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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 July 2021

Cinema has always been a mix of art and commerce.  There are actors, filmmakers and craftsmen who are willing to work for free (or close to it) if it gives them creative control and the chance to make something distinctive, meaningful and personal.  On the flip side, there are big Hollywood studios who are focused largely on box-office figures and who will use their influence to make casting and script decisions that maximise ticket sales.

Space Jam: A New Legacy feels like 99% commerce and 1% art.  The lead actor has been chosen because he’s one of the most accomplished basketball players of all time and not because he’s a scene-stealing, nuanced actor.  The endless film references (everything from Austin Powers to Casablanca) have been chosen because they promote existing Warner Bros. product and not because they’re the right fit for the narrative.  The movie itself has only been made because the 1996 original was financially successful and not because there were unresolved subplots that required resolution.

The storyline borrows from formulas utilised in the last film.  NBA star LeBron James (in what I hope isn’t a reflection of reality) portrays himself as a close-minded dad trying to push a basketball career on his not-so-willing son, Dom (Joe).  When he witnesses his son mucking around on the backyard court of their multi-million dollar home, a deadpan LeBron is quick to pull him into line and offer groan-inducing motivational quotes like “you can’t be great without putting in the work.”  For whatever reason, LeBron can’t see that his son is a computer programming prodigy who would rather make video games about basketball than play it professionally himself.

Anyway, through a convoluted series of events involving Warner Bros. executives, LeBron and Dom find themselves sucked into a Tron-like computer world run by the villainous Al-G Rhythm (Cheadle).  He divides the pair and sets up a basketball game that will decide the future of the human race.  LeBron and the Looney Tunes, headlined by Buggs Bunny, take on some of the best players in the world in the Dom-designed video game.  If they’re not in front when the final buzzer sounds, LeBron, his family, and millions of spectators (bizarrely including Pennywise from It) will be trapped in the computer world forever.

Don Cheadle isn’t too bad as the villain and the special effects crew deserve credit for seamlessly blending the animation and live action.  That’s all I have in terms of positives.  The dull, simplistic script limits any potential for this film to become something more fun, more interesting.  The only message (“just be yourself”) is rammed home ad nauseam and the climactic basketball game, with a curiously low scoring final quarter, drags on forever (it’s close to half the entire movie).

The original Space Jam is looked back at fondly but I don’t think this inferior sequel will be held in the same regard.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 June 2021

The uber-successful stage musical Hamilton made creator Lin-Manuel Miranda a household name but it was In the Heights that launched his career.  He was just a 19-year-old studying theatre at an arts college in Connecticut in 1999 when he came up with the idea of a musical set in Washington Heights, a Latino based community in Upper Manhattan close to where he grew up.  He still lives in the area today.

Having worked on the music for several years, the show finally debuted off-Broadway in 2007 before moving to the lucrative Richard Rodgers Theatre on West 46^th Street (the same theatre later used for Hamilton) one year later.  There’s no questioning its critical and commercial success.  It won four Tony Awards, including best new musical and best original score, and ran for on Broadway for close to three years.

In the same vein as other profitable musicals, In the Heights has now been transformed into a big-screen movie for a wider audience to enjoy.  Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book for the original musical, has modernised the plot to make it a closer reflection of current day times in Washington Heights.  The director reins were handed to Jon M. Chu who is quickly building a strong resume on the back of Now You See Me 2 and Crazy Rich Asians.

There are many themes explored in the movie but for me, the ones resonating most strongly deal with home, family and community.  Usnavi (Ramos) is a 20-something-year-old from the Dominican Republic who, not long after his birth, immigrated to the United States with his parents.  His folks passed away when he was young and, having been raising by a feisty surrogate grandmother (Merediz), he now runs a small, shabby corner store in “The Heights”.

Usnavi finds himself torn between two worlds.  Part of him wants to stay in New York with his good friends, his cheeky cousin, and the woman he’s had eyes on for years, Vanessa (Barrera).  The other part of him wants to return to the Dominican Republic, follow his family roots, and revive a rundown beachside bar once owned by his late father.  Where is “home” and what does he want to do with the rest of his life?

