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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 July 2003

For a while, I thought Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle was a soft porn film.  How so?  Well the leading actresses walk around with practically nothing on.  The dialogue in horribly cheesy.  There’s an abundance of sexual innuendo.  There is no plot.  Unfortunately, I soon realised that Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu weren’t going to provide the “money shots” and this left the film in limbo – there’s not enough nudity for it to be a porno but there’s not enough story for it to be a motion picture.

If you’re not a fan of “plots” and you’re seeing this film because of the action factor, you’ll also be disappointed.  The action sequences are filled with outrageously far-fetched special effects and poorly selected body doubles.  The director, known only as McG, shows no creativity in the action moves.  I was bored with the continual backflips and Matrix-like effects after just 5 minutes.

Columbia Tristar produced this junk and used its clout to secure a few cameos.  In a move I cannot explain, John Cleese appears as Liu’s father in a mere handful of scenes.  He does next-to-nothing and why he’d be attracted to the roll dumbfounds me.  Did Columbia put a gun to his head?  It seems the most likely explanation.  The same could be said for Matt LeBlanc and Luke Wilson who reprise their roles from the original as the Angel’s boyfriends.  Tom Green is the only boyfriend who did not return for this film but that’s likely to have something to do with the fact he both married and divorced Drew Barrymore in 2001.  It just wouldn’t work having them both on the set with their “irreconcilable differences”.

One actor who deserves praise is Bill Murray who has not reprised his role as Bosley.  Instead, the character is played American comedian Bernie Mac.  I can’t be too critical of Bernie since I couldn’t understand much of what he said.  He has a new sidekick too – a kid called Max who wins the award for the most useless person in a supporting role.

During the closing credits, we get the now familiar look at all the outtakes.  These aren’t amusing in the slightest and it highlights just how ignorant these actors are.  Just because you are having fun on the set doesn’t necessarily mean your audience will.  The credits close with Diaz, Barrymore and Liu laughing hysterically.  I believe those scenes were shot when the day they received their multi-million dollar pay checks.

Action aside, the film gets really nasty when it goes for the heart-strings.  A sub-plot involves Barrymore leaving the Angels because she doesn’t want her own past jeopardising their lives.  I can put up with bad action but if you’re going to trivialise it with sappy emotional stuff, then that’s the final straw.

I have never seen the Charlie’s Angles television series but I’m positive that it was more interesting that this tripe.  Action is a popular genre but this is pure overkill.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 June 2003

Barely a teenager, Astrid’s (Lohman) life is forever changed when her mother, Ingrid (Pfeiffer) is found guilty of murdering her boyfriend.  Importantly, the film doesn’t dwell on the details of this event.  There’s no drawn out court trial or doubt as to her guilt.  Ingrid is getting the punishment that she deserves.

With no father to care for her, Astrid now finds herself bouncing from foster home to foster home.  It’s a difficult time for an impressionable young lady and she changes very much as a person through the experience.  Her most difficult obstacle though seems to be her mother.  Ingrid was always a controlling mother and is still trying to keep this role from behind bars.  She cannot deal with the fact Astrid has a new “mother” and poisons her mind with unnecessary thoughts.

Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger play two of Astrid’s foster mothers and both meet different fates.  The focus is though on Astrid and her development as a person as a result of the many tragedies that plague her.  You may think it has the makings of a sappy soap opera but don’t let your judgement be clouded in this regard.  It’s a well thought out story that has been adapted from the popular novel by Janet Fitch.  For some, the later stages will bring a tear to the eye.

Michelle Pfeiffer picked up a few award nominations along the way but as I emphasised at the very beginning of this review, don’t overlook Alison Lohman.  White Oleander should open many doors for her and with the right choices, she’ll be a star of the future.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 June 2003

Lee is a brilliant director who rose to fame with The Ice Storm (one of my all-time favourite films) and Sense & Sensibility.  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is his highest-grossing film to date and it also earned him the best director prize from the Directors’ Guild Of America.  His choosing of a project like The Hulk came as a complete surprise to me but from the very beginning of the film itself, I could see his reasons for doing so.

With a filming budget of $120m, it would be so easy for a director to take a conservative path to ensure box-office success.  Instead, Lee has mixed up the standard screenplay with some wonderful camera and editing techniques.  There are some magical fade-ins between scenes but my personal favourite touch were the split-screen shots where up to four camera angles appeared on screen at once.  Ang Lee is not a Hollywood sell-out and this proves he’s willing to take a risk to further his work.

The brilliance of Lee’s direction has not been matched by the script.  I expected a much shorter time in the theatre and the film would have been better served without the heavy padding at the very end.  There’s also a distinctive lack of adventure.  The focus of the film is on Bruce Banner’s (aka The Hulk) discovery of his past.  His parents died when he was young (or so he thought) and with the help of semi-love interest Betty Ross, he will uncover the mysteries which plague his dreams.  All well and good but the general public may be let down by the lack of a serious villain.

Younger audiences may also be disturbed by some of the violence.  There’s one scene where The Hulk battles three mutant dogs and it’s considerably violent.  You can see though that an effort has been made to eliminate any human casualties which are a bit silly but necessary for the audience they want to attract.

