Displaying items by tag: Zendaya

THE DRAMA

US, 2026, 105 minutes, Colour.

Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hayley Gates, Jordyn Curet.

Directed by Kristoffer Borgli.

Sometimes people play, especially younger people, possibly after a couple of drinks, “what is the worst thing you have ever done?”. And that is the key to the drama in The Drama.

Charlie, Robert Pattinson, sees an attractive young woman reading a book in a cafe. She is Emma, Zendaya, and when he makes his approach, pretending to know the book, she does not respond – he is speaking into her deaf ear. Not the most propitious introduction. (Actually, there will be some very unpropitious developments as the film proceeds.) Nevertheless, they fall in love and are planning the wedding.

Charlie and Emma have friends, a married couple, Mike and Rachel (Mamadou Athie and Alana Haim). He is to be best man. She is to be the maid of honour. One night, drinking, good friends, the ‘worst thing’ game is proposed. They lovingly tell a story, with some reluctance. Emma, unwillingly first, tells the story of school bullying and the other three are aghast.

What follows, suspicions, puzzles, questioning, have some comic elements but, of course, deadly serious consequences. Rachel is vehemently condemned naturally. Mike tries to be supportive. But, it is Charlie who experiences the worst, suspicions, allaying suspicions, trying to communicate, going to his work and an extreme faux pas which has dire consequences during the wedding.

There is a strange and confusing flashbacks to members school days and her relationship with her parents. Violence, gun culture…

The wedding seems to be going well, but one of the most disastrous celebrations of marriage on screen.

Can anything be salvaged in the relationship? Charlie is shamed. Emma is confused, let down and embarrassed.

There is an ending which rather stretches credibility – leaving the audience wondering what will happen next? And, emotionally, wondering whether they have taken sides either with Emma or with Charlie.

1. The title? The story as a drama, a touch of the tragic, the touch of the comic, satiric?
2. The American setting, Americans in their 30s and 40s? Lifestyle, relationships, friends, marriage and weddings, taken for granted ordinariness?
3. The twist in the plot, the two couples, their friendships, casual telling stories, the game of the worst thing ever done, revelations, consequences, suspicions, damage?
4. The framework of the story, Charlie, British and American, seeing Emma, attracted, her reading, the music, discovering that she has i hearing in only one ear? Photographing the couple, returning, the discussion about the book, his inadequate answers? Together, the later meetings, the effect of the initial encounter on each of them?
5. Charlie, with Mike, writing his wedding speech, the flashbacks, filling the details of the relationship, its development?
6. Emma, 30s, her life so far, reading, friends, Rachel, Mike? The developing relationship with Charlie? Audiences liking her, liking Charlie?
7. The meal, drinking, talking, the preparations for the wedding, the detail, Rachel as made of honour, Mike as best man, the discussion about the venue, the catering, clothes…?
8. The telling of the worst stories, Charlie awkward, Rachel and locking the boy overnight, and her telling her story, gun culture, the flashbacks to her treatment at school, into the water, abused? Imagining the school massacre?
9. The reaction of everyone? The audience reaction? Believing her not? Rachel, the indignant response, suspicions, denunciation, breaking contact? Mike, shocked, lower key, supportive of Charlie?
10. Charlie, his response to the story, upset, suspicious, believing or not, communicating with Emma? Her attitude, telling the story, drinking, the aftermath?
11. The consequences for Charlie and Emma, her story, trying to explain, memories of school, the rival, shooting practice, the group, gun control, her leadership and collection group?
12. Charlie, imaginings, dreams, suspicions, that there was worse? Discussions with Mike? And to the office, the secretary, asking her about her relationship, if her boyfriend could commit a gun massacre, his weeping, making a sexual advance, her response, his change? And the later consequences of this episode?
13. The preparations for the wedding, going to the venue, Emma’s and her behaviour, the dance practice the wedding, difficult, seeing the DJ allegedly taking drugs, building up to the confrontation, and estates? The food the decisions?
14. Charlie and his love for Emma, suspicions, the damage to his psyche, the consequences of the episode in the office?
15. The wedding, Emma’s parents coming, Charlie’s, awkwardness? The ceremony?
16. The aftermath, the drama, Emma and her parents military background guns? Rachel, her presence, drunk, the violent speech? Emma’s father and his speech, the interruption? The growing awkwardness? Charlie going out, Emma going out, overhearing the secretary, the speech and everything coming out, the secretary boyfriend and punching Charlie? Confusion, and walking out, the kiss and bewilderment?
17. The aftermath, Charlie beaten up, at home, going out to the diner, the hamburger, and arriving, going through the ritual as if they were meeting the first time?
18. The issues of knowing one’s partner before marriage, secrets, revelations, understanding, forgiveness? Or revelations, too late, destructive for the marriage? And the future for Charlie and Emma?

