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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 September 2009

Eight years later, Kokkinos’ follow up was The Book Of Revelation.  Just as shocking, it told the tale of a male dancer (played by Tom Long) who was kidnapped and sexually abused by three masked women.  I remember hearing Kokkinos speak about her movie at the 2006 Brisbane International Film Festival but there was nothing she could say to change my perspective.  I hated the film.

And now we return to the current day and age to speak about Kokkinos’ third film – Blessed.  I was a little apprehensive before I saw it but I can now safely report that it’s a very good film.  Not quite as good as Head On but powerful nevertheless.

Her first two films focused on the vulnerability of men but Kokkinos has gone for something different this time around.  Blessed looks at different relationships that children share with their mothers.  It’s based on the play Who’s Afraid Of The Working Class? which was first performed in Melbourne in 1998.

In this cinematic adaptation, the stories of five different families are told.  I won’t go into a lot of detail but suffice to say that they all have their troubles.  The most forceful story is that of a neglectful mother who cannot cope with her two young kids.  Frances O’Connor (Mansfield Park) plays the mum and her passionate performance left me quite shaken by film’s end.  Also great is Miranda Otto (In My Father’s Den) who plays a misguided poker machine addict.

Instead of telling the story in a more conventional manner, the film has been split into two distinct halves.  The first half focuses on the children and the second half focuses on the mothers.  It’s a creative idea but I don’t know if it helps in anyway.  Given that some characters are not developed until well into the movie, it took a while for it to leave an “impact”.  The emotion packed finale is worth the wait though.

Blessed boasts a strong ensemble cast and I must give credit to the younger performers who are all superb.  There’s a memorable conversation early on between a young boy (played by Harrison Gilbertson) and an elderly woman (played by Monica Maughan) that illustrates my point.

With a reflective score from Cezary Skubiszewski (Two Hands), Blessed will probably affect people in different ways.  How you see each character will differ depending on your own upbringing and experiences.  Whatever your thoughts, I see this as yet another top film in a year of outstanding Australian cinema.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 August 2009

This new version has been updated to take advantage of today’s technology but it’s basically the same story.  A man who identifies himself as Ryder (Travolta) has stopped a New York City subway train and taken 19 passengers as hostages.  He demands $10m in cash within an hour or else he will start killing the hostages one by one.

The man at the other end of the phone line is Walter Garber (Washington), an employee of the New York City Transit Authority.  The police try to bring in their special negotiators but Ryder only wants to speak with Garber.  He realises Garber is just an ordinary guy – someone more reliable and trustworthy than the authorities.

With the premise for the film established, the audience will now ask themselves the big question.  How will the bad guys escape from the subway tunnel when the police have it surrounded, especially if they’re carrying $10m in cash?   Of course I can’t answer that in my review (I’d be giving everything away) but let me say I was unconvinced by the ending and some of the plot “twists” – which were visible from a mile away.  The audience was laughing, when they weren’t supposed to, at several scenes during the preview screening I attended.

Helping boost the film is the star-power of Denzel Washington and John Travolta.  They are two of the most likeable actors in the business and both appear to have fun in their respective roles.  Their charm is infectious and I think a key reason why people will pay to see this film is because of these two gentlemen.

We all have different tastes but I’m not a huge fan of director Tony Scott.  He’s an entertainer more than a storyteller.  His movies can be fun to watch on the big screen but there’s not a lot of realism or substance behind them.  That won’t bother some people but it bothers me.  He is most famous for Top Gun but Scott’s recent credits include the underwhelming Déjà Vu, Domino, Man On Fire and Spy Game.  It’s been a while since he knocked one out of the ballpark.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 August 2009

The pair strike up a conversation and Steve learns that this man’s name is Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx).  Nathaniel speaks quickly, often incoherently.  There’s something a little odd about him.  It’s an off the cuff comment that grabs Steve’s attention.  Nathaniel mentions that he attended the Julliard School, one of the most prestigious musical colleges in the United States.  This gives Steve a story.  Why is such a talented cellist living as a bum on the streets of Los Angeles?

His investigations reveal that Nathaniel suffers from schizophrenia.  It was a condition that gripped him late in his teen years.  He has trouble dealing with people and pushes them away, even when they're trying to help.

