Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 February 2010

I've got something a little different this week.  It's important that the Film Pie maintains its freshness.  No one likes stale pie. Sam Dagan is a good friend of mine who recently moved to London.  We've been seeing movies (and regularly arguing about them) since 2001.  Sam's been keen to break my monopoly of reviews on the Film Pie website and I've finally relented.  Given that I'm seldom impartial when it comes to Sandra Bullock movies, Sam offered to write a review for The Blind Side (which he saw a few weeks ago).  We've both given it a thumbs up but Sam has a few more criticisms (valid too I must admit) than me.   There are currently 1,093 full length reviews available to read on my website.  History has been made with review number 1,094.  Here then, are the opinions of someone other myself...

Matt and Sam in Venice in 2004.

Sam's Thoughts 

The Blind Side is based upon the touching true story of All-American football star Michael Oher.  As an over sized teenager, Michael Oher (Aaron), is essentially homeless until he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock) and after a moment's hesitation Mike is invited out of the cold into the Tuohy home for the night. One night's kindness, turns into the tale of something more as Mike becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

Mike grew up on the wrong side of town, his mother was a crack addict, and he missed out on basic childhood experiences such as his mother reading to him and having his own bedroom. Luckily for Mike, a friend's father introduces him to the football coach of a local Christian high school who sees his sporting ability, so naturally the coach's Christian duty is to get Mike a private education. It is from here that one night on Mike's way to sneaking a warm night's sleep in the high school gym he meets the Tuohy family, and is taken in by them.

Living in his new environment, Mike faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome the Tuohy family helps Michael fulfil his potential, both on and off the football field.

Bullock's performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy is good - her career best. It seems Bullock decided whilst in Hollywood she'd give acting a shot. Bullock's performance would certainly win an award for most improved, but I don't think it deserves an Oscar, maybe just smiley face stamp or two.

For the story alone I recommend you go see it, I will now however turn my criticism to the story tellers. Big Mike's story is told with an unnecessary emphasis on the fact he is black rather than that he was poor/homeless/from a broken home, and I found this detracts from the story. A few examples that won't spoil the film:

1. Mike starts off at his new school depicted as the only non-Caucasian there, like a "a fly in the milk" as Mrs Tuohy puts it - what happened to Mike's black friend, Steve, that enrolled at the school with him, did he drown in the milk?

2. Mrs Tuohy approaches some 'gangstas' from Mike's old neighbourhood who stereotypically threatened to bust a cap in Mike's ass, thankfully Mrs Tuohy is white and points out that she's a member of the NRA. I was expecting someone to walk out with a pillow slip over their head so we knew they were whitey, but I'll have to wait for the director’s cut.

Regardless of historical accuracy, there was no need to over emphasise the fact that Mike was Black, unless there's a dodgy projector in the cinema, the audience will work this one out for themselves. It would have been great to see the tale of Mike coming from such a tough beginning and triumphing over it, however all I saw was a black person obtaining success, which I don't see as being so remarkable.

Mike's story is remarkable, however the film makers fail to capture the heartfelt and triumph that I would have expected this story to allow. In comparison to other films in the football/rags-to-riches genre, it would be fair to say that it doesn't have nearly as much heart as Rudy, or as much triumph over adversity as say Slumdog Millionaire.

“And the Oscar goes to Sandra Bullock.”  It’s these words which I’m expecting to hear just after lunch on March 8, 2010.  Who’d have thought it?  After years of making bad movies (and yes, there were some absolute stinkers), Ms Bullock will have a coveted gold statue to place on her mantle piece.

I admit that there’s still a slim chance that she won’t win.  Upsets have been known to happen.  My personal preference would be to see Carey Mulligan take the best actress prize.  Her performance in An Education was easily the year’s finest.  However, I admit that Bullock is really good with her sweet Southern accent and her endearing, take-no-nonsense attitude.  It’s comfortably her best work.

The character she plays is Leigh Anne Tuohy, a happily married mother with a teenager daughter named Collins (Collins) and a young son nicknamed S.J. (Head).  Her husband (McGraw) owns a bunch of a fast-food restaurants and the family lives in a lavish mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

Driving home on a rainy night, Leigh Anne sees a large black guy by the side of the road.  She recognises him from her children’s school and stops to see if he needs help.  He’s known by most as “Big Mike” and he admits that he doesn’t have anywhere to live.  He was walking to the school’s gym to find shelter for the night.  Leigh Anne takes control of the situation and offers Michael a place on her couch.

What begins as an overnight stay will develop into something more permanent.  The “Good Samaritan” in Leigh Anne wants to help this kid out.  He’s shy and struggles at school but she sees his potential, his desire to forge a better life for himself.  Leigh Anne organises a private tutor for Michael and gets him involved with the football team.

There are a few people who question Leigh Anne’s actions.   They can’t understand why a wealthy woman would suddenly welcome this stranger into her home.  The colour of his skin also raises a few eyebrows.  Luckily, Leigh Anne doesn’t care what others think.  She’s a determined, passionate woman who loves to get her way.

