Tag: Education

“The Riot Club” (2014) starring Sam Claflin, Max Irons, & Douglas Booth

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Filthy. Rich. Spoilt. Rotten. -A tagline for the film

The Bullingdon Club (founded in 1780) was notorious for booking a restaurant, trashing it, then handing the owner a check for damages on the way out. The unofficial club (which still exists today) consists of a group of male elites at Oxford. This film is based on the play Posh (by Lauren Wade); it premiered at the Royal Court Theatre (2010), before transferring to the West End. The Danish director, Lone Scherfig, was at the helm of An Education (2009) and The Kindness of Strangers (2019). Alistair (Sam Claflin) and Miles (Max Irons: son of Jeremy Irons and Sinead Cusack), both come from the British aristocracy. They start their 1st (freshman) year at Oxford. Miles appears relaxed w/ a down-to-earth personality; he starts dating a (middle-class) student, Lauren (Holliday Grainger). Alistair is uptight and wants to emulate his uncle (played by Tom Hollander)- a Tory Minister of Parliament (MP). These two young men end up being tutor partners and pledge to join the Riot Club.

This title came up as I was looking up films of Josh O’Connor; he plays Ed- goofy, naive, yet snobby. George (Jack Farthing- in his 1st movie) is quiet, wide-eyed, and eager to please. The president of the club is James (Freddie Fox: recently on S2 of House of the Dragon); the cast referred to him as “the most posh one” (in press interviews). Fox is the son of 2 veteran British character actors- Edward Fox and Joanna David. Harry (Douglas Booth) has a model-like face and eye for women; his family has a country estate (recently opened for tours). Hugo (Sam Reid- currently on Interview with the Vampire) is confident, titled, yet cash poor. Each of the young actors gets their moment to shine; all give believable performances.

This film could’ve been titled Toxic Masculinity: UK College Edition; it delves into issues which are timely and timeless. What happens when (rich/white) males grow-up w/ (unchecked) privilege? When any problem comes up, their 1st solution is to throw money at it! Women are seen as conquests, NOT friends or potential love interests. Isn’t the time of these type of clubs over? some may ask. Well, there are college boys who die still in hazing rituals at fraternities! College (late teens-early 20s) is time when we become adults (under the law), yet are still forming our identities (and susceptible to peer pressure). This story will take you on an emotional journey. At first, there are a LOT of laughs from witty one-liners; these kids are smart after all. Then, it becomes darker w/ some shocking scenes (which will make you tense/uncomfortable).

[1] As most will know, The Riot Club is inspired by the Bullingdon Club, an Oxford University dining society infamous for its destructive hedonism that boasts alumni such as David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George Osborne. The film’s main target of attack isn’t the purported anti-social behaviour of such people, the obnoxious decadence we witness is not endemic to the highly disagreeable “Riot Club,” what it attacks is rather the characters’ raging, blue-blooded superiority complexes that causes it.

[2] My only complaint about the movie would be the main character (Miles Richards) being a flawless Mary Sue – rich, handsome, witty, intelligent, kind and well meaning, as well as some of the other positive characters being presented as these morally superior beings. That felt very strange for a movie, the main idea of which is that not everything is as black and white as it seems, and we all just try to justify our own actions while doing what we feel (not think) is best.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Spoiler-Free Review: “The Lesson” (2023) starring Richard E. Grant, Julie Delpy, & Daryl McCormack

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This indie movie (filmed mostly in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic) is the 1st feature of director Alice Troughton; she directed TV shows in the UK and US. An Oxford grad/aspiring young writer, Liam Somers (Daryl McCormack), takes a tutoring position at the quiet/beautiful country estate of a famous novelist, J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant). The teen son of this writer, Bertie (Stephen McMillan), desperately wants to attend Oxford; he was recently short-listed to the school (NOT accepted yet). Bertie’s mom is an artist, Helene (Julie Delpy); she’s the parent Liam will report to re: his progress. Liam is sometimes invited to have dinner w/ the family; he soon realizes that the estate holds dark secrets.

This ones for us literary nerds, former (or current) teachers, and/or fans of neo noir. The Lesson had its premiere at the Tribeca film fest (co-founded by Robert DeNiro). One of my Bangladeshi friends went into film production; she had an internship w/ this organization about 15 yrs ago. As many viewers/critics noted, Grant does a great job here; this role is meatier than the one in Saltburn (2023). It’s V cool to see Delpy (who is aging gracefully) in a role outside of indie filmmaker Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy. The French actress gets to show a different side to her acting.

