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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 November 2021

When it comes to remakes and reboots, Hollywood has a natural tendency to stick what works. From comic book adaptations like Spider-Man, to dramas-turned-musicals like A Star is Born, to action-fests like King Kong, to period piece dramas like Little Women, to like-action transfers like Beauty and the Beast, to slasher-thrillers like Halloween, to iconic Westerns like True Grit. The rationale is obvious – if it’s made money before, there’s a good chance it’ll make money again.

Dune goes against the grain. Yes, it’s based on the best-selling 1965 science-fiction novel from author Frank Herbert but when first adapted for the screen in 1984, it was both a critical and financial failure. America’s two leading film critics of the time, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, described it as “the biggest disappointment of the year” and “needlessly complicated”. It made just $30 million USD at the local box-office (below its budget) and even director David Lynch admitted it was “a total failure”.

The most noticeable difference in this new adaptation from French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Arrival) is that it’s a two-parter with the second instalment slated for release in late 2023. Having five hours to work with, as opposed to just two, provides a far greater opportunity to explore this interesting world and flesh out the many characters within it. Utilising the latest technology in terms of both visual and sound effects also provides a leg-up over its cheaper-looking predecessor.

The plot is hard to surmise succinctly but to do my best, Dune is a multi-way power struggle set in the distant future (the year 10191 to be precise). The desert planet of Arrakis contains the most valuable substance in the universe – a “spice” used as fuel for interstellar travel. Three key groups are looking to control it – the alliance-building House Atredies, the villainous House Harkonnen, and the native population of Freman. Oh, I should mention the planet is also home to some giant, people-eating worms!

Whilst the film boasts one of the largest big-name casts of the year, this is Timothée Chalamet’s show. He’s front and centre throughout and his impassioned, note-perfect performance is the key reason why audiences will invest their emotions. He plays the stylish Paul Atreides, heir to his family’s throne and a powerful young warrior who is discovering and harnessing newfound skills, both physical and mental, that will be pivotal in deciding the future of Arrakis. Following on from his Oscar nominated performance in Call Me by Your Name and scene-stealing efforts in Little Women, I’m convinced the 25-year-old Chalamet is one of the best actors of his generation.

Villeneuve has been publicly critical of a decision made by Warner Bros. to release his film simultaneously in cinemas and HBO Max in the United States. That view could be seen as arrogant and near-sighted (given everything that’s happened with COVID) but having seen the finished product, it’s easier to see why he wants it seen in packed movie theatres.

Dune is as much an experience as it is a movie – an orgy of immersive visuals, music and sound that pull you into its enthralling world. I bought my first Hans Zimmer soundtrack three decades ago (Backdraft) and Dune will be the next addition to the collection. The 64-year-old composer is the master of adrenalin-pumping scores (Interstellar is a masterpiece) and this is another beauty. Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser (Lion) also deserves a shout-out for the distinctive contrasts he creates (interior v. exterior shots) and the use of tight facial close-ups in pivotal scenes. It resembles a poetic Terrence Malick film in places.

While the original Dune struggled, early reviews and box-office figures suggest Villeneuve’s remake is being received far more positively. Deservedly so.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 November 2021

I’ve often made reference to unusual forms of inspiration that spawn a movie. Pirates of the Caribbean remains the high-water mark – a $4.5 billion USD franchise stemming from a 1960s amusement park ride. Zola won’t match that box-office but it too comes from quirky origins. An unknown stripper posted some tweets, they went viral, Rolling Stone published an article, and now the whole story has been adapted for the big screen by writer-director Janicza Bravo alongside co-writer Jeremy O. Harris.

I’ll quickly summarise the story but will employ less colourful language as that used in the original 148-tweed thread. Two strippers meet for the first time in Detroit and then go on a whirlwind Florida road trip, accompanied by a clingy boyfriend and a dodgy pimp, to hit up some lucrative strip clubs and make bigger cash. Told through the eyes of the group’s newcomer, Zola (Page), the trip doesn’t go to plan and involves dingy hotels, prostitution, physical altercations, stolen money, guns and a second-story balcony.

The second of the two strippers, Stefani (Keough), is a ball of extraverted energy who seemingly never stops talking. She’s the perfect analogy for the film itself. Framed as a dark comedy and with a run time of just 90 minutes, Zola feels like it’s pitched at those with short attention spans. It’s a wild, crazy ride that starts quickly, moves quickly and finishes quickly. The fast-paced editing, exemplified by a scene where Stefani prostitutes herself with several men, contributes to this vibe.