This is probably what I liked most about the film – its positivity.  It doesn’t get bogged down in brooding melodrama.  Maybe it was Bullock’s enthusiasm that rubbed off on me.  Instead of focusing on Michael’s troubled past, it looks forward at his exciting future.  What’s really nice is seeing photos and video clips of the real Michael and Leigh Anne during the closing credits.  They make you realise that this really did happen.

I’ve already touched on Bullock’s wonderful performance.  She’s admitted on the awards circuit that she’s made a lot of rubbish throughout her career.  Hopefully we’ll see more of this new and improved Bullock (now with 90% less fat) in the near future.  I’d also like to praise the cute performance from 11-year-old Jae Head who plays Leigh Anne’s son.  He has some great one-liners.

No matter how bad life gets there’s always hope for something better.  This is a message I took away from two best picture nominees this year – The Blind Side and Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire.  Whilst Blind Side is more commercial and less confronting, it’s still a strong film.  All I know is that I that I left the cinema feeling much better than when I walked in.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 February 2010

Summit Entertainment bought the film and released it on over 500 screens in the U.S. in June 2009.  Its total box-office of just $12.6m (below its $15m budget) proved once again that most war movies, no matter how good, just don’t make money.  That was the same mindset of those here in Australia.  As late as last December, the film was slated to receive a straight-to-DVD release

But then, something happened.  The Hurt Locker’s started winning awards.  It became the first film since Brokeback Mountain in 2005 to win the top prize from both the New York and Los Angeles film critic organisations.  It has since won the Director’s Guild and Producer’s Guild awards and is the frontrunner for next month’s Academy Awards with nine nominations.

The great news for us filmgoers is that we can now see the film on the big screen here in Australia.  It’s not getting a huge release but hey, it’s better than nothing.  I know there’ll be a lot of people to keen to find out if the hype is justified.  Is it really the best film of the year?

Before I answer that question, let me tell you something about it.  The Hurt Locker is set in Iraq and centres on three guys who are part of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD).  When a live bomb is found, their job is to go in there and defuse it.  As you can imagine, this is a high risk, high pressure job.  Watching them in action left me on the edge of my seat.

William James (Renner) leads this EOD team and to say that he is a “loose cannon” would be an understatement.  He hates following orders and has a reckless disregard for army protocols.  He could use a special remote controlled robot to defuse these bombs but instead, he gets up close and uses his hands.  It’s incredibly dangerous but being so close to death gives James a huge adrenalin rush.

This attitude does not sit well with fellow soldiers Sanborn (Mackie) and Geraghty (Eldridge).  They’ve only got a few weeks left on their year-long tour in Iraq and they want to make sure they return home safely.  These three guys are all in the Middle East for the same reason but they each have a different perspective on life.

Much has been made of the fact that The Hurt Locker has been directed by a woman.  Kathryn Bigelow looks set to become the first female to win the best director Oscar.  I don’t know if she’d get my vote (I still preferred James Cameron’s Avatar) but her victory will be significant.  It will open doors and dispel those naysayers who think that a woman can’t direct an action / war movie.

Bigelow’s direction is one of the film’s strong points.  With the use of multiple handheld cameras, she has created a very realistic setting.  You can feel the nervousness of the soldiers and the intensity of the situation.  As the camera quickly pans and an Iraq local is sighted looking from a window, your heart will stop for a split second and you’ll wonder if he’s a bad guy.  It’s as if you’re right there with them.

The film has some great qualities but to come back to my initial question – this isn’t the best movie of the year.  I had trouble understanding the James character – why did he have such an irresponsible attitude?  The film focused a little too much on the military operations than the soldiers themselves.  There’s a great conversation between James and Sanborn late in the film (while riding in a jeep) – it’s more of that “openness” which I wanted to see.

Still, this is powerful cinema.  We’ve been waiting for a long time to see The Hurt Locker here in Australia and I hope as many people as possible make the time for it.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 February 2010

This review is different however.  Its purpose is to open your eyes to a good film which will receive zero publicity.  Girl Clock was made in Brisbane and is as low budget as it gets.  The cast and crew have come together with a simple desire to tell a story and to make a movie.  They’re not in it for the money.  In fact, most of the cast and crew didn’t get paid a cent.

Girl Clock centres on Christine (Neave), a middle aged woman who has reached a crossroads in her life.  Up until this point, her job has always been the focus.  She’s a photographer and has had great fun travelling around the world in the process.  With Christine’s biological clock ticking stronger than ever, her priorities have now changed.  She wants a child before it’s too late.

How’s she going to do this?  She’s not married and doesn’t even have a boyfriend.  Offering advice are her two best friends, Margo (Zandt) and Mikki (Hebbard).  They come up with a variety of “solutions” which provide plenty of laughs.  Mixed with the film’s more serious undertones, you’re left with a decent black comedy that’s not afraid to take a few chances.  Seeing the bare backside of radio announcer Jamie Dunn is proof of that!

The film isn’t without its weaknesses and some of the jokes miss the mark.  There’s a part late in the film (which I won’t reveal too much about) involving these three women and a male corpse.  I think it’s a silly moment but it will certainly provide post-film conversation.  I’d love to know what audiences would make of this scene if the genders were reversed.  Would it be as funny?  Or more controversial?

