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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 December 2014

By my count, there were at least 30 reboots, remakes, sequels and spin-offs released in Australian cinemas during 2014.  This year starts in a similar vein with Taken 3, Dumb & Dumber To and Penguins Of Madagascar all released inside of the first two weeks.  It’s as if Hollywood coined the famous mantra – “if you’re on a good thing, stick to it.”

For those keeping score at home, there have been three films in the Madagascar franchise to date.  They have combined for a total worldwide box-office of just under $2 billion (in US dollars).  A fourth instalment is anticipated (with a tentative 2018 release date) but to satisfy us in the meantime, we’ve been given a spin-off which is light in terms of characters but still heavy on action.

Penguins Of Madagascar is centred on the four penguins who only had a small role in the earlier films – Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private.  The film opens with a 10 minute prelude that shows us how they first met and why they went in search of adventure (as opposed to sticking it out with their families in freezing Antarctica).

The premise here is somewhat amusing.  An attention seeking octopus named Dave (voiced by John Malkovich) was once a feature attraction at the Central Park Zoo.  He loved doing tricks and fans flocked to see him.  The arrival of four penguins changed everything however.  No one wanted to see an “ugly” octopus any more.  The public now lavished their attention on the cute, furry, fluffy penguins.

Only two things have kept Dave’s zest for life going.  Firstly, he wants to keep adding to his collection of snow globes.  No issues there.  Secondly, he has a “burning thirst for revenge” against the penguins that cut short his career.  He intends to kidnap every penguin on the planet and, using a specially created serum, transform them into hideous, deformed creatures.

It’s not just our four heroic penguins that are trying to save the day.  A crime-fighting organisation known as the North Wind, which comprises a wolf, seal, owl and polar bear, is also trying to get the job done.  Tension develops between them however with egos getting in the way of the greater good.

The screenwriters have included just enough jokes to keep adults entertained.  I had to smile at a scene when Dave to octopus has trouble trying to use a video conferencing device (it’s like something out of an Austin Powers movie).  There’s also some witty celebrity name dropping during the film’s climax.

Kids are easier to please and will probably lap it up.  That said, it lacks many of the endearing characters that have made this franchise so likable (such as Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, and Manny the giraffe).  The film is also too “busy” in places.  As there aren’t enough meaningful exchanges between the characters, the script tries to compensate with elaborate, over-the-top action sequences.

Big Hero 6 and Paddington have my vote as the best family fare over the Christmas school holidays but if you’ve ticked them off your list, Penguins Of Madagascar is still a viable option.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 December 2014

Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino.  Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets.  Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine.  These are just a few names that you’d find on a list of cinema’s great “grumpy old guys”.  Now in his mid-60s, it seems iconic actor Bill Murray (Lost In Translation) wants his spot on that list.  Writer-director Theodore Melfi has provided the vehicle in what is his first feature film, St Vincent.

Murray plays Vincent – an elderly man who pretty much does whatever he wants.  He drinks, he smokes, he gambles, and he goes to strip clubs.  Vincent doesn’t have a job and so all of his activities have been funded by drawing down on his home loan.  Unfortunately, house prices have plummeted and the bank isn’t giving him another dime.

Vincent’s got a few more problems too.  He’s been sleeping with a Russian prostitute (Watts) who is now pregnant with his child.  He owes a significant sum of money to a loan shark (Howard) after losing at the local race track.  He’s also months behind on his payments to a respite centre where his wife, suffering from dementia, now resides.

As is the case with most of cinema’s great “grumpy old guys”, Vincent goes through somewhat of a transformation.  The catalyst is a shy, insightful kid named Oliver (Lieberher) who has moved in next door with his single mother, Maggie (McCarthy).  Maggie has to work long hours at a hospital and so she’s reluctantly asked Vincent to babysit Oliver for a few hours each day after school.  Don’t think Vincent is doing this out of the kindness of his heart.  He’s demanding $12 an hour as part of his conditions.

St Vincent is designed to be a crowd pleaser.  It finished 3^rd in voting for the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival back in September (that’s a big honour).  The film’s opening half is largely comedic with Bill Murray uttering insult after insult.  It’s his preferred method of pushing people away.  He lives alone and doesn’t want anyone to get beneath his tough exterior.

Events become more dramatic in the second half.  There are some touching moments that may leave some audience members reaching for tissues.  There’s a particularly powerful scene where Maggie opens up to Vincent about her uneasy past (she fled from her cheating husband) and her concerns for Oliver going forward.  It all leads to a conclusion that is both sweet and poignant.

