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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 July 2013

For two guys who have made a career out of landing small supporting roles, many where shocked to see Nat Faxon and Jim Rush standing on stage at the Oscars last year with the coveted 13 ½ inch statuette in their hands.  They weren’t there for their acting talents.  Rather, they were part of the writing team for The Descendants (along with director Alexander Payne) which picked up the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.

Following in the footsteps of many other screenwriters, Faxon and Rash have made the transition to directing with their feature debut, The Way Way Back.  It’s a nicely told coming-of-age tale and centre stage is an introverted 14-year-old named Duncan (James).

His parents recently separated and instead of spending the summer holidays with his dad (his preference), Duncan is being forced to accompany his mother (Collette) and her new boyfriend (Carrell) to a simple beach house in a sleepy seaside town.  It’s not where he wants to be.  He doesn’t want to be hassled about his shy nature by his mother’s boyfriend.  He doesn’t want to hang out with the drunk neighbours at backyard barbeques.  He doesn’t want to have to make new friends.

In the leading role, newcomer Liam James delivers an immensely likeable performance.  Duncan comes across as a sweet, good-natured kid but you get a strong sense that he’s not comfortable with himself.  He’s bottled up his adolescence insecurities and he seemingly has no family or close friends to confide in.

That changes when he meets Owen (Rockwell), a goofy, care-free guy who manages Water Wizz – a local waterslide park.  Owen develops a soft spot for Duncan and offers him a part-time job so he can earn a few dollars over the summer.  What started out as the worst holiday ever… is about to become one he will never forget.

Many of us will have memories of our favourite family holidays and that’s exactly what The Way Way Back is trying to tap into.  We visit exciting places, we do surprising things and we make new friends.  This film’s best scenes are those at the waterslide park where some fun, light-hearted moments are shared between Duncan, Owen and the rest of the Water Wizz staff.  Duncan slowly emerges from his shell and it’ll leave you with a satisfied smile on your face.

Not as strong are the subplots involving Duncan and his family.  We’re never treated to their full history and so we don’t understand the extent of Duncan’s connection with his father (who we never meet) nor the strange relationship shared between Duncan’s mother and her new flame.  These elements needed to be fleshed out in more detail or scrapped entirely.

My thumbs are still up though.  The Way Way Back was produced for just $5m and it’s great to see it being released theatrically in Australia.  If you’re tired of superhero movies and want to be charmed by a heart-warming comedy, this is the film for you.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 July 2013

In 1995, two twenty-something strangers met on a train and spent a one-off evening walking through Vienna. You couldn’t ask for a more romantic encounter. They chatted for hours and flirted constantly – all against the backdrop of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. The next morning, they boarded separate trains and returned to their regular lives. That film was Before Sunrise.

Nine years later, they would meet for a second time. Jesse (Hawke) had taken the events of that night and transformed it into a best-selling novel. A copy had found its way into the hands of Celine (Delpy) who, realising that it was based on their fateful evening, tracked Jesse down while at a book signing in a small Parisian bookstore. The two spent the afternoon roaming the streets of Paris and catching up on the past decade. That film was Before Sunset.

If you haven’t seen either of these films, that’s your homework before you catch Before Midnight. You could try to watch this as a “stand alone” movie but those already acquainted with these characters will find it far more satisfying. It’s just like going to a dinner party. If you’re familiar with everyone at the table, you can relax and get straight into some great conversation without the obligatory “getting to know you” stuff.

This final instalment in Richard Linklater’s trilogy has been crafted from the same mould as the earlier films. It’s set over the course of a single day in southern Greece and features lengthy conversations between Jesse and Celine. There’s a lot of random small talk (such as a moment when Celine talks about her family’s cat growing up) but as the film progresses, their exchanges become more serious, more significant.

When we first met these characters in 1995, they were young and carefree. Not burdened with the shackles of responsibility, they spoke about their grand, exciting plans for the future. The year is now 2013 and their priorities have changed. Jesse is worried that he’s not spending enough time with his teenage son (from an earlier marriage). Celine is frustrated with her current job and is looking for something new. Both have doubts as to whether they can maintain a long-term commitment to each other.

