Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 April 2023

When people hit me up for a movie recommendation, I always ask what they are in the mood for?  Options include action, comedy, drama, thrills, horror, romance, sci-fi, true stories… and the list goes on.  In making her feature film debut, writer-director Nida Manzoor has bravely attempted to offer something for everyone with Polite Society.  It’s a little messy in places but, for the most part, it’s an entertaining ride which blends a multitude of genres.

It is the story of a British high school student, Ria (Kansara), who isn’t too excited about her older sister, Lena (Arya), getting married to a guy she’s only known for a month.  There’s no obvious flaws with the fiancé (he’s a 32-year-old, good-looking geneticist) but Ria is more upset with her sister’s sudden change in focus and temperament. Instead of being a happily single, fun-loving art student, Lena is now a subdued, cardigan-wearing woman who is prepared to give up her dreams and start a more subservient life in Singapore with her husband-to-be,

As you’d expect from that simple plot overview, Polite Society has the appearance of a family drama.  Many will relate to the tight-nit bond that exists between siblings… and the way it lessens over time as they develop their own lives and their own independence.  Is Ria upset because she has genuine concerns about the rushed martial decision Lena is making?  Or is her judgement clouded because she selfishly doesn’t want to lose the close relationship they have always shared?  Adding to Ria’s frustration is the fact her frankly speaking parents (Mirza and Kapoor) do not appreciate her point of view.

As alluded to above, there’s a lot more to this film.  Ria has a martial arts YouTube channel and is hopes to become a successful stuntwoman.  If you’re looking for action, there are some fun scenes where Ria uses these skills in deliberately over-the-top battles – including one with the high school bully.  The laughs ain’t bad either.  There are some humorous scenes where Ria argues with her folks (crude words aplenty) and interacts with her friends in trying to sabotage the upcoming wedding.

There are other surprises but you can see Polite Society for yourself to discover them.  Newcomer Priya Kansara, in her first feature film, is excellent in the lead role.  It’s a performance that requires charisma, humour, exaggerated reactions… and karate.  Manzoor also deserves credit for her directorial choices.  The editing (quick cutaways) and music score keep the narrative moving at a brisk pace.  The lavish wedding, complete with colourful costumes, is another highlight.

Selected to open last week’s Gold Coast Film Festival and now openly widely across the country, Polite Society finds a way to balance goofiness, emotion and spectacle.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 April 2023

Awful in a good way?  Or awful in a bad way?  I can’t settle on a definitive answer and it’s likely that audience opinion will vary widely.  Australian Toni Collette (Muriel’s Wedding) steps into the shoes of Kristin, a mum going through a rough trot.  Her son just headed off to college (tears were shed), her husband has been sleeping with the school guidance counsellor, and her work at a big pharmaceutical company isn’t providing the satisfaction it once did.

To add further drama, Kristin learns her grandfather just passed away in Italy and she is named in his will as executor – a stunning surprise given the pair were never close and she has minimal contact with that side of her extended family.  Spurred on by the advice of a friend, Kristin tries to spin these events into a positive.  She’ll travel to the southern Italian region of Calabria, mourn for a day or so, and then go on an Eat Pray Love-style adventure to brighten things up.

As the film’s title suggests, things don’t go to script.  It turns out her grandfather was the head of a powerful Mafia family involved in a range of illegal activities including drugs, guns, and prostitution.  Kristin has been appointed as the new leader, much to the disgust of everyone, and she must start negotiating a truce with a rival group who have engaged in a territorial “turf war”.  She has absolutely no idea what she’s doing (she hasn’t even watched The Godfather before) and so what follows is a light-weight comedy where she clumsily bumbles her way through each dangerous situation.

It’s a farcical narrative where characters don’t stay true to themselves.  There are moments where Kristin is a panicking mum who fears for safety and wants to escape back home… and there are moments when she’s a horny, food-loving woman taking insane risks to hook up with guys she’s just met.  It’s a film that must be embraced as spoof for any chance of enjoying.  This is evident from Toni Collette’s lead performance who is insanely over-the-top with every emotional turn.

Some jokes are miles from hitting the mark.  A great example is a silly work Zoom call which drags on too long.  The shootouts and other scenes are also uninspired.  There’s a laughable sequence early in the film where a slomo shot of a calm, walking Kristin (an explosion is taking place in the background) is intermingled with regular-paced shots of a running, terrified Kristin.  Was it meant to be satire?  Or did director Catherine Hardwick (Twilight) struggle to edit everything together on a tight budget?

The film is not a total write-off.  A few laughs can be found from Toni Collette’s lead performance who is insanely over-the-top with every emotional turn.  Combining Under the Tuscan Sun and The Godfather (never thought I’d ever say that), Mafia Mamma is messy entertainment.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 April 2023

The setting is a rainy, lightning-filled evening in a dilapidated apartment building.  The catalyst is an old, mysterious book discovered in a cavity beneath the underground basement.  The victim is a single mother who has been possessed by an unexplained, demonic presence.  None of these plot points are original within the horror genre (they’ve been used time and time again) but Evil Dead Rise works because its simple nature and above-average production values.  It knows what it wants to be and doesn’t try too hard.