By now everyone should know that Australian Eric Bana is the next “it thing” in America with his role as the leading guy.  More people seem to focus more on the fact that he is in the movie rather than how good his performance actually is.  In my mind, he’s good but not great and in the final hour, he’s replaced by a scary looking green visual effect.  It can’t have been the most mentally challenging task for Bana and it’s his bank balance that will receive the most benefit.

I haven’t focused too much on the plot since that’s not why you pay your admission fee.  Like all these mega-blockbusters of late, the finale sets up an expected sequel.  So if you want to save yourself time, money and effort, wait until the next instalment is due.  By then, The Hulk will be on free-to-air TV and you’ll be one of the few to say that you haven’t contributed to the box-office success of a film that probably doesn’t deserve it.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 June 2003

Expected to be a one-hit wonder after Ace Ventura, Jim Carrey has evolved as a premium actor.  As I’ve mentioned before, he’s part of an elite group who can successfully deliver in any genre.  As popular and successful as he as been, it’s been almost two years since the last Carrey film – The Majestic.  Bruce Almighty calls on Carrey’s funny side but a few thought provoking moments, aimed at a wide audience, add a little extra.

Carrey is Bruce Nolan, a news reporter looking for an anchor spot on the station’s nightly news program.  Station director Jack Keller (Hall) respects Bruce but has instead given the job to Evan Baxter (Carell) who he sees as a more serious reporter.  It’s a bitter blow for the self-absorbed Bruce who takes out his frustrations during a live broadcast and is promptly fired.

His long-time girlfriend Grace (Aniston) has always been Bruce’s loyal supporter but his reactions to these events reaffirm her doubts that he cares more about himself and his work than their relationship.  Looking for answers as to why he can’t get what he wants out of life, Bruce shouts out to God to give him a sign as to what he must do.  God isn’t going to give him the simple answer.  Played by Morgan Freeman, the great man pays Bruce a visit to provide a divine opportunity.  He will let Bruce be God for a few weeks (complete with all his powers) so he can see just how hard it really is.

The film’s funniest moment arrives when Bruce sabotages a news report of rival Evan Baxter and credit to Steven Carell for his performance in this scene.  It’s generally predictable humour but the limitless energy of Carrey and the lovability of Jennifer Aniston make it a joy to watch.  The film could easily have become a schmaltzy, preachy affair but the experienced screenwriters know better.  They understand the audience will foresee the finale and compensate but providing entertaining humour and a short, compact conclusion.

Bruce Almighty marks the third time director Tom Shadyac (Ace Ventura, Liar Liar) has worked with Carrey and their previous successes are proof they make a great team.  In co-writing the crazy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective nine years ago, they provided the platform that gave each an entry into big-time Hollywood.  Carrey now commands a $20m salary and has two Golden Globe Awards.  Shadyac’s previous five films have grossed $550m in the United States alone and that doesn’t include the $194m that Bruce Almighty has claimed in the past four weeks.  Not a bad stretch for these two good friends.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 June 2003

It begins with Vince (Hawke) silently passing time in his hotel room by sculling a few beers.  Jon (Leonard) then arrives and the two embrace.  Vince and Jon were best friends at school but ten years has passed and they now live different lives.  Both are Michigan to catch up on old times and to celebrate a defining moment in Jon’s career.  A budding filmmaker, Jon’s first major film is to screen at the local film festival tomorrow afternoon.

Vince is a drug dealer who passes himself off as a volunteer fire-fighter in California.  After the initial pleasantries, Jon does what comes naturally and suggests to Vince, as his friend, that it’s time to find a new line of work.  This sets of a carefully planned chain of events for Vince that lead to the unexpected developments and the ultimate conclusion.  Reflecting back, I have doubts as to whether Vince could have planned the next hour with the precision he does but it is a minor criticism.

Defensive of Jon’s criticism, Vince turns the table on Jon by recalling a fateful night in their final year at high school.  Vince dated sweetheart Amy Randall (Thurman) but the two broke up just prior to graduation.  Jon then had a one-night stand with Amy which surprised Vince since he and Amy never slept together during their full relationship.  Vince always suspected Jon raped Amy but nothing was ever said.  Now, Vince wants the answers and is willing to risk his friendships to uncover the truth…

The history of director Richard Linklater’s shows a man with great creativity.  In 1993, he made crazy drug comedy Dazed And Confused which seems to get better with age.  It’s a film Entertainment Weekly rated in the top 20 cult films of all time.  His last work was the trippy animation flick Waking Life that left critics in awe of its complexity and originality.  Trivia fans will be interested by the fact that Tape marks the fourth time star Ethan Hawke has starred in a Linklater film. 

Tape has been shot with only two simple hand-held camcorders and thanks to seamless editing by Sandra Adair, it looks like one continuous take.  I am unsure the screenwriter’s intentions as varying interpretations exist as to the “goodness” presented in each of the characters.  In my eyes, Vince acts insanely and Jon is very harshly treated but others may share a differing opinion.  I won’t ramble on with a detailed analysis as it may influence your own objectivity.

Beginning it’s life as a play, the cinematic equivalent of Tape was released in the United States over 18 months ago  It has since done its run on the film festival circuit with major showings at Sundance and Toronto.  The small cast, budget and release are in no way correlated to the film’s success.  Like good dinner conversation, it is always interesting.