Bullet Boy, Suall Dibb, 2004

Location/settings:

- Beginning of film is prison to countryside to estate - it is like he is in a dark crowded room, then free in the countryside, where he chills and relaxes with Wisdom, then is back to the rough area of london estate.

- lower class london estate, rural area, very overcrowded, sense of chlostraphobia. Majority are black people.

Narrative Structure: time/point of view

- current days or near enough, year 2000+

- one day after the other timeline, following his life after he is released from prison one day at a time?

- Such is bullet boy where we are watching each day of liams life until his sixteenth birthday and his trip seeing his mother in prison. (countdown)

-Both start with visits to prison and the days that follow after

Ideology - Race/class/gender

-Black populated area, fairly poor area, low social class.

-Mostly Males between 18-20s, Females are the characters who are good and guide the males.

- See how the younger generation gets dragged into this way of life from influence by, in this case, 'Bredwin' and brothers hwo they look up to older brothers etc. follow their path.

"you owe me bigtime yeah?" - never ending cycle!

Characterisation- Roles/Functions etc

- Ricky - like Liam in sweet 16, wants to start a fresh and get away from area, has strong connection with friend Wisdom, typical young adult in getting fed up with his mums moaning. Cares for little bro but finds him very annoying (realistic brotherly relationship)

- Curtis - Innocent little boy who is slowly being dragged into the culture from his brothers actions - via - playing with gun with mate and shooting him by mistake,

worried for his brother, acts mature when realises somethings wrong, but still keeps realistic character of young 10 something year old boy by playing with his friends and winding up his bro. Respects and listens to his mum.

-Wisdom- Rickys friend, seems to be his only friend his age...so possible closer bond.

At 1st i felt that the two werent to connected because of their different attitudes and arguements but when Ricky tells him he is leaving, Wisdom offers his respect and money to help him.

Believes in revenge, not afraid to shoot people.

-Shay (Ricky's bird)- She cares for him, keeps him stable, love eachother, she herself doesnt know how to escape or where to go. As seen in when Ricky says go away with me, she takes a few seconds of thought to reply, also when Ricky is shouting for her at her window, she curls up and cries to herself in her small room.

-Mum- Ricky and Curtis's mother is a strong mother figure even though she is a single mum with a current partner. She cares deeply for her little son and worries about Rickys path. She later chooses, after a emotional church meeting, to kick Ricky out and think of the future of 'her little boy'.

-Genre features -

Sound - R n B music and 'rasta' which is in contrast with characters and their background and social setting.

Realistic point of view of a black young male 'in da hood' (life like problems)

Sweet Sixteen, Ken Loach, 2002

Winner of many awards...

Sweet Sixteen, Ken Loach, 2002.

PLOT SUMMARY

Liam is a restless 15 year old who is struggling in a poor part of Scotland in Greenock where employment is low and youth have little options in life.

He is waiting for his mother Jean, to be released from prison for a crime his father commited. Once she is out (in 3 months) he plans to find a place to settle down with his mother and his sister Chantelle and her little boy Calum to stay away from the likes of his father and grandad who deal are in the heroin business. But to get to this dream, he needs to find some cash, preferably to buy a nice little caravan on the seafront.
To get to this money Liam ends up in all sorts of trouble with his best friend and becomes involved in the criminal underworld of drug dealing.
He knows its wrong, but wants the best and this is the only way it can happen. Will it all work out by the time he is Sixteen?...

VIEWING NOTES:

Film Title: Sweet Sixteen - ironic title, 1. normally associated with girls 2. name "sweet 16"would come across as a happy moment. the characters and main character is not 'sweet' or in a 'sweet' position.

Location/Settings: West part of Scotland, poor part of estate area, sets the scene, sets the characters and their status of class.

Landscape described by Martin Compson and Ken Loach as being a beautiful view etc, but below this is the area which is given a grotty feel.

Ideology: Class - low class Scottish 'Chavs' - lots of swearing,slang, dress code, accent.
Boys depicted in film as trouble, Girls are trying to do good.

Ken Loach - 'classist' - CERT 18 - they said that was silly to be an 18 as its about youths of around 15-18 years old and it would appeal to them. (way they talk, they all swear the same etc)

Characterisation:
Liam - is troubled but wants good life for mum and sister, hates his dad etc.
Dad - is a drug dealer, beats up Liam for screwing up. Controls Liams mum and Grandad.
Grandad - follows liams dad like a henchman but shows mercy and tells him to stop when Liam is being beaten by his father.
Chantelle - Liams older sister, looks after Liam, tries to guide him, has a kid of her own.
Mum - begins in prison, wants Liam to do well. Cares for her kids but is confused and near end of film we find she wants to stay with Liams dad instead of getting away.
Liams best friend - Strong relationship, fights with him alot, mentioned in film the 'brother relationship'. At end of film seems liek he doesnt care if Liam stabs him, really tries to push him to see hwo far he would go. Hates the man Liam begins working for.
Tony the drug dealer boss - tries to guide Liam into crime, build him up, do his dirty work,

Narrative Structure - point of view
- Like a documentary as such, liams story and we are following him around in a lot of scenes in the way the cinematogrophy is used. (like a 3rd person view)

-use of time: Countdown of mums release from prison, 3 months till Liam's "sweet sixteen"

Genre Features - Natural colour for the filmaking, very natural sounds and happenings, real gritty british realism.

'Top 50 cult films'

http://www.filmsite.org/cultfilmsew.html

Here is a link to a site containing their version on the top 50 cult films as of 2003. Few of these may have changed. A minimum of films listed are selected also for the 100 greatest films of all time. Meaning that just because it has a small following and was not marketed widely in the 1st place, doesnt mean it wasnt directed properly in what is a really good but low key film.