Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 August 2007

Willy Beachum (Gosling) is one of the best prosecutors in the legal profession.  He’s young, popular and successful.  His 97% conviction rate speaks for itself.  Willy has decided that it’s time to take his career a step further.  He’s landed a highly paid job at a very lucrative criminal law firm.  Instead of putting criminals behind bars, he’ll now be keeping trying to keep them on the streets.

With just weeks left at his old job, a case lands on his desk.  Willy is reluctant to take on any new work but this looks too easy to pass up.  The accused has confessed to the crime and there’s both motive and a murder weapon.  It’ll be one more conviction to notch up on his belt.

The man on trial is Ted Crawford (Hopkins).  Ted shot his wife (Davidtz) on discovering that she was having an affair.  We know he is guilty because we see the crime take place in the opening scenes of the film.  Everyone involved in the case knows that he’s guilty, but Ted has a few cards up his sleeve to convince the jury otherwise.

In turns out that the officer who arrested Ted was the one having an affair with his wife.  This makes the confession gained from that office inadmissible.  Further, forensics show that the gun found at the scene had never been fired.  With details of the trial being broadcast in the media, it’s turned into a nightmare for Willy Beachum.  He’s losing an unloseable case.  With his reputation in tatters and his new job prospects in jeopardy, Willy must figure this out…

I love a good who-done-it thriller.  You watch intently for clues and you try to put the pieces of the puzzle together.  I’m happy to report that the ending does make sense (for the most part) and that I did pick it with about half-an-hour to go.  You may not care but I walked out with a proud look on my face.

The performance of Ryan Gosling is impressive.  After earning his first Academy Award nomination earlier this year for Half Nelson, Gosling again shows that he breath life into his characters.  I loved his arrogance early in the film and the way he speaks in a cool, nonchalant tone.  You’ll see his personality change as his life begins to unravel.

The film suffers with the inclusion of some unnecessary sub-plots.  Willy has a girlfriend named Nikki (Pike) who works at the new firm he is going to.  There’s a strange scene where they first meet (although I assume this isn’t a first meeting from what happens after) and she continues to pop in and out of the story with no real purpose.  A lengthy scene where they share Thanksgiving dinner with her family is a good example.  Perhaps the plot isn’t deep enough to drag it out to the full two hours.

My first reaction on walking out of the cinema was that that Fracture was an enjoyable movie going experience.  The more I thought about it afterwards though, the more possible flaws I saw in the story.  Perhaps it’s best not to keep thinking about.  It held my attention for the most part and that’s better than a lot of other films screening at the moment.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 July 2007

A group of Iraqis and Cambodians have travelled from Indonesia to Australia on a tiny boat.  They have paid big money for the trip and are looking to start a new, prosperous life in Australia.  The owner of the boat has left them on a beach with instructions to climb the large sand dunes.  On the other side, they’ll find a bus stop which will take them to Perth.

They soon learn that they have been taken for fools.  There is no bus and there isn’t even a road.  There’s nothing but dirt and sand in every direction.  They boat operator has taken their cash and fled back to Indonesia (to find more suckers).

Their arrival hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Australian military.  They have sent a three-man army unit to drive around the area in their jeep and look for any sign of these illegal aliens.  For these army guys, it’s a very boring assignment.  They pass the time by kicking the football around and going for a swim at an isolated watering hole.

Most of the new arrivals are captured but three remain lost in the harsh Pilbara Desert.  They are trying to find their way to Perth, unknowing that it’s 2,000 kilometres away.  Good fortune is keeping them alive and helping them evade their potential captors.  It’s a humorous journey of an unlikely trio on an even unlikely journey.  Will they find what they are looking for in this “paradise” that is Australia?

This is a curious idea for a film but I think it will struggle to find an audience.  There are no big-name actors, it is set entirely in a remote desert and there are large portions of subtitles.  Lovers of Australian cinema will be interested but there aren’t enough of them in this country.

Lucky Miles a decent comedy which makes light of a topical issue.  It’s not trying to make a political statement regarding illegal immigrants and detention centres – it’s just trying to have a bit of fun.  It succeeds to an extent but I think it’s a fairly thin plot when considering its 105 minute running time.  My attention span was waning after about an hour.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 July 2007

As I handed over my $8.50 and look at the ticket stub, the realisation sunk in.  After waiting 18 years, my favourite television show had made it to the big screen.  Walking into the packed theatre, I knew that others shared the same opinion.  There were excited murmurings and the occasional squeal as the opening credits started to roll.

It’s pointless describing the storyline because that is not why people will see this movie.  People will go because they want to laugh and be entertained.  If you’re a Simpsons fan, you’ll know exactly what type of humour is going to be offered.  Matt Groening and his writing team are experts at creating jokes at the expenses of others.  Over the 18 year run of the television show, there are very few places and people that haven’t poked fun at.

With so much hype, can this film possibly live up to expectations?  For the most part it does.  The opening half-hour is terrific.  Many regular characters are seen (although most only get a line or two) and there are plenty of “laugh out loud” moments.  I also enjoyed the jokes made about the movie itself.  The very first scene (which involves Itchy & Scratchy) is a perfect example.

Just like the television shows, a few big name celebrities make guest appearances.  I won’t spoil them but one I will mention is Albert Brooks.  Devout fans will remember Brooks’ voice from earlier Simpsons episodes – he played Hank Scorpio (one of my all-time favourite characters), Brad Goodman and Jacques (the bowling instructor who seduced Marge way back in the first season).  It’s great having him in the film.