Irish actors (incl. Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, and Paul Mescal) are getting a LOT of press lately; McCormack (now 31) is coming up right behind those critically acclaimed stars. After barely missing out on a role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he starred opposite Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022). The actor had to be quite vulnerable, incl. being unclothed in most scenes; he did a terrific job going toe-to-toe w/ a screen veteran. In 2023, McCormack was nominated for the EE BAFTA Rising Star Award, along w/ Naomi Ackie, Shelia Atim, Emma Mackey, and Aimee Lou Wood. I think he has a good chance of breaking into Hollywood; he is tall (6’2″), w/ large hazel eyes, and a lean (yet still muscular) physique. McCormack has dual UK-US citizenship, as his mother (who raised him) is white/Irish and father is Black American (from Baltimore, MD).


[1] I found “The Lesson” an engaging mystery.

[2] The performances here are some of the very best of 2023.

[3] Writer Alex MacKeith never lets go of the notion that writing as a profession or art can send writers down a dark path. […]

Isobel Waller-Bridge’s score tinkles enough to suggest tranquility or at least art films in general. Anna Patarakina’s cinematography captures languid summers at wealthy estates.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Two Films of Emma Seligman: “Shiva Baby” (2020) & “Bottoms” (2023)

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Shiva Baby (2020)

Debbie: I thought you were done experimenting.
Danielle: You think everyone that’s bi is experimenting. You don’t know anything. You have zero gaydar.
Debbie: Excuse me, kid! I lived through New York in the 80s! My gaydar is strong as a bull!

What are the “kids” doing these days, do y’all sometimes wonder? Well, some of them are subverting audience expectations and creating fresh/genre-defying work. This movie (which I saw on Max earlier in the pandemic) was adapted from writer/director Emma Seligman’s short film, Shiva Baby (2018), also starring her former NYU classmate/close friend Rachel Sennott (who was raised Catholic). “Shiva” is Hebrew and means “seven;” the film’s run time is 77 mins. Except for some producers, all essential crew here are women. Unfortunately for Sennott, she had a supporting role in the (hot mess) Max series The Idol. Then she swung back w/ the teen comedy Bottoms (streaming on Amazon Prime).

Danielle (Sennott) is a petite/curly-haired 23 y.o. student who also works as a “sugar baby”; this is unknown to her friends/family. In the 1st scene, she’s getting dressed in the (modern/spacious) NYC apt. of a cute/30-something man. Danielle needs to get her payment from this man (her client), BUT he grabs her for a hug and starts asking about her life. She is in a BIT of a rush, as she has a social obligation in her neighborhood (on Long Island)- a shiva for a deceased/older woman. In a podcast interview, Seligman (a bisexual/Jewish woman) commented that several classmates/friends had worked IRL as sugar babies in college; she tried it briefly herself.

Max: [to Danielle] You’re studying business?
Joel: [laughs] No, not business.
Debbie: No, no, she’s studying gender.
Danielle: The business of gender. It’s like gender business.
Joel: She does this fantastic program where you kind of design your own major. It’s a little complex when it comes to finding employment, but she’s doing terrifically.

Danielle’s mom, Debbie, is played by Polly Draper (who some mature viewers may recognize from thirtysomething); her dad is played by character actor Fred Melamed. Danielle’s ex-gf, Maya (Molly Gordon), soon arrives at this event; Maya is in law school (so held in high regard by their elders). When Max (Danny Defarrari), Kim (Diana Agron from Glee), and their baby arrive, many gather around them to admire the cute baby. Maya comments on Kim’s looks (blonde/conventionally attractive); she is also known as a successful businesswoman. From across the room, Danielle is shocked- Max is her “sugar daddy” (who we saw in the opener)! The tension (and humor) comes from the social situations which Danielle must navigate; ppl are curious re: her education, future career, and love life. The acting in the movie is quite good, incl. from the bit players.

[1] With its claustrophobic atmosphere, creepy soundtrack and uncomfortably relatable cringe, the picture basically feels like a panic attack on screen. In many ways, it actually tells its tales using tropes of the horror genre. 

[2] We need Emma Seligman to direct a thriller/horror movie…like tomorrow.

[3] She faithfully delivers just the sort of fun ethnic romp which, only a few short years ago, would have been the exclusive territory of a “name” writer or director.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Bottoms (2023)

Principal Meyers: [over intercom] Could the ugly, untalented gays please report to the principal’s office?

