for repeat screening/s.  It is often screened at Swanpool.

A December class had been scheduled, but we have decided to cancel with people becoming busy as Christmas approaches.


Joy Shirley

Many of the films screened locally over the last month did not appeal to many, although some did challenge themselves with a film from different genre.  The films we discussed were:

Blink Twice: It appears to have been cheaply produced with only a few different settings.  The acting was barely credible.  Basically pointless American trash.  This was rated as around 1/5.

It Ends with Us: This was about a young lady’s attempt to escape her traumatic childhood with an abusive father.  After marrying she starts to see another side of her husband who reminds her of her parents’ relationship.  At the end when she has just given birth to their daughter, she tells him she wants a divorce.  When he pleads to give him another chance, she asks him a poignant question, listing the way he had abused her and what he would say to their daughter if she was treated the same way.  He realises that he would tell his daughter to leave her partner and that is just what his wife had to do.  This is possibly the best scene of the film.   This was rated as 3.5/5.

Alien: Romulus: This was presented as a sequel to the 1970’s film.  Yes, there were some rather nasty aliens, but in many ways it was another space saga.   Rated as 2.0/5.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: This was a type of “Rocky Horror Show” genre film.  It was true to the 70’s humour and narrative type.  The narrative held together well.  Only one person had seen the film and it was rated it as around 1.5/5.

Thelma: This was the pick of the films viewed this month, light and funny slapdash humour.  It is around an elderly widow who is scammed of $10,000.  She sets off to find the scammers and get her money back.  In doing so themes relating to older years are covered – care, loneliness, and the loss of their friends and partners.  Perhaps the strongest part of the film was around relationships and friendships, as well as acknowledging issues of growing older.    We rated it as around 4/5.

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​Joy Shirley

We discussed films watched over the last two months, both at the cinema and online.  Those watched at the cinema were:
 
Garfield Movie: This was colourful and well produced.  The story was quite complex, covering issues around revenge, friendship and family that were perhaps not for children under 5 years old.  We rated as around 3/5.

Inside Out 2: This was another animated film.  It was based around the emotions impacting the behaviour of a young girl as she entered puberty.  Good animation and character development.  This was a good coming of age film.   We rate it as around 4-4.5/5.
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The Way, My Way This was the story of a stubborn self-centred Australian who decides to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.  The scenery was good, but the storyline was slim.  The character did not develop, and although it was supposed to change him, he did not seem to be very different at the end.  It was rated as 2.5/5.
 
Films available on-line that were recommended were:

The Ipcress File is a 1965 British spy film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Michael Caine.

Under the Banner of Heaven screening on SBS On Demand.  A devout detective's faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family's spiral into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.

Joy Shirley

Two films stood out this month, “The Taste of Things” and “Freud’s Last Session”.

The Taste of Things is a French film, with sub-titles.  The storyline is around Eugenie and her boss Dodin, both chefs who have worked together for 20 years.  Although fond of one another, Eugenie refuses to commit to Dodin.  The chemistry between the two is great, whether in the kitchen or personally with Dodin starting to cook for her.  There was not a lot of dialogue, with the story told through action.  The work in the kitchen was a master of choreography with four main characters moving around each other without problems.  The performances of these four were all excellent – Eugenie, Dodin, Violette (the maid) and Pauline (apprentice chef).  It was a sensory film.  All we heard were kitchen sounds – sizzling, utensils – and outdoor sounds – barking dog, birdsong – the sounds of life not background music.  For fans of French films it is worth seeing.  We rated the film between 4/5 and 4.5/5.

Freud’s Last Session is around a possible meeting between Freud and CS Lewis.  It is not an action film, but held the viewer’s attention as the relationship between the two men develops.  It was very much an intellectual debate between the two men, with no winner.  It was an interesting storyline, bringing in some of the war scenes and the impact on Freud and his daughter.  There was a focus on various relationships – Freud and Lewis, Freud and his daughter, his daughter and her friend. The performances by the lead characters were excellent, with great cinematography around Freud’s study and garden. It was enjoyed by all who saw it and was rated as between 3.5/5 and 4/5.

Other films discussed this month were:

The Fall Guy: This is a feel-good film around a stunt man, with many twists and turns.  The chemistry between the two main characters was good.  With the various stunts performed we gained a good feel for the role of the stunt artist.  A relaxing and fun film, rated as around 3/5.

Golda: An interesting film on the 19 days of Yom Kippur War in 1973 and the role of Golda Meir.  Golda is shown with a strong personality, but with a compassionate side.  Helen Mirren’s performance as Golda was brilliant, carrying the film.  We rate it as around 3.5/5.

What About Sal: This is an Australian film written and directed by John Jarratt (he also played one of the roles).  It was a special screening followed by a question-and-answer session with John Jarratt.  It tells the story of Sal, an autistic man whose mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Sal sets off to find his father.  It was very Australian, with some serious aspects.  Gerard O’Dwyer played Sal well.  He is an actor with Downs Syndrome (NOT a Downs Syndrome actor).  It was rated as 4/5 and worth seeing – it is possible it will be occasionally screened in Benalla so watch future cinema programs.