The title allows it to be included within the Evil Dead franchise but it’s as much marketing as anything else.  There are no returning characters from earlier instalments (except a scratchy voice on an old record) and it operates as a stand-alone movie.  For those new to the brand, the original 1981 flick launched the career of filmmaker Sam Raimi and while he’s gone on to bigger things (like the Tobey Maguire helmed Spider-Man trilogy), he remains connected as an executive producer.  Newcomer Lee Cronin has now taken the reins as writer-director.

Evil Dead Rise has received an R-rating here in Australia for its “high impact horror violence.”  It’s hard to argue with that classification given the gruesome, gory fight sequences and the farcical amount of blood.  The make-up crew and visual effects team have done a stellar job making these characters look as sickly and creepy as possible.  Composer Stephen McKeon and the sound technicians add to the edge-of-your-seat vibe with an array of sharp, piercing sounds.  If you’ve got a slight headache, perhaps this isn’t the best movie for it.

It’s an American production but there’s a strong Australian connection given the cast includes Lily Sullivan (Mental), Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), and Morgan Davies (The Hunter).  Once we get past the short introduction and into the carnage, they go a genuine job either being scared… or scary.  I’m sure stunt doubles were involved but they also find themselves contorting their bodies into uncomfortable positions and being thrown across the room.

Offering a dash of creativity when it comes to the brutal deaths (thumbs up on the shredder), Evil Dead Rise clocks in at a tight 97-minutes and, for fans of the genre, provides sufficient entertainment.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 April 2023

It’s back-to-back weeks of reinvigorated stinkers.  Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves arrived in cinemas last Thursday and was considerably better than the lame 2000 effort.  This time around, we have The Super Mario Bros. Movie which is trying to improve on the live-action box-office flop, starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, released back in 1993.

The original arcade game was by the Japanese gaming company Nintendo back in 1983.  While this film is likely to tweak the curiosity of long-time fans and gamers, I’d describe it as a movie targeted more at kids than adults.  The story is straight forward, the characters are simple, and the humour is easy to understand.  The bright colours and fun sound effects are another reason it will resonate with the younger crowd.

Writer Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru) wastes no time introducing us to the two heroes, Mario (Pratt) and Luigi (Day).  They’re hat-wearing plumbers from Brooklyn, New York who, despite a flashy television advertisement, are struggling to get their small business off the ground.  This doesn’t seem to be a surprise to their extended family who aren’t offering much support.

Those problems will soon be overshadowed by a set of much bigger ones.  They get sucked down a green sewer pipe and end up in an entirely different universe filled with cute toadstools.  The pair become separated (a traditional plot device) with Mario encountering an assortment of characters in search of his brother.  The list includes a wise princess (Taylor-Joy), a fire-breathing turtle (Black), and the showboating Donkey Kong (Rogen).

In making the film as likeable as possible, the directing duo of Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!) have gone with an array of classic songs including Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero”, and A-ha’s “Take on Me”.  These tunes, along with the bombastic music score of Brian Tyler and Koji Kondo, provide an appropriate backdrop to the hectic action scenes.  Of the voice cast, Jack Black has the most fun as the villainous, mood-shifting turtle who wants to marry the princess and rule the world.

As the tentpole animated feature of the Easter school holidays, The Super Mario Bros. Movie won’t blow you away emotionally… but it offers a tight 92-minutes of entertainment to keep children occupied.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 April 2023

Having never won at the Oscars, despite 7 previous nominations for best actor, British star Peter O’Toole (Lawrence of Arabia) was presented an honorary Academy Award in 2002 for his long, distinguished career.  During his short acceptance speech, the 69-year-old acknowledged the many people he’d worked with across his career but also the astonishing young talent from whom he “grabs energy in handfuls.”

In that regard, Hollywood is no different from any other industry.  It’s sad when a gifted actor passes away but there’s always someone coming through to fill the gap and leave their own mark.  These thoughts were rummaging through my head while watching A Good Person, the latest creation of writer-director Zach Braff (Garden State).

The film stars iconic 85-year-old Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption) who has nothing left to prove in terms of ability, but he continues to be motivated by a love for the craft.  It’s as if he’s in a contest with the ageless Clint Eastwood to see who can last the longest!  Here, Freeman is working alongside one of the great upcoming stars of today’s generation – 27-year-old Florence Pugh who, after a breakout performance in 2016’s Lady Macbeth, has built an impressive resume with roles in Fighting with My Family, Midsommar, and Little Women.

There is nothing flash or original with the script for A Good Person.  Pugh plays a young woman who has become addicted to prescription medication after being involved in a car accident which took the life of two friends.  Freeman plays a former alcoholic who has become the sole caregiver to his rebellious teenage granddaughter following the death of her parents.  They are as different as chalk and cheese but these two come together, via some semi-contrived moments, and reluctantly help each other through their pain and suffering.

Other films have covered the subject of addiction in a more convincing and emotional manner (The Lost Weekend, The Basketball Diaries, Requiem for a Dream) but A Good Person warrants your time for its two lead performances.  The experience of Freeman and the passion of Pugh make for a nice pairing.  There are moments when the characters let their guard down and show a tormented, willing-to-change side… and there are moments when the guard springs back up and they refuse to acknowledge their problems and alternate views.

A few plot points are heavy-handed (“I’ve read the reports”) and a few others are undercooked (the teenage daughter) but A Good Person does remind us that asking for help, when facing a life-altering addiction, is a tough first step.