HANS ZIMMER AND FRIENDS: DIAMONDS IN THE DESERT

US, 2025, 158 minutes, Colour.

Hans Zimmer, Jerry Bruckheimer, Timothy Chalamet, Billy Eilish, Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, Pharrell Williams, Zendaya, Loire Cotler, Laura Lapointe, Holly Madge, Johnny Marr, Juan Garcia-Herreros.

Directed by Paul Dugdale.

A film for audiences who enjoy music. And, especially, music composed for films. The focus here is on long time and prolific composer, Hans Zimmer. In more recent years, he had travelled with orchestra and many musicians, performing around the world. This film captures concerts in the Coca-Cola vast auditorium in Dubai, at other venues in the city and performances out in the desert.

However, it is of interest for film buffs because of the many interviews with actors and directors with whom he worked, as indicated in the credits above. Then also the producers, publicists that he worked with. And, a number of musical artists, singers, performance who are very talented especially a focus on guitarists and drummers, and the number of women in the orchestra talented with violins and cellos. The visuals of the performances and the camera angles and editing, frequently on the move, then impressive close-ups, a treat for those who enjoy music performances.

Zimmer himself is very genial, in his performances, his range of talent with instruments, especially the piano, his enthusiasm during the performances, his encouragement of particular talents, long close-ups, encouragement. And, for the sake of the performances, the number of members of the orchestra and of associated performances is large.

Zimmer also explains his history, European background, years in the United States, work in the United Kingdom, beginnings, developments, the range of films he has scored, much of it played (and, the difficulty for with some of the scores, played alone they can seem quite repetitive, momentarily monotonous, because they have been scored for the visuals on the screen which a live concert does not have – although there are some sequences from some of the film is.)

The discussions with actors and directors like Christopher Nolan (Dark Knight, Interstellar) and Denis Villeneuve (June) are quite informative.

The film is long, as mentioned some of the scores are long and repetitive, but the whole experience is well worthwhile, learning about musicians on composition, collaboration with the filmmakers, the challenges to the composes imagination, living with expectations of success.

One of the films made immediately after this concert film was F1, and audiences who are seen the documentary will appreciate the moods, the chords, the atmosphere of Zimmer’s score for F1.

CHALLENGERS

US, 2023, 131 minutes, Colour.

Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Anyone for tennis? The title comes from a tournament in New Rochelle, the Challengers. And we are introduced to an intense match between two men, clearly rivals.

Quickly the narrative goes back two weeks, the explanations of the characters, then the film goes back 13 years, with many time shifts, sometimes flashbacks within flashbacks, for the audience something like watching a match, continually switching from looking at one end to the other. Sometimes this requires quite an effort. And, some of the photography and editing of the actual tennis play, swift and sharp, sometimes in slow motion, especially at the end, is not always effective for movie concentration.

While the focus is on tennis, at the centre is a triangle relationship. Because the film opens in 2019, we see the three protagonists in some kind of conflict, two men facing off each other in the finals of the tournament, the woman, Tasha, who has been at the centre of their lives for many years, sitting in the stands, watching intently. When the narrative goes back in time, we are very aware that matters have not turned out so well over the period of 13 years, heightening the drama of our watching the characters, their meeting, two men in love with the same woman, her choices, changes, tennis rivalries…

This is very much a film for younger audiences, that is, audiences in their 20s, especially. We see the characters at 18, follow their progress till the end of the film when they are in their early 30s.

