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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 08 March 2015

The year is 1970, the setting is California, and the leading character is Larry “Doc” Sportello (Phoenix).  He’s a paranoid private investigator who has been approached by an ex-flame (Waterston) to look into a supposed crime.  It’s rather complex… but the bottom line is that a millionaire property developer is about to be kidnapped and placed in a mental asylum.

What follows is a somewhat bizarre journey that goes off on several unexpected tangents on route to the finish line.  There’s a big cast too.  Owen Wilson is an undercover informant who faked his own death and is now playing the saxophone in a surf band.  Josh Brolin is an aggressive police detective who has a love for chocolate-coated bananas.  Martin Short is a cocaine snorting dentist who is sleeping with most his female staff.  Benicio del Toro is a relaxed lawyer specialising in marine law.

If it all sounds rather strange… well... that’s because it is.  Doc spends most of the film under the influence of drugs and it’s hard to work out whether you’re watching a complex thriller, an elaborate fantasy, or something in between.  It reminded me of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear & Loathing In Vegas which was adapted for the screen by Terry Gilliam in 1998 and which featured Johnny Depp in the lead role.  Curiously, del Toro played a lawyer in that film too.

Inherent Vice marks the 7^th feature film of writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson.  He’s my favourite filmmaker working today and I’m enamoured with his previous works (especially Boogie Nights and Magnolia).  It’s hard to describe why though.  It’s like asking someone about why they love a certain author, musician, actor or painter.  To borrow a line from The History Boys, “it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.”

Anderson’s trademarks include long takes, beautiful dialogue, great soundtracks, and an ever-so-slowly moving camera.  All of these attributes are on display in Vice.  It’s based on the novel by American author Thomas Pynchon of whom Anderson has been a long-time fan.

When the film premiered at the New York Film Festival last October, critics were describing it in all sorts of ways – “groovy and richly funny” (Variety), “entertainment of a high order” (Time) “ultimately pointless” (Vanity Fair), and “incoherent” (Slate).  At least it had a few passionate fans within the Academy.  Anderson picked up an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay (losing to Graham Moore for The Imitation Game).

If you’ve got a warped, off-beat sense of humour, you should like this.  It’s not on the same level as The Big Lebowski (the pinnacle of stoner comedies) but it’s a worthy effort.  The cast deserves credit too for creating such memorable characters.  Like so many others though, I did struggle to keep up with its broad themes.  I had no idea what the narrator was rambling on about.  Was it just an elaborate joke?  Or was I missing a deeper, more profound message?  A second viewing will be required.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 February 2015

There are a lot of different ways to make a movie but I don’t think I’ve heard a back story quite like this before.  In early 2013, documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras received a series of anonymous emails from someone who identified himself as “a senior government employee in the intelligence community” and went by the codename of Citizen Four.  He claimed to have proof that the National Security Authority (NSA) was secretly monitoring the activities of American citizens like never before.

Exchanging emails over the next few months, the two finally agreed to meet in a Hong Kong hotel room in June 2013.  He introduced himself as Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old contractor who worked for the NSA.  His laptop contained a number of classified, eye-raising documents that showed the NSA were engaging in wide-scale surveillance without any authority (or so it would seem).  They had denied this publicly but the evidence clearly suggested otherwise.

Over the next few days, Poitras shot more than 20 hours of footage inside of Snowden’s small hotel room.  She asks him about the information he has, how he gained access to it, and why he wants to blow the whistle.  We’re not looking at events with the benefit of hindsight.  We’re looking at “real time” footage of Snowden as he goes from a complete unknown… to one of the world’s most talked about figures.  As a documentary filmmaker, it’s the kind of access that you can only dream of.

It’s riveting to watch.  Those not familiar with the subject matter are likely to be shocked at how easy it is to spy on someone.  The NSA had relationships with most major telecommunications companies that allowed them to tap and track mobile phones.  They could access live footage shot by drones that hovered quietly above suburban streets.  They could link data, such as that provided by credit cards and public transport cards, that could help trace someone’s movements.

Equally enthralling is the film’s exploration of Snowden himself.  He realises that once the information goes public, his life will be forever changed.  He knows he’ll never be able to return home.  He knows the United States Government will label him a traitor.  He knows the NSA will thoroughly interrogate his friends and family.  It highlights the heavy personal price that one must pay to be a whistle blower.  Did he do the right thing?  Could he have gone about it in a different way?  What would you have done in the same situation?