Two unpopular/queer HS seniors, RJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri: seen in The Bear on Hulu), start a “fight club” to spend time w/ the “hot girls” they have crushes on before graduation. RJ and Josie have been friends for many yrs, though they have different personalities. Their friend Hazel (Ruby Cruz) is the 3rd wheel; she’s actually excited to learn self-defense/have a “safe space.” Some of you will recognize Kaia Gerber (looks V similar to her former supermodel mom- Cindy Crawford); she plays a cheerleader named Brittany (RJ’s crush). Havana Rose Liu plays Isabel (the most popular cheerleader); she’s Josie’s crush/gf to the star quarterback, Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine). A real NFL player, Marshawn Lynch, plays Mr. G (a history teacher); he does a good job for a non-actor. Lynch wanted to take on this role; he has a queer sister IRL.

Isabel [to Josie]: I really value when people use violence for me, it’s actually one of my love languages.

Do you like (or like making fun of) teen movies? If so, then check out this wacky comedy/satire! You’ll have to keep an open mind here; it’s quite different from Shiva Baby. Edebiri (whose parents are immigrants from Jamaica and Nigeria) is also close friends/former classmates w/ Sennott and Seligman. While attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, they ALL discovered their preference for the comedy genre. They started to create their own work, rather than focusing on “classics” (which was common at Tisch). Edebiri (now 27 y.o.) has gotten many awards these past 2 yrs for The Bear. I’d file this under movies that I can appreciate, though it wasn’t specifically tailored to me. High school is a tough time for most ppl I’ve met; perhaps it’s natural to make fun of it!

[1] Every single person here seems to be having the time of their lives. It reminded me a bit of the energy in Barbie, only this one is — in the best possible sense — a lot more unhinged.

Its influences are many, as I said (one of its more “early 2000s” elements is the Avril Lavigne needle drop, which is up there with the Bonnie Tyler sequence as one of the most glorious and hilarious moments in the movie), but this is a film that does something truly special with its homages and love letters.

[2] It’s over-the-top satire, sure, I get that, and I even get what this movie tries to poke fun at, but I just found myself being unable to enjoy or even connect with this particular style of annoying teenage humour. I don’t know if this is a generational thing or a cultural thing… it could be both. All I know is that it just wasn’t for me.

[3] The film is done in quite a bizarre way. It’s set in the present but everyone dresses like the ’70s and there are no smart phones. Also, there are almost no adults in the film, and the few that there are are absolute monsters. If there’s a school assembly the students are just running it, for example. You get used to it after a while but I can’t remember another film like it in that sense.

The film is at its best when it is just trying to be wacky and funny. There’s a period in the middle where some conflict arises and the film gets bogged down briefly.

[4] This movie is an acquired taste. At first, I thought it was just silly. Then I thought it was extremely silly. Eventually I laughed my butt off. There is no scene that they don’t take over the top. Whether they are mocking teen movies or parodying David Fincher or using Marshawn Lynch to comment on feminism, the entire cast completely goes for it.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Holdovers” (2023) starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, & Dominic Sessa

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from The Holdovers (now available for streaming).

Discomfort and Joy. -Tagline for the movie

At Barton Academy in a small town of New England, nobody likes the history teacher, Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti). The staff and students find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With nowhere to go over Christmas break of 1970, Paul remains to supervise a few boys unable to travel home. After a few days, only one student remains- Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa)- a V smart senior w/ a bad attitude. Joining these men is the school’s head cook, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), a Black woman whose son was recently killed in the Vietnam War. These three lonely people form an unlikely/family-like bond for 2 snowy wks.

Paul Hunham [remembering her son]: He was a great kid. I had him one semester. Very insightful.

Mary Lamb: Mm-hmm. He hated you. He said you were a real asshole.

Paul Hunham: Well, uh, like I said… sharp kid, insightful.

A star is born! And how lucky are we to discover his talent from this early stage? Sessa (then 17 y.o.) was encouraged by his theater teacher at Deerfield Academy (a private HS) to audition for this indie (directed by Alexander Payne). A team was scouting locations at several high schools; the casting agent also met w/ boys for possible roles. Sessa assumed that it wasn’t a big movie; after all, they were considering his school. As Giamatti noted, Sessa has the kind of face out of the ’70s; he is also tall, V slim, w/ naturally curly hair. The respected/veteran character actor (lead in Sideways, directed by Payne) commented that the newbie actor “reminded me of my own son.”

