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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 25 February 2014

Gloria doesn’t contain a lot of story but it makes up for it with an abundance of character. I’m sure Chilean director Sebastián Lelio deserves his fair share of credit but the reason you’ll remember this film is because of the performance of star Paulina García. She won the best actress prize at the 2013 Berlin Festival and it’s easy to see why.

So let me do my best to describe Gloria. She’s fifty-something years of age and she’s been divorced for a decade. Her two children have moved out of home and she tries to catch up with them semi-regularly. She lives alone but she still likes to be social. In the film’s opening scene, we see her on the dance floor of a nightclub and trying to catch the attention of a particular guy.

The style of the film is somewhat fragmented. We zip between locations and get a glimpse of Gloria is each of those settings. It is then up to you to take in all of these observations and form your own conclusions about her. Is she happy? Is she lonely? Is she vulnerable? Is she just like you and me?

There’s one part of her life that is given more attention – her relationship with an ex-naval officer named Rodolfo (Hernández) who she also meets in a nightclub. The two are keen to spend time together… but there’s a catch. Rodolfo can’t seem to distance himself from his clingy ex-wife and his two unemployed daughters. It leaves Gloria unsure about their future and whether it’s a relationship she wants to fully invest in.

Having done the rounds at the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals last year, it’s nice to see Gloria getting a wider release here in Australia. I sense that some might be frustrated with the film’s lack of narrative momentum but it’s still an engaging character study that taps into feelings that are very difficult to put into words.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 February 2014

When the Academy Award nominations were announced a few weeks ago, the one film that caught many pundits off guard was Dallas Buyer’s Club. It picked up 6 nods including best picture. Stars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto are the frontrunners (at least according to the bookies) in the categories of best actor and best supporting actor.

The film begins in 1985 and introduces us to a “blokey” guy by the name of Ron Woodroof (McConaughey). He works as an electrician, he moonlights as a rodeo cowboy, and he runs from people to whom he owes money. After a small workplace accident, Ron is taken to hospital and is given some shocking news from his doctors. His blood tested positive for HIV and he has roughly 30 days left to live.

That news sets the stage for what is quite an encompassing film. It’s trying to explore a lot of angles and it does a good job, as opposed to a great job. First and foremost, it’s providing a not-so-flattering portrayal of the Food and Drug Administration (FBA) authority. Ron was prepared to try any drug that might help, including those that hadn’t been properly tested in the United States, but the FDA put up road block after road block. They weren’t sympathetic to his plight.

It prompted Ron to establish the Dallas Buyer’s Club – an association for those who were HIV-positive. Membership was $400 a year and that entitled them to a regular supply of untested drugs secretly imported from overseas. Ron was able to circumvent the FDA’s rules because his customers weren’t directly buying drugs… they were buying club memberships.

Ron’s reasons for starting the Club were wholly self-motivated (he was trying to prolong his life and make some decent cash) but that started to change over time. He became friends with many of his customers, most of whom were homosexual, and it opened his eyes to a world he has always shunned. It’s here where Jared Leto gets his chance to impress as Ron’s transgender business partner.

Craig Borten originally wrote the screenplay for Dallas Buyer’s Club back in the early 1990s but it took two decades to secure the finance to get it into production. It’s hard to believe given the acclaim it’s now receiving. The director who stepped up to the plate is Canadian Jean-Marc Vallée – who I admired for his 2005 film C.R.A.Z.Y. and have followed ever since.

Three years ago, if you told me that Matthew McConaughey might win an Oscar, I’d have laughed. The guy was making crappy rom-coms including Failure To Launch, Fool’s Gold and Ghost Of Girlfriends Past. Things started to turn with The Lincoln Lawyer (released in mid-2011) and he’s built on that momentum ever since. He’s at his charismatic best in Dallas Buyer’s Club. He also dropped roughly 20kgs before taking on the roll thanks to a diet of egg whites, chicken and Diet Coke.

