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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 06 March 2011

We see plenty of animated films made every year and to its credit, Rango is trying to distinguish itself from the pack.  You can see there has been a concerted effort from the writers to satisfy all types of audiences.  Kids will enjoy the cute little chameleon and his strange sensibilities.  Adults are likely to see it as a homage to westerns and may chuckle at a few other cinematic references.  The benefit for everyone is that it’s been shot in 2D!  You don’t need to worry about being overcharged for unnecessary 3D effects.

The story begins with our soon-to-be hero (voiced by Johnny Depp) living a solitary existence as pet.  He dreams of adventure but it appears he will be forever stuck inside his terrarium.  That changes when he thrown out of a car window during an accident and he now winds up beside a major highway in the middle of the desert.

Gifted the opportunity of freedom and adventure, he is suddenly feeling quite anxious about the situation.  He’s hot, he’s thirsty and he doesn’t know where to go.  It gets even worse when he becomes the lunch target of a hungry hawk.

With a little skill and a lot of luck, he manages to escape its claws and ends up in the small town of Dirt.  It’s filled with an assortment of creatures – iguanas, toads, possums, moles and armadillos.  Time has forgotten this place.  It looks like something out of the 19^th century with its dirty saloon, gun slinging cowboys and domineering mayor.  The town is struggling however.  The water supply is low and many land owners have given up and moved elsewhere.

Some chameleons have the ability to change colour but it appears this one also has the ability to change personality.  He walks straight into the bar, looking to make a strong first impression.  He does just that.  After downing a glass of “cactus juice”, he takes on the new name of Rango and stands up against a repulsive gila monster known as Bad Bill.  Before the day is over, he will be the town’s new sheriff.

With the stage now set, the film’s focus turns the strange circumstances surrounding the dwindling water supply.  Rango assembles a team and they go in search of answers.  Many will be trying to stop them however.  Heading the list is a sinister rattlesnake with an ulterior motive.

The general vibe from other critics I’ve spoken to has been positive but I wasn’t a fan of Rango.  Perhaps my expectations were misaligned.  I smiled at a few of the adult references (like the Fear & Loathing In Vas Vegas tribute) but had trouble envisioning the film’s appeal to younger audiences.  The storyline involving the water supply isn’t told clearly enough.  I also noticed a distinct lack of kids’ laughter at the preview screening I attended.

My biggest criticism is that these strange looking characters are hard to love.  They didn’t generate the excitement and enthusiasm that I was hoping for.  This seems even more obvious when I reflect back on some of last year’s great animations - Toy Story 3 and How To Train Your Dragon.  Rango is missing a key emotional ingredient.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 February 2011

It’s hard to imagine anything worse than being locked up for a crime you didn’t commit.  That’s the fate that befell Kenny Waters (Rockwell) in 1983.  He was convicted of murdering Katharina Brow, his next door neighbour at the time.

His younger sister, Betty Anne (Swank), was convinced of his innocence.  With little cash and all appeal avenues exhausted, she set her an incredible challenge – to get her high school diploma and then ultimately a law degree.  She would then be able to represent her brother and go in search of evidence to clear his name.

It’s was a big sacrifice.  Betty Anne had given up almost everything in her own life to try to save that of her brother’s.  Her marriage fell apart and her relationship with her two sons wasn’t ideal.  It took more than a decade but she got there – passing the bar examination and graduating from Roger Williams University.

In the time that had passed since Kenny was incarcerated, significant advancements had been made with DNA testing.  Betty Anne had heard of a group known as the Innocence Project who helped obtain DNA evidence to overturn incorrect convictions.  It seemed like the answer to her prayers but in fact, it created a new problem.  The evidence, including blood samples from the scene of the crime, had been destroyed several years ago.

This is a fascinating story which has been told in a not-so-fascinating manner.  The first half of the film is a mess.  There are flashbacks going everywhere.  You don’t get a sense for these characters at all.  They include scenes from when Betty Anne and Kenny were kids to try to show the “bond” between them.  They’re unnecessary.  The original trial and the subsequent appeals are also glossed over.  We never really understand how Kenny was easily convicted and what underhanded tactics were used by the prosecutors.

Things improve in the second half as we build towards the conclusion (which some may already know).  Hilary Swank’s strong performance will have you cheering for her until the end.  I still can’t recommend the film however.  My suggestion is to give it a miss and instead, spend a half-hour on the internet reading about Betty Anne Waters and her amazing journey.  You’ll take a lot more away than watching what feels like an extended episode of Law & Order.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 March 2011

Hall Pass is bat shit crazy.  That’s the first thought that came to mind as the end credit started to roll.  There are a handful of scenes that are guaranteed to generate a reaction from the audience.  As to the kind of reaction… well, let’s just say this isn’t a film I’d be taking my grandmother to see.  I don’t think she’d appreciate the full frontal nudity and the human excrement.  Just a hunch.

I should have expected nothing less from the Farrelly brothers.  These are two guys who love to push the envelope when it comes to gross out comedy.  They wrote the scripts for such films as Dumb & Dumber, There’s Something About Mary and Shallow Hal.  Just when you think you’ve seen it all, they manage to stun you with something new.  Hall Pass will only solidify their reputation.

There are parts of this film that I will describe as “disgustingly entertaining”.  They left me sitting in my seat thinking “I can’t believe they just did that”.  There’s one scene involving a bathtub that will be a talking point.  If you like this kind of stuff, it’ll leave more of an impact than your standard comedy.

As for the storyline, it’s about two obnoxious guys who have been given a week off marriage by their wives.  They immediately think they can go out and seduce any girl they want but they soon realise that they’re horribly out of form.  Their approach is dreadful and their pick up lines are even worse.