He was a pretty grounded, level-headed person. And I also think his generation is comfortable around cameras, which is a big sort of leg up they have. I felt an affection for him that mimicked the movie in a way. I came to really like him even more, and more, and more, as we went on. -Paul Giamatti (actor) when asked about working w/ his young/newcomer co-star Dominic Sessa

It’s a bit weird in some ways. Maybe it gets easier as you keep coming back. For me, I have no expectations about it. There’s something a little wrong with you if this feels normal! -Dominic Sessa (actor, age 21) when asked re: his opinion of award shows on the EE BAFTA red carpet

Authenticity is the word that 1st comes to mind here (the snow is real); the film looks and sounds like it was made in the ’70s. Issues of class, race, privilege, loneliness/disconnection, and grief are explored, though NOT in a heavy-handed manner. As we’d expect from an actor at Giamatti’s level, the acting is seamless (as he becomes the character). Giamatti said he attended an all-boys school IRL, though didn’t live in the dorms (as his family lived in town). Both he and Randolph (who has won many supporting actress awards this season) are graduates of Yale. Sessa (nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the EE BAFTAs) said that his co-stars were V helpful, as they’d had formal acting education and a LOT of experience.

Randolph (who loves to research her roles) modeled Mary’s look on her aunts and grandmother. She studied the Boston accent historically accurate for a woman of Mary’s generation/background. Mary is the character who grounds the story; she has the lived experience of someone outside the privileged bubble of these (mostly white) students and teachers. We learn that her son joined the military hoping that it’d help pay for college, BUT he didn’t even make it past age 20! One of the holdovers is rude/disrespectful to Mary, BUT Angus and Paul don’t let him get away w/ it. Though she is plagued by grief, she still has to do her job of feeding the school community. Notice that her son is the only one killed in this current war, as otherwise “Barton men don’t go to Vietnam” (Paul and Angus discuss after they leave the local diner).

Paul Hunham: I guess I thought I could make a difference. I mean, I used to think I could prepare them for the world even a little. Provide standards and grounding like Dr. Greene always drilled into us. But, uh, the world doesn’t make sense anymore. I mean, it’s on fire. The rich don’t give a shit. Poor kids are cannon fodder. Integrity is a punch line. Trust is just a name on a bank.

Paul Giamatti is our real-life Brad Pitt. We can’t all be Brad Pitt, and I mean that in the most positive way. Paul is a man of a certain age that men can relate to. That’s why I think Paul is our real-life Brad Pitt- [he’s] a champion of reality. What is real? An everyday man. -Da’Vine Joy Randolph (actress) in Variety magazine

I have to admit that this film made me cry (yup, even more than Past Lives and American Fiction). It’s a unique blend of drama and comedy w/ well-developed characters. The themes in this movie are universal, though we get a slice of life story. At the center of the story is empathy, as Payne and the lead actors all noted. I esp. enjoyed the 2 scenes where Paul and Angus convince others they’re family– father-son (at the hospital) and uncle-nephew (in Boston upon running into a Barton alumnus). The revelation re: Angus’ father was a BIT of a shock; when they meet, Sessa is transformed into a vulnerable boy desperate for approval!

#Oscars: “Tar” (2022) starring Cate Blanchett, Noemie Merlant, Nina Hoss, Sophie Kauer, Mark Strong, & Julian Glover

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Set in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and the very first female director of a major German orchestra. -Synopsis

Lydia Tár: Don’t be so eager to be offended. The narcissism of small differences leads to the most boring kind of conformity.

Conductor/composer Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), the first female principal music director of the Berlin Philharmonic, is at the top of her game. She is known as a trailblazer in the male-dominated classical music world. Lydia prepares for the release of her memoir while tackling work and family. She is preparing for one of her biggest challenges: a live recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. However, forces she can’t control chip away at Lydia’s facade, revealing her dirty secrets and the corrupting nature of power. At the 95th Academy Awards, Tár received 6 noms: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing.

Lydia Tár: You want to dance the mask, you must service the composer. You gotta sublimate yourself, your ego, and, yes, your identity. You must, in fact, stand in front of the public and God and obliterate yourself.

