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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 September 2012

We could start a debate about the best shark movie ever made… but it’s only go to lead to one answer – Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, released back in 1975.  It didn’t have the luxury of flashy, computer-generated special effects but it left most audiences on the edge of their seat.  The film took home three Academy Awards an earned a nomination for best picture (losing to One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest).

With the benchmark set, this niche genre has taken two divergent paths in recent years.  Films like Deep Blue Sea (1999), Open Water (2003) and The Reef (2010) are thrillers that have tried to replicate the “scare factor” of Jaws (with moderate success).  On the flip side, we have movies that can be best described as comedic entertainment.  That list would include Shark Night 3D (2010), Dinoshark (2010) and… wait for it… Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus (2009).

The problem with Bait is that it doesn’t know what side of the fence it wants to sit on.  Given the absurd premise, I was expecting a comedy.  It’s set in a supermarket by the beach that becomes flooded due to the effects of a massive tidal wave.  This happened at the exactly the same time that an armed robbery was in progress.

Anyway, water has inundated the building and the front entrance has been blocked by debris to prevent an easy escape (an obvious plot device).  We’re now left with a small group who have perched themselves atop of the supermarket shelves and are trying to find a way out.  They could stay and wait to be rescued but lo and behold, the water level is rising (yep, another obvious plot device) and time is running out.  I should also mention that there’s another group of people trapped in the underground car park.

The time has come to introduce… sharks!  I’ve seen folk on Twitter refer to this film as the shark equivalent of Snakes On A Plane.  Perhaps a more appropriate title would be Sharks In A Supermarket.  These sharks aren’t interested in the Corn Flakes, Tim Tams and two-minute noodles that can be found in aisle 7.  They’d prefer some fresh meat, straight off the human bone.

With this ridiculous situation now established, the script stumbles.  Instead of being a fun, silly comedy, it tries to be a heart-pounding thriller.  It doesn’t work.  Bait takes itself way too seriously and there are only a handful of witty one-liners.  It leaves us with a flat thriller starring a bunch of characters we couldn’t care less about.  The unconvincing special effects will also leave you confused – are the sharks supposed to be scary?

Xavier Samuel and Julian McMahon headline the cast along with rising stars Alex Russell and Lincoln Lewis.  I don’t expect this film will be featuring too prominently on their resumes.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 September 2012

I was reflecting last week on Good Will Hunting, released back in 1997.  Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were two struggling actors trying to break into Hollywood.  Unable to get any decent roles, they decided to make their own movie!  They wrote the script, gave themselves key roles and lined up the acclaimed Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho) to direct.

History now shows that it was a brilliant decision.  The film was nominated for 9 Academy Awards with Damon and Affleck picking up an Oscar for best original screenplay and Robin Williams taking home an Oscar in the best supporting acting category.  Matt Damon is now a big-time actor and the star of a successful action franchise (the Bourne series).  Ben Affleck has branched out into directing and has put together three well-critiqued films – Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo (to be released in early 2013).

37-year-old Dax Shepard seems to be following in a similar vein… and it’s great to see.  You may not have heard of his name but you should recognise his face.  He’s popped up in a few films – most often in a small, comedic role (When In Rome, Zathura, Without A Paddle).  You might also know him from the television show Parenthood, now in its fourth season.

Hit & Run is Dax Shepard’s “baby”.  He wrote the script.  He co-directed the film with friend David Palmer.  He edited the film alongside Keith Crocket.  He put himself in the leading role.  He used classic cars from his own personal collection.  He cast his long-time girlfriend, Kristen Bell, as his on-screen love interest.  He created supporting roles for some of his close friends.  It all came in at a production cost of $2m.

I’m impressed with the finished product.  Hit & Run is terrific.  It centres on a guy (Shepard) who lives a quiet life in a tiny American town.  It’s not a deliberate decision though.  He was involved in a series of bank robberies in Los Angeles several years ago and is now part of the witness protection program.  He changed his name to Charles Bronson (a humorous story in itself) and has kept a low profile ever since.

When his new girlfriend, Annie (Bell), is offered a dream job in Los Angeles, he is forced to make a decision.  Should he come out of hiding, risk his life and follow her to California?  The answer is yes.  They hurriedly pack and set off in his black, custom built, 1967 Lincoln Continental.

