Reviews
My Year Without Sex
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Sarah Watt |
| Written by: | Sarah Watt |
| Starring: | Sacha Horler, Matt Day, Jonathan Segat, Portia Bradley, Roy Davies, Catherine Hill |
| Released: | May 28, 2009 |
| Grade: | A- |
Australian cinema has gone through highs and lows over the past decade but I can think of at least one person who is steering it on the right path. Her name is Sarah Watt. Her first feature film, Look Both Ways, was released in 2005 and was well received by almost everyone. It won the Australian Film Institute Award for best film, it received notable prizes at lucrative film festivals around the world and it featured in my top 10 list for year (just had to throw that in).
My Year Without Sex is her latest effort and it comes with the heavy burden of public expectation. I’ve already heard many people make comparisons with Look Both Ways and the general consensus is that this is film is “good… but not as good”. Whilst I’d agree with that statement, I don’t want to see any cinemagoers brushing it aside. It’s very entertaining and without question, one of the better Aussie films of the last year.
Natalie (Horler) and Ross (Day) are a married couple living in Melbourne with two children – 12-year-old Louis (Segat) and 7-year-old Ruby (Bradley). You’d call them the quintessential middle class Australian family. They go about their hectic routines on a daily basis and find just enough to time to spend together.
Everything changes when Natalie collapses and is diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. After an emergency operation and a few weeks in hospital, she returns home and is forced to adjust her lifestyle. As per the doctor’s instructions, she has to cut back on any strenuous activity until fully recovered. Yes, that includes sex.
Following this introduction, the film chronicles a year in the life of this Australian family. It is split into 12 chapters – each beginning with some funny pictures and a teasing title. There are plenty of ups and there are plenty of downs. What I liked most about the script is that doesn’t go overboard with drama – it merely presents day-to-day dilemmas that we can relate to. Many of them come with laughs.
Sacha Horler (Soft Fruit) and Matt Day (Kiss Or Kill) have been well cast in the leading roles. They come across as ordinary people – a little daggy but warm-hearted. I also liked some of the smaller details that Watt has included in the film. 12-year-old Louis is a mad keen Western Bulldogs supporter and this is clearly evident from the way he dresses and the posters in his room. Little things like this give the film a more honest, realistic feel.
It’s not easy securing the funding to make a film here in Australia but something tells me that the talented Sarah Watt will be making great movies for many years to come.
Lesbian Vampire Killers
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Phil Claydon |
| Written by: | Paul Hupfield, Stewart Williams |
| Starring: | Paul McGann, James Corden, Mathew Horne, MyAnna Burning, Silvia Colloca, Vera Filatova |
| Released: | May 21, 2009 |
| Grade: | B- |
Lesbian Vampire Killers has a catchy title and an equally attractive poster. That said, it’s not as juicy as the title suggests. It reminded me of Shaun Of The Dead – the key difference being that this English comedy spoofs vampires instead of zombies. It’s not as funny either. Stars James Corden and Mathew Horne have a long way to go to live up the comedic stylings of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
Many years ago, a small English village was subjected to a nasty curse. Each girl is transformed into a lesbian vampire on their 18th birthday. You’d think that everyone would have left but for whatever reason, a few resident have hung around.
Jimmy (Horne) and Fletch (Corden) are two young, horny guys who have stumbled through town on a hiking expedition. When they walk into the town’s only bar, every person within stops and stares. They realise that these two fools will be fresh meat for the lesbian vampires. They point them in the direction of a special holiday cottage and send them on their way… expecting to never see them again.
The film had potential but I think it could have been better written. I chuckled a few times but many of the jokes fell flat. It wasn’t edgy enough and there definitely wasn’t enough material to make it last 90 minutes. I was tiring at the half way mark and this lacklustre review is reflective of that.