Joy Shirley

The favourite film for this month was “Wicked Little Letters”.  When people in Littlehampton--including conservative local Edith--begin to receive letters full of hilarious profanities, rowdy Irish migrant Rose is charged with the crime.  Suspecting that something is amiss, the town's women investigate.  The story’s main characters were Rose, an Irish single mother played by Jessie Buckley, Edith Swan, a single woman still living with her parents played by Olivia Colman, and Edward Swan, Edith’s father played by Timothy Spall. 

It was a “fabulously hilarious feel good” film that the whole class enjoyed.  Performances by the three main characters were excellent, but this does not discount great performances by some of the other characters.

This was set in the 1920s when there was still a patriarchal society and there was a racial issue with the Irish.  Given the era, and that it was the language used in the letters that formed the basis of the story, the use of the language was acceptable although some words did grate.

The average rating for the film was 4/5.  Definitely worth seeing.

​Back to Black: This is the story of Amy Winehouse's early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black. Told from Amy's perspective and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film follows the remarkable woman behind the phenomenon and the tumultuous relationship at the centre of one of her most legendary albums. 

The film was raw, emotional, tragic, powerful and sad.  Members of the class who were fans thought the film and performance by Marisa Abela playing Amy was very good.  She did a great job portraying Amy’s character and did all the singing rather than miming the songs.  There were some parts of the story that were perhaps not quite true, but overall the film was satisfying.  The rating was around 3.5-4/5.

Freud’s Last Session: On the eve of the Second World War, two of the greatest minds on the twentieth century, C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud converge for their own personal battle over the existence of God.  The film interweaves the lives of Freud and Lewis, past, present, and through fantasy, bursting from the confines of Freud's study on a dynamic journey.

This is not an action film, more a philosophical discussion in parts that is worth seeing.  Members of the class who had not yet seen the film are hoping to see it and there may be more discussion at the next class.

Joy Shirley

Films discussed this month were:

The Rooster: When the body of his oldest friend is found buried in a shallow grave, Dan, a small-town cop, seeks answers from a volatile Hermit who may have been the last person to see his friend alive.  The cinematography and setting in the forest were stunning.  The soundtrack was eery in parts, with times of silence or just the sound of the birds adding to this eeriness.  This correctly fitted the story.  Performances by the two main actors, Phoenix Raei (as Dan) and Hugo Weaving (as the Hermit) were excellent.  The film was rated as 4/5.
Force of Nature: Five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out the other side. Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper head into the mountains hoping to find their informant still alive.  This was covered in March, but one of the class members had since seen the film.  She did not agree with the earlier assessment of Eric Bana’s performance as being wooden. She saw it more as displaying his meditative state.  She agreed strongly with earlier positive comments around the cinematography and setting. 
The Great Escaper: Bernard Jordan escapes from his care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France.  The key actors in the film were Michael Caine as Bernard and Glenda Jackson as his wife.  Their performances were excellent, with little snippets of humour which helped take away the disturbing aspects of the story.  One of the aspects of the film was the impact of war on the young men involved.  Underpinning the story was the development of relationships of the various characters.  We rated the film as 4/5.
Just a Farmer: A newly widowed mother is left with the care of an alcoholic father-in-law and a failing farm.  She is forced to forge a new path for her family, all while struggling to pick up the pieces of her life.  This is an important film, covering the issue of mental health in rural communities.  Cinematography was excellent, set around the Macedon Ranges.  The performances were good, bringing out the pressures on farming communities.  A powerful film, this was rated as 4/5.
Wicked Little Letters: As only one member of the class had seen the film and others hoped to see it in the coming week, we held over the discussion until our next class in May.
 
Other films and television series mentioned were:

Vanishing Triangle (SBS OnDemand) which did not have a satisfying end, but otherwise was good.
Boiling Point (Possibly SBS On Demand) was also recommended as a good film.

​Joy Shirley

Several films were discussed this month, with The Holdovers being the pick.  The film earned an Academy Award for Da'Vine Joy Randolph as best Supporting actress.
 
Priscilla: Based on Priscilla Beaulieu’s own story around her relationship with Elvis Presley.  The film was slow, with scenes where Priscilla wanders around an empty Gracelands, perhaps used to show her loneliness when Elvis was on tour but did not make for interesting viewing.  Elvis was badly cast.  It was rated as 2-3/5.

The Beekeeper: One man's brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as "Beekeepers".  This was an action thriller with generic action and lots of great stunt work.  Rated as 3/5.

Argylle: A reclusive author, who writes espionage novels about a secret agent and a global spy syndicate, realizes the plot of the new book she is writing starts to mirror real-world events.  It was a light-hearted satire on spy films, with lots of twists and turns.  It was rated as 3/5.

