ELEGY. Dir Isabel Coixet. 2008

If you can stomach the soft porn indulged in for the first part of this film, it becomes an interesting examination of the Western fixation with the body, youth and sex. Focussing on decaying flesh and men’s attitudes towards ageing, it also gives charming insight into male friendship.

Student Consuela (Penelope Cruz) has her kit off a lot so that her professor Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) can enjoy the pleasures of her fresh flesh, so we have to endure it too. The point laboured here is that she is youthful and beautiful, and her ageing lover feels very insecure about his maturity in comparison.

The age gap doesn’t bother Consuela, however. The problem is all in Kepesh’s psyche. She loves him but he keeps her at an emotional distance whilst being possessive, jealous and neurotic about not being worthy. His certainty that the affair is doomed prevents him enjoying it, and seals their fate.

He does have uncomplicated sex with a woman his own age (Patricia Clarkson) and this seems to be an ideal arrangement for them both. His relationship with his son is fractured and there are one or two understated and impressive scenes between the two. The most affecting relationship is his friendship with George (Dennis Hopper) which is intimate, deep and wry. Look out for a cameo from Debbie Harry.

The film explores intimacy and grief, is generally slow, and disappoints with a cheesy ending about serious illness, which even the young can’t always escape. Brave of Cruz to get her breasts out for the general public to ogle but not necessary to advance the story.

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HARRIET. Dir. Kasi Lemmons. 2019

Astonishing true story of early freedom fighter, Harriet Tubman, enslaved in the Southern states of America. Despite her marriage to a freeborn African-American, she was unable to protect any of their hoped-for children from being born into that same slavery, and being owned by the farm proprietor. Her overpowering sense of injustice compelled her to act. She escapes, and eventually becomes one of America’s great heroes. Her audacity is astonishing, the level of courage she sustained, her extraordinary tenacity and physical endurance, not to mention cunning and excellent planning. One of those qualities would be worthy of high praise but she is exceptional for having all of them, created by her determination to rescue her family and then other captives. She was responsible for the escape of almost 300 slaves Her religious faith was absolute and she felt guided by God to help others, aided by Abolitionists and free African-Americans. Filmed in glorious colour, with deft

STYX. Dir. Wolfgang Fischer. 2018

Watching Styx is an uncomfortable experience throughout, and a film that raises many questions. The film outline has told us exactly what to expect so there’s no surprise when Rike spots the stricken vessel overloaded with refugees, after she has been happily sailing, reading, enjoying her solitude, and anticipating reaching the scientifically created paradise. Rike (Susanne Wolff) is an emergency doctor working in Gibraltar who has set sail on a solo voyage to Ascension Island, part of the British Overseas Territory. Previously barren land, the British introduced trees and non-indigenous planting; now there is lush bamboo and the Green Mountain (cloud) Forest, and she is intrigued by the idea of this fully functioning artificial ecosystem created by Charles Darwin, Joseph Hooker (explorer and botanist) and the Royal Navy from around 1843. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution describes the process of natural selection and survival of the fittest yet, in creating the self-sustaining and

Gerard Depardieu does it the French way

When thinking of walking in any fine city It’s always agreed that Paris is pretty But the stink of men’s piss And squashed dog crap means this: A stroll in this city’s quite shitty. Pity. (written in response to the allegation that the esteemed actor needed bladder relief during a flight)

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