There’s no shortage of subplots to keep the large ensemble busy.  There’s a young woman studying at Stanford, a father running a taxi company, a group of gossiping women in a hair salon, a budding fashion designer, a lovestruck man working in car dispatch, a struggling uncle, and a mobile food vendor specialising in piraguas.  It’s a lot to take in but if you can follow the fast-paced lyrics in the opening 8-minute musical number, you’ll learn the background of each character.

The narrative is a touch “light” in that there are no real villains (the closest we get is someone overcharging for dry cleaning) and not much in the way of suspense.  I’d also argue it’s a formulaic love story lacking originality.  All of that said, I enjoyed the cast, the locations, the songs and the themes.  It has a wonderful, infectious energy with a splash of emotion in the final act.  Everyone will have a personal favourite when it comes to performances but it’s hard to go past Olga Merediz as the loving matriarch.

If a fan of musicals, In the Heights is one you’re likely to watch again and again.

You can read my chat with director Jon M. Chu by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 July 2021

Where do you go where you die?  It’s the age-old question which has been theorised in movies including What Dreams May Come, The Lovely Bones, Coco and Soul.  Brazilian-born writer-director Edson Oda, in his feature film debut, looks at the subject from the opposite end of the spectrum - where are you before being born?

Oda has created a fascinating world that is light on detail but big on intrigue.  There are a select group of people, who have already lived on Earth and passed away, that get to choose who is born next.  Will (Duke) is one such person and the bulk of the film is spent watching him test a small group of candidates, all who appear in adult form, to decide which one is worthy for human life.  The successful applicant will be born 9 months later as a baby while the rest fade away into oblivion (a process that is as simple as it is sad).

That’s not the end of it though.  Using a wall of old televisions in his living room, Will keeps a close eye on his previously selections now living on Earth.  He takes studious notes about their activities and their mindset.  He also uses VHS tapes to record major events (e.g. one of them is about to get married) and places it on their “permanent record” in giant filing cabinets.  It’s part of Will’s self-education.  He wants to see who is happy and who is not to help shape future decisions about the types of candidates he should select.

The reason Will is currently interviewing for a “vacancy” is because a young woman he previously selected just committed suicide.  It’s left him in a state of shock and together with a close friend (Wong), he looks back over old notes and recordings to understand why she took her own life and how he missed the warning signs.  He shouldn’t dwell (there’s no big boss to scold him or ask questions) but it’s clearly something he can’t let go.

It’s a great concept but there’s a lack of tension and meaning that preventing me from fully latching on.  The applicants don’t cross paths too often and so the bulk of the film is spent on semi-repetitive one-on-one interview sessions between Will and each character.  It’s hard to work out what he’s looking for.  That said, there are some beautiful sequences where Will helps each of them create one great final memory before fading away.  Star Winston Duke (Black Panther, Us) is at his very best in these scenes.

It doesn’t quite deliver on its emotional mission but Nine Days takes chances and deserves a look.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 June 2021

Given how much division and negativity exists in the world, there are times when a feel-good movie is just what you need to warm the heart, sooth the soul and lift the spirit.  That’s clearly the strategy behind Dream Horse, a British drama that draws from a true story and then milks it for all its worth.  So compelling is this underdog tale, it was previously the subject of a 2015 documentary that won an audience award at the Sundance Film Festival.

We begin by being introduced to Janet Vokes (Collette), a woman from a small, not-so-wealthy community in Wales who works by day as a supermarket checkout operator and by night as a bartender.  You can tell from her facial experiences that this isn’t the life she envisioned. Janet is tired of the same day-after-day routines and she’s looking for something to spice things up.

