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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 March 2007

The last two German films to be nominated for the best foreign language picture Oscar were Downfall (in 2005) and Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (in 2006).  Both are set in World War II and both are terrific movies.  The Lives Of Others is another German film set in the past.  However it focuses on a different, but just as interesting, part of Germany’s history

Prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, a secret police organisation known as the Stasi helped control East Germany.  Through an army of informants (whose identity was kept hidden) they kept files on roughly one-third of the entire population.  They did this by tapping phone lines, reading mail and bugging buildings.  The Stasi’s used its information to suppress anyone who was against the socialist government.

Georg Dreyman (Koch) is a popular playwright living in East Germany.  Artists are often suspected as being “subversive” but Dreyman’s has not attracted the Stasi’s attention.  His plays portray the government in a positive light.  Dreyman’s lead actress and long-time partner is Christa-Maria Sieland (Gedeck).  The pair live in a nice, well-to-do apartment.

Given her high profile, Christa-Maria’s beauty has caught the attention of a government official, Minister Bruno Hempf (Thieme).  The two start having an affair but it is not of Christa-Maria’s doing.  She deplores Hempf but knows there will be serious ramifications if she turns his affections down.  He is a very powerful man.

As Hempf’s affections grow, he decides that he wants Christa-Maria to himself.  He demands that Dreyman be put under surveillance with the hope of finding a reason to convict him of something.  Gerd Wiesler (Muhe) has been put in charge of the operation.  Now that the home has been bugged, Wiesler job is to listen to every conversation and report in on a daily basis.

I could continue but there are a few plot developments that I will let you discover for yourself.  The story itself is fascinating.  It’s amazing to think that this was actually happening in Germany less than 20 years ago.  It is more than just a history lesson though.  There is a “realness” to all the characters and you will become emotionally invested in their fate.  The ending is brilliant and the lose ends are tied in a fulfilling manner.

The Lives Of Others has been showered with praise since it premiered at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival.  It won the European Film Award for best film and it upset Pan’s Labyrinth to win the Oscar for best foreign language film.  The acclaim is well deserved.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 March 2007

Bobby is a film which is set entirely in one location on one day.  The venue is the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and the date is 4 June 1968.  Those who know their U.S. history will recognise the significance of the time in place.  At 12:15am on the morning on 5 June 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in the hotel’s kitchen.  He was killed just minutes after giving a famous victory speech following his success in the Democratic Presidential primaries in California and South Dakota.

This movie isn’t a re-telling of the assassination.  In fact, no actor plays Robert Kennedy.  The only time we see Kennedy is when we’re watching real archival footage.  The film’s focus is on the era itself – its people and the challenges they faced.

For this reason, Emilio Estevez’s movie features a myriad of stories.  I don’t think you’ll find a bigger celebrity cast list in another film this year.  We follow a range of hotel employees, members of Kennedy’s election team, and a few guests.  I could list them all but I’d be here for a while.  Let’s just say that this is a true “ensemble drama”.

Some stories and more interesting that others but you’d expect that.  I take issue with the fact that whilst this based around the actual death of Robert F. Kennedy, the characters in the film are all fictional.  I don’t know if it would have been possible but I’d have preferred to have had their stories based on real accounts.  I felt sympathetic watching some of the characters get shot in the final scene but this feeling was dispelled on learning that these people never existed in reality.

Given the number of separate stories, there isn’t the time to become involved with many of the characters.  It lacks depth and some people felt unnecessary and pointless.  It’s not a bad film but one which could have been better given the impressive cast.  Those looking to reflect back on the 60s may find it more appealing that others.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 March 2007

Alan Johnson (Cheadle) is a successful dentist living in New York City.  He likes his job but is frustrated by the lack of respect he gets from the other partners in the practice.  After being accused of sexual assault by a crazy patient (Burrows), his colleagues refuse to support him.  They don’t care if he’s innocent - they’re more worried about the bad publicity and their public liability insurance.

Life is also frustrating at home.  Alan loves his wife (Smith) but is tiring of her bossy nature.  He feels that he has no freedom and that he is being controlled.  Looking for someone to confide in, Alan has found a psychiatrist near his office (Tyler) and is looking for positive answers.

His unsettled life will find clarity thanks to the arrival of an old friend.  On the street one evening, Alan bumps into Charlie Fineman (Sandler), his college roommate from 15 years ago.  Alan tries to talk to him but gets a blank look in return.  Charlie can’t remember him.

It turns out that Charlie’s wife and three children were on board one of the planes which crashed on September 11, 2001.  In the aftermath of their death, Charlie quit his job, locked himself in his apartment and shut out all memory of his family.  Despite the good intentions of others, he closed himself off from the rest of the world.

Alan and Charlie start spending time together.  It’s a partnership that works for Alan because it helps him forget his troubles at work and at home.  The partnership also works for Charlie because Alan knows not to mention his family.  They go to the movies, listen to music, visit clubs and reflect back on college memories.  Life seems so easy again.  Their new-found happiness however, can’t continue in its current form.  Their problems cannot be avoided.