It will be a wild road trip.  Annie’s obsessive ex-boyfriend (Rosenbaum) is extremely jealous and has decided to follow them.  Also on their tale are a hopeless U.S. Marshall (Arnold) with “gun control” issues and a police officer (Rowland) who spends too much time using a gay “hook up” application on his phone.  Finally, an old criminal acquaintance (Cooper) has been released from prison and seeks a bloody revenge against Charles after being “ratted out” in court.

Hit & Run doesn’t rely on easy toilet humour or over-the-top characters to make you laugh (well, with the exception of Tom Arnold).  It’s funny without trying too hard to be funny.  There are some intelligent, level-headed exchanges in the car between Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell that are Seinfeld-esque.  For example, they talk about the use of the word “fag” as an insult and they also debate the strange guys that seem to be attracted to Charles’s classic car.  These conversations provide a nice break from the chase sequences.

There are also a few surprises.  I can guarantee that a scene in a motel will raise eyebrows!  There’s also an unexpected joke late in the film where that somehow involves both rape and racism.  It’s risky (and I’m sure it will offend some) but it highlights that this film is not afraid to take a chance.  I guess you can do that without the pressure of a big budget and an overbearing studio.

With a great group of supporting characters who are all put to good use, Hit & Run is one of the year’s better releases.  It’s a smart action-comedy with believable car chases and insightful dialogue.  Thumbs up to Mr Dax Shepard.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 September 2012

We’ve got Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippopotamus.  These four characters have been made famous thanks to the voices of ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith.  Combined, the first two films reeled in more than $1 billion at the international box-office.  It’s therefore no surprise to see the release of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.

I should begin with a quick refresher course.  The first film saw our four friendly animals removed from their home at Central Park Zoo and shipped off to a Kenyan wildlife preserve.  They never made it through and became stranded on the island of Madagascar.  They didn’t fare much better in the second film when they became stuck in continental Africa while en route back home.

This time around, they’re ticking off a new continent – Europe.  Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria are still trying to get back home to New York but they’re going via an unorthodox route.  We begin in Monte Carlo where they’ve stopped off to collect a few of their friends.  The penguins and chimpanzees have been “holidaying” in the area and having fun at the casinos.

Unfortunately, they are spotted by the head of Monaco’s Animal Control – Captain Chantel DuBois (complete with a villainous voice from Frances McDormand).  She’s determined to capture these wild animals.  In fact, determined would be an understatement.  DuBois is an unstoppable cyborg with a sinister, unflinching facial expression.  She’s easily the best character in the movie.

The animals manage to escape but only thanks to a circus troupe that is passing through.  They sneak aboard their train and are introduced to a new group of animals that form part of the circus – Vitaly the tiger, Gia the jaguar and Stefano the sea lion.  The circus has been struggling of late but the owners are hoping to impress an important promoter who will pay for them to travel to the United States.

If you put two and two together, you should be able to see where the story is going next.  Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria decide to become part of the circus with the hope they can “wow” audiences with some fresh acts and subsequently earn their ticket back home to New York City.

I’m generally a fan of animation but I haven’t been a big supporter of the Madagascar series.  It’s not offering much more than easy, repetitive laughs.  It lacks the drama and emotion that I remember fondly from unforgettable films like Toy Story, Spirited Away, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and WALL-E.  I prefer more from my family-orientated movies.

To put it simply, I’d say Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted is no better or worse than the earlier films.  It’s been forged from the same mould and features the same brand of humour.  It’s nice to see a few new characters but it’s not enough to make the film worth recommending as a whole… unless of course you have young kids and a couple of hours to spare.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 September 2012

We begin with a small memorial service.  It’s been a year since Tom passed away and a group of his good friends have organised a get-together to honour his memory.  The person who seems to have been hit the hardest is his brother, Jack (Duplass).  He’s been struggling to deal with the grief and has pushed away all of those who have tried to help.

It forces his close friend, Iris (Blunt), to offer an ultimatum.  The time has come to deal with this.  She tells Jack to spend a few days in her parent’s remote cabin on Puget Sound.  With no television, no internet and no people, it’ll be a chance for him to regroup, refocus and clear his head.  He takes a little convincing but eventually agrees that it’s a good idea.

Things don’t quite go to plan though.  When he finally reaches the cabin after a long day of bike riding, Jack discovers that he won’t be alone.  Iris’s sister, Hannah (DeWitt), is also using the secluded retreat to deal with her problems.  She’s just broken up with her long-time partner and is looking to hide from the world.

