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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 December 2022

Released in 2014, Paper Planes was an attempt by director Robert Connolly to create more Australian movies for younger audiences as opposed to relying on the steady stream of content coming in from America.  As someone with two daughters of his own, Connolly wanted them to see stuff on the big screen which celebrated our own places, people, and culture.

Fresh off the incredible success of The Dry, which grossed over $20 million in this country, Connolly returns to family-themed content with Blueback.  It’s based on the 1997 novel by acclaimed author Tim Winton who was involved in adapting the source material into a screenplay.  Connolly made a few changes to better suit what he was looking for (making the protagonist a woman, not telling the story in chronological order) and the end result is a 100-minute feature targeted at a Christmas school holiday release.

There are two material subplots at play here.  The weaker one is about the environment and how important it is to protect.  I’ve got no qualms with the message, but it’s handled in a simplistic manner.  Taking the timeframe back about two decades, the teenage Abby (Fogg) befriends a blue groper while diving near her family seaside home and learns how important the ocean environment is.  She then teams up with her mum, Dora (Mitchell), to protect their coastal town from being overrun by villainous developers (led by Erik Thomson) looking to make a quick buck.  There’s some contrived stuff as illustrated in a scene where Abby speaks in front of local counsellors.

The second, current day subplot is the better one – the unescapable bond that exists between a parent and their child.  The elderly mum (Alexander) is suffering from the effects of a stroke and her now grown daughter (Wasikowska) has taken a break from her work as a marine biologist to help provide care.  Memories of the past come flooding back and Abby finds herself torn between the world she’s created for herself… and the ties that still connect her to the place where she grew up.

It’s hard not to get caught up in the emotion of the finale as Abby, deftly played by Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), must selflessly balance up the needs of those around her in charting her own future.  Adding further star power are Radha Mitchell (Finding Neverland) as the headstrong version of the younger mum and Eric Bana (Chopper) as a chatty fisherman adding a dash of comedy.

Largely shot in Bremer Bay off the coast of Western Australia, Blueback can’t fully capture the essence of Tim Winton’s book but it’s not a bad effort.

You can read my chat with director Robert Connolly by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 December 2022

It’s not going to change the world but as a film trying to offer laughs, entertainment, and big-hearted messages for younger audiences, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile fulfils its mission.  Adults won’t mind it either.  The source material is a 48-page children’s picture book authored by American Bernard Waber and first published in 1965.  I haven’t read it myself (must have missed it in kindergarten) but it’s easy to see the appeal given it’s centred on a cute crocodile who knows how to sing.

I’m reminded of an animated feature we saw earlier in the year, The Bad Guys, in that it reminds us not to “judge a book by its cover”.  The instinctive reaction is to run away from a crocodile (and several characters do that in this movie) but as we soon learn, Lyle is a shy, clumsy, sensitive creature who we shouldn’t fear.  The first member of the Primm family to realise this is Josh (Fegley), a young boy who discovers the crocodile hiding in the attic of a New York City townhouse recently rented by his two busy parents (Wu and McNairy).

The singing Lyle (voiced by Shawn Mendes) becomes the catalyst for good things.  The introverted Josh is struggling with a new school and a new city but, thanks to Lyle’s playful antics, he “comes out of his shell” and develops confidence and independence.  It’s not long before Josh’s parents learn about Lyle (it’s hard to hide a crocodile) and, somewhat unexpectedly, it brings the family closer together and more receptive to overdue changes (like the dinner menu).

Brought to the screen by the directing team of Will Speck and Josh Gordon (Blades of Glory, Office Christmas Party), Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile moves at a quick pace and doesn’t get bogged down with superfluous subplots.  A great example is Lyle’s backstory which features a fun supporting performance from Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) who first finds a baby Lyle in an exotic animals store. Covering these details in a speedy introduction frees up more time for us to get to the film’s heart – the bond between Lyle and Josh.

