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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 August 2009

Maybe I’m tiring of the deep, dark Australian film because I wasn’t overly impressed with Beautiful Kate.  It’s one of those stories about a family with long held, well guarded secrets and as the film progresses, it all comes out into the open and conflict ensues.  I feel like I’ve seen this kind of movie too many times before in recent years and this didn’t offer anything new.  I haven’t read Newton Thornburg’s novel, on which the film is based, but I’m sure there’s a lot more depth.

That’s not to say that the film doesn’t explore some intriguing issues.  In fact, it’s quite confronting in places when we finally learn the truth.  I can’t say too much more than that but do tread carefully with this one.  It’s not exactly for everyone.

It begins with Ned (Mendelsohn) going on a road trip with his girlfriend to visit his dying father (Brown).  He lives in a remote part of Australia and has been cared for by Ned’s younger sister, Sally (Griffiths).  Ned hasn’t seen his father in many years.  He fled home as a teenager following the death of his twin sister and older brother.  It’s a past he has not wanted to revisit.

If you ask me, none of these characters found redemption.  Maybe that’s the point of it all.  I don’t know.  Why was Ned neglecting his girlfriend?  Why did he spend so much time writing down his memories?  I don’t know either.  All these people gave off a “coldness” and I didn’t feel any compassion for them and their problems.

The cast is strong with Ben Medelsohn, Rachel Griffiths and Bryan Brown but as I’ve alluded to, the script isn’t up to scratch.  It’s another Aussie release that despite good intentions, will struggle at the box office.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 July 2009

Based on the novel by Jodi Picoult, I realised early on that this movie was something different.  Anna Fitzgerald (Breslin) is an 11-year-old girl who was brought into this world for an unusual reason.  Anna’s older sister, Kate (Vassilieva), was diagnosed with leukaemia at a very early age.  With no compatible donors in the family to supply bone marrow, Sara and Brian Fitzgerald (Diaz and Patric) made the decision to have another child.  Anna was hence created from a test tube using Kate’s DNA.

For as long as she can remember, Anna herself has undergone numerous medical procedures to help Kate.  She loves her family very much but Anna is tiring of the burden that she carries.  She wants to live a normal existence.  Anna’s true feelings are revealed when asked to donate one of her kidneys to her gravely ill sister.  Anna knows that being one kidney short will affect the quality of her life going forward.  She also realises that the transplant may not even work.

Where does one draw the line in this situation?  It’s a tough choice for an adult yet alone a scared 11-year-old.  Anna approaches a high-profile lawyer named Campbell Alexander (Baldwin) and asks that he help her become “medically emancipated” from her parents.  She wants to be able to make her own decisions about her body and how it is used.  It’s a decision that threatens to divide the family…

Unless you have the hardest of hearts, you’ll need something to wipe your eyes with during much of this film.  Tissues are preferred.  I think it’s a little too depressing at times with its sad songs and down-beat storyline but that’s my only major qualm.  I was really moved by this tale and the quality of the performances.

I hadn’t heard of her before but 16-year-old Sofia Vassilieva (Medium) turns in one of the bravest performances that I’ve seen from a child actor.  She is very sick for much of the film and it’s tough to watch her throwing up and enduring savage nose bleeds.  Even tougher is seeing her reflect on her life knowing in the back of her head that she may not have much longer.  If I were a member of the Academy, I’d be putting her first on my ballot for best supporting actress.   

The whole cast is impressive.  There’s a beautiful scene involving Abigail Breslin (the young girl from Little Miss Sunshine) and the wonderful Joan Cusack (In & Out), who plays the judge at Anna’s hearing.  The two have a one-in-one in the judge’s chambers where they discuss Anna’s decision and the judge’s own daughter.  To quickly name a few more… Cameron Diaz (What Happens In Vegas) is terrific as the over-zealous mother and Jason Patric (Sleepers) is excellent in his performance as the subdued father.

You should be forewarned that My Sister’s Keeper is heavy going.  You’ll be put through the emotional wringer.  It’s one of the real surprises of the year for me and I recommend it highly.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 August 2009

I had a few laughs along the way but when you break it down, this is another superficial comedy filled with superficial characters.  Let me explain where I’m coming from…

Abby (Heigl) is a television producer whose morning program is struggling in the ratings.  Looking for something to boost their audience, Abby’s boss brings in Mike (Butler) and a segment called The Ugly Truth.  On his show, Mike talks about relationships from a “macho guy” perspective.  It’s controversial, it’s politically incorrect but lo and behold, it becomes a smash hit.

So what kind of advice is Mike giving out?  He tells women that if they’re struggling to get a date that they need to start exercising and making more of an effort about their appearance.  This doesn’t sit well with Abby and the pair quickly clash.  She doesn’t like her program being tarnished by Mike and his twisted views.  She wants to take him down.

The opportunity presents itself when Abby meets Colin (Winter), a hot guy living next door.  She wants to make a good first impression and so asks Mike for advice.  He pretty much tells her to do the exact opposite of what she’d usually do – in other words, to NOT be herself.  If it works, Abby has to accept Mike as a genius and throw her support behind him and his segment.  If it doesn’t work, Mike agrees to quit.