Their first encounter is rather confrontational but it doesn’t take long for Jack and Hannah to start enjoying each other’s company.  Thanks to a large bottle of tequila, they spend their first night in the cabin opening up about their past and their issues.  Oh, and they also end up sleeping together.

When Iris unexpectedly arrives the next morning, things become very awkward and very complicated.  They all have secrets and over the next few days, everything will come out into the open, for better or worse.

Structured more as a comedy than a drama, Your Sister’s Sister is easy to like.  There are only three characters of significance with Mark Duplass (Humpday), Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) and Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) all working well off each other.  They share some lengthy, dialogue-driven scenes that are both funny and heartfelt.

Shot on a budget of just $125,000, small films like Your Sister’s Sister don’t get a release in this country unless there’s a good reason.  It’s worked its way up through the film festival circuit (premiering at Toronto last year before moving onto Sundance) and has pleased both audiences and critics.  They’ve been drawn to the humorous situation but also some of the more serious themes of love, grief, jealousy and forgiveness.  I know I was.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 09 September 2012

First impressions are important.  They are critical to one’s success in life.  When we go to a job interview, we go to great lengths to look good and speak well.  This may involve buying a new suit or doing some detailed reading on the prospective employer.  The same applies to a first date and may require an extra few minutes grooming in the bathroom before leaving the house.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild is the debut feature from 29-year-old Benh Zeitlin and in the eyes of most, he has made a very, very good first impression.  The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January where it won the Grand Jury Prize.  It then travelled to the ritzy Cannes Film Festival and picked up the Camera D’or – the award for the best first feature film.  It’s now being touted as a best picture nominee at next year’s Academy Awards.  Not a bad start to one’s career, huh?

Beasts is a terrific film for two reasons.  Firstly, the setting is unforgettable.  It takes place on a small ridge of land off the coast of Louisiana known as the “Bathtub”.  It was once a thriving, self-sustaining, tribal community that was home to many families.  Now, it has been all but obliterated due to the effects of hurricanes and rising sea levels.  The construction of levees, designed to protect the city of New Orleans, has also contributed to its demise.

It’s a fascinating part of the world and we get a strong sense of the location and its poverty-stricken people in the opening scenes.  The residents know their fate is sealed and that it’s only a matter of time before the island is engulfed by the ocean that surrounds them.  Are they moving to the mainland?  No way!  This is their land.  This is where they were born and raised.  They want to hang onto it until the very end.

The second reason you need to see this film is because of the performance of 6-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis.  I still can’t get my head around the fact that someone that age can have such an astoundingly strong screen presence.  She wasn’t easy to find though.  It took 9 months and 4,000 auditions before Zeitlin finally found his leading lady.

Wallis’s character is simply known as Hushpuppy – an adventurous young girl who has spent her entire life in the Bathtub.  She lives in a small shack that has been raised off the ground with slits to help keep it protected from storms and flooding.  With no mother and a cranky, intolerable father (Dwight Henry), Hushpuppy has been forced to develop a fierce independence.  She cooks her own meals and cares for a small group of animals.

The winds of change are afoot however.  Two significant events threaten to change Hushpuppy’s life in a dramatic way.  A massive storm leaves the entirety of the island underwater.  With their food source washed away, those that remain travel from place to place using makeshift rafts and hope that the water will eventually recede.  Further, Hushpuppy’s father becomes gravely ill.  It acts as a catalyst to bring these two together – with the father teaching his daughter valuable lessons to help her survive on her own.

Given the unusual setting, it took me a little while to get my bearings.  I’m a level-headed 34-year-old trying to follow a story being told through the eyes of a curious, naïve 6-year-old.  We see things differently… and that’s part of the film’s beauty.  Zeitlin has found of way of showing us Hushpuppy’s limited view of the world where reality and fantasy aren’t always easy to distinguish.  Think back to when you were that age.  Could you fully comprehend the thought of losing your home and your father?

There’s a lot going on in Beasts Of The Southern Wild but at its core is a genuine exploration of the bond between a young girl and her troubled father.  You’ll admire the powerful music and the stunning cinematography but it’s the emotion of the film’s final scenes that will make the biggest impact.

You can check out my interview with director Benh Zeitlin by clicking here.