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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 September 2016

Storks is a family flick but adults will find humour in its corporate setting.  Once upon a time, storks flew across the skies and delivered babies free of charge.  That was it.  Realising there was money to be made, those in charge on Stork Mountain decided to change the strategic plan.  They got out of the “baby business” and created a global online retailer called Cornerstore.com that listed on the stock exchange.  The public order goods from the website and the storks deliver them straight to their doorstep.

The film’s leading bird is a Junior (Samberg) – a high-flier who on track to be the company’s next Chief Executive Officer.  He’s been promised the top job by the current boss (Grammer) on the condition that he deal with an ongoing issue.  Two decades ago, a stork lost the delivery instructions and failed to deliver a newly born baby to its parents.  With no other options available, the storks raised her as one of their own and she’s now an employee of the company.

The problem with Tulip (Crown) is that she’s hopeless.  She can’t fly so she’s of no help in delivering goods.  She tries to help out around the factory but she’s clumsy and continually makes mistakes.  Junior’s instructions from the boss are simple – get rid of her.  There’s no chance of the company’s share price increasing with underwhelming employees such as Tulip dragging the organisation down.  It’s another of the film’s capitalist themes.

As all this takes place high in the sky, there’s another narrative being followed on the ground.  Nate is a young boy who yearns for a brother.  This is largely because his parents (Burrell and Aniston) are workaholic real estate agents who live by the company’s motto – “we never stop”.  They seldom spend any time with their son and it’s left Nate feeling bored and lonely.

These two storylines come together but I’d argue that things are a little too convoluted for younger audiences.  There’s a lot to understand and a lot that might require explanation.  There are still some signature moments however.  The film’s highlight is a fight sequence atop a high rise building that involves a sleeping baby.  You’ll be smiling regardless of your age.  The same applies to a group of shape-shifting wolves who hunt using unique methods.

He doesn’t get a lot of screen time but a sneaky pigeon is the film’s most memorable character.  He also has his eye on the CEO role and is keen to embarrass Junior at any opportunity.  Of the cast, the voices of a stressful Andy Samberg and a conniving Kelsey Grammer stand out best.

Written and directed by Nicholas Stoller (Bad Neighbours) eventually wins favour with a sweet finale but the chaotic happenings in the lead up don’t leave much of an impact.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 September 2016

By way of a quick recap, Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) chronicled our hero’s efforts to find a boyfriend.  She wisely decided against the slimy Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and went with the slightly awkward Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).  The follow up, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, followed her attempts to find a husband.  Mark Darcy was again the successful candidate but there were plenty of bumps along the way.

The opening scene of Bridget Jones’s Baby show that Bridget’s life has gone off the tracks yet again.  She’s at home, she’s alone, and she’s sitting on the couch in her pyjamas.  It may sound idyllic to some but it’s actually Bridget’s 43^rd birthday.  Her friends have tried to drag her out to a nightclub but she’d rather sit at home and wallow in self-pity.  There’s no supportive husband by her side because there was no wedding.  Despite the upbeat ending at the end of the previous film, Mark and Bridget had their differences and went their separate ways (for reasons that aren’t well explained).

What happens next is something that Bridget would never have predicted.  Coerced into attending a large musical festival, she has a one night stand with Jack (Dempsey), a handsome, middle-aged guy who she meets in humorous circumstances.  Several days later, she is reunited with the now married Mark Darcy at a christening and after a few drinks, another bedroom session ensues.  A pregnancy test subsequently comes back with a positive result and the identity of the father is anyone’s guess.

The earlier movies were based on the published, well-read works of English author Helen Fielding.  A different path has been taken this time around.  Fielding’s third novel in the series, published in 2013, is set decades into the future and shows Bridget as an elderly widow with two grown up children.  Looking for something more audience and box-office friendly, the producers engaged Fielding to craft a new story that sits somewhere in between her last two books.  She was helped by co-writers Dan Mazer (Borat) and Emma Thompson (Sense & Sensibility).  Thompson is also the best of the supporting cast which highlights the benefits when you can write your own snazzy one-liners.

The recently released Blood Father reminded us that Mel Gibson is still alive and still has a strong screen presence.  The same applies to Oscar-winning actress Renee Zellweger (Cold Mountain) as this marks her first role in 6 years.  In explaining her absence, Zellweger has told reporters that she was fatigued and in need of a break.  The lure of bringing this famed character back to life was clearly too hard to resist and it’s nice to see her back in action again.  She has an endearing charm that makes her a great fit for the clumsy, yet likeable, Bridget Jones.

