Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 October 2006

Katrina Skinner (Barclay) is the kind of girl I hate.  She must always be the centre of attention, she has to have everything she wants, and she can be very, very manipulative.  The 19-year- old has a daughter but she seldom takes care of her.  It’s all too inconvenient for this “little princess” and so her father (Morgan) and boyfriend (Dornan) bear most of the parenting responsibilities.  Worst of all, Katrina wants money from everyone.  She expects a continual hand-out from her father to fund her swanky lifestyle.

As much as I hate her, she’s not someone you want to make an enemy of.  Her over-protective older brother, Danny (Bruels), is in prison for killing a shop attendant.  That in itself says enough about her family but the reason makes it all the more chilling – the attendant (rightfully) called Katrina a whore.

She’s a terribly dislikeable character but Emily Barclay’s performance is something to behold.  Katrina really got under my skin.  I just wanted to get up and slap her in the face (but I wouldn’t of course because that's assault).  This is a complement to Barclay and it’s no surprise to see her nominated alongside Laura Linney, Abbie Cornish and Teresa Palmer in the best actress category at this year’s AFI Awards.

The film enters a more sinister chapter when Katrina plots to kill her father.  She intends to use the inheritance to help get her brother out of jail.  With her domineering influence over others, it shouldn’t be a problem getting her friends to help out.

Director Paul Goldman has made two previous Aussie flicks – Australian Rules and The Night We Called It A Day.  Suburban Mayhem is his most interesting flick to date.  Others agree given that it was selected to screen at both the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals.

If found the storyline a little hard to believe at times but from what I understand, it is based on truth.  28-year-old writer Alice Bell was inspired after attending a series of murder trials.  The accused were often “cold-blooded and callous” and she couldn’t believe it given the circumstances they were in.  So she took the traits and facts from a range of trials and came up with the script.

Last week, Suburban Mayhem was nominated for 12 AFI Awards, the most of any movie this year.  Strangely though, the film was overlooked in the best picture category (which is voted upon by all AFI members as opposed to industry specialists).  I’m tired of saying it but this is yet another great film in what has been a top year for Australian cinema.  May the good times continue.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 October 2006

Set in the year 2027, Children Of Men takes a peek into an unimaginable future.  Females have become infertile and the last baby was born in the year 2009.  As the reality of the situation has sunk in, the world has disintegrated into complete chaos.  It’s “every person for themselves” as the government’s power over the people slips away.  A piece of graffiti on a building wall says it all - would the “last one to die please turn out the light.”

Theodore Faron (Owen) is a disenchanted diplomat working in London.  He goes to work, does what he needs to do, and returns home each day.  It gives him some sense of purpose but in the back of his mind, he knows the planet is doomed.  It’s hard not to think about.

Out the blue, Theo is approached by Julian (Moore), his ex-wife who he hasn’t seen in many years.  Julian has become a political activist and has approached Theo for a desperate favour.  She has a friend who needs to leave the country illegally and so wants Theo to use his government connections to obtain the necessary paperwork.

Theo reluctantly goes through with Julian’s request but it’s only the beginning.  He soon learns that Julian’s friend who needs the help, Kee (Ashitey), is eight months pregnant.  Word of Kee’s pregnancy hasn’t been made public however.  Radical groups who would like to get their hands on Kee for their own political benefit.  Julian and her team are trying to get Kee to a reputable commune known as The Human Project where both her needs and those of humanity will be best served.

Children Of Men starts out as a very depressing film.  It paints a grim look at society and the way we act when faced with a life-threatening situation.  It reminded me of the great Danny Boyle movie 28 Days Later (released in 2002) which looked at a world wiped out by an incurable virus.  Both films are dark but they do create a positive vibe in that the human race is powerful enough to overcome any obstacle.

It stirs emotions but it also comes with a sense of unpredicibility.  Just when you think you have the characters figured out, they surprise.  Knowledge is power (as Francis Bacon famously said) but power can corrupt.  The fate of most characters in the film revolves around that theory.  Clive Owen’s subdued performance is great as is that of Michael Caine who provides a few laughs as Theo’s hippy father.

Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Little Princess) hasn’t put a foot wrong in recent years and Children Of Men is another impressive credit to place on his resume.  Cuaron admits to being haunted by the script when he first read it.  I was particularly struck by his quote that “the tyranny of the 21^st century is called democracy” and that this was one concept he wanted to explore in this film.  Once you’ve seen it, you’ll be conscious of the topical questions that it raises.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 October 2006

I love trivia and puzzles but for some strange reason, I’ve never been into crosswords.  Every time I try one, I find myself unable to answer a single clue.  How is it that people can complete them?  The answers can be found in the great new documentary, Wordplay.

According to the many people interviewed in the film, the crossword puzzle in the New York Times is regarded as the best in the world.  The easiest crossword appears in Monday’s paper and they become progressively more difficult in the lead up to Sunday’s challenger.  Will Shortz has been the editor of the Times crossword since 1993.  Rather than write every puzzle himself (which would be impossible creatively), Shortz gets help from an army of crossword creators who regularly submit their own.

The film begins with some background information on Shortz and his work at the New York Times.  We hear interviews from celebrities such as Bill Clinton and Jon Stewart as they express their fondness for the Times crossword and the frustration it causes them.  Stewart says it best with his comment that when he completes the puzzle in the USA Today, it just doesn’t make him feel good about himself.

