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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 November 2009

Stephanie Meyer’s books have captivated the world’s romantics.  Is it because women harness a secret fantasy to fall in love with the bad guy?  Is it because this pair of “star crossed” lovers reminds us of our experiences?  Is it because Robert Pattinson is just really hot?  Don’t ask me to pinpoint a precise reason.  All I know is that people really, really, really want to see this movie.

So what’s it about?  It will help if you’ve seen the original Twilight.  In this second instalment, Edward (Pattinson) dumps Bella (Stewart) and then disappears.  He still loves her but is doing this to protect Bella.  He knows that they cannot be together – given that he’s a vampire and she’s a human.  Trying to make it work will only prolong the agony and expose Bella to unnecessary risks.

Bella doesn’t see it this way but she doesn’t have a choice.  In the months following the break up, she shuts herself off from the rest of the world.  She cries, she stays at home and she ignores all her friends.  On the heartache scale, this one ranks pretty high.

Trying to pull back Bella’s dark curtain is her best friend, Jacob (Lautner).  They start spending more and more time together with Jacob promises to never break her heart.  Bella is tempted to give in to her developing feelings for Jacob but something holds her back.  She has visions and dreams of Edward and thinks that perhaps, they may one day be together again.

There are more than a few similarities to Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.  There’s a nice moment early in the film where Bella and Edward are watching it in class at school.  I’m sure it’s no coincidence.  When I started thinking about Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of Romeo & Juliet (with Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes), I realised that New Moon doesn’t have the same level of energy and passion.  It gets bogged down in a sea of melodrama with not as much action and suspense as I’d have hoped.

I can’t say much about the acting either.  Edward comes across as such a dull character.  I don’t know what Bella sees in him.  Watching Robert Pattison with his sparkly skin and blood shot eyes just didn’t do it for me.  I wanted to see her character developed further but I still enjoyed Kristen Stewart’s performance.  By highlighting Bella’s insecurities, she seemed more real than anyone else.

There’s a new director at the helm of New Moon with Chris Weitz (About A Boy, The Golden Compass) taking over from Catherine Hardwicke.  I couldn’t tell the difference – which is a good thing.  I liked the creative fantasy world in which this tale is set.  Kudos go to the team of cinematographers and there’s also a nice film score from Alexandre Desplat (The Queen).

Striking while the iron is hot, the next film in the Twilight series is slated for release in June next year.  It’s called Eclipse and we’ll once again see a barrage of media hype and a wave of special midnight screenings.  I look forward to seeing it but I’m hoping for something a little more interesting.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 10 November 2009

Sadly, Joe is about to come face-to-face with tragedy.  His young wife (Fraser) dies of cancer and his world his turned upside down.  Stricken with grief, Joe must pick up the pieces and start moving forward.

It won’t be easy however.  He has a 6-year-old named Artie (McAnulty) who is also struggling to cope with the loss.  Joe has spent a lot of time travelling in recent years and hasn’t always been there for his son.  He knows this is a chance to make amends but he’s apprehensive about his fathering skills.  Can Joe balancing his work with his increased responsibilities at home?

A 14-year-old by the name of Harry (MacKay) may be the answer.  Harry is Joe’s son from a previous marriage and he has lived in London with his mother for a number of years.  Joe receives an unexpected call from his ex-wife who asks that Harry spend the summer with him in Australia.

I need to make clear this isn’t all doom and gloom.  The Boys Are Back is an uplifting tale which highlights the important bond that is shared between father and son.  It’s not easy being a parent and Joe must find a way of connecting with his children.  The kids don’t always make it easy but as Joe proves, adults can make mistakes too.

I have long admired Australia-born director Scott Hicks and his two greatest works have been Shine and Snow Falling On Cedars (both worthy of an A+).  The Boys Are Back was largely filmed in South Australia and I love the look which he gives the film.  I speak of everything from the breathtaking sunset at the beach to the filthy house in which they live.  Hicks has an eye for beauty.

Unfortunately, there is something missing here which I can’t put my finger on.  All I know is that I didn’t feel the emotional impact that I was anticipating.  I liked the fact that Clive Owen isn’t your ordinary father (he lets his kids get away with almost anything) but at the same time, I don’t know if I really liked the guy.  Is he the hero or the villain in this story?  I’m not sure.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 November 2009

Mark’s life is about to improve greatly however when he learns how to lie.  He can say whatever he wants and people will believe him.  It all starts at a bank when the teller says he only has $300 left in his account.  Mark says it must be a computer error and that he thought it was $800.  The teller apologises for the error and pays him the larger sum.  No questions asked.  This could be the start of something big and Mark’s chances with Anna are set to improve.

It’s an interesting premise but after about 20 minutes, the novelty wore off.  There’s only so far you can take this idea.  This might have made a good short film but it struggles into a full length feature.  It slipped off the rails when Mark speaks to his dying mother in a hospital.  He tells her of a wonderful world which exists in the afterlife.  She’ll be blissfully happy and own her own mansion.

Mark is overheard by the hospital staff and soon enough, he’s front page news.  Everyone wants to know about heaven and Mark suddenly develops a god-like status.  How long can he keep this charade going?  Too long if you ask me.