Directed by Sharon Maguire, Bridget Jones’s Baby takes a little while to warm up.  It needs to explain the happenings of the past decade and the absence of Hugh Grant.  Some subplots don’t add much value either.  These include an election involving Bridget’s mother (Henderson) and another involving Bridget’s boss and her plans to change a news-based television show.

The film is at its best when it brings its three leading actors together.  Their light-hearted battles and arguments provide more than enough laughs to make this an entertaining experience.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 September 2016

If you’re interested in learning about the actions of Edward Snowden, nothing can surpass Citizenfour, the 2014 film that won the Academy Award for best documentary feature.  It provided the actual, “real time” footage of Snowden as he went from a complete unknown to one of the world’s most wanted men.  You see his actions and you understand his thought process.  It’s hard to think of an equivalent in modern cinema.

It’s easy to see why Oscar winning director Oliver Stone (Platoon) was attracted to the idea of bringing a Hollywood-ised version of Snowden’s story to the big screen.  Stone is anti-establishment and is often critical of the U.S. Government.  In 2012, he directed a 10-part documentary called The Untold History of the United States.  It provided a different spin on the darker chapters in America’s past that are often misreported.

Most audiences will be familiar with Snowden but knowledge will vary in terms of his precise actions and the “crimes” he committed.  To sum it up quickly, Snowden held a number of positions within the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and National Security Agency (NSA) between 2006 and 2013.  He became increasingly concerned about the surveillance of ordinary American citizens and the inordinate amount of data that was being collected.  In May 2013, he stole classified documents and “blew the whistle” with help of trusted journalists.

Stone’s film doesn’t come across as too “preachy”.  Yes, it leans a certain way but there’s enough scope for viewers to form their own judgement about these important issues.  Where should we draw the line between freedom and safety?  If you knew that every email and SMS you sent was in a database and that an intelligence agency could access your iPhone camera at any time, would that be acceptable if it helped reduce the risk of terrorist attacks?  Are you worried in any way that the data would be misused?

The film also offers insight in the world of whistleblowing.  Governments around the world have enacted legislation that protects whistleblowers but when it’s the government that’s being criticised and embarrassed, things aren’t as simple.  Snowden was charged under the Espionage Act and has spent the last 3 years of his life in Russia after seeking asylum.  Was it worth it?  Again, it’s a question for audiences.

Stone and co-writer Kieran Fitzgerald have created some sharp dialogue to add to the film’s impact.  Nicolas Cage makes a cameo appearance as a frustrated CIA professor who laments that “you would think that intelligence would count for something in the intelligence business.”  Rhys Ifans offers a counter view as a high-ranking CIA official trying to justify his agency’s surveillance methods – “secrecy is security, and security is victory.” 

Snowden boasts a strong cast with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Walk) deftly illustrating the moral quandaries of the title character.  That is most evident when the film delves into Snowden’s home life and the stress of having to keep things hidden from his long-time girlfriend (played by Shailene Woodley).  He’s at a much better place mentally when he meets with journalists in Hong Kong and is finally rid of the heavy burden he has been carrying.

Encapsulating plenty of material inside of its 134 minute running time, Snowden will add to the growing debate about the reach of government, rightly or wrongly, into our lives.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 September 2016

There’s a moment in Sully when a member of the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) listens to the cockpit voice recorder aboard US Airways Flight 1549.  He remarks that he’s investigated many plane crashes but this is the first where he’s listened to the recording and then had an opportunity to question the pilots.

That is a very good thing.  For a commercial airliner to experience a catastrophic failure and then find a way to land safely with no fatalities is remarkable.  A character sums it up best by saying “it’s been a while since New York City has news this good… especially with an airplane in it."  The event, which took place in early 2009, was dubbed the “Miracle on the Hudson” by New York State Governor David Paterson.

The most interesting aspect of Clint Eastwood’s film is the flight itself.  The plane left LaGuardia Airport in the mid-afternoon with 155 passengers on board.  Three minutes later, it struck a flock of birds and thrust was lost on both engines.  Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (Hanks), a pilot with 42 years of experience, quickly realised he couldn’t get the plane back to the airport.  His only option was to attempt an emergency water landing in the Hudson River.

