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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 October 2025

The rise of big-screen documentaries has been a curious phenomenon.  I started reviewing in mid-1990s and looking back through old spreadsheets, I can’t find any record of a documentary being formally released in Brisbane cinemas between 1996 and 2001.  The only chance to see them in theatres was at film festivals.  Helped by an increase in independent cinemas, the dam wall broke in 2002 with the release of Michael Moore’s Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine.  We’ve now reached a point where I’ll see double-digit numbers each year (peaking at 31 during the COVID-impacted 2021).

So, what makes a documentary feature worth seeing in cinemas?  For me, it’s one which takes subject matters you know next-to-nothing about… and leave a lasting impact.  It might change your view on the world.  It might prompt you to do hours of further reading.  It might have you recounting the narrative when catching up with friends.  Personal favourites over the past decade have included The Last Journey, Flee, The Truffle Hunters, Collective, The Sparks Brothers, The Australian Dream, Free Solo, and The First Monday in May.  I could list dozens more if not sticking to a word limit!

On the flip side, weaker documentaries tend to be too narrow with their focus and messaging.  They’re still worth seeing (well, usually) but will only appeal to those already knowledgeable of the topic.  Further, they can fall into the trap of being a one-sided homage with interviewees lavishing compliment after compliment.  It’s like when “famous” folk pen a published autobiography.  Just because someone has been successful in life doesn’t also mean they’re an interesting person.

Marking the feature debut of director Stephen Soucy, Merchant Ivory is a 112-minute outing which chronicles the history of a small film production company which made over 40 movies between 1963 and 2009.  The focus is on producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory, screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and composer Richard Robbins.  The company became known for their adaptations of acclaimed literary works, usually period pieces.  Their most successful movies were A Room with a View (1986), Howards End (1992), and The Remains of the Day (1993) which earned a combined 25 Academy Award nominations.

Merchant Ivory lands roughly in the middle of my ranking scale.  I’m not convinced it has broad allure, and I wouldn’t be recommending to those who aren’t cinephiles.  That said, if you’re a movie tragic like me, it provides enthralling, behind-the-scenes insight into the filmmaking process.  They were a small company working with even smaller budgets.  To have survived for close to half-a-century and to have churned out so many classy, arthouse works… it’s a miracle.  The documentary includes interviews with the likes of Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and Helena Bonham Carter as they recount their involvement with Merchant Ivory films.

Also exploring the unusual friendships/relationships of those within the production company, Merchant Ivory will be of interest… to those who are interested.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 September 2025

With a modest global box-office haul of $100 million USD, the recent reboot of The Naked Gun showed there’s still public interest in spoof comedies.  Now we turn our attention to “mockumentaries” and a sequel to one of the greatest ever made, This is Spinal Tap.  The 1984 movie became a cult phenomenon and fuelled a genre that provided us with hilarious releases including Best in Show, Borat, and What We Do in the Shadows.

The premise of this long-awaited follow-up is formulaic.  We learn Spinal Tap split up 15 years ago and now, because of a clause in an old contract, they must reunite for one final concert.  The bulk of the jokes refer to their old age (the birthday candles cost more than the cake) and their old audience.  Oh, and given the fan base of the first movie, it’s no surprise to see a few real-life musicians making themselves available for quick cameos.  It’s all done and dusted inside of a quick 84 minutes with Rob Reiner (A Few Good Men) returning as director of both the film… and the film within the film.

This isn’t a top-shelf mockumentary, but it’s hard not to smile at the characters’ wacky backstories.  Of the three lead band members, Nigel Tufnel (Guest) now runs a small shop in England where guitars can be exchanged for cheese, and vice-a-versa, based on his estimation of their physical weight.  David St. Hubbins (McKean) moved to California and, in addition to writing music for podcasts, he recently won a “Holdie” award for a distinctive on-hold music jingle.  Derek Smalls (Shearer) resides in London and runs a museum which celebrates the history of glue.

The original This is Spinal Tap will always be the movie people remember more fondly but, just like a classic TV reunion special, this serves as an enjoyable companion piece.  The story isn’t really the focus.  It’s just nice to see the same actors working together again and tapping into the iconic characters which launched their careers forty years ago.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 02 October 2025

It’s nice to see Dwayne Johnson doing something different.  He’s one of the world’s biggest box-office draws but there’s no denying he’s been typecast as the likeable, muscular action hero.  Now 53 years of age, The Smashing Machine is the closest he’s been to an “awards season” role – out of his comfort zone, playing a real-life person, and wearing a lot of prosthetics.  Academy voters gravitate towards such performances and there’s a chance he could earn a first Oscar nomination early next year.

In the lead role, Johnson slips into the tight shorts of Mark Kerr, a wrestler who rose to fame in the 1990s and laid groundwork for what would become a massive professional sport – mixed martial arts.  The film is written and directed by Benny Safdie (Good Times, Uncut Gems) who drew from a 2002 HBO documentary.  The focus is on the years from 1997 to 2000, and it delves into his fighting, his drug addictions, his rocky relationship with his girlfriend Dawn (Blunt), and his friendships with fellow fighters.  Johnson brings obvious physicality to the role but, aside from a few wild outbursts, plays Kerr as a kind, softly spoken individual.

