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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 June 2023

It may sound like something out of a multiverse but Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the sequel to the prequel.  We had five movies between 2007 and 2017 (finishing with the godawful The Last Knight) and the franchise was rebooted in 2018 with the 80s-themed prequel Bumblebee.  We now slip ahead to the 90s for Rise of the Beasts which takes place after Bumblebee but before the original Transformers.  Hope that all makes sense!

The likeable Anthony Ramos (In the Heights) stars as Noah, a not-so-wealthy guy from Brooklyn who is in desperate need of employment to pay the medical bills of his sick younger brother (Vazquez).  He considers turning to a life of crime but those plans go out the window on meeting a cheeky Transformer known as Mirage (Davidson), and a frustrated museum intern named Elena (Fishback).

The ultimate baddie is Scourge, a Transformer from another world who wants to get his hands on a “Transwarp Key” which he can use to teleport across the universe and obliterate planets with relative ease.  The key has been hidden on Earth for centuries and now that its location has been exposed, Scourage’s powerful robotic henchman are prepared to destroy all those who stand in their way.  In true action movie style, it’s up to Noah, Elena, Mirage, and some other friendly Transformers to save the world.

Rise of the Beasts isn’t wildly original, but it’s satisfying enough.  I liked the charisma of both Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, there’s some good one-liners (“you’ve been inside of me”), the visual effects are convincing, and you want to see the villains get what they deserve.  The characters’ backstories in the opening act don’t add much (e.g. poor Elena has a terrible boss) but once we get to the meat of the narrative and the fast-paced battles, your attention will be held.

Despite the positive reviews, Bumblebee was the weakest box-office performer in the franchise and with middling hopes for Rise of the Beasts, you get a sense there isn’t much spark left in this cinematic world.  Fans should enjoy while it lasts.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 June 2023

Over the past 15 years, French director Mia Hansen-Løve has crafted an impressive, award-winning batch of films which highlight both the simplicity and complexity of the human condition.  She creates real, interesting characters and then puts them in tricky situations that audiences can relate and empathise with.  My two favourites are Father of My Children (2009), a drama about a middle-aged guy deep in debt trying to save his company, and Goodbye First Love (2011), the tale of two teenagers experiencing love for the first time.

One Fine Morning is Hansen-Løve’s latest and is centred on a widowed mother, Sandra (Seydoux), coming to grips with two major events in her life.  The first the declining health of her father, Georg (Greggory), who has reached the point where he needs round-the-clock care in a nursing home.  Involved in discussions with her mother (Garcia), Sandra has trouble finding a suitable, affordable aged facility that his worthy of her father’s final years.

The second happening involves romance.  Sandra becomes involved with Clément (Poupaud), an old friend grappling with a waning marriage.  The pair relish the time they spend together but, as things become more serious, Clément starts to have second thoughts.  He has a son of his own and he’s worried about the impact on that relationship if he were to split permanently from his current wife.

One Fine Morning is a nicely told yarn filled with reflective moments.  There’s a particularly powerful scene where Georg has moved into a nursing home and Sandra must decide what to do with all the belongings from his long-time apartment.  Her academic father had assembled a notable collection of books across his renowned career.  Is it appropriate to just throw them out?  The question taps into our connection with objects and the sentimental value they can hold.

In the lead role, Léa Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Colour) encapsulates her character’s emotions with subtlety and precision.  She doesn’t need to verbalise every thought.  You know what she’s thinking and feeling.  Pascal Greggory is also great as the aging father who seldom complains (even if he wants to) so as not to be a burden on those around him.  It’s as if he’s a victim of his own politeness!

Released in Australia more that a year after it’s world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, One Fine Morning is another winner on Mia Hansen-Løve’s resume.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 June 2023

The Flash is the 13^th instalment in the DC Extended Universe and to an extent, it’s offering up the sort of formulaic stuff you’d expect to see in a superhero movie.  It opens with chaos in Gotham City as stereotypical bad guys steal a nasty virus and flee in a long car chase.  It’s got alternate universes where people use terms like “space-time continuum” and “causal loops”.  It’s got elaborate, special-effect heavy action sequences involving collapsed buildings and narrow escapes.

Despite all of the above semi-negatives, The Flash is to be praised for the chances it takes in other areas.  Instead of being centred on mindless action (like the recent Fast X), it’s more of a character-driven piece.  We spend more time watching the heroes think about solutions to their growing list of problems… as opposed to mindless, monotonous fistfights.  The computer-gameish battle scenes which open and close the film are the weakest part.  The large chunk in the middle is very good.

Star Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) originated the role in 2017’s Justice League but this is his first chance at a standalone film.  He’s excellent as the title character and that’s partly because he gets two chances to showcase his talent!  The Flash, realising he can travel back in time, foolishly uses that ability to change a traumatic childhood event.  He fumbles his return to the present and winds up in an alternate timeline alongside the 18-year-old version of himself.  The visual effects team do a stellar job making their interactions appear organic, the make-up artists differentiate the pair through hairstyling, and Miller gives each version of The Flash a distinctive persona.

