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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 December 2003

His relationship with his wife has followed the same path.  Bob is ensnared in a marriage where they stay together not by love but routine.  His wife’s biggest concern right now is finding the right shade of red to carpet Bob’s study.  She even sends a Fed-Ex box full of samples to his hotel in Tokyo, complete with her recommendations, to hasten his decision.

Charlotte (Johansson) is an intelligent young woman who sees no life in front of her.  She has just graduated from Yale with a degree in psychology but doesn’t know how it will serve her.  She’s tried writing but hates the stuff she writes.  She’s tried photography but knows she’s a petty amateur.

Charlotte’s trip to Japan has turned into little more than a sight-seeing expedition.  Her husband, John (Ribisi), is in Tokyo on business and she tagged along in the hope of rekindling their own waning marriage.  Instead, he’s never at the hotel and Charlotte escapes the depression of the hotel room by acting the tourist around town.

Bob and Charlotte don’t know what they are looking for by they will soon find it in each other.  They bump into each other at the hotel’s bar and their unspoken similarities help form a much needed friendship.  Soon, they are spending every moment possible together and their personal problems are quickly being forgotten.  They both know their stay in Tokyo is short but this brief, fleeting moment of pleasure reminds them of a long lost feeling – happiness.

Lost In Translation is the second feature film of female director Sofia Coppola who made The Virgin Suicides in 1999.  On paper she is a rookie but when you look at the beautiful control with which she commands her camera, you’ll see she is the equal of her father, Francis Ford Coppola (director of The Godfather trilogy).  Sofia has not chosen the film’s setting by accident and produces some wonderful panoramic shots of the colourful city.  I also loved the way the cinematography tended to focus heavily on each character’s eyes.  They say you can tell a lot by one’s eye movement and I particularly like Sofia’s style in letting the body movements do most of talking.  A fine example is a scene the two share together on Bob’s bed.

I couldn’t ask for two more well chosen cast members than Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.  I have adored Murray’s comedic antics since I was a kid in films like Ghostbusters, Caddyshack and Groundhog Day.  Only now though is he finding critical acclaim with quirkier, more meaningful comedies such as this and 1998’s Rushmore.  If any actor is overdue for an Oscar nomination it is Murray and his unwaveringly lethargic performance as Bob Harris deserves to break the drought.  Johansson, on the other hand, is a rising starlet who you may recall from The Horse Whisperer and the brilliant Ghost World.  She is simply gorgeous in this film and her distinctively raspy voice will define her own performances in years to come.

Lost In Translation is a touching mixture of romance, drama and comedy set against the backdrop of a truly unique culture.  Undoubtedly, something for everyone.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 December 2003

The story centres around Xavier (Duris), a 25-year-old French student who knows the time has come to settle down and find a full-time job.  Attending a job interview (which was arranged by his father), Xavier is told that with the rise of the European Union has resulted in an increased demand for foreign economists.  He suggests that Xavier study economics in Spain for a year and that a job at the company will be assured.

It’s his first time away from home and Xavier feels sad that he has left his mother and girlfriend (Tautou) behind in Paris.  His university course in Barcelona is being funded by a government scholarship program and he’s hoping to make the most of it although daunted by a language he hardly knows and a city that is completely new to him.  He meets a freshly married couple at the airport who are very helpful in offering him short term accommodation.  But the apprehension will soon be behind him and the fun’s about to begin.

Looking for apartments in the paper, Xavier finds the dream place.  It’s not a flashy residence but its home to five other students all looking to study hard and party even harder.  Each comes from a different country but there are no boundaries here.  Xavier’s gone from a life of predictable monotony in France to a life of enthusiastic pleasure in Spain.

The Spanish Apartment is a film which captures and enthuses on the screen all those emotions that cannot be put into words.  The trepidation of leaving home, the intrigue of other cultures, the complications of love, the importance of friendships and the invaluable qualities of true life experiences.  Writer/director Cedric Klapisch tells an honest story perfectly balanced against light hearted comedy and scene stealing one-liners.

The film features dialogue in not just English but also French, Spanish, Danish and Catalan.  Subtitles will guide you through so that none of the film’s spirit is lost.  It’s hard to believe Klapisch envisioned shooting a film with so many languages – it must have been a nightmare getting funding.  He’s no slouch in the director’s chair either.  He’s assembled a vibrant, youthful cast and uses well-chosen editing techniques (such as split-screens and fast-forwards) to enhance their performances.   He doesn’t appear until half way through the film but English actor Kevin Bishop steals every scene in which he appears as Wendy’s annoying brother, William.

I’ve often believed it’s best to see a film twice before one can give an accurate review.  At the first screening, you learn and at the second screening, you appreciate.  Having attended two sold-out sessions of The Spanish Apartment, I can fully stand behind my critique and judging from audience responses, I am not alone.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 December 2003

There’s been a dozen or so horror releases this year with most telling tall tales of crazy serial killers or other ludicrous happenings.  If your memory needs refreshing then take the time to recall such duds as Final Destination 2, Darkness Falls, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Freddy Vs. Jason.  An unusual choice to screen at this year’s Brisbane International Film Festival, Cabin Fever is a surprisingly original and scary release which comes with my recommendation.

Three guys and two girls rent a cabin in the woods for the holidays.  For Jeff (Kern) and Marcy (Vincent), they’re hoping for some great times spent in the bedroom.  For Paul (Strong), he’s hoping to finally win the heart of best friend Karen (Ladd) who has been chasing for many years.  For Bert (DeBello), it’s just another to get drunk and talk smutty.

