Displaying items by tag: Naomi Ackie

SHELTER

UK, 2026, 107 minutes, Colour.

Jason Statham, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Bill Nighy,  Daniel Mays, Harriet Walter, Naomi Ackie, Michael Schaefer.

Directed by Ric Roman Waugh.

The popularity of Jason Statham’s thrillers over more than 25 years is quite extraordinary. He has a rather taciturn screen presence but somehow rather convinces audiences of his integrity, intensity, physical abilities, an action hero for every occasion.

This thriller has been directed by Ric Roman wall, director of several of Jerry Butler’s action thrillers. But, it has a British setting and, surprisingly, quite a strong supporting cast of British character actors, with Bill night he has the head of MI6, ultimately a sinisterly shrewd character, working with Harriet Walter as the Prime Minister. Naomi and is a second in charge forced to face and sold ambiguous situations. Daniel Mays has a very good role as a retired computer expert who has set up a hyper surveillance program.

It emerges that Jason Statham is Mike this is a the demands of loyalty and executions by the head of MI6 and the arrangement was made in the program that he was dead. However, his picture in the AI has been substituted with that of a terrorist, meaning the invasion of his lighthouse island where he has hidden away.

The complication and the tone of the title is that a teenage girl delivered the food to his island, has to be rescued from a storm, is sheltered by Mike and witnesses his demolition of the invading true.

Complications, Chase, identities, moving to London, contact with the human traffic who was protected in the past and who can obtain passports, meanwhile the Mac nations of Bill Nye and drawing on the members of his task force, leading to the invasion of London night club – and the young girl, now very attached to Mike, unwilling to leave him, escaping to Spain and Mike having his final confrontation with the head of MI6.

And epilogue with the young girl insane – and some indications that Mike has survived. No problems there is a Shelton 2.

1. A Jason Statham action show? Compared with his others? Action, humanity? And British intelligence?
2. The title, the islands shelter for Michael Mason? His finding shelter for Jesse?
3. The island, the Lighthouse, remote, the Outer Hebrides? The sea and its roughness? The transition to the town stone away, the roads, the farms? Shops? The transition to London? The city, MI6, acknowledging in espionage, the club, the wharf? The epilogue in Spain?
4. The mystery about Michael Mason, living alone, with the dog, his sketches, his friend bringing the suppliers, Jesse Carrington the door, asking questions, will Mason abrupt? The storm, her uncle, her rowing, the capsise, the boat going down, his being tracked? Mason, his vote, the rescue?
5. The relationship between Mason and Jessie, looking after her, her ankle, the questions, named the dog Jack, the meals, playing chess? Minimal revelation of himself?
6. Transition to Westminster, the Prime Minister, her background with manifold, MI6, the special squad, the rules, loyalty, the Prime Minister and dismissing Montfort, the political manoeuvre, his freedom?
7. The attack on the island, Mason and his preparations, the traps, the fight, the deaths? The threat to Jessie? The death of the dog?
8. British intelligence, Montfort and his role, controlled, Roberto, her being in charge, the young woman assisting her and her intelligence and discoveries, Roberto being used, the technical equipment and surveillance, Mason and his mission, getting information, sparing the line, who they think his death, the changing of the photo, the wrong target?
9. Mason, the attachment to Jessie, by the clothes, the medication? The attack, the escape, at the farm, the pursuit, the attack, the father and his son, calling the police, the police, the assassins? The shooting the farmer?
10. Going to visit, his past, setting up the program, concealing Mason’s death, Mason want him to care for Jesse, the discovery of his cancer? The car, fleeing, Booth and his being in contact? The limitations of his equipment?
11. The travel to London, the continued pursuit and surveillance, Roberto the puzzle, discovering the truth about Montfort, Mumford and his own equipment, his eyes, his mentality, control and loyalty?
12. Going to the club, the owner, protected, trafficking, Mason persuading him to arrange the documents and vote for Jesse? The attack in the club, the shootouts? The escape to the war, Jessy wanting Mason to come with her, the attack, on the boat, her escape?
13. Mason, the confrontation with the assassin, the fight, his death? Mason then going to Montfort, the confrontation, the explanations, Mason not shooting the past, shooting Montfort?
14. Roberta, the revelations, the role of British intelligence?
15. The epilogue, Jessie in Spain, waiting from Mason, his setting in the chest piece, happy ending – and Mason vanishing?

SORRY, BABY

US, 2025, 105 minutes, Colour.