Snowden was also careful with who entrusted with the information.  He didn’t want to take a Wikileaks-type approach and release thousands of documents to the world’s media.  Instead, he cherry picked a small number of knowledgeable journalists who he met in Hong Kong.  It was The Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald who published the first story on 5 June 2013.  We see Greenwald throughout the film and he shares some great exchanges with Snowden as they debate when to realise his true identity.

As the frontrunner in the best documentary category for next week’s Academy Awards, Citizenfour is something quite special.  Snowden became one of the world’s most wanted individuals.  Poitras had unfettered access to him and could have sold her footage instantly to thirsty news networks for a small fortune.  Yet, she remained patient and kept it quiet as part of a much broader goal – to create a compelling, real-life thriller that takes us inside the mind of a whistle blower.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 February 2015

New York 1981.  Abel Morales (Isaac) is the owner of a heating oil company who is looking to expand his business.  He’s put a substantial deposit down on a waterfront property which will give him a significant advantage over his competitors.  Firstly, he’ll be able to get his product directly from the oil tankers with no further transport required.  Secondly, he’ll have a huge storage facility that will allow him to build up his stock reserves when oil is cheap.

Abel is a smart, well-dressed businessman but not everyone is a fan.  The authorities, headed by Assistant District Attorney Lawrence (Oyelowo), have spent two years investigating Abel’s company for rigging scales and underreporting income.  They’ve almost got enough evidence to press charges.

Abel releases he has a few more enemies after a number of his oil trucks are held up and stolen.  He suspects that his competitors, unhappy with his increasing market share, are looking to slow his momentum.  Their actions have the desired effect.  The union starts making its presence felt because the workers don’t feel safe.  The bank starts to get nervous about providing a loan for the new property.

A Most Violent Year marks the third feature film of writer-director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost).  He’s what I’d describe as a patient storyteller.  This isn’t an overly complex tale.  It’s not filled with twists or elaborate action sequences.  It’s a realistic, dialogue-driven drama that wants you to look at these characters and then ask whether they’re doing the right thing.

It’s a little slow in places but the performances more than compensate.  Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) is terrific as Abel.  He’s a man inundated with problems but he refuses to lose his cool… at least on the outside.  He believes in what he’s doing and believes that he’ll be rewarded for his hard work.

Jessica Chastain (The Help) is equally impressive as his wife, Anna.  Given that Abel originally purchased the business from her late father, Anna has taken an active role in the company.  She’ll stand by her husband’s side publicly but she’s certainly not afraid to voice her own opinions while speaking privately.  The film’s other notable performance comes from Albert Brooks (Drive) as Abel’s loyal but somewhat tired-looking attorney.

As was the case with his last two films, A Most Violent Year is an original screenplay from Chandor.  It’s not based on a novel and it’s not based on any actual event.  He wanted to make a movie that illustrates the way in which successful businessman think ahead and take risks on route to building an empire.  There’s a great line where Abel tells someone – “when it feels scary to jump, that’s exactly when you jump.”

The film was largely overlooked during the recent awards season in the United States.  That’s why it’s getting a delayed (and limited) release in Australia as opposed to nabbing a prime “get ready for the Oscars” slot in January and early February.  Hopefully a few people get the chance to see it before another wave of summer blockbusters engulfs us.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 February 2015

Fifty Shades Of Grey is, without doubt, going to be one of the year’s most talked about releases.  Those who want to see it, will be telling you how much they want to see it.  Those who don’t want to see it, will be telling you how much they don’t want to see it.  Those in my Twitter feed tonight seemed to fall into the latter category.

For those living in the dark, Fifty Shades Of Grey is the first in a trilogy of novels that was first published in 2011.  Writer Erika Mitchell, going by the pen name of E.L. James, was as surprised as anyone when her books became so popular.  Within a matter of years, she’d gone from writing Twilight fanfiction… to an author who had sold more than 70 million copies around the world.

This first instalment, brought to the screen by director Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) and writer Kelly Marcel (Saving Mr Banks), is ultimately two hours of seduction.  Anastasia Steele is a shy, bashful, 21-year-old college student studying literature.  Christian Grey (Dornan) is a strong, influential, 27-year-old entrepreneur who has already has a net wealth exceeding one billion dollars.