The real focus of the movie though is on the 2005 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.  Started by Shortz in 1978, competitors flock from across the country and battle for the title of America’s best.  To determine who deserves the prestigious honour, every contestant completes 7 crosswords which points awarded for speed and deducted for errors.  The top 3 scorers go head-to-head in a single crossword final.

The 2005 tournament includes several former champions, those who have gone close but are yet to break through, and a few newcomers.  455 contestants started out on Saturday morning but by Sunday evening, only one will be the winner.  Place your bets.

Wordplay is very similar in both its style and content to the incredible documentary Spellbound, which looked at the lives of 8 children and their quest to become the National Spelling Bee champion.  Whilst Wordplay isn’t as engrossing and suspenseful as Spellbound (which I regard as the best documentary ever made), it still has a lot to offer.

As the competitors complete their crosswords, we get the chance to play along.  Thanks to some cool special effects, we see the clues appear on screen before they are answered.  It gave me great respect for these puzzle solvers who can amazingly finish them in less than 3 minutes.

The film also offers an interesting insight into what types of people are best at crosswords and how their continual analysis of words impacts on their daily lives.  Did you know for example that if you move the “d” at the start of D’unkin Donuts, you come up with Unkind Donuts?  Most of us would never give it a thought but for a select group, the anagram would pop into their head instantly.

If you’re ever looking for an 8-letter word for a terrific movie about solving crossword puzzles, then that’s one clue I can help with.  Try Wordplay.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 October 2006

There is a scene in this film where a man drinks horse semen.  That pretty much sums up what Jackass Two is all about.  If you find this gag more humorous than repulsive, then you’ll probably enjoy this film.  Alternatively, if you find it more repulsive than humorous, then get in the queue to watching something else.

Now that the recommendations are out of the way, I don’t quite know how to “critique” this film.  There’s no script, no acting and nothing special about the direction.  It’s simply a bunch of crazy guys performing disgusting and death defying stunts.

Other highlights in Jackass Number Two include (1) Bam having his ass burned with a penis shaped cattle brander, (2) Chris getting his penis bitten by a snake, (3) Johnny being shot into the air on a giant rocket, (4) Steve-O putting a fish hook through his cheek, (5) Steve-O putting a leech on his eyeball and (6) Dave wearing a fake beard made of pubic hair.

There are about 50 scenes in all.  Some left me physically squirming in my seat whilst others left me puzzled.  Jackass are entertaining but there are only so many ways that they can smash their heads and bruise their bodies.  I give them credit for their guts but more was needed to keep my attention for the full 90 minutes.

The biggest question regarding Jackass is whether or not they set a bad example.  Warnings tell us not to attempt any of their stunts but American adolescents have been killed doing just that.  I believe these guys have a right to do what they do but I understand those who are on the other side of the argument.  When you watch them perform these stunts and have so much fun doing it, it’s not surprising that impressionable kids try to replicate them.

The first film took in $64m at the U.S. box-office and Jackass Number Two is on track to do even better.  There’s certainly an audience for this form of entertainment but I’d interested to see how many of the cast survive to keep the series going.  I hope they’ve got life insurance. 

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 October 2006

I’ve been putting off this review for a while.  I’ve wanted to write it but haven’t been able to come up with the right words to describe the storyline and how I felt about it.  It’s not the kind of film you can describe in one sentence (and that’s a good thing).

The Hoover family are, to use an overused term, dysfunctional.  As head of the household, Richard (Kinnear) is a self-help guru struggling to make ends meet.  Few attend his seminars and no one is interested in publishing his “nine step” book.  Married to Sheryl (Collette), they have two children.  The eldest, Dwayne (Dano), has taken a vow of silence until he achieves his dream of joining the air force.  He hasn’t spoken in over a year.  Their young daughter, Olive (Breslin) is obsessed with beauty pageants and was the state runner-up in the recent Little Miss Sunshine show.  She’s coached by her foul mouthed grandfather, Edwin (Arkin)

The household is about to welcome a new addition.  Their Uncle Frank (Carell) recently tried to commit suicide after being left by his boyfriend, a young male college student.  The hospital wants Frank is to spend time with his family so he can clear his head and recuperate.  With no where else to go, he enters the Hoover’s strange world.

A simple phone call will send them on unexpected road trip.  The state winner of the Little Miss Sunshine pageant can’t make it to the national final and Olive has been called up as a replacement.  With no money for airfares, this nutty group set off from New Mexico in a dilapidated yellow Volkswagen van and head for California.  It’ll be a very bumpy ride.

A cross between National Lampoon’s Vacation and American Beauty, Little Miss Sunshine has proved to be an audience winner since it premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.  It cost a mere $8m (not bad for a film with three Oscar nominees) and a bidding war following the festival saw it purchased by 20^th Century Fox.  To date, it has taken in $55m at the U.S. box-office and there’s a strong push to see it figure in Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

It’s a nice little movie with a fantastic ending but I found myself laughing less than the majority of people at my screening.  Maybe I’ve seen one too many film about warped families.  Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood at the time.  It’s still well above your average American comedy.  Its multi-layered characters and darker undertones make sure of that.