Reviews
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath |
| Written by: | Etan Cohen |
| Starring: | Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer, Alec Baldwin, Bernie Mac |
| Released: | December 11, 2008 |
| Grade: | C+ |
I didn’t mind Madagascar but this follow up does what so many sequels do – it fails to live up the original. The plot isn’t very interesting and the jokes are average. I’m sure that many kids will still love it but as a 31-year-old adult, I was left with feelings of disappointment.
To quickly recap, the four central characters are Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the elephant. They are voiced by Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith. In the first film, these animals escaped from the New York Zoo and ended up on the island of Madagascar.
This time around, they’re looking to take the return journey. They’re going to fly back to New York in a rickety old plane piloted by a group of penguins. It’s a recipe for disaster and the plane crashes not long after take off. They end up stranded in an African wildlife preserve with a group of similar animals.
Alex is reunited with his long lost parents, Marty impresses his fellow zebras with some cool tricks, Melman thinks he has a terminal illness and Gloria goes in search of love. Doing their best to create conflict are a group of feisty humans who have become lost in the wilderness and an old lion named Makunga (Baldwin) who yearns for power.
That’s pretty much that. It’s a forgettable adventure with little suspense. I was expecting a lot more. Give me the first film any day.
Milk
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Gus Van Sant |
| Written by: | Dustin Lance Black |
| Starring: | Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Alison Pill, Victor Garber, Joseph Cross, Lucas Grabeel |
| Released: | January 29, 2009 |
| Grade: | A |
History books will show that on 4 November 2008, Barrack Obama became the first black man to be elected as President Of The United States. It is an important date in world history but when you look at the bigger picture, it was merely a milestone in the evolution of African American rights. Obama’s achievement was made possible by the millions of people who have helped promote human rights issues. It has taken hundreds of years but the attitudes of the general population towards African American people have changed for the better.
I thought about this fact when I was watching this film. It is the story of Harvey Milk who in 1977 became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. He was assassinated one year later. Milk’s accomplishments helped destroy some of the misconceptions that the public had with homosexuals. One of his greatest successes was sponsoring a bill which made it illegal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation. It was passed by an overwhelming majority of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
As an openly gay man working in Hollywood, I’m sure director Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting) has encountered his own problems within the industry. If you run through a list of big-name movie stars, you’ll find that very few (if any at all) are openly gay. We’ve all heard whispers about certain actors but the long running belief within the business that "coming out of the closet" is career suicide. How many A-list stars can you name who are openly gay?
I really enjoyed Milk for what it has to say. It is a sad story at times but in the end, the legacy of Harvey Milk is inspiring. He faced tremendous opposition and yet was prepared to stand up for what he believed in. We’ve all seen these types of movies before but the way it has been told by Gus Van Sant left me buzzing when I walked out of the theatre. He placed me in a time-machine, took me back 30 years, and opened my eyes.
Sean Penn (Mystic River) gives an incredible performance in the leading role. The reason this film is so powerful is because Penn is so believable. He isn’t portrayed as a "perfect man" by any means. His enthusiasm towards instigating change came at a cost and he neglected some of his closest friends. I’d actually have liked to have seen this part to Milk’s life explored a little further.
This leads into the film’s only weak spot – the underdevelopment of the supporting characters. James Franco (Spider-Man) and Emile Hirsch (Into The Wild) give career best performances. Franco plays Scott Smith, Milk’s long time boyfriend. Hirsch plays Cleve Jones, an influential kid who helped promote gay rights in the neighbourhood. I wanted to know more about these people and wouldn’t have complained if the film was a half-hour longer.
I have long been a fan of director Gus Van Sant and I appreciate the style with which he has made this movie. He weaves archival footage into the film to great effect. Singer Anita Bryant was a long-time adversary of Harvey Milk with her strong anti-homosexual views. Instead of getting an actor to play the role, actual footage of Bryant is used instead. You’ll be shocked when you hear some of the things she has to say and this is exactly the reaction that Van Sant wants.