Reign Over Me is a strange film.  When you read my plot description, it will come off sounding like a full-on drama.  This is not the case though.  In almost every emotional scene, writer-director Mike Binder (The Upside Of Anger) throws in an ice-breaker – a joke to lighten the mood.  I’m not sure why he has done this though.  Many people in my screening were laughing but others (including myself) were more subdued.

Don Cheadle’s (Hotel Rwanda) performance is the film’s highlight.  He does a great job bringing out his character’s insecurities.  He is believable.  I wasn’t as convinced by Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore).  Maybe I remember him too much from his comedies but his character seemed too “goofball”.  It’s as if he’s funny in trying not to be funny.  Would the film have been better if another actor was cast in role?  I think so.  While I’m in the mood to criticise, the fate of the patient who accused Alan of sexual assault was also puzzling.

It may not sound like it but I still enjoyed Reign Over Me.  The story is interesting and Cheadle is terrific.  It’s likeable but a little rough around the edges.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 March 2007

Little Miss Sunshine was tipped by many to win the Oscar for best picture last week.  It was defeated by The Departed and some have attributed its loss to the fact that it’s a comedy.  Facts don’t lie - only one comedy in the last 30 years has won the Academy’s top prize (Shakespeare In Love).  This verifies what I’ve mentioned before.  Comedy is the hardest genre to perfect because we all have a different sense of humour.

Never has a truer example been provided than Wild Hogs.  It is the story of four ageing men who are in desperate need of a holiday.  Doug (Allen) is a workaholic who refuses to take a break.  Woody (Travolta) is a lawyer who has just found out that he’s broke.  Bobby (Lawrence) is an out-of-work plumber who is talked down to by his wife.  Dudley (Macy) is a computer geek with an inability to talk to women.

The quartet go on a motorcycle road trip to rediscover themselves.  They leave their mobile phones behind and have no set destinations planned.  They’re just going to see where the open road takes them.   They end up in some pretty wacky situations but I’ll let you find out for yourself.

When I saw this trailer for the first time, I was immediately turned off.  A buddy comedy with Tim Allen, John Travolta, William H. Macy and Martin Lawrence had no appeal to me.  It appears I am in the minority and it comes back to what I said earlier about the different styles of comedy.  Wild Hogs made a whopping $38m in its first weekend in the United States.  Were these the same people who took Norbit to the top of the charts two weeks ago?

If you’re trying to gauge the type of humour being offered here, then I can easily explain.  Wild Hogs features plenty of poo jokes and gay jokes.  Some will burst into hysterics whilst others will sit silently.  I didn’t laugh too often but I admit that a few one-liners, particularly from William H. Macy, did tickle my funny bone.  There’s also a great cameo late in the film from an actor who will remain nameless (at least in this review).

I can’t recommend this personally but if you do go and see it, there’s a better than 50/50 chance that you’ll enjoy it.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 16 March 2007

Many people will remember Dangerous Minds, the 1995 release which starred Michelle Pfeiffer.  It was the story of a young, white teacher who went into a poverty stricken school and made a difference.  Her multi-racial students lacked both knowledge and discipline but she won them over with her unique teaching style.  She inspired them to study hard and make something of their lives.

The same plot description could be used to describe Freedom Writers.  Instead of Michelle Pfeiffer however, we have two time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don’t Cry).  On seeing the trailer for the first time, I could have sworn I was watching Dangerous Minds 2.

Whilst the plot didn’t offer anything I haven’t seen before, I did enjoy the film’s spirit.  In the last hour, there are some great scenes between Swank (as teacher Erin Gruwell) and her students.  You can feel her passion for wanting to make a difference.  If the film’s job is to inspire others then it does it’s very best to do so.  It has been made with good intentions.

The story is hampered however by its predictability and its use of clichés.  The opening scenes are particularly bad.  Erin struggles to connect with her students and her naivety is over done.  So too were the performances from the other teachers in the school who criticise Erin’s methods.  They come off looking worse than the devil.  Was the real story this black and white?

Patrick Dempsey plays the husband and Scott Glenn plays the father.  They may be high profile actors but their characters are surprisingly kept in the background.  They pop into the story every now and again and then fade away with little fuss.  It’s strange because I think their stories are more interesting than some of the students.

Director Richard LaGravenese has had a successful script-writing career having adapted such books as A Little Princess, The Bridges Of Madison County and The Horse Whisperer.  Freedom Writers is another of his adaptations but this time around, LaGravenese gets to sit in the director’s chair.  He effectively uses rap music to set the tone and please younger audiences.

Given the time frame between Dangerous Minds and Freedom Writers, I’d estimate that we’ll see another similar film in about ten years.  With the lack of original ideas coming out of Hollywood, it may even be sooner.