There’s definitely an audience for Girl Clock here in Brisbane and I hope it makes a few dollars.  The film is showing at the Blue Room, Victoria Point and Balmoral cinemas.  It’s better than a lot of other movies currently in release and I hope my positivity coupled with good word of mouth will give it a strong push.  Check it out!

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 10 February 2010

It begins with Ashton Kutcher lying in bed with Jessica Alba.  It’s early morning one of the most romantic days of the year – Valentine’s Day.  He jumps up, kneels down and pops the question.  She says “yes” – a fact which he then screams out to the entire neighbourhood from his balcony.

Over the next 24 hours, we will follow a seemingly endless number of characters in their quest to understand love.  I don’t even think I have enough time to name the entire cast let alone detail each of their characters.  It’s a “who’s who” of Hollywood.  There’s young (Taylor Lautner, Taylor Swift), old (Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo) and a bunch in between.

I’m not sure what writer Katherine Fugate (The Prince & Me) and director Gary Marshall (Pretty Woman) are trying to achieve with this story.  It’s obvious that there are way too many characters.  Some of them are useless (e.g. Kathy Bates) and some are really, really irritating (e.g. Jessica Alba).

If half the cast were dispensed with, there’d be more time for decent character development.  We’d get to understand them and perhaps, even feel for them.  I couldn’t help but imagine (while my mind wandered during the boring scenes) what acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson could have done with this cast and concept.  He’s mastered the art of an ensemble drama (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) and I’d pay triple to see his interpretation.

Before I get too negative, let’s turn to the bright spots.  This may be difficult to digest but music sensation Taylor Swift was my pick of the cast. She plays a ditsy blonde teenager who is hopelessly in love.  Maybe she can relate?  It’s Swift’s first major movie role and I sense it will open up a fresh income stream.  Also good are Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper, who play two people stuck on a long flight together, and Anne Hathaway, a receptionist who moonlights as a phone sex operator.

It’s a tad long at 125 minutes but there were two nice twists in the end.  I guess they’re not really “twists” but rather, we see how certain characters in the film are connected.  There’s a sweet scene involving Julia Roberts in a bedroom (that’s all I can say) that beautifully wraps up her part in this broad story.

When I left the cinema, I jumped in the lift and saw an advertisement on the glass – flogging off a $200 giant teddy bear as the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.  Yep, it was back to reality.  There’s nothing like some quality commercialism to cheapen a special occasion.  So let me finish up with three pieces of wisdom – (1) don’t buy a teddy bear costing $200, (2) go and see this movie if you like romantic comedies, and (3) spend Valentine’s Day with someone you love, doing something you love.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 February 2010

Why is it that you keep leaving so many great films off your list for best picture?  Last year, you omitted The Wrestler.  This year, you have ignored Crazy Heart.  I would hereby like to apply for membership so that I can vote for these films (numerous times actually) to ensure this does not happen again.  Please find enclosed a cheque for $6.50.

Kind regards,

Matthew Toomey.       

Ok, so I admit the storyline in Crazy Heart is nothing new.  An ageing singer hits rock bottom and then tries to find a way to get his life back on track.  Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray and Joaquin Phoenix earned a nomination for his performance as Johnny Cash in Walk The Line.

I guess it’s the way you tell the story which is most important.  Crazy Heart is a beautiful drama built around two moving performances from Jeff Bridges (who is about to win his first Academy Award) and Maggie Gyllenhaal.  It has a nice pace, a quality soundtrack and a picture-perfect ending.  As the closing credits started to roll, the audience at my preview screening just sat there in silence.  They were soaking up the final scene and listening to “The Weary Kind” sung by Ryan Bingham.  What a great song it is.

Bad Blake (Bridges) is a country ‘n’ western singer who is well past his prime.  The film opens with him performing in a bowling alley in the middle of nowhere.  It’s the last place he wants to be but he needs the cash to pay for his whiskey and cigarettes.  His days of playing in front of thousands of adoring fans are long gone.  Now, he’s lucky to pull in a crowd of 50.

At a performance in Santa Fe, he meets a part-time music journalist named Jean (Gyllenhaal).  She’s a single mother with a young son.  There’s an obvious age difference but the film, rightly, doesn’t focus on that.  They are just two people who have come together and connected.  It’s great watching their conversations with each trying to learn a little more about the other.

He’ll always been known as The Dude in The Big Lebowski (one of cinema’s most iconic roles) but Jeff Bridges is a brilliant actor with a terrific resume.  He’s finally receiving his dues and has won a slate of awards this season.  He received a standing ovation from his peers at both the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.  I assure you that this is no “lifetime achievement award”.  Bridges’ performance in Crazy Heart is as good as acting gets.

So how does it all end up?  Will Bad Blake clean up his alcoholic ways?  Will an offer from leading country singer Tommy Sweet (Farrell) revitalise his career?  I don’t want to give too much away because this is a film worth seeing.  In fact, it’ll be one of the year’s best.  A simple story… but a very good one.