There are a few things I might have done differently if I were sitting in the director’s chair but above all else, this is a commanding film which has been crafted by a talented cast and crew. It won me over and it is sure to earn a spot in my "top 10" list at the end of the year.
Australia
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Baz Lurhmann |
| Written by: | Stuart Beattie, Baz Lurhmann, Ronald Harwood, Richard Flanagan |
| Starring: | Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, David Gulpilil, Ben Mendelsohn, Brandon Walters, Barry Otto |
| Released: | November 26, 2008 |
| Grade: | A |
Australia is a very “theatrical” movie. That’s the best word I can think of. What I’m trying to say is that everything about it is extravagant. The sets, the locations, the acting, the dialogue, the music… well, hopefully you get the picture. It felt like I was sitting in a packed playhouse while watching a classic story unfold on stage. It is an epic in every sense of the word.
Based on some of the early critics’ reviews, this style hasn’t gone down well with everyone. I guess I can understand where they’re coming from. Perhaps if I was in a different mood, I too might have thought it all a bit over-the-top and a little fanciful. I’m glad I liked it though. This is why we go to the movies, isn’t it? To be transported into a different world and to be told a story that captures our imagination.
The movie is close to three hours long but there’s hardly a dull moment. The story begins in 1939 with Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman) setting foot on Australian soil for the first time. She has travelled from England to convince her husband to return home. He has been operating a cattle farm called Faraway Downs in the remote outback and appears to be enjoying it far more than Lady Ashley would have liked.
After her plane lands in Darwin, Lady Ashley goes in search of a man known simply as the Drover (Jackman). She has been told that he will drive her to the farm. These two differing individuals meet in humorous circumstances outside the hotel in the centre of town. This grand introduction sets the tone for the rest of the film.
When they arrive at Faraway Downs, Lady Ashley learns that her husband has died. He was found with a spear in his chest at the nearby billabong. The police believe the man responsible was King George, a mysterious Aborigine who roams the outback. Given the circumstances, most of the locals believe that Lady Ashley will sell the farm and return to her life in England.
They are wrong. Lady Ashley soon learns the Australian way of life and the importance of her arrival. King Carney (Brown) rules the cattle market and owns every farm in the area… with the exception of Faraway Downs. When she discovers that Carney’s top man (Wenham) has been stealing the best cattle from her farm, she seeks revenge. With the help of the Drover, she plans on taking her cattle to the shipping yards and defeating Carney in his bid to win a major supply contract with the Australian military. It won’t be easy however with Carney’s malicious crew doing their utmost to ensure they don’t reach Darwin.
There’s a story being told within this story and that’s of a young boy named Nullah (Walters). He is considered by the Government to be a “half-cast” in that he comes from a white father and an Aboriginal mother. Authorities want Nullah removed from his mother’s care and placed in a foster home so that he can be educated in the white man’s “way of life”. Lady Ashley considers it outrageous and will do whatever is necessary to protect him.
It’s a little cheesy at times but once I fell in love with the story and its characters, I was hooked. Baz Lurhmann has done a great job as director and it reminded me of the manner in which he shot Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge. All three films look like something from a fairy-tale with their beautiful colourings and visuals. Lurhmann has captured the essence of the Australian outback and I’m sure Tourism Australia will be keen to promote it. I also liked the way that Lurhmann weaved in a few references to The Wizard Of Oz (you’ll understand once you’ve seen the movie).
All the performances are great. Nicole Kidman is wonderful as the prissy Englishwoman who is slowly transformed by Australian culture. Hugh Jackman is terrific as the “tough as guts” drover who realises that his life is not as complete as he thought. Perhaps the pick of the bunch is young Brandon Walters who will endear himself to audiences with his politeness and innocence.