Observe And Report
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Jody Hill |
| Written by: | Jody Hill |
| Starring: | Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Pena, Anna Faris, Dan Bakkedahl, Celia Weston |
| Released: | May 14, 2009 |
| Grade: | B+ |
I’m also giving the thumbs up to his latest effort, Observe & Report, but this particular recommendation comes with an asterisk. This movie is a lot darker than you might expect. There were plenty of a giggles from the audience when I attended the preview screening earlier this week but there were also a few patrons who left well before the end.
Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogen) is the head security guard at a large shopping mall. He suffers from bi-polar disorder and continually takes medication for his condition. It doesn’t seem to be doing a lot of good and Ronnie has trouble connecting with other people. There’s a scene where he tries to ask a cosmetics sales girl (Faris) out on a date but he comes across weird and creepy. Another sales guy has a restraining order against Ronnie. It’s a wonder that he’s been able to keep his job.
Let me stop to remind everyone that this isn’t a disturbing drama – it’s just an offbeat comedy. I guess you can see now why people walked out. Anyway, the crux of the story centres around a serial "flasher" who has been exposing himself to shoppers in the parking lot. Ronnie thinks he can become the hero and catch the guy. He’s very unhappy with the fact that the mall manager has brought in the police to help get the job done.
There is some strange stuff in this film but I had to laugh. It’s good to see a comedy which is prepared to take a few risks. I think Seth Rogen is terrific and there are some great supporting performances from Celia Weston (who plays Ronnie’s intoxicated mother) and Ray Liotta (who plays a cop determined to embarrass Ronnie).
Clocking in at just under 90 minutes, Observe & Report is a nicely paced comedy with a nasty undercurrent. It makes for good viewing and good conversation afterwards.
Night At The Museum 2
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Shawn Levy |
| Written by: | Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon |
| Starring: | Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais |
| Released: | May 21, 2009 |
| Grade: | B+ |
In Night At The Museum, security guard Larry Daley (Stiller) had the fun job of being the nightwatchman at the Museum Of Natural History. What made it so fun? Every night, the human statues and stuffed animals came to life. The film struck a cord with audiences and it turned out to be the second highest grossing film of 2006 in the United States (behind Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest).
Night At The Museum 2 actually begins on a sad note. Attendances at the museum have been down and the decision has been made to "virtualise" the exhibits. The old statues will be placed in permanent storage in the Smithsonian’s Institutes archives. New computerised holograms will take their place. The fun filled nights of the museum’s "inhabitants" have come to an end.
Larry Daley no longer works at the museum – he’s moved on to a higher paying profession in the sales world. He has stayed in touch with his old friends however and is concerned with their current plight. He doesn’t want to see them boxed away for eternity. It’s time to save the day.
I liked the original movie and I liked this one too. It’s a cool premise which builds on the first flick. Larry sneaks into the Smithsonian Institute archives and tries to break them out. The twist is that there are hundreds of exhibits in the archives and because of the magical tablet, all of them have now come to life. It provides an opportunity to bring in a bunch of fresh characters.
The bad guy in this instalment is Kahmunrah (Azaria). He’s rounded up a group of cronies led by Ivan The Terrible, Napolean Bonaparte and Al Capone. Their plan is to steal the tablet, unleash an ancient warrior army and take over the world.
The stand out amongst the cast is Amy Adams (Doubt) who plays Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She gets plenty of screen time as Larry’s new sidekick and developing love interest.
Those looking to see the familiar faces might be a little disappointed. Robin Williams, Owen Wilson and Ricky Gervais don’t get as much screen time given the new plot and characters. I also thought the film was too "wordy" at times – some of the jokes between the characters go on a little long.
It’s a great setting though and director Shawn Levy has captured some wonderful images of the Smithsonian museums and of Washington D.C. itself. You could even say that the film is a history lesson disguised as a family adventure. I don’t think the kids care either way and I’m dead certain that this will be another box office smash.
Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Mark Waters |
| Written by: | Jon Lucas, Scott Moore |
| Starring: | Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster |
| Released: | May 7, 2009 |
| Grade: | C+ |
Connor Mead (McConaughey) thinks that he has a dream life. Working as a high-profile fashion photographer, Connor usually spends his day in the company of beautiful, scantily clothed women. Funnily enough, his nights are the same. Women throw themselves at Connor and it doesn’t take much effort to lure them back to his bedroom. He’s slept with countless ladies over the years and he has no intention of ever getting married.
