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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 September 2000

On Ava’s suggestion, they head off to San Diego, California to see the beach and find new opportunities.  Ava enrols in a local school and starts making friends from day one.  Mary makes her own friends when she finds a filing job to help pay the “bills that keep coming in”.  Things look even rosier when Mary meets and falls for Jack (O’Connor) and the three move in together.  However, given her past run of separations, is this romance going to be any different?

Delightfully told, Tumbleweeds will guarantee futures for most of its participants.  Gavin O’Connor has left his options open.  He co-wrote the screenplay, took on a major supporting role and was the film’s director - a lot of work!

From an acting perspective, Kimberly Brown has exploded onto the Hollywood scene with her portrayal as Ava.  Her Southern accent, mixed with classic facial expressions, gives her character an edge that makes her perfect opposite McTeer.  As for McTeer, what can be said?  Where has she come from?  Predominantly appearing in English films, Tumbleweeds earned her a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award nomination and several other film critics’ awards along the way.

Playing Mary, McTeer is more than just a zany mother - her exuberant exterior hides a troubled interior that is evident from the outset.  You always have a feeling where the film is going (especially after the introduction of workmate Dan) but there’s an instinct that tells you it may not all be so predictable and that’s a tribute to the acting abilities of the cast.

Mother-daughter bonding movies are becoming a common occurrence on film screens.  Anywhere But Here with Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman bears a striking resemblance to Tumbleweeds.  In the wash up, Tumbleweeds gets the nod from me for in essence, the richness of it characters.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 August 2000

Novalee hides out each night in the Wal-Mart as she tries to figure out what to do next.  Her question is answered when the baby decides its time to arrive and with the help of curious librarian named Forney (James Frain), she gives birth inside the store creating a whirlwind of media attention.

In hospital she develops a friendship with a Lexie (Ashley Judd), a nurse with four children of her own.  She also meets Thelma (Stockard Channing), an elderly religious woman who offers Novalee and her child a place to stay.  The story chronicles the next five years of Novalee’s life.

This film had more ups and downs than any film this year.  There were so many moments I really enjoyed which impressed me with the detail of the storyline and the quality of the actors.  Yet, there we other moments so filled with clichés I wondered whether the same screenwriter was responsible.  My greatest irritation was Novalee’s obsession with the number 5 and how it represented misfortune - it seemed totally out of character given her personality.

Based on the novel by Billie Letts, Where The Heart Is has all the ingredients of an American soap opera condensed into two hours.  Light-hearted and joyful one minute, emotional and tear-jerking the next.  Director Matt Williams tries to integrate a second storyline into the film - the fate of her boyfriend Jack.  Whilst a good idea, Williams doesn’t give it the attention or significance it deserved and the whole subplot becomes an unwarranted distraction.

With many great performances, Where The Heart Is is more Hallmark than Hollywood.  The finest example of a “chick flick” one is likely to see.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 September 2000

Malcolm and John have been asked to keep an eye on Sherry’s grandmother’s house in the hope of obtaining information as to the whereabouts of the money.  However, when “Big Momma” goes on a sudden vacation and Sherry is soon approaching to stay at Big Momma’s House, there is only one solution - Malcolm impersonates Big Momma.

This film takes ludicrous to a new level.  I’ve seen 30-second skits on Late Night With Conan O’Brien that have more substance this 98-minute endurance test.  I can just imagine what was going through the minds of the screenwriters - “You know what would be funny - Martin Lawrence dressing up as a woman - let’s just come up with some zany story around it and the studios will love it.”  I don’t know what’s more shocking - that someone wrote this or that someone approved it.

Martin Lawrence with make up looks nothing like the real Big Momma which again makes me wonder how nobody notices.  Lawrence’s delivers a baby with no experience - how?  The real Big Momma just jets off without telling anyone - why?  It’s all too hard to believe that this sequence of coincidences could be pulled off.

The biggest failure with Big Momma’s House is its over-sentimentality.  Despite the whole craziness of the movie, they try to create some touching “Kodak moments” that are noticeably out of place.  If you’re going to play it silly then you may as well keep going.  The final scene between Malcolm and Sherry in the Church had me close to knocking myself out.

I will not waste additional time describing my extreme dislike for this garbage.  I had the luxury of seeing this film at the Chermside cinemas with the new luxury seating.  The seating sure was great but unfortunately my seat was facing the screen rather than the exit.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 August 2000

Working at home one night, Sebastian makes a major breakthrough and unlocks the secret.  Hungry to become the first human to undergo the transformation, Sebastian acts against the wishes of both the government agency and his teammates and injects the serum into himself to create history.  However, things go wrong when Sebastian finds himself unable to return to a visible state and this creates serious ramifications...

Hollow Man has potential which is exemplified by the dazzling special effects that are on the lips of all cinema goers.  It’s a small wonder how the computer imaging team led by guru Scott E. Anderson (Starship Troopers, Babe) has pulled it off.  Kevin Bacon manages to maintain a strong presence despite not being seen during most all of the film - I guess his voice was good enough.

A surprise for me came during the opening credits.  I was bemused to find Elizabeth Shue taking top billing over Kevin Bacon.  After seeing the entire film and given it’s advertising, I’m convinced Bacon had the lead and did have more screen time over Shue.

Although taking its time to develop the premise, the opening was promising.  What followed was a sharp decline where all interesting storylines were discarded before culminating with a big action swansong more unrealistic than that of Mission: Impossible 2 (and that’s a big task).  That’s what makes it all the more disappointing because at least with M:I-2, I was expecting Hollywood trash.

Paul Verhoven’s (Basic Instinct, Showgirls) direction does little to help the film with it all revolving around special effects.  It subscribes to my old theory - why pump millions of dollars into making a film seem more realistic when the screenplay does exactly the opposite. 

Given the film’s title, I could use many clichés to sum up my dissatisfaction with Hollow Man.  For the record, let’s say that the film was missing a lot more than just Kevin Bacon.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 August 2000

Comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans is that someone.  Scary Movie takes a "stab" at every film from Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer to The Usual Suspects and The Matrix. There’s no need to go into further detail because spoofs aren't about plots and storylines - if you've seen the above films, you'll understand all the jokes and have a jolly good laugh at their expense.

For once, overplaying of roles is required, which explains why I enjoyed the characters so much. Special mention has to go to newcomer Anna Faris who plays the lead (some sort of Katie Homes/Jennifer Love Hewitt mix).  She has to play it straight when everyone around her is completely nuts and is the best character of the film.

Bottom line, when it comes to review a film like this, all that is important is the comedic factor and whether the jokes hit the mark?  There were plenty of hilarious scenes (most of which you see in the trailer) but for each one there seemed to be an equal number of jokes that didn't work.  For example, there was a lengthy scene taking-off I Know What You Did Last Summer that was too long with little laughter.  I would have preferred to see the film use a few more original ideas than mimicking these films so closely.

Regardless, Scary Movie is worth seeing from an entertainment perspective.  It's short, funny and contains plenty of really disgusting scenes.  We're due for a new spoof and this film fills the gap nicely.  The funniest scene came near the end when a cinema patron at Shakespeare In Love broke all the taboos - she talked, ate loudly and had her mobile phone ring during the movie.  Just when the masked killer was about to slay her, the other moviegoers did it for him.  If only...

On an interesting side note, the tagline for Scary Movie reads “No Mercy.  No Shame.  No Sequel.”  Believe it or not, given the film’s worldwide success a sequel is in the works.  How ironic it is that a film bagging others for releasing sequels succumbs to the same fate.  I guess it goes to show that in Hollywood, there’s only one thing that’s truly important - money.