Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 June 2015

Terminator Genisys is set in 2029 and follows a guy who travels back to 1984 to tell someone to travel forward to 2017, as opposed to 1997, so as to save the human race.  Make sense?  It’s a head scratcher reminiscent of Inception or Predestination... but not quite as interesting.  Writers Laeta Kalogridis (Night Watch) and Patrick Lussier are trying to put their creative spin on a time travel movie.

The earlier Terminator flicks were based on the premise that autonomous robots took over the world in the not-to-distant future.  Billions of humans were killed as the robots considered them a threat to their own existence.  Those that survived were forced into hiding.

The good news was that the humans would win the war.  A man named John Connor would lead them to victory.  The bad news was the robots weren’t done.  They sent a cyborg assassin back in time to kill John’s mother, Sarah.  That way, he would never be born, he would never lead the human resistance, and the future would be altered in the robots’ favour.  This was the plot for the original Terminator, released in 1984, and it was followed by three more films in 1991, 2003 and 2009.

Terminator Genisys is an innovative cross between a sequel and a reboot.  It assumes that all of those previous events occurred… but it takes us back to 1984 for an alternate timeline.  Let me try to explain.  The cyborg went back in time to kill Sarah Connor.  Kyle Reese then went back in time to kill the cyborg.  This changed the future… but not enough apparently.  The robots have decided to have a second crack and have sent another cyborg back to 1984 to get the job done.  It forces Kyle Reese (from the updated timeline) to again travel back in time to protect Sarah and the fate of mankind.

As a friendly Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the only returning cast member.  He’s catchphrase in the film is that he’s “old but not obsolete.”  It sums up both his character and his acting career.  Added to the cast are two Aussies – Jason Clarke (Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes) and Jai Courtney (Divergent) – along with Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones) and recent Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash).

The film is confusing at times.  It will help if you’ve seen the earlier Terminator movies (at least the first two) as there’s not much here in the way of background or character reintroductions.  The villainous activities also feel half-baked.  There’s an Apple-like company that has developed an operating system that will link all your electronic devices.  The government is even using it for its military program.  That couldn’t end badly, right?

The action sequences are decent.  It’s repetitive but it’s still cool to watch the cyborgs shot with heavy artillery and then regenerate.  The visual effects artists have earned their salary.  The same can be said for the sound technicians who have created some freaky audio effects during the battle scenes.  Director Alan Taylor is no stranger to the genre given he made Thor: The Dark World two years ago.

I don’t know if there’s quite enough here to reinvigorate the franchise (i.e. make a truckload of money) but the door has been left open for sequels should they be required.  A glimpse of something is provided midway through the closing credits but it’s obscure and adds no value.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 June 2015

I enjoyed the two Despicable Me movies for one major reason – Steve Carell.  He stole the show with his portrayal of a Gru – a super villain with a softer heart than you might expect.  Therein lies the problem with Minions.  It’s a spin-off prequel that focuses its attention on the short, yellow, unintelligible creatures.  They’re not as interesting.  They’re not as exciting.

The story begins with a few flashbacks to ancient times.  Minions have been on the planet since the days of the dinosaur and they’ve been causing mischief and mayhem.  Zipping forward to the 1960s, we follow three minions (Stuart, Kevin and Bob) who are trying to latch onto a new villain who they can assist.

They eventually stumble their way to Villain-Con – a huge conference in Orlando where bad guys get together each year to find new henchmen and discuss their evil plans.  The keynote speaker is Scarlett Overkill (Bullock), the world’s first female super villain and perhaps the biggest in the business.  She takes the three minions under her wing, takes them to London, and asks that they steal the Queen’s diamond-encrusted crown.

The minions are strange creatures.  Their mumbling is cute for a while but it gets tired quickly.  I couldn’t understand their motivations either.  They want to work for the most sinister people on the planet but do they really expect to be treated nicely?  How can it be a shock when Scarlett Overkill uses and abuses them?

