Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 09 September 2012

First impressions are important.  They are critical to one’s success in life.  When we go to a job interview, we go to great lengths to look good and speak well.  This may involve buying a new suit or doing some detailed reading on the prospective employer.  The same applies to a first date and may require an extra few minutes grooming in the bathroom before leaving the house.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild is the debut feature from 29-year-old Benh Zeitlin and in the eyes of most, he has made a very, very good first impression.  The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January where it won the Grand Jury Prize.  It then travelled to the ritzy Cannes Film Festival and picked up the Camera D’or – the award for the best first feature film.  It’s now being touted as a best picture nominee at next year’s Academy Awards.  Not a bad start to one’s career, huh?

Beasts is a terrific film for two reasons.  Firstly, the setting is unforgettable.  It takes place on a small ridge of land off the coast of Louisiana known as the “Bathtub”.  It was once a thriving, self-sustaining, tribal community that was home to many families.  Now, it has been all but obliterated due to the effects of hurricanes and rising sea levels.  The construction of levees, designed to protect the city of New Orleans, has also contributed to its demise.

It’s a fascinating part of the world and we get a strong sense of the location and its poverty-stricken people in the opening scenes.  The residents know their fate is sealed and that it’s only a matter of time before the island is engulfed by the ocean that surrounds them.  Are they moving to the mainland?  No way!  This is their land.  This is where they were born and raised.  They want to hang onto it until the very end.

The second reason you need to see this film is because of the performance of 6-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis.  I still can’t get my head around the fact that someone that age can have such an astoundingly strong screen presence.  She wasn’t easy to find though.  It took 9 months and 4,000 auditions before Zeitlin finally found his leading lady.

Wallis’s character is simply known as Hushpuppy – an adventurous young girl who has spent her entire life in the Bathtub.  She lives in a small shack that has been raised off the ground with slits to help keep it protected from storms and flooding.  With no mother and a cranky, intolerable father (Dwight Henry), Hushpuppy has been forced to develop a fierce independence.  She cooks her own meals and cares for a small group of animals.

The winds of change are afoot however.  Two significant events threaten to change Hushpuppy’s life in a dramatic way.  A massive storm leaves the entirety of the island underwater.  With their food source washed away, those that remain travel from place to place using makeshift rafts and hope that the water will eventually recede.  Further, Hushpuppy’s father becomes gravely ill.  It acts as a catalyst to bring these two together – with the father teaching his daughter valuable lessons to help her survive on her own.

Given the unusual setting, it took me a little while to get my bearings.  I’m a level-headed 34-year-old trying to follow a story being told through the eyes of a curious, naïve 6-year-old.  We see things differently… and that’s part of the film’s beauty.  Zeitlin has found of way of showing us Hushpuppy’s limited view of the world where reality and fantasy aren’t always easy to distinguish.  Think back to when you were that age.  Could you fully comprehend the thought of losing your home and your father?

There’s a lot going on in Beasts Of The Southern Wild but at its core is a genuine exploration of the bond between a young girl and her troubled father.  You’ll admire the powerful music and the stunning cinematography but it’s the emotion of the film’s final scenes that will make the biggest impact.

You can check out my interview with director Benh Zeitlin by clicking here.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 August 2012

The Expendables 2 reunites us (once again) with some of our favourite action heroes from the 80s and 90s – Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chuck Norris.  Between them, they made some pretty damn good action films.  Titles that come to mind include Terminator, Die Hard, Total Recall, True Lies and Rambo.

Unfortunately, The Expendables 2 doesn’t belong in such company.  It’s more of a comedic spoof than an action movie.  That’s not to say that fans of the genre won’t enjoy it.  There are some lengthy fight sequences and the body count is ridiculously high.  It’s been rated MA for its “strong action violence”.  Expect to see people being decapitated and blasted with a million bullets.

While the action is rather ho-hum and seen-it-all-before, the film deserves a few points for its comedy.  Arnold Schwarzenegger pops in and out of the story and it’s nice to see him back on screen again.  Jean-Claude Van Damme seems to having fun playing a cheesy villain.  It’s the likeable Chuck Norris who steals the show with a well-timed cameo and a few great one-liners.