There has been much hype for Australia in this country and public expectations will be high. With a budget of roughly $120m, it is the most expensive Australian film ever made. It’s not the best movie of the year but it’s impressive nevertheless.
Four Christmases
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Seth Gordon |
| Written by: | Matt Allen, Caleb Wilson, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore |
| Starring: | Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen |
| Released: | December 4, 2008 |
| Grade: | C+ |
When this film was released in the United States and the United Kingdom last week, the title was Four Christmases. Here in Australia, the title is Four Holidays. I’ve been asking around but no one can give me a straight answer. What’s the deal? Is this political correctness gone mad? Are people going to avoid this film because it has the word Christmas in the title? The movie is exactly the same as that which was released overseas so I just don’t get it.
Perhaps a better title would have been Four Laughs. That pretty much sums up my feelings for this forgettable comedy. I chuckled on a small number of occasions but for the most part, I sat in the cinema with a disinterested look on my face. Thank goodness the film was only 82 minutes long.
Brad (Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon) have been dating for a number of years and share a non-conformist view of society. They don’t want to get married because they think it’s an unnecessary commitment – if you’re happy together, they why bother? They also have no plan to bring children into the world. Kids would cramp their style.
Neither wants to spend time with their families on Christmas Day so they book a holiday in Fiji. They subsequently tell their gullible parents that their off to Burma to do some charity work. Their scheme comes unstuck when heavy fog shuts down the airport. As Brad and Kate try to find another flight, they are approached by a television reporter looking for an interview. Their thoughts on the airport closure are broadcast live across San Francisco.
Lo and behold, their interview is seen by their parents. They realise they have no choice but to spend the day travelling around San Francisco and paying each one of them a visit. Boohoo.
I didn’t like any of the characters in this film. They’re all so phoney and over-the-top. The “transformation” of Brad and Kate didn’t sit well with me either. The ending is rubbish but that came as no surprise given that which preceded it. I prefer my comedies with more substance and more jokes.
Quantum Of Solace
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Marc Forster |
| Written by: | Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade |
| Starring: | Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright |
| Released: | November 20, 2008 |
| Grade: | B |
Virtually every regular moviegoer is going to pay to see Quantum Of Solace. Friends haven’t been asking me what this film is about because they know what to expect. A James Bond film is a genre in itself. The question people have been asking… is whether the film is any good. So let’s cut to the chase.
I’d ideally like to jump up on my soap-box and say how much I loved or hated the film. That would leave an indelible impression on those reading this review. Unfortunately, my opinion falls somewhere in the middle. There’s an equal mix of positives and negatives and I left the cinema with a feeling of indifference.
I must say that this is a lot better than the trashy Bond films of the 1990s which starred Pierce Brosnan. Those sad days are behind us thankfully. At the same time though, this new flick didn’t have the same “wow factor” as Casino Royale. I remember being blown away by the amazing action sequences and the strong performance of first-timer Daniel Craig. My interest in the series was reinvigorated. Perhaps my expectations were too high this time around.
Quantum Of Solace picks up where the last film left off. Bond (Craig) is trying to track down the man who killed his love interest, Vesper Lynd. In the process, he uncovers a secret organisation which is up to something sinister. The ringleader is a high-profile businessman known as Dominic Greene (Amalric). Bond doesn’t know what he’s up to but he’s determined to find out.
Back at MI6 headquarters, M (Dench) is worried. Bond’s body count is piling up and he’s treading on the toes of other agencies. She believes that he’s acting out of revenge as opposed to his civic duty. Caught up in the story is Camille (Kurylenko), a young Russian woman with ties to Greene. Bond realises she is a person of value but is not sure if she can trusted.
So, what did I like about the film? The performances were great once again. Daniel Craig humanises the character and you get a sense of the darkness that lies within. It reminded me of The Dark Knight in that it shows the difficulty of being a super-hero. It’s not easy to save the world and sometimes you have to make sacrifices. Judi Dench faces her own moral dilemmas as M. Some of the best scenes in the film are those where M and Bond face-off.
