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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 August 2025

Thrillers about spies and undercover operatives tend to focus on characters more than method.  There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.  You root for the James Bond-like hero as they take down a villain with sinister motives.  Relay is not dissimilar but what creates an interesting point of difference is the heightened emphasis on “method”.  Instead of using the two hours to create backstories regarding families and love interests, writer Justin Piasecki gets into the nitty-gritty of “spy work” and the creative ways they avoid detection.

Set largely in New York City, Tom (Ahmed) works for a secretive organization which acts as an intermediary between dodgy folk.  His latest assignment has him working for Sarah (James), a researcher sacked by a biotech company after she expressed internal dissatisfaction with their practices.  Before leaving, Sarah took a copy of a damning food safety report which would threaten the company’s value and reputation but, after having second thoughts, she’s decided not to go public.  She knows the dangers of being a whistleblower and would rather maintain a simpler life.

This is where Tom comes in.  For a juicy fee, it’s incumbent on him to craft a solution which works for both parties.  The biotech company’s bigwigs will pay hush money to Sarah and in return, she will hand over all documents and keep quiet.  A major part of Tom’s responsibilities is to ensure everyone fulfills their obligations in terms of the short and long term.  He must do this as covertly as possible, from the exchange of money through to the protection of people, to keep it under the radar of the public and local police.

Relay is fun, slick entertainment.  It’s great to follow Tom as he meticulously puts plans in place and outsmarts a group of savvy adversaries.  He’s damn good at his job with his extensive experience providing a sense of control and confidence.  However, his line of work creates issues in his personal life (few friends, a lack of trust) that result in a sense of “emptiness”.  Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) shines in the juicy lead role.  Lily James (Downton Abbey) and Australian Sam Worthington (Avatar) have less to do but still impress with their supporting performances.

Directed by the skilful David Mackenzie, the man behind the Oscar nominated Hell or High Water, Relay keeps you thinking and keeps you on your toes.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 August 2025

You only get one life and so you’ve got to make the most of it.  It’s a mantra I follow and, while its not revelatory, it’s a piece of advice I like giving to younger folk.  That theme as at the core of The Life of Chuck, a new film from director Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep) based off a short story authored by Stephen King (The Shining, It).  It’s a reminder to see the world, take chances, make friends, and have fun.  Enjoy life because you never know when Death will come knocking.

While it’s a valuable, powerful message, its delivery in The Life of Chuck is a little frustrating.  The story revolves around Charles Krantz, a character we see… but don’t really get to know.  He has an emotionally fraught upbringing when his two parents are killed in a car accident and goes on to discover a passion for dance and accounting.  Oh, and he seems like a nice, genuine guy.  That’s about it.  The film is scant on other details including the relationship he shares with his wife and son.

Perhaps this is due to the film’s unusual structure which is both cool and annoying.  Mirroring the Stephen King novella, it’s split into three very different acts and told in reverse chronological order.  The first two chapters show Chuck as a middle-aged adult, played by Tom Hiddleston (Thor), while the lengthy final section depicts him as a youngster, played by Jacon Tremblay (Room) and newcomer Benjamin Pajak.  I applaud the unusual approach but needed more narrative.  It unfortunately falls upon a narrator (Nick Offerman) to provide heavy-handed monologues explaining each character’s history and mindset.

I’d still recommend this though and that’s largely thanks to the direction of Mike Flanagan.  From the way he depicts the bizarre happenings in the opening act, through to a public elaborate dance sequence, Flanagan uses musical and visual stimulation to engage audiences and compensate for the screenplay’s shortcomings.  The weaving of characters and imagery between the chapters, such as a simple hand-waving gesture picked up from his grandmother, also leaves a positive impression.

Since 2012, every winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival has earned an Academy Award nomination for best picture.  The Life of Chuck took the honours last September but after an underwhelming release in the United States two months ago (it made just $7 million USD at the box-office), that streak is a near certainty to end.  Perhaps Neon bungled the marketing campaign or perhaps the movie isn’t as good as hyped-up Toronto audiences would have us believe.  It’s probably a combination of both.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 August 2025

Spoof comedies were all the rage in the 1970s and 80s with films including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Airplane!, Young Frankenstein, This Is Spinal Tap, Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs.  They’ve lost their lustre in recent decades, largely because of dreadful outings like Epic Movie and Disaster Movie, but if there’s one franchise with a chance of reinvigorating the genre, it’s The Naked Gun.  The Leslie Nielsen-helmed trilogy, released between 1988 and 1994, was a commercial success and its best gags are still quoted today.

For this new instalment, Liam Neeson takes the reigns from the late Leslie Nielsen (a joke in itself given how similar their names are).  He plays Frank Drebin Jr, a largely incompetent lieutenant in Los Angeles’ Police Squad, who rarely follows the rule book and bumbles his way through cases.  His boss (Pounder) has finally had enough and takes him off a lucrative investigation involving a cunning entrepreneur (Huston) but it doesn’t stop Drebin Jr from getting involved.  He’ll be aided by a crime novelist (Anderson) who has motives of her own.