The film’s trailers suggested that Sandra Bullock’s leading character might offer the bulk of the entertainment.  That hasn’t eventuated.  Her character isn’t given enough screen time and doesn’t offer much in the way of humour (in contrast to the lovable Gru).  It also feels like writer Brian Lynch is stretching to make this premise last 90 minutes.  The introduction is too long and there’s a bunch of unnecessary scenes involving the large army of minions in Antarctica.

There are two family orientated choices on offer over the June school holidays here in Australia.  Minions has a few decent moments and will probably win over most kids… but Inside Out is the film you should be seeing.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 June 2015

A low brow comedy about a drug-taking, foul-mouthed teddy bear.  It may like a moronic idea but Ted was 2012’s highest grossing comedy at the box-office.  It took in $218 million in the United States and an additional $330 million overseas.  Such was the love for Seth MacFarlane that the Academy gave him a gig hosting the Oscars a few months later.

A sequel was inevitable.  Mark Wahlberg returns as John but you won’t see him alongside his wife (played in the original film by Mila Kunis).  We’re told they went through a messy divorce – a fact that John hasn’t yet recovered from.  He’s too depressed to even go on a date with another woman.  He’s just sitting at home, smoking weed and watching old episodes of Law & Order.

Life isn’t going all that well for Ted either.  He’s now married to Tami-Lynn (Barth) but the two encounter difficulties when they try to adopt a child.  Ted is told that, under the law, he is considered a piece of property as opposed to a real person.  This mean that he cannot adopt, he cannot have a job, he cannot have a bank account, and, worst of all, he cannot be married.

It’s time to head to court in search of justice.  Given their lack of funds (they spend most of it on drugs), John and Ted go in search of a lawyer who can help them out pro bono.  The best they can find is Samantha – a 26-year-old who has just finished law school and has zero work experience.  She doesn’t exactly do things by the book but by the time the trial gets underway, she’s fully prepared and is ready to fight for her new best friends.

Most would agree this isn’t as funny as the original.  I’d add that it’s not as crude or random (which works against the film).  There are laughs… but the best already appear in the film’s trailer.  There’s also an element of repetitiveness such as the use of Patrick Warburton’s mean-spirited character at Comic-Con and an overused joke about internet searches.  One moment left me smiling though and it involves a timely reference to Jurassic Park (thanks John Williams).

The storyline isn’t all that interesting either.  Giovanni Ribisi returns as Donny – a janitor at a toy company who wants to kidnap Ted and use his secrets to make his own talking teddy bear.  It’s all too similar to the earlier film.  The CEO at the toy company, who is keen to go along with Donny’s plans in pursuit of profit, is also a flakey character who doesn’t have any idea what he’s doing.

The success of Ted will ensure crowds flock to this sequel but when you put the films side by side, it’s each to see which one generates the most laughs.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 June 2015

With an increasing number of animated features being released each year, it’s becoming tougher for writers to craft fresh, ground-breaking screenplays.  One guy who keeps delivering is 46-year-old Pete Docter.  He has 5 feature films to his credit and each is highly regarded by both critics and the broader public – Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., WALL-E and Up.  Not a bad list, huh?

I’m not sure he’ll quite reach Black Caviar status but Docter is now 6 wins from 6 starts.  Inside Out is stunning achievement that blends creativity, humour and emotion.  I’ll be saving it a spot in my top-10 list at year’s end.

The story centres on a vibrant, impressionable 11-year-old named Riley (Dias).  Her life has been pretty great up until this point… but her world is uplifted when her parents relocate from Minnesota to California due to work.  It’s left Riley feeling alone.  She’s had to leave behind her loyal friends and ice-hockey teammates and start again in a new city.  There are other problems too.  She overhears her parents arguing one night about their financial concerns.

To illustrate the turmoil that Riley is going through, most of the film takes place inside her head!  We see a small control room that is home to five talkative characters – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger.  Each day, they guide her actions, shape her personality, and store her most precious memories.

It’s a fascinating concept that is rich in detail.  There’s a hugely entertaining sequence where we go to Dream Productions – an elaborate movie studio where Riley’s dreams are created.  There are other cool locations that explore her imagination, subconscious and abstract thought.