Writer/director Todd Field wrote the film specifically for Blanchett and wouldn’t have made the film w/o her; they previously planned to work on a different film that Field could not acquire financing for. Focus Features told Field that they would produce any film that he wanted as long as it was at a certain budget. Blanchett had to re-learn the piano, learned how to speak German, and learned how to conduct an orchestra for the role. Scenes of the orchestra playing are 100% real; Blanchett was actually conducting the Dresden Orchestra. Hungarian pianist and professor at the Hungarian Academy of Music, Emese Virág, helped Blanchett prepare for her role. To bring Tár’s (carefully cultivated) speaking voice into being, she listened to recordings of Susan Sontag.

Lydia Tár: Unfortunately, the architect of your soul appears to be social media.

Is this a real person!? You wouldn’t be alone in wondering this, like my friends and I did when we watched it (Amazon). Near the start of the movie, Tár (who is fictional) is interviewed by Adam Gopnik, a New Yorker reporter, in a V long scene supposed to be taking place at the mag’s annual festival. Her book is being published by Nan Talese at Doubleday. Tar’s suits are tailored by Egon Brandstetter, who plays himself. Even the young Russian cellist, Olga Metkina (Sophie Kauer), is played by a British-German musician who recently got into acting.

The very first scene we shot was a post-rehearsal scene… at the Dresden Philharmonie that’s supposed to be after the very first rehearsal that we see of the Mahler. It was the three of them, it was Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and Noémie Merlant, and I remember that first take, and it just, it took my breath away because that’s a part of filmmaking… It’s the magical part of filmmaking. It’s beyond the camera, it’s beyond the lighting, it’s beyond your lens choice, it’s beyond all of – art direction, everything else. It’s human beings in front of a camera that can do MAGICAL things. And that part of it felt like a long overdue homecoming. -Todd Field, on returning to feature filmmaking after 16 yrs.

Can you separate the art from the artist? During a lunch convo btwn Tar and her mentor/friend Andris Davis (Julian Glover), he mentions several real conductors: James Levine, Charles Dutoit, and Wilhelm Furtwängler. In 2017, Dutoit was accused of multiple sexual assaults over several decades; he resigned as artistic director/principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic. In 2018, the Met announced that James Levine, their principal conductor since 1972, had been fired in the wake of multiple sexual assault allegations and investigations. Wilhelm Furtwängler was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic (1922-1945); though he made symbolic nods toward independence, he was the most prominent conductor to remain in Germany during the Nazi regime and was known as Hitler’s favorite conductor.

She’s always been a key reference for me. I like to re-watch my favorite scenes of hers, sometimes right before I shoot a scene myself; not to copy her, just because it gives me energy. Working with her was mind-blowing. -Noemie Merlant

This film looks and sounds authentic; the viewer is taken (perhaps too deep) into the world of classical music. It’s obvious that Field was given a LOT of freedom to make his vision come to life. Yes, it’s V long (as w/ most movies lately); I think this is one of it’s few weaknesses. Blanchett continues to impress; she can truly play any role! All the supporting players do a fine job; the acting is subtle and realistic IMO. Merlant (who is French) continues to be one of the young’uns to watch; I think she did FAB in Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019). I got a kick out of seeing Mark Strong (wearing a hairpiece) playing a wealthy businessman who is an insecure conductor. FYI: He is still my fave Mr. Knightley.

[1] Tár is a dense film. Thick with dialogue and emotional power. It’s also a bit tricky to get in to and might be a bit much for the casual viewer. That’s a shame though as it’s great.

[2] I seriously doubt that I’ll ever skip a Cate Blanchett movie. She’s won two Oscars and has been nominated six times. She’s consistently the best part of her movies, and often the best in a full year of movies. […] Ms. Blanchett is fascinating and mesmerizing to watch. She is at the top of her game playing a perfectionist who is at the top of her game. However, it’s clear this film isn’t likely to strike the right notes with mainstream audiences.

[3] The central topic emerges rather quickly (abuse of power), but there are diversions which support character development, yet drag on the narrative, which is probably why many reviews here find the film frustrating. […] Field expects viewers to interpret a lot on their own, which is bold and demanding, but with this approach it is crucial to keep focus on an underlying message, otherwise it gets lost. […] In conclusion, “Tár” has all the ingredients for a masterpiece – interesting characters, great performances, nice camerawork – but weak storytelling ultimately reduces the film’s potential.

[4] Near perfection from Blanchett. It’s a steamy, slow burn with a massive payoff, even at 150+ minutes. Cate Blanchett’s range of emotions exhibited through her acting is superb. The closeup orchestra rehearsal scenes are extraordinarily insightful for those who maybe have never been a part of a performing ensemble.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews