Displaying items by tag: Michiel Hausman

2: 22 

Australia/US, 2017, 98 minutes, Colour.

Michiel Huisman, Teresa Palmer, Sam Reid, John Waters, Kerry Armstrong, Maeve Dermody.

Directed by Paul Currie.

While the film is billed as an American science-fiction drama, it is actually an Australian production, filmed in Sydney, most of the cast being Australia. The main exception is the leading man, media house, American.

The film was not successful on its release, billed as the film with the least box office 2017. However, it has had a firmer further life on television and streaming.

Michelle Houston plays an air traffic controller with some kind of psychic powers. However, in cycling through New York City, he has a lot of repetitious, déjà vu sites and experiences, especially at Grant Central Station, and everything, an ageing at the time of 2:22.

He has to give up his traffic controlling work when there is almost an accident – and the encounters a heart dealer, Teresa Palmer, who was on the plane. She also has a boyfriend, an artist, played by Sam Reid, who deals in holograms.

So, while there are the romantic complications in the present as well is the mystery of 222 and the characters and sites that are seen, it then becomes a link to a death 30 years earlier, the day that the two central characters were born, and some kind of dramatic psychic connection between those events and the present.

Which means that the audience does have to pay attention to sort out the various threads of the plot. The film looks quite good, the two central characters sympathetic. A science fiction/fantasy pastime.

1. Silence-fiction? Science fantasy?
2. The Australian production, filming in the US and Australia? American style, Australian supporting cast? The recreation of New York City, apartments, Grand Central station, Kennedy airport and flight control? The musical score?
3. The title, the time, Dylan and his experiences, his interest in stars, constellations? His background, family, training, fear of flying, flight control? His friendships? His hallucinations? Saving the planes from colliding? Being suspended?
4. His life, his apartment, his interests, the encounter with Sarah, his ticket to the aerial ballet, talks with Sarah, the audience having seen her on the plane about to crash? Her life and work, the art gallery, Jonas and his work? Dylan going to the exhibition, the holograms, the characters and situations of his 2:22 situation, his mad outburst and destructive?
5. Travelling in New York City, the camps, the recurring situations, same people, talk, the businessmen, the children, the pregnant woman, 2.22, the electrical fault?
6. The bond with Sarah, the sharing the same birthdate? Dylan and the information about the past, the events it Grand Central, Jake and Evelyn? 30 years earlier, the stars and constellations?
7. Dylan, realising that he and Sarah had to relive the 30 years events of the past, Evelyn as the dead woman, his going to see Catherine her sister, the discussions, Catherine sceptical?
8. Jonas, wanting to go away with Sarah, Dylan and his finding that Jake, the alleged murderer, lived in the apartment, the search, the discovery of the letters, reading the stories? Confiding in Sarah? Her hesitation?
9. The buildup to the climax, the repetition at Grand Central, Jonas, his reliving the murderer, Jake and Evelyn victims, Jonas shooting at Sarah, Dylan intervening and shot, recovering? Jonas shot by the police?
10. The aftermath, happiness, stillness pilot, Sarah and the baby?

IRREPLACEABLE YOU

US, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michiel Huisman, Steve Coogan, Timothy Simons, Jackie Weaver, Kate McKinnon, Christopher Walken, Zack Cherry, Brian Tyree Henry.

Directed by Stephanie LaIng.

This is a romance, a romantic comedy with quite a difference. It is a film about terminal illness, the period before death, dying. But, despite the sombre themes and some of the implications, this film has a lighter, often more positive touch.

It is an American production but the lead, Gugu Mbatha=Raw, is British – and Steve Coogan appears in a rather understated role as the leader of a therapy group.

The audience knows almost from the beginning that the central character, Abbie, dies, with her partner, Sam (Michiel Huisman) visiting her grave.

Abbie and Sam have been sweethearts since they were toddlers at school, a visit to the aquarium scene, a story about a fish biting another and their becoming one, she biting Sam – and their remaining together all through childhood, teens, adulthood. She is a dominating character, controlling. He is rather passive, a boring lecturer, often withdrawn. But, they are a loving couple.

Thinking she is pregnant, the resulting examination indicates that she has terminal cancers. So, the film is very frank in using the word death and dying rather than simply passing or passing away. Audiences can empathise with Abbie, her reactions, her feelings, the treatments, some of the resistance, her participation in therapy group, including her crocheting and her resistance (and the glimpses of the eccentric characters in the group).

But, one of the main focuses is her wanting to prepare a future for Sam, interviewing women, setting up online information, dominating him, including getting him to go to an art gallery opening, setting him up with the artist.

One of the members of the group, Myron (Christopher Walken at his sympathetic best) befriends Abbie, sharing a lot of her life and her ideas, trying to get her to focus on herself and her experience in the present, to stop her trying to control the future.

Which means then there are ups and downs of the relationship, some feelings of alienation, some frankness, truth-speaking, reconciliation and hope.

So some interesting characters amongst the supporting cast including Kate McKinnon in the group and, towards the end of the film, a key scene with Jackie Weaver.

For audiences interested in frank films naming death and dying, the 2025 Goodbye June is well worth seeing.

1. A film about dying, life before death, preparation for death? For the ill person? The partner? The others?
2. The New York settings, the city, apartments, doctor’s offices, therapy meetings, hospital, the streets, the rivers, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The opening, the aquarium, the story about the fish fighting and becoming one, Abbie and her biting Sam, the stitches, his telling the story, the young children, playing on the beach, the bond? Growing up, partners, life, his academic lectures, the students bored, his dividends, and in charge, dominant, thinking she was pregnant? The decision to marry, preparations for the wedding ceremony, the cake…?
4. Benji, his character, friendship with Sam, support, talk, the opposite? Abbie, her mother, the death of her father, her mother concerned?
5. The pregnancy test, the interview with the doctor, the discovery of the tumours, the diagnosis, terminal? Issues of treatment? The encounter with Dominic, his friendship, brashness, helping Abbie? The various sessions, her finally giving up on him?
6. The therapy sessions, Mitch and his quiet running of the sessions, the importance of the crocheting, the talk at the meetings, the various members, Kate and her touches of meditation and New Age, Bill, Jim, Meryl and their personalities, comments? Abbie’s reactions, keeping her distance, outbursts?
7. The character of Myron, his interest in Abbie, their talking, his terminal illness, his attitude towards life, the outings with Abbie? The discussions? His stories about Estelle, the unwanted couch?
8. Abbie, controlling, wanting the best for Sam, her decisions to plan his future, the interviews with the women, looking at the website, preparing his profile, discussions with the artist in the restaurant, organising his going to the opening, Myron and the buying of the clothes, Benji and his comments, Abbie watching with the binoculars? Benji leaving, Sam, awkwardness, the bar, the encounter with the artist?
9. And, her reactions, upset, distance from Sam, the effect on his classes? Separation, the meetings, Myron and his talk, bringing her to acknowledge her controlling attitudes? Seeking Sam, the reconciliation?
10. The preparation for the wedding, her mother, her mother going to support groups, the wedding dress, the cake? Her final visit to the therapy group?
11. Abbie growing weaker, the preparations for the wedding, her death?
12. Sam, the decision to have the party, the wedding party, the guests, the dress, the cakes, the dance space? His speech, reading out her letter?
13. The phrase, Too soon, for jokes about death, the tone of her letter, hopes for the future, too soon?