My two biggest criticisms relate to the plot and the action sequences. The story seems to jump all over the place and it’s as if parts of the film were missing. I didn’t think that Greene’s evil plan made a lot of sense nor did I understand why other people were involved. Also, what was with the two American CIA agents? Whose side were they on? You can see that no expense has been spared on the stunts but they too are hard to follow. I didn’t feel any moments of true suspense.
It’s been months since we had a big blockbuster in release and Quantum Of Solace will be a breath of fresh air for cinema owners. I’m curious to know what the public will make of it. You can be the judge.
High School Musical 3
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Kenny Ortega |
| Written by: | Peter Barsocchini |
| Starring: | Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman |
| Released: | December 4, 2008 |
| Grade: | B+ |
You may not think it but I’ve seen two movies in the past week which I want to compare - Quantum Of Solace and High School Musical 3. As James Bond, Daniel Craig is a very masculine leading character. He’s as cool as ice and as tough as nails. Bond can beat any enemy in a fight and always gets the girl. In its opening weekend in the United States, roughly 54% of the audience was male and 58% of the total audience was over the age of 25.
Zac Efron is the star of High School Musical 3 and you’re reminded of this in the film’s opening scene – it’s an extreme close-up of his sweaty face while on a basketball court. As Troy Bolton, Efron has an effeminate look (no offence) and wins the heart of the ladies with his signing voice and dancing moves. When this film opened in the U.S., approximately 74% of the audience were female and the majority were under the age of 18.
James Bond and Troy Bolton are complete opposites. If they ever met in real life, I’m not sure what they’d have to say to each other. Troy would probably start signing and James would then beat him to death. The point I’m trying to make is that these films have both been a huge financial success despite the fact they have very different leading men. It highlights the varying appetites of regular moviegoers.
There’s no other way of describing the High School Musical franchise without using the word “phenomenal.” The original film premiered on the Disney Channel in January 2006 and became an instant cult hit. The soundtrack was the highest selling album of that year in the United States. The sequel was first shown on the Disney Channel in August 2007 and became the most watched direct-to-television movie in history.
The next step was to take the High School Musical world to the big screen and this brings us to where we are today. I can’t think of another instance where the third film a series is the first to be shown in cinemas. It’s been a profitable exercise for Disney – the movie cost just $33m and is on track to gross more than $90m at the box-office. I expect more money will fill the Disney coffers when it is released on DVD early next year.
So what’s the hype all about? Basically, the film is a large scale teen musical set against the backdrop of East High. The six leading characters are in their senior year at school and are stressing about their futures. Which college should they go? What should they study? There’s also a tinge of sadness as they realise this is their final year at school together. They decide to go out in style by volunteering for the annual East High musical. It’s a neat twist to be watching a musical within a musical.
If I was being my usual critical self, I probably wouldn’t like this film. The plot is paper thin and there isn’t enough tension. It feels like the last episode of a long running sitcom. Somehow, I don’t think people will be seeing this film for its intricate storyline. They want a colourful spectacle and on that count, it delivers.
The costumers, set decorators and make-up artists do a fantastic job but the most impressive element is the dance choreography. Director Kenny Ortega (who also directed the other two films) worked as a choreographer on such 1980s classics as St. Elmo’s Fire, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Dirty Dancing. With the help of his crew, Ortega brings the dance numbers to life with a mix of well chosen camera angles and a talented team of dancers. I don’t even want to guess how long some of the scenes took to rehearse. It comes as no surprise that Ortega is currently working on a remake of Footlose with Zac Efron in the leading role.
I know plenty of people who wouldn’t be caught dead at a film like High School Musical 3. I was a little reluctant myself walking to the theatre but hey, I’ll be honest and admit that I found it entertaining. Since the preview screening, I have watched both High School Musical and High School Musical 2 for the first time. I’m hooked.