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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 June 2022

There are films where the good people get what they want, the bad people get what they deserve, and all the major subplots are neatly wrapped up.  Men is not one of those movies.  In the same vein as Mulholland Drive, Enter the Void, or Midsommar, it’s the kind of film that makes you go “what the hell did I just watch?”  That’s the best way of summing up by own confused, jolted view as the end credits unexpectedly started to roll.

Written and director by Alex Garland (Ex Machina), Men is a two-hander built around the great performances of Rory Kinnear (The Imitation Game) and recently minted Academy Award nominee Jesse Buckley (The Lost Daughter).  She plays Harper Marlowe, a woman who is on holidays in a small English town.  She’s rented an old-school cottage, complete with a piano and antique bathtub, and is there alone with just her thoughts, phone and laptop.

It’s a beautiful location but the reasons behind Harper’s trip are quite tragic.  Harper’s marriage had been on a wain and, after engaging in a passionate argument, it culminated with the husband (Essiedu) jumping from a balcony and committing suicide.  The widowed Harper is still coming to grips with the event (it’s a mix of confusion and grief) and the change of scenery will hopefully provide a few steps forward.  Providing emotional support is her best friend (Rankin) who regularly calls to talk about anything and everything.

She’d rather just keep to herself but Harper is forced to interact with a series of male townsfolk including the property manager, a bartender, a police officer, a vicar, and a naked stalker.  Every one of these characters is played by Kinnear – a convincing choice by Garland who uses a mix of make-up and visual effects to give them a distinctive look.  They all make Harper feel uncomfortable but in different ways and to different extents.

Whether you like it or not, the climax is a memorable one.  Garland has been cryptic in interviews and stated that the film has multiple interpretations – a deliberate decision on his part.  To directly quote Garland – “Does Harper see all men the same even though they’re not?  Or does she not realise that, in fact, they are all the same?”  There’s also stuff to think about in terms of trauma, its lingering impact, and the ways we overcome it.

I was looking for a touch more narrative but Men is to be praised as an original, unsettling drama-thriller that takes us out of our comfort zones.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 May 2022

There’s a 1970s song from Odyssey called “Our Lives Are Shaped by What We Love” and it could easily be an alternate title for this new film from French director Eva Husson (Girls of the Sun).  It’s centred on Jane Fairchild (Young), a woman described as being an “occupational observer of life”, who draws from her impeccable memory to write award-winning books.  Her past loves have served as inspiration and, through the power of literature, made her the success she is today.

Mothering Sunday takes us back to a single day in March 1924 which Jane has never forgotten.  Orphaned at birth, a young Jane had found work as a maid for the Nivens (Colman and Firth), a well-to-do British couple living on a spacious estate.  The work was straight forward but the atmosphere was sombre.  The Nivens had lost both of their sons in World War I and they now go about their lives in a dull, muted haze.  It’s as if they refuse to do or say anything which could provide a glimpse of pleasure.

Provided with a rare day off work, Jane spends it in the arms of Paul Sheringham (O’Connor), the handsome son of the Niven’s wealthy neighbours.  These two are clearly in love but societal customs will deny them a chance at lifelong happiness.  Having lost two older brothers of his own in the war, Paul must follow the wishes of his parents to get married and become a lawyer.  They’ve arranged for him to wed Emma Hobday (D’Arcy), a posh socialite who isn’t too enamoured by the match.

Based on the 2016 novel by Graham Swift and adapted for the screen by Alice Birch (Lady Macbeth), Mothering Sunday is a simple story elevated by Husson’s direction.  None of these characters are in a hurry.  They speak softly, they move slowly, and their emotions are muted.  Without giving too much away, there’s a scene in a bedroom where someone proposes marriage.  They act in such a subdued manner than you’d think it was an ordinary, everyday event!

It may sound sluggish but the style fits the material.  With dialogue kept to a bare minimum, the film’s moods are built around the beautiful cinematography of Jamie Ramsay (Moffie) and the seductive music score of composer Morgan Kibby (Girls of the Sun).  The two lead performances from Australian Odessa Young (The Daughter) and Englishman Josh O’Connor (God’s Own Country) are terrific.  Through their passionate lovemaking and simple small talk, you get a strong sense of the connection that Jane and Paul share.