13-year-old Winslow Fegley, the younger brother of Oakes Fegley (Pete’s Dragon, The War With Grandpa), is very good in a role that many children will relate to.  It’s nice to see a story that depicts anxiety (showing kids it’s something a lot of people go through) while showing there are ways to open up and deal with it.  These real-life themes are nicely balanced against the humorous absurdity of a singing crocodile living in New York City.

Released on Boxing Day alongside the equally likeable Puss in Boots: The Last Wish here in Australia, there’s no shortage of quality family offerings this holiday season.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 December 2022

I enjoyed the Oscar-nominated 2015 Swedish film upon which this is based, but the first thought which came to mind on seeing A Man Called Otto was that of Clint Eastwood’s lead performance in the 2008 drama Gran Torino.  In that film, we saw Eastwood play an old, widowed, racist man who sits on his front porch, growls at people walking past, complains about anything, and generally hates the world.

Tom Hanks doesn’t bring the same level of racism to his character here but, for those who’ve seen Gran Torino, you should know the type of person I’m about to describe.  Otto (Hanks), to use the words of his neighbours, is a “nasty, bitter old man”.  We often talk about optimistic people who see the glass as half full and pessimistic people who see it as half empty.  Well, I’d say Otto is the kind of person who would pour the contents of the glass on the floor and then remark that it’s fully empty.

You name it… he finds it annoying.  He buys 5-feet of cheap rope at the hardware store and then complains because he’s charged for 6-feet (the price is by the yard).  He mumbles about folks in his street putting the wrong trash in recycling bins.  He even gets cranky at his own work retirement party – a moment you’d think he would enjoy.  He hasn’t always been this way and a series of flashbacks help fill in the gaps as to why he’s so miserable.  This includes the death of his wife six months earlier which added to his isolation and loneliness.

As you might expect, A Man Called Otto is intended to be a feel-good flick where other characters finally crack Otto’s tough veneer and discover that he’s actually a nice guy with a big heart.  The one who does this best is Marisol (Treviño) an extroverted, Mexican-born woman who has just moved into the neighbourhood with her family.  She doesn’t like taking “no” for an answer and is quick to impose herself in Otto’s life.

Through his film production company, Tom Hanks snapped up the rights for an English language remake of the Swedish original (A Man Called Ove) and while I acknowledge its potential, I’m not convinced Hanks was the right fit for the lead role.  Perhaps he’s a victim of his own success but after decades of playing nice guys, I didn’t fully buy into his character.  I’ve met my fair share of grizzly, annoying people and Otto’s persona is a one-dimensional “act” as opposed to something more genuine.

Other elements also feel less authentic when compared to the earlier movie.  The film can’t quite find the right balance between seriousness and humour when showing Otto’s repeated suicide attempts.  They’re awkward and don’t fit with the broader, family-friendly tone.  Key plot points also feel overplayed such as the reaction of onlookers as Otto rescue a man who falls off a train platform.

All of that said, there are moments, particularly in the second half, which do work and will leave audiences feeling warm and fuzzy.  The scenes involving Hanks and Mexican actress Mariana Treviño are the film’s best and, through their polar-opposite personalities, we are reminded of the importance of human connections and that it’s never too late to be making new friends.

A Man Called Otto is contrived but it will still win many people over.

You can read my chat with star Mariana Treviño by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 16 December 2022

Winning one Palme d’or (the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival) is a career-defining achievement but to win two is something special.  It’s a position that 48-year-old Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure) now finds himself in.  He won the award in 2017 for his offbeat dark comedy The Square and he’s followed it up five years later with his next film, Triangle of Sadness.  It’s worth noting that, coincidence or not, both titles contain the name of a shape.

This latest effort is split into three chapters which have overlapping characters but different settings.  It opens by introducing us to two young, good-looking models (Dickinson and Dean) who argue about etiquette when paying the bill at a restaurant.  The middle act takes place on a $250 million luxury yacht where the hard-working staff and alcoholic captain (Harrelson) tend to the needs of the uber-wealthy guests.  The climax is reminiscent of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and sees a group of people fending for surviving after becoming stuck on a deserted island.