 Directed by Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod), The Naked Gun may not have you “rolling down the aisle” with laughter but it’s good, old-fashioned entertainment.  It’s clearly trying to recreate the dry, sarcastic sense of humour which worked so effectively in the earlier movies.  I don’t think Liam Neeson (Taken) has the comedic delivery and facial expressions to match Leslie Nielsen but he’s giving it a decent crack.  Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl) is a welcome addition with her own light-hearted role.

The best jokes are the ones you don’t see coming.  I’ll admit to audibly laughing at the cinema on several occasions.  On the flip side, there’s a few gags which don’t quite land and some others that feel too familiar and predictable.  The runtime of 85 minutes is perfect with the outlandish characters not overstaying their welcome.  It’s also nice to see the iconic music theme, created by Ira Newborn in 1982 for the Police Squad TV series, getting a run during the amusing closing credits.

If you like “dad jokes” and shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, this is right up your alley.  It may not achieve the cult-like status of its predecessors, but The Naked Gun is the perfect “popcorn movie” and delivers harmless, mindless fun.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 August 2025

Weapons wastes no time in building intrigue.  A young narrator explains that at 2:17am one evening, 17 young children from a small town ran out the front door of their respective homes and disappeared into the night.  The common link is that each kid was part of the same class at elementary school and taught by the popular Ms Gandy.  A month has since passed with the parents’ grief turning into anger.  They’re frustrated by the lack of answers coming from local authorities.

Writer-director Zach Cregger, who burst into the spotlight three years ago with the impressive Barbarian, splits the film into six chapters which each telling the story from a different perspective.  There’s Ms Gandy (Garner), a frustrated parent (Brolin), an alcoholic police officer (Ehrenreich), a homeless drug user (Abrams), the school principal (Wong), and a quiet young boy (Christopher).  Each segment is like a jigsaw puzzle piece.  You can't appreciate the “full” picture until you see them all woven together.  It’s not a new cinematic technique but Cregger uses it to great effect.

If you’re a fan of horror-thrillers, Weapons delivers in spades.  This genre can often box itself into a corner by building early suspense but then realising there’s no logical path to a credible finale.  That’s not the case here.  I won’t reveal spoilers… but I will say ending fits with the material, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and provides food for thought (don’t expect everything to be explained).  The direction is top notch with Cregger using a myriad of ways to extract tension – from a simple lock of hair being cut from someone’s fringe… to a bloody battle at a gas station… through to a peculiar way of running.

The characters have also been well crafted with emphasis on Emmy winner Julia Garner (Ozark) as Ms Gandy.  She’s a heroic, inquisitive person worth rooting for but, at the same time, we see her flaws.  Her good intentions are often undermined by poor decision making.  The whole cast deserve praise.  The experienced Josh Brolin (Milk) and Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) showcase their talents with nuanced performances while 9-year-old Cary Christopher displays a range of emotion as the unsettled Alex.

Holding your attention from start to finish, Weapons is not a film you’ll easily forget.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 August 2025

The tagline on the poster of Mr. Burton provides an apt summation of the film’s essence – “some are born great… some are inspired to be great.”  History books chronicle those who have changed the world but not as well known, if at all, are the people behind the scenes who provided them with education, guidance and support.  Whether you’re a researcher trying to cure cancer or an athlete preparing for an upcoming meet, it’s near impossible to achieve one’s goals without help.

He passed away in 1984 at the relatively young age of 58 but Welsh actor Richard Burton had a stellar career.  He received 7 Academy Award nominations for acting across a 25-year period with highlights including Becket, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  He won a Tony Award for his performance in the musical Camelot and his rocky marriage(s) with Elizabeth Taylor made him a much talked about figure.  He’d be included in any conversation when debating the best actors of the 20^th Century.

Marc Evans’ film is titled Mr Burton but it’s not necessarily referring to the acclaimed actor.  Set in 1942 when Richard was a school student living in a small Welsh village, the focal character is Philip Burton, a teacher with a love for the arts.  He sensed Richard’s passion for acting from an early age and did whatever he could to nurture his talent and open doors.  While it led to Richard’s success, it created problems for both given Philip was a middle-aged gay man, and gossipy townsfolk questioned his true intentions.

It may not answer ever question on audiences’ minds, but Mr. Burton is an interesting true story bolstered by its three lead performances.  As Philip, the softly spoken Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) delicately captures the satisfaction of a teacher moulding his pupil… and the resulting insecurity from their connection.  Harry Lawtey (Industry) steps into the shoes of a young Richard Burton and creates a rough-around-the-edges character who is likeable and ambitious.  Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) plays Philip’s landlord, a widowed woman who offers sage advice at opportune moments.

Likely to inspire more reading about its subjects (it certainly did for me), Mr. Burton is to be celebrated as a biopic and its bleak depiction of 1940s Wales.  More importantly though, it’s a reminder to reflect on the people in our own lives who have made us who we are today.