Displaying items by tag: Cosmo Jarvis

WARFARE

US/UK, 2025, 95 minutes, Colour.

D' Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Joseph Quinn, Aaron Mackenzie, Finn Bennett, Michael Gandolfini, Charles Melton, John Taylor Smith, Kit Connor, Noah Centineo.

Directed by Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland.

Ultimately, this is a very grim film. Many audiences will find some sequences unbearable to watch. But, this is a film of warfare.

The action of the film takes place over an evening and morning, the morning action seems to take place in real time. It is Iraq, 2006, three years after the American invasion. The audiences with occupying American forces. There are hostile Iraqis ready to attack, to serve as snipers against the Americans. And there are ordinary Iraqis, seen going about their ordinary business in the streets, shops, chatting… And there are the victims of the action, homes taken over for confronting the enemy, homes destroyed.

The film was cowritten and co-directed by Ray Mendoza, his own memories of the episode and the film noting at the opening that this is a version of memories rather than an objective study of what happened in the mission. In the film, Mendoza is the radio operator, most important for contact, for surveillance, for final rescue details. Mendoza is working with screenwriter and

director, Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men) who startled many audiences with his imaginative version of conflict within the United States, Civil War.

The American cast, although the lead is Canadian and several significant actors are British (many of them familiar from films and from television series), recreate the camaraderie of the group, the film opening with a moment of shock for the audience with close-ups of an aerobics TV program, the group together, a lot of ogling, comment, the suggestion of boys being boys…

But, the cast went through several weeks boot camp, training in methods of warfare, but also the behaviour of soldiers under stress, in situations of attack and defence, rehearsing not only the action sequences but the collaboration of the men in moments of waiting, in moments of tension.

Audiences will be intrigued by the discipline and the manoeuvres for the men to get from their headquarters to occupy a home in the street, opposite a building which is under suspicion. Then there is the waiting, for something to happen, for someone to shoot, for more information to come from headquarters. Audiences share these moments of nothing happening, time passing, yet having to be on the ready.

The action sequences are vivid, but best described by the word, visceral (or, perhaps, gut-churning), for the men’s experience as well as for the audience’s experience: snipers, response, mistakes made, men wounded, calls for evacuating the wounded, explosions, and, another warning about the graphic close-ups of injured and dead men, listening to their screams, the pain, the cry for morphine, just the unbearable pain of being carried, the rescue. This is an alert to audiences who might find some of these sequences also unbearable.

So, in no way as an entertainment entertainment. Rather, an intense drama, the filmmakers’ serious attempt to immerse its audience in both the calm and the intense death reality of warfare.

1. The truth of the title? The focus on the American invasion of Iraq, and episode, 2006? The presence of Ray Mendoza in the operation? His memories, the writing of the screenplay, collaboration with Alex Garland and his reputation, interests, war? Mendoza and the staging of the action, memories of the experience?
2. Audience response to war, just wars, unjust wars, invasions? For the troops in the war? For those hostile to the troops? For ordinary people as victims of war?
3. The graphic presentation of the action, the action, the shooting, deaths, the close-ups of graphic wounds, limbs lost, soldiers in pain, screams, asking for morphine…? Audience identification, shock, uncomfortable, some seems almost unbearable to watch? Style of the film sometimes muting the sound, some moments of relief for the audience from the screaming?
4. The opening, the aerobics session, the glamorous participants, the group watching, ogling, irritating, the sexual atmosphere, the boys will be boys atmosphere?
5. The transition to the next morning, the men, so young, their training, the role of surveillance, support of the mission, details not understood but obeying the orders for support?
6. The realism of the film, the atmosphere of it unfolding in real time?
7. The group, their drill, in the streets, in line, plan, snipers, invading the house, the terror of the inhabitants, their being put together downstairs, the men deploying in the house, the sniper and his assistant, the radio operator, the tasks of the various men?
8. The eye of the sniper, his descriptions, the radio operator taking notes, the backup of headquarters aerial surveillance, the audience seeing the surveillance, from a high distance, the white dots indicating personnel and vehicles?
9. The seeming ordinariness of the street, shops, men and women, walking, wandering, the number of men passing by, going into the building? Their being described to headquarters? Suspicions?
10. The relief sniper, seeing the men with guns, not getting off a shot? The plan going awry? The range of snipers, their action, the dangers? Coming onto the roof of the building?
11. The action of the camera, during the quiet time panning around and catching people doing their jobs, some repartee, urinating into the bottle, chatter?
12. The camera in action during the bombardment, the roof, blowing the roof? Elliott and his being wounded? The contact with the bushmaster tanks? To evacuate Elliott?
13. Under pressure, going down the stairs, the strategies for the tanks to arrive, the fear of the inhabitants, their plea? The tanks, the timing, getting out, the explosion? The dead soldiers in the street, the graphic close-ups of the wounds, then the dragging of the wounded, there screams, the pain, getting them inside?
14. The focus on the details of the care for the two wounded men, morphine, their comments, pain and screams, stoic suffering? Some of the others shellshocked?
15. The relief command, coming in, the leader, competence, decisions to be made, discussions, surveillance, radio?
16. the final evacuation, the timing, the shooting, tanks getting away?
17. The Iraqi snipers coming into the street, standing about, what they had achieved, the Americans driving away? The destroyed house, the suffering of the family?
18. The nature of warfare for those in action and for victims of warfare?