There’s a villain here but, in trying to avoid spoilers, their role is almost non-existent (another refreshing surprise).  The film is largely about someone getting the bizarre opportunity to interact with their younger, more-immature self, and solving the riddles of The Butterfly Effect.  In the process, our two protagonists interact with an assortment of other heroes, some old and some new, which add nostalgia, fun, and interest.

The mixed tones don’t always blend seamlessly together.  Someone will be cracking a joke in one scene and then moments later, are in a perilous situation aimed at extracting audience suspense.  I’d say I enjoyed the film more for its comedy than drama.  There are great pop culture references and, with a bit of luck, it might revive the career of Eric Stoltz.  As a fan of Italian food, I’ll also applaud any attempt at using spaghetti to explain the intricacies of time travel.

Worth staying until the very end of the closing credits, The Flash is a “thumbs up” entry in the DC Extended Universe.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 06 June 2023

Based on the fictional 2012 novel authored by Rachel Joyce (who also developed the film’s screenplay), The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the story of an elderly man who goes for a walk… and then keeps walking.  His name is Harold (Broadbent) and when his wife (Wilton) asks “Will you be long?”, he simply says “I’m only going to the post box.”

Harold’s response was accurate at the time.  His intention was to mail a letter (he’s not up with technology) to Queenie (Bassett), an old work colleague dying of cancer and living in a hospice in Northern England.  It’s while talking to a stranger at a gas station that he comes up with the inspired/insane idea to walk roughly 500 miles from his home in Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed.  His odd rationale is that he hopes it’ll serve as motivation for Queenie to keep fighting and keep living.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense.  You think Harold could have at least bought himself more comfortable clothes (he’s walking around in a long sleeve shirt, cardigan, and tie) and better fitting shoes (he’s got blisters from day one).  There are also peculiar scenes where he’s channelling Christopher McCandless (depicted in 2007’s Into the Wild) and living completely “off the land” with no money and shelter.  He’s as much delusional and he is motivational.

All of that said, the film’s big heart overrides its shortcomings.  Harold interacts with an assortment of warm, comforting people across his two-month journey and, while some the conversations are a little strange (one in a diner stands out), they remind us about the importance of human connection and being open with each other.  These chats, along with the time spent walking alone, help Harold reflect on past mistakes (the flashbacks are a little clunky) and value the many positives in his life today.

74-year-old Oscar winner Jim Broadbent (Iris) is wonderfully likeable in the lead role and so too is Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey) as the doubting wife struggling to reconcile her husband’s actions.  There’s no villain in this tale.  It’s a film which highlights the best of humanity and in doing so, should leave a smile on audiences’ faces.  A simple but effective feel-good yarn!

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 June 2023

When is a “white lie” acceptable?  Does it depend on the closeness of the person you’re telling it to?  Should it matter if they’re a child or an adult?  Can you keep repeating the lie over time or does it reach a point of expiry?  All of these questions are at the heart of You Hurt My Feelings, an engaging, thought-provoking film from Oscar nominated screenwriter Nicole Holofcener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) stars as Beth, a middle-aged woman who recently published a childhood memoir which, to use the words of her own mother, “should have done better” in terms of sales.  She’s just finished the original draft of her next book, a fictional drama, which has received a lukewarm response from her editor.  The self-conscious Beth puts up a brave face but, as we see from a humorous rearranging that takes place in a bookstore, she’s a little shaken.

In an unfortunate moment that serves as the catalyst for the film’s drama, Beth spots her husband, Don (Menzies), in a clothing shop and overhears a conversation with his brother-in-law (Moayed).  He talks about not liking the draft of her new book – the complete opposite of what he’s said to her at home.  Beth is gutted by the revelation.  This is partly because Don doesn’t like the book and partly because Don hasn’t been honest with her.  She confides in her sister (Watkins) and starts taking out her frustrations on Don… without telling him exactly why.

Skilfully blending comedy and drama, You Hurt My Feelings has stuck with me.  Despite a run time of just 93 minutes, Holofcener has created a wonderful group of characters who illustrate both positive and negative traits.  There’ll be mix of views amongst audience members about how they are perceived.  You’d don’t have to like them all the time!  Holofcener provides more than enough material for us to laugh, judge, and laugh again.

As an example, Don is a demotivated therapist who has become so lethargic, he’s now forgetting patients’ histories while speaking with them.  Do we sympathise with Don because it’s a tough profession and it’s not easy to maintain one’s attention all day?  Or is he just really terrible at his job?  The same questions could be asked of Beth’s writing classes, or her sister’s “phoning it in” interior decorating skills.

Making the most of its New York City locale, You Hurt My Feelings is the winner you get when combining great actors with a great script.