On their very first night, a horrific figure arrives on the doorstep.  He face is covered in blood and his skin his peeling.  He says that he is sick and pleads for medical assistance but there’s no phone in the cabin and no mobile phone signal in the isolated area.  The kids panic.  They don’t want to be infected and don’t plan on asking any more questions about his condition.  When the man tries to steal their car, they attack with baseball bats and after catching fire, the man flees screaming into the wilderness.

Horrified by the experience, their first option is to leave but since the car was damaged in the mayhem, there’ll be no such opportunity.  They wait out the night, hope the man doesn’t return and go in search of help at first light.  But just was the man infected with and has it been passed on to them?  Their real enemy doesn’t have a physical form but its left them petrified nevertheless.

The story has parallels with the English drama 28 Days Later which debuted here last September.  Cabin Fever differs in that it’s aimed largely at teenagers and was produced in America.  Sure there are limitations and like any horror film, there are those moments where you question the stupid decisions made by the characters.  Still, I found it plausible in most places and for sure it’s one of the better teen horror flicks of late.

Rider Strong (no that’s not a porn name) was the pick of the performance.  I’m a big fan of actors who underplay rather than overplay their roles and Strong is a good example.  This should open some doors for him as it also should for 30-year-old director Eli Roth who is already filming his next film.

Excitingly, the film was shot for just $1.5m.  That’s a pitiful amount of money by Hollywood standards but it only adds to the time honoured theory that you don’t need a lot of moolah to make a great motion picture.  All you need is an interesting script and some enthusiastic people to work with.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 November 2003

Riddled with clichés, this a very unenjoyable film for any audience who takes pride a decent story.  We open with S.W.A.T. members Jim Street (Farrell) and partner Brian Gamble trying to resolve a hostage situation in a bank.  I would have thought banks had better security but Jim and Brian sneak unnoticed down an air duct and eliminate the robbers.  Unfortunately, one of the hostages is inadvertently shot and the two are removed from field duty by the “token” angry Chief of Police.  Has anyone seen a movie before where the Chief isn’t a prick?

Anyway, Brian’s a rebel and immediate quits the force.  Jim’s happy to see him go and works in the office’s ammunition department waiting for a chance to get back out there.  That chance comes when the police force cops some bad press (for a reason which isn’t explained) and the Chief calls in old friend Hondo Harrelson (Jackson) to assemble a hot shot team to reclaim the streets.  He assembles a five member crew with Jim receiving the final spot.

They train hard, are put to the test in some training runs, and coincidentally enough, they get the chance to display their talent for real.  An underworld drug dealer (Martinez) wanted in 12 countries has been arrested and is being held in the local jail.  He is to be transported to a federal prison but there lies a unique problem.  The dealer has gone on the news to offer $100m to anyone who can break him out and there’s a lot of fruit-loops in Los Angeles who are going to try.

All I can say is that Arnie has a lot of work ahead of him as Governor of California.  It seems that in this beautiful place, there are violent shootouts in the street every day with semi-automatic weapons.  People also carry around surface-to-air missiles to shoot helicopters from the sky.  George Bush needn’t worry about Iraq when this stuff is going on in his own backyard.  Could all this be any stupider?

The acting too leaves a lot to be desired.  The bad guys are so obvious and 10 minutes into the film I correctly predicted which good guys would magically switch sides.  There’s no method acting here – it’s straight out of a textbook.  Stars Samuel J. Jackson and Colin Farrell share some nice scenes early on (which gave me a glimmer of hope) but any character development becomes lost amid a barrage of bullets.

Reviewing a film like S.W.A.T. is just too easy.  The holes are so obvious.  The criticisms are just flowing off the keyboard.  I didn’t have to think in the theatre and I’m not having to think very hard now either.  Can’t be a good sign.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 December 2003

Weir begins with a bang.  On the open waters, Captain Jack Aubrey (Crowe) and his English crew are suddenly fired upon by a much larger French vessel.  They survive only by sheer luck when a fog rolls in enabling them to disappear into the mist.  Much damaged has been sustained and the loyal crew expect Jack to give the order to return to Portsmouth.  Instead, he asks them to repair at sea and to prepare a counter-attack against the enemy.  Lucky Jack’s heart lies with his country and he will fight for it at any cost.

The ship’s surgeon and close friend Stephen Maturin (Bettany) voices his criticism of the decision.  He thinks it foolish to risk the lives of the young men aboard when the enemy is so much more powerful.  Stephen believes Jack’s pride is affecting his judgement and he does not see the risks for what they are.  It is time for important decisions to be made.

You can see where the $135m was spent when you look at the immaculate attention to detail.  The costumes and make-up applied to the crew are the work of only the very best.  The visual effects are flawless and you’ll never once question the realism of what appears in front of your eyes.  I was most impressed with the quality of sound and how the smallest of background noises still stick in my mind.  Nothing is ever second rate for Peter Weir and if you’ve seen any of his previous works, such as The Truman Show, Dead Poets Society or Gallipoli, you’ll know this already.

When you break it down, there aren’t a lot of specific action scenes.  There are only two major battles in total.  The attraction to the film is watching the sense of bonding amongst the crew and marvelling the work of a master tactictioner outcrafting a much larger opponent.  Who doesn’t love rooting for underdog?

Russell Crowe’s performance is superb (as expected) but don’t overlook the equally impressive Paul Bettany.  He can transform his voice and appearance with apparent ease.  It can’t possibly be the same guy we saw in A Knight’s Tale and A Beautiful Mind?  Let’s hope Academy voters feel the same way.  It’s a strong younger cast too with Weir uncovering some new stars who couldn’t have started their careers any better.

This is action at its very finest.  The kind of movie where you get caught up in the adventure and where the world outside the cinema is completely forgotten.  It’s great stuff.