Todd Komarnicki’s (Perfect Stranger) screenplay offers numerous perspectives.  We hear the thoughts of Sully and his co-pilot (Eckhart) as they size up the situation.  We watch the air traffic controllers assess available options.  We see the passengers thinking the worst but hoping for the best.  The film also acknowledges the work of the NYPD and ferry drivers who brave freezing waters to play a part in the rescue effort.

A major limitation in bringing this tale to the screen is that the flight itself only lasted for 5 minutes.  So while the crash landing sequence will grip audiences, it doesn’t have the stamina to match other plane-drama films such as Paul Greengrass’s United 93 (still a masterpiece).  The remainder of the film is spent chronicling Sully’s upbringing, the media attention following the event, and the investigation by the NTSB.

This is where the film suffers.  It’s apparent that events have been altered to simplify the story and make it more Hollywood-friendly.  The “court room” finale is borderline laughable.  The NTSB puts pressure on Sully to admit that he made a mistake and that the plane had the capability to return safely to the airport.  When Sully exposes the basic flaws in their assumptions (which a high school student could figure out), it makes the NTSB look like incompetent fools.  Is this what really took place?

The subplots involving Sully’s flying history and the strained relationship with his wife (played by Laura Linney) also feel superfluous.  We are shown fleeting flashbacks and quick phone conversations that don’t add much to the narrative or our insight into Sully.  The same can be said of dream-type sequences that try to illustrate the difficulty Sully is having in adjusting to post-accident life.

Let me make it clear – Captain Chesley Sullenberger is a hero and a terrific guy.  This film doesn’t do him justice though.  Several television shows and documentaries have already been made which chronicle US Airways Flight 1549 and they offer more insight than this cheesy, fictionalised version.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 September 2016

Up until yesterday, I had never heard the term “ute muster”.  I now know it’s like a rodeo except with cars in place of bulls.  Crowds line a fenced arena and they watch ute lovers rev their engines, drive in a circle, and complete a serious of manoeuvres.  It’s the kind of place where you might find characters from the Fast & Furious franchise when they’re not off committing crimes.

One aspect of country life I am familiar with is a Bachelor and Spinsters (B&S) ball.  While capital cities are filled with nightclubs that allow people to party every night of the week, B&S Balls provide a rare chance for rural youngsters to dress up, have a few drinks, and try to find true love (or something else perhaps).

These two events provide the backdrop for Spin Out – an Australian comedy penned by Edwina Exton and well-known comedian Tim Ferguson (best known as a member of the Doug Anthony All Stars).  City slickers might look at the setting with a sense of bewilderment (myself included) but country folk should be well familiar with the crazy happenings that one expects on such occasions.  Put simply, this is 90 minutes of people drinking, dancing and driving.  If none of those three boxes are ticked, they’re more than likely looking for love (or at the very least, a one-night stand).

The three central characters here are Billy (Samuel), Lucy (Griffin) and Sparrow (Jeffery).  The film is light on backstory but it’s clear that these three have grown up together in a small rural community and are best friends.  There’s an obvious sexual attraction between Billy and Lucy but neither has the guts to act on it.  Sparrow senses it too but he’s keeping quiet and is content to be the “third wheel.”

Things do reach a tipping point when on the eve of the town’s annual B&S Ball, Lucy announces that she’s moving to Sydney to make more of her life.  The fact she’s only giving 24 hours’ notice seems a bit hasty but ok, it’s a plot device to create tension.  It forces both characters to reveal their cards and when you throw a lot of alcohol into the equation things will be humorous and messy.

There are too many characters in this film and they do distract from the main show.  There’s a guy who is trying to break a beer drinking record while caring for his pregnant wife.  There are three dim-witted folk who have joined the army as an excuse to break up with their girlfriends.  There’s also two men who have rocked up to the B&S Ball in dresses and learn something about their sexuality.

I’d have preferred to see these supporting characters ditched and more time spent fleshing out the history and friendship shared between Billy and Lucy.  They’re ultimately the heart of the film.  That said, there are still a few subplots that add value.  The plight of Sparrow and his quest to win the affections of the no-nonsense Mary (Bergland) is both funny and cute.

Featuring one of the youngest collective casts that we’ve seen in an Australian film for some time, reactions to Spin Out are likely to vary depending on your own sense of humour.