THE ALTO KNIGHTS

US, 2025, 125 minutes, Colour.

Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, Kathrine Narducci, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Rispoli.

Directed by Barry Levinson.

Revisited. The Mafia revisited.

Over 50 years ago, worldwide audiences became powerfully aware of the Mafia and its activities in the United States with the release of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. For the next half century and more, there have been many, many Mafia films, organised crime dramas, especially with the intensity from Martin Scorsese, the 30 years from Goodfellas to The Irishman. Cinema audiences have been fine-tuned to responding to these films for a long time.

Which puts The Alto Knights to some disadvantage, high expectations from audiences. And, there is the Robert De Niro connection, his first Oscar for portraying the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather 2, then with Scorsese, Goodfellas, Casino, The Irishman. More expectations.

Another factor is that this film has been made by Hollywood veterans, Robert De Niro, and director, Barry Levinson, in their 80s. Writer, Nicholas Pileggi (famous journalist investigating crime in the 1950s, writer of Goodfellas and Casino) and longtime prolific producer,  Irwin Winkler, both in their 90s. This is very much a film in retrospect, of interest to audiences who have focused on Mafia films, perhaps not striking enough for audiences who have seen most of it before.

The casting director has obviously made great attempts to give the look of authenticity with so many of the supporting cast playing gangsters having strong Italian names.

One of the great attractions for this film is that Robert De Niro plays the two Mafia chiefs of the 1940s and 1950s, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. And, while he shows that they have a great deal in common, their childhood friendship in the club The Alto Knights, they also fell out and there are considerable differences, Frank Costello, generally calm and calculating, Vito Genovese more of a psychopath. (And, as we watch De Niro as Genovese, he often looks as if he is channelling performances by Joe Pesci in such films as Goodfellas).

In some ways, this film is a vindication of Frank Costello and the condemnation of Genovese. It is narrated by Costello, a quiet mastermind in organising rackets, starting with bootlegging during Prohibition, building up a network, and establishing a facade of respectability, aided by his devoted wife of almost 40 years, played strikingly and unexpectedly by Debra Messing.

The main action of the film takes place in the immediate aftermath of World War II, Genovese returning from years in Sicily after fleeing murder charges in the US, determined to be the boss, eventually putting a contract on Costello which fails, and a climax with the drama of the meeting of all the Mafia chiefs at the Appalachian rendezvous, Costello masterminding again, the police swooping, Mafia chiefs to jail, including  Genovese who died there.

A subdued postscript as Costello retires with his wife, cultivating roses, winning a competition, quietly complacent as he dies with his criminal life achievement.

1. The title and tone? The old club for young Italians in New York City?
2. The place of gangster films about the Mafia in American cinema, from the 1970s with The Godfather, so many films through the decades, the influence of Martin Scorsese? The presence of Robert De Niro?
3. Writer, director producer, star, their careers over the decades, now in their 80s and 90s, the perspective? Gauging the potential audience, older audiences, younger?
4. The device of having Robert De Niro play the two central characters? His skills, differentiating the personalities, some confusion for audiences?
5. The focus on Frank Costello, how well-known from of the gangster films, his narrating the story, audience sympathy for him, his explanation of himself, the flashbacks and photos, the footage from the period, Prohibition, bootlegging, his establishing himself, the rackets, continuing into the 1940s, the friendship with Vito Genovese, the break, Vito Genovese and the murder charges, to Italy, absent during World War II, his return? Friendship, rivalries, competition? The attempt on Frank Costello’s life, the wound, his surviving, in hospital, released, the police questioning, his saying he did not see the shooter? 38 years of marriage, his devotion to his wife, her support?
6. Frank Costello, criminal, respectability, works of charity? His wife? Her charm and personality, Jewish background, flashbacks to their meeting, dancing, wedding? The effect of the attempt on Costello?
7. De Niro as Vito Genovese, in the Joe Pesci style of performance, intense, psychopath? His past, the murders, exile, return, his close friends and their continued support, advice? Rivalry with Frank Costello, giving the order, Vincent, the shooting, his failure, the return, the rebukes, hs continuing to work for Vito Genovese the? Chauffeur?
8. The flashbacks about Vito Genovese? Anna, the club, her personality, Vito and his intervention, marriage, the romance, falling out, his intervention to get the money, the confrontation, her boyfriend? His later being shot? The importance of the divorce court proceedings, her incessant talking, his nonchalant attitude, denials, alleging respectability? The granting of the divorce? The consequences? Anna and her continued phone calls to Bobby Costello?
9. Kefauver and the politicians, the atmosphere of the 50s, against crime and communists? Performer on the television show? Publicity, for those combating organised crime? The hearings, Vito Genovese and the others all taking the fifth, No Comment. Mentioning Costello, his tactic of Costello offering to come, and some questions, the challenge, his declaring he was an ordinary citizen and walking out?
10. Costello’s plan to defeat Vito Genovese? The promise to hand over the leadership of the Mafia families, the arrangement of the meeting, the location in the appellations, the farm setting, the invitation going out, everybody turning up, the cars, the farm, the welcome by the locals, meal and the celebration?
11. The background of Costello and Albert Anastasio, bodyguard and support, the plan for him to go to Cuba, Vito Genovese puzzling, the hit, the death in the arber’s salon? Costello’s reaction, Albert’s wife and family Bobby Costello’s support?
12. Costello and his driver, delaying going to the meeting, stopping for coffee, buying apples, supplying the information?
13. The police patrols, more police binoculars, calling in, the number plates, young man checking cars in the mud, his informing the group, the panic, everybody running everywhere, , rounding them up, the arrests? The consequent prison sentences, and Vito Genovese in dying in jail?
14. The aftermath, Costello talking about respectability, growing flowers, his wife’s support, winning the competition, and finally dying quietly?
15. Another chapter in American Mafia history?