The premise is like something from a James Bond film.  A power-hungry mastermind is looking to get his hands on some weapons-grade plutonium that is hidden in an abandoned mind.  He can then sell it on the black market and become one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.  He doesn’t seem too bothered by the fact that it will most likely start a nuclear war.

Anyway, our beloved good guys will have to team up and stop the bad guy before it’s too late.  Most of them are starting to show their age (and a few jokes are made at their expense) but I guess it doesn’t matter too much when your holding a machine gun in your hands.  All they need to do is aim and fire.

I like the idea of bringing this cast together but it needed a stronger, more captivating story.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 September 2012

I was reflecting last week on Good Will Hunting, released back in 1997.  Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were two struggling actors trying to break into Hollywood.  Unable to get any decent roles, they decided to make their own movie!  They wrote the script, gave themselves key roles and lined up the acclaimed Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho) to direct.

History now shows that it was a brilliant decision.  The film was nominated for 9 Academy Awards with Damon and Affleck picking up an Oscar for best original screenplay and Robin Williams taking home an Oscar in the best supporting acting category.  Matt Damon is now a big-time actor and the star of a successful action franchise (the Bourne series).  Ben Affleck has branched out into directing and has put together three well-critiqued films – Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo (to be released in early 2013).

37-year-old Dax Shepard seems to be following in a similar vein… and it’s great to see.  You may not have heard of his name but you should recognise his face.  He’s popped up in a few films – most often in a small, comedic role (When In Rome, Zathura, Without A Paddle).  You might also know him from the television show Parenthood, now in its fourth season.

Hit & Run is Dax Shepard’s “baby”.  He wrote the script.  He co-directed the film with friend David Palmer.  He edited the film alongside Keith Crocket.  He put himself in the leading role.  He used classic cars from his own personal collection.  He cast his long-time girlfriend, Kristen Bell, as his on-screen love interest.  He created supporting roles for some of his close friends.  It all came in at a production cost of $2m.

I’m impressed with the finished product.  Hit & Run is terrific.  It centres on a guy (Shepard) who lives a quiet life in a tiny American town.  It’s not a deliberate decision though.  He was involved in a series of bank robberies in Los Angeles several years ago and is now part of the witness protection program.  He changed his name to Charles Bronson (a humorous story in itself) and has kept a low profile ever since.

When his new girlfriend, Annie (Bell), is offered a dream job in Los Angeles, he is forced to make a decision.  Should he come out of hiding, risk his life and follow her to California?  The answer is yes.  They hurriedly pack and set off in his black, custom built, 1967 Lincoln Continental.

It will be a wild road trip.  Annie’s obsessive ex-boyfriend (Rosenbaum) is extremely jealous and has decided to follow them.  Also on their tale are a hopeless U.S. Marshall (Arnold) with “gun control” issues and a police officer (Rowland) who spends too much time using a gay “hook up” application on his phone.  Finally, an old criminal acquaintance (Cooper) has been released from prison and seeks a bloody revenge against Charles after being “ratted out” in court.

Hit & Run doesn’t rely on easy toilet humour or over-the-top characters to make you laugh (well, with the exception of Tom Arnold).  It’s funny without trying too hard to be funny.  There are some intelligent, level-headed exchanges in the car between Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell that are Seinfeld-esque.  For example, they talk about the use of the word “fag” as an insult and they also debate the strange guys that seem to be attracted to Charles’s classic car.  These conversations provide a nice break from the chase sequences.

There are also a few surprises.  I can guarantee that a scene in a motel will raise eyebrows!  There’s also an unexpected joke late in the film where that somehow involves both rape and racism.  It’s risky (and I’m sure it will offend some) but it highlights that this film is not afraid to take a chance.  I guess you can do that without the pressure of a big budget and an overbearing studio.

With a great group of supporting characters who are all put to good use, Hit & Run is one of the year’s better releases.  It’s a smart action-comedy with believable car chases and insightful dialogue.  Thumbs up to Mr Dax Shepard.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 August 2012

Moonrise Kingdom is a film that’s growing on me.  The first time I saw it, I liked it.  The second time I saw it, I really liked it.  We should expect nothing less than from the gifted Wes Anderson – a wonderful storyteller who has developed a knack for creating characters that are both distinctive and memorable.  A list of his best works would include Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou.  All three films feature Bill Murray – another reason why you should have them in your personal DVD collection.

