Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 02 July 2009

I’m giving this film a mildly positive review because, above all else, it is an “experience”.  It has its flaws and I don’t have any plans to see it for a second time but hey, it generated an emotional response.  Some scenes left me crying with laughter.  Other scenes left me shocked and offended.

For those who aren’t yet familiar with the fictional Bruno, he’s a flamboyantly gay Austrian “fashionista”.  Cohen is currently touring the world to promote the film and he always remains in character.  It’s all part of his act and it’s a similar marketing strategy to that which he used for Borat.  There’s no doubt that he’s got people talking… especially after his appearance with Kevin Rudd on Rove.

Bruno isn’t a new character.  Cohen created him back in 1998 and he has popped up numerous times on Da Ali G Show.  Following the success of Borat, Universal decided that Bruno deserved a full-length feature film of his very own and this leads us to where we are today.

The overriding premise of the film is about Bruno travelling to the United States and doing his utmost to become famous.  He tries to get a role in a movie, he tries to start his own talk show and he even tries adopting an African baby.  Forget the story though.  In reality, it’s just a bunch of skits – some funny than others.

I found the first half the most entertaining.  Two moments in particular that left me laughing heartedly – when Bruno screens a preview of his new talk show to a test audience, and when Bruno tries to interview Harrison Ford.  There is a lot more to chuckle over including Bruno’s impromptu walk down the catwalk at a fashion show.

The novelty started to wear off in the second half when I reached the conclusion that most of the scenes were staged.  With cameras everywhere, there’s no way that these people didn’t know they were being set up.  An example is Bruno’s trip to a military base where he tries to transform into a heterosexual.  I’m sure there were legitimate set ups, like the Ron Paul scene for example, but the overriding falseness to the whole film left a bad taste in my mouth.

On the whole, I have to ask what Cohen is out to achieve with a film like this?  Is it purely just for laughs and shock value?  If so, he has delivered.  Or is he trying to go deeper - to highlight some of the bigotry and discrimination that exists within our world?  If so, then he has failed.  This film says nothing about the general population.  It just makes fun of celebrities and extremists.

The film was originally rated R but a few small cuts have been made to have it reclassified as MA here in Australia.  The changes will give more of the younger demographic a chance to see the film and that should give the box-office a boost.  I was disappointed with the extremely short running time.  Do you really get value for money when a film clocks in at less than 80 minutes?  A lot of dud material must have been left on the cutting room floor.

This isn’t as good as Borat and I think most people will agree with that statement.  That said, I’m not asking for my time back.  I’m glad to have seen it.  

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 June 2009

I have disliked almost every major blockbuster in the past two months.  The list includes The Proposal, Year One, Land Of The Lost, Terminator: Salvation, Angels & Demons, Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  The only shining lights have been Star Trek, I Love You Man and The Hangover.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 July 2009

Six years ago, Australian filmmaker Glendyn Ivin won the best short film award at the Cannes Film Festival for Cracker Bag.  This is about as big as it gets for any budding filmmaker and Ivin’s win made headlines across the country.  To give the public an opportunity to see the film, it was shown in conjunction with screenings of Holes (a Disney flick starring Shia LaBeouf) in October 2003.  It was great exposure for Ivin and the world of short films.

Last Ride marks the feature film debut for Glendyn Ivin and it’s a wonderful, must-see Aussie drama.  A scruffy looking, middle-aged father (Weaving) and his 10-year-old son (Russell) are on a road trip in the Australian outback.  Their adventure is not one of choice however.  The father is on the run from the authorities and is looking for a place to lay low.  With no cash to their name, they steal whatever they can from petrol stations and unlocked cars and caravans.

The father and son have an awkward relationship which is difficult to put into words.  The film’s website describes it best when it uses the term – “beautiful and harsh”.  There are confronting scenes when the father taunts and beats his son.  These are contrasted with moments of love – scenes where they each try to make the other feel better about their worries and troubles.

This is the exact opposite of a Transformers-type movie.  Instead of satisfying the audience with special effects and explosions, this film does the job through great performances and a well-paced story.  It reminded me of Samson & Delilah (another top Australian release this year) given its setting, small cast and underlying message.  If you were a fan of Samson, then Last Ride is one to add to your calendar.

Hugo Weaving is terrific (as he always is) but it is youngster Tom Russell who you’ll find yourself talking about when exiting the cinema.  Not yet a teenager, I was stunned by the braveness and intensity of Russell’s performance.  Even more staggering is the fact that Last Ride is his feature film debut.

It’s been an astonishing year so for Australian cinema and this is another powerful film that has left a lasting impact.  With some striking shots of the remote outback, particularly those at Salt Lake, this is a memorable ride.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 June 2009

Year One might have been funny in the year 10,000 B.C. but certainly not in today’s times.  There were a few humorous scenes in the trailer but sadly that’s about all this film has to offer.  The writers couldn’t make enough out of the limited storyline.  It feels like a spoof flick with its lame, obvious jokes.

Set it some prehistoric era, the movie tells the story of two guys named Zed (Black) and Oh (Cera) who leave their small village in search of a better life.  They go an epic journey where they encounter an assortment of silly character.  Hank Azaria plays Abraham, a man obsessed with circumcision.  Oliver Platt plays a priest intent on seducing young boys.  David Cross plays Cain, trying to set someone up for the death of his brother, Abel.

The roles don’t require much from stars Jack Black (Tropic Thunder) and Michael Cera (Juno).  Black plays yet another crazy, eccentric character.  Cera plays yet another nervous, innocent character.  I could see they were trying to make this material funny but the hill left by the screenwriters was too high to climb.

Writer-director Harold Ramis has been responsible for some create comedies over his career including Caddyshack, Ghost Busters and Groundhog Day.  I’d watch those films on any day of the week but the same can’t be said for Year One.  I’ve seen it once and that’s more than enough.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 June 2009

The school holidays are upon us and the big family release for the period is Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs.  None of the films in the Ice Age series are targeted at single guys like me but I can recognise quality entertainment when I see it.  At the preview screening I attended, kids were lapping it up.  This fresh adventure is easy to follow and has a few nice jokes.

It all begins when Sid the sloth (well-voiced by John Leguizamo) discovers three eggs in an underground cavern.  He takes care of the eggs himself… until they hatch into baby dinosaurs.  Not long after, their mother arrives on the scene and takes Sid and her three newborns off to a hidden world beneath the ice.  Manny, Ellie and Diego now must go in search of Sid and help rescue him.

Guiding them on their journey is a brave weasel named Buck (voiced by Englishman Simon Pegg).  Buck once came face-to-face with the most fearsome dinosaur of all and lived to tell the tale.  He loves danger and loves excitement.

I’ve dropped a few hints already but one of the strongest features of the Ice Age movies are the voices created by the cast.  Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo have created four memorable, likeable characters.  They’ve not as over-the-top as those from the Madagascar series.

The problem this series faces is that it is starting to look a little tired.  I don’t think this screenplay is as sharp and well defined as the original film.  Three movies are enough and I hope they don’t have any plans for a fourth.  I’d like to see the animation team at 20th Century Fox tackle something new.