What initially began as a human interest story will become an enduring friendship.  Steve’s life seemingly stops.  I’m not sure why exactly but he's on a pursuit to get Nathaniel’s life back on track.  He thinks he can make things better, by getting Nathaniel medication and an apartment, but he will soon learn that life isn’t that easy.  There are some battles that cannot be won.

This is film is based on actual events and has been brought to the screen by acclaimed director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride & Prejudice).  Right from the opening scenes, I had concerns about the way in which the story is told.  It felt too “preachy” and I didn’t feel much for either of the two characters.  I like both Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr but had trouble picturing both of them in these roles.

I was also puzzled by the flashbacks and why they didn’t tell us more about Nathaniel’s past and the evolution of his disorder.  When the closing credits started rolling, I was left pondering what I supposed to take away from the film.  Was it a film about schizophrenia?  Or was it more about the homeless people living in America?  I don’t know.

There were moments of promise in The Soloist but I admit to feeling let-down given the reputation of the filmmakers.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 August 2009

Whenever I see one of Miyazaki’s movie, I’m always left asking the question – what drugs is this guy taking?  I don’t say that in a mean-spirited away but I can’t comprehend how he comes out with such off-the-wall material.  It’s nothing like anything you’d see from the more conservative movie studios in the United States.

On that note, let me do my best to explain the premise of this film.  Sosuke is a 5-year-old boy who lives with his mother in a small coastal village.  He doesn’t see much of his father who works on a large boat.  One day, Sosuke finds a large goldfish on the shoreline who has found its head stuck in a jar.  Sosuke rescues it and takes it home in a green bucket.  He names it Ponyo.

You with me so far?  Anyway, it turns out that the fish is not quite what it appears.  When it accidentally comes into contact with a drop of Sosuke’s blood, it transforms into a human – a young girl, in fact.  This isn’t good news for the fish’s father, who is an evil wizard who lives under the sea.  He wants Ponyo back, living in his home as a goldfish.  He then creates a huge tsunami and tries to flood the entire village.

That covers the first third of Ponyo so the remaining two thirds is for you to discover.  I don’t think this is Miyazaki’s best work but I still like watching his film.  You won’t be bored – put it that way.  It’s refreshing to watch an animated film where you don’t know what’s around the corner.

The release of the film here in Australia is an interesting one.  Two versions can be seen – the original Japanese version with subtitles and an English language version with dubbed voices.  It was the subtitled version that I reviewed but you do see the other, you’ll recognise some notable voices including Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey and Liam Neeson.  It’s a good idea to check with the cinema first to know which version is being screened.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 August 2009

The reason I’ve referred to Gran Torino is that it reminded me of Charlie & Boots – which I think is a better film.  It opens in exactly the same way.  Charlie (Hogan) is attending the funeral of his wife with whom he’d been married for 40 years.  Following the burial, he shuts himself away at his home.  He closes all the curtains and just lies on the couch.

Boots (Jacobson) is his oldest son and the two have shared a rocky relationship in recent years for reasons which become known mid-way through the film.  Seeing that his dad needs help, he extends the olive branch and takes him on a trip.  They are going to drive from Melbourne to the most northern tip of Australia in Cape York to go fishing.  It is something they’ve both always wanted to do.  Now’s the time to do it.

You could say there are many purposes to the trip.  It’s a chance for Charlie to get out of the house and move on following the death of his wife.  It’s a chance for both Charlie and Boots to heal the rifts that have developed between them.  It’s also a chance to have fun on a good old fashioned road trip.

The pair go through a mix of country towns on their way north and I’m sure audiences will enjoying seeing a few familiar sights.  They see the Giant Koala near Horsham and the famous musical hall in Tamworth.  They even stop in at Tenterfield – a small town in northern New South Wales which I visited myself earlier this month.

I’d describe the film as a comedy but there are elements of drama which give the film a nice balance.  Thankfully, it’s nothing like Paul Hogan’s last comedic effort, Strange Bedfellows with Michael Caton.  Hogan and Jacobson (of Kenny fame) make a good pair and they work well off each other.  I laughed several times through the film and can safely recommend it as a crowd pleaser.

It’s no co-incidence to see Charlie & Boots being released the week before Father’s Day and hopefully that will give it a boost at the local box-office.  It’s a much more believable tale of redemption than that dished up Gran Torino.