Ah, but things are about to change. Connor returns home for the wedding of his younger brother, Paul (Meyer). At a special wedding eve dinner, Connor drunkenly disgraces himself in front of everyone. He proclaims that marriage is an outdated institution and that love doesn’t really exist.
After heading off to the bathroom to freshen up, Connor is visited by the ghost of his late uncle, Wayne (Douglas). He too led a womanising lifestyle but he has returned from the grave to warn Connor against making the same mistakes. Wayne tells him that he will be visited by three ghosts to help highlight the error of his ways.
Where is this leading, you may ask? Connor’s first girlfriend and childhood sweetheart, Jenny Perotti (Garner), just so happens to be at the wedding and is part of the bridal party. Both have feelings for the other but fate has kept them apart. Can these ghosts turn Connor into a new man and help him land his dream girl?
I’m not a fan of the romantic comedy genre and no, I didn’t like this film. I found it superficial and manipulative. The message is quite clear – guys who sleep around with hundreds of girls and who don’t believe in love will end up lonely and miserable.
I am not saying that message is flawed but what I struggled with is the way it was presented. As previously mentioned, there are many women, including the bridesmaids, who are just as "slutty" as Connor. These details are glazed over and the focus is making Connor looking like the biggest dirt bag possible. No points for subtlety.
Also puzzling were the bride and groom to be. Sandra (Chabert) is very highly strung and I couldn’t understand why Paul was going to marry her. There’s a very strange moment where she loses her cool after learning that the dinner salad didn’t contain figs. What was the point of this scene? If it was intended to highlight her pre-wedding jitters then it was lost on me. I saw her as a lunatic.
I’m straining to come up with a positive comment but I did like the performance of Jennifer Garner. She’s sweet, not too over-the-top. Sadly, she doesn’t share a lot of scenes with Connor which makes it hard to see the chemistry between them.
Directed by Mark Waters (Just Like Heaven, Mean Girls), this is yet another flick which fails to deliver what the genre promises – romance and comedy.
Gomorrah
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Matteo Garrone |
| Written by: | Maurizio Braucci, Ugo Chiti, Gianni Di Gregorio, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso, Roberto Saviano |
| Starring: | Salvatore Abruzzese, Simone Sacchettino, Salvatore Ruocco, Vincenzo Fabricino, Vincenzo Altamura |
| Released: | May 14, 2009 |
| Grade: | A- |
In 2006, Italian journalist Roberto Saviano published a book which exposed the activities of the Camorra – a crime organisation based in southern Italy. Since its release, Saviano has received numerous death threats and he now lives under constant police protection. Based on this fact alone, you could say that his book has made an impact.
So what are the Camorra involved in? We’re talking pretty much everything and anything that’s illegal. Toxic waste disposal, drug dealing, high powered firearms, bribery and even fashion design. They are one of the oldest mafia organisations in the world with a history going back many centuries.
Matteo Garrone’s movie is based on Saviano’s novel and shows the Camorra for what they are. It follows several characters – some of which will not be alive by film’s end. It has a gritty, realistic feel and this is particularly evident when you see the way in which some characters are slain. It’s not over dramatised. There’s no chase sequence. These people get a bullet straight between the eyes and through the chest. End of story.
It’s taken almost 12 months for Gomorrah to find its way into Australian cinemas. This time last year, it won the lucrative runner-up prize (otherwise known was the Grand Prix) at the Cannes Film Festival. It also won the best film prize at the 2008 European Film Awards. This is a great honour with previous winners including 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007), The Lives Of Others (2006) and Hidden (2005).
The film has prompted me to do a little more research on the Camorra and the more I read, the more interesting they are. How can such a crime organisation continue to thrive in this day and age? Is there really that much corruption in the world? If you take the time to check this movie out, you may find yourself asking the same questions.