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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 June 2008

Each year, television studios are inundated with ideas for new shows.  Only a select few make it into production and of those, not many last longer than 12 months.  It highlights just how hard it can be to create a popular television show.

The first episode of Sex & The City aired in the U.S. on a Saturday night in June 1998.  It was watched by 3.7 million people (not too bad for a debut).  However, by the time the last episode aired in 2004, more than 10.6 million people were tuning in.  Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda were household names.

Four years have passed since the finale but interest in the show hasn’t diminished.  The cult-like following is bigger than ever.  Repeats can be seen every night on pay-TV.  HBO Films and New Line Cinema sensed that the fans wanted to see these characters again.  They were right.  When released last weekend in the United States, Sex & The City took in a staggering $56.8m at the box-office.  Can this series become any bigger?

Before I go any further, I should probably cut things short for those who haven’t watched the show.  You can stop reading this review right now.  If you had no interest while it was on the small screen, why would you fork out money to see it on a big screen?  I’ll catch up with you some other time.

For those who are interested, the movie picks up where the television series finished off.  Carrie (Bradshaw) is planning her wedding after becoming engaged to Mr. Big (Noth).  Samantha (Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles to manage the career of her soap-star boyfriend.  Miranda (Hobbes) is trying to juggle her career and her family life.  Charlotte (Davis) is devoted to raising her 3-year-old adopted daughter.  I won’t go into much more detail in terms of the plot but once again, I’m disappointed that the trailer gives too much away.

I was a fan of the television show.  I didn’t watch it religiously but I found it to be both funny and insightful.  The movie isn’t of the same quality however.  It’s much too long at 148 minutes and the storyline is predictable and repetitive.  I was hoping for more action and more surprises.  I got bored watching them talk about the same problems over and over (whilst wearing designer clothes and sipping alcoholic beverages).

Bah!  What difference will my opinion make anyway?  I’m a guy! The studio research from the States showed that roughly 85% of moviegoers who saw the movie on opening weekend were female.  There was a similar ratio of guys to girls at my preview screening here in Brisbane.  There were lots of laughs from the ladies and I think they were more receptive to many elements of the film.

Then Carrie gives her personal assistant a Christmas gift, she pulls a box from under her bed that has the name Louis Vuitton written on it.  I could hear many gasps from the females sitting near me.  I guess I just didn’t get it.  While I’m illustrating my ignorance, how does Carrie afford a personal assistant?  How does she afford all her clothes?  She says at one point that she’s using the advance from her latest book to buy furniture for her apartment.  If she’s that strapped for cash, I’m sure she could get away with wearing the same outfit twice.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll leave my criticisms at that.  Let’s face it – it’s an unrealistic storyline but it’s no more unrealistic than a macho action flick.  If a guy can fight 10 people at once and win, then I’m sure a girl can have 100 designer dresses in her wardrobe.  Men are from Mars and women are Venus but both sexes love escapism when it comes to the movies.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 May 2008

Warning: The following review contains controversy, incoherent gibberish and high-level grumpiness.  Reader discretion is advised.

What’s the deal with these “concert movies” that have sprung up in Australian cinemas?  Shine A Light is the third one I’ve seen this year.  It’s essentially a 2 hour movie where you watch the Rolling Stones play a concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

The opening 10 minutes or so are spent watching director Martin Scorsese (The Departed) try to organise the show with lead vocalist Mick Jagger.  They have differing opinions and there are funny scenes.  It’s not easy trying to play when you’ve got video cameras circling around the stage.  It’s a challenge for both the band and the director.

Unfortunately for me, this was the best part of the film.  The rest of it is the concert with a few old interviews thrown in after every 2 or 3 songs.  My problem is that I’m not a fan of the Rolling Stones.  I’ve got nothing against them personally but I’ve never been into their music and I didn’t know most of the songs they were singing.