It’s heavy handed in places but Triangle of Sadness can be admired for many reasons.  It’s a great film to discuss with friends as you dissect the themes being explored in relation to class structures within society.  As articulated by Östlund in interviews, it also has something to say about “good looks” being used as currency.  Whether we like it or not, we live in a world where beauty can be just as important, if not more so, than brains as people climb corporate and social ladders.

For those who don’t want to delve deeply into messages, Triangle of Sadness can still be enjoyed as an outlandish spectacle.  The lengthy scene where the two models disagree about who should pay for dinner is reminiscent of a Curb Your Enthusiasm skit.  A sequence where cruise ship guests become violently ill after eating a lavish dinner in the middle of a storm could be borrowed from low-brow comedy given the abundance of shit and vomit.  The open-endedness to several subplots in the film’s finale taps into a director’s fun in teasing audiences (such as Christopher Nolan in Inception).

Of the cast, Philippines-born Dolly de Leon is getting the most awards season attention thus far for her hilarious performance as a cleaning lady who comes to prominence in the final act.  She’s terrific but so too is the broader ensemble.  Some actors only appear in a handful of scenes by they leave an impression – a great example being Swedish actress Mia Benson as a deluded guest who demands the yacht’s non-existent sails be cleaned.  There’s a tinge of sadness to the film’s release however given the unexpected death of 32-year-old star Charlbi Dean (who plays Yaya) in August.

Ruben Östlund could never be accused of creating dull movies and if looking for something wild and eyebrow-raising, Triangle of Sadness fits the bill.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 December 2022

Writer-director Martin McDonagh is upfront about where his stories are set.  His plays include The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and a Behanding in Spokane.  His films include In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and now, The Banshees of Inisherin.  McDonagh’s knack for interesting titles (complete with locations) is matched by his ability to create dark, twisting narratives and complex, intriguing characters.  He’s one of the best filmmakers working today.

The Banshees of Inisherin is set on a small Irish island in the year 1923.  The weather is cold, the terrain is rugged, and folks make ends meet by working the land.  It’s also the kind of place where everybody knows everybody.  They go about their day with a sense of routine, exchange pleasantries as they pass each other on the windy dirt roads and share an alcoholic beverage at the dimly-lit local pub of an afternoon.

One matter has become the talk of the town.  Two lifelong friends, Colm (Gleeson) and Pádraic (Farrell), have had a bizarre, unexpected falling out.  Colm, the instigator of the separation, says it has nothing to do with anything Pádraic did or said.  It’s simply because “I just don’t like you no more” and he then asks a confused Colm never to speak with him ever again.

What follows is a riveting drama that asks us to look deeply at these characters and form an opinion about them and their actions.  Who’s in the right and who’s in the wrong?  Is it that clear cut?  Should Colm be allowed to sever the friendship without a more reasonable explanation?  Is Pádraic out of line for continuing to pester Colm and those around him in search of justification?  To what extent are we entitled to our own privacy as opposed to having to consider the feelings of caring friends around us?

The film also has something to say about the way small disagreements can, through events outside of our control, escalate into things much bigger than anyone anticipated… or wanted.  Townsfolk start gossiping about the pair and, just like a game of Chinese whispers, it reaches the point where innocuous speculation and rumours morph into “facts”.  This only adds to the division between Colm and Pádraic and it threatens to disrupt other relationships with the community.

Every actor in this ensemble is at the top of their game.  Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are reunited for the first time since the terrific In Bruges (a must-see if you haven’t already) and, churning out the thickest Irish accents they can, play off each other like skilled musicians.  The conversations they share are both humorous and dramatic.  Kerry Condon (Better Call Saul) is sensational as Pádraic’s level-headed sister while Barry Keoghan (The Killing of a Sacred Deer) steals a bunch of scenes a dim-witted yet likeable young man. 

Going down unexpected paths and tapping into the spiritual, The Banshees of Inisherin is another winner from Martin McDonagh that will be a factor in the upcoming awards season.  One of the year’s best.