The movie gives off mixed messages at times. It looked to be demonising the FDA (for better or worse) but a few moments during the film suggested otherwise. The relevance of certain supporting characters (such as Jennifer Garner as Ron’s doctor) was also questionable. That said, it’s still a debate-generating film that’s worth your time and money.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 February 2014

Lone Survivor is based on a 2005 true story and follows four U.S. Navy SEALs who were part of a team trying to gather surveillance on an important Taliban leader. They were to hide in the mountains near Asadabad, observe the goings-on in a nearby village, and then report key details back to their base (who could plan an attack).

It’s not as easy as it might sound. This mission, described in the film as one with “a lot of moving parts”, went pear shaped after the four men lost their communications and were then seen by a goat herder and his two young sons. They were soon set upon by a sizeable Taliban army who knew the mountains very, very well.

You might ask yourself the question – why the hell is the film called Lone Survivor? Isn’t that giving away the ending? The answer to question is “yes” but it’s not as big a spoiler as you might think. Firstly, the movie is based on the novel “Lone Survivor” written by Marcus Luttrell – the man who did live to tell to the tale. Secondly, the story is told by way of flashback. We see a badly injured Luttrell at the start… and we then slip back a few days to see how he got there.

This is an intense film. You get a clear sense of the panic these guys felt and the hopelessness of their situation. You’ll also feel their pain as they desperately throw themselves off mountain cliffs and onto to further rocks below. It’s been well shot by actor-turned-director Peter Berg (Battleship) who has also assembled a strong cast headlined by Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster. Australian Eric Bana makes an appearance as the team’s base commander.

Berg, who adapted the screenplay, also takes the time to explore a moral angle. When the four SEALs are discovered by the goat herder and his sons, there’s a heated debate amongst the soldiers as to what to do. Do they follow the Rules of Engagement and let them go on the basis that they are innocent civilians? Or should they be killed to eliminate the risk that they’ll return home and alert the Taliban leaders?

There have been a few question marks about the film’s authenticity since its release in the United States last month. It would appear that some scenes have been embellished for dramatic effect. Those critics have a point (the over-dramatisation is too obvious in places) but on the whole, I don’t believe the film’s themes or messages have been lost. I’ve watched a few interviews with the real Marcus Luttrell and he too appears to be satisfied with what ended up on screen. Hopefully you’ll feel the same way.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 09 February 2014

It’s Valentine’s Day this week and here in Australia there are a few “romantic” options being offered in cinemas. I’ve been won over by my fair share of romantic comedies/dramas because of quality casting but that said, it’s hard to think of another genre that so often falls back on overused clichés and predictable plot points (well, aside from horror films).

Some films pair a nice girl with a bad boy (or vice-versa) and prove that opposites attract. Others have two people who don’t realise they’re in love (despite the fact it’s painfully obvious to everyone else in the movie… and in the cinema). Perhaps the one that frustrates me most is where the two characters fall in love, have a stupid misunderstanding, and then end up back together.

I make this reference so as to highlight that Blue Is The Warmest Colour is something different. If you were to describe it in a single sentence, you’d say it’s a French coming-of-age tale that centres on a 17-year-old high school student named Adele who falls in love for the first time. Such a simple explanation wouldn’t do the film justice, however. This is an intriguing, three-hour character study that requires you to observe and analyse.

In the same way that I admired Michelle Williams in Take This Waltz (released back in 2011), I was drawn to Adele’s character because of her insecure, emotional disposition. She’s a smart young woman. No doubt about that. She loves to read and hopes to be a teacher one day. On the flip side though, Adele is shy, unsure of herself. She’s quiet, she’s constantly fiddles with her hair, and she’s seemingly unaware of her own beauty.

Confused as to what she’s looking for romantically, Adele finds the answer with a “love at first sight” kind of encounter on a busy street. The object of her affection is an older woman named Emma (Seydoux) who stands out from the crowd with her distinctive blue hair. It’s not long before the pair become inseparable.

Rather than lead us by the hand to a predetermined destination, this is a film that asks us to stand back and observe. What do you think of this couple? Do they belong together? With next-to-no experience when it comes to relationships, has Adele attached herself too strongly? What of Emma? Is she attracted solely to Adele because she’s young and good looking… or is there something deeper?