This leaves in a tricky dilemma.  How do I review this movie?  Is it even a movie?  One of the best music documentaries I’ve ever seen was called DiG!  It was released in 2004 and took a behind the scenes look at The Dandy Warhols (who went on to fame and fortune) and The Brian Jonestown Massacre (who could never get their careers off the ground).  I didn’t know either of these bands either but what made the film interesting was that it took us behind the scenes.  I learned just how up and down the music industry can be.

My point is that a documentary such as DiG! could appeal to anyone.  I know nothing about music but still found it fascinating.  On the other hand, Shine A Light will only appeal to fans of the Rolling Stones.  I can tell you that watching this movie was one of the most boring 2 hours of my year so far.  That’s just how it was for me.  I realise a lot of people (especially Stones fans) will think I’m being ridiculous.  They probably have a point.  I don’t know.  I’m completely lost.

As mind-numbingly tedious as I found the subject material, I do appreciate good cinematography when I see it.  Martin Scorsese and his team have done a terrific job capturing the concert.  There’s a range of cool camera angles and you get an appreciation of just how much passion the musicians put into their performances.  The sound capture is also superb.  I know it’s not as good as a real concert (since you can’t jump, scream and sing) but it still generates an atmosphere.

The biggest talking point that I take away from the film is whether these concert movies are going to become more common in cinemas.  Am I going to have to sit through a two-and-a-half hour Justin Timberlake concert?  Will I be forced to endure a three hour Celine Dion marathon.  I hope the answer is no.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 June 2008

When they were last in the land of Narnia, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy defeated the White Witch and brought prosperity to the kingdom.  They then returned home through an enchanted wardrobe.  If you missed the action, you can check out The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe which was released in cinemas back in December 2005.

A year has since passed and the four Pevensie children are yearning to go back to Narnia.  They will soon get their wish.  Standing on a train platform in their school uniforms, they suddenly find themselves whisked away.  Their excitement turns to concern when they realise that Narnia has changed.  The buildings have been destroyed and none of their friends can be found.  What happened?

The answers will be revealed when Peter and Susan help rescue a dwarf named Trumpkin (Dinklage) from two human soldiers.  He tells them that centuries have passed in the Narnia world since they were last here.  In that time, Narnia was invaded by a neighbouring kingdom of humans known as the Telmarines.  The few that survived now hide in what is left of the dark forest.

The time has come for the Narnians to fight back.  They will receive help however from an unexpected ally.  Prince Caspian is the heir to the Telmarine throne but he was forced to flee following an assassination attempt.  His evil step father, King Miraz, wanted Caspian killed so that his newly born son would be his successor.  Caspian seeks revenge against Miraz and teams up with the Narnians to help lead them to victory.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian is highly anticipated given the financial success of the first film.  It’s sure to draw in big crowds when released.  I didn’t mind the film but wasn’t blown away by it.  I don’t think I could sit through it a second time.  It’s marketed at a younger audience with its toned-down violence and predictable storyline.  I preferred the blood-thirsty battles and complex relationships in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.

The film’s strongest quality is its overall look.  The wonderful sets and costumes are mixed with some dazzling special effects and cinematography.  The talking animals look great.  The film cost a reported $200m to make but I can confirm that it is money well spent.  New Zealand born director Andrew Adamson has done a superb job bringing C.S. Lewis’s novel to life.

Now speaking of the negatives, I had a few issues with the performances.  Some of the actors deliver their lines as if they were reading them straight out of the book.  I would have liked to have seen them a little more relaxed and spontaneous.  The story doesn’t flow very well either.  There are a couple of scenes that left me wondering why they were included.

The next film in the series is The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader which is scheduled for release in 2010.  I guess we’ll do it all again in two years… provided this film makes enough money at the box office.  We’ll see.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 May 2008

The last Indiana Jones film was released back in 1989.  In terms of moviemaking, much has changed over the last two decades.  Action films are now filled with special effects and fast-paced editing.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing – it’s just natural evolution.