I wasn’t sold on the fractured timelines (did we really need to see the older Jane?) and the supporting cast don’t have much to do (wanted to spend more time with Emma D’Arcy’s character) but Mothering Sunday is an above average drama that speaks to the lingering impact of love and tragedy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 09 June 2022

In 1989, acclaimed author Michael Crichton and his wife, Anne-Maree Martin, were expecting the birth of their first child.  Crichton bought a bunch of stuffed dinosaurs, popular with kids at the time, to help fill the nursery they were decorating at home.  To borrow from the lyrics of Kev Carmody – “from little things, big things grow.”  That seemingly innocuous purchase of plush toys served as the inspiration for Crichton’s famous novel, Jurassic Park, and it’s now spawned a movie franchise which has grossed over $5 billion at the international box-office. 

As you will have seen from the trailers and other promotional material, Jurassic World Dominion represents a “coming together” of characters from previous movies.  The two stars of the 1993 original, Sam Neill and Laura Dern, interact with the two stars from the more recent flicks, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.  While it’s not a huge role, Jeff Goldblum also returns to offer humour, sarcasm and other light-hearted moments – “it’s always darkest just before eternal nothingness.”

Unlike the prehistoric creatures themselves, the screenwriters haven’t been too adventurous when it comes to the script.  It’s a seen-it-all-before tale where crazy scientists try to control/profit from the dinosaurs and, lo and behold, it all goes pear shaped.  Gasp, shock, horror – science ain’t always a great thing!  The keynote villain is the quirky Lewis Dodgson (Scott) who some will remember from the first movie.  He’s now the CEO of a leading pharmaceutical company who has bought the rights to the dinosaurs and is interested in them for one key reason – profit.

His latest cartoonish idea is to clone giant locusts which will eat the crops of all farmers who aren’t using grain seeds from his own company.  This will essentially allow him to control the world’s food supply.  Like a true movie villain, he may deep pockets, big dreams, and outlandish ideas… but he’s not as savvy when it comes to security services and competent henchmen.  This allows the heroes to infiltrate his laboratories and put an end to his devious, capitalist-driven plans.

There are several subplots to keep audiences interested and fill the lengthy 146-minute running time.  Using a classic technique, the characters split up and get their own separate mini adventure.  Parts are quite thrilling – like a moment where Bryce Dallas Howard’s character hides under water to evade a chasing dinosaur.  Other parts are frustrating contrived – like a scene where a pet raptor is rescued despite putting human lives at significant risk.

While the script needed improvement, it’s still nice to see Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum reprising roles for which they will always be famous for.  It’s been almost thirty years since the first movie and this new instalment does invoke a warm sense of nostalgia.  Oscar winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up) adds to that vibe by sneaking in John Williams’ familiar Jurassic Park score at timely intervals.

Jurassic World Dominion ticks a few boxes but not quite enough to make this a distinctive, original, memorable adventure.

You can read my chat with director Colin Trevorrow by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 May 2022

Of the five nominees for best international feature at the most recent Academy Awards, four have already been released in Australian cinemas – Drive My Car from Japan (the winner), Flee from Denmark, The Hand of God from Italy, and The Worst Person in the World from Norway.  The final nominee is about to get its chance and rounds out a brilliant quintet celebrating the best of non-English language cinema.

The oddly titled Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is the first ever movie from Bhutan to earn an Oscar nomination.  It’s amazing to think that writer-director Pawo Choyning Dorji, making his feature film debut and working on a miniscule budget, was able to create something which has captured the world’s attention.  It’s a rare situation where the making of the movie is just as interesting as the movie itself.

It was shot in the village of Lunana, a tiny mountainous spot in northern Bhutan (5,000m above sea level) with a population of roughly 50 people.  It has minimal electricity and so the small crew relied on solar powered batteries to charge equipment.  Still, they only had enough power for one camera and didn’t have enough juice to look back at the footage of an evening.  Dorji has joked that it’s a rare film with a “zero carbon footprint.”