Zola is the second feature film from 40-year-old American director Janicza Bravo. She’s caught the eye of many given both films, Lemon and now Zola, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The end result shows she has a great sense of humour (highlighted by a Whoopi Goldberg joke) and knack for bringing the best out of her actors. I also admired the splashes of creativity such as a simple scene involving a bouncing basketball.

Taylour Paige (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Riley Keough (American Honey) are both very good in the leading roles. In keeping with the themes of the film, they have fun with the characters while also showing us an uglier, seedier side to the United States that you won’t find on postcards. I was expecting a touch more from the finale but you should still give this a look.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 November 2021

There are a group of renowned film festivals considered to be the “Big 5” – Cannes, Toronto, Venice, Berlin, and Sundance. Earlier this year, Titane took home the top prize at Cannes while Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn did similar at Berlin. If you’re a fan of quality international cinema, it’s a great time to be going to the movies here in Australia because both films are being released simultaneously on 25 November 2021. They’d make a wild double feature!

Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn is utterly bonkers. You may not like it… but you certainly won’t forget it. It’s set in Romania and is centred on a middle-aged female school teacher, Emi (Pascariu), dealing with the ramifications of a leaked sex tape. The sex was consensual (it was with her husband) but the release of the tape was not.

Having gone viral on porn websites and been shared amongst the students, an urgent parent-teacher conference has been called to decide Emi’s fate. To describe how narrow minded some of these parents are, I was waiting for Helen Lovejoy from The Simpsons to appear and scream out “won’t someone please think of the children!”

Writer-director Radu Jude hits you from the opening scene. Rather than skirt around the subject, he shows the sex tape in detail. It’s some of the most explicit stuff I’ve seen in a mainstream film but it’s not intended to be gratuitous. It allows audiences to see exactly what the parents and students have seen and decide for themselves if anything is wrong with it. How would you react if your teenage child had seen a similar sex tape involving their teacher? Who bears responsibility?

Jude’s 106-minute film is split into three very different parts. The first act follows Emi walking through the streets of Bucharest where she talks on her phone, gets into an argument with a driver, and does a bit of shopping. There’s not a lot of dialogue but it’s still an inspired way to learn about the character. The camera is often kept at a voyeuristic distance and it helps us appreciate that while Emi is dealing with a very serious matter, she’s just an ordinary person. It provides a nice view of Bucharest also.

The second part is a 20-minute interlude that answers a question no one has asked - could you turn the dictionary into a movie? Jude throws a bunch of words on the screen and then, using a mix of visual images and subtitles, explains his interpretation of each. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Did it offer something? I don’t know.

The final chapter is where the film transforms into a viciously dark comedy. The parents congregate and Emi is forced to defend herself. She puts up a good fight! When coming up against the sexist, one-eyed, closed-minded parents who shirk all responsibility (such as why their kids access porn sites in the first place), it’s easy for Emi to go on the counterattack and poke holes in their arguments.

Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn marks one of the first films set in a COVID-19 world. For example, the parent-teacher meeting takes place outside in a courtyard with everyone socially distancing, wearing masks, and getting temperature checks. Jude uses this to create off-beat humour. There’s a great scene where a parent launches a verbal spray against Emi while wearing a face mask with a smiley face on the front. It makes them very hard to take seriously!

The whole meeting is farcical. The attendees are deciding the future of a loyal, hard-working teacher and yet they’re talking over the top of each other and letting their mobile phones ring throughout. There’s another darkly funny moment where you can hear the sex tape in the background (it’s being shown to a late arrival) while someone else has the floor and is trying to make a serious point. The ending (which I won’t spoil) is as insane and as memorable as everything which precedes it.

As Romania’s official entry for the best international feature film category at next year’s Academy Awards, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn lives up to its bat-shit crazy title.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 November 2021

A cool, suave, sophisticated, gizmo-using, cocktail-loving secret agent who can dodge a thousand bullets an hour and extricate himself from any situation.  Secretive, London-based, government officials who work in spacious offices and have unlimited financial resources to pursue any activity or technology.  Villains with non-English accents who are intent on destroying the world and supported by a small army of unexplained henchmen.  A screenplay spread across several international locations that features car chases, gun battles, fist fights, and elaborate opening credits backed by a cool new music number.

The formula has been tweaked slightly over the past half-century (less misogyny, more equality) but for the most part, the producers stick to what works and the public keep turning up.  All five of the Daniel Craig helmed Bond flicks, including No Time to Die, have grossed more than $500 million USD at the global box-office.  One could argue this Bond film is as important as ever because, given the 18-month delay in its release due to COVID-19, struggling cinemas will be keen to see audiences return and revenues boosted.