I think how it all pans out is rather obvious but won’t spoil it for those unfamiliar with romantic comedy formulas.  I had major concerns with how these characters seemed to go through these mind-blowing transformations.  If Mike’s show was so popular and people agreed with his views, why did he mellow in the end?  What are men really like – the Mike at the start of the movie or the Mike at the end of the movie?

Ok, this isn’t reality but these two characters are fake and phoney.  I had trouble sitting through it.  I’m often critical of romantic flicks but to prove my worth – I saw two wonderful romantic dramas last week at the Brisbane International Film Festival.  An Education and 500 Days Of Summer were both awesome and will be released nationwide later in the year.  Chemistry is everything – something that the characters in this film didn’t have.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 July 2009

This final year in the life of John Dillinger is the subject of Michael Mann’s new film.  It may be set in the midst of the Great Depression but Mann didn’t want it to feel like a period piece.  With the help of cinematographer Dante Spinotti (L.A. Confidential), Mann has shot the movie using the latest in digital cameras.  It gives the film a crisp, fresh look.

I’ve always held Michael Mann in high regard.  He knows how to bring a story to life and previous credits include Heat, The Insider and Collateral.  Much research went into this project.  He wanted to retell the Dillinger story as accurately as possible.  This included a detailed review of files in the FBI archives.  He also created 114 different sets and shot several scenes in the exact same location where actual events took place.

John Dillinger (played in the film by Johnny Depp) may have been the most wanted man in the United States but many people saw him as a hero.  His dictum was never to rob from ordinary people – he just wanted to punish the banks and the government for their roles in the lead up to the Great Depression.  You’ll learn pretty quickly that Dillinger was a guy who lived for today and not for tomorrow.  He knew his escapades would not last and he wanted to make the most of his notoriety.

What I found more interesting that Dillinger’s escapades was the chase by the authorities to capture him.  The newly formed FBI was using their best men to hunt down Dillinger and his crew.  Leading the chase was a young agent out to impress by the name of Melvin Purvis (played by Christian Bale).  Equal waiting is given in the film to the stories of both Dillinger and Purvis.

I didn’t realise it before seeing Public Enemies but the 1930s were a curious era in law enforcement.  Outlaws such as Dillinger could now use cars to escape.  They also had huge machine guns which could fire a seemingly endless stream of bullets… not too accurately I might add.  To try to peg back the upper hand, the authorities used the latest forensic techniques, such as fingerprinting.

There are some great shoot-outs in this film to appease the action fans.  It’s reminiscent of Michael Mann’s work in Heat, except that the guns are about 60 years older.  Johnny Depp is solid in the leading role but it was the supporting players who grabbed my attention.  Christian Bale is terrific as Mevlin Purvis as is French actress Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) who plays Dillinger’s girlfriend, Billie Frechette.

Clocking in at just under two and a half hours, Public Enemies makes for good viewing and is a refreshing change from the special effects laden sequels which are currently clogging up our multiplexes.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 July 2009

Balibo is a perfect example.  Some will know this tale but I wasn’t alive when the actual events took place in 1975.  It was in that year when East Timor declared its independence from Portugal, who had colonised the area 400 years earlier.  Within days of having their independence, neighbouring Indonesia invaded.  They wanted the land and its valuable resources for their own people.

A team of five journalists from Channel Seven and Channel Nine had flown to the capital city of Dili to cover the story.  They realised fairly quickly that a major atrocity was about occur.  Their aim was to take footage of the Indonesian militia in action and broadcast it back home.  The world was largely oblivious to what was going on in East Timor but hopefully this would make them stand up and take notice.

As the Indonesian invasion commenced, these five men went missing in near the village of Balibo.  Despite what you may think, very little was said about their disappearance in the Australian media.  There’s a strong implication in Robert Connolly’s film that the fate of these journalists was a covered up by the Australian Government.  Why?  Because Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser supported Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor and such news would not be good publicity.

There are two stories being told concurrently during Balibo.  I’ve mentioned the first but the more prominent story is that of a retired journalist named Roger East (played by Anthony LaPaglia).  On an invitation from East Timor’s Foreign Minister (Isaac), he travelled to Dili to head up their media centre.  On arrival, East was fixated by the disappearance of the “Balibo Five”.  He knew that he had to find out what happened… because no one else would.

Based on the non-fiction book by Jill Joliffe, Robert Connolly (The Bank) has brought this story to the screen.  I agree that it needed to be told.  Much of it was shot in East Timor and there are some truly gripping sequences.   A pudgy looking Anthony LaPaglia (Lantana) gives a terrific performance.  You can see a noticeable transformation in his character as he realises the importance of his role in East Timor.

My biggest concern with the movie is that it leaves questions unanswered.  I wanted to know more about the government’s stance on East Timor.  I wanted to know more about the journalists themselves.  The internet has helped with most of the answers but I’d have preferred to see them covered off in the film.

Balibo premiered at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival and in attendance was Jose Ramos Horta, the current President of East Timor.  Horta has a strong connection with this story – because he was a part of it.  I wish I could have been at that screening to hear his thoughts on the film and his own country today.

It takes a little while to get rolling but Balibo builds to a powerful finale that will leave the audience in a hushed state on leaving the cinema.