There’s no huge revelation in Before Midnight. There’s no big twist. It’s not trying to sell the secret of a great marriage. It’s not trying to make you feel warm and fuzzy. The reason this film will hold your attention for two hours is because of the natural dialogue between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Put simply – they make these characters interesting. Their compliments, their arguments and their reflections will have you drawing comparisons with your own relationships.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 July 2013

How do you kill someone who cannot be killed? I don’t know the answer. Neither did the villains in this film. It didn’t stop them trying for two hours though. They showered the Wolverine with sharp arrows… nope, didn’t work. They pumped him full of bullets… nah, no luck. They pushed a samurai sword through his heart… pfffff, no chance.

Don’t get me wrong – I didn’t think the bad guys would walk off into the sunset with the Wolverine’s dead body draped over their shoulders. The problem I’m alluding to is that this film doesn’t offer much in the way of excitement or suspense. Aside from a slightly unexpected plot development in the final minutes, it does things by the book.

It opens with our leading man, known as Logan (Jackman), keeping a very low profile in a small American town. He’s hiding from the world and still coming to grips with the death of his former flame, Jean (Janssen) – you’ll need to watch 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand to help bring you up to speed on that subplot.

Logan is a tired, forlorn figure but he will be thrust back into combat when he pays a quick visit to a dying friend in Japan. Yashida owns one of the world’s wealthiest companies and, knowing that his days are numbered, he has agreed to give full control to his granddaughter, Mariko (Okamota).

Not everyone is happy with this decision. The Japanese Yakuza try to kidnap Mariko but thankfully, Logan is able to use his sharp claws and his regeneration powers to save the day. Oh, and in true Hollywood style, they fall in love.

There are plenty of expendable henchmen to do the dirty work but the head villain providing them direction is a scientist known as the Viper (Khodchenkova). I’m not exactly sure what her plans are going forward but in the short term, she’s determined to capture the Wolverine and harness his powers.

The Wolverine was given a spin-off back in 2009 (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and I don’t know why 20^th Century Fox decided to give him another. The X-Men series works best when it brings together all of the mutants, both good and bad, and pits them against each other in a series of physical and moral confrontations. As you’ll see from a quick clip during the closing credits, that looks like it’ll be offered in next year’s X-Men: Days Of Future Past.

This film tries to go down a darker route with an inference that Logan is contemplating suicide so that he can be reunited with Jean. It’s a subplot with potential but it’s not fleshed out in enough detail. The strange dream sequences, which are designed to show his fragile mental state, are best described as “head-scratching”.

I’m sure many will see The Wolverine for the sole reason that it stars the increasingly popular Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables). He’s a solid actor but it’s a role that doesn’t require much. It’s as if director James Mangold (Walk The Line) told him to turn up with chiselled abs and be prepared to drop the occasional swear word for comedic effect.

After months of comic book / superhero movies, they’re all starting to feel the same. I’m getting tired.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 July 2013

I don’t watch a lot of television but one show I’ve fallen in love with over the past decade is Curb Your Enthusiasm. It stars Larry David... as Larry David. We follow his crazy adventures as he tries to find something to do with his life after the success of the Seinfeld television series (that he co-created).

During the show, he interacts with a bunch of Hollywood stars playing themselves. There’s Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Martin Scorsese, Ben Stiller, Meg Ryan, Ricky Gervais and Michael J. Fox – just a small sample of the many cameos.

A big part of the show’s charm comes from the way in which in blends reality and fiction. How much of what we’re watching is a reflection of reality? Are the actors using their real life personas? Are the inner workings of Hollywood really this crazy?

We’ve seen actors playing themselves in movies before and if you’re looking for a great example, you won’t do better than John Malkovich in the brilliant 1999 comedy Being John Malkovich. This Is The End is taking the concept one step further. For the first time that I can recall, we’ve got a movie where EVERYONE is playing themselves.

It centres on an epic housewarming party being thrown by James Franco (127 Hours, Spider-Man). On the invite list is his great friend Seth Rogen (who he starred with in Pineapple Express) along with the likes of Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Michael Cera (Superbad), Jay Baruchel (She’s Out Of My League), Danny McBride (Your Highness), Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine), Emma Watson (Harry Potter) and even Rihanna.

