Reviews


Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Written by:Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Harold Perrineau
Released: May 16, 2003
Grade: B+

The Oxford English dictionary defines hype as the “intensive promotion of product”.  In Hollywood circles hype is more accurately defined as “money”.  It’s the new craze for big studios – spread the early word through the internet, commence the phenomenally large media campaign, have the film open on a record number of screens, and then sit back and watch people book tickets weeks in advance as they panic with the thought they might not be able to see it on the opening weekend.

For any knowledgeable filmgoer, the problem here is that people talk more about a film before seeing it rather than after seeing it.  Is this a problem?  This time next week, The Matrix Reloaded will be a faded memory and all that will be heard is the hype for the next “must see movie of the year”.  On an unrelated matter, 2 Fast 2 Furious is released on June 5 and The Hulk is released on June 26.   The only film I can recall that had massive hype both before and after its release was 1997’s Titanic which still stands as the highest grossing film ever.

Back now to The Matrix Reloaded and it is a pretty good film.  It’s nothing more than that.  I do recommend it and have much positive to say but please, let’s keep things in perspective.  If you can’t recall many details from the original The Matrix, you either need to head to the video store or forget about seeing this.  It’s a complicated premise and creators Andy and Larry Wachowski don’t waste time rehashing past events.

I stress the point again that this story is intricately complicated.  Having heavily criticised the toilet humour and general unintelligence lacing so many American flicks of recent years, you’d think I’d be munching my popcorn with extra fervour at the thought of a film which reverses this trend.  It is a matter of judgement from one person to the next but I concede that despite listening enthusiastically, I found the philosophical dialogue too heavy to fully comprehend.

As intelligent as the film’s concept is and as unique as the Wachowski brothers are, the film still applies unoriginal formulas.  The key actions sequences are evenly spread throughout the film.  One person can still beat off many attackers.  Someone can fire a truckload of bullets and still miss.  I stand by my comments from 1999 that the amazing special effects do mask the limitations in the screenplay.

Before I become too negative, there is much to be excited about.  The special effects are the finest ever seen.  The best illustration is found during a lengthy scene where Keanu Reeves battles a large number of enemies who all look like Hugo Weaving.  Computers are wonderful tools but for a film critic, it creates a new problem.  Should I be praising the performance of actor Hugo Weaving in playing so many characters or should I be praising the visual effects crew for generating so many lifelike computer images?  The same can be said for a dazzling highway chase sequence but real or not, they sure got my heart pumping.

To address the film’s plot, we once again follow Neo (Reeves), Trinity (Moss) and Morpheus (Fishburne) in their quest to save the human race and uncover more secrets of the matrix.  As they battle an endless stream of enemies, their underground world of Zion remains under threat from giant machines who are tunnelling their way through the Earth’s crust.  To be honest, very little is resolved as the bulk of the drama has been saved for the final film, The Matrix Revolutions, to be released in Australia on November 6.  The hype is scheduled to begin on October 16.

    


Directed by: Chris Ver Wiel
Written by:Chris Ver Wiel
Starring: Christian Slater, Tim Allen, Portia de Rossi, Richard Dreyfuss, Billy Connolly
Released: May 8, 2003
Grade: B+

Thanks to my capacity as a film critic, I saw this film.  I found it very enjoyable and would recommend it to most people.  But it’ll make very little difference because the film will likely be pulled from cinemas after this, its opening week.  With the extraordinary effort required to make a motion picture, the creators here have left themselves down with the disappointing and forgettable title, Who Is Cletis Tout?  Also not helping matters is the zero advertising the film has received in Australia.  So when you aren’t telling people about a forgettable film, how the hell can you expect it to succeed?

If you do happen to see this flick (most likely on video), you’ll see it has cinematic wit.  We begin in a hotel room with hitman Critical Jim (Allen) preparing to shoot Trevor Finch (Slater) who he believes is Cletis Tout.  Jim just has to wait 90 minutes for the hit fee to be deposited into his bank account and Trevor will be history.  Trevor knows his time is short unless he can convince Jim that he is not Tout and knowing Jim’s love for classical movies, he explains his story as if it were a Hollywood screenplay.