Force of Nature: Five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out the other side. Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper head into the mountains hoping to find their informant still alive.  This was promoted as “Dry 2” which was probably for marketing purposes as it was not a sequel, but a film around Aaron Falk.  Some great scenery of Australian rain forest which created atmosphere around the mystery.  The performance by Eric Bana who plays Falk was a bit wooden with little emotion except when angry.  It was rated as 3/5.

Bob Marley: One Love: The story celebrates the life and music of the icon who inspired generations through his message of love and peace.  It depicts Bob's powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.  This was an interesting documentary with some worthwhile performances and great music.   It was rated as 3/5.

The Holdovers: THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly history and classics teacher at a New England prep school during Christmas break caring for a damaged, brainy student and with the school's head cook, who lost a son in Vietnam.  The atmosphere of the era (pre technology) where people talked was well created.  The development of the relationships between the three people was well covered, with each of the characters also developing in their own way.  This was rated as 3.5-4/5.


​Joy Shirley

​As this was the first class for the year, we spent time talking about what type of films we enjoy.  This was varied, but the least popular was Science Fiction.

For this class, given it was two months since we had met, we looked at all the films from the beginning of January.  There were a few films that stood out and had been seen by more than one member of the class.

​One Life: This was the inspiring true story of how Sir Nicholas ’Nicky’ Winton (played by Anthony Hopkins) on the eve of World War II saved nearly 700 children from their doom.  He was haunted by the 250 children he was not able to save when war was declared.  An excellent and uplifting film with a strong performance by Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn who played the young Nicholas Winton.  We rated it as 4.5/5.

Boys in the Boat: This is another film based on a true event.  It is set during the depression era and leading up to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.  Washington University’s junior rowing team is brought together including some students who are provided with accommodation and money to pay their fees.  The team works so well they are selected for competition ahead of the senior team, winning a place in the Olympics where they won beating the German team (Hitler was not pleased).  

​It was an interesting story with a message about teamwork and mental as well as physical strength needed to succeed.  They were not a team of eight rowers, they were one.  The depression era was well depicted, but the characters were a bit wooden.  Ratings varied from 3.5/5 to 4.5/5.  A film worth seeing.

​Other films enjoyed were Wonka, colourful, rated as 4.5/5; Migration, bright and colourful, rated as 4/5; Next Goal Wins, uplifting and colourful, rated as 3.5/5.


​Joy Shirley

For our last film discussion for 2023 we briefly discussed two films.

Saltburn sounded similar to Brideshead Revisited, so was of interest.  The summary talked about a relationship between a “lower class” student with an aristocrat while studying at Oxford.  The film ended up being very different.  The “lower class” student was really from a middle class family and after some untimely deaths ended up living in the property previously owned by the aristocrat family.

The second film discussed was Napoleon.  The history of Napoleon’s rise and fall was covered with scenes depicting some of his major battles.  Some publicly published reviews suggest some important events were missed.  A major focus though was on his relationship with Josephine.  Interestingly in the film his fall seemed to coincide with his divorce from Josephine.  Was this really the case, or used in the film to add extra interest?

We also looked briefly at the two new films that were due to start screening in Benalla in December.  These are Journey to Bethlehem and The Old Oak.  The information had only just been released, but from the description it sounded as if they may be of interest.  It will be interesting to discuss these at the first class in 2024 if any class members have seen them.

Joy Shirley

​We discussed three films this month.  The films were:

The Miracle Club: Set in the 1960’s in a hard-knocks community in Dublin.  A group of women head to Lourdes, each of them looking for some sort of healing.  It was a mixture of serious and humorous.  Each of the women achieve healing, mostly around relationships rather than what they thought needed healing.  With stars like Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates, this was a film enjoyed by all who attended.  Rating: 4/5

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3: Toula, the key character in previous films in the series, travels to Greece to track down her late father’s childhood friends.  It was a delightful and easy film to watch.  It was colourful and refreshing with no swearing and fighting.  Rating: 3-5/5

A Haunting in Venice: This is the latest Kenneth Branagh portrayal of Hercule Poirot.  Poirot is enticed out of retirement to attend a séance.  When a series of murders occur, he needs to unravel the mystery.  The atmosphere created was excellent and fitted the “haunting” aspect of the story, with many twists and turns.   Being set in Venice, the scenery was excellent.  Rating: 3-5/5

We plan to meet again in December to discuss further films screened at the Benalla Cinema or perhaps Swanpool.

Joy Shirley

With the opening of the new cinema, and the program released on a weekly basis, the current format for the class does not work as well. It is difficult to select only one or two films for discussion when we do not know which films will be screened. As in recent classes we will continue to discuss the different films members of the class have watched recently.

At our next class on 8 November we will be discussing the format of the program for 2024. Anyone who is interested in joining the class in 2024, whether enrolled in 2023 or just thinking about 2024, is invited to join us.   We meet at 2:00pm in the large U3A room.

​Joy Shirley

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.

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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.

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​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.
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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.
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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.

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​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