It boasts one of the strongest casts of the year but the two central characters in Moonrise Kingdom are actors you won’t be familiar with – Jared Gilman as Sam and Kara Hayward as Suzy.  For both, it’s their very first acting credit.  Not a bad way to start their career, huh?

They play two 12-year-olds who are part of the small community that live on New Penzance Island.  The year is 1965.  To bring us up to speed, the film’s self-aware narrator (Bob Balaban) provides a humorous overview about the island.  He also provides an ominous warning about a “well documented” storm that will occur in three days time.

You could probably label this as a romantic-comedy but it’s always tricky trying to fit Wes Anderson’s films into a specific genre.  Having fallen in love (or so they think), these two socially awkward kids have decided to run away from their respective homes and start their own, independent life together.  They have everything they think they’ll need – a tent, food, books and a battery-operated record player.  It’s all very cute.

It doesn’t take long for their disappearance to cause mayhem on the island.  A search party is immediately established consisting of Bill Murray and Frances McDormand (as Suzy’s parents), Bruce Willis (as the town’s sheriff) and Edward Norton (as Sam’s scout master).  A group of young scouts, referred to at one point as the “beige lunatics”, are also on the trail and are eager to their put their merit badge training to good use.

The best adjective I can use to describe this storyline is “strange”.  That’s not a negative.  The first two-thirds is “strange” in a funny, off-beat, loveable kind of way.  So many scenes will leave you with raised eyebrows and a wry smile.  Anderson, along with co-writer Roman Coppola (The Darjeeling Limited), deserve praise for creating this absurd premise and filling it with such witty dialogue.  The light, bubbly film score from Alexandre Desplat (Fantastic Mr. Fox) is one of the year’s best and perfectly suits the movie’s tone.

All of that said, the film’s last third is “strange” in a “strange” kind of way.  It starts veering off its comedic path and becomes a little too silly and fanciful.  They’ve tried too hard to create an over-the-top, dramatic finale.  There’s one event in particular (a lightning strike) that I’m still struggling to compute.

That’s about the only weakness I can find though.  It would have been nice to see some of the adult cast members get more screen time (e.g. Bill Murray, Frances McDormand) but I wasn’t too bothered given the terrific performances turned in by the younger actors.  At its core, this is a sweet, endearing tale about two prepubescent kids who think they’ve discovered love for the first time.  They’re a delight to watch.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 September 2012

We begin with a small memorial service.  It’s been a year since Tom passed away and a group of his good friends have organised a get-together to honour his memory.  The person who seems to have been hit the hardest is his brother, Jack (Duplass).  He’s been struggling to deal with the grief and has pushed away all of those who have tried to help.

It forces his close friend, Iris (Blunt), to offer an ultimatum.  The time has come to deal with this.  She tells Jack to spend a few days in her parent’s remote cabin on Puget Sound.  With no television, no internet and no people, it’ll be a chance for him to regroup, refocus and clear his head.  He takes a little convincing but eventually agrees that it’s a good idea.

Things don’t quite go to plan though.  When he finally reaches the cabin after a long day of bike riding, Jack discovers that he won’t be alone.  Iris’s sister, Hannah (DeWitt), is also using the secluded retreat to deal with her problems.  She’s just broken up with her long-time partner and is looking to hide from the world.

Their first encounter is rather confrontational but it doesn’t take long for Jack and Hannah to start enjoying each other’s company.  Thanks to a large bottle of tequila, they spend their first night in the cabin opening up about their past and their issues.  Oh, and they also end up sleeping together.

When Iris unexpectedly arrives the next morning, things become very awkward and very complicated.  They all have secrets and over the next few days, everything will come out into the open, for better or worse.

Structured more as a comedy than a drama, Your Sister’s Sister is easy to like.  There are only three characters of significance with Mark Duplass (Humpday), Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) and Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) all working well off each other.  They share some lengthy, dialogue-driven scenes that are both funny and heartfelt.

Shot on a budget of just $125,000, small films like Your Sister’s Sister don’t get a release in this country unless there’s a good reason.  It’s worked its way up through the film festival circuit (premiering at Toronto last year before moving onto Sundance) and has pleased both audiences and critics.  They’ve been drawn to the humorous situation but also some of the more serious themes of love, grief, jealousy and forgiveness.  I know I was.