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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 June 2008

I don’t know what to make of this film.  It’s pretty “out there”.  I usually associate Adam Sandler with screwball comedies (some good, some bad) and this one is no exception.  It plot is insane but underneath, there’s some interesting political messages and a few intelligent jokes.  This was better than I thought it would be.

Sandler plays Zohan Dvir, an Israeli counter-terrorist agent who has super-human powers.  There is no assignment too challenging.  He has captured many Palestinian terrorists and given them what they deserve.  His latest mission to re-catch The Phantom (Turturro) who was recently let out of an Israeli jail in a prisoner exchange program.

The problem is that Zohan is sick of the fighting and wants to get out of his profession.  He wants to go to the United States and become a hair dresser.  Go figure?  He knows this won’t go down well with his colleagues and his family and so Zohan decides to fake his own death.  He does this when he goes head-to-head with The Phantom.

Life isn’t as easy in the U.S. as Zohan expects it to be.  He struggles to get a job as a hairdresser because he has no experience and a very eccentric personality.  The only job he can find is as a cleaner is a Palestinian hair salon.  Zohan turns down the offer at first but realises he’ll have to take it on as a stepping stone to something bigger.

That opportunity arrives when the manager of the salon, Dalia (Chriqui), agrees to let Zohan cut the hair of a customer.  He offers a very unique service which leaves the customer incredibly satisfied.  Almost instantly, the salon develops a strong reputation and ladies are queuing up outside the store to get their hair cut by the legendary Zohan.

It took a while to get going but as I’ve indicated earlier, this is a decent film.  Some of the terrorism related jokes will be offensive for some but I liked the audacity of the writers to take on more challenging material.  One of the co-writers of the screenplay was Judd Apatow, the man responsible for Knocked Up and the Forty-Year-Old Virgin.  He’s one of the sharpest writers in the business today.

Sandler also helped write the film but he’ll be most remembered for his performance.  He has a few memorable catchphrases and body features.  Zohan is a very strange character and Sandler is the perfect person to play him.

You Don’t Mess With The Zohan is a “hot potato” – you’re either going to love it or hate it.  For maximum enjoyment, I think you’re best to see it with a positive attitude and a willingness to go along with something a little different.  I’ll leave it with you.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 June 2008

When they were last in the land of Narnia, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy defeated the White Witch and brought prosperity to the kingdom.  They then returned home through an enchanted wardrobe.  If you missed the action, you can check out The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe which was released in cinemas back in December 2005.

A year has since passed and the four Pevensie children are yearning to go back to Narnia.  They will soon get their wish.  Standing on a train platform in their school uniforms, they suddenly find themselves whisked away.  Their excitement turns to concern when they realise that Narnia has changed.  The buildings have been destroyed and none of their friends can be found.  What happened?

The answers will be revealed when Peter and Susan help rescue a dwarf named Trumpkin (Dinklage) from two human soldiers.  He tells them that centuries have passed in the Narnia world since they were last here.  In that time, Narnia was invaded by a neighbouring kingdom of humans known as the Telmarines.  The few that survived now hide in what is left of the dark forest.

The time has come for the Narnians to fight back.  They will receive help however from an unexpected ally.  Prince Caspian is the heir to the Telmarine throne but he was forced to flee following an assassination attempt.  His evil step father, King Miraz, wanted Caspian killed so that his newly born son would be his successor.  Caspian seeks revenge against Miraz and teams up with the Narnians to help lead them to victory.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian is highly anticipated given the financial success of the first film.  It’s sure to draw in big crowds when released.  I didn’t mind the film but wasn’t blown away by it.  I don’t think I could sit through it a second time.  It’s marketed at a younger audience with its toned-down violence and predictable storyline.  I preferred the blood-thirsty battles and complex relationships in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.

The film’s strongest quality is its overall look.  The wonderful sets and costumes are mixed with some dazzling special effects and cinematography.  The talking animals look great.  The film cost a reported $200m to make but I can confirm that it is money well spent.  New Zealand born director Andrew Adamson has done a superb job bringing C.S. Lewis’s novel to life.