Eva Victor, Noemi Acke, Louis Cancelmi, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Kelly McCormack, E.R.Fightmaster.

Directed by Eva Victor.

This is something of a demanding watch. It is often deadly serious. It is sometimes wryly comic. And, its audiences will not be surprised to learn that the writer-director, Eva Victor, born in Paris but moving with her parents as a child to the US, previously directed a television series, four episodes of Eva vs. Anxiety. Although her name is Agnes in this film, she is still victim as well as confronting anxiety.

This is a very frank film, focusing on identity, personality, relationships, sexuality.

Audiences have to be very alert as to the time sequences of the scenario. There are several headings indicating “The Year of…”. But, the screenplay moves around backwards and forwards during these title chapters, moving from one year sometimes back to another.

Agnes is an intellectual, participated in literature seminars and writing workshops, has completed a successful thesis, eventually offered an opportunity in the local college. In the past, she was a strong friend of Lidie (Noemi Ackie) who is seen eventually in a union with her partner, Fran, and their new baby. Also in the literature workshop is the insecure and jealous Natasha (Kelly McCormack), simmering with envy during classes, continually demanding attention.

And the attention demanded is that of the professor, Preston Dekker (Louis Cancelmi), praise for Agnes but soon becoming a sign of contradiction, Me Too# issues which take their toll on Agnes, compounding her anxieties, her loneliness, her need for affirmation, especially from a friendly neighbour, Gavin (Lucas Hedges).

This is definitely a film for women’s audiences, identification with Agnes, responses to Lidie, contrasting responses to Natasha, and a very interesting sequence where Agnes is called up for jury duty is and the prosecutor is caught up in a long discussion about Agnes’s state of mind and emotions. This contrasts with a sympathetic but unhelpful interview with College authorities.

And, one might also say, this is definitely a film for men’s audiences. Except for Gavin and the judge, the men, especially the professor and a doctor in a hospital sequence, a dramatised quite unsympathetically – challengingly for the male audience. But, unexpectedly towards the end, there is a pleasingly down-to-earth conversation between Agnes and Pete, an older man she encounters after pulling up in her car with a panic attack. His played by John Carroll Lynch and audiences, both men and women, will appreciate this sequence.

As might be expected, reviews and bloggers are divided about the impact of the film, some almost dismissing it as slight and self-indulgent or self pitying, others appreciating the raising of the male and female issues, and the handling of abuse.

But, and maybe this is something of a spoiler but worth saying, a final sequence where Agnes is left alone to mind the new born baby, holding her, talking to her, wonders aloud about her future and the world in which she will grow up, offers a very humane experience as Agnes says to the child, Sorry, Baby.

MICKEY 17

US, 2025, 137 minutes, Colour.

Robert Pattinson, Stephen Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Tony Collette, Naomi Ackie, Patsy Ferran, Holliday Grainger, Daniel Henshell, Thomas Turgoose.

Directed by Bong Joon Ho.

There were high expectations for Mickey 17. Korean director, Bong Joon Ho, has had a prominent career since the 1990s, range of genre films including The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer and his Oscars, including best film, for Parasite. Here he is taken on an American story, and has treated it both seriously and satirically.

It is 2054, much of a muchness like the present in some ways, Mickey and his friend Tivo trying to raise money from a loan shark to start a business, failure, and the violent aggression of the loan shark. But, in this future, there is space exploration and the setting up of planets. There is also a great deal of scientific experimentation – including processes to create multiples of human beings, living, dying, and then being printed out again, identified with successive numbers. The morality of this process is being questioned.

Enter one of those evangelical church leaders, Kenneth Marshall, played with satiric zest and prominent teeth by Mark Ruffalo – aided and abetted by his smiling but domineering wife, played by Toni Collette. Marshall disapproves of the process but agrees that in some ways it could be useful, that the government should set up an expedition on a new planet, four a half years travel there, and set up a process for multiples, but only one at a time. And, with the succession of multiples, they are also described as “expendables”.