It begins with a flashback.  Magician Micah Donnelly (Dreyfuss) robs a bank and hides millions of dollars in diamonds beside a tree in an empty field.  Having spent over 20 years in jail for the heist, Micah has devised a plan to escape, reclaim the loot and live happily ever after with his daughter Tess (de Rossi).  Trevor Finch has been a good friend to Micah in jail and he offers him the chance to escape with him.

All goes to plan and looking for a place to hide out, Trevor calls on friend Dr. Savian (Connolly) who works at the morgue.  Savian also can provide Micah and Trevor will new identities but it is here where plans go askew.  Fresh in the morgue is a photo journalist by the name of Cletis Tout and Savian gives Trevor his paperwork so he can assume his identity.  The problem being that Tout was in possession of a revealing video and killed as a result of it.  With word on the street that Tout is still alive, Trevor now finds himself a wanted man.

It’s a genuinely interesting film and was created from the mind of newcomer Chris Ver Wiel.  In was actually shot three years ago but took two years to find a distributor in the States and until now to find a distributor in Australia.  Tim Allen’s character is a lover of classical cinema and audience members with a similar love will get a kick out of the famous movie quotes he recites along the way.  Also of note is the unusual method Wiel adopts to tell the story – by having Trevor “pitch” the story to Jim as if it were a movie (with the irony being that we are actually watching it as a movie).  It was Allen’s character I enjoyed most but I was impressed by the whole ensemble.

The novelty of the film wears a little thin in the later scenes but there are a few cute twists and turns to keep focus.  Overall, it’s a strong release.  But the question is not who is Cletis Tout but rather who is going to see Who Is Cletis Tout?

    


Directed by: Bryan Singer
Written by:Daniel P. Harris
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Anna Paquin, Aaron Stanford, Kelly Hu, Bruce Davison, Shawn Ashmore
Released: April 30, 2003
Grade: A-

My major criticism of the first X-Men film was the focus on character introductions rather than plot development.  Now that we’re fully aware of these mutants, we can concentrate on their plight for equality and in this regard, X2 is right on the mark.

Original director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) has returned to the series he is using to define his career.  The very opening scene is an action packed visual feast as new mutant Nightcrawler (Cumming) makes an attack on the President at the White House.  At their secret school, mutant leader Professor Charles Xavier (Stewart) is immediately investigating the incident to uncover who is behind it and who would be willing to jeopardise human-mutant relations.  Using both the power of his mind and “cerebra” machine, he tracks the Nightcrawler to Boston and sends Jean (Janssen) and Storm (Berry) to capture him.

They will soon learn that scientist William Stryker (Cox) is out to destroy the world’s mutant population and it was his special drug that enabled him to dictate the actions of Nightcrawler.  To uncover the location of the school and the secrets behind the cerebra machine, he’s using the same controlling techniques on the imprisoned Magneto (McKellan).  Learning the only way to destroy mutants will be to control the mind of Xavier, Stryker uses his military influence to attack the school and kidnap him.

However, due to public demand following the success of X-Men, Wolverine (Jackman) is the central character here.  Following an unsuccessful quest to discover his past, he had only just returned to the school before Stryker’s attack.  He helps fellow mutants Rogue (Paquin), Iceman (Ashmore) and Pyro (Stanford) escape and they begin the quest to find Xavier and restore order to the world of mutants.

At over two hours, X2 is an unrelenting treat for filmgoers.  There are traits of a crappy American summer blockbuster (look to some of the dialogue for examples) but the many unique characters and well-developed plot more than compensate.  Younger cast members are given expanded roles (a deliberate studio intention I’m sure) with Shawn Ashmore as Ice Man, Anna Paquin as Rogue and Aaron Stanford as Pyro leading the charge.  On sheer acting ability though, I cannot go past the amazing Ian McKellan as Magneto – every moment on screen was a treasure.

I believe there are two features of the X-Men that separate them from other superheros, making the series ideal for a screen adaptation.  Firstly, there isn’t a single hero.  Director Bryan Singer understands there are many characters who all have an important part in this story.  With editor John Ottman and cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel they use the action scenes to give everyone a chance to fully display their wide array of mutant talents.  Secondly, while there is both hero and villain, there is also that which lies in between.  Magneto and Mystique are the characters I specifically refer to and their intriguing unpredictability is a valuable asset.