There’s binge drinking, pot smoking and a splash of fornication. In other words, it’s a standard Hollywood get-together… well… at least until the apocalypse arrives. Giant sinkholes open up in the ground, the neighbouring hills catch on fire and complete pandemonium breaks out. Only a handful of party guests survive the carnage and until can they figure out what the hell is going on, they board up the windows and take refuge in James Franco’s luxurious house.

The story’s not that important though. This Is The End is just a bunch of celebrities taking the piss out of themselves for two hours. If you’re familiar with their previous films, you’ll be laughing often and laughing loudly. I don’t want to give too many of the jokes away (as they are so random) but to give you a small taste of what’s on offer, there a humorous moment when James and Seth put together a fake trailer for Pineapple Express 2 to help pass the time.

Adding to the film’s hilarity are the varying levels of “friendship” shared between the characters. James Franco idolises Seth Rogen to the point that he has a giant painting of Seth’s name on his wall. On the flip side, it’s clear that Jay Baruchel isn’t a fan of Jonah Hill’s over-the-top niceness. As for Danny McBride, no one likes him at all!

The inspiration for This Is The End came from a 2007 short film created by Evan Goldberg (a writer behind Pineapple Express and Superbad) and friend Jason Stone. I don’t know if this will kick start a fad of similar movies but considering it recovered its $32m budget in less than a week at the U.S. box-office, it will get a mention in boardroom meetings at the big studios.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 July 2013

For decades, Lee Liberace was one of the world’s most well-known entertainers. He would play to sold-out shows every night in Vegas. He would pop up on television and in mainstream films. He even performed for President Truman at the White House in 1950.

Liberace spoke elegantly and was a brilliant pianist but he was just as well known for his flamboyant attire and lavish lifestyle. On Youtube, I was able to find Liberace’s appearance on a 1974 British talk show where the interviewer was told to “ask him for his autograph because knowing him, he might sign it in gold.”

I’ve always found it a curious part of human nature that we can so much about how we are perceived. We have the ability to create a public persona that can differ wildly from our private one. I can’t help but reflect on the recent death of 31-year-old Glee star Cory Monteith who most knew was as a fun, relaxed, happy-go-lucky guy. He was a role model. What we didn’t know was that behind closed doors, Monteith was battling a serious substance abuse problem.

It’s a theme explored by Academy award winning director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) in Behind The Candelabra. Liberace loved attention and loved the spotlight… but the version of himself that he chose to share with the world lacked one notable detail – the fact that he was gay.

Liberace’s sexuality was known to his close friends and colleagues but he worked strenuously to keep this information from the public. He would feed the media with stories about his girlfriends and the time he lost his virginity. When the Britain’s Daily Mirror published an article in 1956 implying that Liberace was a homosexual, he sued and the newspaper and received a record amount in damages.

There was much to the life of Lee Liberace but Behind The Candelabra focuses largely on Scott Thorson – Liberace’s teenage boyfriend who he first met in 1976. They shared a peculiar relationship to say the least. Was Liberace just after a dumb, fresh-faced toy boy to satisfy him in the bedroom? Was Thorson just after money and a chance to break into the entertainment industry? Or were these two actually in love, despite the head-turning age difference between them?

Michael Douglas (Wall Street) turns in a charming performance as Liberace. It’s a shame that the film doesn’t spend more time exploring the way in which he and his staff, some loyal and some not-so-loyal, kept his secret hidden for so long. Instead, the screenplay of Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King) spends too much time on Thorson (which I guess is because it's based on his own novel). It’s a nice performance from Matt Damon but it’s hard to be interested in a character that comes across as a dull nobody.

Don’t expect any Oscar nomination for Michael Douglas’s performance. While it is getting a small cinematic release in Australia, the film was released as a telemovie in the United States back in May. Steven Soderbergh couldn’t convince a Hollywood studio to invest in a “gay love story” and so it was the cable network HBO would took the chance and put up the cash.

It turned out to be a good move. The film recorded the network’s highest ratings for a telemovie since 2005 and earned 15 Emmy nominations including acting nods for both Douglas and Damon. The awards are handed out in mid-September and I suspect Behind The Candelabra will win many of them.