Now speaking of the negatives, I had a few issues with the performances.  Some of the actors deliver their lines as if they were reading them straight out of the book.  I would have liked to have seen them a little more relaxed and spontaneous.  The story doesn’t flow very well either.  There are a couple of scenes that left me wondering why they were included.

The next film in the series is The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader which is scheduled for release in 2010.  I guess we’ll do it all again in two years… provided this film makes enough money at the box office.  We’ll see.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 June 2008

Let me come straight out and say it – I love this movie.  It’s funny, charming and perceptive.  I hadn’t heard of it before when I walked into the cinema and now, I can’t seem to forget about it.  With a mix of comedy and drama, it’s another feather in the cap of brilliant English director Mike Leigh (Secrets & Lies, Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake).

The central character is a 30-year-old primary school teacher named Poppy.  As soon as you meet Poppy, you’ll find yourself drawn into her world.  It may sound hard to believe but she is always happy.  She finds the silver lining even in the most depressive of situations.  In the opening credits, you see her ride her bike through the streets of London whilst wearing a brightly coloured outfit and a beaming smile on her face.

Unfortunately, her positive outlook on life doesn’t sit well with everyone.  Her driving instructor, Scott (Marsan), has a very cynical view of the world and is frustrated with Poppy’s sunny disposition.  He doesn’t think that she’s taking the lessons seriously.  Their personality clashes make for some humorous conversations.

Then, there’s Poppy’s sister, Helen (Martin).  Helen and her husband have moved into a new home and they are expecting their first child.  They are stressing over their finances and their upcoming parenthood.  When the bubbly Poppy pays them a visit, Helen’s insecurities come out into the open.  She’s jealous of Poppy’s “happy-go-lucky” lifestyle.  She can’t understand why she doesn’t want to settle down, find a husband and have children.

Sally Hawkins plays Poppy and it’s one of the finest performances I’ve seen all year.  I’ve seen interviews with Hawkins and even off screen, she has a naturally endearing personality.  She steps it up a notch here and in doing so, has created a very memorable character.

There’s more to the story than what I’ve described above.  Serious events and confrontations occur that leave Poppy questioning her inner self.  Can she continue to act the way she does or will she have to change to conform with society?  When her best friend tells her that she can’t make everyone happy, Poppy responds with “there’s no harm in trying though, is there?”

I usually associate writer-director Mike Leigh with darker material and perhaps he enjoyed the challenge of a lighter screenplay.  He’s done a terrific job and I particularly enjoyed the film score from Gary Yershon - it suits the material perfectly.

Could you be friends with someone as enthusiastic as Poppy?  Would you feel better about yourself or worse?  Would you see her as amusing or infuriating?  All I know for sure is that Sally Hawkins put a smile on my face and for that, this film deserves the highest praise.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 May 2008

The Spanish Film Festival recently wrapped up in Brisbane and one of the highlights from the program was The Orphanage.  It came with a strong reputation having won 7 Goya Awards (the Spanish equivalent of an Academy Award) including best original screenplay.  Now that the Festival is over, the film is getting a wider release in cinemas across Australia.

The title gives you a pretty good indication where this creepy thriller is set.  The building was once an orphanage but is now owned by Laura (Rueda) and her husband Carlos (Cayo).  Laura grew up there as a child and bought the home many years for sentimental reasons.  They have an adopted son named Simon (Princep) who is HIV positive.  They keep this information from him so that he can try to live a normal life.

Both Laura and Carlos have become concerned about Simon’s recent behaviour.  He has invisible friends who he talks to and plays strange games with.  It seems to be more than just a passing phase though.  He speaks of them with chilling clarity and is not at all concerned by the fact that his parents can’t see them.  It’s very spooky.