It’s a wafer-thin premise but the film’s real problems revolve around its characters.  They’re all such schmucks.  There’s Something About Mary was a similarly styled comedy but it worked because you liked Ben Stiller.  He was cute.  You wanted to see him overcome his silly problems and get the girl in the end.  I can’t say the same here.  I hated Owen Wilson.  I really hated Jason Sudeikis.  No help is offered from the supporting cast either.  What’s with the babysitter?  What’s with the slimy baseball coach?  What’s with the budding DJ?

I enjoyed Hall Pass for its pure shock value but sadly, it’s lacking in a lot of other important areas.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 February 2011

Based on the novel by James Frey and Jobie Hughes, I Am Number Four revolves around a group of aliens who have found their way to our planet.  There are two types – the nice aliens are the Loriens and the nasty aliens are the Mogadorians.  They display numerous human characteristics which makes it easy for them to blend into society.

They haven’t come to earth to attack us.  Rather, they’re attacking each other.  The Loriens’ planet was all but destroyed by the Mogadorians and only a small number managed to escape before it was too late.  Those Loriens are now laying low so that they can regroup and rebuild their species.  The Mogadorians have other plans.

15-year-old John Smith (Pettyfer) is one of the Loriens who managed to escape.  His special powers are developing and he is closely watched over by a guardian, Henri (Olyphant).  John wants to live a normal life – going to school, having friends – but he can’t given the circumstances.  He and Henri and forced to move from town to town, trying to remain inconspicuous and avoiding the watchful eye of the Mogadorians.

It all comes to a head in the small town of Paradise, Ohio.  John falls in love with a girl (Agron) and decides it’s time to stop running.  He now has both the ability and maturity to take up the battle against the Mogadorians.  A few new friends will be valuable in the fight as well.

You’ll be able to tell this film is based on a novel.  There’s a lot of detail to the story but with just two hours to work with, there isn’t time to provide all the necessary background material.  I had trouble understanding much about these aliens – such as their super powers and weaponry.  Further, what’s with the beast like creatures?

My criticisms aren’t limited to the adaptation.  Director D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, Disturbia) has taken a route which is much too safe.  This is a textbook action film that offers zero surprises.  For example, there’s a cute dog that pops into the story early on.  It’s just too obvious that it has a purpose.  The same applies for the “Number Six” character (Palmer).  Why did they show a 30 second shot of her early in the film?  Why did they even show her in the trailer?  I was just sitting in my seat, waiting for the scene where she comes in and save the day.  And what’s with the “evil” Mogadorians?  They’re not even scary at all!

The film has a couple of redeeming features.  I didn’t mind the action finale.  The special effects aren’t great but they have some fun with it and there are few good lines.  Most of them are offered by Australian actor Callan McAuliffe.  He plays John’s new best friend, Sam, a fellow teenager who saw his dad abducted by aliens (another part of the film that is underexplored).  The dialogue is dreadfully clichéd but McAuliffe does manage to “spice up” his character.  He’s a face to watch going forward.

I Am Number Four is clearly targeted at a younger audience and has been described by some as “Twilight for guys”.  That’s a fair description but I’m not convinced that this will develop an equally large fan base.  Will we see future books in the series developed into films?  My hunch says no.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 February 2011

I caught Wasted On The Young as part of a huge day at the Brisbane International Film Festival back in November 2010.  In my notes, I said that “I hope this gets a chance at a cinema release”.  My rationale was twofold.  Firstly, I thought it was a good film.  Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I was curious to see what mainstream audiences would think of it.

The story revolves around a high school party which goes horribly wrong.  A girl named Xandrie (Clemens) has her drink spiked by a group of teenagers out to cause mischief.  As the effects of the drug sink in, Xandrie loses control.  She is lured into the basement by members of the popular swimming team who then take advantage of her.  At the end of the night, they dump her unconscious body at the nearby beach.

The perpetrator of this crime is Zack (Russell), captain of the swim team and one of the most popular guys at school.  I really hated this guy… and that is a big positive for the film.  He’s an arrogant “prick”.  He’s the kind of person who can manipulate others and will always get his own way.

Someone is looking to bring him down however.  His step-brother, Darren (Ackland), has always a crush on Xandrie and is sickened by what happened to her at the party.  He knows what happened too.  Darren doesn’t go to the authorities though.  He has his own ideas and wants to use them to shatter Zack’s squeaky clean image.

An interesting observation about Wasted On The Young is that it doesn’t feature a single adult throughout the entire movie.  We don’t see the school headmaster and what he has to say.  We don’t see these kids’ parents and their reactions.  We don’t see the police and their own investigations.  I admire the director’s attempt to distinguish the film in this way but the lack of adults is a slight distraction.  You can’t help but think – shouldn’t someone be stepping in and stopping this madness?

That said, the film is still a very topical one.  It touches on the way high school kids can attack each other through text messaging and social network sites.  Once upon a time, you got back at someone by getting into a physical fight.  Now, it seems you can just as easily attack through online means.  A person’s reputation can be destroyed in an instant.  It’s scary stuff.

I’m not convinced that there’s a clear message but this is still a film worth your attention.  The editing is sharp and the cinematography is striking.  This is a distinctive first feature from director Ben C. Lucas.  It may have been shot on a tight budget (like most locally made films) but you can’t tell from the impressive imagery that you’ll see on screen.

I'm curious to how mainstream audiences react to the ending.  Will it leave them with a bad taste in their mouth?  Or will it provoke a warranted discussion?  The only way to find out what I'm talking about is to see this new Australian movie for yourself.

You can read my interview with star Oliver Ackland by clicking here.