Interestingly, the movie isn’t made using the same techniques as those on the smaller screen.  There’s a lot more computer animation and this has allowed scenes to be shot with increased detail.  In one particular scene, almost every resident of Springfield can be seen and made out.  Regardless of whether it was done by hand or with a computer, it must have taken a long time to put together.  Further enhancing the production, a blockbuster-like film score has been provided by top composer Hans Zimmer.

On its opening day in Australia, The Simpsons Movie took in the highest first-day total for an animated feature.  That’s not bad considering that it’s not even school holidays.  I’m expecting it to make a lot of money given its cross-generational appeal.  I wonder if it’ll be the adults dragging the kids to see it as opposed to the other way around.

My only criticism is that the film struggles to maintain its high standards in the final half-hour.  The film focuses a little too much on the bizarre plot.  Still, make sure you stay for the majority of the end credits.  I know you’ll want to get away from the annoying teenagers who have talked throughout the whole movie but there are a few more jokes to be enjoyed.

I’ll be up front and say that The Simpsons has defined me as a person.  My own sense of humour has evolved largely from watching it on television.  I can recite hundreds of lines and can remember almost every episode.  It’s amazing how many times I’ve been in a situation and then thought of a similar moment from the show.  Whilst this isn’t the “best movie ever” (in the words of the Comic Book Guy), it’s still pretty damn good.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 July 2007

Ann (Redgrave) is in the final days of her life.  She is confined to her bed and is taken care of by her two daughters, Nina (Collette) and Constance (Richardson).  Slipping in and out of consciousness, Ann mumbles the names Harris and Buddy.  She describes Harris as her only true love and then goes on to say that she killed Buddy.  This comes a shock to Nina and Constance who don’t know what their mother is talking about.  She had never mentioned these people before.

We then slip into the past to fill in the blanks.  Ann (played now by Claire Danes) has just arrived at a beautiful sea-side mansion which is home to two of her best friends, Lila (Gummer) and Buddy Wittenborn (Dancy).  Lila is getting married tomorrow and Ann will be her bridesmaid.  As Lila and her mother (Close) finalise the nitty-gritty details of the ceremony, Ann and Buddy spend time together.  Buddy has always had a crush on Ann and he hopes to take their friendship a step further.

What should be a fun, happy weekend for Ann is about to become far more complicated.  A dashing gentleman by the name of Harris Arden (Wilson) enters the picture.  He is a wedding guest and long-time friend of the family.  There’s an instant attraction between Ann and Harris which only grows in the lead up to the wedding.  This does not go unnoticed by Buddy who realises he now has competition.

My feeble attempts to describe the plot do not do this film justice.  There are many layers to the characters and you will learn more about them as the movie progresses.  This rich story comes from the novel by Susan Minot (first published in 1998) and has been adapted for the screen by Minot and friend Michael Cunningham (author of The Hours).  I’ve seen many two hour movies which were an hour too long.  In this instance, the film feels an hour too short.  With so many characters in the film, there isn’t enough time to develop them all fully.  I wanted to know more about them.

Evening is being advertised as having one of the finest female casts of the year and I cannot argue.  In what is one of her best ever roles, Claire Danes (Romeo & Juliet) is breathtaking.  She lights up the screen in every scene in which she appears.  I’d like to think she’s a chance at an Oscar nomination.

Of the remaining cast, it’s worth pointing out a few interesting relationships.  Vanessa Redgrave and Natasha Richardson play mother and daughter in the film, just like they are in real life.  Mamie Gummer as the young Lila and Meryl Streep as the old Lila look strikingly similar because they are also mother and daughter in real life.

Hungarian-born director Lajos Koltai has been working as a cinematographer since the early 1970s.  Recent credits include Being Julia, The Emperor’s Club and Malena (which earned him an Academy Award nomination).  Now sitting in the director’s chair, he has called on the services of fellow cinematographer Gyula Pados and has created a film with striking visuals.  From the sunlight streaming into the church to the moonlight glistening off the ocean, everything looks beautiful.

Each year, there are usually a couple of movies I like that I didn’t expect to.  Evening was savaged by American critics as being slow, sappy and jumbled.  I guess this film hit the right notes for me with its insights on seizing the day and living life to its fullest.  My thumbs are up.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 July 2007

Answering a knock at the door, Linda (Bullock) sees a police officer standing on her porch.  He tells her that her husband was involved in a car accident and was killed instantly.  It happened the day before but the police had trouble identifying the body and hence, the next of kin.  Linda goes into shock.  Her mother comes over to comfort her.  She picks up her two daughters from school and tells them the bad news.  As she goes to bed that night, she realises that her life is forever changed.  Or is it?

When she awakes the next morning, she goes downstairs and finds her husband, Jim (McMahon), making breakfast and going about his day like he ordinarily would.  What’s going on here?  Was his death just a vivid dream?  Or was it some kind of premonition?

It was at this point where I gave up on the film.  I watched the rest of it knowing exactly what would happen.  I think everyone in the cinema knew but for some unknown reason, Sandra Bullock’s character couldn’t put the pieces together.  It was very frustrating.  If I’m going to watch a suspense thriller, I’d at least like to be kept guessing.  How could such a major film have such a thin plot???

Premonition deserves my lowest grading.  I’ve seen B-grade straight-to-video releases that are more interesting and entertaining.  I can’t believe I spent $8.50 on it at the cinemas (thank goodness I had a discount card).  Rotten Tomatoes, a film website which collects reviews from major critics across the world, found that it received 12 positive reviews and 138 negative reviews.  It’s comforting that I find myself in the majority.

I try to be positive person but films like Premonition depress me.  The good news is that my memory of the film is quickly fading and I’m off to see another film tonight.  It can only be better.