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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 April 2010

Well, it turns out I’m wrong (but that’s nothing new I guess).  Beneath Hill 60 is an Australian war film set in World War I that tells a very interesting tale indeed.  It’s based on the diaries written by Captain Oliver Woodward who led a team of soldiers into battle on the Western Front.

These men fought bravely but not in a way you might expect.  Instead of shooting their enemies about the ground, they were attacking them from underneath.  With a valuable mix of engineering and mining experience, they tunnelled beneath the front line and into enemy territory.  They could then plant large quantities of explosives just under the surface and detonate them to maximum effect.

They never came face-to-face with the enemy but it was still dangerous work.  Digging mine shafts up to 100m below the surface was an unenviable task.  The soil was unstable and could give at any moment.  There was very little oxygen and hardly any light.  Water seeped through the surface and threatened to flood the chambers.  Worst of all, the Germans were also digging tunnels and setting explosive devices of their own.

Director Jeremy Sims has put together a strong film which pays tribute to the bravery of these soldiers.  Much of the story is set underground and you’ll gather an appreciation for the filthy conditions and claustrophobic spaces in which they worked.  It’s quite suspenseful too.  You’ll find yourself anxiously awaiting the scenes where the detonator is pushed and the enemy meet an explosive fate.

There are plenty of memorable performances amongst the cast.  Brendan Cowell (Noise) again proves he’s one of Australia’s best actors.  He doesn’t overplay the role or use any fancy words.  He portrays Captain Woodward as just an “ordinary bloke” and it makes the story far more believable.  Also strong was 16-year-old Harrison Gilbertson (Blessed) who is face is watch in the near future.

That said, the film does fall to victim to some familiar war clichés.  Every time you hear a solider talking about his life/family back home, you get a sense of what lies around the corner.  Further, a few of the characters (such as the bossy colonel) were over the top.  I was also puzzled as to why the German perspective was introduced so late into the film and whether it achieved its desired intent.

Shot entirely on location in Townsville, Beneath Hill 60 is being released to coincide with Anzac Day.  If you take the time to see it, not only will you be supporting the Australian film industry but you’ll also be treated to a high quality war movie.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 March 2010

I guess I need to explain how they met in the first place.  Kirk works at the airport as part of the security team.  He’s a nice guy but he lacks self-confidence.  He stutters, he stammers and continually doubts himself.  Kirk’s life isn’t going anywhere either.  His dreams of becoming a pilot have stalled and he’s still trying to get over his last girlfriend - who broke up with him two full years ago!

One day, Molly just happens to walk through the metal detectors.  Kirk just happens to be on duty.  Molly just happens to accidentally leave her phone in the tray.  Kirk just happens to pick it up when Molly calls to find out where she left it.  She asks that Kirk hang on to the phone and she’ll pick it up from him at a party the following night.

With the introductions out of the way, the film then finds it feet and becomes an entertaining romantic comedy.  It’s been made in a similar vein to the American Pie series – a young cast, crazy parents, plenty of laughs and a few cringe-worthy embarrassments.  The scene which will have most people talking involves an electric shaver.  That’s all I’ll say on that.

Given my distain for romantic comedies, it’s hard to put my finger on exactly why I liked it.  Perhaps it’s because we’ve all been in similar situations.  Whilst there are no earth shattering revelations, it’s still interesting to hear their thoughts on guys, girls and the dating process.  It’s much better than some of the other teen-orientated dribble I’ve seen of late including She’s Just Not That Into You.   

I wasn’t a big fan of the ending.  It’s definitely rushed and the screenwriters have tried too hard to make it work.  When Kirk and Molly finally open up about their insecurities, I started to think badly of them (particularly Molly).  They were no longer the easy-going couple I enjoyed following throughout the first two-thirds of the film.

I still liked newcomers Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve in the leading roles.  If you think you recognise Jay’s voice, then perhaps you’ve already seen How To Train Your Dragon.  He plays the film’s central character, Hiccup.  While we’re on the subject of memorable voices, I couldn’t believe how similar T.J. Miller (who plays one of Kirk’s friends) sounds to Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl).  Even his mannerisms are the same!  Others on internet forums have made similar comments.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as far as I’m concerned but if you’re looking for a number, I’m giving She’s Out Of My League a “7”.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 02 April 2010

That’s not going to stop Dave.  He’s got an idea and he’s prepared to follow through with it.  He orders a ridiculous looking green costume on the internet and comes up with an appropriate name – “Kick-Ass”.  The plan is to roam the streets and fight crime like a vigilante.  He’ll no longer be that nerdy kid at school.  This is going to make him cool and popular.

Dave’s first chance to see a hero arrives as he walks through a car park.  He sees two guys trying to break into a vehicle.  The thieves laugh at his green “wetsuit” but Dave pulls out his night-sticks and is ready to give them a beating.

So how does he go?  Well, it’s actually Dave who gets the living hell beat out of him.  He ends up in hospital for several weeks - bruised, bloodied and broken.  The grand superhero experiment seems to have come to an abrupt end.

Not so.  Dave’s determined to give another go.  When he helps save a guy getting bashed outside a diner, Kick-Ass becomes a media sensation.  Videos of his heroic deed are being watched by millions on the internet and on television.  Everyone is now asking the question… who is this Kick-Ass?

Dave is about to become caught up in things beyond what he could imagine.  It turns out there are two real superheroes in the city – Big Daddy (Cage) and Hit Girl (Moretz).  They try to conceal their existence and are not happy with Kick-Ass’s amateurish antics.

Also out to stop Kick-Ass is the ultimate bad guy – mafia kingpin Frank D’Amico (Strong).  He mistakenly thinks Kick-Ass killed some of his goons and he wants revenge.  Frank gets his son (Mintz-Plasse) to pose as a superhero himself so that he can become friends with Kick-Ass and learn his true identity.

