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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 November 2009

When I first walked out of the cinema after A Serious Man, I was left in a beautiful sense of bewilderment.  I was confused, conflicted.  Did I like the film or not?  What point were the Coens trying to make, if at all?

Like a good meal at a nice restaurant, this movie needs to be savoured.  You have to let it digest and see how you feel in the morning.  The more I think about it, the more I appreciate its brilliance.  Luckily, I attended the preview screening with two learned friends and we spent a solid half-hour discussing it afterwards.  It has helped me clarify a few things and I realised there are differing interpretations.

If you’re catching my drift, you’ll realise this is an unconventional movie… well, for anyone except for the Coen brothers.  Some are going to leave the theatre with their minds challenged, appreciative of the film’s boldness.  Others are going to leave the theatre with steam coming from their ears, frustrated by the film’s apparent lack of plot.  Such contradictory opinions are all part of the richness of cinema.

Set in 1967, A Serious Man centres on the character of Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg).  He’s a married physics professor with two children.  Larry is an ordinary guy who goes about his life in a quiet, unassuming fashion.  That is until he faces a serious of tests that leave him questioning his existence and his Jewish faith.

His wife (Lennick) announces that she’s met someone new and wants a divorce.  His young son (Wolff) is smoking pot and being hounded by his supplier.  His daughter (McManus) is stealing money from his wallet.   His brother (Kind) has a medical condition and is trouble with the authorities.  His next-door neighbour keeps mowing past his property line.  One of his students is trying to bribe him for good grades.

What does one do in this situation?  Why is all this bad stuff happening to him?  Larry turns to the Rabbis in his local parish for answers.  Their advice is interesting to say the least…

I could write a 10,000 word essay dissecting this movie but I’ll leave it with you to appreciate in your own way.  There are religious undertones in the story but again, I’ll keep hush hush.  I say it only to open your eyes.  What you see with those eyes is up to you.

Of the cast, I will single out Aaron Wolff as Larry’s red-headed son and Fred Melamed as his wife’s new lover.  I feel guilty though because all the characters are memorable – from the leading stars to those who appear in just a single scene.  Everyone looks, speaks or acts a little strange.  They made me feel uncomfortable but I was laughing anyway.  I’ll say it again – how do the Coen brothers come up with this stuff???

Beautifully filmed by cinematographer Roger Deakins (an 8-time Oscar nominee), A Serious Man is a terrific black comedy that provides much food for thought.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 November 2009

Henry (Bana) is a man who has the ability to be able to travel back and forth through time.  It’s not a gift he can control however.  He could be talking to someone and then… wham… he disappears and pops up in a different time and place.  Every time this happens however, his clothes get left behind.  He turns up buck naked at his new destination.  I’m sure those with a crush on Eric Bana will enjoy the many nude scenes.

Now there have been a lot of movies made about time travel and as you’d expect, this film will require you to open your mind to the unfathomable.   The premise here is that the past and the future cannot be changed.  Henry tries to do just that but he cannot.  Everything is predetermined, including the fact that he is travelling through time.  Have I lost you yet?

Once I finally came to grips with the time travel element, I realised this is a pretty good film which puts a different spin on the romantic drama genre.  Henry falls in love with a woman named Clare (McAdams).  She’s anything but a woman though when they first meet.  Clare is a 6-year-old girl and is visited by the futuristic Henry.  The two strike up a friendship with the curious twist being that Henry knows that they’re going to get married.  Clare doesn’t know this yet.  Hmmm, this is still pretty confusing.

The up shot is that they have a very unique relationship and I think McAdams and Bana are great together on the big screen.  It’s not easy being married to a man who disappears continually and knows how the future will pan out.  How long can they last?  Even Henry’s unsure of that answer for reasons which you will see…

Based on the novel from Audrey Niffenegger, the movie has been adapted by screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin.  Rubin won an Oscar in 1990 for penning the script for Ghost (starring the late Patrick Swayze) as well as films including Jacob’s Ladder and Deep Impact.  The ending is well worth it but there are a few bumps along the way, aside from my early befuddlement.  There are certain scenes and characters which were unnecessary.  It’s best not to think about the time travel stuff too hard either because you’ll only find more plot holes.

Yet, here I am giving The Time Traveler’s Wife a positive grading.  I liked it because it’s a little different and you’d have to be fairly cold-hearted not to get caught up in the emotion.  I shed a few tears in the later stages as the emotion sunk in.  There’s a beautiful moment where Henry and Clare embrace on the porch of their home on Christmas Day.  It provided a lasting memory from what turned out to be a film worth seeing… without the talking pie.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 10 November 2009

Sadly, Joe is about to come face-to-face with tragedy.  His young wife (Fraser) dies of cancer and his world his turned upside down.  Stricken with grief, Joe must pick up the pieces and start moving forward.