The film’s heart is in the right place but the story is jumbled.  There are some problems, such as Vincent’s run-in with the loan shark, that don’t add value and are resolved far too easily.  Other issues aren’t even followed through at all (such as when Vincent “borrows” money from Oliver’s new bank account).  I was also baffled at the “romance” (for use of a better word) between Vincent and the Russian prostitute.  What did they see in each other?

The bottom line though – I’ll always pay money to see a Bill Murray movie.  Yeah, the script has a few flaws but it’s nice to see Murray interact with Melissa McCarthy (in a rare dramatic role) and bond with young actor Jaeden Lieberher (in his first big screen performance).  It’s perfect fare for the Christmas holidays here in Australia.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 December 2014

You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole.  That pretty much sums up my thoughts on Annie – a remake of the successful musical that first opened on Broadway back in 1977 (although some will be more familiar with the 1982 film version).  Screenwriters Will Gluck (Friends With Benefits) and Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) have failed miserably in their attempts to take this classic tale, which was originally set in the Great Depression, and adapt it to a current day setting.

Let’s start from the beginning.  Annie (Wallis) hasn’t grown up in an orphanage.  Instead, she’s been shipped from foster home to foster home.  Her latest guardian is Miss Hannigan (Diaz), a welfare cheat who is currently looking after 5 kids.  She’s not doing it out of the goodness of her own heart.  It’s solely because she pockets $735 per week from the government.  The character would be a perfect fit for the next Housos Vs. Authority movie.

Moving along… Annie finds herself rescued by Will Stacks (Foxx), a ridiculously wealthy telecommunications tycoon.  He’s s a repulsive individual who uses his elaborate mobile phone network to illegally spy on his customers.  If you think that’s bad… Stacks’s new goal is to become Mayor of New York City.  He has no actual policies and isn’t really concerned about the city’s residents.  He’s only doing it to further his elaborate business interests.

So why has Stacks taken Annie into his care?  It’s not because he’s kind, generous or sympathetic.  Rather, he’s doing on the recommendation of his political advisers (Cannavale and Byrne).  They all believe it’ll show his “softer side” and provide a much needed boost in the mayoral polls.  What’s the harm in splashing an orphaned young child across newspapers for political gain, right?  Can’t be any worse than setting up a Twitter account in her name to post campaign information!

Thankfully, Annie is a great judge of character.  When asked by her friends if Stacks is a nice guy, her response is “I think so… he just doesn’t know it yet.”  I’d probably say the same thing if given the chance to live in lavish penthouse with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the heart of New York City.  Oh, and she gets a cute dog too.  It’s what we all want out of life apparently.

Nothing in this film rings true.  The fact that Stacks’s approval ratings soars as a result of the “Annie factor” is laughable.  If Donald Trump ran for President and took a 10-year-old orphan with him on the campaign trail, social media would eat him alive.  The film’s rushed ending (which I should but won’t spoil) makes even less sense.  Some characters (Stacks included) deserve to be hanged, drawn and quartered.  Instead, they get a warm hug and a pat on the back.

The writers have stuck with many of the songs from the original musical.  They include catchy numbers such as “It’s A Hard Knock Life”, “Tomorrow”, and “I Think I’m Going To Like It Here.”  Unfortunately, the performance of said songs has been overproduced by director Will Gluck.  The choreography is too busy, the lyrics are difficult to follow, and the miming couldn’t be more obvious.  They’re no fun to watch at all.

There are brief glimpses of comedic promise (a scene in a movie theatre springs to mind) but for the most part, this is a bizarre family-orientated musical that requires you to wear thick rose-coloured glasses.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 10 December 2014

Put yourself in the shoes of Mr Brown.  You’ve just stepped off a train and see a small talking bear waiting on the platform.  It turns out the bear is at the end of an incredibly long journey from “Darkest Peru” and is looking for somewhere to live in London.  Listening to the strong pleas of your wife and two children, you reluctantly agree to let the bear stay the night.

So what’s the first thing you do on getting home?  In the case of this Mr Brown, who just so happens to work as a risk assessor, he calls his insurance company.  He wants to make sure that he’s covered for any “bear related damage” in case the whole thing goes pear shaped.

The point I’m trying to make is that this is more than just a simple kids’ film about a cute coat-wearing bear.  Yes, there are scenes where the bear causes absolute mayhem which will leave most children laughing.  A moment where he uses Mr Brown’s toothbrush to clear the gunk from his ears springs to mind.  Just as importantly though, there’s enough humour for adults (evidenced by the insurance example) to keep them equally entertained.