Perhaps the most intriguing element is a place called Long Term Memory.  It’s a labyrinth of high shelves that store Riley’s memory balls.  The shelves are cleaned regularly by a maintenance team (aptly known as the Forgetters) that dispose of memories no longer required.  Oh, and you know how annoying it can be when you get a song stuck in your head?  That’s the memory workers causing their own brand of mischief.

The film’s most impressive attribute is the way it explores human emotions and the way they are so often intertwined.  We can’t always be happy.  To experience the joy of success, you need to experience and overcome the fear of failure.  On the flip side, a relationship can provide much joy but there will be an inevitable sadness if it doesn’t pan out as expected.  These are powerful messages that both kids and adults will relate to.

Many animated features utilise the voices of Hollywood stars.  That’s not the case here with Docter relying on those best known for their television work such as Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation), Phyllis Smith (The Office) and Richard Kind (Mad About You).  They all do an amazing job bringing these characters to life.  Who knew talking emotions could be so funny?  I love the moment where Fear (voiced by Bill Hader) articulates his thoughts – “We did not die today.  I call that an unqualified success!”

Very young children may have trouble keeping up with some of the concepts but for everyone else, Inside Out is a terrific animated feature that will leave you smiling throughout (with the odd chance of tears).

You can read by interview with writer-director Pete Docter by clicking here.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 June 2015

A great biopic can generate interest in a subject matter that you’d never think about otherwise.  Before walking into this film, I knew The Beach Boys were a popular band who rose to fame once upon a time but that’s about it.  I couldn’t sing you any of their songs.  I had never heard of the name Brian Wilson.

Love & Mercy begins in the 1980s by introducing us to the middle-aged Wilson (played by John Cusack).  This isn’t a guy who is enjoying fame and fortune.  He comes across as someone who is sleepy and aloof.  Looking for a new set of wheels, he wanders into a car dealership and strikes up a conversation with one of the sales staff, Melinda (Banks).  She hands Wilson and a business card and on the back he writes three words – lonely, scared and frightened.

To help understand what led Wilson to this point, writers Oren Moverman and Michael A. Lerner slip back to the 1960s and show us how The Beach Boys came to be.  It was the release of their second album, Surfin’ U.S.A., they helped them become household names.  Unlike the other members of the group though, Wilson wasn’t interested in touring the globe and performing on stage.  He was more comfortable working behind the scenes, writing the lyrics, and crafting their distinctive instrumental sounds.

For the first half of the film, it’s these flashbacks that provide the most interesting material.  Thanks to a superb performance from Paul Dano, who plays the younger Wilson, we’re able to get inside his character’s head and appreciate his creative vision.  You’ll be amazed when you see his thought process behind Pet Sounds, ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine as the second greatest album of all time.  Wilson was an artist who did things differently.

The 1980s storyline takes more prominence in the film’s second half.  Wilson is now divorced and has been through a lengthy addiction to drugs and alcohol.  He hasn’t seen his parents and his children in years.  He’s no longer writing music and he spends most of his day in bed.  It’s clear that he’s battling depression.

The man he thinks is helping him is Eugene Landy (Giamatti), a California-based therapist who is treating Wilson 24 hours a day.  Landy is an extremely controlling individual.  At a back-yard barbeque, he shouts repeatedly at Wilson just for eating his hamburger before everyone else.  When Melinda (the car salesman) and Wilson go on a date, Landy demands a full report on the night’s events.  If this was East Germany, you’d assume he was working for the Stasi.

It’s a “truth is stranger than fiction” kind of tale.  A world-famous song writer had given up control of his well-being to a questionable psychologist.  Everyone seemed too afraid to question the situation and it went on for several years.  At first, I thought Giamatti was over playing the character (he’s that villainous) but I read a recent review with Brian Wilson where he noted that he was “scared to death” when he first saw Giamatti’s performance.

Parts of the film tend to drag a little and I’m quite sure the screenplay gets to the heart of Wilson’s relationship with his father and other members of the band.  Still, this is an enlightening true story that provides insight into the ups and downs of a one-of-a-kind individual.