Since she bought the large house, Laura has dreamed of turning it into a home for disabled children.  She hosts a party to launch her idea which is attended by a number of interested people.  It’s all going well until Simon disappears.  Despite a full search of the home and the surrounding area, Simon cannot be found.

Months pass and there is still no trace of him.  Having exhausted all possible scenarios, Laura starts wondering if Simon’s disappearance is connected with his invisible friends.  Are these the crazy thoughts of a woman consumed by grief?  That’s all I’m going to tell you at this point.

The Orphanage is an intriguing movie that will slowly draw you in.  The suspense keeps building throughout.  You’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next and how it will end.  I love films like this – they keep me on the edge of my seat.

The film’s marketing has highlighted that one of the producers of the film is Mexican born filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.  I can see why he was attracted to the project.  The dark, paranormal storyline reminded me of the acclaimed Pan’s Labyrinth (which he directed in 2006).  Del Toro is one of the hottest properties in Hollywood at the moment and recently signed on to direct the two-film adaptation of J.R.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

If you’re looking for something a little different and you have an appreciation for foreign language films, then The Orphanage will be right up your alley.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 June 2008

Each year, television studios are inundated with ideas for new shows.  Only a select few make it into production and of those, not many last longer than 12 months.  It highlights just how hard it can be to create a popular television show.

The first episode of Sex & The City aired in the U.S. on a Saturday night in June 1998.  It was watched by 3.7 million people (not too bad for a debut).  However, by the time the last episode aired in 2004, more than 10.6 million people were tuning in.  Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda were household names.

Four years have passed since the finale but interest in the show hasn’t diminished.  The cult-like following is bigger than ever.  Repeats can be seen every night on pay-TV.  HBO Films and New Line Cinema sensed that the fans wanted to see these characters again.  They were right.  When released last weekend in the United States, Sex & The City took in a staggering $56.8m at the box-office.  Can this series become any bigger?

Before I go any further, I should probably cut things short for those who haven’t watched the show.  You can stop reading this review right now.  If you had no interest while it was on the small screen, why would you fork out money to see it on a big screen?  I’ll catch up with you some other time.

For those who are interested, the movie picks up where the television series finished off.  Carrie (Bradshaw) is planning her wedding after becoming engaged to Mr. Big (Noth).  Samantha (Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles to manage the career of her soap-star boyfriend.  Miranda (Hobbes) is trying to juggle her career and her family life.  Charlotte (Davis) is devoted to raising her 3-year-old adopted daughter.  I won’t go into much more detail in terms of the plot but once again, I’m disappointed that the trailer gives too much away.

I was a fan of the television show.  I didn’t watch it religiously but I found it to be both funny and insightful.  The movie isn’t of the same quality however.  It’s much too long at 148 minutes and the storyline is predictable and repetitive.  I was hoping for more action and more surprises.  I got bored watching them talk about the same problems over and over (whilst wearing designer clothes and sipping alcoholic beverages).

Bah!  What difference will my opinion make anyway?  I’m a guy! The studio research from the States showed that roughly 85% of moviegoers who saw the movie on opening weekend were female.  There was a similar ratio of guys to girls at my preview screening here in Brisbane.  There were lots of laughs from the ladies and I think they were more receptive to many elements of the film.

Then Carrie gives her personal assistant a Christmas gift, she pulls a box from under her bed that has the name Louis Vuitton written on it.  I could hear many gasps from the females sitting near me.  I guess I just didn’t get it.  While I’m illustrating my ignorance, how does Carrie afford a personal assistant?  How does she afford all her clothes?  She says at one point that she’s using the advance from her latest book to buy furniture for her apartment.  If she’s that strapped for cash, I’m sure she could get away with wearing the same outfit twice.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll leave my criticisms at that.  Let’s face it – it’s an unrealistic storyline but it’s no more unrealistic than a macho action flick.  If a guy can fight 10 people at once and win, then I’m sure a girl can have 100 designer dresses in her wardrobe.  Men are from Mars and women are Venus but both sexes love escapism when it comes to the movies.