But we are also introduced to Mickey 17, Robert Pattinson enjoying his role. On the new planet, out scouting, he falls down a hole, is menaced by some strange creatures, wondering whether they are animals or aliens, not rescued by his colleague, but, saved, in fact by the creatures. Which gives him the opportunity to give a resume of his original life as Mickey Barnes, and the visual succession of all the numbers between one and 17. But, when he is presumed lost killed, Mickey 18 is printed out, Pattinson again, quite a different personality, tough, determined, rebellious…

And there is a range of characters on the planet, the scientists generally kowtowing to Marshall, young Dorothy being an exception and stepping in to help Mickey 17.  Marshall has his sycophantic assistant, a yes-man, pandering to all Marshal’s exorcist whims, especially in organised religious television programs for the subservience staff on the planet. His wife is always there, but is experimenting with making sauces! In the meantime, there is an officer, Nasha (Naomie Acker) who is in a relationship with Mickey 17.

We can all this go? The capturing of one of the creatures and killing it, and holding a baby to ransom over a furnace. The two Mickeys confronting each other, Nasha and her coping with each of them, Tivo now involved in drug dealing and threats from the loan shark on earth.

There is a solution but, as with most of the film, not always predictable, always some surprises, some satire, some parody – especially with Kenneth Marshall and his final vanity in confronting the aliens.

The original book, by William Ashton, was published in 2022 and the film began production during the Biden era. But, released in the early days of the Trump era, many audiences will be making links! One reviewer noted that Bong Joon Ho was taking the Mickey out of the United States. Yes!

1. Science fiction? Science fantasy? Political fantasy? Space exploration and development? Humanity issues? Moral issues? Philosophical issues?
2. The career of the director, films in Korea, range, science fiction, Oscars for Parasite?
3. The credibility of the plot, situation on Earth, 2054, ordinary life, Mickey and Vito and their plans, finance, the loan shark, the threats? But the political developments, scientific experimentation, production of multiple persons, moral issues, political? The intervention of Kenneth Marshall, support of his wife? His speech, the panel listening, agreement, setting up the centre on the planet? Moral issues, only one multiple?
4. The visuals of the planet, wintry, the spring season, the centre, interiors, rooms, laboratories, meeting room, television programming? The musical score? Songs?
5. The prologue, Mickey, the confrontation with the creatures, falling down, Vito and his taunts, no help? Setting up an atmosphere?
6. Mickey, Robert Pattinson’s performance, as 17 and 18, his background on Earth, volunteering, is recounting the various stages of his life, further printing after deaths, the range of deaths, the range of personalities, situations, experimentation and testing? His relationship with Nash and her support? Mickey 17, in the snow, the story of his acceptance by the creatures, communication with them, the rescue? And discovering that Mickey 18 had been produced?
7. Mickey 18, the different personality, strong minded, confrontational? Encountering 17, their interactions, the episode with Nash, the drugs, sexual encounters? The building up of tension? Especially towards Kenneth Marshall? The agent and her discovery of 17, the attraction, the confrontations with Nasha?
8. Kenneth Marshall, the religious background, the church, his moral stances, vanity and position, relationship with his wife, her advice, domineering? His ambitions, the plan, the multiples, overcoming his moral scruples? His ambitions for success? His manner, his teeth, speech, presiding at meetings, his assistant as flattering him all the time, his interactions with the lab managers, their subservience to him? His wife, her manner, the cooking, the sources?
9. The confrontation with the aliens, the taking of the baby, the shooting, one creature destroyed? The massing of the aliens, the leader? 17 and his ability to communicate? The work on the translation device? Dorothy, her work, personality, helping the Mickey’s?
10. Marshall, his plan, discovering the two, the explosive device to destroy each of them? The flatterers, television, his going out, the speech before destroying them, his continued vanity? His wife waiting at the studio watching?
11. The Mickey’s, the previous clashes, the fights, 17 to fall down into the furnace, saved? With Nasha? Her confrontation with Marshall? Strong-minded?
12. The contact with the aliens, 17 and his communication, Marshall discovering this, the upset? The aliens and then manoeuvres, massing to conceal the leader, then dispersing, the confusion? The condition of the return of the baby threatened over the furnace? Nasha having to hold the baby’s rope in her mouth?
13. The plan is to fire, Marshall unable to give his speech, the explosions, his death? The aliens, the return of the baby? Possibilities for peace?
14. Six months later, Spring, the assembly, Mickey 18 sacrificing himself for the explosion, 17 and his presence, Nasha and her speech, the flashback and his memories during her speech, then his pressing of the detonator to destroy the multiples machine?
15. The banning of multiples? The machine, Marshall’s wife, her reproducing her husband? She being a multiple?
16. The tone of the film, comic and serious, satiric, some parodies, especially Marshall in the Trump era, but issues of science, humanity, ethics, philosophy?