Ricky Gervais is the one of the funniest entertainers today.  A few weeks ago, he was announced as the host of the 2010 Golden Globe Awards.  I’m sure he’ll do an awesome job.  Gervais is also highly regarded in Hollywood.  The Invention Of Lying includes cameos from the likes of Jason Bateman, Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  These guys don’t just lend their services to anyone.  They appear here because they’re fans of Gervais.

He was funny in The Office, he was funny in Extras but sorry, he’s just not funny here.  There are some weird subplots also.  One involves a suicidal neighbour (played by Jonah Hill).  Another involves a strange series of movies churned out by the movie company where Mark works.  Why do they simply read stories as opposed to acting them out?  I didn’t think acting constituted lying.

I do have the power to lie (thankfully) but I swear, I’m telling the truth here.  The Invention Of Lying was not as good as I thought it would be.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 November 2009

Of course, the film tries to skirt around the whole “death” thing.  Billions of people are killed by tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanos, you name it.  It’s all done with average looking special effects and since most people like ants from a distance, you probably won’t care too much.  I know I didn’t.

The storyline begins in the current year when a scientist in India picks up on unusual goings on beneath the earth’s crust.  The core is heating up at an alarming rate and within a few years, the surface on which we walk will start to fall apart.  Word filters through to the President of the United States who decides to keep this information from the world.  He doesn’t want to create panic and see his society fall apart.

Instead, he comes up with a secret plan to build a series of arks in China which will be used to save a small number of people when d-day arrives.  If they manage to survive the looming disaster, then perhaps there’s hope yet for the human race.  I’m not entirely convinced however since the space aboard this arks has been reserved solely for the rich and powerful.  Would you really want to live in a new world with these people?

There needs to be a central character amongst the mayhem and his name is Jackson Curtis (Cusack), an author who once wrote a book about something similar.  Jackson gets wind of the disaster from a crazy nut (Harrelson) and will do whatever he can to save his family.  I lost count of the number of times in which Jackson escaped death by a microsecond.

I hated this film and consider it one of the year’s worst.  There are a few funny moments but on the whole, it’s just too melodramatic.  Every storyline is a cliché.  Take for example the strained relationship between the divorced Jackson and his wife’s new husband.  I can’t really blame any of the actors since there’s little room in the screenplay for character development.  It’s all about special effects, which looked average at best.  The biggest insult is its running time – a ludicrous 158 minutes.

Topped off by a silly ending, 2012 turned out to be complete waste of time.  It’s a shame John Cusack agreed to star in this but hopefully it put a little money in his bank account and he can go back to starring in some quirky, independent comedies.  It’s what he does best.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 November 2009

When I first walked out of the cinema after A Serious Man, I was left in a beautiful sense of bewilderment.  I was confused, conflicted.  Did I like the film or not?  What point were the Coens trying to make, if at all?

Like a good meal at a nice restaurant, this movie needs to be savoured.  You have to let it digest and see how you feel in the morning.  The more I think about it, the more I appreciate its brilliance.  Luckily, I attended the preview screening with two learned friends and we spent a solid half-hour discussing it afterwards.  It has helped me clarify a few things and I realised there are differing interpretations.

If you’re catching my drift, you’ll realise this is an unconventional movie… well, for anyone except for the Coen brothers.  Some are going to leave the theatre with their minds challenged, appreciative of the film’s boldness.  Others are going to leave the theatre with steam coming from their ears, frustrated by the film’s apparent lack of plot.  Such contradictory opinions are all part of the richness of cinema.

Set in 1967, A Serious Man centres on the character of Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg).  He’s a married physics professor with two children.  Larry is an ordinary guy who goes about his life in a quiet, unassuming fashion.  That is until he faces a serious of tests that leave him questioning his existence and his Jewish faith.

His wife (Lennick) announces that she’s met someone new and wants a divorce.  His young son (Wolff) is smoking pot and being hounded by his supplier.  His daughter (McManus) is stealing money from his wallet.   His brother (Kind) has a medical condition and is trouble with the authorities.  His next-door neighbour keeps mowing past his property line.  One of his students is trying to bribe him for good grades.

What does one do in this situation?  Why is all this bad stuff happening to him?  Larry turns to the Rabbis in his local parish for answers.  Their advice is interesting to say the least…

I could write a 10,000 word essay dissecting this movie but I’ll leave it with you to appreciate in your own way.  There are religious undertones in the story but again, I’ll keep hush hush.  I say it only to open your eyes.  What you see with those eyes is up to you.

Of the cast, I will single out Aaron Wolff as Larry’s red-headed son and Fred Melamed as his wife’s new lover.  I feel guilty though because all the characters are memorable – from the leading stars to those who appear in just a single scene.  Everyone looks, speaks or acts a little strange.  They made me feel uncomfortable but I was laughing anyway.  I’ll say it again – how do the Coen brothers come up with this stuff???

Beautifully filmed by cinematographer Roger Deakins (an 8-time Oscar nominee), A Serious Man is a terrific black comedy that provides much food for thought.