The government of Bhutan has prescribed that every child deserves an education and so the film is centred on a fictitious teacher from Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, who is asked to travel to Lunana’s and teach roughly ten kids for a full year.  It’s described as “the most remote school in the world” and to get there is an eight-day hike (mostly uphill) through wet, muddy terrain.

The teacher’s name is Ugyen (Dorji) and it’s clear from the outset that he doesn’t want to go.  He’s giving up city life, where he has friends and family, and travelling to a freezing cold place with no internet or phone reception.  Did mention the stone houses don’t have windows?  Did I also mention that townsfolk use leaves when going to the bathroom because they don’t have toilet paper?

There’s a clear message here about appreciating the simple things in life.  Ugyen is embraced by the residents of Lunana who are immensely grateful that he’s educating their children.  You’d think he was a member of a royal family given how highly he is revered.  He’s gone from a busy city where you ignore and walk past hundreds of people each day… to a tight-nit community where everyone cares about everyone.

This dramatic change in lifestyle serves as an awakening to Ugyen.  He bonds with the adorable, good-natured children and feeds their hunger for learning.  There’s a great scene where the town comes together and builds a blackboard (which they’ve never had before) for the school’s sole room.  There’s another heartfelt moment where he orders blank exercise books from the city (they take weeks to arrive) and the kids have proper paper to write on for the first time in their lives.            

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom provides much to reflect upon.  It has something to say about educators and their importance in society.  It asks audiences to think about technology and how essential it is to our happiness (if at all).  It opens eyes to a beautiful yet largely unknown country.  It speaks about emigration and the belief, rightly or wrongly, that the grass is greener on the other side.

To successfully pack all of that into a 109 minute is a testament to Dorji’s filmmaking and storytelling strengths.  I can’t wait to see what he does next.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 June 2022

Since the category was introduced at the Academy Awards in 1947, only six directors have won the best international feature film category on multiple occasions.  The most recent addition to that group (and the only person still alive) is Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi.  He won in 2012 for his Golden Bear winning A Separation and followed it up five years later with a win for The Salesman.

Farhadi's latest creation is A Hero and it solidifies his reputation of creating complex stories with equally complex characters.  In trying to squeeze comprehendible narratives inside of two hours, screenwriters often struggle to “flesh out” subplots in detail and so they fall into the trap of simplicity over substance.  A common example is in the rom-com genre where one suitor is inherently good, one suitor is inherently bad (despite appearing good at first), and the choice of who to marry becomes obvious.

Life is rarely that simple and we, as humans, are mysterious creatures.  There are times when we act in the interests of others… and then times when we put ourselves first.  There are times when we remain calm under pressure… and then times when we lose our composure.  There are times when we feel happy and appreciative of life… and then times when a wave of depression washes over.

This complexity is beautifully illustrated in A Hero.  The central character is Rahim (Jadidi), a man who has been imprisoned after failing to repay a sizeable business loan to his disgruntled ex-brother-in-law.  Allowed out of prison on two days’ leave, Rahim comes in possession of a lost handbag containing valuable gold coins.  He considers using it to repay a portion of the debt but instead, he returns the bag to its original owner.

Word gets around about Rahim’s good deed and he becomes a quasi-celebrity after being featured on a television news story.  A local charity steps in and tries to raise money which will allow for his release from prison.  However, it’s not long before a few people start questioning Rahim’s version of events and whether he is a “good guy”.  The truth keeps shifting to the point where it’s almost irrelevant!  Opinions have been formed and it’s going to be very difficult to change them.

37-year-old Amir Jadidi is outstanding in the lead role and skilfully plays the character as someone who is good-natured but also prone to mistakes.  Audiences will form a range of opinions about his actions and sincerity.  There are several interest subplots with the supporting cast all pulling their weight.  These include the perspective of the prison managers, the charity organisers, and Rahim’s married sister.

A joint winner of the Grand Prix at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival (considered to be the runner-up prize), A Hero is a terrific film where the performances are as a strong as the screenplay.