Her inspiration arrives in the form of a local accountant, Howard Davies (Lewis), who pops into the pub one night and talks about horse racing syndicates.  Janet decides to start one of her own and is able to convince an eclectic group of townsfolk, none of whom have owned a horse before, to chip in 10 pounds per week to cover the costs.  She raises the horse in a makeshift stable on her own property before transferring him into the hands of an experienced trainer to help prepare him for the track.  It’s not long until the prize money starts trickling in…

Dream Horse is so stuffed full of sentimentality that it’s almost impossible to consume.  It is as if writer Neil McKay (Mo, Appropriate Adult) is too scared to include conflict so as not to upset the audience.  When there’s a debate over the horse’s name, it’s resolved in 30 seconds.  When there’s an argument within the syndicate about whether to sell the horse, it’s quickly dispelled and everyone keeps on smiling.  When Howard’s wife validly probes his obvious gambling problem, it’s glossed over because he’s a nice guy and the horse is a success (his family even accompany him to the racetrack to help wrap up that plot point).

I’m not saying this shouldn’t be a feel-good movie.  The problem is that it’s trying a little too hard to be one.  It’s difficult to believe such a diverse group could be part of a syndicate for close to a decade and not have more issues than what is depicted in the film.  Other non-racing subplots, such as Janet’s frosty relationship with her introverted father, also feel like they’re given short shrift for similar reasons.

Despite the limitations of the screenplay, the film is still watchable thanks to the performances of the cast.  Toni Collette (Muriel’s Wedding) gives it everything as the passionate syndicate manager trying to give her life more meaning and purpose.  You’ve got to cheer for her.  The funniest scenes involve Janet and her fellow investees attending race meetings and making the most of their “owner” privileges (much to the chagrin of racing toffs).

If you’re someone who likes uncomplicated true stories and likes seeing good things happen to good people, Dream Horse should do enough to satisfy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 July 2021

When it comes to music biopics and documentaries, the tendency is to focus on well-known artists.  It’s a lot easier to sell tickets and make money when you’re pitching it to the millions of existing fans who adore the likes of Johnny Cash, Freddie Mercury, Elton John, Ray Charles, Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin. 

On top of that, it’s also advisable to pick musicians with massive highs and massive lows.  If you want to create something theatrical and dramatic, it helps when the subject matter has battled drug addictions, marital difficulties and/or financial woes.  Audiences like to see their “heroes” rise to the top, fall down, learn from their mistakes, and then overcome adversity to rise again.

The Sparks Brothers bucks that trend.  It’s a documentary that chronicles the livelihood of two brothers from California, Ron and Russell Mael, who formed a music duo known as Sparks in 1967.  They’ve released 25 albums across more than five decades (which you’d describe as a solid, steady career) but none of their songs ever made it to #1 in a major market.  If interviewing people on the street, I’d bet a sizeable portion of the population have never heard of them before (myself included).

From what we learn in the film, Sparks have developed a cult-like following with many in the music industry.  I like the tagline used on the poster in that they’re “your favourite band’s favourite band”.  It highlights that whilst they never achieved award-winning, millionaire-type fame, their music has shaped and influenced so many other artists that did.

The film follows the natural, chronological order of events – beginning with their first album release in the 1960s and following their career through to the current day.  It’s the creation of director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and it’s hard to believe how many people he got to speak on screen about their admiration and interaction with Sparks over the years.

Wright first met the brothers 6 years ago and he was inspired by how they could keep reinventing themselves and changing their music again and again over half a century.  It’s easy to see the attraction.  I too was immensely entertained listening to Ron and Russell open up – they’re fun, likeable, self-deprecating guys with a great sense of humour.  The same applies to Wright who infuses the documentary with his own off-beat comedy (such as creative subtitling).

The film will appeal to Sparks fans but it’ll be just as enjoyable for others.  It’s nice going into the cinema and not having any preconceived views about the subject (which might not be the case for a Freddie Mercury or Elton John biopic where you know how it will pan out).  It may sound like a stretch at 140 minutes but The Sparks Brothers is one of the year’s best documentaries and will engage you from start to finish.