In Australia, the film has been released one day earlier than the traditional Thursday to help ease the expected weekend cinema congestion.  Before trekking off to see it, I’d advise rewatching the original film as no time is wasted here explaining the past.  X2 deserves to be a success and a combination of marketing and word-of-mouth will ensure it will be.  In one of those rare moments I find myself already anticipating, which much eagerness, the next instalment.

    


Directed by: Rolf de Heer
Written by:Rolf de Heer
Starring: Gary Sweet, Helen Buday, Bogdan Koca
Released: May 8, 2003
Grade: B

It may only be showing in a handful on cinemas across Australia but those that have seen the masterful trailer, will itching to know how the film ends.  It’s Steve’s birthday.  He is woken up by his two children, Sam and Emma.  They give him his presents.  His wife Alexandra doesn’t give him his present.  He has to wait until he arrives home from work that night to get his “surprise”.

Steve then heads to work and goes about his day.  In fact, he gets a promotion – the ideal gift.  The only downside is a $1,000 invoice he gets from a security guy (coincidentally his next door neighbour) who has just installed for Alexandra, a massive security system on the home.  Back at the house, Alexandra is putting her “project” into place.  She has ordered a taxi for the kids and received the expected phone call.  It is time.

Returning from work, Steve expects a surprise party but it’s anything but.  The house is deserted, the lights and telephones don’t work, all the locks have been changed and he suddenly finds himself a captive in his own home.  Is this all part of the joke?  On top of the television is a video with the inscription “play me dad”.  He does and his world will never be the same again.

There are two ways to look at Alexandra’s Project.  Firstly, it is a wonderfully suspenseful film with ideal director and flawless acting.  Rolf De Heer (The Tracker) brings amazing intrigue to the story and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole way – don’t dare look away.  There are twists at every turn.  Stars Gary Sweet and Helen Buday give intensely brave performances that require them to draw on the deepest emotions.  Their roles also require full-frontal nudity with Buday spending much of the film unclothed.  I’d tip both to walk away with Australian Film Industry awards later this year.

Yet despite all the praise and all the adjectives I can use to describe DeHeer, Sweet and Buday, I cannot overlook the flimsy screenplay.  Driving home from the cinema, I reflected back on the film’s key moments and found the harder I looked, the more holes I could find.  To not ruin the plot, I won’t reveal specifics but in forcing the ending to work, DeHeer has made the events that precede it seem too manufactured.  Things fall into place too easily for Alexandra.

Don’t even ask what the message is.  It’s open to interpretation and don’t be easily led astray by the obvious conclusion most will draw from the ending.  In the final scenes, DeHeer tries to heavily influence our judgement in deciding who is good and who is bad.  I don’t believe it’s this simple and if this is DeHeer’s intention it is a fatal mistake.

Thus, Alexandra’s Project finds itself as a film which deserves both warm acclaim and heavy criticism.  What I can guarantee is that it will provide more than enough conversation exiting the theatre.

    


Directed by: Miguel Arteta
Written by:Mike White
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson, Zooey Deschanel
Released: April 24, 2003
Grade: B+

For an actor, the crossover from television into film is a challenging hurdle and for Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl may be proof that she’s successfully made the transition.  Her character, Justine, has recently turned 30 and is at a crossroads in her life.   She’s been married to her husband Phil (Reilly) for seven years but they have been successful in conceiving a child.  He’s a painter, she works as a shop assistant at the Retail Rodeo and their life together is quite dull.  The word “love” seems to have lost its meaning.

Deep down, Justine knows this but she is trapped by routine and lacks the courage to make a change.  At her work, a new employee grabs her attention.  Holden (Gyllenhaal) is a 22-year-old loner who doesn’t socialise with the other staff, eats lunch on his own, and generally says very little.  Justine introduces herself and Holden, sensing an attraction, opens up.  He’s recovering alcoholic who dropped out of college and is now living back home with his parents.  What they both share is a disenchantment with their own lives and their depression acts as a catalyst to bring them together.

The two begin an affair but the secret reaches a point where it can no longer be contained.  Holden wants them to elope and leave the misery behind by starting a fresh life together.  Justine’s decision isn’t quite as clear.  Despite the lack of passion in their relationship, how can she leave her always courteous and faithful husband?  Things are further complicated when Phil’s best friend, Bubba (Nelson), sees Justine with Holden and intends to use the information to blackmail her.  It’s a life changing moment for Justine. Choices need to be made but there is no time in which to make them.