One of the difficulties is that the three characters are not all that interesting in themselves. Nor are they particularly likeable, it is somewhat difficult to have a care for them in their conflicts. In fact, the performances are very effective, showing the complexities and ambiguities of the characters. Zendaya is the young woman at the centre, tennis champion, strong-minded, very determined. It is different with the two men. Josh O’Connor plays Patrick, easy-going in many ways, not as good as tennis as he might hope, wanting to be liked, more than a touch self-absorbed, and developing into something of a cad. The other man is Art, Mike Faist, more talented at tennis, friends with Patrick since they were boys. They have been successful in doubles, but both are smitten when they see Tasha and make a bid for her attentions.

The musical score is often techno beat, intense beats, sometimes obscuring the dialogue.

The film is rather long, we spend quite a time with each of the men, with Tasha, and the ups and downs of the relationships, and, depending on how interesting we find the characters, this will determine whether audiences would really enjoy Challengers or not.

1. The title? The tennis theme? The triangle relationship theme? Interactions?
2. The work of the director, his Italian background, themes, relationships, sexuality?
3. The American settings, New Rochelle, Atlanta…? The tennis courts, clubs, audiences, apartments and hotels, cities streets, tennis atmosphere? The musical score, the techno score and its insistence?
4. Opening in 2019, moving to 2 weeks earlier, moving 13 years earlier, the trio in the past and their encounters, relationship, through the years, back to the present and the final set? The audience looking at the change of times like tennis viewers, and is moving from one side to the other?
5. The dramatic impact of showing the present, the competitiveness, determination, back to the past, the trio when young, tennis abilities, the men winning the doubles, Tasha and her skills, aged 18, amateurs, discussion of turning professional? The effect on the later sequences by knowing what the crisis was at the beginning and end of the film?
6. Patrick and Art, friendship from boyhood, discussions about the relationship and friendship, sexual behaviour at 12, the bonding, playing together? The gradual revelation of Patrick and his personal intensity, self-absorbed? The contrast with Art, his abilities, quieter personality?
7. The introduction to Tasha, age, tennis skills, determination, the final scream when winning, the media? The party, the two men approaching, conversation, her interest, the invitation, in the room, her turning up, the discussions, tantalising each of them, manipulating them to kiss each other? Her leaving?
8. Their careers over the years? Art and greater success? Patrick less success? Their drifting apart? Tasha and her skills? Winning, the significance of her fall and accident, emotions, treatment, Art supporting her, her recovery, determination to go on? A very determined personality? Playing the two men?
9. Patrick and his career, some victories, the years passing, down and out, Is Arriving in New Rochelle, his charm on the hotel manager and failing, sleeping in his car, trying to get the prize money? The matches in the tournament, the final and the three sets against Art?
10. Art and his story, his relationship with Tasha, relationship with Patrick, Art and his support, success, marriage, their daughter, his mother caring for the daughter? The confrontation with Patrick?
11. The three sets intercut throughout the film? Tightening the drama? One all, the final question
12. the focus on the games, the tennis player, sequences, point of view of each character, the audience, the umpire, decisions about in and out, the school, the past tournaments, practice sequences, the place of the camera, editing and action?
13. Patrick and his contacting Tasha, the phone number, his asking her to coach him, her violent reaction, keeping the note, returning to the hotel, the challenge as to whether she loved Art or not, going out, the encounter with Patrick, sexual, anger with him, getting out of the car, returning, Art with their daughter?
14. Tasha asking Patrick to lose the set, his reactions, agreement, visual techniques for the final games, slow motion, pausing, Tasha and her intensity, final set points, each looking at the other, their decisions, the final play, long, and the ending with Patrick leaping the net and embracing Art? The future for each of them?