The two meet thanks to a curious twist of fate.  What follows is a love story very different from what we usually see out of Hollywood.  Christian clearly has feelings for Ana but he also has a series of peculiar ground rules.  He refuses to be romantic, he won’t go out for dinner, and he even makes Ana sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing her from discussing their relationship.

You might think Ana would be running for the hills but not so.  Thanks to his chiselled good looks and mysterious personality, she decides to stick around and get to know him a little better.  It’s around the 45 minute mark where we get treated to the “big reveal”.  After dancing around the subject for days, Christian tells Ana that he’s into a bit of kink.  His luxurious apartment features a “playroom” which a wide assortment whips, paddles, cuffs, toys and pretty much anything else you can imagine.

Just as he operates in the business world, Christian likes being in control.  He seeks a relationship with Ana where he acts the dominant and she serves as the submissive.  There’s a humorous scene where the pair sit in a boardroom and flesh out terms for a contract!  It will outline exactly what Christian will have the power to do inside the playroom.

The subject matter is intriguing.  I’ll say that much.  I’ve commented several times recently that sex seems to be a subject that is avoided in today’s mainstream films.  Not only does Fifty Shades Of Grey feature several sex scenes, it goes a step further and takes inside the world of S&M.  As to the nature of the scenes, Taylor-Johnson seems to have found a middle ground.  There’s plenty of nudity… but also a number of quick-paced edits to ensure the film snuck through with an MA rating (as opposed to R).

Perhaps I should be blaming the novel but my biggest grip with the film was that I didn’t find the two leading characters all that interesting.  Christian keeps pushing and saying she should give in to his desires.  Ana keeps flip-flopping.  One minute she’s acting life a shocked, naïve, innocent school girl.  The next she’s refuting Christian’s advances and wisely giving him a taste of his own medicine.  The supporting cast, which includes Jennifer Ehle and Marcia Gay Harden, don’t get a chance to do much.

Marketed heavily towards female audiences and released just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’d expect this film to be doing big business at the international box-office over the next few weeks.  Two sequels are planned and so this won’t be the last we’ll hear of Christian and Anastasia.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 February 2015

Time travel movies have become a staple of American’s film culture.  Things took off in the 1980s with the Back To The Future, Terminator and Bill & Ted franchises. It’s continued on to the current day with recent entries including Looper, About Time and Predestination.  Even the great Woody Allen has contributed to the genre!  Midnight In Paris won him a screenwriting Oscar three years ago.      

Two new entries are about to be released in cinemas.  Hot Tub Time Machine 2 will be out during the upcoming Easter school holidays but the first cab off the rank is Project Almanac.  It begins with a high school student, David (Weston), rummaging around in his attic and stumbling across an old video camera owned by his late father.  The tape inside contains footage of David’s 7^th birthday party and it helps revive a few childhood memories.

There’s something odd about the tape though.  There’s a brief moment where David can see his 17-year-old self in the background.  How is that even possible?  A trip to the basement provides the answers he’s looking for.  Hidden in a small compartment under the floor are the blueprints for a time machine.  David’s not sure he can put it together but his good friend, Quinn (Lerner), comforts him with the knowledge “I think we already did build it.”

There’s a long, forgettable lead up here.  It feels like we’re half-way through the film before they finally end up building the machine and head back in time.  What follows is some generally goofy stuff.  There’s a lengthy sequence where Quinn keeps recreating a particular day at school so that he can get full marks for a science quiz.  It contrasts a shorter scene where they try to win the lottery, accidentally get one number wrong, and then decide not to travel back.  I have no idea why.

Directed by Dean Israelite, this is a movie targeted squarely at teenagers.  It’s shot with handheld cameras using the “found footage” approach.  The cast consists of young, largely unknown actors.  Its characters are dealing with bullies and discovering love for the first time.  It’s kept fairly simple and I wouldn’t say there’s much for older audiences.

Aside from the last 20 minutes or so, this is a film with zero tension.  We’re just watching a bunch of people have a good time.  They go to music concerts and they buy fast cars.  It’s not until the very end where writers Andrew Deutschman and Jason Pagan have decided to create something more dramatic.  It’s what you’d expect though.  By going back in time too often, they start to alter the current day universe.  It then becomes a question of whether they can return things to normal.

Project Almanac opened poorly at the U.S. box-office earlier this months and I’d expect similarly weak numbers in Australia when it’s released this Thursday.