Kick-Ass is going to be one of the cult hits of the 2010 film year.  It’s based on the comic books from Mark Millar which only started two years ago.  The cinematic rights were picked up quickly and now I can see why.  There are plenty of laughs with many revolving around a running gag involving Dave’s sexuality.  There are also a few surprises.  The strong language and brutal nature in some scenes caught me off guard (although it explains the MA rating).

This may be hard to believe but the film’s strongest element is its plot.  The ending gets a little silly (although it is a comic after all) but there are a lot of intricacies in the storyline and its characters.  It’s more than just a superhero spoof and there’s seldom a dull moment.  It’s easily a film I could watch a second time.

I wasn’t a fan of Aaron Johnson in Nowhere Boy (released in December 2009) but he’s terrific here in the leading role.  I loved the high-pitched voice and insecure nature which he brings to the character.  Hollywood churns through young actors so quickly these days and it’ll be interesting to see if Johnson builds on the success of great roles like this.  Chloe Moretz (500 Days Of Summer) also deserves a mention as the awesome Hit Girl.  I can’t believe she’s just 13 years old.

I’m a little tired of traditional superhero movies like Spiderman and Batman.  It’s nice to see a film give the genre a “shake up” and I hope Kick-Ass does strong business.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 March 2010

Having now seen this film, I’m very tempted to go back and read the novel.  It may be two and a half hours long but this is an intricate thriller which kept my attention all the way through.  I can now see why the book is so popular.  The two leading characters are intriguing and whilst there are a few gaps in the story (bound to happen through the adaptation process) it will keep you thinking.

It begins with investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) receiving an unusual request.  He has been asked by a high profile businessman named Henrik Vanger (Taube) to look into the disappearance of his niece, Harriet, over 40 years ago.  The case was never solved and Harriet’s body was never found.  Henrik, now aged 82, is hoping that Mikael can provide the closure that he’s long been looking for.

Henrik is an extremely wealthy man and choosing Mikael was no accident.  Prior to approaching him, Henrik wanted to check the validity of his highly regarded reputation.  He employed a brilliant computer hacker by the name of Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) to put together a detailed dossier on Mikael.  Lisbeth cracked the security on his laptop and did just that.  Mikael didn’t know it but every document, every image, every word on his computer had been scrutinised by Lisbeth.

Now is where it starts to get interesting.  Mikael makes some early progress but hits a stumbling block when trying to decode a strange series of numbers in Harriet’s diary.  Lisbeth knows though.  She’s developed a curiosity for Mikael and is still monitoring the activity on his laptop.  She makes the bold decision to fess up to Mikael and help him with the case.  Together, this unlikely duo will soon realise that there’s a lot more to this mystery than they ever imagined…

It’s an interesting movie but so too is the story behind it.  Author Stieg Larsson was a Swedish journalist who passed away in 2004.  He left behind the manuscripts for three books (a fourth was in progress but not yet complete).  They were later published and as of today, more than 22 million copies have been sold around the globe.  Strangely, Larsson left no will.  All the royalties from the books and film rights have therefore been left to his father and brother (in accordance with Swedish law) instead of his partner of 32 years, Eva Gabrielsson (whom he never formally married).

It’s worth noting that there are a handful of scenes which are best described as “confronting”.  The movie is rated MA accordingly.  It’s a particularly brave performance from 30-year-old Noomi Rapace who plays Lisbeth.  I think she’s fantastic and look forward to seeing her in future films.  Also strong is Michael Nvqvist who some will remember from the 2004 cult hit As It Is In Heaven.

There’s talk of a Hollywood remake but I’m glad to see this film was made in Sweden with a local cast.  I know some moviegoers who are perturbed by subtitles but judging from the sold out preview sessions last weekend, I think this is going to perform nicely at the Australian box-office.  Having raved about Let The Right One In last year, I’m now a big fan of Swedish cinema.  Let’s have more of it!

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 March 2010

What struck me most about Welcome is that it will generate discussion about immigration.  It’s about a 17-year-old teenager named Bilal (Ayverdi) who set out from his home in Iraq and has now made his way to Calais, a small coastal town in Northern France.  It’s here where you can catch the ferry across the famous channel and set foot in England.

Bilal is trying to get to London so that he can be reunited with his girlfriend and start a soccer career with Manchester United.  Lofty dreams indeed.  The problem is that he’s an illegal alien.  He sneaks onboard a truck which is to be ferried across the channel but he is caught and detained.  The court doesn’t send him back home to Iraq but doesn’t do much else to help him.  He’s stuck in limbo.

Bilal decides his only option is to swim the English Channel.  At the local indoor swimming pool he meets an instructor named Simon (Lindon) who agrees to give him lessons.  Simon is coming off a divorce and seems to be looking for direction with his life.  The friendship he forges with Bilal is a valuable one.  Simon knows that helping this kid is illegal but it's something he must do.  He wants to see Bilal make it to London and start a new life.

There’s a lot more to the story but that’s the best summary I can come up with.  If you look at this film from a dramatic perspective, it’s quite a good one.  The performances are strong and it builds to an emotional climax.  My only qualm would be that the relationship between Simon and his ex-wife was underdeveloped.  She’s a key character and perhaps more interesting than Bilal himself.

From a political perspective, the film is not subtle with its commentary on immigration policies of many countries.  I know filmmakers can use the medium of cinema to push their agendas but I found this a little too “black and white”.  The other side of this story seemed to get brushed aside.

That said, I am glad that films like this are made.  They generate discussion and this one in particular has left me with much to think about.