It won’t be easy however.  He has a 6-year-old named Artie (McAnulty) who is also struggling to cope with the loss.  Joe has spent a lot of time travelling in recent years and hasn’t always been there for his son.  He knows this is a chance to make amends but he’s apprehensive about his fathering skills.  Can Joe balancing his work with his increased responsibilities at home?

A 14-year-old by the name of Harry (MacKay) may be the answer.  Harry is Joe’s son from a previous marriage and he has lived in London with his mother for a number of years.  Joe receives an unexpected call from his ex-wife who asks that Harry spend the summer with him in Australia.

I need to make clear this isn’t all doom and gloom.  The Boys Are Back is an uplifting tale which highlights the important bond that is shared between father and son.  It’s not easy being a parent and Joe must find a way of connecting with his children.  The kids don’t always make it easy but as Joe proves, adults can make mistakes too.

I have long admired Australia-born director Scott Hicks and his two greatest works have been Shine and Snow Falling On Cedars (both worthy of an A+).  The Boys Are Back was largely filmed in South Australia and I love the look which he gives the film.  I speak of everything from the breathtaking sunset at the beach to the filthy house in which they live.  Hicks has an eye for beauty.

Unfortunately, there is something missing here which I can’t put my finger on.  All I know is that I didn’t feel the emotional impact that I was anticipating.  I liked the fact that Clive Owen isn’t your ordinary father (he lets his kids get away with almost anything) but at the same time, I don’t know if I really liked the guy.  Is he the hero or the villain in this story?  I’m not sure.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 October 2009

Jackson’s swansong was to be a series of 50 sold out concerts in London.  Kenny Ortega, who made the three High School Musical movies, was the director and choreographer of these shows.  The cast and crew spent months rehearsing in Los Angeles but Jackson passed away three weeks before the first concert was due to be held.

I was sceptical about this movie.  I didn’t really understand how they could make a two hour concert film from rehearsal footage.  This of course was never the intention when the footage was actually shot.  Jackson planned on keeping it in his own private collection.  I guess some of it would have also been used for promotional purposes.

Ortega has done well though.  Yes, it’s a concert movie but it goes beyond what I thought it would achieve.  It offers a rare insight into a reclusive individual.  Jackson avoided the media spotlight in his final years but we now have a chance to see him up close, simply being himself.  I confess to finding Jackson a little peculiar but when you watch him performing on stage, you realise he has such an incredible aura that rubs off on those around him.

This Is It features most of Jackson’s most famous songs and there are some nice interviews with those involved in the project – including a few Australians.  It’s worth noting that the film is not a tribute piece.  There aren’t any interviews with big name celebrities reflecting back on Jackson’s life and achievements.  In fact, Jackson’s death isn’t even mentioned except in the very opening scene.  The movie simply provides the chance to celebrate the talent of this gifted artist one last time.

Like any good concert, Jackson saves his best songs for the very end.  I was tapping my fingers together during quite a few of them.  If you want to experience a similar sensation, then you’ll need to be quick.  This Is It is getting a limited two week release in cinemas across the world.  I’ve got a hunch that many people are going to see it.  And so you should.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 November 2009

Of course, the film tries to skirt around the whole “death” thing.  Billions of people are killed by tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanos, you name it.  It’s all done with average looking special effects and since most people like ants from a distance, you probably won’t care too much.  I know I didn’t.

The storyline begins in the current year when a scientist in India picks up on unusual goings on beneath the earth’s crust.  The core is heating up at an alarming rate and within a few years, the surface on which we walk will start to fall apart.  Word filters through to the President of the United States who decides to keep this information from the world.  He doesn’t want to create panic and see his society fall apart.

Instead, he comes up with a secret plan to build a series of arks in China which will be used to save a small number of people when d-day arrives.  If they manage to survive the looming disaster, then perhaps there’s hope yet for the human race.  I’m not entirely convinced however since the space aboard this arks has been reserved solely for the rich and powerful.  Would you really want to live in a new world with these people?

There needs to be a central character amongst the mayhem and his name is Jackson Curtis (Cusack), an author who once wrote a book about something similar.  Jackson gets wind of the disaster from a crazy nut (Harrelson) and will do whatever he can to save his family.  I lost count of the number of times in which Jackson escaped death by a microsecond.

I hated this film and consider it one of the year’s worst.  There are a few funny moments but on the whole, it’s just too melodramatic.  Every storyline is a cliché.  Take for example the strained relationship between the divorced Jackson and his wife’s new husband.  I can’t really blame any of the actors since there’s little room in the screenplay for character development.  It’s all about special effects, which looked average at best.  The biggest insult is its running time – a ludicrous 158 minutes.

Topped off by a silly ending, 2012 turned out to be complete waste of time.  It’s a shame John Cusack agreed to star in this but hopefully it put a little money in his bank account and he can go back to starring in some quirky, independent comedies.  It’s what he does best.