Blue Is The Warmest Colour has taken an up and down journey since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last May. The Festival jury (which included Steven Spielberg, Ang Lee, Nicole Kidman and Christoph Waltz) and the International Federation of Film Critics both gave the film their top prize. It was just the start of the acclaim. Critics in New York and Los Angeles named it the year’s best foreign language film and it’s nominated in the upcoming BAFTAs in the same category.

Despite the critical acclaim, the film has shrouded in controversy because of the actions of director Abdellatif Kechiche. Crew members claim they were subject to harassment and were not adequately paid for their work. Stars Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux stated that Kechiche didn’t meet any lesbians or do any research prior to the shoot. New York Times critic Manohla Dargis expressed concerns about the film’s ten-minute sex scene which she noted “feels far more about Mr Kechiche’s desires than anything else.”

If nothing else, the film will provide some good conversation starters. Filmmakers are often pandering to audiences with nice, happy, feel-good moments – as unrealistic as they may be. I’ve seen plenty of romantic comedies where I can’t believe the couple end up together in the end. To come back to this movie… is the inclusion of a lengthy, gratuitous sex scene between two women any different? Is it exploitive? Or is it just another way to shock/titillate audiences?

While three hours is a little too long to be investing in this story, Blue Is The Warmest Colour is film I won’t be forgetting any time soon.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 February 2014

The opening shot in Nebraska is that of an old man slowly walking down the side of a busy road. His name is Woody Grant (Dern) and he has set out on a 1,300km trek from his home in Billings, Montana. It’s not a “bucket list” thing. It’s not a “raise money for charity” thing. Woody believes he’s won a $1 million sweepstakes prize and so he’s trying to walk to the company’s offices in Lincoln, Nebraska to claim it.

So why isn’t he being driven by his family? Well, they know that Woody hasn’t won the $1 million prize. The letter that arrived in the mail is just a standard gimmick used by publishing companies to make people buy magazine subscriptions. They try to explain this to the eighty-something year old Woody, who is showing early signs of dementia, but he just doesn’t comprehend. He’s convinced he’s won the money. It prompts his wife (Squibb) to say “I didn’t know the son of a bitch even wanted to be a millionaire!”

Left with no other option, his son David (Forte) takes a few days off work and agrees to drive him. It’ll be a chance for them to spend some quality time together (something they haven’t done in a while). Further, once they reach the sweepstakes offices, Woody will finally understand that he’s not a prize winner. They can then drive back home and life can return to normal.

If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll know that things don’t quite go as expected. A quick detour through Woody’s old home town of Hawthorne goes pear shaped when he starts telling all his old friends that he’s now a millionaire. Some folk are happy for Woody. The local newspaper wants to do an article on his “rags to riches” story for example. On the flipside, some folk are not so happy. Old business partners and seldom-seen family members are now buttering him up and seeking a slice of the cash. It’s starting to get out of control…

Accompanied by a sleepy music score from composer Mark Orton, Nebraska is another wonderful feature film from director Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways, The Descendants). Curiously, this is his first film where he isn’t also credited as a screenwriter. Payne was shown Bob Nelson’s script by two colleagues and asked who he thought would be a good fit as a director. His response – “how about me?”

As a huge fan of the early years of cinema, Nebraska has allowed Payne to do something he’s always wanted to do – make a black and white movie. It’s not a silent film but you can see that dialogue has been used sparingly. There’s a great scene where Woody and his brothers are sitting in a living room in front of the television. They’re not a talkative bunch. Words aren’t required though. Just watching them put a smile on a face.

Using a mix of both professional and non-professional actors, Payne has brought together a superb cast. In the leading role, 77-year-old Bruce Dern (Coming Home, Monster) has created a character that is tragic yet funny, repulsive yet endearing. When asked why he’d never left his wife, despite years of bickering, his response sums up his harsh, forthright persona – “I’d just end up with someone else who’d give me shit all the time.”

Of the 9 best picture nominees at the upcoming Academy Awards, Nebraska is the last to receive a release here in Australia. It’s therefore with a tinge of sadness that another “awards season” comes to a close. It’s now time to prepare for a myriad of reboots, remakes and sequels. Oh, and a bunch of stuff involving over-the-top action and comic book heroes. Brace yourself.