I read a recent interview with Steven Spielberg where he talked about the making of Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.  He wanted to make it just like a traditional action flick – where you can always see what’s going on and there are heaps of cool stunts.  I appreciate this style and think it suits the movie.  When you see the simple opening credits, you’d be forgiven for thinking this movie was actually made back in the 1980s.

This time around, Indiana (Ford) finds himself on a quest to locate a crystal skull.  He thought it was a mere legend but a letter from an old friend has him thinking otherwise.  He’s not the only one looking for it.  There’s a group of KGB agents being led by psychic Irina Spalko (Blanchett) who want it for their own purposes.  Helping Indiana on his quest is a new young friend named Mutt Williams (LaBeouf).  Mutt’s trying to find his mum who was kidnapped by the nasty Russians. 

It’s a silly story with a strange ending but I still enjoyed watching it.  The action sequences were the clear highlight – they kept me glued to the screen.  The best moment is a lengthy car chase where the bad guys chase the good guys through a jungle.  The scene includes some flesh eat ants and a death-defying waterfall escape.  It’s thrilling to watch but humorous at the same time.

Before I get too carried away, you have to remember that this still has its fair share of clichés.  It’s not breaking any new ground in terms of its originality.  The film features my most annoying cliché – the one where baddies can’t kill anyone despite the fact they are shooting multiple times at point blank range.  There should be training program where villains can go and learn these basic skills.  It’d at least make it a fair fight.

Of the cast, Shia LeBeouf and Cate Blanchett turn in the best performances.  LaBeouf brings youth to the movie and he has the right personality for the role.  The way he continually combs his hair was a nice touch.  Blanchett has an amusing accent and you can tell she had fun playing the villain.

I had some doubts about this sequel but for the most part, it lives up to the hype.  It’s a good, old fashioned adventure that is best watched in a packed cinema with a large bucket of popcorn.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 May 2008

The Spanish Film Festival recently wrapped up in Brisbane and one of the highlights from the program was The Orphanage.  It came with a strong reputation having won 7 Goya Awards (the Spanish equivalent of an Academy Award) including best original screenplay.  Now that the Festival is over, the film is getting a wider release in cinemas across Australia.

The title gives you a pretty good indication where this creepy thriller is set.  The building was once an orphanage but is now owned by Laura (Rueda) and her husband Carlos (Cayo).  Laura grew up there as a child and bought the home many years for sentimental reasons.  They have an adopted son named Simon (Princep) who is HIV positive.  They keep this information from him so that he can try to live a normal life.

Both Laura and Carlos have become concerned about Simon’s recent behaviour.  He has invisible friends who he talks to and plays strange games with.  It seems to be more than just a passing phase though.  He speaks of them with chilling clarity and is not at all concerned by the fact that his parents can’t see them.  It’s very spooky.

Since she bought the large house, Laura has dreamed of turning it into a home for disabled children.  She hosts a party to launch her idea which is attended by a number of interested people.  It’s all going well until Simon disappears.  Despite a full search of the home and the surrounding area, Simon cannot be found.

Months pass and there is still no trace of him.  Having exhausted all possible scenarios, Laura starts wondering if Simon’s disappearance is connected with his invisible friends.  Are these the crazy thoughts of a woman consumed by grief?  That’s all I’m going to tell you at this point.

The Orphanage is an intriguing movie that will slowly draw you in.  The suspense keeps building throughout.  You’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next and how it will end.  I love films like this – they keep me on the edge of my seat.

The film’s marketing has highlighted that one of the producers of the film is Mexican born filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.  I can see why he was attracted to the project.  The dark, paranormal storyline reminded me of the acclaimed Pan’s Labyrinth (which he directed in 2006).  Del Toro is one of the hottest properties in Hollywood at the moment and recently signed on to direct the two-film adaptation of J.R.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

If you’re looking for something a little different and you have an appreciation for foreign language films, then The Orphanage will be right up your alley.