Aniston is wonderful and in touch with her character.  Her consistent expression is one of boredom and you hear the tiredness in her voice.  Further, she uses her emotions to help the audience empathise with her situation – she’s not necessarily making all the right decisions but we understand why she is making them.  Love interest Jake Gyllenhaal (who starred in the brilliant October Sky and Donnie Darko) also plays an intriguing character although I would have liked him to have a greater screen presence with a deeper insight into his “psychotic” persona.  Zooey Deschanel gives the film light comic relief with a cute performance as Justine’s assistant, Cheryl.

I praised the quality of Mike White’s screenplay in last year’s Orange County and my opinion is unchanged having seen The Good Girl.  Perhaps the plot meanders and focuses on the wrong elements during its middle scenes but it’s an ending I like to describe as honest.  What I mean by this is that the somewhat surprising finale is well supported by that which precedes it.  All the pieces of the puzzle fit.  Miguel Arteta’s direction is in most cases top-notch although there were a few indoor scenes that looked off with their “grainy” feel.  What I will single out was the immaculate dinginess of the Retail Rodeo – I loved constantly looking in the background at all the little odds and ends of the store.

Like many small-budget productions, The Good Girl premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and since, the word has been largely positive.  Honoured at the Independent Spirit Awards for best screenplay (beating out such films as Lovely & Amazing and Roger Dodger), it’s a offbeat delight for those who like their movies to focus on plot development rather than action or special effects.  Hmmm, no wonder I liked it.

    


Directed by: Niki Caro
Written by:Niki Caro
Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa
Released: May 8, 2003
Grade: B+

Custom and tradition are an important part of Mauri life.  11-year-old Paikea (Castle-Hughes) respects this heritage but her life suffers as a result of events that were beyond her control.  For over 1,000 years, a male heir has been born to be raised as the community’s new chief.  Pleasing the current chief Koro (Paratene) was news that the wife of his eldest son Porourangi (Curtis) had given birth two twins (one boy and one girl) - all fit nicely into place.

Tragedy then struck.  The wife did not survive the childbirth and the baby boy died shortly after.  In a mix of grief and distaste for his own father, Porourangi left the coastal village and headed to Europe to leave the mess far behind him.  Paikea, the young baby girl, was then raised by her grandfather Koro and grandmother Flowers (Haughton).

Back in the present, the question has arisen who will succeed Koro as chief.  He prays to the gods for guidance and decides to train other first born males in the community and test them to see which is most worthy.  Paikea too wants a chance to train but the steadfast Koro is disgusted that she would dare make such a suggestion – a woman cannot and will not be chief.  With relations badly strained between Paikea and her grandfather, the gods will soon intervene and give her the chance to prove herself…

You may not have heard of the film before but Whale Rider arrives in Australia with quite a reputation.  It won the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival in 2002.  One only need look at recent winners of this award to see the weight that it carries.  Amelie (2001), Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000), American Beauty (1999), Life Is Beautiful (1998) between them earned 12 Academy Awards and 31 overall nominations.  How’s that for a track record?

Perhaps I’ve been jaded by the hype but despite enjoying the film, I can’t think of it as being something amazing or memorable.  The film’s trailer promised this would be a film that would move me, but my emotions were well in check here.  The only aspect of the film for which the hype was justified was the performance of young Keisha Castle-Hughes.  She gives an incredibly brave performance that asks her to harness a range of feelings.  This must be a huge relief to the casting crew who auditioned over 10,000 girls and only found Keisha, who had never acted before, at a New Zealand primary school.

Whale Rider is based on a 1985 novel from author Witi Ihimaera.  The film itself is filmed at Witi’s hometown of Whangara which is on New Zealand’s East Coast.  The location mirrors that of the novel and ensures all the physical aspects of the book are translated perfectly onto the screen.  It’s a story particular to the Mauri people which would ordinarily have me question its appeal to a wider audience but results from festivals like Toronto allay any doubts.

Overall, it’s a nice, enjoyable film that you almost certainly won’t dislike.  Whether it goes above and beyond though is a decision I will leave to yourself as I cannot find the evidence to support such a claim.