INSIDE

Australia, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Guy Pearce, Cosmo Jarvis, Vincent Miller, Toby Wallace.

Directed by Chris Wallace.

On the one hand, the title, Inside, suggests prison. On the other hand, it could also suggest going into the interior of a person, their personality, motivations and behaviour. Both are relevant here.

There is an arresting prologue to the film, a wedding ceremony which we see taking place in the prison, a pregnant mother, a criminal father – and the focus then on the child, now a late teenager, and his being condemned by his criminal father and inheriting his guilt.

The young man is Mel (Vincent Miller convincing in his first film role), transferred to a prison, assigned to share a cell with a lifer, sentenced for vicious crimes of rape and child murder. He is Mark Shepard, a powerful performance by British actor, Cosmo Jarvis. But we soon learn that there is a reason for this sharing. Mark has got religion, holding his own services in the prison chapel, more than a touch of charismatic faith, testimony are to the fellow prisoners, speaking in tongues, finding that Mel has his own keyboard, enjoys playing it and so invited to play during the happenings in the Chapel.

So, already a different kind of prison film. There are guards, there are glimpses of the criminals but not in the traditional way of prison films. There is a greater freedom of movement, many sessions to prepare those for whom parole is coming up, getting them to write a letter of apology to their victims as a justice healing exercise, a different atmosphere.

And, yet, not entirely, a new character, Warren, played by Guy Pearce a veteran facing parole but seemingly unwilling to face it, granted a day’s leave to visit his son, played by Toby Wallace, not going well, Warren an enigma. But, he is a gambler, and, to pay his debt there is a bounty on Mark Shepard, and Warren choosing and grooming Mel to be the killer, and so find his place in the prison.

Which means then that the film operates as a psychological thriller, the interactions between the three men, the religious mania of Mark, the manipulation by Warren, Mel and memories of his killing a student in the past, the pressures on him – a dramatic resolution of Mark’s fate.

An interestingly different Australian prison film.

1. The title, the prison meaning, the inner psychological meaning?
2. The action in the prison, find entry, allotment of cells, the cells, the meeting rooms, offices, workplaces, the Chapel? Resemblances to prison films? Differences in terms of guards, cells, supervision? The musical score?
3. The story of Mel, the prologue with the wedding in prison, the pregnant mother, the prisoner father, his legacy to his son, the passing on of the criminal mentality? The flashbacks to Mel, as a boy, the clashes, his killing his opponent? Sentenced to prison?
4. Mel, as a character, his past behaviour, family heritage, age and immaturity, susceptibilities? Discussions with the authorities? His being sent to share with Mark? His keyboard? This leading to his presence in Mark’s evangelical gatherings? Mel and his learning through sharing with Mark? The encounter with Warren, Warren as a father-figure, genial, the touch of the sinister, the issue of the bounty on Mark, the imposition on Mel, to prove himself, his acceptance, in the challenge, unwell, the pressure on him?
5. The focus on the authorities, sympathetic, relationship with the prisoners, especially the discussions and meetings concerning parole readiness, the issue of writing letters to the victims? Mark in for life? Warren and the possibility of parole
6. Mark, his background, rapist, killing the children, life? His personality, his cell, possessions, the religious experience, explanations, gatherings, Pentecostal-like, his utterances, exhortations, talking in tongues, the men coming, scepticism, critical, yet larger numbers coming to the meetings? His use of Mel, the music?
7. Warren, his age, crime, possibility for parole? Father figure, yet sinister, the gambling, his debt, his connection with the controlling prisoner, looks and glances, bounty, Warren and his decision to groom Mel, their interactions? The sinister grooming? Warren the issue of the bounty, going out for the day to see his son, the character of his son, relationship with his father, the emotional impact of the visit? Warren, the return, going to the Chapel, urging Mel?
8. The background of the routines of life in prison, seeming ordinariness?
9. Mark, the final gathering, Warren and his preparing the shiv, Mel hiding it under the bed and not using it?
10. In the meeting, the dowsing of Mark, setting him alight, the conflagration and his death? The impact on Mel?
11. Mark, the discovery of the shiv, Mark and its use?
12. Warren, the consequences? And his future?