This will be a weird analogy… but The Smashing Machine is like a lengthy conversation with a friend who has had too many beers.  They’ve got a bunch of interesting stories to tell but, in jumping all over the place, they never actually finish any of them.  Kerr has an addiction to painkillers, but we don’t see how this developed nor any part of his recovery (he’s just picked up from a rehab centre).  He seeks more pay from Japanese fight promoters, but we don’t learn if his demands were met.  He has an intense argument with Dawn in the film’s final half-hour, but we don’t follow it through to resolution (there’s just a few words offered up in the epilogue).

Mark Kerr may be a wrestling pioneer and an intriguing person but that doesn’t come through strongly enough in Safdie’s film.  I got tired of interviews with Japanese journalists and out-of-place interludes (like the sequence at a local fair).  It’s tweaked my curiosity enough to hunt down the 2002 documentary but as a standalone movie, The Smashing Machine isn’t interesting enough.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 September 2025

He’s been one of my favourite directors over the past three decades with films including Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread.  Now, 55-year-old Paul Thomas Anderson chalks up a milestone with One Battle After Another marking his 10^th feature film.  He’s earned 11 Academy Award nominations across his career (without a win) and as director, writer and producer here, he’s likely to add to that tally early next year.

Drawing from a 1990 novel authored by the reclusive Thomas Pynchon, Anderson has crafted an hilarious misadventure reminiscent of a Coen Brothers movie.  The characters have distinctive quirks, the story is batshit crazy, and humour is spread throughout.  Leonardo DiCaprio’s offbeat performance triggers memories of Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski, the desolate setting has shades of No Country for Old Men, and a kooky subplot involving a secret society reminded me of Hail, Caesar!  This is all said in a complementary way given the Coens are also high on my list of favourite filmmakers.

It’s a tricky narrative to surmise quickly but One Battle After Another is centred on a paranoid, weed-smoking man (DiCaprio) who lives a low-key life under the alias Bob Ferguson.  He was once a “revolutionary” who tried to upend societal order but after a bank heist went wrong, Bob went into hiding.  He now resides in a sanctuary city with his 16-year-old daughter, Willa (Infiniti), who is on the cusp of graduating high school.

Their quiet existence is upended when a powerful, well-armed villain from Bob’s past, Colonel Steven Lockjaw (Penn), tracks them down seeks them out in search of revenge… and information.  Bob and Willa are separated in the ensuing chaos, but they attempt to reunite and find a safe hiding place.  They are aided by an eclectic group including a shrewd revolutionary played by Regina Hall (Support the Girls) and a chill karate instructor portrayed by Benecio del Toro (Traffic).

The 162-minute running time may sound intimidating but once we’re through the introduction, which is a touch slow and chaotic, One Battle After Another moves at a speedy pace thanks to the interesting subplots, dark humour, and rapid-fire editing.  The offbeat music score of Jonny Greenwood, reminiscent of Jon Brion’s work in Punch-Drunk Love, also adds to the film’s alure.

The performances are sensational.  The expansive cast, headlined by Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) and Sean Penn (Milk), all tap into their comedic talents.  It’s a movie that will require multiple viewings to fully grasp its wit – from DiCaprio angrily trying to recall a password while on a phone call, through to del Toro nonchalantly orchestrating an evacuation of his residence.

Refusing to be pigeonholed into a particular style or genre (every film feels so different), Paul Thomas Anderson has once again showcased the breadth of his talents.  One Battle After Another is great entertainment!

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 October 2025

One of the most talked about releases of last year was The Substance, a horror film that tapped into, amongst other things, the lengths celebrities go to in maintaining their physical beauty and staying relevant in a highly competitive entertainment industry.  It’s not a revelatory theme but director Coralie Fargeat and star Demi Moore packaged it in a blunt, hyper-exaggerated way to jolt audiences.  Both earned Academy Award nominations for their efforts.

Him heads down a similar path with the finger pointed at professional sports.  Cameron Cade (Withers) is a gifted, hard-working quarterback who has finished college and is likely to the #1 draft pick in the pro leagues.  The only possible hiccup is a recent concussion which has many questioning his longevity and price tag.  The San Antonio Saviors have their eye on Cade but before making a contract offer, they want to put him through a rigorous boot camp at the expansive home of soon-to-be-retiring Isaiah White (Wayans), an 8-time championship winning player considered the greatest of all time.

That’s when things get strange. Cade receives injections and other medical advice from a weird doctor, he submits to unusual training techniques that leave one competitor with a disfigured face, he encounters deranged fans who are obsessed with his mentor, and he starts hallucinating to the point where reality and fiction are difficult to discern.  He knows something is amiss but he’s also incredibly close to achieving a lifelong ambition.  To reach the top in professional sport, a few sacrifices need to be made… right?

It’s a topic worth covering.  I once chatted with an AFL footballer about concussions and, to be concise, they said the risk was worth the reward.  They acknowledged it may be something they deal with later in life but that’s just part of a business that also offers fun, money and fame.  In addition to the worthy subject matter, I also like the way American director Justin Tipping (Kicks) infuses his creation with distinctive production design and cinematography.  It provides a visual feast.

Despite its many positives, the film struggles to weave its ideas together into a clear, credible narrative.  Characters made head-scratching decisions, certain plot points are undercooked, and it builds to a rushed, weakish finale that could have provided more in terms of drama and impact.  It’s a missed opportunity to create a cool epic but Him still deserves a look-see.