For the most part, No Time to Die is a textbook James Bond movie.  Our beloved hero, played for the final time by Craig, is blissfully enjoying his retirement in idyllic Jamacia.  That is until an old friend (Wright) tracks him down and asks for assistance in locating a kidnapped scientist who had been working on an “off the books” government-developed viral weapon that has now fallen into the wrong hands.

It’ll help if you’ve seen Spectre, the most-recent Bond release from 2015, to fully appreciate the backstory of the baddies, headlined by Christoph Waltz, and the love interests, led by Léa Seydoux.  The key additions this time around are a new agent played by Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel), a charismatic, scene-stealing rookie played by Ana de Armas (Knives Out), and a villain played by Oscar-winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody).  The motivations of the later are somewhat flimsy but I’ll give the writers credit for formulating a creative, semi-realistic plan.

What elevates this above a standard action movie is the direction of Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation) who infuses the film with memorable set pieces and a distinctive style.  This is illustrated early on with an intense car chase involving a bullet-proof Aston Martin weaving through the narrow streets of Matera, Italy.  That in itself is fun but the best part of the scene is when the car isn’t moving – the moment where Bond, always one step ahead of his adversaries, is happy to take sustained machine gun fire while patiently planning his counterattack.

Comfortably pulling their weight are cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land) and editors Tom Cross (Whiplash) and Elliot Graham (Milk).  They’ve found some great camera angles and don’t fall into the trap of over-editing the action.  The occasional use of long takes, particularly with regards to the one-on-one fighting, gives these sequences a heightened force and credibility.

Star Daniel Craig tore cartilage in his right shoulder making Quantum of Solace, ruptured his calf muscles in Skyfall, and broke his leg during the filming of Spectre.  He didn’t escape this time either.  The “perfectionist” Craig injured his ankle while shooting scenes in Jamacia and minor surgery was required.  It’s hard not to be impressed by the passionate physicality he brings to the role (he’s been such a great Bond).  It’s also easy to understand why the 53-year-old is happy to hand in his “007” badge and look for roles with less chance of hurt!

It was pushing my attention span at 163 minutes (the longest Bond film ever made) but No Time to Die is a fitting end for this chapter.  The James Bond franchise is as loved and as popular as ever.  I’m intrigued to see where it goes next…

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 November 2021

Blue Bayou is a fictional story based on thousands of true stories. Writer-director Justin Chon first learned several years ago that Korean American adoptees were being deported from the United States because of a shocking technicality. During the 1970s and 80s, many Korean children were adopted by American families.

Despite the adoption being legal and despite being raised in the US for almost their entire life, these now fully grown adults faced deportation today because they were not protected by the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. That piece of legalisation, approved unanimously by both the House and Representatives and the Senate, only covered those aged 17 or less when brought into law in February 2001.

It’s head-scratching to think about. Imagine being deported back to a country where you have no home, no job, no family, no friends, and no memories? While accurate figures don’t exist, The National Council of Adoption estimates there are between 15,000 and 18,000 people brought to the US as legal adoptees who do not have American citizenship. Most don’t realise until they need to apply for passports, driver’s licences, or social security cards. The political willpower to change the legislation hasn’t been forthcoming.

In addition to his writing and directing duties, Chon takes on the lead role of Antonio LeBlanc, a Korean-born man who was adopted as a 3-year-old and brought to the United States by his new family in 1988. He didn’t have the best upbringing but he’s left that behind and is trying to forge a better life with his wife, Kathy (Vikander), and his step-daughter, Jessie (Kowalske). They’re a happy family but money is tight. Antonio works as a tattoo artist while Kathy is a rehabilitation nurse.

It all goes awry when Antonio is arrested by two not-so-nice cops with one of them being Kathy’s vengeful ex-husband who is unhappy with the lack of visitation rights involving his daughter. It’s at this point where Antonio is brought to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is set to be deported. His only chance is to plead his case before the courts but it’s an expensive exercise with high stakes. If he loses, he will never be allowed back into the country again and it could separate him from his wife and child.

Blue Bayou is an eye-opening movie with a flawed, interesting protagonist. You can’t help but feel sorry for Antonio (he’s trapped in such an awful, helpless situation) but there are times when, as part of his desperation, he becomes his own worst enemy. For example, he steals motorbikes to help pay his legal bills but solving one problem only creates another.

A few parts to the finale feel overly melodramatic (like a late scene where an injured Antonio rocks up on Kathy’s doorstep and doesn’t offer an explanation) and a subplot involving a terminally ill Vietnamese refuge (Pham) feels undercooked but Blue Bayou is still an important story that hits you in the feels and needed to be told.