The film opens with a short backstory.  We learn that Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) was raised by his loving aunt and uncle in a beautiful Peruvian forest.  Many years ago, they were visited by an English explorer who promised that if they ever came to London, he’d welcome them into his home.  That pretty much leads into the current day narrative.  Paddington is travelling alone as his uncle recently passed away and his aunt is quite frail.

The Brown family are doing their best to help Paddington track down the English explorer (no one knows his name) but a villain is thrown into the mix to make life more difficult.  A museum taxidermist (played by Nicole Kidman) is looking to get her hands on the bear so it can be killed and stuffed for her own private collection.

What struck me most about the film was the quality of animation.  I make this statement about so many animated features but the bar keeps being raised higher and higher.  Once you get caught up in the story, you’ll quickly forget that Paddington is the creation of the gifted animation team.  From his mannerisms to his thick fur, the attention to detail is incredible.

The storyline is sweet and simple – another positive if taking young children along.  The film’s weaker moments tend to revolve around Kidman as the villain.  She’s a silly, non-threatening character and it makes me wonder if Paul King and Hamish McColl were afraid of making something that might be too dark for the kids.

With Alexander & The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day released last Thursday here in Australia, it looks like there are plenty of decent offerings for children and their accompanying parents over the school holidays.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 December 2014

On 6 August 1915, Australian soldiers commenced an attack against the Turkish army in Gallipoli.  It became known as the Battle of Lone Pine and the death toll, on both sides, was huge.  When the final bullet was fired 4 days later, roughly 2,000 Australians and 7,000 Turks had lost their lives.  The battle formed part of the climax of Peter Weir’s 1981 war drama, Gallipoli, which many regard as one of the great Australian films of all time.

Russell Crowe’s directorial debut, The Water Diviner, takes the same period of history and looks at it from a different angle – the aftermath.  Crowe plays Joshua Connor, a Victorian farmer who lost all three of his sons in the Battle of Lone Pine.  Further tragedy was to follow when his wife, unable to cope with the death of her children, committed suicide.  Standing over his wife’s grave, Connor makes one final promise – “I’ll find them and I’ll bring them home to you.”

The year is now 1919 and the war is over.  Connor has made the long trip to Gallipoli so as to find his sons’ bodies and return them to Australia.  He soon learns that a recovery operation is already underway.  Despite being the fiercest of enemies several years ago, Australian and Turkish soldiers were now working together to locate the bodies of those left behind on the battlefields

Leading the operation are an Australian lieutenant colonel (Courtney) and a Turkish war hero (Erdogan).  They want nothing to do with Connor at first.  There’s much work to be done and they’d rather not be side tracked by a near-impossible search for three particular bodies.  Connor wins them over however and over the next few days, he learns much about the atrocities that took place in Gallipoli.

It’s a curious piece of history and I was intrigued by the broad subject matter.  Most war films tend to focus on epic battles and it’s not often that we follow those affected in the aftermath.  Here, Connor is trying to locate his sons... but he requires the help of a Turkish major who was part of the army that probably killed them!  It’s a crazy scenario that only further highlights the futility of war and the value of forgiveness.

Despite my interest, there are several elements to The Water Diviner that left me puzzled.  Embedded throughout the film is a layer of “spirituality” that borders on science fiction.  When Connor reaches Lone Pine, he seems to be guided by a higher power that takes him directly to his sons’ remains.  He also has some kind of “sixth sense” that allows him to see his sons’ final moments by way of flashback.  It’s all very strange.

The film also tries to establish a romantic subplot.  Connor befriends Ayshe (Kurylenko), a Turkish widow operating a small hotel in Istanbul.  Ayshe lost her husband in the war and is now being pressured into marrying his brother (something she objects to).  Given that Connor is still coming to grips with the death of his own wife (it’s the main reason he’s in Turkey to begin with), it’s hard to believe that he can fall so quickly for someone he knows so little about.

Crowe has used a large contingent of Australian actors as part of his supporting cast.  You’re likely to recognise a few familiar faces including Jacqueline McKenzie, Dan Wyllie, Damon Herriman, Ryan Corr, Steve Bastoni and Megan Gale.  The scene stealer is 12-year-old newcomer Dylan Georgiades who plays Ayshe’s young son.  He plays a fun, curious character and shares some great conversations with both Crowe and Kurylenko.

The film recently received 8 nominations for the upcoming Australian Academy Awards (AACTAs) although, in a curious twist, Russell Crowe was overlooked in the best director category.  Hopefully he won’t take that (or this review) too personally.

You can read my chat with star Olga Kurylenko by clicking here.